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Upon reading our first Edgar Allan Poe piece I became confused. When I read The Tell-Tale Heart I felt as if so many complicated concepts were being thrown at me, and I wasn't understanding them. I felt as if Edgar Allan Poe was trying to tell a completely different story to the reader that I wasn't picking up. I became frustrated. Fortunately, I decided to re-read the piece and visualize everything for what literally was in the text. I took everything that I physically knew to be true, and visualized that story; disregarding the underlying concept confusion. I believe that this story is explaining how even a crazy, lunatic cannot avoid coming back to his common senses. How even an act as crazy as killing someone cannot overcome our human mentalities.

Them.

I remember how late it was that Saturday evening when the storm first hit. I imagined myself outside the car I was sitting in. I felt so trapped. I wanted to leave my car behind and walk alongside the dark, narrow highway in front of me but I couldn’t. I knew why I was trapped. It began to rain so I decided to stay inside my car; there was no other option for me leaving anyways. I closed my eyes and listened to the melodic, solid rhythmic beats of each raindrop against my windows. I pictured all the problems, insecurities and losses I encountered these past few days. So many people are missing now; it’s all my fault. I don’t have much time now to decide how I’m going to get off this highway. If I leave, they’ll get me. I if stay any longer-

Reciprocity

"Ex-Factor" tells the story of a woman struggling to stay in a relationship with an unappreciative and inconsiderate lover. Without the care, attention and appreciation she deserves, the speaker is constantly trying to find ways to ameliorate the feelings of loneliness and abandonment she experiences. The song begins with the speaker's view on her relationship; that things could "all be so simple" yet, her lover tends to "make it hard". For our speaker "loving. . .is like a battle", and both her and her partner "end up with scars". In my eyes, the first stanza of the song is wrapped around emotional frustration. As the song progresses the speaker's tone of voice and re-use of phrases gives me the impression that she is realizing the needed route she has never looked for. She is understanding that she has tried so hard to hold on to this person who doesn't show any want to be held onto any longer. He never gave her the attention and care she needed, and never made up for it; and now he is dramatically becoming her Ex-Factor.

It could all be so simple                        Listen to the song here: http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/search?q=ex-factor
But you'd rather make it hard                          
Loving you is like a battle
And we both end up with scars
Tell me, who I have to be
To get some reciprocity
See no one loves you more than me
And no one ever will

Is this just a silly game?
That forces you to act this way
Forces you to scream my name
Then pretend that you can't stay
Tell me, who I have to be
To get some reciprocity
See no one loves you more than me
And no one ever will

No matter how I think we grow
You always seem to let me know
It ain't workin'
It ain't workin'
It ain't workin'
And when I try to walk away
You'd hurt yourself to make me stay
This is crazy
This is crazy
This is crazy
This is crazy

I keep letting you back in
How can I explain myself?
As painful as this thing has been
I just can't be with no one else
See I know what we've got to do
You let go and I'll let go too
'Cause no one's hurt me more than you
And no one ever will

No matter how I think we grow
You always seem to let me know
It ain't workin'
It ain't workin'
It ain't workin'
It ain't workin'
And when I try to walk away
You'd hurt yourself to make me stay
This is crazy
This is crazy
This is crazy
This is crazy

Care for me, care for me
I know you care for me
There for me, there for me
Said, "You'd be there for me"
Cry for me, cry for me
You said, "You'd die for me"
Give to me, give to me
Why won't you live for me?

Care for me, care for me
You said, "You care for me"
There for me, there for me
Said, "You'd be there for me"
Cry for me, cry for me
You said, "You'd die for me"
Give to me, give to me
Why won't you live for me?

Care for me, care for me
You said, "You care for me"
There for me, there for me
Said, "You'd be there for me"
Cry for me, cry for me
You said, "You'd die for me"
Give to me, give to me
Why won't you live for me?

Care for me, care for me
You said, "You care for me"
There for me, there for me
Said, "You'd be there for me"
Give to me, give to me
Why won't you live for me?
Cry for me, cry for me
You said, "You'd die for me"

Care, care, care
(Where were you)
Give
(When I needed you)
Care, care, cry
Give

Where were you
When I needed you
Where were you
You you you
Do do do

On the reservation.

Alone in my cabin

I wonder what the cowboys think of me. 

I wonder what its like to be a cowboy. 

To ride under the solid yellow sky

the sun dancing on the back of my neck 

heat bites at my spine 

sweat trickles down my back

Gun holstered

no weapon

I'm ready to ride

But to where would an Indian like me dare to go?

Propaganda

Everyone has been enticed by something. Living in America guarantees that your life will somehow be influenced by another persons view or belief. Propaganda on the other hand takes this influence and deceives you of truth and reason. Propaganda can simply be misinformation or lying. Regardless, I believe propaganda is one of the things people take for truth without proof or reason. Most times situations are easier when you're told something as opposed to figuring things out individually. I believe people are influenced by what sounds right, not what is right. There is a difference.

57.9% of statistics are made up. What do you think?

Wright.

Socioeconomic and educational disparities hamper the growth of our society. Growing up on the southeast side of Chicago, I have seen this firsthand. Individuals from a lower economic status don’t seem to have the same levels of hope, motivation and educational opportunities as those born into a higher social class. From reading Black Boy I have been able to further understand this idea because Wright represents these disparities. He is of low class, hungry and doubted. Wright's unfair treatment thus far in the book makes me hope that Wright, eventually, will experience the same motivation and determination like someone of higher social stature.

Alone?

Hunger. Attention. Confusion. Isolation.

Wright's insatiable hunger for food and attention becomes evident in the first chapter of Black Boy. At four years of age, Wright sets his house on fire in the midst of his boredom and curiosity. Wright "ached with boredom" at four years of age. He was "resentful of being neglected". Wright was in need of re-assurance and attention. He was hungry. As the chapter develops our setting for the book changes. Wright and his family move to Memphis. Upon some time after their arrival Wright begins to roam the streets of Memphis. As his street based knowledge grows, his hunger intensifies. He begins to read and count. He begins to grow. Yet, Wright grows alone. His hunger becomes temporarily quenched as he interacts with the street. Towards the end of the chapter Wright becomes a witness to pain. His father has left his family for another women and has not followed to support his children. Wright being young doesn't realize this. Yet, he realizes that the emotions and sadness of his mother must mean something is wrong. At first Wright was hungry for attention. Now he hungers to get away.

"I was doing more running away from than running toward something"