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.