Summer Reading (Honors Brit Lit)
1. What does Grendel mean when he speaks of “playing cat and mouse with the universe”? He meant constantly trying to start fights with the intention of receiving a reaction or a producing a weird form of intentional karma.
2. Describe Grendel’s mother and his relationship with her. He was disgusted of her humanistic qualities or anything that reminded him of humans.
3. From Grendel’s point of view, what is man? Man is proud, vain, hopeful, dogmatic, and unobservant to the world around him. Grendel sees all of these traits in their constant rebuilding of the mead halls he destroys.
4. In a flashback to his early childhood, what is Grendel’s relationship with the “large old shapes” and with his mother? The large old shapes seem to look past him or through him. Only his mother truly looks at him. She looks at Grendel as if to consume him, and he has an inexplicable understanding that they are connected, possibly even a single entity. At times, however, the intensity of his mother’s gaze causes Grendel to suddenly feel separate from her, and at those times he bawls and hurls himself at her. His mother responds by smashing him to her breast as if to make him part of her flesh again. Comforted by this gesture, Grendel can then go back to his exploratory games.
5. What is the significance of the scene wherein Grendel catches his foot in the crack in the treetrunks and is attacked by a bull? This becomes the basis of Grendel’s Philosophy of life; he sees the world as nothing but chaos and destruction. He views humans as the only creatures capable of complex thought and also the most dangerous thing he has encountered yet.
6. How does Grendel’s first meeting with men affect him? Why does he fear them more than he fears the bull? Humans are intelligent decision makers.
7. Why is Grendel so impressed and affected by the Shaper? Why does he fear the Shaper “When he finished, the hall was as quiet as a mound. I too was silent, my ear pressed tight against the timbers. Even to me, incredibly, he had made it all seem true and very fine.” (pg43) “What was he? The man had changed the world, had torn up the past by its thick gnarled roots and had transmuted it, and they, who knew the truth remembered it his way-and so did I.” (pg 43) The Shaper impressed Grendel a lot because he had changed the whole meaning in the world with a song. His song brought meaning into his meaningless life. Grendel was impressed how the Shaper could make things sound all true and real. The Shaper, at the same time, also scared Grendel with his power to change everyone’s belief and minds.
9. According to Grendel, what is the truth about poetry? The truth is that poetry is all lies.
10. Why does Hrothgar build Heorot, the Hall of the Hart? It is a sign of the glory and justice of Hrothgar and his Danes.
11. How does Grendel know how to use profanity? What is the irony in this?Grendel knows profanity through listening to men, this is ironic because men are supposedly “good”.
12. How does the story of Cain and Abel affect Grendel? He sees the goodness of man and his own evil.
13. How and Why is Grendel defeated? He is tricked by Beowulf and has his arm ripped off.
14.How do illusion and words help cause Grendel’s death? Grendel imagines Beowulf as the dragon and the words of the dragon confuse and distract him, making him no longer invincible
15.How does Grendel know how to use profanity? What is the irony in this?
Grendel knows profanity through listening to men, this is ironic because men are supposedly “good”.
16. Why does Grendel visit the dragon?
He wants to learn about the shaper.
17. How does the dragon’s mind differ from Grendel’s and from men’s?
He is omniscient and sees into the past, present, and future.
18. What is the dragon’s ambition? What is his final advice? What is his motto?
To count and sort his treasure. Know thyself. seek out gold and sit on it.
19. How is Grendel caged in a limited mind?
He only knows his own experiences.
20.How does Grednel illustrate the lion in this chapter?
Through the dragon.
21. How is the dragon/s charm a curse?
Makes Grendel indestructible but “solitary” and “alone”.
22. How does Grendel now react to the Shaper’s song?
Grendel reacts with rage .
23. According to Unferth what is heroism? What is poetry?
“sees values values beyond what is possible” (89) not afraid to face cruel truth (88) trash, mere clouds of words, comfort to the hopeless” (88)
24.Why doesn’t Grendel kill Unferth? How does this affect Unferth? It curses Unferth with Grendel’s solitude, in the fact he is never the one who dies. Unferth becomes bitter
25.What is Grendel’s law? What does it mean?
Balance is everything. Everything in moderation.
26. How is Wealtheow like the Shaper’s songs? How is she different?
She gives her life for those she loves, but she is still just a human.
27. How doesn’t Grendel rape, torture, and murder Wealtheor? Or Does he?
He convinces himself out of his attraction to her.
28. What is the parallel between Wealtheow and Grendel’s mother?
Grendel sees their goodness but does not comprehend them
29. What threats surround Hrothgar after Hrothulf’s arrival? How is Hrothulf like a scorpion? Too man heirs, rivalry. He is a poisonous loner
30. What is the significance of Grendel calling himself “the destroyer”?
the destroyer will supposedly kill Grendel.
31. How can time be inside the hunter and the hart?
It is trapped inside an “hourglass”
32. What is Grendel’s opinion of religion?
It is meaningless, just motions.
33. What is the significance of Grendel’s encounter with Ork? What does Ork have to say about the King of the Gods and about the nature of evil?
All good virtue creates purpose “time is perpetually perishing, and being actual involves elimination” (132)
34. With whom is Grendel most disgusted? Why?
The three priests because they symbolize all that is man.
35. Why is Grendel so frightened and so infuriated by the goat?
The goat has no reason. He is pure stupidity.
36. How and Why is Grendel defeated? He is tricked by Beowulf and has his arm ripped off.
ESSAY
Prompt: Because Grendel is so akin to men, but at the same time distant enough to be an alien, his point of view provides an opportunity for us to see more clearly what it means to live as homo sapiens
The novel, Grendel, illustrates two conflicting beliefs within a narrative. The influence of groups and outsiders represents an important theme in the psychological aspects of Grendel’s journey. It’s fairly simple to connect Grendel’s actions that follow later into the book to his experiences as a young creature. The concept of evil described by Gardner is a characteristic resulting of outside forces and influences, one that opposes the hereditary assumptions made in the the book Beowulf. Grendel fits within this complex because the book was intended to be held from Grendel’s point of view, allowing the reader to comprehend that perception of evil is merely the result of ignorance to others’ experiences. Grendel, a victim of assumptions due to his lineage, is humanized in the novel. The book demonstrates that ignorance breeds hatred and negative assumptions while knowledge fosters compassion and empathy. Grendel is similar to men, but at the same time distant enough to be an alien, his point of view provides an opportunity for us to see more clearly what it means to live as homo sapiens through a psychological scope.
Since Grendel is portrayed as a human-like character, it’s fair to apply modern human theories on his thoughts and actions. The dilemma of nature vs. nature definitely applies to how Grendel is perceived as a monster. Grendel by John Gardner reflects the nurture aspect, while Grendel in the original Beowulf novel reveals the nature theme. The overlying question is whether or not human actions are the result of genetics or social conditioning. Genetic determination is the basis of the nature argument, that the individual’s actions and behaviors are dictated by the genes passed down from their forefathers. This supports the perception of Grendel in the book Beowulf; Grendel is a son of Cain so he is genetically and hereditarily bound to commit murderous, evil acts; Grendel as an animal who “spawned in that slime of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God…”(Beowulf 26). The contrasting view is nurture, humans are very impressionable and their environment has a deciding factor on who they are as individuals. Grendel lacks guidance from his mother and he receives no moral guidance from society and the experiences as an ostracized young creature have led him to become a confused, destructive character, one typically seen as a monster. Grendel, a creature much like humans, must have craved the same basic human desires such as love, pleasure and acceptance and was unable to obtain them. The lack of these basic needs ultimately drove him to monstrous behavior.
To truly connect Grendel’s behavior to psychology, we need to look no further than the theories of Sigmund Freud, the father of psychology. Freud claimed that an individual’s psyche is conformed by two entities; the id and ego. Id is said to be “a part of a person’s unconscious mind that relates to basic needs and desires”. Grendel’s actions are driven by his id; murder and destruction gave him pleasure. While the constant fights with the Danes gave him motivation and purpose. Rationally, Grendel opposed the war, yet his id forced him to act on his primitive, thoughtless instincts. While destruction is existentially pointless and has no purpose, Grendel still instinctively assaults the Danes for twelve years because he feels fulfillment in doing so regardless of whether it aligns with his nihilistic beliefs; this is Grendel’s id in full command. As the book approaches to the end, Grendel becomes dictated by time just like simplistic animals he has met several times in the book. Awaiting for the battle with Beowulf, Grendel says, “I grew more and more afraid of him and at the same time – who can explain it? – more and more eager for the hour of our meeting”(Gardner 165). For a creature so logical and calculated, he begins to act without reason and purpose. On the other hand, ego is our experiences to the outside world and how we react to it. Egos often go out of control if it is not checked by outside influences and restrictions. Grendel exemplifies an unchecked ego, his actions are not bounded by any moral, human constructs of right and wrong and he does not recognize with the Anglo Saxon beliefs. Without being bounded by outside influence, Grendel creates his own role in the world. “I had become something, as if born again. I had hung between possibilities before, between the cold truths I knew and the heart-sucking conjuring tricks of the Shaper; now that was passed: I was Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings!”(Gardner 80). Throughout Grendel’s “coming to age”, his experiences led him to believe in existentialism, murder, and destruction; all merely part of the world as it passes through time. Both of Freud’s theories are integral to how Grendel is seen as a monster and how he has become one.
Finally, Grendel is seen as a monster partly due to his upbringing and lack of guidance but also due our assumptions and ignorance. Both binaries, Beowulf and Grendel, enforce vastly different ideas yet they both answer the same question, how and why is Grendel seen as a monster? The original Beowulf narrative focuses on the underpinnings of Christianity and the existence of an evil being while Grendel by John Gardner sustains the assumption of innocence and indiscriminate equality. The question that still lingers is who’s considered a monster? A monster is “a person, typically a child, who is rude or badly behaved.” Rudeness is subjective and the perception of Grendel as a monster is merely humans applying to what we see fit and appropriate, imposing it on people/creatures that do not lie within the human paradigm. While Grendel maintains his own strong beliefs on psychology, his views on existentialism and nihilism are imperative, it’s more significant to understand why and how he reached a state of mind that’s morally antithetical to Anglo-Saxon ethics.
Winter Dreams
1.Describe Judy Jones at the age of eleven. How do you feel about her treatment of the nurse? She was a spoiled brat who was obnoxious and short-tempered. She was a mean, wealthy and snotty little girl who used violence. She should have treated the nurse better than that because the way she treated her was unnecessary. She was rude and disrespectful to her. If I was the nurse, I would have beat Judy if she ever attempted to hit me. The hatred and violence that filled the eleven year old Judy was too extreme.
2.Why do you think Dexter quit? I understand he said he was too old to be a caddy at first. But, I think the real reason he quit was because of Judy Jones. The caddy master embarrassed him and he didn’t want to look bad in front of Judy so he quit in a stylish manner. He also wanted a new life. She gave him an insight of what he wanted and knew that job wouldn’t be the right route to take. “He received a strong emotional shock , and his perturbation required a violent and immediate outlet.” Judy Jones was the real cause of him quitting.
3.Discuss the significance of this line: “… Dexter was unconsciously dictated to by his winter dreams.” Are you dictated to by your “winter dreams”? Winter depresses Dexter. It gives him a sense of “profound melancholy” that drowns him in the discontentment of his life. Winter makes Dexter long for the magical illusion of the rich. Dexter’s winter dreams take hold of him until there is little else in his life: they guide Dexter. Unfortunately his winter dreams are largely an illusion. Wealth and status are never within Dexter’s reach.
4.What is the significance of the tune coming from the piano? The tune reminded him of his past before he was in college. It reminded him of times where he couldn’t afford the luxury of proms and had to stand outside of them and listen to that same tune be played. It made him appreciate his lifestyle.
5.How had Dexter’s perception of Judy changed in part II? Judy was older and even more beautiful so Dexter’s perception of her was just a more extreme version of his younger self. He allowed her to make him even more sprung and naïve. He knew she had other men but he was fine with that. He fell in love with her because of her looks.
6.What does “direction” signify in the line at the end of part II, “…for the second time, her casual whim gave a new direction to his life.” She fuels his ambition and influences his life changing decisions he makes. Therefore, when she asked him out, that action is going to change his life in the long term. It gave him a new direction in his life because whenever he has an encounter with her, it gives him more reasons to work harder and when they don’t work out, his profession also changes.
7.Describe the adult Judy Jones. What kind of person is she? Do you know anyone like her? She is a gold digging ,selfish , and heartless person. She doesn’t care about anything other than her benefit. She is also shallow, because she wouldn’t talk to any man who was poor. Almost every reality television character is a perfect example of her. The women from basketball wives are a more specific example. They’re materialistic and wouldn’t give their husbands a chance if they weren’t rich.
8.What does Dexter “surrendering” part of himself (beginning of part IV) mean? He is giving up his dignity in my opinion. He’s giving his all to her including his heart, love, and affection even though she doesn’t give her all.
9. How did Dexter justify Judy’s lying to him? How? He didn’t mind her lying to him because she took the trouble and actually put in effort to lie to protect his feelings.
10. Interpret the following sentences: “The dream was gone. Something had been taken from him.” He will never be able to love so strongly again, he’s realized he has wasted his life on her , and he has lost his illusion about the world Judy came from.
11. Sentence variety: Find an example of a periodic sentence, compound sentence, and a compound-complex sentence. Periodic: “Without elation, without an interval of moist glory, the cold was gone.” Compound: He was a favorite caddy, and the thirty dollars a month he earned through the summer were not to be made elsewhere around the lake.” compound-complex sentence :It was a small laundry when he went into it but Dexter made a specialty of learning how the English washed fine woolen golf stockings without shrinking them, and within a year he was catering to the trade that wore knickerbockers.”
12. Fitzgerald frequently uses dashes in places of other punctuation: commas, semicolons, periods, and parentheses. Write down two examples. What effect does this achieve? “When he was twenty-three Mr. Hart–one of the gray-haired men who like to say “Now there’s a boy”–gave him a guest card to the Sherry Island Golf Club for a week-end.” “He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people—he wanted the glittering things themselves”
13. Fitzgerald employs colons in places where other punctuation would suffice. What effect does this achieve? (Then, after a pause: “I’m too old.“) This acts as an arrow pointing forward, telling you to read on for important information. In this example, it makes the reader actually pause. It’s a more stylish way rather than using punctuation.
Preview Transcendentalism
- PART A: According to the text, what was Thoreau’s purpose living in the woods near Walden Pond?-
- To re-evaluate his way of living and lead a more meaningful life
- PART B: Which of the following quotes best supports the answer to Part A?
- “I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life” (Paragraph 1)
- PART A: Which of the following best describes a central idea of the text? C. Life should be lived without complication or hurry, in order to get to the core of living.
- PART B: Which of the following quote best supports the answer to Part A? D.“Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in.”
- PART A: In paragraph 2 Thoreau states: “We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us.” Which of the following best explains the figurative language used here? C.Thoreau is commenting on how certain aspects of modern life can control us, not the other way around
- PART B: Which of the following institutions does Thoreau similarly conceptualize as he does the railroad? A. At the post office
- How does Thoreau’s inclusion of the story of the prince in paragraph 6 contribute to the ideas of passage? C.The story compares the prince’s circumstances of hard living with our own, building on Thoreau’s idea of life as innately mean.
The Life and Death of Edgar Allen Poe Assessment
1. How old was Poe when his mother died? What did she die from?- Poe was 2 years old when his mother died. She died from Tuberculosis.
2.What happened to the orphaned Poe and his siblings?- They were scattered across foster homes in Richmond, Virginia.
3. What happened to Poe’s wife and how long did she suffer?- Virginia got tuberculosis also and died after five years.
4. What poem brought Poe fame? Was it a financial success? The Raven brought Poe fame. It was an overnight sensation. It only got Poe $14.
5. What poem did Poe write for his wife?- He wrote Annabelle Lee after her death. He also wrote something before that to convince her to stay instead of moving with her relatives.
6. Who did he marry and what were the circumstances of the marriage?- He married his cousin Virginia who was 12 while he was 26. Poe stayed with Virginia and her mother who was also his aunt.
7. Who took in Poe and describe his upbringing- John and Frances Allan took in Poe. Frances and Poe were close and she treated him well.But like every other woman in Poe’s life, Francis died of tuberculosis. John disliked Poe and barely gave him enough money to go to college. They clashed over gambling, debts, and John even threatened Poe on his deathbed.
8.Write about Poe’s mother and father.- They were both actors. David Poe (his dad) abandoned their family in 1810. His mother, Eliza Poe, died the following year due to tuberculosis. Poe was a toddler so he doesn’t remember much.
9.What subjects did Poe write about? What story did he create?- Poe wrote about death,science-fiction, and mystery. He was fascinated with knowledge about life after death. He created the detective story. An example of his work is “The Mask of the Red Death Mask”.
10.How, where, and what were the circumstances of Poe’s death?- He was found outside a bar in an alleyway with clothes that didn’t fit him on the day of a political election. There are many theories about his death. One is drug and alcohol overdose. Another is a political kidnapping due to the clothes that were not his. There were many more. Another theory is that he was scratched by a cat that gave him rabies because he had a scratch.
William Root Assessment
- They didn’t have any indoor plumbing or electricity. They had out houses and chairs with bowls under them in the house for emergencies. They painted their walls white(white washed) because the light reflected off the white walls and made it brighter.
- Every room was taxed so they didn’t have closets because that meant more money was spent.
- Only the rooms downstairs had wallpaper because those were the only rooms guests went into. Also, the rooms upstairs had lower ceilings and smaller windows.
- The kitchens were detached from the house because there was no air conditioning so the heat from the stove would make the entire house hot.
- The houses were mostly plantation plain styled houses. They were also called I-houses because they were found in places that started with I’s like Idaho.
- (Bonus)- The family washed once a week before church and they used the same water. The dad went first and then the rest of the family went from oldest to youngest.
Rhetorical Analysis: My Dear Son
Abigail Adams wrote to her son, John Quincy Adams a heartwarming and encouraging letter while he was on a voyage with his father. The opening stared with “I hope you have had no occasion, either from enemies or the dangers of the sea, to repent your second voyage to France.” While using sympathetic diction to express her concern about her son’s safety, the tone is appearing to be sincere. But there was also a shift to a stern tone to urge her son to contribute positively to his country. There was also classical use of logical reasoning and ethical appeal. Abigail’s use of emotional persuasion, ethical appeal, logical reasoning, historical allusions, and sentimental to serious tone shifts made it clear that she wanted her son safe but also using his intelligence and opportunities to his advantage.
The tactic to use emotional appeal to John’s heart that appears throughout the entire letter is used to appeal to John’s emotions so he would be encouraged to realize his greatness. She was explaining to him that he has all the tools and opportunities to make the world a better place through justice. But it is also used to let him know that his mother is genuinely concerned about his safety. She knew the trip was dangerous but it was necessary for him. That is why when Adams states “Yet it is your lot, my son, to be an eyewitness of these calamities in your own native land, and, at the same time to owe your existence among a people who have made a glorious defense of their invaded liberties…”, she made sure to include understating details about why she sent John with his father. There is also a hint of logical reasoning to Abigail’s thoughts throughout the letter. She indicated that her son has all of the advantages, opportunities, and reasons to “add justice, fortitude…and do honor to your country.” John’s experience on the voyage was the icing on the cake and combined with his mother coaching him along the way was probably the most important factor of him becoming a political figure when he became a man. Ethical appeal was used the most in the letter. Part of Adams’ purpose of writing this letter was to uplift her son and boost his confidence. She listed his positive capabilities and his potential to improve his country. Without Adams, her son would not have become the 6th president of the United State or a political figure in general.
After Adam’s touched her son’s heart with her sympathy, she referred to historical allusions to basically turn her son into a political figure, preferably a patriot. “Adams told her son that it was his responsibility to witness the war, tyranny, and desolation. She also said it was his responsibility to do something about what he sees and, in a way, she guilts trips him into thinking that it’s his job to dedicate his existence to the citizens by using allusions. Adams wasn’t a fortune teller so she didn’t know for sure that her son was going to become the 6th president of the country. Therefore, it’s safe to say that she molded John into the patriot he became. She saw his potential and made sure she provided him with the historical context, and clear details on why he should do right by his country. Adams also used historical context when she indirectly stated that her son was more intelligent than Cicero and explained why. This letter is a scenario of a typical parent living her life through her son because women didn’t have political power in 1780. So, she is manipulating her son in a positive way to get him to live up to her expectations which are tremendously high.
The tone in this letter was not permanent at all. There were a lot of shifts to express Adams’ many feelings. The first part of the letter started off sincere with her concerns about her son’s safety. It showed that she was a caring mother and she worried about her son’s well-being on the dangerous voyage. But it shifted to an uplifting tone that showed her son’s positive character traits. She used knowledgeable quotes about life lessons. She even made it clear that her son has all the advantages and opportunities to be great. But then the tone shifts to a darker tone. It consisted of the reasons why John Adams should want to be a patriot. She explained the negative impacts of war, tyranny, and all the sacrifices innocent people made to direct John’s anger at Britain. But the letter ends with Adams’ narration: The strict and inviolable regard you have ever paid to truth, gives me pleasing hopes that you will not swerve from her dictates, but add justice, fortitude, and every manly virtue which can adorn a good 60 citizens, do honor to your country, and render your parents supremely happy, particularly your ever-affectionate mother. That shifted the tone back to the affectionate, sincere tone. Ending the letter on a good note manipulated her son more because he thought this was all from her heart.
Adam’s wrote this letter out of love but she had other intentions for this letter as well. She saw her son’s full potential and knew he was destined for greatness. She used so many different strategies to influence her son’s life choices. The use of emotion and ethical appeal, logical reasoning, references to historical allusions, and multiple shifts in tone was a big motivation to John. Especially, because the events that he experiences on the voyage with his father. They were clearly amazing strategies because both her husband and son became presidents of the United States. She couldn’t see the future and did not know he would become president. It’s safe to say Mothers do always know best.
Argument Essay Prompt
The Irish author Oscar Wilde claimed that disobedience is a valuable human trait and that it promotes social progress. I agree with his assertion, and I believe that It’s still valid today. Without disobedience, America wouldn’t be America. We would still be the 13 colonies under the control of Great Britain. The dictionary definition of disobedience is “refusal or failure to obey rules, laws, etc.” In other words, being a rebel means that you are disobedient. Rebels start revolutions and revolutions are what create social progress. Therefore, disobedience promoted the abolition of slavery, gave women equal rights, and even gave gay rights, which are all examples of social progression.
Slavery began in the United States when the first African slaves were being brought over to Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619. They worked with tobacco and other cash crops. Slavery expanded exponentially in the U.S. and became a legitimate business. This lasted until certain slaves had the perfect amount of disobedience. Heroes like Harriet Tubman paved the way for slaves to run away and be free with the Underground Railroad. She was a slave but she ran away, then she returned to save other slaves. Then, rebels like Nat Turner started the movement to fight slave masters back because they were tired of the cruelty . He started a revolt that was titled Nat Turner’s Rebellion. Eventually, abolitionists like Frederick Douglas and President Abraham Lincoln contributed to emancipate all slaves from slavery. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.” Without those rebels who were filled with disobedience, I would be someone’s property. Even when slavery stopped, there was still a need for individuals who were disobedient to give African-Americans equal rights.
The Women’s Rights Movement was one of the most important social progressions in the world. From the beginning of time, men always had more rights than women. Women couldn’t work, vote and the list goes on about what they couldn’t do. Men were always in control of the household and women had no power. They could only do the work of a housewife. The only reason they gained educational rights was to educate children. Fortunately, America was blessed with some disobedient women who started a women’s rights movement. Susan B. Anthony said,” The day may be approaching when the whole world will recognize woman as the equal of man.” The first women’s rights convention was in Seneca Falls, New York where the Declaration of Sentiments was created. Rebels like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady formed the National Woman Suffrage Association. That association led to women gaining the right to vote. Even though the 18th Amendment granted them the right to vote, individuals today still don’t give women equal opportunities as men. Luckily, we have women like Hilary Clinton who are willing to be disobedient and rebellious , so those barriers can be broken down forever.
The Stonewall riots started the Gay Right’s Movement in the early 1970’s. It started off small because it wasn’t a society norm. Therefore, the fear of judgement was higher than it is now. Eventually, it grew into a worldwide movement for acceptance and equality. The members of the movement were disobedient to discrimination. They knew that all humans should be treated equally and that they had the right to be themselves. Their revolution made a change and on June 26, 2015, same-sex marriage was legalized in the United States. Barack Obama said,” I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage. But when you start playing around with constitutions, just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that’s not what America’s about. Usually, our constitutions expand liberties, they don’t contract them.” Now, most of society has evolved to treat all human beings equally no matter what their sexuality is. The rebels that participated in the movement made it possible for people of all sexualities to express themselves. They made it possible for two individuals who love each other to get married. They made it a new society norm to express yourself and not be judged or discriminated. It was a huge social progression for a large percentage of the country.
Oscar Wilde’s claim that disobedience is a valuable human trait and that it promotes social progress made perfect sense to me. I completely understand what he meant. Without disobedience, America wouldn’t have accomplished so many things. We would have so many national issues if revolutions didn’t take place. Slavery would’ve never been abolished so civil rights leaders wouldn’t even be needed. Women would only be used for housework and educating children. Women wouldn’t be able to vote. Same-sex marriages would also still be legal. There would never be anything new. We would be stuck in the same era. We would never have breakthroughs in fashion. Society will never progress. America is the land of the brave, and it takes bravery to be disobedient and a rebel.
Narrative Response Practice 1
Elizabeth Proctor
By: Kaya Hunt
Elizabeth Proctor played a major part in The Crucible. Towards the end of the movie, John Proctor testifies against Abigail by saying they had an affair. The Salem Witch Trials were her way of getting revenge on Elizabeth. Elizabeth is called to defend his testimony because John said she has never lied in her entire life. If she tells the truth by saying the affair is true, then Abigail will be punished. Then, the trials would come to an end. Ironically, she lies and says the affair is a lie to protect John’s name and reputation. Therefore, Abigail’s lie worked out perfectly. The girls make a scene about Mary working for the Devil. Mary folds under pressure after turning on them. She then turns on John and says he’s making her do bad things. These events led to John Proctor sacrificing his life.
In my version, Elizabeth tells the truth about Abigail and John having an affair with each other, which changes everything. Abigail’s lies were ruined. The girls who followed Abigail turned against her and told the truth about what happened in the woods. They said that they were making their own choices to dance and create love spells. Mary even told that Abigail killed the chicken by smashing it against the pot and spread the chicken’s fresh blood on her pale face. Reverend Parris said that when he found Abigail he did see blood on her face and there was blood on the black stoned pot. All the girls, except for Abigail, confessed their love for the boys who they wanted the spells to work on. The only thing that controlled their mind was lust. They said the only reason they consistently lied was to keep out of trouble. Reverend Hale kept yelling, “I knew it! I knew it! “, while jumping up and down like he was in a never-ending hopscotch game. John Proctor and Elizabeth kept quiet the entire time because they were too busy holding each other. No one knew their fate at this point.
Governor Danforth was furious because he was the one who sentenced those people to death because of a girl’s vengeance. Judge Hawthorne felt as if he should hang himself for no reason because he did it to innocent citizens. So, after everyone finished confessing, there wasn’t even a private discussion about the girl’s fate. Every single judge or person of authority yelled in unison, “Abigail you are to be executed immediately.” Abigail tried to make another scene, saying the Devil made her do all of this. Elizabeth Proctor slapped her across her left cheek. A rosy red hand mark appeared on Abigail’s face. “It almost looks as red as when you used to blush over my husband,” Elizabeth said. No one felt bad for Abigail when Elizabeth did it. They were thankful. She yelled, “I did this so we could be together John. I do not mind dying for you,” as Abigail was being dragged to the truck for her execution. The other girls were sentenced to only 2 years of prison because they confessed. Reverend Parris was sentenced to 5 years because he didn’t tell the whole truth about his knowledge of them in the woods. The other people who were accused were set free, including Rebecca Nurse. Giles Corey was also set free even though he didn’t give up his source. Abigail’s execution looked like a New Year’s Eve party because everyone knew the truth about her. There wasn’t one villager who wasn’t celebrating her death. Elizabeth was praised because her decision to stick to the truth put an end to the Salem Witch Trials and she saved lots of lives, including her husband’s.
My alternate ending changed the theme from “redemption” to “justice.” No one was really redeemed. Abigail made terrible decisions throughout the entire movie. She was the cause of many deaths in Salem. Justice needed to be served. I wanted to encode a message saying that making right choices is always the better thing to do. When Elizabeth simply told the truth, she changed everything. She saved lives by doing the right thing and making the right choices. I also wanted it to say that the truth sets you free. The accusers all told lies to either keep them out of trouble or to gain something. But they were vulnerable, weak, and ,deep down, felt guilty. When Abigail told everyone she started all of this for John, she set herself free. Therefore, she could die in peace, knowing she died for her love. In the alternate ending, justice is served and everything works out.
Changing Elizabeth’s part changed everyone else’s also. John lived to be an amazing father and husband. Abigail was executed and she definitely deserved it. The girls who fell for Abigail’s peer pressure were sentenced to prison. Reverend Parris was also sentenced to prison for not telling the whole truth. Danforth, and the rest of the court officials, were hated for years. Reverend Hale returned to Beverly. Most importantly, Giles Corey, and the people who were accused of witchcraft, were saved and set free. Justice was served and the right choices were made. Whatever was done in the dark came to the light. Happy endings are better than endings with innocent people dying.
Kaya hunt 