Futurismnow

  While reading the first half of Pet by Akwaek e Emezi , I found the concept of appearance versus reality to be very compelling. In the beginning of the story, Lucille is described as a utopian society that appears idealistic and free from violence. However, it becomes clear to the reader that beyond this façade, violence and discrimination are still present, as Jam describes that “the people of Lucille would remember the temples that were bombed, the mosques, the acid attacks, the synagogues. Remembering w as important” (3). It becomes increasingly obvious that this society is not as perfect as it seems or appears to be, rather, hatred and manipulation lie beneath the surface. Therefore, this story prompts readers to question the realities of utopian societies and wonder if a society that appears so perfect is in fact realistic.   As Jam embarks on her journey, she begins to realize that truth is not always a comfortable thing to come to terms with. Therefore, as much ...

Jasper Martin  Dr Ellis  EN 376  November 6, 2023      The short story "We Travel the Spaceways" has a lot of hidden meaning behind a lot of the things one may just take for granted in the story, so there is a lot to unpack here. First, examine how LaVelle reflects on how things we see as major issues in our society today still exist in the future. People still live homeless and mass poverty still seems to be a major issue in the future New York City. This is such a major point of relevance to the underlying meaning behind the story because we think today that we will eventually find a way to eliminate mass poverty and get the homeless people off the streets, and this future shows us that we may not be able to find an answer that easily. It also represents the path we are on right now as a society that does not take tradeoffs if it means less money flowing in. It shows how homelessness, along with many other global problems, will not simply go away in time ...

 Fisk Candau Dr Ellis EN376  6 Nov 2023     One thing I found very interesting in "We Travel the Spaceways" was the emphasis on trusting your intuition.      While the protagonist calls himself crazy at several parts of the novella, he never really doubts that the soda bottles are vessels for the gods and always does whatever they tell him to. This was especially interesting when it comes to Kim, who had the same kind of trust in her intuition.      Rather than questioning whether the cans are actually vessels for the gods or if the visions they have are real, they just accept that everything is real. This is indicative of them trusting their intuition on a base level, even when it seems kind of crazy.     This emphasis on trusting your intuition is important within the novella because, without the trust, none of the events or rediscovering of the gods would have happened in the first place.      It is also impor...

 Ruth Owusu  Dr. Juniper Ellis  Postcolonial Literature  LaVelle Reflection, We Travel the Spaceways     In the short story, We Travel the Spaceways, it is an oddly entertaining story. I understood it to be an inside look into Grimace's daily life and mind as a homeless man in New York City. Even in this futuristic tale, homelessness is still a struggle and people's treatment remains negative. However, with the arrival of Kim, she is unlike the other human beings. She is willing to sit, talk, and walk with Grimace and together be a part of each world. That fact, I would say was a big takeaway for me in how Kim was receptive and kind to Grimace, fully aware of his status in society. This was only possible because she was a spirit made flesh. There are many times when his soda bottles, labeled as his friends, would talk with him but also guide him as a means of protection, in rough times. As well as, his mind thinking about space and the Pathfinders. All thes...

Grace Perry Dr. June Ellis EN376*01 6th November 2023  "We Travel the Spaceways"     What I found most interesting about this short story was the way it called upon the elements of ancestral knowledge in a similar way to Na Viro . For me, I found the Pathfinders to be an almost bodily reiteration of wayfinding. The Pathfinders speak externally to those who will listen, yet everyone has some level of internalized connection to them. I found this reminiscent of the way wayfinding was discussed in  Na Viro , where it was framed as an element within all of us, yet there were varying degrees to which we could utilize it. I thought this story then drew an interesting parallel. Those on Earth in Na Viro  were more attuned to this inherited knowledge, compared to those who had devoted themselves to space, while, comparatively, the people on Earth in "We Travel the Spaceways" are the one's ignorant to this higher acknowledgement of being and those connected to space more...

  Tyra Alexander 6 November 2023 EN*376 Dr. Ellis “We Travel the Spaceways” by Lavalle After reading this short story, I wondered a lot about the relationship between people and inanimate objects. The relationship between the main character and the soda cans seemed otherworldly to me and very strange to say the least. But, I really liked the ending when Kim revealed the truth and said the cans are the voices of ancestors from the past. I found that really insightful. One quote that stood out to me said “wait until you hear them as they truly sound, not filtered through bottles and cans”. It opened my mind a bit more about the inanimate object notion.  In this story, I’m seeing these inanimate objects be the vessel for those voices or “gods”  which shows how objects can hold history.  This subject definitely ties into a common theme I've been seeing in past readings. Such as with Big Mac’s house in McCoy Games and Zélie’s staff. I also see this in my culture as well...

Eva Walters Dr. Ellis EN*376*01 6 October 2023  “We Travel the Spaceways” Blog Post The short story “We Travel the Spaceways” by Victor Lavalle documents the life and journey of a homeless man going by the name Grimace, a name that was given to him as an insult by people in his area. In the story, Grimace travels around New York City looking for food, setting fire to different Churches and Mosques as a form of protest against places of worship, and avoiding being caught as a wanted man by the police. Along his journey, he meets Kim. Kim slowly becomes a love interest for Grimace and she helps explain to Grimace his purpose and journey in space.  One thing that I thought was interesting in the story was the portrayal of the Pathfinders through the different soda cans that Grimace carries around. At the beginning of the story, it is unclear the purpose of the soda cans other than the fact that they give Grimace different insights and viewpoints on the situations that he is i...