Feed- after class

During class, in our discussion groups, we discussed the themes within this book such as conformity, education, alienation/ isolation and many more.

Alienation/isolation was a very important theme seen in "Feed". The way people talk to each other is a good example. The dialect used by the characters shows that they have a hard time communicating. The feed implanted in there brain Controls there thoughts and feelings so when the hacker sets Titus free he does not know how to tell violet how he feels.

Education was also a big theme. It goes with government control. The feed in there brain does everything for them so writing and reading books are not a necessity in this society. Dumb people are easier to control.

Feed- after class

Feed- M.T. Anderson

this story takes place in the future, within a society just like our own in many ways.  There society is dominated by advertisments and technology telling people to buy, buy and buy.  Wheather they need anything or not is irrelavaunt.  Our society and Feed's society is consumer based.  Advertisments run constantly on the T.V, Newspaper, internet, magazines, ect.  telling people to spend money.  The only difference is that in our society we don't have a chip implanted in our brains when we are born so the government can't monitor our thoughts and force us to do anything.  We still have a choice to get away from technology.  It's kinda scary how much our society resembles "Feed's". 

In my opinion we should get away from technology more often.  We depend on technology so much its unbelievable.  When I'm walking to class I see more people with their head buried in a phone then actually paying attention to where they are going. Whats the point of having a beautiful, clean campus.  I admit, I like to check emails or text while walking from place to place but we are too dependent on techology and we need to fix that.  Try leaving your cell phone at home one day and pay attention to all the things you have forgotten about. 

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost (poetry)

This poem is about the author standing in the woods at a fork in the road. He is deciding what path to take. He mentions that each path is equally worn and "grassy". Also he mentions the fact that no step leads back once you start down a path. Then the author chooses a path and hopes to have the oppertunity to come back and try the other path one day. The author knows he probably won't be able to because he says "I doubted if I should ever come back". The last two lines were my favorite part of this poem. The author says he took the path less traveled by and that made all the difference.

Flash fiction

The flash fiction I found was titled "ghost Bike" by Thomas Cooper. It's about a guy working on his bike in the garage while his wife is upstairs in the bedroom. After he finishes the bike he stumbles up stairs because it would have been time to put his Daughter to sleep. Once his wife see's the paint in his hands she gets dressed and they head to a diner. I get a sence that he has lost his daughter or his whole family in some accident. Maybe he is just imagining his wife. This story just seems dark to me.

Louise Erdrich “The Red Convertible”

This short story was not one of my favorites. It's a narrative by Lyman, who is a member of the Chippewa tribe. The story takes place in 1974. Lyman and his brother buy a red convertible and decide to drive around the world with no specific place in mind. They come across a hitchhiker who is heading to her home in Alaska. They all share some good times together before Henery, the older brother, Has to report for his military duties.

The main theme I got from this story was brotherhood. It's clear that both brothers have a close relationship with each other and there actions prove it. Before Henery left for the war he wanted to give Lyman the red convertible.

Since this story is from Lyman's point of view, why would he want to share this story? I think it's because he Cared for his brother. Maybe he wants to Perserve his brothers memory.

Charlottes web

This was one of my favorite movies growing up. I remember watching it in school a few times as well. This is a story of friendship between a pig and a spider. Charlotte, the spider, is very ill and can't hang on very long. Wilbur, the pig, wants to help charlotte but does not know how to save her so he decides to save her children. Wilbur makes a deal with a rat who is a friend of his, and they are able to bring charlottes babies back to the farm. The ending was my favorite part of this story because it gives me a peaceful feeling. How the author reflects on Wilbur's triumph, and mentions that Wilbur was "well taken care of" proves this.

Li-Young Lee “From Blossoms

This was a very short poem but I had trouble analyzing what the author was trying to say. By looking at the first stanza it seems like the author is buying peaches from a boy. The next stanza I got the idea that the author was eating the peaches because she say "peaches we devour, dusty skin and all". The third stanza I think the author is comparing summer to eating peaches. Im probably wrong on that one but what else could the peach stand for?

Donald Barthelme “The School”

This is the weirdest story I've ever read. Everything from parents to puppies to salamanders all died and I don't know why. The end of the story when the class ask the teacher to make love with Helen, I did not see that coming. But afterwards a gerbil walked in so maybe the idea is that showing love can create life. If someone undrstands this story please feel free to tell me.

“A Silver Dish” by Saul Bellow

The first thing I notice is that death seems to be his favorite subject weather it's The death of a father fighting old age or terriorist excuting prisoners. The author mentions that "the papers give it to you". He means all of the fighting and Murdurs that occur in the world are brought to you by newspaper and television. It usually becomes a Dinner conversation later. That is very true about today's society as well. I would even say that there is a bigger influence of death in the news today. I can't remember the last time I turned on the news or read a paper with no killing or hostile situations. Can anyone else remember?