The Tragedy of John Proctor?

     What is a tragedy?(s) As Aristotle once said, “Tragedy results when the protagonist, or tragic hero, casts aside prudent human behavior, creates a state of disorder, and reaps the consequences that then bring a return to order…” He may have been referring to ancient Greek tragedies, but his statements also apply to modern literature. One example of a modern tragedy is Arther Miller’s The Crucible. The entire format of this play follows that of Aristotle’s definition of a tragedy. In the play, the protagonist, John Proctor, commits the hamartia of adultery. This action is his first step, though more are to come, of casting aside human wisdom.(cx) Also in this play, his lover and a group of teenage girls accuse many people of Salem of the crime of witchcraft. John knows that the girls are lying, yet he holds the truth for fear of revealing his hidden truth. He struggles internally throughout the play, and he feels as if he is torn. (cd-cx)His emotion, combined with Arther Miller’s brilliant writing pull the audience out of their seats into 1690’s Salem. John finally makes the decision to put a stop to his nemesis’s scheme to ruin the town. Her hubris must be destroyed. He brings his servant to court to testify that the girls are lying in order to save his wife, friends, and ultimately the town. The situation spins out of proportion, and leaves John convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to hang. The entire town is in a state of ate. On the day of his execution, many plead with him to lie to the court so that he won’t be hanged. He in fact does try this, but he fails and decides to hang with his friends, who will die like saints, in arte. His death resolves the play and brings about a feeling of dissoi logoi. The audience feels a pain and relief at the same time. The end is like a rain that washes the earth, yet also leaves it soggy. Some lessons learned in this tale are that it is always better to reveal the truth and that no good thing can come from bad. Aristotle may have been describing famous tragedies of ancient times, yet his words remain in the literature of the day.(cd)

"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street"

   In the 1950s, McCarthyism swept the nation. McCarthyism is a term used to describe the American fear of communist spies during the Cold War. Joseph McCarthy started this movement; he tried to raise American awareness of Russians and even went so far as to accuse many famous actors and directors of communism. He had no evidence for these ludicrous claims, yet many of the victims were "black listed" and could not find work. This era has many parallels with the Salem witch trials of the 1690s. During that time, many people were wrongfully accused of witchcraft due to paranoia and revenge.
   In the Twilight Zone episode "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," a meteor flies across a street and its power goes out. Even the cars, radios, and lawn mowers lose power. The people of the neighborhood become paranoid after a young man tells a story of a comic book that is similar to the events taking place. This symbolizes the rising, witch fear of the Puritans and the McCarthyism fear of spies. The boy explains that aliens in the comic book didn't allow anyone to leave except the disquised aliens, and this sends the neighborhood into high alert.They turn on each other, which directly parallels the situation in both 1950s and 1690s. In all these cases, people point fingers at others that they know. In the Twilight Zone, a character named Charlie becomes the McCarthy and blames many different people. Eventually, his paranoia leads him to kill one of his neighbors. By the end of the episode, the entire neighborhood is in a state of extreme panic. We learn that aliens were the cause of the power shortages; however, they were not in the town, but watching. The aliens make the comment that humans are our own most dangerous enemy. In the conclusion, a direct line is shown to the 50s by saying that weapons are not always bombs, explosions, and fallout, but thoughts and attitudes. Our prejudice can kill, our suspicion destroy, and our thoughtless search for a scape goat can create a fall out for our children and children yet unborn. This statement ties together all three of the examples. In each case the people destroy themselves without weapons of destruction, but with their minds and accusations.

The Best Part of "Believe" is the ''Lie''

    Lying is a skill that can be found in both sexes, all races, and every age group. It is part of the human condition. We all have lied. I have lied for various reasons, the prominent one being to stay out of trouble. I'm not, however, proud of this fact. Lying is like a black hole sucking you in and reshaping you until you don't know what you are anymore. To lie seems like the easier way out sometimes than to tell the truth, but in reality the opposite is true. When a person lies, he or she must remember the lie, not reform any part of it, and be able to have a certain amount of acting skills to pull it off. If any one detail of a lie changes, it will be uncovered an d brought to light. To tell the truth might have certain consequences at he present, but the person telling the truth will only have to remember what happened, not a fictional story. I have been punished for dishonesty before and it was much more severe than if I would have told the truth. Also, a hidden punishment for lying is the disappointment and distrust I received after the unveiling of the truth.
 People lie for various reasons. One of which is to keep out of trouble. It may seem tantalizing as a child to tell your mother you only had one cookie when you actually had ten, but there will be harsh effects from this. Also, lying to make things seem more important is a major reason people lie. An example of this is someone stating that they had ten phone calls wen they only had four. This lie may not seem like a big deal, it enhances the story, but it is still a lie. One of the last reasons people lie is to start conflict with an enemy. Yes, rumors are mostly lies made up to make people feel better about themselves while making others feel terrible.
    I have been the victim of malicious rumors before. It is not a warm feeling. When I was in middle school and I heard a rumor about myself, I would drive myself crazy trying to figure out who started it and how it came to be. It can be a very hurtful thing that can ruin reputations, friendships, and even lives. However, now that I've experienced my fair share of rumors, I've learned to shuck them off and not even try and figure them out. This lack of interest takes the power away from the rumor starter and puts it into my hands. Though I can never stop a rumor someone else starts, I try every day to keep what come forth from my mouth as pure and truthful as possible.

Why Can't I Have Chicken at 5 a.m.?

   Why is it that restaurants, especially the ones that are dedicated to giving it to us our way, sometimes completely neglect what we want. For instance, if I were to go to my local McDonald's at five in the morning and ask for chicken nuggets, I would be cruelly denied. This restaurants purpose is to serve hungry, paying customers. So why then, might I ask, can I not purchase any food they serve at any time of day? Do they mysteriously run out of chicken nuggets every morning until the chicken nugget fairy comes along at eleven? This idea is ludicrous. I'm not going to be "lovin' it" if I can't get the food that I desire because the workers are too lazy to turn on the deep fryer just yet. As I can infer from experience, not everyone loves pancakes every single day. Restaurants would generate a bigger profit if they displayed more lunch and dinner variety foods on their breakfast menu.
    Also, I have a job in a fast food restaurant, so I have a few more complaints that most people never experience. For instance, when our restaurant gets busy, it is sometimes very difficult to take orders, keep the lobby clean, make sure everything is stocked and orderly, give out food, wash dishes, and refrain from strangling a few customers in the process. Why then, can they not just call in one more worker to help? By no means could our restaurants not afford another worker at any point in the day. And also, there are employees at the fast food restaurant I work that are, to put it nicely, lazy bums. Some, even managers, expect me to do everything and then a little extra for what they aren't doing. I think that if a manager isn't actually working, then they shouldn't be getting paid. Some managers even sit and eat the food the rest of us are trying hard to prepare and serve. And the last thing that ticks me off as an employee of a fast food restaurant is that I don't get free food. After putting in all my time and energy I deserve a cheeseburger that I don't have to use my paycheck on. As long as an employee doesn't go overboard and feed his or her family with free food, it should be allowed on work days. And that should even include chicken nuggets at five in the morning.

Bio Poem

Hester

Strong, Independent, Intuitive, Stubborn

Sister of No One

Lover of People, Her Family, Freedom

Who Feels Human, Proud, Alone

Who Needs Freedom, Love Companionship

Who Gives Mind, Body, and Soul

Who Fears Loss, Confinement, Pearl

Who Would Like to See Pearl be Happy

Resident of Boston

Prynne

Hester is like a mule in the fact that she is stubborn, proud, and extremely hardworking.

To David. My Good Friend.

Dear David,
    Hey there. I already know I'll be sobbing by the end of this letter, but I don't think you'll mind that much. I feel you with me reading this right now. I want you to know that you are one of the very best friends I have ever had or ever will have. You are funny and upbeat every single day; you brighten the darkest clouds in the middle of a storm. You are also one of the most generous people that have ever lived. You always think of others before yourself. I can still remember all the times you have brought our whole honors class candy or cupcakes because you felt like we needed a boost.  You are one of the first hands in the air to volunteer for any project big or small and you are a necessity to our little family-class. I have, to this day, never heard you utter a cruel word or snide remark about anyone, and you never complain of too much work or stress. We've been close for three years now and you have done so much that I have not returned. You've showed me many new songs and even dances that I would have never known existed if it were not for your eclectic tastes. You share my love for literature, and I cannot count how many activity periods we have spent discussing the latest novel we were reading. I was so excited when you told me about everything in your life getting better and better. I promise you this is only the beginning. Life is a wide open road for you to go wherever you feel the wind is blowing you. It can only get better from here. You have your wonderful parents who you have bragged to me about time and time again and you have your family here at school. We will always be there for you to come to. We will hold you if you need to be held. We will laugh, cry, sing, dance, and bend over backwards to make you smile. You have always had one of the best smiles God ever created. I promise to help you keep it there. David you are so important to me and I don't know how I could ever live without you. I will love you and remember you for the rest of my life. Please tell Jesus and Jimmy hi for me.
                                   Sincerely,
                                     Whitney Gabrielle Phillips

Character Counts

  "Character is the foundation of a house, it is below the surface." This quote applies to both my personal life and my school life in a variety of ways. What this quote says is that character is the very thing holding us up. Without good character, just like a good foundation, we would not be able to function properly. 

   When building a house, neglecting to make a sturdy foundation has dire consequences. In order to have a stable home, you need to put an effort into its base. Just like that, I have to put time and effort into presenting a character worthy of praise. When I display qualities such as responsibility and respect for others I build myself up and am never let down. When I practice good character I strengthen my morals and mind. In the words of Austin Phelps, “The grand aim of man’s creation is the development of a grand character, and grand character is, by its very nature, the product of probationary discipline. Doing what is good, right, and proper as often as possible will help you discipline yourself to the maintenance of a good character." Some of the many aspects that help discipline and define a good character are respectfulness toward others, showing responsibility, caring for others, and showing citizenship. When I exhibit these qualities at school, I am rewarded. When I don't show good character, I am punished. At work, I am also noticed by managers and bosses when I show good character by being responsible, respectful, caring, and cooperative. Working to build my character will take me a long way. I will be able to get more connections with people, more job and college interviews, and more opportunities in every aspect of my life.

 

To the Most Amazing Woman in the World

Dear Mom,

  First of all, I love you. You brought me into this world and made the ultimate sacrifice to raise me and give me the amazing life I enjoy today. If it weren't for you I would not be the person I am today. You are my real-life superhero. You have watched me grow, helped me up when I've fallen, held me when I've cried, fought away the monsters, cured the belly aches, kissed the boo-boos, made me meal after meal, and been there through the rough and gentle waters. Your love is one of the only that will stand the test of time and continue for all eternity. Even when I mess up, you are always there to tell me that it's okay and that mistakes are made. You don't see my faults, but look past those with your glasses made of the purest and kindest love. Your warmth says I love you and I need you when the world says nothing of the sort. You are there to lend a helping hand, scrutinizing mind, soft embrace, or ever intent ear on any occasion I call for them. Our relationship has transformed over the years from the separation anxiety of my youth to the rebellious phase of my adolescence to the shining, golden friendship and companionship of my young adulthood. Now I not only view you as my mother, but as one of my most cherished friends. I look forward to the times we will share as the years go on, and you will be one of the first I look for when I pass the golden gate you have always taught me about and reared me toward. I thank you from the very bottom of my heart for teaching me about God, people, boys, food, womanhood, and every other subject that would take me all day long to recite. You have been and will always be the most incredible woman I know. I love you from the very bottom of my heart. 

Love forever and always, Whitney

Twilight Zone....duhn duhn duhn.

  Have you ever had the sense that you were being watched? Have you ever thought what it would be like to travel in time? Or have you ever thought what it would be like if our version of beauty was hideous? If you answered yes to any of the previous questions then there is a TV show for you. The public should all know about the popular series from the late 1950's The Twilight Zone. This series causes you to think twice and really examine reality. It has meaning and can help you in real life situations.
  In an episode titled "Time Enough at Last" we are introduced to a man named Henry Bemis. Henry is not exactly a well-rounded individual. His only dream and purpose in life is to read books. He tries desperately all day long to quench his thirst but is distracted by his dragon of a wife and slave driving boss. No one will allow Bemis enough time to read even labels on condiment containers. One day, while he sneaks into the vault at his work to read, the whole earth begins to shake and he has no idea that an h-bomb was just dropped on his little town. When he emerges from his secret spot he realizes what has happened. At first he tries to be tough and figure out a way to survive, but eventually the loneliness descends and he is left contemplating suicide. He is about to pull the trigger on a gun he scrounges around to find when he stumbles on his Eden, the public library. He is overjoyed to the point of hysteria and begins to organize his new-found treasure. After plotting out his reading journey for the next few years and setting up the ultimate life of luxury, he bends over to pick up his first book and his glasses fall down to the tyrant and unforgiving ground where they shatter to the point of no return. He is devastated and the episode ends in a shot of him desperately going crazy with grief.
  If you are a literature fan, you will be overjoyed with irony of this tale. Many of this series' shows conclude just as this one, with a curveball from left field. They are both thought provoking and riveting. The story of Henry Bemis will cause you to say to yourself, what would I do in that situation? If I had a love for reading that powerful would I give up and commit suicide or would I try and piece together what little I have left until I found and optometrist office? This and other episodes alike will cause you to examine yourself and become a more intelligent individual. Even from our story we see that it is unwise to devote ourselves solely to one thing. We also learn to take better care of our glasses in case of nuclear warcraft. Happy watching.