Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Scarlet Letter: Study Guide and Angry Rant
1. There are three different reasons why the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the Custom House. He tells in the first two pages, what the reasons were and why he wrote them. The first reason he gave is because during the last time he wrote an autobiography about his dismal and boring life someone actually took the time to read it, so he thought to again seize the opportunity and write about his drawn out, incredibly dull time at the Custom House. His reason to seize this opportunity, he claims, was he wanted to write for the people who were like him, and therefore could understand him. His next reason for writing this 44-page sleeping pill was that he wanted to establish a relationship with the audience. This within itself makes no sense; I ask how are you to establish a relationship with anyone by annoying them and putting them to sleep!!!
His last and final reason for writing the introductory, which he claims is the real reason, was to establish his credibility as an editor and narrator, appeal to ethos. Also to let everyone who took the time to read this drivel of an introductory, that this is a story based on facts that he happened to find and how he found them.
2. Hawthorne admits to making two changes to the story that'll ultimately have an impact on the whole story. He first admits to adding a few details to give a small representation of some type of life that wasn't in the diary. Hawthorne doesn't go into detail about what exactly it is, but he says that it follows the story line and moves along with the characters involved in the story. He also admits to adding a character to the cast of the diary. He also doesn't go into detail about who the character is or what role the character plays.
3. These changes can have a lot of different impacts on the story. With the adding of details and a character that wasn't there to begin with, you're changing the whole story itself. You're adding in scenes that never took place, conversations that didn't happen, events that never took place, adding people to scenes that weren't there to begin with, the whole storyline. Basically these changes are falsifying the story in some areas and defeating the purpose of what the introductory was for, which was to establish Hawthorne's credibility. With him adding things and changing the story, how are we to believe that he didn’t add more than he said he did, or took some things out. That then opens up the question did he read everything right and add all the correct details. Therefore these changes have ruined the credibility of the author, the credibility of the story, and have overall made the whole story false, in some areas.
His last and final reason for writing the introductory, which he claims is the real reason, was to establish his credibility as an editor and narrator, appeal to ethos. Also to let everyone who took the time to read this drivel of an introductory, that this is a story based on facts that he happened to find and how he found them.
2. Hawthorne admits to making two changes to the story that'll ultimately have an impact on the whole story. He first admits to adding a few details to give a small representation of some type of life that wasn't in the diary. Hawthorne doesn't go into detail about what exactly it is, but he says that it follows the story line and moves along with the characters involved in the story. He also admits to adding a character to the cast of the diary. He also doesn't go into detail about who the character is or what role the character plays.
3. These changes can have a lot of different impacts on the story. With the adding of details and a character that wasn't there to begin with, you're changing the whole story itself. You're adding in scenes that never took place, conversations that didn't happen, events that never took place, adding people to scenes that weren't there to begin with, the whole storyline. Basically these changes are falsifying the story in some areas and defeating the purpose of what the introductory was for, which was to establish Hawthorne's credibility. With him adding things and changing the story, how are we to believe that he didn’t add more than he said he did, or took some things out. That then opens up the question did he read everything right and add all the correct details. Therefore these changes have ruined the credibility of the author, the credibility of the story, and have overall made the whole story false, in some areas.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Anne Bradstreet
Being a fan of poetry, I can spot a great piece of literary work, and I can truly say that Anne Bradstreet's poem The Author to Her Book is a great piece of literary work. This poem, like most of her work, is about her and her family, which she wrote during the times her husband, Governor Simon Bradstreet, was away on political duties (annebradstreet.com). She married him at the age of 16 after her parents, Thomas Dudley and Dorothy Yorke, took him in when his father died while they were living in Northampton, where Anne Bradstreet was born in 1612 (annebradstreet.com). She soon moved to the colonies in 1630, where her husband, father and his friend, John Winthrop, established a government in Boston (annebradstreet.com).
But instead of this being about her family this is about how she got her start. In this poem she makes great use of metaphors, syntax and diction. The first sign of this is when she calls her work an "ill-formed offspring of my feeble mind". Here she is referring to her work as one of her children, whom she has great love for and though she has vast knowledge (annebradstreet.com) she remains humble and calls it feeble, which would be wise since it was frowned upon for women to pursue intellectual endeavors, and publicly broadcast their opinions. She then says " who after birth didst by my side remain, till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true, who thee abroad, exposed to public view, made thee in rags, halting to th' press to trudge". Here she talks about how she never meant for to be seen by public eyes for it was written for family and personal friends, until her brother-in-law, John Woodridge, had it published in England, though it wasn't perfected (annebradstreet.com). Her next couple of lines say "at thy return by blushing was not small, my rambling brat (in print) should mother call, I cast thee by as one unfit for light, thy visage was so irksome in my sight". Here she talks about when she got a copy of the published edition and how she despised looking at it with its imperfection.. She then says " yet being my own, at length affection would thy blemishes amend, if so I could: I washed thy face, but more defects I saw, and rubbing off a spot still made a flaw" and " in better dress to trim thee was my mind, but nought save homespun cloth I th' house I find". Here she tells of how since the work was hers, she tried making it better and perfecting it, but it never came out quite perfect.
As I said, this is a great piece of literary work, with excellent use of metaphors, syntax, and diction. She has a great and brilliant mind and it’s a shame she had to stifle her creativity from the world due to the restrictions placed on women. I find it a true pleasure to be able to read her work.
But instead of this being about her family this is about how she got her start. In this poem she makes great use of metaphors, syntax and diction. The first sign of this is when she calls her work an "ill-formed offspring of my feeble mind". Here she is referring to her work as one of her children, whom she has great love for and though she has vast knowledge (annebradstreet.com) she remains humble and calls it feeble, which would be wise since it was frowned upon for women to pursue intellectual endeavors, and publicly broadcast their opinions. She then says " who after birth didst by my side remain, till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true, who thee abroad, exposed to public view, made thee in rags, halting to th' press to trudge". Here she talks about how she never meant for to be seen by public eyes for it was written for family and personal friends, until her brother-in-law, John Woodridge, had it published in England, though it wasn't perfected (annebradstreet.com). Her next couple of lines say "at thy return by blushing was not small, my rambling brat (in print) should mother call, I cast thee by as one unfit for light, thy visage was so irksome in my sight". Here she talks about when she got a copy of the published edition and how she despised looking at it with its imperfection.. She then says " yet being my own, at length affection would thy blemishes amend, if so I could: I washed thy face, but more defects I saw, and rubbing off a spot still made a flaw" and " in better dress to trim thee was my mind, but nought save homespun cloth I th' house I find". Here she tells of how since the work was hers, she tried making it better and perfecting it, but it never came out quite perfect.
As I said, this is a great piece of literary work, with excellent use of metaphors, syntax, and diction. She has a great and brilliant mind and it’s a shame she had to stifle her creativity from the world due to the restrictions placed on women. I find it a true pleasure to be able to read her work.
Friday, September 12, 2008
This image depicts Cabeza De Vaca's rise to power amongst the indian tribes he dwelt with. Though he suffered from hunger and pain, he was allowed to due as he wished as he went from tribe to tribe and became immersed in their culture. He also mapped out a pretty good life for himself due to his skills as a merchant and a healer. Soon the tribes came to respect him and follow him and listen to what he had to say as he gained rank.
Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca
Just as Christopher Columbus, Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca was a fortunate individual. He was the grandson of a conqueror, son of an alderman, and descendant of a war hero. Unfortunately for him, he was destined to be a great as his ancestors. He endured many hardships upon the Panfilo de Narvaez's expedition. Under Narvaez's leadership, a quarter of his men deserted him, and all six ships he had went missing leaving Narvaez, Cabeza De Vaca, and the rest of the army stranded on Sarasota Bay, and abandonment by Narvaez, who became lost at sea, on Mobile Bay, and eventually becoming prisoner and slave of an Indian tribe. Though he had this run of bad fortune, things started looking up when he gained rank and power amongst the different tribes he was sent to due to his skills as a merchant and healer. But still he had a time of difficulty During the time he spent he with the different tribes he became immersed in their culture and managed to record his time with them.
First it starts with the life of the Malhado's and their way of life. He describes in such amazement how their weapon of choice is an arrow, how the men pierce themselves in the lips and chest, and how the women work consistently for their families. The part that seems to astonish him the most is the villages love for the children, and how they go to great lengths to protect them, and that if a child dies the whole village joins with the child's family and grieves over, celebrates them, and literally starve themselves for three whole months. What also astonishes him was that children were breastfed until the age of twelve, so they can be nourished till they're old enough to support themselves. Next he talks about how when a daughter gets married her husband and her parents stay completely away from each other, and that whatever food her husband kills or catches goes straight to the parents and in return they feed him. He also talks about the harsh life he had among the Avavres and Arbadaos. He talks about intense hunger that he and his group go through and how they only ate two handfuls of pears a day. He mentions how because they were naked most of the time, as is the custom, that the sun and air caused them great pain and that when they carried something it only made it worst because the cords cut into their flesh and made them bleed, just like the thorns when they were gathering wood. But he says he finds comfort and gets over it by thinking about how Jesus Christ shed His blood for him and how much greater punishment he went through than he was at that time. He also describes the time of great prosperity for him because he was able to feed himself due to his merchant skills.
Lastly he tells of the men who are childless to leave their wives, if there is a disagreement and to return when they felt, and how men with children never abandon their wives or child no matter what takes place. If only that custom still existed. He also talks about the power of friendship amongst the people. He tells of how when there is an argument between two men that they fist-fight until they are exhausted and separate for quite some time and come back when ready and act as if nothing took place and become and remain friends. He also tells of his joy when he realized that they were close to being rescued, but how that quickly changed to anger when the captain, Diego de Alcaraz, tried to make slaves of the natives that were so kind and hospitable to Cabeza De Vaca and his group.
First it starts with the life of the Malhado's and their way of life. He describes in such amazement how their weapon of choice is an arrow, how the men pierce themselves in the lips and chest, and how the women work consistently for their families. The part that seems to astonish him the most is the villages love for the children, and how they go to great lengths to protect them, and that if a child dies the whole village joins with the child's family and grieves over, celebrates them, and literally starve themselves for three whole months. What also astonishes him was that children were breastfed until the age of twelve, so they can be nourished till they're old enough to support themselves. Next he talks about how when a daughter gets married her husband and her parents stay completely away from each other, and that whatever food her husband kills or catches goes straight to the parents and in return they feed him. He also talks about the harsh life he had among the Avavres and Arbadaos. He talks about intense hunger that he and his group go through and how they only ate two handfuls of pears a day. He mentions how because they were naked most of the time, as is the custom, that the sun and air caused them great pain and that when they carried something it only made it worst because the cords cut into their flesh and made them bleed, just like the thorns when they were gathering wood. But he says he finds comfort and gets over it by thinking about how Jesus Christ shed His blood for him and how much greater punishment he went through than he was at that time. He also describes the time of great prosperity for him because he was able to feed himself due to his merchant skills.
Lastly he tells of the men who are childless to leave their wives, if there is a disagreement and to return when they felt, and how men with children never abandon their wives or child no matter what takes place. If only that custom still existed. He also talks about the power of friendship amongst the people. He tells of how when there is an argument between two men that they fist-fight until they are exhausted and separate for quite some time and come back when ready and act as if nothing took place and become and remain friends. He also tells of his joy when he realized that they were close to being rescued, but how that quickly changed to anger when the captain, Diego de Alcaraz, tried to make slaves of the natives that were so kind and hospitable to Cabeza De Vaca and his group.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Christopher Columbus
During his lifetime, Christopher Columbus was fortunate enough to gain the favor of the Spanish monarchs of his time, Ferdinand and Isabella, and to have gone on a series of voyages. Though Columbus was fortunate to do this, he unfortunately failed as all of his four voyages ended in failure. His first voyage, taking place in 1492, was to the island of Hispaniola. There he met the native tribe of the Taino and had good relations with them, until the settlers he brought and left exhausted the relationship from their demands of gold and sexual partners. The same disorder took place in his second voyage, during 1496 in Cuba and Jamaica, and soon he was forced to return to Spain to answer charges made against him by the Europeans of the Indies. His third voyage took him to South America, where he thought he had found paradise, but upon his return to Hispaniola he found the settlers openly defying his authority and had enslaved the Taino. He was then turned on and arrested and sent back to Spain to face more charges. His fourth and final voyage made him experience a time of suffering in Panama and shipwrecked in Jamaica. He was soon rescued and returned home, where he later died. In the midst of the despair he faced he managed to record down, seemingly sentimental details of his first voyage, and outrage and hatred for those involved in his second to fourth voyage. The letters he wrote were appealing to emotion, or pathos.
In his first voyage Columbus went to the island of Hispaniola. In his letter to Luis de Santangel, he described what he saw with such awe and amazement. He described the islands as marvelous, and the people who inhabited it innumerable. He also used words like beautiful, and wonder as he talks of the landscape, the animals, and the population. In the end he calls it a marvel.
Though he describe what he saw in such amazement in his first voyage, that changed after years of torment and persecution by his rebellious settlers, as perfectly shown in his letter to the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella. He is writing this on the Island of Jamaica, where he was currently shipwrecked and " alone in my trouble, sick, in daily expectation of death, and encompassed about by a million savages". Here he writes in anger about his situation and the ill wrong dealt him. He says he can't help but to weep every time he thinks about Espanola in its exhausted state, and that not only the person responsible for what happened and his children, but also everyone that was involved should reap the consequences of what happened. He also describes the situation when he, even though the king favored him, was arrested and tortured without a trial or sentence, and how he has been dishonored, and how he wishes punishment to him where punishment is due and the restoration of his honor. He lastly describes how not only is his reputation ruined, but he is ruined spiritually.
Though he had experienced rough times and torment, and a time of peace and serenity, Columbus was still nonetheless a failure, and it's a terrible shame. He was given the chance to sail the world, was favored by the king and queen, but was turned on by his own people, leaving him tired and his reputation destroyed. He led a good, but at the same time a horrible life. He was a failed hero.
In his first voyage Columbus went to the island of Hispaniola. In his letter to Luis de Santangel, he described what he saw with such awe and amazement. He described the islands as marvelous, and the people who inhabited it innumerable. He also used words like beautiful, and wonder as he talks of the landscape, the animals, and the population. In the end he calls it a marvel.
Though he describe what he saw in such amazement in his first voyage, that changed after years of torment and persecution by his rebellious settlers, as perfectly shown in his letter to the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella. He is writing this on the Island of Jamaica, where he was currently shipwrecked and " alone in my trouble, sick, in daily expectation of death, and encompassed about by a million savages". Here he writes in anger about his situation and the ill wrong dealt him. He says he can't help but to weep every time he thinks about Espanola in its exhausted state, and that not only the person responsible for what happened and his children, but also everyone that was involved should reap the consequences of what happened. He also describes the situation when he, even though the king favored him, was arrested and tortured without a trial or sentence, and how he has been dishonored, and how he wishes punishment to him where punishment is due and the restoration of his honor. He lastly describes how not only is his reputation ruined, but he is ruined spiritually.
Though he had experienced rough times and torment, and a time of peace and serenity, Columbus was still nonetheless a failure, and it's a terrible shame. He was given the chance to sail the world, was favored by the king and queen, but was turned on by his own people, leaving him tired and his reputation destroyed. He led a good, but at the same time a horrible life. He was a failed hero.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Failure
This picture represents exaclty what it says, failure. Might sound terrible, but he tried and failed miserably. Though Columbus went through all that despair and trouble, and it wasn't his fault, it still doesn't hide the fact that he failed at all four of his voyages. I'm not saying he should of quit and gave up, he was in the right to do what he did, and to be angry at those who caused his despair but he still failed in the end. His best just wasn't good enough.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Bell Ringer 9/05/08
1. This statement makes me think of a girl wearing lipstick, but for some reason it just makes her stand out from everyone else.
2. It'll be too wordy it becomes more specific and less colorful
Apply:
An oak tree like a chained dog
2. It'll be too wordy it becomes more specific and less colorful
Apply:
An oak tree like a chained dog
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)