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Out of all the topics listed in the readings, I decided to choose “Depression.” I chose this specific category because I understand the word/feeling and was interested in the variance of emotions. I specifically was impacted and re-read Lil Wayne’s “I feel like dying.” This poetic piece genuinely moved me and became even more meaningful once I analyzed it with the aspects we have recently studied. I would first categorize this piece as an epic because they are described as long narratives; however, I may be incorrect. In terms of senses present within the piece, taste is not a component, but sight and touch seem rather apparent. In Lil Wayne’s song, he writes, “I can play basketball with the moon, I got the whole world at my feet” (Wayne 10). Such a line is highly visual, and I can picture a lit moon in the sky. I can also visualize a person playing basketball, which tells me Lil Wayne knows how to get into his listener’s minds. Another sight-visual I noticed is, “Jumpin’ off of a mountain into a sea of Codeine” (Wayne 20). These lyrics are also very vivid as I can imagine the tall end of a cliff and, far beneath it, a never-ending body of dark water. Although smell may be present within this song, I am not familiar with them, which are marijuana, wine, and smoke/cigarette. Regarding tone, I believe the song takes a rather sad/sorrowful sound. I indicate such because depressing words are incorporated into his piece, including “dying,” “fall,” “locked up,” and “wish.” All these words tell me that someone is hurting and do not feel like themselves. Rhyming is another component in Lil Wayne’s song. There are multiple instances of rhyming; however, I am specifically intrigued by the following, “Get high, so high, that I feel like lying Down in a cigar, roll me up and smoke me ’cause (I feel like dying)” (Wayne 13-15). These lyrics are heartrending to read/listen to as one has resorted to drugs, and they have caused them to feel empty. The words lying and dying rhyme together but also share a deep and interpreted meaning. There is a second rhyming sequence that I would like to note, which is found towards the end of the song. Wayne writes, “And violets are blue, roses are red Daisies are yellow, the flowers are dead” (31-32). Here the words red and dead rhyme together, which I believe symbolize evil. The color red is often linked with love/lust; however, it is also associated with pain and evil. Such a set of lyrics is fascinating because there is a visual of flowers when the listener/reader comes across such, yet the two rhyming words are so negative.

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I read “Flower boy,” and I will be analyzing the coming of age option. I have not listened to much of Tyler the creator’s music; however, after reading some of the assigned verses, I have developed a liking for his work. Within the short story, there is one titled “Foreword,” which I found extremely deep and in connection to the coming of age elements. The protagonist is obviously Tyler as he is referring to himself within the piece. The issue facing him appears to be the pressure of fame and what comes with that role. Tyler writes, “See, I was never into the beaches and all the sands” (Okonma 6). This specific line tells me that Tyler did not grow up in a luxurious setting, and he is still not all that intrigued by the luxurious lifestyle. I think that most fans/society think that every celebrity enjoys being rich and having access to an expensive lifestyle; however, what we do not acknowledge is that such a status can be overwhelming. I believe the improvement/growing portion of the coming of age notion is that Tyler has received the chance to share these feelings with people that support him. In other words, music/rap is a way for Tyler to improve himself and share deep thoughts. In regards to symbolism, which the coming of age involves, page three, titled “Where This Flower Blooms,” contains some beautiful symbolic elements. Tyler writes, “In toys I only dreamed that I could afford” (Okonma 9). I believe this short line symbolizes the riches Tyler is able to afford. Again, there is also improvement present here because Tyler is no longer in such a financial position. Tyler is fortunate enough to have escaped such a problem and can now live comfortably.   https://padlet.com/zrosales/b9drr2pnc2f6m8h8

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One of Otten’s novel’s prominent themes is finding oneself and coming to terms with who you are. In other words, I think coming of age/maturing aspects can be found within the narratives of “The Last Poets.” Referring back to Omar’s story, he endures many situations that would break a person and lead them to destructive behavior, including his abusive father and witnessing his friend endure sexual assault. Although he did not surround himself with the wisest people, Omar found a way to overcome the trauma/obstacles life presented to him. Omar discovering his liking for poetry is a prime example of discovering new things about yourself and not being afraid of whom you have become. Not only does Omar’s character not allow his past to hold him back, but he also does not allow the people who constantly put him down to interfere with his passion. Omar had to endure what I would describe as verbal abuse from his grandmother. Not receiving encouragement throughout one’s life can be damaging and lead one down a dark path, especially at a young age. Personally, I could not picture my life without the support and recurring encouragement I acquire from my family and friends. They motivate me to do my absolute best and always look on the bright side of difficult situations. Furthermore, It is very inspiring to see Omar conquer such a talent while not receiving emotional and physical support. Felipe is another example of the theme regarding maturing and redefining your life. In my opinion, Felipe encounters more challenges than Omar; however, that does not make him a better or less significant character. It is essential to acknowledge the back and forth moves Felipe experiences. I myself have never moved from one state to another; however, I assume such would take a toll on one’s life. Felipe experiences many ups and downs during the moves, including being ripped away from his gang of friends. Even though the gang was a negative aspect of Felipe’s life, the gang made Felipe feel accomplished and meaningful. Moreover, leaving the gang behind and moving to LA was a major transition and essentially took away Felipe’s feeling of power/confidence. It is also vital to note Felipe’s prison experience because, in reality, there are countless stereotypes regarding criminals. Nevertheless, Felipe does not fall back into jail, or criminal behavior like most of society would assume. Again, such is a perfect demonstration of improving for the better and not permitting the past to interfere with success.

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Philip is a very interesting character not only because the reader gets to see him transform but also because we get the chance to witness him in different geographical settings. In the chapter called “The Trip,” Philip’s character is taken to Wilmington, and although it is not glamorous nor beautiful, Philip very much enjoys living in this setting. I do not know why I initially expected the La setting to be similar to the current day La, as the temporal setting is extremely vital to note. Philip lives in La Wilmington during the 1955s, along with his grandma and mom. Regardless of the temporal setting, there is a significant difference in how Philip progresses in La compared to Harlem. I characterize his mood and mindset in Wilmington as happy as the author writes, “It was the poorest area of LA but for me it was a vacation resort” (Otten 219). Towards the end of this section, Otten also writes, “I think Mama was just as happy there as I was” (Otten 221). This quote is quite sad to read because we learn that Philip moves back to Harlem, where the conflict seems to arise. In the Harlem setting, which takes place in 1959, I believe Philip encounters internal conflict here. Philip’s character develops a close relationship with his cousin named Jose, whom I think significantly influences Philip’s rather disruptive actions, such as becoming a gang member. Fights start to become a recurrence for Philip, which gets worse in the Brooklyn setting. However, this is where the internal conflict becomes more visible as I believe Philip’s gang and Miss Shapiro cause his character to rethink. I also think, to a certain extent, Miss Shapiro’s classroom serves as an immediate surrounding. In the chapter “The Frenchmen,” Otten writes, “In the eyes of my mother and grandmother I saw everything-love, announce, warmth, anger, fear, worry-but seldom the calm and genuine interest I read in Miss Shapiro’s unreserved glance” (Otten 240). From this specific quote, I believe there is a clear bond between the two characters. In terms of external conflict, I see Man vs. Fate for Philip’s character as Jose pressures and encourages him to fight. I think that Philip, deep down, knows that being apart of a gang is wrong and dangerous; furthermore, he must fight the urge to feel in control.

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I will be analyzing Umar, also known as Jerome, from “The Last Poets” by Christine Otten. Jerome is not narrating his events in terms of perspective and point of view; instead, a third-person perspective is utilized to illustrate the boy’s story. Nevertheless, there is still much perspective within Jerome’s passages, such as his feelings towards Dora and his experience with Carla. Although Carla and Dora are two flat characters, Jerome possesses attitudes towards the two girls, which widely differ. Dora has an emotional effect on Jerome, while Carla is a quick distraction and not long-term. Dora also makes him feel important; however, those feelings transform when Jerome discovers her relationship with her dad. A first-person perspective may not be the case for Jerome’s character; however, the reader still obtains an intimate and sincere reaction when he is undergoing a shocking event. In other words, a third-person point of view can contain similar aspects as first-person if the narrator chooses to incorporate detail and feelings appropriately. Discussing critical thinking, Jerome executes various actions along the story, which infers he possesses motives. For instance, he cleans other men’s shoes to gain business. He is motivated to be known and to share his skills with the town. It is also noteworthy to mention Jerome's intentions with his father as his parents illustrate toxicity. Umar’s motives with his father are decidedly violent, which is explained through witnessed abuse. Characters are another major topic considering each individual possesses a label, such as flat, round, protagonist, and antagonist. Jerome is surely not an antagonist, but I am not sure if he is to be considered a protagonist either. However, he is not a flat character as his story contains round elements. He is also dynamic instead of static, which infers development and strength. For example, he does not allow his father’s actions to influence him. Otherwise, he may be considered an antagonist for proceeding in morally incorrect acts. Taking this information into consideration, how would you categorize Jerome’s character? Analyzing is also quite vital as it can reveal a character’s personality on a deeper level. The narrator incorporates dialogue from Jerome, which makes analyzing more intriguing. A piece of dialogue I enjoyed analyzing is located on pg 68. Otten writes, “‘It’s not about that, We were friends. She’s gone’” (Otten 68). I mention this quote relating to Dora because it demonstrates Jerome's poor will. It is unfortunate that he gives up when he encounters an issue; however, it also exhibits his accustom to disappointment. In other words, It is no doubt that he is troubled in this particular event, but it is not an unusual feeling. Do you think Jerome should have attempted to protect Dora? If so, why?

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Hello, my name is Zoila and I am very excited to get to know my classmates throughout this semester! I am a nursing major and plan on enrolling in the Stan State nursing program during my junior year. Discussing some of my interests, two of my favorite tv shows are The Vampire Diaries and You on Netflix. Some musical artists I enjoy include Harry Styles, Clairo, The 1975, The Neighbourhood, and Suki Waterhouse. I am looking forward to discussing reading material and other topics with you guys for the next couple of months! Stay safe and believe in yourself!