Essential Question 6

Both the pardoner’s prologue and tale are both similar because they speak of many vices and sins but it teaches us a lesson. In his prologue he stresses the importance of the Latin phrase, "Radix malorum est cupiditas"(241), this means that greed is the root of all evil. In his "moral tale" (244), he speaks a lot about sin, but the one sin he places the most importance on is greed. When he speaks of the three rioters that find the gold it starts to corrupt their minds into thinking how to take all this gold for themselves and not share it with the other. In both sections it seems that avoiding greed is the moral lesson. The knight’s tale was about honor; plus how love and war are both mutual. The miller's tale also had a theme of love between a woman, her husband, her lover, and a pastor. Both tales were read by a narrator, but in the pardoner’s tale he tells most of it himself. He seems to interject his opinions into the story and his beliefs seem to contradict themselves.

Constructing Society

The members of my society consist of: Mr. Christopher Player, Megan Fox, Dr. Gregory House M.D., Spiderman, and Michael Jackson. Individually these people have completely different lives but together they have the keys to run a functioning society and make sure everything remains stable.
Mr. Chris Player is known as being a science teacher at Trinity Catholic. That would make him an educator in chemistry, biology, physics and other advanced science fields. Besides that he has a wide array of subjects he can teach and basic understanding of more advanced subjects. He is well-informed and keeps up to date with current events. He is philosophical as well as insightful because he can find deeper meaning in anything. He is patient and very understanding of everyone’s flaws.
Spiderman (aka Peter Parker) is a famous comic hero who protects the citizens. He will be a worker because he has the strength of a hundred men and can lift 10000 lbs. He is somewhat of a comedian because he adds comic relief with his witty banter. If there is a problem you can rely on him because he can think on his feet and get the job done. He will make sure that the law is enforced and no crimes are being committed. He is a great role model and responsible with his saying, “With great power, comes great responsibility” (Uncle Ben).
Megan Fox is the lone female of my society. Her main roles are an entertainer, lover, and procreation. She is a beautiful temptress who will provide a beautiful gene pool for the next generation.
Dr. Gregory House, MD is a doctor on the show HOUSE, and is the healer of my society who will make sure everyone is in good condition. He can diagnose and medical problem because of his intellect and his wisdom. He is a great entertainer because he provides a humorous atmosphere to a serious situation. Also he has the potential to become a villain because he will tell things how it is and try to get inside people’s heads to manipulate them; sometimes making himself crazy in the process.
Michael Jackson is known as the king of Pop, he was an American musician and one of the most influential entertainers of all time. He was a humanitarian who tried to make the world a better place through his music and would love to bring smiles to people’s faces. He is kind and very whimsical. He would be a father figure as he has proved that he loves his children and believes that every child needs a good education because they are our future. And a great role model because of his accomplishments. He would be the leader because he would always make a decision that would benefit everyone and he always puts others before himself.
All in all, my society is relatively stable a major flaw might be that Megan Fox is the only female and her only role is to be a procreator, so the could be viewed as an injustice. But Mr. Player can always teach her so that she plays more of a dominant role. My society is not striving to be a perfect utopia; because there is no such thing as a perfect society someone will always try to seek power. That is why I have a potential villain, so that the evil will be known and balance out the good. That is my ideal society.

Essential Question #4

Where do we see seduction and lust start to destroy Gawain, our young hero? What is the author trying to tell us?

Gawain has stated that he might be mentally weak as he says, " I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest" (line 354). By saying "of wit feeblest", Gawain is stating that he is susceptible to temptations and has lustful desires because he is not experienced enough to overcome them on his own. As he is saying this, Gawain is signing his fate by taking on the Green Knight's challenge, which may lead him to his death. The nest incident is when he is having a secret affair with the host's wife “as each tends his affairs and those two tend their own" (1018-1019). Knights are to live by a code, but his lust for women has forced him to break a lot of these codes, namely chastity. As soon as this affair is done Gawain has to face a challenge with host and "all you have earned you must offer to me" (1107). If Gawain loses he has to offer everything he has taken and concludes all he has taken is the Hosts wife, which he can never pay back.

The author is trying to tell us to live a good wholesome and chaste life. As long as we follow God and remain pure of heart the more we benefit. Do not fall into your temptations or else you will be punished sooner or later.

Chivalric Code

1. When you like a girl you should never come out too strong or awkward. You should compliment her or help her carry her books. And try to make her laugh, girls love comedy.

2. After you develop a friendship with the girl you like, make sure you have her number so you can chit-chat and get to know each other better. If you see her in the hallway say hey or give her a hug.

3. When asking a girl out have some confidence, never show any sign of weakness.

4. If the girl rejects you then you have to move on, DO NOT BECOME A CREEP WHO STALKS HER AROUND, what's done is done; but you should try to keep the friendship. Just because you cannot get a relationship does not mean you have to lose a friendship.

5. If the girl you like does want to go out with you do not seem too eager. Be cool, calm, and collective.

6. Now that you are dating, never let your women boss you around. You are the man and the men always wear the pants in the relationship.

7. Before your first date, go through a checklist: make sure you smell nice, make sure your breath does not smell, and check to see that your zipper is up. Trust me, these may be basic things but forget one of them and you may find yourself single in no time.

8. For the first date be kind, courteous, and have good table manners. Pull out her chair, hold the door for her, and walk her to her front door. After the first date, these things become more optional. Since you got the girl you do not need to try so hard anymore.

9. Make sure the conversation does not get boring and make sure it does not focus only on you. Remember you are on a date where both people contribute. Ask about her life and get to know her own a personal level. If she starts to talk much and you feel like cannot pay attention anymore, then you do not have to. Just keep nodding your head as she is talking and when she stops say, you agree with her. Girls like that.

10. Most importantly, when you are on a date with your girl, even if it's the first date make sure you both pay 50/50. Men are not made out of money and she should not think like that. Women have always fought for equal rights but when it comes to the check, it is the man who suffers.

Essential Question 2

Discuss the biblical allusion and religious symbolism in Beowulf.

In this portion of the epic poem Beowulf, there are a few religious aspects to take notice of in this story. The author uses these religious aspects to make connnections to God and give more depth to the text. Plus, the reader may be able to relate more to the text because of its biblical allusions and make the story more manageable. This can be seen when the author describes Beowulf's fight,"and had not holy God granted him victory; the wise Lord, Ruler of the heavens...hero had scrambled to his feet" (1537-1540). As in any epic battle of a hero hBewulf struggles at first, but his devotionto God gave him the strength to get up and fight. So religion is crucial in this poem because it is what drives warriors to fight for what they beleive in.

Essential Question 1

There are many social obligations of a hero in the epic poem, Beowulf. These obligations would be, loyal, adventurous, brave, leadership, strong, and ambitious. A hero feels obligated to help others, whoever they may be. A true hero always follow through on their promises, and never goes back on their word. Beowulf says that he,"can council Hrothgar" to "overcome the fiend" (lines 274-275).Here he vows to help Hrothgar vanquish the evil, and the tone in which he speaks in causes Hrothgar's thane to believe in Beowulf. A hero is someone the people can count on, just like how Hrothgar is now counting on Beowulf.
People have said that Beowulf is very strong and powerful; he "has the might of thirty men" (line 378). He may not fear any man but I do not think he is aware of his deification process; he is just brave and has a willingness to help others. I do not think he considers himself a God, he just knows he is the only one who can help Hrothgar to defeat Grendel. And he still waits for the approval of "superiors" before he helps while a God would just do as he pleases.

Pride and Prejudice Essay

Love is the only thing worth fighting for
Matrimony is like a flame about to light a candle. If you try to rush to the candlestick, your flame will burn out with ease. If you put too much pressure behind the lighter your flame will raise, but will burn out before you reach the candle. It is up to you to find the perfect balance so that the flame will not burn up. That flame represents love. If your flame is huge it will over shadow your lover and will not lead to a great marriage if one person is more in to the marriage than the other. If your flame is too small your feelings for your partner are based on nothing. With no base your marriage will fan out. If you have found that one flame which can last forever then you have found the flame of love. In the novel Pride and Prejudice, there are many different perspectives of marriage. In a prudent marriage, you are only getting married because it will benefit both partners; there is no love just contentment. In a mercenary marriage, a person is only in it for the money or other selfish rewards. Austen is stating that a marriage based on love is the only marriage that will make you happy and last a lifetime.
A prudential motive is a marriage based on practical common sense. There is nothing you find appealing in your partner, but you have reasons on getting married. This marriage lacks the infinite passion that love brings; it only has logical motives that make sense in the both of you getting married. The author points out by having Mr. Collins demonstrate a typical proposal of a prudent marriage to Elizabeth:
“My reasons for marrying you are, first, that I think it is the right of every clergyman in easy circumstances to set the example of matrimony in his parish…I am convinced it will add greatly to my happiness...that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness” (Austen 101).
Mr. Collins deeply lacks passion in his proposal. He did not once speak of Elizabeth and how it may or may not greatly increase her happiness. He only talks about how it will help him in life because every clergyman should marry. The esteem Lady Catherine thought it would be a good idea for Mr. Collins to marry Elizabeth. Collins only states how he is going to love and never explicitly states how he will love Lizzy.
Unlike her best friend, Charlotte just wants to married and a sense of security in knowing she has finally gotten married. She knows that she is not handsome, so she is desperate and willing to marry anyone who proposes to her. Charlotte “without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage has always been her object” (117). Charlotte wants to secure her lasting happiness. She just wants to live in a big estate, in a quaint little village, and wealth. As long as she has all of these possessions she will remain content and safe. She will never know the effects of true happiness that comes from of loving marriage. Charlotte has sacrificed her feelings for society’s views of happiness.
With no feelings in the relationship, the flame begins to flicker before it reaches the alter. With no genuine love between the partners, the flame is too weak to survive in the world. The flame snuffs out and shall never ignite again; as long as the relationship remains in prudency.
A mercenary motive is a motive that pertains to money or other rewards beneficial to one partner; love has nothing to do with it. This motive is just like a mercenary paid to accomplish one thing only, nothing else matters. Just like a mercenary people who are involved in this motive accomplish that one thing, but will soon lead a vexed life as they now have nothing to live for or look towards for the rest of their lives. Wickham is an example of this kind of motive as he elopes with Lydia. He cannot marry a girl without money because he cannot afford. He is not willing to sacrifice to reach happiness. All he wants is to be free of debts. When Darcy pays off all his debts and sets him up for a job, Wickham feels obliged in marrying Lydia because he can still get more money by marrying her. In the beginning Wickham had no intention to marry Lydia but just like a mercenary he was solely in it for the money. Wickham realizes the facts “that there elopement was on by her own strength of her love rather than by his” (295). Lydia now loves Wickham but he does not feel the same way. Now for the rest of his life he has to live with an overbearing wife who will nag him about loving her, for the rest of his days.
With one feeling of love, the flame is huge but it will over shadow your lover and will not lead to a great marriage if one person is more in to the marriage than the other. Since there is no balance there is no connection between the partners. As there is no balance within the flame it will become unstable and burst into nothingness.
A motive based on love is what will lead to a true life of happiness. This is what everyone in our society today wants to achieve. They want a marriage based on love that can be shared for a lifetime. To truly achieve this happiness someone has to be willing to sacrifice for the other. That is what our society is failing to realize, if no one is willing to sacrifice than they cannot have the marriage they always wanted.
Darcy and Bingley are perfect examples of people willing to sacrifice themselves for what they believe in; both of them had suffered to fall in love. Bingley has disappointed his sister by loving and marrying someone who is below the social hierarchy. Bingley loved Jane enough to be ridiculed by his family and to have his social status tarnished. He believes that Jane is worth all of this and more proving he would do anything just to be with Jane. Darcy seems to disappoint a lot of people as well. Darcy has proposed to Lizzy and got rejected, has always stayed humble and has never done any mercenary deeds. Darcy goes against his aunts word, Lady Catherine, who hade forbade him to interact with Lizzy. And then sucks in his pride to propose again to Lizzy. He has gone through so many hardships only to be related to the person to Mr. Wickham. Plus Darcy has plummeted down the social chain, because he has suffered so much he can now reap the benefits by having “the one” girl who was meant for him. This true happiness can be seen when Elizabeth says, “I am happier even then Jane; she only smiles, I laugh” Austen (355). Elizabeth states how happy she is and how Darcy makes her feel complete.
When one has sacrificed so much for the relationship and both lovers are happy with one another and feel the burdens of each other; that is when this motive can be called love. There have been turmoil in the relationship and plenty of laughs along the way. They are marrying for way more than personal gains and are feeling far from content, when they are around each other. Like a flame, this perfect balance can be made and shared with the world. Without a flicker of doubt or hesitation, the flame makes its way to the church’s alter. When the flame is set upon the candle; it changes from a flame into a roaring fire burning brightly so that the world can see the effects of true love. As the two lovers join together in holy matrimony.

Mrs. Bennet Description

Mrs. Bennet is a conniving woman who will do whatever it takes to see her dream come true; to the point where she seems hypocritical and her ideals are gone. She will absolutely see to it that her daughters are all married.
Mrs. Bennet can be a vexing woman at times and her character is difficult to understand. She can be deemed as a hypocrite at some instances. She will love any man who is rich and loves one of her daughters but if the man tries to break her daughter’s heart, then Mrs. Bennet will hate that man with every fiber of her being. When she thought that Darcy would no longer have anything to do with Elizabeth she hated him. As she says, “I am quite sorry, Lizzy, that you should be forced to have that disagreeable man all to yourself” (Austen 348). She absolutely hated Darcy but when she found out that Darcy loved Lizzy, she said “such a charming man! So handsome! so tall!” (351). The true nature of Mrs. Bennet character is that she does not look at the big picture, she only stays focus at the little trifles in her life; which make her look ridiculous.
Mrs. Bennet is like a six year old girl who will whine and complain until she gets her way. Mrs. Bennet treats her daughters like her toy dolls. They are the most precious things to her and she believes she knows what is best for them. Dolls do not talk back to their mother, which is what Mrs. Bennet likes. She wants her dollies to have the best dresses and an action figure to marry her dollies. Her parents say that they don’t have enough money to get all those things. The little girl is willing to wail for days until she achieves her goals; just like Mrs. Bennet.
Mrs. Bennet is like Homer Simpson because they both will spend so much time dealing with the little problems and fail to see the big picture; but in the end it all works out for them.

Jane Description

Jane Bennet is a pure and innocent young woman who would not dare speak ill-will about anyone; even though she lives in a low-life society that tells her otherwise.
Jane is a gorgeous and utterly handsome young woman. She is very optimistic and likes to think well of everyone she meets. This may lead to Jane’s character being naïve and ignorant to the trifles of mankind. Elizabeth has said, “You never see a fault in any body. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life” (Austen 16). This quote basically describes the entirety of Jane’s character. Her naïve way of thinking has left her hurt. For example when Bingley left her she wanted to denounce him, but it would go against her nature so she could not.
Jane is like a beautiful white dove flying majestically over the wide blue skies. Society is like a huge thunderstorm ravaging bellowing around the dove. The thunderclouds are trying to strike that dove with all it’s might until it grows fearful of the mighty lighting. Only Jane is like the dove because she can admit that she is scared but she does not falter from the skies. She stays firm and only imagines the beautiful rainbow at the end of the storm. Until she gets there she chooses to ignore the dangers the storm might bring to her. She sees a future, filled with wonder and awe, which she wants to obtain with all her might.
Jane is like Demi Lovato in the way the try to ignore the iniquities of a pressuring adult society and only tries to stay a role model for the kids and see the good in the world.

P& P# 13 4/7: 10-12

Quote- "How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love? Is there one among the sex who would not protest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman? (Austen 317).

Explanation- Elizabeth is going absolutely crazy over Darcy. She doubts that Darcy will ever propose to her again. She comes to a realization that she cannot blame Darcy because she denied him in the first place. And also what kind of a man would go after a woman who has embarrassed him and rejected him already. Elizabeth is thinking about just rejecting his existence all together because she finds it next to impossible for marriage to take place between them. Darcy has proved to have an interesting and complicated character. Darcy has always stepped up when the time called for it. Now it is Elizabeth's turn to step up and try to realize this.


Multiple Choice
After the dinner scene on pgs 313-314, what is Elizabeth's main concern from that evening?
A) Her mother's idiocy
B) How Jane is feeling towards Bingley
C) Darcy's taciturn behavior during dinner
D) Lydia's absence
E) None of these answers are correct

P& P #12 4/6: 7-9

Quote- "Ah, Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married woman" (Austen 294).

Explanation- Just as society has a social hierarchy where one family, is deemed better because they are richer and have more connections, than another family. When you are at the top your one job is to stay there; but when you are at the bottom your goal is to make it to the top. If you take this idea of a social triangle you can see that the Bennet family has portrayed one as well. Jane is at the top, and then it's Elizabeth, after that Mary, then Catherine, and finally Lydia. This family chart is based on age, how handsome you are, and your chances for marriage. Jane is at the top and all she has to do is stay there, while Lydia wants to come out of her shadow and rise to the top. And with her statement she has announced that she is now at the top and Jane is under her. Lydia has reached her goal by being the first one to get married.


Multiple Choice
On pages 289-290, Elizabet is talking about someone who "would most suit her", read the following passage and pick the man she is falling for.
"His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes...his manners improved; and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance.

A) Wickham
B) Collins
C) Sir Camelot
D) Darcy
E) None of these choices are correct

P& P #11 4/3: 3-6

Quote- "That loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable, that one false step involves her in endless ruin, that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful, and that she cannot be too much guarded in her beahaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex" (Austen 269).

Explanation- Mary is trying to say, that all this that the family is going through is just another learning experience, that the rest of the girls should take note so that they won't end up like Lydia. She feels content in knowing this. From her point of view it does seem true. The reputation that Lydia was trying to build and to marry someone who could give her wealth has all ended. She will now give herself to someone who cannot even afford to live on his own. She might get married to some low life scum, who does not deserve her, instead of going after the rich, handsome men. Also if any suitor could get word off this information the whole family could be deemed as unworthy of marriage. This is what Mrs. Bennet fears the most.

Multiple Choice
On pg. 253, which character is Miss Bingley describing in the following passage: "Her face is too thin; her complexion has no brilliancy; and her features are not at all handsome...and in her air all together, there is a self-sufficiency without fashion, which is intolerable."

A) Elizabeth
B) Rebecca
C) Jane
D) Ashley
E) Charlotte

Huck Finn Essay

Upbringings
In the never ending history of society, sometimes true justice can lose its meaning as the year’s progress from one era to another. Society has always told us that justice means fairness in all respects, but has society really upheld that meaning? Society has told us that slavery is fair, but it does not seem fair to the slaves who are forced against their will and are taught to honor the white man. People, who are born in this corrupted society, are very strict about the rules and regulations put in place for them. If anyone defies these laws they know what the consequences will be, so they stay in check. Society has brought up its residents so that if they ever think about questioning society’s judgment, the only reason they need to know is that society tells them to. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Tom is a perfect example of societal upbringings because he never questions society; if it is in his books, it’s the truth. On the other hand, Huck is an example of someone who was born outside the iniquities of society. Huck questions the world around him, which tends to irritate Tom, and more importantly society. Even though Huck has not had an education, with his intuition he is a true example of freedom and knowledge in contrast to Tom.
Society has raised Tom to follow all of its rules and regulations. Tom has always been taught the difference between what is good and bad; he was raised since birth to be civilized. Tom was raised to treat people differently because of their skin color. He has never once questioned, but has only absorbed, this prejudice. He made it part of his perception of life, and that is why he does not see any discrimination in the world. Since he has been raised like this, Tom will always follow what his books say, because they are supposed to teach him how to be civilized. Tom always considers Huck’s ideals to be simplistic and ignorant: “It don’t make no difference how foolish it is, it’s the right way—and it’s the regular way. And they ain’t no other way, that I ever heard of, and I’ve read all the books that gives any information about these things” (Twain 257). Tom is saying that no matter how outlandish his ideals may sound, it is the right way and the only way to do things. In his mind, it cannot be too easy, because that is never in the books.
Huck was born outside the iniquities of this society, unlike Tom. Many of Huck’s plans can be seen as ignorant, dumb, or just too uncivilized to be performed. It would seem like Huck is a believer in the concept of materialism, meaning that if he cannot see things, he does not think they exist. This is probably because of his isolated life away from society which forced him to understand things on his own. When Tom’s “gang” wanted to attack Arabs, Huck was disappointed to find out they were just going after a Sunday school. Huck did not follow the rest of the guys because he was not imagining seeing Arabs and elephants like the other boys. Huck came to the conclusion that “all that stuff was only just one of Tom Sawyer’s lies. I reckoned he believed in Arabs and the elephants, but as for me I think different” (23). Huck does think differently because he was never taught to be creative. Basically he has no imagination and no understanding of the concept of pretending.
Tom is always scornful towards Huck because he does not get how Huck is so free thinking about every little thing. When Tom hears that Huck is trying to free Jim, a runaway, he is willing to help him out, not because he wants Jim to have freedom but because all he wants is an adventure to live out like in his books. Society has told him not to care about runaways so he does not take Jim’s well being into account, when he sets up his plans. He even goes as far as contemplating cutting Jim’s leg off to escape a prison, rather than lifting a bed frame. Even when Tom gets shot he does not want any medical attention. He is actually happy about it because it always happens in his books. Tom went through so much to see his books come alive, even going through the dangers of risking everyone’s lives. Only after he has left out his fantasy did he tell people that Jim was actually free from the start. That is the reason he agreed to free Jim, because he saw no harm in freeing a slave who was already free, even though he withheld this information from everyone.
Huck, on the other hand, is quite different with his relations with everyone. Since he has been forced to think about the world around him, he only has Pap’s and Ms. Watson’s advice to go on. When he is faced with a moral dilemma he is forced to think about what a civilized person would do compared to an uncivilized person. Through his journey he is thinking about where his ideals of justice stand in the world, and starts to follow his gut. Huck has been blessed with an opportunity at justice, to mature himself and his thoughts so that he can make the right choices.
Huck faces many moral dilemmas, but is using his own wits to get him through it. Huck has been put in plenty of tight spots where he could expose Jim, like society has always told him to do. Huck remembers that Jim said he, “was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he’s got now” (228). With this Huck sees Jim for more than just a runaway slave. He now sees Jim as a human being and not just a slave. Huck is turning away from the dehumanization that Ms. Watson forced on him, and he is trying to find his own path. He then thinks to himself “s’pose you’d a done right and give Jim up; would you felt better than what you do now? No, says I, I’d feel bad—I’d feel just the same way I do now” (104). Huck is realizing his own definitions of good and bad, and selling out a friend when they need you the most, only to be put back in slavery, would be seen as unjust to Huck.
Huck and Tom have been brought up in two completely different worlds that contradict one another. Huck has been brought up in a lawless, classless society of his own where he is trying to judge the world for what it really is. Tom was raised to be proper from his birth and given a proper education about rules and regulations to follow. Tom may believe that he has more knowledge, than Huck only because he has been taught to believe that. Huck, by gaining freedom, has proven his knowledge can help him out of moral dilemmas based on his prior experiences. Huck seems to formulate his own sense of liberty in the process. In Huck’s case freedom is knowledge.

P& P #9 3/31: 14-18

Quote- "Nobody wants him [Bingley] to come; though I shall always say he used my daughter extremely ill... I am sure Jane will die of a broken heart, and then he will be sorry for what he has done" (Austen 213).

Explanation- This quote shows how much of a hypocrite and vexing she can be. She says to her daughters that she does not want Bingley to come back because of what he has done. If he somehow came to their abode she would put on a pretense and act like she had never said those things about Bingley. Then Mrs. Bennet has the nerve to so impudently joke about Jane's life. She flaunts it around like Jane's soul does not even matter and that its sole purpose is just to guilt one man into submission. Mrs. Bennet does not represent a cordial motherly character we have been brought up with. Instead she represents a woman who will do anything and say anything to get what she wants.


Multiple Choice
On pg. 211, There is a conversation between Jane and Elizabeth and it is mentioned that, "One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it. Which character has all the goodness and which one has all the appearance of goodness.
a) Wickham; Mr. Darcy
b) Mr. Collins; Mr. Bingley
c) Mr. Darcy; Wickham
d) Mr. Bennet; Mr. Bingley
e) None of these choices are correct

P& P #8 3/30: 11-13

Quote- "This must be false! This cannot be! This must be the grossest falsehood!" (Austen 193).

Explanation- This quote is Elizabeth's astonishment to Mr. Darcy's letter. She wants to believe that everything in that letter is wrong, because it is too hard for her to face the truth. That is her ability to perceive people's character through their first impressions. If everything in this letter is true then that means that she has been wrong all this time. The thing that Elizabeth took great pride in was her ability to see the true nature of people but now facing the facts that all she was worked so hard for and took great reverence of is all a lie. She is trying not to succumb to this reality because it would bring her nothing but shame. As she was judging a book by its cover, she now coming to the truth that one has to read the entirety of a book before it can be so accurately judged.

Multiple Choice
In Darcy's letter to Elizabeth, he reveals
I. Mr. Wickham is misleading Elizabeth under a false pretence
II. That he is dying and he really wants to marry someone before he dies and chose Elizabeth
III. That he thought Jane was impartial to marrying Bingley and tried to separate them

A. I only
B. I and II
C. I and III
D. II and III
E. I, II, and III

P& P #7 3/27: 6-10

Quote- "There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me" (Austen 166).

Explanation- This quote clearly defines Elizabeth's character very well. She can speak her mind openly while showing great reverence to others around her. When Elizabeth and company had met with Lady Catherine, everyone around Elizabeth felt overwhelmed by the mere atmosphere of the room. Though everyone was in a shocked state, Elizabeth felt equal to her surroundings. She upheld great composure and courage while speaking to the Lady. Unlike the rest of the company who completely lacked the will to overcome any obstacle, which is so present in Elizabeth. With this courage, Elizabeth can make good first impressions without a hint of doubt in her mind. That is her strength.


Multiple Choice
On page 158, what did Lady Catherine mean when she asked Elizabeth, “Are any of your younger sisters out, Miss Bennet?"

a) Are they are out of town
B) Do they have the right to get married?
c) Are they in your Mr. Bennet's will
d) None of the above answers are correct

P& P #5 3/25: 21-1

Quote- "You shall not, for the sake of one individual, change the meaning of principle and integrity, nor endeavour to persuade yourself or me, that selfishness is prudence, and insensibility of danger security for happiness" (Twain 131).


Explanation- This comes when Jane tries to defend, Charlotte's choice of accepting Collin's marriage proposal. Jane believes that Charlotte has just wanted to get married for the sake of getting married. This should be seen as normal, as many girls do the same thing in their town. Elizabeth is commenting that even if it is Charlotte it does not matter who the person she is questioning is, that would defeat the whole purpose of principle. Besides this point Charlotte, should stand up for her happiness. Elizabeth had thought she knew Charlotte's character very well but with this marriage on the horizon it seems that she has greatly misjudged her best friend's character.


Multiple Choice:
On page 131, Mar has seen two instances where people have lacked merit or sense. If one of them is Charlotte’s marriage than what is the other she alludes too?
a) Elizabeth's and Darcy's relationship
b) Ms. Bingley and Darcy’s relationship
c) Jane and Mr. Bingley's relationship
d) None of these answers are correct

P& P #4 3/23: 17-20

Quote- "That would be the greatest misfortune of all! To find a man agreeable when one is determined to hate! Do not wish me such an evil" (Twain 88).

Explanation- This quote is Elizabeth's response to Ms. Lucas's question of finding Mr. Darcy attractive. Elizabeth says that she does not want to be bothered with such a man even though she had unknowingly accepted to dance with Mr. Darcy. She is putting up a pretense about her feelings towards Mr. Darcy. She does not want to believe that she could be more attracted than repelled to such a proud, odious man. Her character is telling her that she cannot fall for this man, while her mind and body yearn for him, even without her realization from it. I believe that she will start to fall more and more in love with Mr. Darcy to the point where her character can accept it.

Multiple Choice-
"that she was selected from among her sisters as worthy of being the mistress of Hunsford Parsonnage...she observed his increasing civilities towards herself, and heard his frequent attempt at a compliment on her wit and vivacity" (85).
According to this passage which of the five Bennet girls does Mr. Collins seem to select to become his wife?
a) Jane
b) Kitty
c) Mary
d) Lizzy
e) Lydia

P& P #3 3.20: 11-16

Quote- "She attracted him more than he liked; and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more teasing to himself. He widely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration escape" (Austen 58).

Explanation- In this passage Elizabeth has decided to leave Mr. Bingley's estate because she believes she has outwelcomed her stay. Ms. Bingley is happy for her leaving as Elizabeth is taking all of Darcy's attention away from her. Mr. Darcy is paricularly indifferent about her leaving, but it seems like he wants Ms. Bennet to leave. He seems to notice that he is being attracted to Elizabeth more and more. He is to proud to admit this to anyone, because it could be seen as a fault in his character. And Mr. Darcy is to proud to let that happen.

Multiple Choice-
"It has often led him to be liberal and generous; to give his money freely, to display hospitably, to assist his teneranys, and relieve the poor. Family pride, and filial pride, he is very proud of what his father was, have done this" (79).
This passage most relates to which character:
A) Mr. Collins
B) Mr. Darcy
C) Mr.Bingley
D) Mr. Bennet

P& P #1 3/18: Ch 1-6

Quote: "A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment" (Austen 28).

Explanation-In their quaint little town the women seem to be only interested in getting married to the wealthiest of men. This quote depicts how quickly a woman can judge a man's character in an instant. This can work both positively and negatively (in some cases). When Mr. Bingley came to town he was rapidly admired by all the women of the town, before the women had even met him. They start to admire his wealth first, than when they are at the ball the women start to fall in love with his beauty. Now all they want to do is dance and chat with Mr. Bingley say they can be noticed; for all they are thinking now is marriage. Through all that his character has been judged and now every available girl in town wants to marry him. This happens all within knowing him but a few days.

Multiple Choice:
"A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinions of ourselves; vanity to what we would have others think of us" (21). Based on this passage and previous knowledge what is true about pride?
I. Pride is the Great Sin that leads to every other sin
II. Vanity is less beneficial than being proud
III. It is better to have both vanity and pride

A. I only
B. II and III
C.I and III
D.I, II, and III

Huck Finn 5: pg 185-209

Definitions:
1) Muggins- a person who lacks good judgment; fool
"Why, you talk like a muggins" (Twain 206).

2) Melodeum- a kind of accordion
"They had borrowed a melodeum" (194).

Quote-
"That made me feel pretty bad. About an hour or two ago, it would a been a little different, but now it made me feel bad and disappointed" (190).

Explanation- This quote happens when Huck is eavesdropping on the Duke and The King about where they hid their money and how they were planning to ditch the girls. There is also a change in Huck's character that he acknowledges. Maybe a while ago he would have gone with the plan and taken the money, but now he knows that it is defintely wrong because these girls opened up their home to Huck and were very nice to him. Huck is starting to form a bond of friendships with the girls, especially Mary-Jane. Now he cannot just sit around doing nothing while these crooks rob his friends. He will not allow it. Huck has always had some understanding of right and wrong but through this experience he is maturing his own ideals and will now act upon them.


Quote-
"though I ain't had no experience, and can't say for certain; but it looks so to me, anyway; and yet here's a case where I'm blest if I don't look to me like the truth is better, and actuly safer, than a lie" (200).

Explanation- This is a great step out of Huck's usual character. Instead of lying as he usually does whenever he is in trouble; having to remember that lie, and coming up with another just in case he messes up. This time Huck decides that he will be Frank and tell the truth to Mary-Jane about the uncle's true objective. Huck says that he has no experience with telling the truth so he afraid of what the results might be, but he still does it. After he had gone through his whole plan he said, "I felt very good" (207). For once, he started to feel very good of his actions. He knows that he made the right moral decision.

Jim

After spending time with Jim I want to know s’more about them nigger slaves. I says to Jim, “what’s it like being some slave Jim. Warn’t it hard, is it bad being one?” Jim took a great ole minute and the he says,
Dey white folks always be tellin Jim that sinse I is a nigger I ain’t got no rights. I gywne to work for them and calls em mastur and mad’m. All the tyme. But now I ain’t see nuffin wrong with it. What do you, honey?
“ It just sees weird o me that niggers like you, Jim get treated like nuffin but garbage all day long. I know I’d get awful tired of serfin Ms. Watson all day. Then when she felt likes selling me off, she would. That just don’t sit well wit me.?
Oh honey, yo’ a b’ thinkin too much. All that learnin at de skool startin to mess, with your head some. Just forgit bust it? I ju’t do as I told to do. I ain’t give bak no lip to dey white people. Cause all dey’ll do is sell me off to sum other white folk. So wat’s de point Huck? I’ll tells you that the’r is none. De ain’t nuffin fo’ us slave niggers. Dat’s why wes got to get be free. I gots me a dream, and I m gywne to be a-getting it.
“That’s an awful pow’rful speech, Jim.”

Huck

Dave Oreste


Two or three days went by me; I reckon it like cause it went all slow like. When we got to the next time we got to town I saw a girl by the, I ‘spose she was the same age as me. All she was doin was lookin at the sea, maybe she a wating for something to happen. I swum to shore and decided to chat with her for a bit, while Jim hide the raft somewheres. I got to the dock and staid there for a spell. She was awful pretty and smelled like sweet peaches, during the ripe season. I told her my name was Max Paine, just some kid pirate who would get adventures and ransomed off women , Tom Sawyer woulda been pride of me.

She giggled all girly-like. She was wearing a nice proper sun dress, like some uiform at a proper school. She was a-wearing a sun hat with flowers on the top of em, and knee-high socks, her shoes were off in the corner. She had sleek brown hair and eyes like the riverbend. She was a holding two books, I bet she was a-learnn a lot then in her fance schoolin. But she still looked pretty.

She says, Her name was Mary Lou. And that’s she loved my “tall tale” stories. I’m gussin she knew I was a-lying. She talked all proper-like. Like some rich preppy british ladies.

“So you are suppose to be some pirate huh. Well don’t mind me, oh warrior of the sea; I am just looking at the sea, trying to imagine what life on the sea would be like. I wish I could come with you Mr. Max. How I envy your life to such an extent.”
I thought it out for a bit and by and by she remind me bout how I feel when I was livin with the widow. She just want the same thing I git right now. So I says: “Come with me and let’s have us some adventures. She giggled, again. I said what’so matter.
“Well I’ll have to think about it first” Then she gave me a smooch and squeezed me tight. Then she giggled, picked up her shoes by my feet. And skipped a-long to the town. Girls are some mighty strange creatures, ain’t they?

Huck Finn 5: pg 129- 157

Definitions:
1) Contrite- caused by or showing sincere remorse.
"come with a contrite heart!" (Twain 143).

2) Sublime- impressing the mind with a sense of power; inspiring awe
"Ah, it's sublime, sublime!" (148).

Quote:
"If I never learnt nothing else out of pap, I learnt that the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way" (137).

Explanation- Here Huck's moral triangle is now processing what his pap told him to perform the correct action that Huck thinks is right. So Huck knows that the King and the Duke are lying about their identities. But by following his Pap rule, he believes that letting them have their way is the right thing to do because Huck and Jim want to avoid any unnecessary attention. And fighting with a bunch of strangers about their real identities would be too much of a hassle. The best thing to do is to live them alone and go with the flow.

Quote: "Whar'd you come f'm, boy? You prepared to die? Then he rode on. I was scared" (153).

Explanation- This quote shows hoe Huck is just a timid little boy. When he is threatened by an adult who looks scary and dangerous, Huck is frightened away and does not want to be killed. He may have once thought that he wanted to kill people himself and rob them, when he was part of his gang with Tom Sawyer. But after seeing Buck lying dead in front of him, he began to feel scared because he now understand how real death is and how it can affect him.

Huck Finn 4: pg 88-129

Definitions-
1) Wigwam- an American Indian dwelling, usually of rounded or oval shape, formed of poles overlaid with bark, mats, or skins.
"Then he got up slow, and walked to the wigwam, and went in there, without saying anything but that" (Twain 98).

2) Cavort- jump or dance around excitedly
""There was four or five men cavorting around on their horses" (126).

Quotes-I didn't do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn't done that one if I'd a knowed it would make him feel that way" (98).

Explanation- Heck comes to the sudden realization that Jim is someone he should care for. And should not be the butt of all his shenanigans. These two are on the run together that means that they have no one else but if each other. If Huck kept up his Huck his, friendship with Jim could have ended. With his last trick he made Jim leave without saying a word to him. Huck showed sympathy and compassion towards Jim now because he doesn't ever want him to feel like that again because it was mean and stupid. In a way Huck could be maturing more and more.

Quote- "s'pose you done a right and give Jim up; would you felt better than what you do now? No, says I, I'd feel bad- I'd feel just the same way I do now" (104).

Explanation- Huck knows that he was wrong to have lied to the gentlemen that gave him money, but he did not want to reveal Jim. Huck is now thinking to himself if he had made the right decision. He has been taught about his Conscience and is now thinking which decision would have been the moral one. Should he sell out Jim to the men persecuting him, thinking that would make him feel better. Or should he let his friend become free even if Huck does not like his intentions. I believe that Huck made the right decision by lying to the gentlemen. He made a promise to Jim and should keep it, despite the risks. I think Huck will feel that he made the right decision.

Huck Finn 3: 47-66

Definitions-
1) rubbage- rubbish
"We found a brass button in his stomach, and a round ball, and lots of rubbage" (Twain 64).

2) Speculate- to engage in any business transaction involving considerable risk or the chance of large gains
"What did you speculate in, Jim?" (56).

Quote:
"Jim, this is nice... I wouldn't want to be nowhere else but here" (59).

Explanation: Huck is telling Jim that it is nice to be out in the wide open ranges again. To get back to his roots and experience all he was missing while he was with the mistress and under his father's "care". He is glad to be with Jim and go on some adventures and just have fun. He still would not want to go back to the way his life was. He does not seem to like change and to be away from the woods. He just wants to stay and the wilderness and keep everything the same.

Quote: "I didn't look at him at all. Jim throwed some old rags over him, but he needn't done it; I didn't want to see him" (60).

Explanation- This quote reminds the reader that Huck is just a twelve year old child. Even though he smokes and does what he pleases. And he says he is willing to kill anybody. He is just a child who is afraid of death. As he was so afraid of the dead body that he did not want to acknowledge it. As many kids his age do when confronted with a similar situation.

Huck Finn 2: 28-46

Defintions:
1) Skiff- any of various types of boats small enough for sailing or rowing by one person.
"The old man made me go to the skiff and fetch the things he had got" (Twain 35).

2) Palavering- a conference or discussion; chatter
"Don't stand there palavering all day, but out with you and see if there's a fish on the lines for breakfast" (40).

Quote:
"I'll learn people to bring up a boy to put on airs over his own father and let on to be better'n what he is" (29).

Explanation- Huck's father has a problem with Huck going to school and learning to read and write. He thinks that if it is not good enough for him to learn, why should it be good for Huck. Nobody in their family could read and write, so he thinks Huck should not either. He does not want Huck to be better than he is. He thinks that since he is the father he should be looking down on his son because he is smarter. But since Huck has some new skills it could be the other way around. And so he feels threaten by this, and will hurt Huck to prove that he is still dominate.

"This shook me up considerable, because I didn't want to go back to the widow's any more and be so cramped up and sivilized, as they called it" (35).

Huck is now slowly returning to his old roots. He does not want to go back to the widow and be cramped and told what to do all day long. He wants to be free again. Even if he is with a sad excuse for a father. He can do whatever he wants without a care in the world, even though his dad beat him and dragged him to the woods. Huck is happy to be back to the way he had once lived before.

Huck Finn 1: 9-27

Definitions:
1) Ambuscade- an ambush
"... so we would lay in ambuscade, as he called it, and kill the lot and scopp the things" (Twain 21).

2) Stile- a series of steps by means of which a person may pass over a wall or fence that remains a barrier to sheep or cattle
"I went down the front garden and clumb over the stile, where you go through the high board fence" (25).

Quote:
"There is ways to keep off kinds of bad luck, but this wasn't one of them kind; so I never tried to do anything, but just poked along low-spirited and on the watch-out" (25).

Explanation- In this quote Huck is being very vigilant because he did not get a chance to throw salt over his shoulder and stop some bad luck. This shows that huck is very superstitious, because he is so scared that something bad is going to happen to him now. When Huck saw his dad's footprints in the snow he said, "There was a cross in the left-heel made with big nails, to keep off the devil" (25). Maybe Huck gets his superstitious attitude from his father because his dad is trying to fend off the devil by having a cross on his foot. So, Huck might have learned being superstitious from his father. By preventing bad luck, Huck may believe he will end up better than his dad.

Quote:
"I liked the old ways the best, but I was getting so I liked the new ones, too, a little bit. The widow said I was coming along slow but sure, and doing very satisfactory. She said she warn't ashamed of me" (24).

Explanation: Huck still adores and treasures the old way of life he once had. He liked how he was so free before, but he is getting used to his new way of life. It was hard for him at school because he does not seem to be to intelligent and would sometimes play hookey. The longer he went to school the better it got for him. Huck is slowly making the transition from his free-spirited life to his current life now. And he is starting to enjoy it.

Final Sin Essay

Dave Oreste
AP English 11- Mr. George
February 26, 2009
Final Sin Essay
Road to Redemption
If man only gets one life to live, why should he care about his sin? Sin is only an action that gives life more pleasure. Man should be living life to the fullest and treat each day as an adventure. Why should others care for your sin, what’s done is done? Why should they care, for it was your action not theirs. Since God gave us life, he has already pre-destined all the sins we will commit and all the temptations we may fall into. Why should we even bother repenting if God knows we may do it again? In that question lies the answer: God gave us life to be born into his image. Life is a privilege, not a right. God brought us into this world to live life to the fullest under his laws of morality. In the novels, The Scarlet Letter and The Picture of Dorian Gray plus in the play “The Crucible”, we have learned that if we do not acknowledge our sins, and ignore them without any sort of repentance, we will be shunned away from the kingdom of heaven for eternity.
From “The Crucible” both John Proctor and Abigail Williams have both sinned together in the act of adultery. These two are perfect examples to show the different types of ways to deal with your sin. Abigail Williams does not seem to care about her sin thinking it will not harm her. She does not deal with her sin privately or publicly. In fact she does not deal with her sin at all. She is a sinner who has yet to acknowledge her sin, or even think about redemption. She instead manipulates people to force them on her side. With Abigail you are either with her or against her. If you’re against her then she will make sure you have been removed from the village. It seems that even though she was the worst sinner in “The Crucible”, she would get off the hook scot free. But what she did not realize is that if you do not seek redemption for your sin, you will not see God in the mortal world. She will never hope to see God in the next world.Abigail soon became nothing more than a degrading prostitute who will never see God for all eternity. She chose to not grapple with her sin at all, unlike her adulteress partner.
John Proctor chose to deal with his sins privately. The reasoning behind his choice of bearing his sins privately is because his village “had no ritual for the washing away of sins” (Miller 20). Since there was no way the village as a whole could absolve his sins; so he concluded his salvation would have to come from elsewhere and from other people. Proctor’s choice of bearing his sins privately forced him to keep it from the village, but not from his wife as he still valued the sanctity of his marriage. He confides in Mrs. Proctor about his actions and proves his honesty to her. But the true reason is that he is turning to his wife to forgive him and absolve his sins. Therefore he needs to find another path towards redemption. Proctor’s sin will now continue to cause him great turmoil. Since his wife acts cold towards him, he feels as if he has not been forgiven.
Even though Proctor wants to tell the villagers that Abigail is a liar he wants to protect his own reputation of being an honest man. If he tells the villagers about Abigail’s lies, she would then tell the public about their adulteress acts, because of this Proctor faces an internal conflict. Proctor reveals his sin in front of the council, because he knows that Abigail is minx. And he asks the court, “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” (110). Meaning that he has finally realized he has been looking for redemption from flawed humans and if they can’t see Abigail for what she is they can’t judge him.
It is difficult to confess one’s sin but the more you confess the better you can recover from it. By publicly revealing his sin, Proctor realized that God is the ultimate and final judge: “I can. And there is your first marvel, that I can” (144). Proctor realizes that even though his village may not have any rituals to wash his sins, but there lies a ritual with God. He accepts this flaw and forgives himself. Which gives him the fortitude to receive his final redemption.
Abigail sin affected her life in more than she thinks. Even though she was the worst sinner she was getting off scot free, but in the end she became a prostitute. Proctor may have died even though he revealed his sins both privately and publicly, but he got an even greater accomplishment. He dealt with his sin and it was his priority to find some sort of redemption. What is important is that we have got to acknowledge that we have sinned. By doing this your sin can never make you weal, you can only grow stronger because of it.
In the novel The Scarlet Letter, there is also a theme of adultery as well. Hester Prynne was a beautiful seamstress who had seeming “lost’ her husband. Arther Dimmesdale was a young, well respected priest of the people. To them Dimmesdale looked as if he was a representation of God; meaning he should be infallible since he is representing the almighty father. In this novel, they both have sinned in the act of adultery. Both characters have a different ways on how they deal with their sin.
Living in this theocratic town, Hester will be punished for her sin. Since she cannot hide the fact that she gave birth to Pearl outside of marriage, she is branded with the title of adultress. With this she openly bears her sin publicly because she feels she has no need to hide it or her Pearl. She decorated her Scarlet Letter and made it gorgeous and placed it on her bosom. So that whenever anyone saw her that bright red “A” would be the first thing they see. To the villagers, “It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of ordinary relations with humility, and enclosing her in a sphere by herself” (Hawthorne 51). The town would do nothing but gossip about her because no other sinner has shown their Scarlet Letter with such fruition. That they there not go close to her. But Hester has come out proud and beautiful with her sin, as opposed to being grim and lifeless. She sought out to be a “living sermon against sin” (59). And by bearing her sin publicly she has grown stronger because of it. With her strength Hester declined taking off her Scarlet Letter, instead of a source of sin, the Scarlet Letter had become a source of strength. And with it her A transmute from Adulterer to Able. As she is able realize that God is the final judge.
Dimmesdale decides to bear his sin privately, and he did it for the same reason as John Proctor to protect his reputation. With his sin Dimmesdale enters a cycle of Self- Torture that he cannot stop. As a priest Dimmesdale preaches against sin even though he had already sinned. Then he needs to atone for it publicly but he cannot because he feels like it will ruin the entire Christian faith in his colony. If the best representation of God has fallen into sin what chances would the people have, there would be nothing but mass pandemonium. And it was Dimmesdale duty to avoid this at all cost. He holds the Christian faith as the most important thing. So when he preaches to the villagers it always has a double meaning as he is talking about how wretched he is. By him preaching how wretched he is the people only love him more, which makes him hate himself more because he is acting as a hypocrite. By them loving him more he hates himself to the point that he beats the sin out of himself. He beats himself with a scourge, “in order to purify the body and render it the fitter medium of celestial illumination, but rigorously, and until his knees trembled beneath him, as an act of penance” (132). This is an abrasive way to redeem him, but he sees it as the only way to redeem himself. Because he hates himself, he feels he needs to speak to the people but he will not. Until, he comes back from the forest and realizes that his sin will always be with him. He then focuses on what he has to do and makes one final sermon. He says, “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” (231). I t came to him that the ultimate judge is God and you can only reach him if you are true with yourself. So you must reveal your sin and deal with your consequences. When you do God will be waiting for you.
In the Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian has a different sin from adultery. Rather than just talking about sin, Dorian’s sin is just a general sin that he committed. And one he tries to hide from and puts on a front about how it does not affect him.
In the beginning of the novel, Dorian is shown as a very handsome, loving, and innocent when Lord Henry firsts meets him. When Basil Hallward, a painter, tries to capture Dorian’s true essence on his canvas; Harry begins to speak with Dorian. “The moment I met you I saw that you were quite unconscious of what you really are, of what you really might be” (Wilde 25). When Harry talks to him he tells Dorian that he is just flaunting his beauty and wasting it by doing these charitable works. And that Dorian should use his beauty to his advantage. Harry is trying to put into Dorian’s mind, a brand new Hedonism that Harry wants him to follow. Harry talks about, “Youth! Youth! There is absolutely nothing in the world but youth” (25). Harry piques Dorian curiosity and begins to manipulate him with his words. Even though Harry says youth and beauty are important; he uses nothing but the elegance of his words to trick Dorian into believing this new Hedonism.
Harry wants to see what will become of Dorian when he undertakes this new life Harry has for him. What sins will he commit and what lives will he ruin with his beauty. Harry may not believe this Hedonism himself, but he will use Dorian as an experiment to see what the consequences will be of his actions.
When Basil finishes the portrait the portrait, Dorian could feel nothing but sadness because now the picture will remain forever beautiful, while Dorian loses his beauty to an enemy who cannot be charmed-time. At this moment is where he makes his wish that, if it were only the other way! If the picture could change, and I could be always what I am now!” (29). This wish makes it so that the painting will take Dorian’s hardships and consequences while he always remains free from sin. When Dorian meets Sybil Vane he thought he had fallen in love, but what he loved was Sybil’s acting. He loved the all the different women Sybil could portray; it had given him pleasure. When Sybil acted poorly, she did it because she was in love with Dorian. She could not believe that she was actually her character. Dorian felt heartbroken because he was in love with Sybil’s acting now that it is gone he cannot get any pleasure; therefore has no more use for her. Dorian says, “You have killed my love” (91). He had acted as if he were the victim. He disowned Sybil and left her. Later she committed suicide.
When Dorian looks at his portrait he notices that it has become hideous and that his picture his taking the brunt of all his sins. He no longer has to worry about the consequences of his actions. And can now be the spectator and actor of his own life. Years later, Dorian is known for destroying the reputation of his friends. He acts like poison spreading from one relationship to another. Only Basil cannot believe Dorian because he worshipped him. When he meets with Basil he wants to show him the painting and how much it has changed. Basil feels horrified when he sees it and then Dorian draws a knife and kills Dorian. When he does he begins to refer to the painter as it and is seemingly dehumanizing Basil. He calls his friend Alan to get rid of the body for him. And while he is telling Alan the story he then acts again like he is the victim. Dorian forces him to do it because he knew some dark secret about Alan that could potentially ruin him. Just like Dorian’s former friends. Alan gets rid of the body of the body just like Dorian wants. Later it is revealed that Alan also committed suicide maybe as an attempt to escape Dorian’s sinful ways.
Dorian now feels like he cannot take this lifestyle anymore. He wants a fresh start to his life; one without sin. So he goes up to the attic to where the painting is located. He draws a knife and is ready to destroy his sin once and for all without any sort of repentance. When he tries to stab his portrait, he ends stabbing himself. Where he dies without an attempt to absolve his sins.
What should one take from this, that it does not matter whether you bear your sins publicly or privately. What matters is that you that you bear you sin at all. You have to grapple with it. In “The Crucible”, The Scarlet Letter, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. It is shown that all the characters have performed some type of sin. We see that Abigail, Proctor, Dimmesdale, and Hester have all done the same sin-adultery. Even though they have all done the same sin all but one seemed to grapple with their sin. Proctor realized that God was the final and ultimate judge. Hester bared her sin publicly, and Dimmesdale bared his sins privately. Abigail did not grapple. Only Abigail ignored her sin. And it seems that her time on earth was the worse out of all of them as she was seen as a prostitute and is seemingly sent to hell. Like Dorian Gray did not bear his seen. He just watched as his portrait took all the consequences of his sin. He did not want to grapple with his seen, as he thought he was the victim of every sin that he committed. When he realized what he was turning into he wanted to abolish his painting and with it the sin, but what he has failed to realize is that he did not repent. He just wanted it out of existence and with this wish; he was abolished from existence. Dorian cannot have his sins gone if he did not repent. It will only destroy you. That is why you have to realize you have sin and start your penance; or else you will be haunted by your sin.

Witticisms

1. The man who does not conquer anything, but has the most freedom deserves the title of king in this world.

2. Sometimes you have to be a little insane to be truly sane.

3. Those who preach that justice is revenge, do not know what justice is about.

4. To live life to the fullest is an oath men swear to God.

5. The spirit of a man grasps at the rising burning sun at the top of the summit.

6. Every man has to set out on their own with nothing but the shirt on their back and a pocket full of dreams.

7. To stand firm and take down their father to pass the corpse and set out on their own path is the obligation of every child.

8. To not run away when you are being knocked down by some misfortune, to stand back up and never giving up no matter how pathetic it looks, that's what being a man is all about.

9. Home is the place where someone is thinking about you and you are thinking of them; that is where you belong.

10. The power to protect the people that are precious to you, is what true strength is all about.

Dorian Gray: Chap 15 and 16

Definitions-
1) Corroborative- to make more certain; confirm
"If you want any corrobarative evidence on the subject you can ask him" (Wilde 186).

2) Audacious- extremely bold or daring; fearless
" Oh! she is audacious enough for anything, my dear" (182).

Quote- “A man can be happy with any woman, as long as he does not love her” (184).

Explanation- This response by Lord Henry, is disagreeing with Lady Narborough view that once you have found the perfect match, or the one in some instances, then you can have a happy marriage. This idea is seen wrong, because he begins to take a theological view toward it. When one marries he vows to commit himself entirely to the partner. Love was never stated in the vows, but it can be a good basis. If a man loves a woman, he may not generally have the idea of commitment in his mind. Furthermore after a few years a marriage can peak, and the spark that intertwined the couple in love, can began to fizzle. Just as Dorian has done with Sibyl Vane, he only loved and did not commit; which ended in a tragedy. As long as one commits and does not love; he can be happy.

Quote- “Ugliness that had once been hateful to him because it made things real, became dear to him now for that very reason. Ugliness was the one reality” (191).

Explanation- Dorian Grey could only hate the ugly in all things because it took away all the beauties out of life. It had showed Dorian all the things that he did not want to see. As Dorian wanted to be a spectator of his own life the ugliness in all things had stopped him on his path of achieving that goal. But for that same reason he needed the ugly, it was the one thing that brought him back to the real world. Dorian is acting as a teenager who hates drugs and knows the consequences of them, but he believes that he needs drugs to stay content. He believes it to be a physical need, than what it is truly a physical want. Dorian does not need ugliness; he wants it so that he may too stay content and become stabilized.

Dorian Gray: Chap 14

Defintions-
1) Precipice- cliff with a vertical, or nearly vertical or overhanging face
" Time seemed to him to be crawling with feet of lead, while he by monstrous winds was being swept toward the jagged edge of some black cleft or precipice" (Wilde 171).

2) Entreat- to ask (a person) earnestly; beg
" Alan, I entreat you" (174).

Quote- "You were stern, harsh, and offensive. You treeated me as no man has ever dared to treat me-no living man, at any rate. I bore it all. Now it is time for me to dictate terms" (175).

Explanation- Dorian has now taken the offensive, with his friend Alan Campbell. Campbell did not want anything to do with Dorian at this point. He did not want to but he has made Dorian do it. Dorian said that no man alive has dared to treat him like that; making some reference to Basil. Forshadowing the dire consequences that lay in the wake for disobeying Dorian. Instead of falling into the will of Dorian, Alan kept on denying his every requests. Dorian feels angered in a way because people wwill do just about anything he says because of his beauty, but Alan has done the opposite. Now Alan has become a ppuppet of Dorian who tried to go against him but miserably fell into the will of Dorian Gray.

Quote- " There was something in the purity and refinement of that sad face that seemed to enrage him. 'You are infamous, abosultely infamous!' " (176).

Explanation- Here Alan could not believe how the sad and beautiful expression Dorian had. Even though Dorian just boldly told him that he murdered someone without the hint of resentment. Now Dorian is crying over it. It was this sudden change in his character that angered Alan because he could not figure out Dorian at all, which is Dorian's specialty.

Dorian Gray: Chap 12 and 13

Definitions:
1) Debauchery- excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures;intemperance
"Did I teach the one his vices and the other his debauchery?" (Wilde 155).

2) Stanch- to stop the flowing of; to check or extinguish
" You know I have been always a stanch friend to you" (157).

Quote- "One has a right to judge of a man by the effect he has over his friends. Yours seem to to lose all sense of honor of goodness, of purity. You have filled them with a madness for pleasure" (155).

Explanation- This quote comes from Basil as he is trying to tell Dorian he is on a dangerous path. That this path Dorian is on is affecting all areas of his life including his dearest friends. The reason why people won't associae with Dorian because anyone he comes in contact with have been shamed and their reputations have been ruined. All because of Dorian's action. He has become like poison itself affecting everyone and giving them a lustful taste for pleasure. It seems as if Harry experiment has had some pretty interesting results. Anyone who comes into contact will be poisoned and ruined for life. The experimentee seems to drastically change into an abonation who can hide his true self from the world.


Quote- There was neither real sorrow in it nor real joy. There was simply the passion of the spectator, with perhaps a flicker of triumph in his eyes" (160)

Explanation- Dorian has now acheived his desire of controlling his emotions and using them to get the greatest pleasure. As he said before, "To become the spectator of one's own life, as Harry says, is to escape the suffering of life" (114). He had now become the sought after spectaator he wanted to be. Meaning that he was living out his life but at the same time he is enjoying it; whether it be good or bad. It is just satisfying his pleasures. He is just an actor going performing in the play; yet at the same time he is in the audience appluading for more. His epic triumph comes from his mastery of his life and how he bends and twists it any way he pleases.

Dorian Gray: Chap 11

Defintions:
1) Macerted- to soften or separate into parts by steeping in a liquid
"She may hide the macerated body that is worn by the suffering that she seeks for,and wounded by self-inflicted pain" (Wilde 143).

2) Anchorite- a person who has retired to a solitary placefpr a life of religious seclusion; hermit

Quote- "There was somnething in the purity of his face that rebuked them. His mere presence seemed to recall to them the memory of the innocence that they had once turnished" (131).

Explanation- This would be a certain truth that Dorian has; that he can believe until they see him. Dorian Grey is beautiful. People have heard dark tales about him and will gossip about his devilish behavoir. Although as soon as he enters a room no one can believe that this purest of angels could do wrong. It is like believing that a cute innocent rabbit commited a murder, it is just too improbable and farfetched to be true.

Quote- He would suddenly leave his guests and rush to town to see that his portrait had not been tampered with. . . Perhaps the world already suspected it" (144- 145).

Explanation- Dorian Gray is being paranoid, that is his biggest problem. He can not enjoy himself because hefears that somehow, someone will tamper with the door and see the true essence of his soul; his true shame. He is so paranoid that he thinks the world is against him. This is revealing the truth because many are gossiping to see if he has any scandals.

Dorian Gray: Chap 9 and 10

Definitions:
1) Ennui- a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from a lack of interest; boredom (dictionary.com)
"He had absolutely nothing to do, almost died of ennui, and became a confirmed misanthrope" (Wilde 113).

2) Garrulous- excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner especially about trivial matters (dictionary.com)
"She lingered for a few moments, and was garrulous over some detail of the household" (122).

Quote: "To become the spectator of one's own life, as Harry says, is to escape the suffering of life. I know...this. You have not realized now how much I have developed. I was a schoolboy when you knew me" (114).

Explanation- Dorian is explaining to Basil that when he knew Dorian, he was a pure, kind, and sincere child and he loved his innocent life back then. But now because of Harry's influence, Dorian has learned that he has been squandering his good looks and has learned the truths behind his beauty. Harry has turned Dorian from this innocent child to this knowledgeable man. Instead of Dorian living his own life, as he did before. He will now live his life and be a spectator as well. He won't be at the mercy of his emotions; he will now use them when ever he pleases to give him pleasure. He will now master his life to give him the most excitement while he is still beautiful.


Quote: "Yet he could not help feeling infinite pity for the painter who had just made this strange confession to him, and wondered if he himself would ever be so dominated by the personality of a friend" (119).

Explanation- This quote comes after Basil's confession to Dorian about the true nature of his art and how he feels about Dorian himself. Basil told Dorian that he was completely dominated by Dorian's beauty but he feared that he put too much into the painting but realizes now that his art would conceal his feelings toward Dorian. Dorian thought this painter was pitiful for being so dominated by his presence, but what Dorian has yet to realize is that, to some extent, he is the same as Basil. Whenever Dorian begins to talk about his perspective on life he will always quote Harry. He feels that he can never lie to Harry; Dorian will always forgive Harry for any of his actions. What Dorian has to realize is that he has become dominated by Harry and is in the palm of his hands. He has been wrapped up in Harry's Philosophy and has become more than fond of him.

Dorian Gray: Chap 8

Definitions:
1) sanguine- cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident; bloody
"to find his way through the sanguine labyrinth of passion through which he was wandering" (Wilde 100).

2) cognizance- awareness, realization, or knowledge; perception
"Did it merely take cognizance of what passed within the soul" (109)

Quote- "When we blame ourselves we feel that no one else has a right to blame us. It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution. When Dorian Gray had finished the letter, he felt that he had been forgiven" (100).

Explanation- In a sense this is true because when one admits to their sin they feel better. Through a theological approach, the more you admit to your sin the better you feel accustomed to it; instead of feeling ashamed of it. One feels like they can openly admit their sin whenever they are asked. But Dorian Gray is only half right in his quote. He feels that it is only necessary to confess his sin openly and without the help of the priest;ergo without the help of God. As we have seen in "The Crucible" and "The Scarlet Letter" you need to bear your sin to God and openly; so both privately and publicly to be absolved of one's sin. You can not have one without the other. Ergo you can not be absolved and be lead into the eternal kingdom of God.

"I am afraid that women appreciate cruelty, downright cruelty, more than anything else. They have wonderfully primitive instincts. We have emancipated them, but they remain slaves looking for their masters, all the same. They love being dominated" (106-107).

Explanation- Lord Henry seems to believe in an age where women are not too bright and are seemingly second-class to men. As he says,"My dear boy, no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex" (51). He is telling Dorian that women are just play things to men. Harry is trying to pass on these principles to Dorian, making Dorian believe that what he did to Sibyl was the right thing to do. In essence that is what she wanted from. In Lord Henry's age, men are at the 'head' of society, and women have no say in the matter. In the modern age this idea is thought as an 'old school' thought( or how the churches view marriages). In this present age society has moved on to equality throughout all things: marriages, families, etc. They are no longer decorative. They are a smart and intellectual gender.

Dorian Gray: Chap 7

Definitions-
1) Sordid- ignoble or base; vile
"[...] if she can create some sense of beauty in people whose lives have been sordid and ugly" (Wilde 86).

2) callousness- devoid of feeling or passion; halfheartedness
"He remembered with what callousness he had watched her" (95).

Quote: "I knew nothing but the shadows, and I thought them real. You came-oh, my beautiful love!-and freed my soul from prison. You thought me what reality really is" (90).

Explanation- Sibyl may have given the poorest performance of her acting career but she is happy as can be. No longer will she be all these characters and pretend their realities to be her own. Instead of everything being her reality, Dorian is now her one and only reality. She will never act as she once did because the words she utters seem fake and hollow. They do not give her meaning as they once did. Her Prince Charming has freed her from the redundancy of stage life into the warm embrace of love.

Quote: "I don't wish to be unkind, but I can't see you again. You have disappointed me" (92).

Explanation- Dorian was not in love with Sibyl, he was in love with all the characters she played. He was in love with the genius and pure beauty of her acting; he loved her art. Dorian loved how passionate she was about her character, but when she acted so horrible. He lost all interest. She was no longer Juliet or Rosalind; she was just plain Sibyl. She no longer had the same enthusiasm as she once had. She played her role as Sibyl and not like Juliet, because of this Sibyl had killed Dorian's love. All she was now, was some third rate actress who "had been shallow and unworthy" (95) of his love. This is different then the way we experience love because we seem to love the person and not the action; for Dorian it seems to be the other way around.

Dorian Gray: Chap 5 and 6

Definitions:
1)Incorrigible- bad beyond correction or reform. (dictionary.com)
"You are quite incorrigible, Harry; but I don't mind" (Wilde 86).

2) Leaden- dull, spiritless, or gloomy, as in mood or thought. (dictionary.com)
"Leaden with fear, his mother watched him" (74).

Quote: "I wish I had, for as sure as there is a God in heaven, if he ever does you any wrong, I shall kill him"(73).

Explanation- James is very protective of her big sister. He thinks that this love between Sibyl and this "prince charming" is just a farce to use sibyl; he won't allow anything bad to happen to her. He is willing to put his life and his reputation on the line for her. He was even thinking about dropping his whole trip. He is the only one who can protect her and as long as she is in live she could get hurt like their mother. Therefore he will not allow that to happen.

Quote: "Being adored is a nuisance. Women treat us just as humanity treats its gods. They worship us, and are always bothering us to do something for them" (83).

Explanation- Harry believes that being adored is not all its cracked up to be.When humans are worshiping gods, we only bother them when we want something or in dire need for help. And from time to time this can feel nostalgic to the gods. Harry is taking that same concept and applying it to marriage. Harry is saying that marriage can feel a little nostalgic too. Your wife may worship you but will only ask for your services when she wants it and never when you want it.

Dorian Gray: Chap 4

Definitions:
1) aphorisms- a tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; a brief statement of a principle. (dictionary.com)
"That is one of your aphorisms" (Wilde 51).

2) munificent-extremely liberal in giving; very generous. (dictionary.com)
"When he saw me he made me a low bow, and assured me that I was a munificent patron of art" (57).

Quote: "I believe I can't help telling you things. You have such a curious influence over me. If I ever did a crime, I would come and confess it to you. You would understand me" (56).

Explanation- Dorian believes now that whenever he has a problem or has a great experience in his life. The only one who can fully comprehend his feelings is Lord Henry. Dorian believes that some force is making him want to tell Lord Henry. But what he doesn't know or yet realize is the Harry has been manipulating him from the start. It is not him wanting to tell Harry his desires. It is really Harry, forcing young Dorian to reveal every aspects of his life to Harry.

Quote: "Perhaps you had better write to him. I don't want to see him alone. He says things that annoy me. He gives me good advice" (60).

Explanation- Dorian is trying to say that he doesn't want to be with Basil without Harry there because Basil allegedly gives him good advice. This alludes to the part when Basil warned Dorian that Harry was a bad influence. But now that Dorian has fallen under Harry's spell. He craves the bad advice; he can not live without it. And he does not want Basil to now try to talk some sense into him or risk losing Lord Henry for good.

Dorian Gray: Chap 3

"It posed the lad, made him more perfect as it were. Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic" (Wilde 39).

Explanation: Lord Henry has just finished talking with his uncle, Lord Fermor, about Dorian Gray's past. After that he begins to go over the story in his head. Learning that Dorian's mother risked everything she had to fall in love with a commoner. Then that her father chose to hire someone to murder Dorian's father. It started out as a beautiful story but had a tragic end. Now that Lord Henry found out about this, he believes that anything that started with beauty will end with regret. Just like Dorian Gray's beauty will soon be lost and have a tragic end; "What a pity it was that such beauty was destined to fade! (39).

"To get back one's youth one has merely to repeat one's follies" (44).

Explanation: Lord Henry is trying to explain a theory with this quote to the Duchess of Harley. That to feel young again you must relive all the mistakes you have made and relive all those dangerous situations. When you are young you may make the most mistakes of your life. By going through those experiences once more you believe that you are young once more. When you grow older you grow wiser and thinking about mistakes will prove that you may not be wise. And in a sense you may not be old.

Definitions:

1) Iridescent- adj. displaying a play of lustrous colors like those of the rainbow.
"let it escape and recaptured it; made it iridescent with fancy, and winged it with paradox.

2) Supercilious- adj. haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression.
"'I am told, on excellent authority, that her father keeps an American dry-goods store,' said Sir Thomas Burdon, looking supercilious" (41).

Dorian Gray: Chap 1 and 2

"We live in an age when men treat art as if it were meant to be a form of autobiography. We have lost the abstract sense of beauty. Some day I will show the world what it is; and for that reason the world shall never see my portrait of Dorian Gray" (Wilde 13).

Explanation: This quote is when Hallward is explaining to Lord Henry, why he won't exhibit the painting. Hallward is trying to explain that many artists of that century have lost the true reason behind art. These artists only look at art as a source of income, instead of just pleasure out of making art. The reason Hallward made the portrait of Dorian Gray was for the sake of beauty itself and how this man would be immortalized forever by his beauty. Hallward is not trying to make a profit; he is just looking for the beauty in all things.

Ensconced- to settle securely or snugly. (dictionary.com)
"And the two young men went out into the garden, and ensconced themselves on a long bamboo seat that stood in the shade of a tall laurel bush"(7).

Quote: "How long will you like me? Till I have my first wrinkle, I suppose. I know,
now, that when one loses one's good looks, whatever they may be loses everything. Your picture has taught me that" (28-29).

Explanation- This quote comes after Dorian sees his portrait. But when he sees it he realizes something that scares him. This portrait will always be beautiful and remain young but Dorian himself will just keep growing older and older until he becomes "dreadful, hideous, and uncouth" (27). He realizes this from his talk with Lord Henry. Dorian was inept to the fact that he was growing older and that he was squandering his beauty. That Henry made him realize that one day he will grow old and lose everything, meaning his youth. And to Lord Henry, "There is absolutely nothing in the world but youth!" (25)With this Lord Henry has stripped Dorian of his innocence and has shown him the cruelty of the world.

Definition:
Uncouth- strange or awkward. (dictionary.com)
"He would become dreadful, hideous, and uncouth" (27).

Scarlet Essay

Essay Topic 4

The forest is seen as a nesting ground for the black man as he roams around looking for his next victim to take with him to the underworld. It is a dark and shady region, with its tall and dense trees. It seems to eclipse the part of the sun that would have given the forest some life. As this primeval region is believed to be the Devil’s land, no one can feel safe trotting though it. The forest symbolizes evil; it is the physical representation of the fear of sin the villagers have. Since it is the place where many sins occur, it is well-concealed, and is away from the watchful eye of society. Yet, in the books The Scarlet Letter and in The Crucible the forest seems to play the role of a safe haven for those that have sinned, contradicting the accepted understanding of the village as a safe haven for villagers.
In The Crucible the forest was seen as dangerous and a home for the Devil. So much so that it was a sin for anyone to enter the forest. With the harsh teachings of the Puritan lifestyle, many people were becoming so agitated that people were accusing others of being witches. With accusations flying all over, many villages suffered because of the pandemonium witchcraft created. As for Salem, the people were on edge because so many people were already accused of witchcraft. So to escape this wild village, Abigail Williams found the forest as a place of safety, to escape the turmoil.
From the uproar in her village, Abigail decided to bring some of her friends and Tituba to dance in the forest and perform many of Tituba’s native rituals. They danced under the night of the forest shade where it would be difficult to see, partaking in acts which would be considered witchcraft if they were caught. These sinners felt free from the establishment of their Puritan society. They could not be judged, they could not be undermined, and all they felt was the bliss of pure happiness in a place were only evil took place.
As a result, when these ladies returned to the village they were targeted as being witches because they were caught. People believed they were selling their souls in the forest because that is where the devil is located. Abigail wants to hide the fact that she was in the forest. She tells the other girls, “Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam's dead sisters. . . I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you” (Miller 20). Abigail starts to threaten the other girls and forces them to never speak a word of what happened in the forest, because people will assume that the only reason anyone should have been there is to meet with the devil; they wanted to escape and be free. When Tituba was blamed she blamed Abigail, and likewise, Abigail placed the blame on someone else. This lead to people being falsely accused, and many deaths within the village.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was forced to wear the scarlet letter. She builds her home, on the outskirts of town, in the forest; far from the village where no one can see her. For if no one can see her, then they can put her adulterous ways out of the villagers hands. The forest’s “Comparative remoteness put it out of the sphere of that special activity which already marked the habits of the emigrants” (Hawthorne 75).
From this quote, Hester chooses to live in this remote area to seclude herself from the village and have a peaceful haven to return to. She chooses the forest instead of the town because when she enters the village there is a bubble of seclusion around her. The villagers only see the scarlet letter upon her bosom; and because of it they want nothing to do with this sinner. They will only judge and observe Hester from a distance.
Certain outcasts also turn to the demonic forest because they have indirectly sinned and need a way out. In The Scarlet Letter, little Pearl is an outcast in her home of Boston. Even though she has yet to commit a sin, she is the physical manifestation of her mother’s sin. When Pearl entered into the forest, she would play around and look like a forest sprite jumping from place to place. As she is in this forest the author points out, “Pearl resembled the brook, inasmuch of her life gushed from a well-spring as mysterious [. . .] But, unlike the little stream, she danced and sparkled, and prattled airily along her course” (168- 169). According to this quote a little brook in a dark forest is the best way to describe an elfish seven year old girl as opposed to the city. It is clear here that Pearl is one with nature, meaning that she does not fit in the town. She is a sinner, and a sinner’s place is the forest. That is where Pearl is safe; that is where she belongs.
In The Scarlet Letter, there is an interaction between Hester Prynne and Dimmesdale that further enhances the theme of the forest being a safe haven. They are both sinners; therefore, they know that they do not belong in the village. In the village Hester Prynne was judged by everyone’s reaction to the scarlet letter. She was called a harlot by some while others thought she should be put to death. She publicly bore her sin and is suffering each day in the town. She is not as beautiful as she once was, her beauty is diminishing, her hair has been rolled up, and the richness in her cheeks has started to fade. Arthur Dimmesdale bore his sin privately with God. He can not atone for his sin because he believes it will ruin the entire Christian faith in his colony; to him that faith is the most important thing because everybody believes he has not sinned, which keeps the people’s faith alive. Dimmesdale “well knew—subtle, but remorseful hypocrite the he was! [. . .] he loved the truth and loathed the lie, as few men ever did. Therefore, above all things else, he loathed his miserable self!” (131). Everyday he must preach about how wretched he is and how he is a hypocrite. It is up to him to bear the weight of all the sins by himself, and is the reason he has become so weak and feeble.
Contrasting with how their lives were in the village, in the forest, there is a difference. In the forest these two can actually interact and show their true feelings toward one another. It is here that a complete shift happens in these characters. Dimmesdale believed that, “The germ of it was dead in me! O Hester, thou art my better angel! . . . This is already the better life!” Why did we not find it sooner?” (182). This shift in Dimmesdale’s character is from feeling burdened with his own sin and getting weaker as an after effect; a stronger man without a care in the world. By changing locations to this haven Dimmesdale has become better, and is willing to do all the things he could not do before while in the village. When Hester sees that her lover has changed, she removes her scarlet letter. As she throws away the scarlet letter she also removes the “burden of shame” (182), that was on her soul: “She had not known the shame until she felt the weight . . . her sex, her youth, and the whole richness of her beauty came back from what men call the irrevocable past” (182- 183). This shift in Hester’s character has brought back her beauty and her freedom. These two lovers can now love each other and their daughter Pearl.
To many people the forest has been seen as a dark and scary region. Many people would relate the forest to evil because it is away from their town; it is an uncharted area.
It can block out the sunlight; so light will not be able to penetrate the gangling trees of the forest. And to the people the only thing the rejects light is darkness. Hence meaning the forest is evil. There are times in the forest when noises occur and it cannot be explained why it happens. Other times while in the forest, strange, black figures can be seen roaming around the forest, but it is to dark to see who the person might be. The legend of the Black Man may have originated from a misconception like this.
In the books The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible the forest seems to play the role of a safe haven for those that have sinned, contradicting the accepted understanding of the village as a safe haven for villagers. To sinners the forest seems to provide certain shifts in the characters and seems to rejuvenate them from their lives in the village. The villagers could not understand how safe the forest might be because they were not being looked down upon in their village. To a sinner the forest provided everything a village could not; a sense of security and freedom.

Scarlet Letter: Chap 23-24

Definitions:
Semblance- outward aspect or appearance;show (dictionary.com)

Escutcheon- a flat protective covering on a door or wall etc. to prevent soiling by dirty fingers (dictionary.com)

"And on this simple slab of slate--as the curious investigator may still discern, and perplex himself with the purport--there appeared the semblance of an engraved escutcheon." (Hawthorne 235)

"Madman, hold! what is your purpose?" whispered he. "Wave back that woman! Cast off this child! All shall be well. Do not blacken your fame, and perish in dishonor! I can yet save you! Would you bring infamy on your sacred profession?" (225).

Explanation- This happens after the minister's speech. when everyone is gathered around he calls his lover and his daughter over to him. Chillingworth wants Dimmesdale to shut his mouth and for to not dare speak the truth to the people. If the minister tells the truth to the people of New England,then Chillingworth can no longer torture him properly, which is his greatest pleasure. Without this secrecy Dimmesdale will be somewhat lifted of his burden. And Chillingworth's revenge will all be for naught.

"Wherever her walk hath been,--wherever, so miserably burdened, she may hope to find repose,--it hath cast a horrible repugnance round her. But there stood one in the midst of you, at whose brand of sin and infamy ye have not shuddered!" (227).

Explanation- This quote comes after he reveals that he is a sinner just like Hester. He is trying to explain to them that everyone citizen has judged Hester just because of the scarlet letter. And he is saying that he is wears a scarlet letter just like Hester. And he has not been ignored been ignored by society. Here he is showing how hypocritical and judgmental everyone in town really is. The people only say darkness in one place in that "A" and nowhere else.