Transcendentalist Pro-Con Essay

Elyse and I’s society, Specialissimus, was what we see to be a perfect society. It was a society in which no one would be judged or criticized, and those who did would be the people frowned upon. Specialissimus would be considered a transcendentalist utopia, and would practice transcendentalist beliefs such as the belief in the individual. But in reality, this society would not be able to function. The problem with a society like this is that humans have already established what they believe to be acceptable in our culture. Though what is accepted varies due to location, there are still the standard principles of what would work in a community. Although critics would argue anything is possible, Specialissimus could not exist due to existing human behavioral patterns and power lust.

                A popular statement among optimists is that anything is possible. That if one puts all their hope into one’s dreams that they will come true either through effort, some Godly miracle, or sheer luck. Contrary to this, in real life people are taught to make their own miracles. One such miracle would be being able to live in a “utopian community”, a perfect society, and be able to make it work. A society such as Specialissimus would never be able to stay afloat in today’s society. There are so many obstacles in the way, two of which being power hunger and human customs, for a community such as this to remain a legitimate part of society in modern times. Sure the community could surface briefly but there would surely come a time when the government would turn in on itself and fall apart. If it didn’t suffocate and die due to internal reasons then the outside population would kill it either by scorn or force. Outside forces smothering the society would be just one way of proving human behavioral patterns assassinating the transcendentalist society.

                As a species, humans have become accustomed to certain patterns in behavior. This can be seen by examining history, considering for the past few thousand years we have repeated our mistakes typically leading to the empire or society’s downfall. These behaviors have been taught to modern day children from a young age, behaviors such as what is correct and what is inappropriate. Unfortunately, conforming to what is taught to us is one such behavior. Conforming is not always bad; in many cases conforming is what keeps societies afloat. There is one consistent way that has been proven to make the government and community work affectively and it is executed day after day, year after year, generation after generation. This means that the opposite is also true and when a society does not have particular social boundaries then it will fall apart, just another reason why Specialissimus would not be able to stay alive in modern day society. Another common behavior shown by humans throughout history is our lust for power.

                Power hunger is yet another behavior humans are subject to. Both internal and external destruction can be linked back to power hunger. No matter how much power a government gives to its people, they will always want more, it is their nature to want more. A well-known example of internal power lust and destruction is rebellion.  A group of citizens will rebel and overthrow their government out of jealousy and a yearning for power. Similarly, power hunger will lead to external destruction. Since outside forces know that the transcendentalist society will either not fight back or will not have the power to fight back, they will attack. It is their primitive instinct to want what they do not have and want to control the citizens of Specialissimus, it is human nature.  In every incident, the motive always comes down to power. It always comes down to who has power, who wants it, and what people are willing to do to attain it.

                Therefore, Specialissimus could never exist in modern times or in anytime. Specialissimus could not exist in real life. Although it is tempting to try and believe that perfection can be reached, and that there could be a place that represents respect and love, it is impossible. Visionaries may believe that it can happen, that anything can happen in fact, but even just looking at the history of humans we cannot ignore our habits. History would not repeat itself if humans did not constantly want more and follow their behaviors taught to them from the generations past. From any angle, scientific or historical, humans will never change which is why a transcendentalist society could never exist in real life.

               

               

The Dead Poets Society Response Post

In the movie The Dead Poets Society, conformity is everywhere. The whole basis of the school is built on conformity and old fashioned ways of teaching. All of the old, white, male teachers look the same and the ones that we as speculators “meet” all have the same droning, monotone way of speaking.  Unfortunately, the conformities of the school have their consequences. The school’s conformity keeps the boys from going after their dreams. Neal is not allowed to aspire to be an actor due to his father’s disapproval, and the school agrees. The school pretty much says that as teenage boys, they are not allowed to dream or think. According to the headmaster, young angst filled boys are the most impressionable. This obviously means that they shouldn’t be allowed to think for themselves or make their own decisions in life. None of the boys looked at in the movie have their hearts into doing what is expected of them. They don’t only want to be doctors and lawyers and businessmen, they want to have a regular teenage life and dream about adventurous and outrageous futures. The school’s conformity does not allow for this which leads to the boys misbehaving.

 Because the boys are obligated to pretend that they are perfect, they are also forced to act out whenever possible. Creating The Dead Poets Society is just one of the boys’ ways to act out and secretly go against what they are told to believe is correct. The boys know that it is prohibited and “wrong” to create a club that the school does not sponsor or approve of. They knew that Mr. Keating hadn’t suggested that they create the club, but they still went along and created it. Another way that the boys, one boy in particular, act out is by sneaking out and seeing girls. Knox knows that he is prohibited to leave without a teacher or a teacher’s permission, let alone leave to see a girl and go to high school parties where there is underage drinking but his conformity leads to his poor lapse in judgment about women. Eventually, the boys’ acting out leads to Neal committing suicide, the biggest consequence of all. If Neal’s father had accepted him instead of trying to make him conform, Neal wouldn’t have felt like death was his only way out.

Extra Credit (T-Shirt) Post

Wearing my shirt on Monday was an interesting experience. I was actually really afraid of wearing it, for reasons unrelated to school, but I am the "bad" student who did it specifically for the extra credit. I have no problem admitting it either, seeing as up until Monday I was not a transcendentalist supporter. That doesn't mean I don't believe in being myself, it just means that I feel there are specific conformities for a reason and without these conformities than society would be lawless and people, sensitive people, would get hurt emotionally. Not only that, but there are specific social boundaries in society. Many of these boundaries we as teenagers test, and many of these boundaries keep me from getting what I want, but they are set for reasons of keeping peace and normality.
When I came to school on Monday morning I was weary to take my coat off, but I did and I went to Mr. P's class. English was no problem considering over half of the class was also in homemade t-shirts, but leaving to go to math I was worried what other people would think. I was happily surprised by the reaction from the other students, they thought it was one of the coolest things that our "homework" assignment was make a shirt dedicated to self expression. One kid on the way from my Spanish class actually asked if he could buy mine!
I was most worried because of the heart on my t-shirt. On my black shirt, a big red heart stood out like a sore thumb with ROMANTIC written in big white letters. People kept asking me why it was hard for me to put it on the shirt, and I couldn't even respond to that without being embarassed. I have never claimed myself higher than other teenage girls, but I typically am not the type to waiver in front of the...opposite sex if you will. But having this on my shirt meant something to me because of one person that would be seeing it in particular. It seems strange how it only takes one persons opinion to change a persons mind, but the fact that I almost didn't put this on my shirt due to one person is proof that it happens.
By the end of the day Monday, I felt I truly understood what Emerson and Thoreau had meant about being yourself. Even though everyone at South was more that happy to be understanding, if they hadn't it was still one of the most librating feelings wearing my shirt that told the world that I, a 15 year old girl, was still terrified of the dark. I finally feel like I understand what the true meaning of transcendentalism is, and I am so glad that I took part in this extra credit. You can be insanely different, or just like the other people around you. As long as it is the legitimate you and you are happy with it then you are an individual, and that is what transcendentalism is all about.

Modern Day Transcendentalist Post

In the modern age, there are not many people that can be considered a transcendentalist. Looking at celebrities in particular, there are not many famous men and women that are courageous enough to break the conformist beliefs of critics. However, there are few that come to mind when asked who could be considered a modern day transcendentalist. One such person is Katy Perry. Katy Perry is the perfect modern transcendentalist. She is brave and expresses beliefs of individualism, but is not so outrageous that she is considered comical.

Katy Perry has many ways of showing her transcendentalist beliefs, and one way is through her actions and style. At the 2011 Grammy Awards, not only was Perry sporting a pair of large, white wings, she was also supporting her 90 year old grandmother who she had brought with her. Perry did not care what others thought of her decision to wear wings or bring her own “Grammy” to the red carpet. She followed her beliefs and did what was right for her.

2011 Grammy Interview

Katy Perry also shows her belief in being an individual through her music. One of her songs, Firework, expresses many transcendentalist beliefs. In the chorus, Perry states “Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth.” This is a very non-conformist idea, to show others exactly who you are and nothing less. Emerson himself said that as a human, it is ok to change your mind as long as you do not say that your beliefs have not changed only to remain constant. “You’re original, cannot be replaced”, in the second verse, couriers an even more transcendentalist belief. The line stresses the importance of the individual, a strongly held belief of every transcendentalist that ever lived. If the lyrics were not enough, the music video only pushes the point further. It shows a larger girl stripping down into her undergarments and jumping in a pool, she does not care what others think of her anymore because she is being herself. It shows a boy walking up to another male and kissing him, he does not care what others think of him anymore because he is being himself. Individuality is the core belief of transcendentalism, and both Katy Perry and her song Firework express it perfectly.

Firework Music Video

Everything considered, Katy Perry is the perfect image of a modern day transcendentalist, and she shows it through every aspect of her life.

Walden Essay

    “Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature…” (Thoreau 493) were words of transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau was a firm believer in transcendentalism, a practice that’s core belief is that man should be one with natur4e and live life simply. In 1845, Thoreau ventured into the woods for a two year isolation period. He returned to society a wiser man in 1847, but many were very skeptical of his beliefs. He believed that with the progress of man would come the destruction of nature. Thoreau lived during the Age of Reform, a time where industrialism in America was rising, but he could never have foreseen the progress the human race would have in the modern age. Men such as Thoreau may argue that progress is the support of destruction, but without progression man can have no hope of gaining more knowledge and opportunities.
        With every reaction there is a counter-reaction, progress’s is destruction. There is no doubt there cannot be progress without some minute form of destruction. Even Thoreau himself had to destroy a piece of land, no matter how small, in order to progress in his philosophy and literature. Thoreau believed that in the future, industry would take over and the forests would be cut down to expand the growth of American cities. Contrary to this, as industry increased there was destruction, but with every tree cut a new tree would grow in its place. The cycle of life goes as such that with everything that is removed from its place on the planet, another object will take its place. Man must progress, and if the price is as small as minor destruction then the opportunity of progress should be taken. Only with slight destruction can humans expand and grow in their knowledge.
       As manufacturing grows globally, there is an increased demand for better products. There is also an inward competition to produce the best goods the quickest. This causes man to push against his creative and intellectual boundaries. Always doing this allows humans to produce such products as smart phones and I-pods which in modern society are considered a “necessity.”

I-pod

Although a simpler, non-materialistic life would be easier, items that have recently been released increase productivity in the average American. Laptops and smart phones have allowed people around the globe to talk daily, eliminating location barriers, and trade thoughts and ideas. What a teenager in America posts on Twitter can affect what actions a rebellion group in Libya takes. Progress allows people of all countries and backgrounds to expand their thoughts and grow, which also opens more doors for their futures.

         Progress is the key to opportunities otherwise not available to certain groups of people. If America had not progressed, neither women nor African Americans would have acquired the right to vote. Progress such as this is a perfect example of opportunities that can become available. Likewise, with new factories and companies created, more jobs are created. Though forests are cleared, people and their necessities are more important than the few trees, that can be replanted, that are destroyed. Without opportunities, people would never aspire to better themselves. They would have no incentive to better themselves and they should not have one if there is no reward for doing so.

         Finding the morale of progress is very difficult. Thoreau once said “We think that that is which appears to be” (Thoreau 493). This explains progress quite precisely. On the surface, progress seems only positive, but in the center destruction is a major component of progress. The decision of whether progress is good or bad can only be determined by weighing what people will gain compared to what they will lose. Progress has its downside, destruction alone, but when against all of the possibilities progress holds destruction seems very minute. Without progress, man and society would regress. Whether good or bad, for certain progress is more than just progress. Progress is not just destruction or expansion, progress is hope. Hope for a better life, hope for a chance to have a say. Progress is the hope for a better future.

 What is Progress?

Declaration of Independence

As students of the Grosse Pointe public school districts, we the students have certain rights. These rights have been repeatedly infringed upon, and we have deemed it necessary to form an alliance together to stand up against the oppressors once and for all to declare our independence. This document will ensure that the students and teachers alike can work in harmony to produce a healthy and fun atmosphere for learning.  Whether the matter is health conditions or pertaining to the respect of the administrators, all of the items listed below have been deemed as basic rights that every student in the Grosse Pointe districts should hold

Teachers should respect students. This goes the same for students respecting teachers of course, but as long as the students are paying due amount of reverence towards the teacher, he or she should receive the same. Stupid questions do not exist. Teachers should not be able to disregard a question ever, even if has already been asked. Students can’t be expected to be listening 100% of the time.  On a related note, students should be allowed to have extra help as needed. Teachers should be willing to give up there lunch hour to assist students, or, at the very least, direct them to another student for help. Another basic right is the right to choose your schedule. Choosing classes is a key right, as this allows students more freedom in choices and helps decide what career path to go down. Having the best technology possible is a clear basic right for students. The school district should be doing everything in their power to provide students with technology that allows them to learn better and faster. A commonly overlooked, but essential, right is the right to have good, clean water. The water fountains at South are completely disgusting and are probably violating some sort of health code. They taste like metal and blood and should be fixed immediately.  As well as all of these other examples, the most important one by far is the right to feel safe in the school environment. Whether it be from internal or external forces, no student should have to go to school feeling like they are in danger there. The administration should always be doing everything in their power not only to keep the students safe, but to also make them feel safe. 

I.                    Instead of thirty six minute lunches, South has to provide an hour and fifteen minutes.  This is students’ only free time of the day, and thirty-six minutes is barely sufficient to eat.  Lunch should be a time to relax, and rushing to finish eating is not exactly relaxing.  It is the only break in the long seven hour school day.  This time should be spent doing whatever students’ wish, whether it’s walking to Farms Market and getting some fresh air, or just relaxing in the commons and socializing with friends.  Whatever kids chose, lunch should be a complete mental break.  A full seventy-five minute period would allow students to return to class rejuvenated and ready to focus, which would increase productivity.  Grosse Pointe South students demand a longer lunch period. 

II.                  Grosse Pointe South must supply laptops to each student for use in school and at home.  In almost every class, note taking is used by teaches.   This is a very effective method of teaching, yet can be time consuming.  Note taking would be a great deal faster if students had access to laptops, and could type their notes on a Word document.  Laptops that students could carry from class to class would also allow internet research to be done in class.   This would undoubtedly increase the efficiency of students in class. Also, because most assignments that require computers are completed at home, the access to them in class could reduce the amount of homework.   And for those students who don’t always have a computer available to them at their house, because of financial issues or having to share with siblings, the ability to take a laptop home would be greatly beneficial.  Students at Grosse Pointe South need to have laptops both in and outside the classroom to increase overall productivity. 

III.               There needs to be one full hour designated for nap taking.  In classes, countless students are always falling asleep because of exhaustion.  Research shows that teenagers need 9-11 hours of sleep to be fully rested, but that number is rarely reached because of many factors.  A demanding schedule, caused by loads of homework, sports, and other activities, leads to many students getting less than the adequate amount of sleep.  Since school contributes to the large quantity of homework that keeps students up late at night, it is only fair they provide an hour to let kids catch up.  An extra hour of sleep every day would lead to increased productivity, mood, and energy of the students at Grosse Pointe South.  This would make for an improved learning environment. 

IV.               Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays, and for the most part is loved by all. Many families put a lot of time and preparation into its celebration. Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays of the year to have long periods of family time, and some wish that this did not have to last for only one day. Considering this, it is our suggestion that an entire week of school be given off for its celebration.

V.                  Being as far north as it is, our home state of Michigan can often have very extreme winter weather conditions. The snow can often pile high enough to make even walking on the sidewalk a hassle, and temperatures can easily drop to the point that frostbite is something to worry about. Our district’s reason for having so few snow days is that Grosse Pointe is a walking district, but the majority of South’s students either get a ride from their parents or drive themselves to school. Even the kids that walk often have to deal with extremely low temperatures and very deep snow. Therefore, it is our belief that South should have more days off because of extreme winter weather conditions.

VI.               One of the things that South’s students look forward to the most is holidays. They are an excellent time to relax and take a nice break from school. Because of this, one of the most disappointing things is when there is a holiday but students still have to go to school. Sadly, there are a few holidays out of the year that South does not give even one day off school for. We have the opinion that this should be changed, and that for every holiday, no matter how obscure, at least one day of school should be given off for its celebration.

VII.             The purpose of a school is to provide a child with the best education possible.  Each individual varies from his or her peers.   The option of block scheduling can allow for a more personalized schedule focused on each student’s individual needs.  It allows students to select classes and times that will better stimulate their learning process.  Block scheduling allows for breaks between classes for instance you might have math on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, this allows for breaks which helps students alleviate stress and keeps grades high.  This would also to give students assignments spanning over the break, which can help the student’s time management skills.  Those who have had block scheduling have remarked that the change in scheduling keeps your days from being boring so you tend to be more alert in class. Block scheduling allows for students to be more alert and have classes and schedules that fit their needs thus improving the Childs educations, which is after all, the main goal of the school system.

VIII.          Good grades and an attentive attitude is important to ones high school career.  To maintain grades and stay alert it is important that students come to school with their best mindset, which is why it is important to have breaks on holidays.  Students should have a half-day on Halloween and the day after off.  This will allow students to have a short break to alleviate stress and to enjoy the holiday.   Halloween is a national holiday that should be recognized by the Grosse Pointe Public School System with a day and a half off for the students and staff.  Many students in all three stages of school are out late on the night of October 31, Halloween, and would not be attentive at school the next day.  Giving students a short Halloween break will keep them on track and attentive during school.

IX.                High School is a very important segment of ones school career. It is also one of the more stressful and demanding.  For this reason High School students should not have homework on weekends.  The abolishing of weekend homework will allow for students to rejuvenate over the break and to recharge for the coming school week.  Without homework encumbering the student’s weekend, students will have more time to study for test or review materials covered in class.  This will raise students grades exponentially, students will be more relaxed, attentive, and better prepared for class which will result in higher test scores and grades; which will drastically improve students resumes come time to apply for collegiate study. Abolishing weekend homework will help Grosse Pointe students drastically. 

X.                  School should be adjusted to 4 days a week; the weekend spanning Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  2 days for weekends simply does not suffice for the amount of homework and rest students need.  The week of a typical high school student is extremely stressful and exhausting. The weekend is needed to recover.  Teachers tend to assign more homework on the weekends, though, knowing students will have more time.  This leads to the whole weekend being spent completing schoolwork.  Weekends are needed to relax and rejuvinate, and doing homework all weekend is neither of those things.  The weekends are also a sacred time to be spent with family or friends, seeing as though during the week, students are simply too busy.  Three days for a weekend would allow time for schoolwork, as well as friends, family, and rest. 

We, the students of Grosse Pointe South High School, hereby declare our independence from the Grosse Pointe Public School System. We only asked that we receive the treatment that we by our rights deserved, the treatment that we were neglected when a part of the Grosse Pointe Public School System. If we don’t receive our independence, there will be severe consequences. We may be peaceful and civil; we may boycott classes or organize a sit out on the lawn. Protest what we believe to be a corrupt establishment.  Hold strong to what we want and receive it in a peaceful manner. Or, we may be violent, vandalize the school. Rip doors off their hinges and graffiti the hallways. Break the windows of every educational institution, and yell blood curdling battle cries of freedom that even the bravest soul could not bear to hear. Though we are only students, we will crash board meetings. We will disrupt the very foundation that this educational system is based upon and wreak havoc among the board members, never faltering in doing so until our demands are met. Planting fear in every adult’s heart, because independence is a basic right; all students are naturally born with freedom in their blood. The students’ actions to take control of their independence are unpredictable yet organized, extreme yet understandable. It is best that the students receive independence and no other actions are put in place to stop the progression. By this time, there are no measures that can be taken to reconcile both the students and educational program. In no way can the ties between the two be bonded back together, and form a united assembly once again. Independence has spread to the very heart of the matter and no act can be taken to stop it. Independence will rise, and the Grosse Pointe School System should be prepared to fall.

Crucible Epilogue

            The room was dark and cold, like every other home in Boston. There were candles placed sporadically around the room, but not so many as too create the perfect lighting. Parts of the room were hidden in the dark, such places as every corner of the room. The room was barren except for the fireplace on the left side of the room, a table near the center of the room, and the one bed near the back on which a raggedly girl lay. From a distance she looked like any Boston women, dressed in a long black skirt, an off white blouse, and an apron wrapped around her waist, but up close her face revealed otherwise. Her face sagged, but not in the way faces do when a person gets old. It sagged like the face of a person who had known much regret. Her eyes were blue, but not the beautiful blue that they had possibly been in early times. They were a piercing blue that showed times of hardship and pain. A nurse enters the room and the girl on the bed wakes, frightened by the entrance of the woman. The nurse starts walking over to the girl and stares at her. “Abigail? Abigail, it is time for your supper. Are you awake?” The nurse’s voice was assertive, but the way she spoke made it seem like she cared about Abigail.

Abigail’s voice was weak and her body was frail, but her tone was sharp. “Of course I am listening. I wouldn’t be breathing if I were dead! Have you talked to the doctor? What does he say?” She waited, anticipating an answer. The answer never came. The nurse just stood there looking at Abigail, then looking at her feet. “Nurse, I am waiting!”

“The doctor says he will not be comin’ tonight. He says that there is nothin’ more he can do for ya,” she said as she walked towards the kitchen. “Ma’am would you like me to-”

Abigail was slowly getting out of her bed, but she moved as if her body weighed her down. “What do you mean there is no more he can do? He is a doctor! He should know what is wrong with me and know how to fix it!”

Abigail was now out of her bed and slowly began to shuffle over to the table at the center of the room. She gradually lowered herself into a chair and sighed.

“He says he knows no cure and that we should just wait, and hope, for the best. Now ma’am,” the nurse said as she walked around the cupboards. “It is late and you have not eaten a thing. What would you like? I will make you some supper, but where is the bread? You need food in your stomach and bread is easy to eat.” The nurse was searching hopelessly for the right cupboard.

“Nurse, you have been in my home 2 months now. If you know not where the bread is than it is your stupidity that must be cured, not my illness.” Abigail’s voice was bland, her words were blunt but they were enough to stab the nurse.

“Now Ms. Williams, I will not allow you to talk to me in such a manner. I am an in home nurse, not a slave!”

“Well you do your job so poorly I would think you were a slave.” Abigail’s voice was still monotone, but her temper was rising. “You are also useless to any person but me, so I expect you keep your tone in check as well. Now, the bread is in the pantry not the cupboards. Anyone could have guessed that. Go and fetch some and then we shall-”

“What makes you so bitter?” she yelled. “I have done nothing but serve you and pretend I am your servant, yet all I receive is your hatred. I have done nothing to earn it and you shall not give it to me anymore! Remember that you have no one but me in life, and the day your illness turns for the worst I will be the only one at your bedside. When you are dead and your gravestone lay cold in the winter chill, who do you think will come and lay flowers by the stone to brighten the grass around it? Surely no one but me! I do nothing but please you, so do not treat me as if I were your slave!”

Silence filled the room. Abigail looked shocked, her face contorted into a mixture of pain and sorrow. “I am so sorry Ms. Williams, I did not mean a word of it. I was just upset and-” Abigail’s hand rose to stop the nurse.

“It is I who should be sorry. Do you know what I have been through in my life? The baggage I must carry? The road to death is a bumpy road, you are forced to reminisce on all the things you have done in the past. It is most difficult when you are forced to remember the things I must recollect.”

The nurse seemed interested in what Abigail had to say. “Ma’am, may I ask…What did you do that was so horrendous? You have not but the flaws all women have.”

“I have done much worse.” Her face grew serious. “It all started when I left Salem."

           It was a cold, crisp morning. The sun was just starting to rise, and below the hills there was a quiet little town. The water was lapping onto the shore peacefully, and in the dim morning light you could just make out the silhouettes of two girls standing on the top of one of the hills.

            “Come on Abby, we must leave. Soon the village will wake and learn we have left. They may come looking for us. It’s not like you to be so sentimental. Abby! We have to go!”

            “I’m coming Mercy, hush up.” Abby turned around and started walking. Mercy’s feet were crunching on fallen leaves behind her, trying to catch up. Mercy couldn’t see it, but Abby was silently crying. It hurt her in an odd way to leave Salem knowing that John Proctor would die; the love of her life was sentenced to death due to her games.

            “Do we know where we’re going? I hear there is a boat that leads from a town not too far to Boston. If we hurry, I betcha we can hop on the next boat in two days.” Mercy seemed excited, the thought of a new life made her ecstatic. Her large body swayed side to side as she walked, her arms dangled like socks filled with flour. She waited for the ok from Abby, but she never received it. The rest of the day’s walk was only filled with the noise of the girls’ footsteps and the periodic sniffles coming from Abigail’s direction.

            Many hours later, the light seemed to be fading as they reached a town. The lights below were dim, but they were lit. As the girls descended the hill, they saw a sign that read Inn. The girls quickly hurried over to the door and went inside. The place was dark except for one candle sitting on the desk where a man, the owner of the inn, sat.

            “Can I help you ladies?” he asked in a gruff voice. He was a broad shouldered man with a deep voice and a dark beard. His hair was shaggy and dark like his beard. The girls weren’t afraid, but their faces made them seem frightened.

            “We would like a room please.” Mercy’s voice didn’t falter. She dropped the bag of money that she and Abby had stolen from Parris on the counter. “How much?”

            “Now listen here. If this money wasn’t earned honestly-”

            “The next person to question my morals is dead in my eyes. Do you know what we have been through? All we ask is a room, we will pay double. If you don’t want our money, we can, and will, go elsewhere!” Abby’s voice was strong, but she was on the brink of tears.

            “Ok,” said the man taking the bag. “Lemme show you where your room is.” He grabbed a lamp and led the girls down a hallway. It was dark except for the light coming from the lamp. They reached a door on the left and the man grabbed the handle and shoved it open. “Here ya go, this is your room. If you need anything don’t be afraid to call for me.” He winked at Mercy, and a shudder went up Abigail’s spine.

            “We only stay for one night, and then we take the next boat out to Boston. You understand me?” Abby was frightened but she would not let Mercy see it. She was firm and direct and Mercy took the hint.

            “Whatever you say Abby, I’m exhausted though. We will wake early tomorrow to catch the earliest boat I assume?”

            Abby was already in bed, she looked the most awkward and uncomfortable Mercy had ever seen her in her life. “Yes Mercy, now please…Go to bed.” Mercy climbed under her blanket and drifted to sleep. Abby lay awake for half the night, tossing and turning. She was thinking of John all day long. Today was his day of death, August 19, 1692. “God, I know you may be angry, but I was only trying to help you in your quest to rid the world of evil. Please, send him to heaven. I love him God, I love him and you must save him or I can never forgive myself my sins.” She slowly drifted off still thinking of her love, John Proctor.

            The sun rose, and with it the girls rose. Both had their bags, with the few things they had, packed and were ready to go. They walked out of the inn and never looked back. Abby and Mercy made their way to the water, but right before the entrance to the port Mercy paused. “I can’t do this.”

            Abby slowly turned around. A look of disbelief planted on her face, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You can’t do this? What is that supposed to mean? Mercy we are getting on this boat and we are going to Boston!”

            “No Abby, you are. There is nothing for me in Boston. I-”

            “There is nothing for you here! There is nothing for you anywhere near Salem! Mercy I am getting on this boat and if you’re not with me, so be it.”

            “Abby, I am not getting on that boat. I will find something to do with my life, but by God I will find it here. Near home, they won’t find me.”

            Abby gave Mercy an ultimatum, the only thing she could give her at that point. “Mercy I am leaving, if you don’t come now, don’t come ever.”

            “I am not coming Abby, and don’t expect me any time soon.” Mercy turned her back on Abby. Abby turned around and walked, never looking back at Mercy. She knew this would be the last time they saw each other, but she didn’t care. She was going to get as far away from Salem as she could.

            Abby paid her fair and boarded the boat. She went straight to the front of the open deck and looked towards the open sea. “Here I come Boston, here I come.” Little did Abby know that her road wasn’t going to be that simple. The waters to Boston were rough, but not as rough as Boston itself.

            It was late the day she docked in Boston. She was finally there, the place she had been thinking of since the day she left Salem. As she walked to the nearest inn a man came up to her and grabbed her arm. “Get off me, I don’t know you!”

            “Aw, come on gorgeous.” His voice was rough and the stench of a pub lingered on his clothing.

            Abby managed to pry his fingers off her arm and pushed him away. “I am not what you think I am. Leave me be.”

            “You’re all the same,” the man swore. “Too much damn pride!” He stumbled away and left Abby terrified and scarred. Abby walked to the inn, jumping every time she heard a noise behind her and trying to cover up her jumping when she got frightened. She finally reached the inn and went inside to the counter where another heavy set, scruffy man sat.

            “Can I help you missy?” he asked in a deep and hard voice.

            “I need a room. I just arrived from the boat and I need a room.”

            “Do you have money?’

            “Of course I have money! I am not stupid.” Abby reached inside her pockets, only to learn that with the vanishing of Mercy there was a vanishing of the money. She had left the money in Mercy’s hands and now Mercy was gone. She had left and taken the money with her. “I-I seem to have lost my money, but-”

            “No money, no room. That’s the way it is.”

            “Please, I need a room. I have already been harassed tonight; I will do anything, I just can’t sleep on the streets.”

            “Oh you will? That dress looks pretty.” Abby knew where this was going and she started to back up, but the man behind the counter was quick for his size. He grabbed her by her arm. “Do you want a room or not?”

            “I-I…” Abby couldn’t get out the words she needed to stop what she knew was going to happen. She had lost all will to fight, and he walked her to the door behind the counter.

            It was early morning and Abigail was walking away from the inn. She had no money, and very few clothes. She needed a place to work and a place to stay but she had no money to find or do either one. Then, by some kind act of God, she saw a sign on the door of a bakery. They were looking for a baker’s assistant and board above the shop was included with the job if the job was done well. Abby rushed to the door and ran inside to ask for the job. She told the woman who owned the shop that she would be the best assistant they ever had, and that she had nowhere else to go. By the end of the hour Abigail was learning how to mold bread in the back room. At night she had a place to go, a place to sleep and not worry about strangers coming and seeing her. One year passed by and she moved up in the bakery, before she knew it she was an actual baker and helped the owner sell when things got busy. She managed to earn enough money to buy her own home near the bakery where she could live by herself. But over the next few months she started to come down with many illnesses. She was always sick, and finally her boss told her she needed to have a doctor come and see her.

            When the doctor first visited, he said it may just be a chain of illness due to the air or change in environment, but the more he was called in to see her the more he realized he didn’t know what to diagnose her with. The only thing he could do is have her pay for an in home nurse to help her and hope that she would get better. The nurse came and fall changed to winter, but Abby never got better. Soon enough it was evident that she was never going to get better, Abby just wouldn’t give up hope.

            ***************************************************************

            The room was silent; the nurse didn’t know what to say. Abigail just sat there; she felt no need to fill the silence. “I’m ready nurse. Please help me to my bed.”

            “Oh goodness, I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. Let’s go Ms. Williams.” She helped Abigail up and walked her to the bed. Abigail let the nurse help her under the blankets, and she watched as the nurse walked towards the kitchen area.

            “I really did love him you know,” Abby managed to say.

            “Excuse me?”

            “I loved him, I really did. I don’t care what anyone says, I loved him.”

            “I know you did Ms. Williams,” the nurse said, but Abby never heard her. Abby had finally made her peace with the world, and peace had never looked so good on a person. The nurse covered Abby’s shoulders with the blanket and started to walk towards the door. It was time for her to get the doctor, but she stopped just short of the door. The nurse looked at the ceiling and spoke; she spoke so quietly that no one could hear her. “Bring them together God, bring them together.”

Crucible Essay

Christina Koehler

Honors American Literature

Mr. Provenzano 5^th hour

10 October 2011

Most Responsible for the Salem Witch Trials

            In modern day society, it is easy for children, even adults, to point the finger of blame on those they know are innocent. In Puritan society, this would be unthought-of considering God damns all liars. The Crucible is based around the theme of power, a common theme in many novels and plays. Who holds it, and why they hold are taken into consideration as Arthur Miller writes a play based on Puritan religious hysteria. Power is a dirty thing; it brings out envy and the worst in people. Many will go to great extents to have hold of it and some people go to the extent of death. This is what happens in The Crucible as the power shifts repeatedly and ends up in the hands of the children, the most unlikely to ever hold power. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, many are involved in the witch trials but Abigail, Parris, and Mary Warren should be held primarily responsible.

            No reader can talk about the predominant factors in the witch trials without mentioning Abigail Williams. As a reader, Abigail is the reader that everyone loves to hate but still loves because they have such strong emotions about her. Without Abigail, none of the rumors would have started in the first place. She only started accusing others to save herself and become the center of attention, which then grew into going after people for personal gain. The worst part about what Abigail does is that she knows what she is doing is wrong. In the first act, she even confesses to John Proctor “We were dancin’ in the woods last night, and my uncle leaped in on us. She took fright, is all” (Miller 22). Abigail knows that there is no witchcraft taking place in Salem and she knows that innocent people will die if accused, but she uses the people’s hysteria to increase her power. Worst of all, she is forcing others to hurt innocent people with her, she even tells the other girls, “We danced… And that is all…Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you…I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down” (Miller 20)! Abigail uses threats and intimidation to persuade people to join her cause, to join “the winning team.”

            There are some people that she does not have to convince though, and Parris is one of those people. Parris seems so minor when looking at the novel as a whole, but when personally investigating him readers realize just how big a part he played in the innocent deaths of many. Initially we know Parris as a leader, he is the leader of the church, but as the story evolves we realize just how little he is suited for the position. He is not a true leader, just a man who wants power and is in a leadership position. In truth, Parris gives all his power away when he calls in Hale to tell the people there is no witch in Salem, and ever since then he hands away his power in little increments. Readers can see just how useless and pathetic he is when he asks the judges if he may interrogate Mary Warren, and the judges give him a firm and abrupt answer that implies how insignificant he is in their eyes. The judges answer was a no, a mocking of course not. In the judges’ minds, Parris is not powerful or smart enough to get anything of value out of Mary Warren. Parris is only a man who power and is willing to do anything to receive it, but in striving to gain power he gives away the little that he had.

            On the other hand, there is Mary Warren who never dreamt of having power because power means having to make decisions of her own. If there is one character to pity it is Mary Warren, but only because she is so senseless. Mary Warren cannot stand up for herself on any occasion, and even when she tries to show a semblance of self-respect it is crushed by her cowardly nature. She is the epitome of pathetic and is a follower down to the core. Not only is she a follower, but she is indecisive as to who she should follower. Abigail is her first leader, but by the end of the second act she is forced to follow John Proctor and help him save his wife. The only decision that Mary ever makes in the book is when she rips herself away from team John and decides she is on team Abby, but only to save herself from narrowly being accused by the girls. On many occasion, if Mary had just stepped up and answered directly both the readers and Salem would have been spared a longer, more painful, drawn out process. When Cheever showed up to take away Elizabeth Proctor for stabbing Abigail and found a poppet, if Mary had just stood up and said “Yes that was mine, I put the needle in the side for safe keeping and forgot I had put it there,” then Salem would have been saved a whole lot of trouble. Instead when Proctor asks her if the needle was hers and if she put it there she replies “I-I believe I did, sir, I-“(Miller 72). If Mary Warren had been just the slightest bit smarter, than a good fraction of the people who had died for their silence would have lived.

            Although many people could be held accountable for the Salem witch trials, Abigail, Parris, and Mary Warren are the biggest factors in the deaths of so many innocent people. Each of them had reasons for committing such a terrible crime, some reasons even being semi-understandable, but that does not compensate for taking an innocent human life away. Abigail used her power in vain so that she could “win” the man she loved. Parris gave away his power so that he could keep what little order he had left in the church, and Mary Warren had never had power so she did what she knew best and followed the strongest power pulling on her at the time. Every one of them had understandable but poor reasons for letting the witch trials go on for so long, and they will be the ones who rot in Hell, not those that they accused. Those that they accused and hanged, hanged for silence, were the true instruments of God. They were God’s instrument in helping the world walk out of its darker days of ignorance and into the new days of light and truth.

Crucible Post 2

There is a standard that every person holds for themselves. Depending on the person, the standard can range. The standard is actually the image and behavior of themselves in a pure and perfect form. In The Crucible, we as readers see many people in their raw forms. We see Elizabeth and her manipulative ways of holding John by his heart, and we see victims of Abigail falsely confessing to witchcraft. This brings up the question, would you lie to save yourself? Whether from death or ridicule, would I as a person be willing to lower my morals to protect myself? Sadly, the answer is yes. I would like to believe that I am the type of women that would rise above all obstacles and create jealousy among my peers, but I am not. That doesn’t mean I don’t wish I were that person, it just means that I cannot find it in me to be that person. Obviously the consequences of admitting the truth would influence my choice to lie or not, but the fact that I would falter at all is what makes me not so proud of myself. In any case, if I were faced with a situation that could possibly end in death of course I would do anything to save myself. The only time I wouldn’t incriminate myself would be if it meant that I must convict someone else. I would hold strong to my beliefs that no one should suffer or pay the consequences for another person’s actions. Act two has only one great example of this belief, and it is shockingly John Procter who shows it. At the end of act two as his wife Elizabeth is taken away and Mary Warren stands there helpless, he tells Mary Warren that he will not allow his wife to die for him. This very much so differs from the morale of Goody Osbourn who in confessing her “sins” throws Goody Good under the bus. There are many things in life that I could choose to be ashamed of, but strangely enough my choice of standard is not one. Although I am not perfect, I do not walk around pretending I am. I am who I am and the choices I make are not in the least bit fraud. I do what I think is right, and hopefully the characters in The Crucible will do the same.

The Crucible Act 1 post

In Act one, we as readers are introduced to the main characters and some extras. We start off by meeting the very serious and shallow Parris, and his eighteen year old neice Abigail. Parris is your typical power hog and he cares about nothing but his power. Abigail, for a loss of better words, is a manipulative whore.We see Abigails lust come out when we meet John Procter, a man in his thirties, and discover their awkward yet sensual relationship. John has a sick wife, and as we learn he has an erotic affair with Abigail during her working period at his home. Going back to Parris, power is a very important them of The Crucible. The story is based around distrubution of power and Procters affair is what drives the whole story. In typical Puritan society, the only person with actual authority is the minister. Considering Parris is the minister, he has the highest concentration of power in act 1 of The Crucible. But as we Parris says "There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pilpit" (Miller 10). Parris fears that he is losing power and will soon have lost all his power completely. It is true that his power will be diminished, but not by who he thinks will take it. By the end of act 1, the power of Salem is in the hands of the spirit-conjuring teenage girls of Salem. These "innocent" young women of society gain their unusual power by blaming witchcraft on many older women in society. Do I believe that these women are guilty? Not in the slightest, these girls are just being foolish. But in a religious society such as the Puritan society of Salem, the Devil is not a light topic. Abigail, Betty, Mercy Lewis, and Mary Warren soon become the center of the court room affairs with Abby as their leader in crime. Women, let alone children, in Puritan society had no power or say in typical matters. But with witchcraft in the air, and secret affairs, all of Salems sanity is lost. The lives of many now lie in the hands of a few young, pitiful, vengeance ridden girls. All of Salem better watch it's back because in times such as these, no one is safe.

Sinners Follow Up post

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was terrifying, but most definitely not as terrifying as it must have been when it was given by Pastor Jonathon Edwards. Considering that we are Americans of the twenty-first century, a good fraction of the population is either not Christian or not religious at all. But even with this in mind, if this speech were given today it would still strike fear into the hearts of thousands of men and women across the country. In one part of the sermon, Edwards states “Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God” (Edwards 93). What Edwards is saying is that no matter what measures someone takes to protect themselves from the wrath of God, they are useless when in the face of God. This quote plays against the one of the most reactive human emotions, helplessness. By saying this, Edwards made people of the early Americas feel vulnerable, as if they had no control over any aspect of their lives. This still holds true today, when a person feels vulnerable and insecure panic results. If this sermon were given today, there would most definitely not be the same size reaction. Though the amount of people reacting would be smaller, the emotions felt would be the same. There is no time barrier between emotions and the terror that would ensue proves this well.

"Sinners in the hands of an angry God" Post

In “Sinners in the hands of an angry God Introduction” the video, the narrator tells the story of a man named Jonathon Edwards. Edwards was a pastor who delivered a sermon, Sinners in the hands of an angry God, which shocked the newly forming America. According to the narrator, even the most scholarly minds of modern time, which experience more imagery then comparable, are astounded by the imagery Edwards produced through his metaphors on God’s wrath. Of course, our fright is nothing when compared to the fright the sermon received when it was first given by Jonathon Edwards himself. He could possibly be referred as the Father of the Great Awakening considering he started the controversy on which the Great Awakening built its base. Although he is known by America as stern and loveless, those that were closest to him would argue he is the exact opposite, both loving and generous. To Edwards, it was his duty to revive his people and inform them that Hell was real, and that they must take responsibility for their salvation. A sermon that strikes such controversy can only make a reader wonder what Edwards said that scared America so much.
What I believe Edwards said to give America such a scare, is he informed them of the severity of hell. He must have mentioned things such as it is a fiery pit of despair that is equivalent to never ending suffering. He also could have stated that the reason for events such as storms, fires, and natural disasters is that they are God's way of expressing his discontent with the sinners he had created. That God had decided that the only way to know who was a true believer was to torture humanity, and from the tortured pick out who still believed. God is known as being an omnipotent figure, so he has the means and reasons to do such things to the people on Earth. Johnathon Edwards could have told early America that God would only save the truly righteous at heart, and that all others would perish in Hell along with the other sinners. Only statements such as these could arouse such distress in an entire forming country, causing a religious movement such as the Great Awakening.

http://www.curbly.com/bruno/posts/2833-houses-with-a-view
The scenery above is an alpine landscape. There are mountains that start in the top right corner and expand out towards the center of the picture until they reach the base of the mountain in the left center of the picture. The mountains are jagged and grey, with green trees scarcely spread over the mountains face. Where the mountain touches the hilly land, it reaches out to the left side of the image and drops off like a cliff. The surface of the cliff is covered with what looks like coniferous, dark green, pine trees. The land then rolls into hills of grassland. In the distance near the mountain, it looks like there might be a house obscured by pine trees. In the close, bottom-left corner there are two brown houses that are a part of one household. Leading from the closest house there is what looks like a dirt road that has been semi-overgrown by grass. In the bottom left corner near the close, brown house, there are dull grey dots that could possible be sheep. The bottom right corner of the picture, tall, dark pine trees frame the scene. The backdrop behind the mountain is a clear blue sky with one white, fluffy cloud near the left tip of the mountain. There are also low lying mountains that have the tips covered with fog that covers the blue sky. Altogether it is a beautiful alpine scene, that is overflowing with shades of blue and green.

Expectations of an Honors American Literature Student

The students in Honors American Literature are expected to put forth their best effort, be organized, and compose themselves in a mature fashion.

            As an honors class student, pupils are held to higher standards. One such standard is that all students are expected to do their best. Generally, this means doing the assigned homework and studying for quizzes or tests. As an honors student, putting forth their best means trying their hardest on homework and if complications arise, asking a classmate or teacher for help. It also means that if students in the class are having difficulties, they must make arrangements with the teacher to receive extra help. Teachers anticipate that as an honors student, they will go above and beyond what is required, but not just because it was asked of them. They do it so that they feel accomplished and proud of the work that they turn in. Students should strive to go above and beyond so they can achieve a higher level education.

            To receive such an education, students must be organized. In all aspects of the meaning, students are expected to organize papers, ideas, and composure. Not only should students do their work to the best of their ability, they should turn it in on time with all directions and requirements fulfilled. Students should also be mature, and realize all of their mistakes are their own. They can blame no one else for their carelessness because excuses will not be accepted or tolerated. How students compose themselves is entirely up to them, but poor composure will be frowned upon and will many times result in consequences. Likewise tardiness will not be accepted, and will also damage the student’s grade. Most importantly, students should be respectful. Not only are students expected to respect their teachers, but all students and staff around them.

            Likewise, students are expected to behave in an appropriate manner. This means they must act with maturity and know the simple rules of right and wrong. Students are obligated to respect others in a plethora of ways. They are expected to not talk when others are speaking and when they speak, they should speak properly and appropriately. Similarly, when requested to do a task, students have a duty to do what they were asked. Students should not only show up on time, but they are expected to come to class prepared and ready to learn. Learning is why pupils come to class, so it is vital that they act as expected so as not to disrupt not only their learning, but the learning of their fellow classmates. If they disrupt the class and distract