Journal #24

The best way to prepare for final exams is to not procrastinate! If you procrastinate, then you will get closer and closer to your exams and then you do not have enough time to properly prepare for the tests. If you do not prepare for your tests, then your will most likely not do very well on the tests. The best way to get ready is to make flashcards and to figure out which test you need to get the best grade on, and then study the most for that exam. To figure this out, for take your first quarter grade, multiply it by two, then take your second quarter grade and also multiply it by two. Then, you add them both together. You take this number and subtract it by four hundred and fifty. This equation is used to find out what grade you need to get in order to get an A on the exam. To then get this grade it is essential that you make flashcards for the tests that can use them, such as Spanish and Chemistry. You most likely cannot use flashcards on math tests, but you can do sample problems. These problems can be found on old tests and worksheets you have completed. Also, you could ask your teacher for problems that could be done for practice. All of these steps should help to make you get the best grade possible on your exams. On the weekend before make sure you bring all of the items you may need home to study, and be sure that you get plenty of sleep at night on the week of finals. Most importantly however, is that you eat breakfast. This way your stomach will not be growling during the test, and thinking about food instead of focusing on your tests. Overall, finals do not have to be terrible if you prepare in the correct way and follow the steps I have discussed.

Journal #23

Being self sufficient means that you can function by yourself. You can provide for yourself and do necessary things in order to survive. For example, as a child you depend on your parents for everything. They make you food, get you dressed, buy your things, and even when you are younger, bathe you. This is not being self sufficient. As you get to an age where you can start to do these things by yourself. Although teenagers may think they are self sufficient, they probably are not. When you are in high school, your parents still make your meals and pay for most of your expenses. Even in college, where you feel like such an independent person, you still are not self sufficient. Parents pay for at least some of your college tuition, and when you go home, it is their home, not your own. In my opinion, if you are being self sufficient is when you are completely dependent on you and only you. You have your own house and car that you bought with your own money that you earned. You also pay for your bills, including home, car, and life insurance. These things add up, which is why being self sufficient comes at an older age. Some people may start this earlier than others, but usually it is around the same age for most people. Along with just financial and personal independence, there is also being self sufficient mentally. If you look at yourself to solve problems, and want to handle things yourselves, without consulting people such as your mother and father. This means that you no longer depend on them for important decision making, and always wanting them to solve a problem for you. When you are self sufficient, you may go to others for guidance, but overall you make the decision yourself and no one else can decide for you. Being self sufficient takes time to reach, and does not come easily.

Reaction Blog:Kateb

Kateb’s analysis of Emerson’s “Self- Reliance” provides a more in depth version of the essay. He expands on the points made by Emerson in a new way. Through many quotes and examples, Kateb elaborates and elaborates on the topic of self-reliance.

            “He preaches self-reliance because he thinks that all people already have self-reliant moments and could more successfully become self-reliant if they tried. Self-reliance is thus not a doctrine of superiority to average humanity. Rather it is a doctrine urging the elevation of democracy to its full height, free of the aristocratic, but also free of the demotic (Kateb)”.  I found this quote very interesting. Kateb thinks that Emerson believes that everyone is self confident, and has the potential to be the best person they could possibly be, but they have the choice of whether or not to try to reach this potential. I am not sure whether I think this is true or not. I do believe that everyone has the potential to be the best person he or she can be. However, I am not so certain that everyone can just try really hard in order to be the best they can be. It is all about finding yourself, and the struggle to get to a point in your life in which you can confidently say that you are you, and that is all you will be. When I read “Self-Reliance”, I thought that that is what Emerson intended, not the point that Kateb makes.

“Emerson aims at making his philosophy difficult and elusive. He means to disappoint the expectation that he will supply doctrinal conclusions. His belief in the possibility of truth requires him, he thinks, to commit himself only for a time to a particular value, principle or idea (or to any practice or institution derivative from them), and then to a contrasting one for a time, trying at the same time to withhold a final judgment, a definite assent, whenever possible (Kateb)”. This point, made by Kateb I agree with. While reading Emerson’s essay, many people expected Emerson to have groundbreaking solutions to finding self-reliance. Unfortunately for them, Emerson gives a very factual statement saying that the only way to truly achieve this is to make time in order to figure it out all by themselves. They can do so by using factual, intellectual reasoning in order for them to figure out just who they are and how they can manage to be themselves in their environment. Kateb makes a good point, by doing all of these steps, and after quite some time, these goals of self reliance can finally be reached.

Overall, I agree with some points of Kateb’s analysis, but at the same time I also disagree with some parts also. Emerson’s essay can be taken many ways, and Kateb’s analysis is just one example of the many points of view that can be taken from such an essay as Emersons. All in all, I thought it was a pretty good essay with some decent points. 

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance and the Life of the Mind." In Emerson's Transcendental Etudes. Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. 2003. Quoted as "Self-Reliance and the Life of the Mind" in Bloom, Harold, ed. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Updated Edition, Bloom's Modern Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= MCVRWE011&SingleRecord=True (accessed December 10, 2012). 

Journal #22

The thing I love that most about snow is that it means winter is here. With winter comes hot chocolate, sweaters, and Christmas. As a kid, snow was the most exciting thing in the world. The little crystals of water, drifting down from the sky just made us want to go out and play. Making snowmen, snow angles, and forts should be a part of every kid's childhood. Then when we brought in out red-nosed, frozen bodies,our mothers would wrap us in a blanket and make us hot chocolate. That was the way it was for me anyway. As we grow older, snow becomes more a nuisance than a joyous occasion. In our teen years, snow means the hope of getting out of school and scraping the ice of your car. We lose the essence of the wonder of the little snowflakes falling into our open mouths. Snow is no longer that happy feeling, but more of a feeling of work. Shoveling driveways and sidewalks are now a part of our winter routines. Going around the neighborhood making money, with every shovel filled, more money to spend. We stay indoors more now, wrapping ourselves up and watching a movie, with the hot chocolate we make. In a way the snow is a symbol of growing up. The more independent we are from our mothers and fathers, and the less we seem to rely on them. For them though, the snow, although seeming like a major inconvenience for work and errands,  is really a reminder and sweet memory of the kids that they raised and dealing with the fact that they are older now and do not want to go out and play in the snow.Snow is a memory for all, and the childhoods we have finished. Snow way seem like a bad thing, but if we stop and think about it, we will think of the great memories and events of winters past. We can all remember if we try.

Journal #21

      To me this quote means that every person at some point in their life must accept themselves for who they are. "envy is ignorance" means that being jealous of other people is being ignorant, because you have qualities that make up you. Other people have the qualities that make up them, so they have theirs and you have yours. Being jealous of them just means you are insecure, and Emerson is saying that in order to accept yourself, you cannot be envious and insecure. "imitation is suicide" corresponds with the previous quote because it is saying that if you copy others you are once again insecure and envious, meaning you are not confident in the person you are and want to be other people. "that he must take himself for better, for worse, and his portion." This part means that in order to accept oneself, you must like the best parts of you and your personality, and also accept the worst parts of yourself. All of these parts make up yourself and make you you. "that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till." To me, this last quote means that even though the world is full of amazing things, easy to get, the best things in the world are the ones that we work for and put effort into. This correlates with the rest of the story, because we must work hard for the things we believe in and stand up for what is right. This kind of strength makes us realize what kind of person that we are, and if we truly believe in who we are. When we are confident in who we are, we can accomplish anything we set our mind to. Being confident is the key to being successful in life and it is also one of the hardest things to do.

Journal #20

Where do we begin? A small thought in our mother's head, one day hoping to become real. After time and love. As we grow in our mother's stomach, gradually, physically expending it, we get bigger and bigger. We feed from or mother's body, feeling the great love she gives, but after time, we must leave. As our journey to life begins, we start as a young, naive child, viewing the world as a magical place, full of surprises and mystery. Slowly as our legs and arms grow longer, and our minds get bigger, we view the world as a new place. A place full of people to meet and sights to see, we come to realize it is not that magical, but just where we have been dropped upon to go on and live our life. As adults we become, we feel the wisdom and experience set in. Our skin is not the youthful, clean skin it once was, but a canvas of the past we have had. We then see our children go through the same things we once did, and wish for it again. Our close relationships stay strong, and the distant ones fall, as we realize our true fiends. Then we get to the state of elderly, where we have finally realized we are not the young child running to our parents when they return from a long day at work, but the grandparents that get visited every so often. Our bodies to longer fit, but aching along, showing years of life and past events. Our children now come to us and ask for advice they expect to be knowledge and wisdom filled. Then as the curtain of our life begins to fall we get slower and slower, realizing it is the end. As we silently pass and are buried in the ground, we begin to become one with the earth, its dirt emerging us and its animals making a home. Our bodies remain but our spirit lives on, joining our parents and doing as they have done since they have completed the cycle of life also.

Journal #19

Waving and standing tall above the ground,
The American flag easily found.
Many bright colors lighted the dark night,
As we remembered the soldiers hard fight.
The stars framing the fireworks up high,
As families and friends parted with bye.
Parades and festivals early that day,
have now been abandoned, no more have stayed.

On this day each year we think of the sound,
of Americans rejoicing around.
1776 was the height
of the Independence Day,  its first site.
Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin had sighed
As "Freedom from England!" the people cried.
But what makes this day worthy of such pray?
The release from England's ruling decay.

How do we celebrate a day profound?
With games, reunions, going to fairgrounds,
are all ways to celebrate with great might.
Sometimes airliners even take a flight,
High up above in the crystal blue sky.
To get along with all is what we try.
"The land of the free" is what we all say,
As we commemorate this holiday.

Journal #18

      As I pondered the multitude of eyes beaming at me from the magnificent creature, I gazed beyond it to the rolling meadows, burnt from the hot summer sun. I leaned back as the creature buzzed around my head, resting on the hard ground beneath me. The creature settled on my nose. As I got a closer look at the creature, I noticed its deep purple, scaly skin, its wings so thin they were translucent. I scrunched my nose and the small creature took off from my nose and into the stark summer air. I rolled myself off the ground and continued to walk through the dry meadow. As i walked, the creatures below me startled and flew around my legs as the cut through the tall grass. When I arrived at the river, the deep blue water glistened in the bright sun. I dipped the very end of my toe in, feeling the temperature. The cool water soothed my warm, sun kissed skin. I gradually walked further and further into the river. Finally all the way in, I leaned back and closed my eyes, taking in the cool breeze, coming from the water, and the fresh smell of the forest. I swam further and further down the river, when I heard a pouring of water nearby. As i continued on, I felt mist getting thicker. The water settled into a deeper cool, colliding with a thirty foot water fall. Large, slick rocks surrounded the area, framing the waterfall. Beyond it I could see an opening. I swam to the cave, and stepped onto the rock, careful not to slip. Looking up, I saw the dark, musty cave walls, covered in old pictures. I looked around in amazement, studying the clay covered walls and dripping crystals hanging above. The sound of the drops hitting the ground and the waterfall rushing behind me were the only sound I could hear. I rested my eyes shut and took a deep breath in.

Journal #17

As the light blue fuzz feathered through the warm current of air purring from the heating vent, the amber kitten rubbed his moist nose against the frozen window. The brisk air outside kept all at home, and in the comfortable, warm heat. The girl twisted herself into the rugged, over sized chair, attempting to conserve her warmth. She stretched slowly towards the wood table that sat aside from the large chair. Slowly she picked up the rose colored mug which sat upon the table, overflowing with steam from from the boiling hot chocolate that was inside. As she carefully took a sip, the light blue fuzz landed slowly on her leg. She sighed as she wiped it off, thinking of being confined in the small old house on a cold winter's day as this one. She kissed lovingly at the young kitten, who had settled into a curled up position on the window sill. He looked up attentively, as his small fragile legs melted from the tall window sill to the paisley rug below. As she picked up the kitten, the silky new fur felt warm in her chilly hands. As she cuddled the newborn kitten, its wet, sticky tongue licked her rosy cheek. They awaited in the warmth of the chair for her husband to arrive home after his treacherous dive through the thick, white snow. The dim yellow lights shown through the frosted window,signaling his arrival. Both the kitten and the girl got up from the comfort of the old chair to greet him. As the front door swung open, the brisk air poured into the house surrounding the girl. She quickly shut the door to save as much of the warm heat as possible. He unwrapped the thick knitted scarf and his snow covered jacket. She hugged tightly as she showed him into the living room. He sat down on the old recliner as she settled in next to him, taking in his warmth.

Journal #16

       I do not remember a specific time when a person dressed differently. I do know that it has happened before. When someone wears something different than what people are used to, they tend to make fun of that person or talk about it behind their back. I think that this tends to happen in smaller schools, or with people that are with the same smaller group of people. This usually happens in small groups because they get into this comfortable little rut that they only except what fits into that rut. When something makes them feel out of their comfort zone, it makes them thrown off and they feel like they have to call it out and not like it. In a bigger group of people, this does not really happen at all, or at least nearly as much as with small groups. The more people, the bigger the diversity. If you are around all kinds of people all the time, you probably get used to it and do not think much of it if someone changes their style or dresses differently.This also most likely happens more in teenagers and young adults, than someone like our parents. We both do it, just in different ways. The styles we find different can be drastically opposites, which make us find some things okay, and some things just plain odd. I think that unless the clothes are inappropriate,too revealing or vulgar, then people should not make fun or call people out for wearing something different. Clothes are a part of self expression, and if people are made fun of for this, they will never find who they truly are and be just another ordinary, boring person. If anything, we should encourage people to dress however they please. When we do this, we are bound to be more accepting of anything, and in turn more well likes than someone who does not accept people who choose to dress differently.

Journal #15

         A person that I miss very much is my cousin, Lauren. She is like the big sister that I never had. She did not have her mother around when she was in high school, so my mom was kind of like her mom. Although she is almost ten years older than me, we have more in common than expected. She always tried to include me in things at family events, since I was an extremely shy kid, and did other things that big sisters do, minus the fighting. Lauren bragged about me to her friends, so when they saw me I felt like the coolest kid ever that high school kids liked me. She even gave me a nickname. Although I am not exactly fond of it, it is growing on me. She calls me Claire Bear Amadeus Mozart because I was a very artistic kid. When she graduated she moves to New Orleans to go to Tulane University. I obviously did not get to see her nearly as much as I used to. I missed her so much and felt like my best friend moved away. In order to stay in touch with her, we talk on the phone, text, email, and more recently we have become pen pals. By doing all of these things, it makes it easier to be closer to her. In our letters to each other we talk about everything, and it is fun because mail does not send as quickly as texts, so the anticipation makes it worth the wait. Every chance we get to visit her or she comes home, we make the most of. She always comes home for Christmas, and it just puts everyone in a good mood. We can share holiday traditions that we have with her, who never really got the Christmas experience that the majority of kids get to have.I cherish her visits home, and our rare visits there as much as I so that it will last until the next time we get to see each other.

Reflection Blog:The Pit and the Pendulum

“A fearful idea now suddenly drove the blood in torrents upon my heart, and for a brief period I once more relapsed into insensibility. Upon recovering, I at once started to my feet, trembling convulsively in every fiber” (Poe 265). This quote is not something that would typically be thought of as romantic, but this quote gives an example of what Romanticism is. The dark, mysterious, physiological thrill is exactly what Romanticism writing embodied, and exactly what “The Pit and the Pendulum” describes as we see the narrator go through intense struggle to save his life while trying to figure out what was going on around him. Poe’s short story exemplifies Romanticism, and more specifically Dark Romanticism in several ways.

To begin, one overall Romanticism trait the short story has is its very descriptive wording. The way Poe writes gives such specific details the reader can almost feel, smell, and sense what the character is feeling. When the narrator awakes to discover the pendulum swooshing closer and colder to his chest, Poe describes it in such a way the reader can almost feel every heart beat of the narrator getting faster and faster in anxiety and fear. This type of descriptive writing was a very common trait of the Romanticism time period.

Additionally, Dark Romanticism traits are also exemplified in “The Pit and the Pendulum”. A major emphasis in this kind of romanticism writing is physiological fear, emotions, and mystery. It is safe to say that all of these points are shown in Poe’s short story. The narrator is put through this prolonged torturous death, with this pit and pendulum used to force the man to fight for his life or face the painful death (Poe). The fear this puts on the man in addition to the fading from conscious to not make this even more of a challenge. He must wake himself from the befuddled haze of the drugged water enough in order to defend himself against the next strike thrown at him. In addition, emotions play a huge role in these fears as he must decide to fight, how to do it, or just give up. The fear itself is enough to make a person not able to function and make rational, quick decisions. Along with that he must deal with the death he faces. He does not even want to open his eyes because the emotions from the fear of what surrounds him are too great to handle (Poe 265). Overall, characteristic of mystery ties all of these elements into one great fearful situation of unknown circumstances faced by the narrator as he is thrown into this undiscovered chamber (Poe). This situation is so fearful for him; the way he deals with it is really a test of his character and nature.

Furthermore, this short story brings out an additional characteristic of Dark Romanticism. The human nature of the people being put though these physiological fears and mysteries are observed and described in this style of literature. Poe explains what is going through the narrator’s head as he is being nudged closer and closer to the put. This vivid description was something the people of the time had never really seen before, which made it all the more intriguing. The reader never knows what will happen next, how the man will handle it, and if he will still continue to fight (Poe).

Overall, the writing of Poe in “The Pit and the Pendulum” very much so exemplifies the Romanticism period, and Dark Romanticism characteristics. The way the story is so vividly detailed and mysteriously attention holding give the story an overall sense of human nature and fear, exactly the Romanticism style. Poe does a beautiful job of detailing each and every feeling the narrator has as he goes through this physiological fearful situation.   

  May, Charles E. "Alternate Realms of Reality." In Edgar Allan Poe: A Study of Short Fiction. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1991, pp. 96–97. Quoted as "Dreams and Reality in the Story" in Harold Bloom, ed. Edgar Allan Poe, Bloom's Major Short Story Writers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1998. (Updated 2007.) Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMSSEP39&SingleRecord=True (accessed November 4, 2012).

Poe, Edgar A. "The Pit and the Pedullum." Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 263-73. Print.

Journal #14

I have been scared very bad only a couple of times before. I do not deal with scary things very well, so I try to avoid them at all costs. If I do end up in s scary situation, such as watching a scary movie, I usually try to hide my eves of do something else. When my friends made me watch Paranormal Activity, I avoided watching it by falling asleep. The time when I have been most scared was a long time ago. When my family and I went to Disney Land for the first time I was in first grade. We decided to go into the 3D theater for a showing of Bug's Life. I loved that movie as a kid, but I was not aware that the movie was going to actually make it feel like there bugs everywhere. I felt them running under and over my feet, flying in front of my face, and worst of all on the seat of my chair. I could not handle all of them and got so scared I ran out of the theater. My parents followed me and asked me what was wrong. Through my tears, I told them that the bugs scared me so much I could not be in there any longer. Ever since them I have had an extreme fear of all kinds of bugs. I never got over that fear even now, almost eight years later. The fear that that movie put in me made me never watch the Bug's Life since then. The only other time I have really been as terrified is when I went on my first and only haunted hay rack ride. My friend and I had gotten there late, so we had to sit on the very back on the trailer. I was already scared of the area we were in, so I pulled my sweatshirt over my eyes. As we went through, I could hear people chasing the car, and was terrified to look. All of a sudden I heard someone grad the end of the trailer, and my friend grabbed me and we jumped into the center. After that I was shaking until we got back. Since then I ave never gone on a haunted anything.

Journal #13

        I found the Franklin Virtues Project very frustrating. I sent at least a dozen and a half emails to my group and did not get one reply in return.It was also frustrating because there was no other way to contact the Farmington kids, because the email was blocked at school, and they probably do do not usually check their email at home frequently. I was not sure then how to go about doing the project because I was not getting any feedback. I just had to wait and hope people did what they were supposed to. When they finally did get things done, it was not what I asked for as the video editor. First of all I asked for the videos on Wednesday along with their citations. I did not receive any videos until Friday and never got citations. I guess what I learned from this project is that if you want something done, you have to do it yourself. In order to improve this project, first of all it would be much easier if Farmington would unblock their email. This way we would be able to contact each other in class and get things done quicker. Being able to see more examples would also be very helpful for a guide.This project was interesting because we got to see different opinions from people that we were not used to and maybe saw a different perspective on things. Overall this project was not really my favorite, and could be better with some improvements. One thing that did make this easier was the Google site. The site allowed us to see what one another were posting and how far they were on things. I was able to get information off of other group members' pages that I needed to put into the video.  We just really needed to be able to contact each other in a more efficient way and be able to be on the same page as each other.

Reflection Blog: Franklin's Virtues

            As in inventor, philosopher, and politician, Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents. His advanced mind was capable of many things, but he still realized that he was not perfect, and he had room for improvement. As he reflected on this, he came to the conclusion that he shared the faults he noticed in others, and decided to make set of virtues that would help better him and the people he had noticed these things in. Coming from a low class family, Franklin made his rise to the high class. This evolution can be traced back to the virtues. He was not trying to get rich and powerful, he was simply pursuing the goal of becoming someone that he pictured having these admirable qualities. With these thirteen virtues, Franklin succeeded in becoming a better person.

To begin, Franklin actualized that the values taught in church were not those in which could make a person become better (Franklin 81). He observed and considered what his peers and he needed to purify themselves. He concluded with thirteen virtues he would then follow, and record. To ensure that he would pursue these virtues, he kept a journal in which he recorded his blunders, and furthermore designed a calendar which focused on a certain virtue each week (Franklin 85). By following these virtues, he would make exemplify his idea of how a praiseworthy, righteous person behaves. He kept this up for a year, and from then continued on, without recording in his journal. If he saw that he was beginning to stumble on his processes, he would revisit his journal technique (Franklin). These procedures helped him keep up his goal of personal bettering.

            How did these virtues help make Franklin a better person? As said by Tuckerman, when related to other philosophers, Franklin was clearly the most advanced and humble one of them all. Throughout his essay, Tuckerman admires Franklin for this humble attitude. “No experiment was too insignificant for his philosophy, no task to humble for his patriotism,” Tuckerman said in regard to Franklin testing his virtues on himself, and the commitment he put into it. In the contents of his essay, Tuckerman proves over and over why Franklin’s life was a commendable one and his virtues can be linked directly to this. Describing him as “brave,” “patriotic,” and “dignified,” he supported this praise for Franklin’s character (Tuckerman). In Franklin’s life, he started out as a low class citizen, coming from “rags”. After his virtues, and more specifically his use of the virtues industry, justice, and frugality, he was able to rise to “riches”. This “rags to riches” concept is a major part of the American Dream. This theory of the American Dream is what people in American aspire to reach, the goals they wish to achieve, and the future they strive to have one day. Franklin can fit in very well in this description, proving that because of his virtues, he went from a low class citizen to an admirable person living the American Dream. Using those three emphasized virtues, he was able to save money, stay on task and get things done, and be an honest trustworthy person.

            Overall, Franklin became proved to be a better person in result of his virtues. The virtues not only helped Franklin, but also anyone who has read or reads them.  The virtues and Tuckerman’s support and praise helps prove how Franklin became the successful man he is now known as.  

           

           

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Philadelphia: Henry Altemus, 1895. Print.

Tuckerman, Henry T. "Franklin's Character." Comp. Harold Bloom. Benjamin Franklin, Classic Critical    Review. New York: Chelsea House, 2006. N. pag. Print.

Journal #12

        Today's American Dream can be different from person to person. I think that the American Dream is when you are at a point in your life when you are happy and feel as though you are at a point in your life you have dreamed of reaching. To reach this I think that first of all you must be happy with your family and friends. This means that you either have a family you have wanted, such as a spouse and kids, and friends that you enjoy being with and you feel as though they will be your lifelong friends.  Along with this, being successful in your life means being at a point or place in where you have been working towards. This could mean a number of things. This could be finally getting the house you wanted, or the dream job you have been working towards. Americans strive for success, and today success usually comes with money. Money drives many Americans today, and makes people feel as though they have made it.
        Over time I do not think that the American Dream has changed very much. I remember in twentieth century history class, we discussed the American Dream of the forties through the eighties. It was not to much different than what we have now. They dreamed of owning their own home, in the suburbs, and purchasing a car, which was a new thing at the time. They also wanted to be a successful working person. Unlike today however, It was typically just the men. Women working was much rarer that it is today. These along with others are very similar to what we have now, with the exception of owning a car, for the majority of people today.
        To me personally these things that are the modern American Dream are very similar to my own thought of the American Dream. I hope to one day be successful in my career, and have a family that I love, and surrounding myself with good friends.

Reflection Blog: Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography

                When we think of Benjamin Franklin, we think of electricity. Although this was obviously a major accomplishment, Franklin did and accomplished so much more in his life. As a scientist, politician, and writer, it is easy to say that Benjamin Franklin was an extremely intelligent man (Quick Biography). A person with such intelligence as Franklin most likely has a good reason for the things he does and says, which is why his virtues and how he demonstrated them exemplifies Rationalism.

            To begin, Franklin’s set of virtues, created by him, exemplify Rationalism in several ways. A quality of Rationalism that the virtues show is using reasoning to back up your points. In virtues five and six, Frugality and Industry, Franklin backs up why he will waste nothing and use all of his time wisely with the facts that he wants to avoid debt and make use of his work time (Holden 84, 85). He obviously put this virtue to his benefit, discovering electricity and inventions from it, such as the kite (Quick Biography). By backing this up with reasoning to make it a solid example, it shows Rationalism. Along with the virtues themselves, Franklin also backs them up by using a chart, marking his emphasis and act of doing the virtues (Holden 85, 86). By making and filling out these charts, Franklin gives evidence that his set of virtues work and that they are not just for show and tell.

            Additionally, the way Franklin carries out his virtues and the way he acts also exemplify Rationalism. In the piece, Franklin says that he did not like the minister; therefore he did not attended church regularly on Sundays (Holden 81). This is a major example of Rationalism. He can openly say this, and not be shunned or accused of anything. He also gives back up to why he does not like the minister, because he has very “uninteresting” and “dry” sermons (Holden 81). Franklin also has back up to why he made his own set of virtues instead of following the virtues of the church, as they did in the Puritan period. “And that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or hereafter” (Holden 80). In saying this, Franklin tells the reader that because God says those who are virtuous are in turn rewarded, he can be virtuous in any way that he wants and still be accepted and loved by God. The people of the Rationalism time still centered around God, but they did not do it nearly as harsh, and were not judgmental of those who did it more or less than them.

Overall, Rationalism can be found anywhere in Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography. Franklin was obviously an intelligent man, and therefore his virtues can be backed up with evidence. Franklin uses facts and evidence to prove each of his virtues and actions he makes because of them true. This is the major aspect of the Rationalism period. Franklin’s virtues and actions can be used to prove that Rationalism was a very effective way of thinking, writing, and acting.

Holden, Liberty Emery, and Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography. N.p.: n.p., 1898. Print.

"Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin." Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/index.htm>.

Journal #11

The set of virtues in which I live by were roughly outlined by my parents. At a young age, my parents taught me what was right and wrong, but never forced any strong virtues on me. They taught me to be accepting and nice to all people, regardless of age, race, gender,religion, sexual preference, or their own set of virtues. They put those set of virtues on my brother and I, and as we grew older we got to pick and choose more of our own virtues. For instance I believe that everyone has a right to be who they are or want to be. Some people do not believe in this, but my parents do, and I believe that they are right so I do also. Another virtue that I have is that I try to be as nice as I can to everyone. Even if I do not like or agree with them, I try to put myself in their situation. Everyone has things going on in their life, and you may not know, so I believe you have to be accepting of each individual person. Another virtue I live bu is that I try to not let others influence the way I act, am, and dress. In high school and middle school, it is easy to go along with what is popular, but my virtue is that I try to remain my own person. Another one of my virtues is one that I hope to pass on to my own children one day, along with many others. It is okay to be someone that society does not expect and ask of you to be as a person. For example, society thinks men should be manly and not show their emotions, but I hope to show them, and do myself, that you can be who you want to be. If you want to be emotional, be emotional, it should not matter what is expected of you to be.

Reflection Blog: The Declaration of Independence

          In the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson is a piece of literature in which the colonies state their independence from Great Britain. During this time, around 1776, the colonies were strictly controlled by Great Britain. After years of being bossed around and treated unfairly, they decided to finally declare their independence. This work was written to show the colonists why they needed to do this, and join in and support the declaration. In order to do so, Thomas Jefferson, and his fellow writers, had to use propaganda and other persuasive techniques, some good and bad, in order to rally the colonists.

To begin, one of the major techniques used by Thomas Jefferson and the writers was propaganda. Propaganda has several qualities within itself that were used. Name calling and “nice” words were used subtly throughout. Thomas Jefferson calls the Native Americans “merciless” and “savages” in order to prove the King unjust (Jefferson 124). This kind of name calling gets the listeners to picture these people as bad, although they may not have all been. Jefferson also uses nice words to describe the people and the declaration (Jefferson 124). These nice words get the people to see these things as good as right and the negatives as bad and wrong.

Additionally, testimonial and plain folk propaganda are used. Testimonial kind of propaganda is when the author name drops, using popular people most of the public would recognize. In the Declaration of Independence’s case, they say they are representatives of the United States, and they are appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World (Jefferson 124). This kind of name dropping catches the listener or readers attention. If an ordinary person wrote this to the public, it would not feel as significant and important as this one. Along with name dropping, the piece used plain folk technique.

This technique makes the argument appeal to not only the important people, but also as if they had the plain folks in mind also. In the work, Jefferson states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Jefferson 122). This quote tells the public straight forward, that they are not, and should not be treated, different than anyone else. The reader of listener feels more on the same level, and that the idea can make things better for them too.


Finally, the main technique of propaganda is transfer. Jefferson spends the vast majority of the speech listing ways the King of Great Britain has mistreated the people of the United States, and why they should not put up with it any longer (122-124). Jefferson claims things such as the king has refused to give the colonist a good government in order to make the colonists happy and at peace. He goes on to list many other examples such as these (Jefferson 122-124). These examples give proof to the people why they should become independent from the King, because he is holding the country back.


Overall, the Declaration of Independence is an extremely persuasive piece of literature. It is very well written, and uses propaganda techniques to its advantage. These techniques made the colonist do exactly what they were hoping, and resulted eventually to the independence of the United States.

 

Jefferson, Thomas. "The Declaration of Independence." Glencoe  American Literature. N.p.: McGraw-Hill, n.d. 120-124. Print.

 "Recognizing Propaganda Techniques and Errors of Faulty Logic." Cuesta College. 06 Mar. 2011. Web. September 25, 2012.

Journal #10

      Mr. Langley should absolutely bring in Brach's Star Brites mints into the next English class. Star Brites mints are so good even celebrities from superstar,Katy Perry to USWNT player,Abby Wambach eat these mints. Katy Perry even has an outfit created in inspiration of these mints, and Abby Wambach and the rest of the US Women's National Team have red and white striped uniforms due to their love of Star Brites mints. Not only do famous celebrities eat these mints, but also average people like ourselves. This is why Mr. Langley should bring our class these mints. They are so popular and good that we would not want to out of the loop on such a wonderful trend such as this. Just imagine popping one of these mouth watering, red and white striped peppermint mints into you mouth next class and starting A2 English class on the right foot to get the ideas flowing. These mints could be the gateway to the greatest ideas ever thought of not only in A2 English, but English classes everywhere! Why would anyone want to be a horrible person by depriving the class, no, the world to such ideas that could stem from Star Brites mints. Nothing else can even compare to the sweet, minty taste that explodes from these mints as it hits your salivating tongue. Mr. Langley needs to bring these mints in because the things that could pop into our minds after Star Brites mints have refreshed our brains could be life altering to many people. Star Brites mints can make our grades go up also, which in turn would make Mr. Langley get the deserved recognition as best teacher in Pleasant Plains High School, and the World. As our grades go up we will become such smart people that we will always remember the true reason we became this way, the Wednesday morning Mr. Langley brought us Brach's Star Brites mints into our A2 English class.

Journal #9

      Autumn. Autumn us my absolute favorite season. It is my favorite season mainly for the weather. I love the temperature of autumn because it is not too cold too stand, and also not too hot to be outside. It is a perfect mixture of the two. Along with the weather comes the beautiful colors of the fall. The burnt orange, crimson red, and musty yellow of the leaves, and the smell it makes it the crisp air just puts me in a good mood. I love being outside during the autumn season because of the weather and the smells, but these things also cause my other favorite part of the season, the clothes. The clothes in autumn are the best, because you can wear comfy and cute things, like sweaters, jeans, and scarves. These clothes not only look good on most people, but also make you feel good and comfortable, like wearing your sleeping clothes to school. Football games are a very large part of the autumn season. Everybody loves going to Friday night football games on a cold dark night, in hopes you will cheer your team to victory. I also love the season of autumn because it means my birthday and Christmas are not to far away. Although December always seems like years away, it goes by so quickly that you do not even realize it. I believe that autumn is the cause of this. I enjoy the weather and the activities so much that it goes by in the snap of a finger. Autumn puts me in a good mood for life and I think it does for many other people also, everybody is in a good mood in the fall and autumn season. Everybody knows that Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are not far away anymore and everyone loves all of the holidays, so there is nothing to be upset about. I love fall and I think many others do. Autumn just puts me in a good mood.

Journal #8

     A few months ago, my friend Jessica's dog started getting weak. Jack, her dog, was a great dog. He was always friendly and very gentle with everyone and all the other animals they had at their home.When he started getting weak, they noticed some changes. He was not able to get on her couch anymore, and because he was a very large dog, he could no longer do these things. Due to his size and weight, they could not help him either, so they had to just love him and try to ease the pain.After a while of this ongoing pain, they took him to the vet and they were told he had bone cancer in his legs that was gradually spreading. This was heartbreaking to their family, because they had had him their entire lives, but knew that they must not dwell on this and do what was best for him. They spent the time they had with him very lovingly, and searched for a solution. They came across an experimental treatment just a few short weeks later. This treatment would force him to be amputated on the effected leg. After much consideration, they decided it was not fair to make hime live in pain with one leg and made the decision to put him down. Although it was very sad they made the rational decision to not keep him alive so they could enjoy him, and have him suffer. Instead they did what would be best for him and put him out of his pain and suffering. This kind of rational decision was the best decision that could have been made in this given situation.He was put out of his pain, and is now in heaven, where he can run around and jump on couches. Rational decisions are the best decisions because they put the emotions out of the way and think of what is truly best for the given situation.

Reflection Blog: The Crucible, Act 4

                What is fear? Fear has a huge influence on the things we believe and do. This thought was used in both the sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, and the play, The Crucible. There are several parts of The Crucible that reflect the style that the preacher used in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. That style is fear, and in both pieces, it sends a strong message.

                To begin, The Crucible resembles the fear in Hands of an Angry God through the tone of some of the characters. Both pieces of literature center on religion and its importance to the Puritan people. When the strong religious kick of the Puritans began to decline, the preachers and priests decided to use fear to convince the people that they needed church. This kind of convincing is shown very obviously in the sermon, but also more subtly in The Crucible. In the first Act, Parris is speaking to Abigail about the night the girls were in the forest. He uses such a harsh tone; it seems very much identical to the one in the sermon (Miller 10-12). Parris goes from a scary, angry tone to a more understanding and desperate tone and back and forth throughout his conversation with Abigail. This is the exact same tone and pattern shown in the sermon. Using these kinds of tones make the listener very afraid and interested at the same time (Fanella). The sermon was used to scare people into getting people to come to church, and Reverend Parris uses it to attempt to get the truth out of Abigail (Miller 10-12).

                Additionally, The Crucible resembles the fear of the sermon through its use of embarrassment and fear itself. In the play, Hathorne and Danforth get Proctor to write down his confession, and when he asks why they say they are going to hang it on the door of the church (Miller 139). This use of fear, to scare the people into confessing or staying away from lies and witchcraft, is the same kind of fear instilled by the angry sermon to make people attended church (Fanella). They used this type of fear because the people were not used to this kind of anger in such a religious place, and made them so afraid to do anything wrong they did just as they were told. After seeing what this fear can do to a clearly innocent man, such as Proctor, the other condemned people in the trial confess to their sin of witchcraft (Miller 142). This reaction is exactly what they wanted; they got the people so scared they were afraid to do something wrong, because even an innocent man is deemed guilty.

                Overall, the use of fear is very prevalent in both The Crucible and Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Both pieces prove that fear can make us do things we may or may not want to do, but in these cases it got the point across loud and clear. Fear is a dangerous and powerful thing and both are excellent examples of this.

Fanella, John Jeffery, and Jonathan Edwards. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 1996. Print.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.

Journal #7

     Bullying helps no one, and no one benefits from it. Bullying is one of the most harmful things, sometimes without even physically harming or hurting them. Bullying can be any form of teasing, name calling, harassing, or hurting. Bullies can almost always be described as someone who hurts other people's feelings because they want to make themselves feel better about their own life troubles.  The person being bullied has much more pain from the whole thing. The person being bullied most likely did nothing wrong, but just so happened to be the victim of the bully's fury and takes it out on them. The bully may or may not feel guilty after they bully someone. Usually they do not apologize unless they are forced to by a teacher or parent . The victim will get all sorts of negative feelings from the bullying. They will feel self conscious,depressed, and very hurt or offended. Bullying is the biggest cause of suicides in teenager and kids, which is just sickening.  The fact that someone can make someone else feel so bad about themselves that they do not even want to live, and the best option to them is to end their life is extremely sad and just ridiculous. Bullies are people who do not manage their own insecurities well. Everyone has insecurities, but that does not mean you can take it out on an innocent person. You have no idea how much that can affect the person, and how they may deal with it.

Reflection Blog: The Crucible, Act 3

            Human nature can sometimes make us do what is not the right thing to do. This is very true in the first three parts of The Crucible. Human nature is what we as humans do instinctually. We can control some parts of human nature, but some we just cannot control. Whether we control them or not, it affects the way we react when we are put in certain positions, such as the characters in the play.

            To begin, there are many examples of human nature from the girl’s actions to trials and allegations of witchcraft. The very first sign of human nature is to cover up and deny something we regret, or something we can or will get into trouble for. This is exactly what the girls do. In the beginning of the novel, they all get their stories straight of who to blame and what to deny (Miller). In order to further cover up their mess, the girls make a list with over thirty five names of people that they are accusing of taking part in witchcraft (Miller 48). This kind of behavior is obviously not something we cannot control, but it is our instinct to do just as they did. Along with the girls, Elizabeth and one of the other women accused of witchcraft try to find any excuse not to be hanged, and to buy them more time. Elizabeth and Sarah Good both tell the judge that they are pregnant (Miller 59 and 92). This is also human nature, they try and find any reason to postpone or stop something from happening to them they do not want to happen.

            Additionally, human nature also works the other way in The Crucible. Along with blaming others, human nature that is shown in the play is the instinct to find any reason to prove someone wrong or guilty. This kind of human nature is shown by Danforth and Cheever. They try to prove that Proctor is telling lies about his affair with Abigail in order to clear his wife’s name by attacking his religion. They question him about how often he goes to church and why he works on Sunday, which is not a very religious thing to do, especially in Salem (Miller 96-98). As humans, we want the fault to fall on someone else, so it will not fall upon us. We also do not want to proven wrong, which is what Proctor was doing to Danforth and Cheever. No one wants to be proven wrong. It is embarrassing, and these men were no exception.

            Overall, human nature plays both small and large roles in The Crucible. However, there is no denying human nature is shown all throughout the play, and plays a large role in the plot. It affects the characters decisions, actions, and reactions. These aspects are what makes the play what it is, and why it is a classic piece of American literature.

                               

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.

Journal #6

     Repercussions for blaming someone else for something they did not do. can be very bad. Once I blamed my brother for breaking one of my mom's vases. I felt very guilty when my brother was defending himself to my mom. Before my brother got in trouble I told my mom it was me and I got in trouble for not only breaking the vase, but also lying about doing it. This is almost the worse thing you can do. Unless you have no conscious, if you blame someone for something they did not do, you will end up feeling very guilty. Even though it seems like a good idea at the time, and you feel like it will not affect you and you can go free without getting in trouble, you will live with the guilt. Guilt is, in my opinion, the worst feeling ever. I feel terrible for what I did, and usually even worse for lying about it, or blaming it on someone else. I have not blamed things I did on other people very many times. I have learned through the guilt it is something that I should not do, and now I will no longer do so I do not have to feel guilty. Another time I did this was when my mom made cookies for our family, and she wanted us to save them for the small family gathering we were going to have that weekend. She came home form work the next day and noticed that there were some gone, when she asked me I told her that I did not do it and it was probably my dad who was home all day. She was upset at him, but never confronted him, so I never admitted it was me. I do not still live with guilt obviously, but it is an example on a much smaller scale about how this kind of thing can affect other people more than it can affect you.

Reflection Blog:The Crucible, Act 2

            Thinker, planner, doer, or helper, these simple categories fit very well to the characters of the novel. In The Crucible, there are many different types, or colors of characters. Each has their own set of characteristics, which makes them act the way they do.

            To begin, the most notable character to categorize is Abigail. Abigail in my opinion is definitely a thinker. She knows exactly what she needs to do in order to keep herself safe from getting in trouble. Abigail is so afraid to get into trouble, she will do anything to blame it on other people, almost to a point she does not even believe she did anything. In act II, we find out from Mary that someone has accused Elizabeth of witchcraft. We later find out from Elizabeth’s assumption it was Abigail.  Abigail thought out that if she not only got herself of the hook for dancing in the woods and cursing Betty, but she could also get rid of Elizabeth do she could have Mr. Procter back again (Miller 59-60). This kind of rig that Abigail pulls is the reason she is a thinker.

            Additionally, Betty, although does not have much action, also has a very notable category she falls under. I think Betty is very much so a thinker, and also a planner. She knew that since her father saw them in the woods that night, they would end up getting in trouble. Due to this, I think she is faking her own bewitched state. By doing this she will not get in trouble, embarrass herself, or upset her father. She pretends to be in a bewitched state, and everything happens around her, so she know what is going on, and when she can awaken again. She also is a planner for these same reasons. She even pops up sometimes to give them more of a reason to believe her. When the townspeople are downstairs in her home, and they sing the words “going up to Jesus,” she awakens and proceeds to scream so everyone knows she is not well (Miller 24). This keeps the belief in the people, until Betty and the girls are off the hook.

            Finally, the last character that really stood out to be as having a distinct “color” is John Proctor. I believe that John is a doer. He does not think about how the consequences of his actions will affect him and the people around him. He just does what he thinks is right in the moment. We first see this proven in the first act. We discover that John and Abigail had an affair. He did not think that his wife would find out, and he did not think about what Abigail would do if he suddenly broke it off (Miller 22-24). This goes on in several other minor roles in the novel, and I think will continue to go on later in the novel.

            Overall, the novel has very colorful characters that can be put in these categories, but all in all they all have a little bit of all of them. These traits play a major role in the people they are, actions they take, and their role in the story.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.

Journal #5

      Today there are many pieces of technology that affect our lives as teenagers. Many parents think that a good punishment is to take these things away, or limit these things. I am torn on this kind of punishment because I personally have never experienced this kind of thing. When I think about a punishment I think of chores . My parents used chores to punish my brother and I, when we got into trouble for something. Taking away technology can be a good or bad thing. I believe if the reason you are getting in trouble is due to the piece of technology, then it is okay to take them away. If the reason is something else, like smarting back to your parents, or lying, then I do not think that taking away technology or social media devices is the right kind of punishment to use. Kids and teenagers will most likely find a way around this type of punishment, without their parents even knowing. Chores as a punishment is something that can be easily seen that it is complete. No kid really enjoys chores, therefore the next time they think about doing something, they will think about the chores they may have to do. There is also a personal space issue that come with taking away or monitoring these things. I believe that parents should not look at their kids phone unless there is a specific concern they have. Facebook is a different story. They should be able to check that they are not posting anything inappropriate, but should not look at all their conversations and  messages. I think that the majority of teens that have these social media devices are careful with them and know the risks. Their parents can most likely tell is their child has an issue with these type of things, and can handle that as they see fit. Punishment varies for parent, child, and reason, so all punishments are different and the parent has to figure out what works best. 

Reflection Blog: The Crucible, Act 1

            In the first act of The Crucible, the Puritan writing is much different than the other pieces of literature we have read that were written by the Puritans. Unlike the others, the novel focuses more on the darker side of the puritans. This piece gives a different perspective of Puritan writing later on in their arrival in the United States.

            The first thing that stood out to me about the writing in The Crucible was the darkness of the religion aspect. Puritan literature focuses very heavily on religion, and the values that are believed. The major thing I noticed was the topic of the damned and the saved. The saved were the people who would eventually go to heaven, where the damned were those who would go to hell. They believed you could move from the saved to the damned, but most likely not the damned to the saved. In the first act, Mr. Procter was talking to Mr.Parris, and spoke about damnation. “I have trouble enough without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire and damnation. Take it to heart Mr. Parris. There are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly ever mention God any more” (Miller 28). This shows the breakdown on the Puritan’s beliefs. The Puritans gradually began to stray away from church and their religion, so the church officials decided to take the entire time in church to essentially scare them into coming to church. They would tell them they would be damned if they did not come to church, and hoped that by doing so, others would come back.

            Another example of Puritan writing and the breakdown of the Puritan are similar to the damned. As we saw in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, and in the part I discussed in the previous paragraph, the Puritans decided to take an aggressive approach in church. We saw in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God that the tone often shifted in the writing. This is also shown in The Crucible. As Mr. Parris is lecturing Abigail about what happened in the woods and how she was being immoral, his tone changed from very angry to more calm and understanding, and so on and so forth (Miller 11).

            Although the writing in The Crucible is very much so an example of the breakdown of the Puritans, it is also an example of basic Puritan writing qualities. The focus is still very much so around religion, which means they do not complain. Although in the novel they do not complain, they do blame. Complaining is against the morals of the Puritans, but the Puritans later on in their coming to America made them change slightly. In the novel, Mrs. Putnam has to have someone to blame for killing seven of her babies. Really it was most likely an infant illness that caused them to die in a couple of days, but she felt she had to blame it on someone. She was not complaining, but she was not letting it go (Miller 16).
   Overall, the novel has few examples of true Puritan writing. The majority of the first act has examples of the breakdown of Puritan beliefs, and the affect it has on the people.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.

Journal #4

    Usually when my family goes on vacation, we take a plane. When we do drive, although it is not very fun, we get to see some interesting things. On shorter trips, like St. Louis, I like to look out the window while we drive. I like to look out the window because I can recognize things on the way and if anything has changed. When we drive a much longer distance, like when we drove to Tennessee and New Orleans, I do the same thing only these times I look for interesting things, because I am not used to the drive. For example, when my dad and I drove to Tennessee, we saw a mattress in the middle of the road. We still laugh about it, and always find it funny when we see odd things in the road now. Trips are about making memories with the people you are confined in the car with, and it gives you time to think about things on the way. 

       When we travel by plane, things are much different. Instead of making memories with the people you are with, it is more about seeing things from a new perspective. Not only do you get to see the world by thousands of miles in the air, but you get to think about your life without any distractions. This time is very valuable because in our busy lives, we do not often get to sit down, relax, and think about the aspects of our lives. Traveling may seem very stressful to some people, but I find the thought of being alone with music and your thoughts very peaceful, and valuable. Every time I go on a trip I think about my life and what I want to do to it, which is why I enjoy traveling so much. Although the trip itself is the most fun part, it is getting there that can in some cases be the most relaxing.

Reflection Blog: Bradford

            In William Bradford’s History of Plymouth Plantation, the writing reflects the qualities of Puritan writing and people. His writing is greatly influenced by the Christian religion, which makes the other qualities, such as the straight forward tone typical of the Puritan people, and their writing. His writing is very comparable to other Puritan author such as Mary Rowlandson and Anne Bradstreet, as we have previously read and discussed.

            The first quality of Puritan writing shown in History of Plymouth Plantation is the straightforwardness.  The Puritans wrote this why because they did not want to elaborate on anything. They did not want to do this because it would either be considered bragging or complaining, which would be against their religion. All aspects of Puritan writing can somehow be related back to their religion. “These troubles being blown over, and now all compact in one whip, they put to sea again with a prosperous wind, which continued divers days together, which was some encouragement unto them; yet, according to the usual manner, many were afflicted with sea sickness. And I may not omit here a special work of God’s providence” (Bradford). This quote shows the lack of elaboration and fluffing in Puritan writing. Being on the Mayflower smashed in with many other people could not have been comfortable or enjoyable, but Bradford did not complain. He simply explained exactly what was happening, so the reader could understand, and make assumptions on their own. If Bradbury would have described how crammed together and other not so enjoyable things about the journey, it would have been complaining, which would be against the Puritan values. This quote also related to religion, which also plays a major part.

            Religion is what all of Puritan writing focuses on. There are many aspects of religion in Bradford’s writing. "Being thus arrived in good harbor, and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth..." (Bradford 30).  This quote shows how much the Puritans looked towards their religion for guidance. They thought that God decided what each of their lived would turn out to be, and only he could change it. God changed and decided their fate. Another aspect of religion Bradford discussed was that God kept those who cared for the well being and good of others. In Of Plymouth Plantation, Bradford says that the sailors who did not help the people on the Mayflower who were getting sick could die and he would not care. He also said that the people who did care for them would be protected by God and would remain safe (Bradford 32).

            These examples were taken only from a few pages of Bradford’s story, and the reader still gets a very strong feeling of who the Puritans were and what they believed in. They were very religious people, and everything they did and believed related back to him.

Bradford, William, and Charles Deane. History of Plymouth Plantation. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1856. Print.

Journal #3

If I were captured and help captive, like Mary Rowlandson did in her narrative, I feel I would feel much different than she did. Mary Rowlandson was treated very well by the people who captured her. In the modern day, I feel as though no one that is captured would be treated nearly as well as Mary did. If I was being held hostage, I would first of all be very scared. I would most likely get very nervous and attempt to calm myself by trying to figure out where I was being taken, and how i could possibly escape or be saved. Mary got to keep one of her children with her, but in modern day, the people who were holding you hostage would probably take anything you had with you away so you had no opportunities to escape. I would probably cope by reassuring myself that people have noticed I was gone and were looking for me. I am sure that sometime in being held hostage I would have many doubts and get very scared. I feel as though the longer I was being held hostage, I would become more and more afraid. I would probably cry most nights, and think it was all just a dream. This would probably make me want to sleep often, so I would not have to think about being away from my home, family, and friends. I would try to get myself rescued anyway I could, so everywhere I go I would try to get help from someone. Once I was finally saved from the people or person who captured me, I would be so relieved and happy to be home. I would spend a lot of time after that at home with my family, afraid to go out. The time I spent at home would be very sacred to me because I would feel safe. Mary on the other hand did not really feel the way I think I would. She made nice with the people who captured her and figured out how to make her time easier, which I think would be very hard.

Reflection Blog: Bradstreet and Rowlandson

 In the writings of the authors Bradstreet and Rowlandson, it greatly reflects the qualities of Puritan writing. Puritan writing is the writing of the Europeans that came over to the new world to start a new life. A few of the basic characteristics of the Puritan people are very religious and single and closed minded. They thought their way of life was the way it should be everywhere.

The first way that Upon the Burning of our House, by Anne Bradstreet, and A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, by Mary Rowlandson, show the way of Puritan writing in their pieces is through their very straight forward writing. Much like Ernest Hemingway, the two female authors do not use figures of speech, or other techniques similar. They do not beat around the bush with their point. This writing makes it easier to get a sense of how the author really felt during the experience written about in the piece.  In Mary Rowlandson, she describes in great detail the nine days she sat on her tired, bloody knees holding her dying child, and the physical and mental pain that came with it (Rowlandson 83). She makes you feel as though you know exactly the feelings she was going through and in turn how it affected the rest of the time being held captive. She does not sugar coat it or anything like that, she tells it exactly how it is, which is characteristic of Puritan writing.

The major way that these pieces reflect the characteristics of Puritan writing is its impact from religion. The Puritans were very religious people, and believed that God had a specific plan for each and every individual person. This is shown in Upon the Burning of Our House, because Bradstreet feels that the burning of her home was God’s way of telling her that the material things are not as important as the things that nature has to offer that will always be there (Bradstreet 91). Along with this theme of religion, the Puritans also believed that through their writing, they could show how God impacts their inner and outer self. In Mary Rowlandson, Mary believes that she was meant to be captured, so she could see that although the Native Americans are perceived as bad and dangerous people, and did capture her, they were truly kind and generous people. When her youngest child dies, she comes back to see him after having to leave him, and sees that they have buried the body, which makes her realize that these people are not bad as she thought they were (Rowlandson 84).God was trying to show her that we are all human, and the way we perceive people is not always right, as Mary and the Puritans did with the Native Americans (Rowlandson 84).

Overall, the Puritan beliefs and writing style is greatly shown through these works. Although they are greatly influenced by religion, everyone can learn lessons through Rowlandson and Bradstreet’s stories.

Rowlandson, Mary. “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.” Life in the New World. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 82-85.

Bradstreet, Anne. “Upon the Burning of Our Home.” American Literature. Columbus, OH:  McGraw-Hill, 2009. 91. Digital.

Journal #2

           There once was an old lion in the jungle. The lion was at one point a great ruler of the jungle and all of the animals loved and respected him. In his old age, the lion fell very ill and it did not seem as though he was going to get better. When he fell ill, his younger nephew took over to let the lion rest. The other animals in the kingdom gradually stopped taking care of the lion, and left him alone. When the lion could no longer care for himself, he asked for help. The animals that were once so loyal to their ruler, told him he should go leave the jungle so he did not bother the other animals. There he would eventually die. Giving up hope in his fellow animals, the lion decided to leave the jungle. As the lion was leaving the jungle, he had to pass through the outskirt. The outskirt of the jungle was notorious for being very sparse and much poorer than the center where the lion lived. When he arrived at the outskirt, the parrot saw him approaching and went to spread the word to the other animals. As word got around, the old lion was greeted with love and a warm welcome. When they asked what the lion was doing in the outskirt, he explained to them that he had gotten ill and the animals stopped caring for him, so he decided to leave the jungle. When the animals heard this they immediately said they would take care of him, and made him a comfy bed and got him food and water. The lion stayed there until he miraculously got better. When word of the old lion’s wellness got back to the center of the jungle, they told him he could come back. The lion replied that he was not and would not leave the outskirts even if they wanted him to.Even though they had a bad reputation, the outskirt animals were the ones who were truly caring and kind, unlike the others. The old lion stayed there and helped build up the outskirts until his death many years later. 

Journal #1

How the dog got his wet nose. The dog had arrived in a town after a long day of traveling, and was very thirsty and dirty from all his running. He decided to walk around town, and  search for some water. As he walked into town, he saw the cat sitting on the stairs of the library cleaning her paws and approached her.

The dog said, “Could I ask a favor?”

“No, I’m busy,” replied the cat and continued to lick her paws.

The dog sighed and continued down the road. Next he saw the raccoon, digging through garbage in the ally.

The dog said, “Could I ask a favor.”

The raccoon looked up annoyed and stared at the dog. “Why would I do something for you? Do you have something for me? Then I would do something for you, if it was worth it.”

 “I do not have anything,” replied the dog, “but I could repay you somehow.”

“The only way you are getting anything from me is if I get something from you. So I guess you will have to find someone else to bug, but not the horse,” the raccoon snapped returning to the garbage.

The dog was exhausted and getting more and thirstier from his long journey, but continued on until he spotted a bird, perched in her nest with three young baby birds.

“Good morning ma’am,” said the dog hopefully. “Could I ask you for a favor?”

“Why hello there,” Said the bird, “I cannot possibly leave my babies right now. You will have to ask someone else, but not the horse.”

Disappointed the dog did not know who else to ask. Everyone said to not ask the horse, because he had a reputation for being very mean, but the dog was desperate.

He approached the horse and said, “Sorry to bother you, but can I ask a favor?”

“Well of course you can,” replied the horse surprised.

“Wow,” Said the dog.”Thank you! Everyone said to not ask you. All I need is some water.

‘Of course you can! Everyone assumes because I look intimidating that I am mean, but I am really not. The water is over there; help yourself to all you want.”

The dog drank all of the water he could, and when he was done his nose was very wet, and he and the horse laughed and talked all night, and eventually became close friends.