The Assassination
It begins again, the nocturnal pulse. It courses through the cables laid for it. It mounts to the chandeliers and beats there, hotly. We are too close. Too late, we would move back. We are involved with the surge. Now it bursts. Now it has been announced. Now it is being soaked up by newspapers. Now it is running through the streets. The crowd has it. The woman selling carnations And the man in the straw hat stand with it in their shoes. Here is the red marquee it sheltered under. Here is the ballroom, here The sadly various orchestra led By a single gesture. My arms open. It enters. Look, we are dancing. (June 5, 1968)
http://www.palace.net/~llama/poetry/assassination
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Flash Fiction
In the beginning was the word. I discovered this word when I was researching ways of putting people under hypnosis faster. It was part of a PhD paper I was preparing. Anyway, this word really worked.
The special word seemed to act like a sort of login that immediately made the subject susceptible to suggestion and cut out the need for couches and long routines of preparation.
In the origins of humanity, if ever the human mind had been programmed, this would have been the programmers quick access system that gave absolute control for urgent program modifications.
I'll call the special word blabberpop. The word isn't blabberpop but, if I told you the word, believe me, it would be a really bad thing for the world.
Using this special word was as simple as this:
"Blabberpop. You will pick up any rubbish that you drop. Blabberpop."
The first use of the special word hypnotized the subject and enabled the suggestion to be effective. The second use of the special word unhypnotized them and then they would act on the suggestion at a later stage.
Anyway, I got to thinking about the wider possible uses of this and came up with a master plan which I set into action last month.
The idea was that I would use the secret word to tell someone to do a random act of kindness each day but also tell them to use the secret word themselves to require someone else to do a random act of kindness each day too. The special word would then be forgotten by both.
I thought the idea was brilliant. Doing random acts of kindness would seriously make the world a better place for everybody. I must confess the idea of promoting random acts of kindness wasn't original. There were already lots of sites on the Internet promoting the idea. All I was doing was making it, sort of, more efficient and mandatory.
The hypnotized command would effectively program people not only to do an act of random kindness each day but also to pass on the requirement for others to do random acts of kindness too.
So it was self propagating. It was truly a human kindness virus and I was very proud of myself for thinking of it.
That was last month.
I'm not so proud of myself this month because everything has gone horribly wrong.
The drive in front of my house is littered with several unwanted cars and a basket of stray kittens has just arrived.
I dare not go down into town for fear that I will be forcibly helped across the road by lots of strangers, whether I want to cross the road or not.
The Government Tax department has already contacted me three times this week asking me where the large sums of money from mysterious benefactors has come from. The clear suspicion seems to be that I'm involved in some sort of money laundering.
The same sorts of problems are already happening to ordinary people across the whole of the Western world, according to what I read on the Internet.
The human kindness virus has proved so virulent and so disruptive that, yesterday, in desperation, I threw it into reverse and started another viral command to counteract the previous one.
I used the secret word to tell someone not to do a random act of kindness each day and also told them to use the secret word in their turn to require someone else not to do a random act of kindness each day too. The special word was, of course, then to be forgotten by both.
Thankfully, I think it's working. Admittedly, crime statistics are up across the UK and America this morning, according to the News Channels, which could indicate perhaps it's working rather too well.
Hopefully, everything will soon return to normal.
So what is the moral of this story?
Well, personally, I still believe Random Acts of Human Kindness are a good thing but perhaps it's not such a good thing to force people to do them.
Perhaps the most fundamental human act of kindness is to leave people with their own freedom of action to do kindness as they will.
The End
http://www.onlineflashfiction.com/2007/11/human-kindness-virus-virus-short-story.html
The special word seemed to act like a sort of login that immediately made the subject susceptible to suggestion and cut out the need for couches and long routines of preparation.
In the origins of humanity, if ever the human mind had been programmed, this would have been the programmers quick access system that gave absolute control for urgent program modifications.
I'll call the special word blabberpop. The word isn't blabberpop but, if I told you the word, believe me, it would be a really bad thing for the world.
Using this special word was as simple as this:
"Blabberpop. You will pick up any rubbish that you drop. Blabberpop."
The first use of the special word hypnotized the subject and enabled the suggestion to be effective. The second use of the special word unhypnotized them and then they would act on the suggestion at a later stage.
Anyway, I got to thinking about the wider possible uses of this and came up with a master plan which I set into action last month.
The idea was that I would use the secret word to tell someone to do a random act of kindness each day but also tell them to use the secret word themselves to require someone else to do a random act of kindness each day too. The special word would then be forgotten by both.
I thought the idea was brilliant. Doing random acts of kindness would seriously make the world a better place for everybody. I must confess the idea of promoting random acts of kindness wasn't original. There were already lots of sites on the Internet promoting the idea. All I was doing was making it, sort of, more efficient and mandatory.
The hypnotized command would effectively program people not only to do an act of random kindness each day but also to pass on the requirement for others to do random acts of kindness too.
So it was self propagating. It was truly a human kindness virus and I was very proud of myself for thinking of it.
That was last month.
I'm not so proud of myself this month because everything has gone horribly wrong.
The drive in front of my house is littered with several unwanted cars and a basket of stray kittens has just arrived.
I dare not go down into town for fear that I will be forcibly helped across the road by lots of strangers, whether I want to cross the road or not.
The Government Tax department has already contacted me three times this week asking me where the large sums of money from mysterious benefactors has come from. The clear suspicion seems to be that I'm involved in some sort of money laundering.
The same sorts of problems are already happening to ordinary people across the whole of the Western world, according to what I read on the Internet.
The human kindness virus has proved so virulent and so disruptive that, yesterday, in desperation, I threw it into reverse and started another viral command to counteract the previous one.
I used the secret word to tell someone not to do a random act of kindness each day and also told them to use the secret word in their turn to require someone else not to do a random act of kindness each day too. The special word was, of course, then to be forgotten by both.
Thankfully, I think it's working. Admittedly, crime statistics are up across the UK and America this morning, according to the News Channels, which could indicate perhaps it's working rather too well.
Hopefully, everything will soon return to normal.
So what is the moral of this story?
Well, personally, I still believe Random Acts of Human Kindness are a good thing but perhaps it's not such a good thing to force people to do them.
Perhaps the most fundamental human act of kindness is to leave people with their own freedom of action to do kindness as they will.
The End
http://www.onlineflashfiction.com/2007/11/human-kindness-virus-virus-short-story.html
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The Red Convertible
This story is about two Indian brothers they are part owners of a red convertible. The oldest brother goes off to fight in the a war, and when he comes back he is a changed person and not in a good way. "But he was quiet, so quiet, and never comfortable sitting still anywhere but always up and moving around. I thought back to times we'd sat still for whole afternoons, never moving a muscle, just shifting our weight along the ground, talking to whoever sat with us, watching things." His brother had PTSD and he didn't know how to deal with it, his mother didn't want to take him to a non-Indian doctor because they only give out drugs and don't fix the problem. So the younger brother beats up the car to give his brother something to work on. this shows us the love that he had for his brother.
They take a trip after he fixes the car the oldest brother tells the younger one that he wants him to have the car that it was his. When they get to were they are going, they get into a fight, then they make up. The oldest brother dies i believed he killed himself because he couldn't take the PTSD anymore The little brother drove the car into the river as well, i'm guessing so that the brother can have it.
I think the theme to this story is self-sacrifice. The older brother goes off to war. When he comes back he is a changed man; its like he sacrifice himself while fighting. The car also plays an important role as it stands for freedom, (ie traveling around during the summer.) it shows the connection that the two brothers share.
They take a trip after he fixes the car the oldest brother tells the younger one that he wants him to have the car that it was his. When they get to were they are going, they get into a fight, then they make up. The oldest brother dies i believed he killed himself because he couldn't take the PTSD anymore The little brother drove the car into the river as well, i'm guessing so that the brother can have it.
I think the theme to this story is self-sacrifice. The older brother goes off to war. When he comes back he is a changed man; its like he sacrifice himself while fighting. The car also plays an important role as it stands for freedom, (ie traveling around during the summer.) it shows the connection that the two brothers share.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Feed Part 2
After utopia things return to so what of a normal life Titus in the beginning that is. There seems to be a disconnect between everyone in his family. They are all doing their own thing listening and watching the feed. He starts to date Violet and she takes him to meet her father. He is a very strange man would at times uses an older version of the feed system that has a backpack unit. When reading this book it looks like to me that the world is falling apart all around him and he doesn't notice it at all. Like he is a drone going to School(which the companies now own) then going to buy things that the feed suggest.
Violet shakes up his world to this way of thinking, she'll go into stores and ask for big ticket items and ask all of these questions and then not buy them (to throw off the feed) Titus friends think that she is weird that she is always asking questions and saying dumb things, Titus defends her.Violet finally tells Titus that her feed unit is messed up and that she will die if she doesn't get a new one. The book carries on and she gets worst and worst they break up and the failed attempt to have sex.
Violets father calls Titus when Violet is basically brain dead he tells her that the global alliance had issued more warnings about the possibility of total war if their demands were not met. I think Titus finally got what Violet was trying to say the whole time. "It turned out that my upcar was not the kind of upcar my friends rode in. I don't know why. It had enough room, but for some reason people didn't think of it that way. Sometimes that made me feel kind of tired. It was like i kept buying these things to be cool, but cool was always flying just ahead of me, and i could never exactly catch up to it" The feed kept selling them things to make them cool, (see the girls and their clothing styles) but the moment the changed the "cool" thing to do was wear something else. I used to feel the same way maybe if i bought this shirt ill be cool, and you still see it in today's TV/Radio Ads.
Violet shakes up his world to this way of thinking, she'll go into stores and ask for big ticket items and ask all of these questions and then not buy them (to throw off the feed) Titus friends think that she is weird that she is always asking questions and saying dumb things, Titus defends her.Violet finally tells Titus that her feed unit is messed up and that she will die if she doesn't get a new one. The book carries on and she gets worst and worst they break up and the failed attempt to have sex.
Violets father calls Titus when Violet is basically brain dead he tells her that the global alliance had issued more warnings about the possibility of total war if their demands were not met. I think Titus finally got what Violet was trying to say the whole time. "It turned out that my upcar was not the kind of upcar my friends rode in. I don't know why. It had enough room, but for some reason people didn't think of it that way. Sometimes that made me feel kind of tired. It was like i kept buying these things to be cool, but cool was always flying just ahead of me, and i could never exactly catch up to it" The feed kept selling them things to make them cool, (see the girls and their clothing styles) but the moment the changed the "cool" thing to do was wear something else. I used to feel the same way maybe if i bought this shirt ill be cool, and you still see it in today's TV/Radio Ads.
Monday, November 7, 2011
EB White Charlotte's Web
This is an excerpt from Charlotte's Web, its after Wilbur wins the ceremony. Wilbur finds out that Charlotte is dying and that she will not be able to make it back to the farm. So Wilbur comes up with an idea to get Charlotte's eggs and take them with him. He try's to get Templeton to help him with the egg sac but Templeton puts up a fight and doesn't want to help. Templeton brings up all of the times that he has helped Wilbur in the past and never has gotten a thank you. Wilbur makes a deal with him and Templeton helps him, Charlotte dies knowing that her children are safe.
I Think that this story was put here for us to see how Templeton treats Wilbur and Charlotte. Charlotte is about to die Wilbur is trying to help save her babies, and all that Templeton can think about is what is in it for me? He isn't wanting to help because its the right thing to do. This goes along with the theme of the individual and not helping to serve the greater good.
I Think that this story was put here for us to see how Templeton treats Wilbur and Charlotte. Charlotte is about to die Wilbur is trying to help save her babies, and all that Templeton can think about is what is in it for me? He isn't wanting to help because its the right thing to do. This goes along with the theme of the individual and not helping to serve the greater good.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
From Blossoms
Li-Young Lee's poem is a very nice poem i like it a lot. this poem is about buying and eating peaches. i really don't know what else to say about this poem though. maybe we don't worry about death during the summer because "from joy to joy to joy from wing to wing from blossom to blossom to impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom" is my favorite line of this poem. i plan on writing more after class on monday
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The School
This story is told from the teachers point of view, on the first page the teacher is going through the list on class pets they have had. Telling us how each of them i died right after the class was assigned to take care of them. On the second page we start to hear from the children "They asked me, where did they go? The trees, the salamander, the tropical fish, Edgar, the poppas and mommas, Matthew and Tony, where did they go? And I said, I don’t know, I don’t know. And they said, who knows? and I said, nobody knows. And they said, is death that which gives meaning to life? And I said no, life is that which gives meaning to life. Then they said, but isn’t death, considered as a fundamental datum, the means by which the taken-for-granted mundanity of the everyday may be transcended in the direction of –
I said, yes, maybe."
I said, yes, maybe."
I like the part when they say "is death that which gives meaning to life?" i agree with these children death does give meaning to life. We all are headed to the same place we need to enjoy each and very day we have on this planet. They would like to see their teacher and the teacher assistant have sex because they have heard about it, but they would like to see it done before they die. She tells them no, then the new class pet is brought in, they forget about what they were talking about and run to the door.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
A Sliver Dish
Woody is a businessman in south Chicago, he wasn't a ignorant man. He had went to seminary school for two years during the depression. Once woody left school he begin to travel the world seeing the different sights and he brought back some hashish from Kampala, he was afraid that the customs agent was going to find it. Then the story takes a different turn and starts talking about his family and to me it seems like woody is the only one that is "normal" everyone else in his family everyone seems to have a problem.
Then he talks about he death of his father, and how to didn't let the undertaker's assistant to dress him, woody did it himself. Graveside Woody rolled up his sleeves and began to cover his father with dirt, he called it the final duty of a son.
I'm confused with the 1st part of the story, but once we start the paragraph with "Woody," then i'm good to go. this is a good story it flowed real easy, and i like what he said about "its the final duty of a son" that really hit me, and made me want to call my father just to say hey, because he wont be here forever.
Then he talks about he death of his father, and how to didn't let the undertaker's assistant to dress him, woody did it himself. Graveside Woody rolled up his sleeves and began to cover his father with dirt, he called it the final duty of a son.
I'm confused with the 1st part of the story, but once we start the paragraph with "Woody," then i'm good to go. this is a good story it flowed real easy, and i like what he said about "its the final duty of a son" that really hit me, and made me want to call my father just to say hey, because he wont be here forever.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Howl
In section 1 of this poem Allen Ginsberg talks about "the best minds of my generation" "which were destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix" This to me doesn't sound like what i would consider to be the best minds of a generation, this sounds like a crack head looking for a fix. In the 2nd Section he talks about Moloch, i look this up this was an "idolatrous god to whom children were sacrificed by placing them in fire" "Moloch is associated with war, government, capitalism, and mainstream culture"
I'm going to have to continue to write this blog after class on Monday, so ill actually have some ideas to continue to write about.
I'm going to have to continue to write this blog after class on Monday, so ill actually have some ideas to continue to write about.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Harrison Bergeron
This story takes place in the future and everyone is equal. No one was smarter than anybody else, no body was better looking than anybody else, and no was stronger or quicker than anybody else. You have George who was average intelligence he had a mental handicap radio so he wasn't smarter than anyone else. His wife hazel was just your normal every day person. Long story short the government comes a takes away their son Harrison for no apparent reason. They said it was tragic but George and Hazel couldn't think about it very hard. Harrison escapes from jail and gets on the TV and says that he is taking over. and Takes all of the Handicapping things they put on him off. Which is illegal, the government comes in and kills him. The TV dies so the mother couldn't see it and George was in the kitchen getting a beer, his mental handicap radio kicks in and he forgets what he saw and Hazel cant think for very long so she is upset but doesn't know why.
We are always fighting for equality and this shows us a darker side to this equality. Were they didn't make everyone smarter, they make everyone dumber. And we have to think is this the equality that we want when we talk about equality.
We are always fighting for equality and this shows us a darker side to this equality. Were they didn't make everyone smarter, they make everyone dumber. And we have to think is this the equality that we want when we talk about equality.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Short Happy life of Francis Macomber
First off the marriage is a wreck from the get go. So they decide to go on a hunt in Africa to see if they can rekindle there lost romance. Its just Macomber his Wife Margot and their guide Wilson. during the hunt with Wilson macomber runs away from a loin they had shot when it jumped at the two when they tired to finish it off. Is wife hates this and runs away crying from the dinner table. later on in the story Margot sleeps with Wilson because Wilson is more of a man than her husband and she is turned on by that. The story ends when they are hunting buffalo and this time when they go in for the kill macomber doesn't run away but stands his ground and his wife shoots from the car and kills him.
What i think about this story is Margot didn't want a husband that wasn't going to be a man that's why she slept with Wilson. When macomber finally got a hold of this idea and he started to change the way he acts to stand up for himself, she didn't like that. Margot had gotten used to the idea of a weak husband and didn't want to give up that power. So i believe she killed her own husband.
What i think about this story is Margot didn't want a husband that wasn't going to be a man that's why she slept with Wilson. When macomber finally got a hold of this idea and he started to change the way he acts to stand up for himself, she didn't like that. Margot had gotten used to the idea of a weak husband and didn't want to give up that power. So i believe she killed her own husband.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
A good Man is hard to find.
WOW this story was really dark, i was about a family taking a trip to Florida and the grandma says they shouldn't go because of a misfit that got away for jail. Well they run into this misfit and his gang, they kill everyone that was in the car, they leave the grandma for last. He shoots her in the chest 3 times. I really don't understand what the author was trying to say with this one. with all of the killing it kinda of got in the way of my understanding.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
langston Hughes Harlem
Again i can see what langston had went through as a young child growing up in the south. He talks about dreams deferred, that could tell us that "hey when i was growing up i had to place my dreams on hold. to help the parents with bills get a job, not like all of the white kids i see they get to continue to go to school" He wants to know since he put his dreams on hold want will happen to them? Then in the 3 section he says this "Maybe it just sags like a heavy load." I think he was trying to show us that when people put their dreams on hold, it weights over them and they will always say... "what if"
what do you think?
what do you think?
Langston Hughes Theme for English B
Langston Hughes is living in the north and going to school in Harlem. He grew up in western North Carolina, which at that time was a very hard time for a black person to grow up in. Segregation was fully in forced during that time, so even living in New York he still feels that present. In the second part he talks about all of the things that make him no different from his instructor.
"But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
hear you, hear me---we two---you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York too.) Me---who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or records---Bessie, bop, or Bach. "
"But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
hear you, hear me---we two---you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York too.) Me---who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or records---Bessie, bop, or Bach. "
But later on in the poem he talks about how his instructor is white and all of the difference that are between them. But as much as they don't like each other they are part each others lives. The last few lines he talks about what they learn from each other, and even though the instructor is older and white and somewhat more free he is still learning from Hughes. Also i think he feels alone in this "I am the only colored student in my class." what do you think??
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Countee Cullen
I liked "Yet Do I Marvel" i get the feeling like Cullen doing what some people do when they say this line "I'm not trying to be rude" But they know what they have to say is rude and about to hurt that person's feelings. Cullen i believe is questioning God for some of the things he does. But Cullen understand that he can't understand God's motives when he says this "To struggle up a never-ending stair. Inscrutable His ways are, and immune" This line is showing what i just said, he is asking why but he understands that he can't ever know.
In Heritage i get the feeling that he thinks he is alone this world. The poem talks about the jungle being a track, maybe he feels like he his going around and round on the same thing nothing ever changing. Cullen also talks about not being able to rest and that he finds on peace. Could this be a love poem? Maybe of a love lost, or maybe he never had the courage to tell that special someone. My thought is found correct with this line "Come and dance the Lover’s Dance!” "
In Heritage i get the feeling that he thinks he is alone this world. The poem talks about the jungle being a track, maybe he feels like he his going around and round on the same thing nothing ever changing. Cullen also talks about not being able to rest and that he finds on peace. Could this be a love poem? Maybe of a love lost, or maybe he never had the courage to tell that special someone. My thought is found correct with this line "Come and dance the Lover’s Dance!” "
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
J. Alfred Prufrock is a middle age man going through a middle-age crisis. He is talking to a unknown person all through out the poem. I think he is talking to himself because he is doubting him self and i know sometime when i doubt myself i internalize self doubt. example "To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”" another example of his mid-life crisis would be this quote "For I have known them all already, known them all: Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, 50 I have measured out my life with coffee spoons; I know the voices dying with a dying fall Beneath the music from a farther room. So how should I presume? " He already knows whats going to happen, and he doesn't see his life being with much. Another example of self doubt would be this line "Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?"
I also thing that he wants to die, if you read this line "The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes" the first thing that comes to my mind would be mustered gas they used during WWI. Maybe he is hoping that the gas will reach him and it will end his suffering. At the end he starts to hate on himself "No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be; Am an attendant lord, one that will do To swell a progress, start a scene or two, Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool, Deferential, glad to be of use, 115 Politic, cautious, and meticulous; Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse; At times, indeed, almost ridiculous— Almost, at times, the Fool." This man is alone in this world and he doesn't like it.
the quote at the beginning was translated to this
"If I believed my answer was
I also thing that he wants to die, if you read this line "The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes" the first thing that comes to my mind would be mustered gas they used during WWI. Maybe he is hoping that the gas will reach him and it will end his suffering. At the end he starts to hate on himself "No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be; Am an attendant lord, one that will do To swell a progress, start a scene or two, Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool, Deferential, glad to be of use, 115 Politic, cautious, and meticulous; Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse; At times, indeed, almost ridiculous— Almost, at times, the Fool." This man is alone in this world and he doesn't like it.
the quote at the beginning was translated to this
"If I believed my answer was
to a person who'd ever get back to the world,
this flame would keep still without moving any further.
But since from those undergrounds
no one has ever come back alive, if I hear what's true,
I answer you without fear of infamy."
*sparknotes were used again, and an online translator was to translate the quote at the beginning.
this flame would keep still without moving any further.
But since from those undergrounds
no one has ever come back alive, if I hear what's true,
I answer you without fear of infamy."
*sparknotes were used again, and an online translator was to translate the quote at the beginning.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Wasteland
Okay first off i had to use an outside source to help me understand this poem, i just didn't want to write well i didn't understand and leave it at that. The first part of this poem is 4 different short stories the first is about a wealthy woman thinking about her childhood. The second story talks about shadows and a hyacinth girl i'm not sure what that was suppose to mean. Third shows us a tarot card reading, the final i thought was the best of the three, the speaker is walking through London and there are ghost all around him he calls out stetson and he asked him if the corpse he planted will sprout.
Game of Chess: what i found was this section was to show stages in seduction, one story showing you the upper class version and the other the lower class. She is sitting on her throne waiting for her lover to arrive, and while she is waiting her thought overcome her. In the lower class version the bar is closing for the night and the woman recounts a conversation with a friend named Lil. Her husband had giving her money for false teeth(line 145) but she didnt buy them so she thinks that he will seek out company of other woman. She blames her bad looks on pills she took (line159)
The First Sermon:
I had to use my outside source for this because i didn't understand it. It was taken from a sermon given by Buddha which he tells people to give up earthly passion( this can be seen on line 250) and seek freedom for earthly things.
Death by Water:
The name says it all Phlebas the Phoenician died by drowning, and he has forgot about his worries ( line 313) I like the part at the end were he says "O you who turn the wheel and look to windward, 320 Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you" i think he is trying to get us to think about our own death.
What the Thunder Said:
again had to rely heavily on the outside source for this section. he talks about people suffering and how cities are being built and destroyed again. Then the holy grail sits atop a chapel and no heroic figure appeared to claim it. Scene shifts to Ganges were they talk about thunder. The poem ends with a series of fragments from Dante, and for Elizabethan drama.
Without Sparknotes this would have been a very hard read. But with sparknotes it seemed to clear up alot of things that i might have had questions on. I cant wait for our class talk about this tomorrow
Game of Chess: what i found was this section was to show stages in seduction, one story showing you the upper class version and the other the lower class. She is sitting on her throne waiting for her lover to arrive, and while she is waiting her thought overcome her. In the lower class version the bar is closing for the night and the woman recounts a conversation with a friend named Lil. Her husband had giving her money for false teeth(line 145) but she didnt buy them so she thinks that he will seek out company of other woman. She blames her bad looks on pills she took (line159)
The First Sermon:
I had to use my outside source for this because i didn't understand it. It was taken from a sermon given by Buddha which he tells people to give up earthly passion( this can be seen on line 250) and seek freedom for earthly things.
Death by Water:
The name says it all Phlebas the Phoenician died by drowning, and he has forgot about his worries ( line 313) I like the part at the end were he says "O you who turn the wheel and look to windward, 320 Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you" i think he is trying to get us to think about our own death.
What the Thunder Said:
again had to rely heavily on the outside source for this section. he talks about people suffering and how cities are being built and destroyed again. Then the holy grail sits atop a chapel and no heroic figure appeared to claim it. Scene shifts to Ganges were they talk about thunder. The poem ends with a series of fragments from Dante, and for Elizabethan drama.
Without Sparknotes this would have been a very hard read. But with sparknotes it seemed to clear up alot of things that i might have had questions on. I cant wait for our class talk about this tomorrow
Monday, October 3, 2011
Feed
I've read up to chapter utopia. This story is about Titus a teenager and his friends go to the moon for spring break. Everyone now has what they call a feed which is a computer chip they put into their head, he says on page 47 that it makes you super smart without even trying. This has put a stop to writing with a pen and paper in the dead language chapter page 65 Titus was shocked that Violet used a pen and paper to write down ideas, he had become so dependent on his Feed. At first Titus has withdraws not having his feed, but after a few pages be begins see what life is like without his feed, and i get the feeling that he doesn't mind it at all. I think this will play a major role later on in the book, once they turn their feeds back on they were really happy information flowed into them. Titus said it felt like spring rains and they were dancing in it.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The War Prayer
This was a really good read. It was about a town celebrating a war and the people being so proud of the young men that were going to fight in it. The next day comes shipping out, but before this everyone is in church the preacher asks God for his help with this upcoming battle. Then a man walks up next to the preacher and starts talking to the church he said that he had a message from God himself! He said that God will grant their prayers if they listen to the message he has from God. Basically from the pray they uttered just a minute ago, was not one prayer but two, the one a blessing the other a curse. The blessing would be for the troops to do well in the war, kill many people and then come home as heros. But the curse would be the families of those other dead troops from the other army. Those women and children would be grief stricken and wouldn't have a roof over their heads because their husband/ father wasn't there.
We talked in class about how Mark Twain became very cynical in his is old age, and this story is a good example of it. I think the old man in this story could be Mark Twain, he was trying to show people that war is wrong no matter who wins. At the days in there still will be a family that is fatherless and a wife that is made a widow to early in life.
We talked in class about how Mark Twain became very cynical in his is old age, and this story is a good example of it. I think the old man in this story could be Mark Twain, he was trying to show people that war is wrong no matter who wins. At the days in there still will be a family that is fatherless and a wife that is made a widow to early in life.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Huckleberry Fin
This was the first time i got the chance to read this book, and after finishing it i wish i had read it along time ago! I like to think this is a coming of ago story, a young boy sets out to find adventurer and boy does he! In the beginning of the book two women try it "Civilize" Huckleberry they were Window Douglas and Miss Watson. Huckleberry doesn't like it very much neither does his dad, she he takes him away from them. Huck stages his own death and decides to ride the Mississippi looking for adventurer. He runs across Jim who is running away from miss Watson and they both ride the raft. They run across a cast of different types of people along his way, the duke and the king, the Grangerford family, the Wilks family, and Sally and Silas Phelps.
The duke and the king our two people that swindle people out of their money and they do this with Huck and Jim along, but Huck and Jim both know that it is wrong. They continue to do this until they reach the Wilks family were they act like a death person's brother and try to steal his money away from this girls. They end up being caught and get run out of town, the float down river with Huck and Jim to the next town were they get feathered and tared. The Grangerford family is in an on going feud with the Shepherson family, this feud really gets bad when one of the Grangerford girls runs off with the Shepherson boys. Huck played a part in this, the girl got Huck to run back to the church to bring a piece of paper that had a time on it. Huck didn't know at the time what it meant, but turns out it was the Shepherson boy letting the girl know when they were going to run off together.
Now Sally and Silas Phelps are the people the king sold Jim to when they were in need of some money. Huck gets wind of this and wants to help Jim, so go goes to the farm and gets mistaken for Tom Sawyer. When Tom does show up they both play along to try to get Jim away from the Phelps, but Huck doesn't know why Tom is helping him, he thought Tom was raised better then that. Well turns out Miss Watson i died and released Jim from slavery, that's why Tom helped Huck he was freeing a free man!
I think that through out this whole journey Huck really did become civilized like the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson wanted the whole time. Through out the journey Huckleberry had many chances to turn in Jim and get a reward and go on with his day. Huck fought with this problem for awhile, he even lied to a few men that were looking for runaway slaves. I believe that Huck saw Jim not as a black man but i true friend and that he was an equal. While on the boat Jim would often do double watch so Huck could get some sleep along with being good company with Huck these are the reasons why i believe that Huck had changed through out his journey. maybe Mark Twain was showing us that Huck was not going with the "mob" the mob being white people that thought slavery was okay. Which we can tie back to the Sherburn chapter were he called everyone out saying they weren't men that they were cowards, for being part of a mob when they came to attack Sherburn for killing boggs.
The duke and the king our two people that swindle people out of their money and they do this with Huck and Jim along, but Huck and Jim both know that it is wrong. They continue to do this until they reach the Wilks family were they act like a death person's brother and try to steal his money away from this girls. They end up being caught and get run out of town, the float down river with Huck and Jim to the next town were they get feathered and tared. The Grangerford family is in an on going feud with the Shepherson family, this feud really gets bad when one of the Grangerford girls runs off with the Shepherson boys. Huck played a part in this, the girl got Huck to run back to the church to bring a piece of paper that had a time on it. Huck didn't know at the time what it meant, but turns out it was the Shepherson boy letting the girl know when they were going to run off together.
Now Sally and Silas Phelps are the people the king sold Jim to when they were in need of some money. Huck gets wind of this and wants to help Jim, so go goes to the farm and gets mistaken for Tom Sawyer. When Tom does show up they both play along to try to get Jim away from the Phelps, but Huck doesn't know why Tom is helping him, he thought Tom was raised better then that. Well turns out Miss Watson i died and released Jim from slavery, that's why Tom helped Huck he was freeing a free man!
I think that through out this whole journey Huck really did become civilized like the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson wanted the whole time. Through out the journey Huckleberry had many chances to turn in Jim and get a reward and go on with his day. Huck fought with this problem for awhile, he even lied to a few men that were looking for runaway slaves. I believe that Huck saw Jim not as a black man but i true friend and that he was an equal. While on the boat Jim would often do double watch so Huck could get some sleep along with being good company with Huck these are the reasons why i believe that Huck had changed through out his journey. maybe Mark Twain was showing us that Huck was not going with the "mob" the mob being white people that thought slavery was okay. Which we can tie back to the Sherburn chapter were he called everyone out saying they weren't men that they were cowards, for being part of a mob when they came to attack Sherburn for killing boggs.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Douglass
Douglass talks about our nation and how young it is, 76 at the time which as he says is the age of a old man. i like this quote "The simple story of it is that, 76 years ago, the people of this country were British subjects. The style and title of your "sovereign people" (in which you now glory) was not then born. You were under the British Crown . Your fathers esteemed the English Government as the home government; and England as the fatherland. This home government, you know, although a considerable distance from your home, did, in the exercise of its parental prerogatives, impose upon its colonial children, such restraints, burdens and limitations, as, in its mature judgment, it deemed wise, right and proper." I think what he was trying to say he was "hey dont forget that only 76 years ago you too were under a government that was unfair to you and treated you unjust. Why do you treat another person the same way?
"Oppression makes a wise man mad. Your fathers were wise men, and if they did not go mad, they became restive under this treatment. They felt themselves the victims of grievous wrongs, wholly incurable in their colonial capacity. With brave men there is always a remedy for oppression. Just here, the idea of a total separation of the colonies from the crown was born! It was a startling idea, much more so, than we, at this distance of time, regard it. The timid and the prudent (as has been intimated) of that day, were, of course, shocked and alarmed by it." Again i think what he is saying here would be "be careful we too are wise men and we wont take very much more of this. We as slaves will not go mad under this unfair treatment, we will rise this treatment.
"Oppression makes a wise man mad. Your fathers were wise men, and if they did not go mad, they became restive under this treatment. They felt themselves the victims of grievous wrongs, wholly incurable in their colonial capacity. With brave men there is always a remedy for oppression. Just here, the idea of a total separation of the colonies from the crown was born! It was a startling idea, much more so, than we, at this distance of time, regard it. The timid and the prudent (as has been intimated) of that day, were, of course, shocked and alarmed by it." Again i think what he is saying here would be "be careful we too are wise men and we wont take very much more of this. We as slaves will not go mad under this unfair treatment, we will rise this treatment.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Stowe Two Altars
This is a set of two short stories, the first one is setting during the winter of the 1776 which at that time the Revolutionary war was taking place. Dick makes a quote during on page 2 which i liked "Don't you cry, Gracie; you offered it up to liberty, you know: it's glorious to give up everything for liberty." Which agree with Dick very much it is glorious to give everything up for liberty. Its a theme that is replayed through out the history books, men dying for what they believe in. Since these are women and children they are not allowed to fight during this time, so at the end of the story the give almost everything they have to the troops to help them during the winter months, this is what they give up for liberty.
In the second story which takes place in 1850 is about a young black family, doing what they can to make a living in the town of Boston. Then one day some one comes and arrest their father and say that he is property of Mr. B of Georgia. Again there is a quote that i like its in the last paragraph "Go it!" shout the crowd; "good!—good!—hurra!" "An impressive idea!" says a Senator; "a noble maintaining of principle!" and the man is bid off, and the hammer falls with a last crash on his heart, his hopes, his manhood, and he lies a bleeding wreck on the altar of Liberty!" i like the way its worded in the last sentence it really hits home for me. With one swing of the hammer a man's life is ended, all of his hopes and dreams are gone. Again another offering to the altar.
this one i found easy to read and i really enjoyed reading it! i really don't have any questions about this. Did anyone catch the fact in the first story she was talking about how our country would be a great one( which is it it has its faults just like anything else) with FREE and EQUAL LAWS. Well lets be honest after the Revolutionary war not everyone had these rights, if my memory serves me correct only white men had those rights. Everyone else was put down for along time after that. Funny how things first workout huh?
In the second story which takes place in 1850 is about a young black family, doing what they can to make a living in the town of Boston. Then one day some one comes and arrest their father and say that he is property of Mr. B of Georgia. Again there is a quote that i like its in the last paragraph "Go it!" shout the crowd; "good!—good!—hurra!" "An impressive idea!" says a Senator; "a noble maintaining of principle!" and the man is bid off, and the hammer falls with a last crash on his heart, his hopes, his manhood, and he lies a bleeding wreck on the altar of Liberty!" i like the way its worded in the last sentence it really hits home for me. With one swing of the hammer a man's life is ended, all of his hopes and dreams are gone. Again another offering to the altar.
this one i found easy to read and i really enjoyed reading it! i really don't have any questions about this. Did anyone catch the fact in the first story she was talking about how our country would be a great one( which is it it has its faults just like anything else) with FREE and EQUAL LAWS. Well lets be honest after the Revolutionary war not everyone had these rights, if my memory serves me correct only white men had those rights. Everyone else was put down for along time after that. Funny how things first workout huh?
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Civil Disobedience
Thoreau's main point for civil disobedience is to have little government as possible. He says "That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. The objections which have been brought against a standing army, and they are many and weighty, and deserve to prevail, may also at last be brought against a standing government." With this statement he makes clear that he believes that government shouldn't be involved with people's everyday life. He also states that government moves at a very slow pace. Which i think he is trying to say here that if i as a person in this new government have a problem with someone or something. It would take a long time to get anything done about it.
Later he states "Yet this government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way. It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way" I think he put this in here along with example of what the early american has done without the government to continue to rally support for his no government point of view.
"Law never made men a whit more just; and, by means of their respect for it, even the well-disposed are daily made the agents of injustice. A common and natural result of an undue respect for law is, that you may see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys,(5) and all, marching in admirable order over hill and dale to the wars, against their wills, ay, against their common sense and consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a palpitation of the heart." I believe that Thoreau thinks that these young men that serve in our military are doing it against there will, that the government is making laws that force this young men to serve. While yes i'm sure there are men that were serving that didn't want to be there, there were the equal number of men that wanted to protect their country from its enemies.
I'm in favor of something that Thoreau is proposing with this paper, i believe that the government is be involved with some aspects of life here in the USA. They shouldn't be involved to much this is were i agree with him. With the part about a law being made to force young men to serve in the military, i know when i turned 18 i had to fill out my draft card. If there ever was a time that my government needed me to serve to protect my country and family, and my friends i would do it in a heart beat.
Later he states "Yet this government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way. It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way" I think he put this in here along with example of what the early american has done without the government to continue to rally support for his no government point of view.
"Law never made men a whit more just; and, by means of their respect for it, even the well-disposed are daily made the agents of injustice. A common and natural result of an undue respect for law is, that you may see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys,(5) and all, marching in admirable order over hill and dale to the wars, against their wills, ay, against their common sense and consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a palpitation of the heart." I believe that Thoreau thinks that these young men that serve in our military are doing it against there will, that the government is making laws that force this young men to serve. While yes i'm sure there are men that were serving that didn't want to be there, there were the equal number of men that wanted to protect their country from its enemies.
I'm in favor of something that Thoreau is proposing with this paper, i believe that the government is be involved with some aspects of life here in the USA. They shouldn't be involved to much this is were i agree with him. With the part about a law being made to force young men to serve in the military, i know when i turned 18 i had to fill out my draft card. If there ever was a time that my government needed me to serve to protect my country and family, and my friends i would do it in a heart beat.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Stanton
In her first few paragraphs she talks about women's rights and then she says this quote and i like it alot "did I not feel that the time had fully come for the question of woman's wrongs to be laid before the public—did I not believe that woman herself must do this work—for woman alone can understand the height and the depth, the length and the breadth of her own degradation and woe" With this she is basically saying that i man cant write this for me or us women, because a man will never understand everything that a women must do. My thought was backed up with this quote "Man cannot speak for us—because he has been educated to believe that we differ from him so materially, that he cannot judge of our thoughts, feelings and opinions by his own."
She also talks about the different places in the world and how they treat their women, siting England were a women can hold the crown and vote. In the United States a women cant do anything like that, she says that "unrepresented in this government—our rights and interests wholly overlooked." The subject of colleges comes in and just about the time a man makes his mind up to go to school a woman is having to put her dreams aside to raise a family and be a wife, it was the natural thing to do at that time.
I like this line a lot "No God's commands rest upon man as well as woman, and it is as much his duty to be kind, gentle, self denying and full of good works as it is hers, as much his duty to absent himself from scenes of violence as it is hers" Stanton is right! a man should never raise a hand to a women and he should do all of things that she list. As i was walking to the football game this past Saturday what looked like a freshman ran up to this boy( and i say boy because he looked all of 12 ) and the boy acted like he was going to hit, i mean hand cocked back, malice in his face and she cowarded down to him. That REALLY got under my skin, i was going to say something to him but my hands were full at the time. I couldnt defend my self if he would have started something, but looking back on it now i wish i would have.
While reading this i begun to think of a commerical i say the other day, i know you have all seen it. http://youtu.be/MxW_ZCd64tg
Watch this video and after think why in 1848 and in the 1900's women were looked down on? why were women put in the kitchen to never be heard from again? I must say that commerical is correct, women are the reason why our race continues into the next generation, without them the human race would be no more. i dont mean to sound like im beating up the male race here, but we are equal and i think men back in the early days didnt want to see that, because they wanted to live their life how they wanted too, and not have to worry about answering the the wife at home.
She also talks about the different places in the world and how they treat their women, siting England were a women can hold the crown and vote. In the United States a women cant do anything like that, she says that "unrepresented in this government—our rights and interests wholly overlooked." The subject of colleges comes in and just about the time a man makes his mind up to go to school a woman is having to put her dreams aside to raise a family and be a wife, it was the natural thing to do at that time.
I like this line a lot "No God's commands rest upon man as well as woman, and it is as much his duty to be kind, gentle, self denying and full of good works as it is hers, as much his duty to absent himself from scenes of violence as it is hers" Stanton is right! a man should never raise a hand to a women and he should do all of things that she list. As i was walking to the football game this past Saturday what looked like a freshman ran up to this boy( and i say boy because he looked all of 12 ) and the boy acted like he was going to hit, i mean hand cocked back, malice in his face and she cowarded down to him. That REALLY got under my skin, i was going to say something to him but my hands were full at the time. I couldnt defend my self if he would have started something, but looking back on it now i wish i would have.
While reading this i begun to think of a commerical i say the other day, i know you have all seen it. http://youtu.be/MxW_ZCd64tg
Watch this video and after think why in 1848 and in the 1900's women were looked down on? why were women put in the kitchen to never be heard from again? I must say that commerical is correct, women are the reason why our race continues into the next generation, without them the human race would be no more. i dont mean to sound like im beating up the male race here, but we are equal and i think men back in the early days didnt want to see that, because they wanted to live their life how they wanted too, and not have to worry about answering the the wife at home.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Jacobs
Chapters 5-7
In Jacobs story it talks about the life of a young slave girl and the trials and handships she faces. An example of these hardships would be, how her master would rape her. The master's wife didnt like this very much but she was powerless to do anything about this, even thought the number of mixed babies was on the rise. Women in this time frame didnt have any say on how their husbands acted, and they were mad at the slaves for their husbands misdeeds. These women should have been mad at their husbands but they couldnt be, they had to take out their frustrations on the slaves. Some women back then thought it was the slaves fault and not their husbands.
Chapters 10-11
In these chapters we find out that Jacobs is pregnant with a baby, but it isnt the master's baby. Dr. Flint becomes enraged that Jacobs had gone behind his back and saw the man that he told her not too. He offers her help saying that he will take care of her and the baby if on one condition, that she never see or speak to that man again. Jacobs tells him no later the baby is born and the Dr. Flint still comes to help her, but the baby is weak and she hopes that the baby will die. She wants the baby to die so it will never have to be a slave. Here is an example " I had prayed for his death, but never so earnestly as I now prayed for his life; and my prayer was heard. Alas, what mockery it is for a slave mother to try to pray back her dying child to life! Death is better than slavery." This is a prime example that slavery was a horrible thing, a mother would rather her son die before being a slave.
Chapters 14-17
Jacobs continues to tell the story of her time in slavery, she has another baby during this time. Dr. Flint asks to see the child to see if the baby his is, it isnt. During these chapters she comes up with a plan to excape her master's rule. The master moves her to another plantation were his son now owns with his wife. And in one night she leaves her childern with her grandmother and leaves, runs away into the dark rainy night.
How can she just leave her childern? During the whole story she has been fighting for them, why just leave them now?
In Jacobs story it talks about the life of a young slave girl and the trials and handships she faces. An example of these hardships would be, how her master would rape her. The master's wife didnt like this very much but she was powerless to do anything about this, even thought the number of mixed babies was on the rise. Women in this time frame didnt have any say on how their husbands acted, and they were mad at the slaves for their husbands misdeeds. These women should have been mad at their husbands but they couldnt be, they had to take out their frustrations on the slaves. Some women back then thought it was the slaves fault and not their husbands.
Chapters 10-11
In these chapters we find out that Jacobs is pregnant with a baby, but it isnt the master's baby. Dr. Flint becomes enraged that Jacobs had gone behind his back and saw the man that he told her not too. He offers her help saying that he will take care of her and the baby if on one condition, that she never see or speak to that man again. Jacobs tells him no later the baby is born and the Dr. Flint still comes to help her, but the baby is weak and she hopes that the baby will die. She wants the baby to die so it will never have to be a slave. Here is an example " I had prayed for his death, but never so earnestly as I now prayed for his life; and my prayer was heard. Alas, what mockery it is for a slave mother to try to pray back her dying child to life! Death is better than slavery." This is a prime example that slavery was a horrible thing, a mother would rather her son die before being a slave.
Chapters 14-17
Jacobs continues to tell the story of her time in slavery, she has another baby during this time. Dr. Flint asks to see the child to see if the baby his is, it isnt. During these chapters she comes up with a plan to excape her master's rule. The master moves her to another plantation were his son now owns with his wife. And in one night she leaves her childern with her grandmother and leaves, runs away into the dark rainy night.
How can she just leave her childern? During the whole story she has been fighting for them, why just leave them now?
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Songs to Myself
In the lines 1-9 to me it feels like he is making everyone equal, then he talks about the sights and smells of everyday life the purfumes, the leaves, and the smell of the shore. Line 34 i like as well, he talks about how there are many years left for everyone. In lines 35-37 i think what he is trying to say here is, you wont have to take anyones word for it, "You shall listen to all sides, and fliter them from your self." Listen to both sides he says and fliter what they say, and then come up with an orignal idea of your own. People might think this is different from the beignning of the poem, making everyone equal then telling people to come up with your own ideas. Well i dont think so, me and you can be equal but we might not have the same thoughts as each other and thats fine.
In number 4 lines 68-72 he talks about everything that is going on in life at that time. Later in number 4 he says that he stands idle by complicant with were he is in life, he doesnt get caught up with those silly things. lines 80-81 are different, when he says that he looks backwards he see's the days were he sweated through the fog of linguists and contenders and that he has no arguments. Is he looking back on his life and not having any problem with what he has done in the past?
later a child asks him what is grass, and he didnt have any answer for him? how is that possible? grass is a plant that grows from the earth and covers the majority of it. See this is why i dont like over thinking things, so answer the question, dont answer it another question!
Should this poem make people feel better? Who was this poem for?
In number 4 lines 68-72 he talks about everything that is going on in life at that time. Later in number 4 he says that he stands idle by complicant with were he is in life, he doesnt get caught up with those silly things. lines 80-81 are different, when he says that he looks backwards he see's the days were he sweated through the fog of linguists and contenders and that he has no arguments. Is he looking back on his life and not having any problem with what he has done in the past?
later a child asks him what is grass, and he didnt have any answer for him? how is that possible? grass is a plant that grows from the earth and covers the majority of it. See this is why i dont like over thinking things, so answer the question, dont answer it another question!
Should this poem make people feel better? Who was this poem for?
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Self-Reliance
First off i think this sentence in the first paragraph "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men" will play importance roll though out this paper. I think what it is trying to say is, search down deep in your heart and follow what you think is correct, this would be the universal truth for all men. In 49 Emerson says "So God has armed youth and puberty and manhood no less with its own piquancy and charm, and made it enviable and gracious and its claims not to be put by, if it will stand by itself. Do not think the youth has no force, because hecannot speak to you and me" I believe he is saying here that God has placed charm on the people and that charm will stand on its own.
Later on around line 74 he talks about how a man shouldnt become a nonconformist. As we see with the other paper we have read this week, about the man going along with the mob. I think what Emerson is trying to tell people in his time, to not be part of that mob. That you are charming person find the truth in your heart and be able to stand on your own two feet!
Im going to be honest with you, these last 2 papers really heavent been my strong suit. Im trying to reading them to understand them, but to me they just seem like he walking around the elephant in the room! Just come out and say stand up for yourself, dont just follow the group. Which my parents and im sure yours have told you the samething. so i am really trying to put in the effort to really understand them when im reading them on my own. But i feel like i get a better understanding on the readings when we go over them in class, because you and my other classmates my point out things ive missed when reading it. Which as i hope this class goes along i can get better at for myself so my blogs quality will go up. thats my personal goal for this semester
its hard for me to come up with questions because im just confused by the way he wrote this, my reading conprehension is very low for this type of writing. im really sorry
Later on around line 74 he talks about how a man shouldnt become a nonconformist. As we see with the other paper we have read this week, about the man going along with the mob. I think what Emerson is trying to tell people in his time, to not be part of that mob. That you are charming person find the truth in your heart and be able to stand on your own two feet!
Im going to be honest with you, these last 2 papers really heavent been my strong suit. Im trying to reading them to understand them, but to me they just seem like he walking around the elephant in the room! Just come out and say stand up for yourself, dont just follow the group. Which my parents and im sure yours have told you the samething. so i am really trying to put in the effort to really understand them when im reading them on my own. But i feel like i get a better understanding on the readings when we go over them in class, because you and my other classmates my point out things ive missed when reading it. Which as i hope this class goes along i can get better at for myself so my blogs quality will go up. thats my personal goal for this semester
its hard for me to come up with questions because im just confused by the way he wrote this, my reading conprehension is very low for this type of writing. im really sorry
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
My Kinsman
This story really confused me alot. When i first starting reading it i followed it okay, then it just felt like it was dragging on. He would meet another person and they wouldnt know were his Kinsman was. The only idea i can make of this story was that the kinsman he was looking for was himself? Maybe since he was a country boy he was trying to see if we could make it in the city?
But then there was the scene about finally meeting him. He a stanger wakes him, asks him if it was a dream, the man then asked to be taking back to the ferry to go home, that was really made me think that it was himself that he was looking for. that this was all a dream.
Or maybe this person is just a metaphor for the country as a whole, since this time period we have moved on into the idustrial period and people werent ready for it, like this person was with dealing with city life?
Im sorry if this is a bit all of the place, but i was just really confused by this story. so i figured i ask alot of questions!
But then there was the scene about finally meeting him. He a stanger wakes him, asks him if it was a dream, the man then asked to be taking back to the ferry to go home, that was really made me think that it was himself that he was looking for. that this was all a dream.
Or maybe this person is just a metaphor for the country as a whole, since this time period we have moved on into the idustrial period and people werent ready for it, like this person was with dealing with city life?
Im sorry if this is a bit all of the place, but i was just really confused by this story. so i figured i ask alot of questions!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Federalist No.51
James Madison talks about the government and how it should be seperated into three different branches, and that those positions should be filled from people that live in the United States. The reasoning behind this is we want people that live with us, that go through the everyday grind with us to be representing us in this new government. But Madison thinks this about the judiciary department "In the constitution of the judiciary department in particular, it might be inexpedient to insist rigorously on the principle: first, because peculiar qualifications being essential in the members, the primary consideration ought to be to select that mode of choice which best secures these qualifications; secondly, because the permanent tenure by which the appointments are held in that department, must soon destroy all sense of dependence on the authority conferring them" A normal person just cant be a judge, we would need people that went to school and law school. And another thing i liked was the second part were once they are a judge the people that conferred them would have no power over them. This is such so judges would not be scared into ruling a certain way. The only dependence the three branches of government should have is a dependence on the people.
Madison later talks about how the people will be given up power to a single government, and this government is going to be self regulating. Power is going to be broken up into parts, and they are all going to be each other in check, this later was known as checks and balances. He also talks about how the government should be run, either by a common will or in case since we give the government its power. So yes our leaders have power over us, but only because we gave it to them and we can take it away at anytime.
When i read this paper i feel like he was trying to tell everyone that it was going to be okay, that this government will be here to serve us. I think back on it now and it makes sense if the major of people felt like what the person was feeling in the Federalist No.1 paper i can understand why people would be scared. I kind of think of it like this, you break up your boyfriend or girlfriend, and this person was been really bad to you. Treating you like dirt and making you pay for every meal and expense. A few days/weeks later you meet that new person and at first glance they seem like their are great! But your alittle scared that they will just turn out like that last one.
Madison later talks about how the people will be given up power to a single government, and this government is going to be self regulating. Power is going to be broken up into parts, and they are all going to be each other in check, this later was known as checks and balances. He also talks about how the government should be run, either by a common will or in case since we give the government its power. So yes our leaders have power over us, but only because we gave it to them and we can take it away at anytime.
When i read this paper i feel like he was trying to tell everyone that it was going to be okay, that this government will be here to serve us. I think back on it now and it makes sense if the major of people felt like what the person was feeling in the Federalist No.1 paper i can understand why people would be scared. I kind of think of it like this, you break up your boyfriend or girlfriend, and this person was been really bad to you. Treating you like dirt and making you pay for every meal and expense. A few days/weeks later you meet that new person and at first glance they seem like their are great! But your alittle scared that they will just turn out like that last one.
Federalist Papers 1
In Federalist Paper #1 Brutus tells the readers that this an important matter, it will not only effect them but generations of unborn people. He talks about how this is a critical time period for the 13 states. Whether to accept the constitution if it is only noble and wise choice, but if its not Brutus tells us " But if, on the other hand, this form of government contains principles that will lead to the subversion of liberty — if it tends to establish a despotism, or, what is worse, a tyrannic aristocracy; then, if you adopt it, this only remaining assylum for liberty will be shut up, and posterity will execrate your memory" I take this as if we dont make sure this is what we really want, we would just be trading one tyrannic governement for another.
He goes on to state the powers that the government would have over the people and the states themselves. Brutus does say this "It has authority to make laws which will affect the lives, the liberty, and property of every man in the United States; nor can the constitution or laws of any state, in any way prevent or impede the full and complete execution of every power given" What i took from this is this governement has the power to take away your liberty and property of every man in the United States, and nothing can stop this from happening.
Overall, i really enjoyed reading this Federalist Paper #1, i didnt have to read it in High School so it was my first time reading it. I liked how Brutus understood right from the beginning that this was a big deal. That this was going to effect millions of people, and change the course of history. I got to the end i found of that he wanted to object this new government. He states a few of his reasons why "In a republic of such vast extent as the United-States, the legislature cannot attend to the various concerns and wants of its different parts" he also says "In so extensive a republic, the great officers of government would soon become above the controul of the people, and abuse their power to the purpose of aggrandizing themselves, and oppressing them." He is scared that if the 13 states only have 1 main government that the legislature wont be able to handle each problem accordingly. The second quote i like the best it really shows how bad they had it before. He is under the assumption that if you give a man power he will abuse their power and repress them again, like the king of England did.
He goes on to state the powers that the government would have over the people and the states themselves. Brutus does say this "It has authority to make laws which will affect the lives, the liberty, and property of every man in the United States; nor can the constitution or laws of any state, in any way prevent or impede the full and complete execution of every power given" What i took from this is this governement has the power to take away your liberty and property of every man in the United States, and nothing can stop this from happening.
Overall, i really enjoyed reading this Federalist Paper #1, i didnt have to read it in High School so it was my first time reading it. I liked how Brutus understood right from the beginning that this was a big deal. That this was going to effect millions of people, and change the course of history. I got to the end i found of that he wanted to object this new government. He states a few of his reasons why "In a republic of such vast extent as the United-States, the legislature cannot attend to the various concerns and wants of its different parts" he also says "In so extensive a republic, the great officers of government would soon become above the controul of the people, and abuse their power to the purpose of aggrandizing themselves, and oppressing them." He is scared that if the 13 states only have 1 main government that the legislature wont be able to handle each problem accordingly. The second quote i like the best it really shows how bad they had it before. He is under the assumption that if you give a man power he will abuse their power and repress them again, like the king of England did.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Richard Allen
Richard Allen was a slave we found God at the age of 20, joined a Methodist church group. Thier master was a kind master, he believed that church made the slaves a better person. His master after hearing the word of God from the preacher found that it was wrong to keep slaves. He allowed Allen and his brother to buy their freedom.
Allen had a lot of different job after he left his master, including driving a wagon during the continental war. After the war he traveld around preaching the word of God, until 1784 when we became friends with Benjamin Abbot. He traveled around the Northeast meeting kind and nice people along the way. Allen and some other black preachers tried to start a black church, many other whtie preachers didnt take nicely to that.
In April 1816 the first African Methodist Episcopal church was formed.
I like his story alot. He starts in the begining as a slave finds God and it forever changes his path in life. If Allen wouldnt have found God, his master wouldnt have let him go and he would have been sold off after his death. Just like with the other story, its the Amercian dream. Richard Allen had very little in the begining and by the end he had preached in many towns of the North East and built the first African church in the north east.
Allen had a lot of different job after he left his master, including driving a wagon during the continental war. After the war he traveld around preaching the word of God, until 1784 when we became friends with Benjamin Abbot. He traveled around the Northeast meeting kind and nice people along the way. Allen and some other black preachers tried to start a black church, many other whtie preachers didnt take nicely to that.
In April 1816 the first African Methodist Episcopal church was formed.
I like his story alot. He starts in the begining as a slave finds God and it forever changes his path in life. If Allen wouldnt have found God, his master wouldnt have let him go and he would have been sold off after his death. Just like with the other story, its the Amercian dream. Richard Allen had very little in the begining and by the end he had preached in many towns of the North East and built the first African church in the north east.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Peter Cartwright
This autobiography of Peter Cartwright is his account of his travels to Kentucky as a child. His family has one of the first families to move to Kentucky which at that time was wilderness. As with that time period battles with indians were common place. As Kentucky grew as a state and more people moved there as Cartwright says "civilization advanced considerably". To go along with the time period churchs played a big role in there life and it was no different here, with every denomination trying to get as many souls as possible.
Cartwright has a normal kid doing things that is parents didnt approve of, but then one day he fell ill. He gave up his past life and devoted his life to God. Church meetings were held and many people would come from long distances to hear the word of God. The methdist preachers spoke out against slavery in a time were slavery was common place in the south. One reason why they didnt like it, the young master's of these slaves would be tempted as Cartwright put it "young masters are often tempted and seduced from the paths of virtue." They didnt want the masters to be mixing bloods with the black slaves. He goes on to talk about how the "west" has grown since the time he moved out there. How the size of churches and preachers have grown as well.
Peter Cartwright's story is one of the Amercian Dream. He started out with nothing, moved to the wilderness, and was the typical teen growing up. He had a change of heart around the age of 16, left his sinning ways in the past. Went on as an adult to follow the church and try to live his life the way the church and God wanted him too. I dont know if he was well off, but in life a person with all of the money in the world may not be happy. A person with little to no money might be happier if he has his lift in order and i think Peter Cartwright did have his life in order.
Cartwright has a normal kid doing things that is parents didnt approve of, but then one day he fell ill. He gave up his past life and devoted his life to God. Church meetings were held and many people would come from long distances to hear the word of God. The methdist preachers spoke out against slavery in a time were slavery was common place in the south. One reason why they didnt like it, the young master's of these slaves would be tempted as Cartwright put it "young masters are often tempted and seduced from the paths of virtue." They didnt want the masters to be mixing bloods with the black slaves. He goes on to talk about how the "west" has grown since the time he moved out there. How the size of churches and preachers have grown as well.
Peter Cartwright's story is one of the Amercian Dream. He started out with nothing, moved to the wilderness, and was the typical teen growing up. He had a change of heart around the age of 16, left his sinning ways in the past. Went on as an adult to follow the church and try to live his life the way the church and God wanted him too. I dont know if he was well off, but in life a person with all of the money in the world may not be happy. A person with little to no money might be happier if he has his lift in order and i think Peter Cartwright did have his life in order.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is writing to his son, and in chapter 1 paragraph one he wants his son to know about all of the things Mr. Franklin did while growning up and during this adult years. Instead of telling his son what he has done, he thinks its best for him to write everything down.
Like anyone that is older or close to death everyone wants a second chance at life. As we get older the error of our ways become more apparent to us, and we would like to go back and change them. Which is the main point in paragraph two. Since that chance will likely never come Benjamin Franklin says "Since such a repetition is not to be expected, the next thing most like living one's life over again seems to be a recollection of that life, and to make that recollection as durable as possible by putting it down in writing." I think maybe putting it down on paper lets him relive his youth hints letting him have the repetition he seeks.
In paragraph three he knows what old men like to do, talk about themselves and everything they did. And he will follow suit and do the same, as he says "and I shall indulge it without being tiresome to others, who, through respect to age, might conceive themselves obliged to give me a hearing, since this may be read or not as any one pleases." what i take from that quote is im going to talk about myself and people are going to listen to me because im an old man, but im going to try not to over do it.
In the 4th paragraph he thanks God for all of the good things that have happend in his life, becuase God is the one that gave Benjamin all of gifts. Here is an example from the reading "I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to His kind providence, which lead me to the means I used and gave them success" He hope that God Continues to look kindly on him.
The 4th to last paragraph Benjamin talks about what i assume his a boat ride to an island and seeing some people but those people not helping them get ashore. And having to stay on the boat for the night and getting wet from the ocean spray.
Later that night he came down with a fever and he says "having read somewhere that cold water drank plentifully was good for a fever, I follow'd the prescription, sweat plentiful most of the night, my fever left me" why this work is with the extra water his is body, it was able to sweat the fever out of him allowing him to catch the ferry.
On his way to Philadelphia it rained the whole way, so he stopped in at a "poor inn" were he was thought to be a run away servant Benjamin was in danger how being taken away. The next day he walked until he was just outside of Burlington were he again stopped at an Inn. He met the owner Dr. Brown and they become very good firends until Dr. Browns Death.
The next day he reached Burlington but he had missed all of the boat and he couldnt across until tuesday. He met a lady which offered to take him in until that time. she was a printer which he knew nothing about at the time, she fed him and took care of him.
In chapter 2:
He is walking up the street, hungry. See's a boy eating bread and the boy tells him were a baker is. Benjamin walked to the baker and talked to the baker he states " ask'd for bisket, intending such as we had in Boston; but they, it seems, were not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked for a three-penny loaf, and was told they had none such. So not considering or knowing the difference of money, and the greater cheapness nor the names of his bread," apparently things were not the say as they were in boston. something we all find out the hard way when we leave home for the first time. Benjamin walks around burlington for awhile, follows some Quaker Men to a meeting were he falls asleep, a young man wakes him at the end. Benjamin ask him were he could stay for the night, the man points him towards a place. While he was eating dinner again people ask him if he was a run away, he assumes this is because of his youth and appearance.
The next day he goes to Andrew Bradfords printing shop, looking for a job. Andrew doesnt have work from he so he points him towards another printer. This new printer says he would like to hire him but right now there was no work to from him to do. Benjamin takes notice of the run down looking presses and worn-out english fonts. Benjamin states "These two printers I found poorly qualified for their business. Bradford had not been bred to it, and was very illiterate; and Keimer, tho' something of a scholar, was a mere compositor, knowing nothing of presswork." So he knows these men are not very good printers at all. The new printer didnt like that benjamin was sleeping at bradford's house while working for him. But the new printer had a house that wasnt furnished and he wont let benjamin stay with him. So he really didnt have a choice. He had aggranged for him to stay at a Mr. Reed's house which is the father of his furture wife. By this time his clothing had arrived, his appearance was better than before.
Chapter 6:
i didnt understand this chapter at all. Was this part of Autobiography? Or were this letters to benjamin? Why is order such a big thing here? was this after the war and people were scared if they didnt have order the new country would fall?
Like anyone that is older or close to death everyone wants a second chance at life. As we get older the error of our ways become more apparent to us, and we would like to go back and change them. Which is the main point in paragraph two. Since that chance will likely never come Benjamin Franklin says "Since such a repetition is not to be expected, the next thing most like living one's life over again seems to be a recollection of that life, and to make that recollection as durable as possible by putting it down in writing." I think maybe putting it down on paper lets him relive his youth hints letting him have the repetition he seeks.
In paragraph three he knows what old men like to do, talk about themselves and everything they did. And he will follow suit and do the same, as he says "and I shall indulge it without being tiresome to others, who, through respect to age, might conceive themselves obliged to give me a hearing, since this may be read or not as any one pleases." what i take from that quote is im going to talk about myself and people are going to listen to me because im an old man, but im going to try not to over do it.
In the 4th paragraph he thanks God for all of the good things that have happend in his life, becuase God is the one that gave Benjamin all of gifts. Here is an example from the reading "I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to His kind providence, which lead me to the means I used and gave them success" He hope that God Continues to look kindly on him.
The 4th to last paragraph Benjamin talks about what i assume his a boat ride to an island and seeing some people but those people not helping them get ashore. And having to stay on the boat for the night and getting wet from the ocean spray.
Later that night he came down with a fever and he says "having read somewhere that cold water drank plentifully was good for a fever, I follow'd the prescription, sweat plentiful most of the night, my fever left me" why this work is with the extra water his is body, it was able to sweat the fever out of him allowing him to catch the ferry.
On his way to Philadelphia it rained the whole way, so he stopped in at a "poor inn" were he was thought to be a run away servant Benjamin was in danger how being taken away. The next day he walked until he was just outside of Burlington were he again stopped at an Inn. He met the owner Dr. Brown and they become very good firends until Dr. Browns Death.
The next day he reached Burlington but he had missed all of the boat and he couldnt across until tuesday. He met a lady which offered to take him in until that time. she was a printer which he knew nothing about at the time, she fed him and took care of him.
In chapter 2:
He is walking up the street, hungry. See's a boy eating bread and the boy tells him were a baker is. Benjamin walked to the baker and talked to the baker he states " ask'd for bisket, intending such as we had in Boston; but they, it seems, were not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked for a three-penny loaf, and was told they had none such. So not considering or knowing the difference of money, and the greater cheapness nor the names of his bread," apparently things were not the say as they were in boston. something we all find out the hard way when we leave home for the first time. Benjamin walks around burlington for awhile, follows some Quaker Men to a meeting were he falls asleep, a young man wakes him at the end. Benjamin ask him were he could stay for the night, the man points him towards a place. While he was eating dinner again people ask him if he was a run away, he assumes this is because of his youth and appearance.
The next day he goes to Andrew Bradfords printing shop, looking for a job. Andrew doesnt have work from he so he points him towards another printer. This new printer says he would like to hire him but right now there was no work to from him to do. Benjamin takes notice of the run down looking presses and worn-out english fonts. Benjamin states "These two printers I found poorly qualified for their business. Bradford had not been bred to it, and was very illiterate; and Keimer, tho' something of a scholar, was a mere compositor, knowing nothing of presswork." So he knows these men are not very good printers at all. The new printer didnt like that benjamin was sleeping at bradford's house while working for him. But the new printer had a house that wasnt furnished and he wont let benjamin stay with him. So he really didnt have a choice. He had aggranged for him to stay at a Mr. Reed's house which is the father of his furture wife. By this time his clothing had arrived, his appearance was better than before.
Chapter 6:
i didnt understand this chapter at all. Was this part of Autobiography? Or were this letters to benjamin? Why is order such a big thing here? was this after the war and people were scared if they didnt have order the new country would fall?
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