January
16
ELA A30: Jan 16
- We reviewed what we’ve learned recently of the male and female voice in poetry. Male voices seem to be more focused on generations and the past. Someone asked why a male voice would be more focused on their ancestry than women and I responded to remind students that women take their husband’s names so geneology for women doesn’t seem to be as important as it does for men. In using Dallas Elder as an example, Dallas and his dad and his dad’s father all have one thing in common, the surname of Elder. For men, where they came from seems to be a common focus in literature. For women, they’re often interested in the present or future and have a somewhat softer voice. I asked the question ‘Why would a woman’s voice seem softer than a man’s in literature considering Canada’s history?’ The answer was that women were only recognized as contributing members of society a short while ago. Their part in history has been downplayed until recent literature has taken on the task of giving their voice a stronger sound.
- We then read through a short story called “God is Not A Fish Inspector” and read it aloud together. The daughter in the story seemed to play the enemy to her father who seemed determined to stay alive by violating fishing laws and was fishing without a licence secretly. It was a surprising ending to the story. Ultimately, the voice of the man in this story was focused on staying alive and active because those who stay standing still and have no purpose in their life die and are quickly forgotten.