Shallow Barn and the American Dream

For this week's post I want to talk about Kennedy's "Swallow Barn". Out of what has been read so far I enjoyed this one a lot. I love the images even though they were a little confusing. I love that the first chapter was focused on the house and its grounds. This caught my attention because it seems so different from today's writing, which to me seems like its all about the characters and not so much about the surrounds. I believe that the setting is a key component in in the story, it affects how the character acts in the setting (comfortable vs uncomfortable, etc.) and it allows the reader to feel more like they are in the story.

This leads me into the topic I would like to focus on. The idea that the piece is out dated and that the plantation is/was a symbol of the American Dream. What is the American dream anymore? Is it still to live in a big house? Has it changed that much since this piece was written? My idea of a dream life is to get a good job, get married, live is a house (a comfortable size house), have two cars (one for my husband, one for myself) have some kids (one or two), watch my children grow up and grow old with my husband. Is this a crazy dream? Should I be wishing for a huge house like Brittany Spears, 15 cars, husband after husband, party that never end, etc. I feel like the generations coming consider that their dream.

I do have to say that when I was younger and saw Gone with the Wind the first time I wished I was a Southern Belle and then I read "Scarlet" and still felt that way, but after years of education I don't really want that so much because I know the truth about being a Southern women during that time period.

So what are your thoughts on the American Dream? What do you think it is, but I am not sure anymore.

John Smith I'm not a Fan

I was really excited when I signed up for this course until I saw the big red literature book. Why? Because I took Early American literature a couple semesters ago and this book was very similar. I also have a prior reading relationship with Captain John Smith, who might I add is BORING!! I found John Smith's inventive spelling interesting and frustrating. I think that is the teacher in me. I wanted correct the spelling all the way through. Out of the two pieces I found the one entitled "From The Generall Historie of Virginia" more interesting. I found the description of the Powhatan interesting. He calls them poor salvages, makes comments about the fact that the king has many wives and children. I thought it was also interesting that the children gave John gifts. I take it as John thinks he was superior to them and the Powhatan know it.

When I took the early American lit class we discussed the relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas. I personally think that Pocahontas was just a kind soul that didn't want John to be hurt, but John basically thought she saved him because he was superior to her. European men were very egocentric in my opinion. He also shows his egocentric nature when he talks about himself in the third person, which I find really annoying. I definitely can't wait till we move on to more modern literature, but for now I will work through it.