Kaitlyn Dickey, Post 1

         In "Be Nobody's Darling" by Alice Walker, she writes about how being an outcast can be viewed as positive and a form of freedom of expression, yet in "Fleur" by Louise Erdrich the character Fleur is misunderstood and has a negative reputation. Because of this, I think that Erdrich would disagree with Walker's perspective. In "Be Nobody's Darling" Walker makes it sound like being an outcast does not mean you don't fit in, but rather that you are your own person have chosen your own path in life. It has a greater sense of an outcast being freedom instead of someone being looked at as a misfit. In "Fleur", Fleur is always described as "haywire" and "messed with evil" and other words that all have negative connotations. In this sense, being an outcast comes off as someone who is looked down upon and misunderstood.
        Although each of these stories are clearly different and have different perspectives, the one thing they have in common is that each outcast has a strong sense of individuality. In "Be Nobody's Darling" this is portrayed with phrases like "Be pleased to walk alone" and "Qualified to live among your dead". In "Fleur", although she is looked at as different, she gets a lot of people's attention because they are curious about her and her story, she has a sense of mystery. Therefore, even though each story has a different view of being an outcast, each still conveys the meaning of being your own person.
       

Adam Swift Post #1

In the three short stories we read and discussed in class there are a number of different ways that woman can be viewed and treated in society. In the short story “Fleur” the main character, Fleur is seen as intimidating, rude and most of all dangerous to the community. After Fleur’s drowning in the lake, she is saved by men who end up dying soon after. Many were afraid of her and thought she should be driven off the reservation. She was an outcast because she kept to herself and didn’t care how much the others talked about her. “She was haywire, out of control. She messed with evil, laughed at an old women’s advice, and dressed like a man.” I feel that this is a strong quote that explains Fleur’s role as an outcast. Since she messed with evil is referring to her near death experiences and her carelessness on the matter. This short story definitely suggests that women are inferior to men. She represents strength and power of women in society. When Fleur jumps into the card game going on among the three men she is fearless of losing and what they think of her.

“Mrs. Sen’s” faces issues in society in contrast to “Fleur.” Mrs. Sen is from India living in America and is having difficulty adapting to a new environment. “Mr. Sen teaches mathematics at the university.” She refers to her husband as “Mr. Sen” in this way because she their relationships is not what you expect out of a married couple. Mrs. Sen also cooks for him but also relies on him to drive her to get fish and other foods. These examples clearly show that Mrs. Sen is inferior to her husband and men as a whole. At the same time what makes her inferior to men also makes her an outcast like Fleur. She is having a hard time assimilating to American customs. I agree with Chelsea, when Mrs. Sen crashes into the pole she gives up driving all together. At this point we don’t know what happens to her but we can assume she will continue to follow her traditional ways of living and continue to be an “outcast.” Some people can never fully adapt to the changes in their lives.

Leah Villari, Post 1

Regarding prompt number one, Alice Walker gives a feeling that being different is a positive thing and that the outcast should embrace this. “Be an outcast; be pleased to walk alone.” She’s saying that even though you might not be deemed acceptable in society, it doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing, in fact this should be embraced and shouldn’t be seen as an embarrassment to oneself. Walker also seems to be making the point that as an outcast, you are different for a reason and should therefore be happy being this way. This is where freedom comes in. If a person realizes that they are an outcast and they become happy with how they truly are, then freedom will be theirs. “Take the contradictions of your life and wrap around you like a shawl” Walker is telling us to take what it is that makes us different and run with it. If one never becomes comfortable with their differences, then they can never truly be happy.

In “No Name Women”, Kingston would not agree with Walker because in this story, being an outcast is not seen as a good thing. The mother tells the story as if to make her not be anything like her shunned aunt. Being an outcast in this case is not seen as a positive but a negative. Although her family did not accept her for her choices, she didn’t seem to care much of what others thought and made her choices knowing the consequences of her actions. I feel that Kingston must see this as a bold act because she wrote about her in a different perspective than how her mother told the story. This proves that this work is much different when compared to “Be Nobody’s Darling” in the fact that being an outcast was encouraged whereas Kingston’s  mother tells the story as a cautionary tale, to make sure that she doesn’t make the same “mistakes” as her aunt did.

Molly Rutter, Post #1

In her poem “Be Nobody’s Darling,” Alice Walker suggests that being an outcast is a positive and desirable identity. Walker felt that individuality should be embraced, for one cannot truly have freedom unless one learns to live a life outside the norm. However, Jhumpa Lahiri provides an opposing outlook. In the story, “Mrs. Sen’s,” it is found that being an outcast can actually lead to a lot of hardship and despair.

Throughout the story it is made clear that Mrs. Sen misses her previous lifestyle. This is revealed with her less than “homey” living space, her passion for eating the freshest fish, and her fear of driving. It is obvious that she is out of place and neglecting to assimilate to the new culture. Mrs. Sen goes against Walker’s idea of an outcast because she is not content and confident within her uniqueness. Rather, she is unhappy, displaced and essentially imprisoned to live a life she doesn’t want.

Laura Giunta Post 1

In Alice Walker's poem, "Be Nobody's Darling" I agree that being an outcast is positive and gives you freedom. People should always embrace what makes them different from others. Being unique is a great quality in a person and should not be hidden. It does not matter if how you are may be uncool to others, you should be proud of who you are and never change for anyone. Walker says "be nobody's darling; be an outcast," one should always be them self, stand out, and be alive, its the only way to live.
In the short story "Fleur" by Louise Erdrich, I believe it is giving the same message as Walker's poem. Fleur is a strong, rebellious, woman who is seen as an outcast to others. She always goes against the norm, and does whatever she feels like doing. Her elders in her tribe try to tell her that what she does is wrong, but she does not listen. Fleur does what she wants and it makes her feel happy free, that is what truly matters in life.

Laura Post 1

Bobby Stroud, Post 1

In the poem, "Be Nobody's Darling", the author Alice Walker speaks about how being an outcast in society should be seen as a goal rather than something to avoid. In many ways she is trying to say that having the courage to be different makes you unique and is ultimately the only way to truly be free. Walker wrote, "Watch the people succumb to madness with ample cheer; Let them look askance at you and you askance reply." By this she means that when you stand out in a crowd, you likely will be looked upon as different. However, one should be proud to be an outcast because it shows their true bravery. She believes that those who are afraid to stand out and leave their comfort zone are the ones who should be seem as different or weird.

Contrarily, in Mrs. Sen's by Jhumpa Lahiri, we see the idea of being an outcast as more depressing than uplifting. Throughout the story Mrs. Sen's seems unhappy with her new life in America, a life that she isn't accustom to. She is having difficulty adapting and is unwilling to change because of this. Unlike Walker, Lahiri sees being an outcast as restricting the things you are able to do, instead of a reason to be proud.

Post #1- Jaime Wallace

After much thought, I finally decided to write my blog on the first topic off of the prompt list. In the poem "Be Nobody's Darling" by Alice Walker it states that in order for an individual to truly be free he/she must first become an outcast. This idea means that for a person to shine in their own way and be who they really are it is way easier when you don'e have a group to follow and almost be like them instead of yourself. This is only possible when a person gets rejected from the so called society and most people will be happier this way because they are able to go past societies molds of peolple and be an individual.
Maxine Hong Kingston would absolutely disagree with Walker's perspective on outcast hood. in her short story "No Name Woman" the outcast does not feel free or like an individual like the poem portrayed the outcast to feel. The women must act in a way that the Chinese culture accepts and when she does not follow the traditions other people take action. There were many awful things done to her that no one should be proud of and she was an outcast that lives a horrible life because of her actions. So it is very clear that Maxine Hong Kingston's view of an outcast is very different from Alice Walker's view.
Jaime Wallace, Post #1

Post #1

Be Nobody's Darling by Alice Walker has a bit of an uncommon outlook on outcasts. Instead of viewing the label of being an outcast as a bad thing, Walker views being an outcast as something that should be looked on with pride. She feels that outcasts should embrace what they are and that they should abandon any attempt at fitting in with the rest of society. To be oneself is better than surrendering oneself to society's standards.

Mrs. Sen's by Jhumpa Lahiri has a different view on being an outcast. Throughout the story, the pain that comes with being an outcast is expressed. An example of this can be seen when Mrs. Sen brings the bagged fish onto the bus. When the bus driver questions her about the contents of the bag, he is slightly condescending by asking her if she speaks English. This encounter on the bus leads Mrs. Sen to try and fit in with others by driving herself to get the fish. After getting into the accident, Mrs. Sen seems to realize that she can never truly fit into the society of this foreign country.

Chelsa post #1

Hannah Lutley

In Alice Walker's "Be Nobody's Darling" we see her view on life as an outcast and how being an outcast will change your life. Alice Walker, Maxine Hong Kingston, Louise Erdrich, and Jhumpa Lahiri all present us with stories about women and how they are outcasts in their society. Women were all seen as strange and peculiar. They are never understood nor are they even given a chance to redeem themselves for a wrong doing. In life if these "outcasts" were giving a chance to explain themselves and their ways of life, maybe they wouldn't be considered and outcast.
In "No Name Woman" we see where as a result of a woman going against what is acceptable in society she is shunned from her family. Because the aunt becomes an outcast we see her, in a sort of way, losing her freedom to live as she chooses. But on the other hand now that she has escaped from her life she has a new freedom. In "Fleur" we see Fleur Pillager living the life of an outcast who realizes that is how she is and she receives a sense of freedom and security from it. If she tried to change herself she would lose who she was and in a sense lose her freedom to be different. Lastly, in "Mrs Sen's" we see her being an outcast to her surroundings because of her husband being in control and also her being so far away from her home where she was comfortable.

Allison Shubert

Referring to idea number 1 Alice Walker's "Be Nobody's Darling" this poem is about not to comform and to be your own person. I got from it that you shouldn't be scared to yourself, even if being yourself may be "uncool". You only have one life to live and you shouldn't live it being a doormat, conforming to the rest of society. You should be proud of who you are, no matter what others may say. There is so much superficiality in the world today, it's rare to come across genuine and original people. The one thing that I took away from this poem was that you should celebrate your differences and not conform to what society thinks is acceptable.

I believe that in Jhumpa Lahiri's story "Interpreter of Maladies" one of the main characters, Mrs. Sen is a victim of being socially shunned and somewhat unaccepted by society. This story shares the struggles of Mr. and Mrs. Sen coming from India to the United States. They seemed very hesitant to make themselves comfortable in their new environment. In comparison to Alice Walker's "Be Nobody's Darling" it seems like Mr. and Mrs. Sen don't really care that they don't blend into society, even if it is lonely. Mrs. Sen still makes sure she cooks and carries out her traditions that she followed at home.

Regarding idea number 1, "Bo Nobody's Darling" by Alice Walker does imply that being an outcast is a good thing and gives you a sense of freedom. If people just go along with the crowd then they never get a chance to be themselves, they always feel like they have to live up to a certain standard. Only when you are what other people consider and outcast can you live your life exactly how you want with no extra pressure or anybody persuading you. Alice Walker makes a good point my saying this, because if you are an outcast you live up to your own standards and make yourself happy, and do what you and only you think is right.

In Kingston's "No Name Woman", the aunt is painting in a very bad light by her family members, doing more than implying that she is an outcast and that she is a bad person that is best to be forgotten. This is totally differnt than Walker's poem, although the narrartor begins to validate why her aunt did what she did. Maybe she is doing this to salvage some pride for her aunt or just figure out who is right and wrong. Although the family believed that no matter what she broke "normal" family traditions and for that did not belong anymore, that her life with them was over. Walker would believe that her life may be over in that family because they are getting rid of her, but in reality HER life is just beginning because now she was free.

Cassidy Weeks, Post 1

Maggie DeMarco, Post 1

In relation to question number 2, it seems that in all of the stories that we read and discussed, that the women are the outcasts. In the short stories, "No Name Women," "Fleur," and in "Mrs. Sen's," the main outcast in each was a women. It seems that in each story, the women were seen as weird and they were misunderstood. The no name women in the first story was shunned by her family and the community, and she never got the chance to explain herself. Mrs. Sen felt out of place being far from home, however, people such as Eliot's mother didn't understand her or want to give her a chance. In this story as well, it seems that Mr. Sen is the controller of the relationship, and that she is inferior to him.

I felt that in all the works we read that the characters that were portrayed as outcasts were lonely and felt like they had no one to turn to. They all had problems and obstacles they were trying to overcome, and had no help from their family or those surrounding them. It could be argued that each character in the stories wouldn't be as much of an "outcast" if he/she was given the opportunity to explain themselves and their own stories. If all the stories were written in first person, I think they would be very different because we would be seeing the characters point of view on their world.

Nadia's Entry

Going off of number one, I think that being an outcast does give you a sense of freedom that noone else feels. It gives you that "high" to go an explore and try to fit in, and yet make you comfortable in your own skin that you feen off it. With that thinking, I would compare the poem to the "Fluer" story. I think that with Fleur she realised the outcast that she was, and she understood that nothing would change the way it made her seem. So while she was being being treated the way she was, she was also gaining her control of herslef. She was freeing herself by making others loose there hold.
In a sense, to become free of the water demons hold (although it seems as if she was in love with it, or given some kind of magicalness from it) she was free by passing her deaths onto other men. It is sometimes crazy to think that being an outcast actually makes you freer, but being on the outside, your not like anyone else, nor do you try to be like anyone else. So you are saving yourself but excluding yourself. (if that makes sense at all!)

Nadia Abdallah, Post 1

Blog Prompts For Week 1 (Walker, Kingston, Erdrich, and Lahiri)

Dear students,

Below are some prompts that you may consider blogging in response to should you need some inspiration for this week's post.

1) In her poem "Be Nobody's Darling" Alice Walker suggests that being labeled an outcast is a positive and desirable identity. In an interview, when asked about this poem Walker went so far as to suggest that one cannot truly have freedom unless one becomes an outcast. Discuss Walker's poem in relation to one or more of the works we have read in class thus far. Would Maxine Hong Kingston, Louise Erdrich, or Jhumpa Lahiri agree or disagree with Walker's perspective on outcasthood?

2) Compare and contrast the ways in which women are viewed and treated in the short stories we have read thus far by Kingston, Erdrich, and Lahiri. Are women in these stories viewed as outcasts of society? If so, why? Do the stories in question challenge the idea that women are inferior to men?

3) Both Maxine Hong Kingston's "No Name Woman" and Louise Erdrich's "Fleur" feature strong characters whose stories are told by outside narrators (Kingston's telling of her aunt's story and Pauline's telling of Fleur's). Why might Kingston and Erdrich have chosen to tell their stories in this manner as opposed to having their central characters speak in their own voices? What purpose might this serve?

4) Identify a passage that captivated you as a reader from any of the works we have read thus far and practice the steps of close reading on it. Make sure to give adequate reference to which passage you are blogging in response to.

Happy blogging!

Jeff