English Final Voicethread

Link: https://newtrier.ed.voicethread.com/share/12656302

Annotation Reflection

What has been most challenging thus far in your reading of Song of Solomon?

What I have found very challenging is how Toni Morrison doesn’t clearly establish the history or dynamic of the Dead family at the beginning of the novel. Rather, she throws in small pieces of information about the family’s past and assumes that the reader will piece together their dynamic through those small details, as well as how the characters interact around each other. I found this at times difficult to follow because you have to read very closely in order to not miss any important dates or events Morrison may throw in to add to the background of a character. For example, Morrison did this when explaining Pilate’s past and her lifestyle after moving off of her father’s farm.  She mentions abruptly in the middle of a paragraph describing her tendencies and personality that she “... had not shed a tear since Circe had brought her cherry jam for breakfast” (149). While this most defiantly says something about Pilate as a character and can add context for her behavior, Morrison adds no further context as to who Circe is, why she was bringing Pilate jam or why it had made Pilate cry. It is short sentences like this that made understanding Morrison’s characters difficult and the first half of Song of Solomon challenging.

How have you addressed this challenge?

I have addressed this challenge by making sure I reread paragraphs multiple times before moving onto the next passage. I like to make sure I understand something as much as I can before I can continue to avoid further confusion. Annotations has made this easier as well, making going back to look for information I may have forgotten easier to find. While annotating has been difficult for me in the past and felt like it got in the way of my reading, I have found it to be incredibly useful while reading Song of Solomon. It gives me a visual representation of my thought process and there is something very clarifying about seeing my exact thoughts written down next to the text. It makes it much easier to connect my ideas to the passage in front of me and therefore understand what I am reading much better.

My Family History

My family history is unique by the fact that despite being in the United States for four generations, almost all of our ancestry dates back to Ireland on both sides of my family. My family has always strongly identified as Midwestern Irish Catholics. This has been the case every since my great great grandfather immigrated to America in the late 1890s. His story of coming here has become a Connolly family legend. My grandpa has told me that while Ireland was under British colonial rule, my great great grandfather and his family were suffering from starvation. In order to feed his family, he shot a fox, which got him in trouble with the British soldiers that were occupying his town. In order to escape being jailed, he snuck onto a boat heading to America. This story says a lot about our family’s strength, which is also shown through the last name Connolly. The non anglicized version of Connolly is Ó Conghaile, which is old Gaelic meaning ‘as fierce as a wolf.’ Since coming to America, both sides of my family, the Brodericks and the Connollys, were farmers in Iowa and Nebraska, both of which were places where many Irish immigrants came to at the time. Today, my family’s Irish Catholic heritage is still shown thorough Irish prayers that are said at family’s and funerals and can be seen through Gaelic crosses all around our house. In addition, our family has a tradition of recycling many Irish family names and we always get together to make soda bread and corned beef for Saint Patrick’s Day every year.