Jose Rodriguez states that this generic piece of what others claim to be 'cheese' has found its way onto seemingly everything within reach. "Melted, gooey or slice is all the same" speaks upon how diverse this product has become and how easily people associate it. It's like water, frozen, in liquid form, or evaporate, it remains a constant. In other words, it's easily associated as the norm in society. The author pays tribute to what Kraft has done when he states they "melody like a line of marching soldiers." The name Kraft American Cheese does indeed sounds smooth as a group of soldiers would appear when marching. When there is an abundance of a product, the value is typically low and within budget hence Kraft cheese being easily available to the public. The narrator claims to find the smell for unpleasant but desperately wants to love cheese the way the boy in the commercial does. This is media manipulation when they place a young person enjoying a product to reach a certain audience. Of course everyone loves cheese, it's been instilled in our default settings since we were children, they want you hooked at an early age. "Easy like the English language" yes sir, indeed it is. Cheese is so common in grocery basket it's almost like an immediate reaction to grab a block when you pass by it. The author mentions that the plates are "compartmentalized" stating that the food choices of the people are already sectioned off, they are told what they want and I believe this could also mean that other foods cannot reach the level that this product is on, so when sectioned off it could mean that this other food can't touch this product. The mother looks away at what may be an irritating sight to her. The sight of children tossing the nutritional beans and rice yet eating a fake dairy product produce in a factory. Yet the author states "I've learned not to." Or this could mean, this is what society has taught me and this is what I've learned how to go about my ways or this is what I'm going to do to change my life so instead of swallowing my foods, I'm going to slowly ease off but chewing first and taking small bites. "The stairs creak under my weight" which could mean he was possibly overweight or obese as is the growing problem of obesity or maybe the stairs just make a sound. I'm only making an assumption in regards to way I'm viewing this story. As the author sits outside, he hopes the "scent of the bougainvillea...will perfume this American cheese into something I can learn to swallow." Bougainvillea is a type of thorny vine that is drought-friendly or needs very little amounts of nourishment. So when the author uses this plant, it could be representing that the author is maybe trying to make changes in his life and he hopes his previous eating habits won't cause withdraws from his current eating regime. When he says, will perfume this American cheese, it could mean that he wants to mask over what has become a normality in our nation and soon hopes to one day find something he can learn to love that's good for both his taste buds and his body.
From what I was able to gather, I feel that the narrator simply feels that he was of higher rank than his counter-part Joe. He mentions that he never writes about Joe, yet pays tribute to that absence by writing this poem possibly out of pity because of the lack of graditude he failed to display when they went their seperate ways. Joe treated the narrortor like family bringing him into his home (which the narrortor described it as a two-room shack) and feeding him when he had very little to eat at home. That speaks volumes for what Joe has to offer, it's not much but it's everything he gots. Joe was an amazing friend and the narrortor failed to acknowledge that. His sister claimed him to be a faggot because of the way his pants fit him, they were too short and a sign of insignificant funds to spend on properly fitted clothing. The narrator states, "the late afternoon sky suddenly dimmed...How only I noticed." The narrortor felt the immediate resentment from the actions he was about to take which possibly foreshadows why he wrote this essay out of the respect he had left for Joe.
I believe this is a story coming from a young individuals point of view as a run-away slave that has traveled across waters and finally made it to their half-way destination of America and take a sigh of relief. Although they have arrived on these lands they still sleep amongst the rodents and cockroaches. The individual even has nightmares of drowning in a river beening tangled up by mesquite trees. Could this be symbolic? They sleep in hot, humid conditions which awakens this person and catches sight of everyone still exhausted from a difficult voyage that life has taken them through. The narrortor leaves this place to go outside to cooler conditions and happens to catch a calm mist that puts them to sleep wishing for the best to then wake up to the sigh of their mother being right be their side. This tells me as a reader that this individual that is experiencing this has had a difficult past but is making strides by her parents side to a better life. She mentions that "I know this must be home" when she catches her mother by her side because after everything they encountered, she couldn't ask for more.
This poem made me feel quite sad for the narrator. Why he never felt the need to write about or acknowledge this friend of his is a bit awful. I feel like maybe at the time when Joe was doing the things he was for the narrator (the breakfast, helping each other out with the homework) he was appreciative, but once his sister shed that “faggot” light it might’ve changed everything for him. The lines “the late afternoon sky suddenly dimmed, just a little. How only I noticed” was the beginning of the end for that friendship. It’s sad to know that somebodies sexual orientation can do such damage within a blink of an eye and the rest is completely history, even as a child. To me this poem was written not only because “he never wrote about Joe” but also to show a shinned light on the narrator himself.
The poem was very good. At first I was a bit confused mainly because I wasn't focused on reading it the first time. After I read the story for the second time, I understood it. I feel that the narrator had some type of remorse for his friend he never talked about. It was a bit ironic how he said he never writes about his friend Joe, yet he does in the poem. My question for this poem is that why did he stop being friends with Joe, when Joe and his mother were nothing but nice to him. Is it because what his sister said? Through out the poem he says they go their own different paths. He made an excuse of how he was a gifted student and went to a different school, so he stopped talking to him. Yet he could've kept in touched since Joe lived a block down. The whole poem was bitter sweet. I felt though we all gone through this at one point in our life. We all have a friend like "Joe".
On a literal level, the poem is about cheese and all the ways the narrator goes about eating it. On a figurative level, the poem, I feel, represents trying to fit in with American culture as a Hispanic (or other) child. By eating the Kraft American Cheese, the narrator tries to assimilate themselves into American culture where the “beans and rice” are destined to be left over and thrown into the garbage. By copying what the narrator sees on TV and in their day-to-day lives, the narrator hopes to leave their own culture behind and adopt the culture of where they find themselves in; they hope to become the same as everyone else. I mean, with the line “I might vomit and waste more food,” it is obvious that the narrator does not enjoy eating the cheese as much as they do other foods. The reason why they eat the cheese lies on a more psychological level.
From another perspective, the poem could represent the commercialization of the American dream. Kraft American Cheese is seen as the American thing to eat with the “Compartmentalized plates” that all the students are given. It is sold as a neat little package that represents conforming to the standards set and those already in place. The cheese represents equality with its uniform sides, texture, and taste. Going back to what I said earlier, it is what the narrator is trying to subscribe to, just like how everyone else has already done.
Kraft American Cheese by Jose Rodriguez Andrea De Llano
The American Cheese is a metaphor for the American culture, which the narrator is trying to assimilate himself to. The beans and rice, a staple of Mexican food, is undervalued by his classmates in the same way the Spanish language and culture of Hispanics is undervalued. The narrator grapples with his desire to fit in with his peers and his distaste for the American cheese, and thus the American lifestyle, and he is constantly conscious of his mother's culture. When he sees the beans and rice being thrown out and uneaten he pictures his mother's frown, though whether he feels as strongly about it as she does in unclear. He's straddling the two worlds, one foot in each, and juggling them both seems uncomfortable for him. He wants to pick a side, but which is right? Can't he have both? We aren't given an answer.
I really liked this poem, but I feel so sad for his friend Joe. I don't think it was very nice of him to neglect their friendship because of Joe's mannerisms. In the Poem I noticed how Joe and Jose had rapport, how they had history together. Joe was more of a friend to him, than the rest of the people who he kept in contact. Also, his sister's name calling may have played a part as to why Jose kept a distance and touch with Joe. This poem hits home for most of us, how we are in some ways disgusted by someone’s mannerisms that we can't understand so we keep away from that person. After I read the poem I wondered if Joe felt that his childhood friend Jose kept away from him because of his mannerisms. The time frame from this poem may have taken place back in the 80s or 90s where things and homosexuality was viewed and treated differently. But if we think about it, history has repeated itself.
Yesenia Betancourt Kraft American Cheese I really liked this poem. Rodriguez uses Kraft’s American cheese as an example to explain his struggles of fitting in with the American culture. Being that Kraft American cheese is a very popular, very American thing he tries to like the cheese. Even though it gives him a “headache”, he wants “to love it the way the boy in the television loves it, the way the kids at school swallow it without chewing.” This, to me, shows that he desperately wants to fit in with the American culture, no matter how strange and foreign he sees the cheese to be. I see the poem as him saying “If I can learn to like this cheese, then I can learn to become more American and fit in with the American culture.” I find it interesting that something like cheese can be the cause of someone’s struggles of trying to fit in. Though I can see it as Kraft’s American cheese is one of those quintessential American things.
Reading this poem made me feel sad for Joe. He was a good friend to Jose and Jose stopped talking to him from one day to the next. Although Jose had a more privileged life than Joe, that didn't bother Jose because Joe had great character. It makes me sad and mad that Jose stopped talking to Joe because of a comment his sister made about Joe being a faggot. "How at that moment the late afternoon sky suddenly dimmed, just a little. How only I noticed." This symbolizes how at that moment Jose knew the friendship was over. This poem also shows the writers view on homosexuality. Perhaps it took so long for Jose to write about Joe because as he grew older, he realized how valuable his friendship to Jose was despite his sexuality.
Joe, I never write about you. I think the reason the author wrote this poem, is because you is ashamed of his actions. I think he neglects writing about his friend Joe because it reminds him of how awfully he acted. It seems that he shared a close bond with Joe. Joe and his mother even fed him when he didn’t have enough to eat at home. Yet, he decided to end the friendship based off a comment his sister made; a person who knew nothing of Joe’s generosity. I think the poem is a representation of how awful we can sometimes be and just leave people because it is more convenient to do so. Their friendship didn’t have to end because they went to different schools. Their friendship ended because the author wanted no association with Joe.
One aspect of the poem I found interesting is the contrast between the “friends” the author writes about in the first two stanzas. For instance, he claims to either write about friends like Luis from Kindergarten who dropped out of school and “grew up to be a gangbanger,” or friends from the “gifted” middle school he attended whom now “drive nice cars.” Interestingly. there appears to be a sharp divide in his friends’ socioeconomic status before and after middle school.
The author’s friendship with Joe appeared to be genuine, at least prior to his sister’s use of homophobic slurs to describe Joe. The tone throughout the poem is remorseful, and the author acknowledges how unappreciative he was of Joe’s friendship as a child. Even though they lived on the same block, the author’s elevated status into a “gifted school,” coupled with Joe’s sexual orientation, factored in to his decision to sever ties with his childhood friend. He likens this outcome to “the late afternoon sky suddenly dimming,” a metaphor that reflects on the author’s sudden dismissal of Joe’s friendship. Joe was already different due to his lower economic status, but with the addition of his homosexuality, the author’s feelings towards his friend changed, an act that showcases the irrational fear of someone who is “different.”
In all due honesty, I hate Kraft American Cheese. (The cheese itself, of course.) Ever since I was young, I thought it was fake, as it reminded me of plastic; So in the literal sense, I definitely related to the narrator. But this is obviously a poem with a lot more depth. The cheese is used to symbolize the truth of the American culture, in my opinion. “The commercial calls it Kraft American Cheese…” because, otherwise, it could be considered unidentifiable. Of course, it has become super common all over America; this processed cheese that is cheap to produce, therefore easy to get a hold of. This cheese, an American legend, is available everywhere for us to consume, cheaper than any other cheese, so we could continue purchasing it instead. “Melted, gooey, or sliced is all the same.” The cheese is just as repulsive in whatever form it may come, and this especially had me relate. So for the narrator to have this attitude toward the cheese, and still try to swallow it down even if he hates it, represents a longing to fit into this American culture, that seems to be an entire façade. The narrator showcases this emotion by saying “I want to love it like the boy in the television loves it”. As we all know, television is the biggest lie we could believe in, since it’s all an act. But to the narrator, perhaps this is the “American” way, the “right” way. I think the cheese is an analogy to American culture. New ideas and beliefs are being imposed to many, especially in the media, to be the new “it” thing that everyone is trying. Yet, I get the impression that the narrator is obese due to the creaking stairs underneath his weight. This notion seems to me like the kind of brainwash that tends to happen in the media. Even if we can’t understand it, we feel like we have to succumb to it. That’s just my interpretation of this quirky poem.
1979 Chicago Avenue by Jose Rodriguez The way I interpret this poem is like a home away from home to the author. When he states “In lean dreams I swim across the river and hope I don’t drown….” Kind of makes me think this was more a flashback than a dream to the author. I feel like the author didn’t believe he was finally somewhere safe, in a place he could finally call home. He was running away and settling down somewhere strange to him. So I think this is just an interpretation of adjusting to new surroundings and finally finding your safe place.
I really liked the poem Kraft American Cheese because of its subtlety. The cheese symbolizes American commercialism and culture almost literally being shoved down the throats of the consumers. You can hear the resentment in the tone of the narrator. He wants to love the cheese and accept it but it never sits well with him no matter what he's eating it with. He mentions the floor creaking, this is probably due to him being over weight. Obesity is an huge problem in this country but the way he explains it, there's no escape. It's in his food at home and at school. Everyone is enthusiastically eating it up but not him. I really love this poem because it's so clear he wants to enjoy the American culture like everyone around him but he seems to be too aware of how disgusting it really is.
I really enjoyed reading 1979 Chicago Avenue because I felt the emotion in this poem. The narrator talks about the "shack" he lives in among the "rats and cockroaches" he's become so accustomed to and you can get the sense that he does not live in a very nice place and we can assume that maybe his dream "swimming across a river and hope I don't drown tangled up in the mossy mesquite branches" isn't really a dream but a memory. So the narrator has obviously been through some tough situations and yet he seems happy that he is where he is because he has his family and you can tell that he does not take anything for granted.
Gabriela Montfort Joe, I never write about you by Jose Rodriguez
I'll admit that after reading this I might have teared up a little. It made me think about how many times I might have been a Joe or might have treated someone like a Joe. I easily cut ties with people if they say something or act a certain way (never due to their sexuality or race) and many times I don't even tell them why, yet I'm sure it has happened to me as well friends that disappear after moving to another school and I'm just left saying "I once had a friend."
This poem to me was heartfelt it was relatable and it also helped me see how innocent a child can be before we poison them with these preconceived notions of what is normal or what is better. The narrator talks about all the things he did with his friend, how his friend's mom fed him even if they probably didn't have much themselves, and we can all see that there was a true pure friendship between the two boys. Yet as soon as his sister called his friend a faggot the narrator seemed to have a realization (a wrong one perhaps), what exactly crossed his mind to cut ties with Joe we might not know but we can deduce that it was due to him maybe thinking that his friend was no longer normal. And after reading Kraft American Cheese one can say that the idea of fitting in was important to the author at the time. But it might not have just been sexuality, because when you are a kid that is not as important or it is just not something one truly cares about,it might have been just social class and yes we know he isn't well of either. But he did get into a special program at a new school and if we compare his six grade friends who drive nice cars and his kindergarten friend who was in a gang, one can conclude that this period in the narrator's life gave a 180 degree turn and like they say sometimes you leave the little people behind even if they meant a lot to you just so you can grow.
I liked all of Jose Rodriguez's poems that we were assigned to read, but there was one in particular that really touched my heart. The poem seems to be about an illegal immigrant, who is going through the struggles of living in the U.S.A. illegally, and all just to get a good education to live the "American Dream." I didn't know that it only takes a few words to change a person's heart; I will never see illegal immigrants the same again. I wonder if that boy was you...Mr. Rodriguez?
This poem is very interesting. The first thing I liked about it was the title. I felt it revealed rather the topic to be covered rather subtly, yet blatantly.
As I read through, I was surprised at how succinctly he trashed American culture. From the commercials to the way the children love it, it really shows how easily we are influenced by what we see in our entertainment venues. I feel the poem in its entirety really exacerbates this point, and it throws it at your face with gritty, somewhat disturbing detail.
The imagery was in this poem was the clincher for me. The vivid way he described the cheese, and the context in which he used it, really helps drive his points to the reader. It was really well done, and made the poem a lot more enjoyable.
What I liked most, though, was the fact that he used a simple, everyday thing like cheese to convey his thoughts and opinions. It's truly fascinating just how thought-provoking a simple block of cheese can be, and how it can inspire people to speak up about the flaws in our society.
Kraft American Cheese by Jose Rodriguez Linda Ponce
Even though this poem was talking about Kraft American cheese. I feel like the author used the cheese to represent America. He emphasizes how he wants to learn how to make the cheese into something he can swallow. Everyone else loves it but he can't seem to do so. I like the way the author uses Kraft American Cheese as the metaphor for America. Not a lot of people like cheese and the way that television promotes it makes it seem like its the greatest thing in the world. The author gives very good visuals, that I can see how America is not as great as Media makes it seem.
This poem gave great imagery, which I loved. When were young we don't necessarily make decisions for ourselves, now as we grow up we develop different beliefs, likes, and dislikes. In this piece the author seemed to drift away from his friend Joe as a scapegoat from his own internal struggles. He only noticed Joe's mannerisms and appearance when it was pointed out in by his sister and she wouldn't even acknowledge Joe. I could feel the author's confusion when he described his sister's demeanor toward Joe. The poem was extremely heartfelt and the tone throughout definitely helped me visualize the events.
Kraft American Cheese by Jose Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteJose Rodriguez states that this generic piece of what others claim to be 'cheese' has found its way onto seemingly everything within reach. "Melted, gooey or slice is all the same" speaks upon how diverse this product has become and how easily people associate it. It's like water, frozen, in liquid form, or evaporate, it remains a constant. In other words, it's easily associated as the norm in society. The author pays tribute to what Kraft has done when he states they "melody like a line of marching soldiers." The name Kraft American Cheese does indeed sounds smooth as a group of soldiers would appear when marching. When there is an abundance of a product, the value is typically low and within budget hence Kraft cheese being easily available to the public. The narrator claims to find the smell for unpleasant but desperately wants to love cheese the way the boy in the commercial does. This is media manipulation when they place a young person enjoying a product to reach a certain audience. Of course everyone loves cheese, it's been instilled in our default settings since we were children, they want you hooked at an early age. "Easy like the English language" yes sir, indeed it is. Cheese is so common in grocery basket it's almost like an immediate reaction to grab a block when you pass by it. The author mentions that the plates are "compartmentalized" stating that the food choices of the people are already sectioned off, they are told what they want and I believe this could also mean that other foods cannot reach the level that this product is on, so when sectioned off it could mean that this other food can't touch this product. The mother looks away at what may be an irritating sight to her. The sight of children tossing the nutritional beans and rice yet eating a fake dairy product produce in a factory. Yet the author states "I've learned not to." Or this could mean, this is what society has taught me and this is what I've learned how to go about my ways or this is what I'm going to do to change my life so instead of swallowing my foods, I'm going to slowly ease off but chewing first and taking small bites. "The stairs creak under my weight" which could mean he was possibly overweight or obese as is the growing problem of obesity or maybe the stairs just make a sound. I'm only making an assumption in regards to way I'm viewing this story. As the author sits outside, he hopes the "scent of the bougainvillea...will perfume this American cheese into something I can learn to swallow." Bougainvillea is a type of thorny vine that is drought-friendly or needs very little amounts of nourishment. So when the author uses this plant, it could be representing that the author is maybe trying to make changes in his life and he hopes his previous eating habits won't cause withdraws from his current eating regime. When he says, will perfume this American cheese, it could mean that he wants to mask over what has become a normality in our nation and soon hopes to one day find something he can learn to love that's good for both his taste buds and his body.
Joe, I never write about you by Jose Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteFrom what I was able to gather, I feel that the narrator simply feels that he was of higher rank than his counter-part Joe. He mentions that he never writes about Joe, yet pays tribute to that absence by writing this poem possibly out of pity because of the lack of graditude he failed to display when they went their seperate ways. Joe treated the narrortor like family bringing him into his home (which the narrortor described it as a two-room shack) and feeding him when he had very little to eat at home. That speaks volumes for what Joe has to offer, it's not much but it's everything he gots. Joe was an amazing friend and the narrortor failed to acknowledge that. His sister claimed him to be a faggot because of the way his pants fit him, they were too short and a sign of insignificant funds to spend on properly fitted clothing. The narrator states, "the late afternoon sky suddenly dimmed...How only I noticed." The narrortor felt the immediate resentment from the actions he was about to take which possibly foreshadows why he wrote this essay out of the respect he had left for Joe.
1979 Chicago Avenue
ReplyDeleteI believe this is a story coming from a young individuals point of view as a run-away slave that has traveled across waters and finally made it to their half-way destination of America and take a sigh of relief. Although they have arrived on these lands they still sleep amongst the rodents and cockroaches. The individual even has nightmares of drowning in a river beening tangled up by mesquite trees. Could this be symbolic? They sleep in hot, humid conditions which awakens this person and catches sight of everyone still exhausted from a difficult voyage that life has taken them through. The narrortor leaves this place to go outside to cooler conditions and happens to catch a calm mist that puts them to sleep wishing for the best to then wake up to the sigh of their mother being right be their side. This tells me as a reader that this individual that is experiencing this has had a difficult past but is making strides by her parents side to a better life. She mentions that "I know this must be home" when she catches her mother by her side because after everything they encountered, she couldn't ask for more.
Joe, I never write about you
ReplyDeleteThis poem made me feel quite sad for the narrator. Why he never felt the need to write about or acknowledge this friend of his is a bit awful. I feel like maybe at the time when Joe was doing the things he was for the narrator (the breakfast, helping each other out with the homework) he was appreciative, but once his sister shed that “faggot” light it might’ve changed everything for him. The lines “the late afternoon sky suddenly dimmed, just a little. How only I noticed” was the beginning of the end for that friendship. It’s sad to know that somebodies sexual orientation can do such damage within a blink of an eye and the rest is completely history, even as a child. To me this poem was written not only because “he never wrote about Joe” but also to show a shinned light on the narrator himself.
Joe I never write about you
ReplyDeleteBrenda Salinas
The poem was very good. At first I was a bit confused mainly because I wasn't focused on reading it the first time. After I read the story for the second time, I understood it. I feel that the narrator had some type of remorse for his friend he never talked about. It was a bit ironic how he said he never writes about his friend Joe, yet he does in the poem. My question for this poem is that why did he stop being friends with Joe, when Joe and his mother were nothing but nice to him. Is it because what his sister said? Through out the poem he says they go their own different paths. He made an excuse of how he was a gifted student and went to a different school, so he stopped talking to him. Yet he could've kept in touched since Joe lived a block down. The whole poem was bitter sweet. I felt though we all gone through this at one point in our life. We all have a friend like "Joe".
Andres Sanchez 20229480
ReplyDeleteKraft American Cheese by Jose Rodriguez
On a literal level, the poem is about cheese and all the ways the narrator goes about eating it. On a figurative level, the poem, I feel, represents trying to fit in with American culture as a Hispanic (or other) child. By eating the Kraft American Cheese, the narrator tries to assimilate themselves into American culture where the “beans and rice” are destined to be left over and thrown into the garbage. By copying what the narrator sees on TV and in their day-to-day lives, the narrator hopes to leave their own culture behind and adopt the culture of where they find themselves in; they hope to become the same as everyone else. I mean, with the line “I might vomit and waste more food,” it is obvious that the narrator does not enjoy eating the cheese as much as they do other foods. The reason why they eat the cheese lies on a more psychological level.
From another perspective, the poem could represent the commercialization of the American dream. Kraft American Cheese is seen as the American thing to eat with the “Compartmentalized plates” that all the students are given. It is sold as a neat little package that represents conforming to the standards set and those already in place. The cheese represents equality with its uniform sides, texture, and taste. Going back to what I said earlier, it is what the narrator is trying to subscribe to, just like how everyone else has already done.
Kraft American Cheese by Jose Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteAndrea De Llano
The American Cheese is a metaphor for the American culture, which the narrator is trying to assimilate himself to. The beans and rice, a staple of Mexican food, is undervalued by his classmates in the same way the Spanish language and culture of Hispanics is undervalued. The narrator grapples with his desire to fit in with his peers and his distaste for the American cheese, and thus the American lifestyle, and he is constantly conscious of his mother's culture. When he sees the beans and rice being thrown out and uneaten he pictures his mother's frown, though whether he feels as strongly about it as she does in unclear. He's straddling the two worlds, one foot in each, and juggling them both seems uncomfortable for him. He wants to pick a side, but which is right? Can't he have both? We aren't given an answer.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this poem, but I feel so sad for his friend Joe. I don't think it was very nice of him to neglect their friendship because of Joe's mannerisms.
ReplyDeleteIn the Poem I noticed how Joe and Jose had rapport, how they had history together. Joe was more of a friend to him, than the rest of the people who he kept in contact.
Also, his sister's name calling may have played a part as to why Jose kept a distance and touch with Joe.
This poem hits home for most of us, how we are in some ways disgusted by someone’s mannerisms that we can't understand so we keep away from that person. After I read the poem I wondered if Joe felt that his childhood friend Jose kept away from him because of his mannerisms. The time frame from this poem may have taken place back in the 80s or 90s where things and homosexuality was viewed and treated differently. But if we think about it, history has repeated itself.
Yesenia Betancourt
ReplyDeleteKraft American Cheese
I really liked this poem. Rodriguez uses Kraft’s American cheese as an example to explain his struggles of fitting in with the American culture. Being that Kraft American cheese is a very popular, very American thing he tries to like the cheese. Even though it gives him a “headache”, he wants “to love it the way the boy in the television loves it, the way the kids at school swallow it without chewing.” This, to me, shows that he desperately wants to fit in with the American culture, no matter how strange and foreign he sees the cheese to be. I see the poem as him saying “If I can learn to like this cheese, then I can learn to become more American and fit in with the American culture.” I find it interesting that something like cheese can be the cause of someone’s struggles of trying to fit in. Though I can see it as Kraft’s American cheese is one of those quintessential American things.
Joe, I never write about you.
ReplyDeleteReading this poem made me feel sad for Joe. He was a good friend to Jose and Jose stopped talking to him from one day to the next. Although Jose had a more privileged life than Joe, that didn't bother Jose because Joe had great character. It makes me sad and mad that Jose stopped talking to Joe because of a comment his sister made about Joe being a faggot. "How at that moment the late afternoon sky suddenly dimmed, just a little. How only I noticed." This symbolizes how at that moment Jose knew the friendship was over. This poem also shows the writers view on homosexuality. Perhaps it took so long for Jose to write about Joe because as he grew older, he realized how valuable his friendship to Jose was despite his sexuality.
Joe, I never write about you.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason the author wrote this poem, is because you is ashamed of his actions. I think he neglects writing about his friend Joe because it reminds him of how awfully he acted. It seems that he shared a close bond with Joe. Joe and his mother even fed him when he didn’t have enough to eat at home. Yet, he decided to end the friendship based off a comment his sister made; a person who knew nothing of Joe’s generosity. I think the poem is a representation of how awful we can sometimes be and just leave people because it is more convenient to do so. Their friendship didn’t have to end because they went to different schools. Their friendship ended because the author wanted no association with Joe.
Christian Martinez
ReplyDeleteJoe, I never write about you.
One aspect of the poem I found interesting is the contrast between the “friends” the author writes about in the first two stanzas. For instance, he claims to either write about friends like Luis from Kindergarten who dropped out of school and “grew up to be a gangbanger,” or friends from the “gifted” middle school he attended whom now “drive nice cars.” Interestingly. there appears to be a sharp divide in his friends’ socioeconomic status before and after middle school.
The author’s friendship with Joe appeared to be genuine, at least prior to his sister’s use of homophobic slurs to describe Joe. The tone throughout the poem is remorseful, and the author acknowledges how unappreciative he was of Joe’s friendship as a child. Even though they lived on the same block, the author’s elevated status into a “gifted school,” coupled with Joe’s sexual orientation, factored in to his decision to sever ties with his childhood friend. He likens this outcome to “the late afternoon sky suddenly dimming,” a metaphor that reflects on the author’s sudden dismissal of Joe’s friendship. Joe was already different due to his lower economic status, but with the addition of his homosexuality, the author’s feelings towards his friend changed, an act that showcases the irrational fear of someone who is “different.”
Damaris Cantu
ReplyDeleteKraft American Cheese
In all due honesty, I hate Kraft American Cheese. (The cheese itself, of course.) Ever since I was young, I thought it was fake, as it reminded me of plastic; So in the literal sense, I definitely related to the narrator. But this is obviously a poem with a lot more depth. The cheese is used to symbolize the truth of the American culture, in my opinion. “The commercial calls it Kraft American Cheese…” because, otherwise, it could be considered unidentifiable. Of course, it has become super common all over America; this processed cheese that is cheap to produce, therefore easy to get a hold of. This cheese, an American legend, is available everywhere for us to consume, cheaper than any other cheese, so we could continue purchasing it instead. “Melted, gooey, or sliced is all the same.” The cheese is just as repulsive in whatever form it may come, and this especially had me relate. So for the narrator to have this attitude toward the cheese, and still try to swallow it down even if he hates it, represents a longing to fit into this American culture, that seems to be an entire façade. The narrator showcases this emotion by saying “I want to love it like the boy in the television loves it”. As we all know, television is the biggest lie we could believe in, since it’s all an act. But to the narrator, perhaps this is the “American” way, the “right” way. I think the cheese is an analogy to American culture. New ideas and beliefs are being imposed to many, especially in the media, to be the new “it” thing that everyone is trying. Yet, I get the impression that the narrator is obese due to the creaking stairs underneath his weight. This notion seems to me like the kind of brainwash that tends to happen in the media. Even if we can’t understand it, we feel like we have to succumb to it. That’s just my interpretation of this quirky poem.
1979 Chicago Avenue by Jose Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteThe way I interpret this poem is like a home away from home to the author. When he states “In lean dreams I swim across the river and hope I don’t drown….” Kind of makes me think this was more a flashback than a dream to the author. I feel like the author didn’t believe he was finally somewhere safe, in a place he could finally call home. He was running away and settling down somewhere strange to him. So I think this is just an interpretation of adjusting to new surroundings and finally finding your safe place.
I really liked the poem Kraft American Cheese because of its subtlety. The cheese symbolizes American commercialism and culture almost literally being shoved down the throats of the consumers. You can hear the resentment in the tone of the narrator. He wants to love the cheese and accept it but it never sits well with him no matter what he's eating it with. He mentions the floor creaking, this is probably due to him being over weight. Obesity is an huge problem in this country but the way he explains it, there's no escape. It's in his food at home and at school. Everyone is enthusiastically eating it up but not him. I really love this poem because it's so clear he wants to enjoy the American culture like everyone around him but he seems to be too aware of how disgusting it really is.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading 1979 Chicago Avenue because I felt the emotion in this poem. The narrator talks about the "shack" he lives in among the "rats and cockroaches" he's become so accustomed to and you can get the sense that he does not live in a very nice place and we can assume that maybe his dream "swimming across a river and hope I don't drown tangled up in the mossy mesquite branches" isn't really a dream but a memory. So the narrator has obviously been through some tough situations and yet he seems happy that he is where he is because he has his family and you can tell that he does not take anything for granted.
ReplyDeleteGabriela Montfort
ReplyDeleteJoe, I never write about you by Jose Rodriguez
I'll admit that after reading this I might have teared up a little. It made me think about how many times I might have been a Joe or might have treated someone like a Joe. I easily cut ties with people if they say something or act a certain way (never due to their sexuality or race) and many times I don't even tell them why, yet I'm sure it has happened to me as well friends that disappear after moving to another school and I'm just left saying "I once had a friend."
This poem to me was heartfelt it was relatable and it also helped me see how innocent a child can be before we poison them with these preconceived notions of what is normal or what is better. The narrator talks about all the things he did with his friend, how his friend's mom fed him even if they probably didn't have much themselves, and we can all see that there was a true pure friendship between the two boys. Yet as soon as his sister called his friend a faggot the narrator seemed to have a realization (a wrong one perhaps), what exactly crossed his mind to cut ties with Joe we might not know but we can deduce that it was due to him maybe thinking that his friend was no longer normal. And after reading Kraft American Cheese one can say that the idea of fitting in was important to the author at the time. But it might not have just been sexuality, because when you are a kid that is not as important or it is just not something one truly cares about,it might have been just social class and yes we know he isn't well of either. But he did get into a special program at a new school and if we compare his six grade friends who drive nice cars and his kindergarten friend who was in a gang, one can conclude that this period in the narrator's life gave a 180 degree turn and like they say sometimes you leave the little people behind even if they meant a lot to you just so you can grow.
1979 Chicago Avenue
ReplyDeleteI liked all of Jose Rodriguez's poems that we were assigned to read, but there was one in particular that really touched my heart. The poem seems to be about an illegal immigrant, who is going through the struggles of living in the U.S.A. illegally, and all just to get a good education to live the "American Dream." I didn't know that it only takes a few words to change a person's heart; I will never see illegal immigrants the same again. I wonder if that boy was you...Mr. Rodriguez?
Pedro Cano
ReplyDeleteKraft American Cheese by Jose Rodriguez
This poem is very interesting. The first thing I liked about it was the title. I felt it revealed rather the topic to be covered rather subtly, yet blatantly.
As I read through, I was surprised at how succinctly he trashed American culture. From the commercials to the way the children love it, it really shows how easily we are influenced by what we see in our entertainment venues. I feel the poem in its entirety really exacerbates this point, and it throws it at your face with gritty, somewhat disturbing detail.
The imagery was in this poem was the clincher for me. The vivid way he described the cheese, and the context in which he used it, really helps drive his points to the reader. It was really well done, and made the poem a lot more enjoyable.
What I liked most, though, was the fact that he used a simple, everyday thing like cheese to convey his thoughts and opinions. It's truly fascinating just how thought-provoking a simple block of cheese can be, and how it can inspire people to speak up about the flaws in our society.
Kraft American Cheese by Jose Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteLinda Ponce
Even though this poem was talking about Kraft American cheese. I feel like the author used the cheese to represent America. He emphasizes how he wants to learn how to make the cheese into something he can swallow. Everyone else loves it but he can't seem to do so. I like the way the author uses Kraft American Cheese as the metaphor for America. Not a lot of people like cheese and the way that television promotes it makes it seem like its the greatest thing in the world. The author gives very good visuals, that I can see how America is not as great as Media makes it seem.
Joe I never write about you
ReplyDeleteGabriela Canales
This poem gave great imagery, which I loved. When were young we don't necessarily make decisions for ourselves, now as we grow up we develop different beliefs, likes, and dislikes. In this piece the author seemed to drift away from his friend Joe as a scapegoat from his own internal struggles. He only noticed Joe's mannerisms and appearance when it was pointed out in by his sister and she wouldn't even acknowledge Joe. I could feel the author's confusion when he described his sister's demeanor toward Joe. The poem was extremely heartfelt and the tone throughout definitely helped me visualize the events.