“What Do Women Want?”

by Kim Addonizio

I want a red dress.

I want it flimsy and cheap,

I want it too tight, I want to wear it

until someone tears it off me.

I want it sleeveless and backless,

this dress, so no one has to guess

what’s underneath. I want to walk down

the street past Thrifty’s and the hardware store

with all those keys glittering in the window,

past Mr. and Mrs. Wong selling day-old

donuts in their café, past the Guerra brothers

slinging pigs from the truck and onto the dolly,

hoisting the slick snouts over their shoulders.

I want to walk like I’m the only

woman on earth and I can have my pick.

I want that red dress bad.

I want it to confirm

your worst fears about me,

to show you how little I care about you

or anything except what

I want. When I find it, I’ll pull that garment

from its hanger like I’m choosing a body

to carry me into this world, through

the birth-cries and the love-cries too,

and I’ll wear it like bones, like skin,

it’ll be the goddamned

dress they bury me in.

“What Do Women Want?”

by Kim Addonizio

Emaly Quintana Serrano

Jun 27, 2008

Ingl

Essay #1

“What Do Women Want?”

If one day someone could read a woman’s mind, the world would be left whit no creativity. This poem has a great value of interpretation, but for me it’s all about freedom a power.  The desire to be noticed and the everlasting happiness.

This poem talks about a woman whose most desire is to wear a red dress. This dress has some specific characteristics; She talks about how she wants to walk, where she is going to wear it, and who she is going to look. This red dress represents a token of humiliation for men.  This would be the last thing she wore until she dies. 

The answer of the title is in the first sentence, all she wants it’s a red dress. What this dress reprecents? What is the real meaning of this? Why the ambicion with the dress? They could be may answers to this cuestions but definitely the poem talckes about a bored a sad woman. Who is loking for happiness. She decides to reveal herself, and make him feel the same inutiluty she felt. Were talkin about a good woman turn bad. This woman whants to confirm that he fears her and let him know that he is of no importance to her.

She describes the exact way and color that she whants it. She wants the dress to be sleeveless and backless. This way she would leave no room for the imagination. I believe that this woman was a typical housewife waiting for a more comfortable happy a lovely life. She seems to take revenge by using this dress. Since many years clothing has been a way of expression, this poem is not the exception. We are talking about a woman that wants freedom and recognition. She wants to be free and wants everyone to know about it.

Everyone wants to mean the word to your couple. You want to be the center of attention, we want to feel as if there were no more women left and you were the queen of your lover’s heart. I believe that was why she wanted to show off, because she wanted his and everyon eselses attention. Dressing and walking as if she was the only woman in the world, was for her the perfect medicine for attention and happiness in her relationship.

Trough that dress she wants to confirm the necessity that women are in men’s life. This red clothes difines her feminine side. It means she would rule the world without caring for mans sentiment. This dress brings selfishness. She would only think about her from know one. You have to remember that this is the only way of expressing herself. Without carring about someone else.

When she finds her dress, it’s also when she would find the courage to put in armor and defend her happiness. She would never take it off. Leaving behind no regrets and no attachments. Whatever thing that makes her feel this free and happy will never go away from her life. It is a treasure to know what women want. All this woman wanted, was to be treated as an individual free and loved from others.

What would you do? By City High

This was played by City High. This R&B song narrates a reality story. It’s about a young girl that takes exotic dancing as a career because she is in need of money. She has a child that needs to be fed and she doesn’t want him to suffer what she suffered in her infancy. So the story develops in a bar where a high school friend saw her dancing there, he takes her outside and asks her why she is working there. When she explains what were her experiences he decides to encourage her to keep working for the money and let go of any excuse.

This son as you can hear is a conversation. Because of this they change the melody, so we can see what part belongs to the woman and what part belongs to the man. As the story goes on he talks to her trough rap, and she responds with a more melodic song. The verbal sounds in this song variety a lot in the introduction of the story we can hear four different combinations.

Boys and girls wanna hear a true story?
Saturday night was at this real wild party
They had the liquor overflowin’ the cup, about
5 or 6 strippers tryin to work for a buck
and I-took one girl outside wit me, her name
was Loni, she went to Junior High wit me,
I said, Why you up in there dancin for cash?,
I guess a whole lots changed since I seen you last
She said..

[Chorus:]

What would you do?, if your son was at home
crying all alone on the bedroom floor, cuz he’s hungry
and thee only way to feed him is ta sleep wit a man
for a little bit of money, and his daddy’s gone
somewhere smokin’ rock now, in and out of lock down,
I aint gotta job now, so for you this is just a good time
but for me this is what I call life

[2nd verse:]

Girl you aint thee only one wit a baby,
that’s no excuse to be livin all crazy
then she looked me right square in the eye
and said everyday I wake up hopin’ to die,
she said- nigga I know about pain cuz,
me and my sista ran away, so my daddy
couldn’t rape us, before I was a teenager
I done been through more shit, you can’t even
relate ta!

[Chorus]

Ooooo
Then she said, What would you do? if….
Get up on my feet and let go of every excuse
What would you do? if….
Cuz I wouldn’t want my baby, to go through what
I went through
What would you do? if….
Get up on my feet, stop makin tired excuses
What would you do? if…
Girl I know if my mother can do it, baby you can do it

Oooo, oooo, oooo-(yea, yea, yea, yea)

[Chorus]

What would you do? if yo son was at home,
crying all alone on the bedroom floor, cuz he’s hungry
and the only way to feed him is to sleep wit a man
for a little bit of money, and his daddy’s gone
somewhere smokin rock now, in and out of lock down,
I aint gotta job now, so for you this is just a good time
but for me this is what I call life (Come on)

Emaly Quintana Serrano

June 22, 2008

Ingl  3202, sec. 01a

Essay #2

A Necessary Madness

The dictionary defines comparison as a evaluation of the similarities and differences of two (or more) things. But in my case it was only trough Alan Poe biography that I could not only understand but analyze this amazing and trilling plays. Not only this man left us a variety of plays but he also left his life story. This last mentioned was just as surprising as his plays, this I will use as a reference of his writings. To compare, is not such a difficult job but to see behind the lines of this stories is a much complicated thing. You see there was a connection between his life and his plays. But there was also a huge connection between the stories The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart. There are many things in common and the author is not the exception but one thing is for sure they where two mad man who saw a necessity to commit such acts.  

The Black Cat begins telling the reader that he does not need our approval that the only thing he wants is to unburden his soul by telling he’s story. This man wants the public to believe that what happened was nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects. For him this was a supernatural experienced that obligated him to act the way he did. In The Tell-Tale Heart the assassin tries to defend him self by putting guilty his high sense of hearing.

An important fact here is that they both think and want to convince us in an abstract way, that they are not mad and that their actions have a cause. Trough out the story they manipulate the reader by asking questions and presenting arguments like, “why will you say that I am mad?” “How then am I mad? And observe how healthily, how calmly, I can tell you the whole story”. “Madmen know nothing”. “I neither expect nor solicit belief”. This are some things they say to convince the public and themselves that they are not crazy.

Both man killed something that they loved, but love was not everything. They were disturbed. One by a disgusting eye, and the other by a black cat. Why was it necessary? For the men in The Black Cat it was a matter of freedom. He had to get rid of that cat because he felt like a prisoner. A prisoner of memory. The new cat remembered him the only animal that was always with him ant the only thing he demonstrated love to after becoming an alcoholic. This black cat fallowed him and remembered him what he did to Pluto. He was being asphyxiated by the presence of the cat, because of this he felt the necessity to get rid of him and everything that intervened with his plans (including his wife). An aye plays the same roll in The Tell-Tale Heart story. This man felt hunted, it was not because of the old man. It was just that the eye gave him disgust and incommodity. He felt the obligation to get rid of it, because of his tranquility. This is why everything was planed and it was not impulsively done. They had been disturbed for long ago and they needed to be in peace.

Confessing is a grate thing in this story. Its how their conscience explodes. At the end the both confess.  But still they can’t manage to confess and stay quiet at the same time. They narrate the story as if what they did was magnificent and necessary. They both berried the bodies in the house, gave a clue if not confess to the police. They manage to fell accomplished, comfortable and free. Alan Poe liberates himself by writing these short stories that also tell us part of what was going trough Alan’s life. If I dared to compare these two stories it was only because I had the perfect guide. Alan Poe’s biography.

Emaly Quintana Serrano

June 22, 2008

Ingl  3202, sec. 01a

Essay #2

A Necessary Madness

The dictionary defines comparison as a evaluation of the similarities and differences of two (or more) things. But in my case it was only trough Alan Poe biography that I could not only understand but analyze this amazing and trilling plays. Not only this man left us a variety of plays but he also left his life story. This last mentioned was just as surprising as his plays, this I will use as a reference of his writings. To compare, is not such a difficult job but to see behind the lines of this stories is a much complicated thing. You see there was a connection between his life and his plays. But there was also a huge connection between the stories The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart. There are many things in common and the author is not the exception but one thing is for sure they where two mad man who saw a necessity to commit such acts.  

The Black Cat begins telling the reader that he does not need our approval that the only thing he wants is to unburden his soul by telling he’s story. This man wants the public to believe that what happened was nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects. For him this was a supernatural experienced that obligated him to act the way he did. In The Tell-Tale Heart the assassin tries to defend him self by putting guilty his high sense of hearing.

An important fact here is that they both think and want to convince us in an abstract way, that they are not mad and that their actions have a cause. Trough out the story they manipulate the reader by asking questions and presenting arguments like, “why will you say that I am mad?” “How then am I mad? And observe how healthily, how calmly, I can tell you the whole story”. “Madmen know nothing”. “I neither expect nor solicit belief”. This are some things they say to convince the public and themselves that they are not crazy.

Both man killed something that they loved, but love was not everything. They were disturbed. One by a disgusting eye, and the other by a black cat. Why was it necessary? For the men in The Black Cat it was a matter of freedom. He had to get rid of that cat because he felt like a prisoner. A prisoner of memory. The new cat remembered him the only animal that was always with him ant the only thing he demonstrated love to after becoming an alcoholic. This black cat fallowed him and remembered him what he did to Pluto. He was being asphyxiated by the presence of the cat, because of this he felt the necessity to get rid of him and everything that intervened with his plans (including his wife). An aye plays the same roll in The Tell-Tale Heart story. This man felt hunted, it was not because of the old man. It was just that the eye gave him disgust and incommodity. He felt the obligation to get rid of it, because of his tranquility. This is why everything was planed and it was not impulsively done. They had been disturbed for long ago and they needed to be in peace.

Confessing is a grate thing in this story. Its how their conscience explodes. At the end the both confess.  But still they can’t manage to confess and stay quiet at the same time. They narrate the story as if what they did was magnificent and necessary. They both berried the bodies in the house, gave a clue if not confess to the police. They manage to fell accomplished, comfortable and free. Alan Poe liberates himself by writing these short stories that also tell us part of what was going trough Alan’s life. If I dared to compare these two stories it was only because I had the perfect guide. Alan Poe’s biography.

Emaly Quintana Serrano

Jun 13, 2008

Ingl  3202, sec. 01a

Essay #1

Iago’s Rights

Shakespeare brings us the most justified villain ever. In this play the author present the necessity that Iago had to commit such crimes. It was a matter of survivor. Iago had an obligation to save his future. “For my sport and my profit”, the only thing he was guilty of is being an ambitious person. This saying demonstrates what he’s capable of doing for his own cause and satisfaction. Iago was provoked to do some of his acts.

This is a play that describes love as a huge thing, and as a necessity. Iago maybe someday felt love. He was human, he needed to love and be loved as all of us. He was always with Othello, whenever where ever. For love, war and friendship. He was a witness of Desdemona’s and Othello’s love.  One thing that gave Iago strength to keep thinking about him and not about others was that Iago saw love being taken from him, by Othello. He witnessed how his best friend and boss took every bit of felicity of him. Othello had an affair with Emilia. Emilia demonstrated that she had no respect for marriage and she told Desdemona that she was capable of being unfaithful just like any other woman. Othello and Emilia took away from Iago the only way to feel recognized, admired and kneaded. They took away love and gave him hate.

For years Iago served his country and his general. He demonstrated his loyalty and capacity. Meaning he was a hard working and experienced in war man. Othello took away all of this efforts, because of the disappointment he got. He was insecure, because of his position. Iago had to guarantee something for his future, instead of being in space, he wanted feet.  Othello gave this position to an inexperienced; untruthful young man whose only good quality was his looks. Imagine that you future depended on someone else’s decisions? Wouldn’t you do the same? Iago had no remedy he had to fight for what he earned.

He was a noble man. Even dough Othello did such bad thing to Iago, because of Othello’s selfishness,  Iago was always there. He was in every war and every battle. Othello asked for something Iago was there. Othello was asphyxiated because of Desdemona infidelity, Iago was there to calm him down and listen him. At last Iago was there even for the murder of Desdemona and he tried to kill Cassio because Othello’s ambitions to do so. All people did was to tell him “Ohh good Iago” “Noble Iago”. Words that do not guarantee his job and future.

Iago was no rich man. But then here comes a black man who doesn’t even belong in his society and manipulated his way of living by giving away the position Iago wanted.  Now Rodrigo, the rich guy who has all the money that Iago deserved but yet again, he wasted all of it in a woman. Here is a perfect example as who wrongly is distibuyed the benefits. Situation that still exist in our society.  Why not take Rodrigo’s money? If Rodrigo was obsess to pay for Desdemona’s love. Rodrigo was able to pay for part of Iago’s lost.

Iago took justice in his hands. After all it was all about keeping fighting for what he deserved from the beginning. Here, the real villains are those who took away love, friendship and the desire to keep working so he could be in a higher position.  Why he wouldn’t kill? If everything he worked for was taken away with no respect.

Cassio

 Cassio may not represent a principal character but still, it’s a interesting character in “Othello”. For instance to me, Cassio was one of the main ingredients that Iago used to finish with Othellos life.

Cassio was named by Othello his lieutenant. This act started all the tragedy. He was a schooled soldier, with no experience. Iago, got mad an jealous of him because Othello chose him even dough he was inexperienced. He is a good looking guy, who has several conversations with Desdemona (Othellos wife). These conversations gave power to Iago’s allegations; he had told Othello that they were having an affair.

The reader can see trough the play how the luck of man changes especially Cassio’s.  He went from being a Student to a Lieutenant. From being a friend, he got in a fight and lost his title. Iago made him speak about his relationship with his mistress Bianca. But Othello tough they were talking about Desdemona and her relationship with Cassio.

At last even dough they tried many times to make Cassio fail he was practically the only survivor and triumphant of all the characters. After many tries to get rid of him he gets into a fight with Roderigo were he gets hurt, an Iago comes and hurts him again trying to kill him.  At the end Cassio was winner of all. He got out of there alive and got his honorary position in Venice.

For most people English is learned in school. But for my, It was kind of different. Out of all the things I learned from my family, English is one I am very grateful for it.

When I was young my family suffered what today we called a miracle. But as they say “When life knoks you down to your knees, just remember that you are in the perfect position to pray”. My little brother Reinaldo, got sick when he was two years old. He had a terrible illness that got him in the border of death. The illness is called Meningitis. The doctors said that he would never get better. But just when the medicine gave up on him, God came. My mother, did not waste time. We took noting and left to the only place that had a specialized doctor in meningitis. We went to New York. 

There I learned mani things, Like, never give up, be independent and ENGLISH. One year latter, my brother was progressing constantly.  And I was at PS 140, a public school were I kept learning this amazing language. At this time I was five, the perfect age to learn.

I am very grateful, I thank God for my brother, who today is a great athlete and amazing person. I am also very grateful for English. English has become the most spoken language. And even dough was passing trough a difficult situation I am glad I learned it. Because today it has helped me as a student, person and citizen. Today I can comunicate with the rest of the world, because English is international. Today, I can take classes in English, read, read the text books and much more. Because half of my family are from the states I can easily communicate with them.

In a future…well I believe that every professional should have a main way to communicate and in this planet, English is definitely the way. This international language has facilitate the way we merchandise, English is the perfect way to merchandise your self and your product. Because it gives you one of the strongest qualities. COMMUNICATION.

In a future my dream is to become a natural science doctor. I believe in natural cures and the power of nature against illness as much I believe in the power of English. Some people criticise the popularity that English has gain, because supposedly it corrupts our main language. Its something called “Spanglish”. Its understandable, bus till this language is a necessity. All we have to do is preserve and learn! Communicating is progress!!    

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