In english class this week we have been talking in depth about themes. I find them interesting, because they help me relate literature to reality. The Crucible contains many themes that are relative to our lives. One in particular brought up some thought for me. The most interesting theme I find is the mob mentality and how it clouds our way of thinking.
This theme brought up many things in history, in particular I have been thinking about Nazi Germany. Adolph Hitler used his manipulative ways to brainwash an entire nation that was in distress. With his rallies, he would energize the common man to make them feel as if they were part of a just cause. This was a prime example of how mob mentality can influence people's thinking. It is interesting to look at history, literature, and our lives and see how close that they parallel each other.
I even see this with people that I know. I believe that in life there are leaders, and there are followers. Many kids become like the people that they associate themselves with. I have seen many friends fall into problems because of the people that the kids that they hang out with, it is an unfortunate part of life. Social cliques exist because of this life theme. I am glad that we are learning about this English this year and am excited to continue learning about themes and see how they relate to the world.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Puritans, Pilgrims, and us.
In class the topic of many of our discussions have been the Puritans. I find this to be an interesting topic, especially because it is closely tied with the founding of our state. Most of our roots in Massachusetts come from them and the Pilgrims. They're settlement here started the state we now live in today, and we see many of their affects here today still.
Salem End rd. here in Framingham gets its name from the people that fled during the witch trials. The Salem Witch trials were started over religious zealotry and the faulty trials sent people away from Salem and its past. I find it interesting that our town was founded by Thomas Danforth, a Puritan from Salem during the same time of the trials. Our entire town can trace its roots back to the Puritans.
Massachusetts as a whole keeps the history of its settlers close. The practice of Thanksgiving was originally started by the pilgrims at the site of Plymouth Plantation. Even the rock that the Pilgrims supposedly landed on is remembered as a tourist trap here in Massachusetts. New England culture as a whole was defined by the Pilgrims and Puritans, and i am glad that we are learning more about them this year in English. I am glad to live here in Framingham, so I feel glad that the English settlers made it possible, and created the way of life that we still keep as a base of our New England heritage.
Salem End rd. here in Framingham gets its name from the people that fled during the witch trials. The Salem Witch trials were started over religious zealotry and the faulty trials sent people away from Salem and its past. I find it interesting that our town was founded by Thomas Danforth, a Puritan from Salem during the same time of the trials. Our entire town can trace its roots back to the Puritans.
Massachusetts as a whole keeps the history of its settlers close. The practice of Thanksgiving was originally started by the pilgrims at the site of Plymouth Plantation. Even the rock that the Pilgrims supposedly landed on is remembered as a tourist trap here in Massachusetts. New England culture as a whole was defined by the Pilgrims and Puritans, and i am glad that we are learning more about them this year in English. I am glad to live here in Framingham, so I feel glad that the English settlers made it possible, and created the way of life that we still keep as a base of our New England heritage.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Whatchu know about Puritans?
Throughout American history the Puritans have held a bad reputation of being unpleasant people. This was due to their abuse of many people because of their self righteous ways. Although their goal was to start anew in America to practice their own faith, their tyrannical and brutal methods of government and society proved to be a negative impact on the American dream, as they were more focused on their own "Puritan dream". Historical events, such as the Salem witchcraft trials, show that the Puritanical rule stripped citizens of their freedom, which I believe to be counter active to the American dream. The Puritans negative reputation is well merited in American history, as their new society was no better than the one many fled in coming to America.
Upon settling in Massachusetts and forming the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the puritans, headed by John Winthrop, created a new society based upon their own beliefs. Unlike other immigrants coming to America the Puritans and Pilgrims were well educated people who were not desperately seeking a better life. They benefited from the American Dream by becoming masters of their own destiny, but had no contribution to it. Their strict laws prevented sinners from becoming successful in America, and instead shunned them from society with no correctional programs other than unjust prisoning and public humiliation. This, alongside with their complete lack of toleration for any of the Old World faiths, and anything that was in contrast to their own, do not coincide with the American dream that we know today.
The Puritans simply wanted to establish a new community based on their own beliefs. However, because of their intolerable ways and arrogant mentality, they receive a poor reputation in our history. They believed that freedom caused men to become evil, which is a possibility, but not true in many case. They were also hypocritical, as they went against their beliefs of following authority by illegally purchasing land from Indians. They were no better than anyone else of the time, but their pompous self righteousness attaches them to the bitter reputation in which they rightfully hold today.
Upon settling in Massachusetts and forming the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the puritans, headed by John Winthrop, created a new society based upon their own beliefs. Unlike other immigrants coming to America the Puritans and Pilgrims were well educated people who were not desperately seeking a better life. They benefited from the American Dream by becoming masters of their own destiny, but had no contribution to it. Their strict laws prevented sinners from becoming successful in America, and instead shunned them from society with no correctional programs other than unjust prisoning and public humiliation. This, alongside with their complete lack of toleration for any of the Old World faiths, and anything that was in contrast to their own, do not coincide with the American dream that we know today.
The Puritans simply wanted to establish a new community based on their own beliefs. However, because of their intolerable ways and arrogant mentality, they receive a poor reputation in our history. They believed that freedom caused men to become evil, which is a possibility, but not true in many case. They were also hypocritical, as they went against their beliefs of following authority by illegally purchasing land from Indians. They were no better than anyone else of the time, but their pompous self righteousness attaches them to the bitter reputation in which they rightfully hold today.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The American Dream and the Trady family.
Millions of families across this great nation have experienced the American dream in some way. My parents are living the freedom of home ownership and I too am benefiting from their work by having a suitable place to live. However, without the help of my grandparents fulfilling the American Dream I am not sure if my situation would be as good as it is today. As immigrants coming from poverty and rising to the middle class, I see both my grandfathers as inspirations to me. Their hard work and determination throughout their lives acts as a perfect exampling of working towards the American Dream for my family.
My father's father, Tom Brady, lived in the Bronx as an orphaned Irish immigrant during the early part of the 20th century. I have heard countless stories from him about his experiences in the city, and about his aunt and uncle who raised him as their son. He worked his way into college, graduated, but as World War II came around he had no choice but to join the armed forces. He enlisted in the Navy and reached the rank of captain. On one event his ship was torpedoed by a German submarine and was adrift in the Atlantic for days until being rescued by Portuguese fishermen. This, along with other amazing experiences, showed to him to keep living his life to the fullest. At the war's end he later married my grandmother and raised a family. His life was a perfect example of the American Dream, as he came from the slums of New York to raising a middleclass family in Framingham, MA.
My mother's father, Ron Buttarazzi, grew up in Rochester, New York with his brother and mother. His father was incredibly abusive and ended up going to prison, and because his mother could not afford a house, he lived in a Catholic Church rectory while his mother worked as a maid and his uncle (who acted as a father figure) was a priest there. His brother and he knew very little English, and they were considered by many richer people as urchins or beggars. He was, and still is, a firm believer in educational opportunities. He worked his way into Le Moyne College, and later became valedictorian from Syracuse Law School. He became an attorney and later a town judge. His hard work set the path for his family into success and I am very grateful for his achievement of the dream.
Those are just two examples of how the American dream affects my family, and my grandmother's too have interesting stories about their lives, but I am not as familiar with them. My family acts as an inspiration to work hard and follow the dream.
My father's father, Tom Brady, lived in the Bronx as an orphaned Irish immigrant during the early part of the 20th century. I have heard countless stories from him about his experiences in the city, and about his aunt and uncle who raised him as their son. He worked his way into college, graduated, but as World War II came around he had no choice but to join the armed forces. He enlisted in the Navy and reached the rank of captain. On one event his ship was torpedoed by a German submarine and was adrift in the Atlantic for days until being rescued by Portuguese fishermen. This, along with other amazing experiences, showed to him to keep living his life to the fullest. At the war's end he later married my grandmother and raised a family. His life was a perfect example of the American Dream, as he came from the slums of New York to raising a middleclass family in Framingham, MA.
My mother's father, Ron Buttarazzi, grew up in Rochester, New York with his brother and mother. His father was incredibly abusive and ended up going to prison, and because his mother could not afford a house, he lived in a Catholic Church rectory while his mother worked as a maid and his uncle (who acted as a father figure) was a priest there. His brother and he knew very little English, and they were considered by many richer people as urchins or beggars. He was, and still is, a firm believer in educational opportunities. He worked his way into Le Moyne College, and later became valedictorian from Syracuse Law School. He became an attorney and later a town judge. His hard work set the path for his family into success and I am very grateful for his achievement of the dream.
Those are just two examples of how the American dream affects my family, and my grandmother's too have interesting stories about their lives, but I am not as familiar with them. My family acts as an inspiration to work hard and follow the dream.
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