Coralie Casimir
A.P English /Mr. George
John Proctor’s Fatal Name
John Proctor is admirable but outwardly blunt; he is honest, proud, and very courageous but has a fatal taint to his good name.
John Proctor is an innovative character. Puritans viewed everyone in the community as one unit-- they were to think, do, and believe in the same things-- but Proctor personalized his religion. His value system was much different from the rest of the community. He did not avail to anyone, not judges, Parris, or Abigail pretentions. He lived a under strict code of honor. He honored his wife and family, his good name, the righteous, and most importantly God. Nonetheless, Proctor also came up short to his own belief. He fell into temptation and perpetrated lechery with Abigail. His fatal attraction to her dooms him to an early death. When he finally rejected her it was too late. She had started a witch-hunt and his wife was one of the accused. To save his wife he smears his good name: “My wife will never die for me…that goodness will not die for me” (80). To protect the righteous and keep his name he became a martyr. To honor God, he repented for his appalling behavior and asked for forgiveness.
Proctor is like a ferocious lion; he is passionate and is very intimidating. Like a lion that want to keep his title as the king of the jungle, Proctor has to prove that he is worthy of his good name. He did just that at the end of the play when he ripped up his false confession. Like all good leaders in the animal or human realm, they have to stand up for what they believe in, even if it mean giving up their lives.
John Proctor is like Clifford J. Harris Jr or commonly known as T.I, when the two men they turned to God they were able to find the road to redemption.

Proctor: “I say I say God is dead! (119).

In theological sense thinking that God is dead is simply senseless because God is all powerful and nothing could ever kill him. Nonetheless, when examining what has become of this world we live in; one must wonder it we, as nation, did not murder God with selfishness, careless, and the lack of love we show one another. If not, we have distanced ourselves so far away from Him that He can no longer intervene in our lives. He gave us free will to do what ever we please and we choose to get rid of him. Proctor may sound crazy but how could God be in the mist of people who are carrying out the work of Devil’s work. No one is exemplifying any of God’s virtues. The more virtuous someone looks the wicked they are and the closest to God someone is placed the closer to the Devil they really are. These people are softly killing everything that is good in Salem, while they claim to be doing the exact opposite. Proctor who knows what is really going on in the town can not longer believe that there is a God in Salem because the people have killed Him with the devious actions. By, saying that God is dead he is openly rejecting the Puritan society because these people are all frauds. The reality is that true Puritanism is not something obtainable, it is an ideal. Just like socialism and communism, the idea sounds beautiful but it is simply not realistic due to human nature.

Proctor: “You are pulling Heaven down and raising up a whore!” (120)

Proctor is angry because he feels like the court is completely dismissing everything he or Hale says and just believing the girls’ antics over rational people’s testimonies. Also, they are a lot of fallacies in their belief system. They think because someone says they are doing God’s work that they must be infallible. The judges think that they never wrong and that they are also all power and forgetting they are human beings. Men are the ones who put the son of God on a cross. The people with the power seem to call for death and crucifixion, while the poor and humble are crying because they are hopeless. The judges seem to forget that people fall into temptation, refuse to see truth, and are easily swayed by emotions. The court who believes that they are foolproof is making mistakes and leaving out the possibility they might be wrong and perhaps crazy. They are looking for the Devil and witches. Two things that can really found in people, the way they want to. They are looking for witches that flies, dance, and go around witching people; while they could be people like Abigail that represent ever wicked in the world and she should be hanged for being a witch.

Elizabeth: “My husband is a goodly man, sir” (Miller 113).

You will never truly understand how much someone loves and cares for you until you watch them sacrifice all they have to save you. John and Elizabeth both accepted their demise to save the other. John admits to committing adultery so Elizabeth could come and tell the story which would ruin John’s good name forever but save her life. The court would finally know the reason for Abigail’s vengeance. Elizabeth who is so virtuous would stop at nothing to save her husband even if it meant her death. So, she lied and told the judge she knew nothing about the so call affair. It is ironic that people who are willing to give up their lives for the one they care are being doubted and are being put on death row. While the liar and vengeance seekers are being looked upon as the divine being. Proctor is being judged based on the fact that he does not go to church or his temper, but John is very good and trust worthy person. Throughout is the only person who owns up to their short comings yet he is still persecuted and might be until the end of the play. Also, people like Rebecca Nurse and goody Proctor who are good and honest woman are being persecuted for nothing. Now we are still left with the same burning question, why do bad things happen to good people?

Proctor: “God help me, I lusted and there is a promise in such sweat” (110).

Courage, it took courage for Proctor to admit to his shortcoming. In a society which the repentance is not a convention it is hard for someone to gain the fortitude to admit to their faults: “These people had no ritual for the washing away of sins… and it has helped to discipline us as well to breed hypocrisy” (20). Most of the character seemed not to be disciplined by this but breed to become hypocrites. Every person in have alternate motive behind their actions. The judges, Parris, the girls, and the Putnam’s they are a bunch of self serving hypocrites. Everyone looks down on Proctor because he is passionate and a lecher but at least he being truthful with himself and everyone. Parris who put on the image of a good and humble minister is not even really interested in the ministry. He became a minister because it gave him money, power, and respect. The girls, who in the eyes of the court embody God’s angels, are nothing but cowards who are too scared to own up to their mistakes. At least Proctor is not putting up a façade, his sin might be deceiving in God’s eyes but his honesty will triumph.

Hale: “We cannot blink it more. There is a prodigious fear of this court in the country” (Miller 98).

These are most reasonable word Hale as ever uttered ever since he was presented as a character. It is a distress that a court system will take the word of young girls with no credential as their justification to commit murder and to further indulge into a lie. In a court system that considers tangible evidence to be fabricated and the word witchcraft as proof that an innocent person was dancing with the Devil, it is then evident that most people would be scared to testify in court. Once the word witchcraft is said about someone it must be true, even if there is nothing that point to this so called sorcery. The whole court system is flipped on its head. The judicial system that was used to bring justice and peace among the people is now used to summon the wickedness in people. The court is used to carry out acts vengeance, jealousy. The most saddening thing about this is that the court is being used like a poppet to carry out the Devil’s work.

Parris: “He’s come to overthrow this court, Your Honor” (92).

Parris is relentlessly trying continue this witchcraft hysteria. Every time someone comes to court with some kind of evidence he tries to discredit it. He fears for his reputation and will not let anyone doubt the words of the young girl. When Mr. Nurse come with a list of people that testify that his with is a good woman, he gets nervous. This whole hysteria originated in his house and knows what the girls were really doing, and they were not witches to begin with. What shows that this town is reincarnating the Devil through their actions due to the lack of propriety some show for their neighbors. Many good people are being convicted of crime they did not commit while some just stand by and watch, like it was a show on television. The people have this irrational fear of the Devil because of it they disregard morality and logic in their witch hunt. The few who knows that this whole witch thing is false is using it to there advantage. The town needs to realize that when they sinned the Devil did not appear to them because he already lives within them.

Proctor: “She does not mean to doubt the Gospel” (Miller 70).

In the hopes of saving his wife’s reputation, Proctor is trying to convince Hale that his wife is a good woman. Because Elizabeth does not buy into the whole witchcraft hysteria Hale starts thinking that there is something fishy about her. To make matters worst capriciously challenges Hale’s views on the subject: “I may do only good work in the world… yet be secretly bound to Satan… I do not believe it” (70). Both she and her shared the same views. They knew that whole scheme was created by Abigail but Proctor does not say anything that would raise suspicion on him. Hale is a small minded man, who bought into the pretence put out by the people of Salem to carry there own personal vendettas. Proctor says that the Devil is not in Salem but revenge is. Proctor and his wife seemed to be the few rational people in this town. They are able to quickly understand people’s real motives, everyone was crying out vengeance. What is ironic about the entire situation is that the pious are being thrown in jail and hung and the wicked are raised on a pedestal for all to admire, because they are the witch seekers.

Proctor: “My wife will not die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me” (80).

Proctor is very angry that his wife was taken from him and what infuriates him the most is the fact that he is the most to blame. Proctor and his wife are at the heart of the witch hunt at least in Abby’ mind. She concocted the whole scheme to kill his wife through the court system then she would be able to with Proctor. If he had never not fallen into temptation none of this would have happened. He feels like his wife is paying for his mistakes. He knows that she is a worthy woman and did not deserve to feel Abigail’s fury. Now, he is determined to clear her name. Moreover, he is recognizing that Elizabeth is a valuable woman. Even if, he does not succeed in clearing her name; the experience will most likely strengthen their relationship and this will backfire on Abby’s ruse. Abigail does not realize that Proctor will forever hate her for killing his wife, and certainly will not take a lunatic as his wife.

“ She [Elizabeth] wants me [Elizabeth] dead.” (Miller 60).

There seems to be a new chief in town and her name is Abigail. The seventeen year old girl seen to have the whole town at the type of her fingers and could do whatever she want with them. It seems that her main target is Mrs. Proctor, and nothing will stop her until she is dead. She will take down anyone in her way guilty or innocent. She is a young woman who believed in the false promise in John Procter. As a young girl she does not really realize the gravity that Procter was a phase that he moved on and she had to do the same. Now she is summiting everyone from Earth and Hell to get rid of Elizabeth. So, she could by the side of the man of her dream. Elizabeth knows she is after her and Procter does also. Elizabeth fearing that she will cry her name out in court begs of John to “ go and tell she’s a whore” (62). Also, take out all the false hopes in her mind.

“I will not be ordered… I am eighteen and a woman” (60).

Mary Warren was the girl no one had to worry about because she was a follower and seemed to be easily controlled is now not taking order from Procter anymore and running off and doing whatever she please. She could be under Abigail control, she could really be claiming her independence, or she has her own secret agenda. Many people in the novel seem to have alternate motive for doing what they doing. Maybe she might be smarter than anyone thinks and a way for her to become the leader of the pack. Nonetheless, the young women of the colony are starting a rebellion and the seemed not to know the seriousness of their actions.

In this theocracy the Devil is used as a scapegoat for everything that happens. The people may not have a ritual for the forgiveness of sin but they have something to put the blame on. Also, it is easier for them to be hypocrites because the Devil has a hand in their misfortunes, their flaws, and short comings so they believe that it is not their fault but the Devil’s. Nonetheless they are not realizing that the Devil mostly acts on their freewill and they have to learn to resist his temptation. In a way their belief is seriously injuring the development of the colony. If they are in constant fear and thinking that the Devil is in everything that is bad, they want be able to make good medical advances or technological one either. They are living in a world which they thing that everything is black and white with no grey.


At first I taught Abigail’s leadership was to be admired but she is also a coward. When things got tough, she quickly put the blame on and Tituba. Of course, she is a young seventeen year old girl, but she should not act like robust person who can do anything. Because when it is time for the consequences she quickly backs out. She is trying to paint Tituba as the Devil’s worshiper. It was like Tituba already knew what was going to happen because she did mention that she knew from her slave senses that the blame will be put on her.

“You [Abigail] a charm to kill John Procter’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Procter!” (Miller 19).

A lot of characters in this book seem to be living under a blanket. Everyone has something to hide. The most chocking person was Abigail; in the beginning of the scene she appeared to be an honest girl who is caught up in a bad situation when she was talking to her uncle. As soon as he leaves her one can notice a big swift in her character. Her image changed from an innocent young woman devious child. First we find out that her name is not as white as she claims. They were in the woods practicing some type of witchcraft and she drank blood to kill John Procter’s wife. John Procter seemed to have an attraction for and when she wife figured it out she threw out the girl. Abigail is someone that should not be trusted. She seems to take things to an extreme. If, she is willing to kill someone for her husband that means she is nothing but deceitful person and know one really know what she has the ability to do; especially now that her name is being tainted and her purity is being questioned.

“Thomas Putnam, or that his name is so often found as a witness corroborating the supernatural testimony” (15).

Thomas Putnam has a sketchy personality. It is like he has his own agenda and will through anyone under the bus to obtain his goal. He is probably going to be the one to first cry out witchcraft to the whole town or at least testify against his fellow neighbors. He wants to push Parris to do that because he seems like he resents him for his position. Also, if he accuses him of wrong doing it will be the easiest way to get rid of them. Even if Parris is trying disregard the idea that his child might had fallen victim of the Devil, Mr. Putnam seems to bring back the idea every time. Even uses his daughter’s illness as way to reinforce that idea in his mind.

Coralie Casimir
A.P. English
Mr. George
November 29, 2009
Paper
The Scandalous Miss Lydia Bennet
Lydia Bennet is a flirtatious and ridiculous young woman who has a sole purpose is to unconsciously devalue her family social statue with her thoughtless actions.
Lydia has no real depth to her character. She lives in her sister’s shadow. Lydia does not have Jane’s beauty or Elizabeth rationality. Lydia is very capricious and seems to inherit it from the neglect she feels from her family. In the hopes of drawing more attention to her, she goes around flirting with countless militia men stationed in Meryton and even follows them to the town of Brighton. The most scandalous thing was eloping with Mr. Wickham. A man, who had to be paid to marry her. Nevertheless, Lydia feels like she had accomplished a lot because all the attention was finally on her: “‘Ah! Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married woman” (240). She says this completely disregarding the fact that what she had done was deplorable but finally has the attention she is so desperately craving for.
Lydia is like Cinderella’s stepsisters. They are unattractive and constantly want the attention drawn to them. Among Lydia and Cinderella’s stepsister, they form the perfect trio of superficiality and stupidity, who leaves outside of the world rationality. Both Lydia and Cinderella’s stepsister strive for men that are outside of their ranks. Lydia marries Mr. Wickham who is below her and does not deserve her. Just like Cinderella’s stepsisters who strive for a prince that is too good for them.
A modern example of Lydia Bennet is Yamilee Casimir. They are attention craving young women who revolve their whole world around the opposite sex.

Coralie Casimir
A.P. English Mr. George
November 29, 2009
The Many Layer to Elizabeth Bennet’s Character
Elizabeth Bennet is a remarkable woman who is often govern by rationality, and does not let class and social status decide how she will live her life.
Elizabeth is a reasonable person and has a lot more profundity to her character. Nonetheless, she has her flaws; like her occasional misconception in someone character which is aroused by her prejudice. Another remarkable trait Elizabeth has is the fact that she defies all the social norms with her actions. She does not let her social stature lessens who she is. She will not be disrespect by anyone not even Mrs. Catherine de Bourgh who is at the highest social class. When Lady Catherine was trying to scare Elizabeth to not marrying Darcy. She defends herself: “‘You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked by such persuasions’” (273). Elizabeth was like revolutionary women who broke the social status quo for women of her social rank.
Elizabeth is like a rose. Each of the rose’s petals represents one of the many aspects of Elizabeth’s personality. As a whole the rose looks suiting and agreeable but when closely observed one can notices its personal flaws. Few of the petals might darker, while others dried up by the sun, or some wrinkled over time. Every rose has its thorns to protect them from its predators. Although, she not lethal but if she is held without delicacy she will leave an unpleasant and lasting impression, like Elizabeth’s attitude toward Mrs. Catherine de Bourgh.
Elizabeth Bennet is like Michelle Obama, ambitious and intelligent women who will overcome every social obstacle that will discourage them from having the best life has to offer.

“You are joking, Lizzy. This cannot be! engaged to Mr. Darcy … I know it to be impossible” (285).

Beside Mr. Darcy’s aloof manners in the first half of the novel, he is a genuine person. He has all the qualities of an honest man and is the best thing I happened to the Bennet family. Nonetheless, most of them disliked him and thought Elizabeth did also. When she announced her engagement to him everyone had different reactions. Jane her best friend and her confident thought it was false. Her father believes that Elizabeth was marrying him because it would be advantageous to her. Further more, Elizabeth would never choose him to be her husband because he is too proud and she would have to look up to him and please his vanity. Ignoring the fact that he would bend over backwards to please Elizabeth and this has been his mission shortly after he met her for the first time. Mrs. Bennet before rejoicing as an exploiter actually sat in chock and thought about what Elizabeth told her, but she after she was happy that he made ten thousand a year. Everyone’s reaction was sparked by there first impression of Mr. Darcy. They let that guide their attitude towards him and not really giving him a chance to show who he really is, a good man and perfect for Elizabeth.

“Lady Catherine’s unjustifiable endeavours to separate us, were the means of removing all my doubts” (292).

It is ironic that what Lady Catherine was trying to prevent is what she made happen. She gave Mr. Darcy hope that Elizabeth might be in love with him. By going around badmouthing Lizzy, for not promising her that if Mr. Darcy asked her to get married she would not deny his proposal. This made Mr. Darcy realize that he had a chance to be with her. So her went back and took another stab at his proposal and Lizzy accepted. If it was not for Lady Catherine would who knows, maybe they would of never had been engaged; because Mr. Darcy probably would not have wanted to proposed again just to get rejected. He wanted proof of her love and Lady Catherine brought him all the proof he need.

“You have widely mistaken my character, if you think that I can be worked on by such persuasions as these” (Austen 273).

Lady Catherine de Bourgh visit to Longbourn was incited by the news that her nephew was engaged to Elizabeth Bennet. She goes Elizabeth home in the hope persuading out the engagement; even though Elizabeth was not engage to Mr. Darcy. Lady Catherine came into her home and insulted her. She tried to use her name and the fact that she was of a higher class than Lizzy as a way to frighten her. Nevertheless, Lady Catherine did not know that she would meet her match. Elizabeth would have none of it. What is so amazing about her character is that she does not bow down to people and has a lot of pride, which are characteristics that are not proper for someone of her class. She was breaking the rules that had been set from the beginning of time. First she was a women in a society that predominantly dominated by man and secondly she did not have connections, but that never stops her from speaking her mind.

“Mr. Darcy, you see, is the man! Now, Lizzy, I think I have surprised you… Mr. Darcy who looks at woman but to see blemish” (277).

If Elizabeth was to tell anyone she was in love with Mr. Darcy everyone would be chocked. For the first half of the novel, she tore his character to shreds. She accused him of being overbearingly proud, selfish, and arrogant. She went around finding every excuse to hate him. Now her father gets a letter from Mr. Collins expressing his best wish for Jane engagement and also mentions that Elizabeth was soon to be engagement. Mr. Bennet who ignored the fact that anyone had interest in her daughter address the issue with Elizabeth. He would have never guessed because Darcy seemed to be very indifferent towards his family. He thinks it is all a joke and treats it with much sarcasm.

“If he [Mr. Bingley] our society, let him seek it. He knows where we live. I will not spend my hours in running after my neighbours” (Austen 253).

Upon hearing about Mr. Bingley’s return, Mrs. Bennet urges her husband to go and talk to them so the family has the chance to acquaint with him. This quote shows that for this first time Mr. Bennet is taking a role in his daughters’ lives. He knows that Jane was hurt by Mr. Bingley, so he does not see the necessity for him to go at their feet to beg for their association. If Bingley want to come see them he knows where there are. He is trying to restore dignity to his family name and not let his wife and daughters dictate what he should do. He is taking the fatherly figure that he should have ever since he had Jane. His character had not change much he still make silly sarcastic joke; nevertheless he became stricter and does not let the girls just run around and do what they please. He is trying to prevent the recurrence of pass, his daughter getting hurt or similar situation to Lydia’s.

“I think you [Jane] are in very great danger of making him [Mr. Bingley] as much in love with you as ever” (258).

When Mr. Bingley returned, he is as much in love with Jane as he was before he left. It seemed that he is probably falling head over hills for Jane. The current situation between Jane and Bingley is a bit awkward. Mr. Bingley was very nervous around Jane. He does not really know what to say but being in her company was comforting enough for him. Jane was constantly trying to keep her composure. She was obviously angry the he left her but she was happy that he came back. Jane does not want to rejoice in his return because she fears that he will leave her again. Nonetheless, it was clear she is still in love with him.

“No sentiment of shame gave a damp to her triumph. The marriage of her daughter, which had been her first object… was now on the point of accomplishment” (Austen 235).

No one is asking Mrs. Bennet to take Mr. Collins advice as in wishing for the death of her daughter or to deny Lydia of their parental love. Nonetheless, her actions are deplorable and it is not something that should be revered by anyone; certainly not by her mother. Everyone in the Bennet family should be ashamed about of what Lydia has done because is taints their name and lowers their social stature. Every rational person in the house seemed to be angry but Mrs. Bennet seemed to be overjoyed. Lydia had done it fulfilled her wildest dreams. Lydia got married and that was it. For all Mrs. Bennet cared, she could had met him in a strange alley as long he could settle down with her and they got married she would have been fine with it. This reflects on her poor parental skills and her personality. By accepting this marriage Mrs. Bennet is basically disrespecting all of her daughters and setting very low standards for the men she wants the other daughters to marry.

“Mr. Darcy had been at her sister’s wedding” (243).

Has Mr. Darcy done it again? Did Mr. Darcy go and clean up Mr. Wickham’s mess once again. There is no really reason why he should have been to the wedding. Mr. Wickham is the last person that he would have ever wanted to be in acquaintance with. Nonetheless he was at there wedding witnessing his enemy marry a brainless and promiscuous child. This chocks Elizabeth because of the fact that she knows that Mr. Darcy cannot stand the sight of Mr. Wickham. Nevertheless that should give her hope this shows Mr. Darcy loves her relentlessly and he would stop at nothing to protect her honor. This also proves that Elizabeth wrong that he still want to be with her besides every obstacle he has to overcome, no matter how ridiculous they seem to be.

“All of Meryton seemed striving to blacken the man, who, but there months before, had been almost an angel of light” (Austen 223).

The thing that amazes me in this chapter was the fact that what happened to Lydia could have been prevented by so many people. Sure, Elizabeth and Jane were not allowed to tell what Mr. Darcy had told them but there were warning sign. From the very beginning, Elizabeth warns her father and tell him that it was not proper you Lydia to go around flirting with military men. That reflect bad on Lydia and also that is going to tarnish the family’s name. Secondly the people in the town had some knowledge of who he was but totally disregard. One reason for the people to disregard it was they did not think that he was capable of such a thing and only thing they had to support their belief was that he was an agreeable man. Nonetheless, when they heard of what happened to Lydia; everyone had something bad to say about him even if they were hypnotized his good looks and his charm. They were all blinded to the truth but when something bad was mentioned about him everyone had an input. He owned some money others claim that they could see right through him but no one ever said anything but none ever said anything.


“Loss off virtue in a female is irretrievable that one false step involves endless ruins” (219).

For a young woman to run off with a man does not look good in any situation. First of all she completely lower her standard and bring a bad name to her family. There is absolutely no reason for her to run off with Mr. Wickham. First if he really wanted to marry Lydia no one would have stopped them. The only thing Mrs. Bennet wants is to have her daughters married. This also reflects on Lydia’s reasoning skills she knows her parents would probably agree to the marriage why then would she run off with this man. He really cannot give anything but a last name. The worst thing in this situation is the fact that she does not understand what she is doing and wrong it is. At that time it brings shame to women for doing things of the sort and once a women good name is lost it is nearly impossible to retrieve it. That why the family want them to get married because that would bring elevation to the problem.

“Some people call him proud; but I am sure I never saw any thing of it… it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men” (Austen 188)

For a man whose character had been diminished for the first half of the novel, it is nice to see Mr. Darcy in a new light. When Elizabeth goes to Pemberley to Mr. Darcy’s house she gets to know more about him and she seems to be very pleased. She also has to chance to see him. His personality had completely changed. It was like; he went and traded his old demeanor for new manners that reflect more on his good personality. Beside everything he is a good man. Even the Gardiners, Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle, could not believe that Mr. Darcy was the same man they had heard so much about. Mr. Darcy treated them so well; he welcomed them into his home with open arms and also urged Elizabeth to meet his sister. This goes to show that he still has feeling for Elizabeth and maybe he may have change for her. She even questioned it. This may be his attempt to make her fall in love with him. No one really knows at this point but Elizabeth seems enjoy it.

“ She [Elizabeth] blushed again and again over the perverseness of the meeting. And his [Mr. Darcy’s] behaviour, so strikingly altered” (191).

One thing that has changed during this whole story is Elizabeth thoughts and actions toward Mr. Darcy. She is starting to become fond of him. She no longer hated him. She revered and respected him but there was still something within him that attracted her very much. The Gardiners notice that Mr. Darcy might be in love with her and there are also some hints that she might slowly but surely be falling in love with him also. She was very embarrassed when she saw him at his house. Elizabeth was so honored when he asked her to meet his sister. She also felt compelled to defend him when her aunt and uncle badmouthed him because of Mr. Wickham’s accusation. Even if she is not really noticing Elizabeth likes Mr. Darcy. In the whole novel there is not other man worthy to be her companion but Mr. Darcy.

“She grew absolutely ashamed of herself… Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, and absurd” (Austen 159).

After being completely blind by her prejudice, Elizabeth finally realize how wrong she was about Mr. Darcy’s character. She had not forgiving him for breaking up Jane and Bingley but she was learning not he was not as horrible had she claimed. Mr. Darcy wrote her a letter explaining his reasons for breaking up Jane and his whole ordeal with Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth first took the letter with resentment but she read it many times over and realized how horrible Wickham. What Mr. Darcy said about him were things that she had evidence of. Mr. Wickham was planning on marrying Miss King for her money like he was going to do with Miss Darcy. He was a worthless coward, who could not even face Mr. Darcy at the ball and gained enough courage to spread false rumors about him after he left town. Elizabeth’s attitude toward Mr. Wickham changed drastically. It was good that she was angry at Wickham but again she hears a story and runs with it. Elizabeth seemed to be ruled by strong emotions. She has every right to dislike Wickham but it seemed to be the same way she disliked Mr. Darcy and she was deceived the first time. She has to learn to control her emotion and not let them govern her thoughts.

“One has the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it” (172).

This quote is very interesting because it describes it is a recurring theme in the book. People are not what that seemed to be and a lot of times the first impressions appears to be everlasting. First Mr. Wickham, he is a heartless person who only seemed to do what is at his best interest and does not care about who about whom he hurts in the process. Nonetheless, he gives the impression that he is an agreeable man and everyone likes him. He has giving some hints about who he really is but people seem to be blinded by his charms. Mr. Darcy, who has an aloof manner toward people but is a good man at heart, is hated by mostly everyone. This is also a good lesson to be learned that appearance do not dictates ones character.

“He [Mr. Collins] carved, and ate, and praised with delighted alacrity… in a manner which Elizabeth wondered Lady Catherine could bear. But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their excessive admiration” (Austen 125).

In the reading, news characters were introduced. Lady Catherine who was much talked about by Mr. Collins was finally brought into the picture. She seems to have condescending character. She also enjoys having people look up to her and compliment her. Many people would get bored with Collins repeated compliment but Lady Catherine seems to be please with them. It was like Mr. Collins was raised to praise her. Nonetheless, everyone seems treated in such a way, except for Elizabeth. The goes to show people with no social status were the puppets of those who were. They could use them and depose of them, which ever way.

“‘My dear Eliza he must be in love with you’” (138).

Mr. Darcy who is usually ruled by his good reason and right judgment is now over so whelmed with the feeling of love that he does really know what do to. He follows Miss Elizabeth around, gets embarrassed that his aunt is talking ill over, and even expresses his love for her through a proposal. For he first time in his life Mr. Darcy seems to be defeated by someone. Miss Elizabeth character was everything he was wanted in a woman, he was in love and there is nothing he could do about to suppress the feeling. He even had the strength to over look her social status and everything he disliked her or her family because he is truly in love with her

“I confess myself to have been entirely deceived by Miss Bingley’s regards for me… I cannot help blaming her…But I pity her because she must feel that she has been acting wrong” (Austen 114).

There only a certain amount of time someone have to be wronged before they figure it out. Jane was lied to by Caroline so many times that even her blind faith in people had failed her. She could not longer believe Caroline lies and even noticed her unpleasant attitude toward her. Nonetheless, still had some reluctance in accusing Caroline of a crime she had committed but this only a reflection of Jane’s true character. It was time for Jane to realize that she could no longer have trust Miss Bingley this also terminated her hopes of ever seeing Bingley. This was a learning experience for Jane because she should know that not all people are good and trustworthy. Hopefully, she will not make the same mistake again.

“Elizabeth was prepared to see him at his glory… he address himself particularly to her as if wishing to make to make her feel what she had lost refusing him” (120).

Elizabeth decided to go visit Charlotte with her parents and sister. When she got there Mr. Collins made it his goal to make Elizabeth to regret not marring him. It would satisfy his sense pride if Elizabeth remorse for not choosing to be his wife. He did in the Collins fashion by showing off and praising Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Nevertheless none of this really impressed Elizabeth but the Lucas’ seemed to dumbfound by everything, especially Lady Catherine; which goes to show how that the union between Charlotte and Collins was not as bad. They seem to be same kind of people they are probably complimenting each others flaws.

“Engaged to Mr. Collins! My dear Charlotte impossible!” (96).

It is a laughing matter that Miss Lucas would possibly answer to Mr. Collins ridiculous address. Nonetheless it would have been utterly absurd if Charlotte had rejected his proposal. Yes, it does look bad especially to Elizabeth who is her best friend but when analyzing it from the Lucas’s prospective Mr. Collins is the best thing that could ever happened to them. Charlotte was not blessed with good looks, agreeable manners, or intelligence. She was get older and older and her chances of getting married were slowly dwindling, and she wanted a comfortable life after her parents were gone. The only way she could get that was if she had to marry and get a husband that would provide for all her needs. Lizzy wants to marry for happiness and love things that marriage was not really based on at time period. Then, girls got married so they could have a home, children, and move up the social ladder and that is exactly what Charlotte did. Mr. Collins could provide all of these things for her, so Charlotte had to marry him. The circumstances are very unfortunate but the Lucas’s were just being practical.

“ Miss Bingley sees that her brother isin love with you and want him to marry Miss Darcy. She follows him to town in the hope of keeping him there and tris to ppersuade you that he does not care about you" (91).

The Blingleys, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, and Mr. Darcy all left under false pretence. The fact that they said they had business in the town was not very true. Caroline letter seemed to have some truth to but a lot of the things said were lies. For example Mr. Bingley love affair with Miss Darcy could not be true. Because it was very visible that Mr. Bingley was very fond of Jane and he was developing feeling for her. The real reasons for his departure were not discussed in the chapter but one can assume certain things. First Mr. Blingley would not have left on his own he would have been forced or convince to leave Netherfield. Secondly, Mr. Bingley is not the type of man who would just break a young girl’s heart in this manner, to just leave without saying goodbye or explaining himself. Another reason is that they Blingley sisters and Mr. Darcy are trying to avoid what they thing would be an unholy matrimony. No one can really blame them the Bennet family loves to make fools out of themselves.

“‘What is Mr. Darcy to me pray that I should be afraid of him? I am sure we owe him no particular civility as to be obliged to say nothing he may not like to hear’” (Ansten 76).

Few members of the Bennet family and Mr. Collins insist to make complete fools of themselves at the Netherfield ball. In the competition for will make the biggest fool out themselves, Mrs. Bennet’s insult on Mr. Darcy defeats Mr. Collins’ attempts at singing, by only a small margin. There are many reasons why Mrs. Bennet won this title. The first is, Mr. Darcy could see right through people and he knows that the only reason that Mrs. Bennet wants Jane to marry Mr. Bingley is because he has money and is from a higher social class then she is. Secondly, she does not know that the Bingley sister finds Jane agreeable Jane but dislikes everyone else in the Bennet. By putting such an image into Mr. Darcy’s mind he is more prone to protect his friend, Mr. Bingley, from marrying into this family filled with ridiculous people. This would be a disadvantage to Jane who is falling in love with Mr. Bingley. Third is Mr. Bingley is ruled by emotion. Emotions can be easily swayed, and if his sisters and Mr. Darcy are telling him that this union will not be favorable and he would be unwise to marry Jane, there is a chance that they might listen to them.

“‘She is a very headstrong foolish girl and does not know her own interest’” (84)

Mrs. Bennet is so preoccupied by get her daughters married that she does not notice how intelligent her daughter Elizabeth is, and that Mr. Collins is much bellow Elizabeth standards of education and reasoning. Mrs. Bennet would see that Elizabeth is an amazing woman and marrying someone as brainless as Mr. Collins would be a disgrace. There is nothing about him that would complement Miss Elizabeth’s character. Lizzy has a lot of pride and would never bow down to the Darcy or De Bourgh family and Mr. Collins insist be subservient to their social stature. Also, expect Elizabeth to do the same. Mr. Collins who is a superficial character will greatly clash with Elizabeth’s strong personality. It would have been utterly ridiculous for these two characters to get married. She also seemed to be a woman ahead of her time. She does things that declares her independent and that would not be the type of woman Mr. Collins would want or need.

" Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint and trusted that that she might soon have two daughters married" (Austen 53).

Despite the preexisting hatred toward Mr. Collins, Mrs. Bennet could not restrain herself when he decided that it would have been wise for him to marry one of the daughters. Mr. Collins and Mrs. Bennet had sat together and decided that Elizabeth would been the perfect wife for him; due to the fact that Jane already had a suitor.Mrs. Bennet is always relentless about marring off her daughters. When an opportunity comes knocking she will not turn it down. Besides Elizabeth and her might profit from this marriage. Even if, Mr. Collins had a very strange character and seemed to care about what Lady Catherine de Bourgh approves off. He boring ad very socially awkward. He does not seem to interact well with the family. Also, will never suit Miss Elizabeth.

“He [Mr. Darcy] began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention” (44).

After realizing that the more attention he pays to Elizabeth the more it will back fire on her, Mr. Darcy decided that if he continued that perhaps Miss Bingley would probably murder her out of jealousy. After many attempts at getting Mr. Darcy’s attention Miss Bingley turn to Elizabeth. She knew that he fancied her and was determined to taint Elizabeth’s character in any way she could. The most embarrassing thing about this ordeal was the fact that Mr. Darcy knew all about it.. He knew that she was acting pretty stupid and just to get his attention and in a way he enjoyed it. It is also peculiar because she craves for Mr. Darcy’s company will he only desires Miss Elizabeth attention, and she seems to be oblivious to the matte.

“Jane Bennet she is really a very sweet girl and I wish… she was well settled. But with such a father and mother with low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it” (Jane 26).

In a society, it was all about maintaining a strong social status it would have been understandable that marrying below your rank is a misfortune; but is it. It did not matter how agreeable Jane was, Bingley’s sisters still could not see passed her social status. Even though they know how much their brother admires and appreciates her company. Yes, she was had beauty and her character seemed to complement Mr. Bingley’s. Her parents really had nothing to offer the Bingley family. Even, after her sister made this remark Mr. Bingley tried to make case for her family rather than just accept her for what she was. Money and social class was deeply engraved in these people’s mind that it seemed like Mr. Bingley who enjoyed Jane’s company saw a defect in her character. Nonetheless, the power of love can hopefully help him surpass this because he seems to deeply care about her. He also very tormented by the fact that she is very ill.

“If your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness if she should die it would be a comfort to know that it was all in the pursuit of Mr. Bingley” (23).

For a woman a low status it was reasonable for Mrs. Bennet to want her daughter to be married and have a good life. Nonetheless, she at takes things she goes overboard with her little schemes on securing the right husband for her daughter Jane. She advise her daughter to go to the Bingley’s estate on horseback so she can get stranded there just she could get acquainted with the family but she did not thing of the consequence it will have. First, Jane got sick and could not return home and the longer they had to care of her the more tired they became of her company. They Bingley sisters did not want much to do with the family anyways. Miss Bingley want to get rid of her because she really wanted to get rid of Elizabeth who catching Mr. Darcy’s eyes, which now brings more ill feeling towards the Bennet family. Mrs. Bennet does have good intentions but she is just willing to sacrifice too much to realize her dream of marrying all her daughters to good and respectable men.

“‘You know I detest it unless… an assembly as this… and there is not another woman in the room, whom it would not be punishment to me to stand up with’” (Austen 7).

One of the more glaring critics that are being said about Mr. Darcy is the fact that he is to proud. He is so proud that he does care about what anyone says, the only thing he does look down and them because they will compare to his social rank. His overbearing pride seems to prevent him appreciated happiness of and the beauty that is inside a human being even if it starting at it. Mr. Darcy seems to only care about indulging himself in conversation with partners that were in the same social status as he was. Subsequently, he felt this superiority over the town people and that is why he feels like he can not associate with them.

“‘ One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man[Mr. Darcy] with family fortune every thing in his favour should think highly of himself… he has the right to be proud’” (13).

Does money give one the right to think so highly of himself that he felt like he was tainting his reputation by socialize with common people. Because of his money some people in particular Miss Lucas felt that it was she was not offended by Mr. Darcy’s aloof manners.Because he was rich he had the right to act in such a way. If was contrasted to his friend, Mr. Bingley. Who is not as rich but he one Mr. Darcy best friend. One can see that social status should not restrain someone from seeing the beauty with a human being of participate in having fun with anyone around you. One then, must wonder how two people so different in personalities, become best friends. Mr. Bingley has this free spirited personality and natural happiness in him, which seems to be in direct contrast with Mr. Darcy’s personality.

The most important part of the Tao, in my opinion, is Duties to Children and Posterity. I believe that we are put on this earth to provide for the future generation. Most people seemed to forget that life goes on after they died and that their will always be a generation that will come after theirs. Like parent provide for their children, one day it will be in our hand to love and nurture our children; and raised them to become respectable men and women. Believe it or not, one day our parent relinquish most of their power and it will expect their children to take part in the natural other of things; as a doctor in a hospital, a musician on stage, a lawyer in a courtroom, or a simple beggar on the street. To my belief, if their is no one to carry on the Tao of the natural other of life; they would of been no point to the Tao and all the other teachings in the world.

The law I would add to the Tao is the law of understanding. The ability for people to express their feeling, culture, religion et cetera without being looked down upon. A lot of times we forget that all people are not made the same and some are different than other and diversity should something that should revered and celebrated. A lot of time people try to hide their who they are because they fear they might be miss understood by other.

"Contraceptive, there is a paradoxical, negative sense in which all possible future generation are the patients or subjects of a power wielded by those already alive...contraceptive simply... denied existences" (Lewis 55).

"Man's victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected... to their irrational impulses" (67).

Over the year, it seems like men wants to gain control over nature. The way, they go about this is through science. C.S Lewis is saying if what is natural gets completely eradicated by the unnatural, the world will be in disarray. First, the future generation would subjects the previous generation. The natural flow of thing will no longer exist because the naturals laws the governs men will be governed by men. Subsequently, the human population will be come subordinates to one man's desires. If the natural laws are gone the Tao will also cease to exist in people's lives. What would be left is The Abolition of Man. Without the Tao in man's life he will not know proper values and man will be left as illogical beings. Human king as it is known will no longer exist because everything will already be predetermined. Men will only be able do whatever the man wants him do. In conclusion, Lewis is saying that their are things in life that should be left a secret to men. Knowledge is not bad but with to much knowledge people start forgetting the principle of things. Then, they feel like they have exhibit the powers of a god or the God and takes control over nature.

1.) "If we are to have values at all we must accept the ultimate platitudes of Practical Reason as having absolute validity" (49).
2.) "If it [the Tao] is rejected, all value is rejected. If value is retained, it is retained. The effort to refute it and raise a new system of value in its place is self contradictory.
In this chapter C.S Lewis tries to make sense of our values and where the come from. He use morality and the idea of the Tao to make his argument. C.S Lewis brings in the Innovater he is sides with the Tao but says he is against it. The main argument for this chapter is morality versus someone's sentiments. He use a moral judments and our instinct as something that would break down Gauis and Titius' s methos of teaching. These things are factual and have some kind of basis. He talks a lot about the Tao a person values system and how we all can relate to it. He is trying to point out that we need the Tao and without our whole moral system would break down.

1.) "The man who called the cataract sublime was not intending simply to describe his own emotions about it: he was also claiming that the object was one which merited those emotions" (Lewis 15).
2.) “Aristotle says that the aim of education is to make the pupil like and dislike what he ought. When the age for reflective thought comes, the pupil, who has been thus trained in ‘ordinate affections’ or ‘just sentiments’, will easily find the first principles in Ethics” (16).

Throughout this chapter C.S Lewis is criticised the way Gaius and Titius methods for education. These people are completely disregarding people’s values that they have acquired from religion, family tradition, or even culture and replaced them with what they think is right. They are making replicas of themselves and the ideology; not teaching them individuality to kids. They are teaching kids their bias view of the world. Mr. Lewis is also saying that they are using their sentiments as proof for methods of teachings, not actual facts. In the long run they become will become people without any values or people who has the same set of values as Gaius and Titius. In the end it would make a world which programed to see the world as they do.

Coralie Casimir
A.P English
Mr. George
October 7, 2009
Outline

Outline
Ethos:
1. Doctor Martin Luther King tries to establish his character for this letter by drawing similarities between him and the clergymen.
“My dearest Fellow Clergymen” (738).
There he is alluding to a bound between himself and the clergymen. The word “fellow” strengths the clause, to give him the credibility; to make the appeal to them.
2. In his letter he does not try to establish his character by what he has accomplished or his PhD, which would also qualify him to make an appeal to the clergymen.
Pathos and Logos
1. Martin Luther King in parts of his speech mixes to appeal really well to convey certain emotion and also lay a foundation for his argument.
For example the middle paragraph in page 742. In this paragraph he his telling the clergymen why he can wait any longer. First he lists many examples injustice and how it affects his children, wife, mother and himself. All through this he was able the show the frustration and the exhaustion of the black and community.
2. The thing that Martin Luther King was able to do well was to convey emotion in his speech. He was able to accomplish this through his incredible diction and his tremendous choice of syntax.
Logos:
1. Martin Luther King brings the logic for his argument from outside sources. People the clergymen would tend to respect, due to the brilliance of the teachings.
For example: Martin Buber in his relationships page 743 second paragraph. He say in Buber would consider segregation to be an I-it relationship. Where the people are treaty other peoples as object or as less then them. Martin Luther King feels like the status should be elevated to I-thou where both parties have a level of respect for each other.
Saint Augustine and the unjust laws
2. He also takes a stab at the church feeling that it has no accomplished what set out to do.
3. Also when he talk about the extremist on page 751 in a way drawing similarities between him and those famous people.
Syntax and Diction
1. Syntax:
Parallel Structure: Bottom of page 747, second paragraph of 751
Rhetorical Questions: Bottom of page 747
Periodic Sentence: Middle paragraph of 742
Juxtaposition: Top of 742
2. Diction:
Martin Luther King uses a certain aggression in his word to prove a point. We can see this in the adjective he uses to describe the word segregation.
Disease of segregation
Stinging darks of segregation
The plague of segregation
He uses his word to assert an idea by creating vivid image in the readers’ mind which also comes with some kind of emotion.

Coralie Casimir
A.P English
Mr. George
October 6, 2009
Fallacy Examples


1. Hasty Generalization: Every student loves math class.

2. Stereotype: Black people are always late.

3. Cause and Effect: Mary run five miles then her father died of a heart attack.

4. Only Cause: All students will be able to pass all their courses with more homework.

5. False Analogy: Like every serial killer, doctors are in the business of killing people.

6. Attacking the Person: Well Jessica has an F in math class so she can not be saying anything that is relevant.

7. Either-Or Fallacy: If everyone does not come in dress code school will be canceled for the day.

8. Non-sequitur: The horse is small, so it is ugly. Due to this fact horse show is canceled

9. Circular Reasoning: Mary has good grade. Mary is tall. Mary should win the talent show.

10. Begging the Question: It is unanimous everyone like Joe.

Coralie Casimir
A.P English
Mr. George
October 04, 2009
Syllogism

Correct:
1. All, human being need food to survive.
Angel eats food.
Angel is a human being.

2. All students in Trinity Catholic wear a uniform.
Justin is a student in Trinity Catholic.
Justin wears a uniform.

3. Every woman whose husband’s is dead is a widow.
Mary’s husband died.
Mary is a widow.

4. Every student, in Mr. George’s A.P English class, as a blog.
Riddhi Jain is in Mr. George’s A.P English class.
Riddhi Jain has a blog.

Incorrect
1. Oranges are orange.
Oranges are fruits.
All fruits are orange.
( Not all fruits are orange strawberries are pink )

2. Mark wets his bed.
Mark is a boy.
All boys wet there beds.
( Not all boys wet there beds)

3. Cherry are red
Jacob face is red
Jacob is a red
(Jacob is a person not a fruit)

4. Mary has red hair
Mary is smart
Everyone with red hair is smart
(Not all red headed people are smart)

Coralie Casimir
A.P English
Mr. George
October 1, 2009
Marriage Proposal
To My Dearest Companion
My Dearest Cameron, the past few years we have been together were the most amazing years of my life. From the very moment that I met you it was like my dormant heart was suddenly awakened and started throbbing in such a way that I could hardly catch my breath. Since then, I was never able to look into another man’s eyes and feel the same way. There is not a person in the world that has the ability to make me feel the way you do and there is not a single day that I do not thank God for letting you walk into my life. I know, I have said that I do not believe in love at first sight but there was something about you that captivated me and that same thing is the reason for this address.
Ever since I was a little girl I dreamt of a flawless love that would essentially bring me happiness. Although we disagree on most basic things, you still bring me a step closer to true happiness. I know that we are going through some difficult situations now and we can not really afford to get married right this instant but I do believe that in a year or so you could make my dream come true. This may sound selfish but I can not image my future with you not being a part of it. To tell you the truth, I will not be able go on with my days if you were to reject my proposal. I know it is an unusual for me to step out my comfort zone and make this appeal but the situation we are right now I want to be able to show you I am committed to our relationship and I will always be.
Before you say anything, Cameron, I want to tell you that I love you. I know it took me a while to realize it but there is no one in this world that can make me feel so vulnerable. I have never met someone who loved me just because I was me, someone who does not judge, someone who would stand by my side through thick and thin, and someone who would love me beyond his better judgment. You are everything I dreamt of and much more. I love you so much that I can imagine my life without you. You are the reason I smile, cry, and breath. I dread the day that would bring us apart even though it is bound to happen someday but before it does I want to offer you my heart and soul. The only way I know how to do that is by having you has my husband, so please marry me.

Coralie Casimir
A.P. English
Mr. George
September 28, 2009
Analysis

Mr. Collins’ Unusual Proposal
Mr. Collins’ proposal to Miss Elizabeth completely fails because of his inability to appeal to her heart, properly ague the reason she should be with him, or propose something that would urge her to sacrifice her happiness to be with condescending excuse of a man.
The problem with Mr. Collins’ was that his reason to marry Elizabeth did not really interest her. His reasons the marry her were not pleasing at all: “First, that I think it is right for every clergyman… Secondly… it would add greatly to my happiness… and thirdly… that is it the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady” (Austen). His arguments were completely selfish. Even if these were his really reason to woo her, he could of use better words in the hope sugar coding his thought. Next when he should have been trying to connect with her emotionally and really make her realize that she was the one for him, he goes on into talking about her father dying and her family’s estate. He felt like that was going to bring him around but still Miss Elizabeth refused.
When Elizabeth refuses his address Mr. Collins was able to find the proper word to emphasize his sexist views toward women. He says, “It is usual with young ladies to reject the address of the man whom they secretly mean to accept” (Austen). There in a very modestly telling her that she could not really think for herself and that she really meant to accept his proposal; blaming this mistake on her sex. He seemed to be amazing with words when it came to insult her. Then, he goes devalue her and her family, saying that she will never get offer like him. Her family had no status and she would be salvaging what is left of it.

Coralie Casimir
A.P. English
Mr. George
September 16, 2009
Notes

Huckleberry Finn
How does the book critic society during the antebellum?

Huckleberry Finn:
• Boy from the South who ignored the fact that black were capable of much more then just being slaves.
• To him blacks were not supposed to be free, intelligent, nor ungrateful for being enslaved
• Racism was something that was inherited.
• Jim could not actually be black.
“He white inside and I reckoned he’d say what he did say” (Twain 290).

The Grangerfords family vs. the Shepherdsons
• Stupid family feud
• A lot people dying to protect their family’s name.
“I crept along down the river bank a piece, and found the two bodies… I cried a little when I was covering Buck’s face” (127).
• Refusing to find a solution to bring an end to the feud.

King and Duck
• Two thief
• They would to make money in any possible.
• They had no values and were very selfish

Phelps
• They captured him and were very good to him.
• Nonetheless they were planning to send him back to slavery.
“Jim told him [Tom] Uncle Silas come every day or two to pray with him, and aunt Sally come in to see if he was comfortable and had plenty to eat” (262).
• Nothing but hypocrites

Coralie Casimir
A.P English
Mr. George
September 10, 2009
Note

Honor

Honor, in the society Edmond lived in, was the most important thing to people. A family’s honor a lot times was more important then a human life. Honor seemed to come with a good family reputation and most importantly with money. Money was an important aspect of ones honor. Anyone with a great amount of money could easily emerge into society as an honorable and respectful man.

Protecting Ones Honor

• One family that displayed how much honor is important to them was the Morrel family. Monsieur Morrel was willing to commit suicide rather to taint his reputation.

He said to his son, “When I am dead you will raise your head and say ‘I am the son of him who killed himself because, for the first in his life, he was unable to keep his word’” (Dumas 185).

He was doing this to salvage what was left of his name. He would much rather die as a respectable man.

• Madame de Villefort, who was killing her husband’s family so she could get an inheritance for her son. She knew without money to her son’s name he would be nothing. She ended up killing and herself when Villefort uncovered her plot. Villefort’s name was jeopardy and also he was a judge so he asked he wife to kill herself so everything could be resolved. Nevertheless did he expect her to also kill her son’s life also.
“’The poisoner shall go to the scaffold whoever she may be… she was cautious enough to keep for herself a few drops of the deadliest poison’” (560).
“Since it was for my son’s sake that I became a criminal. A good mother never leaves her son!” (565

• Monsieur de Morcerf also took his own life when he lost is honor and his family at the same time. He was alone and his reputation was blemished which met he had nothing to left to live for so he took his life.
“At very moment when the wheels of the cab passed under the arched gate, a report was heard, and dark smoke issued through the glass if the bedroom window” (487).

• Albert de Morcerf felt like it was his duty to defend his father’s when he was stripped of his honor.
“‘I understand your perfidies and make you realize that I will avenge” (464).
* On the other hand Albert is a more honorable individual than his father. He apologize to the Count when learn that his father was the one at fault in the matter.

Coralie Casimir
A.P English
Mr. George
09-09-09
Outline
Edmond's God like abilities

1. Dantes felt like he had to play the role of God because he taught it was is duty to punish the bad, reward the good, and show merci to whom deserve it.

“A man [Edmond Dantes] who, like Satan, believed for one moment he was equal to God” (590).

Rewarding the Good
• The Count of Monte Cristo helped the Morrel family who was good to him and his father. Especially when Edmond was in jail
“Morrel often came to see him [Dantes’ father]” (154).
• He gave them money to defend their honor.
He gave them “287,500 francs… a diamond as big as a nut” (186).
• The Count gave their older son and horse and the woman he loved dearly.

Punishing the Bad

The Morcerf family

• The Count of Monte Cristo conspired for them to be stripped of their honor.
• Fernand lost his wife and son.
He “sob escaped him that eve came from the bosom of a father abandoned at the same time by his wife and his son” (487).
• This led to him taking his own life.
Danglar

• Went bankrupt.
• His daughter was humiliated.
The Count created a fictions character, Prince Cavalcanti who was to marry Danglar’s daughter. He did nothing but to trick the Danglar family: "He played his part well! To think that we had been entertaining a murderer, a thief, and an impostor" (523).
• He fled the country.

Monsieur Villefort’ family

• Lost almost every single member of his immediate because Madame de Villefort was poisoning Villefort’s family so her son could get an inheritance for her son.
• When her plot was uncovered she committed suicide and took her son with her.
“Since it was for my son’s sake that I became a criminal. A good mother never leaves her son!” (565).


Showing Merci on the others

The Count of Monte Cristo acted like a savior or the person people went to in their time of need.
• He saved Valentine from her step-mother. He knew that she was a good person and was determined to save her. Also he Maximilian kind of asked him to. The could would of done anything for him.
• He also showed merci on Albert when Mercedes came to him so he could spare his life.
“‘What do you ask of me?’ he said. ‘You son’s life? Well then, he shall live!’”

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Coralie Casimir
A.P English
Mr. George
August 24, 2009
Essay

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
In today’s society there are many circumstances that may restrain an individual from gaining a certain prestige or obtain certain positions, but nonetheless race is no longer be one of those primary reasons. If someone works hard enough to achieve their goals it is only fair that they feel all the satiations, it was not always like this. Up until recently, people of different race did not have the same opportunities. In his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry, Finn Mark Twain was able to criticize the racist culture that was at play in the South, prior to the Civil War. Through the eyes of his young protagonist Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain takes his reader on a journey down the Mississippi river. Huckleberry was accompanied by a runaway slave name Jim. Coming from a racist society, Huck thought that Jim was being an ungrateful for running away and believed that Jim was also stupid like every other slave. In Huck’s mind nothing that was good could really be associated with blacks. It was the way he was brought up and to think this way. To an extent, it was fair to say Huck was a product of his environment. Through his characters Mark Twain was able to critique different aspects of society during the antebellum though he characters; slavery was one of the prominent themes but hypocrisy, falsehood and deliberate killing of human beings also played a role in the story.
In the novel, Huckleberry Finn was a young boy who lived his whole life in state where racism and slavery was accepted. He was the poster boy image of racism during the antebellum. To him, being black came with its detriment in many ways. Blacks were not supposed to be free, intelligent, or ungrateful for being enslaved. Like everyone in the world, Huck Finn was not born a racist but was taught racism by his father and everyone around him. They inherited their racist view from the people who came before them. Nonetheless, when Huck went on a trip with Jim, runaway slave who belonged to Miss Watson. He was quite taken back by him because Jim did not fit the stereotypes of black slaves. Huck did not really know how to react to that: “I never see such nigger” (Twain 90). Huckleberry Finn felt like black slaves were not human, intelligent, and did not have wisdom existed in them. As result, he treated them as if he was superior.
For many people nothing good could be associated with blacks. When Tom was hurt, Jim offered to call for him a doctor. Huck felt like, “he white inside, and I reckoned he’d say what he did say” (290). This way Huck’s way to justify the humanity he found him Jim and also there friendship. Huckleberry was taught that only white had those characteristics. There he was completely disregarding the fact that they were not any difference between him and Jim except for the color of their skin. Huckleberry Finn did not understand that Jim did not to be white to feel compassion for another individual, or want freedom for him and his family. This was why he was a critique for people in the south. The white people felt so superior to the slave by neglecting their feelings and they were human being as well. The lack of sympathy for other human beings was one of the many immoralities that went on during this time period.
On his journey down the Mississippi River Huck encountered a wide variety of people and each other those character depicted a stigma in that society. First Huck met the Grangerfords family who are feuding with Shepherdsons family. These two families have been fighting for generations and no one knows for what reason. Many people have lost their lives and no one wants to talk about the feud or stop the fighting because of pride and trying to uphold a family name. When the Grangerfords’ daughter runs away with the one of the Shephersons’ son. As a result, it caused chaos. Buck who was the Grangerfords’ son and Huck’s friend lost his life trying to find his sister and trying to kill her mate: “I crept along down the river bank a piece, and found the two bodies… I cried a little when I was covering Buck’s face” (127). The feud seemed to be pointless the only thing the families really cared about was if their sons and daughters would stay loyal to them and be proud to be part of the family. They really would not have made such a big deal if their daughter or son run off with some others stranger. This two family shows ignorance and stereotypical family because of their feud. They are ignorant because they have been fighting among each other and do not know the reason why. They are stereotypical because they stereotype the other family and judge the other family. The same ignorance and stereotype is the same way slavery operates.
Next, Huck met King and Duke who were two con artists. They seemed to care and there only concern, that was making money. They were going to make money but any means necessary. They joined Jim and Huck on their journey down the Mississippi river and Huck and Jim could do anything about because Huck was just a child and Jim was a runaway slave. They went from town to town while conning people of their money. They went as far as posing as two English men so they could trick a family who just lost their father into giving them the daughter’s heritance money. Huck who felt bad for the girls he stool the money and hide it. He would later tell them where he had put the money so the daughters could have it. King and Duke went as far as to turning Jim in, so they could get the two hundred dollars for his return. This shows how much they do not care about anything else but money. They even two timed Huck and Jim who helped them out for money
In his search for Jim, Huck ends up at the Phelps family who were Tom Sawyer's aunt and uncle. Phelps was also nothing but hypocrites: “Jim told him [Tom] Uncle Silas come every day or two to pray with him, and aunt Sally come in to see if he was comfortable and had plenty to eat” (262). They were slave owners and they were planning on sending him back into the slavery. They pretended they cared and wanted to do something good for Jim. They did that so they can sell him and catch him off guard. They could not try to get to know Jim like Huck did. Huck tried and did everything to stop this from happening. During his trip, he learned a lot and changed. He even made a great friendship and a bond with Jim. Unlike Huck, the Phelps could not see and overcome the skin color difference and still looked as Jim as a slave.
The characters in this novel represent the typical southern before the Civil War. Huckleberry Finn was a typical white boy who grew up in a bigot family that accepted and mistreat slaves. He was raised and taught out of ignorance and hatred. He went on adventure with slave name Jim. Throughout his adventure, he starts to change his view for Jim and slaves. In the beginning, he treated Jim as he was more superior to him. Later on, he realizes that he was a typical human being that had feelings. Then, their friendship and their bond grew when they overcame obstacles and meet different interesting people. Mark Twain was also able to show the many aspects of society through his characters. Huck he was able to show the racist side of society, through King and Duke he portray greed, and the Phelps hypocrisy. Mark Twain shows society’s faults in the hopes that they will have a change of heart.

The Great Gatsby

Coralie Casimir
A.P English 11
Mr. George
July 31, 2009
Essay
The Great Gatsby
In the American society, the pursuit of happiness is something that has been glorified ever since this country was built. Many people work most of their whole lives to achieve the American Dream. In his novel, The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald tried to portray the non-existence of true happiness in material possessions and grandiosity. Happiness can truly be appreciated through one’s struggles. The story narrates the life of Jay Gatsby, through the eyes of Nick Carraway. Gatsby wanted to rekindle his old love affair with Daisy Buchanan, who was now his neighbor’s wife. He believed that the only way he could have her back was by impressing her with his wealth. Moreover, gaining Daisy would complete Gatsby’s dream of total happiness. Gatsby stopped at nothing to gain his assets. Nonetheless, nothing happened according to his plans because Gatsby ended up losing his life, his prestige, and Daisy. Through his characters, Scott Fitzgerald displays that happiness is not something that can truly be valued without the hardship and struggle one must go through to obtain it.
Jay Gatsby was a very rich man who had everything he wanted in the world, except for the love of his life Daisy. He was born in Midwest as a poor man. Gatsby did not like being poor, so he changed his name and emerged into society as a new man. He fought in the Great War and, after he came back, gained much of his wealth in suspicious ways. He did this to gain enough money, to impress Daisy. Gatsby centered his whole life on Daisy. What he was willing to do anything to get rich and gain Daisy’s love, even if it was absurd. Gatsby fabricated his whole life upon a lie all for a materialistic and useless girl.
Jay Gatsby was a man no one really knew anything about. He was first introduced in the novel as a mysterious character and no one had solid information regarding his life. Everything speculated about him were just rumors, some more absurd then other. At one of his parties two girls claimed, “somebody told [them] they thought he killed a man” (Fitzgerald 44). At his lavish parties that he threw every Saturday, he surrounded himself by important people. Most people seemed to be impressed by what he had, not much who he was. In the beginning of the novel, it seemed like he knew everyone. Most of Gatsby’s friends came with the money and the wealth, because when he lost his life all the friends that attended his parties had vanished. Out of the hundreds of people who attended his social gatherings every week, only one had the decency to come to his funeral. It was Nick Carraway, which he met the not long before he died. Not even Daisy, the woman he loved and essentially died for could not stand at his funeral nor send flower expressing her condolences.
Jay Gatsby’s abandonment in his tough situation was not surprising. Gatsby himself did not frequent those people so he could befriend them, but he wanted to use them as props in his big scheme to gain Daisy back. Everything in his house or life was for Daisy’s love. When she went to his house, “he valued everything in his house according to the response is drew form her well-loved eyes” (91). Jay Gatsby’s life was for Daisy. Gatsby was not able to realize that if Daisy really loved him, his money would not be something of interest. Nonetheless, he became so obsess with her that he got involved in criminal activities to gain his riches.
Jay Gatsby did not gain his social status with all honesty. He lied to Daisy and all of his other acquaintances. Jay Gatsby was not even his real name, “he changed it at the age of seventeen and at the specific moment that witness the beginning of his career” (98). His real name was James Gatz. Jay Gatsby did not work from the ground up to gain is fortune. He just created a name for himself at the top when he got enough money to afford the life that Daisy would have wanted from him. Gatsby was never able to feel blissful for his work because of his obsession with Daisy. He did not feel the satisfaction of actually working to obtain something great like his wealth or his house. Because in his eyes his life would not completed without her. He had it all but he still longed for something that no longer belonged to him and would ultimately cause his downfall, Daisy’s love.
Daisy seemed to have everything handed to her. Struggling to obtain something was not something she was known for. Her whole marriage to Tom Buchanan was based on a fictitious love. Daisy stilled loved who she taught was Jay Gatsby when she married Tom. Gatsby asked Daisy to wait for him to come back from the war, but she became overwhelmed with boredom and not having someone close by to show her love and affection, she married Tom Buchanan: “The only crazy I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake” (35). Daisy liked things to be easy for her and waiting for Gatsby was something she could not be bothered with. So she settled for the next best thing. Tom was handsome and very wealthy. She did not love him but he provided for her, so it seemed, to compensate for everything else. It was clear that she was having problems in her marriage but was willing to stay. Tom had a mistress, Myrtle Wilson the wife of his friend George Wilson, in New York that Daisy knew and did nothing about. Daisy’s happiness was a whole façade. She played the good wife and the happy mother but none of it was real. On the other hand, Daisy is not as naïve as she is led to believe. She knew what she wanted and would sacrifice her happiness to obtain it.
One day, when Daisy had Gatsby over to her house. For a moment, she seemed to be madly in love with him. Then hours later when they went to New York and Gatsby confided to Tom that she was in love with him, Tom was able to dissuade Daisy from being with Gatsby, a risky character that gained his money in criminal activities. She quickly eradicated the thought of being with Gatsby from her mind. Even though hours earlier, she had told Gatsby that, “she was in love with him” (119). Daisy simply could not afford taking a risk in the name of love. Tom who was an arrogant person told Daisy to go home with Gatsby. Moreover, things took a turn for the worst when Daisy hit and killed Myrtle Wilson, Tom’s mistress, while she was driving home with Gatsby. Gatsby who was blinded by his love for Daisy decided to take the blame for killing George Wilson’s wife.
George Wilson was outraged by his wife’s murder and would stop at nothing until he got his revenge. Tom, who heard Wilson say something about a yellow car coming from the city, knew it was Gatsby’s. He seized the opportunity to rid Gatsby of his life and told Wilson about the incident, ignoring the fact that his wife was the one driving not Gatsby. Wilson had the insane idea that his wife’s killer had to be her lover. Wilson went to Gatsby house where he shot him and then himself: “Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete” (162). As soon as the news got out, Daisy and Tom took all their stuff and moved. Daisy wiped Gatsby out of her memory and moved on with her life. It was like Jay Gatsby was never a part of her life. She did not even feel sorrow or guilt. Jay Gatsby was gone now and memories of him where worthless to her.
Scott Fitzgerald showed that true happiness comes through hardships, sacrifices, knows one’s limits. Gatsby problem was that he spent most of his life trying to recreate the pass. He did not realize that the pass was the pass, he had to live for the present, and prepare for the future. He became an obsessed and naïve man who wasted his who life. All the time he taught he was working for is happiness; he was only digging an early grave. Daisy also never had the chance to content with what life offered her. She valued social status and wealth none of those thing were bliss. It seemed that both of the characters believed that happiness would come through material possessions which brought Gatsby to his demise and Daisy to her miserable life.

Coralie Casimir
Advance Placement English
Mr. George
July 13, 2009
Essay
Edmond Dante’s Vengeance
It is always hard for someone to turn the other cheek when they have been exploited or victimized. Most people take matters into their own hands to seek revenge. In Alexandre Dumas novel, The Count of Monte Cristo narrates the life of Edmond Dante a young sailor who had it all. At the age of nineteen years of age, Edmond Dante had things that most people work their whole life to obtain. His friends, who were overcome by jealousy, conspired against him. He was arrested for an act he did not commit. After spending fourteen miserable years in jail, Edmond breaks free. His only goal was to avenge his misfortune. Edmond who was honest, caring, and adored all transformed into a cold and bitter man who only desired vengeance. Edmond had every right to seek revenge against his enemies, they wrongfully made him serve fourteen years in jail, which led to him losing himself through misery and regret; due to Fernando, Danglars, and Caderousse's actions he lost his father and the love of his life, Mercédès.
Edmond Dante had it all, a great job, a beautiful fiancée and a bright future. He was one of the luckiest gentlemen, which incited jealousy. Edmond being a kind, honest, and naïve young man, thought no one was out to hurt him. He was warned by Monsieur de Villefort that many would envy him for what he has accomplished at such a young age: "Perhaps you have no enemy, but you may have aroused feelings of jealousy... good fortune may have been cause of envy" (Dumas 48). Surely jealousy aroused among three men, Fernando who wanted Mercédès to be his wife, Danglars who resented the fact he was going to be named captain of the Pharaon and also hated that he was well loved by the crew. Finally, Caderousse a neighbor just detested Edmond because he was more fortunate than he was. So, they set out to ruin him by denouncing him as a Bonapartist. At that time it was considered as an act of treason to favor the return of Napoleon Bonaparte. Together they came up with the scheme. Danglars wrote the letter, Fernando mailed it, and Caderousse did nothing to stop it. Together they sealed Edmond’s faith.
On the very day of his wedding, Edmond was arrested for conspiring against the King Louis the VXIII and presented to General de Villefort. However, Edmond’s charm quickly won over Monsieur de Villefort. He did not believe a boy like Edmond would do such a thing. Edmond was the guy who did not want to know who wrote the fictitious letter denouncing him as a Bonapartist: "If any of my friends cherish any such envious feelings toward me, I would rather not know lest my friendship should turn into hatred" (48). As Monsieur de Villefort was about to release him, Edmond mention a letter he had to deliver to Monsieur Noirtier who happened to be Monsieur de Villefort father. As an effort to cover up for his father which favored the return of Napoleon Bonaparte. After reading the letter, Monsieur de Villefort burned it. Fearing, that Edmond might denounce his father as a Bonapartist; Monsieur de Villefort sentenced him to many years in jail, without Edmond's knowledge.
Completely blindsided, Edmond was sentenced to jail. He barely knew for what reasons or for how long. Still young and hopeful, he thought he was going to get out in no time but over time Edmond lost all hope and his pride. After spending many years in jail, Edmond started to believe that he had to have done something because he did not understand why he was in jail: "He was so reduced that he began to doubt his innocence" (78). He spent his days in constant agony. Not being able to cope with the situation, Edmond called upon death as a savior: "He had sworn to himself that he would starve himself" (80). Nonetheless, he never accomplished that because he met Abbe Firia who gave him hope of a better future.
One day while in his cell Edmond heard a weird noise, like something was trying to get in his room. It was Abbe Firia who was trying to escape from his prison cell but miscalculated where he was going. Edmond was filled with excitement because he knew someone was at the other side of the wall. So he decided to help him, after spending long hours digging through the wall he meant Abbe who. They quickly became great friends. Abbe helped Edmond clarify why he was put in jail. Abbe loved Edmond as a son, he taught him everything he knew and told him about the treasure at the Island of Mont Cristo. They were planning to escape together. However, Abbe never made it out of the Chateau D' If because he died and shortly after before they were supposed to escape. Edmond escaped from prison, found the treasure, and emerged into society as the Count of Monte Cristo. His only goal was to avenge his father’s death and his imprisonment.
At first Edmond went to Marseille to see what became of his poor father and Mercedes. There he encountered Caderousse his neighbor and the one who did nothing to help Edmond. Caderousse told him about Danglars and Fernando who met with great success. Danglars married to a baroness and became a rich banker. Fernando was married to Mercedes and became a Count. Also told him what became of his old father he died of, "Of hunger … pure starvation" (155). However Caderousse was left in Marseille to perish. Nonetheless, his story touched Edmond’s heart, because he left him unharmed and gave him a diamond. Not all the conspirators will meet such luck because when the Count of Monte Cristo crosses their path their life would forever be wrecked.
The Count of Monte Cristo established himself into society by flaunting his money around gaining the trust of his enemies. First, the Count of Monte Cristo is in contact with Albert the Morcerf. He won his the trust by saving him from the bandit of Italy. Albert, who was so grateful offered to have the Count over his house in Paris to introduce him to the Parisian life. There lived Fernando Mondego who was Albert’s father, Baron Danglars, and Gerard de Villefort. There the Count of Monte Cristo put his plan in execution. The Count of Monte Cristo easily gained their trust because they were so blinded by his money. He went to all the right events and they could not get enough of him. At the summer ball they asked for him seventeen times: "Is the Count of Monte Cristo not coming the evening" (351). While everyone enjoyed his company, he was busy planting the seeds of his revenge.
The first seed the Count of Monte Cristo planted was in the Villefort house. When, he and Madame de Villefort were talking about poison. He played on her maternal love for her son and murderous side. Madame, the Villefort who was ready to do anything so her son could have an inheritance decided to poison anyone would get in his way. Four people in the Villefort where poisoned. She was caught Madame de Villefort committed suicide and also poisoned her son: “Since it was for my son’s sake that I became a criminal. A good mother never leaves her son!” (565). Madame de Villefort was driven by greed but it was Count who provided her with the poison. Gerard de Villefort lost his family, just like he made Edmond lose his.
Then the Count of Monte Cristo turned to Danglars and convinced him to write a letter to Janice denouncing Fernando Mondego’s actions as general. He mistreated the royal family, Janice by killing the king and selling the queen and her child, Haydee, to slavery. The Count of Monte Cristo bought Haydee as a young girl and raised her as his own. Because of the letter Fernando was sent to trial and Haydee went to testify against him. She accused him of taking her family apart: "It was you who sold my mother and myself to El Kobbir! Murder! Murder!" (454). Fernando who was guilty of the crime could not refuse the allegations. He was strip of his honor and his title as Count of Morcerf. He also lost his wife and son. They refused to stay in a house with a man who gained his fortune through lies and deception. Fernando was helpless and defenseless, not being able to deal with his misfortune he takes his life.
Danglars life was not going so well. He was losing his investments and was going bankrupt. The Count of Monte Cristo opened bogus credit accounts with the banker, and when he was going broke the Count took out five million dollars that the banker did not have. His daughter Eugenie was deceived by the Prince Cavalcanti who was hired by the Conte of Monte Cristo. Prince Cavalcanti did nothing but to trick the Danglars family: "He played his part well! To think that we had been entertaining a murderer, a thief, and an impostor" (523). Eugenie Danglars was so ashamed that she ran away and does not ever want to go back to France. Danglars was also very humiliated, he left his wife and ran away. He lost everything just like Edmond did many years ago.
Edmond vengeance was necessary because he showed people that took advantage of him a lesson. While he was spending so many years in misery they were enjoying their perfect lives. They had it all, not for one second they thought of the poor Edmond who was perishing in jail. Like any human being, he became angry at the world and only wanted to seek revenge. No one can really blame Edmond because Fernando, Caderousse, Danglars, and Monsieur de Villefort ruined his life. He lost his father and the woman he loved most in the world. Most importantly lost himself, the guy who was known as Edmond Dante died in the Chateau D’If a long time ago and the Count of Monte Cristo is what was left of him.

Native Son

Coralie Casimir
English Honors
Mr. George
April 30, 2009
Essay
Native Son
America is known as the land of opportunity, the land where all mankind can live their dreams and where freedom reigns. Nonetheless, looking back at this country’s track record, not all men and women had the chance to benefit from these rights. Especially the blacks. They were enslaved, segregated into the worse sections of town, and left to fend for themselves. In Richard Wright’s novel, Native Son, he writes about a black boy named Bigger Thomas whose entire life has been cheated by a broken system ruled by racism. Through his novel, Wright tries to argue that blacks became angry and bitter because of the oppression that he faced all his life. Furthermore, he used his argument to justify the killing of two innocent women and violating both them by Bigger. He tried to make his audience sympathize with Bigger’s actions. I, personally, will never sympathize with someone who commits murder, rapes, and shows no remorse for his actions. Wright did an excellent job picking out where society was at fault, and that the white people made Bigger permanently angry; however, this still does not make Bigger a sympathetic character because of the extreme examples Wright used to make his argument.
Ever since he was a boy, Bigger was forced to live in an unjust world. He came from a world where the norm was to steal and fight. A world where he had to hide his true emotion just to survive. Because the only way he knew how to deal with them was through the violence, Bigger put on a front just so he could not deal with what he was feeling inside. Subsequently, Bigger hid behind this curtain of fear because he felt powerless against this world and it was the easy way out: “he knew that they were suffering and that he was powerless to help them. He knew that the moment he allowed himself to feel to the fullness how they lived…he would be swept out of himself with fear and despair,” (Wright,10). Another hindrance Bigger had was the fact that he could not articulate his problems or try to reason with them in a logical manner. Additionally, Bigger’s life was filled with false hope. He was told to dream big and then taught that dreaming was not for little black boys. The hate he had inside started to build up making him dislike the world he lived in. He was not capable of doing anything that made him happy because all his life he had to be a submissive servant to the white world. He was trapped in a box and was not able to escape.
Wright was able to make people see through the eyes of Bigger Thomas. He made his resentment for whites, his mother, God and even the world understandable. Nonetheless, he failed to justify Bigger’s actions of killing Mary Dalton and especially the murder and rape of Bessie Mears. Yes, Bigger was irritated and he had the right to be angry, but it takes a savage to commit the crimes he did. Not a man right in his mind would be able kill the first, and perhaps the only, white woman who treated him with respect. The worst part this story was when Bigger smashed his girl friends head with a brick and then threw her off of a building. The killing of his girl-friend, Bessie, was more outrageous then Mary’s murder because Mary’s murder could be classified as an accident.
Mary’s death was an accident; it was not really Bigger’s fault. He was scared and acted upon his impulse. The interaction between the white world and Bigger was slim to none. When he was in the bedroom with Mary and her mother walked in, he did not know how to react so he shoved a pillow over her face to shut her up: “He had to stop her from mumbling, or he would get caught” (88). Bigger’s reaction was involuntary he was in an awkward situation and had to find a solution. Bigger thought, if he was caught in Mary’s room he would probably be lynched because he was black. He only thought this way because that was what he was taught by the media.
Everything Bigger learned was from the media. The media is the most powerful source in the novel. It dictates what was right from wrong and Bigger learned to that having sex with a white woman was repulsive. Any black man caught in this act would be lynched. Bigger understood what was supposed to happen to him if he was caught and was trying to protect himself. He did not have enough interactions with white people to know that all white people are not the same. Bigger did not consider the fact that maybe the Dalton’s were different. Maybe they would believe him when he tells them he just helping her get to her room because she was too drunk to get there by herself. So, when he saw Mrs. Dalton came in the room he was scared: “He turned and a hysterical terror seized him… A white blur was standing by the door” (85). Bigger panicked and killed her. At this point Wright’s argument was understandable but everything that happened after was just a disaster.
When the dead body was in his hand, Bigger did not know what do to. Therefore, he cut off her head so she could fit in the furnace where her body would to ashes. This malicious act of carelessness was what Wright tried to present to his audience so they could feel sympathetic towards Bigger. Using Bigger as a product of his environment was an undertone for his argument. A lot of times, people tend to absorb the characteristics of everyone around them, but Bigger did more than that. Bigger was uneducated and lived a life filled with crime. He was not able to enjoy the same rights as the whites so he used things like masturbating release his frustration. A cold and heartless murderer is far beyond what Bigger’s environment can create.
After murdering Mary, Bigger started to get this thrill from killing. It was like it turned into a game for him. He felt a sudden joy that never had before, he felt like reborn in a new life: “like a man reborn, he wanted to test and taste each thing… like a man risen up well from a long illness,” (111). A typical person would try to somehow understand the intensity of his crime not feel like he just had an epiphany. Bigger was just focus on how liberating it was for him and not how it effected the Dalton family and the black community. Also the fact that is he trying to put the blame on the victim, Mary Dalton, not on himself: “Hell she made me do it!” (113). Mary did not physically provoke Bigger. His fears made him kill her not anything else.
Wright is now demanding too much from his audience, how could ask someone sympathize with action this? Accepting that Bigger’s crime was only caused because he was a product of his environment; is the same as categorizing every black man who lived at that time were criminals. It is saying that all of them will live a life of crime, and at the end, will be able to kill someone without feeling remorse. That would be doing the same as the whites, stereotyping all black people before they had a chance to get to know them. Not all blacks would go on a killing spree just because they felt oppressed. It is, in a way, portraying them as savage animals without reason.
Shockingly enough, Wright goes for pages explaining how badly the acted reflected on black people. They loosing their jobs and constantly being theorized by a white mob: "Several hundred Negro employees throughout the city had been dismissed from jobs" (244). His own sister became an outcast; she was not able to attend school because people would not associate themselves with anyone from that family. Bigger was even able to stir more resentment in the black community, for example his brother wanted to retaliate because he was angry that Bigger was in jail. Bigger failed to realize his action would impact an entire race, and still did not feel a lot of remorse for it. I think Wright is asking a lot from his audience, because from where I stand, Bigger is not a character I would sympathize with.
Richard Wright’s novel tells an exquisite story. It was an eye opener to the injustice that was happening in the United States and how it affected the people. Wright, in my opinion, did not do such a swell job convincing me that Bigger was a product of environment and not some psychopath who believes that violence is the a great way to express himself. Bigger Thomas is a man with no integrity which was caused by society. I do not believe killing and raping should be a way for someone to feel empowered. I feel that Wright successfully described Bigger’s life and how horrific it was, but nothing can justify his gruesome actions.