Ain't I a Woman?

This rhetorical question that begins this piece is almost just as thought provoking as the piece in its entirety. It raised the question in mind of what a woman really is and how I myself perceive woman, girls and females in general. When i first think of the word woman I can not help but think of my mother and the images of strength, compassion and sheer willpower that she remings me of. But when I think of girls I think of pretty young beauties who are delicate and need to be cared for and need consoling and comfort. And after reading this piece and realizing my thoughts on what woman and females are as a whole i realize the discrepancy in my views. Which echoes what Sojourner Truth was complaining about. She feels that even though she poses all these strong qualities she is looked upon as not a woman but as something else. At this time race was defiantly an issue in how people viewed her but I feel even now and I hate to make generalizations but I think men in general view woman in this way. If the woman is tough then she is looked upon completely differently than a pretty, delicate woman. While Sojourner Truth may feel like less of a woman because she is not waited on hand and foot by men she is obviously a strong and wise woman and i think in comparison she is the better of the two types.

Suicide Note

This piece is very powerful and moving. The introduction starts the reader off with the conclusion of this story and sets the tone for the entire piece. This note is really saddening, to learn about this girls story and her thinking behind her suicide is (I hate to say it but) disgusting. To read this and to read her apology to her parents it really makes ones skin crawl. To see someone take their life because she had not felt she had pleased her parents fully and had achieved to the standards set before her. The guilt that this young woman feels is truly unreasonable yet in her mind no doubt it was reason enough to take her life. After reading the note it seems that she has felt that she had disappointed her parents, so much to the effect of wishing death upon herself. To see someone who feels so worthless and so strongly in the wrong for failing to get perfect scores in school, not being born a man, not being smart enough or strong enough is truly depressing. So she has come to the conclusion that death is inevitable. It is truly puzzling at least for me why someone would feel this way, was it self driven or was it all the pressure that her parents had put on her? Either way it is very sad to read this piece and know that afterwards she killed herself.

Credo I believe....

I believe in the power of friendliness. I believe in this power because it has proven to me on countless occasion that it is one of the most powerful forces known to humans. I have seen people moved from sadness to happiness with just a simple gesture of kindness and compassion. To be friendly with people is very important when communicating and forming relationships. This power has helped me move through life and overcome obstacles that present themselves.

Goblin Market

After reading this long winded poem many of its ideas and symbols resonated in my mind. But the part that stuck out for me was the first page and the way that the author illustrates the scene. How all these goblins are "crying" about all their delicious wares, urging the listeners to buy, buy, buy. The imagery of this scene can be considered contridictory and comical as these goblins which are usually considered ugly and disgusting are shouting about the beautiful fruits they are selling and the amazing products they have to offer. Luring people to buy the great things they are offering while the girls rush through one enchanted by the amazing offers and the other opposed to them knowing their pollutant nature. Could this be an allusion to modern day society where we are bombarded with advertisements and commercials generally trying to sell us things we have no need of?