Journal 31

I went to Memorial Medical Center for my job shadowing experience and got to shadow several different Emergency Room nurses and what they would do during a normal day and this was very helpful to me in finding a career choice that I might enjoy. While in the Emergency Room I got a chance to see some really interesting things and meet some crazy people. I shadowed a nurse named Pamela for the first couple of hours and she had to deal with a drunk guy who was claiming to be suicidal and also and couple that was faking an injury in order to get some heavy pain killers so that they could just go sell them on the street. They were really sketching and started talking to me and I had to be nice and the guy was like I could have been a doctor but there was no way this guy was even close to be smart enough to go to college. I was curious as to if he graduated high school. Pamela also let be hang out in the trauma room for a while. They brought in a guy who had fallen out of the back of a truck bed. He was going to be okay which was good. The trauma room was super cool and crowd though but they were doing some every interesting things. Pamela had to leave about half way though the day so then I got to hang out with Cadi and she was super nice. We did some more rounds and then she got called to help with the guy they were bringing in off the ambulance who was hit by a car while on his bike. They got the patient into the emergency room and I got to stand right in the room and they stuck the guy with a needle and he started having a seizures and it was really scary but neat at the same time. I got to follow that guy all the way through the trauma room stuff and I thought that was really awesome. I also got to stay in the trauma room for a lady who was possible having a heart attack. After shadowing Cadi, I got to hang out with Nathan, who actually graduated from Plains, and he was the kid who got to watch the open heart surgery during his job shadow day. He took to his room and let me help draw blood from this lady and it was super cool. I got to change out the vile that fills with blood. I loved it in the Emergency room and that is definitely something that I would consider doing as a career. The career day was awesome and the people down there were super nice and I feel like if I choose this career I would never have a baring day.

Journal fav Whitman Poem

My favorite Walt Whitman poem is definitely "O Captain, My Captain" because it makes so much sense to me and I love history. The whole story about the death of Abraham Lincoln and making him the captain of the ship and having all these loyal crew members mourn the death of their leader but celebrate all the things he accomplished. They talk highly of their leader and that is something I think is important no matter what Lincoln decided these men were willing to follow him to the end. "O Captain, My Captain" is the first big poem we studied as kids and it made so much then and now every time I read it I pick up on different things and new ways to interrupt it than just the story of the President Lincoln's death, but also the end of war and the coming together of the nation. Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents and this is why we study him and Walt Whitman wrote some of great poetry some of it not appropriate for school but what we do study is important. "O Captain! My Captain!" contains some great lines of poetry that express the feeling of a nation both in celebration and also in mourning. The African Americans were still slaves before Lincoln took control and we can even interrupt that Lincoln is the Messiah and leads the slaves to freedom and this makes him an American hero. I like when poetry has a story and is not just a bunch of feeling but it is also important that the story has feeling and makes the reader enjoy the story. "O Captain My Captain" contains this feeling of the country and it tells a story straight forward at first but then if you read it again you could pick up a different story line about it. This is why my favorite poem from Walt Whitman is "O Captain My Captain".

"O Captain! My Captain!, by Walt Whitman." Poetry Archive. Web. 17 April. 2012.

Chanting the Square Deific Reflection

Walt Whitman was deeply involved in his idea of self and want his role in life was. Walt Whitman explored this spirituality and beliefs through out his life trying to find his "self". When Whitman talks of self he is looking beneath what a person does or how they act but what their true values are. In "Chanting the Square Deific." Whitman explores his religion to help guide him to find his self.

Walt Whitman deeply believes in the idea of self and this searching for his self drives his poems and gives meaning to them. Whitman's struggle to find his self is exposing the true person that he is and not the person he pretends to be or who others think he is. Whitman divides his poem into four parts which is part of Whitman's self. "Chanting the Square Deific" is divided into this four part to describe the different parts of his Holy Trinity instead of three he has four. Each part of this poem is told from the point of view of the speaker who is a part of Whitman's quaternity. Walt Whitman's quaternity is made up of God, Christ, Satan, and the Soul (Oliver). Each of these speakers present a part of Whitman's "Square Deific".

God was a first speaker and he influences Whitman's idea's about mercy and the importance of doing things right. "Relentless I forgive no man- whoever sins dies- I will have that man's life"( Whitman). Whitman is saying that God does not have to show mercy because he is God and this puts him on a level equal or higher than Jehovah, Brahm, and Saturnius. They did want they pleased because they were on top and showed no mercy. They ruled their lands with an iron fist and this is what Whitman believed was important in life and to his own. While God was the first speaker the next speaker is Christ the only son of God.

Christ is the second part of Whitman's square deific and is the more comforting than God. "And my sweet love bequeath'd here and elsewhere never dies" (Whitman). God becomes the more loving and comforting person that Whitman wants to become. He wants to help through their struggles and help them find peace in their lives. Christ was the son of God and he gave his life to save people from sin by dying for sin. Walt Whitman quotes this part of Christ's death because it is something that he admires and wants to work harder to do. "All the world have I given up for my dear brothers' and sisters' sake, for the soul's sake," (Whitman). Whitman does not plan on dying on a cross for people but he wants to become a better man by helping his friends and the people around him. The third piece of the Whitman's square deific is Satan who represents the darkness in everyone.

"Satan is opposite God in the Square Deific, creating, Whitman may be suggesting here, a balance between good and evil, both necessary, he believed, in the lives of human beings and in all of Nature"(Oliver). In Whitman's idea of life and self he knows that everyone has two sides a good and a bad side. The comparison between God and Satan is taking what Whitman believes to me in everyone just in two different people. He sees God as light and Satan as the darkness. "Permanent here from my side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, Nor time nor change shall ever change me or my words"(Whitman). Satan is stuck in his awful position as being a bad guy and not being able to get a new reputation and Whitman does not like the idea of judging people by their appearances or by what factors other than their true character and morals. Whitman sees Satan as a trapped soul who may want to redeem himself but has not been given the chance to do so. Believing in people's ability to change is something that Whitman believes to be important but wants the change to be truly from the spirit and not just the outside.

The fourth part of the square deific is the spirit and the spirit is an abstract idea that is never seen but controls a lot of stuff and unites the universe and brings people together. The spirit is within everyone and this spirit brings people together and makes everyone a person who is unique in their own ways but are all related to each other by the spirit.

The square deific is something that Walt Whitman continued to explore and also evolves over the years. He eventually finds his self and it becomes his spirit. The last line of his poem suggest that he represents the spirit and he does. Everyone represents their spirit and this element that makes everyone the same also is the thing that makes them different.

Oliver, Charles M. "'Chanting the Square Deific'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.

"The Walt Whitman Archive." CHANTING THE SQUARE DEIFIC. (Leaves of Grass [1891-1892]) -. Web. 03 Apr. 2012.

Journal 29

Defining yourself is one of the hardest things to do because describing yourself is something that we find very hard. It is a fair question that stubs people and no one really does who they are because the question who are you asked who you are on the inside and not what you do. Who am I is hard to answer without giving the person that asks you the things that you do. I am unsure how to describe myself without saying what I do because what I do makes up part of me and gives me ideas of what to do. Soccer and swimming are things I enjoy to do but they do not describe me or tell who I am. I have a job and family and friends and all of these people and things make up the things I do and the beliefs I have. I believe in strong family values and being close to them. I love my family and they are the most important people in the world to me. I believe in God which also describes me and shows that I believe that religion is important and that having a belief in something is important. If you do not believe in anything then you have nothing to believe in or strive to do. I believe that everyone has a role to play in the world and to succeed is one of the most important things in life. I hope to succeed in life and if I fail I hope to learn from my mistakes and rise above the fail to become an even better person. Hard work is something that I strongly believe in and if you want to be a better person you have to work for it. I lifeguard at the YMCA and banquet serve which allows me to work hard and this is something that I hope to continue working towards. To have everything you want you have to work life is not full of handouts and to accomplish anything you must work hard and get an education.

Co-op Reflection

Emily Dickinson uses a lot of themes in her poem "Nature the Gentlest Mother" such as the beauty of nature and personification comparing it to a mother. A mother is a caring person and makes sure that everyone is okay, such as nature. In a way, nature is like a mother with how it takes care of the world. She takes care of the squirrels, trees, and other animals. She compares mother nature as being patient. In her first line she writes "Nature, the gentlest mother, impatient of no child, the feeblest or the waywardest, her admonition mild" (Dickinson). This quote from Emily Dickinson shows the gentle and patient side of nature, but also that mother nature can be cruel. Emily Dickinson loves nature and enjoys nature and loves nature, which is why most of her poems are about nature. You can start hearing the crickets by the words that she uses. She gives to the animals around her and prays for them, just like a real mother would. At night, she made sure that all the animals had a place to sleep. In Emily Dickinson's poem, she writes "with infinite affection, and infinite care, her golden finger on her lip, will silence everywhere" (Dickinson). This part of the poem talks about her control over everything and how at night she can silence the whole place. Everyone is at peace and ready for their night. We call nature a mother because it nourishes people. We can get everything we need from nature, just like we should with a mother figure. Nature gives everyone a chance to survive in life. Your mother is also supposed to give you a chance in life and prepare you for the real world. Both nature and a mother give you the best that they can out of what they have. She also adds some imagery in the form of sight. For example, the forest and the hill show us imagery. Another example is the nature restraining the rampant squirrel from the traveler. Nature protects us, such as the scenario with the squirrel. When nature is mad or upset, it brings storms and natural disasters. When a mother is upset, it feels like a natural disaster. You can tell she is upset when she slams things down or talks with attitude.
In Emily Dickinson's poetry, she talks about the most unworthy flower. She mentions how it does not deserve a good life, but she is still going to help it live. This is the same with a real parent. When a parent's child does something wrong, they still love them and give them a good life. They try to do the best that they can and try to change them for the better. Her golden finger also shows imagery. You can see the finger on her lips. The color gold symbolizes royalty and higher power, like mother nature. Mother nature is royalty and above all.
Emily DIckinson's poem truly embodies the thought, or idea, of comparing nature to a mother and makes a lot of sense of why we call nature a mother nature.
Dickinson, Emily. "1. “Nature, the Gentlest Mother.” Part Two: Nature. Dickinson, Emily. 1924. Complete Poems." 1. “Nature, the Gentlest Mother.” Part Two: Nature. Dickinson, Emily. 1924. Complete Poems. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. .

Journal 28

Throughout Emily Dickinson's life she lived near a cemetery and this influenced some of her poems and the themes of them. Most of the poems go around the central theme of nature, death, and other natural ideas. She discusses the fly and uses the fly as a thing to show the length of time the body could have been suffering. Death to Emily Dickinson is something that is scary and it involves suffering. This person in the poem is probably dying and the fly is just waiting for them to die so that he can eat parts of the body. The last line talks about everything going black and that this is truly the end of the person's life and the end to the quiet lonely suffering that they are going through. The fly also interrupts the end of the Emily Dickinson's death and this is tragic she wants to die alone and not have to worry about anything interrupting the peace of death. The cemetery is a peaceful place that is always old looking and quiet and that is something that Emily Dickinson could see from her house. Emily Dickinson probably imagined death as a peaceful and quiet thing, but instead her death is interrupted by this annoying fly. " I heard a fly buzz when I died" is the poem that is somewhat Emily Dickinson's idea of death but the interrupted death by this stupid fly. The fly could interrupt the movement of the soul and send her down and maybe not allow her into Heaven. The fly may symbolize the devil and that he is taking her soul away from the grace of Heaven. The quietness of death is the peaceful passing that may be taken away from the people with the sound of the fly buzzing during their final breathes. Emily Dickinson believes that death should be quiet and peaceful and still. Death is a natural part of life and it can not be avoided but should be a simple end that does not hurt.

Journal 27

Emily Dickinson wrote many of her poems to the tune of "Amazing Grace" and other hymns this is very significant because this shows that she was spiritual and not just an isolate crazy lady. The spiritual songs that she choose and having them fit with her poems of the nature and the connection of the Earth and the beauty in nature. The songs talk about the beauty of things in nature and how things can be better. Emily Dickinson believed in the spiritual world but not in human nature. She was Christian and this is another factor that contributed to the use of "Amazing Grace" and other spiritually related songs. Emily Dickinson lived her life more for the spiritual angle of life and not so much among the rest of the human world. She did not like the real world because they were full of opinions and were not the best people in the world. Emily Dickinson liked the purity of religion but she also questioned some of her beliefs. The nice part of Emily Dickinson's poems having a song to go along with them is that it makes the song more easily to relate and speak later on. Emily Dickinson struggled with her views and this influenced some of her poems and the ideas that she expressed to help her understand her opinions and get her feelings out. Emily Dickinson worked hard on her poetry and made them fit the songs, which is extremely hard working and showed that the song was important to her and she would not have worked so hard to fit the poem to a song if it was not important. Emily Dickinson struggled with beliefs and religion is a hard subject to understand because it is based on faith and not real things. The struggle with religion is one of the hardest decisions and idea that people struggle with. Emily Dickinson discusses this idea of religion in her poetry and her unsure thoughts on religion.

Walt Whitman writing style

Walt Whitman was a in tweener in the writing world because he was both a Realism writer and a modernism writer, which made his writing hard to classify. Walt Whitman was strongly influence by nature and the power of the world. This love of nature is something that relates to the realism period and also the romanticism period because of the great detail and descriptions. “O powerful, western, fallen star! O shades of night! O moody, tearful night! O great star disappear’d! O the black murk that hides the star. O cruel hands that hold me powerless! O helpless soul of me! O harsh surrounding cloud, that will not free my soul!" ( http://www.everypoet.com). This is a descriptive element that falls into the realism period and also back in to the romanticism where describing the beauty in nature was very important. Walt Whitman uses realism writing in his poem "O Captain, My Captain" because it tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's death and the end of war. In "O Captain, My Captain" Whitman describes the reactions of the people after the war and the sadness he feels for the death of their leader, captain. "O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won;The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting," (Whitman). Whitman wrote several pieces of literature about the assassination of President Lincoln and the end of the Civil War because that is what he was knew. As a realism writer he wrote the truth and the truth of the that time was they had won the war and slavery was over. The assassination of Lincoln of course provoked a flood of writing—journalistic, biographical, poetic. Of the many poems then written,Whitman's memorials have lasted the best; and in considering what values they select, enact, and perpetuate, I want to ask by what aesthetic means they make those values last beyond the momentary topical excitement of Lincoln's death (Vendler).

Whitman's fascination with the death of his leader influenced much of his writing and also had some modernism parts to them. Modernism was shaped by discoveries in science and advancements in technology and various fields of thought that began to develop in the nineteenth century (Anderson). Whitman discussed modernism in Leaves of Grass "Victory, union, faith, identity, time, The indissoluble compacts, riches, mystery, Eternal progress, the kosmos, and the modern reports. This then is life,”(Anderson). The modernism writing of the kosmos and the modern report are a part of this modern style they were new forms of technology and advancements in the country. We can also say that the Civil War was a part of the modernism writing in that the slaves became free and this was an advancement for them. Walt Whitman was a very creative writer and he fits into many of the different genres and styles of American writing from writing in the Romanticism period to the Modernism period. Walt Whitman was extreme inspiring and loved his country and this is seen by all of the poems about his country such as my favorite "O Captain, My Captain".

"O Captain! My Captain!, by Walt Whitman." Poetry Archive. Web. 09 Mar. 2012.

Archive of Classic Poems." Poetry of Walt Whitman; Full-text Poems of Walt Whitman, including Leaves of Grass, at Everypoet.com. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. .

Anderson, George Parker. "modernism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.

Vendler, Helen. "Poetry and the Mediation of Value: Whitman on Lincoln." Michigan Quarterly Review 39 (Winter 2000): 1–18. Quoted as "Poetry and the Mediation of Value: Whitman on Lincoln" in Bloom, Harold, ed. Walt Whitman, Updated Edition, Bloom's Modern Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.

O Captain My Caption

"O Captain! My Captain!" is a realism writing by Walt Whitman that describes his reaction to the end of the Civil War that resulted in the death of Abraham Lincoln who he his the captain of the ship. Whitman's belief in the government and the success of the country to win against the South. Whitman is devoted to Abraham Lincoln in such a way that he refers to him as his captain and his father. The use of a ship and the description of the elements affecting his ships gives the nature element to the poem that is similar to the writings of Thoreau and Emerson. Thoreau and Emerson were also abolitionists and against slavery so they were most likely pro Lincoln and his ideas for the freedom of people (Wayne).

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up -- for you the flag is flung -- for you the bugle trills,

For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths -- for you the shores a-crowding,( Whitman)

Whitman describes the day after the war has been won but is sad that their leader cannot celebrate as well. The day they raised the flag and he wants his captain to rise up too and to hear the bugle. The people are filling the streets in excitement with the win of the war and the freedom of the slaves. Thoreau and Emerson wanted to get away from the government and the idea of the materialistic lifestyle of America. Walt Whitman was very for the government and the way the government was influencing the the people and the lifestyle of the people. Whereas Thoreau and Emerson would not be as excited as Whitman with the job of the president. The president fell to his death and this destroy Whitman but Thoreau and Emerson would not have felt the same as Whitman because they were against the government influencing the people. This is the difference between Emerson, Thoreau and Walt Whitman.

Wayne, Tiffany K., ed. "Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson." Critical Companion to

Ralph Waldo Emerson: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2010. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc

"O Captain! My Captain!, by Walt Whitman." Poetry Archive. Web. 09 Mar. 2012.

Emily Poem Hope is the thing

"Hope is the thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson is a very natural and optimistic story and it gives people an idea of what hope is and gives it a description instead of just it being an idea floating around. Emily Dickinson compares hope to a bird and how the little bird that sings and never worries he has hope for the future. She sees the bird as a something that brings sunshine to people with their songs even in the worst situations. Emerson and Thoreau are the naturalistic people and they would enjoy the comparison of hope to the bird and how the little bird can bring a lot of light into a dark and cold moment in time.

Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all, (Dickinson)
The feathers are warm and they give people a feeling of safety which comes from the shelter that feathers and warmth give to you. Singing is said to help people feel better about their day and a bird can not speak so his song is sung without word. That happy tune without words can influence someone and can change a day and make it better even when it seems nothing is going right. Emily Dickinson was very isolated and that is the life she choose to live and this is similar to the way Thoreau and Emerson hoped to live their lives and in some ways they did. They avoided the government and turned away from society and lived in the woods at some point in their lives (Wayne). Emerson believes he is a part of nature and with this relationship with nature he is  part of the universe (Wayne, Tiffany K. "Nature"). Emerson's belief that he is part of nature and Emily Dickinson's belief that the hope inside us is also a bird and that is nature, which puts a very natural and Eco-feeling to the whole idea that Emerson influenced the ideas of Emily Dickinson's connection to nature. 
Wayne, Tiffany K. "Nature." Critical Companion to Ralph Waldo Emerson: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2010. Bloom's Literary Reference Online.Facts On File,
Wayne, Tiffany K., ed. "Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson." Critical Companion to Ralph Waldo Emerson: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2010. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 
Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities. Web. 09 Mar. 2012. . 

To Build a Fire

"To Build a Fire" by Jack London is a tale of survival of the fittest and is a realism piece that relates to the harsh environment and the line between life and death in the forest. The man is freezing to death and can not keep a fire going so he is stuck freezing and his feet are so cold that he can not walk to the safe house station were he can get warm and have food and shelter. This guy eventually freezes to death because the elements were to harsh and in a battle against nature, nature will always win. His company was a dog and he envied the dog because he was designed to stay warm in the element unlike the man and this upset him. Humans were not like people and they have no means to protect themselves from the elements of nature. He tempted fate going out against into the blizzard and he loses the fight and it happens that he loses. Emerson and Thoreau were big into nature but they did respect the boundary and knew the limits of themselves against nature. "And the man, as he beat and threshed with his arms and hands, felt a great surge of envy as he regarded the creature that was warm and secure in its natural covering"( London 610). Emerson and Thoreau enjoyed the nature and were fans of living in the wilderness and Jack London sees the wilderness as a harsh environment that is evil and kills whereas Emerson and Thoreau see the beauty in the wild. Jack London wrote about the naturalistic views of the realism period that present the dangers of going out in the wilderness during a natural disaster. "Then it turned and trotted up the trail in the direction of the camp it knew, where were the other food providers and fire providers" ( London 614). The man could not withstand the environment and the dog walks off to find food and shelter because that is what he needs to survive a lot less than the human. The dog is left to fend for himself in the wilderness all alone with no where to go.

London, Jack."To Build a Fire." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.603-614. Print.

Richard Cory

"Richard Cory" is a Realism poem that exposes the theory that money cannot buy you happiness. Richard was a great man who was very healthy and appeared to have it all while others were living with nothing. They were envious of Richard and his money, which kept him at a social level they dreamed to be a part of. They were looking at Richard wishing they could be him. They believed that the grass was greener on the other side but hiding behind the money was a man that was not happy about his life. "And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,/ Went home and put a bullet through his head" (Robinson 575). Richard was fighting with something within himself and looking for some happiness, which he thought could come from having money. To others he appeared to have it all, but he was missing something. The man was well put together and was well educated and dressed cleanly with everything looking spotless. Emerson and Thoreau would see his death as a waste and that no one should every take their own life. They both experienced death and it affected them greatly they feared death and were afraid to die and to think of someone taking their own life is upsetting to them. Life is precious and you only get one life to live so you have to find what makes you happy and do that. Richard Cory was not able to find what made him happy and his decision to end his life not only effected him but the people around him that would grieve his death. Richard Cory was selfish in taking his own life and he did not consider how it would influence the people around him and what their lives would be like without them. They are now sad and more people are sad than just the one person and Richard should have reached out to someone and this is something that Emerson and Thoreau would have wished he did.

Robinson, Edwin."Richard Cory." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.575. Print.

The Darling

"The Darling" is a realism story that is really annoying and it stinks. There is truly no plot what so ever and this woman complains about how her life is so awful without someone telling her exactly what to say and do. The girl does not have her own opinions or views on anything but simply follows what her spouse or someone that she cares about tells her to think. The minute she finds a new husband she jumps right into his life and does what he wants and does nothing for herself, which affects her greatly when they each die. She has nothing after they past away and it makes her a miserable person that no one wants to be around. "She wore a black dress with weepers, having vowed never to wear a hat or gloves again, went out seldom and then only to church or to her husband's grave, and lived at home like a nun" (Chekhov 562). She did not make the outside connections to other people but was solely devoted to her husband and his work. She became that weird woman with cats who does not leave her home when she was not with someone. Emerson and Thoreau would hate this idea of belonging to someone else and needing someone else to be happy. This woman has to have someone in her life to make her feel good about herself. "Olenka could explain everything and give her opinion on any subject you liked, whereas now her mind and heart were as empty as the yard outside"( Chekhov 563). With the influences of others she used their opinions and never really gathered her own or thought about things and just took what others said as right. Thoreau and Emerson were for the power of the people to make their own decisions and this woman does nothing for herself at all. She is someone that Emerson and Thoreau would not associate with during the normal day.

Chekhov, Anton."The Darling." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.557-565. Print.

I Will Fight No More Forever

"I Will Fight No More Forever” is a realistic writing that shows the struggles of the Indians and the way of life of their people. The people were in pain and had nothing to do and nowhere to go. The Indians had been moved from their native lands and homes in the forest and plains and put on to reservations by the white people. On these reservations the Indians had bad crop land and could not produce enough food for them so many were starving to death. “My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blanket, no food; no one knows where they are- perhaps freezing to death” (Chief Joseph 533). This is awful and the government was doing this to them and they believed that is it was okay that they were allowed to do this because the Indians did not own the land. The Indians had been living on the lands for thousands of years way before the English set foot on America and then for them to claim that they owned all the land is wrong. Thoreau would have been very upset that the government was able to treat people that way. He was very antigovernment and this mistreatment of the Indians goes against what he believes in greatly. The Indians were living of the land and with nature, which was something that Thoreau valued greatly. He even moved into the woods away from society to find peace and happiness. Thoreau if he could probably wished he could have been an Indian because of his love of nature and his want to get away from the corruption of society. Thoreau explained, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” (Wayne). The going against society and dealing with only important decision and trouble that truly mattered was the goal of Thoreau during his time in the wood.

Wayne, Tiffany K., ed. "Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson." Critical Companion to Ralph Waldo Emerson: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2010. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc

Chief Joseph."I Will Fight No More Forever." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.533. Print.

Spoon River Anthology

The Hill is an excerpt from the "Spoon River Anthology" and it is an interesting piece of writing, which shows a side of the afterlife and the true end of death. It explores the realism of death and what really happens to your body that is actually fact instead of exploring what people believe might be true in the afterlife. The Hill is the end of the line and is the place where everyone eventually ends up in a box under the ground. “The weak of will, the strong of arm, the clown, the boozer, the fighter? All, all are sleeping on the hill”(Masters). This analyzes of the end of life is a more practical approach compared to the theories of Romanticism and Puritan writers. No matter who you are you will eventually end up in the hill with everyone else. Money, wealth, and power no matter how much it will never save you from the eventual end of life that will put a person on an equal level with everyone else. “ One died in a jail, One fell from a bridge toiling for children and wife- All, all are sleeping, sleeping, sleeping on the hill” (Masters). These men died differently one a heroic death and the other a not so great one. Emerson and Thoreau were Realist in ideas and they would like the truth that Edgar Lee Masters writes about the hill. The nature element of the hill is a great idea and gives the people a sense that death is not such a bad thing they get to become a part of the beautiful hill. The hill is something beautiful and therefore we can assume that the author also believes that there is beauty in death. Emerson and Thoreau were big into nature and the peaceful qualities it has which is something else that people believe comes with death that peaceful tranquil environment. The “Spoon River Anthology” are the stories of real people and how they make it though the real world.

"Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee MastersHypertext Meanings and Commentaries from the Encyclopedia of the Self by Mark Zimmerman." Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters. Web. 25 Feb. 2012.

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is a tale about a man telling a tale that was completely unnecessary and is one of the values that Thoreau would be against just like Mark Twain. " Assuming the role of moral instructor, he accuses his countrymen of adhering to outmoded traditions and conventions; of being obsessed with acquiring material goods; and of having a mistaken conception of work, which exists only to feed artificial needs"(Grant). Thoreau would see this tale as a waste of speech and also a mistreatment of nature and animals. He would also be upset that they are using nature to acquire material goods in this case money. Mark Twain is even upset about the trivial conversation that is discussed between the men and their lack of better tales and restraint to only tell important tales of real matters. "Anyways, I've got my opinion, and I'll risk forty dollars that he can out jump any frog in Calaveras county"(Twain 502). The man leaves his own frog with this not so trusting man, who is just out to win forty bucks and destroys the frog. He fills the frog with a weird substance to allow himself the victory but killing the beauty of the frog. Mark Twain is friendly to nature and loves nature because he grew up in the country part and that influenced most of his stories. He roots all of his stories in the woodlands or connected to the beauty of nature and the elements around it. Thoreau and Mark Twain are very similar to each other they both excluded themselves from society and lived in the country part of the society away from the government and inequality. "Oh! hang Smiley and his afflicted cow!" I muttered, good-naturedly, and bidding the old gentleman good-day, I departed" (Twain 502). This last line is Mark Twain peeking himself into the story and giving his opinion of the story. He is upset about the tale but his respectful and leaves like a level headed gentlemen, which is similar to what Emerson and Thoreau most likely would have done.

Grant, P. B. "Individual and Society in Walden." McClinton-Temple, Jennifer ed. Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2011. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc

Twain, Mark."The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.498-502. Print.

The Red Badge of Courage

“The Red Badge of Courage” is a tale of an average man who is put into an extreme situation and at first he fails himself but to others he appears a hero. He does not believe he is a hero because he ran from battle and was hit by one of his fellow soldiers and when he returned home they believed him to have been wounded in battle. He is ashamed of this honor that people believe he has earned but the guilt of being a coward haunts him and makes him want to redeem himself. He enters the war again to truly earn his Red Badge of Courage. When he entered for the second time he zones out into the perfect soldier afraid of nothing. His courage this time comes from his want to become a better and honorable man. "He craved a power that would enable him to make a world-sweeping gesture and brush all back. His impotency appeared to him, and made his rage into that of a driven beast"(Crane 493). This focus of his mind and what he wants helps him come out of the war unharmed the second time. He wants to become an honorable man which is something that Thoreau and Emerson liked in people. They wanted people to become their own men and to live up to their own expectations. Emerson and Thoreau were against government, so they would not be happy about the man first entry into the army by force but they were against war all together so this goes against the idea of peaceful resolutions. “Buried in the smoke of many rifles his anger was directed not so much against the men whom he knew were rushing toward him as against the swirling battle phantoms which were choking him, stuffing their smoke robes down his parched throat”(Crane 493). This feeling of being trapped by this thought and feeling of his guilt were worse than the actually war according to him. Emerson and Thoreau would be glad for this man taking charge of his life and making his own ideas about life.

Crane, Stephen."The Red Badge of Courage." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.493. Print.

The Awakening Reflection

This piece of "The Awakening" is about a woman who has suffered something extremely sad but the reader does not know why. This novel is part of the Realism period of writing which features the true nature of the human spirit and the real events and things that happen to people in a society. This woman might have just suffered a great loss of a family member or friend, which could explain her grief and tears. They say that if you hear an owl hooting at night someone close to you dies, whether this is simple an old wise tale or a bit true it leads this women to be grief struck. The article from "The Awakening" shows the emotion and true emotions of a person and not just the happy ones or romantic ones that paint a perfect story. The story of Realism is the life and death stakes, which many people during this time period were facing due to the booming economy and all the factories that needed people to work for them. "The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeves of her peignoir no longer served to dry them"(Chopin 491). During this time period after the Civil War and into the early nineteen hundreds people everywhere were seeing American in a much different light. The people working in the factories were submitted to terrible working conditions and living standards that were killing hundreds of people and the sight of someone crying was probably not uncommon amongst people. This women believes that once she has finished crying all will be better in her life. Emerson and Thoreau believe that real emotions were something hidden by other writers and they do lead to the expression of emotion throughout their own ideas. Thoreau and Emerson find happiness in nature and alone in away from the corruption that is the government and society, which takes hold of people's lives and affects their lives in every aspect.

Chopin, Kate."The Awakening." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.491. Print.

O Pioneers! Reflection Blog

"O Pioneers!" is the tale of the struggles of the pioneers who settled out West in the hopes

of becoming wealthy farmers. The men soon discover that the land that they have settled is no longer

the rich and fertile land that it once was and that by having one bad season for the crops could ruin

your chances of every becoming a successful and wealthy man in America. The men in this novel have

experienced the bad season and are now in debt and have no way to save their farms and must leave

the land that they thought would save them. "The settlers sat about on the wooden sidewalks in the

little town and told each other that the country was never meant for men to live in; the thing to do

was to get back to Iowa, to Illinois, to any place that had been proved habitable"( Cather 489).

The men were defeated but they tried the world of the pioneer that Emerson and Thoreau became

fans of themselves living away from the corrupt area of society and the government that only help

itself and not the people who it was suppose to protect. Emerson and Thoreau believed that the life

of a pioneer was much better because they could avoid corruption and make their own rules and

society to live by. The people of the West and the Plains were more connected to nature since their

lives depended on the crops themselves and the land. The pioneers hunted some of their food they

lived in a mix of Indian ways of life and the civilization they left to find money. Thoreau and Emerson

would have been angered when the bank foreclosed on the people because they believed the government

should stay out of the business of individuals. "A steady job, a few holidays, nothing to think about, and

they would have been very happy"(Cather 489). This statement is one part that Emerson and Thoreau

would have argued they believed that the society in the cities were corrupted and hurt the people and

these pioneers did not know about the awful working conditions of the time, which would have changed

their views most likely of moving back into the city. Emerson and Thoreau believed that nature gave

people happiness and Cather is saying that happiness is money and stability, which is partly true but

to be happy you have to enjoy what you do and see around you. If they move into the towns with no

trees or grass and just building they are not going to be anywhere near as happy as they were in the

West.

Cather, Willa."O Pioneers!" Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.489. Print.

An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is written in a flash forward which is when the character floats away from reality and plays out how they want the event to happen and then it switches quickly back to reality. Peyton Farquhar tells his story in flash-forward of his death. Farquhar wanted to become a part of the war effort and was given the chance by some soldiers who prompted him with the idea of blowing up the bridge. This seemed like a good idea because he was a Southern plantation owner and wanted to prevent the Northern's to enter the South and cause chaos. This taking control of his own ideas and doing something about want he believes in is something that Thoreau and Emerson believed in. Peyton also lived in the wilderness but was a big politician, who was something that Thoreau and Emerson was not exactly a fan of. "Peyton Farquhar was a well-to -do planter, of a highly respected Alabama family. Being a slave owner and like other slave owners a politician he was naturally an original secessionist and ardently devoted to the Southern cause"(Bierce 391). The man was involved in the political world at wanted to keep his rights in place of owning slaves and to remain a part of the South and that was the culture of the South. Having slaves was a symbol of power and wealth in the South the more slaves you had the more money and political sway you had. Thoreau and Emerson were opposed to slavery and the idea that the government should have a say in the lives of the people. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is split between Thoreau and Emerson who are antislavery which this Southern is against and pro government staying in their own business and not worry about everything and what everyone is doing just like the man in the story. The beliefs of this story and Thoreau and Emerson are some what divide on a line similar to that of the North and South during the Civil War.

Bierce, Ambrose."An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009.389-396. Print.