Coffee Will Make You Black: A Novel by April Sinclair

Coffee Will Make You Black: A Novel by April Sinclair is about growing up African-American in 1960s Chicago. This book is about the situations a girl goes through growing up in the 60s and 70s. I can connect with Stevie's brother, David; because he did things that I did when I was his age. For example, he joined a club because of a girl he thought was cute. I joined sports when I was in high school because all the girls were cute. He gets embarrassed by his family, and sometimes I get embarrassed by mines.

This book reminded me of my childhood. I grew up very sheltered with my parents, especially my dad, keeping me away from everything and everyone he deemed a bad influence. My neighbors were a white couple. The black girls in school would call me a 'white girl' and dislike me for no reason. So when I made my first Black friend, who happened to be from the projects, I wanted to emulate everything she did to fit in with the other black girls in school. The newest slang, the newest dances, knows biggie and Mary J lyrics, the boys that I was supposed to like because the other girls thought he was 'fine'. I could so relate to the main character of the book. All the things I was trying to do to impress were things I actually hated (the boys were full of themselves and too fast, the dances were vulgar, the music horrible in my opinion). Finally, I realized I had to go my own way and be who I was and if that meant losing my best friend because she didn't like the 'real me' than so be it.

Although it was a good book, it was a little too graphic. The author made a lot of references to sex. Other than that the book was good. I would recommend this book to an adult audience because of the sex references. The tone was overall happy. There was a lot of playful dialogue between the characters. The overall message of this story is to be yourself no matter what anybody tells you. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you. If the people you call your friends can't accept you for who you are then they are not your real friends. This novel is a very powerful story, and other woman should read this book. A most read! One of the best books I have ever read this year.

Woman at Point Zero

The book, “Woman at Point Zero”, by Nawal El Saadawi’s, is about an Egyptian woman who is facing the death penalty for murdering her pimp. The main character Firdaus has gone though a lifetime of physical and emotional abuse by her family. Firdaus was forced to begin a life as a prostitute. She tells her life story to a psychologist, who is the author of the book “Woman at Point Zero”. Firdaus tells the story to the psychologist the day before Firdaus is put to death for murdering her pimp.

Firdaus agreed to talk to the woman psychologist, furthermore unraveling her terrible lifetime. Firdaus tells her life story of abuse, and abandonment of being taken advantage of, as well as of unfailing denial by practically every person she encountered since childhood.

Firdaus was sentenced to the death penalty for murdering her pimp. Just to say this I do believe that day when she murdered her pimp that it was self defense, for the reason that Firdaus pimp was planning on murdering her during the argument between them. As a result, she simply was trying to protect herself from this man. Absolutely self defense on her part, plus the sentencing was not fair whatsoever. Firdaus should have fought against the chargers against her. Reading the story showed how she was just continually abused plus molested by people who should have loved her but instead abused her physically and emotionally. I truly believe that she completely gave up on fighting against the patriarchal system between women and men. Men are treated like kings in her county and the women are treated like slaves. Also, fighting against people who abused her and she just figured she may as well give up.

Firdaus is a strong and intelligent woman that should have not been treated that way as a child though adulthood. The horrible things she has gone though all her life were very disappointing, that I found troubling while reading her story. Everyone she has known has abused her and neglected her: her father, her uncle, her husband and her mother. Certain dilemmas she gone though with her family was part of their culture as well as of their history. The life she lived was finally over even though she was soon to die, the pain was finally gone.

Firdaus has gone though horrible things in her lifetime. Which the majority of people can not even, believe her story when a reader starts to read her life story. For example, being raped by her uncle who she believed loved her. Then after the fact her uncle raped her that night, he felt guilty which he should have. Then he sent her off to college, which was a wonderful thing for her.

This book reveals a powerful understanding how woman are treated in other countries a round the world. “Woman at Point Zero” is a great book to read, and probably as a reader people can relate to the character in some way when she tells her story. This story shows the reader how woman are valued in different parts of the world as worthless.

“By merging trafficking and prostitution, the agency of sex workers is overlooked. Rather than promoting opposition to prostitution we would do better to promote human rights. The right to resist being drawn into prostitution by trafficking certainly, but so too the right to work with the law’s protection from harm, be it rape, violence, robbery, or other violations.” (Butcher, pg. 309) In addition to knowing there is no equal between men and woman. It just shows the disrespect that some man treat woman, and female children. Some cultures believe that the woman is supposed to serve the husband, and worship the man in the house. There is a complete patriarchy, between women and men. This book is a very powerful story, and other woman should read this book. A most read! One of the best books I have ever read this year.

What am I learning in Literature 16 course?

How do I examine what I am learning in my college Literature course? It’s hard to put in details about what I am learning but ill gave it a shot. Literature is more important than just a historical or cultural artifact, I knew that before I even took the course. When I talked with a couple of friends, they said things that did not change my view about Literature. For example its boring, and they did not know why Literature was required because its just like history. However, I did not let my friends put me down about this course, so I attend the first class with high hopes.

In my literature course, my professor, who is a lesbian author and professor. Is teaching us (when I mean "us", I mean the class and I) about Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender writers, including herself who is lesbian. My literature course is representing LBGT tradition. In this course the class discusses and analyzes LBGT writers work about "coming out" about their sexuality. Also, the class analyzes the quality of the writers work. Literature is important to us because it speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us. Literature introduces us to new worlds of experience and to be opened-minded about different cultures and etc. Futhermore, this course is teaching us more about the "lost words" of LGBT writiers and struggles they had to go thru in the early 19 century. I learn a great deal about LGBT writiers and also literature; I sometimes enjoy the stories.

I have grown and evolve through our literary journey with LBGT tradition. Also, I opened up about my sexuality aswhile which was really confusing at the time. I am not going to lie but my coming out stage was diffult for me. I have learned alot about how to deal with views of other people but I am happy that 99% of my friends are accepting. My family on the other hand, I have not told and I believe, I'll never while. However, reading about LBGT writiers and the diffult struggle they went thru, when LGBT was not acceptable. Breaks my heart but then I am somewhat glad I have great friends that accept me for me.

To wrap this blog up, I am learning alot from this course. That has already benefitted me in my struggle of life and sexuality. I while never forget this course or my professor and her life story. Thanks for reading.

Coming Out Article

The narrator in the two stories is facing stage one which is ‘Pre-Coming out Stage’. Thought out "Woman Dreams", narrator is having a hard time with her sexuality, and understanding her lust after women instead of men like her friends. At the end of "Woman Dreams" the narrator is realizing that she is different from her friends because narrator is a the same-sex. The narrator felt that her feelings towards the same-sex should remain a secret.

In "The Party" the narrator founds herself between guilt and shame. Because Bobby confronted the narrator about her sexuality, and the way the narrator reacts with boys. So, in this story the narrator is facing stage two which is ‘Coming Out to self’, which is realizing who she desires sexually.

“Adversaries”

In The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of a Black Woman's Life by Frankie Lennon, the author describes her love and hate, but mostly hates relationship, with her Auntie. Thought out “Adversaries” the narrator, Auntie, keeps herself distant by not bonding and nurturing towards her niece. This is strange because most Aunties love to spend time with their nieces especially if they do not have a child themselves. Its human nature to connect and bond with one’s family members but for some strange reason there is no bonding between the two main characters.
A protagonist is the main character in a story, which, in this case is narrator. An antagonist is the principal character in disagreement to the protagonist, which is the Auntie. This story takes place in the narrator’s first home at Mee Street in a small town, Knoxville, Tennessee. The protagonist is in kindergarten, and the antagonist was born approximately around 1874 and 1884. As a reader, the age difference between the two characters brings conflict and confusion on the narrator. The Auntie has different growing up values and parenting skills than the parents of the narrator.

The main type of conflict in this story is that the protagonist and the antagonist have different childhoods and basically rise differently. Auntie, the antagonist, feels that Frankie, the protagonist is spoiled by her father, and that she needs to be taught a lesson. This conflict between the two is caused by Frankie because she spoke up about playing with marbles, which her father allows. When the protagonist speaks those words, the antagonist, perceives if as a sign of disrespect. This leads to antagonist behavior getting more violent and serious. The antagonist believes that toys and games especially marbles, are devilish objects that no one should be messing with, especially a child.

The present relationship between the protagonist and antagonist is a hate relationship because there is no bond between them. Every time the narrator does something that is not acceptable by her Auntie she gets punished for it, even when it is the littlest thing like playing with marbles. This does affect the narrator because she feels that she can never do right by her Auntie and she does not know how to please her. When the protagonist goes outside for a switch, she starts to remember and goes into detail about her grandmother’s death which makes the protagonist cry more. The past relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist’s was being left at the antagonist house while her mother and father were out of town. The “Alcoa House”, it is more like a hell house for the narrator. No friends, no one to play with, there was nothing narrator could do at her Auntie house besides being still. Her Auntie did not bond with the narrator, and did not even speak to the narrator.

The conflict between the two is caused by an age gap and a difference of values and experiences. Also, the parentings skills between the antagonist and the narrator’s parents are totally different. Auntie had rough childhood experience and she is somewhat pushing her rough childhood experiences on the narrator. During the confrontation, the antagonist sees the strength of her mother inside of the narrator, so she does not punish the narrator. Actually, tells her a story about her mother. The climax of the story is that the Auntie believes that the narrator rebels against her when the narrator speaks up about the legitimate questioning of the narrator’s father. The outcome of the climax is that the antagonist does not tell the narrator’s parents about the conflict between the two, which leaves the narrator puzzled, and wondering why her Auntie did not tell on her. The knowledge that I gained from this story is that some people are close-minded individuals. Also, how others can blame others for their misfortune and bad experiences.

When the narrator lashes out at her Auntie, this is a sign of speaking up for herself and her father. Auntie believes that being tough and hard on the narrator will make her a more respectable child. But in reality Auntie does not know how much she has affected and hurt the narrator with her hateful words. Finally, at the end of the story, Auntie goes back home and never tells the narrator’s parents about the confrontation between her and narrator.

Adversaries

In The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of a Black Woman's Life by Frankie Lennon, the author describes her love and hate, but mostly hates relationship, with her Auntie. Thought out “Adversaries” the narrator, Auntie, keeps herself distant by not bonding and nurturing towards her niece. This is strange because most Aunties love to spend time with their nieces especially if they do not have a child themselves. Its human nature to connect and bond with one’s family members but for some strange reason there is no bonding between the two main characters.
A protagonist is the main character in a story, which, in this case is narrator. An antagonist is the principal character in disagreement to the protagonist, which is the Auntie. This story takes place in the narrator’s first home at Mee Street in a small town, Knoxville, Tennessee. The protagonist is in kindergarten, and the antagonist was born approximately around 1874 and 1884. As a reader, the age difference between the two characters brings conflict and confusion on the narrator. The Auntie has different growing up values and parenting skills than the parents of the narrator.
The main type of conflict in this story is that the protagonist and the antagonist have different childhoods and basically rise differently. Auntie, the antagonist, feels that Frankie, the protagonist is spoiled by her father, and that she needs to be taught a lesson. This conflict between the two is caused by Frankie because she spoke up about playing with marbles, which her father allows. When the protagonist speaks those words, the antagonist, perceives if as a sign of disrespect. This leads to antagonist behavior getting more violent and serious. The antagonist believes that toys and games especially marbles, are devilish objects that no one should be messing with, especially a child.
The present relationship between the protagonist and antagonist is a hate relationship because there is no bond between them. Every time the narrator does something that is not acceptable by her Auntie she gets punished for it, even when it is the littlest thing like playing with marbles. This does affect the narrator because she feels that she can never do right by her Auntie and she does not know how to please her. When the protagonist goes outside for a switch, she starts to remember and goes into detail about her grandmother’s death which makes the protagonist cry more. The past relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist’s was being left at the antagonist house while her mother and father were out of town. The “Alcoa House”, it is more like a hell house for the narrator. No friends, no one to play with, there was nothing narrator could do at her Auntie house besides being still. Her Auntie did not bond with the narrator, and did not even speak to the narrator.
The conflict between the two is caused by an age gap and a difference of values and experiences. Also, the parentings skills between the antagonist and the narrator’s parents are totally different. Auntie had rough childhood experience and she is somewhat pushing her rough childhood experiences on the narrator. During the confrontation, the antagonist sees the strength of her mother inside of the narrator, so she does not punish the narrator. Actually, tells her a story about her mother. The climax of the story is that the Auntie believes that the narrator rebels against her when the narrator speaks up about the legitimate questioning of the narrator’s father. The outcome of the climax is that the antagonist does not tell the narrator’s parents about the conflict between the two, which leaves the narrator puzzled, and wondering why her Auntie did not tell on her. The knowledge that I gained from this story is that some people are close-minded individuals. Also, how others can blame others for their misfortune and bad experiences.
When the narrator lashes out at her Auntie, this is a sign of speaking up for herself and her father. Auntie believes that being tough and hard on the narrator will make her a more respectable child. But in reality Auntie does not know how much she has affected and hurt the narrator with her hateful words. Finally, at the end of the story, Auntie goes back home and never tells the narrator’s parents about the confrontation between her and narrator.

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

The essay Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin. Baldwin relate the story of his relationship with his father to the story of the relationship between black and white America to cover the helplessness of African people in order to make them more like white people and therefore, more worthy of redemption. While not having that close relationship with his father at a young age, the author compares his father to the era of discrimination between whites and blacks. The author gives me the reader a thoughtful commentary on the social environment in the era of the Civil Rights Movement.

This essay by Baldwin I could not relate too because of the era that he was in and the era that I am in. Through the eyes and mind of Baldwin the essay had great comparisons between racial discrimination and his father.