Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales
Bio
I started writing when I was about eight years old. I love to read and I also love to create. As a writer and an artist, I want to share the things that I have learned and experienced. Genres: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and history.
Stories (125/0)
Nathaniel Hawthorne's Custom House and The Scarlet Letter
The Custom House The introduction to The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, also known as "The Custom House", is autobiographical in nature with a great many embellishments. Though not customarily described as creative fiction, there is enough truth in Hawthorne's introduction to give it that tag. Considering the contents of "The Custome House," Hawthorne shares that he may "keep the inmost Me behind its veil," he also concludes that it is in his rights to "be autobiographical without violating either the reader's rights or his own" (6).
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Geeks
Harriet Jacobs
The concept of value and worth is one that presents itself every day as consumers rush to Starbucks to buy a five-dollar blended coffee before work or to purchase that seven-dollar juicy double-double meal at In-N-Out for lunch. The thought of owning another person seldom occurs to the average person, however, the idea of worth or value in employment is ever on the mind of the individual pursuing an education to ensure prestigious employment. In the 21st century the mere thought of slavery appalls us, yet, as American citizens, it is a part of the history of the United States. In her autobiography: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs specifies the sum paid for the purchase of her younger brother:
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Humans
Emily Dickinson
Many years ago, when my children were young and my mother-in-law was living with our family, I was experiencing a great deal of distress and would often lament to my mother the hardships that were my unwelcome companions. After one of my rants, my mother sent me an email with a short note and the lines from Emily Dickinson's poem #138 "To fight aloud, is very brave" (1):
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Poets
Historical Fiction
If you were to ask anyone the question: "What is history?", you may get answers that include the study of people or events that occurred in the past. That study may include dates and places. This sounds like a chronology of facts. But what if history could be more than just facts? History has been documented and commented on in textbooks. In addition, history has been depicted in and expressed in literature and art. Historical fiction, such as Les Miserables, uses the French Revolution to propel the plot forward; adding a richness and dimension to the actions of the characters. The same can be said of the novels by Laura Esquivel and Luis Sepulveda. They have incorporated elements of history, providing multiple layers of meaning and understanding to the text. In Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate, a story of love and war revolves around Tita, the youngest of three sisters. Sepulveda's The Old Man Who Read Love Stories, explores the fragile balance between man and nature along with the agony of lost love. Although Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate and Sepulveda's The Old Man Who Read Love Stories set their stories against the backdrop of history, they are based on different historical conflicts, how they are presented, and their symbolic nature.
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Geeks
- Top Story - June 2022
Magical RealismTop Story - June 2022
Ask any child and they will tell you that magic is real. The imagination of a child is fueled by literature and film vibrant with the supernatural. The fairy tale, often associated with children's literature, is a powerful tool with multiple levels of meaning that help shape the world and our beliefs. Latin American novelists have used the power of magic to shape our world allowing readers to comprehend what is seen in the everyday world. Laura Esquivel's novel, Like Water for Chocolate, and Luis Sepulveda's novel, The Old Man Who Read Love Stories, fall under the genre of magical realism. In Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate, a story of love and war revolves around Tita, the youngest of three sisters. Sepulveda's, The Old Man Who Read Love Stories, explores the fragile balance between man and nature along with the agony of lost love. The magic of Esquivel's world drips like icing on a cake, whereas Sepulveda's novel draws on the supernatural only found in the depths of the Amazonian jungle among the Shuar.
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Geeks
Melville's Humanity
The Sad Case of Bartleby The short story, “Bartleby, The Scrivener” by Herman Melville is incredibly sad when examining the character Bartleby, yet the story has a deeper impact when examining the narrator, as one of the characters. What struck me as most profound was his declaration: “Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance,” a response to Bartleby’s continued refusal to comply (Melville 1166). Bartleby, who seems to be industrious in the beginning transitions towards a slow decline with his verbal refusal: “I would prefer not to,” which happens to turn into an automatic response throughout the rest of the novel (Melville 1164). Just like the characters in this short story, I found myself inclined to use this phrase when my daughter made mention that I needed to do something. She was not amused.
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Geeks
The Allegory
That which represents both itself and something else is allegorical. The relationship between what is perceived as truth and what is real is often weaved so intricately that we are unable to distinguish between the two. What's interesting about allegories is the thread of truth found within the tale that often draws on historical, political, or cultural context. The reader or the observer has to really examine what is presented and determine what is true versus what is real. On the surface, it appears that truth and reality are at opposite ends. Rather, the differences help us to understand meaning beyond actual representations, a glimpse, perhaps, into the metaphysical and spiritual. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville expands Melville’s earlier travel narratives by incorporating spiritual and political allegory. What appears to be internal conflict can best be described as an effort to unravel the truth from reality. This paper examines the complex tapestry of Melville’s novel and how it is manifested in the character Ishmael and in the exploration of “whiteness” introduced in Chapter 42: “The Whiteness of the Whale.”
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Geeks
Origins of Native American Eloquence:
The move from Southern California to West Lafayette, Indiana encouraged curiosity and an appreciation for the land, marked by history. On the banks of the Wabash River, the historical landmark, Fort Ouiatenon stands as a witness to the Native American people who once spread across the American continent. In addition, to this landmark, battlefields, settlements, and Native American burial grounds remind Hoosiers of the history of the state of Indiana. As a youth, the history of the state was taught, adding wonder and beauty to the place that was my home for eight years. It also provided the opportunity to participate as a "settler" at Fort Ouiatenon during the annual Feast of the Hunter’s Moon. However, the education was lacking pertaining to the indigenous peoples who at one time had welcomed settlers from the Old World - only to be driven from their homes; eventually forcing them to live on reservations that lacked resources to maintain their way of life. Even in the midst of their turmoil, legends and religious myths were taught to the younger generations by the elders through oral transmission.
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Humans
Identity:
"Opposing Us, the Self, and Them, the Other, is to choose a criterion that allows humanity to be divided into two groups: one that embodies the norm and whose identity is valued, and another that is defined by its faults, devalued, and susceptible to discrimination.”
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Humans
Farewell and Remember
Looking back I desire to share what I've learned Of winding rivers, upward spiraling trees, Monumental mountains and icy blue streams. I will write it all down, my memories great The silvery scales of rainbow trout, the bear, The Alaskan eagle that sores, and the mouse. Becoming a father, afraid and excited Holding the baby you were, guiding the child So proud of the young woman you are, so proud. I have seen the world, its wonders, and secrets Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock, Egypt's great Nile, Mexico City for three years, and France. I've written it down in the Story of Me. I have time yet, to share what I know and don't I bequeath my old quill, parchment, and black ink. Write what you have learned, the good, the bad, the sweet. I give you my journals, my notes - you must read. Read to your children - remember me and smile. My gift to you has been my love, light, and truth. The love of life, the light of knowledge - pure truth.
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Poets
“No, Eat! No, Grow! Shout!
From “salad days” to “meat walls”, M.T. Anderson serves up a four-course meal that is rich with savory and simply irresistible consumerism and corporate power with a dash of data mining and environmental decay. Feed is set in a near-futuristic dystopian society that is completely immersed in the internet and consumer activities controlled by the Corporations. This four-part novel concludes with the expected bittersweet decadent dessert of death, dying that turns sour upon receipt of the check. Who or what is the “Feed”? An analysis of a singular passage found in part three of this scrumptious novel will answer this question and the questions of who is feeding whom, why, and at what cost?
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Journal
The Light and Dark of Truth
The fairy tale genre has often been associated with childhood and bedtime rituals; with magical images leaping off the page and into the dreams of the sleeping child. "Once Upon a Time" is one of the most famous phrases found in the fairy tale genre and these words uttered aloud conjure up a myriad of images for children and adults alike. Every adult can reflect back on their lives and come up with at least one fairy story in literature or film that was a part of their childhood. Some of these reflections result in fond memories; bringing to life the desire to relive the magic and fantasy found in these beloved tales. Many of these fairy stories began as orated folklore during town or village gatherings, with imagery not well suited to the child. Oscar Wilde, patterned his fairy tales after folklore and that of Hans Christian Anderson; infusing dark imagery and the failings of humankind, as depicted in his publication, The Happy Prince and Other Tales. Contemporary fairy tales specifically written for children, such as The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, contain many of the elements found in traditional fairy tales; adding magic and mystery as well as moral and religious themes. The conscientious literary scholar; contemplating this genre, may conclude that even the modern versions of the fairy tale and contemporary renderings still may be directed to the adult audience. Well-known tellers of fairy stories, such as Tolkien, Lewis, and Wilde have stated in some form or fashion that the fairy story is truly intended for the adult audience; and their reasons are connected and varying at the same time.
By Rebecca A Hyde Gonzales2 years ago in Journal