Outside Reading Post 2 (Q2)

The further along I move into the book the more I see James Frey’s unique writing techniques. He often swears which suprisingly adds to the development of his character. I am interested to see if by the end of the book he changes his ways and does not swear as often. Again we see we Frey’s opposition to openly expressing emotions. He is talking to someone whom he refers to as “Old man” at a clinic. Frey writes: “Come here, I’m gonna give you a hug. I stay where I am. I agreed to twenty-four hours. That doesn’t mean I’m hugging you and that doesn’t mean we’re friends. He laughs again, steps forward, puts his arms around me, hugs me. All you got to do is try. I pull away”(109). It furthers the argument, proving to us it is not that he just has something against his parents (from my last post), he does not want a relationship with anyone.

Another character trait of James Frey is revealed to us. He provides insight by saying: “I’ve destroyed, another thing I can’t fix or bring back, another beautiful thing ruined by my carelessness. I don’t stop. I don’t stop destroying and I don’t change my course and I don’t look back. Looking back hurts too much, so I just keep going”(116). Frey’s words show us that he knows the damage he has been causing, he realizes it, he accepts it, and he knows it is real. Hopefully he will come to a point where he sees that it has to stop and he must eventually change his ways, instead of continuing as he does now. I think that this foreshadows a change that will soon take place in James Frey.

Outside Reading Post 1 (Q2)

A Million Little Pieces is a memoir written by James Frey. It is about his life and journey through rehab. He portrays himself in an unusual way thought the book.“I am an Alcoholic and a Drug Addict and a Criminal”(73). This is not the only time we see this quote, as it reoccurs several times. There are multiple techniques used by James Frey to add meaning to this quote. Frey uses no commas to soften the sentence, and capitalizes letters to draw attention to each term. This is a sentence which strikes us hard. This sentence is so important because whether Frey realizes it or not, he has taken a huge step. The first step in AA’s program is to admit you have a problem. Here Frey admits that he has a problem with drinking and drugs. At no point in the book does James Frey deny this. When his parents come to get him and take him to a clinic after he has been placed on a plane and flown home he does not object. He is passive and unreceptive, but he puts up no fight.

Another quote that is filled with great meaning is shown when he is in the car with his mother and father.”She leans over and she tries to hug me. I push her away. Let’s just get out of here, Mom”(3).His carelessness about his mothers feelings show how much he has been hardened by his experiences as a drug addict and alcoholic. It shows that he does not have sympathy for anyone, not himself, and not his mother. We see that his feeling is no one should have sympathy on him either. This is powerful because it takes place right after James Frey has been found with his teeth knocked out and a hole in his cheek. They have no clue what he was on or what happened, yet through it all his mother loves him and cares about him. The memoir is complex and provides us with a fascinating view into life as a an “Alcoholic and a Drug Addict and a Criminal.”

Outside Reading - 5th Post

This week I heard something on the news that caught my attention, so I decided to find the article about it. It was entitled "Hard times create heartwrenching scene at local animal shelter" on the Kare 11 news website. It was about the increasing number of abandoned animals in the metro area. The people working at the Northwoods Humane Society suspect that because of the tanking economy, people can no longer afford their pets. Staff also said that people can no longer pay the $30 animal drop off fine, and that 16 cats were left outside the shelter in the past week. I think that this raises a huge concern for not only the animals, but the families forced to give up their pets. It helps us see that the state of the economy affects people in so many ways-and not just adults, it also affects the several children that had to give away their pets. This article brings up a great point, that no one wants to talk about their financial situations at such a hard time.  They make excuses to hide their real reasons for giving up the animals and to avoid embarrassment. The hardest part of this all is that the worst hasn't hit us yet. 

I found this article at:

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=528134&catid=2

Photograph

Outside Reading - 4th Post

I read an article from an online photographers magazine. It was called "8 Essential Tips For Autumn Color." In it i found many ideas that I will try to use this fall. One of my favorite tips was there suggestion to keep the composition simple. I wasn't sure i agreed with them, but once I read their whole idea I found that they made a really good point. They talked about how autumn scenes can be a "visual overload" and they suggested that a person stick to only a couple of key elements in their photos. One idea that I did not fully agree with was their suggestion for colored filters. I think that when taking pictures outside it is important to try and show the true colors of nature. I think that boosting the color is not the point of photos of nature, and although they can be great for other photos, they should not be used in autumn photography. Overall this article had some great ideas for taking pictures of the beautiful fall colors and nature pictures in general. I think that people interested in photography should really check this one out! I found it at:  http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles1008/jr1008-1.html

Outside Reading - 3rd Post

I read a poem entitled The Real Buddha. It was written by a man that lived several hundreds of years ago named Huang Po. He studied Buddhism and taught in the tradition of Zen Buddhism. This poem of his shows his belief about the Buddha. His words reveal that he thinks the Buddha does not need praise through rituals or worthless practice. If it is right at the time practice is okay, but otherwise he feels that nothing is needed in addition to what you already have. He feels that all you need is to become one with the Way and open your mind. Huang Po reminds me in some ways of Siddhartha because they both disagreed with some aspects of their religion. Huang's variation on Buddhism expressed in this poem is a good reminder to us that although we may say we agree with one thing, everyone has a different opinion. I did not really like this poem all that much because it was hard for me to relate to but I still found it very interesting. I would recommend that others search for poems on this same website because there were some unusual poems!

I found the poem at:

http://www.poetseers.org/spiritual_and_devotional_poets/buddhist/huang/huangp/1/

Response To Odyssey Question

          The concept of Kleos IS relevant in today’s society. Kleos a definite motivator for success. Although you may be content without glory or fame, your life won’t be considered glorious or successful by others. Being glorious, or famous, all revolves around the opinion of others, because of this, you must accomplish great things in your lifetime to be considered glorious. One of the traits of a Homeric leader is their thirst for glory. In The Odyssey the character of Odysseus is motivated by his yearning for glory. At first he is reluctant to enter battle, but eventually he gives in to his want for Kleos and fights.

          In modern society there are several instances where a human is powered by their want for glory. All celebrities want to some extent, fame and glory. Without this, they would not be where they are today, they would be signing or acting in local plays or events, not nationally recognized ones. Another blatant example of a humans want for glory is in their school and education. Several students strive to be recognized by not only teachers, but their peers. This want for recognition can lead them to work even harder and graduate top in their class, or with several awards. A third way in which modern day humans strive for glory is in their work life. The employed often yearn for fame in their workplace which leads them to compete with others for a top job or award. Lastly, glory is a motivator for  little children. Kids often dream of being famous, this may not always happen, but it serves as empowerment for them to succeed in life and go for their dreams. I think that even modern humans have some want for Kleos, however great or small it may be.