Female Characters and Female Writers

In the portrayal of male and female characters, does it matter if the writer is a man or a woman? Give specific examples from the books we have read this semester. [The Bean Trees and Ethan Frome are the only ones written by women: Barbara Kingsolver and Edith Wharton].

Whether the author is a man or a woman definitely affects the books and the portrayal of characters. This is because both men and women have a different view of each other. Since men don't fully understand what it's like to be a woman, and vice-versa, they can only make guesses over what they've seen, or refer to the common stereotypical outlines. Nonetheless, some authors are able to portray both sexes perfectly. Kingsolver, in her book The Bean Trees, portrays both the stereotypical sides of men and women, but also counters them with an opposite character. Lou Ann, for example, was the well-known feminine character that was weak and powerless. Taylor, on the other hand, was the independent character that could take care of herself. For men, Kingsolver placed stubborn and self-absorbed traits into Lou Ann's husband, and then portrayed a man's sensitive and caring traits through Estevan.

Love Letter to Mattie

Write a love letter from Ethan Frome to Mattie Silver. Use one quote from the book. Use as many specific details from the story as you can.

My dear Mattie,
I've found myself writing and re-writing, hoping to perfectly form all these restless thoughts of you into words so that you would understand. I never would've imagined myself this much in love with you. Since the day we met, you've left a beautiful image with me. When I hear your name, the image forms in my mind, and I see paradise--I see you. Do you remember that night we were alone? "[I] had put [my] arm about [you], and [you] had not resisted." And from this I realized, my love was being returned.
But how can someone so lovely bring so much passion into my soul, yet stir up so much pain in my heart at the same time? It kills me, dearest, that I am already married. It kills me, that my wife is your cousin. I don't love her. However, love is not quite the situation anymore. I'm stuck between desire and morality. Tell me, what can we do? I can't stand living without my Mattie. We're destined to be apart no matter how strong our love, and I guess there really is nothing left to do. Promise me, that even when we are thousands of miles apart, I will always stay embedded into your heart. The angelic image of you, my dear, will be carved into my soul with detail.

Sincerely and forever yours,
Ethan Frome

Hey Teacher, Leave Those Kids Alone

What kind of education do you think is best? Can you get the best type of education in a public school?

I think the best education is one that opens up minds to different perspectives, not just a single-sided aspect. It's the type of education that makes the student realize something they've never realized before, or see something they've never seen. It should cause them to question things, themselves, and others. Most importantly, it should change lives. It really is possible to get this education in public school. It depends on the teacher, as well as the student. Many teachers are the usual boring, "I'm just doing this because its my job" kind of people, who just merely throw facts at you. The ones worth remembering are the ones that are truly committed to teaching, the ones that leave permanent imprints in your thoughts and soul. And it is possible to find them.

Civil Disobedience

What is civil disobedience? Have you ever done it? Can it change society?

Civil disobedience is the defiance towards the laws or insistence of a government that does not include physical violence. Although I have never tried or experience anything close to this, I do believe that it can change society. There are times when submission may not be the correct road to take, especially when it is for something you don't believe in. Society should be where the majority work together to keep harmony as well as a well-blended community with diverse beliefs and lifestyles. If one individual's beliefs are rejected, then he or she has the right to speak up, and fight for it. I feel that civil disobedience, when occurring for the right reason, can only positively affect society.

Preparation for Thoreau/Emerson Keynote

Find 10 facts about either Thoreau or Emerson. (The author depends on your side of the room). Post the facts on your blog with the author and website where you got the information. Read a post of another student in the class about the author you didn't do. Copy and paste 10 facts on your blog about the other author.

Thoreau:
1) He was born in 1817.
2) He "was a complex man of many talents who worked hard to shape his craft and his life, seeing little difference between them".
3) He went to school at Harvard, which his brother John Thoreau helped pay for by teaching school.
4) He was inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson's book, Nature.
5) The death of his brother John in 1842 traumatized him.
6) In 1845, he built his cabin on land that was owned by Emerson, and worked on writing his first book.
7) After his book was published, only few people purchased it.
8) "He found greater joy in his daily life than most people ever would."
9) In 1862, fourty-four year old Thoreau died of tuberculosis.
10) His last words were said to be "Moose" and "Indian."
-Taken from: http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/thoreau/

Emerson:
1)He was born in 1803 and died in 1882.
2)He was the leader of the Transcendentalist movement in the early 19th century.
3)He abandoned the catholic church after the death of his first wife, Ellen.
4)He was the Class Poet of his graduating class at Harvard University.
5)He wrote Nature, in which he expressed his belief that the imagination of man is shaped by nature.
6)The things he said had a strong effect on those of the Protestant and Catholic religions, and people thought him to be an atheist.
7)When his first son died in 1842, he wrote of his grief in the poem "Threnody".
8)He was fond of Walt Whitman's poetry.
9)He met with Abraham Lincoln to discuss the emancipation of slaves. 10)He delivered Henry David Thoreau's eulogy.
-Taken from Tesla Gibby's blog. :)