See you later American Lit

I can honestly say the American Lit classes have been my most favorite classes. At first I thought great this women is going to bore us to death, sorry Mrs. S :). After I began to read the dreaded old stories I found that I loved most of them. I loved how the book was broke down into pods. The men, The Women. The poets, ect. It really made it not so overwhelming. I also loved discovering the symbolism in the stories though some were a little difficult. It really makes to stories more powerful! While in these classes I made my decision about my major, hopefully so I will be pursuing a career in teaching. So I say see you later American Lit, not good-bye because I am sure I will keep reading some older stories, I have no intentions of selling my books back. What a great compilation of stories they hold.

My New Favorite Stories

Red Badge of Courage


Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Unces Tom's Cabin

Poems

Not only have I been taking the American Lit class but I have been taking a Creative Writing class also. In my writing class I had to write a ever so dreaded poem. Poetry is not my favorite to read nor write. Never in a million years need I think I could write a poem that was even ok. After reading the poems from American Lit I got a feel of how poems were wrote and that most good poems were about someones life and feeling. I sat down at thought about what I was going through at the time and came up with this.

                        Missing

We got some crazy news the other day

They say you have up and gone away

Left without your child,

Left without your clothes,

Left without a trace.

Gone to somewhere

No one knows.

We know better

And that you would never

Leave without a good bye.

We will never stop searching,

Even if we begin to cry.

We will not lose hope,
We will never give up,
Until we find you or
We know God has lifted you up.
Up to a better place,
Where he can heal your pain,
Where he will hold you tight, Until we meet again.

Walt Whiteman

In either fifth or sixth grade I was introduced to Walt Whiteman. Our history teacher made us memorize and decipher "O Captain, My Captain." I have never enjoyed history class, in fact I find it boring. Reading Whiteman is a way for me to learn a little about history while doing what I enjoy, reading. While researching Whitman I discovered just how much he and President Lincoln had in common. The were both very driven men when it came to the country and the rights of the people. Whitman also did not get much schooling like Lincoln and they were both men that `had many different jobs. I can't help but think that Lincoln had a huge influence on Whitman. Whitman in my eyes is the greatest American poet. Each poem taught us something significant to our history.

The scaret letter

Hester commits adultery. She discovers she has became pregnant. The town people new right away, since her husband has been gone for a few years. he is punished and put in jail because she would not give up the fahter's name. She ended up having her daughter Pearl in jail. Months later she was release on the terms that her child would be raised of Christian faith. They also demand that she wore a scarlet color A, for adultery  everywhere she went to show everyone what she has done.

Just who was Hester in love with?

do not think it is hard to figure out that Hester did not love her husband. I believe she even stated so in the story. Back in that era and place they lived, it was not uncommon for parents to pick their child’s spouse. Mr. Chillingsworth was a wealthy, well known man, what a perfect mate for their daughter. It was not verified in the story that the parents pick him for her, just my opinion.

Hester was not willing to embarrass her husband by telling people who she was married to, since she did have a baby way after she moved to Massachusetts there was no way the baby was his. I do not think she kept the secret because of any feelings for him. I think she knew he would be very angry. I also do not see as the type of person to make someone else suffer for her mistakes.

The one she truly loved was the preacher Mr. Dimmesdale, also the father of her child. She brings up a plan to run away with Mr. Dimmesdale when she finds out her husband’s plan to seek revenge. Because of her decision to not tell him about her husband’s plan, Mr. Dimmesdale does not stay with her. I do think that they both did love each other but the guilt got the best of them.

Rapacinnis daughter

I really enjoyed reading Rapacinni's daughter. I found it interesting that science takes a hold of peoples lives as it does. Things back then do not seem to be so different than now days. We now have stem cell research and much more. I find it very sad that his own daughter was nothing more than an experiment. She paid the ultimate cost for her father's selfishness. No one seemed to have her best interest at hand only their own personal gains. I am glad we now have laws that somewhat keep us from experimenting on humans no matter the cost.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's Cabin is one of my favorite stories I have had the to read. The story gave be hope and knowledge of the days when slavery was legal. I have ad that all slaves were treated the same. The Shelby's proved me wrong. The story was like reading more than one story. In the beginning, we got to take a look into the Shelby's way of life and kindness to their slaves. I was almost like their slaves were  part of their of family. Then we got to read a story about slaves escaping to freedom. We also got a look at the slaves who decided to stay and their time at Uncle Tom's Cabin. I would reread this story. Something I have not said often in this class.