animoto

http://animoto.com/play/G0ZYEtIqXRFUe7J19yb2ZA

In this video I broke down the message that Hughes was trying to get across in all his poems.  That message is that blacks need to assimilate a little into new cultures, but they cant forget their roots.  Either as an individual or their African heritage.  Also, in a lot of Hughes poems, he talks about children and young adults.  I think this is him saying that the future generations are also very important.  I choose the jazz music because some of his poems could be songs sung by African American singers.  Overall this animoto turned out nicely, and Hughes have even liked my poems.

Poetry taken to the next level

For this post I used a website called imagechef to take on of Hughes poems and make it appealing to look at as well as read.  I choose "Song for a Banjo Dance".  This poem sounds like it would be sung in a racially segregated bar down by the river.  An old woman with missing teeth might be singing the words in a course voice while a young black man does some sort of jig or dance to the beat.  This is the image that is conjured in my head while I read this book.  It doesn't even sound like it should be in a poetry collection.  When I think of poetry I think of the likes of Longfellow and Whitman.  Of course those two talk about different subjects in their poems, but Hughes wrote a song which is different than any poem I've ever read,

Picture Blog

The Dream Keeper and other poems is the book that I decided to read for 3rd quarter bloggs.  At first I was skeptical about reading a book of poetry that is based toward African Americans, and I still am.  I defiantly don't connect on all the themes, but Ive been trying.


This is Langston Hughes.  He wrote The Dream Keeper and other poems.  In it he talks about black culture and social injustices.


One of Hughes themes is how black can be beautiful.  He came from a time when being black was demode.


Hughes writes many of his poems about the working class blacks.  He connects with the common man on many levels in nearly all of his poems.


When someone reads Hughes poems they feel that he is trying to translate African culture into poems.  All of his poems beautifully illustrate the transition.  His poems also remind blacks never to lose faith in their culture.


Many times Hughes talks about how important it is to keep family at the center of your life.  From young children, to future wives and husbands, to grandparents, family is important.  It almost seems like Hughes can't stress this theme enough as you read his poems.


Many times a Poem from "The Dream Keeper and other poems" will have one poem that is hear wretchedly sad. Then, two or three poems later Hughes will have a happy upbeat poem.  This style keeps the readers emotions doing 180's throughout the book.


A lot of Hughes poems could be old spiritual songs sung by African Americans during slavery.  Other poems are upbeat songs that condone happiness and good times.  Both types of song poems make me imagine and old black woman singing.


Hughes wants blacks to never forget their roots.  Fist in the air would appeal to Hughes very much, as it symbolizes black power.


African American art was probably an inspiration for Hughes when he was writing poetry.  These artistes appealed to the visual senses while Hughes appealed to the hearing.


A lot of Hughes poetry talks about kids growing up.  This baby reminds me of my favorite poem in the collection "Baby".


A lot of Hughes poems sound like African American spirituals.  He writes in a rhythmic beat and the words melody makes you tap your feet.  This is a different style of poetry than I have ever read.

Boring

In the beginning I thought that Langsten Hughues would be capable of writing poetry that catches my interest.  However, after reading The Dream Keeper I realize i was wrong.  I thought that reading some poetry would help with the assignment that was being assigned to our class at the time.  The assignment was to write poetry.  My initial intentions was to pick up on some of the habits that an esteemed poet must posses.  However, as I read the first few poems I realized that if I emulate Hughes I would be deemed a mega racist. To understand how racist Hughes really is the reader simply has to change the black derogatory words, symbols, and phrases to white terms.

The Negro
I am a Negro(Cracker):
Black(White) as the night(sun) is black(white),
Black(White) like the depths of my Africa(Confederacy).

Oh...
Yea...
The Dream Keeper just became the most racist book ever.
Did Hitler write it?
Nope!

And that is just the first stanza of one poem.  This is a major double standard that ssociety allows.



VS

Music Blog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBD9h0jUq3w&feature=related

This is the link to a song that I think Langston Hughes would love.  The song is "Waving Flag" by Knaan.  It was the world cup theme song, and has a powerful message when you listen to the lyrics.

When I get older I will be stronger
They'll call me freedom just like a wavin' flag
And then it goes back, and then it goes back
And then it goes back, oh

This sounds like a poem by Langston Hughes himself.  The song sounds like a modern day interpretaion of The Dream Keeper and other poems.  Both talk about a struggle for freedom and how people need to enjoy life.  The song speaks for itself and to understand the corralation you need to read the book as well.

Letter to Mr. Fitzgerald

Alex Kippenbrock

1301 E. Walnut St.

Carbondale, Illinois 62901

Dear Mr. Fitzgerald,

                Hello, I am currently a Junior at Carbondale Community High School.  I have recently read your novel The Great Gatsby, and it is by far the best book that I have read in a long time.  Of course the characters, plot, and setting all intrigued me, the reason I truly loved your book is the intricate themes and symbols you weave in throughout the entire story.  It is possible to read the novel as you might read any other book, but you would only scratch the surface of this classic American story.  While it seems that English teachers pick apart every single detail of classic literature until a rose bush turns into the meaning of life, they would be correct to do this to The Great Gatsby.  In fact if they did not, they would be severely under qualified to teach.  From every description of color, to the weather, themes and symbols are rampant throughout the novel. 

I really enjoyed the character Jay Gatsby.  Even up to the very end when the reader discovers that he is just another rich aristocrat, I still felt pity for him.  Maybe I loved Gatsby so much because he is such an unusual character.  Rather than being perfect you reveal his many flaws.  Gatsby enjoys the opportunities to throw extravagant parties and a lot of people are always there.  However, none of these people really know Gatsby.  They come up with insane stories to tell of Gatsby’s history.  The ironic part of these stories is that Gatsby himself probably had the simplest upbringing of everyone.  Living in a rule city, there is not many well of folks.  However, you always hear the story of the person who made it big, and is now living in a large city.  Gatsby’s success story gives me hope that there is a possibility that you can come out of simple upbringing.  This is of course the American Dream.            Gatsby’s story is a true example of what nearly all Americans hope they can become.  However, the residents of West and East Egg symbolize the end of the American dream.  The valley of ashes and Eckleburgs faceless eyes are two symbols that point this out.  Had I treated the book like a children’s novel, I would have read right over them, and not understood their meanings.  Unfortunately, today’s society shows many of the same flaws that were apparent during the 1920’s.  Extravagant elitist parties, a spike in adultery, and a shallowness of the upper class all point to the degragation of the society.  If The Great Gatsby was reset in the 21^st century, readers would have a hard time deciphering differences between the two decades.

Thank you for writing such a wonderful work of literature.  As I mentioned it has now become one of my favorite books.  The Great Gatsby is a novel that has been read throughout the years and will no doubt be read by future generations.

Your reader,

Alex Kippenbrock

Letter to Mr. Fitzgerald

Dear Mr. Fitzgerald,

                My name is Alex Kippenbrock, and I am a Junior at Carbondale Community High School.  I have recently read your novel The Great Gatsby, and it is by far the best book that I have read in a long time.  Of course the characters, plot, and setting all intrigued me, the reason I truly loved your book is the intrecit themes and symbols you weave in throughout the entire story.  It is possible to read the novel as you might read any other book, but you would only scratch the surface of this classic American story.

                While it seems that English teachers pick apart every single detail of classic literature until a rose bush turns into the meaning of life, they would be correct to do this to The Great Gatsby.  In fact if they did not, they would be severely under qualified to teach.  From every description of color,