Scribe: 12.15.2008
Period 4
Hey Everyone,
Today:
- progress reports were passed back- even though BAMF was suppose to pass them back on Friday
- I (Hayley) made an announcement about a Make-A-Wish Fundraiser
~the goal is to raise as much money as possible for the foundation. the person who can raise the most money will get to go to the set of a disney channel show or disney XD and meet the cast and watch the taping. Pick up forms in ms. brown’s room (413) or from me or Katie Wilson. You have one month to turn the money into ASB!
- $$$ realized that anthony knows a lot of random info
-we did a tone worksheet: “Proper Presents for the Wedding Party” by judith martin
~Mr. e had us share some of our applications
Review:
~emerson: to truly be alone one must go outside and look at the stars
~a child sees through their heart, adults through their eyes
~sympathy and harmony come from nature and man
-went to the scarlet letter
~Ch. 12 Pg. 106 “Nothing was more common…” -analyzed the paragraph and its relation to emerson
~Ch.23 end “”Hester” said the clergyman “farewell”"- Dimmesdale then tells Hester to hush, which then leads us to the Conclusion in which the narrator is the only speaker- Coincidence?
-lastly, we moved on to a powerpoint
-Some notes: (but Mr. e posted the powerpoint so look at that too)
~emerson said:
retreat form society
live in nature
worship in the woods
~be self-reliant
~Henry David Thoreau
born in massachusetts 1817
son of a pencil maker
Harvard graduate
asked the question: W.W.E.D.?- What Would Emerson Do?
-that concludes our activities for today!
Homework: Virtue Essay and read second part section of the Thoreau packet.
-Hayley B.
Period 5
Thoreau PowerPoint:
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December 15th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I was looking on the webster’s online dictionary site and what do you know! they had a quote of the day area and today’s was:
“Painting was called silent poetry and poetry speaking painting.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hmmmm, does anyone else find the author to be oddly familar?
December 15th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Not going to lie, I love Emerson. He’s wild and weird, and he talks to vegetables. My kind of man.
December 16th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
When the question is asked, “Could you live like this?!” a.k.a without a cell phone, TV, friends, family, and internet, it is hard to really agree with Emerson and his solitude beliefs. Sure, I could live without a cell phone and internet and TV, but taking away friends and family is too much an extreme. I do agree with his self-reliant beliefs but, going into extreme solitude to discover your genius, I disagree with. What Emerson is trying to convey is without all those distractions one can truly find his or her inner self, not persuaded or swayed with opinions of others. In my opinion, true genius is the ability to be self-reliant while maintaining beliefs in which moderateness is apperant.
December 16th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
I think Emerson is infatuated with nature to the point where he loves vegetables.
December 16th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
haha Jay, always putting down Emerson…
December 16th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
yeah Emerson definitely is pretty out there. Although i actually do kinda like his ideas, he’s really just more of a curiosity and…well a “brain-stimulater”…than someone who should really be taken seriously. I mean, his ideas of nonconformity, individualism, and becoming “one with nature” (for lack of a better description) are definitely worth paying attention to, and I do think his thoughts in those respects are generally heading in the right direction. But in the end i don’t think any of us would actually consider living the way he advocates, in total solitude. Not only is it not practical, but it would be miserable and down right unhealthy psychologically. He is an idealist, and by looking at him that way i can see what he means and i respect it, but if you try to take him too seriously it becomes way too frustrating
December 17th, 2008 at 10:36 am
I agree with Emerson’s views to an extent. I love solitude because it can bring you peace amid the hustle and bustle of todays busy world. I would not want to be as isolated as Emerson explained, in his cabin on the lake and going days, weeks, or even months without human interaction. And I would die if I didn’t have my daily injection of sportscenter.
December 17th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I agree with you, Zachglasser. I like reading and thinking about Emerson’s ideas and I agree with his advocation of self-reliance and nonconformity. On the other hand, I don’t think living in complete solitude is the right way to go. I know I’d go crazy. I think interactions with other humans keeps us going. I mean, there’s a reason why those kids that come to school with a gun and go berserk without thinking logically are mostly the ones that have no friends.
December 17th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Keith, I don’t think he really advocates living totally in the woods, because he says something to the effect of: its easy in the world to live according to the opinions of others and easy in solitude to live according to your own, but a true man is one that can remain unaffected by the opinions of others while in society, implying that you must be in society to be a true man, like you.
December 17th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
and i just notice the “flapper station 2001″ roarin 20s link on this page
how darb!
December 17th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I find that Transcendentalism is more similar to Hinduism and Buddhism than Christianity, because the main point in both these religions is finding yourself through meditation and introspection. To me, it is not that Emerson is compelled to spend time alone. I think that he finds it impossible to truly know himself with all the distractions of the world. Similarily, Buddha had to spend many years separated from society before he became enlightened. The final stage of the Hindu life cycle after one has completed his duties as a father and a member of society is that of a wandering ascetic. Again, it is not that the Hindu man is compelled to be alone. He has gotten to the point where the pleasures of society no longer satisfy him as much. To find himself, which is the path to real and eternal satisfaction, he needs to be alone.
December 18th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I found it really interesting that I was talking to a woman today that graduated probably ten years ago and she was telling me how what she remembers most about her AP English class was Thoreau. She was reminiscing how he found such interest in just going for a walk into nature and nowadays, the only reason we go for walks is to reach a destination..not just to walk and enjoy nature.
@Keith:
I completely agree with your point that solitude is just as bad as conformity. Many of those kids feel like they just can’t conform, which causes them to go into solitude, and go crazy, resulting in chaos for the rest of the world. It just shows how important it is to keep a socially balanced life.