Final Blog Assignment

The first literary work that influenced me is "Harlem" by Langston Hughes. All that he described in this poem is true. I can completely relate to his perception of when you put off a dream. He basically included all that can happen from rotting, to being heavy, to shrivel, and just reaching its demise. When you think of it we all have dreams. Some of us pay more mind to them then others. Personally, I know that most of the time when I have a dream and wait to tell somebody about it I can just remember bits and pieces of it. After that day I may not remember at all. Hughes made me ponder my dreams in this poem. He made me realize that I need share those dreams if I want to keep them. He makes me relive them and just think what a shame it is what has happened to them through time.

The second literary work that influenced me is "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin. I can relate to Sonny in the matter that I've always been the odd ball in the family. My mom and sister were two peas in a pod and I didn't fit. They were always cheery and great to be around. I was a pessimist and angry all the time. Sonny wasn't like me in the sense of character but he was like me in the fact that he was one of a kind. He was unique and was interested in unique. During my whole life whatever I was interested in my family looked down upon or it was just not good enough. Sonny had a passion for music and it was his way of escape besides the drugs. I was angry because I was shuned and put down. All my interests like my drawings or my writing was MY form of escape. At the end of the story, Sonny's brother finally realized that music was Sonny's calling and just finally understood where his brother was coming from. He had opened his eyes to what Sonny was really about. For once he accepted things instead of judging them. Unfortunately, I am still the odd ball and although I haven't gained acceptance from my family they have tried to understand.