Journal 11 - Walden

“Where I Lived and What I Lived For” (232)

This is about how Thoreau wants life to be more simple. He believes that technological progress takes over our lives and takes us away from who we really are. They are distractions that disconnect us from reality. When you get wrapped up in technology it takes away what is really essential in life and keeps us from realizing what is important. Thoreau wants to only live with the essentials because they keep you grounded.

Quote: “Simplicity, Simplicity, Simplicity”

“We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us."

“Sounds” (234)

Thoreau talks of the sounds he heard listening to the world. He enjoyed just taking in the world and the sounds of it without material things or people interfering.

Quote: “…my life itself was become my amusement and never ceased to be novel”

“Brute Neighbors” (235)

Brute Neighbors satirizes modern-day war. It shows how petty the things people fight over actually are. the ants symbolize enemies, whether they are countries or people. The chips are the unimportant conflicts that spark wars.

Quote: “and the results of this battle wll be as important and memorable to those whom it concerns as those of the battle of Bunker Hill.”

“The Pond in Winter” (237)

Nature looks peaceful, but in reality life is thriving beneath its surface. There is life behind all nature if you know how to look for it.

Quote: “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our head”

“Spring” (238)

Each spring is like the creation of the world. In winter, animals and plants are in hibernation, but in Spring everything comes back to life.

Quote: “the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.”

Journal 10 - Othello's Insight

Othello’s speech at the end of the play happens after he has killed Desdemona and realized it was a mistake. His insight is his realization that he allowed himself to become manipulated and deceived into thinking someone he loved so much was against him. He talks about how his actions were not something that resemble him as a person and that people should not remember the monster he became. However, they should remember who he was before. He was a good man and a fighter and someone respectable and honorable.

Journal 9 - Free Will vs. Determinism

FREE WILL: All people have free will. There is no predestination or fate; rather it is our choices that affect us. In Othello, Othello’s downfall comes from his choices. His fate was not to end up dead or to commit suicide after murdering his own wife. He chose to believe Iago over his wife which led him to believe he was betrayed. Then he let himself be persuaded that killing Desdemona was the best thing to do. Othello did not HAVE to believe Iago. There were many routes he could have taken that would leave violence out of the situation, but his choices led him to his death.

DETERMISNISM: Iago’s downfall in Shakespeare’s Othello can be described using determinism. This is to say that people’s lives are a great cause-and-effect chain that never ends. Everything that happens to them becomes the basis for their next thought, decision, and action. For Iago, this would start with Cassio’s promotion to the position Iago coveted. This ignited his hatred for Othello and his desire to exact his revenge. Another scene where this is shown is when Iago’s wife, Emilia, tells Othello about how she took the scarf from Desdemona; which basically pointed the finger at Iago. This caused Iago to no longer see Emilia as he did before and he kills her for her betrayal.

Journal 8 – Emerson’s Aphorisms

“There are always two parties; the establishment and the movement.” –

This aphorism shows that there are two paths people can take. They can either be a talker or a doer. The talkers are the establishment; they draft ideas and plans, and organize the course of action. The doers, the movement, are the ones that actually carry out that course of action and put the plan into effect. Most of the time, it is the movement that receives the credit, and they deserve the credit for they are the ones that are putting themselves at risk and in the line of fire. This idea can be related to war very easily for there are always people designing military strategy while they themselves stay in the safe zone and send others out to do what they have established. Emerson brings up a point that has been present throughout history and continues to be here in the present day.

“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered.” –

All life has quality. All life also has a reason or purpose for being there. Emerson says that a weed is just something that people have not yet found the good in. Therefore, if there is something you do not like or someone you do not care for, try and find the good in them before you reject them as a weed. All people have a good quality to them and deserve for that quality to be found. When people find a weed, they just rip it out of their grass or garden and dispose of it. Not only do they tear it out, but they destroy every piece of it, including the root, so as to leave no trace of it behind. Emerson says we should first discover what good the weed can do before we remove it from our lives.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” –

The past and the future should not affect our present lives. The past is history and what happens, happens. The only thing to do next is to move on and live your life. Worrying and fearing about the future will only bring you stress and anxiety. The future is what you make it and you shape it by what you do every day. Emerson is saying that people should focus on what is inside of them and discover what they want to do and what they want out of life and they can shape their future into something worthwhile.

Journal 7 - "To a Waterfowl" vs. "The Raven

William Cullen Bryant’s “To a Waterfowl” and Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” can be compared to each other in the sense that they both use the image of a bird as the main figure of the poem. However, the aspects of the poems are very different. “To a Waterfowl” has a peaceful and calm tone. It is a classical writing that shows order. Harmony and calmness are presented in “To a Waterfowl” with certain images such as when the bird “floats along” and when Bryant describes the ocean by saying, “the rocking billows rise and sink on the chafed ocean side.” Also, the setting is dusk by an ocean. This creates an image of a peaceful environment that symbolizes tranquility. Poe’s “The Raven” is a gloomy poem that represents the emotional romantic style of writing. He describes the time of year as “in the bleak December”, which creates an image of a cold time when the days are short. The speaker’s tone makes an impact on the reader in “The Raven”. The speaker comes across as depressed, grief-stricken, and eccentric. This further helps to make the poem more melancholy.

Journal #6 From Ben Franklin’s The Autobiography

1. Explain what was involved in Franklin’s plan for self-perfection? What conclusion did Franklin come to regarding the effectiveness of this plan?

Franklin’s plan for self-perfection involved a set of virtues he designed to improve the quality of both himself and other people. These virtues are temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility. Franklin states that he does not find it feasible to obtain every virtue, but it is possible to live by many if them if you put the effort into it. He concludes that if people follow his plan and live by his virtues to the best of their ability, they will reap the benefits and be prosperous.

2. Do you feel that a plan such as Franklin’s would improve you as a person? Why or why not? What would be your top five virtues?

I feel that Franklin’s plan would improve me as a person. I know I would not be able to follow all of the virtues, but if I could follow at least a few, I could improve my life. My top five virtues would be order, resolution, industry, cleanliness, and tranquility.

Journal 5 – from Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”

#1 Argument: Thomas Paine is saying we need to stand up against Britain. Tyranny is not easily conquered, but the harder the battle is, the better the win will be in the end. Anything worth achieving has a struggle to it. If there is no struggle there is no achievement.

Appeal: Emotional – it is getting people fired up. It stirs up emotions in people and forces them to overlook reason and logic.

Counter-Argument: Britain has power over the colonies so they have the right to tax the colonies if they want to. There is no guaranteed triumph for the Americans at this point so Paine’s emotional appeal is not valid.

Logical Fallacies: Non-Sequiter – Paine compares taxation to slavery. This is a jump to compare these things because it is exaggerated. Begging the question – it is an assumption that the Americans are going to win so his logic is flawed.

#2 Argument: Thomas Paine's s argument is his secret opinion that God Almighty will not let a military force destroy people who have tried to avoid war by every method that wisdom could have invented.

Appeal: Emotional – Paine bases his argument on his beliefs.

Counter-Argument: My suggestion for an effective counter-argument is that the King of Britain believes his power is derived from the power of God, therefore, why would a God so supportive of the British protect their enemy, the Americans? Another counter-argument is that God does not choose sides. The side with the highest morals will win in Gods eyes.

Logical Fallacies: Ad Hominem - Thomas Paine attacks the King of Britain as a person in a personal way. He calls the king a common murderer and a highwayman (a roadside robber). Begging the question – why should God help the British if he is not going to let the Americans lose to the British army? Why do the British even ask God for help?

#3 Argument: Paine argues that in order for American happiness, separation from Britain must occur. He says that war will not end until this happens. Therefore, America should break ties now rather than fighting. This is for the benefit of the children so they will not have to fight and they can live in peace. War will happen eventually so better sooner than later.

Appeal: Logical – things are only going to get worse and war is going to happen sooner or later. Ethical – a “generous” parent would be looking out for their child’s best interests and would rather sacrifice themselves for their children.

Counter-Argument: If you go to war, you could die and then your child would not even have a parent so the argument that action should be taken for the sake of the children is not strong.

Logical Fallacies: Straw Man – there are only two choices. There will never be a compromise or there will be a war. Paine assumes that America will win the war.

#4 Argument: Paine compares the King to a thief that destroys your property and kills or threatens to kill you. You would not take this from a thief, so why take it from the King? Paine’s argument is by analogy; he compares the king to a thief.

Appeal: Emotional – Paine is trying to get people fired up over the King acting like a thief.

Counter-Argument: The King is really not the same as a thief. His power is legally binding and his actions are permissible.

Logical Fallacies: Argument by Analogy – Paine does not use much reason.

2. Can you identify any of the logical fallacies that we discussed in Paine’s arguments? If so, which ones? Overall, what do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of Paine’s arguments?

I can identify Ad Hominem, Begging the Question, and Straw-Man technique. Paine’s argument #3 is very weak. It has many holes in it and there is no concrete reasoning in it. However, Paine’s argument #1 is very strong. It is going to catch people’s attention and be a driving force in them and others.