Mr. Hudson’s Neighborhood

For the second part of our 1984 related-article series, we will deal with the issue of technology being used to keep an eye on people. Now, I know that a lot of this surveillance is meant as a crime-deterrent, but what about all of those people who commit no crimes yet are still being watched. How much is too much? This article is pertaining to China, not the United States, but it is not unrealistic to believe it could happen here in the future. Read and discuss.

China Enacting a High-Tech Plan to Track People

tchrman

NOTE EVERYONE PLEASE READ: Seems like it’s time to make this same announcement again. Most of you are doing really well and getting the point of the song of the week post. Others of you are just writing about how much you hate the song because you don’t like that type of music. I am all about freedom of speech, and don’t care if you don’t like the song, but those of you who continue to post those types of responses are not doing what is required of the assignment. If your post doesn’t meet the criteria of the song of the week post (i.e. talking academically about music as a form of poetry by analyzing the lyrics or making some kind of comparison or connection with the lyrics) your post will be deleted and you will not receive credit. I had to delete a couple of last weeks posts for this reason. Again, I want you to enjoy this assignment but I also want you to learn something. It’s not about liking the particular song, singer, genre, etc. It’s about understanding poetry. Those of you being negative and whiny every week are learning nothing and, in turn, your fellow students are learning nothing from you. Enough ranting. On to this week’s post.

For the next few weeks while we are reading 1984, I will be picking the SotW. I have had a few more student suggestions, so I will hang on to those until we finish with the novel. Over the past few years of teaching the novel and doing the blog I’ve found several songs that tie in well with the novel. It just seems appropriate to incorporate them into our song of the week posts this year.These songs were not written specifically ABOUT the novel, and most of them don’t make direct allusions to the novel (although a couple will). They are just songs that seem to tie in well to the themes and situations in the novel. In addition to commenting on the meaning of the song, also talk about how you think it relates to the novel.

This week I had one song picked out, but found another song from the same album that relates just as well I think. I couldn’t decide which one to pick, so I decided to include both of them. You don’t have to write about both. Just pick the one you think is more closely related to the novel. Both are by a band called Nine Inch Nails and come from the album With Teeth. I don’t think you’ll have a problem seeing connections to the novel.

Listen:
04 The Hand That Feeds
06 Every Day Is Exactly The Same

“The Hand That Feeds”
Nine Inch Nails

You’re keeping in step
In the line
Got your chin held high and you feel just fine
Because you do
What you’re told
But inside your heart it is black and it’s hollow and it’s cold

Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you want to change it?

What if this whole crusade’s
A charade
And behind it all there’s a price to be paid
For the blood
On which we dine
Justified in the name of the holy and the divine

Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you want to change it?

So naive
I keep holding on to what I want to believe
I can see
But I keep holding on and on and on and on

Will you bite the hand that feeds you?
Will you stay down on your knees? [8X]

“Every Day is Exactly the Same”
Nine Inch Nails

I believe I can see the future
‘Cause I repeat the same routine
I think I used to have a purpose
And then again that might have been a dream
I think I used to have a voice
Now I never make a sound
I just do what I’ve been told
I really don’t want them to come around, oh no

Every day is exactly the same
Every day is exactly the same
There is no love here and there is no pain
Every day is exactly the same

I can feel their eyes are watching
In case I lose myself again
Sometimes I think I’m happy here
Sometimes – yeah – I still pretend
I can’t remember how this all got started
But I can tell you – exactly – how it will end

Every day is exactly the same
Every day is exactly the same
There is no love here and there is no pain
Every day is exactly the same

I’m writing on a little piece of paper
I’m hoping someday you might find
I’ll hide it behind something
They don’t look behind
I am still inside here
A little bit comes bleeding through
I wish this could have been any other way
I just don’t know what else I can do

Every day is exactly the same
Every day is exactly the same
There is no love here and there is no pain
Every day is exactly the same

And I’ve rehearsed my lines
And I know what’s coming next

While we are reading 1984, expect a lot of our blog posts to be related activities. In fact, I already have several songs of the week lined up that tie in nicely with the novel. In addition, I will try to include several posts about modern-day parallels to the society in the novel to show you just how easy to relate to and relevant the novel remains so many years after being published. For our first 1984-related topic, I’m providing you a link to an online article from the Washington Post that I found interesting.

As you read the first two chapters of the novel, you’ve probably noticed that lack of privacy is a major issue raised by the novel. With all of our advanced technology and our general paranoia after 9-11, privacy seems to be becoming a major issue in our society today. There seems to be no limit to what people are able to find out about us and how this information can be used. One of the major reasons for this lack of privacy is our growing dependence on the Internet. Such a wonderful, life-changing tool, but also one of the most damaging inventions ever. We all know how visiting certain sites (such as illegal music download sites) can come back to haunt you legally. However, before reading this article, I never really thought about the impact the types of things we search for on the Internet can have and the false impressions people could get from innocent searches. Anyway, read the article for yourself and share your opinions on the issue.

Forgot What You Searched For? Google Didn’t!

P.S. While reading the novel, if you come across any modern-day examples (articles, etc.) of issues found in the novel, pass them along and I may use them on here.

tchrman

Well, I received several student suggestions for song of the week this week. I was put in the tough position of having to choose which one to use. I decided on this one because it had the best introduction and also, the style of music was different from what we’ve had so far. Take it away, jugarelbeisbol5!

The reason I chose this song for song of the week is because everyone has a song that really speaks to them or realtes to them. This song relates to me because it describes exactly the situation between a friend of mine and myself. This friend has always been there for me and we were really close. Well then we became more than friends and we had what you would call a “roller coaster” relationship. Well to shorten it up we broke up and we haven’ t really been as close since we went through our rough times. Since we broke up she has kinda used me as a convenient friend (like the song says). Whenever she got hurt, she made me feel as bad as she did…which i did not like. So we stopped hanging out, talking, and avoided each other all together. But nowadays, our friendship is starting to become something more again ( oh Lord!) haha. But who knows what the future holds…maybe we will be something more again…but for now, hope yall enjoy the song I picked for yall this week! ENJOY!!!

Listen here:
06 Pieces 1

“Pieces” Rascal Flatts

From the moment that we met
My world was turned around
Upside down
To some degree I still regret
My memory for keeping you around
Girl I thought that you were mine
But my broken hearts been shattered
One too many times

And I don’t want to see you anymore
I’m just not that strong
I love it when you’re here,
But I’m better when you’re gone
I’m certain that I’ve given and oh how you can take
There’s no use in you looking
There’s nothing left for you to break
Baby please release me
Let my heart rest in pieces

Someone let you down again
So you turn to me
Your convenient friend
Oh but I know what you’re doing
And what you hope to find
I’ve seen it a thousand times
Oh the fire we had before
Are now just bitter ashes
Left scattered on the floor

And I don’t want to see you anymore
I’m just not that strong
I love it when you’re here,
But I’m better when you’re gone
I’m certain that I’ve given and oh how you can take
There’s no use in you looking
There’s nothing left for you to break
Baby please release me
Let my heart rest in pieces

We talked yesterday in class about how “Lamb to the Slaughter” can be seen as a revenge fantasy and how the purpose of such a story is to offer the reader a feeling of catharsis. For your second topic this week, I thought it would be fun to hear some of your revenge stories. So, write about a time when you did something to get back at someone. If you have never done such a thing, write about a time when you WANTED to get revenge on someone for something they had done to you. Be sure to not use real names.

tchrman

I’m always looking for new types of posts on the blog. Last year, when we read “Lamb to the Slaughter” we had a blog post where we wrote parodies of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” using the plot of “Lamb to the Slaughter”. I’ve decided to take that one step further this year. We are going to have a creative writing contest using this same concept. Write a parody of a song or poem in which to tell the story of “Lamb to the Slaughter”. You could use Mary Had a Little Lamb or something else (Perhaps “The Lamb Not Bakin’” instead of “The Road Not Taken”). I know you guys are creative enough to do this. If I get at least 10 submissions, I will pick the best three (I may even get another teacher to help me judge so it will be fair.) If I get less than 10 I’ll only pick the top two. The winners will get a GREAT reward–on the upcoming Short Story Essay Test there are three questions. You will only have to do two! That’s only the winning three parodies. Contest ends Thursday night so that I can announce the winners in class on Friday so you know if you have to do two or three essay questions. Have fun and be creative!

BTW, this will NOT count as a regular post for the week. This is for extra credit.

I was really hoping some of you would step up and send me something for this week’s song of the week, but, alas, no one did. It would be especially nice if some of you who complain about not liking any of the songs would actually do something about it and try it yourself. I’m just sayin’. It would be great to have a student submission for next week if anyone has any ideas. Some of you have given me ideas, but I need you to actually follow through and write an introduction for it before I can use it. But for this week it looks like you are stuck with me and my pick again.

These last few weeks, I’ve been trying to pick songs that had a little more depth to them to make the discussion a little better. You did a great job with last week’s song. A few of you are still missing the point of the assignment. This is not meant to be purely entertainment. While I hope you do get enjoyment out of it, my main goal is to get you writing about music as poetry. By the time we actually get to the poetry unit in our book, you should be pros (PUN!). I am glad that some of you are being exposed to some different styles of music and are enjoying it. You are moving our of your comfort zone and being open minded. A handful of you remain stuck in your ways and unwilling to open your mind to anything new or different. To each his own. Prepare for a hard time when you get to college though if you are unwilling to be exposed to new styles and ideas. OK, end of this week’s soapbox. Anyway, I’ve picked another song this week that I think will generate some good discussion. This one is fairly new and many of you should know it.

This week’s song is “Funny the Way It Is” by Dave Matthews Band. It is from their newest album (I believe it came out in August). I’ve always enjoyed DMB. I’ve never been a hardcore, see them every time they come in concert, worship everything they do fan, but I’ve always liked them. I really enjoy the new album, however. This song was the first one released on the radio from that album. It’s a good song, and it should be pretty easy to discuss. Enjoy.

Listen here:
03 Funny The Way It Is 1

“Funny the Way It Is”
Dave Matthews Band

Lying in the park on a beautiful day
Sunshine in the grass, and the children play
Siren’s passing, fire engine red
Someone’s house is burning down on a day like this

The evening comes and we’re hanging out
On the front step and a car rolls by with the windows rolled down
And that war song is playing, “why can’t we be friends?”
Someone is screaming and crying in the apartment upstairs

Funny the way it is, if you think about it
Somebody’s going hungry and someone else is eating out
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
Somebody’s heart is broken and it becomes your favorite song

The way your mouth feels in your lovers kiss
Like a pretty bird on a breeze or water to a fish
A bomb blast brings a building crashing to the floor
You hear the laughter while the children play war

Funny the way it is, if you think about it
One kid walks 10 miles to school, another’s dropping out
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
On a soldier’s last breath his baby’s being born

Standing on a bridge, watch the water passing under me
It must’ve been much harder when there was no bridge just water
Now the world is small, remember how it used to be
With mountains and oceans and winters and rivers and stars

Watch the sky, the jet planes, so far out of my reach
Is there someone up there looking down on me?
Boy chase a bird, so close but every time
He’ll never catch her, but he can’t stop trying

Funny the way it is, if you think about it
One kid walks 10 miles to school, another’s dropping out
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
On a soldier’s last breath his baby’s being born
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
Somebody’s broken heart becomes your favorite song
Funny the way it is, if you think about it
A kid walks 10 miles to school, another’s dropping out

Standing on a bridge, watch the water passing under me
It must’ve been much harder when there was no bridge just water
Now the world is small, remember how it used to be
With mountains and oceans and winters and rivers and stars