Triumph

Triumph- noun

Definition: a great success or achievement

Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triumph?show=0&t=1400610581

Found in:  “ The Story  of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Passage: “ There  was a feverish triumph in her eyes , and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory”

Now that I understand what the word means this passage is trying to  demonstrate the happiness that  her eye  had after regaining her freedom. Ms. Mallard felt victorious  of having her life to hrself once again.

Trivial

Trivial – adjective

Definition: of little worth or importance

Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trivial

Found in: “ The story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Passage: “ she did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial”

After understanding that the word mean of little importance I understand that this passages is trying to say that Ms. Mallard was so happy about the freedom that she just gained after her husband death that she didn’t bother to question whether the joy that she was feeling was normal or not.

Shillings

Shillings – noun

Definition: A British coin used before 1971 that equals to 1/20 of a British pound

Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shillings

Found in: “Professions for Women” by Virginia Woolf

Passage: “ by a litter from an editor containing a cheque for one pound then shillings and sixpence”

I was actually very curious in finding out what they word meant because as a Hispanic I know that cheque means check in Spanish so I knew it had something to do with money. This passage was talking about when he was getting paid for her job as a journalist.

Slunk

Slunk – verb

Definition:
to move in a way that does not attract attention especially because you are
embarrassed, afraid or doing something wrong.

 

Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slink

Found in: “ The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath

 

Passage: Chapter 10 “ I slunk down on the middle of my pine, my nose level
with the rim of the window, and watched the houses of outer Boston glide by .
As the houses grew more familiar I slunk still lower”

Understanding that this word means  a type of movement that means embarrassed .This
is an action of Esther disappointment on herself for not getting into the
writing course she was so excited in attending that summer. She was embarrassed
and shameful because she was not expecting that after the hard time she was
already having.

Hubbub

Hubbub- noun

Definition: a situation in which there is much noise, confusion, excitement and activity

Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hubbub

Found in: “ Woman Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros

Passage: “ He said, after all , in the hubbub of partying: I am your father, I will never abandon you …..”


Now I understand that while the father of Cleofilas tries to tell her something special for the say of her wedding there was so much things and noise going on the surroundings that she actually didn’t acknowledged it until later on in the story.

 

Hitherto

 

 Hitherto –Adjective

Definition: until now: before this time

Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hitherto

Found in: “Professions for Women” by Virginia Woolf

Passage: “ you have won rooms of your own in the house hitherto exclusively owned by men”

Having the definition of the word I now understand that they narrator is saying that women have finally took a step to own things that usually were own by men before that time. This was the result of killing the angel of the house being able to actually overcome the obstacles women had to go through in this time period.

Query

Query- noun

Definition: a question or request for information about something

Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/query

Found in:  “ The Was Once” by Margaret  Atwood

Passage: Line 8  “ That’s better, But I have to seriously query this word poor.”

I know understand that the second speaker was questioning what the first speaker considers to be “POOR”. The second speaker believes that poor is when you don’t have a home to sleep in and you have to sleep in cardboard. I totally agree with this statement because how poor can you be if you have a fireplace at your home.

Inharmonious

Inharmonious – Adjective

Definition:  not fitting or congenial  < inharmonious personalities >

Source:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inharmonious

Found in: The Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins

Passage:  Page 4 “ The furniture in the room is no worse than inharmonious, however , for we had to bring it all from downstairs”

 

 Throughout the story we have a clear sense of how much she dislike everything in the room her husband moved her to. Now that I know what the word mean helps me understand that in this line she is simply saying that the furniture doesn’t belong there and it creates an uncomfortable environment for her. The narrator feels like the furniture is unsuitable for what she prefers.

Extra Credit #2- Literary Arts Festival

This event was actually entertaining for me. When I first arrived I notice the colorful decorations and the loud music. It was nice seeing the video that was created where different students from different background shared a little about their experience in City Tech and their collaboration to this Literary Art Festival event.  This group is called LAF Team, showing other students that they could be part of a group where they could join to feel a part of the college society and a place where they will be accepted. They performed a dance to “Because I’m Happy” by Bruno Mars, where they showed their energy and positive vibes to the audience.

After this people started to do reading of writings they have created in which I found interesting to listening to some of their works. There were different styles talking about different things. One of the readings that caught my attention was by Latoya Scarboro, she created a poem where she talked about her life in Brooklyn. She shared her struggles growing up after losing her mother at a young age, Latoya mentioned that although she struggled to get through school she will continue until she accomplish her goal of getting a degree. I found this interesting because I feel that a lot of people could have related themselves to her and the hardships she been through, she was an example that you shouldn’t give up on what you want.

After a couple of more readings a band named “Rough Magic” played. Although this is not my personal type of music I enjoyed listening to them it was something different. After some more reading awards were given out to students that were part of a writing competition. Overall I felt the event was full with energy and it was a good time.

Extra Credit – Intimate Apparel Roundtable Event

I found this event based on the play “Intimate Apparel” by Lynn Nottage very interesting.  I enjoyed it a lot because it gave me a chance to see some scenes that students reacted from the play. Being able to see the students acting the scene out gave me a more visual look on how the scene played out. The English classes that perform really did a good job in getting into the character that they were giving. They really showed facial expressions and used tone of voices that helped me see a visuals image of the play. One of the things I found most interesting was when one of the students showed the audience a drawing that she created in which she believed represented Esther. The drawing was two hands holding a rose that was bleeding. The student said that the rose represented Esther throughout the play because she is the only one that gets hurt. I agree with her because throughout the play we see how Esther struggles in finding love and her low self-esteem. We also see her being disappointed even after having what she always wished for because George wasn’t the man that she thought he was. I also do think that Esther wasn’t the only character that was going through hardships in the play.

After this we heard a poem by one of the students in which he created it from scene 2 when Ms. Van Buren kisses Esther and was rejected. I always found this part of the play interesting because was Ms. Van Buren really lesbian or she didn’t it due to the lack of attention she was getting by her husband. I think she had a strong connection with Esther because she actually listened to what she had to say and knew her most intimate secrets and probably felt the need to be a bit closer to her. At the end of this event a conversation and discussion took place between Dr. Marta Effinger- Crichlow and Prof. Jeannie Foster talking about what they thought about the play. Listening to their conversation was very interesting because they really studied the play meaning that they made me see things a little more different for example, George. One of the professor stated that she feels sympathy for George because him as well was a hardworking man that was trying to find her American dream. George wanted to create a new identify for himself. In the conversation it was also started that throughout the play a strong identity to African- American women is given because they all in some sense had some type of independence.   One of the things said that caught my attention was when one of the professors stated “never confuse a person inability to read or write with their intelligence.” Although Esther couldn’t read or write she still found a way to survive.