Homosexuality and Its Time

Angels in America by Tony Kushner first premiered in 1991. Although, the play was set in 1985-86, the year of its debut was one that was an earthshattering year for AIDS history. Not only were two cases presented of AIDS being contracted from a dentist, but this was the year that Freddie Mercury confirmed he had AIDS - and died the next day. At the end of 1991, nearly 450,000 cases of AIDS were reported to the World Health Organization and the end of this year also marked the red ribbon as a global symbol for the syndrome. Angels In America was a staple of its period, as it was opening the doors even wider for the exposure to this deadly illness that was becoming an epidemic.

A more chilling report came from The New York Times, where they were quotes as reporting, "Some experts are sceptical that AIDS will spread as rapidly among heterosexuals as it has among homosexuals. Yet other experts, taking their cues from data emerging from preliminary studies from Africa showing equal sex distribution among males and females, are less sure," in an article published in 1985. The equailvalency of knowledge that was attained from the years 1985-1986 was not as cohesive as it was during Kushner's debut; however, Kushner's decision to re-examine AIDS almost a decade prior was enough to bring about an immense level of controversy. Not only was AIDS a large theme of Angels in America, but so was homosexuality. One of the more taboo topics was Joe's heterosexual marriage, upon later realizing he is actually gay. The exposure to this problem was so new during this time period that, although I am speaking free from research at the moment, I wouldn't be surprised if this was something that sparked somewhat a movement within closeted homosexuals who were settling with heterosexual marriages.

The one thing that struck me was how closeminded some of the characters were to accepting homosexuality. The problem is that many people believe it is a choice, rather than something you are born automatically knowing and feeling but later on in life realizing. And Joe's mother, Harper, was a good indication of how many mothers, wives, and sisters often feel about those who go out on the limb to "come out". Angels in America was an amazing interpretation of how difficult it is to battle with self-identity and health crises without the additional pressure and criticism that they have to deal with from their families.

A "fantasia" is defined by Merriam-Webster as:
1: a free usually instrumental composition not in strict form
2 a: a work (as a poem or play) in which the author's fancy roves unrestricted
b: something possessing grotesque, bizarre, or unreal qualities

Although, all three of the aforementioend definitions can be attributed, the definition that I feel best describes what Kushner was trying to relay in his title for the play was the one possessing bizarre or unreal qualities. There were several dream sequences, due to drug-enduced states of mind, that were strategically placed throughout the first and second parts. One of the most outstanding sequences was when Prior meets Harper and Harper realizes that her husband is gay. Prior is more of a symbolic character who appears to Harper as the person who initially "ruins" her life. These are the on-going challenges and themes that Kushner exposes his audience to.

Two or Three Things I Know for Sure

Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison is one of the easiest and most enjoyable reads thus far for this semester. It is full of insight that creates an understanding of learning about one's self and becoming one with your inner being. As corny as it may sound, I was enlightened by Allison's writing and wanted more. One of the quotes that stuck out to me was, “Two or three things I know for sure, and one of them is that if we are not beautiful to each other, we cannot know beauty in any form." This quote particularly stuck out to me because of it's applicability in everyday life. If it's one thing I've learned 'for sure', it's that without being true to yourself, you cannot be true to anyone else. Falsifying your personality only attracts those who are fake with you. And though it may seem cliche, Allison's quote is incredibly true. Everything starts with you! I know Allison's literature may not have been intentionally written as a self-help, but this was what I got as an overall message from Two or Three Things I know For Sure.



As Two or Three Things I know For Sure was written as a memoir in regards to the women in Allison's life, I feel it cannot be compared to the memoir that Richard Rodriguez has written. The reason being due to such different lives and outlooks on life, in general. Rodriguez exudes a tone that is more of reprimand for the family that he grew into, whereas Allison exudes a positive tone and takes the experiences from her past and makes them relay a message that doesn't leave the reader wondering "why does she seem so negative?" or "I don't see the reason in making the situation negative."

I wanted to have more insight on what other readers though about her 94 page memoir, so I went online to google some reviews and it was very hit or miss. Some readers were moved by her memoirs and her ability to relate her life situations to that of her family's and others were left wanting to know more. A good majority of the reviews I came across on Amazon.com specified that they thought perhaps she engaged her personal experiences more throughout her fictional pieces. Although, I was engaged throughout her memoirs, I was left wanting more, as well. 94 pages of an account that sometimes had nothing to do with Dorothy Allison made it seem like it was written in such a short period that she barely had time to include her own personal accounts as well. It's hard to tell. Maybe the shortness is what Allison wanted - a purposely done account to create a mystery on her as a person and an author. A tease - if you will - to get readers to purchase her other pieces of works to find some kind of personal account that is lacking in Two or Three Things I Know for Sure.

Although, I can only imagine how hard it was for Allison to write about the sexual abuse that she opens a window to peer into. Perhaps, the shortness of the memoir was just enough and all that Allison felt the need to share with the world. On p. 3 of the memoirs, Allison remarks that the retelling of her story is meant to help her move forward and break from the barriers her past has put her through and held her back. These pages give Allison the chance to forewarn her readers that her past is common and though for some, it can be defining moment, she will not let it destroy her character. Her story is truly inspiring, but I wish there was something more.

Rodriguez & His Lack of Hunger for Memory

If you were to ask me what my honest opinions would be on Richard Rodriguez's Hunger for Memory I would say that I was disappointed. I may have gotten the wrong impression for his overall perspective on his upbringing, but the general tone I received was that he was trying to hide his culture and where he came from. In Rodriguez's memoirs, he often explains how he asked his mother to speak English in a Spanish-speaking household, and how he would hide his good grades from his siblings so that he didn't have to deal with the ridicule that he would receive if they found out about him. Rodriguez also explained the times when he would hide in his closet just to read a book and this gave off the impression that he wanted to escape his atmospheric reality.



I was unimpressed by his lack of pride in his family and culture. And the reason being is because I saw a lot of myself in Richard Rodriguez. Perhaps, it was because my mother didn't attend college, or because my dad didn't put his degree in finance to use. I wanted badly to be that one person in our small family to prove that not only could I balance my love of learning and reading books with being able to participate in leisurely activities throughout my teenage years, but that I could also use that same balance when I graduated and advanced in my career. The only incredible difference from that of Rodriguez's family and my family (because I can't seem to help myself from comparing) is that my parents spoke English to me and didn't raise me to speak Spanish. Perhaps, this is why Rodriguez felt so inclined to get as far away as he could from his culture.



Undoubtedly, one would always want to move away from stereotypes. I believe that this was the motivation that sparked Rodriguez for being so successful. In the section "The Achievement of Desire", Rodriguez truly expresses his discontent with his parents' lack of desire for educational advancement. "If, because of my schooling, I had grown culturally separated from my parents, my education finally had given me ways of speaking and caring about that fact." (585) This quote justifies how Rodriguez always intended on growing apart from his family; as extreme as this may sound, he intended on hurting his parents and siblings and in turn choosing a path where he knew that his relationship would falter. One could argue that if his parents didn't make the decisions to stay focused on providing financial means of stability for their family, then Rodriguez wouldn't have been exposed to the level of schooling that created a flourish of desire for learning. While I stand behind Rodriguez's pushing his parents to speak English and try to read books in English, as well, I don't think he should have created such a distance between him and his family. What does it matter if your siblings tease you or your parents don't seem to understand? It's all a sign of love and care, no matter what way you look at it. Maybe if Rodriguez would've held on for a while longer, rather than giving up, he would've reached through to his family and they would've been on the same educational level (or close to it as possible) as he was.

The Rules of Fight Club

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk is one of my favorite book-turned-movies. Although, it is a bit hard to separate Brad Pitt and Tyler Durden, there couldn't have been a better interpretation of how egotistical and hilariously maniacal this character was when it came to explaining what a fight club was all about. Not only did it represent brotherhood amongst "men raised by women" but it also was a major outlet for releasing frustration, and finding distraction in real problems. Tyler is the ultimate problem child; he fits in perfectly as the leader of fight club when he takes all the newest members under his wings to explain the eight rules of fight club:

1) You don't talk about fight club.

2) You don't talk about fight club.

3) When someone says stop, or goes limp, even if he is just faking it, the fight is over.

4) Only two guys to a fight.

5) One fight at a time.

6) They fight without shirts or shoes.

7) The fights go on as long as they have to.

8) If this is your first night at the fight club, you have to fight.

(48-50)

Each of the rules are clear and concise; they are each fair rules. Since, I believe that the narrator and Tyler Durden are one in the same (Tyler being the narrator's alter ego), you can feel the fire in Tyler's eyes and the passion he feels when he is explaining each rule of fight club. We also learn just the kind of person Tyler is because he "works night jobs where he causes problems for the companies; he also makes soap to supplement his income and create the ingredients for his bomb making which will be put to work later with his fight club" (Fight Club, Wikipedia.com).

The fight club is ultimately a secret society, thus the first two rules, where its members can share an outlet that is just as valuable as it would have been had its members joined the boy scouts, taken karate classes, or joined a fraternity in college. The third rule is my absolutely favorite, simply because anyone can pretend to limp if they are tired of fighting but the best part is that it is a rare commodity - when a fight is initiated, it is rarely ended out of boredom or losing interest. The members of fight club are just as passionate about their secret society as Tyler is.

Diaz & Ruiz: A Collision of Puerto Rican Families

Reading the excerpt of Fiesta by Yunot Diaz, I was pleasantly surprised to see another Puerto Rican childhood being expressed so vividly. Upon reading Yunior's interpretation of his father and his mother, I remembered feeling the exact same way when I was a child. Diaz has an interpretation of his childhood like no other, and his relaxed style of writing makes the reader feel as though they are listening to a story over coffee or drinks.

Diaz is a great storyteller; in fact, I would be interested in reading the rest of his book. Being exposed to just one chapter was simply not enough. I was incredibly interested in finding out what happened with Yunior's Father and whether his mother ever found out about the affair that he was having. I found it incredible that he would bring his sons into his mistress's (or "sucia", as so lovingly referred to by Yunior and his brother) and wondered if this was their father's way of implementing his version of quality time together. His mother was certainly the less strict parent and she offered comfort to Yunior when he was carsick. "Como te sientes? Mami asked over my shoulder when Papi pulled into the turnpike. She had her hand on the base of my neck. One thing about Mami, her palms never sweated." (27)

In some ways, just with a brief exposure to Fiesta, it seemed as though Mami was the stronger force within the family; she was the person who held everyone together. If Mami was sad, the children were sad, and if Mami was happy, then everyone was happy. Papi seemed to be more of the voice of power, rather than the vision. While he was respected, he conveyed his love for his wife and children in less apparent ways: like bringing his sons on small road trips to visit his "sucia" and making sure Yunior was OK with his carsickness by briefly asking "how's the feeling" (28). This kind of unspoken love amongst the family, was the kind of love that was normal and natural in Puerto Rican households and it was comforting to encounter Diaz's interpretation of a Puerto Rican childhood.

The Effects of New Journalism

In reference to what New Journalism actually means, Wikipedia quotes this style of writing as using "literary techniques deemed unconventional at the time" and maintaining "elements of reporting including strict adherence to factual accuracy and the writer being the primary source." New Journalism also is formed to present a characteristic perspective that is mental and internal so the reader will understand their actions preceding the character's thought process and provides a sociological perspective, as well. Truman Capote and Joan Didion were the pioneers of New Journalism who belonged to a short list of those who explored this style of writing during the 1960's and 1970's. I did feel; however, that because of a larger exposure to Capote, as an author to such famous works, he embodies that of a pioneer of New Journalism because of his familiarity and fame. Joan Didion is listed one of the starting points to this style of journalism, as well, but many readers of my generation are unfamiliar with her works. Because of this, Capote's works are easier to relate to New Journalism than Didion.

With relation to In Cold Blood, Capote captures the psychological standpoints of two serial killers - Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. Capote exposes his readers to the vulnerable thoughts and feelings of these killers responsible for the Clutter family murders and gives them a chance to be relatable and human. He goes deep within their minds, almost playing with his readers, to force a feeling of coexistence and empathy that readers would normally never allow themselves to feel if they were not exposed to the minds of Richard and Perry. With every fact that is presented, it is intertwined with the thought process behind them and its readers are exposed to a new style of writing that is peculiar but captivating.Capote makes it easy for his readers to question and want more. He made me want to personally interview Dick and Perry and find out why they chose the Clutter family, and ask them if they felt any type of remorse upon Perry killing each of the family members and Dick being the mastermind. I wanted to know, "Was there something that happened in your past that could've been prevented then, so that the townspeople of Holcombe wouldn't have suffered a loss of the Clutters now?" even more than five decades later. Capote's style of New Journalism is chilling and often provides strange reactions throughout reading In Cold Blood. In researching examples of how Capote used New Journalism techniques within his text, I learned that he actually visited the town of Holcombe, KS to provide his readers an observation that would be painted in a picture through personal perspective and not just researching about the town through articles and the news. In regards to his further research, Capote is quoted saying, "my files would almost fill a whole small room, right up to the ceiling. All my research. Hundreds of letters. Newspaper clippings. Court records - the court records almost fill two trunks... I have some of the personal belongings - all of Perry's because he left me everything he owned; it was miserably little, his books, written in and annotated; the letters he received while in prison. . .not very many. . .his paintings and drawings...I think I may burn it all ... The book is what is important. It exists in its own right. The rest of the material is extraneous, and it's personal. What's more, I don't really want people poking around in the material of six years of work and research. The book is the end result of all that, and it's exactly what I wanted to do from it".

In examining the works of Joan Didion, she exposes her readers to something that embodies the definition of New Journalism. She presents the facts while presenting an internal point of view that only supports the facts. Didion focused a bit more on storytelling, as opposed to the cold hard facts that Capote presented in his texts. She wanted every element that made up her character to be exposed, from the brief snap judgment to the elaborate details of her job and how she lacked monetary advancements (Slouching Towards Bethlehem, p. 3). She provides the kind of characters to her reader that creates an emotional relationship connecting with empathetic feelings. Didion brings forth the kind of thought process that makes her readers think of their own personal hardships and find examples within the text that they can most relate to, almost holding on to the slightest bit of connection.

The quote from Slouching Towards Bethlehem,"...she wishes that she had a safety pin for the hem of the silk plaid dress, and she always wishes that she could forget about the hem and the lunch and stay in the cool bar that smells of disinfectant and malt and make friends with the woman in the crepe-de-Chine wrapper," (136) is a perfect example of what New Journalism embodies. It is a form of writing that is so deep in description and thought that it creates a portal of connection to the mind of the character and the reader. Here we see a description of what the bar smelled like, what the woman was wearing, and the thoughts of the character. When the character is bothered by something, the reader is meant to also feel bothered by the same attribute and both the character and the reader want there to be a solution to the problem. New Journalism stands on the disconnected style of reading that usually occurs when there is no inner look at what is being observed and thought. Didion uses this method in Slouching Towards Bethlehem with seemless transitions.

New Journalism is the captivating style of writing that authors constantly use, now, as a technique to captivate their audiences and the term "new" refers much more to the time frame that it was born in, as opposed to now, when it is hard to find a news article, novel, or story that didn't embody what New Journalism was set out by Capote and Didion during it's time.