About

 

   

 Welcome to my ENG-355 Blog! This is a blog about Multicultural Literature. In it you will find Ancient Eastern Literature, Contemporary Eastern Literature, Native American Literature, African and African American Literature, Latin American Literature: Realism and Magical Realism, Post Holocaust and Jewish Literature, Global Literature: Cultural Integrations in the 20th and 21st Centuries. 

My name is Heather Domingue. I am an online student at Grand Canyon University where I am pursuing a degree in English for Secondary Education. I have always had a loved for writing, my English teacher in high school really helped me to develop this. While this class has been a bit challenging in some aspects such as trying to grasp the true meaning the author is trying to portray from works that can be difficult to decipher. I find that writing is  a freeing way to express yourself, and I hope to one day instill that in future students.

 I currently teach Elementary P.E., which I am having a blast doing! Before that I taught Spanish for ten years. I am a single mother and have two children ages 14 and 23. I lived in El Salvador where my parents were missionaries for thirteen years, where I experienced cultural diversity early in life. Having lived in a different part of the globe, has allowed me to view the world through a different set of eyes.

Multicultural Literature is the meshing together of different cultures in literature to bringing together different viewpoints, backgrounds, and experiences, exposing the readers to different cultures and beliefs. It is the diversity of experiencing more than one culture combined with different experiences. It is often the blending of those life experiences combined with cultural differences that make up the "gist" of multicultural literature. Multicultural gives readers a glimpse into lives and traditions of others that they might otherwise never experience.

 In literature, "global," is having roots in one country or region of the hemisphere and being able to identify with another culture and its beliefs. Global is taking certain experiences, beliefs, and backgrounds, and combining those views and experiences with other cultures. Some authors have never planted feet on other parts of the globe, but this have immersed themselves in works of different writings of other cultures. To be "global," is having a desire to learn and identify with other cultures that may not be your own. 

The term "blurring of the national boundaries," can best be identified as taking one's views and experiences and combining them with beliefs of a different country or culture. Taking the norms society has put on people and using norms of other cultures to develop a new norm. Blurring of the boundaries can also be thought of as understanding the way other cultures operate and cultivating some of those ideas and beliefs along with life experiences. 

In 20th century literature, authors wrote about their problems, backgrounds, beliefs, and traditions. Many of those writers faced tremendous hardships and overcame obstacles. Some struggled with identity while trying to go against social norms that society had placed on them. Others during the time of the holocaust went through unspeakable acts of torture and wrote about rage. It is those experiences that make us and break us. Society during the beginning of the 21st century was undergoing a change, as a shift was beginning to take place from societal norms of the past dealing with choices and making moral decisions while trying to move forward into a new era.

I hope that you enjoy my blog posts, and find them helpful in some way!

Identity

                                                         Literary Blog Entry 7

        In Post-Holocaust Jewish Literature of Borowoski, Celan, Amichai, and Lispector many themes are discussed: rage, identity, and overcoming obstacles, yet identity seems to reoccur. Identity comes from one’s set of circumstances, upbringing, and mindset. In Lispectors’s “The Daydreams of a Drunk Woman,” a story of a woman who felt she married beneath herself,  was struggling to find her place in society and in her home. As a result, she became unhappy and turned to apathy and drinking. “And the vanity of feeling drunk, made her show such disdain for everything, making her feel swollen and rotund like a large cow.” In Borowski’s “This Way to the Gas Chamber Ladies and Gentlemen,” the story of a different identity: a Polish prisoner, who had the horrific job of disposing of bodies in Jewish concentration camps. The prisoner could not escape the job he had and loathed every second of every day there.

        Students can be taught identity is learned through self and circumstances, and what you face in life does not have to define you. Students can read “Jerusalem”, by Yehuda Amichai, and analyze the message he was giving. A discussion could be had about how identity can be related to this modern- day Psalmist. 

    With Pop Culture, students can identify with music. Rap music is known for having explicit lyrics about violence and death that many students can relate to. In Celen's "Aspen Tree," "My mother's hair never turned to white", students reading this who have lost a parent to could especially relate to this.

   

Works Cited

Amichai, Y. (2014). Jerusalem. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Borowoski, T. (2014). This Way to the Gas Chamber Ladies and Gentlemen. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Celan, P. (2014). Aspen Tree. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

CleanPNG. (2020). Retrieved from:https://www.cleanpng.com/png-star-of-david-religious-symbol-clip-art-judaism-st-6223849/

Lispector, C. (2014). The Daydreams of a Drunk Woman. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Pixell.Co. (n.d.). Retrieved from:https://www.pixelle.co/krtsch-2/

Choices

                                                                Literary Blog Entry 6

       Choice is what drives us and brings us closer to outcomes in life, whether they be good or bad.  In Latin American Literature, choice is portrayed through realism and magical realism. In “Central Park,” by Octavio Paz, warns people not to venture there at night. “there is a wind there that scatters the reflections of Alice, dismembered in the pond Don’t Cross Central Park at Night.” Paz uses realism to deter people from going to Central Park at night. In “Walking Around, by Pablo Neruda,” some elements of magical realism are used to describe a man who is tired of having to live his life. He feels worn out from pursuing dreams society places on people. “I do not want to go on being a root in the dark, hesitating stretched out, shivering with dreams.” In “Death Constant Beyond Love,” by Garcia-Marquez magical realism is used in the life of a senator who is facing death and chooses to escape with Laura Farina, instead of his family.

     Students can read “And of Clay We are Created,” by Isabelle Allende, and learn our perspective can change because of our choice. Students could compare this story about a mudslide with other similar disasters in the world.  Students could also write about the significance of how putting away technology causes us to look deeper.

    In The Pursuit of Happyness, students could learn about Chris Gardner, who chose to never give up, despite all the difficult challenges he faced. Students could write about obstacles they may face and how to overcome.

 

                         

Works Cited

Allende, I. (2014). And of Clay We are Created. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Central Park Tours NYC. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.centralparktoursnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/central-park-at-night.jpg

Garcia-Marquez, G. (2014). Death Constant Beyond Love. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Faculty Focus. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-classroom-management/benefits-giving-students-choice-learn/

Isabelle Allende. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.isabelallende.com/

IMDb. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454921/

Neruda, P. (2014). Walking Around. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Paz, O. (2014). Central Park. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Poeticous. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.poeticous.com/octavio-paz?locale=es

 

Identity

 

Literary Blog Entry 5

 Identity in some cultures, can be found in a name, in others in occupation, or accomplishments. In African culture, identity has much to do with a person’s name. Such findings can be found in “Chike’s School Days,” by Chinua Achebe, “The Deep River,” by Bessie Head, and “Notes of a Native Son,” by James Baldwin. From “The Deep River,” “people lived without faces, except for their chief, whose face was the face of all people; that is if their chief’s name was Monamapee, then they were all the people of Monamapee.” Everything the people did was in the shadow of Monamapee, people did not possess their own identity, it was found in their leader, Monamapee.

In high school, teachers could teach on identity in American culture, and contrast identity with  African culture. Teachers can ask: What is in a name? Students can read the story of “Chike’s School days.” by Achebe. Chike, was given three names, and his last name means “the mind is at last at rest,” which was only given to an only child or an only son. Chike, was also “brought up in the ways of white man,” Chike learned his name did not define him, he developed a love for learning because of the influence of his teacher.

With keeping popular culture in mind, teachers could have students read Notes of a Native Son. Students could write about what a native means, and what it means to be a son. Students could also discuss how media plays a part in how African American perceive their identity.

Works Cited

Achebe, C. (2014). Chike’s School Days. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

American Cultural Center. (2015). Retrieved from https://acc.libfl.ru/discussion-what-is-american-culture-to-me-2/

Baldwin, J. (2014). Notes of a Native Son. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Beacon Press. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.beacon.org/Notes-of-a-Native-Son-P947.aspx

Head, B. (2014). The Deep River. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company: Puchner

Lies Young Women Believe. (2020). Retrieved from:https://liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/whats-in-a-name/

The Circular. (2020). Retrieved from http://thecircular.org/embracing-the-african-culture/