Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Boo's Journal Part 2
Well, I've had a crazy night! I went outside! I can't believe I had the courage to go out there by that big oak tree and save Scout and Jem's lives. I am so happy that those two children are okay. It was so kind of Mr. Heck Tate and Atticus to agree that Bob Ewell slipped on his knife, instead of saying who really killed him. I suppose that Heck, Atticus, and Scout all know that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. What I mean by this is that someone finally understands that it was never my intention to hurt or scare anyone, and it hurt me so much to hear all of the mean, untrue rumors that the people of Maycomb have made up about me over the years. It makes me feel better to know that at least those three people know how to empathize with others instead of making judgements about another person without fully understanding what they go through every day. It is people like Atticus who bring justice to our society by empathizing with others and seeing us all as equals, instead of thinking like the people of Maycomb who look down upon those who do not meet the standards of their society. Atticus is teaching his children right, and I appreciate him so much for agreeing to lye about the Bob Ewell in order to express his belief that there is no use in causing harm to a person who has never hurt anyone else- me. I can see that his ideas and beliefs have rubbed off in his kind, empathetic children and I know that they will forever carry on his effort to establish justice and equality among the people of Maycomb. I respect the Finch family for showing me that someone understands what I am going through, and I am especially grateful for Atticus for never making any judgements or assumptions about me before actually seeing me. I trust that there will always be a few people like the Finch family, who stand up for empathy and justice through a society of prejudice and injustice.
Friday, December 13, 2013
TKAM response journal chapters 26 and 27
#7-
A detail that was particularly striking to me was when Miss Gates tells the class about Hitler and she says, "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced. Prejudice" (Lee 245). This was striking to me because it shows how hypocritical the people of Maycomb really are. All of the people who live in Maycomb were so prejudiced during the trial, and it was unbelievable to me that Miss Gates could teach the class that the U.S. is not prejudiced like Germany when they see people being prejudiced to black people every day. Maycomb has a striking sense of conformity and the residents are prejudiced toward anyone who does not perfectly conform to their society. They are racist, biased people and it is ironic and surprising to me that Miss Gates would teach her class the complete opposite of what Maycomb really is.
Another phrase that was striking to me was when Scout brings the topic of Hitler home to Atticus, and when she asks him if it is okay to hate Hitler he answers, "It's not okay to hate anybody" (Lee 246). I think that this is another example that shows how empathetic and wise Atticus really is because he is saying that no matter how immoral a person is, it still doesn't make it okay to hate them. He is not directly saying it, but it adds to the theme of empathy in TKAM because even when talking about one of the most ruthless men in the history of the world, Atticus still uses empathy to understand why a person does the things he does. He is saying that even if you don't respect another person's actions, you can use empathy so that you will not go so far as hating them.
A detail that was particularly striking to me was when Miss Gates tells the class about Hitler and she says, "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced. Prejudice" (Lee 245). This was striking to me because it shows how hypocritical the people of Maycomb really are. All of the people who live in Maycomb were so prejudiced during the trial, and it was unbelievable to me that Miss Gates could teach the class that the U.S. is not prejudiced like Germany when they see people being prejudiced to black people every day. Maycomb has a striking sense of conformity and the residents are prejudiced toward anyone who does not perfectly conform to their society. They are racist, biased people and it is ironic and surprising to me that Miss Gates would teach her class the complete opposite of what Maycomb really is.
Another phrase that was striking to me was when Scout brings the topic of Hitler home to Atticus, and when she asks him if it is okay to hate Hitler he answers, "It's not okay to hate anybody" (Lee 246). I think that this is another example that shows how empathetic and wise Atticus really is because he is saying that no matter how immoral a person is, it still doesn't make it okay to hate them. He is not directly saying it, but it adds to the theme of empathy in TKAM because even when talking about one of the most ruthless men in the history of the world, Atticus still uses empathy to understand why a person does the things he does. He is saying that even if you don't respect another person's actions, you can use empathy so that you will not go so far as hating them.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
TKAM response journal chapters 24 and 25
#1-
When Atticus reflects on Tom Robinson's death while in the kitchen with Calpurnia, Miss Maudie, Aunt Alexandra, and Scout he says. " I guess Tom was tired of white men's chances and preferred to take his own" (Lee 236). I agree with what Atticus says because if I were in Tom's situation I would do something similar if not the same thing that he did at the jail. Atticus is saying that Tom was sick of the odds always being against him because he was black, and he took the chance of trying to escape even though the odds were against him because of his left arm. I can understand that Tom really had nothing left to loose and felt the need to at least try to escape from the horrible situation he was in. I respect Tom for taking the chance he did because after taking so many chances with the white people of Maycomb, he needed to take his own chance for once.
Something else brag intrigued me is when Aunt Alexandra tells Miss Maudie that the people of Maycomb are willing to let Atticus do the things that they're are too scared to do and Miss Maudie replies, " Have you ever thought of it this way, Alexandra? Whether Maycomb knows it or not, we're paying the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do right. It's that simple" (Lee 236). I think that this is a brilliant way of looking at the way that the people in town look to Atticus to solve their problems. They respect him and look up to him to help them because of his knowledge and determined attitude towards everything he does.
When Atticus reflects on Tom Robinson's death while in the kitchen with Calpurnia, Miss Maudie, Aunt Alexandra, and Scout he says. " I guess Tom was tired of white men's chances and preferred to take his own" (Lee 236). I agree with what Atticus says because if I were in Tom's situation I would do something similar if not the same thing that he did at the jail. Atticus is saying that Tom was sick of the odds always being against him because he was black, and he took the chance of trying to escape even though the odds were against him because of his left arm. I can understand that Tom really had nothing left to loose and felt the need to at least try to escape from the horrible situation he was in. I respect Tom for taking the chance he did because after taking so many chances with the white people of Maycomb, he needed to take his own chance for once.
Something else brag intrigued me is when Aunt Alexandra tells Miss Maudie that the people of Maycomb are willing to let Atticus do the things that they're are too scared to do and Miss Maudie replies, " Have you ever thought of it this way, Alexandra? Whether Maycomb knows it or not, we're paying the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do right. It's that simple" (Lee 236). I think that this is a brilliant way of looking at the way that the people in town look to Atticus to solve their problems. They respect him and look up to him to help them because of his knowledge and determined attitude towards everything he does.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
TKAM response journal chapters 22 and 23
#10-
A quote that made me stop and think was when Atticus talks to Jem and Scout about the verdict of Tom Robinson's trial and the people in the jury and he says, "They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it- seems that only children weep" (Lee 213). This quote was moving to me because Atticus is saying that the jury frequently makes a decision based on prejudice ideas and the only people who seem to get upset about it are children. I think that this is because only children see everyone as equals because they cannot understand the differences that most adults believe make some people superior to others. Children only see that we are all humans and they cannot comprehend the idea that one person is better than someone else.
Another quote that was similarly moving to me was when Jem and Scout are discussing the different kinds of people in Maycomb and Scout says, "Naw, Jem, I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks" (Lee 277). Scout is saying that when it comes down to it there really are no different groups of people that are better or worse than each other- there is only one big group of people. We all want to have happy, fulfilling lives and there shouldn't be any differences between us. No matter where someone lives, where their family comes from, how much money they make, or what color skin they have, they are still a human being and what Scout is saying is that there is absolutely no reason for them to be treated better or worse than another human being.
A quote that made me stop and think was when Atticus talks to Jem and Scout about the verdict of Tom Robinson's trial and the people in the jury and he says, "They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it- seems that only children weep" (Lee 213). This quote was moving to me because Atticus is saying that the jury frequently makes a decision based on prejudice ideas and the only people who seem to get upset about it are children. I think that this is because only children see everyone as equals because they cannot understand the differences that most adults believe make some people superior to others. Children only see that we are all humans and they cannot comprehend the idea that one person is better than someone else.
Another quote that was similarly moving to me was when Jem and Scout are discussing the different kinds of people in Maycomb and Scout says, "Naw, Jem, I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks" (Lee 277). Scout is saying that when it comes down to it there really are no different groups of people that are better or worse than each other- there is only one big group of people. We all want to have happy, fulfilling lives and there shouldn't be any differences between us. No matter where someone lives, where their family comes from, how much money they make, or what color skin they have, they are still a human being and what Scout is saying is that there is absolutely no reason for them to be treated better or worse than another human being.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Rhetorical device video and analysis
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lgFuCvjSf0E
This commercial uses ethos because it shows children who have been treated at Saint Jude hospital for cancer and know what donating will do for the hospital and it's patients. It also shows Shaun White, who donates to the hospital and knows their purpose- childhood cancer research.They are credible because they are experienced in the treatment of cancer and are worth listening to because they know all about cancer research. The video also uses logos because it explains that Saint Jude hospitals have boosted the child hood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% across America. This is a logical reason to donate to Saint Jude hospitals because they have continuously treated and saved children with various cancers across the country, and it just makes sense to donate to such a successful foundation. Finally, this video uses pathos to appeal to the viewers emotions and therefore persuade them into donating to Saint Jude. There is music with a rather sad tone in the background of the commercial that makes he viewer feel sad for the cancer patients. This will make the viewer want to donate because they will want to help childhood cancer patients if they feel bad for them. The commercial also depicts the dreams and hopes of the patients, which makes the viewer feel bad for them and in turn want to give the hospitals that save their lives money. At the end of the video the use of pathos is evident when it connects on a personal level with the viewer by making them think of the children that they love in their life. This makes the viewer very emotional and leads them to understand how they would feel if the children that they love had cancer, and makes them want to help other children at Saint Jude even more. This video uses all three rhetoric devices to persuade the viewer to donate to St. Jude children's research hospital.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
TKAM response journal chapters 20 and 21
#6-
A quote that I agree with is when Dolphus Raymond tells Scout and Dill that he lies about who he really is to the public of Maycomb and he says, "It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason... Secretly, Miss Finch, I'm not much of a drinker, but you see they could not understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live" (Lee 200). I agree with this quote because it is so true that when people cannot understand why a person does something that they do, they need a reason to justify it. Instead of trying to empathize with Mr. Raymond, the people of Maycomb judge him and make rumors about him to help themselves to understand why he prefers to spend his time with black people instead of white people. I agree with Dolphus Raymond's decision to pretend to be a drunk and I think that it is extremely humble of him to pretend to be such a troubled person just to help the people of Maycomb "understand" why he does what he does.
Another quote that I agree with is when Atticus gives his closing argument to the jury and he says that, "...the evil assumption- that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber" (Lee 204). I agree with the author when she writes this because I also believe that people who are uneducated like the Ewell's are ignorant about the world and other people. This makes them extremely vulnerable to prejudice and racism because they do not have enough knowledge to have empathy for others.
A quote that I agree with is when Dolphus Raymond tells Scout and Dill that he lies about who he really is to the public of Maycomb and he says, "It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason... Secretly, Miss Finch, I'm not much of a drinker, but you see they could not understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live" (Lee 200). I agree with this quote because it is so true that when people cannot understand why a person does something that they do, they need a reason to justify it. Instead of trying to empathize with Mr. Raymond, the people of Maycomb judge him and make rumors about him to help themselves to understand why he prefers to spend his time with black people instead of white people. I agree with Dolphus Raymond's decision to pretend to be a drunk and I think that it is extremely humble of him to pretend to be such a troubled person just to help the people of Maycomb "understand" why he does what he does.
Another quote that I agree with is when Atticus gives his closing argument to the jury and he says that, "...the evil assumption- that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber" (Lee 204). I agree with the author when she writes this because I also believe that people who are uneducated like the Ewell's are ignorant about the world and other people. This makes them extremely vulnerable to prejudice and racism because they do not have enough knowledge to have empathy for others.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
TKAM response journal chapters 18 and 19
#3-
How can we use empathy to break through the barriers of prejudice?
According to chapters 18 and 19, we can use empathy to break through the barriers of prejudice by understanding how another person feels and relating to their struggles. This helps us to forget about the things we judge others for and remember that deep down we are all humans. For instance, when Scout reflects on Mayella Ewell's testimony she thinks, "When Atticus asked had she any friends, she seemed not to know what he meant, then she thought he was making fun of her. She was as sad, I thought, as what Jem called a mixed child: white people wouldn't have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes wouldn't have anything to do with her because she was white" (Lee 192). This justifies that we can use empathy to break through the barriers of prejudice because although Mayella comes from the Ewell family and is not liked by the town, Scout tries to understand what she is going through and relate to her loneliness. This helps Scout to be less prejudice to Mayella Ewell, and she understands that even though they both come from different families and backgrounds they are still both humans.
Dill also shows that empathy can be used to break through the barriers of prejudice by relating to another persons life and realizing that we are all humans no matter what. For example, when Dill tells Scout why Tom Robinson's testimony upset him he says, " I don't care one speck. It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that- it just makes me sick" (Lee 199). This displays that we can use empathy to break through the barriers of prejudice because even though Tom Robinson is black, Dill is empathetic toward him and understands that he is human and he should not be spoken to in any way that a white person would be spoken to. He can relate to the way that Tom Robinson feels when Mr. Gilmer talks to him so disrespectfully, and this is why Dill is not prejudice toward Tom Robinson like most of the town residents are.
How can we use empathy to break through the barriers of prejudice?
According to chapters 18 and 19, we can use empathy to break through the barriers of prejudice by understanding how another person feels and relating to their struggles. This helps us to forget about the things we judge others for and remember that deep down we are all humans. For instance, when Scout reflects on Mayella Ewell's testimony she thinks, "When Atticus asked had she any friends, she seemed not to know what he meant, then she thought he was making fun of her. She was as sad, I thought, as what Jem called a mixed child: white people wouldn't have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes wouldn't have anything to do with her because she was white" (Lee 192). This justifies that we can use empathy to break through the barriers of prejudice because although Mayella comes from the Ewell family and is not liked by the town, Scout tries to understand what she is going through and relate to her loneliness. This helps Scout to be less prejudice to Mayella Ewell, and she understands that even though they both come from different families and backgrounds they are still both humans.
Dill also shows that empathy can be used to break through the barriers of prejudice by relating to another persons life and realizing that we are all humans no matter what. For example, when Dill tells Scout why Tom Robinson's testimony upset him he says, " I don't care one speck. It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that- it just makes me sick" (Lee 199). This displays that we can use empathy to break through the barriers of prejudice because even though Tom Robinson is black, Dill is empathetic toward him and understands that he is human and he should not be spoken to in any way that a white person would be spoken to. He can relate to the way that Tom Robinson feels when Mr. Gilmer talks to him so disrespectfully, and this is why Dill is not prejudice toward Tom Robinson like most of the town residents are.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
TKAM response journal chapter 16 and 17
#1-
In both chapters 16 and 17, Atticus Finch has become my favorite character in the book because of his empathetic perspective of the world and his calm yet determined attitude during the trial. For example, when Atticus reflects on the way that Scout unintentionally stopped the men from taking Tom Robinson from the jail the night before he says, " That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're human" (Lee 157). This shows the empathy that Atticus has for Walter Cunningham and the rest of the men that wanted to take Tom Robinson to another jail because he understands that they all wanted to fit in with the majority- in this case, the people who wanted Tom Robinson dead- and that even though they were acting so unjust, they were all humans. This means that deep down they understood what they were doing was wrong, and all it took was the innocence of a child like Scout to make them realize it.
I was very entertained while reading the trial because of the way that Atticus does his job. He is a clever, experienced lawyer and this makes the trial exciting and suspenseful to read about. For instance, when Atticus makes Mr. Ewell write his name on a piece of paper, Mr. Ewell is confused at the purpose of the request and Judge Taylor says, "You're left handed, Mr. Ewell" (Lee 177). This made me think and led me to keep reading to find out that Atticus was proving the point that if Mr. Ewell was left-handed, he could have beaten the right side of his daughter's face. I thought that this was extremely clever of Atticus and it made me want to read more of the trial. Atticus Finch is a fantastic lawyer and I can't wait to see what else he does during the trial.
In both chapters 16 and 17, Atticus Finch has become my favorite character in the book because of his empathetic perspective of the world and his calm yet determined attitude during the trial. For example, when Atticus reflects on the way that Scout unintentionally stopped the men from taking Tom Robinson from the jail the night before he says, " That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're human" (Lee 157). This shows the empathy that Atticus has for Walter Cunningham and the rest of the men that wanted to take Tom Robinson to another jail because he understands that they all wanted to fit in with the majority- in this case, the people who wanted Tom Robinson dead- and that even though they were acting so unjust, they were all humans. This means that deep down they understood what they were doing was wrong, and all it took was the innocence of a child like Scout to make them realize it.
I was very entertained while reading the trial because of the way that Atticus does his job. He is a clever, experienced lawyer and this makes the trial exciting and suspenseful to read about. For instance, when Atticus makes Mr. Ewell write his name on a piece of paper, Mr. Ewell is confused at the purpose of the request and Judge Taylor says, "You're left handed, Mr. Ewell" (Lee 177). This made me think and led me to keep reading to find out that Atticus was proving the point that if Mr. Ewell was left-handed, he could have beaten the right side of his daughter's face. I thought that this was extremely clever of Atticus and it made me want to read more of the trial. Atticus Finch is a fantastic lawyer and I can't wait to see what else he does during the trial.
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