Crucible Letter

December 18, 1695

Dear John,

I can only hope that, through some unnatural manner, this letter reaches you, wherever you may be. I miss you so much. I cannot relay within the mere confines of script how much it hurts to wake up each morning and not see you up and leaving to tend the fields. I just needed a reprieve, John. I pray that this letter will be enough.

I have been thinking about where exactly you have gone to. What is it like in Paradise? I know such a saint as you could not go anywhere else but the pearly white gates of St. Peter himself. It took a while for me to truly grasp the magnitude of what you did. I did not have the strength to leave my bedside for the first few weeks after that day. That left me time to think. I know now that you did not die for you. If you had given the court their confession like they wanted, you would have forsaken all those who died before you. If you had lived, everything they died for would be a lie. I know that now, even if I could not for the life of me figure it out before. It makes it less painful. I am just so sorry you are not here.

The boys are doing fine. They miss their father, I can tell. I do not know whether the news has even really gotten to them, yet. It is just not the same for them. I doubt your passing has affected them as much as it has me, but it is simply different. The Corey boys help me to care for them. Our newest is beautiful. She is a girl—Jane—named after you. She looks so much like you, John. I cannot look to her without seeing you there too. I wonder how things would be different if you were here with her. Her laugh is precious.

I miss you, John. I do not know whether I have said that enough. It is mighty hard raisin these children without you here to help me. I am so sorry you died. Even worse, I do not even know whether you died knowing how much I still love you. I have to live with the fact every day I still have to breathe. The only thing keeping me going is Jane and the boys. I know I need to be strong for them, but you were my strength. The noose weakened me beyond what any fatigue could. Wherever you are John, I know you are watching over me, because I am looking up to you. I love you always and forever.
Your wife,

________________________

Crucible Character Analysis: Abigail

Scott Pero
AP English Language/Mr. George
December 16, 2009
Abigail Williams Character Analysis

Abigail Williams is a young girl who appears pure and innocent, but beneath her beautiful exterior, she is a conniving temptress.

Abigail uses her sweet, angelic visage to ensure her own goals come to fruition. One of those goals is to eliminate her competition in the pursuit of John Proctor: Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth. After one night of lechery with Proctor, Abigail believes him to be in love with her. She then stops at nothing to have her way, even resorting to witchery to kill Elizabeth and have Proctor all to herself. Abigail vehemently believes that John loves her in the same degree that she loves him, no matter what Proctor may say otherwise. She twists and turns everything around to work in her favor, either by her words or her actions: “looking about in the air, clasping her arms about her as though cold: I—I know not. A wind, a cold wind, has come” (108). Abigail leads the people on, rendering them all like puppets on a string with herself as the manipulative puppeteer.

Abigail is like a siren, the seductive bird-women of Greek mythology. Like the sirens lured sailors to their deaths with their enticing voices, Abigail lures the villagers with her siren song into believing her every word. One cannot help but believe her, falling helplessly under her spell. In the process, she is plotting against you, secretly waiting to shipwreck you upon the rocks, all for her own desires.

A modern day counterpart of Abigail is Ruby from the TV show Supernatural: Both characters bewitch the others into believing their goodness and honesty, secretly plotting against them all in the process; Abigail wanted Proctor for herself, while Ruby secretly wanted to release Lucifer from Hell.

Crucible Nueve--END

1.) Hale: "Why, it is all simple. I come to do the Devil's work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves. His sarcasm collapses. There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!!" (Miller 131).

Hale is partly responsible for the countless lives taken in Salem. He was the one that investigated into people's lives to determine if they were a witch or not. If he found them to be a witch, he had a part to play in their demise by signing their arrest warrants and death warrants. This is a great burden on his name: the fact that innocent people are dead because of his professional opinion. Hale feels used by the court because of it as well. He was the professional in this area, and they abused his knowledge: "The very crowns of holy law I brought, and what I touched with my bright confidence, it died; and where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up" (132). Hale did not know when he came to Salem that his specialty was going to be used to murder hundreds of innocents. To Hale, his name is now blemished with the blood of all these people. He was the one to identify them as a witch or not. Now, he is trying to reconcile himself by convincing the condemned innocents to lie and keep their life, rather than die for something they didn't do.

2.) Elizabeth: "He[Giles] were not hanged. He would not answer aye or nay to his indictment; for if he denied the charge they'd hang him surely, and auction out his property. So he stand mute, and died Christian under the law. And so his sons will have his farm. It is the law, for he could not be condemned a wizard without he answer to the indictment, aye or nay" (135).

There exists one loophole in the law's apparently infallible policy with witches. All of the condemned answered their accusation, either saying yes or no. Giles, the stubborn and relentless old man he was, did neither. The court did not get an answer from him, so he could not be a warlock and they could not hang him for not confessing. Giles did not want to tarnish his name and lose his property while he had sons it was going to pass on to. Not only that, but he wanted to pass his name on to his sons unmarked, so that they could live without their father condemned a witch. Giles died while the court was trying to get an answer out of him: "Great stones they lay upon his chest until he plead aye or nay. With a tender smile for the old man: They say he give them but two words. "More Weight," he says. And died" (135). Giles is so adamant that his name passing lawfully and religiously on to his sons. He endured such an agonizing death, only embracing it in defiance.

Crucible Ocho

1.) Proctor: "A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer. I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours, Danforth! For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud--God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together!" (Miller 119-120)

Proctor has lost it. He can not, no matter how he tries, persuade the court that there is nothing unnatural about these girls, especially after Abby's little charade. Proctor is fed up with it, and calls the court out. He claims that the devil's face is not what they believe it to be, but that it is in fact, themselves. The people that fear to find the truth, but rather wallow in their ignorance because it is safe--those are who Proctor calls the Devil. The court fears the truth. They have undergone this entire situation as if everything was true, and condemning innocents because of it. Now that they have been shown the truth, they are afraid of acknowledging it, because it would prove their fallibility and everything would be their fault. They will burn because they are the reason the madness still continues. Their fear will cause the madness to spread like a virus, infecting other villages until it consumes them all. If they had gotten over it at this time, it would all be over.

2.) Parris: "Judge Hathorne--it were another sort that hanged till now. Rebecca Nurse is no Bridget that lived three year with Bishop before she married him. John Proctor is not Isaac Ward that drank his family to ruin. To Danforth: I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town. Let Rebecca stand upon the gibbet and send up some righteous prayer, and I fear she'll wake a vengeance on you" (127).

John Proctor is condemned!? Inconceivable! Well, actually, pretty conceivable, considering the end of the last act. Parris is starting to doubt. At first, he was itching to cry "witch!" at someone, and would not believe proof of anything to the contrary. Now, he is starting to wonder. Rebecca Nurse, who is condemned, is not a bad person. She is a respectable woman in the town with some weight in it. She has never harmed anyone, except for Putnam's accusations, and those are only accusations. John Proctor's only blemish before his attack on the court was that he did not go to church, but still was religious. Parris knows that the people they are condemning for the Devil's servants are far from that. Not only that, but he knows the people they are condemning are popular in town. Hanging them could spark a rebellion in town, just like the whispers in Andover.

Crucible Siete

1.) Danforth: "Abigail. I bid you now search your heart and tell me this--and beware of it, child, to God every soul is precious and His vengeance is terrible on them that take life without cause. Is it possible, child, that the spirits you have seen are illusion only, some deception that may cross your mind when--" (Miller 108)

Danforth says that God is vicious on those who kill without cause. Meanwhile, he has been killing without cause! He speaks from the perspective of God's eyes, and likewise, he has no cause in God's eyes. He has an earthly cause--that these people are accused of witchcraft by their court--but in truth, these are innocents. Danforth has ordered near a hundred to hang, and he thought it was for a just cause. The Court, including Danforth, believe themselves to be God, not in the literal sense, but they are putting themselves in His shoes. They believe themselves infallible, and that their word is law. When he is questioning Abigail if she is lying, Danforth is drawing away any blame from himself and washing his hands of it. He realizes that, with this new evidence, maybe he was the one unjustly taking lives, but he instead puts the blame on Abigail. Instead of thinking the spirits he saw were false, he questions whether the spirits Abigail saw were false. He saw the same spirits as Abby, and yet he believes that he cannot be wrong.

2.) Proctor: "I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name--you will believe me, Mr. Danforth! My wife is innocent, except she knew a whore when she saw one!" (111)

Proctor did it. He told the court of his affair and his lechery. Unable to stand Abby's connivery any longer, he explodes, calling her a whore. He had to give Danfroth proof, and the proof was his unfaithfulness. When Danforth questions Abby, she threatens him that she will walk out: "If I must answer that, I will leave and I will not come back again!" (111). Afraid of losing his only chance of making the court indeed seem infallible, Danfsorth falters. Proctor has flaunted his affair now, all for his wife. He confessed his sins--knowing there is no way to redeem himself--and gave Abby a possible motive. Still however, Danforth does not believe him fully. Proctor has done so much, and it was all for nothing. Imagine the courage Proctor needed to admit such a blemish. He had to get over so much, and yet Danforth will not believe him. Abby has more sway over Danforth than Proctor does, even though Proctor is the older, more sensible choice than the 17-year-old. They have both not been as "faithful", in the court's eyes, as someone should be, so they cannot be discriminated against for that. Still, though, Danforth chooses Abigail.

Crucible Seis

1.) Danforth: "I tell you straight, Mister--I have seen marvels in this court. I have seen people choked before my eyes by spirits; I have seen them stuck by pins and slashed by daggers. I have until this moment not the slightest reason to suspect that the children may be deceiving me. Do you understand my meaning?" (Miller 90).

Danforth is in a sticky situation. As we find out, Danforth is the member of court that issues warrants, jails, and condemns people. Even if the judges are the ones who make the decisions, there is still a lot of weight thrust upon his shoulders. He has jailed close to four hundred people because of this witchcraft case, and has even sentenced seventy-two more people to hang, all by his own hand. Until now, he has had to no reason suspect that anything he was doing was wrong, no reason to suspect deception. He, like most of the court, believed what they were doing was just. Now that Proctor comes forth claiming it was all an elaborate hoax, Danforth has near 500 lives on his conscience. If what Proctor says is true, Danforth has searched villagers' homes and taken them against their will for nothing. He has locked near 400 villagers' up without a just cause. Even more severe, he has killed seventy-two innocents because of a handful of teenage girls. The magnitude of the situation is enough to make any man quiver. After what Danforth has seen, he has had no reason to doubt until now.

2.) Giles: "My proof is there! [...] If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property--that's law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. This man is killing his neighbors for their land!" (96).

Putnam is shown for what he really is. Giles shows Danforth a valid motive for accusing Jacobs as a witch(Rachael, men apparently CAN be witches in this...even though they should be warlocks). Putnam is obsessed with land, as is evident from the land dispute between the Putnams and the Nurses. If Jacobs hangs, his land goes up for auction, and the only person who will be able to buy that land is Putnam. That is enough incentive to call anyone a witch. Who knew Giles would be able to come up with such an intelligent motive. It would hold up in any court of law. This relates back to our discussion of the characters' true motives. Putnam is sneaky and will do anything for land, even making his own daughter cry out against someone for it. Ironically, Danforth does not believe it, or at least asks for proof: "But proof, sir, proof" (96). This is the same society that believes any accusing finger of witchcraft, yet needs proof for a reason behind it. Logically, it does not make sense.

The Crucible Cinco

1.) Francis Nurse: "with a mocking, half-hearted laugh: For murder, she's charged! Mockingly quoting the warrant: 'For the marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody Putnam's babies.' What am I to do, Mr. Hale?"

Rebecca's charge is absurd. What proof can possibly be given to prove this fact other than the hysterical ravings of death-ridden spinster? I want to know what proof could possibly be given in court to support this. Like Mr. George pointed out a few classes ago when I tried to argue communicating with dead babies, these people are arguing the technicality of an absurdity. They have brought a case to court over the proposed murder of seven babies by supernatural means. While they may think they are still arguing technicalities, it is all of an absurdity, which erego renders the entire argument invalid. Goody Putnam is accusing Rebecca only because her children have prospered and her own have not. Just because Rebecca is a better mother than Ann does not mean she is a witch. Any characteristic or ability that someone excels at is automatically considered for witchcraft because other people are jealous.

2.) John Proctor: "If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers? I'll tell you what's walking Salem--vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant's vengeance! I'll not give my wife to vengeance!"

Proctor points out the very thing we have been saying for a while now. The only way to escape the accusation of witchcraft is to point out others. Meanwhile, the accuser is venerated as a godsend. It is a win-win situation for the accuser, but then the accused is not even given an option. They are either a reformed servant of the devil, or dead. And who is running the entire show? A group of power-hungry teenagers led by a lovesick, conniving she-devil of a girl. The entire village is wrapped around Abigail's finger, and now whatever she says is worshipped as God's word. The power has gotten to her head, and yet, no one has questioned her yet, as Proctor states. They are at this girl's beck and call, but how do they know she is not weaving witchcraft in the woodwork? The true reason, as Proctor points out, for everything is vengeance. The Putnams accused the nurses because of their land feud. Abigail accused Elizabeth because of her love for John. The signs of witchcraft in this society are not whether someone is dancing in the forest or drinking blood, but the feelings of contempt in their enemies. People point their fingers because of their own feelings of hatred, not the signs of the other person.

Pride and Prejudice main essay

Scott Pero
AP English Language/Mr. George
December 6, 2009
Who do you think is most to blame
for the delay of their felicity, Darcy or Elizabeth?

Beautiful Pride and Beastly Prejudice

“There’s something there that wasn’t there before.” This is a memorable quote from the Disney film, Beauty and the Beast. It is a story of love, about love found in unexpected places. Belle, the beautiful protagonist, is held prisoner by a ferocious beast with more to his character than his grizzly exterior. As the story progresses, the Beast overcomes his savage tendencies and begins to love Belle. Belle, in turn, develops feelings of care and adoration for the Beast. In the end, both discover their soul mate in the other, and, like all fairy tales, live happily ever after. A striking literary comparison to Beauty and the Beast is Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice. The novel details the life of its protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet. Throughout the course of the story, Elizabeth encounters various potential suitors, one of which is the handsome Mr. Darcy. After a long period of grievances on both sides, Elizabeth and Darcy finally realize their feelings for the other and, like Belle and the Beast, live happily ever after. The question however, is this: which is the Beauty, and which is the Beast? The Beast’s feral actions and his original hatred for everyone and everything are the reasons why he and Belle could not at first live happily. They both had to conquer these brutish acts to fully bask in their felicity in the same way that Elizabeth and Darcy underwent hardships to be together. One of the two had to be at fault for the hindrance of their happiness, but which one? Elizabeth is the most to blame for the delay of her and Darcy’s felicity because her faults with Darcy greatly outnumbers Darcy’s faults with Elizabeth.

It is essential when arguing the faults of one to argue the faults of the other party involved in a situation. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, contributed to the delay of their happiness. The first of his blunders damaged the pride of Elizabeth and originally gave birth to her strong hatred towards Darcy. In the text, when Darcy first makes his appearance at the ball, he does not dance with anyone, aside from those within his own party. Mr. Bingley, Darcy’s friend, importunes him to dance with someone. He even goes so far as to suggest dancing with Elizabeth, who is sitting close enough to hear their entire conversation. After Darcy glances at Elizabeth, his response will stay with Elizabeth for most of the story: “He [Darcy] looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eyes, he withdrew his own and coldly said, ‘She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me’” (Austen 7). Even though Darcy was simply showing off in front of his friend to detract from his awkward social skills, Elizabeth’s pride was hurt as a result. She can not stand him now because he insulted her from the very first moment they met. Darcy’s faux pas is enough, in Elizabeth’s eyes, to warrant her hatred in all instances and will make his second fault all the more deplorable.

As we learn in the text, Darcy broke up the relationship between Bingley and Jane, Elizabeth’s sister. Darcy felt that Jane did not love Bingley as much Bingley loved her, and so he orchestrated their separation for what he thought was Bingley’s own good. Elizabeth, loving her own sister more than anything else in the world, discovers a new level of bitterness for Darcy after she finds out that Darcy was the one who separated them and who caused Jane so much misery: “‘Do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man, who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?’” (146). Because Darcy separated Bingley and Jane, he gave Elizabeth reason to despise him entirely. Darcy did not know the true extent of Jane’s love for Bingley, and he was doing what he thought was right, but in doing so, he prolonged the happiness he could have ascertained with Elizabeth much sooner.

Though Darcy contributed his fair share of faults, Elizabeth is even more to blame. The past is the past. It is over and done with, and should be forgotten so one can move forward with their life: “You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure” (282). That one is not Elizabeth, even though she may say that it is her philosophy when she finally accepts Darcy’s proposal. On the contrary, she clings to Darcy’s original insult for the entire duration of their acquaintance. Darcy explains that the reason he did not dance with anyone at the first ball was because he does not have the proper skills for associating with unknown people as others do, to which Elizabeth wittily responds: “‘My fingers…do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women’s do...But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault—because I would not take the trouble of practicing. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman’s of superior execution’” (135). Here, Elizabeth’s hostility towards Darcy is still as vehement as ever. Elizabeth will not accept any excuses for Darcy’s behavior. No matter what he does, she still remembers that one incident, even after this time. She will not let go, and so she can not get over it to be with Darcy.

Elizabeth encounters trouble with her first impressions. It is very difficult for her to surpass them. Elizabeth is too proud to concede to someone else, and once she believes something, she must be right no matter what. It took her nearly the entire novel to get over her first impression of Darcy: “His character [Darcy’s] was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and every body hoped that he would never come there again” (7). Not only does Elizabeth believe this, but also her entire family does to some extent. She refuses to believe that Darcy is anything but what she see sees him as.

Not only does Elizabeth hold a preconceived notion of Darcy in her mind, but Wickham as well. When she first meets Wickham, his past with Darcy is what partly attracts her to him. Elizabeth is already determined to loathe Darcy, and so anyone who is an enemy of Darcy is automatically a friend of Elizabeth. With Wickham, however, she has some help from Wickham himself: “His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address. The introduction was followed upon his side by a happy readiness of conversation—a readiness at the same time perfectly correct and unassuming” (54). Wickham is so handsome and charming; Elizabeth would be a fool not to feel something—anything—for him. Elizabeth, however, gets wrenched into the whirlpool of his looks and manners. For most of the novel, she is trapped within his swirling tides, unable to break free or believe anything else but what Wickham tells her. Eventually, Elizabeth drowns in her own prejudice.

Prejudice, as well as pride, is Elizabeth’s fatal flaw. She is prone to taking sides in an argument as though they were sports teams. Often, she will never let those sides go, even if her team is discovered to be the one cheating. When Caroline Bingley approaches Elizabeth to caution her against Wickham, Elizabeth’s prejudice seeps out: “‘His guilt and his descent appear by your account to be the same…for I have heard you accuse him of nothing worse than of being the son of Mr. Darcy’s steward, and of that, I can assure you, he informed me himself’” (72). Elizabeth will not listen to reason; she is focused on seeing Wickham as a heavenly angel when he acts like a hellish demon. She ignores Caroline’s advice both because she despises Caroline and because of her partiality to Wickham, which clouds her mind from reason. These blinding prejudices keep Elizabeth from her ultimate happiness with Darcy.

When Darcy proposes to Elizabeth for the first time, we see how cold and ruthless and Elizabeth can be. Darcy falls to pieces with emotion, holding his heart on his sleeve, in front of her. He pleads with her to end his agony by marrying him. What does Elizabeth do? She retaliates by insulting him and rubbing his face in the fact that everything he thought he was right was in fact pushing away the woman he loves forever: “‘From the very beginning… your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground-work of disapprobation…and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry’” (148). Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and with this rejection Elizabeth has opened the very gates of hell to Darcy. Consumed with anger, Elizabeth does not hold back one inch in her merciless onslaught of this shy, lovesick man. Elizabeth could have been happy with Darcy if she had only accepted his proposal, but because she did not, both Darcy and she are miserable. Also because of this, she damaged potentially damaged any hope of reconciliation in the future.

Elizabeth’s expectations fly higher than they sky. After a heartless rejection on her part, one which not many men could recover from, Elizabeth receives a letter explaining his actions and she notices a change in his behavior. She gets to know Mr. Darcy better, and soon begins to develop feelings for him and his abundant kindness. Now, Elizabeth knows she loves him, and she feels something within her that wasn’t there before. Even more surprising, she wants to make Darcy propose again: “She respected, she esteemed, she was grateful to him, she felt a real interest in his welfare; and she only wanted to know how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself, and how far it would be for the happiness of both that she should employ that power…of bringing on the renewal of his addresses” (201). Now that Elizabeth realizes her feelings, she wants Darcy to propose again, this time so that she may say yes. Who, however, would want to propose a second time after being so barbarously shot down the first time? No one would wish to go through the anguish Darcy had to all over again. Elizabeth ruined her future chances with him, and now because of her expectations, she is further digging herself a hole from which she will not be able to crawl out.

Elizabeth’s actions were the ones to keep Darcy and herself apart, and no one else’s. Darcy did at first insult Elizabeth, but Elizabeth was the one who refused to bite the bullet and get over it. Darcy separated Jane and Bingley, but his intentions were good and he simply did not know all the facts. Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s prejudice blinded her from seeing clearly, and she humiliated the one man who loved her pride and intelligence more than anything in the world. Everything that kept Elizabeth and Darcy from supreme felicity could have been prevented if not for Elizabeth’s mistakes. The important and crucial detail, however, is that they did end up happy. It was just a matter of how long it took them. The question pertaining to who—Darcy or Elizabeth—was the Beast and who was the Beauty, can now be answered. Elizabeth’s beastly actions kept her from her beauty, Darcy. Thankfully, Darcy was someone who could, like Belle, learn to love a beast.

Works cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. United States: Oxford University, 1990

Crucible Cuatro

1) "Spare me! I forget nothin' and forgive nothin'./...I have gone tiptoe in this house all/ seven month since she is gone. I have not moved from there to there without I think to please you, and still an everlasting/ funeral marches round your heart. I cannot speak but I am/ doubted, every moment judged for lies, as though I come into/ a court when I come into this house!" (Miller 55)

John Proctor knows what he did was wrong. He had an affair, but he can not escape it. No matter what he does, the memory of his infidelity lingers at every turn and around every corner. Now, we know that his wife, Elizabeth, knows of his adultery as well: "John, if it were not Abigail that you must go to hurt, would you falter now? I think not" (54). Proctor has enough problems already. Every time he comes home and sees his wife, he has to painfully remember how unfaithful he was to her, and how ignorant Elizabeth is of it. Now that she knows, however, and it can be surmised that she has known for a while, it is all the more harder for him. I feel so bad for Proctor, having to look the woman he loves and said 'I do' to in the eye and think only of the teenager he used once as a release. This stigma will not go away easily, no matter how fervently John wishes it so.

2) "Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be/ accounted small" (67).

Alot of the townspeople think of theology and religion as a fortress, as Reverend Hale has said. They built their town upon it; religion is the foundation of their entire world. Theology is the villagers' everyday life. It is the reason they rise from bed and go about their jobs in the community. It is the reason they form families and why they stay so true to them. Theology is venerated as a reason for them to leave their homeland in England and invade the homeland of the Native Americans, battling them back further into America's untamed wilderness so that they may live in peace. They use theology as a shield as well. Religion protects them from things they do not understand, such as the forest nipping at the brim of their society. Theology is their sword for attacking the unjust and the wicked. Religion is the finger they point at those they despise, using its name in vain to call someone a witch. Theology has woven itself into every nook and cranny of these peoples' lives. It has literally become their lives. One small crack in it, and their entire world comes crumbling to the ground.

Crucible Tres

1) "Is it the Devil's fault that a man cannot say you good morning without you clap him for defamation?" (Miller 31).

John Proctor sees through the veil of the townspeoples' insanity. Possibly, this innate rationality is from living so far from town. He points out a flaw of the society and openly critiques it. What I liked about this quote was the blunt manner in which Proctor said it. When Giles was saying that the town has been drawn apart recently, he says it because of dark, unnatural forces pulling them apart. Then Proctor comes back with an awesome comeback. Basically, he asks, "Is it the Devil's fault we accuse each other of witchcraft at every turn?" It is a really good insight on his part. He is one of the villaers, but he sees that everyone is accusing people of witchcraft left and right. He does not acknowledge whether there is or is not yet, only that people are jumping at each other's throats to cry witch.

2) "We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of hell upon her" (38).

Enter Reverend Hale. The way he was described at first made it seem like he had never been called in like this before. This brings up the question of what exact experience he has in dealing with witches and the Devil like this. What does he know beyond books? Hale definitely sounds, at least, like everything he is doing is simply spitting out facts. He also seems very egotistical, since he is the only "professional" in the room. He lets this fact get to his head, and he always acts like the big shot. Something about the way he acts, though, makes it seem like he is full of it. There is one good aspect to his character, however, that is shown in this quote. This is his signature quote from the entire play, and it is evident as to why. He, like the rest of town, believes fervently in witches and the supernatural. The one difference between himself and the others, however, is that he is willing to say it is false. Other villagers, even if proven that someone was not a witch or was not touched by the devil(not that they would go to great lengths to prove it anyhow), would still go to their grave saying someone is a witch or someone is being witched. Hale, on the other hand, is willing to find proof and recognize it.

P&P Mini-essay--The Abridged Version!

Scott Pero
AP English Language/Mr. George
December 2, 2009
Lady Catherine as a class critique
Lady Classist de Bourgh

High school cliques—various sects composed of a certain type of student—are an everyday form of classism, or prejudice against a certain group in society. This type of society is greatly critiqued in Pride and Prejudice, a novel written by Jane Austen. To do this, Austen uses Lady Catherine de Bourgh, a governess of the upper class who constantly looks down on everyone around her. Austen utilizes Lady Catherine de Bourgh as a critique of the classist society by portraying her as the zenith of classism and relaying, through her actions, the absurdity and lack of merit attributed to the upper class.

Lady Catherine embodies every negative aspect that is associated with the upper class—she is wealthy and of a high-ranking family. In reality, however, Lady Catherine does not live up to the reputation attributed to her. She is an elitist, prejudiced control freak who is constantly condescending toward the lower classes: “[Lady Catherine’s] air was not conciliating…such as to make her visitors forget their inferior rank…whatever she said, was spoken in so authoritative a tone, as marked her self-importance” (Austen 125). Here, Austen describes how everyone around Lady Catherine is affected by her arrogance. To her, the world revolves around wealth and title. She compares people not by their merit, but their family’s income, reputation, and social status. They are all of a lower class, and according to Lady Catherine, they should know it.

When Lady Catherine visits Elizabeth after hearing a rumor of her marriage to Mr. Darcy, Lady Catherine again flaunts her social status and rank in order to intimidate the lower-ranking Elizabeth: “‘[Darcy and Miss de Bourgh] are destined for each other…and what is to divide them? The upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune’” (272). Lady Catherine does not hold back in attacking Elizabeth, brusquely bringing up Elizabeth’s lack of wealth and title. She believes a union between Darcy and Elizabeth is a toxic pollutant that will forever tarnish her family’s name—something that would, due to her classist nature, mortify Lady Catherine.

Elizabeth drives Austen’s message deeper into the readers’ minds. She never backs down from Lady Catherine’s confrontations, and in the back of the readers’ minds, they are rooting for Elizabeth the entire time: “‘I am not to be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable…You have widely mistaken my character’” (273). The reader likes that Elizabeth is breaking barriers by climbing up the social ladder, and so Austen shows that the classist society can and should be overcome.

Lady Catherine is the mouthpiece for Austen’s stance on classism. By setting Lady Catherine as an antagonist, the audience despises her and everything she stands for. If she stands for classism, the reader will be the first to reprimand it. Also, Austen contrasts Lady Catherine with another member of the same class, Mr. Darcy. Though he is of the same class as Lady Catherine, he is willing to transcend the bonds of a classist society to be with the woman he loves, Elizabeth.

Classism, to Austen, is a wretched and unjust ideal. This is why she incorporates Lady Catherine to reinforce her beliefs and criticisms. Lady Catherine is a classist, condescending snob who embodies the upper class, and as such she is meant to be abhorred. Elizabeth, the readers’ favorite, is the one to shatter Lady Catherine’s elitist monopoly and further promote Austen’s stance; she is the new girl in school standing up to the mean rich girl. Like every high school story, the popular girl always falls in the end.

Works Cited

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. United States: Oxford University, 1990

Crucible Dos

1) Betty: "You drank blood, Abby! You didn't tell him that!"
Abigail: "Betty, you never say that again! You will never--"
Betty: "You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" (Miller, 19).

Here is the first evidence we have of anyone actually partaking in unnatural practices. I think Abigail is going t be a witch, for obvious reasons. Witches often were very adulterous beings in lore. We find out in this reading that Abigail had relations with John Proctor and now wants to kill his wife to have him to herself. Abigail and Mercy seem like the two witches we know of for sure, at this point. They both were in league with each other, and Mary Warren as well, even though she only saw their practices but did not partake in them. Thus we have the stereotypical triad of witches (a la Macbeth and Hocus Pocus?).

2) "I [Rebecca] think she'll wake when she tires of it. A child's spirit is like a child, you can never catch it by running after it; you must stand still, and, for love, it will soon itself come back" (26).

Rebecca Nurse is the only sane person in this entire society! Most likely we can attribute this to her age, but still. Everyone else screams, "Witchcraft!" at any sign of difference. Rebecca is the only person to look at a situation rationally. To every outrageous claim, she gives a logical answer that nobody else could think of. Here, she's chalking up Ruth's behavior to any child's playful mischief. When questioned as to why Ruth has not eaten yet, she responds, "Perhaps she is not hungered yet" (27). It's obvious, but in this type of setting, not something you would expect. I really like Rebecca.

2 Character Analyses--Darcy and Caroline

Scott Pero
AP English Language—Mr. George
November 28, 2009
Mr. Darcy Character Analysis

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a taciturn man who, though originally believed to be haughty and disagreeable, learns from his mistakes and will do anything for the people he loves.

Mr. Darcy is stoic. He rarely ever speaks, and constantly maintains a serious countenance. His manners are received by other members of society as proud and antisocial. The real reason he acts in such a manner is because he is actually very awkward, and has never willfully spoken to anyone outside the select few he already knows. Darcy is socially awkward and does not speak well with people he does not know. In that sense, he is very shy. His manners, though, are not his fault, as he tells Elizabeth: “I have been a selfish being all my life…as a child I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper…I was spoilt by my parents who…allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing…I might still have been but for you…Elizabeth! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous” (Austen 282). The reason Darcy comes off as proud is because he was raised that way. He seems selfish because, through his life, he was spoiled. Until Elizabeth came along, Darcy thought that he was perfectly fine, and that his manners were the proper way to act. Elizabeth serves as his own personal reality check. Over time, Darcy develops strong feelings for her. When he proposes for the first time, his pride gave him reason to think Elizabeth had at that point desired his proposal. Elizabeth then lists every reason as to why she would not want to marry him. Darcy, rather than feeling utterly devastated as any other man would, he learns from these accusations and betters himself through them. This shows his intelligence, as he endeavors to explain his motives and his actions, while still learning from his mistakes. It is also shown that he is very caring to all those who are close to him. Darcy is described by his servants as the perfect master, and by his sister as the best brother. He is very kind to his staff, and even kinder to his own family, buying whatever Georgiana wishes. Darcy pays off Wickham’s debts all for Elizabeth. Darcy does everything with Elizabeth in mind.

Mr. Darcy is a lot like Beast from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Like Beast, Darcy grew up a spoiled, proud child, which is what eventually turned him into the ‘beast’ that society sees him as. At first, he always thinks he is right, and looks down on others. When he meets Elizabeth, the Belle of his story, he begins to develop feelings for her, and soon loves her more than anything. He, like Beast, wants to do everything for her and get closer to her, but his own beastly and awkward manners only push him farther away. He learns what to do in order to become a true gentleman in her eyes. He earnestly tries to overcome the beast within and seeks retribution in the eyes of the woman he loves. Soon there is something there that was not there before between Darcy, or Beast, and Elizabeth, his Belle.

In our modern day, a real-world counterpart of Mr. Darcy is Stephen Simmons: Both are men of few words who are very kind and amiable to their friends and family; there is more to their character than what one sees on the surface.


Scott Pero
AP English Language—Mr. George
November 28, 2009
Caroline Bingley Character Analysis

Miss Caroline Bingley is an obsessive, duplicitous young woman who desperately tries in vain to attract the attentions of a man who does not love her and simultaneously shoot down any traces of competition in other women.

When we first see Miss Bingley, she is described, along with her sister, Mrs. Hurst, as, “fine women, with an air of decided fashion” (Austen 6). Caroline appears nice and lovely, especially when she interacts with Jane. At first, it seems as though Caroline is very amiable and agreeable to most. She quickly becomes the best of friends with Jane. Soon, however, it is shown that she has a darker side hidden away from public light. She is obsessive of Mr. Darcy, and wants to marry him more than anything. In many instances where Mr. Darcy is admiring Elizabeth from afar, Caroline swoops in and cunningly tries to deviate his interests from Elizabeth to herself. Caroline constantly brings up the many obstacles Darcy would have to overcome in order to be with Elizabeth, such as her inferiority and her ludicrous family. In doing so, Caroline tries to promote herself in Darcy’s eyes. She talks politely in a friendly manner to Elizabeth, concealing her hidden motives from her, but the minute Elizabeth is gone, Caroline begins to attack Elizabeth on everything, such as her clothes, her manners, and her family. Not only is Caroline deceptive, but she is also very hypocritical as well. She speaks about despising women who try and sabotage others in the pursuit of a man, but she openly is the one doing it. She attempts to attract Mr. Darcy with every action and entice him with each word: “[Caroline] could not win [Mr. Darcy], however, to any conversation…at length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his, she gave a great yawn and said, ‘How pleasant it is to spend an evening this way! I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading’” (41). Caroline is constantly trying to win Mr. Darcy’s attention. No matter how many times she tries and fails, she can not take a hint and give him up. She is relentless in her pursuit of a man who will never be hers, obsessing over something she will never have. Caroline is a deceitful woman who endeavors ineffectively to captivate the one man who will never love her in return.

Caroline is just like an annoying little bug that constantly buzzes around the house. She will never go away, partly because no on is ever able to get her to go away. Every now and then, she is noticeable out of the corner of your eye, though you are not really paying attention to her. She is just that aggravating. She always hovers around the light on the ceiling, or in this case, Mr. Darcy. Just like the bug will fly into the light countless times only to get burnt and fly back again, so does Caroline always try and flaunt herself in front of Mr. Darcy, only to face rejection once more. Still, she tries again, demonstrating a level of prudence only common to unintelligible insects.

A modern day counterpart in the real world of Caroline Bingley is Kurt Hummel from the TV show Glee; both desperately strive in vain to gain the favor of a man they will never have, both appear friendly but secretly plot for their own benefit, and both aim to destroy any competition in their race to win the heart of the object of their devotion.

P&P Ch. 16-END

1) "But think no more of the letter. The feelings of the person who wrote, and the person who received it, are now so widely different from what they were then, that every unpleasant circumstance attending it ought to be forgotten. You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure" (Austen 282).

This quote struck me as odd, considering it was Elizabeth who said it. I actually quite like the philosophy, 'Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure'. Although, for Elizabeth to say it, it seems contradictory. For the first half of the novel, all Elizabeth did was remember the past, instead of letting it go. The entire reason she hated Darcy in the beginning was because he hurt her pride. That obviously did not give her pleasure, but she still remembered that one reason, accumulating others on top of that. This philosophy is alot like how Jane thinks: she chooses to see and reember only the good of a person. If Elizabeth had followed this philosophy from the beginning, instead of just saying to dismiss the discussion on Mr. Darcy's letter, the whole novel would have been changed. Elizabeth would have accepted Mr. Darcy's proposal, and she would have been the lady of Pemberly when she went there.

2) "'And if I had not a letter to write myself, I might sit by you, and admire the evenness of your writing, as another young lady once did. But I have an aunt, too, who must not be longer neglected" (292).

This quote made me laugh. Now that Elizabeth and Darcy are engaged, everything is happy between them. So, Darcy begins writing to people to let them know of their engagement. The way Elizabeth responds is priceless. She basically referrences Miss Bingley. I can picture them both laughing at that, Elizabeth laughing and Darcy simply smiling as Elizabeth gets up to write her own. This is also the only mention of Caroline in a long while. It shows that Elizabeth still remembers how many other women would love to be married to Mr. Darcy, but out of all of them, she was the lucky winner. Better luck next time, Not-so-sweet Caroline.

P&P Ch. 13-15

1) "My daughter and my nephew are formed for each other...They are destined for each other by the voice of every member of their respective houses; and what is to divide them? The upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere, in which you have been brought up" (Austen 272).

When Lady Catherine first visits Longbourn, she begins by indirectly insulting the estate, basically. Then, after she walks with Elizabeth, Lady Catherine explodes on her about a supposed marriage between her and her nephew, Mr. Darcy. Obviously, she would be upset, as Mr. Darcy was supposed to marry Miss de Bourgh. In her argument with Elizabeth, twice did Lady Catherine insult her directly, the quote above being the second. This one seemed more important to me, because Lady Catherine mentions the sphere of class Elizabeth was born into. This is a major focal point of her argument, aside from the fact that Darcy and Miss de Bourgh were destined since birth to wed. Lady Catherine ouright threatens Elizabeth to stay away from her nephew, though Elizabeth wittily retorts against Lady Catherine's every word expertly.

2) "Elizabeth had never been more at a loss to make her feelings appear what they were not. It was necessary to laugh, when she would rather cried. Her father had most cruelly mortified her, by what he said of Mr. Darcy's indifference, and she cold do nothing but wonder at such a want of penetration, or fear that perhaps, instead of his seeing too little, she might have fancied too much" (278).

This made me feel bad for Elizabeth. After receiving the letter from Mr. Collins, Mr. Bennet addresses Elizabeth with the parts that concern her, parts that detail the supposed marriage of Darcy and herself. Ignorance is bliss, as Mr. Bennet clearly demonstrates. He has no clue that Darcy loves Elizabeth, vice-versa, and that Darcy has already proposed to Elizabeth once. Because he does not know about such things, he is able to laugh at the entire situation. He finds it hilarious that Mr. Collins would choose Darcy as opposed to any other gentleman, because as he believes it, Darcy despises Elizabeth. He also thinks Elizabeth reciprocates, when meanwhile she is painfully taking every word her father mentions. He claims he has seen too little of this, but Elizabeth believes that, because of how much his words hurt and how, to her, they seem sensible, that she has been too farfetched in her beliefs of a second proposal from Darcy.

P&P Ch. 10-12

1) "''Tis an etiquette I despise,' said he. 'If he wants our society, let him seek it. He knows where we live. I will not spend my hours in running after my neighbours every time they go away, and come back again'" (Austen 253).

I think this quote is a societal critique on Austen's part. Obviously, it has been made known by Mrs. Bennet and their neighbors that, when someone new enters the neighborhood, the patriarch of the house must be the one to introduce themselves and their family. Austen wrote this just before society was beginning to change, and she uses Mr. Bennet as a mouthpiece for society's changing views. He argues the practicality of it, that Bingley already knows the Bennets are in Hertforshire, and he knows where they live. So, why should he have to waste his time running over there if Bingley will just keep leaving town? Mr. Bennet makes perfect sense in that regard, and that is probabl what Austen is going for when she criticizes this societal tradition.

2) "[Bingley] was received by Mrs. Bennet with a degree of civility, which made her two daughters ashamed, especially when contrasted with the cold and ceremonious politeness of her curtsey and address to [Mr. Darcy]. Elizabeth particularly, who knew that her mother owed to the latter the preservation of her favourite daughter from irremediable infamy, was hurt and distressed to a most painful degree by a distinction so ill applied" (255).

This is a perfect quote to show how Elizabeth feels everytime she sees Darcy now. She can not see him without thinking that he is the reason her family has been able to stay together. Not only that, but her mother never helps anything ever. Yes, Mrs. Bennet does not know how exactly how Darcy has helped them, but she still acts distant towards him. She is cold only to him, but to everyone else, especially Bingley, she is her usual, annoyingly happy self. Elizabeth tries to tell Mr. Darcy just how appreciative she is, but she can never get him alone throughout his entire visit. All the while, Mrs. Bennet is embarassing them completely.

P&P Ch. 7-9

1) "What a triumph for [Mr. Darcy], as [Elizabeth] often thought, could he know that the proposals which she had proudly spurned only four months ago, would now have been gladly and gratefully received!...She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man, who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both; by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance" (Austen 237).

Here is the first instance Elizabeth ouright says she would marry Mr. Darcy, rather than hinting at it. She thinks of Darcy not being able to marry her because Wickham will now be a member of her family, an obstacle his love cannot endure (so she thinks). As she is thinking about him, she thinks upon all of his good qualities. These, to Elizabeth, seem like the perfect match for herself. Elizabeth has not, however, mentioned any feelings of love toward Darcy yet. So far, this is turning out to be a prudent marriage. She benefits from him, and he benefits from her. They both get along, everyone is happy. In my opinion, I do not think prudent marriages will ever stay prudent marriages. If you are compatible with someone in every way, shape, and form, and get married, you will find something you love about that person. Whether it is a small, trivial thing, or a monumental epiphany, compatibility breeds love of some kind. Thusly, if Darcy and elizabeth do marry because of Prudence, I believe it will eventually evolve into a Love Marriage.

2) "Wickham's affection for Lydia, was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it; not equal to Lydia's for him. She had scarcely needed her present observation to be satisfied, from the reason of things, that their elopement had been brought on by the strength of her love, rather than by his; and she would have wondered why, without violently caring for her, he chose to elope with her at all, had she not felt certain that his flight was rendered necessary by distress of circumstances; and if that were the case, he was not the young man to resist an opportunity of having a companion" (241).

The beginning of this quote struck me as odd. Elizabeth is doing exactly what Darcy did, in the same sense. Darcy thought that Jane's affections for Bingley were not equal to his own towards her. In the same way, Elizabeth is judging Wickham's affections towards Lydia. I am not saing that maybe Wickham really does love her, merely that the one thing that Elizabeth had reason to hate Darcy for, she is doing herself all over again. Elizabeth is also, in this qoute, pointing out that Lydia is merely an excuse to leave the militia in ---shire to Wickham. She also thinks that Wickham will not stay with Lydia. He seems to be the type of person who would not 'resist an opportunity of having a companion'. Once his debts are to be repaid, he will leave Lydia for the next best thing.

P&P Ch. 3-6

1) "'I am inclined to think that her own disposition must be naturally bad, or she could not be guilty of such an enormity, at so early an age...[Lady Catherine and her daughter] agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter, will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others, for who, as lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family...Let me advise you then, my dear Sir, to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence'" (Austen 225).

Mr. Collins has never been a fan favorite, and his letter in the reading cannot help that image. We usually picture Mr. Collins as the nerdy little awkward kid in school, the one that thinks he is great when he really is not. In this letter, however, he turns very harsh. He's basically saying that running off with Wickham is all Lydia's fault, without room for any factors that may contribute to the situation. No; it was absolutely Lydia's fault. He doesn't think that people her age are capable of mistakes, and that she did it willfully of her own malicious volition. He probably does not need to point out the fact that this will affect the entire family and the daughters, but Collins', being the loyal lapdog that he is, simply MUST relate Lady Catherine's 'Captain Obvious' point-of-view. Finally, he suggests shunning Lydia and letting her live on her own after what happened. This seems far too intense a statement for his character. Yes, Lydia did do something wrong that she should not have done, be it intentionally or unintentionally, but that is no reason to remove her from the family.

2) "'What, is he coming home, and without poor Lydia!' she cried. 'Sure he will not leave London before he has found them. Who is to fight Wickham, and make him marry her, if he comes away?'" (226).

This struck me as odd, considering Mrs. Bennet was the one that wanted Mr. Bennet to come home as quickly as possible to calm her nerves. This is a perfect passage that exemplifies Mrs. Bennet as a very manipulative character. She began only wanting Mr. Bennet to return from his search in London. while doing so, she tried to get everyone to focus on herself instead of what was really going on. Then, when Mr. Gardiner leaves to help the search, she gives him a laundry list of things to do that are almost idyllic in their dramatic simplicity. Most significant of all, she wants Mr. Bennet to come home so he will not have to duel Wickham. No, she finds out Mr. Bennet is returning home, and she argues against everything she has ever said on the matter. She is an instigator, and causes drama left and right all for her own enjoyment.

P&P Ch. 19-2

1) "There was certainly at this moment, in Elizabeth's mind, a more gentle sensation towards the original, than she had ever felt in the height of their acquaintance...and as she stood before the canvas, on which [Mr. Darcy] was represented, and fixed his eyes upon herself, she thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment of gratitude than it had ever raised before; she remembered its warmth, and softened its impropriety of expression" (Austen 189).

In this reading, we finally see that Elizabeth's feelings for Mr. Darcy become apparent to her. Before, she merely did not dislike him, nothing more. Now, however, she is starting to get over the initial fear of seeing him after their last meeting. I feel like this quote especially is the climax of her affections. Before, she was slowly going away from her vowed hatred. Now, the emotions that lay dormant from the very first moment she saw him--before she swore to despise him--are coming back to the surface. After seeing Darcy's visage in the painting, the emotions make themselves known and from here on, she is coming to terms with them. In the words of Mrs. Potts, "There's something there that wasn't there before..."

2) "[Mr. Darcy] who, [Elizabeth] had been persuaded, would avoid her as his greatest enemy, seemed, on this accidental meeting, most eager to preserve the acquaintance...Such a change in a man of so much pride, excited not only astonishment but gratitude--for to love, ardent love, it must be attributed...She respected, she esteemed, she was grateful to him, she felt a real interest in his welfare; and she only wanted to know how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself, and how far it would be for the happiness of both that she should employ the power, which her fancy told her she still possessed, of bringing on the renewal of his addresses" (201).

Here, Elizabeth's realization of both her emotions and Mr. Darcy's culminates. As she lies in bed, unable to sleep, she ponders her own feelings, trying to get a grip on them. She sees that Darcy still loves her. Darcy loves her so much, in fact, that he still loves her despite everything she said to him in regards to the contrary. Through everything, he still has feelings for her. As Elizabeth realizes the degree of his affections, she also sees the extent of her own. She wants to be with him, and even wants to try and warrant his proposal once more, this time so she can say yes.

P&P Ch. 12-18

1) "'There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men. One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it'" (Austen 172).

Elizabeth realized the error of her ways earlier in the reading, but I like this quote to sum everything up. Here she is talking of Wickham and Darcy, and, as she has realized, Darcy has all the goodness and Wickham has the appearance of it. The fact that she is also beating herself up over misjudging the two is making me like elizabeth better, now. We even see that in Chapter 18, Elizabeth even sticks up for Darcy for the first time when speaking to Mr. Wickham. Aside from Jane, this is the first time she's ever defend or even been on Darcy's side. This quote shows a clear explanation of the differences between the two men, directly from Elizabeth's mouth.

2) "'Do not make yourself uneasy, my love. Wherever you and Jane are known, you must be respected and valued...We shall have no peace at Longbourn if Lydia does not go to Brighton....At Brighton she will be of less importance even as a common flirt than she has been here...Let us hope, therefore, that her being there may teach her her own insignificance. At any rate, she cannot grow many degrees worse, without authorizing us to lock her up for the rest of her life'" (177).

Mr. Bennet is definitely one of the reasons this book is so good. I really liked this quote, as it exemplifies Mr. Bennet's serious side. He approaches Elizabeth with one of his numerous joking comments, but then follows right up with a serious input. I liked his reasoning for sending Lydia (whom might I add, is an airhead bimbo, pardon the language) to Brighton. He says it will be a reality check, something three of the five Bennets daughters desperately need. This quote shows that Mr. Bennet is not just the joking member of the family, but that he is smarter than he looks and honestly cares for his girls.

P&P Ch. 6-11

1) "Elizabeth soon perceived that though [Lady Catherine de Bourgh] was not in the commission of the peace for the county, she was a most active magistrate in her own parish, the minutest concerns of which were carried to her by Mr. Collins; and whenever any of the cottagers were disposed to be quarrelsom, discontented or too poor, she sallied forth into the village to settle their differences, silence their complaints, and scold them into harmony and plenty" (Austen 130).

In tonight's reading we are first introduced to Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and we see she is very condescending, but it does not seem in a bad way. It is a type of condescending that you just brush of and think nothing of. She always has to know what everyone his doing and have everyone in her care and patronage under her thumb. Everyone should do things her way. The perfect example of this is Mr. Collins, her own little pet dog. He praises her as though she was a god, and is constantly at her beck and call. As Austen puts it, Lady Catherine would be perfectly fit to be a queen were it not for the fact she was merely a patroness. She is also highly interested in music, and always comments on others when they try to either play or sing. Every time someone plays, she mentions that if they practiced they would be better, like she also knows everything.

2) "That [Elizabeth] should receive an offer of marriage from Mr. Darcy! that he should have been in love with her for so many months! so much in love as to wish to marry her in spite of all the objections which had made him prevent his friend's marrying her sister, and which must appear at least with equal force in his own case, was almost incredible! it was gratifying to have inspired unconsciously so strong an affection. But his pride, his abominable pride, his shameless avowal of what he had done with respect to Jane, his unpardonable assurance in acknowledging, though he could not justify it, and the unfeeling manner in which he had mentioned Mr. Wickham, his cruelty towards whom he had not attempted to deny, soon overcame the pity which the cnsideration of his attachment had for a moment excited" (149).

In this reading, Darcy finally makes his move. You have to ive him some credit--this is a woman he has fallen madly in love with and he is very socially awkward. Having to reveal all this to her so he can relieve his pain is probably a terrifying thing. It is easy to see that Elizabeth is affected by the proposal as well. It seems like she would have fallen into his arms had she not remembered what he did to Jane and Bingley's relationship. That was a difference from the book and the movie. The movie went into detail explaining why Darcy did it, but the book never mentions. Still, though, his reasons were somewhat amiable. He was doing it in his friend's best interest. No matter what evil may have befallen because of it, his motives were still, in their urpose, amiable. Considering she had just found out Darcy was the one to break up Bingley and Jane, I can understand her reaction, but it soehow feels like she's being too hard on Darcy. Here he is professing his love for her, no easy feat in the least, and she is absolutely tearing him down. Yes, the sabotage of Jane and Bingley's relationship is a major reason, but still. Elizabeth even brings up Mr. Wickham, who has and should not have any more relevance to the story whatsoever. I can not help feeling bad for Darcy after this.

P&P Ch. 2-5

"' I am now convinced, my dear aunt, that I have never been much in love; for had I really experienced that pure and elevating passion, I should at present detest his very name, and wish him all manner of evil. But my feelings are not only cordial to him; they are even impartial towards Miss King. I cannot find out that I hate her at all, or that I am in the least unwilling to think her a very good sort of girl. There can be no love in this'" (Austen 116).

In this reading we find out about Mr. Wickham and how his affections for Elizabeth are no more. Somehow, the phrase, "I told you so" in regards to Elizabeth come to mind. Elizabeth was letting her feelings for him cloud the fact that he was not a good person in general. Yes, he was handsome and a military general, but he was not of good character compared to other men in the novel. Elizabeth, to be frank, let the fact that he was "hot" replace all the other obvious bad things about him. Now she sees, after he leaves her--for someone of a larger fortune--that she does not actually have any feelings toward him after all. I do not feel sorry for Elizabeth at all in regards to this. It is actually quite funny.

"'I like her appearance,' said Elizabeth, struck with other ideas. 'She looks sickly and cross.--Yes, she will do for him very well. She will make him a very proper wife'" (122).

In this quote, when Elizabeth sees Miss de Bourgh for the first time, I believe it is interesting to note that she can only think of Mr. (Fitzwilliam) Darcy. She does not think of her social status, or her mother, but, knowing Mr. Darcy is supposed to marry her, she only thinks of him. There was no previous mention of Mr. Darcy either, but he is the first person that pops into her mind. For someone ho is determined to despise his very essence, she thinks about him quite often. I think she shows Elizabeth's blooming feelings for Darcy, as she snidly remarks on how 'perfect' a wife Miss de Bourgh would be.

P&P Ch. 21-1

1) "'Why should you be surprised, my dear Eliza?--Do you think it incredible that Mr. Collins should be able to procure any woman's good opinion, because he was not so happy as to succeed with you?'" (Austen 96).

I get the feeling that Charlotte has ulterior motives for her marriage to Mr. Collins. The way she said it made it--at least to me--feel like she was rubbing it in Elizabeth's face. I think she has always been slightly jealous of Elizabeth's beauty and intelligence, when she's always simply described as plain. I do not doubt she is still friends with Elizabeth, but now this is a small payback for everything. Charlotte does not care for marriage or for men for that matter, but when she sees Mr. Collins, she only takes him up as a way to be better than Elizabeth. In a novel about class and reputation, this seems like it would make perfect sense even among the best of friends.

2) "'My dear Lizzy, do not give way to such feelings as these. They will ruin your happiness. You do not make allowance enough for difference of situation and temper. Consider Mr. Collins's respectability, and Charlotte's prudent, steady character. Remember that she is one of a large family; that as to fortune, it is a most eligible match; and be ready to believe, for every body's sake, that she may feel something like regard and esteem for our cousin'" (105).

Once again, Jane serves as the voice of reason of the Bennet sisters. She is the perfect antithesis of Elizabeth's prejudiced statements. Here, Lizy is arguing with knowledge of only her own side, that no woman can find Mr. Collins suitable enough to marry, and that she's puzzled as to why Chrlotte would marry him. Jane comes right back at her and points out the logical steps in Charlotte and Mr. Collins's mainly mercenary marriage.

P&P Ch. 17-20

1) "'My dearest Lizzy, do but consider in what a disgraceful light it places Mr. Darcy, to be treating his father's favourite in such a manner,--one, whom his father has promised to provide for.--It is impossible. No man of common humanity, no man who had any value for his character, could be capable of it. Can his most intimate friends be so excessively deceived in him? oh! no'" (Austen 65).

Besides exhibiting Jane's uncanny ability to find the good in everyone, this quote shows a possible, rational way of thinking and approaching the subject and Darcy vs. Wickham rather than Elizabeth's one-sided attack on Darcy. Jane, being the forever optimist, made a defense for Darcy against Elizabeth's assault, and for all we know, this is the way Darcy sees it. Yes, his father gave everything to Mr. Wickham instead of him. Of course he would be angry over that, but he is also angry at the same person his father favored. Everytime Darcy must feel like hating Wickham, he probably remembers that Wickham was his father's favorite. He hates the same person his father loved, so he cannot really hate Wickham without bringing up his father in the process.

2) "'I can readily believe, ' answered he gravely, 'that report may vary greatly with respect to me; and I could wish, Miss Bennet, that you were not to sketch my character at the present moment, as there is reason to fear that the performance would reflect no credit on either" (71).

I really like this quote by Darcy. Here, Elizabeth is interrogating him about his character. Darcy is saying that, depending on who you ask, their opinion of him will change. There are some who he is nice to, and therefore believe him nice, but then again there are those like Elizabeth who hear one bad thing and hate him. He then goes on to ask Elizabeth not to presume his character just yet. He knows that she has spoken to Wickham, so he knows that she probably doesn't think highly of him after it. Therefore, if she presumed his character, it would not give credit to him because, going on Wickham's word, he would be painted as a bad person, and it would not credit Elizabeth because she judged before, in Darcy's eyes, she got to know him.

P&P Ch. 11-16

1) "[Miss Bingley] could not win [Mr. Darcy], however, to any conversation; he merely answered her questions, and read on. At length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his, she gave a great yawn and said, 'How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book--When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have noy an excellent library'" (Austen 41).

I despise Caroline. I really do. She is too obsessive of Mr. Darcy, and not the romantic sort of way Darcy is feeling towards Elizabeth. She's like psycho-obsessive. Everything she does is either in response to Darcy or to evoke a response from Darcy. She's just like an annoying little bug that keeps flying around the light on your ceiling. every now and then you notice it out of the corner of your eye, and even that is enough to warrant annoyance. But it doesn't stop there, he keeps flying towards the light only to bounce back from the heat and stupidly try again. Every now and then Darcy notices her futile attempts and still finds them annoying. Caroline doesn't stop, and she just keeps going for Darcy no matter what he may say or show for Elizabeth. Caroline should just give up already.

2) "[Mr. Wickham's] appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address. The introduction was followed upon his side by a happy readiness of conversation--a readiness at the same time perfectly correct and unassuming" (54).

Here we see our first glimpse of Mr. Wickham, who is foretold to play a major role in the text. Like all of the male characters, he seems perfect at first--aesthetically pleasing as well as agreeable. Like all of the male characters so far, however, what is his flaw? With Bingley it is that he is too nice, with Darcy, his serious and laconic nature, and Mr. Collins, well, everything. We are hinted as to what that may be when Mr. Wickham meets Darcy, and they both share a silent greeting. The way it is described makes it feel like they've met before and had a past with each other in some way, and judging by the way Austen said one turned white and one turned red, one probably wronged the other in some way. It will be very inteesting to see how this will turn out(Go Darcy!).

PxP Ch. 7-10

1) "'Oh! certainly,' cried his faithful assistant, 'no one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved'" (Austen 29).

Here, we see what passes for an "accomplished" woman in the story. She must indeed be a true "Renaissance Woman", as she must have knowledge of almost everything, plus the way she carries herself and the way she acts. This is what must be done to ensure or even improve a woman's reputtion in the novel. It seems almost idealistic in its description. I don't know whether anyone can do ALL of that at once, woman or man. Still, though, we now know what passes for a great woman in the text, which will probably play out further somehow.

2) "'Nothing is more deceitful,' said Darcy, 'than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast'" (35).

One of the key concepts of the novel is pride, and this quote has something to do with that. humility is the antonym of pride, and here Mr. Darcy says there is nothing worse than false humility. I get the feeling false humility is actually some type of pride, in a way. The person would make it seem he is humble rather than actually being so, most likely to invoke feelings of affection or friendship from others. The person has knowledge of his humility, but real humility would pass by unnoticed. Darcy here is speaking to many character in the novel, including Miss Bingley. She especially is a perfect example of this. She makes it seem she is humble and kind when really she despises Elizabeth and everything related to her. Not only does pride play a fair role in the text, but its impersonator as well.

PxP Ch. 1-6

1) "'His pride,' said Miss Lucas, 'does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, every thing in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud'" (Austen 13).

I believe this quote to be important because it describes an aspect of Pride, a major concept addressed in the text and one third of its title. It is also a commentary on how people view pride. If someone is simply average, middle class, and ordinary, yet they are proud, then there is a problem, but with someone so well off as Mr. Darcy--handsome and wealthy--his various different outstanding qualities are the type of things that warrant pride in one's self. As Charlotte so eloquently put it, he does have a right to be proud. This quote exactly establishes the requirements for pride in the novel.

2) "'...it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life'...But no sooner had [Mr. Darcy] made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some other equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness" (16).

When I read the first part of this quote, where Charlotte is speaking of marriage, I did not agree. the first thing that popped into my mind was Agent Myers from Hellboy: "You like someone for their qualities, but love them for their defects." If you truly love someone, you want them entirely, both the good and the bad. As Myers is saying, you only love someone whe you accept their defects. When I read that, immediately I did not really like Charlotte's character as much as before. As I continued reading, Mr. Darcy's all for Elizabeth is detailed, in complete contradiction to Charlotte's words. He acknowledged that she was pretty, but now he is finding himself falling in love with her for the exact reason he at first did not find her beautiful. In other words, he is finding that his love for Elizabeth was because of what he deemed as defects. I also like how these two refuting passages are on the same page. This is yet another reason why I love Mr. Darcy.

AoM-The Tao Appendix

I believe the most important aspect of the Tao is the Law of Magnanimity, because that is, if not the closest to, loving others. Love is the basis for all morality. Chivalry is among the many forms of this selflessness to others, and it if the perfect example of what Lewis' references state: Others come before ourselves; their needs, their troubles, their happiness is more important than ours. This sense shows that we are human. Without Love, what are we? We have no feelings, no emotion. There are those who say that to love and feel for others is to show weakness. Remove the weakness, and we would be perfect, like a marble statue: Cold, unfeeling, and rigid. We would have no utter regard for our fellow man. Then, what point is there in including ourselves in the collective of mankind if we stand alone? As Lewis has stated, our hearts--the center of all sentiment in our bodies--are what make us men. By our mind, we are purely spirit, and by our bodies, we are purely animal. Our heart, and thusly our sense of emotion, is what makes is human, and so it is the most important of the Laws.

I would say that if I had to add one aspect to the Tao, it would be the Law of Equality. Everyone is the same as everyone else, and it should be treated that way. We all live on the earth, we all share it, and we all depend on everyone else at some time in our lives. Everyone deserves to be treated the same as everyone else. It is from this type of problem that slavery, womens' rights, and gay rights have arisen. If all are treated equal, the world will be a better place. Coupled with the Law of Magnanimity, it would create a powerful combination of good deed and good will. If everyone is to be treated the same, then everyone is treated selflessly, and thus will arise a mutual kindness toward all others.

AoM-Abolition of Man

1.) "We shall have 'taken the thread of life out of the hand of Clotho' and be henceforth free to make our species whatever we wish it to be.[...]For the Power of Man to make himself what he pleases means, as we have seen, the power of some men to make other men what they please" (59).

2.) "You cannot go on 'seeing through' things for ever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it.[...]If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see" (81).

In his last chapter, Lewis sums up his argument and explains the title of his book, The Abolition of Man. He states that eradicating a certain aspect of the next generation, as Lewis argues that Gaius and Titius do, with eventually be the destruction of mankind itself. This next generation of man will not be men anymore than a doll is human. They will be but false representations of humanity, devoid of true life and made of cheap metaphorical plastic. Man will no longer be an invividual entity, but a memory of its predecessors. He will be exactly how others wanted him to be, not his own being. In doing this, man will have robbed fate of its true job: weaving the future. Everything will be predetermined; everything will be known. Once we know everything, and once everything in the world can be explained, there will be nothing left to discover. There will be nothing left to "see" and thus man will be no more. Too much knowledge can be a gift as well as a curse: When you know everything there is to know, there is nothing more you can learn.

AoM: The Way

1) "Knowledge cannot itself be instinctive: the judge cannot be one of the parties judged; or, if he is, the decision is worthless and there is no ground for placing the preservation of the species above self-preservation or sexual appetite" (Lewis 36).

2) "The Tao, and which others may call Natural Law or Traditional Morality or the First Principles of Practical Reason or the First Platitudes, is not one among a series of possible systems of value. It is the sole source of all value judgements" (43).

In this chapter, Lewis speaks of morality and value, specifically what is and what isn't. He's saying that Gaius and Titius, and any such Innovators, are tearing down sentiments in order to replace them with a set of values that they believe to be good or just. Lewis refutes this by saying that all value judgements stem from the Tao; it is the basis for all value. He uses the analogy of branches on a tree. If the branches rebelled against the tree, they would destroy themselves; it is the same for values. Every subjective value system in itself contains some objective aspect of the Tao, tearing it down would tear down the value system in question. Also, in regards to this, he addresses what value, moral, or instinct is better than another, or which one has precedence over the other. Much like he relayed in Mere Christianity, the instinct itself cannot be the thing to tell a person to obey it over another instinct; there is an objective law or way that shows us. All values stem from the Tao, and so trying to tear it down and replace it with a "better" system of value which we believe has more precedence over another is self-contradictory.

AoM-Ch.1 Men Without Chests

1.) "The man who called the cataract sublime was not intending simply to describe his own emotios about it: he was also claiming that the object was one which merited those emotions" (Lewis 15).

As we discussed in class, Lewis is arguing that saying something is sublime does not mean you feel sublime, it is that you in fact feel humbled because of that object. The object is in itself sublime, and that sublimity warrants your own feelings to surface and describe it as such. The same can be said for vile or annoying. The object itself is so vile or annoying that it stimulates your own feelings to describe it as such. We do not feel the word, we feel that object described is the word.

2.) "It may even be said that it is by this middle element that man is man: for by his intellect he is mere spirit and by his appetite mere animal" (25).

Here, Lewis speaks of three factions of the body--the mind, the chest(or heart), and the stomach(or body). The mind and the body are the two ends of the spectrum, the heart acting as the middleground that connects them. It is what makes us human, not, as Lewis writes, purely spirit or purely animal. The combination of both is what makes us human. Lewis is saying that The Green Book is essentially robbing the students it teaches of their feelings, what makes them human. Basically, men without chests, only a mind and body.

MLK Letter Essay

Scott Pero
AP English Language
October 13, 2009
What makes King’s argument so persuasive?

Eloquence Is Spelled M-L-K

Ever since mankind learned to speak, it has been twisting and warping words into beautiful poetry and enthralling stories. The English language has evolved tremendously since its inception due to various orators throughout the ages pushing the language to its limits. One such orator was Martin Luther King Jr. King, born 1929, was one of the most eminent civil rights activists of history. Out of the many ways King educated and inspired his audience, his writing is especially outstanding. This is shown in King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. After he was arrested on April 12, 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama for demonstrating without a permit, King wrote the letter to the white moderate, explaining his actions and acting as a voice for an oppressed people. King writes to his “Fellow Clergymen” (King 738), establishing himself as an equal to the white clergymen of the south, an audacious act for a black man in the 60s. The color of his skin is incentive alone for others not to listen to him, as well as the fact that he is writing from a prison cell. That, however, shows perseverance, that despite everything, King still struggles on. He writes of an illogical and unjust oppression of blacks in the U.S. and demonstrates his civility and sheer intelligence in doing so. Martin Luther King’s letter is so persuasive because of his syntax and complete mastery of the English language, his diction and appeals to emotion and logic only enhancing his argument.

A tell-tale sign of literary proficiency is the correct execution of literary devices. King’s letter is riddled with a multitude of devices, and these devices are the reason his speech is so magnificent. During the 60s, many believed blacks to be uneducated and uncivilized. King tears down that stereotype, which forces others to continue reading his words. His intelligence is what catches the attention of the general white populace. One example of such intelligence is the uses of parallelisms. By constantly repeating a certain aspect of a clause, the idea behind it is burned into the reader’s memory. When King speaks of praise for the Birmingham police force, he exhibits parallelism: “I don’t believe you would…praise for the police department” (751). King repeats the phrases ‘I don’t believe’ and ‘if you would’. This repetition is easily noticed by the reader and it catches their eye. Parallelism was one of the many devices king used; it was not alone in its battle to win the attention of his readers.

Juxtaposition is another tool King uses to great effect. By comparing two different things, he can show the drastic contrast between them, thus adding to his point. When he compares the U.S. to China is a remarkable example of juxtaposition: “We have waited for more than…coffee at a lunch counter” (742). Here, his comparison is so effective because he is comparing the U.S., a very progressive nation, with less progressive nations such as Asia and Africa, saying that Asia and Africa are surpassing the U.S. in terms of equality. He also continues with this analogy by utilizing two forms of transportation—jets and horse and buggies—to deepen the sheer contrast. This paints a picture in the reader’s mind, illustrating King’s point to maximize its effect. As somewhat of a continuation to his use of juxtaposition, King utilizes two different forms of sentences in his letter.

Dr. King uses both periodic sentences and cumulative sentences in his writing, and both have their advantages. Where cumulative sentences establish their point at the very beginning, periodic sentences build up to a climax and reveal their point towards the end of the clause. The use of both types provides an equal balance to keep the reader entertained, rather than bore them. A glaring and ideal example of King’s periodic sentences is the paragraph on page 742: “I guess it is easy for those who…legitimate and unavoidable impatience” (742). King utilizes semicolons throughout the paragraph, making it seem like one breathless sentence. It all builds to his final statement of logic at the end, a grand finale to the entire paragraph. Cumulative sentences are the exact opposite, as King establishes what he is trying to say in the beginning: “I say it as a minister…cord of life shall lengthen” (748). His point is said first, with the succeeding clauses only adding to it. Both of these types of sentences are the inversions of the other.

Inversion, like many of the other devices King incorporates into his writing, is meant to emphasize the idea or concept of what he is trying to say. Inversion flips a concept on its head, a good chance to catch the reader’s eye. “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will” (745). The second clause is the complete antithesis of the first. This is what sticks in the reader’s mind, emphasizing exactly what it is King is saying—half-hearted acceptance is more confusing than outright objection. Similar to inversion, King also brings up the opposing argument within his own argument.

King knows there will be multiple objections to some of his statements, so he uses rhetorical questioning to take care of them. When he talks of unjust and just laws, King utilizes rhetorical questioning: “One may well ask, ‘How can you advocate’…‘An unjust law is no law at all’” (742-743). By bringing up an opposing argument and quickly shooting it down, it shows both how weak the opposing statement is and strong King’s own statement is. It conveys his determination and complete understanding of both sides of the argument. Like all literary devices, rhetorical questioning would be nothing without the words used within them.

King’s word choice is phenomenal. His diction is both aggressive and passionate. Instead of using a simple word, he uses an even better, more powerful synonym. When describing Birmingham he uses such words as ugly, unjust, notorious, hard, brutal, and unbelievable. These words are extremely aggressive and evoke a response from the reader. King also uses his diction within his plethora of extended metaphors: “Let us all hope that…their scintillating beauty” (753). Interwoven through that passage, King continuously uses weather analogies and words to describe the weather. This illustrates in vivid detail exactly what King is trying to convey. His words convey both his own feelings and the reasons behind them.

Emotion and logic are two appeals King uses simultaneously to enhance his words and argument. King writes from the point of view of someone living the cause, as is relayed in the aforementioned paragraph of page 742: ““I guess it is easy for those who…legitimate and unavoidable impatience” (742). Each of the fifteen examples King uses call forth an emotional response within the reader. The way he writes the paragraph makes it seem like one long, breathless thought, and by the end, the reader is exhausted, a parallel of King’s exhaustion with the issue of segregation. King’s emotions become the reader’s. King also uses logic when he references many a famous extremist: “But as I continued to think…‘that all men are created equal’” (747). Here, King logically uses other famous historic figures labeled as extremists as examples for his own actions and words. No only does he reference them, but he quotes them and uses their quotes to further enhance his own argument. Much like King, all of the extremists mentioned stood out for one thing or another, marking them down in the history books for all time.

Martin Luther King’s control of the English language, his diction, and his appeals are the foundations of his letter. His utter knowledge of English is evident in the myriad of literary devices that lift up his argument to greater heights. His vocabulary and word choice is paramount. The reader is enlightened by his own emotions and the logic he uses to fuel them. Each aspect commanded the attention of King’s audience; they are what made his letter so memorable. Without them, no one would have listened to a black man in a prison cell in the 60s. Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail serves as a testament to the sheer power of writing and the will to follow a dream.

LfBJ Notes

Scott Pero
AP English Language
October 7, 2009
Letter from Birmingham Jail Notes

--King starts off with ethos in the beginning of his letter to establish himself and why he is writing the letter: “My dear Fellow Clergymen” (King, 738). Here, he makes it know that he is an equal to those he is writing to; he is a clergyman just like they are. Also, in that first introductory paragraph, he addresses why he is writing it: “Seldom, if ever, do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas” (738).

--King uses Pathos and Logos interchangeably throughout his letter, using an even mixture of the two, and sometimes even a combination of the two, to deliver his point. A perfect example of his use of emotion is the paragraph on page 742, “I guess it is easy for those…our legitimate and unavoidable impatience” (742). He uses fifteen examples of pure pathos to move the reader, culminating when he speaks of segregation and such topics affecting his own children. The reader is exhausted after reading it, a parallel of the exhaustion he feels over the struggles of blacks. This also works as an establishment of his character, since he refers to other blacks in the universal sense of brother and sister.

--King’s paragraph at the bottom of page 739 about both nonviolent campaign and Birmingham show his use of Logos effectively, along with his word choice adding Pathos to it: “In any nonviolent campaign…the hard, brutal, and unbelievable facts” (739). He begins with his logic, saying that he and all other blacks have gone through all four steps of nonviolent campaign in Birmingham, and that “Racial injustice engulfs [Birmingham]” (739). The word choice he uses to accentuate this logic only drives the point he is making even further, using such descriptions as ugly, unjust, notorious, etc.

--Diction: King’s diction is aggressive and relentless
Metaphor’s are fully flesh out, for example: “they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress” (745). Rather than stopping at ‘structured dams’, King continues with the use of the word flow, painting an image and completing his metaphor.

--Syntax: Uses various literary devices to excellent effect.

--Parallelism: “I don’t believe you would…praise for the police department” (751). King uses the parallels in the use of the words ‘I don’t believe’, ‘if you would’, and so on.

--Juxtaposition: “We have waited for more…coffee at a lunch counter” (742). King compares our country to less progressive nations, but uses them as an example of how far behind the country is in terms of equality.

--Periodic vs. Cumulative: King utilizes both periodic sentences, or listing things to build to a conclusion at the end of the sentence, and cumulative sentences, or strengthening a point at the beginning of the sentence. An example of Periodic: paragraph on 742. Cumulative: “I say it as a minister…cord of life shall lengthen” (748).

--Inversion: “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will” (745). He uses inversions for emphasis, using the antithesis of the first statement to complete the sentence.

--Rhetorical Questioning: King answers his own questions, questions that would be brought up against him. He quickly shuts down the opposition, only making his argument stronger: “One may well ask. ‘How can you advocate’…‘An unjust law is no law at all’” (742-743).