Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Journal # 4 - Philosophy affecting reading
My philosophy puts a different point of view on reading than other people. I am open minded to the philosophies that I read, and judge them based on what I believe to be truth. Sometimes I take them into my own, and sometimes I don't. It depends on what the philosophy is.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Journal # 3 The Stranger
Benjamminism... :)
1. There is an omnipotent, omnipresent God that controls/allows every thing and action every taken by anyone to take place.
2. People and the world are inherently evil, but can become good if God works through them.
3. Things happen because of a master plan, but that master plan has an order to it.
4. Religion as an institution may be unneeded in the future.
5. People are all, at their core, Hedonists.
6. Nihilists are suppressing their emotions and disallowing themselves to feel attached to anything.
7. Anyone is capable of making any available choice at any time. (I am relatively unsurprised by anyone doing anything, whether it seems against their character or not.)
8. There is Absolute Truth, although I don't believe we can know what it is until whatever is in the afterlife...
9. The choices people make matter most when they affect others.
10. Teenagers rarely have sturdy philosophy. And I am no exception.
11. This is but a small taste of what I may or may not believe. One night is really not enough time to come up with a decent philosophy of any kind in my opinion. I didn't feel like I had enough time to fully explore my true feelings on these issues.
1. There is an omnipotent, omnipresent God that controls/allows every thing and action every taken by anyone to take place.
2. People and the world are inherently evil, but can become good if God works through them.
3. Things happen because of a master plan, but that master plan has an order to it.
4. Religion as an institution may be unneeded in the future.
5. People are all, at their core, Hedonists.
6. Nihilists are suppressing their emotions and disallowing themselves to feel attached to anything.
7. Anyone is capable of making any available choice at any time. (I am relatively unsurprised by anyone doing anything, whether it seems against their character or not.)
8. There is Absolute Truth, although I don't believe we can know what it is until whatever is in the afterlife...
9. The choices people make matter most when they affect others.
10. Teenagers rarely have sturdy philosophy. And I am no exception.
11. This is but a small taste of what I may or may not believe. One night is really not enough time to come up with a decent philosophy of any kind in my opinion. I didn't feel like I had enough time to fully explore my true feelings on these issues.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Stranger Journal 2
Journal # 2, Chapters 1 and 2.
Mersault is an average man, who has average needs and desires. However, he is also detached from the world, very straightforward, immoral, and unemotional thus far. His actions show that he is unreligious and probably an Atheist, which would fit with the general philosophy of existentialism as well. Camus creates his protagonist and has him do these actions to demonstrate that existentialism is a good option. After Marie leaves, for instance, Mersault doesn't seem to care. He realizes that his relationship with her doesn't matter, niether does his Maman's death or anything. Nothing has changed.
Mersault is an average man, who has average needs and desires. However, he is also detached from the world, very straightforward, immoral, and unemotional thus far. His actions show that he is unreligious and probably an Atheist, which would fit with the general philosophy of existentialism as well. Camus creates his protagonist and has him do these actions to demonstrate that existentialism is a good option. After Marie leaves, for instance, Mersault doesn't seem to care. He realizes that his relationship with her doesn't matter, niether does his Maman's death or anything. Nothing has changed.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Journal # 9 - Beginning to End
Journal # 9 - Beginning to End
Hurston uses the same setting in the beginning as the end to help the reader think back through the plot and recall many of the important points in the plot. This is a good way to end the book on a good note. It also helps to sum up the book and wrap it up. It allows Hurston to tie the end to the beginning, making the transition out of the book smoother.
Hurston uses the same setting in the beginning as the end to help the reader think back through the plot and recall many of the important points in the plot. This is a good way to end the book on a good note. It also helps to sum up the book and wrap it up. It allows Hurston to tie the end to the beginning, making the transition out of the book smoother.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Journal 8 Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Journal 8 - Chapter 18
The significance of the title is that although people may do things to change their lives or make them better, God can step in and, in the case of this novel, ruin what was good. This novel suggests that God does not seem to care about or help any of the characters, the only real mention of God in the book is during times of crisis, such as the hurricane in chapter 18. This suggests that people achieve the things that happen, and God's primary "job" is to screw things up. Although this is a rather pessimistic view of God, that is what I took Hurston to mean throughout the book. People achieve things, and after these things are achieved, they must keep their eyes watching God to make sure that he doesn't change things up for them.
The significance of the title is that although people may do things to change their lives or make them better, God can step in and, in the case of this novel, ruin what was good. This novel suggests that God does not seem to care about or help any of the characters, the only real mention of God in the book is during times of crisis, such as the hurricane in chapter 18. This suggests that people achieve the things that happen, and God's primary "job" is to screw things up. Although this is a rather pessimistic view of God, that is what I took Hurston to mean throughout the book. People achieve things, and after these things are achieved, they must keep their eyes watching God to make sure that he doesn't change things up for them.
Journal 6 - The Turner's
Journal 6 Chapters 16-17
The Turners are different than any other couple in this novel in that the woman wears the pants in the relationship. She makes all the decisions and is generally more harsh with Mr. Turner than he is with her. This is juxtaposed with every other couple in the book where the man is in charge. In this culture it is not unnatural for a man to beat his wife now and again, whereas in the Turners relationship it is more likely that Mrs. Turner will beat Mr. Turner than vice versa. It acts as a foil to all the other relationships in the book, including Janie's marriages and all of Janie's friends marriages. Mr. Turners feelings about Mrs. Turner are also shown when he doesn't stand up for her at the bar fight in her restaurant.
The Turners are different than any other couple in this novel in that the woman wears the pants in the relationship. She makes all the decisions and is generally more harsh with Mr. Turner than he is with her. This is juxtaposed with every other couple in the book where the man is in charge. In this culture it is not unnatural for a man to beat his wife now and again, whereas in the Turners relationship it is more likely that Mrs. Turner will beat Mr. Turner than vice versa. It acts as a foil to all the other relationships in the book, including Janie's marriages and all of Janie's friends marriages. Mr. Turners feelings about Mrs. Turner are also shown when he doesn't stand up for her at the bar fight in her restaurant.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Journal 6 What motivates Janie? What changes are seen in Janie?
Journal # 6 - What motivates/changes do we see in Janie? Chapters 11 and 12
Janie's motivations are rather complex. She wants to find the love she has never had from her other two husbands, while also wanting to protect herself from being damaged yet again by another illegitimate man. This is why she approaches Tea Cake so carefully in chapters eleven and twelve, she doesn't want to be hurt by Tea Cake if his feelings are illegitimate, but at the same time she wants to know if he truly is the one that she will love for the rest of her life. She tries to talk herself out of Tea Cake, but finds that she really feels the connection with him this time, and therefore feels that it is worth the risk.
The changes we see in Janie throughout the book are subtle, and yet very significant. At the start of the book she is gullible, and quick to believe what Granny says about marriage. But after Logan, she feels cautious about men, but initially Joe Starks has a spark that she thinks she wants, so she goes with him. But Joe's true nature is too oppressing for Janie, and after his death she tries to find someone new, someone who will let her be herself, and be there for her all the time. I truly hope that this is what Tea Cake is, but who knows, he could be another failure too...
Janie's motivations are rather complex. She wants to find the love she has never had from her other two husbands, while also wanting to protect herself from being damaged yet again by another illegitimate man. This is why she approaches Tea Cake so carefully in chapters eleven and twelve, she doesn't want to be hurt by Tea Cake if his feelings are illegitimate, but at the same time she wants to know if he truly is the one that she will love for the rest of her life. She tries to talk herself out of Tea Cake, but finds that she really feels the connection with him this time, and therefore feels that it is worth the risk.
The changes we see in Janie throughout the book are subtle, and yet very significant. At the start of the book she is gullible, and quick to believe what Granny says about marriage. But after Logan, she feels cautious about men, but initially Joe Starks has a spark that she thinks she wants, so she goes with him. But Joe's true nature is too oppressing for Janie, and after his death she tries to find someone new, someone who will let her be herself, and be there for her all the time. I truly hope that this is what Tea Cake is, but who knows, he could be another failure too...
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