Transcendentalist Society Con/Pro Essay

Transcendentalism is a concept of being true to one’s self, above all else. It’s the belief in living each day as though it’s the last, and always believing in one’s abilities and dreams. Individualism and unique qualities are among the highest priorities in life, and as long as one keeps society’s opinions from influencing their own, they can feel free to live the life they choose. In the fictional society of Transcentopia, those ideas are pushed to the forefront of government, work, education, and almost every part of culture. Between focusing greatly on the arts in schools, styles being completely different, but all completely acceptable, and jobs being diverse, the society in Transcentopia is anything but conformist. The question of whether or not the city would survive in the real world, once applied to actual reality, is a difficult one. There are many unrealistic ideas that are put into the society, but as to how they are handled, and maintained, the possibility of the city’s survival is viable. A city like Transcentopia could, if supported correctly, survive, despite the regularly-occurring conformist thoughts in the world.

To completely eliminate compliance among people in a society is unrealistic, because people will always find a way to conform. People who have idols often mimic their ways of behaving, whether it is the way they talk, dress, or act. When people see something they really like, they will try to duplicate it, or be the same way. In that sense, conformity is nearly inevitable, to some degree. Moreover, whether or not it is intentionally, society influences ideas, trends, and behaviors every day. From trendy words or phrases to fashion styles and common activities, people feel a sense of pressure to do what most of society is doing. Especially in the circumstance where someone has not yet developed their own opinion of something, they will look to the opinion of others’ as a guideline. While conformity is difficult to entirely eradicate, transcendentalism doesn’t necessarily call for exclusive inimitability, but rather, the promotion of individual ideas.

The idea of the encouragement of thoughts and dreams can easily be achieved, as long as it is continually preached. In Transcentopia, there are laws against conformity and bullying, and traditions don’t exist. If a society spends its resources focusing on the idea that the highest form of achievement isn’t wealth, or beauty, or popularity, but true passion, courage, and devotion to one’s beliefs, then transcendentalism will come along with that. The idea of looking up to idols, such as celebrities, can be used to the advantage of the transcendental ideas. By having the press focus on the personality traits of celebrities, rather than net worth or appearance, people will be more confident in reaching for that independence within themselves. The self confidence that those in the spotlight have will outweigh their talent or beauty. It will show people that even if they aren’t the best at something, they can still make it big in the world, and live their dream.

Money’s influence over the jobs people take in society today won’t exist in this Transcendentalist society. Once that is taken out of the picture, people will feel more in charge of their own life. The pressure from parents, other adults, and even peers to go for certain professions no longer exists. Each job is paid equally, depending on the number of hours and effort put into the work. Furthermore, the problem of economic classes dividing people socially and emotionally will collapse. Friendships will not be made between rich and poor, but between people with common interests. This will help people to work together amongst friendships to make the most of their passions and talents. Money will also keep from influencing love, and people will not try to falsify feelings for one another based on someone’s wealth, but rather, their true personalities.

Biological differences, such as sexual orientation, height, or weight, will always be accepted. While people will be free to have their own personal belief, religious or otherwise, about what is right and wrong when it comes to homosexuality, it is forbidden to publicly display their dislike. While health is strongly promoted, thinness is not, so there is no pressure put on people to be stick-skinny. Eating disorders are taken just as seriously as any other sickness, and the friends and family of those who have them are brought up to be very encouraging of recuperation. Television shows and movies are forbidden from showing a convoluted idea of the world, and there must be a variety of weights and heights among actors. That way, people do not idolize tall, thin actors, but rather, a variety of appearances.

Regardless of someone’s sexual orientation, height, weight, appearance, personality, or job, people are all treated the same way. In real life’s society today, that idea seems highly unrealistic, and perhaps even impossible. But when broken down into the true reasons for discrimination, prejudice, and bias in the world, the problems aren’t as unfathomable as they appear. The elimination of the press’ influence, the depiction of realistic life in television shows and movies, and the encouragement of individualism all work together to help the dream of widespread transcendentalism come true, in a realistic, highly potential way. When the basic forms of bullying, bigotry, and intolerance are eliminated from a very young age, and all ages work extremely hard to practice transcendentalism ways, hatred and inequity can be removed from the world altogether. The common-sense values in the world today, such as respecting elders and going to school, will be broadened to include other very important things that are often overlooked. This includes noncomformity, uniqueness, and living up to one’s true potential. 

Dead Poets Society Post

The Dead Poets Society is a movie that emphasizes the importance of following your heart, and your own individual beliefs and ideas. This transcendentalist idea is shown throughout many aspects of the movie. At Welton Academy prep school, the students are taught to live life in a very conformist way; tradition is emphasized. All of the teachers look and act the same, with the same values and principles emphasized from classroom to classroom. The students are given almost no room for creative thinking, or originality, and striving to be different isn’t a concept that any of the teachers taught. Only when a new English teacher comes to the school are the students finally able to experience a new way of looking at life. John Keating is a teacher who is different from all the others; he doesn’t look or act like any of the others, and he doesn’t even have the students call him by name. Instead, he allows them to call him Captain, from a line of a Walt Whitman poem that he showed the students his first day that said, “O Captain, My Captain!”

One of the very first lessons Keating gives focuses on “carpe diem”, which means “seize the day” in Latin. Carpe diem is a very transcendental idea, as it focuses on living each day to the fullest, without putting faith in the future or doubting one's actions and beliefs. Another lesson was when he took the students outside and had three boys walk in a circle behind each other. Though they all started out walking at their own rhythm and pace, before long, they all walked the same way. Soon after that, all of the other students began clapping to the rhythm of their footsteps. Keating did this in order to show that people have a tendency to follow the crowd, even if it isn’t the way they actually want to do things. This idea is also very much related to transcendentalism, as it shows the importance of individuality, and evading society’s influence. Mr. Keating also told some boys about the group he was in during high school, called the Dead Poets Society. They would go down to a cave, light a fire, and write and read poetry. The boys in the group decided to make their own Dead Poets Society, which is transcendentalist because despite the fact that they were not allowed to sneak out at night, they did anyway, because poetry was a passion of theirs, and they heard it helped to “woo women”, as Keating said.

This Is Who I Am

One entire day of just being me. One day of showing everyone exactly who I am on the inside. Who I see myself as. Whether it's admitting to everyone that I'm a huge Potterhead, or expressing shamelessly that I am an Atheist. It was difficult, but entirely worth it.

The day began with dread. I walked to school with my jacket on. As I came through the doors to the school, I saw Mr. Provenzano in his shirt. The only thing I could make out from where I was standing was "iNerd!", but that was all I needed to see. With a smile on my face, and a sudden boost of confidence, I walked straight to my locker, hung up my coat, and grabbed my books for first hour.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. I would call it a normal day, only it wasn't that. Everyone else acted normally, with only a few people here and there asking about the shirt, and stopping to read the back. But the main difference in the day was the way I felt. I felt happy, free, and excited to be showing my true personality. Although - throughout the day - I came up with about a thousand things that I'd left off my shirt that would have been important in showing who I am, I was still happy with what the shirt portrayed. It was a great day, and I'm really thankful that I participated in the assignment.

At the end of the day, it felt as though a huge burden was lifted off my chest. Hopefully people will no longer see me as the girl who's shy, walking through the halls silently, without any apparent personality. I put "insecure" on my shirt, but I don't think I feel that way any more. After a day of being everything that I ever thought I was, and stills seeing how people accepted me for that person, I know that there's no need to hide that side of me any more. There's no need to hide that part of myself, or be insecure about it. Whether or not anyone actually paid attention and read my shirt doesn't matter. What matters is that I was able to put myself out there in a way that helped me understand that I should be proud of who I am, no matter who that person is.

FRONT ^

[Note: Some of the letters came off when I washed it, so I re-drew them on in black. The colors used to be rainbow.]

BACK^

Modern Day Transcendentalist

Transcendentalism is a concept which has no real definition. It is an idea that people should be who they are, and not let society influence their decisions or actions. It isn’t necessarily true that transcendentalists are only people who are eccentric and not afraid to show it. They can be even the most normal-seeming person, who just isn’t afraid to express their true opinions and be who they truly are, without letting anything hold them back. The smallest decisions in life can be connected to transcendental ideas, and in modern society, I think Selena Gomez does just that.

Being a celebrity, Selena Gomez is aware that almost all of her life is made completely public, and all of her decisions will most likely be judged and analyzed by the press, by fans, and by haters. So each decision, no matter how small, will impact the impression the public has of her. Nonetheless, she seems to act like such a normal, typical teenage girl; at least, as normal as a famous actress and singer can get.

Selena Gomez has been dating Justin Bieber, a very well-known celebrity, for several months. She most likely knew, prior to her decision to go out with him, that she would get ridiculed by press and fans alike. Not only is she two years older than him, but he is a celebrity with a very narrow fan base, and he is often thought of as a joke. Despite knowing that the public may view her differently once her decision to date Justin Bieber went public, she went out with him anyway. This is a very transcendental idea; she did what she wanted to do despite what other people might think.

The way you dress, especially when you’re always in the view of the public eye, tells a lot about you. People will take one look at a person and judge them, even if they don’t know anything about them. Selena Gomez has her own line of clothes that show her unique style, and portray the kind of person she is. She doesn’t limit herself to the clothes and the styles that are “in” or popular, just because they might give the public a better impression of her. For example, when she went to Paris Hilton’s all-blue party, most people just wore blue clothing, but Selena Gomez went all out. She wore blue sparkles, blue lipstick, blue eyeliner, and even a blue feather headband. She didn’t care that other people might judge her for going over-the-top; she just did it because she wanted to, and it was who she was.

One of Selena Gomez’s most popular songs is “Who Says”. This song portrays many ideas that reflect transcendentalism, because it is about finding who you truly are, and not letting anyone tell you that you can’t reach your dreams and goals in life. This is one of my personal favorite songs, because the lyrics are so heartfelt and personal. “I’m sure you’ve got some things you’d like to change about yourself, but when it comes to me, I wouldn’t want to be anybody else,” are among the lyrics in the song.

Walden Post

            Time is never wasted so long as experiences are being made that will be remembered forever. Henry David Thoreau spent two years, two months, and two days of his life alone in a cabin by Waldon Pond. During that time, he documented his thoughts, feelings, and realizations about nature and mankind's role in the world. He discovered a true passion for the earth, the animals, and for music, and developed ideas that are the forefront of today's "green" movement. Thoreau did not waste two years of his life at Waldon Pond because he created a manuscropt that would inspire people for decades to come, and showed brilliant ideas that were way ahead of his time.

            Thoreau became very interested in the lives of various wild animals during the time he spent at Waldon Pond. He was able to get an entirely new perspective on the world by experiencing the rawness of nature, before the progress of men altered it. "I was not only nearer to some of those which commonly frequent the garden and the orchagrd, but to those wilder and more thrilling songsters of the forest with never, or rarely, serenade a villager," (Thoreau 488). During this thought, Henry David Thoreau is explaining that he was able to experience animals in nature, birds in this case, that most people go through life without ever seeing. He is saying that not only could he view more slosely the life of well-known birds, but many types of species that are nearly brand new to the human eye. This rarity shows the amazing experience Thoreau had during those two years of his life, which were most definitely not wasted.

            Nature itself played a huge rold in helping Thoreau discover his ideas about the world's importance and the destruction of progress. His green ideas resulted in his amazement with nature's beauty. The simplistic celestial of the unexplored world was held very near to his heart, and he found that the world is it lies before humans destroy it is beautiful. "I discovered that my house actually had its site in such a withdrawn, but forever new and unprofaned, part of the universe," (Thoreau 489). This idea of the forever new that Thoreau mentions is describing the ineptness of nature before it is altered by humans. He is saying that he believes people should appreciate the world as it is, rather than destroying nature with the desire for progress.

Henry David Thoreau dedicated over two years of his life toward finding the true wonders of the nature in the world. His discoveries were written down to create a work that consist of the same ideas that many environmentalists have today. His ideas were far ahead of his time, and he was able to influence the world. His time spend at Waldon Pond was not wasted, because he was able to experience things that many people go through their lives without coming close to. He saw sides of nature that many people never will, and he witnessed animals that most people will never see. Thoreau was a brilliant man who is far ahead of his time, and who was able to spend two years, two months, and two days of his life accomplishing the writing of one of the most quoted manuscripts in history. 

Student Declaration of Independence

There are times in life when those without authority or any means of assuming authority must stand up for what they believe in. When it impacts the life they will lead, and the path to success in achieving their dreams, they should be permitted to make their opinions heard. In those occasions when an entire group of people agree upon changes that must be made, it should be in the best interest of those with authority over the aforementioned group to put their best effort in to reaching the prospect of the changes deemed necessary. We, the student body of Grosse Pointe South, take it upon ourselves to express the faults within the classrooms, the school, and the school district. Year after year, the curriculum within Michigan schools stays generally the same, with very few changes. Adults are often afraid of change, even if those changes that could be made would benefit the students who go through that set of courses. But we have decided that something must be done to fix that, and we must move out of the rut that the Grosse Pointe School district seems to be stuck in. Without consequences put forth and voiced by the student body, there is no motivation for teachers, staff, and administers to make those changes that promote the higher quality of learning.

They have limited the amount of teams and clubs students want to run and participate in.  Students have many interests and to form a team or club we need staff sponsors. Some teachers are not willing to donate their time after school limiting the amount extracurricular activities. The students that would like to have new teams or clubs are not able because of the lack of teacher effort. We are unsatisfied by the lack of teacher effort, and the lack of activities that students would like to have.

They have limited the amount of snow days because Grosse Pointe is a walking District. We do not take buses but that does not mean that students do not drive themselves to school. It is dangerous for anyone to drive on the snow covered and icy roads and is especially dangerous for new drivers. For the students that walk to and from school it is hard, because the sidewalks are not cleared or salted that often. Students and teachers slip on the icy sidewalks walking into school and injure themselves. The community would be safer if we could stay home on excessively snowy days.

They have placed fees on our athletics. They have required these fees multiple times a year. They have refused to let us play without these fees, when we cannot pay. They have insisted we pay these fees, even if our sport requires more money to pay for other things. They make us pay these fees still, if we fundraise, or gain separate donations.

They have increased the amount of homework for students at Grosse Pointe South. We are at school for eight hours and then have to spend four or more hours on homework every night. That is way too much time. We all have many extracurricular activities and do not have the time for piles of homework. Teachers do not understand that we have six other classes everyday that give us excessive amounts of homework. The students at Grosse Pointe South have to stay up into the late hours of the night, to finish their homework and that is not healthy.

They have given students many different essay formats. We as students should have one essay format that is consistent in every class. The lack of a constant essay format creates confusion while writing essays for the student body. Essays are a large part of our grade and if we use the wrong essay format our grade could suffer. The absence of one essay format for the school makes it unclear which essay format the student body should follow.

They have placed tests from multiple classes on one day. They have placed stress upon us, when we know that studying for multiple tests is nearly impossible. They have deprived us of time to study when studying requires material from several classes that are very time consuming. They have deprived us of a good grade when we could not study. They have given us a disadvantage against other students with different teachers, who would be given more time to study their class’s material.

They have increased the amount of non-academic requirements. Unnecessary classes like gym, health, and a computer class should not be required for students at Grosse Pointe South. We took those classes all through elementary and middle school. For a student that is not interested in those classes, they limit the amount of classes they can take that are relevant to their future career. The student body is not saying that those classes should be eliminated from Grosse Pointe South; they should just not be required.

They have restricted schools we are allowed to attend. Students in Kindergarten through 8^th grade should be allowed to choose the school they want to go to.  Families move and we are forced to switch from their former schools. We should not have to be separated from our prior friendships formed at designated schools by you.  Students also have unique learning complications, and they should be able to go to schools that they can benefit most from.  Without being able to choose our schools the students may have to switch schools, or attend school unfit to help with their unique learning abilities.

They have reserved days to be only eight hours. They have not added hours to our day specifically for work, so that we could go home homework free. They have not added hours to our day specifically for sports, so that they do not run late into the day after school. They have not added time after school, to get more done, and provide for an extra day off. They have not placed a few extra hours on a school day for work, or sports, which would provide for an extra day off and a stress free environment at home.

They have not provided for a more flexible schedule. They have not allowed students to take one class off each week to provide for more study time or to pursue other activities. They have not allowed individual time in school to pursue activities outside of school, like sports. They have not given time in school for individual study that may result in higher testing scores. They have not even allowed giving up a class per week for individual study when an elective cannot be given up for a tutorial.       

Therefore, we, the student body, following the precedent set by our nation’s founding fathers, with the will of justice and right, severe the bonds and secede from the tyrannical and archaic establishment, and assert our right to teams without high and individual fees; the access to a system of testing where the tests are set at different dates, not piled on one day; the ability to graduate with the necessity of acquiring credits from classes that are not academic; the sanctity to days off from school when there’ enough school that other local districts are closed; the creation of a uniform way to write essays for every class in school; the freedom for a balanced and reasonable load of nightly homework; the freedom to step classes; the easing of how difficult it is to form clubs in school; the much increased level of education that would be received in a day with two extra hours, ne for sports and one a homework period; and the power to chose which school we want to go to, as long as it is in the district and you live in the district, for grades K-8. It is not logical or right, that we the student body, should struggle on while burdened by these tyrannical policies of the establishment, and if it is possible for these rights to be gained by sedition from the establishment, then we have the right, we have no choice but to secede from the oppression we are currently faced with.

Crucible Epilogue

I knew that it had been a mistake. I had seen it in Elizabeth Proctor’s eyes as she realized that in trying to protect John, she had only condemned him. I had seen the guilt and fear that Abigail Williams had when John first accused her of being a whore. I had seen Rebecca Nurse before she’d been hanged; fear, innocence, and confusion on her face. There was no Devil in Salem.

I blame myself for the deaths; I did not see the lies in the accusations, and in the false afflictions. I did not notice that the girls were only acting, and I should have. I should have seen that they were only mimicking signs of being afflicted by witches, and I was made into a fool.

And now the town of Groton has claimed that the Devil has arrived, and witchcraft is upon them. I knew that I had to come, for fear of losing my reputation, but how can I tell them that there are no witches, when I have just had 18 innocent people hanged for just that?

Reverend Morris looked at me, his expectations clear in his eyes.

“It’s the Devil, isn’t it?” he asked, but it sounded like a demand, rather than a question.

“I could not pretend to know just yet,” I said. “I must take the time to examine the girls further.”

The Reverend shook his head in disbelief. “It has been a week! Surely there is nothing left to examine?”

I sighed. The symptoms were the same as they’d been before. How could I possibly claim that witches are not present, when Reverend Morris, along with the rest of the town, knows of what happened in Salem? How could I deny the presence of witches without casting doubt upon my good name?

Upon hearing no response, Reverend Morris continued, “Jane Davis is sick, the same as those girls in Salem. Why is this any different? She and Martha Elwins are being afflicted every night, and they are certain that it is Goody Brown. Why isn’t she punished for her sins? Why does she continue to walk through this town, as though she has done nothing?

“Because she has done nothing!” I snapped. “They are lies, Reverend, all lies!”

Reverend Morris stood there, staring at me, confused and offended.

“There was no witchcraft in Salem,” I mumbled, more to myself than to Reverend Morris. “They were innocent, every last one of them.”

“But—” his eyes furrowed in confusion. “The girls, the ones afflicted—”

I shook my head. “All liars. Followers of Abigail Williams.”

“But what reason would they have to do that?”

“Abigail was in love with a married man, and seized the opportunity to rid the world of that man’s wife,” I said.

“You lie, sir!” Morris said, exasperated.

“Please, Reverend Morris, do not hold my authority is such low esteem. I have no reason to lie to you about this, and if you would just listen, I could prove it to you.”

“But you do have reason, if you’re working with the Devil!” Morris exclaimed. His look of fear and uncertainty had disappeared, and been replaced with confidence and frustration.

“You cannot be accusing me?” I was bewildered.

Reverend Morris’ voice shook in anger. “I have just as much authority in this town as you, sir. Though you are practiced in the art of discerning where the Devil may or may not be, it doesn’t mean I can’t see a traitor of God when he stands right in front of my eyes.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but decided against it. I had to have proof. I had to show Reverend Morris that he had made a mistake, and that I was speaking the truth. I shook my head, unable to believe what I was about to do. I stood up, and walked out the door. I knew this was my last chance, but it was risky. Depending on Reverend Parris in a situation as grave as this may have been suicide, but it was the only hope I had.

I walked into the Town Hall. “Get a message out to Reverend Parris of Salem. Tell him that he is needed here, immediately.”

The man nodded, and walked out the door. I sat down in an empty chair, exhausted.  What have I done? I thought to myself. A few minutes later, Reverend Morris entered with the local judge.

“I am sorry, Reverend Hale,” said Judge Reaney, “but you have to come with me. Until we can hold a proper trial for you, we must hold you in the local jail.”

“Then I’ve been accused?” I asked as calmly as possible, staring down at my feet.

He nodded, and I stood up and went with him to the jail.

I knew it would be at least a great number of hours before Parris came, but in fact, it turned out to be two days. Two days of waiting for him to arrive, locked up in the local jail of Groton, doing nothing but sitting.

“Hale?” Parris asked as he walked into the jail. “What’s going on? They say you’ve been accused of witchcraft.”

“Yes,” I said. “I told them the truth of what happened in Salem, but they didn’t take it very well. They think the only reason for me to deny the presence of witches like that is if I am one myself.”

“But that’s insane!”

I nodded. “I know.”

“Don’t they know that a Reverend cannot be taken by the Devil?” he asked.

“No, they do not believe it. But all they need is another reliable, well-known voice to assure them of the falseness of witchcraft. If you would only—”

“Tell them myself, I understand.” Reverend Parris finished for me. He paused, considering the idea.

“If you’re worried about being accused and hanged by my side, I tell you; it will not happen. They will not condemn two men of God, they simply won’t.”

“Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll tell them the truth of what happened in Salem.”

I smiled, for the first time in a good, long while. The relief was so great, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I watched as the Reverend walked out of the jailhouse, and once again, I was left in a position of waiting. I was left in a position of depending on one man – Reverend Parris – to save my life.

Parris soon returned with Judge Reaney and Reverend Morris by his side. I tried to read the expressions on their faces, but couldn’t.

“Reverend Hale, if you will come with us,” Morris said, as Reaney unlocked my cell.

Confused, but still hopeful, I walked behind them. We headed toward the village houses, and I saw one in particular. The house of Jane Davis, the little girl who had first brought the idea of witchcraft to Groton. They had told me that she’d been sick for weeks, but until they heard about Salem, they had no idea of the reason for her condition. Immediately after the town started crying out that it was witchcraft, Jane had called out the name of her first victim that she was accusing of witchcraft, and that is when they called me.

I walked up to Jane’s room, behind Judge Reaney. Reverend Morris came behind me, and as we entered the room, I saw something I was not expecting.

“Good morning Reverend Hale,” she said, her head bowed in respect.

Jane Davis was sitting in her bed, looking completely healthy, with a smile on her face.

“But, I don’t understand—” I started to say.

“Thank you Reverend Hale. You have saved me. You have saved all of us.”

I looked at the child with a blank expression on my face. What did she mean?

Before any of my questions could be spoken aloud, I was led back out of the room.

“What’s going on?” I asked suspiciously.

“The child is better, and she believes you are the reason. She believes you scared the Devil away from Groton,” explained Reverend Morris.

“But—”

“Don’t argue, Reverend Hale, it’s not worth it,” Parris said quietly to me. “You and I can go back to Salem now, and that’s all that matters.”

I shook my head, knowing that what he was saying was wrong. It wasn’t all that mattered. Letting the world know the truth was what mattered. But I knew there wasn’t much I could do. I knew that I could give my life for my cause and still not make a difference. I knew that the best thing to do now is to just sit and wait, hoping that no other towns will cry out “witches”.

Crucible Essay

In Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, power played a huge role in the witch trials. There were certain people who were obsessed with the idea of power, and leadership, and would do anything to attain it. Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth were just two of many characters who loved power. These particular two hold a huge amount of responsibility for the hangings of 18 innocent men and women, and the pressing to death of one. Abigail uses her leadership skills to convince a group of girls to join with her and accuse people in Salem of being witches, and afflicting them in various ways. Judge Danforth decided not to end the trials, even though he had the chance, because he was afraid he would lose his authority, and hurt his reputation. When there are leaders, there are followers, and Mary Warren is one of the biggest followers of them all. She tells John Proctor that she and the other girls are only pretending, and falls under his leadership, coming clean to the judges. However, when Abigail takes the reins and begins to accuse Mary, she switches sides in fear, in order to save herself. Mary Warren, Abigail Williams, and Judge Danforth are the three characters who are most responsible for the Salem Witch Trials.

Primarily, in the first act of The Crucible, when John Proctor and Abigail are talking by Betty’s bedside, Proctor mentions that the town is suspecting witchcraft. In response, Abigail disregards it, and says that it isn’t witchcraft. Abigail said, “We were dancin’ in the woods last night, and my uncle leaped in on us. She took fright, is all” (Miller 22-23). This shows that Abigail knew that none of what happened is witchcraft, and that it all started with Betty’s fear of Reverend Parris after he discovered her with the other girls, dancing in the woods. This is essentially a confession from Abigail that the girls’ afflictions from the witches are lies. Abigail could have stopped the witch trials by telling the town the truth, but instead, sees a chance to take Elizabeth Proctor out of the picture, so she can live happily with John. Abigail prolonged the idea of witches in Salem, and used her leadership skills to convince all the other girls to pretend with her. Therefore, she is responsible for initiating the idea of witchcraft in Salem.

Mary Warren tells John Proctor that she and the other girls were only pretending, and Proctor told her to confess. After Mary Warren admits to Judge Danforth that she and the other girls were untruthful, Abigail begins acting as though Mary was afflicting her. The other girls joined in, and in fear of being accused as a witch, Mary switches her loyalty from John Proctor to Abigail, and accuses Proctor of working with the Devil, and trying to get her to sign the Devil’s book. She said, ““No, I love God; I go your way no more. I love God, I bless God. Abby, Abby, I’ll never hurt you more” (Miller 119)! This quote demonstrates Mary Warren’s frantic confession when she believes that she may be in danger of being accused. When she thinks that she no longer has a chance to expose the girls for the liars that they are, and sees that she may be on the losing side, she cries and says that she wants to be on God’s side. Mary had the chance to end the witch trials, but she gave in to the fear and the pressure, and tried to win Abigail’s favor once more. For that reason, she is greatly at fault for the continuation of the witch trials.

In the fourth act of The Crucible, Reverend Parris goes to Judge Danforth and begs him to delay the trials, before John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse are hanged. He says that until that point, the only sort of people who had been accused and didn’t confess were people lower in society. Parris worries that, since Proctor and Goody Nurse are so well-respected in the town, their deaths may have bad consequences in the town. Danforth said, “Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now” (Miller 129). The quote illustrates Judge Danforth’s obsession with power, and with his reputation. Essentially, he is saying that he won’t postpone the trials because it makes him look bad. He doesn’t want people to doubt his authority, and possibly consider the innocence of those already hanged. By suspending the hanging of Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor, Danforth believes that he will damage his status. He is so focused on his own reputation that he doesn’t seem to realize the consequences of his actions.

Ultimately, Abigail Williams, Mary Warren, and John Danforth are most responsible for the witch trials. Abigail is the entire reason that the idea of witchcraft in Salem Massachusetts in 1692 grew to the extent that it did. Without her assurance of the so-called-afflictions, and her leadership over the other afflicted girls, the citizens of Salem may not have allowed the fear to have gotten so out of hand. With her assertive accusations and authority over the girls, she began the entire masquerade that resulted in the killing of 19 innocent people. Mary Warren was exceptionally responsible for the witch trials in Salem, because she gave in to fear. She was presented the opportunity to end the trials and deaths, and to expose Abigail and the other girls for the liars that they truly were, but out of fear, she relinquished. Finally, Judge Danforth holds responsibility for not ending the trials when he had the chance. He was worried about his reputation, and he knew that stopping the trials despite the continued accusations will cause doubt about his power, and about the guilt of those already accused and hanged.

Crucible Post 2

At one point, Proctor tells Hale that he believes in witches even though he does not. Would you be willing to lie and tell people you believed in something you do not in order to protect yourself? Why or why not?

Fitting in with society is an important part of anyone's life, and during the time of the Salem witch trials, it was especially crucial. Today, the only consequence of being different and believing different things than others is ridicule and the possibility of not being accepted. If my beliefs were questioned in today's society, and they were different than the majority of people, I would still most likely give my true opinion. 

However, in 1692, the Puritans believed that failure to be completely devoted to the Bible meant that person must be working with the Devil. The consequences of not believing in witches, and therefore, not believing in the Bible, were suspicion of witchcraft. Upon being accused, people could either admit to being a witch, or be hanged for working with the Devil. If I were a person living in Salem in 1692 and I were asked whether or not I believed in witches, I would answer that I most definitely did. Although it would be a lie, the alternative would be that I would be accused of witchcraft, and possibly killed. I would like to believe that I am the kind of person who would be willing to tell the truth, and do my best to expose witchcraft as the scam that it is, but I know that I could not gather that courage.

Crucible Post 1

In The Crucible, Act One, the ownership of power over the town of Salem changes dramatically. As the novel begins, it becomes apparent to the reader that Reverend Parris holds the power. He is head of the church in Salem, and in this time period, when religion is viewed as just about the most important thing in life, his power is very great. Over the course of the first act, the power holds strong in Parris' hold, but at the very end, the authority he has over the town is shown to be very limited. Abigail Putnam and Betty Parris are shown to hold power over even him; Reverend Parris. After Tituba is accused of being a witch and confesses, Mr. Hale asks her for names of other witches in the town. After naming Goody Good and Goody Osburn, the children begin calling out names of the people that they claim they saw with the devil. Abigail said, "I danced for the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!" (Miller 48) The words of accusation Abigail spoke in this quote, and the continued list of names she and Betty give show that they are standing up to claim power. People in Salem in 1692 believed strongly in religion, and therefore, they thought that a good Christian would not lie. Therefore, the names given by Abigail and Betty are seen for the most part as fact, even without proof.

This change in power is crucial to the plot, because it is so unusual for a child to have power. In Salem in this time period, children were second-class citizens. At the beginning of the novel, it was said about Parris that, "He regarded them as young adults, and until this strange crisis, he, like the rest of Salem, never conceived that the children were anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak." (Miller 4) This shows that the people in the town did not think much of the children of Salem, but during this "strange crisis", which refers to the belief in - and hanging of - witches, children rose up to claim power over Salem.

"Sinners" Follow-up Post

When Jonathon Edwards preached his views of Hell and God's response to sinners in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", the reaction from society was immense. Spoken in the early 1700s, the general audience of his speech was composed of very religious people who had never before imagined that their God was anything other than kind and forgiving. Once they heard his speech, however, a religious movement was sparked called The Great Awakening. In today's society, where there are different religions other than Christianity, and where a number of people aren't even religious, the speech would not spark nearly as intense of a response. The people today who are the most devoted to God and Christianity are much different from those in the 1700s. In society today, the general thought of Christianity is that God is very forgiving. Though people should do their best not to sin, and to be the best Christian possible, they also believe that they will have the chance to be forgiven. When those people read or hear this speech, their reaction will not be as strong as it was when Edwards first preached it. For a while, they might work really hard not to sin, possibly with the slight fear that maybe it is true; maybe Edwards really knows what he's talking about. But over the span of a couple years, or even a shorter amount of time, things would go back to the way they were, and people would forget. Those who listen to the speech and are not religious might have a very different response, depending on the person. There are those who do not believe in God at all, and they would most likely not be affected by the speech. However, those who aren't really sure what to think, and were just brought up with no religion, may consider converting to Christianity. If they believed that God would not understand and forgive them for growing up without going to church or praying, just because their parents don't, then maybe the fear would be strong enough for them to try for the rest of their lives to find religion. Ultimately, the response that Jonathon Edwards' sermon would spark in society today, and what was sparked in society in the early 1700s would be greatly different. People would not react as strongly in 2011, and any effect it did have would not last very long.

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Post

On July 8, 1741, Jonathon Edwards delivered what is known as “the sermon for which England never forgave him”. His sermon sparked the fires of the Great Awakening. The American colonies, in reaction to his sermon, were pulled away from European Christianity in fear of sin and of Hell. Devoted to his God, and truly believing in the horrors of Hell, and what sinning could bring was what gave Edwards the motivation for his speech. He prayed that people understand what he is saying, and started believing, as he did, in the awfulness of what sinning can bring. According to the narrator, he had a reputation as a harsh man, incapable of love, but in reality, he was none of those things. Those who knew him said he was kind and insightful, and was a loving father and husband, and a good friend to those in need.

I think that Jonathon Edwards’ sermon will contain thoughts and ideas of what Hell might hold. I predict that he will tell of the horrible things that could happen to those who sin, and go against the rules of Christianity. His words will most likely be very powerful, and marybe even frightening.The narrator of this video said that Edwards had a “stunning metaphor on the wrath of God”. Therefore, I think that he may use literary devices and figurative language to bring his words to life. He just wanted people to see life differently, and to live it fully, without sin. By evoking horrible imagery of the terrible wrath of God upon sinners, he hoped to accomplish just that. 

Descriptive Post

Dominated by hues of reds, oranges, yellows, greens, and every shade in between, the scene gives off a glow that reads "autumn" in every way. The leaves on the trees are turning from a green to a golden-orange. Far off in the distance lie mountains with a bit of an orange hue near the base. The warm sun reflects off the harvest food in the foreground of the image, giving them a happy, playful glow. The unique textures and colors of each food set them apart, and yet they all give off the feel of October. The two buckets, one upright and one tipped over, hold fresh, juicy, round apples. Their color and texture both contrast the deep green squash, which looks rough and bumpy. The various-sized pumpkins positioned to the far left are bright orange, reflecting the sunlight that is hitting them directly. The entire image is reminiscent of apple orchards and cider mills, and of vast pumpkin patches.

Class Expectations

In Honors American Literature, it is expected that students are organized, respectful, and go above and beyond the requirements for their assignments. Primarily, organization is essential to a successful learning experience. Students in Honors American Lit should always have their materials with them in class. Organization not only refers to maintaining neatness with materials and assignments, but also time management. When a student stays organized, they are able to get homwork finished and turned in on time and it will be easier to keep up with the rest of the class. When assignments are completed ahead of time, before theyir due date, it allows the student to take more time to revise their work. This will help bring out the best in them, and provide their teacher with a good reflection of their best work. Avoiding tardiness and late work can really help better a student's learning experience in Honors American Lit, and will help their teacher provide them with an overall better edcucation.

Additionally, academic integrity and respect for fellow students is important in all students, especially literature. Plagiarism should not ever be a problem, and students should always write their own essays. Even so much as copying from a friend shouldn't be an issue. All work completed by a student and turned in should be completely their own. Respect also goes hand-in-hand with integrity. It is important to respect other students, and the authority in the classroom, whether it is the teacher or a substitute. When a good level of respect is not met in the classroom, it becomes more difficult for students to learn. An uncomfortable learning environment where students feel bullied or left out can get in the way of self esteem, among other things. This may lead to lack of effort, which should never happen in Honors American Lit. Each person should try their best in everything they do, and by respecting those around them, students can try to uphold a positive atmosphere in the classroom.

Finally, students should go above and beyond the minimum requirements for class assignments. Part of being an honors student means that they should not do the bare minimum. Instead, the students should add creativity and excitement to every part of their essays, projects, and other assignments. Taking things a step further can really help to bring fun into the process of learning, and the understanding will come along with that. Students should not only read the homework pages, but take their time to reflect on the reading and really strive to understand what is important. Students should notice the figurative language, themes, and important character growth over the course of the novel. An Honors American Lit student should not have to be told which parts of the book are significant to the plot, or when the climax is. They should work to find that out themselves. By exceeding the requirements, students in Honors American Lit prove that they belong in an honors class.

About Me

My name is Ellie Zak, and I am fifteen years old. I was born on June 10, 1996. My absolute favorite thing to do is to draw; I love drawing portraits of my friends and of my favorite television, movie, and book characters. For me, drawing is a really great way to express yourself, and there are almost no limitations to what a pencil and a plain white peace of paper can create. I wanted to take a drawing class at South this year, but I ended up taking Photography instead, which I have absolutely no experience with. However, I'm sure that, just like drawing, I'll enjoy the artistic experience.

Reading and writing are also two things I love to do. My favorite books are the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling; those books are really big throughout my family, as we have all read and greatly enjoyed them. I have, in addition to my parents, two younger sisters. Cameron is 11 years old and in 6th grade, and Jordan is 9 years old and in 4th grade, and I love them both very much. One of my favorite kinds of writing is actually journalism, which is very different from any other type of writing. I was on the newspaper staff in middle school, and I took Honors Journalism last year. Now, I am on the Tower staff, and I really hope that there is a chance that I can make it to some position on the editorial board by senior year. However, I know that will be difficult because it requires a lot of after-school time, and I play fall and spring sports.

I run Cross Country at the moment for South, and this is my first year. I think that Cross Country is a really good sport, because it's really mentally challenging to finish an entire 5K. The thing that is really great about this sport, and different than anything I've ever done before, is that it's very independent. The meets are all about beating your own best times, and setting the fastest personal record that you can for yourself. I also play soccer at South, and I played for JV last year. I'm really hoping to make it to Varsity this year, but if that doesn't work out, I'm happy to play on JV another year. I've been playing soccer since I was five years old, living in Rochester Hills, and can't imagine life without it. I play on the Michigan Gators '96 team, a club soccer team outside of school, with a group of other South girls.

Over the summer, I visited Italy for a week (Rome and then Venice), and then went to Germany for two weeks to watch three games of the Women's World Cup. Watching professional soccer is truly amazing, and to see it first-hand is something I've wanted to do ever since I started to play. My idol is Abby Wambach, one of the best players on the USA national team, but there are many players on the team that I admire. I even talked to Lauren Cheney and got her autograph outside of the ESPN truck in Dresden. I love to travel, and to be able to travel to Europe and see soccer was truly the experience of a lifetime.

Currently, I am working on a major writing project with one of my best friends, and we are writing a novel together. If everything goes well, we might even end up trying to find an agent and we may possibly even move toward publication, but for now, we just enjoy writing it. I also participate every year in National Novel Writing Month, which takes place each November. Basically, you are allowed from November 1st at midnight to November 30th at midnight to write a 50,000 word novel. Before that time, you are not allowed to write anything that will be contained in the final copy, but you are allowed to plan everything out. The reason I enjoy this and continue to do it every year, despite the stress, is that it's a really good writing technique. It just about forces you to ignore editing and revising for just one month and get something done. Without this, I probably would have trouble believing that it is actually possible for me to write an entire novel, but now, I know I can do it. So it's a real confidence booster; as long as you succeed, of course.