Chapter 13 in the text book was about symbolism. It was very interesting. The whole topic of symbols and symbolism is just interesting to me. The book defines a symbol as "something (an object, a word, an image) that is used to suggest a range of associations or feelings. Symbols prompt reflection and inquiry." It also states that symbols are highly personal. The first thing I thought about when reading about symbols was the Bible. Symbols/symbolism is coursing through the Bible. Its everywhere!
Just look at what a parable is! Jesus concealed the hidden message of the kingdom in parables! This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. - Matthew 13:13. The Bible has so much depth to it.
And other examples of symbols in the Bible besides parables are the number 7 symbolizing completion, and in Ephesians the man symbolizing the church and how God's love for the church is as a marriage. Look at the book of Hosea. The whole book symbolizes God's relationship with disobedient Israel.
One quote that I loved from the chapter was "symbols force us to grapple with meanings." How true is that! They are intriguing. Sometimes the not knowing, the curiosity, the wonder is what draws us in.
But we also can't get ourselves wrapped up in symbols too much. Sometimes we can dig too far into what things mean and miss the basic message of it all. And tying this into class, we can get so wrapped up in asking what does this mean, and this and this and this, that we can't see the whole picture. This can just make things too complicated. We should make connections without becoming disconnected from the piece.
Symbols really do help us to experience literature in different ways. :) We follow signs everyday of our lives, why not start paying more attention to the ones found in literature?
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Godot
As I continue to read Beckett's Waiting For Godot, I continue to be confused and amazed. Some things that I have noticed occurring in this play often is repetition, forgetfulness, change, and uncertainty.
GoGo and Didi are constantly finishing each others sentences, or repeating what the other said before. Their conversations repeat themselves all the time. Like when GoGo hurts his foot. They go on and on about it. What is this repetition for? I think some of it has to do with showing how well they understand each other and how well they know each other. They have quite the dynamic relationship.
Both of them are forgetful. I would say Estragon moreso than Vladimir. Vladimir comes off stronger and more stoic to me. He states in the begininng that Estragon could not survive without him; he could become a pile of bones. They can't seem to even remember their surroundings. But as I am thinking more and more about it I don't know if it is neccessarily forgetfulness as much as it has to do with change and uncertianty.
Uncertianty comes with the territory of change. Time is the biggest element of change in Waiting for Godot. We aren't told explicitly what the passage of time is, but I think it is a substancial amount. They aren't even certian what they did the day before. It is like they are just being.
And Godot is the biggest element of uncertainty. Who is he? Is he a friend or foe? Has he already come? Will he come? Is he a person? We just do not know. We are completely uncertain. But it is interesting to think about what people are willing to wait for. Like God. We can't see God. We can't touch God. We can't sit down at starbucks and have a conversation with him. Well I guess you could pray at starbucks and techniqually have a conversation with him, but you get my point. Faith requires a certain level of uncertainty. Fiath wouldn't be faith without it. If everything was certian and concrete, we wouldnt need to muster up the faith to believe and jump out into God's arms. When I feel the spirit leading me in a direction, I adjust to that direction in faith, even though I know I could be off, because I am uncertain. God is absolute, but faith is still needed. I hope I am making sense.
So, I think it is interesting reading Waiting for Godot with life in mind. How much of our life is really spent living? How much mindless things occupy our time? What are we waiting on? What are we willing to wait for?
GoGo and Didi are constantly finishing each others sentences, or repeating what the other said before. Their conversations repeat themselves all the time. Like when GoGo hurts his foot. They go on and on about it. What is this repetition for? I think some of it has to do with showing how well they understand each other and how well they know each other. They have quite the dynamic relationship.
Both of them are forgetful. I would say Estragon moreso than Vladimir. Vladimir comes off stronger and more stoic to me. He states in the begininng that Estragon could not survive without him; he could become a pile of bones. They can't seem to even remember their surroundings. But as I am thinking more and more about it I don't know if it is neccessarily forgetfulness as much as it has to do with change and uncertianty.
Uncertianty comes with the territory of change. Time is the biggest element of change in Waiting for Godot. We aren't told explicitly what the passage of time is, but I think it is a substancial amount. They aren't even certian what they did the day before. It is like they are just being.
And Godot is the biggest element of uncertainty. Who is he? Is he a friend or foe? Has he already come? Will he come? Is he a person? We just do not know. We are completely uncertain. But it is interesting to think about what people are willing to wait for. Like God. We can't see God. We can't touch God. We can't sit down at starbucks and have a conversation with him. Well I guess you could pray at starbucks and techniqually have a conversation with him, but you get my point. Faith requires a certain level of uncertainty. Fiath wouldn't be faith without it. If everything was certian and concrete, we wouldnt need to muster up the faith to believe and jump out into God's arms. When I feel the spirit leading me in a direction, I adjust to that direction in faith, even though I know I could be off, because I am uncertain. God is absolute, but faith is still needed. I hope I am making sense.
So, I think it is interesting reading Waiting for Godot with life in mind. How much of our life is really spent living? How much mindless things occupy our time? What are we waiting on? What are we willing to wait for?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Dr. Horrible
Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog was hilarious! Dr. Horrible is a cast aside villain with a heart and Captain Hammer is a loved super hero with a huge ego. AKA he is a massive jerk. There are two big conflicts throughout the blog. The first being Dr. Horrible's quest to get into the Evil League of Evil, and also his fight against Captain Hammer for the girl of his dreams, Penny.
It seemed to be a good versus evil plot. But in my eyes, the line between good and evil was blurred. It was designed for us to love the villain. I loved Dr. Horrible and felt like punching Captain Hammer.
This tragicomedy was definitely more on the comedy side. The comedy enhanced the tragedy. And for me, without the comedy, the plot/story would have been completely stupid and pointless. The humor made the tragedy.
The way that Dr. Horrible was different from what I have read in Waiting For Godot, was that Waiting for Godot was heavier of the tragedy side in my mind. It has more of a sober comedy to it. For example, the part about them hanging themselves, but the weight difference makes it improbable. Vladamir is heavier and would supposedly break the branch and therefore would be alone because he can't hang himself without the branch. "Didi heavy-bough break- Didi alone."
So the humor isn't as in your face as Dr. Horrible.
The ending for Dr. Horrible was also very abrupt; kind of sad. Penny gets killed and Dr. Horrible is blamed. As a result of him being blamed he makes it into the Evil League of Evil. Your not really a villain without killing someone, which Dr. Horrible wouldn't do, so he got credit for a murder he didn't commit, and got into the League.
So in the end did Dr. Horrible get what he wanted? To get into the Evil League of Evil and becoming a true villain. Or is all of that void because the women he loves is dead?
It seemed to be a good versus evil plot. But in my eyes, the line between good and evil was blurred. It was designed for us to love the villain. I loved Dr. Horrible and felt like punching Captain Hammer.
This tragicomedy was definitely more on the comedy side. The comedy enhanced the tragedy. And for me, without the comedy, the plot/story would have been completely stupid and pointless. The humor made the tragedy.
The way that Dr. Horrible was different from what I have read in Waiting For Godot, was that Waiting for Godot was heavier of the tragedy side in my mind. It has more of a sober comedy to it. For example, the part about them hanging themselves, but the weight difference makes it improbable. Vladamir is heavier and would supposedly break the branch and therefore would be alone because he can't hang himself without the branch. "Didi heavy-bough break- Didi alone."
So the humor isn't as in your face as Dr. Horrible.
The ending for Dr. Horrible was also very abrupt; kind of sad. Penny gets killed and Dr. Horrible is blamed. As a result of him being blamed he makes it into the Evil League of Evil. Your not really a villain without killing someone, which Dr. Horrible wouldn't do, so he got credit for a murder he didn't commit, and got into the League.
So in the end did Dr. Horrible get what he wanted? To get into the Evil League of Evil and becoming a true villain. Or is all of that void because the women he loves is dead?
Monday, November 9, 2009
Forgot!
I forgot to include in my last blog entry that I went to Lake Bonny Park for this assignment, and stayed at least 50 minutes. And also that I was reading "The Messenger" by Mary Oliver. :) Sorry !
Lake Bonny
I had quite the experience at Lake Bonny. I went around 10 in the morning when it was cloudy and windy. :) I love that kind of weather and it reminded me of home so it seemed to fit perfectly. I went alone and walked around for quite awhile thinking about where I wanted to sit and quieting my mind. Then I found the dock looking area and went out there.
The whole time I was trying to be really aware of the small beauties of nature without making myself search for them. I let them find me. And that they did. The wind was really starting to pick up, making it hard to read my Mary Oliver poems. In frustration I looked to my right and saw a whole bunch of water plants. They resembled giant grass, I have no clue what the technical term is, but the wind was so strong that it was shaking them violently. This captured my attention for a few minutes. They looked as if they were dancing.
We have been talking in class about taking care of nature and playing our part, but I felt like I was observing the rough side of nature. The water was really choppy, the sky was dark and harsh, the trees and plants were going crazy; it was not a calm morning.
Then oddly I saw a bird eating some type of bug. Doesn't sound all that captivating, but considering my thoughts, it was. But then, the worst part happens.
I am sitting there quietly just observing, and I hear this bird making a weird sound. It was flying right above me. Then :) it pooped all over me. Yes, it pooped on me.
I simply sat there and laughed at myself. What luck. I was the only one in the park that morning, and there was plenty of pooping space all around, but it happened to land on me.
Instead of letting it ruin my time, I collected myself and continued reading and looking around. I love nature and it is still captivating when its blowing your hair all over the place, ripping at your papers, and even when it poops on you. It was still peaceful to me, even amongst the chaos.
Nature does what it needs too. Its beauty never ceases.
"Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work, which is standing still and learning to be astonished."
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Mary Oliver
I really loved the three Mary Oliver poems that we needed to read for class. "Six Recognitions of the Lord" was my favorite! It tied in beautifully with our class discussions about nature.
In "Six Recognitions of the Lord," the opening was perfect. "I know a lot of fancy words. I tear them from my heart and my tongue. Then I pray." I think so many times we cote our true feelings with fancy words to make things sound better. So many times I catch myself at a loss for words because I'm searching for good words, not raw words. I just love the honesty in this poem. In first sentence of the second section she says "Lord God, mercy is in your hands, pour me a little. And tenderness too. My need is great" I love that. To me it just comes across so humble and straight forward. She isn't asking for earthly things.
In the third section she talks so beautifully about what Professor Corrigan was talking about in class. "Then I enter the place of not-thinking, not-remembering, not-wanting." Sometimes it is best just to sit and know that God is God. To not beckon him, to not ask anything, to cease all desire, and just be with him. To sit in his presence in silence of heart, body, and mind. Just be.
At the end of that section she says "Then I go back to town, to my own house, my own life, which has now become brighter and simpler, somewhere I have never been before." Spending time with God simply makes life better. We need His fellowship. Communion with Him makes life brighter and more simple.
And tying this more into our nature theme in class, starting off section four she says "Of course I have always known you are present in the clouds, and the black oak I especially adore, and the wings of birds." I love this :) Out in nature is where I tend to connect with God the strongest. He created this beautiful planet, and we have the opportunity everyday to enjoy it. He is present in it. His fingerprints are on it. When I look at flowers, I am in awe. They are beautiful, and my beautiful God created them. Sometimes that simply thought just blows my mind. We serve such a creative God. His creation is so intricate that it would be a complete waste not to cherish it, not to adore it, not to behold it when it is right in front of us and all we have to do is look. "Slowly appreciation swells to astonishment. And we enter the dialogue of our lives that is beyond all understanding or conclusion. It is mystery. It is love for God. It is obedience."
In her last two sections, Mary paints beautiful images of nature. :) God is so hospitable. He let's us live on His world and has adorned it with such exquisite beauty. How dare we not take care of it. "Everywhere I go I am treated like royalty, which I am not."
In "Six Recognitions of the Lord," the opening was perfect. "I know a lot of fancy words. I tear them from my heart and my tongue. Then I pray." I think so many times we cote our true feelings with fancy words to make things sound better. So many times I catch myself at a loss for words because I'm searching for good words, not raw words. I just love the honesty in this poem. In first sentence of the second section she says "Lord God, mercy is in your hands, pour me a little. And tenderness too. My need is great" I love that. To me it just comes across so humble and straight forward. She isn't asking for earthly things.
In the third section she talks so beautifully about what Professor Corrigan was talking about in class. "Then I enter the place of not-thinking, not-remembering, not-wanting." Sometimes it is best just to sit and know that God is God. To not beckon him, to not ask anything, to cease all desire, and just be with him. To sit in his presence in silence of heart, body, and mind. Just be.
At the end of that section she says "Then I go back to town, to my own house, my own life, which has now become brighter and simpler, somewhere I have never been before." Spending time with God simply makes life better. We need His fellowship. Communion with Him makes life brighter and more simple.
And tying this more into our nature theme in class, starting off section four she says "Of course I have always known you are present in the clouds, and the black oak I especially adore, and the wings of birds." I love this :) Out in nature is where I tend to connect with God the strongest. He created this beautiful planet, and we have the opportunity everyday to enjoy it. He is present in it. His fingerprints are on it. When I look at flowers, I am in awe. They are beautiful, and my beautiful God created them. Sometimes that simply thought just blows my mind. We serve such a creative God. His creation is so intricate that it would be a complete waste not to cherish it, not to adore it, not to behold it when it is right in front of us and all we have to do is look. "Slowly appreciation swells to astonishment. And we enter the dialogue of our lives that is beyond all understanding or conclusion. It is mystery. It is love for God. It is obedience."
In her last two sections, Mary paints beautiful images of nature. :) God is so hospitable. He let's us live on His world and has adorned it with such exquisite beauty. How dare we not take care of it. "Everywhere I go I am treated like royalty, which I am not."
Monday, November 2, 2009
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