I was trying to write my last post on Rich Boy when news broke loose that Osama Bin Laden was found dead and my productivity plunged. So, instead, I thought that I would write a final thank you to Paula and every one in our class! It's been an "enriching" semester, and we've learned a lot. Every time paula played a song, or mentioned the novel Rich Boy, all I could think about was Gwen Stefani's popular song, "If I was a Rich Girl." The video is great, and the lyrics are even better...Have a great summer!
"Rich Girl"
[Gwen]
If I was a Rich Girl
Na [x15]
See, I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl
No man could test me, impress me, my cash flow would never ever end
Cause I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl
Think what that money could bring
I'd buy everything
Clean out Vivienne Westwood
In my Galliano gown
No, wouldn't just have one hood
A Hollywood mansion if I could
Please book me first class to my fancy house in London town
All the riches baby, won't mean anything
All the riches baby, bring what your love can bring
All the riches baby, won't mean anything
Don't need no other baby
Your lovin' is better than gold and I know
If I was rich girl (na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na nah)
See, I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl
No man could test me, impress me, my cash flow would never ever end
Cause I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl
I'd get me four Harajuku girls to
Inspire me and they'd come to my rescue
I'd dress them wicked, I'd give them names
Love, Angel, Music, Baby
Hurry up and come and save me
All the riches baby, won't mean anything
All the riches baby, bring what your love can bring
All the riches baby, won't mean anything
Don't need no other baby
Your lovin' is better than gold and I know
[EVE:]
Come together all over the world
From the hoods of japan Harajuku girls
What? It's all love
What? Give it up
What?
(shouldn't matter) [x4]
What?
Come together all over the world
From the hoods of japan Harajuku girls
What? It's all the love
What? Give it up
What? (shouldn't matter)
What happened to my life? Turned up side down
Chicks that blew ya mind, ding, it's the second round
Original track and ting
You know you can't buy these things
See Stefani and her L.A.M.B I rock the fetish people you know who I am
[Eve and Stefani:]
Yes ma'am, we got the style that's wicked
I hope you can all keep up
We climbed all the way from the bottom to the top
now we ain't gettin' nothing but love
If I was rich girl (na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na nah)
See, I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl
No man could test me, impress me, my cash flow would never ever end
Cause I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl
Monday, May 2, 2011
Losing Who You Are
Rich Boy addresses a prevalent issue in many of the books that we've read this semester. Robert Vishniak leaves his working class Jewish family to find wealth and a higher social class while losing himself in the process. It is only a beautiful woman from his home neighborhood who makes him remember his roots and creates the turn within the novel.
As we have seen with virtually all of the novels we have read this semester, characters cannot exist within a higher social class without losing their identity entirely. Robert may have some oft he things that he has always dreamed of, but he is also in a constant battle to prove himself to the people that he begins to surround himself with. This paradigm is one that is unfortunate but also rings true in The Rise of Silas Lapham and The Great Gatsby just to name a few. Because Rich Boy is our last novel I wanted to comment on the fact that I truly believe that one cannot move to a higher social standing without a loss of their inner being and a constant fear of losing their new social standing. Robert serves as a reminder to us that money is not where the importance lies, but morals and values. However, he also shows us that when money is present, one will stop at nothing, whether or not that means leaving everything they've ever known, to try and achieve that higher social standing.
After looking up more information on Sharon Pomerantz, Rich Boy, I also happened to notice that "Rich Boy" is the name of a rapper...I found one his most popular songs, "Top of The World." It seemed appropriate and I thought you would enjoy...
As we have seen with virtually all of the novels we have read this semester, characters cannot exist within a higher social class without losing their identity entirely. Robert may have some oft he things that he has always dreamed of, but he is also in a constant battle to prove himself to the people that he begins to surround himself with. This paradigm is one that is unfortunate but also rings true in The Rise of Silas Lapham and The Great Gatsby just to name a few. Because Rich Boy is our last novel I wanted to comment on the fact that I truly believe that one cannot move to a higher social standing without a loss of their inner being and a constant fear of losing their new social standing. Robert serves as a reminder to us that money is not where the importance lies, but morals and values. However, he also shows us that when money is present, one will stop at nothing, whether or not that means leaving everything they've ever known, to try and achieve that higher social standing.
After looking up more information on Sharon Pomerantz, Rich Boy, I also happened to notice that "Rich Boy" is the name of a rapper...I found one his most popular songs, "Top of The World." It seemed appropriate and I thought you would enjoy...
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Schooled Website!?
After talking about the cover of Schooled in class, and then under Paula's instruction to take a look at the website, I peeked around and thought I would comment further on the website of Schooled and all of its pretentious glory.
I must say as a bit of a disclaimer, however, that after reading this book, the website is quite fitting-tacky and totally misses the point.
First, I am curious as to why Lahkani chose to use the same atrocious lay out for the website as the book itself...How about a desk? An apple to emphasize the theme of education? I would have to argue that a shopping bag and a broken pencil just contradicts the message that Lahkani tries to send at the end of her novel. After getting over this though, I decided to click on the next "pencil tab" and read Ms. Lahkani's bio...besides her "beloved shit zhu Harold M." <we will get to him in a minute...I couldn't help but notice a jarring difference in her "About Me" compared to her novel..."Ms. Lakhani is single and lives in the city with beloved shitzu, Harold Moscowitz." In the back of Schooled, it mentions her husband but here we learn of her divorce...my question is this, "Ms. Lahkani, was it really necessary for you to let us know that you were single?" Is this your book website, or a dating website? I really can't remember any more...does anyone else find this detail just a bit odd? Who cares if you're single Ms. Lahkani?
Now, the dog. As someone mentioned in class...shitzu's run somewhere upwards of $1500. So, of course it would make perfect sense continually mention and advertise this fact in a book that tries to send a message about reforming education and the corrupt elite New York City boarding schools. Makes perfect sense, right? How can we take Ms. Lahkani seriously when all she does is barrage us with information about this shitzu, put him third inline on her website and even dedicates this book to him? I feel embarrassed for her...
I feel like if I go on any further I may say things that I will regret, but probably not...it was a disaster.
all in all, this book and website was simply an embarrassment...I won't be advertising the fact that I ACTUALLY READ THIS.
Maybe I should go check out some of Lahkani's other required reading...People, Marie Claire, Hamptons...I'm starting to feel sick...
I must say as a bit of a disclaimer, however, that after reading this book, the website is quite fitting-tacky and totally misses the point.
First, I am curious as to why Lahkani chose to use the same atrocious lay out for the website as the book itself...How about a desk? An apple to emphasize the theme of education? I would have to argue that a shopping bag and a broken pencil just contradicts the message that Lahkani tries to send at the end of her novel. After getting over this though, I decided to click on the next "pencil tab" and read Ms. Lahkani's bio...besides her "beloved shit zhu Harold M." <we will get to him in a minute...I couldn't help but notice a jarring difference in her "About Me" compared to her novel..."Ms. Lakhani is single and lives in the city with beloved shitzu, Harold Moscowitz." In the back of Schooled, it mentions her husband but here we learn of her divorce...my question is this, "Ms. Lahkani, was it really necessary for you to let us know that you were single?" Is this your book website, or a dating website? I really can't remember any more...does anyone else find this detail just a bit odd? Who cares if you're single Ms. Lahkani?
Now, the dog. As someone mentioned in class...shitzu's run somewhere upwards of $1500. So, of course it would make perfect sense continually mention and advertise this fact in a book that tries to send a message about reforming education and the corrupt elite New York City boarding schools. Makes perfect sense, right? How can we take Ms. Lahkani seriously when all she does is barrage us with information about this shitzu, put him third inline on her website and even dedicates this book to him? I feel embarrassed for her...
I feel like if I go on any further I may say things that I will regret, but probably not...it was a disaster.
all in all, this book and website was simply an embarrassment...I won't be advertising the fact that I ACTUALLY READ THIS.
Maybe I should go check out some of Lahkani's other required reading...People, Marie Claire, Hamptons...I'm starting to feel sick...
Schoold by Schooled? I hardly think so.
After reading Schooled by Anisha Lakhani, I felt like I should lather on some more sunscreen, readjust my towel and take in the sounds of the waves because this was a book that normally, I would only choose to read on the beach. Lakhani's representation of an elite New York City prep school missed the mark for me, and I found it hard to get through. I couldn't help but wonder, however, that maybe some of the reason I found this book so repulsive was the fact that she was writing about some harsh truths regarding "elite schooling" that I wasn't about to fess up to. As a former boarding school student, sometimes reading about obnoxiously preppy students and extremely wealthy parents always makes me uncomfortable because the truth is, those people were and still are some of my friends.
What I did find completely off was the way in which Lakhani represented Anna and her obsession with wealth. Do people like Anna actually exist? I think that she contradicted herself throughout the entire novel starting with her desire to help the students and then plagiarizing for them. She talks about how she wants to live a simpler lifestyle, but then complains about the fact that she "only has $1500 in her bank account." I just found Anna impossible to relate to, and horribly annoying. I have to say that yes, some of the things the Lakhani wrote about were true (whether I liked it or not) but her over all message really just wasn't for me (or the majority of our class, so it seems.)
What I did find completely off was the way in which Lakhani represented Anna and her obsession with wealth. Do people like Anna actually exist? I think that she contradicted herself throughout the entire novel starting with her desire to help the students and then plagiarizing for them. She talks about how she wants to live a simpler lifestyle, but then complains about the fact that she "only has $1500 in her bank account." I just found Anna impossible to relate to, and horribly annoying. I have to say that yes, some of the things the Lakhani wrote about were true (whether I liked it or not) but her over all message really just wasn't for me (or the majority of our class, so it seems.)
Chute's Intentions
Carolyn Chute's, The Beans of Egypt, Maine, inspired a lot of conversation in our class, and afterward, I did some research on Chute to find out a little bit more about her and possibly uncover some of her intentions for writing Beans.
Carolyn Chute
Born: June 14, 1947
Chute was born in Portland, Maine. She now lives in a home with no telephone, no computer, and an outhouse in lieu of a working bathroom. She is married to Michael Chute, a local handyman who never learned to read.
After learning some of these startling details about Chute, I couldn't help but wonder, does she choose to live this way, or does she have to? Because Chute seems to have left her novel soley up to the readers interpretation, I found that her living situation might be one of choice, but also necessity. From what I found about the Chute family, I feel as though Carolyn enjoys her lifestyle very much. Although our initial reaction to The Beans, may be one of horror, I believe that Cute also wanted to expose the idea that abject poverty does not have to mean a life void of love and spiritual wealth. Would I ever want to live like Carolyn Chute? Absolutely not, but I am glad she has found a life that makes her happy whether or not she has t use the bathroom outside during a Maine winter.
Carolyn Chute
Born: June 14, 1947
Chute was born in Portland, Maine. She now lives in a home with no telephone, no computer, and an outhouse in lieu of a working bathroom. She is married to Michael Chute, a local handyman who never learned to read.
After learning some of these startling details about Chute, I couldn't help but wonder, does she choose to live this way, or does she have to? Because Chute seems to have left her novel soley up to the readers interpretation, I found that her living situation might be one of choice, but also necessity. From what I found about the Chute family, I feel as though Carolyn enjoys her lifestyle very much. Although our initial reaction to The Beans, may be one of horror, I believe that Cute also wanted to expose the idea that abject poverty does not have to mean a life void of love and spiritual wealth. Would I ever want to live like Carolyn Chute? Absolutely not, but I am glad she has found a life that makes her happy whether or not she has t use the bathroom outside during a Maine winter.
Small Town Poverty
To put my thoughts on The Beans of Egypt, Maine bluntly, I hated it. After listening in class and thinking over why I felt so strongly about this book I came to the realization that I didn't hate the actual writing, or the story itself, I hated the fact that Carolyn Chute was addressing the real and somewhat scary fact that people like the Beans still exist in our society today. I hated it because I realized that sadly, she is right. Because we go to one of the best colleges in the country, and seem to live inside the nice bubble that is Colby, it's a hard fact to realize and accept that people like the Beans not only exist, but exist in close proximity to us. The Beans don't live in "the boonies" far, far away-they live right next door. As readers, I found that we are able to interpret the novel in whatever way we would like because it is mostly just description of the every day life on the Beans, and I interpreted the novel to be an exposure on some of the hidden realities of current, real, American Poverty.
What startled me even more, however, was the realization that families like the Beans exist in my very own town. I live right outside of Hanover, New Hampshire in a teeny town that is essential located in the middle of the White Mountains (aka, the middle of no where.) Although I did not go to the public school that my little sister attends, I was shocked to realize that she goes to school with kids just like those in the novel. For my entire family, I feel as though my little sisters school experience was a bit of an eye opener, but in the best way possible. One of my little sister's best friends just turned sixteen and just had her SECOND child. When I first heard this I instantly passed judgment on this girl, her family and even asked my mom "you actually let Stefanie hang out with her?!" But here's the thing, my little sisters friend lives in a trailer with her single mom in the middle of the woods and she has never known anything different. Her mother was also a teenage parent, and my little sister's friend has never been raised to believe that she was a mistake or that her life "lacks." I am not sure if she is ignorant, ill informed, or just lives a life that is different from what we would perceive as normal but this girl actually has a HEART OF GOLD. She is one of 45 kids in my little sister's sophomore class (not the only teen mother, however) and I know that my sister acts as more of a support system for her than anything else, but in the midst of raising two babies while still trying to figure out what it means to be a teenager, she has also been there for my sister without fail whether or not she has one baby on her arm and the other in an infant carrier.
The point of all of this is that, it may seem easy to hate and judge the Beans, but aren't they trying to achieve some of the same things that we are? Don't we all want to eat, feel safe, and find people that love us? I feel as though I would rekindle my initial statement about "hating the beans," but maybe at first I found them impossible to relate to until I thought about basic human necessities and the will to survive.
What startled me even more, however, was the realization that families like the Beans exist in my very own town. I live right outside of Hanover, New Hampshire in a teeny town that is essential located in the middle of the White Mountains (aka, the middle of no where.) Although I did not go to the public school that my little sister attends, I was shocked to realize that she goes to school with kids just like those in the novel. For my entire family, I feel as though my little sisters school experience was a bit of an eye opener, but in the best way possible. One of my little sister's best friends just turned sixteen and just had her SECOND child. When I first heard this I instantly passed judgment on this girl, her family and even asked my mom "you actually let Stefanie hang out with her?!" But here's the thing, my little sisters friend lives in a trailer with her single mom in the middle of the woods and she has never known anything different. Her mother was also a teenage parent, and my little sister's friend has never been raised to believe that she was a mistake or that her life "lacks." I am not sure if she is ignorant, ill informed, or just lives a life that is different from what we would perceive as normal but this girl actually has a HEART OF GOLD. She is one of 45 kids in my little sister's sophomore class (not the only teen mother, however) and I know that my sister acts as more of a support system for her than anything else, but in the midst of raising two babies while still trying to figure out what it means to be a teenager, she has also been there for my sister without fail whether or not she has one baby on her arm and the other in an infant carrier.
The point of all of this is that, it may seem easy to hate and judge the Beans, but aren't they trying to achieve some of the same things that we are? Don't we all want to eat, feel safe, and find people that love us? I feel as though I would rekindle my initial statement about "hating the beans," but maybe at first I found them impossible to relate to until I thought about basic human necessities and the will to survive.
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