Artistic Musings

The effect of brilliancy is to be obtained principally from the oppositions of cool colors with warm colors, and the opposition of grave colors with bright colors. If all colors are bright, there is no brightness." -Robert Henri

Brightness. Brilliancy. Beauty. Something set apart and special. Art, the artistic spirit if you will, serves a purpose in presenting images, sounds, phrases, which tantalize the human desire to be connected, to feel understood. People want brilliancy in their lives. We crave uniqueness. We want to shine, in whatever aspect of our lives, brighter than anyone else's star. We want to be recognized and remembered. However, we know, from witnessing failed attempts to stand out or become a star, that it is impossible for everyone to be brilliant. That's what Henri taught.

Any work of art becomes brilliant by juxtaposing the dark and the light. Without sadness, depressing notions, tragedy, and devastation, happiness, joy, and ecstasy can not shine as treasures of life. Artists like William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge and even Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, all of whom experienced great tragedies and suffered horrendous addictions and illnesses, created astounding and touching works of art. Perhaps this can be attributed to their wide range of emotional capacity caused by the lows they had weathered and the highs they achieved.

All art must have contrast. Great art contrasts vastly and effectively. When people have experienced a wide range of intense emotions, they have a better shot at achieving brilliancy. All people experience, to some degree, a wave of emotions. In those who have lived rather sheltered and typical lives, the ability to feel deeply and to connect with others is handicapped. People with emotional baggage can draw from a vast pool of connections and affect other people with their art.

Gingerbread Houses

Robert Coover's "Gingerbread House" caught my eye because its title seemed so festive (I'm thoroughly embracing the commercialistic urges to celebrate the holiday season as much as possible). However, this poem is far from a happy holiday tale of sugarplums and Santa's elves. In this work, a young girl and boy follow an unhappy old man into the forest, knowing that he leads them to a fabled house where many children journey, but from which none return. Along the way, the boy surreptitiously drops breadcrumbs on the path, hoping to outsmart the aged guide and be the first to see the wondrous house and live to tell about it. During the journey, the children sing, perhaps to calm themselves down, perhaps because youth is simply that carefree. I know that I was not that easy-going in my youth, but then again, I am a rather uptight person.
A shift in the poem occurs when a witch, dressed in black rags appears. She attacks a dove and rips its heart from its chest, holding the beating, bloody organ in her hands. Somehow, this gore is attractive to both the old man and the young boy. The rest of the poem ricochets between the old man's care and protective instincts over the children and his wishes for their good dreams and his lust for the red heart, also symbolized by the ruby heart-shaped door of the witch's delectable abode.
I was rather confused by this text, but I did manage to draw a few possible connections from it. The journey into the woods, complete with the happy-go-lucky attitude of the girl, the seemingly kind, yet grim guide, and the boy's attempts to outwit fate, represent each person's trek through this perilous world. The witch is all that is evil in our lives-lies, lust, envy, greed, all our sins. Her unbelievably delicious house is the ultimate temptation. This take on the Hansel and Gretel story is also the story of the human plight. To resist or give into temptation and accept the consequences.

Oh Brother!

Robert Coover's "The Brother" is a poignantly harsh reimagination of the Biblical Noah's Ark story as seen through the eyes of Noah's brother. When read through the lens of the tale in Genesis, the unorthodox point of view, harsh tone, and shrewd poetic devices of Coover's piece conjure an entirely more humanized rendition of the situation.
The point of view in this story is atypical. Coover chose to write in first person, but the narrator is a bit unreliable. The speaker rants about his brother's strange actions and attitude and tells of his begrudging efforts to help Noah, and all the ways it affects his own prosperity and happiness. Such a temperamental account is most likely a bit off the mark in its judgements.
The tone of "The Brother" is markedly different from that of the original story. In the Bible's account, the tone is serious and instructive, and Noah is portrayed as the ever-obedient, reverent servant of Almighty God. The narrator in Coover's work commences with a snide, mocking voice, then, after realizing that perhaps Noah did have it right and facing drowning destruction, he slips into a tone of harsh desperation and distress, and even hopelessness.
Poetic devices in the story help humanize the historically unrelatable scene. The format of this work is that of a stream of consciousness-no capitalization, paragraphing, or punctuation. The author's diction is carefully constructed and filled with slang, contemporary language, including expletives, that enhance the idea that this event happened to a real family. The details straight from the Biblical text tie the retelling into the traditional tale and provide a sense of legitimacy.
"The Brother" sheds a new light on an old story.

The Clinton Administration

For my AP U.S. History class, I read and analyze historical texts, including letters, speeches, official documents, and analysis by historians. Chapter 41 of our textbook, which is the thirteenth edition of The American Pageant by David M. Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen and Thomas A. Bailey, is entitled "America in the Post-Cold War Era" and details the Clinton Administration. Many people view Bill Clinton's reign in the White House as an overwhelming success for the nation. Others are critical of the 42nd President of the United States of America. After reading this chapter and some documents in a supplementary reference book, I recognize not only the good Clinton did for our country but also the negative effects of some of his actions and policies.
Clinton's economic policies ultimately brought America out of its long period of financial deficit. The government was actually faced with the long-forgotten issue of how to deal with a federal surplus during his terms. In the 1990s, America was a formidable economic power in the global economy because, thanks to Clinton's genius budgeting, we were no longer so dependent on foreign borrowing. The economic developments Clinton made are probably his best known and by far his most successful policies.
In the diplomatic realm, Clinton felt pressured in his last days in office to establish a legacy for himself. His Middle East Peace Initiatives between Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasir Arafat and Israeli premier Yitzhak Rabin resulted in a shaky agreement in the principle of self-rule for the Palestinians living in Israel. But Clinton's hopes of being known as a peacemaker were dashed two years later when Arafat was assassinated. This unfruitful conference actually stirred up controversy in the Middle East and was a source of political turmoil in the global community.
Today, Bill Clinton is the most popular living former President of the United States. Just last week, he appeared in my hometown, stumping for local Democrats. He still pushes his successful economic frameworks and is immensely respected by most citizens. However, he was not successful in all aspects of his presidency. Despite his flaws, I still consider him one of our nation's greatest leaders.

The Inescapable Quest

The first chapter of Thomas C. Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor is entitled "Every Trip is a Quest (Except When It's Not). In this section of the book, the author describes the ancient archetype of the quest. He explains that "the real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge." There are five elements to every quest: a quester, a place to go, a stated reason to go there, challenges and trials, and a real reason to go. After reading this explanation and discussing it in my AP English Literature class, I realized that this pattern applies to practically every story I've ever come across.
At first, this appeared to me to be a good thing, helpful in writing stories of my own. However, the more time I spent pondering the subject, the more frustrated I became. I tried and tried to come up with a tale that did not fit this mold. I failed. In some form or fashion, every worthwhile story tells of a character doing something for some reason, encountering an obstacle, and learning something in the process. The thought crossed my mind, "How stupid are we humans if every one of our stories follows the exact same pattern?"
After some more pondering, I decided that perhaps I was being too cynical. Maybe the fact that our stories can be dissected into similar parts is evidence of our perpetual journey for self-revelation and higher knowledge. Or maybe it's just evidence that we tend to over-analyze our actions to give them greater significance. There I go with the cynicism again. Regardless of whether this model reveals human simple-mindedness or insightfulness, it was an interesting revelation to me.

Sexism=Comedy?

Have you ever watched a movie and thought, "Wow, that's offensive!"? For me, this happened a few weeks ago while watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This film, directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, members of the comedy group Monty Python, is a 1975 British comedy. I should have known. But, determined to experience this cultural icon, I watched the movie. It was stupid and pointless and only funny in certain small parts.
What upset me though was the blatantly sexist portrayal of females in this film. The only scene containing women is scene 11, in which Sir Galahad the Chaste catches a vision of the Holy Grail above the Castle Anthrax. Upon entering the castle, he is bombarded by young floozies who try to tempt and seduce the poor knight. He tries to resist and asks to see the Holy Grail, please let him see the Holy Grail, oh he only wants to find the Holy Grail which appeared above their castle. When he mentions his vision, one of the girls, admits that her twin sister Zoot, who invited him into their dwelling, had been "setting alight to [their] beacon, which, [she] just remembered, [was] grail-shaped." Galahad realized he'd been duped and quickly began to fall for their permiscuous pleas. Before he could enjoy their company, Sir Lancelot drug him away in a "rescue" attempt.
In addition to the crude references, I was upset to see that the general public is amused by powerless, dependent women whose only desire is sex. Women can be intelligent, powerful people, when they choose to be. People annoy me when they settle for less than their potential. And when their settling reflects badly on me, I become indignant. Because of stupid, shallow girls, I have to work twice as hard to prove myself as a respectable, honorable, strong woman.

Spewing From My "Fountainhead"

I began reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead for three reasons:

1. To make myself appear more sophisticated



2. Because my boyfriend recommended it



3. Because I wanted to challenge myself with this classic piece of literature

All noble causes, right? Well, the point is that I read it and that I'm very glad I did.

Ms. Rand's unconventional novel outlining her philosophy of Objectivism really made me contemplate why people are the way they are, what motivates them, what it's like not to let others define you, and what love truly is.

One passage in particular that sparked my interest is found in the eighth chapter of Part Two, which is entitled Ellsworth M. Toohey. In this passage Toohey looks out at the skyline and says,

"Look at it. A sublime achievement, isn't it? A heroic achievement. Think of the thousands who worked to create this and of the millions who profit by it. And it is said that but for the spirit of a dozen men-less, perhaps-none of this would have been possible. And that might be true. If so, there are-again-two possible attitudes to take. We can say that these twelve were great benefactors, that we are all fed by the overflow of the magnificent wealth of their spirit, and that we are glad to accept it in gratitude and brotherhood. Or, we can say that by the splendor of their achievement which we can neither equal nor keep, these twelve have shown us what we are, that we do not want the free gifts of their grandeur, that a cave by an oozing swamp and a fire of sticks rubbed together are preferable to skyscrapers and neon lights-if the cave and the sticks are the limit of your own creative capacities. Of the two attitudes, Dominique, which would you call the truly humanitarian one? Because, you see, I'm a humanitarian."

I took this question to heart and reached a conclusive personal answer. Why would I want to live in a world where the great are restricted and reduced to mediocrity to save the inept from feeling inferior? Without hope in the future, in the strength of humanity, without a glimpse at beauty and a chance to dream of something better, there is no sense in continuing life in such a mundane and futile society. To curl up in a cave with a stick fire simply because not everyone will invent the computer or paint the Mona Lisa or write a Shakespearean sonnet is to rob humanity of all beauty and hope. The truly humanitarian attitude is the one which allows humanity to be inspired, to take chances, and to live beyond the perceived possibilities.

Free Fish

Elizabeth Bishop's "The Fish" provides insight into the interesting thought process of a fisherman regarding an old fish. The fisherman is the narrator of the poem and begins by physically describing the fish. Its brown and tattered skin, resembling "wallpaper", is clearly old, dull, and worn. He notices its gills and ponders the fish's inner anatomy, pointing out how fragile the fish's life is at this point and how much he controls its fate. He speaks of its eyes, "yellowed" and "shallow" as if "backed and packed with tarnished tinfoil." Its eyes would not look at him, it would not fight. It was as if the fish had resigned itself to death by his hands.
As he continues to observe the fish, he looks at its mouth, "grim" and "weaponlike" and sees five hooks, "like medals with their ribbons frayed and wavering" set in its jaw, trailing fishing line, evidence of the battles it had fought and won. Now the narrator sees the fish in a different light. Rather than seeing an old, tired, pitiful fish, he sees a seasoned war veteran, strong and courageous, time-honored and and respectable, ready to accept its final defeat with dignity. Earlier in the poem, when describing the fish's physical appearance, the narrator used the word venerable. In that context, he was calling the fish, ancient, or obsolete, but here, after realizing all this fish has been through, the word could more properly describe the animal as "commanding respect because of impressive dignity" or "worthy of reverence" as venerable is defined at dictionary.com.
Because of the respect he found for this fish who had fought for its life so many times, the narrator ultimately releases the fish back into the water. This sixth chance is precious in a world where life is so disposable.

The Life Lesson of Lying

After reading Po Bronson's article, "Learning to Lie," I thought about lying. About my own life and my lies. About the definition of a lie-Webster calls it "a false statement made with intent to deceive." I thought about little white lies and half-truths and how people rationalize these by telling themselves that they're trying not to hurt anybody's feelings or that it causes less trouble to smooth things over with a slightly dishonest answer. I thought about Dr. Victoria Talwar's claim that "lying is related to intelligence" and is "a developmental milestone."

I remembered the sickening feeling I got as a child whenever I lied to my parents to stay out of trouble or to avoid a subject I thought they might disapprove of. I recalled winning a contest as a child and calling my mother and telling her all about the event, but claiming I didn't know the child who had won, so that when I came home with a fifty dollar prize, I could say, "I tricked you!" I felt so proud to have been able to "pull one over" on Mom, but her sarcastic remark, "I'm so glad you've learned to lie so well," filled me with guilt.

I thought about how children are encouraged to lie by people they look up to. They see parents tell telemarketers that they have the wrong number. They hear teachers tell students that the class hamster ran away when they overheard her talking to the janitor about how it died over the weekend. Children are told to always "be polite" and "say something nice" about a gift, even if they don't like it. No wonder kids start slipping in untruths from day to day. They've been told to.

When I contemplated all this, it made me wonder if we as a society truly value honesty as much as we claim, or if we prefer positive interactions and saving face.

Book Reviews of the Semester

Romance has dominated my reading selections this semester. From a fluffy, teenage drama by Sarah Dessen, to a cliche revisit of the current fad Twilight, to the dark classic Wuthering Heights, I sense a pattern. Apparently, I'm a sucker for forbidden love. The following books, in no particular order, were processed through my consciousness within the last 4 months:

• Along for the Ride, a melodramatic young adult fiction novel, was a quick read. Most of Dessen's stories are remarkably similar and predictable and this one served to bore me. Auden, just like all of the authors' other crazily named main characters, visits her dad over the summer and realizes his new life is just as dysfunctional with a new wife and baby as it was with her mother. She meets the stereotypical perfect boy-tall, dark, mysterious, and against all odds, their love blossoms. But a selfish miscommunication will create a chasm between the lovers that bitterly ends the summer fling. This book is truly one to take to the beach, to lazily read while thinking about the skin the sun is peeling from your back and foolishly longing for the proverbial summer love.
• Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series reached the threshold of popularity and obsession and is now ridiculed and scorned by the former fanatics. While I do recognize that the hype about the series and the movies borders ridiculousness, I am a sucker for a love story, and I did reread the book that started the Vampire mania. I can identify with Bella (as I'm sure every other teenage girl in America absolutely can) in so many ways. Last year, while making my way through the series, I was sure I had found my Edward, sitting next to me in biology class no less! I've gone through my fair share of presumed Edwards since, yet still I have an almost eerily similar personal version of Jacob. (Which is fine by me because I've always been a Jacob fan.)
• Wuthering Heights.....I still don't know what to think of this classic. I was all for the thwarted love and revenge stuff at first, but the dark twisted plot was a little weird for my taste. All in all I found the book depressing and hopeless-stories of arranged or forced marriages always seem hopeless and miserable to me. However, I'm glad to have read it simply because it is a classic story and I feel more "educated" and "well-read" for having done so.
• One of my absolute favorite reads this semester is undoubtedly The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Her tale of sacrifice, separation, and survival is thrilling and inspiring. I only wish for Katniss's bravery or Peeta's devotion. Katniss sacrifices herself to save her sister from the brutality of the Hunger Games. Peeta is happy to have been chosen for the competition, not because he finds joy in killing other children, but because he is in love with Katniss, a phenomenon she cannot understand. As they grow close through training and eventually through aid and survival in the arena of death, they are ever aware that to end the game, one or the other must die.The action in this ominous novel makes it impossible to set the book down. I actually took this book with me to lunch one day and read as I ate in the cafeteria. Now that is a worthy book, that makes one endure the ridicule of her fellow classmates! This book, unlike Wuthering Heights, is full of hope, which I liked.
• Soon after finishing The Hunger Games, I obtained Chasing Fire, the sequel, in a black market exchange. Just kidding! Although it was near impossible to find. I was not disappointed in the second book. The suspense, the plot twists, the development of Katniss and Peeta's relationship, along with the tension between Katniss and Gale, her male best friend, make the story wonderful. In this difficult, post-apocoliptic world, citizens of district twelve struggle for survival even before the officials at the Capitol start the crackdowns intended to thwart the revolts that Katniss and Gale aroused in their victory tour. When the two victors are pitted against each other, they rally for a way to beat the system. Love, humanity, morality, and decency are central issues in this trilogy. I can't wait for the third book.

The Rogue Maverick

Sarah Palin, self-proclaimed political maverick and the object of media scorn and ridicule, has certainly made a splash in the GOP.

While no one can deny the revolutionary path she carved in being the first female to run for the vice-presidency on the Republican ticket, it's time to realize that the girl is no serious politician.

From her comically repetitive campaign slogans to her familial controversies to her less than eloquent television interviews, Palin has not presented herself in the best light. Even in the early days of her candidacy, when her approval ratings reached 53%, some conservatives viewed her as a political liability. The McCain campaign's refusal of unscripted press conferences with the candidate and her indigence at the "gotcha" moments she fell into did little to dispel this feeling. Throughout the campaign, as Americans saw more and more of the true Palin, approval ratings dropped, and now, on an average of all parties, the former Alaska governor is disfavored.

While some Republicans root for the former Alaskan soccer-mom-turned-mayor-turned-governor to run for president in 2012, others bluntly call her a joke. Supporters warn not to underestimate the power of her "fan" base. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani called Palin "an exciting figure" and stated that the party "needs that kind of excitement." However, I question if an exciting personality, beauty pageant history, and the ordinary soccer mom voter base is enough to qualify a person for the highest office in our nation.

In two days, the book Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah Palin will hit the shelves. Her publisher calls it the story of "one ordinary citizen's extraordinary journey." While Mrs. Sarah Palin definitely draws attention to the seemingly neglected GOP, is she truly a viable 2012 presidential hopeful? I think not.

The Awakening Sentence Analysis

Chapter 6 of Kate Chopin's The Awakening teems with rhetorical and grammatical gems. Her insight into the female mind of the late nineteenth century enlightens readers and invokes consideration of the imprisonment women of that time suffered.


To view our visual interpretation of one of her sentences, click here.


The author's dramatic diction, further elaborated here, enforces her tragic emotions evoked by the then taboo thoughts and feelings she simply couldn't shake.


Chopin's syntax illustrates the chaotic and unorganized beginning to her perilous journey of self-discovery. See here.

The Ancient Art of Marriage

1959. Typical American household. A working father, his doting housewife, a strapping athletic son, a smart pretty daughter. All sitting down for a family dinner.

2009. Typical American household. A single mother. Her boyfriend. Two rebellious daughters. A sullen teenage stepson. All in separate rooms going about their own business.

As Rebecca O'Neill stated in Experiments in Living: The Fatherless Family, "For the best part of thirty years we have been conducting a vast experiment with the family, and now the results are in: the decline of the two-parent, married-couple family has resulted in poverty, ill-health, educational failure, unhappiness, anti-social behaviour, isolation and social exclusion for thousands of women, men and children."

Over the years marriage has lost its luster in our society. Some people view matrimony as a dated, stifling ritual. Others have broadened the term's definition to include multiples types of unions including same-sex relationships and even "marriages" between humans and inanimate objects! The institution of marriage must be redefined and standardized to restore order to our culture.

We have become flippant regarding marriage. The phrase "till death do us part" seems to carry little to no weight in modern marriages. More and more wedded couples are separating, severing families and burdening children. This decline in the traditional nuclear family is altering society. Stepparents, half siblings, and child support are becoming the norm. Alternative lifestyles are emerging with unmarried couples living together and having children out of wedlock, homosexual couples creating families, and single parents depending on child support from their ex-spouses. Our culture is so comfortable with disposable, ephemeral marriages and abnormal unions that marriage is no longer taken seriously. Marriage is even the subject of elementary playground teasing-"If you love basketball so much, why don't you marry it?" Marriage is no longer considered a sacred and holy union between one man and one woman. The cries of egalitarians for equal marriage rights are somewhat off-base. If people choose to love someone of the same sex or choose to love an inanimate object such as the Eiffel Tower, that is their own prerogative, but to call these relationships marriages is inaccurate.

Fundamentally, marriage is essential for a thriving society. Humans crave companionship on both a physiological and a biological level. We are not creatures created to live alone. Once children reach adulthood, they must leave the comfort of their parents' care and begin their own lives. Traditional marriage satisfies both these needs. Without marriages to create new families, society would become a free-for-all mating ground. I realize that technically, marriage is not essential for reproduction and thus the advancement of generations, as current trends no doubt illustrate. However, children born out of wedlock typically grow up with a weak sense of familial values and continue the vicious cycle of illegitimate births, shotgun weddings, divorce, and remarriages. Children need both maternal and paternal influence throughout their development. Who is better suited to be their character role models than their biological mother and father? I realized that certain situations practically demand divorce and that remarriage can be a blessing, but all in all, marriage needs to be respected and preserved as a sanctified right.

Unless we as a society redefine true marriage, and resurrect some traditional family values, we will raise a generation with no sense of family values or structure who will only continue down this slippery slope of cultural decline.

Sentence 12

His sentence: And this is a question which I should like to ask of you, who have arrived at that time which the poets call the "threshold of old age": Is life harder toward the end, or what report do you give of it?


From Plato's Republic

The author begins the sentence with a conjunction and announces the upcoming question to a character "you," referred to in the following adjective clause that proceeds the colon. Then comes the question which juxtaposes two nonparallel dependent clauses.

My sentence: But, I wish to inquire of You, who hung the moon and the stars: How can you love me so, or where does this love end?

Sentence 11

His sentence: I was delighted with the procession of the inhabitants; but that of the Thraciams was equally, if not more, beautiful.


From Plato's Republic

Plato's compound sentence is separated by a semicolon and a conjunction. The phrase "if not more," which qualifies the adverb equally, is set off by commas and solidifies the speaker's opinion.

My sentence: I was happy that she escaped the accident unscathed; but the policeman was too forgiving, if not entirely remissive, of her crime.

Sentence 10

His sentence: When I walked the streets in Germany, I found it impossible not to carefully survey groups of people loitering near buildings, and I found myself scanning windows in the business district, watching for snipers.


From Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Starting with a subordinate clause, and incorporating a participial phrase before the second independent clause set off by a conjunction, this sentence is compound-complex.

My sentence: As stare up into the golden leaves, I catch myself dreaming of snowflakes clinging to my windowpane, and I long for December to come.

Sentence 9

His sentence: I feel sort of . . . protected.



From Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

The author's use of an ellipsis adds suspense to the sentence.

My sentence: You are . . . astounding.

Sentence 8

His sentence: She began removing items-her wallet, sunglasses, visor, a tube of sunscreen-and handed them all to the blonde before wringing out the bag.


From Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

The author uses dashes to set apart a list-a list characterized by asyndeton.

My sentence: I check my bag once more for contest essentials-scissors, hairspray, glitter, extra gloves, shoes, pants, sequins, whistle-and head for the bus just before roll call.

Sentence 7

His sentence: It wasn't just her slightly gap-toothed smile, it was the casual way she swiped at a loose strand of hair, the easy way she held herself.

From Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Sparks' asyndeton allows the parallel phrases to easily flow into one another as they would in one's own stream of consciousness.

My sentence: The test itself didn't phase me, what got to me was the pressure to succeed, the expectations of every adult in the school.

Sentence 6

Her sentence: It hit the steps (good) but then banked into the nearby bushes (not so good).
From Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

The author's use of parenthesis to insert opinions about the character's actions adds to the character's voice.

My sentence: I hit the high note (finally) but forgot the words to the next verse (humiliating).