How is Wealtheow portrayed? What does she do? What can we expect of Anglo- Saxon women?
Wealtheow is Hrothgar's queen. Since she is the queen, she is "adorned with gold [and a] proud woman" (606). When the men came to the feast, Wealtheow greeted them "mindful of ceremon[y]" (605) and "offered the cup to the Danish king" (608). She sounds more like a servant than a queen, acting as if she has to follow certain orders . Wealtheow spends most of the time "offering the [...] cup [and] welcom[ing]" (612-617) her guests. We can conclude that Wealtheow is a hospitable woman. She acts in a manner as if it is her job to take care of the guests. We can assume that this is what is expected from Anglo- Saxon women. They must care for their guests and keep order while their husbands enjoy themselves.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Essential Question #2
What are the social obligations of a hero?
The social obligations of a hero are to be a role model, make a difference, and be a modest person. As a hero, all eyes will be upon this person. A hero is one who children look up to and strive to become. Thus, a hero needs to act accordingly and always be a respectable human being. A hero needs to be aware of the injustices of his or her community and take a stand to improve what is necessary. Not only does this apply to one's community, but also to the world. No matter how far a place is, one always has the power to make a difference. It is only a matter of taking action, which is why a hero is important to society. The hero will set an example for others to follow. Modesty is also key in a hero. If a hero is not modest, then people will not give the hero the respect he or she deserves. A hero should not feel the need to take credit for a good deed. A hero should do things out of the kindness of his or her heart, not for publicity. For those who want to be a hero, strive for justice because the goodness that you bring to your people will be the reward in return.
The social obligations of a hero are to be a role model, make a difference, and be a modest person. As a hero, all eyes will be upon this person. A hero is one who children look up to and strive to become. Thus, a hero needs to act accordingly and always be a respectable human being. A hero needs to be aware of the injustices of his or her community and take a stand to improve what is necessary. Not only does this apply to one's community, but also to the world. No matter how far a place is, one always has the power to make a difference. It is only a matter of taking action, which is why a hero is important to society. The hero will set an example for others to follow. Modesty is also key in a hero. If a hero is not modest, then people will not give the hero the respect he or she deserves. A hero should not feel the need to take credit for a good deed. A hero should do things out of the kindness of his or her heart, not for publicity. For those who want to be a hero, strive for justice because the goodness that you bring to your people will be the reward in return.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Essential Question #1 (Part A)
How do we create division in our society?
Money plays a huge role in dividing our society. If one is paid more than another, then one is better, wealthier, at a higher status, and respected. A wealthy man can invest a large sum of money for his child's education, whereas a poor man, who is struggling to make enough money to put food on the table for his kids, will not be able to. Thus, the wealthier man's child will have the upper hand in education compared to the poor man's child who will not. Eventually, this will lead to the wealthy child receiving an ample amount of opportunities to succeed further in his education unlike the poor child, who will struggle to work extensive hours in order to help his father make money. Not only does the wealthy man obtain a higher status by being paid a lot, but his child will live on a higher status and never suffer the pains of work.
Another area in which divisions are created is in school. Whoever has the most friends is considered popular. All the kids will want to be that person's friend. When this happens, the popular kid's status elevates. Due to this elevation, other kids are looked upon at a lower level. School sports are also divided. Although ten girls are on a team and attend practice every day, there will be a few girls who will play a lot better at the sport. Those few girls will get the most playing time on the court, causing a divide between the "starters" and the "bench warmers".
On a last note, because there are so many divisions in society, people strive to be on the better half. Due to this, there is a competitiveness that spreads among co-workers for a promotion, students for the top of their class, or applicants to be admitted into college. Looking on the other side of the spectrum, if there were no divisions in society, there would be no sports teams, no principal of a school to watch over things, or students having a desire to strive for the best due to the lack of incentive. How would society adjust or react?
Money plays a huge role in dividing our society. If one is paid more than another, then one is better, wealthier, at a higher status, and respected. A wealthy man can invest a large sum of money for his child's education, whereas a poor man, who is struggling to make enough money to put food on the table for his kids, will not be able to. Thus, the wealthier man's child will have the upper hand in education compared to the poor man's child who will not. Eventually, this will lead to the wealthy child receiving an ample amount of opportunities to succeed further in his education unlike the poor child, who will struggle to work extensive hours in order to help his father make money. Not only does the wealthy man obtain a higher status by being paid a lot, but his child will live on a higher status and never suffer the pains of work.
Another area in which divisions are created is in school. Whoever has the most friends is considered popular. All the kids will want to be that person's friend. When this happens, the popular kid's status elevates. Due to this elevation, other kids are looked upon at a lower level. School sports are also divided. Although ten girls are on a team and attend practice every day, there will be a few girls who will play a lot better at the sport. Those few girls will get the most playing time on the court, causing a divide between the "starters" and the "bench warmers".
On a last note, because there are so many divisions in society, people strive to be on the better half. Due to this, there is a competitiveness that spreads among co-workers for a promotion, students for the top of their class, or applicants to be admitted into college. Looking on the other side of the spectrum, if there were no divisions in society, there would be no sports teams, no principal of a school to watch over things, or students having a desire to strive for the best due to the lack of incentive. How would society adjust or react?
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Outliers Ch. 1 & 2 Response
Success
After reading the first chapter of Outliers, I concluded that opportunity, luck, and my desire to succeed are the structural elements that made me academically successful. My parents pulled me out of the public school system to provide a better learning environment for me in a private school. If it was not for my parents’ desire to better my education, then I would not have had the opportunity to go to Our Lady’s and then, to Trinity Catholic. I believe luck played a role in my success because I am fortunate to be part of a family, who can provide money for my education. If I was brought up in a less fortunate household, I would not be attending a private school or be given the opportunities of extra- curricular activities. The most important element that has made me academically successful is my desire to succeed. If I did not care about my education, then I would not be doing very well in school. Since I believe in taking complete advantage of my education, I do my schoolwork to the best of my ability.The only way I can think of being tracked is the fact I graduated private kindergarten a year earlier than most kids my age. Ever since then, I have been one of the youngest in my class, yet also considered mature for my age. Technically, I am supposed to be a sophomore, but I am a junior. In a way, I think I am an outlier of an outlier. According to the hockey statistics, the older boys benefited and succeeded the most. I believe I am academically successful, yet one of the youngest in my class. Unless Gladwell’s theory applied specifically to athletes, my age does not seem to affect my ability to succeed
As a child, school came easy to me. I never strived to do well on tests and assignments. At the most, I looked over my notes before a test and managed to get an A. I believe it was partly because I was confident that I knew the subject well enough to get all the answers correct. I never strived to be the best, but my teachers always told my parents that I had that potential if I put a little effort into my work. I never understood what this meant, until I was ranked third in my class in the first quarter of my freshman year. As a freshman, my goal was to be on the Principal’s List, which did not take much effort, but once I saw that I was ranked number three in my class, I decided to challenge myself and strive to be number one. Ever since I achieved this goal, I continue to challenge myself by taking, what is considered, tough courses. I strongly believe taking the easy way out is not the route to success.
I have received a large advantage by being in an AP English course. I have a jump-start by taking a college- level course in high school. My writing is most likely better than most college preparatory students because I am taking a more rigorous class and learning things that college students learn. The kids that are taking a high school English class will learn the things I know now a year later. My grammar, speaking, and writing skills are also, most likely, at a higher level than the students taking a regular English course. This class will look better on my college resume and higher my GPA if I do well. These two things are also advantages I have over most students.
I have an accumulated advantage because I stayed consistent with my schooling for eleven years for almost six hours a day. If I am not in school, I read books for school over the summer and do assignments that are assigned with each book. Another advantage I have is that some teachers know me better than others because they have taught me more than once. I am also accustomed to their teaching styles and know what they expect of me. After eleven years of schooling, I learned that it is okay to make mistakes because it will only better my chances of succeeding.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Final Essay on Sin
Stairway to Heaven
When one commits a sin, one has the choice to confess it or conceal it. If one chooses to confess their sin, their bond with God becomes stronger. If one chooses to conceal their sin, their bond with God weakens, causing a separation between Him and the sinner. Those who choose to conceal their sins forget that “God sees everything” (Miller 110), which defeats the purpose of concealing a sin. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, John Proctor, Abigail Williams, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Hester Prynne take different approaches in dealing with their sins. By analyzing their approaches, it can be clearly seen how incorrectly Dorian Gray dealt with his sins in The Picture of Dorian Gray and confirms that “nothing […] he could do would cleanse him till he had told his own sin” (Wilde 228).
In The Crucible, John Proctor committed a sin by sleeping with another woman, which breaks his wife’s trust. Proctor chose to keep his sin private, vowing to never touch his mistress again: “I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again” (Miller 23). Proctor regretted his misconduct and took an approach to better his situation by ending the affair, but he still concealed his sin. By concealing his sin, Proctor fought an internal battle and struggled to regain the trust he lost from his wife. He finally confessed his sin to the court when his wife was falsely accused of doing witchcraft, in hopes to find redemption. When this did not happen and things worsened, Proctor concluded that the court, which was known to speak God’s law, would not give him the absolution he sought for. When it came time to sign his confession, Proctor’s first thought was to sign the paper in order to live, but Rebecca Nurse made him realize he was being selfish, which made him change his mind to be hanged. In the end, Proctor found the absolution he sought for and reached the Kingdom of Heaven.
Unlike Proctor, Dorian Gray chose to do otherwise. Proctor confessed his sin, which led him to be publicly humiliated. Although he “suffer[ed] public shame” (Wilde 228), his great act of “public atonement” (228) was his death. By confessing his sin and making the decision to be hanged, he only gained respect from his community. On the other hand, Dorian laughed at how ridiculous the thought of confessing his sin was: "Confess? Did it mean that he was to confess? To give himself up, and be put to death?" (227- 228). Dorian felt "that the idea was monstrous" (228). Dorian chose to forget his sins instead of finding absolution and lifting them off his chest. In order to be cleansed, he needed to confess. Dorian chose to be selfish by wanting to live, unlike Proctor who put justice before his life, bringing him closer to God.
After struggling to find absolution, Proctor realized he would find goodness in God’s kingdom. He found redemption by putting his trust in God. Proctor went to Elizabeth and the court in search of forgiveness, when he should have allowed God to be his judge. Even though Proctor sought redemption in the wrong places, he was able to find it. Dorian, on the other hand, did not take the time to search for forgiveness. Dorian believed that he "had been forgiven" (100) when he wrote his "first passionate love-letter [...] addressed to a dead girl" (103). Dorian did not physically apologize to Sibyl, who was not even alive to accept his apology, nullifying any atonement. Dorian took the easy way out and thought it was acceptable to write a letter to Sibyl, solely to please her. He did not mean any of the things he said and was not sincerely apologetic for what he did. Instead, he called believed “she ha[d] no right to kill herself. It was selfish of her” (103). Dorian blamed Sibyl for her death, when he was the one at fault. Unlike Dorian, Proctor acknowledged his faults and made an attempt to fix them.
Like Proctor, who said, “God sees everything” (Miller 110), Basil told Dorian of God’s power over man: “Yes […] to see your soul. But only God can do that” (Wilde 156). Although the portrait was hidden behind a purple curtain, Dorian knew it was there and most importantly, God also knew it was there. Thus, it was not actually concealed. God saw Proctor’s moral intentions and was able to cleanse his soul. Dorian, on the other hand, had immoral intentions, which prevented him from being cleansed.
Abigail Williams, in The Crucible, slept with a married man and did not take her sin seriously, making a game out of it with the court. Even after Proctor told her that he would rather “cut off [his] hand before […] reach[ing] for [her] again” (Miller 23), Abigail still tried to convince him otherwise: “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep. […] You love me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!” (24). Abigail went to the extent of threatening the other girls from revealing her sins: “Let either of you breathe a word […] about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and […] bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you” (20). In response to Proctor’s confession, Abigail acted like a drama queen, avoiding her confession: “If I must answer that, I will leave and I will not come back again!” (111). Abigail did end up leaving and lived the rest of her life as a prostitute in Boston, which separated herself from God in the process. As a result, Abigail did not get cleansed from her sin, which remained in her soul.
Like Abigail, Dorian Gray chose to turn away from his sins. Dorian thought he would be able to get away from them by suppressing them behind a purple curtain. Unfortunately, his portrait tricked him when he was about to permanently get rid of his inner ugliness. He could not hide from his sins any longer. Dorian was the "face without a heart" (Wilde 220). His portrait bore the suffering he should have felt. Abigail walked away from her sins and ended up becoming a prostitute. Likewise, Dorian tried forgetting and turning away from his sins, but ended up dying as a sinner without being cleansed. Neither Abigail nor Dorian learned their lessons. The two characters did not confess their sins, which only brought them suffering. If Dorian confessed his sins, he could have gained entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, but instead, he died a sinner.
Arthur Dimmesdale, in The Scarlet Letter, had difficulty confessing his sin because he was a prominent role model in his community. Although he wanted to spill his iniquitous heart and speak the truth, Dimmesdale was hiding his secret to benefit the many people who looked up to him, suffering for his community’s well-being. If his eminence was besmirched, then people would lose the hope he gave to them and the faith they had in him. By keeping his sin within him, he thought he was doing the right thing, but in the end, it caused Dimmesdale to be tormented by God through the diabolical workings of Roger Chillingworth and the physical punishments he gave himself.
With Hester’s support, Dimmesdale confessed his sin and passed away into Eternal Justice, leaving his pain and agony behind. Dimmesdale’s “public atonement” (Wilde 228) was his death, which “impress[ed] on his admirers [that] in the view of Infinite Purity, we are all sinners alike [and] show freely to the world […] some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” (Hawthorne 231). Dimmesdale may have suffered public shame if he was alive after he confessed, but he died leaving a message behind to his people. After seven miserable years of suffering, Dimmesdale finally realized that God was merciful. This was something Dorian was too selfish to think about. He was more concerned with living than finding absolution and repenting. Although Dimmesdale took a painful path in search of absolution, he was cleansed, and his soul went up to God’s kingdom.
Unlike Dimmesdale, who took his sin seriously and physically tormented himself, Dorian Gray avoided torment and put it all on his portrait, so he would not have to suffer: “Like the gods of the Greeks, he would be strong, and fleet, and joyous. What did it matter what happened to the colored image on the canvas? He would be safe. That was everything” (Wilde 110). When Dorian recognized his ugliness, he thrusted it further away, whereas Dimmesdale took the initiative to change. Dimmesdale may have taken the wrong approach of absolving his sin, but he had good intentions and made the effort to find absolution. Dorian simply shoved it away further and further until he could not take it anymore. Both died in the end, but Dimmesdale was cleansed and went to God’s kingdom, whereas Dorian died as a sinner.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was forced to bear her sin because it was physically visible. The public shame she experienced was brutal. The sin she committed caused a sphere to form around herself as people avoided her, but she accepted her punishment and made the most out of wearing her scarlet letter: “Hester bestowed all her superfluous means in charity, on wretches less miserable than herself, [and] employed in making coarse garments for the poor” (Hawthorne 77). Hester lived miserably, raising her daughter with what she could provide. Hester turned the other cheek when people would taunt her, like a true Christian: “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well” (Mt 5: 39-40). Hester bore her sin so humbly that the townspeople could not look at her with scorn: “Many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able. […] The scarlet letter had the effect of the cross on a nun’s bosom” (Hawthorne 146-147). Through Hester's kind actions, "society was inclined to show its former victim a more benign countenance than she cared to be favored with" (147). Out of all the characters from the three texts, Hester bore the most public shame and did so with great humility.
Unlike Hester, who lived out her sin and dealt with her public shame honorably, Dorian did not care. Basil warned him of all the gossip and foul things people were saying about him, but Dorian showed the slightest bit of concern: “I love scandals about other people, but scandals about myself don’t interest me. They have not got the charm of novelty” (Wilde 153). Dorian only got tired of people talking about him, but did not do anything to better his position or reform his ways. Hester gained respect from her community by doing good deeds. In comparison, society may have looked to Dorian for his aesthetics, which only hid his true self, but Hester was respected for her acts of self-betterment and penitence.
Proctor, Dimmesdale, and Hester confessed their sins, bringing them into the presence of God. Abigail and Dorian, who did not confess, were left to the mercy of the Devil. It was their fault that they did not receive God’s goodness. By turning away from their sins, Abigail and Dorian only grew further away from God, which confirms that “nothing [they] could do would cleanse [them] till [they] told [their] own sin[s]” (228). Miller, Hawthorne, and Wilde together voice an important message to society: “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred” (Hawthorne 231).With this dictum, society is called to replicate the atonement of Proctor, Dimmesdale, and Hester. By following their lead, society will be showered in the light of God.
When one commits a sin, one has the choice to confess it or conceal it. If one chooses to confess their sin, their bond with God becomes stronger. If one chooses to conceal their sin, their bond with God weakens, causing a separation between Him and the sinner. Those who choose to conceal their sins forget that “God sees everything” (Miller 110), which defeats the purpose of concealing a sin. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, John Proctor, Abigail Williams, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Hester Prynne take different approaches in dealing with their sins. By analyzing their approaches, it can be clearly seen how incorrectly Dorian Gray dealt with his sins in The Picture of Dorian Gray and confirms that “nothing […] he could do would cleanse him till he had told his own sin” (Wilde 228).
In The Crucible, John Proctor committed a sin by sleeping with another woman, which breaks his wife’s trust. Proctor chose to keep his sin private, vowing to never touch his mistress again: “I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again” (Miller 23). Proctor regretted his misconduct and took an approach to better his situation by ending the affair, but he still concealed his sin. By concealing his sin, Proctor fought an internal battle and struggled to regain the trust he lost from his wife. He finally confessed his sin to the court when his wife was falsely accused of doing witchcraft, in hopes to find redemption. When this did not happen and things worsened, Proctor concluded that the court, which was known to speak God’s law, would not give him the absolution he sought for. When it came time to sign his confession, Proctor’s first thought was to sign the paper in order to live, but Rebecca Nurse made him realize he was being selfish, which made him change his mind to be hanged. In the end, Proctor found the absolution he sought for and reached the Kingdom of Heaven.
Unlike Proctor, Dorian Gray chose to do otherwise. Proctor confessed his sin, which led him to be publicly humiliated. Although he “suffer[ed] public shame” (Wilde 228), his great act of “public atonement” (228) was his death. By confessing his sin and making the decision to be hanged, he only gained respect from his community. On the other hand, Dorian laughed at how ridiculous the thought of confessing his sin was: "Confess? Did it mean that he was to confess? To give himself up, and be put to death?" (227- 228). Dorian felt "that the idea was monstrous" (228). Dorian chose to forget his sins instead of finding absolution and lifting them off his chest. In order to be cleansed, he needed to confess. Dorian chose to be selfish by wanting to live, unlike Proctor who put justice before his life, bringing him closer to God.
After struggling to find absolution, Proctor realized he would find goodness in God’s kingdom. He found redemption by putting his trust in God. Proctor went to Elizabeth and the court in search of forgiveness, when he should have allowed God to be his judge. Even though Proctor sought redemption in the wrong places, he was able to find it. Dorian, on the other hand, did not take the time to search for forgiveness. Dorian believed that he "had been forgiven" (100) when he wrote his "first passionate love-letter [...] addressed to a dead girl" (103). Dorian did not physically apologize to Sibyl, who was not even alive to accept his apology, nullifying any atonement. Dorian took the easy way out and thought it was acceptable to write a letter to Sibyl, solely to please her. He did not mean any of the things he said and was not sincerely apologetic for what he did. Instead, he called believed “she ha[d] no right to kill herself. It was selfish of her” (103). Dorian blamed Sibyl for her death, when he was the one at fault. Unlike Dorian, Proctor acknowledged his faults and made an attempt to fix them.
Like Proctor, who said, “God sees everything” (Miller 110), Basil told Dorian of God’s power over man: “Yes […] to see your soul. But only God can do that” (Wilde 156). Although the portrait was hidden behind a purple curtain, Dorian knew it was there and most importantly, God also knew it was there. Thus, it was not actually concealed. God saw Proctor’s moral intentions and was able to cleanse his soul. Dorian, on the other hand, had immoral intentions, which prevented him from being cleansed.
Abigail Williams, in The Crucible, slept with a married man and did not take her sin seriously, making a game out of it with the court. Even after Proctor told her that he would rather “cut off [his] hand before […] reach[ing] for [her] again” (Miller 23), Abigail still tried to convince him otherwise: “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep. […] You love me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!” (24). Abigail went to the extent of threatening the other girls from revealing her sins: “Let either of you breathe a word […] about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and […] bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you” (20). In response to Proctor’s confession, Abigail acted like a drama queen, avoiding her confession: “If I must answer that, I will leave and I will not come back again!” (111). Abigail did end up leaving and lived the rest of her life as a prostitute in Boston, which separated herself from God in the process. As a result, Abigail did not get cleansed from her sin, which remained in her soul.
Like Abigail, Dorian Gray chose to turn away from his sins. Dorian thought he would be able to get away from them by suppressing them behind a purple curtain. Unfortunately, his portrait tricked him when he was about to permanently get rid of his inner ugliness. He could not hide from his sins any longer. Dorian was the "face without a heart" (Wilde 220). His portrait bore the suffering he should have felt. Abigail walked away from her sins and ended up becoming a prostitute. Likewise, Dorian tried forgetting and turning away from his sins, but ended up dying as a sinner without being cleansed. Neither Abigail nor Dorian learned their lessons. The two characters did not confess their sins, which only brought them suffering. If Dorian confessed his sins, he could have gained entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, but instead, he died a sinner.
Arthur Dimmesdale, in The Scarlet Letter, had difficulty confessing his sin because he was a prominent role model in his community. Although he wanted to spill his iniquitous heart and speak the truth, Dimmesdale was hiding his secret to benefit the many people who looked up to him, suffering for his community’s well-being. If his eminence was besmirched, then people would lose the hope he gave to them and the faith they had in him. By keeping his sin within him, he thought he was doing the right thing, but in the end, it caused Dimmesdale to be tormented by God through the diabolical workings of Roger Chillingworth and the physical punishments he gave himself.
With Hester’s support, Dimmesdale confessed his sin and passed away into Eternal Justice, leaving his pain and agony behind. Dimmesdale’s “public atonement” (Wilde 228) was his death, which “impress[ed] on his admirers [that] in the view of Infinite Purity, we are all sinners alike [and] show freely to the world […] some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” (Hawthorne 231). Dimmesdale may have suffered public shame if he was alive after he confessed, but he died leaving a message behind to his people. After seven miserable years of suffering, Dimmesdale finally realized that God was merciful. This was something Dorian was too selfish to think about. He was more concerned with living than finding absolution and repenting. Although Dimmesdale took a painful path in search of absolution, he was cleansed, and his soul went up to God’s kingdom.
Unlike Dimmesdale, who took his sin seriously and physically tormented himself, Dorian Gray avoided torment and put it all on his portrait, so he would not have to suffer: “Like the gods of the Greeks, he would be strong, and fleet, and joyous. What did it matter what happened to the colored image on the canvas? He would be safe. That was everything” (Wilde 110). When Dorian recognized his ugliness, he thrusted it further away, whereas Dimmesdale took the initiative to change. Dimmesdale may have taken the wrong approach of absolving his sin, but he had good intentions and made the effort to find absolution. Dorian simply shoved it away further and further until he could not take it anymore. Both died in the end, but Dimmesdale was cleansed and went to God’s kingdom, whereas Dorian died as a sinner.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was forced to bear her sin because it was physically visible. The public shame she experienced was brutal. The sin she committed caused a sphere to form around herself as people avoided her, but she accepted her punishment and made the most out of wearing her scarlet letter: “Hester bestowed all her superfluous means in charity, on wretches less miserable than herself, [and] employed in making coarse garments for the poor” (Hawthorne 77). Hester lived miserably, raising her daughter with what she could provide. Hester turned the other cheek when people would taunt her, like a true Christian: “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well” (Mt 5: 39-40). Hester bore her sin so humbly that the townspeople could not look at her with scorn: “Many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able. […] The scarlet letter had the effect of the cross on a nun’s bosom” (Hawthorne 146-147). Through Hester's kind actions, "society was inclined to show its former victim a more benign countenance than she cared to be favored with" (147). Out of all the characters from the three texts, Hester bore the most public shame and did so with great humility.
Unlike Hester, who lived out her sin and dealt with her public shame honorably, Dorian did not care. Basil warned him of all the gossip and foul things people were saying about him, but Dorian showed the slightest bit of concern: “I love scandals about other people, but scandals about myself don’t interest me. They have not got the charm of novelty” (Wilde 153). Dorian only got tired of people talking about him, but did not do anything to better his position or reform his ways. Hester gained respect from her community by doing good deeds. In comparison, society may have looked to Dorian for his aesthetics, which only hid his true self, but Hester was respected for her acts of self-betterment and penitence.
Proctor, Dimmesdale, and Hester confessed their sins, bringing them into the presence of God. Abigail and Dorian, who did not confess, were left to the mercy of the Devil. It was their fault that they did not receive God’s goodness. By turning away from their sins, Abigail and Dorian only grew further away from God, which confirms that “nothing [they] could do would cleanse [them] till [they] told [their] own sin[s]” (228). Miller, Hawthorne, and Wilde together voice an important message to society: “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred” (Hawthorne 231).With this dictum, society is called to replicate the atonement of Proctor, Dimmesdale, and Hester. By following their lead, society will be showered in the light of God.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
PODG: Sibyl Vane Character Analysis
Sibyl Vane was a lively young girl, who allowed her innocence to overpower her common sense.
After Dorian Gray, who Sibyl called Prince Charming, lured her into his trap, she immediately became madly in love with him: “Prince Charming rules life for us now” (64). Without putting any thought into who this man was, Sibyl allowed the love she had for Dorian to take over her mind. She became so madly in love with him to the point where she began performing poorly on stage. Her reason behind this was that she could not “mimic [a passion] that burn[ed] [her] like fire” (91). Sibyl was an actress, which meant she was a professional at mimicking emotions. Her excuse was not appropriate; it only showed how obsessed she was with Dorian. Sibyl ended up getting criticized for her poor acting by the person she was thinking about during her performance, and who she was eager to see once it was over. After Dorian finished ranting about her, Sibyl was shocked at the love of her life’s feelings. She killed herself because of Dorian’s harsh words. If she used her common sense, then she would have realized Dorian had no appreciation for her and truly did not care about her. Sibyl Vane did not deserve to die. Her death was the result of Dorian Gray’s corruption over her heart.
Sibyl Vane is like a magazine to Dorian. He wanted to buy her so badly and even asked Lord Henry to help him acquire her: “You, who know all the secrets of life, tell me how to charm Sibyl Vane to love me!” (59). Dorian was satisfied once he flipped the last page. However, there was nothing left for Sibyl, but the recycling bin.
Sibyl Vane is like a child, who is easily swayed.
After Dorian Gray, who Sibyl called Prince Charming, lured her into his trap, she immediately became madly in love with him: “Prince Charming rules life for us now” (64). Without putting any thought into who this man was, Sibyl allowed the love she had for Dorian to take over her mind. She became so madly in love with him to the point where she began performing poorly on stage. Her reason behind this was that she could not “mimic [a passion] that burn[ed] [her] like fire” (91). Sibyl was an actress, which meant she was a professional at mimicking emotions. Her excuse was not appropriate; it only showed how obsessed she was with Dorian. Sibyl ended up getting criticized for her poor acting by the person she was thinking about during her performance, and who she was eager to see once it was over. After Dorian finished ranting about her, Sibyl was shocked at the love of her life’s feelings. She killed herself because of Dorian’s harsh words. If she used her common sense, then she would have realized Dorian had no appreciation for her and truly did not care about her. Sibyl Vane did not deserve to die. Her death was the result of Dorian Gray’s corruption over her heart.
Sibyl Vane is like a magazine to Dorian. He wanted to buy her so badly and even asked Lord Henry to help him acquire her: “You, who know all the secrets of life, tell me how to charm Sibyl Vane to love me!” (59). Dorian was satisfied once he flipped the last page. However, there was nothing left for Sibyl, but the recycling bin.
Sibyl Vane is like a child, who is easily swayed.
PODG: Dorian Gray Character Analysis
Dorian Gray
Dorian Gray was a self- absorbed man with absolutely no appreciation for what he had.
Dorian Gray was beyond beautiful and Lord Henry made him aware of this: “You are a wonderful creation. […] The gods have been good to you” (23-24). Instead of feeling grateful that he was gifted with such beauty, Dorian acted in a selfish manner and wished to stay young forever. Another instance of Dorian’s selfish attitude was during his love affair with Sibyl Vane. Dorian should have taken Sibyl’s explanation for her poor performance as a compliment instead of throwing a fit about it. Dorian avoided feeling remorse by finding unreasonable justification as to why he had the complete right to yell at Sibyl: "During the three terrible hours that the play had lasted he had lived centuries of pain" (95). Dorian did not need to sit in the audience, he chose to, so he should not be complaining. If Dorian really loved Sibyl, then he would have appreciated her for her devotion and gratitude towards him. Dorian should have also appreciated Basil instead of killing him. Basil was the only friend Dorian had who still had faith in him and wanted the best for him. Basil adored Dorian and "worship[ed]" (117) him. All Dorian did in return was feel a "terrible joy [...] that the man […] was to be burdened for the rest of his life" (157) when he was about to reveal the portrait to Basil.
Dorian is to Lord Henry as an experiment is to a scientist. Lord Henry simply uses Dorian as an experiment that he can test his ideas on. It does not matter to him whether Dorian’s life is at stake, or if the experiment will harm him. Likewise, a scientist is eager to test things they want to try out. Once they are gifted with the opportunity to test their ideas out, nothing else matters. The object being tested is simply an object being tested.
Dorian is like a little girl, who complains if he does not get what he wants.
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