The focusing question for this essay is: How can we live in a free country, but not necessarily be free? In class we read “Maggie” which was a story concerning authority, freedom ruining of relationships, and rights. I read two essays to answer the focus question. The first reading was “The Meaning of Freedom in the Age of Emancipation” by Eric Foner which explored American life and the promise of freedom, the history of freedom, and the boundaries of freedom. The second reading was “An Examination of Domestic Violence in an African American Community in North Carolina” which focused on causes and consequences of domestic violence within the black community. Nisi Shawl essay “Maggies” explore the concept of being in slavery. The similarities I saw in the essay to slavery were: plantation theme, the father (master), Tata (slave woman), and how the love between the Maggies and child were ruined by the father (not having the free will to love who you want). “The Meaning of Freedom in the Age of Emancipation” correlates with concept of being free. Eric Foner explored the meaning of freedom amongst different groups. Many groups have not fully shared the promise of American life. From the beginning of our history, freedom has been the innermost value for many Americans and a harsh mockery of others. Freedom has many different definitions depending on the situation. For slaves freedom was something they wanted and needed to have an equal life in America. White men had more freedom than any other race and gender in America. Chien Ju Huang and Tiffany Gunn essay “An Examination of Domestic Violence in an African American Community in North Carolina” explores more of the physical and emotional state of being free. When a person is involved in a domestic situation they tend to be in bondage physically and mentally. They are free by law, but tend to let men take their rights and freedom away. When a woman allows her mind to be taken over that’s when her freedom is really lost. After reading the three essays I applied them to the focus question (How can we live in a free country, but not be necessarily be free?) and concluded that freedom is what we interpret it to be. We live in a free country by law, but our personal lives tend to take our freedom away. Some people lose their freedom to there jobs, husbands, and society. After reading all the essays, I started to wonder if Blacks have accepted a slavery state of mind. As read in the article about domestic violence, Black women have a higher rate than any other race. It seems like the bondage put on women and Blacks during slavery still exist today even though we are free by law.
Work Cited Nisi Shawl essay “Maggies”(2004)
Chien Ju Huang & Tiffany Gunn “An Examination of Domestic Violence in an African American Community in North Carolina Causes and Consequences”(2001)
Eric Foner “The Meaning of Freedom in the Age of Emancipation”(2004)
Interracial Relationships Nisi Shawl’s Maggies was an extremely interesting read. I was really blown away with the skill of Shaw’s detailed futuristic examples of the “modern” family. In reading the stories, I was a little discouraged with the social positions the Maggies were thought to uphold. They were looked on as creatures not accepted in social standards and viewed upon as almost futuristic slaves. I was really taken back at the relationship Tata and the father developed through the story. I though of the idea of the two in an actual relationship was a wonderful addition to the story. On page 290, we were introduced to Tata’s ideas about the two actually having a relationship in the society their society. She quotes, “It is unlikely that love will progress for both of us. Because your father knows this as well as I d, though we both wish we didn’t, because your father is strong for me, and I am weak for him. Because, because, because……”. I was so drawn back to the realization society wouldn’t accept the two as a relationship due to the race and social standings of each character. With this story being futuristic, I was questioned with the idea: will this still be an issue in the future? Racial intermarriage has long been a source of anxiety in America. I researched my home town cities history of intermarriage laws and found after World War II, Senator Theodore G. Bilbo of Mississippi defended white supremacy in a book titled "Take Your Choice: Separation or Mongrelization." Like other racists of his era, Bilbo believed that an inevitable result of dismantling segregation would be the amalgamation of the races through intermarriage. He was right: since the U.S. Supreme Court, in Loving v. Virginia (1967), struck down the last antidiscrimination laws of the states, marriage across racial lines has grown at a remarkable rate." In society today, inner racial relationships are looked upon more willingly than before. There are so many support groups, books, and even classes to promote inner racial relationships. I find it very inspiring to read of actual couples and members of inner racial families and the fight to be “normal”. It helps me to understand and enjoy that love comes in every color and shines even brighter when told not to. Interracial relationships display the natural results of a world full of Ethnic groups, and variety living in harmony. Interracial relationships combine the new ideas and customs of two diverse people into one exciting and culturally rich blend. Interracial relationships display such variety to society. The world should look at all relationships as love between two people without regard to their race. With the increase of interracial acceptance, couples become more accepted as part of the norm. We are seeing a gradual disintegration of long-standing obstacles and negative thinking opposing interracial dating and marriage. Often due to constraints, timidity, or lack of opportunity many people who would like to explore interracial relationships are unable to do so. Many reasons are due to the up brining of possible relationship desirers. We all need to view this as not an issue for society to look down upon, but rather as an inspiration for our human race and what is to come.
Music has been around longer than any one of us can imagine and I’m sure that no one would disagree when I say that it plays a big role in our society. In the world of music, much literature has been written on a simple question; does music affect a person’s mental state or mood, and if so how? I have decided to research this question and in doing so have chosen to analyze three texts: Samuel Delany’s story “Corona,” “Music and the Brain” by Laurence O’Donnell, and “The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood” published by two staff members at Pennsylvania State University. Delany writes of a two people in his story, a young girl named Lee and a slow man named Buddy. In the story a certain song affected both of these character’s actions. The other two texts that I have chosen present two different views on how music affects a person’s mood.
“Corona” by Samuel Delany is a work of speculative fiction that centers on a young girl of nine years old named Lee. This child has suffered a substantial amount of mental trauma due to events that she has been through and things that she has seen. The little girl is being kept at a hospital because of her mental state and attempted suicides. In the hospital there is also a somewhat slow man named Buddy. At some point in the story both of these characters are affected by a certain song, unfortunately in a negative manner. First Buddy is affected by the song, which happens to be where the story gets its title. The song is called Corona and it plays often in the hospital due to its popularity on the airwaves. When it begins to play it is clear that the song is highly engaging because everyone who is within hearing range begins to talk about the song and its artist’s popularity. While Buddy at first says that he enjoys the music, he quickly begins to experience an adverse effect of its sound. It beings when he felt “ a surge of disorder” and is followed a few moments later when “something inside went wild” (Delany, 258.) His fits ended when the last bit of the song ended as well showing that there was a good chance that his fit stemmed from the song. Later while Lee is meeting with Dr. Gross she tries to kill herself when she is discussing whether or not she enjoyed the song. While this song has had apparent negative effects on both these characters early on in the story, at the end its affect changes completely for Lee. After Lee had begun to spend time with Buddy in the hospital, helping him, the song actually makes her less depressed. In the last line of the story as she lies in her cot she can hear Corona playing, and it says that it made her feel a little less like dying (Delany, 275.) The fact that the characters seem to experience negative effects on their mental state due to the song implies that the song has some power over their brains that they cannot help. For some reason this song makes them behave in a harmful way, though in the end we see it in a slightly more positive light.
The other two texts that I am analyzing put forth two different views on if and what causes music to have such an effect on our mental states. In the article “ The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Two employees of Pennsylvania State University write about a study they did to determine how music affects mood. In their study, Valerie Stratton and Annette Zalanowski examined 72 subjects. They varied their study by telling three different types of stories (happy, sad, or neutral) accompanied by background music (pleasant, depressing, or none.) They found that with the neutral story instruction, the music they played determined the mood of the participants. However, the happy and sad story instructions super-ceded any effect of the music (Stratton and Zalanowski, 125.) The sad story instructions were most effective, causing the participants to feel depressed and experience decreased positive affect in all three musical conditions. Their conclusion to the study is that the mood responses to music depend on cognitive processes instead of the music itself (Stratton and Zalanowski, 127.) It is the belief of these two women that it is not music that effects mood but more so the cognitive processes being experienced at the same time. It implies that your state of mind will effect how the music affects you. If you are feeling happy then it is not likely that a slightly depressing song will send you into fits. Also, if you are feeling depressed it is not likely that all it will take is a positive song to put you back on the right track. It is implied by this study that mood is not so much affected by music but more so by cognition, and no matter what type of music you are listening to, its effects are outweighed by everything else. They are definitive in saying that music does not determinately affect mood.
In “Music and the Brain” O’Donnell states that not only does music Definitely effect your mood but it also does so on a psychological basis. He states that your body performs certain responses to music that causes your mood to change. He says that certain types of music such as classical from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of the music and as it does this, the body becomes relaxed and alert and the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Another positive effect of music is that it can be used for stress management and memory problems, says O’Donnell. He states that beats and order in music is what causes these effects. The brain works by looking at different pieces of information and deciding if they are different or the same. This is done in music of the baroque and classical periods by playing a theme and then repeating or changing the theme. The repetition is only done once. More than one repetition causes the music to become displeasing, and also causes a person to either enter a state of sub-conscious thinking or a state of anger (O’Donnell.) He also states that an Australian doctor discovered that all muscles in the body go weak when subjected to what is called the “stopped anapestic beat” that we often hear in rock music such as Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, and The Doors (O’Donnell.) He says this also causes alarm in the body, weakened work performance, learning and behavior problems in children and general malaise in adults. It is clear from O’Donnell’s article to see that he believes that music affects the body and mood in both positive and negative ways. He believes that it is the order and beats in the music that affects the body and causes these changes in mood and behavior but that the music is affecting mood nonetheless.
While Stratton and Zalanowski believe that music does not have a great influence on the mood of an individual, O’Donnell takes the opposite approach stating that music greatly influences the body’s ability to function properly and maintain a positive disposition. It also seems to be the idea in “Corona” that music causes certain changes in temperament as well. Stratton and Zalanowski seem to think that cognition plays a more important role in a person’s mental state that music, and that music is simply in the background. O’Donnell states many benefits and negativities that music can have on the body and also states many different reasons for these effects. All three of these texts put forth ideas about whether music affects mood and how it manages to do so. O’Donnells beliefs that music affects the body and mind in a physiological way is appealing because it gives a scientific answer as to how and why we react to music like we do. While this is appealing, Stratton and Zalanowski’s opposing view that music does not really affect mood is appealing as well. Their view states that there are other factors to blame for switches in disposition.
After reading these texts Stratton and Zalanowski’s views do tie in to Delany’s story and help make sense of the song’s effects on Lee. At the beginning Lee is very depressed because of all she has been through which is when the song makes her want to kill herself. At the end after she has been allowed to spend time with Buddy and to help him, her disposition seems to be in a better state which is when the song makes her feel less like killing herself. If we believed what Stratton and Zalanowski put out there then it makes sense as to why the song would affect Lee in one way and then have a completely different effect on her later in the story. In the beginning when she was depressed, she took the song in a negative way and in the end when she is feeling a little better about her situation, the song is not quite as detrimental to her well being. My belief on this subject lies somewhere in the middle of the three different texts. I believe that music does affect mood, but I also believe that the mental state that you are in before listening to the music plays in to how you react upon hearing certain songs. I’m sure that certain music can make a person want to kill themselves, but only if that person is severely depressed anyway. I do not believe that a certain song can send someone into a fit or cause them to want to kill themselves because of the sheer power of the song as in “Corona” but I do believe that music can make a bad mood worse or on good occasions, make a bad mood better. While music affects mood, I think it is more so the mood that you are already in that dictates the way that music affects you.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004.
O’Donnell, Laurence. “Music and the Brain.” Brain and Mind. 05 October 2007 http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n15/mente/musica.html
Stratton, Valerie and Annette Zalanowski. “The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Psychology of Music. 19 (1991): 121-127.
How Does Music Affect a Person’s Mood? How does music affect one’s mood? It can have positive connections that help people cope with their daily life or it can have negative connections that trigger something in the brain to make a person do something that they wouldn’t normally do. In the short story, Corona, singer Bryan Faust and his song “Corona”,, shows us the different effects that music may have on one’s emotions and mood swings. The first character we meet is Buddy. Buddy appears to have a very violent mood swing when listening to the song “Corona”. You hear the shouts as the author describes the commotion, “He’s gone berserk!” Then we meet the net character, Lee, a very bright but disturbed girl. For Lee, the music of Bryan Faust is apparently the only thing that can save her as she visits with her doctor. She is upset, and as her doctor tries to help her, she shouts, “But you can’t help! Your thoughts, they’re just as clumsy and imprecise as they others! How can you- you- you help people who’re afraid and confused because their own minds have formed the wrong associations! How!” Lee is able to hear things that other people are thinking. Bryan Faust’s music is the only thing that can help her to tune this out. It makes her calm and feel somewhat normal. She feels good. Lee feels a little less like dying when she hears Bryan Faust’s music. In a study done by the Institute of Heartmath, showed that different types of music have certain effects on tension, mood, and mental clarity. Designer music was most effective in increasing positive feelings and decreasing negative feelings. Results suggested that designer music may by useful in the treatment of tension, mental distractions, and negative moods. In the short story, Corona, Bryan Faust’s son has an effect on Lee that seems to give her some sort of mental distraction from her disturbia and negative moods. It gives her clarity during her day. In a study done at Edinburgh University, second year medical students found that “the ability of music to affect someone emotionally is connected to how the music is received, and how it interests the listener.” In Corona, we find that the connection that Lee has with the music is a very positive one. It makes her feel good. She is able to relax, and become more positive. When the music is no longer playing though, she returns to her negative and disturbed state.
"The effects of different types of music on mood, tension, and mental clarity." www.heartmath.org/research/research-papers/effect-music-mood.html
"Effects of music and sound on human health." www.rmhiherbal.org/review/2002-1html
Living in America, you think you are a free person, but you must conform to all of society’s rules or you will end up a prisoner in this free country. In the essay Maggies, the question of how free are you really, came up. The story Corona, however, made me realize that freedom does come at a price.
As I read Maggies, I kept thinking how free we actually are. I thought about my question and I came up with many rules we must follow. Examples include your job, parents, laws, and relationships. The first example, your job, proves how we are free to an extent. At work, we can do what we want, as long as we finish our job. If you do not do your job, then your boss will fire you. The next example is living with your parents. While I lived with my parents, I was able to do anything I wanted, as long as I made good grades in school and did not stay out passed curfew. Again, I thought I was free, but once I broke a rule, I was punished. Obeying the law is necessary. The law is simple… if you do the crime, you pay the time. Yes, these laws are here to protect us, but America is supposed to be a free country. How can this be a free country with all of its rules and regulations? The last example that came to my head is the “hidden” rules in relationships. When you are dating someone, you automatically know not to call other people or go off with other people.
In Maggies Tata and Kayley are friends. They come from two different backgrounds, but they still find things in common. They learned from each other. Maggies takes place after the rebellion. I think when Kayley saw her dad and Tata, she realized that Tata had never been completely free. No matter how hard Tat worked, she would always be another “worker” to her father.
In the story Corona, the theme good comes from evil was evident. I would like to think this is not true, but I began thinking about things that happen to me, or around me. The first thing I thought about was a rainbow. You only see a rainbow after a storm. As a little girl, I was told every time it rained that meant God was crying for us and when the rain stopped, God smiled through a rainbow. This story showed me how much people need freedom in their life, and it comes at a price. I thought about the crucifixion. Jesus paid a price to free all of us. We have a choice to be good or bad, believe or not believe. Ours sins are forgiven. Without this crucifixion, what would we be doing now?
In conclusion, I have given examples of how our freedom is limited and comes at a price. I do believe living in America is freer than living in a communist country. Yes, we do have laws to follow, but those laws are there to protect us. It is because of those laws that when I read Maggies I knew something was not right. So, ask yourself, how free are you? I believe we can be as free as we want, as long as it is for good.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 256-275.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 276-293.
“[Michael] Canale’s definition of communication, ‘the exchange and negotiation of information between at least two individuals through the use of verbal and nonverbal symbols…’ illustrates that fact that communication is plurimodal.” (Allen 469)
Nisi Shawl delves into the worlds of racial and social status in her short story, Maggies, but it is also a story of communication. The story follows Kayley, a young human girl, as she befriends Tata, a member of the genetically engineered race known as “maggies,” during a terraforming operation. Shawl takes the traditional “coming of age” story to a new level as Kayley learns to navigate the treacherous world of adult relationships, communication, and social status.
Humans and maggies are shown to have different forms of communication. Humans mostly rely on verbal communication. However, when among their own kind, “maggies mostly signed.” (Shawl 279) Due to this difference in communicative approach, communication between humans and maggies is portrayed as often being strained. When Kayley follows Tata to the maggies’ Quarters, the resulting conversation regarding Kayley’s presence is strictly verbal due to an “embargo on visual broadcasts from [inside the maggies’] Habs.” (Shawl 279) This rebuff of visual communication saddens Kayley, who’s become fascinated with Tata’s removable skin and her means of nonverbal communication. Kayley later explains this fascination by saying that “[w]ithin their skins, maggies are able to communicate multiple messages simultaneously, with ironic, historical, and critical commentaries layered in over several levels.” (Shawl 280)
Even though Shawl’s story is pure fantasy, it contains a degree of truth regarding nonverbal communication. “Experts in nonverbal communication estimate that at least 65% of the meaning in any social situation is conveyed nonverbally.” (Allen 469) Once Kayley becomes accustomed to Tata’s nonverbal clues, to be suddenly cut off from these visual signals leaves the girl wondering about the maggie’s true meaning behind the words spoken:
“My task here is to be rapidly accomplished. Then I can return with you. Would this carry adequate compensation?” I wasn’t exactly sure what she meant. Compensation for what? (Shawl 279)
Although Shawl doesn’t describe in full detail the nonverbal communication gestures of the maggies, the reader can reasonably assume from the description given by Kayley that it is similar to modern languages in that it is a “doubly structured, syntactically coded, socially acquired and shared linguistic system.” (Washabaugh 238)
The maggies preference for nonverbal communication with others of their species attributes to the view within the story’s context of maggies being considered by some humans as little more than animals. (Shawl 291) Their use of a form of sign language is given as a visual clue to the maggies lower social status. However, it is not meant to reflect upon their intelligence or inability to communicate sophisticated concepts with humans. Kayley’s statement that “Signs are better than words for expressing all sorts of concepts” (Shawl 284) mirrors modern sign linguist theory that sign-based languages are “internally structured to the same sophisticated way as oral languages.” (Washabaugh 245)
Maggies, as a work of science or speculative fiction, does a wonderful job in highlighting the main themes of communication and social status. Perhaps the best lesson to be learned from Shawl’s work is that without a clearly defined method of communication – whether oral or nonverbal – society will always be faced with the quandary of status and race.
Works Cited
Allen, Linda Quinn. “Functions of Nonverbal Communication in Teaching and Learning a Foreign Language.” The French Review, Vol. 72, No. 3. February 1999.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Sheree R. Thomas, Ed. Warner: New York. 2004.
Washabaugh, William. “Sign Language in its Social Context.” Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 10. 1981.
Reilly Chunn October 4th, 2007 Contemporary Black Fiction
Thoughts on the Relation Between Slavery, Indentured Servitude, and Governmental Debt
In Buying Primo Time, a woman sells off years of her life and potentially her children’s lives in order to gain money as well as give her children and herself a fighting chance in what the world has become in that time. The question is what is the difference between someone being bonded into slavery and someone being held into debt from an authoritative outfit such as the government?
Most notably, moreso than anything else, slaves have no benefit whatsoever from being enslaved other than to gain resolve to escape from their own incarceration. But when someone is in debt as this woman is, she puts herself in much of the same position, albeit she is in free society. Her actions, her life and her thoughts will be dictated by those people to whom she is indebted. Most would consider her actions as a method of selling her soul. And indeed she does sell her soul and her body in order to gain things that are worldly and she would not or could not otherwise gain.
In Maggies, there is also a sense of this inhumanity (of a sort) but rather in terms of a mother fighting for the future of her children, it is in regards to the androids that populate that time. Conversely, the droid does not recognize its servitude as indentured or its function as that of a slave. The woman voluntarily gives up certain freedoms and liberties in order to procure a more financially and, in an overall scheme of things, stable way of life, despite what she endures. The question that must be asked is which path is worse--- To voluntarily submit or to be born into that sort of submission?
Focusing Question: Will the term “nigger” still be used in the future?
Thesis statement: Both Maxwell and Nelson agree that the term “nigger” has a very hurtful and hateful past as a slur against black people, yet they disagree on whether or not it should or will be used in the future. This made me question the future connotations or use of the term.
Summary of Maxwell: In his article “‘Nigger’: The Slur of Slurs” Bill Maxwell sets out to “open a linguistic window for the rest of the world, especially the white world, into the rich use of the ability of black Americans to buffet a hostile environment by creating neologisms from an epithet.” He is referring specifically to the use of the term ‘nigger.’ Maxwell thinks it is ridiculous for black Americans to try and get rid of the term. He maintains that while the word ‘nigger’ has had a very racist and hurtful connotation in referring to black people, that in the current day and age, it is a perfectly acceptable form of affection amongst blacks. He ridicules the current movement amongst Americans of all different cultures to strike the term ‘nigger’ from the “Miriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary” calling it “a mess.” Maxwell asserts that if African Americans simply own the term and use it only in affection and not as a slur, then the hurtful past of the term will soon be forgotten. He also calls it “ridiculous” to try and “edit our history books in the name of political correctness.” He understands that black people may be offended if the word is used by someone of another skin color, particularly white people, but states that if blacks push the issue of striking ‘nigger’ from other peoples’ vocabularies that “all publications—black or white or otherwise—should not be permitted to use it, including ‘Juba and Jive’ and ‘Black Talk’.” After making this statement, Maxwell concludes that the meanings of words evolve, and that this evolution can be controlled by those who use the words. One can deduce then, that Maxwell indeed envisions a future in which the term ‘nigger’ is no longer considered offensive. Rob Nelson totally disagrees with Maxwell’s argument.
Summary of Nelson: In contrast, Rob Nelson attacks the use of the term in any context. In his article “The Word ‘Nigga’ Is Only For Slaves and Sambos” He states that for blacks, there is no greater insult than to be referred to as a ‘nigger.’ Nelson finds it particularly disturbing that this term has made its way into the everyday language of black Americans, calling it ridiculous. He says, “There is a huge price to pay when the word ‘nigga’ is used as a term of affection amongst African Americans.” Instead of owning the term and redefining it by using ‘nigga’ in everyday language, Nelson asserts that this action only causes “blacks to continue to be shackled by their own lock and key…it’s self-defeating…(and) creates and atmosphere of acceptance (to a racial slur)…” Clearly, Nelson would hotly debate anyone, especially and African American for using and promoting the use of such a term. Nelson also attacks the term “the N-word” saying that referring to it in such a way in an effort for political correctness numbs one to the past and current hurtful connotations of the word. Nelson even takes things one step further. Responding to the claim that by pronouncing the term ‘nigga’ instead of ‘nigger’ completely changes the meaning of the term from that of hate to that of affection amongst black people, particularly black males, Nelson responds, “No matter what’s done with the last syllable of the word, it doesn’t make it any less offensive or demeaning.” Nelson concludes his article by powerfully asserting that inequality will exist as long as ‘nigger’ is used, whatever the context. So, who has rendered the correct verdict, and what does this mean for the future of the term “nigger”?
Analysis of Texts: In “Corona” Delany has written a white character that casually refers to a young black girl as “a little nigger girl.” Upon my first reading of this line, I was shocked. “Corona” is set in the distant future. Why would an African American writing in the 1960s assume that this term would still be used? My thoughts shed some light on my own expectations of the future; I guess I have always just assumed that in a few hundred years the term ‘nigger’ would no longer be a part of the everyday English vocabulary. After going back and rereading the line in the context of the paragraphs before and after it, I realized that the white character was using ‘nigger’ as a descriptive term, not one as a slur. Obviously, Delany believed that the term would still be used in the future, but would not be a term connotating hate or degradation. I had never considered this, and so it got me to thinking: What is the future of the term “Nigger”? I began researching this question and came upon two articles; both articles only served to multiply my questions on the issue. Maxwell and Nelson each present a strong case for their argument. The fact that they are both African American males only serves to add to their credit. Although they both agree on the fact that the term ‘nigger’ has had a very hurtful history when used to refer to black people, they disagree on the appropriateness of the continued use of the term.
After reading these articles, I realized that I do not fully agree with either Nelson or Maxwell, yet find it hard to render my own verdict on the topic. As a white person, I was raised that it was never inappropriate to refer to a black person as a ‘nigger.’ Also, I certainly never refer to my close friends as being my ‘niggas.’ Personally, I believe that the hurtful history of the term is reason enough for people not to use it. At the same time, I have no problem when black people use the term. I suppose it’s really a Catch-22. As for the future of the term ‘nigger’ or ‘nigga’ I believe it will still be used, but with a neutral connotation, much like its use in “Corona.” Perhaps it will simply be viewed as a descriptive term derived from the Spanish ‘negro’ or the French ‘negre.’ I’m not sure if this will come about from African Americans embracing the term, or just a general cycle of words changing meaning over centuries. Really, only time will tell. The poor connotation of the term is based on the idea of different “races” of people. I’d like to think that the word will become neutral because people of different cultures will become more enlightened on the idea of race and realize that we are all the same, just of different cultures. Perhaps, it would become such a neutral term that people, both black and white, would cease to use it. For now, I share the viewpoint of the folks at “Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary” on the issue of completely striking the term ‘nigger’ from the dictionary as well as historical documents. They issued the following statement: “We have made it clear that the use of this word as a racial slur is abhorrent to us, but it is nonetheless part of language, and as such, it is our duty as dictionary makers to report on it. To do less would simply mislead people by creating the false impression that racial slurs are no longer part of our culture; and that, tragically, is not the case.”
Statement of Surprising New View: Perhaps, it would become such a neutral term that people, both black and white, will cease to use it.
Essay 3 (Completed) The Future of the Term “Nigger”
In “Corona” Delany has written a white character that casually refers to a young black girl as “a little nigger girl.” Upon my first reading of this line, I was shocked. “Corona” is set in the distant future. Why would an African American writing in the 1960s assume that this term would still be used? My thoughts shed some light on my own expectations of the future; I guess I have always just assumed that in a few hundred years the term ‘nigger’ would no longer be a part of the everyday English vocabulary. After going back and rereading the line in the context of the paragraphs before and after it, I realized that the white character was using ‘nigger’ as a descriptive term, not one as a slur. Obviously, Delany believed that the term would still be used in the future, but would not be a term connotating hate or degradation. I had never considered this, and so it got me to thinking: What is the future of the term “Nigger”? I began researching this question and came upon two articles; both articles only served to multiply my questions on the issue. Maxwell and Nelson each present a strong case for their argument. The fact that they are both African American males only serves to add to their credit. Both Maxwell and Nelson agree that the term “nigger” has a very hurtful and hateful past as a slur against black people, yet they disagree on whether or not it should or will be used in the future. This made me question the future connotations or use of the term.
In his article “‘Nigger’: The Slur of Slurs” Bill Maxwell sets out to “open a linguistic window for the rest of the world, especially the white world, into the rich use of the ability of black Americans to buffet a hostile environment by creating neologisms from an epithet.” He is referring specifically to the use of the term ‘nigger.’ Maxwell thinks it is ridiculous for black Americans to try and get rid of the term. He maintains that while the word ‘nigger’ has had a very racist and hurtful connotation in referring to black people, that in the current day and age, it is a perfectly acceptable form of affection amongst blacks. He ridicules the current movement amongst Americans of all different cultures to strike the term ‘nigger’ from the “Miriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary” calling it “a mess.” Maxwell asserts that if African Americans simply own the term and use it only in affection and not as a slur, then the hurtful past of the term will soon be forgotten. He also calls it “ridiculous” to try and “edit our history books in the name of political correctness.” He understands that black people may be offended if the word is used by someone of another skin color, particularly white people, but states that if blacks push the issue of striking ‘nigger’ from other peoples’ vocabularies that “all publications—black or white or otherwise—should not be permitted to use it, including ‘Juba and Jive’ and ‘Black Talk’.” After making this statement, Maxwell concludes that the meanings of words evolve, and that this evolution can be controlled by those who use the words. One can deduce then, that Maxwell indeed envisions a future in which the term ‘nigger’ is no longer considered offensive. Rob Nelson totally disagrees with Maxwell’s argument.
In contrast, Rob Nelson attacks the use of the term in any context. In his article “The Word ‘Nigga’ Is Only For Slaves and Sambos” He states that for blacks, there is no greater insult than to be referred to as a ‘nigger.’ Nelson finds it particularly disturbing that this term has made its way into the everyday language of black Americans, calling it ridiculous. He says, “There is a huge price to pay when the word ‘nigga’ is used as a term of affection amongst African Americans.” Instead of owning the term and redefining it by using ‘nigga’ in everyday language, Nelson asserts that this action only causes “blacks to continue to be shackled by their own lock and key…it’s self-defeating…(and) creates and atmosphere of acceptance (to a racial slur)…” Clearly, Nelson would hotly debate anyone, especially and African American for using and promoting the use of such a term. Nelson also attacks the term “the N-word” saying that referring to it in such a way in an effort for political correctness numbs one to the past and current hurtful connotations of the word. Nelson even takes things one step further. Responding to the claim that by pronouncing the term ‘nigga’ instead of ‘nigger’ completely changes the meaning of the term from that of hate to that of affection amongst black people, particularly black males, Nelson responds, “No matter what’s done with the last syllable of the word, it doesn’t make it any less offensive or demeaning.” Nelson concludes his article by powerfully asserting that inequality will exist as long as ‘nigger’ is used, whatever the context. So, who has rendered the correct verdict, and what does this mean for the future of the term “nigger”?
After reading these articles, I realized that I do not fully agree with either Nelson or Maxwell, yet find it hard to render my own verdict on the topic. As a white person, I was raised that it was never inappropriate to refer to a black person as a ‘nigger.’ Also, I certainly never refer to my close friends as being my ‘niggas.’ Personally, I believe that the hurtful history of the term is reason enough for people not to use it. At the same time, I have no problem when black people use the term. I suppose it’s really a Catch-22. As for the future of the term ‘nigger’ or ‘nigga’ I believe it will still be used, but with a neutral connotation, much like its use in “Corona.” Perhaps it will simply be viewed as a descriptive term derived from the Spanish ‘negro’ or the French ‘negre.’ I’m not sure if this will come about from African Americans embracing the term, or just a general cycle of words changing meaning over centuries. Really, only time will tell. The poor connotation of the term is based on the idea of different “races” of people. I’d like to think that the word will become neutral because people of different cultures will become more enlightened on the idea of race and realize that we are all the same, just of different cultures. For now, I share the viewpoint of the folks at “Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary” on the issue of completely striking the term ‘nigger’ from the dictionary as well as historical documents. They issued the following statement: “We have made it clear that the use of this word as a racial slur is abhorrent to us, but it is nonetheless part of language, and as such, it is our duty as dictionary makers to report on it. To do less would simply mislead people by creating the false impression that racial slurs are no longer part of our culture; and that, tragically, is not the case.”
Works Cited
“Boycott Threatened Over Dictionary Definition of the Word ‘Nigger’.” News and Views. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. No. 18. Winter, 1997-1998. 45-46.
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 256-275.
Maxwell, Bill. “‘Nigger’: The Slur of Slurs.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. No. 18. Winter, 1997-1998. 44.
Nelson, Rob. “The Word ‘Nigga’ Is Only For Slaves and Sambas.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. No 21. Autumn, 1998. 117.
Comments from Felicia Hall for Essay 3 October 15, 2007
SkyyBlu: I really like your statement that many things can take our freedom from us, especially things that are a result of our choices. Just because we live in a “free” country doesn’t automatically correlate with us living “free” lives.
Lauren: I like that you brought attention to the fact that interracial couples tend to have very rich lives because they are combining two cultures. However, I suppose that many opponents to interracial marriages would assert that this “mixing” could eventually lead to a loss of an entire culture.
Scoobie: You did a great job of describing the power of music and the way it can alter a person’s mood. I also like that you brought out the point that music that appeals to one person can also disgust someone else.
Bridget: You did an excellent job of thoroughly synthesizing the articles and coming up with your own conclusion. This was certainly an interesting essay to read.
Jennifer: You did a good job of identifying the effect of music on the characters in “Corona.”
Whitney: Your thought that because of the laws in America you were able to sense that something was “off” in the story was on point. I knew something was “off” but didn’t realize it was directly because I am so used to the laws in our country.
Kathryn: I like your thought that music has the ability to suppress emotions (Lee not wanting to die while listening to the song), but I disagree that the story is completely bleak. I think it ends with a bit of hope.
JKHolmes: You did an amazing job of discovering that one of the main problems between the Maggies and the humans was a lack of communication, and miscommunication through nonverbal cues!
Reilly: “…which path is worse—To voluntarily submit, or to be born into that sort of submission?” Interesting question! I wish you would’ve delved deeper as to the answer.
Sanavieai: Enjoyed reading this essay. “Music has an undercurrent of subliminal messages that translate beauty, peace, and justice.” What about music with the sole purpose of spreading hate?
Constance: You did a good job of pointing out that we appreciate the good times more because of the bad times we’ve been through. Although I personally know this, I do not often think of this when life gets hard, and I also often forget to be thankful when times are good.
Whitney Hubbert October 8, 2007 Essay 3 Freedom or Prisoner
Focusing Question How free are we, living in America?
Thesis Statement Living in America, you think you are a free person, but you must conform to all of society’s rules or you will end up a prisoner in this free country. In the essay Maggies, the question of how free are you really, came up. The story Corona, however, made me realize that freedom does come at a price.
Summary of Maggies
As I read Maggies, I kept thinking how free we actually are. I thought about my question and I came up with many rules we must follow. Examples include your job, parents, laws, and relationships. The first example, your job, proves how we are free to an extent. At work, we can do what we want, as long as we finish our job. If you do not do your job, then your boss will fire you. The next example is living with your parents. While I lived with my parents, I was able to do anything I wanted, as long as I made good grades in school and did not stay out passed curfew. Again, I thought I was free, but once I broke a rule, I was punished. Obeying the law is necessary. The law is simple… if you do the crime, you pay the time. Yes, these laws are here to protect us, but America is supposed to be a free country. How can this be a free country with all of its rules and regulations? The last example that came to my head is the “hidden” rules in relationships. When you are dating someone, you automatically know not to call other people or go off with other people.
In Maggies Tata and Kayley are friends. They come from two different backgrounds, but they still find things in common. They learned from each other. Maggies takes place after the rebellion. I think when Kayley saw her dad and Tata, she realized that Tata had never been completely free. No matter how hard Tat worked, she would always be another “worker” to her father.
Summary of Corona
In the story Corona, the theme good comes from evil was evident. I would like to think this is not true, but I began thinking about things that happen to me, or around me. The first thing I thought about was a rainbow. You only see a rainbow after a storm. As a little girl, I was told every time it rained that meant God was crying for us and when the rain stopped, God smiled through a rainbow. This story showed me how much people need freedom in their life, and it comes at a price. I thought about the crucifixion. Jesus paid a price to free all of us. We have a choice to be good or bad, believe or not believe. Ours sins are forgiven. Without this crucifixion, what would we be doing now?
Statement of Risky or Surprising New View
In conclusion, I have given examples of how our freedom is limited and comes at a price. I do believe living in America is freer than living in a communist country. Yes, we do have laws to follow, but those laws are there to protect us. It is because of those laws that when I read Maggies I knew something was not right. So, ask yourself, how free are you? I believe we can be as free as we want, as long as it is for good.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 256-275.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 276-293.
Living in America, you think you are a free person, but you must conform to all of society’s rules or you will end up a prisoner in this free country. In the essay Maggies, the question of how free are you really, came up. The story Corona, however, made me realize that freedom does come at a price.
As I read Maggies, I kept thinking how free we actually are. I thought about my question and I came up with many rules we must follow. Examples include your job, parents, laws, and relationships. The first example, your job, proves how we are free to an extent. At work, we can do what we want, as long as we finish our job. If you do not do your job, then your boss will fire you. The next example is living with your parents. While I lived with my parents, I was able to do anything I wanted, as long as I made good grades in school and did not stay out passed curfew. Again, I thought I was free, but once I broke a rule, I was punished. Obeying the law is necessary. The law is simple… if you do the crime, you pay the time. Yes, these laws are here to protect us, but America is supposed to be a free country. How can this be a free country with all of its rules and regulations? The last example that came to my head is the “hidden” rules in relationships. When you are dating someone, you automatically know not to call other people or go off with other people.
In Maggies Tata and Kayley are friends. They come from two different backgrounds, but they still find things in common. They learned from each other. Maggies takes place after the rebellion. I think when Kayley saw her dad and Tata, she realized that Tata had never been completely free. No matter how hard Tat worked, she would always be another “worker” to her father.
In the story Corona, the theme good comes from evil was evident. I would like to think this is not true, but I began thinking about things that happen to me, or around me. The first thing I thought about was a rainbow. You only see a rainbow after a storm. As a little girl, I was told every time it rained that meant God was crying for us and when the rain stopped, God smiled through a rainbow. This story showed me how much people need freedom in their life, and it comes at a price. I thought about the crucifixion. Jesus paid a price to free all of us. We have a choice to be good or bad, believe or not believe. Ours sins are forgiven. Without this crucifixion, what would we be doing now?
In conclusion, I have given examples of how our freedom is limited and comes at a price. I do believe living in America is freer than living in a communist country. Yes, we do have laws to follow, but those laws are there to protect us. It is because of those laws that when I read Maggies I knew something was not right. So, ask yourself, how free are you? I believe we can be as free as we want, as long as it is for good.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 256-275.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 276-293.
(1) State the focusing question. ~What causes citizens of America to become so destitute, either psychologically or materialistically, resulting in their loss of freedom and leading to them becoming aliens in their own country? (2) State the thesis. ~ The stories Maggies written by Nisi Shawl and Corona written by Samuel R. Delany both reflect strong feelings of freedom, pain, and having a true democracy instead of barbarism. (3) 200-250 word summary for Corona ~Corona manages to touch on many issues found within society’s structure today although it was written in the past. Lee was an intelligent little girl and was troubled by how someone could have so much control over people. Lee was bothered because no one could agree on what was right and what was wrong. In her opinion, having harmony is what makes the world better. She befriends Buddy, who by societies standards would not be her associated with her because he is not intelligent and he is poor. Lee does not own these two qualities. The beauty of this relationship is that they understand one another and grow to love one another even though society wants otherwise. The relationship is what helps both Lee and Buddy cope because coping is a huge issue in their lives. Although music is used as a means to relax, in this story the music is causing people to injure themselves. In order to find comfort and cope the characters in this story are focused on helping one another. This is what we should do as Americans in order to help one another as we struggle with poverty and mental illness. Unless we help one another, we will become alienated in our own homeland.
200-250 word summary for Maggies ~Maggies tells us a story of never truly being free and this relates to everything in our lives. In the story, Tata and Kayley come from different backgrounds; however, they manage to keep a great companionship. This is the same as in the story of Corona. However, as time passes on Kayley begins to see the difference and understand why she and Tata are different. It is sad that Tata is seen as a worker or lower class individual, but that is how life is perceived and accepted. Although, the two of them are both human, because they come from two different class systems they are treated differently. An example of this is the India’s caste system, listed from lowest to highest, which has been working for years. They have the untouchables (who are outside of the actual caste system), Shudra (artisans), Vaishya (merchants), Kshatriya (who are rulers, warriors and landowners), and lastly the Brahman’s (priests).
(4)500 word analysis of texts ~The stories Maggies written by Nisi Shawl and Corona written by Samuel R. Delany both reflect strong feelings of freedom, pain, and having a true democracy instead of barbarism. We face these issues all over America today. Freedom not only consists of having the right to vote and the ability to express one’s individuality, but freedom is also having comfort in knowing your country will help you. Corona manages to touch on many issues found within society’s structure today although it was written in the past. Lee was an intelligent little girl and was troubled by how someone could have so much control over people. Lee was bothered because no one could agree on what was right and what was wrong. In her opinion, having harmony is what makes the world better. She befriends Buddy, who by societies standards would not be her associated with her because he is not intelligent and he is poor. Lee does not own these two qualities. The beauty of this relationship is that they understand one another and grow to love one another even though society wants otherwise. The relationship is what helps both Lee and Buddy cope because coping is a huge issue in their lives. Although music is used as a means to relax, in this story the music is causing people to injure themselves. In order to find comfort and cope the characters in this story are focused on helping one another. This is what we should do as Americans in order to help one another as we struggle with poverty and mental illness. Unless we help one another, we will become alienated in our own homeland. Maggies tells us a story of never truly being free and this relates to everything in our lives. In the story, Tata and Kayley come from different backgrounds; however, they manage to keep a great companionship. This is the same as in the story of Corona. However, as time passes on Kayley begins to see the difference and understand why she and Tata are different. It is sad that Tata is seen as a worker or lower class individual, but that is how life is perceived and accepted. Although, the two of them are both human, because they come from two different class systems they are treated differently. An example of this is the India’s caste system, listed from lowest to highest, which has been working for years. They have the untouchables (who are outside of the actual caste system), Shudra (artisans), Vaishya (merchants), Kshatriya (who are rulers, warriors and landowners), and lastly the Brahman’s (priests).
(5)Risky, surprising view ~In conclusion, all of the occurrences I have spoken about can make any individual question what freedom truly is and whether or not we truly have it. In the end what causes such despair and anguish is not necessarily having the material possessions, but it is the selfishness of others, which causes individuals to feel alone and alienated. This spreads like a disease causing conflict and pain. Unless harmony and stability are brought forth, we will all fall.
The Destitute Alien in America
Each day as I carry on with my daily activities I cannot help why the world is the way that it is. I am a very idealistic person, but each time the news comes on I become a little more empathetic due to the chaos, which unfolds before me. The crime in New Orleans, Louisiana is a prime example of senseless and unorganized pain caused through chaos. Nothing is being done about it. The police are still operating out of trailers and the National Guard is still patrolling the area. What is worse is criminals are being released back onto the streets because the District Attorney is not filing paperwork correctly and people are afraid to testify. The inhabitants of New Orleans love their city so much they will not leave even though they are not protected and do not have the respect from the government they deserve. Why is it that their city abandons them? What causes citizens of America to become so destitute, either psychologically or materialistically, resulting in their loss of freedom and leading to them becoming aliens in their own country? The stories Maggies written by Nisi Shawl and Corona written by Samuel R. Delany both reflect strong feelings of freedom, pain, and having a true democracy instead of barbarism. We face these issues all over America today. Freedom not only consists of having the right to vote and the ability to express one’s individuality, but freedom is also having comfort in knowing your country will help you. Corona manages to touch on many issues found within society’s structure today although it was written in the past. Lee was an intelligent little girl and was troubled by how someone could have so much control over people. Lee was bothered because no one could agree on what was right and what was wrong. In her opinion, having harmony is what makes the world better. She befriends Buddy, who by societies standards would not be her associated with her because he is not intelligent and he is poor. Lee does not own these two qualities. The beauty of this relationship is that they understand one another and grow to love one another even though society wants otherwise. The relationship is what helps both Lee and Buddy cope because coping is a huge issue in their lives. Although music is used as a means to relax, in this story the music is causing people to injure themselves. In order to find comfort and cope the characters in this story are focused on helping one another. This is what we should do as Americans in order to help one another as we struggle with poverty and mental illness. Unless we help one another, we will become alienated in our own homeland. Maggies tells us a story of never truly being free and this relates to everything in our lives. In the story, Tata and Kayley come from different backgrounds; however, they manage to keep a great companionship. This is the same as in the story of Corona. However, as time passes on Kayley begins to see the difference and understand why she and Tata are different. It is sad that Tata is seen as a worker or lower class individual, but that is how life is perceived and accepted. Although, the two of them are both human, because they come from two different class systems they are treated differently. An example of this is the India’s caste system, listed from lowest to highest, which has been working for years. They have the untouchables (who are outside of the actual caste system), Shudra (artisans), Vaishya (merchants), Kshatriya (who are rulers, warriors and landowners), and lastly the Brahman’s (priests). In conclusion, all of the occurrences I have spoken about can make any individual question what freedom truly is and whether or not we truly have it. In the end what causes such despair and anguish is not necessarily having the material possessions, but it is the selfishness of others, which causes individuals to feel alone and alienated. This spreads like a disease causing conflict and pain. Unless harmony and stability are brought forth, we will all fall.
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books., 2004. 256 - 275.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 276-293.
for skyyblu I thought it was very interesting how you asked the question whether or not blacks have started to accept the slavery state of mind. Sometimes I have often wondered myself if some individuals have succumbed to that way of thinking.. Why do you think Blacks are accepting that state of mind?
for Lauren I think it's great that you chose to focus on the beauty of ALL relationships. I myself think about that all of the time and I find it to be beautiful to look at diversity.
for Scoobie Interesting outside source and interesting way to incorporate it with the reading of Corona. Great job.
for Bridget I like how you looked at the cognitive and psychological effects of music. Very interesting essay.
for Jenifer Your essay was also very interesting. Great job on identifying how the music effected Lee and Buddy.
for Whitney I like how you observed the fact that although America is looked at as a free country we are not truly free to do as we choose. Great job comparing it to the stories.
Focusing Question: What effect does music play on mood and mental state?
Thesis Statement:
Music affects mental state and mood but outside factors contribute as well.
200-250 word summary of Delany's text:
“Corona” by Samuel Delany is a work of speculative fiction that centers on a young girl of nine years old named Lee. This child has suffered a substantial amount of mental trauma due to events that she has been through and things that she has seen. The little girl stays at a hospital because of this. In the hospital there is also a somewhat slow man named Buddy. At some point in the story both of these characters are affected by a certain song, unfortunately in a negative manner. First Buddy is affected by the song.. The song is called Corona and it plays often in the hospital due to its popularity on the airwaves. While Buddy at first says that he enjoys the music, he quickly begins to experience an adverse effect of its sound. It beings when he felt “ a surge of disorder” and is followed a few moments later when “something inside went wild” (Delany, 258.) His fits ended when the last bit of the song ended as well showing that there was a good chance that his fit stemmed from the song. Later while Lee is meeting with Dr. Gross she tries to kill herself when she is discussing whether or not she enjoyed the song. While this song has had apparent negative effects on both these characters early on in the story, at the end its affect changes completely for Lee. After Lee had begun to spend time with Buddy in the hospital, helping him, the song actually makes her less depressed. In the last line of the story as she lies in her cot she can hear Corona playing, and it says that it made her feel a little less like dying (Delany, 275.)
200-250 word summary of Stratton's and Zalanowski's text:
In the article “ The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Two employees of Pennsylvania State University write about a study they did to determine how music affects mood. In their study, Valerie Stratton and Annette Zalanowski examined 72 subjects. They varied their study by telling three different types of stories (happy, sad, or neutral) accompanied by background music (pleasant, depressing, or none.) They found that with the neutral story instruction, the music they played determined the mood of the participants. However, the happy and sad story instructions super-ceded any effect of the music (Stratton and Zalanowski, 125.) The sad story instructions were most effective, causing the participants to feel depressed and experience decreased positive affect in all three musical conditions. Their conclusion to the study is that the mood responses to music depend on cognitive processes instead of the music itself (Stratton and Zalanowski, 127.) It is the belief of these two women that it is not music that effects mood but more so the cognitive processes being experienced at the same time. It implies that your state of mind will effect how the music affects you. If you are feeling happy then it is not likely that a slightly depressing song will send you into fits. Also, if you are feeling depressed it is not likely that all it will take is a positive song to put you back on the right track. It is implied by this study that mood is not so much affected by music but more so by cognition, and no matter what type of music you are listening to, its effects are outweighed by everything else. They are definitive in saying that music does not determinately affect mood.
200-250 word summary of O'Donnell's text:
In “Music and the Brain” O’Donnell states that not only does music Definitely effect your mood but it also does so on a psychological basis. He states that your body performs certain responses to music that causes your mood to change. He says that certain types of music such as classical from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of the music and as it does this, the body becomes relaxed and alert and the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Another positive effect of music is that it can be used for stress management and memory problems, says O’Donnell. The brain works by looking at different pieces of information and deciding if they are different or the same. This is done in music of the baroque and classical periods by playing a theme and then repeating or changing the theme. The repetition is only done once. More than one repetition causes the music to become displeasing, and also causes a person to either enter a state of sub-conscious thinking or a state of anger (O’Donnell.) He also states that an Australian doctor discovered that all muscles in the body go weak when subjected to what is called the “stopped anapestic beat” that we often hear in rock music such as Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, and The Doors (O’Donnell.) He says this also causes alarm in the body, weakened work performance, learning and behavior problems in children and general malaise in adults.
500 word analysis of texts:
Stratton and Zalanowski seem to think that cognition plays a more important role in a person’s mental state that music, and that music is simply in the background. O’Donnell states many benefits and negativities that music can have on the body and states many different reasons for these effects. All three of these texts put forth ideas about whether music affects mood and how it manages to do so. O’Donnells beliefs that music affects the body and mind in a physiological way is appealing because it gives a scientific answer as to how and why we react to music like we do. While this is appealing, Stratton and Zalanowski’s opposing view that music does not really affect mood is appealing as well. Their view states that there are other factors to blame for switches in disposition. After reading these texts Stratton and Zalanowski’s views do tie in to Delany’s story and help make sense of the song’s effects on Lee. At the beginning Lee is very depressed because of all she has been through which is when the song makes her want to kill herself. At the end after she has been allowed to spend time with Buddy and to help him, her disposition seems to be in a better state, which is when the song makes her feel less like killing herself. If we believed what Stratton and Zalanowski put out there then it makes sense as to why the song would affect Lee in one way and then have a completely different effect on her later in the story. In the beginning when she was depressed, she took the song in a negative way and in the end when she is feeling a little better about her situation, the song is not quite as detrimental to her well being. O’Donnell’s view as applied to Delany’s story gives an entirely different look into why the song affected the characters. He would state that Lee and Buddy were affected not because of their underlying mental states, but because of the beats and stops in the music itself. He would say that it was inevitable that they were affected and their bodies reacted to the music appropriately. But if this is the case, then why does the same song effect Lee differently at the end of the story? If the body has only one choice as to how it reacts to a certain song, the reaction should be the same no matter what the situation. My belief on this subject lies somewhere in the middle of the three different texts. I believe that music does affect mood, but I also believe that the mental state that you are in before listening to the music plays in to how you react upon hearing certain songs. I’m sure that certain music can make a person want to kill themselves, but only if that person is severely depressed anyway. I do not believe that a certain song can send someone into a fit or cause them to want to kill themselves because of the sheer power of the song as in “Corona” but I do believe that music can make a bad mood worse or on good occasions, make a bad mood better.
Statement of Risky or Surprisingly New View:
While music affects mood, I think it is more so the mood that you are already in that dictates the way that music affects you.
Completed Paper:
Bridget Whalen Dr. Alford October 16, 2007
In the world of music, much literature has been written on a simple question; does music affect a person’s mental state or mood, and if so how? I have decided to research this question and in doing so have chosen to analyze three texts: Samuel Delany’s story “Corona,” “Music and the Brain” by Laurence O’Donnell, and “The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood” published by two staff members at Pennsylvania State University. Delany writes of a two people in his story, a young girl named Lee and a slow man named Buddy. In the story a certain song affected both of these character’s actions. The other two texts that I have chosen present two different views on how music affects a person’s mood. “Corona” by Samuel Delany is a work of speculative fiction that centers on a young girl of nine years old named Lee. This child has suffered a substantial amount of mental trauma due to events that she has been through and things that she has seen. The little girl stays at a hospital because of this. In the hospital there is also a somewhat slow man named Buddy. At some point in the story both of these characters are affected by a certain song, unfortunately in a negative manner. First Buddy is affected by the song.. The song is called Corona and it plays often in the hospital due to its popularity on the airwaves. While Buddy at first says that he enjoys the music, he quickly begins to experience an adverse effect of its sound. It beings when he felt “ a surge of disorder” and is followed a few moments later when “something inside went wild” (Delany, 258.) His fits ended when the last bit of the song ended as well showing that there was a good chance that his fit stemmed from the song. Later while Lee is meeting with Dr. Gross she tries to kill herself when she is discussing whether or not she enjoyed the song. While this song has had apparent negative effects on both these characters early on in the story, at the end its affect changes completely for Lee. After Lee had begun to spend time with Buddy in the hospital, helping him, the song actually makes her less depressed. In the last line of the story as she lies in her cot she can hear Corona playing, and it says that it made her feel a little less like dying (Delany, 275.) The other two texts that I am analyzing put forth two different views on if and what causes music to have such an effect on our mental states. In the article “ The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Two employees of Pennsylvania State University write about a study they did to determine how music affects mood. In their study, Valerie Stratton and Annette Zalanowski examined 72 subjects. They varied their study by telling three different types of stories (happy, sad, or neutral) accompanied by background music (pleasant, depressing, or none.) They found that with the neutral story instruction, the music they played determined the mood of the participants. However, the happy and sad story instructions super-ceded any effect of the music (Stratton and Zalanowski, 125.) The sad story instructions were most effective, causing the participants to feel depressed and experience decreased positive affect in all three musical conditions. Their conclusion to the study is that the mood responses to music depend on cognitive processes instead of the music itself (Stratton and Zalanowski, 127.) It is the belief of these two women that it is not music that effects mood but more so the cognitive processes being experienced at the same time. It implies that your state of mind will effect how the music affects you. If you are feeling happy then it is not likely that a slightly depressing song will send you into fits. Also, if you are feeling depressed it is not likely that all it will take is a positive song to put you back on the right track. It is implied by this study that mood is not so much affected by music but more so by cognition, and no matter what type of music you are listening to, its effects are outweighed by everything else. They are definitive in saying that music does not determinately affect mood. In “Music and the Brain” O’Donnell states that not only does music Definitely effect your mood but it also does so on a psychological basis. He states that your body performs certain responses to music that causes your mood to change. He says that certain types of music such as classical from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of the music and as it does this, the body becomes relaxed and alert and the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Another positive effect of music is that it can be used for stress management and memory problems, says O’Donnell. The brain works by looking at different pieces of information and deciding if they are different or the same. This is done in music of the baroque and classical periods by playing a theme and then repeating or changing the theme. The repetition is only done once. More than one repetition causes the music to become displeasing, and also causes a person to either enter a state of sub-conscious thinking or a state of anger (O’Donnell.) He also states that an Australian doctor discovered that all muscles in the body go weak when subjected to what is called the “stopped anapestic beat” that we often hear in rock music such as Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, and The Doors (O’Donnell.) He says this also causes alarm in the body, weakened work performance, learning and behavior problems in children and general malaise in adults. Stratton and Zalanowski seem to think that cognition plays a more important role in a person’s mental state that music, and that music is simply in the background. O’Donnell states many benefits and negativities that music can have on the body and states many different reasons for these effects. All three of these texts put forth ideas about whether music affects mood and how it manages to do so. O’Donnells beliefs that music affects the body and mind in a physiological way is appealing because it gives a scientific answer as to how and why we react to music like we do. While this is appealing, Stratton and Zalanowski’s opposing view that music does not really affect mood is appealing as well. Their view states that there are other factors to blame for switches in disposition. After reading these texts Stratton and Zalanowski’s views do tie in to Delany’s story and help make sense of the song’s effects on Lee. At the beginning Lee is very depressed because of all she has been through which is when the song makes her want to kill herself. At the end after she has been allowed to spend time with Buddy and to help him, her disposition seems to be in a better state, which is when the song makes her feel less like killing herself. If we believed what Stratton and Zalanowski put out there then it makes sense as to why the song would affect Lee in one way and then have a completely different effect on her later in the story. In the beginning when she was depressed, she took the song in a negative way and in the end when she is feeling a little better about her situation, the song is not quite as detrimental to her well being. O’Donnell’s view as applied to Delany’s story gives an entirely different look into why the song affected the characters. He would state that Lee and Buddy were affected not because of their underlying mental states, but because of the beats and stops in the music itself. He would say that it was inevitable that they were affected and their bodies reacted to the music appropriately. But if this is the case, then why does the same song effect Lee differently at the end of the story? If the body has only one choice as to how it reacts to a certain song, the reaction should be the same no matter what the situation. My belief on this subject lies somewhere in the middle of the three different texts. I believe that music does affect mood, but I also believe that the mental state that you are in before listening to the music plays in to how you react upon hearing certain songs. I’m sure that certain music can make a person want to kill themselves, but only if that person is severely depressed anyway. I do not believe that a certain song can send someone into a fit or cause them to want to kill themselves because of the sheer power of the song as in “Corona” but I do believe that music can make a bad mood worse or on good occasions, make a bad mood better. While music affects mood, I think it is more so the mood that you are already in that dictates the way that music affects you.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004.
O’Donnell, Laurence. “Music and the Brain.” Brain and Mind. 05 October 2007 http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n15/mente/musica.html
Stratton, Valerie and Annette Zalanowski. “The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Psychology of Music. 19 (1991): 121-127.
I like how you compare Maggies to a plantation. I had never thought about the set up and the characters in that way. Your descriptions of freedom and the distribution of it is really great too!
To Lauren:
Very good topic. I'm so glad that you decided to write on this controversial subject! I agree with what you say about the world needing interracial relationships. They do add so much to the world!
To Scoobie:
I love the way you started your essay with a story. It really drew me into your essay. Starting with a narrative story is always a good attention grabber!
To Jennifer:
Really good outside source. I wrote on the same topic and almost used that as one of my sources. You did a good job tying in the source.
To Whitney:
You asked a really good question in your essay. That is something we all need to ponder. We live in a "free" country, but what does that mean? Good job of bringing up all the different rules we as Americans must follow.
To Kgarikes:
Very nice essay. I like how you brought up the tie in to the story Faust. I also like how you told all the different meanings of the word Corona.
To jkholmes:
You are such a good writer!!! Your essay was on a really interesting topic and you made it very easy to follow and become interested in.
To rdc501
Very interesting topic. I'm glad you wrote about this because I had never thought about it before. Very easy to read!
To Felecia:
Very good job summarizing your sources. Also, very good topic and final idea. I hope that it does become a neutral term in the future and lessens in use.
To Gucci:
I really love your new idea. Selfishness does play a major role in the alientation and depression of others. Very nice job with the flow of your essay. A very interesting essay.
The focusing question of this essay is: How can a song that inspires one person be hated by another? After reading the two text I decided to analyze for this paper the thesis statement I developed was Music is interpreted by individuals. The first text I decided to use was one of our assigned readings, "Corona" by Samuel Delaney. This short story tells the story of friendship through tragedy and music. The two characters in the story, Buddy and Lee are polar opposites from one another but find their common thread through a singer name Bryan Faust. Faust's song Corona is a big hit with people because of the entrancing and vibrant melody of the song. Buddy is asked by his supervisor why he likes the song and he isn't really able to give a reason; he just says that he likes it. Lee is also asked by her doctor what is it about the song that appeals to her. We don't get a straight answer from Lee; we just know that she likes it. We as readers are able to experience both Buddy's and Lee's tragedy through the rise and fall of the music in "Corona". The two characters meet in the hospital where Lee is residing and find a trust in the other they were not able to find anywhere else. The two characters are the calmest when they are interacting with each other. This is the time in the story we see the power of music transcending age, gender, and race. The other text that I used for the paper was the internet article "Censor This: Censorship in America". This article tells of the orgin of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) founded by Tipper Gore and a group of other concerned parents. Tipper Gore who was at home watching rock music videos with her children was disgusted by the images and words that were be presented by the video. She was upset that her children were being shown these things by music television stations. She talked to friends about what she saw and discovered that her friends were also upset with these videos as well. These parents as well as many others are concerned about the content and images being presented to the youth of America. Joining with the PTA, the PMRC wrote letters to the recording industry urging it to do its part against the delinquency of minors. The PMRC feels that the recording industry as well as the artist is responsible for what is put out for children to hear over the radio or see on TV. After this and other things done by PMRC, the recording industry began putting parental advisory labels on mature content. Applying both text to one another I am able to build upon the foundation for my synthesis essay. In regards to Delany's "Corona" the two characters in my eyes represent races not just black and white but all others as well. Delany is showing us how a common thread such as music can bring different people together. While reading this text I thought about the music today. Look on you tube and you will see people of different races, ages, and gender doing a dance called “The Soulja Boy”. It’s the number one album in the country right now. This is Bryan Faust’s “Corona” in reality. I also feel that Buddy and Lee were brought together and became friends because Lee could feel Buddy’s fear and pain through his dream that he was having while in the hospital. Before she was even able to meet Buddy, Lee already empathized with him because of what he went through while he was in jail. That is another connection the story has with the real world. We are able to connect with people that could understand hurt or tragedy we have experienced before. That is the reason a song that talks about heart break and the anger that follows can be comforting to someone no matter the race. I think that Delany as using all this to show that we can connect to one another no matter the difference. We should try to connect internally rather than externally. Apply this to the article “Censor This: Censorship in America” we take the very thing that brought Buddy and Lee together and see that there are people that will not find the same meaning in a particular song. We are told through the article that Tipper Gore was at home watching rock videos with her children and she was disgusted. We truly do not know how the kids felt about this song. True, the video could have been lewd but most kids today only watch the videos of songs that they like. So Tipper Gore’s children may have liked the song . I’m pretty sure that there are songs that Tipper liked growing up that her parents thought were inappropriate. That is just like parents and kids today. My mother hates some of the music I listen to but the music she listens to is fine. Even though some of the songs she liked from “back in the day” talk about sex and things of that nature. It is just that the music from back then talked about these things not as openly as singers of today. While “Corona” seems to be written for an audience on a broad spectrum, “Censor This: Censorship in America” gives off the feeling that it was written for concerned parents and students like myself who are looking to do research on the topic of the PMRC and censorship of music. I found it interesting that music that is seen as something that can heal a broken heart; or relax one from a day filled with stressful situations. Can be seen as something that contributes to the delinquency of minors and should be censored as to not cause harm to the youth of America. After reading both essays and building my thesis the new idea I am presenting in this paper is that one song that inspires one person does not have to mean so much to another. The way differnt individuals with completely different personalities will not get the same meaning from the lyrics. That is the reason why music that inspires one person will make another disgusted over the lyrics. Music is interpreted by the individual.
The Influence of Music Stacy has a bad day at school comes home and gets scolded because of bad grades. She’s stressed and no one seems to care or understand how she feels. She goes to her room and slams the door. Quickly Stacy goes to her radio and puts in her favorite CD. She puts her headphones on and lets the music wash away her stress and anger. Before long, she is smiling and singing along to her favorite song. In the next room her younger brother Greg has the TV blasting watching BET. One if his favorite songs by rap star Nelly happens to be on and he is rapping along. His mother walks into the room to tell him to turn the television down. Stopping to look at the TV she finds Nelly swiping a credit card down a young woman’s back side. This angers her and she quickly turns the television off. Within the same household we have someone who views music as a way to escape the stress of everyday life and someone who sees music as a bad influence on today’s young generation. How could something that brings such happiness and joy to one cause such anger and dissatisfaction to another? In the text “Corona” by Samuel R. Delany the two characters in the story are brought together through tragedy by both liking the singer Bryan Faust. Buddy, an assistant servicer Kennedy Spaceport is listening to Faust’s song “Corona” when a barrel of solvent is dropped from above and falls on him. While describing Buddy’s anguish to the reader, Delany cleverly parallels Buddy’s pain with the erratic rhythms flowing from the speaker as Faust continues singing Corona. The build up of the song matches that of Buddy’s pain. During the time of Buddy’s accident the reader is introduced to the second character in the story, a little girl named Lee. Lee is in the hospital because she is able to feel others emotions and here their thoughts. Lee is also listening to Bryan Faust’s Corona and is moved by the rhythm of the song. Lee seems to be a really big fan of Faust’s and imagines a time when she could actually meet him in person. During her fantasy she hears her mother speak of how stressful and agitated she is with all that is going on. As Lee tries to tune out her mother, the doctor walks in the room. First things seem okay but then out of the blue Lee jumps on the doctor and climbs up to the window to jump out and kill herself. Buddy and Lee who are complete opposites in every aspect meet when Lee goes to wake Buddy from a bad dream she senses from him. They begin to talk about Brian Faust and instantly become friends. They make a pact that since Buddy works at the spaceport Faust’s ship goes through he will help her meet him in person. At the end of the story Buddy fulfills his promise to Lee and through him she is able to listen to Bryan Faust sing live. The story brings two completely different characters together through music. The love of music can not only heal one emotionally, it can bring together people who normally in everyday situations would not speak to each other. Delany’s use of music as a common thread that links these two is evident through in today’s society. One can go to the website YouTube and type in Soulja Boy and get videos of people all sizes, races, ethnicities, and ages doing this one dance. Many different people have been brought together because they all happen to like this dance. The same thing can be seen when going to a concert. Music is said to transcend race and ethnic groups as well as heal people emotionally. On the other hand there are those that view music as a bad influence on today’s youth. Song that promote, sex, drugs, and violence, are prevalent in all music genres. A young black kid dies in a gang fight, the blame is put on hip hop lyrics that glorify gang banging. Two young white kids decide to shoot up their school, the blame is put on Marilyn Manson and rock music of that type. The portrayal of young women in music videos upset feminist and other groups. In the internet article “Censor This: Music Censorship in America” Tipper Gore after watching rock music videos with her children was outraged at the amount of sex and drug related videos. Tipper Gore is quoted, "The images frightened my children, they frightened me! The graphic sex and the violence were too much for us to handle" (Censor This). So Mrs. Gore got together with a group of friends and formed the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center). The PMRC along with the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) wrote letters to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to put warning labels on explicitly mature content. Through their efforts we have the Explicit Content advisories on mature themed music. It’s so ironic that the same song could make one person happier and want to dance while another person covers their ears in disgust. The people making the songs about sex, drugs, and everything else will only be stars in their genre. The real talent is able to transcend genres and touch people of all races and personalities. The writer of this paper feels that the person listening to the music is able to interpret lyrics anyway they want. The lyrics may be in your face sometimes but like some of the greatest literary works they are always open for interpretation. Music today does get a little raunchy; but that is one artist out of many. A song that means a lot to someone doesn’t have to mean the same to someone else. People’s personalities are different so the music that touches individuals will be different.
Works Citied
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books., 2004. 256 - 275.
Censor This: Music Censorship in America. Censor This. October 04, 2007. http://www.geocities.com/fireace_00/pmrc.html.
Skyyblu I really agree with the statement that people have accepted slavery as a state of mind in different situations. That was a really interesting way to present the subject of domestic violence and such.
Bridget: Your essay was intersting to read. I find myself agreeing more with O'Donnell. I can't even clean up without fast music on. It gives me the energy I need to finish.
Lauren: I really like your opinion on interracial relationships. I also like hearing stories and seeing pictures of interracial couplkes who love each other dispite the ridicule they may recieve.
Jennifer: The study done by the Institute of Heartmath was interesting. I really liked that you brought out the subject of music and its affect on ones mood.
Whitney: That's a really good question: How free are we actually? You essay wa interesting.
Kathryn: I remember when we talked about Bryan Faust's name and the relevance it could have with the character Faust who sold his soul to the devil. Intersting that you applied this to your essay.
JKHolmes: Interesting that unlike the other essays dealing with "Maggies" you look at the communications aspect. Your paper was interesting to read.
Felicia: I remember reading when Buddy said the word nigger and I felt that it was a descriptive term for Lee also. No matter because the word nigger has and always will hurt people...very intersting essay.
Reilly: I loved this line in your paper "Most notably, moreso than anything else, slaves have no benefit whatsoever from being enslaved other than to gain resolve to escape from their own incarceration." It's so true for debt as well. When you are in debt you have no benefit from the money you make when you work. You pay off your debt, pay bills, and whatever else and before you know it you don not have any money to do anything else. Good job.
Kristen: I like the first paragraph of your essay. It made me want to see what you had to say about "the destitute aliens in America". Good Job.
Focusing Question: What was the major theme of Corona?
Thesis: I believe that in writing Corona, Samuel R. Delaney wanted to show the importance of music to and through the individual. Music can connect people in so many different ways, but its strength is in its ability to help us feel alive spiritually, mentally, and physically; simultaneously.
Summary: Corona is the story of Buddy and Lee. Lee is small girl with the ability to read other people’s minds. She wants to kill herself, because in reading others’ minds, she has mostly felt their rage, pain, and fear. She is hopeless, because she is trapped in a hospital with no way to get out and help those in need, those who hurt and in turn, hurt her. She even hears her own mother say that she hates her. Because of her intelligence and understanding, reading people’s minds has led her to be suicidal. Buddy isn’t quite as intelligent as Lee. He’s been through some pretty tough times himself. Where the story connects the two characters is with their love for the song. Early in the story, the song follows Buddy and crashes along with him, through his accident. As he is taken to the hospital, and once he is there, the song plays background in his thoughts and memories, his fears. Lee hears the song in his mind and the two characters are joined. Through the music, Lee is finally able to help someone. Buddy is afraid and starts thinking of past memories. Lee rescues him and wakes and calms him. Buddy returns the favor by watching Bryan Faust up close and personal, knowing that Lee will be watching. Their connection through music is what helps them find closure, through one another.
New view: Corona is meant to be a story about music and its healing powers.
Kennon Barton Contemporary Black Fiction
Corona (lights, music)
Corona, by Samuel R. Delaney, is the story of two completely different people who are able to comfort each other through music. Music plays a very important role in this story: providing settings, a title, background; but the music’s most important role in this story is with its main characters. Buddy and Lee share a connection to the music individually and as a sort of unit; sharing and feeling simultaneously. Both of the characters have problems, and the music helps them find a bit of closure, through one another. Corona is the song that weaves and intermingles the characters’ storylines, setting moods and translating feelings. Without the song, there is no story, or there are two different stories; both incomplete. Music is what brings Buddy and Lee together. Delaney briefly foreshadows the connection between Buddy and Lee with a reference to the singer of Corona as follows:
“There was a nine-year old girl in the hospital in New York at that time who could read minds and wanted to die. Her name was Lee. Also there was a singer named Bryan Faust.” (257).
After this first mention of Lee and Faust, the story continues on in dialogue between Buddy and his co-worker Bim. Bim can’t believe that Buddy has never heard of Bryan Faust, or his music. The dialogue shows that Faust and his song will play important roles in the story. Buddy’s first impression of the song is that it’s ok. He likes it, but it takes a moment to set in, and then “the beat of his heart, his lungs, and the music coincided” (258). He makes a connection to the music, breathing it in and exhaling, spiraling down. Then, Faust’s drums slam as the ten-gallon drum hits the ground. The electric base lets out a slow, low grind as Buddy clinches, then clutches his eye. As the last chorus plays out, Buddy flaps around in the foreground. The radio announcer refers to Bryan Faust and Corona one last time, and Buddy finally passes out, cymbals dying as he crumbles to the floor. The music is more than just background in this part of the story. It wraps around Buddy, simultaneously crashing and grinding like the soundtrack to Buddy’s life. “Rage, pain, and music” (259). They are all the same. They are Buddy in this moment. The music is an extension of the character. Just as with the introduction of Buddy’s character, the continuance of Lee’s storyline is also heavily influenced by Corona. Lee is reaching out, trying to read the mind of someone close to Faust, just to see him. Instead of having an experience like Buddy’s, the music stops for Lee and she is faced with a harsh truth. Her mother is mad and even admits hating her. “All musical beauty was gone” (260). The music is so important to the story and the lives of its characters, the author notes its absence. The absence of the music is as important as its overwhelming presence. When there’s no music, there is no beauty, or tragedy; two major factors tying the two characters together. Lee’s scene with Dr. Gross is one where we really see how serious Lee’s mental state has gotten. After the scene peaks with Lee attempting to jump from the nine-story window, the story slows and breaks down. As Dr. Gross leaves the room, Lee’s connection to Buddy grows through the music. “Rage, pain, and music”, the two characters are joined (264). Corona beats back into the storyline. This time Lee can hear the song in someone’s thoughts, but they are not her own. They are Buddy’s. The characters merge as Lee relaxes and focuses on the music in Buddy’s thoughts. He is trying to escape the pain he has just endured by diving into the song. She follows, diving deeper and deeper into Lee’s thoughts. Buddy is scared, and Lee can feel it, see it. The characters become one as the music plays in the background of Buddy’s thoughts. Lee can feel his fear, and is close enough to help, close enough to stop it. She uses memories from Buddy’s mind to see how to escape from her room, then moves in to help Buddy. Buddy’s confusion slows their initial dialogue, but as he realizes what Lee has done in an effort to help him, they share an unbelievable moment of understanding. As soon as Buddy’s realization hits and he hugs and thanks her, Lee’s thoughts move back into the present, away from the dark memories she experienced in Buddy’s thoughts, right back to the song. As Lee questions Buddy about the song, we see the importance of the music for Lee. Buddy’s first connection with the music was on the surface. This part of the story shows how music can affect people differently, yet retain an equal importance in different lives. Lee questions Buddy about whether he likes the song or not. After he answers with a simple response (the only response we expect from his character), Lee describes her feelings toward the song as follows:
“Me too! I think it’s beautiful. I think Faust’s music is so,” and she whispered the next word as though it might offend, “alive! But with life the way it should be. Not without pain, but with pain contained, ordered, given form and meaning, so that it’s almost all right again. Don’t you feel that way?” (271).
She can relate her own pain to the pain in the music, and feel better knowing that she is not alone. It is an escape from her mind and the minds of those she can tap into. After realizing their connection through Corona, and understanding Lee’s circumstance and Buddy’s opportunity, the end of the story shows the characters using this connection to share one last musical moment. Buddy finds a way to be center stage for Faust’s performance of the song, knowing that Lee can step into his mind, and Lee listens, happily, finding some peace in the knowledge that through music, she was finally able to help someone. Corona is a story about music’s connection to people, its healing powers. Buddy and Lee were able to connect through the music, each helping the other. I believe that in writing Corona, Samuel R. Delaney wanted to show the importance of music to and through the individual. Music can connect people in so many different ways, but its strength is in its ability to help us feel alive spiritually, mentally, and physically; simultaneously.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004.
The focus question for this essay is: How does oppression affect our society? We discussed “Sweet Dreams” by Charles Johnson which focuses on oppression, power, and acceptance. I read a short story and an essay to comply with Johnson’s “Sweet Dreams” essay on oppression. The short story I read was “Repressive Tolerance” by Charles Johnson which was discussed in class and the essay I read was “The Descent of Women” by Frederick Santag. Charles Johnson’s “Sweet Dreams” talked about being oppressed by money and working for others. He explains how just doing what you are told keeps those who oppress in power. The essay shows ways of being oppressed with paying to dream, taxes, laws, and jobs. One statement that was made that stuck out to me was when Johnson implied that one can not afford to dream so they don’t. If you can’t afford to venture out and speak up, you allow yourself to accept oppression and you allow others to hold the power and control your life. In “Repressive Tolerance Herbert Marcuse talks about liberation, tolerance, and change in the system to make it better. He also talks about passive tolerance in which people just let things slide. Marcuse also talks about the government and their role in oppression and freedom. People subject to the government allowing power and controlto be held by them. “The descent of Women” by Frederick Sontag talks about the history of women, and oppression. He stated “ revolutionaries don’t reduce oppression, instead they demand commitment to a unitary theory.” reading this essay I thought about the Black matriarchy model. This model portrayed the Black female as a matriarch who initially received her power because society was unwilling to permit the Black man to assume the legal, economic, and social positions necessary to become dominant force within the family and community life. This sets back the struggle for Black liberation. To answer the focus question, I have concluded from the readings that oppression affects the freedom to dream beyond what you have. This holds individuals back which eventually holds society from getting away from being oppressed. Oppression doesn’t allow individualism which ultimately doesn’t allow liberty. Certain people hold control and power over others leaving people in lower positions to accept oppression and struggle for liberation.
The focusing questions for this essay are: What kind of country would America be if Black people did not stand and fight for equality? And if Blacks left America and retraced their history, what type of position would that leave this country in? In class we discussed the essay “Blackout” by Jill Robinson. This essay deals with Black power and White guilt. I read “From Slavery to Freedom” by John Hope Franklin and Alfred A. Moss Jr., which touched on various subjects such as: race reconciliation, Black Power Movement, and Black Revolution. Jill Robinson’s essay “Blackout” dealt with white people feeling guilty for the treatment towards Blacks. It also dealt with division, I saw Blacks being divided like the light shin house slaves and the dark skin cotton picking slaves. The reading touched on discrimination and self hate amongst ones own race. “Maybe White America will take the Senate hearings seriously now that the BLACKout’s stripped it of their migrant workers, housekeepers, secretaries, airport crews, and janitors” this quote shows that Robinson sees the need to have Black people in this country or business would close because Blacks are the ones who work the low paying jobs. The essay also suggest how it would be impossible for Blacks to just walk away from their jobs, because they can’t afford to. “From Slavery to Freedom” by Franklin and Moss explained how the Black Power movement gave Blacks a chance to voice their beliefs and form an organization that was for Black people needs. This book dealt with solutions for old problems. I think the Black Revolution helped some Blacks, but it also caused problems. Some Whites during this time felt the need to help Blacks out because they felt guilty. I think this is where the reparation bill comes into play. Robinson called it the guilt bill and I agree. If Black people were to leave America this country would fall into a deep hole. America would not survive if Blacks and Immigrants strike against the workforce and America. It would be impossible for all Blacks and Immigrants to leave America, but the possibility is overwhelming. If it was not for Black Power movements and Blacks standing up for equality, we would still be living in a more openly country of discrimination. Today there is still a lot of racism and discrimination, but its hidden.
Focusing Question: How free are we really in a free nation under God?
Thesis: In both Corona, by Delany, and Maggies by Shawl, the text indicates that the people are free but that freedom does get measured and comes with a price.
200-250 word summary of Corona: The short story, Corona, is a bleak sci-fi classic written by Samuel R. Delany. Byron Faust a famous musician, in the text, shares the same name with the man who sold his soul and made a deal with the devil, which is ironic. His music and his song become very popular among the people and while its sounds are relaxing it is causing some listeners to inflict harm upon themselves. Already, the reader is thinking the song will be addicting and well accepted, but this is maybe not a positive or a good thing for the listener in the long run. The name of his famous song is Corona, and while the song is addicting and beautiful it’s sounds are somewhat scary and leave an unsettling feeling inside of the characters within the text which are Buddy, a character who is poor and in the lower class and Lee, a character of a higher social status. These two befriend one another and even though society does not approve or understand their friendship, they help one another deal with their surroundings and they enjoy the music together. What these two characters have shown the reader is that we as Americans should reach out to one another, no matter what social station, and show compassion, kindness, and understanding.
200-250 word summary of Maggies: The short story, Maggies, is an interesting read and was written by Nisi Shawl. In this story, the characters are never actually free. Tata, a lower class servant to Kaylee’s family, and Kaylee, a young girl in an upper class family, befriend one another. This is similar to the unlikely friendship found in Corona, with Lee and Buddy. As times passes, Kaylee begins to understand the separation and the differences between her and Tata, but Tata has known their differences all along. In one instance, Kaylee hears strange noises coming from her father’s bed room, and when she peers around a curtain she sees her father and Tata having sex. This image opens Kaylee’s previously naïve eyes and she realizes the social structure of society. Even though her father loves Tata, the couple could never exist because of their social ranking and different backgrounds. The way in which the characters are stationed in their classes and the “freedom” in which they live is very similar to living in America. Yes, people can earn as much or a little amount of money as they desire, and we do have choices here, but some American’s are “stuck” in their station due to lack of funds, ambition, fear, or know-how.
500 word analysis: In both short stories, Corona and Maggies, presents the issues of Freedom, social status, and a real democracy. Both stories question the idea of freedom, does it really exist and if it does, does it exist for everyone equally? Social status and the norms of society come into play. These things do affect your voice, choices, and happiness. Each of these stories shows in its own, unique way that class stations can be broken down with the development of unlikely friendships, and that each individual has the power and the ability to affect the live of another person and even change the person’s destiny. The audience to which these stories are directed is a young adult-adult level reader across the nation. The genre is science fiction and the appeal is for American’s to break down the social class walls and barriers and see people for what they are, not where they are positioned. I think, in Corona, Delany is trying to convey several messages. One message is that people of different rank can befriend one another and have common traits and thoughts and also help and teach one another. In Maggies, Shawl is proving the same message. Also, each text is showing that freedom comes with a price. Different social stations and society do affect freedom and how much a person can have and express. Several different messages are also address in the two texts. In Corona, Music plays a major role in society. Music can alter moods and change the actions of the characters in the story. Corona is an interesting term because it has so many meanings. Corona can mean the shining halo around the sun or the halo sometimes portrayed around Christ’s head. Corona is a very beautiful thing, but also an overwhelming transcendent, sublime feeling. With its beauty the viewer or listener can not help but become drawn towards it, but with its amazing beauty comes an untouchable quality and an obscured view or sound of the image. While addicting it is still unsettling and can not be controlled. The sounds from Faust’s mysterious song might contain subliminal messages which would explain its addicting popularity. The music seems to make the characters feel safe, somewhat content, and not alone. The music makes them feel good and they seem to have an emotional connection with it. In Maggies, music does not take an active role. The difference in class is portrayed through the different races. One race is human and the other is Maggie. Maggie’s are of lower social status and work for the human race, but the Maggies are very intelligent and understand and no things that humans do not. Maggies are limited in what their bodies will allow them to do, but their minds far surpass human thinking. They are similar to technology and computers. Humans develop them, but the intelligence of this machinery far surpasses are brains, but as for now we are still in control and of higher social ranking then these things, Maggies and computers.
Risky New View: After analyzing both texts, I begin to wonder if we are truly free and living is a true democracy. I also begin to wonder if technology, computers-etc. will soon take over out world. Humans are creating newer and more technology every day and I am beginning to feel like it is only a matter of time before these things become to advanced for even the creators.
29 comments:
Freedom, Are We There Yet?
The focusing question for this essay is: How can we live in a free country, but not necessarily be free? In class we read “Maggie” which was a story concerning authority, freedom ruining of relationships, and rights. I read two essays to answer the focus question. The first reading was “The Meaning of Freedom in the Age of Emancipation” by Eric Foner which explored American life and the promise of freedom, the history of freedom, and the boundaries of freedom. The second reading was “An Examination of Domestic Violence in an African American Community in North Carolina” which focused on causes and consequences of domestic violence within the black community.
Nisi Shawl essay “Maggies” explore the concept of being in slavery. The similarities I saw in the essay to slavery were: plantation theme, the father (master), Tata (slave woman), and how the love between the Maggies and child were ruined by the father (not having the free will to love who you want). “The Meaning of Freedom in the Age of Emancipation” correlates with concept of being free.
Eric Foner explored the meaning of freedom amongst different groups. Many groups have not fully shared the promise of American life. From the beginning of our history, freedom has been the innermost value for many Americans and a harsh mockery of others. Freedom has many different definitions depending on the situation. For slaves freedom was something they wanted and needed to have an equal life in America. White men had more freedom than any other race and gender in America.
Chien Ju Huang and Tiffany Gunn essay “An Examination of Domestic Violence in an African American Community in North Carolina” explores more of the physical and emotional state of being free. When a person is involved in a domestic situation they tend to be in bondage physically and mentally. They are free by law, but tend to let men take their rights and freedom away. When a woman allows her mind to be taken over that’s when her freedom is really lost.
After reading the three essays I applied them to the focus question (How can we live in a free country, but not be necessarily be free?) and concluded that freedom is what we interpret it to be. We live in a free country by law, but our personal lives tend to take our freedom away. Some people lose their freedom to there jobs, husbands, and society. After reading all the essays, I started to wonder if Blacks have accepted a slavery state of mind. As read in the article about domestic violence, Black women have a higher rate than any other race. It seems like the bondage put on women and Blacks during slavery still exist today even though we are free by law.
Work Cited
Nisi Shawl essay “Maggies”(2004)
Chien Ju Huang & Tiffany Gunn “An Examination of Domestic Violence in an African American Community in North Carolina Causes and Consequences”(2001)
Eric Foner “The Meaning of Freedom in the Age of Emancipation”(2004)
Black History Writing
Lauren Broussard
Maggies
Interracial Relationships
Nisi Shawl’s Maggies was an extremely interesting read. I was really blown away with the skill of Shaw’s detailed futuristic examples of the “modern” family. In reading the stories, I was a little discouraged with the social positions the Maggies were thought to uphold. They were looked on as creatures not accepted in social standards and viewed upon as almost futuristic slaves.
I was really taken back at the relationship Tata and the father developed through the story. I though of the idea of the two in an actual relationship was a wonderful addition to the story. On page 290, we were introduced to Tata’s ideas about the two actually having a relationship in the society their society. She quotes, “It is unlikely that love will progress for both of us. Because your father knows this as well as I d, though we both wish we didn’t, because your father is strong for me, and I am weak for him. Because, because, because……”. I was so drawn back to the realization society wouldn’t accept the two as a relationship due to the race and social standings of each character. With this story being futuristic, I was questioned with the idea: will this still be an issue in the future?
Racial intermarriage has long been a source of anxiety in America. I researched my home town cities history of intermarriage laws and found after World War II, Senator Theodore G. Bilbo of Mississippi defended white supremacy in a book titled "Take Your Choice: Separation or Mongrelization." Like other racists of his era, Bilbo believed that an inevitable result of dismantling segregation would be the amalgamation of the races through intermarriage. He was right: since the U.S. Supreme Court, in Loving v. Virginia (1967), struck down the last antidiscrimination laws of the states, marriage across racial lines has grown at a remarkable rate."
In society today, inner racial relationships are looked upon more willingly than before. There are so many support groups, books, and even classes to promote inner racial relationships. I find it very inspiring to read of actual couples and members of inner racial families and the fight to be “normal”. It helps me to understand and enjoy that love comes in every color and shines even brighter when told not to.
Interracial relationships display the natural results of a world full of Ethnic groups, and variety living in harmony. Interracial relationships combine the new ideas and customs of two diverse people into one exciting and culturally rich blend. Interracial relationships display such variety to society. The world should look at all relationships as love between two people without regard to their race. With the increase of interracial acceptance, couples become more accepted as part of the norm. We are seeing a gradual disintegration of long-standing obstacles and negative thinking opposing interracial dating and marriage. Often due to constraints, timidity, or lack of opportunity many people who would like to explore interracial relationships are unable to do so. Many reasons are due to the up brining of possible relationship desirers. We all need to view this as not an issue for society to look down upon, but rather as an inspiration for our human race and what is to come.
Bridget Whalen
Dr. Alford
October 7, 2007
Music's Effect on Mood and Mental State
Music has been around longer than any one of us can imagine and I’m sure that no one would disagree when I say that it plays a big role in our society. In the world of music, much literature has been written on a simple question; does music affect a person’s mental state or mood, and if so how? I have decided to research this question and in doing so have chosen to analyze three texts: Samuel Delany’s story “Corona,” “Music and the Brain” by Laurence O’Donnell, and “The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood” published by two staff members at Pennsylvania State University. Delany writes of a two people in his story, a young girl named Lee and a slow man named Buddy. In the story a certain song affected both of these character’s actions. The other two texts that I have chosen present two different views on how music affects a person’s mood.
“Corona” by Samuel Delany is a work of speculative fiction that centers on a young girl of nine years old named Lee. This child has suffered a substantial amount of mental trauma due to events that she has been through and things that she has seen. The little girl is being kept at a hospital because of her mental state and attempted suicides. In the hospital there is also a somewhat slow man named Buddy. At some point in the story both of these characters are affected by a certain song, unfortunately in a negative manner. First Buddy is affected by the song, which happens to be where the story gets its title. The song is called Corona and it plays often in the hospital due to its popularity on the airwaves. When it begins to play it is clear that the song is highly engaging because everyone who is within hearing range begins to talk about the song and its artist’s popularity. While Buddy at first says that he enjoys the music, he quickly begins to experience an adverse effect of its sound. It beings when he felt “ a surge of disorder” and is followed a few moments later when “something inside went wild” (Delany, 258.) His fits ended when the last bit of the song ended as well showing that there was a good chance that his fit stemmed from the song. Later while Lee is meeting with Dr. Gross she tries to kill herself when she is discussing whether or not she enjoyed the song. While this song has had apparent negative effects on both these characters early on in the story, at the end its affect changes completely for Lee. After Lee had begun to spend time with Buddy in the hospital, helping him, the song actually makes her less depressed. In the last line of the story as she lies in her cot she can hear Corona playing, and it says that it made her feel a little less like dying (Delany, 275.) The fact that the characters seem to experience negative effects on their mental state due to the song implies that the song has some power over their brains that they cannot help. For some reason this song makes them behave in a harmful way, though in the end we see it in a slightly more positive light.
The other two texts that I am analyzing put forth two different views on if and what causes music to have such an effect on our mental states. In the article “ The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Two employees of Pennsylvania State University write about a study they did to determine how music affects mood. In their study, Valerie Stratton and Annette Zalanowski examined 72 subjects. They varied their study by telling three different types of stories (happy, sad, or neutral) accompanied by background music (pleasant, depressing, or none.) They found that with the neutral story instruction, the music they played determined the mood of the participants. However, the happy and sad story instructions super-ceded any effect of the music (Stratton and Zalanowski, 125.) The sad story instructions were most effective, causing the participants to feel depressed and experience decreased positive affect in all three musical conditions. Their conclusion to the study is that the mood responses to music depend on cognitive processes instead of the music itself (Stratton and Zalanowski, 127.) It is the belief of these two women that it is not music that effects mood but more so the cognitive processes being experienced at the same time. It implies that your state of mind will effect how the music affects you. If you are feeling happy then it is not likely that a slightly depressing song will send you into fits. Also, if you are feeling depressed it is not likely that all it will take is a positive song to put you back on the right track. It is implied by this study that mood is not so much affected by music but more so by cognition, and no matter what type of music you are listening to, its effects are outweighed by everything else. They are definitive in saying that music does not determinately affect mood.
In “Music and the Brain” O’Donnell states that not only does music Definitely effect your mood but it also does so on a psychological basis. He states that your body performs certain responses to music that causes your mood to change. He says that certain types of music such as classical from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of the music and as it does this, the body becomes relaxed and alert and the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Another positive effect of music is that it can be used for stress management and memory problems, says O’Donnell. He states that beats and order in music is what causes these effects. The brain works by looking at different pieces of information and deciding if they are different or the same. This is done in music of the baroque and classical periods by playing a theme and then repeating or changing the theme. The repetition is only done once. More than one repetition causes the music to become displeasing, and also causes a person to either enter a state of sub-conscious thinking or a state of anger (O’Donnell.) He also states that an Australian doctor discovered that all muscles in the body go weak when subjected to what is called the “stopped anapestic beat” that we often hear in rock music such as Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, and The Doors (O’Donnell.) He says this also causes alarm in the body, weakened work performance, learning and behavior problems in children and general malaise in adults. It is clear from O’Donnell’s article to see that he believes that music affects the body and mood in both positive and negative ways. He believes that it is the order and beats in the music that affects the body and causes these changes in mood and behavior but that the music is affecting mood nonetheless.
While Stratton and Zalanowski believe that music does not have a great influence on the mood of an individual, O’Donnell takes the opposite approach stating that music greatly influences the body’s ability to function properly and maintain a positive disposition. It also seems to be the idea in “Corona” that music causes certain changes in temperament as well. Stratton and Zalanowski seem to think that cognition plays a more important role in a person’s mental state that music, and that music is simply in the background. O’Donnell states many benefits and negativities that music can have on the body and also states many different reasons for these effects. All three of these texts put forth ideas about whether music affects mood and how it manages to do so. O’Donnells beliefs that music affects the body and mind in a physiological way is appealing because it gives a scientific answer as to how and why we react to music like we do. While this is appealing, Stratton and Zalanowski’s opposing view that music does not really affect mood is appealing as well. Their view states that there are other factors to blame for switches in disposition.
After reading these texts Stratton and Zalanowski’s views do tie in to Delany’s story and help make sense of the song’s effects on Lee. At the beginning Lee is very depressed because of all she has been through which is when the song makes her want to kill herself. At the end after she has been allowed to spend time with Buddy and to help him, her disposition seems to be in a better state which is when the song makes her feel less like killing herself. If we believed what Stratton and Zalanowski put out there then it makes sense as to why the song would affect Lee in one way and then have a completely different effect on her later in the story. In the beginning when she was depressed, she took the song in a negative way and in the end when she is feeling a little better about her situation, the song is not quite as detrimental to her well being. My belief on this subject lies somewhere in the middle of the three different texts. I believe that music does affect mood, but I also believe that the mental state that you are in before listening to the music plays in to how you react upon hearing certain songs. I’m sure that certain music can make a person want to kill themselves, but only if that person is severely depressed anyway. I do not believe that a certain song can send someone into a fit or cause them to want to kill themselves because of the sheer power of the song as in “Corona” but I do believe that music can make a bad mood worse or on good occasions, make a bad mood better. While music affects mood, I think it is more so the mood that you are already in that dictates the way that music affects you.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004.
O’Donnell, Laurence. “Music and the Brain.” Brain and Mind. 05 October 2007 http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n15/mente/musica.html
Stratton, Valerie and Annette Zalanowski. “The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Psychology of Music. 19 (1991): 121-127.
How Does Music Affect a Person’s Mood?
How does music affect one’s mood? It can have positive connections that help people cope with their daily life or it can have negative connections that trigger something in the brain to make a person do something that they wouldn’t normally do.
In the short story, Corona, singer Bryan Faust and his song “Corona”,, shows us the different effects that music may have on one’s emotions and mood swings. The first character we meet is Buddy. Buddy appears to have a very violent mood swing when listening to the song “Corona”. You hear the shouts as the author describes the commotion, “He’s gone berserk!”
Then we meet the net character, Lee, a very bright but disturbed girl. For Lee, the music of Bryan Faust is apparently the only thing that can save her as she visits with her doctor. She is upset, and as her doctor tries to help her, she shouts, “But you can’t help! Your thoughts, they’re just as clumsy and imprecise as they others! How can you- you- you help people who’re afraid and confused because their own minds have formed the wrong associations! How!” Lee is able to hear things that other people are thinking. Bryan Faust’s music is the only thing that can help her to tune this out. It makes her calm and feel somewhat normal. She feels good. Lee feels a little less like dying when she hears Bryan Faust’s music.
In a study done by the Institute of Heartmath, showed that different types of music have certain effects on tension, mood, and mental clarity. Designer music was most effective in increasing positive feelings and decreasing negative feelings. Results suggested that designer music may by useful in the treatment of tension, mental distractions, and negative moods. In the short story, Corona, Bryan Faust’s son has an effect on Lee that seems to give her some sort of mental distraction from her disturbia and negative moods. It gives her clarity during her day.
In a study done at Edinburgh University, second year medical students found that “the ability of music to affect someone emotionally is connected to how the music is received, and how it interests the listener.” In Corona, we find that the connection that Lee has with the music is a very positive one. It makes her feel good. She is able to relax, and become more positive. When the music is no longer playing though, she returns to her negative and disturbed state.
"The effects of different types of music on mood, tension, and mental clarity." www.heartmath.org/research/research-papers/effect-music-mood.html
"Effects of music and sound on human health." www.rmhiherbal.org/review/2002-1html
Whitney Hubbert
October 8, 2007
Essay 3
Freedom or Prisoner
Living in America, you think you are a free person, but you must conform to all of society’s rules or you will end up a prisoner in this free country. In the essay Maggies, the question of how free are you really, came up. The story Corona, however, made me realize that freedom does come at a price.
As I read Maggies, I kept thinking how free we actually are. I thought about my question and I came up with many rules we must follow. Examples include your job, parents, laws, and relationships. The first example, your job, proves how we are free to an extent. At work, we can do what we want, as long as we finish our job. If you do not do your job, then your boss will fire you. The next example is living with your parents. While I lived with my parents, I was able to do anything I wanted, as long as I made good grades in school and did not stay out passed curfew. Again, I thought I was free, but once I broke a rule, I was punished. Obeying the law is necessary. The law is simple… if you do the crime, you pay the time. Yes, these laws are here to protect us, but America is supposed to be a free country. How can this be a free country with all of its rules and regulations? The last example that came to my head is the “hidden” rules in relationships. When you are dating someone, you automatically know not to call other people or go off with other people.
In Maggies Tata and Kayley are friends. They come from two different backgrounds, but they still find things in common. They learned from each other. Maggies takes place after the rebellion. I think when Kayley saw her dad and Tata, she realized that Tata had never been completely free. No matter how hard Tat worked, she
would always be another “worker” to her father.
In the story Corona, the theme good comes from evil was evident. I would like to think this is not true, but I began thinking about things that happen to me, or around me. The first thing I thought about was a rainbow. You only see a rainbow after a storm. As a little girl, I was told every time it rained that meant God was crying for us and when the rain stopped, God smiled through a rainbow. This story showed me how much people need freedom in their life, and it comes at a price. I thought about the crucifixion. Jesus paid a price to free all of us. We have a choice to be good or bad, believe or not believe. Ours sins are forgiven. Without this crucifixion, what would we be doing now?
In conclusion, I have given examples of how our freedom is limited and comes at a price. I do believe living in America is freer than living in a communist country. Yes, we do have laws to follow, but those laws are there to protect us. It is because of those laws that when I read Maggies I knew something was not right. So, ask yourself, how free are you? I believe we can be as free as we want, as long as it is for good.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 256-275.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 276-293.
Nonverbal Communication
“[Michael] Canale’s definition of communication, ‘the exchange and negotiation of information between at least two individuals through the use of verbal and nonverbal symbols…’ illustrates that fact that communication is plurimodal.” (Allen 469)
Nisi Shawl delves into the worlds of racial and social status in her short story, Maggies, but it is also a story of communication. The story follows Kayley, a young human girl, as she befriends Tata, a member of the genetically engineered race known as “maggies,” during a terraforming operation. Shawl takes the traditional “coming of age” story to a new level as Kayley learns to navigate the treacherous world of adult relationships, communication, and social status.
Humans and maggies are shown to have different forms of communication. Humans mostly rely on verbal communication. However, when among their own kind, “maggies mostly signed.” (Shawl 279) Due to this difference in communicative approach, communication between humans and maggies is portrayed as often being strained. When Kayley follows Tata to the maggies’ Quarters, the resulting conversation regarding Kayley’s presence is strictly verbal due to an “embargo on visual broadcasts from [inside the maggies’] Habs.” (Shawl 279) This rebuff of visual communication saddens Kayley, who’s become fascinated with Tata’s removable skin and her means of nonverbal communication. Kayley later explains this fascination by saying that “[w]ithin their skins, maggies are able to communicate multiple messages simultaneously, with ironic, historical, and critical commentaries layered in over several levels.” (Shawl 280)
Even though Shawl’s story is pure fantasy, it contains a degree of truth regarding nonverbal communication. “Experts in nonverbal communication estimate that at least 65% of the meaning in any social situation is conveyed nonverbally.” (Allen 469) Once Kayley becomes accustomed to Tata’s nonverbal clues, to be suddenly cut off from these visual signals leaves the girl wondering about the maggie’s true meaning behind the words spoken:
“My task here is to be rapidly accomplished. Then I can return with you. Would this carry adequate compensation?”
I wasn’t exactly sure what she meant. Compensation for what? (Shawl 279)
Although Shawl doesn’t describe in full detail the nonverbal communication gestures of the maggies, the reader can reasonably assume from the description given by Kayley that it is similar to modern languages in that it is a “doubly structured, syntactically coded, socially acquired and shared linguistic system.” (Washabaugh 238)
The maggies preference for nonverbal communication with others of their species attributes to the view within the story’s context of maggies being considered by some humans as little more than animals. (Shawl 291) Their use of a form of sign language is given as a visual clue to the maggies lower social status. However, it is not meant to reflect upon their intelligence or inability to communicate sophisticated concepts with humans. Kayley’s statement that “Signs are better than words for expressing all sorts of concepts” (Shawl 284) mirrors modern sign linguist theory that sign-based languages are “internally structured to the same sophisticated way as oral languages.” (Washabaugh 245)
Maggies, as a work of science or speculative fiction, does a wonderful job in highlighting the main themes of communication and social status. Perhaps the best lesson to be learned from Shawl’s work is that without a clearly defined method of communication – whether oral or nonverbal – society will always be faced with the quandary of status and race.
Works Cited
Allen, Linda Quinn. “Functions of Nonverbal Communication in Teaching and Learning a Foreign Language.” The French Review, Vol. 72, No. 3. February 1999.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Sheree R. Thomas, Ed. Warner: New York. 2004.
Washabaugh, William. “Sign Language in its Social Context.” Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 10. 1981.
Reilly Chunn
October 4th, 2007
Contemporary Black Fiction
Thoughts on the Relation Between Slavery, Indentured Servitude, and Governmental Debt
In Buying Primo Time, a woman sells off years of her life and potentially her children’s lives in order to gain money as well as give her children and herself a fighting chance in what the world has become in that time. The question is what is the difference between someone being bonded into slavery and someone being held into debt from an authoritative outfit such as the government?
Most notably, moreso than anything else, slaves have no benefit whatsoever from being enslaved other than to gain resolve to escape from their own incarceration. But when someone is in debt as this woman is, she puts herself in much of the same position, albeit she is in free society. Her actions, her life and her thoughts will be dictated by those people to whom she is indebted. Most would consider her actions as a method of selling her soul. And indeed she does sell her soul and her body in order to gain things that are worldly and she would not or could not otherwise gain.
In Maggies, there is also a sense of this inhumanity (of a sort) but rather in terms of a mother fighting for the future of her children, it is in regards to the androids that populate that time. Conversely, the droid does not recognize its servitude as indentured or its function as that of a slave. The woman voluntarily gives up certain freedoms and liberties in order to procure a more financially and, in an overall scheme of things, stable way of life, despite what she endures. The question that must be asked is which path is worse--- To voluntarily submit or to be born into that sort of submission?
Felicia Hall
EH468
Alford
October 5, 2007
Essay 3
The Future of the Term "Nigger"
Focusing Question:
Will the term “nigger” still be used in the future?
Thesis statement:
Both Maxwell and Nelson agree that the term “nigger” has a very hurtful and hateful past as a slur against black people, yet they disagree on whether or not it should or will be used in the future. This made me question the future connotations or use of the term.
Summary of Maxwell:
In his article “‘Nigger’: The Slur of Slurs” Bill Maxwell sets out to “open a linguistic window for the rest of the world, especially the white world, into the rich use of the ability of black Americans to buffet a hostile environment by creating neologisms from an epithet.” He is referring specifically to the use of the term ‘nigger.’ Maxwell thinks it is ridiculous for black Americans to try and get rid of the term. He maintains that while the word ‘nigger’ has had a very racist and hurtful connotation in referring to black people, that in the current day and age, it is a perfectly acceptable form of affection amongst blacks. He ridicules the current movement amongst Americans of all different cultures to strike the term ‘nigger’ from the “Miriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary” calling it “a mess.” Maxwell asserts that if African Americans simply own the term and use it only in affection and not as a slur, then the hurtful past of the term will soon be forgotten. He also calls it “ridiculous” to try and “edit our history books in the name of political correctness.” He understands that black people may be offended if the word is used by someone of another skin color, particularly white people, but states that if blacks push the issue of striking ‘nigger’ from other peoples’ vocabularies that “all publications—black or white or otherwise—should not be permitted to use it, including ‘Juba and Jive’ and ‘Black Talk’.” After making this statement, Maxwell concludes that the meanings of words evolve, and that this evolution can be controlled by those who use the words. One can deduce then, that Maxwell indeed envisions a future in which the term ‘nigger’ is no longer considered offensive. Rob Nelson totally disagrees with Maxwell’s argument.
Summary of Nelson:
In contrast, Rob Nelson attacks the use of the term in any context. In his article “The Word ‘Nigga’ Is Only For Slaves and Sambos” He states that for blacks, there is no greater insult than to be referred to as a ‘nigger.’ Nelson finds it particularly disturbing that this term has made its way into the everyday language of black Americans, calling it ridiculous. He says, “There is a huge price to pay when the word ‘nigga’ is used as a term of affection amongst African Americans.” Instead of owning the term and redefining it by using ‘nigga’ in everyday language, Nelson asserts that this action only causes “blacks to continue to be shackled by their own lock and key…it’s self-defeating…(and) creates and atmosphere of acceptance (to a racial slur)…” Clearly, Nelson would hotly debate anyone, especially and African American for using and promoting the use of such a term. Nelson also attacks the term “the N-word” saying that referring to it in such a way in an effort for political correctness numbs one to the past and current hurtful connotations of the word. Nelson even takes things one step further. Responding to the claim that by pronouncing the term ‘nigga’ instead of ‘nigger’ completely changes the meaning of the term from that of hate to that of affection amongst black people, particularly black males, Nelson responds, “No matter what’s done with the last syllable of the word, it doesn’t make it any less offensive or demeaning.” Nelson concludes his article by powerfully asserting that inequality will exist as long as ‘nigger’ is used, whatever the context. So, who has rendered the correct verdict, and what does this mean for the future of the term “nigger”?
Analysis of Texts:
In “Corona” Delany has written a white character that casually refers to a young black girl as “a little nigger girl.” Upon my first reading of this line, I was shocked. “Corona” is set in the distant future. Why would an African American writing in the 1960s assume that this term would still be used? My thoughts shed some light on my own expectations of the future; I guess I have always just assumed that in a few hundred years the term ‘nigger’ would no longer be a part of the everyday English vocabulary. After going back and rereading the line in the context of the paragraphs before and after it, I realized that the white character was using ‘nigger’ as a descriptive term, not one as a slur. Obviously, Delany believed that the term would still be used in the future, but would not be a term connotating hate or degradation. I had never considered this, and so it got me to thinking: What is the future of the term “Nigger”? I began researching this question and came upon two articles; both articles only served to multiply my questions on the issue. Maxwell and Nelson each present a strong case for their argument. The fact that they are both African American males only serves to add to their credit. Although they both agree on the fact that the term ‘nigger’ has had a very hurtful history when used to refer to black people, they disagree on the appropriateness of the continued use of the term.
After reading these articles, I realized that I do not fully agree with either Nelson or Maxwell, yet find it hard to render my own verdict on the topic. As a white person, I was raised that it was never inappropriate to refer to a black person as a ‘nigger.’ Also, I certainly never refer to my close friends as being my ‘niggas.’ Personally, I believe that the hurtful history of the term is reason enough for people not to use it. At the same time, I have no problem when black people use the term. I suppose it’s really a Catch-22. As for the future of the term ‘nigger’ or ‘nigga’ I believe it will still be used, but with a neutral connotation, much like its use in “Corona.” Perhaps it will simply be viewed as a descriptive term derived from the Spanish ‘negro’ or the French ‘negre.’ I’m not sure if this will come about from African Americans embracing the term, or just a general cycle of words changing meaning over centuries. Really, only time will tell. The poor connotation of the term is based on the idea of different “races” of people. I’d like to think that the word will become neutral because people of different cultures will become more enlightened on the idea of race and realize that we are all the same, just of different cultures. Perhaps, it would become such a neutral term that people, both black and white, would cease to use it. For now, I share the viewpoint of the folks at “Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary” on the issue of completely striking the term ‘nigger’ from the dictionary as well as historical documents. They issued the following statement: “We have made it clear that the use of this word as a racial slur is abhorrent to us, but it is nonetheless part of language, and as such, it is our duty as dictionary makers to report on it. To do less would simply mislead people by creating the false impression that racial slurs are no longer part of our culture; and that, tragically, is not the case.”
Statement of Surprising New View:
Perhaps, it would become such a neutral term that people, both black and white, will cease to use it.
Essay 3 (Completed)
The Future of the Term “Nigger”
In “Corona” Delany has written a white character that casually refers to a young black girl as “a little nigger girl.” Upon my first reading of this line, I was shocked. “Corona” is set in the distant future. Why would an African American writing in the 1960s assume that this term would still be used? My thoughts shed some light on my own expectations of the future; I guess I have always just assumed that in a few hundred years the term ‘nigger’ would no longer be a part of the everyday English vocabulary. After going back and rereading the line in the context of the paragraphs before and after it, I realized that the white character was using ‘nigger’ as a descriptive term, not one as a slur. Obviously, Delany believed that the term would still be used in the future, but would not be a term connotating hate or degradation. I had never considered this, and so it got me to thinking: What is the future of the term “Nigger”? I began researching this question and came upon two articles; both articles only served to multiply my questions on the issue. Maxwell and Nelson each present a strong case for their argument. The fact that they are both African American males only serves to add to their credit. Both Maxwell and Nelson agree that the term “nigger” has a very hurtful and hateful past as a slur against black people, yet they disagree on whether or not it should or will be used in the future. This made me question the future connotations or use of the term.
In his article “‘Nigger’: The Slur of Slurs” Bill Maxwell sets out to “open a linguistic window for the rest of the world, especially the white world, into the rich use of the ability of black Americans to buffet a hostile environment by creating neologisms from an epithet.” He is referring specifically to the use of the term ‘nigger.’ Maxwell thinks it is ridiculous for black Americans to try and get rid of the term. He maintains that while the word ‘nigger’ has had a very racist and hurtful connotation in referring to black people, that in the current day and age, it is a perfectly acceptable form of affection amongst blacks. He ridicules the current movement amongst Americans of all different cultures to strike the term ‘nigger’ from the “Miriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary” calling it “a mess.” Maxwell asserts that if African Americans simply own the term and use it only in affection and not as a slur, then the hurtful past of the term will soon be forgotten. He also calls it “ridiculous” to try and “edit our history books in the name of political correctness.” He understands that black people may be offended if the word is used by someone of another skin color, particularly white people, but states that if blacks push the issue of striking ‘nigger’ from other peoples’ vocabularies that “all publications—black or white or otherwise—should not be permitted to use it, including ‘Juba and Jive’ and ‘Black Talk’.” After making this statement, Maxwell concludes that the meanings of words evolve, and that this evolution can be controlled by those who use the words. One can deduce then, that Maxwell indeed envisions a future in which the term ‘nigger’ is no longer considered offensive. Rob Nelson totally disagrees with Maxwell’s argument.
In contrast, Rob Nelson attacks the use of the term in any context. In his article “The Word ‘Nigga’ Is Only For Slaves and Sambos” He states that for blacks, there is no greater insult than to be referred to as a ‘nigger.’ Nelson finds it particularly disturbing that this term has made its way into the everyday language of black Americans, calling it ridiculous. He says, “There is a huge price to pay when the word ‘nigga’ is used as a term of affection amongst African Americans.” Instead of owning the term and redefining it by using ‘nigga’ in everyday language, Nelson asserts that this action only causes “blacks to continue to be shackled by their own lock and key…it’s self-defeating…(and) creates and atmosphere of acceptance (to a racial slur)…” Clearly, Nelson would hotly debate anyone, especially and African American for using and promoting the use of such a term. Nelson also attacks the term “the N-word” saying that referring to it in such a way in an effort for political correctness numbs one to the past and current hurtful connotations of the word. Nelson even takes things one step further. Responding to the claim that by pronouncing the term ‘nigga’ instead of ‘nigger’ completely changes the meaning of the term from that of hate to that of affection amongst black people, particularly black males, Nelson responds, “No matter what’s done with the last syllable of the word, it doesn’t make it any less offensive or demeaning.” Nelson concludes his article by powerfully asserting that inequality will exist as long as ‘nigger’ is used, whatever the context. So, who has rendered the correct verdict, and what does this mean for the future of the term “nigger”?
After reading these articles, I realized that I do not fully agree with either Nelson or Maxwell, yet find it hard to render my own verdict on the topic. As a white person, I was raised that it was never inappropriate to refer to a black person as a ‘nigger.’ Also, I certainly never refer to my close friends as being my ‘niggas.’ Personally, I believe that the hurtful history of the term is reason enough for people not to use it. At the same time, I have no problem when black people use the term. I suppose it’s really a Catch-22. As for the future of the term ‘nigger’ or ‘nigga’ I believe it will still be used, but with a neutral connotation, much like its use in “Corona.” Perhaps it will simply be viewed as a descriptive term derived from the Spanish ‘negro’ or the French ‘negre.’ I’m not sure if this will come about from African Americans embracing the term, or just a general cycle of words changing meaning over centuries. Really, only time will tell. The poor connotation of the term is based on the idea of different “races” of people. I’d like to think that the word will become neutral because people of different cultures will become more enlightened on the idea of race and realize that we are all the same, just of different cultures. For now, I share the viewpoint of the folks at “Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary” on the issue of completely striking the term ‘nigger’ from the dictionary as well as historical documents. They issued the following statement: “We have made it clear that the use of this word as a racial slur is abhorrent to us, but it is nonetheless part of language, and as such, it is our duty as dictionary makers to report on it. To do less would simply mislead people by creating the false impression that racial slurs are no longer part of our culture; and that, tragically, is not the case.”
Works Cited
“Boycott Threatened Over Dictionary Definition of the Word ‘Nigger’.” News and Views. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. No. 18. Winter, 1997-1998. 45-46.
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 256-275.
Maxwell, Bill. “‘Nigger’: The Slur of Slurs.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. No. 18. Winter, 1997-1998. 44.
Nelson, Rob. “The Word ‘Nigga’ Is Only For Slaves and Sambas.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. No 21. Autumn, 1998. 117.
Comments from Felicia Hall for Essay 3
October 15, 2007
SkyyBlu:
I really like your statement that many things can take our freedom from us, especially things that are a result of our choices. Just because we live in a “free” country doesn’t automatically correlate with us living “free” lives.
Lauren:
I like that you brought attention to the fact that interracial couples tend to have very rich lives because they are combining two cultures. However, I suppose that many opponents to interracial marriages would assert that this “mixing” could eventually lead to a loss of an entire culture.
Scoobie:
You did a great job of describing the power of music and the way it can alter a person’s mood. I also like that you brought out the point that music that appeals to one person can also disgust someone else.
Bridget:
You did an excellent job of thoroughly synthesizing the articles and coming up with your own conclusion. This was certainly an interesting essay to read.
Jennifer:
You did a good job of identifying the effect of music on the characters in “Corona.”
Whitney:
Your thought that because of the laws in America you were able to sense that something was “off” in the story was on point. I knew something was “off” but didn’t realize it was directly because I am so used to the laws in our country.
Kathryn:
I like your thought that music has the ability to suppress emotions (Lee not wanting to die while listening to the song), but I disagree that the story is completely bleak. I think it ends with a bit of hope.
JKHolmes:
You did an amazing job of discovering that one of the main problems between the Maggies and the humans was a lack of communication, and miscommunication through nonverbal cues!
Reilly:
“…which path is worse—To voluntarily submit, or to be born into that sort of submission?” Interesting question! I wish you would’ve delved deeper as to the answer.
Sanavieai:
Enjoyed reading this essay. “Music has an undercurrent of subliminal messages that translate beauty, peace, and justice.” What about music with the sole purpose of spreading hate?
Constance:
You did a good job of pointing out that we appreciate the good times more because of the bad times we’ve been through. Although I personally know this, I do not often think of this when life gets hard, and I also often forget to be thankful when times are good.
Whitney Hubbert
October 8, 2007
Essay 3
Freedom or Prisoner
Focusing Question
How free are we, living in America?
Thesis Statement
Living in America, you think you are a free person, but you must conform to all of society’s rules or you will end up a prisoner in this free country. In the essay Maggies, the question of how free are you really, came up. The story Corona, however, made me
realize that freedom does come at a price.
Summary of Maggies
As I read Maggies, I kept thinking how free we actually are. I thought about my question and I came up with many rules we must follow. Examples include your job, parents, laws, and relationships. The first example, your job, proves how we are free to an extent. At work, we can do what we want, as long as we finish our job. If you do not do your job, then your boss will fire you. The next example is living with your parents. While I lived with my parents, I was able to do anything I wanted, as long as I made good grades in school and did not stay out passed curfew. Again, I thought I was free, but once I broke a rule, I was punished. Obeying the law is necessary. The law is simple… if you do the crime, you pay the time. Yes, these laws are here to protect us, but America is supposed to be a free country. How can this be a free country with all of its rules and regulations? The last example that came to my head is the “hidden” rules in relationships. When you are dating someone, you automatically know not to call other people or go off with other people.
In Maggies Tata and Kayley are friends. They come from two different backgrounds, but they still find things in common. They learned from each other. Maggies takes place after the rebellion. I think when Kayley saw her dad and Tata, she realized that Tata had never been completely free. No matter how hard Tat worked, she
would always be another “worker” to her father.
Summary of Corona
In the story Corona, the theme good comes from evil was evident. I would like to think this is not true, but I began thinking about things that happen to me, or around me. The first thing I thought about was a rainbow. You only see a rainbow after a storm. As a little girl, I was told every time it rained that meant God was crying for us and when the rain stopped, God smiled through a rainbow. This story showed me how much people need freedom in their life, and it comes at a price. I thought about the crucifixion. Jesus paid a price to free all of us. We have a choice to be good or bad, believe or not believe. Ours sins are forgiven. Without this crucifixion, what would we be doing now?
Statement of Risky or Surprising New View
In conclusion, I have given examples of how our freedom is limited and comes at a price. I do believe living in America is freer than living in a communist country. Yes, we do have laws to follow, but those laws are there to protect us. It is because of those laws that when I read Maggies I knew something was not right. So, ask yourself, how free are you? I believe we can be as free as we want, as long as it is for good.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 256-275.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 276-293.
Whitney Hubbert
October 8, 2007
Essay 3
Freedom or Prisoner
COMPLETED ESSAY
Living in America, you think you are a free person, but you must conform to all of society’s rules or you will end up a prisoner in this free country. In the essay Maggies, the question of how free are you really, came up. The story Corona, however, made me realize that freedom does come at a price.
As I read Maggies, I kept thinking how free we actually are. I thought about my question and I came up with many rules we must follow. Examples include your job, parents, laws, and relationships. The first example, your job, proves how we are free to an extent. At work, we can do what we want, as long as we finish our job. If you do not do your job, then your boss will fire you. The next example is living with your parents. While I lived with my parents, I was able to do anything I wanted, as long as I made good grades in school and did not stay out passed curfew. Again, I thought I was free, but once I broke a rule, I was punished. Obeying the law is necessary. The law is simple… if you do the crime, you pay the time. Yes, these laws are here to protect us, but America is supposed to be a free country. How can this be a free country with all of its rules and regulations? The last example that came to my head is the “hidden” rules in relationships. When you are dating someone, you automatically know not to call other people or go off with other people.
In Maggies Tata and Kayley are friends. They come from two different backgrounds, but they still find things in common. They learned from each other. Maggies takes place after the rebellion. I think when Kayley saw her dad and Tata, she realized that Tata had never been completely free. No matter how hard Tat worked, she would always be another “worker” to her father.
In the story Corona, the theme good comes from evil was evident. I would like to think this is not true, but I began thinking about things that happen to me, or around me. The first thing I thought about was a rainbow. You only see a rainbow after a storm. As a little girl, I was told every time it rained that meant God was crying for us and when the rain stopped, God smiled through a rainbow. This story showed me how much people need freedom in their life, and it comes at a price. I thought about the crucifixion. Jesus paid a price to free all of us. We have a choice to be good or bad, believe or not believe. Ours sins are forgiven. Without this crucifixion, what would we be doing now?
In conclusion, I have given examples of how our freedom is limited and comes at a price. I do believe living in America is freer than living in a communist country. Yes, we do have laws to follow, but those laws are there to protect us. It is because of those laws that when I read Maggies I knew something was not right. So, ask yourself, how free are you? I believe we can be as free as we want, as long as it is for good.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 256-275.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 276-293.
Kirsten Altice
(1) State the focusing question.
~What causes citizens of America to become so destitute, either psychologically or materialistically, resulting in their loss of freedom and leading to them becoming aliens in their own country?
(2) State the thesis.
~ The stories Maggies written by Nisi Shawl and Corona written by Samuel R. Delany both reflect strong feelings of freedom, pain, and having a true democracy instead of barbarism.
(3) 200-250 word summary for Corona
~Corona manages to touch on many issues found within society’s structure today although it was written in the past. Lee was an intelligent little girl and was troubled by how someone could have so much control over people. Lee was bothered because no one could agree on what was right and what was wrong. In her opinion, having harmony is what makes the world better. She befriends Buddy, who by societies standards would not be her associated with her because he is not intelligent and he is poor. Lee does not own these two qualities. The beauty of this relationship is that they understand one another and grow to love one another even though society wants otherwise. The relationship is what helps both Lee and Buddy cope because coping is a huge issue in their lives. Although music is used as a means to relax, in this story the music is causing people to injure themselves. In order to find comfort and cope the characters in this story are focused on helping one another. This is what we should do as Americans in order to help one another as we struggle with poverty and mental illness. Unless we help one another, we will become alienated in our own homeland.
200-250 word summary for Maggies
~Maggies tells us a story of never truly being free and this relates to everything in our lives. In the story, Tata and Kayley come from different backgrounds; however, they manage to keep a great companionship. This is the same as in the story of Corona. However, as time passes on Kayley begins to see the difference and understand why she and Tata are different. It is sad that Tata is seen as a worker or lower class individual, but that is how life is perceived and accepted. Although, the two of them are both human, because they come from two different class systems they are treated differently. An example of this is the India’s caste system, listed from lowest to highest, which has been working for years. They have the untouchables (who are outside of the actual caste system), Shudra (artisans), Vaishya (merchants), Kshatriya (who are rulers, warriors and landowners), and lastly the Brahman’s (priests).
(4)500 word analysis of texts
~The stories Maggies written by Nisi Shawl and Corona written by Samuel R. Delany both reflect strong feelings of freedom, pain, and having a true democracy instead of barbarism. We face these issues all over America today. Freedom not only consists of having the right to vote and the ability to express one’s individuality, but freedom is also having comfort in knowing your country will help you. Corona manages to touch on many issues found within society’s structure today although it was written in the past. Lee was an intelligent little girl and was troubled by how someone could have so much control over people. Lee was bothered because no one could agree on what was right and what was wrong. In her opinion, having harmony is what makes the world better. She befriends Buddy, who by societies standards would not be her associated with her because he is not intelligent and he is poor. Lee does not own these two qualities. The beauty of this relationship is that they understand one another and grow to love one another even though society wants otherwise. The relationship is what helps both Lee and Buddy cope because coping is a huge issue in their lives. Although music is used as a means to relax, in this story the music is causing people to injure themselves. In order to find comfort and cope the characters in this story are focused on helping one another. This is what we should do as Americans in order to help one another as we struggle with poverty and mental illness. Unless we help one another, we will become alienated in our own homeland.
Maggies tells us a story of never truly being free and this relates to everything in our lives. In the story, Tata and Kayley come from different backgrounds; however, they manage to keep a great companionship. This is the same as in the story of Corona. However, as time passes on Kayley begins to see the difference and understand why she and Tata are different. It is sad that Tata is seen as a worker or lower class individual, but that is how life is perceived and accepted. Although, the two of them are both human, because they come from two different class systems they are treated differently. An example of this is the India’s caste system, listed from lowest to highest, which has been working for years. They have the untouchables (who are outside of the actual caste system), Shudra (artisans), Vaishya (merchants), Kshatriya (who are rulers, warriors and landowners), and lastly the Brahman’s (priests).
(5)Risky, surprising view
~In conclusion, all of the occurrences I have spoken about can make any individual question what freedom truly is and whether or not we truly have it. In the end what causes such despair and anguish is not necessarily having the material possessions, but it is the selfishness of others, which causes individuals to feel alone and alienated. This spreads like a disease causing conflict and pain. Unless harmony and stability are brought forth, we will all fall.
The Destitute Alien in America
Each day as I carry on with my daily activities I cannot help why the world is the way that it is. I am a very idealistic person, but each time the news comes on I become a little more empathetic due to the chaos, which unfolds before me. The crime in New Orleans, Louisiana is a prime example of senseless and unorganized pain caused through chaos. Nothing is being done about it. The police are still operating out of trailers and the National Guard is still patrolling the area. What is worse is criminals are being released back onto the streets because the District Attorney is not filing paperwork correctly and people are afraid to testify. The inhabitants of New Orleans love their city so much they will not leave even though they are not protected and do not have the respect from the government they deserve. Why is it that their city abandons them? What causes citizens of America to become so destitute, either psychologically or materialistically, resulting in their loss of freedom and leading to them becoming aliens in their own country?
The stories Maggies written by Nisi Shawl and Corona written by Samuel R. Delany both reflect strong feelings of freedom, pain, and having a true democracy instead of barbarism. We face these issues all over America today. Freedom not only consists of having the right to vote and the ability to express one’s individuality, but freedom is also having comfort in knowing your country will help you. Corona manages to touch on many issues found within society’s structure today although it was written in the past. Lee was an intelligent little girl and was troubled by how someone could have so much control over people. Lee was bothered because no one could agree on what was right and what was wrong. In her opinion, having harmony is what makes the world better. She befriends Buddy, who by societies standards would not be her associated with her because he is not intelligent and he is poor. Lee does not own these two qualities. The beauty of this relationship is that they understand one another and grow to love one another even though society wants otherwise. The relationship is what helps both Lee and Buddy cope because coping is a huge issue in their lives. Although music is used as a means to relax, in this story the music is causing people to injure themselves. In order to find comfort and cope the characters in this story are focused on helping one another. This is what we should do as Americans in order to help one another as we struggle with poverty and mental illness. Unless we help one another, we will become alienated in our own homeland.
Maggies tells us a story of never truly being free and this relates to everything in our lives. In the story, Tata and Kayley come from different backgrounds; however, they manage to keep a great companionship. This is the same as in the story of Corona. However, as time passes on Kayley begins to see the difference and understand why she and Tata are different. It is sad that Tata is seen as a worker or lower class individual, but that is how life is perceived and accepted. Although, the two of them are both human, because they come from two different class systems they are treated differently. An example of this is the India’s caste system, listed from lowest to highest, which has been working for years. They have the untouchables (who are outside of the actual caste system), Shudra (artisans), Vaishya (merchants), Kshatriya (who are rulers, warriors and landowners), and lastly the Brahman’s (priests).
In conclusion, all of the occurrences I have spoken about can make any individual question what freedom truly is and whether or not we truly have it. In the end what causes such despair and anguish is not necessarily having the material possessions, but it is the selfishness of others, which causes individuals to feel alone and alienated. This spreads like a disease causing conflict and pain. Unless harmony and stability are brought forth, we will all fall.
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books., 2004. 256 - 275.
Shawl, Nisi. “Maggies.” Dark Matter: Reading The Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004. 276-293.
Kirsten's Comments for Peers
for skyyblu
I thought it was very interesting how you asked the question whether or not blacks have started to accept the slavery state of mind. Sometimes I have often wondered myself if some individuals have succumbed to that way of thinking..
Why do you think Blacks are accepting that state of mind?
for Lauren
I think it's great that you chose to focus on the beauty of ALL relationships. I myself think about that all of the time and I find it to be beautiful to look at diversity.
for Scoobie
Interesting outside source and interesting way to incorporate it with the reading of Corona. Great job.
for Bridget
I like how you looked at the cognitive and psychological effects of music. Very interesting essay.
for Jenifer
Your essay was also very interesting. Great job on identifying how the music effected Lee and Buddy.
for Whitney
I like how you observed the fact that although America is looked at as a free country we are not truly free to do as we choose. Great job comparing it to the stories.
Bridget Whalen
Dr. Alford
10/16/07
Focusing Question:
What effect does music play on mood and mental state?
Thesis Statement:
Music affects mental state and mood but outside factors contribute as well.
200-250 word summary of Delany's text:
“Corona” by Samuel Delany is a work of speculative fiction that centers on a young girl of nine years old named Lee. This child has suffered a substantial amount of mental trauma due to events that she has been through and things that she has seen. The little girl stays at a hospital because of this. In the hospital there is also a somewhat slow man named Buddy. At some point in the story both of these characters are affected by a certain song, unfortunately in a negative manner. First Buddy is affected by the song.. The song is called Corona and it plays often in the hospital due to its popularity on the airwaves. While Buddy at first says that he enjoys the music, he quickly begins to experience an adverse effect of its sound. It beings when he felt “ a surge of disorder” and is followed a few moments later when “something inside went wild” (Delany, 258.) His fits ended when the last bit of the song ended as well showing that there was a good chance that his fit stemmed from the song. Later while Lee is meeting with Dr. Gross she tries to kill herself when she is discussing whether or not she enjoyed the song. While this song has had apparent negative effects on both these characters early on in the story, at the end its affect changes completely for Lee. After Lee had begun to spend time with Buddy in the hospital, helping him, the song actually makes her less depressed. In the last line of the story as she lies in her cot she can hear Corona playing, and it says that it made her feel a little less like dying (Delany, 275.)
200-250 word summary of Stratton's and Zalanowski's text:
In the article “ The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Two employees of Pennsylvania State University write about a study they did to determine how music affects mood. In their study, Valerie Stratton and Annette Zalanowski examined 72 subjects. They varied their study by telling three different types of stories (happy, sad, or neutral) accompanied by background music (pleasant, depressing, or none.) They found that with the neutral story instruction, the music they played determined the mood of the participants. However, the happy and sad story instructions super-ceded any effect of the music (Stratton and Zalanowski, 125.) The sad story instructions were most effective, causing the participants to feel depressed and experience decreased positive affect in all three musical conditions. Their conclusion to the study is that the mood responses to music depend on cognitive processes instead of the music itself (Stratton and Zalanowski, 127.) It is the belief of these two women that it is not music that effects mood but more so the cognitive processes being experienced at the same time. It implies that your state of mind will effect how the music affects you. If you are feeling happy then it is not likely that a slightly depressing song will send you into fits. Also, if you are feeling depressed it is not likely that all it will take is a positive song to put you back on the right track. It is implied by this study that mood is not so much affected by music but more so by cognition, and no matter what type of music you are listening to, its effects are outweighed by everything else. They are definitive in saying that music does not determinately affect mood.
200-250 word summary of O'Donnell's text:
In “Music and the Brain” O’Donnell states that not only does music Definitely effect your mood but it also does so on a psychological basis. He states that your body performs certain responses to music that causes your mood to change. He says that certain types of music such as classical from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of the music and as it does this, the body becomes relaxed and alert and the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Another positive effect of music is that it can be used for stress management and memory problems, says O’Donnell. The brain works by looking at different pieces of information and deciding if they are different or the same. This is done in music of the baroque and classical periods by playing a theme and then repeating or changing the theme. The repetition is only done once. More than one repetition causes the music to become displeasing, and also causes a person to either enter a state of sub-conscious thinking or a state of anger (O’Donnell.) He also states that an Australian doctor discovered that all muscles in the body go weak when subjected to what is called the “stopped anapestic beat” that we often hear in rock music such as Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, and The Doors (O’Donnell.) He says this also causes alarm in the body, weakened work performance, learning and behavior problems in children and general malaise in adults.
500 word analysis of texts:
Stratton and Zalanowski seem to think that cognition plays a more important role in a person’s mental state that music, and that music is simply in the background. O’Donnell states many benefits and negativities that music can have on the body and states many different reasons for these effects. All three of these texts put forth ideas about whether music affects mood and how it manages to do so. O’Donnells beliefs that music affects the body and mind in a physiological way is appealing because it gives a scientific answer as to how and why we react to music like we do. While this is appealing, Stratton and Zalanowski’s opposing view that music does not really affect mood is appealing as well. Their view states that there are other factors to blame for switches in disposition.
After reading these texts Stratton and Zalanowski’s views do tie in to Delany’s story and help make sense of the song’s effects on Lee. At the beginning Lee is very depressed because of all she has been through which is when the song makes her want to kill herself. At the end after she has been allowed to spend time with Buddy and to help him, her disposition seems to be in a better state, which is when the song makes her feel less like killing herself. If we believed what Stratton and Zalanowski put out there then it makes sense as to why the song would affect Lee in one way and then have a completely different effect on her later in the story. In the beginning when she was depressed, she took the song in a negative way and in the end when she is feeling a little better about her situation, the song is not quite as detrimental to her well being.
O’Donnell’s view as applied to Delany’s story gives an entirely different look into why the song affected the characters. He would state that Lee and Buddy were affected not because of their underlying mental states, but because of the beats and stops in the music itself. He would say that it was inevitable that they were affected and their bodies reacted to the music appropriately. But if this is the case, then why does the same song effect Lee differently at the end of the story? If the body has only one choice as to how it reacts to a certain song, the reaction should be the same no matter what the situation.
My belief on this subject lies somewhere in the middle of the three different texts. I believe that music does affect mood, but I also believe that the mental state that you are in before listening to the music plays in to how you react upon hearing certain songs. I’m sure that certain music can make a person want to kill themselves, but only if that person is severely depressed anyway. I do not believe that a certain song can send someone into a fit or cause them to want to kill themselves because of the sheer power of the song as in “Corona” but I do believe that music can make a bad mood worse or on good occasions, make a bad mood better.
Statement of Risky or Surprisingly New View:
While music affects mood, I think it is more so the mood that you are already in that dictates the way that music affects you.
Completed Paper:
Bridget Whalen
Dr. Alford
October 16, 2007
In the world of music, much literature has been written on a simple question; does music affect a person’s mental state or mood, and if so how? I have decided to research this question and in doing so have chosen to analyze three texts: Samuel Delany’s story “Corona,” “Music and the Brain” by Laurence O’Donnell, and “The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood” published by two staff members at Pennsylvania State University. Delany writes of a two people in his story, a young girl named Lee and a slow man named Buddy. In the story a certain song affected both of these character’s actions. The other two texts that I have chosen present two different views on how music affects a person’s mood.
“Corona” by Samuel Delany is a work of speculative fiction that centers on a young girl of nine years old named Lee. This child has suffered a substantial amount of mental trauma due to events that she has been through and things that she has seen. The little girl stays at a hospital because of this. In the hospital there is also a somewhat slow man named Buddy. At some point in the story both of these characters are affected by a certain song, unfortunately in a negative manner. First Buddy is affected by the song.. The song is called Corona and it plays often in the hospital due to its popularity on the airwaves. While Buddy at first says that he enjoys the music, he quickly begins to experience an adverse effect of its sound. It beings when he felt “ a surge of disorder” and is followed a few moments later when “something inside went wild” (Delany, 258.) His fits ended when the last bit of the song ended as well showing that there was a good chance that his fit stemmed from the song. Later while Lee is meeting with Dr. Gross she tries to kill herself when she is discussing whether or not she enjoyed the song. While this song has had apparent negative effects on both these characters early on in the story, at the end its affect changes completely for Lee. After Lee had begun to spend time with Buddy in the hospital, helping him, the song actually makes her less depressed. In the last line of the story as she lies in her cot she can hear Corona playing, and it says that it made her feel a little less like dying (Delany, 275.)
The other two texts that I am analyzing put forth two different views on if and what causes music to have such an effect on our mental states. In the article “ The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Two employees of Pennsylvania State University write about a study they did to determine how music affects mood. In their study, Valerie Stratton and Annette Zalanowski examined 72 subjects. They varied their study by telling three different types of stories (happy, sad, or neutral) accompanied by background music (pleasant, depressing, or none.) They found that with the neutral story instruction, the music they played determined the mood of the participants. However, the happy and sad story instructions super-ceded any effect of the music (Stratton and Zalanowski, 125.) The sad story instructions were most effective, causing the participants to feel depressed and experience decreased positive affect in all three musical conditions. Their conclusion to the study is that the mood responses to music depend on cognitive processes instead of the music itself (Stratton and Zalanowski, 127.) It is the belief of these two women that it is not music that effects mood but more so the cognitive processes being experienced at the same time. It implies that your state of mind will effect how the music affects you. If you are feeling happy then it is not likely that a slightly depressing song will send you into fits. Also, if you are feeling depressed it is not likely that all it will take is a positive song to put you back on the right track. It is implied by this study that mood is not so much affected by music but more so by cognition, and no matter what type of music you are listening to, its effects are outweighed by everything else. They are definitive in saying that music does not determinately affect mood.
In “Music and the Brain” O’Donnell states that not only does music Definitely effect your mood but it also does so on a psychological basis. He states that your body performs certain responses to music that causes your mood to change. He says that certain types of music such as classical from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of the music and as it does this, the body becomes relaxed and alert and the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Another positive effect of music is that it can be used for stress management and memory problems, says O’Donnell. The brain works by looking at different pieces of information and deciding if they are different or the same. This is done in music of the baroque and classical periods by playing a theme and then repeating or changing the theme. The repetition is only done once. More than one repetition causes the music to become displeasing, and also causes a person to either enter a state of sub-conscious thinking or a state of anger (O’Donnell.) He also states that an Australian doctor discovered that all muscles in the body go weak when subjected to what is called the “stopped anapestic beat” that we often hear in rock music such as Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, and The Doors (O’Donnell.) He says this also causes alarm in the body, weakened work performance, learning and behavior problems in children and general malaise in adults.
Stratton and Zalanowski seem to think that cognition plays a more important role in a person’s mental state that music, and that music is simply in the background. O’Donnell states many benefits and negativities that music can have on the body and states many different reasons for these effects. All three of these texts put forth ideas about whether music affects mood and how it manages to do so. O’Donnells beliefs that music affects the body and mind in a physiological way is appealing because it gives a scientific answer as to how and why we react to music like we do. While this is appealing, Stratton and Zalanowski’s opposing view that music does not really affect mood is appealing as well. Their view states that there are other factors to blame for switches in disposition.
After reading these texts Stratton and Zalanowski’s views do tie in to Delany’s story and help make sense of the song’s effects on Lee. At the beginning Lee is very depressed because of all she has been through which is when the song makes her want to kill herself. At the end after she has been allowed to spend time with Buddy and to help him, her disposition seems to be in a better state, which is when the song makes her feel less like killing herself. If we believed what Stratton and Zalanowski put out there then it makes sense as to why the song would affect Lee in one way and then have a completely different effect on her later in the story. In the beginning when she was depressed, she took the song in a negative way and in the end when she is feeling a little better about her situation, the song is not quite as detrimental to her well being.
O’Donnell’s view as applied to Delany’s story gives an entirely different look into why the song affected the characters. He would state that Lee and Buddy were affected not because of their underlying mental states, but because of the beats and stops in the music itself. He would say that it was inevitable that they were affected and their bodies reacted to the music appropriately. But if this is the case, then why does the same song effect Lee differently at the end of the story? If the body has only one choice as to how it reacts to a certain song, the reaction should be the same no matter what the situation.
My belief on this subject lies somewhere in the middle of the three different texts. I believe that music does affect mood, but I also believe that the mental state that you are in before listening to the music plays in to how you react upon hearing certain songs. I’m sure that certain music can make a person want to kill themselves, but only if that person is severely depressed anyway. I do not believe that a certain song can send someone into a fit or cause them to want to kill themselves because of the sheer power of the song as in “Corona” but I do believe that music can make a bad mood worse or on good occasions, make a bad mood better. While music affects mood, I think it is more so the mood that you are already in that dictates the way that music affects you.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books, 2004.
O’Donnell, Laurence. “Music and the Brain.” Brain and Mind. 05 October 2007 http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n15/mente/musica.html
Stratton, Valerie and Annette Zalanowski. “The Effects of Music and Cognition on Mood,” Psychology of Music. 19 (1991): 121-127.
Bridget Whalen: Comments for peers
To Skyyblu:
I like how you compare Maggies to a plantation. I had never thought about the set up and the characters in that way. Your descriptions of freedom and the distribution of it is really great too!
To Lauren:
Very good topic. I'm so glad that you decided to write on this controversial subject! I agree with what you say about the world needing interracial relationships. They do add so much to the world!
To Scoobie:
I love the way you started your essay with a story. It really drew me into your essay. Starting with a narrative story is always a good attention grabber!
To Jennifer:
Really good outside source. I wrote on the same topic and almost used that as one of my sources. You did a good job tying in the source.
To Whitney:
You asked a really good question in your essay. That is something we all need to ponder. We live in a "free" country, but what does that mean? Good job of bringing up all the different rules we as Americans must follow.
To Kgarikes:
Very nice essay. I like how you brought up the tie in to the story Faust. I also like how you told all the different meanings of the word Corona.
To jkholmes:
You are such a good writer!!! Your essay was on a really interesting topic and you made it very easy to follow and become interested in.
To rdc501
Very interesting topic. I'm glad you wrote about this because I had never thought about it before. Very easy to read!
To Felecia:
Very good job summarizing your sources. Also, very good topic and final idea. I hope that it does become a neutral term in the future and lessens in use.
To Gucci:
I really love your new idea. Selfishness does play a major role in the alientation and depression of others. Very nice job with the flow of your essay. A very interesting essay.
LaWanda Jones
EH 468-101
October 08, 2007
The focusing question of this essay is: How can a song that inspires one person be hated by another? After reading the two text I decided to analyze for this paper the thesis statement I developed was Music is interpreted by individuals.
The first text I decided to use was one of our assigned readings, "Corona" by Samuel Delaney. This short story tells the story of friendship through tragedy and music. The two characters in the story, Buddy and Lee are polar opposites from one another but find their common thread through a singer name Bryan Faust. Faust's song Corona is a big hit with people because of the entrancing and vibrant melody of the song. Buddy is asked by his supervisor why he likes the song and he isn't really able to give a reason; he just says that he likes it. Lee is also asked by her doctor what is it about the song that appeals to her. We don't get a straight answer from Lee; we just know that she likes it. We as readers are able to experience both Buddy's and Lee's tragedy through the rise and fall of the music in "Corona". The two characters meet in the hospital where Lee is residing and find a trust in the other they were not able to find anywhere else. The two characters are the calmest when they are interacting with each other. This is the time in the story we see the power of music transcending age, gender, and race.
The other text that I used for the paper was the internet article "Censor This: Censorship in America". This article tells of the orgin of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) founded by Tipper Gore and a group of other concerned parents. Tipper Gore who was at home watching rock music videos with her children was disgusted by the images and words that were be presented by the video. She was upset that her children were being shown these things by music television stations. She talked to friends about what she saw and discovered that her friends were also upset with these videos as well. These parents as well as many others are concerned about the content and images being presented to the youth of America. Joining with the PTA, the PMRC wrote letters to the recording industry urging it to do its part against the delinquency of minors. The PMRC feels that the recording industry as well as the artist is responsible for what is put out for children to hear over the radio or see on TV. After this and other things done by PMRC, the recording industry began putting parental advisory labels on mature content.
Applying both text to one another I am able to build upon the foundation for my synthesis essay. In regards to Delany's "Corona" the two characters in my eyes represent races not just black and white but all others as well. Delany is showing us how a common thread such as music can bring different people together. While reading this text I thought about the music today. Look on you tube and you will see people of different races, ages, and gender doing a dance called “The Soulja Boy”. It’s the number one album in the country right now. This is Bryan Faust’s “Corona” in reality. I also feel that Buddy and Lee were brought together and became friends because Lee could feel Buddy’s fear and pain through his dream that he was having while in the hospital. Before she was even able to meet Buddy, Lee already empathized with him because of what he went through while he was in jail. That is another connection the story has with the real world. We are able to connect with people that could understand hurt or tragedy we have experienced before. That is the reason a song that talks about heart break and the anger that follows can be comforting to someone no matter the race. I think that Delany as using all this to show that we can connect to one another no matter the difference. We should try to connect internally rather than externally. Apply this to the article “Censor This: Censorship in America” we take the very thing that brought Buddy and Lee together and see that there are people that will not find the same meaning in a particular song. We are told through the article that Tipper Gore was at home watching rock videos with her children and she was disgusted. We truly do not know how the kids felt about this song. True, the video could have been lewd but most kids today only watch the videos of songs that they like. So Tipper Gore’s children may have liked the song . I’m pretty sure that there are songs that Tipper liked growing up that her parents thought were inappropriate. That is just like parents and kids today. My mother hates some of the music I listen to but the music she listens to is fine. Even though some of the songs she liked from “back in the day” talk about sex and things of that nature. It is just that the music from back then talked about these things not as openly as singers of today. While “Corona” seems to be written for an audience on a broad spectrum, “Censor This: Censorship in America” gives off the feeling that it was written for concerned parents and students like myself who are looking to do research on the topic of the PMRC and censorship of music. I found it interesting that music that is seen as something that can heal a broken heart; or relax one from a day filled with stressful situations. Can be seen as something that contributes to the delinquency of minors and should be censored as to not cause harm to the youth of America.
After reading both essays and building my thesis the new idea I am presenting in this paper is that one song that inspires one person does not have to mean so much to another. The way differnt individuals with completely different personalities will not get the same meaning from the lyrics. That is the reason why music that inspires one person will make another disgusted over the lyrics. Music is interpreted by the individual.
The Influence of Music
Stacy has a bad day at school comes home and gets scolded because of bad grades. She’s stressed and no one seems to care or understand how she feels. She goes to her room and slams the door. Quickly Stacy goes to her radio and puts in her favorite CD. She puts her headphones on and lets the music wash away her stress and anger. Before long, she is smiling and singing along to her favorite song. In the next room her younger brother Greg has the TV blasting watching BET. One if his favorite songs by rap star Nelly happens to be on and he is rapping along. His mother walks into the room to tell him to turn the television down. Stopping to look at the TV she finds Nelly swiping a credit card down a young woman’s back side. This angers her and she quickly turns the television off. Within the same household we have someone who views music as a way to escape the stress of everyday life and someone who sees music as a bad influence on today’s young generation. How could something that brings such happiness and joy to one cause such anger and dissatisfaction to another?
In the text “Corona” by Samuel R. Delany the two characters in the story are brought together through tragedy by both liking the singer Bryan Faust. Buddy, an assistant servicer Kennedy Spaceport is listening to Faust’s song “Corona” when a barrel of solvent is dropped from above and falls on him. While describing Buddy’s anguish to the reader, Delany cleverly parallels Buddy’s pain with the erratic rhythms flowing from the speaker as Faust continues singing Corona. The build up of the song matches that of Buddy’s pain. During the time of Buddy’s accident the reader is introduced to the second character in the story, a little girl named Lee. Lee is in the hospital because she is able to feel others emotions and here their thoughts. Lee is also listening to Bryan Faust’s Corona and is moved by the rhythm of the song. Lee seems to be a really big fan of Faust’s and imagines a time when she could actually meet him in person. During her fantasy she hears her mother speak of how stressful and agitated she is with all that is going on. As Lee tries to tune out her mother, the doctor walks in the room. First things seem okay but then out of the blue Lee jumps on the doctor and climbs up to the window to jump out and kill herself.
Buddy and Lee who are complete opposites in every aspect meet when Lee goes to wake Buddy from a bad dream she senses from him. They begin to talk about Brian Faust and instantly become friends. They make a pact that since Buddy works at the spaceport Faust’s ship goes through he will help her meet him in person. At the end of the story Buddy fulfills his promise to Lee and through him she is able to listen to Bryan Faust sing live.
The story brings two completely different characters together through music. The love of music can not only heal one emotionally, it can bring together people who normally in everyday situations would not speak to each other. Delany’s use of music as a common thread that links these two is evident through in today’s society. One can go to the website YouTube and type in Soulja Boy and get videos of people all sizes, races, ethnicities, and ages doing this one dance. Many different people have been brought together because they all happen to like this dance. The same thing can be seen when going to a concert. Music is said to transcend race and ethnic groups as well as heal people emotionally.
On the other hand there are those that view music as a bad influence on today’s youth. Song that promote, sex, drugs, and violence, are prevalent in all music genres. A young black kid dies in a gang fight, the blame is put on hip hop lyrics that glorify gang banging. Two young white kids decide to shoot up their school, the blame is put on Marilyn Manson and rock music of that type. The portrayal of young women in music videos upset feminist and other groups. In the internet article “Censor This: Music Censorship in America” Tipper Gore after watching rock music videos with her children was outraged at the amount of sex and drug related videos. Tipper Gore is quoted, "The images frightened my children, they frightened me! The graphic sex and the violence were too much for us to handle" (Censor This). So Mrs. Gore got together with a group of friends and formed the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center). The PMRC along with the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) wrote letters to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to put warning labels on explicitly mature content. Through their efforts we have the Explicit Content advisories on mature themed music.
It’s so ironic that the same song could make one person happier and want to dance while another person covers their ears in disgust. The people making the songs about sex, drugs, and everything else will only be stars in their genre. The real talent is able to transcend genres and touch people of all races and personalities. The writer of this paper feels that the person listening to the music is able to interpret lyrics anyway they want. The lyrics may be in your face sometimes but like some of the greatest literary works they are always open for interpretation. Music today does get a little raunchy; but that is one artist out of many. A song that means a lot to someone doesn’t have to mean the same to someone else. People’s personalities are different so the music that touches individuals will be different.
Works Citied
Delany, Samuel R. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas. New York: Warner Books., 2004. 256 - 275.
Censor This: Music Censorship in America. Censor This. October 04, 2007. http://www.geocities.com/fireace_00/pmrc.html.
LaWanda's Peer comments on Essays:
Skyyblu
I really agree with the statement that people have accepted slavery as a state of mind in different situations. That was a really interesting way to present the subject of domestic violence and such.
Bridget:
Your essay was intersting to read. I find myself agreeing more with O'Donnell. I can't even clean up without fast music on. It gives me the energy I need to finish.
Lauren:
I really like your opinion on interracial relationships. I also like hearing stories and seeing pictures of interracial couplkes who love each other dispite the ridicule they may recieve.
Jennifer:
The study done by the Institute of Heartmath was interesting. I really liked that you brought out the subject of music and its affect on ones mood.
Whitney:
That's a really good question: How free are we actually? You essay wa interesting.
Kathryn:
I remember when we talked about Bryan Faust's name and the relevance it could have with the character Faust who sold his soul to the devil. Intersting that you applied this to your essay.
JKHolmes:
Interesting that unlike the other essays dealing with "Maggies" you look at the communications aspect. Your paper was interesting to read.
Felicia:
I remember reading when Buddy said the word nigger and I felt that it was a descriptive term for Lee also. No matter because the word nigger has and always will hurt people...very intersting essay.
Reilly:
I loved this line in your paper "Most notably, moreso than anything else, slaves have no benefit whatsoever from being enslaved other than to gain resolve to escape from their own incarceration." It's so true for debt as well. When you are in debt you have no benefit from the money you make when you work. You pay off your debt, pay bills, and whatever else and before you know it you don not have any money to do anything else. Good job.
Kristen:
I like the first paragraph of your essay. It made me want to see what you had to say about "the destitute aliens in America". Good Job.
Focusing Question: What was the major theme of Corona?
Thesis: I believe that in writing Corona, Samuel R. Delaney wanted to show the importance of music to and through the individual. Music can connect people in so many different ways, but its strength is in its ability to help us feel alive spiritually, mentally, and physically; simultaneously.
Summary: Corona is the story of Buddy and Lee. Lee is small girl with the ability to read other people’s minds. She wants to kill herself, because in reading others’ minds, she has mostly felt their rage, pain, and fear. She is hopeless, because she is trapped in a hospital with no way to get out and help those in need, those who hurt and in turn, hurt her. She even hears her own mother say that she hates her. Because of her intelligence and understanding, reading people’s minds has led her to be suicidal. Buddy isn’t quite as intelligent as Lee. He’s been through some pretty tough times himself. Where the story connects the two characters is with their love for the song. Early in the story, the song follows Buddy and crashes along with him, through his accident. As he is taken to the hospital, and once he is there, the song plays background in his thoughts and memories, his fears. Lee hears the song in his mind and the two characters are joined. Through the music, Lee is finally able to help someone. Buddy is afraid and starts thinking of past memories. Lee rescues him and wakes and calms him. Buddy returns the favor by watching Bryan Faust up close and personal, knowing that Lee will be watching. Their connection through music is what helps them find closure, through one another.
New view: Corona is meant to be a story about music and its healing powers.
Kennon Barton
Contemporary Black Fiction
Corona (lights, music)
Corona, by Samuel R. Delaney, is the story of two completely different people who are able to comfort each other through music. Music plays a very important role in this story: providing settings, a title, background; but the music’s most important role in this story is with its main characters. Buddy and Lee share a connection to the music individually and as a sort of unit; sharing and feeling simultaneously. Both of the characters have problems, and the music helps them find a bit of closure, through one another.
Corona is the song that weaves and intermingles the characters’ storylines, setting moods and translating feelings. Without the song, there is no story, or there are two different stories; both incomplete. Music is what brings Buddy and Lee together.
Delaney briefly foreshadows the connection between Buddy and Lee with a reference to the singer of Corona as follows:
“There was a nine-year old girl in the hospital in New York at that time who could read minds and wanted to die. Her name was Lee.
Also there was a singer named Bryan Faust.” (257).
After this first mention of Lee and Faust, the story continues on in dialogue between Buddy and his co-worker Bim. Bim can’t believe that Buddy has never heard of Bryan Faust, or his music. The dialogue shows that Faust and his song will play important roles in the story.
Buddy’s first impression of the song is that it’s ok. He likes it, but it takes a moment to set in, and then “the beat of his heart, his lungs, and the music coincided” (258). He makes a connection to the music, breathing it in and exhaling, spiraling down. Then, Faust’s drums slam as the ten-gallon drum hits the ground. The electric base lets out a slow, low grind as Buddy clinches, then clutches his eye. As the last chorus plays out, Buddy flaps around in the foreground. The radio announcer refers to Bryan Faust and Corona one last time, and Buddy finally passes out, cymbals dying as he crumbles to the floor. The music is more than just background in this part of the story. It wraps around Buddy, simultaneously crashing and grinding like the soundtrack to Buddy’s life. “Rage, pain, and music” (259). They are all the same. They are Buddy in this moment. The music is an extension of the character.
Just as with the introduction of Buddy’s character, the continuance of Lee’s storyline is also heavily influenced by Corona. Lee is reaching out, trying to read the mind of someone close to Faust, just to see him. Instead of having an experience like Buddy’s, the music stops for Lee and she is faced with a harsh truth. Her mother is mad and even admits hating her. “All musical beauty was gone” (260). The music is so important to the story and the lives of its characters, the author notes its absence. The absence of the music is as important as its overwhelming presence. When there’s no music, there is no beauty, or tragedy; two major factors tying the two characters together.
Lee’s scene with Dr. Gross is one where we really see how serious Lee’s mental state has gotten. After the scene peaks with Lee attempting to jump from the nine-story window, the story slows and breaks down. As Dr. Gross leaves the room, Lee’s connection to Buddy grows through the music. “Rage, pain, and music”, the two characters are joined (264). Corona beats back into the storyline. This time Lee can hear the song in someone’s thoughts, but they are not her own. They are Buddy’s. The characters merge as Lee relaxes and focuses on the music in Buddy’s thoughts. He is trying to escape the pain he has just endured by diving into the song. She follows, diving deeper and deeper into Lee’s thoughts. Buddy is scared, and Lee can feel it, see it. The characters become one as the music plays in the background of Buddy’s thoughts.
Lee can feel his fear, and is close enough to help, close enough to stop it. She uses memories from Buddy’s mind to see how to escape from her room, then moves in to help Buddy. Buddy’s confusion slows their initial dialogue, but as he realizes what Lee has done in an effort to help him, they share an unbelievable moment of understanding. As soon as Buddy’s realization hits and he hugs and thanks her, Lee’s thoughts move back into the present, away from the dark memories she experienced in Buddy’s thoughts, right back to the song.
As Lee questions Buddy about the song, we see the importance of the music for Lee. Buddy’s first connection with the music was on the surface. This part of the story shows how music can affect people differently, yet retain an equal importance in different lives. Lee questions Buddy about whether he likes the song or not. After he answers with a simple response (the only response we expect from his character), Lee describes her feelings toward the song as follows:
“Me too! I think it’s beautiful. I think Faust’s music is so,” and she whispered the next word as though it might offend, “alive! But with life the way it should be. Not without pain, but with pain contained, ordered, given form and meaning, so that it’s almost all right again. Don’t you feel that way?” (271).
She can relate her own pain to the pain in the music, and feel better knowing that she is not alone. It is an escape from her mind and the minds of those she can tap into.
After realizing their connection through Corona, and understanding Lee’s circumstance and Buddy’s opportunity, the end of the story shows the characters using this connection to share one last musical moment. Buddy finds a way to be center stage for Faust’s performance of the song, knowing that Lee can step into his mind, and Lee listens, happily, finding some peace in the knowledge that through music, she was finally able to help someone.
Corona is a story about music’s connection to people, its healing powers. Buddy and Lee were able to connect through the music, each helping the other. I believe that in writing Corona, Samuel R. Delaney wanted to show the importance of music to and through the individual. Music can connect people in so many different ways, but its strength is in its ability to help us feel alive spiritually, mentally, and physically; simultaneously.
Works Cited
Delany, Samuel. “Corona.” Dark Matter: Reading the Bones. Ed. Sheree R. Thomas.
New York: Warner Books, 2004.
The focus question for this essay is: How does oppression affect our society? We discussed “Sweet Dreams” by Charles Johnson which focuses on oppression, power, and acceptance. I read a short story and an essay to comply with Johnson’s “Sweet Dreams” essay on oppression. The short story I read was “Repressive Tolerance” by Charles Johnson which was discussed in class and the essay I read was “The Descent of Women” by Frederick Santag.
Charles Johnson’s “Sweet Dreams” talked about being oppressed by money and working for others. He explains how just doing what you are told keeps those who oppress in power. The essay shows ways of being oppressed with paying to dream, taxes, laws, and jobs. One statement that was made that stuck out to me was when Johnson implied that one can not afford to dream so they don’t. If you can’t afford to venture out and speak up, you allow yourself to accept oppression and you allow others to hold the power and control your life.
In “Repressive Tolerance Herbert Marcuse talks about liberation, tolerance, and change in the system to make it better. He also talks about passive tolerance in which people just let things slide. Marcuse also talks about the government and their role in oppression and freedom. People subject to the government allowing power and controlto be held by them.
“The descent of Women” by Frederick Sontag talks about the history of women, and oppression. He stated “ revolutionaries don’t reduce oppression, instead they demand commitment to a unitary theory.” reading this essay I thought about the Black matriarchy model. This model portrayed the Black female as a matriarch who initially received her power because society was unwilling to permit the Black man to assume the legal, economic, and social positions necessary to become dominant force within the family and community life. This sets back the struggle for Black liberation.
To answer the focus question, I have concluded from the readings that oppression affects the freedom to dream beyond what you have. This holds individuals back which eventually holds society from getting away from being oppressed. Oppression doesn’t allow individualism which ultimately doesn’t allow liberty. Certain people hold control and power over others leaving people in lower positions to accept oppression and struggle for liberation.
Erica White
BLACKOUT
11/5/07
The focusing questions for this essay are: What kind of country would America be if Black people did not stand and fight for equality? And if Blacks left America and retraced their history, what type of position would that leave this country in? In class we discussed the essay “Blackout” by Jill Robinson. This essay deals with Black power and White guilt. I read “From Slavery to Freedom” by John Hope Franklin and Alfred A. Moss Jr., which touched on various subjects such as: race reconciliation, Black Power Movement, and Black Revolution.
Jill Robinson’s essay “Blackout” dealt with white people feeling guilty for the treatment towards Blacks. It also dealt with division, I saw Blacks being divided like the light shin house slaves and the dark skin cotton picking slaves. The reading touched on discrimination and self hate amongst ones own race. “Maybe White America will take the Senate hearings seriously now that the BLACKout’s stripped it of their migrant workers, housekeepers, secretaries, airport crews, and janitors” this quote shows that Robinson sees the need to have Black people in this country or business would close because Blacks are the ones who work the low paying jobs. The essay also suggest how it would be impossible for Blacks to just walk away from their jobs, because they can’t afford to.
“From Slavery to Freedom” by Franklin and Moss explained how the Black Power movement gave Blacks a chance to voice their beliefs and form an organization that was for Black people needs. This book dealt with solutions for old problems. I think the Black Revolution helped some Blacks, but it also caused problems. Some Whites during this time felt the need to help Blacks out because they felt guilty. I think this is where the reparation bill comes into play. Robinson called it the guilt bill and I agree.
If Black people were to leave America this country would fall into a deep hole. America would not survive if Blacks and Immigrants strike against the workforce and America. It would be impossible for all Blacks and Immigrants to leave America, but the possibility is overwhelming. If it was not for Black Power movements and Blacks standing up for equality, we would still be living in a more openly country of discrimination. Today there is still a lot of racism and discrimination, but its hidden.
Kathryn Garikes
EH 468 101
November 5, 2007
Focusing Question: How free are we really in a free nation under God?
Thesis: In both Corona, by Delany, and Maggies by Shawl, the text indicates that the people are free but that freedom does get measured and comes with a price.
200-250 word summary of Corona:
The short story, Corona, is a bleak sci-fi classic written by Samuel R. Delany. Byron Faust a famous musician, in the text, shares the same name with the man who sold his soul and made a deal with the devil, which is ironic. His music and his song become very popular among the people and while its sounds are relaxing it is causing some listeners to inflict harm upon themselves. Already, the reader is thinking the song will be addicting and well accepted, but this is maybe not a positive or a good thing for the listener in the long run. The name of his famous song is Corona, and while the song is addicting and beautiful it’s sounds are somewhat scary and leave an unsettling feeling inside of the characters within the text which are Buddy, a character who is poor and in the lower class and Lee, a character of a higher social status. These two befriend one another and even though society does not approve or understand their friendship, they help one another deal with their surroundings and they enjoy the music together. What these two characters have shown the reader is that we as Americans should reach out to one another, no matter what social station, and show compassion, kindness, and understanding.
200-250 word summary of Maggies:
The short story, Maggies, is an interesting read and was written by Nisi Shawl. In this story, the characters are never actually free. Tata, a lower class servant to Kaylee’s family, and Kaylee, a young girl in an upper class family, befriend one another. This is similar to the unlikely friendship found in Corona, with Lee and Buddy. As times passes, Kaylee begins to understand the separation and the differences between her and Tata, but Tata has known their differences all along. In one instance, Kaylee hears strange noises coming from her father’s bed room, and when she peers around a curtain she sees her father and Tata having sex. This image opens Kaylee’s previously naïve eyes and she realizes the social structure of society. Even though her father loves Tata, the couple could never exist because of their social ranking and different backgrounds. The way in which the characters are stationed in their classes and the “freedom” in which they live is very similar to living in America. Yes, people can earn as much or a little amount of money as they desire, and we do have choices here, but some American’s are “stuck” in their station due to lack of funds, ambition, fear, or know-how.
500 word analysis:
In both short stories, Corona and Maggies, presents the issues of Freedom, social status, and a real democracy. Both stories question the idea of freedom, does it really exist and if it does, does it exist for everyone equally? Social status and the norms of society come into play. These things do affect your voice, choices, and happiness. Each of these stories shows in its own, unique way that class stations can be broken down with the development of unlikely friendships, and that each individual has the power and the ability to affect the live of another person and even change the person’s destiny.
The audience to which these stories are directed is a young adult-adult level reader across the nation. The genre is science fiction and the appeal is for American’s to break down the social class walls and barriers and see people for what they are, not where they are positioned.
I think, in Corona, Delany is trying to convey several messages. One message is that people of different rank can befriend one another and have common traits and thoughts and also help and teach one another. In Maggies, Shawl is proving the same message. Also, each text is showing that freedom comes with a price.
Different social stations and society do affect freedom and how much a person can have and express. Several different messages are also address in the two texts. In Corona, Music plays a major role in society. Music can alter moods and change the actions of the characters in the story. Corona is an interesting term because it has so many meanings. Corona can mean the shining halo around the sun or the halo sometimes portrayed around Christ’s head. Corona is a very beautiful thing, but also an overwhelming transcendent, sublime feeling. With its beauty the viewer or listener can not help but become drawn towards it, but with its amazing beauty comes an untouchable quality and an obscured view or sound of the image. While addicting it is still unsettling and can not be controlled. The sounds from Faust’s mysterious song might contain subliminal messages which would explain its addicting popularity. The music seems to make the characters feel safe, somewhat content, and not alone. The music makes them feel good and they seem to have an emotional connection with it.
In Maggies, music does not take an active role. The difference in class is portrayed through the different races. One race is human and the other is Maggie. Maggie’s are of lower social status and work for the human race, but the Maggies are very intelligent and understand and no things that humans do not. Maggies are limited in what their bodies will allow them to do, but their minds far surpass human thinking. They are similar to technology and computers. Humans develop them, but the intelligence of this machinery far surpasses are brains, but as for now we are still in control and of higher social ranking then these things, Maggies and computers.
Risky New View:
After analyzing both texts, I begin to wonder if we are truly free and living is a true democracy. I also begin to wonder if technology, computers-etc. will soon take over out world. Humans are creating newer and more technology every day and I am beginning to feel like it is only a matter of time before these things become to advanced for even the creators.
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