Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Minister's Black Veil
Nathaniel Hawthorne criticized the Puritans for their disgust with Father Hooper's veil while they failed to recognize their own sins. Hooper wore the veil to show how the life that God gave him is burdened by the fact that he is born with original sin. Hooper simply draped the veil over his face in order to place a visual representation of how his life was inevitably corrupted by the natural state of man. The Puritans in the town were appalled by his veil and demanded that he take it off. However, the Puritans had no right to demean Hooper considering the Puritans also committed sins but simply lacked the whit and humility to display a visual representation of them. Also, Hawthorne criticizes how the Puritans choose to ignore their own sins but do not hold back on Hooper who simply chooses to display them out of shame.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Leading into the dark will bring about a new light
"And we are now men, and must accept in the highest mind the same transcendent destiny; and not pinched in a corner, not cowards fleeing before a revolution, but redeemers and benefactors, pious aspirants to be noble clay under the Almighty effort let us advance on Chaos and the dark."
This quote stood out to me because of Emerson's word choice. At the end of this quote, Emerson states that we should be self reliant in order to progress humanity into "chaos" and " the dark". I find it interesting that Emerson stated that individuals who break away from society are creating disorder and are advocating for an uncertain future. However, Emerson argues that an uncertain future is much better than a future being dictated by society. Emerson states that people who challenge society's ideology are at a risk. However, it is a risk that people need to take because if they are ultimately correct, they will benefit mankind. With regard to chaos, I believe Emerson is stating that self reliance is needed because it brings about chaos which challenges the unchanging and mandating state of society. This quote also stood out to me because the last phrase of this text is quoting Paradise Lost which is an epic poem about the Fall of Man. Emerson is trying to convince the reader that the fall of man will occur without self reliance.
This quote stood out to me because of Emerson's word choice. At the end of this quote, Emerson states that we should be self reliant in order to progress humanity into "chaos" and " the dark". I find it interesting that Emerson stated that individuals who break away from society are creating disorder and are advocating for an uncertain future. However, Emerson argues that an uncertain future is much better than a future being dictated by society. Emerson states that people who challenge society's ideology are at a risk. However, it is a risk that people need to take because if they are ultimately correct, they will benefit mankind. With regard to chaos, I believe Emerson is stating that self reliance is needed because it brings about chaos which challenges the unchanging and mandating state of society. This quote also stood out to me because the last phrase of this text is quoting Paradise Lost which is an epic poem about the Fall of Man. Emerson is trying to convince the reader that the fall of man will occur without self reliance.
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