Memory, Rememory, and the Power of the Past

After you complete your reading for today, we'd like you write your journal entry for chapter 9 as a blog post.  The focus of it revolves about the issue of Memory, Rememory, and the Power of the Past - what is the novel saying about these topics at this point?  What are the challenges and issues that arise when the past is either raised or specifically avoided?  When is it embraced - when is it hidden - why?

At this point in Beloved, many memories are brought up from different points in the past. Sethe decides to go to the clearing where Baby Suggs held her services in order to honor Halle. As she sits there she remembers when she first arrive at 124 Bluestone at the home of her mother-in-law, Baby Suggs. This memory brings up a different Baby Suggs than we have seen before in the story. This woman is very determined, happy, and excited for her grandchildren and daughter-in-law to be living with her. Not only is Baby Suggs welcoming, but she is also realistic, "Convinced her son was dead, she handed the stone to Sethe." She understood that although she wants her son to be alive and to arrive at her house, she know that this will probably not happen. She is realistic with her expectations, so that she does not get her hopes up for something that might never happen. As Sethe thinks about Baby Suggs in this light, she is nostalgic for her to be there at that moment helping her through the tough information that Paul D just shared with her. The challenge of thinking of a happier time is that it makes her feel very broken and upset about her life now. This memory was mixed with the memory of trying to learn how to be in control of herself, "Bit by bit, at 124 and in the clearing along with the others, she had claimed herself. Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another" (112). Here she remembers her past feelings and ideas of claiming ownership of herself which gives her the strength to continue to remember other things. This is because she remembers how she has grown between leaving Sweet Home and now, helping her to use the strength she has acquired and worked at getting and using it to help her with the memories she now has to handle.

Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance"

Every person's place in society should be to continuously challenge the society in which they live. A person is either defined as a conformist to society or a nonconformist. Emerson says, "Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members." He is saying that society represents the unoriginal majority or the "norm". In order to grow and be a man you must be a nonconformist. Emerson says that it is important to the growth of the society and the growth of every person to be a nonconformist and challenge what you believe is not right. The only way to improve a situation is to challenge how it is being addressed at the moment. We not only need to use our voices in private but also when it is hardest to speak up. "These are the voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world." A true nonconformist not only speaks about their worries and problems with the government in the privacy of their home but also in a place where they can be heard and change can be made. This type of nonconformist is the type that is most important to have in society and is necessary if society is to progress.

Quran Burning in Florida

When burning any prayer book a constitutional right is broken. Every person has the freedom of religion. I believe that this includes the freedom to observe your religion without assumptions made or being discriminated against for it. The church in Florida that is planning on burning the Quran is blaming an entire religion for the acts of few people. People from every religion have been in charge of catastrophes but that does not mean that we should blame everyone of that religion for the action of a small group. For the Muslim population the Quran is considered "the sacred word of God and insist it be treated with the utmost respect." By burning a sacred religious item, this church leader is hurting not only the wrongdoers but the entire religion. It is very similar to a group from another country burning an American flag because of someone from America making a bad decision. I believe one should not punish everyone because of a couple peoples actions. It is not a fair or just action and the single minded thinking by this church could offend the entire Muslim community living in the United States and elsewhere.

"Whatever", "Bold Men", Zinn Revolution Response

The people who signed the Declaration of Independence risked everything for the freedom of the people of America. When they signed the document they also announced themselvs as traitors to the British throne and had to face the punishments and consequences that came with that. Many of them risked their very comforatble lives in order for future generations to have a better future. Some of them were given consequences in the form of losing or being separated from loved ones and others lost everything and were forced to forget their comfortable lifestyles and had to live on the streets.

The American Crisis-Thomas Paine

          In this essay, Paine justifies the reason why he says America must break away from Britain. He believes that the King of England and the soldiers that enforce his rules are tyrants that are oppressive and should not have the power to create the unjust laws they have. This is exactly what Britain did. They used their oppressive power to create unjust and unnecessary laws. "Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but 'to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER,' and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there no such a thing as slavery upon earth." Here Paine describes how being forced to follow these unjust laws makes him feel, like a slave. No person should ever feel like a slave to their government. I believe that in order for any government to be successful, the governed must have some respect and trust in their government. the relationship between America and Britain before the revolutionary war had neither.
          Paine continues by explaining that war is not a first resort, it is a last resort, only to be used because nothing else worked. no reasoning could convince Britain to become more reasonable therefore war was necessary. He calls on all of the Americans to fight for their independence from Britain, "...I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state;". He wants the help from everyone and knows that if the majority is not on board, a revolution will be impossible to fight. He ends by giving the people hope that if everyone does come together and fight to be free, there is hope for an end to the tyranny that is England. The people will be able to rule themselves and have freedom from the slavery of British laws and regulations.