Journal #26- breaking rules

I think there are many instances in which one can break the rules and it is acceptable and morally okay.  Just a few minutes, we were talking about a specific scenario.  Say a woman just lost her job.  She does not qualify for welfare, has a small baby, and has no food in her house.  Is it morally okay for her to steal food from the grocery store for her child?  In my opinion, it is totally okay for her to steal food.  Why on earth would anyone want to penalize her for wanting and absolutely needing food for her family?  She probably was not even getting food for herself.  I think that if she was stealing something else, like clothes for herself, that would be a completely different story.  That would be a selfish act for herself and that should not be questioned on whether she should get punished or not.  I do not know if it is just because I am sypathetic for her or if I really just love babies, but if it was something that she could honestly not live without then I do not think it would be that big of a deal.  In my opinion, it is okay to break the rules if it involves some sort of unselfish act or benefits someone in a positive way.  This does not go for everything though, so if you think I am an idiot than just stop.  Obviously, if someone robs a bank for their friend it is going to benefit someone in a positive way.  Does this mean that it is morally okay for the person to rob the bank!  No way!!  There is such a fine line for when breaking the rules is acceptable or not.  I honestly think it just depends on the circumstances of the situation.  If it is for a good cause--a legitimately good cause, not anything greedy--then I think it is okay or can be looked into so that punishment is either abolished or toned down a little bit.  Here is a plan...how about no one breaks the rules.  The end.

Reflection- The Minister's Black Veil

For tonight's reflection blog, we were required to read the story The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Personally, I did not think that this story was a bad as the last one.  I thought it was much better written and much more interesting to read.  I think that Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Minister's Black Veil definitely portrayed many characteristics of the Dark Romanticism time period.  One thing that was talked about in class was moral conflict.  In the story, the minister always has this black piece of crepe over the upper half of his face so that no one can see his facial features.  No one in the entire town knew what to think or why he could possibly be wearing this gloomy veil over his face.  As the story goes on and the minister's lover (I am not quite sure if they were just boyfriend and girlfriend or actually married...I got confused) says that she will refuse to see him anymore unless he tells her what the veil is all about or simply why he is wearing it, the reader can see that the ministers does not fully believe that the veil was totally his conscious decision.  He is also seeing the world with its own black veil.  He notices how his loved ones, the adults, and the children of the town avoid him and talk about him behind his back.  This could have all been fixed if he had only released the mystery of the black veil upon his head.  Another characteristic of the Dark Romanticism style of writing that is seen in Nathaniel Hawthorn's The Minister's Black Veil is the essence of gloom or darkness...hence, "Dark" Romanticism.  To the people who lay their eyes on the black crepe, the feeling of dread or sorrow overpowers them.  It is like a dark cloud is coming out from behind the veil and casting a shadow on all of the world.  The people in the story talk about how dreadful it makes the minister look, and it even seems to darken the demeanor of his sermons.  Another way that darkness or gloom could be found would be the feelings the ministers had whenever people began to shun him.  I mean, the love of his life ran out of the door because she was so overcome with dark emotions and no one will talk to him!  It is a given that he is not going to be in a happy place.  I think that the feeling of mystery and suspense could also go along with the essence of darkness in The Minister's Black Veil.  The reader really does not know the true purpose of the black crepe veil throughout the entire story.  The minister does give a few hints here and there, like when he was talking to his lady friend about how he could not take it off, but even when he is dead the veil never comes off.  The suspense behind the plot carries the story to keep the reader interested.

Journal #25- fear

In this journal, we are supposed to write about fear.  There are many ways that one can write about fear.  They can write about the actual feeling of fear, things that happen that make you feel fear, what goes on in your head when you feel fear, or things like that.  I, though, am going to go against the crowd and write about the reasons why I, Ainsley Crawford Slifer, do not feel fear.  If you did not know already, I am a superhuman.  Superhuman do not feel fear because they are supposed to have all the courage in the world so they can save the day.  I will tell you a story about a time in my life when I should have been scared, but it did not happen because clearly that is impossible.  One day, I was taking a lovely stroll through a very busy city, where crime is a day to day thing.  I was walking past the local jail when I noticed that there were some very suspicious looking men dressed in black and white striped pajamas using a cell window as an exit. "Hmm.."  I thought.  "That is not what a window is used for."  I walked over to the strange men.  "Excuse me, sirs, what do you think you are doing?"  Suddenly, they pulled a gun out of their last-season pajamas and pulled me into an alley! Any other person on the planet would have screamed, yelled out for help, and seen their lives flash before their eyes.  They may have also gotten profusely sweaty.  I did see my life flash before my eyes, but not in the before-I-die type of way.  I remembered that I was superhuman!  I may look like just your average, sixteen year old high school girl, but little did they know.  I jumped up, smacked the guns out of their hands, and hand their hands tied in knots before they even knew what was happening.  While most people get scared in scary situations like that, but I use the fear that my body creates and use my superhuman powers to transfer it into the other people.  The end.

Reflection- The Pit & the Pendulum

The story from our book, The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe, was very...interesting, in my opinion.  Actually, my opinion is that I did not like it at all and it was one of the strangest things we have ever have had to read in this English class.  (Tell us how you really feel, right Ainsley?)  I am sorry, but I just needed to get that out there before I went on.  The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe has very many qualities of the Dark Romanticism period.  In class, we discussed how the Dark Romanticism style of writing was similar to the regular Romanticism style of writing, but it does have its own unique qualities.  One thing that is seen in many works from the Dark Romanticism period is the setting or use of exotic places.  In this case, "exotic" places are not limited to a beach or a jungle somewhere in India (the first thing that always pops into my head when I think of the word "exotic," though I honestly have no idea if it fits the description), or someplace like that, but it can also branch into the supernatural world, Heaven, Hell, etc.  In the story The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator is slipping in and out of consciousness.  The state of unconsciousness definitely is not natural, and I think it is safe to say that it would be considered supernatural.  One was the author describes it is, "The blackness of eternal night emcompassed me."  Another thing trait of the Dark Romanticism period that is portrayed in The Pit and the Pendulum is moral crisis, or dealing with a personal problem that is internal.  The man in this story is having a problem with life and death.  He is fighting the battle with staying on this world and leaving his body to go somewhere beyond this world.  In The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe, the man in the story talks about how scared he was because it seemed as if he was in between worlds.  He describes how it seemed like there was eternal darkness, but he was still able to move his limbs and feel things from the world.  It seems like he was really just unable to open his eyes, and I am almost positive he would have been able to.  Oh well.  As I said before, I did not like this story at all because it is so grim and dark and kind of scary, but I guess one plus is that no one died in the end.  I am a little tired of reading stories that involve death.  In the story's defense, though, I think I just do not really care for the writing of the Dark Romanticism period.  It is so dark, spooky, and I feel like it hardly ever gives me the feeling of happiness when I read it.  I like how it still has some of the characteristics of the regular Romanticism writing style, which includes nature and happiness, but it is like a scary version of nature.  It is a little too intense for my taste.

Journal #24- spooky spooky

For this journal, I am supposed to write about a time when I was spooked by something.  I am the type of person who is obsessed with TV shows like Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State, Ghost Adventures, etc.  I am totally fascinated with the supernatural...not in a weird way, I swear.  I am not some sort of crazy witch or psychic, medium, orator, medicine man, or anything that has to do with that.  It is just something I find very interesting.  And I promise that all of this information on is relevant because I wanted you to know this small background of my life to explain what I am about to tell whoever is reading this.  I have been on many ghost hunts throughout my life.  Like, more than I can even remember to count.  This would include haunted mansions, haunted asylums that have been abandoned, cemeteries, etc.  If it is haunted and within a four hour radius, I have probably been there.  This collection of experiences can be used to say a time when I was spooked.  It is so scary when you are in those haunted places!  When it is so dark out you can not see anything and the awareness of the usually horrible story of that particular place is magnified, it feels like every emotion of being afraid is multiplied by ten.  That is part of the thrilling part, though.  I kind of liked being scared sometimes.  I am usually not one to enjoy not knowing if or when something is going to happen--I am an AVID "planner"--but not knowing if there is actually a real spirit or ghost of whatever is so fun.  I can remember one specific time when Megan Wavering, my older sister Katie and I went to Bartinville to do a ghost hunt at an old, allegedly haunted asylum.  The stories from this asylum were horrifying; from all of the torture they did to the patients, to the conditions they were living in.  It was awful!  It was as if you could feel all of the poor souls who had suffered for so long.  It made me so sad.

Edgar Allan Poe- A Dream

For this analysis of a poem written by Edgar Allan Poe, I chose to read the poem A Dream.  There are many ways in which this poem can be used as an example for the Dark Romanticism period.  Before I further explain, I will analyze what Poe's A Dream is literally saying.  I will include the stanza, followed by my interpretation of the literal meaning.

"In visions of the dark night
        I have dreamed of joy departed-
      But a waking dream of life and light
        Hath left me broken-hearted." (Poe)



Ainsley's version: When it is dark outside, I think about happiness that has left.  I look at real life that is filled with light and makes me "broken-hearted." ...I'm honestly not sure if that is supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing based on the rest of the poem.  Edgar Allan Poe is a complicated man.  This passage shows good Dark Romanticism characteristics because of the feeling it has.  It talks about emotion, which may be good or bad, and how these emotions are effecting the author.  It also talks about dreams, and the supernatural and imagined things played a very big part in the Romanticism period.

"Ah! what is not a dream by day
        To him whose eyes are cast
      On things around him with a ray
        Turned back upon the past?" (Poe)

Ainsley's version: This is not a dream; it is real life to the man, and his eyes show that he is sorrowful(?) or some dark emotion because of something that happened to him in the past.  My guess is as good as anyones.  So far in the poem, I am getting the feeling that this is telling a story about a man who is depressed or very sad, and tends to look in the past.  Maybe there were better times then.

"That holy dream- that holy dream,
        While all the world were chiding,
      Hath cheered me as a lovely beam
        A lonely spirit guiding." (Poe)

Ainsley's version: This dream made him, a lonely, depressed being, feel happier and shed a light on him while the rest of the world was angry and scolding.  This dream must have been very important to Edgar Allan Poe.  This man was going through what the reader can assume as dreary times, but his dreams took him away from that into a much happier place. The reoccurring theme of the dream helps support the Dark Romanticism style of writing.

"What though that light, thro' storm and night,
        So trembled from afar-
      What could there be more purely bright
        In Truth's day-star?" (Poe)

Ainsley's version:  No mater how far away or dark it became, the light (shed from the dream) still shone brightly.  This could also be talking about the sun, and how the sun burns through the darkness and seems to make everything happier.  This dream or light may represent hope in this man's life when the times seemed to be at their worst.


"Edgar Allan Poe: A Dream." Poetry Lovers' Page. Web. 17 Jan. 2012.

Journal #23- scary story

Thinking about scary stories I have heard and scary movies I have seen throughout my life, I can see something they all have in common that help make them even more scary.  The most scary movies I have ever seen were The Blaire Witch Project and Paranormal Activity.  There is a reoccurring theme with both of these.  I think that both of these use suspense and "real stories" to make the audience even more afraid and get really in to the plot.  In The Blaire Witch Project, they are out in the middle of the forest.  The quality of the movie is made so it looks like the people are actually using their own home video cameras.  This adds the effect of feeling like the story was real and actually happened because it takes away the "actors" and a movie set.  When the audience is watching this movie, it will be even more frightening to believe that what is going on in the movie actually happened to real people.  I think that when things are based on true stories or have legitimate facts or proof, it makes the story much more believable.  When people believe it, they get more scared.  The same type of thing goes on in Paranormal Activity.  They main characters are using their own home video camera to make the audience feel like this was a true happening.  The lack of visual quality makes the watcher (or reader, I guess) more aware that there are "no scripts" and "no actors."  Both of these movies also use suspense.  You really do not know what is going to happen until literally the very, very end of the film.  Little things keep happening, and each one gets even worse or more intense.  The suspension is probably worse to the audience than the actual scary parts.  I would definitely recommend watching The Blaire Witch Project because it seems so realistic and I think I almost peed my pants the first time I watched it.

Journal #22

Sledding is such a glorious thing,
Something you can't do in the spring.
Only in winter, at this time of year
When the snow is falling and the air is clear.
If there is enough snow,
And, of course, enough friends,
We'll be sledding down hills
Until the day ends.
Down, down we go,
'Til it's time to go in.
We'll remember this forever,
And tell the story to our kin.
The joys of sledding
Will never be forgotten,
For the it is such a nice memory,
The opposite of rotten.
Sledding is so fun
For all the girls and boys,
We have to wear snow suits
To save our corduroys.
I will miss the winter
When spring is coming near,
Even though we have no snow,
I may shed a tear.

Journal #21- snow

Winter is one of the best seasons of the entire year.  With it's cold temperatures and icy or snowy weather, it is the perfect time of year to snuggle and drink hot chocolate.  This is especially great when there is snow on the ground.  The scenery of snow is unlike any other.  The snow is white and crisp, like the chilly winds that blow it around.  The world seems a little more quiet than usual, as if the snow is a think blanket tucking everything in.  It is such a peaceful time.  Even when the world seems very loud and hectic, the snow calms it down and makes it all better.  The peaceful and calm feeling of winter transfer into things that go on inside, instead of being strictly limited to effecting the outside.  When it is very cold and snowy outside, it is perfect to go inside, start a fire in the fireplace, and sit as you warm up while doing things like sipping on steamy hot chocolate or reading a good book.  It is the perfect season to get very cozy.  Think of how warm and snuggled you feel when you look outside your window and you see the perfect layer of snow on the ground while you are in your house feeling warm and toasty.  Because outside appears to be so peaceful and quiet, you probably also feel peaceful and quiet, like all the problems have been toned down.  The snow looks so perfect when it is untouched.  The only blemish to ruin its perfection is the footprints and trails of the small animals who are enjoying the weather.  My little sister, Lily, loves to go outside and play in the snow after a big winter storm.  When she comes inside, just about frozen to the bone, the perfect snow scene looks very different.  It is not in a bad way though, for you can see where the snow has brought someone joy and where the peacefulness has been altered.  It still holds its own beauty.