song analysis

Lotus - Cage the Elephant

Woke before the mornin' sun i found it tucked beneath the hills

I sat and watched it rise it hit the sky and burst to flames

The lotus flower's got me thinkin' 'bout the way that we live

I've got this feelin' it's gonna stop

Driven by religion runnin' backwards down a one way road

A course collision split decision tryin' to save your soul

Manifest destiny is just a fancy word for murder

I've got this feelin' it's gonna stop

A billion faces runnin' round my head

All got opinions but the don't mean shit

Keep droppin' bombs until the whole world's dead

They said it's all been done and it's all been said

They'll turn this message into a pop movement

A fashion statement call it politics

You can't mark my words they'll put a spin on it

They say it's all been done

Look outside the box my friend

You heart's been dead since who knows when

It seems we've missed the mark lost all hope and given in

Pack up the suitcase take that handkerchief and wipe off your chin

The fear that drives you needs to be stopped

A billion faces runnin' round my head

All got opinions but the don't mean shit

Keep droppin' bombs until the whole world's dead

They said it's all been done and it's all been said

They'll turn a message into a pop movement

A fashion statement call it politics

You can't mark my words they'll put a spin on it

They say it's all been done

Fell into a daze and found my mind was gone and laid to waste

A battle ground indeed where holy wars have taken place

I saw the sun set watched it travel down and tear through the ground

The hate the drives us needs to be stopped

In this song the author is telling us that the way we are living is not going to be able to go on forever.  Eventually we will all end up killing each other one way or another.  They are saying that our lifestyles must change. "Keep droppin bombs until the whole world's dead." We are just dropping bombs on each other to solve our conflicts.  The last stanza explains how after everything is said and done and all of the bombs have been dropped the people will wake up and see that their lives have gone by and their minds have gone to waste, the beautiful world that they are used to has changed into a destructive battleground.  "The hate that drives us needs to be stopped."  We all must change for our way of life to go on.

On the Reservation

Reservation......
what does this mean to you? When i hear the word reservation i immediately think of something or someone being held back.  Being "reserved".  That is essentially what reservations are isn't it?  It is a group of people that lived in North America and were kicked off by white settlers.  What did they get in return for giving up their land?  They got small reservations with bad land that made it hard for them to grow crops.  Native Americans were here first so why should they get the short end of the stick? 
The colonists and settlers from across the sea would not have survived in this new land had it not been for the help of the Native Americans.  But just like most humans  when we no longer need the Native Americans we kicked them off their land and said that they could still have their own land.  They got reservations.  It is like kicking someone out of their house and making them live in the doghouse in the backyard.  You reserve them from living the life that they want to live.

Black Boy response

So far I am really liking the book Black Boy and it is by far my favorite book that we have read this year.  Richard Wright is a spectacular writer and he is capable of keeping me into the story throughout long chapters.  Richard Wright is writing about events in his life that have already happened and I forget that they are not happening right now because they are described so well.  His descriptions are very clear.  Richard is always getting into some type of situation where he is in trouble and the way he handles the situation makes the book sort of humerous but definetly interesting.  Compared to the other books that we have read this year this one does not even have to compete with them for best book of the year. (so far)

Black Boy

Black Boy written by Richard Wright is a very interesting story.  The main character Richard is very conflicted and confused most of the time.  He gets in a lot of trouble and he grows apart from his family. The only person who is still any bit warm towards him in his family is his ill mother. His granny is very religious and when Richard stops believing in religion he is dead to her.  Richard does not really have many choices in his life.  He is only in a kid still but no one ever listens to him or respects his opinion.  He is not given many if any chances to prove what he thinks is right.  When he disagreed with his aunt she whipped him and they fought.  When his granny goes to slap him and he dodges it and his granny falls hurting herself it is not even thought to be partly her fault it is all Richard's fault.  Richard is an awrny, stubborn born but his family should at least here him out before they punish him like they do.

Hunger

In the book "Black Boy" the author and main character is Richard Wright.  He is hungry the entire book in more than one way.  He is literally hungry because he is poor and his mother cannot provide enough food for him.  He is also hungry for attention.  His craving for attention gets him into a great amount of trouble.  For one he burns down his house.  Even though he is only four at the time I believe he would have had the sense not to put the fire by the curtains.  When he kills the cat he does it just to go against his dad and finally win one of their battles.  He would not kill the cat because he did not know it was wrong.  Richard killed the cat for attention and to beat his father.  Richard is very hungry for attention even in subtle ways.  He wants to be heard when he was told to be quiet when his grandmother was sick, so naturally he made himself heard.  When Richard roams the streets and goes into the saloon and drinks he is basically an act for the people there.  Richard does not care though because he is getting attention.  Richard is definitely craving attention at all times.

King Still King?

Is what Martin Luther King went through still going on today?  In some ways yes and in some ways no. Yes there is still racism.  But there is not lawful segregation.  There is still segregation in my eyes, but it is not called segregation.  When there is an all white neighborhood in a wealthy suburb that is not called segregation but yet at the same time it is.  Whenever a black or hispanic person would move into that neighborhood they would most likely not be welcomed or respected.  This would not happen everywhere because not every single person in this world is racist but I believe there are a great majority that still are.  There are not race riots with police shooting fire hoses at the crowds like MLK's day but there are still tensions in this country and many other places.  Distaste and hate for other groups of people can be found anywhere around the world.  Martin Luther King was a very admirable person and I think that his message is still with us today (not just of defeating racism but being an all around better person) but racism is not the number one issue in our country anymore so we do not need to look back on it as much.  He is still one of the best role models to look up to.

I Hear America Singing

I Hear America Singing is a very interesting short passage.  Throughout it there are jobs listed such as carpenter, hatter and mechanic etc.  In the short passage each man or woman working these jobs is singing their own song.  The mechanics song is blithe and strong while the singing of the girl that is sewing is described as delicious.  This reading is saying that in America everyone plays their own part in helping the world go round and round everyday. There is a particular quote, “Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else.”  This quote basically proves that the author thinks that each person has his or her job to do.  When the passage says that the night belongs to the night and the day to the day it is just another reference to doing your job and not worrying about anyone else doing theirs.  This whole passage is saying that there is a place for everyone and once you find it you will be happy and fit into that role.