"No says I, I'd feel bad-I'd feel the same way I do now."
This is Huck's response when Jim asks him if he feels good for protecting Jim. Huck is a bit confused, and still guilty about doing the 'wrong' thing, and lying to the men about there being a slave with him. He feels he has disrespected Ms. Watson. Although what he did was right by our standards, he is brainwashed by society into thinking that slaves are property.
Friday, November 2, 2007
huckfinn ZWEI!
"I had wore the ground a great deal crawling out of the hole and dragging so many things."
This statement would not have pleased the transcendentalists. Huck had used the one spot so many times that he had worn a path where he had walked. He should have moved the spot around not only to avoid routine, but to avoid other people noticing him disppearing into the same spot over and over again. According to Huck, you can't see it even from just 5 feet away, but we know that he doesn't always have the best judgement in such matters.
This statement would not have pleased the transcendentalists. Huck had used the one spot so many times that he had worn a path where he had walked. He should have moved the spot around not only to avoid routine, but to avoid other people noticing him disppearing into the same spot over and over again. According to Huck, you can't see it even from just 5 feet away, but we know that he doesn't always have the best judgement in such matters.
Huck Finn
"Y' ole father doan' know yit what he's a-gwyne to do. Sometimes he spec he'll go 'way, en din ag'in he spec he'll stay. De bes' way is to res' easy en let de ole man rake his own way. Dey's two hoverin' roun' 'bout him. One uv 'em is white en shiny, t'other one is black. De white one gits him to go right a little while, den de black one saild in en bust it all up. A body can't tell yit which one gwyne fetch him at de las'."
This quote is foreshadowing pap coming back. Pap does appear in Huck's room right after Jim is done talking to Huck. I also think it is interesting that the two 'angels' are white and black, not white and red. Even Jim considers black an unfortunate color, even though it is his own color. He should have stayed strong and not allowed that deprocating expression to enter his vocabulary.
This quote is foreshadowing pap coming back. Pap does appear in Huck's room right after Jim is done talking to Huck. I also think it is interesting that the two 'angels' are white and black, not white and red. Even Jim considers black an unfortunate color, even though it is his own color. He should have stayed strong and not allowed that deprocating expression to enter his vocabulary.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Emily Dickinson, transcendentalist or not?
Emily Dickinson is not a transcendentalist. While she does incorporate the study of nature into her work, she doesn't ever really fully embrace it in a way that is transcendentalist. She uses metaphors of bees, flowers, and grass, but they are merely metaphors, unlike Thoreau and Emerson, they are not actually used to escape from mainstream occurances.
Walt Whitman
"With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!"
The word faith has a double meaning. It not only symbolizes that the faith of the general population has suffered and turned false, but that Faith, Deacon Gookin's wife has gone "below", meaning Hell. Even though everyone has pledges their faith to the devil and evil deeds, Deacon Gookin will not be swayed by what everyone else is doing. This is ironic, because although Deacon Gookin is the only pure one of the group, he ends up having a worse life that everyone else in the story. This could be interpreted much, much differently than the writing by Thoreau and Emerson, because Whitman is almost saying that following the crowed is ok, and in the end it will even be more fun.
"Let us hear which will laugh the loudest....come witch, come wizard, come indian powwow, come devil himself, and here comes Goodman Brown. You may as well fear him as he fears you."
This quote is an example proving that both groups should be on an equal level. If one group fears the other group, the fear should be mutual. They are evenly powerful, and determining whith one laughs the loudest would be to confirm one has any dominance over the other.
The word faith has a double meaning. It not only symbolizes that the faith of the general population has suffered and turned false, but that Faith, Deacon Gookin's wife has gone "below", meaning Hell. Even though everyone has pledges their faith to the devil and evil deeds, Deacon Gookin will not be swayed by what everyone else is doing. This is ironic, because although Deacon Gookin is the only pure one of the group, he ends up having a worse life that everyone else in the story. This could be interpreted much, much differently than the writing by Thoreau and Emerson, because Whitman is almost saying that following the crowed is ok, and in the end it will even be more fun.
"Let us hear which will laugh the loudest....come witch, come wizard, come indian powwow, come devil himself, and here comes Goodman Brown. You may as well fear him as he fears you."
This quote is an example proving that both groups should be on an equal level. If one group fears the other group, the fear should be mutual. They are evenly powerful, and determining whith one laughs the loudest would be to confirm one has any dominance over the other.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Emerson quote response
"But we half express ourselves, and are ashamed by the divine idea which each of us represents." (page 17)
I believe that this quote is saying that most people only say part of what they are thinking, because they fear rejection and vulnurability. By saying all of what we believe, we put ourselves out there is a way that is scary and very diffiTcult. Not only dp we have to put our thoughts out there for everyone, but then other have the opportunity to tell us their opinion, but they can be harsh and inconsiderate when responding. People like to have control over others, and some domination can come in the form of dissing another persons ideas. After we express ourselves, we have so much to gain through sharing our insights, but once our ideas are out there, they are fragile and make us feel vulnerable.
"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." (page 17)
This shows how hearts are both strong and very fragile at the same time. We may have a strong will power to persevere, and that comes from putting a lot of heart into our actions. An iron string is an oxymoron, the iron being the tough exterior, the drive that keeps us going it the heard times. The string is the more fragile aspect of the heart. It is the side that we reveal to few, we keep it protected under that thick layer. Once we expose the delicate part of our hearts, that can not be taken back. Once this part of our soul is destroyed, it is hard to recover from. No matter how tough the outer layer of our hearts may be, once we show someone the inside, a part of them will always stay with you. This sounds incredibly corny. Haha. Anyway, we need to trust ourselves to know when that is acceptable, and when it is wise to keep our mouths shut.
"There are voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world." (page 17)
When we are alone, without the corruption of other ideas, what we think is original and remains untainted by the opinions of others. From the minute that we launch ourselves into mainstream culture, anything from what someone is wearing to what they are saying has the ability to change your view; your whole outlook on life. When you are mixing with anyone else, your thoughts are no longer fully pure, not wholly your own. When we enter into "the world", we have problems thinking our own thoughts, because following everyone else is so much easier and voicing your opinions could cause debate and disagreement. However, staying true to yourself amidst others with different views is admirable.
"For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure." (page 18)
Once you express an induvidual thought, you are subject to the cruel harassment of others. They may say what they please, because opinions are free, and if the majority is behind them, they will do what they want. Opposing views do not have to be based on fact, they just have to sound better than what you say, and other than that people will blindly follow. The ability to have a thought that remains unchanged even with the majority against you creates a stronger will power to hold on to.
I believe that this quote is saying that most people only say part of what they are thinking, because they fear rejection and vulnurability. By saying all of what we believe, we put ourselves out there is a way that is scary and very diffiTcult. Not only dp we have to put our thoughts out there for everyone, but then other have the opportunity to tell us their opinion, but they can be harsh and inconsiderate when responding. People like to have control over others, and some domination can come in the form of dissing another persons ideas. After we express ourselves, we have so much to gain through sharing our insights, but once our ideas are out there, they are fragile and make us feel vulnerable.
"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." (page 17)
This shows how hearts are both strong and very fragile at the same time. We may have a strong will power to persevere, and that comes from putting a lot of heart into our actions. An iron string is an oxymoron, the iron being the tough exterior, the drive that keeps us going it the heard times. The string is the more fragile aspect of the heart. It is the side that we reveal to few, we keep it protected under that thick layer. Once we expose the delicate part of our hearts, that can not be taken back. Once this part of our soul is destroyed, it is hard to recover from. No matter how tough the outer layer of our hearts may be, once we show someone the inside, a part of them will always stay with you. This sounds incredibly corny. Haha. Anyway, we need to trust ourselves to know when that is acceptable, and when it is wise to keep our mouths shut.
"There are voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world." (page 17)
When we are alone, without the corruption of other ideas, what we think is original and remains untainted by the opinions of others. From the minute that we launch ourselves into mainstream culture, anything from what someone is wearing to what they are saying has the ability to change your view; your whole outlook on life. When you are mixing with anyone else, your thoughts are no longer fully pure, not wholly your own. When we enter into "the world", we have problems thinking our own thoughts, because following everyone else is so much easier and voicing your opinions could cause debate and disagreement. However, staying true to yourself amidst others with different views is admirable.
"For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure." (page 18)
Once you express an induvidual thought, you are subject to the cruel harassment of others. They may say what they please, because opinions are free, and if the majority is behind them, they will do what they want. Opposing views do not have to be based on fact, they just have to sound better than what you say, and other than that people will blindly follow. The ability to have a thought that remains unchanged even with the majority against you creates a stronger will power to hold on to.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Henry David Thoreau Quotes
"I was as much affected by the faint hum of a mosquito making its invisible and unimaginable tour through my apartment at earliest dawn, when I was sitting with door and windows open, as I could be by any trumpet that ever sang of fame." page 24
Thoreau is so into the concept of nature that although a trumpet would be considered beautiful compared to the buzzing of a mosquito, he enjoys the hum of a mosquito more. The mosquito is natural which is more beautiful to Thoreau than the unnatural sound of a trumpet. The sound of a mosquito would be annoying and even make the mosquito a target because the buzz can get so aggrivating. The fact that Thoreau can be so deeply moved by something as insagnificant as the hum of a mosquito is astounding and can be interpreted as the depth of his, almost obsession, with nature.
******************************************************************************************************************************
"However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours even in a poorhouse."
This quote is very much about thinking of the glass as half full. Even if you think the situation that you are in could not possibly be any worse, thinking about it negatively will do just that. By thinking positively of a situation, you can overcome your unwillingness to rise up to the task at hand. There is a silver lining, and it can not be discovered by sitting on your butt whining about it. While you are focused on the negative aspect, so many good oppurtunities could be passing you by. If you have tried your best to relieve yourself of your problems, don't stress too much over it. As long as you have done everything in your power to change your problems, something will change, and you will find a way to move on. Everyone has problems at one point, but human tendency leads us to only think about our own issues. Maybe you have the answer to somebody elses problem, so help them out, and in turn they might help you out too. The worst thing you could do in hard times is to get so worked up over something, that you lose sight of your values and morality. By "calling it {your life} hard names," it only brings you down to that level and makes you bad as well. In every situation life throws at you, there will be good and bad. No situation can be fully good or bad, but if we try, we can always make a situation better, so watch out for the good side, and take a break from freaking out over the negativity once in a while. Focus less on the life, as a whole, and break it down into peices that you can handle. Planning ahead is good, but if you allow no spontaneity, you will get off track and your system will fall apart. By allowing structure to fully outweigh the occasional unplanned things makes life much too rigid. By allowing your focus to remain on the negative, it allows problems to seem out of control when they really are not that big of a deal. Accept life as a challenge, whatever life you have. Focus on making it better, and prioritizing, without allowing the little things to get it the way of enjoying, or at least trying to enjoy your life.
notes on quote two:
don't stress over it if you can't do anything about it
it could be worse
2 wrongs don't make a right (negatives) don't make the situation more negative
calling something bad brings you down to that level
accept it as a challenge, calling it bad brings it to the focus of your attention, seems worse
Thoreau is so into the concept of nature that although a trumpet would be considered beautiful compared to the buzzing of a mosquito, he enjoys the hum of a mosquito more. The mosquito is natural which is more beautiful to Thoreau than the unnatural sound of a trumpet. The sound of a mosquito would be annoying and even make the mosquito a target because the buzz can get so aggrivating. The fact that Thoreau can be so deeply moved by something as insagnificant as the hum of a mosquito is astounding and can be interpreted as the depth of his, almost obsession, with nature.
******************************************************************************************************************************
"However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours even in a poorhouse."
This quote is very much about thinking of the glass as half full. Even if you think the situation that you are in could not possibly be any worse, thinking about it negatively will do just that. By thinking positively of a situation, you can overcome your unwillingness to rise up to the task at hand. There is a silver lining, and it can not be discovered by sitting on your butt whining about it. While you are focused on the negative aspect, so many good oppurtunities could be passing you by. If you have tried your best to relieve yourself of your problems, don't stress too much over it. As long as you have done everything in your power to change your problems, something will change, and you will find a way to move on. Everyone has problems at one point, but human tendency leads us to only think about our own issues. Maybe you have the answer to somebody elses problem, so help them out, and in turn they might help you out too. The worst thing you could do in hard times is to get so worked up over something, that you lose sight of your values and morality. By "calling it {your life} hard names," it only brings you down to that level and makes you bad as well. In every situation life throws at you, there will be good and bad. No situation can be fully good or bad, but if we try, we can always make a situation better, so watch out for the good side, and take a break from freaking out over the negativity once in a while. Focus less on the life, as a whole, and break it down into peices that you can handle. Planning ahead is good, but if you allow no spontaneity, you will get off track and your system will fall apart. By allowing structure to fully outweigh the occasional unplanned things makes life much too rigid. By allowing your focus to remain on the negative, it allows problems to seem out of control when they really are not that big of a deal. Accept life as a challenge, whatever life you have. Focus on making it better, and prioritizing, without allowing the little things to get it the way of enjoying, or at least trying to enjoy your life.
notes on quote two:
don't stress over it if you can't do anything about it
it could be worse
2 wrongs don't make a right (negatives) don't make the situation more negative
calling something bad brings you down to that level
accept it as a challenge, calling it bad brings it to the focus of your attention, seems worse
Monday, September 10, 2007
american lit
Ok I feel kind of dumb, I totally forgot to check out the other links before starting the blog, but now I know what I am supposed to write. Umm... what do I want to get out of this course?
I would like to gain a deeper knowledge of the American culture through books. I would also like to be able to not only read the books, but actually get more out of them and enjoy them more thoroughly that I normally would while reading a school book. I enjoy reading many books, but some just don't interest me, so I kind of zone out. I also hope to improve my writing skills, because I do a terrible job of expressing myself through my writing.
I would like to gain a deeper knowledge of the American culture through books. I would also like to be able to not only read the books, but actually get more out of them and enjoy them more thoroughly that I normally would while reading a school book. I enjoy reading many books, but some just don't interest me, so I kind of zone out. I also hope to improve my writing skills, because I do a terrible job of expressing myself through my writing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)