Extra Credit Precis

    Often times, my peers or acquaintances will joke that I am always complaining about womens' role in Judaism. Perhaps they think my desire for equality is far fetched and dumb or they just like to mess around with me as they know I identify as a feminist and think it's some type of joke, but whatever it is, I don't like it. I do not like when others misjudge my intentions, like I am fighting just to fight or that I am searching for something that does not exist. What I want people to know is that I am looking for how to be myself in my religion. I don't want to wear a mask or hide who I am by merely accepting whatever I hear but instead I want to find my place as a woman in Judaism.
    "Aleh does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil", is what Abudawud, an interpretation of the Kuran, preaches. In other words, what this quote means is that once an Islamic woman has reached a certain age where she is able to reproduce, she must shield her face or her hair (depending on the type of veil) while praying to her God (Aleh).  This quote makes me upset. To me, it sends an idea to any woman from age thirteen and up that she must cover herself when in the presence of holy things. This quote essentially tells women that they must wear a mask when connecting with their religion, hiding their natural bodies and faces, as if they are something negative. While I respect women who wear hijabs and believe in modesty as a part of their religion, it's so difficult for me as a woman that is interested in the fight for womens rights to think of someone growing up in this religion who may not agree with the wearing of a veil. Its also upseting to think about how there are most likely many women who blindly accept this idea that they must cover themselves, as if their faces are in some way a bad thing.
     However, another thought in my mind is even more prominent when I read this quote. I think about how despite the fact that I must also deal with a barrier during prayer, the mechitzah, I am lucky that my religion does not ask me to hide my face. This is not to compare the religions of Judaism and Islam, rather it is to say that the two religions' perspective on women do differ in several ways. The mechitzah exists foe reasons that I may not agree with or even fully understand but despite this, it gives me pride that the mechitzah does not disregard the women of my religion completely. Even with a mechitzah to separate us, women are still involved in the service as strong and powerful individuals with faces. Judaism as a religion recognizes the beauty of womens' bodies and faces as well as their inner souls.
     It's interesting how the concept of a mask is relavent in so many different ways. In general, masks are worn to hide something. In plays, actors wear them to be someone who they are not. In certain religions, veils or face coverings are worn to ensure the secrecy of what is beneath them. No matter the scenario, masks serve the purpose of covering something up. In the case of this quote which says the Islamic God does not accept prayers from women unless they wear a mask, the mask represents concealment. It symbolizes the idea that women must conceal themselves and their faces, as if they are something that cannot be exposed. While I truly struggle to grasp this idea and how it could be viewed as a moral law, I feel grateful for my ability to show my face in my own religion, without the fear that I am doing something wrong by being my full, unmasked self.

Poetry Precis 19- "Thanks for Remembering Us" by Dania Gioia

In Dania Gioia's "Thanks for Remembering Us", the speaker uses a suspicious tone, employing diction and symbolism to hint at the tragedy of a couple in which one of the spouses cheated on the other. While this poem seems to be a cheerful one towards the beginning, as it unravels itself, the reader understands it is actually quite sad. The speaker brings up flowers as a symbol of mystery and confusion at the beginning of the poem, as they are sent to the wrong address because "our neighbor says they're not for her, and no one has a birthday near". The reader understands the element of curiosity the speaker is implementing here by his choice of words, as he says that these flowers were "signed with a name that no one knew". At this point, the reader may be suspicious but then the poem bluntly states "Is one of us having an affair?", giving the reader a clear cut understanding of what this poem is about, as well as how these unknown flowers will affect this marriage. The arrival of these flowers causes the couple to doubt each other, as they begin to think about the possibility that perhaps one of them is cheating on the other. The speaker then diverts in the second stanza to explain how the flowers begin to die and deteriorate, as one flower is "enshrouded in its sickly-sweet and lingering perfume" and "the room smells like a funeral"; Using this diction, the speaker shows how the symbol of the flowers (the affair) is bringing much tragedy into this marriage and perhaps will force this couple's relationship to "die", as their house smells like a funeral (a sad ending) due to the affair. In this poem, these flowers symbolize the obvious yet mysterious affair that is going on between one of the spouses in this marriage and the diction that the speaker uses helps create the setting necessary to keep up the suspense of the story. 

Analysis on the Magnificent Work of the Master JJ Kampf

In JJ Kampf's "The Modern Prometheus", the speaker sets a story like tone as he uses italics to switch back and forth between characters in his allusion to the ancient myth of Prometheus. The speaker opens up with imagery describing a modern day setting as he says "Soft pajamas lay idle in the closet", letting the reader know that this poem will most likely take place in a home with children. As the poem goes on, the speaker develops the plot of the classic babysitter that lets the children have fun and have what they desire saying "They laugh, they play, they cry/They litter the living room with toys", despite the fact that "their mother and father would scream sourly if they saw." The speaker thereby shows how "Johnny didn't care/because they smiled", as he cared about the childrens' wellbeing. In this scenario, reader can imply that the babysitter is like Prometheus, the children are the people of the world, and the parents are God. The babysitter  understands the children's wishes and wants to fulfill them, despite what their strict parents may want. This is just like the story of Prometheus, as Prometheus stole the fire for the good of the people, regardless of the fact that God did not allow for him to take it. The speaker's use of italics helps the reader understand the distinction between the times that the babysitter is speaking and the narrator is speaking, like in the example " Bedtime clothes right away, and no TV for either of them. Midnight looms like New Year’s Eve."

Poetry Precis 18- "A Man I Knew" by Margaret Levine

In "A Man I Knew" by Margaret Levine, the speaker uses a reflective and humbled tone and symbolism as she remembers someone she used to know, either a friend or a partner. Throughout the poem, the speaker describes this man's personality through his posessions and belongings, the first one being a "condo". Unlike houses which are commonly bought, condos are rented, symbolizing this man's lack of commitment and inability to settle down. This man has a maid that comes "every other week" and children "who won't", meaning they do not even come every other week. These two descriptions of this man show his priorities in life; perhaps he has caused himself to be astray from his children and the maid is all he has now. Throughout this poem, the speaker seems to be upset about this ex friend or lover's values in life and from what it seems, the things she lists appear to be the reasons they are not together anymore. After analyzing the speaker's tone and her choices when describing this man, it seems she and this man value different things in life.

Poetry Precis 17- "In the Well" by Andrew Hudgins

"In the Well" by Andrew Hugdins is a poem in which the speaker uses imagery and a tense and fearful tone to relay an experience of fear and a message about overcoming one's fears. From the first line of the poem, a clear and tense picture is painted for the reader as the speaker says his dad "clinched the rope" and there was a "noose around my waist". As the poem continues and the speaker is let down into a well, he "tasted first/ of dark, then earth, then rot", all examples of imagery that allow the reader to imagine what the speaker is feeling. The suspenseful tone of the speaker continues throughout the poem to keep the reader engaged as well as portray the atmosphere of the setting in which this poem takes place until finally, "Daddy hauled/the wet rope. I gagged, and pressed/my neighbor's missing dog/against me," at which point the reader is relieved. The ending of this poem reads "Then light. Then hands. Then breath," relaying a message through these six short words that one may overcome their challenges and fears and reemerge healthily.

Poetry Precis 16- "Snow" by David Berman

In the poem "Snow", David Berman uses a dramatic tone and a story like structure to show the innocence and oblivion of children. In the poem, the speaker tells his brother that the imprints of snow angels were "a troop of angels" that "had been shot and dissolved when they hit the ground". Through this image, the speaker conveys the idea that when we are younger, we will believe anything. We listen to those who are older than us no matter what they say. Throughout the poem the younger brother is intrigued by his brother's remarks, thereby revealing his innocence. "He asked who shot them" and the speaker says it was a farmer who shot these angels and their shape is all that remains. The reader understands the utter stupidity of this idea but the whole point is that the young boy follows along with this story enthusiastically. The poem continues saying "Why he asked. Why did he shoot them", continuing with the speaker's point that this boy's curiosity and oblivion are endless. The dramatic tone used by the speaker adds to this affect as he ends off this poem with "But why were they on his property, he asked", leaving the reader with a question mark as to what the speaker answered his younger brother although it is implied that the same type of storytelling will continue.

Poetry Precis 15- "She Didn't Mean to Do It" by Daisy Fried

"She Didn't Mean to Do It" is a poem in which Daisy Freed uses a sarcastic tone and repetition as tools to convey a message about excuses. Throughout the poem, a picture is painted of someone who acts in a disorderly manner or who experiences "certain thrills". But even before this person is described, the first two lines of the poem are an excuse as they read "Oh, she was sad, she was sad, she didn't mean to do it". Next, the poem goes into some detail about this person's uncontrollable actions as a result of the strength of her sadness saying "Certain thrills knock you flat on your sheets on your bed in your room", not giving the subject ownership of her thrills but instead, discussing them in a way that makes them seem like she cannot stop them. By the end of the poem, the speaker has showed the common practice of humans to simply use dumb excuses like being "sad" as a way to justify ones actions. The repetition of "Oh, she was sad, she was sad, she didn't mean to do it" puts emphasis on this idea of excuses, showing how one can blame another's actions on their feelings.