Correct:
All fishes can breath underwater
A goldfish is a type of fish
A goldfish can breath underwater
All wood is flammable
The fence is made of wood
The fence is flammable
No man is an island
Pedro is a man
Pedro is not an island
All fruit has seeds
A tomato has seeds
A tomato is a fruit
Incorrect:
All monkeys have tails
Pigs have tails
Pigs are monkeys
(Monkeys and pigs are two separate species.)
Every lightbulb is transparent
Lightbulbs use electricity
Every transparent object uses electricy.
(Not every transparent object uses electricity. i.e. windows)
Human beings eat food
Snakes eat food
Snakes are human beings
(Snakes and human beings are not even closely related)
All birds lay eggs
Echidnas lay eggs
Echidnas are birds
(Echidnas are mammals.)
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Proposal
Nathaniel Burns-Sarno
Advanced Placement English/ Mr. George
October 2, 2009
Marriage Proposal
I suppose you are wondering why I have requested your company tonight. As you well know by now, it is a rare occurrence, that I would be the one to arrange any sort of private meeting. You always were the more direct of the two of us, while I played the part of the observer. Looking back, I regret the role. Were it not for you, I would have been trapped in a never-ending reprisal. I remember the day that I first laid eyes on you. Before that day, I had never seen someone so beautiful, so humble, so gentle. In my eyes, you were a turtle-dove. I, on the other hand, was just a turtle. I cannot imagine what would cause a Venus like you to even spare me a second glance. Yet, I thank God every day that you did. I owe everything that I am today to the kindness that you showed me. It was only after meeting you that I could turn observation into experience. It was only after meeting you that I knew desire.
We have known each other for what have been the greatest years of my life. You opened my eyes to a beautiful world and taught me how to live without fear. I have treasured every experience we’ve shared, no matter how small. For the first time in my life, I was actually happy. With you by my side, I could discover who I truly was. But with new discoveries came great pain. For I knew that the moment I was forced to be away from you, I would return to being nothing. It tore me up inside. I couldn’t explain why, but the thought of losing you filled me with even more desires. I’d been avoiding you to search for ways of coping. I searched everywhere for happiness, but found it nowhere. And it didn’t make any sense to me. Alone, I relived all that I had done with you, and received no enjoyment out of it. My searching made me realize something; it wasn’t because of my newfound confidence that I was happy. That is why I have asked you out tonight. I believe I finally may have found what I was looking for all along. I now know what I had desired all that time; you.
Through the years, I have felt an irresistible force drawing me to you, ensnaring me in a glorious feeling of ecstasy. Your unwavering loyalty in the face of my rudeness and desire for my companionship tells me that you must feel it as well. And even if the feeling does not exist in your heart, I must speak these words; I love you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, for as long as sun turns to moon, for eternity. And even though I know I am unworthy of your hand, I pray that you will accept me, just as you did many years ago.
I know how you must resent my previous reluctance, but I assure you that your contempt for it was not nearly as violent as mine. I am ready to redeem myself for my ignorance, and start life anew. A life I cannot have without you beside me. I once desired the world, but no longer. Now I see. It’s enough for this restless wanderer just to be with you.
Advanced Placement English/ Mr. George
October 2, 2009
Marriage Proposal
I suppose you are wondering why I have requested your company tonight. As you well know by now, it is a rare occurrence, that I would be the one to arrange any sort of private meeting. You always were the more direct of the two of us, while I played the part of the observer. Looking back, I regret the role. Were it not for you, I would have been trapped in a never-ending reprisal. I remember the day that I first laid eyes on you. Before that day, I had never seen someone so beautiful, so humble, so gentle. In my eyes, you were a turtle-dove. I, on the other hand, was just a turtle. I cannot imagine what would cause a Venus like you to even spare me a second glance. Yet, I thank God every day that you did. I owe everything that I am today to the kindness that you showed me. It was only after meeting you that I could turn observation into experience. It was only after meeting you that I knew desire.
We have known each other for what have been the greatest years of my life. You opened my eyes to a beautiful world and taught me how to live without fear. I have treasured every experience we’ve shared, no matter how small. For the first time in my life, I was actually happy. With you by my side, I could discover who I truly was. But with new discoveries came great pain. For I knew that the moment I was forced to be away from you, I would return to being nothing. It tore me up inside. I couldn’t explain why, but the thought of losing you filled me with even more desires. I’d been avoiding you to search for ways of coping. I searched everywhere for happiness, but found it nowhere. And it didn’t make any sense to me. Alone, I relived all that I had done with you, and received no enjoyment out of it. My searching made me realize something; it wasn’t because of my newfound confidence that I was happy. That is why I have asked you out tonight. I believe I finally may have found what I was looking for all along. I now know what I had desired all that time; you.
Through the years, I have felt an irresistible force drawing me to you, ensnaring me in a glorious feeling of ecstasy. Your unwavering loyalty in the face of my rudeness and desire for my companionship tells me that you must feel it as well. And even if the feeling does not exist in your heart, I must speak these words; I love you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, for as long as sun turns to moon, for eternity. And even though I know I am unworthy of your hand, I pray that you will accept me, just as you did many years ago.
I know how you must resent my previous reluctance, but I assure you that your contempt for it was not nearly as violent as mine. I am ready to redeem myself for my ignorance, and start life anew. A life I cannot have without you beside me. I once desired the world, but no longer. Now I see. It’s enough for this restless wanderer just to be with you.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Proposal Analysis
Nathaniel Burns-Sarno
Advanced Placement English/Mr. George
September 29, 2009
Mr. Collins’ Proposal Analysis
Mr. Collins’ proposal is ineffective because he fails to use pathos, he focuses on logos when the situation calls for him to focus on pathos, and he belittles the one his speech is addressed to.
Mr. Collins starts his proposal by complimenting Elizabeth and explaining to her the reason why he has asked her hand in marriage. What he forgets to include in his proposal is an explanation of the qualities he has(if any) that make him worthy enough to fill the position of her husband. In failing to do so, he loses a lot of credibility and it becomes difficult to take him seriously. The next mistake Mr. Collins makes is appealing to logos when he should have been appealing to pathos. Rather than making his proposal romantic and exciting, he simply tells Elizabeth:
“My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it is a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly—which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness”(Austen).
While it would technically be acceptable to appeal to logos in this situation, Mr. Collins appeals to the wrong kind of logos. If he was going to use logic, he should have used the logic of why he wants to be with her, rather than the logic of why marrying him would be convenient. The third mistake Mr. Collins makes is belittling Elizabeth. If you want someone to see your point of view, it makes little sense to talk down to them(particularly when the subject is marriage). Each time Elizabeth refused Mr. Collins, he outwardly dismisses her refusals as natural behavior for her gender. This greatly weakens his argument, as no one would be inclined to accept a proposal from someone who was insulting them. What Mr. Collins should have done was keep his thoughts about her refusal to himself and back down. That way, he would appear more respectable and Elizabeth would be more likely to consider his future proposals.
Throughout his proposal, Mr. Collins’ lack of attention to diction and syntax make him appear unprofessional. He chooses words that do not compliment the situation, such as when he promises Elizabeth that he will speak highly of her “economy”. What makes his error in diction even more blaring is that he places the word “economy” between the terms “modesty” and “amiable qualifications”, which were both proper diction on his part. The sentence structure of his list of reasons that he want to marry Elizabeth(see above) seems to be all over the place, causing one to question the preparedness of his proposal. Rather than sounding organized in his speech, he sounds as if he had rehearsed it to a mirror without bothering to listen for errors. Thus, his proposal was doomed to fail from the start.
Advanced Placement English/Mr. George
September 29, 2009
Mr. Collins’ Proposal Analysis
Mr. Collins’ proposal is ineffective because he fails to use pathos, he focuses on logos when the situation calls for him to focus on pathos, and he belittles the one his speech is addressed to.
Mr. Collins starts his proposal by complimenting Elizabeth and explaining to her the reason why he has asked her hand in marriage. What he forgets to include in his proposal is an explanation of the qualities he has(if any) that make him worthy enough to fill the position of her husband. In failing to do so, he loses a lot of credibility and it becomes difficult to take him seriously. The next mistake Mr. Collins makes is appealing to logos when he should have been appealing to pathos. Rather than making his proposal romantic and exciting, he simply tells Elizabeth:
“My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it is a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly—which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness”(Austen).
While it would technically be acceptable to appeal to logos in this situation, Mr. Collins appeals to the wrong kind of logos. If he was going to use logic, he should have used the logic of why he wants to be with her, rather than the logic of why marrying him would be convenient. The third mistake Mr. Collins makes is belittling Elizabeth. If you want someone to see your point of view, it makes little sense to talk down to them(particularly when the subject is marriage). Each time Elizabeth refused Mr. Collins, he outwardly dismisses her refusals as natural behavior for her gender. This greatly weakens his argument, as no one would be inclined to accept a proposal from someone who was insulting them. What Mr. Collins should have done was keep his thoughts about her refusal to himself and back down. That way, he would appear more respectable and Elizabeth would be more likely to consider his future proposals.
Throughout his proposal, Mr. Collins’ lack of attention to diction and syntax make him appear unprofessional. He chooses words that do not compliment the situation, such as when he promises Elizabeth that he will speak highly of her “economy”. What makes his error in diction even more blaring is that he places the word “economy” between the terms “modesty” and “amiable qualifications”, which were both proper diction on his part. The sentence structure of his list of reasons that he want to marry Elizabeth(see above) seems to be all over the place, causing one to question the preparedness of his proposal. Rather than sounding organized in his speech, he sounds as if he had rehearsed it to a mirror without bothering to listen for errors. Thus, his proposal was doomed to fail from the start.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
HuckFinn Society
Nathaniel Burns-Sarno
Advanced Placement English/Mr.George
September 15, 2009
Social Critique in Huckleberry Finn
“Well,” says Buck, “a feud is this way. A man has a quarrel with another man, and kills him; then that other man’s brother kills him; then the other brothers, on both sides, goes for one another; then the cousins chip in---and by-and-by everybody’s killed off, and there ain’t no more feud. But it’s kind of slow, and takes a long time.”(Twain 126)
“Oh, yes, pa knows, I reckon, and some of the other old folks; but they don’t know, now, what the row was about in the first place.”(126)
Twain illustrates in the novel that the society in which Huck lives is not only separated by color, but also by feuding families. The critique here is that the feud is described so nonchalantly, as if Buck sees no problem with killing another human being. It is also shown that the feud between the Grangerfords and Shepardsons has been going on for so long that none of them even remember what started it in the first place. Even without this knowledge, the two families still feel hatred towards each other. This appears to be a critique of how tradition holds society back, and society allows itself to be held back by tradition.
“Hold on! Just a word, gentlemen.” They stopped to listen. “We are sold—mighty badly sold. But we don’t want to be the laughing stock of this whole town, I reckon, and never hear the last of this thing as long as we live. No. What we want is to go out of here quiet, and talk this show up, and sell the rest of the town! Then we’ll all be in the same boat. Ain’t that sensible?...All right, then—not a word about any sell. Go along home, and advise everybody to come and see the tragedy.”(177)
Twain’s critique in this quote is over a person’s willingness to go against their fellow man in order to feel better about themselves. In this case, it involves making sure others are cheated out of their money to cover up their own shame of being conned. This appears to be a critique of how no on in a “society” looks out for one another, which causes the society as a whole to be petty and spiteful.
“It warn’t the grounding—that didn’t keep us back but a little. We blowed out a cylinder-head.”
“Good gracious! Anybody hurt?”
“No’m. Killed a nigger.”
“Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt.”
Racism comes up many times in the novel, and never quietly. However, this quote clearly shows how much the life of a black person is worth to a white person within the text. This appears to be a critique of how those at the top of a society have no regard for those at the bottom.
Advanced Placement English/Mr.George
September 15, 2009
Social Critique in Huckleberry Finn
“Well,” says Buck, “a feud is this way. A man has a quarrel with another man, and kills him; then that other man’s brother kills him; then the other brothers, on both sides, goes for one another; then the cousins chip in---and by-and-by everybody’s killed off, and there ain’t no more feud. But it’s kind of slow, and takes a long time.”(Twain 126)
“Oh, yes, pa knows, I reckon, and some of the other old folks; but they don’t know, now, what the row was about in the first place.”(126)
Twain illustrates in the novel that the society in which Huck lives is not only separated by color, but also by feuding families. The critique here is that the feud is described so nonchalantly, as if Buck sees no problem with killing another human being. It is also shown that the feud between the Grangerfords and Shepardsons has been going on for so long that none of them even remember what started it in the first place. Even without this knowledge, the two families still feel hatred towards each other. This appears to be a critique of how tradition holds society back, and society allows itself to be held back by tradition.
“Hold on! Just a word, gentlemen.” They stopped to listen. “We are sold—mighty badly sold. But we don’t want to be the laughing stock of this whole town, I reckon, and never hear the last of this thing as long as we live. No. What we want is to go out of here quiet, and talk this show up, and sell the rest of the town! Then we’ll all be in the same boat. Ain’t that sensible?...All right, then—not a word about any sell. Go along home, and advise everybody to come and see the tragedy.”(177)
Twain’s critique in this quote is over a person’s willingness to go against their fellow man in order to feel better about themselves. In this case, it involves making sure others are cheated out of their money to cover up their own shame of being conned. This appears to be a critique of how no on in a “society” looks out for one another, which causes the society as a whole to be petty and spiteful.
“It warn’t the grounding—that didn’t keep us back but a little. We blowed out a cylinder-head.”
“Good gracious! Anybody hurt?”
“No’m. Killed a nigger.”
“Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt.”
Racism comes up many times in the novel, and never quietly. However, this quote clearly shows how much the life of a black person is worth to a white person within the text. This appears to be a critique of how those at the top of a society have no regard for those at the bottom.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Count of Monte Cristo notes: Honor
Nathaniel Burns-Sarno
Advanced Placement English 11/Mr.George
September 11, 2009
The Count of Monte Cristo Notes
Honor in Suicide and Albert’s
“’Hear me, Maximilian,’ said his father. ‘Suppose I was a soldier like you, and ordered to carry a certain redoubt, and you knew I must be killed in the assault, would you not say to me as you said just now, ‘Go, father, for you are dishonored by delay, and death is preferable to shame!’” (The Fifth of September)
This quote is spoken by Morrel while he is still planning suicide, for he believes it is better to be dead than to live in dishonor. The interesting thing about Morrel’s situation is that his “honor” is partly to blame for the position that he is in. Since his honor prevented him from not paying his workers as they had requested, it forced him into an even deeper debt. Also, his honor is the very reason that he contemplates suicide. His honorable behavior can be admired, but it is clear that it can also be harmful in certain situations.
“He darted to his bedroom to see once more all he had loved in the world; but the hackney-coach drove on without the head of either Mercedes or her son appearing at the window to take a last look at the house or the deserted father or husband. And at that very moment when the wheels of the coach crossed the gateway a report was heard, and a thick smoke escaped through one of the panes of the window, which was broken by the explosion.”(Dumas The Suicide)
This passage implies that upon seeing his wife and son leave never to return, Fernand committed suicide. It was the last straw for Fernand after he had received so much misfortune in a short amount of time. Recent revealing of Fernand’s actions(such as his deserting on the eve of the battle of Waterloo, his serving as a spy to the French army in Spain, and his betrayal of Ali Pacha) had turned him into a public disgrace. So much so that his own wife and child depart in order to sever any ties that they had with him. Fernand had suffered so many dishonors that his suicide could be seen as in act of ending his life in order to hang on to what little honor he had remaining.
“’Sir,’ said Albert, at first with tremulous voice, but which gradually became firmer, ‘I reproach you with exposing the conduct of M. de Morcerf in Epirus; for, guilty as I knew he was, I thought you had no right to punish him; but I have since learned that you have that right. It is not Fernand Mondego’s treachery towards Ali Pacha which induces me so readily to excuse you, but the treachery of the fisherman Fernand towards you, and the almost unheard-of miseries which were its consequences; and I say, and proclaim it publicly, that you were justified in revenging yourself on my father, and I, his son, thank you for not using greater severity.’”(The Meeting)
This passage is significant because it shows the transition of Albert focusing on the honor of his father to focusing on his own honor. Before Albert spoke these words, he seemed intent on gaining his revenge on Dantes for dishonoring his father. However, after realizing that Fernand deserved his fate(if not a worse one), Albert does the honorable thing and apologizes to Dantes for having considered him the one at fault. Albert did not actually have to apologize. He could have much more easily dropped his anger towards Dantes and gone on with his life without a single glance back. However, he found honor to be so important that he felt it necessary to clear his name and repent for his actions. This is one of the few instances in the Count of Monte Cristo in which having a large feeling of honor lead to something favorable.
Advanced Placement English 11/Mr.George
September 11, 2009
The Count of Monte Cristo Notes
Honor in Suicide and Albert’s
“’Hear me, Maximilian,’ said his father. ‘Suppose I was a soldier like you, and ordered to carry a certain redoubt, and you knew I must be killed in the assault, would you not say to me as you said just now, ‘Go, father, for you are dishonored by delay, and death is preferable to shame!’” (The Fifth of September)
This quote is spoken by Morrel while he is still planning suicide, for he believes it is better to be dead than to live in dishonor. The interesting thing about Morrel’s situation is that his “honor” is partly to blame for the position that he is in. Since his honor prevented him from not paying his workers as they had requested, it forced him into an even deeper debt. Also, his honor is the very reason that he contemplates suicide. His honorable behavior can be admired, but it is clear that it can also be harmful in certain situations.
“He darted to his bedroom to see once more all he had loved in the world; but the hackney-coach drove on without the head of either Mercedes or her son appearing at the window to take a last look at the house or the deserted father or husband. And at that very moment when the wheels of the coach crossed the gateway a report was heard, and a thick smoke escaped through one of the panes of the window, which was broken by the explosion.”(Dumas The Suicide)
This passage implies that upon seeing his wife and son leave never to return, Fernand committed suicide. It was the last straw for Fernand after he had received so much misfortune in a short amount of time. Recent revealing of Fernand’s actions(such as his deserting on the eve of the battle of Waterloo, his serving as a spy to the French army in Spain, and his betrayal of Ali Pacha) had turned him into a public disgrace. So much so that his own wife and child depart in order to sever any ties that they had with him. Fernand had suffered so many dishonors that his suicide could be seen as in act of ending his life in order to hang on to what little honor he had remaining.
“’Sir,’ said Albert, at first with tremulous voice, but which gradually became firmer, ‘I reproach you with exposing the conduct of M. de Morcerf in Epirus; for, guilty as I knew he was, I thought you had no right to punish him; but I have since learned that you have that right. It is not Fernand Mondego’s treachery towards Ali Pacha which induces me so readily to excuse you, but the treachery of the fisherman Fernand towards you, and the almost unheard-of miseries which were its consequences; and I say, and proclaim it publicly, that you were justified in revenging yourself on my father, and I, his son, thank you for not using greater severity.’”(The Meeting)
This passage is significant because it shows the transition of Albert focusing on the honor of his father to focusing on his own honor. Before Albert spoke these words, he seemed intent on gaining his revenge on Dantes for dishonoring his father. However, after realizing that Fernand deserved his fate(if not a worse one), Albert does the honorable thing and apologizes to Dantes for having considered him the one at fault. Albert did not actually have to apologize. He could have much more easily dropped his anger towards Dantes and gone on with his life without a single glance back. However, he found honor to be so important that he felt it necessary to clear his name and repent for his actions. This is one of the few instances in the Count of Monte Cristo in which having a large feeling of honor lead to something favorable.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Dantes' Role as God
Nathaniel Burns-Sarno
Advanced Placement English/Mr. George
September 9, 2009
The Count of Monte Cristo Notes
Dantes’ Role as God
“’You are my son, Dantes,’ exclaimed the old man. You are the child of my captivity. My profession condemns me to celibacy. God has sent you to me to console, at one and the same time, the man who could not be a father and the prisoner who could not get free’”. (Dumas 201)
“’And now, my dear friend,’ said Faria, “sole consolation of my wretched existence-you whom heaven gave me somewhat late, but still gave me, a priceless gift, and for which I am most grateful…”.(206)
This quote, spoken by Faria, is the first time in the novel that Dantes is compared to a servant of God. This perhaps lead to Dantes making his own assumptions about his relationship with God. If that is true, Faria would be to blame for putting such an idea into Dantes head. Also, since Faria was responsible for Dantes obtaining his wealth, it could be assumed that Faria in a sense created the Count of Monte Cristo.
“’And now,’ said the unknown, “farewell kindness, humanity, and gratitude! Farewell to all the feelings that expand the heart! I have been Heaven’s substitute to recompense the good; now the God of vengeance yields to me his power to punish the wicked!”(329)
This is the defining quote in Dantes’ taking on the role of God. He has found his mission and purpose and intends to see it through to the end. He now seeks to punish those who do wrong in the world, possibly so that no one else will have to share the fate he was given. His humility seems to have disappeared, but he still retains his attitude toward justice, going so far as to cast off his own innocence so that he may defend the innocence of others.
It should be noted that Dantes takes on the persona of a vengeful God, rather than a loving one. He does not so much care for the meek as he does vanquish the proud. While there may be some form of love for the meek expressed his actions, it never sees any light through the cloud of vengeance he creates.
Advanced Placement English/Mr. George
September 9, 2009
The Count of Monte Cristo Notes
Dantes’ Role as God
“’You are my son, Dantes,’ exclaimed the old man. You are the child of my captivity. My profession condemns me to celibacy. God has sent you to me to console, at one and the same time, the man who could not be a father and the prisoner who could not get free’”. (Dumas 201)
“’And now, my dear friend,’ said Faria, “sole consolation of my wretched existence-you whom heaven gave me somewhat late, but still gave me, a priceless gift, and for which I am most grateful…”.(206)
This quote, spoken by Faria, is the first time in the novel that Dantes is compared to a servant of God. This perhaps lead to Dantes making his own assumptions about his relationship with God. If that is true, Faria would be to blame for putting such an idea into Dantes head. Also, since Faria was responsible for Dantes obtaining his wealth, it could be assumed that Faria in a sense created the Count of Monte Cristo.
“’And now,’ said the unknown, “farewell kindness, humanity, and gratitude! Farewell to all the feelings that expand the heart! I have been Heaven’s substitute to recompense the good; now the God of vengeance yields to me his power to punish the wicked!”(329)
This is the defining quote in Dantes’ taking on the role of God. He has found his mission and purpose and intends to see it through to the end. He now seeks to punish those who do wrong in the world, possibly so that no one else will have to share the fate he was given. His humility seems to have disappeared, but he still retains his attitude toward justice, going so far as to cast off his own innocence so that he may defend the innocence of others.
It should be noted that Dantes takes on the persona of a vengeful God, rather than a loving one. He does not so much care for the meek as he does vanquish the proud. While there may be some form of love for the meek expressed his actions, it never sees any light through the cloud of vengeance he creates.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay
Nathaniel Burns-Sarno
Advanced Placement English/ Mr. George
August 25, 2009
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Topic 1
Clemen’s Critique of Commonality’s Classes
“I feel for Adam and Eve now, for I know how it was with them…The Garden of Eden I know now was an unendurable solitude. I know that the advent of the serpent was a welcome change—anything for society.” These very words were spoken by author Samuel Clemens( better known by his pseudonym, Mark Twain), and recorded for his biography. With this one quote, anyone can acquire an idea of Twain’s feelings towards society. To acquire a much larger idea of Twain’s stance, they need only examine his literary works, which all seem to have some critique of darker sides of what was then modern society. In fact, Twain makes his disapproval of his society so clear that one could find a quote chastising society by simply opening to a random page of any one of his novels. Indeed, Twain makes a strong case against society, usually disguised within the seemingly simple storyline of one of his books. There is no greater example of this than “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, which despite being a sequel to one of Twain’s earlier works, has stood out on its own in the world of American Literature. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn tells the story of the titled character, a boy living in the antebellum south who travels down a river with an escaped slave, Jim. Throughout the novel, Huck enters many towns and interacts with various characters, most of whom serving as the representation of the different classes within society. Through these characters, Twain makes it clear that society is far from perfect, and is in fact, a dark, racist, hate-filled plot of land inhabited by characters who are not worthy enough to be considered humans. To be fair, there are also many kind, good-natured characters within the novel, but just like in real life society, they seem either stay in the background or simply go unnoticed. The only compassionate characters who are the exception to this seem to be the two protagonists, Huck and Jim. However, even they participate in some activities that can be seen as less than moral by today’s standards. Granted, most of the bad things they had done were due to circumstances beyond their control, and even then none of their actions could hold a candle to the cruelty of most of the characters within the novel, who as I have mentioned before, serves as the embodiment of society. Twain shows society in many different lights, showing both its good and bad points. However, the bad points seem to far outnumber the good, which is to be expected from a work of Twain. Society is mostly shown as racist and conniving. Of the two, racism seems to be the most prominent.
The dominant critique of society(or at least what seems to be the dominant one to me) is the amount of racism that is put into its foundation. In the antebellum south, there was not even the slightest hint of equality. The color of one’s skin determined there place in society, and the laws surrounding all aspects of slavery were very(pardon the pun) black and white. If a black person was living in the south at that time, one could safely bet that they were a slave. In fact, any other bets would have been foolish. Not only were all black people in the south doomed to live a life of servitude under white people, but they were also treated as if they were not even human. The prime example of this is the use of the term “nigger” within the novel. This term is the most well-known derogatory term for a black person in society, and to speak it today would be considered a large taboo. However, Twain’s portrayal of the antebellum south in this novel show the word to be a widely accepted term. What I found most interesting about this is that white people were not the only ones to use it. Jim himself used the term various times in the novel, and never in contempt or bitterness. This shows that perhaps the word “nigger” had become so widely accepted that even the black people who were called by it found it to be a proper term. It could even go as far as a black person thinking themselves to be a separate species, not included in humankind. That would not surprise me, as it is made clear in this novel that the white people do not consider black people to be humans at all, denying them every right that they should have as human beings. What is worse is that some white people in this novel do not even value the life a black person. An example of this is when Sally Phelps, the aunt of Huck’s best friend, Tom Sawyer, asked Huck if anyone was hurt when the cylinder-head was blown out. When Huck tells her that it killed a nigger, she replies, “Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt”(Twain 258). This shows that the life of a black person is worth nothing in this novel. They are treated like mules and sold for a profit on a whim. However, even though the black people get the brunt of the abuse within the novel, they are not the only ones treated with cruelty. Indeed, this novel shows that even those of the same skin color would use each other for a profit.
While on their travels, Huck and Jim encounter two con-artists(better known as the duke and the dauphin, whom they are posing as). These two men are arguably the most despicable characters in the novel, and serve to show how cruelty travels in a cycle. From the very start of joining Huck and Jim, who had just saved them from being captured, these men took advantage of Huck and Jim’s respective situations(Huck being a young boy who had feigned death and Jim being an escaped slave). All they seemed interested in was money and profit, and they did not care who they had to go through or how many people they had harmed in order to gain it. Despite being so unlikeable, these two men do help to portray Twain’s message about cruelty traveling in a cycle. The duke and dauphin advertise a performance in order to scam people out of their money. When they people arrived and found that the short performance was not worth what they had paid, they had a very interesting reaction. Rather than spreading the word that the performance was a scam, and helping their fellow man to not be cheated out of his money, the townspeople decided to tell everyone that the show was great so that those they told would go see it and be cheated out of their money, as well. This was perhaps done so that those who had already been cheated could feel better about themselves, as if they were in need of schadenfreude. While that is an understandable part of human nature, it is rare that anyone would feel the need to create it themselves. The duke and the dauphin also end up selling Jim for reward money, which shows that they are more interested in a quick buck than a long term investment. After all, they already had enough power over Jim to have him take part in their scams. These men being so despicable, I cannot imagine why they never thought of that.
Even though “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” was written long ago, it still has a lot to teach us. This novel was written in a different time, when all men were far from equal. When juxtaposed with today’s society, it is clear how far we have come. An America where people were treated like slaves based on their race is now and America lead by a half-black president. Even so, I would not be surprised if in the future, people look back on our modern society and criticize how primitive we were. However, that is easily preventable if we keep striving for a better America. In the words of Mark Twain, “Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today”.
Advanced Placement English/ Mr. George
August 25, 2009
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Topic 1
Clemen’s Critique of Commonality’s Classes
“I feel for Adam and Eve now, for I know how it was with them…The Garden of Eden I know now was an unendurable solitude. I know that the advent of the serpent was a welcome change—anything for society.” These very words were spoken by author Samuel Clemens( better known by his pseudonym, Mark Twain), and recorded for his biography. With this one quote, anyone can acquire an idea of Twain’s feelings towards society. To acquire a much larger idea of Twain’s stance, they need only examine his literary works, which all seem to have some critique of darker sides of what was then modern society. In fact, Twain makes his disapproval of his society so clear that one could find a quote chastising society by simply opening to a random page of any one of his novels. Indeed, Twain makes a strong case against society, usually disguised within the seemingly simple storyline of one of his books. There is no greater example of this than “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, which despite being a sequel to one of Twain’s earlier works, has stood out on its own in the world of American Literature. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn tells the story of the titled character, a boy living in the antebellum south who travels down a river with an escaped slave, Jim. Throughout the novel, Huck enters many towns and interacts with various characters, most of whom serving as the representation of the different classes within society. Through these characters, Twain makes it clear that society is far from perfect, and is in fact, a dark, racist, hate-filled plot of land inhabited by characters who are not worthy enough to be considered humans. To be fair, there are also many kind, good-natured characters within the novel, but just like in real life society, they seem either stay in the background or simply go unnoticed. The only compassionate characters who are the exception to this seem to be the two protagonists, Huck and Jim. However, even they participate in some activities that can be seen as less than moral by today’s standards. Granted, most of the bad things they had done were due to circumstances beyond their control, and even then none of their actions could hold a candle to the cruelty of most of the characters within the novel, who as I have mentioned before, serves as the embodiment of society. Twain shows society in many different lights, showing both its good and bad points. However, the bad points seem to far outnumber the good, which is to be expected from a work of Twain. Society is mostly shown as racist and conniving. Of the two, racism seems to be the most prominent.
The dominant critique of society(or at least what seems to be the dominant one to me) is the amount of racism that is put into its foundation. In the antebellum south, there was not even the slightest hint of equality. The color of one’s skin determined there place in society, and the laws surrounding all aspects of slavery were very(pardon the pun) black and white. If a black person was living in the south at that time, one could safely bet that they were a slave. In fact, any other bets would have been foolish. Not only were all black people in the south doomed to live a life of servitude under white people, but they were also treated as if they were not even human. The prime example of this is the use of the term “nigger” within the novel. This term is the most well-known derogatory term for a black person in society, and to speak it today would be considered a large taboo. However, Twain’s portrayal of the antebellum south in this novel show the word to be a widely accepted term. What I found most interesting about this is that white people were not the only ones to use it. Jim himself used the term various times in the novel, and never in contempt or bitterness. This shows that perhaps the word “nigger” had become so widely accepted that even the black people who were called by it found it to be a proper term. It could even go as far as a black person thinking themselves to be a separate species, not included in humankind. That would not surprise me, as it is made clear in this novel that the white people do not consider black people to be humans at all, denying them every right that they should have as human beings. What is worse is that some white people in this novel do not even value the life a black person. An example of this is when Sally Phelps, the aunt of Huck’s best friend, Tom Sawyer, asked Huck if anyone was hurt when the cylinder-head was blown out. When Huck tells her that it killed a nigger, she replies, “Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt”(Twain 258). This shows that the life of a black person is worth nothing in this novel. They are treated like mules and sold for a profit on a whim. However, even though the black people get the brunt of the abuse within the novel, they are not the only ones treated with cruelty. Indeed, this novel shows that even those of the same skin color would use each other for a profit.
While on their travels, Huck and Jim encounter two con-artists(better known as the duke and the dauphin, whom they are posing as). These two men are arguably the most despicable characters in the novel, and serve to show how cruelty travels in a cycle. From the very start of joining Huck and Jim, who had just saved them from being captured, these men took advantage of Huck and Jim’s respective situations(Huck being a young boy who had feigned death and Jim being an escaped slave). All they seemed interested in was money and profit, and they did not care who they had to go through or how many people they had harmed in order to gain it. Despite being so unlikeable, these two men do help to portray Twain’s message about cruelty traveling in a cycle. The duke and dauphin advertise a performance in order to scam people out of their money. When they people arrived and found that the short performance was not worth what they had paid, they had a very interesting reaction. Rather than spreading the word that the performance was a scam, and helping their fellow man to not be cheated out of his money, the townspeople decided to tell everyone that the show was great so that those they told would go see it and be cheated out of their money, as well. This was perhaps done so that those who had already been cheated could feel better about themselves, as if they were in need of schadenfreude. While that is an understandable part of human nature, it is rare that anyone would feel the need to create it themselves. The duke and the dauphin also end up selling Jim for reward money, which shows that they are more interested in a quick buck than a long term investment. After all, they already had enough power over Jim to have him take part in their scams. These men being so despicable, I cannot imagine why they never thought of that.
Even though “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” was written long ago, it still has a lot to teach us. This novel was written in a different time, when all men were far from equal. When juxtaposed with today’s society, it is clear how far we have come. An America where people were treated like slaves based on their race is now and America lead by a half-black president. Even so, I would not be surprised if in the future, people look back on our modern society and criticize how primitive we were. However, that is easily preventable if we keep striving for a better America. In the words of Mark Twain, “Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today”.
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