Leaving my Comfort Zone, Bouncing off Interdisciplinarity Along the Way

These last few weeks of the semester are always a surreal point in the life of a college student when we’re expected to be more productive than ever while battling more tiredness than ever. It’s easy to get tunnel vision and forget about anything on the horizon beyond finishing finals. That’s why I’ve only half realized the extent to which I’m going to be thrust out of my comfort zone next semester.

Continue reading “Leaving my Comfort Zone, Bouncing off Interdisciplinarity Along the Way”

On the Cyclical Nature of Revision

In light of recently receiving our first essays back, the topic of revision has been rattling around in my head lately. It’s safe to say that most of the class did not expect to have the opportunity to revise and resubmit our essays. To be honest, originally I was not happy about the opportunity and was much more prepared to wash my hands of whatever I wrote and move on. Continue reading “On the Cyclical Nature of Revision”

The Role of Knowledge and Power Textually and in Reality

The texts we’ve been reading throughout the semester, while occupying different places in history, all share some noteworthy common themes. Topics such as an overreaching government, reproductive rights, and women’s autonomy in general have all been magnified for us. One lesson that can surely be taken away from Cane, Meridian, and Zulus is that many women are a long way off from taking this autonomy for granted. The dialogue on equality is an ongoing one that unfortunately continues being debated instead of being quashed once and for all. Continue reading “The Role of Knowledge and Power Textually and in Reality”

Schrodinger’s Cat, Meridian, and Myself

As I assume many of my classmates would agree with me, I hadn’t considered the possibility of relating Erwin Schrodinger’s theory to Meridian. Since I have not even discussed the phenomenon since high school the topic caught me off guard, but the more I’ve thought about the parallels between the book and this scientific theory, the more sense it makes. Continue reading “Schrodinger’s Cat, Meridian, and Myself”

Multiple Perspectives in the Study of Geography

In Cane, the reader is given a unique perspective on urban life. Any person from any background has the ability to read this book and discover the complicated emotions that accompany the transition out of southern life and into an entirely different environment. The north is portrayed to be an intimidating and sometimes unwelcoming place for people of color to live. Toomer skillfully conveys the disappointment that someone would feel as they left home to find hope, only to discover a similar dynamic of repression in a new, unfamiliar city. I believe it can be beneficial to us as readers to consider both sides of this predicament. Continue reading “Multiple Perspectives in the Study of Geography”

Toomer’s Relationship with Style

Upon my first reading of Cane, the thing that stuck out to me the most was the way that Toomer played with form and style, completely deviating from the format of a typical novel or book of poetry. The way he compiled Cane felt like a literary magazine given the mix of poetry and prose. This is reflective of the interdisciplinarity within the book itself. While some may consider English as a whole to be its own discipline, there are many conventions within the study that go far beyond simply reading and writing. Continue reading “Toomer’s Relationship with Style”

Dionysus and Pentheus: Modern-Day Parallels

As we go on reading the Bacchae, the central struggle between Dionysus and Pentheus becomes more and more fleshed out. Each character has his own perspective and motivation in the struggle, and both are guilty of irrational thought and rash actions. What shines through though, is that each acts the way they do because of pride. Dionysus believes that he is owed recognition as he was shut out by his family for his whole life. Pentheus on the other hand, is too proud to be bothered and wants to retain his old traditions. He feels threatened by the loose, sinful lifestyle that Dionysus brings. As I was thinking about what to write in this post, I noticed a New York Times paper sitting next to me with a headline that read, “Clinton and Trump Begin Final Sprint to November.” It’s all too true that the ideals which lead to so much conflict in the Bacchae are still alive and well. At its core, the play recounts a political struggle containing themes that persist in the battle for governmental power today.

Dionysus is the god of wine, suggesting that he has a fun, relaxed air about him. However, this attribute also has its downsides. Wine can open the door to excess, misjudgment, and regret; some qualities that are later reflected in the damage he inflicts upon Pentheus’ kingdom (his ‘hangover’ if you will). Dionysus also disguises himself as the Stranger in order for Pentheus to let his guard down, a staple political strategy that continues daily. A politician will construct a platform based on helping voters, win their trust, and then go about a different agenda once in office. Pentheus, too echoes some of the common political concerns of the modern age. He has a very conservative idea of the world and is thoroughly unsettled by Dionysus’ gluttonous displays of partying and sexuality. I won’t go so far as to ascribe each of these characters to one of our current presidential candidates, but I will say that the political dynamics within this play are far from extinct.