Critical Thinking Blog #12

I tend to youtube search everything and this was one of the results I got for "Good Country People," which seemed kind of interesting:




The first time I read this story I felt some sort of weird affinity toward Hulga and consequently the ending was maddening for me. After reading it again, I do not feel nearly as connected to any of the characters. Considering Flannery O'Connor's own health, her depiction of sickness or malady is interesting and appears to be the opposite of her own due to her perseverance and faith. Through "Good Country People," O'Connor provides an allegorical personification of backwards Southerns through the deception of Hulga by Pointer and her mother's inability to look past this notion that "good country people are the salt of the earth." Consequently, O'Connor showcases her Roman Catholic beliefs by having both Hulga and Pointer disgraced due to their nihilistic beliefs. Hulga is disgraced by Pointer, however, Pointer's downfall derives from the reader's response to his actions, which are portrayed as cruel.

Critical Thinking Blog #11

Hmm, I'm not entirely sure if there is prompt for this week or not, so I suppose I will just ramble a bit about Kerouac. I have always struggled with Kerouac's writing and subject manner. At times, I think he is sheer brilliance and others I am just bored and his loose, stream of conscious style becomes unappealing. Kerouac's hedonistic lifestyle easily lends itself toward a compelling, albeit plot less, narrative. In rereading this section Big Sur, the nonchanlantness of Kerouac's depictions jumped out at me. When he describes the setting around him at Big Sur there is an effortless and natural quality to it and the depiction of his dinner of spaghetti with tomato sauce, apple relishe, and oil and vinegar salad seems necessary, despite its tendency toward minutia. With Ginsberg, on the hand, I relish in his structure. While he also exhibits this effortlessness and free flowing writing, it is through his structure that this accomplished. There is ease in his poetry through the syntax and flow that makes it honest and compelling. Ginsberg was obviously influenced by Walt Whitman, and was able to break down Whitman's structure and openness into his own subject matter to create powerful and thought-provoking works, such as Howl.

Critical Thinking Blog #10

Throughout “Going to Meet the Man,” Jesse’s grappling with morality holds the most prominence to me. He shifts from being absolutely ruthless and cutthroat in regard to his views and actions toward blacks, but he exhibits momentary flashes of opposition to the socially accepted racist behavior, which he and others act on, despite never outright expressing this dissonance. While reminiscing about his childhood, Jesse’s naiveté allows him to disregard color, which allows him to be so close to Otis. However, once provided the example of the man who is lynched, Jesse instantaneously distinguishes himself from Otis. Even though he is able to force his innocent and unaware viewpoints of his childhood away, they reappear in this moment of weakness and exhaustion. As he becomes older and ultimately more close-minded, his racism increases fervently. Even as a young man he still had a rapport with the children and the people whose bills he collected. However, through his time with in the force and his hatred stewing, he becomes a brutal, heartless animal. This uncertainty and internal struggle for the quest for justice is a commonality that is not as readily expressed as extreme, fundamentalist racism. To not even consider the humanity in slaves and colored people is animalistic, which Jesse showcases as well, and I highly doubt that even the most intense racist has never had a moment of doubt. As a result, it is more difficult to discern one’s emotions toward a character instead of wholeheartedly loving or hating them.