Prior to this unit it was clear in my mind that I would be following the dominant social practices surrounding prom. I imagined myself renting a tuxedo and a limo, parting with my parents after dark to pick up my date. Then I would romantically take her hand and in the most polite tone ever, greet and reassure her parents (especially her father) that their daughter was in good hands. The limo ride would be fun as we would meet the rest of our friends and pick them up as well, being that we all pitched in for the limo. Then we would arrive and all emerge, all looking spectacular and turning everyone’s heads around us. Beyond that we would dance, drink, be with those we care about, and reminisce on all the great times we shared. This would be both a joyous and dreadful experience for us. I just want to have fun on prom and I want to remember it.
After homework #58 I spoke with a friend of mine who was hungover and did not have a great time because both he and his date were excessively intoxicated. Initially I imagined myself drinking a lot as well, but I now realize that I truly do not want to. I do not want to feel that way where I cannot even have fun. I think I may not drink at all that night. I want to enjoy and remember the night, not think back and only see myself throwing up or being knocked out. This to me is not something memorable.
Based on the photographs it seemed as if everyone had a great time. A dominant social practice that I believe is most necessary during prom, is dressing up. People have complained that prom is overrated and a waste, particularly from a financial standpoint where the cost of the attire can be blamed. Although it is a lot of money, I think it is worth it. I feel like people are provided with a feeling of dominance and importance based on being so well dressed. I imagine that it helps people realize how important of an event the prom really is and allow the emotional impact of prom to be more significant.
One thing that interests me is how those who do not go to prom handle it. Why do these people do not go. Aside from not having a date, the more obvious and emotionally painful reason, why not go? Is it a self conscious thing? Is it money? When school began on Friday I saw three seniors who did not go to prom. When I asked them if they did not go to prom, they replied “we did our own thing.” Truthfully, part of me does not buy this. What of your own thing could you have done rather than going to prom? Why do that instead of prom? There were two people together at first, male and female, so couldn’t they have taken each other, at least as “friends?” If not, the three could have at least attended the after party as a group. I suppose I have my own personal bias given that I value prom’s significance so much, but I do not see what else could be worth missing prom. Then again these people could have had other issues that are far more significant that prom; I am not their peers so I do not know what goes on in their lives. I guess it is not right of me to judge them. I just know that very few things will stop me from attending my prom.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
HW 58 - Prom Interviews
Questions:
1. Do you think that prom is overrated? Why/why not?
2. How does prom compare to a wedding?
3. How do you think prom is significant in the lives of those who participate?
4. How can prom be a “rite of passage?” Do you agree that it is?
5. Why do you think some elect not to attend prom?
6. Did you go to prom? How was that experience for you?
7. Do you think prom is ‘just another party’ or more than that? Why/why not?
8. What do you think the dominant social practices surrounding prom are and why do you agree/disagree with them?
9. Why did you want to go to prom?
10. What do you expect from prom and why?
11. How are you feeling?
12. What are some things that you regret doing or would do differently?
Answers:
For this assignment I spoke to three different people. The fist was a friend of mine who I actually have had several discussions about prom already, being that neither of us attended. After asking and receiving answers to the above questions, it was clear to me that this person valued prom. He felt that it was important in teenager’s lives and all teenagers should have the opportunity to experience it. When discussing the dominant social practices, he said that, “that’s just how things are.” We do not challenge these practices because know nothing aside from them, like staying out all night, having sexual relations, and drinking/smoking. He related this to simple things like eating with forks knives and spoons rather than our hands, or even just wearing shoes. These references made me thing about the history of prom and how things were different at one time in comparison to today. If things like eating and walking were different it is not hard to imagine how prom could have been.
The second person I spoke with was a peer who is my age but attended prom with a senior. He actually came to school the following day, like very few did, but he seemed very depressed. When I asked him about his experience he simply said, “I’m hung over as fuck right now.” Despite this, I could tell that something was wrong. One dominant expectation for prom night is to have sexual interactions with another person. When I asked my friend about his date, he said that she got extremely sick and could barely function. This actually made me feel bad because it is not fair that his night was ruined (to some extent at least) just because his date was not feeling well. Relating back to the dominant social practices, it is clear that these peers of mine did not think much about them and simply following them robotically almost. They did not even take into consideration how the night could have gone otherwise. To me it is unfortunate that things happened this way. My peer said that he regrets drinking so much, which I can completely understand based on his state during the conversation.
The last person I interviewed was my father. He was by far the most interesting of the people because he seemed very uninterested in the topic and unwilling to answer my questions. He gave all very brief answers as if he did not want to talk about it. He said that he sees prom as a way for teenagers to celebrate their achievements so far in life, therefore he agrees that it is significant in their lives. He said that it does not seem like a rite of passage to him either because many people do not attend prom and still become successful adults, therefore it is not something that makes you an adult. When speaking about why some may choose not to go he said that people may have had a difficult life throughout high school and fear embarrassment. I feel that people with this situation should not allow others to stop them from having fun. Prom is too significant to miss because you are intimidated by the presence of someone that is popular; you are not going for them you are going for you. My father also said that he does not see prom as just another party because it is symbolic of finishing high school. Despite this, he said that he would not had been very disappointed if he missed his own, even though he said he had fun there. My dad is not a parent that condones any type of illegal consumption regardless of the situation; however I suspect that he did so on his prom night. For this reason I do not understand why he is so strict about things that are obvious social practices for nearly every teenager that attends prom. When I asked him about the dominant social practices, he simply said “to go to prom and have fun.” He seemed particularly uninterested in this question so I did not request any further elaboration. I wonder why this topic seemed to irritate him so much.
1. Do you think that prom is overrated? Why/why not?
2. How does prom compare to a wedding?
3. How do you think prom is significant in the lives of those who participate?
4. How can prom be a “rite of passage?” Do you agree that it is?
5. Why do you think some elect not to attend prom?
6. Did you go to prom? How was that experience for you?
7. Do you think prom is ‘just another party’ or more than that? Why/why not?
8. What do you think the dominant social practices surrounding prom are and why do you agree/disagree with them?
9. Why did you want to go to prom?
10. What do you expect from prom and why?
11. How are you feeling?
12. What are some things that you regret doing or would do differently?
Answers:
For this assignment I spoke to three different people. The fist was a friend of mine who I actually have had several discussions about prom already, being that neither of us attended. After asking and receiving answers to the above questions, it was clear to me that this person valued prom. He felt that it was important in teenager’s lives and all teenagers should have the opportunity to experience it. When discussing the dominant social practices, he said that, “that’s just how things are.” We do not challenge these practices because know nothing aside from them, like staying out all night, having sexual relations, and drinking/smoking. He related this to simple things like eating with forks knives and spoons rather than our hands, or even just wearing shoes. These references made me thing about the history of prom and how things were different at one time in comparison to today. If things like eating and walking were different it is not hard to imagine how prom could have been.
The second person I spoke with was a peer who is my age but attended prom with a senior. He actually came to school the following day, like very few did, but he seemed very depressed. When I asked him about his experience he simply said, “I’m hung over as fuck right now.” Despite this, I could tell that something was wrong. One dominant expectation for prom night is to have sexual interactions with another person. When I asked my friend about his date, he said that she got extremely sick and could barely function. This actually made me feel bad because it is not fair that his night was ruined (to some extent at least) just because his date was not feeling well. Relating back to the dominant social practices, it is clear that these peers of mine did not think much about them and simply following them robotically almost. They did not even take into consideration how the night could have gone otherwise. To me it is unfortunate that things happened this way. My peer said that he regrets drinking so much, which I can completely understand based on his state during the conversation.
The last person I interviewed was my father. He was by far the most interesting of the people because he seemed very uninterested in the topic and unwilling to answer my questions. He gave all very brief answers as if he did not want to talk about it. He said that he sees prom as a way for teenagers to celebrate their achievements so far in life, therefore he agrees that it is significant in their lives. He said that it does not seem like a rite of passage to him either because many people do not attend prom and still become successful adults, therefore it is not something that makes you an adult. When speaking about why some may choose not to go he said that people may have had a difficult life throughout high school and fear embarrassment. I feel that people with this situation should not allow others to stop them from having fun. Prom is too significant to miss because you are intimidated by the presence of someone that is popular; you are not going for them you are going for you. My father also said that he does not see prom as just another party because it is symbolic of finishing high school. Despite this, he said that he would not had been very disappointed if he missed his own, even though he said he had fun there. My dad is not a parent that condones any type of illegal consumption regardless of the situation; however I suspect that he did so on his prom night. For this reason I do not understand why he is so strict about things that are obvious social practices for nearly every teenager that attends prom. When I asked him about the dominant social practices, he simply said “to go to prom and have fun.” He seemed particularly uninterested in this question so I did not request any further elaboration. I wonder why this topic seemed to irritate him so much.
Monday, May 23, 2011
HW 57 - Initial Thoughts on Prom
Prom has actually always interested me. I always wondered about how it came to be what it is today. Based on our class discussions, apparently some people think that it is overrated and “not worth it.” I disagree with this; I think that it serves a certain significance. When discussing it being a “rite of passage” I do not think it is all that important to everyone. Prom should not be referred to as a rite of passage because I do not see how it changes any particular person. Nobody is having growth of any kind because of prom, it is simply an important time in a teenagers life that symbolizes the end of high school. It does not make anyone more of an adult, or less of a child, in any sense. To me this includes sexual interactions because I do not believe that virginity has a direct connection to adulthood, especially in this time period. Sex has become much more of an emotional act in terms of ‘love’ or ‘making love’ and has become something people do for fun rather than to show their affection.
As a child prom has always been something that I looked forward to. It is always portrayed as a very majestic experience for those involved and truthfully I want to see what is so special about it. Emotions are what determine how significant something is and I feel like prom can stir up so many emotions, which is why it is so important to so many people. To me the most emotional aspect would be knowing that it is my final year in high school and I will be parting with people I have gone through so much with. In addition to the four years of high school many students in eleventh grade were there since middle school, sixth grade, and I even have several friends from elementary school. While I do look forward to prom I also dread it to some extent because I do fear losing those that are so close to me.
1. Why do people make the decision not to go to prom?
2. How do different religions experience prom?
3. How has prom evolved throughout time?
4. How significant is sex in relation to prom and why?
5. Why do drugs/alcohol play such an important role to prom night?
As a child prom has always been something that I looked forward to. It is always portrayed as a very majestic experience for those involved and truthfully I want to see what is so special about it. Emotions are what determine how significant something is and I feel like prom can stir up so many emotions, which is why it is so important to so many people. To me the most emotional aspect would be knowing that it is my final year in high school and I will be parting with people I have gone through so much with. In addition to the four years of high school many students in eleventh grade were there since middle school, sixth grade, and I even have several friends from elementary school. While I do look forward to prom I also dread it to some extent because I do fear losing those that are so close to me.
1. Why do people make the decision not to go to prom?
2. How do different religions experience prom?
3. How has prom evolved throughout time?
4. How significant is sex in relation to prom and why?
5. Why do drugs/alcohol play such an important role to prom night?
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Extra Credit #5 Six Feet Under
"Pilot." Six Feet Under. HBO: 03 Jun 2001. Television. 16 May 2011.
This episode is basically about how the man of the family dies in a car accident and how the family deals with his death. It brings light on the fact that death is inevitable and you just have to deal with it. I am interested in this show because it discusses real aspects of death in a dramatic more entertaining matter than death normally is.
"The Will." Six Feet Under. HBO: 10 JUN 2001. Television. 17 May 2011.
This episode has much more to do with the actual care for the dead. The family struggles to take good care of their passed father as they struggle to afford the proper care. In his will He leaves his business to his two sons and college funds to his daughter. I do not believe that the way the dead are cared for are not as significant as many may think because it really does not matter, the person is already dead whatever is done to their body after that best satisfies the living rather than the dead. I am sure your dead father would not want you spending the last of your savings paying for his funeral.
"The Foot." Six Feet Under. HBO: 16 JUN 2001. Television. 17 May 2011.
More conflicts arise aside from the death of Fisher, their father and previous owner of the Funeral home. Nate decides that he wants to run the funeral home as a family, however faces a big problem when part of a clients body is lost. Despite the seriousness of the issue, this was actually a very humorous event that to me makes the show entertaining. These humorous additions are what keep me interested, as it is not often that humor and death go so well toghether.
Show Analysis:
I find this to be a very interesting show. While the events are fictional, they are realistic, so these things can happen to anyone. I like the realistic aspect because it keeps me interested, knowing that I can and will one day experience events similar to those the family had. The way the family deals with these events is critical to the storyline of the show as they lead to conflict and display the connection the family has with each other.
I think a key event was when Nate decided that he would not sell the funeral home. Funeral homes are probably one of the steadiest businesses in the world, since people are always dying and it is an inescapable event. Despite this, Nate’s primary motivation to keeping it was because of the symbolism it had to the family. This is an example of how losing someone close to you can impact you because Nate initially did not want the funeral home, but changed his mind when he realized its value both literally and emotionally. I find this to be a fun show that turns a generally touchy and sensitive topic into a fun one and I would recommend it to anyone.
This episode is basically about how the man of the family dies in a car accident and how the family deals with his death. It brings light on the fact that death is inevitable and you just have to deal with it. I am interested in this show because it discusses real aspects of death in a dramatic more entertaining matter than death normally is.
"The Will." Six Feet Under. HBO: 10 JUN 2001. Television. 17 May 2011.
This episode has much more to do with the actual care for the dead. The family struggles to take good care of their passed father as they struggle to afford the proper care. In his will He leaves his business to his two sons and college funds to his daughter. I do not believe that the way the dead are cared for are not as significant as many may think because it really does not matter, the person is already dead whatever is done to their body after that best satisfies the living rather than the dead. I am sure your dead father would not want you spending the last of your savings paying for his funeral.
"The Foot." Six Feet Under. HBO: 16 JUN 2001. Television. 17 May 2011.
More conflicts arise aside from the death of Fisher, their father and previous owner of the Funeral home. Nate decides that he wants to run the funeral home as a family, however faces a big problem when part of a clients body is lost. Despite the seriousness of the issue, this was actually a very humorous event that to me makes the show entertaining. These humorous additions are what keep me interested, as it is not often that humor and death go so well toghether.
Show Analysis:
I find this to be a very interesting show. While the events are fictional, they are realistic, so these things can happen to anyone. I like the realistic aspect because it keeps me interested, knowing that I can and will one day experience events similar to those the family had. The way the family deals with these events is critical to the storyline of the show as they lead to conflict and display the connection the family has with each other.
I think a key event was when Nate decided that he would not sell the funeral home. Funeral homes are probably one of the steadiest businesses in the world, since people are always dying and it is an inescapable event. Despite this, Nate’s primary motivation to keeping it was because of the symbolism it had to the family. This is an example of how losing someone close to you can impact you because Nate initially did not want the funeral home, but changed his mind when he realized its value both literally and emotionally. I find this to be a fun show that turns a generally touchy and sensitive topic into a fun one and I would recommend it to anyone.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Poem One:
The Last Waltz
By Snehal Amembal Shiralkar
Shiralkar, Snehal Amembal. "The Last Waltz." PoemHunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2011. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-last-waltz-2/
The author illustrates a love story coming to a tragic end with death. Romance is always fun to read and the incorporation of death adds a typically sad ending to the love story. The part of the poem that focuses on the care of the dead are the last two lines,
“You've lived your life', it gestured,
‘There is no second chance'....”
To me the point here is something similar to that in Harold and Maude, where you should live your life to the fullest because there is nothing beyond death.
Poem Two:
Death in the Morning
By Ronberge Anno Tercia
Tercio, Ronberge Anno. "Death in the Morning." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/free-form-death-in-the-morning-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death/
The author writes a touching poem sharing the relationship the protagonist and the dead man had. They could have been lovers, friends, or even family, but regardless it was obvious that he meant a lot to her and they spent time together. The author refers to the body as furniture, which could mean several things. The furniture is obviously a metaphor but is it giving value to the dead or depreciating value?
Poem Three:
Its Death Again
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R."It’s Death Again." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/it-s-death-again/
This poem somehow has a cheerful despite its topic. The protagonist seems to be fearful of death as he/she is constantly on the lookout for it. Death is inevitable and you cannot avoid it, so there is no point in trying to run from it, it will find you. I predict that this person would desire cremation solely because he/she seems like an adventurous person given the tone of the writing and the portrayal of the characters movements.
Poem Four:
Beldame of Death
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Beldame of Death." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/beldame-of-death/
This was a very confusing poem to me. The language used was particularly confusing and the actual goal or theme of the poem was difficult to identify. It seems as if the author wants to tell the reader to be weary of your actions because death can strike at any moment, so be prepared. The character here seemed to be cursed somehow, which made his/her death far more painful in several aspects.
Poem Five:
Musings
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Musings." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/musings-15/
The bones seem to be symbolic of death. The author uses bones and everything around or even inside bones metaphorically to symbolize life and death. I enjoyed the line, “Of flesh in life – they’re marrowless!” I see this as a connection to the soul/spirit and body contrast as the marrow is the spirit and the bone itself is the body the spirit inhabits, so a bone with no marrow is like a body without a soul: dead.
Poem Six:
A Fresh Endeavour
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R."A Fresh Endeavour." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-fresh-endeavour/
This poem tells a story of the man (or woman) that lost his (or her) wife. The man accepts her death and embraces it rather than being saddened to a point where he takes it out on himself. His beliefs in regards to post-death give him some kind of reassurance that he and his wife will not be apart forever. I would very much like to believe that his beliefs are true because I know that being away from my soul mate forever would be the hardest thing I ever had to do and I honestly do not know if I can get past something like that.
Poem Seven:
Death and I
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Death and I." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-and-i/
This is a much more straightforward poem. The author discusses his relationship with death. He mentions that when he dies that nothing will matter and he will be just a memory, so he does not seem to believe in the afterlife. He acknowledges that death is inevitable which likely allows him to think about and discuss it in a less stressful, freer, way.
Poem Eight:
Night Close
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Night Close." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/night-close/
Reading this poem created a very dark and gloomy image in my mind. This is normally what is considered the typical setting of death, at least by shade. Again the Slaughter shares his beliefs on death as he makes it clear that you cannot avoid it. Maybe being in a nightly setting simply inspired this piece of work.
Poem Nine:
In Death, My Final Part
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "In Death, My Final Part." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/in-death-my-final-part/
The author now seems to have a desire to challenge death. I do not see any logical, sane, way to challenge death aside from taking it from yourself. If you kill yourself, you are not giving nature fate a chance to allow you to die naturally, or how you would have otherwise. On the other hand, it may have been fate for you to commit suicide, but regardless the point is that you cannot escape death in the end no matter what you do.
Poem Ten:
Death’s Too Near
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Death’s Too Near." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-s-too-near/
Apparently my interpretations of the authors emotions to death have been inaccurate. “Don’t you understand the fear
You trigger deep within my soul–?”
I thought that Slaughter was not afraid of death and welcomed it, which is not the case. It is possible that his acceptance of his own fear allows him to write so freely about death.
Poem Eleven:
Body
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Body." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-body-11/
This was by far the most powerful of the poems I have read so far. It went from aspects of life to how none of it really matters because at some point we will all be dead. Another message that this poem sends is to take advantage of all the time that you have because it does not last forever.
Poem Twelve:
Death, My Friend
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Death, My Friend." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-my-friend-2/
This poem changes the pace in comparison to the recent poems I have read by Slaughter. He goes back to the welcoming tone towards death speaking as if he even befriended death. This may be one way that he copes with his fear; he also mentions the spirit being separate from the body and the heaven-hell contrast which is interesting given his other pieces of work that lean towards nothingness post-death.
Poem Thirteen:
Death
By Nick Andrew Smith
Smith, Nick Andrew. "Death." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-423/
This was one of the more boring poems I have read. It was over simplistic and too plain, however I was intrigued by the author referring to heaven or hell while still having death as the end. A religious reference like this does not correlate with death being the final chapter, it continues with heaven or hell.
Poem Fourteen:
Death, Inevitable Death
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Death, Inevitable Death." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-inevitable-death/
This poem is very self explanatory as the author simply talks about how death is inescapable. One thing I continue to find interesting is how religious references can be made and still have such fear of death. If you believe in a religion and you believe that you will be going to heaven or hell when you die, what’s to be afraid of? If you have doubts then you do not truly believe, and if you do not have doubts there should not be any fear.
Poem Fifteen:
Punishment
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Punishment." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/punishment-16/
This poem is far more religiously centered than any that I have read. It focuses on how god will punish you for your actions. By displeasing god you will find yourself “in this prison!” which I believe is a metaphor for hell. The author shares his religious perspectives in this poem rather than the more common perspective, where death is simply the end.
Analysis
The two poems that I liked best (I could not choose between them) were poems ten and twelve, “Death’s too Near” and “Death, My Friend,” both by Mark R. Slaughter. “Death, My Friend” refers to death as a peer of the protagonist. This misleads the reader to believing that the author is not fearful of death and actually embraces it. “Death’s too near” on the other hand is a more honest portrayal of the author’s views. If you look above to the more brief analysis you can see that there is a quote where he actually states that he is afraid.
There are many other pieces by Slaughter where he portrays himself to be fearless of death; however it is likely just a tactic to avoid facing his fears. Unfortunately these poems did not make clear references to the actual care of the dead outside of religion and what he believes happens to the soul as opposed to the body. While several references were made to heaven and hell, I am still unsure of Slaughters position regarding what happens after death. He has pieces that say the soul and body separate to no specific location as well as those where the soul goes to heaven or hell. He also has several where death is just the end, nothing else. I would really having a conversation with this man to see what he truly things and how he expresses those views and ideas in his work or in other ways.
The Last Waltz
By Snehal Amembal Shiralkar
Shiralkar, Snehal Amembal. "The Last Waltz." PoemHunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2011. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-last-waltz-2/
The author illustrates a love story coming to a tragic end with death. Romance is always fun to read and the incorporation of death adds a typically sad ending to the love story. The part of the poem that focuses on the care of the dead are the last two lines,
“You've lived your life', it gestured,
‘There is no second chance'....”
To me the point here is something similar to that in Harold and Maude, where you should live your life to the fullest because there is nothing beyond death.
Poem Two:
Death in the Morning
By Ronberge Anno Tercia
Tercio, Ronberge Anno. "Death in the Morning." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/free-form-death-in-the-morning-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death-death/
The author writes a touching poem sharing the relationship the protagonist and the dead man had. They could have been lovers, friends, or even family, but regardless it was obvious that he meant a lot to her and they spent time together. The author refers to the body as furniture, which could mean several things. The furniture is obviously a metaphor but is it giving value to the dead or depreciating value?
Poem Three:
Its Death Again
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R."It’s Death Again." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/it-s-death-again/
This poem somehow has a cheerful despite its topic. The protagonist seems to be fearful of death as he/she is constantly on the lookout for it. Death is inevitable and you cannot avoid it, so there is no point in trying to run from it, it will find you. I predict that this person would desire cremation solely because he/she seems like an adventurous person given the tone of the writing and the portrayal of the characters movements.
Poem Four:
Beldame of Death
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Beldame of Death." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/beldame-of-death/
This was a very confusing poem to me. The language used was particularly confusing and the actual goal or theme of the poem was difficult to identify. It seems as if the author wants to tell the reader to be weary of your actions because death can strike at any moment, so be prepared. The character here seemed to be cursed somehow, which made his/her death far more painful in several aspects.
Poem Five:
Musings
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Musings." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/musings-15/
The bones seem to be symbolic of death. The author uses bones and everything around or even inside bones metaphorically to symbolize life and death. I enjoyed the line, “Of flesh in life – they’re marrowless!” I see this as a connection to the soul/spirit and body contrast as the marrow is the spirit and the bone itself is the body the spirit inhabits, so a bone with no marrow is like a body without a soul: dead.
Poem Six:
A Fresh Endeavour
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R."A Fresh Endeavour." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-fresh-endeavour/
This poem tells a story of the man (or woman) that lost his (or her) wife. The man accepts her death and embraces it rather than being saddened to a point where he takes it out on himself. His beliefs in regards to post-death give him some kind of reassurance that he and his wife will not be apart forever. I would very much like to believe that his beliefs are true because I know that being away from my soul mate forever would be the hardest thing I ever had to do and I honestly do not know if I can get past something like that.
Poem Seven:
Death and I
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Death and I." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-and-i/
This is a much more straightforward poem. The author discusses his relationship with death. He mentions that when he dies that nothing will matter and he will be just a memory, so he does not seem to believe in the afterlife. He acknowledges that death is inevitable which likely allows him to think about and discuss it in a less stressful, freer, way.
Poem Eight:
Night Close
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Night Close." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/night-close/
Reading this poem created a very dark and gloomy image in my mind. This is normally what is considered the typical setting of death, at least by shade. Again the Slaughter shares his beliefs on death as he makes it clear that you cannot avoid it. Maybe being in a nightly setting simply inspired this piece of work.
Poem Nine:
In Death, My Final Part
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "In Death, My Final Part." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/in-death-my-final-part/
The author now seems to have a desire to challenge death. I do not see any logical, sane, way to challenge death aside from taking it from yourself. If you kill yourself, you are not giving nature fate a chance to allow you to die naturally, or how you would have otherwise. On the other hand, it may have been fate for you to commit suicide, but regardless the point is that you cannot escape death in the end no matter what you do.
Poem Ten:
Death’s Too Near
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Death’s Too Near." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-s-too-near/
Apparently my interpretations of the authors emotions to death have been inaccurate. “Don’t you understand the fear
You trigger deep within my soul–?”
I thought that Slaughter was not afraid of death and welcomed it, which is not the case. It is possible that his acceptance of his own fear allows him to write so freely about death.
Poem Eleven:
Body
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Body." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-body-11/
This was by far the most powerful of the poems I have read so far. It went from aspects of life to how none of it really matters because at some point we will all be dead. Another message that this poem sends is to take advantage of all the time that you have because it does not last forever.
Poem Twelve:
Death, My Friend
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Death, My Friend." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-my-friend-2/
This poem changes the pace in comparison to the recent poems I have read by Slaughter. He goes back to the welcoming tone towards death speaking as if he even befriended death. This may be one way that he copes with his fear; he also mentions the spirit being separate from the body and the heaven-hell contrast which is interesting given his other pieces of work that lean towards nothingness post-death.
Poem Thirteen:
Death
By Nick Andrew Smith
Smith, Nick Andrew. "Death." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-423/
This was one of the more boring poems I have read. It was over simplistic and too plain, however I was intrigued by the author referring to heaven or hell while still having death as the end. A religious reference like this does not correlate with death being the final chapter, it continues with heaven or hell.
Poem Fourteen:
Death, Inevitable Death
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Death, Inevitable Death." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/death-inevitable-death/
This poem is very self explanatory as the author simply talks about how death is inescapable. One thing I continue to find interesting is how religious references can be made and still have such fear of death. If you believe in a religion and you believe that you will be going to heaven or hell when you die, what’s to be afraid of? If you have doubts then you do not truly believe, and if you do not have doubts there should not be any fear.
Poem Fifteen:
Punishment
By Mark R. Slaughter
Slaughter, Mark R. "Punishment." PoemHunter.com. N.p.,n.d. Web 18 May 2011.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/punishment-16/
This poem is far more religiously centered than any that I have read. It focuses on how god will punish you for your actions. By displeasing god you will find yourself “in this prison!” which I believe is a metaphor for hell. The author shares his religious perspectives in this poem rather than the more common perspective, where death is simply the end.
Analysis
The two poems that I liked best (I could not choose between them) were poems ten and twelve, “Death’s too Near” and “Death, My Friend,” both by Mark R. Slaughter. “Death, My Friend” refers to death as a peer of the protagonist. This misleads the reader to believing that the author is not fearful of death and actually embraces it. “Death’s too near” on the other hand is a more honest portrayal of the author’s views. If you look above to the more brief analysis you can see that there is a quote where he actually states that he is afraid.
There are many other pieces by Slaughter where he portrays himself to be fearless of death; however it is likely just a tactic to avoid facing his fears. Unfortunately these poems did not make clear references to the actual care of the dead outside of religion and what he believes happens to the soul as opposed to the body. While several references were made to heaven and hell, I am still unsure of Slaughters position regarding what happens after death. He has pieces that say the soul and body separate to no specific location as well as those where the soul goes to heaven or hell. He also has several where death is just the end, nothing else. I would really having a conversation with this man to see what he truly things and how he expresses those views and ideas in his work or in other ways.
Extra Credit #2 Harold and Maude
Mrs. Chasen is the mother of Harold. Her lack of parenthood, is likely the cause of Harold’s odd interest in death. Despite the family’s wealth Harold is clearly not satisfied with his life. This brings up the theme (or cliché), that “money cannot buy happiness.” This is a perfect example, given that Harold can have essentially anything he desires but gets the most joy out of things that are priceless, like the relationship he and Maude share. His continuous suicide attempts are likely a result of the neglect of affection he receives from his mother.
Harold is a free spirit. To me this is one simple way of describing him. Throughout the movie he challenges death, like with the hanging in the beginning, or the gunshot, or the driving off the cliff in the end. After seeing this movie the first thing that came to my mind was “Fences” by August Wilson. This was a play about a black man who, like Harold, challenges death. The only logical explanation for this is something physiological, which it most likely was for Troy, the protagonist in “Fences.” Unlike Troy, Harold had physically experienced things that should have killed him and survived them and on numerous occasions. I wonder if it is actually a way of him giving up on his life or just a rebellious mindset that makes him want to challenge the things that are inevitable in life and face them fearlessly. People tend to fear death and Harold’s welcoming of it is respectable to some extent. I think that an interesting twist would have been if Harold actually died in the end, so that way his death can represent completion, since Maude already left him.
Maude, like Harold, is also a free spirit, however in a less dramatic way. She teaches Harold to appreciate life and live it to its fullest. This is an idea that people often forget, especially in this time period. People do not make great use of their time which I think is because their expectations are too great. People see so many glamorous things and are infatuated by them, by greed. I would expect this to be an incentive for them however it actually seems to make people lazy. They expect these things to come easy and do not utilize their time well enough to achieve these things. In the movie Maude gives Harold a new meaning to life and he lives it up. Her significance is great in this movie and it passes on the theme (or cliché); to “live life to the fullest because you only get one.” Of course, some religions (or Harold’s repetitive resistance of death) may challenge this idea, but who wants to take that chance? You can never truly know what will happen when the time comes and our bodies and souls separate, or die together.
Harold is a free spirit. To me this is one simple way of describing him. Throughout the movie he challenges death, like with the hanging in the beginning, or the gunshot, or the driving off the cliff in the end. After seeing this movie the first thing that came to my mind was “Fences” by August Wilson. This was a play about a black man who, like Harold, challenges death. The only logical explanation for this is something physiological, which it most likely was for Troy, the protagonist in “Fences.” Unlike Troy, Harold had physically experienced things that should have killed him and survived them and on numerous occasions. I wonder if it is actually a way of him giving up on his life or just a rebellious mindset that makes him want to challenge the things that are inevitable in life and face them fearlessly. People tend to fear death and Harold’s welcoming of it is respectable to some extent. I think that an interesting twist would have been if Harold actually died in the end, so that way his death can represent completion, since Maude already left him.
Maude, like Harold, is also a free spirit, however in a less dramatic way. She teaches Harold to appreciate life and live it to its fullest. This is an idea that people often forget, especially in this time period. People do not make great use of their time which I think is because their expectations are too great. People see so many glamorous things and are infatuated by them, by greed. I would expect this to be an incentive for them however it actually seems to make people lazy. They expect these things to come easy and do not utilize their time well enough to achieve these things. In the movie Maude gives Harold a new meaning to life and he lives it up. Her significance is great in this movie and it passes on the theme (or cliché); to “live life to the fullest because you only get one.” Of course, some religions (or Harold’s repetitive resistance of death) may challenge this idea, but who wants to take that chance? You can never truly know what will happen when the time comes and our bodies and souls separate, or die together.
Extra Credit #1 Cemetery Visits
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