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    I think Cecile would have benefited greatly from the positive influence Anne brought with her. It was hard to see her destroy Anne and her father’s relationship especially once she began to bond with Anne. The environment Céline was raised in blinded her to what Anne’s intentions were, even after the time they spent together after her mother’s death and how “embarrassingly fond of her” (7) she was. Her actions came from fear and selfishness to keep her way of life from changing. Without giving praise to the main character I will say I found her scheming and frivolous lifestyle to be quite entertaining. On page 18, Cécile declared that she tried to base her life on Oscar Wilde’s quote “Sin is the only note of vivid colour that persists in the modern world” and Anne came in as a representation of everything Cécile hated. With the best intentions, Anne wanted to marry her father, but Cécile’s lifestyle and fundamental identity were immediately threatened. First with Anne’s involvement in her studies and then her interference in  Cécile’s relationship with Cyril. I thought after the conversation Anne and Cécile had about the future on pages 104-5 along with some other bonding moments between the two, Cécile would put an end to her plans. Even though it was in her nature, I was disappointed that Cécile could not grow from the idea of how she was supposed to live and make room for Anne and her preparations for the future.

    Overall I like how this reading depicted Cécie and her father’s inability and unwillingness to change. The ending was sad, but it left me wondering if the three of them would work as a family or if Cécile would continue to find new ways to get rid of Anne? Cécile was heartbroken losing Anne, but if she never felt the loss, she would have probably never fully realized the consequences of her actions. 

    My question for the class is Would Cécile be better adjusted to cope with the changes Anne brought to her life if her father raised her to be more disciplined?

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    I think Cecile would have benefited greatly from the positive influence Anne brought with her. It was hard to see her destroy Anne and her father’s relationship especially once she began to bond with Anne. The environment Céline was raised in blinded her to what Anne’s intentions were, even after the time they spent together after her mother’s death and how “embarrassingly fond of her” (7) she was. Her actions came from fear and selfishness to keep her way of life from changing. Without giving praise to the main character I will say I found her scheming and frivolous lifestyle to be quite entertaining. On page 18, Cécile declared that she tried to base her life on Oscar Wilde’s quote “Sin is the only note of vivid colour that persists in the modern world” and Anne came in as a representation of everything Cécile hated. With the best intentions, Anne wanted to marry her father, but Cécile’s lifestyle and fundamental identity were immediately threatened. First with Anne’s involvement in her studies and then her interference in  Cécile’s relationship with Cyril. I thought after the conversation Anne and Cécile had about the future on pages 104-5 along with some other bonding moments between the two, Cécile would put an end to her plans. Even though it was in her nature, I was disappointed that Cécile could not grow from the idea of how she was supposed to live and make room for Anne and her preparations for the future.

    Overall I like how this reading depicted Cécie and her father’s inability and unwillingness to change. The ending was sad, but it left me wondering if the three of them would work as a family or if Cécile would continue to find new ways to get rid of Anne? Cécile was heartbroken losing Anne, but if she never felt the loss, she would have probably never fully realized the consequences of her actions. 

    My question for the class is Would Cécile be better adjusted to cope with the changes Anne brought to her life if her father raised her to be more disciplined?

read full post >>

For this weeks reading I read Bonjour Tristesse by Sagan, Françoise. The text was an easy and enjoyable read. The narrator Cecile was an intriguing narrator I was constantly hooked into what she would do or say. She was unpredictable. Her lifestyle of living in the moment caused her many problems because she put no thought into how her actions would effect her future. This is where Anne would have brought a positive influence into the 'live for now' dynamic Cecile had with her father. I found it crazy how on page 25 Cecile's father said why should Cecile get her diploma "I never got any diploma and I manage to live very well. . . . My daughter will always have a man to take care of her." This explains a lot about the relationship between Cecile and her dad because he doesn't expect anything of Cecile and this reinforces her carelessness about her life. 

Cecile's relationship with her father also affected her relationship and view of men in general. This can be seen when Cecile says "I much preferred my father's friends, men of forty, who spoke to me courteously and tenderly treated me with the gentleness of a father - or lover" (21). However I did not think Cecile's relationship with her father was as bad as some of the other readings, like Agostino, but the way he raised her brought up all sorts of other problems. Also it contributed to how stubborn she was when it came to her father's engagement to Anne. Anne valued all the things that Cecile could not stand. Anne came in the way of the life that Cecile built with her father and she was too stubborn to accept help until it was too late. Anne was the only person who held Cecile accountable especially when it came to her education. If Cecile could have embraced Anne into their family it would have benefited her to have this respectable role mode in her life, but instead she was left with an incredible sadness and no improvement to her lifestyle.

I thought this book gave an interesting perspective on this young girl's life and how the choices she made could effect the lives of the people around her. This read held my interest from beginning to the end. I also enjoyed getting to see the dynamics of a blended family and the relationship between a daughter and her perspective step-mother.

My question for the class is How would Cecile be different if her father raised her with more important morals?

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For this weeks reading I read Bonjour Tristesse by Sagan, Françoise. The text was an easy and enjoyable read. The narrator Cecile was an intriguing narrator I was constantly hooked into what she would do or say. She was unpredictable. Her lifestyle of living in the moment caused her many problems because she put no thought into how her actions would effect her future. This is where Anne would have brought a positive influence into the 'live for now' dynamic Cecile had with her father. I found it crazy how on page 25 Cecile's father said why should Cecile get her diploma "I never got any diploma and I manage to live very well. . . . My daughter will always have a man to take care of her." This explains a lot about the relationship between Cecile and her dad because he doesn't expect anything of Cecile and this reinforces her carelessness about her life. 

Cecile's relationship with her father also affected her relationship and view of men in general. This can be seen when Cecile says "I much preferred my father's friends, men of forty, who spoke to me courteously and tenderly treated me with the gentleness of a father - or lover" (21). However I did not think Cecile's relationship with her father was as bad as some of the other readings, like Agostino, but the way he raised her brought up all sorts of other problems. Also it contributed to how stubborn she was when it came to her father's engagement to Anne. Anne valued all the things that Cecile could not stand. Anne came in the way of the life that Cecile built with her father and she was too stubborn to accept help until it was too late. Anne was the only person who held Cecile accountable especially when it came to her education. If Cecile could have embraced Anne into their family it would have benefited her to have this respectable role mode in her life, but instead she was left with an incredible sadness and no improvement to her lifestyle.

I thought this book gave an interesting perspective on this young girl's life and how the choices she made could effect the lives of the people around her. This read held my interest from beginning to the end. I also enjoyed getting to see the dynamics of a blended family and the relationship between a daughter and her perspective step-mother.

My question for the class is How would Cecile be different if her father raised her with more important morals?

read full post >>

When thinking back on Joseph Zobel’s “Black Shack Alley” I am struck by theme of the individual seeking liberation from the limitations placed on them socially. The journey that young José embarks encapsulates the duality that many people, especially marginalized people, experience trying to affirm themselves and establish their own voice within a society whose […] read full post >>

When thinking back on Joseph Zobel’s “Black Shack Alley” I am struck by theme of the individual seeking liberation from the limitations placed on them socially. The journey that young José embarks encapsulates the duality that many people, especially marginalized people, experience trying to affirm themselves and establish their own voice within a society whose […] read full post >>

After reading the “Black Shack Alley”’ by Joseph Zobel in 1950, I had this feeling of living in a Carribean sugar cane habitation myself. In Part One, Zobel tells the readers his childhood memories, which were blended by the loving image of M’man Tine and a series of bad consequences from his juvenile actions. The […] read full post >>

This hands down is my favourite of the books we’ve read so far. Black Shack Alley is the story of a boy named Jose who lives on the French Caribbean island of Martinique. In three parts we are showing his … Continue reading → read full post >>

I want to start by saying that I enjoyed this week’s reading due to it being a linear storyline which makes it much easier to read but also by the fact that it is narrated which for me makes you feel much more in interaction with the reading and everything that is happening and because […] read full post >>

There is an inherent classist structure which dominates the life described by Zobel, from the plantation workers to the Beke wealthy white island-dwellers. What struck me as interesting was the underlying Marxist tensions of the world that Zobel describes, and which is developed and more apparent in a few choice scenes, especially concerning Jose's schooling, and his uncertain future working on the island.

The school scenes provide the most detailed development of these themes, especially when contrasted with a future of manual labour. In school, the teacher asks them to repeat the answers to the questions over and over in hopes of memorization. Rather than learn through understanding, it is hopes that pure repetition will create a positive experience and outcome. This is not an enviable way to learn and the class struggles with this method. It also showcases one of Marx's main critiques of the modern labour era, where repetition and input were prized over creativity, or foundational ability. 

We can see the flip side of this argument later, when Jose reveals that his marks are improving, and that he finally feels successful later in his third term, as he is finally "contributing to the class". Marx believed that like students, workers would only be satisfied in their work if they were able to contribute to the end goal of the production in a meaningful way. Simply doing meaningless or repetitive tasks would not bring them satisfaction at work. Here, Jose feels like is improving and adding to the class and his education, and his ability is improving, as Marx writes in his critiques of work and classism.

I think overall, these themes are very important to the world of Black Shack Alley. The colonial nature of their life on the island makes these issues important--work and especially where these oppressed citizens work is key to their livelihood. M'man Tine says that Jose won't have to work in the plantations like the rest of their community, and instead he may be able to work in the factory, which Jose likens to his new big school he attends outside of the village. The segregation of the people, and the nature of the work which rules their lives in Martinique exemplify much of Marx's principles, and their is a deep social commentary at work here, as Zobel narrates his account of life on the island under colonial rule.

What social issues can you compare from Black Shack Alley with problems in current Western culture? Is colonialism, and the problems which stem from it, still affecting certain groups' daily lives?

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