Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Reflection
Through out my writing assignments I've noticed a lot of the same mistakes. I normally have a hard time with writing my conclusions as mentioned by ShyNiqua Thompson in my Nature Essay. I've also noticed how i have a hard time with my being verbs and using them in moderation as mentioned by Mrs. Turner in pretty much all of my essays. In my Scarlet Letter Essay, I believe i had good insight with the whole concept of my writing, but when i used my quotes I didn't really elaborate as well as I should have. I didn't get to read a lot of peoples writing but out of the ones i read, i liked ShyNiqua's Rollerblading Essay and Hank's Scarlet Letter Essay. In ShyNiqua's essay I really admired the humorous voice in it, as well as the actual story itself. And as to Hank's essay it was to be honest unbelievable.
Nature Essay
It was right after taking notes in class when I received the worst news possible. Our teacher notified us that we would be going on a nature walk. Me, not being too fond of nature, wasn't too excited, but I decided to give it a shot.
Emerson says that we ought to "go in solitude" (Nature 219). As a class of thirty plus students, that was a goal impossible of being achieved. We proceeded out of the classroom and into the sun that shone brightly. It was unbelievably cold inside the classroom so my body rejoiced under the rays of the sun. I feared for the life of my hair, due to the relevance of the humidity. We made our way into the dense foliage of the T. L. Hanna woods. The "envoys of beauty" (Nature 219) was interrupted by the many conversations of the students and the ROTC obstacles that we often ran into. Emerson and Thoreau describe the woods as being peaceful and full of beauty, but this was far from reality. It was hard to acquire peace when surrounded by Sonic cups and empty containers of substances that aren't permissible on campus. Because the woods are located beside Highway 81, the sound of cars zipping by wasn't too pleasant either. After what seemed like a long period of time, the sun became my worst enemy. Every move I made caused me to be attacked by an angry mob of thorns that ripped through my flesh. I continuously ran into tree limbs that didn't want me to pass to the other side of the path way. They proved this by breaking off in my hair and slapping me in the face. Some other students and I relocated to a secluded area, trying to be as peaceful as possible when we all of the sudden, we get word that the rest of the class had deserted us. We made our way out of the woods to find a so-called rescue team of two other students that were coming back for us although they moved far from hastily. We returned to the class room to find every one writing rough drafts to the upcoming essay assignment. We were bombarded with questions as to where we had been and how we were left behind, as well as chuckles and smirks from other class mates that thought it was funny.
Thoreau says "If a man does not keep pace with his companions perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer" (Walden 244). Maybe this was my problem, I was definitely not enthusiastic because unlike the other classmates, I do not like the woods. Over all I would hope this was my last trip into the dreaded woods. The expectations from reading Emerson and Thoreau's writing were definitely crushed. It seems as though in this day and age with all the new technological advances, taking a walk through the woods isn't the best idea for relaxation. For this time period you wouldn't go into the woods for peace as did in the 1800's, it just doesn't fit in anymore. Hopefully next time if we do decide to go back into the woods, the temperature will be more forgiving.
Emerson says that we ought to "go in solitude" (Nature 219). As a class of thirty plus students, that was a goal impossible of being achieved. We proceeded out of the classroom and into the sun that shone brightly. It was unbelievably cold inside the classroom so my body rejoiced under the rays of the sun. I feared for the life of my hair, due to the relevance of the humidity. We made our way into the dense foliage of the T. L. Hanna woods. The "envoys of beauty" (Nature 219) was interrupted by the many conversations of the students and the ROTC obstacles that we often ran into. Emerson and Thoreau describe the woods as being peaceful and full of beauty, but this was far from reality. It was hard to acquire peace when surrounded by Sonic cups and empty containers of substances that aren't permissible on campus. Because the woods are located beside Highway 81, the sound of cars zipping by wasn't too pleasant either. After what seemed like a long period of time, the sun became my worst enemy. Every move I made caused me to be attacked by an angry mob of thorns that ripped through my flesh. I continuously ran into tree limbs that didn't want me to pass to the other side of the path way. They proved this by breaking off in my hair and slapping me in the face. Some other students and I relocated to a secluded area, trying to be as peaceful as possible when we all of the sudden, we get word that the rest of the class had deserted us. We made our way out of the woods to find a so-called rescue team of two other students that were coming back for us although they moved far from hastily. We returned to the class room to find every one writing rough drafts to the upcoming essay assignment. We were bombarded with questions as to where we had been and how we were left behind, as well as chuckles and smirks from other class mates that thought it was funny.
Thoreau says "If a man does not keep pace with his companions perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer" (Walden 244). Maybe this was my problem, I was definitely not enthusiastic because unlike the other classmates, I do not like the woods. Over all I would hope this was my last trip into the dreaded woods. The expectations from reading Emerson and Thoreau's writing were definitely crushed. It seems as though in this day and age with all the new technological advances, taking a walk through the woods isn't the best idea for relaxation. For this time period you wouldn't go into the woods for peace as did in the 1800's, it just doesn't fit in anymore. Hopefully next time if we do decide to go back into the woods, the temperature will be more forgiving.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Scarlet Letter Essay
Think of any time that you've ever blamed some one for your actions, or a product of them. Did you know that it is human nature for us to blame some one for anything? This is shown not only throughout the Scarlet Letter, but throughout history. Through out history we have chosen a scape goat to cover for the faults of society. Even at the beginning of time with Adam and Eve blaming one another for the downfall of the Garden of Eden. And after that when Jesus died on the cross to cover for all man kind. And we are still "scapegoating" today. For example have you ever blamed President Bush for 9/11? We do this, not out of spite, but because we would rather blame some one else instead of taking the blame ourselves. The term scapegoat came from Judaism on Yom Kippur when they would let a goat escape into the wilderness because it was believed to carry the sins of the society. Today we use the term to describe some one who is blamed for something that normally takes the attention off of the actual cause. Add a thesis and explain how your thesis relate to a theme in The Scarlet Letter?
In chapter 17 in The Scarlet Letter, Hester reveals to Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her husband. Dimmesdale flies off the handle and states:
O Hester Prynne, thou little, little knowest all the horror of this thing! And the shame! - The indelicacy! - The horrible ugliness of this exposure of a sick and guilty heart to the very eye that would gloat over it! Woman, woman, thou art accountable for this! I cannot forgive thee!
He blames her for basically being married to Chillingworth because he has been mentally torturing Dimmesdale because he knows about their secret. He overlooks the fact that he, too is guilty for fathering Hester's baby. add what is Hawthorne trying to show through this?
Not only is Dimmesdale blaming Hester, but it seems as though the whole town is blaming Hester for being an adulterer. There isn't any textual evidence of this, but it is hard to believe that no one else has sinned as Hester has. Hester has been made to stand on the scaffold in front of the whole town with her daughter (which is used as a scapegoat in this case as well because she has no part in the sin) while they mock and scorn her for something that some one else has done as well. It also seemed as though the town is more concerned with Hester and not the father of the baby even though he is equally as guilty as Hester. They did ask, but there was no effort made to find him.
It could be argued that "The Black Man" is used as a scapegoat as well. There is an old woman that is mention in chapter 16 that says the scarlet letter is the mark of "The Black Man". When Pearl asks her mother about this she tells her, "Once in my life i met the Black Man! This scarlet letter is his mark!"
Hester is using "The Black Man" to shield her sins from her innocent daughter that won't be able to understand what she has done. Before she had wished to wear the scarlet letter when she becomes a woman because she had no understanding of it, but because of the story of "The Black Man" she fears it. Pearl also suspects that Dimmesdale has met "The Black Man" as well because he is always seen holding his hand over his heart, where he has a letter of his own.
In chapter 17 in The Scarlet Letter, Hester reveals to Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her husband. Dimmesdale flies off the handle and states:
O Hester Prynne, thou little, little knowest all the horror of this thing! And the shame! - The indelicacy! - The horrible ugliness of this exposure of a sick and guilty heart to the very eye that would gloat over it! Woman, woman, thou art accountable for this! I cannot forgive thee!
He blames her for basically being married to Chillingworth because he has been mentally torturing Dimmesdale because he knows about their secret. He overlooks the fact that he, too is guilty for fathering Hester's baby. add what is Hawthorne trying to show through this?
Not only is Dimmesdale blaming Hester, but it seems as though the whole town is blaming Hester for being an adulterer. There isn't any textual evidence of this, but it is hard to believe that no one else has sinned as Hester has. Hester has been made to stand on the scaffold in front of the whole town with her daughter (which is used as a scapegoat in this case as well because she has no part in the sin) while they mock and scorn her for something that some one else has done as well. It also seemed as though the town is more concerned with Hester and not the father of the baby even though he is equally as guilty as Hester. They did ask, but there was no effort made to find him.
It could be argued that "The Black Man" is used as a scapegoat as well. There is an old woman that is mention in chapter 16 that says the scarlet letter is the mark of "The Black Man". When Pearl asks her mother about this she tells her, "Once in my life i met the Black Man! This scarlet letter is his mark!"
Hester is using "The Black Man" to shield her sins from her innocent daughter that won't be able to understand what she has done. Before she had wished to wear the scarlet letter when she becomes a woman because she had no understanding of it, but because of the story of "The Black Man" she fears it. Pearl also suspects that Dimmesdale has met "The Black Man" as well because he is always seen holding his hand over his heart, where he has a letter of his own.
Crucible Character
In The Crucible the character that evoked the most passion was Abigail Williams. She obviously had some mental problems, being that her parents were brutally killed by Indians. She was supposedly in love with an older married man and his rejection would definitely cause more problems in her head. She is kind of relate-able to a lot of people as well because she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, but that eventually back fired on her. Some people want something so passionately that they lose sight of reality in doing what they are doing and they go crazy, like Williams. She went to the point of having people hung just so she could feel loved by someone. This is a common problem with people today, they lose a loved one and the do what ever they can to feel that way again. Abigail is also slightly admirable due to her determination, except for the fact that it turned deadly.
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