Before you knew you owned it by Alice Walker

[Ms. Knarr]

Before you knew you owned it by Alice Walker



Expect nothing. Live frugally

On surprise.

become a stranger

To need of pity

Or, if compassion be freely

Given out

Take only enough

Stop short of urge to plead

Then purge away the need.



Wish for nothing larger

Than your own small heart

Or greater than a star;

Tame wild disappointment

With caress unmoved and cold

Make of it a parka

For your soul.



Discover the reason why

So tiny human midget

Exists at all

So scared unwise

But expect nothing. Live frugally

On surprise.

[darbycasey]

1. I think this poem is saying that we can not plan everything in our lives. Instead, we should live for the moment. It also seems to be saying that we should not have high expectations. If we have high expectations we only increase our disappointment if something does not turn out theway we had hoped it would. The last thing I think this poem is saying is that we should not be greedy and by that we should only take what we really need.

2. I like this piece because i agree with its overall message. You should live for the moment and not spend time worrying about what the future holds for you. I also think that this idea can back fire. There are certain things in our life that we do need to plan for. For example, we need to plan for college, it's not going to just happen overnight. So I think you need to plan and be prepared for your future, but like this poem says you should be excepting of whatever comes your way, weather its what you had planned or not.

3. 1. What does "discover the reason so tiny human midget exists at all" mean?
2. What might the significance of a parka for your soul be?
3. Is the author trying to tell us to we should follow our insticts and impulses?
4. Is she also trying to tell us we should seek pity from others?

[elineal]

1. I think this poem is telling readers not to be greedy and accept what you have. I believe Walker was a believer in Karma and wants us not to live in excess and we will be surprised. Instead of not having high expectations like Darby said, I think Walker is trying to say that disappointment is a part of life no matter how big the expectation.

2. I like this piece but I think it has no place in our society today. Or at least it is not taken in our society today. People now take what they can weather in excess or not. People today are too vulnerable to disappointment and are easily broken by it.

3.
(Answering question 3) No, I think Walker wants us to be aware of our decisions so that we can make better ones and in turn become better people.

4. Do you think the narrator is using this to teach others or express her own feelings?

[chrismarrie]

1. I agree with both Eli and Darby. The title discribes this poem's message perfectly, saying we should live the way you would have, before anything special happened or was given to you. What Walker is telling us is that in order to get more joy out of our lives, we have to live simple minded and not have crazy high expecatations. She is saying that we shouldnt always have a metality of desire and need for new things, and with that we will be pleasantly surprised with what we do get. People who are always needing more with tend to get dissapointed much more often, and never be satisfied.

2. I like this poem becuase as Eli said, it really relates to society today. There are too many people who want way more than they can ever possibly have, or even just always expect something. These are the same people who are never happy with what they do get. On the other hand, living freely in the moments presents you with surprises, and Walker conveys this message very well.

3. (Eli's question) I think she is doing both, but mainly trying to teach others. This is probably the way she lives her life and thinks it is a positive and works, so she is trying to install that same mentality into others.
(My question) If we expected nothing so we were never dissapointed like the author is instructing, wouldn't people never achieve great things?

[mattstyczynski]

1. I agree with all of your interpretations of the poem. I think the poem tells us that we should not go out and spend money on things that we cannot afford. We should be happy and contempt with what we have. I also think it means not to expect any gifts or handouts, but if it so happens that one comes around we should be surprised. What Alice Walker was trying to tell us is that we do not need all the extra luxuries to have a happy life.

2. When I finished the poem I agreed with what Alice Walker was saying. I believe that you do not have to have all the extra things in life to be happy. True happiness cannot be bought, maybe be temporarily, but never permanently. I also had the feeling that Walker wrote this poem as if she experienced this type of concept or witnessed someone going through it. This poem gives a person an idea of what true happiness really is.

3. (Chris' question) I think that if people never strive for great things, great things would not happen. I believe that in order for great things to occur there must be motivation and desire behind them. If there was no expectations for something extraordinary, then rarely would anything exceptional be an outcome. (my question) Do you agree with Alice Walker when she says to live frugally?

[thomashaldeman]

1. I absolutely agree with Eli, Darby, Chris, and Matt. I believe that the author is trying to tell us that life is to be lived without regard to material items. You can be completely happy with your life without spending money and wanting material goods that are not necessary. I also believe the author wants us to expect nothing, so that dissapointment and surprise will not be as important in our lives.
2. Overall, I really enjoyed the piece. I believe that we are a little spoiled in our own lives and think that we should try to avoid becoming materialistic. When I had finished reading the poem, I completely agreed with Alice Walker. Her message was very clear to me, and I think it can relate to many people in the world. If you don't expect anything, I think life would be less stressful.
3. To answer Matt's question, I do agree with Alice Walker when she says to live frugally. If all of us lived frugally, I think more people would get along much better. We wouldn't be as judgmental of others based on what they have, we would be more accepting of the people for who they are.
My Question: Do you believe that it is truly possible to live the way Alice Walker describes?

[paulabatoon]

1. I completely agree with everyone above. There are many people in the world who are perfectly happy with living in a simple house, a simple car, and overall, a simple lifestyle. You don't need lots of money to be happy. The author is also saying that we should not expect anything from other people, so that when we do receive things from them, we are surprised. Overall, Alice Walker is telling us her perspective on life: live simply and expect nothing.

2. I liked the piece. I agree with what Alice Walker is saying about life. I believe that you can get along fine without a whole lot of money, and that you shouldn't expect something. It makes life easier.

3. (In response to Tom's question) I think it is possible to live the way Alice Walker describes. It might be hard for some of us, but some people get along fine. As long as someone has the support of other people, you can live as Walker describes in this poem, although it might prove difficult.
My question: Why is Walker telling the reader to "make a parka for your soul?"

[darbycasey]

1. I agree with what everyone had said. The only thing I don't fully agree with Eli's idea that Walker believes in karma. I think her goal was to teach readers that you will live a better more fufilling life if we live a simple life and don't have high expectations.

2. In reponse to Paula's question: I think Walker is telling us to "make a parka for your soul" as a way to tell us we should have a warm, kind heart. She is telling us we don't need material things to make us happy we just need an open hearat willing to except whatever comes our way, good or bad.
My Question: Do you think Walker lived a simple life, like the one she describes?