Character Analysis-Abigail Williams

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
December 17, 2009
The Crucible Characterization
Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams is a treacherous young woman whose appearance as the word of God conceals her devilish nature.
As she is first introduced, Abigail is beautiful with a knack of dissembling which summarizes her ability to flaunt herself and tear things apart very well. Her strong personality and overbearing pride is what allows her to bend other young women to her will. Other girls are not the only people she bends to her will; using her overwhelming beauty to lead John Proctor to adultery. In fact, this is her beginning motive for all of the “witch” non-sense. Abigail wishes so much to be with John that she will do anything to be with him: “You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”(Miller 24). Following his rejection, Abigail seeks her revenge and begins accusing Proctor’s wife Elizabeth of witchcraft: “She thinks to dance with [Proctor] on [his] wife’s grave!” (110). The power continues to go to Abigail’s head which leads her to accuse more and more people of witchcraft: “A wind, a cold wind, has come. Her eyes fall on Mary Warren” (108).
Abigail Williams is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. From the start, she a conniving and sly, but is unable to steal her prize--John Proctor's heart. She disguises herself as a holy follower of God, like the rest of the townsfolk, to deceive them. She walks among them, appearing like the exact opposite of what she is: innocent and pure when she is really vile and deceitful. Abigail is forever on the prowl and trying to get to Proctor. Keeping with her facade, she lashes out at other villagers in an attempt to secure John for herself.
A modern day parallel would be from the movie Coraline. In Coraline, Coraline meets her ‘other-mother’ who treats her in just the way Coraline wishes. The other-mother seems to be a great find from wonderful turn of events; however this is a gross misnomer. In the end, it is revealed that all the other-mother is after is Coraline’s eyes.

Crucible Apology Letter

December 18, 1698
Dear Elizabeth,
I know that as you are reading this right now, you are ready to counter and criticize everything I am about to say. But I beg you to open your heart and listen to what I have to say. I am not writing to defend myself or justify my actions; I only wish to apologize. I was stupid all those years ago, when I made John commit lechery. Then I sent all those people to their deaths, by my corrupt, childish vengeance. I find it hard every day to pull myself from my covers, and live with what I have done.
You have no need to punish me (though I do not blame you if it is your desire), I am already destined for Hell. No matter what I do, no matter how I change now, there is no way I can change what I did or who I was then. The demons of what I did, not only to you, John, and the townspeople, but my friends as well will haunt me for eternity. I twisted girls of a young age to become as demented as I was; how many of them will have further troubled lives because of what I did? I am still continually tormented by the extreme immaturity of my actions. I have affected so many people lives, all through one single temptation of the flesh.
I know you were angry at John, but if there was one favor I could ever ask, it is thus: Do not blame, or even be upset with John. The lechery was not even his doing! In actuality, I pressed him harder than he pressed me. I approached him and forced myself onto him, rather than the feeling being mutual. The entire ordeal was my fault, I beg for forgiveness, not for me, but for John. I lied, and by doing this I hurt someone I actually cared about.
I believe that what perhaps hurts me above all of this, is the fact that I abused a gift from God. God bestowed me with radiant beauty, a wonderful gift meant to bring joy to others, but instead I used it for personal gain. Oh how I will burn!
I do not deserve absolution for what I have done, but all I desire is that you know my sincerely apology.
Genuinely apologetic,
Abigail Williams

P.S. - I lied. Everything you just read was an out-right fallacy. I am happy that I got so many people involved; I am proud that I sent so many people to the gallows; I am exuberant that I was able to manipulate people with my beauty. Especially John. Oh, and I did not press him, he pressed me. He wanted it, he liked it. He told me that you were so frigid, he needed me! Do not think that this is the end, Elizabeth. Oh no, I have not yet finished my job. I got John, now it’s time to the rest of your family, starting with your children. See you again soon.

Pride and Prejudice Assignment 2

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
December 3, 2009
Pride and Prejudice- Assignment #2
Lady Catherine as a Critiquing Point
In the most obvious sense, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was a critique on the absurdity of the class system. She demonstrates this through a multitude of ways, but namely one of the most hated characters in the novel. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is the deserving antagonist of the novel largely because of her disposition towards those of lower classes; Lady Catherine is a snobbish, haughty heiress obsessed with the class system. Although Lady Catherine is not the only character of such a high class (Mr. Darcy is practically of equal status), by using an easily-detestable character, the negative points are more easily accepted. Lady Catherine is used because of her stereotypical nature and her contrast to Mr. Darcy. By using a highly undesirable character to personify the class system, Austen establishes her critique with a more substantial impact than if she used a likable character such as Mr. Darcy.
Lady Catherine is the most bothersome, disagreeable character, which is why she is a perfect representation for the critiques of high society. Lady Catherine is a prejudice elitist who lacks manners and a legitimate reason for her status beside marriage, yet “whatever she said, was spoken in [an] authoritative […] tone, [which] marked her self-importance”(Austen 125). Here, Austen demonstrates her first few problems with upper class citizens. Firstly, towards those of the lower class, they are intensely rude no matter what kind of person they are. Secondly, they are aware of their status, and take pride in the ability to flaunt it. Thirdly, they throw their status around so as to strike fear into the hearts of the lower class. However, these are not the only ways in which Austen reveals the flaws in high class society; she also does this through juxtaposition.
Another upper class citizen would be Lady Catherine’s nephew Fitzwilliam Darcy; although related, Darcy is acts nothing like her. Darcy realizes any proud faults he has: “I was spoilt by my parents who…allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing” (282). By placing these two in the same class (nonetheless the same family), Austen not only continues her critiques, but stays away from attacking the entire class. By critiquing the entire class, Austen would be stereotyping because not everyone in upper class is like Lady Catherine. This is Darcy’s job; by introducing him in the story, Austen demonstrates that her critiques do not apply to everyone, only those who are guilty of what she expresses.
The critiques of the upper class can be listed as such: pride in and awareness of social status, stereotyping lower class, ill-will towards that lower class, and lack of legitimacy in their deserving to be in their position; Lady Catherine is the perfect personification of all of these. Austen uses a high class character that is abhorred by the reader- Lady Catherine-opposed to a high class character than can be adored by them- Mr. Darcy- so as to more evidently bring to light the upper class’s flaws. When Austen exposes Lady Catherine’s flaws, there are no doubts in any reader’s mind that she is guilty and deserves judgment, whereas if she were to use Mr. Darcy, there would be some second thoughts. Such use is a clever way to ensure that Austen’s commentary is clearly received, understood, and accepted. In addition, by introducing Mr. Darcy as Lady Catherine’s nephew, Austen authenticates her knowledge that not everyone in upper class is deserving of these criticisms. This use refutes the argument of stereotyping against her point. Both of these literary devices allow an insightful and definitive assessment of the flaws in that of the upper class elitists.

Character Analysis- Darcy and Lady Catherine

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
November 28, 2009
Pride and Prejudice
Character Description-Darcy
Although at first, Darcy is revealed in a light that makes him seem haughty and pompous, Darcy turns about to be a good-natured, logistical, yet laconic man who is constantly observing himself and others, looking for improvements.
Darcy starts out as perhaps an antagonist, by insulting the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet: “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me”(Austen 7). Later it is revealed that he said this because he did not want to seem awkward by not dancing, so he simply stated that there was no one he desired to dance with. Although he was not drawn to Lizzy yet, as the story progressed, so did his love for her. Darcy begins to take an interest in Lizzy more and more, yet she believes that he still harbors a hatred for her after that comment he made around her unknowingly. In fact, Darcy goes as far as to propose to her: “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you”(145); although he is abruptly turned down because of false information of his treatment of Wickaham and the fact that he stopped the marriage of Jane and Bingley. However, this proposal demonstrated Darcy’s character even more because of all the obstacles he would be called to overcome in marrying Lizzy; Lizzy was of a much lower class, making the marriage undesirable, and (perhaps the more prevalent problem) Lizzy’s family and friends are absolutely ridiculous, and by marrying her, he would be related to them. After receiving the ultimate rejection, Darcy continues to show his love for Lizzy by paying for the ludicrous marriage of Wickham and Lydia, which adds another obstacle by making his worst enemy, Wickham, his potential brother-in-law. Then as if it were not hard enough, Lady Catherine expresses her extreme malice towards a marriage between them. And still, through all of this, he continues to grow closer to Lizzy, until finally proposing again. After her acceptation, he gushes to her his love and gratitude for changing him:“I have been a selfish being all my life…as a child I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper…I was spoilt by my parents who…allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing…I might still have been but for you…Elizabeth! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous” (282).
Darcy reminds me of any Grimm’s Fairytale prince. He begins being selfish and rude, thinking only of himself. Until one day, he finds a clever, yet lower class maiden that he must overcome obstacle to get to. Obstacles like dragons and mountains can be seen a metaphorical, requiring courage like that need for battling a dragon, or the time and frustration in scaling a mountain. And of course, the queen will always try and get in the way with her magic, just like Lady Catherine constantly butting in, and using the magic of her position to bend subjects to her will. Yet in the end, the prince is changed for the better and marries the maiden. Sure, marrying someone that is lower class could be socially marring, but the prince will be happier than he ever was, side by side with the beautiful maiden.
A modern-day parallel can be made to a member of my family, Richard Pupi. Although Richard may come off as a bit of a prude with his constantly serious countenance, he will always do what is best for others when the time comes.

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
November 28,2009
Pride and Prejudice
Character Description-Lady Catherine
Lady Catherine is a pompous, overbearing snob obsessed with class and propriety who is constantly getting involved in situations that she does not belong in, all the while striking fear into the hearts of those who should oppose her.
Lady Catherine is the epitome of the antagonist in this story, and demonstrates extreme upper-class snobbery. She is introduced into the story by her number one fan-boy, Mr. Collins, and even then is seen as haughty. It would not be as bad if she was just terrible and mean, but Lizzy never had to deal with her, but her nephew is none other than the desirable Mr. Darcy. Just this relation is Lady Catherine’s biggest problem. In fact, when Lady Catherine hears of a possible marriage between her nephew and Lizzy, she herself goes to Lizzy’s house to try and find it untrue: “I was told…that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would …be soon afterwords united to my nephew…Mr. Darcy. Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood”(Austen 270). Lady Catherine lives by stepping on the toes of the lower class, but this is not the only thing that makes her a braggart. Lady Catherine can always be caught being condescending with obvious advice and mentioning what ‘she always says’ or what she has done for other people; “I always speak my mind, and I cannot bear the idea of two young women travelling post by themselves. It is highly improper. You must contrive to send somebody. I have the greatest dislike in the world to that sort of thing. Young women should always be properly guarded and attended, according to their situation in life. When my niece Georgiana went to Ramsgate last summer, I made a point of her having two men-servants go with her. Miss Darcy, the daughter of Mr. Darcy, of Pemberley, and Lady Anne, could not have appeared with propriety in a different manner. I am excessively attentive to all those things. You must send John with the young ladies, Mrs. Collins. I am glad it occurred to me to mention it; for it would really be discreditable to you to let them go alone” (162). Here, we can see what Lady Catherine said, said she did, and what she feels is proper and improper(*insert peanuts teacher noise here*). In fact, that’s all she ever talks about; she displays her morals and practices, stating them almost as laws to follow.
Lady Catherine is like someone trying to teach first graders manners. The subjects are far too uninterested to listen, but would not dare interrupt because then the teacher would know they were not paying attention. Instead they let her go on monologing, believing that what she is saying will change the toddlers’ lives, when most of what she is saying they already knew. But when there is one subject brave and clever enough to trip her up in what she is saying, she becomes so cross that she cannot come back with a rebuttal, but instead goes on by saying that they should not have interrupted.
A connection to a real life character can be made to another member of my family, but her name will remain unmentioned. She constantly lectures on what we should and should not do, how a lady should act, and what she feels is the correct way to do something. Like Lady Catherine, she will go on long tangents about obvious practical advice, and if you interrupt her, she will explode on you about everything you just did wrong.

Pride&Prejudice Ch. 21-1

Quote 1:
'Charlotte's kindness extended father than Elizabeth had any conception of;-its object was nothing less, than to secure her from any return of Mr.Collins's addresses, by engaging them towards herself' (Austen 93).

This quotation shows what Charlotte actually planned, compared to her previous statement. Charlotte told Elizabeth that she was just letting his talk because that's what he liked to do, but what she really wanted was to establish a more intimate relationship with him. That is exactly what she does, and he proposes to her. This shows a lack of regard for not only what marriage is supposed to be, but Elizabeth's family.

Quote 2:
'Marriage...was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want' (94).

This quote is very important because I feel that it is a very strong argument for what Mrs. Bennet is trying to convince her daughters of. In addition, this shows a relation between the character of Mrs. Bennet and Miss Bingley (which is ironic, because Mrs. Bennet now strongly dislikes her). Both have a shallow expectation of what marriage is supposed to be; they just see it as proper or advantageous, not a way to make yourself happy.

Pride&Prejudice Ch. 17-20

Quote 1:
'He has been so unlucky as to lose your friendship' [...] 'and in a manner which he is likely to suffer from all his life' (Austen 70).

This quote can be observed in several different ways to receive different bits of information. The first would be to see the verbal abuse Lizzy here dishes out to Mr. Darcy. From this, we can go into two more observations. One may be that Lizzy is so impacted by Mr. Wickham and his story, that she just lashed out at Darcy without any confirmation from himself or others. The second would be that this demonstrates that while she is very logical, Lizzy can be overtaken by emotions in a very negative way.

Quote 2:
'I have done with you from this very day- I told you in the library, you know, I should never speak to you again, and you will find me as good as my word. I have no pleasure in talking to undutiful daughters' (87).

This excerpt further characterizes Mrs. Bennet in the worse way. Not only does she finally reveal that selfish marriage was her motive, but she makes a complete antagonist of herself. She reveals that she is completely selfish, and driven towards moving up in life, rather than her daughter's happiness.

Pride&Prejudice Ch. 11-16

Quote 1:
'Mr.Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth- and it was soon done' (Austen 53).

I selected this quote to expand on the twisted idea demonstrated in this quote, and how the same idea is shown in another character. This line shows that Mr. Collins opinion on marriage is skewed from what the established belief is; Collins shows that he believes that marriage is more like a business transactions, it doesn't matter if it's pretty or you like it (but those can be perks), it has to be beneficial to both parties. Mr. Collins' idea practically overlaps with that of Mrs. Bennet's; she uses her daughters' ability to marry in order to have an opportunity to move up in society.

Quote 2:
'Elizabeth went away with her head full of him. She could think of nothing but of Mr. Wickham, and of what he had told her, all the way home' (64).

I selected this quote because I feel it is an important first-time for Elizabeth (at least as far as we can see). Up until this point in the novel, we see Lizzy with this lack of interest in male characters; she finds Mr. Darcy self-conceited, and Mr. Collins utterly ridiculous. Here we see the lasting impression Mr. Wickham left on Lizzy, and we are left wondering if this impression will last.

Pride&Prejudice Ch. 7-10

Quote 1:
Miss Bingley:'I have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish she were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it'(Austen 26).

I chose this quote because I feel it demonstrated an important point, and that is "reputation means everything". Here Miss Bingley speaks to Mr. Darcy about the Bennets and how bourgeoisie they are to by proxy slander Jane. Her goal her is to snuff any flame for any of the Bennet ladies that may be growing in the heart of Mr. Darcy (which it is, for Lizzy).

Quote 2:
'Oh! certainly,' cried his faithful assistant, 'no one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved'(29).

I chose this quote because I felt it represented a theme that might become more prevalent as the novel goes on; this is the idea of an accomplished women. In this quote, we see an idealistic and perhaps far-fetched example of what an 'accomplished' woman would be capable of. To me, all of these things seem rather pedantic, like what a mother would tell her daughter to try and grow up to be. This prejudice (REFERENCES) could be important later on.

Pride&Prejudice Ch. 1-6

Quote 1:
'If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield,' said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, 'and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for,' (Austen 5).

I chose this quote because it strongly demonstrates the character of Mrs. Bennet. From this statement, we gather that she only wants to see her daughters married, without consideration as to whom, or what kind of life it would be for them . I get the sense that she will remain this way and be an utterly ridiculous character.

Quote 2:
'His pride,' said Miss Lucas, 'does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, every thing in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud'(13).

To begin with, I thought this quote would be important because it defines one of the terms of the title: pride. In the world of the novel, there is a twisted logic regarding pride, demonstrated by this quote. What Miss Lucas is saying is you are allowed to be proud if you deserve it, through wealth, looks, or status. Obviously, this is a flaw because whether someone deserves to be proud or not is purely subjective.

The Abolition of Man: The Way

~Quotes~
"Is it maintained that we must obey Instinct, that we cannot do otherwise? But if so, why are Green Books and the like written? Why this stream of exhortation to drive us where we cannot help going? Why such praise for those who have submitted to the inevitable?"(34).

"The direct frontal attack 'Why?'-'What good does it do?'-'Who said so?' is never permissible; not because it is harsh or offensive but because no values at all can justify themselves on that level. If you persist in that kind of trial you will destroy all values, and so destroy the bases of your own criticism as well as the thing criticized" (48-49).

~Summary~
In this chapter, Lewis takes on a different argument, which begins with; "the practical result of education in the spirit of The Green Book must be the destruction of the society which accepts it"(27). Lewis moves from a reiteration, to taking a different look at Gaius and Titus. He writes that although what they are teaching is contradictory, their book still have an end which must have real value in their eyes. He uses this idea to transition into his idea that in order to answer certain questions, they would have to contradict themselves. He then moves on to those who debunk 'traditional' or 'sentimental' values in an attempt to see what would happen if they truly were trying to reveal basic, or true values. He moves on to the same idea with the Tao stating that: "the rebellion of new ideologies against the Tao is a rebellion of the branches against the tree: if the rebels could succeed they would find that they had destroyed themselves" (44).

Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
October 14, 2009
Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay
Martin Luther King Junior’s Persuasive Syntax, Diction, and Rhetoric
In April of 1963 one of the nation’s best know activist, Martin Luther King Jr., released a ground-breaking letter that would stay in the hearts and on the tongue of thousands: Letter from Birmingham Jail. This letter was not ground-breaking because of who wrote it, where he wrote it from, or what it was even written about; this letter was ground-breaking because of King’s flawless use of the English language. King’s diction was aggressive, assertive, and relentless; he made his points, made them seem as concrete as fact, and he did this all throughout his letter. His tone was impassioned and powerful; this showed his commitment to his cause and made his status as a civil rights activist undeniable. Although these factors are nonetheless crucial, they are second-best to King’s other brilliant uses of literary devices and rhetoric. King’s use of syntax is the most persuasive element in his letter, closely followed by his paired use of logic and emotion.
King’s impeccable use of the English language begins with his several varied uses of the element of syntax. A first example would be his use of parallelisms: “If you would watch them push and cure old Negro women and young Negro girls; if you would see them slap and kick old Negro men and young Negro boys” (King 751). By using this device, King brings attention to this sentence with the repetition of certain phrases and parallel set up. A second example is his use of juxtaposition: “The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jet-like speed toward the goal of political independence and we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward the gaining of a cup of coffee at a lunch counter” (742). Here, he places our situation next to that of what would be considered less progressive nations in order to accentuate our misunderstanding. These examples alone could be elaborated on and be perfect demonstrations of King’s mastery of the art of language, but there are more.
Another example would be King’s use of antitheses: “They have carved a tunnel of hope through the dark mountain of disappointment” (750). Again, this draws attention to this sentence by using strong imagery of two unalike things. In addition, he uses a literary device known as inversion. By using this, King forces you to consider a commonly held belief from a new perspective: “One has not only a legal but moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws” (743). By altering the readers’ perspective, he forces them to think from the view he has asserted. Also, his use of cumulative sentences are genius: “I say it as a minister of the gospel who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen” (748). By using additional information at the beginning of his sentence, King is able to strengthen his point that follows. While these devices may not seem as important as the others, this is fallacy. Their job is to bring attention to King’s writing, and for King at this time, he needs his audience to pay attention to his argument, otherwise he will have no chance to alter their views. After all of these, it would seem obvious that King had already proven his point, yes? Unfortunately this is untrue, because of the time period King lives in; he is forced to go on with even more examples of his firm command of public speaking.
These further examples of King’s eloquence appear more than once in his letter. The first example would be the use of periodic sentences; on page 742 in the middle section, King writes an extensive section filled with examples, without the use of any punctuation but a semicolon so that the sentence runs on and builds to the conclusion. He does this to bring about empathy from his readers, because after reading this section, readers will be so exhausted that they will say the last sentence with the exhaustion King feels for this matter. Finally, the strongest and most effective use of syntax would be King’s use of rhetoric. A perfect example would be as King enters his section about just and unjust laws: “One may ask, ‘How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?’ The answer is found in that fact that there are two types of laws” (742). The perfection of this is that it anticipates counter arguments and silences it before it can be legitimized. Counter-argument could be a large problem because people hear what they want to hear, and if King does not address this, many would consider that a legitimate invalidation of his whole argument, not just this single point; they would call him a hypocrite and be done with him. While these examples are all perfect reasons to see King’s argument as a flawless one, another element remains to further fulfill it.
After King’s strong demonstration of his fluency using literary devices, his combined use of logic and emotion brings his point further to the hearts and minds of the readers. In this exhibition, King uses the two differing rhetorical devices in a process that peaks in its effects. First, he bombards the reader with logic; he shows them fact after fact, displaying his view as fact, and discrediting any rebuttal. Next, he uses vivid language, and lucid imagery to heighten the readers’ emotions and get them to feel as he feels. Finally, he strikes with more logic at the climax of this mental rapture, when it is most crucial and his audience is most vulnerable to convincing. The perfect example begins on 741 and almost does not seem to end. To begin with, King speaks logically of why he acted when he did, as he refutes why he could wait. Then, he follows with a long passage of example of the terrible things those affected by this injustice must go through. In the end, he recedes to logically pointing out why it is acceptable to break unjust laws. This passage is an essential part of King’s letter, and while the pairing of logic and emotion happens in several places throughout his argument, this passage in particular is the most memorable and perhaps a main climax of his contention. In addition to his syntax, King’s use of logic and emotion makes his argument a most persuasive one.
King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail is an immaculate representation of how syntax and rhetoric can affect how an argument is received by readers. The application of the literary devices such as parallelism and inversions accompanied with the paired utilization of logic and emotion make King’s argument unbelievably alluring. By changing his writing with the use of such tools, King not only keeps the attention of his audience, he demonstrate his command of the English language, and makes his position much more prominent and actuating. While all this might seem overdone and extensive, at the time King needed to write like this, and nothing short of this. If King did not express himself flawlessly, and make his point seem as undoubted fact, the people he was aiming at would dismiss his argument without a second thought. Although this is a cruel fact of the life he was living, in hind-sight, readers of a later age are privileged to read such an unblemished, ideal argument that uses every aspect of the English language in a culminating progression to be the epitome of an inveigling debate.

Letter from Birmingham Jail Notes

Rachael Kerr
AP English
October 8,2009
MLK Letter Notes

Diction
-Aggressive, assertive, relentless
Tone
-Impassioned, powerful (King 72)
Syntax
-Parralelisms
• “I don’t believe you would…I don’t believe you would…if you would watch them push and cure old Negro women and young Negro girls; if you would see them slap and kick old Negro men and young Negro boys” (751)
-Juxaposition
• “The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jet-like speed toward the goal of political independence and we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward the gaining of a cup of coffee at a lunch counter” (742)
• He places our situation next to that of what would e considered less progressive nations in order to accentuate our misunderstanding
-Antitheses
• “They have carved a tunnel of hope through the dark mountain of disappointment”(750)
-Inversion
• “One has not only a legal but moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws”(743)
• Forces you to consider a commonly held belief from a new perspective
• By altering someone’s perspective you are forcing them to think from the view you have asserted
-Cumulative
• “I say it as a minister of the gospel who loves the church;who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen”(748)
• Uses additional info to strengthen the point at the beginning
-Periodic Sentence
• Page 742-Middle Section
• Uses a semicolon so that the sentence runs on and builds to the conclusion
• After reading this you will be so exhausted you will say the last sentence with the exhaustion King feels
-Rhetorical Question
• “One may ask, ‘How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?’ The answer is found in that fact that there are two types of laws”(742)
• Anticipates counter arguments and silences it before it can be legitimized
• Remember, people hear what they want to hear, and if king does not address this, many would consider that a legitimate invalidation of his whole argument, not just this single point; they would call him a hypocrite and be done with him

Fallacies

Hasty Generalization: Brad didn't apologise after he stepped on my foot, he just walked away. Brad is a total douche.

Stereotype: He's British, he must like tea, talk funny, and have bad teeth.

Cause and Effect: When I pointed at my front door, the doorbell rang. Therefore, I'm magical.

Only Cause: We will eliminate obesity by not eating fast food.

False Analogy: Beating this team is as important assassinating Hitler.

Attacking the Person: There's no way we're listening to Jim's directions, he got lost in his own hometown!

Either-Or: Either eat all of what I gave you, or you're not eating at all.

Non-sequitur: I can't talk, there are no carrots in the house.

Circular Reasoning: He's amazing at all sports yet he never gloats. He should get all A's.

Begging the Question: Well, duh it waz sold outtt, Twlight<333 is teh besttt moviie EvErrrr!!!!(<~~notice the obnoxious instant message language and the sarcasism)

Syllogisms

Correct
1.)
-Yeast causes bread dough to rise
-Pan au rustic (a bread) rises
-Pan au rustic contains yeast

2.)
-Players get hurt in contact sports
-Football is a contact sport
-Players get hurt in football

3.)
-All primary colors have a secondary color
-Red is a primary color
-Red has a secondary color

4.)
-Convex lenses can start fires
-Tom wears glasses with convex lenses
-Tom could start a fire

Incorrect
1.)
-All #2 wooden pencils are yellow
-My pencil is a #2
-My pencil is yellow
~This is wrong because not all #2 wooden pencils are yellow,for example the seasonal printed pencils(i.e. Christmas).

2.)
-The Red Sox beat the Yankees
-The Yankees beat the White Sox
-The Red Sox can beat the White Sox
~This is wrong because this is not necessarily true. Perhaps the White Sox were down a player when the Yankees beat them.

3.)
-Blondes are stupid
-Wanda is blonde
-Wanda is stupid
~This is wrong because not all blondes are stupid, that is a sterotype. A counter example might be any blonde in this AP class (i.e.-Kerri, Nathaniel, etc.)

4.)
-Siblings share rooms
-Jon and Janet are siblings
-Jon and Janet share a room
~This is wrong because not all siblings share rooms, I am sure that several people in this AP class can prove this.

Pride&Prejudice Proposal

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
October 3, 2009
Pride and Prejudice
Rewritten proposal
My dearest Elizabeth, from the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you would be mine. I could have chosen from any of you sisters, but nay. I could have taken any woman where I was from, but nay. I did not want them; none of the compare to your silent beauty. It may seem that I am getting ahead of myself, but that is what you have done to me. You enflame my very heart, which boils my mind, and knots my stomach. It pains me when you are not near, for these symptoms only grow worse. I need you in my life, or I fear they will kill me.
I hope I am not frightening you with my feelings, but they are so violent within me, I cannot hold them any longer. Although I know we have not had too many chances-closer to none- to know each other at all, I want- no, I need- these chances. Please, let us figure each other out, together, forever. I can tell you about me, and it would please me to hear about you: I am a clergyman, desiring marriage to a fair maiden, but shaking to the core, awaiting her answer. Perhaps in the future you might learn more about me, and I might learn about you.
My love, you make me slur my words, you make my heart skip several beats, you make me think irrational thoughts. But I do not care for these ill-effects. For I know, when you accept my hand, my heart will undergo a final surge, and then settle and rest in you. And my hopes will be that you rest your own in mine. Please, I humbly plead, consider me. In being your husband, I will love you, cherish you, and stay by you forever. I will not judge you based on the actions of your family (as did Mr. Darcy). I will never judge you, but if I did, it would be based on you and only you.
I know this all must seem very humorous to you; to think that someone as gauche as myself asking for your hand in marriage. But please, gentle angel, do not laugh, unless in the bliss of pleasant surprise. I am completely serious in my proposal; although I am sure my disposition gives an air of jest. I have, over and over and over again, recited the words to this proposal in my head, but now that I repeat it in your presence, I have forgotten how to speak. I must sound very plain, but all my eloquence is lost after one look into your majestic eyes. So I will take a breath and try once more.
My lovely Elizabeth, my heart goes out to you, pleading as a young lad does for a puppy; only this matter is much more serious. I want to be with you, forever. I want to take your slender hand and fix a ring upon it, so brilliant it seems to be made of moonlight. If you accept my proposal, please know that you will have made me the absolute happiness in the history of the entire universe. Knowing that every morning, I will be able to roll over to your delicate features, softly breathing, to sniff your hair, the scent of angels, and to hold you in my arms, to protect you from everything. Elizabeth, will you marry me?

Pathos, Logos, Ethos in Pride and Prejudice

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
September 29,2009

Mr. Collins marriage proposal to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice was completely wrong; his proposal contained inaccurate proportions of Pathos(emotion), Logos(logic), and Ethos (character).
Mr. Collins marriage proposal became more of an argument because of his unneeded amount of Logos. In his speech, he tried to convince Elizabeth to agree to marriage through more logistical thinking than his undying love for her. Although logic is not a bad thing, it just has no place in a marriage proposal, or at least not as the most of the words. In expressing himself, Mr. Collins made it seem as though this were a well-memorized paper, practiced in front of a mirror, not a heart-felt request: “My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman…to set the example of matrimony…Secondly, …it will add greatly to my happiness…and thirdly…it is the particular advice and recommendation of the…patroness” (Austen). In this excerpt, he sounded as though he were convincing her of a business transaction, not a ring on her finger. He imparted way too much logic for such an emotional speech like a marriage proposal, and did not consider his own or his listener’s feelings.
In addition to overrun of Logos, Mr. Collins lacked a large part of a marriage proposal, which was Pathos. In his introduction, while it was weak, Mr. Collins did seem to be going down a better path compared to the rest of his argument. However, he stopped himself, and then inserted logic which became the crux of his monologue: “But before I am run away with my feelings on this subject, perhaps it will be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying”(Austen). Again, his diction gives off an air of business, rather than affection. This lack of any emotion in his proposal made his speech so bland, and lifeless, that if one were to remove any word that directly denoted marriage (e.g. marry, marriage, bride, the complements), the entire text would be able to be substituted for a business proposal. There are many mistakes that Mr. Collins made in his marriage proposal, but in the end, they all link to inaccurate proportions of pathos, logos, and ethos.
Mr. Collins did not create a very good idea of the kind of person he was; he attempted, when he explained he was clergyman, but nothing else described him or his feelings. To write this better, Mr. Collins would need to get in touch with his feelings more, and less in touch with his brain. In actuality, if I were to rewrite it, I would first need to remove all traces of logos; unfortunately this is the majority of his speech, which would remove most of the text(which is not as bad as it sounds because Mr. Collins is just very long-winded). Then, I would need to impart the largest amount of pathos that I can. Finally, I would need to put in some ethos every here and there because this girl doesn’t really have much of an idea of who I am. After all of that, I would come to realize that I probably would have no trace amounts of Mr. Collins original argument and that I could have just very well written a completely new proposal, but I digress.

Huckleberry Finn Notes- Social Critique

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a Social Critique
o “Aunt Sally says she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can’t stand it” (307)
• By saying this, Huck demonstrates the ignorance of the South and their content with such
o “‘What was the trouble about, Buck?’ ‘…I don’t know.’” (120)
• Here we see Huck talking to a boy his own age (Buck) about a feud between Buck’s family and a neighboring family. Buck replies that he doesn’t know, which demonstrates two points
 The feud goes back a long way (never-ending wrath)
 No one has tried to find a reason to fight (blind rage)
o Gender morality played a large part in the social critique
• “‘You do a girl terrible poor, but you might fool men, maybe…Why, I spotted you for a boy when you was threading the needle; and I contrived the other things to make certain’” (Twain, 72)
 When Huck dressed as a girl, the woman tests to see if he is really a girl with a sequence of situations and judging based on how a girl should act, and how Huck acts. Although Huck was not really a girl, this woman got luck; she could have just had a girl who didn’t act as a girl sitting in front of her
• “I says to myself, this is a girl that I’m letting that old reptle rob her out of her money!...I felt so ornery and low down and mean, that I says to myself, My mind’s made up; I’ll hive that money for them or bust” (188).
 When the dauphin and the king attempt to swindle the young girls out of their uncles’ money, Huck sees that it is just plain wrong to take money from grieving girls who are just so sweet
o Stereotypes were broken
• “It was a close place. I took it[a letter to the owner of Jim about where he is] up and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right then, I’ll go to hell’—and tore it up. ”(Twain,228).
 Huck breaks an almost un-written cardinal rule in the South: if a black person runs away and you find him, turn him in. By not turning Jim in, Huck no longer fits the Southern-stereotype of the novel

The Count of Monte Cristo: Honor

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
September 10, 2009
The Count of Monte Cristo Suicide (Notes)
In the times that the Count of Monte Cristo takes place, suicide was considered an honorable action. By taking your own life, it showed that you had a sense of self pride; the idea is that if you are willing to take you own life, you know that what you did was seriously wrong. A perfect example of this is Monsieur Morrel. Quite a few terrible things happened to him while Dantes was gone, and all of them were out of his control; Morrel ran a shipping company in which several of his ship had sunken. Although he could not afford it, Morrel paid every living sailor on each ship their wages as if nothing had happened. Finally, Morrel cannot afford another ship after his last one sunk and he paid the sailors, so he plans to kill himself and leave the business to his family. While he planned to do this in secret, Maximilian (his son) entered the room and questioned: “‘Father…why have you a brace of pistols under your coat?’”(183). After being caught by his son, Morrel explains that “[b]lood washes out dishonor” (184) and “[he] should be looked upon as a man who has broken his word and failed in his engagements” (185). And he believes, by killing himself, it not only shows his honor, it leaves honor behind for his family; as he tells his son; “When I am dead, you will raise your head and say ‘I am the son of him who killed himself because for the first time in his life, he was unable to keep his word’”(185). In the end, he does not kill himself because Dantes as Sinbad the Sailor rewards Morrel with a sum of money large enough to get him back on his feet. However, suicide was not always an idea implied to ones’ self in The Count of Monte Cristo. In fact, in the case of Madame Villefort suicide is forced upon her by her husband. After finding out what Madame Villefort had been murdering the people in his household, Monsieur Villefort becomes enraged, threatening her with death. He informs her that justice will be done and that “[he] should send the executioner to any other woman were she the Queen herself, but to [Madame Villefort] [he is] merciful! To [her] [he says]: ‘Madame, have you not put aside a few drops of the most potent, the swiftest, and deadliest poison?” (561). Villefort gives his wife the option of killing herself with the poison she used to kill everyone else, thereby bestowing some sort of honor about her. In the end she follows through, but not without taking her child Edward with her. When it comes to honor, some people will strike or act out against other to either protect their own or a loved one’s’ honor. A perfect example would be Albert de Morcerf; he challenges Danglars to a duel to protect his father’s honor: “Albert was resolved to kill the unknown person who had struck this blow his father” (457). This striving to protect his father’s honor made Albert delve into a blind rage. In fact, while he believed that Danglars was the one to disrespect his father, it was actually Dantes as the Count of Monte Cristo who told Danglars all the things he used to disrespect Albert’s father. While this protection of honor was not suicide, it was most certain that it would end in death; either Albert or Danglars would be killed. The dual was considered an honorable practice because it involved facing that which compromised your honor; if you won, your honor was restored, if you lost, you were dead. In the end, Albert does not go through with the dual and realizes what kind of a person his father really is, one that does not deserve honor and to have his honor defended.

The Counte of Monte Cristo 1 pg notes

Rachael Kerr
AP 11 English Language
September 9, 2009
Dantes' Role as God (NOTES)
The idea of taking the role of God came from Dantes’ time at Chateau D’If; being in solitude for so long, knowing he was innocent began to change him. In the beginning, Dantes was a virtuous man, but being wrongly imprisoned led him to believe that God is unjust and not as omnipotent as he had been led to believe. By wrongly being left to rot, Dantes felt that God could do nothing for him. He no longer felt that God was someone to be praised, but to be fought: “I exerted all my efforts to escape it, and I combined all my man’s strength with all my sailor’s skill in that terrible fight against God” (79). Not too long after this passage, Dantes turns once again to God in praise, but also begging for mercy: “have pity on me, oh, my God! and let me not die of despair!”(84). This shows his still strong belief in the existence of God, but the tone has changed to a darker, more ominous God; He is seen more as a punisher than a protector. This angle is what leads Dantes to what he is to become. In Chateau D’If, Dantes learns that he is a neighboring prisoner to a man of the cloth, Abbe Faria Once Abbe Faria reveals to him about what may have happened to him, he proclaims to Dantes; “I almost regret having helped you in your researches and having told you what I did…Because I have instilled into your heart…vengeance” (97). Abbe can clearly see what the hostility towards those who imprisoned Dantes will do to him, and desperately tries to touch and keep that last hold on Dantes’ virtue and level-headed thinking. Whilst teaching Dantes and adopting him as his son, Abbe reveals to Dantes that he has found a hidden fortune on an island, Monte Cristo, that he hopes to escape and retrieve. Abbe promises to Dantes that: “it will be you who takes me [to Monte Cristo]” (114); this means that he will be splitting the vast wealth with (what Abbe refers to Dantes as) his child from God. When Abbe dies, Dantes feels that this will be his only chance to escape and that is what Abbe would have wanted. He plans to head to Monte Cristo and use his acquired wealth as a perfect opportunity to enact the justice that God misses, while at the same time rewarding the good. Finally, after making his way to Monte Cristo, finding his treasure, taking enough with him to do his job, but leaving enough for future use, Dantes returns to Marseilles to being his onslaught of his idea of justice. He is relieved to find that no one recognizes him, leaving him free to enact his punishment. After receiving the information of what he has missed since he was gone (Mercedes getting married, his father dying, et cetera), he is further motivated to punish and reward. Under the alias of an Italian priest named Monsieur l’Abbe, Dantes learns from his friend Caderousse of who his conspirators were and who his first benefactor would be. C Caderousse explained that he took care of Dantes’ father while he was away and tried his best to keep him alive. In fact, in this dialogue, Dantes demonstrates the importance of Christians at that time when he declares: “a man, a Christian, has died of hunger amidst men who call themselves Christians!”(151). This clearly exemplifies that Christian morality was expected of you at this time in history, perhaps another factor for Dantes need to act as God. Caderousse explains that “it is thus that God reward virtue, monsieur. Just look at me. I have never done a wrong action…yet I live in poverty, while Fernand and Danglars (Dantes conspirators) are rolling in wealth” (157). By hearing this situation that is lacking so much justice, Dantes feels that he must intervene and right whatever wrong he can. Dantes leaves Caderousse a large sum of money as to make him equal to the wicked in reward.

Huckleberry Finn Essay

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
August 24, 2009
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay
The Mississippi as a Guide to Human Understanding
Life: it is the series of years in which we age, learn, and change based on the people we meet. In literature, life is usually shown through an extended metaphor. Perhaps it is a winding road with twists and detours, along with some helpful and hurtful people. If not a road, maybe it is an ocean, with an ever-changing tide, unpredictable tempests, and convenient fishing boats with good people on them. In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, life is symbolized as the Mississippi River. While riding on this river, Huck meets many new people, and is able to learn about his culture and the ignorance he has inherited. Throughout this journey, he comes to a greater human understanding. Huck is able to experience life and disinherit the bigotry of his culture through his journey along the Mississippi River and the people he meets along the way.
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses the Mississippi River as a metaphor for human life. He showed that life can be extremely unpredictable by sending unforeseen circumstances Huck’s way. More than once, the raft he was riding had floated away, it had broken, and he had also fallen off. In addition, he also used the river to symbolize choices. Although the river did not branch off, there were choices one must make, like veering to the left or right side perhaps. Huck faced this when he contemplated about turning Jim in; “It was a close place. I took it[a letter to the owner of Jim about where he is] up and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right then, I’ll go to hell’—and tore it up. ”(Twain,228). Also, on a river a traveler is away from other people, free to be who they want and make their own decisions, thus representing freedom. This freedom is exactly what Huck wished to have, and he expresses it when he says: “You feel mighty free…on a raft” (128). Finally, by using a river, Twain demonstrated partial predictability. A river, like life, can be predetermined if the observer is wise enough. If you watch a river for a long enough time, you begin to notice patterns; the same can be said for life.
While riding down the river, Huck comes across many kinds of people, each being extreme in their quirks and thereby easy to identify. For example, the dauphin and the duke were professional con-men. By making them professionals, they are able to make acts of extreme embezzlement, thus making it obvious what they represent (greed). Another example would be the Grangerfords. After being welcomed into their home for not being of a particular family, Huck learns of a family feud. Another local family, the Sheperdsons, and the Grangerfords have been fighting for many generations; many are killed including two boys around Huck’s age. One of the boys that was killed, Buck, had told Huck that he did not know exactly why this feud existed, only that it did: “ ‘What was the trouble about, Buck?’ ‘…I don’t know.’” (120). This clearly represents blind vengeance and wrath. Each person that Huck comes across helps shape him in some way, and in the end they are a large part of who he becomes.
By traveling down this river, Huck was able to see through the ignorance of the people around him. For one, he was able to see Jim as a regular person, not just as a black slave. By spending time on the raft in a place away from the bigotry of the South, Huck was able to learn who Jim really was as a person. In addition, he also learns there are some people you can trust, like Mrs. Judith Loftus. However, there are people you cannot trust, like the dauphin and duke. Finally, he realized his sense of adventure and natural curiosity is a great tool that he should never let go of: “Aunt Sally says she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can’t stand it” (307). By going on this adventure, he was practically able to see an entire myriad of people, places, and situations that can span a lifetime. By questioning what he was taught, he was able to become his own person, not who everyone else wanted him to be.
After his journey down the Mississippi, Huck learns not only about ignorance, but about himself and other people. In the end, Huck learns that many people you meet in life will come and go. Although you might stay with a newer group of people for a long time, you will always end up with the people you started with. Huck was able to experience life and disinherit the bigotry of his culture through his journey along the Mississippi River and the people he meets along the way. When all his adventures were finished, Huck realized many things. He realized the color of your skin does not determine who you are; by not turning Jim in and actually setting him free, he gains a powerful friend. He also realized that who you are is your decision. Granted he was still a kid, but by going on this journey, he practically saw an entire lifetime of people to trust, avoid, and ignore. Many metaphors could be used in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but Mark Twain’s choice was the best. By using a river, the metaphor was subtle because rivers are common in the South. Though subtle, the message was strong because life is just like a river; the water is constantly changing, but to the trained eye, patterns immerge.

The Great Gatsby Essay Prompt 1

Rachael Kerr
English AP 11
August 1, 2009
The Great Gatsby

Corruption and the American Dream

When the United States of America was settled, a document was written proclaiming each person’s rights to ‘life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness’. However, as time went on, people began to lose sight of their pride and morals; everything came down to reputation and the almighty dollar. At the time, those that were involved thought nothing of it, but that does not mean anyone thought it strange later on. In fact, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a famous book on this subject, entitled The Great Gatsby. In this book, Fitzgerald introduces the narrator, Nick Carraway, to several characters undergoing this moral change, which allows him to articulate the corruption of a once wonderful thing. By using Nick as an uncorrupted observer and introducing him to corrupted characters, Fitzgerald demonstrates the twisted idea of the new American dream.
One of the most influential objects in this changing time of the 1920s was money. Everyone began to drop the idea of doing your job for enough money to live comfortably, and adopting the idea that illegal means such as bootlegging alcohol are ways to acquire enough money to become extravagantly wealthy. In fact, this was the plan for Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby. After spending years under his employer, he made a pact to spending the rest of his life to earning vast amounts of wealth, even if that meant turning to a life of crime. Later in the novel, it is revealed to the readers that Gatsby did this to win back the love of Daisy, Nick’s cousin and wife of Tom Buchanan. While Tom is confronting an affair between Daisy and Gatsby he blurts out this secret about Gatsby: “He…bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores…and sold grain alcohol over the counter[illegal at the time]”(Fitzgerald, 133). This is a very clear demonstration of tainted morals and thinking; Gatsby gave up his self-respect to turn to a life of crime, and Daisy rid herself of morals to only marry a man for his money because of her greed. However, they are not alone in their negative transformation.
Daisy and Gatsby are not the only two in The Great Gatsby with confused and misled morals. While Daisy was having an affair with Gatsby, her husband was not being faithful either; Tom was seeing another woman named Myrtle Wilson. While this is another example of corrupted morals, there is more to be seen from it. When Tom finds out about Daisy’s affair, he angrily forces a confrontation, thus making him a hypocrite because he was having one himself (and with a married woman no less). Also, as if dual affairs were not bad enough, both of them almost have no shame in revealing it. With Daisy, when her husband leaves the room and Gatsby is there, she will begin to kiss him, even though Tom is just in the other room: “As [Tom] left the room again, [Daisy] got up went over to Gatsby…kissing him on the mouth” (116). Then with Tom, he invites Nick to see his mistress one day when he goes off to visit her. In addition, Daisy and Tom’s marriage is the epitome of ‘shallow’; neither of them could be considered ‘good people’, but they married one another over their obsessions and corruption. Daisy only loved men if they had money, making her shallow, but she is unbelievably beautiful. Tom is a controlling, violent, sexist, hypocritical bully, all of which would make him undesirable, except for the fact that he has a vast fortune. These two characters’ small perks are what attract one to the other, but because they feel nothing for one another, they resort to adultery.
As we can gather from main character’s morals, the idea of being dishonest and cheating (both in the sense of relationships and rules) is a completely understandable one. The addition of another character furthers this theme: Jordan Baker, a beautiful woman, one famous for winning golf tournaments. At first, she seems completely fine; she tries to begin a romantic relationship with Nick, and she is unmarried. Later on, though, we learn that she might not be as great at golf as we had previously assumed. It is told that she cheated to win her first tournament, and that she continually bends the truth. In the beginning, Nick can already tell what kind of person she is, but he chooses to allow a close relationship because he believes “Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply” (58). In fact he goes on saying he actually felt sorry for her, and then forgot about it all together; this shows us what kind of character Nick is and how he is important. He can judge people fairly, while not seeming insane and obsessing over one person, and by abstaining from that, readers can understand him and trust his judgment.
Nick Carraway is not only the narrator of The Great Gatsby, but perhaps the most important character besides Gatsby himself. Nick has the job of the observer; he is there to be a ‘control’ character. The story is told from his point-of-view because he is not corrupted, thus he sees corruption clearly. Also, probably the most important part of Nick’s character is the fact that he is not from where the other characters are. Every other character had lived in the New York area for a multitude of years, giving the corruption time to settle. So because he is not corrupted, Nick understands what the characters do as strange and negative. In addition to not only being new to the area, readers ascertain the idea that Nick is a good judge of character because of the fact that he can look at himself and find flaws: “Every one suspects himself of at least one the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I [Nick] am one of the few honest people I know” (59).
In The Great Gatsby, the decline of the American dream is clearly exemplified by F. Scott Fitzgerald. By juxtaposing an innocent character with corrupted characters, Fitzgerald makes readers concentrate on the actions and morals themselves, not the characters. By using Nick as a narrator, readers are allowed to look at the tainted morals with their own judgment; opposed to if the narrator was a corrupted character, which would have the narrator justifying the twisted beliefs of the characters. By using Nick as an uncorrupted observer and introducing him to corrupted characters, Fitzgerald demonstrates the twisted idea of the new American dream. Each character in the novel represented a different type of moral change: Daisy demonstrated greed by only marrying rich men, Tom showed disloyalty by having an affair, Jordan was dishonest by cheating to win gold tournaments, and Gatsby showed lack of pride in himself and his country by turning to illegal means for money. When our founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence, they set a goal for each citizen: ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ Time soured this beautiful dream, and it was tainted with all the negative wants and needs of those who lost sight of what was really right.

The Count of Monte Cristo Essay

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
July 15, 2009
Summer Reading- The Count of Monte Cristo
Prompt 3-Man as God
God is our omniscient, omnipotent judge. It is believed that He shall enact good onto the righteous, and punish the wicked. But can all that power be held by anyone else? More specifically: can human beings do God’s job? When human beings get angry with God; sometimes it is about punishment not deserved, others, it is about punishment not served, they become angry. When punishment is not felt by those who a man feels it should, that man can become frustrated and take matters into his own hands. That man is Edmond Dantes, and that text is The Count of Monte Cristo. Dantes enacts revenge a surplus of times, in several different roles, each trying to imitate the Providence of God. In The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas articulates his belief that man cannot play God in a multitude of ways, like Dantes’ failure, and warning made to him by other characters such as Abbe Faria.
The Count of Monte Cristo is written and read in a way that it is acknowledged as an intellectual quandary. While reading, a reader muses upon the question “Can a man assume God’s role?” This creates a great debate for there is plenty of information for a refuting side, and a supporting side. A reader that believes God can be played by a man would the examples of Dantes’ Providence. Dantes rewards people that showed kindness, respect, and honor, therefore being ‘good’, like Morrel and his family, and punished those who were greedy, selfish, and wicked, thus deemed ‘bad’, like Fernand and Danglars. On the other hand, a reader that believes a man cannot play God would use examples of Dantes’ failures. For example, when Dantes reveals Valentine’s murder as Madame Villefort, Monsieur Villefort becomes enraged. He finds his wife and tells her to kill herself using the poison she used on Valentine. When she does, she also uses it on her son, stating in her death letter “A good mother never leaves her son!”(Dumas, 565). This innocent child’s death could only be foreseen thus avoided, by the true God. This shows that a man cannot play God because of his lack of foresight.
This argument of whether or not man can act as God is very clearly reflected on by its author, Alexandre Dumas, by using quite a few events to show how man cannot play God. If Dumas wanted to make it seem as though humans could be God, he would have made Edmond’s plan go off with no ill-effects. However, he made it that the most innocent by-stander, Edward Villefort, was killed by Dantes’ lack of omniscience. By making the victim a child, Dumas furthers the point of innocence. Thus because of the child’s age, Edward could not have been born while Dantes was still free, thereby providing him with a very good reason of why he deserves no punishment.
Another way Dumas present this idea is through actual character dialogue. When Abbe Faria reveals to Dantes that he was framed to go to jail, Faria watches a change take place in Dantes. Realizing what he has done, Faria expresses to Dantes: “I almost regret having helped you in your researches and having told you what I did…Because I have instilled into your heart a feeling that previously held no place there-vengeance” (97). By using Abbe Faria, who was a man of God, Dumas shows that playing God may sound like a brilliant idea to anyone naïve enough to believe they could control that kind of power, but to an experience person, it is obviously dangerous. In addition, even the man who became God realized what he did was wrong. In his farewell letter to Maximilian, Dantès writes “pray for a man [himself] who…believed for one moment he was the equal of God, but who now acknowledges in all Christian humility that in God alone is supreme power and infinite wisdom” (590). By making the man who attempted to become God fail and realize why he failed, Dumas hammers home the point that man cannot be God.
By using the hints given by Dumas, a reader can infer that human beings cannot be God. No one person with a life of their own can handle the amount of power God has without misusing it, and this is for a multitude of reasons. One is because we live a life of our own; we all have biased versions of our lives. We see that we can do no wrong, and that every being that does wrong to us deserves punishment. Our ‘just deserts’ would have no positive effects for anyone but ourselves for our own selfish reasons. In contrast, God knows whether or not people deserve punishment because he has no connection to them or their situation. Additionally, God is omnipotent, therefore He can see what will affect who in what way, and whether or not those involved deserve what will happen. Whereas human beings have limited foresight of their actions and cannot be sure whose lives they will affect. Finally, a man playing God would have to lose all feeling to become God. Dantes came extremely close to this, due to his time in solitude. He had lost all connection with the outside world, thus becoming emotionally numb. However, the feeling that still lingered, vengeful, bitter hate, was stronger than most other feelings, and clouded his judgment; “His gloom gave way to wrath. He began to roar out blasphemies which even made his gaoler recoil with horror” (79). While it may seem almost inexistent, this one feeling is what would prove to be Dantes’ downfall.
We see this inability to be God in the novel, when Dantes gets so excited with his complicated revenge plan, that he forgets the one thing that used to mean the most to him, Mercédès. She had done nothing against Dantes; she did not conspire against him, and when he was arrested, she prayed to God for Dantes’ safety. In the end, she was not rewarded; Dantes did not come back to marry her, but to punish her husband. She and her son, Albert, left her husband, but then Albert left Mercedes to a life of poverty and sorrow to join the military. It is shown Dantes no longer cares for Mercedes when he says to her: “Mercedes is dead, madame. I know no one now of that name” (469). He clearly recognizes the woman before him as his previous bride-to-be, but by calling her dead to him, he expresses his lack of compassion towards her. Another reason man cannot play God is because a man playing the role of Providence would exact his revenge, and then forget to reward those who deserve such.
Man cannot play God; The Count of Monte Cristo clearly proves this point. By taking it upon oneself to be God, one would have to have no feelings to cloud judgment, there could be no connection to those one was to judge, and one would need to posses divine foresight to assure that no one innocent would be affected. Dantes was lacking in all of these needs, which is why he failed at playing God. The mistake of killing an innocent child makes him no better than the people he is punishing. Up until the death of Edward in the book, it seemed like Dantes was righteous, and almost God-like, but after, even Dantes begins to question himself; “Realizing that he[Dantes] had passed beyond the bounds of vengeance, he felt he could no longer say: ‘God is for me and with me’”(567). This book, because of it many examples of man prevailing and failing to be God could be used as an intellectual quandary, but ultimately, the author wanted to reflect that man could not be God. In The Count of Monte Cristo “all human wisdom is contained in these words: Wait and hope!”(590).

Native Son p.286-340

Quote
"This white man believed in him, and the moment he felt that belief he felt guilty again."(289).

Significance
I chose this because it shows that Bigger does, in fact, continue to feel guilt over what he had done. This will help him in understanding the world he is in. He no longers sees the white people as an unstoppable force, but as individuals, some helpful, some hurtful.

Question
Will Jan stop racism as a self-fulfilling prophecy because of his understanding for blacks?

Native Son p.241-270

Quote
"Maybe all of the black men and women were talking about him this morning; maybe they were hating him for having brought this attack upon them" (246).

Significance
I chose this quote becuase it seems to me that this is the first time Bigger really thinks about how his actions have impacted other. This can be seen as the first time he feels remorse. This is important because this will begin to break down the white force into separate people.

Question
Will Bigger continue to feel bad about what he did?

Native Son to p.381

Quote
" said one of the professors who requested tha his name not be mentioneed in connection with the case," (366).

Significance
I chose this quote because it made me wonder "why?" Why does he not want to be named? For fear of being hated? By whom? Is he scared that all black people are like Bigger and will murder when angered? Does this make racism self-fulfilling or just forcefuly filled? Is it filled on it's own without thought, or is is filled by people shoving everyone into stereotypes?

Question
On page 373, Buckley says "I'm very sorry Your Honor, I was laboring under too much emotion. I merely wanted to impress the Court with the urgency of this situation". Is this a connection to Bigger made by Wright? A connection of how Bigger acts when he has too much emotion? Or is it not because Buckley can express himself, unlike Bigger?

Native Son to p.363

Quote
"[Bigger] paused again, wondering about the man [Max] who had just left, amazed at how friendly he acted. for a fleeting moment, while the man had been in his cell, he had not felt apprehensive, cornered. The man had acted straight, matter-of-fact. It was something he could not understand" (341).

Significance
I chose this because it represents Bigger's main problem. Bigger cannot understand how a white person does not have to be part of this 'great force' he is used to. He is so used to be hated by every white person he sees, it doesn't make sense how some white people he meets are not like that. This quote could also be taken a different way. The reader could also see it as 'he cannot accept what he is seeing because if he does, he will be forced to face the wrong he has done."

Question
Will Max help Bigger to break this misunderstanding of white people as an 'unstoppable force'?

Native Son to p.270

Quote
"He [Bigger] felt his right hand with his left; but even that did not tell him anything. his right hand was so cold that all he felt was one cold piece of flesh touching another" (261).

Significance
I chose this because I feel it represents an overall metaphor for this book [Flight]. This metaphor is that the snow causes him to lose all feeling. And by 'snow' I mean 'white people'. Bigger no longer feels the most basic emotions like guilt, regret, and loyalty. The white world is numbing his ability to feel and to sense. They force him into bad situtations, so he has no choice but to stop feelings, because it is either stop feeling, or face what a terrible situtaion he is really in.

Question
Which title will affect Bigger the most when he is given a trial (if one): 'Murderer', 'Rapist', or 'Negro'? Why?

Native Son to p.209

Quote
"The big white cat bounded down the steps and leaped woth one movemment upon Bigger's shoulder and sat perched there. Bigger was still, feeling that the cath had given him away, had pointed him out as the murderer of Mary" (202).

Significance
I chose this because I think this cat might be Bigger's down fall. The cat was the only one to see him actually kill Mary. While the cat cannot talk, seeing how Bigger reacted to the cat just sitting on him, I think that just the fear of the cat might betray him. How exactly, I do not know. But authors do not do thing on accident; it was no coincidence that the cat was there when Bigger shoved Mary into the furnace.

Question
When the cat hopped on Bigger's shoulder, did it really betray him? Will he try and rid the cat so he will not be found out?

Native Son to p.186

Quote
"Bigger felt guilty;...Yet he knew of no way to atone for his guilt; he felt he had to act as he was acting"(171).

Significance
I chose this because this is a clear foreshadowing. Here, Bigger finally feels remorse for not only what he did but what he is continuing. He knows that Jan was completely innocent, all he tried to do was to be kind to Bigger. Bigger doesn't want to get Jan in trouble, but he needs to save his own skin. And in order to do that, he must make Jan out to be the murder. But the guilt is finally hitting him.

Question
Will this be the last episode of guilt Bigger experiences or will it become too much to bear?

Native Son p.163

Quote
"He[Bigger] was moving away from the threatening penalty of death, from the deathlike times that brought him that tightness and hotness in his chest; and he was moving toward that sense of fullness he had so often but inadequately felt in magazines and movies"(149-150).

Significance
This clearly marks where Bigger was coming from and where he is going. He was a very timid and frightened black man in a white world. But now, since he had killed Mary, he felt right. He felt like he has a purpose and that he has power.

Question
Will Bigger do something stupid and get caught?

Native Son to p.140

Quote
"It was the first time he had ever been in their[Jack,Gus,G.H.] presence with feeling fearful. He was following a strange path into a strange land and his nerves were hungry to see where it led" (113).

Significance
This is a significant passage because this is a starting point for Bigger's change. Here, he does not feel scared in front of his friends because he knows he did something hey could never do. He broke a taboo, he killed a white woman.

Question
Will this success of killing a white woman and getting away with it(so far) go to his head?

Native Son to p.94

Quote
"But she[Mary] was beautiful, slender, with an air that made him feel that she did not hate him with the hate of the other white people. But, for all of that, she was white and he hated her" (82).

Significance
I chose this quote becuase I feel it shows one of the themes of the first book. That theme is the self-fulfilling prophecy of racism. Even though he think that Mary doesn'ty hate him because he is black, unlike every other white he is used to, he still hates her. This is because of the prophecy that black are supposed to hate whites.

Question
How soon will it take for someone to catch Bigger in his act of accidental murder? When he is caught, will his trial be fair (if he gets one at all)?

Native Son to p.77

Quote
"This would be an easy life. Everything would be alright,except that gril" (59).

Significance
I feel this is a very strong continuation of the previous foreshadowing. Something is definatlely going to happen between Bigger and Mary that will be a big problem for Bigger. I think she is goingto get a little to close to Bigger and he is going to mad a bad decision about her. Whether accepting her or rejecting her is worse, I don't know.

Question
How will Jack react to Bigger now that he saw him with white people? Will it be the same for Bessie?

Native Son to p.53

Quote
"Doc laughed. Jack and G.H. laughed" (39).

Significance
To give context to this quote, this is after the point where Bigger had pulled a knifge on Gus and forced it to his neck, mouth, and stomach. This is significant becuase I feel this reveals Bigger's character a little bit, as well as how the other characters perceive him. The fight between Gus and Bigger was a very serious matter; Bigger had assulted Gus without notice, and then pulled a knife on him. Yet, the very people who are both friends of these people stand there, laugh, and do nothing at all. This could show one of a few things: one, that Bigger does this all the time; two, that the characters don't take Bigger seriously; or three, they really don't care about Gus or Bigger.

Question
Could Mary Dalton be the white girl Jack references ("If you run across anything too much for you to handle at that place, let me know") to on page 33?

Native Son to p.30

Quote
"He knew that the moment he allowed himself to feel to its fulness how they lived, the shame and misery of their lives, he would swept oout of himself with fear and despair "(10).

Significance
This quote shows why Bigger acts the way he does. He acts tough and hard-to-reach so he doesn't have to see the terrible conditions he is forced to live in. In fact, just a few lines after, he says when he lets his mind gain full consciousness of his world, he will probably kill himself or someone else.

Questions
When Bigger says his quote(10) about killing himself or someone else, do you get the feeling he is all-bark-no-bite, or that this is a foreshadow?

1984 Chpt 3-2

Quote
"I [Obrien] enjoy talking to you[Winston]. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind "(259).

Significance
This statement couldbe meant to have two reasons.One is that this is O'brien imploying the 'good cop' after the 'bad cop'. He has been terrible and violent, now he will be kind so as to lower the guard of to whom he is speaking. The other is that this could be O'brien truly telling Winston that he is like him, which could mean either O'brien was 'insane' at one point, or that he thinks Winston should be thought police as well ( after he is cured of course).

Word
bewilderment(n)-a confuzing maze or tangle
folly(n)-the state or quality of being foolish

1984 p.218-239

Quote
"It was my little daughter,...she listened throught the keyhoole. Heard what I saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven,eh?" (233).

Significance
I chose this becuase it shows a perfect example of how much the Party has poisoned the minds of its members. This man's feeling of social justice and loyalty to Big Brother, that he feels his own child turning him in is an honor. The worst fact is he had no idea he was doing it, he committed thoughtcrime in his sleep. Yet, he was turned in (by the life he created,mind you) all the same as someone protesting against Big Brother. This is exactly like the children spies of Hitler in World War II.

Words
racketeering(v)-the practice of conducting or engaging in a racket, as extortion or bootlegging
pedant(n)-a person who makes an excessive or innapropriate display of learning

1984 Part 2, Chpt 4,5

Quote
"He [Winston] wondered vaguely whether in the abolished past it had been a normal experience to lie in bed like this,..., a man and a woman with no clothes on, making love when they chose...Surely there could never have been a time when that seemed ordinary"(143).

Significance
I chose this because I feel this shows a real change in Winston. He begins to think about the past and how it could be different from the future in anyway(like lying in bed for example) but then he changes his mind and thinks it couldn't have been that way. This also shows the Party prevailing through Winston. They have warped his mind so much that he think making love could never have been normal.

Words
eccentricity()-
trivialities()-

1984 Part 2 Chpt 3

Quote
"There was a direct,intimate connection between chastity and political orthodoxy"(133).

Significance
This is a great revelation for not only the characters in the book (an idea already though by Julia), but for the readers, too. This gives up a glimpse of how the Party was able to take the nature spirit out of all human beings. Now that we the readers, and they the characters know how they started it, they can begin to figure out how to stop it.

Words
credulity(n)-willingness to believe or trust too readily
privation(n)-lack of the usual comforts or necessities of life

1984 Part 2 Chpt 1

Quote
"in the darkness, where you were safe even from the telescreen"(109).

Significance
I found this to be a strange passage when juxtaposing it to the quote from O'brien about the darkness. He and Winston would only speak when they were out of the darkness, or where there were no telescreens. But here, the darkness is a safe place. It is a strange contradition.

Words
shirk(v)-to disregard, avoid, or dodge
fatuous(adj)-foolish or insane

1984 Ch. 5-6

Quote
"His cigarette had gone out and he laid it carefully on the endge of the table...but a cigarette end must not be wasted" (62).
"and the remaining tobacco fell out of Winston's cigarette" (63).

Significance
Here, I feel that the cigarette is a metaphor for something. This is because authors don't do things on accident. The fact that the cigarette was brought up at all means it has some sort of importance. I feel that he is trying to say that something that happened in that room was a waste because he says it is a cigarette end is a terrible thing to waste, and in the end, the tobacco fell out, rendering it useless. Perhaps it was his patience, maybe it was his mind. Hopefully, I will find out later.

Words
tacitly (adv)-understood but not expressed; implied
saccharine(adj)-like sugar

1984 Ch. 4

Quote
"It struck him as curious that you could create dead men but not living ones" (47).

Significance
I'm not exactly sure why I feel this is significant, this line just really stuck out to me. I guess it is because here, Winston is thinking for himself. He is not using doublethink and thinking what the Party wants him to.

Words
singlemindedness (adj)-dedicated;resolute
pedantic(adj)-overly concerned with minute deals

1984 Chpt 2-3

Quote
"We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness." (25)

Significance
I feel that "darkness" is a metaphor in this statement. I think that darkness means "big brother". This is because Big Brother is seen as a figure that looms over everything, creating a dark shadow. So here, whomever is speaking this line (be it O'Brien or otherwise) is telling Winston that the only time they will be able to speak and confirm their secret loathing of Big Brother.

Question
Has Winston had these thoughts about his dreams before, or is the diary the only reason he is thinking about his past and dreams?

Othello Act 5, 1-3

Quote
Iago. I told him what I thought, and told no more. (5.2.173)

Significance
I TOLD YOU!! I knew as soon as everyone started blaming Iago he was gonna be like "hey, I just said what I thought! He's the one that got all jealous." Grr!!! Damn him for being so damn meticulous....*curse, curse, curse*

Words
pernicious (adj)-deadly;causing insidious harm or ruin
iterance (n)- iteration->the act of repeating

Othello Act 4,2-3

Quote
Desdemona. If I do die before,prithee shroud me/In one of these same sheets.[her wedding sheets] (4.3.23-24)

Significance
This is very clearly a foreshadow to what is to come in the final act. Desdemona, when she dies, wish to be buried in her wedding sheets, little does she know Othello plans to kill her in their bed that he believes she 'defiled' with Cassio. \

Words
hie (v)-hurry
incontinent (adv)-at once

Othello Act 4,1

Quote
Othello. Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned/tonight; for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned/ to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the/world hath not a sweeter creature!

Significance
Here, we see the two sides of Othello conflicting. On the one side, he want to kill Desdemona and leave her to rot. But on the other hand, he loves her and sees her as the sweet woman he married and fell in love with. As the conversation with Iago continues, we see both sides conflict even more.

Words
venial (adj)- able to be forgiven or pardoned
'twixt (prep.,adv)- [contraction of 'betwixt'] in a middle or unresolved position

Othello Act 3,4

Quote
Othello. let me see't!
Desdemona. Why, so I can; but I will not now....
Othello. Fetch me the handkerchief! ...
Desdemona. ...You'll never meet a more sufficient man--
Othello. The handkerchief! (78)

Signifiance
This shows where Othello's patience with Desdemona runs thin. The pestilance Iago whispered into his ear begins to flow through his brain. He begins to see how close Desdemona is to Cassio and the fact that Desdemona 'cannot find' her handkerchief that he gave her so long ago that had such sentimental meaning really pisses him off.

Words
castigation (v)-to criticize
catechize (v)-to instruct orally by means of questions and answers

Othello Act 3, Scene 1-3

Quote
Othello. When I love thee not, Chaos is come again.(60)

Significance
I strongly believe that Shakespeare was foreshadowing the ending here for those who didn't have cover artwork. He is saying that when Othello and Desdemona are in love, everthing is in balance, light and dark. But when one side no longer loves the other (Othello does not love Desdemona), the balance is offset and Chaos settles in.

2 Words
procure (verb)- to obtain or get by care, effort, or the use of special means
prithee (interjection)- I pray thee

Othello Act 2, 2-3

Quote
Cassio. I'll beat the naive into a twiggen bottle. ...[Strikes him.(Roderigo)]...
Montano. Come,com, you're drunk!...[They fight.] (46)

Significance
I I believe this is significant because this passage shows that Iago's plan worked. This is really the first time we see Iago's pla work correctly.This passage leads into Othello being summoned, very pissed off. Is a pattern forming? Is this some how foreshadowing?

Words
peevish(adj)-showing annoyance, irritation, or bad mood (47)
affined (adj)-closely related or connected;obligated;bound (48)

Othello Act 1

Quote
Iago"She that was ever fair, and never proud;/Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud;/Never lacked gold, and yet went never gay;/Fled from her wish, and yet said 'Now I may';/She that being angered, her revenge being nigh,/Bade her wrong stay, and her displeasure fly;/She that in wisdom never was so frail/To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;/She that could think, and nev'r disclose her mind;/See suitors following, and not look behind:/She was a wright (if ever such wights were)-"(35)

Significance
This is an important passage because ...well...it rhymes. This obviously is a red flag to Iago's ego (heh, 'Iago's ego'...) because he is cutting down his wife because he feels that he deserves better. This shows that he has the audacity to talk about his own wife, behind her back, to the woman that he thinks would better suit him.

Question
On the outsides, it seems that Iago is helping Roderigo, acting against Othello and Desdemona for Roderigo, but is he just using Roderigo as a pawn? Someone to just doing all his dirty work and keep his own hands clean?

Othello Act 2,1

Quote
"That Cassio loves her, I do well believe 't;/...But partly led to diet my revenged,/...Till I am evened with him wife for wife./...Knavery's plain face is never seen till used."(39-40)
[These lines were not highlighted for any specific reason, I just chose them to show that I meant the entire speech.]

Significance
This lengthy monologue by Iago shows how passionate he is about playing to ruin Othello; he rebels him with every fiber of his being. I think it is because everyone loves Othello so much and Iago puts himself on such a high pillar that he believes that Othello is no where close to better than him (although strangely he wants to be 'equal' not better.) Iago feels that he should be the one to marry Desdemona because he is the better person (which bring about the question "Why marry your wife in the first place?")

Question
It seems that Iago wants more than revenge; how could have those other motives come about?