Short Story Presentation
Transcript: Jewelle L. Gomez was born in 1948 in Boston, Massachusetts. Gomez is an American author, poet, critic and playwright. She was raised by her great-grandmother, Grace, who was born on Indian land in Iowa to an African-American mother and Ioway father. Grace returned to New England before she was fourteen, when her father died and was married to John E. Morandus, a Wampanoag and descendant of Massasoit, the sachem for whom Massachusetts was named. Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s she was shaped socially and politically by the close family ties with her great grandmother, Grace and grandmother Lydia. Their history of independence as well as marginalization in an African-American community are referenced throughout her work. "Grace A." from the collection Don't Explain is an early example. During her high school and college years Gomez was involved with Black political and social movements which is reflected in much of her writing. Subsequent years in New York City she spent in Black theatre including work with the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop and many years as a stage manager for off Broadway productions. A Swimming Lesson is a story that remarks the racism. I choose this story because it caught my attention just with the picture cover. I read it and I was satisfied of having choose that story. Is interesting and surprising, because one of the characters has values that are hard to find in a real person. We can compare her stories with the fact that in almost every story she remarks the racism and the Afro american people. I would recommend it to people who like the stories that talk about racism, and to the people who want justice in the world. I would recommend it to young adults. Comparing Introduction Jewelle L. Gomez has won some awards such as,National Negro Scholarship Service Tuition Award, 1968-71; Ford Foundation fellowship, 1972; Beard's Fund Award for Fiction, 1985; Barbara Deming/Money for Women Fund Award, fiction, 1987; Lambda Literary Awards, Fiction and Science Fiction, 1991; California Arts Council, Artist in Residence, 1994, 1995; Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts, 1997; individual artist commission, San Francisco Arts Commission, 2000. Other stories by Jewelle Gomez are The Lipstick Papers (poetry), Grace Publications, 1980. Flamingoes and Bears (poetry), Grace Publications, 1987. The Gilda Stories (novel), Firebrand Books, 1991. Forty-Three Septembers (essays), Firebrand Books, 1993. Oral Tradition (poetry), Firebrand Books, 1995. Swords of the Rainbow (co-editor), Alyson Publications, 1996. Best Lesbian Erotica (co-editor),Cleis Books, 1997. Don't Explain (fiction), Firebrand Books, 1998. Bones and Ash: A Gilda Story (fiction), Quality Paperback Books, 2001. Jewelle Stories Contrasting The story's theme is that not only racism or self image will be enough for our siblings to feel ashamed of their beloved ones. Slide 1: Presentation Slide 2: Table of Contents Slide 3: Introduction Slide 4: Summary of the story Slide 5: Story's Theme Slide 6: Facts Slide 7: Comparing and Contrasting with other stories Slide 8: Opinion (Conclusion) Slide 9: Recommendation Table of Contents Opinion Facts Theme Summary I reacted in a good way when I finished reading the story. I felt comfortable with the end, things end the way they needed to end. I liked the story, because every word write in it it's true and real, because it is a success based on real life and that makes the reader to read the story with more enthusiasm. A Swimming Lesson 11-1 Ms. Rosario In her stories she use different themes to refer to racism and other similar topics. Opinion Recommendation Compare and Contrast Jewelle Gomez recounts her childhood trips in the late 1950's with her grandmother, Lydia, to a mostly white beach in Revere, Massachusetts. Both were Afro americans women. Jewelle Gomez, at the age of nine, was ultimately thrilled to learn to swim. Ignoring the racial tension at the beach, her grandmother teach her how to swim, modeling self-confidence, athleticism, and fearless love of the sea. By teaching her granddaughter to swim, Lydia also taught her to be proud of her accomplishments, her appearance, and her herritage. Later, Jewelle discovers that her grandmother wasn't that good that good at swimming. She taught that when her grandmother was holdig her in the beach she was actually swimming, but later she understands that she was brushing in the ocean's floor with her feet, keeping them floating. When she realized that she felt disappointed, but quickly she realized what an incredible act of courage for Lydia to pass on to her a skill that that Lydia herself had not quite mastered. She realized that it was not just swimming , it was the ability of standing on any beach and being proud of her large body and her african hair.