The Minister's Black Veil

The Ministers Veil by Nathanial Hawthorne is an example of dark Romanticism. First of all it is set in 1700 New England. This is a Puritan town. Puritans were the first people to come to America and they also think that everyone is sinful )Hawthorne). They think that only a chosen group will go to heaven and that is it. They knew the group was chosen, but they still tried to do their best to get to where they want to be, heaven, not hell. No one wants to go to hell. It is a scary place that I think no one should go to. People should believe in God and he will believe in you and lead you to the place where you need to be. Puritans tried to resist the natural urge to sin. They were trying to make a good impression and they could not sin. Everyone sins. It is impossible not to. Its not that the rules or commandments are too hard or that there is too many of them, it is the fact that no one is perfect. No one can be perfect. We can try, but it will never happen. The Ministers Black Veil is also a Parable. A Parable is a story that teaches a lesson (Hawthorne). Dark Romanticism is a form of Romanticism that is more depressing and sad. It deals with the sinful part of life and its troubles (Dark Romanticism). At the beginning of the story it seems cheerful and happy. They are talking about the sunshine on Sabbath day (Hawthorne). This is not Dark Romanticism. This is Romanticism because it is talking about the positive of nature and what beauty it brings to the table. In the beginning of the story the man put a black cloth over his head just until his mouth. It scared the people and they did not know what to do with the parson who put a cloth over their head. They did not understand (Hawthorne). I think that the veil represents the mask that people put on. The minister is putting on the mask to show the congregation and the people around him the wrongness of not being who you are and being true to yourself. The veil could represent the "unveiling" of him. The people got freaked out and they did not know what to do. The people do not know that he is representing them with the veil and the masks that they put on to fit into society. Masks are not really a bad thing. I mean sometimes you can put on a mask to protect someone or something, but overall, putting on a mask is not a good thing because if that mask gets glued on it is very painful and hard to take off. They all thought that he was sick. They did not know that he was teaching them a "Parable" (a moral lesson). The minister was a smart man for doing this because he knows that deep down these Puritans want to be able to sin like normal people, but their religion is stopping them because they are not allowed to sin because they are afraid they would not be in the chosen group.




Dark Romanticism - New World Encyclopedia." Info:Main Page - New World Encyclopedia. Web. 30 Nov. 2010tp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Dark_romanticism#Characteristics>.

Hawthorne, National. "The Minister's Black Veil." Glencoe Literature. By Jeffery D. Wilhelm. and Douglas Fisher. Vol.American English. New York: Glencoe McGraw Hill, 2009. 278-289. Print.

The Mask

The other day we had a man come to our school and talk about putting on a mask. The guy came and talked to our school about putting on a mask. He had many examples of putting on a mask. Putting on a mask is not actually putting on a literal mask. It means to put on a cover to cover up who you really are. Like covering up your real self to fit into the situation that you think you need to be to fill the gap. The guy who came to talk to our school talked about a story that one day, his daughter came in to his bedroom in the morning. She liked to get her daddy up to play games with him in the morning instead of waking up her mom, she just woke up her dad. Her dad would not wake up so she got on the bed. She jumped up on top of him and she put all of her weight and her elbow into his groin. He was injured. Instead of yelling at his daughter and getting mad, he slowly got up and did not say anything to the young girl. The guy said that he put on a mask that day because he did not want to scare his daughter. There is a difference in the types of masks that you put on. This guy put on a mask so he would not scare his daughter though he was in extreme pain. He was very strong through this and it was a very thick mask that he put on. The bad type of a mask is putting it on so you could impress other people. I have been known to put on a couple of these masks. I do not mean to put them on, but sometimes I feel like I have to. A major reason I do this is so I do not have to deal with the consequences. I do it when I deal with my step mother. I do not really care if I impress her anymore, but I used to dress to her standards and I would not be comfortable. Sometimes I still put on that mask, but I have gotten stronger on standing up to her and wearing what I want to wear.

The Pit and the Pendulum

The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allen Poe is a story about a guy that is in jail. It is a story about his feelings in jail and how he feels about it (Poe). It is a good example of dark romanticism. It is because the guy is sad because he is in jail. If I was in jail, and in the line to die, I would be sad also. Dark Romanticism is a romantic view of life just dark and more depressing. Dark Romanticism is a form of writing that concentrates on sin and self destruction (Dark Romanticism). This means that the writer has their characters in their stories go through a time of turmoil and the have a deep self revelation of who they are and how they are evil. It is kind of scary. I do not like dark romanticism that much. I am much more of a fan of the idea that many things can happen, being happy with nature and not looking for things to call the devil or satin. Romanticism before it was dark was happy and revolved around nature and going with your own thoughts, just like Transcendentalism. It is a very powerful thing and it also can go with Self Fulfilling prophecy. I learned that in Psychology and Romanticist writers went through this. The dark Romanticists are not like this. If they did follow out what they thought and wrote down it would not be a pretty site because there would be devil and bad things all over the place and the whole world would be in extreme chaos. In the story the Pit and the Pendulum, Poe talks about how if a man dies what goes with him to the grave. He also questioned if there is anywhere for a man to go when he is dead. This is dark romanticism because he is questioning the reader on their beliefs and bringing up the question to the table about what happens after death. This is a very deep and personal question. Everybody has different beliefs on what is going to happen to them when they die. Some believe that their bodies go back into the earth, some believe they reincarnate and become animals, and some believe that they will go to heaven with God and live in his kingdom. Another example of dark romanticism is when Poe wrote that the character was thinking "Was I left to perish of starvation in subterranean world of darkness?" (Poe). This shows dark Romanticism because he is referring to nature in a negative way. Romanticism dealt with a lot of nature, that is what it was mainly focused on. It is dark because he is talking about a dark world. A dark world is a scary world where you can not see anything and you do not know what is happening. Poe uses a lot of examples of dark romanticism in the writing of the book "The Pit and the Pendulum". I liked the story!!



Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Pit and the Pendulum." Glencoe Literature. By Jeffery D. Wilhelm. and Douglas Fisher. Vol.American English. New York: Glencoe McGraw Hill, 2009. 263-273. Print.

"Dark Romanticism - New World Encyclopedia." Info:Main Page - New World Encyclopedia. Web. 30 Nov. 2010tp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Dark_romanticism#Characteristics>.

The Raven Criticism

The Raven is a poem by Edgar Allen Poe. In the poem he is talking about a raven that has come to haunt him. He is also trying to get over his lost wife and lover, Lorene. I choose the write on the criticism, The Composition of "The Raven"
by Edgar Allen Poe. I think it is interesting that Edgar Allen Poe is writing on his own poem. It is a short criticism. It is cool because he talks about what was going through his mind when he was writing on this topic and he gives his ideas about the poem now that is it is published and finished. He talks about specific instances where he talks about certain topics in his poem. He talks about the bird. He he picked the bird, the Raven, because it is a bird of ill omen. This means that the bird, when it repeats the word nevermore at the end of each paragraph is setting a tone of melancholy (Poe). It does set a tone of melancholy. IT does because it makes the reader, being myself, realize that there is something that is going to never happen again. For example, he misses his wife and he is trying to forget her by reading books. The bird comes knocking on the door and the man thinks that it is his lost wife that had died earlier (The Raven). Poe and his example with the nevermore statement that the bird makes and the end of each stanza is important to the theme of the poem. The melancholy tone sets makes the word more important to the theme. It lets the reader know that the man is going through a tough time and a lot of inner conflict on never being able to see his beloved wife again. Poe says, in his criticism, that —"When it most closely allies itself to Beauty: the death, then, of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world—and equally is it beyond doubt that the lips most suited for such topic are those of a bereaved lover." (Poe). I think this is what is the matter with the man in the poem. His beautiful love Lenore is gone and he does not know what to do with himself. It is true that love and death are the most talked about topics in poetry. They are because they are two very powerful forces. I believe when you love someone that anything is possible between those two people. I also believe that everyone is able to fall in love. This means that since almost everyone will fall in love that everyone has the spirit to write about it and express their feelings. Poets are the people that like to express how they feel about love. Death is also very powerful because never seeing someone again is a very heart rendering thing to through, especially if it is with someone that you love. Poe and his reflection on his poem is a very Strong feelings of love and death and fear.


Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Philosophy of Composition" (1846) in Edgar Allan Poe: Poetry, Tales, & Selected Essays (New York: Library of America, 1996): pp. 1378–80. Quoted as "The Composition of 'The Raven'" in Harold Bloom, ed. Edgar Allan Poe, Bloom's Major Poets. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1999. (Updated 2007.) Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMPEAP20&SingleRecord=True (accessed November 21, 2010).

Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Raven." Heise Online - IT-News, C't, IX, Technology Review, Telepolis. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. .

The Raven

It was a dead night while I was thinking weakly.
Overnmany interesting and curious items that have been forgotten.
While almost asleep there was a tapping at the door.
It was a gentle tap.
Its a visitor I said tapping at my dor.
It's just tapping, no one is there.

This happened on a cold December.
Each dying ember brought its ghost.
I wished for tomorrow, without answering the door, I went to bed.
From my books a stopping sadness a sadness for the loss of Lenore
A rare and bright girl named Lenore.
She is no longer mentioned.

The sad purple curtains rustled uncertain.
It scared me, it filled me with fear I have not felt.
The fear in me stopped my heart, I stood saying.
There is a visitor at my door.
Ther is a late visitor at my door.
The is none at my door.

I got over my fear, I waited no longer.
Mr. or Ms. I asked for forgiveness of wanting to know who was at the door.
I was sleeping and you knocked on my door.
It was a light knock, your knock at my door.
I didn't think I heard you, I opened the door.
You weren't there

I looked in the darkness afraid.
I thought of things no one has thought be true.
It was completely silent, there was just darkness
The only noise was me saying "Lenore
When I said the name all I heard was an echo
Just an echo, nothing else.

I went back to my chamber with a burning soul
There was a louder tap.
"Surly" there is something at my window
I want to see the threat and the mystery solved
My heart stopped when I went to explore the mystery.
It was just the wind.

I opened the shutter, many things moved.
An impressive old raven stepped out.
He was not obedient, he did not stay put.
With eloquence he was perched above my dor.
Sitting on some Pallas above my door.
It perched and sat

The dark bird made me smile
It sat there properly with a human trace
The crest is short feathered, but is still pretty.
An old raven wondering from the ocean
Tell me what lord is on Nights Plutonium Share
It's name is Nevermore"

I marveled this ungraceful bird and goes on so plainly
It has no meaning, little to do with my problems.
We cannot agree anyone had a bird above their door.
I am blessed to have this bird above my doors
It's than a sculpture
The raven's name is Nevermore.

The lonely easygoing bird only spoke
one word which he gave his soul
He did not say anything else, he did not move
The guy said other birds have flown before
The raven will leave tomorrow just like other birds
The bird said Nevermore.

The man was startled by the raved talking
The bird only says what is has heard
That he learned from a mean master
He was told the word until he know it.
The song of his bird was sad
of "Never never more"

The raven still makes me smile
I moved a chair from the door
In the chair i sunk. I began to put together
fancy unto fancy, thinking about this old bird
A grim, improper nasty bird
who can only say Nevermore

I was guessing but there was no noise
the birds eyes wer boring into my nest
I thought of this while laying down
On a velvet bed ithe light was on
Whose light was on?
The raven shall leave.

The air smelled like it was burning
Seraprium who walked light on the floor sprayed it
I cried, God has sent angels
I stopped the drink and forgot about Lenore
I was drinking to forget Lenore
The saiven said Nevermore

Is the bird a bird or the devil.
The Devil sent the raven here
uncovered and haunted on my land
I am really scared in my house
Is there a healer in Gilbed? I have been told.
The raven said Nevermore

Is the bird a bird or the Devil
We both like heaven we adore God
The sould has a lot of sorrow like far away Aidenn
It should capture the angle Lenore
Should capture a rare souled Lenore
The raven said Nevermore.

The bird is leaving are we friends or enemies? I started yelling
Go back to where you came from
Leave no mark that you were here
Leave me lonely from my door
Get away from my heart and leave
The raven said nevermore

The raven did not move
he is still above my door
his eyes look like a sleeping demons
the lights gives his shadow
My sould is a shadow
I am in heaven.

Repetition is used when the bird keeps saying the word nevermore. Poe even says that nevermore is all the bird is able to say.

The rhyme scheme is used. It is ABCBBB. I think it helps to explains main points.

The tone is saddening. He lost his lover Lorene and he is sad about it.

Personification was used when the bird talked.

He uses similes when he compares the birds eyes to the devil. It shows how scared he was of the evil bird.

Figurative:
He is forgetting his lost love, he wishes she was at the door
Lenore mad a big impact on him and he must live day by day without her.
He is afraid to die.
He was curious who was at the door.
He wishes Lenore was at the door.
He is scared and wants to know what is haunting him.
He is shocked to see the raven in his door, he was not expecting it to be there.
The bird is beautiful and scary. He is happy to see the bird.
He does not see a reason that the bird is at the house.
The raven that is there said "Nevermore".
The bird has been taught by an evil master.
He doesn't know it's evil. He wants to watch the birds movements.
The bird is still to get the meaning to the guy.
He thinks God is cursing him.
He realizes the bird is evil. He doesn't understand because he thinks the bird likes God.
He is scare of what the bird means.
He wants to be alone rather than go to Hell.
The devil is always watching him.

Boogey Man is Under My Bed

So, it was a dark and scary night. Madison was watching a scary movie with her sister and her sisters friend. They were watching the movie called do not look under the bed. It was a movie about this really scary movie with this nasty looking monster. He was called the Bogey man. It was a movie about how this monster, the Bogey man, was hiding under a girls bed, and under that bed, there was another world the world that the Bogey man belonged to. through out the movie, there was many other scary monsters that were all over the place. They were jumping out and they were touching the other kids in the movie. The kids were screaming and it was just plain scary. That night I had to sleep with my sister and her friend. I had a hard time falling asleep and it seemed impossible to be able to have a full peaceful night sleep. Even since that movie I have always been afraid to look under my bed. I believe that if I did there would be another world that this Bogey man lived in and I would get sucked up into it. I grew out of this stage and was soon able to clean under my bed when my mother told me I needed to. There was another movie that still scares me to this day. It was call gremlins. It was about these cute little fur balls and they were all cuddly and everything. They would stay that way unless you fed them after 11:00 p.m. The gremlins stopped the clock so when the stupid owner fed them they went crazy. It was horrible. They started to eat things and they were hiding under the guys bed and they ate a guy whole. It scared the poop out of me. I was terrified. When I went to bed I would not get out of my bed in fear that they would be under my bed and they would eat me. When I got so scared, I would run as fast as I could and get in bed with my parents. At times, I am still scared when I get out of my bed at night.

Henry David Thoreau... Walden

Henry David Thoreau's Walden is about he (he puts himself in third person and calls himself Walden) decided to go into the forest and stays there for ah wile and reflects on what he sees in the forest (Walden). I also used the literally criticism by Michael Cisco called "Henry David Thoreau: Bachelor of Thought and Nature" It is a criticism that talks about how Thoreau uses nature in his writings and the importance on nature to Henry David Thoreau. Cisco says that Thoreau thought that there was things in nature that resembled God. "Thoreau often saw in his natural surroundings a set of signs that seemed to be symbols of God; in the spontaneous order and balance of nature, he saw in microcosm a sign of a greater universal order and balance." (Cisco). This is interesting because because it helps me to realize that he saw much more than just nature when he looked at it. It makes me realize that he sees a form of God and all of the things God has created and loved. Cisco also talks about a lot of other writers that were in the time period. He mentioned Tomas Hobbes. He influenced America to think that nature was nasty, brutish, and short." This thought held itself for about half a century (Cisco). This is sad, nature is a beautiful thing and it should be enjoyed by people, not downgraded. Cisco also gives another example, but it is the opposite because he thinks it is a good thing. Jean-Jacques Rousseau is who Cisco was talking about. He had the opposite view than Hobbes. He said, "society corrupts and demoralizes mankind. Nature is innocent and orderly by comparison."(Cisco). This agrees with Henry David Thoreau because he liked nature and he thought it was important. That is why in his story, he goes into nature to try to forget everything that is going on in society. Rousseau hit on the head when he mention that society it the bad thing, not nature. Nature is God made and society is man made. This make society much more flawed than nature for that reason. When Walden goes to live by the pond for a year, he does not take a clock or any thing that deals with technology with him. He can tell the time by the seasons. Cisco quotes from more in the book Walden, "As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age." Cisco). Here is when Henry David Thoreau also known as Walden in this story realizes that everything is always changing and it will always change. We should sit back and enjoy the changes and allow them to happen for the better. Micheal Cisco wrote a very good literally criticism on Henry David Thoreau and his book "Walden". He gave many examples from other writers and novels to gain information on where Thoreau got some of his ideas for the romanticist period. He also covered greatly on Henry David Thoreau's ideas about nature and how it influenced him.

Cisco, Michael. "Henry David Thoreau: Bachelor of Thought and Nature." In Bloom, Harold, ed. Henry David Thoreau, Bloom's BioCritiques. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=1&iPin=BCHDT03&SingleRecord=True (accessed November 15, 2010).

Thoreau, Henry David. "Walden." Glencoe Literature. By Jeffery D. Wilhelm. and Douglas Fisher. Vol.American English. New York: Glencoe McGraw Hill, 2009. 89. Print.

Camping

Living with out the delicacies in life would be a hard feat to master. It takes a lot of concentration to be able to live with out the technologies of today. The easiest way to get away from the world would be to go on a camping, trip. There is many different things to do on a trip. First there would be no point to take a phone with me on this trip. It would be stupid to take it because there is no service where ever I would be in the forest. There is also a greater chance of losing you phone. It is nice to sometimes not have to worry about my phone and constantly worrying about where it is at all times. I could live without a computer. I am not a big fan of facebook. I do have one and i do get on it a couple times a week. I could go without facebook or the internet for a week. It would be hard to go a week without electricity. I mean no showers, no toilet, no really good food, no a lot of things. I am excited that Ben Franklin invented electricity because it makes my life so much easier. I like to shower and I like to use a toilet when I go to the bathroom. That would be a down fall for me while I am getting away from society. I value taking showers and I like the feeling of being clean. I do not know that I could go a whole week with out showering. I also do not know how I could go with out a toilet. I mean where am I supposed to go to the bathroom... I could live without a car. It would be a difficult transition because I would be in a forest the whole time with no actual paved roads. To make the time pass by faster, I would take a lot of walks. I would also have my boyfriend around in case I get lost or if there is a bear who wants to eat me, he can defend me. I would also go swimming and I have campfires and sings songs.

Thoreau vs. Gandhi

Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" is a short story about his time in jail. He was thrown in jail because he refused to pay a poll tax. In the document, Thoreau talks about how the government has strayed because they are no longer serving to people. He also talks about slavery and the war with Mexico (Thoreau). In Gandhi's story, he talks about the taxes that were placed on the Indians for salt. In the story he says that since there is a tax on the salt, the Indians and people should not talk the salt, to take the salt would be an offense to the culture. He also says this is a way that they can violate the law. He talks about three ways to violate the laws. The first one is to make your own salt, they can not take away the salt that you make for yourself (Gandhi). In Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" he calls the American government a tradition, he also says that it is not an old tradition. He questions the government and if they think they are still as true as they are today and how the government will be for the future generations. A point that shined out to me was how the west would still expand, the people would still be educated, and the American people would still be the same way they are today even without the government interference (Thoreau). This a great point. I think that the government helps us to have uniform and control over our country, but we would still be educated and we would still have the desire to expand our country. The government limits us for our abilities of learning and moving because they are afraid of the unknown. Thoreau also talks about how trade would be easier if the government was not in the way. He said that if trade was not made of "india rubber" it would never be able to get passed the government to become what it is and needs to be to get goods to the people. He also compares himself to a dog. HE does this because he is comparing himself to a dog because the government is like his master and they punish him physically for things that he does wrong. He did not pay his poll tax and the government immediately toke it that he was "standing on the other side of the rock wall" and they beat him up (Thoreau). This is like Gandhi's speech, "On the Eve of the Historic Dandi March" because with his march, Gandhi was going against what the government was telling him to do (Gandhi). He did not like the tax on the salt. He believed it was his right to the salt because it came from the earth and they should not put a tax on it. These stories are also alike because both men are speaking gout on topics they do not agree on. I think Gandhi was more mature about his speech/ writing because he gave facts and it seems like Thoreau was just complaining.

Gandhi, Mohandas K. "On the Eve of the Historic Dandi March." Glencoe Literature. By Jeffery D. Wilhelm. and Douglas Fisher. Vol.American English. New York: Glencoe McGraw Hill, 2009. 89. Print.

Thoreau, Henry David. "Civil Disobedience." Glencoe Literature. By Jeffery D. Wilhelm. and Douglas Fisher. Vol.American English. New York: Glencoe McGraw Hill, 2009. 89. Print.

Emerson and the Work of Melancholia

Emerson is a Romanticist writer. He is one because he follows what he feels. He also follows a set rule that he places in front of him. For example, he finds it bad to mourn death. When his wife, who was only 19 years old and his favorite brother died 5 years later, he did not cry or mourn. He bleieved that mourning was a weakness. He knew that he will some day see the souls of the people again and he was not sad that they were physically done with the earth. He also believed that it was embarrassing to be caught mourning. He had this theory called the "mispace". The midspace was the part of transition where you are not completely in heaven, but your body is not on the earth anymore for living people to enjoy your presence. He thought this was a time that if you were a mourner it would show. He found it shameful to be caught mourning (Edmundson). This is a sad theory. I believe it is because it is okay to mourn the death of someone, yes you will see them again some day, but it is still had that you have to live the rest of your life without seeing them or talking to them ever again. It is okay to mourn it helps to relieve the stress you may have from loosing the close friend or relative. People also need to move on with their lives and realize there is much more to live and they should remember the person that passed, but should find new happiniesses. Emerson's mind changed when his son, Waldo, died. He writes in a letter to his friend Caroline Sturgis, "Alas! I chiefly grieve that I cannot grieve; that this fact takes no more deep hold than other facts, is as dreamlike as they; a lambent flame that will not burn playing on the surface of my river." This is the opposite of what he has been preaching his whole life and it has bitten him in the butt (Edmundson) He wants to grieve over the death of his son but he is not able to because he does not know how to grieve or show mourn or saddness. The death of his son helps him to realize how the path he has followed for his whole life is wrong. He realizes that he should have "learned" to mourn. He has never felt the need to mourn because he felt it was wrong to do so and it was embarassing, but when his son died, he noticed that mourning was a good thing. He was over powered by the fact that his son was so young. It probably hit Ralph Waldo Emerson hard because his son was a part of him, or Waldo was half of Ralph becuase he helped to created him and he loved his son to no end, just like anyo other father loves his child. He knew that he would see his son again in heaven, but Emerson felt that heaven was a far time away and he missed his son.

Edmundson, Mark. "Emerson and the Work of Melancholia." Raritan (Spring 1987).
New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts
On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?.

Breaking the Law

Breaking the law is bad. I do not think that it is a good to break the law. Laws are set in place to have society to run smoothly. There is a bad peneality for breaking the laws. The most important reason that there is laws is to have an Utopian society. The bad thing about breaking the law is getting caught. Most people will get caught. If you are caught, you will go to jail. I do not think that jail looks like a lot of fun. It looks scary to attend jail. I follow the rules so I do not have to go to jail. The police are also scary. Just seeing a police officer scares me. I know that I have not done anything wrong, but it still scares me when one comes up to me. When a deer ran into my car, I was scared to talk to the cop. I have not done anything wrong, but it is still nerve racking. The cop was very cute though so then it was not as bad. I am usually intimidated by police officers. I do think that they are overrated. I think that they believe that they can do anything they want to. They probably do not break the rules, they do follow them correctly. When I watch cop shows it seems like they are a bunch of pre mo donas who act like they are trying to be a real hero. One law that I believe can be broken is killing a person for your own safety. I believe this a a good self defenses mode. It would be scary to kill someone. I believe that everyone should be taught self defense. People should also be taught the correct time to use self defense. Someone might jump the gun and kill someone who they think is trying to hurt them but they actually are not. It is okay sometimes to break the rules. Just try not to get caught.

Ben and Ralph

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Benjamin Franklin are two very different men. First of all Benjamin Franklin was a very intelligent man. He was a scientific man. He followed what he knew and studied what he did not now. He also invented a lot of cool and nifty things. First of all, he invented electricity. This would later become a world wide invention that effects people all over the world. This is because every place all over the world uses electricity. I like power. Power is a very powerful thing. If Benjamin Franklin did not capture the lighting bolt we would not have the power and electricity we use and love today. If he was not interested in this new and unknown objects which is lighting we would not have it and it is vital to our lives today. He was always curious on the things that were not known and he was always looking for ways to find new things. He also invented the bifocals. Bifocals are important to society. I do not have need for them at this time but I am sure that when I get over I will use them. I hope that I will not need them because I make fun of my parents who wear them, but I know I will use them. Emerson was not like this at all. He let things go with how they come. He did not believe in mourning. He did not believe in this because he knows that he will see the soul again and he should not be sad against them. They are alike because they believe in new things. Emerson created a new level of romanticism by following it to the extreme and allowing things to happen for a reason. Franklin did not follow this theory just like this, but he talked and invented things that he knew could exist. Franklin believed that things were possible through inventing things and Emerson believed that he could do anything.

Self Reflection

Self reflection is a very good thing. Self reflection is a good thing because it can help a person define who they are. They can discover who they are going to be and how to be a better person. For example. Last night we lost our volleyball game by 2 points (that is the lowest score between two teams that can happen). The last point a man/ogre hit the ball at me and I shanked it into the stands. It was shattering. The news showed the last point and they showed me rolling on the floor like a fish out of water. It was embarrassing. I went home and I watched the film over and over. It was not fun. I need to reflect on myself and how I played that night. I overall play very well. The coach from the other team said that their team has never had this much/ that good defense. I was proud of that considering defense is the spot that I play the most. Actually it is the only thing that I do. The news only showed me with my last play. It did not show everything else I accomplished that night. It was sad. I am reflecting on myself and how I can get better for next year. This means I will need to work out more and get stronger. I will also need to eat healthier and learn how to do better ball placement so next time we play a man the ball goes into the court. I think it is time for a break. I have been playing for three and a half months and it is time for a break. Though I have tryouts for another team this weekend that I might attend. It is also hard because now I do not know what I will fill my time with. I think I have enough homework to keep me occupied. I am excited for next year and I am ready to play well. Tonight I am going home and taking a nap. I need a break and I am going to get it this weekend.

Ideal America

America is a very big country. It has many beautiful qualities to it. Colorado for example has huge mountains that are just gorgeous. An ideal America would be a country with no pollution or garbage on the ground. It would be clean and people would enjoy our country and want to come here to see all of it beautifulness. They would travel from all over. I would also have no money. I read a book one time and there was no money, everyone still worked, but they earned their food and housing. They were not paid for it. It was cool because then there would be no economic crisis like there is today. That would be better because then we would not have dumb wars on money and stuff. It would be happier society because we would count on each other and everyone would do their job. This is an Utopian society. We would also have a government. They would hear people's problems and we would decide what would be the easiest way to solve the problems. They would have to go through a series of smaller courts and if they can not have their problems solved, they move to the next level and so forth. We would have an army. They would be trained. They would not have to fight in wars because there would not be war. They would be in the cities and they would help to enforce the laws and make sure people are doing their jobs. We will take in all orphans. We will all help each other out to become the perfect society that we plan to be. We will have jails to put the people who do not follow the rules. We will have specific professions and people will chose the thing they want to study and they will enjoy their lives. We would all be friends. We would accept anyone into our society. One exception is that they must be able to speak our language.