Evaluation of Our "Revolution"

So... About Our Little "Revolution" Let's see how we did... :

1. Read some inspiring thoughts from enlightened minds. = Check

2. Performed tasks (reading) with unity/variety = Check

3. Kidnapped a high ranking official (sort of) = Check

4. Attempted to do the Impossible (Move the Final) = Check


By these four things we accomplished what most, if not more than, other revolutions did. In the American Revolution, men came up with the thoughts we read from {or should have :D }. Our Founding Fathers worked with unity of spirit, and variety of thought to comprise the Declaration of Independence. And they most importantly decided to break away from their Mother- Country, something so seemingly Impossible that it was a miracle so many were involved in the revolutionary process.
Therefore, I think we did well as a Revolutionary group. We made a statement, did our dirty deed, and contested "Oppression". Let's Do it All over Again!
What do you think?

Ninth Grade and the "N" word

In the ninth grade I read one of my favorite books 'till this day, Farenheit 451. The book drew pictures my mind would've never conjured up and took me places I could never have gone. It was also one of the first times I had been assigned a reading with such frequent use of profanity, with exception to To Kill A Mockingbird. It was a little awkward and somewhat humorous at first, I'll be honest. But the deeper I found myself in the story, the more meaning I found with every word, every detail, even the ones I would have considered "inappropriate". Yet, these words became more appropriate than any alternative because of their place in the context and their worth in the text. I would venture to say that the same rings true for Huckleberry Finn. Yes derogatory terms were used habitually. But wasn't that the culture. Is this a poke at racism or an element of art and a succesful attempt of capturing an era and a mindset. Twain gets props from me, even though it may not be P.C. (Poltically Correct)


I commented on Seth's Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn

The question was raised by Dr. Abernathy whether or not this book should be taught in 9th grade. I think it is too difficult to give a simple yes or no. Our country is in such a state of political correctness that it is easy to go to extremes. There are those who want everything possible to be PC, and want such books as HF to be banned entirely. Then there are those who want to be so un-PC to the point of being genuinely offensive. But as usual, a middle ground must be found. Obviously any good Christian would not run around flaunting the dreaded "N word," but neither can its existence be denied. A book that uses it, such as Huckleberry Finn, should certainly not be banned, but should it be taught? I think this should be decided at the discrepancy of the teacher. I'm sure there are plenty of 9th grade classes that could handle this book maturely, but there are some that it would do more harm than good.

The Invasion

Okay, so I know I already have 10 posts, but I'm sure at least one of them is really bad, so I'll go a head and post another, so I may get a better grade.

The night before last, I watched the movie "The Invasion" with my parents.

This movie reminded me so much of the hwynowhatsits and the yahoos from Gully's travels.

The plot of the movie is that aliens begin taking over the bodies of all the people on earth. And in result there is no more emotion. Nothing else that makes us "human". Yet, there is also no more crime, no more war....everyone gets along. People stop persuing personal interests, and all humanity is a single entity.

My question is this: do you think that it would be worth losing our "humanity", if we get world peace and all that junk?

Another question that this raises......If even the media recognizes that the only way for the world truely to be at peace is if all men lose their own nature.....what does that say of the nature of man? Wish I'd thought of that for my paper....

Since there is no chance of any of you responding to this post, I guess I will just close with my farewell. I shall see you at the final my friends. Come of it what may.

Do we not live in a free country?

On Monday, the Honors class had our revolt as you all know. We overthrew the oppression of the government in order to earn our right to freedom. Something happened recently that really made me question this so called freedom.
Many of you may be familiar with Adam Lambert, the runner up for last seasons American Idol. If that is the case, then I'm sure you are also aware of the controversy surrounding his recent behavior during the American Music Awards. For those that are not however, basically he kissed a man on stage. Because of this, many radio stations have banned his music. This is a gross injustice. Whether or not I agree or disagree with his lifestyle choices is not the issue here. The issue is that he should have the right to do whatever he pleases within his personal life as long as it is not illegal. The last time I checked, homosexuality was not illegal. Why then should people punish him for it? Elton John is married to a man and yet they still play his music. Are you seeing a double standard here? I certainly am. The same thing happened to the Dixie Chicks when they spoke out against the War on Terror. Suddenly, country music stations all over the nation banned their music from the radio. Haven't they ever heard of freedom of speech? Why should these individuals be held to a higher standard simply because they are in the public eye?

Clearly this nation is not as free as it seems.

To teach or not to teach? That is the question.

Should teachers allow freshman students to read Huckleberry Finn? This was the question we were asked to respond to in class. I don't think Dr. Abernathy realized the can of worms she was opening when she said this.
I personally think it is ridiculous to deny students the opportunity to read this amazing piece of literature. I read the book in 6th grade on my own and again in 9th grade in my Honors English class. We had no problems understanding Twain's true intent within the story. Our teacher walked us through the book and we had class discussions on the story every day to get everyone's opinion. Let me make one thing clear though: it was not spoon fed to us by any means.
Kids will be kids. In some cases, no amount of guidance will keep them from being immature about certain subject matters. You can inform the students about the racial stereotypes present when the book was written and tell them that the book is not a racist piece of junk and some will still see it as such. Students see a word they know they shouldn't use and therefore, they use it. Does this mean that the classic should not be taught? Of course not!!!
The stupidity of the few should not keep the majority from reading and enjoying a true work of literary genius.

Prostitution.

Was marriage prostitution in the early centuries? I believe so, because many woman solely married for money, and they only thing the man got out of that marriage was sex, and a trophy wife. Most marriages were set up in order to marry the daughter off into a rich family, so she could have a good life, but it didn't matter if she wanted to go with him or not, or if she loved him. If he had money, and he would want to marry her, then it just happened. I have a hard time believing that the woman openly gave herself away like that, I think it had to have been more of the parents choice. It's just like today, some young girl is trying to hook up with an old guy so when he dies, she will get all of his money, and while he was alive he got her to have sex with him. No right-minded girl would have sex with a nasty old guy, except to get rich in the end. I think that is prostitution, just legal, because it's "love". Either way, it's still prostitution, it's still wrong, and it's still nasty.

Should we?

Should we teach Huckleberry Finn in the classroom and if yes, at what age should we teach it? I believe we definately should teach it, and I don't think it matters what age. I read it as a junior in high school, and nobody in my class had a problem reading it. We discussed everything in it, and I think my teacher even read it actually saying the N word. We did have to have a waiver signed before hand saying that we were okay hearing that word. She just felt that by taking that word out, you were missing the point of the book. She was not racist at all, she just felt that Twain purposely used that word to show his point. Everyone in my class had to do a project on this book, and if I remember correctly I had to draw different pictures of different scenes from the book. But, I still think that it could be taught to younger studetns, even middle school. Now a days, children grow up knowing what happened with slavery, and for the most part, they grow up knowing it was wrong. I think it's a story to be discussed amongst everyone.

Raskolnikov

I can't decide if I think Raskolnikov is a good man. He ends up being a decent person towards the end up the book, but was he always a decent guy that was just troubled? The reason I keep wondering this is because when he has the dream about the little girl turning into a grown woman, it's showing that his conscience is getting to him and he does care about these people. It scares him to see what he had been doing to these girls, treating them like harlots. If he was a decent person he would have never had that dream about these little girls. He would have just kept on doing what he was doing. I think after he realized he had all these people that really cared for him, that's when he started caring for other people. I guess I just refust to believe that people can do things without having any sympathy or compassion.

College

When we were discussing Crime and Punishment, we discussed how Raskolnikov thought all of his acts of murder when he was in college, discovering new things. The college students at this time justified murder in their own ways. This got me thinking- if they justified murder, what will college students justify today? The American colleges are already justifying underage drinking, smoking, drugs, and sex. Honestly, I have a hard time believing that most people at our collegle will justify these things, but for the majority, the colleges of America will justify almost anything if it gives any sort of pleasure. So, our job at Christian college students is to stand up for what is right and what we believe in, and fight till we know that these unmoral acts are not being justified. We need to revolt against the other colleges that believe in these things and put forth our ideals of morality.

Parting Words

The semester is almost over. All that is left is this blog of course, and then the final. It has honestly been my hardest semester so far in my honors journey, and i feel for all of you guys who are just joining in. But let me just leave some encouraging words.

This Honors program is a bigger gift than most of us will ever realize. I know its tough and stressful, but we have the opportunity to think, to analyze, to form opinions, to argue those in opinions, and to put them together with our imaginations an work as a class to make it real for ourselves.

The Honors program faculty, as well as most all the faculty at UM, are incredible. I encourage all of you to, at one point or another, just let them know how great a job they are doing. Realize this guys..they care about you. They care about who you are, They want you to do well, but more than anything they want you to learn and be challenged, and they want to help prepare us all to get out there and make a difference in the world. They dont have to, but they want to.

Finally, all of you are a gift. The opportunity to sit in a class with all of you guys twice a week, and fight through these issues, and these assignments, just to goof off and have fun, to get to know all of you, it's been a heck of a great time, and it makes the class all the more worth it.

So as the semester wraps up, i just want to say, Congratulations to everyone for makin it through this far. Thank you everyone for stickin with it, and pushing yourself, believing in yourself. It's been a good run, and i'll be excited to start over again next semester!

Crime

Crime and Sin. What's the difference? This seems to be a pretty popular topic, and i hate to overdo things, but this is especially meaningful for me, and some of the other sophmores as well, because it was basically the theme of our first semester in honors lit, talking about Socrates and Martin Luther King.
Crime is disobedience to the law of the land, the man made law, the government if you will.
Sin is disobedience against God's law and moral code.
Crime is often times a sin, but many times its quite the opposite. Sometimes, like in Martin Luther King's case, the 'crime' he committed was following God's will and direction for his life.

Glimpse into the Past

So, i was really bumme out that we couldnt build the guillotine this semester, as were all of you im sure. And to be perfectly honest, i didnt have high hopes for the alternative. a public reading just didnt seem as exciting. Even up until 7 on monday, i was wishing we had somethin better to do. One of our fellow class mates told me we should overthrow the final, and refuse to take it. I just laughed it off and said 'it wont work, its not worth tryin.' And then it started.

I cant explain the change that took place. I hope i'm not the only one who felt it. But just standing there in the group, reading, shouting, protesting against our makeshift French King...I go this sense of unity, this sense of purpose. Even though it was all set up and simply a re-enactment. And i realized just how real this situation was for so many people in the past. For people who realized, this is a radical idea, but it is what we believe in, and whether the odds are for us, or its plainly obvious that its a suicide mission, we are going to stand by it and fight to the death.

Today is thanksgiving. Just take a minute and meditate on what we have to be thankful for. Thank God for those radical believers and followers of truth, who gave everything they had so that we can have everything we have today.

My Final Stand

It is finally here. My last post of the semester. Being my last, what should I say? There are so many topics that I could touch on, after so many interesting readings. There was one that came up in class that I have been ruminating on however, and I have decided to make it the topic of my last posting of the semester.
In class, we discussed the subject of prostitution during the Renisance age, and if there was anything else that those who did so could have done. In our readings, we were presented with two very different sides of the coin, so to speak, with Mrs. Warren(Mrs. Warren's Profession) and Sophia(Crime and Punishment). We are told the story of both of these women, and how they came to be what they were. In the end, it came down to money. However, Sophia admitted, even though she was doing it for money, it wasn't a steady income. Mrs. Warren, however, was rolling in it, and yet did not stop because she enjoyed the money that it brought in too much. These two women seem to contradict one another so, and yet, they are both involved in the same profession. And, both claim it was the only profession that they could have. Was this really true? Could it really be that there was a time in our nation that the only way a woman could make it was to become a prositute? It seems inconcievable to us today, but that shows just how far we have come. In a world where the laws are focused on fairness betwixt the sexes and races, so many of the topics that we have covered this semester seem extrodinary in the fact that our nation once struggled with them. We have so much to be thankful for. The fact that we don't have to be Mrs. Warren's to make it today makes it hard to decide if the way that these two women went was indeed their only choice. But in the end, I suppose that is not such a bad thing not to understand.

Is it justifiable??

Is killing for a good reason justifiable? If you kill someone in your defense, is it okay? what about if you kill someone as a punishment (death sentence)?

In class we compared Raskolnikov killing the pawn broker with the American Revolution. However, when we discussed whether or not murder for a good cause was justifiable, no one brought up Locke. Didn't he say that revolution and attack were okay if you were being oppressed? I'm not saying that I do or don't have an opinion on the subject, because I'm still gathering information so that I can form an opinion. I just found it strange that after ALL the time we spent discussing Locke and his reasoning behind revolution, that not ONE person mentioned his point of view during the discussion.

What's wrong with teaching Twain?

When discussing Huckleberry Finn, Dr. Abernathy proposed a question about whether or not we would teach the work to a class of 9th graders if we were making the curriculum. My vote: yes i would.

My mom is a teacher, and i worked at an elementary school my junior and senior years in high school. Simply from my experience of working with the elementary students (mainly 3rd grade) and helping my mom and seeing what she does, I'd have to say that I'd have no problem teaching this work to a 9th grade class, no matter what the maturity level or home background, ESPECIALLY in today's culture. Kids in 9th grade know and know about a LOT more than we realize. They can also understand a lot more than we think they can, partly because we force them to, but none-the-less, they still do. I mean, if schools in California are teaching children about gay and lesbian rights in FIRST grade, then what's wrong with informing of racism in 9th grade? To me, the 1st grade curriculum should be attended to before we worring about 14 and 15 year-olds learning about racism.

Difficult Material

The end is nigh! We have approached the last leg of our journey through the renisance this semester, and we have met many interesting people along the way. One of those that we have encountered on our literary journey was Mark Twain. During our class discussion, the question was raised about weather or not you would teach Huckleberry Finn to a class of ninth graders. The class was divided on the issue, but one of the points brought up was that it would depend on the maturity of the class. It was then countered by the point that you can't measure what you teach based on the supposed maturity or immaturity of your students. We continued on this debate for a while, until Dr. Abernathy said we had actually missed the reason she had asked the question.
How do you deal with sensitive materials in the classroom? Would it be a good idea teaching something depicting slavery in a classroom filled with black students? My answer to this question is resoundingly yes. Our nation has developed a bad habit. We try to gloss over the events in our history that cause us shame as if they never happened. Well, I have news for you. They did. We cannot simply skim portions of history or liturature becuase we don't like the facts. Yes of course, you can and should approach the subject delicately, but approach it. If we try to pretend that our history never happened it only makes us look foolish. It needs to be taught, we heed to be able to see those black marks in our history, as those who forget their history are destined to repeat it.
(Okay, I'm off my soapbox now, please enjoy your Thanksgiving)

Revolutionary Concepts.

The revolution is over, and the king has been beheaded. We played our parts well, and in the end our audience seemed to have enjoyed themselves. But, at the end, there was a twist thrown in for Dr. Abernathy. We as a class demanded an optional final. However, after a few moments of argument, the class backed down, and went inside, claiming the cold was a good enough reason to end the stalemate in the teachers favor. In the end, the class backed down.
How often does the behaivor of our class represent our behaivior as Christians? As Christians, we are facing more animosity today in our United States of America than ever before. Yet, as our rights are taken away, as laws are passed that go against our religion, we just back down. Why? Yes, we are supposed to turn the other cheek, but we are also supposed to stand up when the laws go against the Bible that we believe in. How much longer is it going to take before there is nothing left? What will it take for us to stand up, instead of backing down when the going gets rough? Are we willing to do what it takes to protect our faith, or, like the final, when the going gets tough, or our toes get cold, will we simply back down?

Eliza Rocks!!!

When we discussed Mrs. Warren's Profession and George Bernard Shaw in class, we ended up discussing Pygmalion as well. It was also brought up that the modern-day movie version of Pygmalion is "My Fair Lady."

Well, I have yet ANOTHER reference to inform you all of :)

The whole time we're discussing Eliza Doolittle and "My Fair Lady" and Pygmalion, scenes from the movie "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" kept popping into my head (Do you know where I'm going with this yet?). The movie is about a girl who dreams of being a hollywood actress when she's older, so she auditions for the school musical, "Eliza Rocks" - the story of Pygmalion set to modern-day New York City.

I know it's very random, but if you know me, this isn't unusual. I have these kind of allusions in my head all the time haha

So, the next time you happen to see the movie "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen," try to catch the Pygmalion references - they're there :)

Here's the scene in the movie where they perform the musical (the musical stops around 4:51)

**the most noticeable reference is around 2:31 :)

As today is Thanksgiving, I decided to take a slightly different spin on some of my posts. The authors we have been reading about this semester -Marx, Mill, Locke, Paine, and many more- desired change. They wanted to make the world a better place with their ideals. Today, we have so much to be thankful for, and part of that is due to some of these people.
The ideals that we have read this semester have shaped the world that we enjoy today. They have enabled us to have so many of the concepts that we take for granted. The vast majority of these authors never got to see the changes that they dreamed of take place. But we live in a world that is based on the dreams of those great souls. And that, that is a great reason to be thankful.

The Truth

This semester we had a class canceled, leading to the inability for a couple of our scheduled readings to be covered due to the time constraints of the semester. One of the readings that we did not get to this semester was Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman."
I had no intention of reading this, but after our revolution last Monday night, I found myself contemplating it.
One of the lines that really struck me while reading was " Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him." A more compelling argument I have never heard, though it made my mind go in directions I am sure that were not meant by Truth. The more I thought about this statement, the more I realized how amazing our God is. We have a God that was born without the aid of a human male. A God without a human father. We have the most amazing father in heaven that decided to send his son to save us and we had nothing to do with it. And that, dear friends, is the truth.
(Please excuse the lateness of these posts, Internet access was not available due to unforeseen circumstances)

Adios Fall Semester

To conclude our blogging adventure for the fall semester of 2009, I wanted to spend a few minutes reflecting on our great adventure we have had as an honors program family. We have had an incredible semester here at the University of Mobile. From our start with Kant's "What is Enlightenment?" to Adams "Thoughts on Government" to Twains "Huckleberry Finn", we have been stretched, broken, and molded to truly think for ourselves freely as a class. Although, this has not been a pleasant experience at all times, looking back on it I would not change a thing. The old saying "No pain no gain!" sums up this semester perfectly. Peace be with you all over our Christmas break and I look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for us next semester.

Oppression and Freedom

In Mrs. Warren's Profession, the play presents and ironic interplay of oppression and freedom. Mrs. Warren gains financial freedom and a measure of independence as she moves away from the oppression of her poverty by the exploitation of her sex, which reinforces society's oppression of women. Shaw presents further irony in the fact that Vivie's education has been bought by this oppression, which, when discovered, prompts her to leave her mother and to gain absolute independence.

Capitalism

Capitalism is a social system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which all property is privately owned. Under capitalism the state is separated from economics (production and trade), just like the state is separated from religion. Capitalism is the system the system of laissez faire. It is the system of political freedom. This form of government, capitalism, is the ideal society. It is the most efficient and profitable form of government that has ever been. Anyone who supports and promotes this type of government is known as a capitalist. America is, although far from perfect, by far the best example of what true capitalism is. Although sadly today, our government is turning us away from true capitalism by buying up large corporations like General Motors. This type of behavior is not capitalism. In a true capitalistic society, General Motors would have simple gone out of business, and their shoes would have been filled by their competition. This type of behavior would be a true capitalist society.

But they know what they're getting into...

Pre-warning, I've had all my blog ideas written down from the semester and am just now writing them, so some of them may seem rather old haha

When we read Karl Marx, we discussed a few things. religion being a crutch, capitalism spurring technological innovation, and how labor is dehumanizing. I understood all of these points and agreed with them for the most part, except labor being dehumanizing.

I think one situation brought up was someone working in a factory where there are horrible working conditions and they're treated poorly, etc. My argument is, while yes, they are being treated unfairly, they still probably knew what they were getting themselves into ahead of time. If they knew before they accepted the job that they wouldn't be in the best environment and that they'd be treated unfairly, is it really dehumanizing (at least, on the employers part)? If they know what they're getting themselves into, then it's their own fault. They could've rejected the job offer, or quit once they found out. If they accept knowing the conditions or continue to work there (without at least looking for another job), then I don't see it as dehumanizing. They're bringing the misery upon themselves.

And now for my last thankful post. I am so thankful that this semester is winding down and coming to an end. I never knew that my first semester of college could cause so much stress! However, I have learned so much about myself through this honors lit course.

I learned that there are ways that my brain does NOT work, which is how it should work to thrive in the honors program, but I have learned to stretch my brain in ways that I never have before. This will help me so much in many college courses to come over the next few years. Sadly (yet joyfully :/), I will not be returning to the class next semester.

I am thankful that I will be liberated from the stress that honors lit has given me, but also thankful for everything it has taught me.

I have learned to NOT procrastinate (thank you 12-15 page paper and blogs!), to think a lot deeper, and that I can do a lot more than I give myself credit for.

It definitely has been a rollercoaster, and I'm quite ready to get off of it!

It seems like thankfulness has become a theme for my blogs today. As we read through all of the stories which were so degrading towards women, I realized how thankful I really am for living in a society were women are treated as equals. I cannot imagine living in a time where women are seen as nothing but flighty, emotional beings that are only useful as housewives. I struggle enough when people call me a dumb blonde!

At the time many of the works were written, women were either isolated in their homes or worked in terrible conditions for a lot less pay than men. The only education women were able to receive were to help them develop skills in the home. Women were only seen as display wives and mothers.

Finally, after much struggle, women have earned their place in society. They are now seen as equals and are able to do as much or more than men.

...definitely something we should all be thankful for!

Attemptng the Impossible

"God speed the year of jubilee
The wide world o'er!
When from their galling chains set free,
Th' oppress'd shall vilely bend the knee,
And wear the yoke of tyranny
Like brutes no more.
That year will come, and freedom's reign,
To man his plundered rights again
Restore.

God speed the day when human blood
Shall cease to flow!
In every clime be understood,
The claims of human brotherhood,
And each return for evil, good,
Not blow for blow;
That day will come all feuds to end,
And change into a faithful friend
Each foe.

God speed the hour, the glorious hour,
When none on earth
Shall exercise a lordly power,
Nor in a tyrant's presence cower;
But to all manhood's stature tower,
By equal birth!
That hour will come, to each, to all,
And from his Prison-house, to thrall
Go forth.

Until that year, day, hour, arrive,
With head, and heart, and hand I'll strive,
To break the rod, and rend the gyve,
The spoiler of his prey deprive --
So witness Heaven!
And never from my chosen post,
Whate'er the peril or the cost,
Be driven."

While reading Douglass for class, although the entire work was impressive, this piece at the end caught my attention the most. At least in my interpretation, He is talking about Christ's return, when all the evil and injustice in the world will come to an end. Tyranny, War, Slavery, and every evil that exists. He's longing for that day, hoping and praying for it to come soon. But, until that day, he's striving to fight against it all, whatever the peril or the cost, he realizes his duty and he's ready to lay his life down on the line to do what is right.
My question is this: What drives us? What keeps us at our post? What keeps us from surrendering under the everpresent pressures and struggles that we face day to day?
I wrote my paper on the posibility of a perfect society, and, as i had already believed and known for fact, the ideals that each of my sources and authors expressed as vital for that society, are not possible wthout perfect morality, which is not possible until the return of Christ. So we know that there is no way we can overthrow the evils of the world. Until Christ returns, the battle will never end, no matter how hard we push, no matter how many prayer meetings and community outreach programs we participate in. The world cannot be a perfect place on our own time.
So again i ask, what drives us? What drove Douglass to keep pushing on 'until that day.' Voltaire defines faith as 'believing things because they are impossible.' I know it to be impossile to change the world. I know it to be impossible to rid every corner of the planet of satan and his influences. In my mind i know that for fact. And yet, that same fact is what pushes me, as well as, i think, Douglass. I have a direct command from my God and Savior to be Jesus to the world. To stand up for what is just and holy, and to fight what isn't. And though it is impossible for me to change the world, i have faith that my God wouldn't tell me to do something that is a waste of time.

happy 4th of july..or not?

Learning about Fredrick Douglass' Independence Day speech was eye opening. He called for all people to rethink their independence and freedom. He used irony and facts to help people realize that there was no reason for celebrating that July 4. America was not a free country. People were still in bondage and being treated as animals. He challenged people to see the country through his eyes, the eyes of a slave. He told people that if they understood what was happening and still found a reason to celebrate, that they were nothing more than traitors.

And here we are today, slavery has been abolished, but are we really free? We still have citizens of the United States of America living in the bondage of poverty and so many other issues that keep them from living their lives to the fullest. So, are we at a point today to celebrate freedom?

what is a crime?

Another question Mark Twain brought up in Hick Finn was "what makes a crime a crime?".

In Chapter 20, Huck is faced with a problem. Should he turn Jim back in to his slave owner? Huck goes through the motion, trying to decide if it is morally wrong to keep Jim. He wonders if not turning Jim in will send him to hell. In the end, Huck decides to not turn Jim in and suffer the consequences.

So, was Huck wrong by not turning him in. Was he being dishonest by keeping something that was not his (after all, slaves were seen as property); or was he doing the right thing by helping Jim become a free man?

I suppose that's another thing that depend on your own opinion. I personally believe that Huck did the right thing by not turning Jim in, no matter the consequence he may have faced in the end. Because of Huck, Jim has the chance to live a life that everyone deserves.

Now, if only we could all have Huck's courage to stand for what we believe, whether it is seen as wrong and no matter the consequence. It's a hard thing to do.

a new view.

Here I am, cramming five blogs into a few hours. Of course I would have waited until the last minute to post these blogs, but what's new? However, this time it seems as if this was the worst idea possible, considering I'm suffering from a killer headache and a sore...everything. Can anyone give me three cheers for a car wreck last night?! Thankfully, everyone was fine, and it just gave me another thing to add to my list of what I am thankful for this semester!

Well, onto the first blog...

As we discussed Huck Finn on Thursday, I thought about it in ways I never had before. When I read the book in my tenth grade English class, I just thought of it as a book that was hard to read, and that I was ready to be done with. However, now I see it as the beauty it was meant to be. I truly believe that Mark Twain was trying to shed a light on the society he was living in, instead of being a racist book. Though many of the things written in the book seem very racist, I think they were written as devices to help the reader see themselves in the time and just how terrible it was for the slave population. I also think that it is completely appropriate for high school age students to read. I think that everyone should know how far our country has come since that time. Mark Twain presents it in a way where there can be no mistake made when people are trying to get into the time and society. I believe the book helps people realize how thankful they should be for where we are today and how far we have come...perfect for Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day, by the way! :)

In Hindsight...

Looking back over this semester of Honors Lit., there are many memories that stand out to me. I first decided to take the class because I loved English and literature. I had enough AP credit to exempt but I chose not to, sheerly for the love of the study. This class proved beneficial because it challenged me in a way no other college classes thus far have. I have always enjoyed being challenged and I know that I need it. I have realized how blessed I am to have the leisure of learning and thinking and reflecting while in Honors Lit. I've had to work really hard, but I'm blessed to be able to work.

However, about halfway through this semester, I hit a point where wondered what in the world I was doing. I was taking a class I didn't have to take, studying works I had already studied, and stressing out to the max over all of it. I am a musical theatre major. The whole reason we have majors in college is to focus on a field. We can still be well-rounded but not if this well-roundedness distracts from being excellent in our chosen field. This is what happened to me. In my quest to overachieve, I neglected what was most important, the theatre. I didn't practice as much as I needed to because I was doing other things.

I'm not blaming all of this on Honors Lit. Some of the blame goes to social distractions and decisions I made. But I've come to the realization that, especially since I'm in a major where no employer will ever care about an Honors degree or a degree period, I must focus on Musical Theatre and put all of my effort towards it. I've enjoyed this semester and had fun in class with all of you. I just thought I would explain why I won't be in the Honors program next semester. I hate feeling like a quitter, but I've realized I'm not really quitting. I'm starting again, with renewed fervor and focus, on what matters most.

Huck Finn and Amos and Andy

The other day in class, we discussed the racial overtones in Huckleberry Finn. Some have thought this novel is blatantly racist because of the stereotypes portrayed of African-American characters. They are simple-minded, cowardly, superstitious, and very poor. At dinner last night, my aunts and my dad were talking about T.V. shows they watched growing up. They mentioned "I Love Lucy", "The Andy Griffith Show", and "Amos and Andy." I said something about having never heard of Amos and Andy. They told me that this show that they loved as children had been banned for being "racist." It portrayed its black characters much in the same way Mark Twain did. It admittedly stereotyped African-Americans.

I think that banning a show or book, for that matter, for being stereotypical is somewhat ridiculous. My aunts were talking about how even their black friends growing up had loved "Amos and Andy." It was not offensive to them. Then, one of my aunts brought up the point that she thinks it's strange the way everyone throws a fit about "Amos and Andy" but doesn't care about the ghetto, gun-firing, drug-doing African-American stereotype of today. It is very ironic. This new stereotype seems worse to be because it encourages violence in youth today when the one of years ago only encouraged superstition. However, most stereotypes are based on some fact so I don't think it is necessarily wrong to show that in the media. Those who are offended by individual characters in a work should first look at the over-riding message of the work (which in the case of Huck Finn is totally not racist) before they ban it.

English Teachers

For my last Hon Lit blog, I have absolutely no creative juices left in me. I think ive used them all up in the past 3 days. But still, I write on, isnt that a lesson weve been taught in this class? I will say this, also, about the class. I now know just how different english teachers are than the average human. The average human just is not on the level of an english major, and you can tell. I mean, Abernathy, Schuler, Mitchell, they are all, noticeably, on a different level than the average person. They think different, they act different, their manerisms are different. They talk on a college reading level, most people never talk past a 10th grade level. They drink coffee like theres no tomorrow, a thing I have learned to do in this semester. They read into things and pull out things from books and life that no one else could. Thanks for that, hon lit teachers. You guys are awesome. The end.

I would like to take this blog to talk about crime and punishment as a whole. I personally only read about 3/4 of the book. But what I read and what we went over in class, I thoroughly enjoyed. The book itself, was literally an emotional whirlpool for me. And it leaves you at the end, for me personally, with a sense of hope and forgiveness. The book showed with great skill, exactly what the author wanted, sacrifice, redemption, seclusion, loneliness, hate, injustice, justice, hurt, sorrow, surprise, faithfulness, lust, etc. The list goes on and on. I literally couldnt believe what I felt in the parts I read. It was amazing. Im glad that we read it. I think that it was, possibly, the highlight of the class for me. I know this isnt an intellectual blog, but I felt I should go ahead and say what I was feeling.....

What to do with Sonia?

As we have discussed the character of Sonia in class, I am continually frustrated. What are we to do with this prostitute who in many ways is the redeemer? What to do with this heroine immersed in filth? I just cannot reconcile her lifestyle and her beliefs. She is very religious and leads a life of virtue except for prostituting herself. She knows the immorality of her actions but at the same time is strangely at peace with her situation. I have great pity for her. The hand life has dealt her is more than I can imagine. Who's to say in that desperate situation my choices would not be the same as hers?

However, I just cannot justify her decision to be a prostitute. I've tried to, but just can't. It has been said that she did what she had to do to save her family, that she had no other option. This is true but I don't think that having no other option is a good enough reason to sin. While she might not have made as much money at other jobs, I think it would have been better to scrape for pennies than sin against God. It was also said that it would have been a greater sin to let her family starve to death. While it would be terrible to see that happen, would it be better to put sin in between yourself and your Creator? Could she have just trusted Him to provide and stay true to His Word?

I know this sounds harsh and that I have no right to pronounce judgement on her. It's just a struggle I have with her character. However, I know there is grace and mercy in the cross of Christ that covers all sin. I know there is forgiveness waiting for Raskolnikov and Sonia when they confess their sin. And in that belief, we all have hope.

Ah yes mes amis, we have come to the final blog. I am sad to see it end, but I shall be seeing you all next semester, no?

And without further ado.. Blog cinq:

We discussed in class about Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" and whether or not the work is racist or not. I'm of the side that thinks it is not; personally. Twain was obviously trying to bring pro-African-American sentiment into his book, even though slavery was already abolished when the book was published.

However, that isn't the theme of this blog... the question of if we sin when we break laws is.

I take you back to when Huck Finn was torn between selling Jim back or helping him escape. Huckleberry Finn believed, like most Southerners, that keeping a runaway slave was a sin and he would be condemned to hell for it. But slavery was unjust... so is it a sin to break an unjust law? Even if that law is hindering the growth of society? According to the many philosophers we have read this semester, it is right to break an unjust law. However as Christians, we are torn sometimes; God tells us to follow the rules but like Martin Luther King, Jr. said, it is our legal right to break an unjust law.

I think Huck would be in the legal right to not sell Jim back because Jim is A.) a friend and B.) a fellow human being, capable of emotions. Huck saying that he'll "just go to Hell" after deciding puts the icing on the cake for revolts. This semester has been all about changing society through the actions of the people and nothing sums it up better than Huck Finn.

and now my Honors chums and chumettes.. I bid you all a good night. And to my fellow sophomores.. we're on our last semester of Honors seminars next semester guys.. we're almost done. *sniff*

Prostitutes Redeemed.

Sonia is the only character in Crime and Punishment that seems to bring light to the darkness of Raskolnikov’s world. It is not a priest, a preacher, or a member of the clergy that comes and pulls him out of his despair; it is a prostitute. She sold her body to men, but she did it to feed her family.

Mrs. Warren did the same thing; she sold herself in order to live.

Mary Magdalene is perhaps the most famous prostitute of all time. We don’t know the circumstances of her decision to give her body away; all we know is that she was one…and that she was redeemed.

One of the first two women mentioned was redeemed, as well. One was not.

Why?

When Sonia was presented with the opportunity to continue to prostitute herself, or to choose to give her soul to one man and not her body to any, she chose to change. In loving Raskolnikov – in his redemption – Sonia was redeemed. She sacrificed her old self in order to play a part of drawing him to salvation. When faced with love, she could never be the same.

Mrs. Warren is condemned because she was faced with the same choice; she no longer had to prostitute herself in order to survive. But instead of forsaking her old way of life when it was no longer necessary out of love for what was right – out of love for her daughter – she refused. She stayed the same, and even aided in the spreading of her sin.

When Mary Magdalene stood in the presence of the greatest Love of the universe, she bowed low and wept. As an act of humility, she spent what was most likely her life savings - money she had earned by selling herself – and poured it out on the feet of Jesus. Mixed with her tears and dried with her hair, she surrendered herself to Love. Rejecting all she was in the hope of being accepted by Him, Mary Magdalene was never the same.

She was redeemed. Sonia was redeemed. Sacrifice brought them a new life…a life with Love.

The Power of the Past

The authors we have read this semester have come from every different background imaginable. Americans, Russians, Frenchmen.....slaves, lords, women…
Something that has caught my attention as I process all I have studied over the last few months is the thought of the lives of the writers. For some reason, I do not always look Voltaire as a real man who lived in the midst of real turmoil; no wonder I am surprised at the pain of Candide. Reading the works with the perception of remembering the lives of their authors has changed the way I receive the story completely. It is a powerful thing, reading the life of a person through their characters.

Fyodor Dostoevsky is a perfect example. I can’t imagine how an eighteen-year-old boy could live his entire life with a cruel father, or how he could process the murder of his father at the hands of his own peasants. It makes sense that he would turn to something as evil as a circle of people celebrating demons and darkness in order to seek understanding and community. As a result of association, he was sent to prison and sentenced to death. Reprieved at the last minute, he was banished to Serbia as a convict. He traveled the world, seeing the results of Enlightenment thought and despising it. In the middle of his life, his wife died, leaving him alone. In his life, he faced murder, shame, fear, isolation, crime, and punishment. His first novel is not a fictional story of a crazed man; it is a window to the soul and struggle of a real person faced with the pain of life.

Max Weber was raised with the purpose of making him a German ruler. His education, clothes, friends, family, time, money; all were focused on his future – a future of influence and power. The pressure placed upon him caused him to fall apart. He had a nervous breakdown, and had no choice but to leave the society that had shaped him for his entire life. No wonder, after he traveled to America, he wrote about how people act because of the weight of their eternity – their forever future.

Frederick Douglas had seen the horrors of slavery, of the evil against his people. How could he not speak against it?

Susan B. Anthony was a woman who raised her voice for the rights of women. What else could she say?

These are just a few of many examples of how a person’s life is infused into their life – how their present life influenced the future of their works.
Which raises the question in my mind….what has yesterday changed? What is my present life, our today, going to do to tomorrow? And what about the next day…

Emerson in Mordor

So….yes, I am a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings. Unashamedly so. :)
I am taking a class this semester with Dr. Mitchell called “Christianity and Literature.” One of my favorite classes was on J.R.R. Tolkien (of course), and I just finished writing a big paper on him. Dr. Mitchell inspired me on one of the days he was in Honors class; it was the day we were talking about Emerson.

Sauron – the Great Eye – is the “transparent eye-ball.” Can you see it? Becoming one with nature…trusting yourself…removing all limits and constraints on yourself…self-reliant…resistance to follow…

“Let us inquire then, to what end is nature?” Emerson does not want to know the character of nature; he wants to know what how it can serve him. Sauron cares nothing for nature, people, or even the God of his universe. All he wants is dominion. He creates a land where he sees all, knows all, and controls all with the purpose of one day ruling the world.

Tolkien was battling the 20th century mindset when he wrote his trilogy. He recognized the danger in the beliefs of Emerson. The soul that needs no one besides itself, the individual that denies everything else but what it deems to be truth, becomes the terror of the world. It becomes the evil at the top of the tower, looking at the world with no desire other than to destroy it. There is no good, no love, no hope, and no purpose other than the ring of fire consuming everything it sees…even itself.

Emerson in Mordor

So….yes, I am a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings. Unashamedly so. :)
I am taking a class this semester with Dr. Mitchell called “Christianity and Literature.” One of my favorite classes was on J.R.R. Tolkien (of course), and I just finished writing a big paper on him. Dr. Mitchell inspired me on one of the days he was in Honors class; it was the day we were talking about Emerson.

Sauron – the Great Eye – is the “transparent eye-ball.” Can you see it? Becoming one with nature…trusting yourself…removing all limits and constraints on yourself…self-reliant…resistance to follow…

“Let us inquire then, to what end is nature?” Emerson does not want to know the character of nature; he wants to know what how it can serve him. Sauron cares nothing for nature, people, or even the God of his universe. All he wants is dominion. He creates a land where he sees all, knows all, and controls all with the purpose of one day ruling the world.

Tolkien was battling the 20th century mindset when he wrote his trilogy. He recognized the danger in the beliefs of Emerson. The soul that needs no one besides itself, the individual that denies everything else but what it deems to be truth, becomes the terror of the world. It becomes the evil at the top of the tower, looking at the world with no desire other than to destroy it. There is no good, no love, no hope, and no purpose other than the ring of fire consuming everything it sees…even itself.

Revolt Against Complaceny

This is my last post for the semester!!! : ) I've thoroughly enjoyed the past months. Yes I know I'm weird, but oh well. My personal revolt is against complacency. We have been enlightened by so many authors and class discussions. My goal is to not store this new knowledge away in a secret compartment in my brain only to use at random times but to actively apply this to my life everyday. We are not to hoard blessings, and I view knowledge as a blessing. If we store away the knowledge we gain, we are not helping ourselves or enlightening others. If we don't share this blessing, we can't expect others to do it for us. As a whole society is entirely too complacent. This shouldn't be. Everyone is concerned with technological advances, but there can be no advances of any sort without the enlightening of people's minds. Complacency should end now. There is always room for improvement!

Choice of Suicide

As strange as this may sound, I have come to the conclusion that we are all complacent with the idea of committing suicide. Some people want to be Raskolnikov and believe that they are above the law and able to commit atrocious crimes. These feel remorse after their sin and turn themselves in, thus murdering the Raskolnikov that defines their being. Others are like Svid who sees no problem with their actions but in the long run those very actions are the cause of their deaths. Others are like Sonya who do things because they believe they must. These behaviors seem like the only options but are in fact eating away at their inner beings. Then there are a group who do not fit into any of these groups. They call themselves non-conformists; however, by trying to be different they fall into the usual traps of peer pressure and harmful habits. While following these trends may make them different from others in their families, their behavior is exactly the same as others in their same position. Their non conformity is nothing more than a conformity to suicide. They are actively killing their very personalities, the thing that distinguishes them the most. Lastly, there are Christians who are to die to themselves daily. Maybe looking at this as suicide is strange. Yes I agree, but it is true. We have to kill our flesh daily in order to fully follow Christ. If we are constantly doing this we will in fellowship with Christ and will be able to be used by Him to reach out to those around us who are killing themselves by serving themselves and ultimately Satan.

Dishonor! Fie Upon America!

no I haven't turned traitor to my country for all that I like to speak French... I was merely referring to Frederick Douglass's blunt public decry of America in his "The Meaning of July Fourth for a Negro" speech.

Douglass has a point: If July 4th was a day of celebrating liberty, why wasn't that liberty extended to all human beings? Slavery was and is wrong: We're all created to be equal in God's eyes so what was the South's problem during the years of slavery?? I for one felt terribly ashamed when I read some of the rebuke that Douglass is throwing at the American population: "...and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shamless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival..."

Um ouch.

True, slavery is barbaric: the theory that African-Americans were subhuman is also barbaric which will be discussed in my last blog [how's that for foreshadowing, yes?]to say that a country founded on practical society as well as a "dignified, classy society" to say it is barbaric is really quite an insult but America needed to hear it and Douglass is a great speaker for his people.

Liberty and Tyranny

"We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name - liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names - liberty and tyranny." -Abraham Lincoln

These powerful words by President Lincoln pierce straight through the heart of the matter pertaining to the true definition of liberty. Liberty equals freedoms, and unalienable rights. And when an individual's liberties begin to be infringed on, there will be a serious problem. Or at least there should be. But alas in the day and world we live in, we are slowly having our civil liberties being taken away from us, particularly taken by big government tactics. We must not let this happen, we must stand strong with our Constitution and Declaration of Independence at our side, and not allow them to be taken from us.

"Give me liberty or give me death!"

-Patrick Henry

Evil Genuises Profile: Rodion Romanevitch Raskolnikov

Like any well-tempered English major; I like the evil villians as well as the protagonists in stories and no what Dr. Abernathy says or thinks, Raskolnikov was in fact an evil genius.

Think about it, he commits this crime and seemingly gets away with it. In fact, if it wasn't for his guilty conscience, he would have gotten away with it. I'm not saying Raskolnikov was evil, he was far from evil but at the same time, he thought he was above the law and thought he could commit the perfect crime.

Take this from a Shakespearen connection [since I adore Shakespeare] Iago from "Othello" was also an evil genius. He too thought he could commit the perfect crime by making Othello suspicious of his wife by a few well-planted evidence items. There is a certain flair to this type of intellect; hence the name "evil genius".

Personally, I don't think Raskolnikov was good but he wasn't evil. He was just your average evil genius.

Twelfth Night: "Mrs. Warren's Profession" Style

Blog 2: un, deux, trois, ALLEZ

In case any of you are unfamiliar with my title, "Twelfth Night" [spelling?] while it's not the only theme, has an underlying theme of gender-switching through out the play. [that's Shakespeare, people] Shaw took a bite out of Shakespeare when he wrote in gender-switching during "Mrs. Warren's Profession" with Vivie and Mr. Praed.

Shaw was a huge proponet of women's rights and using Vivie in corrolation to what normally would be a man's language and discourse [dectective novels, brandy, cigars, etc] is his way of showing that society could and would change. Mr. Praed is emasculated, shown as soft and weak with his art talk and fluffy life loving. Gender switching to prove a societal ill is a very easy way to grab people's attention. Such a turn-around from normal society is what Shaw intended to throw into the ring: Finally, someone who wanted to give women the same rights as men... it only took a complete switch of gender roles to do it.

An Overview of Crime and Punishment

Dostoyevsky did a wonderful job with Crime and Punishment. The characters were very realistic, and when I read the book, I totally forgot that is was prose. I just kept thinking that it was real. I really did love it. Now, there were alot of points where I almost felt depressed from reading it, but I still loved it none-the-less.
Each part brought new twists, and turns to the plot line. No matter how bad things got, I always wanted to find out what was coming next. I was eager to see the sunlight in Raskolnikov's stormy life. I needed to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was unsure about how the book would end for a while, but when I finally got there, I was very happy with what I found. I just felt so happy for Raskolnikov.
Getting to the end was the hardest part of the book. I really had to push myself to read the depressing things tat just kept happening in the book. Things just going from bad to worse. I mean, Raskolnikov almost literally went insane from killing the pawnbroker. And then, as his friends and family kept trying to help, he was just too prideful to really accept any of it. Everyone was very worried about him.
But as he progessed through the book, he finally met Sonya. That is when things actually started to get a little better. She was the light at the end of the tunnel, and I was very happy about that. She was the one who taught him how to finally love, and accept help. By the time he got to his Via Dolorosa, he was a changed person, for the better. And I loved that when he came back down the police station, all she did was basically shrug and look at him, and then he walked right back upstairs to confess his crime.
The Epilogue was my favorite part. How he even changed in prison, and how he finally started treating Sonya. At the very end, he fell at her feet and just loved her. That part really touched me. She was finally very happy. They both found love, even though it was under the oddest cicumstances, they still finally found it. And then they both came to the end of the tunnel. In seven years they could both permanently be together. They both finally found Love and Happiness.

Vive le revolution and Truth About Women

Bonsoir mon petit honors revolutionaries!

be prepared to hear from me a lot tonight.. this is blog one of five *looks sheepish* yeah I know, I should know better but as Walter Cronkite said so famously, "That's how the cookie crumbles".

Anyways:

So kudos to Malory for declaiming Sojurner Truth on Monday night. As a middling female-rights kind of girl, I wish we had had time to actually discuss "Ain't I A Woman?" and the Seneca Falls Declaration in full.

Sojurner Truth was a great inspiration to all women activists but she brings up some good points in her speech dealing with African-American rights as well. Even in the 1850's, women were just as capable as men and men did know that, they just refused to believe it.

What strikes me the most when reading this is the belief system these men and anti-feminist women had to strike down women's rights. Saying that women can't have rights because Christ wasn't a women is really illogical if I may say so. Where on earth do they think Christ came from?!? Like Athena and he just sprang out from heaven? Um no. He came from Mary--a woman. According to some theologians, Christ wasn't white either.. does that mean that white people shouldn't have rights as well? Think about it. And as for the African-American side, if men say that women should be carried over ditches and all of that jazz, shouldn't that imply for ALL women and not just white women? God doesn't judge, neither should we.

Marrige and Prostitution

In Mrs. Warren's Profession, marrige is viewed as being the same as prostitution. Litle or no difference is compared between the two, they are viewed as the same thing. I disagree with this though, in fact, I highly disagree with this!!! There are major differences between marrige and prostitution, and they are quite obvious.
Marrige is all about commitment and love. When you get married to a person, you are commiting your entire bieng to them, your life, and everything about you to them. You get married to a person when you have a deep, mature, sense of pure, undying love for that person. You have to love that person completely, and you have to be ready to stay by that person's side for the rest of your life. There is no room for impurity, or adultery for that matter. You must be ready for that loyal commitment when you marry that person.
Prostitution, on the other hand, has no similarity to marrige, at all. It's all about pleasure, passion, and lust. Outside of marrige, these are dangerous, because marrige was meant to be the way to express these feelings. Prostitution is just the lustful part, there is absolutely no love involved, it's all about the pleasure. It is sinful and dirty. Marrige is pure, not dirty. Prostitution is a horrble sin, it really is. The physical part is temporarily content, but the emotional and spiritual parts are completely ingored. Those three parts are only completely fulfilled in the bounds of marrige, and nowhere else.
So, as you can see, marrige and prostitution are completely different. Putting them anywhere near each other is an abomination. It is very wrong. Marrige is full of love, commitment, and purity. Prostitution is filled with temporary satisfaction, too much passion, and sin. Altogether, the both of them are very different indeed.

Crime and Punishment

"Crime is a protest against the unnatural structure of society."

This quote comes from the great Russian novel, Crime and Punishment. It is stating the there is crime because of laws and structure of our society that shouldn't be there. This although might be true in some cases, it is far from the truth of society as a whole. Crime is a very present thing in society because the people that the society consists of our inherently evil. It is our nature to break laws and harm others. It is our nature to sin. But thankfully, we do have law and order to prevent utter chaos from irrupting in a society. Can you imagine a civilization without any form of government? It is a scary thought. No matter what your political ideology is and whether or not it lines up with the current administration, we should never cease to be thankful for the privilege of actually having a government.

The beauty of revolution!!

"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion." -Thomas Jefferson

Oh how we decide to shape our society today. Everything must be "politically correct" so we don't offend anyone. Well personally, I'm sick of it. Maybe every twenty years is a little too much but think of it. I'm sure teh Reformation offended the Roman Catholic church. The American Revolution definitely offended the British. The Civil Rights movement offended whites and the women's liberation movement was definitely not what alot of men wanted to see happen. But did that stop them? I don't think so. We're not speaking in British accents are we? We don't have to pay reparations anymore do we? There are things in the world that need to be abolished and without a little revolution every now and then how is anything going to get changed?
Amy brought abortion the other day and I completely agree with her. Abortion is murder. Why are those of us who believe that letting it happen? I can't see us letting babies who had just come out of their mother be killed so why is this any different? Where is our revolution? Where is the passion that drove our parents and grandparents in the 60's and 70's to revolt and fight until they got what they wanted? Where is the drive that our ancestors had? Have we become so complacent that we will be the first generation to change nothing? I can't help but think our ancestors would be disappointed. We are the generation of talkers and thinkers, but not actors. Let's change that. Let's revolt!

What Makes Sin A Crime

In Crime and Punishment Sonya is a prostitute. But she has a Yellow Card, so technically, her profession is totally legal. The only reason that she does this, is because it is the only way that she can provide for her family. And that is the ONLY reason. She has no lust, so, even though her job is a sinful one, there is a certain of amount of purity that she still retains.
Even Raskolnikov can see this in her, he can sense it. Sonya is very shameful of her job, so she is very shy to talk to people. Rasolnikov still talks to her though. Through her, Rakolnikov, finds his purpose in life.
Just because something is a sin, does that make it a crime? That isn't always true. I mean, some can commit adultery, but that doesn't make it a crime, against the world's justice system that is. It is a crime againts God's justice system though. Man doesn't see that as a crime, but God sees that as a direct sin against Him. Man won't make you pay for that, but God will deliver His justice to you eventually. So even if you do something that isn't a crime, but if it's a sin, you will pay eventually.
Even though you may sin, and the world may not punish you for it, God eventually will. You can hide nothing from Him. Be careful with your actions, and make wise decisions in your life, what you do will eventually catch up with you, whether you like it or not.

Crime vs. Sin

Crime versus sin. What makes them different? How are they similar? This is a theme encountered in Crime and Punishment as well as Huckleberry Finn and Mrs. Warren's Profession. It is in many ways a universal theme. By my definition, crime is breaking the laws of the land and sin is breaking the laws of God. Crime is many times sin and sin is often times crime. However, they are not always the same.

Jesus taught us to respect those in authority and to give to "Caesar what is Caesar's and the Lord what is the Lord's." It is important to realize that although some action may not be a crime, it may a sin. Not everything permissible by the nation is right in God's eyes. There may be situations where God's law and man's laws conflict. While unlikely in this country, there may come a day where we must commit a crime to avoid committing a sin.

The State of Marriage...

Here I am, the day before Thanksgiving, writing all these blogs. I know this wasn't supposed to happen this way but it's too late to change things now. When discussing Mrs. Warren's Profession in class, the issue was brought up of the difference between prostitution and marriage. In Mrs. Warren's eyes, they are exactly the same thing with marriage even being slightly worse. This is also the way Mary Wollenstonecraft viewed marriage. When you look at the time period, marriage had become a very hypocritical institution. Marriages were often arranged based on money and physical appearance. Women were simply trophies. Men were allowed, even expected to have affairs as long as they were kept secret.

With this view and state of marriage in mind, it is easy to see how it would be comparable to prostitution except with less profit, in the capitalist mind. Married women made money and earned financial security through marriage, without love most of the time, and prostitutes made money and earned a degree of financial security through selling themselves, all with no love. With this parallel drawn, Wollenstonecraft and Mrs. Warren's belief is seemingly true.

However, when we look in the light of God's Word, as we always should, we see marriage as a union sacred to God because it is a picture of His Son's love relationship with the church. This is what marriage was meant to be not a facade, not a safety net, not just something expected. This is where marriage is different from prostitution. So, no, Wollenstonecraft and Mrs. Warren got it wrong. But, so, did all those who bought into the superficial system of marriage that was prevalent in that day.

Reflection

I know we werent supposed to wait till the last minute to write all our blogs, but ive been so busy so please, bear with me.

I wanted to take this blog to reflect on my time in Honors Lit. I see many people have been talking about their experiences in it too, so im glad im not the only one thinking this way.

All in all, ive thought the class was fairly easy,the tests dont seem to be ridiculously hard, the homework is easy, the people are cool, the teachers are...........good. No but seriously ive enjoyed Dr. Abernathy and Biskner. And its helped me to think for myself. This semester, if I could put a word to it, would be "Rethink". Lit combined with philosophy has def opened my eyes to so much, and so many ideas. I am def starting to do the, as Mashburn puts it, "always leave the door cracked". Meaning, never think that you are completely right, cause you may not be. Im having a little trouble applying that to the bible, but hey, its something youve gotta work through......

Either way, ive enjoyed the time in the class, sadly im leaving next semester, but its been a good run........

I imagine there will be many more heated debates on what ive learned in this class for years to come. So for that, thank you Hon Lit.

You know where liars go.....

Another post about the right vs. wrong. Its a cool subject, in my oppinion.

As Christians, we believe that lying is a sin. We believe that God hates sin. This has always been said to be a black and white situation. No gray area for sin.

But what about Steve, whose name really isn't Steve. Steve has to have a fake identity and literally live a lie because he is in Iran, building relationships with people in order to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is lying for the glory of God. How does God feel about this?

Abraham lied in order to keep himself and his wife safe by claiming that she was his sister. He did this twice.

David lied to a priest in order to get food and a weapon, and God ended up blessing him through it.

So, is it okay to lie in certaint circumstances? Is it possible to please God through sinning?

Sidenote:In the above mentioned story of David.....all of those priests were later killed for helping him, even though they didn't understand what they were doing.

On Svid

After reading Regis post, I thought it best to write a similar blog, cause that subject does touch me. There are so many emotions packed into that part of the book its ridiculous. I cant even describe it. I see Svid, who is obviously not the best guy, but nevertheless, I can sympathize with him. I see him in a state that, im afraid, many people find themselves in, the lack of love. I like to see the good in people, and I like to think that somewhere down the line Svid was a great guy, maybe something tragic happened in his early life, maybe a parent beat him, something big, that made him into what he was in the book. And then in the section where he corners Dunya, I can see his entire life beeing shattered in 1 instant. The girl that he has basically staked his life on is leaving him, she will never love him. Can you imagine how he must have felt? I can. And then to think that this sad character kills himself because he thinks theres nothing left in the world is, tragic. I say this to say, thankfully, there is a reason to live beyond love, though love is part of it, a reason beyond happiness, though happiness is part of it, a reason beyond life, though life is part of it. There is something to live for beyond those things. And the "reason" died so you could live. The reason's name is Jesus Christ, and he can save your life. So if you know a Svid, dont let him go without telling him.......and that goes for me as well.......

You say you want a revolution...Well ya know, we all wanna change the world.

I don't know if you've realized it or not, but we've talked in class a few times about revolution.

When we say revolution, we're usually talking about an overthrow of government, usually involving violence.

The simple question which I would like to ask is one we've talked about in class before: When is it okay to break the rules in order to change the way things are?

If you or your family is being threatened, how far is it okay to go to protect yourselves? If there is a person that is comitting a crime, and the authorities are aware of this, when is it okay to take action yourself?

Amy made a comment about abortion in class. Most Christians are outraged at this taking of life before birth, and see it as murder. Yet we stand by and let it happen. We leave it to the established government to change things. Is this right? Should we take a stand and do something against the law to stop this? And we should, how far should we be willing to go?

Gone Baby Gone, which is a rough movie and has more cussing than any movie I've ever seen, is my still one of my favorites because it puts you in a situation where you HAVE to make a descision. If there is a man, who finds another man who was a child molester and has just killed a 7 year old boy in a way that is too graphic for me to describe to you, and this man kills the child molester, is he justified in doing so? I mean, this child molester and murderer will probably go through years worth of trials to be proven guilty, and MAY get the death Penalty,It will still be years before he sees any punishment for his crime.

This is the difference that Raskalnikov speaks of between men. There are the ordinary, who wish the world would change, and then there are the extraordinary, who change it by whatever means neccesary, regardless of what the individual must suffer.

I'd like to see Raskalnikov and Rousseau have a conversation.

Corruption in the Church

Wow, its been a long time since I last posted a blog. Anyhow, I would like to take this one to write about my research paper. Its funny how it turned out. I started off writing it, thinking that I would be writing it on Mill and Bentham, NOT EVEN CLOSE. I winded up changing my topic 4 weeks out to The problem of evil. And wow, I had three topics I was going to cover in the paper but, WHAM, I start off by writing on corruption in the church and, can I say, there is plenty of material on that. So im thinking, hey, if I can get at least 3-4 pages out of this topic that should do it. Funny thing though, as I started, I started to notice how the arguments of Paine and Voltaire, who I used as my authors, were almost completely based on logic and the fact that the church was so corrupt. I just kept writing and writing and writing, and things just kept coming to me. In the end, I wrote 12 pages just on that 1 topic. I think that that should speak volumes to us as Christians. You can start to see it nowadays, but with the catholic priests, tax-evading ministers, etc, etc, etc, its easy to see why so many people are turned off to Christianity. Its def time for christians to be exactly that, christians. Thats all I have to say.

Crunch Time

This post is not intended to be entirely intellectual. Instead, it is intended to encourage anyone who might happen to read it.

This has been an awful semester. Probably the busiest, and most difficult of my college career so far (and I’m referring to the semester as a whole, not one particular class). Ironically, one reason it has been so difficult is because the days just FLY BY. One after another they have gone, and now we are at the end. Usually the weeks just drag on and on, but not so this semester. Wow, I just can’t believe it. There is so much to be done at the end of the semester. It’s like it all hits you right when you’re ready for it to wind down. It is so easy to just think of slacking off during this time. It is so much more fun to do random things with friends, watch movies, stay up late, and ignore the reality that is college. But I want to challenge everyone to finish well. Perhaps this has been a rough semester for you too. Maybe it has been long and unenjoyable at times. You cannot go back and change anything about what happened this semester. You cannot change midterm grades or re-write the papers you did poorly on. However you have complete control over one thing, and that is how you finish this semester. You get to decide how you will use the remaining time you are given. It may not seem like there is enough time left to do everything you need or want to do, but I challenge you to just do SOMETHING! If you do nothing, you will not be able to say that you did anything at all. It you do something, at least you accomplish part of your tasks. I challenge you this week to ignore the temptations to waste the time you have been given. Use your time wisely and glorify your Father to the best of your ability. I will be praying this for each of you as well as myself. Again, I leave you with the words in Scripture, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

A Great Work

I truly enjoyed reading The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro. Honestly, before I started, I did not think that I would like it. However, it is so meaningful and well-written that it draws you in from the first moment. It skillfully proves what many people already knew at the time. It is bold, but many things before it were also bold. So what sets it apart? It, I believe, lines up with Scripture quite well. It has more content than just one statement claiming that “all men are created equal.” It examines many truths upon which this Country was founded, pointing out that racial discrimination is fundamentally wrong when held next to God’s Word. “Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.” He did not just come to save some who were lost, but all. Pieces of literature which can speak to these things in an intelligent way are very valuable. I like this work, and am sorry I had never read it before this class. I look forward to sharing it with my future students.

Crime and Punishment 2

As you can see from my last post, nearly two weeks ago I was thinking to myself, “I wish I could just tell Raskolnikov about Jesus and make all of his suffering go away.” It was about a week after I thought those thoughts that I was sitting in Honors Literature, listening to Dr. Abernathy lecture about Crime and Punishment. All of the sudden, I heard her ask something like, ”Could Raskalnikov know God.” She asked us if we thought it was possible for him to experience salvation – or if he would want to. I was so amazed that an independent thought I had had was brought up in class lecture. It was rather exciting to know that I had a reflection similar to Dr. Abernathy’s on a piece of literature. Instances like these are so encouraging. At least I know that I am occasionally on the right track.

As I alluded to before, I quite despise the book Crime and Punishment. I found no encouragement or enjoyment in reading it. Needless to say, I do not plan to read it ever again. But sometimes life involves doing things we do not enjoy. Many times we must do things we hate in order to accomplish the purpose God has given us. If we are His and are walking with Him, obedient and humble, then He will place us exactly where we need to be. This may seem to not apply to something as simple as reading a novel, but God is concerned with all things in His children’s lives – big and small. Therefore, knowing that He cares, and that He knows what He is doing, I must simply trust Him and do my best wherever I am placed. I conclude with this verse, keeping in mind that God does care that I had to read Crime and Punishment: “Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's consent. But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Don't be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Crime and Punishment 1

[Well, I wrote this post nearly two weeks ago now…then never actually posted it. Oh well, here it is!]

As you may remember, after our midterm examination, both Dr. Abernathy and Dr. Biskner advised us to “mark up our readings like crazy.” Well, I am not a fan of all this highlighting madness. It drives me crazy and distracts me. However, I obeyed my professors like a good little pupil and so far, so good. A little colorful craziness, but it will be ok.

So as I began reading Crime and Punishment, I highlighted lines as I read – only lines I thought might be of importance later on. I also followed Dr. Abernathy’s suggestion to write a short synopsis at the top of each page of what’s happening on that page. This was all going quite well. I distinctly remember reading one page early in the book and thinking, “Whoa. Well I know exactly what I’ll put on this page,” and I proceeded to write the words, “Bipolar Raskalnikov.” However, as a continued, I found myself wanting to put those words at the top of dozens of other pages. Literally –DOZENS. What a crazy, intricately developed character! I am not so sure that I like him. Actually I quite despise him. Well, that is too harsh. Really what I want to do is jump into the story and tell Him about Jesus! And then I want to go back in time and tell Dostoyevsky about Jesus! This is just the most depressing book I have ever read. It makes me thankful to know that I have a Savior who covers ALL sins with His cleansing crimson blood. I am so glad that I do not have to live with sin’s constant sorrow and despair.

Svid's Suicide and Human Despair

In Part VI, Chapter VI, of Crime and Punishment, Svid traps Dunya in a room with him. From the look on his face we can easily tell that his intentions are less than pure. He has had an unhealthy, infatuated obsession with girl for the past year or so. All he wants to do is get married to ger, but she wants nothing to do with him.
So while she is in the room with him, she gets trapped in a corner. Then she pulls out a three-barrell revolver on him. She shoots at him one time, but it merely grazes his temple and hits the wall behind him. Then she takes a second shot, which completely misses him all together. There is one more cap left in the revolver, but she just throws the gun away from herself, she tosses it across the room. She gives up essentially.
So, Svid takes this opportunity and approaches Dunya. He asks her with all of his heart if she loves him, or will ever love him. Her answer is an absolute no. This sends Svid into a state of despair. So he just gives her the key to the door, turns his back, and tells her to ga away quickly. She does this with no arguement. He then picks up the gun, ans stoes it in his pocket.
Svid gets a cab and goes to a shabby hotel that night. It storms and has he some very bizarre nightmares. He wakes up very early the next day, and he feels resolute, but slightly depressed. He proceeds to a watch tower and talks to the guard there. He tell the guard that he is going to America. Then he pulls out his revolver. The guard tells him that this is not the place for jokes. Svid then puts the revolver to his temple, and pulls the trigger, thus ending his life.
Svid took his own life because of the pain that he was suffering from. He can't get over the fact that Dunya will never be his. So in order to end his pain, he puts himself out of his misery. He let depression and despair get the best of him. He saw no hope, and when humans see no hope in thier lives, they want their lives to be over with.
Despair and Depression are horrible things. If there is no Hope in life, then no one wants to live any longer. If one faces either Despair of Depression, then one must find hope in one's life, or the desire to end one's life will be unbearably strong. Hope is the key to victory over Depression and Despair. It is essential in order to survive.

What we missed part 1: Ain't I A Woman

Due to dear ol'Ida we missed a day and got behind on readings. While that meant a day to take it easy it also meant that we missed out on some of the readings we were going to do. However, noticing that atleast two of them were posted on myUM and with little idea of what to do for the blog I decided to read them and post what I think about them.

What we missed out on reading is feminist works, and beinging a young woman they are important to me. Sojourner Truth in particular has always impressed me; she went through a lot of suffering and had many disadventages in her life but she was still able to give a world famous speech among other things.

Ain't I A Woman is a very short read. Yet it still comes across as strong and witty. Sojourner gets her point across: despite being a woman, she has never been 'gently' handled having to face the same difficulties as male slaves; and, that both keeping humans as property and keeping women from their full potential is wrong.

Don't drink the kool-aid

Honor's Literature has definitely made me rethink alot of things that I thought I believed. This, accompanied by the fact that my friends are stinkin' geniuses has made for many nights thinking about doctrine, faith, reason, sin, and my basic world view. What is a sin? Are all sins the same? Is prostitution the same as an arranged marriage? Can faith and reason be seperate but equal? Should one account for more than the other? Is capitalism really the best course?
All of these have been posed to me this semester, and honors was greatly responsible for it. I can't help but think because of it, isn't that what education is all about? Education isn't about classes, teachers, great thinkers of the past, great ideas of the present, or great possibilites of the future. It's about taking something you've been taught all your life, and examining it to see if that's what you truly believe. It's about developing your own thoughts, feelings, and convictions. It's about forming your own opinions so that you don't, in Dr. Mashburn's words, "drink the kool-aid." This is a reference to cults that convince people to kill themselves because one person believes they will go to Heaven if they do.
At first, honors freaked me out. As it kept going, I got even more freaked out. But in the end, I've come to realize that while it is deep, thought provoking, and confusing, it's not quite as scary as I once thought. I've realized that the teachers don't want you to spout back the answers they give you. They want you to form your own and believe it with all your heart. What's more, they want you to be able to defend it. They want you to always leave room for more knowledge but to know what you believe and why at that point in time. And though many of my sophmore friends told me this at the beginning of the semester, I couldn't really believe that until I came to the conclusion myself. That, is the point of honors and...more importantly, the point of education.

My Attempt to Think Like a Poet

One of the biggest issues that has bothered me in Honors Lit this semester has been the discussions we held in class concerning Emerson. I've been remembering all that I've learned and struggled with this semestesr, and the whole of issue of Nature and Man and Nature of Man...it still is on my mind. I wrote this a little while ago...I am definitely NOT a poet, but maybe it makes some semblence of sense. Writing is how I process things...I thought, since Emerson was a poet, I might try a little to put my thoughts into poetry. TRY being the key word here. :)

Is it possible to let go of all,
Leaving my thoughts, beliefs, my world behind?
Is there a garden alive since the Fall?
I am commanded to ask, seek, then find.
I must go then; become transparent, Eyes!
The one who seeks not, still breathing, dies.

Welcome me, Nature! I come to your heart.
Open wide, woods! Show me the way to Truth.
I bring with me no book, nor song, nor art.
I want no answer that elsewhere holds proof,
But only the knowledge that you hold here,
That stood long before my life on this sphere.

What draws me to you, Oh Sister of mine?
You keep all the secrets I long to hold.
Have you known since the beginning of time
While I have searched since the days of old?
Speak to me now! My soul burns like a fire
To know and be known; fulfill my desire!

Why silent remain, you whose voice so loud
Rings with thunder and the crashing of waves?
Reveal what I seek; or are you too proud
To share the Truth, locked in your deepest caves?
Please, my Sister, have compassion on me.
My eyes are open; still I cannot see.

Then Nature whispered these words, quietly,
“Little Sister, I am older than you.
I remember the day you came to be.
Yet you are greater than I; you are new.
By the same Creator we both were made.
You have forgotten. His truth does not fade. `

You left the Garden where He dwelled with us.
He made me first, and after spoke your form.
Then He took part of me – gathered my dust
And breathed into you; there your soul was born.
We have been different from that very hour.
You hold his breath, the depth of His power.

He uses me to reveal His story,
His likeness is shown in my night and my day,
But your bear His image – weight of His glory.
Why in the Garden did you choose to stray?
He would touch me when He came to our land,
But He would walk with you, holding your hand.

You turned from the Garden and wandered far,
Yearning for Truth but only forgetting.
Yet sometimes in the night you saw a star,
And you would watch the glowing sun setting.
Your heart would receive a glimpse of its birth,
When you could not hear, He would speak through Earth.

For this reason to me you are drawing,
For you have known what Truth I bring.
It is Him moving me, His voice calling,
Not a new but eternal song I sing.
I am made for His glory to be shown,
As are you, Sister. Now return home.

This is my Truth: He is the same today
As He was in the beginning of time.
His revelation has led you this way,
And nothing I, Nature, claim as mine.
I do not contain Him in caves or in trees.
He made all, rules all, and always will be.”

My eyes were opened, by nothing I did.
I walked out of the woods as a new man.
I wondered at what silent Nature said.
My whole life I had sought to understand.
Truth is not found in books, nor song, nor art;
This is the thought that rang inside my heart.

They, with Nature, bearers of Truth abide.
Al l dwell within the Creator of all.
I asked, I sought, He alone did I find.
Outside of the trees, to my knees I fall.
I bear the Image of Truth – in Him blind.
Seeing with His eyes, more than an eye-ball.

Reason and Emotion in Crimen and Punishment

Throughout the entire semester we have talked several times about reason versus emotion. So, since this is my last blog I would like to end up by showing how Dostoevsky shows this duality in humans and how when an individual is not able to achieve a balance between his or her two parts, an internal crisis will drive the individual into chaos, but when he or she is able to maintain the balance, it will lead him or her to progress.
Dostoevsky portrays his thoughts about the duality of human nature in Crime and Punishment mostly by transforming the main character of his novel. Raskolnikov tries to be a purely rational human being until he is in Siberia. This rational part is what makes him write his article about ordinary and extraordinary men. In this time, he does not feel any compassion or esteem for life; he is just thinking in a machiavellian way. The ends, not the means, are what truly matter for him. Therefore, it is completely logical for him that if one will be able to make a greater good for the rest, he or she will overstep his or her obstacles, no matter the cost. This ideology justifies his crime, and makes him believe that he has not done anything wrong. However, after he commits the crime he gets sick and starts to rave. These are signs of how his rationality is weakening and is letting emotions invade him. He starts to be seriously confused about what he wants to do and what he is able to do. This does not let him reason but instead makes him feel conflicting emotions in short periods of time. It also makes him question himself about the real motives of the murder. His rational part assures that what he did was for a good cause, but his emotional part does not let him feel confident about it.
Everything starts to change when he undertakes his way to Calvary. His dream when he is in the hospital makes clear to him that this superhuman would be a plague for society. If everyone were to try to be like him, it would be impossible for society to exist. Raskolnikov also finds a light of hope in his dream, which is the road of redemption and the possibility to start a new life. This new hope is symbolized by Sonia and the life they will have together after seven years. At last, he is saved and anxious to live because he is able to achieve such balance between his emotional and rational dimensions.