It's been a fun couple of weeks. The program I work for at the University was going through an accreditation process and we ran about making sure everything went smoothly. It went incredibly smoothly and the program passed with flying colors. My new nickname is "the Dean's Assistant" as someone mistook me as such. I'm not going to complain about that... I just need to live up to it!
Tonight, in my multicultural literature class, we were looking at Jacqueline Woodson's book If You come Softly. It's an excellent book that will be added to my library. In the book. Jeremiah makes a comparison between rain and the looks he and Ellie receive while dating (he's African American and she's White).
"Think of it..." Jeremiah said slowly. "Like weather or something. You got your rain, your snow, your sunshine. Always changing but still constant, you know."
In class, snow was compared to the overt acts of racism and sunshine to the days where racism isn't present.
Jeremiah continues with, "Let's say it's rain- the people who've got problems with us being together-let's call them and their problems rain."
A little later, the snow is melting on Ellie's face and I made a point about snow as a metaphor for racism in the book. This got my professor really excited. And he proceeded to emphasize snow as he read the rest of his selections in the book.
But what he didn't know was...
My mom was an English major in college.
She would do this thing when we were growing up, pointing out the symbolism and metaphors as we watched movies or read books. She ruined more movies that way. :) We'd be watching a movie and all of a sudden there's Mom talking and pointing out patterns and symbolism (see the waves crashing, that implies...or when Mr. Darcy goes for a swim, that's a symbol of rebirth... yada yada yada ). This is all wonderfully helpful as an adult but when you just want to watch a movie, not so much.
I caught myself doing the same thing recently while watching the "other" Pride and Prejudice (2006). I'm turning into my mother! When Lizzy wanders through the statuary room at Pemberley, there's an awakening and Lizzy gains the awareness of a woman. It wasn't a very subtle metaphor though. I have to have a disclaimer here. This was my first time watching this version all the way through. The first time I tried to watch it, I wanted to smack Bingley for acting like a 15 year old boy, walking into a girls room WHILE knocking, being coached on proper etiquette and his general silliness.... I just couldn't take it. ;)
Anyways, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to post. The picture at the top has nothing to do with the post. I just wanted to add a picture. Plus, I had been thinking about the trip Mom and I took to Washington a year and a half ago.
Thanks Mom for making me look smart! Love you! :)
