In
class, we practiced steps we can take to apply theoretical lenses to a text. We
read Sharon Old’s poem titled “On the Subway” through a number of lenses in
order to select the most relevant and thought-provoking details for analysis.
For this post, I’d like to see you continue the discussion by analyzing a quote
or two through one lens, and commenting on at least two students’ posts.
Quick-Review of the Steps for Applying Theoretical Lenses:
1) Select your lens and then write out the
language of the lens
2) Re-read the poem and find words, phrases,
lines that best match up with the lens language
3) Write about these lines to unlock a deeper
meaning to the poem by connecting the lines to the lens language.
Remember—choose
only one lens! (Lacan’s mirror stage theory, Freud’s memory theory, W.E.B.
DuBois’s double-consciousness theory, Homi Bhabha’s hybridity theory, Judith
Butler’s gender performativity theory).
If
it’s helpful, you can select one of the following sentence starters to begin. There
is no right or wrong way, and these are just a few of a million ways to do it!
The only rule is to avoid simply summarizing the plot.
- Lacan would have much to say
about Sharon Old’s narrator in the poem “On the Subway.”
- A post-colonial reading of
Sharon Old’s “On the Subway” reveals ____________.
- An interesting way to read
Sharon Old’s “On the Subway” is through Homi Bhabha’s hybridity theory.
- A close look at the poem “On
the Subway” through Lacan’s mirror stage theory exposes ____________.
- Sharon Old’s train in “On the
Subway” is a literal representation of ___________.
- Sharon Old’s poem titled “On
the Subway” is about ____________.
BRING
YOUR MEMOIR TO NEXT CLASS!
"On the Subway," by Sharon Olds
ReplyDeleteQuote: “...he looks at my grandmother’s coat, and I don’t know if I am in his power...or if he is in my power, the way I am living off his life...as if I am taking the food from his mouth.”
Analysis: A post-colonial reading of Sharon Old’s “On the Subway” reveals that the man is colonizing the women and the women is being colonized; however, it also portrays that the women is colonizing and the man is being colonized. Hence, race does not play a factor. The black man is able to colonize and so is the white female. They have colonized each other. In this quote, Olds signifies that there is no race superior to another. Both race can be seen superior and inferior at times.
I kind of disagree with this idea because I feel like Sharon is trying to say that at the end, the white lady is more powerful mentally but the black man might be more powerful physically. I don't think the black man is able to really colonize the white lady. Race does play a role because at the end of the poem, Sharon signifies how the white lady has a better life because "how easy this white skin makes [her] life".
Delete^ I also disagree, In my opinion, throughout the poem, she was giving us inside and making it obvious that she is more powerful
DeleteYeah, I agree with them because throughout the poem if you look at it through post colonial lens you can see that she cleary talks about him as someone who is bad. She describes him as being "stronger" and the white women as weak compared to him. But if you look at it through the gender lens you can also say that he is still seen as someone you must be aware of, she says "he has the casual cold look of a migger" and when you here those things you atomatically think of a guy (well I'm speaking for myself) and later on in the poem she mentions how he is black and she's white. So I do think race does play a factor.
Deleteclearly*** automatically*** sorry. once again.
DeleteCorrect me if I'm wrong but I believe you're looking through the wrong lens. Your claim revolves more around gender rather race. Again, I could be wrong.
DeleteI disagree because I thought throughout the poem, race was something that was underscored by the author in order to convey a sense of superiority.
DeleteI disagree with you because the author was saying the black man is physically stronger than white woman, but the white lady is more like the colonizer since she has better economic status.
DeleteI think that you were focusing on gender rather than colonization.
DeleteYou need to distinguish gender and race and also take into account the innuedoes of racial prejudice in the poem
DeleteI completely disagree with what you said. Like many of the other comments, I also think you were referring more to gender as opposed to race, however even so I think you only scratched the surface of the gender implications seen in the poem. When it comes to your analization of race, I think you completely missed the point. In terms of gender, the man has power, and in terms of race, the woman has power. Race plays a huge factor when it comes to this poem. I think you should reread the poem and take some of these other comments into account to consider how flawed your analization was, at least I personally feel it was.
DeleteI don't think it is faultless to say that she completely missed the point. It is important, at times, to remove a lens in order to see others. It is incorrect to say that race does not play a factor, but it is not incorrect to look at the text, and purposefully disregard race in order pursue further analysis of a different aspect of the reading.
DeleteA post-colonial reading of Sharon Old’s “On the Subway” reveals how the black man is seen as the "other" and how he is judged by a complete stranger just based on his looks.
ReplyDelete"And he is black and I am white, and without meaning or trying to I must profit from our history, the way he absorbs the murderous beams of the nation's heart, as black cotton absorbs the heat of the sun and holds it."
The black man is seen as inferior to the white lady because of the history these two races have been through. The lady across the train cart describes how he looks like he has power but at the end of the day, because she is white and he is black, she holds more power than he does. This idea of superiority shows that no matter how "big" and mighty a person might look, their history is more powerful and is enough to be seen as the "other".
In some ways, I understand what you mean. You believe that although the white women sees the black man holding power over her, the white women is the one who really as power. You did a great job picking out a quote and explaining your reasoning.
DeleteI agree with you Tasnim, I do feel like Sharon was trying to make us understand that in those times (maybe still today) the blacks are considered to be the "other". Which I believe to be wrong.
DeleteI agree with what you're stating here. I feel that the author was just trying to explain to us that throughout history and maybe even in todays society, people just assumed that blacks had no worth or were just considered "other."
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"On the Subway" by Sharon Olds
ReplyDelete"...the way he absorbs the murdeous beams of the nations heart, as black cotton absorbs the heat of the sun and holds it."
"and I don't know if I'm under his power- he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life-"
A post-colonial reading of Sharon Old's "On the Subway" reveals how the black man on the subway is considered to be the other, he is also considered to be the bad guy. The lady across the train describes herself as a white person and she states that because of history she will always be the "greatest" while the black man will just be seen as someone unimportant, someone dangerous. Basically, the women is making sterotypical judgements and stating that the white man rules while those that are colored are seen as stealers and unsafe people.
sorry guys... I obviously can't spell. Murderous*** Nation's*** Stereotypical***
DeleteI agree with you because Sharon believes whites have more power and privilege in reality although the black man in the train is stronger than her.
DeleteI think that to a degree, the woman feels bad for the man, since his race has suffered so much at the "hands of the nation."
DeleteI like the parrell you made between 'other' and 'bad' because it shows how our society has made those two synonomous despite that not being nessesarily true.
DeleteQuote: ".. And he is black, and I am white, and without meaning or trying to I must profit from our history, the way he absorbs the murderous beams of the nations Heart..."
ReplyDeleteViewing this from a post colonial perspective, She is telling me that although the black man is looking like a mugger and have scars, he is stronger than her, but although he has strength, he does not have the "privilege" to be white. All together, she is telling ME that whites in america have a better chance of living than blacks
p.s " He is wearing red"
- does she think he's a blood because he is wearing red and looks like a mugger?
I like how you provide two definitions of strength.
Delete"...he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life"
ReplyDelete"And he is black and I am white, and without meaning or trying to I must profit from our history"
A post-colonial reading of Sharon Old's "On the Subway" reveals her prejudice views towards the man on the subway. She distinguishes herself from him by referencing the history between their races and dropping words that create a polar effect, basically labeling him as an other. Also, because he's black she views him as a possible threat to her security, when in reality anyone is capable of such.
I totally agree with this. I think society has installed so many stereotypes in us that we can't help ourselves anymore. It's sad to say that through life I judge people because of what society have installed. I try not to do it but it seems like it is very natural. The man is placed as an "other" especially because of the way she described him then described herself as right after.
Delete"We are stuck on opposite sides of the car.."
ReplyDelete"...no way to know how easy this white skin makes my life..."
A post-colonial reading of Sharon Old's "On the Subway" reveals the black man and the narrator(a white woman), are stuck on opposite sides of life, so each of their lives operate in a completely different manner. The narrator states that because she is white, she is aware that her life may be potentially easier than that of a black male.
Yeah I agree, I think that your first quote could also be about false binary and polarization. They are opposite in their skin color, which is really interesting. She used the word "stuck" because she may feel that because of false binary that there is nothing that they can do to understand and coexist with one another.
DeleteI like your analysis about them being in opposite sides of the cart. I took it as even though they are so far away she still notices him over all other people.
DeleteThis made me notice the obvious metaphor that i was missing. They are sitting at opposite ends of the cart, making assumptions about each other. In life they are also sitting on opposite ends of a social latter. A white woman, is the polar opposite of a black man.
DeleteI am looking through the lens of the mirror theory in "On the Subway" by Sharon Old.
ReplyDeletequote: " No way to know how easy this white skin makes my life, this he could break so easily, the way I think his own back is being broken
What this is saying is that the narrator is viewing herself as a bad person in a way due to her past and what her skin has done in the past. because of the pain her color did to his color, she feels as though one day it will come back to hurt her. it is the mirror effect. he views her differently then how she views herself normally. he is making her think differently. let me know what you guys think. I could be wrong.
I don't really know if the author is really remorseful of her skin or her past. If anything I think she is proud of who she is and all the things that the man more inferior to her.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete" He has or my white eye imagines he has the casual cold look of a mugger, alert under lowered eyelids. He is wearing red, like the inside of the body exposed."
ReplyDeleteFreud's memory theory would say that these descriptions are based on her memories, it was just based on what she remember. And she doesn't have a permanent trace of it. Therefore her descriptions of that black man's looking could be wrong. Also her memories of that man's looking could be affected by post colonial theory, because she might have look down at that man and described him in false details.
I think it scary situations like this one when you don't know what may happen to your life, your memory remains clear. She could've said things that could possibly be made up, but considering how scared she was, I think she remembered correctly.
DeleteI like how you're linking your idea and interpretation of the line you chose to Freud's memory theory. I agree, unless you have photographic memory, you're not going to remember every single detail but as Jessica said, I believe that the white lady's interpretation seems to me that she remembers enough.
DeleteI agree with you when you say that the author in a way looks down at the man,which relates to the idea of being an "other" in the post colonial theory.
Delete"On the Subway" by Sharon Olds (1987)
ReplyDeleteQuote: "He looks at my grandmother's coat, and I don't know if I am in his power- he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life-..."
Theory: As I read this short poem through the Post Colonial lens I could easily understand that the author's mind has been influenced negatively by the society around her. She see's her world through color and is essentially stating that she is the colonizer, the norm, and he is the colonized, the exotic. By continuing to view her world through through this lens, she is spreading false-binary. There is nothing different about two people just because their skin shades are a couple tones darker.
I agree with your point of view. I like how you say that there is nothing different about them because the color of their skin is just darker shades of each other. I also like how you brought up the idea of false-binary.
DeleteI agree. I think her skin color is used as a justification to differentiate herself from him, but that is just a invalid assumption.
DeleteI definitely agree with you! It is evident that the author has been influenced to think in a negative way because of society. The idea of of being different because of your color is really unjustifiable.
DeleteI agree with what you're saying here Victoria. I feel that author has just been taught to assume many things just because of what society is teaching her and that's not good at all. Just because you hold a certain color on your skin, doesn't mean you're considered an exotic person or just different in general!
Delete"On the Subway," by Sharon Olds
ReplyDeleteQuote: "The young man and I face each other... I look at his unknown face, he looks at my grandmother's coat, and I don't know if I am in his power..."
Theory: I looked at this quote through the Mirror Theory. From the beginning the man and woman looked at each other. But their behavior and thoughts changed once they REALLY started looking at each other. Even though Olds didn't mention their movements, when someone is looking at you its natural to shift uncomfortably or do different things that you wouldn't have done normally. Conclusively, I think the author's nervous gaze made her modify her behavior once she realized the man was also staring. Especially since she figured her life was in danger.
I totally agree. I also think that the implications that she imposes from these subtle movements tells something more about her then her "perpetraitor". The prejudice she she shows when she see's this man not only categorizes him as 'other' but it also shows the connotations that can be implied when being categorized in that way.
Delete"He has or my white eye imagines he has the casual cold look of a mugger"
ReplyDeleteSharon Olds "On the Subway" reveals the prejudice present in the white perceptive. She automatically assumes that the black man is a mugger , eliminating the possibility of him being a law abiding citizen.
I don't blame you for picking this line from the poem. It seems to me that this line happens to be the most interesting quote to interpret and critique. I totally agree with you! What is he is just this American citizen that is just abiding and the following the rules and regulations of NYC. Being assumed as a 'mugger' is extremely offensive. I can understand if this man is feeling a bit awkward because this white woman feels as if the being part of the white race has the power of an absolute monarch. She is mistaken!
DeleteI agree with this, I also believe she could be saying this because, at this time period, the way that people viewed minorities were kind of worse in my opinion
DeleteThis quote is super crazy because it's one to say someone looks suspicious, but to call someone straight out a mugger is crazy. She "others" him to an extreme level.
DeletePhrase: "The young man and I face each other." "He has or my white eyes imagine he has the casual cold look of a mugger."
ReplyDeleteTheory: These phrases connect to the ideas and theory of Jacques Lacan in many ways. Lacan would express the thought that as the narrator gazes into the eyes of the young man on the train, she objectifies herself as both a prey and someone superior. She believes that she's a victim as she looks at a man whom she has never seen before nor knows about. Lacan would conclude that with the gazing, a relationship between the woman and the man is made and that relationship is catalyzed by the judgements, historic events, race and inner thoughts. After the relationship is made, she soon starts thinking about possible consequences like the man being able to steal from her and her thinking about the situation in a racial way that sort of degrades the young man.
"On the Subway," by Sharon Olds
ReplyDelete"He has or my white eye imagines he has the casual cold look of a mugger."
--> Out of all the lines in the poem, this one stood out to me the most the reason being is just because the man is black does not give her, the "white lady", to be assuming that he is automatically a mugger because of his skin complexion. Keeping the post-colonial theory in mind, I want to know if others would think the same thing this white woman is thinking? Knowing that this woman has the mindset that the white race is superior than the black race is preposterous in my opinion. This just shows there is still racial inequality in this society. Having the fear of being in a subway with a Black man inside the train is unacceptable. All races should be equal no matter what skin color you belong to.
Yeah I agree with you I think that the author made the connection of a mugger with the man because he is male but her fear escalated even more because he is black.
DeleteI totally agree with you Almas, you can't judge a book by it's cover!
DeleteWhat that lady did is totally immoral and unjust. Racial ≠ does exist in her mind set. Again we are all a shade or Orange!!!
I agree that she does think she is superior due to her skin complexion, and due to his, her immediate reaction was to associate him with a mugger. However, she also recognizes her position in comparison to his. During that time, where racism was far worse than today, she was superior, she didn't just think it. This does not make it ok for her to be racist but I doubt most people would recognize the wrong of the situation as she did. I agree with you Almas but I am also impressed by her self awareness, and although it's not always as direct as it used to be, i certainly agree that there still is racial inequality today.
Delete"On the Subway ," by Sharon Olds
ReplyDeleteQuote: " He has or my white eyes imagines he has the casual cold look of a mugger...."
" he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life- .."
Theory: I am choosing to interpret the quotes in the poem through the gender performative theory. When the author describes the man, she describes him as a savage person that gives off an aura of a mugger. Olds even goes on to talk about how he has big feet and kind of gives off the realization that she's talking about his physical appearance. In comparison to the author, she states that he can take her life, which makes us view her as a fragile person. All of this then relates to the idea of gender binary, more specifically, the bias of how women and men are perceived. In this case the man is allegedly physically stronger while the author comes off kind of as a victim.
Nice interpretation, I agree with you. But why is it that society acts like this…why when, then (according to Olds), are we scared from humans who are taller than us and stronger than us? I believe society plays a role, can't a giant be friendly and even helpful??
Delete"On the Subway" by Sharon Olds
ReplyDeleteQuote: "The young man and I face each other...We are stuck on opposite sides of the car, a couple of molecules stuck in a rod of energy rapidly moving through darkness."
Lacan would have much to say about Sharon Old’s narrator in the poem “On the Subway.” For instance, the narrator uses a lot of language that signifies eye contact with objects, or eye contact with a person's gaze. There is a lot of staring and judgment based on general first impressions. And there is a moment where the narrator objectifies herself as she interprets the man's gaze to her assumption. There also several moments throughout the poem that give a feeling that they are the only two people on the train. This relates to a component in Lacan's theory that suggests a moment of realization that "we exist for one another", even though the narrators grandmother is right next to her.
I agree with everything that you said, specially the part where you said that the author makes it feel like they are the only two people on the train. Lacans theory says that when you know that another person can see you, you become anxious and I feel like that's exactly what happened in the poem. Because the author and the black man made eye contact, she immediately became anxious and thought of all these random things on who he is or what he could do.
Delete" He has or my white eye imagines he has the casual cold look of a mugger, alert under lowered eyelids. He is wearing red, like the inside of the body exposed."
ReplyDeleteLooking at this through a gender theory the reader can notice that the author is feeling inferior to the man because he is a man. When I think of muggers I immediately think if a guy with a creepy voice. The author has analyzed this random black man on the subway so much to the extent that she thinks he is wearing blood because of his red coat. She then compares his clothing To her old fur which I thought was quiet interesting because even though it seems like he is dominant over her and she is the small victim, her fur coat gives her some power as well because she is wearing something that once belonged to an animal, a animal that had to be skinned, inferior people don't have the courage to wear something that daring so her fur coat brings the author some power even though she's a female and in society men are the ones who are seen to be dominant
"He is wearing red, like then inside of the body exposed. I am wearing old fur, the whole skin of an animal taken and used."
ReplyDeleteA post-colonial reading of Sharon Old’s “On the Subway” reveals the racism and slavery embedded within a single moment as two people on a subway acknowledge each other's presence. The author is aware of her environment, and it's influence toward her thoughts and worries as she sits across a black man wearing red, and yet despite of her awareness, this continues to happen as we encounter bias on a daily basis. Her racism has been embedded within her on a subconscious level, something most of us continue to face today, as if it were purposely placed there permanently. This twisted joke can never allow a nation to be ever completely equal. Her fur coat and the red on the man could symbolize so many things; his blood as he was whipped along with his ancestors, brothers, and sisters, and her luxury of simply containing less melanin on the pigmentation of her skin allows her to own a fur coat despite of having to take the subway. This is most likely the indication as to why as she stared into his "unknown face" he looked directly into her fur coat. However, she goes on to mention that she profits from his slavery even if indirectly, she eats the stake as if she were taking it from his own mouth, just like she's wearing the fur that might of been taken from him. He is wearing red like an exposed animal because he had been skinned, his fur was taken to provide for the warmth of those who had enslaved him.
A post colonial reading of "On the Subway" reveals that even though the narrator is physically little compared to the man, she sees herself as the bigger person because of her white skin and that's just how history made her.
ReplyDelete"...he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life"
She clearly says how he's much stronger than him and she wouldn't be able to do a thing if he did attack her. That soon flips over when she brings up her color.
"And he is black and I am white, and without meaning or trying to I must profit from our history"
It's almost as if her whole perception of the time changes because of one little thing. She quickly "others" him by saying how she is white and he isn't. How history shaped her the way she is today and that she must profit from it. While this man is probably just a regular man on the train. By "othering" him she feels a sense of relief almost. She sees this as her opportunity to be above him again since to her she lost it for a brief moment.
Delete"He has or my white eye imagines he has the casual cold look of a mugger"
"And he is black and I am white, and without meaning or trying to I must profit from our history"
The narrator perceives the man in front of her as a threat. The cause of this can be attributed to several factors, some being racism, history, and stigma. I argue that there are two forms of racism: the form that is innate, constructed by the perception of self in relation to the perception of other -- and the form that is based on relationships -- caused by instances were someone of the same race has commented on one that is dissimilar, or were an individual has been shown historical information regarding the other, in support of the comment. This can be separated into two subunits, the primary instance and the secondary instance. The first plows the ground, the second lays the track.
The woman's mind, and all of ours in fact, has been exposed to the first instance, which has solidified and spread via the second instance. For example, her fear of the man, and the way she responds to his gaze, is an example of the primary instance. This, reinforced by an understanding that she is superior due to the history between their races, is an example of the secondary.
Quote: "He looks at my grandmother's coat, and I don't know if I am in his power- he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life-..."
ReplyDeleteA post-colonial reading of Sharon Old’s “On the Subway” reveals the society's perseption of humans and their race. Growing up as a child it is easy to detect that she has been taught to subjugate race and view herself superior to distinct races if not all. It is fair to say that she is the colonizer and the man is the one who is being colonized. It is unjust and immoral to judge someone for their color, we are all a shade of ORANGE! This reminds me of the protagonist in my story Orange is the New
Black, how everyone is jail groups up and they stand strong. Basically, they do not want to have the idea of being subjugated, if they were, from another race, if they may have.
"He looks at my grandmother's coat, and I don't know if I am in his power- he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life-..."
ReplyDeleteThere is an instant prejudice that comes to this woman at this certain place and time. She automatically makes assumptions about a man based on his appearance and her internal categorization of him as 'other'. I think there are a lot of things that come with being 'other' that entails that in certain situations not only are these individuals different, but they can also be dangerous. He is seen as a savage regardless of the person that he actually is, and in this way not only does she fear him but she also sees herself better than him, making him inferior to her regardless of how much "power over her" she thinks he has during that moment.
"On the Subway" by Sharon Olds
ReplyDeleteQuote: "He has or my white eye imagines he has the casual cold look of a mugger..."
There's one reason that I chose this quote and that's because people assume things to fast and that just pisses me off. Not all black people are considered muggers or just bad people in general! There are good black people out there that only look to do good for others and never make trouble that places negative effects on others. There will always be racial inequality in this society and it's just so messed up and I hate to see it happen.
We can definitely see the post colonial theory tie into this quote due to the fact that other people just might not think that if the man is black, he is automatically considered a mugger. There are good hearted people out there that don't assume things like that.
"On the Subway" by Sharon Olds
ReplyDeleteQuote: " He has or my white eyes imagines he has the casual cold look of a mugger....he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life- .."
A post colonial reading of this shows how Sharon is playing into her inner desiers to catigorize this man as a mugger, just becausehe is a black male. She is generalizing how people who look like him are expected to act. Also her own catigorizing into this small, helpless white woman on the train she is playing her self into her own internalized steryotypes.
Do these perceptions of people and ourselves exist in us regardless of how 'woke' we we think we are, or our understanding of these steryotypes as bad.