Dream the Dreams
Post #5
Jess Kramer
Jess Kramer
I chose sentences from pages 42 to 75 to form a found poem which I feel represents Esperanza. I chose some of the quotes that stuck out in my memory that I felt were powerful and important. I think a lot of the things that Esperanza experiences in her life are in large part due to her being a female. In the second stanza, I used quotes that were about all of the boys/men that she had encountered so far in her life. I also wanted to make sure to include quotes that showed Esperanza's strong side and her resilience. I think the gender issue that is present throughout the book is important and would be a great discussion in any classroom. (I recorded the poem and converted it to an mp3 on my computer, however my "trial" with Voicethread was used up and it wanted me to subscribe for $60, therefore I couldn't post my audio.)
They are the only ones who understand me
And I think if my own Papa died what would I do
And then we began to dream the dreams
Sometimes you get used to the sick and sometimes the sickness, if it is there too long, gets to seem normal.
Only I don't get it
Everything is holding its breath inside me
He watched me dance
He had nice eyes and I didn't feel so nervous anymore
I don't remember when I first noticed him looking at me-
Sire
Thank you and goodbye and be careful of the evil eye
Most likely I will go to hell and most likely I deserve to be there
When I am too sad and too skinny to keep keeping
when I am a tiny thing against so many bricks
then it is I look at trees
My home isn't far but it's not close either
We are tired of being beautiful
My mother says I was born on an evil day and prays for me
Wow, I never would have thought to compare all of the male figures she has encountered in her life. When I look at all of your passages, it got me thinking about her role in society in comparison to the role of the male figure.
ReplyDeleteJess,
ReplyDeleteWow! I didn't realize how much depressing imagery/lines were in this text! I understood that Esperanza was dealing with a lot but I think your found poem brings to light a lot of the darker issues- like dealing with becoming a woman, the stares from men, a broken heart, disappointing her mother because she defies gender stereotypes, etc. I also agree that it was a really neat idea to put the male's perspective in contrast of Esperanza's. I think that adds a really great layer to your already complex poem! Great job!
-Brooke
The last line in your poem reminds me of "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid which we read this week in 512. "Girl" also reminds me a lot of how Sally's father treats her. This would be a great text to tie in here.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of the poem comes in the second stanza where there are 3 lines that deal with the male gaze on Esperanza -
He watched me dance
He had nice eyes and I didn't feel so nervous anymore
I don't remember when I first noticed him looking at me-
These lines put together would lead into a really important discussion on how women are viewed in society and through the male lens, similar to the discussion on gender we had in 512 on Monday. Maybe we could then flip the script and look at how Esperanza and her family describe these boys - I know her dad at one point called Sire a "punk." How, then, are men viewed through the female gaze/perspective? Gender issues are HUGE in this book. It would go along nicely with Of Mice and Men and all of the gender issues we've been talking about with that. Maybe we could use THOMS to examine female relationships in comparison to OMAM and male relationships.
Your found poem sort of haunts me- I think because it turns the experiences Esperanza is having (especially with men) into something she should be worried about or feel guilty for - especially in these two lines:
Thank you and goodbye and be careful of the evil eye
Most likely I will go to hell and most likely I deserve to be there
When I read them in the story, they're separated, so it's just a quick taste of her guilt and the warnings against a young girl like her, but when you put them next to each other - wow. So powerful and I love the new meaning and feeling I get from them
-Hannah