1. Angelou fills the readers expectations about a graduation by describing usual graduation occurrences; such as a speaker, walking down an isle, the end of finals, and a speaker. She differs from standard expectations by describing such as the lack of students going to high school and the importance placed on this achievement, the references to god and prayer made in the ceremony, and the stress laid on race.
Angelou portrays the atmosphere leading up to graduation in much the same way as it would occur in other places and schools – a general feeling of excitement that she pinpoints as “graduation epidemic” (¶ 1). The graduates seem to feel “on top of the world,” as Angelou recalls her own sentiments: “I had outdistanced unpleasant sensations by miles. I was headed for the freedom of open fields” (¶ 9). As for the morning of the actual event, Angelou remembers, “I hoped the memory of that morning would never leave me” and “I looked like a sunbeam” (¶ 20, 25). All of these positive feelings that contributed to the excited atmosphere preceding the graduation would be expected in a typical situation of this sort. However, this atmosphere is crushed during the graduation ceremony when Edward Donleavy, an obviously racist white man, gives the commencement speech. Implying that the black students graduating will not go on to achieve anything greater than athletic success (academic success seems unthinkable), Donleavy effectively obliterates the hope that Angelou and her classmates have fostered in the weeks leading up to the occasion: “The man’s dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium... The proud graduating class of 1940 had dropped their heads” (¶ 42). Angelou shares the host of negative thoughts she begins to experience: “It was awful to be a Negro and have no control over my life. It was brutal to be young and already trained to sit quietly and listen to the charges brought against my color with no chance of defense” (¶ 47). In yet another emotional turn, the hopeful atmosphere is restored to the auditorium when student Henry Reed goes up to speak, but begins to sing the “Negro national anthem,” a song with such empowering phrases as “Felt in the days when hope unborn, had died. / Yet with a steady beat / Have not our weary feet / Come to the place for which our fathers sighed” (¶ 55-56). The entire group of people unites in singing, and Angelou’s positive feelings toward the future are effectively returned to her. She states at the conclusion, “We were on top again,” going on to praise the power of the words of “Black known and unknown poets” (¶ 61-62). What distinguishes this particular graduation ceremony from others is the set of emotional turns it takes. Graduation ceremonies are often positive and celebratory all throughout, not with a lapse of hope for the future occurring right in the middle. The poignancy of the events of the graduation speaks to a greater audience in that it is not just about graduation, but about the potential of the new generation of an entire race.
1)Angelou fulfills the expectations of the reader by talking about how excited she is and everybody else is; by showing just how important graduation is. She continually talks about how everybody is looking forward to graduation and all their preparations. How everybody pitches in to help except for the graduating class which suddenly feels like they're above everybody else. She starts everything off nicely, describing her clothing and what she gave and what she got and then she, out of nowhere, writes about how the white people came and ruined everything, making people feel bad. The fact that she builds up everybody's expectations makes the arrival of the men all the more horrible. She uses elements of excitement for summer and what's to come makes it so people can relate to her and the situation--until the men come and ruin the graduation a bit.
Angelou cleverly utilizes graduation as a way of bring back fond memories that most everyone has had in their lifetime, and then completely distances her personal graduation from those of others. She describes her dress, the present she receives from Bailey, an Edgar Allen Poe collection of poetry, the Sunday breakfast Momma made even though it was Friday, and how Bailey readily volunteered to do all of her chores. In describing this in between paragraphs 20-24, she is creating this picture that everyone has of their graduation, how proud their parents were, what they were, etc. Prior to the graduation ceremony, however, she foreshadows that an event was to occur that would make her graduation dissimilar from others. Finally, Donleavy arrives as the guest speaker. He makes a comment that the African-American boys would go on to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises, a comment that completely ruins the graduation. This startling bit completely distances the reader from the speaker, which essentially works as an appeal to pity. After detailing how excited she was for her ceremony, and then expressing how furious she was at Donleavy's comments, she successfully uses an appeal to pity to demonstrate that she was deprived of a special graduation ceremony. That is, until Henry Reed speaks.
Angelou describes the graduation ceremony in great detail from the moment she wakes up in bed to the end of the ceremony. In the morning, she receives a collection of poems by Edgar Allan Poe, and her mom makes “Sunday breakfast although it was only Friday” (15). Angelou then continues her description of the joyous day, writing with extreme detail, which compels the readers to remember their own graduation. Moreover, her descriptions seem realistic and practical because not every moment is cheerful; there are some awkward moments. Angelou recalls that their “carefully rehearsed and smooth-running machine was thrown off. For a full minute we fumbled for our chairs and bumped into each other awkwardly” (16). However, she surprises us with unexpected details, such as the speech by Donleavy. Recalling from our own graduation ceremonies, speeches are supposed to inspire students, not suppress their aspirations. Nevertheless, what also shocked the readers was her optimism in the end of the story, despite her previous tone of disappointment. She states, “We were on top again. As always, again” (20).
1) Angelou shows fulfills the readers' expectations by showing how excited she is for her graduation. She informs the reader of the smallest details, such as the embroidered daisies on the hem of her dress (paragraph 7). In addition, she shows her pride at being top of the class (paragraph 13). Finally, she fulfills the readers' expectations on the feelings someone would experience leading up to a graduation by showing how happy she is that her family is proud of her and giving her special treatment in the days before the graduation (paragraphs 18-25). However, she challenges the readers' expectations with the guest speaker. At usual graduations, the guest speaker's speech is usually tasteful and enjoyed. However, the guest speaker at her graduation is horrible and leaves the audience feeling angry and hopeless (paragraphs 34-46). In addition, she discusses how most of the graduating students in the high school will not be going on to college (paragraph 4).
1. Though most modern readers won't fully understand the tremendous importance of Maya Angelou's graduation based on their own graduation memories (seeing that most modern readers appreciate graduation as an annual and nation-wide event rather than as a history-making occurrence as Maya Angelou's black community would have understood it), this essay's personal power is helped by the fact that most readers can cluck appreciatively as they remember their own graduations and draw comparisons. The reader is able to juxtapose his or her own most likely favorable or indifferent opinions of graduation to the highly emotional and formative graduation of Maya Angelou. Whereas most graduates probably just go through the ceremonial motions, Maya Angelou is actually set on a certain life path by her graduation, her graduation does in fact have a huge effect on her. Like modern high-school graduations, there is a class valedictorian and other top-of-the-class students (including Angelou herself). However, in modern graduations it is taken for granted that these students will go on to be very successful, though most also acknowledge that that is not always the case. In Maya Angelou's case, however, her and her friends are forced to realize that all their hard work and grade-earning cannot change the color of their skin, and the usually private fear that high academic performance doesn't mean much in the long run becomes a public fear. Maya Angelou's unique graduation experience is a very romantic one, which, tragic as it is, is perhaps far more meaningful and desirable than the cookie-cutter graduations of modern classes.
Maya Angelou begins by describing a graduation as everyone would expect it to be. Not necessarily a graduation all her readers would have experienced, but one they could relate to based on cultural expectations of what a graduation is. After she has set this up by describing the preparations, the expectations, and the involvement of the whole community, all the while subtly sneaking in indications of the poorer quality campus and resources available to the African American school, she describes how the underlying truth the whole community was aware of was laid painfully bare. After describing all the joyous preparations, she explains that they were really just a mask covering the fact that everyone knew an education was little use to them because of their race. Although Angelou does finish on an ultimately positive note, the path she chooses to get there and the details she includes surprise us after the beginning that lives up to our preconceived notions of what a graduation is.
1. From the start of the essay, Angelou fulfills the readers expectations for what graduation includes through numerous descriptions and observations. Angelou describes the overall feeling before graduation as being energetic, happy, and anxious. These are all very typical feelings of graduation no matter what school one attends. She also talks about the exciting preperations for graduation, such as all of the underclassmen setting up, and the graduates watching these proceedings. Angelou also describes her dress in great detail, talking about how everyone thinks she looks beautiful and how it is simply perfect. These are all very common aspects of graduation and what it usually includes. However, Angelou then goes on to inform the reader about the guest speaker that comes to the graduation. Usually, the guest speaker at a graduation gives insight to the graduates and leaves them feeling hopeful and ready for the outside world. Nevertheless, Mr. Edward Donleavy, the guest speaker, leaves the graduates with feelings of anger, frustration, and hopelessness. This key observation is how Angelou surprises the reader by giving insight to how the speaker actually left the class feeling angry not happy.
1. Angelou fulfills the reader's expectations fro what graduation includes with the events and emotions leading up to graduation. For example, she describes the anticipation and excitement. She explains that everyone was looking forward to the graduation. Also, Angelou writes of her mother adding to her dress, as new or at least nicer clothes are often a part of graduation. However, Angelou surprises us with the commencement speech by Edward Donleavy. He suggests that the African Americans can only be star sports players rather than intellectuals or inventors, as the white people can be. While speeches given at graduations are meant to inspire graduates, this speech simply tells them that unless they want to play sports, there was no real hope for success in the future. -Sarah Milstein
Maya Angelou is successfully able to portray the excitements of a graduation that the reader can relate with. She describes how the principal “would play the graduation march while the lower-grade graduates paraded down the aisles and took their seats” (13). The graduation march is something that all readers probably experienced at their own graduations. Angelou goes on to express her feelings of excitement, but also other feelings of impending doom due to the fact that she feels the day is going too perfectly. She describes how she “was out of bed before [she] knew it” and how she “hoped the memory of that morning would never leave” her (15). She recalls the excitement she felt when she opened her eyes to find her graduation present: a Mickey Mouse watch. However, Angelou also had a feeling that the day was going so well, she just knew something had to mess it up. The author dramatically states how she “had expected to die, accidentally,” never receiving the chance to walk up the stairs and get her diploma (15). Some readers may be able to relate to this superstition, while others do not. The most surprising aspect of her graduation was the blatantly racist white man that delivers the commencement speech. In only a couple of minutes, he is able to break apart the excitement and hope that was building up in the graduates the whole day. The speaker, Edward Donleavy, discusses how the African Americans of the school will not have a future in education, only athletics at the most, and that higher education is reserved for the whites. The “proud graduation class of 1940” had noticeably “dropped their heads” after the guest speaker’s uninspiring speech (18). What is even more surprising was that the students were able to bring themselves together again by proudly singing the Negro national anthem. All within a small time frame at a celebratory event, the expected meets the unexpected as Angelou sails from euphoria to rock bottom, only to be brought back up again by the unity and courage of her class.
Maya Angelou describes a typical graduation held in the South, as one that temporarily encompasses the town and the majority of its inhabitants. Although perhaps not as impressive, suffice it to say that similar graduation ceremonies have been witnessed or participated in by many of Angelou's readers. Furthermore, Angelou's perception of the significance of graduation lays the foundation for the rest of the essay in that she fulfills the excitement and emotion the reader might associate with graduation, while, additionally, surprises the reader with details specific to her struggle living as a minority. Angelou posits, "Near evening I was too jittery to attend to chores, so Bailey [her brother] volunteered to do all before his bath" (23). The reader can relate to Angelou's feeling of excitement and anxiety when recalling one's own preparations for their graduation day. Furthermore, Angelou declares, "I hoped the memory of the morning would never leave me" (20). Undoubtedly, the reader can understand the sentimental moments experienced on a day of significant passage, much like a graduation ceremony. However, the reader may not be able to identify with Angelou's addition of the indignity associated with being preached the inability to instigate sufficient change in life because of one's race. Angelou solemnly generalizes, "We were maids and farmers, handymen and washerwomen, and anything higher that we aspired to was farcical and presumptuous" (45). She continues to surprise us with her epiphany and acceptance of the resilience of her race when stating, "The depths had been icy and dark, but now a bright sun spoke to our souls... I was a proud member of the wonderful, beautiful Negro race" (61). In summation, Angelou touches on several of the aspects of impending excitement and experienced anxiety that the reader most likely will be familiar to while reading the essay; however, her inclusion of the the predisposed persona associated with her race, and her struggle to rid herself of that yolk, presents details surprising and often educational to the reader.
Maya Angelou meets the reader's expectations for a graduation because she describes the anticipation and excitement that every person feels when they graduate from school. Girls can relate to Angelou when she mentions the beautiful dress she picked out and the anticipation of wearing it. Another moment in her essay that people can identify with is when she describes the teenage awkwardness before the ceremony. These moments she describes compels the reader to remember their own graduation memories and the happiness that accompanied the day. However, the day for Angelou takes a surprising turn when Donleavy joins the ceremony and Angelou says "the man's dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium and too many settled in my belly" (41). On a graduation day, the reader would expect only a happy day and inspirational words, but this man's goal was to suppress their happiness and sense of fulfillment. Another surprising twist on the tale was when Angelou ends on a very optimistic note. After Donleavy's speech, Angelou starts having very negative thoughts and feelings towards her race and believes she will not achieve anything even with her education. However, when the audience starts singing the African American national anthem she realizes she "was a proud member of the wonderful, beautiful Negro race" (60) and that as long as the community unites together they will survive and move forward.
Maya Angelou builds up the graduation ceremony, in my opinion, to a greater degree than most. The customary singing of the national anthem and the reciting of the pledge of allegiance occur, with the omission of the "African American National Anthem," which wouldn't shock us, but would be unexpected to the children because they were so used to singing it; the principal disperses the advice Booker T. Washington and some advice regarding friendship as principals are wont to do at graduations . Angelou further The graduation ceremony begins to deteriorate into somewhat of a political opportunity for a white man to make promises to African Americans in return for their vote as well as unintentionally belittle them by implying that their heroes should be basketball stars instead of the more lofty idols he might suggest to the white school. He also goes into detail describing all the great things he is doing for the white high school, Central High School; such a speech has no place in these children's graduation. He in a sense steals the excitement from the student body, as Angelou writes "Graduation, the hush-hush magic time of frills and gifts and congratulations and diplomas, was finished for me before my name was called" (18); the white man, Donleavy, takes away their pride and makes them feel as if their education cannot possibly amount to anything. In the end, she finds inspiration from the class valedictorian, who disregards the implications of Donleavy's speech and leads the room in the "Negro national anthem" (20). The graduates transform from proud graduates to proud members of the "beautiful Negro race" (20) which is not typical of a graduation ceremony.
1. At the start of the story, many of Angelou's readers can relate to the whole graduation experience. From the anxiety and nervous feelings, to trying on her new dress, to preparing for her speech. These are all experiences that are common even today. However, as the story progresses, this graduation ceremony turns out to be a lot different from the usual. When the guest speaker is introduced readers get the feeling that something bad is going to happen. The speaker turns out to be the only white person in the auditorium and instead of leaving the students with a sense of hope and success, the guest speaker reminds them that they will never get anywhere in life due to their race. His discouraging comments are not what is typically heard at a graduation. The guest speaker leaves the students frustrated and frazzeled. Angelou surprises readers once again when she decides that the color of her skin is not going to hold her back and that she is proud to be black. In conclusion, Angelou relates to readers in the beginning when the story starts out as a normal graduation ceremony, but turns into a learning experience about herself.
Angelou begins the piece with relatable descriptions of preparation for a high school graduation. She focuses on the anticipation of achieving something great with the knowledge gained at school. She fulfills the reader’s probable expectations as to what graduation will entil through description of the school, a summary of the success achieved by a few students who had graduated from her school, as well as the “graduation speech” made by a local political candidate. The most shocking aspects of the piece are the implied elevated educational pursuits of her and her bother as well as the stack contrast of the passion and effect experienced by the audience when Henry Reed takes the stage after Donleavy. Angelou explicitly expresses her observance of the racism in not necessarily Donleavy’s speech, but her complacency in listening to it, having dressed up and sat quietly in order to conform to white standards of a proper graduation. The emphasis made by Donleavy as well as the school principal are on the success of the few students who have gained notoriety after graduation, and not upon the school as the community. Henry Reed’s improvised hymn brings out the school’s true spirit, a community spirit as opposed to the elitist praise of Donleavy.
Angelou begins to describe the ambience leading up to the graduation as a feeling of excitement and enthusiasm, as if taking part of a “graduation epidemic” (12). The feeling of the never wanting the graduation day to end was typical. Angelou remembers, “I hoped the memory of that morning would never leave me” (25). Her description of the feeling before the graduation is described in the same way as it would occur in other schools or other graduations. However, the racial situation among the graduation was different from normal graduations. The black graduates seem to feel somewhat equal to the whites. Because they were educated just like the whites, receiving respect was given and their chances of reaching equality would hopefully become greater. “Even teachers were respectful of the seniors and tended to speak to them, if not as equals, as beings only slightly lower than themselves” (12). All of these feelings before graduation would be expected in a typical situation. After describing the sentiments before the graduation, Angelou starts in on her own personal graduation day; starting with the morning. Because it was her special day, Angelou was given special treatment such as receiving gifts from other blacks, having a “Sunday meal although it was only Friday” (15), and not being scolded or forced to do chores. Angelou’s description of her own graduation morning obliges the reader into remembering their own graduation day and how they felt similarly to Angelou. However, Angelou’s perfect graduation day is ruined when Edward Donleavy, a racist white man, gives a commencement speech, which puts down the moods’ of the graduates along with the parents and audience. Donleavy implies that when black students graduate they will not go on to achieve anything greater than athletic success, further implying that they will not reach any academic success. “The white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins, and out boys (the girls weren’t even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises” (17). Donleavy effectively destroys the hopes of Angelou and the graduating class of 1940, suppressing their aspirations. “The man’s dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium and too many settled in my belly. ... The proud graduating class of 1940 had dropped their heads” (18). After hearing Donleavy’s speech, Angelou takes a whole new perspective of graduation and somewhat blames her race for deciding her future. “It was awful to be a Negro and have no control over my life. It was brutal to be young and already trained to sit quietly and listen to the charges brought against my color with no chance of defense” (18). Though her negative thoughts were dominating her idea of her potential future, hope is restored in her and throughout the auditorium when student Henry Reed goes up to speak, and begins to sing the “Negro national anthem”. The entire auditorium comes together and sings the anthem; thus restoring the hopes of all the graduates. “We were on top again,” (20), implying that her hopes had been restored, affecting her future for the better.
This graduation is different emotionally than typical graduations. In typical graduations the feelings of excitement and positive thoughts are flown throughout; however, at this graduation it was filled with celebration and positives but was also added with negative thoughts. The switch from happiness to dissatisfaction surprises the readers as if thinking this graduation was just like others; happy throughout. But because this graduation is not others and held a suppressive speaker (which should have been a inspiring one), the emotions were changed vastly. Soon after feelings were changed back to being encouraging and positive by a simple reciting of a song. Angelou makes it appoint to say at the end, it is not just about graduation but about the potential of creating a better future of a race. “I was no longer simply a member of the proud graduating class of 1940; I was a proud member of the wonderful, beautiful Negro race” (20).
Angelou begins by filling the reader's expectations, using a great amount of detail and generating a certain level of excitement by doing so. Then, she destroys the expectation by having the story progress and letting the white person who talks down on the hopes and dreams of the graduating class appear, somewhat crushing the initial hope that was generated through the excitement.
In my opinion, Angelou builds up the graduation more than anyone else would. First, her graduation is extremely special not only to her but to most people in the country, today. At the time a graduation at a Negro high school must have been looked down upon by white society, but nowadays, we value this graduation even more than a white graduation in those days. These days, most people believe that certain steps, such as Negro graduations, led to affirmative action and acceptance of African-Americans in the American community. In her narrative Angelou describes how her day is going to be absolutely splendid. For instance, she explains that she is going to look like a “walking model of all the various styles of fine hand sewing” (13). She goes on further to claim that she looks “like a sunbeam in [her dress]” (15). Soon, her school’s band plays music and all of the classes file inside as they have rehearsed. They even the song that Angelou says that “every Black person [she] knows called the Negro National Anthem” (16). All of these details are the heartwarming memories that everyone feels when he remembers his graduation. However, Angelou surprises the reader when she states that she feels “overcome with a presentiment of worse things to come” (16) as she takes her seat. This sudden, ominous foreshadowing causes the reader to understand the problems in both Angelou’s world and that of the Negroes. Donleavy does come up to speak, and he, at first, discourages the entire room of Negroes. However, the idea that Angelou wants to convey is that Negroes have always brought themselves up from the bottom. They want to fight for what is theirs, and nothing, not even a condescending, derogatory speaker at their special graduation, can bring them down.
1) In “Graduation”, Maya Angelou fulfills the reader’s expectations by talking about the events and preparations of the graduation and then surprises them with a sudden sense of hopelessness and anger. She starts out by describing the pleasant and exciting events leading up to the graduation such as the preparation of her dress. “She added a crocheted cuff on the puff sleeves, and a pointy collar. I was going to be lovely” (Angelou 13). She describes pleasant details and conveys the joy and excitement leading up to the event. “Amazingly the great day finally dawned and I was out of bed before I knew it” (Angelou 15). When Donleavy speaks, however, the tone changes and Angelou’s writing becomes unexpected. The mood changes from joy to sorrow and she says “It was awful to be a negro and have no control over my life” (Angelou 18). She even uses such blatant and unexpected statements as “I wished that Gabriel Prosser and Nat Turner had killed all the white folks in their beds and that Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated before the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation” (18). While most graduations are centered around people going on to achieve great things and being fortunate and proud of their achievements, much like this one before Donleavy’s speech, Angelou unexpectedly shows feelings of hopelessness, sorrow and anger.
My internet wasn't working last night, so I posted it this morning.
1. At the beginning, this graduation ceremony has many of the traditional elements of a graduation that the reader would expect. The graduates feel as though they are the "nobility" and are respected by students and faculty. The traditional elements include that the seniors are going to make "a dramatic entrance," (paragraph 5) there will be student speakers, and that the "school blazed with gaiety" (paragraph 27). Angelou describes how her mother made her a Sunday breakfast on Friday and how she has the perfect fitting dress. The graduation seems like an ordinary graduation ceremony until Angelou describes how she feels like "something unrehearsed, unplanned, was going to happen" (paragraph 30). Angelou was right because soon after she thinks that, a white man gives a speech that depresses all of the black students. It was clearly a surprise to the reader that there would be a guest at the ceremony that caused depression among the graduates. Usually speakers at graduations are meant to inspire, and instead of inspiring, the white man, Edward Donleavy, who gives the speech at graduation discourages and depresses the black students. Donleavy talks about how the white school Central High is receiving new academic equipment and how the black school has graduated "one of the best basketball players," which the speaker believes to be praise to the black school. Angelou comments on the fact that the speaker is basically saying "the white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gaugines, and our boys (the girls weren't even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises"' (paragraph 40). The white school students have academic opportunities while the black students only have athletic opportunities. This kind of speaker would be a surprise to the reader as well as the ensuing feelings that Angelou feels because of this speaker. Angelou states, "The man's dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium and too many settled in my belly" (paragraph 42). She even goes on to say "We should all be dead" and provides a disturbing image of "a pyramid of flesh with whitefolks on the bottom" (paragraph 47). Thoughts like this would be surprising to the reader to be found at a graduation. Angelou describes that the white men left an "ugliness" that was "palpable" (paragraph 50). In addition, what is even more surprising is that even after the students feel depressed, Henry Reed is able to lift their spirits in unity through the "Negro National Anthem." Angelou writes, "We were on top again. As always, again. We survived" (paragraph 61). The journey of the downfall and then the victory is the surprising twist of this special graduation ceremony.
Angelou fulfills the reader's expectations with the overall format of the graduation: the sitting and standing of the graduates, the principal's speech, and a guest speaker. Also, the emotions of the graduates - the anticipation as Angelou enters the school, the awkwardness as the seniors forget when to sit and stand, the principal's emotion during his speech which causes him to lose his voice for a moment - can easily be recognized by any reader who has graduated (even from junior high). The surprise is the speech by the guest speaker and the emotions that it causes. Donleavy tells the graduating seniors basically that they will amount to nothing more than athletes, and that their education was pointless because they can not succeed - not a speech appropriate or expected at a graduation. His speech causes the students to feel downhearted and upset - an emotion not common to graduation. Angelou displays a graduation that a reader can expect, but surprises the reader with the unexpected emotion of sadness, not from fear of the future or of nostalgia, but from fear of expected failure.
1. Angelou fills the readers expectations about a graduation by describing usual graduation occurrences; such as a speaker, walking down an isle, the end of finals, and a speaker. She differs from standard expectations by describing such as the lack of students going to high school and the importance placed on this achievement, the references to god and prayer made in the ceremony, and the stress laid on race.
ReplyDeleteIs this the answer for “ how does her essay help to resist the tragic script? “ can you please let me know I’m stuck.
DeleteAngelou portrays the atmosphere leading up to graduation in much the same way as it would occur in other places and schools – a general feeling of excitement that she pinpoints as “graduation epidemic” (¶ 1). The graduates seem to feel “on top of the world,” as Angelou recalls her own sentiments: “I had outdistanced unpleasant sensations by miles. I was headed for the freedom of open fields” (¶ 9). As for the morning of the actual event, Angelou remembers, “I hoped the memory of that morning would never leave me” and “I looked like a sunbeam” (¶ 20, 25). All of these positive feelings that contributed to the excited atmosphere preceding the graduation would be expected in a typical situation of this sort.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this atmosphere is crushed during the graduation ceremony when Edward Donleavy, an obviously racist white man, gives the commencement speech. Implying that the black students graduating will not go on to achieve anything greater than athletic success (academic success seems unthinkable), Donleavy effectively obliterates the hope that Angelou and her classmates have fostered in the weeks leading up to the occasion: “The man’s dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium... The proud graduating class of 1940 had dropped their heads” (¶ 42). Angelou shares the host of negative thoughts she begins to experience: “It was awful to be a Negro and have no control over my life. It was brutal to be young and already trained to sit quietly and listen to the charges brought against my color with no chance of defense” (¶ 47).
In yet another emotional turn, the hopeful atmosphere is restored to the auditorium when student Henry Reed goes up to speak, but begins to sing the “Negro national anthem,” a song with such empowering phrases as “Felt in the days when hope unborn, had died. / Yet with a steady beat / Have not our weary feet / Come to the place for which our fathers sighed” (¶ 55-56). The entire group of people unites in singing, and Angelou’s positive feelings toward the future are effectively returned to her. She states at the conclusion, “We were on top again,” going on to praise the power of the words of “Black known and unknown poets” (¶ 61-62).
What distinguishes this particular graduation ceremony from others is the set of emotional turns it takes. Graduation ceremonies are often positive and celebratory all throughout, not with a lapse of hope for the future occurring right in the middle. The poignancy of the events of the graduation speaks to a greater audience in that it is not just about graduation, but about the potential of the new generation of an entire race.
1)Angelou fulfills the expectations of the reader by talking about how excited she is and everybody else is; by showing just how important graduation is. She continually talks about how everybody is looking forward to graduation and all their preparations. How everybody pitches in to help except for the graduating class which suddenly feels like they're above everybody else. She starts everything off nicely, describing her clothing and what she gave and what she got and then she, out of nowhere, writes about how the white people came and ruined everything, making people feel bad. The fact that she builds up everybody's expectations makes the arrival of the men all the more horrible. She uses elements of excitement for summer and what's to come makes it so people can relate to her and the situation--until the men come and ruin the graduation a bit.
ReplyDeleteAngelou cleverly utilizes graduation as a way of bring back fond memories that most everyone has had in their lifetime, and then completely distances her personal graduation from those of others. She describes her dress, the present she receives from Bailey, an Edgar Allen Poe collection of poetry, the Sunday breakfast Momma made even though it was Friday, and how Bailey readily volunteered to do all of her chores. In describing this in between paragraphs 20-24, she is creating this picture that everyone has of their graduation, how proud their parents were, what they were, etc. Prior to the graduation ceremony, however, she foreshadows that an event was to occur that would make her graduation dissimilar from others. Finally, Donleavy arrives as the guest speaker. He makes a comment that the African-American boys would go on to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises, a comment that completely ruins the graduation. This startling bit completely distances the reader from the speaker, which essentially works as an appeal to pity. After detailing how excited she was for her ceremony, and then expressing how furious she was at Donleavy's comments, she successfully uses an appeal to pity to demonstrate that she was deprived of a special graduation ceremony. That is, until Henry Reed speaks.
ReplyDeleteAngelou describes the graduation ceremony in great detail from the moment she wakes up in bed to the end of the ceremony. In the morning, she receives a collection of poems by Edgar Allan Poe, and her mom makes “Sunday breakfast although it was only Friday” (15). Angelou then continues her description of the joyous day, writing with extreme detail, which compels the readers to remember their own graduation. Moreover, her descriptions seem realistic and practical because not every moment is cheerful; there are some awkward moments. Angelou recalls that their “carefully rehearsed and smooth-running machine was thrown off. For a full minute we fumbled for our chairs and bumped into each other awkwardly” (16). However, she surprises us with unexpected details, such as the speech by Donleavy. Recalling from our own graduation ceremonies, speeches are supposed to inspire students, not suppress their aspirations. Nevertheless, what also shocked the readers was her optimism in the end of the story, despite her previous tone of disappointment. She states, “We were on top again. As always, again” (20).
ReplyDelete1) Angelou shows fulfills the readers' expectations by showing how excited she is for her graduation. She informs the reader of the smallest details, such as the embroidered daisies on the hem of her dress (paragraph 7). In addition, she shows her pride at being top of the class (paragraph 13). Finally, she fulfills the readers' expectations on the feelings someone would experience leading up to a graduation by showing how happy she is that her family is proud of her and giving her special treatment in the days before the graduation (paragraphs 18-25). However, she challenges the readers' expectations with the guest speaker. At usual graduations, the guest speaker's speech is usually tasteful and enjoyed. However, the guest speaker at her graduation is horrible and leaves the audience feeling angry and hopeless (paragraphs 34-46). In addition, she discusses how most of the graduating students in the high school will not be going on to college (paragraph 4).
ReplyDelete1. Though most modern readers won't fully understand the tremendous importance of Maya Angelou's graduation based on their own graduation memories (seeing that most modern readers appreciate graduation as an annual and nation-wide event rather than as a history-making occurrence as Maya Angelou's black community would have understood it), this essay's personal power is helped by the fact that most readers can cluck appreciatively as they remember their own graduations and draw comparisons. The reader is able to juxtapose his or her own most likely favorable or indifferent opinions of graduation to the highly emotional and formative graduation of Maya Angelou. Whereas most graduates probably just go through the ceremonial motions, Maya Angelou is actually set on a certain life path by her graduation, her graduation does in fact have a huge effect on her. Like modern high-school graduations, there is a class valedictorian and other top-of-the-class students (including Angelou herself). However, in modern graduations it is taken for granted that these students will go on to be very successful, though most also acknowledge that that is not always the case. In Maya Angelou's case, however, her and her friends are forced to realize that all their hard work and grade-earning cannot change the color of their skin, and the usually private fear that high academic performance doesn't mean much in the long run becomes a public fear. Maya Angelou's unique graduation experience is a very romantic one, which, tragic as it is, is perhaps far more meaningful and desirable than the cookie-cutter graduations of modern classes.
ReplyDeleteMaya Angelou begins by describing a graduation as everyone would expect it to be. Not necessarily a graduation all her readers would have experienced, but one they could relate to based on cultural expectations of what a graduation is. After she has set this up by describing the preparations, the expectations, and the involvement of the whole community, all the while subtly sneaking in indications of the poorer quality campus and resources available to the African American school, she describes how the underlying truth the whole community was aware of was laid painfully bare. After describing all the joyous preparations, she explains that they were really just a mask covering the fact that everyone knew an education was little use to them because of their race. Although Angelou does finish on an ultimately positive note, the path she chooses to get there and the details she includes surprise us after the beginning that lives up to our preconceived notions of what a graduation is.
ReplyDeleteSarah Brenneman
1. From the start of the essay, Angelou fulfills the readers expectations for what graduation includes through numerous descriptions and observations. Angelou describes the overall feeling before graduation as being energetic, happy, and anxious. These are all very typical feelings of graduation no matter what school one attends. She also talks about the exciting preperations for graduation, such as all of the underclassmen setting up, and the graduates watching these proceedings. Angelou also describes her dress in great detail, talking about how everyone thinks she looks beautiful and how it is simply perfect. These are all very common aspects of graduation and what it usually includes. However, Angelou then goes on to inform the reader about the guest speaker that comes to the graduation. Usually, the guest speaker at a graduation gives insight to the graduates and leaves them feeling hopeful and ready for the outside world. Nevertheless, Mr. Edward Donleavy, the guest speaker, leaves the graduates with feelings of anger, frustration, and hopelessness. This key observation is how Angelou surprises the reader by giving insight to how the speaker actually left the class feeling angry not happy.
ReplyDelete1. Angelou fulfills the reader's expectations fro what graduation includes with the events and emotions leading up to graduation. For example, she describes the anticipation and excitement. She explains that everyone was looking forward to the graduation. Also, Angelou writes of her mother adding to her dress, as new or at least nicer clothes are often a part of graduation. However, Angelou surprises us with the commencement speech by Edward Donleavy. He suggests that the African Americans can only be star sports players rather than intellectuals or inventors, as the white people can be. While speeches given at graduations are meant to inspire graduates, this speech simply tells them that unless they want to play sports, there was no real hope for success in the future.
ReplyDelete-Sarah Milstein
Maya Angelou is successfully able to portray the excitements of a graduation that the reader can relate with. She describes how the principal “would play the graduation march while the lower-grade graduates paraded down the aisles and took their seats” (13). The graduation march is something that all readers probably experienced at their own graduations. Angelou goes on to express her feelings of excitement, but also other feelings of impending doom due to the fact that she feels the day is going too perfectly. She describes how she “was out of bed before [she] knew it” and how she “hoped the memory of that morning would never leave” her (15). She recalls the excitement she felt when she opened her eyes to find her graduation present: a Mickey Mouse watch. However, Angelou also had a feeling that the day was going so well, she just knew something had to mess it up. The author dramatically states how she “had expected to die, accidentally,” never receiving the chance to walk up the stairs and get her diploma (15). Some readers may be able to relate to this superstition, while others do not. The most surprising aspect of her graduation was the blatantly racist white man that delivers the commencement speech. In only a couple of minutes, he is able to break apart the excitement and hope that was building up in the graduates the whole day. The speaker, Edward Donleavy, discusses how the African Americans of the school will not have a future in education, only athletics at the most, and that higher education is reserved for the whites. The “proud graduation class of 1940” had noticeably “dropped their heads” after the guest speaker’s uninspiring speech (18). What is even more surprising was that the students were able to bring themselves together again by proudly singing the Negro national anthem. All within a small time frame at a celebratory event, the expected meets the unexpected as Angelou sails from euphoria to rock bottom, only to be brought back up again by the unity and courage of her class.
ReplyDeleteMaya Angelou describes a typical graduation held in the South, as one that temporarily encompasses the town and the majority of its inhabitants. Although perhaps not as impressive, suffice it to say that similar graduation ceremonies have been witnessed or participated in by many of Angelou's readers. Furthermore, Angelou's perception of the significance of graduation lays the foundation for the rest of the essay in that she fulfills the excitement and emotion the reader might associate with graduation, while, additionally, surprises the reader with details specific to her struggle living as a minority. Angelou posits, "Near evening I was too jittery to attend to chores, so Bailey [her brother] volunteered to do all before his bath" (23). The reader can relate to Angelou's feeling of excitement and anxiety when recalling one's own preparations for their graduation day. Furthermore, Angelou declares, "I hoped the memory of the morning would never leave me" (20). Undoubtedly, the reader can understand the sentimental moments experienced on a day of significant passage, much like a graduation ceremony. However, the reader may not be able to identify with Angelou's addition of the indignity associated with being preached the inability to instigate sufficient change in life because of one's race. Angelou solemnly generalizes, "We were maids and farmers, handymen and washerwomen, and anything higher that we aspired to was farcical and presumptuous" (45). She continues to surprise us with her epiphany and acceptance of the resilience of her race when stating, "The depths had been icy and dark, but now a bright sun spoke to our souls... I was a proud member of the wonderful, beautiful Negro race" (61). In summation, Angelou touches on several of the aspects of impending excitement and experienced anxiety that the reader most likely will be familiar to while reading the essay; however, her inclusion of the the predisposed persona associated with her race, and her struggle to rid herself of that yolk, presents details surprising and often educational to the reader.
ReplyDeleteMegan
ReplyDeleteMaya Angelou meets the reader's expectations for a graduation because she describes the anticipation and excitement that every person feels when they graduate from school. Girls can relate to Angelou when she mentions the beautiful dress she picked out and the anticipation of wearing it. Another moment in her essay that people can identify with is when she describes the teenage awkwardness before the ceremony. These moments she describes compels the reader to remember their own graduation memories and the happiness that accompanied the day. However, the day for Angelou takes a surprising turn when Donleavy joins the ceremony and Angelou says "the man's dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium and too many settled in my belly" (41). On a graduation day, the reader would expect only a happy day and inspirational words, but this man's goal was to suppress their happiness and sense of fulfillment. Another surprising twist on the tale was when Angelou ends on a very optimistic note. After Donleavy's speech, Angelou starts having very negative thoughts and feelings towards her race and believes she will not achieve anything even with her education. However, when the audience starts singing the African American national anthem she realizes she "was a proud member of the wonderful, beautiful Negro race" (60) and that as long as the community unites together they will survive and move forward.
Maya Angelou builds up the graduation ceremony, in my opinion, to a greater degree than most. The customary singing of the national anthem and the reciting of the pledge of allegiance occur, with the omission of the "African American National Anthem," which wouldn't shock us, but would be unexpected to the children because they were so used to singing it; the principal disperses the advice Booker T. Washington and some advice regarding friendship as principals are wont to do at graduations . Angelou further The graduation ceremony begins to deteriorate into somewhat of a political opportunity for a white man to make promises to African Americans in return for their vote as well as unintentionally belittle them by implying that their heroes should be basketball stars instead of the more lofty idols he might suggest to the white school. He also goes into detail describing all the great things he is doing for the white high school, Central High School; such a speech has no place in these children's graduation. He in a sense steals the excitement from the student body, as Angelou writes "Graduation, the hush-hush magic time of frills and gifts and congratulations and diplomas, was finished for me before my name was called" (18); the white man, Donleavy, takes away their pride and makes them feel as if their education cannot possibly amount to anything. In the end, she finds inspiration from the class valedictorian, who disregards the implications of Donleavy's speech and leads the room in the "Negro national anthem" (20). The graduates transform from proud graduates to proud members of the "beautiful Negro race" (20) which is not typical of a graduation ceremony.
ReplyDelete1. At the start of the story, many of Angelou's readers can relate to the whole graduation experience. From the anxiety and nervous feelings, to trying on her new dress, to preparing for her speech. These are all experiences that are common even today. However, as the story progresses, this graduation ceremony turns out to be a lot different from the usual. When the guest speaker is introduced readers get the feeling that something bad is going to happen. The speaker turns out to be the only white person in the auditorium and instead of leaving the students with a sense of hope and success, the guest speaker reminds them that they will never get anywhere in life due to their race. His discouraging comments are not what is typically heard at a graduation. The guest speaker leaves the students frustrated and frazzeled. Angelou surprises readers once again when she decides that the color of her skin is not going to hold her back and that she is proud to be black. In conclusion, Angelou relates to readers in the beginning when the story starts out as a normal graduation ceremony, but turns into a learning experience about herself.
ReplyDeleteAngelou begins the piece with relatable descriptions of preparation for a high school graduation. She focuses on the anticipation of achieving something great with the knowledge gained at school. She fulfills the reader’s probable expectations as to what graduation will entil through description of the school, a summary of the success achieved by a few students who had graduated from her school, as well as the “graduation speech” made by a local political candidate. The most shocking aspects of the piece are the implied elevated educational pursuits of her and her bother as well as the stack contrast of the passion and effect experienced by the audience when Henry Reed takes the stage after Donleavy. Angelou explicitly expresses her observance of the racism in not necessarily Donleavy’s speech, but her complacency in listening to it, having dressed up and sat quietly in order to conform to white standards of a proper graduation. The emphasis made by Donleavy as well as the school principal are on the success of the few students who have gained notoriety after graduation, and not upon the school as the community. Henry Reed’s improvised hymn brings out the school’s true spirit, a community spirit as opposed to the elitist praise of Donleavy.
ReplyDeleteAngelou begins to describe the ambience leading up to the graduation as a feeling of excitement and enthusiasm, as if taking part of a “graduation epidemic” (12). The feeling of the never wanting the graduation day to end was typical. Angelou remembers, “I hoped the memory of that morning would never leave me” (25). Her description of the feeling before the graduation is described in the same way as it would occur in other schools or other graduations. However, the racial situation among the graduation was different from normal graduations. The black graduates seem to feel somewhat equal to the whites. Because they were educated just like the whites, receiving respect was given and their chances of reaching equality would hopefully become greater. “Even teachers were respectful of the seniors and tended to speak to them, if not as equals, as beings only slightly lower than themselves” (12). All of these feelings before graduation would be expected in a typical situation.
ReplyDeleteAfter describing the sentiments before the graduation, Angelou starts in on her own personal graduation day; starting with the morning. Because it was her special day, Angelou was given special treatment such as receiving gifts from other blacks, having a “Sunday meal although it was only Friday” (15), and not being scolded or forced to do chores. Angelou’s description of her own graduation morning obliges the reader into remembering their own graduation day and how they felt similarly to Angelou. However, Angelou’s perfect graduation day is ruined when Edward Donleavy, a racist white man, gives a commencement speech, which puts down the moods’ of the graduates along with the parents and audience. Donleavy implies that when black students graduate they will not go on to achieve anything greater than athletic success, further implying that they will not reach any academic success. “The white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins, and out boys (the girls weren’t even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises” (17). Donleavy effectively destroys the hopes of Angelou and the graduating class of 1940, suppressing their aspirations. “The man’s dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium and too many settled in my belly. ... The proud graduating class of 1940 had dropped their heads” (18). After hearing Donleavy’s speech, Angelou takes a whole new perspective of graduation and somewhat blames her race for deciding her future. “It was awful to be a Negro and have no control over my life. It was brutal to be young and already trained to sit quietly and listen to the charges brought against my color with no chance of defense” (18). Though her negative thoughts were dominating her idea of her potential future, hope is restored in her and throughout the auditorium when student Henry Reed goes up to speak, and begins to sing the “Negro national anthem”. The entire auditorium comes together and sings the anthem; thus restoring the hopes of all the graduates. “We were on top again,” (20), implying that her hopes had been restored, affecting her future for the better.
This graduation is different emotionally than typical graduations. In typical graduations the feelings of excitement and positive thoughts are flown throughout; however, at this graduation it was filled with celebration and positives but was also added with negative thoughts. The switch from happiness to dissatisfaction surprises the readers as if thinking this graduation was just like others; happy throughout. But because this graduation is not others and held a suppressive speaker (which should have been a inspiring one), the emotions were changed vastly. Soon after feelings were changed back to being encouraging and positive by a simple reciting of a song. Angelou makes it appoint to say at the end, it is not just about graduation but about the potential of creating a better future of a race. “I was no longer simply a member of the proud graduating class of 1940; I was a proud member of the wonderful, beautiful Negro race” (20).
ReplyDeleteAngelou begins by filling the reader's expectations, using a great amount of detail and generating a certain level of excitement by doing so. Then, she destroys the expectation by having the story progress and letting the white person who talks down on the hopes and dreams of the graduating class appear, somewhat crushing the initial hope that was generated through the excitement.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Angelou builds up the graduation more than anyone else would. First, her graduation is extremely special not only to her but to most people in the country, today. At the time a graduation at a Negro high school must have been looked down upon by white society, but nowadays, we value this graduation even more than a white graduation in those days. These days, most people believe that certain steps, such as Negro graduations, led to affirmative action and acceptance of African-Americans in the American community. In her narrative Angelou describes how her day is going to be absolutely splendid. For instance, she explains that she is going to look like a “walking model of all the various styles of fine hand sewing” (13). She goes on further to claim that she looks “like a sunbeam in [her dress]” (15). Soon, her school’s band plays music and all of the classes file inside as they have rehearsed. They even the song that Angelou says that “every Black person [she] knows called the Negro National Anthem” (16). All of these details are the heartwarming memories that everyone feels when he remembers his graduation. However, Angelou surprises the reader when she states that she feels “overcome with a presentiment of worse things to come” (16) as she takes her seat. This sudden, ominous foreshadowing causes the reader to understand the problems in both Angelou’s world and that of the Negroes. Donleavy does come up to speak, and he, at first, discourages the entire room of Negroes. However, the idea that Angelou wants to convey is that Negroes have always brought themselves up from the bottom. They want to fight for what is theirs, and nothing, not even a condescending, derogatory speaker at their special graduation, can bring them down.
ReplyDelete1) In “Graduation”, Maya Angelou fulfills the reader’s expectations by talking about the events and preparations of the graduation and then surprises them with a sudden sense of hopelessness and anger. She starts out by describing the pleasant and exciting events leading up to the graduation such as the preparation of her dress. “She added a crocheted cuff on the puff sleeves, and a pointy collar. I was going to be lovely” (Angelou 13). She describes pleasant details and conveys the joy and excitement leading up to the event. “Amazingly the great day finally dawned and I was out of bed before I knew it” (Angelou 15). When Donleavy speaks, however, the tone changes and Angelou’s writing becomes unexpected. The mood changes from joy to sorrow and she says “It was awful to be a negro and have no control over my life” (Angelou 18). She even uses such blatant and unexpected statements as “I wished that Gabriel Prosser and Nat Turner had killed all the white folks in their beds and that Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated before the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation” (18). While most graduations are centered around people going on to achieve great things and being fortunate and proud of their achievements, much like this one before Donleavy’s speech, Angelou unexpectedly shows feelings of hopelessness, sorrow and anger.
ReplyDeleteSarah Normoyle
ReplyDeleteMy internet wasn't working last night, so I posted it this morning.
1. At the beginning, this graduation ceremony has many of the traditional elements of a graduation that the reader would expect. The graduates feel as though they are the "nobility" and are respected by students and faculty. The traditional elements include that the seniors are going to make "a dramatic entrance," (paragraph 5) there will be student speakers, and that the "school blazed with gaiety" (paragraph 27). Angelou describes how her mother made her a Sunday breakfast on Friday and how she has the perfect fitting dress. The graduation seems like an ordinary graduation ceremony until Angelou describes how she feels like "something unrehearsed, unplanned, was going to happen" (paragraph 30). Angelou was right because soon after she thinks that, a white man gives a speech that depresses all of the black students. It was clearly a surprise to the reader that there would be a guest at the ceremony that caused depression among the graduates. Usually speakers at graduations are meant to inspire, and instead of inspiring, the white man, Edward Donleavy, who gives the speech at graduation discourages and depresses the black students. Donleavy talks about how the white school Central High is receiving new academic equipment and how the black school has graduated "one of the best basketball players," which the speaker believes to be praise to the black school. Angelou comments on the fact that the speaker is basically saying "the white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gaugines, and our boys (the girls weren't even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises"' (paragraph 40). The white school students have academic opportunities while the black students only have athletic opportunities. This kind of speaker would be a surprise to the reader as well as the ensuing feelings that Angelou feels because of this speaker. Angelou states, "The man's dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium and too many settled in my belly" (paragraph 42). She even goes on to say "We should all be dead" and provides a disturbing image of "a pyramid of flesh with whitefolks on the bottom" (paragraph 47). Thoughts like this would be surprising to the reader to be found at a graduation. Angelou describes that the white men left an "ugliness" that was "palpable" (paragraph 50). In addition, what is even more surprising is that even after the students feel depressed, Henry Reed is able to lift their spirits in unity through the "Negro National Anthem." Angelou writes, "We were on top again. As always, again. We survived" (paragraph 61). The journey of the downfall and then the victory is the surprising twist of this special graduation ceremony.
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DeleteAngelou fulfills the reader's expectations with the overall format of the graduation: the sitting and standing of the graduates, the principal's speech, and a guest speaker. Also, the emotions of the graduates - the anticipation as Angelou enters the school, the awkwardness as the seniors forget when to sit and stand, the principal's emotion during his speech which causes him to lose his voice for a moment - can easily be recognized by any reader who has graduated (even from junior high). The surprise is the speech by the guest speaker and the emotions that it causes. Donleavy tells the graduating seniors basically that they will amount to nothing more than athletes, and that their education was pointless because they can not succeed - not a speech appropriate or expected at a graduation. His speech causes the students to feel downhearted and upset - an emotion not common to graduation. Angelou displays a graduation that a reader can expect, but surprises the reader with the unexpected emotion of sadness, not from fear of the future or of nostalgia, but from fear of expected failure.
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