Monday, November 30, 2009
Reflection on Piano Lesson
In the play The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, I think the piano did have a huge impact in the family lives. The piano brought a big controversy on whether or not it should be kept. It did hold a lot of family memories and history which is why Bernice did not want to let it go. At one point I did agree with Bernice because it meant a lot to her on how her father had died trying to keep possession over it. There was a moment in which i felt that they should get rid of it because they were constantly fighting over it and it was suppose to keep them united. I was glad how the play ended. Things did end up working out Bernice played the piano and Boy Willie let the piano stay in her home for memory of her family history.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wining Boy
Wining Boy plays the role of Bernice's uncle in the play The Piano Lesson by August Wilson. When he was first introduced they made him seem as if he didn't really care about his family and only came around when he needed something. His dream is to become a recording star, but has not taken the right steps to pursue does dreams. When Winning Boy actually came in to the play he seemed caring but then it seemed like all he came around for is money. He wanted to ask Bernice for money, but then Doaker gave him five dollars. He also expresses his feeling about his ex wife, and how he felt that she was a true treasure to him. Winning also likes to take advantage of people because he sells his suit to Lymon then little by little he sells him more stuff till he makes a good profit. I can tell that Wining Boy does really care about Bernice because he does take her side when it comes to the piano.
Friday, October 30, 2009
My Father
Jose Carmelo Marquez
( March 19, 1957-?)
My father was born and raised in Jalisco, Mexico to Maria Luisa and Ignacio Marquez. He is the baby of fourteen siblings. My father has always been an over achiever. When he was young it was hard for him to go to school because there was no school in the town in which he lived in. Having that said, my father only went to school up until eight grade then dropped out because my grandma and grandma needed help back home. My father did not have a wealthy life style even though my grandparents owned a little market. When my father was young he was a DJ. When my father was a DJ, he use to get his equipment around on a wagon attached to a donkey because my grandparents could not afford to buy him a car.
My father always wanted to live the American dream but till this day he hasn’t been able too. When my father first came to the United States he came illegally to give my mother better life. Even though he came empty handed my dad has done everything possible to give me and my siblings a better life. When I was younger I remember my dad use to always tell me to always reach for the stars because if I didn’t then I would not achieve whatever it was that I wanted to do. He has always been there to catch us when we fall to get us back on our feet. I feel as if I owe my whole life to my father because I am who I am because of him.
My father was not the greatest father in the world but he was a good father in his own sort of way. When we were growing up my father was never really there but it wasn’t because he didn’t want to but because he was always working. I was born in Boyle Heights in a neighborhood where you always had to be on full alert because there was always trouble in the streets. I didn’t have a house I lived in a duplex with two bedrooms and we were seven people all together so obviously we didn’t fit. My parents couldn’t afford a bigger home because they didn’t have much money.
Since we didn’t have money to live in a safe neighborhood my father always kept us busy so we wouldn’t be running the streets. My sister joined the drill team, softball and volleyball team because my father inspired her to. My brothers both played baseball and soccer. As for myself he signed me up in gymnastics and soccer. My other sister was always a rebel and my dad couldn’t control her but he always stood by her side because he knew it was only a matter of time before she would get over it.
My father was a construction worker for a big company here in California. The name of the company is Signature Interiors Incorporation. My father worked the company for 18 years, but recently was laid-off due to lack of work. Since then we have been short in money. My father was recently diagnosed with cancer in the blood. He may also have cancer in the prostate, but there are still studies being done to certain the results. His whole life has changed but he still manages to make my life a dream. My dad is my hero and will always be.
( March 19, 1957-?)
My father was born and raised in Jalisco, Mexico to Maria Luisa and Ignacio Marquez. He is the baby of fourteen siblings. My father has always been an over achiever. When he was young it was hard for him to go to school because there was no school in the town in which he lived in. Having that said, my father only went to school up until eight grade then dropped out because my grandma and grandma needed help back home. My father did not have a wealthy life style even though my grandparents owned a little market. When my father was young he was a DJ. When my father was a DJ, he use to get his equipment around on a wagon attached to a donkey because my grandparents could not afford to buy him a car.
My father always wanted to live the American dream but till this day he hasn’t been able too. When my father first came to the United States he came illegally to give my mother better life. Even though he came empty handed my dad has done everything possible to give me and my siblings a better life. When I was younger I remember my dad use to always tell me to always reach for the stars because if I didn’t then I would not achieve whatever it was that I wanted to do. He has always been there to catch us when we fall to get us back on our feet. I feel as if I owe my whole life to my father because I am who I am because of him.
My father was not the greatest father in the world but he was a good father in his own sort of way. When we were growing up my father was never really there but it wasn’t because he didn’t want to but because he was always working. I was born in Boyle Heights in a neighborhood where you always had to be on full alert because there was always trouble in the streets. I didn’t have a house I lived in a duplex with two bedrooms and we were seven people all together so obviously we didn’t fit. My parents couldn’t afford a bigger home because they didn’t have much money.
Since we didn’t have money to live in a safe neighborhood my father always kept us busy so we wouldn’t be running the streets. My sister joined the drill team, softball and volleyball team because my father inspired her to. My brothers both played baseball and soccer. As for myself he signed me up in gymnastics and soccer. My other sister was always a rebel and my dad couldn’t control her but he always stood by her side because he knew it was only a matter of time before she would get over it.
My father was a construction worker for a big company here in California. The name of the company is Signature Interiors Incorporation. My father worked the company for 18 years, but recently was laid-off due to lack of work. Since then we have been short in money. My father was recently diagnosed with cancer in the blood. He may also have cancer in the prostate, but there are still studies being done to certain the results. His whole life has changed but he still manages to make my life a dream. My dad is my hero and will always be.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Jim Crow Laws
The Jim Crow Era was a period of time in the 1900’s in which the white Americans were separated from the black Americans. It was an unfair treatment because black people were treated as if they were inferior to white. These laws were about power of one race over another. Jim Crow laws were first introduced after the Civil War. The Civil War ended slavery but did not give African Americans equality. There have been amendments that intended to help the segregation but did really help to its fullest extent.
Black were a part of violence threats, poverty and discrimination.
In the book by Frankie Lennon The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of a Black Woman’s life, the author touches on the Jim Crow Laws and how she experienced some of it. The author tells her story about when she was young and she would go shopping there were certain places where she couldn’t shop. In one occasion, she goes into the place she usually shopped and asked to try on a bathing suit she really liked but was told she couldn’t. The reason she couldn’t try it on was because they believed that it would lose value if a colored person tried it on. She also shares how in one occasion she goes to a theme park right around fourth of July and sees that on Fourth of July they will be having a firework show. She asked her mother if they could go because she had never experienced watching a firework show. Her mother explains to her that they couldn’t because on that day colored people weren’t allowed to visit the park. Colored people were only allowed to visit the theme park once a weak because it was stated under the Jim Crow laws.
As I read through an article by Ronald L. F. Davis Racial Etiquette: The Racial Customs and Rules of Racial Behavior in Jim Crow America, I felt amazed. The Jim Crow laws were really unfair laws, whites were treated as if they were superior to colored people. Whites were thought to be more civilized, intelligent, and they had better morals. When a colored person would go out to eat she or he would have to wait till all the whites were served, then he or she would be taken care of. Blacks and Whites were not supposed to eat together, so blacks always had to sit in the back to give up their seats for the white. A Black male could not offer his hand with a White male because it implied being socially equal. If they did they would get into trouble because white were offended when they did something like that. Blacks were not allowed to show public affection toward one another in public, especially kissing, because it offended Whites. Blacks and whites could not share the same things. Whites went to separate schools, restrooms and parks than the ones blacks went to. There were signs in which blacks were compared to dogs in which posted that they weren’t allowed. These signs were usually posted outside of stores. There were also signs that indicated were blacks were allowed or weren’t allowed.
The Jim Crow laws were not fair. As I read through the author’s book and did a little research I felt offended. Till this day we as colored people are still treated as we are less then whites. People look at us as poor and unintelligent. I hate the fact that we have to suffer because our parents or grandparents are not white Americans. I like my race it makes me different to some but similar to others but because of that I shouldn’t be treated as if I am not a good person. All people are equal, it doesn’t matter what race, gender or color you are. To me what matters is what is in the inside.
Black were a part of violence threats, poverty and discrimination.
In the book by Frankie Lennon The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of a Black Woman’s life, the author touches on the Jim Crow Laws and how she experienced some of it. The author tells her story about when she was young and she would go shopping there were certain places where she couldn’t shop. In one occasion, she goes into the place she usually shopped and asked to try on a bathing suit she really liked but was told she couldn’t. The reason she couldn’t try it on was because they believed that it would lose value if a colored person tried it on. She also shares how in one occasion she goes to a theme park right around fourth of July and sees that on Fourth of July they will be having a firework show. She asked her mother if they could go because she had never experienced watching a firework show. Her mother explains to her that they couldn’t because on that day colored people weren’t allowed to visit the park. Colored people were only allowed to visit the theme park once a weak because it was stated under the Jim Crow laws.
As I read through an article by Ronald L. F. Davis Racial Etiquette: The Racial Customs and Rules of Racial Behavior in Jim Crow America, I felt amazed. The Jim Crow laws were really unfair laws, whites were treated as if they were superior to colored people. Whites were thought to be more civilized, intelligent, and they had better morals. When a colored person would go out to eat she or he would have to wait till all the whites were served, then he or she would be taken care of. Blacks and Whites were not supposed to eat together, so blacks always had to sit in the back to give up their seats for the white. A Black male could not offer his hand with a White male because it implied being socially equal. If they did they would get into trouble because white were offended when they did something like that. Blacks were not allowed to show public affection toward one another in public, especially kissing, because it offended Whites. Blacks and whites could not share the same things. Whites went to separate schools, restrooms and parks than the ones blacks went to. There were signs in which blacks were compared to dogs in which posted that they weren’t allowed. These signs were usually posted outside of stores. There were also signs that indicated were blacks were allowed or weren’t allowed.
The Jim Crow laws were not fair. As I read through the author’s book and did a little research I felt offended. Till this day we as colored people are still treated as we are less then whites. People look at us as poor and unintelligent. I hate the fact that we have to suffer because our parents or grandparents are not white Americans. I like my race it makes me different to some but similar to others but because of that I shouldn’t be treated as if I am not a good person. All people are equal, it doesn’t matter what race, gender or color you are. To me what matters is what is in the inside.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Reflection on the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Winner President Barack Obama
This morning as I arrived to class, I was asked to open the web page to "US Today" and the first thing that popped up was an article on President Barack Obama. Our President has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize even though it was a last minute decision on him being one of the 250 candidates. My perspective on him deserving it is definitely a yes; I do believe that he does have potential to bring peace to the world. He has done so much in so little time. I understand that he does have many things in his hands that he needs to take care of, but something tells me deep inside that he is the change we have been waiting for. As we seen so far, our President is truly here for us as well as been honest with situation we have come across. In the article it said that President Obama will work with the United Nations, NATO , European Union, International Monetary Fund and World Bank to solve world problems. He already took a step forward being that he already has a plan in mind.He engaged in diminishing nuclear weapons and tried to better our climate.
There are people concerned about him not taking actions he need to take in the "White House." They feel as if he will forget about other things he needs to take care of and will not do a very good job at neither thing. President Obama took the Nobel Peace Prize because he knows that he can fulfill the significance it takes to receive it. All the decisions he has took are to better the country he has in his hands. We choose him as our President because we knew he had the potential and works for us his people. He believes in us, so therefore we should believe in him.
There are people concerned about him not taking actions he need to take in the "White House." They feel as if he will forget about other things he needs to take care of and will not do a very good job at neither thing. President Obama took the Nobel Peace Prize because he knows that he can fulfill the significance it takes to receive it. All the decisions he has took are to better the country he has in his hands. We choose him as our President because we knew he had the potential and works for us his people. He believes in us, so therefore we should believe in him.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Sixth Grade with Amanda Valencia
I can remember it like it was just yesterday! My first day in middle school was quite an adventure especially when I met Amanda Valencia. I thought she and I were going to be best friends, but I was completely wrong. She was the most conniving girl I had ever met. Everyday she had someway to put me down. She did not like me very much and I was not sure why. There is one week in particular that I remember the most. In that week I met this new guy named Christopher Esqueda, he was the cutest guy I had ever met. Well at least that’s what I felt at the time. He dressed very proper and had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. What made me like him even more was the fact that he told his guy friends that I was one of the prettiest girls he had ever met. Amanda heard was told what he thought about me, and she was going to let me good about it. Amanda wanted everything that made me happy because she hated that I new my flaws.
The way Amanda ruined my dream was by telling him lies about me, and she even made him believe I was spreading rumors about him. When all along it was her spreading rumors about him saying it was me. He hated me, and thought I was the meanest girl he had met. Amanda was not satisfied enough so she asked him to be her boyfriend. It was not because she liked him but because she wanted to see me to suffer. She even told me so herself , “ I do not even like him, I just don’t want him to be with you especially because your ugly: pretty boys do not date ugly girls like you”. That day was one of the first day she had ever made me cry because I really did feel as if I was ugly. She had took what I liked.
Once I got home that day I shared my experience with my sister and she told me, “Don’t get sad, get even”. When I returned to school the next morning, I told her I was not going to let her put me down anymore or take what I wanted. But once again Amanda managed to put me down. She told me that my Baby Phat clothes were out of fashion and that I needed to get with the program; meaning that I wasn’t in style. When I went home that night I told my mom that I needed to go shopping because there was this boy and I needed to look cute for him. She gave me a big lecture on how you are not suppose to change who you are for anyone, and that if people like you they’re going to like you how you are.
So that next Friday morning, I asked him why he didn’t like me and he told me that Amanda had told him that I had said mean things about him. Of course everything was a lie and I explained to him how Amanda liked to make my life miserable and would do anything to make me suffer. Soon after we finished talking, he looked for Amanda and asked her why she had lied. Amanda denied ever lying, but of course he didn’t believe her. That same day we shared how we felt about each other and became good friends. Soon after we created something more than just a friendship he called me his “girlfriend” and I called him my “boyfriend”. As for Amanda, she ended up moving to a different school during the seventh grade so I never had to see her again. I was glad because there was no one there to put me down anymore.
The way Amanda ruined my dream was by telling him lies about me, and she even made him believe I was spreading rumors about him. When all along it was her spreading rumors about him saying it was me. He hated me, and thought I was the meanest girl he had met. Amanda was not satisfied enough so she asked him to be her boyfriend. It was not because she liked him but because she wanted to see me to suffer. She even told me so herself , “ I do not even like him, I just don’t want him to be with you especially because your ugly: pretty boys do not date ugly girls like you”. That day was one of the first day she had ever made me cry because I really did feel as if I was ugly. She had took what I liked.
Once I got home that day I shared my experience with my sister and she told me, “Don’t get sad, get even”. When I returned to school the next morning, I told her I was not going to let her put me down anymore or take what I wanted. But once again Amanda managed to put me down. She told me that my Baby Phat clothes were out of fashion and that I needed to get with the program; meaning that I wasn’t in style. When I went home that night I told my mom that I needed to go shopping because there was this boy and I needed to look cute for him. She gave me a big lecture on how you are not suppose to change who you are for anyone, and that if people like you they’re going to like you how you are.
So that next Friday morning, I asked him why he didn’t like me and he told me that Amanda had told him that I had said mean things about him. Of course everything was a lie and I explained to him how Amanda liked to make my life miserable and would do anything to make me suffer. Soon after we finished talking, he looked for Amanda and asked her why she had lied. Amanda denied ever lying, but of course he didn’t believe her. That same day we shared how we felt about each other and became good friends. Soon after we created something more than just a friendship he called me his “girlfriend” and I called him my “boyfriend”. As for Amanda, she ended up moving to a different school during the seventh grade so I never had to see her again. I was glad because there was no one there to put me down anymore.
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