Emerson

From "Nature"
Reflection: From “Nature” by Emerson is an amazing piece, I absolutely love the language he uses in describing nature, and nature in association to a young child. He reflects the beauty that can be found throughout nature, and the ways that various people see it. Emerson focuses mainly on how a child is able to see nature far more then a grown adult. He also focuses on how when an adult is around nature they become a child again. I really like they way that Emerson chooses to show this unique quality of a child, and the language that he uses in order to show this. Similarly when you are alone with nature, you are able to find out who you are as told by Emerson. I really agree with this because I think when you are with nature it really does show who you are, and what kind of person you are. The details and ways that Emerson decides to explain things, is very beautiful, through the connections that it makes. I really liked how he showed the different aspects of through the use o f the stars because it really made me think back to when I was a child. Now that I have read this essay I realize that since I have gotten older I do not appreciate nature the same why that I use to, and am able to realize what Emerson is talking about.
Diary:
Dear diary;
I just read an essay from this new writer in town called “Nature”. This essay was very different; I’m not really sure what to think of it. This new writer Emerson talks primarily about nature, and who you can only be yourself when you are with nature. I never really thought about this, but I guess it could be very true. He also talks about how a child is the only one that can truly appreciate nature. I honestly thought an adult was the only person that could witness nature. Then after witnessing what he had to say, I see where he is coming from. He brings up many good points about nature and children, and their relationship. But I still find it very different, and very confusing. I like some of the point he brought up, but I’m not really sure how society will these his values.

Sincerely,
Just another woman trying to get by

From "Self-Reliance"
Reflection:
In the essay “Self Reliance” by Emerson he uses a very different and interesting approach in expressing individuality. Emerson uses very interesting comparisons to express individuality, which made me more interested in reading it. For instance one of the lines in the essay that captured my attention the most was when he compares imitation to suicide. I have always heard of imitation as flatteration, but never suicide and this gave a new viewpoint about imitation. After reading this essay it made me consider weather or not it is good to try and be like someone.
Diary:
Dear Diary;
I have just read another essay from that new writer Emerson. I have come to like his nature piece, but this new one “Self-Reliance” is a bit farfetched. This new essay is about individuality. Individuality has never been a topic of discussion. How is imitation suicide? How? I really do not understand that. So many people in my neighborhood are going to think this man is crazy. After one I thought he might be ok, but now I am really wondering if he is indeed crazy.
Sincerely,
The women that writes to you every night

Essential Question: Native American

The American Dream does offer hope, yet it seems to be human nature to desire something so much that man becomes afraid that he will not achieve the same Dream as everyone else; and when this fear begins, man becomes intolerant of others because he does not want them to “get” what he is afraid he will not have. When we consider the Native Americans, the first American, such as Angel DeCora in Angel DeCora an Autobiography, hope is ironically offered to Angel by the white men when she is taken away from her village and sent to a place where she could receive a better education. Though this is a different way to provide hope to someone, Angel is being offer a better future, but is also creating intolerance for the white man in her village. After being taken from her home Angel’s parents and family members being to despise the white man and their society. Though they are seeing the opportunities that are being offered to Angel, they are simultaneously becoming intolerance of the white man, because they are not being offered the same Dream. The American Dream is a very difficult dream, because while it offers hope to some it also promotes fear of not achieving the same dream, this can occur even among family, like it did in Angel’s family.

Native American Literature

Angel DeCora An Autobiography

Picture of Angel DeCora

"A very promising career must have been laid out for me by my grandparents, but a strange white man interrupted it.
I had been entered in the Reservation school but a few days when a strange white man appeared there. He asked me through an interpreter if I would like to ride in a steam car. I had never seen one, and six of the other children seemed enthusiastic about it and they were going to try, so I decided to join them, too. The next morning at sunrise we were piled into a wagon and driven to the nearest railroad station, thirty miles away. We did get the promised ride. We rode three days and three nights until we reached Hampton, Va.
My parents found it out, but too late."

Diary: Recently I have been through a lot. I was convinced to ride in a car, which I rode in for three days, leading me to Virginia. I feel lost. All I wanted to do was ride in the car, I did not realize I would be taken away from my family and all the plans they had for me. These white men have a way of capturing us Indians into things we have not agreed to do. My mother told me about the things that these men do, but I was too young to listen or understand. The past three years have been like torture to me. I have not been able to see the ones I love, or experience things through my culture.

- Angel DeCora

Reflection: Though Native American’s were in America first, and also helped the early English settlers, I feel that Native Americans are not appreciated nearly as much as they should. This autobiography by Angel DeCora shows the way that some Native American children were taken advantage of. I feel the way in which this man went about taking Angel out of her hometown, was unethical and selfish, as he used the curiosity of the child as a captive tool to make her and others move. I also feel that it was wrong in taking Angel and other children away from their parents, at such young ages. This autobiography also brings up some of the obstacles that Native Americans had to overcome because of English settlers. I feel that it is very nice and that Angel did get the opportunity to succeed in the career that she chose, but I also think she could have succeed easier without the English men. Many of the reasons that Angle was forced to move and a change school was because of the white men, which in turn postponed her from achieving her dream.Likewise, if a man was to commit a crime like this the child would more than likely not be gone for near as long. The man would also be put in jail for a long period of time.

Essential Question: Puritan Literature

While the American Dream can offer hope in a verity of ways, it can seemingly also promote religious fears and intolerance. For example, puritans, were one of the first groups of people to move to America and were seeking religious freedom, people such as Bradford, Bradstreet and Taylor, all of who found their hope in their freedom to practice religion as they pleased. With this new freedom these people were able to live out their meaning of the American Dream with a new found hope. Likewise, after this freedom was established people such as Bradford, Bradstreet, and Taylor began to also pursue their own religion on other, and not tolerate anyone who did not worship as they did. People such as these began to fear other people achieving their own personal dreams, and began to in tolerate anything that was different from the religion of their own. The puritan era drastically showed the hope that people were looking for, but also showed the fear that they single handedly created, causing intolerance of any other religion.

William Bradford: Of Plymouth Plantation

"Being thus arrived in a good harbor, and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth, their proper element."

Diary: The journey to this new land was very displeasing. Many of our people became sick because of the rough and tremulous sea; one young man even fell overboard. Maybe this is Gods way of ensuring we are pleased by our new home. The savages were very hostile in this land; if things don’t change soon, they may become a problem. The savages are getting braver and starting to attack our men. But thus is the will of God. We killed over 400 of the savages in there town. We have run into many misfortunes on our voyage but god has been on our side, and we have managed to survive thus.
- William Bradford

Reflection: One of the important things in coming to a new land is to build up a safe "home" like enviorment, which is not shown in "Of Plymouth Plantation". When the ship landed in Cape Cod they should have built up a safe haven. In building this safe haven there would be a place to protect themselves from the savages. The men might have been better off protecting themselves instead of scouting the land so much searching for the savages home. I also feel that the deaths of the 400 men could have been avoided. Although there were many issues that needed to be dealt with, an attack was not necessarily the only choice. The English could have easily reasoned with the Indians, and avoided the conflict all together. And also in avoiding this the English would not only protect themselves but also the Indians.

Anne Bradstreet: To My dear and Loving Husband

Diary: It depresses me how often I am away from my husband after moving to this new land. My love for him is so great and I could never picture being with anyone else. I do not feel that any woman could feel as strong as I do for my husband, but yet I still love God more. God is the reason for the love I have for my husband and answers to all the questions I have about my love.
- Anne Bradstreet

Reflection: The poem by Bradstreet exposes many different aspects of the Puritan life style. First this woman shows how she can be “human” and not hold God responsible for all of the things that happen in her life. Yet she also realizes that this is not the way that her religion is supposed to work. Finally she does acknowledge God for the things that have happened in her life. This poem gives me hope and insight because I realize that even though people may be very religious, they still hold common human flaws that all of us have, such as selfishness.

Anne Bradstreet: The Night When Others Soundly Slept

Diary: More and more often I find myself being vain, and then I realize I am living in Gods world. When I am missing something it is because God wants it to be this way. Everything that happens in my life is because of him. I do not know how to repay him. He is my savior, and the one who fills my body with hope. If there was a way I could repay him I wish I could, but he has done too much for me now.
-Anne Bradstreet

Reflection: This poem really exposes Bradstreet’s belief in God, as she starts to feel lost and depressed because of suffering, but then regains her faith in God. She begins to show her human qualities as she begins to feel sympathy for herself, because of the things she does not have. After realizes how vain she is being she begins to focus on her religion and enforce how God is responsible for everything that does happen. This poem also makes me realize that everyone can be vain at some time, even the most religious people.