The Fall of the House of Usher

1. Roderick Usher had been friends with the narrator when they were children and asked him to come visit.

2. She becomes sicker.

3. He didn’t want doctors to steal her body because of their fascination with it.

4. I don’t think the story would have the same mood or emotional context because his vast vocabulary and way of describing things creates a clear picture of what is going on. If he used simpler language, the imagery would be less vivid and the story would be less interesting and compelling because of this. The imagery is what makes the story.

6.

setting (lines 115-125) in lines 115-125, The narrator described in detail the chamber in which he was in. He speaks of how it was long and tall, with dark draperies, books and instruments scattered about, and uncomfortable, antique furniture. Poe writes “An air of stern, deep, and irredeemable gloom hung over and pervaded all.” This helps cement the thought of it being a dark and creepy house, and underlines the gloomy feeling that the story holds.

character traits (lines 172-176) In his description of Roderick, Poe writes of how he suffers from a morbid acuteness of the senses, and how he is very peculiar in how he lives. This description makes the reader wonder what is wrong with this man, and what happened to him in order to make him suffer like this.

plot developments (lines 216-222) In lines 216-222, Poe writes of how Madeline dies the night the narrator arrives. This makes the reader question why she died at that time, and heightens the creepy element of the story.

imagery (lines 452-465) In lines 452-465, Poe uses vivid imagery to describe the storm outside. Storms are usually an indication for something spooking happening.

7. I believe that Poe’s technique of using only one mood throughout the story helps showcase how spooky this story is. Although this method might not work for every author because it doesn’t allow much variation, Poe is a fantastic horror writer and he can pull it off.

8. Admittedly, “The Fall of the House of Usher” wasn’t the most interesting short story I’ve read. Even so, I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was essentially meaningless. Poe makes you question the psychological side of his works, heightening the senses by making you think about the story instead of just scaring you like many authors focus on.

19th Century Woman

1. He had a firm belief in the equality of the sexes and addressed her as a living mind.

2. They were impressed at the sophisticated language she could speak in and that she was more than just a plaything. They thought intelligence was only something men had.

3. she believes these traits are just a common in women as they are in men. Miranda was created to show how women can be independent and that they do not need someone else to think for them.

4. In this essay, Miranda says that women “are taught to learn their rule from without, not to unfold it from within.” This means that they are not acting upon their instincts but what women are supposed to do. Instead of questioning things and thinking independently, society believed women were playthings that were not as sophisticated. Fuller is a transcendentalist and shows that all people are able to have the same independent thoughts as long as they do not worry about what is deemed normal.

Thoreau Civil Disobedience Questions #1-4, 7

1. your personal beliefs

2. non-violently protest it by not taking part in what it says

3. the mass of men, who are more like machines because they are easily controlled; others, who are mostly politicians, lawyers, and office-holders, who serve with their heads and rarely make any morals-related choices; and a very few men, heroes, patriots, and real men, who serve the state with their consciousness and resist it for the most part. Thoreau seems to believe that the later is the best type because they are not afraid to go against popular opinion.

4. It would be harder because the government is more thorough with their punishments. It’s harder to get away with things when the government knows everything about you.

7. Thoreau he is just sticking up for his morals, and he is trying to show the government what the people think is right. Even if he might be going against the government, he still wants what is best for the people so I think he’s more of a patriot. He speaks of how the government needs to represent and listen to the people. He says “The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to da at any time what I think is right.” Thoreau is just following his moral beliefs, and is showing it through not paying taxes for something he doesn’t agree with.

Thoreau "Civil Disobedience" Theme

 In “Civil Disobedience,” Thoreau writes “The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to da at any time what I think is right.” His theme is that man must do what he think is morally correct, not what is required by law. He continues on to speak of the three types of men: the mass of men, who are more like machines because they are easily controlled; others, who are mostly politicians, lawyers, and office-holders, who serve with their heads and rarely make any morals-related choices; and a very few men, heroes, patriots, and real men, who serve the state with their consciousness and resist it for the most part. Thoreau seems to believe that these are the best type because they are not afraid to go against popular opinion. He goes on to speak of how breaking the law is okay if the law is something you don’t believe in. He writes “I am not responsible for the successful working of the machinery of society.” This shows that he will continue to do what he thinks is right, even if society disagrees.

Thoreau Themes in Walden

determine two themes that Thoreau develops and then write these themes and how Thoreau develops them with a summary of the text.

Theme 1: He speaks of the media, and how people are so caught up in the stories of others that they do not care about things going on for them. He says that he has never read any memorable news in a newspaper. He goes on to say “if we read of one man robbed…. We never need read of another.”

Theme 2: Thoreau says “It is remarkable how easily and insensibly we fall into a particular route, and make a beaten track for ourselves.” In this, he highlights how people so often lean towards what is familiar and what they are used to. He encourages people to break from conformity and become an individual.

A Psalm Of Life rhyme scheme

“A Psalm of Life” follows an ABAB layout throughout the entire poem. This helps emphasize the importance of each line and how he is encouraging the readers to live life to the fullest. This is an easy to comprehend set up, so it makes the uplifting tones of the poem more noticeable.

Emerson Questions

What we will do today: Read the background information of Emerson, read the essay "Nature", discuss the theme and ways he develops it.  Write on our blogs about the theme and its development. 

In “Nature” Emerson speaks of the special relationship between man and nature. This writing corresponds with the transcendentalist ideas of nature being alive and having a higher consciousness. He speaks of how man is able to let go and lose himself and connect with nature and the world. Emerson writes that “a man casts off his years” while in the woods. While connected with nature, man can

HW: Questions 1-3 and 6 on page 375.

1. his nature

2. they can relieve him of his years and allow him to become a child and can come to terms with his faith in the woods

3. the relationship between man and the vegetable

6. his themes follow the transcendentalist ideas that nature is important and man can find himself in nature

What we will do today: Read the background information of Emerson, read the essay "Self-Reliance", discuss the theme and ways he develops it.  Write on our blogs about the theme and its development. 

In “Self-Reliance” Emerson encourages others to think for themselves. He says people should take pride in their individuality, and weaves this throughout his work. He writes “for nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure.” He says that is what man should aim for, regardless of popular opinion. He says that although things might not be great, originality is key.