Henry David Thoreau

I enjoyed reading Henry David Thoreau More than Emerson. Thoreau just seemed more understandable and more reasonable. Instead of just "talking, the talk" he also "walked the walk". He actually lived in a cabin built by him and took care of himself for two years. He grew his own food and everything.

Another reason why he appealed to me was his stand on "The American Dream". Everyone wants to live in a nice, two story house with a white picket fence and have a two car garage. Everyone wants to try to make the most money possible so they can achieve a greater status. Is this really the way we should think though? As we discussed in class yesterday, what are we giving up to obtain our "American Dream?" Are we sacrificing time with our children and family to make sure they get the most valuable possessions? Are we taking time away from our own personal health by not getting the right amount of sleep or skipping meals because we are too busy to eat?

Thoreau really makes a person think about what really is important in life. Are material possessions really as great as everyone thinks they are?

Here is a great song with a great message:

"I don't want to gain the whole world, and loose my soul" by Tobymac
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBZSFhOsyDk

Ralph Waldo Emerson 2

The class discussions didn't go over too well. I don't think many people really read Emerson. I don't know if this means that you guys are not really into him and the whole Transendentalism idea either.

Of what I did read I though that it was interesting how he was always talking about how great nature was and how we are all nature. I would say that humans are a part of nature, and that trees are. I wouldn't go as far as to say a pencil is nature. I think once nature creates something out of nature, than it is no longer nature.

I hope I am not dissin' on Emerson. If anybody really likes him and understands him, fell free to comment on my blog. That would be great actually. I could gain a better understanding of him.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

As in my last blog, I was not too happy when I found out that we had to read Emerson. I knew it was coming, because he is considered a "great" American writer. His introductory biography was four pages, longer than anyone else's so far. For class we are spending two days on him. Obviously people think he is an important American to know.

Personally, I do not see why he is that "great" of a writer. In no means am I saying that his moral character was bad. He seemed like a nice guy. He was married twice, but only because his first wife died. He spoke out about slavery and women suffrage. The thing I am most concerned about is his faith. He went from being a minister, to believing in a "higher power" but not necessarily God. I think that is sad. How can someone who appreciates and sees the beauty in nature not believe that there is a God who created it all and who is in control of it?

Maybe I am being too hard on him or may not fully comprehend his writing? I don't know. We will see what others think in our class discussion tomorrow.

Washington Irving

I have to say, I wasn't too excited when I found out that we had to read Irving's "Rip Van Winkle." I was hoping we could read, "Sleepy Hollow" instead. But after reading this story again I gained a better understanding of it. I think part of the reason for it is because of the introductory biographical information provided at the beginning of each selection in our anthology.

As I was reading Rip Van Winkle I couldn't help but notice the similarities between Mr. Irving and Mr. Van Winkle. Irving was engaged to be married to Matilda but she died. I am sure that Irving was very sadden and grief stricken by her death. Van Winkle slept for 20 years than woke up to find out that his wife died. He was happy because he was relieved of the burden of raising a family. He was free to pursue whatever he wanted. Since Matilda died Irving was relieved of the responsibility of becoming a judge, as Matilda's father was and he was expected to also become one. He was also free to pursue whatever he wanted. The introductory biography said that he was a life long bachelor. It also said that he was the first American to support himself fully on his writings. With a family Irving probably would not have been able to do this.

I think that by studying an author's life, one can gain better insight into the author's stories and works. I find the introductory biographies very helpful. Also through them I better understood the story we read for class and am glad that we were assigned to read it.

Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley just blows me away! I cannot believe under all her circumstances, she published such phenomenal poetry. She was a female African American slave and was only 19 years old when her book of poetry was published! I am 20 and haven't even written a poem good enough to be published into a magazine, let alone a whole book of poems. He circumstances under which she wrote her poems is just amazing. We are still reading her poems 300 years later. What a feat!

Another thing that is amazing is about her is her attitude. Her poetry is not bitter but is optimistic. She is making the best out of her situation. Even though she was captured and taken from her homeland she rejoices about it. If it wasn't for her being captured she would never have found Christ. How inspiring to hear her story. She takes the bad things that happened to her in life and turns them into good. She is just an amazing woman!

Olaudah Equiano

This is the second time that I have read part of Olaudah Equiano's narrative. The first time was when I was a junior in highschool. We just read the part where he describes the foul smells on the ship coming to the Americas. It was very difficult reading because of all the sorrow I felt for the slaves. It is so sad that this happened.

Another reason why this is sad is because people who called themselves "christians" held slaves. Many times through Equiano's narrative he mentions christians many times. One part he says they were singing hymns right next to where the slaves were being auctioned off. How ironic is that? Chrisianity is about God's grace that we can be free from sin and here they are practicing bondage of other human beings. I think it is sad when people use the name of Jesus to do bad things.