When the Tables Have Turned

Happy Tuesday everyone! My final blog of this semester will take a look at a short story by one of my favorite authors, Alice Walker. "Everyday Use" depicts the conflicting feelings a mother has regarding her strained relationship with her oldest daughter and her sympathy for her youngest daughter, who is not as attractive or educated as her sister.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everyday_Use

Those of you who have read the story know that in the end, Mama allows Maggie, the younger sister, to have the family quilt which has been kept for several generations. Dee, the older sister, is appalled by her mother's decision, stating that the quilt is not meant for "everyday use." There is no indication of what happens in the future for this family beyond the fact that Maggie genuinely smiles for the first time since her injury in the fire. I thought it would be interesting to consider the lasting effects on the family if Dee had in fact received the quilt. My alternate ending is consistent with the style of Mama as the narrator.

It has been but a few years since Dee has last seen us. She left in such a hurry that to this day, I had a feeling she had done something wrong. She very excitedly kissed us goodbye the next morning (I urged her and Hakim.a.barber to stay a night so that they could be well-rested for the drive home) and sped off, the dust flying behind them. I thought I heard a rustling in the night, but I thought nothing of it then. It wasn't until after they left that I realized Dee had stolen the quilt! I told her that I had promised to give Maggie the quilt, and I knew she was not pleased at this. I never would've guessed that my own child would stoop so low to steal the thing. Dee always has to have things her way. I refuse to call her Wangero when she's not around, because it just doesn't feel natural.

Maggie took it in a personal way. A few weeks after the incident, she shuffled up to me and asked, "Why did Dee want it when she knew it was mine? Doesn't she love me?" I didn't know how to answer. She looked so downtrodden, that I didn't know what to say. Soon, we will be planning her wedding. She doesn't speak of it with excitement anymore. I watch her make other quilts and such things. She doesn't look at any of her blankets with the same light that she looked at the one that Dee took. I pray that Dee one day realizes that she has stolen her sister's only chance at a victory.

As for Dee, we haven't seen her since her last visit. She has taken the time to write, but the letters are filled with words that I don't always understand. She lets on that she is doing well, but she doesn't ask much about her sister. She does a lot of bragging. She is at the top of her class, she will be studying in Africa soon, she and Hakim.a.barber have split, but that's okay because she has plenty of "attainable suitors" to choose from. 

Sometimes I still think about being brought together with Dee on one of those television shows, but I don't think of it highly anymore. I think of seeing Dee, in all of her African glory, and my heart sinks. When did she become so selfish? When did she become so unattached? Now I dream of meeting her and telling her how much she had wounded her sister. Sure, Maggie will turn out alright, because she's got her head screwed on straight. Still, I wonder how much happier she'd have been if she was given that small ounce of respect from her sister. 

On the lighter side, Maggie and I have gotten closer, and I am glad for that. 

She understands life better than anyone else I know.

http://digitalsafari.pbworks.com/w/page/70525719/Week%2011%20Everyday%20Use%20by%20Alice%20Walker

My interpretation transforms Dee into more of a villain than the author may have intended, and in the end, Mama and Maggie are better off without her. My question today is what is your take on the story? How should one's heritage be expressed, and is there really one proper way to do so? And, just for fun, which character are you the most like? 

Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone enjoys their summer!

A Labor of Love?

Good afternoon! Today's topic of discussion is the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. More specifically, I will be focusing on the female characters Stella and Blanche.

http://www.movie8k.me/A-Streetcar-Named-Desire-watch-movie-5183.html

I was personally shocked by the play's conclusion. It is truly heart-breaking that after all of the verbal abuse and the sexual assault that Blanche had received from Stanley, that her sister would send her away to a place full of strangers where she would be treated as a mental case. Although Blanche was a victim of rape, in my opinion, her mentality did not fit the stigma of those with mental illnesses who would be sent to asylums during this time period. Blanche was merely a victim of the situation. She had nothing but love in her heart from the time she was a young woman, but she was forced into bad habits by people who cared nothing of her feelings. She also had experienced trauma with her husband's death, and coped the only way she knew how. 

If I had been in Stella's position, my first thought upon hearing of Blanche's rape would have been to divorce Stanley. The more reasonable course of action would have been to move away from the house. Unfortunately, if Stella had decided to end things with Stanley, she could not kick him out of the house. For Stanley was the man and that was his home, although the home was more of a shared living space. In addition, it would have been difficult for Stella and Blanche to find a new start. Blanche had lost the ownership of the old estate, The next best choice would be to find housing with a friend, but there was no indication in the play that this would be a viable option.

Overall, I really questioned Stella's morals after she made it seem as if she had no choice but to send Blanche away. In addition, I would not have been able to live with a husband who had done something so inexcusable to my sister.

I thought to myself what it would be like if Blanche had written from the mental institution to Stella. This is my best interpretation: 

My dearest Stella,

I am writing you for the fourth time now. I am sure that you have received my previous letters, but are unable to find the words to respond right now. I know that what I told you had to have been difficult to hear. You are such a good girl, and did not deserve such a sorrowful existence. Is the baby doing well? Oh, how I long to hold the child in my arms. It has been four months now since I have seen your face, and it is causing me great agony. I saw the pain in your eyes as well the day that they took me away. At first, I resisted, but I became calm when I came to the realization that you were sending me to a safe haven. Surely, you did not want me to be around for the violence when you told Stanley that you had to depart. That must have been much to endure, but I am proud of you, my dear. Please write to me soon and tell me your current place of residence. I hope to be with you again soon.

Sometimes I feel faint and I begin to think that my being here is a consequence for all that I have done. I believe my kissing that boy who resembled an Arabian prince was the last straw, and that this is my karma. But I know that someone will come for me soon...

I have not thought about Mitch at all. He is as much as an ape as Stanley. Looking back, he never treated me the way a man ought to treat a lady.

Before I go, could you please send this message along to Shep Huntleigh-

In a desperate situation. Send for me in the yacht. I will be wearing lavender. Sincerely, Miss Dubois. 

I must go now. They are telling me that my time to write is over. They will take this letter from me and send it to you. I do hope to hear from you this time...

With Love, Blanche.

http://screenprism.com/insights/article/how-do-a-streetcar-name-desire-and-blue-jasmine-express-different-messages

In my interpretation, Blanche believes that Stella has left Stanley, but in reality she has stayed with him. She also believes that her letters are being sent to Stella, but they are being held by the orderlies at the institution. Blanche still holds onto the delusion that Shep Huntleigh will come for her. There is little hope that Blanche will leave soon.

What is your interpretation of the play's conclusion? What events are to follow? Would the course of action taken by Stella be accepted by today's standards? 

Until next time!

When Love Turns into Loneliness

Good evening once again! Today I will be exploring some darker topics, which include loneliness, lost love, and even murder. The two pieces I will be discussing are "Mother," an excerpt from Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson and "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner. I will be comparing two female characters: Elizabeth Willard from the Anderson story and Emily Grierson from the Faulkner story.

If you have read both of these stories, you can tell that both Elizabeth and Emily are suffering. The two are both extremely reserved and possibly a little mentally disturbed, even more so on Emily's part. These women have gone from vibrant, outgoing young souls to ghastly shells of their former selves, because of the actions of a man. In Elizabeth's case, this man is her husband. In Emily's case, this man is her father.

Elizabeth Willard is a very lonely woman. She feels as if her inner self is dead, she has failed to establish a bond with her son, no one from her youth has stayed by her side, and she has grown to hate her husband. Why? Simply because he has decimated her deepest dreams. She had aspired to be a member of the theater, but that part of her had died once she married Tom Willard. It can be assumed that Tom told her that her dreams would not lead her to success, because she witnesses him do the same thing with their son, George. Elizabeth has sympathy for George, who wishes to be a writer.
The story of Emily Grierson is equally sad. Once a beloved, wealthy southern belle, Emily has become an absolute recluse since the death of her father and the diminishing of her high status. During her youth, Emily's father had always driven away her potential suitors. Therefore, she has never experienced romantic love. In addition, as she becomes more and more of an eccentric, members of the older generation speak badly of her, and members of the newer generation will not send their children to her home for china-painting classes. There is a smell that emanates from Emily's home and she is disconnected from the community.

After reading both of these pieces, one has to consider the topic of love.

http://www.lovethispic.com/image/75585/lost-love

It is possible that Tom Willard had adored Elizabeth in the initial years of their marriage, but as the years passed, he might have expressed his discontent with her aspirations. This disrespect of her dreams may have very well become a deep emotional wound for Elizabeth, and may have destroyed any respect she had for her husband, especially when she overhears him telling George that he needs to "wake up." It is very likely that her preparing to almost murder Tom in a theatrical manner was a result of this emotional abuse.
Similarly, one can assume that Emily's father had driven away all of her potential suitors out of love. Maybe he did not want them to hurt her, or maybe he believed that they could not support her or did not come from their same social class. In his eyes, he may have been doing her a service. However, doing so had clearly scarred Emily. Her need for love drives her to desperation when she poisons Homer and sleeps next to his corpse every night until her own death.

So, to recap, Elizabeth Willard has fallen out of love with her husband who has cast both her and her son into loneliness. This, in turn, has caused Elizabeth to loose love for herself, since she never stands up to Tom or tries to reclaim her life.
Emily Gierson has never experienced true romantic love. At the same time, she has lost her father, the only man who has ever seemed to genuinely show her love, even if that love was shown in a way with which she did not agree. Lastly, the home that had once housed her loveless life later becomes a place to trap love when she kills Homer so that she can always have him by her side.

Finally, let's take a look at the endings of both stories. While doing this, keep this question in mind: Did these women eventually receive what they wanted in life?
At the end of "Mother," George tells his mother Elizabeth that he must leave home. He wants to go and find himself and to free himself from his father's reign. The following passage depicts her reaction to this news:
"In the room the silence became unbearable to the woman. She wanted to cry out with joy because of the words that had come from the lips of her son, but the expression of joy had become impossible to her" (p. 811)
Although Elizabeth is unable to express her joy, shes still feels it. She has not been able to achieve her own dreams, but she is happy that at least her son is going to. She lives vicariously though him. I believe that she had a happy ending.
The conclusion of "A Rose for Emily," consists of the townspeople raiding the upstairs room of Emily's home after her death and finding Homer's corpse in the bed and a strand of Emily's gray hair on the pillow next to it. Frankly, this ending was disturbing. However, viewing it from Emily's perspective, she had received eternal love, plain and simple.

http://ofblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/william-faulkner-rose-for-emily.html

If I were to choose a favorite between these two stories, it would be "A Rose for Emily" because of its unique narrative style and shocking conclusion.

My question for you today is do you believe these two women ultimately found true happiness? Which of these stories do you like most, and why?

I hope everyone has a great week!

An Obsession with Wealth

Good afternoon! Today I am going to be discussing the similarities between female characters in two works by F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby and "Winter Dreams."
I'd like to point out a few striking resemblances between Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby and Judy Jones from "Winter Dreams."

http://ggcaenglish.weebly.com/f-scott-fitzgerald.html

First off, both of these woman have physical attributes that make them absolutely irresistible to the men who adore them. Here is a passage from The Great Gatsby which describes Daisy's captivating voice:
"Daisy began to sing with the music in a husky, rhythmic whisper, bringing out a meaning in each word that it had never had before and would never have again. When the melody rose her voice broke up sweetly, following it, in a way contralto voices have, and each change tipped out a little of her warm human magic upon the air" (Fitzgerald 99).

 Judy Jones, on the other hand, has a face whose beauty is almost unearthly:
"There was a general ungodliness in the way her lips twisted down at the corners when she smiles and in the -Heaven help us! -in the almost passionate quality of her eyes. Vitality is born early in such women. It was utterly in evidence now, shining through her thin frame in a sort of glow" (Fitzgerald, 1011).


Secondly, both of these women have homes that possess their male counterparts with absolute awe and fascination. The intriguing part here, however, is the fact these men (Gatsby and Dexter, respectively) are in such awe because these homes represent the women that they love and their wealth makes them even more valuable.
Consider this passage from The Great Gatsby:
"It amazed him -he had never been in such a beautiful house before. But what gave it an air of breathless intensity was that Daisy lived there -it was a s casual a thing to her as his tent out at camp was to him" (Fitzgerald, 130).

A very similar line can be found in "Winter Dreams":
"He received, however, an enduring impression that the house was the most elaborate he had ever seen. He had known for a long time that it was the finest on Lake Erminie, with a Pompeiian swimming pool and twelve acres of lawn and garden. But what gave it an air of breathless intensity was the sense that it was inhabited by Judy Jones -that it was as casual a thing to her as the little house in the village had once been to Dexter" (Fitzgerald, 1016).
I found it utterly amazing that Fitzgerald uses what is nearly an exact quote in these sections! It is pretty clear now that the story of Gatsby and Daisy is essentially the same story of Dexter and Judy.


My final point is the fact that Both Daisy and Judy represent high class in the eyes of their male counterparts, so much so that they sacrifice large portions of their life to attain these women and their wealthy lifestyle. The moment that these men commit to their sacrifice or "journey" is finalized with a kiss.
The kiss between Gatsby and Daisy is described here:
"Her porch was bright with the bought luxury of star-shine; the wicker of the settee squeaked fashionably as she turned toward him and he kissed her curious and lovely mouth. She had caught a cold and it made her voice huskier and more charming than ever and Gatsby was overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves, of the freshness of many clothes and of Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor" (Fitzgerald 131).

The kiss between Dexter and Judy:
"Suddenly she turned her dark eyes directly upon him and the corners of her mouth drooped until her face seemed to open like a flower. He dared scarcely to breathe, he had the sense that she was exerting some force upon him; making him overwhelmingly conscious of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves, the freshness of many clothes, of cool rooms and gleaming things, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor.
The porch was bright with the bought luxury of starshine. The wicker of the settee squeaked fashionably when he put his arm around her, commanded by her eyes. He kissed her curious and lovely mouth and committed himself to the following of a grail" (Fitzgerald, 1017-1018).

Again, I have highlighted the portions that are of nearly the exact same wording. I read The Great Gatsby before I had read "Winter Dreams," and initially I did not notice the fact that Fitzgerald essentially copies text from "Winter Dreams" and, after changing the wording to fit the new characters, uses it in The Great Gatsby. I had to look at both of these works a second time in detail before I noticed the striking similarities between these passages. Of course, there is nothing wrong with Fitzgerald doing this, as it is all his own work, and does not count as plagiarism. However, this has spurred some questions in my mind.

What caused Fitzgerald to tell essentially the same story twice? Are Daisy and Judy basically Fitzgerald's wife, Zelda, who came from a prominent family? How much of these two tales is autobiographical? Why was Fitzgerald seemingly obsessed with the wealthy life? I will leave you with a quote from Ernest Hemingway's story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" which comments on an interaction with Fitzgerald, whom is referred to as "Julian" in this piece:

http://ggcaenglish.weebly.com/f-scott-fitzgerald.html

"The rich were dull and they drank too much, or they played too much backgammon. They were dull and they were repetitious. He remembered poor Julian and his romantic awe of them and how he had started a story once that began, "The very rich are different from you and me." And how some one had said to Julian, Yes, they have more money. But that was not humorous to Julian. He thought they were a special glamorous race and when he found they weren't it wrecked him just as much as any other thing that wrecked him" (Hemingway, 1080).


Source for quotations from The Great Gatsby:

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 1925. Print.

Source for quotations from "Winter Dreams" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro":

The Norton Anthology: American Literature 1865 to the Present. Shorter seventh edition. Volume 2.

The Voice of Rebels

Good evening, everyone! Today I am going to be discussing a short, yet powerful poem written by a female poet who is new to me: Gwendolyn Brooks! Being of African American heritage myself, I am always excited to discover African American writers, both male and female, who have made a great impact on the world of literature. For example, one of my favorite authors happens to be Alice Walker, author of one of my favorite books, (which inspired the subsequent movie which I also love) The Color Purple. I found it very intriguing that Walker has actually cited Gwendolyn Brooks as an influence. To me, that meant that Brooks must have surely been an astounding talent!

My focus of this post will be Brooks' poem, "We Real Cool."

THE POOL PLAYERS. 

SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.

We real cool. We

Left school. We

Lurk late. We

Strike straight. We

Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We


Jazz June. We

Die soon.

Something that I immediately admired about this poem is its rhythm and its succinct quality. However, at the same time, it is so effective. My initial thought on the poem was that although these pool players will die soon, they seem to be accepting of this. Upon listening to a recording in which Brooks herself discusses the inspiration for the poem, I learned that this is not the focus of the poem. I have included the short video below.

The main point that stood out to me during Brooks' speech preceding the poem is that these young men see themselves as "contemptuous of the establishment." This is the focus of the poem. This view of themselves might also be a product of stereotypes of the time about black people. 

Reading and reflecting upon this poem has inspired me to write my own version of it. My version takes a look at this same sort of mentality of young black men, yet it takes place during the late 80's, and early 90's. When I heard the phrase "contemptuous of the establishment," my first thought was the now disbanded, California hip-hop group, N.W.A. The point of view of this original poem is of the members of N.W.A., specifically following the release of their album, "Straight Outta Compton" and the rage that accompanied the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Having viewed the 2015 biographical film titled Straight Outta Compton just last month, I feel I have a greater understanding of the perspective held by these performers and the community of which they spoke on behalf. 

We Real Bad






We real bad. We

Get mad. We



Break rules. We

Ain’t fools. We



Preach facts. We

Pile stacks. We



Live the song. We

Die strong.



In writing my poem, I have altered the vernacular in order to the fit the speech of rappers of the time. To offer a brief synopsis, when the speakers say that they are "bad," they mean that they are "cool." When they "get mad," they are becoming angered that they are being subjected to unprovoked discrimination and violence merely for their skin color. The facts that they preach are the stories that they tell through their songs which detail this oppression. When they say that they "pile stacks," they are merely commenting on the money that they make from the records that they sell. The money is not their only concern, however. The rappers "live the song," meaning that they have experienced the very same injustice that they rap about. They want to make a change. Finally, the line "we die strong" is in reference to the death of former N.W.A. member, Eazy-E. Although his life may have ended early, he held firm in his beliefs and helped leave a legacy of not only music, but of important social commentary.







My question for you today is simply, what do you believe to be the meaning of Brooks' "We Real Cool"?

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Marriage or Prison?

Hello again! Today I will be discussing and comparing two short stories: "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and "A New England Nun" by Mary Wilkins Freeman. I will give a short overview of each story, provide my own personal thoughts on the concept of marriage, and then finally attempt to approach the endings of each story from a different angle. Let's begin!

In a nutshell, both of these stories contain a female main character. In "The Story of an Hour," it is Louise Mallard, an older woman who has been married for years and who is desperate for an escape. This escape seems to finally be granted to her when she hears of the news of her husband's death. On the other end of the spectrum, the main character in "A New England Nun" is Louisa Ellis, a younger woman who has lived fifteen years of her life alone in wait of her returning fiance. As she waits, she becomes increasingly content with a solitary lifestyle and dreads that her marriage to this man, Joe Dagget, will disrupt her quiet routine. It is a funny coincidence how these two characters also share very similar names- Louise and Louisa!

I personally find it very interesting that neither of these women enjoy marriage/the idea of it. For many years, Louise Mallard has lived as a subordinate to her husband, the bread-maker, and dreams of experiencing a life of her own, and making her own choices. To her, marriage is a prison. I can see why a woman would not want to live a life like this. For Louisa Ellis, the problem is that she has become so accustomed to being by herself that she has, in a sense, fallen out of love with the idea of marriage. To her, the impending marriage is a nightmare. Basically, when these two women think of marriage, this is what they see:

Not very pretty. I, however, think of marriage in a different way. I think that a part of this might be the fact that we live in the 21st century, where men and women experience equality. Although I have never been married, the thought of marriage is a wonderful dream to me. I see it as a chance for two people in love to share memories, to start a family, and to be equals. I could never see myself living alone like Louisa Ellis. I have a wonderful boyfriend who not only treats me as an equal, but whom I see quite often. These are the things that both Mrs. Mallard and Louisa lack. When a marriage is based on the ideas of equality and love, it can be a very beautiful thing.

http://www.brides.com/blogs/aisle-say/2013/10/happy-marriage-gene-scientific-study-results.html

Now that I have shared my personal thoughts on the subject matter, let's take a moment to imagine what it would be like if these stories had ended in an opposite way. 

In "The Story of an Hour," Mrs. Mallard becomes elated with the thought of living as an unmarried woman, only to find that her husband has not actually died. The shock of this causes her to die. However, what if she had not died? What if Mr. Mallard was in fact dead? I imagine her denying Richards' advances, maybe even moving away from her old home, and experiencing life for the first time. She might find herself spending time with friends, gardening, going on walks, buying herself gifts, and maybe even starting a career. I envision her living several happy years alone and dying naturally, instead of from "heart troubles." The possibilities are endless! 

The conclusion of "A New England Nun" is a little bit different. Louisa, finding out that her fiance had fallen in love with another woman, decides not to confront him about it, and ends the marriage on the grounds that she was so accustomed to her current way of living. Louisa is relived that Joe is not entirely heartbroken about this. But what if the affair between Joe and Lily had never existed? What if Joe and Louisa had married, as planned? It is clear to see that Louisa would initially be very disappointed. She would have to leave her tidy home, she would be expected to care for both Joe and his elderly mother, and Caesar the dog would be set free and would go on a rampage. 

But maybe that would not be the case. I would like to think that Louisa would learn to make compromises with Joe and that she would soon learn to love her life with a partner. After all, aren't healthy compromises another important part of a strong marriage?

My question for you is what is your perception of marriage? Is it a prison, or is it paradise? Do you think that society as a whole has moved away from marriages like the Mallard's, or could they still exist today? Finally, what are the components of a healthy marriage?

A photo of my boyfriend and I holding hands on one of our first dates

Thank you, and have a lovely weekend!

A Child's Inclination to Nature

Hello and welcome to my blog! The focus of this blog will be, as the title indicates, women of literature. I will discuss not only female authors, but female characters. I was inspired to do so because the pieces within the second pod were some of my favorites so far. I hope to provoke some thoughts concerning these pieces and their authors and to even engage in some discussion regarding them. So, without further ado, I give you my first topic: Sarah Orne Jewett and "The White Heron."

According to the Norton Anthology of American Literature, Sarah Orne Jewett was born in Maine in 1849 in a rural landscape that was being vastly changed by technological and economic advances. Experiencing a happy childhood, Jewett experienced the rural lifestyle up-close and had a strong bond with her father. 

It is possible that Jewett's upbringing influenced a large part of the plot and characters in "A White Heron." Sylvia, a pre-adolescent girl, has been taken from a bustling manufacturing town to live with her grandmother in the countryside. The home from which Sylvia came could be a reflection of the Jewett's hometown, which became increasingly industrious with the arrival of textile mills and cannery. Sylvia spends all of her days in the lush countryside, listening to the forest animals and playing hide-and-seek with her favorite cow, often lingering into the evening. It is possible that Jewett was the exact same way as a child. While reading this story, I had begun to believe that Sylvia could be the female version of Huckleberry Finn, as she is so accustomed to the wilderness. Jewett clearly has a supreme grasp of nature's wonder in order to write about it so vividly. Below is my favorite passage in the short story:

"Sylvia's face was like a pale star, if one had seen it from the ground, when the last thorny bough was past, and she stood trembling and tired but wholly triumphant, high in the tree-top. Yes, there was the sea with the dawning sun making a golden dazzle over it, and toward that glorious east flew two hawks with slow-moving pinions. How low they looked in the air from that height when one had only seen them before far up, and dark against the blue sky. Their gray feather were as soft as moths; they seemed only a little way from the tree, and Sylvia felt as if she too could go flying away among the clouds. Westward, the woodlands and farms reached miles and miles into the distance; here and there were church steeples, and white villages; truly it was a vast and awesome world!"

There is so much imagery in this passage! From the glistening sea, to the gliding hawks, to the tree-top view of the world around her, to the powerful urge to fly, this passage transports me to Sylvia's world. It also makes me think of my own childhood. Although I did not grow up on a farm, I was very enthusiastic about nature as a child even from within my backyard in the city. I could spend entire evenings outside as well. I too, like author Sarah Orne Jewett, have always had a close bond with my father, who enjoyed the outdoors as well. It is interesting that when I grew older, I sort of lost that part of me. Like Sylvia, I became occupied with other things, like boys, growing technology (such as cell phones, computers, and social media), and good old teenage angst. Now that I have passed the adolescent stage, my love for nature has returned to me. In the past three years, I have devoted some time to taking pictures of nature and posting them to Facebook- but even this is only for a fleeting moment or from my bedroom window.

After reading "A White Heron," I am inspired to make more of an effort to physically be one with nature during this summer. I am inspired to retain some of that childlike wonder, such as the wonder that Sylvia experienced when at the top of the old pine tree. After reading this story, I am even more convinced that I would love to live in the countryside one day when I am older and have started a family. 

My question for you is this: What is it about childhood that makes children so inclined to love being outside? Why, in some cases, does this love fade? I am proud to say that although my appreciation for the outdoors had subsided for some time, it never entirely vanished and I see it growing stronger. Feel free to share stories of your interactions with nature- either recent or in the past!