Class Discussion Response

In completing the Knight's Tale, it is fair to say that Chaucer was in fact a chauvinist or woman hater. The Knight's Tale introduces a woman by the name of Emily whose purpose in the story can be defined by her physical features. In this story she is seen as something great that is out of reach. She is the carrot dangling in front of a horse, the cookie jar in the tallest cabinet, out of reach from children, she is a woman whose physical features and beautiful essence surpass that of Palamon and Arcite. Emily, in the knights tale seems to be nothing more than a trophy. Her unsophisticated role in this story leads the reader to think that Chaucer was a chauvinist as women in this story seemed to be nothing more than physical objects, whose purity and moral way of life are no rewarded.

Final Society

I did not change my society because I felt that the combination of my civilians would have proven to be the most logical and amiable. In my society the most important roles are filled. Stephen Hawking’s represents a fraction of the intelligence in this society, as well as enlightenment and encouragement. Hawkings represents hope and the overcoming of obstacles, which is an essential task to learn when being in a society and in life. Other members such as Elizabeth Bennet and David Alfaro fulfill represent understanding of the world around them and a separate way of thinking. In society it is important to have people who can think beyond the boundaries of what we are trained to think at an early age as they can see the world through a different lens, potentially offering great insight to those who see through the lens of the majority. Other members such as Bill Cosby work to entertain the people of the society, making sure that happiness and laughter is not scarce. Following entertainment in the list of reasons as to why I kept my society the same is military. Every society needs some form of protection or military force, which is where Robin Hood comes in. His superior military tactics are not a force to be reckoned with and are further complimented by his loyalty to the people. After all, nothing is right in a society unless it agrees with or compliments its other aspects.

This society in fact has its flaws. One of its flaws can be found in the fact that there is only one female member of society. This can be a negative feature of society simply because there is only one female member of society which goes against the common saying, “two is better than one.” Another flaw in this society is that each member withholds different beliefs both politically and religiously. Further disagreement in these categories could potentially lead to violence. The flaws in this society mainly rely on each individual person and how they are willing to interact with one another, after all it is human nature to feel a sense of disagreement in regards to others ideas or character.

Ideal Society

Stephen Hawking: Stephen Hawkings' role in this society would be that of a scientist and leader. His intelligence and ability to perform at incomparable levels, despite his condition, allow him to be viewed as an enlightener, inspiring others through his own life and achievements and through living by example. Stephen Hawkings' power is not found in his inability to move or speak but in his charisma and liveliness that is existent in a lifeless body. Hawking's is an essential piece of my ideal society because he represents the greatest qualities in a leader.

Robin Hood: Robin Hood's role in society is that of warrior, dreamer, and teacher. His loyalty to the people and willingness to throw himself into harms way for the goodness of the others reflect his warrior-eske personality. The common idea associated with Robin Hood, take from the rich and give to the poor, resembles his dream of equality among men of different classes, as well as liberty among the people. Through his acts of immoral charity he is able to instill a sense of hope and determination into the people which is a well needed characteristic when times get rough.

Elizabeth Bennet: Elizabeth Bennet's role in society is that of a female leader and dreamer. Her futuristic persona and way of thinking represent her ability to be a female leader, in addition to her willingness to speak her mind no matter the audience. She is ahead of her time and does not settle for less that she wants. These characteristics truly are essential to being a leader.

Bill Cosby: Bill Cosby's role in society is that of an entertainer, scholar, teacher(through his comedy). Through the comedy he creates about every day life Cosby is able to reach a broad spectrum of audiences ranging from young adults to elder folk. His comedy relates to the average family life, teaching people about every day life and dilemmas while murdering them with laughter. He would be an essential part of society to help people take a look at themselves.

David Alfaro Siqueiros: David's role in society is that of an artist who's masterpieces usually reflect the government's effect on the people of society, especially in Hispanic communities. David is an essential part of my ideal society because he is able to live in one world made up of art and politics, as opposed to separating the two. It is important to be able to live one identity and recognize the world around you than live two, and be oblivious to what is really happening. through his art he can keep the society true to its values.

The Stages of Courtly Love

The Stages of Courtly Love Today
-Attraction to the lady, usually via brief but decisive eyes/glances
-Familiarize yourself with that person through a temporary friendship
-Declaration of interest(declaration of immense passionate devotion could be viewed as a turn off or obsessiveness)
-Acceptance/playful banter by the lady
-Introduction/up keeping of faithfulness
-Be yourself
-Avoid temptation from others
-Act as though you are seeing your lady for the first time every day (which should be a positive mutual feeling)
-Never put down your lady outside the context of humor
-As you age do not allow your heart to mimic the effects of your body, allow it to be its own body and represent the same power that it did since day one

Essential Question #4 Part B

Hrothgar's farewell to Beowulf is both kind-hearted and extremely discomforting. His farewell basically generalizes the idea that Beowulf will one day be destroyed.That one day natures finest element will come knocking on his front door asking him to follow. This element is death and it will come, Hrothgar says, whether through battle or through old age. The worshiped, god-like Beowulf is not god like after all as he is only human. He constantly says that Beowulf's time will come.In addition to Hrothgar's rather interesting philosophical interpretation of Beowulf's fate he begins telling Beowulf of his unconditional gratitude to God. "Thus I thank the Creator, the Eternal Lord, that after our afflictions i have lived to see, to see with my own eyes this blood-stained head"(Lines 1762-1764). Obviously Hrothgar says this quote as he is overcome in joy in being able to gaze down on Grendel's bloody head for the first and last time. However, he does not really thank Beowulf here, he sort of hints that he is grateful for Beowulf's arrival in this farewell speech. Maybe he gave Beowulf a wink of appreciation after telling him that he was eventually going to die, or maybe even a pat on the head, after all he seems to be quite a character. It does not seem like Hrothgar uses his time to say farewell to express his unconditional gratitude. It seems as though he told Beowulf that he must, in modern English, live life to the fullest as it passes by quicker than expected. Hrothgar says that he has fought many battles and is overwhelmed in joy in the fact that he gazes down on Grendel's bloody face for the first and last time. Hrothgar indirectly thanks and blatantly warns Beowulf that the good things in life (which is the gift of life) never last and that he should live like never before, before it is all ripped away from his pulverizing grip and stripped from his very indestructible character.

Essential Question # 3

Wealtheow, in Beowulf, is portrayed as a very humble, kind-hearted woman who was, "adorned with gold." In the poem the purpose that Wealtheow fulfills is that of a hostess. When introduced into the novel she is described to be dressed in wealth and greeting the many men in the hall, offering drinks to all as praise for their presence. She can be seen as a goddess who knows no evil and is a representation of nurturing love and care. In the poem Wealtheow is a servant to some extent, offering drinks to all the men in Heorot, and taking care of her king as a mother would care for her child. She sets the stage for what Anglo-Saxon women might have been like, humble, kind, loyal, beautiful, and obligated to serve to some extent. Wealtheow's introduction into the poem is brief but resembles what women of that time period might have been like.

Essential Question #2

The social obligations of a hero are nothing. A hero is no different than you and I, not one singular person amongst billions, but someone who lives life like the vast majority of us do, like humans. A hero doesn't have super strength, the ability to fly, or x-ray vision, nor does a hero have to land an airplane in the Hudson river, saving many. A hero is no one out of the ordinary, but the very person you see when you look in the mirror every morning when you wake up. We are all heroes to somebody, whether it be our younger siblings or an entire nation. We are not obligated to do anything but be ourselves and wait for the very day when someone says, "you are my hero".

Essential Question #1 Part B

Lady Macbeth's role in Shakespeare’s Macbeth is purely progressive and nothing more. Her role as a determined woman who lusts after power and position simply adds to the climactic plot of Macbeth and demonstrates that Shakespeare has portrayed her as a woman of ahead of her time. The mere fact that Lady Macbeth plays an immoral character who sought after the few things that many people desire even until this day is irrelevant, as she was able to hold her own against the men of the time and coerce Macbeth into obeying her every whim. Characters such as Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello also play similar roles as a villain in the story, but at the same time they were sharp and cunning. The villainy is irrelevant in comparison to the ingenuity Lady Macbeth exhibits. To answer the question as to whether or not Shakespeare was progressive or misogynistic in his portrayal of Lady Macbeth, he was progressive, for Lady Macbeth’s clever and mischievous nature is what made this tragedy all the more epic.

Outliers writing assignment

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English 11/Mr. George
5/25/10
Outliers

I consider myself to be academically successful not in the grades that I receive but the distance I have come since the day I was born. Granted that I didn’t attend school, excluding preschool, daycare, and kindergarten, until I was around six years old in the first grade, I have come a substantial distance since then. To be quite honest, since then I had only strived to become what I feel that I am today, the guy who strives to be no greater than the best and no worse than the worst. I did what I needed to in order to get by in life and in school. I showed up to class with a pen, pencil, and a mind willing to pay attention. The first grade marked the beginning of this middle man trend and has brought me to where I am today, with opportunity. The structural elements that have led me to become relatively successful in regards to academics has been the way I was taught. Since the first grade I have always had mediocre teachers who would teach, drink a coffee between periods, go about their days, and repeat this cycle daily. However, these teachers took the time to explain the material in depth and in a way that pleased everyone’s learning styles.
From being in Ap English I think I have had a huge advantage over others who may not have. By being in this course I have developed a greater understanding of the English language and have learned specific literary tactics which helped to improve my writing. By being in this course with other very intelligent people I have been introduced to new ways of thinking and different levels of intelligence. In this class I have not only been taught by Mr. George, but my peers as well, which makes being in this Ap English course substantially advantageous.
In regards to accumulative advantages in my story of academic success, I was lucky. I was lucky that I had the same teachers for the first six years of my life. I was lucky that my other teachers cared more about a blunt paycheck and summer vacation. I was lucky that I got accepted to schools and had the opportunity to learn and study with very intelligent people. I was lucky, and that’s all it really was. I lived the academic dream life that many people would have desired and got the attention and help when I needed. I went to smaller schools and found myself more engaged in the material being taught and less focused on the giant, three hundred pound, person that could have been sitting forty rows ahead of me had I gone to public school. I became used to this environment and had an advantage over those who might have been new to the school or used to attending a school with four thousand kids. It was luck, sprinkled with a little bit of effort, that crafted the middle man I am today.

Characterization: James Vane and Lord Henry

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
AP English/Mr. George
3/30/10
Character analysis: James Vane

James Vane is the physical representation of revenge gone wrong, setting out to annihilate his sisters “killer,” and suffering the very fate that he wished upon Dorian; he is a critique of human instinct and the very emotions that we feel.
James Vane is a character who appears very few times in the novel. However, James Vane is an essential character in the Picture of Dorian Gray because he can be seen as a critique of people in Wilde’s era, as well as people in the world today. James is first introduced when he promises to murder any man who might wrong his sister, and as we learn later in the novel, when Dorian’s corrupt life coincides with James’, he had been searching for Dorian or “prince charming” so that he may avenge his sisters death and destroy Dorian. The simple act of revenge as we have learned from various other books such as The Scarlet Letter, is a poisonous concoction that harms everyone involved in it and everyone near it. James Vanes over zealous desire to kill Dorian simply leads to his unfortunate death in a hunting accident. He is used as a critique of human nature and emotions because he exemplifies that amplitude of emotions and the serious repercussions of those that we fail to control. Revenge was the real accident, because some emotions are simply uncontrollable.
James Vane is a little child in the sense that he is unable to control his emotions and does not posses what I call a moral filter; something in your head that separates the moral things from everything else, purifying ones acts and cleansing the soul.
James Vane is like Lewis Black, preaching whatever intrudes his mind, and filtering nothing that comes out of it.

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
AP English/Mr. George
3/30/10
Character analysis: Lord Henry

Lord Henry is influence and evil incarnate, using his devious witticisms and abstract logic to manipulate the virgin minds of the innocent and instilling corruption within.
Lord Henry was introduced as a fellow with the tendency to influence people, and to win over the minds of those whom he spoke to. This can be best exemplified in Lord Henry’s influence and control over the young and naïve Dorian Gray, who whimsically fell in love with Henry’s outlandish theories and embarked on his journey to evil, all because Lord Henry proposed that beauty is something that must be savored and should never go away. He felt that Dorian made a fine experiment, and continued to bask Dorian in his lies: “Talking to him was like playing on an exquisite violin…There was something terribly enthralling in the exercise of influence” (Wilde 39). One must take note that Lord Henry was a very intelligent man as he was able to fool anyone and alter their beliefs in a matter of hours, as we saw with Dorian Gray. Henry was intelligent enough to realize the repercussions of his influence, yet seized to stop it and reverse the effect of his demonic paradoxes. Henry was a devil in the sense that he was not bothered by other people’s misery and used the world as his laboratory, which is reflected in Dorian.
Henry is like the devil that lingers on your shoulder perpendicular to the angel. He attempts to influence your decisions and force you to do terrible things. The devil resembles temptation which is what Lord Henry prescribes.
Lord Henry is like the President of the United States whom we all chose and have always chosen to believe for no logical reason, other than his position and presentation.

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/28/10
PODG end

"Yet it was his duty to confess, to suffer public shame, and to make public atonement. There was a God who called upon men to tell their sins to earth as well as to heaven. Nothing that he could do would cleanse him till he had told his own sin" (228).

Throughout the novel, Dorian showcased a careless vibe, and now that has come back to haunt him. This quotation relates back to the debates on public versus private sin, where we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of concealing and confessing your sin. In analyzing the majority of the texts we have read this year, a recurring theme seems to have been redemption. Through the public confession of sin, one could be absolved of their sins, which is why Dorian perishes with the discomforting thought that he has not been forgiven.

As we have learned characters like Dimmesdale and Proctor were able to achieve redemption due to public confession, but Dorian was unable to due to the fact that he could not confess. His carelessness and inability to show compassion and take responsibility in his actions lead to his demise and ultimate ending. He who does whats right will always have righteousness, which is why Dorian shall never be redeemed. He has failed to intertwine goodness in his life, which is why he has perished.


"The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame" (224).

This relates to Wilde's statement in the preface that "there is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book," (1) and that books are simply good or bad. In society, people tend to label other things or people subjectively based on their own moral dilemmas. It is human instinct to shun others simply because we are flawed, which is what Wilde also relates to in the preface: that art contains a little bit of the artist who tries to conceal part of himself in his work. Books in general hold a very strong influence on the people that live in the world, the most famous being the bible. A bible is to the religious folk what the yellow book is to Dorian: it is scriptural influence and something more powerful than the soul. Fortunately, Dorian realized its negative influence, but was too late and too overcome by its message to change.

PODG Ch. 16-18

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/25/10
PODG Ch. 16-18

"The keen, aromatic air, the brown and red lights that glimmered in the wood, the hoarse cries of the beaters ringing out from time to time, and the sharp snaps of the guns that followed, fascinated him with a sense of delightful freedom. He was dominated by the carelessness of happiness, by the high indifference of joy" (207).

In this chapter Wilde does as very good job of distinguishing the two separate lives that Dorian lives, his life at his Selby Royal estate, and the life consumed by evil and addiction at his main residence in London. Despite their physical characteristics, both estates represent both sides of Dorian. In his hometown, Dorian began going to opium dens, and had previously destroyed the lives of many people. However, at his Selby Royal estate in the countryside, we get a sense that Dorian is not completely consumed by evil and in-humaneness." ". His countryside residence was the bearer of good things, and even though a man had died during the hunt at his estate, Dorian, for a minute moment, showed compassion toward the vengeful James Vane, the dead body. Despite his few seconds of compassion, we must also note that shortly after he was revealed that his stalker was dead and his life was saved. I personally believe that it is things like this, the constant gratification in other peoples misery, and internal corruption that develop into an uncontrollable power that will eat its host away from the inside out. Dorian says that "on a yacht one is safe"(210), which can be true, but it is not safe from that internal corruption and guilt-promoted evil. He may have escaped the physical monster that set out to kill him, but Dorian has yet to confront the emotional monster that resides within him. The body of water surrounding his yacht will not keep out the insanity of the world, but give him more time to think about the insanity that lies within him, Dorian will perish.

"Difference of object does not alter singleness of passion. It merely intensifies it. We can have in life but one great experience at best, and the secret of life is to reproduce that experience as often as possible"(201)

This actually explains a lot in regards to Dorian's behavior. As humans, once we experience something great whether it be physical or emotional, we strive to achieve that greatness in order to continuously feel good about ourselves. Dorian's motive for so passionately and violently guarding his youth is simply this: because it felt good to him, watching other people age and perish while he still remained in the same physical form that he did eighteen years ago. His whole life has been constructed around that one main value, protecting it at all costs. He killed his beloved friend because of his portrait, felt no remorse, and sought out no redemption. He is subject of nobodies experiment but his own, and has failed to produce what we would consider "rational results." Dorian's entire life ever, ever since meeting Lord Henry at the beginning of the novel, has been focused around continuing to achieve his goal of fruitfulness, and because he was so consumed in doing that, nothing effected him. He feels no remorse and sympathy for anyone because he has simply ignored those feelings for so long, and would not know what to do with them. He always has, and will be focused on himself until someone turns on the light in the back of his head. This quotation explains Dorian's motives for living, as well as every human beings motives for living. This feeling we experience is like getting an A+ on an exam or for some, doing drugs, it is something that we simply can not forget until we are brought into the realization that life is still life without additives. We all have our judgment day, our "do or die" moment, where we are forced to look beyond our selves and further into our lives by observing others, and Dorian's is approaching.

PODG Ch. 15

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/23/10
PODG Ch. 15

"A man can be happy with any woman, as long as he does not love her"(184).

This questionable response to the topic of happiness in marriage is said by Lord Henry, proposing the idea that happiness is not found in commitment, but in the absence of love. This line stuck out to me because although it seems irrational, I for one agree with it. The catholic church teaches that marriage is unitive and is the climactic phase of love and happiness. Religion teaches that marriage is a very important sacrament, uniting the man and woman, and in doing so, happiness is given, eventually. However, if you were to ask ten couples if happiness were a recurring theme in their marriage, I guarantee that at least three would say "no." It is a known fact that marriage does not constitute eternal happiness, it only reflects what was once love and what is now an emotional bond that some fail to break through. Happiness is not something that can only be found through a relationship or love. It can be found in friends, family, and even those that you hate. Happiness is a universal feeling in the sense that it comes and goes, and can be found whenever, wherever, and in whoever. This feeling is not something that can only be achieved by loving someone. I personally hate some of the people that I know, but whenever I am with them, I am happy. Lord Henry creates very obscure theories about life and morals throughout the novel, and for once, he proposes a very interesting concept, which is still reflected on today.


"Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast"(185).

Once again, Lord Henry's crazed logic floods the content of this chapter. In this quote he states that the whole concept of consuming things or doing things in moderation is silly. He states that "enough of something is as bad as a meal," meaning that just "enough" of something is too little, and that "more than enough is as good as a feast," meaning that too much of something is phenomenal, because you can not turn back. I picked this quote because it completely combats what we are taught as human beings today. In this modern age, we are taught from the way way we eat, to the amount we exercise and do things, that anything is good, as long as it is in moderation, meaning that everything is good for our bodies as long as we are exposed to it over time and not all at once. What seems to be logical to us and has been logical for many generations before us, is not to Lord Henry, and he makes a very valid point. This quote can be applied to the character of Dorian in the sense that Henry's influence on him happened in the course of a couple of chapters or all at once. Now that Dorian has been so exposed to Henry's teachings and done so many horrible things, he is able to "feast" because there is nothing worse that he can do to his corpse.

PODG Ch. 14

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/22/10
PODG Ch. 14

"Your life? Good heavens! what a life that is! You have gone from corruption to corruption, and now you have culminated in crime. In doing what I am going to do, what you forced me to do, it is not your life that I am thinking"(176).

Dorian has finally broken through the shackled fence of human morality, leaving behind all aspects of life and particular characteristics and emotions that define him as human. Previously, Dorian's method of interacting with other people and living life has reflected the very nature of sin and evil, but all humans sin, and all humans have minute traces of evil in their souls. Now Dorian has transformed into a creature that can not be compared with even the worst of criminals today. He has officially become the beast that he had been evolving into ever since he met Lord Henry, and become more powerful than Henry himself. Just a couple of pages ago, Dorian murdered Basil, his best friend since the beginning of the novel, and felt no remorse. Now, Dorian feels the need to rid himself of Basil completely and blackmail Alan, in order for Basil's body to be disposed of. What stuck out to me the most in this chapter was not Dorian's plan to dispose of his dearest friends body, but his choice to sin again, and blackmail Alan, only pages after he had killed Basil. This obviously reflects his newly adopted, animalistic characteristics, and our ability, as readers, to understand Dorian and potentially sympathize with him. Wilde has extinguished all sympathetic feelings the reader might have had for Dorian and replaced them with a burning inferno, and feelings of anger and hatred. Not only has Dorian devolved from understandable to vial in the readers eyes, but he has disabled us from connecting with him as a character: Dorian is no more.

"What was that loathsome red dew that gleamed, wet and glistening, on one of the hands, as though the canvas had sweated blood? How horrible it was!-more horrible, it seemed to him for the moment, than the silent thing that he knew was stretched across the table"(177).

In my opinion, this blood-like substance on Dorian's hand in the portrait can represent a couple of things, the death of his soul or the corruption and demise of his soul and character. Since his selfish wish in the beginning of the novel to have his portrait age while he continuously showcases beauty at its finest, Dorian's portrait has underwent some disturbing changes from becoming very pale, developing wrinkles, and decaying. However, not once have we seen a change so severe as this. This could be explained by the fact that Dorian has never committed such great sins as he had just done, or because the portrait is somehow foreshadowing Dorian's demise. Although it may seem unlikely, the very essence of the portrait persuaded Dorian to kill Basil. It is defined as hideous artwork on the outside, but resembles more of a character than that of Dorian; it is not just a portrait. Once again int his chapter, Dorian is drawn to the ugliness of the portrait over others such as Basil. His connection to the portrait is unrealistic in the sense that he fancies it so much that is it like they are linked in blood. This obsession represents Dorian's corrupt conscience, and if his conscience were ever destroyed, Dorian would follow. People often say that "things get worse before they get better," but there is nothing better on the horizon for our corrupt friend.

PODG Ch. 12-13

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/21/10
PODG Ch. 12-13

"'What is it that one was taught to say in one's boyhood? 'Lead us not into temptation. Forgive us our sins. Wash away our iniquities''" (Wilde 162).

Repentance and religion have been very popular recurring themes in the books that we have read so far in the year, and in all of these books like The Crucible, and The Scarlet Letter, religion has seemed to play a similar role in the sense that it has offered stability and opportunity, if willing to take it. However, in The Picture of Dorian Grayreligion plays no role at all, it is simply granted the honor of being briefly mentioned in the novel. Although it was mentioned briefly in this chapter, Basil's eagerness to repent and redeem not only his "sins," but Dorian's as well simply represents Basil's goodness, and Dorian's triumphant evil. The two represent the conflict between heaven and hell, the complete polar opposites of each other, which is why Dorian is unable to accept possibilities being presented by a person like Basil. He is evil incarnate and hell on earth and Basil is the fallen angel.

"There was a stifled groan and the horrible sound of someone chocking with blood...He stabbed him twice more, but the man did not move. Something began to trickle on the floor"(162).

Although this seems like a climactic event in the novel where Dorian has officially succumbed to the greatest level of evil perpetuated violence, I must disagree. As a reader, this scene did not seem all that important. The lack of description and detail of the murder made it feel like this short scene was insignificant and that something like this has been happening over the years, and will continue to happen. Wilde's writing style is much more different than many other writers, because each writer's style is unique, but the vast majority of writers choose to flesh out their major scenes or climactic events in order to bring attention to them, which makes it seem like Wilde doesn't fail to "flesh out" this event, but chooses not to because it is insignificant. As a reader, Basil's murder is an attention grabber simply because it is the death of a main character in the novel. Wilde tends to over indulge himself in pointless, lengthy descriptions of insignificant things such as the atmosphere, and tends to go on detailed rampages about completely random things. Ironically enough, he chooses not to over crowd this scene with intensive detail, and indirectly hints, through his lack of vivid imagery, that Basil's murder was not a shocking event. I personally believe that murder will become as familiar to the reader as the title of the book.

PODG Ch. 11

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/18/10
PODG Ch. 11

"There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful"(150).

This lifestyle that Dorian has adopted over this several year time period is not only unhealthy, but irrational and impossible. The average human being or any human being for that matter has the ability to distinguish right from wrong and moral from immoral, even if they do not necessarily abide by those principle values.That is why we feel like the world is in a war against us when we do something wrong and why we feel the need to help someone who needs to be helped. We are prone to experience certain emotions in specific situations, and rely on our conscience to pave the road of our tumultuous lives. However, Dorian now more than ever seems to not only ignore whats moral and immoral, but is completely oblivious to it. Previously, "the picture, changed or unchanged, would be to him the visible emblem of conscience" (96), and now represents his sick and corroding conscience. As the picture ages and decays, Dorian's conscience does as well, crippling his chances of ever becoming a rational human being once again. Dorian has escaped the bounds of human morality into a world comprised of foolish ideals and devilish pleasure. the average human would not be able to survive in a world without morals because there is no such world. So what then, is Dorian Gray?

"He felt a curious delight in the thought that Art, like Nature, has her monsters--things of bestial shape and with hideous voices"(138).

Nature is beautiful, yet it possesses hideous things. Dorian is beautiful and he possesses this old, decaying, sickly-faced, piece of canvas that Dorian calls a painting. The point being that at the root of every evil there is beauty and glory, whether it be good or bad. Also that even those less beautiful things such as the painting and aspects of nature such as hurricanes and earthquakes are important, and not in fact "useless" as Wilde stated in the preface. Beauty is not something that spontaneously comes into existence, but erupts from the gruesome terrors which surround it, just as the most beautiful of flowers blossom from the most hideous of seeds. Dorian is a counterexample for Wilde's opinion of art in the preface. Dorian's situation proposes that art is not in fact useless because it grants him the one thing that he had desired since the very beginning of the novel: beauty, and the happiness that comes with it. This portrait means more to Dorian than the value of human life, and although it might reflect his hideous and devilish nature beneath his skin, it simply mirrors what Dorian is not: unbearable, agonizing ugliness.

PODG Ch. 9-10

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/17/10
PODG Ch. 9-10

"When she knew its unreality, she died, as Juliet might have died. She passed again into the sphere of art"(113).

The sphere of art, where all great works come together in one vague genre of masterpieces, and where fiction has no bounds, is constantly referred to in this novel, especially when speaking of Dorian. His carelessness and inability to become an independent human being is what separates Dorian from a fictional world and a world of non-fiction. There have been many examples of "art" in this novel from paintings to books, but one form of "art," the most magnificent and bountiful form of art, has seemed to connect the fictional world with the real world: humans. As I had said previously, art has no bounds and humans are all unique pieces of artwork, and the world is our gallery. Some of us dance, some of us play sports, and some of us create robots and preach to the people every Sunday. We, as humans, are very different from one another, but we all coexist on this one gargantuan mixing tray called earth, where our "world" is separated from that of the literary arts, and from the paintings, and the sculptures. As rational human beings we are able to distinguish a difference between Romeo and Juliet and the real world, and are able to respect plays and paintings for what they are because they will always be plays and paintings. I personally believe that Dorian does not posses the ability to distinguish fiction from real life, and that he is stuck between a collision of the two, which is why he is unable to think like a rational human being and show compassion. "It is the spectator...that art really mirrors,"(2) and Dorian is on messed up guy.

"The mere cadence of the sentences...made him unconscious of the falling day and the creeping shadows"(129).

Henry's influence will simply never pass and it will eat away at Dorian's poor juvenile soul until it consumes him. The introduction of this "yellow book" initially seemed to me like the end of Dorian, seeing that it was given to him by Lord Henry. However, it seems as if Dorian finds great amusement in the "book with no plot," almost as much amusement and excitement that he did in Basil's portrait of Dorian. This also reminded me of the Preface where it states that, "There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book,"(1)which is something that I completely agree with. Then what do we call books that influence its reader, and preach disturbing messages, and contradict what we know to be the very meaning of moral? We call them, influential and persuasive, which are two words that could doom Dorian or instill in him a continuous flame of corruption.

PODG Ch. 7 and 8

Stephen Simmons
Ap English/Mr. George
3/14/10
PODG

"The quivering, ardent sunlight showed him the lines of cruelty round the mouth as clearly as if he had been looking into the mirror after he had done some dreadful thing"(94).

The alteration of Dorian's portrait is something that we are obviously going to see more of and represents Wilde's way of developing Dorians character further. The portrait also represents Dorian's conscience and acts as a "self examination." " The picture, changed or unchanged, would be to him the visible emblem of conscience"(96) Since the beginning of the novel, Dorian has changed drastically, constantly changing his views and principles on life. However, this chapter represents his undecided nature very clearly. In the beginning of the chapter, Dorian is overcome with love and wishes to marry Sibyl, and shortly after wants nothing to do with her because she performed poorly in the theatre. However, after going home and "checking" himself, Dorian decides that it would be in his best interest to marry Sibyl, as he planned to do previously. Unfortunately, this would not have been possible because Sibyl died for which Dorian fest no remorse. The point is that Dorian is very undecided, maybe even to the point of corruption, and now that he is beginning to turn away from Henry and distance himself gradually, despite his lingering influence in Dorian, such uncertainty can not be good.

"What did it matter what happened to the colored image on the canvas? He would be safe. That was everything"(110).

Perhaps I was mistaken, the influence of Lord Henry in Dorian will simply never fade away. Their relationship is like a lobster trap. Dorian represents the lobster, lured in by the pleasurable odor of fish, or in his case, the empowering feeling of obtaining everything, and unable to escape. Lord Henry represents the trap, cleverly luring his victims in with fancy language and promise. Although it may have seemed earlier that Dorian and Harry were growing apart, this is not the case. Dorian is capable of thinking and operating independently as we have seen, but is constantly influenced by Harry into believing that he is not. In correspondence to influence, one main characteristic that should be noted in Dorian in this chapter is selfishness. Although this characteristic was recently adopted by Dorian, I have a feeling that it is here to stay. His goal is to have beauty, wealth, and everything that his heart desires, and as we have learned from Sibyl, he will do anything and accept anything that he needs to in order to achieve those things.

PODG Ch. 5 and 6

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/10/10
PODG

"Believe me that if this man wrongs my sister, I will find out who he is, track him down, and kill him like a dog. I swear it"(75).

Revenge and hate are simply things that can not be experimented with. They are monstrous chemicals who cause even the purest of heart to do dreadful things, when they are apart, and lethal when mixed together. As we have learned the act of revenge is in and of itself murder of the mind and of the human body. Edmond Dantes, from The Count of Monte Cristo, sought out revenge on those who had initially wronged him and in doing so, stained his hands with the blood of the accused. Robert Chillingworth, from The Scarlet Letter, violently desired to unravel his wife's "partner in crime," and in doing so he indirectly killed Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. The point is that revenge and hating someone for an act or a crime that they may have or will commit is not beneficial to everyone involved, in one way or another. Although Jim's threat was described as "over exaggerated," there is simply no telling what he will do if the situation presents itself. After all teenagers tend to exaggerate everything and have the nature of rolling dice: they are simply unpredictable. Personally I believe that Jim will return from his adventures and execute his initial plans to kill Dorian if he wrongs his sister, Sibyl. A child who can travel the world alone and provide his own safety and care for himself is most certainly capable of murdering a man in my book, but will he?

"He would be a wonderful study"(79).

Dorian is simply an "experiment," or "study," in the eyes of Harry, which reflects Harry's carelessness. It seems as though he is simply not effected by the possible outcomes of his influence and "studies" on Dorian. He seems to resonate toward a more teleological view of the world and life as opposed to a deontological view. He lives the present as he wishes because he simply has no value for human life, because the world, specifically Dorian, are his lab rats, and the results are very amusing. Harry simply lives for amusement, poisoning the minds of those who grow too close, and influencing them to believe what he believes and do what he says is right. Harry is the pianist and the citizens are his keys to which an ear-warming masterpiece is created. And he will play those keys and awe many people with his knowledge and talent until one day he might be given a show, and he might spectate some other genius who knew the world as well as he did, and he, for once, will be influenced by another and exposed to his own concoction.

PODG Ch. 4

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/9/10
PODG

"It was to tell him[Henry] that he[Dorian] was engaged to be married to Sibyl Vane"(63).

Thus far in the novel Dorian has grown very close to Lord Henry, as we all know, and seems to be transforming into a younger Henry, accepting and retaining all of the old mans ideas and philosophies and utilizing them himself. Although Dorian will pretty much believe anything, one trait in particular, of Harry's, seemed to get the best of Dorian. This was Harry's obsession with manipulation and controlling others. It may seem as if Dorian has fallen deeply in love with the beautiful actress, Sibyl Vane, but there is a fine line between wanting someone for love and wanting someone for control and an art or skill that they possess. It seems as if Dorian simply wants to manage Sibyl's talent, not her love. "We must get her out of the Jew's hands...[and] take a West End Theater and bring her out properly"(59) exclaimed Dorian after commenting on her many talents. Sibyl is simply an act to Dorian, with additional beauty to top it off. The more time he spends with Harry, the more he becomes Harry and the more interesting Dorian becomes. In conclusion, Dorian is also establishing himself as a man who can think on his own, disagreeing with Harry's take on women and marriage, but more often then not, he thinks through other people.

"To a large extent, the lad was his own creation"(61).

What I want to emphasize the most in this quote is the word creation. The concept of creation is no stranger to the novel and can be simply translated into the word "art". As we read in the preface, art directly mirrors the spectator, and as we have learned through Basil's portrait of Dorian, this does not seem to always be true. However, the importance is not whether or not the painting reflects the spectator, but how frequently it turns up in the novel. Everyone is someones artwork. Dorian is Harry's work of art, but more literally, Basil's work of art. Henry is the societies work of art, created with all aspects and understanding of society. The greater idea behind this is that everyone is someones work of art, and as we have so vaguely learned from the preface, the artist conceals himself in his work, which serves no divine purpose. Harry conceals himself in Dorian, Basil conceals himself in Dorian's portrait, and society conceals itself in the very few members of that society such as Lord Henry. Furthermore, Wilde conceals himself through his characters, or so it may seem. This entire novel is about art and creation, and how those artworks and creations exist and are viewed in society. "To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim,"(1) Wilde states in the Preface. However, one day those secrets will be revealed and true works of art, whether they be vibrant portraits with canvas and oak framing, or paintings with flesh and a beating heart, will be no more.

PODG Chapter 3

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. Player
3/8/10
PODG ch. 3

"I can stand brute force, but brute reason is quite unbearable. There is something unfair about its use. It is hitting below the intellect"(42).

Despite his constant urge to influence the minds of other people and instill his ideologies into their brains, Lord Henry is a very well spoken man who is very skilled in the art of persuasion. He constantly preaches thoughts and ideas which he does not stand by, but promotes some of the most intellectual statements and philosophies I have ever heard. At the luncheon, every attending member gets a piece of Harry's influential persona who brings up the interesting topic of beauty/one's physical features versus intellect and reason. Harry so convincingly states that intellect poses a greater threat than brute force because reason and ones intellect can do wonders to the mind; poison it and manipulate it to believe the unimaginable. Unfortunately I agree with Harry, even though he will probably be defending the other side later on in the novel, simply because the world is made up of ninety nine percent reason and one percent logic, in my opinion. Reason and intelligence is everywhere and everything. They are our security systems, our newspapers, our weapons for warfare, but most importantly, they are our identity, and what we chose to make ourselves. I cant believe I am admitting this, but I think for once Harry might be right, and although reason is something greater than this novel I believe that reason is defined through this novel and what may occur in this novel.

"I would sooner come with you; yes, I feel I must come with you"(47).

Sometimes it is simply frightening how quickly friendships develop. We have only just begun the novel and Dorian is already beginning to fancy Lord Henry over his initial friend, Basil. Unfortunately when humans tend to rush things or when people tend to rush relationships, hearts get broken, as well as some bones, but oddly enough this does not seem to be the case with Dorian and Harry. Dorian possesses something very valuable to Henry, an ear to listen, and naivety. Lord Henry, in compensation, possesses something that Dorian so passionately desires, the secret to eternal youth and beauty. It seems as though their relationship is going to continue growing and Basil is going to continuously become more frustrated until he reaches his boiling point, as we have seen in many characters in the novels we have read thus far. Furthermore, I think it is important to note Dorian's wish in the beginning of the novel to have his portrait age as opposed to himself in relation to Harry's "secret." Perhaps the two could be related.

PODG chapter 1-2

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
AP English/Mr. George
3/7/10
PODG

"That had stirred him at the time, and now, as he stood gazing at the shadow of his own loveliness, the full reality of the description flashed across him. Yes, there would be a day when his face would be wrinkled and wizen, his eyes dim and colorless"(Wilde 27).

We have only just been introduce to Dorian Gray and already we get a sense of his innocence and naivity. We learn that although he may hold important values, he is very easily influenced by Lord Henry and convinced that youth and beauty are characteristics beyone wordly importance. We discover a lot about Dorian Gray in this chapter, including his wish to retain his youth while his portrait experiences the effects of aging. However, this chapter does not only introduce us to Dorian Gray's fickle nature, but Lord Henry's habit of influencing people. We have previously read books with characters who desire control over others or influence others, such as Chillingworth, Lady Catherine and Edmond Dantes, and the outcomes for all of these characters was more negative than positive. I am not saying that Lord Henry is a Screwtape or Wormwood, but simply a character who finds pleasure in influencing others decisions, and someone who true goodness may not exist.

Preface Reflection

Stephen Simmons-Uvin
Ap English/Mr. George
3/4/10
preface reflection

Wildes opinion on art is interestingly described in the preface where he says that it is neither good or bad, or beautiful or ugly, but that it is basically neutral and completely useless. Despite his intreaging take on art and spectators of art, one part that really stuck out to me was in the end when Wilde says, "It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors"(Wilde 2).I believe the reason it was so appealing to me was because it reminded me of my childhood, visiting tons of museams and going to a hand full of artshows with my grandma. She would always ask me one question, which I still dread to this day, "how does this[the art] make you feel?" I would always reply in the most positive way possible to hide my boredom, but I never trully took that question seriously. I joke about it now but I never truly understood what she would be getting at. As Wilde states, the spectator mirrors the painting and the spectator determines what is good art and bad art and chooses which emotions appeal to him/her through paintings and art. I never understood what my grandmother was really getting at, but Wilde offers a very fair argument and a very insightful one as well. Art is what we make it out to be, it is neither good or bad because we all make it out to be something different, so it is simply useless and a net for our emotions.

The Scarlet Letter 10

"Partly supported by Hester Prynne, and holding one hand of little Pearl's, the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale turned to the dignified and venerable rulers...to put in his plea of guilty at the bar of Eternal Justice"(227).

Judgement day has finally come, and the third scaffold scene has now unfolded. This specific moment in the novel where Dimmesdale confesses his sin to the public has been alluded to by many different characters in the novel, including Hawthorne, who once again brings all of the main characters together in one specific place to bring attention to the changes that each character has experienced and feelings that are felt by each character, specifically Dimmesdale. Hawthorne specifically describes Dimmesdale at the end as independently confessing his sin, something he has been struggling with since Hester's conviction seven years ago. Also, Hawthorne explains through Dimmesdale, that there is no greater judge than God and that the future of ones life can only be determined by the lord. More importantly, this scene resembles Dimmesdale's freedom or rebirth, as well as his glorified fall or death (he is only dead to some people). He got what many men hope for before they pass on into the next world, redemption and relief.

"ON A FIELD, SABLE, THE LETTER A, GULES"(235).

Before his saint-like demise Dimmesdale constantly proposed the question and idea about life after the puritan society and their plan to escape their life and trade it for one with more opportunity goodness. Even before his confession and death, Dimmesdale contemplated on the thought that life would be better if they had gone away, which would have been false. No matter where Hester, Dimmesdale, and Pearl might have gone, sin would always follow and torment their souls, even though it may have adopted new meanings. In the last words of the novel, it is explained that Hester was buried right next to Dimmesdale, and although they were buried separately they were joined together by the single tombstone reading: "On a field, sable, the letter A, gules." My point being that although they were separated, they were together due to an inseperable bond and passion, the scarlet A, which will forever give them life after they have gone.

The Scarlet Letter 9

"A strange, sad man is he, with his hand always over his heart"(205).

Pearl constantly wonders why Dimmesdale is unable to recognize herself and Hester in broad daylight in public. She continuously asks Dimmesdale, as well as Hester, when the day will come where he recognizes Hester and Pearl in public and holds hands with them in front of the people, and the answer is very simple. That day will simply never come until he walks the streets joined together with Hester and Pearl. No matter how far they go or how much they hide, Dimmesdale will never be able to be the person that Pearl so desperately desires him to be. He will never be a father and will be forever tortured, and absolved with his sin until he mounts the scaffold. Although this is quite obvious, one must understand that sinning is sinning, and until you can confront that sin and let go of that sin, it will forever eat away at your soul until there is nothing less to consume. Furthermore, Pearl secretly desires a father figure and Dimmesdale to evolve into that figure, and to her, in order for Dimmesdale to do that he must confess.

"No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true"(194).

This is a very bold statement made by Hawthorne and a very agreeable one. In relation to Dimmesdale's constant changing, Hawthorne describes how one can develop so many different faces and titles, and become too involved in those titles and faces to the point where they get so caught up in everything they have created, that they lose themselves. This can be seen in some actors and actresses who get so caught up in their character and playing the role, that sometimes they have trouble distinguishing reality from the movies and adopt their characters personality, and use it in real life. This whole chapter is reflected by the title "The Minister in a Maze," which alludes to Dimmesdale's inability to stick with one of the many personalities he has developed throughout the novel.

The Scarlet Letter 8

"The sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom"(165).

I like to believe that Pearl represents something more to Hester and society than a reminder of Hesters sin and a symbol of her wrongdoing, as well as a troubled child. I think that she represents sin seperate from Hester. Although she is only a child and has not trully sinned, throughout the novel Pearl has exhibited very strange and violent behavior, some of which could be seen as sinful or morally wrong. Pearl and Hester represent both the same and two different sins or bad actions, however, in this scene, Pearl seems to be more accepted by nature and society. As she attempts to explain to her mother, the "light" welcomes her but fears Hester. This reflects the mood of the two characters as well as illudes to something that could potentially happen towards the end of the novel, Pearls acceptance and Hesters/Dimmesdales fall.

"The minister, on the other hand, had never gone through an experience calculated to lead him beyond the scope of generally recieved laws; although, in a single instance, he had so fearfully transgressed one of the most sacred of them"(180).

This quotation brings attention to the two major laws in society. Laws regarding religion and nature, and those regarding the legal system and government. By fleeing the Puritain society which is idealistically full of limitations, Hester and Dimmesdale are breaking laws regarding the legal system and government. However, in doing to, Dimmesdale would be able to adopt a new life and preach/inspire more people. Also, by staying and attempting to cover up their sins, Hester and Dimmesdale are breaking laws regarding God and nature because staying could lead to corruption of the people in the society. There are two conflicting laws in this novel which can not coexist, like many other things in the novel.

The Scarlet Letter 7

"Hatred, by a gradual and quiet process, will even be transformed to love, unless the change be impeded by a continually new irritation of the original feeling of hostility. In this matter of Hester Pryne, there was neither irritation nor irksomeness"(145).

This represents part of Hesters evolution over the past seven years, but more importantly, it explains how feelings like love and hatred survive and perish in an enviornment like the one in the novel. Here orwell explains that hatred is a very strong emotion, and that over time, feelings of hatred that one may have will diminish. Even today, it is very hard to keep a grudge against someone, especially when that someone has been very nice to you, which is what Hawthorne is trying to explain. That, society has changed Hesters label from sinner to "Able," because she treated people so kindly. Furthermore, Hawthorne also explains that love is a feeling that grows larger over time. Unlike hatred, love grows stronger and larger. It is hatred converted, which represents the shift in feelings from the townspeople toward Hester.

"The scarlet letter had not done its office"(150).

Previously, Hester had been contemplating on the thought of killing her daughter so that she may find happiness in heaven and not develop into devilish fiend in a world if imperfection. As stated at the beginning of the book, Hester had two symbols that represented her sin, the scarlet letter, and her daughter, Pearl. As we learned, Hester and Pearl were very close, so close that Hester refused to give away her child, even though Pearl may have been better off with another family. Although they were close, the scarlet letter branded on Hesters bosom only tightened their bond, and acted as a reminder of what she had done, and the child she now protects because of what she had done. However, now that the scarlet letter represents something else, "Able," that bond between Hester and Pearl is now weekend and Hester is now beginning to lose hope on earth for Pearl. "The scarlet letter had not done its office," because it failed to unite the two people who need eachother most in society, and failed to provide hope and reminder of Pearls life on earth.

The Scarlet Letter 6

"At the great judgment day"(139).

Judgment day is constantly referred to as the day at the end of time where God will judge humans and decide their fate according to good and evil or the peak of religion and theology. In other words, it is a trial. The people are the jury, but God is the judge and ultimate decision maker. Thus far in the novel there have been two scaffold scenes, the first being in the beginning of the novel when Hester was forced to stand there for a few hours a day so that her sin be made public. The second, is when Dimmesdale returns to the scaffolding seven years later at midnight and stands on the top of it, joined by Hester and Pearl, where he refuses to mount the scaffold with Hester and Pearl the following day which could symbolize Dimmesdale's disobedience to God and cowardice. Hawthorne uses these scaffold scenes to build up to the climax and greater events. At first one sinner stood on the scaffold, the second time, two sinners stood on the scaffold (Hester and Dimmesdale, and the third is yet to come where more than two sinners will mount the scaffold and be judged by the audience (just like Chillingworth saw and judged Dimmesdale).

Scarlet Letter 5

"In the graveyard here at hand...They are new to me. I found them growing on a grave, which bore no tombstone"(119).

As Dimmesdale's physician, Chillingworth is able to administer Dimmesdale medicine, and because of his profession, able to convince Dimmesdale that they are legit. This part in the novel is very important because it alludes to events to come. In a novel bombarded with symbols and theological references, Hawthorne once again introduces the graveyard as a symbol of death which can be constituted with evil overcoming good. In this short scene Dimmesdale questions the origin of the herbs that Chillinworth is incorporating in his medicine. In response, Chillingworth tells Dimmesdale that the herbs come from the local graveyard, and he found them growing on a gravestone with not identity. As further explained by Chillingworth, the herbs are physically ugly, just like evils representation in Chillingworth. He also tells Dimmesdale that the herbs are new to him. Coming from a graveyard, the herbs do not represent anything positive, and in the hands of a man who is so overcome with passion in taking revenge, they represent death, or evil (Chillingworth) overcoming good (Dimmesdale). Furthermore, it is also important to note that Chillingworth is said to have practices dark magic which requires the ability to make potions. Also, Chillingworth seems want revenge and achieve it so that Dimmesdale will suffer an equal amount of pain that Hester did. Throughout the novel thus far, Hester has been both physically and emotionally tortured, which is why Chillingworth is going to make Dimmesdale suffer over a period of time so that he can feel her suffering.

"The physician advanced directly in fromt of his patient, laid his hand upon his bosom, and thrust aside the vestment that, hitherto, had always covered it even from the professional eye"(126).

There is no doubt in my min that what resided on the reverend's chest was an "A" branded into his skin. We have been exposed to Dimmesdale's character and eagerness to let his sin be known, as well as his struggle to reveal it. He has asked Hester numerous times to confess the man who sinned with her because he simply will not, for a variety of reasons. Dimmesdale might not fancy confessing himself because it would destroy his position, and reputation, as well as destroy the people that he leads. And who can blame him? Being a man of such influence it would be foolish to throw away your life and influence in other people simply because you sinned, which is something that we all do and get forgiven for. A branded "A" would make a lot of sense because in this novel where people are better symbols than they are real human beings, that "A" represents not only what it does for Hester, but Dimmesdale's cowardice, as well as his sincere involvement and love for and in the community. As previously referred to, the scarlet letter represents a handful of things, both good and bad, and that goes for everyone, even Dimmesdale.

Scarlet Letter 4

"How much uglier they were,-how his dark complexion seemed to have grown duskier, and is figure more misshapen,-since the days when she had familiarly known him"(102).

Evil and goodness are two conflicting themes in the novel thus far which are beginning reside in different peoples souls. We see it in Pearl nature and what her mother sees when looking in the mirror. We also see it in Chillingworth. As Hester pointed out, Robert Chillingworth's physical features are beginning to change in a negative way. It is almost as if evil is overcoming his body and deforming his imperfect figure even more. Although he wasn't very appealing to begin with, Hester notes that he is very different from when she saw him on the scaffolding. As mentioned before, there is a constant battle between good and evil in the novel thus far, and not both characteristics beginning to overcome certain characters. It is only a matter of time until someone like Chillingworth is fully overcome in evil and executes his revenge. In addition to this, Chillingworth is also Dimmesdale's physician and has a great amount of emotional and physical control over Dimmesdale which he will use to his advantage.

"And the bond-servant, perhaps, judging from the decision of her air, and the glittering symbol on her bosom, that she was a great lady in the land, offered no opposition"(95).

The significance of the bond servant is that he is unaware of the tales of the scarlet letter, and thinks of Hester as a very well presented and established woman in society. Hawthorne uses this servant to critique society and to present Hester as something other than sinful and overly passionate. In the short interaction between the servant and Hester we are given a glimpse of the outside world and how bad the puritan society actually is. Furthermore, it is also important to note Hester's determination and willingness to fight for her daughters possession. Although Pearl acts as a torment to Hester, she also acts as a gift and reminder of her sin.

The Scarlet Letter 3

"Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world. An imp of evil, emblem and product of sin, she had no right among christened infants"(85).

Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Pearls treatment by society as a critique which is indirectly intertwined with a commom modern debate that all humans are inherently good. Pearl was born as a product of her enviornment and was treated very similarly to her mother. She inherited many of her mother's traits such as beauty, but more interestingly, passion. Despite the fact that Pearl is rather troubled, taking on "demonic" characteristics and violently conversing with other children her age, she is an individual human being, yet still bears the emotional stress that her mother does. Had Pearl been born into the Garden of Eden and remained there, she would be an angel, and an ideal child, however, since she had been born into the puritan society that she did, she will always be nothing but "an imp of evil." Hawthorne attempts to critique the puritan society by instilling the idea of imperfection and goodness into the people's minds so that they must see more to someone that their external features. Furthermore, Pearl symbolizes sin and represents the strong passion that pushed her mother to sin. She represents the contrast between God and society, which represent two different ideals.

"She possessed an art that sufficed...needlework"(75).

Hester plays the role of two different types of people in society. She symbolizes sinful passion and sin in general, as well as someone with the skill to provide the people with something valuable, clothing. Although Hester resembles sin and will until the day that she dies, as well as hatred among the people, she also represents desire and something greater than just a trade. Her skill represents her coming back into society or slugish redemption. Hester is well aware of her sin, and is not disturbed by it in the least bit. However, her trade is the only thing that ties her to the town, and government, apart from God.

Scarlet Letter 2

"A writhing horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them, and making one little pause, with all its wreathed intervolutions in open sight. His face darkened with some powerful emotion, which, nevertheless, he so instantaneously controlled by an effort of his will, that, save at a single moment, its expression might have passed for calmness"(57).

As learned later on in the chapter this unappealing man being described is Hesters husband, Robert Chillingsworth whose look symbolize his evil and dangerouse character. Robert Chillingworth's character is one to be feared and closely watched in the novel as he plans to seek out the man who has yet to be branded and punished for what he had done. As the chapter progresses, he makes it quite clear that he will do anything to accomplish this, which poses a threat to not only Hester and her mistery man, but to the town as well. "Thy acts are like mercy...But thy words interpret thee as a terror," as explained by Hester. The mere presence of her husband puts Hester into an unstable state which is unsafe for herself and her child, who cries in pain because of Hesters reaction to Robert's appearence. As we have learned in The Count of Monte Cristo the simple act of revenge only results in self analyzation/regret, as well as bloodshed. Clearly nothing good can come from Robert's over zealous and obsessive nature.

"Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life"(63).

The small speech or pep-talk that Dimmesdale gives to Hester illudes to the cowardly nature of Dimmesdale. He prompts Hester to speak the name of the man guilty for commiting adultery with her and indirectly hints to us that this man is in fact himself, Dimmesdale. As a religious man and a stong believer in god, or so we can assume, it is his duty to confess in the best interest of himself and others. However, he can not because he is fearful, and like John Proctor, unable to bear his sin and seeks some sort of self gratification. This is why he attempts to convince Hester to reveal her accomplice, eventhough he might lose his position in society, because Dimmesdale can not. If he does not speak, his sin willbe found by Hesters insane husband and displayed on his chest.

Scarlet Letter 1

"People say...that the Reverend Master Dimmesdale, her[Hester] godly pastor, takes it very grievously to heart that such a scandal should have come upon his congregation"(49).

I'm not pointing fingers just yet, but Reverend Dimmesdale seems to be the mystery man who cheated with Hester. Despite the lack of evidence, it is human nature to defend yourself when you are challenged or when all of the negative attention is brought to you which is what Dimmesdale is doing here. Although he was not directly accused of anything and he is not suspected of anything just yet, he does what many guilty people do, and that is attempting to distance or cut the ties connecting them to whatever can convict them. Dimmesdale attempts to play the situation off and express his "anger" so that he is above everything and everyone else. A similar situation can be found in the character Abigale Williams from The Crucible. In the novel, abigale attempts to establish power over certain individuals and remain under the radar. In doing so she discredits many of Salems townspeople in order to remain invincible. However, just like Abigales reign was not continuous, Dimmesdales "plan" will soon corrode as well as his position in society.

"Here, there was a taint of deepest sin in the most sacred quality of human life, working such effect, that the world was only the darker for this woman's beauty, and the more lost for the infant that she had borne"(53).

Perhaps error and imperfectness lie in society rather than societies people. In an attempt to develop a semi-perfect society, the puritans fail to realize that human beings are naturaly flawed, and have been since the beginning of human life on earth. In punishing those who sin, society is only breeding generations of sinners like the croud who publically gossipped about Hester. This croud failed, as well as society, to do the one thing that could ultimately perfect society, and that is love. We are all sinners in the eyes of God if we do not love everyone. Everyone is inherently good, and until people like you and me, and the characters in The Scarlet Letter can learn to love others as they trully are beneath their external layers, society and life will always and forever be flawed and imperfect.

Crucible Essay

Stephen Simmons
AP English 11/Mr. George
12/30/09
Redemption
Redemption is no stranger to the history of the world. It signifies the spiritual and emotional disparity that humans face when seeking forgiveness. Why do people in fact seek redemption? Is it to achieve self gratification, or to cleanse the soul and wash away all the wrong that was done to it? Unfortunately, that question still lingers because one’s motives are likely to be different than another’s. However, one specific act that is more commonly known in our society today, from which many people seek redemption, is the sin of adultery. Commonly those who commit such a horrible crime do not take too seriously to its physical and emotional repercussions. Men or women who disrespect their significant other, whether shackled by the commitment of marriage or in experimentation of love’s very meaning, suffer the feeling of regret. Regret is a devilish feeling; it is a ravenous vulture that tears into our souls, rotten with remorse and guilt. It is how one attempts to cope with this feeling and attain redemption that makes or breaks them as we learn in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. In The Crucible, John Proctor suffered regret and guilt from committing adultery. These feelings haunt him throughout the book until he finds his sins redeemed in the eyes of God after searching everywhere else.
John Proctor in The Crucible had an affair with Abigail Williams, and after doing so, began his journey towards redemption. Proctor attempts to rid himself of his guilt by confessing his wrongdoing to his wife: “I wilted, and, like a Christian, I confessed...Some dream I had must have mistaken you for God that day. But you're not...and let you remember it! Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not” (Miller 55). Mrs. Proctor did not take too kindly to this, and Proctor realized that Elizabeth was not God and could not redeem him. This did not shatter the bonds between them, though they were weakened. From a moral standpoint, Proctor made the right decision in deciding to tell his wife. The deed, however, was done and shortly after he tried to brush the seriousness of the topic away and pleaded that what he had done was not as serious.
Proctor did not find redemption in conversing with his wife because nothing was achieved in their argument. The only thing set in stone was Proctor’s confession to the court: “I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. I am not that man...My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before” (136). After failing to achieve redemption the first time, Proctor went to the court and confessed his sin, for himself, as well as the lives of the accused. This confession was also Proctors attempt to discredit Abigail. In doing so, Proctor achieved very little and brought an even worse reputation to his name.
Proctor has already failed in achieving his goal of redemption and forgiveness twice, so he must now look further into himself to realize what he must do. It is important to note that in Salem during this time period, there was no ritual for the washing away of sins. Once one sinned, they were stuck with that sin until the day they died or until something took its place. In our society today, people break laws and commit felonies all of the time, seeming to do so with no remorse. This, in fact, can not be true. Not everyone is a heartless sinner who thinks of themselves before others, and who cares only about their needs. Some people become so overcome with stress and guilt that their view of life is completely changed. For example, one of the most popular American rappers, Eminem, used to be a drug addict, and now he fights against drug use in the world’s youth. So how does one cope with the terrible feelings of guilt and disappointment? They replace it with something better. Drugs are an addiction, and to cope with that and eliminate them from his lifestyle, Eminem rapped instead of doing drugs. Now that his addiction is replaced, he openly fights against it using his music and character.
Proctor does something very similar to this. Although not a concrete figure, God replaces the sin in Proctor’s soul, which exemplifies his religious nature. After realizing that redemption and forgiveness can not be found in a human soul, Proctor looks to God, and finds what he is looking for: “Then who will judge me?...God in Heaven, what is John Proctor, what is John Proctor?” (138). Proctor replaced his sin with love for his wife, children, God, and everyone else. It is not until we love others that we truly love ourselves.
As is exemplified by Proctor, guilt and regret are feelings that can never really be washed away from the soul, but feelings that can be replaced with happiness and forgiveness. As humans, we are never really forgiven because we never really forget what happens. We are forever scarred and forever remembered, which represents how Proctor embodies Christianity. He gave his life for the accused and deceased because he could not simply sit back and watch as the innocent died and he left the earth as a sinful martyr. It was because of Proctor’s name and his love for the people that he, like Jesus Christ, sacrificed himself for everyone else. Because of that, he will be forever remembered by the people and, more importantly, by God. Forgiveness is only a concept when in terms of people; it is a blessing when in terms of God.
Sinners are just people like everyone else. They walk, talk, breathe, and sing, but it is what they do with that sin that makes them indifferent. If one chooses to coexist with that sin, which is always the case, and not let it affect them personally, then they are fine. However, one who chooses to live with that sin and let it eat away at their soul and drive them to the point of insanity without fighting back, will perish and leave the earth as nothing. John Proctor’s death, although mourned upon, represented a new beginning and a new hope. The events leading up to that concluding scene in the novel consisted of attempts to achieve forgiveness and discovering ways to cope with sin. Evidently, Proctor eventually achieved his goal and died an idolized martyr. He died a man of the people, as well as the church. He beat the court, was redeemed, and cheated death. Proctor was a legend, and legends never die.