Snow is, simply put, the best invention ever made by anything... ever. Even though nature/God/whatever deity you believe in made it. I guess I am a bit biased in saying that snow is so awesome, seeing as how I am a winter baby (I was born the day after Christmas), but I have enough people who would agree with me to where, no, I am not being biased at all. Snow is awesome.
Have you ever noticed that there are different types of snow? For example, there is snow that is light and fluffy. It ends up being pretty to watch as it pirouettes through the air, but it perishes upon reaching the ground, and even when it manages to cling together on the ground, it has about zero use to us. Then there is the heavy snow, the dense little snowflakes that rocket into the grass. It is not the prettiest snow to watch, but its velocity packs it together, forming a pristine, white blanket over the earth that is heartbreaking to shatter with footsteps. This is my favorite type of snow.
However, there are times that snow is not very good. For example, when you are a freshman on a pair of skis for the very first time on a snowy incline and you forget how to stop and are too afraid to bail out and there is a building with sharp rock stucco looming up in front of you, that is when snow is not so good.
Even though that did happen to me, however, I still love the snow and its very low coefficient of mu. It is beautiful and crisp and clean, and it makes me happy to look at it (even when the sunlight bouncing off of it is burning a hole in my retinas.) Does it irk you whenever the yard is covered in snow, and someone completely demolishes it by walking around before you got to see it all pretty and unbroken? I hate that. The end.
12.01.2010
The Black Veil
The Black Veil had many good examples of Dark Romanticism in it. It used human nature, psychology, and fear to bring about the author's message in the style typical of the era, and I would definitely recommend that everyone read this.
The story is about a preacher who, in accordance with the title of the story, wears a black veil over his face (Hawthorne). He does this suddenly and for no apparent reason and ends up frightening his congregation and friends (Hawthorne). This fear that they feel is the major component of the story that makes it so characteristic of Dark Romanticism.
The fear does not just begin, however. First, the townspeople are curious about their pastor wearing this veil (Hawthorne). They do not mention it to him, but they whisper among themselves and figure that it is only a temporary thing, a stage that the preacher is going through (Hawthorne). When the veil does not come off, however, the fear grows a little bit. They wonder if the pastor hides his face because of some secret sin he has committed, so that God cannot look upon his guilty face (Hawthorne). When they find no answer to this plausibility, they find themselves deeply affected by his sermon, beginning to feel "as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought" (Hawthorne). After a long enough period of time, people begin to avoid him entirely (Hawthorne). Children are afraid of him and the secrets that his veil might hide (Hawthorne). This building up of a pathos towards the preacher not only exhibits fear, a common theme in Dark Romanticism, but a look into the nature of the human mind, which tends to escalate things beyond their proportion when they remain a mystery.
On a lesser note, the author also used imagery and certain situations to create a dark atmosphere. For instance, the veil that the preacher wears is black (Hawthorne). Black insinuates evil, mystery, fear, and suspicion. It casts a dark shadow upon the preacher's character, which, even though he did not change very much at all, made the townspeople fear him all the more. Also, the fact that the only time they ever begged for him to be someplace was when a person was dying (Hawthorne). Also, the preacher liked to visit the graveyard in his evening walks (Hawthorne). This then associates the preacher with death and increases the curiosity and suspicion lurking around the veil. It was a very clever use of imagery and plot device in order to create an effect on the rest of the story.
While it was a bit dark, this story's mood is not a bad thing at all. At the end, it delivers a powerful message to the audience that I will not spoil here for avid readers' sakes. The characteristics of it and Dark Romanticism are what bring about the final message of the story, though, and thus make them more than just characteristics of a writing period. It makes them characteristics of life.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Black Veil." Twice-Told Tales. 1837. Eldritch Press. Web. 30 Nov. 2010..
The story is about a preacher who, in accordance with the title of the story, wears a black veil over his face (Hawthorne). He does this suddenly and for no apparent reason and ends up frightening his congregation and friends (Hawthorne). This fear that they feel is the major component of the story that makes it so characteristic of Dark Romanticism.
The fear does not just begin, however. First, the townspeople are curious about their pastor wearing this veil (Hawthorne). They do not mention it to him, but they whisper among themselves and figure that it is only a temporary thing, a stage that the preacher is going through (Hawthorne). When the veil does not come off, however, the fear grows a little bit. They wonder if the pastor hides his face because of some secret sin he has committed, so that God cannot look upon his guilty face (Hawthorne). When they find no answer to this plausibility, they find themselves deeply affected by his sermon, beginning to feel "as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought" (Hawthorne). After a long enough period of time, people begin to avoid him entirely (Hawthorne). Children are afraid of him and the secrets that his veil might hide (Hawthorne). This building up of a pathos towards the preacher not only exhibits fear, a common theme in Dark Romanticism, but a look into the nature of the human mind, which tends to escalate things beyond their proportion when they remain a mystery.
On a lesser note, the author also used imagery and certain situations to create a dark atmosphere. For instance, the veil that the preacher wears is black (Hawthorne). Black insinuates evil, mystery, fear, and suspicion. It casts a dark shadow upon the preacher's character, which, even though he did not change very much at all, made the townspeople fear him all the more. Also, the fact that the only time they ever begged for him to be someplace was when a person was dying (Hawthorne). Also, the preacher liked to visit the graveyard in his evening walks (Hawthorne). This then associates the preacher with death and increases the curiosity and suspicion lurking around the veil. It was a very clever use of imagery and plot device in order to create an effect on the rest of the story.
While it was a bit dark, this story's mood is not a bad thing at all. At the end, it delivers a powerful message to the audience that I will not spoil here for avid readers' sakes. The characteristics of it and Dark Romanticism are what bring about the final message of the story, though, and thus make them more than just characteristics of a writing period. It makes them characteristics of life.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Black Veil." Twice-Told Tales. 1837. Eldritch Press. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
Masquerade
I have never really worn a mask before. I generally express my emotions fairly clearly to everyone around me, but even when I do not want people to know what I am feeling, I usually just separate myself from them until I feel better. I like this better than wearing a mask because I do not have to lie to people about how I am feeling, since I do not like to make other people mad or sad with how I feel about them.
However, why do people wear masks? That is a good question, and it has several answers. One reason that people wear masks, I think, is because they are afraid of the world. A mask hides them and their true self from the harsh and angry cries of critics and provokers. It acts as a shield from all the bad things on the outside that could possibly harm the sensitive soul cowering behind the mask.
Another possibility is that the person behind the mask is ashamed of themselves or something they have done. They do not want to be judged by people from the outside, not even by their friends and family. They are afraid of what they might lose if people knew their dirty little secrets, so they use the mask to hide their sins and mysteries.
A final reason that someone might wear a mask is that they find what they are feeling inappropriate to the situation that they are in, such as a person who has experienced a tragedy but is celebrating a friend's birthday. They might wear a mask of happiness in order to protect those around them from their own feelings of sadness ruining the general feeling of happiness. In this way, the mask wearer might wear his or her mask in order to conform to the people around them.
Now that I think about it, there have been times where I have worn a mask, but they are a bit too personal to put in public. I guess they will simply remain my secrets.
However, why do people wear masks? That is a good question, and it has several answers. One reason that people wear masks, I think, is because they are afraid of the world. A mask hides them and their true self from the harsh and angry cries of critics and provokers. It acts as a shield from all the bad things on the outside that could possibly harm the sensitive soul cowering behind the mask.
Another possibility is that the person behind the mask is ashamed of themselves or something they have done. They do not want to be judged by people from the outside, not even by their friends and family. They are afraid of what they might lose if people knew their dirty little secrets, so they use the mask to hide their sins and mysteries.
A final reason that someone might wear a mask is that they find what they are feeling inappropriate to the situation that they are in, such as a person who has experienced a tragedy but is celebrating a friend's birthday. They might wear a mask of happiness in order to protect those around them from their own feelings of sadness ruining the general feeling of happiness. In this way, the mask wearer might wear his or her mask in order to conform to the people around them.
Now that I think about it, there have been times where I have worn a mask, but they are a bit too personal to put in public. I guess they will simply remain my secrets.
11.30.2010
The Raven - Poetic Analysis
The narrator is sitting in a room at midnight reading a book. He begins to fall asleep when he hears a knocking at his door. He tells himself it is only a visitor knocking. Because it is December and the fire is dying, he begins to feel sad as he remembers his lost love, Lenore. The rustling of the curtains scares him, and he continues to tell himself that the knocking is merely a visitor as he stands. He feels a burst of courage and speaks in apologetic tones to the visitor as he goes to open the door, but when he opens it, there is no one there. He stands there in fear, staring at the silent darkness, and whispers, “Lenore!” which is responded to by an echo. He then turns back into the room, but soon hears the knocking again, only this time, it is at his window, so he convinces himself it is only the wind. He opens the shutter, and in flies a raven that perches upon the bust of the goddess Athena above his door. The narrator laughs at this, and jokingly asks the bird what its name is, to which the bird replies, “Nevermore.” The narrator is amazed that the bird actually spoke, but he does not think the word means anything. He assumes aloud that the bird will leave him by tomorrow, but the bird replies the same way. The reply startles him so much that he pulls a chair up in front of the bird and sits there to try to figure out what it means by “nevermore.” Suddenly, he asks the bird if he is ever to forget his lost love Lenore, thinking that he might be sent from God. It answers the same. He then asks if he will ever have peace or ever get to hold Lenore in heaven again, to which the bird responds the same. The narrator then demands that the bird leaves, and one last time, it says its phrase, “Nevermore.” The poem ends by saying that the bird and the narrator’s soul never lifted from that place.
There were several important allusions made in this poem. The first of them was a reference to Pallas, which is another name for the goddess Athena. She is the goddess of wisdom and strategic battle, and the positioning of her bust above the narrator’s door also proves important. Also, another allusion made was that in the line “Night’s Plutonian shore.” “Plutonian” refers to Pluto, or Hades, the Greek god of the underworld, so the shore may refer to the River Styx, the waterway that all the souls of the dead had to pass across in order to reach the Underworld. The reference to a “balm in Gilead” refers to a medicinal balm often made in the region of Gilead in Jordan, suggesting that Gilead is a place of healing for the heart. Also, Aidenn is another way of saying Eden, as in the Garden of Eden from the biblical story.
With all of this information in mind, here is what I believe to be the literal meaning of this poem. I believe this poem to be mainly about human nature, seeing as it is a Dark Romanticism piece. The human nature aspect comes from the narrator’s spiraling down into obsession with the raven and its phrase. Repetition causes belief, and so as time goes on, the narrator who once dismissed “nevermore” as just a silly little word sees his entire existence hanging on the thread of that word when he is told that nevermore shall he be happy, and nevermore shall he forget Lenore. I see this poem as a psychological study into obsession and the power of persuasion over the weak-willed human mind since all this bird has to do in order to bring the narrator to his knees is squawk one simple word.
There were several important allusions made in this poem. The first of them was a reference to Pallas, which is another name for the goddess Athena. She is the goddess of wisdom and strategic battle, and the positioning of her bust above the narrator’s door also proves important. Also, another allusion made was that in the line “Night’s Plutonian shore.” “Plutonian” refers to Pluto, or Hades, the Greek god of the underworld, so the shore may refer to the River Styx, the waterway that all the souls of the dead had to pass across in order to reach the Underworld. The reference to a “balm in Gilead” refers to a medicinal balm often made in the region of Gilead in Jordan, suggesting that Gilead is a place of healing for the heart. Also, Aidenn is another way of saying Eden, as in the Garden of Eden from the biblical story.
With all of this information in mind, here is what I believe to be the literal meaning of this poem. I believe this poem to be mainly about human nature, seeing as it is a Dark Romanticism piece. The human nature aspect comes from the narrator’s spiraling down into obsession with the raven and its phrase. Repetition causes belief, and so as time goes on, the narrator who once dismissed “nevermore” as just a silly little word sees his entire existence hanging on the thread of that word when he is told that nevermore shall he be happy, and nevermore shall he forget Lenore. I see this poem as a psychological study into obsession and the power of persuasion over the weak-willed human mind since all this bird has to do in order to bring the narrator to his knees is squawk one simple word.
A Criticism on Walden
I must start off by expressing how wonderful of an account I believe Walden to be. Thoreau definitely outdid himself with its writing, and its ideas ring clearly with me, giving it a special place in my heart and mind.
The criticism I chose to analyze on this lovely piece about Thoreau's stay at Walden Pond was titled "Thoreau's Walden and the American Dream: Challenge or Myth?" and was written by Michaela Keck. The criticism broke down the main themes of Walden, and then compared them with the ideas of the American Dream and Thoreau's own philosophies of it. It was definitely interesting to read, and it brought up a few points that particularly caught my eye.
The first thing that I noticed in my analysis of this criticism was that the author at one point almost accuses Thoreau of hypocrisy (Keck). She touches upon the fact that he was a strong supporter of self-reliance, independence, and the simplest form of leaving, yet during his stay at Walden Pond, he often ate supper with his family who were still nearby (Keck). While the text does not seem to mention this, he does point out that his location is near to civilization while still being out in nature. I found this accusation odd until the author justified it with the reminder of this era's family-centered feelings (Keck). It also made a lot of sense to me. While separating entirely from the world would be best to recompose one's thoughts, if one is trying to change the public opinion of such things, should they not also stay at least somewhat in touch with society? Elsewise, how could they hope to reform something they do not understand? To me, his attachment to society makes perfect sense.
The second point is where Walden begins to be compared to the American Dream (Keck). Before, I had always thought of the American Dream as something very simple, such as a rags to riches sort of tale of success. However, this author cited another who believed it to be about new beginnings, and in this way, the American Dream corresponds perfectly with Walden (Keck). What Thoreau was trying to achieve in isolating himself at Walden Pond was a new perspective of life. He wanted to find an inner independence and a way to keep in touch with nature long after he had left it. He was looking for a new beginning, and thus, he was looking for this definition of the American Dream.
The criticism also mentioned the importance of the shore to Thoreau (Keck). It stated that he viewed the shore as the place where opposites met and became one, merging into something easily viewed and understood by the world (Keck). It is an interesting concept, and the fact that he lived on the shores of Walden Pond only helps with the idea that Thoreau was trying to gain a fresh perspective of everything because where better to do that than on the neutral ground of a shore?
Again, I found this criticism interesting to read, as it presented thoughts on Thoreau's stay at Walden Pond that I would never had thought on my own. While it is always good to be original, this goes to show that others' opinions can be helpful in defining one's own opinions.
Works Cited
Keck, Michaela. "Thoreau's Walden and the American Dream: Challenge or Myth?" In Bloom, Harold, ed. The American Dream, Bloom's Literary Themes. New York: Chelsea Publishing House, 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 29, Nov. 2010. http://www.fofweb.com/.
The criticism I chose to analyze on this lovely piece about Thoreau's stay at Walden Pond was titled "Thoreau's Walden and the American Dream: Challenge or Myth?" and was written by Michaela Keck. The criticism broke down the main themes of Walden, and then compared them with the ideas of the American Dream and Thoreau's own philosophies of it. It was definitely interesting to read, and it brought up a few points that particularly caught my eye.
The first thing that I noticed in my analysis of this criticism was that the author at one point almost accuses Thoreau of hypocrisy (Keck). She touches upon the fact that he was a strong supporter of self-reliance, independence, and the simplest form of leaving, yet during his stay at Walden Pond, he often ate supper with his family who were still nearby (Keck). While the text does not seem to mention this, he does point out that his location is near to civilization while still being out in nature. I found this accusation odd until the author justified it with the reminder of this era's family-centered feelings (Keck). It also made a lot of sense to me. While separating entirely from the world would be best to recompose one's thoughts, if one is trying to change the public opinion of such things, should they not also stay at least somewhat in touch with society? Elsewise, how could they hope to reform something they do not understand? To me, his attachment to society makes perfect sense.
The second point is where Walden begins to be compared to the American Dream (Keck). Before, I had always thought of the American Dream as something very simple, such as a rags to riches sort of tale of success. However, this author cited another who believed it to be about new beginnings, and in this way, the American Dream corresponds perfectly with Walden (Keck). What Thoreau was trying to achieve in isolating himself at Walden Pond was a new perspective of life. He wanted to find an inner independence and a way to keep in touch with nature long after he had left it. He was looking for a new beginning, and thus, he was looking for this definition of the American Dream.
The criticism also mentioned the importance of the shore to Thoreau (Keck). It stated that he viewed the shore as the place where opposites met and became one, merging into something easily viewed and understood by the world (Keck). It is an interesting concept, and the fact that he lived on the shores of Walden Pond only helps with the idea that Thoreau was trying to gain a fresh perspective of everything because where better to do that than on the neutral ground of a shore?
Again, I found this criticism interesting to read, as it presented thoughts on Thoreau's stay at Walden Pond that I would never had thought on my own. While it is always good to be original, this goes to show that others' opinions can be helpful in defining one's own opinions.
Works Cited
Keck, Michaela. "Thoreau's Walden and the American Dream: Challenge or Myth?" In Bloom, Harold, ed. The American Dream, Bloom's Literary Themes. New York: Chelsea Publishing House, 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 29, Nov. 2010. http://www.fofweb.com/.
11.23.2010
I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me~
My mind is always playing tricks on me. I am one of those people who has trouble separating - subconsciously, this is - reality from fiction. For example, whenever I watch scary movies, I tend to be frightened and paranoid much longer than my friends. It is either I am scared longer, or they just admit to being scared for a shorter period of time. Anyway, during the aftermath of my vieiwng of a horror film, my mind will constantly play tricks on me. I will be driving on a bad country road at night, for example, and I will swear that I saw a person standing in the corner just out of the corner of my eye in the headlights. I am sure that there is never actually anyone there, but the idea, once planted in my brain, makes me more and more scared until, for a while, I avoid the road at night.
That is, actually, a true story. I had watched a zombie movie, Day of the Dead (which was inappropriately named as the entire movie took place at night), and I had to drive home to my dad's house in Petersburg one night soon after. To save time, I cut through the backroads near the high school to get there, even though most of the roads force you to drive 25 miles per hour because of all the potholes. As I was driving down a particularly pothole-ridden road, I just simply panicked. I could never explain to you just why I did, but I did. I drove faster than normal and risked my suspension getting damaged so I would not have to drive on that road any longer than I needed to.
Another way that my mind plays tricks on me is when I am about to go to sleep. I used to be able to sleep in the dark with no sound, but whenever I do not have the lights and some sort of sound on when I go to sleep, it drives me insane in that I can hear everything around me, but I cannot see it. Suddenly, the sound of the heating system sounds like a growl. The cat walking around upstairs is the quiet footsteps of something coming to get me. In this way, my mind plays tricks on me even when I am supposed to be relaxing and resting. It can be annoying at times, but I am slowly accepting that I am perfectly safe...
... Most of the time.
That is, actually, a true story. I had watched a zombie movie, Day of the Dead (which was inappropriately named as the entire movie took place at night), and I had to drive home to my dad's house in Petersburg one night soon after. To save time, I cut through the backroads near the high school to get there, even though most of the roads force you to drive 25 miles per hour because of all the potholes. As I was driving down a particularly pothole-ridden road, I just simply panicked. I could never explain to you just why I did, but I did. I drove faster than normal and risked my suspension getting damaged so I would not have to drive on that road any longer than I needed to.
Another way that my mind plays tricks on me is when I am about to go to sleep. I used to be able to sleep in the dark with no sound, but whenever I do not have the lights and some sort of sound on when I go to sleep, it drives me insane in that I can hear everything around me, but I cannot see it. Suddenly, the sound of the heating system sounds like a growl. The cat walking around upstairs is the quiet footsteps of something coming to get me. In this way, my mind plays tricks on me even when I am supposed to be relaxing and resting. It can be annoying at times, but I am slowly accepting that I am perfectly safe...
... Most of the time.
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Pit and the Pendulum was a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe about a man who has been charged as guilty of heresy by the Spanish Inquisition. His sentence is death. The story is bursting at the seams with the characteristics of Dark Romanticism: psychological fears, human nature, and mystery.
The story is extremely rich in psychological fears. In fact, this aspect of Dark Romanticism is where the story draws its climax (Langley). In the rising action, the author develops a fear of the dreaded pit in the main character's cell with his close encounter with it (Poe 267). In the climax of the story, the author forces the main character to confront this fear of the water-filled pit by placing him between a rock and a hard place. The Inquisition, after the main character has escaped his death by the pendulum's blade, proceed to heat the iron walls of his prison and bend them in, forcing him to either be burned by their heat and pressure, or to jump in the pit to escape their heat (Poe 273). The author explores the narrator's fear, especially when he begins to scream, "Death, any death but that of the pit!" (Poe 273). It truly is the build up of all the nervousness and fear the narrator had experienced up until then, and it falls into the falling action and conclusion quite nicely.
Poe also plays with human nature in this short story, another trait of Dark Romanticism (Langley). Specifically, the piece of human nature he examines is the will to survive. For example, when the narrator realizes that he is firmly secured in place below the descending pendulum's blade, instead of simply submitting to his fate, his will to survive causes him to think ingeniously to come up with a solution for escape (Poe 271-272). Survival is one of the most base aspects of human nature, being almost instinct. Since another major aspect of the story was fear, Poe used survival to complement the fear in that the narrator has to overcome his fear in order to fulfill his instinct to survive.
Another aspect of Dark Romanticism that Poe used in The Pit and the Pendulum is the aspect of mystery (Langley). Specifically, in this story, he uses it when the prisoner has been sentenced and placed in his cell (Poe 266). It is pitch black, leaving the mystery of where he is, and if he is even still alive (Poe 266). When the prisoner tries to measure the room, he still cannot judge how big it is, continuing the mystery (Poe 266-267). Another large mystery that Poe leaves is what the prisoner was actually charged with, or what he specifically did wrong that led to his death sentence by the Inquisition. The mystery is the interesting part of the story in that it keeps the reader wondering about the answers long after they have put down the book and allows them to speculate and come to their own conclusions.
In these three ways, The Pit and the Pendulum is a showpiece for Dark Romanticism with its use of many of the style's characteristics. Its dark tale of suspense is timeless and will continue to be read in the years to come due to its eternal connection with the readers' own fears and its thrilling suspensefulness leading up to its conclusion.
Works Cited
Langley, John. "Romanticism." Mr. Langley's Digital Classroom. John Langely, 24 Oct. 2010. Web. 23 Nov. 2010..
Poe, Edgar A. "The Pit and the Pendulum." Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 263-73. Print.
The story is extremely rich in psychological fears. In fact, this aspect of Dark Romanticism is where the story draws its climax (Langley). In the rising action, the author develops a fear of the dreaded pit in the main character's cell with his close encounter with it (Poe 267). In the climax of the story, the author forces the main character to confront this fear of the water-filled pit by placing him between a rock and a hard place. The Inquisition, after the main character has escaped his death by the pendulum's blade, proceed to heat the iron walls of his prison and bend them in, forcing him to either be burned by their heat and pressure, or to jump in the pit to escape their heat (Poe 273). The author explores the narrator's fear, especially when he begins to scream, "Death, any death but that of the pit!" (Poe 273). It truly is the build up of all the nervousness and fear the narrator had experienced up until then, and it falls into the falling action and conclusion quite nicely.
Poe also plays with human nature in this short story, another trait of Dark Romanticism (Langley). Specifically, the piece of human nature he examines is the will to survive. For example, when the narrator realizes that he is firmly secured in place below the descending pendulum's blade, instead of simply submitting to his fate, his will to survive causes him to think ingeniously to come up with a solution for escape (Poe 271-272). Survival is one of the most base aspects of human nature, being almost instinct. Since another major aspect of the story was fear, Poe used survival to complement the fear in that the narrator has to overcome his fear in order to fulfill his instinct to survive.
Another aspect of Dark Romanticism that Poe used in The Pit and the Pendulum is the aspect of mystery (Langley). Specifically, in this story, he uses it when the prisoner has been sentenced and placed in his cell (Poe 266). It is pitch black, leaving the mystery of where he is, and if he is even still alive (Poe 266). When the prisoner tries to measure the room, he still cannot judge how big it is, continuing the mystery (Poe 266-267). Another large mystery that Poe leaves is what the prisoner was actually charged with, or what he specifically did wrong that led to his death sentence by the Inquisition. The mystery is the interesting part of the story in that it keeps the reader wondering about the answers long after they have put down the book and allows them to speculate and come to their own conclusions.
In these three ways, The Pit and the Pendulum is a showpiece for Dark Romanticism with its use of many of the style's characteristics. Its dark tale of suspense is timeless and will continue to be read in the years to come due to its eternal connection with the readers' own fears and its thrilling suspensefulness leading up to its conclusion.
Works Cited
Langley, John. "Romanticism." Mr. Langley's Digital Classroom. John Langely, 24 Oct. 2010. Web. 23 Nov. 2010.
Poe, Edgar A. "The Pit and the Pendulum." Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 263-73. Print.
Quoth the Raven
This was a very interesting criticism for me, and it was also easy to understand. The author broke down the poem into the actions and literary and poetic devices in order to show exactly what he meant. He also drew from a variety of sources. Not only did he use more contemporary criticisms of the poem, but he also drew from criticisms placed around the time that the poem was published.
One thing that I found interesting and that I liked about this criticism was that the critic mentioned the importance of the word "nevermore" to the story (Bloom). He talked about how its repetition created suspense and ultimately led up to the climax of the entire poem (Bloom). I felt that in our in-class discussion, the true importance of that single phrase, "Nevermore," was not fully discussed in depth. I agree with the critic on this, that it is the center piece of the entire plot of the poem.
Another thing that caught my interest, though in a different fashion, was the paragraph in which the critic talked about how the raven perched on the bust of Athena above the narrator's study door (Bloom). He mentions its significance, but one thing I found strange was that he did not mention Athena as the goddess of battle. He only acknowledges her as the goddess of learning and wisdom, saying that the "despair and grief [the raven] brings ultimately overwhelm the goddess's gifts to the intellect" (Bloom). While I do agree with this interpretation, I believe that the bust of Athena was also meant to be some sort of protection for the narrator as she was placed above his door and was the goddess of battle and wisdom.
A paragraph that I enjoyed reading in this criticism was the one describing the continually growing frenzied state of the narrator because that part of the poem was one of my favorites (Bloom). It builds up so much suspense right before the climax; it is the part where the narrator tries to dismiss the bird as only knowing how to say "nevermore" and being "caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster / Followed fast and followed faster til his songs one burden bore" (Poe) When you read it to yourself, you can almost hear the words getting faster and faster with more and more frenzy and panic until it seems that the only thing keeping the narrator somewhat sane is this single hope that this bird is just a lost pet.
I was also intrigued by something the critic brought up that I had never thought about before, and that is that the narrator, by the end of the poem, is obsessed with this bird's answer (Bloom). It perfectly explains the ending. His obsession is what keeps his spirit from being lifted "nevermore," and it is also what keeps the raven on the bust above his door (Poe). It was something small but interesting that I liked.
All in all, this poem is one of my favorites. The dark Romanticism in it is so wonderful, and I have been in love with it ever since I have read it. This criticism also opened my eyes to a few things in the poem that I would have otherwise missed, and that is why I chose it.
Works Cited
Bloom, Harold, ed. "'The Raven'." Edgar Allan Poe, Bloom's Major Poets. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1999. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 22 Nov. 2010..
Poe, Edgar A. "The Raven." The Raven and Other Poems. Ed. H. Behme. 1845. H. Behme, 4 Oct. 2007. Web. 22 Nov. 2010..
One thing that I found interesting and that I liked about this criticism was that the critic mentioned the importance of the word "nevermore" to the story (Bloom). He talked about how its repetition created suspense and ultimately led up to the climax of the entire poem (Bloom). I felt that in our in-class discussion, the true importance of that single phrase, "Nevermore," was not fully discussed in depth. I agree with the critic on this, that it is the center piece of the entire plot of the poem.
Another thing that caught my interest, though in a different fashion, was the paragraph in which the critic talked about how the raven perched on the bust of Athena above the narrator's study door (Bloom). He mentions its significance, but one thing I found strange was that he did not mention Athena as the goddess of battle. He only acknowledges her as the goddess of learning and wisdom, saying that the "despair and grief [the raven] brings ultimately overwhelm the goddess's gifts to the intellect" (Bloom). While I do agree with this interpretation, I believe that the bust of Athena was also meant to be some sort of protection for the narrator as she was placed above his door and was the goddess of battle and wisdom.
A paragraph that I enjoyed reading in this criticism was the one describing the continually growing frenzied state of the narrator because that part of the poem was one of my favorites (Bloom). It builds up so much suspense right before the climax; it is the part where the narrator tries to dismiss the bird as only knowing how to say "nevermore" and being "caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster / Followed fast and followed faster til his songs one burden bore" (Poe) When you read it to yourself, you can almost hear the words getting faster and faster with more and more frenzy and panic until it seems that the only thing keeping the narrator somewhat sane is this single hope that this bird is just a lost pet.
I was also intrigued by something the critic brought up that I had never thought about before, and that is that the narrator, by the end of the poem, is obsessed with this bird's answer (Bloom). It perfectly explains the ending. His obsession is what keeps his spirit from being lifted "nevermore," and it is also what keeps the raven on the bust above his door (Poe). It was something small but interesting that I liked.
All in all, this poem is one of my favorites. The dark Romanticism in it is so wonderful, and I have been in love with it ever since I have read it. This criticism also opened my eyes to a few things in the poem that I would have otherwise missed, and that is why I chose it.
Works Cited
Bloom, Harold, ed. "'The Raven'." Edgar Allan Poe, Bloom's Major Poets. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1999. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
Poe, Edgar A. "The Raven." The Raven and Other Poems. Ed. H. Behme. 1845. H. Behme, 4 Oct. 2007. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
11.19.2010
This Is Just Therapy
Unplugging myself for a week might not work too well with me, but at the same time, it might. I tend to be very attached to technology and such; not only am I a video game junkie, but I listen to music on my iPod every waking moment and love to spend my time on the Internet. I even write most of my writings on my laptop. I am not much of a text-er with my phone, but anyway, unplugging would be hard, but I think I would enjoy it.
If I could go anywhere to unplug for a week, I would probably go to Wisconsin to stay in a log cabin on a lake in the woods. It would be summer, and the surrounding area would be hilly. I would have a kayak, some old-fashioned journals, lots of books, and writing utensils. To pass the time, I would walk around the woods and be in nature. I would also go kayaking, something I enjoy and which is very relaxing. I would also take the opportunity to write stories and about everything, maybe even practice drawing. And of course, I would read like there was no tomorrow.
Being unplugged, even though I might be reluctant to do it, would be very nice. It would be a chance to get away from the pressures of life, and believe me, I have plenty of pressure to escape from. There is the pressure of doing well in school, the pressure to be a good person, the pressure to take care of myself, the pressure to make right decisions, and on and on and on. Unplugging and getting away from all of that would feel wonderful, I am sure of it. It would be like therapy because there is something that can be found in nature that is something like peace. Everything in nature works together so well, like the mechanisms of a clock, so that everything is balanced and good. It reminds us where we come from and where we return and that sometimes in order to live our lives, we need to step away from them.
If I could go anywhere to unplug for a week, I would probably go to Wisconsin to stay in a log cabin on a lake in the woods. It would be summer, and the surrounding area would be hilly. I would have a kayak, some old-fashioned journals, lots of books, and writing utensils. To pass the time, I would walk around the woods and be in nature. I would also go kayaking, something I enjoy and which is very relaxing. I would also take the opportunity to write stories and about everything, maybe even practice drawing. And of course, I would read like there was no tomorrow.
Being unplugged, even though I might be reluctant to do it, would be very nice. It would be a chance to get away from the pressures of life, and believe me, I have plenty of pressure to escape from. There is the pressure of doing well in school, the pressure to be a good person, the pressure to take care of myself, the pressure to make right decisions, and on and on and on. Unplugging and getting away from all of that would feel wonderful, I am sure of it. It would be like therapy because there is something that can be found in nature that is something like peace. Everything in nature works together so well, like the mechanisms of a clock, so that everything is balanced and good. It reminds us where we come from and where we return and that sometimes in order to live our lives, we need to step away from them.
11.11.2010
Breakin' the Law
I would say that there are many times where disregarding the law in order to do something that is morally right would be alright. One situation that I specifically am thinking of is of is the soldiers during the draft for the Vietnam War who objected to their obligation to serve due to their religious or moral beliefs - not the conscientious objectors, who legally stated why they objected to their service, but the ones who burned their draft cards or went to Canada or Mexico in order to avoid the draft. This would align with the Romantic philosophy because Romantic philosophy argued that the individual was more important than the big picture. In the big picture, these men might have helped with the war in Vietnam, but individually, they would have been endangering themselves without wanting too, and therefore, they align with Romanticism.
Another example I think of when I think about disregarding the law for moral purposes is, naturally, the tale of Robin Hood. As we all know, Robin Hood stole from the rich to give to the poor, though I am not sure this would match up with the ideas of Romanticism. In Romanticism, the individual is held above the community, and self-made and self-reliant personalities are the chief goal. Natural selection, or the disappearance of those who cannot hold their own, was in common theory. Robin Hood risked his freedom individually by comitting a crime to help others who could not help themselves. While most people might deem this "romantic," in my book, it definitely does not compare with Romanticism's philosophies and creed.
While these examples are all good and fun, I wonder if I would ever be able to break the law in order to do something I knew was morally right. I do not think I could because courage is not my strong suit. I am a rule follower when it comes to official things. Society's rules, however, are a different story.
Another example I think of when I think about disregarding the law for moral purposes is, naturally, the tale of Robin Hood. As we all know, Robin Hood stole from the rich to give to the poor, though I am not sure this would match up with the ideas of Romanticism. In Romanticism, the individual is held above the community, and self-made and self-reliant personalities are the chief goal. Natural selection, or the disappearance of those who cannot hold their own, was in common theory. Robin Hood risked his freedom individually by comitting a crime to help others who could not help themselves. While most people might deem this "romantic," in my book, it definitely does not compare with Romanticism's philosophies and creed.
While these examples are all good and fun, I wonder if I would ever be able to break the law in order to do something I knew was morally right. I do not think I could because courage is not my strong suit. I am a rule follower when it comes to official things. Society's rules, however, are a different story.
11.09.2010
Me, Myself, and I
Emerson and Franklin's views on self-reliance are similar (since Emerson was a Transcendentalist), but still different. Of course, there was the difference in literary periods. Franklin lived in the age of Rationalism, while Emerson was an author of the Romantic period, and both periods were each others polar opposite. While both men wrote about the importance of being self-sufficient, the methods of doing this varied between them.
To elaborate on my first point, the style with which both essays were written was obviously vastly different. Emerson often tied emotions, the soul, and the heart into his essay on self-reliance; Franklin used logic to explain himself. Romanticism was the backlash period in response to Rationalism, so it only makes sense that Emerson would speak about entirely different things than Franklin would.
The other point of mine is the methods prescribed by these two authors for the obtaining of self-reliance. One of the main themes that struck me in Emerson's essay was his insistence on minding one's own business and not being charitable towards others. It struck me mainly because Romanticism was all about the heart, so I figured that Romantics would be compassionate towards their fellow humans. However, this strange practice might have been because Emerson was a Transcendentalist, an author who exhibited Rationalist and Romantic qualities in his work. However strange it may seem, though, the practice of "survival of the fittest" in Self-Reliance does make sense. Emerson's reasoning was that it would make other people become self-reliant, or that it would get rid of them. While this does seem harsh, it ties in with the Transcendentalist theme.
That theme does not mesh with Franklin's theme, however, because he promoted charity in his autobiography and most of his works. It still seems rather strange though, that the Rationalist would be the charitable one, while the Romantic would keep to himself so much. It just goes to show you that not everything you learn outside of the classroom matches up with what you learn in it.
To elaborate on my first point, the style with which both essays were written was obviously vastly different. Emerson often tied emotions, the soul, and the heart into his essay on self-reliance; Franklin used logic to explain himself. Romanticism was the backlash period in response to Rationalism, so it only makes sense that Emerson would speak about entirely different things than Franklin would.
The other point of mine is the methods prescribed by these two authors for the obtaining of self-reliance. One of the main themes that struck me in Emerson's essay was his insistence on minding one's own business and not being charitable towards others. It struck me mainly because Romanticism was all about the heart, so I figured that Romantics would be compassionate towards their fellow humans. However, this strange practice might have been because Emerson was a Transcendentalist, an author who exhibited Rationalist and Romantic qualities in his work. However strange it may seem, though, the practice of "survival of the fittest" in Self-Reliance does make sense. Emerson's reasoning was that it would make other people become self-reliant, or that it would get rid of them. While this does seem harsh, it ties in with the Transcendentalist theme.
That theme does not mesh with Franklin's theme, however, because he promoted charity in his autobiography and most of his works. It still seems rather strange though, that the Rationalist would be the charitable one, while the Romantic would keep to himself so much. It just goes to show you that not everything you learn outside of the classroom matches up with what you learn in it.
11.05.2010
I'll Fight the Sickness
Self-reflection and taking a break from society are very important things for everyone, not just the strange (in a good way) independent people of today's world and the world of history, and they are important for multiple reasons.
While being a part of society is good for the soul (as one of the main components of human nature is the need to be accepted and the need for community), it is also good to get away from uniformity sometimes. Too many people all around one person, all stating their opinion at the same time, can create chaos, and even when order is brought into the chaos, the result is that everyone begins to think the same. Uniformity of opinion for too long of a time can lead to problems as no fresh ideas are brought into the mix, the opinion is not reformed for possible errors, and progress of all sorts comes to a halt in that area. Getting away from society, as a result, is a good way of refreshing your beliefs and your spirit. I would compare it to something like stepping out of a room in which there is a very loud and angry debate happening. You have time to clear your thoughts and breath fresh air before going back into the fray because while stepping back is important, in order to do any good, we must arm ourselves with our ingenuity and freshness of opinion in an attempt to restore the good kind of order in which everyone agrees to disagree and realizes that other people have valuable thoughts that could be added onto their own.
I realized all this from stepping back and taking the time to self-reflect, in fact. I do not like to be influenced by others opinions, and while I do tend to be a pushover around others, deep down, I hold onto my beliefs like they are the only thing keeping me afloat. When everyone began listening to rap and hip-hop, I grabbed some labels no one had ever heard of. When everyone began shopping at Hollister and Abercrombie, I ran over to Urban Outfitters and thrift stores. Keeping myself attached yet detached allows me to stay in the fray while seeing what needs to be done and what I can do to help. In this way, being able to step out of the room is, in my opinion, one of the most valuable skills anyone could ever hope to gain.
(The blog title for today is from the song "Born Dead" by Silverstein, featuring Scott Wade. I have in fact been trying to make all my blog titles the lyrics of songs relevant to the topic.)
While being a part of society is good for the soul (as one of the main components of human nature is the need to be accepted and the need for community), it is also good to get away from uniformity sometimes. Too many people all around one person, all stating their opinion at the same time, can create chaos, and even when order is brought into the chaos, the result is that everyone begins to think the same. Uniformity of opinion for too long of a time can lead to problems as no fresh ideas are brought into the mix, the opinion is not reformed for possible errors, and progress of all sorts comes to a halt in that area. Getting away from society, as a result, is a good way of refreshing your beliefs and your spirit. I would compare it to something like stepping out of a room in which there is a very loud and angry debate happening. You have time to clear your thoughts and breath fresh air before going back into the fray because while stepping back is important, in order to do any good, we must arm ourselves with our ingenuity and freshness of opinion in an attempt to restore the good kind of order in which everyone agrees to disagree and realizes that other people have valuable thoughts that could be added onto their own.
I realized all this from stepping back and taking the time to self-reflect, in fact. I do not like to be influenced by others opinions, and while I do tend to be a pushover around others, deep down, I hold onto my beliefs like they are the only thing keeping me afloat. When everyone began listening to rap and hip-hop, I grabbed some labels no one had ever heard of. When everyone began shopping at Hollister and Abercrombie, I ran over to Urban Outfitters and thrift stores. Keeping myself attached yet detached allows me to stay in the fray while seeing what needs to be done and what I can do to help. In this way, being able to step out of the room is, in my opinion, one of the most valuable skills anyone could ever hope to gain.
(The blog title for today is from the song "Born Dead" by Silverstein, featuring Scott Wade. I have in fact been trying to make all my blog titles the lyrics of songs relevant to the topic.)
11.03.2010
We're the Kids of America
My ideal America would be a lot of things. It would have middle of the road policies and laws that would provide people in need with the help they needed, but not at the expense of the people who could take care of themselves. It would do everything possible to create peaceful relations with other countries, no matter what it took and would remain neutral as much as possible. Our language would be officially changed to English, and funding would be provided to teach immigrants, both legal and illegal, the English language. Also, becoming a citizen and acquiring a visa would be much easier to lower the rate of illegal immigrants, making them legal immigrants instead. The official system of measurement would be officially changed to the Metric system to improve relations. Funding for schools would be increased, and standards for teaching would be raised in order to provide a better education for more people. Monopolies would be eradicated and broken up, and the government would be entirely separate from big business but would take steps to foster small businesses. Colleges would be at least partially federally funded in order to lower the costs of getting a higher education as well. Animal rights would be extended, and all aspects of the processing of meat, dairy, and egg industries would be regulated. A second language would be required to be taught in elementary school. Restrictions would be placed on the press in matters of politics, such as trying to uncover dirt on political candidates. Funding for the fine arts in schools would be the equivalent of athletic budgets. Children would also be educated in new technologies, and logic skills would begin to be taught at an early age. The government would also take full responsibility for environmental issues such as pollution. Companies would not be allowed the rights they have as far as pollution. Scientists would be federally funded to research environmental solutions.
I know my ideal America is very improbable as it would require an unimaginable amount of taxing, but the question did ask for ideal. It's a utopia, and therefore, according to psychology and the nature of humanity, it is impossible. However, I would hope that at least some of the things I suggested could eventually be put in place.
I know my ideal America is very improbable as it would require an unimaginable amount of taxing, but the question did ask for ideal. It's a utopia, and therefore, according to psychology and the nature of humanity, it is impossible. However, I would hope that at least some of the things I suggested could eventually be put in place.
10.31.2010
The Ballad of the Oysterman
This poem was about an oysterman (a fisherman who specifically fishes for oysters, not an oyster-human hybrid) and his lover, the fisherman's daughter who lived across the river from him. The story starts out with the oysterman standing outside his house on the bank thinking to himself on night when he sees the fisherman's daughter wave her handkerchief at him as a signal to come over because her parents are not at home (Holmes). The oysterman decides not to take his boat in case that the parents might see him, so, remembering the story of Leander and Hero that he read one time, he swims across the river to her (Holmes). They fool around for a while until the girl's father comes to see her, at which point the oysterman jumps into the river again to swim back to his house (Holmes). The fisherman asks his daughter was the noise was; she lies and says she threw a rock in the river (Holmes). He then spots the figure of the oysterman swimming home; she says it is a porpoise (Holmes). Unfortunately, the fisherman goes to kill the "porpoise," which is actually the oysterman, with a harpoon (Holmes). This causes the girl to faint out of grief, and the oysterman drowns in the river after being hit (Holmes). The girl dies in her coma, but the poem ends by saying that Fate changed their appearance so that they now keep an oytser shop for mermaids at the bottom of the sea (Holmes).
This poem made a very good allusion to the story of Hero and Leander, in which Hero, who is a priestess in Aphrodite's temple on one side of the Hellesponte River, lights the way every night for her lover, Leander, to swim across the river and make love to her (Marlowe). One night, however, the wind from a storm blows out Hero's lights and makes the waters rough, so Leander loses his way and drowns (Marlowe). Hero in her sorrow jumps from the tower of the temple and dies as well (Marlowe). It was very clever of Holmes to use this to bring the poem together and to foreshadow the events of it as well. A metaphor was made at the end as well, when it said that "Fate [had] metamorphosed them, in pity of their woe, and [then] they [kept] an oyster-shop for mermaids down below" (Holmes). I believe this line to be saying that they were reincarnated as oysters to be together and to make pearls for the mermaids.
I think that what the author is really trying to say, besides telling us a sad love story, is that although things do not always work out like we think they should (the two lovers die instead of getting to live with each other), everything will turn out alright in the end, even if the end is not what we expected it to be (the two lovers were reincarnated as oysters, but they were able to be together) (Holmes).
Works Cited
Holmes, Oliver Wendell. "The Ballad of the Oysterman." Yale Book of American Verse. Ed. Thomas R. Lounsbury. New Haven: Yale UP, 1912. Bartleby. Jan. 1999. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. www.bartleby.com.
Marlowe, Christopher. Hero and Leander. Classic Literature Library. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. www.classic-literature.co.uk.
This poem made a very good allusion to the story of Hero and Leander, in which Hero, who is a priestess in Aphrodite's temple on one side of the Hellesponte River, lights the way every night for her lover, Leander, to swim across the river and make love to her (Marlowe). One night, however, the wind from a storm blows out Hero's lights and makes the waters rough, so Leander loses his way and drowns (Marlowe). Hero in her sorrow jumps from the tower of the temple and dies as well (Marlowe). It was very clever of Holmes to use this to bring the poem together and to foreshadow the events of it as well. A metaphor was made at the end as well, when it said that "Fate [had] metamorphosed them, in pity of their woe, and [then] they [kept] an oyster-shop for mermaids down below" (Holmes). I believe this line to be saying that they were reincarnated as oysters to be together and to make pearls for the mermaids.
I think that what the author is really trying to say, besides telling us a sad love story, is that although things do not always work out like we think they should (the two lovers die instead of getting to live with each other), everything will turn out alright in the end, even if the end is not what we expected it to be (the two lovers were reincarnated as oysters, but they were able to be together) (Holmes).
Works Cited
Holmes, Oliver Wendell. "The Ballad of the Oysterman." Yale Book of American Verse. Ed. Thomas R. Lounsbury. New Haven: Yale UP, 1912. Bartleby. Jan. 1999. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. www.bartleby.com.
Marlowe, Christopher. Hero and Leander. Classic Literature Library. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. www.classic-literature.co.uk.
10.28.2010
Wings of the Eagles
Wings of the Eagles
The sun beats down on lush carpets of green;
I stand in Paradise on Earth that teems
With color and sound and life, yet blind I
Am and mute and breathless. From my wide eye
The wind snatches moisture. Blood on my hands,
Viewed but washed* away with Time's harsh sands,
The heat blisters me from within. An arm
Rests on my shoulder, wishing me no harm,
And we stand in nostalgia. Suddenly,
We rise together on gold wings and flee.
Our spirits lift -- with us, we feel him there
Healed are our hearts in the desert air.
Regret no longer makes it home here. My
Heart is free -- my tears forever dry.
*The "e" in this word is supposed to be accented, but my computer would not allow me to put the accent on it.
The sun beats down on lush carpets of green;
I stand in Paradise on Earth that teems
With color and sound and life, yet blind I
Am and mute and breathless. From my wide eye
The wind snatches moisture. Blood on my hands,
Viewed but washed* away with Time's harsh sands,
The heat blisters me from within. An arm
Rests on my shoulder, wishing me no harm,
And we stand in nostalgia. Suddenly,
We rise together on gold wings and flee.
Our spirits lift -- with us, we feel him there
Healed are our hearts in the desert air.
Regret no longer makes it home here. My
Heart is free -- my tears forever dry.
*The "e" in this word is supposed to be accented, but my computer would not allow me to put the accent on it.
10.27.2010
Thanatopsis
I must start out by saying that this poem by William Cullen Bryant is absolutely amazing. Anyone who has not read it yet should read it as soon as they get the chance.
Literally, this poem begins by saying that Nature speaks to people, and that the way she speaks is covertly and depends on how the person is feeling. The narrator suggests that you go into Nature when you think about death, and that Nature will speak to you quietly. She will tell you how you will become a part of the earth when you die, and that when you die, you will not be alone. You will rest in the same tomb as all of the great people of the past, present, and future. She also says that it is okay if no one cares that you are gone, because everyone will die. She will also tell you to live your life to the fullest so that you have no regrets when you die and can embrace the calmness of death.
This poem uses a lot of poetic devices in his poem to make his point. One that I noticed a lot in Bryant's poem Thanatopsis was metaphor, such as in the lines, "Yet not to thine eternal resting-place / Shalt thou retire alone, nor couldst thou wish / Couch more magnificent. Thou shalt lie down / With patriarchs of the infant world--with kings, / The powerful of the earth--the wise, the good, / Fair forms, and hoary seers of ages past, / All in one mighty sepulchre..." Technically speaking, the audience probably will not be buried right next to anyone described in this passage. However, they will be buried in the earth, which is where all of these people are buried, and thus, they will be buried with them.
From this passage, I take my one major conclusion from this poem. The figurative meaning, I believe, is that all of us are equal. Bryant says that we will be buried with "patriarchs of the infant world" and "the powerful of the earth." To be buried with a great person would be an honor, would it not? He suggests that people are equal because of the fact that we will all share our final resting place. I like this idea a lot; it is comforting for some reason to know that I will not be alone when I die.
Works Cited
Bryant, William Cullen. "Thanatopsis." Yale Book of American Verse. Ed. Thomas R. Lounsbury. New Haven: Yale UP, 1912. Poetry Archive. Web. 27 Oct. 2010..
Literally, this poem begins by saying that Nature speaks to people, and that the way she speaks is covertly and depends on how the person is feeling. The narrator suggests that you go into Nature when you think about death, and that Nature will speak to you quietly. She will tell you how you will become a part of the earth when you die, and that when you die, you will not be alone. You will rest in the same tomb as all of the great people of the past, present, and future. She also says that it is okay if no one cares that you are gone, because everyone will die. She will also tell you to live your life to the fullest so that you have no regrets when you die and can embrace the calmness of death.
This poem uses a lot of poetic devices in his poem to make his point. One that I noticed a lot in Bryant's poem Thanatopsis was metaphor, such as in the lines, "Yet not to thine eternal resting-place / Shalt thou retire alone, nor couldst thou wish / Couch more magnificent. Thou shalt lie down / With patriarchs of the infant world--with kings, / The powerful of the earth--the wise, the good, / Fair forms, and hoary seers of ages past, / All in one mighty sepulchre..." Technically speaking, the audience probably will not be buried right next to anyone described in this passage. However, they will be buried in the earth, which is where all of these people are buried, and thus, they will be buried with them.
From this passage, I take my one major conclusion from this poem. The figurative meaning, I believe, is that all of us are equal. Bryant says that we will be buried with "patriarchs of the infant world" and "the powerful of the earth." To be buried with a great person would be an honor, would it not? He suggests that people are equal because of the fact that we will all share our final resting place. I like this idea a lot; it is comforting for some reason to know that I will not be alone when I die.
Works Cited
Bryant, William Cullen. "Thanatopsis." Yale Book of American Verse. Ed. Thomas R. Lounsbury. New Haven: Yale UP, 1912. Poetry Archive. Web. 27 Oct. 2010.
10.22.2010
In Fields of Green, With Quiet Streams
There have been a lot of times that I have bonded with nature. I really like to be outside and under the cover of trees, despite my love of the Internet and computer games. There is something very calming about being in nature with only the sound of the wind and the sounds of the animals.
Anyway, this past summer I went on a mission trip to Marion, Virginia. The place that my group stayed at was a cabin retreat at Hungry Mother Lutheran Retreat Camp, up in the Appalachian Mountains and right on the border of a national park (I cannot remember what the name of the park was - it may have also been Hungry Mother). We were right in the center of nature, and in the afternoons when we all got back from our work sites, I would put on my tennis shoes and hike through the forest. It was amazingly beautiful; there was a mountain meadow down the hill from the cabins, and several brooks that led to a bigger creek that was shallow enough to wade through. The forest was thick, but there was an abundance of paths to traverse through it, along with many beautiful and natural rock formations. I felt like I was in heaven.
I specifically remember wading down the creek one afternoon. It was amazing. Little minnows darted every which way, and I even saw a few crayfish. Of course, the spiders that had built their webs across the creek from the tree branches scared me a little (okay, a lot), but it was worth it. Further down the creek, after a few bends, I even got to see some fish, and when I stood still for a while, they started to swim around my legs.
I always love bonding with nature. Doing that is a refresher to the soul. It always leaves me feeling happy and calm. So while I do appreciate science, and while I do also love computers and the awesomeness of the Internet, nature will always be something special in my heart.
Anyway, this past summer I went on a mission trip to Marion, Virginia. The place that my group stayed at was a cabin retreat at Hungry Mother Lutheran Retreat Camp, up in the Appalachian Mountains and right on the border of a national park (I cannot remember what the name of the park was - it may have also been Hungry Mother). We were right in the center of nature, and in the afternoons when we all got back from our work sites, I would put on my tennis shoes and hike through the forest. It was amazingly beautiful; there was a mountain meadow down the hill from the cabins, and several brooks that led to a bigger creek that was shallow enough to wade through. The forest was thick, but there was an abundance of paths to traverse through it, along with many beautiful and natural rock formations. I felt like I was in heaven.
I specifically remember wading down the creek one afternoon. It was amazing. Little minnows darted every which way, and I even saw a few crayfish. Of course, the spiders that had built their webs across the creek from the tree branches scared me a little (okay, a lot), but it was worth it. Further down the creek, after a few bends, I even got to see some fish, and when I stood still for a while, they started to swim around my legs.
I always love bonding with nature. Doing that is a refresher to the soul. It always leaves me feeling happy and calm. So while I do appreciate science, and while I do also love computers and the awesomeness of the Internet, nature will always be something special in my heart.
10.20.2010
Ciao, Shalom, Dobrei Dien
My favorite language happens to be Arabic. It is a very poetic language when you translate it literally. For example, a formal greeting in Arabic literally translates into, "May peace be upon you," and the formal response is, "And peace be upon you as well." It is awesome! I have only just recently started studying it, but I already like it.
Even the way the grammar in Arabic is set up is very romantic and poetic. In Arabic, there is not an indefinite article. In English, the two indefinite articles are a and an. Arabic only has the definite article (in English this is the), which is al. This is placed in front of the word it is modifying and connected by a hyphen. However, it is not always spelled with an l. Letters in Arabic are divided into two categories: moon letters and sun letters. Words that start with a sun letter change the l in the definite article to the letter that they start with. Moon letters keep the l. I told you, did I not? It is very poetic.
I really like Arabic. In fact, that is what I plan on majoring in when I go to college. I hope to get my master's degree in Arabic and translate. My ultimate dream would be to translate for the UN, but I cannot remember if Arabic is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Either way, translating Arabic for the good of humanity is my ultimate dream.
My other possibility with Arabic translation would be to become a missionary or aid worker in Arabic-speaking countries. I am not only interested in languages, but I also love studying foreign cultures, helping other people, and spreading my faith. This kind of job would combine all of those while giving me a fulfilling place in the grand scheme of the world. I am not sure if I will be able to do this exactly as I plan, but it would be epic.
Even the way the grammar in Arabic is set up is very romantic and poetic. In Arabic, there is not an indefinite article. In English, the two indefinite articles are a and an. Arabic only has the definite article (in English this is the), which is al. This is placed in front of the word it is modifying and connected by a hyphen. However, it is not always spelled with an l. Letters in Arabic are divided into two categories: moon letters and sun letters. Words that start with a sun letter change the l in the definite article to the letter that they start with. Moon letters keep the l. I told you, did I not? It is very poetic.
I really like Arabic. In fact, that is what I plan on majoring in when I go to college. I hope to get my master's degree in Arabic and translate. My ultimate dream would be to translate for the UN, but I cannot remember if Arabic is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Either way, translating Arabic for the good of humanity is my ultimate dream.
My other possibility with Arabic translation would be to become a missionary or aid worker in Arabic-speaking countries. I am not only interested in languages, but I also love studying foreign cultures, helping other people, and spreading my faith. This kind of job would combine all of those while giving me a fulfilling place in the grand scheme of the world. I am not sure if I will be able to do this exactly as I plan, but it would be epic.
10.18.2010
Listen to Your Heart...~ (Not Really)
I use logic and reason... Like never. I mainly follow my thoughts and feelings as well as what I feel God tells me through prayer. I guess that might be something like reason, though, since I am stepping back from my emotions and wants to see what God wants me to do. So I suppose there's some reason involved even in religion where you would least expect to find it.
I use logic when I play sudoku (best game ever). It's very beneficial to improving logic and reasoning skills, and well as relieving stress. I like it a lot, but sadly, the app on my iTouch only has the same ten problems. It made me sad when I found out.
I also use logic when I'm doing homework for classes like physics and pre-calculus. It's kind of an important tool in those two, because otherwise, I wouldn't be able to figure out more difficult problems and would end up failing.
But in other matters, no, I don't use logic and reason. In social situations, my decisions are almost always based on how I feel and what I know God wants me to do - a good, happy medium.
I still need 128 words, so maybe a short story to pass the minimum word line.
So I joined this regional jazz band the other day, and it meets on the southeast side of town at seven on Sunday nights. My friends David and Ally were members before me, and I was trying to navigate my way there using directions the Interwebs gave me. It didn't work. I got lost on the east side of town at night all alone, and David wouldn't pick up (I later found out his phone had died. They had to call my mom to get my cell phone number to direct me there.) It sucked and I was scared out of my mind.
The moral of the story is never get directions from the Interwebs. They always lie.
I use logic when I play sudoku (best game ever). It's very beneficial to improving logic and reasoning skills, and well as relieving stress. I like it a lot, but sadly, the app on my iTouch only has the same ten problems. It made me sad when I found out.
I also use logic when I'm doing homework for classes like physics and pre-calculus. It's kind of an important tool in those two, because otherwise, I wouldn't be able to figure out more difficult problems and would end up failing.
But in other matters, no, I don't use logic and reason. In social situations, my decisions are almost always based on how I feel and what I know God wants me to do - a good, happy medium.
I still need 128 words, so maybe a short story to pass the minimum word line.
So I joined this regional jazz band the other day, and it meets on the southeast side of town at seven on Sunday nights. My friends David and Ally were members before me, and I was trying to navigate my way there using directions the Interwebs gave me. It didn't work. I got lost on the east side of town at night all alone, and David wouldn't pick up (I later found out his phone had died. They had to call my mom to get my cell phone number to direct me there.) It sucked and I was scared out of my mind.
The moral of the story is never get directions from the Interwebs. They always lie.
10.14.2010
Fictive Autobiographies Are Not Oxymorons
This literary criticism was very insightful towards Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography. It contained many ideas about the nonfiction work that I had not considered before reading it. The main idea, of course, was the American Dream, and how Franklin interpreted it in his own life (Lemay). The author of this criticism also observed how the Autobiography was also a guide to improve one's life through the example of Benjamin Franklin's own life, another concept which I had not thought of (Lemay). What I had first viewed as merely an account of a great man's life has now transformed itself into something much more from the idea presented in this literary criticism.
The American Dream motif was my favorite part of the criticism, partly because it was discussed and explained in so much depth. I liked the different aspects of the American Dream that Lemay delved into in his piece, such as talking about not only the rise from rags to riches, but other aspects such as "the rise from impotence to importance" (Lemay). I also was impressed by his comparison of this process to the process of growing up. The section of that that struck me the most was the gaining of the adulthood state, of the independence and power, and the realization that it is not as good as one might have imagined it to be (Lemay). I also appreciated, as an AP US History student, the comparison of Benjamin Franklin's rise to greatness with the rising of America into independence and power (Lemay). Seeing all these comparisons made almost makes me wonder if Franklin's Autobiography was rather fiction than fact, something to mirror the events that were occuring around him every day. It is indeed very interesting to think about.
I agreed with Lemay's statement about Franklin's third aspect of the American Dream, the section about the power of the individual and Franklin's belief that individuals controlled their own destinies as well as the destiny of their entire world (Lemay). It is a very optimistic view, and I like it a lot for that reason. Think about all the good that might be accomplished in the world if everyone were to believe that they had the power to change everything, although some might take a pessimistic view and say this might cause people with bad intentions to fulfill their dreams. However, call me an idealist, I believe that most people, with total faith in their own abilities, would strive toward good and make our world a better place.
While the criticism was rather long, dry, and used a lot of words that I had to look up in a dictionary, I liked it a lot. The ideas that Lemay expressed were novel to me and helped me gain a better understanding of why Benjamin Franklin might have taken the time to tell the world all about his life. I am glad that he did, for one, and at first chance, I think I will most definitely try to find a copy of his book to read for myself. It is definitely his masterpiece.
Works Cited
Lemay, J.A. Leo. "Franklin's Autobiography and the American Dream." InThe Renaissance Man in the Eighteenth Century. Los Angeles: William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 1978. Quoted as "Franklin's Autobiography and the American Dream." in Bloom, Harold, ed. The American Dream, Bloom's Literary Themes. New York: Chelsea Publishing House, 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=1&iPin=BLTTAD005&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 11, 2010).
The American Dream motif was my favorite part of the criticism, partly because it was discussed and explained in so much depth. I liked the different aspects of the American Dream that Lemay delved into in his piece, such as talking about not only the rise from rags to riches, but other aspects such as "the rise from impotence to importance" (Lemay). I also was impressed by his comparison of this process to the process of growing up. The section of that that struck me the most was the gaining of the adulthood state, of the independence and power, and the realization that it is not as good as one might have imagined it to be (Lemay). I also appreciated, as an AP US History student, the comparison of Benjamin Franklin's rise to greatness with the rising of America into independence and power (Lemay). Seeing all these comparisons made almost makes me wonder if Franklin's Autobiography was rather fiction than fact, something to mirror the events that were occuring around him every day. It is indeed very interesting to think about.
I agreed with Lemay's statement about Franklin's third aspect of the American Dream, the section about the power of the individual and Franklin's belief that individuals controlled their own destinies as well as the destiny of their entire world (Lemay). It is a very optimistic view, and I like it a lot for that reason. Think about all the good that might be accomplished in the world if everyone were to believe that they had the power to change everything, although some might take a pessimistic view and say this might cause people with bad intentions to fulfill their dreams. However, call me an idealist, I believe that most people, with total faith in their own abilities, would strive toward good and make our world a better place.
While the criticism was rather long, dry, and used a lot of words that I had to look up in a dictionary, I liked it a lot. The ideas that Lemay expressed were novel to me and helped me gain a better understanding of why Benjamin Franklin might have taken the time to tell the world all about his life. I am glad that he did, for one, and at first chance, I think I will most definitely try to find a copy of his book to read for myself. It is definitely his masterpiece.
Works Cited
Lemay, J.A. Leo. "Franklin's Autobiography and the American Dream." InThe Renaissance Man in the Eighteenth Century. Los Angeles: William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 1978. Quoted as "Franklin's Autobiography and the American Dream." in Bloom, Harold, ed. The American Dream, Bloom's Literary Themes. New York: Chelsea Publishing House, 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/
10.12.2010
'Cause I'm a Vegetarian...~
I am writing the Declaration of Vegetarianism because I believe in not eating meat and such. Why do I believe this? Ohohoho~! You shall learn...~
I believe that we, as human beings with the ability to reason and think compassionately, and with the modern resources available to us, should not (have to) eat meat. There are many other options that are just as nutritional viable and much more compassionate.
... Yeah, I was going to be all epic for 325 words about why everyone should be vegetarian, but Matt just asked Zander for some tots, and Zander pulled some tots out of his pocket. It made my day and has thusly distracted me from veggie thoughts.
In band, we had an epic failure. Individuals that I know were terrible at staying in step and following the marching fundamentals, and there was hardly any equidistant spacing or step size, along with our lack of singing in Ghanaan. It was horrible (now say that like I wrote it as 'harbl').
In other news, I found out what you call the squiggly line that I have fallen in love with as a result of online communities. It's called a tilde~! In online communities, it is used to show a sarcastic, playful, or sometimes flirty connotation. It's epic, that's what it is. You can also use it to show a change in pitch when talking, or if something is sung. I love it. It has eclipsed my love for ellipses entirely~
Anyhoo, being a vegetarian is awesome. I get to eat awesome foods awesomely while awesomely not feel any unawesome guilt! Plus, I generally will live long than my peers who eat meat, and I will generally be healthier than them. Plus, I get to save animals! HOORAY~
I really want an egg biscuit now. With cheese. Cheese is good. This was a really bad Declaration. I can't wait to get home because I can't think and I totally forgot about the physics test next hour. I'm done.
I believe that we, as human beings with the ability to reason and think compassionately, and with the modern resources available to us, should not (have to) eat meat. There are many other options that are just as nutritional viable and much more compassionate.
... Yeah, I was going to be all epic for 325 words about why everyone should be vegetarian, but Matt just asked Zander for some tots, and Zander pulled some tots out of his pocket. It made my day and has thusly distracted me from veggie thoughts.
In band, we had an epic failure. Individuals that I know were terrible at staying in step and following the marching fundamentals, and there was hardly any equidistant spacing or step size, along with our lack of singing in Ghanaan. It was horrible (now say that like I wrote it as 'harbl').
In other news, I found out what you call the squiggly line that I have fallen in love with as a result of online communities. It's called a tilde~! In online communities, it is used to show a sarcastic, playful, or sometimes flirty connotation. It's epic, that's what it is. You can also use it to show a change in pitch when talking, or if something is sung. I love it. It has eclipsed my love for ellipses entirely~
Anyhoo, being a vegetarian is awesome. I get to eat awesome foods awesomely while awesomely not feel any unawesome guilt! Plus, I generally will live long than my peers who eat meat, and I will generally be healthier than them. Plus, I get to save animals! HOORAY~
I really want an egg biscuit now. With cheese. Cheese is good. This was a really bad Declaration. I can't wait to get home because I can't think and I totally forgot about the physics test next hour. I'm done.
10.07.2010
Smells Like Teen Spirit
School spirit is cool. You know. It's cool. Yeah. Except for when some crazy kid in your English class paints himself blue for class color day. Yeah.
(Actually, D-Rob, that's awesome. Once again, you are my hero.)
So now is creative writing time~!
One day, a girl started crying because she was stressed out the wazoo. She didn't have any time to do any of her homework ever, and when she did, she would accidentally fall asleep. But luckily, she had a nice guy friend who let her cry on his shoulder. He made her feel better. The end.
My hair is really wet today. I hate my life. It's horrible by my preset standards.
Anyway, why am I in accelerated English? I want to be an Arabic translator for the government. International affairs and all. It's gonna be epic.
My blogs suck in terms of grammar. I just realized it. Maybe I should stop writing like I talk and start writing like I should.
Eh. Whatevs.
One day, there was a girl named Arden. She was a British traceuse, and very epic. She had an uncle named Shaun who was a historian who couldn't remember any of the Popes' names. Ever. Still, he wasn't not epic or anything. Anyway, they went to visit her grandma Maria's house, only she was not British and couldn't understand either of their accents. This story has no point.
Oh! Halloween dance. YIS~!!
So, recently, I've been having these weird thoughts. Like, I've been analyzing everything around me (and it's cutting into my homework time unfortunately) and realizing that our world is coming to an end in several different respects. We're killing the environment, screwing with every other country, not taking care of people who need us. It's ridiculously stupid how easy it would be to save everything. I don't know anything, though. I'm just a 16-year-old getting C's in advanced classes. What do I know.
Sigh...
... D-Rob, don't quit your day job.
(Actually, D-Rob, that's awesome. Once again, you are my hero.)
So now is creative writing time~!
One day, a girl started crying because she was stressed out the wazoo. She didn't have any time to do any of her homework ever, and when she did, she would accidentally fall asleep. But luckily, she had a nice guy friend who let her cry on his shoulder. He made her feel better. The end.
My hair is really wet today. I hate my life. It's horrible by my preset standards.
Anyway, why am I in accelerated English? I want to be an Arabic translator for the government. International affairs and all. It's gonna be epic.
My blogs suck in terms of grammar. I just realized it. Maybe I should stop writing like I talk and start writing like I should.
Eh. Whatevs.
One day, there was a girl named Arden. She was a British traceuse, and very epic. She had an uncle named Shaun who was a historian who couldn't remember any of the Popes' names. Ever. Still, he wasn't not epic or anything. Anyway, they went to visit her grandma Maria's house, only she was not British and couldn't understand either of their accents. This story has no point.
Oh! Halloween dance. YIS~!!
So, recently, I've been having these weird thoughts. Like, I've been analyzing everything around me (and it's cutting into my homework time unfortunately) and realizing that our world is coming to an end in several different respects. We're killing the environment, screwing with every other country, not taking care of people who need us. It's ridiculously stupid how easy it would be to save everything. I don't know anything, though. I'm just a 16-year-old getting C's in advanced classes. What do I know.
Sigh...
... D-Rob, don't quit your day job.
10.05.2010
My Blog Titles Are Going to Be Song Lyrics From Now On
Working with a partner can be either really awesome or suck a ton. There is no gray partnership.
I tend to like to work alone because I like to do things my way, but I'm not assertive enough to get this to happen with a partner or a group. However, I think I end up working better in a partnership or group because other people keep me on top of the work and help to keep me from procrastinating (you may have noticed that I am a notorious procrastinator).
There are pros and cons to working alone and with partners. When working alone, you are much more flexible as to how you want to complete the work and when you want to do it. However, you can begin to feel overwhelmed by too large of a project, or you can fall behind schedule because we are faulty by nature. The pros of working with a partner counter the cons of working alone, but the cons of partnership counter the pros of working alone as well.
(By the way, this song I'm listening to is extremely epic and doesn't fit the topic at all... sort of. "Vices" by Silverstein. It's about a guy finding out his wife is cheating on him. Very awesome.)
That's all I really have to say about partners, I guess. But I still need 98 words, so...
Have you ever read Shel Silverstein's poems? I mean, actually READ them. Looked into the meaning. Most of them seem very silly at face value, but when you read between the lines, they contain very deep thoughts and stories, both positive and negative. I was reading some of them yesterday (yes, when I was supposed to be writing my reflection on Patrick Henry, the coolest orator ever), and they made me really sad and want to write. Definitely read some of his stuff sometime and think about it a lot. He is now one of my favorite authors/poets.
I tend to like to work alone because I like to do things my way, but I'm not assertive enough to get this to happen with a partner or a group. However, I think I end up working better in a partnership or group because other people keep me on top of the work and help to keep me from procrastinating (you may have noticed that I am a notorious procrastinator).
There are pros and cons to working alone and with partners. When working alone, you are much more flexible as to how you want to complete the work and when you want to do it. However, you can begin to feel overwhelmed by too large of a project, or you can fall behind schedule because we are faulty by nature. The pros of working with a partner counter the cons of working alone, but the cons of partnership counter the pros of working alone as well.
(By the way, this song I'm listening to is extremely epic and doesn't fit the topic at all... sort of. "Vices" by Silverstein. It's about a guy finding out his wife is cheating on him. Very awesome.)
That's all I really have to say about partners, I guess. But I still need 98 words, so...
Have you ever read Shel Silverstein's poems? I mean, actually READ them. Looked into the meaning. Most of them seem very silly at face value, but when you read between the lines, they contain very deep thoughts and stories, both positive and negative. I was reading some of them yesterday (yes, when I was supposed to be writing my reflection on Patrick Henry, the coolest orator ever), and they made me really sad and want to write. Definitely read some of his stuff sometime and think about it a lot. He is now one of my favorite authors/poets.
10.01.2010
Oh Nancy...
I'm really bad at these one word prompts. If it were creative writing, I'd be awesome, but a serious blog post about one word? It sucks to be me right now, really.
I guess I'm a Christian, so I have ethics and values. My work ethic is crap right now for psychological reasons unknown to me, which conflicts with my educational values and creates a giant inner turmoil within me that is only amplified by my current cold.
On the bright side, I realized how AWESOME Shel Silverstein is today. How many poets can create childish and yet extremely profound poems at the same time? Like, only one (that's a hyperbole) and his name is Shel Silverstein.
By the way, the band named after him is awesome too. Check them out.
Mr. Langley's eating a ham sandwich and it looks good. Too bad I'm a vegetarian.
That's one of my ethics - I don't believe in killing animals for food. I think it's kind of wrong, but I'd rather not go through all my reasonings right now. I don't like getting people mad at me because I don't eat meat.
Nancy, you will be forever looked down upon in this class.
(TBC~)
I guess I'm a Christian, so I have ethics and values. My work ethic is crap right now for psychological reasons unknown to me, which conflicts with my educational values and creates a giant inner turmoil within me that is only amplified by my current cold.
On the bright side, I realized how AWESOME Shel Silverstein is today. How many poets can create childish and yet extremely profound poems at the same time? Like, only one (that's a hyperbole) and his name is Shel Silverstein.
By the way, the band named after him is awesome too. Check them out.
Mr. Langley's eating a ham sandwich and it looks good. Too bad I'm a vegetarian.
That's one of my ethics - I don't believe in killing animals for food. I think it's kind of wrong, but I'd rather not go through all my reasonings right now. I don't like getting people mad at me because I don't eat meat.
Nancy, you will be forever looked down upon in this class.
(TBC~)
9.29.2010
Science Vs. Religion
Ugh.
See, I'm not very good at this stuff, what with my being a Christian and science-lover all at once. I'm not even sure what this argument is specifically about. Is science better? Is religion? It's like asking which is better, cheese or cheese?
I'm not sure what I mean either, but I do know that everyone should choose for themselves and form their own opinions. Neither side will ever win the "war" because people should have the free will to choose whether they'd like to believe in science or religion.
Me? My cup of tea is religion. Specifically Christianity. I may be a baptized Evangelical Lutheran, but as long as I'm a Christian, I don't care.
I'm not really sure what else I should say.
Did you know that Tabatha is a Biblical name? She was a seamstress lady from Acts. Her Greek name was Dorcas. Yeah.
I really, really don't know what else to say about this. I don't want to offend anyone.
JOSH NEEDS TO STOP MAKING HIS COMPUTER BEEP KAY THANKS.
It's creative writing time.
So once upon a time there was a girl named Katt. Katt was generally very good about her grades and homework, having a 4.313 GPA. However, one summer, she lost all motivation to do any schoolwork ever for no apparent reason.
(TBC~)
See, I'm not very good at this stuff, what with my being a Christian and science-lover all at once. I'm not even sure what this argument is specifically about. Is science better? Is religion? It's like asking which is better, cheese or cheese?
I'm not sure what I mean either, but I do know that everyone should choose for themselves and form their own opinions. Neither side will ever win the "war" because people should have the free will to choose whether they'd like to believe in science or religion.
Me? My cup of tea is religion. Specifically Christianity. I may be a baptized Evangelical Lutheran, but as long as I'm a Christian, I don't care.
I'm not really sure what else I should say.
Did you know that Tabatha is a Biblical name? She was a seamstress lady from Acts. Her Greek name was Dorcas. Yeah.
I really, really don't know what else to say about this. I don't want to offend anyone.
JOSH NEEDS TO STOP MAKING HIS COMPUTER BEEP KAY THANKS.
It's creative writing time.
So once upon a time there was a girl named Katt. Katt was generally very good about her grades and homework, having a 4.313 GPA. However, one summer, she lost all motivation to do any schoolwork ever for no apparent reason.
(TBC~)
9.21.2010
Organized Religion HECKYEAH~
I belong to an organized religion, actually. I'm a Christian (and proud of it!), and specifically, my denomination is Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We believe that in order for someone to go to heaven, they only have to believe that Jesus died for their sins, and that God's grace is given freely.
I'm not sure what else to say about organized religion. It tends to be kind of a touchy subject, and I'm a "blue" personality. Offending others on purpose or by accident just doesn't go over well with me.
I'm not sure what else to say about organized religion. It tends to be kind of a touchy subject, and I'm a "blue" personality. Offending others on purpose or by accident just doesn't go over well with me.
9.17.2010
Profredding... Yeah
... Oh dear.
I'm not entirely sure what in the world that was.
...
Yeah.
So, that video that we watched ("The The Impotence of Proofreading." by Taylor Mali - it's hilarious, watch it), was all about proofreading and how important it is, except that as the speaker is talking about proofreading, he is talking with typos in his speech and sounding really stupid (yet funny) and inappropriate (yet hilarious).
But seriously, proofreading is extremely important to, like, all of life. It leads to good communication skills, better essays, good grades, good colleges, a good job, the whole shebang. Without proofreading, a lot of us essay writers would look like complete idiots. People are prone to error because we are not perfect, so proofreading is a way of compensating for our erroneous ways (that sounded really epic).
Proofreading is very simple. You just reread over what you have written specifically to look for mistakes in grammar or spelling. However, oral proofreading is very wise as well. It's when you review what you are going to say in your head before you say it, and make sure you say everything right. For instance, I made the same error on A Tale of Two Cities as did the guy in that video when talking to my teacher once because I was talking to fast. Yeah, that was really embarrassing (thankfully she retired that year).
(TBC @ HOME)
I'm not entirely sure what in the world that was.
...
Yeah.
So, that video that we watched ("The The Impotence of Proofreading." by Taylor Mali - it's hilarious, watch it), was all about proofreading and how important it is, except that as the speaker is talking about proofreading, he is talking with typos in his speech and sounding really stupid (yet funny) and inappropriate (yet hilarious).
But seriously, proofreading is extremely important to, like, all of life. It leads to good communication skills, better essays, good grades, good colleges, a good job, the whole shebang. Without proofreading, a lot of us essay writers would look like complete idiots. People are prone to error because we are not perfect, so proofreading is a way of compensating for our erroneous ways (that sounded really epic).
Proofreading is very simple. You just reread over what you have written specifically to look for mistakes in grammar or spelling. However, oral proofreading is very wise as well. It's when you review what you are going to say in your head before you say it, and make sure you say everything right. For instance, I made the same error on A Tale of Two Cities as did the guy in that video when talking to my teacher once because I was talking to fast. Yeah, that was really embarrassing (thankfully she retired that year).
(TBC @ HOME)
9.15.2010
Slap-Happy After Homework
The only superstition I follow is a set of Solitaire superstitions that "determine" whether I win, so it's creative writing time!
... Not sure what I want to write about. Something funny? Serious? Deep?
Lucy Stillman was your average double agent for a group that had been involved in a war with another group for thousands of years and that was behind most major events in history since forever. She was, of course, smart, and she was very good at lying. At the same time, however, she was very kind.
Anyways, Lucy was your average double agent on a very important mission to retrieve information and a kidnapped person named Desmond Miles. Desmond had been a bartender before getting kidnapped. So after a very long time of having to spy around, she finally rescued herself and Desmond from the "evil" group and tried to get him to a safer location.
Unfortunately, they have both just been stuck in a room with various characters from other video games who are having a giant sugar high.
Lucy was really frustrated at the fact that the room had no doors. She sat in the corner fuming.
Desmond was standing around in the middle of the white room looking extremely bewildered and mellow, as usual.
An awesome person by the name of Alex Mercer was sitting on a couch screaming everything in caps, even though he wasn't mad.
A monster-thing named Pyramid Head was dragging around a gigantic sword unmenacingly while eating Scandinavian cookies topped with cream and fruit.
Kadar, who was a novice from the 12th century, was randomly there with his one-armed brother Malik (who was not a novice) even though Kadar was supposed to have been killed at some point...
Altair (who had inadvertently caused Kadar's "death" and Malik's loss of arm) was literally and figuratively bouncing off the walls because he had stolen and eaten all of Lucy's high-energy cookie bars.
Ezio, an Italian guy from Renaissance Florence, was trying to flirt with every moving thing in the room.
Out of nowhere, Leonardo da Vinci showed up, exclaimed, "How exciting!" and poofed out of the room, leaving everyone confused. A sad-looking Niccolo Machiavelli appeared in the same manner, asking if anyone had seen a effervescent young man just now.
Nobody knew what effervescent meant (except for Lucy who was still fuming in the corner), so they all said no.
All of a sudden, it was 2 o' clock in the morning, so everyone fell asleep and was mysteriously poofed out of the room. Finis.
(I do no own Assassin's Creed, Prototype, Silent Hill, or any of the original characters mentioned.)
... Not sure what I want to write about. Something funny? Serious? Deep?
Lucy Stillman was your average double agent for a group that had been involved in a war with another group for thousands of years and that was behind most major events in history since forever. She was, of course, smart, and she was very good at lying. At the same time, however, she was very kind.
Anyways, Lucy was your average double agent on a very important mission to retrieve information and a kidnapped person named Desmond Miles. Desmond had been a bartender before getting kidnapped. So after a very long time of having to spy around, she finally rescued herself and Desmond from the "evil" group and tried to get him to a safer location.
Unfortunately, they have both just been stuck in a room with various characters from other video games who are having a giant sugar high.
Lucy was really frustrated at the fact that the room had no doors. She sat in the corner fuming.
Desmond was standing around in the middle of the white room looking extremely bewildered and mellow, as usual.
An awesome person by the name of Alex Mercer was sitting on a couch screaming everything in caps, even though he wasn't mad.
A monster-thing named Pyramid Head was dragging around a gigantic sword unmenacingly while eating Scandinavian cookies topped with cream and fruit.
Kadar, who was a novice from the 12th century, was randomly there with his one-armed brother Malik (who was not a novice) even though Kadar was supposed to have been killed at some point...
Altair (who had inadvertently caused Kadar's "death" and Malik's loss of arm) was literally and figuratively bouncing off the walls because he had stolen and eaten all of Lucy's high-energy cookie bars.
Ezio, an Italian guy from Renaissance Florence, was trying to flirt with every moving thing in the room.
Out of nowhere, Leonardo da Vinci showed up, exclaimed, "How exciting!" and poofed out of the room, leaving everyone confused. A sad-looking Niccolo Machiavelli appeared in the same manner, asking if anyone had seen a effervescent young man just now.
Nobody knew what effervescent meant (except for Lucy who was still fuming in the corner), so they all said no.
All of a sudden, it was 2 o' clock in the morning, so everyone fell asleep and was mysteriously poofed out of the room. Finis.
(I do no own Assassin's Creed, Prototype, Silent Hill, or any of the original characters mentioned.)
9.13.2010
All Play and No Work Makes David Bruise Like a Peach
There are consequences for everything we do, whether they are positive or negative. Blaming someone for something they didn't do has short-term positive consequences and negative long-term consequences. Take for example Mr. Thceh.
Mr. Tcheh was playing Truth or Dare over at Ms. Ddod's house one evening with all his business partners. At the time it had seemed like a good idea, but as the night wore on, Mr. Tcheh realized that he should probably never do this ever again.
(A note - Mr. Tcheh frequently forgets notes to himself, and as a result, he was seen last month on Ms. Akin's lawn very late at night with the same business partners playing Truth or Dare once more.)
Either way, at some point during the game, Ms. Recneps realized that her flippy-flops had gone missing. Seeing as how she needed them for a dare she was about to perform, she immediately set about looking for them. Mr. Tcheh loudly proclaimed that he hadn't been the one to hide them.
However, Mr. Aklomoh disagreed, stating that he had seen Mr. Tcheh throw the said footwear onto the roof of Ms. Ddod's house. This caused Ms. Recneps great displeasure, and on Mr. Tcheh's next turn (he recieved a wild card dare, where his business partners had to make up a dare for him), she had his hands bound so that Mr. Aklomoh could kick him on the ground until he told Ms. Recneps where her shoes were.
(For the record, Ms. Akin and Ms. Ddod were very much against this.)
So telling lies and blaming other people only gets you bruised ribs in the end. In Abby's case (from The Crucible) , it makes the audience really, really not like you. Also makes you crazy. But either way,
(TBC @ HOME)
(TBC @ HOME~)
Mr. Tcheh was playing Truth or Dare over at Ms. Ddod's house one evening with all his business partners. At the time it had seemed like a good idea, but as the night wore on, Mr. Tcheh realized that he should probably never do this ever again.
(A note - Mr. Tcheh frequently forgets notes to himself, and as a result, he was seen last month on Ms. Akin's lawn very late at night with the same business partners playing Truth or Dare once more.)
Either way, at some point during the game, Ms. Recneps realized that her flippy-flops had gone missing. Seeing as how she needed them for a dare she was about to perform, she immediately set about looking for them. Mr. Tcheh loudly proclaimed that he hadn't been the one to hide them.
However, Mr. Aklomoh disagreed, stating that he had seen Mr. Tcheh throw the said footwear onto the roof of Ms. Ddod's house. This caused Ms. Recneps great displeasure, and on Mr. Tcheh's next turn (he recieved a wild card dare, where his business partners had to make up a dare for him), she had his hands bound so that Mr. Aklomoh could kick him on the ground until he told Ms. Recneps where her shoes were.
(For the record, Ms. Akin and Ms. Ddod were very much against this.)
So telling lies and blaming other people only gets you bruised ribs in the end. In Abby's case (from The Crucible) , it makes the audience really, really not like you. Also makes you crazy. But either way,
(TBC @ HOME)
(TBC @ HOME~)
9.09.2010
Crime and Punishment, Trololololol!
I think that punishments in the 21st century should be similar to the punishments suggested in the article, for example, taking away cell phones, Internet, video games, etc. Many kids and teens use these as their main sources of entertainment, so taking them away robs the children of a source of entertainment for a little bit. I think it's a just punishment because it associates a negative state of mind with whatever it was that the child did wrong, thus making the action negative in their mind. However, this could backfire if the child feels that they have done nothing wrong. This places the negative emotions on the parents and causes rebellion and defiance.
However, sometimes punishment isn't always necessary. Take myself for an example. My parents have never, ever, ever grounded me in my entire life, yet I still know not to do bad things. I have done bad things before, but by scolding and forgiving me for the bad things that I've done, my parents have improved their relationship with me while teaching me what's right and wrong.
And since my mind is wandering, wouldn't it stink to live in medieval times and have all those lovely torture devices to look forward to for doing extremely bad things? Like that sarcophagus-like thing with the spikes in it. Or quartering. Or the stretching rack.
... I'm suddenly very happy to live in the 21st century.
Either way, disconnecting children from technology is a good and fair punishment in today's society. Physical punishment is generally frowned upon, so taking away fun is the next closest thing, right? It's a little scary, however, how attached to technologies such as the Internet and cell phones and television we have become. Sometimes, I like to just go outside and read a book because it becomes too much to handle, especially since I read Fahrenheit 451.
Seriously, I couldn't watch T.V. for about a week after I finished that book.
However, sometimes punishment isn't always necessary. Take myself for an example. My parents have never, ever, ever grounded me in my entire life, yet I still know not to do bad things. I have done bad things before, but by scolding and forgiving me for the bad things that I've done, my parents have improved their relationship with me while teaching me what's right and wrong.
And since my mind is wandering, wouldn't it stink to live in medieval times and have all those lovely torture devices to look forward to for doing extremely bad things? Like that sarcophagus-like thing with the spikes in it. Or quartering. Or the stretching rack.
... I'm suddenly very happy to live in the 21st century.
Either way, disconnecting children from technology is a good and fair punishment in today's society. Physical punishment is generally frowned upon, so taking away fun is the next closest thing, right? It's a little scary, however, how attached to technologies such as the Internet and cell phones and television we have become. Sometimes, I like to just go outside and read a book because it becomes too much to handle, especially since I read Fahrenheit 451.
Seriously, I couldn't watch T.V. for about a week after I finished that book.
9.07.2010
THE POPE!
About two years ago in the summertime, I got accepted into Springfield's Sister City program to be a young ambassador to our Sister City of Ashikaga, Japan. It was an amazing trip and interesting experience that impacted me a lot.
I got to take a 10-hour flight across the Pacific Ocean (not to mention it was the very first time I had ever been on a plane). When I got there, I stayed with a Japanese family for an entire week. I got to practice some broken Japanese, and I basically played charades in order to communicate. I got to experience Japanese school, culture, and history, and it was very cool. It impacted me because even though our cultures are very different from each other, I also got to see how much we have in common. It helped me understand that we are all in common, and that it doesn't matter if we're Japanese or American or Assyrian or Russian. We're all just people.
... On that side note, now I'm bored and want to write something creative because Mr. Langley said this was creative writing time. Plus I still need like... 133 words. 131.
So I had the dream the other night that I was awesome. Like seriously awesome. Awesome enough to vacation in Syria, even though that entire area is war-torn and politically unstable. So I went on vacation in Syria, and I somehow ended up in Acre. I was a traceur, so I totally climbed up a bunch of buildings and such. Then I had hummus and pomegranates and spoke perfect Arabic, and all of a sudden, I was in Siberia in the dead of winter. So I ran around for a little while and talked to a wolf pack and learned the meaning of life and proved Einstein's theory of relativity and...
Yeah, I was really tired when I went to sleep. And I had done too much homework. Did I mention that I also got to meet Pope Alexander VI? He was a jerk.
I got to take a 10-hour flight across the Pacific Ocean (not to mention it was the very first time I had ever been on a plane). When I got there, I stayed with a Japanese family for an entire week. I got to practice some broken Japanese, and I basically played charades in order to communicate. I got to experience Japanese school, culture, and history, and it was very cool. It impacted me because even though our cultures are very different from each other, I also got to see how much we have in common. It helped me understand that we are all in common, and that it doesn't matter if we're Japanese or American or Assyrian or Russian. We're all just people.
... On that side note, now I'm bored and want to write something creative because Mr. Langley said this was creative writing time. Plus I still need like... 133 words. 131.
So I had the dream the other night that I was awesome. Like seriously awesome. Awesome enough to vacation in Syria, even though that entire area is war-torn and politically unstable. So I went on vacation in Syria, and I somehow ended up in Acre. I was a traceur, so I totally climbed up a bunch of buildings and such. Then I had hummus and pomegranates and spoke perfect Arabic, and all of a sudden, I was in Siberia in the dead of winter. So I ran around for a little while and talked to a wolf pack and learned the meaning of life and proved Einstein's theory of relativity and...
Yeah, I was really tired when I went to sleep. And I had done too much homework. Did I mention that I also got to meet Pope Alexander VI? He was a jerk.
9.02.2010
Kitt Nika Vs. The World
Being held hostage would not be a fun trip. Most people would have to agree with me on that (unless you like it or something...). I personally have no idea what I would do in a hostage situation, but I do know what one of my favorite characters ever did. She busted herself out while saving a guy who had extreme ADD. Seriously, they're sneaking around, and he asks her a question about grammar.
Grammar questions answered, or get recaptured and die?
... Nevermind escaping, I want that answer! (I can always bust out later. Totally.)
Anyways, let me think. It would go something like this:
I would be held hostage by some corrupt company that is actually a cover for the Hermatic Order of the Silver Twilight* who are trying to take over the world. I'd be captive because, as my friend David told me, I would be the only astronomer in the entire world to realize that the sun's life span was significantly shorter than we had expected. As in, it is going supernova within a few years.
Only the Order does not believe this, and they just want me to work for them and shut up so that I do not alert the public to their evil plans. I would wait for a long while and simply do what they told me to do, helping other people who were stuck in my position. I would observe everything within the inner workings and gain their trust. Then I would BAM! escape using my parkour skills that I learned while studying abroad in Italy, and I would escape with their secrets while destroying anything of value that I had given them.
Then I would go tell the world, and nobody would probably believe me until it was too late. Only the sun ends up not going supernova, but scrambling the Earth's magnetic fields so that the poles shifted and the crust became unstable, thus causing world wide natural disasters. A small percentage of the population survives this, including myself because in this alternate reality, I am awesome, and we learn to rebuild the Earth in an earth- and animal-friendly way.
In the words of Mrs. Rowlandson...
FINIS.
(*I don't mean to offend anyone who might possibly belong to the Hermatic Order of the Silver Twilight. They were just the first group of people that popped into my head.)
Grammar questions answered, or get recaptured and die?
... Nevermind escaping, I want that answer! (I can always bust out later. Totally.)
Anyways, let me think. It would go something like this:
I would be held hostage by some corrupt company that is actually a cover for the Hermatic Order of the Silver Twilight* who are trying to take over the world. I'd be captive because, as my friend David told me, I would be the only astronomer in the entire world to realize that the sun's life span was significantly shorter than we had expected. As in, it is going supernova within a few years.
Only the Order does not believe this, and they just want me to work for them and shut up so that I do not alert the public to their evil plans. I would wait for a long while and simply do what they told me to do, helping other people who were stuck in my position. I would observe everything within the inner workings and gain their trust. Then I would BAM! escape using my parkour skills that I learned while studying abroad in Italy, and I would escape with their secrets while destroying anything of value that I had given them.
Then I would go tell the world, and nobody would probably believe me until it was too late. Only the sun ends up not going supernova, but scrambling the Earth's magnetic fields so that the poles shifted and the crust became unstable, thus causing world wide natural disasters. A small percentage of the population survives this, including myself because in this alternate reality, I am awesome, and we learn to rebuild the Earth in an earth- and animal-friendly way.
In the words of Mrs. Rowlandson...
FINIS.
(*I don't mean to offend anyone who might possibly belong to the Hermatic Order of the Silver Twilight. They were just the first group of people that popped into my head.)
8.31.2010
The Story About the Animals Who Exemplified Altruism!
This is a story of two neighbors who lived in a forest before it became New York City. Their names were Desmond the Eagle and Alex the Raven. Desmond lived in a nest nestled in the high branches of a great sycamore tree, while Alex lived in a smaller, neighboring cypress tree.
Desmond was a very nice avian, considering he was a bird of prey. He always made sure he killed his prey quickly, and he always tried to hunt only elderly prey and never young animals. Alex, on the other hand, always waited lazily for another animal to kill its prey, then ate the remainders and didn't even share with his fellow scavengers.
One day, a bird fell from the sky in front of Alex's and Desmond's trees. Her name was Lucy the Kite. Both Desmond and Alex saw her from their homes in the trees.
"Autumn is coming. If she is not healthy by winter, she will surely starve," Desmond said to himself.
"Stupid bird. Should have been more careful! I would never share my food with such an idiotic bird," Alex thought.
While Alex turned his back on the scene, Desmond swooped down to help the little kite. He brought her back to his nest, where he spent most of his waking hours nursing her wing back to health. He even hunted different kinds of prey that she liked, even though most of them were too small for him. Alex continued on being his usual unaltruistic self.
By the end of autumn, Lucy was healthy once more, but winter struck the forest hard. Along with it, a sickness hit the citizens of the wood, including both Desmond and Alex. Lucy, who hadn't gotten sick and who was grateful that Desmond had saved her life, took care of him all throughout the winter. Alex, however, had no friends because of his rude manners and inhospitable nature, and the cruel winter took his life because of it.
(FIN.)
Desmond was a very nice avian, considering he was a bird of prey. He always made sure he killed his prey quickly, and he always tried to hunt only elderly prey and never young animals. Alex, on the other hand, always waited lazily for another animal to kill its prey, then ate the remainders and didn't even share with his fellow scavengers.
One day, a bird fell from the sky in front of Alex's and Desmond's trees. Her name was Lucy the Kite. Both Desmond and Alex saw her from their homes in the trees.
"Autumn is coming. If she is not healthy by winter, she will surely starve," Desmond said to himself.
"Stupid bird. Should have been more careful! I would never share my food with such an idiotic bird," Alex thought.
While Alex turned his back on the scene, Desmond swooped down to help the little kite. He brought her back to his nest, where he spent most of his waking hours nursing her wing back to health. He even hunted different kinds of prey that she liked, even though most of them were too small for him. Alex continued on being his usual unaltruistic self.
By the end of autumn, Lucy was healthy once more, but winter struck the forest hard. Along with it, a sickness hit the citizens of the wood, including both Desmond and Alex. Lucy, who hadn't gotten sick and who was grateful that Desmond had saved her life, took care of him all throughout the winter. Alex, however, had no friends because of his rude manners and inhospitable nature, and the cruel winter took his life because of it.
(FIN.)
8.27.2010
Journal # 1 - Native Americans PWN You!
Native American cultures are extremely diverse due to their isolation from each other and lack of total unity between tribes. Most, however, show similar themes. Native American cultures, generally, are very nature-based in their traditions and religions. They tend to believe in spirits of nature, and in some cases gods who control their lives. Blessings from certain gods would bring different consequences. In some cultures, the sacrifices were mundane, such as a part of the harvest or game, but in others, the sacrifices could be human ones.
In a lot of the cultures, sharing was an important part of the community. In many Eastern Woodland Native American groups, the idea of personal property was something brought over by the Europeans and a foreign idea. Houses, food, and possessions were all in common with the entire tribe. For a modern example, if you wanted to borrow your neighbor's dress for homecoming, you could do it and there would be no fuss about it because she would know that she could borrow anything of yours whenever she wanted. It was a much nicer system than the capitalist one we have right now.
Also, in some communities, the societies were matriarchal, where the women were in power. This was not true for all communities, but it certainly was a new concept for arriving Europeans in the 16th century. For example, in Iroquois society, women could hold property, divorce their husbands, and choose the men who would be "elected" to powerful positions. It was like the feminist movements' consequences hundreds of years later.
Some Indian societies grew to large sizes, too. A few communities even rivaled or surpassed cities and towns found in Europe at the time (granted there was widespread plague, but still). For being the "savages" the Europeans called them, the Indians were quite advanced. The Southwestern communities built sophisticated irrigation ditches in order to farm and constructed highways by which to reach other tribes. In Cahokia, gigantic burial mounds were constructed that still stand today, and in Latin America, they built floating gardens in the city of Tenochtitlan.
In addition to all this, there was the fact of their communication. Stories were passed down orally, and not many tribes had written languages (though one in South America came up with a communication system based on knot-tying!). In short, the Native Americans were a lot cooler than the Europeans gave them credit for.
In a lot of the cultures, sharing was an important part of the community. In many Eastern Woodland Native American groups, the idea of personal property was something brought over by the Europeans and a foreign idea. Houses, food, and possessions were all in common with the entire tribe. For a modern example, if you wanted to borrow your neighbor's dress for homecoming, you could do it and there would be no fuss about it because she would know that she could borrow anything of yours whenever she wanted. It was a much nicer system than the capitalist one we have right now.
Also, in some communities, the societies were matriarchal, where the women were in power. This was not true for all communities, but it certainly was a new concept for arriving Europeans in the 16th century. For example, in Iroquois society, women could hold property, divorce their husbands, and choose the men who would be "elected" to powerful positions. It was like the feminist movements' consequences hundreds of years later.
Some Indian societies grew to large sizes, too. A few communities even rivaled or surpassed cities and towns found in Europe at the time (granted there was widespread plague, but still). For being the "savages" the Europeans called them, the Indians were quite advanced. The Southwestern communities built sophisticated irrigation ditches in order to farm and constructed highways by which to reach other tribes. In Cahokia, gigantic burial mounds were constructed that still stand today, and in Latin America, they built floating gardens in the city of Tenochtitlan.
In addition to all this, there was the fact of their communication. Stories were passed down orally, and not many tribes had written languages (though one in South America came up with a communication system based on knot-tying!). In short, the Native Americans were a lot cooler than the Europeans gave them credit for.
Symbolism (GASP)
Symbolism was very prevelant in all three of the books that I read this summer (The Grapes of Wrath, The Old Man and the Sea, and Fahrenheit 451). Symbolism is one of my favorite things about reading intelligent fiction because it gives much more meaning to the story than the dialogue and actions of the characters ever could. When symbolism is there, the characters are more than just characters; they start to represent abstract ideas much larger than any individual. Finding the hidden symbolisms of books is always fun, too. That is why it is one of my favorite literary devices.
One of my favorite symbols out of all three books that I read was that of the turtle from Chapter 3 of The Grapes of Wrath. It is not an obvious symbol the first time through the book, but on the second time, it cannot go unnoticed. It was such a perfect symbol for Tom Joad's journey throughout the rest of the book that I even did an entire blog post about it. I could probably write an entire paper on that one little chapter; that is how good of a symbol I thought it was. The fact that it also foreshadowed what was coming up was also a great factor in its amazingness.
That would be my opinion on how amazing symbolism is. It adds depth to stories, and it gives extra meaning to the little things that happen within the story. Symbolism is just one big epic package of greatness.
One of my favorite symbols out of all three books that I read was that of the turtle from Chapter 3 of The Grapes of Wrath. It is not an obvious symbol the first time through the book, but on the second time, it cannot go unnoticed. It was such a perfect symbol for Tom Joad's journey throughout the rest of the book that I even did an entire blog post about it. I could probably write an entire paper on that one little chapter; that is how good of a symbol I thought it was. The fact that it also foreshadowed what was coming up was also a great factor in its amazingness.
That would be my opinion on how amazing symbolism is. It adds depth to stories, and it gives extra meaning to the little things that happen within the story. Symbolism is just one big epic package of greatness.
8.22.2010
Oh, Mildred
Oh, Mildred. You're so annoying.
So mini section four introduces us to Montag's lovely (insert sarcasm here) wife, Mildred. She doesn't talk at all in this section (we don't even get to see her awake), but the consequences of her actions that happened unseen to the reader and Guy's own thoughts on her can shed some light as to what she is like, even without any immediate dialogue or events.
First off, Montag mentions that she is constantly listening to these ear bud-like radios called Seashells. This leads me to believe that she doesn't really love or care about her husband because she would rather listen to the radio than him. Another supporting factor for this point is the fact that they have two separate beds, rather than one big bed. The feelings could also be the same for Guy because when he imagines what the bedroom looks like upon walking into the darkness, he describes his wife as "...stretched out on the bed, uncovered and cold, like a body displayed on the lid of a tomb..." This also insinuates that she is cold and uncovered in her unloving feelings towards him.
Another thing that tells us more about Mildred is what she has done by the time Montag gets home. Guy is horrified to discover that she had taken an entire bottle of pills, thirty in all. Obviously, Mildred isn't happy with her life. It also shows that she is selfish for wanting to take her own life, and foolish for thinking death would solve her problems.
I really, really don't like Mildred. She's my least favorite character in this book, the polar opposite of Clarisse. She's so stupid and brainwashed that it makes me want to claw my eyes out, and then there's the fact that most of the people of this society are just life her. That alone would make me want to live on Mars, despite the lack of breathable air and atmosphere. Mildread is just really, really annoying. Enough said.
So mini section four introduces us to Montag's lovely (insert sarcasm here) wife, Mildred. She doesn't talk at all in this section (we don't even get to see her awake), but the consequences of her actions that happened unseen to the reader and Guy's own thoughts on her can shed some light as to what she is like, even without any immediate dialogue or events.
First off, Montag mentions that she is constantly listening to these ear bud-like radios called Seashells. This leads me to believe that she doesn't really love or care about her husband because she would rather listen to the radio than him. Another supporting factor for this point is the fact that they have two separate beds, rather than one big bed. The feelings could also be the same for Guy because when he imagines what the bedroom looks like upon walking into the darkness, he describes his wife as "...stretched out on the bed, uncovered and cold, like a body displayed on the lid of a tomb..." This also insinuates that she is cold and uncovered in her unloving feelings towards him.
Another thing that tells us more about Mildred is what she has done by the time Montag gets home. Guy is horrified to discover that she had taken an entire bottle of pills, thirty in all. Obviously, Mildred isn't happy with her life. It also shows that she is selfish for wanting to take her own life, and foolish for thinking death would solve her problems.
I really, really don't like Mildred. She's my least favorite character in this book, the polar opposite of Clarisse. She's so stupid and brainwashed that it makes me want to claw my eyes out, and then there's the fact that most of the people of this society are just life her. That alone would make me want to live on Mars, despite the lack of breathable air and atmosphere. Mildread is just really, really annoying. Enough said.
The Foreshadowing Came Back! - Fahrenheit 451
The foreshadowing came back!
This third mini section was also a good one (this entire book was good, so I may say that a lot). In it, Guy Montag, our protagonist, has an identity crisis that somehow makes me as a reader happy. Again, something of his character is revealed, and as you may have guessed, there is foreshadowing.
After his strange conversation with Clarisse McClellan, his odd teenaged neighbor who smells things, Guy walks into his home pondering the last question she asked him, which was if he was happy. Guy thinks to himself that, of course he is happy, and is laughing, but when he questions his happiness, his laughter stops and he thinks. Something behind the ventilation grill makes him uneasy and shuts off his thoughts of happiness, and this something gets explained later (I'll be nice and not ruin it for now). But it is foreshadowing, and it makes me happy.
Guy continues to think about his conversation with Clarisse, comparing it to one he had with an old man in the park about a year ago. This also turns out to be foreshadowing (two foreshadows in a row!), and it is also explained more later on in the book. Again, I won't ruin anything. He continues to think about her and her face, comparing it to the hand of a clock that tells you about the night but also promises the dawn eventually. This foreshadows the progression of Guy's character later on in the book because of Clarisse and her strange ways.
Here, Guy experiences an identity crisis, where one half of him starts to think again, while the other half tells him to be normal and shut up like everyone else. Then he thinks more about Clarisse, whom he compares now to a mirror, causing him to look his own confusing thoughts straight in the eye. He juxtaposes other people with torches, burning brightly until they snuff themselves out. He recognizes Clarisse's observant nature and realizes that he feels like he has known her a long time when they only talked for a few minutes. He is completely in awe of her as he makes his way to his bedroom.
This third mini section was also a good one (this entire book was good, so I may say that a lot). In it, Guy Montag, our protagonist, has an identity crisis that somehow makes me as a reader happy. Again, something of his character is revealed, and as you may have guessed, there is foreshadowing.
After his strange conversation with Clarisse McClellan, his odd teenaged neighbor who smells things, Guy walks into his home pondering the last question she asked him, which was if he was happy. Guy thinks to himself that, of course he is happy, and is laughing, but when he questions his happiness, his laughter stops and he thinks. Something behind the ventilation grill makes him uneasy and shuts off his thoughts of happiness, and this something gets explained later (I'll be nice and not ruin it for now). But it is foreshadowing, and it makes me happy.
Guy continues to think about his conversation with Clarisse, comparing it to one he had with an old man in the park about a year ago. This also turns out to be foreshadowing (two foreshadows in a row!), and it is also explained more later on in the book. Again, I won't ruin anything. He continues to think about her and her face, comparing it to the hand of a clock that tells you about the night but also promises the dawn eventually. This foreshadows the progression of Guy's character later on in the book because of Clarisse and her strange ways.
Here, Guy experiences an identity crisis, where one half of him starts to think again, while the other half tells him to be normal and shut up like everyone else. Then he thinks more about Clarisse, whom he compares now to a mirror, causing him to look his own confusing thoughts straight in the eye. He juxtaposes other people with torches, burning brightly until they snuff themselves out. He recognizes Clarisse's observant nature and realizes that he feels like he has known her a long time when they only talked for a few minutes. He is completely in awe of her as he makes his way to his bedroom.
Summary - Mini Section 2 - Fahrenheit 451
Montag's true character is revealed a bit in this second mini section of The Hearth and the Salamander. As is common with good authors, Bradbury uses another character and a conversation to show Montag's true colors. In this case, the character is a strange girl named Clarisse McClellan who likes to smell things and walk around. For more about my opinion of Clarisse, see the post before this one.
The eye-opening conversation between these two characters starts as Montag is walking home from work, whistling to himself and being generally cheery. As he approaches a corner on his homeward route, he gets the sneaking suspicion that someone is either watching him, was just there, or both. He turns the corner, and he finds that Clarisse is standing right there.
She proceeds to start studying him as they walk to their houses together, talking about strange things like how he smells of kerosene and asking him if he ever reads the books he burns. Remarks from her follow seemingly average things Guy does or says, such as when he laughs and she asks him why laughed instead of actually thinking about what she said.
Eventually, they reach Clarisse's house, which is right across the road from Montag's house. He is puzzled by the fact that the lights of Clarisse's house are all on this late at night, and they hear her family talking together and laughing. He asks what they could possibly be talking about when they talk for so long, and Clarisse laughs and asks him if he is happy. Naturally, he answers yes, but before he can ask her why she asked him, she is laughing and running into her house, leaving Montag with his thoughts.
This is one of my favorite parts of the book, partly because Clarisse is introduced in it, but also because Montag's character is developed. The first few paragraphs of the book make him seem scary and mean, but his conversation with Clarisse throws a different light on him. It suggests that he is more than just a man who burns books, that he actually may think and like to think. He just doesn't because no one else does.
The eye-opening conversation between these two characters starts as Montag is walking home from work, whistling to himself and being generally cheery. As he approaches a corner on his homeward route, he gets the sneaking suspicion that someone is either watching him, was just there, or both. He turns the corner, and he finds that Clarisse is standing right there.
She proceeds to start studying him as they walk to their houses together, talking about strange things like how he smells of kerosene and asking him if he ever reads the books he burns. Remarks from her follow seemingly average things Guy does or says, such as when he laughs and she asks him why laughed instead of actually thinking about what she said.
Eventually, they reach Clarisse's house, which is right across the road from Montag's house. He is puzzled by the fact that the lights of Clarisse's house are all on this late at night, and they hear her family talking together and laughing. He asks what they could possibly be talking about when they talk for so long, and Clarisse laughs and asks him if he is happy. Naturally, he answers yes, but before he can ask her why she asked him, she is laughing and running into her house, leaving Montag with his thoughts.
This is one of my favorite parts of the book, partly because Clarisse is introduced in it, but also because Montag's character is developed. The first few paragraphs of the book make him seem scary and mean, but his conversation with Clarisse throws a different light on him. It suggests that he is more than just a man who burns books, that he actually may think and like to think. He just doesn't because no one else does.
Clarisse Also Pwns
Clarisse McClellan is most definitely my favorite character out of the entire twisted cast of this book.
For one thing, she doesn't have any stupid flaws that make me want to claw my eyes out when they show up, unlike some other characters who annoy me with their pointless chavishes (Mildred...). I know that if she had had a bit more page-time with the reader, she would have had some flaws, but in the little time that she shows up, Clarisse is perfect. Not perfect by this imaginary society's standards, of course, but perfect compared to all of these other fatally flawed characters.
Also, I think that it's extremely awesome that she is the way she is in this messed up society that she lives in. She's the complete opposite of every person on the planet - she thinks, she is kind, and she doesn't care what others think of her. It's extremely hard to do something like that. It's like being invited to a party and being told to wear black only and wearing white instead. You subconsciously want to follow the crow for the sense of sharing and community, but you know what's right and that if you don't do what's right, you'll never be comfortable with yourself.
Her personality also makes me like her a lot. She's a very sweet person, and she's also kind of a weird person, which I can appreciate from being myself. Weird people are the best. The way she seems to reflect the people around her back at themselves, too, is extraordinary. She is a person who makes people think, and those kinds of people are sometimes the best friends to have. Clarisse also notices things that other people don't. Observant. And because she is observant and thoughtful, she is also insightful and very wise, even though she is "seventeen and crazy."
In all honesty, Clarisse is a character that makes me want to be a better me, and that's why I like her.
For one thing, she doesn't have any stupid flaws that make me want to claw my eyes out when they show up, unlike some other characters who annoy me with their pointless chavishes (Mildred...). I know that if she had had a bit more page-time with the reader, she would have had some flaws, but in the little time that she shows up, Clarisse is perfect. Not perfect by this imaginary society's standards, of course, but perfect compared to all of these other fatally flawed characters.
Also, I think that it's extremely awesome that she is the way she is in this messed up society that she lives in. She's the complete opposite of every person on the planet - she thinks, she is kind, and she doesn't care what others think of her. It's extremely hard to do something like that. It's like being invited to a party and being told to wear black only and wearing white instead. You subconsciously want to follow the crow for the sense of sharing and community, but you know what's right and that if you don't do what's right, you'll never be comfortable with yourself.
Her personality also makes me like her a lot. She's a very sweet person, and she's also kind of a weird person, which I can appreciate from being myself. Weird people are the best. The way she seems to reflect the people around her back at themselves, too, is extraordinary. She is a person who makes people think, and those kinds of people are sometimes the best friends to have. Clarisse also notices things that other people don't. Observant. And because she is observant and thoughtful, she is also insightful and very wise, even though she is "seventeen and crazy."
In all honesty, Clarisse is a character that makes me want to be a better me, and that's why I like her.
Mini Section NUMERO UNO (Wait, Isn't This English Class?) - Fahrenheit 451
Since Fahrenheit 451 has three parts that are too long to summarize in one blog post, I'm taking the book by the mini sections where there happen to be double spaces separating the parts of the parts of the story.
The first mini section is a mini mini section, but it sets the tone of the rest of the book. In it, the main character, Guy Montag, is introduced as he burns books in a house, smiling evilly all the while.
It was kind of creepy.
The first line clearly states Guy's sentiments right off the bat:
"It was a pleasure to burn."
Yeah, not a very happy statement, and when I narrated it inside my head, the creepiest voice in the history of creepy voices read it. But, like most first sentences of books, id does set the mood for the rest of the book - that is, foreboding, sinister, twisted, and disturbing. Not the happiest book ever written.
This mini section also introduces one of the main and notable things about this book - the fact that books are not only banned, but burned. Montag is a fireman, but he doesn't stop fires. Quite the contrary, he starts them in houses that contain books. And from this beginning section, we can tell that he enjoys his job. Or something. He seems to enjoy it, at least for now.
This beginning also suggests that the fires have somehow branded Montag with this line:
"It never went away, that smile, it never went away, as long as he remembered."
It seems to me like being a fireman has stamped something onto Guy, something that will never go away no matter what he does to try and erase it. He may be able to cover it up, but I think this will always be a part of him. I'm not sure what that something is right now, but if I figure it out, I'll write about it.
Short section, rambling blod, average Kitt Nika work. All is right in the world.
The first mini section is a mini mini section, but it sets the tone of the rest of the book. In it, the main character, Guy Montag, is introduced as he burns books in a house, smiling evilly all the while.
It was kind of creepy.
The first line clearly states Guy's sentiments right off the bat:
"It was a pleasure to burn."
Yeah, not a very happy statement, and when I narrated it inside my head, the creepiest voice in the history of creepy voices read it. But, like most first sentences of books, id does set the mood for the rest of the book - that is, foreboding, sinister, twisted, and disturbing. Not the happiest book ever written.
This mini section also introduces one of the main and notable things about this book - the fact that books are not only banned, but burned. Montag is a fireman, but he doesn't stop fires. Quite the contrary, he starts them in houses that contain books. And from this beginning section, we can tell that he enjoys his job. Or something. He seems to enjoy it, at least for now.
This beginning also suggests that the fires have somehow branded Montag with this line:
"It never went away, that smile, it never went away, as long as he remembered."
It seems to me like being a fireman has stamped something onto Guy, something that will never go away no matter what he does to try and erase it. He may be able to cover it up, but I think this will always be a part of him. I'm not sure what that something is right now, but if I figure it out, I'll write about it.
Short section, rambling blod, average Kitt Nika work. All is right in the world.
The Bank Is Scary
The banks and companies that actually own the land that the tenant farmers farm were mentioned in the fourth chapter, but in an insightful way that made me glad that I had read this book.
As the farmers continue to become more and more confused as to why they are being kicked off the land, the landowners mention something odd. When the statement is given a closer look, I think everyone could agree with it:
"But--you see, a bank or a company can't do that, because those creatures don't breathe air, don't eat side-meat. They breathe profits; they eat the interest on money. If they don't get it, they die the way you die without air, without side-meat. It is a sad thing, but it is so. It is just so."
Later on, this is mentioned by the landowners:
"We're sorry. It's not us. It's the monster. The bank isn't like a man.
Yes, but the bank is only made of men.
No, you're wrong there--quite wrong there. The bank is something else than men. It happens that every man in a bank hates what the bank does, and yet the bank does it. The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster. Men made it, but they can't control it."
It's true, isn't it? And it's kind of scary to think about. How many decisions do we make that are based on the demands of the bank? And how often are those decisions ones that are beneficial or add to our own enjoyment of life, or even to just us living? It's as if the bank controls everything about us. We are slaves to money and capitalism, and frankly, it scares me to know how limited my "freedom" is. Business is getting too big, I think, but it seems impossible to destroy this monster, doesn't it? I wish we could, for our own sakes.
... That was pretty cryptic. Don't ask me where that came from.
As the farmers continue to become more and more confused as to why they are being kicked off the land, the landowners mention something odd. When the statement is given a closer look, I think everyone could agree with it:
"But--you see, a bank or a company can't do that, because those creatures don't breathe air, don't eat side-meat. They breathe profits; they eat the interest on money. If they don't get it, they die the way you die without air, without side-meat. It is a sad thing, but it is so. It is just so."
Later on, this is mentioned by the landowners:
"We're sorry. It's not us. It's the monster. The bank isn't like a man.
Yes, but the bank is only made of men.
No, you're wrong there--quite wrong there. The bank is something else than men. It happens that every man in a bank hates what the bank does, and yet the bank does it. The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster. Men made it, but they can't control it."
It's true, isn't it? And it's kind of scary to think about. How many decisions do we make that are based on the demands of the bank? And how often are those decisions ones that are beneficial or add to our own enjoyment of life, or even to just us living? It's as if the bank controls everything about us. We are slaves to money and capitalism, and frankly, it scares me to know how limited my "freedom" is. Business is getting too big, I think, but it seems impossible to destroy this monster, doesn't it? I wish we could, for our own sakes.
... That was pretty cryptic. Don't ask me where that came from.
Summary - Chapter 5
Another filler chapter. Oh how I love them.
This one was actually about the eviction of the tenant farmers, when the bank owners had to start sending people in to tell them that the land was being repossessed. It was kind of really sad. The farmers argued that their ancestors had died making this land theirs, and that generation after generation had been born, worked, and died on the land. The farmers made an insightful point - that things like that, putting your whole life into something - makes ownership, not papers and money.
Unfortunately, we know how this works. The bank needs money to "live", and it costs less if one tractor replaces fifteen or twenty families of sharecroppers. Of course, then, how will those families survive? I see it almost as being murder. Murder for profit. Let's destory one hundred peoples' lives so that we can give people who are already prosperous more money. That's pure genius.
... I was joking about the genius thing, if you couldn't tell. In this chapter, it also said something else insightful, though. The people - tenant, spokesperson, and tractor operator - described the bank/company as a monster created by man, but a monster which man cannot control. I'll talk more about that in the next post, but it was nice to see some unity of thought for once.
Naturally, the farmers get angry at the tractor men and the spokespeople, but I don't think they can really be blamed. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Still, I think there's some choice in the matter, but it's a tough decision, and not for the weak-willed. Also, this section affirmed the point that the bank wasn't men, it was a monster. The farmers wanted to kill the man doing this to them, but they realized that there was no one man to shoot. It was nobody's fault. It was the bank who was to blame, but you can't kill a bank, can you?
So, the tenant farmers' houses get torn down by tractors controlled by a man-made monster called the bank, and the farmers and their families have no where to go. This chapter was really depression, but then again, this whole book is like that. Maybe because it takes place during the Great Depression. I guess that's why they it that.
This one was actually about the eviction of the tenant farmers, when the bank owners had to start sending people in to tell them that the land was being repossessed. It was kind of really sad. The farmers argued that their ancestors had died making this land theirs, and that generation after generation had been born, worked, and died on the land. The farmers made an insightful point - that things like that, putting your whole life into something - makes ownership, not papers and money.
Unfortunately, we know how this works. The bank needs money to "live", and it costs less if one tractor replaces fifteen or twenty families of sharecroppers. Of course, then, how will those families survive? I see it almost as being murder. Murder for profit. Let's destory one hundred peoples' lives so that we can give people who are already prosperous more money. That's pure genius.
... I was joking about the genius thing, if you couldn't tell. In this chapter, it also said something else insightful, though. The people - tenant, spokesperson, and tractor operator - described the bank/company as a monster created by man, but a monster which man cannot control. I'll talk more about that in the next post, but it was nice to see some unity of thought for once.
Naturally, the farmers get angry at the tractor men and the spokespeople, but I don't think they can really be blamed. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Still, I think there's some choice in the matter, but it's a tough decision, and not for the weak-willed. Also, this section affirmed the point that the bank wasn't men, it was a monster. The farmers wanted to kill the man doing this to them, but they realized that there was no one man to shoot. It was nobody's fault. It was the bank who was to blame, but you can't kill a bank, can you?
So, the tenant farmers' houses get torn down by tractors controlled by a man-made monster called the bank, and the farmers and their families have no where to go. This chapter was really depression, but then again, this whole book is like that. Maybe because it takes place during the Great Depression. I guess that's why they it that.
Chapter 4 - My Opinion (Jim Casy Pwns!)
This was a good chapter in my opinion for a couple of reasons.
Surprisingly, this chapter actually made me laugh. There has never been a classic book that I have had to read for an English class that has made me laugh. Ever. They've made me cry before, but never have I laughed, so this was a bit odd. It was mainly Jim Casy whom I found humorous, and mostly it was his dialogue. He kind of reminded me of myself, as I said before. Especially two comments that made me laugh the most:
"The turtle dug at the rolled coat. Casy looked over at the stirring garment. 'What you got there--a chicken? You'll smother it.'"
"He seemed to be laughing inside himself. 'Uncle John was a crazy bastard,' he said. 'Like what he done with that shoat.' He chuckled and walked on.
Jim Casy waited impatiently. The story did not continue. Casy gave it a good long time to come out. 'Well, what'd he do with that shoat?' he demanded at last, with some irritation."
Both of those comments just seemed like something I might say in both situations, and it made me laugh at the similarity. Plus, the bluntness of both statements is kind of funny, too.
Of course, I liked this chapter because Jim Casy's character was introduced in it. If you don't know my true feelings for Jim Casy, you might want to read the other blogs (seriously, I know this one's newer, but go chronologically!). I love Jim Casy.
Another reason for my fondness of this chapter would be the fact that it ends with a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers, since I have not gotten to mention them yet, are at about the same love level on my chart of writing devices as foreshadowing is. I like to write in my spare time, and cliffhangers just make me feel... diabolical. So, naturally, when I come across them in my reading, I love them, even if they make me wonder what happens next.
Oh, I also liked the special paragraph that you can also read about in an earlier post. Seriously, go read the older posts before they crumble into dust from age or something.
Yay Jim Casy!
Surprisingly, this chapter actually made me laugh. There has never been a classic book that I have had to read for an English class that has made me laugh. Ever. They've made me cry before, but never have I laughed, so this was a bit odd. It was mainly Jim Casy whom I found humorous, and mostly it was his dialogue. He kind of reminded me of myself, as I said before. Especially two comments that made me laugh the most:
"The turtle dug at the rolled coat. Casy looked over at the stirring garment. 'What you got there--a chicken? You'll smother it.'"
"He seemed to be laughing inside himself. 'Uncle John was a crazy bastard,' he said. 'Like what he done with that shoat.' He chuckled and walked on.
Jim Casy waited impatiently. The story did not continue. Casy gave it a good long time to come out. 'Well, what'd he do with that shoat?' he demanded at last, with some irritation."
Both of those comments just seemed like something I might say in both situations, and it made me laugh at the similarity. Plus, the bluntness of both statements is kind of funny, too.
Of course, I liked this chapter because Jim Casy's character was introduced in it. If you don't know my true feelings for Jim Casy, you might want to read the other blogs (seriously, I know this one's newer, but go chronologically!). I love Jim Casy.
Another reason for my fondness of this chapter would be the fact that it ends with a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers, since I have not gotten to mention them yet, are at about the same love level on my chart of writing devices as foreshadowing is. I like to write in my spare time, and cliffhangers just make me feel... diabolical. So, naturally, when I come across them in my reading, I love them, even if they make me wonder what happens next.
Oh, I also liked the special paragraph that you can also read about in an earlier post. Seriously, go read the older posts before they crumble into dust from age or something.
Yay Jim Casy!
First Impression - Jim Casy
The preacher - Jim Casy - has got to be one of my favorite characters in this entire book. I like Tom, too, but not as much as I like Jim, and this is why.
For starters, his enthusiasm and excitement for all the new ideas he thinks about and comes up with is contagious. It makes me want to be enthusiastic about things (which I already am very enthusiastic, so you can imagine how he makes me feel), and I love characters that make me want to do things. I kind of relate to Casy in this way, and also in the way that he thinks deeply about things. I'm a pretty religious person, but my mind also tends to wander to other possibilities like Casy's does (only I don't change my views very much or very often, I just think about it). Deep thinking is a forte for both of us, and it makes him easier to like.
I also like how he tends to bring the conversations he has always back to the main thing he is thinking about. In this chapter, for instance, Tom continually tries to talk about other things, but Casy always manages to bring the subject back to his time as a preacher and his new outlook on life. I tend to do this as well, and frankly, when he continued to do this in the chapter, I kind of laughed a little bit.
If there is one thing I don't like about Casy, though, it is his appearance. That's kind of shallow, but I like his personality, so I guess it isn't. He just sounds really, really, unattractive. Steinbeck describes him as having "a long head, bony, tight of skin, and set on a neck as stringy and muscular as a celery stalk." Maybe it's just my dislike of celery biasing my opinion there, but whatever. It goes on to say that his eyes are "heavy and protruding" and his nose is "beaked and hard" and stretches the skin "so tightly that the bridge showed white." His forehead is "abnormally high... lined with delicate blue veins at the temples."
Yeah, not the most attractive person. I still love him though!
For starters, his enthusiasm and excitement for all the new ideas he thinks about and comes up with is contagious. It makes me want to be enthusiastic about things (which I already am very enthusiastic, so you can imagine how he makes me feel), and I love characters that make me want to do things. I kind of relate to Casy in this way, and also in the way that he thinks deeply about things. I'm a pretty religious person, but my mind also tends to wander to other possibilities like Casy's does (only I don't change my views very much or very often, I just think about it). Deep thinking is a forte for both of us, and it makes him easier to like.
I also like how he tends to bring the conversations he has always back to the main thing he is thinking about. In this chapter, for instance, Tom continually tries to talk about other things, but Casy always manages to bring the subject back to his time as a preacher and his new outlook on life. I tend to do this as well, and frankly, when he continued to do this in the chapter, I kind of laughed a little bit.
If there is one thing I don't like about Casy, though, it is his appearance. That's kind of shallow, but I like his personality, so I guess it isn't. He just sounds really, really, unattractive. Steinbeck describes him as having "a long head, bony, tight of skin, and set on a neck as stringy and muscular as a celery stalk." Maybe it's just my dislike of celery biasing my opinion there, but whatever. It goes on to say that his eyes are "heavy and protruding" and his nose is "beaked and hard" and stretches the skin "so tightly that the bridge showed white." His forehead is "abnormally high... lined with delicate blue veins at the temples."
Yeah, not the most attractive person. I still love him though!
8.21.2010
Important Paragraph Maybe?
Another paragraph that I think may mean more than it really is caught my attention as I read Chapter 4. It is as follows:
"Joad plodded along, dragging his cloud of dust behind him. A little bit ahead he saw the high-domed shell of a land turtle, crawling slowly along through the dust, its legs working stiffly and jerkily. Joad stopped to watch it, and his shadow fell on the turtle. Instantly head and legs were withdrawn and the short thick tail clamped sideways into the shell. Joad picked it up and turned it over. The back was brown-gray, like the dust, but the underside of the shell was creamy yellow, clean and smooth. Joad shifted his bundle high under his arm and stroked the smooth undershell with his finger, and he pressed it. It was softer than the back. The hard old head came out and tried to look at the pressing finger, and the legs waved wildly. The turtle wetted on Joad's hand and struggled uselessly in the air. Joad turned it back upright and rolled it up in his coat with his shoes. He could feel it pressing and struggling and fussing under his arm. He moved ahead more quickly now, dragging his heels a little in the fine dust."
This paragraph just struck me a bit, much like the other one. I don't know why, but I think this is symbolic of Tom starting to analyze who and what he is for some reason. Like I said in my last post, I feel like the turtle is symbolic of Tom, and I found it slightly ironic that he finds and picks up the exact same turtle from the last chapter as he's walking. I kind of see this paragraph as symbolizing Tom starting to wonder what it is he is going to do with his life now that he's out of prison.
I could always be taking something from nothing, though, but I don't know. This paragraph just kind of screamed, "SYMBOLISM!!!" at me. My ears hurt now.
"Joad plodded along, dragging his cloud of dust behind him. A little bit ahead he saw the high-domed shell of a land turtle, crawling slowly along through the dust, its legs working stiffly and jerkily. Joad stopped to watch it, and his shadow fell on the turtle. Instantly head and legs were withdrawn and the short thick tail clamped sideways into the shell. Joad picked it up and turned it over. The back was brown-gray, like the dust, but the underside of the shell was creamy yellow, clean and smooth. Joad shifted his bundle high under his arm and stroked the smooth undershell with his finger, and he pressed it. It was softer than the back. The hard old head came out and tried to look at the pressing finger, and the legs waved wildly. The turtle wetted on Joad's hand and struggled uselessly in the air. Joad turned it back upright and rolled it up in his coat with his shoes. He could feel it pressing and struggling and fussing under his arm. He moved ahead more quickly now, dragging his heels a little in the fine dust."
This paragraph just struck me a bit, much like the other one. I don't know why, but I think this is symbolic of Tom starting to analyze who and what he is for some reason. Like I said in my last post, I feel like the turtle is symbolic of Tom, and I found it slightly ironic that he finds and picks up the exact same turtle from the last chapter as he's walking. I kind of see this paragraph as symbolizing Tom starting to wonder what it is he is going to do with his life now that he's out of prison.
I could always be taking something from nothing, though, but I don't know. This paragraph just kind of screamed, "SYMBOLISM!!!" at me. My ears hurt now.
Chapter 3 - Foreshadowing and Symbolism
Another short chapter! Halleluiah!
This is actually one of my favorite chapters in the entire book, and that's not just because it's two pages and a paragraph long. This chapter makes good use of both symbolism, imagery, and foreshadowing, and of course, all three of those things make me super happy.
The symbolism was very clever for this chapter. In reality, the chapter was about a turtle crossing a dangerous highway, but I think that Steinbeck meant something by it. I think the turtle symbolizes either Tom Joad or the entire Joad family, whom the reader has yet to meet. It says, "The barley beards slid off his shell, and the clover burrs fell on him and rolled to the ground." I think the seeds are supposed to represent worries or troubles and hardships. Later on, Tom shows a peseverance to these troubles similar to the turtle and doesn't let the family hardships effect their progress.
Eventually, the turtle reaches the embankment where the highway starts. He finds it difficult to climb because of his heavy shell, and accidentally allows a red ant and a head of wild oats to slow him down. After a while, he gets onto the highway and continues. I think the embankment represents the family's future journey to California, during which they come across a few obstacles, but nothing that halts them for too long.
The turtle gets onto the highway and starts to cross when a car swerves to miss it, scaring the turtle and making it hurry faster. Then a truck comes that hits the turtle on purpose and knocks it on its back. However, the turtle gets back on its feet and gets off the highway. The wild oat head begins dropping seeds, and the turtle unknowingly plants them as he continues on his way.
The cars represent the two major conflicts that strike the family when they arrive in California. The second one, however, shakes Tom awake and causes him to make decisions that figuratively plant the seeds of the future, and I think this section of the chapter foreshadows this.
I'm pretty sure this is one of my favorite chapters. I'm such a sucker for foreshadowing and symbolism.
This is actually one of my favorite chapters in the entire book, and that's not just because it's two pages and a paragraph long. This chapter makes good use of both symbolism, imagery, and foreshadowing, and of course, all three of those things make me super happy.
The symbolism was very clever for this chapter. In reality, the chapter was about a turtle crossing a dangerous highway, but I think that Steinbeck meant something by it. I think the turtle symbolizes either Tom Joad or the entire Joad family, whom the reader has yet to meet. It says, "The barley beards slid off his shell, and the clover burrs fell on him and rolled to the ground." I think the seeds are supposed to represent worries or troubles and hardships. Later on, Tom shows a peseverance to these troubles similar to the turtle and doesn't let the family hardships effect their progress.
Eventually, the turtle reaches the embankment where the highway starts. He finds it difficult to climb because of his heavy shell, and accidentally allows a red ant and a head of wild oats to slow him down. After a while, he gets onto the highway and continues. I think the embankment represents the family's future journey to California, during which they come across a few obstacles, but nothing that halts them for too long.
The turtle gets onto the highway and starts to cross when a car swerves to miss it, scaring the turtle and making it hurry faster. Then a truck comes that hits the turtle on purpose and knocks it on its back. However, the turtle gets back on its feet and gets off the highway. The wild oat head begins dropping seeds, and the turtle unknowingly plants them as he continues on his way.
The cars represent the two major conflicts that strike the family when they arrive in California. The second one, however, shakes Tom awake and causes him to make decisions that figuratively plant the seeds of the future, and I think this section of the chapter foreshadows this.
I'm pretty sure this is one of my favorite chapters. I'm such a sucker for foreshadowing and symbolism.
First Impression - Tom Joad
My first impression of Tom Joad is a very mixed one. It's a little confusing, so let me try and explain.
I can already tell that he's the protagonist of the story, - considering the summary on the back of the book said that it revolved around the Joad family and his last name is Joad - but at first he seems a bit... hypocritical? Maybe controversial. His actions seem opposite from each other and kind of bipolar.
Like for instance, he politely asks for a ride from the trucker, and thanks him when he is given his request. Later on, however, he is very snide and rude to him, though this could be because he was irritated that the driver was trying to figure Tom out without asking straight forward questions. I'll just leave it at he seems to enjoy the right to his privacy, but doesn't care if other people know or talk about what he's done.
Another thing - at this point in the book, we only know that Tom has killed someone, and we don't know why. He seems a dangerous person for now, but his gentle manner when he first talks to the driver suggests otherwise. My first reaction to this was to wait and see what else I was going to be told about the murder before judging Tom on it, but still, I couldn't help but feel he must have some sort of temper to have killed someone. The fact that he has a flask with him (although I guess it was a common thing at the time) made me also wonder in alcohol had any influence in the murder.
Either way, I did notice that Tom does seem somewhat of a gentleman, if not rough around the edges. I'm not sure how that works out, but it does. I definitely liked him the first time I read this chapter, though, and that's all that matters, I suppose. If the reader's being entertained then the author's doing their job.
I can already tell that he's the protagonist of the story, - considering the summary on the back of the book said that it revolved around the Joad family and his last name is Joad - but at first he seems a bit... hypocritical? Maybe controversial. His actions seem opposite from each other and kind of bipolar.
Like for instance, he politely asks for a ride from the trucker, and thanks him when he is given his request. Later on, however, he is very snide and rude to him, though this could be because he was irritated that the driver was trying to figure Tom out without asking straight forward questions. I'll just leave it at he seems to enjoy the right to his privacy, but doesn't care if other people know or talk about what he's done.
Another thing - at this point in the book, we only know that Tom has killed someone, and we don't know why. He seems a dangerous person for now, but his gentle manner when he first talks to the driver suggests otherwise. My first reaction to this was to wait and see what else I was going to be told about the murder before judging Tom on it, but still, I couldn't help but feel he must have some sort of temper to have killed someone. The fact that he has a flask with him (although I guess it was a common thing at the time) made me also wonder in alcohol had any influence in the murder.
Either way, I did notice that Tom does seem somewhat of a gentleman, if not rough around the edges. I'm not sure how that works out, but it does. I definitely liked him the first time I read this chapter, though, and that's all that matters, I suppose. If the reader's being entertained then the author's doing their job.
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