Rembrance

By Emily Bronte

Cold in the earth—and the deep snow piled above thee,

Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!

Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee,

Severed at last by Time's all-severing wave?

Now, when alone, do my thoughts no longer hover

Over the mountains, on that northern shore,

Resting their wings where heath and fern-leaves cover

That noble heart for ever, ever more?

Cold in the earth, and fifteen wild Decembers

From those brown hills have melted into spring:

Faithful indeed is the spirit that remembers

After such years of change and suffering!

Sweet Love of youth, forgive if I forget thee,

While the world's tide is bearing me along:

Sterner desires and other hopes beset me,

Hopes which obscure, but cannot do thee wrong!

No later light has lightened up my heaven;

No second morn has ever shone for me:

All my life's bliss from thy dear life was given,

All my life's bliss is in the grave with thee.

But when the days of golden dreams had perished,

And even Despair was powerless to destroy,

Then did I learn how existence could be cherished,

Strengthened, and fed without the aid of joy;

Then did I check the tears of useless passion,

Weaned my young soul from yearning after thine;

Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten

Down to that tomb already more than mine.

And even yet I dare not let it languish,

Dare not indulge in Memory's rapturous pain;

Once drinking deep of that divinest anguish,

How could I seek the empty world again?

What i find this poem resonates with me is remembrance, remembrance of one's youth and a past love. The poem is about how she remembers but not in the same she did when the death had occurred "sweet love of youth , forgive if i forget thee/While the world's tide is bearing me along" (line 13- 14) The poem all and all is very sad not surprising for a Bronte, she describes her pain that once was and still somewhat is she also tell she says how she felt years ago " Down to that tomb already more than mine/ And even yet I dare not let it languish" (line2 6-27.) A remembrance of a lost love a very sad poem all and all.

Well 1st quarter was a real learning experience. I learned how to write a well thought out thesis and how to analyze books and visual images such as movies and pictures. I didn't do as well as i thought i would, but like i always say there is always room for improvement and next quarter i will do just that, improve. My goals for next quarter include receiving an A, keeping up with my blog assignments, writing in a more organized manner and overall improving my work ethic. I have though really learned a lot in this quarter and i know that it will only help me in quarters and grades to come.BYE!

Outside Reading Pos:5 conclusion

Notes taken: 10/17/07

As i finished this book i realized how wonderful it is and how many things seem to have the similar story line. The age Of Innocence seems to be a soap opera for the olden days with a notable love trial and the struggle of obligations against individual wants and needs. In this case the obligations were that of society and the rules that were understood but never broken. Even though I am not a rule breaker myself I felt that love was the exception. Exspecially in Newland's case. All society can do is create a scandal the price of individual happiness is worth so much more. We can see the after math of this is horrible as Newland cannot bring himself to see her again they however are united through his son " Dallas." (chapter 34)

I thought the overall themes of this book were very strong. Obligation being the key theme, obligation towards what society deems right and obligation of matrimony. Power is another key theme of the book, it shows us that usually people with money have a sense of power which leads to a sense of intimidation.( chapter 1.)The final theme is conformity and how if you conform to someone else's rules such as society's you will find a dull exsistence and never be truly happy.

Outside Reading Post: 4 money, money, money

Notes taken:10/11/07

Underlying many of the characters actions is the need or want for money. The Countess is always weighing the advantage of staying in her marriage based on her possible income. When her husband makes her an offer. P. 190 "He wants you back -at any price? Well-a considerable price at least the sum is considerable for me. " The comment is made that all she would have to do is sit at the table and preside over dinners. Her husband does not a scandal and is willing to pay her or bargain with her to avoid it.

Throughout the book money is used to determine the characters status in how you are ranked. There is a tension between old and new money. The old money is deemed to have more prestige than the new. The men are the ones who are normally working for a living; the women inherit money or are born into a lifestyle that requires money to sustain and perpetuate. Men are only to marry women of equal of higher ranking in society the only exception of that seems to be in women who bear great beauty.P 19.

Outside Reading Post:3 The aftermath of conformity

Notes Taken:10/8/07


By chapter 23 Newland is disliking the dullness of marriage. His life and activities are dictated by their place in society. May is continually making references to what is the right thing to do. Life visiting her family in Newport is divided by what her parents think and how they believe people should act. Archer begins to fantacize about Countess Ellen. P. 182 "He simply felt that if he could carry away the vision of the spot of earth she walked on, and the way the sky and sea enclosed it, the rest of the world might seem less empty." He began to believe Ellen was his escape from the boredom of the rest of his life.

By chapter 24 Ellen and Archer have admitted their feelings for each other and their mutual despair at their own circumstances. Marriage for both of them is a combination of form over substance, doing the right things expected of by society. P. 199 "But after a moment the sense of waste and ruin overcame him. There they were, close together and safe and shut in; yet so chained to their separate destinies that they might as well be half a world apart."

Outside Reading Post 2: Struggle

Notes Taken:10/4/7



Newland Archer begins to struggle with his feelings toward the Countess Ellen Olenska as he defends her past with his society obsessed friends. He begins to realize that there are flaws in the system that he is living in where society requires certain behavior when individuals may desire to act outside of these bounds. As the novel progresses his initial feelings of protection toward Ellen begin to transform into feelings of love. He however struggles with his obligation to May. He is married and must conform to the expectations that society has placed on his relationship. He must be the husband and provide for his wife. The Countess has not responded to Newland's indications that he may find her more than just a companion. That situation begins to change in the middle of the book P. "...he is becoming entranced with Ellen Olenska as a person “to whom things were bound to happen.”



Archer also struggles with his image of himself. He is torn between the requirements of society and his need to be "different from it." He wonders what will happen to him after he is married to May. p. 104 "He had seen enough of other young men who had dreamed his dream though perhaps less ardently and who had gradually sunk into placid and luxurious routine of their elders." Archer does not want to become one of those men but there is great danger in being an individual in a highly restrictive society.

Outside Reading Post 1: Characters

Notes taken:9/30/07

As I read this book The Age Of innocence I find the characters to be very human and likable. The first character I am introduced to is Newland Archer. Newland is quite young and working as a lawyer in New York City, he also happens to be engaged to a lady named May Welland a socialite with old money. He seems to be more physically attracted to May rather than emotionally he however is fond of her i just can't tell at this point if it is love.As he watches an opera he looks over at her and begins to have thoughts of their wedding.He is also more concerned in social status, and society in general as are his two friends.He seems to be a conformist not following his own thoughts but the thoughts of society.May from what i can tell has little depth and real emotion for her fiancee', she lacks experience and is portrayed in a very innocent, virginal way (7).I began to get the feeling that their matrimony was purely for social reasons not for love and was how things worked at the time of the 1870s.

Newland's friends are of some interest.They seem to know all the goings on of their surroundings. They know who is of social class and what importance they have. They seem to act as Newland's 'wing men' and don't seem to be of great importance. Their names are Lawrence Lefferts and Sillerton Jackson. Lawrence seems to be more of a l man concerend with looks as we can tell by the quote of a previous admirer (9) and Jackson seems to know all the scandal of the social classes and is intrigued by the mysterious lady in Newland's fiance's opera box.....

MEMOIR 3rd assignment BLACK BOY

I believe people write memoirs in order to share. People who write memoirs feel they have a story to tell or a life to explain. The power of this sharing is extraordinary. Some relate it to their own lives or their own situations and it helps them find a solution or a better way of dealing. Also, by telling our own stories we are sharing a part of ourselves we are telling what we are thinking, how we are feeling and this can bring people closer together, or farther apart. I found this when wrigting my memoir i recalled a story that i hadn't thought of for years as well as a person who i hadn't talked to in some time. As soon as i was done telling my story i immediately e-mailed my friend for whom the story was about and we have been keeping in touch ever since.

RICHARD'S HUNGERS 2nd assignment BLACK BOY

As we progress through the novel Black Boy we learn that not only does Richard hunger for nourishment but for different desires in life. By staying in school Richard hungers to learn despite the negativity he faces there. Through the hunger of knowledge Richard strives for independence. With the search for his indpendence Richard aquires numerous jobs where he learns the inequality blacks v.s whites. Equality is another of Richard's hungers, a world where people aren't discrimanated against because of the color of their skin would be an ideal place. The negative effects of this hunger is that it can cloud your mind. Richard is so hungry for equality that he doesn't cooperate with his bosses wishes leading to many lost jobs. A postive outlook on hunger is that it brings out determanation. Richard knows that whites should treat Blacks equally and is determined to make that happen. I hope this is true and Richard finally finds nourishment for all his hungers.

First Blog assignment BLACK BOY

In the novel Black Boy the main character Richard seems to end up in a lot of trouble resulting in numerous beatings. Even though Richard seems to end up in trouble it doesn't necessarily mean that he is a "bad boy." For example when Richard hung and killed a innocent kitten he was only doing what his father told him to do. However Richard's mother and father didn't buy that argument and he was beaten. Another example of how Richard is not a so called "bad boy" is that he never does anything purposefully to make anyone upset, he only does things because he's curious, because he's young and he has not yet learned the ways of right and wrong. Richard also learns from the beatings he receives he learns that whatever action he did that he will not do again, he learns that those things are wrong. This is why i do not think Richard is a "bad boy" but only a young boy learning right from wrong and that every action has a consequence.

First Entry

I'am all set up and ready to go!!