The Kitchen of Meaning
"The Kitchen of Meaning" has been one of the most complex pieces of writing I have read, but it offers a great explanation of the multiple meanings hidden behind the different kinds of "signs" such as ads and statements. Through observing objects in an unbiased manor, everyone has the ability to interpret its purpose and understand its existence and what message its trying to convey. The writers ability to connect multi-meaning "signs" and situations, in his example involving Czech machine guns and Congolese rebels, creates an easier understanding of his argument and also shows how his idea can be connected to current events. I agree with many of the statements made involving the double meanings within news articles and the complexity of the English language; Our language only seems "natural" to us because we have grown accustomed to its different forms and interpretations but to a foreigner, it would be difficult to understand. Upon understanding the arguments made, I was able to apply The Kitchen on Meaning's theory to some of the events we face and experience today. For example: Many of today's articles explain the crisis involving BP's oil spill and the damages left that have caused many to lose their annual earnings. Not only does this shows BP's steady debacle, but it also shows how other Petroleum companies have the chance to gain profit from BP's collapse.
Learning to Read and Write
by: Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass' "Learning to Write" was an inspirational excerpt that was able to explain the importance and power behind the ability to read and write. With experiences such as those that Douglass faced, its quite accurate to say that through dedication and hard work, almost anything can be achieved. What I found interesting was how a higher understanding of whats occurring around you can provide one with certain freedoms and power. As Douglass began to learn how to read, he became more aware of the situation he was in and realized that his liberties were being stripped away from him. Through this awareness, Douglass was able to set a goal that would lead him to a better lifestyle which would eventually grant him his freedom. Incredibly, reading and writing was all that it took for Douglass to gain a higher status but more importantly, his motivation and will to learn was what ultimately earned him his freedom. I believe its important that we all know how influential dedication and hard work can be; knowing your goals isn't as good as striving for them.
Casa: A Partial Remembrance of a Puerto Rican Childhood
By:Judith Ortiz Cofer
So far, this is one of the readings I enjoyed the most, largely because of the many similarities between my family and Cofer's family. Many of the Spanish terms used in her autobiographical piece is regularly spoken in my household and to see someone else speak of these terms in the same manor as we do truly fascinates me. Although I enjoyed reading the creative and humorous dialogue between Cofer and her Mama', I was still confused about many of the stories mentioned and whether or not they were told to warn Cofer of the possibility of meeting the wrong man or embarrass Cofer's aunt who has been through struggles with love. Also, transitions from Spanish to English, in my opinion, was explained not as clearly or accurate as it could be. Cofer explained that she easily adapted to the customs with her new neighborhoods and had no trouble "blending in" but yet she explained how it was difficult to speak English properly with her example of "Spanish accent English" and "English accent Spanish"; I could not understand if she disliked moving or only had trouble speaking properly. Overall, Cofer offers great details about the typical Puerto Rican family. It's always interesting to see how individuals, who share the same culture as you do, take on the challenges you may have faced.
Mother Tongue
By: Amy Tan
Like Cofer's passage, Amy Tan also conveys the power behind language. Her transactions from proper English to the English she uses with her mother is a good example of what I think everyone does with their own family members and friends. In situations where one speaks in the presence of a large crowd or around individuals they are trying to impress, they often watch their words and carefully plan out what they are trying to say in order to seem intellectual or at least avoid showing traits of ignorance. Not everyone is cognizant of how their language or form of speaking changes when they are around different people and places. I often find myself performing the same transaction, especially now since I'll soon be attending college. I'm not ashamed of the improper forms of the English language that is used in my household, and don't believe that Tan is either, but the proper use of any language is incredibly important in showing the seriousness behind our words and conveying the positions we hold in matter.
A Woman's Beauty: Put-Down or Power Source?
By: Susan Sontag
Sontag conveys the typical stereotype that exists between men and women: women hold the beauty while men gain physical strength. In my opinion, this does no harm to men but traps women into a general belief that their purpose in life is to express their beauty when in fact they are capable of much more. Unfortunately, this is sometimes unavoidable because many of these generalizations exist in many cultures and are often in-planted into the minds of their followers. Thus, many females grow up believing their purpose is to just build their appearance and males grow up believing that women are not capable of caring for themselves. But this would be the case for ten or more years ago. Nowadays, women are considered stronger figures than women from prior years and are given many more opportunities. Most of these opportunities were granted through many advocates for women rights such as Sontag. This is what essentially builds builds Sontag's argument. Overall, Sontag's argument is something that many women cannot avoid but it shows that they have made extreme progress along the years and continue to strive for greater goals.
Kevin Powell
Powell's piece is similar to Sontag's piece but he puts a greater emphasis on the male perspective. It was interesting how after comparing the two passages, both where conveying the same general idea; society creates roles for different genders and at times, individuals are forced into these roles. Powell shows how many of us are influenced by the things we experience as a child. Because we are raised to believe certain generalizations, we often carry these beliefs and incorporate them into our lifestyle. This is something I can't relate to because my mother taught me to be "responsible," which to her meant doing my own chores and tending to my own needs.
