Make up Blog 11/11

“The Spirit of God Hovered Over the Waters; Creation, the loval Church, and the Mentally and Physically Challenged, A Call to Church, and the Mentally and Physically Challenged, A Call to Spirit-led Ministry"

by  Steven Fettke

“The Spirit of God Hovered Over the Waters; Creation, the loval Church, and the Mentally and Physically Challenged, A Call to Church, and the Mentally and Physically Challenged, A Call to Spirit-led Ministry” by Steven Fettke explores what It means to be created imago dei. He points the Pentecostal/ Charismatic Church to the responsibility of ministry to all people. This subject matter is personal to the author Steven Fettke as he has a son, Phillip, who is afflicted on the severe side of the Autism Spectrum. Him and his wife have needed and received all kinds of assistance from various groups, government agencies, and support from a local church. But Sadly Pentecostal churches have hardly helped him. It was the government agencies and mainline, non-Pentecostal churches that helped them in a much more “spiritual” and practical way than any Pentecostal church. The Pentecostal Church is known to him in relation to his son as only wanting to cast demons out of him or ignore him. Fettke son does not need demons casted out of him but rather to be treated as a human who “embodies” a unique mark, the image of God. His son his both “minister” and the one in need of ministry. Which as he said “Doesn’t that describe us all?” But rather than give up on the Pentecostal church and its ignorance he offered knowledge and reasoning that provided the necessity of ministry to the disabled.  Fettke stated “I think it is possible to begin to view folks we have usually considered disabled and weak as those who both can do ministry and to whom ministry can be directed. In other words they are just people just like the “acceptable” people in our local churches.”

Special Post # 2

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings: A Tale for Children

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings: A Tale for Children by Gabriel Garcia Marquez was published in 1955.  This story falls under the genre of magic realism and is a short that is included in the book Leaf Storm. This story is not necessarily a tale for children but a tale for mature readers who can still use their imagination.

The story begins by a husband and wife (Pelayo and Elisenda) finding a very old man with enormous wings in their courtyard one stormy afternoon. They watch the old man with wings as he struggles to get up from the mud. They eventually attempt to communicate with the old man but are unsuccessful because he peaks a different language. Their neighbor then comes and identifies him as an angel that was coming to take their sick child. Not knowing what to do with the, old man with wings, so they lock him up in the chicken coop. Early the next morning the local priest, Father Gonzaga comes to the home to test the old man and determine whether or not he is truly an angel.  By the end of that day the rest of the community has received word of the “angel” and they all come to see the old man with wings for themselves. It now becomes the new attraction and Elisenda (the wife) takes advantage of the situation and starts charging five cents for admission to see the old man with wings. Father Gonzaga determines that the man cannot be an angel because he does not understand Latin and has so many mortal characteristics. The family soon becomes rich and builds a mansion with all the money they collected from the crowds that came to see the “captured angel”. After awhile the crowd looses interest after hearing word of a new “attraction”. A girl who had disobeyed her parents had been transformed into a tarantula. Years go by and the angel still continues to be trapped in the chicken coop and is treated very poorly by Pelayo and Elisenda. His health begins to eventually decline almost to the verge where Pelayo and Elisenda think he is going to die. Then one day he begins to grow a few new feathers. He is found roaming around the house and is shooed away by Elisenda as she finds him nothing but an annoying. He eventually begins to attempt to fly. After much effort, he is able to fly away. Elisenda gives a sigh of relief as she watches him fly away into the horizon.

 When I first read this story it was probably was the most unclear story that I have read all semester. I think the full meaning of this text isn’t quite clear on the first read because the author didn’t intend to make it a clear interpreted story. The title has in it “a tale for children” but in reality this is not really a tale for children. It is to complex. Although it does have a lot of fairy tail like features in it, a child would loose their interest in it. I chose this text to be interpreted because I think it is a complex story and could be interpreted in many different ways. I almost feel like each time I reread it I think of another interpretation. Also after the discussion in class I realized this story can be interpreted in many different ways.

I still do not have one clear interpretation of the story but I think I have identified some central themes, motifs, and symbolism. SparkNotes.com pointed out a Motif of prosperity. Which was one of my first interpretations of the story. “Pelayo and Elisenda’s newfound prosperity is the physical manifestation of the magic and wonder the old man brings to their lives” (SparkNotes). The story begins with describing how the couple was poor and had swarms of crabs invading their home. And they also had a young son who was very ill. But then the old mans presence brought hundreds of pilgrims who didn’t mind paying a small fee to see this old man with wings. The proceeds then bring Pelayo and Elisenda great wealth. They build a mansion and have more money than they know how to spend. But this remarkable turn in fortune happens gradually and Pelayo and Elisenda don’t really see how remarkable it is. Elisenda even refers to her new home as a “hell full of angels”.   A symbol that SparkNotes pointed out as well, is the Spider Woman and how she “represents the fickleness with which many self interested people approach their own faith.” As soon as the villagers heard of the “angel” they flocked to Pelayo’s house, motivated partly by faith but also to see him perform miracles. The old man’s reputation diminishes when he proves capable of performing only minor “consolation miracles”. So instead the spectators then flock to the spider woman, who tells a heart-wrenching story with a clear, easy-to-digest lesson in morality that contrasts sharply with the obscurity of the old man’s existence and purpose. Although no less strange than the winged old man, the spider woman is easier to understand and even pity. The old man, barely conscious in his filthy chicken coop, can’t match her appeal, even though some suspect that he came form the heavens. Garcia Marquez strongly suggests that the pilgrims’ result o-oriented faith isn’t really faith at all.

I think the reader can take these interpretations and relate them to the world around them or to their own lives. Like how we might have something great in our life and we may not even recognize it or acknowledge it instead we might look at is as a nuisance but not until its gone will it possibly be appreciated. I think there is a variety of ways this text can be interpreted and not one single way is necessarily the correct one.

Again I do not think I still have grasped the full interpretation of the story or necessarily the correct one. As still it seems each time I take time to reread it more possibilities of interpretation come up. I think it is ok to have something complex and not quite get the interpretation the first time. I think naturally I should always understand it right away. But I have come to learn it is ok to not. It is also fine to take time to understand it and it is ok to have different interpretations of things. 

Citation:

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2010.

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings

So after reading the entire story I still didn’t quite get the point of the story or grasp it. I felt there were a lot of random things that I couldn’t figure out how they connected. Like the old women telling them to beat the old man with wings to death. Or why they were killing so many crabs and had so many dead crabs in their front yard. I didn’t understand what was the point of the girl turning into a spider. And I couldn’t figure out what time frame this was suppose to be in. It would use words like pilgrims which makes me think of an earlier date but then use modern words bought a pare of pumps, and talked about airplanes… I also didn’t understand if the “angel” did or did not have a connection to the child as when it got there the child’s fever went away and they both got chicken pox at the same time…

But then after thinking about it a little bit I started to see a possible point to the story… Which may be…

How a poor couple, with an almost dying child, lives are suddenly turned around and its due to the “angel”. By the end of the story they are rich, healthy, and I guess happy. But they don’t even really recognize that their life has been changed due to this angel’s presence. It describes Elisenda as finding the “angel” a nuisance. (Maybe it was the “angels” choice to stay. He saw a poor family in need and decided to help them out…)

I guess it can be like how some people today may not even recognize the blessings in their life. Just because it’s not all glamorous looking. Or people may not notice the true impact that another person may have just because they are not some one well known, rich, or “has it all together” themselves,… It could be an old man that doesn’t have much…

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

This story is about Omelas a city of happiness  a utopian.. The inhabitants are smart and cultured. Everything about Omelas is pleasing and joyous, except for the secret kept in the city. The good fortune and happiness of Omelas requires that a single unfortunate child be kept in darkness and miser. All the citizens must be told of this child when they are usually between the age of eight and twelve, when they are capable of understanding. Some go and see the child. The child is kept in filth, darkness, and is malnourished.  After the citizens are exposed to the truth, most people are initially shocked and disgusted, but they are ultimately able to come to terms with the fact. The come to terms that the suffering of the unfortunate child is worth it as it is necessary for the citizens to continue to live their lives in the manner by which they do. The story then goes on to tell how a few of the citizens, young and old, silently walk away from the city, and no one knows where they go. It just describes it as a place less imaginable to us than the city of happiness. And only those that walk away seem to know where they are going.

The central theme is that they are using a scapegoat…

As I was reading about the conditions that the child was kept in and the inhumane treatment, I was thinking how could someone know of this and be ok with it. Then I started to think about what I do or have I become callused to in this world… Like I may read or learn about a poor condition or injustice happening to others…, at first I am shocked and upset by it. It may effect me for awhile, but then life continues as I know it and I move on…. Just as the people do in the story… Of course I don’t want to be this person and of course I would never want to think that I would allow such injustice but how many times have I seen/ known of darkness and suffering in the world around me and I continue with my daily life as I know it….

Letter to The Phillippians

The first time reading through the Letter to the Philippians I did not find much figurative language. I probably only underlined no more than four or five examples. So then I decided to look up the literal definition of figurative language. Which is: “any language that is used in ways that deviate from standard significance, order, or meaning” (pg 1511).

I then read it through again trying to read it a little slower and purposely look for figurative language. The first one I came across was “I have you in my heart” on page one. Another one being on page three at the bottom “ beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh.”

One’s perception of the letter’s meaning drastically changes with understanding of the figurative use of certain images or phrases. It is important for one to understand this. After reading through the second time I found at least 6 more instances where Paul uses figurative language. To understand the writing it is important to understand that Paul is many times speaking figuratively not literally. The literal interpretation would not make sense.

I think it was hard for me at first to recognize some of the figurative language spoken in here because much of it is figurative language I have become accustomed to. Such as “ I have you in my heart”, “God our Father”, “work out your salvation”, “for our citezenship is in heaven”… I guess at first I was not thinking of some of this as “figurative language… I also realized I actually liked reading this through without the numbers/ verses. I have never read it through like that before… 

The Man Who Came to Dinner

I went to Southeastern's production of The Man Who Came to Dinner on Sunday afternoon. This play was much longer than expected. It did loose my attention quite a bit... 

So, what can I say about the man who came to dinner besides… wow. Words cannot describe the randomness of this play. Short handed there was a man who got hurt, a doctor, 4 penguins, disappearing children and an axe murder. Like I said wow... 

The Man Who Came to Dinner is a comedy. It had three different acts. The play setting is in a small town a few weeks before Christmas sometime during the 1930s. A New York City famous radio wit was invited to dine at the house of a rich factory owner with him and his family. But before he enters the house he slips on a patch of ice and injures his hip. He is then attended by a Doctor and nurse in the factory owners home. Mr. Whiteside seemed to be the type of person to get into everyone’s business. He was very demanding and eventually pushed the limits of Mr. Stanley. Mr. Whiteside always wanted to get his way. When Mr. Whiteside was in a room his presence was known. My favorite character was Beverly Carlton I liked the liveliness about him. I did sometimes get lost as to what was going on throughout the play and had to have my friend explain/fill me in…

This was my first time going to Polk Theater. I thought the theater was very nice and I liked it. I also thought the set looked really good. I have been to a play before at the Kennedy Center in DC. I will have to say though that plays are not of high interest for me to go and watch.  I would much rather watch a musical or listen to an orchestra. But I don’t mind going to a play every now and then, just to have a new experience. 

The Boys Next Door Part 2

I did enjoy reading the play write of The Boys Next Door.  The Boys Next Door is a two act comedy-drama about four men who live together in a small apartment; and jack is their caring social worker who is on the edge of a career burn-out.

For this blog I am going to give a description for each of the main characters…

I’ll first start with Jack: He has been supervising five group apartments of the mentally handicapped. The idea of these apartments is to introduce the selected mentally handicapped housemates to mainstream society. Jack can a lot of times laugh at their escapades but it is wearing him out. The main conflict stems from Jack’s realization that he needs to move on in his life. In one scene addressing the audience Jack says: “you see, the problem is that they never change. I change, my life changes my crises change. But they stay the same.” Jack also seems to be having difficult finding his own life’s purpose…  Even when Jack manages to find another job as a traveling agent, the audience is left to decide whether or not this will provide fulfillment for him…

Arnold: He is the first character that the audience is introduced to. He exhibits several OCD traits. He tries to function in mainstream society, but sadly many people take advantage of him. This occurs in the first scene when he returns from the grocery store. Whenever he is dissatisfied with his life, he declares that he will be moving to Russia. In the second Act he actually attempts to catch a train to Russia.

Norman: I would consider him the romantic of the group. He works at the doughnut shop, and has gained a lot of weight because of all the free doughnuts. He worries about being fat because he has a love-interest, a mentally handicapped woman named Sheila. He does not want Sheila to think he is fat. Sheila and Norman meet twice during the play. Each time he becomes bolder until he finally asks her on a “date”. But he has a conflict with her because she wants his keys, which he refuses to give up. He claims he needs the keys to unlock things. 

Barry: Barry spends a lot of his time boasting about being a Golf Pro (even though he does not even own a set of golf clubs). He puts up an add and attempts to give golf lessons but that slowly dies out as his pupils realize he is out of touch with reality and they all abandon his class. Throughout the play he boast about how wonderful his dad is. In Act II his Dad stops by for the first time ever, and the audience witnesses the brutal verbal and physical abuse that obviously worsens Barry’s already fragile condition.

Lucien: He has the severest case of mental disability among the four men. He is the most child-like of the group. He has a limited verbal capacity. He was summoned before the Health and Human Services Subcommittee because the board might suspend Lucien’s Social Security Benefits. He stands and gives a powerful monologue, which speaks for Lucien and others with mental impairments.

I thought this was one of the most powerful moments of the play write.

Lucien: I stand before you, a middle-aged man in an uncomfortable suit, a man whose capacity for rational thought is somewhere between a five-year-old and an oyster. (Pause.) I am retarded. I am damaged. I am sick inside from so many hours and days and months and years of confusion, utter and profound confusion….But I will not go away. And I will not wither because the cage is too small. I am Lucien Percival Smith. And without me, without my shattered crippled brain, you will never again be frightened by what you might have become. Or indeed, by what your future might make you..”(pg 52).