Could Specialissimus exist?

Elyse Beach

1st hour American Literature

December 18, 2011

The transcendentalist society of Specialissimus is very unique. With no conformity, limited rules, and no judgment the society sounds as though it would be a good addition to today’s world.  Although many people think that a transcendentalist society would be possible in today’s world, a society with behavioral rules, no judgment, the disapproving of conformity, and people’s resistance to change are why a transcendentalist society could not exist today.

            The Specialissimus transcendentalist society has very many behavioral rules. These rules would benefit today’s world. No bullying and no plagiarism are two rules that exist. The prohibition on bullying will help society because people will be free to behave in ways that make them unique without fear of being made fun of and ridiculed. Plagiarism allows people to be lazy and exist off of the efforts of others.  By creating harsh consequences for this help people embrace their own creativity and express their own thoughts instead of copying others ideas.  People’s behavior has to be monitored to create a successful society.  The behavioral rules could help the society to integrate as part of the world today.

            The world unconsciously makes judgments about people they do not even know. Trying to create a society without criticizing others on their differences would be difficult.  Though people wish that we lived in world where judging did not exist it is very hard to avoid. Peoples thoughts cannot be controlled so saying that people cannot judge would end up in defeat because many are unaware of the judgments they make. People’s judgments of others can also help them in life, and without judging others you cannot make a proper decision on if they will be a good influence in someone’s life. People choose to make unintelligent decisions such as doing drugs or drinking.  These are people that should not be used as examples.  By judging their undesirable decisions as bad, people can avoid socializing and interacting with them.

            Conformity very much exists in many everyday places. Factories and driving are examples of conformity where people are obligated to follow the rules. Without the conformity in factories workers would be out of control. The work would not get done because employees would show up at any time, and if they did show up they would not do any work. This would create a world where nothing would be produced and an economy could not thrive because we do not have control over employees, and working facilities. Driving is another example because without traffic laws, danger would be created for both fellow drivers and pedestrians. Chaos would be created without driving rules and restrictions. Laws are put in place to create the same regulations for everyone.  Without some types of conformity in the world people would be unruly and there would be much pandemonium.

            Citizens in today’s world resist change as much as possible. Most change today is viewed as bad and so many avoid change at all costs. There is a very small amount of people that would agree to change their old, comfortable life style to adapt to the idea of a new one.  Change goes very much against conformist beliefs so many people don’t embrace it. All the aspects that exist in the transcendentalist society are what help keep today’s world under control and productive.

The idea of integrating a new transcendentalist society into today’s world would not succeed. The non conformist beliefs, lack of judgment, and unwillingness to change would prevent the society from thriving in the world today.

           

           

Dangers in What You Believe

                Conformity is a central theme in the movie “The Dead Poet’s Society”. The teachers and their techniques are very old school, and frankly, not interesting. The teachers are elderly white males with dull, tiresome, mundane voices and very strict class rules. Unlike the teachers in the schools, the boys in the school are quite the contrary and believe in unconformity. The conformities that exist in the school stop the boys from pursuing their dreams and explore who they really are during high school.  Teenagers need to be allowed to experiment, broaden their horizons, try new adventure to determine their own potential and interests.   In this critical time in their lives, restricting their need to discover themselves can cause many unexpected and undesirable outcomes. The extreme differences between unconformity and conformity between the teachers and the students, lead the boys to acting out behaviors.

                In the film there are many examples of the boys’ misbehaving antics. Neal, who unfortunately cannot become an actor, because of the disapproval of school personnel and his father, ends up committing suicide. The pressure of being just like everyone else and having his life planned out for him by his father became so overwhelming that he felt he did not have any other way of dealing with the pressure to conform. Some of the other students created a new club called the Dead Poets’ Society with the inspiration of a new teacher named Mr. Keating, who believed very much in unconformity. This new teacher was harshly criticized for his new ways of teaching and his influence over the boys in the school. The boys who were in this club had to secretly meet, because the fear of being expelled participating in something they believed in. In the end though there were some devastating endings, many of the boys stood up for their beliefs even though it meant risking being expelled or being punished which really showed that they were unconformists.

Transcendentalist Shirt Response

Wearing my transcendentalist shirt created many reactions throughout the day. I was asked by students and teachers why I was wearing my shirt. I was proud to tell them the reason behind my shirt, and was proud of all the things about me on my shirt. Not the majority, but a few people gave me confused and strange looks. Even though it was hard to not worry about people judging me I am proud of what makes me who I am, so there opinions and looks didn’t affect me. To participate in this transcendentalist was an eye opening activity, and it was nice to express myself and watch others express who they are. This is a great extra credit opportunity, and I am glad I got an opportunity to express myself in a setting where even though I don’t mean to, I try to fit in.

Being Herself: Lovin Life

An example of a modern day transcendentalist would be Selena Gomez. Her true personality is expressed through her acting and her music. She is an amazing artist, and in her songs, she encourages young girls to be themselves. In the song below “Who Says” by Selena Gomez, the lyrics say “But when it comes to me, I wouldn’t want to be anybody else.” This very much expresses the beliefs of transcendentalists. They believe that others should express who they are without the opinions of others affecting them or changing the very essence of their being. She is very charismatic and is able to influence teens and young adults all over the world. Many people look up to her as a role model and characterize her as a performer with character as well as strong morals and values.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzE1mX4Px0I&ob=av3e

 Selena’s transcendentalist attitude guides others to believe it is okay to be who they are, and that other people’s opinions don’t matter. Being a musician and actresses in the public eye, she has a great deal of pressure to act a certain way for the media. We have often seen other actors, actresses, and musicians crack under this intense pressure. They become influenced by materialistic goods, the unrelenting examination of their fans, and even put on an act to try to portray someone they are not. Though many think it is easier to pretend to be someone they are not just to fit in, sometimes it is harder.  Emerson once said “imitation is suicide” by imitating someone you are killing what you could be if you were yourself. Selena supports this, and she stated “Be yourself always, there’s no one better!” which sets a good example for young fans. Eventually, pretending to be someone we are not, will become evident. The game of pretense can only occur for so long without the scammer suffering or others become aware of the façade.

In Hollywood and the business of performing, the artists often suffer ridicule and harsh criticism for every move they make due to severe scrutiny of the public. To rise above this judgment and to stay true to who they are is very inspiring, and this is what makes Selena Gomez a true modern day transcendentalist. Selena is true to herself and is a breath of fresh air in a world of much fake and pretense.

Gomez, Selena. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_59520/selena-gomez/quotes>.

Walden Post



Elyse Beach

Mr. Provenzano

1^st hour Honors American Literature

7 November, 2011

Henry David Thoreau once said “Why should be we live with such hurry and waste of life” (Thoreau 491). After 2 long years in solitude and isolation, Thoreau experienced much of what nature has to offer about life.  Although it is difficult, by minimizing the use of technology the people in society can live simpler and less stressful lives.

Technology allows people to communicate from miles apart, easily connecting businesses and families. With the internet people can acquire information instantly which many people feel is necessary in order to maintain life in this fast paced, instant communication society. With this improved technology, there have been significant improvements in many aspects of our world. We can quickly relay information to our loved ones, sharing news about life events. Businesses can operate efficiently by holding meetings with people who are miles apart geographically but can see each other and share ideas through the internet.  Even our health systems, use this technology to communicate about health issues, advancements in research or even on a smaller scale to remind someone about an upcoming appointment or presentation.

Technology has made communication and information more accessible at a much more rapid rate.  It’s a world of inner-connectedness, instant communication, and a focus on wanting everything immediately.  Despite the efficiency of being able to communicate more easily with family, friends and business both near and far through email, Facebook, twitter, blogging, etc, people feel the need to stay connected to the point that it’s detrimental to relationships and living in the moment.  Sitting at the dinner table and having your family member text someone else takes away from the personal interaction of the moment.   Life without technology would be much simpler.  The excitement of receiving a letter in the mail has been replaced with a text message that will eventually just get deleted. People also take advantage of the ability to hide behind technology.  People do not have the same face-to-face interaction and can communicate in relative anonymity.  This allows people to hide behind technology and “say” things that they would never say face-to-face.  One consequence of this cyber communication is an increase in bullying and spiteful comments about others.  Also, texts and e-mails do not effectively convey the tone of a message or comment which is usually apparent in normal communications.  This leaves the reader to interpret a message and often leads to the wrong interpretation.

            Society should consider limiting the use technology of technology at home, at school, at work and in human’s everyday mobile life.  By using technology less and putting a cell phone or laptop down for a little while each day, people can enjoy life and take a moment away from the stress and pressure of constant and instant communications.  “Why do precisely these objects which we behold make a world” (Thoreau 495)? This quote is very true in the world today.  The world holds on to technology as if it is what gives us life, and without it we would live in complete solitude.  Technology has transformed the way our world works, and sometimes it is not always for the better. Children are starting to get involved with technology at younger ages. This can be  detrimental and lead to childhood obesity and medical complications such as diabetes due to their sedentary existence.   Also, because they are attached to the computer they don’t go outside as much to enjoy nature and the simplicity of a world with no technology. Fishing, hiking, studying leaves and birds and growing a garden are all activities Thoreau would have experienced and should be shared today.

Technology is a very helpful tool which we, as a society, benefit from on a daily basis. It’s hard to imagine at day without a cell phone, email, fax machine or computer. Although it is helpful and often efficient to obtain information promptly, there are drawbacks. People are less likely to take the time to rest, relax and just “small the roses.”  Taking the time to meet with people face to face and really “read” a situation, and live in the moment is critical to us as people. Take a step back in time, like Thoreau, and just enjoy nature and take a more minimalist approach at life.  It also limits the amount of time we take to enjoy the minimalism of life, and nature without it.







Declaration of Independence

There are times in life when those without authority or any means of assuming authority must stand up for what they believe in. When it impacts the life they will lead, and the path to success in achieving their dreams, they should be permitted to make their opinions heard. In those occasions when an entire group of people agree upon changes that must be made, it should be in the best interest of those with authority over the aforementioned group to put their best effort in to reaching the prospect of the changes deemed necessary. We, the student body of Grosse Pointe South, take it upon ourselves to express the faults within the classrooms, the school, and the school district. Year after year, the curriculum within Michigan schools stays generally the same, with very few changes. Adults are often afraid of change, even if those changes that could be made would benefit the students who go through that set of courses. But we have decided that something must be done to fix that, and we must move out of the rut that the Grosse Pointe School district seems to be stuck in. Without consequences put forth and voiced by the student body, there is no motivation for teachers, staff, and administers to make those changes that promote the higher quality of learning.

They have limited the amount of teams and clubs students want to run and participate in.  Students have many interests and to form a team or club we need staff sponsors. Some teachers are not willing to donate their time after school limiting the amount extracurricular activities. The students that would like to have new teams or clubs are not able because of the lack of teacher effort. We are unsatisfied by the lack of teacher effort, and the lack of activities that students would like to have.

They have limited the amount of snow days because Grosse Pointe is a walking District. We do not take buses but that does not mean that students do not drive themselves to school. It is dangerous for anyone to drive on the snow covered and icy roads and is especially dangerous for new drivers. For the students that walk to and from school it is hard, because the sidewalks are not cleared or salted that often. Students and teachers slip on the icy sidewalks walking into school and injure themselves. The community would be safer if we could stay home on excessively snowy days.

They have placed fees on our athletics. They have required these fees multiple times a year. They have refused to let us play without these fees, when we cannot pay. They have insisted we pay these fees, even if our sport requires more money to pay for other things. They make us pay these fees still, if we fundraise, or gain separate donations.

They have increased the amount of homework for students at Grosse Pointe South. We are at school for eight hours and then have to spend four or more hours on homework every night. That is way too much time. We all have many extracurricular activities and do not have the time for piles of homework. Teachers do not understand that we have six other classes everyday that give us excessive amounts of homework. The students at Grosse Pointe South have to stay up into the late hours of the night, to finish their homework and that is not healthy.

They have given students many different essay formats. We as students should have one essay format that is consistent in every class. The lack of a constant essay format creates confusion while writing essays for the student body. Essays are a large part of our grade and if we use the wrong essay format our grade could suffer. The absence of one essay format for the school makes it unclear which essay format the student body should follow.

They have placed tests from multiple classes on one day. They have placed stress upon us, when we know that studying for multiple tests is nearly impossible. They have deprived us of time to study when studying requires material from several classes that are very time consuming. They have deprived us of a good grade when we could not study. They have given us a disadvantage against other students with different teachers, who would be given more time to study their class’s material.

They have increased the amount of non-academic requirements. Unnecessary classes like gym, health, and a computer class should not be required for students at Grosse Pointe South. We took those classes all through elementary and middle school. For a student that is not interested in those classes, they limit the amount of classes they can take that are relevant to their future career. The student body is not saying that those classes should be eliminated from Grosse Pointe South; they should just not be required.

They have restricted schools we are allowed to attend. Students in Kindergarten through 8^th grade should be allowed to choose the school they want to go to.  Families move and we are forced to switch from their former schools. We should not have to be separated from our prior friendships formed at designated schools by you.  Students also have unique learning complications, and they should be able to go to schools that they can benefit most from.  Without being able to choose our schools the students may have to switch schools, or attend school unfit to help with their unique learning abilities.

They have reserved days to be only eight hours. They have not added hours to our day specifically for work, so that we could go home homework free. They have not added hours to our day specifically for sports, so that they do not run late into the day after school. They have not added time after school, to get more done, and provide for an extra day off. They have not placed a few extra hours on a school day for work, or sports, which would provide for an extra day off and a stress free environment at home.

They have not provided for a more flexible schedule. They have not allowed students to take one class off each week to provide for more study time or to pursue other activities. They have not allowed individual time in school to pursue activities outside of school, like sports. They have not given time in school for individual study that may result in higher testing scores. They have not even allowed giving up a class per week for individual study when an elective cannot be given up for a tutorial.       

Therefore, we, the student body, following the precedent set by our nation’s founding fathers, with the will of justice and right, severe the bonds and secede from the tyrannical and archaic establishment, and assert our right to teams without high and individual fees; the access to a system of testing where the tests are set at different dates, not piled on one day; the ability to graduate with the necessity of acquiring credits from classes that are not academic; the sanctity to days off from school when there’ enough school that other local districts are closed; the creation of a uniform way to write essays for every class in school; the freedom for a balanced and reasonable load of nightly homework; the freedom to step classes; the easing of how difficult it is to form clubs in school; the much increased level of education that would be received in a day with two extra hours, ne for sports and one a homework period; and the power to chose which school we want to go to, as long as it is in the district and you live in the district, for grades K-8. It is not logical or right, that we the student body, should struggle on while burdened by these tyrannical policies of the establishment, and if it is possible for these rights to be gained by sedition from the establishment, then we have the right, we have no choice but to secede from the oppression we are currently faced with.

The Crucible Epilogue

            On a cold street corner in Boston, sit a ragged, fragile woman.  She was so skinny, her cheek bones were exaggeratedly defined, and it looks as if her skin just lay over bones.  To every other Bostonian this woman looks like every other poor beggar on the streets, but to a certain onlooker it was a familiar face. This limp woman was Abigail Williams, and the pedestrian walking by was Elizabeth Proctor. After the death of Elizabeth’s husband in Salem during 1692 due to the conviction of him by Abigail, Elizabeth gave birth to a son John, married Jacob Smith, and moved to Boston to get far from the town that changed her life forever.  Abigail on the other hand left Salem to go start a new life in Boston, though when she got there she was unable to make money and became another homeless woman on the street. On a cold brisk day in late November, as Elizabeth is finishing her errands, she passes by the same street corner as always but today there was something different about it. Standing limp, frail, and dirty is Abigail Williams. Elizabeth, though wanting to confront her, just passes by, trying to conceal her identity.  A few days later, a Sunday, Elizabeth is returning from church when she again walks past that same street corner where again Abigail stands, looking even worse than before.

“Continue home, boys I forgot to pick up something for supper” Elizabeth says sweetly to her family.

After much contemplation Elizabeth gains the courage to finally confront Abigail after years of trying put the complications of Salem behind her. Her heart was pulsing so much that she thought Abigail would be see it. She did her best to steady her nerves and calm the shaking in her voice.

“Abigail Williams?” Elizabeth asked cautiously.

Abigail slowly turns towards the voice she remembers so vaguely. It had been 6 years since the two women had last seen each other. Abigail could barely breathe and her heart, along with Elizabeth’s, pulsed so fast it seemed to be continuous.

“How do you know-” Abigail stops herself and a blank look overtakes her face. “Elizabeth Proctor? Is that you?”

Stunned by Elizabeth’s unchanged appearance and physique, Abigail was speechless. Abigail’s skeletal figure, though very changed, was still recognizable.

“Yes, Abigail it is.” Elizabeth says in her normal sweet voice. “It has been a while since we last saw each other.”

“Yes... it has” Abigail says taken aback by Elizabeth’s friendly tone.

They both are surprised by the fact that they have met again, after all of the chaos in Salem a few years back. Unsure what to talk about they both wonder if it was meant to be that they meet again.

“Abigail, you caused many innocent people harm before you left Salem, and then you run away like a coward. Many people still morn over the terribleness of what you did.” Elizabeth says sternly.

“I know Elizabeth, and I regret it every day. I left and now look at where I am. I am just another person on the streets of Boston. I suffer every day and I don’t have a single doubt that it is because of my wretchedness in Salem.” Abigail says hoping for sympathy.

Abigail did horrible things in Salem, some of which most cannot forgive her for. Elizabeth on the other hand forgave John before he was hung in Salem a few years before, and she knew that she could not keep pretending she was alright without forgiving Abigail.

“Abigail, I can tell you really do regret it. I cannot go on pretending that you didn’t change my life forever, and that I live a normal life with a normal family. I forgive you Abigail. I know that my forgiveness is not going to change what happened in Salem, but I want us to be able to live without guilt, and detestation towards each other.” Elizabeth said with a nurturing tone.

“Elizabeth, I appreciate your forgiveness, and this guilt has been with me since the day I left Salem, even though I didn’t show it, I didn’t mean for John to be hung. I should really be the one apologizing.” Abigail says passionately.

Suddenly a feeling of relief over took them both. The sense of a release of guilt, and lack of forgiveness put both women more at ease.

“Abigail, I hope you make the rest of your life worth it, and I am glad that we can put the past behind us, and we can live with the problems of Salem behind us.” Elizabeth said.

“Thank you Elizabeth.” Abigail said then, just as if nothing had happened she walked away.

They both continued on their way and every once in a while Elizabeth and Abigail would cross paths around town. Though they had hard pasts with each other, those were behind them and they sustained a friendly attitude with each other.  Both women’s lives were changed not only for the better, but for the best. Abigail went on to live without the guilt, and Elizabeth forgave her for her wrong doings because that is who she is a person, and if she didn’t it would have not fit into her personality.

"The Crucible" Essay

Elyse Beach

Mr. Provenzano

Honors American Literature 1^st hour

10 October 2011

            In Salem during the witch trails it was a time to largely distrust and place blame on seemingly innocent acts. People with stellar reputations fell victim and their lives were never the same.Through out the play a series of unfortunate events, led to the conviction of innocent town members for witchcraft. Reverend Parris, John Proctor, and Abigail were the most prominent characters in the events that led to the Salem witch trials in the play, “The Crucible.”  

In the beginning of the play, Reverend Parris is the character with the power in the town of Salem.  Though he was the town reverend and was a man in authority, he was not a good leader. Parris though not the most dominant character in the book, was influential in the accusations leading to convictions of some innocent people of Salem.  Reverend Parris played a part in the escalating trials by allowing decent people with good reputations in the town of Salem and other close towns to be accused of outrageous wrongdoings.  He saw Abigail, Betty, and other girls in the woods dancing, and he alarmed others by sensationalizing this situation. When Parris called in Reverend Hale, it showed the people in Salem that he could not control the situation involving witchcraft. Abigail took advantage of Reverend Hale who came into the town as an outsider, without knowledge of the town and the towns people and therefore placed blame on her nemeses which Hale didn’t know as either respectable or immoral people.  Parris knew that these people were innocent, but because he was a weak leader did not argue against her, and left it for the court to decide.  “Abigail, I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character” (Miller 11). This quote shows how Reverend Parris is a pathetic authority figure and unable to successfully intervene to stop Abigail’s drama and risk losing any power and control he has in the town.

            The character John Proctor is also partially responsible for the witch trials in Salem. John is both directly and non-directly related to the witch trials. John was one of the innocent town members convicted of witch craft. Further compromising his position is that he had an affair with Abigail, which led to her initiation with witchcraft.   If John had not led Abigail on and had taken her virginity she would not have thought he loved her. Abigail was accused of witchcraft after she was spotted drinking blood to kill Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife.   Abigail was in love with John, and told him that all of this had nothing to do with witchcraft. John had this information and didn’t tell anyone else about it. “I-I have no witness and cannot prove it, except my word be taken. But I know the children’s sickness had not to do with witchcraft “(Miller 68). John kept this crucial evidence from people with more authority than himself and Elizabeth his wife, by doing this it allowed Abigail to further falsely blame more individuals.  

            Abigail is the most significant character that led to the convictions of the Salem towns’ people. She blamed everyone that she believed to be outsiders, and lower class in Salem of witchcraft. Without her character, the story would not have enfolded in the manner it did. She instigated the situation and as a result many of the townspeople of Salem had to suffer horrible consequences. At this point in the play Abigail and her younger cousin Betty named people in the town and telling Reverend Hale that they are witches. “I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osborn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil (Miller 48)! Abigail was the leader of the girls that were convicting all of the Salem citizens.  She forced them all to act as if they were being possessed by the convicted persons’ witchcraft. Abigail formed this assemblage of girls, and without Abigail’s’ leader ship none of them would have thought to place blame on this innocent beings. All she wanted was to get rid of Elizabeth Proctor who was stopping her from getting Johns affection and by doing so she took the lives of many helpless people of Salem. 

            In the end of “The Crucible” many innocent people die, and lies are finally put to rest. The trials in Salem would not have occurred without the involvement of Reverend Parris, John Proctor, and Abigail. Despite the lies and mistruths during the trials, truths were eventually told and there reputations remained untarnished 

           

Works Cited

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Group, 1982. Print.

The Crucible Post 2

        People are told since they were young not to lie, but what do you do if to save your life you have to lie?  In “The Crucible” Abigail Warren is convicting people of witchcraft that are innocent. These people have to make the decision lying to save their life, or to tell the truth and be tortured to death. In the story the innocent people being convicted know the consequences. “And why not, if they must hang for denyin’ it? There are them that will swear to anything before they’ll hang; have you never thought of that (Miller 69)?” These people are not actually trafficking with the devil they are just trying to save their own lives.  At this time in the story Proctor is making a very good point.  Many people would lie to save their lives, because then they can keep their life. Though I would like to say that I would never lie, I would do whatever it takes to save my life. The hard part is why I would lie? I would love to always be truthful, but it is my life and being so young I still have more things to experience.  So if I  was charged for witchcraft in puritan times I would lie to save myself from being tortured to death.

The Crucible Act 1 Post

The Crucible Act 1 starts with introducing the readers to some very important characters. The readers are first introduced to Reverend Parris, a power hungry leader in society. Abigail,  the niece of Parris, is a little scandalous  and inappropriate for woman of this time.  She is involved in an affair with another important town member, John Proctor, a married man in his late 30’s. The power at the beginning of this act is in the hands of Parris. Power in puritan society was control over the people of the town and control of the church. At the end of Act 1 the power drastically switches into the hands of 8 towns girls, under the control of Abigail Warren.  The girls were supposedly contacting spirits, and acting like witches in the wood, when they were caught by Parris. They obtained their power by blaming other woman in the town of witchery as well. Religion was a very important part of the normal puritan life. The bible states witches are real, so the idea of contacting the devil and being a witch is a very serious crime. “And I pray you feel the weight of truth upon you, for now my ministry’s at stake, my ministry, and perhaps your cousin’s life.” (Miller 11) This quote shows that Parris is worried about losing his power over his ministry because of the girls’ mischievous behavior. Abigail Warren, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty soon become the talk of Salem, and the main people in court.  The fact that these girls now had power over the Reverend was very abnormal for puritan society when the role of a woman was to be stay at home cook, clean, have kids, and raise the children. Salem is now changing, and nobody knows what is going to come with the events in the future.

"Sinners in the hands of an angry God" response

The sermon “Sinners in the hands of an angry God”, given by Jonathan Edwards many years ago, changed the lives of hundreds of people.  If people read or heard this sermon today, there would be mixed reactions depending on differences in beliefs. Even to people that don’t believe in a God, the sermon is so powerful that it will leave them in terror. This quotation from the sermon is saying that god can kill anyone simply because it would please him leaves the people in panic “. . . and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.” (Perkins pg.98) This sermon caused terror even to the devoted Catholics who first heard it.  These were people who would attend church functions at least weekly and lived very proper religious lives. To them the idea of not going to heaven was unheard of if you lived as Catholics “should”.   In current times you have a great number of people who don’t go to church on a regular basis and religion doesn’t play an important part in their lives. They may feel that since they do not devote their lives to living by the words of the lord, God may be more likely to let them go to hell than more religious people.  This sermon will cause almost everyone to be fearful no matter how religious they may be, because according to Edwards no one can escape the decisions of God and he will choose whoever he wishes to die because it has that power over everyone.

Works Cited

Perkins, George, and Barbara Perkins. The American Tradition in Literature. Ninth Edition ed. N.p.: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 1999. 97-98. Print.

(Sinners in the hands of an angry God) Post

In the introduction to “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” the narrator states that the sermon delivered on July 8, 1741 by Jonathan Edwards, was remembered as the most famous sermon preached in America.  Edwards was given a reputation as a stern, loveless man, because of his harsh words as he preached.  The sermon itself caused much controversy, and began a fire known as the Great Awakening. Through his sermon he pulled colonies out of traditional European Christianity, and the colonist began to understand salvation.  Though his words were harsh, Jonathan Edwards was depicted by his family and friends a loving, sensitive, warm, and a good father and husband.  To Edwards, hell was a real place that he could envision. Though he depicted hell in a horrible way through his sermon, it was men for the people to realize the reality of sin and hell, and to not let the people forget the gospel through Jesus Christ. Jonathan Edwards is now known as the man who gave the most terrifying sermon to this day, and unfortunately is unrecognized for the care he had towards the people and the way they live there life today, so that they can have a good future.

                In the actual sermon by Jonathan Edwards, I would expect to hear about many gruesome and frightening images.  As Edwards preached I would imagine him to be very descriptive, and use many words to portray the image of hell in his mind to the people. I would expect to be persuaded to live by the ways of the gospel throughout his sermon, because of the way he describes the awfulness of hell. The way he preaches could be very intense, and unusual to the way people normally give sermons. Through his words I would probably begin to understand salvation.  The image of him in my perspective would be fear-provoking.  I would not see him as a personable being, but would be terrified to step close to him. This is what I would expect to hear in the sermon by Edwards, because of the reactions of the many listeners before me.

Descriptive Post



The image above is of a sunset of the shore of an island. On the right hand side of the image is a palm tree as well as a shoreline of the island fading in the distance towards the middle of the picture. In the very right corner there is a full moon, with a purple tint. The very top of the image is purple, and it fades to lighter shades of purple until it turns in to a orange and pink mixture as the water and skyline meet. The water mirrors the sky by starting with a light purple pink mix at the shore and turning into an orange red color as it meets the skyline. The land and palm tree are all black. The very top of the picture looks like a purple space with stars, a moon, and smaller planet which is a darker purple just below the moon. Just before the sky meets the water there are dark purple clouds which are reflected in the water as light pink, orange, and purple. The shoreline on the right side of the picture is mountainous and is reflected into the water. This is the description of the gorgeous sunset!

This is me and Delvert at Black River Horse Camp!

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This is my cousin Allie who I talked about in my About Me post :) This pretty much explains us.

This is me and my sister JJ. I love her she is my best friend!

 Everyone has pictures on their blogs so I thought I would include a couple of my favoirtes :) I also posted my favorite funny video, and a song I love (p.s. i love country music)

Honors American Literature Class Expectations

Elyse Beach

Mr. Provenzano

Honors American Literature 1^st hour

9 September 2011

Honors American Literature Expectations

In an Honors American Literature class the students should be expected to do their homework, always turn in their own work, and strive to do their personal best.

As honors students, the scholars should always have homework completed and ready to turn in on time. Teachers give homework to help the students gain  necessary skills for the class. Homework is an opportunity to review what was taught in class and helps the students know where to focus additonal time and attention on content. Students’ work should be done neatly and thoroughly because it can be used for reference as they study and prepare for tests. The class grade also includes homework and if the students choose not to complete homework they are forfeiting a good grade opportunity. Homework reflects the students’ effort in the class and helps the teacher know how dedicated the class is to the subject area. Parents also value homework since it discourages students from making poor choices due to less free time. Certainly homework is a crutial piece to an honor students’ academic success.

Students in honors classes should always turn in their own work. To be in an honors class the students should be hardworking and dedicated. They should complete their own papers and be proud to turn in quailty work.  Plagerizing in a very serious offense. If a student is caught plagerizing the consequences could include a failing grade in the class and even expulsion from school. Some students have had their college admissions withdrawn due to plagerizing. Students in these higher classes should be able to do the work they are assigned or be dismissed from the advanced English class. Having the integrety to complete their own work is a necessary component to being in an Honors American Literature class.

Honors students should be expected to always strive for their personal best. Honors classes require many hours of additional work and if students do not put their best effort toward the class it will be reflected in a lower grade.  By completing their papers to the best of their ability, the scholars should feel good about turning in their finished product. For students to achieve their personal best with all assignments they must put in additional reasearch, editing, and time to produce quality work. Additionaly, sometimes it requires hiring a tutor or taking supplemental classes to further develop the skills for the advanced class. To achieve high marks students’ often have to give up other extra curricular activities so that more time can be devoted to working on assignments. The work that the students’ turn in is a relection of their  true character. Turning in quality work allows the teacher to obtain an understanding of their students’ commitment and personal investment in the class.

Honors American Literature students should be expected to turn in their homework, do their own work, and demonstrate their best effort to participate in advanced classes.

About Me!

Hi, my name is Elyse! I have many family nick names like lysee, or beaner butt (that one I am not too proud of) and beanie! If you’re not my family you can call me Elyse unless I said you could call me something else, nicknames are not really my thing. I am very independent, bubbly, and sometimes stubborn. I love to do things on my own time in my own way, but am always open for a new adventure or new experience!  Some simple answers to simple questions about me are, my favorite color is purple, and yes I have two pets Shadow (dog) and Onyx (cat) and can sister count? And yes I have a sister who is four years older than me.

I live in Grosse Pointe and have all my life. I love it here and I think I might just come back to raise my family! I grew up in the park and started off school at Maire Elementary school, after that I went on Pierce to suffer that awkward middle school stage and I believe mine was way beyond awkward, now I ended up here at South (a sophomore this year) to end the beginning of my life. At south I am in Honors American Literature (which ended me up on this blogging thing), Honors Biology (which I hope will get me closer to my future career), US  history, Geometry, Spanish numero dos, Ceramics, and Choir! School and I have a love hate relationship I love it sometimes and hate it the other 95%. I should probably start liking it more though because I dream of doing something in the medical field or animal sciences! I am a very big MSU fan because that is where my sister is a freshman studying dietetics, and where I dream to go, so if you are not a fan it is okay you can still read this….I guess!  

My hobbies consist of dance and choir. I dance and have been dancing for 13 years. I do all kinds of dance classes such as Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, and Pointe. This year though I am trying a new class that combines both my loves singing a dancing and those are a Theatre Tap and Theatre Jazz class. I have been doing choir since I have been allowed to. I also take private voice lessons outside of school choir. I love the experiences, friendships, and combination of both my loves that the South choir offers.  Other than those two main pastimes I enjoy hanging out with friends, having family outings, and doing athletic things such as play a game of backyard soccer!

My favorite thing of all is being with my family. We are a very close, tight knit family. We get together for every holiday, birthday, anniversary, or special occasion. My mother’s parents live in Grosse Pointe along with her sister (my aunt), my uncle and my cousin Allie. My aunt on my dad’s side also lives in Grosse Pointe along with her children/ my cousins Meagan, Matthew, Andrea, and Lauren. My cousin Allie, my sister JJ and I are all like three peas in a pod. I love them both like we were all sisters. Allie grew up an only child, and since there were JJ and I only 13 houses away, she joined in the fun of sisterhood, and we took her along the ride of growing up with a sibling. I love my family and without them and the support they give for everything I do or attempt, my life would most defiantly not be what it is today.

Throughout this little biography of me you have learned about who I am, what I love, and what I dream to do. I hope that many of the questions you would have if you haven’t met me before have been answered, and that you can start to understand me and my quirky personality a little better. I am glad you read this and learned a little about who I am as a person, and have gotten a chance to know me just a little more. J