The Last Poets- Felipe + Theme Assignment by https://padlet.com/bchairez1/nsthlofldbpb13ul Made with a creative frenzy en-us 2021-09-27 06:57:39 UTC 2023-03-09 08:33:35 UTC hello@padlet.com Felipe Luciano bchairez1 https://padlet.com/bchairez1/nsthlofldbpb13ul/wish/1770264007 While reading, I truly enjoy Felipe's sections. Being hispanic myself, I feel like little moments of his story remind me of memories I have not thought of in years. Felipe's life is divided into segments of time and location, and with each location presents a different aura of his personality. Immediately from his character introduction, he states "I’ve always led a double life. From an early age. It’s exhausting". I believe the setting and geographical locations represent his emotions and character development. 
   Beginning with his birthplace being in New York, he becomes comfortable with the lifestyle around him. Yet, with Felipe being half hispanic and half black, he is faced with a division of identity from birth. Being labeled as 'white' at the hospital, but fought by his grandma to be changed, I believe shaped his character into behaving the way he does. I may be reading to closely into this, but I think this itself is a foreshadowing of his future conflict with a decent life and one caught with the wrong crowd. 
The first big change comes with a move. His mother decides to move the family to California. When I first read this passage, I felt at peace. The calming descriptions Felipe uses to describe the sunset, or when he was playing in the mud with Wai Ling really made me love his character. I believe that California as a setting allowed Felipe to truly enjoy himself without any pressure from anybody. It felt like there was no limitation, and that he was truly free. I also believe that his grandmother, which he states he was very close to, plays an important role in this. I believe both of his parents create a choatic energy due to their own problems in life, and it creates a constant stress on Felipe. 
   Back in New York a few years later, he begins to act out. I believe the first instance which caught my eye was the fight at school. His friends began rooting for the 'alligator', while others give Felipe directions in Spanish. "right, they’re giving me instructions in Spanish and as I listen to them I feel myself getting stronger". I believe this instance of conflict reflects a direct seperation of his character. He is torn between two things quite often. He has an oppurtinity to live a well and educated life, as seen in later chapters where he attends Queen University, but he falls into the grasp of the gangs. 
Felipe seems to thrive in settings in which he has creative freedom. He does not have to try in school, which allows the reader to understand his intelligence, and yet he runs out of Miss Shapiro's class to attend the gang meeting. New York has it's own two possibilities. He has the Frenchman, and he also has the books and Shapiro's support. I believe that Felipe is aware of his possibilities for good, but perhaps feels trapped in trying to identify with one specific thing. He has potential for greatness, but is tainted by the negative energy around him.

Otten, Christine. The Last Poets (p. 178). World Editions. Kindle Edition. 

]]> 2021-09-27 06:58:38 UTC https://padlet.com/bchairez1/nsthlofldbpb13ul/wish/1770264007 Theme of : The Last Poets bchairez1 https://padlet.com/bchairez1/nsthlofldbpb13ul/wish/1806861302 The Last Poets is a novel that tells the story of the historic poetic group- with the same name as the novel. There are many characters mentioned in this story, so narrowing down the theme to one was very difficult.
As a musician myself, I of course would like to highlight the importance of music in the novel. Each poet is tied togehter by their talent, and many use their upbrighing as inspirations towards the poetry they write and perform. With the character perspective shifting every few chapters, the reader is allowed a glimpse into each of the poet’s lives, and is allowed to see the importance of music for each character. “Music is not abstract. Emotions are not abstract. Nor is jazz, except maybe for the listener who doesn’t understand the concepts behind it. (pg.85). The music and poetry created by the Last Poets is used as an outlet for what they may be feeling or experiencing. With the importance of music being repeated throughout the novel, I found the true theme of this piece is to use one’s voice as an act of power. 
The poets are musicians. They each have rhythm, and each member has something to say. With the shift in perspective every few chapters, the reader understands that the upbringing of each of the poets is completely different from one another. However, something that ties the poets together is their race and their shared love for music. 
“The violence we faced was so much bigger and stronger and smarter than we were. It reduced us to one small voice crying out in a godforsaken wilderness" (pg. 208). Even without mentioning music itself, the members are a part of communities that allow them to express their beliefs using the power of their voice. Umar, a charater who is covered heavily in the story, is involved heavily in civil rights movements, or Felipe with the ‘Black Panthers but for Puerto Ricans’ group. Their poetry helped create a movement of freedom of speech and honesty, but they were speaking from experience and using that to inspire others. Each member wrote from the heart, and each had something to say about moving forward towards something they believed in. Every Last Poet understands the importance of their words, and while their lives may be littered with choices and chaos, both good and bad, I believe that each poet's honesty while creating helped spark a movement- a movement that helped people realize the importance of their own history and voice.
"We are a new breed of men Black warriors The last poets of the world" - The Last Poets 
Otten, Christine. The Last Poets. World Editions. Kindle Edition. 
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