Blog Entry #2- The Harlem Renaissance Readings

  "Smoke, Lilies, & Jade" is a poem that is littered with ellipses. Every few words, there's a "..." separating the sentence. It gives the impression that every single time the author made a thought, they jotted it down and moved onto the next.

  The story continues this somewhat relaxed sense of disposition with the first line, "He wanted to do something... to write or draw... or something... but it was so comfortable just to lay there on the bed... his shoes off... and think... think of everything... short disconnected thoughts--to wonder... to remember... to think and smoke...why wasn't he worried that he had no money... he had five cents... but he had been hungry..."(569) This shows the major trait of the main character; a pronounced sense of depressed laziness.

  The main character, Alex, is written as having a somewhat tragic life. His father died when he was six years old, and his mother is very reserved with her emotions. Although this is the underlying past of the character, the story is about the struggles that he endures pondering over his sexuality and his inability to work as a "normal" person. He wants to be an artist, and he seems to want a carefree life. This is symbolized by his constant smoking.

  In regard to modernity and the contemporary time, I see a lot of modern hints in the story. For example, Alex, the main character, struggles to know whether he is more interested in Fania, an African American girl that he is attracted to, or Adrian, a white man that he is involved with whom he calls "Beauty." This is similar to the LGBTQ community that we see today. The difference in time period is stark in the poem, because it is clear that Alex doesn't want people to know of his involvement.

  The style of this story is like that of a dream. The author's thoughts are simply spilled out on the paper, making the story seem somewhat flowing. It is unique because I have not seen any stories written in this manner before. I personally enjoy the break from normality.

  When comparing this poem to Nella Larsen's "Passing," I notice that there are similarities in the way that the characters speak. I also see a resemblance in racist undertones, hinting that the poverty displayed in the story is a result of skin color. This poem is also similar to "Passing" in that there is death involved.

Blog Entry #1- American Literature III- Introducing Yourself

• Briefly take a moment in this first blog entry to introduce yourself, your interests, and what you are hoping to gain from the course given the course outcomes (listed on the syllabus). 

My name is Dimitar, and I'm mostly interested in computers and game design. I am hoping to gain experience in the history of American literature and the lessons that it provides through this course.

• What era or American Literary Movement are you most intrigued by and why? What provocation group have you chosen to be a part of and why? What do you understand to be Modern or Contemporary Literature? 

I am most intrigued by the Vietnam War era. This is because it is something that I have heard about, yet I do not have much knowledge of. I chose to be a part of the corresponding provocation group because it was agreeable to my topic. I see any literature that was recently written in America as Modern or Contemporary Literature. 

• What has been your experience with American Literature, or other literatures, reading, texts, etc? 

I do not read books very often, and I get most of my information and entertainment from the internet. From what I have experienced, I see American literature as being more open than most forms of artistic literature.