Bucky Sinister and Adrienne Rich are two poets who share little if anything in common. These two people are not only separated by a generation, but a whole country as well, with Sinister hailing from the West Coast and Rich from the East. As such, their earlier lives stand in sharp contrast to one another. Rich was raised in a cultured and educated household and later went on to become a wife and mother of three, while Sinister had a slightly less traditional upbringing and even spent some years dabbling in the punk circuit. These two people also have found inspiration from different sources. Rich was influenced by writers such as William Blake, John Keats and Lord Tennyson, while Sinister actually finds inspiration for his storyteller comics from people such as Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks and Charles Bukowski.
However as each poet grew older, more similarities can be found. Both possess a strong sense of self-expression. This is something that was discovered in the course of their lives and then later developed and reflected through their work, whether it was verbal or written. In particular, Sinister’s poem “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” and “Diving into the Wreck” by Rich demonstrate a strong and intriguing common idea. These two poems use the loss of superficial perceptions and physical trappings as a mode of clearer self-realization. Since rigid traditional definitions cause society to impose social roles and rules which encourage people to unknowingly misrepresent themselves, a complete reassessment must be achieved by removing oneself from the established and familiar mindset.
Starting with basic fundamentals, “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” and “Diving into the Wreck” both reflect the real world in that traditional and restrictive definitions are present. In Sinister’s poem, the definitions that he writes about are very specific and limited to one man, Bruce Wayne. Bruce’s “definition” is Batman. His crime fighting alter ego is the definitive aspect of his character, and to protect his more mundane daytime persona, he is forced to behave a certain way in society and restrict himself from crossing certain boundaries.
In Rich’s poem, she alludes to the tradition of gender typing, or the habit of categorizing what is male and what is female. Gender typing has been a part of human culture and history for such a long time that it has unconsciously become ingrained in the minds of people around the world. Rich refers to this phenomenon as “the book of myths” (line 1). The role of the man and the woman have been accepted and passed down for so many generations in so many cultures that people neither question them nor remember clearly why they began.
This problem is shared with the traditional, DC Comic-created Batman, whose image as the Dark Knight is maintained to this day by millions of fans around the world. Multiple generations have grown up idolizing this mysterious vigilante, and though his character has been modified and repackaged over the years to appeal to younger audiences, his character, back-story and essence have essentially remained constant. Elements such as the “Batmobile…butler…crimefighting” (Sinister) are smaller identifying marks that contribute to the complete Batman image. As with gender typing, because the majority of society insists on clinging to these narrow-minded views, they are preserved and forced onto future generations.
These roles and rules that are associated with Batman have hindered Bruce Wayne to the point that while his glamorous, generous, playboy attitude while appealing to audiences, is not very realistic. By writing “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne”, Sinister is suggesting that if Batman is removed from the pages of a comic and the magic of Hollywood is washed away, a more believable and vulnerable human will emerge. Some of Sinister’s ideas, such as Bruce Wayne who “drinks alone in his trailer home in Arkansas…ain’t that lucky in love” (Sinister) and who experiences “chronic pain” (Sinister) are certainly unconventional, but who is to say that Sinister is completely incorrect? Sinister’s Bruce Wayne is very human in comparison to his larger-than-life traditional self. The idea of Bruce Wayne being afflicted with such mundane problems and slightly worse than average luck is a refreshing and captivating perspective and speculates as to the man behind the mask of both Batman and Bruce Wayne.
There is no proof or reason to continue believing in facades such as Batman, Bruce Wayne, Man and Woman because all that it would take to reveal the true nature of this “book of myths” (Rich 1) is to simply stop acting according to its dictates. However, most fail to see this, and only people such as Rich come to the realization that the opportunity “is always there/hanging innocently/…Otherwise/ it is a piece of maritime floss/ some sundry equipment” (lines 14-21). People are very willing and eager to ignore the truth or overlook the opportunity to discover the truth for fear that will be discovered or how society will react. The very act of scuba diving is a very appropriate analogy for this idea. The ocean is a deep and largely unexplored terrain that creates a sense of wonder and trepidation in human hearts. Submersion into water and the process of slowly traveling further down are acts of isolation from the familiar, which is an effective tool for reflection.
The message of the importance of self-reflection is echoed in Sinister’s poem as well. By isolating Bruce Wayne from all of the elements that are normally associated with him, Sinister tries to discover who Bruce Wayne could really be if he was allowed to separate himself remove himself from his life as Gotham’s vigilante and wealthy entrepreneur. On the other hand, Rich’s poem stresses that society as a whole should participate in a serious self-reflection of its established rules and values in order to create a new era of progressive change and thought. Still, Sinister’s idea of focusing on an individual still holds considerable merit. Change begins at the individual level and can spark a revolution of both thought and action. This is the goal of many writers no matter whether the change that results is personal or universal.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
2 Poem Comparison, Rough Draft
Bucky Sinister and Adrienne Rich are two poets who share little if anything in common. These two people are not only separated by a generation, but a whole country as well, with Sinister hailing from the West Coast and Rich from the East. As such, their earlier lives stand in sharp contrast to one another. Rich was raised in a cultured and educated household and later went on to become a wife and mother of three, while Sinister had a slightly less traditional upbringing and even spent some years dabbling in the punk circuit. These two people also have found inspiration from different sources. Rich was influenced by writers such as William Blake, John Keats and Lord Tennyson, while Sinister actually finds inspiration for his storyteller comics from people such as Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks and Charles Bukowski.
However as each poet grew older, more similarities can be found. Both possess a strong sense of self-expression. This is something that was discovered in the course of their lives and then later developed and reflected through their work, whether it was verbal or written. In particular, Sinister’s poem “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” and “Diving into the Wreck” by Rich demonstrate a strong and intriguing common idea. These two poems use the loss of superficial perceptions and physical trappings as a mode of clearer self-realization. Since rigid traditional definitions cause society to impose social roles and rules which encourage people to unknowingly misrepresent themselves, a complete reassessment must be achieved by removing oneself from the established and familiar mindset.
Starting with basic fundamentals, “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” and “Diving into the Wreck” both reflect the real world in that traditional and restrictive definitions are present. In Sinister’s poem, the definition’s that he writes about are actually very specific and limited to one man, Bruce Wayne. Bruce’s “definition” is Batman. His crime fighting alter ego is what comprises the majority of his character, and to protect his other half, he is forced to behave a certain way in society and restrict himself from crossing certain boundaries.
In Rich’s poem, she alludes to the tradition of gender typing, or the habit of categorizing what is male and what is female. Gender typing has been a part of human culture and history for such a long time that it has unconsciously become ingrained in the minds of people around the world. Rich refers to this phenomenon as “the book of myths” (line 1). The role of the man and the woman have been accepted and passed down for so many generations in so many cultures that people neither question them nor remember clearly why they began. There is no proof or reason to continue believing in them because all that it would take to reveal the true nature of book of myths is to simply stop acting according to its dictates.
However, most fail to see this, and only people such as Rich come to the realization that the opportunity “is always there/hanging innocently/…Otherwise/ it is a piece of maritime floss/ some sundry equipment” (lines 14-21). People are very willing and eager to ignore the truth or overlook the opportunity to discover the truth for fear that will be discovered or how society will react. The very act of scuba diving is a very appropriate analogy for this idea. The ocean is a deep and largely unexplored terrain that creates a sense of wonder and trepidation in human hearts. Submersion into water and the process of slowly traveling deeper and deeper, are acts of isolation from the familiar, which is an effective tool for reflection.
However as each poet grew older, more similarities can be found. Both possess a strong sense of self-expression. This is something that was discovered in the course of their lives and then later developed and reflected through their work, whether it was verbal or written. In particular, Sinister’s poem “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” and “Diving into the Wreck” by Rich demonstrate a strong and intriguing common idea. These two poems use the loss of superficial perceptions and physical trappings as a mode of clearer self-realization. Since rigid traditional definitions cause society to impose social roles and rules which encourage people to unknowingly misrepresent themselves, a complete reassessment must be achieved by removing oneself from the established and familiar mindset.
Starting with basic fundamentals, “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” and “Diving into the Wreck” both reflect the real world in that traditional and restrictive definitions are present. In Sinister’s poem, the definition’s that he writes about are actually very specific and limited to one man, Bruce Wayne. Bruce’s “definition” is Batman. His crime fighting alter ego is what comprises the majority of his character, and to protect his other half, he is forced to behave a certain way in society and restrict himself from crossing certain boundaries.
In Rich’s poem, she alludes to the tradition of gender typing, or the habit of categorizing what is male and what is female. Gender typing has been a part of human culture and history for such a long time that it has unconsciously become ingrained in the minds of people around the world. Rich refers to this phenomenon as “the book of myths” (line 1). The role of the man and the woman have been accepted and passed down for so many generations in so many cultures that people neither question them nor remember clearly why they began. There is no proof or reason to continue believing in them because all that it would take to reveal the true nature of book of myths is to simply stop acting according to its dictates.
However, most fail to see this, and only people such as Rich come to the realization that the opportunity “is always there/hanging innocently/…Otherwise/ it is a piece of maritime floss/ some sundry equipment” (lines 14-21). People are very willing and eager to ignore the truth or overlook the opportunity to discover the truth for fear that will be discovered or how society will react. The very act of scuba diving is a very appropriate analogy for this idea. The ocean is a deep and largely unexplored terrain that creates a sense of wonder and trepidation in human hearts. Submersion into water and the process of slowly traveling deeper and deeper, are acts of isolation from the familiar, which is an effective tool for reflection.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
A Study of Contrasts
Bucky Sinister nicely summarizes the main focus of his poem within his title, “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne”. The use of a popular and well known cultural icon is a unique and very interesting approach to use when writing poetry since a majority of poets choose to write about more general and ambiguous figures. Bruce Wayne, or his alter ego, Batman, are such easily identified iconic characters that the reader cannot help but to approach Sinister’s poem with preconceived ideas and opinions.
However, it is very apparent that all images and ideas associated with this certain icon will not apply in the poem within the first few lines when Sinister clearly lists all of the characteristics and technological gizmos that the Bruce Wayne of his universe lacks. This approach to writing about one of America’s most beloved fictional men can evoke a couple reactions from readers. One common reaction would be confusion followed by disgruntlement. This is understandable considering that Sinister is essentially taking America’s iconic Dark Knight, stripping him of all his larger than life superhero qualities and leaving behind just a dark, tormented man.
Yet many other people would consider this representation of Bruce Wayne fascinating and intriguing. The presentation of the superhero as a relatable and real person is very en vogue in this day and age. Discovering that larger than life figures can feel the painful effects of age and old injury and are also emotionally vulnerable is very appealing because it makes everyday people feel one step closer to being extraordinary and incredible. One need only peruse some of the most recent and upcoming Hollywood Blockbusters to see this fact.
Even though Sinister’s poem diverges from standard conceptions of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, by using Bruce Wayne, the superhero playboy as an entry point, Sinister is making his Bruce Wayne a much more dramatic and strong contrast. His Bruce Wayne has vices such as smoking and alcohol consumption, opposed to the serious and no nonsense DC Comics version. Sinister’s Bruce also seeks out the company, reassurance and physical and mental support of others, while most Batman fans associate Bruce as a mentally strong and independent man who does not allow others to see him during moments of weakness. These endless contrasts between the expected character and Sinister’s character constantly surprise the readers, keeping their attentions fixed and their minds running a mile a minute with numerous interpretations.
Taken from: Bix at bix.yahoo.com/contest/15563/pair/115143vs115125
However, it is very apparent that all images and ideas associated with this certain icon will not apply in the poem within the first few lines when Sinister clearly lists all of the characteristics and technological gizmos that the Bruce Wayne of his universe lacks. This approach to writing about one of America’s most beloved fictional men can evoke a couple reactions from readers. One common reaction would be confusion followed by disgruntlement. This is understandable considering that Sinister is essentially taking America’s iconic Dark Knight, stripping him of all his larger than life superhero qualities and leaving behind just a dark, tormented man.
Yet many other people would consider this representation of Bruce Wayne fascinating and intriguing. The presentation of the superhero as a relatable and real person is very en vogue in this day and age. Discovering that larger than life figures can feel the painful effects of age and old injury and are also emotionally vulnerable is very appealing because it makes everyday people feel one step closer to being extraordinary and incredible. One need only peruse some of the most recent and upcoming Hollywood Blockbusters to see this fact.
Even though Sinister’s poem diverges from standard conceptions of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, by using Bruce Wayne, the superhero playboy as an entry point, Sinister is making his Bruce Wayne a much more dramatic and strong contrast. His Bruce Wayne has vices such as smoking and alcohol consumption, opposed to the serious and no nonsense DC Comics version. Sinister’s Bruce also seeks out the company, reassurance and physical and mental support of others, while most Batman fans associate Bruce as a mentally strong and independent man who does not allow others to see him during moments of weakness. These endless contrasts between the expected character and Sinister’s character constantly surprise the readers, keeping their attentions fixed and their minds running a mile a minute with numerous interpretations.
Taken from: Bix at bix.yahoo.com/contest/15563/pair/115143vs115125Gone in a Flash
That dashing man dressed up in red
Appeared when I was on the street
I paused and quickly turned my head.
“That must have been the Flash!” I said,
A faster man you’d never meet,
That dashing man dressed up in red
It might have been a dream instead
Behind me came a sudden greet
I paused and quickly turned my head
I saw him and my smile, it spread.
He surely was a true athlete,
That dashing man dressed up in red.
One charming nod of his head,
He disappeared on his fleet feet,
That dashing man dressed up in red.
I paused and quickly turned my head.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Paradise Found
In “I dwell in possibility”, by Emily Dickinson, em dashes are utilized in three different ways. One use of the em dash is to serve as a comma and to connect elements of the same thought. An example of this is “I dwell in Possibility--/ A fairer House than Prose” (1-2). This is one cohesive thought, but the em dash is used to separate the noun of the sentence "Possibility" from the descriptive phrase "A fairer House than Prose". Dickinson’s second use of em dashes is to separate multiple thoughts within a stanza, but to also serve as connections so that the main idea of each stanza remains coherent. This can be seen at the end of lines 2 and 6. Lastly, Dickinson uses em dashes at the end of each stanza to definitively mark the separation of the main points of her poem.
In the first stanza of her poem, Dickinson’s main focus is to compare Possibility to Prose, implying that Possibility is a metaphor for poetry. By choosing the word Possibility, poetry can be described as filled with wonder, novelty and creativity. The use of the words “fairer”, “numerous” and “Superior”, from lines 2, 3, and 4 respectively support the idea that crafting poetry is a far more creative and beautiful skill than penning prose.
Dickinson continues to describe poetry in the second stanza. Following the metaphor that poetry and prose are two entirely different places, or intangible buildings, the rooms of Possibility are “Impregnable of Eye” (line 6), meaning that the process of writing poetry is private, personal to the poet and mysterious to outsiders. The roof of Possibility is described to be “Everlasting” (line 7) and compared to “The Gambrels of the Sky” (line 8). This means that there is an infinite amount of freedom that can be found in the writing of poetry and that the emotions and ideas that can be expressed through it are endless and boundless, like the sky. By making this comparison, Dickinson is subtly saying that prose lacks this kind of freedom, perhaps both structurally and emotionally.
In the last stanza, Dickinson discusses poets rather than poetry itself. In line 9 she refers to “Visitors” which refers to both people who write poetry seriously and those who write it as a hobby. Dickinson then ends the poem with a general statement that all poets have a beautiful and wondrous moment when they complete a poem, aptly labeling the experience as “Paradise--” (line 12).
In the first stanza of her poem, Dickinson’s main focus is to compare Possibility to Prose, implying that Possibility is a metaphor for poetry. By choosing the word Possibility, poetry can be described as filled with wonder, novelty and creativity. The use of the words “fairer”, “numerous” and “Superior”, from lines 2, 3, and 4 respectively support the idea that crafting poetry is a far more creative and beautiful skill than penning prose.
Dickinson continues to describe poetry in the second stanza. Following the metaphor that poetry and prose are two entirely different places, or intangible buildings, the rooms of Possibility are “Impregnable of Eye” (line 6), meaning that the process of writing poetry is private, personal to the poet and mysterious to outsiders. The roof of Possibility is described to be “Everlasting” (line 7) and compared to “The Gambrels of the Sky” (line 8). This means that there is an infinite amount of freedom that can be found in the writing of poetry and that the emotions and ideas that can be expressed through it are endless and boundless, like the sky. By making this comparison, Dickinson is subtly saying that prose lacks this kind of freedom, perhaps both structurally and emotionally.
In the last stanza, Dickinson discusses poets rather than poetry itself. In line 9 she refers to “Visitors” which refers to both people who write poetry seriously and those who write it as a hobby. Dickinson then ends the poem with a general statement that all poets have a beautiful and wondrous moment when they complete a poem, aptly labeling the experience as “Paradise--” (line 12).
Monday, April 6, 2009
Intelligent Design?
In the poem “Design” by Robert Frost, the strongest reoccurring image is the color white: a white heal-all (a kind of flower), a white spider and a moth wrapped up within the spider’s silk. When the poem begins, the color white elicits a sense of innocence and purity. However, towards the end of the poem, it becomes apparent that there is something rather ominous and dark lurking underneath the surface.
The juxtaposition of the light and darkness (and ultimately the emptiness) of white is a concept that is strongly emphasized in “Design”. Frost first descries the spider as “dimpled… fat and white” (line 1) which gives the spider the resemblance of a friendly perhaps even cute baby. Even though the heal-all is described as being white, when normally its flowers are blue-purple, there is not a sense of malice, since heal-alls are a kind of flower that holds a medicinal value. Also mentioned in the poem is a moth that looks “Like a white piece of satin cloth”, which is another description of a seemingly harmless character. In lines 7 and 8, Frost continues using inconspicuous and innocuous objects, “A snow-drop… a froth… a paper kite”, to describe the trio of white characters.
(Taken from http://www.bunspace.com/static/groups/41/logo.jpg)
However, beginning in line 4, the poem acquires an ominous tone when Frost now refers to the spider, the flower and the moth as “Assorted characters of death and blight”. The situation continues to degenerate, with Frost now associating the meeting of the three white characters with black magic, through the use of the terms “morning right” (line 5), or ritual, and “witches’ broth” (line 6). At this point readers see the hidden evil or darkness that Frost associates with the color white. Through the process of exposing the true meaning behind the white trio, Frost wonders whether there is some sort of nefarious design, or plan, at work that can not only take traditionally pure objects and pervert them, but also bring all three characters together for that exact encounter at that exact time. Yet ultimately, Frost ends the poem in an ambiguous manner and instead of answering his own question, poses another for the reader.
(Taken from http://www.wildriverreview.com/4/images/art-sd_fate.jpg)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
What's in a name?
As I sit before my laptop, focusing on the blinking cursor, thoughts are racing through my mind so quickly that I feel as if my brain is strapped onto some kind of crazy carousel that just keeps spinning faster, and faster, and faster…
Now, before I end up splattering word vomit all over this blog I need to hit the metaphorical brakes and clear my mind!
This has always been a problem for me. I have the unnerving and annoying ability to take the simplest task and somehow, someway, either find the hardest possible way to complete said task or end up caught in an endless mental loop that consists of me coming up with a possible solution, carefully considering its merits and disadvantages, rejecting it, and repeating the process over and over again, slowly driving myself crazy with my own indecisiveness. After spending a good amount of time and most of my high school years engaging in bouts of serious self reflection I think that I have finally (or at least partially) identified the reason behind my reoccurring mental traffic jams. Frankly, I get so caught up in the planning and the preparation because I feel like I need to perform perfectly during the first attempt.
This usually results with me overcompensating in my work, and in written assignments what happens is that the meaning behind my words becomes obscured by a sea of overdone, complicated and practically nonsensical phrases. Over the years I have struggled with taking my many tumultuous thoughts and corralling them into clear and concise statements. Yet in my mind, no detail is too small or too insignificant that it can be disregarded. So, for example, “quick” recaps of my favorite television episodes usually end up becoming rather long, detailed and passionate monologues. And, whenever I finally end one of my T.V. sermons (because yes, I regard television as highly as some regard their faith) I can’t help but think guiltily that it would have taken a lot less time to have actually watched the show itself!
Now, before I end up splattering word vomit all over this blog I need to hit the metaphorical brakes and clear my mind!
This has always been a problem for me. I have the unnerving and annoying ability to take the simplest task and somehow, someway, either find the hardest possible way to complete said task or end up caught in an endless mental loop that consists of me coming up with a possible solution, carefully considering its merits and disadvantages, rejecting it, and repeating the process over and over again, slowly driving myself crazy with my own indecisiveness. After spending a good amount of time and most of my high school years engaging in bouts of serious self reflection I think that I have finally (or at least partially) identified the reason behind my reoccurring mental traffic jams. Frankly, I get so caught up in the planning and the preparation because I feel like I need to perform perfectly during the first attempt.
This usually results with me overcompensating in my work, and in written assignments what happens is that the meaning behind my words becomes obscured by a sea of overdone, complicated and practically nonsensical phrases. Over the years I have struggled with taking my many tumultuous thoughts and corralling them into clear and concise statements. Yet in my mind, no detail is too small or too insignificant that it can be disregarded. So, for example, “quick” recaps of my favorite television episodes usually end up becoming rather long, detailed and passionate monologues. And, whenever I finally end one of my T.V. sermons (because yes, I regard television as highly as some regard their faith) I can’t help but think guiltily that it would have taken a lot less time to have actually watched the show itself!
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