Entry 37: Civil Disobedience

Under what circumstances do you think it is good to obey authority? When is it okay to disobey? Who do you have to obey? List all the different people or forces that control your actions. Write down as many as you can and describe how they exert control over you. Have you ever disobeyed any of the authority figures you listed? Describe the situation. Why did you choose to disobey? Looking back, do you think it was a good decision?

• Why do people obey to rules? There are several reasons, and I will list some here. The first reason may be to keep peace within the society and the community. The second reason may be to benefit yourself, or to benefit others. So why do people disobey rules then? There have been many cases of crime and disobedience. These cases may have been caused due to unjust rules or unjust actions towards the individual. Who do I have to obey? There following is a list:
• parents
• elders and other older family members
• police
• government
• teachers and instructors
• Parents and elders and other older family members direct life and control me by controlling my way of life. The police and government create rules and laws that I have to obey to keep peace in society and community. Teachers and instructors create rules that will be helpful and beneficial in the future so that we will succeed.
• One example of me disobeying an authoritative figure is when I disobeyed my parents. Everybody has done this before, sometime in their life. I disobeyed them because they were unfair: my mother forced me to go to sleep before I finished my homework for the next day. This is unfair because it will influence my grades. In the end, I disobeyed her and did not go to sleep until I finished my homework for the day. I do not regret my actions and my disobedience, because it allowed me to keep my grades within a certain acceptable standard to me.

Entry 36: Red Badge Film

Compare and contrast the film version of The Red Badge of Courage with the novel. How was it the same? How was it different? Did people , places, and things look the way you imagined them? In what ways were your ideas reinforced, and in what ways were they challenged?

• I believe that the Red Badge of Courage movie, though a quite good film, does not realistically and efficiently display and convey what the book wants to display and convey. The film focuses more on a physical level, on what actually happens in the real world; in contrast, the book focuses more on a psychological level, on what is going on in Henry's mind, and exactly what is the psychological crisis that Henry is experiencing. Therefore, I believe that it is inferior in this sense.
• I would also like to point out that there are many other differences between the book and the film. The first one is as mentioned above: the messages that are conveyed are different. Another difference is the age of Henry. At least, in my opinion. I have always thought that the Henry in the book is way more younger than the Henry depicted in the movie.
• I believe that the book is better than the film because of one main reason: the book allows for better imagery and feeling in our minds (it helps let us experience what Henry experienced), and it does not limit our minds to just one picture depicted by others through the film.

Entry 35: Government

Do you agree with Henry David Thoreau's statement "That government is best which governs not at all"? Why or why not? Do you prefer to have an authority figure telling you what you need to do, or do you prefer to act freely? What are the benefits or problems with each way?

• I believe that this paradox is a very realistic paradox. If we limit the freedom of people by governing very strictly and creating too many laws, the people will think that the government is dictating over them and would start to rebel. This is the case for almost all of the oppressive monarchies and dictatorships (there are some exceptions, though). I believe that the government should only intervene with civil matters when those civil matters are disputed about and cannot be solved by the people themselves. Therefore, I believe that the best government (or best systems) is when there is an authoritative figure that overlooks things and allows freedom to a certain extent, but an authoritative figure that intervenes and helps solve issues when there are any issues. 
• When an authoritative figure tells people what to do all the time, the people will start to become unsatisfied if things go wrong, blaming the authoritative figure for every fault, and this may eventually lead to conflicts such as rebellions. However, if you act freely without anything controlling you or overlooking you, you might get into problems that are hard to solve by yourself, or problems that could have long been prevented.

Entry 34: Theme of "Self-Reliance"

State the theme of Emerson's essay, and explain how he develops his theme with figures of speech. Support your ideas with details from the selection. Then explore your own opinion of the theme. Do you think that it holds true today? How about in your life?

• Emerson's essay, "Self-Reliance", aims at telling how society is bad for individual, that society makes individuals dependent on others, and not self-rely. Emerson's ideas are that individuals should be both independent and self-reliant, and that doing this does not mean that one is necessarily selfish. He states this by using figures of speech such as metaphors like "Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members." and "Society is a joint-stock company in which the members agree for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater." Both of these quotes are providing a negative image of society.
• I believe that even though it is important for one to be independent and self-reliant, society, such as family and friends, are still extremely necessary for people to truly be happy. After all, healthy relationships are the second most important thing to prevent ailments when people grow from young adulthood into later adulthood, and finally old age. Also, what happens when your sick and no one's there to take care of you? So generally, it is only half true in today's society. In my life, I believe that it is quite true. The only society I can believe in is my family. Problems with relationships between people in school have taught me that not everyone can be trusted - sometimes you're on your own.

Entry 33: Imagery in "Nature"

Discuss how Emerson uses imagery in Nature to explore his ideas about society and nature. Support your ideas with details from the selection. Then explain whether those uses of imagery are effective to you. Do they help you understand his point? Why or why not? Do you agree with his ideas about nature and society? Explain.

• The first example of imagery that can be used to explore ideas about society and nature is the phrase "rays that come from heavenly world". This sentence is giving us an image of the sky shining brightly with the rays of the sun, as if an angel was descending from heaven. Yes, very exaggerating, but this is the image in my head. The idea this quote is trying to explore is that nature is holy and sacred.
• The second example has the idea that nature is never mean to people (though in cases of natural disasters I will have to disagree with that). It uses personification by saying that "nature never wears a mean appearance". As my previous parentheses stated, it is mean in cases of natural disaster, so I would infer from the quote that even though the appearance is not mean at all, the inside might be a little mean, especially is people is destroying and disrespecting nature. 
• The third image is the image of a child running around in nature. It associates with the Romantic view that children, who are young and instinctive, are better at communicating with nature since the "Romantic heroes" are usually the ones who have easier times to communicate with nature and discover the "truths".
• I believe that Emerson's use of imagery is indeed effective in portraying feeling. However, it makes it harder to understand because of the use of so much ideology.

Entry 32: The Saddest of All Prisons

"The saddest of all prisons is a person's own heart." 

In various works of literature we have seen the effects of sin and guilt on characters. In the world today, do people still carry guilt for secret sins committed in the past? Can these guilty secrets isolate people from others and even from parts of themselves? Explain. What about you? Do you ever feel guilty about your past actions? How do you deal with feelings of guilt? Do you think it is better to keep it secret and wait for it to go away, or to bring it out into the open? Why?

• Many people today do carry and still carry the guilt that has formed from the secret sins that they had committed before. Some, however, just let the guilt go. It all depends on who you are, what your personality is, and how you view the world. If you thought that nobody cares and that it doesn't matter, then you wouldn't feel guilty for long. However, if you firmly believed that you had done something that is absolutely unforgivable, then you will carry the guilt with you for a long, long time. And this guilt sometimes isolates people. This is because they want to escape the guilt that it further emphasized by their peers (or accidentally triggered by their peers). I, like everyone else, am guilty of something one time or another. For example, I am guilty when I did something bad or when I got someone into trouble. How do I deal with it? Easy. I let it slowly pass away (though it actually passes away quite quickly), since I am the type of people who believes that after sometime, nobody will care about that small (or big) incident anymore. However, if the thing that I did was bad to an extreme extent, then the guilt will stick with me and I will feel guilty every time I see the person or thing.

Entry 31: Comparing Poems

Compare and contrast the attitudes toward death in "The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls" and "The Cross of Snow." How important is it that one poem is about an unnamed traveler—probably standing for everyone—while the other is about a specific person? What is your opinion of the two attitudes toward death? Do you feel they are incompatible, or can they both be held simultaneously? In your own life, how do you feel about death? Write about what death as an abstract concept means to you, and compare/contrast that to what death means when it is up close and personal.

• I believe that the two poem's attitudes towards death contradict each other. Therefore, the two of them are incompatible. "The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls" implies that one should keep on living even if someone dies, because they are strangers, and the world will continue to go on - it won't stop for you. The other poem, "The Cross of Snow", however, is a sonnet in memory of Longfellow's wife. Despite the former saying to continue on, the latter cannot go on and griefs for Longfellow's wife for eighteen years and even more. 
• Concerning death, I believe that everyone will eventually meet this situation - it's part of a cycle. Even though I don't want to die, there is nothing I can do about it, so why not just accept it and live on? I also believe that we have to appreciate our life and the fact that we are still alive, and live our lives to the fullest (meaning no suicides and self blaming, etc.). 
• Close deaths influence us more than the death of a stranger because when someone close dies, the limbic system (part of brain that is associated with emotions) is activated. This makes it harder for someone to cope with death of a close one compared to the death of a stranger.

Entry 30: Image of Grief

Romantic poets often use aspects of nature to express emotions that might be too painful or personal to state directly. In "The Cross of Snow," Longfellow takes a dramatic scene in nature and transforms it into a powerful image conveying intense grief. Why do you think he chose that particular scene? How does it represent his emotions? Think of an image from nature that you could use to describe or represent a feeling of great sorrow. Set up your comparison like a metaphor: "Grief is . . ." Then, explore how grief is like the image you have chosen.

• Longfellow chose the particular scene of the crossed shaped snow in the mountain to convey his intense grief because he wants to convey that his grief is extremely deep, and too cold to be melted by the heat and warmth of the sun. The deepness is represented by the "deep ravines" that are very deep down into the mountain and cannot be shone on by the sunlight. The coldness is of course represented by the snow itself. The cross shaped of the snow gives up a insight of Longfellow's opinions of his wife - he believes that she is someone that is very special and has even become a holy figure. This is a very smart way of representing his emotions, the grief cause by his wife's death. Great sorrow and grief can be conveyed by many different examples. Here are two. The first one is "Grief is raining like there's no tomorrow". This symbolizes (for religious people) that God is crying with them because of the tragedy. The second one is "Grief is like that falling of leaves and autumn enters winters". This represents that happiness is "falling away" and leaving people, and all that's left is to suffer.

Entry 29: Human Life: A Cycle?

Think of how nature repeats its cycles over and over again: Summer turns to winter and returns again; day follows night and returns again; the tide rises and falls and rises again. Then, think of individual human lives. Are our lives like these endlessly repeated cycles of the natural world, or is a human life different? How do you think of your own life, or the lives of people close to you? Is it any easier to think of death for you or your friends and family when you put it in the perspective of a natural cycle? Why or why not? If not, what makes it different?

• There are different levels of looking at cycles when talking about human life. On the small scale, human life is a continuous (and sometimes really boring) cycle. Here's an example: we wake up, we do our daily routine, we go to sleep, then we wake up again, we do our daily routine again, and we go to sleep again, and so on. On a scale that is a bit larger than the previous one, we can say that human life is linear instead of cyclical. When people die, they will just... die. It's their end. If we are being really scientific, we can say that there are no souls and that the physical body will just decompose back into the Earth. So it's linear. On an even larger scale compared to the previous one, human life is actually a repeating, continuous, and endless cycle (unless homo sapiens went extinct). People are born, then they live, and they give birth (some), and then they die. The cycle repeats itself again when the children who are given birth to live, and then give birth to their own children, and then they die. I believe that it may not be any easier, know that death is part of a natural cycle. But it's actually not any harder as well. I think that it's better to think that if we only have one life, we should live it to its fullest.

Entry 28: Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for?

• If I am to say that I am thankful for anything, then it would be the fact or the action that I was born into this world, especially the fact that I was born in a family that is quite well off, with enough money to have 3C technology as well as enough money to send two children to go to a very expensive American school. Now I think about it, I have a lot of privileges. I get to live in an extremely comfortable environment, I get enough food, I get enough water, I get medical aid, and I get people to care for and about me. Also, I even get to enjoy entertainment, something that would technically be impossible if I was given birth to in a third world or in a less developed country. Many people right now are dying from starvation, illness, genocide, and homicide, yet I am living here so comfortable, without knowing the hardships of living alone or the hardships of war. From this I learned that I should not take things for granted - anything should be treated as a privilege. I also learned that I should show gratitude to the things I have and to the people who provide me these things (namely my mom and dad and my other family members).

Entry 27: More Thanatopsis

In "Thanatopsis," Bryant expresses his views on both the process of life and the nature of individual lives. In the space below, write a paragraph describing Bryant's views on individual lives. Support your ideas with details from the poem. What connections can you find between Anne Bradstreet or Sor Juana's poems and "Thanatopsis" in regards to what is permanent, what is transient, and how human life fits into the overall scheme of the universe? What are your own view points on nature, mortality, and the universe?

• In his poem "Thanatopsis," Bryant describe the process of life saying that all people should not be said even if they know that they will die eventually, and that they will rejoined with the Earth and with the elements.  Bryant then goes on to further emphasize that no one is alone concerning the topic of death. There have been other people, the people in the past, as well as present, who have died and rejoined with the Earth and with the elements. I believe that one of the connections with Anne Bradstreet's poem is that both of them have the theme that material wealth is not that important, and they people will eventually lose it. In Bryant's poem, he implies that since human beings die and rejoin with the Earth, so does the material wealth that people own. In Bradstreet's poem, she states that material wealth is not important, that the only important thing is going to heave, the eternal house. Sor Juana's poem is similar with Bryant's poem in that both poems also talk about knowledge. The former says that knowledge is more important than material wealth, while the latter says that knowing this knowledge will make people feel better.

Entry 26: Thanatopsis

How does William Cullen Bryant's poem, "Thanatopsis," reveal the Romantic conviction that the universe, far from operating like a machine, is really a living organism that undergoes constant cyclical changes? How does the human speaker (the narrator) feel about this view of the universe? How do you feel about it? Describe your own view of the universe as it compares to the Romantics in general, and to Bryant's narrator in particular.

• The poem Thanatopsis shows Romantic conviction that the universe is really a living organism that undergoes constant cyclical changes by using nature as the theme, since nature is one of the most important characteristics of Romanticism. An example of this is that the poem refers to the rejoining of things, substances, and matter with the elements and the Earth (which is, in a sense, the universe). I believe that the narrator agrees with the view that people should not fear death, and that people should live happily and to their fullest and be ready to embrace death. He agrees that death is something that is good, or more specifically not necessarily bad, since it happens to everyone (no one is alone). I feel that his views in a way make sense, and may be true, but sometimes it depends on the situation to determine. My own view of the universe, as said above, is somewhat similar in that the universe is continuous. However, I cannot be that sure about the cyclical part because there are some contradicting things. For example, seasons and life cycles are cycles. However, what will happen when people actually die? Is there a thing such as reincarnation?

Entry 25: Natural Cycle

Romantic poets looked to nature for lessons - lessons that we too can learn by looking around us. One of the ever-present lessons of nature is the organic cycle of birth, growth, death, and rebirth. Think of some ways that nature reminds us of this recurring cycle. Do you find this aspect of nature disturbing or comforting? Explain.

• Nature has a lot of cycles that remind us of the organic cycles of birth, growth, death, and rebirth. For example, the changing of the seasons - spring, summer, autumn, and winter, as well as organisms' living continuous cycle of birth, growth, death, and rebirth. I believe that I find this aspect both comforting and also interesting. It is comforting because we know that life will continue to go on, instead of just stopping and ending. This is a very interesting phenomenon as well. Why has Earth come to its mechanisms in the present day? This is a very mystery that present day human beings will never find out. Another mystery is why is it cycles? Why is it not a linear line that ends after a while? Does the continuing of the cycles benefit organisms in any way? What are the advantages? I am actually very interested in this topic. However, I would not want to be in a job to search for the answers, because it would be an useless (at least in my opinion) attempt. Why, you ask? Because we have not concrete evidence since it has been so long. If I were given the chance to go back to the past and see exactly what happened, I would definitely take the chance.

Entry 24: Freedom and Equality

These are two words that are bandied about very liberally when talking about America's founding principles. Do you think these are truly American values? Why or why not? What do they mean to you? Are they something you take for granted, or do you hold them precious? Can you think about an example of something that you can do because you live in a free society? Describe it and explain why you need to be free to do it. What about things you can't do? In what ways is your freedom restricted? Do you think you live in a free society? Explain.

•  These values are the values that American claim that they have. However, if we look closely into things, we will find that this is not the case. Though there is more freedom in the country compared to the freedom in other countries, freedom is still limited by laws, as every country or ever society is. The value of quality is even more not the case. Women, African Americans (or other XXX Americans), foreigners, all of these groups of people have been discriminated against one way or another. According to the Gender Empowerment Index, there is no country where women is one hundred percent equal to men. African Americans is a very obvious example - they have been treated as inferiors for a very long period of time, as slaves, and as indentured servants. To mean, freedom and equality means the freedom to pursuit happiness, because many of the things you do in your life are actually your decisions and the equality of being treated like a person (many are not treated like human beings). Both freedom and equality are things we take for granted - many people are deprived of these two rights. I am free to walk around safely, without worrying being assaulted by other people. What I can't do, is to commit crimes. This is a given, because all societies have laws to maintain order, and in a way, it restricts freedom. Though freedom is in one way restricted, it is actually a privilege in our society because we can express and do most of our free will.

Entry 23: Tom Walker and John Edwards

Consider the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and relate it to "The Devil and Tom Walker." The story takes place roughly at the same time and in the same place that the sermon was delivered. What do the story and sermon have in common and how do they differ in terms of the idea of the relationship between human beings and supernatural justice? The sermon was intended to strike fear into people's hearts. What about the story? Edwards said there was only one way to salvation, and that it could not be achieved through prayer, church-going, or good deeds alone. How does the story relate to that idea?

• The sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and the story "The Devil and Tom Walker" is common because both of these preach about faith, and also about people's religions and beliefs. However, they differ in the subject, the topic, of what they are preaching about, and the difference of their beliefs. The sermon given by John Edwards preaches about the belief in supernatural justice, namely Jesus, and their main goal is to pray for salvation, to pray for being able to go to heaven instead of being damned in hell. On the other hand, the story of Tom Walker warns people to stay away from supernatural justice because many of it is evil. This is related to the pessimistic view of the Dark Romanticists, that even though the events of nature gives clues and hints to the truth and about the spiritual world, not all may be good - some may be bad. And that is what the story is trying to say: stay away from supernatural justices because they may be bad. Not only is it trying to say stay away from supernatural justices, but the story "The Devil and Tom Walker" is also trying to strike fear inside people's hearts and minds to keep people from being greedy for money and wealth. I believe that these two are related in the way that they are opposites of each other. One says to act good and pious, and to believe in Jesus (supernatural justices), while to other says not to believe in supernatural justices.

Entry 22: The Devil and Tom Walker

What characteristics of this story make it an example of American Romanticism? What sort of genre would you classify it in? How do you think a contemporary author might handle the same plot? How would the story (or its details) be the same? How would they be different? How would a modern treatment affect the tone? Do you think the ending would be different? Explain.

•  The characteristics that make the story "The Devil and Tom Walker" an example of Dark Romanticism literature include the dark atmosphere induced by the setting, the sinister acts an interactions of Tm, Tom's wife, and the devil, and the descriptive details of sinister and mean acts. I believe that a contemporary author would write it in a way that would be more optimistic. For example, the ending might be that Tom and his wife successfully tricked the devil and got the money, and finally, that they lived happily ever after. It would still be the same in the sense that there is the deal between Tom and the Devil, and all the conflicts between Tom ad his wife. The ending and the resolution would be different from the original story in the sense that it is more optimistic. The wife would not have died, and the both the wife and Tom would be happy, in a sense, money and wealth provide them the sense of happiness. If a modern tone is applied to the story, it would be said in a different point of view. For example, it may be more narrative, and I believe that there would be more direct influences instead of inferences.

Entry 21: Darkness

Some of the writers of the Romantic period were considered "anti-transcendentalists" or "Dark Romantics". Read the section of your text on pp. 172-173 about the Dark Romantics, and then compare and contrast them to the other, transcendentalist writers of the period. Which of the two types of writers do you think you would most like to read? Why?

• The Dark Romantics and the transcendentalists, though they seem very different, actually have a lot in common. Both of these point of views believe in God, and also the point of view that feelings, emotions, and intuitions are more valuable than logic and reason. Also, both of these point of views believe in signs and events as things that will lead them to and connect them to the spiritual world. The main difference between them is how they view God's signs and events. Are the signs and events leading to something good, or are the signs and events leading to something bad? The transcendentalists have a very optimistic view about these signs and events connecting to the spiritual world. They basically believe that all human beings are good in nature. The Dark Romantics, however, believed that not all of the signs and events lead to good things and good truths - some may be good while others may be bad. The Dark Romantics have a more pessimistic view of the world. So basically, these two point of views are like opposing groups in a large, general group with the same ideas. I would not want to read any of the two types, since I am more of a rationalist, but if I have to choose one, then I would choose to read works by transcendentalists, mainly because the world is sad enough as it is, and I would rather read something more happy.

Entry 20: Compare Heroes

Review the characteristics of the Romantic heron on p. 168 of your text. How does this type of hero compare with the characters who play major roles in literature and movies today? Do you find evidence of the Romantic hero in the ways that today's prominent public figures (politicians or athletes, for example) are packaged for popular culture? What are the characteristics of people that are considered heroes of our times? Write about the similarities and differences of today's heroes with those of the Romantic period. Which type of hero do you identify with most?

• As said in the previous journal, "the American Romantic Hero must consist of certain characteristics to be considered an American Romantic Hero. He or she must understand their "self" perfectly - they have to understand who they really are and the way their brain and mind functions. Also, he or she must have all of the characteristics that a Romantic must have - he or she should value feelings, emotions, and intuitions more than logic and reason." The characters that play major roles in literature and movies today may be both similar or different to the American Romantic Hero, depending on the setting of the plot and how the movie is going to proceed. I believe that for politicians and athletes, the first characteristic mentioned about the "self" is mainly true. One must know himself or herself in order to lead others and persuade others to follow him or him, and one must know himself or herself the best in order to do best in competitions, etc. However, the "feelings, emotions, and intuitions" part may not be that true. For example, if a politician relies too much on them, other people who have different point of views might go against that certain politician. Today's heroes include characteristics such as knowing the self, having leadership skills, and being rational for a certain degree. I identify the most with today's heroes, and not the American Romantic Hero, because I believe more in rationalism.

Entry 19: Strengths and Weaknesses

How do people discover what their strengths and weaknesses are? How would you respond to the idea that each person is an "unknown quantity" until he or she is tested by a challenging situation? What kind of challenges might reveal a person's qualities? What do you think your strengths are? Your weaknesses are? How do you know? Have you ever had your ideas about your strengths or weaknesses challenged by a difficult situation?

• I believe that challenges are good ways to discover one's strengths and weaknesses. I kind of agree with the idea that each person is an "unknown quantity" until he or she is tested by a challenging situation, because without challenges, we wouldn't know what we are capable of. Some examples include knowledge tests (IQ tests and EQ tests), challenges that test your responses (how you response, your reflex, and if you are calm or not), challenges that test your creativity, challenges that test the cooperation between people, and challenges that test your responsibility. I believe that my strengths are that I can put in efforts when they are needed (under the most necessary circumstances). My weaknesses, however, are that I am lazy. I sometimes also don't know when to stop talking (meaning I am sometimes not sensible and am oblivious to certain tense situations). As for the last question, yes, I am challenged many times by hard situations that need a lot of effort. My weakness is challenged here because I am lazy, but I make up for it (most of the time :]) by putting extra effort into the challenge when I really get started. I believe that everyone has been challenged at least once in their life.

Entry 18: Rational or Transcendental?

Review the "Rationalist World View" on p. 15 of your text. Then read "A Transcendental View of the World" on p. 171. Describe the similarities and differences between the two philosophical schools. How would you sum up each in a nutshell? Which viewpoint is closer to your own? What elements of either do you particularly agree or disagree with? Explain.

• The main difference between the pint of views of the rationalists and the transcendentalists is that the rationalist believe the reason and logic is more important while the transcendentalists believe that feeling, emotion, and intuition is way more important. The point of view that I believe I am closer to is the rationalist point of view. I do not have any particularly strong religious behaviors, and I usually do not trust my intuition because it's wrong most of the time and I don't trust my emotions because I sometimes have mood swings that make them not reliable to trust. I sometimes even detest my feelings because they might be horrible (and why I won't explain).
• The basic ideas of rationalism is that God made things and does not interfere with its workings, letting it run on its own. The rationalists believed that the gift God gave them was the ability to reason, and by using this reason they will be able to find truths, therefore valuing reason and logic more than anything else. The beliefs of rationalists usually take them towards civilization. On the other hand, the transcendentalists use intuition to find the way to enter the spiritual/ideal world, and therefore value feelings, emotion, and intuition over reason and logic. The transcendentalists basically move away from civilization and tend to move towards nature to find their truths. Both of these point of views are the same because both include inquiry (though towards different subjects), both believed that human beings are basically good, and most important of all, they both believed in God.

Entry 17: The American Romantic Hero

Look on pages 168-169 of your text and read about the characteristics of the American Romantic Hero. Then consider figures that are considered heroes (real or fictional) today. How are the two types of hero similar? How are they different? Do you agree with the Romantic definition of a hero? Why or why not? What is your definition of a hero? What characteristics does a hero have?

• First, the American Romantic Hero must consist of certain characteristics to be considered an American Romantic Hero. He or she must understand their "self" perfectly - they have to understand who they really are and the way their brain and mind functions. Also, he or she must have all of the characteristics that a Romantic must have - he or she should value feelings, emotions, and intuitions more than logic and reason. On the other hand, present day heroes are more general in the overall sense; there are no specific traits or characteristic that defines or distinguishes them. Some general idea of present day heroes include one who helps and saves another, one who battles the evil and wins, or one who has accomplished a great achievement. However, I believe that there is no absolute ONE hero - usually things are accomplished when a group of people work together. I do not really believe in the Romantic definition of hero because I am actually already biased into thinking the way most people think about heroes today. My definition of a hero is that this person has done something not for their own benefits, but for the benefits of others, no matter how small the achievement is.

Entry 16: Intro to Romanticism

The next focus of study for this class is the period of American Romanticism (1800-1860). For this journal entry you will need to do a little research. Answer the following questions:

• What were the values of the Romantics, and how did these values affect the American imagination?
• Who were the Transcendentalists, and how do their beliefs still influence American life?
• What darker side of human life was recognized by some major American Romantics?

You can find answers to these questions in your textbook in the section starting on page 156. Of course you are welcome to use other sources as well. As you read about the Romantic period, keep in mind the ideas of the Puritans and Rationalists. How do they compare?

• The Romantics believed in feeling, emotion, and intuition over reason. They developed as a reaction against rationalism, because they saw the effects and the conditions of life during and after the Industrial Revolution, which were not very good. They also realized that there are limits of reason, and that imagination has a larger and wider scope to find the truth that the rationalists couldn't find. They are usually powered by strong emotions, and also usually associated with nature. Romanticism affected the American imagination by basically getting the Americans to be more emotional and getting them to associate more with nature. 
• The transcendentalists were people who believed in the ideal that in determining the ultimate reality of God, the universe, the self, and other important matters, one must transcend everyday human experience in the physical world. They continue to influence American life today because many people believe that they should work towards human perfectibility.
• The darker side of human life recognized by American Romantics was that not everything the Romantics believed, such as feeling, emotion, and intuition over reason, is positive and optimistic. Some of it may be negative and show the bad sides of human nature. They made note of the fact of guilt and sin.

Entry 15: The American Ideal

"We will walk on our own feet;
we will work with our own hands;
we will speak with our own minds."

Think about this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. How does it reflect the American ideal? Does it have any meaning in your own society or culture? How does it reflect or differ from your own personal ideals? If you were to re-write the quote to reflect your own ideals, what would it say?

• The quote above from Ralph Waldo Emerson reflects some of the most important characteristics of the American ideal. It reflects self-reliance, independence, hard work, and effort. In both my society and culture, all of these characteristics are what the society and the public expect from you, or, to state this in another way, all these characteristics are the qualities that you will need to succeed in the real and cruel world. These characteristics reflect my own ideas almost completely. I want to succeed in the world outside of school, so in order to be able to do so, I have to put in a lot of effort and work hard by being independent. So you see, everything relates together. If I was told to rewrite the quote, I would find it very difficult to do. All I can do is to change the wording of Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote. Doing anything else other than this would be hard because my ideas are basically the same as his ideas. I believe that from his quote there is another characteristic, though it is stated indirectly: cooperation. The "we" within the quote helps us identify the feeling of collaboration. And I also agree that this characteristic is reflected both in my society and culture and also reflect my own personal ideals.

Entry 14: Persuade Me

Think of something you want: a goal, desire, or objective. It can be a material object, a grade in a class, or simply to have others agree with your point-of-view. Now think of how you might convince someone else to let you have what you want, or to help you to get it. Write a persuasive passage in which you try to convince your audience to help you get what you want. Try to use all the rhetorical and aesthetic devices we discussed in class. Appeal to both emotion and logic.

• Don't you want a good night's sleep? Everyone does! And that, of course, includes me! Currently, the thing I desire the most is to get a good night's sleep. You ask me, what I can get out of a good night's sleep? Well, a lot, actually. First, getting a good night's sleep makes me energetic. It also improved my efficiency when I am to do a task. Why, you ask? That's because when I sleep well, I will be able to think clearer because I won't be drowsy, and I won't drift off into sleep during tasks, or at any other time. Another benefit from getting a good night's sleep is that I won't experience my mood swings as often as I do when I don't get a good night's sleep. In other words, my mood will be better. Isn't that great?! Then I won't be angry at people for no apparent reason. Having sufficient sleep also benefits all people in general because when you sleep enough, the body will able to replenish itself, and also restore memories. Therefore, if I have sufficient sleep, then I will be able to do better on any academic assignment compared to when I don't have sufficient sleep.

Entry 13: Give Me Liberty or...

Patrick Henry's famous quote is "Give me liberty or give me death." Blood, suffering, and death resulted from this impassioned cry, but it inspires pride in Americans to this day. Consider how words shape us and make us who we are. Think about words like "freedom," "self-reliance," and "self-creation." These words helped shape the early American character. What words do you think shape the character of the people in your culture or society? Are they the same? Different? Why? What do you think or feel when you hear words like "liberty" or "freedom"?

• Word that shape today's society also include the words that shape early American character; words such as "freedom," "self-reliance," and "self-creation." However, the American character today also include other words such as "cooperation", since it is cooperation and collaboration are very important skills in order to help survive in present day society. I also believe that the term "cooperation" can be applied to early American character; without cooperation and collaboration, the Americans would not have been able to work together and create the present day United States of America. There are still minor differences, though, because there are now many different foreign populations in America, along with the different religions, cultures, and ideas that they brought with them. When I hear the words liberty, my first thoughts that come to mind is the liberty of a person to do what they want. Sometimes the first thing that comes to mind is the Statue of Liberty, which in turn is associated with the independence of America. When I think of freedom, the first thing I think of is my own freedom. The reason for this is because sometimes I really hope that I could be granted more freedom from my parents. I'm not allowed to do many things that other people are allowed to, and I sometimes become upset.

Entry 12: Sin

What is sin? How does society define it? How do you define it? How does the dictionary define it? Is there a difference in these definitions? Have you ever done anything that others would consider a sin? Have you witnessed or heard about anyone else sinning? Can something that is a sin to some people not be a sin to others? Describe any situations in which you have experienced yourself or someone else sinning or being accused of sinning. Use details and be specific. Once a person has sinned, how can he or she atone for the sin?

•  I believe that society's definition for a sin is any act that is immoral, or contradicts with their morals, according to the society. And I believe that in general, this is also my belief for how to distinguish between a sin, or not a sin. The dictionary definition, however, states "an offence against GOD or against a religious or moral law; the act of breaking a religious or moral law; an action that people strongly disapprove of". There have been many cases of sins committed reported on media such as on the newspaper, on the television, and on the internet. These sins include murder, theft, etc... Though some acts are considered as sins by some groups, other groups do not consider it as a sin. For example, in religions, some foods are prohibited. I have actually "sinned" many times, and quite often as well. Can you think of why I sinned so many times? Well, this is because I lie a lot. And when I say a lot, I really mean A LOT. But sometimes I believe that lying is necessary, so I don't think that that is quite a sin. I believe that only when you are lying with bad intentions are you actually sinning. As for how to atone for my so called "sinning", I believe that the only way is to do better next time, or become a better person.

Entry 11: Fear as a Motivator

Many people would agree that fear is one of the most powerful motivators of human behavior. For example, fear of injury makes us wear a helmet, and fear of failure makes us study harder. Describe how in his sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" John Edwards uses fear as a motivating force. Do you think fear is a great motivator? Have you ever been motivated by fear, or has anyone ever tried to scare you into doing what he or she wants? Describe the situation and whether fear worked to get you to conform with his or her wishes.

• In "Sinners in the Hands of Angry God", Edwards uses the idea of burning eternally in fiery pit in hell to motivate other people to believe and obey God, and to accept Christ as their savior and follow Christ's teachings. If people fear burning in hell, then they would work harder to achieve salvation so they won't have to burn in hell eternally. I believe that fear is a great motivator. There have been many different cases of people using fear to control people, such as tyrants and dictators. And of course, I have been motivated by fear before. For example, fear of my parents motivates me to do things that I don't like and am reluctant to do. One example is to do all the chores. I'm afraid of my parents because they threaten me about two things: first, they might not provide food and shelter for me anymore, and this would get me into big trouble; second, they threaten to transfer me back to local school, which is a bad thing for me because I have never been to local school and I never officially learned Chinese before (resulting in writing difficulties; I am, however, fluent in speaking, listening, and reading). Another case where fear motivated me is when I got a bad score on a test, I will put in twice the effort to catch up. I guess this is just my personality, because I get guilty of getting a bad score and I feel fear for getting scolded. However, most of the other things that motivates me is not caused by fear.

Entry 10: Church, anyone?

What experiences have you had in witnessing (in person or in the media) religious services or places where religion is practiced like churches, temples, or synagogues? Describe the place and the ceremony (if any) in as much detail as you can, using all of your senses. What aspects do you notice the most? How would you compare your experiences with what you perceive to be those of the Puritans (for example, those listening to John Edwards's sermon)? What parallel structures do you notice among different religions? How do you feel when you witness or experience religious ceremonies or events? If you go to such services regularly, describe what it means in your life and how it makes you feel.

•  I have many friends who are religious. Most of them are either Christians or Buddhists/Daoists. So, I sometimes see my friends go to religious services (especially the Christians), though I have never went with them. Around school campus, there are also many churches, since we are a major educational area with Chia-Tong University and Ching-Hua University. Even though I have never been to the services myself, I have seen them on television, especially in movies. Most of them are plain yet elaborate (yes, contradictory, but in a sense very true). For example, the benches are quite plain, but the glasses and the podium are quite elaborate, as well as the clothes of the minister/pope/etc. Most of the time the service sang songs. Compared to John Edward's sermon, it is quite different. First, singing is very different from angry, powerful, emotional sermons. However, both religions have the same sense of plainness. When I witness religious ceremonies, I respect the ceremonies, even if most of the time I do not understand what the religious is about. I also try my best to understand them, even though the religion is different from my own. I go to "services" (actually praying to Buddhas and my ancestors, etc) quite regularly, on important holidays and anniversaries. To me, it means a part of my life and a part of my family tradition.

Entry 9: Motivation

In the poems we have read for this class, as well as in The Scarlet Letter, there is a strong religious theme. In these works, the characters behave in ways that might seem strange to you. What do you think it is that causes, or motivates the characters to act the way they do? Is it one thing, or many? What generalizations can you make about how the beliefs of the different characters are related to their actions? Can you see differences between how the characters interpret and apply these beliefs? Consider your own behavior and whether it is guided by a set of principles or beliefs. If so, what are they? If not, why do you think that is so?

• The characters act the way they do in the stories because of their beliefs that what they are doing is right and correct according to their religion, and they believe that by doing the right and correct thing, they may be rewarded. In these stories, most of the rewards would be to be allowed to go to heaven and be saved by God's grace. There are also other causes. For example, moral may be a cause or motivation (though it is not as strong compared to religious beliefs in what is right or correct. The generalization about these characters in relations with their actions can be said that they follow a set of guided principles or beliefs, which motivates and causes them to do a certain act. Most of the time we can see differences between how characters interpret and apply beliefs - it is quite clear especially when they are extremely religious/devote/pious/etc. My own behavior is not really set according to principles or beliefs. One of the main reasons for this is because I am too lazy and I don't have the motivation to continuously follow the set principles or beliefs. For example, when I set a schedule for finishing homework, I am never able to follow it.

Entry 8: Compare and Contrast: Bradstreet v Sor Juana

Compare and contrast the two poems in terms of topic, theme, use of metaphor, use of rhyme, and the key words in the poem. Particularly discuss the use of the word "vanity".

• The topic of both poems is concerned with the idea of something or someone taking away your material possessions, and you the responses of both authors. Anne Bradstreet's response was to think about the real reward, which was heaven, while Sor Juana stated that even if something or someone took away her material possessions, she still has the most important one of all - knowledge. The overall theme of both poems is very similar, that material wealth is one of the less valuable things for an individual. The difference is that Anne Bradstreet thinks that heaven and God are the most important and valuable for an individual, while Sor Juana thinks that knowledge is more important and valuable for an individual. Both poems have a rhythm. Anne Bradstreet's poem rhymes at the last words of each sentence, two sentences per rhyme. Sor Juana's poem does not rhyme in English, but in Spanish. The key words in Anne Bradstreet's poem are more related to religion, such as chiding oneself for thinking about material wealth, and the prices paid in order to go to heaven. In Sor Juana's poem, the key words are knowledge, mind, and vanity. She is saying that knowledge and mind is more valuable than material wealth, and that we should not lose ourselves with vanities such as material possessions.

Entry 7: Hounding

To hound means "to chase or follow; nag." Consider the title of this poem. What does it mean when the world hounds you? How effective is the poem's title in conveying the speaker"s attitude toward the world? How does it compare with your own point of view? How would you state the theme of the poem (remember, a theme takes a complete sentence to state)? Which words or lines convey the theme most clearly for you? What is your personal reaction to the theme? Do you agree? Disagree? If you were to write a poem on a similar topic, what would your theme be? Hmmm... Do you think you will be asked to write such a poem in the near future?

• When the world hounds you, it means that you have bad luck, and that disasters are continually happening to you. The poem's title is not really effective, I believe, because it makes me think that instead of not caring about the world hounding me, it makes me feel as if the world is hounding me and I should be very scared. However, the actual point of the view of the author is that knowledge is more important and valuable than material wealth. In a sense, this is absolutely true, and I agree with it. If one has knowledge, then one would be able to get a job and survive. However, on the other hand, minimum material wealth is still necessary and required in order for people to survive. I believe that the last line of the poem conveys that theme most clearly. "Mind is the better and the truer way; to leave the vanities of life aside, not throw my life away on vanity." If I were to write a poem on a similar topic, I would also write a similar theme. As for the last question (most likely added by our teacher to make our lives a lot, lot, more miserable and to make us suffer even more), I believe that the answer is yes, we will be asked to write such a poem, and that we will have to write such a poem as our next journal entry.

Entry 6: Poem About Loss

Write a poem about a personal disaster or loss. Structure your poem based on how Anne Bradstreet structured her poem:
-Description of the event
-Remorse over loss
-Remembering cherished things
-Chiding self
-Reminding self of what’s important
-Satisfaction in knowing true reward lies in heaven
Of course your poem will not (necessarily) emphasize the same feelings, but it should have the same basic parts. Try to use inversion at least once, but you do not have to follow a particular rhyme scheme or meter.

• The poem below describes me trying to get some sleep but not succeeding in doing so because of the rain. 

Hitting the window pane,
Fell the rain,
My watch, I glanced,
To see that time,
Has flown by me.
It was three,
In the morning,
The rain it seems,
Has kept me,
From my sleep.


I sighed in my head,
Thinking of tomorrow,
Another full day ahead.
This thought tires me,
For I have not slept.


But tomorrow is a new day,
A day with activities,
And things to do,
To keep me from,
This lasting boredom.


Therefore I shall not,
Mind this drumming rain.
And shall instead,
Just go back to bed.


What I should do,
At this certain instance,
Is to keep what I can,
Of my remaining hours,
To sleep till,
Waking hours.

Entry 5: Guilt

How do you feel about what happens to Hester Prynne at the beginning of The Scarlet Letter? Do you think she was treated fairly? Was she guilty of the crime she was charged with? Do you think she felt guilty? Everyone (other than sociopaths) feels guilty about something at some time in his or her life. Describe a time when you felt guilty. How did guilt change your behavior? What, if anything, did you do to rid yourself of the guilt?

•  I believe that I cannot understand what the people of the colony believe in The Scarlet Letter. Even though Hester Pyrnne is not officially a widow, if her husband is assumed to be dead, then other people should not have a right to punish her. Therefore, in my opinion and point of view, she is not guilty of anything. I can kind of understand why Hester was able to hold her head up high and not feel ashamed of the so called "crime" the people of the colony says that she had committed - Hester believes that she has nothing to be guilty of. I also believe that no matter what crime she had committed, it is unfair to keep a mother and a child in prison for a long period of time, since it is both bad and unfair for the child. As the book states, the child has been living in the darkness of the prison since birth, and I believe, in the scientific point of view, that this is quite unhealthy for the child.
• Sometimes I feel guilty for not doing the work I am supposed to do when I am supposed to do them. I sometimes neglect my homework to do things that should be done after work. It always goes like this: I start out doing my work, but then finds something else that's interesting and lose concentration and focus on my work, and then after a little while, I become guilty of wasting my time and not being responsible. I would make up for my actions and get rid of my guilt by concentrating extremely hard on my assignment for the rest of the time period.

Entry 4: Puritan Poetry

Carefully re-read Anne Bradstreet's poem "Here follows some verses upon the burning of our house, July 10th, 1666". Think about the major Puritan beliefs as you re-read this poem. What philosophical beliefs about God and the purpose of human life are reflected in Bradstreet's poem? Compare and contrast these beliefs with those of the Deists and rationalists. How would a poem about a similar topic differ if written from one of those perspectives? What about your beliefs? What would your poem be like if something like this happened to you?

•  From my previous knowledge about the Puritans, and from what I have read about them, the Puritans are a group of extremely religious people who have come to the New World to see their religious freedom. To them, God's will is everything and they have to respect it. And so, they believe that they do not have the right to be "special", and thus their tendency to be plain, and even wear plain clothes. 
• In Anne's poem, we can see very clearly that she is a faithful Puritan. She believes, as stated above, that it is God's will when all of her belongings were "taken" away from her. She chides herself for even doubting God's will, and says that she has to accept what happens. To her, the purpose of her life would be to continue to live on piously.
• If we compared the Puritans with the rationalists, we can say that we are comparing reason and blinded beliefs. If a rationalist were to write a poem about a similar topic, they may be inclined to find the real, scientific reasons for the fire (chemically, and physically). 
• I am more of a rationalist. If I were to write a poem about a similar topic, I would be angry, frustrated, and would definitely keep on complaining on how unlucky I am.

Entry 3: Possessions

Anne Bradstreet wrote about the loss she and her family suffered when their house burned down, including many irreplaceable possessions. How did she respond to this loss? Do you agree with her reaction to and interpretation of the event? How important are material possessions to you? How would you deal with the destruction of your home and all of your belongings? What things would be hardest to lose? What do you think you could most easily live without?

• Anne's response to her situation was to acceptance. To me, it felt like a defeated acceptance - that she cannot change what has already happened and that that is the will of God Himself. She also blessed God because she believed that God had a reason for taking away her belongings and other material wealth.
• I do not agree at all with Anne's point of view. To me, her point of view seems totally ridiculous. So ridiculous that I might have laughed at her if she were here. However, I also have to take in the fact that Anne is religious while I am not (personally, not family). I don't believe in God, so if bad things happen, I would blame it on luck.
• If I were to lose all my belongings and other material wealth like Anne, I would feel really upset, frustrated, and angry. I might even complain to the fire department or the government, since in modern days, we have these departments to take care of us. Anyways, I would definitely find something to vent my frustration upon.
• I believe that the hardest things to lose include my computer, my iPod, my passport and other ID, and money (though money can hardly be counted as a possession, according to Mr. McCool; I disagree). The easiest things to live without would be my early and unused possessions - those that have been in my drawer and not used for at least two years.

Entry 2: Rationalism vs. Puritanism

Consider the beliefs of the Puritans and rationalists (consult your text if necessary). How do people think about the universe and human nature today? What do you think about them? Can you see evidence of either of those world views in your own views or of those of society at large? What are your views of human nature, the workings of the universe, and the role of humans in it? Are you closer to being a Rationalist, or a Puritan? Explain.

• The Puritans are a group of religious people, who believe in God and treat him with the utmost respect. They also believed that all people, by nature, are sinners. The rationalists, however, depended on logic and reason, believing that there is reason behind every phenomenon. They also focus more on the individual instead of community, like the Puritans.
• I believe that people think about the universe mostly in a logical way. However, because everyone has a different religion, they are sometimes biased into thinking another way. There are also some extremists within the large population of people (one reason why there are so many religious wars going on). My point of view about the universe and human nature is that things are logical and usually has a scientific theory behind them. 
• In today's society, view similar to the Puritans can be seen in religious groups such as the Catholics and the Christians. People with views similar, or should I say, the same as rationalists are usually scientists and objective educators. 
• I believe that things can be explained by science and scientific theories. I also sometimes believe that humans do not really have a role in the universe, because all we do is to destroy nature. 
• I believe that I am more of a rationalist because I prefer the scientific way of doing things and I am not extremely religious.

Entry 1: A New Nation

John Winthrop, a prominent puritan leader (first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founder of Boston), while crossing the Atlantic from England on the way to the New World said, "For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world..." What do you think of this statement, which makes an allusion to Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount". What does it tell us about the Puritans? Do you think that Americans fulfilled the destiny that Winthrop spoke about? Why or why not? Explain your answer in detail. 

• I believe that this statement gives me several different feelings. First, it shows people the confidence of the person who said this statement, along with the leading qualities of that person. Second, the tone of the quote shows its importance and significance. Finally, I believe that the quote is a reasonable one, since it was able to accurately depict how people would think.
• I believe that the Puritans are a group of determined people. After all, they were able to make through the harsh conditions of the new world and establish settlements. From the quote we are also able to tell that the Puritans are a group of very religious people, since they use the term "God" in a very respectful way.
• Though America is successful, I do not think that it fulfilled the destiny that Winthrop spoke about. This is because the Puritans are quite religious, and America, as we see now, is a cultural mix of many religions. I believe that the Puritans would hope that their nation is the nation of God. However, I believe that in other aspects such as economically and politically, America is quite successful.