Beloved - Memory, Rememory, and the Power of the Past

In chapter 9 we get a look at the old I24 and Sethe's journey when she first arrived to the house.  I24's past is full of good memories and Sethe believes she’s to blame for the end of it, “I24 shut down and put up with the venom of its ghost…Her faith, her love, her imagination and her great big old heart began to collapse twenty-eight days after her daughter –in-law arrived”.  Sethe blames herself for Baby Suggs’ death, and I24 was only what it was with Baby Suggs.  She created and kept the lively environment it had.  So when Sethe looks back she feels regret and she greatly misses the old house.  In the past days Baby Suggs would gather everyone in the clearing by I24 and lead a sermon for the blacks.  This is something that Sethe misses and it is shown when she goes back to the clearing and brings Denver and Beloved with her, “all three set out late one Sunday morning, Sethe leading, the girls trotting behind, not a soul in sight”.  Sethe was trying to show the girls a memory of her past, something that they didn’t experience.  However, when remembering the past something bad happens.  While Sethe is in the clearing with the girls she asks for someone to rub her neck, pretending it was Baby Suggs, and ends up getting strangled.  “‘I saw your face.  You made her choke.’  ‘I didn’t do it.’  ‘You told me you loved her.’  ‘I fixed it, didn’t I?  Didn’t I fix her neck?’  ‘After.  After you choked her neck.’  ‘I kissed her neck.  I didn’t choke it.  The circle of iron choked it.’”  Beloved lies to Denver about choking Sethe and blames it on the “circle of iron”.  This is a sign that coming back to the clearing with Beloved was bad, and maybe the “circle of iron” Beloved talks about is a reference to Sethe’s past of slavery.  When Sethe tried embracing her past she ended up getting choked, which is a sign that she shouldn’t embrace her past.  Or it is a sign that she still has to figure things out in her past, and Beloved is involved with it somehow.  Either way I believe this shows that Sethe’s past is not good and Beloved was involved in some way or another.

Emerson's "Self-Reliance"

When Emerson talks about society he says that were are all similar.  "Every body in society reminds us of somewhat else, or of some other persons".  When he says this he means in a way we are all reflections of each other.  This shows Emerson believes there is conformity in society.  With conformity there is no individualism.  Therefore, people are trying to achieve what the majority wants, rather than what personally suits themselves.  For example, "Society is a joint-stock company, in which the members agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater.  The virtue in most request is conformity".  Society does what is most beneficial for the group as a whole, they do not worry about each other as individuals.  Also in society there is an image that we all try to live up to, and pursue to be, "society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members".  However, any group of society besides the group that we try to live up to is blocked out.  The other groups are irrelevant because the only group that matters is the majority.  We are a conformity and who everyone is, is revolved around the majority. 

9/11 9 years later

Nine years ago on September 11 I was in the second grade.  That morning I was getting ready for school while my dad was watching the morning news.  While I was eating breakfast I was watching the TV and saw the first plane hit the tower.  Immediatley after my dad called my mom into the room to show her what just happened.  While they were both discussing the suprising footage that was just showed on the TV, both of them caught off guard couldn't believe their eyes.  After the second plane hit the tower my dad couldn't believe his eyes.  At this point my brother and I were both glaring at the TV clueless as to what was going on.  My mom then told us both to say a prayer.  When the crisis occurred many people turned to religion, and people still are.

After reading the article about the church in Florida wanting to burn the Muslim holy book on the 9th anniversary of 9/11, it showed me a different way of how people still are turning to religion in rememberance of the crisis.  I believe that the church is using their hatred for terrorists on all Muslims throughout the world.  However, I don't think that this is the right thing.  People shouldn't be stereotyping all Muslims and their religion with terrorists.  By stereotyping the religion as a whole with terrorists it offends the people who do follow the Muslim holy book.  Just because someone follows the Muslim holy book doesn't mean that they were on the terrorist's of 9/11 side.  Overall I don't agree with what the church wants to do. 

The American Crisis

After reading The American Crisis I can tell that Paine is frustrated with things. He does not agree with war, and nothing in the world could make him for war.  For example, "not all the treasure of the world, so far as i believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for i think it murder".  It is also obvious that he disagrees with what Britain is doing to the colonies.  He believes that we should be independent, and shouldn't have to depend on people who treat us as slaves.  He doesn't care if his opinoins differ from the others, for he thinks that the others are all cowards.  "The heart that feels not now, is dead: the blood of his children will curse his cowardice".  If anyone lets someone else treat themselves like the British treat them, he believes that it is their wrong for not sticking up for themselves.  He says, "let them call me rebel", it is obvious that Paine doesn't care about what they think, but he is going to stand up for what is right.  Paine will stick up for what is right by "perseverance and fortitude".  Paine shows that he is a leader and is willing to help the colonies, and make a change for the better.  I agree with his views, and think that sticking up for the colonies against Britain is the right thing to do.