I just recently watched the movie "Up" for the ten millionth time. And even though it is a Disney movie mostly aimed at entertaining children, the movie also fit pretty well into the definition of postmodernism. The main character of the movie, Carl Fredricksen, is a grumpy old man who is sick of everyone else in the world and wants to go off and live where no one will ever bother him again. This fits into postmodernism because Carl sees every one else assimilating into modern society, and he does not like that. When his wife died, Carl became very closed off and started to deeply dislike not just the younger generations, but pretty much everyone else that gave him even the slightest bit of trouble.
One big factor of postmodernism is fear, which this movie exhibits as well. Even though "Up" is a Disney movie, there are still some minor elements of fear. It is obvious that Carl fears what the world has become and misses his wife, and fear is also shown in the scenes where Carl and the other main character, Russell, are trying to escape from a crazy old man in a blimp later on in the movie. They are scared of something bad happening to each other and try to protect each other and get away safely.
Computers even have a part in this movie, although it is a more comical aspect. The dogs in the movie had talk thanks to fancy little computer invention thing in their collars. So while the movie "Up" was definitely intended to just be a nice entertaining little movie that is good for families to watch, it still holds many characteristics that are a part of the postmodernism movement.
Showing posts with label Journal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Journal. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Journal #43: Coltrane Instrumental
The song "Blue Train" by John Coltrane is very jazzy and uplifting. As I am listening to the first four minutes of the song, I immediately picture either a dark little club in the mid 1900s late at night or a modern-day Holiday Inn. The club because this song is jazz music which was pretty popular back in the day, and the Holiday Inn because this song also seems a little bit like elevator music. It does not seem like elevator music because it is bad (because it is not bad) but because it has a kind of calming factor as well as being peppy and uplifting. I feel as if I am in the middle of a club of ill repute during the prohibition, even though I'm pretty sure this song was not popular during that time period. Or maybe it was not even made up yet- I do not know.
I do not have much musical prowess, but I think there are a lot of instruments making up this song. I hear drums, saxophone, piano, and some other jazzy sorts of instruments going on there. The blend of these many instruments is rather nice and provides a calming quality although, as I said before, the music is still rather peppy and fun. I like it, but it definitely is not my favorite style of music.
This being said, usually I am not a big fan of jazz music, but this song was very nice. That being said, I will not be downloading this song onto my iPod or anything, even though I think it is a nice cute little song. It demonstrates modernism because it was a new kind of music back in the day, and probably came out of the Harlem Renaissance where African American music styles heavily influenced the music of the time and made a pretty big impact.
I do not have much musical prowess, but I think there are a lot of instruments making up this song. I hear drums, saxophone, piano, and some other jazzy sorts of instruments going on there. The blend of these many instruments is rather nice and provides a calming quality although, as I said before, the music is still rather peppy and fun. I like it, but it definitely is not my favorite style of music.
This being said, usually I am not a big fan of jazz music, but this song was very nice. That being said, I will not be downloading this song onto my iPod or anything, even though I think it is a nice cute little song. It demonstrates modernism because it was a new kind of music back in the day, and probably came out of the Harlem Renaissance where African American music styles heavily influenced the music of the time and made a pretty big impact.
Journal #42: Whitman vs. Dickinson
When choosing between reading/analyzing a poem by Emily Dickinson or Walt Whitman, I would have to say that I definitely prefer Emily Dickinson to Walt Whitman, without any doubt. Although some of Dickinson's poems can be a little boring and seem to have little significance, I like how they are so simple and contain little parts of everyday life from broken hearts to frogs and insects. Dickinson's writing style is much more appealing to me because everything is laid out so that you can relate to the meaning of the poem. Even though there were hidden meanings in Dickinson's poems like there were in Walt Whitman's poems, I think it is a lot easier to figure out what Dickinson is saying. One major reason I dislike Walt Whitman is his focus on "self". Honestly, if I never hear anything about Walt Whitman's "self" ever again in my life, I will probably be very happy. I prefer Dickinson's less egotistical approach to poetry and I also think that Whitman was too concerned with his idea of self. The way that all of his poems were drawn back to that idea just really bothered me. I think one very interesting part of poetry, or writing in general, is to see the similarities and the differences between one authors various pieces of work. Whitman's constant message of self-importance and "If God is everything and everything is God, I'm God too" approach. This idea was present is basically every single one of Whitman's poems that I read and it started to get old really fast. Dickinson's simplicity is the main reason that I enjoyed her poems the most. Although there were implications and hidden meanings in her poems, for the most part everything was out in the open and fairly easy to understand and relate too. Even though I do not agree with some of Dickinson's beliefs (like that everyone else in the world is shallow and not worth her time), I think a lot of poetry readers are able to find some connection with her through her writing because she wrote about such simple and common things.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Journal #41: Dickinson Poem
The poem "My Country Need Not Change her Gown" by Emily Dickinson is very simple and to the point.
The literal interpretation of this poem does not make a lot of sense, because countries do not wear gowns. But the more symbolic interpretation makes much more sense and seems to convey a message with more depth and meaning behind it. Dickinson is saying that the ways of the country should not change too much, because ever since the colonies began winning the war against British oppression, things had been working out fairly well. She also says that Great Britain does not approve of this, and that they are a little bitter about the thirteen colonies breaking away from the British empire and becoming the United States of America. The success and patriotic feel of America taunted the British, showing them that they could prosper and become a great country on their own.
Basically, the poem says that America has become a great country by its own means and that should not change for any reason. The British were defeated at Lexington and that was when America first started to show how strong they were. This poem does not have a lot of connections to religion or to nature, but was more about patriotism. Because of the patriotic tones of the poem, it can also relate to some of Walt Whitman's works as well. He was very devoted to President Lincoln and to the United States of America, and Dickinson seems very loyal to the country as well when she says that the United States is great and she doesn't want it to change.
The literal interpretation of this poem does not make a lot of sense, because countries do not wear gowns. But the more symbolic interpretation makes much more sense and seems to convey a message with more depth and meaning behind it. Dickinson is saying that the ways of the country should not change too much, because ever since the colonies began winning the war against British oppression, things had been working out fairly well. She also says that Great Britain does not approve of this, and that they are a little bitter about the thirteen colonies breaking away from the British empire and becoming the United States of America. The success and patriotic feel of America taunted the British, showing them that they could prosper and become a great country on their own.
Basically, the poem says that America has become a great country by its own means and that should not change for any reason. The British were defeated at Lexington and that was when America first started to show how strong they were. This poem does not have a lot of connections to religion or to nature, but was more about patriotism. Because of the patriotic tones of the poem, it can also relate to some of Walt Whitman's works as well. He was very devoted to President Lincoln and to the United States of America, and Dickinson seems very loyal to the country as well when she says that the United States is great and she doesn't want it to change.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Journal #40: Interpretation of "Self"
Because I still not totally sure what Walt Whitman's idea of "Self" really is, I think it is a little difficult to give my own interpretation of it. I am not a fan of Walt Whitman, and because of this I find his ideas a little ridiculous and pretty self-centered. Basically, Whitman is trying to tie religion, sexuality, and a whole bunch of other ideas into his poems by fitting them into his philosophy of true self. He takes the phrase "God is everything and everything is God" a bit too literally and thinks that because of this, he is God in a way. And I do not agree with this. Walt Whitman is not God. No one else is God, except for God himself. That's just the way it goes; at least that's how I see it. I also do not understand how Whitman can try and relate all of these poems back to God, especially the sexual ones. Although I personally do not have a problem with Walt Whitman's sexual orientation, homosexuality is not exactly accepted in the Bible and in a lot of religions.
Basically, I think that "Self" is something that started out as a simple idea and then became way too complicated and egotistical. It is about seeing yourself as who you really are, not just the perception of yourself that other people see. You cannot be totally sure which side of you is the real one, and which side is the one that you have adapted or changed to meet other people's standards or even your own standards. In my opinion, it is also about making realizations about your own religion and beliefs regarding God and applying those beliefs and ideas to your life in
every way that you realistically can.
I think that to understand "Self", it has to be interpreted in a way that you can understand. I do not think that you can understand the idea if you are trying to go through someone else's interpretation, and you really do have to see it in your own way to have any idea what is going on. Therefore, I do not think that there is really any correct definition of "Self", because it can change for every person.
Basically, I think that "Self" is something that started out as a simple idea and then became way too complicated and egotistical. It is about seeing yourself as who you really are, not just the perception of yourself that other people see. You cannot be totally sure which side of you is the real one, and which side is the one that you have adapted or changed to meet other people's standards or even your own standards. In my opinion, it is also about making realizations about your own religion and beliefs regarding God and applying those beliefs and ideas to your life in
every way that you realistically can.
I think that to understand "Self", it has to be interpreted in a way that you can understand. I do not think that you can understand the idea if you are trying to go through someone else's interpretation, and you really do have to see it in your own way to have any idea what is going on. Therefore, I do not think that there is really any correct definition of "Self", because it can change for every person.
Journal #39: Bardic Symbols
"Bardic Symbols" by Walt Whitman is another poem that exhibits Whitman's idea of "Self" and ties this philosophy into other things. America, Spirituality and Religion, and the Everyman are all a part of this idea of "Self". Spirituality seems to be a big part of this particular poem, because Whitman is talking about the ocean and currents and how they inspire him. He holds the power of the ocean in very high regard, like it is God or some other higher power. It influences Whitman and shapes his actions and ideas. He is paying homage to the ocean for this, and talks of the great inspiration he has been given.
For the most part, the poem is mostly a spiritual one, and is especially a spiritual experience for Whitman as well. This sense of self discovery that Whitman writes about is very inspirational as well. He speaks of the shoreline and seeks eternal self, thinking about the seaside as both an escape and as a prison at the same time. One one hand, the ocean is beautiful and Whitman loves to use it is an escape and a source for great and beautiful inspiration. But on the other hand, Whitman also sees the ocean as something that is keeping him prisoner by pulling him back in again and again, never letting him go because Whitman wants to continue to return; he loves the ocean. Whitman is also searching for himself while looking out at the ocean, and thinks the ocean is keeping things elusive and mysterious to continue to draw him in.
This is not really a traditional poem, and because of this I find it a little difficult to enjoy, especially because I do not like poetry very much in general. But the lack of a rhyme scheme in his poems is not something that I can really get through when trying to read through the poems, and I find some of the pauses in the poem hard to understand as well because they do not seem very well placed to me. However, Whitman is the poetry genius so I think I will have to trust his judgement with the placement of comma's and hyphens.
For the most part, the poem is mostly a spiritual one, and is especially a spiritual experience for Whitman as well. This sense of self discovery that Whitman writes about is very inspirational as well. He speaks of the shoreline and seeks eternal self, thinking about the seaside as both an escape and as a prison at the same time. One one hand, the ocean is beautiful and Whitman loves to use it is an escape and a source for great and beautiful inspiration. But on the other hand, Whitman also sees the ocean as something that is keeping him prisoner by pulling him back in again and again, never letting him go because Whitman wants to continue to return; he loves the ocean. Whitman is also searching for himself while looking out at the ocean, and thinks the ocean is keeping things elusive and mysterious to continue to draw him in.
This is not really a traditional poem, and because of this I find it a little difficult to enjoy, especially because I do not like poetry very much in general. But the lack of a rhyme scheme in his poems is not something that I can really get through when trying to read through the poems, and I find some of the pauses in the poem hard to understand as well because they do not seem very well placed to me. However, Whitman is the poetry genius so I think I will have to trust his judgement with the placement of comma's and hyphens.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Journal #38: "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing"
This poem by Walt Whitman is an extremely short one. Seriously, it's only four lines long.
"As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing,
or the sower sowing in the fields- or the harvester harvesting
I saw there too, O life and death, your analogies:
(Life, life is the tillage, and Death is the harvest according.)"
At first glance, it seems like Whitman is simply alluding to the circle of life, because of his mention of Death being the harvester and the analogies of life and death. Whitman sees life as tillage, meaning that life is overturned and broken up, and does not always go smoothly. This poem seems fairly simple at first, because it just seems like Whitman is describing the way he sees the circle of life and is relating it to common aspects of the every day life of the time period.
When you go deeper into the poem to analyze it, more things come forward and sort of change the meaning and the purpose of the poem. Christianity can be brought into it when you think of the ploughman, sower, and harvester as the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The way I see it, Jesus could be the ploughman, getting people ready to receive the word of God. And then God could be the sower, giving people His word. The Holy Spirit would then be the harvester, because most Christians believe that after you die, your soul is taken up to heaven by the Holy Spirit (unless you're going in the other direction, of course- but that's really your problem if that's so).
Personally, I think that Whitman really was relating the poem back to Christianity and God when he wrote "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing", because of the way he ties every single thing he writes about back to "Self" and to religion as well. Basically, I think the main point of this poem was for Whitman to show people how God and religion connects back to the mundane aspects of everyday life.
"As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing,
or the sower sowing in the fields- or the harvester harvesting
I saw there too, O life and death, your analogies:
(Life, life is the tillage, and Death is the harvest according.)"
At first glance, it seems like Whitman is simply alluding to the circle of life, because of his mention of Death being the harvester and the analogies of life and death. Whitman sees life as tillage, meaning that life is overturned and broken up, and does not always go smoothly. This poem seems fairly simple at first, because it just seems like Whitman is describing the way he sees the circle of life and is relating it to common aspects of the every day life of the time period.
When you go deeper into the poem to analyze it, more things come forward and sort of change the meaning and the purpose of the poem. Christianity can be brought into it when you think of the ploughman, sower, and harvester as the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The way I see it, Jesus could be the ploughman, getting people ready to receive the word of God. And then God could be the sower, giving people His word. The Holy Spirit would then be the harvester, because most Christians believe that after you die, your soul is taken up to heaven by the Holy Spirit (unless you're going in the other direction, of course- but that's really your problem if that's so).
Personally, I think that Whitman really was relating the poem back to Christianity and God when he wrote "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing", because of the way he ties every single thing he writes about back to "Self" and to religion as well. Basically, I think the main point of this poem was for Whitman to show people how God and religion connects back to the mundane aspects of everyday life.
Journal #37: Whitman Article
"Whitman's Image of the Self" was pretty interesting. It what nice to see another person's perspective of Whitman's writing style in his poetry, particularly because I am not a very big fan of his writing. Whitman's writing technique's are also explained very well, although I still do not like some of the things Whitman addressed and the manner in which he does so. The author of the article, Bauerlein, says that Whitman is basically egotistical and self-centered, which I agree with for the most part. Some of Whitman's writing serves the purpose to entertain and to teach, but I think the majority of Whitman's writing strays too far away from those purposes because he really does come across self-centered in my eyes.
On one hand, Whitman is very focused on portraying his idea of "self" in an extensive manner, and this accounts for some of the arrogance in Whitman's writing. It was necessary to explain his idea of "self" because it is something that he was very passionate about the idea. However, this still seems very egotistical for some reason. It might just be because I am already not a big fan of Whitman and I like that Bauerlein seems to have some of the same opinions about Whitman and his writing style as I do. Bauerlein also points out the harsher aspects of Whitman's poetry and how it related to the events of Whitman's life. There were a lot of things that I did not know about Walt Whitman (mostly because I never cared to learn anything about him) and I was surprised to learn about some of the things that happened to him. His homosexuality and abusive father were definitely obstacles in his life- his sexual orientation was not really accepted in society at the time and he was harmed by his father, the man who was supposed to take care of him. These harsh events are reflected in Whitman's writing through some of the darker tones that are present.
It is pretty important, I think, to know a little bit about the background of an author's life before you can analyze their poetry, novels, and etc. and fully understand them. This helps with interpreting the message that is meant to be conveyed and Bauerlein provided some of this background on Whitman's life.
On one hand, Whitman is very focused on portraying his idea of "self" in an extensive manner, and this accounts for some of the arrogance in Whitman's writing. It was necessary to explain his idea of "self" because it is something that he was very passionate about the idea. However, this still seems very egotistical for some reason. It might just be because I am already not a big fan of Whitman and I like that Bauerlein seems to have some of the same opinions about Whitman and his writing style as I do. Bauerlein also points out the harsher aspects of Whitman's poetry and how it related to the events of Whitman's life. There were a lot of things that I did not know about Walt Whitman (mostly because I never cared to learn anything about him) and I was surprised to learn about some of the things that happened to him. His homosexuality and abusive father were definitely obstacles in his life- his sexual orientation was not really accepted in society at the time and he was harmed by his father, the man who was supposed to take care of him. These harsh events are reflected in Whitman's writing through some of the darker tones that are present.
It is pretty important, I think, to know a little bit about the background of an author's life before you can analyze their poetry, novels, and etc. and fully understand them. This helps with interpreting the message that is meant to be conveyed and Bauerlein provided some of this background on Whitman's life.
Journal #36: Favorite Meal
My favorite meal is very delicious. Steak, corn, and mashed potatoes.
I prefer to have my steak cooked on the grill, medium, with a light dusting of seasoning and spices for a flavor explosion when you bite into it. My preferred size for a steak is eleven ounces, so that I have just a little bit left over for a snack, and I do not feel so bad about eating an entire steak. Typically, my steak comes from County Market or from Sam's, but there have also been times when my farmer cousin gives us fresh steak from her cow farm- I would prefer not to think about that any further. The steak I like is pretty typical- brownish on the outside with a pinkish inside (because it's cooked medium) and no blood dripping from it. That is very unappealing to me to cut into my delicious steak dinner and see that my meal is still bleeding a light pink, watery substances.
In my favorite meal, I like my corn to come from a can, and my favorite is of the Green Giant variety. I do not like eating corn fresh of the farm, which is what my grandparents always try and get me to eat. The corn is pale and I think it tastes like grass, which is why I enjoy store bought a lot more. The kernels are a beautiful shade of golden yellow and roughly the size of my pinky nail. My favorite way to eat these kernels is to stab the fleshy, light yellow bottom part with a prong of my fork, pick up three or four kernels, and eat them like that. And I also add a little flavoring to my canned corn with a pat of County Crock butter (about a teaspoon), and a sprinkling of salt. I usually eat the corn out of a itty bitty little casserole dish, and then put the leftovers in the fridge so I can have them the next day for breakfast, lunch, or a delicious little snack.
Mashed potatoes are the last element of this wonderful meal. My mom is very good at making them non-lumpy, so sometimes I have to take over. The mashed potatoes I like are fairly simple- you cut up a couple of nicely sized potatoes, after peeling and washing them, and then put them in a mixing bowl with some milk. I usually just splash some Prairie Farms Skim Milk (the kind with the pink label) in there, but I suppose that would amount to about a cup. Probably a little less. And then I turn on my white Pampered Chef mixer and go to town, trying to ensure that there are no lumps left in the potatoes when I am done. But you have to be careful because while lumpy mashed potatoes are not appetizing, neither are mashed potatoes that are practically liquid. I do not like my potatoes too lumpy or too smooth- it's more of a happy medium. After dishing the mashed potatoes onto my plate, I add some Country Crock butter (a little more than a spoonful), and some salt. And then I mix it all up and eat it and it is delicious.
I prefer to have my steak cooked on the grill, medium, with a light dusting of seasoning and spices for a flavor explosion when you bite into it. My preferred size for a steak is eleven ounces, so that I have just a little bit left over for a snack, and I do not feel so bad about eating an entire steak. Typically, my steak comes from County Market or from Sam's, but there have also been times when my farmer cousin gives us fresh steak from her cow farm- I would prefer not to think about that any further. The steak I like is pretty typical- brownish on the outside with a pinkish inside (because it's cooked medium) and no blood dripping from it. That is very unappealing to me to cut into my delicious steak dinner and see that my meal is still bleeding a light pink, watery substances.
In my favorite meal, I like my corn to come from a can, and my favorite is of the Green Giant variety. I do not like eating corn fresh of the farm, which is what my grandparents always try and get me to eat. The corn is pale and I think it tastes like grass, which is why I enjoy store bought a lot more. The kernels are a beautiful shade of golden yellow and roughly the size of my pinky nail. My favorite way to eat these kernels is to stab the fleshy, light yellow bottom part with a prong of my fork, pick up three or four kernels, and eat them like that. And I also add a little flavoring to my canned corn with a pat of County Crock butter (about a teaspoon), and a sprinkling of salt. I usually eat the corn out of a itty bitty little casserole dish, and then put the leftovers in the fridge so I can have them the next day for breakfast, lunch, or a delicious little snack.
Mashed potatoes are the last element of this wonderful meal. My mom is very good at making them non-lumpy, so sometimes I have to take over. The mashed potatoes I like are fairly simple- you cut up a couple of nicely sized potatoes, after peeling and washing them, and then put them in a mixing bowl with some milk. I usually just splash some Prairie Farms Skim Milk (the kind with the pink label) in there, but I suppose that would amount to about a cup. Probably a little less. And then I turn on my white Pampered Chef mixer and go to town, trying to ensure that there are no lumps left in the potatoes when I am done. But you have to be careful because while lumpy mashed potatoes are not appetizing, neither are mashed potatoes that are practically liquid. I do not like my potatoes too lumpy or too smooth- it's more of a happy medium. After dishing the mashed potatoes onto my plate, I add some Country Crock butter (a little more than a spoonful), and some salt. And then I mix it all up and eat it and it is delicious.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Journal #35: War Reporter
If I was a reporter, I do not think that I would want to be in the trenches with the troops during a war. I know that truly dedicated reporters/journalists get involved in the thing they are reporting in someway, but because I do not have any desire to be a reporter or journalist, this holds no appeal to me. I do not want to be in the middle of a riot in Egypt (like the wonderful and allusive Anderson Cooper) or in the trenches during WWII. Because there's a really good chance that I would get hurt or killed and really, I do not think it's worth it. Anderson Cooper got punched in the face when he was reporting about the riots in Egypt, and then he had to go into hiding for awhile. That does not sound at all appealing to me, thank you very much.
I do respect the journalists that risk their lives to bring people in America an important story about what is going on in the world, because they are so passionate about what they do. But I do not think I would be able to put myself in that position, especially because there are even more bad things happening in recent times. There are reporters going to Egypt, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, and other very dangerous places to cover news stories for newspapers and news stations. They are willing to do this and are probably excited to do it as well, but I could not put myself in that position just to bring an interesting story to life.
However, live reporting really does bring a better story to the table in spite of the danger also involved. It is more interesting to hear firsthand accounts of things than just research or quotes and such. And I think that one of the reasons reporters are so dedicated to the story is that they know people will be more interested and want to learn more and maybe even get involved with things like Haiti and other devastating disasters.
I do respect the journalists that risk their lives to bring people in America an important story about what is going on in the world, because they are so passionate about what they do. But I do not think I would be able to put myself in that position, especially because there are even more bad things happening in recent times. There are reporters going to Egypt, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, and other very dangerous places to cover news stories for newspapers and news stations. They are willing to do this and are probably excited to do it as well, but I could not put myself in that position just to bring an interesting story to life.
However, live reporting really does bring a better story to the table in spite of the danger also involved. It is more interesting to hear firsthand accounts of things than just research or quotes and such. And I think that one of the reasons reporters are so dedicated to the story is that they know people will be more interested and want to learn more and maybe even get involved with things like Haiti and other devastating disasters.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Journal #34: Argumentative Writing
If you are writing an argumentative essay, it is important to make sure you follow all of the necessary steps. This is true for writing any type of essay, and is very important to ensure that you get a good score on the writing portion of the ACT. In an argumentative essay, you have to give accurate information but you also have to present an argument showing the supporting ideas as well as the opposing ideas. Obviously, you have to pick which side of the argument you are on before you can do this. But the absolute first step is to pick your topic and your stance on the subject. In the writing section of the ACT, a topic has already been selected for you.
Before you actually start writing your essay, it helps to make a pro and con list (either just in your head or on a piece of paper) so that you can outline what you are going to say in the essay. After you do this, you need to come up with an introductory paragraph, stating your opinions and giving a thesis statement. You need to make sure that you are clear which side of the argument you are on, and try to persuade the reader to believe in what you are writing. The main point of an argumentative essay is to persuade people to change their beliefs to what you think about the subject.
After writing your introductory you move on to your body paragraph or paragraphs. This is where you state all of your points and try and persuade the reader to see things from your point of view and agree with you. While you definitely need to make sure to state all of your opinions for your side of the argument, it is also extremely important to give the counter argument as well. In the ACT, you will not get a very good score if you do not give a counter argument.
After doing this, you write your conclusion paragraph and make sure to tie your thesis statement back into ending. And then you've got yourself a wonderful argumentative essay. Unless you're a bad writer, in which case you have no hope.
Before you actually start writing your essay, it helps to make a pro and con list (either just in your head or on a piece of paper) so that you can outline what you are going to say in the essay. After you do this, you need to come up with an introductory paragraph, stating your opinions and giving a thesis statement. You need to make sure that you are clear which side of the argument you are on, and try to persuade the reader to believe in what you are writing. The main point of an argumentative essay is to persuade people to change their beliefs to what you think about the subject.
After writing your introductory you move on to your body paragraph or paragraphs. This is where you state all of your points and try and persuade the reader to see things from your point of view and agree with you. While you definitely need to make sure to state all of your opinions for your side of the argument, it is also extremely important to give the counter argument as well. In the ACT, you will not get a very good score if you do not give a counter argument.
After doing this, you write your conclusion paragraph and make sure to tie your thesis statement back into ending. And then you've got yourself a wonderful argumentative essay. Unless you're a bad writer, in which case you have no hope.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Journal #33: Stuff That Started in Springfield, IL
I'm not sure that you're aware of this, but not a lot of fun stuff started in Springfield, Illinois. But...I started in Springfield, Illinois. I was born here in this fine town in the beginning of August at St. John's hospital. Being a native to this fine, fine city, I am also aware of several other things that started in Springfield. For instance, Abraham Lincoln started his law practice here as well as his political career.
There is evidence all over the place of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield. Statues of him and his cute little family are downtown, there is a slightly impressive (for Illinois) museum dedicated him and his life in Springfield as well as his life as President. And you can't go anywhere downtown without seeing his handsome face plastered across every kind of memorabilia you could possibly think of. The man is everywhere, and residents of Springfield, Illinois just cannot get away from him no matter where they go.
But really, other than myself and Mr. Abraham Lincoln, there is not a lot of things from Springfield that are very excited.
The state fair, however, can be rather pleasant if all you want to do is eat lots and lots of terribly fattening foods (elephant ears, milkshakes, fried anything, hot dogs, etc.) or maybe ride some cruddy theme park attractions that will rattle and shake dangerously when small children step aboard. Abraham Lincoln is also a constant presence at the fair- there is a huge statue of him just beyond the main gates. He is wearing an suspenders and a flattering blue shirt and is welding a very large ax. I think the creators of this statue were going with the stereotypical "Abraham Lincoln, the modest rail splitter" image to make him more easy to relate to for the middle class working folk that attend the state fair.
In general, there is not a lot of stuff to do in Springfield, Illinois and not a lot of fun things started here. There is some delightful food, but the looming figure of a gaunt Abraham Lincoln is enough to take my appetite away.
There is evidence all over the place of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield. Statues of him and his cute little family are downtown, there is a slightly impressive (for Illinois) museum dedicated him and his life in Springfield as well as his life as President. And you can't go anywhere downtown without seeing his handsome face plastered across every kind of memorabilia you could possibly think of. The man is everywhere, and residents of Springfield, Illinois just cannot get away from him no matter where they go.
But really, other than myself and Mr. Abraham Lincoln, there is not a lot of things from Springfield that are very excited.
The state fair, however, can be rather pleasant if all you want to do is eat lots and lots of terribly fattening foods (elephant ears, milkshakes, fried anything, hot dogs, etc.) or maybe ride some cruddy theme park attractions that will rattle and shake dangerously when small children step aboard. Abraham Lincoln is also a constant presence at the fair- there is a huge statue of him just beyond the main gates. He is wearing an suspenders and a flattering blue shirt and is welding a very large ax. I think the creators of this statue were going with the stereotypical "Abraham Lincoln, the modest rail splitter" image to make him more easy to relate to for the middle class working folk that attend the state fair.
In general, there is not a lot of stuff to do in Springfield, Illinois and not a lot of fun things started here. There is some delightful food, but the looming figure of a gaunt Abraham Lincoln is enough to take my appetite away.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Journal #32: Memoir
Okay. I do not really remember what I did over winter break exactly. But I think I will be able to scrape something together.
So, this particular scene takes place on Christmas at roughly one o'clock in the morning. It's kind of in between Christmas and Christmas Eve, like the witching hour or something like that. I was in Effingham, Illinois and the snow had started to fall several hours before. My best friend Bradley and I were sitting outside on my grandparent's porch, drinking hot chocolate with itty bitty marshmallows in it. The conversation was light and everything was just fabulous until we saw it.
Off in the distance, beyond the property line, stood a snarling, bloodthirsty beast of a dog. It would have been logical to just go inside at that point, but the fun thing about my grandparents house is that it was built in like the forties or fifties and is pretty janky. You can't get into the house through the back door for some reason, and you have to go around the entire house. We were faced with a very troubling decision- make a run for it and possibly attract the attention of this terrifying dog, or stay still and maybe get eaten if the dog decided to approach us.
In my fear, I made the decision to make a run for it and leave Bradley to fend for himself. I mean, he's 17 years old and should be able to take care of himself. But apparently the dog was startled by my sudden dash for the front door, and started running and barking and that's when I almost started to cry. And then Bradley, the honorable young lad that he is, threw the remainder of his hot chocolate (which was actually cold chocolate by that time) in the direction of the dog and then we both took of and safely made it to the front door.
I learned a lot about what to do in case of a savage dog attack, and it changed my life forever.
So, this particular scene takes place on Christmas at roughly one o'clock in the morning. It's kind of in between Christmas and Christmas Eve, like the witching hour or something like that. I was in Effingham, Illinois and the snow had started to fall several hours before. My best friend Bradley and I were sitting outside on my grandparent's porch, drinking hot chocolate with itty bitty marshmallows in it. The conversation was light and everything was just fabulous until we saw it.
Off in the distance, beyond the property line, stood a snarling, bloodthirsty beast of a dog. It would have been logical to just go inside at that point, but the fun thing about my grandparents house is that it was built in like the forties or fifties and is pretty janky. You can't get into the house through the back door for some reason, and you have to go around the entire house. We were faced with a very troubling decision- make a run for it and possibly attract the attention of this terrifying dog, or stay still and maybe get eaten if the dog decided to approach us.
In my fear, I made the decision to make a run for it and leave Bradley to fend for himself. I mean, he's 17 years old and should be able to take care of himself. But apparently the dog was startled by my sudden dash for the front door, and started running and barking and that's when I almost started to cry. And then Bradley, the honorable young lad that he is, threw the remainder of his hot chocolate (which was actually cold chocolate by that time) in the direction of the dog and then we both took of and safely made it to the front door.
I learned a lot about what to do in case of a savage dog attack, and it changed my life forever.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Journal #31: Daydream
Okay...confession time. I daydream during church. Mostly during the energetic singing parts but sometimes during the sermon itself. I can't help it. For me, listening to Roger Ross talk for half an hour is definitely considered a bad situation. So to fill the time, I often resort to daydreaming. These daydreams usually consist of some kind of escape route. I would have to say that the most creative of these would be the daydream where the church filled up with water for some reason and I then had to kick through the windows to make my escape. I do not know why that scenario popped into my head, but it did and then I just ran with it.
I daydream during class, too. Even English class. I apologize, Mr. Langley, but sometimes your voice/my tiredness just lull me away and BAM...daydream time. And then BAM...I have no idea what is going on. Are you reading this? I kind of feel bad about this confession of mine if you are. But do not fret, because I daydream far less in English than I do in A.P. US History, especially when we watch those movies on the Reconstruction.
Hmm...I also daydream during Sociology (but very rarely), Chemistry (a lot), and General P.E., which would explain me getting kicked in the face so often. I do not daydream during Art III (because we're doing art...drawing pictures and sculpting and such...how difficult is that?), Film and Fiction (because we are watching movies and I actually have to do a worksheet on those bad boys), or Advanced Algebra II (because let's be honest, I would fail and Mrs. Williams might throw something at me).
However, I still love daydreaming. One of my most recent daydreams was about having little suction cup things on my hands and feet so that I would be able to scale buildings like Peter Parker. It sounds ridiculous, I know.
But it was splendiferously fantastic and I do not regret it.
I daydream during class, too. Even English class. I apologize, Mr. Langley, but sometimes your voice/my tiredness just lull me away and BAM...daydream time. And then BAM...I have no idea what is going on. Are you reading this? I kind of feel bad about this confession of mine if you are. But do not fret, because I daydream far less in English than I do in A.P. US History, especially when we watch those movies on the Reconstruction.
Hmm...I also daydream during Sociology (but very rarely), Chemistry (a lot), and General P.E., which would explain me getting kicked in the face so often. I do not daydream during Art III (because we're doing art...drawing pictures and sculpting and such...how difficult is that?), Film and Fiction (because we are watching movies and I actually have to do a worksheet on those bad boys), or Advanced Algebra II (because let's be honest, I would fail and Mrs. Williams might throw something at me).
However, I still love daydreaming. One of my most recent daydreams was about having little suction cup things on my hands and feet so that I would be able to scale buildings like Peter Parker. It sounds ridiculous, I know.
But it was splendiferously fantastic and I do not regret it.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Journal #30: School Uniforms
We should not have to wear uniforms in school because we are not a private school. We are a public school. We do, however, have a dress code that is enforced. The basic clothing problems, like bottoms that are too short and clothes that are too revealing, are covered by the dress code and infractions of this are usually punished. And last time I checked, a lot of teachers at our school have been pretty good about dealing with these issues, especially with giving warnings before actually doling out punishments.
The last thing that (most of here at Pleasant Plains High School) us want is school uniforms. Why bother? We aren't little kids and wearing what you want to school, as long as it is appropriate, should not be considered a big deal. I do not think teachers and whatnot should place a lot of emphasis on what students wear to school as long as it is not something awful and outrageous or sickeningly inappropriate. Because, okay, I'm going to be honest here- the girls at our school typically dress more in a more conservative style than at other schools. And have you seen those skirts they wear at SHG?
Sketchy.
But again, we go to a public school...do we not? I mean, the last time I checked this was in fact a public school and forcing everyone into uniforms would probably cause an uproar and who knows, maybe less people would attend this fair school. And this school is in no position to be losing any of the scant enrollment money that is received. I'm just saying...budget cuts are not kind to schools.
I actually have an amazingly simple opinion on this matter- I don't want to wear a uniform to school. If I did, I would just pay 50 million dollars and go to SHG instead. Shabam.
Uniforms are stupid and ugly and usually made out of really scratchy, porous material and I refuse to even consider it.
The End.
The last thing that (most of here at Pleasant Plains High School) us want is school uniforms. Why bother? We aren't little kids and wearing what you want to school, as long as it is appropriate, should not be considered a big deal. I do not think teachers and whatnot should place a lot of emphasis on what students wear to school as long as it is not something awful and outrageous or sickeningly inappropriate. Because, okay, I'm going to be honest here- the girls at our school typically dress more in a more conservative style than at other schools. And have you seen those skirts they wear at SHG?
Sketchy.
But again, we go to a public school...do we not? I mean, the last time I checked this was in fact a public school and forcing everyone into uniforms would probably cause an uproar and who knows, maybe less people would attend this fair school. And this school is in no position to be losing any of the scant enrollment money that is received. I'm just saying...budget cuts are not kind to schools.
I actually have an amazingly simple opinion on this matter- I don't want to wear a uniform to school. If I did, I would just pay 50 million dollars and go to SHG instead. Shabam.
Uniforms are stupid and ugly and usually made out of really scratchy, porous material and I refuse to even consider it.
The End.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Journal # 29: Favorite Music
Susan Boyle's single, "I Dreamed A Dream", topped the music charts, and sold the most albums of any artist in a single week this year with the largest ever sales debut for a female artist (Piazza). She first appeared on the music scene on April 11, 2009 as a contestant on the show "Britain's Got Talent". The scene that viewers first saw seemed like a typical cliche- a frumpy and seemingly unappealing contestant that would probable wail out a couple of wobbly notes and then get booed of off the stage by Simon Cowell.
However, Susan Boyle proved everyone wrong when she opened her mouth and belted out the opening lines of "I Dreamed A Dream" from the musical Les Misérables. She is a prime example of why you should not judge a book by its cover, and her musical career has continued to soar even though she did not win "Britain's Got Talent" but instead came in second place.
But since then, Boyle has gained even more success from her album, also called "I Dreamed a Dream", which was released on November 23, 2009. To date, the album is on top of the Billboard 200 albums chart with 701,000 copies sold in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan (Piazza).
Many people were initially drawn to Boyle due to her underdog quality, unassuming appearance, and of course, her beautiful, haunting, voice. Her quick rise to the top from her days as an unemployed church volunteer in Scotland (Greenblatt) made her seem easy to relate to and incredible at the same time. As Susan Boyle continues to sing and produce more music, people continue to buy her album and rave about her undeniable talent. Serving as an inspiration for many, Susan Boyle's music has proven that things certainly aren't always what they seem.
Her album is available in stores, on iTunes, and on Amazon. The video of her first performance on "Britain's Got Talent" has been viewed 9,923,825 on YouTube and has received almost 20,000 comments- most of which were extremely positive ("Original").
Greenblatt, Leah. "Susan Boyle: Entertainer of the Month". Entertainment Weekly. May 1, 2009. Web. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20275855,00.html
Piazza, Jo. "Susan Boyle's Album". CNN Entertainment. December 2, 2009. Web. http://articles.cnn.com/2009-12-02/entertainment/susan.boyle.album_1_album-sales-susan-boyle-nielsen-soundscan?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ
"Original Version. Susan Boyle, I Dreamed a Dream". YouTube. January 10, 2011. Web. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU
However, Susan Boyle proved everyone wrong when she opened her mouth and belted out the opening lines of "I Dreamed A Dream" from the musical Les Misérables. She is a prime example of why you should not judge a book by its cover, and her musical career has continued to soar even though she did not win "Britain's Got Talent" but instead came in second place.
But since then, Boyle has gained even more success from her album, also called "I Dreamed a Dream", which was released on November 23, 2009. To date, the album is on top of the Billboard 200 albums chart with 701,000 copies sold in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan (Piazza).
Many people were initially drawn to Boyle due to her underdog quality, unassuming appearance, and of course, her beautiful, haunting, voice. Her quick rise to the top from her days as an unemployed church volunteer in Scotland (Greenblatt) made her seem easy to relate to and incredible at the same time. As Susan Boyle continues to sing and produce more music, people continue to buy her album and rave about her undeniable talent. Serving as an inspiration for many, Susan Boyle's music has proven that things certainly aren't always what they seem.
Her album is available in stores, on iTunes, and on Amazon. The video of her first performance on "Britain's Got Talent" has been viewed 9,923,825 on YouTube and has received almost 20,000 comments- most of which were extremely positive ("Original").
Greenblatt, Leah. "Susan Boyle: Entertainer of the Month". Entertainment Weekly. May 1, 2009. Web. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20275855,00.html
Piazza, Jo. "Susan Boyle's Album". CNN Entertainment. December 2, 2009. Web. http://articles.cnn.com/2009-12-02/entertainment/susan.boyle.album_1_album-sales-susan-boyle-nielsen-soundscan?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ
"Original Version. Susan Boyle, I Dreamed a Dream". YouTube. January 10, 2011. Web. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Journal #28: A Time That You Had To Convince Someone To Do Something That You Wanted Them To Do
There was this once time when I had to convince my friend to steal the flags from a car dealership. I'm honestly not sure why, though. The flags where falling off and they were all sparkle-y and stuff and if you're going to take something from a car dealership, you should probably go for something low key like the flags that annoy people by flapping in the wind. He really didn't want to steal the flags and kept going on and on about felonies and misdemeanors and I was very adamant that he just take the flags. We sat in that parking lot for a good half hour before the kid finally realized that I was not going to give up. And that's when he agreed to do the thing that I wanted him to do.
And I don't do anything half way. So there needed to be a get away car (with me as the driver, of course), gloves so that finger prints could not be identified, and I needed to hold his kid at FAKE gun point. To be clear, I did not actually hold this kid at gun point. I pointed my fingers at him very innocently until he got out of the drivers seat and walked towards the flag. Then I vacated the passenger seat and got into the drivers seat, revving the engine several times to make he sure knew this was the real deal.
At this point, I rolled the window and shouted "do it, do it, do it!" so that he would hurry up. So he grabbed those flags, ripped them down, and made a mad dash for the car. He got in, breathless, and held the flags up triumphantly, saying "that was awesome." I nodded, telling him that he should just always do what I tell him to and he'd been a lot better off.
Then I drove away from the crime scene, going a respectable speed limit as to not alert the police of our crime spree.
The End.
And I don't do anything half way. So there needed to be a get away car (with me as the driver, of course), gloves so that finger prints could not be identified, and I needed to hold his kid at FAKE gun point. To be clear, I did not actually hold this kid at gun point. I pointed my fingers at him very innocently until he got out of the drivers seat and walked towards the flag. Then I vacated the passenger seat and got into the drivers seat, revving the engine several times to make he sure knew this was the real deal.
At this point, I rolled the window and shouted "do it, do it, do it!" so that he would hurry up. So he grabbed those flags, ripped them down, and made a mad dash for the car. He got in, breathless, and held the flags up triumphantly, saying "that was awesome." I nodded, telling him that he should just always do what I tell him to and he'd been a lot better off.
Then I drove away from the crime scene, going a respectable speed limit as to not alert the police of our crime spree.
The End.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Journal #27: Persistence
Persistence. Seriously? I need to formulate a 325 word journal on one word?
Okay.
Persistence is, defined by my beloved and trustworthy www.dictionary.com, the act of persisting or continued effort (Persistence). Another example is ambition, or continuing to do something (Rundblom). Persistence can be a tricky thing. How long do you really want to do something? After a while, all that persisting would probably just a little tedious. And boring. And downright exhausting.
I have recently exhibited persistence when I had to work every single day of my Christmas Break (excluding Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and the weekends). It was horrendous, to be honest. I had to eat lunch in my cubicle and spend hours and hours actually doing my job. Well, I did slack off and look at MSN Wonderwall quite a few times. The 2010 Year In Review gallery was absolutely captivating.
The main and most important part of persistence is working hard so that you can see all that hard work result in something, and hopefully something good. For instance, studying all semester for a class that you find challenging shows persistence, and that hard work pays off when you get a good grade in the class. Working shows persistence, because then you get a paycheck and are able to purchase things for yourself. I make nowhere near enough money to support myself at the moment (because, um, minimum wage is $8.25, folks. And FICA hates me), it is still nice to know that I have some extra money to buy clothes or go out to eat or something of that nature.
I would also like to think that I exhibited persistence by getting this blog post finished and reaching the required 325 words, not including citations. Because really, this is a broad topic. I could branch out in whatever topic I please, as long as it has to do with persistence.
On that note, the Great Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States, had a few words to say about the wonders of persistence. "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race” (American).
Well said, sir.
La Fin.
"American President: Calvin Coolidge." Miller Center of Public Affairs. Web. 04 Jan. 2011..
"Persistence Define Persistence at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 03 Jan. 2011..
Rundblom, Abby (circa 1994). English Class. 03 Jan. 2011.
Okay.
Persistence is, defined by my beloved and trustworthy www.dictionary.com, the act of persisting or continued effort (Persistence). Another example is ambition, or continuing to do something (Rundblom). Persistence can be a tricky thing. How long do you really want to do something? After a while, all that persisting would probably just a little tedious. And boring. And downright exhausting.
I have recently exhibited persistence when I had to work every single day of my Christmas Break (excluding Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and the weekends). It was horrendous, to be honest. I had to eat lunch in my cubicle and spend hours and hours actually doing my job. Well, I did slack off and look at MSN Wonderwall quite a few times. The 2010 Year In Review gallery was absolutely captivating.
The main and most important part of persistence is working hard so that you can see all that hard work result in something, and hopefully something good. For instance, studying all semester for a class that you find challenging shows persistence, and that hard work pays off when you get a good grade in the class. Working shows persistence, because then you get a paycheck and are able to purchase things for yourself. I make nowhere near enough money to support myself at the moment (because, um, minimum wage is $8.25, folks. And FICA hates me), it is still nice to know that I have some extra money to buy clothes or go out to eat or something of that nature.
I would also like to think that I exhibited persistence by getting this blog post finished and reaching the required 325 words, not including citations. Because really, this is a broad topic. I could branch out in whatever topic I please, as long as it has to do with persistence.
On that note, the Great Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States, had a few words to say about the wonders of persistence. "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race” (American).
Well said, sir.
La Fin.
"American President: Calvin Coolidge." Miller Center of Public Affairs. Web. 04 Jan. 2011.
"Persistence Define Persistence at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 03 Jan. 2011.
Rundblom, Abby (circa 1994). English Class. 03 Jan. 2011.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Journal #26: Snow
I used to love snow. It was pretty and white and fluffy and if there's a lot of it, you actually get to miss school. It was just swell. But now...snow and I are not friends. Now, I think snow is just cold and icky. Snow just means that it's too cold to rain. I still enjoy snow days, but all of a sudden I am very aware that those oh so glorious snow days mean we have to stay in school longer in the summer when the weather is at it's most wonderful.
When I small child, I used to get all geared up in my snow suit and hat and gloves and whatnot, and then would spend hours out in the snow. I used to build snow forts and snowmen and snow caves. Actually, I would pile a bunch of snow up in the middle of our yard and then dig a hole and hide in it. I was a pretty weird kid, obviously. I think I hid like that because my sister used to sit on me in the snow and force my face into it. So I have some bad memories associated with snow and I think that really taints my opinion and feelings about snow in general.
But I have to admit, snow really is pretty even if it just is frozen water particles. I really like that feeling that you get when you wake in the morning and see a really bright light coming through your window, which means it has snowed. And it's even better when there is a snow day and you get to sleep in as late as you want and then warm your warm and cozy pajamas. Despite my dislike of snow, the sleeping in and being lazy for a whole day is a rather nice part of the whole thing.
Still, snow is not my friend. I have pretty strong feelings against it. But I can tolerate it if I have to.
When I small child, I used to get all geared up in my snow suit and hat and gloves and whatnot, and then would spend hours out in the snow. I used to build snow forts and snowmen and snow caves. Actually, I would pile a bunch of snow up in the middle of our yard and then dig a hole and hide in it. I was a pretty weird kid, obviously. I think I hid like that because my sister used to sit on me in the snow and force my face into it. So I have some bad memories associated with snow and I think that really taints my opinion and feelings about snow in general.
But I have to admit, snow really is pretty even if it just is frozen water particles. I really like that feeling that you get when you wake in the morning and see a really bright light coming through your window, which means it has snowed. And it's even better when there is a snow day and you get to sleep in as late as you want and then warm your warm and cozy pajamas. Despite my dislike of snow, the sleeping in and being lazy for a whole day is a rather nice part of the whole thing.
Still, snow is not my friend. I have pretty strong feelings against it. But I can tolerate it if I have to.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Dark Romanticism in "The Minister's Black Veil"
"The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne starts out very simply. The setting is not mysterious like some other stories from the Dark Romanticism trend, but revealed to be the town of Milford. The residents are enjoying a nice summer day and everything seems very simple, until a little mystery comes into the story. Reverend Hooper is, at first, described as being “a gentlemanly person of about thirty, though still a bachelor…dressed with clerical neatness, as if a careful wife had starched his band and brushed the weekly dust from his Sunday’s garb" (Hawthorne). The mystery of the story is then introduced when the residents of Milford begin to notice that Reverend Hooper was wearing a black veil that started at his forehead and fell down over his eyes and nose. The only part of his face that was visible was his mouth, and his breathing caused the veil to move eerily. The people of the town are basically just shocked and their fixation on Reverend Hooper's veil takes over the story.
This fixation causes the story to become more and more mysterious and it doesn't matter what the Reverend is saying to the people anymore, because they are just centered on the mysterious black veil on his face. Many of the residents are shocked- and even frightened. This fear of the mysterious veil is another characteristic of the style of dark romanticism. The members of the town agree that he looks disturbing, and this gossiping and ridiculing makes them seem like the bad people in the story; the negative characters that are always present in a story of this style. The residents start to say that the Reverends sermon, which had to do with secret sins, had to do with his own life. Basically, the town people think that the veil could have come from the devil somehow. The veil gave people the chills, and they did not want to go near Reverend Hooper (Hawthorne). The only person who would talk about it with him was his intended wife, and she told him that the veil was troubling the people of the town and that he should probably take it off, and she also asked him why he was wearing the veil. Hooper replied in a very vague manner, saying that his veil was merely a symbol of the mask of sin all people wear (Hawthorne). This statement gives the story a much darker and more sinister quality.
His intended wife was very upset about this statement, and she began to have some of the same fears about the veil and about Reverend Hooper as many of the members of the church had as well. She was so upset about the veil and so troubled by it that she actually broke off her engagement with Hooper. This sad end of a relationship is another example of a characteristic of dark romanticism, as well as adding more mystery to the story line. For the rest of his life, Reverend Hooper continued to wear the black veil that was a symbol for masked sin. People feared him because of this, and generally tried to avoid him. Solitude is, I think, another good example of dark romanticism. A lot of time passes and Reverend Hooper is on his death bed. His nurse is the woman that he was once going to marry, and she never totally got over him (Hawthorne). Before he died, Hooper said that he would not take off the veil. He held it to his face as he died, and it was not taken off for his funeral. Hooper was even buried in the veil. The biggest part of this story is mystery, I think, because the reader has no idea what is really going on with the veil that Reverend Hooper wears.
As well as having a lot of mystery and talk of sin, this story is very emotional. The town people relied more on their emotions, mostly fear, instead of using reason and trying to understand the point that Reverend Hooper was making with his sinister black veil. Another common characteristic of dark romanticism is when the author leaves part of the story open to interpretation, which I think that Hawthorne does because he never addresses a lot of the mystery of the story.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Minister's Black Veil." Ibiblio - The Public's Library and Digital Archive. Web. 01 Dec. 2010..
This fixation causes the story to become more and more mysterious and it doesn't matter what the Reverend is saying to the people anymore, because they are just centered on the mysterious black veil on his face. Many of the residents are shocked- and even frightened. This fear of the mysterious veil is another characteristic of the style of dark romanticism. The members of the town agree that he looks disturbing, and this gossiping and ridiculing makes them seem like the bad people in the story; the negative characters that are always present in a story of this style. The residents start to say that the Reverends sermon, which had to do with secret sins, had to do with his own life. Basically, the town people think that the veil could have come from the devil somehow. The veil gave people the chills, and they did not want to go near Reverend Hooper (Hawthorne). The only person who would talk about it with him was his intended wife, and she told him that the veil was troubling the people of the town and that he should probably take it off, and she also asked him why he was wearing the veil. Hooper replied in a very vague manner, saying that his veil was merely a symbol of the mask of sin all people wear (Hawthorne). This statement gives the story a much darker and more sinister quality.
His intended wife was very upset about this statement, and she began to have some of the same fears about the veil and about Reverend Hooper as many of the members of the church had as well. She was so upset about the veil and so troubled by it that she actually broke off her engagement with Hooper. This sad end of a relationship is another example of a characteristic of dark romanticism, as well as adding more mystery to the story line. For the rest of his life, Reverend Hooper continued to wear the black veil that was a symbol for masked sin. People feared him because of this, and generally tried to avoid him. Solitude is, I think, another good example of dark romanticism. A lot of time passes and Reverend Hooper is on his death bed. His nurse is the woman that he was once going to marry, and she never totally got over him (Hawthorne). Before he died, Hooper said that he would not take off the veil. He held it to his face as he died, and it was not taken off for his funeral. Hooper was even buried in the veil. The biggest part of this story is mystery, I think, because the reader has no idea what is really going on with the veil that Reverend Hooper wears.
As well as having a lot of mystery and talk of sin, this story is very emotional. The town people relied more on their emotions, mostly fear, instead of using reason and trying to understand the point that Reverend Hooper was making with his sinister black veil. Another common characteristic of dark romanticism is when the author leaves part of the story open to interpretation, which I think that Hawthorne does because he never addresses a lot of the mystery of the story.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Minister's Black Veil." Ibiblio - The Public's Library and Digital Archive. Web. 01 Dec. 2010.
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