Dare To Dream by Kayla Vargas

Don't you just love to dream

Everything becomes not what it really seems

You can make anything you want come true

Like becoming an animal trainer at the zoo

Or taking a dive from a plane

Or talking to a hobo who's completely insane

Meeting a girl who just rocks your world

Who has your feeling like a teacup ride, head spinning and swirled

She'll hold your hand and you know it feels right

You'll never want to let go so you'll hold onto it tight

When you look into her eyes, you're in a daze

And you're comfortable with her crazy but funny ways

You know exactly where to touch to make her go wild

But that's not where you're headed cause you want her to stay a while

You kiss her and every time it's like the first time

And at the end of each night all you want to do is hit rewind

Cause every moment is one to hold onto forever

And if she ever needs you there, you'll be there whenever

But the best part about this actuality

Is that this isn't a dream, it's reality.

Joshua Bennett - "Tamaraʼs Opus"

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."

When Martin Luther King Jr said, “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed,” he wasn’t just saying this about African Americans during the Civil Rights movement. He was talking about all types of people who have been put down by others because of what they think is “right.” Women, homosexuals, people with mental and physical disabilities, former criminals, those who practice a “different” religion or none at all, and people of different skin color and ethnicities are just a few groups that have been berated. With this quote, the power of the people who won’t stand for this injustice, and their determination, change can and will happen. 

Back in Ancient Greece, men were superior to women in all aspects. In Antigone by Sophecles, Antigone wants to give her brother a proper burial even though King Creon makes it clear that anyone to even touch his body will be punished. Knowing the consequences, she goes and risks her life to rest her brother in peace. “Be as you choose to be; but for myself I myself will bury him. It will be good to die, so doing. I shall lie by his side, loving him as he loved me; I shall be a criminal--but a religious one” (Antigone 1132). Anitigone will not give she gets her freedom. 

One of the most talked about political issues is allowing two people of the same sex to marry. Before 2004, there wasn’t even a law allowing it. With the voices of many lovers who dreamed of watching their soulmate walk down the aisle is coming true. At the moment, there are more states that allow people to marry their first cousin then marry someone of the same sex. There are now 8 states, including our very own New York, in which two men or two women can get married legally. It was demanded and we got it.

It's Just An Illusion

Throughout the late 1990’s, President Bill Clinton was accused of having an affair with his intern, Monica Lewinsky. Bill Clinton being a married man to the very successful and well-known Secretary of State today, created chaos within the press. Investigations were started and reporters wanted to know everything about this situation. While this whole disarray was happening, the Clinton Administration failed to notice 19 Saudi Arabian men taking piloting lessons and not interested in learning how to land. This led to the worst bombing on American territory. If the President wasn’t caught up in this scandal, the bombing could’ve possibly been avoided.

This relates to A Street Car Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams. “I couldn’t go on believing her story and living with Stanley.” (Stella 1232) Stella and Hilary both are dealing with the same situation and with the thought of the love of their life cheating on them is just something they couldn’t really accept at all.  They both had to move on and tell themselves that that possibly couldn’t have happened. Even with the obvious evidence that Stella and Hilary saw, they had to keep on living and act like it didn’t happen. Even though Stella lived with her sister for most of her life and defended her throughout the entire play, she just couldn’t face the facts and let her sister be taken away to an insane asylum. 

An Ode To You

There are a million words a lover uses
To show the love they see
But none can perfectly describe
Just what you mean to me

As I see your face in my head
I can feel my heart palpate
It beats hard against my chest
And the world create an earthquake

I hate to be away from you
If just for a day
I keep a picture close
In case I start to feel afraid
When I see your face, the fears fade.

I walk to the sound of your beating heart
I die on the days we have to be apart
I live for the moments you take my breathe away
I work to keep you smiling everyday
The things you do to me and the way you make me feel
I can't describe but I know that it is real
The stars in the sky may try and try
But they'll never shine like you do tonight

Your smile could light up worlds
Like the sun does everyday
But that's much too common for you
But I can't think of what to say


Your face a single masterpiece
Beautiful length of prose
The rarest form of perfect art
But that's not even close

I can't capture you in song
You're too wonderful for words


Compared to me, you're amazing
A classic to scribbled mess
Its charcoal, pen and pencil
When we are apart
I'll let you paint my world
With the colors of your heart

-Nicholas Daniel Brown

Written Law vs. Moral Law

In the play, The Antigone of Sophocles, there are two principles that oppose each other. These are Moral Law and Written Law. Written Law is the law that is set by the government and is made for people to obey. Moral Law is a principle defining the criteria of an action, whether it be right or wrong, with consideration of the consequences or the intentions behind them.

In the play, Creon represents the obligation of obeying the State’s laws. On the other hand, Antigone represents the duty of listening to what your heart tells you to do, and not your mind. After Antigone was caught burying her brother Polynieces, she was brought to Creon and was asked if she knew the consequences of her crime. She said, “I knew it; if course I did. For it was the public” (Sophocles 491). Here, Antigone is telling Creon that she is not doing it just for herself, but because it is also what the people want, but no one was as courageous as her to do the deed. With Creon being set on the written law, he responds, “And did you dare disobey that law” (Creon 493)? His reply to Antigone shows that he is so thick-minded and doesn’t care what other people have to say. All he sees is someone who broke the law and because of this, they should be punished. 

There are many situations in real life that can relate to this. For example, lets say there is a boy who needs to feed his family, but doesn’t have the money to support them. He then results in stealing from the local supermarket. It is against the law, but he believes, in his heart, that that is the “right” thing to do. This is exactly what Antigone does. She believes that even though her brother, Polynieces, died fighting his own city, he deserves a proper burial like everyone else. 

A Literary Criticism of: A&P by John Updike

John Updike’s post-modern short story, A&P, focuses on exploitation and self-reflection that leads a teenage boy named Sammy to realize where his values stand. Updike writes about small town people in middle class America.  His work explores the human complexities and therefore creates a new perspective simply because it explores human relations. Like most of his fiction, Updike sold his poetry, stories and essays to The New Yorker.

A&P takes place during the summertime at a local grocery store in a small town north of Boston. Sammy, the narrator, is a teenage boy who comes across three young girls who come in with just their bathing suits on. Sammy is captivated by their appearances. He then watches them from afar describing their every move with great detail. When the girls are finished with their shopping, they approach Sammy’s register. The store manager then comes out and belittles them for their obscene presence. The girls, now embarrassed, walk out of the store just as Sammy takes a courageous stand. He quits his job. The manager, who’s very close with Sammy’s parents, tries to convince him to stay, but nevertheless he sticks with his decision and walks out the store. By the time he’s out there, the girls have already left. The story ends with Sammy self-reflecting on his actions and realizes “how hard the world was going to be for me hereafter.”

Depending on how the reader annotated A&P, there can be many interpretations. Some may see him as a hero, who realized that there is much more to be offered than his small-town job. Others may see him as an adored rebel who took into consideration the consequences and still went against the norm. Alternatively, some might say that he was misguided and used his gesture in a selfish manner to get the girls to notice him. His gesture was romantic, but the only thing he gained was the loss of his job. 

John Updike being America’s most versatile, prolific, and distinguished man of literature, wrote this story to gain a number of people with split opinions of Sammy’s stunt.  Many readers may see his behavior as authentic and admirable, while others will argue that his decision was impulsive and inappropriate. 

Joshua Bennett - "Balaenoptera"

Symbolism & Motifs

In the play A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams creates these characters that, at first, may not seem to be of importance, but in actuality, behind all their actions and the reoccurring items in the play, they are indeed very important.  The symbols and motifs that Williams uses is a a technique to illustrate higher ideas. Symbolism and recurrent thematic elements represent profound ideas not necessarily explicit in the play.  The symbols and motifs are hidden throughout the play and they are used to represent abstract concepts and ideas. Williams uses the Polka music and light as reoccurring symbols to show the hidden and abstract thoughts that are running through Blanche’s mind.

The streetcar named Desire is a symbol for Blanche’s desires. She says that she “took a street-car named Desire, then transferred to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at-Elysian Fields!” (Williams 1167) This predicts Blanche’s life.  Although she arrived a broken woman, all she wants to do is be loved by everyone around her. The Cemeteries is the last stop on the streetcar line. This shows that Blanche is nearing her “death.” In Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields are the abode of the blessed in the afterlife. This is a symbol for Blanche losing her mind completely because even though she is being taken away to an insane asylum, she still convinces herself that the doctor is just a stranger doing a random act of kindness.

The Polka music that reoccurs many times throughout the play when Blanche is feeling remorse for Allen’s death. This is the motif that reoccurs the most throughout the play is the Polka music (Williams 1176). It also represents her loss of innocence. This triggered her mental decline. She hears the music whenever she panics and loses her grip on reality. The music tends to become more and more of a factor leading to the end of the play when Stanley rapes Blanche and when she’s being taken away by the doctor to the insane asylum.

Blanche’s inability to tolerate light is a true indication of her lost grip on society.  Blanche avoided appearing in direct, bright light throughout the play.  She also refuses to reveal her age. She does this to prevent Mitch from seeing the reality of her fading beauty.  When Blanch first had a conversation with Mitch, she tells him, “I bought this adorable little colored paper lantern at the Chinese shop on Bourbon. Put it over the light bulb! Will you, please?” (Williams 1189) Blanche believes in magic, rather than reality is the way of life.  

Excessive bathing by both Blanche and Stanley both represent them trying to wash away all the bad in their lives. (Williams 1176) Blanche uses these baths to cleanse herself of her illicit affairs prior to showing up at Stella’s house. Stanley also turns to showering as a way to sooth his violent anger. After beating up Stella, he showered then shouted her name begging for her forgiveness. (Williams 1192) Also, both Blanch and Stanley drink exceptionally throughout the play. When either of them drinks, it leads both to act with very destructive behaviors. Stanley drinks publicly. He drinks while he’s at the bar with his friends or playing poker. With this, it leads him to become very violent to the point where he physically strikes his wife. Blanche, on the other hand, tries to keep her drinking habit a secret. She immediately lied to Stanley at the beginning of the play telling him that she “No, I rarely touch it” (Williams 1175) referring to the bottle of liquor which she already drank more than 2 shots of. 

Blanche’s white clothes denote false purity and innocence. It’s also a way for Blanche to hide her past. She lives in this fantasy world in her head in which she believes her life is somewhat perfect. When Stanley goes through her trunk without permission, he immediately believes that all of Blanche’s belongings are not real (Williams 1178).  This sets her up for the ending because at this point, Stanley has now confirmed his thoughts on “killing” Blanche. 

Throughout the play, Williams uses these motifs and symbols to help the readers foretell the future of the characters or why the characters act the way they do during certain point of the play. William’s uses the Polka music and the lighting especially to demonstrate everything that is going through Blanche’s mind. Her past affects her significantly and causes her to create this fake world in her mind. 

Lecture Response

Reflection

This semester was a huge step forward for me. It helped be grow a lot not only as a student, but as a person. The change from going to a very energetic, loud, and caring professor from one who never showed up was definitely something hard to get use to. I have a lot of respect for Professor Brady because she cares a lot about her students and she has helped me a lot this semester.

I think I have grown a lot as a writer. My essays and even my poetry have become more organized. Before this semester started, I had no idea how wrong my format was for writing an essay. Nor did I know how to properly write a thesis statement. I have to thank Professor Brady and the other professors at the Writing Center who have guided me throughout the entire semester.

The one thing I loved most about the class is the enthusiasm of the teacher every single morning. It was nine of clock in the morning, but she was up and ready to go. She tried her hardest to wake up my very sleepy and tired class and she never lost hope in us. I've never seen a teacher care so much and again I have a lot of respect for her. Especially since she could be working at a publishing company making way more money. She absolutely loves her job and it's great to feel that way about your career.