Huck Finn Post #2

Huck and Jim have a very uncommon reletionship for a young, white male and a runaway slave. Their relationship is very close to the relationship a father and son possess. This can be seen through the way they talk and interact with one another.
In Chapter 14, there is a scene where Huck and Jim are sitting around telling one another stories. What is so unusual about this scene, a scene that can be viewed as typical father-son interaction, is that Huck plays the role of the father. Where the the father usually talks and tells the stories, Huck (the younger of the two) is the character trying to make Jim see the point of the fable of King Solomon. After Jim talks about how Solomon wasn't truly wise because he was going to cut a child in half, Huck says "But hang it, Jim, you've clean missed the point-blame it, you've missed it a thousand mile" (Twain 82). In the average father-son scenario, the father figure would be the one to explain why the child had missed the point. Here, Huck assumes the role of the father and tries to explain to Jim how it was just a test and Solomon wasn't actually going to cut the child in half, but like a child Jim is stubborn and refuses to change his mind on Solomon. This portion of the chapter depicts the paternal relations between Jim and Huck, but the way they act towards each other exeplifies it even more.
Throughout the whole novel so far, the way Jim and Huck act towards each other is very protective. Much like how a son works to protect his son, Jim protects Huck. A good example being when the two found the dead man in th floating house, Jim tells Huck "Come in, Huck, but doan' look at his face-it's too gashly" (Twain 57). This instinct to protect Huck from the grotesque thing in life is the same instinct that a father has to protect his son from any danger, whether physical or mental impurification. Not only does the way Jim act towards Huck protection wise display his fatherly affection towards him, his loving manner shows his paternal role in Hucks life on the river. When the Grangerfords start to fight and shoot, Jim thinks that Huck is in the middle of the dispute. Jim believe Huck to be dead, but when he learns that he is very much so alive his reaction portrays that of a worried father to his son. "...nothing ever sounded so good before. I run along the bank a piece and got aboard, and Jim he grabbed me and hugged me, he was so glad to see me" (Twain 117). The way Jim greets Huck is the way any parent would if they realized that their child was safe instead of whatever terrible thing they believed they were. Jim hugs him and tells Huck just how worried he was. This is one of the most parental moments in the book so far, and it just emphasizes the father-son relationship that Jim and Huck share even more.

Huck Finn Post #1

By the end of the tenth chapter, it is still difficult to have a a full opinion on Huck. Huck is a very complicated character to figure out. It is hard to decide whether or not I think he is a good kid or a complete rufian. Although it seems like Huck is quite dull, he is actually quite a witty young man and is very superstitious. Huck is also very much so a jokester, and he shows this through his interactions with the other characters.
Huck is a very sharp young boy. The way he decieves the town is one of the most brilliant plans I have ever read about. The way he "blooded up the ax good, and stuck it on the backside, and the ax in the corner" (Twain 41) was brilliant. He focused in on every detail of the murder, down to the blood dragged on the floor and the trail of grain leading to the river. He always compares himself to Tom Sawyer but in fact I think that he is just as brilliantly twisted and fantastic.
Superstition is not only something Huck believes in, but it is also a theme of the book. The book is heavily superstiious and with every page turn comes another superstition. In chapter 10 Huck mentions they also mention how looking at a new moon over your left shoulder is the worst luck possible. Jim also says that "the worst bad luck in the world to touch a snakeskin with my hands" (Twain 58). Huck and Jim even discuss just how bad of luck touching a snakeskin is. This also leads to Hucks' foolery at the end of Chapter 10.
When Huck kills a rattlesnake at the end beginning of Chapter ten and puts it at the foot of Jim's bed, he did not remember that the mate of the snake would come curl around the dead body. So "by night I (Huck) frogot all about the snake, and when Jim flung himself down on the blanket while I struck a light the snake's mate was there, and bit him" (Twain 59). This leads is technically the "fulfillment" of the bad luck from Huck touching a snakeskin. I assume that there will be many more practical jokes from Huck, and I believe it is easy to say that mostly all will end poorly like this one.
Huck is a very complex character, and I cannot quite figure out why I think this. It may be that I believe even though he misbehaves he is truly good at heart, but I am not sure. Either way, Huck is difficult, but by the end of the tenth chapter there are three very definite traits about him. He is a witty, superstitious jokester who will be causing trouble for himself and all those close to him.

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?