http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOjKVhPNCMo Illogic-1000 Whispers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKiT8RIvIIc Aesop Rock-Dryspell

The first work that I am going to examine for my early american iPod is a poem by Anne Bradstreet entitled "The Prologue." The reason I chose this first was because of the way she effectively uses metaphors and allusions which I found very interesting. Bradstreet says "I am obnoxious to each carping tongue/Who says my hand a needle better fits" (ll. 25-26). From Wikipedia "An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, people, places, events, literary work, myths, or works of art, either directly or by implication." In my opinion, when Anne speaks of her hand and the needle she is alluding to the fact that men see a womans only art being that of knitting and sewing. The song I used to compare to this quote was "1000 whispers" by Jawhar Glass better known by his stage name illogic. Illogic states "Well I take the root of evil and make tea/Patiently holding hands with anxiousness I can already taste it" (ll. 62-63). I believe that Bradstreet would have this song on her iPod because she knew that she was better than the men of her time who put her down and said she couldn't write beautiful poetry, and she made the best of her situation, just as Illogic does by taking the root of evil and making tea.  To quote a fellow classmate Ann Brady "Bradstreet is witty, and surprisingly open in her early feminism, which must have been shocking to many Puritans of her time, if they were able to discern her hidden messages" (Brady). I like how this quote exhibits how intelligent Bradstreet is and it also shows how her open feminism proves she wouldn't let something so silly as gender get her down.

The second quote from Bradstreet that I am going to examine is also from her poem "The Prologue." This quote greatly exhibits her skill with metaphors. Bradstreet says ""Let Greeks be Greeks, and women what they are" (l. 37). In that one line she says so much about women's position in the culture at that time. The Greeks are considered some of the greatest thinkers of all time, mostly, if not all of whom, were men. Bradstreet uses Greeks as a metaphor for all men in general, as to say let men have their own thoughts and opinions about what they consider to be great art and poetry, and let the women believe what they believe on the subject. The song that I chose to compare to this quote was "Dryspell" by Ian Mathias Bavitz better known by his stage name "Aesop Rock." Aesop says "Did you ever wish the circle was a square so when Landsharks start circling the borders you could just cut 'em off at the corners?" Aesop is using the shark as a metaphor for people closing in on you with their own opinions or judgements. The shark is depicted in old cartoons circling its victims repeatedly in the water, but if it had to go the extra space that a square would provide, the shark wouldn't be able to get you. Aesop Rock uses this as if to say if people would look at you a little bit away so to speak, they wouldn't have those judgements. I believe this song would be on Bradstreet's iPod because it conveys the same message about the unfair judgements that are placed on people based on superficial things. 

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=minus+the+bear+pachuca+sunrise&aq=1&oq=minus+the+bear Minus the Bear-Pachuca Sunrise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBHg2ORzZi8 Minus the Bear-Thanks for the Killer Game of Crisco Twister

The second author I am going to examine is Washington Irving. Washington Irving was a great romantic writer of his era, and I found his story "Rip Van Winkle" particularly interesting. The first quote of Irving's uses great imagery and the Romantic characteristic of "love of nature" (Holman and Harmon). Irving writes "Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day, produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains, and they are regarded by all the good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers" (Irving). Irving's very detailed description of the mountains uses Imagery so well that one can picture that scene to a T. It also clearly shows an almost obsession-like love of nature. The song I am going to compare to this quote is "Pachuca Sunrise" by a band called "Minus the Bear." Jake Snider of Minus the Bear writes "The sand, silvered, carries the moon/On its shoulders/Is it possible to put this night to tune/And move it to you?" (ll.4-7). Snider uses beautiful imagery to paint a picture of a beautiful beach at night, so beautiful in fact that he wishes he could turn it into a song and give it to someone. I believe that this song would be on Irving's iPod because it clearly exhibits the romantic characteristic of "love of nature" (Holman and Harmon). Both Irving and Snider have a passion for nature showcased multiple times in both of their writings. A good point made by a fellow classmate Chase Syverson is irvings use of simile. Chase writes "Not only is the nature theme of Romanticism in these quotes but also Irving uses imagery and simile to liken the mountains wearing "clothes" and "hoods" or the sun rays "like a crown of glory" (Chase). The use of simile was not something that I had picked up on and was happy to expand my knowledge of the story.

The second quote that I am going to examine by Washington Irving is also from his story "Rip Van Winkle" and exhibits the romantic characteristic of "a sympathetic interest in the past" (Holman and Harmon). Irving writes "Rip’s heart died away at hearing of these sad changes in his home and friends, and finding himself thus alone in the world" (Irving). This is the point in the story where Rip realizes he has been gone for years, and it hits him hard that his family and friends are all gone, very clearly showing sympathy for the protagonist and his lost past. The song I am going to compare this quote to is also by Minus the Bear and it is called "Thanks for the Killer Game of Crisco Twister." Snider writes "And it was getting cold/The bay's got stories/that we don't know/and we'll be one of them" (ll.17-20). Snider is talking about a trip he and his friends took, using the cold as a metaphor for an end to things, the way that seasons change. It shows  "a sympathetic interest in the past" (Holman and Harmon) because he believes that this will be one of the times he will miss, and it will be a story to look back on. I believe that this song would be on Irving's iPod because it is very beautiful and would appeal to Irving's love of the past and the great memories that were made while you were there. 

Both of these writers have very different playlists. Bradstreet's playlist with the use of metaphors and allusions, isn't as straight forward as Irving's clear use of imagery and romantic characteristics. Although, I believe that Irving's playlist would be more accessible to people as it plays off of clear images and people can identify with its use of memories that people will remember forever. On the other hand, Bradstreet's playlist with its use of metaphors, is more for the intellectual Avant-garde hip-hop fan. All in all, they are both great writers who listen to really awesome music.