Blog Essay

I began this course thinking it was going to be long and strenuous. I thought about all the millions of pages I would have to read, and the countless hours I would lose learning about some guy that wrote bad poetry, or some awful story. I am very grateful that my teacher actually had taste, and chose some pretty interesting pieces.

When I first started posting blogs and commenting, it was usually as technical as I could be, but I've seen that I have actually missed some of the points in the story. I wasn't able to analyze the stories very well, unlike the poems. If I had background information about the author of any work, then obviously it would be a lot easier to make a connection. I made some comments on other peoples pages that weren't really constructive in the beginning, but as the quarter progressed my skills improved, even if a little.

I was able to masterfully get six comments in two blog posts, my final four not having any comments at all. I have no idea why, but, I guess I got skipped over on the luck of the button press chain.

When I wrote the blogs I really didn’t think about if anyone read them, I mean I am a Creative Writing major, I better get over it. My best post was probably the one on Zadie Smith, “Dead Parrot”. I feel I effectively contributed my input and said some things other people weren’t saying, but how much can you say without other people eventually saying it too? I may have not said some more, um, illustrious words, but that wasn’t too much of a hassle. My worst post was probably the one on Catastrophe by Beckett. I remember realizing it was due about ten minutes before I had to leave for class, so I wrote it in a rush. My in-between would probably by either my rough draft blog or my God’s Grandeur blog, both having equal interesting and uninteresting parts.

Writing about my readings have definitely made me realize what I am actually reading, what the core of the story or poem is really about. It made me think of the story differently, not from enjoyment but from one of understanding, a kind of “ohhhhh....right” moment. The blogs and fiction elements helped me break down the story that I am use to, but now have vocabulary for! Simile, metaphor, I can definitely tell you the difference now, even though sometimes they can overlap.

All in all I enjoyed writing the blogs, even though I wasn’t able to do as many as I would have liked, due to me having no money and waiting forever to buy the dang book. I am pretty satisfied with my efforts, though as always anyone can do a lot more than they always do, so no biggie. I enjoyed the class and hopefully will see some of the new folks I’ve met around town.

Rough Draft

Consider a modern day Jesus. Sounds lewd, I know, but just consider it. What would he look like? What would he do? More importantly, what things could he do? These are all questions I found myself asking while diving into the world of Sherman Olney. Through use of conflict, both external and internal, setting, metaphors, and carefully placed characters, the author portrays a twilight zone version of a “what if” happening. An episode that many have been waiting to watch, but will society be accurately portrayed? I believe so.

The main conflict in the life of Sherman Olney is also his greatest trait, which is the ability to “fix” things. One would think that this shouldn’t be held against him, this innate ability to fix cars, help relationships, and even save lives(pgs 140-141), but it is. Society seems to be wanting more and more, to be “fixed”, so to say. This weighs on Sherman, and through traditional plot progression are we able to see his internal conflict. “Sherman sat quietly at the end of the counter and fixed whatever was put in front of him(pg 139),” and “Sherman, who had always been quiet, became increasingly more so(pg 140),” are two indicators of what a person with this power has to go through. To some it is responsibility, especially the society in this story, to use this power to help people. With the whole town watching, Sherman Olney is quietly and patiently swallowed whole by his environment.
The setting to which Sherman lives is the setting we live in, the present. It has shops and cars, people who need help, and more importantly, people who are out to hurt others. Society is accurately portrayed in this setting, with people coming and going, asking for help and eventually pushing Sherman to the edge. If Jesus did come back, I believe he would be facing the same problems, until eventually the society will make outrageous demands, asking to be fixed by some divine being. "Sherman Olney crumpled to the ground, moaning and clutching at his middle, saying he didn't have it anymore(pg132)," is the use of foreshadowing that makes me believe Sherman has gone through this before, fixing things and then eventually being forced to do things against his will.

Sherman and Jesus are obviously different, but what about their posse? Jesus had the disciples yes, but who does Sherman have? Well, Douglas would obviously be one, but could he be compared to Judas? I'm not saying he sells him out, but he does let him perform these tasks in his store, all the while benefiting from the sandwiches he is selling. The thing that is most interesting is the way the author never tells us what Sherman looks like. It gives the impression that he could be anyone, which helps greatly with the comparison of him to Jesus. He is a very dynamic character, and the author doesn't let us get too much insight in to who he is as a person, only that he has this extraordinary gift.

Dead Parrot

The essay by Zadie Smith was a reflective venture into the world of death and comedy. I really enjoyed how she called herself a "comedy snob", a quote I've actually heard used before, I just can't remember now. My dad did the same thign when I was a child, putting on old tapes of Pryor and Steve Martin, maybe even old school Robin Williams, because he liked them so much. It wasn't as much about race then as it was just about laughs, but I have a feeling that Harvey and Zadie wouldn't like our American counterparts to their Dead Parrot.

In another instance she talks about how she wished she'd seen the body, and I would have to agree with her. I wouldn't want to lug around ashes in a tupperware(sp?) container, even if I was a bit off in the head, and I definitely would not have tasted my fathers ashes either. But, the general sense of letting someone go as important as your father is something I haven't faced yet, so we'll see when we get there won't we?

Comedians go through a long process of things. Writing the joke, making it funny, and then delivering it perfectly to the crowd. Mitch Hedberg once said he'd have a funny joke in his head, but if a pen and paper wasn't close enough, he'd have to reconvince himself that it wasn't funny, a.k.a it wasn't meant to be. Apart from "dieing" on stage, I think we all go through the same emotions when watching our favorite comedian, as does Zadie when she watches her brother. The same "I hope they don't screw up and if it is really embarassing I'm not going to look at them" sort of thing.

I think we all go through a little bit of what Zadie did whenever a big change happens. I remember when my buddy from high school died, I couldn't write or do anything for a couple months because it was so sudden, so tragic. I was unable to see the body as it was closed casket, and for that I am a little bit grateful. But there is still a feeling I will see him turn the corner or run into him one day. But, I do see him in other people, kind of like Zadie does with the comedy her father loved, and that is a great thing.

Doing the analysis

First of all, I really enjoyed all of the stories. The different writing styles, the way each author has such a background it influences their writing. Obviously I haven't posted a blog in about a month, and the only reason is because I just got my book last week! So, here it goes.

The one story that I really liked, the one that made such drastic points about society, irony, and conflict would have to be "The Fix". Sherman, the main character, has this extraordinary ability to be able to fix things. It could be cars, foot massagers, refrigerators, and then most importantly, human lives. Not just saving their relationships or tax problems either, (as stated on pg 140 and 141) he can literally save them from death. I liked how the author never really gives the reader a visual image of his face. This shows that Sherman could be anyone, me, you, the townies walking around town, it just makes this character so much more important. When reading this, I definitely saw the similiarities with Sherman and Jesus. Yes, Jesus Christ. Jesus obviously could "fix" things, water into wine, resurrection, blah blah blah, but Sherman has also this power, but is living here in the modern day. What would Jesus be like in the modern day? Would everyone crowd around and ask him to fix them? I believe so. People are praying asking him to fix them right now, what makes you think they won't be all over him whenever he comes back? The society that is written about could be any modern society, and the irony is that this man was beaten because he doesn't fix things, now ends up dieing because he fixes too many things. I think this story has a lot more behind the words, and my analysis will be much longer next time. :)