Kitchenette Building

"Kitchenette Building," by Gwendolyn Brooks, is a poem describing what it was like to live in a community house for African Americans. She describes the scene with such strong detail and imagery, it makes the reader feel an intense sense of sympathy for the poet. She portrays the people in the home as "grayed in, and gray," which makes everything seem boring and the same. She goes onto say that although dreams seem nice and joyful or "giddy," words like "rent,” “feeding a wife,” and “satisfying a man," were all much more practical at the time. 

Next, she describes smells and foods in the building, "onion fumes," fried potatoes," and "garbage ripening." These nasty descriptions are beautiful examples of imagery as they truly touch the reader's senses. One could almost smell those onions, and what the potatoes would've tasted like. And most definitely, one can smell what the garbage must've smelled like! Imagery creates visions inside of one's head to experience the described scene in a more meaningful way. Imagery  is very beneficial in telling the story of the, "Kitchenette Building."

What is Poetry?

I find it hard to define poetry into one simple meaning because poetry itself has endless meanings to it. Poetry comes with a different definition for everyone because poetry is supposed to make every individual person feel something different. So I can tell you all the things poetry is to me, but I cannot put it into one definition.

To me, poetry is beautiful, no matter what. Whether poetry makes me cry, whether it makes me laugh, whether it makes me smile, or whether it makes me angry, its beauty comes from the feelings and emotions it gives to the reader. That's why people fall in love, get their heart broken, become depressed, or happy again. It's not because of the way anything looks or seems, it's the feelings that come with it all. Poetry is beautiful because it makes people feel something that ordinarily would be hard to get in touch with.

Additionally, poetry is universal. It can be found anywhere, and through anyone. Some poems may have more depth to them than others, but a poem is a poem. Anywhere, and everywhere you go, you can find a poem. Poems can be pulled out of nature, out of cities or literally out of the blue. You can find poems in other people, places, anywhere you can imagine. That's what makes poetry such a cool concept.

One of the best things about poems is that poems are for the weak, and for the brave. People who are weak, or seem to have no courage at all, find their voices in a poem. Poems speak the words that people are often times too scared to say out loud. The perfect poems can say more than you could ever speak and do a better job of it than you could. But poems are also for brave people, because putting your feelings down on paper is harder than it seems. Letting your thoughts spill out onto a page can be very difficult. Poetry is for everyone- no matter who you are.

Act 3 Scene 1: Macbeth

     In this scene, Banquo stands on stage alone. He speaks to the audience, as if they were Macbeth. He says, "Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the Wëird Women promised, and I fear thou played 'st most foully for 't." By this, Banquo means to say that Macbeth is now getting all that the witches promised him, and he suspects that Macbeth had something to do with the killing of the king to get what he wanted, or what the witches told him would happen. Next, Banquo says, "Yet it was said, it should not stand in thy posterity, but that myself should be the root and father of many kings. If there come truth from them- As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine- Why, by the verities on thee made good, May they not be my oracles as well, and set me up in hope? But hush, no more." Here, Banquo is saying that the witches had also said that Banquo's sons would be kings and if the prophecy came true for Macbeth, it should come true for Banquo too.

Just before Macbeth walks in, Banquo says, "But hush, no more." It was decided earlier on by Macbeth, around line 37 in Act 2, Scene 1, that Macbeth would have to kill Banquo. Banquo reaffirms his loyalty to the king by saying, " In seeking to augment it, but still keep my bosom franchised and allegiance clear. I shall be counseled." Because Banquo said that he would be loyal to King Duncan, and because he was with Macbeth when the witches told Macbeth that he would become king, Banquo couldn't be around to find out the truth about the murder of King Duncan. Here, in Banquo's speech, Macbeth's prediction about Banquo discovering it was him who killed the king, came true (even though Macbeth doesn't know that Banquo knows about the killing.) This foreshadows that Macbeth must kill Banquo.

Good work, good effort, creative thoughts!
Mr. Murphy

Act 1: Scene 5 Macbeth

                   In this passage from Macbeth (lines 45-60), Lady Macbeth has just read Macbeth's letter about the Weïrd Sisters' predictions for Macbeth about being Thane of Glamis & Cawdor AND King. Since Macbeth tells her that one of their predictions has already come true, Lady Macbeth is ecstatic. She wants Macbeth to be king more than anything at this point, which would allow her to become queen. However, she doesn't believe that Macbeth has the heart to go through with the plan that would have to take place in order for him to become king, which is to kill King Duncan. So, Lady Macbeth calls out to the evil spirits, asking them to turn her into a man so that she can be in charge and kill the king herself. "...unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood." (Line 48) She wants to break the natural order, a theme in the play, and take control (which is not what a woman should be doing.)
                         This part of scene 5 demonstrates in what way the play is a Greek tragedy. A Greek tragedy contains a Greek hero, who in this case would be Macbeth, who has everything he wants at the beginning of the story. At this point in time, Macbeth has saved his country and is crowned Thane of Cawdor. His ranking is going up, and up until he becomes a king. However, in all Greek tragedies, the hero always goes through a tragic period of time where all of his/her power is taken from him/her. Macbeth will experience this as well. Additionally, this part is an example of a Greek tragedy because every hero has a tragic flaw. Lady Macbeth tells the audience that Macbeth's tragic flaw is his mortal side taking over his hero side and that he is too kind-hearted to go through with their evil plot. Although he is hungry for power, like all Greek heroes, his mortal side tends to overpower his desire to kill the king to get his wish.

Macbeth: Act 1 Scene 3

In Act 1, Scene 3 of Macbeth, the witches gather once again to talk about their plot to mess with Macbeth. The three witches are discussing how their day went when suddenly one of the witches announces that Macbeth is coming. This is the first point in time that Macbeth actually meets the witches, and he cannot decide if they're mortal or not, for they don't appear to be, and because they have beards like men. This meeting is a form of the theme,"false appearance." This is because the witches' true identity is not revealed when Macbeth & the witches first meet.
       Additionally, the witches rant on "hailing" Macbeth and praising him for being the Thane of Glamis, Cawdor and the king. Macbeth, although confused, reads this as his prophecy. What the witches have done now contributes to the theme of fate vs. free will, where Macbeth's future is now being told to him by these three witches. However, the witches don't give Macbeth any more additional information, despite his asking for it.

Macbeth: Act 1, Scene 1

1st Version: TV
I thought this version of the first act of Macbeth was interesting. I liked that there were two things happening at once that both seemed to cross paths with the other. Between the king praying and the three witches, there was a connection. This was an interesting way for the director to view how the beginning should go. This director seems to like the style of things connecting, which is a fascinating way to think about Shakespeare plays because everything in Shakespeare does connect in a way, whether that be between two different Shakespeare plays, or symbols within one play itself. Also, I think that the way that this scene was portrayed had a lot to do with the theme of fate vs. free will and that these witches and the praying king must have something to do with Macbeth's fate.

2nd Version: Palansky
This version of the first act of Macbeth involved a lot more of symbolism than the first. The witches on the beach were casting a spell involving a hand, a rope and a dagger. Personally, I'm a fan of the use of symbolism because I think it makes a plot line a lot more fun to put together. I liked that this version gave a sense of traditional witch craft over the others. By casting spells, this version touched more on the theme of breaking the natural order than the others as well. I liked this version, but it wasn't exactly my favorite.

3rd Version: Freaky
This version was especially intriguing because it was so much different than the previous two performances. First of all, it was completely backwards. Instead of starting with the witches and then moving on to the line about the bloody man, it ended with the witches. Also, it took place during a war which was quite different. The witches didn't appear to be witches at all, but nurses "caring" for wounded soldiers instead. This highlights the theme of false appearances. But I have to say, my favorite part about this version was that the "witches" all say Macbeth's name at the same time. For some reason, that's how I think it should be done in my head, so hearing/seeing them all say his name like it's of high importance to their plan, is crucial in getting the point across that Macbeth is going to get into some trouble later on.