Thursday, September 30, 2010

Cuba

Cuba is my interest to study because I want to know why they don't like America. It really bothers me that they make it so clearly known they do not like America. They should have a good reason since there is so much restriction between us. My goal is to find out the issues they have with America. Can it be fixed? Do the Cubans want it to be fixed? I'm not sure what relations we have with them but I know it's all involved with the government. From what I learned in class something in their constitution says we have part of their land. When they were fighting for their independence America had imposed on it so that may have sparked it. Also America was very racial against them. Other than that time I’m not sure what other relations they have come across with America.   
I Looked up Cuba on Wikipedia and it was mostly giving just basic facts and general information. Information like dates, time periods, wars, weather, population, and statics. It was helpful for all the fact, dates and time periods of war. I knew America and Cuba had issues that involved in wars, I just didn't know what wars were and how they affected their relationship. This is helpful for me to understand the wars and could possibly be why the Cubans hate Americans. I was surprised to read about the foreign relations Cuba has, Cuba supported the Soviet Union. Wikipedia is giving me information about every part and aspect you need to know about a country to understand the history and functions of the nation. I did enjoy reading about the education, health and everything else. But they don’t give anyone’s view points or opinions about anything. How can we know the reality of it if we can’t get a deeper meaning or response?

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Lucy

What is America seen as? Jamaica Kincaid’s novel Lucy reveals the view of America through the eyes of this young woman named Lucy. Her deepest thoughts and emotions take us into a new reality. Her search for a better life in terms of living wasn’t what she expected. Lucky gives us her view of the U.S and a view as an outsider.
As she arrives she already starts to judge and examine everything. She can’t see much as the plane descends because of all the fog.  As she leaves the airport and is being driven to where she will live, people point out important buildings, Parks, benches, and street names, etc. Then she reveals her response to how she feels about all of these wondrous places. “In a day dream I used to have, all these places were points of happiness to me; all these places were lifeboats to my small drowning soul, for I would imagine myself entering and leaving them, and just that –entering and leaving over and over again –would see me through a bad feeling I did not know have a name for. I only knew it felt a little like sadness but heavier than that.” Lucy had longed to come to America, nothing would make her happier. She knew she would be better off here for living matters. Kincaid is showing how immigrants depend on coming to America. They come with hopes and dreams, that they will be fulfilled. Lucy’s response is mind blowing because that one place that was a “life boat” for her soul now gives her a heavier feeling than sadness! She was disappointed upon arrival; America did not live up to her expectations. The more she observed and experienced everything she saw how dirty and ordinary it was. It was not a luxurious place or even admirable place to live.
The culture and ways of America are different from what Lucy is used to. She compares these experiences to wearing new under garments. It isn’t always comfortable at first. Everything takes time to get used to. Lucy also observes the family and the way they take to her. “It was at dinner time one night not long after I began to live with them that they began to call me visitor. They said I seemed not to be part of things, as if I didn’t live in their house with them, as if they weren’t like a family to me, as if I were just passing through, just saying one long hallo! And soon would be saying a quick goodbye! So long! It was very nice! For look at the way I stared at them as they ate.” They family had Lucy as a nanny for the kids. She walks with them to school and takes care of them, yet they call her a visitor. Lucy has moved to America to stay. She attends school and works for this family. But they don’t want her to be part of their family. They try to make her seem like an outsider and say she isn’t part of them, she is a visitor they say, which like keeping her out. The power is held within the family. They are Lucy’s employers and they don’t seem to have much respect for her on account that she is an immigrant. There have been other times where her employer Mariah has tried to down grade her by saying she doesn’t know about a season or she isn’t capable of dancing. This might have been Mariah’s way of learning things about Lucy, but she says it plain that she also doesn’t like Lucy. The power relationship here is that Americans will always have the upper hand over someone new and will judge them.
The view of the U.S from Lucy’s responses is that we live in a country where you can have anything you want and be anything you want. They believe that everything over here is perfect and you will be happy all the time. I think from this text Kincaid is describing that America to the world may be an escape for them, some sort of hope in their life. But America can’t live up to everyone’s expectations.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

lucy- draft

What is America seen as? Jamaica Kincaid’s novel Lucy reveals the view of America through the eyes of this young woman named Lucy. Her deepest thoughts and emotions take us into a new reality. Her search for a better life in terms of living wasn’t what she expected. Lucky gives us her view of the U.S. and a view as an outsider.
As she arrives she already starts to judge and examine everything. She can’t see much as the plane descends because of all the fog.  As she leaves the airport and is being driven to where she will live, people point out important buildings, Parks, benches, and street names, etc. Then she reveals her response to how she feels about all of these wondrous places. She says “They used to be points of happiness to her, life boats in her small drowning soul. Now they give her a feeling like sadness, but heavier than that”.  This response is mind blowing because that one place that was a “life boat” for her soul now gives her a heavier feeling than sadness! She was disappointed upon arrival; America did not live up to her expectations.
Lucy goes on to compare being somewhere new as wearing new undergarments. It isn’t comfortable at first; you have to give yourself time to adjust. From Lucy’s response we get the feeling that she isn’t happy being here, maybe she even regrets coming. Through her views we see how much she dreamed of being here. When she was being showed famous buildings she revealed that she imagined herself walking in and out of those building and everyone would admire her, but now she see that it isn’t a luxurious place at all. Everywhere looked dirty and worn down. Before she came all she could think about was how she can have a better life and now that she is in a place where she can, she isn’t sure she wants it anymore. She even said the first night she slept soundly because she didn’t want to wake up and experience anymore.
The view of the U.S. from Lucy’s responses is that we live in a country where you can have anything you want and be anything you want. They believe that everything over here is perfect and you will be happy all the time. I think from this text Kincaid is describing America to the world as an escape for them, some sort of hope in their life. But America can’t live up to everyone’s expectations.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Lucky's Recation

Over time many people have immigrated to the United States for all sorts of reasons. No matter what their reasons are they all have the same dream of being here. They have this idea in their head that the U.S. is a better place for them to be. Lucy immigrated to the U.S. and as like everyone else she had hopes and dreams of a better life there. But things aren't always what they seem. Lucky imagined the U.S. as her escape and freedom as does everyone. Her first impressions of the U.S. was disappointing to her. Lucky describes the U.S. as dirty, it wasn't clean around where she lived and she didn't like that. Back in her country she lived in a big house,now her family has to live in a apartment. Lucy describes the apartment as being trapped in a box. The same feeling our early immigrant probably felt when they came from Europe and moved to the cities. The cities were over populated and 10 to 12 or even more had to live in one room apartments. That isn't a good feeling for anyone
Not only where she had to live bothered her, Lucy had many reasons for how she left. She observed how they kept food and the weather. She wasn't used to having a refrigerator and i don't think she likes it. She says putting the food in there for later is just having old food to eat. They used to cook a new meal everyday. I guess she likes to have her food fresh. She is also used to being in a warm or hot climate. Lucy arrived in January and that is a very cold month in New York. So far Lucy isn't enjoying life in the U.S., but she needs to give her self time to adjust.
I was born in New York and i can't even imagine the transition to move here from a country that hasn't really developed. It must be hard and confusing to understand everything and first. Also with most of the people immigrating here they probably expect everyone to have the best of everything and for them self to get everything right away. But people forget that if you want something you have to work hard to get it. The only opportunity that the U.S. gives you is the ability to achieve anything. That doesn't mean people will hand it to you , it means you have to be willing and determine.