All posts by m.cooper

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Close Reading Post

Writing, Freedom and Manhood

In both The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Malcolm X and A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest Gaines, they both talk about the relationship between writing, freedom and manhood. Both pieces of writing are about a man that has been jailed.

In Malcolm X’s autobiography, the relationship between writing, freedom and manhood is portrayed. With Malcolm X being in jail, his physical freedom has been taken away. However, he chooses to better himself by educating himself more by learning more words and learning how to read and write better. Manhood includes being dominant, and better than others, being the best you could be.  Although Malcolm X physical freedom might’ve been taken away, he still has his freedom to better himself.

“Not long ago, an English writer telephoned me from London, asking questions. One was, “What’s your alma mater?” I told him, “Books.” You will never catch me with a free fifteen minutes in which I’m not studying something I feel might be able to help the black man.” (Malcolm X)

Malcolm X didn’t become the educated man he was because he went to some high, prestigious school, but rather because he taught himself.  Because of Malcolm X’s freedom to do better himself and become more educated, he uses writing to make him a more intelligent, better man.

In Ernest Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying, the same relationships are portrayed. What is different from Malcolm X’s autobiography is that the character that is jailed, Jefferson, is a black man that has been unjustly accused of committing a murder, which he says he didn’t do. Being in jail now, he really doesn’t have any freedom. Being a slave and being in jail, a man is really deprived of their manhood. While in Jail, Grant, a plantation teacher, comes to try and help Jefferson. During the first couple of visits, Jefferson is hard to get to. Finally, Grant is able to get Jefferson to talk when he brings up what he would want his last meal to be.

“I want me a whole gallona ice cream.” (Gaines)

Grant ends up giving Jefferson a notebook to write down the difference between men and hogs. When Grant visits Jefferson the next time, Jefferson has filled nearly the whole note book. Jefferson freedom to write allowed him to speak his mind and explain why he is a real man, like white males, and not anything less because he is black.

 

 

Free post

Moral Perfection

When reading Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin,
and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, I struggle to be able to draw up a comparison between the two. Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography is about “Attaining Moral Perfection”.

“I wished to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other.” (Franklin)

To Benjamin Franklin, he already knows right from wrong, what is right and what is wrong; he has obtained moral perfection. To Benjamin Franklin, he does not know why one who choose to do something wrong.

When trying to compare Tom Sawyer, I guess I would say that he is the opposite of Benjamin Franklin, but he is in the process of obtaining moral perfection. Tom Sawyer isn’t the most well behaved boy, and he doesn’t necessarily know right from wrong. But since he is only a child and not an adult, I guess one could say that he isn’t supposed to know everything. When it comes to acting morally appropriate, Tom Sawyer is there.

‘”Rebecca Thatcher” [Tom glanced at her face—it was white with terror]—”did you tear—no, look me in the face” [her hands rose in appeal]—”did you tear this book?”
A thought shot like lightning through Tom’s brain. He sprang to his feet and shouted—”I done it!”‘ (Twain 20)

Tom knew that even though he wasn’t the one that tore the book, he didn’t want to see Rebecca get in trouble.

I guess the comparison between the two writings is that more obtains “Moral Perfection” later on in life. It isn’t something you attain when you are born, but rather something you obtain through various experiences.

Theory Think, Weekly Post Check-In #4

Bettering One’s Self for Themselves

The purpose of life to to live it to its fullest potential. One should always try to better themselves not for the sake of other people, but rather for themselves. In both To Sir With Love and Malcolm X’s autobiography, this is supported.

In To Sir With Love, before Sir became the students’ teacher, they were all crazy kids that nobody had control over. These students were ruthless, and just going to school so they could graduate already. To them, their future didn’t necessarily include a real profession. When Sir arrived, at first he let them “push him around”. He wasn’t a very authoritative figure and din’t have much control. Then finally he changed how the class was going to be run and made the students act more obedient and adult-like. At first, these students just did as Sir said. But then all these students realized that what Sir is saying is that its time for them to wake up and grow up already. The one student (I can’t recall his name), the guy that was always misbehaving and looking to fight with Sir, finally realized it was better for himself to do better and he ended up looking to get a job at the school after he graduated. He did it for himself, not because anybody else told him to.

In Malcolm X’s instance, he was jailed. While he was in jail, he decided it was time for himself to become more educated and better himself. He slowly started to teach himself how to write and read better.

“I saw that the best thing I could do was get hold of a dictionary—to study, to learn some words. I was lucky enough to reason also that I should try to improve my penmanship. It was sad. I couldn’t even write in a straight line. It was both ideas together that moved me to request a dictionary along with some tablets and pencils from the Norfolk Prison Colony school.” (Malcolm X)

As he continued to read the dictionary, he would write down every word and their definitions. Malcolm X chose that he should better himself. Nobody told him that he should learn to read and write better and learn more words, he chose to do it by himself, for himself.

Thesis Exercise #2

Thesis Exercise #2

According to Rousseau, education through experience is the proper way of learning. Rousseau chooses to reject societies idea of schooling and prefers a more natural way of learning. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein’s monster learns that in order to survive, it must teach itself how to communicate, and what is necessary for it to do and not to do.

Close Reading Post, Weekly Post-Check-In #3

Compare and Contrast Frederick Douglass

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In both The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and My Bondage and My Freedom, both texts discuss the same events. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was written in 1845, compared to that of My Bondage and My Freedom, which was written 10 years later in 1855. Although both texts are discussing the same events, they are described differently in each text by Frederick Douglass.

“I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead; and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself, or done something for which I should have been killed.” (Douglass Ch. 7)

The above quote, from Life of Frederick Douglass and My Bondage, is Frederick Douglass talking about he is feeling as a result of the hardship he is going through with being a slave. The experience was so bad, he had wished that he was’t alive any longer, or rather just didn’t even exist.

“From my earliest recollections of serious matters, I date the entertainment of something like an ineffaceable conviction, that slavery would not always be able to hold me within its foul embrace; and this conviction, like a word of living faith, strengthened me through the darkest trials of my lot. This good spirit was from God; and to him I offer thanksgiving and praise.” (Douglass Ch. 9)

The above quote, from My Bondage and My Freedom, Frederick is certain that slavery will one day end and he will no longer have to endure the struggle of slavery,

Both of the quotes are describing how he feels as a result of slavery. In the earlier book, Frederick is miserable and doesn’t want to exist any longer because slavery was “killing” him. In the second book, Frederick is much more optimistic and happy, and he believes that slavery will come to an end. I believe the effect of the changes from the first narrative is that Frederick Douglass wanted other slaves, who could read, to read his book and feel more optimistic about being free and no longer dealing with slavery. In his first book, if current slaves, who were already upset and angry and more, read it and see about how awful his life was and he wanted to die, they might feel the same way. But if they read his second book and see he was actually not always so angry and upset and more optimistic, they might feel the same way too.

Peer Response Post

Peer Response to Influenced Thinking

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This post is in response to Influenced Thinking by Farzana Manjra

“The one thing in the world, of value, is the active soul. This every man is entitled to; this every man contains within him, although, in almost all men, obstructed, and as yet unborn. The soul active sees absolute truth; and utters truth, or creates. In this action, it is genius; not the privilege of here and there a favorite, but the sound estate of every man. In its essence, it is progressive.” (Emerson)

After reading Farzana’s post titled Influenced Thinking, I felt that I completely agree with what she is saying. Farzana says that what Emerson is saying relates to that of Rousseau and Bach, such that man is influenced by society. Farzana talks about how “he says a person can be influenced so much by society that he doesn’t even think anymore instead he thinks what the society thinks and he doesn’t have his own ideas or thinking anymore.” Essentially, we are being controlled like puppets by society to do what society wants us to do. I believe that e are born with a clean slate, unknowledgeable about what are the rights and wrongs of life. Being influenced by society, man can be influenced to believe that what society does is “correct” or “the right thing”. In the above posted quote by Emerson, he is saying that man is entitled to build himself and discover what the real truths in life are. Fight the societal beliefs and be who you want to be; develop your own sense of right and wrong.

Through the lens post

Learning Through Experience

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In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus, the theory of learning through experience is portrayed. Frankenstein portrays the life of a monster that is created by Victor Frankenstein from the day it comes to life. Victor Frankenstein becomes interested in the creation of life, and begins to study anatomy and death. “To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death. I became acquainted with the science of anatomy, but this was not sufficient; I must also observe the natural decay and corruption of the human body. (Shelly Chapter 4).

When Frankenstein’s monster came to life, it was basically like being an infant; not knowing basics of life. “My eyes became accustomed to the light and to perceive objects in their right forms; I distinguished the insect from the herb, and by degrees, one herb from another. I found that the sparrow uttered none but harsh notes, whilst those of the blackbird and thrush were sweet and enticing.” (Shelly Chapter 11). The monster had taught himself the difference between insects and herbs, and then he taught himself the differences between different herbs.

“In my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain. How strange, I thought, that the same cause should produce such opposite effects! I examined the materials of the fire, and to my joy found it to be composed of wood. I quickly collected some branches, but they were wet and would not burn. I was pained at this and sat still watching the operation of the fire. The wet wood which I had placed near the heat dried and itself became inflamed. (Shelly Chapter 11). While searching for shelter and warmth, the monster discovers a fire. Not knowing anything about fire, he feels the heat coming from it. He places his hand into the fire, and is burned by it. From now experiencing the pain as a result of touching the fire, the monster now learns not to touch fire. The monster also learns that the wet wood will not burn, but dry wood will.

 

Free post, Rousseau, Weekly Post Check-In

Rousseau’s Ideal Upbringing

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In Emile: or A Treatise on Education, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Rousseau talks about how one should be brought up through their childhood all the way to adulthood through his fictional character Emile. Rousseau’s view on how one should be brought up is that during childhood, it should be enjoyed, and not worrying about being taught through education what is right and what is wrong. “Love childhood, indulge its sports, its pleasures, its delightful instincts. Who has not sometimes regretted that age when laughter was ever on the lips, and when the heart was ever at peace?” (Rousseau 4/5). Childhood is when one should have no worries or stress in life, but rather just nothing but happiness and joy.

Rousseau goes on to talk about that when one enters their teenage years, they should become more educated. However, they should not become more educated by being taught, but rather by teaching themselves based on their curiosity.

“Teach your scholar to observe the phenomena of nature; you will soon rouse his curiosity, but if you would have it grow, do not be in too great a hurry to satisfy this curiosity. Put the problems before him and let him solve them himself. Let him know nothing because you have told him, but because he has learnt it for himself. Let him not be taught science, let him discover it.” (Rousseau 15).

What Rousseau is saying is that one needs to become educated in what they are interested about. If one is presented with a problem before themselves and they don’t know how to answer it, they must teach themselves what the answer is on their own. Self educating based on curiosities will lead to one to be more educated about life.