Melville's Message

Melville uses Captain Amasa Delano to portray antebellum societies’ underestimation of African-American slaves. In "Benito Cereno," Captain Delano believes that Captain Don Benito has conspired to murder him, when in actuality; the slaves have overthrown Spanish control of the boat. The evidence for this overthrow is overwhelming. For example, Delano notices as he doles out water that there is no distinction between the amount and elderly white man receives and the amount a young black boy receives. This equality should spark some kind of curiosity about why there is a lack of propriety between the whites and the slaves. Another peculiarity which should spark Delano’s curiosity is the slaves who sharpen axes continuously without restraint. This extensive trust that Captain Benito has put in the slaves should suggest that Captain Benito may not be in control. In the midst of this evidence, Delano fails to realize what is really happening on the ship, because he wouldn’t ever expect the Negroes to be able to accomplish such a feat. Thus, Melville uses Delano to express the possible problems associated with the antebellum societies’ nonchalant attitude towards Negroes. Nevertheless, Melville does not point his finger at Delano for failing to recognize the situation, but he uses this to exalt the chief antagonist of the story, Babo. Babo essentially holds the façade together by acting as a dedicated servant in order to monitor Don Benito’s interaction with Delano. Babo gives such as stellar performance as a dedicated slave, that Delano even jokingly suggests that he would like to buy Babo from Benito. The court hearing elaborates further on Babo and his intelligent action as the chief mutineer. For example, when the ship approaches the harbor which they expected to be empty but holds Delano’s boat as well, Babo is quick to cover the skeleton on deck with a sheet and disguise it as a repair and fabricate the story about how they have reached their current situation. Babo is also responsible for keeping their façade under cover for so long. For example, Babo coincidently cuts Don Benito right when Captain Delano is inquiring about the amount of time it took for them to get to the harbor; which would have revealed the mutiny. Essentially, Melville uses Babo as a symbol for potential African-American leadership and intelligence, because in the story, Babo outsmarts two white captains who are both unable to do anything about the situation due to Babo’s intervention. Through Babo, Melville suggests that the antebellum society would do well not to underestimate African-Americans.

The Raven

In the Raven, Poe conveys the darker themes of life such as unremitting pain and despair, through the narrator’s inquiry with the Raven. In lines 80 through 84, the narrator asks the raven if it’s been sent to relieve his soul from the loss of his Lenore. The narrator says, “Swung by Seraphim,” which suggests that he is hoping that God is divinely relieving him of his grief and agony. When the narrator calls the bird nepenthe which is defined as “a legendary drink supposed to soothe the bereaved,” in the footnote, he is again hoping for divine intervention. In lines 85 through 92, the narrator’s desperation increases. He no longer cares whether the bird is a gift from God or only a devil, but only that the bird is a prophet and can give him the answers which he needs in regard to his agony for his lost Lenore: “‘Prophet!’ said I, ‘thing of evil! prophet still, if bird or devil!” The narrator asks the bird if there is a future for him, anything beyond his current state of sorrow, “Is there-is there balm in Gilead?” This inquiry suggests that the narrator is beyond the point of simply turning to God; he is turning to anything in order to find solace from his suffering. Finally, the narrator requests the bird to “Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,/ It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-/ Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.” The Raven replies, “‘Nevermore.’” This is the final interrogative exchange between the narrator and the bird, and Poe uses the word “Nevermore,” to suggest that the narrator’s agony will never be lifted by God or any mortal thing. Poe also purports his theme of unremitting sorrow through the action of Raven throughout the Poem. When the narrator demands the Raven to leave, “‘Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore,’” the raven is “never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting/On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door.” In this case, the Raven could be a symbol for the narrator’s pain and the raven’s unwillingness to leave the narrator’s house could suggest that the pain will never go away.

Rousing the Colonial People

The Heath Anthology of American Literature states that Mercy Otis Warren wrote The Group as “a brilliant defense of the patriot cause.” It is also revealed in the biographical note that some Tory supporters brutally beat her brother James in a Boston tavern, and afterwards, John Adams suggested that Mercy Otis Warren take the initiative to take his place amongst the patriots. From this information, Mercy Otis Warren must have held some serious anger and resentment towards the Tories and from the basic message of the play, it seems that she did. The a line in the poem which Warren used as a prologue for The Group demonstates this bitterness and determination which Warren contains: “Unplaced unpensioned, no man’s her or slave?/I will or perish in this generous cause.”
Warren attempts to rile the colonists through the connection she makes between the British and evil by means of the character Hateall. In the play, Warren names one of the Tory leaders Hateall and uses him to convey Britain’s malevolence. Warren shows Hateall’s wickedness by comparing him to Nero on page four, “I, Nero like, the capital in flames.” Through this figurative language, Warren demonstrates the evil/underhandedness of the Tories on American soil. By comparing himself to Nero, Hateall shows that he would use destruction in order to gain a profit off his own land. Warren would use the comparison in order to show the colonists exactly how corrupt the Tories are, which in turn would most likely stir the audience. Hateall also describes these people which sign this pact as his minions, which is a term that is sometimes associated with demons. Warren further elaborates on the loyalist evil when Hateall takes joy in gluttony and vengeance , two sins of the flesh. A statement which Hateall makes regarding the Patriots also shows a similarity to Satan, “had I power, as I have will/I’d send them murmuring to the shades of hell.” This line is relevant to Satan, because Satan also has the will to send people to Hell, but it is ultimately up to God to decide the fate of mankind. Obviously, the relationship of Hateall, who represents the Tories, and Satan, the evil villain of the Bible, would stir the colonists into taking action against the Tories. Ultimately, Warren uses the character Hateall and his terrible attitude to convey the ruthless, corrupt spirits of the Tories and stir the colonists to battle.

Franklin's Long Setence Structure: Vanity or not?

Benjamin Franklin’s writing style is long and uninterrupted. On the fifth page of his autobiography, Franklin says, “Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity in which I was born and bred, to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world, and having gone so far through life with a considerable share of felicity, the conducing means I made use of, which with the blessing of God so well succeeded, my posterity may like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to their own situations, and therefore fit to be imitated.” As this is only one sentence, Franklin attempts to prove the advancements he has made through society, by using long sentence structure. Franklin also shows his intellectual prowess by using large vocabulary words such as conducing, felicity, and posterity. While Franklin appears to be vain by using firstly writing an autobiography about himself, using big words, and using long sentence structure, he references several prominent persons of his day such as: Cotton Mather and John Locke. Each of these authors use what can appear to be convoluted writing as well, so it is most likely that his writing style is the style of that day. Another instance that proves that Franklin is not vain is his elaboration on the gifts that God has given him: “My belief of this induces me to hope, though I must no presume, that the same goodness will still be exercised toward me, in continuing that happiness, or enabling me to bear a fatal reverse, which I may experience as others have done: the complexion of my future fortune being known to Him only in whose power it is to bless to us even our afflictions.” Not only does this sentence show that Franklin respects God for giving him the gifts he has received, but the long sentence structure makes it appear like he is actually praying to God, not to let him lose the things which he has gained. He is trying to include every possible thing that God could do to take away his blessing, and by doing this, Franklin shows his true belief that God could take away everything he has, which shows that he thinks God really did give those things to him. Franklin also uses this long sentence structure when he is describing other persons, which may mean that he actually is elaborate about other people, not wanting to cut them short of their deserved attention. For example, Franklin references Mather’s observations of his grandfather Peter Folger, giving him all the credit which he deserves: “Without offense your real friend/ It is Peter Folgier.” Another example of this thoroughness in describing others occurs on page twelve where he describes his father: “In the latter, indeed, he was never employed…between contending parties.” Therefore, Franklin’s long sentence structure and large vocabulary is nothing other than his attempt to give people proper justice and the writing style of the Revolutionary period.

Ambiguity in William Byrd's Two Texts

William Byrd wrote the “History of the Dividing Line” for some Virginians who wanted him to survey the people and the land in North Carolina. “The Secret History” is more of a personal journal that is compromised of William and his comrades’ sexual escapades among the North Carolinian women written mainly for his intimate friends. As these two texts are juxtaposed in our reading, it is easy to see the duplicity of William Byrd. For instance, in paragraph 17, Byrd elaborates on a particular provinces’ apathy towards God and religion, “They do not know Sunday from any other day.” Byrd’s religious observation is contradicted by his own playful innuendos, “She asked me very pertly who was to keep an account of the evil? I told her she should be my secretary for that if she would go along with me.” As the latter example comes from “The Secret History,” and the former example comes from
“The History of the Dividing Line” one begins to think that Byrd is wearing a façade for the Virginian people, when in actuality his sexual interests make him as unworthy as the North Carolinians without religion. Byrd’s ambiguous lifestyle becomes more complex with his regard for the Indian women as dark angels. This oxymoron can be looked at in two different lights. Firstly, the fact that he calls the dark angels means that this could refer to evil or demonic influence. This interpretation of the connotation would coincide correctly with a consensus view on Indians in the colony at that time. This connotation would also please the Virginians for whom Byrd was writing the “History of the Dividing Line.” On the other hand, the oxymoron could also mean that these women are angels with a dark complexion, but still rather pleasing to the eye. This meaning of the connotation would fit nicely with “The Secret History” and Byrd’s sexual exploits. The ambiguity of this oxymoron parallels the ambiguity of Byrd’s two texts. The subject matter of this oxymoron, dark Indian women, reflects the source of the ambiguity of Byrd’s character, which is sexual pleasure.
In Thomas Jefferson’s query “Aborigines,” he reflects a superior attitude towards the Natives through his diction. Jefferson calls the Pamunkies tolerably pure because they have intermarried with people of a lighter skin tone. However, Jefferson shows concern for the disintegration of the Native’s identity. He recognizes that the Colonials had failed to learn anything about the Native’s or their language. He says, “It is to be lamented then, very much to be lamented, that we have suffered so many of the Indian tribes already to extinguish, without our having previously collected and deposited in the records of literature, the general rudiments at least of the languages they spoke.

"A Divine and Supernatural Light, Immediately Imparted to the Soul by the Spirit of God"

This sermon by Jonathan Edwards stresses the fact that a human being must be given this “Divine and Supernatural Light,” directly from God. Jonathan Edwards emphasizes this divinely inspired knowledge by using biblical references. For example, Edwards cites the Apostle Peter’s declaration of Jesus Christ’s sanctity as God’s son and Jesus’ response to this declaration. Edwards puts particular emphasis on Jesus’ dialogue towards Peter, “This is such knowledge as only my Father which is in heaven can give: it is too high and excellent to be communicated by such means as other knowledge is. Thou art blessed, that thou knowest that which God alone can teach thee.” Edwards uses these italics in these verses in order to indicate that God alone is responsible for this divine knowledge.

Edwards also shows the importance of God in inspiring great knowledge when he says, “ Yea, the least glimpse of the glory of God in the face of Christ doth more exalt and ennoble the soul, than all the knowledge of those that have the greatest speculative understanding in divinity without grace.” Edwards reinforces this viewpoint once again by discussing the “great men” such as the Scribes, Pharisees, and Rulers. These are the gentlemen with the most knowledge about religion in general, but they are unable to understand this divine and supernatural light. Edwards suggests that they are to caught up in their own righteousness to understand that all good things come from the Son of God. When Edwards references Matthew 11:25-27, he continues to stress the fact that only through God can one reach true enlightenment, because his truth is hidden from the wise and prudent, but revealed to babes.

Overall, Jonathan Edwards conveys the message through this sermon that God is responsible for everything that is accomplished in life. In this sense Edwards portrays God as a deity who leaves no room for arrogance or pride. Edwards constantly states that divine enlightenment comes from the savior only. In a lot of ways this sermon reflects some of the important themes in Cotton Mather’s book The Christian Philosopher. Each essay states that God is ultimately in power, and everything we achieve is through him alone. Each essay also states the unimportance of the individual in comparison to God, because God essentially gives us all our talents and abilities. Each work of literature also contains metaphors to darkness and the light. Although each essay speaks of humbleness, Edwards seems to be the only one to follow through with this plan. While Cotton Mather constantly praises God throughout his book, one gets the feeling that Mather is writing to impress rather than glorify God. Mather’s use of syntax, vocabulary, and sentence structure makes one wonder whether or not the early American-Puritans found Mather as a righteous or a self-righteous man. In sharp contrast of Mather’s bombastic writing style, Edwards has a solid, straight-to-the-point style. Edwards tells his congregation what they need to hear, without elaborating on his own genius by using complicated writing. In this sense one may feel that Edwards is actually adhering to the humbleness which he preaches of a lot closer than Cotton Mather ever did. To be fair to Cotton Mather, one should keep in mind that Jonathan Edwards came about a century after him. Also, Edward’s sermon is not an book and perhaps he would be more verbose if he took the time to write a large peace of literature.

About Me

Hey class,

My name is David Hetrick, and I'm a freshman. My hometown is Mt. Airy, North Carolina which is about 30 miles northwest of Winston Salem, NC. I am undecided about a major thus far; however, I think I would like to major in either sociology or exercise sports science. I like to play and compose music, so I would like to minor in music or take a few classes at least. I love to play the electric guitar, and I would love to make some professional music some day. I love watching movies; my favorite movies are Legends of the Fall, Meet Joe Black, A River Runs through It, The Devil's Own, and Braveheart. If you are familar with any of these movies, you probably noticed that I like movies with Brad Pitt. This is a correct assumption, as Brad Pitt is my favorite actor. I enjoy long distance running and physical activity; this year I am training for a marathon. I like to read novels in my spare time. My favorite books are The Count of Monte Cristo, East of Eden, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Harry Potter, and Dracula. I am taking this American Literature class as an required perspective, but I am still looking forward to learning more American Literature. I am excited about this class, and I hope I get to meet many of you during this semester as we learn together.

Sincerely,
David Hetrick