Monday, December 01, 2008
What happened after the "Telephone Conversation"?
(Homework for classes 002A & 002B) We analised "Telephone Conversation" in class. It obviously deals with discrimination. Now, use your imagination to produce a short text to say what happened after the conversation. You are free to choose how long lapsed between the end of the conversation and your continuation. Write in the first person (you play the role of the speaker who reports the conversation). Your composition is due by Saturday 6, the latest!
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I was supposed to free my mind Professor and this is what I got... I know I'm getting into a field I'm nothing in (Yes, I'm quite scare if you ask...) but I tried to had fun and this is the result.
Telephone Conversation – Part II
As a cold-cemented tomb, silence I felt.
And as a blink of an eye, fierce fifty years passed.
There were no more suppliant ebonies, a balance finally reached.
And here, after humiliating phone booth conversations
sheltered in my pearl-like sanctuary, technology evolved
a ring bells and I answered the phone.
‘I’M CALLING FOR THE HOUSEKEEPER ANNOUNCE, MADAM’
Sounds spinning in my head, impossible not to recall that end.
‘Housekeeper you said?’ came out in an attempt to hook there.
Hesitation next… ‘Are you white?’ couldn’t help to speared.
‘PARDON ME?’… Silence she must have felt.
But time has changed and could not let her off balance.
‘Nothing dear’ I replied ‘Just old thoughts coming out’
And then relief.
Alejandro, Your text sounds GREAT, but there's a little problem... I don't know what you mean! I guess you do know what you want to say but it doesn't make much sense to me.
Would you please try and make it more approachable for the rest of us, common mortals?
DD
You’re right. It doesn’t have much sense without an explanation. A common point to which we got yesterday when we analyzed and discussed the poem with Prof. Adriana–of course, based on the evidence we could find in the text or the things that we could infer from it– was that the speaker (the African lady) probably suffered the oppression black people went through during the time the poem was written (when black people where in an inferior position in comparison to ‘white’ people), and that she was desperate looking for a place to live. After an ironic conversation with the owner of the place (‘Madam’) which end was kind of abrupt, I got to the following interpretation:
*********
That humiliating conversation was nothing more that the illustration of the degrading situation we, black people, went through many more years. Fortunately, at least 50 years have passed and I am in a pretty different place now. I’m living a life far beyond from pledges, at a 6-room house that used to belong to a thoughtful senior woman that passed away–whom have nothing more than a dark woman like me who looked after her for many year–. Now, I am here while many of those who used to mistreated me back in the past are out there begging for a sheltered. The balance became steady again and after many fights, ‘the dream’ of many was finally reached. However, the nightmare many of us went through is something hard to forget, and those bad memories are triggered by certain situations:
Lost in my thoughts, the telephone rang and I answered a call:
-Yes?- I said.
-I’M CALLING FOR THE HOUSEKEEPER ANNOUNCE, MADAM- The voice of a young lady answered back in the other side, pulling some memories out from very dark corners of my mind where, 50 years before, I was having a phone booth conversation. Somehow that ‘madam’ was digging in my mind and, against my will—probably prejudged by a trauma— conducted the following response:
‘Are you white?’
‘PARDON ME?’ – The lady said and I could felt that astonished tone in her voice. Immediately, I realized that I could not let her go the same awful situation.
-Nothing dear… just old thoughts coming out- I replied.
*********
Ah! Alejandro, that's completely different. You interpreted the speaker was a female subject! It can surely be valid but most people would conclude the speaker is a man: the language is quite assertive, and the reaction more agressive. Not that ladies CAN'T be that harsh (I can tell you a few stories!), but they are not likely to behave like that.
Now... from that perspective, things are come understandable!
Good! Please, keep writing!
DD
Thank you Professor! Actually, the first time I read the poem I got to the conclusion that the speaker was a man, and so did many of my partners. However, when the speaker use the noun 'brunette' when trying to find a word to describe how he or she looked like, I got confused. Even though when such word can be used to refer either to a man or a woman, most of the time it is used to describe female subjects. And since I met very harsh ladies hehe... it was easy for me to imagine a female speaker(Indeed, I pictured some of them when writing this hehe).
Alejandro.
To me it seems that these two gays will never meet again, mostly because the speaker, who appears disappointed about what his former friend has became into, that sounds disagree with his friend's life style and what it means to has it. I think they;ll take different ways a meet again just by chance.
Juan Esqueda.
Hi,teacher. I wasn`t sure what to do due to I did not attend to class that day. So, I'm just finished the dialog and what happend after.
Silence –WELL, I DON`T HAVE TIME…
-Please, madam! – I have some personal reference that you can take a look at..
Her throat cleared after few noiseless seconds. She acepted doubtly..
SEND ME YOUR RESUMÈ WITH A PHOTOGRAPH ON IT AS WELL..
We agreed…
Month later, any aswers were given. I decided to call again.
-Hello! How are you madam?
She aswered me back knowing who she was speaking with.
She excused herself. My document were lost.
-Would you like meet me and talk personally? She denied.
-I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED. She said.
-How can be the double of price? -I can´t afford it! I said.
Satisfaction were sensed in her excuses,
Location, taxes, nationality..
Oh.. nationality? – Race! I thouht.
-How can nationality deal with prices?
THIS IS A LIGHT PEOPLE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ANY OTHER RACE…
-Ahh! Race!! – So, this is about my color skin. I felt so offended.
-I have the same rights as any other person. –I work everyday, pay my taxes, I’m tired of this discriminatory society!!
I DON´T CARE.. hanging up.
After that sad event, many others occured to me and my people. Therefore, we started a “black” movement which spread around the country.
Violence appears and my people’s blood were lost in battle. Now, we’re still fighting and waiting for the moment in which all people can be just one race, Humans…
hello professor, hello everyone here´s my assignment, I hope you all like it. It was hard for me to write these lines but here you have the result.
"Telephone Conversation"
“Madam,” I pleaded, “wouldn´t you rather
See for yourself?” then indignation rose, hatred
Intensified, the receiver held in feeble hands
Waiting to be hung up, Mind blank and body
In stand by waiting for a resolution.
“I knew it” I exploded. “I shouldn’t
Have done it like that, I knew it would be like this,
I knew she wouldn´t understand” passers by
Quickened their pace at this outburst of
Wrath and frustration. “I should have said: yes
I´m brunette!”.
I'M TOTALLY OUT OF MY ELEMENT!!! hope to get at least 1 for effort...
“THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE,” she said assuming a stern tone.
Thoughts going throught my head,
trying to find a way to convince
her and at the same time not to
sound rude, for i knew that would
be the end I said, “Madam, please,
I am sure that if you saw me,
you will not be disappointed.”
Rude silence fell, blood
rushing to my head, indignation
filling my heart.
“I CANNOT ACCEPT PEOPLE LIKE YOU,”
she added. Again trying to control
my emotions, I said, “Please,
madam, I will not let you down,
I have exhausted my resources and
I have nowhere else to go.”
After another horrible moment
of silence she said,
“DO NOT CALL AGAIN, I CANNOT PUT
MY OTHER TENANTS IN THAT
POSITION.” Then she hung up,
leaving me with no other option
but to wander off in the street,
struggling to find another place.
Telephone Conversation
The exchange of words had already ended, a perennial silence took possession of the room, just the busy tone could be heard-I was submerged in a monologue,"Is it possible!","1934!", seventy years later being free from slavery and the same thesis continues reigning in people´s mind. "skin color", "Is it important?" "Does it express how valuable am I?"- While on the other side of the line, hung the telephone. The lady will continue having the same ideological precept. "Is it a neverending story?", "Will it be a damned inheritance which will continue passing from one generation to the other?"- "I am free on the street but I continue been captive in a recondite white room in people´s mind.
I assume that the speaker is a woman, despite the fact that there is not direct evidence of her gender. What I wrote in the following paragraph described what could have happened in the speaker’s mind 1 minute after the listener hang on the phone.
>>>>
The phone is in front of me, I cannot believe what just happened. I pleaded, I begged at the end! Should I have complained? Should I have ordered to be listened? What should I have done?! Keep begging or start to fight? Ah! My head is a mess of impotence, anger and fury in this moment! That stupid lady cannot see beyond her eyes, beyond her limited world! She cannot see beyond the skin that covers our flesh, she just cannot open her eyes and notice that at the end, inside, we all are the same: flesh, blood and bones, nothing else. Why did I plead? I should have shouted at her and raised my voice against that felony! Yes, a felony! She tried to kill my right to exist by asking such a thing: ARE YOU DARK OR VERY LIGHT? That fact really changes something? If I am light I won’t paid my stay? My life will be better if I am lighter? So many questions and regrets because of such silly thing. Because... it is a silly thing, right? I have heard worse things in my life and I have remained silence because I have not power to fight back. Maybe it is better to keep silence again. The phone is just there, I just need to turn my back to it and that will keep the silence and my angry away. But no! Why I cannot just forget this thing if it is nonsense? Because the phone is not at my back, it is in front of me. And as the old proverb says “A flea cannot stop a train, but it can fill with swellings the driver” I know, perhaps arguing is not the answer, but then what about annoying her and making her feel sorry about herself? She deserves it! And that will make me feel better after all... The phone is just right there.
Hi, everyone. Well, after a while writing and deleting everything I wrote, this is what I finally decided to publish. This is the very first time I try to write something like this, so...
Silence again. I waited five long seconds for her answer.
But it was nothing but a brief respite from the previous folly.
Finally, she exhaled with nuisance.
My proposal, my silly proposal seemed to make her reticent.
So I thought “I might not be the first of my kind to apply, if you can call this an application.”
Finally, “You may come”, she said, “I have to hire someone anyway”
And she hung up the phone.
I stood there, totally petrified. Particular combinations of feelings were running through my head.
But above all of them, there was the sensation of a stranger living inside me.
I did not expect this reaction. I did not know what was worst: her words or the natural and absolutely calm reaction in me when by the time I heard her speak.
This is what I came up with.
I turned around and watched carefully what I had around me….
After that, I thought… Why are these people so stupid?
It is that they have not seen the kind of country and environment
In which they live! Now I realized why they are so ignorant…
Ooops... I meant "by the time..." not "when by the time..."
Weizmar Lozada
Telephone conversation
I think the extract that we read in class was really clear because the African person who was in my opinion A LADY based on the fact that reactions like begging and praying is very common from black Ladies more than black Men, may be because ladies carry on many responsibilities such as take care of their babies alone without any man who can help with their duties, and some other resons; black ladies are humble in order to be accepted in the white society. However black men are proud and try to show strength just to be respected.
This black lady at the beginning put a big obstacle telling to the other person by phone that she was African, she tried to do her best looking for a satisfactory answer that aloud her to rent the apartment despite of her racial condition, she fight until the end to get it, but the reaction of the other person on the line was very rude and impolite. Even thought we assume that the African Lady was rejected because she kept begging and suddenly silence was the answer, we have to take into account that silence was the short period of time the other person probably took to think more about the proposal and finally say Yes or No to the black person.
This reading let us build the end according to our costumes, our societies and prejudices, for me the telephone conversation was not over because there was not a concluding answer...
Telephone Conversation
‘I am black and African but still a person’. Uncomfortably in silence ‘ARE YOU REALLY DARK.? ‘Yes I am madam and fortunately I always will be.
Mervis Bolivar
Being my thoughts hindered,
Frustration arose throughout my body.
Not again, I said to myself,
I´m not really fed up of not finding a place
But I´m sick of light skinned-race´s attitude.
The decisive brave redial buttom was pushed,
Hearing the transmisión
`HELLO?´ I already felt humiliated
´Madam…´my voice was hintered again
´ÁNSWERING YOUR FORMER WONDER – EVERY MORNING
THE MIRROR SHOWS ME BRIGHTNESS, PURITY AND CLEANESS
BECAUSE OF MY WHITENESS – AND THAT I WISH TO PRESERVE,
THEREFORE IT ISN´T NECESSARY TO SEE IT FOR MYSELF´
My blood pressure and level of adrenaline increased,
But this time I gently answer:
´Sure that´ll never change, but the change is to be done
in a different place than superficial skin,
it´s to be done in the real internal quality
of brightness, purity, cleaness and humane´.
After Telephone Conversation...
Nothing else I heard.No breathing, no voice. No chance anymore.
Once and again, there was I, homeless and speechless living terrible consequences for something I was not asked to choose: Skin color!
After a few days of street wandering, there was I, being asked to tell the time, and cheking if the one who asked was white.
Telephone conversation...
The speaker is thinking and talking by himself after the conversation...
"About my ears- Madam, I pleaded, wouldn't you rather see for yourself?"
I'm thinking: I have a situation. I am different indeed. I seem not to qualify. I am only left with words to survive. Yet I'm not skillful at using them for my own good. I have to use them very well at the proper time, at the proper place, with the proper person. Words could have given me the opportunity, the change to get there. Words. Words can make my world. Words can change the reality that is in front of my eyes. Words can tell me I'm wrong or that I'm right. Words can encourage me and bring me down. Words go beyond the colors of my most worn oufit. I wish it was an outfit.The only natural one, indeed. If only I could go back on time and make a better use of words, how happy I would be.
Gabriel Garcia.
Telephone conversation...
The speaker is thinking and talking by himself after the conversation...
"About my ears- Madam, I pleaded, wouldn't you rather see for yourself?"
I'm thinking: I have a situation. I am different indeed. I seem not to qualify. I am only left with words to survive. Yet I'm not skillful at using them for my own good. I have to use them very well at the proper time, at the proper place, with the proper person. Words could have given me the opportunity, the chance to get there. Words. Words can make my world. Words can change the reality that is in front of my eyes. Words can tell me I'm wrong or that I'm right. Words can encourage me and bring me down. Words go beyond the colors of my most worn oufit. I wish it was an outfit.The only natural one, indeed. If only I could go back on time and make a better use of words, how happy I would be.
Gabriel García.
Hello Professor...
It´s david. I apologize for being so late.I had terrible trouble this weekend in which my family was concerned.
It was kind of difficult to write something that fairly matched the intention of the author. HOwever, I took into account the date of the poem and some other facts about the author...
Telephone Conversation
Suddenly, as I still tried to convey my anger to this woman, I got back to my senses and found myself again in the same situation, even though many years had happenned after that telephone conversation. The man in front of me was not able to pretend other reaction but rejection towards my presence.
Is there anything wrong?- I Asked
The man -
Oh, I'm so sorry,we ran out of vacancies.
To my great dissapointment,It was the same thing again.
-Old things Never change- I told the man.
I left my mind to ponder and finally got to the conclusion...
There will always be an excuse for us to discriminate.
PS.
I apologize Again!
Professor, i infer that in this poem it was a black woman who wanted the job... and this is my original story...
After that cold and humiliating coversation i felt horrible and upset, i thought "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE THAT THE TIME PASSES BY AND THOSE WHITE PEOPLE STILL TREATING MY RACE WITH DISCRIMIANTION?, HOW COULD THAT WOMAN ASK ME IF I WERE LIGHT OR VERY DARK?, HOW COULDN´T I INSULT HER ABSENT BODY AS SHE DID WITH ME?" THAT´S ABSURD- I SAID. But i just got force, and talked to myself: "FOR YOUR OWN GOOD YOU HAVE TO BE AND ACT LIKE THOSE INSENSITIVE BEASTS AND YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS MINDLESS SITUATION "- I said. While i was reflecting about this mindless conversation the phone rang suddenly and i ran to get it, when i picked up the phone...
YES?- i said.
EXCUSE MADAM, WERE YOU THE WOMAN WHO WAS CALLING FOR THE HOSEKEEPER ANNOUNCEMENT?- she said.
before answering that obvious question i started to remember what she told me and i wouldn´t permit that that beast insult and treat me like that again, now the situation is upside down.
ME? WELL, YES, BUT THE SITUATION IS THAT I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU ARE WHITE OR BLACK.- I said nervously, with my hesitant voice.
It was a quick silence just waiting her answer..
PARDON ME? WELL ACTUALLY I THINK...
i din´t let her to speak so i talked.
I´M SORRY FOR THE QUESTION BUT I THINK YOU ARE JUST WASTING YOUR TIME, I ALREADY GOT ANOTHER JOB!. i couldn´t believe what i did, i feel relieved and proud of myself, even when i needed the job but i know and trust God that i would get one soon.
OH! OK, I WAS JUST CALLING BECAUSE NOONE AGREES WITH THE SCHEDULE AND I REALLY NEED AN EMPLOYEE, BYE.- she said.
i didn´t say anything else and i just said ... BYE! I hope that that woman learn now how to treat black people.
Fifteen years had passed after that discriminating conversation and I still remember it. Now I’m a Nobel Prize-winning thanks to the “madam” and that conversation. I decided to give her a call…
“Good morning, Mackenzie family” - Same tone of voice, but a little bit rough-
“yes, would the madam be in?”
“She is talking” – silence…suddenly I felt a terrible sensation and I remembered every detail of the conversation-
“YES?!”- She replied-
“P-probably you don’t remember me (why am I so nervous?), but thanks to your close mind and to your discriminating point of view against black people, I could go beyond and improve myself studying hard, just to demonstrate to people like you that the skin color really does not matter” – silence… she was still there, I could feel her-
“wait a moment” -she said-
“who is…” –I interrupted her-
“honestly I don’t care if you don’t know me, just wanted to ease pain” –and I did-
“Perhaps you are wondering in what way I could help this person? And the answer is simple, just saying NO to my request of the room fifteen years ago” –I hanged up after that phrase feeling good.
Freddy Ramos A.
Sorry I publish my post kind of late professor, this is what I think happened at the end of the phone conversation.
(immediately after the phone conversation)
I hung up the phone kind of disappointed because of the woman`s reaction.
- why did she end the phone conversation?...was it just because I am brunette?... how can this be that many years after slavery was abolished some people keep disregarding others just because of the color of their skin?.
It is outrageous that I am being discriminated because of that, skin color does not define what kind of person someone is , I bet that there are so many white people out there who are making a lot of damage to others, or even to the whole world and they are not discriminated because of that.
I started walking out the phoneboot, different feelings and thougths crossing my mind, I was feeling confused, sad and angry at the same time. I am just an african student who is looking for a place to stay to keep my studies in this so called land of oportunity that we call America, I am just a peaceful person looking for a better future.
Would that woman allow a white killer to stay in her house just because he`s not dark skinned?.
Well, that was not important now, my priority, is to find a place to stay before the night falls and I find myself lost and alone in a hostile land like this.
Feeling impotent, lonely, sad, angry, lost and desperate I woke up. It was just a nightmare and I was safe in my bedroom liying on my bed feeling completely relieved that it was not real, now I know how black people feel when they are discriminated and it is not good, we have to stop it now.
Hi there you guys.
Most of the things you wrote are quite alright, except perhaps for the fact that most of you -if not all- DECIDED the speaker was a woman. The real problem is not your decision but providing an interpretation without further argument or evidence or support. It's a woman... because! And... that's IT! Some of the mistakes I read seem to derive from misreading, which is a habitual mistake. I hope that by the end of the course you will realise and conclude that reading is a complex process that involves a serious effort and that it definitely is a lot more than just turning letters into sounds! Well... see you in class during this week!
D Duran
Hi there!! Sorry I’m late Professor…I’m late, but I’m here!!
Katyusca C.
Silence. Silenced thoughts and faith
“Madam”, I just whispered. I am still here.
No sounds. No answers.
Am I dark? Or very dark? Yes, Madam. I replied. I am African.
Hopelessly. I’m breathing in.
Broken calm, hanging on. I should see
Laughing on myself. Such a fool. Innocent child
Would it be different? Not really – offended reality
Once again, I breathe. Deeply. Painfully.
Yes, Madam! Proudly. I am dark! I am very dark!
Dark enough to make a difference! Notable.
Fortunately, Madam. Skin color, soul color, spirit color
My heart is wondering –Do I have a color?
Regrettably, my friend. A color people do see. Disappointment.
Still in pain, indignant.
Indomitable willpower. I see you, madam! And I do not see any color
I will not see such a distinction! Convinced, I restate
Throughout time changes will me made and so
harsh mind perceptions will
While I’ll be here, madam. Commitment. We are now and we will be
waiting for being attended
Fairly, I plead now. See for yourself.
I am so sorry madam but I think you do not realize how prejudist you are being. Maybe you do know what you are doing but do not want to acknowledge the fact that all human beings were created equal, that the color of our skin does not matter, because in essence, we are all the same. You may plead cultural and racial superiority now, but times will change and equality will be brought to the table.
Then, only then, you will realize how valuable I am even though you will never accept it nor your subsequent generations for years and years. But it is O.K. God is on my side and I am strong and resilient. You and your people could beat my ancestors down physically and psychologically, but you cannot do that to me or my people, because we are strong after a long time of fights.
Finally, in this way the African man should not insult the woman over the phone, since it would do nothing but perpetuate the stereotype of the Blacks being savages and ignorant as they are incapable of defending themselves through logical reasoning.
I have just arrive from work. I'm Sorry. Here is mine.
Telephone Conversation
Forty years have passed and some things have changed. In spite my color skin I manage to have my own company of real state. Nowadays I may say that I belong to higher social class. At this moment I’m sitting in my office, there are many businesses to deal with and my phone rings. Is a woman…She says that, she has heard about my company and it solid financial base and she would like to sell us her premises. The voice of the lady seems to be familiar to me. I have heard that voice. I listen carefully every she has to say. Suddenly I could realize that I had tried to buy that location long time ago. Oh my dear Lord! The landlady who colors concern that negotiation had canceled. I notice some kind of worry in her voice. She was in bankrupt and mountains of bills she has to pay so was necessary for her to trade. “Please I’m giving you a good prize”, the landlady said… Silence full of memories…MADAM I WARNED, I’M AFRICAN. WEST AFRICAN SEPIA… NOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW IF I’M LIGHT OR VERY DARK? The landlady was dumb with astonishment. WELL I’M LIKE BRUNETTE. MADAM I PLEADED WOULD YOU COME HERE AD SEE FOR YOURSELF? Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap….
Angel Vásquez
After a period of time Malu had managed to book a room, he finally got the residence and settled in. He worked very hard and studied so as to improving his life. After five years, he had became in a notable activist of the human rights, then noboby noticed his color-skin anymore, he had turned into a white person.
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