My reaction of "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid

When I first read “Girl” by Jamaica Kinkaid, I initially interpreted it as description of how women must be in society, and how easy it is to be portrayed as a “slut”.  This coming from my own cultural views where if a girl wore a particular type of clothing, said the wrong thing, or even seen with the wrong people she would be considered a slut. The main voice of this narrative was the mother, giving her daughter “the talk” about how to behave and what to expect in womanhood.  In fact, the punctuation makes the mother's voice sounds rushed and the rude language of the mother stresses how important it is for the girl to do the task a specific way and behave in a certain matter. 

Reflection about the Literary Contest of Spanish Language by Carlos Rivera

On May 15 took place a literary competition in the Spanish language in the Amphitheatre # 4 of General Studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. This activity was conducted by the department of Spanish. After the welcome, the event was full of emotions and feelings. This activity was dedicated to the life of the great writer and teacher, Emilio Diaz Varcarcel. They began the tribute to Emilio with his biography and important photos through his life as a teacher. At the end of the biography of Emilio Diaz Valcarcel, the conductors called Emilio's family to go on stage to give some gifts. Undoubtedly, one of the most special moments was the widow of Emilio began to mourn and everyone stood up and started clapping the memory of this great writer.

The activity was ongoing and the place was filled more and more by students and teachers. The activity was very happy because it was a gala awards for students who competed in the category of short stories, essays and novels. There were many winners and that motivated everyone in the activity. One of the best things that happened was when a Spanish teacher shouted for joy because his students won the top prize in the category of story. In addition, a summary of each story of each winner was presented and the conductors called the winning student to pass the stage to collect his prize. There were many smiles from the winning students because reflected his effort.

The activity ended with an artistic presentation of some troubadours girls. This part was very cheerful because the songs that sang are of Puerto Rico and everyone started clapping while singing. The girls were accompanied by professional musicians from the University of Puerto Rico in different instruments like guitar, bongos and maracas. The most emotional moment was when one of the girls who was singing took the flag of Puerto Rico and all began to applaud. I was proud of my beautiful banner. Anyway, this activity of Spanish department was unique and unforgettable as it could give honor to the memory of a great writer, we had the pleasure to see the winners of literary competition and see the girls troubadours singing patriotic songs. This to me was something special.

With this competition of literature I could conclude that literature is a world where we can express what we want. It is through writing that can open roads. It is with literature and writing that we can win, learn from our culture and support our things.

Some photos:

Interpretation of "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid

Interpretation of "Girl" quotes.

1. "soak your little clothes"
Clothes need to be clean all the time because it have a relationship to physical appearances to others. A person’s clothing reveals much about character and personality, and if they are dirty implies laziness and poverty. Washing allow women not only to project their status to the society, but also their productivity and self-worth.

2. "always eat your food so it won't turn someone else's stomach"
They live in a poor community and isn't good to eat food in a explicit way, because it would make neighbors more hungry. Isn't good to show food in front of others who are starving. The mother are trying to show her daughter how to behave, to be humble and grateful with the things they have.

3. "you mustn't speak to wharf-rat boys"

Refers to homeless people who are outside of the society and nobody cares about them. Because of that the mother want the girl to stay away from them because it could be seem "ugly" or not proper to talk with that "kind of person". 

4. "the slut you are so bent on becoming..."
It can be that the girl is being and acting different towards the society expectations and the mother calls her a slut or maybe she is acting normal but the mother do it to scare her and make her a "proper lady" because the mom ideology is that a woman can act wrong, a man never. 

5. "this is how to smile at someone you don't like"
The mother tells the girl how to behave in different situations, including how to talk with people she doesn’t like. Maybe the author means with this that your supposed to act or do things sometimes even though you don’t want to do it, in life there’s situations that we need something and maybe the easy way to get it surrender ourselves with people that we don’t like but they have all what we want so we pretend that we like them just to get what we want.

6. "this is how to behave..."

The mother isn’t giving advices to her daughter, she is telling her how to live, how she is supposed to live. Her mother is giving her instructions of how to make everything in life but not in a good kind of way. 

7. "medicine to throw away a child"
With this line, the mother is saying to her daughter that exist a way to abort an unwanted pregnancy.


8. "...it might not be a black bird at all..."
With this phrase which is trying to say is you have to be careful because maybe everything you've been taught is a lie.

9. What gender scripts were you taught as a child? Explain with a phrase or quotation you heard.
Patria:"Dolls are for girls, cars for boys"
Marilliam: "Seat like a lady"
Andrea: "Boys don't cry"
Carlos: "Boys with boys and girls with girls."
Dorimar: "Women are from the house and men are from the street"

10. What are some sayings about women/girls in your culture?

In a society where there male chauvinism can hear countless sayings that desprestician the value of women and girls. Apart from sexist comments, I personally live in a culture where Puerto Rican women unpleasant things to say. One of those sayings are: "God created man first ... and seeing so much perfection, he created a maid”, "If you know not cook, you'll never get a boyfriend", "A virgin woman is worthless" or "If you do not have sex when you turn fifteen you're a loser ". These sayings and many more, make a deteriorated society.

Reflection about the Literary Contest by Patria Aponte.

Last Wednesday, April 22, 2015, I came to the 48th Annual Literary Contest celebrated in the Amphitheater #3 of General Studies building in University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. The contest was presented by the English Department, since 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., to honoring the life and work of Mark Wekander and recognize the students who won the contest. Prof. Eva Edwards welcomed us and talked a little about Mark Wekander's writing and the importance of writing to express feelings and ideas.

Later, Mr. Rivera states the question “What is poetry?” and read the dictionary definition of it: “Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning.” He said something very important about the writing of most of us, college students. “We don't write because we want to, we write because we must”, he said. I was thinking about it, and he was right. We never want to write, we write because we MUST to, for a class or something compulsory. This is a huge problem, we have to promote writing and stop thinking about it as a assignment, but as a benefit. 

Prof. Cynthia Pittman talked about the life and poetry of Mark Wekander. He born in Nebraska and died here, in Puerto Rico. As a professor of University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, he was leading a “Boricua writing project” in the university. He published two novels, including his famous one “Bugs Have Us Surround”, and many poems. His poetry contains four important aspects:

1. Here and there, based on physical and geographical concepts.

2. Animals in our life, because he was an animal lover and believe in the communication with animals to reveal the truth.

3. By ways and highways, based in mass media and popular culture.

4. Photography.  

Two of his poems, In Search of Here” and “Driving On” are examples of Here and There concept.

The award was given to the winners and one of them, a girl, read her essay to us. She wrote about some of the questions teenagers always do to themselves, "Who am I?", “Where I belong?”, “What am I supposed to do?”. Her essay was critic; she wants to be lawyer but she criticizes justice system and the cost of studies in law school. By seeing student's works like this one, we learn about how writing can lead us to present our works to others, and also win prizes and awards. Writing is powerful!

About me, Dorimar!

Hello, everyone! My name is Dorimar Alicea. I am a first year student at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus.  I belong in the Faculty of Social Sciences where I will soon begin my studies in psychology.   The main reason I chose to study social sciences is because I am a lover of diversity, respect and fairness.  I think we are all different people with different genres, preferences, personalities, ideologies, thoughts, language, etc. But, in the end, we are all human beings who deserve the same respect and equal rights. One of my biggest dreams is to live in a society without prejudice, hatred and discrimination. A place where people are capable to accepting, respecting and seeing that diversity is one of the most beautiful things in life.  My biggest goals consist of graduating from the Faculty of Social Sciences and obtain a master degree in psychology, in order to help people with their problems, both individual and those who can be provoked by society.  Helping each person as much as possible to accept and love themselves for who they are, beyond any prejudice created by society. Another one of my biggest goals is to try and contribute, to show that in this world there are people who are able to think and analyze things for themselves. It is also my goals to try and educate people about different controversial topic such as sexuality, politics and religion and show that these are not a base to promote hatred and discrimination among people

I live my life without prejudice, with much respect and love!

About Me, Marilliam !

Hello there! My name is Marilliam Dahil Torres Rivera and I’m 20 years old. I am a student of natural sciences and I also study French I decided to become a doctor who speaks French because they are the two things that are my real passions. I’m fitness obsessed and also I love to do sports. I’m an animal lover. I’m really outgoing and love to spend time with my friends. My favorite color is green because it reminds me of nature. My style of clothing goes from really hippie to really classy, depending where I’m going or how I’m feeling. I work at a Chinese restaurant as a waitress. I love Netflix, I love road trips, I also like traveling whether it’s here or outside of Puerto Rico. I’m very optimistic. I love going to the beach and getting tanned. Music relaxes me and I find peace in it. When I was younger, I used to be obsessed with bands like Paramore and Avril Lavinge. Later, I started listening to solo artists like tommy Torres and even other bands in English and Spanish. My music taste grew more. I love the moon. I like tattoos because, for me, they’re like art; Art that you have on yourself permanently. And if I ever find something I really like that’s meaningful for me, I’d like to have that on my body. I’m the middle child. I have an older brother and a younger sister. We are very close. I like chocolate, pizza, sushi, I literally love food. I like to go shopping. Some of my favorite accessories are rings and collars. I have piercings and I would love to get more.  Although I love animals my favorite in particular would have to be penguins. I love watching movies. I like poetry and literature. My favorite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I’m a happy, social and chatty person. I would like to live in France. I want to finish my studies and be successful. And I also live life tom the fullest, without regrets.

About me, Carlos!

Welcome to the best blog ... Inside Yellow Sunshine. My name is Carlos I. Rivera, I have 18 years old and I live in the village of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. I can tell you that I'm very proud to be a student of communications with specialization in public relations and advertising at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. This academic program will prepare me to be a great publicist in Puerto Rico and make great contributions to the market on the island. I'm funny, I love making people laugh and am a very active person. I like to be fashionable and take care of my appearance. I'm loving dogs and cats because they are the joy of our homes. I have a dog and I love him very much, it is called Aldo and is a Golden Retriever. And I have a great blessing to have a family who loves me as I am.

My philosophy of life is that we must seek happiness anyway. We have to be happy, that's what fills us in the future and help us feel better. With our happiness and joy we can positively change the world. What humanity needs is people who inject happiness in others.

I have many goals to accomplish. I have goals and dreams to achieve and one of them is having a family. I desire to have a family, a stable job and traveling around the world with my parents and my brothers. My career goal is to be a publicist and producer of concerts to bring fun to a countless number of people. As a personal goal I want to be a good son, a good brother and a good father. I want to serve my community and that my parents and grandparents are proud of me.

About Me, Andrea :)

Welcome to the Inside of the Yellow Sunshine! My name is Andrea, I am 18 years old. I am a student of The University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. Actually I’m doing a major in political science because I want to be a lawyer. I see myself as a classy person with antique taste: I enjoy classic music, old movies, and ‘’fashion’’ from years ago. I am also a pet lover. I love to hang out with my friends, go to the beach, play softball and go shopping. I believe in friendship and that all in the world is relative: there are many points of views and each one must count. The world is our home and is our responsibility to take care of it. I consider myself as an independent person, I have many plans for me and my future: I want to travel all around the world, learn new languages, make new friends from other countries, and live life in my own way. I’m expecting of these next college years to be great ones: full of new people, new experiences and new lessons that are going to make me a professional. Curious notes: My favorite food is: Pizza!!! My favorite movie is Grease, my favorite band is Coldplay and my favorite person in the world is my sister. I have a Cocker Spaniel named Lucas and I love him. I am a fan of classic rock and 80’s movies, and also my life goal is to have my own apartment in New York City. 

About Me, Patria ♥

Hello readers! My name is Patria Isabel Aponte Marcano. I'm 19 years old from Bayamón, Puerto Rico. I'm an undergraduate environmental sciences student of University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. I consider myself as a peaceful and friendly person. I'm a nature lover and that's why I'm studying Environmental Sciences in Natural Sciences faculty. Our planet is our home. We are alive because of nature, it gives us everything. We have to stop one moment to think about the actual status of our ecosystem because at one point our planet wouldn't resist any more damage. That's why we have to do something. I have many goals with my future career and my future life. One of them is to be an Environmental Lawyer to protect our precious natural resources. I want to be that person who has the power to decide what is better to our ecosystem. Other of my goals is to travel the world, to learn about other cultures. But my main goal in life is to be someone in this world, to leave my mark no matter how big or small it would be. My philosophy of life is based in the quote of Mahatma Ghandi, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." Life is only one, and we must appreciate it and take every opportunity that present to us. I want to enjoy being alive and learn all the things life is going to teach me. I want to live my life the best as possible, make more friends everyday and learn as much as I can.