Journal 13

Journal #13 – Edgar Lee Masters Epitaphs (p. 502)

Read “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” and answer the following questions.

1. What object symbolizes George Gray’s life? How is this object representative of him?

The object that symbolizes him is the furled sail. It symbolizes him because he is the kind of person that shys away from others and doesn’t adventure towards love. He is a furled sail because he is closed and reserved, and he isn’t open to the world.

2. How was Lucinda Matlock’s life different than George Gray’s? How do you interepret the last line of the poem?

Lucinda’s life was different because she went out and did things with others. She didn’t stay on the sidelines in the shadows. Instead, she played games, danced, and got married, as well as raised 12 children. She did and became what every woman at that time strived to be.

3. How are “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” examples of realism?

They’re standard in many ways. They may not be very similar, but they are average lives. Some may live to be old with a big family, while others may live out their lives without anyone to love.

Journal 12

1. “Young Goodman Brown” is an allegory (symbolic narrative). What do the following represent?

Young Goodman Brown – symbolizes the fall of man. He is a good young man, but he is an average person who can fall under temptation just like anyone else.

Faith – she represents faith in others, and in society.

The Elderly Traveller/Fellow-Traveller – the devil, temptation, evil, man’s true nature

Goody Cloyse – hypocrisy, projecting an image, and being different on the inside

The Ceremony – acceptance of your internal flaws

The Pink Ribbon – purity, faith, good in the world, and when the ribbon dropped you realize that that is just a delusion.

Young Goodman Brown’s Journey – the journey of life, going from inexperienced and naïve, to the better understanding of everything.

2. Identify the following for “Young Goodman Brown”:

Theme Message of Theme Element Used to Establish

Faith and Sin You start out faithful, symbols

but then you realize that

the world has become

a much darker place as

you've gotten older

In addition, provide three direct quotes from the story that address your theme.

But, irreverently consorting with these grave, reputable, and pious people, these elders of the church, these chaste dames and dewy virgins, there were men of dissolute lives and women of spotted fame, wretches given over to all mean and filthy vice, and suspected even of horrid crimes. It was strange to see that the good shrank not from the wicked, nor were the sinners abashed by the saints. (Hawthorne)

By the sympathy of your human hearts for sin ye shall scent out all the places—whether in church, bedchamber, street, field, or forest—where crime has been committed, and shall exult to behold the whole earth one stain of guilt, one mighty blood spot. (Hawthorne)

Come, devil: for to thee is this world given. (Hawthorne)

Journal 11

Journal 11 - Selections from Walden

Write a summary of the following selections and identify a direct quote that you feel best expresses its main idea.

“Where I Lived and What I Lived For” (232)

You think that technology results in connection, when it actually results in disconnection. You lose who you really are and stop thinking about what’s really essential. Writes about his time in the forest and what he sees. “To front only the essential facts of life.”

Quote: “We do not ride on the railroad, the railroad rides on us”

“Sounds” (234)

This passage is about the unique way of nature and how everyday is full of different sounds and images. The narrator is stating that as he watches each day pass from morning to night, he realizes that he is not wasting his time because he is admiring the way nature can chance in just moments. He is living in the present as he experiences the sounds of nature. He notices that live is beautiful and it is important that you should not miss it.

Quote: “I had this advantage, at least, in my mode of life, over those who were obliged to look abroad for amusement, to society and the theatre, that my life itself was become my amusement and ceased to be a novel.”

“Brute Neighbors” (235)

People fight over petty things. The black and red ants are meant to satirize war and fighting over unimportant things in life. He talks about the brutality of war and he thinks it’s funny that he can sit back and watch the ants fight. But then he begins to realize how similar they are to humans with the way they fight.

Quote: “And the results of this battle will be as important and memorable to those whom it comcerns as those of the battle of Bunker Hill”

“The Pond in Winter” (237)

Nature in which creatures live and flourish, there is no question, it just shows how beautiful it is. A pond in winter shows its own new beauty, but underneath that the original beauty is still there. Nature looks at rest, but life is thriving beneath the surface.

Quote: “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our head”

“Spring” (238)

Spring is when everything really flourishes. You are beginning to become overwhelmed with all the sights, sounds, and smells that come from plants beginning to blossom. The renewal of spring represents his own renewal coming out from the woods and being ready to take on the world again.

Quote: “The coming in of sring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.”

Journal 10

Othello’s Insight

Write a one paragraph response to the following question:

Often at the end of a play, Shakespeare’s tragic heroes often have a moment of insight. What is Othello’s insight? Look closely at Othello’s last speech before answering this question.

Othello realizes many things when he makes his last speech. His major realization is that he had everything he wanted threw it away by believing the wrong person. He hated himself for what he had done to the ones he loved. He also really regretted not trusting his wife who loved him more than anything, but instead trusting a “friend” who only wanted what would benefit himself only. Othello was full of remorse for what he had done to his wife and his friend, Cassio, but he wanted to still be recognized as a respected soldier and leader like he was before he had fallen under Iago’s tricks and deception.

Journal 9

9Free Will - The power of making free choices that are unconstrained by external circumstances or by an agency such as fate or divine will.

Iago: “'tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our
gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners” (1.3 361-3).

Determinism - The philosophical doctrine that every event, act, and decision is the inevitable consequence of antecedents, such as genetic and environmental influences, that are independent of the human will.

Othello: “Yet ‘tis the plague of great ones … ‘tis destiny unshunnable, like
death” (3.3 313-16).

Using the above definitions, write a paragraph that argues in support of each of the terms. In your paragraphs, use specific examples from Othello to support your ideas.

The free will statement is true. Free will means that one can make decisions on their own. It is not destined by fate or divine will, and it is not forced by outside sources. Othello chose to believe Iago and listen to what he had to say about both Desdemona, the woman he loved, as well as Cassio, his right hand man. He was not forced to do so, he believed on his own accord. However, this all was considered to be predetermined, even Othello says his life is, along with the surrounding influences. This predetermined act is not based on what he has done or thought, though.

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.