Vocab

Gone, But Never Forgotten

The rock of my family. My Uhr Oma. My great grandma. Her once majestic looks were subdued by time. Her amber skin was aged. The delicacy and grace of her walk was no longer apparent. Each wrinkle in her face signified some kind of account. She smelled of coffee and perfume. Her long cords of hair always went astray. Her ebony eyes were softened with knowledge. She was always there for my family. Her love transcended generations. She was dirt poor, yet she still had enough to give her daughter a nickel to spend so she might escape the anguish and realities of being poor. We would spend hours together playing games like Mensch aerger dich nich or sorry. She saved my mother from the brutalities of foster care. When I woke up, I knew a cup of hot chocolate would be sitting on my night stand. She kept her family together during the world war. A woman of valor. We would go for long walks in the forest. The crisp air filled my lungs. Not yet tainted and despoiled by the carelessness of man. We would sometimes walk in utter silence. Not due to the lack of words. But merely to enjoy God’s creation. We were mesmerized by its beauty. I could hear the bird’s mating calls. The echo of branches crackling beneath my hard step. The rock of my family. Every time I would leave her embrace, my body began to quiver and tears would come streaming down my face. A lot can happen in a year. I always knew that this may be my last hug.

Quiver- verb- to shake with a slight but rapid motion; vibrate tremulously; tremble.
valor–noun- boldness or determination in facing great danger
Delicacy- noun-extreme sensitivity; precision of action or operation; minute accuracy
Ebony : adjective -of a deep, lustrous black.
Majestic- adjective-of lofty dignity or imposing aspect
Anguish-noun- excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain
Amber: adjective- golden, yellowish-brown
Mesmerized: verb- to spellbind; fascinate.
Despoiled :verb-To deprive of something valuable by force
Brutalities: noun- The state or quality of being ruthless, cruel, harsh, or unrelenting.

Dixie Chicks

"Not Ready To Make Nice"

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

I’m through with doubt
There’s nothing left for me to figure out
I’ve paid a price
And I’ll keep paying

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I know you said
Can’t you just get over it
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

What it is you think I should

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

The musicians selected as the band of the year endured scrutiny from their fans, yet were able to defy all odds as their CD Taking the Long Way topped the Billboard’s national album chart at No.1. The Rolling Stones magazine is pleased to give the Dixie Chicks this honor. This recognition is well deserved given that as of May 2008, the female group has sold over 36 million albums and have won thirteen Grammy Awards. Their ever growing fan base is attributed to their gift to incorporate a traditional sound with modern ideas such as the 1990s “Girl Power movement.”

The Dixie Chicks formed in Dallas, Texas in 1989. The group originally consisted of four women, but now, the group includes Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, and Emily Robison. Their musical influences came from Bela Fleck, Bob Wills, Sam Bush, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Indigo Girls, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt. Their song Travelin' Soldier tells a story of a man going to war, and the fears and heartache he is feeling once he leaves his life behind. Dixie Chicks' "Goodbye Earl" tells a story of a women and her high school friend putting matters into their own hands, as they poisoned her abusive husband named Earl. While they made clear they were not advocating harming their spouses, the Dixie Chicks wanted to empower women who were being physically or mentally abused by their husband. Some radio stations even played public service announcements regarding how to report spousal abuse after playing "Goodbye Earl,” which fostered community awareness.

The controversy all started when the Dixie Chicks were in a concert in London, England, and Natalie Maines stated to the fans, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." This remark sparked an uproar in America. Several country radio stations banned their music, and their were rallies were thousands of their records were smashed. In an interview on CNN News, Larry King questions the women about Maines’ comment in London. Natalie Maines states, "It was the wrong wording with genuine emotion and questions and concern behind it. ... Am I sorry that I asked questions and that I just don't follow? No."

The Dixie Chick try to convey to the public that it is vital for people to be involved in their country. In response to their new found attention in political matters, they donated $10,000 to the Rock the Vote website, in attempt to get more young women to register to vote. They also gave their fans the opportunity to register to vote at their concerts. Maines stated, "We always felt like we were searching for ways to make an impact outside of music", and, "I believe everything that's happened in the last few months happened for a reason." Due their disapproval of the war, many found their beliefs and lyric to be unpatriotic. The Dixie Chicks responded to this by appearing on the issue of Entertainment Weekly naked with epithets including “Traitors,” Boycott,” and “Proud Americans,” on their bodies.A few of the countless people influenced by the Dixie Chicks include Taylor Swift and Dan Wilson. They ultimately are calling their supporters to fight for their freedoms, as well as question and challenge the status quo.

Live Your Life

The hypnopaedia uses the art of rhetoric language. By depicting images of people in poverty and contrasting them with people who are overeating, it appeals to one's emotions or pathos. Society always tells us that we have to do something with our lives and live every day to its fullest. We have a feeling of entitlement because we find that we worked for all we have, so we should be able to reap the benefits. Yet, we tend to forget that by living out our lavish lifestyles, we leave our fellow man behind. We find that everyone has the same opportunities that we have. The parallel sentence structure mirrors the two paths that we are able to take in our lives,we can choose whether we want to be a curse to society or a blessing.

Dramatic Monologue- Linda

As I lay here dying

I am finally at peace.

I am finally at home.

Away from diseases,

Where cleanliness is next to fordliness.

My World State is where I belong.

With soma-holidays

I can experience eternity.

I stay here in my room with twenty others

In a sixty-story tower

In the Park Lane Hospital for the Dying .

I lay in bed

day in and day out

Enjoying endless holidays.

The television is blaring

Yet I can not hear a sound.

I am surrounded by yellow walls

And the constant presence of perfume.

I have all the luxuries of a first class hotel.

Sometimes I think back to when we were in Malpais

So dirty, so filthy.

No hot water to be found.

And the clothes

So many holes to mend.

It was just wrong.

‘The more stitches, the less riches.’

The effects of aging there are revolting.

My skin began to sag

And my body became to fat to bear.

And the way people had each other there.

No one should have more than one person.

How can that be?

When “everyone belongs to everyone else.”

My dear, my dear.

I tried to condition you,

But without knowledge of so many things

Conditioning was too difficult.

I used to sing to you.

Childish rhymes

Like Streptocock-Gee to Banbury T.

Do you remember the reading lessons?

The reading instructions for Beta workers.

You gave me such comfort my son.

Without you,

I would not have survived in Malpais

But yet,

because of you I couldn’t come back to where I belonged

Because I am a mother.

You are what separated me from my world.

My son,

You are my greatest love

You are my greatest regret.

Blind Love

Her glittering eyes gazed upon him with dog-like devotion,
Yet their faulty marriage continuously deteriorated in a backwards spiraling motion.
Her love for him eased the pain of her inky-velvety, bruised skin,
Since he became violent every time he touched his gin.
She felt a blind, inward necessity to stay strong,
Just thinking about her children made the beatings not seem so long.
The pain of his physical abuse seemed easy to fight,
Compared to his demeaning words that played through her mind day and night.
Her blood-soaked darkness made her future seem bleak,
Her life became worthless, her soul became meek.

~Long Day's Journey into Night~

The emotional trials and tribulations experienced by the characters within the Long Day’s Journey into night mirror the hardships of O’neill’s own family life. O’neill’s experiences are projected through the characters as he tries to come to terms with his past, as depicted in his dedication when he states he was finally able to face his “dead at last and write this play.” The biographical elements of O’neill’s play present his ideals through the patterns of his writing. His presence as the unseen narrator is evident in the similarity of the characters manner of speech. The words used by the Tyrones to express themselves, their outbursts, and the topics they dwell on are all very similar. The common thread of the characters troubles, fears, and hopes are all expressed in a similar way, yet O’Neill is able to present them as four different characters. As the unseen narrator, O’Neill presents the Tyrones in a passionate and pathetic way in which his readers can relate to, in their quest to overcome the hardships of marriage, child rearing, and sonship (Mann).
The textual strategies utilized by O’Neill to achieve a single voice are presented through his punctuation and terse sentence structure. The diction of Mary, Jamie, Edmund, and Tyrone’s speeches in their haste of anger are extremely similar. O’Neill uses exclamation points to emphasize the emotions felt by his characters. The short sentences emphasize the hurtful jabs the Tyrone family uses in attempt to find a vulnerable spot they can constantly prod. These harsh encounters between the characters reflect the arguments and accusations of his own family (Mann). The diction of James and Mary’s speeches are also similar in manner as they reflect on their past. James states, “... I kept it in my wallet for years. I used to read it every once in a while until finally it made me feel so bad I didn't want to face it any more. Where is it now, I wonder? Somewhere in this house, I remember I put it away carefully (O’Neill),” as he thinks about his life as an actor. Mary echoes James’ reflection of his past as she thinks about her wedding gown, and states, “It was so beautiful! Where is it now, I wonder? I used to take it out from time to time when I was lonely, but it always made me cry, so finally a long while ago…I wonder where I hid it? Probably in one of the old trunks in the attic. Someday I'll have to look” (O’Neill). O’Neill is able to allow his readers to get a glimpse into his personal life, as he parallels the interaction of his family, with that of the Tyrone family.
The biographical elements of the author are not only portrayed by the character’s pattern of language, but also are depicted by the characters themselves. Although the Tyrone family may seem different at first glance, they all prove to be a similar version of one character. Like O’Neill, the characters feel isolated and self-conscious as they try to come to terms with their failure to meet their dreams and expectations for themselves (Mann). The mere fact that O’Neill presents the play in 1912, the year in which he departed his house to go to a tuberculosis sanatorium and begin his life as a writer, proves to parallel the plot of his play. O’Neill acts as a narrator viewing his life in retrospect, depicting his younger self through Edmund Tyrone. Edmund, an inexperienced and flat character, must deal with his consumption and its affect on his mother Mary, who tries to escape her family’s problems by falling back into her morphine addiction. Edmund mirrors O’Neill’s life in that both experience epiphanies which they become more sympathetic towards their families situation (Mann).
O’Neill’s beliefs are depicted within the long day’s journey into night, as he reveals his compassion toward those who must come to terms with the failure of their dreams of their past and the desire to escape life’s harsh realities. The older and wiser O’Neill views his past with an understanding, and finds that one must learn that dreams do have limitations, and we must be willing to fail in order to achieve them (Mann).

Mann, Bruce J. "O'Neill's 'Presence' in Long Day's Journey into Night." Literature Resource Center. 2003.

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The Ocean of Life

Life is like the ocean
Similar to the tide that crashes on the beach
Life’s troubles seem to overwhelm you with one engulfing motion

You find yourself drowning in self pity

Yet when the water recedes
What is left are those who are strong and secure
What is left are those who are more humble and pure