People in our society today are very "funny" acting when it comes to differences. What I mean by this, is that if someone does not have what they have, they treat them different. Like for instance, some people when they see poor or homeless people on the streets they turn their noses up at them. Or even if people see someone who is rich, or seems wealthy they treat them bad just because they are jealous.
Then again there are those who treat everyone the same. There are people who help those who need it, and accept help if they need it. It really all depends on the person, their values, how they were raised and their attitudes. More than most, if a person saw their parents turning their noses up, they will also. This happens more in our society rather than loving and helping each other.
Society has different opinions about views as far as living and contributing to others. I feel the whole world can check themselves and say we can do better. We are all different in some form or fashion. Get over it.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
If you are different you are considered an Outkast by Steven
Going against the grain and trying to be different from everyone else causes society to look at someone as an outkast. In a novel called "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is a character who is shunned away from society because of her sin of adulterywith another character Arthur Dimmesdale. A person who is different from everyone else suffers many consequences for their decision they made to be different.
In "The Scarlet Letter", Hester Prynne is humiliated and embarresed for the decision she made to commit adultery with Arthur Dimmesdale. First, Hester Prynne is publicly condemned and commanded to stand on a scaffold in a market place so that everyone can see her as she is released from prison. As she stands on the scaffold, she is scolded from women in the crowd, as they make comments and criticize Hester about her actions and the badge on her chest. Hester became the talk of the town. Even someone who was socially inept and did not gage in society would know that Hester was different from everyone else. It is important to recognize that no other characters had to deal with people staring at them, criticizing them and humiliating them in the book. Everyone else was accepted because they were like everyone else. It's ironic that Hester Prynne is looked as a sinner and different from everyone else because under Puritan belief, all people are born sinners because of the initial transgressions of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Nevertheles, people do not realize that Hester is no different than they are and she is subject to public scrutiny.
Today, our society tends not to accept people who are different and dont respect them for who they are. People who are different face public scrutiny just like they faced in the old days. For example, people in the gay and lesbian community face harsh public scrutiny for their decision to be who they are. They are often calle derogitory names ans are a laughingstock of the dominant society. People who are not gay do not have to worry about people not accepting them because they are considered normal by the dominant society. They are not criticized for their decision to be straight by the gay and lesbian community.
All in all, it is important to recognize that some things have not changed in American society. People who are different are looked at as an outkast by society. Many people who are different have to deal with more stress and have to be stronger than others who are not differentjust because they do not conform to the pressure of society to be like everyone else. I am one who believes that people should not be looked at as an outkast because of the decisions they make in life. Everyone has one life and they should be able to live it the way they want to. No one is better than anyone else and do not deserve the right to criticize people for their decisions.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Scarlet Letter". The Norton Anthology of American Literature.Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. vol. A. New York: Norton, 2007
An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth, by Adwoa
In the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne employs several themes in his writings, but the major one that runs throughout this novel is mainly sin. One form of sin portrayed in this novel is vengeance. Hawthorne describes Chillingworth as a man filled with vengeance. His vengeful nature is depicted in the search of the father of his wife’s daughter, Pearl.
Chillingworth, had several options after finding out his wife’s betrayal, but instead he decided to revenge by converting himself into a devil. Hawthorne says, “Ever and anon, too, there came a glare of red light out of his eyes, as if the old man's soul were on fire and kept on smouldering duskily within his breast, until by some casual puff of passion it was blown into a momentary flame” (1443). Chillingworth’s vengeance is seen in our society today. Many couples filing for divorce may demand more from their spouses as a form of revenge. Some partners do that just to render the other one bankrupt to satisfy their revengeful desire.
The next action that Chillingworth does is to seek for more information about the reason why Hester had become a ridicule of shame. In his attempt to revenge Chillingworth makes a statement that, “it irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not at least, stand on the scaffold by her side. But he will be known — he will be known! — he will be known!"(1386). In today’s society, this trait can be seen in gang members. In an attempt to revenge, they do all it takes to find information on their adversaries, and this may finally result in death or serious injuries.
Finally, Chillingworth’s revenge is noticed by Hester; therefore, she panics when Chillingworth offers her medicine when in prison. Chillingworth tells her that the better revenge will be to keep her alive wearing the scarlet letter (1391).
In conclusion, Chillingworth’s assumes a new identity as a way to seek revenge, therefore in order to torture Dimmendale gets closer to him as a physician to cure him of his ailment. In our society today, we hear of several instances of people committing adultery leading to the anguish of the other party. One may easily side with Chillingworth, but the Puritans saw him as a bad nut; because they believe in the good words of the bible that says, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18).
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Scarlet Letter.” Norton Anthology of American Literature. Vol. B. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 2007. 1352-1493.
Chillingworth, had several options after finding out his wife’s betrayal, but instead he decided to revenge by converting himself into a devil. Hawthorne says, “Ever and anon, too, there came a glare of red light out of his eyes, as if the old man's soul were on fire and kept on smouldering duskily within his breast, until by some casual puff of passion it was blown into a momentary flame” (1443). Chillingworth’s vengeance is seen in our society today. Many couples filing for divorce may demand more from their spouses as a form of revenge. Some partners do that just to render the other one bankrupt to satisfy their revengeful desire.
The next action that Chillingworth does is to seek for more information about the reason why Hester had become a ridicule of shame. In his attempt to revenge Chillingworth makes a statement that, “it irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not at least, stand on the scaffold by her side. But he will be known — he will be known! — he will be known!"(1386). In today’s society, this trait can be seen in gang members. In an attempt to revenge, they do all it takes to find information on their adversaries, and this may finally result in death or serious injuries.
Finally, Chillingworth’s revenge is noticed by Hester; therefore, she panics when Chillingworth offers her medicine when in prison. Chillingworth tells her that the better revenge will be to keep her alive wearing the scarlet letter (1391).
In conclusion, Chillingworth’s assumes a new identity as a way to seek revenge, therefore in order to torture Dimmendale gets closer to him as a physician to cure him of his ailment. In our society today, we hear of several instances of people committing adultery leading to the anguish of the other party. One may easily side with Chillingworth, but the Puritans saw him as a bad nut; because they believe in the good words of the bible that says, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18).
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Scarlet Letter.” Norton Anthology of American Literature. Vol. B. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 2007. 1352-1493.
The Pursuit of Revenge By Travis
In ones pursuit to quench the thirst of revenge, irrational thoughts and behaviors become common. As is the case of Chillingworth In the story The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. As Chillingworth attempts to find the truth about his adulterous wife, he likewise many of us in today’s society struggle with question of where to draw the line in our quest to make to offender pay. However we can get so consumed by revenge that we pay for our sins of revenge in the form of mental and physical stresses on our bodies.
In seeking revenge upon the person Hester committed adultery with, the very soul and being of a good man is slowly changed from good to a sinister evil, leaving Chillingworth a shadow, of the man he once was. Hence the false name “Chillingworth”, which may be a subtle precursor of his meticulous plan, to dissect and publicly embarrass Hester’s partner in sin. Chillingworth, upon uttering the words “he will be known!--he will be known!--he will be known!"(1393), signifies the turning point in his life where there is a new purpose for his existence. Physiological problems become a part of his personality, a part of his being. Chillingworth became dependent on Dimmesdale as a source of energy as he continues to torment and extract any knowledge from him. This thirst for revenge has resulted in Chillingworth unwillingly being a prisoner to another person, essentially being dependent on Dimmesdale to survive, just as a louse is dependent on its host to receive nutrients. This is no different from what we see in today’s society in the cause of stalker’s and petty files, where they are so consumed with evil thoughts, that the ability to think rationally is no longer possible.
The problems that relate to emotional stresses and physiological strains are not limited to ones brain, as the weight of these mental stresses takes a toll on the physical appearance of one’s body. We see this everyday in the world around us, the mental stresses to be thin causes some people to become anorexic, which in turn results in a malnourished appearance of the body. However Chillinworth’s obsession with revenge causes his appearance to deteriorate from the elderly scholar appearance to an almost demonic child of the devil. Hawthorne says “Ever and anon, too, there came a glare of red light out of his eyes, as if the old man's soul were on fire and kept on smoldering duskily within his breast”. This among other statements such as “So Roger Chillingworth a deformed old figure, with a face that haunted men’s memories longer than they liked” (1446), shows the physical effects of his sinful revenge.
Fuelled by emotions, revenge takes both Chillingworth and our contemporaries down a path of sin and hatred. This quest for revenge leaves us at the mercy of the perused, as Chillinworth was the mercy of Dimmesdale, in the sense that he is a parasite living off Dimmesdale, the host. Consequently when the host dies, so does the parasite, as is the case of Chillinworth, as he sucks the life from Dimmesdale, which leads him to physically deteriorate as the Dimmesdale mentally deteriorates, until the both die. The ultimate consequence of sinful revenge, death.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007. 1352-1493.
In seeking revenge upon the person Hester committed adultery with, the very soul and being of a good man is slowly changed from good to a sinister evil, leaving Chillingworth a shadow, of the man he once was. Hence the false name “Chillingworth”, which may be a subtle precursor of his meticulous plan, to dissect and publicly embarrass Hester’s partner in sin. Chillingworth, upon uttering the words “he will be known!--he will be known!--he will be known!"(1393), signifies the turning point in his life where there is a new purpose for his existence. Physiological problems become a part of his personality, a part of his being. Chillingworth became dependent on Dimmesdale as a source of energy as he continues to torment and extract any knowledge from him. This thirst for revenge has resulted in Chillingworth unwillingly being a prisoner to another person, essentially being dependent on Dimmesdale to survive, just as a louse is dependent on its host to receive nutrients. This is no different from what we see in today’s society in the cause of stalker’s and petty files, where they are so consumed with evil thoughts, that the ability to think rationally is no longer possible.
The problems that relate to emotional stresses and physiological strains are not limited to ones brain, as the weight of these mental stresses takes a toll on the physical appearance of one’s body. We see this everyday in the world around us, the mental stresses to be thin causes some people to become anorexic, which in turn results in a malnourished appearance of the body. However Chillinworth’s obsession with revenge causes his appearance to deteriorate from the elderly scholar appearance to an almost demonic child of the devil. Hawthorne says “Ever and anon, too, there came a glare of red light out of his eyes, as if the old man's soul were on fire and kept on smoldering duskily within his breast”. This among other statements such as “So Roger Chillingworth a deformed old figure, with a face that haunted men’s memories longer than they liked” (1446), shows the physical effects of his sinful revenge.
Fuelled by emotions, revenge takes both Chillingworth and our contemporaries down a path of sin and hatred. This quest for revenge leaves us at the mercy of the perused, as Chillinworth was the mercy of Dimmesdale, in the sense that he is a parasite living off Dimmesdale, the host. Consequently when the host dies, so does the parasite, as is the case of Chillinworth, as he sucks the life from Dimmesdale, which leads him to physically deteriorate as the Dimmesdale mentally deteriorates, until the both die. The ultimate consequence of sinful revenge, death.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007. 1352-1493.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Hypocrisy among Religion by Jamie
Nathaniel Hawthorne in “The Scarlet Letter” presents the point of hypocrisy that is portrayed by religious figures. In society today, not only religious figures try to portray a sense of purity, but politicians, actors, teachers, and any figure that is looked up to. The public is dependent upon the behaviors of these important figures as a symbolism of hope, change and goodness in oneself. However, things have changed since the Puritan age as far as forgiveness and second chances. These so called “private behaviors” are held in the public’s eye as a way of punishment. It is then up to the public to renounce the pressures of anguish if the individual acknowledge the wrongful deed that has been done, and in return lead by example. Hawthorne demonstrates the actions of a highly religious community that provides rejection rather than support and healing. Like Dimmesdale, religious figures are held in a position of trust among communities of faith. Hawthorne’s goal is to inform individuals that religious figures are human too, and that everyone makes mistakes no matter what rank they hold.
In the puritan community there is no such thing as forgiveness. In society today, sin is a necessary part of life. Mistakes are expected to be made in order to learn from them. Hawthorne illustrates the unforgiving nature of the community toward Hester in her sinful act. He proves hypocrisy when the townspeople violently scorn Hester when they state, “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Truly there is a law for it in Scripture and the statue book” (1380). It’s ironic how they call themselves a community of faith, but instead they promote and encourage cruelty and malicious segregation toward a once faithful member of their covenant. The townspeople did not even spare the taunting toward the innocent baby pearl. Even though it took an act of sin to create pearl, she is still the blessing of God. It seems as though this once religious community is more focused on themselves and the embarrassment this sinful act may have caused. Could it be their priorities of faith is confused? Or maybe they discover their own internal truths as a result of this sin.
Hawthorne reveals Dimmesdale as a cowardly man who lacks the courage to reveal his sinful act to the townspeople. The townspeople see him as an angel sent from God by stating, “When occasion was, with a freshness, and fragrance, and dewy purity of thought, which, as many people said, affected them like the speech of an angel” (1388). Hawthorne eludes the many truths of this closed-knit society that are blinded by their own faith. Hawthorne deeply expresses the realities of the corruption and hypocrisy faced throughout this story. This is conveyed when the burning of the scarlet letter pierces Hester’s heart whenever she came in contact with a villager who seemed to shy away from looking at the embroidered symbol. Hawthorne is trying to convey the untold truths of other people’s transgressions. Hester is not the only sinner in this religious community, but she is the scapegoat for many other sinners. The only difference is that she was strong enough to reveal her sins and suffer the consequences. Therefore; she is a true Christian woman who seeks repentance. Hawthorne reveals the many characteristics of jealousy, betrayal, revenge, and malicious gossip that are depicted in the puritan community.
Most people might interpret this story as an attack on society; However Hawthorne’s goal is to reveal the ugly truths about religious societies and there extreme code of ethics. The hypocrisy and corruption that underlies the ideals of religion stifles the individuality and can eat away at the soul, as expressed in the scarlet letter. Stay true to oneself and god, but don’t portray false devotion.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Scarlet Letter.” Norton Anthology of American Literature. Vol. B. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 2007. 1352-1493.
In the puritan community there is no such thing as forgiveness. In society today, sin is a necessary part of life. Mistakes are expected to be made in order to learn from them. Hawthorne illustrates the unforgiving nature of the community toward Hester in her sinful act. He proves hypocrisy when the townspeople violently scorn Hester when they state, “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Truly there is a law for it in Scripture and the statue book” (1380). It’s ironic how they call themselves a community of faith, but instead they promote and encourage cruelty and malicious segregation toward a once faithful member of their covenant. The townspeople did not even spare the taunting toward the innocent baby pearl. Even though it took an act of sin to create pearl, she is still the blessing of God. It seems as though this once religious community is more focused on themselves and the embarrassment this sinful act may have caused. Could it be their priorities of faith is confused? Or maybe they discover their own internal truths as a result of this sin.
Hawthorne reveals Dimmesdale as a cowardly man who lacks the courage to reveal his sinful act to the townspeople. The townspeople see him as an angel sent from God by stating, “When occasion was, with a freshness, and fragrance, and dewy purity of thought, which, as many people said, affected them like the speech of an angel” (1388). Hawthorne eludes the many truths of this closed-knit society that are blinded by their own faith. Hawthorne deeply expresses the realities of the corruption and hypocrisy faced throughout this story. This is conveyed when the burning of the scarlet letter pierces Hester’s heart whenever she came in contact with a villager who seemed to shy away from looking at the embroidered symbol. Hawthorne is trying to convey the untold truths of other people’s transgressions. Hester is not the only sinner in this religious community, but she is the scapegoat for many other sinners. The only difference is that she was strong enough to reveal her sins and suffer the consequences. Therefore; she is a true Christian woman who seeks repentance. Hawthorne reveals the many characteristics of jealousy, betrayal, revenge, and malicious gossip that are depicted in the puritan community.
Most people might interpret this story as an attack on society; However Hawthorne’s goal is to reveal the ugly truths about religious societies and there extreme code of ethics. The hypocrisy and corruption that underlies the ideals of religion stifles the individuality and can eat away at the soul, as expressed in the scarlet letter. Stay true to oneself and god, but don’t portray false devotion.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Scarlet Letter.” Norton Anthology of American Literature. Vol. B. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 2007. 1352-1493.
Closed-Mindedness and the Unfamiliar: A look at unconventional relationships in modern society, and the relation to Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is shunned by her fellow colonists as a sinner and a social outcast. Having a child out of wedlock is heavily frowned upon by the Puritan society in which she lives, and the child which she chooses to raise alone is seen as an evil thing instead of a beautiful miracle of life. In its basic sense, the closed-mindedness of the colonists and the lack of mercy shown towards Hester also prevail in modern society with its views on gay marriage.
Gay marriage is a controversial topic in today’s society. Even though
When unknown forces bring two people together in love, whether of the same or opposite sex, the passion and emotion of that love is the same. Marriage is a way to show one’s partner as well as the world that one’s love is unconditional and true, no matter if the relationship is traditional or not. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester and Dimmesdale are described as being cut off from the rest of society since their unconventional relationship outcasts them, similar to how gay individuals might feel in today’s society, like “the links that united [them] to the rest of human kind—links of flowers, or silk, or gold, or whatever the material—had all been broken. Here was the iron link of mutual crime, which neither he nor she could break. Like all other ties, it brought along with it its obligations” (1438). Just as Hester feels she is obligated to stand up for herself in her passion, an unconventional couple who feels shunned by society must stand together, strengthened by the bond of their love, and the obligations to that love.
Finally, at the end of The Scarlet Letter, after the sudden and tragic death of Dimmesdale, many of the townsfolk that had witnessed the scene refused to admit that Dimmesdale “acknowledged, nor even remotely implied, any, the slightest connection, on his part, with the guilt for which Hester Prynne had so long worn the scarlet letter” (1490). Sadly, this same denial is present in today’s society, as closed-minded relatives refuse to admit that a loved one is, or was, gay. That which is unfamiliar is uncomfortable, and often times not included in the memory of highly-esteemed loved ones, in order to save face and leave no unanswerable questions. Just as the sins of Dimmesdale, a righteous man in the eyes of the community, were hushed, so is the sexual orientation of many in today’s society, even though at the most basic comparison, we are all only human.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B.
Revenge Hurts the Avenger, by Bertina
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter (Custom House),” Roger Chilling worth is obsessed with gaining revenge against Reverend Arthur Dimondale. Merriam-Webster defines revenge as “to avenge (as oneself) usually by retaliating in kind or degree.” As a result of Chillingworth’s determination in making Arthur pay for committing adultery with his wife, his need for revenge ultimately is responsible for his defeat. Revenge is a sin that causes mental, physical, and spiritual pain especially to the person responsible for afflicting it on others. This is the case in the story as well as in today’s society.
In the story as well as today’s society revenge has become an acceptable behavior for dealing with out of control emotions. This behavior can be seen in high profile divorces, child custody battles, and civil lawsuits. Chillingworth’s desire for revenge drove him to a state of obsessive behavior.
However, the results of physical problems vary from mental, in that physical issues can be seen with the naked eye. Chillingworth’s revenge starts to take a toll on an already ailing Dimmesdale.
The Puritans desired to be close to God and would not have approved of Chillingworth’s behavior. Particularly, Dimmesdale is the minister of the community and loved by his congregation. Chillingworth has become a representative for the devil and spiritually is bankrupt.
To conclude, from the Puritan times to present day, revenge has no place in society. Revenge has proven time and time again to cause more harm than good to all persons involved. The bible states “revenge is mine saith the Lord”, which tells us to leave revenge to the Lord. There is no harm we can cause to an individual that will not bring harm to us as well. If individuals in today’s society live by this rule, there would be less domestic and gang violence.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Scarlett Letter.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol B.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Conformity in Today's Age, by Jed
Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay, "Self-Reliance," tells people to listen to their own intuitions regardless of how society perceives those actions or words, good or bad. Emerson, early in his essay, illustrates this point when he says, " Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this; the only right is what is after my constitution, the only wrong what is against it" (1165). Emerson believed people do away with their own thoughts and intuitions to conform to the beliefs of societies, for it is far easier to do so. In America today, individuals have the opportunity to isolate themselves from society with relative ease with the invention of the personal automobile, but most cling to television, internet, and cell phones for a constant barrage of information on how society looks, acts, and thinks. Though America is far more diverse and reaches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, individuals are more than ever influenced by society's rules by way of instantaneous mass media an communication.
The oldest form of visual electronic media, the television, has become a member of the household in America; it has taught people what behaviors are appropriate and which are not for the last sixty plus years, and many emulate what they see believing it is the proper way to fit into society. Twenty-four hours a day three hundred and sixty-five days a year it has shoveled information of proper society into children, old people, and everybody in between. In "Self-Reliance," Emerson writes, "Our housekeeping is mendicant, our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religions we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us" (1175). Americans can see the influence television has had over the years by the fads of fashion, the diction of language, and their ambitious, if not delusional, ideas of success and progression. The television, in the year 2009, is only a small percentage of the visual electrical media people see and use everyday, for it has been overtaken by something more powerful.
The internet, regardless of where it is accessed, whether it be by computer or cell phone, is the instant tool to help conform people with access to not just their society, but to the world's. In today's world there is no place to hide deeds; individuals can be recorded by any person with camera, cell phone, or computer and uploaded to the internet for the whole world to see and be shunned by. Emerson writes about people in the community, for example, when he says, "The bystanders look askance on him in the public street or in the friend's parlor"(1167). Emerson knows no scale that people are accustomed to now that everything in the world is only as big as a computer screen and Blackberry. This phenomenon has ushered in a new age where distance is irrelevant to being forsaken by society. A man in Iceland with internet can cast down his judgement upon an individual regardless if he is in Baja, California. Thus, the internet has become the most powerful issuance to conformity than any predecessor.
Easy and immediate access to the world community and society will continue to conform people with the mere pressing of a button and eyes on the screen of a television, computer, and cell phone. Distance has continually become more irrelevant to conformity. Ethnicity and sexual orientation are immaterial; the media and communication of today have conformed them to that particular society and perception of others of those individuals. Emerson, I believe, would be disappointed to see that nothing of what he wrote has had any effect on society, and in fact, it is worse today I imagine then in his time.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007. 1163-1180
The oldest form of visual electronic media, the television, has become a member of the household in America; it has taught people what behaviors are appropriate and which are not for the last sixty plus years, and many emulate what they see believing it is the proper way to fit into society. Twenty-four hours a day three hundred and sixty-five days a year it has shoveled information of proper society into children, old people, and everybody in between. In "Self-Reliance," Emerson writes, "Our housekeeping is mendicant, our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religions we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us" (1175). Americans can see the influence television has had over the years by the fads of fashion, the diction of language, and their ambitious, if not delusional, ideas of success and progression. The television, in the year 2009, is only a small percentage of the visual electrical media people see and use everyday, for it has been overtaken by something more powerful.
The internet, regardless of where it is accessed, whether it be by computer or cell phone, is the instant tool to help conform people with access to not just their society, but to the world's. In today's world there is no place to hide deeds; individuals can be recorded by any person with camera, cell phone, or computer and uploaded to the internet for the whole world to see and be shunned by. Emerson writes about people in the community, for example, when he says, "The bystanders look askance on him in the public street or in the friend's parlor"(1167). Emerson knows no scale that people are accustomed to now that everything in the world is only as big as a computer screen and Blackberry. This phenomenon has ushered in a new age where distance is irrelevant to being forsaken by society. A man in Iceland with internet can cast down his judgement upon an individual regardless if he is in Baja, California. Thus, the internet has become the most powerful issuance to conformity than any predecessor.
Easy and immediate access to the world community and society will continue to conform people with the mere pressing of a button and eyes on the screen of a television, computer, and cell phone. Distance has continually become more irrelevant to conformity. Ethnicity and sexual orientation are immaterial; the media and communication of today have conformed them to that particular society and perception of others of those individuals. Emerson, I believe, would be disappointed to see that nothing of what he wrote has had any effect on society, and in fact, it is worse today I imagine then in his time.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007. 1163-1180
Monday, March 16, 2009
Who makes the choice? by Alex
Everyday in life people have to make choices between doing what is right and doing what is wrong. It would be nice if those choices were easy, but they often are not. People are stuck battling with themselves, and stuck battling with what others will think. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance," people intuitively understand the difference between right and wrong and society only prevents them from listening to their inner voice. Although Emerson feels this way, the true statement would be that people learn right and wrong because of society, and then they are left to make choices for themselves.
All over the world there are many kids that reside in crime infested neighborhoods. There are kids who hear their parents, and the other individuals in the community use profanity in everyday conversations. These kids do not intuitively know that it is wrong to use profanity. In fact, these kids go out into the broader areas of society, such as school, and use profanity themselves. Emerson's "Self Reliance" suggests that people intuitively know the difference between right and wrong, but these children actually support the contrary. Emerson says "No law can be sacred to me than that of my nature" (p. 1165), and the law of these kids nature teaches them that profane language is acceptable. People do not intuitively know right and wrong, but they are taught by what they see and hear indirectly through society, and what they are told directly from society.
Emerson's idea that society only prevents people from listening to their inner voice is incorrect. If anything, society begins at the earliest ages of kids lives telling them that it is fine to listen to that inner voice. After society teaches the child that there are actions that are right and that there are actions that are wrong, then society encourages them to use their better judgement between the two. When kids today make choices because it is what they saw the majority doing our society has sayings such as "if they jumped off of a bridge would you do it?" This very saying is to prevent the youth from making decisions on the sole basis of conformity, although Emerson says that " for non-conformity the world whips you with its displeasure" (p. 1167). The society that the kids live in actually encourages them to maintain high levels of individuality.
In conclusion people do not intuitively know the difference between right and wrong, but they are taught the difference. Society does not force upon the individual its ideals and tell he or she that conformity is a must. Society leaves the individual to make the choices he or she makes on their own, but society only hopes that the choice is made by the inner voice suggesting to do what is right. Emerson says that "no man can violate his nature" (p. 1168), but through the kids that have grown up in the midst of poverty and crime to be successful, law abiding citizens that belief is proven incorrect. Society takes one's natural inclination to do wrong and informs he or she what is right until the inclination becomes to do right.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007. 1163-80.
All over the world there are many kids that reside in crime infested neighborhoods. There are kids who hear their parents, and the other individuals in the community use profanity in everyday conversations. These kids do not intuitively know that it is wrong to use profanity. In fact, these kids go out into the broader areas of society, such as school, and use profanity themselves. Emerson's "Self Reliance" suggests that people intuitively know the difference between right and wrong, but these children actually support the contrary. Emerson says "No law can be sacred to me than that of my nature" (p. 1165), and the law of these kids nature teaches them that profane language is acceptable. People do not intuitively know right and wrong, but they are taught by what they see and hear indirectly through society, and what they are told directly from society.
Emerson's idea that society only prevents people from listening to their inner voice is incorrect. If anything, society begins at the earliest ages of kids lives telling them that it is fine to listen to that inner voice. After society teaches the child that there are actions that are right and that there are actions that are wrong, then society encourages them to use their better judgement between the two. When kids today make choices because it is what they saw the majority doing our society has sayings such as "if they jumped off of a bridge would you do it?" This very saying is to prevent the youth from making decisions on the sole basis of conformity, although Emerson says that " for non-conformity the world whips you with its displeasure" (p. 1167). The society that the kids live in actually encourages them to maintain high levels of individuality.
In conclusion people do not intuitively know the difference between right and wrong, but they are taught the difference. Society does not force upon the individual its ideals and tell he or she that conformity is a must. Society leaves the individual to make the choices he or she makes on their own, but society only hopes that the choice is made by the inner voice suggesting to do what is right. Emerson says that "no man can violate his nature" (p. 1168), but through the kids that have grown up in the midst of poverty and crime to be successful, law abiding citizens that belief is proven incorrect. Society takes one's natural inclination to do wrong and informs he or she what is right until the inclination becomes to do right.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007. 1163-80.
Self-Reliance, an Aversion to Conformity by Susana
Life is about choices. We choose our friends, our clothes, our cars, our houses, our careers, and our religion. But do we really make our choices or does society chooses for us? According to Ralph Waldo Emerson in one of his works, “Self Reliance” We let society influence our lives and choose for us, burying ourselves and our identity in a deep hole of conformism. Emerson criticized traditions, organized religions, mediocrity, and people who lacked originality because these behaviors mirror a conformist society. As Emerson thinks, “Our house keeping is mendicant, our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religions we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us” (1175). In other words, one of the things we conform to is religion which is not a choice, but an imposition.
Religions are passed from generations to generations as children who are born without religion are obligated to follow their parent’s religion. Although Emerson was not an atheist, he had a problem with organized religion. The preaching of ideas and interpretations from the Bible that were introduced into people’s minds, did not appeal to him. “I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching” (1173). The peacefulness a person can feel in a silent church allows him or her to be with their own thoughts as opposed to acquiring or accepting somebody else’s religious beliefs or ideals.
The rejection of doctrines; ideals that forced people to follow and believe, might have cost him some infamy and criticism from individuals who did not shared his point of view. Among the beliefs he discarded is the doctrine of original sin, a Puritan belief in which all humankind is born guilty of a sin they did not commit. Emerson believed that we are responsible for our own faults, not somebody else’s. “Why should we assume the faults of our friend, or wife, or father, or child, because they sit around our heart, or are said to have the same blood?” (1173). This thought reflects the idea that people do not have to conform to what one person’s interpretation of truth is.
Believing somebody else’s truths or adopting other’s perspectives and ideas is like being nobody. Emerson states that by following others, we make ourselves invisible comparing us to a shadow that has no soul, “He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall” (1168). In today’s society, we still see many ways and things to which people conform to. A good example is fashion among men or women. The media bombards us with pictures and images of super models who are beautiful and many of them seem abnormally thin. Fashion parades across the world, depict slim women. Usually, the female protagonist of a movie is thin and beautiful. The media instills that slim is beauty. Many young females have accepted this idea. Therefore, they sacrifice themselves through bulimia or anorexia in order to be like the women portrayed in the media, denying their own selves, rejecting originality and conforming to what fashion dictates as having a perfect body. Emerson calls us to rely on our own ideas. He calls us to find our own truths and to be ourselves.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Self-Reliance.” The Norton Anthology American Literature.
Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007. 1168-1175.
Religions are passed from generations to generations as children who are born without religion are obligated to follow their parent’s religion. Although Emerson was not an atheist, he had a problem with organized religion. The preaching of ideas and interpretations from the Bible that were introduced into people’s minds, did not appeal to him. “I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching” (1173). The peacefulness a person can feel in a silent church allows him or her to be with their own thoughts as opposed to acquiring or accepting somebody else’s religious beliefs or ideals.
The rejection of doctrines; ideals that forced people to follow and believe, might have cost him some infamy and criticism from individuals who did not shared his point of view. Among the beliefs he discarded is the doctrine of original sin, a Puritan belief in which all humankind is born guilty of a sin they did not commit. Emerson believed that we are responsible for our own faults, not somebody else’s. “Why should we assume the faults of our friend, or wife, or father, or child, because they sit around our heart, or are said to have the same blood?” (1173). This thought reflects the idea that people do not have to conform to what one person’s interpretation of truth is.
Believing somebody else’s truths or adopting other’s perspectives and ideas is like being nobody. Emerson states that by following others, we make ourselves invisible comparing us to a shadow that has no soul, “He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall” (1168). In today’s society, we still see many ways and things to which people conform to. A good example is fashion among men or women. The media bombards us with pictures and images of super models who are beautiful and many of them seem abnormally thin. Fashion parades across the world, depict slim women. Usually, the female protagonist of a movie is thin and beautiful. The media instills that slim is beauty. Many young females have accepted this idea. Therefore, they sacrifice themselves through bulimia or anorexia in order to be like the women portrayed in the media, denying their own selves, rejecting originality and conforming to what fashion dictates as having a perfect body. Emerson calls us to rely on our own ideas. He calls us to find our own truths and to be ourselves.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Self-Reliance.” The Norton Anthology American Literature.
Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2007. 1168-1175.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
You Are Not Alone by Natasha
Has anyone ever said to themselves, "Something told me to..." do this or that or what ever the case may be, and a decision was made to either listen or not to listen to that little voice? Most people will admit that they have heard their own inner voice a time or two because this is quite common. So what's the deal? Is God Himself trying to contact man through a special kind of human intercom system or something? In the story, Self Reliance, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emerson implies that self reliance is the ability to trust in ourselves by trusting in God who created us.
First, Emerson encourages man to develop a strong belief in self and avoid imitating others. Man is a unique creature, each with different talents and abilities. Emerson wants man to "stun and astonish the intruding rabble of men and books and institutions by a simple declaration of the divine fact...God is here within" (1173). God can teach man to do his best without mimicking others but man has to put forth an effort to find out what that is in which he can do because man will not know until he has tried.
Next, Emerson implies that man could use prayer more effectively and to his own advantage. Emerson suggests that prayer that acknowledges unity and the conscious presence of God with man brings about better results for man than the idea of dualism. As soon as man realizes he can become one with God through Jesus, that man can contemplate the conditions in which he wants to produce. Dormant forces come alive, ones soliloquy expresses a joyful soul, and then man will "see prayer in all action" (1175). A new and wonderful world will be co-created and God's will is manifested when prayer is used effectively.
In conclusion, one can assume Emerson implies that the prerequisite for self reliance is some biblical knowledge and faith in God. Emerson believes that God will help man if he trusts in himself and aims for originality in the journey and cultivation of life. So the next time an inner voice is heard, take that opportunity to practice divine self reliance because you are not alone.
Work Cited
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. &th ed. Vol. A. New York: Norton,2007. 1163-80.
First, Emerson encourages man to develop a strong belief in self and avoid imitating others. Man is a unique creature, each with different talents and abilities. Emerson wants man to "stun and astonish the intruding rabble of men and books and institutions by a simple declaration of the divine fact...God is here within" (1173). God can teach man to do his best without mimicking others but man has to put forth an effort to find out what that is in which he can do because man will not know until he has tried.
Next, Emerson implies that man could use prayer more effectively and to his own advantage. Emerson suggests that prayer that acknowledges unity and the conscious presence of God with man brings about better results for man than the idea of dualism. As soon as man realizes he can become one with God through Jesus, that man can contemplate the conditions in which he wants to produce. Dormant forces come alive, ones soliloquy expresses a joyful soul, and then man will "see prayer in all action" (1175). A new and wonderful world will be co-created and God's will is manifested when prayer is used effectively.
In conclusion, one can assume Emerson implies that the prerequisite for self reliance is some biblical knowledge and faith in God. Emerson believes that God will help man if he trusts in himself and aims for originality in the journey and cultivation of life. So the next time an inner voice is heard, take that opportunity to practice divine self reliance because you are not alone.
Work Cited
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-Reliance." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. &th ed. Vol. A. New York: Norton,2007. 1163-80.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
With or Without Technology, by Brian
In Henry David Thoreau’s, “Walden,” the experience one gains from living in solidarity or by natural means, helped Thoreau understand what it was to live without technology. Thoreau believes that technology corrupts work ethic and that to prove it he puts himself in the forefront of his own experiment living alone in a cabin he built alongside the Walden Lake in Concord, Massachusetts. Through his writing of “Walden” we see Thoreau’s views of technology as unnecessary. He felt as if we as humans can live without it, but those who want to escape reality will use it to make their life a whole lot easier. He simply would not agree with technology today simply because it takes away from the pride one would feel by being self sufficient. This type of idea is shared along with his friend Emerson in his essay “Self-Reliance.”
Thoreau’s vision of humans is that we were first put here to live and strive the best way we can, through honest means. Technology takes away from that in that it makes labor easier and does not make the do-er feel as if they accomplished something. If they had labored hours through it they would feel a greater sense of accomplishment which is taken away by technology. We can see this with the quote idea for this blog topics, “We do not ride on the railroads, it rides upon us” (1921), this is perfect to describe Thoreau’s views about technology from his own words. This quote suggests that after the railroad was built, we rely more on the railroads then they rely on us. Obviously a railroad cannot depend on us but without using it and keeping it up it would not matter, so, we use it and rely on it to get our economy going. A reality, that through Thoreau’s views, people do not have to worry about if they did thing for themselves.
Thoreau does not say he does not use new technology, but suggest only that it does not make people realize what they have accomplished to make a living. He does not live the rest of his life in a cabin by the lake, of course, but it was simply an experiment of how one would feel by making a living on his own with the new technologies that make things easier. He reflects in, “Walden,” an account on the lake in which his landlord is selling ice during water from the lake. He mentions that a group of men came carrying the tools needed exactly for extracting the ice from the lake (2025). He was simply mentioning that there were other means by which it could be accomplished, but that the tools make it easier and take away from the labor it would take by doing by hands. So he simply ignores it and goes back to his experiment on the lake.
Thoreau, through “Walden,” showed us that things do not have to be accomplished by new technologies that make it easier, but by simply taking the time to see how you can labor through it. This way one can feel a sense of self worth and had some kind of accomplishment for the day. Even though for a civilization to move forward, it needs new technologies as it become more complex, one can accomplish the same means by simply doing your own thing, but doing it to feel proud and accomplished. “Walden” really helps us to understand ourselves and self-worth. He feels that we can do on our own, or live in a reality that does not have to exist we simply make it exist. This is a strong point which touches a lot of people. We would make it as a society without technological help to make things easier, but we simply enjoy the easy life and this is when we enter a reality in which Thoreau suggest, we do not have to encounter, we simply cannot see it.
Works Cited
Thoreau, Henry David. “Walden, or Life in the Woods.” Ed. Nina Baym 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 1872-2046.
Thoreau’s vision of humans is that we were first put here to live and strive the best way we can, through honest means. Technology takes away from that in that it makes labor easier and does not make the do-er feel as if they accomplished something. If they had labored hours through it they would feel a greater sense of accomplishment which is taken away by technology. We can see this with the quote idea for this blog topics, “We do not ride on the railroads, it rides upon us” (1921), this is perfect to describe Thoreau’s views about technology from his own words. This quote suggests that after the railroad was built, we rely more on the railroads then they rely on us. Obviously a railroad cannot depend on us but without using it and keeping it up it would not matter, so, we use it and rely on it to get our economy going. A reality, that through Thoreau’s views, people do not have to worry about if they did thing for themselves.
Thoreau does not say he does not use new technology, but suggest only that it does not make people realize what they have accomplished to make a living. He does not live the rest of his life in a cabin by the lake, of course, but it was simply an experiment of how one would feel by making a living on his own with the new technologies that make things easier. He reflects in, “Walden,” an account on the lake in which his landlord is selling ice during water from the lake. He mentions that a group of men came carrying the tools needed exactly for extracting the ice from the lake (2025). He was simply mentioning that there were other means by which it could be accomplished, but that the tools make it easier and take away from the labor it would take by doing by hands. So he simply ignores it and goes back to his experiment on the lake.
Thoreau, through “Walden,” showed us that things do not have to be accomplished by new technologies that make it easier, but by simply taking the time to see how you can labor through it. This way one can feel a sense of self worth and had some kind of accomplishment for the day. Even though for a civilization to move forward, it needs new technologies as it become more complex, one can accomplish the same means by simply doing your own thing, but doing it to feel proud and accomplished. “Walden” really helps us to understand ourselves and self-worth. He feels that we can do on our own, or live in a reality that does not have to exist we simply make it exist. This is a strong point which touches a lot of people. We would make it as a society without technological help to make things easier, but we simply enjoy the easy life and this is when we enter a reality in which Thoreau suggest, we do not have to encounter, we simply cannot see it.
Works Cited
Thoreau, Henry David. “Walden, or Life in the Woods.” Ed. Nina Baym 7th ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 1872-2046.
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