Tell-Tale Heart Analysis

The first time I read the Tell-Tale Heart was in the sixth grade. Until now I did not realize there was much mystery to it. For starters, I did not know that the narrator and the old man lived in the same house. It is obvious that the narrator is completely insane. The narrator describes the eye as being like the eye of a vulture. Vultures are scavengers that swoop in upon dead animals to feast on the carcass. Thus, they are ever-present and diligent. They see everything. The eye in this story symbolizes that sort of penetration. The narrator is obviously disturbed and terrified that someone will see into his deepest fears and violent plans. The eye represents the window into the mind and soul of the narrator. It is always watching him - no matter what, he will be observed. This comes true in the end when the police come and the narrator reveals his own guilt. Someone is always watching - someone always knows. You could also say that the eye is the conscience of the narrator. It watches him because it knows that he is planning to do wrong, and the narrator is thus haunted by it. Instead of trying to reconcile his desire with what his conscience knows is right, he chooses to destroy it. In Islamic culture, those who possess the evil eye have the power to harm people or their possessions just by looking at them. As Gordon said in class, “eye” could be interpreted as “I”. So the narrator is the actual evil in the story. In my opinion, the old man is innocent. The narrator states that the old man as done nothing wrong. I think his intention of murder was based off of hallucinations.  

 

Ketchup

I hear the slam of our screen door which signals that someone has come home. I hear my name being called as mom enters the house. Elizabeth, my cousin, is being called down also. I am reluctant to get up from my warm, comfy bed. I look down to my right and find Elizabeth still asleep on the floor. I prop myself on my elbows, and look outside the window to see the sun shining through. I hear loud thumps as mom ascends upstairs. The familiar urgency in her voice tells me I must go down now.

“Rose!! Elizabeth!! I have something for you!” Mom yells from the kitchen.
“Okay, okay. We’re coming, jeez.” I return.

I nudge my cousin to wake up. Elizabeth’s eyes open immediately as if she has woken up from a nightmare. I tell her we have to go downstairs. She follows me out my bedroom door without any questions.  As we groggily entered the kitchen mom hands us two identical pins. Wrapped in plastic is the American flag with the United States Secret Service badge on it.
“What is this?” I look towards my cousin and see that she is just as confused as I am.
“It is an apology for yesterday. Think of it as a souvenir…” Mom replies.

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We ran out of ketchup. I checked the fridge twice. Nada. Zip. Zero. Ketchup is the #1 condiment that needs to be in the Valdez household. That red bottle of Heinz Ketchup is nowhere to be found. We were having hot dogs for lunch. I am aware that Chicagoans are not supposed have ketchup on their hot dogs. But oh well, everyone is different. I decided to buy a new bottle at the corner store. I nominated Elizabeth to come along because I did not want to go alone. Before heading out the door I grabbed my wallet and keys.

We were greeted with the blazing sun blinding our eyes. The trees swayed back and forth above us. We could barely see the clear blue sky through the tree leaves and branches. I was surprised by the slight breeze Mother Nature gave us on this summer day. We headed left towards our destination.

“Hey, Elizabeth, check out those cars.” I pointed at the pitch-black SUVs to the right of us.

“Scary… Those men are just sitting there.” She mutters, referring to the bulky men dressed in black suits in the driver and passenger seats.

We reached the end of my block and crossed the intersection at Willow and Orchard.  We noticed people waving the American flag. Parents were keeping an eye on their children as they jumped up and down with excitement. We saw cookies decorated in red, white, and blue. Signs were held above their heads of an influential figure. I glanced at my cousin and she knew exactly what I was thinking. We entered America’s Pantry hearing the “ding” of the bell hanging above us.

“Hello, exciting day isn’t it?” says the cashier with his thick Indian accent.

“Good afternoon,” Elizabeth and I return.
We walked down the reaching the condiments section. I grabbed the biggest bottle of Heinz Ketchup making sure we would not run out of it any time soon. I asked my cousin if she wanted anything else. But she said she was fine. I shrugged and returned to the front of the store to pay. I placed the bottle of ketchup on the cashier’s counter.

“Will that be all? Would you like a bag?” asks the Indian man.

“Yes please,” I say as I get my wallet ready.

“Okay, that will be $4.25.” he says placing the bottle in a thin white plastic bag.

I grabbed a five dollar bill from my wallet and paid.  

Song Analysis

Lyrics:

I'm coming up only to hold you under
I'm coming up only to show you wrong
And to know you is hard and we wonder
To know you all wrong, we were

Really too late to call, so we wait for
Morning to wake you; it's all we got
To know me as hardly golden
Is to know me all wrong, they were

At every occasion I'll be ready for a funeral
At every occasion once more is called a funeral
Every occasion I'm ready for the funeral
At every occasion one brilliant day funeral

I'm coming up only to show you down for
I'm coming up only to show you wrong
To the outside, the dead leaves, they all blow (alive is very poetic)
For'e (before) they died had trees to hang their hope

At every occasion I'll be ready for the funeral
At every occasion once more is called the funeral
At every occasion I'm ready for the funeral
At every occasion one brilliant day funeral

(Thanks to j.ryan for correcting these lyrics)

I'm coming up only to hold you under
I'm coming up only to show you wrong
And to know you is hard and we wonder
To know you all wrong, we were

Really too late to call, so we wait for
Morning to wake you; it's all we got
To know me as hardly golden
Is to know me all wrong, they were

At every occasion I'll be ready for a funeral
At every occasion once more is called a funeral
Every occasion I'm ready for the funeral
At every occasion one brilliant day funeral

I'm coming up only to show you down for
I'm coming up only to show you wrong
To the outside, the dead leaves, they all blow (alive is very poetic)
For'e (before) they died had trees to hang their hope

The song that I have chosen to analyze is called The Funeral by Band of Horses. This American rock band was formed in the year 2004 in Seattle, Washington. I first heard this song awhile back from my friend Jenny. But the movie, 127 Hours with James Franco, refreshed The Funeral to my ears. By looking at the lyrics, you would get the notion that the song is quite depressing. Considering the song constantly brings up the word “funeral”. I have two physical interpretations of this. To my understanding the composer or poet is ready for his or her funeral at any given moment. Or he is waiting for some certain person to fall, and waiting to prove them wrong. That person is so high up in their own little world that you cannot faze them.

            Obviously the emotion of the song is sadness. The composer of The Funeral seems to feel sympathetic towards character he is addressing. This person could be a friend, family member, or lover. Sympathy is usually making known one's understanding of another's unhappiness or suffering, especially when it is grief. The lyrics say, “I’m coming up only to hold you under/I’m coming up only to show you wrong”. This person could have committed a crime or some sort of sin. The line that stood out the most is “To the outside, the dead leaves, they all blow/For’e (before) they died had trees to hang their hope”.  When leaves grow on trees they are beautiful. They range in color: from green, red, orange, to yellow. The branches of the trees are what bind them together. But as they fall off, the leaves become brown and easily crushed. This applies for human beings as well. When people shut themselves out from the rest of the world, they became distant. They lose all connections to their loved one, and become unapproachable. They lost all hope and faith.

Hey Victor!

An American Indian reservation is defined as an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs. There are approximately 310 Indian reservations in the United States. To put it simply, reservations were created to relocate Native Americans to sets portions of land. Since the beginning, the new establishment brought much controversy. But as time went on Native Americans had no choice to accept their fate. It is unfortunate that a minority, such as the Native Americans, can be forced to abide to something. Power is all one needs to trample over culture.

I could never imagine having everything taken away from me. It is sad to know that these kinds of things have happened and are happening now. I think Native Americans are the most misunderstood.  For starters, the term “Indians” can have two different cultural meanings. When the White people discovered Native Americans, they viewed them as complete weaklings. They took advantage of them by deception with power and the language barrier. There are not many Native Americans around today. I have yet to meet one. People must put up a front so they do not be taken for granted. Like Victor said to Thomas, you have to be stoic-looking.  

Propaganda 2011

Propaganda is defined as information, ideas, rumors, deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc. Propaganda is mainly aimed towards the curious public. Propaganda usually misleads a person into thinking in a biased way. It makes one not think of the opposite side.

An example of propaganda can be found by the Americans in Haiti. We view Americans as generous and charitable types of people. Always donating large sums of money or doing good deeds from the kindness of their hearts. We see Americans wanting to help Haiti after all that’s happened to the people of that country.  We see schools and shelters being built for Haitian men, women, and children. But the American public really does not know the actual truth. For World Studies I researched a current event about an American man sexually abusing Haitian boys for ten years. When reading that article I was totally shocked and disgusted. To think that such a caring person could turn so evil and grotesque. As if the people of Haiti need any more problems such as this particular one.

These days, I think propaganda only results into bad things when the public eventually finds the truth. So is there really a need for propaganda? Whether you are trying to protect something or not?

Beat Street

            I have got to admit watching movies in class is pretty awesome. Beat Street is the second movie we have watched that doesn’t really apply to what we are currently learning. This movie centers on hip hop culture in the 1980’s. Young men and women who love doing what they do: DJ-ing, break dancing, and spraying graffiti on white trains and brick walls. This movie really showed me how passionate people are in achieving their dreams. No matter what others say, the characters in Beat Street pursue their talent any time and where. Having dance battles in train stations or making your own beats in the comfort of your room.

            Today, many young artists are trying to make it big. Beat Street sets a prime example of that. This movie spreads the message of talent in teenagers and young adults. Taking every chance they receive to be heard or seen. Hip hop culture is very much alive today. You can hear it through someone’s earphones on the train. You can see people dance immediately once they pick up a beat. Graffiti is considered art in the young eyes of the public. Clothes from the 80’s are coming back to style today…

Hungry for Attention

Without a doubt Richard is hungry for attention. With his parents’ separation and economic standpoint things aren’t going too smoothly for Richard. Being a black boy doesn’t help his situation either. At such a young age, all he does is strive for attention. Whether the attention is aimed at his family or strangers, he wants it. Richard sets his own house on fire, becomes a drunkard at the age of six, learns how to read and count, etc. His life is a very shaky one, full of ups and downs. But all of his attention-grabbing actions seem to result in punishment. Richard is the type of boy who acts on a whim. He never thinks before he acts. I think he wants to prove self-righteousness.

Richard is definitely not alone in his hunger for attention. Although his brother is not mentioned much, I bet he is just as hungry. Richard’s brother is also in the same boat. That goes for many other children during this time period. Children and families in situations like Richard’s are usually poverty-stricken. Or might have some sort of other problem. For example, family issues, financial status, abuse, and so on. All children, rich or poor, want to be loved. I think it is normal to want attention. No matter what kind of circumstances one is in.