Act 4 Quote Responses

1. "You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor."
       This quote is arguably the climax of the book, because John throughout the book has been tormented by his sin and hasn't been able to see any good in himself. It is here that we see a breakthrough in John because we feel the weight lift from him because he doesn't feel like he's unworthy anymore, but can see good in his name, and this gives him confidence to face his death. This is what the story has been working towards because one of the plot lines is the relationship between Elizabeth and John.

2. "I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves."
       This shows how Hale has changed over the course of the book, because he came in confident that he could fix the problem, but we see now that he has been humbled and that he realizes how the court has spun out of control. This shows how the court has passed the point of no return because Hale has turned towards being against the court.

Act 4 responses

1. What is the effect of Sarah Good's and Tituba's talk abut flying south? Why does miller include it?
       Sarah Good's and Tituba's talk about flying south shows how far the hysteria has come, that these two women are in jail and waiting for the devil to bring them to Barbados on bird wings. Miller includes it to show the frightening and creepy side of the hysteria of the time.

2. How has Parris changed? Why doesn't the news that Abigail and Mercy have left town affect the decision of thee court? How is Danforth a victim of his own logic?
       Parris changed after his daughter took his money and left because he was humbled and is not as stuck up as he used to be. The news that Abigail and Mercy have left doesn't affect the decision of the court because they were not on trial so it didn't affect their decision. Danforth is a victim of his own logic because he has no hard proof as he relies on witnesses only, so his court is spiraling.

3. Why has Hale returned? How has he changed? Why has he changed?
       Hale returned because they didn't need him in Andover and he wanted to fix what he had started. He has changed because he is now against the court and is trying to prove people innocent. He changed because the court that he started spiraled out of control and now he's lost

4. Why does Danforth allow Elizabeth to speak to John Proctor? How has she changed toward her husband? Why doesn't she take Hale's advice?
       Danforth allows Elizabeth to speak to John because he wants to soften John up to confess to witchcraft. She has changed toward her husband because he looks at him with hope, and believes that there still can be good in his name. She doesn't take Hale's advice because she wants John to die proud of his name, instead of living with regret.

5. How and why does Giles die? Why wasn't he hanged?
       Giles dies because he wouldn't confess and they were torturing him.

6. Why does Proctor confess? Why will he not name names? Why will he not let Danforth have his signed paper?
       Proctor confesses because he wants to be live so he can be with Elizabeth. He will not name names because he doesn't want to condemn anyone else. He will not let Danforth have the signed paper because that would ruin his name, which is all he has.

7. Why does John Proctor choose to hang? What does he thereby accomplish?
       John chooses to hang because he wants to die with a clean heart and a good name. He accomplishes his goal of being a "good man"

Crucible Act 3 Responses

"She only pretended to faint, your Excellency. They're all marvelous pretenders."
        Proctor seems to have hit on something very important in this quote, which is that not everything can be trusted in the court... This is something that the reader finds very obvious but the characters in the story seem to be blind to it, but Proctor has hit on it here, and he knows that most of what is going on is just pretend and acts made to trick the court. The struggle now becomes convincing everyone else that their displays are false, and figuring out what is an act and what is for real.

"This is a court of law, Mister. I'll have no effrontery here!"
       This quote really just shows the irony of the situation and the court. He says he won't have any effrontery but really the whole court has been tricks and the gall of some people to lie and deceive them. This shows how blind Danforth and the people of Salem are because they can't see what's really going on in front of them, and the irony of this quote shows that.

Crucible Act 2 Responses

1. "Because it speaks deceit, and I am honest! But I'll please no more! I see now your spirit twists around the single error of my life, and I will never tear it free!" (pg. 59)

         This quote is a good look inside the character of John Proctor. It shows just how tormented John Proctor is. It seems like he blames himself so much that no matter what people say or do he thinks that they are blaming him for what he has done. It is the one skeleton in his closet he can't escape and it's interesting to see how it shapes the way he acts. He is driven by guilt and that causes him to burst out the way he does.

2. "Aye, but then Judge Hathorne say, 'Recite for us your commandments!'... and of all the ten she could not say a single one. She never knew no commandments, and they had her in a flat lie!"

       This quote shows a lot into the worldview of the people of this time. They had such a high esteem for religious piety and scripture that things like this could be taken for solid evidence. This shows that so much could be fabricated and could stand untouched because since it was a spiritual battle there couldn't be solid proof. Cases were based on superstition and acting. This quote shows the amount of hysteria that was in the air at the time.

Crucible Act 1 Blog

1: “Abigail: ‘I saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil!’

Betty: ‘I saw Goody Bibber with the Devil!’

Abigail: ‘I saw Goody Booth with the Devil!’” (pg. 46)

This passage sets the tone for the rest of the story in that it is frantic and we can clearly see the tone of mass hysteria coming out now. Both of the girls start launching accusations to shift the spotlight from them, and the author’s writing style in this gives a heightened atmosphere that makes your hair stand on end.

2: “You have confessed yourself to witchcraft, and that speaks a wish to come to Heaven’s side. And we will bless you, Tituba.” (pg. 43)

This passage in my opinion the holes in the logic of the people living in Salem at this time. This shows how content they are to use personal experience (or faux experience) as evidence, and that’s what allowed the situation to grow to the size that it was.

Section 3 Questions Of Mice and Men and Radical

Who is your favorite character in this book? Explain your selection in detail.
My favorite character in the book is Slim because he always knows what to do and he is reasonable. Whenever something goes wrong Slim knows what to do and he takes charge and he always has the level head. When Candy has to shoot his dog Slim is the voice of comfort to him and he gets the other men to fall in line. The author writes, "Candy looked a long time at Slim to try and find some reversal." This shows that he is grounded and people look up to him. Then after Candy shoots the dog the author says, "'Carlson' Yeah?' 'You know what to do' 'what ya mean Slim?' 'take a shovel' said Slim shortly." This shows that he knows how to direct people and he always does the right thing. He is a solid character and people look up to him. In the end of the book when Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife, he's the one that comes up with explanation of what happened. "Slim went on, 'maybe like that time in Weed you was tellin' about.'" He knows how to keep a cool head and he always knows what to do.

Platt talks about intellectual universalism and practical universalism. Briefly describe what those are. Do you fall into either category? Explain.
Intellectual and practical universalism are both ideas on how salvation is achieved. Intellectual universalism is the belief that any religion will save you in the end so Christ and God are not necessary for salvation. They believe that there are multiple routes to heaven, and therefore they don't feel a need to spread the gospel. Practical universalism is the idea that Christ is necessary for salvation but they do not spread this message and pretend that others do not need to hear the gospel. What I believe Platt to be saying is that if you are not spreading the gospel you are tending towards universalism. And universalism does not mean that u have to have universalistic beliefs, it can also mean that you act like you believe in universalism (meaning you don't share the gospel with people). I think I would tend towards practical universalism because I do believe that Christ is necessary for salvation, so my silence is not from believing I don't need to share, it's for other personal reasons. I think that practical universalism is not the best term because universalism by definition refers to the intellectual idea that religion is relative and you don't necessarily need Christ. So even if you do act like a universalist because they don't spread the gospel, it gives the connotation that you don't believe Christ is necessary for salvation, which I do, so in his terms I would be a practical universalist, but to me it seems like a false dichotomy.

Section 2 Questions Of Mice and Men and Radical

How is the theme of loneliness shown in this story so far? Give specific examples.
The theme of loneliness is displayed in this story in that the culture of this time seems to have a lonely tone which affects how people interact with each other. The culture has a lonely time because it's setting is the farmlands of California where people come and go and usually travel alone. On page on page 41, Slim, while talking to George, says "Hardly none of the guys ever travel together. I hardly never seen two guys travel together." This sets the tone for the book that loneliness is just part of the way people lived. This tone of loneliness affects the way people interact because it seems that there is a common social standard that when you're interacting with someone you're supposed to try and push them away even if you really desire their company. We have seen this many times with George and Lennie when George acts like he wants to push Lennie away but in reality wants him and needs his company. We see it again with Crooks when people show up in his room. We know that he is a lonely character, partly because of his race, and so when people show up to be around him he is secretly happy but he puts on the act of pushing them away. On page 75 he says, "'Come on in. If eever'body's comin' in, you might just as well.' It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger." This shows that the culture of the time was one of loneliness and it was a social standard to integrate into how you interact with people.

As you enter/approach the time of your life when you will be making more of your own financial decisions, what do you think of Platt’s radical take on wealth (and giving it away)? Is this something that every Christian is actually called to?
I think that Platt's radical take on wealth is very accurate and something that we all could here in our day and age. He starts out by saying for must of us that even if we don't consider ourselves rich we live in the top 15% of the world's people for wealth. This does show that we have resources that we can use to help others in less fortunate situations. The main premise of his idea is that a radical take on giving wealth away involves a true trust in Jesus. He then outlines that one of the main problems with the way we see giving in America is that we want to give whatever is left over that we don't need. We will keep the wealth we need for luxuries and things to make us comfortable and when we feel like we are in a good enough position we can give to the poor. Platt however turns that on its head and says that wealth is not for us to store up and make ourselves feel like we aren't in need, we acquire wealth so that we can give more to help others. I think that Platt's attitude is one that I want to follow in my own financial life. Of course not every Christian is called to the same radical giving as others, people are called to different missions than others. That's why he talks about the struggle in his own personal life about figuring out how much to give and how much to keep because it is a journey for each person to figure out what their convictions are. There is no doubt however that God calls us to give (at least in some capacity) even though it may look different than others, we all need to make an effort to help those in need

Section 1 Questions Of Mice and Men Radical

Describe and discuss the relationship between George and Lennie. What is it like?
The relationship between George and Lennie in these first chapters seems very one sided. The general trend is that George wears the pants in their relationship, and is making all the calls on where they will go, what they will do, and how they should act. He has a very dominant position over Lennie, often calling him derogatory names and saying how much better his life would be without him (pg. 14) This creates a vibe that George is carrying both of them and Lennie does not have any use in their partnership. However there are hints that their relationship might be symbiotic. While George outwardly appears to be smarter and more useful than Lennie, there are hints that George needs Lennie just as much as Lennie needs George. The picture we get of how Lennie relates to George is that he is his counterbalance. George is prone to mood swings and a short fuse on his temper. however Lennie in the fact that he is so opposite to him brings balance and can calm his anger. On page 16 we get our first sign from George that he needs Lennie when he suddenly says, "No- look! I was jus' foolin', Lennie. 'Cause I want you to stay with me." This shows that while George may look like the team carry of this relationship, they both need each other equally.

How does the American Dream conflict with the message of the gospel?
The American Dream conflicts with the message of the gospel because the American dream revolves around our ability making our success. The American dream states that you can have anything you could ever want, you just need to work hard enough for it. And Platt is right that hard work and dedication aren't counter to the Bible at all, it's the fact that this hard work and dedication are aimed towards the end goal of self-sufficiency. The gospel revolves around the fact that there is no way that we can be self-sufficient. The whole message or "good news" is that we don't have to rely on our own ability, because God ultimately has everything in his hands. That is why in the gospel the focus of the stories told is to bring glory where it's due- to God. The American dream conflicts with the message of the gospel because the American dream tries to glorify us, and the gospel glorifies God. Platt says, "The goal of the American Dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God." This is why it is dangerous to try and make a gospel that revolves around the American Dream like so many churches do, because fundamentally their purpose is different, which is what Platt explains in these chapters.

Historical Themes to General Trends

1. Summarize the causes and effects of the Cold War period in Europe

• Causes
• WWII left two polar powers standing: U.S. and Russia
• destroyed the old balance of power
• U.S., Britain, France thought Russia was trying to take the continent
• Russia thought Western-style capitalist countries were surrounding Soviet Union
• thought Europe would become dependent on the American economic empire
• Effects
• Arms race
• Radical separatist movements
• Dissolving of the USSR
• Anti-American feeling in Europe

2. How would you support that in many ways the Cold War was an ideological war:  which ideologies were involved and how were they perpetuated?

• Communism vs. Capitalism
• Marshal plan
• didn't want to be dependent on America
• Mutually Assured Destruction
• Arms race

3. What were the economic effects of the post war and cold war period in Europe?

• Unemployment and discontent
• Sense of dependence on the state
• Goods in short supply
• Marshal plan created as a result
• Common Market established free-trade area
• Oil Crisis
• Massive amounts of money spent on military

4. What was the welfare state? Give examples to support your claims.

• centrally planned economies
• minimal healthcare and education
• full employment for citizens 

5. Why were Europeans so much readier than Americans to accept socialism?

• Land and property confiscated by state
• Eastern bloc countries established welfare states
• sense of dependence on state

6. Did the Soviet system fail because of its own internal contradictions or because of pressure from the West?

• The Soviet system failed because of its own internal contradictions. One of these was Stalin's death which brought Nikita Khrushchev to power and he caused many contradictions to the Soviet Plan such as sending tanks into Hungary. It however, was in part due to Western pressures because the arms raced forced the Soviets to spend money they couldn't afford on military, which collapsed them.

7. Identify the reasons for and the steps toward a more integrated Europe in this period. How would you categorize this alliance of European states (European Union) in the context of previous pre-world war alliances? Is is economic, political, cultural...all? Give evidence to support your claims.

Period 1 and 2 Sample SAQ's

Period 1

       One similarity between the French Wars of Religion and the English Civil War was that they were both over religion (specifically Catholics vs. Protestants). In France the conflict was between the Catholics and the Huguenots, while in England it was between the Parliament and Charles I. The difference between these two was that the English Civil War was significantly more political as Charles I and the Parliament were both political figures. One factor for this difference is that the result of the English Civil War was Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth which was a political change.

Period 2

       The French Revolution represents the biggest turning point in liberal democracy because it got rid of the monarchy. This allowed for more balanced power, and less discrepancy between classes, which made more personal liberty. The Glorious Revolution was the smallest turning point towards liberal democracy because it did little to allow for the personal liberty of the English citizens.

Russian Revolution SAQ

     

 

       The main premise of Service's argument is that the Russian Empire had to deal with many problems (some of which were caused by the tsars themselves) even before the war. Russia was behind other nations because of governmental inadequacy. Russian didn't have a nationalistic culture, and society on the whole didn't support the decisions the government was making. The tsar obstructed civil society, but didn't fully suppress them which made them stronger in the end. These problems heightened because of WWI. One piece of evidence that would support this is that Russia had been trying to modernize and Westernize for a long time before this, but its leaders rejected liberalism and nationalism. This is one reason why there was discrepancy between the government and the people which led to governmental inadequacy and tensions between the leaders and the people. Another piece of evidence was that Russia was agricultural and slow to industrialize which kept the conservative tsars in complete power so that Russia fell behind other nations. The conditions of the land were very harsh even after the freeing of the serfs, so that the peasants were tied to the land. This supports why Russia was in a bad economic condition. The inefficient policies of the government caused the Bolsheviks to have to resort to violent measures to get results. This is evidenced by the fact that the Bolsheviks executed thousands of political enemies. One piece of evidence that doesn't support this premise is that when Russia was first declared a Soviet Republic, they were a true multiparty state with representatives from Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, and Revolutionary Soviets. This shows that there was not complete discrepancy between the government and the people (at least in the beginning) as there were legitimate representatives for each party.  

Politics and the English Language

Orwell himself uses similes and metaphors. Locate five of them, and explain their relationship to the author’s analysis.

  Orwell uses is when he is talking about overused metaphors and says, "there is a huge dump of worn-out metaphors." This shows to illustrate how useless the overused metaphors are and how many there are. Another metaphor he uses is "Now that I have made this catalogue of swindles and perversions." This shows that there are many ways that English has been changed and he is listing them. Another metaphor he uses is "when the light catches the speaker's spectacles and turns them into blank discs which seem to have no eyes behind them" This shows that when people use English without thinking it makes them inhuman. Another metaphor he uses is saying "the great enemy of clear language is insincerity" This shows how it is a legitimate problem to try and talk clearly without caring about the topic. Finally, a metaphor he uses is when he is talking about go- to phrases in English that eliminate originality saying, "continuous temptation, a packet of aspirins always at one's elbow." This shows that people rely too heavily on pre-made phrases in English.

One of the most crucial rhetorical strategies is defintion. What important concepts does Orwell define? What methods of definition does he tend to use?

The important concepts that Orwell defines are "dying metaphors", "operators", "pretentious diction", and "meaningless words" The methods he tends to use to describe these are with examples. He gives examples of other people's writing that displays these traits and outlines them to show what he is talking about.

Identify an example of hypothetical reasoning in the essay. How does it contribute to the thesis of the essay?

An example of hypothetical reasoning in the essay is when Orwell writes, "One could keep all of them and still write bad English, but one could not write the kind of stuff that I quoted in those five specimens at the beginning of this article." This shows that even though he is outline the major and most popular misuses of the English language, it is still easy to misuse it even if you follow what he says.

Inferno Canto V

Why does Dante the pilgrim feel such sympathy for Francesca and Paolo?

Dante feels such sympathy for Francesca and Paolo because they were sent to suffer because of their fleshly passions and conceptions.


How does the punishment fit the crime, or better, how is the sin embodied in the punishment of the lustful?

The punishment fits the crime because Francesca and Paolo are destined to re-live their affair- which shows that the sin is embodied in the punishment of the lustful because they are given over eternally to their lustful desires as punishment, which is what they wanted in their life.

Why is lust regarded as the least serious sin in hell?

Lust is regarded as the least serious sin in hell because it isnt as much corruption of reason as it is corruption of the body. The other circles are worse because to Dante the poet human intellect is regarded highly, so when that becomes corrupted it is more serious but since this is just corruption of the body, it is not as serious

Inferno

In Canto III, Dante finds himself in the vestibule of hell. Who does he meet here? What is their activity in hell? Is this our first example of Contrapasso?

When Dante finds himself in the vestibule of hell in Canto III he meets the souls who did not choose good or evil. Virgil says, "This is the sorrowful state of souls unsure, whose lives earned neither honor nor bad fame. " They are the people that are forgotten and have neither life nor death.

Who does Dante meet in Canto IV? What kind of a place does this seem to be? (Give examples from the text to support your claim). How do you think the poet Dante understands the role of the “virtuous pagans” in the grand scheme of Medieval theology?

In Canto IV, Dante meets the souls that did not have the unrepentant sin but were not baptised so they were stuck in Limbo. Virgil describes it saying, "they did not sin; if they have merit, it can't suffice without Baptism, portal to the faith you maintain." This seems to be a place of great pain because Virgil goes pale, which Dante mistakes for fear, but he just has so much pity for those trapped in here (like himself). There were many well known figures stuck in Limbo as well, such as Moses, Abraham, Homer, etc. I think that Dante sees the role of "virtuous pagans" in the grand scheme of Medieval theology as people to look up to for their great works and virtue but the were not saved because they were not baptised

Secondary Source Consider Question

The Revolutions of 1848

Consider: According to Weiss, the social and economic causes of the revolutions; how Weiss supports his conclusion that it is misleading to label these revolutions liberal.

       Weiss shows in this document that the social and economic causes of the revolutions were that the artisans and peasants wanted to keep the old traditions. They were also feeling violated because in many cases their status had changed by liberal capitalism. Weiss supports his conclusion that it is misleading to label these revolutions liberal by saying that the liberals that eventually came to power didn't want revolution they wanted reform. Also, the liberals didn't represent all of the middle class, and there was no mass following for liberals in Europe

Dante's Inferno

How does God show grace to Dante in a way that is “tailored” to the pilgrim’s needs?

God shows grace to Dante in a way that is tailored to his needs first of all in that he gives Dante courage to take on his journey. He says on page 15 "whose favor, could send me forth on such a voyage? I am no Aeneas or Paul..." this shows that Dante feels inferior to the task, but God gives him comfort and strength. God also tailors his grace to Dante's need in that he gives him strength through the words of Virgil. Virgil talks him through it and gives him courage which is what Dante needs, and it is coming from a person he respects.

Nature of Justice

What is the nature of justice within the worldview of the Song of Roland? What clue might this give us about the culture and society that produced this text in late 11th century/ early twelfth century France?

The nature of justice in the Song of Roland is that betrayal is repaid in full and justice is administered only by the figure of the divine. In the Song of Roland Ganelon, Charles' strategist betrays him to start a war with Spain so that he could kill Charles' son in law. Ganelon ultimately succeeds in this as Roland dies, but Charles finds out about the scheme and a trial is held for Ganelon. Charles is advised by the council to let him go because they were persuaded by one of Ganelon's defenders but Charles did not buy it. He is figured as almost divine throughout the story with divine power and wisdom. Ultimately, Charles has the decision and he makes a just decision to put Ganelon to death by ripping him apart. This shows that justice is administered only by Charles who is the figure of the divine and the betrayal that took place was repaid in full

Chapter 19 Discussion Questions

1. The Industrial Revolution in Europe began in northern Great Britain. What circumstances made this process of economic development begin there? **Try to categorize your answers in terms of economic, social, cultural, and political factors. (p. 617-621)

The circumstances that made the Industrial Revolution start in North Great Britain because there was a large supply of available capital, a national bank, and no internal tolls or tariffs. In addition, the pursuit of wealth considered worthy goal which made people seek after it. Also they had strong trade with the world and navy to protect it, and integrated domestic market because of small size and it was an island. Finally there were many technological advancements that started in Great Britain.

2. What was enclosure, and why was it an important factor in the Industrial Revolution? (p. 619)

Enclosure was essentially commercializing agriculture, and dividing land into separate properties for higher profits. This drove smaller farmers away.

3. Certain industries were particularly suitable for the kinds of technological developments that encouraged industrialization. What were these, and where did they exist in Europe? (621-629)

One industry that was particularly suitable for these kinds of developments was textile. Many textile advancements were made such as the spinning jenny and the flying weave. At this time there was also greater demand for clothing. Another industry was coal and iron. This increased efficiency with advancements like the steam engine and making iron railroads- whch allowed transportation of goods and people.

4. What was the Spinning Jenny? What was the Cotton Gin? What effect did these machines have on industrial development? (621-622)

The spinning jenny was a machine that turned cotton into thread faster than by hands. The cotton Gin separated cotton seeds from the cotton, and improved the speed of cotton production and lowered its cost. These machines supplied the rising demand of textiles, but lowered the need for work force, which beat the competition of independent farmers.

5. Industrial development changed the nature of work and production in significant ways. What were these changes and how did they change the relations between laborers and their employers, or local producers and wider markets? (631-639)

The changes that affected the nature of work and production were that work process became expedited and had less need for a large labor force. This mean that machines could do most of the work, and as a result, more rural areas with less technology suffered because they weren't needed that much anymore. The relationship between laborers and employers was that employers usually owned the machinery needed, and the laborers used it under them. Local producers could no longer compete with wider markets, and the local producers began to fade away.

Song of Roland Summary

       The Song of Roland is an epic narrative story about the French King Charlemagne. It is based off the historical character Charlemagne who was crowned 1st Holy Roman Emperor in 800 A.D. In the beginning, we learn that King Charlemagne has been waging war in Spain, and has taken everything except Saragossa which is ruled by King Marsille. We are then introduced to Blancandrin who is the planner for Marsille and he proposes to offer Charlemagne gifts as a peace offering. We then see Charlemagne who has defeated Cordoba and he is portrayed as a good leader and powerful throughout the story.  We then meet Roland who is the nephew of Charlemagne, and Ganelon, the planner for Charlemagne- these two are enemies. Ganelon ends up being chosen to go to King Marsille to accept the peace treaty. Ganelon, however, is a traitor and agrees with Blancandrin to kill Roland. He then lies to the emperor about what Charlemagne, which drives him to be angry to Charlemagne. Ganelon agrees with Marsille that he will kill Roland

Defining Terms

Mercantilism-
       Mercantilism is an economic structure that has to do with commerce wealth. The ideal Mercantilist economy had tight control over the trade of that country, and they were supposed to export more than they imported.

Balance of Power-
       The balance of power was the belief that there shouldn't be one country with all the power. The balance of power sought to keep all countries from uniting under one crown, and also tried to maintain the equality of power between countries.

Middle Passage-
        The Middle Passage was a part of the transatlantic slave trade. It was the part of the cycle when slaves were transported from Africa to the Americas, and it was a grueling journey in which many of the slaves died even though they were the healthiest of their people.