Reflection: 2 Fireside Poems Analysis

The two poems that I chose to analyze were "Flowers-de-Luce Hawthorn" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and "Sun and Shadow" by Oliver Wendell Holmes. Both of the poems were very good examples of the romanticism writing style, even though they were written by different people. I learned as I read through them that their meanings are both related to nature. Nature is a big part of the romanticism writing.

In "Flowers-de-Luce Hawthorn," the quote "The lovely town was white with apple-blooms, and the great elms o'erhead dark shadows wove on their aerial looms shot through with golden tread," shows me a great deal of detail in just a couple of lines. I can see apple trees all over the place and tall elm trees that cast shadows on the town with the golden sunlight just seeping through. Henry Longfellow was know for using emotion is his poems. His poem really appeals to my senses and my emotions because there is a lot of thought behind his words. I can tell that he is bringing back his memories when he sees these certain things through town and that they have an impact on him. Another quote that I liked from the poem was "Across the meadows, by the old gray manse, the historic river flowed; I was as one who wanders in a trance, unconscious of his road" because I found it very powerful and meaningful. He trusts himself a lot to be able to say that. I think he was trying to get the point across that he does not know where he is going, but he takes it one step at a time, draws everything in, and even though he may be distracted sometime, he does not always have to worry about the road he is on. I just found the quote really inspiring that he trusts his own intuition so much.

In the second poem, "Sun and Shadow" was a more humorous poem to me. It was all about nature and the different things that you see out at see. There was a pretty good message to it I think. I took away from the poem that people are still going to see you whether you are in the sun or in the shadows. In his poem he talks about this from the aspect of the sea, and seeing the captain on the boat, but when I think about it, I tend to compare it to life and how people are going to see me if I am in the spotlight or if I conform with others. The nature descriptions in this poem are very vivid. For example, the quote "As I look from the isle, o'er its billows of green, to the billows of foam-crested blue, yon bark that afar in the distance is seen, half dreaming my eyes will pursue: Now dark in the shadows, she scatters the spray" is a really vivid quote to me because he used so many characteristics like color and objects to describe the view that was being seen.

I could not find a criticism over these two poems, but when I compared them I found many similarities and differences. I find Oliver's poem to be funnier than Longfellow's. They both do a really good job of matching romanticism characteristics. I find that both of them were easy to read and understand because the messages were really clear. I think that they were both very good poems, based on nature aspects.

Holmes, Oliver W. "Sun and Shadow." PoemHunter.com. Web. 9 Dec. 2011. <http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/oliver_wendell_holmes_2004_9.pdf>


Longfellow, Henry W. "Flowers-de-Luce Hawthorn." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: A Maine Historical Society Web Site. Miane. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. <http://www.hwlongfellow.org/poems_poem.php?pid=309>.

Journal #20: Autumn Poem

The poem is very short, so it is hard to write 325 words over the poem. The title "Autumn" is obviously going to be showing us the time of year in which the poem is based off of. The first line of the poem talks about when the rain comes, marking the time of the autumn season. After looking up the meaning of wain, I figured out that the that the oxen are attached to a vehicle that is used for transporting agriculture. From the next line, I can see them standing like the empire and the king, Then from the next lines, I learn that the royal hand is outstretched with blessings, sending them across the land. Then, the shield of the night is the red harvest moon. The moon is located far beneath the heavens, just hanging like an eave in the sky. The steps of the night are by the farmers, who are sending their prayers of a good harvest. In the next line, the sheaves, or the wood is burning, which is probably representing the fire that kept people warm. Today, the flame of sheaves would be like a bonfire. The last line just talks about how the golden leaves are suspended all over the ground, which is one of the characteristics of autumn. This is a good representation of a fireside poem and the romanticism writing because it talks a lot about nature. Nature plays a big aspect in the romanticism writing. In Henry Longfellow's poems, he usually appeals to the emotions of the reader. I feel calm when I read this poem because it is about autumn, which is a comfortable, relaxing time of the year. Also the imagination in this poem is a characteristic of romanticism. When he compares the oxen and the banners to other things in the past, it is almost like he values the past more, and does not really trust the future that much, and that is another characteristic of the romanticism writing period.

Analysis of The Secret of the Sea

The poem I choose to analyze was Henry Longfellow's poem called "The Secret of the Sea." I found the poem pretty easy to understand. After reading it three times through, I picked up on little things that I missed while reading it for a first and second time. Henry Longfellow was an American writer who appealed to the emotions in his work. As I read his poem, that was evident. In the lines " For the secret of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me," he appeals to my emotions because I feel wonder and mysterious. It is almost like he does not quite know the secrets of the ocean, or experienced the heart of the sea, yet they intrigue him and make him excited. The poem reflects the romanticism writing because the whole poem deals with nature, and nature is a major aspect of the romanticism writing. The nature in the poem influences dreams and memories. Imagination, which could also go along with dreams and memories is another big aspect of romanticism writing.

There are not really any criticisms over "The Secret of the Sea" because it was not one of Henry Longfellow's major poems. So, I analyzed it myself. In the first stanza of the poem "Ah! What pleasant visions haunt me as I gaze upon the Sea! All the old romantic legends, All my dreams, come back to me," I took away that Henry is standing by the sea, reminiscing on the old legends and dreams he once had about the sea. In the second stanza "Sails of silk and ropes of sandal, such as gleam in ancient lore; And the singing of the sailors, and the answer from the shore," I envisioned the sails of the ship out on the sea were radiant in the sunlight, while listening to the singing sailor's that were answered my the echo of the shore. In the another stanza, "How he heard the ancient helmsmen chant a song so wild and clear, that the sailing sea-bird slowly, poised upon the mast to hear," I see a bird that sitting at the top of the mast, which holds the sails to listen as the helmsmen of the ship, or the person who steers the ship sings his sailing song loud and clear. In another one of the stanzas, "Woulds't thou--the Helmsmen answered, learn the secret of the sea? Only those who brave its dangers comprehend its mystery," shows me that the only people who can really understand the mystery of the sea are the ones who have been at sea and experienced the troubles in which being brave is the only option.

I feel like this poem really does appeal to my emotions because it really makes me think about my dreams, and then I image myself standing next to the sea, just looking at the horizon and recollecting all my thoughts. I too know that the sea is overwhelming with its beauty and also its space. I do not know the mystery of the sea because of I have not lived the sailor life, or experienced the troubles of the oceans, but when I stand next to the sea, I feel relaxed, and everything slowly starts to come back to me, like Henry Longfellow mentioned.

"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Poem: The Secret of the Sea." Read Book Online: Literature Books,novels,short Stories,fiction,non-fiction, Poems,essays,plays,Pulitzer Prize, Nobel Prize. Web. 07 Dec. 2011. <http://www.readbookonline.net/read/3149/12724/>.

Comparison: Rip Van Winkle and The Devil and Tom Walker

I actually enjoyed reading "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Devil and Tom Walker." They were both very interesting stories, that in a way had the same message and closely followed the romanticism writing style. "The Devil and Tom Walker" was one of the more descriptive stories I have ever read. All in all, the story could be summed up in a couple paragraphs, but in actuality it is about ten pages long, which shows how descriptive the writing is, and how things are being carried out. In "Rip Van Winkle," I experienced the same story line, just told in a different perspective.  I like how the stories have the same detail about the wives constantly nagging them and persistently putting them down or yelling at them.

As for the actual writing style, both of the short stories are examples of romanticism writing. For example, one characteristic of romanticism writing is the seeking unspoiled nature. In "The Devil and Tom Walker," Tom ends up going to the Indian Fort that not many people visit because they are too afraid of the things that happened there. To Tom, that is sort of like unspoiled nature because it is not a place that many people visit and he goes there and can sort of clear his mind of all thoughts. It is also a place where he can go to escape the wrath of his wife at times.

In "Rip Van Winkle," there is a seen where the men are sitting and gossiping about news in the town, where it is mentioned if a newspaper were to fall in their laps they would read and discuss the issues. I find this as an example of how the characters value their opinion as compared to the educated sophistication of others. "
But it would have been worth any statesman’s money to have heard the profound discussions which sometimes took place, when by chance an old newspaper fell into their hands, from some passing traveler." The above quote shows me that Rip Values the opinions that were told in the meetings over the government rulers, which is a characteristic of the romanticism writing. 

Another aspect of the stories is the nature that is found in them. The nature described is always vivid and detailed. Nature played an important role in romanticism writing, which was reflected in both of the short stories. In "The Devil and Tom Walker," the quote "It was full of pits and quagmires, partly covered with weeds and mosses; where the green surface often betrayed the traveler into a gulf of black smothering mud; there were also dark and stagnant pools, the abodes of the tadpole, the bull frog, and the water snake, and where trunks of pines and hemlocks lay half drowned, half rotting, looking like alligators, sleeping in the mire," is the most vivid quote of the whole story for me. I can really image the swamp he is travelling through and get a mental picture of what is happening. In "Rip Van Winkle," the quote "On the other side he looked down into a deep mountain glen, wild, lonely, and shagged, the bottom filled with fragments from the impending cliffs, and scarcely lighted by the reflected rays of the setting sun," gives me a clear picture of the mountains and the transition from day to evening. 

Overall, I like the stories and how they portrayed the same message, but had entirely different writing styles to get the message across. They both follow the romanticism writing style, and can closely be compared to each other considering they were written by the same person.

Irving, Washington. "The Devil and Tom Walker." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 240-250. Print.

Matthews, Washington Irving. "4. Rip Van Winkle By Washington Irving. Matthews, Brander. 1907. The Short-Story." Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. 

Reflection Blog: Thanatopsis

William Cullen Bryant's poem greatly reflects the romanticism time period. When searching for a criticism on Bloom's Literacy, I found a one, that depicts the aspects of nature in Bryant's poem. Of course, the criticism was hard to understand because of the college level writing style that is used, but from what I understood, I do not think that the criticism favored William Bryant's poem that much. I could tell because in the criticism. the author stated that "Part of being human is understanding that you must die. The problem with William Cullen Bryant's poem is how to live with this certainty." I can tell that death was more inviting in the first part of William's poem because he talks about nature, and how nature spiritually helps with death and coping with death. As the poem progresses though, I agree more with the criticism that death becomes harder to understand. There are many visual aspects in the poem, highly regarded with nature. Nature is a main characteristic of romanticism writing, which also helps set up the poem. I think of nature as a basis for what the poem talks about, considering nature is much more of a pure place to really express oneself. Nature has the ability to create visual pictures through words, which really help me to understand the poem. In the criticism though, the author makes a good point when he says "nature, in this poem's conceit, is more teacher than companion." Mainly all the words referenced in the poem are dealing with nature. This is because in order to understand death, one must understand and take in accountability of nature. No matter how young or old someone is, there is always a possibility of death. Even though one may be young, there is always that time where understanding death is very useful. When one looks around and there are other people dying, it is good to know, that it can happen to anyone, and to be prepared. Nature in the poem is more a leader, because it helps us to comprehend the aspects of death. The poem actually has a dark subject matter when you really think about it. Some of the words are really cheery, but the overall message is all about death. The criticism I used explains that mortality, or the state of being subject to death is constantly being reminded through the nature in the poem. I think the best part of the poem is reinforced in the very last part, where nature is telling us to be profound in our faith and to truly believe. I think it is a more uplifting point to the matter at hand, which also gives readers a sense of hope. The poem has a sense of individuality. Since all people experience and cope with death differently, we all take away from this poem. Even though the criticism does not agree entirely with William's poem, I think that the poem has two sides. One side compares nature as our leader, and the other compares our faith side and individuality when facing the subject matter of death.

 Byant, William C. "Thanatopsis." PoemHunter.com. 13 May 2001. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/thanatopsis/>.r


 Huff, Randall. "'Thanatopsis'." The Facts On File Companion to American Poetry, vol. 1. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CPAP0402&SingleRecord=True (accessed November 22, 2011).

Journal #19 Importance of Nature

The blog for today reminds me a lot of the Lion King, because they talk about the circle of life and they also live in the wilderness. I think that nature is very important to spirituality because people who are really religious tend to go to nature, where everything is pure and they can kind of escape their lives for a while. For example, when people go camping and hiking, they usually are not around technology and rely on the land. Nature helps spirituality because it helps take away all aspects of life, so that you can focus. In the Lion King though, the animals eat each other and the land, but its a circle of life because they all have a place and everything has a purpose. When someone dies spirituality plays a major role in the decisions they make during the death process. Nature is one of the big factors because there is some people who would rather not be buried in the ground after their body dies. Other people want to be cremated and either their ashes are kept or they are thrown somewhere indicated in the person's will. I think that determining what to do with a body after death is chosen because of someone's spirituality and their views on nature. In life though, many people do use nature as a place of worship. Like in the movie "The Proposal" Sandra Bulluck meets with Ryan Reynold's grandma and ended up staying to "chant" in the woods with her. It showed that just by putting on nature sounds, and clearing your mind, that you can actually worship the spirits of nature. Nature helps a person speak their mind because they can never be judged by nature. Nature is not something that we can control, so it is very easy to connect our spirituality with nature, I think. I have personally never chanted in the woods or really worshiped in nature, but I do believe it could be a much purer place where you can clear your mind of all thoughts and get a lot more accomplished.

Reflection Blog: Romanticism Comparison

Well, I have been researching poems that were created by the fireside poets. One interesting one that I found is called Sand of the Desert in an Hour-Glass by Henry Longfellow. It was a very interesting poem. One thing about the romanticism writing is that in order to fully understand the poem, you must break it down into parts and figure out the true meaning. Romanticism was a reaction the rationalism time period, but the romanticism defines more of the emotional and feeling aspect towards situations, whereas the rationalism period is more about thinking logically and everything having a logical purpose. One characteristic of the romanticism time period is valuing feels and intuition over logical reasoning. In Henry Longfellow's poem, as he is describing the sand, he talks about possible situations that may have happened out in the desert where the sand was taken from. One part of intuition is a gut feeling, in other words you don't really know why or how something is the way it is, so you think of possibilities, which is exactly what Henry did. "Perhaps the feet of Moses, burnt and bare, crushed it beneath their tread; or Pharaoh's flashing wheels into the air scattered it as the sped" That quote shows that Henry is thinking about the possibilities of what the sand has overcome, as he is just looking at it through an hour-glass. Another major characteristic of the romanticism time period is looking for beauty in the imagination. In Henry's poem, he envisions the sand in the quote "and as I gaze, these narrow walls expand; before my dreaming eye stretches the desert with its shifting sand, its unimpeded sky." From that quote, his imagination is taking him to the desert in which the sand is from. He is thinking about the desert, with the winds that are constantly moving the sand, always shifting, and then it meets the unpreventable or open sky. Another characteristic visible in his poem was looking back towards the past for wisdom and purpose, but once he started thinking about the sand in more modern terms, he turned toward his imagination. He talks about the sand in terms of Mary and the Christ of Nazareth, Moses, the Pharaoh, Mecca's pilgrims, the Ishmaelites, and the anchorites, explaining possible situations when they could have encountered the sand from the desert. When he looks at the hour-glass though in modern terms, he looks towards nature and his imagination for its explanation. Almost like he depends on the history, but the future has little hope. 
Overall, I think the poem does a really good job at showing the romanticism time period. As compared to the Puritans, who played all their reasoning for everything on God. God was the main person for them, whereas the romanticists focus on imagination and past experiences. The rationalism period was more focused on logical reasoning, so they actually searched for scientific explanations for situations. I think the time periods all go together though because they build off each other. First they started with just believing in God, then they moved to believing in God, but figuring maybe he was was not in charge of everything, that there could be other reasoning, and then to figuring out the use of imagination and using the past to help generate the future. 




http://www.readbookonline.net/read/3149/12731/

Journal #18 A perfect Autumn Day

The perfect autumn day is around 70 degrees when all you need is a light jacket and some jeans. I think that a light breeze is amazing on an autumn day, where it cools off the air around you, but does not make you too cold. The leaves are all on the ground in their red, orange, and yellow colors. The leaves make the ground look very colorful. First I would wake up at dawn and outside the sun would be rising in the air. I would then go to the bike path and run on the trail. Then I would come home and make a big breakfast! Then I would meet up with my friends and we would go for a picnic. I would pack up the picnic basket and we would go to the park. We would set up on the top of the hill in the park and stay there for awhile, just talking and soaking up the day. Then,  I would come back home and take a shower, so I can plan my night. My night would be amazing. After I shower, I would get ready for a bonfire. Autumn nights are always so cool that sitting by a fire is like the perfect thing to do. The fire is always so warm and when you are with your friends, it always makes things better. So basically I would have a girls night. The girls night would last all night. During this time we would talk, gossip, stargaze, and do things that normal girls would do. I think that the perfect autumn day also revolves around the people I am with. If I am with my friends, it will be a good time. I think that the people that make my day should be the ones I surround myself with. Other than that, the perfect autumn day depends on how I spend my time with those people. I like to be busy during the day, but I like my nights to be calmer and more relaxing. The weather really makes the perfect day too. It should not be too hot or cold during the day, but also not too cold at night.

Journal #17 Bonding with Nature

One time I bonded with nature. It was a big surprise, because that does not happen very often. I went camping with my friends on a weekend. They had a camper that we stayed in, or we could choose to sleep in tents. Even though we wanted to stay in tents, we decided that it was too cold and we were going to stay in the camper. Before we went to bed though, we made a fire outside and huddled around the fire in our blankets. We were all warm and making s'mores. We ended up staying up for hours and talking about everything in our lives. We were one with nature. We went on a hike to look around the campsite. Since I was new to the site, I was showed all the trails and everything we could take. We were definitely bonding with nature at this time. Another time that I bonded with nature was I was at my house. There was a full moon outside and the night sky looked so beautiful. I was with Kirsten and Arianna. We were dancing in the street, and acting weird like usual, but that's just us. We were tired, so we brought pillows down from my porch and we laid down on my driveway. Our heads were all in the middle, and we were facing different directions. We sat and watched the stars for a few hours. The planes went by really fast. We watched for shooting stars and the big and little dipper. We brought out hot chocolate too. We were bonding with nature then because we were outside, looking at nature all around us. We were appreciating everything that was around us. Another time I bonded with nature was when I went night swimming!    We were bonding with nature then because nature was the only thing around us. We had the midnight sky around us and we had all the nature sounds. Even though the sounds got annoying at times, it was almost relaxing. Mixed with the water in the pool, nature just completed the setting.

Journal #16- Tools

Some possible tools that I could use to communicate with my partners is the computer and my phone. I could use email or gmail. I get gmail sent to my phone so I can constantly check it if I need to. I also check gmail on my computer basically every night before I go to bed. My main way of communication would probably be through texting. I respond to texts really fast because my phone is always sitting by my side. Texting would be the best way to get a hold of me because I check my phone more than I check my computer. Another way to get a hold of me would be through twitter. Twitter is really easy for me to use because I check twitter everyday, even throughout the day, while I am at school. I get twitter notifications sent to my phone, so I would be able to respond quickly to people. If none of these tools work, I am also on faceSome possible tools that I could use to communicate with my partners is the computer and my phone. I could use email or gmail. I get gmail sent to my phone so I can constantly check it if I need to. I also check gmail on my computer basically every night before I go to bed. My main way of communication would probably be through texting. I respond to texts really fast because my phone is always sitting by my side. Texting would be the best way to get a hold of me because I check my phone more than I check my computer. Another way to get a hold of me would be through twitter. Twitter is really easy for me to use because I check twitter everyday, even throughout the day, while I am at school. I get twitter notifications sent to my phone, so I would be able to respond quickly to people. If none of these tools work, I am also on facebook. Facebook is checked on my phone everyday and usually when I get home too. If I get a friend request, I am pretty good at accepting it really fast, but if not, you do not have to be my friend to send me a message. All of these tools are checked constantly by me. Also I can take calls on my phone too, but I do not like to talk on the pone as much. I will still answer the calls and that would be another way someone could get in touch with me. These tools are all very important to me and I know that I would be able to communicate with my partners through at least one of these tools if not all of them. So I am a very easy person to get a hold of if they have questions, comments, or just want to discuss the project. book. Facebook is checked on my phone everyday and usually when I get home too. If I get a friend request, I am pretty good at accepting it really fast, but if not, you do not have to be my friend to send me a message. All of these tools are checked constantly by me. Also I can take calls on my phone too, but I do not like to talk on the pone as much. I will still answer the calls and that would be another way someone could get in touch with me. These tools are all very important to me and I know that I would be able to communicate with my partners through at least one of these tools if not all of them. I do not really have a preferred method of contact. Any one I listed above works for me. It just depends on the other people in my group and what works best for them. So, I am a very easy person to get a hold of if they have questions, comments, or just want to discuss the project.

Journal #15 Overcoming the Challenges

To overcome the challenges of working with people from other schools, or areas is difficult because you do not have face to face access to them, but it also works out better. Since there is distance, it makes each person complete their own role. Since they are in your group, but far away, you cannot rely on them to complete sections of a project that do not belong to them. Each person has to complete their own role. To overcome the challenges, you have to find the easiest ways to communicate. I would like to communicate by phone, because that is my preferred method of contact. Texting is my main way of talking to people because I always have my phone and I respond very quickly. I also talk on the phone, but I only talk for a certain amount of time because I do not like talking to people on the phone that much. My second method of contact would be email. I get my gmail sent directly to my phone and I can reply right from my phone, so I always have access. Besides that, I usually check my email every night so I can clear out my inbox. I think to overcome the challenges, you have to find a balance between groups. You have to find times where you both can talk to each other when you are not busy and you have to make time to work on the project. I think that working with people from other schools is an easy task if you take the time and really figure out what the other person's needs are. When you work with people from other schools, it is difficult because sometimes talking face to face makes more sense and you can actually discuss your perspective, so in that sense you loose a little bit of understanding, but I think

Reflection Blog: Franklin's virtues

Ben Franklin's virtues were like a foundation for the ideal person. His virtues are very specific and to most people are hard to follow. I think that his virtues made him a better person because since he made them, he is more inclined to follow them. His virtues were logical rules that could help him in his daily life. By applying these rules to his life, he had the ability to become a better person. In Tuckerman's criticism, I think that he liked Franklin and respected his virtues. I think this because Tuckerman had a positive view toward Franklin's virtues. He even quoted "If we glance at the subjects and occasions of his tracts, letters, reports, paragraphs, and essays, we shall find that they embrace the whole circle of questions important to his country and his age,—morals, the economy of life, commerce, finance, history, and politics" (Tuckerman). Based on that comment alone, we see that Tuckerman likes Franklin's virtues. When we look at his writings, his words apply to every part of our lives. That is what I took from that quote.


Tuckerman's criticism was a very long document, but had some really interesting points. He thinks that Franklin's virtues were a basis for the ideas and advances we have today. According to Tuckerman, Franklin is a philosopher (Tuckerman). A philosopher is a person who understands and spreads ideas to answer the questions of life. I agree that Franklin is a philosopher because his virtues were like answers to the problems people had in life. 


Franklin did a good job of keeping up with his virtues. He went through his virtues and added one each week. He completed going through his virtues in 13 weeks. After he finished the virtues, he started over again and kept going for a year. This made him a better person I think because he was following his own advice. Franklin was very practical (Tuckerman). He planned everything out. He knew what he wanted his virtues to accomplish when he first started making them and he worked hard towards that goal. The virtues are hard to achieve, because the average person has to give up a lot of things just to follow the virtues, but they are such a great reward and anyone can achieve the virtues if they have the motivation to follow them.


Tuckerman had a very high respect for Franklin because through his criticism I could tell that he had good opinions on his virtues. He only had good comments towards Tuckerman and the rules. He thought that his virtues were answers to all people's questions (Tuckerman). The quote that I like best from Tuckerman is "His name was not only an honorable passport among the learned, but an endeared watchword to the humble" (Tuckerman). I like that quote because it shows that all people can learn about him and his virtues. Franklin was a very flexible person. His virtues and view on life and problem solving was able to help all people, just in different ways.


Franklin, Benjamin, and Leonard Woods Labaree. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New Haven: Yale UP, 1964. Print. 

Tuckerman, Henry T. "The Character of Franklin." Facts on File. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

Reflection Blog: Ben Franklin's Autobigography

Ben Franklin's autobiography was very interesting to read. It was not really what I expected. He follows a lot of deism rules and concepts in his work. He is one of the most famous deists in history too.

In his autobiography, it first talks about him setting up a library. He works very hard to establish this library and for people to get more involved in books. His love for books is overwhelming. He reads a lot and on Sundays he studies instead of going to worship. Even the preacher wants him to start coming to worship, but he believes that the points made in the sermon are not right, so he continues his studies instead of attending worships on Sundays (Franklin 146). One aspect of deism is that people who believe in deism do not feel the need to going to worship every day, or on Sundays, because God is present in daily life and there is no need to worship him in the church when he created the world we live in (Beyer, Catherine). Deists believe that God does not need to be communicated with through prayer, but by studying the world in which he created (Beyer, Catherine). Ben Franklin had his own personal prayer that he used for his own personal use, but he did not attend the worship because he studied on Sundays (Franklin 144). His first virtue, "temperance" to me is all about control. I think the underlying theme is you have the power to control your life. He had the control on whether or not he attended church on Sundays and whether or not he prayed. Temperance was all about keeping the mind clear, so logical decisions could be made (Franklin 149). The second virtue, "Silence" is all about knowing when to speak and when to keep quiet (Franklin 149). The deists were not afraid to speak their mind, mainly because they were logical thinkers and they could persuade people to believe them. The third virtue, "Order" is all about letting things occur natural and to let the order of life happen (Franklin 149). The fourth virtue, "Resolution" is about finish what you start, and striving to start something new (Franklin 149). The fifth virtue, "Frugality" is saying not to waste time and spend time helping others (Franklin 149). The sixth virtue, "Industry" is about using your time wisely, but also in something that you love and can help others (Franklin 149). The seventh virtue, "Sincerity" is basically saying treat others how you want to be treated because comments can hurt (Franklin 149). The eight virtue, "Justice" is about doing nothing wrong, and if you do, than admit to it (Franklin 150). The ninth virtue, "Moderation" is basically saying do not be greedy (Franklin 150). The tenth virtue, "Cleanliness" is all about having good hygiene (Franklin 150). The eleventh virtue, "Tranquility" is about not letting the little things bother you (Franklin 150). The twelfth virtue, "Chasity" is self explanatory, but all people have their different views (Franklin 150). The final virtue, " Humility" is basically to mock or imitate Jesus (Franklin 150). These all represent deism because each virtue has a logical reasoning, where as the Puritans give everything to God. God did not create the virtues, so he has no control in this aspect. The deists believe that they can choose to follow the virtues or not, but either way God was not a part.

Beyer, Catherine. "Deism - What Is Deism? - Beliefs of Deists." Alternative Religions. About.com. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. <http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/p/Deism.htm>.


Tipton, Brutus C. "Deism: A New Beginning." Welcome To The Deism Site! World Union of Deists. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. <http://www.deism.com/deismbeginning.htm>

Journal #14: The Apprentice

If I were Ben Franklin's apprentice, I would follow him around all day. I would help him write and help him think of the American Dream. I would be a big help to him. I would organize all his papers and help him with his thoughts. I would get him his food and drink, so he can focus at all times during the day. He would be my mentor. I would learn valuable lessons from him that I could use for my own life. I would have to be really smart to be Ben Franklin's apprentice. He would need to be my teacher, and I would be his student. I would learn how to be like him and learn how to make my own life model the American dream. I think that if I were his apprentice, I would be his helper. When he needs me to sharpen his pencils, or refill his ink, or get him some new paper, I will be there for him. I would be more of a servant than an apprentice because he would be so focused on his work that I would end up doing everything for him. Being his apprentice would be such a hard job because I have big shoes to fill. I would have to live up to all of his accomplishments and be someone he can trust. That would be very hard to do for a man who is so busy trying to change the world. I think that he would be very appreciative of my help, but he would also take me for granted in a way. I do not think my help would be greatly recognized by him at all. I feel like he would be the type of person to just expect my help and not think anything more of it, but who knows. I would be there for him when he needed me, and I would back off when I feel the need to.

Journal #13 The American Dream

I think that the American Dream today is basically to survive. I know that the economy is horrible right now and people are struggling to live everyday. Money is becoming a lot tighter, people are loosing their jobs, and everyday there is a new struggle that we have to face. With the economy going horribly wrong right now, we have to do the best with what we have, which I think is making people become a lot more grateful than in the past. Once people start loosing things, others realize what they have. The real American Dream if the economy was not so bad would be to make money and become successful. People chase after money. Mainly because money is something we need in everyday life. Even though money cannot buy things such as happiness and love, we need money everyday to survive. The American Dream would be complete freedom. We would not be at war with anyone else if the American Dream were real. We would not have any go away to the war or even to train for the war because we would be at peace with everyone. We would all be equal. The American Dream is where everyone gets along. There would be no criminals, murders, gangs, or bad people in the world. The American Dream is living each day to the fullest because we never know when our last would be. The people would be in good moods every day because there would not be struggles that would make us upset or mad. The American Dream though is simply that, a dream. We cannot reach it because people do not take the time out and realize what is happening around them and make changes. The bad people we have in the world did that to themselves, they do not have to stay that way. War can easily be stopped, we can easily call a treaty. All of the affairs of the world can be resolved, but they aren't. Now we are all suffering from an American Dream, which cannot find the ways to improve its loopholes.

Journal #12: Making my Own Rules

If I could make my own rules about what is right and what is wrong, well I would never be doing anything wrong. Other people may be in the wrong, but I never would be. I would never get in trouble because everything I do would be right. I would first start by changing rules at school. School would not start at eight. School would start around 9:30 and then we would get out at about 1:30. Sounds like a great school day. We do not even have to each lunch, we can eat after school. We could have four classes a day and then we could go home. We would not be assigned a lot of homework. I have had so much homework this week it is unreal, so homework would not be a part of my new rules. Pace would be demolished. I hate pace right now because I can never finish my homework in there. I cannot focus on my homework in there and we cannot talk, so basically all I do is sit there. I would also change the rules at my house. I would not have a curfew. I could go wherever I want and stay out until whenever I want and not have to worry about getting in trouble. My parents would agree with me many things and they would give me mainly whatever I want. I would be one spoiled child if I could change the rules. The school and my house would have such different rules that other people would have trouble functioning, but I would not. I would like to change my own rules because then everything would apply to my life, and I would just have a better life all around. I think I am capable of making my own decisions, so I do not think it will be too hard to fend for myself and follow my own rules. We would have an all around better world if I could make my own rules!

Reflection Blog: Franklin's Writing

Franklin's writing reflects more of the rationalism period rather than the Puritan period because his writing is more logic and analytic thinking as compared to always referring things back to God. The rationalism style of writing uses more of the persuasive talking and figurative language. The Puritan period uses more of the straight to the point words and everything is based off of God. Franklin is a deist. He does not use God or reference religion in his autobiography. He was more of a man that God could go without mentioning, which is why he is no where near the Puritan writing style. He was an inventor. He created many things that helped the human race advance in technology. Not once did he mention that God helped him make his inventions. The Puritans believe that God is a part of everything that happened. They believe that God created the world and therefore he creates everything in it, no matter what. Well, that is what sets the two religious views apart from each other. The fact that Franklin is a deist helps his writing because at the time, he helped write the constitution and made technology advances. Instead of filling his autobiography up with all references to God, he uses the power and persuasion of his words to make people listen and read what he has to say.

Reflection Blog: The Crisis No. 1

As I was reading "The Crisis No. 1" I found myself being very confused. The story switches from facts to opinions all the time and I found the story a little hard to follow. "The Crisis No. 1" begins by talking about new settlers arriving on the Americas and they are very dependent on the British. The quote "The Summer Soldier and the Sunshine Patriot will, in the crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves love and thanks of man and woman," shows future development of the struggles that will later come in the story (Paine 134). My interpretation on the quote is that the people who stand the ground now for the crisis will be rewarded greater than those who shrink away, or shy away from the problem, or crisis.

I would compare "The Crisis No. 1" with the rationalistic time period. The story represents the rationalism time period because one of the main characteristics of rationalism is fairness and justice. In the story, Paine talks about two common scenarios and how you cannot pardon one and punish the other, which shows how the people are striving for equality (Paine 136).

Paine was one of the main leaders in the rationalism period because he was one of those people who strived to better the world and tried to perfect himself. He worked to make changes in the world just like those of Jefferson, Henry, and Washington. This is evident in the story because he backs up his causes with reason and logic. I believe the rationalism period is when many men began to recognize what was going wrong and focused on ways to fix it. The people of this time period were very smart and they made changes that not only affected the world then, but still do today. The leaders of this period were able to stand out and up for what they believed in. Since this was not common for most people, they believed what the leaders had to say without question. What I took away from this story is that everyone needs to be involved. The people need to show their capabilities and faith through the work that they do (Paine 136). I think that in other words he is trying to say that we are all the same and connected in some way, but we have the ability to be different and stand out. It would benefit the people to help out now after the terrible winter they suffered than to be cowardly and shy away from the problems they now face (Paine 136). The rationalism time period was all about fixing the problems and not just letting them lay. The leaders of the time period thought of solutions to the problems rather than letting them be for someone else to worry about. The quote "Not all the treasures in the world so far I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder," (Paine 136) is a very powerful quote because I feel like he is saying we have to want to engage and participate in the war and the problems. The people should not be persuaded, but instead volunteer and show their faith in the problems. The end result is greater if the people do things out of their own deeds rather than being bribed to do so to help the common good. Overall I think the story was very good at portraying rationalism because of its persuasive qualities of trying to involve the people.

 Paine, Thomas."The Crisis, No. 1." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 134-136. Print.

Journal #11: Aphorisms

"Anything that does not kill you will make you stronger." That famous aphorisms is said by the great Nietzsche. I think that the aphorism applies to my life because when you really think about it, it is so true. All the troubles that I have gone through and survived, I have only come out more on top. When I think about it, the aphorism just makes sense to me. It makes me appreciate what I have because some people are not as lucky as I am. Recently there has been many car crashes and lots of people have been dying, it makes me really think about how lucky I am every time I get back into my car. Every time someone has made a mistake on the road, I have become stronger, and I have become a better driver because of it. Every time there has been struggles between my family and me, I have become a lot closer to them because we actually have to talk it out. Every time there is a struggle with a guy, I am stronger for the next one. It does not matter what the situation is, I have come out stronger than before. Even when I look at the little things like my grades, I have become a stronger student every year and continue to get good grades. I have become a stronger dancer from practicing and trying. I have become stronger socially. I talk to my friends more and I am not afraid to go up and talk to people I do not normally talk to. Everything that has happened in my past has given me some insight for my future. Everything that has made me stronger is like future advice for me. I need to be lucky for what I have and appreciate that it might be gone. I am one of the lucky ones, and no matter what, the good and the bad have made me a lot stronger today than I was yesterday.

Reflection Blog: The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was in a way hard for me to understand. I do not know if it was the word usage or just the overall tone I picked up from the story, but I had a very hard time following what was happening.

As I was reading the Declaration of Independence, I picked up on some faulty propaganda that was used. One of the main ones I scoped out is called the name calling technique. In the name calling technique (Recognizing Propaganda), people are given a label, which sort of marks how other people perceive them. It is false because many people only get to see one side of a person, when there is always an underlying personality. The story tears the king down, which is one of the characteristics of name calling. Anyways, the name calling technique was used to bash the King of Britain basically (Thomas 123). There was a list included of past injuries and negative effects that led to a tyranny. Since the points sum up why the King of Brittain was bad, that is what people believe. Along with the bad things though, usually come some good things. The story forgets to mention the good things that the King of Britain has done. Another technique that I saw being used was using false information, almost contradiction (Recognizing Propaganda). It says in one part of the story that all men are created equal and that their rights cannot be taken away (Jefferson 122). I think that contradicts the point that if all men are created equal, then why are they bashing the king? Why is everyone not treated the same way? If we all have the same rights, shouldn't everyone be exposed to the same punishments and the same approval? I thought about these questions as I was reading the story. I think that the bandwagon technique is also used in the story (Recognizing Propaganda). Even though the list is not a positive one toward the king, the bandwagon technique builds up characteristics to make someone look good. Even though the list makes the king look really bad, it makes other people look really good. It is a persuasion technique the author uses to gain people to be on his side, rather than with the king who has supposedly cause them so much damage.

 I think that the whole document is mainly based on emotions. They are trying to lay down facts, but the thing is no one really knows if the statements are true Therefore, people are basing their opinions on what they hear. When they hear negative comments, they tend to develop a negative perception of who someone is. Another technique that is in possible use is poisoning the well. I think this technique is used because it is almost like a stereotype. Putting people into a certain category that alters, or people automatically assume, what kind of person they are. The use of faulty logic works with this document though. Even though there is hidden meanings in some of them, th argument is very moving and persuasive. People listened and that is when changes were made. I think to solve the issue of faulty logic, there should be solid facts, with solid proof. No matter what, the speaker has to be able to back up what he is saying.

Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration of Independence. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 120-124. Print.

Dspsweb@cuesta.edu. "Recognizing Propaganda--Guide to Critical Thinking--Academic Support."           Academic.cuesta.edu. Cuesta College. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/404.htm>.

Blog #10 Logic

I don't feel like it is exactly necessary to wait and do the vocab until Wednesday. The vocab is very easy and takes less than five minutes for me to do. But if I were trying to persuade you, here would be my argument:

Anyways, I think that we should do the vocab next Wednesday because we are getting a lot of homework today. We have to read a story and write a reflection blog tonight over the story. Along with that, we have been getting a lot of homework in class this week. I think that since we have actively participated in class discussions all week, and we have done a pretty good job, that we should not have to do the vocab until next week. I would rather just wait until the middle of the week, so I can focus on getting my other homework done tonight and have a homework free weekend. If we were to do the vocab on Wednesday, Since vocab only takes about five minutes, a good idea would be to work on the vocab during class one next Wednesday. If we waited to do the vocab on Wednesday, everyone would have it done then. Some people do not have internet access at their houses, or a computer to work on. Since this class is based on technology and using our computers, I think that we should wait until Wednesday so everyone has a fair chance of finishing. Also, it is typical for students to forget to do their homework if it is not right in front of them. Since the vocab would be on the computer and not in our book bags, there is an easier chance of us forgetting to do the homework in the first place. If we waited until Wednesday, when we would be reminded in class that our homework was vocab, we might have a better chance of remembering and finishing vocab that day. Students tend to wait to do their homework on Sunday night, and by that time, usually doing vocab on the computer has slipped their mind. If we were to do vocab on Wednesday, I think students will have a clearer mind and will be able to finish the vocab on time.

Reflection Blog:Speech to the Second Virginia Convention

Well, upon listening to the story being read, I felt like I was being lectured. The tone of the story is very persuasive. The speaker is trying to get people to see the light. He is using his ideas and his theories to show people the differences in what the world has done in the past, and has not work, and what we should do now in the future. The story uses many characteristics of the Rationalism time period.

One of the main characteristics I found in the story was the use of persuasion. The main character in the story uses persuasion so the President will make a change. I think that in a way, from the tone, he over-exaggerates things, which makes the people listen and realize what is really going on. He persuades people into believing everything he is telling him (Henry 117). A second characteristic that I saw was the use of figurative, or descriptive language. The language was full of detail I think because the author wanted the words to appeal to the senses. He wanted people to use their eyes to see what was happening and that the current plans were not working. He wanted the people to use their ears to hear the things he was saying and process the changes that were taking place. He wanted people to use their senses, so his words really appealed to the readers and made an impact on the people in the story. One of the big characteristics seen in this story in particular is the use of logical reasoning. The narrator in this story is uses his words, his logic, to explain changes that need to be made. He is using the facts he knows about the past and figuring out a way to make a better future for the people (Henry 117). When he is presenting these ideas, he has support to back him up. He uses logic so that no one can question him. He has logical reasoning for all of the problems and a logical solution for each of them. He keeps repeating his words in places which shows he is trying to emphasize something very important. In this case he is trying to emphasize the problems to the president and what he thinks would be a better solution, or what he would do instead.

 In the story, I also like how the narrator appeals to the readers emotions. Even though when I read the story I pictured an angrier tone, I still was moved by the speech. As a reader I wanted to believe what he was saying and wanted to agree with him. He took things to the extreme! When he said "Give me liberty, or give me death," that is a pretty big ultimatum (Henry 118). He is willing to be put on his death bed for liberty. He seeks peace and fairness. He seeks a plan that will work for the people, unlike the plans of the past. Overall, the very short story had a lot of meaning and displayed many characteristics of the Rationalism style of writing!

Henry, Patrick. "Speech to the Second Virginia Convention." American Literature. Columbus: Mc-Graw Hill, 2009. 114-18. Print.

Blog #9- Rational Approach

I remember a time when I was really upset. When I was about 10 years old, my grandpa died. I was very emotional. He was my idol and I loved him very much. As he was sick at his house, we visited him every week until he died. At the time my brother was just born. The trips were very hard on my brother because he was just a little baby and he cried the whole car rides. The trip to my grandpa's house was about an hour, so the trips were long for all of us, but worth it because we got to see him a lot before he passed. Well since I was young at the time, all I really knew was to get upset. I did not really know much better and I had only been to like one other funeral in my life. I was sad and upset that he was sick. My parents were very supportive. They were sad, but they helped me through it. They told me about heaven and that is where our loved ones go when they pass. They tried to explain to me that even though he was not here, he would still be with us. They told me that it is actually better when they pass because they go to a better place than we are at. They took a very calm approach with me because I did not really understand and I did not think it was fair. I loved my grandpa and once the trips stopped, I was very sad that I did not get the chance to see him anymore. He was sick with cancer. My parents tried their best to make me understand that sometimes these things just happen and it is no one's fault, and there was really nothing we could do. They used a more rational and practical approach to make me realize that there is another alternative to every situation. Even though it still upsets me at times, I just remember all the things that my parents told me and I feel a whole lot better.

Journal #8: Autumn

Autumn is probably one of the best times of they year. I like when the weather gets a little bit colder, and I can wear a sweatshirt and sweatpants. I like the activities that come with autumn. Usually there are bonfires on the weekend, and the weather is always so comfortable. I think autumn is one of my favorite times because I get to wear jeans and boots. I love boot season because my mom takes me shopping and whatever shoes she buys, I can wear also! I like the way that autumn is spelled. It is such an interesting word. Usually a person would say fall, but saying autumn is a lot more fun. The thing that I like is the weather most of all. Even though I have said it so many times already, the weather is beautiful. I like the day when it is not too hot, but its not too cold. The school is not that hot and it is just very comfortable throughout the day. Usually the sun is still shining and it is very nice out. The nights are colder, but with a sweatshirt and a pair of comfortable pants, it is pretty warm out. I do not really know what else there is to say about autumn. Autumn is when Halloween is. I love Halloween because I get to dress up in ridiculous outfits and still get candy even though I am 16. I am mad though, because Halloween is on a Monday this year, and so that means we have to go to school on Tuesday. Autumn is also the time when the school year starts to get a lot better. It is the start of homecoming and homecoming week, which in my opinion is the best time of the whole school year. Other than that autumn is just a very relaxing season. I feel more at ease when autumn is here, but once it starts getting too cold, that is what I do not like. When I cannot wear a sweatshirt and have to wear a winter coat, that is where autumn ends for me, no matter what the calendar says.

The Crucible Act 4: "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

I liked the way that the book ended. Act four was full of a lot of suspense and sadness. I started to develop an emotional connection with the characters because they some decisions were made out of pride instead of truth.

 John Proctor was a very brave man in the end of this book. After being chained up in a cellar for a long time, he was really quick to just give away his life knowing what waited for him at home if he would confess.I felt bad for Elizabeth in this scene after she talked to him. Before she had a chance to talk to him, she really had no emotion and it seemed like she could care less if her husband hung or if he lived. I did not really like her attitude and tone in this part of the act, but in the end after seeing him, she became very emotionally attached to him. I think that she secretly wanted him to confess and for them to both be forgiven. I think that John had to much pride, for he knew he was a liar and God already was frowning upon him. He did confess, but only to rip up the document in the end because he believed everything was already taken away from him except for his name, which he was not willing to give away and died for it. I think that The Crucible goes right along with "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" because they both are based on God in general. In the final chapter of The Crucible, the court was trying to get people to confess. If the people accused confessed, they were more likely to be saved from God and forgiven. If they did not confess they were to hang. All of the people accused were sinners, and God did not like to save the sinners. Judge Hawthorn believed that many of the accused souls were already in Hell, so he did not want to postpone the hangings unless they confessed; unless they finally saw the light of God. I do believe God was angry in the Crucible. From the way the characters were acting, God was not willing to forgive people of their sins if they were not willing to confess. The play is very confusing in that way because everything was through God, but the town people, who are sinners themselves, are supposed to be caring out the works of God. I think that Judge Hawthorn was a sinner also. He did not always follow God's way and either did Parris. I think that people just assumed they did because they were both religious figures. The Devil could have really been seen by anyone in the story. If so many people were being accused, its hard to believe that they could just save themselves because they had some kind of authority in the town. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" has a tone that is very angry, so that people pay attention and really listen to what is happening. In the last act of The Crucible, the tone is very angry and threatening because they are trying to make Proctor realize and make a decision that will make or break his future. I think the stories go hand in hand with each other because they both are following sinners as their souls slowly go to hell when they should be going to and praising God.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.

Edwards, Jonathan. "From Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 97-99. Print.

Journal #7 Bullying

Bullying is a topic that has risen and fallen so many times. People think its okay to bully people, when in fact there is underlying damage that is done. Bullying does not mean physical in all cases, it also means verbal too. Bullying probably has more effects on the victim because they are the main focus.The victim of bullying is usually very self-conscience already without a bully harassing them. After bullying though, they are usually hurt and depressed. They never really tell anyone that they are being bullied because they are afraid. The victims of bullying are usually looked at as "weaker" and easier to pick on. The bully has a different viewpoint because they feel like they have all the power. They like what they are doing and they do not really care if they are hurting someone else. I think that the bully is self-conscience also, but does not admit it and does not let it show. The bully usually has some underlying problems of his own, but takes his hurt and anger out on other people instead of dealing with it on his own time. A bully usually thinks that putting someone else down will make them feel better and they will somehow get satisfaction out of it and forget about what they are dealing with. The victim of bullying is probably hurt the worse because sometimes they get pushed a little to far. I know victims of bullying and did not know they were bullied until after the fact that they were pushed a little too far and could not take it anymore. I could tell that they were hurt and depressed, but they did not say anything. I think not only emotional are the victims damaged, they are physical damaged too. Bullying has always been such a touchy topic because it is something that happens everyday in some way, but people are never brave enough to say anything. It can easily be stopped and the bully and victim can both be spared if people are willing to speak up and say what is on their mind sometimes.

The Crucible Act 3: Human Nature

I am having a little bit of trouble with this blog because Human Nature is kind of a difficult concept to understand. Upon doing this blog, I did a little research about what human nature really is. I came to conclude that human nature, in my own words, its all about character and decisions that not only affect you, but everyone associated. The main way that human nature is displayed in the play is by the decisions people are making, which is showing their true colors. Human nature is evident in act 3 when the main characters of the play are gathered at the courthouse.

 They are gathered at the courthouse because Goody Proctor has been charged and is going on trial. Mr. Proctor went there to save her and have Marry Warren in a way take the blame for what happened. It was almost like he wanted to sacrifice her just so he could have his wife back. See, the mess of the story is all the characters lie. They do not admit it, but they are all guilty of sin because they are lying. Lying is part of their human nature. It seems like when they are panicked, or scared, they turn to making up stories and lies as a way of getting them out of a situation. The fact is though, it is the exact opposite; the situation becomes a lot worse. Mr. Proctor's human nature seems to be putting the blame off on other people. Even though he sort of admitted to lechery, he wants everyone else to suffer before he does it seems like. He is so quick to make accusations and opinions about people because he wants to save himself or the one he loves. Abigail turns to a more emotional human nature. Whether or not she was pretending to see a bird, she did a really good job of playing it off. She made Hawthorn believe that there really was a sign of the devil inflicting her and she was hypnotized. Whether or not it was an act, it was quite believable. Good Proctor's human nature is to protect. She wants to protect her husband and I think that is why she lies. Even though it turned out to be worse for her, she is the kind of person that feels the need to protect the ones she loves. Each character reacts differently in situations and that comes naturally to them. The decisions they were making not only affected them, but the affected all the people they loved. Since they are all connected in some way, they slowly figured out that lying is not in their best interest considering how things are unfolding. I think human nature is evident just simply through actions in the play.

 Human nature is presented everywhere. Without human nature being a big part of this book, I do not think the characters would be that different from each other and the play would be a lot less interesting.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.

Blog #6- Blaming Someone

I think the number one repercussion of blaming someone for something they did not do would be revenge. If someone gets blamed, they usually try and figure out who is blaming them so they can try and clear their name. I think that revenge would be the first thing that comes to mind for most people. The second repercussion is probably confronting the person. If they know who the person is, it is usually easier to confront them about the matter than to go behind their back and plan revenge. For the person who is being blamed, they are probably feeling very hurt and confused. If I was blamed for something I did not do I would first be very mad. I would wonder why I am getting blamed and try and confront the person about it. Then, I would probably be upset. I would be upset because my reputation would be on the line, and usually I would be the one to look bad. Then, I would be really confused. I would be confused on why I am getting blamed in the first place. Eventually I would calm down and talk to the person who is blaming me and discuss the matter with them. If the person did not know who is blaming them, they would probably feel kind of scared. I think they would be scared because someone obviously looks at them as a target, and that would scare me too. There is a number of repercussions when blaming someone. In the story, Mr. Proctor responded with anger. He wanted to hurt Abigail and he was very upset with her. Goody Proctor responded in a calmly matter. She was angry and the reader could tell, but she had to cooperate in order to make everything run smoothly. The slave responded emotionally. She broke down and started to cry, saying she could not testify against Abigail. Each character responded differently to Goody Proctor being blamed, and then I could see their true character colors.

The Crucible Act 2: True Colors

Well the book is very interesting so far. The characters are all slowly developing and the reader gets to experience the real person they are turning out to be. Overall though, the characters in the book are all kind of deceiving. They act like good Christians when they go to church, but when they are outside of church, they are not very good at being a Christian. In the chapter, witchcraft is still a rumor that is being spread, but now many people are being called into court for many reasons. A panel of judges basically chooses if they are hung or if they are sent to jail. When the people come with a warrant to take you to the court, they must go without questions. Evidence is the main thing that is important to the judges because they determines if you get hung or if you go to jail. In the story, Abigail is becoming quite the scheming artist. She is doing a very good job at trying to get what she wants. She has a lot of anger from when Goody Proctor kicked her out of the house because Abigail did not want to be a slave. She has a secret crush on Proctor and she does anything to ensure they are together. She claims she was stabbed in the side and the person who should be held guilty is Goody Proctor's spirit, which secretly wanted to hurt her.

I think that Abigail falls into the orange category because she is a doer (True Colors). She did not really think about her actions and how they could affect her, she just went with her gut and hoped Proctor would come back to her. Not only is Proctor furious now, he is asking his slave to testify against Abigail in court. I think that Goody Proctor falls in the green category because she has a plan for everything, but she thinks about it before she actually carries it out (True Colors). I think that this will help her later in the story because unlike Abigail who just went with her gut feeling and wanted to get it done with, Goody Proctor already had talked to her husband and told him what to do about Abigail. She told him that he needed to end anything with her that she might see as potential flirting in a way. I think that Parris is probably in the gold category. I think this because he has a plan for everything and he seems very organized (True Colors). When he first found out better was "sick," he sent for a doctor. He thinks very logically and keeps everything in control. He is a leader among the group from what it seems. I think that Mr. Hale falls in the blue category because he is a helper (True Colors). He likes to help people. He is there for giving advice and helping people through tough situations. He seems like he can make a person feel better and has an answer for everything. I think Proctor falls in the doer, or orange category (True Colors). He seems to say what he wants and does what he wants. He went to Abigail's house and did not really think about it or the impact it had on him and her. I think that he goes off of his impulses and his anger more than logically thinking things through. As for the slaves, I think that they are in the blue category also (True Colors). They like to help out the families they are slaves for, but they have a certain twist to them. I do not believe they are such good saints as they claim to be. They have a rebellious side, and I think they are secretly not loyal to their masters and that will hurt them in the end. Even though each personality is different in the story, I think that is what makes it such an interesting book to read.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.


Baytech Web Design. "True Colors." True Colors. True Colors International, 2009. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <http://www.true-colors.com/WhatisTrueColors.html>.

Blog #5 21st Century Punishment

I think that a fair twenty-first century punishment is taking away the things that kids need and focus on the most. Kids focus on facebook a lot and now they are also focusing on twitter. Taking away facebook and twitter for awhile is a big punishment to kids and young adults because that is a main way they talk with their friends and keep up with what their friends are doing. Another punishment is taking away cell phones too. The cell phones are a main part of kids lives, especially teenagers. When teens do not have their cell phones, it causes a lot of issues. They become very mad and rebel against their parents. Without their cell phones they cannot talk to their friends and access their twitter and facebook also. I would not really know what a twenty-first century punishment is because I do not get in trouble all that much. I know that if my parents took away my technology I would be very mad. Also my parents do threaten to take away my car at times. If they were to actually take my car away, I would have to ride the bus to school, and I would not be able to do anything extra outside of school. It would also suck because then my parents have to come pick me up from poms everyday. Even though they have threatened it, they have never actually done it. I think that grounding teens does not really do much anymore because they still have some freedoms. I think the most effective way of punishing kids and teens is to take away what they enjoy the most. For teens, take away her freedoms and their communication with friends. For kids, take away their extra activities, like the wii and the x-box. If you take away what they enjoy the most, they will most likely not screw up again because they do not want their things taken away again.

Reflection Blog: The Crucible (Act 1)

Well, to begin, The Crucible is exploring the practice of witchcraft in the town of Salem. Salem is a religion based society where elected officials are head of the ministry and help run the town. In other words, Salem is a theocracy. In the beginning of the play, the reader can already understand some of the Puritan writing.

 Right away, Parris is kneeling against the bed praying to God. God is the ruler of their town, but the people are the ones who carry out what God wants. In Puritan writing, the main focus of all the stories is usually God. Yes, God is the main ruler and idol in this story, but then the play gets into the idea of witchcraft. Witchcraft is basically exploring with the devil and trying to contact the dead, which is quite a sin. So already in the play, God is contradicted as the main idol, and now the devil has come into play. The play gives a little twist to the Puritan writing, by looking at it through a different aspect. In other Puritans stories that we have read, the people have bad stuff happen to them and they pray to God and ask for his help in the situation. In The Crucible though, not only are they asking for God’s help, they are asking God to forgive them for worshiping the devil. From the story “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” we see the darker side of things in Puritan writing. Yes there is the almighty and powerful God, but below we do have the devil. Sin is a major theme occurring between the two stories because God is angry when people sin. Witchcraft is by far a sin, which makes God angry. In Puritan writing, it is not a good thing if God is mad at you. One of the Puritan’s beliefs is that doing humanistic learning and activities would draw people away from the church. The church was a very important place to the Puritans because God was working in their everyday lives and the people needed to attend church. Anyways, in The Crucible, the witchcraft rumors are partially keeping people away from the church. The reputation the girls made for themselves are not very good ones. The church has become a less enjoyable place for the people in Salem, so many are choosing not to go. The girls were practicing witchcraft for selfish reasons really, which took them away from God.

 Overall the book is very plain and simple. There are some parts that are kind of complex, but once they are broken down, the reader realizes how straight to the point the book really is. In the beginning the girls are very held back and do not want to confess to practicing witchcraft for fear of what may happen to them in their future. As Betty begins to become a little bit better, she still cringes when she hears the Lord’s name, which is upsetting to Parris. The girls finally confess because they want God to free them and renew them. This is when Betty gets a lot better and the viewpoint starts to shift to Tituba, who is receiving the majority of the blame. I think overall the book does a good job at showing Puritan writing style, but also contradicting the writing style and showing the reader a different viewpoint of what is happening in the book when the characters are focused on something other than God and heaven.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, NY: Penguin, 1996. Print.

Edwards, Jonathan. "From Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 97-99. Print.

Journal 4-Vacations

The people that I usually go on vacations with is my family. Usually wherever we go, we stay for about a week. It is hard to stay in the same house as my family for a week in a different state. Since they do not let me drive the car anywhere, I basically have to find time for myself on vacations. Typically if we are by a beach, I will lay out most of the day by myself. My other family, like my cousins, aunts, and uncles, end up going on vacations with us. So we have a really big house and lots of space for all of us. When they go, it is a lot easy to have fun and have free time. I lay out with my cousins and still get to relax. Do not get me wrong, I love my family and hanging out with them can be fun, but it is hard to stay with them in a different state for a week.When we go on short trips, I get along with them much better. Vacations in generally just make me really tired, which is very weird since I sleep the entire car ride there and back. When I get home from a vacation though, I love to go straight to my bed. I do not unpack anything, I just go lay in my bed. Vacations just me worn out. I have fun on the vacation, but at the end of the week, or our stay, I am usually ready to leave. When I go on vacations with friends like I did last spring break with no parental control, I tend to have more fun, obviously. I went to Clearwater, Florida and stayed in a resort. The people who took me where all 20 years old and our resort was right on the beach. It took a month of convincing my parents to let me go, and when they said yes, it was really hard for them to let me go. That vacation did not leave me worn out because I spent my time very wisely. Vacations are very fun, but also very tiresome for me.

Reflection Blog: Of Plymouth Plantation

I thought that the story had some better detailed compared to the stories we read in the past. For being so short, there were quite a few descriptive words that were used, but overall the story was plain. The story was straight forward. Basically the author told you what happened and gave you a reaction, that was about it.

 I think that the story does a good job at reflection Puritan writing in a number of different ways. The first way I noticed right off the bat was how much the story talked about God. In the Puritan writing style, God is always the main focus. People could be dying, but the people in the story are always praying to God and glorifying him. When the pilgrims first step off of their ship and onto the land, they are so overwhelmed and happy that they drop down to their knees to pray and thank the Lord (Bradford 65). Even though when they were at sea the pilgrims were facing many troubles, they always had faith in God and trusted things were going to be okay. Voyages on the sea of the time period were very dangerous (Bradford 63). Obviously they did not have as much technology as we do now and had to rely on each other to make the ship truly work. The pilgrims believed that the sailing of the ship was pleasing to God, which was important to them (Bradford 64). One of the things that influenced the puritan style of writing was probably the change economically in the story (Reuben, Paul). Here, the pilgrims landed on Cape Cod and had to get along with the Indians already there (Bradford 64). At first they were so shocked the Indians spoke some English. The Indians were willing to make a pact, or set of laws with the pilgrims (Bradford 67). The economic change is an underlying theme of Puritan writing. The Puritans believed in a God who gives and takes away (Reuben, Paul). In the story the people represent that thought. When people were dying because of such a harsh winter, the survivors never gave up hope and they always looked up to God for support (Bradford 65).The Puritans believed that through suffering God was preparing their hearts to accept the grace and love he was giving to them. They really had no fears because they knew they had a place saved in heaven.

The one thing I like about the story is how it is split up. The first part of it talks strictly about the journey and the challenges they overcame. The second part of the story talks about the colony itself and how the people established it and got along with each other. Another example of the Puritan writing style is the work ethic established in the story (Reuben, Paul). The pilgrims and the Indians worked hard with each other so the colony would work. They made a set of laws to live by and each group worked to get along. The Puritan writing style was overall evident in the story once each part was broken down.

Bradford, William. Of Plymouth Plantation. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Glencoe Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 65. Print.

"Before You Read." Introduction. Meet William Bradford. American Literature ed. Columbus: Glencoe Literature, 2009. 62-63. Print.

Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 1: Early American Literature to1700 - A Brief Introduction." PAL: Perspectives in American Literature- A Research and Reference Guide. WWW URL: http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap1/1intro.html. 12 Oct. 2011.

Journal 3-Hostage

I would not be the person to be held hostage. I would not be able to control myself. I do not like the feeling of someone else controlling me and having no ability to change it. If I were held hostage, I would first be really scared. I would think about what is going to happen, if I will get hurt, and if I will survive. I would cope by trying to calm myself down first of all. I would think of ways to escape from hostage. In a hostage situation, things are usually very intense. I think that I would not only be scared, I would be upset. What would upset me the most is not knowing what will happen to me in the future. At that point, I would decide whether or not I would want to live or die. Depending on the seriousness of the hostage situation would influence my decision. If I have the feeling that I might not get out alive, I would try to escape with all costs, and whatever happens to me happens. If I have the ability to try and make it out alive, I would stick it out until the end and see if I could be one of the last ones standing. It would help me if other people were in hostage with me. I would have somebody to talk to, to keep me from going completely crazy. Together, we would make a plan of escape and give each other's opinions. If I were in hostage alone, I would probably go crazy. I would spend too much time thinking about my family, friends, and how much I am going to miss while in hostage. I would start to think of all the things that I wanted to do before I die, and all the things that I wish I had said to people. At that point I would try to make myself a better person because would not know if I would survive or not. I would drive myself crazy talking to myself about the things that should have and could have been done. I think that if I were held hostage, well, then that just will not be the right situation for me to be in.