Journal 8

Journal 8 - Emerson’s Aphorisms

Write a one paragraph personal response based on three of the following aphorisms. Your responses should address the point Emerson is making as well as your thoughts/feelings about what he is saying.

4. We boil at different degrees.

9. What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered.

13. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.

We all boil at different degrees. Emerson is saying that every person is different, so their breaking point is too. Instead of thinking like everyone is exactly like you and will get angry at the same time you do, realize that everyone thinks differently, so things will affect them differently too. Some people will get angry at the smallest things, and some take a long time to get angry. I agree with what he is saying. It makes sense and it is true. No two people are exactly the same, so no two people get angry at the exact same time over the exact same thing.

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered. It is like a new kid at school. You don’t know who they are or what they are like. They are outsiders to the whole school. Eventually they will find their way and make a little niche for themselves and fit in somewhere. However, it takes time to make this happen. This also makes sense. Everyone has to find their own place, it just takes time. It takes time for people to see who you really are and get to know you as well.

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. Live life to the fullest. You can’t hold back anything, because eventually you will look back on your life and wish that you had done some things that you didn’t. And never regret doing anything, because you learn from those mistakes and experiences. I think this is a great quote. We all do have to get out there and live our lives to the absolute fullest. I know I want to, because when I get old and look back on my life, I want to know that I did everything(or almost everything) that I wanted to, and be happy with that.

Journal 7

William Cullen Bryant’s “To a Waterfowl” (p.151) and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” (p.181)

Read the selections and write a detailed response to the following:

1. Compare/contrast the different views of nature that are being presented in the poems. Refer to the list of classical and romantic characteristics and provide specific examples from the poems to support your analysis.
   
   In “To a Waterfowl”, the view of nature is more serene and harmonious. The narrator is a viewer, but not actually connected to the story. It is not an emotional point of view, it is an orderly materialistic portrayal of the scene. There is a message, but it is not emotional or imaginative. The poem is more plain than ornate. The poem takes place at sunset when it’s calm and peaceful. The speaker is happy and optimistic.
   “The Raven” is gloomy and dark. There is a much more personal and emotional tone. Nature is indifferent or torturous which brings out the man’s emotions. This also brings out paranoia in the man because he feels like nature is hurting him. The poem itself is ornate and difficult to find an answer to. There is no resolution or knowing at the end. It takes place on a dark dreary night in December. There is more of a depressing feeling and the speaker is crazy.
   Of course both poems are about birds and a man interacting with the bird. The poems have good rhyming and structure.