Transcendentalist Society Con/Pro Essay

The Burself Islands are an appealing place to live for numerous reasons. The climate and atmosphere are both peaceful and inviting. Burself is an accepting place to live, however it could not be considered a fully transcendentalist society. Although some may believe that transcendentalist societies are possible to sustain because they require a system of government, laws, and an educational system they would not be possible in today’s world.  

It could be argued that Burself could be a fully functioning transcendentalist society because everyone has the freedom to come and go as they please. No one is trapped and forced to live in Burself. Even people who are not Burselfians can come and go. Everyone is welcome, but there is no pressure to stay. Like any other society there is no limit to what you can become, however in Burself opportunities are even vaster because it is a self sustaining society that requires everyone to explore themselves and obtain specialized careers. Burself is very accepting of people’s differences and encourages people to embrace their differences. Though all of this is true Burself, or any other society, could never actually be fully transcendentalist.        

In order to maintain some order on the islands there are chiefs in charge of each island. This means that some Burselfians have power over others. Putting some people above others places less value on the individual and starts to create a hierarchy. Also, Burself has a public education system. This makes it impossible for children to truly be themselves. Schools are necessary for a society to function properly, however, they are places of conformity and are not home to true transcendentalists. The influences of others can never be fully blocked out. This is especially true for children. No child can be a transcendentalist in a society such as this because their ideas and opinions are constantly being manipulated by their parents, teachers, and everyone else in their community.

A society as a whole cannot be transcendentalist. Transcendentalists stand out in a crowd and that is how they are identified. In any society conformity will begin to occur because it is human nature to want to fit in. Some societies are more accepting than others, but all societies must have rules and guidelines to operate properly. This is problematic because laws negate the transcendentalist aspects of Burself. On Burself there are five main actions that are prohibited, this in its self means that the society could not truly be a transcendentalist society. Transcendentalists are people who are completely true to themselves whatever that may mean and it is impossible to be yourself under a set of guidelines. Transcendentalist societies have been attempted in the past, but none have succeeded. Burself would fail as well because it would face the same problems as past societies. People cannot be forced into being themselves because that defeats the fundamental goal of transcendentalism.      

All societies require a certain amount of conformity to function. Everyone must abide by the same laws and get at least a high school education. Societies have requirements and because of that no one society can be home to only transcendentalists. Though it is a very accepting society, Burself would not stay afloat for long as a transcendentalist society because it requires a form of government, a system of laws, and some form of education. 

Dead Poets Society Post

In the movie, The Dead Poets Society, transcendentalism is encouraged. However, the drawbacks that come with standing up for what you believe in are also exemplified. In the film an English teacher named John Keating is portrayed as a fairly successful transcendentalist who desperately wants his students to also become individuals. Their school, Welton is not a place where individualism is encouraged. At one point Professor Keating is giving a lesson in the school courtyard in which he urges the boys to walk to the beat of their own drum. During this lesson another teacher looks out of his window down at the lesson with a look of disapproval. Keating, however did not stop the lesson he continued on even though his unconventional methods eventually loss him his job. Keating made a big sacrifice for transcendentalism; however an even bigger sacrifice is made by Neil Perry.

Neil also took huge risks in the film. His father wanted him to focus on his studies and would not allow him to spend his time with frivolous activities like the school newspaper. Neil decided to disregard what his father said and follow his dream of being an actor. Although Neil got to act in the play once his father found out he took Neil home and told him that he would not be going back to Welton. His father’s refusal to let him follow his heart led to Neil committing suicide. He did not even want to live his life if he couldn’t follow his own beliefs. Whit nonconformity comes consequences some more severe than others. Although it is noble to stand of for what you believe in it very well might come at a cost too great to risk.    

Transcendentalism Shirt

Wearing a shirt that expressed my oddities on Monday was a positive experience. I got some interesting looks in the hallways, but I didn’t receive any ridicule. Some people stopped me and asked to read it. Most people laughed at the fact that I had written “ginger” on my shirt. The only questions that people asked were about my having written “tumblr”. Some asked what it was and one person even asked who it was. I also had someone ask, “Shouldn’t there be an e?” that made me laugh.

The only real challenge that came with wearing my custom-made shirt was keeping the letters on. About every 10 minutes I would have to super glue a letter or two back on. All in all, my transcendentalist shirt was a success. I enjoyed making it and was not ashamed at all to wear it to school; however, just doing this did not turn me into a transcendentalist. These shirts were only a small step in the right direction towards transcendentalism.   

Modern Day Transcendentalists

Nowadays you can’t even go to school without seeing a scandalous amount of skin. This problem is even more extreme on Halloween. Teenage girls use the holiday as an excuse to dress even more risqué than usual. This Halloween, however, two girls stood out by choosing to ignore this trend. Nicole Bade and Tara McClanaghan decided upon more conservative costumes. They went to a Halloween party dressed as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy from the children’s television show, SpongeBob SquarePants. Although this act might be seen by their peers as “childish” or “weird,” they made the decision to stand out and make a statement. 

When asked, Nicole Bade said, “Although Halloween is a holiday for kids, no matter how old you are you should still take advantage of the traditional opportunity to release your usually cooped-up inner child”. It’s a challenge to find true transcendentalists in this day and age, especially in high school. Standing out is not something that most people want to do in high school, but Nicole and Tara did not let the unpopularity of their choice stop them. When choosing how to dress, these girls did not take into consideration what others might think of them; they just went out and had a good time without any worries at all. The party consisted mostly of your typical run-of-the-mill Halloween costumes that are commonly seen at any given Halloween party. There were even doubles and triples of some costumes; but not of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. Their costumes were a success and they plan to create another pair of original costumes next year. Despite the pressures of modern day society to conform the girls did what they believed to be right without letting anyone else influence their decisions and that is the mark of true transcendentalists.

Walden Essay

Modern advances have taken over every aspect of life. Although some people manage to block out some elements of the modern world, for most people that is not an option. In this day and age, avoiding technology is essentially impossible. For the vast majority of people, simplifying life is unimaginable because technological advancements are relied upon for work, school, and personal lives.

Giving up electronics is not only inconvenient, but in some cases not possible. Most jobs require at least a certain amount of technology. It is difficult to live a simple life if you are required to. Even during Thoreau’s life simplicity was fleeting. “Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nut shell and mosquito’s wing that falls….” (Thoreau 493). Thoreau was right in saying that people need to take a step back from their lives and appreciate nature, however, giving up one’s life in the process is not a realistic option. In Thoreau’s time period being at one with nature was much more plausible, but nowadays it is a rare pleasure to be able to detach from the chaos of modern day life. Not only at work, but also at school simply unplugging and appreciating nature is not an option. For taking notes, doing research, or even online assignments modern advances are necessary.

Aside from requirements personal enjoyment is also a reason for a more chaotic life. Although some prefer simply detaching from modern society most do not consider that an option. Socially, modern advances have made communication much easier. Though Thoreau may have viewed social networks as unnecessary they have become helpful not just for meaningless transfers of information, but have allowed better communication worldwide. “Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity…” (489). For Thoreau simplicity was an option because he did not rely upon modern advances for anything. In today’s world however, technology is essential to every part of everyday life.

      Simplicity is not possible in this day and age due to chaotic work, school, and personal lives. Though everyone should take time for nature it is unfair to ask people to completely abandon their lives for more simple ones. Lives, uncomplicated by technology may have been within reach during Thoreau’s life time, but they are not today. 

Student Declaration of Independence

We the students of Grosse Pointe South High School find it necessary to band together in order to create a common stronghold, that united shall allow for the dissolution of silly rules and regulations imposed upon us by King Provenzano and the Grosse Pointe School District. It is with all due respect that we bring forth our opinions. It is in doing so that we hope to engage in a quicker absolution of the past and current administrations’ mistakes. Only then can we look to our future within this institution and see that it is bright and beautiful.

Let it be known that we are entitled to certain rights as high school students. Namely, we have the Right to Sanity, Happiness, Physical Well-Being, Expression and Proper Accommodations.  We have been held prisoners in this school for too long. It is as if we are hardened criminals that must do homework or blog until our hands are calloused or fall off.  We are chained to our rooms and not allowed to wander the halls, nor leave a social event for fear we may commit some crime.  Our happiness and physical well-being have been ignored. These administrators should realize that we, as teenagers require more sleep, adequate nutrition and longer lunch hours.  Let’s not forget about our much-needed happiness in order not to commit suicide or deal with depression.  Also, we suffer from inadequate facilities with no air conditioning, ventilation, and no free parking lot that is sufficient enough to accommodate all students. It is our right and duty to provide for all students the necessary elements in order to succeed at this institution of higher education. We must rid this place of old ideals usurped with pain, agony, and suffering which they have inflicted. Hence, we must abolish this fiefdom. We hereby submit as proof of our allegations the following testimony that we do solemnly swear to be the whole truth

       I.           I.  More Holiday Breaks

When someone who does not know the school walks it, they see hard work, but with that hard work, sleep deprived students and teachers. Sleep can fix many of the things the teachers have issues with the students. If the school introduces more regular holiday breaks, instead of longer holiday breaks. This would give the student body more time to understand the difficult concepts of life, say school has all of Friday Saturday Sunday off. More time to do homework would permit more time to actually understand those lessons. More breaks would permit a healthier school in general.

    II.           II.  Harmless Pranks Should be Allowed

During spirit week all staff is on the hunt for pranks. Such things as, writing 'senior' on underclassmen's arms. This does not inhibit their class performance in any way. The students are still able to get their books, get to class, and be able to pay attention. The same with Glitter-Bombing; it affects no actual school notion. All that does is make the underclassmen shine a little more. Those are just simple pranks to make the day a little more light hearted; everyone needs a little laughter.

 III.            III. Less Strict Tardy Policies

The planner states that after seven unexcused tardies you fail the class. Instead of the concrete rule the rule should be circumstantial. There are situations that one cannot help, they were bound to happen anyway, there was just bad timing. The rules also permit teachers marking you down because you are tardy. That is not fair; the grade in any class should be based on homework, participation, and book smarts. The proof is in the pudding.

 IV.  S   IV. School Dance Restrictions

Dances are meant to be fun. However, even the simple task of buying a ticket for a dance is complicated by forms and ticket numbers and showing your school I.D. Although they are school run, dances should not be treated like a normal day at school. Those attending should not have to abide by the same strict dress code and above all else should not be forced to stay once they arrive. If you want to leave a dance you should be able to do so at any point during the night.

    V.           V.  Admission Fees

When attending school sporting events such as football games, students should not have to pay to get in. More students would attend games if admission were free. School teams need encouragement and this would get them a lot more support from the student body. Money would still be made from the cost of tickets for people who are not students or faculty. No admission fee would increase school spirit make games more enjoyable.

 VI.            VI. Attendance

Signing out in the attendance office before leaving school serves no purpose. If a parent must already call the student out there is no reason for that student to also have to go to the attendance office to sign out. This is an unnecessary step that does nothing but complicate a process that should be very simple. An absence should not be marked unexcused if the student did not sign out. Signing out is easy to forget and makes it easy for students to be punished unjustly.   

VII.            VII. Respect From Teachers

If students must respect their teachers then teachers must also respect their students. Teachers should not be allowed to abuse their authority by mistreating their students. If a student were to disrespect a teacher it would not go unnoticed. However, it is commonly overlooked when a teacher is rude to a student or class. If respect is demanded of us, it should also be demanded of faculty.   

VIII.          VIII.   Dress Code  

We believe that the dress code is too Puritan at our school. Females should not be forced to wear clothes of a certain length to school. This is a hassle for the parents because they now have to take the student shopping. All this excess shopping can cause money problems for the family. Students should be allowed to wear what they wear outside of school to school.

IX.   Start and Dismissal Times                                                                                                                                         The time that school starts at Grosse Pointe South High School is too early. Also, the time school ends is too late. Most students attend extracurricular activities after school and must spend the remainder of their day completing their homework. This results in a late bedtime for students. Since school starts so early, the kids come to school sleep-deprived and they are not ready to learn. 

    X.            X.  Parking

Parking spaces at this school are very limited. With such a large student body, we are in need of many more parking spots than we currently have. There are only two free lots at the school which can be far from classes and lockers and they can fill up very easily. The only convenient lot is only available for seniors and costs money. This is extremely inconvenient and causes students to be late for their classes.

Our complaints are very simple and clear.  They are what we require and what needs to change.  We need to be able to dress how we want and be able to leave a school dance when we want.  If we are always told to be independent and to embrace being different then it’s impossible when we have so many restrictions.  When we come home with hours of homework and have to do it all in one night then wake up and do it all over again with not enough time in the day to get our assignments done it get a little hard to do.  We spend hours and hours at our school, but when we go to see a two hour long sporting event we suddenly have to pay to see our peers play.  If you are a student, then you should not have to.  If you are sick and need to go home, but cannot get a hold of your parents you cannot leave.  The fact that you have to get called in is ridiculous; we are in high school, not kindergarten.  A day does not go by when we all feel disrespected by teachers.  If we are not supposed to be sassy to you, then you cannot be sassy to us.  Being yelled at and told what to do and when to do it if when we say one thing back we are simply again yelled at.  Going to school is like working with more pressure so when a holiday is present we should get it off.  This gives us more time to do homework and catch up on sleep that is lost because of school starting to soon.  When we do not turn in an assignment on time, our grade goes down.  When teachers do not grade a paper on time, we deal with it.  When we do not get to class on time, our grade goes down.  When teachers are late, we deal with it. The balance in this school is not fair for one class to be treated over the other.  During spirit week, we want to show our spirit and seniority.  But when we are told that doing this could cause suspension, it changes our harmless game.  If we want to feel like we are actually people and have real rights, then we should be able to do what we want.  We should not have other people bossing us around like salves and having these restrictions makes us become less than what we are.  

Crucible Epilogue Movie

Crucible Epilogue Movie

Crucible Essay

            The play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller depicts actual events that occurred in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The Salem witch trials were a very important part of American history. This play is a great example of how powerful lies are and how fast they can multiply. In the play there are many contributing forces to the witch trials, but none more prominent then Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Reverend Hale.

Arguably the most influential person involved in causing the Salem witch trials was Abigail Williams. In her attempt to win over John Proctor she became power hungry and cost many people their lives. “Now look you.  All of you.  We danced.  And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters.  Let you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shutter you,” (Miller 20). Without Abigail holding the rains the other girls would have confessed immediately and the entire ordeal could have been avoided. Abigail knew that there was no witchcraft going on in Salem, but she confessed to a massive lie to save herself and in doing so she condemned many other citizens of Salem. She was blinded by her affection towards John Proctor and that in turn made her determined to get Elizabeth Proctor out of the way so that she could have John. At one point Abigail stabs herself and then frames Elizabeth proving that she is willing to do just about anything to get Elizabeth out of the picture.

Without realizing it John Proctor gave Abigail the hope of being with him. “She thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly.  God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat,” (110). The fact that Proctor was sending Abigail mixed signals was all she needed to be convinced that he wanted to be with her. John Proctor was Abigail’s main motivation for lying and for accusing Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft. The affair did not mean much to John, but to Abigail it meant that John loved her and no longer wanted to be with his wife. Although he tried to set Abigail straight she was already in too deep. In their second encounter that we saw Proctor made it clear to Abigail that he never loved her and never wanted to be with her again. At this point even if she had wanted to, Abigail would not have been able to walk away scot-free.      

            “Reverend Hale of Berkley”, as he was known, was a prominent member of society. His word held a lot of weight and when he thought that there was witchcraft afoot in Salem it convinced many other people as well. He was viewed as an expert on the subject and the town valued his opinion. Hale says, “‘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). It is made clear that he did genuinely believe that what he was doing was just. However, he put people on the spot and tested them with things like; did they know all on their commandments? This seemed, both to Hale and the rest of the town, like a reasonable test to see if one was a good Christian. However, the results of this test and others like it were used as proof when these people went on trial. They became the only proof that was needed to seal the fates of all of those accused.   

             The actions of Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Reverend Hale all greatly contributed to the start and the continuation of the Salem witch trials. Abigail Williams started the lie by confessing to something that she had not done in order to have power. Had John Proctor not had an affair with Abigail she would not have had the same motivation to carry on lying. Lastly if Reverend Hale had not come into Salem and provided “proof” for people’s guilt, not nearly as many people would have suffered such an awful fate. Ultimately the Salem witch trials occurred due to lies and misconceptions.  

Crucible Post 2

In the “The Crucible” John Proctor is forced to say that he believes in witches when he really does not. John knew that if he were to tell the truth he would be admitting to not believing in something that is in the Bible. At the time this was an offense that was punishable by death. When the situation is a matter of life and death there is no question that I would lie to save myself. However, in today’s society standing up for what you believe in is rarely a death sentence. If bullying were the only penalty for telling the truth then I would like to believe that I would stand up for what I believe in, but it is not always that simple. Sometimes it’s easier to lie or say nothing at all than to voice your opinion. When it comes to drugs and whatnot I am not embarrassed to say that I do not do anything of that nature. However, there are certain things that I do not want to admit to and if need be I would lie about.    

Crucible Post 1

At the start of the play as in any Puritan society, the church holds all the power. With that said, the control of that power lies with town’s minister, Parris. This power means everything to Parris and he struggles through the first act to maintain it. “‘Betty. Child. Dear child. Will you wake, will you open up your eyes! Betty, little one…’” (Miller 8). Though he appears to be worried about Betty, Parris shows no real concern for the well being of his daughter. He is much more concerned with upholding his authority in Salem. He cannot admit to any suspicion that he may have of witchcraft because it will weaken his authority. Despite Parris’s best efforts, a minister from Berkeley named Hale is brought to Salem to search for any signs of witchcraft. It appears that the men arresting and prosecuting women hold the power, however, the real power lays in the hands of the accusers, four teenage girls.

In a Puritan society it was unheard of for women to have any power whatsoever. However, in this case four teenage girls are controlling who lives and who dies. At the very end of the act the girls admit to being involved in witchcraft and begin to accuse several women of also participating in witchcraft. “Abigail: ‘I saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil!’ Betty: ‘I saw Goody Bibber with the Devil!’” (48). An accusation is enough evidence for these women to be taken to jail and hanged if they do not confess and accuse other women of the same crime. Power is something that Abigail has been looking for.  These girls now have the power to prosecute anyone they chose without any real evidence.

Sinners Follow Up Post

The sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", by Jonathan Edwards was given in 1741 and is perceived as very unsettling even to this day. “’Tis no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he don’t see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident…”. Edwards preaches that no one is safe and that God can send anyone to hell at anytime. Even 260 years after it was given, the sermon is still relatable and makes people question whether or not they are safe from the wrath of God. The repetition and graphic metaphors that it contains make the sermon very hard to ignore. Today religion is less a part of day-to-day life than it was when Edwards gave the sermon. Hearing what Edwards had to say might make a person who only goes to church once a week question whether or not that is enough. Although reactions today are not nearly as severe as initial reactions, this sermon is still affecting lives of Americans and will continue to do so for generations to come.

"Sinners in the hands of an angry God" Post

The sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" was written by Jonathan Edwards on July 8, 1741. Edwards wrote the sermon because he wanted to stress to people the severity of sinning. The video states that the sermon is extremely graphic and shockingly brutal even to those who have become accustom to violence. The speech came as a huge shock at the time because those who knew Edwards knew him as a very loving person. The sermon left Edwards shunned by the people he was attempting to help. Though extremely controversial, the sermon had a very large effect on the public.

The sermon itself must have contained extremely harsh language and graphic details to have made such a large and lasting impact. The sermon was very controversial and really made Americans stop and think about their actions and how they would affect their chances of salvation. It probably came as even more of a shock because it was written by a man that no one would have anticipated writing something so violent and controversial. Edwards seemed to think that God would be much less forgiving than most people thought at the time. I think that Edwards portrayed a horrible fate for those who sinned, a fate much worse than anything most people of that time had imagined. The fact that, even in this day in age, people are still stunned at Edwards’ brutal details shows that it still sparks debate and will have a permanent effect on our society. How well know the sermon still is confirms its value as a very important piece of literature. I would expect to come across horrifying material when reading “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”.

Labranoodle Descriptive Post

Picture this; a yellow lab tilting his head, eyes squinted. His head is covered in yellow angel hair pasta. The noodles cover his head in a tangled mess so we can just barely see his dark brown eyes. His bright pink tounge is streched out and he is baring some of his sharp white teeth in an attempt to eat some of the noodles. Some of the longer noodles dangle down far past his snout. The background is white and the dog is the only subject in the photo. His dark brown nose stands out in contrast with the noodles. His fur is golden brown and he has slightly darker brown ears. He seems to be a bit confused as to what is going on and maybe even a little angry.  

Expectations Essay

Students who enroll in Honors American Literature are expected to complete their assignments, show respect, and put effort into their work. It is expected that any and all assignments are turned in on time, with the exception of unexpected, excused absences. More so, they must be completed before the start of class. Also, all essays should be completed in the required format. Of course, no cheating or plagiarism will be tolerated. Along with assignments, students must arrive to class on time and with the proper materials in order to be able to complete any class work or assignments. A part of this class takes place online in the form of a blog. With that said, appropriate language and subject matter must always be taken into consideration when updating one’s blog.

Respect is a key element to success. It is very important to respect everyone in the classroom. Whoever is teaching the class at the time must be shown respect, including and especially, substitute teachers. Respect should be shown by not speaking when the teacher or another student is speaking. Also, aside from constructive criticism, no negative comments should ever be given about a classmate’s work. Along with showing respect for people, respect must also be given to the supplies that are provided in the classroom. The computers should only be used when given permission. In addition, students sitting near the computers should be especially careful.

As it is an honors class, students will be expected to go above and beyond the requirements of a normal American Literature class. Participation is a very important part of showing effort. It shows that you are paying attention and grasping what is being discussed. Similarly, showing effort in homework assignments and essays is of course expected. The bare minimum is not acceptable in an honors class such as this. Being an English class creativity is a major element. While it is important to follow the requirements it is also important to be thinking outside of the box. The expectations of Honors American Literature are high, but in no way unreasonable.

About Me

Hey! My name is Tara and I am almost 15 years old. I've lived in the same house in Grosse Pointe my entire life. I have two and a half siblings; Mike (31), Molly (21), and Conor (17). Mike, my half brother, works at the Detroit Metro Airport, he is an air traffic controller. Molly and Conor are both in college, so its just my parents and I at home. My parents are pretty cool, my mom is an english teacher and my dad is an entreprenuer. I also have a dog named Daisy who is only seven, but looks about fourteen years old.   

I am in the South choir which is fun, but at times extremely demanding. I also play and coach lacrosse. Outside of school I like to rollerblade and hang out with my friends. I recently got Netflix so I watch way too much TV now. My favorite shows are 30 Rock, Community, Friends, and Conan. On top of that I also spend way too much time on the Internet, going on tumblr and facebook. Also, I love listening to music. I don't really have a favorite band, but I like the Beatles and Florence and the Machine. English is one of my favorite classes, along with math and spanish. That's pretty much all there is to know about me.