The Custom House

Nathaniel Hawthornes writings of the Custom House really made me wonder why he would  write such a thing to introduce the Scarlet Letter.  He identifies that there is some sort of a purpose to why the narrator is telling us this information becuase he rambles a little bit about why he isn't the type of person to write such autobiographical works, but he chose to anyway.  I find the narrators interest with his families past and his ties to Salem really fascinating.  He doesn't talk about Salem in a fond manner, but at the same time of all places he could have chosen to go and work there he was at the Custom House.  He explains his distaste for the dullness of the life at the Custom House and even his lack of respect for his co-workers.  He points out how dirty and run-down it is there, but he sees them really just sitting around chatting or sleeping. Then I realy do think that he becomes to a certain fondness of aspects of their different personalities.  He notices his interests in the things they speak about.  He says that they have this ability to stay in the mundane present talking about dinner or politics.  It is really clear that he uses politics to tintroduce this run-down town of Salem that has clearly seen better days and he kind of reflects upon that and the peoples loyalty to a country that maybe is supposed to protect them from that. Then the narrator stumbles upon this letter in the attic of a custom house of all places.  Then he creates this story off of writings by Jonathon Pue. I think there is significance in the fact that the narrartor did not pull the story out of thin air but looked at the story or manuscript and was able to visualize this fictional account of Hester Prynne.

Ralph Waldo Emmerson (The Scholar)

In the scholar I think that the way that he introduces the idea of a scholar is refreshing because he seems to be looking at it from the bigger perspective.  Most of the time when I think scholar the image that comes into my head isn't the everyday person who is out working in the feilds or even in an office building.  In my perspective or the cliche that remains in my head is that of someone who is secluded, but he presents the scholar to be the opposite.  He presents the scholar as someone who is interactive with the world and the unity of things.  I find it interesting that he says, "The act of thought is transferred through the record."  When he talks about the past I suppose his point is that thought that is valuable is one that knows the thought of the past or else it would end to be a repetitiuve thought.  At least that is how I comprehended his writings on that subject.  In the end I guess it is true though because if we were simply to only think about what we now based on the present without any acknowledgement of the past then we would be stuck in some weird cycle.  Although I think that it would be difficult to be in that cycle when we are raised on the occurances of the past.  For example our parents who lived before us don't simply forget what happened in their lifetimes so in a way it is almost impossible for that big of a gap of unoriginal ideas to occur. Then he continues to talk about the role of books to say that they are to inspire new things.  I find that what he says there is true also because ideas generally are based (or inspired by) some previous knowledge in which different people draw new connections from. He also says that there is supposed to be a balance between a scholars inspiration from books and inspiration from their own experiences.  Then he continues to talk about how a true scholar goes and observes and from that observation they gain wisdom, but true wisdome is gained from the experience of things in nature.

Philis Wheatley

Philis Wheatley just amazes me in so many ways.  She is this woman in the mid to lat 1700s who was just such an influence in spite of the fact that, not only was she a woman, but she was also an African American slave.  She has a different voice in her poems that has this solidity in her understanding of the world. Unlike Bradstreet, Philis is not constantly pointing out her (according to society) inferior condition.  She is bold in her statements pointing towards the truth of equality and the hypocracy that what intertwined within the Christian tradition during that time.  The call to love a neighbor regardless of who they are.  She pointed out the fact in one of her poems that this in fact is not what was being shown by the enslavement of her people.  Another thing I was shocked by was the eloquence to which she wrote with. She seemed to have taken great advantadge of her oppurtunity to study and learn how to read. 

Olaudah Equiano

Equiano is really an inspirational person.  It is apparent from his story in slavery that he had some wisdom or an ability to get on peoples good side.  I find that his drive despite his oppresed state is really amazing.  He seemed to be constantly working towards that goal for years on end until he finally achieved that.  His faith is something else that I think is very unique.  He believes in Christ, but was introduced to Him by these people who kept him bound in misery and practilcally isolation. I find it interesting how he still finds that faith in God. He seems to be just a really trustworthy person.
I think that the worst thing for him aside from losing his family is getting used to a place and then having to face the uncertainty of what the next step will be like.  Not knowing whether he would have come into the hands of people who are semi-kind or barbarically cruel.

Benjamin Franklin

After reading a little bit about Benjamin Franklin I realize that he was a very interesting person.  I was surprised that he started kind of in the printing press. Most of the time I only ever think of him as a man of science or politics.  It is interesting how he has some view of Christianity, but it really isn't clear.  He references to it, but at the same time it almost seems as if he rejects it a little.  Aside from that I see a big emphasis on how he has overcome things and in this letter or address to his son he is trying to show that it is possible for others.  He is very much a person to rely on himself.  He has a very big belief in individualism. 

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

As I read this reading, by Jonathan Edwards, I couldn't help but acknowledge the truth in the convicting words that he was saying.  God is soverign.  He can choose to do whatever he pleases with us and we would deserve it. He makes a point to say that we deserve to go to Hell.  He continues in this statement by informing his congregation that there is nothing that they can do to change that.  I couldn't help but feel as I was reading this that his message seemed more hopeless than hopeful.  He talks about God's grace but briefly.  If I was in his congregation I probably would have really been freaking out about about the fact that I am terrible, and when his emphasis relys so heavily on that point it is hard to hear the tidbits of Edwards revealing God's grace. In a way it shows the difference of the church now and then. Today we put such an emphasis on God as a loving, caring God.  Then it was more driven by the fear and power of God.  I don't believe that is how we should come to salvation.  We shouldn't love God solely on the fact that if we don't and if we don't accept Jesus then we will be in complete misery.  We should love God because of his greatness and his love for us.  Whether this sermon is usual for then I can't say, but if it was the usual Sunday morning sermon I would be terrified daily by the power of God.  I don't think that it would be a healthy fear either.

Edward Taylor

One thing that I really enjoy about Edward Taylor is the imagery that he used in his poetry.  In certain aspects it is really unique, because it requires that the person reading the poetry must to picture what he is describing and evaluate what that represents rather than just displaying it through descriptive words.  I like the way that Taylor uses his poetry to interact with his faith and affirm his thoughts before sermons.  In contrast with Bradstreets poetry I feel like his was a little dry emotionally just because it didn't have that basis. His poetry told more of the story side of things like in the first poem in the reading in which he spoke of mans fall in the beginning of the bible with Adam and Eve through the life of Jesus. Another difference emotionally in his writings and Bradstreets is the way that they convey their feelings.  It is pretty obvious in most of Taylors writings what he is feeling, but with Bradstreet there is more behind that emotion. Bradstreet didn't state clearly what her emotions were all of the time.