Senior Literary – Page 15 – Literary Arts Blogspace

Reviewing “The Hit Man”

https://maynardjgvsu.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/the-hit-man.pdf

Hey >.> “The Hit Man” is a genius story written by T.C. Boyle in 1977. This blog post is only made possible by his mind and literary work of course. So, this is what happened…

It was Reading Across America Day, and I needed a juicy book to sink my talons into. I went to my teacher– the magnificent Clinnesha Sibley– who had recommended me a book of short stories by a man named T.C. Boyle, the book titled The Human Fly and Other Stories. Next thing I know I’m losing my marbles over the stories I’m reading from the book.

From the anthology of short stories, I chose “The Hit Man” to write about today because it is so simple yet so conveying. (Above is a link which provides an online copy of the story. You won’t get a virus by clicking it, just a great read. Here it is again in case you missed it the first time 😉

https://maynardjgvsu.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/the-hit-man.pdf

A Disclaimer: I am no professional story reviewer. I am simply sharing what I stumbled upon and thought to be a bomb read.

“The Hit Man” is a compelling story of a man’s entire life. The main awe factor is the way in which the story is written, which is in these sections. As you may have seen or read from the links provided, we are introduced into the story by an unnamed narrator who recalls moments from The Hit Man’s life. (The main character is named The Hit Man.) He continues revealing this mysterious Hit Man by small snippets of information. Some sections are on the chunkier side and others are only one sentence, and that’s all they need.

This works so well. What I thought at first would become choppy, turned into the opposite. The story flowed effortlessly which was achieved by keeping all the fragments of The Hit Man’s life in chronological order. Sections tying into one another helped execute Boyle’s plan as well.

One example of this is with the “Peas” section. I thought The Hit Man becoming frustrated with peas was Boyle trying to show The Hit Man’s humanity. It was even kind of funny to me. However, after reading on to the “Moods” section, I see it is his short temper that was being spotlighted.

There was also a lot of imagery that compared The Hit Man to the Grim Reaper. Throughout, The Hit Man is constantly being recognized by his black hood. Another reference is when The Hit Man receives a golden scythe trophy. He also is thought to be this hellish character as he “pets” a three-headed dog after raking leaves on his lawn and igniting them.

This only further helps build the personality file of who The Hit Man is, an unstoppable and dangerous man. I think it was a smart choice to do this because since there isn’t much space for character building through the section storytelling, it helps readers to already have a foundation laid. That way, they are able to quickly absorb The Hit Man’s aura and move on to finding out even more about him.

There is one thing I didn’t quite get…I hate to even say this…It was the “Talk Show” section. I don’t have much to say on it because I just wasn’t sure what its purpose was. Also, I was curious about the logistics behind The Hit Man revealing his identity; however, it was still very interesting to read.

Overall, “The Hit Man” was such a fun thing to start with for my journey into reading more often. Of course, I highly recommend you give it a try. Be safe out there and try not to make too many enemies because you never know…just kidding. But seriously be safe ♥

Call Me By Your Name Review

*Warning: Spoilers Ahead*

Disclaimer: This is my review of the Call Me By Your Name through its film and script, not the book. Credit to authors and director mentioned below.

The movie Call Me By Your Name takes place in the Summer of 1983, “somewhere in Northern Italy.” Oliver is a foreign exchange student who comes to live and study under Professor Perlman for the summer. The professor’s son, Elio, is a young, bright boy who loves to dance kinda funny.

The film follows the complicated relationship of Elio and Oliver who begin to bond incredulously. What begins as simple infatuation evolves into insatiable desire.

One of the biggest things this movie shows is how stellar character interaction can be for ultimate audience satisfaction.

It must be talked about! See? Elio agrees. 🙂

For starters, Call Me By Your Name does an incredible job at utilizing indirect dialogue. There are too many moments to keep track of, but perhaps one of the best to mention is when Elio is expressing to Oliver how he feels about him.

Elio never just comes out and says, “I like you.” He talks to Oliver in a certain way where he beats around the bush with his language, and Oliver follows along talking in a similar fashion.

It just makes sense. It’s the 80s and society was in a different place, especially with the topic of sexuality in public, as they are in during this conversation. It also keeps the audience figuring out the plot themselves rather than simply having it laid out for them. Here is the scene from the film.

This is only one of many scenes that showcase this indirect style of dialogue that courses through the film’s structure.

A picture from the above mentioned scene.

There are also many subtle notions that are easy to be overlooked but help the storyline. One of these instances when Oliver is eating a poached egg for the first time. He struggles at first and ruins his first egg, but after he learns he devours the egg.

Elio’s mother, Annella, suggests he have another.

Oliver responds with the line, “I know myself. If I have three, I’ll have a fourth, and then more.”

The script elaborates after this line by writing, “ELIO has never heard someone Oliver’s age say, I know myself. It’s somewhat intimidating. He lowers his eyes.”

This highlights how early on the power dynamic Oliver and Elio struggled with in the beginning of the film began. I imagined it perhaps started later on when the two were more vocally catty.

Perhaps I am reading too much into it. For me though, upon reading the script I have noticed more spots that could have easily been overlooked watching the film, whereas a viewer might only focus on the more obvious scenes shown.

Another powerful scene that deserves its own moment is probably toward the very end of the film. Elio’s father has a talk with Elio about their relationship, and it is very emotional. It adds all the closure you didn’t realize you and Elio needed by that point of the film. Here is the video and script for the scene.

This is actually very unique for a LGBTQIA+ film. For the gay male character to have such a supporting father is not a common thread of almost any gay films/shows. Besides the closure and diversity it delivers, this moment deepens the layers of the father’s character. It shows how insightful and observative he is, while also providing care for his son he knows is hurting. This scene hits the audience at an already rough point of the film, but it is vital.

Overall, I can only hope I did this movie the justice I feel it deserves. Call Me By Your Name has been such a great addition to cinema, and has phenomenal acting. Like writing aside, the actors/actresses serve.

What’s not to love about this movie? I invite you to go take a trip to Italy through the film and see for yourself (possibly again) what I’ve been geeking over for an entire blog post. You might just have a good time 🙂

Thank you to André Aciman for writing the book. Thank you to James Ivory for writing the screenplay. Thank you to Luca Guadagnino for directing the movie. You guys thankfully made this story come to life. Again, thank you so much. <3

Tackling Self-Esteem and iNsecurity: Supermodel-SZA

Released in the summer of 2017, SZA’s debut album, CTRL, gave many people a relatable grouping of songs which ventured into the workings of today’s relationships, insecurities, self-love, desire and so many more topics heavily affecting today’s’ generation. CTRL, as explained by SZA, is an album all about the concept of her control over her personal life. This album features 14 songs, each being unique and different than the last.

The opening of this album is a song featuring SZA’s vulnerability about a toxic relationship which leads to her questioning her beauty, her worth and analyzing her insecurities worsened by this relationship. This song is none other than “Supermodel”.

Supermodel Sticker by SZA

“Supermodel” is introduced by SZA’s mother in a short skit.

“That is my greatest fear
That if, if I lost control
Or did not have control, things would just, you know
I would be… fatal”

As previously stated, CTRL is an album all about the concept of controlling certain aspects of our life. What can we control? How much control do we have? Do we have any control at all over our life? These questions, unfortunately, are not answered in this album, but it does call the listener to question these things.

Following the skit is an acoustic guitar chord which SZA describes as sad in a video interview with GQ. The song easily put me in a relaxed space on the first listen causing me to really sit and hear the lyrics with a cleared mind.

I would describe the first verse of “Supermodel” as SZA’s coming clean moment. It is in this verse that she reveals a moment of unfaithfulness to a partner after being abandoned by them on Valentine’s Day. I would even go so far as to say this song is a message directed towards them.

“I’m writing this letter to let you know…” begins this songs leaving it to be interpreted as a letter. As the song progresses so does the direction of this letter. It’s a tennis match between a letter to herself and her past lover. She pleads for his validation of her beauty and love as she simultaneously questions why she can’t stand the thought of being alone and why she puts up with his lack of validation and love.

As the song progresses into the chorus drums are introduced to the song creating a rhythm which instantly lulled me. Still seeking validation from her partner on her outer beauty, she still ventures on to question why she isn’t comfortable with her own self.

“I could be your supermodel if you believe If you see it in me, see it in me, see it in me; I don’t see myself” is the core of this entire song. When most people think of a supermodel, myself included, they think of high-confident people with charismatic energy and discipline about themselves. In these lines of the chorus, SZA wishes to be seen of a woman with confidence and status while she also fails to see it in herself causing questions concerning her self esteem and insecurity.

These are all very true topics that are relevant in today’s society. Comparisons of one’s self to “supermodels” or social media personalities, the normalization and often times praised culture of toxic and unhealthy relationships, the seemingly non-existent control people don’t think they have of their life. SZA did an amazing job putting all of these topics into one song with the lyrics while the actual musical production of it is sweet and calming.

The song goes on to the second verse which still talks of her seeking validation and wondering coming to the conclusion of why she chose to stay in an unhealthy relationship, which wasn’t love. And the chorus plays again and as the song closes it features the backing vocals of Pharrell, music artist and producer.

This song is a contemporary masterpiece, dissecting into the vulnerability of SZA, leaving something so relatable and beautiful behind it. I thoroughly enjoy this entire album and recommend it anymore, no matter what genre of music you like there is surely something on this album to satisfy your musical palette. I will be leaving links to the GQ interview previously mentioned and a link to song on YouTube. Be sure to check them out and I hope you enjoy the musical artistry of SZA and Supermodel.

Thank You for Reading,

A Girl Lost in the Garden with Pretty Little Birds <3

Sexist Walmart Uniform Policy

Hello, today I will be reviewing an article about Walmart’s truck driver uniform policy and how it is discriminatory towards female drivers.

Check out the article here:

Www.cbsnews.com, 13 Jan. 2022, www.cbsnews.com/news/walmart-lawsuit-diana-webb-truck-driver-alabama/

Diana Webb, a female Walmart truck driver recently filed a lawsuit against the company because the uniforms were tailored to men’s bodies and didn’t fit women properly. Webb states she had to search for other clothes that were similar to the uniform that would fit her. When she asked Walmart to reimburse her for having to buy her own uniform clothes, the declined stating they would have to pay for all the females to buy their clothes if they paid for hers. Webb decides to file a lawsuit against Walmart for this sexist policy of not having an appropriate female uniform. Drivers can wear their own pants, however the men get their pants washed for free by Walmart, if the women elect to wear their own pants instead of the incorrectly fitting uniforms they also have to wash them themselves. This might seem insignificant, but it is unfair to have a service available to men while not having that same service available for men. Webb has also filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission about the blatant misogyny.

Considering the company has 54% female employees, this could lead to a significant but necessary loss for the company. Uniforms need to be provided for the female employees that are not uncomfortable and don’t fit correctly because of their different body shape. Walmart is a giant corporation, but since this sexist custom has come to public light, they will likely see a loss in business until the issue is corrected.

In my opinion, this should have never been an issue to begin with. Everyone knows men and women normally have very different body shapes, and accommodating uniforms should be provided by the company. I hope Webbs wins the lawsuit and that the company must change this policy for the inclusion of all female drivers. It is honestly ridiculous at this point that things like this are still happening in 2022. Misogyny seems to be just as rampant now as it was 30 years ago, because we are unwilling to make progress. Men refuse to give up the hold they have, and sure some things may seem petty and small, but every little straw will eventually break the camel’s back.

Unfortunately many policies such as this still hinder females from having the same privileges as their male coworkers; if the company is gonna provide and maintain proper uniforms for the men, they need to do the same for the women; anything less is unfair and discriminatory. It is no surprise to me this happened in Alabama, the south is notorious for being discriminatory to anyone who doesn’t fit into the perfect little box of straight, white, neurotypical male, and if your a women you have to know your place- and honestly, nothing disgusts me more. I am glad that this women is taking a stand to these policies that are unfair to female workers, companies need to provide equal opportunities for everyone. Walmart is a company giant, and companies like that tend to think they can do whatever they want and no one will stand up to them, well, someone did, and I wish her the best in getting a little closer to equal opportunity.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

Carol Oates is a critically acclaimed, award-winning author with over seventy books published and decades of experience under her belt, and many of her literary works are considered modern cultural staples. However, one of her most poignant pieces is arguably a short story published in 1974 and titled “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” It is a classic retelling of the tragic loss of innocence to the societal evils of temptation, vanity, and reckless behavior. Oates establishes the theme of stolen youth through her characterization of the ensemble of compelling subjects, modern setting, and eerie images used to foreshadow the terrifying plot that is soon to unfold.

The fiction opens in a 1950s suburbia in an unidentifiable part of the United States. This setting is significant to the story because it represents a continuously-evolving culture that determines the value of young girls based on their physical beauty and perceived promiscuity. Immediately, the audience is introduced to the protagonist Connie, a fifteen year old who is obsessed with her appearance and feels disconnected from her family due to her mother’s constant complaints about her vanity, the emotional absence of her father, and constant comparisons to her older sister, June. Oates writes, “…she had a quick, nervous giggling habit of craning her neck to glance into mirrors or checking other people’s faces to make sure her own was all right….June did this, June did that…and Connie couldn’t do a thing, her mind was all filled with trashy daydreams.” The use of third person point of view allows for an objective commentary on the type of person Connie is, and it places the reader in the complex position of recognizing more about the protagonist than she recognizes about herself; because they have a clearer understanding of the dangers of this kind of behavior, the foreshadowing brings them a more intense sense of dread, and the tension thickens as the plot moves closer and closer to the climax.

After a day out with her friend and a boy, a man in a bright, golden car approaches Connie at her home while her family is out, determined to make a perverted claim on her. The color of the car is a symbol of the gilded promises of fulfillment that girls receive from men seeking to prey upon their innocence. As stated by the narrator, “It was a car she didn’t know. It was an open jalopy, painted a bright gold that caught the sunlight opaquely. Her heart began to pound and her fingers snatched at her hair, checking it, and she whispered, ‘Christ. Christ,’ wondering how bad she looked.” Although Connie is made anxious by the situation, she is most concerned about whether or not her appearance will meet the expectations of this vulturous man; the difference between her internal feelings and her actions is an example of irony. It also further characterizes Connie as a person who places immense value on the way men perceive her and her ability to appease them with her beauty. Another example of characterization comes on page seven: “…and even that slippery friendly smile of his, that sleepy dreamy smile that all the boys used to get across ideas they didn’t want to put into words.” It further illustrates the intentions of this man, and gives insight into the fact that Connie is at least somewhat familiar with the entitled attitude of men who are attracted to her.

Overall, the story has an anxious, foreboding tone that puts readers on edge with its sober word choice and images. Although the author has been criticized for making statements that allow space for victim-blaming, the weight of her words is still immense in the hands of a generation where young people are encouraged to act matured and sacrifice their youth to the sexual explotation of predators, such as the antagonist in this story. Oates uses the story of fifteen year old Connie to warn other teenagers of the abusive circumstances that they might end up in if they are not aware of the dangers of being dependent on validation from others to feel whole. Connie’s safety and innocence, represented by her family home, is mercilessly violated, because instead of being protected by her family, she is shamed by them and acts in retaliation to their actions.

Will Wood’s Normal Album: What Does it All Mean? Part 1

Poster for The Normal Album from Will Wood’s Webstore

Will Wood has taken the place of my favorite music artist this past year, and if you take the time to listen to his most recent work, The Normal Album, you’ll totally understand why someone like me would be so enthralled with his music. I’ve even written a (admittedly pretty bad) blog about the him and his band before, which you can read here for a more in-depth look into why I love his music so much. So, I decided why not try to do a quick analysis on each song included on The (absolutely anything but) Normal Album before Will Wood releases his new upcoming one, In Case I Make It. These songs are so incredible and deserve MUCH more than a high schooler writing this with a deadline around the corner and an average of 4 hours of sleep. These will only be a quick surface-level overview of the themes and tone of each song, so I recommend you check these out for yourself and read more about them!

1. Suburbia Overture: Greetings from Mary Bell Township! / (Vampire) Culture / Love Me, Normally

In classic Will Wood fashion, the title of this track is long and convoluted. The song is split into three parts, each having it’s own title. However, I’ll be talking about the track as a whole here. The song is a commentary on the “ideal” white picket fence and nuclear family and how that, and modern culture as a whole, can be extremely toxic. Will Wood relates the middle-class Suburbia to a war zone as while discussing its malicious and vampiric aspects. Self-expression is exiled in this world of blind conformity, and the underlying misery is painted over with images of family barbecues and white weddings.

My favorite stanza from the song:

“…So give me your half-life crisis
I can tell that you know where paradise is
Where parasites don’t care what your blood type is
Only pheromones and serotonin decide…”

2econd-2ight-2eer (that was fun, goodbye.)

This funky song is definitely one of my favorites from the album. The main theme of the song is breaking free from the conformity the world pushes onto us and living life the “crazy” way you want, even if the world looks upon you with judgment. The song has heavy religious symbolism and discusses breaking free of its grip and the surrounding culture of it. In short, embrace being “a psycho, babe,” and live life without worrying about what boring people think of you. You only get one life, so live it to the fullest without shame.

My favorite stanza from the song:

“…Some days I’m glad that I am a madman and I’d rather be that than
An amicable animal, mild-mannered cannibal
But I’m more level-headed and clever than ever and I’m getting better one forever at a time
And if sick is defined by what’s different, well then pull the plug out and let me die…”

Laplace’s Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)

The title of this song is a reference to Laplace’s demon, a scientific proposition of causal determinism, which I’m not nearly smart enough to fully understand, but essentially says that all events in the future are caused by the events of the past. Hurt People? Hurt People! is an obvious reference to the saying of “hurt people hurt people,” suggesting that those who hurt others are deeply damaged themselves. Laplace’s Angel itself is a commentary on “bad people” as a whole and what really makes them “bad.” Are bad people defined by their actions? What about the reasoning of their actions? What about what’s behind the reasoning of their actions? If you were in the exact same shoes as the person you’re judging, what would you do, and would you judge yourself?

My favorite stanza from the song:

“…So if you wash your hands of where you’ve been until you flood the second floor
Neatly fold your skeletons but still can’t shut the closet door
The only ones in need of love are those who don’t receive enough
So evil ones should get a little more…”

I/Me/Myself

Okay, so you’ve probably heard this one before. This song recently blew up on TikTok and sparked tons of conversation about its meaning and even some controversy. Will Wood himself recently came forward to clarify the meaning of the song, so I’ll include his own words from his post on Genius.com.

“To boil it down, the song is about how I respond to my frustration with the limitations of the male gender role, the maladaptive ways I’ve coped with that frustration, and trying to figure out if this experience or any other regarding my gender can or should define me. It reaches the same conclusion that most of my work does – and that is that nothing is real and that if something is hurting us we have the power to cast it off.”

You can read more from his post here. It does a much better job than I ever could.

This concludes part 1 of my analysis of Will Wood’s The Normal Album. It really is a wild ride to go on, and it’s definitely very high up on my favorite albums of all time list. I really wish I could do this album justice, and if Mr. Wood himself is reading this somehow, thank you SO much for the wonderful work of art! :]

Literary Analysis: The Yellow Wallpaper

Have you ever thought of being a woman? Well, perhaps you already are, but how about a woman in an 1880s New England setting? One particular short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore, follows such a story of a woman during this time and place. She is neglected from having her own opinions, as with most women of this time, by her husband, John. She becomes driven into a nervous breakdown through his treatment of her condition. Thus, the narrator is forced to find her own freedom from societal and situational oppression through a yellow wallpaper.

During the time period of the 1800s, women’s roles in society were limited. This is a time when women were subjected to house duties, childcare, and nothing more. One article describes the thought process then as, “Socially, women were considered weaker hence unequal to their men counterparts,” even going on to say, “Some people would compare such a condition as slavery” (“Women’s Role in Society”). This is made apparent in the story when time and time again the narrator is neglected by the other characters in the story. Such an example can be seen when the narrator is being subjected to her “rest cure”, and she is being assigned her room by her husband. She describes a beautiful room they pass which made her illustriously excited, later telling how “…John would not hear of it” (Gilmore 648) or fancy the idea. A simple request she is asking is not afforded. Thus, she is left to a room where “the windows are barred” (Gilmore 648) and there is the wallpaper initially mentioned as, “It is dull enough to confuse the eye…pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves…they suddenly commit suicide” (Gilmore 648). This is not a room where someone who is respected would be placed for recovery.

Although there were many revelations and “cures” becoming hypothesized in the psychological world during the late 1800s, some of which made evident in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” none are helpful to the narrator. If anything, her condition worsens. The rest cure limits her to little or no stimulation. John assumes this will help as on page 649 the narrator says, “He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him” (“The Yellow Wallpaper). If John tried to understand the patient, his wife, more, he could understand stimulation is what she needs to stay sane. Her situation of being confined to a single room with no activity is not inflicted because she is mad, but it is the catalyst driving her mental state to madness.

With the wallpaper in her room being the only sense of stimulation within her life, this leads her to have no other options but to become fixated upon it. Throughout the story, there is progression from hating the wallpaper to becoming obsessed upon its existence. On page 650, she goes on to “see a strange, provoking, formless sort of figure, that seems to skulk about behind that silly…front design” (Gilmore). The narrator was experiencing neuroses at this point and visualizing herself trapped in the wall as she is trapped in her life. Sigmund Freud, famous Austrian neurologist, has explanations for this type of behavior as, “Freud was convinced that neuroses…and other difficult-to-explain aspects of mental life were rooted in conflicting and usually unconscious desires rather than neurological malfunction” (“From Nerves to Neuroses”). Her desires become freedom manifested through the woman who,” in the very bright spots keeps still, and in the very shady spots she just takes hold of the bars and shakes them hard” (Gilmore 654). This example of the woman in the wall could be compared to the narrator’s writing practices or also her unconscious desires to leave the confinement she has been subjected to. Afterall, at one point she mentions, “that I must take care of myself for [John’s] sake, and keep well” (Gilmore 652). This proves her conscious mentality is still set on pleasing her husband and not on improving her own mental stability. With her options limited and a maddening mind, her only solutions seem to be freeing the woman in the wallpaper, herself being that woman.

Through scarce resources and aid, the narrator found the liberty necessary to her through the only means imaginable by her because no one else was. This story teaches us the importance of the tender human condition through the story of a woman in the late 1800s. A woman with psychoanalysis needed but not received; a woman with respect deserved but met with neglect. “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a necessary feminist piece that shows mistakes that should never be exercised again.

Works Cited

All Answers Ltd. “Women’s Role in Society in the 1800s.” Ukessays.com, UK Essays, 12 Aug. 2021, www.ukessays.com/essays/history/womens-role-in-society-in-the-1800s-history-essay.php.

“From Nerves to Neuroses | Science Museum.” Science Museum, 2019,

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/medicine/nerves-neuroses. ‌

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper. The New England Magazine, 1892.

The Red Re-Recordings

In the wise words of Jonathon Wilton, it apparently “takes a cursory glance to know” that I’m obsessed with Taylor Swift. Obviously. I was in her top percent of listeners on Spotify this year, and I’ve been a Swiftie since her debut album. Naturally, I was entirely obsessed with the Fearless re-recording, and because Red is my favorite album, I was so happy to see it come out on Spotify at midnight.

My favorite songs off the album (in no particular order) have to be The Lucky One, Starlight, The Moment I Knew, Message in a Bottle, I Bet You Think About Me, and The Very First Night.

The Lucky One
Anyone who’s looked forward to anything and then been sorely disappointed can relate to this song. Without going into too much detail, it outlines her experience moving into the music industry and everyone saying she finally got what she wanted, yet she feels out of place because she doesn’t necessarily want to be there.

Starlight
This… perfectly outlines what it’s like to fall in love and stay together for your entire life. It’s actually about a couple who met (according to the song) in 1945. It’s so carefree and lively, and just a perfect song in my opinion.

The Moment I Knew
JAKE GYLLENHAAL HAS DONE IT AGAIN. This is about the time he stood her up on her 21st birthday, and it’s referenced again in the 10 minute version of All Too Well. The defining lyric, without a doubt, would have to be “what do you say when tears are streaming down your face in front of everyone you know?” It’s so heartbreaking, and it takes a few listens to get used to it’s vocabulary, but once you’re accustomed to it, it’s so easy.

Message in a Bottle
A double meaning, this song can be interpreted as a long distance relationship or as someone with a masssiveeee crush – either way, it’s beautiful. It’s hopeful and hopeless at the same time, but it’s not so bittersweet; the word that comes to mind is “ambition,” and I’m here for it.

I Bet You Think About Me
Again with Jake Gyllenhaal… “I Bet You Think About Me” talks about his nature as someone who viewed her through a pretentious lens, always thinking that he’s better than everyone around him. It goes into how he took advantage of her age, and it even features a lyric directed toward Kanye and his “million dollar couch…”

The Very First Night
This is the song that you can describe as bittersweet, because it’s a reflection of her time on what seems to be a first date. Tik Tok has taken to changing the lyrics out of controversy, but no hard feelings. It’s a sweet song about reminiscence, which is a breath of fresh air compared to the rest of the heartache album.

Persona Poetry

Persona, said in context of the writing world, is when a writer writes in first person perspective with the “I” of the poem being an object, an idea, or another person. The “I” – also called the narrator – of this style of poetry can NOT be the writer themselves. That is what makes this type of writing unique and most certainly impactful. Poets can dive in and use the (distanced from themselves) perspectives of objects, ideas, or other people to convey powerful messages, call outs, and show beautiful new ways of thinking.

Below are a few examples of persona poetry being performed, and through these performances we can hear how powerful a poem can become when spoken aloud. These Speakers embody their chosen poems, bringing them to life and expressing them wonderfully.

Trying my own hand at Persona poetry, I ended up with a collection that I call Breakthrough Persona. Wanting to follow the instructions of not bluntly telling what the narrator is, I decided to alluded to or hint at what my subjects where in their titles. Below are three poems from my collection Breakthrough Persona: stands of mental health, keeper of fiction that’s painfully true, and aspects of titles.

strands of mental health  


What happens after? 
What happens after the good days disappear 
and the bad are all you are allowed to wake up to?
When your feelings are fleeting 
and you get stuck in those in between moments, those transitions — 
what happens then? 
See, clothes cost money; you don't like pain; 
you refuse the drugs, the alcohol, the addictions —
you know those are more damaging, more altering,
than what you want to deal with.
Still, you chase to make a dramatic difference.
To find some reminiscences of control. 
So you find scissors. 
You know I'll grow back. 
Nothing permanent, but it feels drastic all the same. 
You grip me tight and pull me out in chunks —
you cut me off in ragged pieces,
stripping me of my color, my life, my health 
so as to change me to a shade, a style of your liking. 
Truly, what do you think of me?
Do you find my flatness borish or my curls a nuisance?
Do my split-ends and frizziness drive you mad?
They shouldn't, for these are the result of improper care —
I was not treated as treasure for what was natural, but scorned. 
You get angry at pieces of me that are of your own making,
for you did not take time to learn my ways nor 
did you take time to learn how to care for me.
Only time and gentle attention will fix this unruly, tangled, damaged mess 
that you have made of me. 

Simply learn my ways;
treat me in the right regard —
then I will follow.

keeper of fiction that’s painfully true.  


I am stained 
with tears as ink, 
with the essence of your being; 
your thoughts, your hates, and your desires.

You scratch me 
with words of graphite, 
with the shade of your mind; 
your wonders, your fears, and your wishes. 

So why do you tear me up into shredded little pieces of emotions and crumble me into a simple piece of trash — one that you don’t even think to pick up after you have thrown me towards the dumpster and missed —

why have you dismissed me so?

I am covered
with truths as fiction,
with a piece of your life;
your pasts, your presents, and your futures.

You line me 
with hordes of symbolism,
with a sliver of your sight;
Your perspectives, your actions, and your dialogues. 

So why do you fold me up into tiny squares of pretendence and hide me in the creased lining of notebooks — ones that you don’t ever think to open after you have stacked notebook upon notebook on what you want forgotten — 

why have you abandoned me so?

aspects of titles 


You get called a lot of things growing up. 
I might have been a nickname, a compliment, or an insult. 
I might have been a pet name, a label, or an evaluation.
I might be reserved for one person.
I might be reserved for many. 
When you were little, I was “curious”, “Momma’s girl”, and “mature”.
Now that you are older, I am “intelligent”, “independent”, and “childish”. 

I change as you grow and develop — 
new sides of yourself allow for others
to come up with more of me. 
So don’t be afraid, 
when I am changed on the whims of others; 
embrace me, take the new versions of me that you want, and disregard the others — 
for half of what they call you is made of their opinion, and the rest is what you decide I am.

So that’s what i have on Persona Poetry! Hope you liked reading my blog about this topic, and maybe it will inspire you to try persona poetry out for yourself!

Backstabbing Central: Survivor Cagayan

Look… I did not think I was going to like this show as much as I do. I couldn’t stand the rain, so I decided to start watching Survivor – just to see what all the hype was about. I started on Season 28, the most recent on Netflix, which hosted three groups: Brains, Brawn, and Beauty.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Eventually, Brawn and Beauty wiped out Brains in a series of challenges, diminishing their size against the other two, leading to the first merge: each member drew a color and was assigned to a new tribe, some with nearly complete strangers, others with their whole group staying as a collective with some stragglers.

Tony, Woo, and Spencer were some of the most interesting players. Woo, a taekwondo instructor, played with the most integrity I have ever seen. Never once did he maliciously lie, cheat, or steal in order to pull himself to the top two: he brought himself up on his own by being a reliable player with respectable loyalties.

Tony bled into the opposite end of the spectrum: he played a ruthless game and sabotaged every single person at camp in order to get there, except for Woo. He swore on his badge as a police officer, his wife and children, and his father’s grave: and he still broke them. He had no respectable characteristics except for his sheer hustle to get into the top two.

While Spencer didn’t make it to the top two, I have to give credit where credit is due. Even the host of the show didn’t think he’d make it as far as he did. He strategized with other players as often as he could and as efficiently as he could, and he knew when to make the moves that other players didn’t want to. My favorite thing that he said was at the beginning of the game when he was forced to vote a fellow member of the Brain tribe out. He said something along the lines of, “the fact that you have a PhD in nuclear engineering scares me,”

In the final episode, Tony and Woo faced the jury, consisting of members that had been voted out beforehand. With an overwhelming number of votes, Tony won Survivor: Cagayan, and rage has never filled my body so quickly.

Personally, I believe that Tony was a backstabbing, two-faced liar who didn’t even deserve to make it as far as he did. The entirety of the finale led to an entirely too drawn out discussion of whether you should vote for the player who played the best game or the player who made it the farthest without stabbing anyone in the back. If it were the latter, Woo most certainly should have won.