Category: Posts

Podcast: On Allen Ginsberg

This podcast by Natalia Flores and Hudson Hooton, explores themes of social change, industrialization, and liberation in Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl”. We start by introducing the poem and giving a quick contextual overview of the beat generation. The beat generation was a post-war cultural and literary movement that consisted, generally, of reactions to being “beaten” down by the conformity of the 1950s. We then take a critical look at Ginsberg’s own positionality with his stance as a voice for downtrodden people and marginalized groups. Through close reading, we analyze his anti-establishment literary polemic against societal norms. He aptly critiques an oppressive and unaccepting society marred by the new changes of industrialization. On the other hand, the poem is slightly masturbatory and self-aggrandizing. He places the speaker—himself for all intents and purposes—on a moral high ground. He also casts himself as a martyr for persecuted groups he decides to stand up for. 

 

Through some supplementary research, we discovered that Allen Ginsberg is a member of NAMBLA. The North American Man / Boy Love Association is an organization that advocates for the acceptance and legalization of adult-child sexual relationships. Allen Ginsberg was a self-described member and defender. As part of our research, we watched Chicken Hawk: Men Who Love Boys, a documentary directed by Adi Sideman. The film interviews several members of NAMBLA, who unapologetically wax poetic about their romantic interest in children. While repulsive and difficult to watch, the documentary gives a direct insight into the organization with which Ginsberg, who makes an appearance in the film, associates. The presence of these fringe and predatory organizations in counter culture poetry or liberation movements detracts from their positive impact. We discuss the idea of separating the art from the artist, but ultimately conclude that it is impossible to disentangle  Howl from Ginsberg, when considering how some lines of his poetry align with his problematic nature.

 

Works Cited

 

Pearl, Mike. “Whatever Happened to NAMBLA?” VICE, 24 Mar. 2016, www.vice.com/en/article/7bd37e/whatever-happened-to-nambla.

Stairwell Podcast FEAT Kevin / Ryan C / Carty

 

Hey, we did the stairwell podcast again.

In this thought-provoking podcast episode, Hosts Kevin Perolli, Ryan Chowdhurry, and Carty Caruso delves into the rich and diverse literary landscape, exploring four remarkable works: No-No Boy by John Okada, Everything Everywhere All at Once, American Sunrise by Joy Harjo, Project 562 by Matika Wilbur, and We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks.

 

At first, we discussed the class trip to see the play: Quarter Rican.  Since there was a sense of different themes of Masculinity and Identity, the experience really fit in well with the rest of the discussion. 

 

The next discussion begins with a deep dive into No-No Boy by John Okada.  We examined Okada’s portrayal of the internal struggles faced by the protagonist as a No-No Boy who refused to pledge loyalty to the United States. The book’s exploration of identity, belonging, and the aftermath of wartime injustice serves as a poignant reminder of the lasting effects of historical trauma.  We then compared No-No Boy to Everything Everywhere All at Once, a visually stunning film that embraces the concept of multiverse and interconnectedness. The host reflects on the film’s ability to weave together various narratives, blurring the boundaries of time, space, and personal histories. Through its inventive storytelling, the film encourages audiences to consider the vast possibilities of existence beyond conventional frameworks.

 

The conversation then turns to American Sunrise, a powerful poetry collection by Joy Harjo, the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States. The host delves into Harjo’s profound reflections on indigenous experiences, spirituality, and the healing power of storytelling. The collection stands as a testament to resilience, cultural revival, and the enduring spirit of Native peoples.

 

Next, the podcast examines Project 562 by Matika Wilbur, a captivating visual project that aims to photograph and document Native American tribes across the United States. The host emphasizes the project’s significance in countering stereotypes and giving voice to Native communities. Through stunning portraits and personal narratives, Wilbur’s project challenges preconceived notions and fosters a deeper understanding of Native American culture and identity.

 

The episode concludes with a discussion on We Real Cool, a seminal poem by Gwendolyn Brooks. The host unpacks the poem’s themes of rebellion, identity, and societal marginalization, as well as the powerful commentary it offers on the struggles faced by Black youth. The poem’s succinct yet evocative style underscores Brooks’ mastery as a poet and her ability to capture the essence of a generation.

 

Overall, this podcast episode provides a captivating exploration of these literary works, shedding light on the diverse voices, experiences, and narratives that contribute to the tapestry of American literature.

 

Works Cited

Brooks, Gwendolyn. We Real Cool, 1959.

Everything Everywhere All at Once. Directed by DANIELS, A24, 2022.

Harjo, Joy. An American Sunrise, 2019.

Hernandez, Gabriel. Quarter Rican, 2023.

Okada, John. No-No Boy. New York, New York, Penguin Books, 2019.

Wilbur, Makita. Project 562, 2022.

Class Trip Reflection: Crumbs from the Table of Joy

On April 1st, we went to see Crumbs from the Table of Joy, which explored the lives of a Black family whom have recently moved from Florida to Brooklyn after the death of the matriarch of the family, as Ernestine’s father searches for spiritual guidance from a teleevangilist, Father Divine. Against the backdrop of the polarizing socio-political issues of the 1950s, the family attempts to navigate love, religion, freedom, what it means to be Black in Brooklyn, and politics, after Aunt Lily arrives, and changes the minds of Ernestine and Ermina, and reminds Godfrey of his past.

I thought the way the play used color was interesting at different points. When Aunt Lily is first introduced to the audience, she is wearing a bright red women’s dress suit, which stands out from the dreary browns and beiges, and light yellow/oranges that the other characters wear. This was also noticed when Gerte has her fantasy sequence wearing a gold sparkly dress, and is performing. It is revealed that she actually has a very interesting past, and is a compelling woman with many interests and care for the family. This is also seen when Lily wears a bright yellow jacket in the rain and Ernestine’s bright white dress, or when Ernestine and Ermina begin to dress as girls of Brooklyn, wearing brighter colors. The use of color is certainly integral and I think it attempts to point out the emotions, moods and tempers of each character. The red Aunt Lily wears fits perfectly with her approach to life which deviates from the norm, as well as Ernestine’s white dress, that represents tradition and goodness.

environmental justice art

for this blogpost i’m going to be discussing my job, which happens to be a junior staff member of the staten island urban center. we’re a non-profit organization, and part of our tasks include participating in and leading environmental justice-based art projects to inform people about the state of our planet. for example, i was to write a song about climate change and how our actions are impacting our planet. the lyrics are as follow (incomplete):

living on a sphere that’s blue and green

so driven by greed

we neglect our planet’s needs

purposefully mistreating earth to benefit the economy

corrupt human machines

fracking leaves nature so bruised

meat production releases fumes

greenhouse gases gonna make us lose

but we still gotta chance to reform and take away mother nature’s blues

to be better i will choose

i will

take shorter showers

turn off unused power

shop local for flour

plant trees fruits and flowers

do all in my power

to take care of our planet, oh

i will do all i must do

because if you’re nice to our mother

she will be kind, too

 in general we have a lot of events where we just talk about the state of our world or we work together and actively do something to help. for example, we’ve created murals and art projects which were displayed to demonstrate what we can and should do in order to help the  environment and heal our surrounding atmosphere as much as we can. i sadly don’t have any pictures, but the most recent example i can think of is our house on governors island, where we set up a lot of environment-based artwork using recycled materials to promote that we are a waterfront and for us to take care of the water quality as well (it’s almost like a walk-in gallery where we’ll hold free events related to positive ways to improve our relationship with nature, or crafts that will bring our community together).

additionally, in general there are many murals around nyc which promote environmental justice by various artists. there’s also a lot of artwork online which is an easier way to reach a larger audience quicker. lastly, lots of museums/ exhibits have been set up as well. here are links to a few that i have found online:

climate museum- https://climatemuseum.org/events

the gray-green divide- https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/mona_chalabi

the seaport museum climate art and climate science- https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/climate-art-science/

Quarter Rican

A couple of weeks ago, I went on a trip with the class to the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater to watch the play Quarter Rican. The play was about a man named Daniel, who is a young father and is struggling with the identity of his child, while dealing with his own identity issues. He struggles with his own perception of what it means to be a Puerto Rican kid living in a city that has changed and been gentrified. He comes to the realization in the end that what really matters is the kind of person you are. I feel that the issue of identity is something that many people struggle with, especially as cultures become more mainstream and integrated in our world. The struggle of what culture you belong to or if you meet some pre requisite to “fit in” is something that is still prevalent in people to this day, regardless of age or gender. However, the more important thing that should be focused on more than anything is the quality of how good a person is,

Sam Pollard

Before attending this event I have never heard of Sam Pollard. I was unfamiliar with his work. However, Left the event inspired. For starter’s Mr. Pollard Started off attending Borough of Manhattan community college and transferred to Baruch. Similarly, I also started off at Borough of Manhattan community college and then made the transfer to Baruch. Seeing all the success and notoriety that mr. Pollard was able to achieve knowing the he had the same background as me was truly inspiring. He stared off in college not being sure of what he wanted to do until his passion came knocking on the door. Hearing this made me feel seen because at a time in my college career, I too was unsure if what I wanted to do before I discovered my passion. What I took away from Mr. Pollard’s event is that when it comes to fulling your goals and dreams, the sky is the limit. When you put your mind to something, with hard work and determination, anything is possible. A young man from harlem was able to rise from his circumstance and make a way for himself in this world while inspiring many people to do the same. It is safe to say that I went into the event not knowing who Sam Pollard was, however, I left being a fan.

Director Sam Pollard

Sam Pollard Interview

I was very inspired watching Sam Pollard being interviewed live at the Baruch Library building. I used to be into film making when I was young. It is still something I would one day love to pursue if I ever get the time to. Listening to Sam Pollard speak about his experience in Baruch and how grateful he was towards his advisor for helping him pursue his passion towards editing and filmmaking which made him change his major from Marketing to Filmmaking. It really inspired me to think hypothetically that it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea if I ever decide to pursue it. I missed a lot of the event because I had a long commute from work making me miss the first few minutes of his interview but the remaining time that I was there, I was very inspired. I always thought someday I would become a filmmaker. I even considered trying to be a writer for Saturday Night Live. Listening to Sam Pollard really made me go back to the childhood dreams and rethink about it.

Allen Ginsberg’s Howl

Does Ginsberg seem hopeful that change will happen and does it seem the people he describes are harbingers of such change?

“who reappeared on the West Coast investigating the FBI in beards and shorts with big pacifist eyes sexy in their dark skin passing out incomprehensible leaflets,
who burned cigarette holes in their arms protesting the narcotic tobacco haze of Capitalism,
who distributed Supercommunist pamphlets in Union Square weeping and undressing while the sirens of Los Alamos wailed them down, and wailed down Wall, and the Staten Island ferry also wailed,”

Ginsberg describes, in a few lines of the first part of Howl, a mention of people protesting. I see it as a shred of organization amongst all the crazy happenings going on around, of whatever, if I may call it madness, was occurring simultaneously. People still went out and protested for what some might have thought would be madness to even consider ever becoming a reality. And who knows, maybe the right amount of madness is the key to everything.

What do you think Ginsberg is trying to depict through the visage of Moloch? Something specific, or something bigger?

In the second part of Howl, Ginsberg switches styles on a dime, or at least seems to. For in his words still lie a madness, but it is instead wrapped around this Moloch, who seems to encompass so much that is wrong, so much that is antithetical to the people that he just described in such vivid detail. In fact this reminds me of a film I watched earlier in the semester, called Metropolis, a German expressionist film released in 1927, which also depicts a reference to Moloch, in the form of a hallucination of the engines of a massive city being transformed into a sacrificial pyre, its workers being led into the burning maw. In fact, I believe that scene actually influenced Ginsberg in his creation of Howl.

Does Ginsberg seem to call for peace or for further madness?

“I’m with you in Rockland
   where we hug and kiss the United States under our bedsheets the United States that coughs all night and won’t let us sleep
I’m with you in Rockland
   where we wake up electrified out of the coma by our own souls’ airplanes roaring over the roof they’ve come to drop angelic bombs the hospital illuminates itself    imaginary walls collapse    O skinny legions run outside    O starry-spangled shock of mercy the eternal war is here    O victory forget your underwear we’re free”

In the last part of the poem Ginsberg talks to a friend, someone he held close to his heart, even as that person succumbs to their own condition. A condition which doesn’t seem to get better and so Ginsberg is saying a goodbye. Probably not a first goodbye. But in this one-sided conversation he talks of bombs and superhuman tombs and it is all maybe a mirror back to times they may have spent together, where in their metaphorical war, the backwards conflict in the minds of millions, that there may be a chance that it will be over eventually. Or that there must be more for Moloch to choke on his offerings. Who knows?

 

Citation: Howl by Allen Ginsberg | Poetry Foundation

Climate Change Issues in relation to Silent Springs

“Silent Springs” is an environmental science book written by Rachel Carson in 1962. The book takes places in a utopian society and basically discusses the way pesticides have a detrimental effect on human health and the environment, specifically DDT, (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). The book removes most forms of life, including animals and insects, showing with the constant use of DDT, this may be the outcome of widespread pesticide use. This book does a great job at analyzing the way society would be if DDT was still being used and how it would affect the environment. From Carson removing most form of life shows how there would be no way for us to revert back to the way society was before being that most animals have an ecosystem that is dependent on each other so if one is missing or endangered, it affect the ecosystem as a whole. The environment is changing at a faster rate than it can adapt and that would lead to the downfall of it, also with the irresponsible use of DDT. The use of pesticides also affects reproductive health in a negative way, so if it is still being used and humans are consuming it unintentionally, it is affecting the way humans reproduce and decreasing it, resulting in a human population decline. “Silent Springs” serves as a reminder for these big corporations and food plants to reduce or even just stop using pesticides, being that it is detrimental to human life and the environment.

Reflecting and connected To No no boy

“No-No Boy” is a fictional novel written by John Okada that was published in 1957. The book is about a Japanese immigrant, named Ichiro Yamada who is from Seattle. During World War II, Ichiro refused to swear his loyalty to the United States with the loyalty questionnaire and was sent to jail for two years. As he was released, he struggled with returning back to his old life along with considering himself to be a Japanese American. From him refusing to answer the loyalty questionnaire, it earned him the name of “no-no boy”, basically the name for Japanese Americans who come off as disloyal to the United States. The novel wasn’t well received or even appreciated in the United States. While researching the novel, I ended up reviewing Karen Tei Yamashita’s analysis of the novel. She discusses how when the novel was first released, it wasn’t appreciated as much, especially by Japanese Americans because “what was said, hurt” according to Yamashita. Yamashita also discusses how most of the time, the country was unfair to Japanese Americans, during these loyalty questionnaires, they were asked to fight in the war, yet they weren’t given citizenship and denied freedom, it comes off as them being taken advantage of. The United States was never a place that was necessarily fond of immigration even though it is known as the “melting pot”, in 2018, the Supreme Court finally overturned Korematsu v. United States, where wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans was justified, so that just goes to show the country still isnt very open to immigrants. From reading the novel, it showed me that America has a constant habit of shunning racial minorities and using laws to justify it, even today it is still a recurring thing, showing we have a long way to go, “No-No Boy” happens to be an example of a group that is marginalized for Americas benefit.