The American Landscape

In the readings for today I think that all of the authors' attitudes towards nature was that it is something beautiful that should be embraced. Even in destruction or overwhelming change nature was something that they all identified with in their own ways. In Sarah Jewett's "A White Heron", she portrays her outlook on nature through a young girl named Sylvia, her grandmother, a cow, a heron, and a hunter. Sylvia came to live with her grandmother and had to adjust to the country life after moving from the city. She had to learn how to adapt to country living and in dong so she became more in tune with nature so to speak. She began to love living in the country and she became so fond of it that she could navigate herself without even seeing where she was going. The text stated, "They were going away from whatever light there was, and striking deep into the woods, but their feet were familiar with the path, and it was no matter whether their eyes could see it or not". This suggests that through her daily walks with the cow, Sylvia has become very familiar with her surroundings. When the hunter came into town and offered money in exchange for the white heron Sylvia decided against the money because she did not want to be any part of contributing to the bird's death. This is seen when the author stated, "...she remembers how the white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sea and the morning together, and Sylvia cannot speak; she cannot tell the heron's secret and give its life away". Sylvia represents the love for nature and everything it holds.

In Robert Frost's poem "After Apple Picking", his attitude towards nature was one that also referenced to his life. I think he used nature in this poem not just to talk about picking apples but also to help express death in a sense. Tn the poem he stated, "For I have had too much / Of apple-picking: I am overtired / Of the great harvest I myself desired" (27-29). In these lines I think he is referring to apple picking as being his life and when he states "For I have had too much" he is expressing that he cannot tolerate life anymore and is ready to die. I don't think that he used nature as a foe, or an evil to his existence but I do think that as he observed nature he related it mostly to death.

In Emily Dickinson's poems I was very confused as to the idea of nature being tied into her works. In "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" I think that she is tying to convey the idea that she feels time should be spent at home or in nature rather than in church. She stated, "With a bobolink for a chorister, / And an orchard for a dome" (3-4) which suggests that she uses birds as her choir and the orchards for her "church building". In her next poem, "I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed" I was really confused. I could not see what point she was trying to make. The only thing that I could see her possibly trying to convey is the idea the nature is so untouched and she has tapped into what many people do not take the time to embrace, and so she describes it as tasting liquor never brewed. In "There a Certain Slant of Light" Dickinson focuses on light that comes with the winter season. In this poem I think that she is referring to death just as in Frost's poem. She explains this light as something being oppressing and in my opinion she is also talking about sickness as well.  She stated, "’T is the seal, despair, - / An imperial affliction / Sent us of the air" (10-12).This suggests that maybe she is talking about the sickness and death that comes with the winter season and the slant of light that she notices is just a reminder of the troubles that winter brings.

In the readings for today, I believe that nature played the role of change. Throughout all of the works, nature has helped them to mature, made them reflect on their lives, and have made them reflect on the impact that it has on their lives and those around them. The authors today used nature as a signal of change whether it e good or bad.

I connected Robert Frost's poem with another one of his poems entitled "Birches". In this poem he talks about how the branches of the trees looks as though boys were playing on them but he realizes that it is because of ice storms wearing them down. He then goes on to reflect on the days when he was little and he longs for those days to return. This poem reminded me a lot of "After Apple Picking" because in both poems I believe that Frost is reminiscing on his life.

How do you view nature now, as opposed to when you were younger? Do you appreciate it more now than you did when you were a kid?

The Struggle To Lead An Authentic Life

In the poem of Alfred Prufrock there are a number of things that he lets stand in his way of leading an authentic life. He notices how his life is nothing more than this mechanical and robotic cycle living among people who are stuck in the same loop of dull and predictable living. There are two things that he lets stand in the way of changing his life with the first being the fear of how people with judge him and the fear of messing up his tidy well kept life. Prufrock stated, "[They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]/ Do I dare? / Disturb the universe?" (44-46). This suggests that Prufrock is afraid of how others will view him and also his unwillingness to, as he calls it, "disturb the universe" by knocking his life out of whack while trying to become more authentic. The second thing he lets stand in the way is his own lack of determination and will to change his life. He has played up on time as being his foe because he talks about growing old and I think that also lead to him not being as ambitious about turning his life around as much as a younger person would. I think that what Prufrock wants out of life is to be able to live out his deepest dreams and desires without having to answer to anyone or anything such as work, friends, or family but he lets time hinder this. Prufrock stated, "And I have known the eyes already, known them all- / The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase, / And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, / When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall" (55-58). Not only is he tired of the way his life has been going, but feels trapped also.

In Ginsberg's "Howl", he is suggesting that the culture and ways of American life has driven people mad. In his last poem that we read he talked about non conformity and how one should dare to stand out from the confines that society and government has placed them in. In this poem I feel as though he is relating back to that same idea, and the people who are mad in this poem are probably people who chose not to conform. When these people deviate from the norm of society they are treated as outcasts in a sense which makes them angry and even more crazy in my opinion. This is best illustrated when Ginsberg stated, " who were expelled from the academies for crazy & publishing obscene odes on the windows of the skull, / who cowered in unshaven rooms in underwear, / burning their money in wastebaskets / and listening to the Terror through the wall" (12-15). I also think that in the poem Ginsberg is making a point that not only has the choice to not conform to society taken a toll on these people, but also has drugs, sex, and alcohol aided in destroying their minds and it is shown when he says, "dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, / angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry / dynamo in the machinery of night" (3-5). Ginsberg is expressing throughout part one how non-conformity influenced mental breakdowns of the ones around him.

I think that the two authors for today were very pessimistic in the sense that they only showed the bad side of life as they saw it. I didn't see how any of the poems resolved the gloomy nature of their context by offering a glimpse of hope or encouragement to the issues talked about. I connected Ginsberg poem with a documentary I watched about Walter Freeman who was a famous lobotomist of the 40s and 50s. He dealt a lot with people in mental institutes who were aid to be mentally ill but maybe some of them were afflicted by what Ginsberg spoke of in his poem.

Do you think that it is possible to lead an authentic life while still conforming to society? Could there be a balance between the two of them?

The Celebration of individuality

Individuality is something that we all posses. It is what makes use unique both in mind and body. In Emerson's message of "Self-Reliance", he gives insight into being you and always thinking highly of yourself. There were a lot of passages throughout his message that expressed the idea of power and specialness of individuals. There were two main passages in part 3 that I felt best explained his ideas. In the second passage of part 3 Emerson states, "Insist on yourself; never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life's cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another, you have only an extemporaneous, half possession". From this statement I felt as though Emerson was explaining how one should look within them to to find what makes them special and different in life.  He explains having your own gift as to be something good that you have been blessed with to make your mark in the world- something that no one else has because it has been given to you. If you walk around trying to be like everyone else then you are not reaping the full benefits of life's rewards. In the first passage of part three he also states, "It was an application of his own thought to the thing to be done and the conditions to be observed. And why need we copy the Doric or the Gothic model? Beauty, convenience, grandeur of thought, and quaint expression are as near to us as to any....". I found this topic to be so interesting because it plays up on making a point about our individual capabilities to do any and everything we want. He explains that beauty and intellect are within us all but in order for these things to shine through you must use your own mind to do so. 
In Whitman's poem "Song of Myself", it was a little harder for me to comprehend exactly what point he was trying to get across but after reading it a couple times I started to understand. I saw him express his own ideas of specialness in individuals in stanza 48. He said, "I hear and behold God in every object, yet understand God not in the least, / Nor do I understand who there can be more wonderful than myself" (1278-1279). It is clear that Whitman truly loved himself and his individuality. He said that he could not comprehend anything being more wonderful than himself which shows that his idea of individuality is having confidence and pride about who you are. These selected passages in my opinion showcase the authors' thoughts and feelings towards individuality and having a sense of pride about yourself. 


Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour", was very interesting and it was my favorite out of all of the readings today. I think Mrs. Mallard dies at the end because she is overjoyed that her husband is dead. In the story it said, "There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature". This suggests that Mrs. Mallard was happy that she could be herself again without any one to answer to. She probably felt as though the marriage was confining her and that she was losing her individuality. The text stated, " And yet she had loved him--sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being". Mrs. Mallard had an epiphany and realized that she was back in control of her being...or so she thought. She can't continue living after learning the truth because she has finally exhaled and realized how her life will be by herself but now that her husband really is not dead she cannot come to terms with that. She went from being torn apart that her husband had "died" to being overcome with joy that her life would be hers again, back to shock and disappointment. All of those emotions were too much for her heart to take. I believe that Chopin's story affirms the other authors' notion about individuality because throughout the reading you can see Mrs. Mallard going back in forth over her life in her mind reflecting back on when she was alone, by herself and then imagining into the future where she could once again have that. She was a symbol of the loss of individuality with the desire to find yourself again. All of the readings tie into the same notion of breaking free and coming into your own as an individual. 


One connection I had was with the story "The Story of an Hour". I think that a lot of women in Mrs. Mallard's position especially, around her time felt the same way as she did. Back then women did not have a lot of rights. Most of them were housewives whose main job was to support their husbands and make sure the family was well taken care of. I can see why Mrs. Mallard, or any woman during this time period could have felt the way she did about gaining her individuality back. 


Do you think that sometimes it is harder for others to embrace their individuality because of fear, being timid, or just being afraid to stand out and accept themselves? If so, why?

The American Dream

A two story home, a plush green yard accompanied by a dog and enclosed with a white picket fence.The nuclear family who resides there comfortably with great careers and little worries. This is usually what one would think of when the words American dream are heard. I too imagine this in my head when I hear those words but for me, my personal conception of the American dream is one that goes beyond just having a great house or a perfect family. Rather than focusing on the outcome of hard work that gives us this sense of achievement I think of the American dream as the journey in which you strive for the fancy house or the high salary. For me, I am living the American dream with every path I take toward my dreams and goals and every struggle and challenge that I must overcome. Only once I have achieved these things, have I lived the American dream. In many ways, Britney Spears represents the stereotypical American Dream as previously stated above. She has the fame and fortune, the fancy houses and cars, and despite some personal issue she has struggled with- She has what everyone dreams of. She has the "easy" pass that life only deals a select few, which is why it is so tempting for us to all try to achieve.

The scene from The Pursuit of Happyness is very applicable to the Youngers- especially Walter. Out of all the people in the play, he most closely relates to what Will Smith was saying because he believed that if it was something that you desired to have whether it be fortune or living a comfortable life, you have to take risks and challenging things to achieve it. In the play Walter stated, "Mama you know it's all divided up. Life is. Sure enough. Between the takers and the "tooken". I've figured it out finally."(141).  This shows that he realizes that in order to get anything in this world you have to get it yourself. 

There are a lot of factors holding back the Youngers from achieving what they want out of life. Factors that are holding them back outside of their family unit are social and racial challenges that affect them because they are African American and in this time period the window of opportunity for blacks was very small. Inside of their family unit, the main thing holding them back from achieving their dreams are each other. There is a lot of doubt that they have for each other and it consequently made them begin to think that their life was a good as it was ever going to get. Lena was especially doubtful and scared that even attempting to go after her dreams after her husband died was too risky. After living so long in that old apartment she had gotten set in her ways because of the cards life dealt her. Even after she had gotten the courage to go out on the limb and strive for better by buying the family a new house, she let her son, Walter once again discourage her and made her rationalize settling for mediocrity. She stated, "Just aimed too high all the time-......No I sees things differently now. Been thinking 'bout some things we can do to fix this place up". In these lines you can clearly see how Lena reverts back to giving into pressure. She often sacrifices her dreams because of her fear with uncertainty. Ruth has just had it with life and her position as the wife of Walter as she tries to come to terms with how bad their relationship has gotten as well as the constant get rich quick schemes that Walter always tries to force on her. In Act one, scene one, the play states, "We can see that she was a pretty girl, even exceptionally so, but now it is apparent that life has been little that she expected, and disappointment has already begun to hang in her face" (24). Walter and Beneatha  are always butting heads which affects not only how they view each other but how they view the world. Beneatha is confused as to what path she wants to take in life and Walter is still struggling to strike gold. 

I do think that the ending of the play offered a hopeful and happy ending in that they did realize their dreams and also realized that their happiness was not dependent upon how much money they had, but by the attitudes that they held towards life, making what is seemingly bitter into something so sweet. In a sequel, I think that all of the characters would be in a better position in life because they have all realized that true success and accomplishment isn't measured by how rich yo are but what you get out of you struggles and triumph as a life lesson. Walter said it best stating, "Well- what I mean is we come from people who had a lot of pride. I mean- we are very proud people...........And we have decided to move into our house because my father- my father- he earned it for us brick by brick."(148). Walter showed that he finally came to realize what was truly important in life in his American dream that he was longing for so long is right in front of him. 

As far as optimism and determinism are concerned, I do not think that they are enough to achieve one's American dream nowadays. I say this because in such a fast paced and competitive world that we live in today, it needs to be more added to the equation. Whether it be continuing education or having a solid background and drive for what you want to pursue, there needs to be more added to an attempt at success. Sure, optimism and determinism are essential because without them- no one would have dreams and goals but they are not enough by themselves to accomplish what you want in my opinion. 

I truly believe that the recent economic situation has rained on everyone's parade. It has caused a lot of people to loose hope and had a great impact on the mentality of us all. What once was the primary agenda of going out and making it big in society is now only an exhausted hope that bills will be paid on time and families can maintain a comfortable life. For the others who are a little more optimistic about our current economic condition and feel that there is still a sunny day on the horizon  I see these words as Walter stated, "Just tell me, what it is you want to be- and you'll be it... Whatever you want to be- Yessir! You just name it, son and I hand you the world!"(109).

One connection that I made with this play is another play called "Death of a Salesman". Willy Lowman, one of the main characters lived his whole life trying to achieve the American dream. Along the way he made bad choices that affected his family, drove away his eldest son Biff, and ultimately led him to his death. I just found it interesting how both of these plays brought up the notion of striving for dreams and in the end having to realize and re-evaluate what you were striving for in the first place and if you really achieved it. 

The question I have for today is about Walter and Ruth's son, Travis. In the play Lena often refers back to her Later husband Big Walter who was of course, Walter's father. She hints that Walter is like his father in many ways and even questions his will to live by his father's values when he found out his wife was pregnant. Do you think that young Travis will grow up to become like Walter, a risk taker, or do you think that he has learned from his father desperate attempts at fortune and will go a better route?

Race and Equality

There was a time when the color of your skin defined who you were. There was a time when a whole day's work (12 hours plus more) caring for the prim and proper homes of  whites or the tail end jobs of the city only got you fifty cents richer day by day. There was a time when the mindsets of the outcast folk knew nothing more than fear and survival. There was a time when race and equality never breed racial equality because it was non existent.
I decided to start today's discussion off  with a snippet of my thoughts, quite appropriate for the first order of business which is the main similarity in outlook that these authors shared. You see it obvious to me that what McKay, Hurston, Hughes, and Cullen all had in common was the challenge of being colored in an era when segregation, discrimination and ignorance was at its highest peak. This peak of course, spanning for decades cast these authors in a world where they were constantly reminded that their skin tone was different and were often times made to believe that they themselves were different. In Claude McKay's poems he expresses the feelings and changes America has put him through, as in the poem "America" but then he also gives a glimpse of hope and perseverance in the poem "If We Must Die". In "America" he shows us that hatred and equality was common when he stated, "Giving me strength erect against her hate, / Her bigness sweeps my being like a flood".(6-7). In Hurston's "How it feels to Be Colored Me" she shows us her observation of  inequality when she states, "In my heart as well as in the mirror, I became a fast brownwarranted not to rub nor run". Although    Eatonville did not show the true colors of racial difference, Jacksonville made her analyze the world around her. Langston Hughes points out racial inequalities in both of his poems entitled "Mother to Son" and "Theme for English B". In "Theme for English B" he points out his troubles when he states, "Sometimes perhaps you don’t want to be a part of me. / Nor do I often want to be a part of you". Finally in Cullen's poem he shows his encounter with being black when he stated, "And so I smiled, but he poked out / His tongue, and called me, “Nigger.”". All of these Authors show that they have witnessed and experienced bouts of inequalities because of their race and it is evident in all of their works.
The main difference in these authors' outlook on racial inequality is that they all have different perspectives on it through different social and living environments. Each one of the authors give their unique account of struggles with racial inequality with some even offering a voice to overcoming opposition and being proud of your race. They all show race and equality in a different light and mindset from one another.
In Claude McKay's poems he sees the fight for equality through the eyes of someone who was not born in America but has to endure the hardships of being black all the same. He knew that America at this time was cold and harsh to those of African descent because in his poem "America" he states, "Although she feeds me bread of bitterness, / And sinks into my throat her tiger's tooth, / Stealing my breath of life..." (1-3). He also shows his will to resist from breaking under pressure as times prove to be trying for the colored at this time. In  "If We Must Die" McKay makes the statement, "Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, / Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!" This shows that he was optimistic in the fight against inequality and gave hope to those who felt defeated.
Zora Neal Hurston took on another face of colored's at that time. Her story is one of a determined and very confident black girl, who although was highly disregarded and look at as inferior, she questioned why someone of  another race felt as though they could not come in to contact with her. She showed her carefree outlook on inequality when she stated, "BUT I AM NOT tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes. I do not mind at all. I do not belong to the sobbing school of Negrohood who hold that nature somehow has given them a lowdown dirty deal and whose feelings are all but about it." Hurston's idea of race and equality was that it does exist, but it exists in a manner that she refused to let destruct or sadden her. 
Langston Hughes was one of the most influential writers of his era and to this he had his own unique share of experiences and interpretations of race and equality. Unlike Hurston who saw discrimination down south Hughes spent his life in the North which gave a different atmosphere and tone to how whites treated blacks. In "Theme for English B" he states, "I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like / the same things other folks like who are other races. / So will my page be colored that I write?" which implies that he notices the differences among blacks and white, but he often time questions how it affects him. 
Countee Cullen had a very rude encounters in his experiences. He pointed out in "Yet Do I Marvel" that, "If merely brute caprice dooms Sisyphus / To struggle up a never-ending stair." This shows his continuous struggle towards racial equality. He also uses God and his doings as he questions his role in life. 
I see Zora Neal Hurston most closely aligning to the authors we looked at yesterday because she shows a lot of the same opinions and interpretations that they had. In her story you can plainly see that she knows racial equality is still a big issue, but not only does she stand above it, she also gives reasons why she does so. She stated, "  Even in the helter skelter skirmish that is my life, I have seer that the world is to the strong regardless of a little pigmentation more of less. No, I do not weep at the world!! I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife". This showed that she was determined to succeed no matter how much troubles she went through in her life. 
The connection that I made to today's readings were to the readings from yesterday. I think because the themes were so closely related it made me think about how they influenced each other as well as how each one of them  played a different role in shaping America.  I could relate a lot today with the readings. I live in a town where there is a huge racial divide. the west side of town is all white and the east side of town is all black. There are even two different schools in our little town of 2500 people. There is the private school that only whites attend and there is the public school in which all the blacks attend. To this day it still shocks me how divided my town is.  


Is there a racial divide in your hometown? If so how do you deal with it and do any of the readings for today mirror what you have experienced?

American Notions of Equality

The readings for today were very interesting. The first work I read was "The Declaration of Independence" by Thomas Jefferson. As our topic today pertains to notions of equality it is quite obvious that Jefferson's document is a straight forward demand of equality at it finest state. The Declaration of Independence was breed from a harsh and unfair government in Great Brittan. The King of Brittan at that time knew no limits to inequality, injustice, or basic right to which his people were denied. In the text Jefferson states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." This shows that the "America" that Jefferson envisioned would be everything that Great Brittan was not. He used the flaws and corruption of the British government as a foundation for what was to be of this new land. In doing so he also gave a lot of reasons as to why there should be equality in every aspect of life. In one important line he stated, "He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people". This shows that the nature of equality in his mind is something that has to be asserted to all and from this, I believe that Jefferson defines equality as one of the most important fibers of a nation and also values it as such. I think that religion factors into Thomas Jefferson's notion of American equality in that it is the basis and foundation of his beliefs. He mentions God throughout the first half of the reading stating that we have all been endowed with certain alienable rights given to us by the Creator. This proves that not only does he believe in equal rights, but he believes that we have been afforded them by God which closely shows his religious influence.


The next two works that I read were "Letters from an American Farmer" and "The Crisis No.1". These texts were quite long so I decided to talk about them in unison. In "Letters from an American Farmer" de Crevecoeur embraces his new found life in America and analyzes and questions what an American ought be. He states, "He is arrived on a new continent; a modern society offers itself to his contemptation, different from what he had hitherto seen. It is not composed, as in Europe, of great lords who possess every thing and of a herd of people who have nothing". This shows his distinction between a bitter past and optimistic future. I believe that de Crevecoeur more so than Jefferson is elated at his findings and in a sense he is ambitious to exploring the possibilities of this new world. Equality in his mind is just that- equal in mind, equal in pursuing dreams, passions, and above all, equal at living a comfortable life although he does point out that this may not come easy. He says,"By living in or near the woods, their actions are regulated by the wildness of the neighbourhood. The deer often come to eat their grain, the wolves to destroy their sheep, the bears to kill their hogs, the foxes to catch their poultry. This surrounding hostility, immediately puts the gun into their hands; they watch". I found some symbolism in this statement that possibly referred to the assumed certainty that by doing what "we" did and breaking free from Britain, we have escaped but are still in a dangerous situation. We have escaped into the woods (America) and we must defend our sheep from the wolves (Great Britain) with the gun in our hands. This symbolizes a continuous fight towards equality in this new land.
In Thomas Paine's "The Crisis" I think it would be safe to say the he wholeheartedly viewed America as having the potential to become one of the most powerful nations in government. I also think that Paine's work shined a light more on the efforts that they should have put forth in order to maintain the freedom and equality that was worked so hard to achieve. He stated, "By perseverance and fortitude we have the prospect of a glorious issue; by cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils — a ravaged country — a depopulated city — habitations without safety, and slavery without hope...". Paine defined equality as hope, progress and strength. He knew that without it, life made no happiness out of itself a people no comfort. Both Paine and de Crevecoeur had religious influences on their notions of equality. Paine said, "I thank God, that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear. I know our situation well, and can see the way out of it". I believe that he uses religion not only to influence his thoughts but I also think that he use it as a reason why he and others around him cannot fail at the good fight. In de Crevecoeur's case, I think that he uses religion to make a point about the need for equality while pointing out its many faces and bad sides. He stated, " Persecution, religious pride, the love of contradiction, are the food of what the world commonly calls religion". Both authors show their ambition as well as their fight for equality.


The last of today's reading was a poem by Phillis Wheatley entitled, "On Being Brought From Africa to America". I felt as if Wheatley viewed equality as something that was not really given to her until she came to America. It seems as though she had a mindset that African American would not have agreed with in her time. She states, " Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain /  May be refin'd and join th'angelic train". (7-8) The only thing I could take from these lines was that her notion of equality was to conform and become "pure" to join the "angelic train" which in my opinion is approval and equality from whites. Her poem in its entirety has religious influence and she even differs from God and a savior in line three of the poem. She viewed equality and they way in which to achieve it in a very unpopular way of her time in my opinion. 


I believe that contemporary notions in America are similar with these authors as far as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is concerned, but as with anything else, things are susceptible to change. I think that today we still have the same desire of equality as they did but because people of my generation did not experience what others have experienced in earlier times, I do not believe that our level of intensity or the same aspects of equality are in the same boat as the authors we discussed today.


Throughout all of these readings I kept making a connection with an old history class I took. We constantly talked about equality and the lack of it and applied it to every thing we covered in that class. The lesson today kind of reminded me of that class. 


How do you view equality in today's Society? Do you think that it is still as much of an issue as it was 20, 30, or even 40 years ago? 

Freedom to assert oneself; non-conformity

In Ginsberg's "Sunflower Sutra" I felt as though he portrayed non-conformity as something that we should embrace and feel encouraged to do. It seemed like Ginsberg was crying out against the way the world (during his time) had come to be. Although this poem was very hard for me to comprehend at first, after going through it a couple of times I picked up hidden descriptions of the current state of America as seen through Ginsberg's eyes. He stated, "Sat down under the huge shade of a Southern / Pacific locomotive to look at the sunset over the / box house hills...".(2-4) From this, I took it that he was talking about development in America with the huge shade of a Southern Pacific locomotive being that of an industrial society while the box house hills describe the spread of urbanization, all of which makes him very sad. In my opinion, Ginsberg dreads what he feels as being a downward trend of replacing what were once open pastures, virgin land, and freedom to be yourself in your own skin as who you are. He longs for the days when things were simple and America was at its purest state not tainted by an industrial society which forced people to conform and become robotic in nature and institutionalized in mind. To him, non- conformity is a beauty all in itself and it was something he strongly believed in.

In Melville's "Bartleby the Scrivener" there were so many ways that I felt one could interpret this short story. For me, I saw Melville's portrayal of non-conformity in this situation as one where to not conform is to simply not live. In the text he describes Bartleby as, " pallidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn!". Bartleby had no life in him whatsoever and he would always respond to anything with, "I would Prefer not to". In contrast, the narrator symbolized conformity. In the text the narrator states, "All who know me consider me an eminently safe man" implying that he never takes risks and he never dares to be different. Although I don't see Bartleby being the complete opposite of the narrator I feel as though this was the author's approach at showing the many dimensions of non conformity. Bartleby, as it were this being lacking substance, life, motion, or even a voice shows that to assert oneself and make it through life being "different" doesn't have to be done by acting out, starting protests or dying your hair green. It can be done by just not doing at all.

I believe that Ginsberg was celebrating this type of freedom as seen at the end of the poem where he states,"we're all beautiful golden sunflowers inside, we're blessed / by our own seed & golden hairy naked / accomplishment-bodies growing into mad black / formal sunflowers in the sunset" (81-84) This shows that not only is he proud to be different, but he is encouraging others to do the same also. He gave them hope that there lives are better than what they think. Melville on the other hand was hard to say if he was celebrating it or not. I think rather than celebrating it, he was pointing non-conformity out as a factor in America that makes it what it is. he gives us a glimpse of how humanity has been shaped through our decisions to fall in to place or stand out. Within both of these works you can see the advantages of non-conformity being great, liberating and inspiring giving one a sense of ambition and interest in their lives. The downfall to this however is that it is an uphill battle to go left when everyone else is going right. When society is the majority vote on what is right and wrong, one could find themselves fighting for what they believe in, opposed to what the rest of the world has deemed unfavorable.

While there were many questions I had about these works, I wanted to focus on the theme of today. What are your views on non-conformity and if you are a believer in doing so, then in what aspects of life do you practice this?
I found myself relating to the central themes of the lessons today on more of a personal side. It reminded me of when I was in high school and I decided to break free from all the stereotypes and normalities and become ME. I changed my hair, changed my wardrobe and instantly I stood out from the pack. Now, everyone knows me not for what I did but for what I wasn't afraid to do!

Jonathan Edwards's "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God" was the most brutally honest and daring out of all of the readings for today. His sermon was great proof of two things- he said what he felt was right no matter how bold it was and gave biblical proof to strengthen his points. To one not familiar with him, it would be easy after reading this sermon of course to assume that in his eyes, the fate of man who has not yet been converted surely is not a pretty one. This can be seen early on in the text when Edwards states, "So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is". After reading the sermon it seem as though Edward's was trying to get one main point across which was, as the old saying goes, get your house in order before your judgement day arrives. My most favorable part in his sermon is when he says, " So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off....The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow". I favor this part so much because although the nature and tone of this sermon is a very serious one with much of its context attributed to damnation, he does offer a warning that sinners should not take the forgiving nature of God for granted, for if they do, his wrath will punish their wickedness.

Wallace Steven's gave quite a drastic change in the aspect of religion, and after reading Edward's sermon I found myself waiting for that gut wrenching moment in the poem where his polite honesty would turn into blatant truth. Stevens's approach was taken at a much more eloquent and lighter tone. I was not able to see what other religion he was talking about in his poem but I was able to conclude what kind of religion the woman was thinking about as she went back and forth in her head. The connection I made was when Stevens said, "Jove in the clouds had his inhuman birth / He moved among us, as a muttering king / Magnificent, would move among his hinds". (3. 1,4,5) These lines reminded me of the birth of Jesus Christ as told in the Bible so therefore I concluded that the woman was a Christian. I also thought about the significance in Death being the mother of beauty. Death breeds beauty. When things are not forever, they are a little more cherished and appreciated. Hence, death shines light on everything perishable and even ourselves, so it becomes the mother of beauty. That is what I took from his poem.

In Hawthorne's story "Young Goodman Brown", he takes an approach to religion that was very easy for me to comprehend. I interpreted this story as one big dream. I also thought that there was some symbolism going on with Goodman's wife. His wife Faith said, "prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed to-night. A lone woman is troubled with such dreams and such thoughts that she's afeard of herself sometimes". I felt as though this had two meanings. The first of course is obvious- she is a woman begging her husband to stay with her through the night. The second meaning is where the symbolism comes in. Not only is her name Faith, but she is pleading for him not to go. His faith is trying to hold him back from taking that walk  with the Devil. This is even more evident when Goodman meets up with the Devil and after being questioned about being late he replies, "Faith kept me back awhile". His wife not only symbolizes love within a union of man and woman but also the relationship of man and God. I believe this story speaks on how easily susceptible man is to sin and failure but our ties with God is what keeps us whole and possibly delivers us from eternal damnation.

Edwards sermon is different from Hawthorne's story in that Edward's believed that man had control of his own destiny and ultimately because of this, the consequences from which they came were very grim. He thought that the test of fate was through being converted and therefor safe from the pits of hell. If one were not to convert or stay free of sin, then they would become satin's rewards. Hawthorne on the other hand took the possibility of "evil" as something that is inevitable in all of us. In my opinion, Hawthorne was trying to convey the idea that evil and sin is something we cannot escape, but if we must sin, then we must realize our faults so that we can live a happy life and stay strong in our faiths. The difference in the two readings boiled down to Edward's taking a more strict and cut throat approach whereas Hawthorne gave room to not only examine the state of religion but also hidden remedies for common shortcomings.

I think that "Sunday Morning" can be compared to the other two readings in that they all have a central underlying theme which is "what if". There is a "what if" factor that surfaces in each of theses works. In Edwards sermon he questioned damnation without conversion. In Hawthorne's story he questioned the nature of evil. In Stevens's poem he questioned the satisfaction of religion vs. earthly goods and pleasures. They all have  that same thing that pose great thinking and discussion on religious views.

I believe that "Sunday Morning" most accurately reflects contemporary American viewpoints of religion because today there are more and more people who chose to live there life as they want instead of living according to their religion because they feel as though they get no instant gratification for religion but on Earth they can. I also think that more and more people are leaning towards being more spiritual than religious and saying that you are a spiritual person does not carry the same responsibility as an entire religion.

In the readings today  the position of Goodman after he had grown old reminded me a lot of Scrooge. If you can recall Scrooge was a very mean and stingy man often by himself with no friends and who was very set in his ways. I connected that with Goodman because after he spent so long seeing fault in everyone else besides himself it started to affect him and change him for the worse. The only difference is that Scrooge was able to redeem himself. For Goodman, it was too late. One question that I have for today is given that Edwards lived in the 1700's, how do you think his view of religion would be today if he could see 300 years into the future? Do you think the tone and overall reasoning would be significantly different or the same?

May 19th: Social Freedom or the Lack Thereof

After reading the works of Bradstreet, Irving, and Gilman the idea of social freedom was something that was a challenge to achieve. With all of these stories and poems having great influence from the era in which they were written, one can only assume that the world in which these authors lived posed social freedom issues to their lives. More specifically, each one of these authors explored this idea through deep symbolism, light hearted comedy, and poetry. Anne Bradstreet expressed her feelings and observations of social freedom through her own struggles and oppositions as they were, in my opinion, most clearly seen in her poem "Prologue". The doubt of those around her and also the dissatisfaction from others of her desires to write is shown when she states "I am obnoxious to each carping tongue / Who says my hand a needle better fits" (25-26). I believe that this shows how women and people who were in her same position at that time cried out to be able to do things that were restricted to men and frowned upon if others were to cross that boundary. Gilman explored something as intangible as social freedom through something very much so tangible- wallpaper. The wallpaper was merely a reflection of a woman paralyzed by the wishes of her husband and tattered and worn from the confinement of her social and mental limitations.  I loved her use of symbolism throughout the story and not only did this help aid her in the message she was trying to convey, but it also gave you something that you could relate to. We all have things in our lives that can sometimes make us feel trapped and hinder us from either doing as we so please, or being able to express ourselves in one way or another. These texts examine the different types of social freedom whether it is in mind, body or society. All of the characters  reached some sort of freedom from the sickly woman freeing herself as she tore down the wallpaper, Bradstreet continuing her journey despite what others thought, to Rip van Winkle escaping into social freedom from his nagging wife, and laziness. The main issues that hold these characters back from being truly free are their lives itself. Living in a society where the majority opposes their inner desires of freedom will always be a looming fact and challenge to battle. One main question I had about the readings or today was a connection I made between "To My Dear and Loving Husband" and "The Yellow Wallpaper". I realized that both of the women had husbands who loved and adored them though in very different situations. Could it be safe to say that they were both trapped because of their husbands and that the answer to social freedom for them would be through their husbands? Do you think that in a different scenario without the women being married, that social freedom would have come easier or harder for them? Today's theme reminded me of Cinderella in a weird way. I was watching the movie earlier and I was reminded of how she too longed for social freedom from her stepmother and stepsisters. She was trapped in her own house, cut off from the outside world, and shunned by her family. She only wanted to live out her dreams and make her imagination a reality but all of those limitations stopped her from doing so. Although Cinderella is more of a fairy tale, that was my biggest connection with our theme for today.