Apology Letter

Dear Goody Proctor,
I know I'm the last person you would like to hear from. I realize I've caused you and your family much pain. I wish to cause no more harm but simply want to offer my apologies. I was convinced that John was just as much in love with me as I was with him. Every night, he would come to my room and would constantly tell me how beautiful I was. He made me feel special and made me believe that he wanted to be with me. I figured the only reason he couldn't be with me because of you but I was wrong. After he vehemently rejected me, I became infuriated and you were the object of my fury. I sincerely apologize for the agony I've implemented upon you. My overwhelming feelings for John clouded my judgment and lead me to seek vengeance. I have taken my uncle's ship and my time away from the village has made me reflect on my past actions. I am truly ashamed of what I have done and I hope you may forgive me and live in serenity knowing that I will not hurt you ever again.

Sincerely,
Abigail

CRUCIBLE: Character Analysis

Ashley Ducrepin
AP English 11 – Mr. George
12.17.09
Character Analysis

Mary Warren is a soft-spoken young girl who lacks the ability to think and speak for herself and is ultimately easily swayed by anyone.

Mary Warren is a follower. With an obsequious persona, Mary is easily swayed and dictated by others. Contrary to Abigail’s authoritative tone, Mary is much more timid, specifically when she is speaking: “Mary Warren, with a trembling, decayed voice” (Miller 56). Even after being falsely accused of witchcraft, Mary was incapable of defending herself efficiently. After denying seeing spirits, the court wondered why she fainted and she exclaimed, in between sobs, that she was simply pretending. Mary Warren was unable to pretend for the court, however as soon as Abigail and the girls allegedly began seeing spirits, Mary also chimed in: “Mary, as though infected, opens her mouth and screams with [Abigail and the girls]. Gradually Abigail and the girls leave off, until only Mary is left there, staring up at the ‘bird’, screaming madly” (118). It is evident that no threatening bird was present; this demonstrates Mary Warren’s ineptness and inability to think for herself.

Mary Warren is like the rodent called a Lemming. Lemmings tend to fall to their death when migrating in large groups as a result of following one another. They ultimately follow one another to death similar to Mary carelessly following Abigail and the group of girls. While she does not fall to her death, Mary definitely falls into the wrath of Abigail, Proctor, and the court.

Mary Warren is like Patrick Star, Spongebob’s sidekick, because they both lack the ability to efficiently make individual decisions and ultimately look to their ring leader for assistance.

CRUCIBLE: END

DANFORTH: “If retaliation is your [Hale] fear, know this – I should hang ten thousand that dared to rise against the law, and an ocean of salt tears could not melt the resolution of the statues” (129).

This is an essential quote as it proves to exemplify the lengths Danforth is willing to take to preserve the “infallibility” of the court system. While his motives behind killing innocent people were clear, Danforth denied it claiming that the court system cannot make mistakes since it is a representation of the Lord himself. For that reason, Danforth maintained the initial accusations. With the possibility of the court’s deficiencies being revealed, Danforth begins to assertively defend the court. I sense that he is getting nervous. He even threatens to kill anybody who dares to even challenge his authority. It demonstrates Danforth’s obsession with power and the things he is willing to do in order to uphold the court system.

PROCTOR: “Nothing’s spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before” (136).

Proctor is a character to be commended for his insight and fortitude. Throughout the text, Proctor was a character that rose above society’s norm asserting the true vales behind Christianity. Faced with a moral dilemma, Proctor doesn’t know whether to lie and live or stay true and die. With little help from his wife, Proctor must try and figure out what would be the right thing to do. His statement here is an example of why it would not necessarily be a bad thing to lie. This court system is flawed and has been since day one. Therefore, lying to them would not be as bad as lying to God. Proctor is not a witch but he is also not a saint: “I think it is honest, I think so; I am no saint … Let Rebecca go like a saint; for me it is fraud” (138). Proctor reasonably comes to the conclusion that it would be in his best interest to ‘confess’. He knows that God is aware of his sins and in the end that is all that matters.

CRUCIBLE: 113-127

"Mary, as though infected, opens her mouth and screams with them. Gradually Abigail and the girls leave off, until only Mary is left there, staring up at the "bird", screaming madly" (118).

Initially, Mary vehemently and assertively denied Abby's claims and accusations. Then, out of a sudden, she becomes petrified and joins the girls in their screams. It makes no sense and it almost seems as though Abigail possesses supernatural powers. I believe Abigail is like Wormwood [from the Screwtape Letters], she is being directed and mentored by the Devil to corrupt the lives of everyone residing in that village. In a literal sense, Abigal obviously is not supernatural but her abilities prove to be more than impressive.

PARRIS: "Tonight I discover my - my strongbox is broke into ... thirty-one pound is gone. I am penniless" (126).

Parris is a character to be laughed at. I don't pity him for his loss and noone else certainly does. Immediately after telling everybody, Danforth calls him a "brainless man" (126). This is true, Parris is an idiot but Danforth is in no place to be calling someone dumb. He was the same man he fell for Abigail's little games and pitied her. It is practically his (and the court's) fault that she has run away with her uncle's money and boat. The court gave her too much power and she is slowly becoming corrupted by it. Until they realize that, the town will continue to be fooled by Abigail's behavior.

CRUCIBLE: 99-113

ABIGAIL, "in an open threat: Let you beware, Mr. Danforth. Think you to be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits? Beware of it! There is - Suddenly, from an accusatory attitude, her face turns, looking into the air above - it is truly frightened" (108).

Another problem with this court is the fact that they consider this girl a child. She's under eighteen so legally she is still a child, however, her actions prove to be the behavior of a much older woman. Proctor stands by it because he knows what Abigail is capable of while this court remains unaware of her motives. Here, it seems as though she's threatening Mr. Danforth but she 'acts' her way out of it. If it were anyone else, Mr. Danforth would have had them arrested but because he is stuck on the idea of her being a child, he lets it slide. In some way, Mr. Danforth pities her and she continues to play him the more he feeds into her little games.

PROCTOR: "God, help me, I lusted and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore's vengeance, and you must see it; I set myself entirely in your hand, I know you must see it now" (110).

And they say he is not a true Christian? Here he is pleading to the Lord for help because at this point it is in God's hand. These people are so stubborn and Proctor knows it would be hard trying to prove that Abigail is a whore. So he turns to God. I believe in this moment in time, Proctor realizes just how much he messed up. If we connect the chains, we see that most of the events that took place are a result of Proctor's infedelity.

CRUCIBLE: 81-98

PROCTOR: "Excellency, does it not strike upon you that so many of these women have lived so long with such upright reputation" (91).

With the help of Parris' instigation, the court is presenting evidence in regards to his behavior that he wants to overthrow the court. There were probably three instances where it seemed as if Proctor was there to corrupt the court system. However, this is not the case and Proctor excels at defending himself. Here, he makes a great point that makes the Deputy Governor scratch his head. Most of these women condemned have been known for their benevolence throughout their lives and now all of a sudden they're being accused for worshipping the Devil. This seems too coincidental and these people need to wake up.

DANFORTH: "A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between" (94).

This is ridiculous, this is why Proctor's decision to prove his wife's innocence looks as though he is trying to overthrow the system. They stress that one cannot be a supporter of the court and disagree with it. As ridiculous as it sounds, it is actually a basis for everything in this society. This phrase connects not just to the court system but also religion. One of the most gleaming examples is the claim made by Parris saying that Proctor is not a true Christian. He says this solely based on the fact that Proctor does not go to church every Sunday. This behavior is perceived as someone simply against the church, nothing in between.

CRUCIBLE: 68-81

Elizabeth, to Hale: "I cannot think the Devil may own a woman's soul, Mr. Hale, when she keeps an upright way, as I have. I am a good woman, I know it; and if you believe I may do only good work in the world, and yet be secretly bound to Satan, then I must tell you, sir, I do not believe it" (70).

I commend Elizabeth for her intelligence, she has the ability to think beyond reason. Here, she makes a good point once again. It is no secret that she is known as a good woman yet everybody actually believes that she is into witchcraft. She acknowledges the fact that Hale knows she is a good woman and also points out that he is ridiculous. It is almost contradicting in a way to think so well of a person then turn around and accuse them of working with the Devil. Her reasoning behind not believing in witchcraft is substantial, because what kind of a good woman worships the Devil?

Proctor: "Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers? I'll tell you what's walking Salem - vengeance is walking Salem ... common vengeance writes the law!" (77).

This quote reminds me of the saying, "When you point your finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you." Basically, this is saying nobody is perfect, therefore noone has the right to judge anybody else. Specifically in this society, EVERYBODY has the ability to point the finger and risk someone's life. As we can see, no substantial evidence is needed to get someone put on trial. Thus, Proctor makes a reasonable inference. This society is filled with jealousy and with that comes retaliations. Proctor realizes that it is not the actual people who make the decision but their emotions, in this particular case it is vengeance.

CRUCIBLE: 50-67

Proctor: I'll whip the Devil out of you! With whip raised he reaches out for her, and she streaks away and yells. (59).

The violent temperament of Proctor is revealed and continues to be shown throughout this scene. Since he first walked in the door, he'd been angry at his wife. He seems to like being in control, the same way he was acting when he was talking to Reverend Parris is the same way he speaks at home. He is a man who allows his emotion to conquer his rationality. Whenever his wife brings up his affair with Abigail, he immediately becomes upset and vehemently demands that she stops speaking about it. He cannot accept authority higher than him, and in this case he especially won't accept it from a woman (his wife) or a servant (Mary). Thus, being the reason for his violent outburst.

Elizabeth, delicately: John - grant me this. You have a faulty understanding of young girls. There is a promise made in any bed (61).

Elizabeth seems to serve as Proctor's voice of reason; she seems mature and intelligent. That is probably why Proctor appealed to her. Here, she makes a reasonable point and realizing that it may possibly be true Proctor (once again) has a temper tantrum. We wonder why Abigail is so clingy if it was just some meaningless affair on the side, which he claims. He must have said something to make her fall so deeply in love with him. There was a much deeper connection between the two and that is where he messed up because she is young so breaking that bond between them would hurt her more than it would hurt him. His wife is slowly connecting the dot and putting two and two together. Proctor is not dumb, he slowly starting to realize that Abigail wants to take the place of his wife but he does not want to believe it.

P&P Essay

A commendable author has the ability to entice an audience solely by the title. The title ultimately serves as a billboard for the ideas that the author wants to convey. In those four to seven words, the author must efficiently open the reader’s interest level and subtly communicate the essential points of the book. Jane Austen is a notable author, specifically for her book, Pride & Prejudice. In the novel, the themes of class separation and the pride and prejudice that follows is emphasized. First impressions are somewhat accountable for the events that take place throughout the novel, however the theme of pride and prejudice prevailed. Thus, Pride & Prejudice is a more suitable title, rather than First Impressions. Throughout the novel, bigotry proves to be a common quality in the characters as a result of pride. One’s inability to resist being proud or prejudiced is exemplified through the two contrasting characters: Miss Lady Catherine DeBourgh and Elizabeth Bennet.

Lady Catherine embodies the idea that society should revolve around the separation of classes. She is proud of where she stands in society and prefers “to have the distinction of rank preserved” (Austen 124). In the novel, it is made clear that being proud is not necessarily a flaw. However, Lady Catherine contradicts this statement as she represents a more haughty and egotistical proud woman. She prides in her glory and applauds herself for her excellence: “[she delivered] her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted” (126). She considers herself vey enlightened and constantly gives her opinion or offers advice whether she is asked to or not. Upon meeting Elizabeth for the first time, Lady Catherine immediately provides her opinion: “‘If I had known your mother, I should have advised her most strenuously to engage [a governess]. I always say that nothing is to be done in education without steady and regular instruction, and nobody but a governess can give it’” (127). Lady Catherine’s attitude toward Elizabeth demonstrates how her pride leads to her prejudice.

Lady Catherine blames Elizabeth for her inferiority and is constantly making offensive remarks about Elizabeth and her upbringing. Her disapproval of Elizabeth’s background is specifically shown after Lady Catherine learns of the potential marriage between Elizabeth and her nephew asserting that Mr. Darcy’s marriage should only take place with her daughter: “‘While in their cradles, we planned the union: and now …to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world …your arts and allurements may, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in’” (270-271). The mere idea of Elizabeth being associated with her nephew disgusts her and she refuses to accept it even suggesting that Elizabeth must have seduced him. Lady Catherine immediately thinks of her as obstinate and disagreeable but it is evident that she is actually the exact opposite. Elizabeth even notices that Lady Catherine had misjudged her character and it was all due to her pride. The concept of pride and the prejudice that follows is demonstrated through the antagonistic character Lady Catherine and through Elizabeth Bennet.

As the protagonist character, Elizabeth Bennet is utilized to demonstrate the different way one cannot resist being prejudicial. Considering the fact that she is of a lower rank in society, it is evident that she has no substantial reason to be proud. Nevertheless, Elizabeth proves to be a very prejudiced character against Mr. Darcy. As the wealthy owner of Pemberly Estate, Mr. Darcy is depicted as disagreeable for his unhappy manners. At the ball, where they first encountered, Mr. Darcy essentially calls Elizabeth unattractive. Being that she is a woman with feelings, it was inevitable that her feelings were hurt: “‘I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine’” (13). As aforementioned, there is nothing wrong with being proud and Elizabeth acknowledges this but she also believed it was not a reason for him to offend her. From that point on, she perceived him as “the only man who made himself agreeable nowhere” (16). She immediately inferred that because of his societal standing, he felt it necessary to affront people inferior to him. As Elizabeth continued to observe his actions, she traced it to arrogance. In Elizabeth’s eyes, Mr. Darcy’s taciturn temperament seemed to be a way of separating himself from people lesser in rank. As more of Mr. Darcy’s character unveiled itself, Elizabeth’s conception of him proved to be erroneous.

With a vendetta against Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth’s sole objective was to prove his arrogance. She meets Mr. Wickham who had a past with Mr. Darcy and recognizes that as a perfect way to expose Darcy. Mr. Wickham says bad things about Darcy and evokes more abhorrence within Elizabeth: “‘I had supposed him to be despising his fellow-creatures in general, but did not suspect him of descending to such malicious revenge, such injustice, such inhumanity as this!’” (61). With so much detest for Darcy within her, Elizabeth begins to fall for Wickham because he is everything Mr. Darcy is not. On the contrary, the inconsistencies in Mr. Wickham’s character are revealed and Elizabeth is forced to recognize the flaws within her. Because she acted solely on the emotion she felt that night they first met, she became prejudiced: “‘From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground-work of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike’” (148). She blatantly states that she hated Mr. Darcy from the moment she met him, because of his overbearing pride. Her emotions caught the best of her and ultimately clouded her judgment. She was wrong in assuming that Mr. Darcy’s manners were a result of his pride. Again, the compelling force of prejudice is exemplified as a result of pride.

The recurring theme of pride and prejudice prevailed throughout the novel in various characters. First Impressions proved to be a basis for most of the characters’ prejudicial qualities. However, in a society where pride was predominately common, prejudiced characters were inevitable. Therefore, Austen’s decision to title the book Pride & Prejudice, rather than First Impressions was more suitable in terms of the plot. Austen effectively demonstrated the two different ways prejudice can be evoked within a character, proving that one does not necessarily have to be proud to be prejudice. In the end, Jane Austen is an author to be merited for effectively conveying her story’s message in the brevity of two essential words.

CRUCIBLE: 31-49

“The daughters of the towns would assemble at night and, sometimes with fetishes, sometimes with a selected young man, give themselves to love, with some bastardly results. The Church …condemned these orgies as witchcraft and interpreted them, rightly, as a resurgence of the Dionysiac forces it had crushed long before” (35).

These qualities listed sound very familiar and ultimately allude to the very bizarre Abigail. While we don’t have specific details on the previous affair between Abigail and Proctor, we have an idea based on Abigail’s behavior. She throws herself at John, seduces him, and makes him pity her. She has ‘given herself to love’, it is apparent that she in infatuated with him. Abigail’s manners are best described as pertaining to witchcraft, according to the Church. The idea of Abigail practicing witchcraft seemed pretty obvious as she drank blood to harm Proctor’s wife. In simpler terms, she is CRAZY! The Church’s ability to detect witchcraft within a woman demonstrates their accuracy. Maybe a society based on religion isn’t so bad.

HALE, with rising exaltation: You are God’s instrument put in our hands to discover the Devil’s agents among us. You are selected, Tituba, you are chosen to help us cleanse our village (46).

The claim that if anything were to go wrong, Tituba would be to blame proved to be true. Once again, Abigail utilizes her manipulative talents to point the finger at Tituba. Immediately, Reverend Parris is angered by the thought of Tituba enlisting the Devil within his daughter and he suggests that she be whipped. He immediately jumps to conclusion and this is one of his fallacies. This is also not the first time he has fallen for Abigail’s deception. She even admits that she was ordered to kill Parris but she refused. Reverend Hale was able to see the benevolence within Tituba, contrary to Parris’ irrationality which demonstrates his adequacy.

Crucible: 8-30

Abigail: Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you (20).

It is too obvious! Abigail must be a witch. Her statement, or threat, corroborates the claim of her possibly being a witch. Here, she blatantly admits to everything she told her uncle that she did not do. First & foremost, she lied and second, she is crazy. I sensed there was something "different" about her back on page 17 when she says, "Uncle you've prayed since midnight. Why do you not go down -". This stood out because for the first few pages, the community's obsession with religion seemed excessive and Abigail's comment goes against it. This is the first statement from a character that actually contradicts the society's usual strict nature in regards to religion. Hints that suggest Abigail being a witch go on & on to the next few pages. Her affair with John Proctor is revealed and her wish to do harm to others suggests that she is a witch!

Mrs. Putnam: The psalm! The psalm! She cannot bear to to hear the Lord's name!

Here we go with the religion. However, looking at the situation from their eyes, her point is very reasonable. Initially, NOTHING would wake Betty. Abigail was fortunate enough to wake her for a couple of minutes but then she knocked out again and it was impossible to wake her. But she hears something from bible and she shoots up, that definitely says something. Maybe she has some supernatural force in her, I don't think she practices witchcraft like Abigail. She is soft-spoken and she was probably dragged into the woods by Abigail.

Character Analysis

Ashley Ducrepin
AP English – Mr. George
11.30.09
Character Analysis: Mr. Wickham

Mr. Wickham is a con man who uses his notable appearance to trick people into becoming acquainted with him.

When Mr. Wickham is initially introduced, he is described as “the happy man towards whom almost every female eye was turned” (Austen 57). It is no secret that his attractiveness appealed to pretty much all the women he met; in other words, he “had them at hello”. With enthralling physical appearance established, he used that to make women believe that he was a genuine gentleman. One of the few characters who fell for Wickham’s charm was Elizabeth, but as the novel went on, Wickham’s true character began to unveil itself. The inconsistency in his character is shown when he goes back on his words. Initially, Wickham asserted that he would attend the ball despite Darcy’s appearance, ultimately implying that Darcy is the impertinent one in their dispute. On the contrary, Wickham turns out to be the fake and is exposed: “his resentment was in proportion to the distress of his circumstances – and he was doubtless as violent in his abuse of [Mr. Darcy] to others, as in his reproaches to [Darcy]” (154). With substantial evidence, Darcy was able to demonstrate the greedy nature of Wickham and his impudent course of actions that followed as a result.

Mr. Wickham’s physical appearance that blinds people making them unable to see his fallacies is similar to shoes sold at Payless Shoesource stores. Consumers, more specifically women, are effortlessly lured in by the splendor of these shoes just as these women are easily captivated by Wickham’s good looks only to later find out that the object of their affection was a mistake. The feelings that arise when a woman sees something that is so appealing to the eye is enough to make her act on impulse – solely on emotion. After a while, she’s left to finally realize the unsatisfying quality of the shoes she has indulged herself in. In some cases, some women are not easily conned because of their prudence and remaining are those who’s reason is clouded by emotion. Very few of these irrational women are fortunate enough to encounter someone smart enough to rid them of their foolish ignorance.

In the biopic film Notorious, the film based on the life of rap superstar Notorious B.I.G, the rapper’s excessive love for women exemplified his ability to con women. While Biggie Smalls lacked the attractive nature that Wickham possessed, he appealed to women through his personality, his humor, his wealth, and his fame. That was enough to gain women’s trust and he used that to his advantage by satisfying every physical need he yearned for.


Ashley Ducrepin
AP English – Mr. George
11.30.09
Character Analysis – Mrs. Bennet

Mrs. Bennet is a foolish, simple-minded mother who serves no purpose but to cause irritation and discomfort to those around her.

Mrs. Bennet is overly and annoyingly obsessed with moving up in society based on her class. The key to achieving this is through her daughters. The potential marriage between one of her daughters and a wealthy man aroused Mrs. Bennet and it was her sole interest and objective: “‘If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield,’ said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, ‘and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for’” (Austen 5). Her obsessive nature causes her to stop at nothing to achieve a higher class, including making impertinent remarks: “‘[Charlotte] is very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane’s beauty’” (33). While Mrs. Bennet’s comments proved often to be true, she is unknowingly crude, completely oblivious of those around her. Mrs. Bennet is so indulged in her pointless and absent-minded thoughts that she fails to see how irksome she is to anyone associated with her.

Mrs. Bennet’s constant officious and offensive remarks make her voice the most intolerable thing to hear. She is extremely obnoxious and is embarrassing to her family members. Her boisterous and vexatious personality is that of a rustic hinge door that constantly creates an obtrusive sound when opened. A rustic hinge door causes much humiliation. Everytime Mrs. Bennet’s crevice is ajar, the irritable sounds that arise are unbearable. It is best for everyone if her mouth remains shut.

A woman that is similar to Mrs. Bennet is Janice Dickinson. Janice Dickinson is extremely boisterous and blunt, she is inconsiderate of people around her, let alone their feelings. Her obnoxiousness is embarrassing to those who are close to her, specifically her children.

P&P 14: CH. 16-END

Mr. Darcy: "'What did you say of me, that I did not deserve? For, though your accusations were ill-founded, formed on mistaken premises, my behaviour to you at the time, had merited the severest reproof. It was unpardonable. I cannot think of it without abhorrence'" (281).

Darcy's statement owning up to his faults demonstrates that Lizzy's prejudice against him was reasonable and understandable. It seems as though Elizabeth has taken all the blame for her & Darcy's delayed engagement. While Lizzy was erroneous in her idea of Mr. Darcy, she is not to be solely blamed. Pride is of great significance in this town considering the classis structure, therefore Mr. Darcy's insult at the time came off as if he were belittling Lizzy because of her class. So we can stop looking at Lizzy as if she were unreasonable and realize how she had every reason to react the way she did. Lizzy's feelings should also be considered - with a comment like that said to her, of course she was hurt and she reacted solely on emotion. On the other hand, Darcy has acknowledged how crude he was to her and he understood why Lizzy was so impertinent towards him. And for that, I applaud him.


"Whether she [Mrs. Bennet] were violently set against the match, or violently delighted with it, it was certain that her manner would be equally ill adapted to do credit to her sense; and she could no more bear that Mr. Darcy should hear the first raptures of her joy, than the first vehemence of her disapprobation" (287).

Because Mrs. Bennet detests Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth did not know what to expect from her mother. Would she disapprove or would she rejoice in Elizabeth's potential wealth. Knowing Mrs. Bennet's shallow and "money-hungry" mentality, I was certain that Mrs. Bennet would look past Mr. Darcy's deficiencies and rejoice in his wealth. You would think Elizabeth would prefer that reaction rather than her mother's disapprobation but Elizabeth actually prefers neither. It is perfectly reasonable as to why she wouldn't want her mother's approval nor disapproval. Nobody wants their mother to disapprove of their future nuptials, however in this particular situation, Elizabeth does not want her mother's congratulations. We've seen how Mrs. Bennet's exuberance can hurt her daughter's happiness (Jane) and Elizabeth does not want the something to happen to her. I mean, Mrs. Bennet has embarrassed her enough!

P&P 13: CH 13-15

"Elizabeth had now but little time for conversation with her sister; for while he [Mr. Bingley] was present, Jane had no attention to bestow on anyone else" (266).

It seems that Jane has learned her lesson. She has been giving Bingley the affection she failed to display previously. It is also evident that her undivided attention directed toward Bingley is solely because of her strong feelings for him. After finding out Bingley left her, Jane was devasted and was ultimately in a state of depression. While she attempted to cover up these emotions with optimism, it was clear just how much Jane cared for Bingley. I think through that experience, she discovered how much she really cared for Bingley.Initially she was simply happy to be in Bingley's presence, but now that their flame has rekindled, she is happier: "the satisfaction of Miss Bennet's mind gave a glow of such sweet animation to her face, as made her look handsomer than ever" (265). In the end, Darcy also helped Jane to realize just how much she loves Bingley. Because she has a new found knowledge of her overwhelming regard for Bingley, it is much easier for her to express it.

Elizabeth: "'The arguments with which you [Lady Catherine] have supported this extraordinary application, have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged. You have widely mistaken my character" (273).

This quote specifically ties into the major theme of this book: pride & prejudice. Lady Catherine somewhat shares the same fallacy Elizabeth possessed in the commencement of the novel. The concept of pride made Elizabeth prejudice and makes Lady Catherine prejudice. In Lady Catherine's case, she allows her hierarchy status to misjudge other people's characters - like she does Elizabeth. Becasue Lady Catherine is so stuck on this imprudent idea of her prosperous nephew marrying with someone less fortunate like Elizabeth, she fails to see Elizabeth for who she truly is. She doesn't believe Darcy would "'forget what he owes to himself and to all his family'" (270). Because she doubts the possibility of her nephew bringing shame to him and his family's name, Lady Catherine insinuates that Elizabeth allured him.

P&P 12: CH. 10-12

Mrs. Gardiner: "'I talked to her [Lydia] repeatedly in the most serious manner, representing to her all the wickedness of what she had done, and all the unhappiness she had brought on her family'" (247).

Mrs. Gardiner represents the exact opposite character of Mrs. Bennet. While Mrs. Bennet praises Lydia for landing a man like Wickham, Mrs. Gardiner reprimands her for it. She essentially told Lydia everything that everybody has been biting their tongue about. From the beginning, Mrs. Gardiner has been giving Elizabeth counsel and she ultimately is wise. Elizabeth and Jane are her most prized possessions since they think more like her rather than Mrs. Bennet who favors Lydia solely because of her marriage. Mrs. Gardiner ultimately is just like Mr. Bennet but much more outspoken. She observes and comments on whatever she interprets and most of the time she is right. Mr. Bennet, on the other hand is not so outspoken however we are starting to see him stand up to his wife's ridiculousness.

"He [Mr. Darcy] had taken on himself all the trouble and mortification attendant on such a research ... and where he was reduced to meet, frequently meet, reason with, persuade, and finally bribe, the man whom he always wished to avoid" (248).

If this is not enough for Elizabeth to realize that Darcy has strong feelings for her, then she doesn't even deserve him. Throughout the text, we see the major obstacles Darcy has overcome in attempts to appeal to Elizabeth. This obstacle, however, proves to be the biggest barrier he's had to face thus far. While Elizabeth is still trying to come up with excuses as if Darcy detests her, it is the exact opposite. He continues to show just how much he loves her by being put in certain situations that don't necessarily make him happy. This circumstance in particular exemplifies Darcy's determination and endurance. Elizabeth brings out the best in him.

P&P 11: CH. 7-9

"She [Mrs. Bennet] was more alive to the disgrace, which the want of new clothes must reflect on her daughter's nuptials, than to any sense of shame at her eloping and living with Wickham" (236).

This is SERIOUSLY Mrs. Bennet's BIGGEST fallacy. She is a complete airhead and her ignorance further impairs the family. Initially, Mrs. Bennet was in a state of depression when Lydia ran away, however she continued to hope for a potential marriage between the two. You would think Mrs. Bennet would be elated to hear that her daughter's been found - but no, she is ecstatic solely because her daughter is getting married. Mrs. Bennet's reaction is sending the wrong message, she "embraced her, and welcomed her with rapture" (239). Mrs. Bennet's attitude towards her lets her know that it is okay to do what she did - it's not a big deal. Thus Lydia does not even realize how misguided she is: "'I thought it would be very good fun if I was'" (240). Until Mrs. Bennet gets some sense, Lydia is pretty much doomed.

"By her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance" (237).

Finally, Elizabeth is getting in touch with how she really feels about Mr. Darcy. After receiving the letter, Elizabeth was overrun with copious overwhelming emotions that she attempted to disregard. Here, she is actually thinking about a possible relationship with Darcy. She realizes that there are the perfect match despite their differences. She acknowledges that she is more emotional and Darcy's more rational (Women are emotional; men are rational). However, as the novel continues, we see Elizabeth is capable of using her reasoning and we've also seen Darcy's attempts to be a bit more personable expressing more emotion. Thus, they balance each other out because they bring out what both of them lack in one another.

P&P 10: 3-6

“She had no difficulty in believing that neither her [Lydia] virtue nor her understanding would preserve her from falling an easy prey” (212).

In other words, Lydia is a beautiful fool. She attaches and ultimately becomes infatuated by any man that gives her attention. She infers that the attention she receives is a hint to their interest in marrying her. Because she is so young, she is naïve to reality and only understands the simple-mindedness of Mrs. Bennet. Elizabeth, who is well aware of Wickham’s charming abilities, strongly believes he had no difficulties captivating Lydia. Despite Elizabeth’s intelligence and independent nature, he managed to sweep her off her feet. Therefore, he probably enthralled Lydia just by paying her one compliment. Elizabeth has every reason in the world to believe Lydia has not the sufficient knowledge or comprehension to resist Wickham’s temptations.

“Invectives against the villainous conduct of Wickham, and complaints of her own sufferings and ill usage; blaming every body but the person to whose ill judging indulgence the errors of her daughter must be principally owing” (217).

FINALLY! Someone has recognized just HOW MUCH Mrs. Bennet has damaged this family. From the beginning, Mrs. Bennet has been known to play the blame game – ironically enough, the mishaps in her family were actually caused by her. Her eccentric and imposing approach towards Bingley and Jane was the reason for driving him away. But of course, Mrs. Bennet took the iniative to believe Bingley was in the wrong. Mrs. Bennet is simply blinded by her own foolishness. She is the cause for Lydia’s running away from home – her idiocy rubbed off her and onto Lydia. We see how excited Lydia becomes when she is in the presence of officers; she shares this with her mother. And then she has the nerve to blame Mr. Wickham? Mrs. Bennet has no right to point at the finger at none else but herself.

P&P #9: 19-2

“[Mr. Darcy] asked if she would do him the honor of introducing him to her friends … with fortitude, and so far from going away, turned back with them, and entered conversation with Mr. Gardiner” (193).

Mr. Darcy? Starting up conversations with others? It seems unreal considering his lack of communication skills: “‘I am ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers’” (135). Primarily, Darcy acknowledged one of his biggest fallacies, ultimately explaining the reasons behind all his actions. Thus, his effort towards becoming acquainted with Elizabeth’s family demonstrates his attempt to eradicate that flaw. The word “fortitude”, meaning courage & determination, is the ideal word in this context as it exemplifies how difficult this was for Darcy. Mr. Darcy even takes this a step further by inviting Mr. Gardiner to fish around his estate as much as he would like. Darcy’s new behavior not only makes Elizabeth happy but it also confuses her. She hints at the possibly that he is acting like this solely because of her, but she does not want to get carried away with false hope. However, it is evident that Darcy has made a full 360, because of Elizabeth to show that he can be whatever she desires.

“Since her [Elizabeth] being at Lambton, she had heard that Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud; but the observation of a very few minutes convinced her, that she was only exceedingly shy” (197).

Now that Elizabeth is no longer prejudice, she possesses the ability to recognize the flaw within Miss Darcy. Miss Darcy is often misunderstood by others because of her timidity. She obviously is uncomfortable having conversations with others and because of the judgmental nature of so many; people automatically assume that she is simply haughty. The way people misconstrue her personality is similar to how Mr. Darcy was misjudged (including by Elizabeth). Because of Darcy’s inability to simply converse with others, he came off as haughty and crude. With this first impression instilled in her, Elizabeth continued to show her odious feelings towards him. Thus, she was unable to see his true personality. Now, after Darcy’s letter, Elizabeth’s prejudice is gone and she avoids judging others. Specifically in Miss Darcy’s case, Elizabeth immediately identifies the fallacy in Miss Darcy and is able to look past that.

P&P #8: CH. 12-18

"With amazement did she first understand that he believed any apology to be in his power; and stedfastly was she persuaded that he could have no explanation to give, which a just sense of shame would conceal" (156).

Ironically, what surprises Elizabeth the most with Darcy's letter is his apology. Because of her preconceived notion of him, she never thought a pride man like himself would ever apologize. and certainly not to her. Both Darcy and Elizabeth are aware that a prominent man like Darcy apologizing to Elizabeth is a huge blow to his pride. Thus, we view Darcy's ability to humble himself for Elizabeth. Looking over the letter over & over again has made Elizabeth realize just how prejudice she'd been against Darcy. She was so ashamed of the way she carried herself that she felt as though Darcy did not even need to explain anything. The answers were right before her eyes but she was blinded by her own prejudice. By the grace of Mr. Darcy, he was able to open her eyes and make her see what she could not.


"When she remembered the style of his address, she was still full of indignation; but when she considered how unjustly she has condemned and unbraided him, her anger was turned against herself; and his disappointed feelings became the object of passion" (163).

The first time Elizabeth and Darcy met, Darcy obviously did not leave a god first impression by insulting her. Feeling hurt by his inconsiderate comment about her, Elizabeth develops a sense of hatred for Darcy and remains prejudice towards him for a long period of time. If we jump forward to the his proposal, we view Darcy as the same brutally honest man. He is known to tell the truth with the lack of discretion and emphasize points that don't necessarily need to be emphasized. Thus, with her established prejudice and his honesty, Elizabeth detested Darcy even more. Somehow, his letter triggered an off button in Elizabeth's head and she no longer allowed her emotion to control the way she thought. Looking back, Elizabeth somewhat blames herself for Darcy's approach. She'd been purposely impudent towards him because of his veracity despite his attempts to make things right between them. She could not see Darcy's true intentions but now that she can - it is quite apparent that this is the start of a blossoming relationship.

P&P 7 CH. 6-11

Lady Catherine: “‘I often tell young ladies, that no excellence in music is to be acquired, without constant practice. I have told Miss Bennet several times, that she will never play really well, unless she practises more’” (133).

Lady Catherine exhibits a natural aura of condescension; however she does this unknowingly and unintentionally. We see that she tries not to allow her rank in society affect the way she communicates with other people, especially those less fortunate than her. She established her importance without making those below her feel inferior. With her authoritative nature, she is very outspoken. She is admired for her eloquence, thus she is constantly giving people advice. Yet, she does not realize that she offends people subtly with her counsel. Her character resembles the characteristics of Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet’s biggest fallacy is her mouth – she speaks with no discretion and is constantly offending someone. The difference between Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet are their circumstances. Lady Catherine speaks in a condescending nature because she is in a position of paramount while Mrs. Bennet affronts people because of her highly attractive daughters.


Mr. Darcy: “‘these offences might have been overlooked, had not your pride been hurt by my honest confession of the scruples that had long prevented my forming any serious design’” (147).

Again, we view Darcy’s ability to recognize some of the unique characteristics of Elizabeth. In the beginning of the novel, Elizabeth develops a sense of detestation towards Darcy solely because of his comment. As understanding as Elizabeth is, she acknowledged the fact that he was an established man who should be proud of his accomplishments. However, she did not appreciate how rude he was: “‘I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine’” (13). Mr. Darcy finally realizes that he hurt her feelings and here he is acknowledging that. He is not apologizing, because he was only being honest and obviously Elizabeth cannot endure the truth that Darcy always is prepared to offer.

P&P - CH. 2-5

“Mrs. Gardiner, rendered suspicious by Elizabeth’s warm commendation of him [Mr. Wickham] … their preference of each other was plain enough to make her a little uneasy; and she resolved to speak to Elizabeth on the subject before she left Hertfordshire, and represent to her the imprudence of encouraging such an attachment” (110).

Once again, someone is warning Elizabeth about Mr. Wickham; this time, it is her aunt offering counsel. Previously, Elizabeth has been cautioned of Mr. Wickham and his past but her overwhelming emotions have clouded her judgment thus hindering her ability to see the fallacies in Mr. Wickham. Mrs. Gardiner admits that she has no sufficient evidence as to why Elizabeth should not pursue Mr. Wickham. However, her advice is convincing because Mrs. Gardiner shares some of the same qualities as Elizabeth. As her aunt, Mrs. Gardiner understands Elizabeth and her personality – she sees right through her: “’you have sense, and we all expect you to use it”(111). I think, because of Mrs. Gardiner’s observation, Elizabeth takes her aunt’s sincere advice into consideration.


“’We dine at Rosings twice every, and are never allowed to walk home. Her ladyship’s carriage is regularly ordered for us. I should say, one of her ladyship’s carriages, for she has several’” (121).

With the arrival of Elizabeth, Mr. Collins excessively brags about the finer things in life he experiences. He speaks of dining at a prestigious restaurant and having the honor of riding in Lady Catherine’s carriage in attempts to make Elizabeth feel regretful for denying him. However, as usual, Mr. Collins fails to achieve what he initially sets out to complete. Instead of evoking a sense of envy or regret, Elizabeth finds Mr. Collins’ speech quite amusing. In fact, I think Elizabeth is relieved that she is not in Charlotte’s position. Mr. Collins’ inability to intrigue Elizabeth exemplifies the distinction between her the women regularly enchanted by riches. She does not allow valuable things decide her fate and fortunately enough for her, she can find happiness with someone with the right intentions.

P&P - CH. 21-1

Elizabeth: “‘Miss Bingley sees that her brother is in love with you, and wants him to marry Miss Darcy. She follows him to town in the hope of keeping him there, and tries to persuade you that he does not care about you’”
Jane: “‘If we thought alike of Miss Bingley,’ replied Jane, ‘your representation of all this, might make me quite easy But I know the foundation is unjust. Caroline is incapable of willfully deceiving anyone’” (91).

In this conversation between Jane & Elizabeth, we see that the tables have turned. In the previous chapters, Jane attempted to open Elizabeth’s eyes and make her realize that Mr. Wickham is not as pleasing as she thinks. Instead of taking her suggestions into consideration, Elizabeth immediately refutes them based on her affection for Mr. Wickham and her hatred for Darcy. Nevertheless, Elizabeth comes to a conclusion solely based on emotions. We see the same exact quality in Jane during this conversation. Jane is blinded by her overwhelming love and affection for Bingley that she fails to see the cunning demeanor of Caroline.

“‘I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins’s character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state’”(96).

This is a perfectly clear example of a mercenary marriage. It is not a marriage based on love or even practical common sense but a marriage conducted to benefit Charlotte. The concept of matrimony and love mean nothing to Charlotte and on page 94, her feelings about marriage are revealed: “without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune”. Charlotte thinks the exact same way society forces most women of her class to think and she has no choice but to conform to it. She also admits that she is not very good looking, thus finding a genuine mate would prove to be a difficult task.

P&P - CH. 17-20

"'I have not a doubt of Mr. Bingley's sincerity,' said Elizabeth warmly; 'but you must excuse my not being convinced by assurance only ... since he [Bingley] is unacquainted with several parts of the story, and has learnt the rest from that friend himself, I shall venture still to think of both gentlemen as I did before" (73).

Elizabeth was primarily depicted as a young woman of intelllect and wit. She differed from her sisters because of her ability to logically notice things that they could not. As more of her character is revealed, we see a bit of similarity between her and Darcy that she acknowledges. However, this quote when she is speaking to Jane contradicts the Elizabeth we've come to know. ELizabeth is overcome with two overwhelming emotions - infatuation(for Wickham) and hatred (towards Darcy). Though she speaks as if she is defending Mr. Wickham out of reasoning, she is actually making these claims based on how she is feeling. Elizabeth has already established that she hates Darcy, thus she will go on making decisions based on that. Furthermore, now that she is attracted to Mr. Wickham, she will make decisions based on that.

"'Mr. Darcy seemed much pleased with the attention. He answered me with the utmost cicility'" (75).

Mr. Collins condescendingly disregards Elizabeth's suggestion telling him not to apologize to Mr. Darcy. Collins is known for his excessive and annoying "pardons". Thus, ELizabeth's caution was valid. However, as we see in this quote, Mr. Darcy's response to Mr. Collins was not what Elizabeth had expected. She had expected Mr. Darcy to view Mr. Collins' scheme as an impertinent freedom. On the contrary, Darcy was pleased with Mr. Collins' approach. This is of no surprise and this shouldn't be to ELizabeth either, because in her conversation with Mr. Wickham, he specifically said that smong the rich, "he is liberal-minded, just, sincere, rational, honourable, and perhaps agreeable" (62-63). Considering the fact that Collins is rich himself, it makes sense that he finds Darcy to be a pleasant man.

P&P - CH. 11-16

"He [Mr. Darcy] began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention" (44).

As the story progresses, we see a change in Darcy's haughty character towards Elizabeth. He begins to take notice of Elizabeth more and enjoys conversing with her. Absolutely ignoring Caroline, Darcy acknowledges Elizabeth's intelligence and attempts to gain the affection of her. However, because of Darcy's innate ability to notice things, he realizes the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention. In the previous pages, we see how Darcy can view things that others who don't necessarily think like him can. He shares this ability with Elizabeth and as more of their characters are revealed, we see how much they actually think alike.

"After many pauses and many trials of other subjects, Elizabeth could not help reverting once more to the first" (62).

In terms of "the first", it is referring to the topic of Darcy. It seems unusual that Elizabeth would be interested in discussing with Mr. Wickham about Darcy, the man she despises. The only explanation is that there is something about Darcy that intrigues Elizabeth. Though he is not the most pleasing, he appeals to Elizabeth's interest. I think the reason for this is the fact that Elizabeth and Darcy are ironically similar. They are both analytical and ultimately think the same way, thus being the sole reasons for their disagreements. Because of their strong personalities, they are unable to see the similarities between them.

P&P - CH 7-10

"When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room. Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence" (25).
"he could find no better relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeper directions that every possible attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister"(30).

Almost immediately after hearing of her sister's illness, Elizabeth takes the initiative to travel at great lengths to tend to Jane. Not only does she walk over 5 miles, but she does this is the rain. Once she gets there, her main concern is the well-being of Jane - we see that within her but Bingley's sisters fail to. They view her as haughty because she'd rather take care of her sister than sit and talk with them. It sounds like their values are in disarray and they don't know the importance of family. They bad mouth Elizabeth solely because they don't understand her and it is unfortunate. It seems like the only one who actually understands Elizabeth is Bingley. Being that he loves Jane, of course he likes the idea of her being looked after. Thus, he makes it his business that both Jane and Elizabeth are well taken care of. It shows his hospitality and respectable personality. He is always thinking good of people and he is in some way similar to Jane.

P&P - CH. 1-6

"'If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield,' said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, 'and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for'" (Austen 5).
"A person may be proud without being vain" (14).

At the commencement of the novel, we see the obsessive nature of Mrs. Bennet. She excessively speaks of her daughters being married to wealthy men. The idea of seeing her daughters happily married to an affluent gentleman evokes a sense of happiness within her. Contrary to Mr. Bennet, this is the only thing that concerns Mrs. Bennet, thus it being the sole source of her happiness. Mr. Bingley is introduced and becomes the romantic interest of Jane, hence making Mrs. Bennet jubilant. Also introduced is Mr. Darcy who is wealthy but is not particularly favored by many, including Mrs. Bennet. Mr. Darcy is depicted as haughty as he condescends the women he meet at the assembly. Many accept the fact that Mr. Darcy should be proud of his established wealth, however they disagree with his vanity.

The Tao - significance&addition

The aspect of the Tao that is the most significant is ‘The Law of General Beneficence’, including both negative and positive guidelines. These statements are the ideal teachings to live by. In the negative section, the Tao references back to Ancient time periods to emphasize what one should never do. The Tao suggests that we should never murder or even hurt another person whether it is physically or emotionally. The Law of General Beneficence also incorporates a positive way to practice benevolence. Babylonians said, “speak kindness … show goodwill”. This is a perfectly clear example of what is expected of every human being. The Tao also says we should love our friends and our enemies as much as we do ourselves. In conclusion, the Golden Rule is inserted which is derived from Christianity: “Treat others the way you want to be treated. These guidelines are most important, because we can strive towards moral perfection and ultimately all the other values listed will just come naturally to us.

One notion that should be added to the Tao is the concept of Duties to Women. The Tao makes it a point to pay homage to our elders and respect our children, however duties to women is just as significant, if not more. Women create men; women have the gift to create these ‘elders’ and the future generations. Women bear the agonizing process of giving birth to give new life, thus these elders and children should be extremely grateful for the gift of life. Included in paying homage to women is respecting them and not taking advantage of them. Men tend to view women as weak and they use that to degrade women. Women need to be acknowledged more by the opposite sex and their kids (sometimes).

Abolition of Man - CH. 3

“Man’s final conquest has proved to be the abolition of man” (64).
“Man’s conquest of Nature turns out, in the moment of its consummation, to be Nature’s conquest of Man” (68).

To commence his argument, Lewis introduces the commonly-used expression, ‘Man’s conquest of Nature’ and exemplifies how Man cannot conquer Nature. Lewis anticipates a possible counter argument that may falsely believe they hold a high power over Nature. An aeroplane, wireless, or contraceptives are all examples of things humanity has purchased and utilized leading them to believe they’ve established their own individual power over Nature. On the contrary, because these things can be withheld from some Men, “Man’s power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument” (55). As time is examined, the later generations become weaker as a subject to the decisions of their predecessors. In the end, we realize the only way to conquer Nature is for man to conquer himself first, otherwise known as eradicating himself. After Man’s attempts to conquer Nature, Nature has demolished their existence. Men destroy themselves as Nature reduces them to an object. While Men try to control Nature, Nature continues to manipulate their actions and we ultimately lose the essence and the ability to see Nature for what it truly is. In the end, we actually lose a lot more than we originally set out to gain.

Abolition of Man - The Way

“[The Innovator] is likely to give up the quest for a ‘rational’ core and to hunt for some other grounds even more ‘basic’ and ‘realistic’” (32).
“The preservation of society, and of the species itself, are ends that do not hang on the precarious thread of Reason; they are given by instinct” (33).

Lewis introduces something known as the “Innovator”, one who attempts to create a new set of values. From the perspective of the Innovator, the idea that it is sweet and seemly to die for one’s country is evolved. The Innovator believes there is realism behind this idea and “it lies in the utility of such sacrifice to the community” (30). He brings reasoning in this idea and suggests that some of us must die to save other people’s lives. The counter question that arises is: “Why should I be one of those who take the risk?” (31). The answer is that one’s choice to either refuse or consent is neither rational or irrational. However, Lewis attacks this argument by saying preserving society has nothing to do with reason, but it actually has to do with our instincts. Martyrdom is something out of pure impulse, there is no logic or reasoning behind it. Lewis says, “We have an instinctive urge to preserve our own species … We have no instinctive urge to keep promises or to respect individual life” (33).

Abolition of Man – Men without Chests; Two Important Quotes

“For every one pupil who needs to be guarded from a weak excess of sensibility there are three who need to be awakened from the slumber of cold vulgarity … The right defence against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments” (13-14).
“Aristotle says that the aim of education is to make the pupil like and dislike what he ought. When the age for reflective thought comes, the pupil, who has been thus trained in ‘ordinate affections’ or ‘just sentiments’, will easily find the first principles in Ethics” (16).

Throughout the first chapter, Lewis expresses his disagreement with the authors that believe values are based solely on emotions. He argues that there exists an objective standard; therefore people cannot go about on their feelings. In this first quote, Lewis explains that there is a copious amount of students who are receiving excessive information regarding sensibility. Lewis makes a point of it to show that there is much more to sensibility than just feelings. Along with feelings, thinking is also involved in sensibility. Lewis argues that if these authors are going to use sentiments, then they should be just ones. He is able to efficiently present his case with his diction. He intentionally uses the words “awakened” and “slumber” in correlation to emphasize how crucial it is to direct these pupils in a different direction other than what they’re taught. In the second quote, Lewis continues his argument by stating how a student is to be taught. They should be trained in ordinate affections and just sentiments. Lewis also establishes his character in this quote and appeals logically. His reference to the philosopher Aristotle not only shows his intelligence but also is the reasoning behind his argument.

LfBJ Essay

Ashley Ducrepin
AP English – Mr. George
10.14.09
“Letter from Birmingham Jail”

In response to a letter sent to him condemning him for civil disobedience, civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. formulated a well-articulated letter to present his disposition. Eight clergymen reproached King, also a pastor, for his deliberate defiance of the law. However, King refutes this claim and explains the reasons for his actions in his letter titled, Letter from Birmingham Jail. The letter earned that title, because King actually wrote the letter while he was incarcerated. Despite these horrible circumstances, King is still able to exhibit his skills in the English language and persuade these clergymen otherwise. His objective throughout the letter is to exemplify how flawed the justice system is and to present suggestions on how it can be improved. To efficiently persuade his audience, King realizes that he cannot rely solely on the knowledge he’s gained. Thus, King opts to engage and ultimately appeal to his audience with emotion, logic and with his character. He also captivates his audience with the inclusion of syntax and diction.

Considering the fact that Martin Luther King Jr. was an African American in the 1960s, little or nothing was expected of him by the dominant whites. In this letter, King ventured to establish himself as a respectable individual. He commences his argument by calling these men who’ve criticized him his “fellow brothers”. This allows the audience to identify King’s ability to accept anybody as a close companion of his. To continue this thought, rather than expressing his anger in the clergymen, King reiterates his feelings of disappointment in the men: “I came to Birmingham with the hope that the white religious leadership of the community would see the justice of our cause and … serve as the channel through which our grievances could get to the power structure … But again I have been disappointed” (749). His expression of disappointment emphasizes the forgiving demeanor of King and it appeals to his audience’s emotions. As the letter progresses, King’s intelligence is exhibited. King makes references to philosophical intellects, such as Socrates, Martin Buber, and St. Thomas Aquinas, which enhances his assertion. His insertion of quotes stated by these idols demonstrates his ability to be knowledgeable beyond what most would assume, despite his current circumstances. As King reveals more of his character, he subtly incorporates emotional appeal to intrigue his audience.

King’s emotional appeal seems effortless and he is able to evoke a sense of empathy within his audience through vivid and factual descriptions: “angry violent dogs literally biting six unarmed, non-violent Negroes … their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city jail … [they] push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls … [they] slap and kick old Negro men and young Negro boys” (751). The accurate depiction appeals to his audience emotionally, because it is filled with a compelling vocabulary. To establish camaraderie, King also intentionally uses words like “mother”, “father”, “brother”, and “sister”. His uses of these relationships allow him to bring his audience down to the same level as him: “when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your brothers and sisters at whim … then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait” (742). Just as King has family he cares about; the clergymen have family they care about. With emotional appeal being a great contribution to his piece, King also uses logic to keep himself from getting carried away with his emotions. As an established intellect, King logically and efficiently states his reasons behind the letter. His philosophical references not only demonstrate his intelligence but also illustrates his ability to support his argument with reasoning: “Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths … we must see the need of having non-violent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depth of prejudice and racism” (741). King is able to appeal emotionally and logically through his intentional word choice.

King’s use of diction is rather compelling; not only does is captivate the audience emotionally but it also exemplifies his aggressive and impassioned personality. He uses emotional appeal on page 740 when he explains, “we were the victims of a broken promise … with blasted hopes, and the dark shadow of the deep disappointment settled upon us”. His use of the word victim allows the audience to share in that common feeling of being greatly disappointed. King also excels in his attempts to persuade his audience by using an assertive word choice: “[I hope] that he [Mr. Boutwell] will be reasonable enough to see the futility of massive resistance to desegregation” (741). He purposely chooses to use these aggressive descriptions to emphasize his disagreement with segregation. As aforementioned, King has established himself as an insightful individual. Therefore, King is able to use words like “do-nothing-ism” that still have the compelling effect of the words before or after it. To further enhance his letter, King captivates his audience with his unique style of word arrangement.

The deliberate arrangement of King’s words is used in a specific fashion to emphasize his major points. His use of juxtaposition on page 742 describes the nations of Asia and Africa moving at “jet-like speed” as ironically more progressive than America who “creeps at horse and buggy pace”. Usually, the nation of America is depicted as the most progressive country in the world. However, King uses juxtaposition to invert a commonly used example of something that is usually better and much more advanced. To show versatility, King utilizes two different ways to present his major points. One of these methods, called the periodic sentence is exemplified on page 742. King uses this method to continue and elongate his thought process building up to his major point, or conclusion. Contrary to the periodic sentence, King also uses another method known as the cumulative sentence. Rather than building up to the conclusion, in the example of a cumulative sentence, the major point is stated at the beginning: “I have been disappointed with the Church … I say it as a minister of the gospel, who loves the Church” (748). We immediately are aware of King’s intent just by reading the first sentence. King excels in his persuasion tactics because of his ability to anticipate his counterpart’s arguments. With that, King asks rhetorical questions throughout his letter: “Some have asked, ‘Why didn’t you give the new administration time to act?’ The only answer that I can give to this inquiry is that the new administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one before it acts” (741). His response to this rhetorical question is King’s attempt to point out the possible arguments that may be used against him and attacking them.

Using the three appeals, King creates an efficient argument with supporting facts. Establishing his character as an intelligent and assertive man, King would immediately get the attention of his audience. After gaining his audience’s attention, King presents his case while considering his audience’s emotions. He is able to appeal to his audience’s emotions effortlessly simply by stating observations and experiences that he’s endured. With his use of emotional appeal, he is also able to establish logic within his letter. The logical appeal served as the reasoning behind all his beliefs. To top it off, King’s use of syntax and diction demonstrate his intelligence, his mastery of the language, and his organization. With all these skills, King is sure to convince his audience of anything.

Birmingham Letter - MLK; Appeals

In The Letter from Birmingham Jail, King is efficiently persuasive through the use of the three appeals, syntax, and diction.

USE OF ETHOS:
The first appeal King uses is ethos. He begins the letter with “My dear Fellow Clergyman” which exemplifies his respectful character. He continues to show his character throughout the introduction. King takes the time to explain himself, despite his claim stating that he usually does not respond to people’s disapproving of him. King describes these clergymen as “men of genuine good will”, that being the reason for his response to their sincere criticism.
As the letter progresses, we see a more intellectual aspect of his character. His reference to intelligent and philosophical idols, such as Socrates, Martin Buber, and St. Thomas Aquinas enhance his assertion. It demonstrates his ability to be knowledgeable beyond what most would assume, despite his current circumstances.
King excels at distinguishing himself from the “Average Joe”; his unique character separates him from those who would immediately become angry at the Clergymen. However, because King sees these men as his brother, he is not angry but instead is only disappointed. His reiteration of his disappointment emphasizes the forgiving demeanor of King and it also appeals to his audience’s emotions.
Finally, King opts to write with an aggressive word choice demonstrating his assertive personality. He confidently states, “We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands” (751).

USE OF PATHOS:
Much of King’s emotional appeal appeals on its own. It’s crucial to engage his audience by evoking emotions and King succeeds just by stating facts. On page 751, he vividly describes the violent and inhumane treatment of Negroes: “angry violent dogs literally biting six unarmed, nonviolent Negroes … their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city jail … [they] push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls … [they] slap and kick old Negro man and young Negro boys”. The factual description appeals to his audience’s emotions, because it is filled with a vivid and compelling vocabulary.
King intentionally uses words like “mother”, “father”, “brother”, and “sister” to appeal to his audience emotionally: “when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim” (742). His use of these relationships allows him to bring his audience down to the same level as him. Just as King has family; the white clergymen have family that they care about.

USE OF LOGOS:
As an established intellectual man, King’s reasoning behind his argument makes sense. He logically explains the difference between a just law and an unjust law and to enhance his explanation, he inserts a quote by well renowned Saint Augustine.
In response to the church’s promise to the Negroes freedom in the future, King reasonably argues that they’ve misinterpreted the value of time. While they believe time will eventually “cure all ills”, King argues that time can either be constructive or destructive.

USE OF SYNTAX:
King’s words are deliberately arranged in a specific fashion to emphasize his major points.
His use of juxtaposition on pg. 742: describes the nations of Asia and Africa (jet-like speed) as ironically more progressive than America (creep at horse and buggy pace). Another example on pg. 750.
His use of a periodic sentence on pg.742: He continually uses a semicolon to continue his thought process and build up to the conclusion. Opposed to building up to the conclusion, King also uses Cumulative sentence on pg. 748 where he states his point at the beginning.
In attempts to anticipate his counterpart's arguments, King asks rhetorical questions throughout the letter: ex. on pg. 740; pg. 741; pg. 751
Also, King frequently arranges his sentences in a parallel structure; pg. 749, pg. 752.

USE OF DICTION:
King’s use of diction is rather compelling. His intentional choice of words and descriptions paint a vivid picture of what he is speaking of and they also evoke many different emotions.
“we were the victims of a broken promise … with blasted hopes, and the dark shadow of the deep disappointment settled upon us” (740). Appeals to emotion b/c he uses the word victim.
“[I hope] that he [Mr. Boutwell] will be reasonable enough to see the futility of massive resistance to desegregation” (741). His aggressive choices of words support his assertive character and ultimately capture his audience’s attention.
Because King has established himself as an intelligent individual, he is able to use words like “do-nothing-ism” and it still has the compelling effect of the words before or after it.

Examples of Each Fallacy

HASTY GENERALIZATION - Joe and his friends never participate in gym class and it because they don't know how to play.
STEREOTYPE - Black people are ghetto.
CAUSE AND EFFECT - I scratched the side of your car, because you went to a horrible driving school.
ONLY CAUSE - If we extended the school year, less teenagers would drop out of school.
FALSE ANALOGY - Like the airplane above them, the track team soared across the horizon.
ATTACKING THE PERSON - Your ideas of imposing new laws into the Constitution is invalid, because you break the laws everyday.
EITHER-OR - Either pray to God everyday or rot in Hell.
NON-SEQUITUR - The gas tank is half full, however the tank is not full so we cannot go to the Party.
CIRCULAR REASONING - Barack Obama should be President, he's African American. We've never had an African American President and he has a good sense of humor.

Correct & Incorrect Syllogisms

Correct:

Birds have wings
Wings enable anybody/anything to fly
Birds can fly.

Chocolate is sweet
Hersheys is chocolate
Hersheys is sweet.

Exercising helps you lose weight
Playing sports is a way of exercising
Playing sports helps you lose weight.

Incorrect:

Jim Carrey is a comedian
Jim Carrey is Canadian
All Canadians are funny.

Barack Obama is a Democrat
Barack Obama is African American
African Americans are Democrats.

New York City is a crowded place
Crowded places have rats
New York City has rats.

Proposal

Ashley,
You are, without a doubt, the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. Everything from your beauty, to your personality amazes me every day. Whenever I see you, my heart smiles. I cherish every last second spent with you and when I am not with you – my body aches for your presence as I think that I’ve wasted time that could’ve been spent with you. As I think of the valuable time spent with you, I have assessed that I need you in my life. Life without you seems impossible and to me it’s not living. I want to spend the rest of my time here with you, making you the happiest woman alive. You have gone through some difficult situations in the past, but I remained by your side reassuring you that everything would be okay. You know that whenever you need someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on, I’ve always been there and I will continue to be. Just as I compliment you, you compliment me with your comforting voice. Your life and my life would simply be incomplete without the support of each other. I am willing to sacrifice my happiness in order to keep that beautiful smile on your face. I would even circle the stars and bring you one back to show you how dedicated my life is to making you the happiest woman on earth. I love you so much and I am asking you to please take this ring and accept my proposal to you. I want to officially make you my wife and continue loving you with every loin in my body. With your approval, I promise to love you through your sicknesses and your health and I will stand by your side even when I don’t necessarily have to or when I don’t need to.

Pride & Prejudice Excerpt Analysis

Ashley Ducrepin
AP English – Mr. George
09.29.09
Analysis of Mr. Collins address

Mr. Collins effectively utilizes his charm to compliment not only who he is speaking to but also who he includes in his address. We’ve established the audience in the first sentence; he is speaking directly to Elizabeth and he captures her attention by showering her with incomparable adjectives (i.e. natural delicacy, wit, and vivacity). With all this, we determine that his objective is to make Elizabeth his wife. His way of accomplishing that goal is to ease his way into Elizabeth’s heart by excessively flattering her just to make it harder for her to say no to him. He praised Elizabeth for her modesty and also tribute portion of his speech to the very honorable Mrs. Jenkins. He said, “Twice has she [Mrs. Jenkins] condescended to give me her opinion” (Austen). He purposely uses the word “condescended” to demonstrate how noble and honorable this woman is that the act of giving Collins advice would be bringing her down to a lower level. In a way, Collins slightly disrespects himself to pay homage to Mrs. Jenkins. Collins uses more than acclamation to prove a point, he also makes use of syntax incorporating many different literary devices.

Collins particularly selects certain words to emphasize his intentions. When trying to win Elizabeth over, he says, “And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection” (Austen). That sentence almost does not make sense because he uses the word violent to accentuate his affection. However, he used these contradicting words purposely; this literary device is known as an oxymoron. In this case, he is describing his emotions as aggressively passionate. Collins also uses a paradox to prove a point. He makes a bold statement: “it is usual with young ladies to reject the address of the man whom they secretly mean to accept” (Austen). It is a paradox because it can come off as a false statement (as Elizabeth thought) but it is actually true. Women are known to reject any man’s attempts to get close to them but the truth of the matter is they are really interested. Finally in the end, personification is used to show how kind he plans to be when he marries her: “no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married” (Austen). Collins’ use of rhetoric is effective and I do believe that eventually he will win Elizabeth over and they’ll get married.

Monte Cristo - Dantes=God

Ashley Ducrepin
AP English – Mr. George
09.10.09
Count of Monte Cristo Notes

Dantès playing the role of God throughout the text:

According to most religions, bible verses teach us that God does see when we do right, when we remain pure and follow His ways. Therefore, those who are good people and live by the Lord’s standards shall be rewarded.
“he that cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6; King James Version).

In connection to the Count of Monte Cristo, Dantès can be seen as a rewarding God.
Just as the Lord works though other people, Dantès used the disguise known as Sinbad the Sailor to help Monsiuer Morrel. M. Morrel was a good man and Dantès also believed good men should be rewarded. Knowing that Morrel’s in debt, Dantès uses the money he has just discovered to pay off Morrel’s debts. Dantès, still incognito, says to himself “‘Be happy, noble heart. May you [Monsieur Morrel] be blessed for all the good you have done and will do hereafter’” (187).
Because of his wealth, he is able to determine Monsieur Morrel’s happiness. Dantès has the authority to determine whether one deserves to be happy or not, just as the Lord has that power.

The bible also refers to those who choose not to follow the Lord; those who decide to go against the Lord shall be punished. This specific group of people includes those who make bad decisions and perform dreadful actions. Danglars is considered one of those people, and though it should be in god’s hands on how he should be punished, Dantès handles it himself.
He manipulates Danglars stating that “A man of Danglars’ type requires to be overwhelmed, not merely pinpricked” (258). It’s almost as if Dantès designed Danglars himself, since he knows exactly what to say to make him believe in anything. What the Lord (or Dantès) giveth, he shall taketh away. When Monte Cristo talks about how worthless a million dollars is to him, Danglars was overwhelmed and he agreed to give the Count six million dollars. In the meantime, the Count sits back and watches Danglar’s wife spend his money like it’s nothing. In the end, Danglars becomes broke and Dantès gets Luigi to kidnap him. Dantès gets the last laugh.
Danglars is punished.

Great Gatsby

Ashley Ducrepin
Summer English – Mr. George
08.02.09
The Great Gatsby

Happiness? Doesn’t Exist

The world is full of ambitious people who try to find things in life to make and keep them happy. People will risk almost anything to live a happy life. Some people never find a moment of happiness and some are mistaken to believe that they’ve actually found what they’ve been searching for. It may be argued that some people do find happiness, however this is impossible because just as F. Scott Fitzgerald emphasizes in The Great Gatsby, there is no such thing as happiness. He says, “life is essentially a cheat and its conditions are those of defeat and redeeming things are not ‘happiness and pleasure’ but the deeper satisfactions of the struggle.” This quote is supported throughout the text by Fitzgerald’s depictions of many of the characters and the struggles they go through. We see the absence of happiness in three characters: Tom Buchanan, Daisy, and Jay Gatsby.

One of the most common things people do to achieve happiness is get married. The object of a wedding is for two people to live a united and happy life together. However, as Fitzgerald develops this recurring theme expressing that there is no such thing as happiness, it prevents one couple from being content. Daisy and Tom Buchanan are clearly unhappy together but it is also evident that they both love each other. Throughout the text, Tom seems to be frustrated with Daisy. In response to the comment Daisy makes about the books Tom reads, he says, “’ Well, these books are all scientific,’ insisted Tom” and he “glances at her impatiently” (13). Tom has a short temper and he gets easily upset at anything Daisy does. He is mentally and physically abusive towards Daisy. Daisy acknowledges his temperament and blames herself for it: “‘You did it, Tom,’ she said accusingly, ‘I know you didn’t mean to, but you did it. That’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man’” (12). Tom’s solution to the lack of joy in the relationship was to find happiness elsewhere and he did. He began an affair with another married woman named Myrtle. He seemed to treat her much better than his wife, Daisy; he even buys Myrtle a dog. Despite his attempt to pursue a happier lifestyle with someone else, Tom remains “‘a terrible pessimist about things’” (12). Therefore it proves that the gratifying feeling of happiness can never be obtained.

Daisy, on the other hand, was unhappy even before marrying Tom. She was in love with another man named Jay Gatsby but she could not be with him. With her heart broken and vulnerable, she impulsively entered a relationship with Tom Buchanan and eventually married him. As Gatsby explains: “‘she only married you [Tom] because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake’” (130). Daisy’s objective in marrying Tom was to live a happy life since she could not achieve that with Gatsby. However, Fitzgerald showed, once again, that happiness is not attainable. Tom, in no way, represented a sense of happiness for Daisy at any point. He was simply the deeper satisfaction of Daisy’s struggle. Nevertheless, Daisy was in love with him and it was obvious because of her actions: “‘she used to sit on the sand with his head in her lap … looking at him with unfathomable delight’” (77) and Daisy also admits, “‘I did love him [Tom] once’” (132). As they say, love is blind and love led her to falsely believe that she was happy. So when she crossed paths with Gatsby again, she was able to realize that she was never happy.

We’re introduced to Gatsby by the narrator, Nick. As Nick vividly describes Gatsby’s lifestyle we decipher that Gatsby is a wealthy man: “Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie, hurried in” (84). His appearance was apparently very important to him and one can only imagine how much an outfit like that would cost. Gatsby not only decked himself in the finest clothing but he also lived in a massive mansion. On his way home one night, the narrator (Nick), believed that his house was on fire because “the whole corner of the peninsula was blazing with light, which fell unreal on the shrubbery and made thin elongating glints upon the roadside wires. Turning a corner, I saw that it was Gatsby’s house lit from tower to cellar” (81). Gatsby’s home was so big that its lights lit up the skies. He lit up his home because Gatsby was a very social person and held many parties at his house. While most people barely knew Gatsby, they still attended the party because Gatsby provoked a sense of curiosity in many people. “In his [Gatsby’s] blue gardens, men and girls came and went like moths” (39). Gatsby was popular among those who knew him and didn’t because even “on week-ends, his Rolls Royce turned into an omnibus bearing parties to and from the city” (39). With a lifestyle so lavish and full of people every weekend, one would thing Gatsby would be the happiest man alive. Yet, Gatsby was not living in bliss. He was not truly happy living his life solely, with nobody to share it with. He explains, “‘I keep it always full of interesting people, night and day. People who do interesting things. Celebrated people’” (90). Inviting copious amounts of people to his home was his attempt to find happiness within his lavish lifestyle. Again, Fitzgerald makes it known that happiness cannot be reached because it is unrealistic. With so many people to share his wealth with, Gatsby fails to find a sense of joy. So he ventured out to find something else to make him happy, and it was his old love, Daisy. It was almost as if he found happiness through Daisy: “He [Gatsby] hadn’t once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes … he stared around at his possessions in a dazed way, as though in her actual and astounding presence none of it was any longer real” (91). Suddenly everything he had was no longer important to him because he was with the woman he always loved but things didn’t go as smooth as planned once again proving that happiness is simply unreal.

Life is unpredictable and we all live our lives attempting to be in control. Most try and find happiness in their lives but we have no control over how rewarding our lives can be. Some experience some of the redeeming things in life and they define that as a moment of much needed happiness. However, these rewards are not a representation of happiness but they represent “the deeper satisfactions of the struggle”. In conclusion, happiness is simply impossible to acquire because once we receive something that we believe makes up happy – it turns out that it is simply meant to be and F. Scott Fitzgerald excelled in making this a true statement throughout the text.

Count of Monte Cristo

Honor is an attribute acquired by one over some period of time. Before obtaining an honorable status, one is highly respected for a particular reason. This respect directed towards them eventually evolves to the title of honor. It is not something simply attainable and it can also be easily eradicated. As long as this person dubbed as honorable can live up to all their expectations, they’ll be respected for as long as they live. In the novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, majority of the characters have some sort of honorable status to their name either by affiliation or simply for who they are. Honor and Respect seems to be a recurring theme in this text and it ultimately dictates the flow of the plot. A few prominent characters are highly respected in the text specifically for their duties and personality. Edmond Dantès is greatly respected and known for being a great sailor. The well-known ship owner, Monsieur Morrel is also a very honorable man known for his hospitality and kindness.

Edmond Dantès is a dashing young man who has everything a man strives to receive. He’s an experienced seaman at such a young age. He is only in his twenties and is already being considered for the role of captain: “‘Why should we not give him the post? I know he is young but he seems to be an able and thoroughly experienced seaman’” (Dumas 14). He is also known for being engaged to a gorgeous woman named Mercédès. She is so attractive that Edmond is commended for being engaged to such a beauty, many felt he was “‘to be envied: she [Mercédès] is a handsome girl’” (17). Besides his elderly father, Mercédès is the sole person in his life that he loves unconditionally. He is well liked and respected by everyone because he is also a good man with respectable values. It is evident throughout the text that people admire him. While on board the famous Pharoan, Edmond shouted orders to the crew aboard and the orders were “executed as promptly as on board a man-of-war” (13). He is obviously influential. Surprisingly, the only thing Edmond lacked was financial support. He is not very wealthy and he works extremely hard to make ends meet for him and his father. With much authority and lack of wealth, Edmond manages to remain humble and kind. Upon returning from his lengthy trip, Edmond sees that his father was living off of sixty francs for a period of three months. His father was forced to live like this because of the debt he owed to Caderousse. Despite Caderousse’s cold and heartless decision to demand money from a poor man, Edmond continues to remain respectful: “‘[I’m] ready to serve you [Caderousse] in any way,’ Dantès answered, but ill concealing his coldness” (21). Edmond, without a doubt, exhibits all the traits of an honorable man and he also acknowledges that there are people just as admirable as him such as Monsieur Morrel.

The well renowned ship, Pharoan, is owned by Monsieur Morrel. As described in the text, this ship is of great significance to these people: “The usual crowd of curious spectators immediately filled the quay of Fort Saint-Jean, for at Marseilles the arrival of a ship is always a great event, especially when that ship … belongs to a shipowner of their own town” (11). The citizens of Marseilles have a great deal of respect for Monsieur Morrel. He works very hard and his diligence pays off because he was known for being a very wealthy man. While many prosperous people are often stereotyped as ‘snobby’, Morrel is one of the few affluent people who remains kind-hearted. It is such an honor to even be in Monsieur Morrel’s presence and people actually cherish that moment. When Edmond chose to visit his father over having dinner with Morrel, many thought he was “‘wrong to refuse to dine with him’” (22). Edmond’s decision to visit his elderly father instead of dining with Morrel was seen as disrespectful but this was not his intention at all. Edmond has expressed: “‘I respect Monsieur Morrel’” (48). As mentioned before, Monsieur Morrel spent most of his whole life swimming in wealth until he ran into some debts. Suddenly without notice, Morrel’s business began to spiral downward and he only received visits from companies demanding money from him. Morrel’s wealth contributed to his role of honor because as the saying goes: Money equals Power and Power equals Respect. However, prosperity was not the sole reason: “Coclès had remained in M. Morrel’s service … it was the same good, patient Coclès” (169). Despite Morrel’s misfortune, one of his workers continued to be of service to him. Morrel’s role of honor is so strong that he is cherished in good times and bad. Apparently, honor is of great importance to many and people go through great lengths to make certain that dishonor is never affiliated with their name.

The role of honor was an important theme throughout the text and it ultimately explained why certain things happened in the novel. In order to preserve their title, desperate measures were taken. For example, the honorable Monsieur Morrel was willing to kill himself in order to remain honorable. He was known as honorable throughout the novel however he felt he had brought shame to his name with all the debts he owed. To eradicate the dishonor that would be affiliated with his name, Monsieur Morrel opted to take his life. However, he was saved. Maximilian, Monsieur Morrel’s son, spoke of the “‘man who saved my father from death, all of us from ruin, and our name from dishonor’” (276). Sinbad the Sailor was the man who eliminated all of Morrel’s debts and it is evident that respect for Morrel never died. The reigning theme of honor also applied to the admired Edmond Dantès. People even went out of their way to show respect for Edmond and his fiance Mercédès: “In order to do honour to the happy couple they had donned their finest clothes” (32). Apparently casual wear would have been a sign of disrespect towards the couple.

Being known as honorable is a wonderful asset. As illustrated in the text, it all began with respect. These characters were respected for the things they do then this admiration evolved to honor because of who they were. Edmond was very successful yet he was poor and he remained very kind. Monsieur Morrel was also a very kind hearted man who was rich. Even when he went broke, he remained kind and people still honored him. Honor was of great significance to many in this text; so much that it dictated much of what happened in the text. Monsieur Morrel was ready to give his life just to keep honor in his family name. That is dedication and anyone who would take drastic measures like such deserve to be respected as much as they are.

Native Son

"'Don't you realize I'm trying to save your life? Help me just a little bit'" (367).

This is a plea of desperation. Here, Max is actually begging to Bigger - the roles have changed; if anything Bigger should be begging for his life to be saved. This is of significance to me because it takes a lot for a man to beg for something from another man, especially coming from a white man. Max has swallowed his pride and is determined to save someone who doesn't want to be saved. This shows that Max will never give up and will stop at nothing until he sees to it that Bigger is given justice. Because of this quote, I do believe Max will win this case.

I wonder if Max will ever get so frustrated with Bigger that he becomes angry?

Native Son - P.340-363

"Bigger knew that Max was trying to make him feel that he accepted the way he looked at things and it made him as self-conscious as when Jan had taken his hand and shaken it that night" (346).

Here's another white man who is trying to make Bigger feel equal to him. Bigger's been brought up to know that he is not equal to the white folks but Jan and Max have contradicted that thought. This confuses Bigger therefore making him feel self-conscious about his skin color. "He did not want his feelings tampered with; he feared he might walk into another trap" (347). It's difficult for Bigger to trust those he wouldn't normally trust because when he does it usually does nothing for him. The way Jan and Mary treated him, he felt as though they were messing with his emotions. That's why he felt like she made him kill her. However, he keeps getting confronted with different situations where people want to help him and he wants to believe them but is afraid.

Does Bigger still believe he walked into a trap set by Mary and Jan?