Extra Credit Great Gatsby Post

Before "The Great Gatsby" was a major motion picture by Warner Bros., it was a great American literary classic about the roaring twenties. A time before the stock market crash and subsequent depression, where the rich liked to have fun, and the poor knew to stay out of their way.

F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the most highly distinguished, and appropriately rated writers of our time. He has this ability to turn ever line of his novels into extremely eloquent sophisticated poetry. He turns the roaring twenties into a beautiful, yet doomed era, brought to an abrupt halt by the depression.

The novel itself is class commentary on class and the shallow-seeming lives of New York elite. The protagonist Nick Caraways lives in a fictional borough "West Egg" across the pond from his cousins Daisy and Tom, who live in the most prestigious "East Egg". Which is possibly be a reference to the Manhattan/Brooklyn split. The difference between the two, being old money and new. But perhaps West Egg is becoming more fashionable due to gentrification, and college kids; like it's counter part.

The character of Tom, Daisy's husband is both racist, and pseudo-intelectual (I can't decide which quality is worse). Tom's misogyny aside, it's clear though that these are not the views of the author. He's assigned these terrible traits to Tom because he's establishing how awful he is. Tom is the closest thing we have to a villain in the novel. Unless one's consider's Daisy's flippancy, Myrtle's disgruntled husband, or perhaps the American Dream.

The character of Myrtle is similar to Daisy in that they two both love Tom - or should I say money. Myrtle's husband owns an unsuccessful auto-shop in Queens. Myrtle regrets getting involved with him because of his financial situation. In many ways Myrtle could symbolize what would have happened to Daisy had she not married Tom. It seems that when one is only interested in chasing money they'll never be happy. Even if they're successful like Daisy, or unlucky like Myrtle. both women are treated poorly by Tom, who chooses to break Myrtle's nose after she refusing to stop saying Daisy's name. Myrtle differs from Daisy is that she stands up to Tom a bit more, and seems to be more spirited.

All in all, at the heart of this novel is a love story. One between Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby- wait no, I mean money.

The Great Gatsby

Going from readings about the perspective of populations facing social inequalities, to the privileged few is an interesting change.  Everybody in Nick's world appears to be so materialistic and concerned about reputation.  Tom and Daisy are an interesting example.  They are married and can obtain any materialistic need imaginable, and yet they are unhappy together.  However they stay together anyway because of their status. 

Another interesting character is Gatsby who is slowly introduced into the story, and towards the later chapters it is slowly revealed how tenacious and calculating he is in order to obtain his dream. Just because of all of early signs of how overly-calculating he is, I am not convinced that he loves Daisy at this point, rather he is in love with the idea of being in love. 

He spent 5 years or something like that building the scenario for an idealistic reunion where he has enough money, and perhaps even sabotaged her marriage with Tom?  A lot of the finer details are still missing, so I have high hopes for Gatsby when those are filled in since he is probably called great for a reason.  


A total aside, but I found it a little interesting about how Gatsby's early introduction reminds of the count in The Count of Monte Cristo if anybody has ever read or seen that.

The Great Gatsby

In the first Chapter of the Great Gatsby, and more importantly in the first pages, Fitzgerald points out the whole theme of the book : a materialistic decadent way of living in the United States during an era of decline of the American Dream which it actually provoked. Nick is both excited and disgusted by Gatsby's lifestyle, and even though it represents everything he hates about New York, he still admires Gatsby. Fitzgerald starts to depict a materialistic America and slowly point out the reasons of such a decline through Nick's disgust of the excess of American way of living.

To Fitzgerald, these excess are just a facade that tries to hide an inevitable fall of the American Dream. Indeed, the East Egg scene is a perfect representation of the mask : Tom and Daisy's beauty and wealth only hides a more important hidden emptiness, corruption and even unhappiness.

How Great is Gatsby?

The character of Jay Gatsby is quite an enigma to say the least. Upon meeting the character of Gatsby the reader cannot help but notice an unmistakable elegance and charm that radiates from his being. Chapters one through five gives the reader little insight into Gatsby's mysterious background but lets the reader know that he is a man of great wealth and as the story progresses is hopelessly in love with Daisy. I personally feel that Gatsby was never able to pursue his love interest with Daisy due to his murky background that is undivulged to the reader. It seems as though Gatsby is constantly having to phone individuals on business related matters, and as we learn he deals with some somewhat shady individuals such as the man who fixed the 1919 World Series of baseball.
     Does Gatsby have something to hide from the outside world that he does not allow others to see? I cannot help but wonder if there is a deeper darker secret behind the wealth that Gatsby possesses. Thoughts and opinions?

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The Color Yellow

Throughout Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator becomes progressively more obsessed with the wallpaper over the course of the 3 months she spends in the room. She focuses on the color in the first entry, describing it as "repellent, almost revolting;  smoldering unclean yellow...lurid orange in some places, a sickly sulphur tint in others," (1531). This negative description gives the reader a feeling that the color is drab, dull, and insufferable which is ironic because the color yellow is typically associated with happiness, light, and possibly clarity.

As the narrator writes more entires, the reader learns more about the her life as well as her developing issues with the wallpaper. Now it is not only the color that vexes her, but also the pattern because "it slaps you in the face, knocks you down, and tramples upon you. It is like a bad dream," (1536). At this point, the reader begins to realize that the narrator may have some more psychological issues than just bad nerves. The narrator begins seeing images such as a lady behind bars who creeps around, and faces with bulging eyes. Through the multiple descriptions of the wallpaper, the reader witnesses the deterioration of the narrator's mind. What seems like a normal, slightly anxious woman in the first entry, turns into a woman trying desperately to escape both her physical and mental situation. In order to do this, she gives in to her hallucinations of the trapped woman within the wallpaper and tries to free her by tearing it off the wall. It then becomes apparent that the lady trapped within the yellow wallpaper is symbolic of how the narrator feels. When the horrendous yellow wallpaper is shredded and torn off the walls, the narrator feels free, just like the woman trapped within them.

Free at last

Ms. Charlotte Perkins Gilman has demonstrated through The Yellow Wallpaper how the unequal power of gender affects her sanity as well has her writing. Through her tone and vivid descriptions of her summer confined in a bedroom, Gilman desperately tries to balance sanity with reality. She notes that her husband cares for her health and tries to provide a domestic life for Gilman. John, however, does not fully understand that Gilman is indeed descending into psychosis. Because of this, she is deemed an unreliable narrator- a powerful convention that plays well in the short story. And because John forbade her to go outside, Gilman deliberately disobeys and keeps a journal. Isolated with barely any companionship, her writings are fruitful as she talks about the inanimate objects of the mansion: "I never saw so much expression in an inanimate thing before, and we all know how much expression they have (1533)!" As the summer progresses, she focuses more on the dreadful wallpaper. With every entry, she discovers something new about it which displeases her enough to believe there is an actual woman on the wallpaper creeping upon her. When she is freed from the bedroom on the last day, she also frees the woman on the wallpaper by tearing it off. Metaphorically, she has also freed herself from her husband and his practice as a physician.

Resource: Women & PTSD (Yellow Wallpaper)

Why Are Women More Vulnerable to PTSD Than Men?

I found this article that was published in Time magazine's online site. In correspondence to the condition of the narrator in Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", this article sheds some light on the genetic predisposition women have in developing post traumatic stress disorder.

Life in the Iron Mills: Narrative style in capturing realism

Rebecca Harding Davis's narrator is a middle class female who tells the story of the mill workers from her home, as she watches the workers through her window. The home is also her only connection to the protagonists of the story, Hugh and Deb. Her gender and class place her apart from the mill workers. Yet, she succeeds in depicting the lives of the mill workers and their families and the class structure of the industrial society she lives in and observes. A key reason for the effectiveness of the message in Life in the Iron-Mills is Harding Davis's narrative style. How does the particular narrative strategy employed by the author aid in capturing the inter-personal and social tensions in the lives of the mill workers? How does the narrator convey these tensions by employing realism in the written language and imagery (symbolic and artistic representation)? How does the work of Harding Davis compare against the style and imagery of the other works in 19th century American Literature that we have read in class, (ie), what are the similarities and differences?

-Anu

Resource: The Douglas Archives

The Douglas Archives is a web site that focuses on the history of the Douglas family throughout the ages. It also happens to feature a page on Frederick Douglass. This page primarily contains a brief overview of Douglass' life. However, one can also find pictures of Douglass' family members, and important dates during his lifetime.

It should be noted that the page was last updated over a year ago, and there is only one source provided. For this reason, some of the information might be unreliable. Even so, I wanted to share this resource with everyone. I think that it's really interesting to see real photographs from the era, and what Douglass' family looked like.

You can click here to visit the Frederick Douglass section of the Douglas Archives.

RESOURCE

I feel this is a pretty interesting resource for our Thoreau reading, because the Raid on Harper's Ferry was a monumental step towards the inevitable civil war in the United States. This webiste gives great details and background on the event Thoreau is talking about, so it can help clear up any confusion that one might have regarding the raid itself.

Resource
This article contains a detailed timeline of the life of Frederick Douglass. This resource has numerous dates, commenting from the publication of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave to his influence on Women Rights. These dates help show how active Douglass was in   his era, especially in the Abolitionist Movement.

http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/hwny-douglass-family.html

history.com: Frederick Douglass

This resource is a video that shows the significance of Frederick Douglass and how his escape helped fuel the abolition of institutional slavery in America. In addition to this video there are also related videos that cover the context of the Civil War and slavery.

http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-of-us/videos/frederick-douglas

Frederick Douglass resource

I found this entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy to be extremely informative, especially the sub-sections 1 and 4 on slavery and violence and self-respect. It gives a background and context to what we have read for class. The SEP is a great resource in general. The articles are usually written by scholars who know the subject well, but break it down in very digestible ways.

Resource: Fredrick Douglass

So because all of the resources I was satisfied with have been posted by now, I figured I could take this opportunity to share something comical that's based on Fredrick Douglass. I understand this probably isn't exactly appropriate but I hope you all enjoy! Warning: some inappropriate language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipV2u-MxlFc

The Escape

        Something I found to be very interesting when I read the last chapter of Douglas' Narrative was that he did not give details of his escape. The whole situation was very vague and just described details before the escape an after when he finally got to the North. Douglas clearly stated at the beginning of the chapter, “I deem it proper to make known my intention not to state all the facts connected with the transaction.” (Douglas 99). He believed that if he were to state all the details, slaveholders would have information that would prevent other slaves from reaching their freedom. 

While Douglas’ reason for not stating all the details of his escape seem to make a   lot of sense I think there may have been more to it than he claimed. Throughout the entire book we know that slaves were never entitled to any sort of education. Slaveholders believed that any type of education would be just another benefit in helping slaves escape. So basically the more ignorant slaves were, the more slaveholders were in control. The way I look at it, Douglas was looking out for revenge. He wanted slaveholders to suffer just the way slave holders had to. When more and more slaves escaped, chaos would arise. slaveholders would panic just  as slaves would every day. Although I find sense in what he stated I wonder if any if you agree or disagree with the way he left out all the details of his escape. Do you think he should have included more details? 

Religion and Slavery

Something interesting that I noticed between the Preface and the Narrative is that both of them comment on the idea of religion in relation to slavery, albeit more so in the Preface. However, they seem to both view the concept a little differently. In the Narrative, Douglass seems to use religion as something that the slave owners used to justify their actions, and he speaks about it in a vehement manner. In the Preface, Stowe fully recognizes that religion has some part to blame for slavery, but then he he comments on how Christianity can be used for redemption towards the end of his Preface. I find it interesting how both of these people view it differently even though the gap between both of these readings is very small. Frederick Douglass's narrative and this Preface are only 7 years apart. Did something happen during that time that allowed people to view religion in a different manner regarding slavery? And Is Stowe's view that of one person or a collection of people?

Douglass' ending of his narrative is a little disappointing to me. I'm not sure if it's because there wasn't anything else Douglass could write about that enhanced his slavery years or because, as the author, Douglass could now speak freely of his experiences without fear of punishment or reprisals. Let me explain further why I did not like the ending. Douglass says on Page 107 that he wrote to Anna, his intended wife, when he arrived at New York, for her to come as soon as possible. Nothing wrong with that except that Douglass said he was “homeless, houseless, and [in a] helpless condition.” Although the footnote on the page said that Anna was a free slave, it doesn't explain why Douglass would even consider marrying Anna when he was struggling just to survive.  And, why was it so urgent to get married within three days after Anna's arrival? The fact that white abolitionists supported Douglass reminds me of an owner who will use his funds to take care of a favorite toy or pet as a hobby. For Douglass to live in a lifestyle suitable for him, he gave up something else in exchange – the ability to truly be free. The beginning of the book gave a brief biography of Douglass and mentioned that he enjoyed “an extensive career as a public servant and diplomat.” In a sense, although he is famous for writing his narrative, Douglass, in my mind, continues to have a “slave” mentality in that he continues to still work for someone.

Watch the video!

I came across this website and its a pretty good biography in general on Fredrick Douglass. There is also a video at the bottom left that is a lot more in depth, but I only watched half of it. I hope this is helpful to anyone who wants to know a little more about him:

http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324

Frederick Douglass Resource

After spending some time searching through different search engines for different resources regarding Douglass, I settled on this one. This website features different publications by Douglass and information about him and his life. Aside from that, it has a page for links related to Douglass for further research into this remarkable man's life and a forum for discussion among fellow peers also interested in Douglass.

http://www.online-literature.com/frederick_douglass/

“We were all ranked together at the valuation. Men and women, old and young, married and single, were ranked with horses, sheep, and swine. There were horses and men, cattle and women, pigs and children, all holding the same rank in the scale of being, and were all subjected to the same narrow examination. Silvery-headed age and sprightly youth, maids and matrons, had to undergo the same             indelicate inspection. At this moment, I saw more clearly than ever the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both slave and slaveholder.” (pg 54)

I think this passage really hits home on how people consider their slaves as just another piece of property and not as human beings.  I think Douglass included this as a call for help and a plea for some humanity from slave owners and white people by showing them in their plain english that colored people were also people and not just pieces of property.  The way he also says that he "saw more clearly than ever the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both slave and slaveholder" also suggests that the slaveowner is affected negatively by the slavery.  He suggests that slaveowners simply lose part of their humanity by owning other people and treating them as non-human.  He almost makes that seem worse than being a slave.

Frederick Douglass Resource

This site has some great information about Douglass' life. It gives a simple yet significant background about him and his experiences. It also has a link for related articles which talk about his autobiographies and more background about him in general.

http://www.online-literature.com/frederick_douglass/

Resource: Douglass addresses a women's rights convention

This week's class and the blog led me to look further into Fredrick Douglass's involvement in the women's rights movement. I found a speech by Fredrick Douglass, addressing the International Council of Women in Washington DC in 1888. The speech provides a window into Douglass's reasoning for supporting women's rights.

He says, "When I ran away form slavery, it was for myself; when I advocated emancipation, it was for my people; but when I stood up for the rights of woman, self was out of the question, and I found a little nobility in the act."

He also goes on to say that, "All good causes are mutually helpful. The benefits accruing from this movement for the equal rights of woman are not confined or limited to woman only. They will be shared by every effort to promote the progress and welfare of mankind every where and in all ages."

It seems to me that his support of the women's movement comes from a strong belief in individual liberty and human rights.

- Anu

Douglass Resource

Hi English 258 class.  I'm posting a website resource that I found regarding Frederick Douglass and slavery.  It can be found on PBS' website:  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html.  It's a very reliable link in the sense that PBS has a reputation of being an agency that provides content that educates both adults and kids.  In addition, this organization has won many awards for exceptional programming.  Have fun viewing the bio of Douglass and, if you get the chance, you might want to watch the four-part program.  Highly interesting.  lq

Song of Myself resource

Upon reading Whitman's Song of Myself, I came across an article that focuses on the religious epistemology of the poem along with the religious overtones that shape his views on humanity and reality. Whitman's dramatization of the human condition alludes to himself not being insignificant but powerful, sympathizing with the audience that they are just as potent as he to shape their lives. Through the poem's transcendental nature, I sensed something that could have been shaped from an Eastern philosophy- telling his readers to work on yourself before anything or anyone else (lines 30-31; You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me/ You shall listen to all sides and filter them for yourself).

http://0-web.ebscohost.com.opac.sfsu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4573622c-f1ca-43ba-bcca-1114551eb55f%40sessionmgr113&vid=5&hid=108

Frederick Douglass resource

This website has some great facts about Frederick Douglass' life. It also has some great videos to watch. This site is a great resource in finding out about Douglass' life and helps give a different perspective on Douglass than his autobiography.

Frederick Douglass 

Not as Romantic as Whitman

"The whisper that my master was my father, may or may not be true; and, true or false... in all its glaring odiousness, that slaveholders have ordained, and by law established, that the children of slave women shall in all cases follow the condition of their mothers; and this is done too obviously to administer to their own lusts, and make a gratification of their wicked desires profitable as well as pleasurable; for by this cunning arrangement, the slaveholder, in cases not a few, sustains to his slaves the double relation of master and father."
I think this passage from the fist chapter really sheds a lot of light on the nature of slavery. For a person to be born as a object or possession is a disturbing thought. What's more disturbing is that they are the product of sexual assault. This is a way for slave owners to show complete and utter dominance over the slaves, by way of creating them. A father is typically is the man who gives care and protection to a child. According to certain western religions your father is supposed to be your model for God. An all-knowing being in which you have to unquestioningly obey, and ask for mercy.The idea of a slave-holder as a father, and God is terrifying, and there's a lot going there. Douglass decides to reject these ideas, and decides that the identity of his father is irrelevant to him. Instead he decides to move forward. 

My first impression of this novel is that it's going to be very "real". Excuse the casual, non-academic langue, but I can't think of any way to put it. Douglass opens by telling a brutally vivid story of his aunt being savagely beaten by an overseer, simply for spending time with another slave from a nearby farm. These stories are the harsh realities of slaver. These are story that Douglass lived, and could not have possibly imagined. This differs greatly from Walt Whitman's encounters with slavery.

"The runaway slave came to my house and stopt outside;
I heard his motions crackling the twigs of the woodpile;
Through the swung half-door of the kitchen I saw him limpsy and weak,
And went where he sat on a log, and led him in and assured him,
And brought water, and fill’d a tub for his sweated body and bruis’d feet,	185
And gave him a room that enter’d from my own, and gave him some coarse clean clothes,
And remember perfectly well his revolving eyes and his awkwardness,
And remember putting plasters on the galls of his neck and ankles;
He staid with me a week before he was recuperated and pass’d north;
(I had him sit next me at table—my fire-lock lean’d in the corner.)" No discredit to Whitman, or "Leaves of Grass" which is undeniably a great poem, and has been highly influential, and so forth. However Whitman's depictions lack a certain truth. Runaway slaves did not have the fortune of running into kind people like Whitman, who fed them, took them in, and then let them stay for weeks. I also understand that this is clearly a fictional account, and a metaphor. But the reality of it was that northerners were probably just as scared of runaway slaves as southerns (possibly even more so, due to less exposure. Still a good amount of exposure, but not as prevalent as in the plantations of the south.) Whitman romanticizing the idea of a runaway slave is a little odd upon further examination. Also his depiction can be seem by some as stereotypical. The nervous runaway slave that seeks refugee by running to the white savior, in this case played by Whitman. Having said that I do like that Whitman includes African Americans in his vision of American. This kind of inclusion must have been rare for Whitman's time. I'm sure Douglass definitely would have appreciate this on some level. As evident from the preface, where it not for sympathetic abolitionists like Whitman the conditions of African Americans in America would not have changed. It's people like Douglass and Whitman working together to create equality. Overall I looked forward to reading "Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass". I think his accounts of slavery will be saddening yet uplifting. It's a story that can only be told honestly, unromantically, by someone who has lived through it.

Women and Slavery

Fredrick Douglass's narrative of his life examines the relationship between the duality of the slaves and their master counterparts. There is, however, a distinction in the role that gender plays into the identity of each social group. Masters and their wives and/or white women in general versus the differences between slave males and females. From his attitude towards his familial situation and his mother, to Sophia Auld; women play a dynamic role in shaping his early life. Until our reading to chapter 9, does anyone have any thoughts of how Douglass represents women and how their gender effect his overall narrative of slave life?

The Great Farm House

As I was reading the beginning chapters of this biography, I could not help but stop and take note of Douglass' description of life on the "Great House Farm." Compared to his life on the first farm where he observed how slaves were treated by the cruel, heartless overseer Mr. Severe, life seemed to be a great improvement. The Great House Farm was where "the shoemaking, the mending, the blacksmithing, cart-wrighting, coopering, weaving, and grain-grinding" were performed (28, Douglass). This was where every slave on the other smaller farms that surrounded the Great House Farm aspired to work.

What I thought was interesting was Douglass' comparison of this great plantation to big businesses and the political hierarchy. Frederick mentions the entire plantation has business-like manner to it in the way it is run. He further states that "a representative could not be prouder of his election to a seat in the American Congress, than a slave on one of the out-farms would be of his election to do errands at the Great House Farm," (28, Douglass). Douglass also compared the slaves on the farms to the "slaves of the political parties," claiming some of the same character traits could be compared (29, Douglass). When slaves did receive the tremendous trust of their overseers or masters to run an errand involving the Great House Farm, Fredrick mentioned that they took this opportunity of alone time to sing. They sang whatever came to their mind, meaningful or not, just because they could and because no one would overhear most likely.  Douglass mentioned that the majority of their songs were full of sorrow and unhappiness, due to their horrendous living circumstances and constant suffering. 

Can some aspects of the "Great House Farm" Douglass describes be compared to corporations or regimes in the current world? If so, what is a specific example? Is Douglass' comparison of slaves on the plantation to "slaves of political parties" still relevant? Why do you believe it is or is not? Why do you think it was so important to the slaves to get the opportunity to sing?

Frederick Douglass's "Narrative" 9/14

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Frederick Douglass accounts the events of his life as a slave, a run away slave, and then as a free man. Writing in 1845 he looks back on a life spent as chattel amongst chattel, knowing nothing of his past or his heritage. From an early age Douglass wants and seeks any information from which to construct his story as, what he knows to be (and is common knowledge as of 1865) a human being whose masters refuse to acknowledge his humanity. One of the more insidious components of the ideology of the antebellum south was the categorical denial of identity and access to histories, including family histories. Consequently, the oral tradition can be considered one basis for a distinctly new world literary tradition, especially so in regards to a uniquely African American literary tradition. With Narrative Douglass committed his experience as an American slave to writing and with it a great amount of that oral tradition. In doing so he made permanent and accessible the story of slavery to those with access to literacy, chipping away at, in a profound and powerful way, the monopoly of the white perspective in the literature about slavery. As put by William Lloyd Garrison, a prominent Massachusetts abolitionist, Narrative was part of the “the great work of breaking the rod of the oppressor and letting the oppressed go free”. Douglass, in his own words prior to his escape, “You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man”. This work provided not only that very story, but also provided, at least in part, as argued by Robert O'Meally in his introduction to my edition of the book, the linguistic tools for the enslaved to affect change. The language of Narrative creates a new reality in which all Americans can imagine and take concrete steps toward ending slavery. I think it's really valuable for everyone to read this because the use of the written narrative has been shown here to be vital to “breaking the rod of the oppressor”. This is not only an example of an autobiographical narrative of an American slave that added to the literary basis for abolitionist ideology, but also a linguist context for fighting the vast and interlocking oppressions of our time. Thus, I'm eager to continue to study this text. 

Knowledge is Freedom

As an autobiographic attempt to account for his life experiences leading up to his successful career as an American writer, orator, and social activist, Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass sheds a unique light on the subject of slavery in America. Written in first-person, the text is intended to be understood as a direct reaction to the effects of slavery (a variety of which, both plantation slavery and slavery in the North, are experienced by Douglass himself). What I found particularly interesting from the reading was Douglass’s revelation of the correlation between ignorance and slavery/knowledge and freedom. In Chapter VI, Douglass discusses the process in which he came upon such an epiphany: “From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I the least expected it” (p. 29). Being of a relatively more educated (and therefore, “freer”) disposition, I rarely consider the concrete power of “knowledge” as a vehicle from which freedom may be exercised. In keeping slaves ignorant of the ability to read and/or write, they are not only physically enslaved but, additionally, kept in a state of mental enslavement. As with their physical needs (food, shelter, etc.), slaves become completely dependent on their masters for mental development as well. Without the capacity to read or write, slaves become reliant solely on the biased information fed by their owners.

Learning to Read and Write

In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas the reader learns the suffering that African Americans had to endure everyday of their lives. At the time of slavery, it was illegal for slaves to receive any type of education and anyone teaching them would suffer the consequences. Those against the idea thought that slaves who could read or write would revolt.  Fortunately, Frederick Douglas was one of the lucky ones who was able to find his way to knowledge and surprisingly those teaching him were white. In this reference you will understand why many whites, as well as slaveholders, taught slaves.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/experience/education/history2.html

The Fatal Poison

Frederick Douglass' Narrative depicts the vicious, horrible nature of slavery. Born as a slave himself, Douglass witnessed black people of all ages suffering under their cruel masters, and often being treated little more than animals. Deprived of all rights, these human beings were brainwashed into subservience and, without knowledge, unable to rise up or rebel against the monsters who owned them.

While the slaves were undoubtedly the ones most affected during these appalling times, Douglass firmly states his belief that slavery had an adverse impact upon everyone. One of the first major examples of this concept is when Douglass is given to Mrs. Auld. He initially describes her as, "[M]ade of heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music" (44). Because she had never owned a slave before, Mrs. Auld seemed to be outright disturbed by Douglass' submissive mannerisms. She even went as far as teaching him how to read and write (something that was unheard of, at the time), before being reprimanded by her husband. However, the power that comes along with owning another human being soon overtook Mrs. Auld, and transformed her from a kindly woman to "one of harsh and horrid discord; ... a demon" (45). Various other slaveholders in the book also seem to be completely overtaken by the vice of slavery--committing such deplorable acts as rape and murder.

John Dalberg-Acton, an English writer, once stated that "Absolute power corrupts absolutely". Do you agree that the "fatal poison of irresponsible power [i.e. slavery]" (Douglass 45) damaged white slaveholders at all? How do you think these people were able to convince themselves that they were in the right?

Dehumanization in the South

The slaves in the south were dehumanized by their masters time and time again, and Frederick Douglas writes about many of the degrading events that he witnesses. The men, women and children slaves were not regarded as human beings, but were ranked among the animals by their cruel slaveholders. Some plantations even kept a thousand slaves. This dehumanization of slaves was imperative to the system of slavery as a whole. Slaves could not believe that they had a human life, because if they did it would result in, as Mr. Gore says, “the freedom of the slaves, and the enslavement of the whites” (Douglas 36). Although the slaveholders were obviously in charge and powerful, they were also fearful of the slaves. They understood that the roles could be reversed.  This explains why the slaveholders deemed it necessary to demean their slaves and keep them from any sort of knowledge. This knowledge could be book knowledge, or more importantly an understanding of who they were as human beings.

Is it too farfetched to think that the slaves could have overpowered their white slaveholders? Surely the slaves outnumbered their white counterparts. Was the deprivation of knowledge the only thing holding them back? 

The little things in life

Although Frederick Douglass experienced many hardships while he was a slave, I want to take a moment to discuss the limited, but still profound, happiness and hope he had through this journey. One of Douglass's first documented experience of his happiness was when he received his first pair of trousers, and I believe this gift had heavy symbolism in it. In my opinion, the trousers represent the first object that allowed Douglass to comprehend a better life, one that is away from the inhumanity of slavery. The next experience of hope that he encountered was when Mrs. Auld started to teach him how to read. It was because of this that later on, Douglass was able to slowly teach himself how to read and write through the book "The Colombian Orator" as well as through his peers. Through the book, Douglass was able to realize the power that the abolitionists were gathering, and further open his eyes to the world. Mrs. Auld beginning to teach him how to read was a turning point, and  in all honesty, I believe Douglass's experience through slavery may have been a lot worst without her. As for his peers, it seems odd to me how willing they were to teach, or even talk, to him. I mean it's a very nice thing to do, but odd considering the times that Douglass was living in. Nevertheless, as the novel goes on, Douglass learns the power of teamwork when he tries to free himself and his fellow slaves, and through his description of them, it is clear that he truly loves them as people. In my opinion, I believe this teamwork may have been a factor for him writing this book. By having this connection with his fellow slaves, and loving them in the way he does, Douglass realized how much he wants to help everyone escape and be heard, rather then just himself.  Am I right in this belief or do you think I am just reading in to it a little too much? And do you believe Mrs. Auld teaching Douglass how to read was a turning point in his life, or do you think another factor in the novel was?

Scarred

The psychological effects of slavery, as recounted by Frederick Douglass, are scarring and horrific. In a time when many people thought that the singing of slaves was a sign that they were happy with their lot, Frederick gives his own life experience to counter that assumption. When slaves were on their way to get their allowance and work on the Great Farm (a sign of good conduct, causing enthusiasm among those chose to work there), they indeed would sing songs. However, Douglass recounts the sad tones of these songs that told a tale of woe; albeit mostly incomprehensible, they represented a testimony against slavery. Hearing these desperate and cathartic voices would bring Frederick to tears and further his disgust with slavery. Does anyone else wish that there were recordings of these songs? Listening to them seems moving; perhaps these telling songs were the roots of blues music, which typically takes a sad thing and expresses it to release it.
Douglass gives accounts of great cruelties: the separation of the mother from the child (with the child bound to slavery as well, to satisfy masters' lusts and profit), the intense whippings by cruel overseers, and the lack of free time to tend one's own projects, resulting in sleep deprivation. How do you think these (and other banes of slavery given) had an effect on the psychology and culture of the early African American? How has this manifested through later history?

Letters by Whitman

http://www.whitmanarchive.org/biography/correspondence/index.html

This resource is an item from the Walt Whitman Archive and looks specifically at Walt Whitman's correspondence throughout his life. By examining this, it is possible to get a better understanding of who Walt Whitman was as well as the detailed ongoings of his personal life. These letters are chronologically organized into his daily, Civil War, and Reconstruction-era correspondence. This is important because the reader can get a look at what influenced Whitman within his 600 letters that were written and received during the Civil War, as well as other important letters such as those written to Ralph Waldo Emerson asking him to support Whitman and possibly assist him by getting him a literary job while he was going through family struggles. These are just a few examples of some of the major events that took place during Whitman's life that have effected his writing, and more specifically the creation of Leaves of Grass.

Resource: Whitman's Viewpoints

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/whitman/more/p_whitman.html

This website portrays Whitman as a man who was not concerned with criticism. There were efforts to try and remove the erotic texts from Whitman’s poems, but he was not fazed.  He stood by his beliefs despite opposition and because of this, is still considered one of the most influential poets.  This article annotates the perspectives and inspirations that shaped Whitman’s many works throughout his life. 

"Leaves of Grass"

“Leaves of Grass” is an account of Whitman’s individual voice becoming immersed into the abstract idea of “myself.” This idea is reinforced by the second and third lines of the poem, “And what I assume you shall assume, / For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you” (Whitman 2 – 3). By immersing himself into nature Whitman emphasizes the notion of transcendentalism and brings America to the forefront of world literature.

Throughout his poem Whitman examines several observations of interactions between individuals. In one particular section of the poem a woman watches twenty-eight men bathe in the ocean. Whitman assumes the role of the invisible twenty-ninth man and immerses himself into the world in order to gain perspective, but separates himself by being invisible to prevent interference. In this sense Whitman’s narration parallels Emerson’s “transparent eyeball” in which he becomes one with nature and highlights the notion of the individual going back to nature.

Another section of the poem not only demonstrates Whitman’s observation of human interaction, but displays his perspective on the issue of slavery. Whitman is approached by a runaway slave in which he “[leads] him in and [reassures] him” that he will be taken care of (Whitman 2153). Because Whitman immerses himself in the idea of “myself”, I believe he draws influence for this particular scene in his perspective toward the enslavement of Africans. 

Leaves of Grass

What really stood out to me in both Leaves of Grass and Nature was how they both aim to paint a picture of nature. Whitman's piece was centered around describing himself through nature. Whitman puts his life through the lens of nature. "A few light kisses ... a few embraces ... a reaching around of arms,/The play of shine and shade on the trees as the supple boughs wag [...]" (2148) This passage really showed me the beauty of nature and it especially embodied a kind of calm for me. "In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrow." (1108 Emerson) This corresponded with Whitman because Whitman expresses his delight of himself through nature. Both pieces try to capture the true image and beauty of nature. Although Whitman writes as a celebration of himself, it's also true that it is a celebration of nature. "To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature. Most persons do not see the sun. At least they have a very superficial seeing. The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of a child." This passage from Emerson corresponds to Whitman because Whitman must have really been effected by nature as a child. 

"Beat! Beat! Drums!"

This particular poem by Walt Whitman stuck out for a variety of reasons. I really like historical poems and I love how he uses free verse in a way that grows. The entire poem has a certain fluidity to it even  though it seems a bit unconventional at times for a poem. The usage of "beat! beat! drums! --blow! bulges! blow!"is repeated three times in the poem and each time you read it, there is a kind of growing dread that is established. Between each of these verses, Whitman delves into the disruptive force of the war and how it is taking its toll on the citizens. With each new verse, the poem takes on a darker tone, so by the end of it when you hear the last "bulges blow" it leaves a lasting impression. I think this really worked to Whitman's advantage in this poem. It has a very dark tone that leaves that kind of foreboding feeling with the reader. So, does anyone else think that the repetition of the "beat! beat! drums!" meets that dark tone that Whitman is trying to establish? While reading, does the line get more powerful each time you repeat it to yourself?

Song of Myself

Song of Myself stands out to me because it separates Whitmans personality into different parts, or different "multitudes" as he refers to it. The poem celebrates being an individual and Whitman discusses each part of his character that he envisions with different describing characteristics.

The poem begins with the opening line of "I celebrate myself." That gives the base for what the entirety of the poem is going to be built upon. He goes on to jump between each multitude he has created for himself by using lines which suggest he is watching himself from another point of view. It seems Whitman has difficulty understanding his own true personality. Most of the time, poems give a window to the authors soul. But this poem makes it difficult to understand Whitman as a person, but who knows, he might've done that on purpose.

Song of Myself directly connects to Emersons Nature due to the strong, intense connection to nature. In Song of Myself, Whitman describes himself as a part of our surrounding world and becoming one with nature. Both of these works describe that intense desire to harmonize with nature.

Why does everyone think Whitman chose to write Song of Myself the way he did? What do the different points of view offer to the reader and how did it affect the way you read his poem?

The Beginning or the End

Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass reflects a time when violence was rapidly growing in the United States and countless people were dying due to the Civil War. Although times were filled with devastation from the war, Whitman embodied appreciation to life in his poetry and even showed that dying is only apart of the cycle of life.

At some point in the poem it seems as though Whitman scolds those that choose to live life always fearing death. In his writing he states “I have heard what the talkers are talking...the talk of the beginning and then end. But I do not talk about the beginning or the end” (Song of Myself, 29-31). To him the talk of death was a complete waste of time and those talking about it should not dwell on the past or the future. Others should only worry about the present, appreciate what is right in front of their eyes, or in other words the simpler things. When time for death does eventually come he felt one should not fear it because “not an inch or a particle of an is inch is vile, and none shall be less familiar than the rest” (Song of Myself, 49-50). In other words, everyone constantly worried that death will come when they least expect it should not worry because everyone would be saved by God. 

I agree that we should live life without regrets, only worry about the present, and appreciate the simpler things. Does everyone agree that his thoughts on life and death were appropriate for the time or rather inappropriate? Or an even better question, to what extent should one not worry about the past or the future?

Whitman's Indulgence

Walt Whitman writes with a passion in "Leaves of Grass", and much more than this, I feel his poetry is very progressive for America considering the timeframe is the 1850's and one could say that this poetry is somewhat risqué for the time. 

The poem begins with Whitman proclaiming his life as a thing of beauty. The first line of the poem shows this proclamation by stating, "I celebrate myself…I Breathe the fragrance myself, and know it and like it" (Song of Myself 1-7). This is interesting because historically speaking, this era was not a time where men were particularly identified as being in touch with this dimension of their character. Instead, the seer of this poem is somewhat of the "oddball" because watches other Americans conform to normalities of society work and marry, but this spectator is far different from them. This story teller is not only quirky, but also risqué and one could even say progressive for the times. There is a passage in which the teller talks of waiting in the nude for a lover, "Undressing, bathed, laughing with the waters, and saw the sun rise…my lover was coming" (Live Oak). This I feel represents the risks that Whitman takes a writer because whether this passage has a heterosexual or homosexual connotation to it, this approach is quite self indulgent and new for the times.

Does anyone else feel as though when reading through Whitman that he takes risks that others may have not? Or better yet, how does anyone else feel about his indulgence that is seen throughout the poem?

Resource

Scouring the internet, I came across a fantastic website. 

http://0-go.galegroup.com.ignacio.usfca.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX2875100111&v=2.1&u=usfca_gleeson&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w

In this site, a lot of background information is given so that the actual work of Whitman's can have a more codicil interpretation. To some extent the magic of Whitman's work is lost but the truth is what really prevails and I can't help but admire this websites tenacity to make it known, we couldn't have "Leaves of Grass" if it wasn't for the influence of the Civil War. 

In Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, the narrator explores, among many things, the concepts of the soul and of spirituality and what these things may reflect in ourselves and in our perceptions of God. The belief that all that there is – nature, animals, and God – are one in the same, that they exist within each other and therefore are of one another. The natural, physical world is irrevocably tethered to the spiritual world of the soul, and in being a part of God becomes God.

            The passage from the reading on page 2187, line 1260 reads: “I have said myself that the soul is not more than the body, / I have said that the body is not more than the soul, / And nothing, not God, is greater to one than one’s own self is.” This excerpt from Leaves of Grass suggests that the body, being connected to the soul, and the soul being connected with divinity and spirituality, comprise the most valuable things in this world and are what in turn compose life. Later, on page 2187, line 1269, Whitman writes: “And I call to mankind, be not curious about God, / For I who am curious about each am not curious about God…” This passage continues on to suggest the narrator’s view that everything in this world is that of God and therefore is God. God is not any one thing or being in particular but all things and all beings making all things in this world and of nature divine and vital to life.

            How might these ideals connect to the theme of a return to the natural world in later writings of Whitman or even to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay Nature?

Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass offers a counterpoint to Emerson’s Nature. Whitman’s poetry is a celebration of life written from the perspective of the ever present leaves of grass which seem to take it all in. His work is influenced by Emerson’s Nature as there is a call to reflect on the natural elements, to transcend beyond the everyday. Yet, while Emerson seems to call on all to let go of the mundane and embrace nature for its sake, Whitman seems to suggest that nature sees in our everyday existence, in every seemingly mundane act, a sensual quality.

Whitman also further develops the theme in Emerson’s Nature. Why reflect on nature? He attributes certain values to nature. He sees nature as non-judgemental.  “Miserable! I do not laugh at your oaths nor jeer you.” while describing the prostitute. The other quality that he attributes to nature is its lack of conformity. “I cock my hat as I please indoors or out” is one of many places where this theme emerges. His work seems to suggest that one could transcend / achieve “god” (who Whitman does not clearly define) by not just appreciating nature but by embracing the qualities he attributes to nature.

- Anu (distracted by a beautiful beach on the Big Island!)

Welcome to the Course Blog!

To start things off, I’m sharing a resource: The Whitman Archive. This is a pretty amazing set of materials, including digitized copies of all six American editions of Leaves of Grass published during Whitman’s lifetime, manuscripts, letters, critical commentary, and even a short recording of Whitman himself reading from “America.” It’s edited by prominent Whitman scholars, and published by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities at U Nebraska.

That's an example of a resource post. 

Remember, the blog assignment for this week:

• Group 1: Post a resource. I'll make it easy for you. You may direct our attention to and comment briefly upon a particular item in the Whitman Archive, if you wish; but you're also welcome to share a new resource.
• Groups 3 & 4: Post a response to a particular poem or section from the assigned Whitman selections. These posts are due by Thursday, September 6.
• Group 2: Comment on one of the primary posts from groups 3 & 4 by Sunday, September 9.

Enjoy the holiday weekend. Go read Whitman by a lake or on the beach. Or on the bus ...

Or else by stealth in some wood for trial,
Or back of a rock in the open air,
(For in any roof'd room of a house I emerge not, nor in company,
And in libraries I lie as one dumb, a gawk, or unborn, or dead) ...