Disillusionment
I chose disillusionment because I’ve always been interested in what people really think and not what they try to display on the outside. I think it makes a great character in a book when you know what he’s feeling on the inside. When the main characters narrating the story and you can hear his thoughts it makes it a great piece of literature. What’s going in someone’s head is something only they know, so it’s a great way to get something modern and real when you read what a character is thinking.
Soldiers Home
I enjoyed this story. It was simple and true. If disillusionment tells the truth and shows what people truly feel about things then this was a good example. It’s about a soldier who comes home finds out he really isn’t all that happy. He starts to lie just to have something to talk about, and to have someone to talk to. I think one reason this story works well is because you get inside the character’s head. You know what he is really feeling and not what he wants everyone to think he’s feeling.
It’s really kind of a sad story. This guy just seems so depressed and miserable. "Your father is worried, too," his mother went on. "He thinks you have lost your ambition, that you haven't got a definite aim in life. Charley Simmons, who is just your age, has a good job and is going to be married. The boys are all settling down; they're all determined to get somewhere; you can see that boys like Charley Simmons are on their way to being really a credit to the community." His mom tells him everything everyone else has done and he’s just not even interested in trying to have that.
He doesn’t want try or work hard at anything really. He doesn’t want to talk about the war, he doesn’t want to find a girl. Well he wants a girl he just doesn’t want to have to woo her or put any effort into it. This guy is still just a kid pretty much and the war has left him with no ambitions or goals. Going to war changed this guy forever.
He even tells his mom he doesn’t love her anymore. "Is that all?" Krebs said.
"Yes. Don't you love your mother dear boy?"
"No," Krebs said.
His mother looked at him across the table. Her eyes were shiny. She started crying.
"I don't love anybody," Krebs said.
Its not that he doesn’t love her I don’t think, I believe the war just drained him of all feelings. I know there’s some kind of disorder for soldiers and I can’t think of it off the top of my head, but I think that’s what it is. That’s what happened to a lot of people over there. You hear stories of courage and heroes, and I’m sure that back then they didn’t really hear a whole lot of stories about soldiers who came back badly depressed. This story shows the truth and takes away the illusion that a lot of authors before this probably wrote about the war.
Richard Corey
This poem pretty much says these people who have to work really hard for their money, envy this guy named Richard Corey. They think he has it all and that he’s happy and that’s what they want. Then one night Richard Corey went home and killed himself. This poem brings a whole to meaning to the "Grass is always greener on the other side" phrase. I guess what makes this poem modernism is the fact that sometimes theirs more to something than meets the eye. These people saw this guy as something great and they wanted to be him, but it turns out they were happier than he was all along.
Mending Wall
This poem is about two guys with a wall in between their houses. Then every time something happens to the wall they fix it as soon as possible. It’s hard to tell but I think they never actually see each other, other than when they are fixing the wall. I think there is more to it than that. Maybe the wall is a symbol for segregation or racism. I think it means that we can never all get along or live as one unless the wall of racism is brought down.
A Dream Deferred
This poem is about what happens to a dream once its gone. I guess this is modernism in the way that it gets inside the mind. It’s a psychoanalyst piece of writing. He is asking what all is going on inside of your mind. Where do your dreams come from, what are they, and where do they go. It’s a pretty interesting piece of writing, it’s simple.
The Negro Speaks of Rivers
This is a poem about a black man who comparing himself and relating himself to ancient rivers. He describes how he is old like the rivers and his soul has grown deep like the rivers. This would have to be modernism by relation to the Harlem renaissance. Its talks about this black man and how he is lived life and experienced just as good, of not better, than any white man.
Incident
This poem is about a black guy, who visited Baltimore along time ago when he was eight. It’s been some odd years and the only thing he remembers is a man calling him by a racist slur. This is definitely disillusionment. It shows how powerful and hateful that word is and will always be. This can give people a real idea of how terrible that word is, and why its something you shouldn’t call another human being.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Persuasive Writing
Ever since I was a kid I remember people telling me that abortion is wrong. Some people would say that if your taught or told something your entire life you’re going to agree with it because that’s all you know. That may be partly true, but I like to think that I’m old enough and know enough to have my own opinions. I’ve read the facts and I believe that in almost every situation abortion is wrong. People who are religious normally disagree with abortion the most. Well there are a lot of people who don’t believe in god or any religion that think abortion is wrong too.
People say that it isn’t taking a life because a baby isn’t a person until it’s born. Studies show that eighteen days after conception the human fetus has a heart, and at twenty-one days that heart begins to beat. Many people’s response to that fact would be that there’s more to being a human that having a heart. It may be true that there is more to life than having a heart but there isn’t a person who can live without one either. The truth is there are many scientific facts people can look at to show that abortion is a terrible thing. So scientifically when does a life end? Today, the definitive and final measure of the end of human life is brain death. This happens when there is irreversible cessation of total brain function. The final scientific measurement of this is the permanent ending of brain waves. Brain function, as measured on the Electroencephalogram, "appears to be reliably present in the fetus at about eight weeks gestation," or six weeks after conception.
In my opinion abortion is only okay in two situations. If a woman is raped and gets pregnant, for nine months that woman is going to have a constant reminder of that horrible event. In that situation I think abortion can be understandable. The other reason is if a woman’s life is in danger due to the pregnancy. If you get an abortion to save your own life then that can be understood. Other than that I don’t believe it can be okay. Most people who have an abortion do it because they got pregnant by accident and don’t want a baby. Well if you engage in sex you are taking that risks that you or that other person may get pregnant. If you are willing to take that risk then you need to be ready to take that responsibility.
In my opinion abortion is only okay in two situations. If a woman is raped and gets pregnant, for nine months that woman is going to have a constant reminder of that horrible event. In that situation I think abortion can be understandable. The other reason is if a woman’s life is in danger due to the pregnancy. If you get an abortion to save your own life then that can be understood. Other than that I don’t believe it can be okay. Most people who have an abortion do it because they got pregnant by accident and don’t want a baby. Well if you engage in sex you are taking that risks that you or that other person may get pregnant. If you are willing to take that risk then you need to be ready to take that responsibility.
Now saying everything that I’ve said I’ve never been in a situation where I had to make that choice. I’m sure that getting an abortion is a hard choice to make. I know that every year thousands of women have to make that difficult choice and I have nothing against the women that choose abortion. I’m sure that’s one of the hardest decisions a person can make and I feel for everyone who has to make it. At the end of the day though I guess I just see it like this, no matter what scientist or doctors say there’s no way I can be sure of when life begins. What I do know though is when it ends, and a human life is the most valuable thing there is, and its never okay to take that away from someone.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Realism
The Story of an Hour
This story does a really good job of showing you exactly what the characters are feeling, and gives you a good since of the environment around them. "She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky." This describes the character probably the best that it could. It’s not necessarily written in a way that people can relate to it but more in a sense that you can understand exactly what she is going through.
The Social issue here is how woman were treated back then. After rereading this story and learning to understand it a little better I found that when Louise (Mrs. Mallard) finds out her husband is dead, she is relieved. Its interesting that her name is only said once in the story and ever other time she is called Mrs. Mallard or she. This shows that she wasn't respected as an individual but only as her husbands wife.
The Battle with Mr. Covey
The writer displays the setting really well in this story. You can tell this takes place on a plantation, back when slaves were still around. This best description was when he described how being Mr. Covey’s slave had changed him. "I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!" I can’t imagine how much it must have sucked to be slave, but this gives a pretty good example.
The social issue is about racism and how bad slavery was back then. This shows you just how bad people had it back then. This guy was treated terrible, which all slaves were. "I told him as well as I could, for I scarce had strength to speak. He then gave me a savage kick in the side, and told me to get up. I tried to do so, but fell back in the attempt. He gave me another kick, and again told me to rise." This passage shows the cruelty that was shown to black people. In today’s time, even though a lot of us think we know what it was like for slaves, we really don’t. This story not only shows you how badly they were treated, but what happened when one man stood up for himself.
It’s easy to see the purpose of this story is to show people the struggle slaves went through. Even though slavery is no longer a part of our culture, it effected so many lives back then, and people need to know that. One of the darkest parts of our countries history isn’t something that should be forgotten. Forgetting about slavery would be like Jewish people forgetting about the holocaust. Even though its something terrible that happened, it happened, so we should never forget. I think the author wrote this to remind people how bad things were back then, so we can see how far we’ve come as a nation.
"The Catcher in the Rye"
One of my favorite books is "The Catcher in the Rye" and I think it’s a good example of modern realism. It’s about a teenage boy with teenage angst. The whole book is just him trying to make it through day after day. It shows relationships really well, and it is really easy to relate to. We all are teenagers at on point and it’s not always the best part of our lives.
One of my favorite quotes in the book is in chapter 10 when he is meeting an old girlfriend." I was half in love with her by the time we sat down. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty, even if they're not much to look at, or even if they're sort of stupid, you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are. Girls. Jesus Christ. They can drive you crazy. They really can." The reason that is great is because it’s true and real. We’ve all been with a girl, and even if we barely know them, when were a teenage boy, we might think we love them. It’s realism because we’ve all been there, and when we read it, we can relate to it.
This story does a really good job of showing you exactly what the characters are feeling, and gives you a good since of the environment around them. "She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky." This describes the character probably the best that it could. It’s not necessarily written in a way that people can relate to it but more in a sense that you can understand exactly what she is going through.
The Social issue here is how woman were treated back then. After rereading this story and learning to understand it a little better I found that when Louise (Mrs. Mallard) finds out her husband is dead, she is relieved. Its interesting that her name is only said once in the story and ever other time she is called Mrs. Mallard or she. This shows that she wasn't respected as an individual but only as her husbands wife.
The Battle with Mr. Covey
The writer displays the setting really well in this story. You can tell this takes place on a plantation, back when slaves were still around. This best description was when he described how being Mr. Covey’s slave had changed him. "I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!" I can’t imagine how much it must have sucked to be slave, but this gives a pretty good example.
The social issue is about racism and how bad slavery was back then. This shows you just how bad people had it back then. This guy was treated terrible, which all slaves were. "I told him as well as I could, for I scarce had strength to speak. He then gave me a savage kick in the side, and told me to get up. I tried to do so, but fell back in the attempt. He gave me another kick, and again told me to rise." This passage shows the cruelty that was shown to black people. In today’s time, even though a lot of us think we know what it was like for slaves, we really don’t. This story not only shows you how badly they were treated, but what happened when one man stood up for himself.
It’s easy to see the purpose of this story is to show people the struggle slaves went through. Even though slavery is no longer a part of our culture, it effected so many lives back then, and people need to know that. One of the darkest parts of our countries history isn’t something that should be forgotten. Forgetting about slavery would be like Jewish people forgetting about the holocaust. Even though its something terrible that happened, it happened, so we should never forget. I think the author wrote this to remind people how bad things were back then, so we can see how far we’ve come as a nation.
"The Catcher in the Rye"
One of my favorite books is "The Catcher in the Rye" and I think it’s a good example of modern realism. It’s about a teenage boy with teenage angst. The whole book is just him trying to make it through day after day. It shows relationships really well, and it is really easy to relate to. We all are teenagers at on point and it’s not always the best part of our lives.
One of my favorite quotes in the book is in chapter 10 when he is meeting an old girlfriend." I was half in love with her by the time we sat down. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty, even if they're not much to look at, or even if they're sort of stupid, you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are. Girls. Jesus Christ. They can drive you crazy. They really can." The reason that is great is because it’s true and real. We’ve all been with a girl, and even if we barely know them, when were a teenage boy, we might think we love them. It’s realism because we’ve all been there, and when we read it, we can relate to it.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Dark Romanticism
Nathaniel Hawthorne
The main reason for him to be considered a Dark Romantic or against Transcendentalist would probably because of the man his great grandfather was. I can see how that would make him believe that not all people are good. The difference between him and Poe or Melville is that nothing really bad happened to him exactly or at least that I read. He just knew that his Great Grandfather was very bad man so he believed people weren’t all generally good and people are generally bad.
Herman Melville
If anyone saw what Melville saw it would be hard for him or her to believe in the Transcendentalist philosophy. He saw human beings eating other human being. When you see terrible things it can effect the outlook you have on life severely. Even though the cannibals we’re probably doing what they were raised to do, and what they thought was right, when a man that’s taught his entire life not to do those things, it would really change him.
Edgar Allan Poe
Poe is the only one on the list that had bad things happen to him. I know there’s no such thing as luck, but if there were, then he would have had the worst luck. He probably believed not only were people bad, but that god wasn’t too great either. Transcendentalist believed god spoke through them. Well Poe had so much taken away from him he probably either hated god or didn’t believe in him. Someone who loses everything isn’t going to see the good in anything, probably not even themselves. He wrote stories about people who got more and more evil, he probably was using himself as an example
I think I would fall somewhere in the middle between the Dark Romantics and the Transcendentalist. In my opinion the are no absolutes. No one is all good or all evil. What makes people different is that some of us choose to do the right thing and that some of us don’t. So I guess I believe that what you do or see in your life determines what you are and what you believe.
The Black Cat
I thought this was a pretty good story. I see why it’s said that Poe’s stories demonstrate a person’s descent into darkness. It demonstrates well how the Narrators anger go worse and worse. He starts out just hitting the animals, then kills Pluto, and then kills his wife. He just gets worse and worse until he finally gets caught always like it when a story wraps things up well. He killed Pluto, and then after killing his wife, the only reason he got caught was because of the other cat. I’m sure were supposed to believe the new cat is a reincarnation of Pluto or maybe just another cat that knows what he has done.
I can defiantly see how this is against Transcendentalism. They believed god did things through them and made them good. The story says that the character is bad and he just can’t control his anger. "I knew myself no longer. My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame. I took from my waistcoat-pocket a pen-knife, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket ! I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the damnable atrocity." This definitely sounds more to me like something evil was taking over. What he does is not something that god would want someone to do is help them do.
"But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife. Goaded, by the interference, into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain. She fell dead upon the spot, without a groan." That’s definitely not something the transcendentalist would believe burying an axe into his wife’s brain is something an evil person would. This is saying that this guy is not a good person. He’s a murderer, which is something that I doubt a Transcendentalist would ever write about. How could they that someone that would kill there own wife would be a good person or be part of god. I’m sure this probably really pissed transcendentalist off because it was saying that their beliefs were completely wrong.
The main reason for him to be considered a Dark Romantic or against Transcendentalist would probably because of the man his great grandfather was. I can see how that would make him believe that not all people are good. The difference between him and Poe or Melville is that nothing really bad happened to him exactly or at least that I read. He just knew that his Great Grandfather was very bad man so he believed people weren’t all generally good and people are generally bad.
Herman Melville
If anyone saw what Melville saw it would be hard for him or her to believe in the Transcendentalist philosophy. He saw human beings eating other human being. When you see terrible things it can effect the outlook you have on life severely. Even though the cannibals we’re probably doing what they were raised to do, and what they thought was right, when a man that’s taught his entire life not to do those things, it would really change him.
Edgar Allan Poe
Poe is the only one on the list that had bad things happen to him. I know there’s no such thing as luck, but if there were, then he would have had the worst luck. He probably believed not only were people bad, but that god wasn’t too great either. Transcendentalist believed god spoke through them. Well Poe had so much taken away from him he probably either hated god or didn’t believe in him. Someone who loses everything isn’t going to see the good in anything, probably not even themselves. He wrote stories about people who got more and more evil, he probably was using himself as an example
I think I would fall somewhere in the middle between the Dark Romantics and the Transcendentalist. In my opinion the are no absolutes. No one is all good or all evil. What makes people different is that some of us choose to do the right thing and that some of us don’t. So I guess I believe that what you do or see in your life determines what you are and what you believe.
The Black Cat
I thought this was a pretty good story. I see why it’s said that Poe’s stories demonstrate a person’s descent into darkness. It demonstrates well how the Narrators anger go worse and worse. He starts out just hitting the animals, then kills Pluto, and then kills his wife. He just gets worse and worse until he finally gets caught always like it when a story wraps things up well. He killed Pluto, and then after killing his wife, the only reason he got caught was because of the other cat. I’m sure were supposed to believe the new cat is a reincarnation of Pluto or maybe just another cat that knows what he has done.
I can defiantly see how this is against Transcendentalism. They believed god did things through them and made them good. The story says that the character is bad and he just can’t control his anger. "I knew myself no longer. My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame. I took from my waistcoat-pocket a pen-knife, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket ! I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the damnable atrocity." This definitely sounds more to me like something evil was taking over. What he does is not something that god would want someone to do is help them do.
"But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife. Goaded, by the interference, into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain. She fell dead upon the spot, without a groan." That’s definitely not something the transcendentalist would believe burying an axe into his wife’s brain is something an evil person would. This is saying that this guy is not a good person. He’s a murderer, which is something that I doubt a Transcendentalist would ever write about. How could they that someone that would kill there own wife would be a good person or be part of god. I’m sure this probably really pissed transcendentalist off because it was saying that their beliefs were completely wrong.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Writing Three
The Community in Schools program has changed my life in so many ways. Two years ago I didn’t know if I would even graduate high school. Now I’m making good grades, and I am on the right track to graduation. It’s not that I’m not smart; I just haven’t always been motivated to go to school. Communities in Schools has made school seem like an important part of life that I don’t mind doing. I’ve always wanted to go to college and have a good future. I just hated going to school. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the people there, but I just couldn’t find the proper motivation to go. Now at Classic City High School, in Athens, Georgia, I’m enjoying school, and I’m on the right path to graduation.
One thing Community in Schools has taught me is that if I put my mind to it success I can go to school and make it through. If I work hard enough, I can accomplish anything. Its funny how at one school you can be bored, and somewhere else you don’t mind going. I’m not saying I look forward to going to school. I don’t think anyone actually looks forward to it, but I don’t dread it anymore. I can get up in the morning and not have any reason not to go.
Grades were never really a problem for me. Instead it was too many absences. I missed too many days of school. So even though I had good grades, I still didn’t get credit for the classes I had finished. The funny thing is that the attendance policy is even stricter at Classic City High School than it is at other schools. I still get up every morning, and get ready and go to school without feeling any dread about it. It might be because I enjoy the people here better, but it is just a completely different feeling. It feels a lot less depressing than other schools do. Instead of finding excuses not to go, I try to do what ever it takes to get there. I can’t be sure what my GPA would be in another school, but I wouldn’t be willing to bet it wouldn’t be better than it is here.
The Community in Schools program has also helped me by providing good things to put on my transcript for colleges to look at. The service learning program, which allows students to work within the community, would probably look best of all on my transcript. I did my service learning at an elementary school where I helped in teaching different grade levels and different students. My job was basically to be an assistant, but sometimes I actually got to help a kid learn something important. I am pretty good with kids because I have a much younger brother than myself. Not only was it a good thing for colleges to see or to help me learn it was also surprisingly enjoyable.
Communities in Schools has helped me out in many ways, and I owe that program my gratitude for helping me become the student I am today. I know I will graduate, go to college and have a future. I think better about myself than I ever have, and that’s saying something about a guy with a pretty big ego. I hope every student with a problem with school learn’s about Communities in Schools. Communities in Schools has helped me, my friends and many other student’s across the country get a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance at least once in there life.
One thing Community in Schools has taught me is that if I put my mind to it success I can go to school and make it through. If I work hard enough, I can accomplish anything. Its funny how at one school you can be bored, and somewhere else you don’t mind going. I’m not saying I look forward to going to school. I don’t think anyone actually looks forward to it, but I don’t dread it anymore. I can get up in the morning and not have any reason not to go.
Grades were never really a problem for me. Instead it was too many absences. I missed too many days of school. So even though I had good grades, I still didn’t get credit for the classes I had finished. The funny thing is that the attendance policy is even stricter at Classic City High School than it is at other schools. I still get up every morning, and get ready and go to school without feeling any dread about it. It might be because I enjoy the people here better, but it is just a completely different feeling. It feels a lot less depressing than other schools do. Instead of finding excuses not to go, I try to do what ever it takes to get there. I can’t be sure what my GPA would be in another school, but I wouldn’t be willing to bet it wouldn’t be better than it is here.
The Community in Schools program has also helped me by providing good things to put on my transcript for colleges to look at. The service learning program, which allows students to work within the community, would probably look best of all on my transcript. I did my service learning at an elementary school where I helped in teaching different grade levels and different students. My job was basically to be an assistant, but sometimes I actually got to help a kid learn something important. I am pretty good with kids because I have a much younger brother than myself. Not only was it a good thing for colleges to see or to help me learn it was also surprisingly enjoyable.
Communities in Schools has helped me out in many ways, and I owe that program my gratitude for helping me become the student I am today. I know I will graduate, go to college and have a future. I think better about myself than I ever have, and that’s saying something about a guy with a pretty big ego. I hope every student with a problem with school learn’s about Communities in Schools. Communities in Schools has helped me, my friends and many other student’s across the country get a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance at least once in there life.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Transcendentalism
Each piece of writing had a different example of Transcendentalism. The whole point to this frame of mind is that people need to do as they think they should and not how other people believe they should. It’s different from Romanticism and Rationalist by saying live for yourself. The others were saying that we as a group should believe in God or Use what God gave us. It’s more like they wanted people to all see things the same way and wanted to all be a group of one. Transcendentalists believed do what you feel is right and believe in what makes sense to you.
"Nature"
I would have to say that in Waldoe Emerson’s "Nature", the whole point is to be one with nature and where we came from. If Transcendentalism is about God speaking to us through nature then this was definitely describing that. "I am nothing: I see all; the currents of the universal being circulate through me; I am a part or parcel of God." This is a perfect example of Transcendentalism in how he says he is part of god and God can see through him.
"Self-Reliance"
The meaning of this passage isn’t all that similar to "Nature". It seemed to be more focused on accepting yourself for who you are. My favorite part would have to be the part he talks about being misunderstood. He give’s example’s of great men who were misunderstood but did great things. Then he says, "To be great is to be misunderstood". That’s a pretty cool way to look at things and it shows that transcendentalist looked at life with a much broader opinion.
"Resistance to Civil Government"
This is also a good example of someone who believed people should think for himself or herself. He believed that if you don’t agree with something then you shouldn’t be a part of it. He also said it isn’t your job to stop it, just stay away from it. He made his example by not paying taxes to a government because he was against slavery. Unfortunately there isn’t really a place in the world where you can just live by your own rules, and not have to be apart of the government. All land is pretty much owned by someone.
He kind of pulled that off though. I read that he lived in a cabin in the woods for two years. He did this to distance himself from society, and of course the government. I thought it was interesting how he really seemed to follow Emersons outlook on life. The whole great equals missunderstood thing was something Throreu really lived by. He didn't want to be like everyone else, he wanted to live life his own way. He listened to his heart and noone elses. I'm sure a lot of people thought of him as kind of crazy back then, and they probably still would today.
Scenario Number 2
If I were in Chris’s shoes I would decide to do what would work out the best for me in the next couple of years. If your wife wasn’t supportive and decided you had to either choose to between a job as a teacher or her, then it would be a hard choice. I am a rather stubborn person so would probably take the job then possibly regret that decision a few years down the road. It does say though that she would be the one that would have to pay for his extra schooling so without her support you’d be screwed anyway and wouldn’t be able to return to school. I guess after a while though I would just ask her to support my decision and that and hope that she would, if not, I then I would just always wonder.
A transcendentalist on the other hand would probably say do what your heart is telling you to do and support yourself. For example Waldoe Emerson said in "Self-Reliance" that you should think for yourself and except yourself. He would say that if you didn’t go back to school and become what you wanted to be you would be going against yourself. You wouldn’t be doing yourself justice, instead you would just be doing what you thought would make everybody else happy. I believe he would tell you that you only get one shot at life, and you should do what you feel would make you the happiest.
"Nature"
I would have to say that in Waldoe Emerson’s "Nature", the whole point is to be one with nature and where we came from. If Transcendentalism is about God speaking to us through nature then this was definitely describing that. "I am nothing: I see all; the currents of the universal being circulate through me; I am a part or parcel of God." This is a perfect example of Transcendentalism in how he says he is part of god and God can see through him.
I guess by believing in this he thought poeple were generally good. I can see how that is a nice thought and all but I just don't really see how anyone could think that way. I mean life is hard now but from what i've heard it was a lot worse back then. The death rate was more likely and diseases spread faster. I couldn't think that way, but we are all different. It takes a lot of faith to believe in something that strongly.
"Self-Reliance"
The meaning of this passage isn’t all that similar to "Nature". It seemed to be more focused on accepting yourself for who you are. My favorite part would have to be the part he talks about being misunderstood. He give’s example’s of great men who were misunderstood but did great things. Then he says, "To be great is to be misunderstood". That’s a pretty cool way to look at things and it shows that transcendentalist looked at life with a much broader opinion.
He seemed to be the kind of person that believed if you followed your heart you would be okay and do the right thing. I think him saying "To be great is to be misindersood" meant that if you follow everyone elses opinion, the you won't be listening to god, sense god talks to you through your heart. So to be great, you'll listen to your inner self and not what everyone else tells you todo.
"Resistance to Civil Government"
This is also a good example of someone who believed people should think for himself or herself. He believed that if you don’t agree with something then you shouldn’t be a part of it. He also said it isn’t your job to stop it, just stay away from it. He made his example by not paying taxes to a government because he was against slavery. Unfortunately there isn’t really a place in the world where you can just live by your own rules, and not have to be apart of the government. All land is pretty much owned by someone.
He kind of pulled that off though. I read that he lived in a cabin in the woods for two years. He did this to distance himself from society, and of course the government. I thought it was interesting how he really seemed to follow Emersons outlook on life. The whole great equals missunderstood thing was something Throreu really lived by. He didn't want to be like everyone else, he wanted to live life his own way. He listened to his heart and noone elses. I'm sure a lot of people thought of him as kind of crazy back then, and they probably still would today.
Scenario Number 2
If I were in Chris’s shoes I would decide to do what would work out the best for me in the next couple of years. If your wife wasn’t supportive and decided you had to either choose to between a job as a teacher or her, then it would be a hard choice. I am a rather stubborn person so would probably take the job then possibly regret that decision a few years down the road. It does say though that she would be the one that would have to pay for his extra schooling so without her support you’d be screwed anyway and wouldn’t be able to return to school. I guess after a while though I would just ask her to support my decision and that and hope that she would, if not, I then I would just always wonder.
A transcendentalist on the other hand would probably say do what your heart is telling you to do and support yourself. For example Waldoe Emerson said in "Self-Reliance" that you should think for yourself and except yourself. He would say that if you didn’t go back to school and become what you wanted to be you would be going against yourself. You wouldn’t be doing yourself justice, instead you would just be doing what you thought would make everybody else happy. I believe he would tell you that you only get one shot at life, and you should do what you feel would make you the happiest.
Independent Reading
I just finished reading "Dexter in the Dark". The third book in the series is by far my favorite. The big mystery in this one was what exactly is Dexters "Dark Passanger". You find out that it has a large past and it is more than just a part of Dexter's mind because most of the book he is without it. Without his Dark Passanger you get to see a much more human side to Dexter, which sad and funny. This book is just as funny as the first to with Dexter having to worry about marriage. Overall it was a great book, I didn't love the ending, but it left me wanting more.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Independent Reading
I just started reading "Dexter in the Dark", the third book in the Dexter series. The first two books had murder mysteries and this one is no diffrent, the twist is you are getting to know the "Bad Guy" before Dexter does. At the end of a couple of chapter it calls him the watcher and he is following Dexter after he has seen him kill a victim. Jeff Lindsey, the author, is also doing a good job of keeping Dexter funny and sarcastic. So far the third book is just as good, if not better, than the first two
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
American Romanticism
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
It also has a sense of irony to it. A man that doesn’t believe in ghost and only listens to ghost story’s to get to with women dies from a ghost. Well maybe not die, they never said that, they just said they never found his body just his hat. It’s kind of romantic that he becomes a ghost story. His tale will be told after he is gone, and then the villagers say you can hear him whistle. This is a romantic story because of how the things react to one another and the sense of wonder and imagination to it. Even though it would never happen it is easy to believe in it.
The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region, and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air, is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head.
I guess this would be an example of how this story could be considered romantic. Since everything was so bad during the days when he wrote this, he made up something more frightening that would make people feel better about there lives.
I guess this would be an example of how this story could be considered romantic. Since everything was so bad during the days when he wrote this, he made up something more frightening that would make people feel better about there lives.
Away, then, they dashed through thick and thin; stones flying and sparks flashing at every bound. Ichabod's flimsy garments fluttered in the air, as he stretched his long lank body away over his horse's head, in the eagerness of his flight.
This is a good example of romanticism because a chase through the woods would rarely ever happen. Plus the story makes it out to be some kind of exciting adventure and it kind of gets your heart pumping. A good piece of fiction, that’s what make’s it romantic.
This is a good example of romanticism because a chase through the woods would rarely ever happen. Plus the story makes it out to be some kind of exciting adventure and it kind of gets your heart pumping. A good piece of fiction, that’s what make’s it romantic.
Thanintopsis
I think he is talking about life and death in this poem. He starts out with saying how beautiful mother nature is a beautiful thing ."She has a voice of gladness, and a smile And eloquence of beauty, and she glides into his darker musings, with a mild And gentle sympathy, that steals away". Then he starts talking about the final hour, or "the last bitter hour", and at the end he wonders what people will think when he’s gone. This is romantic from my point of view of how he makes death out to be a beautiful thing. I guess death can be beautiful but most of the time its just ordinary. He described with and elegance and happiness about it.
The Ropewalk
I really didn’t understand this poem that well. I would say the writing is describing some of the beautiful things in the world, or at least some of the things that he thinks seem beautiful. The most beautiful things he talks about are the mountain banks and the girl with faded loveliness. This is describing some of the nicer easier things to look at in the world, not the terrible, ugly, and sometimes tragic things we see almost everyday. You can picture a calm and peaceful place in your mind sometimes and it can help you calm down and relax.
Paintings
I think paintings can be considered romantic by their beauty. There aren’t that many beautiful, nice or peaceful places left in the world. This picture is a good example of a romantic picture in how calm and peaceful it is. The clouds and the sky are reflecting off the water, the sun making its way through the clouds. No buildings or distractions, just god’s creation at it’s finest.
This is a romantic painting because of the colors of the scenery. You very seldom see rainbow’s, especially a perfect one. You also have the duck and the ducklings, which is a kind of nice way to look at life. A mother taking care of her children and not having to worry about anything else. Its fall and leaves are all colorful and all over the place. This picture is romantic because you rarely see anything this peaceful. 
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Writing Two
How to run for president
If you want to become President of the United States, there are a few steps you have to take. There not going to let you do all the important things a President has to do without the right amount of qualifications. The President gets to decide where our nation’s money goes, and helps us become allies with other nations. I went to http://www.fec.gov/ to find out just what you need to do to become President of the United States. To start out it is actually easier than I thought. You have to register, round up a campaign team, and then actually start your campaign.
There are rules to become President, just as their rules for pretty much everything else. You must be at least thirty-five years old to become president (The youngest President we’ve had was John F. Kennedy who was elected when he was 43). The reason this is the age requirement is because they want you have experience with politics and be fully mature. Another reason for this could be because these rules were written when our nation first started by older white men, and they wanted the country to be run by other older white men later down the road. It is found in the Constitution of the United States, Article II, Section 1, Clause 5: No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
At http://www.fec.gov/ it explains the steps it takes to register. You register once you or someone working for you receives contributions exceeding $5,000. Within fifteen days of that time you must file a statement of candidacy. This is the fec form 2 (the FEC form is the papers you fill out to register) , which authorizes a principal campaign committee to raise and spend funds on your behalf. Within the next ten days your campaign committee must submit a statement of organization (fec form 1). After that your campaign team will report its receipts and disbursements on a regular basis.
Once you announce your plan to run for office your campaign begins. At http://www.factmonster.com/ I found how you run a campaign. The first thing you have to have is a nomination campaign. This is where you square off against other candidates in your same party to get support, and to get that party’s nomination. You have to try winning over delegates and other people who will support you and try to convince people to vote for you. After this you square off against the candidate’s in the other party in debates to win the votes of the people. You will give speeches and be involved in debates. At these debates you argue about your beliefs against your opponents, things like whether you’re pro choice for abortion, or if you support gay marriage. Your campaign team advertises for you, and lets the country know all the great things you’ve done and what you believe in. Most of the time they criticize thier opponents, and tell everyone the terrible things they have done like drugs or illegitimate children and such.
Finally on Election Day the country votes and if you win you get the oval office. Once you win the election you get inaugurated (a ceremony to where you’re put into office) on January 20, of the next year. On that day you take the presidential oath "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States". Then finally at that moment you are officially President of the United States.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Rationalist
There is a big difference in opinion when it comes to the Puritans and the Rationalist. The Puritans believed god was someone to fear. They thought that god pulled all the strings and that every unexplainable thing or event was some sort of miracle. They didn’t need an explanation on why it rained, or why the sky was blue, they just believed God knew what was going on and what was good for them. They believed heavily in pre-destination and that were doing what God wanted them to. The Rationalist on the other hand believed there had to be explanation for things. Most of the still believed in a higher power, but they also believed there was a way that science could explain things. Like why does it lightning, what is lightning, and why do we need oxygen to survive. They believed they walked their own path and made their own decisions.
They believed everyone was equal in God’s eyes.
The different opinions in the Rationalist way of thought and the Puritans are still around today, mostly in the opinions of natural disasters. When hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans some people had different opinions on why it happened. Some people believed like the Puritans and thought God was punishing us for not having as much faith as we used to. That he was angry with us for taking prayer out of schools or just angry because we were a much more liberal society than we used to be. On the other hand though, some people believed like the Rationalist. They would say that this was just a natural thing. They believed that the damage to our planet and our ozone was throwing our planet off balance and that if we didn’t take care of it things like this would keep happening. So the thought are kind of similar in a way. They both believe we are the cause of our planet’s destruction. The difference is the Puritans believe God is punishing us and the Rationalist believes that it’s just the natural order of the things.
The thing that makes Ben Franklin a good example of a rationalist is his way of thinking for himself. This is a man who went out on his own to explore life. He lives his life his own way and even made a list of things to help him improve his life. His planned to achieve his goal one step at a time and not take on all at once. The Puritans believed that had to fallow every thing in god’s plan. Rationalist lived their life by there own plan and that’s why Benjamin Franklin is a good example of a Rationalist.
My List of Virtues
Patience- enjoy life more and not be in such a rush.
Language- not curse as much
Respect- show more respect to others
Strength- exercise daily
Kindness- be generally kind in everything I do
Explore- try new things
Work- work as hard as I can everyday
Relax- enjoy resting everyday
Thankful- be thankful for everything I have
Learn- try to learn something everyday.
Health- eat healthy every day
Time- use all my time doing something
Care- care for others
I think it is a good thought thought saying I could accomplish these things, but I doubt I ever wood. I think I could but even though these things would make me a better person I don’t know if it would improve my life. There are a certain few that would but not all of them. I do try and do some of these things on the list already. Some of these things would put a strain on life though. Like eating health, I’m totally for and I try to do it, but sometimes I want to enjoy a big juicy burger or a nice big piece of cheesecake. I guess thought that if I did all these things I would be considered a good, king and caring person. It would definitely look good on a resume.
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
This shows rationalism because the Puritans would believe God’s vengeance would punish a murderer. Or that it would be their job to punish them. Rationalists want to trial
and then prosecute.
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
This is probably the most famous part of the Declaration. This shows rationalistic thought by saying we have the right to take our own path and try to find happiness. The Puritans believed you just got what you deserved.
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government
The Puritans believed the wealthy and the chosen few by God should control. Rationalist took a or logical approach by saying if someone gets out of line the people can decide to get him out of office by popular vote.
They believed everyone was equal in God’s eyes.
The different opinions in the Rationalist way of thought and the Puritans are still around today, mostly in the opinions of natural disasters. When hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans some people had different opinions on why it happened. Some people believed like the Puritans and thought God was punishing us for not having as much faith as we used to. That he was angry with us for taking prayer out of schools or just angry because we were a much more liberal society than we used to be. On the other hand though, some people believed like the Rationalist. They would say that this was just a natural thing. They believed that the damage to our planet and our ozone was throwing our planet off balance and that if we didn’t take care of it things like this would keep happening. So the thought are kind of similar in a way. They both believe we are the cause of our planet’s destruction. The difference is the Puritans believe God is punishing us and the Rationalist believes that it’s just the natural order of the things.
The thing that makes Ben Franklin a good example of a rationalist is his way of thinking for himself. This is a man who went out on his own to explore life. He lives his life his own way and even made a list of things to help him improve his life. His planned to achieve his goal one step at a time and not take on all at once. The Puritans believed that had to fallow every thing in god’s plan. Rationalist lived their life by there own plan and that’s why Benjamin Franklin is a good example of a Rationalist.
My List of Virtues
Patience- enjoy life more and not be in such a rush.
Language- not curse as much
Respect- show more respect to others
Strength- exercise daily
Kindness- be generally kind in everything I do
Explore- try new things
Work- work as hard as I can everyday
Relax- enjoy resting everyday
Thankful- be thankful for everything I have
Learn- try to learn something everyday.
Health- eat healthy every day
Time- use all my time doing something
Care- care for others
I think it is a good thought thought saying I could accomplish these things, but I doubt I ever wood. I think I could but even though these things would make me a better person I don’t know if it would improve my life. There are a certain few that would but not all of them. I do try and do some of these things on the list already. Some of these things would put a strain on life though. Like eating health, I’m totally for and I try to do it, but sometimes I want to enjoy a big juicy burger or a nice big piece of cheesecake. I guess thought that if I did all these things I would be considered a good, king and caring person. It would definitely look good on a resume.
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
This shows rationalism because the Puritans would believe God’s vengeance would punish a murderer. Or that it would be their job to punish them. Rationalists want to trial
and then prosecute.
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
This is probably the most famous part of the Declaration. This shows rationalistic thought by saying we have the right to take our own path and try to find happiness. The Puritans believed you just got what you deserved.
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government
The Puritans believed the wealthy and the chosen few by God should control. Rationalist took a or logical approach by saying if someone gets out of line the people can decide to get him out of office by popular vote.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Indipendent Reading
I just got finished reading a book called Dearly Devoted Dexter. It's the second book in the series by author Jeff Lindsey. It's about a man named Dexter Morgan, who is a serial killer. The catch is, he only kills other murders, rapist and people who are a menace to society. The book is based in Miami, Florida, where he works as a blood splatter analisyst. There is also a television show based on the books called Dexter.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Writing One
I love the movies, going to the movies or just renting them. It is one of the things I enjoy doing the most. There are so many different types of movies, and so many different steps involved in making a good movie. I’m going to analyze my favorite type of movie, Comedy, an adult comedy movie to be more specific. A comedy needs to have to have a funny concept, funny actors, a good writer, and so many more things to make a great comedy that involves mostly sex and adult urges.
The first thing you need of course is a good script that people will enjoy, and mostly something that they can relate to. One of the best things about teen sex comedies is that they can take moments, like getting a parking ticket or going on a blind date, that when they happen to you in real life you may not think it is funny or enjoy it at all. For example in the movie "The 40 Year Old Virgin", Steve Carrel’s character gets his chest waxed. In real life getting your chest waxed is rarely funny, but it’s one of the funniest scenes in the movie. In an adult comedy they can make you remember those moments in your life, and laugh about them. The most important thing when making a comedy movie is definitely having a writer who has been in the characters shoes and know how they feel so they can show the audience things that they can relate to. The reason this is important is because an audience is going to care about the character more if they know what they’re going through.
Another very important thing about an adult comedy is you have to have genuinely funny actors that have good timing when it comes to jokes. It’s not all that important to have good-looking actors and actresses. If the person in the movie is a good-looking actor and the character there trying to play is just an average guy, or a nerd or dork, then its going to kind of take you out of the story. Like Jack Black in "Shallow Hal", his character has a hard time picking up women. Since it’s Jack Black that’s a believable scenario, but if you put Brad Pitt or George Clooney in that role it would be hard to believe. You’re not going to believe someone with perfect hair and teeth are gonna have that much trouble picking up a girl, or making friends.
There are different types of funny actors too. Some can read a good script and hit the punch line of a joke at just the right moment to make you laugh. A couple of actors who seem to do that rather well in my eyes would be Steve Carrel in "The 40 Year Old Virgin", or on his show "The Office", or Jerry Seinfeld in his sitcom "Seinfeld". Steve Carrel has a punchline he loves to use on his show, when another character says something that sounds sexy his character will say, "That’s what she said".
Another type of funny is physically funny. This is when someone puts his or her body through serious pain to show something funny. Some examples could be Ben Stiller in "There’s Something about Mary", Will Ferrell in "Anchorman" or "Old School", or Dick Van Dike on his old sitcom "The Dick Van Dike Show". A good example of physical comedy is when Will Ferrel goes streaking in "Old School".
The last type I can think of that I think is the funniest are quick comedians, or Improv. An example of this is when an actor just spits out funny lines so fast. These movies rarely ever have to slow down for a joke. These movies have funny lines and conversations non-stop, "Superbad" is good example of a movie like that. Some good examples of these actors would be Vince Vaughn in "Wedding Crashers", and Dave Chappelle on "Chappelle’s Show".
Another thing that almost always seems essential to adult comedies is sex. That’s one of the main reasons that they would be considered adult comedies. Sex is such a big part of our society that it can be funny sometimes. The funny things about sex are normally the lengths some people go just to get it. That’s what most sexual comedies are about. In American Pie the whole plot of the movie is four high school seniors want to lose their virginity before they graduate. In Wedding Crashers two guys go to weddings to pick up brides maids who are envious of the newly married friends. In The 40-Year-Old Virgin, a man who as you probably could guess is a 40-year-old virgin and the whole plot of the movie is for him to lose his virginity.
Adult Comedies also normally feature lots of vulgar language. I think it makes it seem more real, because you know most people, honestly, talk like that. I believe most people over the age of fourteen or fifteen use bad language regularly. So if your trying to base a movie truly on someone over that age, it would have to be rated R most of the time. Some movies with a lot of language would "Life" or "Wedding Crashers". One comedian that always seemed to use language not only in his stand up comedy but also in his movies was the late Richard Pryor. He may have used a good bit of language, but he was almost always funny.
One more thing that makes some adult comedies stick out is heart. A comedy is always supposed to make you laugh but if it can make you feel the characters to then that’s when I think it is a great comedy. Like in "The 40 Year Old Virgin", the thing about that movie that is great is behind all of the smart remarks and jokes. These guys become friends and they all learn things from one another and by the end of the movie your rooting for the hero to get what he wants. Those are the things that make an adult comedy, sex, language, a good script and a little bit of heart.
The first thing you need of course is a good script that people will enjoy, and mostly something that they can relate to. One of the best things about teen sex comedies is that they can take moments, like getting a parking ticket or going on a blind date, that when they happen to you in real life you may not think it is funny or enjoy it at all. For example in the movie "The 40 Year Old Virgin", Steve Carrel’s character gets his chest waxed. In real life getting your chest waxed is rarely funny, but it’s one of the funniest scenes in the movie. In an adult comedy they can make you remember those moments in your life, and laugh about them. The most important thing when making a comedy movie is definitely having a writer who has been in the characters shoes and know how they feel so they can show the audience things that they can relate to. The reason this is important is because an audience is going to care about the character more if they know what they’re going through.
Another very important thing about an adult comedy is you have to have genuinely funny actors that have good timing when it comes to jokes. It’s not all that important to have good-looking actors and actresses. If the person in the movie is a good-looking actor and the character there trying to play is just an average guy, or a nerd or dork, then its going to kind of take you out of the story. Like Jack Black in "Shallow Hal", his character has a hard time picking up women. Since it’s Jack Black that’s a believable scenario, but if you put Brad Pitt or George Clooney in that role it would be hard to believe. You’re not going to believe someone with perfect hair and teeth are gonna have that much trouble picking up a girl, or making friends.
There are different types of funny actors too. Some can read a good script and hit the punch line of a joke at just the right moment to make you laugh. A couple of actors who seem to do that rather well in my eyes would be Steve Carrel in "The 40 Year Old Virgin", or on his show "The Office", or Jerry Seinfeld in his sitcom "Seinfeld". Steve Carrel has a punchline he loves to use on his show, when another character says something that sounds sexy his character will say, "That’s what she said".
Another type of funny is physically funny. This is when someone puts his or her body through serious pain to show something funny. Some examples could be Ben Stiller in "There’s Something about Mary", Will Ferrell in "Anchorman" or "Old School", or Dick Van Dike on his old sitcom "The Dick Van Dike Show". A good example of physical comedy is when Will Ferrel goes streaking in "Old School".
The last type I can think of that I think is the funniest are quick comedians, or Improv. An example of this is when an actor just spits out funny lines so fast. These movies rarely ever have to slow down for a joke. These movies have funny lines and conversations non-stop, "Superbad" is good example of a movie like that. Some good examples of these actors would be Vince Vaughn in "Wedding Crashers", and Dave Chappelle on "Chappelle’s Show".
Another thing that almost always seems essential to adult comedies is sex. That’s one of the main reasons that they would be considered adult comedies. Sex is such a big part of our society that it can be funny sometimes. The funny things about sex are normally the lengths some people go just to get it. That’s what most sexual comedies are about. In American Pie the whole plot of the movie is four high school seniors want to lose their virginity before they graduate. In Wedding Crashers two guys go to weddings to pick up brides maids who are envious of the newly married friends. In The 40-Year-Old Virgin, a man who as you probably could guess is a 40-year-old virgin and the whole plot of the movie is for him to lose his virginity.
Adult Comedies also normally feature lots of vulgar language. I think it makes it seem more real, because you know most people, honestly, talk like that. I believe most people over the age of fourteen or fifteen use bad language regularly. So if your trying to base a movie truly on someone over that age, it would have to be rated R most of the time. Some movies with a lot of language would "Life" or "Wedding Crashers". One comedian that always seemed to use language not only in his stand up comedy but also in his movies was the late Richard Pryor. He may have used a good bit of language, but he was almost always funny.
One more thing that makes some adult comedies stick out is heart. A comedy is always supposed to make you laugh but if it can make you feel the characters to then that’s when I think it is a great comedy. Like in "The 40 Year Old Virgin", the thing about that movie that is great is behind all of the smart remarks and jokes. These guys become friends and they all learn things from one another and by the end of the movie your rooting for the hero to get what he wants. Those are the things that make an adult comedy, sex, language, a good script and a little bit of heart.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The Puritans
Puritans Beliefs
The Puritans believed very differently than modern Christians do today. They didn’t see God as a forgiving being, but as someone with much anger for sinners. They didn’t think that we all can go to have, they believed only a selected few would be good enough in God’s eyes to make it into heaven. They also didn’t see Jesus as someone who died for all of us, but for only a few, therefore only those few could make it into heaven.
They also believed that God only gave a certain few power to spread his word, and live a holy life. If someone rejected God’s grace after God offered, they would be going against the power of God, something that would be impossible in Puritanism. The Puritans were God fearing people. There we’re taught to believe in God through the fear of going to hell, not the grace of going to heaven.
The Puritans
The Puritans were an interesting group of people. Even though William Bradford’s journal isn’t the easiest thing to read, it show’s a lot of insight into how our nation was made, and how it has changed. These people really believed what was preached, and very few in the first colony didn’t believe these things. They really wanted to believe in God, and they had faith that he would help them when they were down. They wanted their children to remember what God did for them, which was showed in this passage. "May not and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: "Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity."
Jonathon Edward, who is known for his sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", believed people should be god fearing people. Though Edward was kind of past his time, he was one of the most zealous preachers in his day. He strongly believed in original sin and preached more to those who had not found Christ yet. His congregation in 1750 eventually voted him out of his church. His sermon showed that the puritans truly feared hell. The way I see it, his motivation for accepting Christ was scarring his congregation into not wanting to burn in hell. In one of his passages he says, "So that thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it". That is pretty much saying that no matter what you do, God will never forgive, and your already sentenced to hell.
Going back to the early puritans, they believed this same philosophy. Instead of preaching to people and saying that they could be forgiven for their sins, they believed that if you were a bad person you’re automatically going to hell. Saying that though, most of the Puritans at that point believed they were still going to heaven. I think they believed that what they were doing was right, and they rarely questioned themselves as right or wrong. I’m not saying they were all bad people, they probably did what most of us would do. They did make a peace treaty with the Indians. Even though we all know now what they later did to the Indians.
One thing I do think is interesting about the Puritans is that they did have strong faith for the most part. Even when they were starving and sick they still kept their faith. Even though I believe in god myself, I’ve always found it interesting what all can be considered miracles. There can be miracles out there, but sometimes it may be luck. It sounds to me that anytime anything good happened to the Puritans, it wasn’t luck, it was God. "And here is to be noted a special providence of God, and a great mercy to this poor people, that here they got seed to plant them corn the next year, or else they might have starved." It may be true that God helped them at that point, but it amazes me how faithful they were. In today’s age most people I know, even the ones who believe in God, would start questioning God once things started going wrong. These people starved and had a hard life for a long time and few if any of them ever stopped believing in God. That is a true test of faith, and if god were grading them on it, I’d have to say they passed.
To be such God loving people, or fearing depending on which way you look at it, they paved a way for many Americans after them. There are few people in today’s world that have as much faith as they did, but we still believe many of the same concepts. More religions believe in some sort of heaven and hell, some sort of God and Devil. They faith was a different then some people’s faith today, but there theories and ideas still pop up in religions today. Like original sin, most of us have heard the same story about Adam and Eve that they did, and nothing that I’ve heard today is different from the way they told it then. The puritans were probably wrong about something’s, but at the end of the day they had much strong faith in God then we have faith in anything today. And what is life really if you have faith in nothing?
Textual Evidence
Limited Atonement
However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being in this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction. However unconvinced you may now be of the truth of what you hear, by and by you will be truly convinced of it. Those that are gone from being in the like circumstances with you see that it is was so with them; for destruction came suddenly upon most of them when they expected nothing of it, and while they were saying, peace and safety; now thy see that those things on which they depended for peace and safety were nothing but thin air and empty shadows.
From "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
This passage shows that they believed no matter what you did, whether it be go to church or teach your family about God, if you were supposed to go to hell, you were going to go to hell.
Unconditional Election
What could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace? May not and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: "Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity," etc. "Let them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good: and his mercies endure forever. Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, show how He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor. When they wandered in the desert wilderness out of the way, and found no city to dwell in, both hungry and thirsty, their soul was overwhelmed in them." "Let them confess before the Lord His lovingkindness and His wonderful works before the sons of men."
From "Of Plymouth Plantation"
What could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace? May not and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: "Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity," etc. "Let them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good: and his mercies endure forever. Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, show how He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor. When they wandered in the desert wilderness out of the way, and found no city to dwell in, both hungry and thirsty, their soul was overwhelmed in them." "Let them confess before the Lord His lovingkindness and His wonderful works before the sons of men."
From "Of Plymouth Plantation"
I think this passage shows how the pilgrims believed God loved them more than anyone else, and that he chose to help them above others.
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