Marina Siles
English 1109 at 10:30, M-W
October 5, 2020
Journal 5
Out of the four poems we read, my favorite had to be “The Lanyard”. When I read poems, they are usually sad to be honest. It is just something I gravitate towards. So that being the way I read this, in a perspective of a negative place that is how I first read this poem. I noted that I thought in a way it was innocent but that the idea of kid giving the lanyard seems like kids are unconsciously aware of what it really could represent and Billy Collins got that. The line I chose from in included both my favorite line and word. He writes, “ Not the archaic truth, that you can never repay your mother, but the rueful admission that when she took the two-toned lanyard from my hands, I was as sure as a boy could be that this useless worthless thing I wove out of boredom would be enough to make us even.” These last four lines, reminded me of all the things I gave my mom as gifts even if to someone else they would see those “things” as trash but to young me and to my mom, it was the same as giving her the world.
The chapter in The House On Mango Street that really hit me hard was “Beautiful & Cruel”, it was actually really difficult to pick just one chapter. However, this chapter really resonated with me because I see a little of myself in Esparanza. She starts the chapter very negatively, which seems to be common since it is easy to see she struggles with confidence and a positive self-image. She then goes to talk about the stereotypes that are of women where she saw in the movies but what I really felt connected to was when she says “I have begun my own quite war. Simple. Sure. I am one who leaves the table like a man, without putting back the chair or picking up my plate.” (Cisneros 89). I just feel like I feel the sadness and confusion within her.
This was something I made my mom when I was in 1st grade. I know every kid made this but this was my version of "The Lanyard". A pot of fake flowers, held down by some cement thing that spills out the other side because I tipped it over before it dried, with "A recipe for a perfect mom" held by a blue paper clip on top. I don't know why of all things she kept this one but I am glad she did. 
hey marina, I agree with you when you quoted that part of the laynard where it takes about how you can never repay your mother. The author read this poem in a sarcastic way but i believe that its true how can you actually repay them?She gave you life and everything to help you. Small gifts are part of the bond you get with your mother as you grow up everyone makes there mother something when they are young and believe its the best thing you can give them and it might be small but mothers always will appreciate things you give and or do for them even if its small.
ReplyDeleteHowdy Marina, I like your picture it does a great job relating to The Lanyard. Its always nice when you can think of a memory or anything that can relate to the story. It's is true that you can never repay your mother or father but all we can do is try by giving them even more lanyards. You picked a chapter that I think we kinda skipped over but it was a very good chapter and a lot of girls can relate to this chapter.
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