Emerson: Self Reliance

     In this writing by Emerson, he states that a genius is someone who believes their own thoughts, and what they know is true in their hearts. Not just what is accepted by all and other people. He states that a genius can come in many different "forms", not just the famous geniuses that everyone knows. Emerson talks about self worth as well. He says that all men have the responsibility to think for themselves and lean on their own beliefs and thoughts.
    Emerson's saying that a genius can come in many different forms reminds me of the quote from Albert Einstein. He says "Everyone's a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life thinking it is stupid." This relates directly to what Emerson is saying and shows that  just because you aren't a math or science genius, does not mean you aren't a genius in some other way.
   What does Emerson mean by "trifles" when he talks about societal disapproval?

Hawthorne: "The Ministers Black Veil"

    In this short story, the pastor, Reverand Hooper, is the head of a church. Hooper one day shows up to church on sunday with a black veil covering his face. Other than the black veil, he is entirely normal to a typical day. His sermon has the same characteristics as always, and he is dressed clean and sharp. Even though he is normal besides the veil, his congregation only focuses on the veil itself. Some are scared, some scoff, and some are just bothered. The entire town talks about this black veil that he wears everywhere, even to weddings and funerals. He is still himself at these "events" but everyone still is concerned with the veil. The pastor wears this veil his entire life, and is even eventually buried in his tomb, with it still upon his face.
     In the story, pastor Hooper goes to a beloved girl's funeral. He wears his black veil to the funeral and proceeds to do the funeral as normal. During the funeral, he bends down to the girl, and his veil hangs out from his face, so that his face is revealed to the corpse's face. The story says "if her eyelids had not been closed forever, the dead maiden may have seen his face". This could be an exaggeration on the people of his church. The pastor's face was able to be seen by the girl, but her eyes were closed forever. This shows that the pastor never changed, the veil was the only difference, and his the people of the church would have simply opened up there eyes to this, they would have seen the same old pator Hooper that they were all now afraid of.
    At the end of the story, is he buried while he is still alive? That section of the reading is confusing.

Song to Myself, Whitman

   This poem is simply about a thirty seven year old man, celebrating himself. He notes that he is from the soil, as well as everyone else. He came from his parents, who came from their parents, and so on. When the narrator does say that he is from the soil, he states that his tongue, and every atom of his blood came from the soil and air.
   The fact that the narrator said that his tongue came from the soil is important. He does not say his heart, skin, eyes, or any other organ. He only says his tongue and his blood. Blood is one of the most basic necessities of all living creatures. Every single animal has blood. Many animals also do have tongues, however, it seems that when he says his tongue is from the soil, he means his ability to speak. This incredible phenomenon called talking is a very advanced form of communication, however no matter how advanced something is, it still came from nature, and it will never escape the fact that it is from nature. The brain, and the power to think logically is also from nature, even though it is arguably the most advanced quality we have.
   Is this why the author mentioned only his tongue and his blood were made by the soil?

The Wound Dresser, by Whitman

      In this poem by Walt Whitman, the narrator is a wound dresser, that is doing his work after a battle that took place. This man has a realization while he is working on these men, and it makes him change his mind about the war. At first, he wanted to wage this war, he was almost excited about it. However, after seeing these men injured and hurt, he changes his mind about this. He sees the suffering these men are going through and decides that he does not think this war is worth it. He also states that in both sides of this war the fighters are brave, and on both they are dying.
      In the poem the wound dresser thinks to himself, that he wants their death to come. He says "In mercy come quickly" meaning that the faster their death comes, the better. This is because these men and boys are suffering so terribly that it would be more peaceful and humane for them to simply die. They are in agony and he also says that he would die for them if he could in order to save them. This is touching in the way that it reminds one that doctors do in fact care about their patients. We're not just numbers to them, we matter. They want to see us live and they hate to see us suffer.
      This poem is very descriptive, so i would like to know, is this poem entirely made up, or an actual memory from Whitman?

"Tell-Tale Heart" by Poe

        This story is written by a man that is trying to argue for his sanity. He says that people accuse him of being "mad", or insane, while he believes that this "madness" is truly just a keen sense of hearing. This man tells a story of how he killed his neighbor. He says that he killed his neighbor even though he loved the old man, the only part of the man he disliked was his eye. The old man had the eye of a vulture, and it inexplicably infuriated the narrator. The story goes into how he killed the man in great depth, to the point where it feels repetitive and unnecessary. When the man was killed, he let out a shriek, which someone heard and reported to the police, who then come and the narrator leads them around the entire house, where they find nothing. Eventually, they sit in the room where the body is hidden (under the floorboards) to rest. They stay here for a long time and talk. As they sit, the narrator begins to hear a ringing sound, that gets louder as he waits. Eventually, he can no longer bear the noise, so he rips up the floorboards t reveal the body and be taken away for the crime.

      This story is about guilt. The narrator is at first happy and even proud of his deed. However, the guilt, shown by the ringing sound, gets worse and worse. Eventually, the ringing makes him confess so that he can be taken away from it. This shows that the narrator would rather suffer for the evil that he has committed than deal with the terrible guilt for the rest of his life.

      What event would lead Edgar Allen Poe to write this? Or did he simply write this for the simple reason of enjoyment?

"The Raven" by Poe

     In the beginning of this poem, Poe is thinking deeply and woefully about his loved one, Lenore. When he hears a noise on the door, he checks and no one is there. Soon after, he hears a tapping on the window as well, and when he checks, he finds a raven perched upon a branch close to his window. He likes this raven, and asks it what its name is, its reply is "nevermore". Poe talks to the bird and asks him several questions, however the bird always answers "nevermore". Poe tells the bird to leave after receiving no help with his many questions and need for advice, but the bird stays where it is. 

     The answer "nevermore" is clearly a very important and meaning part of this poem. However, Poe did not make the title of the poem "nevermore" instead he named it "The Raven", which would indicate that the raven Poe talks with is of at least equal if not greater meaning to the poem. One possible idea is that the raven itself represents the Lord, and when Poe continually asks the raven about the woman, it simply says "nevermore" over and over. This could mean that when people sin, and ask God for advice, he simply tells them to do it no longer, nevermore. Some people love the sin they commit too much to turn from it, and become angry with the Lord and no longer want his help in their lives. However, one major possible flaw could ruin this idea, which leads me to this question:

     Was Edgar Allan Poe a Christian?

Irving's "Rip Van Winkle"

     This story is about a man, who is adored by many people. He was loved by many women, and the children all like to play with him. His life outside of his house is perfect, however, he and his wife are on the verge of divorce, his father was cruel to him, and he was not a good farmer. He only loved his dog. One day, he went up on a mountain to take his own life, but people showed up and he drank with them until he passed out. When he woke up, his dog was gone. He went back to town to find that he was actually asleep for 20 years, and everyone he knew was gone. He had to start a new life.
     This story can relate to alcoholism very well. This man was depressed, and in his depression he took a drink of alcohol, but didn't stop, he drank more and more. He eventually passed out and slept for twenty years, in a completely different life. This symbolizes how alcohol can dominate your life, and can for many years, and that when you finally stop, you may have already ruined or changed everything and may have a completely new life, or even have to start all over.
    Is that what Irving was trying to show?