The Geographical References Used In Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address - Essay Example

1. One critic has d that Lincoln makes reference to geography or place eight times within “The Gettysburg Address.” List these references (words or phrases) in the order in which they appear in the speech and comment on the “structure” or pattern they create. (1 page) The geographical references that are used in Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address are the following: on this continent; that nation or any nation; a great battle-field of that war; a portion of that field; this ground; the world; this nation; and the earth. It starts with a larger scope and in a broader sense that is the continent. It then narrows down to the nations within that continent. Furthermore, it becomes more specific which is the battlefield and finally it talks of a specific ground or position. Then from that specific position, it goes to a much broader scope, larger than the continent – the world. Once again it centers on the specific nation, then back to the larger position which is the earth, another name for the world. The presentation of geography is deductive, starting from the broader position then gradually focusing on its smaller components until it points to the specific position they (speaker and audience) are in. From that specific position it goes to the largest dominion that is the world and emphasizing the position of that specific nation in the largest scope, the earth. It can be illustrated as a number of circles within a circle, beginning with a big circle then into diminishing diameters or dimensions of circles within that circle. From among the small circles stands out one small circle which is the nation that the speaker is talking about. This is a good way of stressing and highlighting one’s point. It sort of compares and contrasts the degree of the importance of each position presented. This use of emphasis in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is indeed very effective. 2.Who is the main character of “Bartleby The Scrivener”? Is it Bartleby himself or is it the narrator of the story? What makes you think so? (1 page) At first sight, without first reading the story, I guessed that the main character is Bartleby because the title of the story is his name. However, when I began to read the short story I became confused whether it is really Bartleby because there was so little known about him that the narrator has stated: “I believe that no material exist, for a full and satisfactory biography of this man” and that “Bartleby was one of those beings of whom nothing is ascertainable, except from the original sources, and, in his case, those are very small.” My doubts about Bartleby as the main character even increased as I continued to read through several pages and found out that not much was indeed said about this man. Moreover, when he finally came into the picture his dialogues were few and often only expressions of declining to reveal any information about himself and his statements that he would not comply with whatever was ordered or expected of him as a scrivener. However, my uncertainties were finally removed when the attitude of Bartleby had become the focus and concern of the narrator. The behavior of Bartleby had become the center of the discussion and flow of the story. Bartleby had disturbed the narrator and the other employees as well as the landlord and later the police and the inmates of the Tombs. His end was tragic. He died with open eyes, outside his quarters under a tree, starving, alone and lonely. So, everything that is said and has transpired is all about Bartleby. This is the story of his life, thereby making him the main character of the story. The narrator, though much is said about him, in fact he did most of the talking, has remained a minor character and served only as the teller of the life story of a scrivener named Bartleby. 3. “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” traces the transformation of grief into consolation and acceptance. How does Whitman make this emotional process vivid and concrete? You may consider the poem’s symbols, specific actions, and specific scenes. Refer to the poem specifically in your answer by quoting and/or summarizing relevant parts of it. (1 page) When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d is made up of three separate poems that happens at the same time. It is all about the effect of the death of Abraham Lincoln to the persona. The first poem shows the funeral procession, the second is about the persona and his sprig of lilac to be placed on the coffin as a tribute to the great leader and his contemplation about death and the sorrow it brings, and the third uses the images of a bird and a star to develop an idea of nature and its relationship to mankind. Grief is shown in the coffin and the death of a great leader which is considered a great loss for the persona as well as for the whole country. This grief brings the persona to meditate and contemplate about the meaning of life and of death. While contemplating, he is reminded of the death of several others due to the Civil War and their respective fight for freedom. This can be seen in the image of mourners, dressed in black and holding offerings of flowers, watching the coffin of Lincoln pass by. They are the many other people who have lost their loved ones to war. This generality of grief brings the consolation that it is common to man and is a universal experience. After all the ceremonies and rituals associated with the funeral, the persona is left to be aware of the nature as symbolized by the bird and the star. This brings him to accept that it is part of nature’s law to be born and to die. As it is often said: “to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3). 4. The poems often regarded as the most bizarre in the Dickinson collection are those in which the speaker is already dead. Choose an example, give the poem’s number (not the page number) and then describe what the speaker reveals—or doesn’t reveal—about the experience of dying. Quote the poem as “evidence” of your claim. Use one of the following Emily Dickinson, poems # 214, 216, 249, 303, 324, 328, 435, 465, 670, 712, 1129 and 1624 (1 page) One of my favorite poems of Emily Dickinson is 712 or also entitled Because I could not stop for Death. This poem depicts death differently from what we usually see or perceive it to be. Usually, we look at death as something foreboding and threatening, something to be afraid of. Death is often associated with pain, often brought about by sickness, accident or crime. Then this pain is made worse because of the sorrow it brings to due to the separation of the dead from his/her loved ones. However, in this poem, death is characterized as a gentle person. Death “kindly stopped for me.” It is also not pushy or demanding as shown in the lines; “We slowly drove, he knew no haste… for his civility.” Furthermore, death is also shown as a gradual and long journey, yet not a solitary trip, to eternity. The persona has pictured death as something unexpected. We do not plan it, it just arrives, “Because I could not stop for Death/ He kindly stopped for me.” But this dreadful thing we think of is presented in a more pleasant and gentle way. It shows the certainty of death but as something of a time to contemplate and recall youth, “school where children strove;” adult life, “we passed the fields of gazing grain;” and then old age, “we passed the setting sun.” Emily has shown us that death is not that bad at all. It is a natural direction where every individual must follow, and it is not something to be afraid of. 5. Write an essay of several paragraphs on the following topic (see last paragraph below). Include specific references to and examples from the authors and works assigned in this course. Choose one author from each period we have studied (The Literature of Early America, The Literature of the Eighteenth Century, and The Literature of the Early-to-Mid Nineteenth Century) and explain why s/he should remain a part of an American literature survey course such as ours. Your answer will certainly need to include information about what the particular authors have contributed to American Lit, and it may include other observations, such as the historical importance of the author, his or her accessibility for students, your personal feelings about the author, perceived connections or influences on other authors, and so on. (3 pages) For each period in American Literature, I have chosen the following authors to be necessarily included in the literary studies: Jonathan Edwards for the Literature of Early America; Thomas Jefferson for the Literature of the Eighteenth Century; and Edgar Allan Poe for the Literature of the Early-to-Mid Nineteenth Century. I believe Jonathan Edwards is one of the founding fathers not only of the Christian religion but also of spiritual literature. The impact of The Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God to its audience from the early times to the present is indeed strong and thought provoking. It shows the contrast between sinners and God, emphasizing the severity of sin and the gravity of punishment of that sin by a just God. In other words, it shows a God who hates sin and the serious consequences of the sin of the ones who perform it. Although the sermon may appear one-sided because it only focused on the justice of God and not on His mercy, which always balances God’s nature, it is effective in the sense that it strongly affected its audience. It posts as a warning to those who transgress God’s laws and an emphasis on man’s responsibility and accountability. This aspect of the spiritual life is often neglected especially in the present times, thus the importance of this work to be included in the study of American Literature. It is always beneficial to be given a dose of serious spiritual insights every now and then to see how the forerunners of America have founded their beliefs and principles on God and the Bible. For the Eighteenth Century, I believe Thomas Jefferson should be included as a representative of the patriots whose commitment to America is profound and influential. If Edwards is one who centers on spirituality, Jefferson paves the way to patriotism and independence. This person, who is also a believer and practitioner of the Bible, shows us how they value life, liberty and “the pursuit of happiness.” His efforts and convictions led to the independence of several States which make up the United States of America. His Declaration of Independence spells out the reasons why these States should be granted independence from Great Britain. They had been deprived of their rights and freedom. In response to their cry for release, tyranny and suppression of liberty had been their answer and their allegiance to the controlling government had been futile. His search for justice in the face of a dictatorship is one important contribution to the history of the United States. The present generation owes so much of their freedom, life and pleasure through the brave efforts of Thomas Jefferson. Therefore he, among others, must ever be removed from the list of the literary figures to be studied under American Literature. These ideals he pursued are still affecting and benefiting the present leadership and governance of America. Finally, if Jonathan Edwards is known for his spiritual contribution, Thomas Jefferson for his political and patriotic insights, Edgar Allan Poe should be a must for students of literature for his deep and meaningful literary pieces which are full of profound emotions. As a person, Edgar Allan Poe may be difficult to comprehend. His spiritual convictions are profound that he is not confined to such one religion. He uses the Koran, the mythology, and a broad reservoir of sources and experience. Annabel Lee, for instance, shows deep passion and devotion to a beloved that draws the reader to empathize with the persona’s emotions. His mastery of the English language is beautifully orchestrated in poetic lines along with the use of figurative language as manifested in To Helen, Isrofel, and Ulame. The emotions can be so strong and almost “deadly.” Poe also tends to depict weird and even morbid ideas pertaining to death, killings and a variety of negative images such as in The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of Usher. Poe’s theme of death and the dead make me wonder if it really true, as he claimed, that his literary works were neither autobiographical nor influenced by his own personal experience. Poe has become an inspiration to later writers and this, in itself, is one of his great contributions to American Literature. Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Jefferson and Edgar Allan Poe are three men who have allowed their deep personal and spiritual convictions and experience flow through their literary works and affect the lives of their audience and readers from generation to generation. Their deep insights about life are most valuable that without them, the study of American Literature would be incomplete. Their individual contributions to America spiritually, politically and literally are indeed very important. They have helped shape what America is now, and they should be given such honor and recognition in literary appreciation and literary studies in general. Works Cited Perkins, George and Barbara Perkins (eds). The American Tradition in Literature. 8th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. 1994. Nelson, Dan A., et al. Anthology of American Literature. 9th Edition. George McMichael (ed). Prentice Hall, 2006. Read More