"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" is the first full-length narrative written by a former female slave in America. It sets itself apart from other narratives by appealing directly to women and focusing on the particular struggles that girls faced during slavery.
A main theme is family. Slavery is a family affair in almost every sense of the word. Slavery ruins families either by physically separating them, in the case of the slave families, or corrupting them, in the case of the white families. Jacobs depicts slave families as being kind and loyal, while the white slave-holding families as greedy and cruel.
Incidents direct appeals to white readers is one way that Jacobs attempts to convince readers that black and white women are fundamentally the same.
Women like Harriet Jacobs and the abolitionist who took her in were crucial forces in ending slavery.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Song of Myself
"Song of Myself" might be the most egotistical poem ever written. The poem helped shape the idea of what it means to be an American. It is a democratic poem that draws all different kinds of people and people into itself and tries to forge them into a unity.
One of the main themes is identity. Whitman sees his identity into at least three components: his everyday personality, the more inner "self" or "Me Myself," and the universal "soul." For him, there is no such thing as a private experience. He experiences the pains and the pleasures of all the poeple in the world.
The poem has two primary speakers, Whitman and the "Me Myself." His soul does not and cannot speak for itself.
In this poem Whitman addresses the reader like a close friend, and his tone is reassuring and non-judgmental. He wants to get close to everyone he meets. He is eager to become fast friends woth any kind of stranger.
One of the main themes is identity. Whitman sees his identity into at least three components: his everyday personality, the more inner "self" or "Me Myself," and the universal "soul." For him, there is no such thing as a private experience. He experiences the pains and the pleasures of all the poeple in the world.
The poem has two primary speakers, Whitman and the "Me Myself." His soul does not and cannot speak for itself.
In this poem Whitman addresses the reader like a close friend, and his tone is reassuring and non-judgmental. He wants to get close to everyone he meets. He is eager to become fast friends woth any kind of stranger.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass's narrative is basically an autobiography. It's the story of his life from the time he was born a slave to the time of his escape to freedom in the North.
Slavery is the big theme in Douglass's narrative. The book remains one of the most important historical documents from that period, showing us the kinds of lives that American slaves like Douglass lived.
Douglass argues that slaves aren't the only victims of slavery. Perhaps because he's writing a book for a mostly white audience, he focuses on how slavery corrupts every American who rakes part in it.
Education and self-improvement were very important to Douglass. The worst thing to his mind, is that slavery prevents people from improving themselves through education.
In order to be truly free, Douglass needs an education. He cannot escape until he has learned to read, write, and think for himself. The act of writing the Narrative is his final step in becoming free. In a sense, the story he tells in the book doesn't end until he's written the book itself.
Slavery is the big theme in Douglass's narrative. The book remains one of the most important historical documents from that period, showing us the kinds of lives that American slaves like Douglass lived.
Douglass argues that slaves aren't the only victims of slavery. Perhaps because he's writing a book for a mostly white audience, he focuses on how slavery corrupts every American who rakes part in it.
Education and self-improvement were very important to Douglass. The worst thing to his mind, is that slavery prevents people from improving themselves through education.
In order to be truly free, Douglass needs an education. He cannot escape until he has learned to read, write, and think for himself. The act of writing the Narrative is his final step in becoming free. In a sense, the story he tells in the book doesn't end until he's written the book itself.
Walden
A couple big themes in this story include isolation and happiness. There is a big difference between being lonely and being alone. We are most alone in a crowd because we lose the company of ourselves without a sense of ourselves, we can't form attachment without others.
Thoreau talks about how when you are alone you can understand who you really are. Thoreau doesn't prefer solitude to company. Instead, what he prefers most in the company of true friends that share his interests and values.
Walden is a joyful book. Thoreau preaches the joy of life. Happiness cannot be found in luxury or power. These things can only distract from the true source of happiness.
Thoreau discovers true happiness in the simple life he leads at Walden Pond.
His sole purpose is to relate the discoveries and success of his personal experiment living for two years alone by Walden Pond.
Thoreau talks about how when you are alone you can understand who you really are. Thoreau doesn't prefer solitude to company. Instead, what he prefers most in the company of true friends that share his interests and values.
Walden is a joyful book. Thoreau preaches the joy of life. Happiness cannot be found in luxury or power. These things can only distract from the true source of happiness.
Thoreau discovers true happiness in the simple life he leads at Walden Pond.
His sole purpose is to relate the discoveries and success of his personal experiment living for two years alone by Walden Pond.
The Birthmark
The Birthmark is one of Hawthorne's more famous short stories. It tells the story of a scientist who is obsessed with the removal of his wife's birthmark. In Aylmer's mind, the birthmark becomes the symbol of human imperfection. He wants to rid his wife of her flaws.
I found "The Birthmark" to be slow reading. Much of this is due to the fact that Hawthorne is writing in the nineteenth century.
The main characters in this story are Aylmer the scientist and his wife Georgiana. Aylmer kills his wife trying to remove her birthmark and make her perfect. Aylmer's love for his wife rivals his love for science.
Hawthorne's message is that being imperfect is just part of being human. Also that men are usually fools who don't know a good thing when they have it.
I found "The Birthmark" to be slow reading. Much of this is due to the fact that Hawthorne is writing in the nineteenth century.
The main characters in this story are Aylmer the scientist and his wife Georgiana. Aylmer kills his wife trying to remove her birthmark and make her perfect. Aylmer's love for his wife rivals his love for science.
Hawthorne's message is that being imperfect is just part of being human. Also that men are usually fools who don't know a good thing when they have it.
The Fall of the House of Usher
Some of the key themes of this story include family, isolation, and identity.
This story explores a family so removed from normalcy that their existence has become supernatural. The bond between the sister and brother is very intense. Poe implies that their bond is primarily psychological and spiritual.
The house of usher exists in its own reality. Such isolation forces the family members closer and closer together. The brother and sister's extreme isolation from others could continue for years.
This story presents a interpretation of a split personality disorder. Roderick and Madeline are one person split into two pieces. Roderick has no identity without Madeline.
This story explores a family so removed from normalcy that their existence has become supernatural. The bond between the sister and brother is very intense. Poe implies that their bond is primarily psychological and spiritual.
The house of usher exists in its own reality. Such isolation forces the family members closer and closer together. The brother and sister's extreme isolation from others could continue for years.
This story presents a interpretation of a split personality disorder. Roderick and Madeline are one person split into two pieces. Roderick has no identity without Madeline.
Monday, November 17, 2014
The Day of Doom
"The Day of Doom" is not just an ordinary poem. He wrote the poem in such a way that the reader in the end should ask themselves, what must I do to be saved? His ultimate goal was to stress the consequences of sin and to glorify the reward of salvation.
Wigglesworth is telling us that the soul must be ready at all times for judgement day because no one knows the hour or the day when God would come back to judge his people.
In the fourth stanza it talks about how people do not like to think about judgement day because they never think it will happen, so they "drown their care an fears."
Wigglesworth states how no one can hide. Sinners try to hide and are unsuccessful.
The voice of comfort to the elect is overshadowed by the voice of wrath to the unrepentant. There was a lot of pleading for a second chance and Jesus denied them every time. They were to late to repent. This is why you must be ready at all times. The purpose was to bring those unsaved that read this poem to faith.
The poem overall is a fairly accurate picture of the last day according to the biblical text.
Wigglesworth is telling us that the soul must be ready at all times for judgement day because no one knows the hour or the day when God would come back to judge his people.
In the fourth stanza it talks about how people do not like to think about judgement day because they never think it will happen, so they "drown their care an fears."
Wigglesworth states how no one can hide. Sinners try to hide and are unsuccessful.
The voice of comfort to the elect is overshadowed by the voice of wrath to the unrepentant. There was a lot of pleading for a second chance and Jesus denied them every time. They were to late to repent. This is why you must be ready at all times. The purpose was to bring those unsaved that read this poem to faith.
The poem overall is a fairly accurate picture of the last day according to the biblical text.
The Interesting Narrative of te Life of Olaudah Equiano
This story is a very powerful autobiography. Some key ideas of this work are; cruelty and violence, sexual abuse of female slaves, contrast between white characters, and his desire for freedom and education.
Equiano describes the horrific conditions on the slave ship that killed thousands of slaves before they reached the shores of their new home. He mentions the daily starvation and suffering of other slaves and speaks of dreadful punishments.
One of the most important moments of his narrative is his separation from his sister. he uses this circumstance to make a statement about the possible fates awaiting his sister. You can feel his oain for the inability to protect his sister.
Equiano provides a list of his owners and makes it clear that he feels indebted to the whites who practiced Christian kindness and helped him to learn valuable skills, allowed him to take advantage of business opportunities, and introduced him to Christ.
From the moment of his capture, Equiano longs to be free. he takes what he can from the people around him.
Equiano himself is the biggest source of inspiration in his tale.
Equiano describes the horrific conditions on the slave ship that killed thousands of slaves before they reached the shores of their new home. He mentions the daily starvation and suffering of other slaves and speaks of dreadful punishments.
One of the most important moments of his narrative is his separation from his sister. he uses this circumstance to make a statement about the possible fates awaiting his sister. You can feel his oain for the inability to protect his sister.
Equiano provides a list of his owners and makes it clear that he feels indebted to the whites who practiced Christian kindness and helped him to learn valuable skills, allowed him to take advantage of business opportunities, and introduced him to Christ.
From the moment of his capture, Equiano longs to be free. he takes what he can from the people around him.
Equiano himself is the biggest source of inspiration in his tale.
The Prologue
In Anne Bradestreet's poem "The Prologue," I think her main purpose is to talk about where female poets stand in a male dominated society, women equality.
Anne Bradstreet refused to be a man but rather profess herself as an educated women. She believe women should be treated as equals. In lines thirty-seven to forty-two she says, "Let Greeks be Greeks, and women what they are; men have presidency and still excel. It is but vain unjustify to wage war; women can do best, and women know well." She insists women have their place. Men not be threatened by her works and poetic abilities.
"The Prologue" shed light on the injustices happening to female poets in the 17th century as we view them today. Anne Bradstreet used "The Prologue" to show that she was worthy of respect and that she was an educate, well-read women of her time.
Anne Bradstreet refused to be a man but rather profess herself as an educated women. She believe women should be treated as equals. In lines thirty-seven to forty-two she says, "Let Greeks be Greeks, and women what they are; men have presidency and still excel. It is but vain unjustify to wage war; women can do best, and women know well." She insists women have their place. Men not be threatened by her works and poetic abilities.
"The Prologue" shed light on the injustices happening to female poets in the 17th century as we view them today. Anne Bradstreet used "The Prologue" to show that she was worthy of respect and that she was an educate, well-read women of her time.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
The Wonders of the Invisible World
Mather wrote The Wonders of the Invisible World to expose and explain the reason witchcraft by reviewing trials. He provides evidence to defend the reasoning the government held the trials and executions. The devil brought misfortune to the settlement for disrupting his territory with their belief in God. The devil planted witchcraft. Bridget Bishop was indicted for bewitching several people in the neighborhood. The rest of the story is many peopletestifying what acts Bishop has done to them to prove her a witch. A lot of the testimonies are from years previously. Samuel Shattock testified that in 1680 Bishop had made his son ill. He was thrown and bruised against the stones by an "invisible hand."Also Samuel Gray testified that fourteen years ago he saw a women standing by his baby's cradle. He rose and it vanished. He did not know her or her name but when he saw her after it happened, he knew that it was her who was in his house. I believe that they would of believed anything that anyone would of said. There was no real evidence to prove Bishop a witch.
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