Hi everybody - great class last night. I think everyone is getting the hang of the blog. Just a reminder to save all your postings on your computer and then copy and paste into the blog comments box. Last night we talked about what reflective practice is and how it can be a benefit to personal and professional development. Anyone entering a profession needs to be able to acquire certain "habits of mind" that belong to the profession. A period of apprenticeship is usually required where you learn about moral issues connected to the job, understand how to make professional judgements and work towards best practices. All the while you are discovering how your own personality will mesh with the characteristics of the role you are expected to take on. You will observe "experts" in the field and gradually define your own identity within the profession. Last night we also started our first narrative. It was great to see everyone writing for a sustained period of time. As I mentioned in class, taking notes on what interests you about the readings or discussions might be a good way to discover topics for narratives.
Lastly, we got into groups and discussed Alice Munro's short story, "The Beggar Maid". (The image above is from the cover of her short story collection, Who Do You Thnk You Are?)
For this week's blog, please choose two ideas to write about. You should end up with about two paragraphs. Don't summarize what we've read or discussed but expand on what was said so we continue to learn new things and hear different points of view and interpretations. Linking ideas to your own experiences is also great; just avoid using people's names or identifying specific places. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
As both a past and future teacher, I think taking the time to fully reflect on the day is extremely important. I’ve come to realize that quite often, teaching is about trial and error. What works on one group of students won’t necessarily work on another. Even what worked yesterday isn’t necessarily going to work tomorrow. An inspired lesson plan or activity falls flat and everyone is left wondering what the heck happened. It’s all about the tweaking, which can only happen by reflecting on what worked, what didn’t and the reasons why. (If only politicians and policy makers would do the same thing, we may be in a better state of being.) For example, it once took me over a month to figure out why my student was having a repeated specific meltdown. He couldn’t really speak, so it was a big guessing game. Through reflection and data collection, I finally found a pattern to the outbursts. Eventually through trial and error I realized that he didn’t like early dismissal on Wednesdays because he really liked being at school. As a class we started calling Wed. “pre-Thursday” until we worked through the underlying issue. The outbursts stopped, for that particular issue, and we moved on to the next challenge. The biggest problem is finding the time to really focus on reflection. There never seems to be enough time in the day, or a long enough block of uninterrupted time to really dissect a situation. However, it really is an invaluable process.
ReplyDeleteI had some conflicted feelings about Rose. On the one hand, she seemed like a fish out of water as far as her humble beginnings and trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted out of her life. On the other hand, I felt like she was a horrible person who used the people around her to get what she wanted. She used Patrick to annoy Dr. H, used his status to move up the economic ladder, and was pretty horrible to the poor guy when attempting to break up with him. Rose knew that Patrick was in love with her. He even gave up is dream of being a history teacher and joined the family business that he detested, just to make an honest and honourable life for Rose. To me, there’s a big distinction between growing up poor and growing up with class. You can grow up poor and still treat people with dignity and respect. I don’t think Rose ever figured that out.
In this past week’s class, I found there were some very interesting topics and activities that we covered. I have written narratives in English class before, but never had I written them from a personal viewpoint. I found it a really great exercise, almost therapeutic in a way, because in writing the narrative, you are telling a story about yourself, getting it all out on paper. Writing a narrative really helps you see all the details from a different perspective, and with everything out in the open, down on paper, you can see all your thoughts, organized in a way that represents what you think and feel. I also find narrative to be useful in the expression of thought because you are more likely to write your true thoughts and feelings down on paper, as opposed to if you were speaking about the situation. I think people often feel more at ease writing about something than talking about it, especially in a class room setting. As someone who is aspiring to become a primary school teacher, I think that narratives are a wonderful tool that can be used in the classroom. Although the grades I will likely be teaching are those of children who are just learning how to read and write, I think that having children write personal stories about themselves in a journal, and sharing it with the class is they chose to do so, could be a great way to teach children to express themselves in writing.
ReplyDeleteTo reflect on the story we looked at by Alice Munro, I found that the story really revealed more of itself as we read it a few times, and discussed the nature of the characters and the story. Upon finding out that it was a semi-autobiographical story based on Munro’s experience growing up; the character of Rose becomes even more interesting. What is important to bring away from this story is the moral it has to offer; that you can be whoever you want to be, and that no one can ever tell you otherwise. Now obviously this is an old saying that our mothers have always told us, “sweetie you can be whoever or whatever you want”, but as prospective teachers, it is also our duty to promote this thought in children. A friend of mine recently told me a story about how when he was in grade two, a teacher told him that he would never amount to anything, and that he wasn’t smart. I know that it is hard to believe that anyone would ever speak to a child like this but it is true. From then on my friend told me that he vowed to work as hard as he possibly could, just to prove that woman wrong. I think the moral of the moral of this story is that as educators of the next generation, we really need to ensure that we are promoting positive, strong, and inspiring thought in our students.
The story we read this week “The Beggar Maid” really made me reflect on what defines the self. I found myself asking, how does one develop their self identity? When we are born is our identity already formed or is it a social construct? It often times seems to be that there are two selves: the “self” you perceive yourself to be and the “self” others perceive you to be. The development of one’s self identity is often influenced by others perceptions. In order to fit in one might adjust their self identity to fit the norm. Once a social identity is established (bad girl, athlete, smart kid), it is really difficult to move outside of what people expect. Sometimes it also means suppressing your true identity to fit in.
ReplyDeleteReflecting on my own life I always considered the “self” I perceive myself to be to match the “self” others perceive me to be. Growing up my “self” consisted of Steff the athlete/scholar. It wasn’t until I was injured and could no longer play sports that my self identity shattered. People still saw me as Steff the athlete scholar but my perception of my “self” no longer matched that. I really had to redefine my perception of “self”. This story and blog actually lead me to write my first narrative on redefining the self!
I think as a student now, and as a future teacher, reflective practice is a vital tool. Learning is a lifelong process and to have the ability to reflect on past experiences and to learn from those experiences is key. If we don’t look back and change or repeat things we’ve done well then we cannot expect to move forward.
I really enjoyed reading the story that was chosen for this past week’s class “The Beggar Maid”. It teaches you an important life lesson-“Be true to yourself and always listen to your heart.” I think that Rose is a very smart girl but obviously lost touch with herself when the pressure of money and society took over. I felt really sorry for Rose because she knew that she didn’t really love Patrick but because it was an easy way out she did it anyways. I can’t imagine being with someone for the rest of my life and always having that question running through my head everyday…”What if??
ReplyDeleteShe wasted her time and in the end new that her life could have been so much better if she followed her heart. I think that many people today go through these same issues, being with someone because they feel comfortable and because it’s “easy”, when deep down they are really not sure what they want. When it comes to a lifelong commitment, how can anybody think that money or the way someone else views them is more important than love. Not only did I feel sorry for Rose but I almost felt even sorrier for Patrick. She not only wasted her own time but she also wasted his. Maybe he would have gone on and finished his dream instead of doing what his father always wanted him to do.
Figuring out who you are starts at a young age but I think there is a certain point in one’s life when you really figure out yourself identity and the time is different for everybody. I can think back a number of years ago now and there was a time in my life when I was a bit unsure of whom I was. I wasn’t really happy and I wanted to do something different and exciting so I decided to go travelling. It was such an amazing experience and when I got home, I can’t really find the words to explain it but I was a different person. I found out things about myself that I never knew before, who I was and what I wanted. I guess it was a big turning point in my life.
I think that important issues will be brought up throughout the stories that we will read this semester, and it is great that we have an opportunity to give our personal opinions in the narratives that we will be doing and also this blog. I like how we have a choice to talk about personal topics which I think will be challenging but also fun.
One of the ideas that was stuck in my mind after the class is the idea of how people see us from their own perspectives. I think taking advice from friends and family can lead to better understanding of ourselves. Although their opinions might not be always correct, one should still listen to these opinions and think about them. By doing this, one will be able to identify what others feel about his or her own action and reconsider about it to see rather or not this is the impression that he or she wants to give to others. However, the action of taking advices from classmates and friends might lead to the problem of peer pressure. Since these types of opinions might give students a feeling that what they are doing are incorrect and they must follow what the other students in school are doing to become part of norm in school. Canada is a multi-cultural society; there are a lot of differences amount students. As a future teacher that is going to be teaching in a multi cultural society, we must be aware of the differences in students. It is impossible to tell the students to totally ignore what students around them are saying or doing; however, we should always remind them that there is nothing wrong of being themselves and they should be proud of who they are.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading and discussing about the story of the “Beggar Maid”, I felt that the experience that Rose gone through was hard; however, she was able to gain a lot of knowledge from her experiences. This also led me to realize how important narrative writing is in the process of learning. In the story, I dislike the character of Rose, because I felt that it was all her fault that she ended up where she is. This was because her lack of knowledge of her self-identity and she ended up hurting the feelings of herself and Patrick. In the beginning of the story, Rose was unsure about what she wanted or who is she, therefore, she just listened to others or Patrick. I felt that at that time, she should have already thought about what she really wanted and realized the problem of class differences before accepted Patrick’s ring. It was all Rose’s fault Patrick ended up disliking her. I felt that Rose should have fully considered many factors before going back to Patrick and marry him. However, clearly she did not do that, or else they would not end up getting divorce. Therefore, I think that one should not just other’s advice and blindly follow it, because in the end, one will end up losing the knowledge of who he or she really is.
I am impressed by how a short story can influence our minds; lead us to reflect on our experiences; and even introduce new perspectives. Alice Munro's short story, "The Beggar Maid" definitely did all of the above. I especially enjoyed the ending of the story because it mystified the main character’s future by changing the way she thinks. From the beginning of the story, Rose struggles in finding her true identity. Not only that, but she also finds difficulty in accepting what is already in front of her. I have some personal opinions regarding Rose. I believe that Rose is an ambitious girl. She has dreams to fulfil, yet is afraid to sacrifice. She knows she is a smart student, she knows what her dreams are, she sees herself under the spotlight, she also thinks she will deserve the best, she knows Patrick loves her, but she also lacks confidence in being able to sustain Patrick’s weakness. She is afraid of losing her dreams and self identity of who she really is and where she is from, once she is stuck with Patrick in her married life. Yet, she is also afraid of losing the existing popularity and opportunity of being with a rich man. She enjoys the feeling of being loved and getting all the attention and does not want to sacrifice this chance.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, she chooses to fulfil her dream, career-wise, but such choice may be made at the wrong time. She is now rich and famous, but she is not happy because she becomes lonely and lacks love. Although she has gotten everything she wanted, she has nobody to share it with. This story teaches us to not take things for granted and be honest about who we really are even under peer pressure. Things may become worse if we try to force ourselves to be like someone else. We should not fake who we are, not only because it is unfair to others and to ourselves, but it is also psychologically unhealthy.
After thinking more about the ending of the story, my mind has been circling around one question: could Rose possibly be another “Dr.Henshaw”, especially after her experience of losing love but gaining fame in her career? This is a question where all of us can think about using our imagination.
Is Rose successful because she accepted opportunity? Would she have been happier if she had remained invisible throughout her life?
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to consider that knowing ourselves is not really a simple thing. Hindsight, or a view from the outside in, is not how we are able to see of ourselves in the moment. There are so many factors challenging and pulling our perspectives in many directions at a given time in our lives. How can we be confident that we are seeing ourselves through a pure unfiltered lens? That being said, I think that we can know when we are in the wrong. There can be choices we make in life that condition/predispose us to continue to make similarly poor choices.
I think Rose was set up to fail herself. She had so much to gain, and perhaps, only an undeveloped sense of identity to lose when she was young and learning about Patrick. How often we all take the easy way out. Her misfortune was to choose power over other people rather than to listen to the power of her self-identity. That is a poor choice. She may not have known what the best choice to make was, but she must have known that her choice to stay with Patrick was the wrong choice made for the wrong types of reasons.
I had never been given an opportunity to write narratives during class time before and I found that this changed my perspective on the activity. I had been looking at the narrative assignment as a rather stressful task to be completed at some point before the end of the year. And, as a student for accustomed to writing analytical essays about stories and poems, I was panicking about my ability to write about personal experiences. Being given class time to write really took the stress out of the situation and gave me an opportunity to reflect on what I really wanted to write about and what meant something to me. It made it less like homework and more like a break from classroom routine. I can see myself using this activity in the future to get kids to communicate about themselves and think seriously about themselves.
ReplyDeleteI was annoyed by the character of Rose in this story. Not because she made mistakes, but because she was selfish when she thought she was being nice. Throughout the story, we watch her mould herself into whatever she thinks the people around her want. The breakdown with her husband seems inevitable because she was never the person she pretended to be with him and even in the moments when she showed herself to him, he became uncomfortable. It wasn’t until the very end of the story, when Rose comes face to face wit Patrick again and realises how much he hates her, that she comes to understand how deeply her actions have hurt others. She might have thought that she was giving in but she was only setting her relationships up for failure.
I think that reflective practice is a great way to learn and grow both professionally and personally. I believe that narratives are a great way to reflect on our experiences, and aid us in our learning process. When the concept of narrative writing was introduced in the first class I found that I was confused about both the process and the expectations. However, I think that last week’s introduction into narrative writing provided me with a greater understanding and allowed me to find a starting point for my first narrative. I can’t remember the last time that I was given an opportunity in class to reflect on my thoughts and experiences. At first I found it slightly challenging because I think I tend to shy away from things that I am unfamiliar or uncomfortable with, and due to that I found that I had trouble getting started. Therefore, I decided that instead of just trying to write a story right away I was going to brainstorm various experiences that I have had in my life. I found that this process allowed me to begin recalling various professional and personal experiences. I feel that in doing this first I began to feel more comfortable with the idea of writing narratives. I think that narrative writing is a great way to express thoughts and ideas that we may not always be comfortable verbalizing, and it also forces us to take time to reflect, which can enhance our learning experience.
ReplyDeleteIn Alice Munro’s story “The Beggar Maid” I found that I both loved and hated the character of Rose. I found that I sympathized with Rose at first because I think she was lost and confused and was looking to fit in. I feel trying to find our place in this world is something that we all struggle with. I feel that Rose was conflicted with what she truly wanted in life because she had other people telling her who she should be and what she should do. Patrick loved Rose, but only the Rose that he thought she was, he ignored her background and her feelings to make her the person that he wanted her to be. I think that Dr. H also did the same to Rose. I believe that she realized that Rose was smart, but she never took the time to help her explore who she was and what she was capable of becoming; therefore, leaving Rose very confused. I think that Rose made a lot of bad decisions in her life, and I don’t believe that she truly realized the extent of those bad decisions until the end of the story when she saw Patrick at the airport. I think when Rose saw the hate and contempt in Patrick’s eyes she finally realized that the decisions that she made in life affected not only her but Patrick too.
This class is awesome!
ReplyDeleteThe short story “The Beggar Maid” introduced many different problems people go through in their life time. Identity development, identity confusion, and going against feelings to abide the norms and values of current society are some problems that Rose encounters. It becomes easy to be empathetic and sympathize with the character Rose. The development of a self identity is often manipulated and distorted by the time period and people around. As time changes, so do certain perspectives. The character Rose goes through her early years in confusion but atlas with using reflective practice she is able to determine what she wants for her life and head towards her goal. Rose was finally able to reject the others opinions (ie: Patrick or Dr.Henshawe) and really think for herself. Reflective practices are not restricted specifically to education. There are many times in which people can use reflective practices. In this case, Rose reflected on her life and determined what was working and what was not. Through the reflection Rose was able to make the changes that she felt necessary to improve her life.
ReplyDeleteI too often use reflective practice in determining how to teach certain things better. It is through reflective practice that I understood not all children learn the same way. Some students may be a visual learning and some students may do better with hands on learning. It is through discussing and reflecting on what works and what does not work that improvements can be made. I often like to say to the children I work with, “so what did you learn from this?” Through discussing what they learned they are able to use their past experiences to help solve their current problems.
After reading "The Beggar Maid", I pitied Rose and was frustrated with her judgement. Although it is understandable that she looks for guidance from the people around her, I questioned why she continued to listen to others around her when she clearly knew that she did not want to be with Patrick. I pitied her because it seemed like she was a tool that everyone took advantage of by boosting their own ego through her presence. She was frustrating because she never thought twice about her actions or about how they would affect the people around her. Although Patrick didn't treat Rose to the kindest extent throughout their relationship, she would have saved herself and Patrick a significant amount of grief if she would have rejected his date in the first place. Also, I felt like she never fully realized how her decisions affect the ones around her as it appeared as if she was ready to tap Patrick on the shoulder as she once did, perhaps continuing their relationship.
ReplyDeleteWhen preparing our narrative short stories in class this week, I found myself in a writers block with few ideas circulating about what to write about and how to start off. Writing a self perspective narrative was harder said than done. I found that I had to examine the experiences that I have been through and which ones were meaningful to me. Once I began writing, the words came easily but I still felt like I could have come up with a better experience and with better content. I feel that I need to become more comfortable writing narratives and with writing based on personal experience.
I think that a considerable chunk of “The Beggar Maid” focuses on the idea of self-sabotage. Rose seems to want to destroy her relationship with Patrick, and does so again and again, which eventually leads to their permanent separation. I believe that Rose has this mental picture of what encompasses happiness, but is in fact unsure of what it really is, and is frightened by the idea that someone might want to share it with her. Because of this, I conclude that Rose never wanted to get married, not even just to Patrick, but any man in general. I believe that she was simply seduced by the idea of being loved and admired, but it is not something she actually wanted. It seems from the beginning that she was entranced by the idea of having her own career, but there were just too many obstacles she had to cope with to reach this final objective. She used self-sabotage as a means to attaining her goals and eventually demolish her previous vision of happiness to do what she genuinely wanted to do in the end.
ReplyDeleteIdentity is ever changing, and because of this, its definition becomes problematic. Does identity result from who we make ourselves to be, or is it the product of what we are made into? I think that Rose’s identity is something that is shaped by the conditioning of people around her. She encounters people and experiences throughout “The Beggar Maid”, that do not affect her life just at that given moment, instead these individuals and situations affect her in the period of the days to come. I think one of her greatest influences has to be Dr.Henshawe. Dr.Henshawe apparently does not have a family, and she seems to represent what a woman with a strong will and ambition can achieve, even if she does push Rose rather hard. She is obviously aware of Rose’s intelligence, but does not really bother to truly understand her. Nevertheless, I believe that Dr.Henshawe has a great influence on Rose, as Rose also ends up ambitious yet eventually, also alone. I think that Rose’s identity is directly shaped by those that surround her, which is something that I can relate directly to. It is by reading a story like “The Beggar Maid” that I became more aware of my personal reflective thinking, and looked back on particular experiences that I could connect with the story and characters. There are so many people in my life that have influenced it to a great degree, but this is not something I realized right away. For example, I did not recognize it at first, but it was my fifth grade teacher’s immense love for her profession that made me want to become an educator. Also, I’ve only just recently discovered that I would like to one day publish stories of my own, which is an idea that has been made possible by the encouragement of my friends. I think that sometimes we are not aware of how a certain person or situation affects us, until what can possibly span from months to even years after, and also how this eventually shapes our identity.
This week we discussed about the article of The Beggar Maid by Alice Munro. I really like the story and I think the author really did a good job of portraying in depth personalities of people. The idea of self-development and identity issues interest me alot. Each choice we make in our life may lead us to different directions. Eventhough I have all the guidelines from books, parents, teachers, and friends, it is still hard to be honest about myself in difficult situations and choices. The identity issue is a big problem when I first immigrated to Canada in the year of 1999. I soon discovered that it is very difficult to be both Chinese and a Canadian at the same time. Even now i still feel like I have a split personality from both cultures. In class i decided to write on this topic for my first journal. It is an interesting topic in which i hope to explore on the idea of multiculturalism in Canada and how it affects me and my life.
ReplyDeleteI also find it very true on the fact that writting things down will help us to retain 80% of the information. For example, whenever I study for an exam I always write down the notes in summary to help me memorize and understand the materails faster. Writting things down is a really powerful way to focus my attention, keep track of my life, and create a permanent record for the future. One important reason I write things down because I think writing shows that I am serious. This is just like writing down a promise which shows that I intend to honor it. I remember that my elementary teacher made us write down what we want our life to be like in ten years of time. It reminded me to focus and keep myself on track. I think writting is sure one of the most important practices to be a reflective practitioner.
After reading “The Beggar Maid” by Alice Munro, I was quite surprised how other people in our lives can influence how we think and behave. This made me realize that certain decision making may be difficult at times, but we should choose what is best for us. My view on the main character of this short story, Rose, is that she is a very needy person and she needs support and guidance to lead her through the way. On Rose’s point of view, I understand that she finally decides to marry Patrick because she doesn’t want to miss this great opportunity that is put right before her eyes. If she marries a wealthy man, this can result in a better lifestyle in the future and can finally overcome the struggles in life. But on the other hand, is she being “true” to herself for marrying someone that she doesn’t love? Is it worth it? I’m glad that in the end she finally decides to have a divorce and eventually did what she wanted. She finally realizes her own “self” and to pursue her dreams in being an actress and becoming famous. Throughout the story, I thought that Rose was very selfish. I understand that people learn from their own mistakes, but we should also take the blame for the things we did.
ReplyDeleteAfter writing narratives during class, I realized that the key to narrative writing is all from our personal experiences and how we interpret them to our writing. This task actually made me reflect on myself and realizing who I really am. It actually took me some time before I thought of what to write. But once I started to write, more ideas began to build up. Narrative writing allowed me to express my thoughts and feelings. For me, it’s a good stress reliever! I feel quite comfortable writing about my own experiences. This reminded me of my elementary years when we we’re assigned to write journal entries.
When we were asked in the first class what it meant to be a reflective practioner, I did not fully understand the depth of the concept. As we learnt at the beginning of the second class, the idea of self development and establishing one’s identity were emphasized as important steps to understanding one’s life. I feel that sometimes it can be difficult to look back on the struggles and triumphs of our lives with critical insight; and the use of fiction can help to develop those necessary skills. With the short story, “The Beggar Maid”, we were able to examine Rose’s growth with a more subjective point of view. Within the group I worked with, we did not all hold the same views as to how Rose’s small town background might have affected how she saw herself and how the limitations of a small town could have played a role in her struggle to assert herself. Through the different perspectives discussed in our group, our own ideas as a reflective practioner were challenged. Personally, I felt I was doing a good job of seeing Rose in a subjective light, but the others in my group reminded me that other opinions are always possible. I am eager to continue to hear how others perceive the texts read and learn to become more open to other possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThe most important realization by Rose in “The Beggar Maid” was that she needed to learn how to be herself and not the self that others wanted her to be. This lesson learned by Rose at the end of the text was the easiest part of the story for me to relate to. As I began to go through the school system, I felt that I lost the part of myself that knew how to be independent of the judgement others placed on me. In the same way that Patrick saw Rose as his object to save and protect from her less fortunate world, people in my life seemed to only see me for my outside appearance. I felt that although Rose and I lived in different times, we both went through a process of becoming separated from others views of ourselves. In the same way that Rose accepted and adapted to the image pushed on her by Patrick and Dr. Henshaw, I began to act in the way others expected of me. The awareness gained by Rose at the end of the short story invaluably saved her life; Rose would not have achieved the goals she aspired to at the beginning of the story under the artificial image given to her by Dr. Henshaw and Patrick. Furthermore, I believe that the confidence I acquired when I decided to stop following the path others saw me on has allowed me to finally become the person I am today.
During last weeks class we were given the opportunity to start writing our narratives, however I found this task to be more challenging than I expected. I had a difficult time starting the narrative because I had no clue where to start, and am not used to having the freedom this style of writing allows. There were just so many different directions that a narrative could go I found it hard to pick a topic and run with it. So instead of writing one in particular I took the time to think of multiple ideas on which I may want to later expand and reflect. It’s rare for a writing assignment to be based on ones own thoughts and experiences as opposed to research assignments and that is one thing I am most looking forward to for this assignment. Although I had some troubles starting my narrative I look forward to the weeks ahead and the writing that will come with them.
ReplyDeleteIn Alice Munro’s story “The Beggar Maid,” touches on quite a few issues that many people experience throughout their life time such as identity problems and finding a sense of self. I think this is an important issue because I know I myself went through this faze as a teen trying to figure out who you are, and not succumbing to others ideas of who you should be. Sometimes it can be difficult to even know what you yourself wants, likes, or wants to aspire to when there are so many people such as parents, friends, and teachers offering up advice and opinions. In the story this is seen when Dr.Henshaw often forces her own opinions into Rose’s life by telling her what to read, giving her a job at the library, and encouraging her not to date. I can relate to Rose because when I was still in high school I didn’t know what I wanted to study in University and my parents kept pressuring me to go into medicine, but I knew that wasn’t what I wanted. After much persistence and persuasion they let me do my own thing and I ended up taking general studies to find what appealed to me. The goal is to stay true to yourself and do things for you not for others.
A major theme of this week’s story The Beggar Maid revolved around being honest with one’s self in terms of emotions, partners, and society as a whole. Applying a theme as evocative as this to reflective practice can definitely conjure up some powerful past personal experiences. For myself, the encounter Rose experienced with Patrick at the airport immediately brought to mind my own recent encounter with an ex-partner. Rose’s description of Patrick as he turned to face her, “He made a face at her. It was a truly hateful, savagely warning face; infantile, self-indulgent, yet calculated; it was a timed explosion of disgust and loathing. It was hard to believe. But she saw it.” (Munro, 1978. Pg 129), brought vivid images to my mind of a similarly resentful glare and even more appalling words I received from my ex after just saying hello in a nightclub a few months after a supposedly friendly separation. In that moment, just as Rose felt, I was overcome with a greatly confused notion of wondering why the hell I deserved such an evil approach and was left in shock. After some reflection, however, reasons begin to emerge as to what created such anger. Firstly, I had to accept that I was in a position to be comfortable with approaching my ex, especially since it was my decision for the separation to occur, and I did not consider how emotionally wounded the other side was. As Rose felt, I almost was justifying to myself that no one could possibly view me as an enemy, or hate me so much, especially when I only had good intentions. But, the term “good” is always stated from a certain point of view, and may not be shared by others, especially in situations like this. Secondly, I had to accept that I was part of the blame for the failed relationship too. Like Rose, I had after two years been staying in an unhealthy relationship because I simply didn’t want it to end. I didn’t necessarily love my partner anymore, but the attention and devotion I received was something that I selfishly craved and I did not want to lose this person as a friend if a split were to happen. In retrospect, however, this did so much more harm in the end, and the damage definitely was evident in the glare I received half a year later in the club. Unlike Rose, I do not curb the blame back onto the other. I am fully aware that I caused this individual severe pain. I am also aware, however, of what I have learned from the entire relationship, have forgiven and apologized for my wrong doings, and have moved forward. I just need to learn that emotional healing is a process that is different for everyone, just as Rose needs to realize.
ReplyDeleteI thought we had a great class last week. Firstly, the narrative writing brought back some great memories from the past. There were many ideas that came to mind when I began to write, but the one that stood out most was my first day at SFU, all the way up to present. I thought that I had too many examples to write down at one point. In this assignment, I got a greater understanding of how I have changed personally as a student over the years. I remember in high school my marks would generally be an average letter grade, and usually I would be very proud that I had just passed. However, when I entered College and at present University, the school work became much more of a challenge as I had expected. Here, I realized that I had to input more effort in reading chapters, and taking down better notes. It was very challenging in my first year, but as the years went on I basically plugged into the system, and my marks began to get much better. After all, now that I am at SFU, I have to make the most of it and began to achieve and look towards a great career in the future. As for future narrative writing assignments, I look forward to them because it is very similar to writing freestyles for music/songs, which I enjoy as well.
ReplyDeleteIn Alice Munro’s, “The Beggar Maid”, the focal point which I took out from it was the impact on how people can influence someone. Throughout the story, Rose’s life decisions are generally in someone else’s hand. In the beginning of the story Dr.Henshawe is a great influence to Rose, because she is the one who takes her home and expects that Rose follows her standards on life. Later, we see that Patrick is an influence, even though she wanted to break up with him, she still gets married to him. However, there are many factors that may have contributed to her decisions, such as growing up in a small town, and not brought up in a wealthy family. Overall, I think Rose’s life experiences can relate directly to any post-secondary student. In University, we always change decisions on what we want to major in, as well change jobs routinely. Many of these decisions are truly based on what others say, no matter it be the job market in the future or just opinions from others. However, I believe that everyone should start thinking for themselves and do what they want, and try not to get influenced by their peers. I think many of us fear what others will say about us all the time, but the reality is that we should not care , because they do not know what makes us happy. Therefore, I believe that self-confidence in our self will prevent confusion and stress from taking over our lives, and influence from others telling us what is right.
Self development is a fundamental but difficult idea to accomplish. Many outside sources can affect you in a negative way and stunt one’s self development. I think it happens to everyone - peer pressure or pressure from parents. It took time to become the person I am today.
ReplyDeleteAlice Munro’s short story entitled The Beggar Maid was somewhat of a sad story to me. I did not really like either main characters, Rose or Patrick. Their struggle and lack of healthy communication was frustrating being simply the outside reader. I feel that every new person in Rose’s life at university treated her like a project which they needed to fix and set right. Patrick was unquestionably in love with Rose but he still was trying to “fix” or “save” her from her poor background. He did not like her vulgar language, family and her accent. He reference Rose to a painting of a beggar maid and a rich man who saved the poor beggar maid. This demonstrates how he wants to save Rose from her poor background. But what if Rose does not need to be saved? Through it all Rose does achieve her dream job, but I think she could have got to the same place in the future –it might have been a harder or bumpier ride, but she did not need to be saved. (Nor do I think she really wanted to be saved, despite her desperate choice to go back to Patrick and get married) Dr. Henshawe seemed to be uninterested in Rose’s interests and her ability to make her own choices. Rose was told which books would be beneficial for her by Dr. Henshawe even though Rose was interested in other authors and to stay away from boys and parties, to focus on schoolwork because Rose was a scholar. There was no communication between Rose and Dr. Henshawe; this lack of communication and Rose’s lack of expressing her feelings is also evident between Rose and Patrick. When Rose decides to marry Patrick it feels like she gives up and takes the safe, easy way out. She knows it will be hard for her to get a job and finish school, and she knows Patrick will provide opportunities, money and love for her. At the end when Patrick makes that disgusted and enraged facial expression at Rose, she is shocked and I think this is important because it makes her realize she is not so innocent and blameless in her and Patrick’s history together. He had genuine feelings for Rose and of course he is angry at her because she married him even though she did not have genuine feelings for him. The realization Rose comes to at the end of the story is important for her further development as a person because it allows her to see that she was wrong to blame everything on Patrick and that she was to blame as well.
During last weeks class we discussed and started writing narratives. In addition, we examined the idea of being a reflective practitioner. At first I found these concepts difficult to grasp. For example, when we first started writing I found it very tough to formulate ideas or know exactly what I was supposed to write. From my university experience I am use to writing essays with a clear structure in mind. Where I have a topic and I am required to conduct research in order to write a paper. As a result, this form of writing really takes me out of my norm and challenges me to reflect and better understand my own experiences. Although this type of writing takes me slightly out of my comfort zone I enjoyed the time in class we had to write. After struggling for a bit to come up with a topic I was able to think of some ideas and begin writing. Even for the short period of time we had in class I found it helpful to write my experiences down. I find that I am a very structured and formal person regarding writing so I really enjoyed being able to write freely and not worry about my spelling or my structure. Taking the time to write allowed me to gain a new perspective about the experience I was writing about. I found it interesting that I was able to examine the event differently since it occurs over 4 years ago. Over this time period I have thought and talked about this experience many times but writing it down and being able to look over it allowed me to gain a new insight. As a future teacher I believe that the ability to reflect on your experiences in class is extremely important. Throughout ones career there are going to be plenty of times where we are unsure, frustrated etc. therefore, writing and reflecting on theses experiences will help us think of new ways to improve the situation.
ReplyDeleteDuring last weeks class we also discussed the short story “The Beggar Maid”. What I found interesting in the short story was how easily Rose let Patrick change her identity. Right from the beginning of the story Patrick contains this control. For example, Rose was nervous when Patrick was around her friends and she was not able to defend her friend’s actions to him. What Patrick does not realize is that Rose enjoys spending time with Nancy and going shopping. Rose shares common interests with Nancy but conceals these facts from Patrick. Instead, she put up a front and tries to behave the way that Patrick would want. I found this interesting because it is a common occurrence in life. Almost everyone has had an experience were they have change their identity because of another person or has know a friend who has not behaved like themselves. This is where it is helpful to reflect on your experiences so you can learn to stand up for yourself. Being able to reflect is very important because a friend telling you what is best is not always helpful. We often have to experience situations and learn for ourselves.
After reading “The Beggar maid” I could not help but think about perception, more specifically others perceptions of us, and how much it can influence who we are, what we become, and how we act. I believe that Rose’s character gives an inside look of how these perceptions influence us. Throughout the story Rose continuously questions herself and molds herself into what people say she is. For example when Rose describes the clothes she is wearing she says, “The material was limp, she should have spent more and bought the heavier weight. She thought now that the jacket was not properly cut either, though it had looked alright at home”. This is only a small instance in which Rose questions her own judgments, when rose had asked the dress maker to tighten the dress she responded with, “you wouldn’t want your b.t.m to show, now would you? And rose hadn’t wanted to say she didn’t care”. Rose is unable to speak up on her behalf or believe in herself and the decisions she makes she becomes devoured with others opinions and questions hers. This is exactly what happens with Patrick. Rose becomes what Patrick sees her as, timid, lovely, poor and fragile. She begins to repress her own thoughts and becomes more and more what Patrick wants. For example, when Patrick remarks to Rose “I suppose I don’t seem very manly”. Rose wants to say, “Well no, No you don’t”, but she cannot, she almost ignores responding to him. On another note Rose also does not tell Patrick about her father truthfully, making him out to be someone that Patrick would like. Rose does not only act like this with Patrick but with all those that are in her life, Dr. Henshawe and Flo. With Dr. Henshawe Rose is that scholarship girl that Dr. Henshawe sees her as, when she breaks of the engagement with Patrick she does not tell Dr. Henshawe but tells her instead that she will not be seeing Patrick during the exams. This is what Dr. Henshawe wants to hear and Rose delivers but it is not what Rose wants to say, it seems Rose feels she has an obligation to those around her to be that person they see her as. The complexity of Rose’s relationship with herself becomes clear when Rose and Patrick visit Flo. During this visit Rose remarks that, “She didn’t have any way that she could talk and sound natural. With Patrick there she couldn’t slip back into an accent closer to Flo’s, Billy Popes and Hanratty’s”. Here is an example of how Rose herself does not know who she is any more she is faced to chose a character, either she is Patrick’s, Rose or Flo’s, Rose. She is unable to decide which Rose she wants to be. I thought this was a significant place in the story where Roses character is really put on the spot. It reflects how much others perceptions of us effect us, although Rose is an extreme case of these effects, they are effects that maybe all of us as individuals face but not at such an extreme level.
ReplyDeleteI thought this point in the text was a great reflection on the unit we are currently working with “Self- Development” and it’s a great spot in the story that triggers these thoughts of self- development and what contributes to our self- development. Within context to this story how much does others perception of us contribute to our self- development. This is the point in the story where I started to think about this. Reflecting on the notion of others perceptions, I can see how it plays a role in our self-development and in some peoples more then others, and I also think with Roses character that these perceptions influenced Rose in an unconscious way. Looking at it in this light it might be safe to say that others perceptions mold us unconsciously and if we take time to notice who is around us and who we are when we are around them can help our self- development and self- understanding be true to who we are and not what those around us see us as.
What can I say about Rose? (Insert scream here) As a character she frustrated me to no end. I wanted her to develop and change but I found her to be so incredibly static. She does admit, almost in passing, that she can see why Patrick would be angry with her at the end, but she doesn’t sound too convincing. She is a character who settles for what she thinks is best, not for what makes her happy.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that she frustrates me so much because she reminds me so much of myself. Or not so much as myself but of who I used to be. I kept waiting for her to stop settling and finally go for what she wanted. I was hoping it was coming when she finally blew up at Patrick. Just as I did though, she blew up, vented her frustrations, and then did absolutely nothing about it. She worried that she had it as good as it was going to get and she decided to settle.
I can understand that a position of money, and all the new power and respect that came out of it could be very tempting, but it was not just Patrick who seemed to be influencing her. She seemed to go along with whatever everyone else said, she did not really act as her own person throughout the story. Like I said I see a lot of my past self in Rose. I was so unsure of myself going into university that I clung to a man who was confident to the point of being cocky. He, outwardly at least, seemed to have all the answers looked down on those who didn’t. I’m not sure that Rose ever did really truly love Patrick, and so when she went back to him it wasn’t because she loved him it was because she needed him, just like I felt that I continually needed my Patrick in my life. Not necessarily because I loved him, but I became dependant on him. So really my frustrations are as much geared towards myself as they are towards Rose. It is obvious through this thought process why I have so much distain for Patrick, I have met “Patrick,” I was married to “Patrick” and eventually I left “Patrick” and I am never looking back!
On a completely different strain, let’s talk narratives. The first narrative was difficult for me. I began to write, got into it, finished writing, and then realized that most of the class was still writing, and writing, and writing. I’m not sure at this point if I had been too brief, or if I had just written very quickly. I suppose I am frustrated with the lack of guidelines. I am so used to length requirements, particular topics, and just plain old rules! Maybe some feedback on general lengths would be good, on the other hand it may end up just suppressing some of our ideas and thoughts.
After reading “The Beggar Maid” and discussing it in class, one of the questions that arose really stuck out for me. It was the question of whether Rose went back to Patrick after they broke up the first time because she actually loved him or because she just wanted the security and status he would be able to provide her with. I think that maybe it was for a completely different reason altogether, not because she loved him or because she wanted the life he could provide (at least not in that moment when she made the decision), but maybe because the cloud that seemed to surround her opinion of him had lifted. She was able to see him in a completely different light and admired him as a person because she was no longer possessed by him. She was free to see how he had acted honourably without feeling obligated to think he was honourable. Everyone else always said so many good things about Patrick and, as he was her boyfriend, she was almost required to agree despite how she might actually feel. It seemed like even though she might truly agree sometimes, she was more inclined to want to rebel against that feeling so she wouldn’t feel controlled. She saw how he respected her decision to end the relationship without trying to change her mind or make her pity him. Perhaps this was the first time she felt that he respected something about her and wasn’t trying to change it. I think that the reason Rose went back to Patrick may have just been that she wanted him because she no longer had him. Once she did have him back, all of these good things she noticed about him seemed to go out the window for her, she no longer admired his actions nor did she feel ashamed about how she acted with him.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of writing narratives and sharing them with someone else is a bit alarming to me. Personal narrative writing seems a bit like journal writing, and the topics I want to write about or the feelings I associate with them aren’t necessarily things I feel comfortable sharing with the class. At the same time, making connections between issues we might discuss and our own life experiences seems like a great way to reach a better understanding about certain topics as well as about ourselves. So I look forward to learning in this way and hope I grow to feel more comfortable with sharing my thoughts and feelings.
Alice Munro’s story “The Beggar Maid” seriously aggravated me the entire time I was reading it. I didn’t find even one of the characters in any way a very admirable or even likable person. This story did not make me focus on Rose’s growth or her journey in discovering who she was and what she wanted, but instead made me focus on her suggestibility. Rose was constantly taking the easy way out. She would do whatever anyone else told her to do and constantly believed that others knew her better than she knew herself. I realize that this does in fact all relate back to being unaware of who she is and what she wants. But the sheer volume of events and the amount of the story devoted to explaining all of her justifications and rationalizations for doing what she was told and becoming what other people wanted, made me lose sight of looking at her development as a person and instead pay attention to just how much it pissed me off that she was so easily affected by what other people thought and expected. Part of this is probably because a friend of mine struggled with a similar situation for years and is still dealing with the consequences of it. Her whole life was spent trying to find a way to please everyone around her. She wasn’t able to simply say this is who I am, deal with it or leave. If nothing else it would have given her confidence and the respect of others, instead she experienced huge internal conflict and struggled throughout high school with inappropriate uses of alcohol and eventually developed an eating disorder. She is starting to recover from it but will possibly suffer health issues for the rest of her life as a result. I think that perhaps my anger at Rose’s character is a reflection of my anger at my own inability to help my friend.
ReplyDeleteAs for the narratives I did not enjoy writing them. I always have a hard time remembering events that could be appropriate for such things, and it doesn’t hurt that I have been lucky enough to have lived a very good life without any grand personal tragedies or huge conflicts of character to deal with. There is also the risk that these narratives are going to be read by other individuals and there are certain things that you simply do not want strangers knowing about you, regardless of how personal the writing is supposed to be, there are some lines it is simply uncomfortable and inappropriate to expect to be crossed. I also find it difficult to complete assignments that are as open-ended as this one seems to be. I understand a teacher’s difficulty in coming up with requirements for assignments. There is a fine line between stifling creativity through too much restriction and leaving things so open that you end up with thirty people who are all over the place. Ultimately I think that the narratives may end up being the part of this course that I have the greatest trouble with, and I am not looking forward to them.
Upon re-reading last week’s reading and discussing our ideas and thoughts with each other in class I realized that the notion of love is a very complicated thing. At first I thought Patrick loved Rose unconditionally but as I re-read the passage I realized that he did not. He did not accept her past and wanted her to change and abandon it. Furthermore, she did not love him unconditionally either. I guess that’s the funny thing about love two people need to love each other unconditionally otherwise it is not true love.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading “The Beggar Maid” last week, I have come to ponder some things about the character Rose. Since I have read that book and more time goes by, there has been a creation of great sympathy for her. It seems that her life has been totally ruined from the inability to stand up for herself and make the right decisions. She was a victim of society and the way I see it, Rose was told how to life her life. She was told who she is and was not given a chance to identify herself as her actual true self. Throughout the book, it seems that identity plays a major theme and the author illustrates how hard it can be sometimes to find out who you really are. I think Rose did know deep inside what she wanted in life, however her personality did not help her to overcome the demands from society. She seemed to be a very passive person. It seems that Patrick entered her life and simply took over it. He created a vision of Rose and wanted her to mold into that, and Rose was not able to stop that from happening. Her coming from a poor family made her feel like she was inferior to everyone else and that she had to climb a ladder to be on the same level as Patrick.
ReplyDeleteAs we have started writing narratives in class last week, I realized that even little incidents in life that we don’t really pay attention to can have a huge contribution into creating who we have become today. We live life and don’t take the time to pause and reflect on your personal experience and learning. At first I found it difficult to think of an idea for writing narratives and I thought any topic is too vague. However, I’ve learnt that we need to appreciate the little things that have made us who we are. By writing narratives I think I will have a better understanding of my past life and how I can make better decisions for the future. Also reading the stories that have been assigned to us in class can be of great help if we think of the moral and apply it to our own lives. From the story “ The Beggar Maid”, I have learnt that it is important to stand up for yourself and what you believe in, especially when you are young as that can have a huge impact on your future. We should try to be as true to ourselves as much as possible.
Having experienced reflective practice for a year I’ve really grown to feel how strongly it can become a part of who you are. So much so that one feels detached without the ability to literally reflect upon events of life. So much can be expanded upon, gleened, developed futher, or creatively transformed upon serious reflection. Narrative practice only further develops a sense of the self as one finds they unlock feelings and emotions that they could otherwise not express in such a literal manner. Finding ones own outlet for such expression helps me in my own development of self meaning and understanding. This then reflects upon everything around me. Thoughts, emotions, interactions, all take on a new thoughtful purpose of reflective insight. A fuller experience of life follows careful development of the self, and only through reflective practice can one practice self development in a productive manner.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to “The Begger Maid” I found that I was frustrated through the reading. Finding each character lacking in a personal sense. Their outward expression of their self was a harsh reminder at how we are all judged based upon our outward appearance, mannerisms, and actions. The hallow feeling I got from the story helped me reflect upon my own portrayal of myself. Maintaining that conscious feeling that eyes are always watching helps to solidify a true portrayal of the self in which we want other to see, be it our true self, or a guarded shield based on the situation. Regarless being aware of one’s external perception allows one a better understanding of the self. Like looking onto a mirror constanly seeing the external you. A strange cyclical reflective process.
I will relate my reading of “The Beggar Maid” to elements of my own self-discovery. Rose showed an aptitude for adapting, changing and also passively giving in to the wishes of others. I identify with her struggles. Rose was a project in the eyes of Dr. Henshawe and Patrick. I, too, experienced this need to be fixed. As a child I experienced a stuttering problem that affected my self-esteem; I vividly recall moments of horrid embarrassment as I stammered in front of classmates. While I heeded remedial instruction to improve my condition, I reflect on how I adapted independently. Accolades in athletics offered a distraction from my verbal inadequacies. I became the best runner, thrower and hitter, which led to acceptance from the boys whose respect I desperately sought. I was welcomed. Only now, that I am in post-secondary studies, do I feel more confident in speaking to large groups of people, not fearing that I will begin stuttering. I have learned to speak slower and even stop when I begin to feel that I will be unable to easily express a thought I want to put into speech. This lifelong process of self-discovery has led to my desire to help children who experience learning disabilities; it is why I have chosen to complete a Learning Disabilities minor in my Education degree.
ReplyDeleteLike Rose, I have experienced speed bumps in the development of self-identity. She battles with questions of whether she can settle with becoming the extrinsically spoiled wife of Patrick or must achieve intrinsic fulfillment by pursuing her dreams in the performing arts or foreign correspondence. Internal questioning about who one is to be in adulthood is something I experienced after senior matriculation. I found myself in a relationship with a girl whose family members were all involved in policing. I felt coerced to gain employment in law enforcement to gain their acceptance. This led to my decision to resign from my employment as a caseworker for people with disabilities – work which held real fulfillment for me. Only after ending the relationship did I again pursue my initial goals. I left the Sheriff Department in Alberta and commenced Education studies. I found, like Rose, that doing what our internal self tells us we should do can involve complexities and challenges.
Rose is in a unique part of life. I can relate to Roses’ situation because as I am also entering young adult hood. I believe that at first glance, everyone reads another person’s personality based on their looks and stereotypes. For some people like my self, this makes us self-conscious of how others perceive us. Like how Dr. H and Patrick assumed Rose’s personality at first glance.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feeling towards Rose. Being in her position as a first year university student, I can see why she refrains from disagreeing with other’s view of her to avoid argument. When I arrived in a new environment the first thing I wanted was acceptance. To avoid arguments, I refrain from any disagreement upon first meeting someone. With that being said, I still stand up for my self and what I believe in.
4) When faced with conflict, we either accept and adept or change. How is this for Rose???
I think Rose sets herself up for this identity crisis she went through. When there was conflict she accepted, adopted and completely changed herself for the benefit of others. For not having any past theatrical experiences, I think Rose played quite the character. With all the attention she was given, it was like a fairy tale come true. She got everything she thought she wanted. (Thought, being the key word) Being treated as a project of both Patrick and Dr. H, I think that Rose was literally letting them mold her personality and her past. This made-up mold was defiantly not who Rose really was. Perhaps this was the only way she knew of to gain acceptance. Because of how easily she was socially accepted by Dr. H and Patrick for who she wasn’t, she didn’t bother telling them the truth.
By allowing herself to be treated in such a manner she aloud herself to go through an identity crisis. She did a complete 360 degree change in her personality. I think Rose began realize who she really was when Patrick refuses to accept that Rose lived like other lower class people. Then her lies caught up with her conscience. Resulting in a breakdown.
5) What do you think Rose learns about herself at the end of the story?
At the end of the story Rose seems relatively content with her career choice and admired by fans. She realized that by being herself she was able to obtain her dream goal. With that intense moment shared by both Rose and Patrick in the airport, I believe that Rose stops completely blaming Patrick for their failed marriage. She learns that not everyone will like her but she can still be adored by just being herself. If she were to have been herself from the very beginning, she could have easily obtained her goals sooner.
I believe life is what you make of it. This short story reminded me that being true and honest to yourself is extremely important. It is important because lies catch up to you one way or another. Goals can still be obtain whether or not you are accepted by one group of people. If someone does not like for who you are, it is not worth trying to be friends with him or her.