Moreese Bickham was a man who never gave up no matter how bleak his future looked. I admire him because even though he was sent to jail for a wrongful charge he still had hope that one day he would be free. At the mercy of racism, Moreese never had the opportunity to go to court to oppose his sentence. He was someone who guided the younger generation of prisoners to the right path, and was the only one who seemed to care for the dead prisoners. He showed sympathy to the lost souls of the prison that would get nothing more than a tombstone for remembrance. The thing I found most creative about this story was the connection Moreese had with god that led to his freedom. Moreese recounted that a spirit of God would help guide him out of this prison to freedom. That spirit turned out to be David Isay who brought the case of Moreese Bickham to the limelight of the public. He became the hero who not only got Moreese a lawyer, but was able to bring Moreese to freedom and to his family.
The thing that surprised me the most in Scott Russell Sanders story was that he was overcome with guilt rather than anger. In paragraph 52 he says "Guilt burns like acid in my veins" (pg.191). This struck a cored with me caught me off guard. It caught me of guard because he felt like it was his fault his father was the way he was, and he was guilty of hiding the fact that his father was a drunk. I expected him to feel enraged or angry at his father, but he was actually frustrated with himself. It was sad knowing that someone who was not the person who was drinking would feel such an emotion. He had no part in causing his father to go to the bottle yet he felt bad as if it was his doing. So what did I learn from this? I learnt that there are many more emotions one feels when confronted with alcoholism, and to me the only emotion I could ever think of was anger. I understand now that people in such situations blame themselves because they feel they could have done something to fix it. I mean sure alcoholism can be fixed if the people who care really tried and did something, but it is also up to the person who is an alcoholic to put forth an effort to be treated.
Did Moreese Bickham get some sort of compensation for the time he had spent in prison? I understand that he would be satisfied by being out, but that is still time spent away from his family. I hope the best for Moreese and hope he would get some sort of settlement.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Ben Kim Exploration 2
The person I really liked in the book Holding On was Maury Graham. I admired him because I thought his story was interesting and it educated to reader. I learned how to differentiate a "hobo" and a "bum". Before I had any knowledge, I thought that hobos and bums were essentially the same people, and what they would do was beg for money. The story changed my perspective of hobos and how hard-working they are. In the book it shows how different people can tell Hobos and Bums apart. In the book it says that "you can tell a hobo by the way they're dressed, and also you can tell the hobo by their conversation- usually not shady." The person demonstrates the theme of creativity by first explaining the difference between hobos and bums. The narrator talks about the history of the hobos and the struggles they went through. For example, they would use trains as transportation.
The book is called "Holding On." So what is the message behind the title, what are these people holding on to?
Exploration Two Brian Smith
In Holding On, the person I admire most so far is "Steam Train" Maury Graham. The driving force between a Hobo seems like such a grand thing. A Hobo is a classic example of American history and how much freedom we have (in the past, at least). Maury Graham is a perfect example of a free man, only bound by his basic human needs. Graham demonstrates creativity through his lifestyle, a Hobo's life is what you make of it. Graham spent years exploring the nation and met a great many people, he returned to the nomadic lifestyle. This lifestyle is creative in its difference to the norm, it's such a unique approach to life compared to everyone else in modern times.
I was most surprised at the very end when Sanders writes that his son experiences the same guilt he once had. It made me wonder if Sanders' father was the same way but gave into personal desire and kept drinking unlike Sanders. I learned that just as Alcoholism is inherited, so is a sense of guilt from the child. "My son wonders if I, too, am possessed. I write, therefore, to drag into the light what eats at me -the fear, the guilt, the shame- so that my own children may be spared." (Sanders 191) This quote makes me feel that Sanders' father had a somewhat similar way of thinking, because they both had their own "demons".
How has the Hobo lifestyle translated to today?
I was most surprised at the very end when Sanders writes that his son experiences the same guilt he once had. It made me wonder if Sanders' father was the same way but gave into personal desire and kept drinking unlike Sanders. I learned that just as Alcoholism is inherited, so is a sense of guilt from the child. "My son wonders if I, too, am possessed. I write, therefore, to drag into the light what eats at me -the fear, the guilt, the shame- so that my own children may be spared." (Sanders 191) This quote makes me feel that Sanders' father had a somewhat similar way of thinking, because they both had their own "demons".
How has the Hobo lifestyle translated to today?
Kaylah's Exploration 2
In the book Holding On, by David Isay and Harvey Wang, the profile that I admired the most is Miles Mahan. This is mostly because his was the strangest. The profile is an interview between Isay and Mahan about Hula Ville and all of its "invisible" attractions. As they walk through on a tour, Mahan says, "Now that right there's for the kids. They get on and ride it just like a horse." Isay responds with, "But Miles, it's just a tree stump," to which he responds, "It is! I made a little seat for the kids, and get on it and ride. It don't buck much, but kids like to get into everything, you know." This part of the story my favorite because it shows just how creative Mahan is. He, just like the kids that he describes, has an active imagination and turns a tree stump into a mechanical horse.
In the story "Under the Influence," Scott Sanders speaks of his childhood and how he suffered from having an alcoholic father. He spoke of how he hated his grandparents, the liquor store, and anything else that allowed his father to drink. Although it was very apparent from the smell of his breath, Sanders and his mother were too ashamed to let anyone know. They were humiliated. "The secret bores under the skin, gets in the blood, into the bone, and stays there. Long after you have supposedly been cured of malaria, the fever can flare up, the tremors can shake you. So it is with the fevers of shame. You swallow the bitter quinine of knowledge, and you learn to feel pity and compassion toward the drinker. Yet the shame lingers and, because of it, anger." Sanders felt as though he was never good enough because he could not do anything to get his father to stop drinking. This is why I am so surprised by how he acts when he has a child of his own. He did not become an alcoholic, but his depression was almost as bad as if he had become one. He knew how it felt to have a father who never gave him any attention, yet, did not give his son more.
When reading through the profiles in Holding On, I can't help but wonder if any of the people who are in the profiles are still alive. It would be interesting to hear the stories from their point of view and see if anything was "candy coded" by the author.
In the story "Under the Influence," Scott Sanders speaks of his childhood and how he suffered from having an alcoholic father. He spoke of how he hated his grandparents, the liquor store, and anything else that allowed his father to drink. Although it was very apparent from the smell of his breath, Sanders and his mother were too ashamed to let anyone know. They were humiliated. "The secret bores under the skin, gets in the blood, into the bone, and stays there. Long after you have supposedly been cured of malaria, the fever can flare up, the tremors can shake you. So it is with the fevers of shame. You swallow the bitter quinine of knowledge, and you learn to feel pity and compassion toward the drinker. Yet the shame lingers and, because of it, anger." Sanders felt as though he was never good enough because he could not do anything to get his father to stop drinking. This is why I am so surprised by how he acts when he has a child of his own. He did not become an alcoholic, but his depression was almost as bad as if he had become one. He knew how it felt to have a father who never gave him any attention, yet, did not give his son more.
When reading through the profiles in Holding On, I can't help but wonder if any of the people who are in the profiles are still alive. It would be interesting to hear the stories from their point of view and see if anything was "candy coded" by the author.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Srb's Exploration II
In David Isay's and Harvey Wang's 'holding On', I had actually admired each and every person's story, as they were unique in their very own way. The one I guess that stood out to me was Father Louis H. Greving's story. To me it had shown how dedicated and committed he was towards the work and mission of father Paul Dobberstein's vision of constructing the Grotto of Redemption. After Father Greving's ordination as a priest in 1946, he was sent to aid Father Dobberstein, who in 1890 immigrated to the United States to study priesthood in Wisconsin. Unfortunately for him, he became very sick as was hospitalized prior to graduating. He eventually had the chance to join his class and was ordained before returning back to the hospital in 1897. He was diagnosed with 'double-pneumonia'. But before he would let the sickness overcome him, he vowed to the Blessed Mother that 'sometime in his lifetime he would build a shrine in her honor'. This to me showed perseverance and how Father Dobberstein was a man of his word. In the year 1900 he began picking up rocks and keeping them in reserve. Then finally in 1912, he began building. When Father Greving took the reigns from dobberstein, he would finish the unfinished work of his predecessor, and would work with Father Dobberstein until his death, as his assistant for over 80 years ! He recieved the blessing from the bishop of his diocese to continue with the construction of the Grotto, Father Dobberstein's life-long plan. Father greving was inspired when he asked Dobberstein to let his bloody fingers heal, but instead was replied with, 'there isn't any redemption without a little bit of blood'. This to me shows that he did things for a purpose, and not in vain, truly a remarkably humble character. Nowadays, I really don't know if there would be anyone as committed as Father Greving and Dobberstein, who would dedicate their lives in obedience, humbleness, and discipline. This is a remnant of a generation way before technology and distractions that we have today.
In Scott Russell Sanders's story Under the Influence, what surprised me the most was how forthcoming and detailed he was of what alcohol has done to his father, family, and life. His sensory descriptions of his early childhood was spot-on and well worded. I guess what surprises me was the outcome. Usually we think about the saying like father like son, where the child has no example to follow in life and ends up living the disastrous life his father did. But, as we read further into the story, he took it as an example of a life he would never want to live, but live a life far exceedingly better than the one his father did. Sander's focuses on the addiction that his father had, what fueled it, and his hate for the people that supplied him with the 'drug' of his choice -liquor. He goes in great detail of how children of drunk parents find certain things very saddening. 'It is all great fun. But if in the audience you notice a few laughing faces turn grim when the drunk lurches on stage, don't be surprised, for these are the children of alcoholics. Over the grinning mask of Dionysus, the leering face of Bacchus, these children cannot help seeing the bloated features of their own parents. Instead of laughing, they wince, they mourn. Instead of celebrating the drunk as one freed from constraints, they pity him as one enslaved (Sanders 11). This goes on to say how the pain that the children endured of their parents' addictions was psychological. Forever in the memory of their parents', they will remember them from what had overtaken them, what possessed them from living a clean life and being themselves. Quite a sad and realistic vision seen from a child's perspective.
An honest question that I ask myself when reading these intriguing stories is, how many of them are still with us today? Who will be there to tell their stories and life experiences of times we ourselves will never know about before they vanish into thin air for good, as if it had never existed?
In Scott Russell Sanders's story Under the Influence, what surprised me the most was how forthcoming and detailed he was of what alcohol has done to his father, family, and life. His sensory descriptions of his early childhood was spot-on and well worded. I guess what surprises me was the outcome. Usually we think about the saying like father like son, where the child has no example to follow in life and ends up living the disastrous life his father did. But, as we read further into the story, he took it as an example of a life he would never want to live, but live a life far exceedingly better than the one his father did. Sander's focuses on the addiction that his father had, what fueled it, and his hate for the people that supplied him with the 'drug' of his choice -liquor. He goes in great detail of how children of drunk parents find certain things very saddening. 'It is all great fun. But if in the audience you notice a few laughing faces turn grim when the drunk lurches on stage, don't be surprised, for these are the children of alcoholics. Over the grinning mask of Dionysus, the leering face of Bacchus, these children cannot help seeing the bloated features of their own parents. Instead of laughing, they wince, they mourn. Instead of celebrating the drunk as one freed from constraints, they pity him as one enslaved (Sanders 11). This goes on to say how the pain that the children endured of their parents' addictions was psychological. Forever in the memory of their parents', they will remember them from what had overtaken them, what possessed them from living a clean life and being themselves. Quite a sad and realistic vision seen from a child's perspective.
An honest question that I ask myself when reading these intriguing stories is, how many of them are still with us today? Who will be there to tell their stories and life experiences of times we ourselves will never know about before they vanish into thin air for good, as if it had never existed?
Shannon's Exploration Two
The person that I admire most so far is "Steam Train" Maury Grahm. I really enjoyed his story on his life as a hobo. I liked how he explained the difference between a hobo and a bum. Before reading the story I never thought that there was a difference but now I know that there is a big one. I think it's awesome that he was able to leave the hobo life and start a life of his own. Steam Train Maury expresses creativity simply by living his everyday life. Each day he comes up with an idea on how hes going to survive that day. He constantly needs to find ways to get food and shelter for the day. I also think that his story was creatively written because it explained a little bit of his life as a hobo, the difference between a hobo and bum, and even explained where the word hobo came from.
Throughout the whole story of Scott Russell Sanders he talks about how much his dads addiction had an impact on him and his family's life. I got the impression that the last thing he would want to do was carry on an addiction issue that would affect his wife and kids. Although Sanders did not turn out to be an alcoholic, I was surprised when he said that work was his addiction. His work addiction had an impact on his son the same way his fathers addiction had an impact on him. "I am moved to write these pages now because my own son, at the age of ten, is taking on himself the griefs of the world, and in particular the griefs of his father. He tells me that when I am gripped by sadness, he feels responsible; he feels there must be something he can do to spring me from depression, to fix my life and that crushing sense of responsibility is exactly what I felt at the age of ten in the face of my father's drinking." I learned that even though some people can learn from their parents substance abuse addictions, it may affect them in their later years causing them to have another addiction of some sort.
A question that I often times have when reading the Holding On passages is, "How did all these experiences affect these people and how did it allow them to grow as a person?"
Throughout the whole story of Scott Russell Sanders he talks about how much his dads addiction had an impact on him and his family's life. I got the impression that the last thing he would want to do was carry on an addiction issue that would affect his wife and kids. Although Sanders did not turn out to be an alcoholic, I was surprised when he said that work was his addiction. His work addiction had an impact on his son the same way his fathers addiction had an impact on him. "I am moved to write these pages now because my own son, at the age of ten, is taking on himself the griefs of the world, and in particular the griefs of his father. He tells me that when I am gripped by sadness, he feels responsible; he feels there must be something he can do to spring me from depression, to fix my life and that crushing sense of responsibility is exactly what I felt at the age of ten in the face of my father's drinking." I learned that even though some people can learn from their parents substance abuse addictions, it may affect them in their later years causing them to have another addiction of some sort.
A question that I often times have when reading the Holding On passages is, "How did all these experiences affect these people and how did it allow them to grow as a person?"
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Julia's Exploration Two
Respond to Holding On: Which profiled person do you admire the most so far in this book? Why?
I would have to say I commend Father Louis H. Greving the most because of his undying efforts to preserve and promote the Grotto of Redemption. I think his perseverance in continuing the construction of the nine grottos is admirable, especially after the death of his mentor Father Dobberstein.
How does this person demonstrate the theme of creativity?
I believe Father Louis H. Greving exhibits creativity through his creation of the grotto. Only a truly imaginative person would be able to imagine and then conceive the idea of using such coarse materials to create the shapes of caves, buildings, and various depictions of Jesus.
Scott Russell Sanders shared a very deep story that he said he wrote mainly for his son. What surprised you the most about this story? Why?
It surprised me how much this experience had effected him mentally, it wasn't just the physical longing for a true father, it was Sander's thoughts that if he were perfect his father would be okay. This mind set can be seen most clearly in the following passage. "He would not hide the green bottles in his toolbox, would not sneak off to the barn with a lump under his coat, would not fall asleep in the daylight, would not roar and fume, would not drink himself to death, if only I were perfect." He truly believed that if he were the perfect son his father would come back to him and they could move on with their lives.
This idea of his own perfection being able to bring his father back really interests me because it shows the unique psychological effects that traumatic events can have on the human mind. It also shows the quirky ideas that children can come up with to deal with such events.
What did I learn?
I learned that I should continually remind myself that everyone is going through their own issues. While not everyone's problems are as apparent as others, we're all dealing with something and having a little support is almost always welcomed.
What is it that each of these people strive for, what is it that makes them continue on?
I find myself asking this question after many of the stories and I think it's a worth while idea to ponder. Many of the stories we can answer it fairly quickly, but others take a bit of thought.
I would have to say I commend Father Louis H. Greving the most because of his undying efforts to preserve and promote the Grotto of Redemption. I think his perseverance in continuing the construction of the nine grottos is admirable, especially after the death of his mentor Father Dobberstein.
How does this person demonstrate the theme of creativity?
I believe Father Louis H. Greving exhibits creativity through his creation of the grotto. Only a truly imaginative person would be able to imagine and then conceive the idea of using such coarse materials to create the shapes of caves, buildings, and various depictions of Jesus.
Scott Russell Sanders shared a very deep story that he said he wrote mainly for his son. What surprised you the most about this story? Why?
It surprised me how much this experience had effected him mentally, it wasn't just the physical longing for a true father, it was Sander's thoughts that if he were perfect his father would be okay. This mind set can be seen most clearly in the following passage. "He would not hide the green bottles in his toolbox, would not sneak off to the barn with a lump under his coat, would not fall asleep in the daylight, would not roar and fume, would not drink himself to death, if only I were perfect." He truly believed that if he were the perfect son his father would come back to him and they could move on with their lives.
This idea of his own perfection being able to bring his father back really interests me because it shows the unique psychological effects that traumatic events can have on the human mind. It also shows the quirky ideas that children can come up with to deal with such events.
What did I learn?
I learned that I should continually remind myself that everyone is going through their own issues. While not everyone's problems are as apparent as others, we're all dealing with something and having a little support is almost always welcomed.
What is it that each of these people strive for, what is it that makes them continue on?
I find myself asking this question after many of the stories and I think it's a worth while idea to ponder. Many of the stories we can answer it fairly quickly, but others take a bit of thought.
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