Through the lens post

Happiness Embedded Within One’s Flaws

In the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Franklin lists a total of thirteen virtues, which he orders accordingly in regard to acquisition, to arrive at moral perfection. Although he doesn’t succeed in perfecting all of the thirteen virtues he organizes, he states that he was “content…with a faulty character” and that “a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance” (Franklin 9). It is without a doubt that every man may be determined to be flawless but as easy as it is said than done, “a perfect character might [also] be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated” (Franklin 9). Striving to improve oneself morally is a bold act, but perfection doesn’t always lead to happiness and satisfaction. Sometimes, happiness is embedded within one’s flaws.

Through this lens of Benjamin Franklin’s, it is evident that Tom Sawyer from Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, greatly supports his belief that one can be happy even without moral perfection. Certainly, Tom never explicitly strives to acquire moral perfection but even so, he is a great example of one who, lacking and featuring some virtues of Benjamin Franklin’s, still maintains a happy and joyous life.

In chapter four of Twain’s novel, Tom refuses to bathe in preparation for Sunday-school which outright challenges the “Cleanliness” virtue of Franklin’s to “[t]olerate no uncleanliness in body, clo[the]s, or habitation.” He first tries to fool his cousin, Mary, that he washed up when truthfully, he only dipped the soap in the water to make it seem like he used it (Twain 4). After getting caught, Tom tried again but was caught once more by Mary as “the clean territory stopped short at his chin and his jaws, like a mask; below and beyond this line there was a dark expanse of unirrigated soil that spread downward in front and backward around his neck” (Twain 4). From this, it is evident that Tom finds his uncleanliness natural and a part of who he is.

On the other hand, Tom supports the “Industry” virtue of Franklin’s to “[l]ose no time; be always employ’d in something useful…” (Franklin 9). Before entering the church for Sunday-school, Tom exchanged a piece of “lickrish,” a fishhook, a small trifle, and other things he had in possession for tickets required to exchange for a “very plainly bound Bible” (Twain 4). Clearly, it wasn’t the prize that Tom sought after, but instead the glory, honor, pride, as well as the envy of everyone else upon receiving it (Twain 4). When Tom, indeed, exchanged the tickets for a Bible, the envy of others as they realized that they were “the dupes of a wily fraud” emphasized that Tom’s effort to collect the tickets for a prize he barely wanted proved useful during Judge Thatcher’s visit and he didn’t lose time at all as he completed all exchanges before entering the church that Sunday (Twain 4).

Introduction Exercise #1

Yearning for Education

If it is now asked whether we are presently living in an enlightened  age, the answer is No but we do live in an age of enlightenment. Frederick Douglass lives in an age of enlightenment because he is on the path of self-awareness and educating others in an attempt to achieve an enlightened age. Despite him being under very extreme conditions and being forced to stay uneducated and trapped he found ways to educate himself in a journey to become a more intelligent and enlightened person. He acquired knowledge through one of his masters Mrs. Auld, and the white street boys he encountered. We will see his life unveil from his childhood to his adulthood and how theses changes impacted his life.

Introduction Exercise #1

Enlightenment and Walking

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From a historical standpoint, philosophical thinking has always been the fundamental prospect that has shaped society’s sense of ethics and morality. Accordingly, philosophical thinking has resulted in the acknowledgment of a series of new ideologies that has hinted upon the concepts of the ideal man and having a general understanding of things. As such, Immanuel Kant’s, “An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment” emphasizes on the importance of utilizing one’s own understanding and communicating it to the world at large. Nonetheless, enlightenment is often hindered because of the fears and horrors that often arise from a person’s ability to think and reason on their own. However, similar to the process of walking, enlightenment is the first and fundamental step to independence, perceptiveness, and self-reliance. The text compares enlightenment to walking, to explain the importance of being independent. Both walking and reasoning are necessary for independence. This analogy helps us understand how difficult it would be to survive in the society without being able to think independently. A man that can’t walk is disabled; a man that can’t think on his own is just a follower.

Peer Response Post, Weekly Post-Check-In #3

Peer Response to ‘One Must Learn to Live On His/Her Own Before Becoming “Free”’

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I chose to do a peer response for Barry because, I both agree and disagree with some of the points made. When Kant opens by saying “Enlightenment is the human being’s emergence from his self-incurred minority” I believe that he was referring to enlightenment as an emergence from a form of slavery not that enlightenment, itself, is a form of such. Enlightenment allows people to think for themselves rather than being docile and obeying what is commonly accepted (which in Frederick Douglas’ case was the institution of slavery).

However the points you made comparing and contrasting Kants views of enlightenment to Douglass’ I find to be true. I also liked the quotes you used from “The Narrative of Frederick Douglass”, they are incredibly powerful and essential to the topic. Kant seems to believe that enlightenment is not achievable alone. I believe there are different kinds of enlightenment and some are absolutely achievable by one’s self.  In Frederick Douglass’ story Mr. Auld said “A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master—to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world”. You are able to learn new things about the world through books and experience and I do believe that this attained knowledge is a form of enlightenment. Douglass’ master seem to agree with Kant’s point of enlightenment being an “emergence” from a form of slavery. Mr. Auld forbid his wife from teaching Douglass because he knew this form of enlightenment would open his eyes to many injustices. Mr. Auld didn’t like the idea of an “unmanageable” slave. It was then that Douglass realized that enlightenment was (as Barry quoted), a “pathway from slavery to freedom”. Lastly, Barry finishes off his post by saying “It is a process that ends with knowledge according to Kant but that is not the sole basis for freedom”. I completely agree with this statement but not to say that Kant’s and Douglass’ ideas of enlightenment are vastly different, they just reflect their different life experiences. For Kant knowledge is a form of enlightenment, for Douglass knowledge equals freedom.

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.

Free post, Weekly Post-Check-In #3

Sapere Aude (Dare to be Wise)

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This writing from Kant completely coincides with the core topic of this class. Immanuel Kant writes in “What is Enlightenment?”: “Have courage to make use of your own understanding! is thus the motto if enlightenment. ” Kant is pushing us to step out of our comfort zone and search for for new ideas and to stop relying on the orders of others.

In our class, we are essentially publicly challenging and making use of our reason by creating new theories in the way people should be taught. In the first reading we had in the class, Secrets of a Buccaneer Scholar, the author tells us a story of how a teacher reproached him for telling her students that there are different ways of obtaining an education, rather than going to school. If we were to view this situation from the point of view of Immanuel Kant, Kant would say that what the teacher is doing is preventing the next generation from thinking for themselves, essentially telling them you have no other alternative. This is the type of thinking is what we are trying to combat in the theme of this course. To be enlightened doesn’t necessarily mean going through traditional schooling. Let us take Frederick Douglass as an example; Here we see a man, prevented from having a formal education, however, through his desire to learn, he was able to become a great and influential man and writer of the 19th century.

Announcements, Introduction Exercise #1

INTRO. EXERCISE#1 Due Monday, October 19th @ Noon

INTRO. EXERCISE #1 Each group should complete the following 

  1. READ the ALL of the below directions for finishing your thesis and writing your introduction.
  2. FINISH crafting your thesis statement.
  3. WRITE an introduction for your thesis
  4. POST the introduction and CHECK “Introduction exercise #1” category.

YOUR INTRODUCTION SHOULD:

  1. Begin with a hook.  Look at the UNC do’s and don’ts. [1-3 sentences]
  2. Write a transition sentence that brings us from the provocative opening to your thesis. [1-2] sentences]
  3. State your thesis clearly. [1-3 sentences]
  4. Give me a roadmap or a general overview of how your essay will illustrate that thesis.  (i.e.  In order to illustrate this claim, this essay will look first at x, then at y, and then discuss how x and y create z. [2-4 sentences]

NOTE: There is no formula for how many sentences you should use.  My suggestions have this paragraph ranging from 5-12 sentences, but you need to use your own judgement.

FINISHING YOUR THESIS:

  1. Make sure you have an “it”:  Do you have a specific textual moment  (a line or a word or a paragraph) that you are looking at?
  2. Pick a Theme:  What about the “it” interests you?  (i.e. Are you interested in what it says about freedom or what it makes me think about gender or personhood?)   NOTE:  A theme is not just a topic.  A topic = slavery.  A theme = The prevalence of familial separation in a slave society.  AGAIN A topic = happiness.  A theme = the problem of happiness in The South Park generation.  (The latter is not a thesis, but it narrows into a discussion and you can imagine questions and specific areas and issues a thesis in this theme might get at.)
  3. Look for Relevant Textual Evidence:  Are there other moments that fit with your theme other than your it?  AND/OR Are there other parts around your “it” that help you to interrogate that theme?
  4. Make a claim:    Make a claim about how your”it” speaks to (or helps us understand) your theme.   (i.e. How does your theme manifests in your “it”? And how does the way it manifests [challenge, confirm, or complicate some part of] your theme?)
  5. Articulate a “SO WHAT.”  A “so what” is essentially a claim about how this small part matters to the whole.   This paper is very focused, so your “so what” should be specifically about how this small thing you’re talking about might help us to see the whole text (essay) in a clearer, different, or more particular light. Ask yourself how does this claim about this particular “it” and this particular theme relate to the whole text?  Does it change t he way I read the main point of the text?  If so, how?  The answer to these questions is your “so what.” Your claim matters because it helps us to see X about the whole work or it changes our view about Y in the text.

 

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

Frederick Douglass’ Experiences vs. Immanuel Kant’s Philosophy

Immanuel Kant’s “What is Enlightenment?” essay conveys the idea that in order for society to progress and reach enlightenment, a number of things must fall in place. One thing is that all members of society have to reach “maturity.” He defines “maturity” as someone who can think for themselves and make their own decisions, even if it goes against the norm. Hence, his definition for “immaturity” is the opposite.

One of his major points was that it is difficult for a man to reach enlightenment on his own, and it has to be reached with the collaborative effort of a group of people. Thus, he claims that if a society is given freedom to think, enlightenment would reach everyone, slowly and gently. He claims that public freedom, not individual freedom, would bring about change and help society reach enlightenment. “But that a public should enlighten itself is more possible; indeed this is almost inevitable, if only it is left its freedom” (Kant Paragraph 4).

Frederick Douglass’ narratives may challenge these points because in his contemporary society, public freedom was what brought the opposite of enlightenment. Public freedom allowed slave owners to think what they were doing was not morally wrong, so they kept doing it. He described the new overseer’s cruel character traits as a “perfect fit” for the job. “Mr. Gore was proud, ambitious, and persevering. He was artful, cruel, and obdurate. He was just the man for such a place, and it was just the place for such a man. It afforded scope for the full exercise of all his powers, and he seemed to be perfectly at home in it” (Douglass 4). There were obvious differences in sentiment towards slavery in the North from the South. Freedom of thinking allowed the Southerners to go against how the Northerners perceived slavery, and commit the wrongful acts that they did.

Thus, society did not in any way reach enlightenment during that time period due to public freedom. This public freedom brought about racism, inequality, violence, cruelty, inferiority complexes, and injustice.

Close Reading Post

Enlightenment in Secret

Although there are a number of similarities between Douglass’s narrative and Immanuel Kant’s essay, they are not entirely compatible.  Kant believes that nonconformity is the key to enlightenment, as well as choosing to seek out the truth regardless of the pressure and opinions of others.  He discusses the importance of not being a product of those around you, and to break free of what he calls “minority” or the state of being unable “to make use of one’s own understanding without direction from another.”
A significant part of Douglass’s progress had to do with him seeking out knowledge.  It also had a lot to do with his refusal to stay in a state of “minority” that so many of his fellow slaves had sunk into out of fear and solemnity.  However, his clever ability to grant himself an education without getting caught displays how far he went to be as seemingly “minority” as possible.  And by advancing his process of enlightenment in secret he certainly does not publicly “argue” which Kant says is the right of every man, unwarranting of punishment.   Also, within his narrative he makes it clear that a slave was never able to “publicly express his thoughts” regarding his treatment.  It was not an option, and the slave definitely could not highlight his dissatisfaction in detail like Kant’s taxpayer who complains about “the inappropriateness or even injustice of such decrees” in his enlightenment essay.  A slave had no choice but to keep his thoughts in his head, for even sharing his opinion with a stranger on the street could have extreme consequences as seen in the case of Colonel Lloyd and his unaware slave in chapter three.

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