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Uncovered :: The Essential Question

Are the hardships worth it?

My essential question asks whether all of the journeys and tough times Americans have to endure while coming to and colonising the new world are worth the struggle. The "newly citizenized" Americans have to complete many tasks and bear the suffer of very hard times before they can appreciate their life in the New World. In the end, is the freedom and the elimination of religious hatred in the new world worth the fight?

Uncovered :: The William Bradford Era

William Bradford was born March 15, 1590 outside of Donacaster, England. He was one of the Pilgrims who went on the Mayflower as the first colonists of America. He was elected as governer more than 30 times. He was the primary writer and second signer of the Mayflower Compact. His journal of coming to America, called Of Plymouth Plantation. Unfortunately, he died on May 9, 1657.

This coming section will be about William Bradford's journal, Of Plymouth Plantation.

(Part A)

Uncovered :: Of Plymouth Plantation

My Favorite Passage and Explanation

"Thus it pleased God to vanquish their enemies and give them deliverance; and by His special providence so to dispose that not any one of them were either hurt or hit, though their arrows came close by them and on every side [of] them; and sundry of their coats, which hung up in the barricade, were shot through and through. Afterwards they gave God solemn thanks and praise for their deliverance, and gathered up a bundle of their arrows and sent them into England afterward by the master of the ship, and called that place the First Encounter."

I chose this passage because I found it interesting how they put down the Indians so easily. They say that it pleased God that the Indians were to lose the fight. I just thought that if the Indians had their Gods, just as the colonists did, what would the Indians have said about their Gods? "The Gods were not pleased with us today, as we were attacking innocent people. That's why they decided we were to lose this battle." Not much further into history, they realized these "innocent civilians" weren't so innocent as they pushed all of the Indians into small reservations in the middle of nowhere. But that's a different story.

Uncovered :: Compose a Thesis

In an excerpt of William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation, although the Puritans experience hardship in their voyage to America, in their arrival and in their dealings with the Indians, they will maintain their reverence to God and to one another.

Uncovered :: Political Cartoon

The British sent some of their best political leaders to America, but the majority of the people that immigrated were low classed religious dissenters. For example, in this cartoon the text says "Send us your best and brightest point-getters." This relates to how the British want to send some of their better political and military leaders to the New World so they can start America off on the right foot. Another example is the text "All others pay a fine of $5,000 and maybe you can stay." This correlates to how the British not only sent their good leaders, but they sent with them the bad citizens, who were religious iconoclasts. The Puritan Era's American immigration can be connected to the immigration of today through several different views and understandings.

Rejuvenated :: The Anne Bradstreet Era

This coming section will be about Anne Bradford and her poetry.

Rejuvenated :: Upon the Burning of Our House

In silent night when rest I took,
For sorrow neer I did not look,
I waken'd was with thundring nois
And Piteous shreiks of dreadfull voice.
That fearfull sound of fire and fire,
Let no man know is my Desire.
I, starting up, the light did spye,
And to my God my heart did cry
To strengthen me in my Distresse
And not to leave me succourlesse.
Then coming out beheld a space,
The flame consume my dwelling place.

And, when I could no longer look,
I blest his Name that gave and took,
That layd my goods now in the dust:
Yea so it was, and so 'twas just.
It was his own: it was not mine;
Far be it that I should repine.

He might of All justly bereft,
But yet sufficient for us left.
When by the Ruines oft I past,
My sorrowing eyes aside did cast,
And here and there the places spye
Where oft I sate, and long did lye.

Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest;
There lay that store I counted best:
My pleasant things in ashes lye,
And them behold no more shall I.
Under thy roof no guest shall sitt,
Nor at thy Table eat a bitt.

No pleasant tale shall 'ere be told,
Nor things recounted done of old.
No Candle 'ere shall shine in Thee,
Nor bridegroom's voice ere heard shall bee.
In silence ever shalt thou lye;
Adieu, Adeiu; All's vanity.

Then streight I gin my heart to chide,
And didst thy wealth on earth abide?
Didst fix thy hope on mouldring dust,
The arm of flesh didst make thy trust?
Raise up thy thoughts above the skye
That dunghill mists away may flie.

Thou hast an house on high erect
Fram'd by that mighty Architect,
With glory richly furnished,
Stands permanent tho' this bee fled.
It's purchased, and paid for too
By him who hath enough to doe.

A Prise so vast as is unknown,
Yet, by his Gift, is made thine own.
Ther's wealth enough, I need no more;
Farewell my Pelf, farewell my Store.
The world no longer let me Love,
My hope and Treasure lyes Above.

Anne Bradstreet's story "Upon the Burning of Our House" is my favorite story of hers because it shows the reader that humans aren't perfect. Living in a time where God was paramount and above all, Anne Bradstreet is supposed to show her allegiance towards God and her faith. But instead, she prizes her old possesions and house that were burned down in the fire. She catches herself every once in a while, but it is obvious that the afterlife isn't the only thing she cares about.

Rejuvenated :: Political Cartoon

America's views on woman's rights today have changed a lot since the Puritan Era. For example, in the cartoon, there Is a woman hugging a scroll of paper labeled "ballot". In Anne Bradstreet's time, women barely had any rights at all, they couldn't even work, not to mention vote. Another example is that the text aparent in the cartoon reads "Hugging a Delusion". Anne Bradstreet and other Puritan women knew they would have no rights, espesially voting rights, for a good long time. All they could do was grasp the idea and hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Huswifery :: Edward Taylor

Thesis: In his poem "Huswifery", Edward Taylor applies an extended metaphor to his devotion towards God and how he wants his life led by and and to revolve around God.

Impressed? I really like extended metaphors. He connects his devotion to God and his religion to a spinning wheel weaving thread. It's an interesting concept when you first read it, but if you further analyze the poem and the diction used, you will start to realize it does make a lot of sense. *Note* Extended metaphor is also called a conceit.

Unconverted: Collage

Unconverted: Explaining the Collage

All of the words and pictures I put into the collage are the ones I found significant in the passage from Jonathan Edward's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". The words explain mainly the despair Hell has to offer to those not fit for Heaven. The four pictures, a fiery hand, a bottomless pit, a spider's web, and a lightning strike are all forms of fear, suffering, and misery.

Unconverted: A Meaningful Passage

The following is my favorite passage from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards.

"The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ. -- That world of misery, that take of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of; there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up."

I like this passage mainly because of the imagery that is present. Burning brimstone, dreadful pit of the glowing flames, hell's wide gaping mouth. It is the very strong piece of literature at its best. Reading it has the possible effect of leaving chills running down the spine. I think if I listened to it live, I'd be converted instantly and not be caught doing a sinful act ever again.

Slavery in America :: Essestial Question

Was it worth it?

For Olidah Equiano's account of the voyage through the Middle Passage, my question is going to be towards the question of whether suicide is worth it in this case. You can jump ship and die, or you can stay on the ship and live life in misery and slavery. But is the cost of death really worth it? This one can be debated. I'm not exactly sure if your loved ones would be devastated because more times than not they wont all be on the same ship. For all we know, they might not even be sent to slavery with their family members. But death, espesially by drowning, seems to be such a hostile thing. Plus there is always the chance you will escape slavery.

This one's a toss up.

Slavery in America :: Racial Tension Cartoon

Rasism in America is not based on the character of the person, but on the stereotypical views people have towards the black community. For example, this cartoon shows a man, Michael Jackson, saying "Is it because I used to be black?" This shows that these days people are always expecting anything done against the minorities to be racially driven. Another example is that the man is being arrested. This also shows the common steriotype that all black people are criminals and bad people. Just because somebody is a different race than others doesn't mean they should be treated differently for any reason.

NPR Interview

Mrs Micallef, as you know, I left Friday morning and didn't get back until Sunday night, so I had limited time to do my homework. If you read this then it's Monday and I'm trying to tell you that I tried to do this interview with two different people, my mom and sister, on Sunday, but it didn't quite work out. My sister kept answering every question with I don't know, so I figured that wouldn't work. My mom wasn't cooperating and purposly trying to piss me off, so that didn't work either. It's almost 9:15 and my dad isn't home yet, so I'll set out an hour or two tomorrow night to interview him and set this up then. Hopefully, since I get home at 9:00 tomorrow night because of driver's ed and boy scouts, my dad will be willing to be interviewed. Sorry for any inconvenience. And it's okay to be mad at me. Right now, you aren't the only one.

What was the happiest moment of your life?
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Who was the most important person in your life?
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Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
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What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in life?
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What is your earliest memory?
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When in life have you felt most alone?
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How was your life different than what you’d imagined?
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How would you like to be remembered?
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Do you have any regrets?
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Do you remember what was going through your mind when you first saw me?
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How did you choose my name?
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When and where were you born?
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Where did you grow up?
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How was your relationship with your parents?
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Did you get into trouble?
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Do you have siblings?
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What were they like growing up?
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What did you look like?
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Did you have a nickname?
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How’d you get it?
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What did you want to be when you were young?
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Who were your favorite relatives?
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What are some classic family stories?
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Family jokes?
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Family songs?
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Did you enjoy school?
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What kind of student were you?
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How would your classmates remember you?
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Was there a teacher in particular that strongly influenced you in life?
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Were you in the military?
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Comments

Lauren: I like how your paragraphs make sense and are organized, however I think your background is too fuzzy, like the quality isnt the best. Also I like how you put your essential question in a paragraph, however I thought you were suppose to put the question in the header.