We talked about the thesis statement in the class.
The thesis statement states the thesis or argument of an essay. It is usually at the end of the first paragraph and not more than one or two sentences. The thesis statement always reflects the topic of the essay, and tells the readers what the author wants to prove in the following paragraphs.
My thesis statement is "These three literary pioneers, Winthrop, Jefferson, and Emerson, defined the transformation of American identity during this 200 year period." I think it reflects the main idea of my essay---the definition of American, and how it transferred in time periods. Additionally, I emphasized the names of three main writers instead of "they".
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Class Discussion on Chapter 13
In today’s class, we discussed about Hester current situation.
First, Hester observes that Mr. Dimmesdale’s condition is getting worse every day and his nerve seemed absolutely destroyed. And she believes that there is terrible machinery interfering him all the time.
Second, people greatly changed their views to Hester. It has been seven year since Hester stood on the pedestal as a sinner. She makes money by herself, gives out food or clothes to the poor people, and brings warmth to the distressed family. She is so merciful and helpful that she gets the respect and love from the whole community. Additionally, many people do not consider her scarlet “A” as “Adultery” any more, but “Able.”
The last several paragraphs are a little bit complicated for me. I could not totally get the idea of them but I think it is a transfer paragraph and talks about herself and her child. I hope I can understand more in the further readings.
First, Hester observes that Mr. Dimmesdale’s condition is getting worse every day and his nerve seemed absolutely destroyed. And she believes that there is terrible machinery interfering him all the time.
Second, people greatly changed their views to Hester. It has been seven year since Hester stood on the pedestal as a sinner. She makes money by herself, gives out food or clothes to the poor people, and brings warmth to the distressed family. She is so merciful and helpful that she gets the respect and love from the whole community. Additionally, many people do not consider her scarlet “A” as “Adultery” any more, but “Able.”
The last several paragraphs are a little bit complicated for me. I could not totally get the idea of them but I think it is a transfer paragraph and talks about herself and her child. I hope I can understand more in the further readings.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The work I did in class on Chapter 5
Jenny is my partner on the poster in Chapter 5. We summarized the chapter, and wrote it down on the top of the poster.
In chapter 5, Hester at her needle, tells us about the life of Hester, and the cloudy reason that why Hester chooses to stay. She wants to accept the punishment, and does not want to live away from her lover. Although Hester is still considered as a sinner, she treats others quite nicely.
Additionally, we draw a picture of Hester doing her needle work while her child, Pearl, is looking at her. I think it is really difficult to explain the whole thing well with a picture, so we followed just like what the topic says, Hester at her needle work.
In chapter 5, Hester at her needle, tells us about the life of Hester, and the cloudy reason that why Hester chooses to stay. She wants to accept the punishment, and does not want to live away from her lover. Although Hester is still considered as a sinner, she treats others quite nicely.
Additionally, we draw a picture of Hester doing her needle work while her child, Pearl, is looking at her. I think it is really difficult to explain the whole thing well with a picture, so we followed just like what the topic says, Hester at her needle work.
I think Hester is a beautiful and kind women.
Beautiful:
In chapter 2, the author describes Hester when she just came out from the prison.
“The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance, on a large scale. She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes. She was lady-like, too, after the manner of the feminine gentility of those days; characterized by a certain state and dignity, rather than by the delicate, evanescent, and indescribable grace, which is now recognized as its indication.”
Kind:
As a mother, Hester protects her child, Pearl, all the time.
In the market-place (chapter2)
In the prison (chapter 4)
Hester makes clothes for the poor
In chapter 5
Hester fosters her child. She is a thoughtful and careful mother.
In chapter 6
In chapter 2, the author describes Hester when she just came out from the prison.
“The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance, on a large scale. She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes. She was lady-like, too, after the manner of the feminine gentility of those days; characterized by a certain state and dignity, rather than by the delicate, evanescent, and indescribable grace, which is now recognized as its indication.”
Kind:
As a mother, Hester protects her child, Pearl, all the time.
In the market-place (chapter2)
In the prison (chapter 4)
Hester makes clothes for the poor
In chapter 5
Hester fosters her child. She is a thoughtful and careful mother.
In chapter 6
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Scarlet Letter Chapter 5
I think the chapter 5 is a section connected to the life in the prison and the life in the actual society. And at the same time, it foreshadows the difficult life which is described later in the book.
Here are the two particular questions for today.
1. Why has Hester chosen to stay here?
Absolutely, it is really hard to understand why she has chosen to stay here. As a woman with such a sin and always having the big read “A” on the chest, the life will be definitely hard for her. In fact, she could restart everything, leaving the town and go to another country in Europe with a strange circumstance, eluding the specially sight to her from other local people. However, she chose to stay. In one hand, I think is because of the love of her hometown, and she would accept the punishment in this place. In the other hand, it is because of the love to his lover. Although they have a big problem which is could not see or talk to each other, I believe Hester still love him.
2. How does the community treat her?
Even although we all know that Hester is a kind and beautiful woman, the people still treat her badly because of what she did before. People in the town consider her as a symbol of humiliation. And the local people even keep a distance when they see her in the street. However, she got a needle job, and she did it really well. And she also makes clothes for the poor voluntarily sometimes. Despite she is trying to change the appearance in people mind, she is still indentified as a sinner. So, in short, the community treats her badly, and she could not get any respect from the whole society.
Here are the two particular questions for today.
1. Why has Hester chosen to stay here?
Absolutely, it is really hard to understand why she has chosen to stay here. As a woman with such a sin and always having the big read “A” on the chest, the life will be definitely hard for her. In fact, she could restart everything, leaving the town and go to another country in Europe with a strange circumstance, eluding the specially sight to her from other local people. However, she chose to stay. In one hand, I think is because of the love of her hometown, and she would accept the punishment in this place. In the other hand, it is because of the love to his lover. Although they have a big problem which is could not see or talk to each other, I believe Hester still love him.
2. How does the community treat her?
Even although we all know that Hester is a kind and beautiful woman, the people still treat her badly because of what she did before. People in the town consider her as a symbol of humiliation. And the local people even keep a distance when they see her in the street. However, she got a needle job, and she did it really well. And she also makes clothes for the poor voluntarily sometimes. Despite she is trying to change the appearance in people mind, she is still indentified as a sinner. So, in short, the community treats her badly, and she could not get any respect from the whole society.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Scarlet Letter
By the reading of the book, and the movie shown in the class, there are three main characters I want to talk about.
Hester Prynne was absolutely the most important character in this whole book. Although she acted as such a beautiful and kindhearted person, she was still punished for the adultery. I think she was also a brave woman as well. From the movie, as we saw, she was walking to the stage with a Red Scarlett Letter on her chest. Although she was watching, laughing and blaming by the others people, she still stayed calm and composed. Her every step was so resolute and firm that she did not think herself a guilty woman. I think it reflected her deep love to the “partner”, the other young man she was not willing to speak out. In the later section, she showed a great love to her child, and tried to protect her, when her real husband, Roger Prynne, was going to get the child from her hands.
Roger Prynne, an old English doctor. As we know, he was the husband of Hester. I believe he still loves Hester though the talk in the prison. He looked so disappointed, upset, even a little mad at his wife. He was talking so aggressively, and guaranteed would find out the “father” of the child.
The last one is Aruther Dimmesdale. He was sham in my view since he was keeping trying to make Hester speak out the name while he seemed not want to. I still cannot get this man totally, and I hope I could learn more about him later in the book.
Overall, in my opinion, Hester is decent and innocent. The reason why she suffered such a situation was because of the thoughts of the people at that time period. They were too conservative and could not accept the new ideas, or new ways of dealing with women, especially the marriage problems. Meanwhile, there are a lot of things we could not give a reasonable answers, and I hope we can find out the truth in the further reading. In short, the story is getting more and more interesting.
Hester Prynne was absolutely the most important character in this whole book. Although she acted as such a beautiful and kindhearted person, she was still punished for the adultery. I think she was also a brave woman as well. From the movie, as we saw, she was walking to the stage with a Red Scarlett Letter on her chest. Although she was watching, laughing and blaming by the others people, she still stayed calm and composed. Her every step was so resolute and firm that she did not think herself a guilty woman. I think it reflected her deep love to the “partner”, the other young man she was not willing to speak out. In the later section, she showed a great love to her child, and tried to protect her, when her real husband, Roger Prynne, was going to get the child from her hands.
Roger Prynne, an old English doctor. As we know, he was the husband of Hester. I believe he still loves Hester though the talk in the prison. He looked so disappointed, upset, even a little mad at his wife. He was talking so aggressively, and guaranteed would find out the “father” of the child.
The last one is Aruther Dimmesdale. He was sham in my view since he was keeping trying to make Hester speak out the name while he seemed not want to. I still cannot get this man totally, and I hope I could learn more about him later in the book.
Overall, in my opinion, Hester is decent and innocent. The reason why she suffered such a situation was because of the thoughts of the people at that time period. They were too conservative and could not accept the new ideas, or new ways of dealing with women, especially the marriage problems. Meanwhile, there are a lot of things we could not give a reasonable answers, and I hope we can find out the truth in the further reading. In short, the story is getting more and more interesting.
Essay Work
The documents I am going to use are A Model of Christian Charity by John Winthrop, The declaration of independence by Thomas Jefferson, and the American Scholar by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
In theModel of Christian Charity, John Winthrop tells a plan of what the America should be in the future. Just like what he says, he hopes people that holding firmly together, and makes the America will be a “city upon a hill”.
From the declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson shows a great determination of freedom from the Britain. I think this document will strongly help me define what America is and reflects the spirits of Americans.
The American Scholar represents the emancipation of the thoughts from the British literature. As the time goes, the freedom does not only refer to the freedom in the body, but also the freedom in the thoughts. So, just like the declaration of independence, the American Scholar is more likely to be a declaration of literature.
In short, from John Winthrop to Emerson, from original hope to actual action, from physical freedom to the emancipation of thoughts, the definition of America changes a lot.
In theModel of Christian Charity, John Winthrop tells a plan of what the America should be in the future. Just like what he says, he hopes people that holding firmly together, and makes the America will be a “city upon a hill”.
From the declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson shows a great determination of freedom from the Britain. I think this document will strongly help me define what America is and reflects the spirits of Americans.
The American Scholar represents the emancipation of the thoughts from the British literature. As the time goes, the freedom does not only refer to the freedom in the body, but also the freedom in the thoughts. So, just like the declaration of independence, the American Scholar is more likely to be a declaration of literature.
In short, from John Winthrop to Emerson, from original hope to actual action, from physical freedom to the emancipation of thoughts, the definition of America changes a lot.
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