All Good Things Come To An End.....

Well, it is finally that time again. I have mixed feelings with the end of the semester. While I am very excited to be done with classes, I can't help but be a little sad that this class is over. Nerdy? Maybe. This is one of my last literature courses here at USF and American Lit. has always been a favorite of mine. I won't miss writing papers and doing assignments, but I will miss reading and discussing some great literature.

I just want to reflect a bit on some of my favorites over the course of the semester. I must start with my favorite, Walt Whitman. I love EVERYTHING about his work. I only wish we could have spent more time on him. Anne Bradstreet comes in second because she is really one of the first poets I was able to understand. Her poetry has meaning and is relatable to everyone. It is timeless. Following Bradstreet is Dickinson. Sometimes she makes no sense to me and sometimes I get her. Even when I don't get it, I love the images she conveys.

I have to stop right here for a second.......

I cannot believe that me, a poetry hating person, just listed poetry as my top three favorite authors over the semester. I feel like that deserves some kind of award!

Ok, moving on. The Scarlet Letter is definitely another one of my favorites. It was really interesting to see how my perspective has changed since reading it three years ago. I can definitely see some growth in myself as a reader. Edgar Allen Poe rounds off the top five. His work has a unique mixture of dark and light. While it appears to be very melancholy, there is still some illumination on characters/ideas present. Poe is one person I would love to meet. I imagine him to be very peculiar but in a good way.

So, that brings this semester to an end. While there were a few readings I didn't particularly enjoy, I can honestly say that overall I really enjoyed what we read as a class. It was really fun to read everyone's blogs and hear what people thought during class discussions.

It has been real. It has been fun. It has been real fun.......   :)

Emily Dickinson

A lot of people talked about the fact that poetry is hard to understand and Emily Dickinson makes it even harder. On some levels, I agree. Poetry is hard and Dickinson doesn't exactly feed us with a spoon. She challenges our thoughts and sometimes leaves us with frustrations. However, this is what makes me love her. Some of her poems may not make any sense at all to me, but they must have made perfect sense to her; that is what is so intriguing. Below is one of my favorites of Dickinson and we just happened to have discussed it in class.

I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –  

The Stillness in the Room 

Was like the Stillness in the Air –  

Between the Heaves of Storm –  

The Eyes around – had wrung them dry –  

And Breaths were gathering firm 

For that last Onset – when the King 

Be witnessed – in the Room –  

I willed my Keepsakes – Signed away 

What portions of me be 

Assignable – and then it was 

There interposed a Fly –  

With Blue – uncertain stumbling Buzz –  

Between the light – and me –  

And then the Windows failed – and then 

I could not see to see –

  

For some reason this poem really resonates with me. Maybe it is because it challenges the typical idea of what death will be like. I consider myself a Christian, but I don't necessarily believe that when I die I will see "the light." This may just be the pessimistic side of me. What I imagine death to be like is much like what Dickinson describes. I just can't wrap my head around the idea that my death will somehow be this amazing thing where I am finally given answers to life. 

I think the message of this poem is much more straightforward compared to some of the others we have read. There are some that I wouldn't even want to take a shot at trying to determine what Dickinson had in mind.  

She doesn't always paint us the perfect picture, but the picture she does paint is beautiful nonetheless.

Grass and all that goes with It

I really like Whitman's imagery of grass. He has been able to make me (and I'm sure I'm not the only one) think about the simplistic beauty that grass represents. There is something about grass that holds meaning. I have never been one who has liked to lay in the grass. It is much to scratchy for me. However, I do enjoy plopping down on a blanket in the middle of my yard and soaking in the nature that surrounds me. That's one thing I love about having grown up in the country. It doesn't take much to feel as if you are in a large field in the middle of nowhere. Grass is peaceful.

Does anyone else love the smell of freshly cut grass? It is one of my favorites! The smell is a great reminder of summertime.

I really enjoyed the notion of grass acting as a reminder that God has dropped for us. I think this idea really speaks to how I view grass and all that it stands for. Grass is everywhere (at least around here) just as God is everywhere. It serves as a reminder to appreciate all of the little things in life. Too often I get caught up in everything that goes on, and I forget to stop and "smell the roses." Sometimes all we need is time to stop and reflect on life itself.

For me, Whitman not only provides great imagery throughout his poems, but he also leaves reminders for what is important in life. He takes something as simple as grass and complicates it in a way that provokes a deeper thinking about what surrounds us here on earth.

I will leave you with just a part of one of my favorite Whitman writings.....

#21

I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul,
The pleasures of heaven are with me and the pains of hell are with
me,
The first I graft and increase upon myself, the latter I translate
into new tongue.

I am the poet of the woman the same as the man,
And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man,
And I say there is nothing greater than the mother of men.

Whitman, My Love.....

As you can tell from the url for my blog, I absolutely LOVE Walt Whitman. I will admit, whenever I hear his first name my mind immediately goes to Walt Disney. After a moment, I reel myself back in and focus on the Walt that is somewhat less known by those other than Englishy people.  I was first introduced to him in high school, and despite my dislike for poetry, I really enjoyed reading his work. Whitman has a way of being descriptive in an unique way. He really gets my imagination flowing.

The preface to Leaves of Grass is not something I had read before, but it was very intriguing. My group decided to break down Whitman's ideas into a top ten list. I'm sure you are all so disappointed we didn't get to all of them during class. Don't worry, I will give them to you in a minute! Because poetry isn't my forte, I never really thought about what it meant to be a great poet. I think Whitman does an excellent job giving insight into his feelings about poets. I believe that what he says can be taken farther than poets. One can look at them as descriptions for what it means to be a great person. Many of the qualities can go either way.

Ok, the wait is over. Here is tonight's top ten (in David Letterman voice)

10. Bring spirit of people, places and events to life
9. He is a seer, and individual, he is complete with himself
8. Has less of a marked style and is a free channel of himself
7. Makes poet and audience equal
6. Absence of tricks and perfect candor/honesty
5. Voice and exposition of liberty
4. Timeless and for all people
3. Poem is not an end, but rather a beginning
2. The greatest poet hardly knows triviality and pettiness
1. The proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he has absorbed it.

**Note, these are not in order of less important to important or vice versa. They are all equal!

Where you come from....

My small group discussion in class was about St. Clare and his discussion with Ophelia and what type of family she came from. This really got me thinking. Even today, people are defined by where they grew up, who their family is, etc. It is something that is very difficult to escape. It is important to note that two people can be exactly the same, but they appear to be different based on the differences between where they came from. St. Clare points this out to Ophelia. In reality, their families were the same, but they acted different because of where they were.

Reputation is something else that begins basically at birth. Whether it is a good thing or not, I think people's initial reputation stems from the people in their family. I always felt like I had to be like my brother growing up. In school, teachers looked at me to be like him. I also can't forget that I was a "teacher's kid." Because my dad taught at my high school, I was always expected to act a certain way. Sometimes I enjoyed resisting that reputation. I was respectful but definitely not afraid to speak my mind. For some people, this came as a surprise. It was expected that I would never disagree with things happening in the school. I was not even close to living up to that expectation.

Sometimes this whole notion of not being able to break away from where you came from is a good thing. No matter where I am, I always feel like a small town kid. The morals and goals I have for myself come from this. I think anyone who is from a small town has dreams of going out in the world and doing something big and different. However, at some point in my life I want to end up back where I started.

This all may be a little different than the conversation of St. Clare, but I think it is just as important.

Never forget where you came from!!

Aha Moment!

I had the biggest Aha moment in class when we were talking about how the Bible is used to justify slavery in Uncle Tom's Cabin. Sadly, I believe people use the Bible for evil more often than what we would like to admit. A common phrase I hear at USF is, "well in the Bible....." The second I hear that, I shut down. At that point, I usually tune people out. Fair? Probably not. I do this because I have had a great number of experiences where people are twisting what the Bible has said to fit what they believe or want to others to believe. This is where I think a lot of people go wrong. Interpreting the Bible is something that Christians are faced with. That's a fact. However, some people tend to interpret it to suit them.

And, I can't forget to mention those people who go around quoting the Bible all day (and quite possibly in their sleep) but forget to live by what they say. Don't just say it, do it! For example, I can't even count the number of times I have heard these types of people placing judgement on others. Some have even gone as far as to say that they don't think a certain person will go to heaven. Really???? This is where I get frustrated. It is so hypocritical to preach all day but then judge someone else. Isn't that God's job? If you ask those people, they will usually respond that it is. Confusing!

This is why I usually choose to leave the Bible out of it. I don't want to be that person who uses the Bible the wrong way. I don't want to be that person that comes off as being hypocritical. Maybe I am not acting as one should in regards to faith, but the second I start saying "well in the Bible...." I am in what could be a sticky situation.

By no means do I mean to belittle anyone or even put myself at a higher level. I sin and make all the mistakes that everyone else does. I judge people too. The only difference is I leave my faith and what I believe out of it. I'm not sure what I even believe in most of the time. Do I believe in the Bible? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. What I do know is, I never justify how I act based on the Bible. If I do something sinful it is because I am flawed. The opposite is also true. If I make a good decision, it is because I wanted to.

This may appear to be a rant. In fact, it is. Sometimes we all need a little time to let it all out. Well, my time is up.....

Uncle Tom's Cabin

As quickly as page two, I was reminded of The Adventures of Huck Finn. It was one of my favorite books I read last year and might even rank in my top 20 of all time favorites. Because of my love of Huck Finn, I have high hopes for Uncle Tom's Cabin. Hopefully Harriet Beecher Stowe will not disappoint. I can't imagine that such a well known book would be disappointing, but one never knows.

Slavery is a topic that just boggles my mind. I can't imagine being on either side of it: the slaveholder or the slave. The distorted beliefs one must have in order to have a slave is outrageous. When I was a kid my brother and I used to make bets and whoever lost the best had to be the other person's "slave." Even then I felt bad bossing my brother around. Shocker, I know! I would usually just have him do stupid little things, but he took a much different approach. When I was the "slave," I had to do all sorts of ridiculous things. And, I usually wasn't very happy about it. I didn't understand how he could ask me to do things when he was supposed to love me as his sister. Maybe I was just a little oversensitive, but I think it was a fair feeling.

Even though the situations are totally different, I was able to get a little taste of what it would be like having someone determine my every move. What is even harder for me to imagine is what it would be like to be traded. Slaves would be taken away from their families. I gather this would make being a slave 100 times worse. It is one things to be enduring something horrific, and it is another to be enduring it without your loved ones.

After this first section of reading, I have a pretty good feeling that I will be satisfied in terms of how it compares to Huck Finn.

My Friend, Edgar Allen Poe

Let me just start by saying how much I love Poe. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE him! I remember reading "The Raven" although I don't remember exactly when it was. My impression of it was changed drastically in part due to the reading in class. I have never heard a reading quite like that in a classroom; maybe she would like to read every day! :) Anyway, my understanding of poetry is that the poem only really comes to life when someone reads it aloud. Visualizing it is much easier when the text is taken off the page and projected in an artful way.

Despite the length of "The Raven," I thought that Poe did an excellent job with audience engagement. Sometimes the use of repetition can turn me away, but I felt it was done in a different way than how other writers have done.

One aspect of "The Raven" that I never thought about before or honestly even noticed was the fact that the narrator is asking questions of the bird when he already knows the answer. I'm not sure how I missed this because it became so obvious to me after it being pointed out in class.

I love a good poem that incorporates sorrow and uncertainty. Maybe this is why I resonate with Poe so much. I only wish we would have read/discussed more of Poe's work.....

Pearl

The first time I read The Scarlet Letter Pearl was my favorite character. After reading it this second time, Pearl is even more so my favorite character in the book. I wish I could take a look inside Pearl's mind because I think it would be unlike that of anyone else. Pearl is smart, inquisitive, thought provoking, and independent. There is no doubt that she is her own person.

I have always felt that Pearl is the type of person that pushes people's buttons not to cause problems but to further her investigation of life. She is characterized as being "devilish," and I think this comes from the fact that she scares the adults around her. They don't know how to understand a child like her. Pearl is different. She is a thinker and a doer. For adults, this may be intimidating.

I have a cousin named Pearl, and when I read The Scarlet Letter I couldn't help but think of her. Both Pearls have similar personalities and act in similar ways. More than once, I laughed out loud because I could picture my cousin doing as Peal in the book was doing. I don't think my aunt and uncle could have picked a better name.

Sin

Sin is a strong theme in The Scarlet Letter. For some reason, the notion of sin has always been a fascination of mine. Maybe because it is sometimes subjective. What one person may view as being sinful, another person may not. This is something that I have seen come up throughout my life. When judgment is being placed on someone for doing something "wrong" is it fair judgement?? Usually not.

I admire Hester and her ability to stand strong in what would be a difficult situation. When looking at all of the other characters and townspeople, I believe Hester is the least sinful. She may appear to be the most sinful because of the fact that she is damned to wear the letter A. Her "sin" is viewable. A stranger can meet Hester and know right away what she has done.

The same cannot be said for Dimmesdale and other characters. His sin is not pinned on his shirt. Dimmesdale can hide what he has done. For that reason alone, I put him in the "more sinful" category. Why? Well, Hester didn't try and hide what happened. In fact, she embraced it as well as anyone could have. Dimmesdale did the opposite. In my opinion, this makes him worse off.

The Scarlet Letter says a lot about the nature of sin. What I have taken away from it may or may not be the same as what other's have taken away. For me, hidden sin is much more dangerous than a visible sin. Hester and Dimmesdale are perfect examples of this. While Hester receives ridicule from those around her, Dimmesdale must suffer on the inside. If he would have demonstrated honesty, he could have changed what happened to Hester. Hester should be a role model to all people. She embraced the A and worked to change what it meant in regards to her sin.

I think we can all learn a little something from Hester Prynne.....

The Scarlet Letter: Part 1

FINALLY! The introduction is done and we are heading into one of my favorite books of all time.

Coming from a small town has given me a connection with Hester Prynne. Much like what she experiences, being in a community that knows everything about everyone is less than enjoyable. In fact, it can be very stressful. Whether you like it or not, you are constantly being judged by people you may not even have a relationship with. If you have just one fault, everyone seems to notice and many even condemn you for it. This is the case with Hester. She has to suffer the criticism of those around her.

What I love most about Hester is her ability to remain strong and individualized. She has the strength that I think most people would only be able to dream of in this situation. I would like to think that I could do as Hester did, but chances of that are very slim.

One of my favorite quotes comes from the beginning of Part V. I love Hawthorne's attention to detail and description. He leaves nothing out and nothing to the imagination. As the reader, I can picture what Hawthorne must have been imagining while writing the story. That is just one of the many reasons while I love him and this novel. Here is the part I am specifically talking about (there are many more examples that can be found on nearly every page):

"Hester Prynne's term of confinement was now at an end. Her prison door was thrown open, and she came forth into the sunshine, which, falling on all alike, seemed, to her sick and morbid heart, as if meant for no other purpose than to reveal the scarlet letter on her breast."

That certainly sounds a lot better than simply saying Hester walked out of the prison with the sun beating down on her scarlet letter. I could show many more examples of where I think Hawthorne's attention to detail has made the story significantly more impactful, but this blog would never end. I don't really need to expand on the passage about the rosebush as we already talked a great deal about it in class, but I will say that this is another one of the passages I vividly remember from high school.

Well, that's it. Until next time......

The Beginnings of The Scarlet Letter

Let me start by saying I was very excited when I saw this novel on the list of books to purchase for the class. I first read The Scarlet Letter as a senior in high school. With a disappointing instructor the first time around, I was excited to get another chance to discuss the novel. I absolutely LOVED The Scarlet Letter when I first read it. I have no doubt that this feeling will continue if not even expand upon reading it for the second time.

Despite my love of the book, I was quickly reminded of how BORING the introduction is. I'm not exactly sure why Hawthorne chose to include it. When I first read it as a senior, I remember being terrified that this was going to be how the whole novel was laid out. I was able to comprehend very little of what Hawthorne had to say. I will admit, I had some of the same problems this time as well. While there were some parts that I was able to understand better, the majority of it went straight over my head. I was able to appreciate the references to Thoreau and Chaucer. Back in high school I'm not sure I had ever heard of either of the two authors.

When we talked in class, there appeared to be an agreement that the only part of the introduction that served any real purpose was the section where Hawthorne told of how he discovered the story of Hester. I would have been satisfied if this would have been all Hawthorne included. The whole first part of the intro felt like many of the other readings we have done in the class thus far. Honestly, I don't respond very well to the style. It had the same feeling as some of the sermons, autobiographies, etc. I am much more of a narrative/fiction type of person. While I appreciate all types, I respond much better to the latter style of Hawthorne. 

With that being said, it is time to really dig into The Scarlet Letter.......

Walden Part 2

Ok, I marked more in Thoreau than I would have guessed. Does this mean progress is happening?

Here is another one I allowed my pencil to underline: "Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that they must have such a one as their neighbors have."

If anything stuck out to me the most in the reading, this would be it. I have never really thought about life and possessions this way. In class we talked about how our possessions enslave us. This couldn't be more right. Paying for a car, an apartment, a cell phone, etc. can cause someone to take on stress and work more than would otherwise be needed. I know it does for me. In reality, I don't need many of the things I buy, yet I drive myself crazy trying to pay for it all. If only I could simplify my life, I would be able to live more freely.

Thinking about the cost of things in the way Thoreau does actually makes the whole thing more depressing. For example, if I buy a meal at McDonald's it will cost me almost a half of an hour of pay. WHAT?! Putting it that way really makes all the purchases I make on a daily basis seem absolutely ridiculous. How much of my life have I wasted on paying off my debts? How much more will I waste?

I also found it insightful to look at the cost of things not only in terms of work/time, but also in terms of energy. Think about all the times you've been exhausted, tired, etc. How many times was it worth it? For me, this is almost a daily occurrence and it is 90% of the time not worth it.

With that being said, I am going to take Thoreau's advice. I am ending this blog to go enjoy life and this weather. I am putting my energy into something else for a change......

Walden Part 1

Thoreau grabbed my attention right away. I am the type of person with extreme OCD and absolutely HATE when there is writing, marking, etc in my books. Now if it is a book that I don't care about for a class that I don't really want to take, then it is ok, but for the majority of my textbooks, I refuse to put any sort of marking in them. I made an exception for Thoreau. I really had to stop myself and question why I was willing to put pencil marks on the pages of this reading. My only explanation: there are just too many good quotes I don't want to forget.

The first one that I marked was right away in the second paragraph. "I trust that none will stretch the seams in putting on the coat, for it may do good service to him whom it fits." This quote reminded me not only of the times where I am trying to squeeze into a cute pair of jeans when I should really just let someone buy them who they actually fit, but it also reminds me of the times where I take on responsibilities that are better fit for another individual. In life, it is better to do what you can do and let others do what they can do. For me, I am constantly battling myself with taking on too much and not letting someone else do some of the work. This quote serves as a reminder that there are people who will succeed and enjoy doing something that I may stress over.

Another aspect of Thoreau that I enjoyed was the idea that we live our lives going about our day-to-day business and living like a machine. I can't think of anything else that better describes me! A lot of the readings we have done in this class have been reminders for me as far as trying to really enjoy life and "stop to smell the roses." I wonder how many times I need to be hit over the head with this before it will actually sink in?? Shall we take bets..... :)

I am willing to let go of my OCD a little bit and possibly mark more in my book as the semester continues.

The American Scholar

Well, we have definitely switched in terms of style in what we are reading. I found myself really enjoying "The American Scholar" despite my hesitation to Emerson's writing style. Once I was really able to consider what Emerson was saying, I began to appreciate this reading more. He made some very good points as to how one should look at life, the individual, and what it means to be a scholar.

One of the biggest take-aways for me came from the notion that life should be lived rather than focused on following others. In too many situations it is easier to just do as everyone else does and follow in the footsteps of others. In order to truly live life, one must be willing to step away from the shadows of others and step into the sunlight. It is only then that life can really begin. When I think about this, I think about all the times in my life that I have done what my friends do rather than what I really desire to do. I do believe that it is impossible to always live without following others, but I do think that we should all make a more conscious effort not to get stuck in the shadows for too long.

I also really liked how Emerson approached individuality. The idea that we aren't simply what we do is very relatable to my life. When people ask me what I do or question me about who I am, my response is almost always that I am a student. Who am I? A student. What do I do? Go to school. HOW BORING IS THAT! Emerson's argument that we are not just what our occupations are sparked a great deal of thinking in me. I have to reevaluate who I am as a person aside from going to school.

The "Influences of a Scholar" are not something I have ever thought about before. I really like how he breaks them down and addresses each one. Once again, Emerson made me think. I thought about each of these influences and was able to make them applicable to my life. Maybe this is why I am willing to look past my dislike for this writing style; Emerson requires one to think and reflect making the reading relatable.

I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
"Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst.

A Happy Surprise

I was a little surprised that we were reading something other than a poem or sermon or anything else where it has the "lecture" feel to it. Washington Irving was a pleasant interruption to some of the previous readings. I have heard of "Rip Van Winkle" before, but I had no concept of what the story was going to be about. In many ways, I was reminded of a fairytale (a bit more twisted perhaps). Irving has included a childlike sense of magic embedded with humor and an overall moral of the story.

I can see why the story is liked by children because I felt like a child when reading it. There was a point where I had to remind myself that this is just a story and very much made up. I think as children, we tend to get so involved in a story that we forget it is in fact just that, a story. Clearly one does not just randomly wake up and find themself awake years later. It just isn't possible. However, I do think there were many truths to Irving's story.

Even though we can't time travel, I do believe in the notion that one can wake up one day and realize that their whole life has passed right by them. There are times when i have this feeling. I can get so caught up in the moment and stress of life that I forget to really live. Eventually I look back and wonder why I spent so much of my time worrying about one little thing. For me, this is a constant struggle.

I also liked Irving's critique on political life and how the Revolution did not change much about typical life for the typical person. He did a nice job tying this into the story without being abrupt about it. Irving's humor also entertained me. I can't help but laugh when I think about the comments made about his wife. I can just picture an Rip Van Winkle sighing from relief when hearing of his wife's death. For some reason, this image just cracks me up. Irving definitely knew how to keep the audience involved and knew when humor would be useful.

This reading was a very happy surprise, and I hope to read more stories like "Rip Van Winkle."

Carnival Post

Over the past two weeks, our class has tackled a number of authors and a number of topics. Each blog is definitely worth reading because each person has a different perspective, but for the purpose of this blog I will give you some direction of where to head if you are interested in a particular author or topic.

Jonathan Edwards

Edwards is one of those people who is typically either liked or disliked and not much in-between. His sermon was full of passion and feeling, as were the blogs written about him.

As a whole, most people agreed on the idea that Edwards appeared to be trying to scare people into Christianity. Overall, this was not the most effective aspect in his sermon, but he must have had some point behind it.

For those that liked the tone of Edwards, Lindsey’s blog would be a good place to go. Here, she talks about giving people the harsh reality. She found Edwards honest and emotional. “The harsh tone that is carried out during the sermon is needed I think in order for the listeners to understand the seriousness of Christianity.”

Dan and Nicole’s blogs share the opposite feelings of Edwards. Dan said, “I felt as though if i had attended his church and if he preached this kind of message I would find myself going to a different church.” Dan wasn’t the only one that felt this way. Nicole expressed her concern about not feeling motivated by a preacher like Edwards. Both blogs are a great place to go to see this side of Edwards.

Benjamin Franklin

Many people commented on the fact that reading Franklin’s work opened them up to a different side of him. It is common to see historical figures as just that, historical figures. Ben’s blog and Nikki’s blog both share how their understanding of Franklin changed. If you had this same feeling, check out these blogs to see what they said.

Some of the words to describe Franklin after reading were: passionate, thinker, businessman, intriguing, “self-made,” and impressive. If you want to learn more about Franklin as a person rather than just someone pictured in a history book, I encourage you to read the blogs and read him for yourself.

 

John and Abigail Adams

People really liked reading the letters between John and Abigail. Julia’s blog is a great place to start looking at Adams. Like others in the class, she expressed a likeness for the actual letter writing. In fact, she went as far as to say she detests digital communication. She does a nice job of talking about the importance of writing letters.

After reading what Julia has to say, I encourage you to check out Esther’s blog. She talks about how real the letters were and what kind of impression they gave her. Esther says it well when she states, “There were few terms of endearment and no passionate declarations of love. But it was the very simplicity of their affection that appealed to me.” The letters did not scream “romantic” but if you read closely, you can see the pure love between John and Abigail.

De Crevecoeur

Not a lot was said about De Crevecoeur. Andrew and Nikki were the only ones to write about this author (so far). Nikki has some great comparisons to John Smith that are worth taking a look at. Andrew has a discussion on identity and what role American plays in that.

Olaudah Equiano

In Ben’s blog he talks about his fascination with Equiano becoming a Christian as a result of his enslavement. This topic is one we talked about in class and seems to be on everyone’s mind. Sarah’s blog also touches on this idea and she says, “His faith is something else I think is very unique.  He believes in Christ, but was introduced to Him by these people who kept him bound in this position. I find it interesting how he still finds that faith.” There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Equiano faced a remarkable hardship but had such a positive outlook.

 

Phyllis Wheatley

Julia’s blog is where you will need to go if you are interested in hearing someone’s thoughts on Wheatley and poetry. Julia’s honesty about her experience with poetry is one that many people can relate to. As she points out, Wheatley is one that is best understood after a great deal of re-reading. Her following statement sums it up perfectly:  

“Phyllis Wheatley was a brilliant poet. The majority of her organized thoughts are overlooked unless you re-read and re-read some more.”

If you are interested in reading about Wheatley or have the same experience as Julia with poetry, this would be a great place to go!

Olaudah Equiano

Reading Olaudah Equiano's Narrative of the Life gave me once again a whole new appreciation for the past of African Americans. It is so hard for me to really imagine a time and place where this was happening. I cringe at the thought that this treatment continues for all different races around the world today. The notion of mistreating people based on skin color is something I do not necessarily like to think about. I always feel really bad for the people and wish that there was a way I could time-travel and do something about it. Because that is not humanly possible (yet) the next best thing is to educate all people and to do our very best to avoid a repeat in history.

I was a little intimidated by the length of Equiano's story, but I was put at ease as soon as I began. It was a quick read and easy to focus on. I will admit, there are readings where I really have to work hard to stay focused and sometimes it is a lost cause. In this case, I enjoyed the reading so much that it flowed naturally.

The discussion in class really opened my eyes to some of the main ideas found in the text. One thing I did not pick up on initially was the drastic change in treatment after getting on the boat. I noticed that Equiano was having a significantly more difficult time, but when exactly that change occurred, I missed. His humanity was greatly decreased in the eyes of his captors. Both the brutality and severity greatly increased as well.

I am always impressed with someone who wants to learn to read and write and does so at their own hand. Equiano is no different. He had a goal, set his mind to it, and achieved it. If he was here today, I would give him a standing ovation. Equiano is very admirable as a person. Despite all that he went through, he proved himself to be smart, compassionate, determined, and faithful. In many more ways than one, Equiano is what people should strive to be like.    

Snail Mail

Let me start off by saying how much I LOVED reading the letters sent between John and Abigail Adams. It brought be back to the "old days" when writing letters to people was the cool thing to do. It is actually somewhat depressing to think that in my lifetime, the means of communication has drastically changed. Maybe I am supposed to feel super old or something... Anyway, reading these letters made me miss the process of sending mail to a friend, grandparent, cousin, etc. I still enjoy sending a card or letter here and there, but I have definitely fallen into the world of technology. When I really think about it, snail mail is actually more personal. You may be asking yourself how that is possible, but let me explain......

How many times does a person email, text, post to FB, and use Twitter in a day? For me, too many to count. I assume that is the same for most of you. If not, then I apologize for making such assumptions. When we are using these different modes of communication, how often are we really putting thought into what we type/say? For me, hardly ever. Once again, I assume the same can be said for most people.

Now, think back to a time when you sat down and wrote a letter to someone. How much time did it take you to write it? My guess is that it took much longer than the 5 seconds it takes to do any of the above mentioned messaging. As a result, letters are usually have much more meaning behind them. When I write a letter to someone, I have to sit and think about the exact wording I want and what message I want to get across. If and when I do write a letter today, it is usually to tell a loved one how much I appreciate them. It becomes more personal because I have to sit down, think, and use my handwriting to communicate. It is weird, but somehow handwriting makes it more personal too. Think about it, when we type on FB or twitter or email or text, we all usually have the same font. How original, right! Being able to look at someones handwriting and know that they took the time to write something just has a whole different meaning.

Now that I have rambled, let me get back to John and Abigail Adams. I really enjoyed reading the letters sent between them. I almost felt guilty for reading them. Wouldn't it be weird to have people reading the letters you wrote to your loved one? Talk about a breach in privacy! It was refreshing to look at a different side of John Adams. There is something intriguing about reading the personal notes of any historical figure. It tends to make those people more "real" and relatable. I could feel the connection between the couple despite the fact that they were no where near each other. Their love was clearly strong. Reading the letters not only gave me a better understanding of them as people, but it also reminded me of the importance behind sending letters.

I encourage everyone (including myself) to write a letter, note, card, anything and stick it in the old fashion mail.

A New Side to Benjamin Franklin...

Let me just start off by saying that Franklin did much better than I could have ever done running away at the age of 17. If that was me, I would have been royally screwed. Franklin however, did not seem to be phased by the limitless obstacles standing in his way. I'm not saying he had it easy, but I can't say that I would have been able to do as he did even at my age now.

Reading "The Autobiography" gave me a new insight into the person I have learned about with the name Benjamin Franklin. Maybe I didn't pay that close attention in my history classes, or maybe this part of his life never came up. Either way, I definitely learned something new with this reading.

Franklin was without a doubt a "self-made man."  He epitomizes "The American Dream." Seeing how he went from having nothing to making a great life for himself gave me a bigger appreciation for him as a man.

I got a pretty big kick out of looking at his two charts. The fact that he took the time to keep track of his sins is quite unique. Most people make a conscious effort to live better, but Franklin took it a whole step up. Maybe even two. I like the idea of using a chart as he did, but it isn't exactly realistic. Franklin was focused on being perfect, but I truly believe in imperfection. I don't think anyone should want to be perfect because then what does a person have to strive for. What's left? Franklin's schedule is unimaginable to me. I tend to think that I have a busy schedule, but I don't think I would be able to survive a day in his shoes. Franklin definitely had his hands full.

Although I don't think it is necessarily healthy to strive for being absolutely perfect, I do think that a lot can be taken from what Franklin was doing for himself.  

An Angry God?

I really enjoyed Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." When I first started reading it, I was taken aback by the overwhelming tone of Edwards. I resisted his approach in the beginning. It wasn't long before Edwards reeled me in. His sermon is unlike any other that I have ever heard before.

One thing I have always struggled with when it comes to faith, is the fact that people tend to "sugar coat" everything. For me, that is obnoxious. My personality is much different in the sense that I would rather have someone be brutally honest than try and make me feel better. Edwards did this for me. There are some statements he made that I am sure readers/listeners would not appreciate, but I found them to be rather refreshing. One idea I really connected with was the idea of God not owing us anything and having the ability to do whatever He pleases. This means if God doesn't want to keep his promises and send us all to hell, He could do just that.

We talked some in class about what Edwards may have been trying to relay without saying it. I definitely think someone could focus on the negative attitude that seems to be present in this sermon, but I personally believe that Edwards was doing something greater than stating the fact that God could be unfaithful to us if He so desired. Edwards was implying the greatness of God and the love He clearly has for us. That is what pushed me closer to examining my faith and closer to understanding the goodness of the Lord. That is what I loved about Edwards.

Is God Angry? Maybe. Am I a sinner at the hands of God? Absolutely.

A little mix....

Going back to Bradstreet for literature circles was helpful in understanding her as an author. I found the article interesting and revealing. It exposed the two worlds of Bradstreet: historian and "secret" writer. Just imagining a time when women writers were not embraced is difficult. My group talked a little bit about how Bradstreet was feeling in regards to her self-doubt. She was so critical of herself and appeared to have little faith that her writing was worth reading. It's kind of funny now to think that her writing is being studied in classrooms....

As a group, we also talked about how different her two types of writing was. She was uncensored in her personal writings. It would be interesting to see how she may have changed what she wrote if she knew people would be reading what she wrote. We also found it interesting that she basically gave up on her role as a historian because of the house fire. I could picture someone in bed head throwing a book down and saying, "the hell with it."

Edward Taylor wasn't exactly my favorite. I didn't find myself drawn into the reading, but I was able to appreciate his choice in words. I also like his distinction between body and soul in "Meditation 8." Choosing to relate communion and the body of Christ to sugar cake was a smart choice on Taylor's part. He was able to capture the sweetness of God by doing this. In all honesty, it even made me a bit hungry for some cake. :)

Cotton Mather was another one of the authors I have enjoyed. The Wonders of the Invisible World was no short of interesting. The fact that he claimed to be telling the story as a historian, yet give harsh opinions of the woman at the end was quite humorous to me. For some reason, I have always found it to be funny when someone claims to have no opinion on a subject when they clearly are expressing one to others. For that reason alone, I loved Mather.  

Held Captive

I thoroughly enjoyed Mary Rowlandson's A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration. For me, this was the first time reading something from the point of view of someone held captive by Native Americans. I usually hear of the opposite. I am currently in a class about Native Americans, so it is interesting to hear of an instance when they were the ones conflicting harm/fear upon someone of the white community. From my experience, it is more common to hear of what Rowlandson described being done to a Native American.

Because of this new perspective, I took interest in her writing right away. Like Bradstreet, I found Rowlandson to be very relatable. She made an experience that she had realistic and relatable even to me, a person who has never been held captive and forced to leave my family.

In class, we talked about how Rowlandson described the Native Americans. At first I could hear her anger as she basically dehumanized them. Towards the end, her expressions of them occurred less and were softened. I think this happened because Rowlandson's "normal" became different. When she was first taken, she was new to the situation. After a while, she got used to her surroundings. This is not to say that she enjoyed her circumstance, but I think her anger and fear diminished.

Rowlandson's account of her captivity opened my eyes to a different side of the tensions between Native Americans and Caucasians.

In Love....

I am absolutely in LOVE with Anne Bradstreet. The entire time I was reading, I kept telling myself how good she is. Bradstreet did an amazing thing when she took the image of a Puritan and made it human. She brought forward a real person with real struggles.

The letter written to her children was one of my ultimate favorites. Just the idea of taking the time to write something that is intended to be read after one's death is remarkable. I thought it was something that served two purposes. One was to leave her children with something to remember, and the other was to let readers see her as a real person and as a Christian. I found her story to be inspiring. Bradstreet's honesty took over and shed light on the struggles one can have in their faith.

Bradstreet endured a lot in her life. She had ups and downs just as any person does. Hearing about her faith and the challenges that arose within it gave me a better idea of what type of person she truly was. I think all people can connect with what she went through in some way. I know part of the reason I enjoyed her work so much was the fact that I could relate to some of the feelings and experiences she had. Her life experiences gave her writing a powerful boost that results in her being timeless.

There is no question that she was a remarkable woman and author.

A Rocky Start

I'll admit, I was not totally drawn into the readings of Winthrop and Smith. Neither was able to convince me to join their "team." It wasn't until our class discussion that I was really able to appreciate each author for their own perspective. Sometimes all I need is to listen to other interpretations and opinions.

If I was forced to pick a side, I would have to go with Smith. As much as I would love to believe in the community that Winthrop spoke about, my realist side kicks in. I think Winthrop had some good ideas when it comes to people helping people and taking care of one another. When I think about Winthrop, I think about the ideal not the reality. It is reality that some people will achieve more than others, and some people will work harder than others.

Because of the realist in me, I could understand and appreciate what Smith had to say. At times I felt he came off as being pompous, but other times I felt he was just being sincere. People who work hard should be rewarded, and I don't necessarily think they have to share what they earn. It would be nice, but let's face it, some people expect to be successful without having to do the work. Smith recognizes that the "American Dream" only comes from hard work and that work makes it that much sweeter.