Socratic Seminar

The importance of this passage seems to be on the topic of “self respect”. This term can be defined in numerous ways, but I would never have expected the author to define it as something so deep rooted. “Self respect” to most people can be seen as pride, but for the author, it is something much than that, it is something that is rooted in humanity itself and defines who we are. Although I cannot see this having connections to any “big ideas” so far, it could be brought to attention as a new concept of philosophy and could make pretty large impacts if taken into further studies, but the only thing is that I cannot tell if the impacts from this “idea” will be beneficial or not. In this reading, the one thing I do not understand is the concept of “alienation from self”, first of all, how are the examples provided alienation from self? For example, “we no longer answer the telephone, because someone might want something;” I cannot see it as alienation from self but rather alienation from others. I like how this passage starts our, but as it nears the end, it wavers from its original point. In the beginning, the author talks about how it is centered on the “self”, but as it gets near the end, the author starts using “self respect” as an offensive maneuver against others, and turns it into a “battle strategy”. From life experiences, we tend to raise ourselves above others to make it seem like “we” are the best, and “they” are not, this would be one example in a real life situation.

Questions:

1.    Why does the author start in one direction and suddenly write off into a different direction?

2.    How is “self respect” connected to “alienation from self”?

3.    Is “self respect” courage?

Billy Budd Comments

Billy Budd questions 3

5. What is the tragedy of Chapter 19?  Do you sympathize with Billy Budd?  Why or why not?

            The tragedy of Chapter 19 is the fact that Claggart goes to Vere and accuses Billy of mutiny, Billy was given the chance to speak in his own defense, but his innocence disallowed for him to do that. Instead of conveying himself with words, he used his fists, and punched Claggart in the forehead, which ended up killing him. I do not sympathize with Billy because I simply could not understand the reason for his actions, he never explained why he did what he did, or speak up when he was given the chance. In the end, he resorted to violence and killed Claggart; an action taken that was completely unnecessary. Also, he had been warned numerous times that Claggart had no good intentions towards him, and instead of listening, he brushed it aside, he did not even consider the slightest possibility of there being truth in the warnings. In the end, he was betrayed by his own good nature and innocence. It really goes to show that people should take what has been said into consideration, instead of brushing it off as a joke right away.

http://allenglish.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/inoneear1.jpg

This picture shows words going in one ear and out the other.

7. Is justice served for Billy Budd?  Why or why not?  Who is to be thanked or blamed for the decisions of the court?

            In this case, justice is served, but just not for Billy. Although Billy is good natured and innocent, it did not stop him from killing Claggart, even if it was not intentional, his fists were the cause of death for a fellow shipmate. If one kills, one would have to receive some sort of punishment, although death by hanging is quite unsightly for a man such as Billy Budd, it still is a form of justice for the victim. No one is to be thanked or blamed for the courts decisions, the term “Justice is blind” is not just a saying; it really applies in this case. Although Captain Vere could have said something to the court to persuade them to pass a lighter sentence of the accused, he did not do anything. I think that Vere just wanted justice to be served for the dead, and it did not matter what would happen to Billy, and in the end, justice became the winner.

http://theoldgiftshop.com/images/figurines/MD7099.JPG

This picture shows that Lady Justice is blindfolded.

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Billy Budd questions 2

6. What characteristic of Billy’s leads him to the forechains? Is this character a strength or a weakness? Explain. 

I think that the main thing that brought Billy to the forechains is his complete innocence and inability to say no. He is kind to everyone, so he never says no to what ever they request of him, and also, his innocence makes him seem like a complete push-over. This characteristic can be seen as a weakness but strength at the same time. On the Bellipotent, it plays out as a weakness since he gets pushed around by others, but on the Rights of Man, it is a strength because it makes the people around him love and care for him. This characteristic of his can be seen as a double bladed sword, where it can be used as an advantage, but when it isn’t used properly, it can cause harm to the owner.

https://vtunnel.com/index.php/1010110A/ec78708ffe01ceae1ac0646ed1d40e92dbe19206a1f28c7b2502d027c5a80d0e4083c187f15f9898872e850013a725304ed3e14d1cf45d76dd005b0f1ef76065a7012c125777798777f3a5aa173c664e9c6e4ef80a6d18406

A double bladed sword, where if it is not used correctly, it could hurt the owner as well.

4. What is Dansker’s function and purpose in the story?  What is Billy Budd’s response to his suggestion about Claggart?

Dansker, a rather elderly fellow on the Bellipotent as a mastman, is more like a father to Billy than a shipmate. In this story, he functions as Moses does in the Bible, he is the man who helps and guides Billy in his times of need and when he is troubled. Billy is puzzled after hearing the possibility of Claggart disliking him from Dansker, and is left to ponder on the fact that he might have fallen out of favor with Claggart since he feels that Claggart has only talked positively about him so far.

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shadowandact.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/moses-parting-red-sea1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shadowandact.com/%3Fp%3D11349&usg=__mN45hz6_KSsKNUdAgPBJvId6fMo=&h=306&w=760&sz=75&hl=en&start=0&sig2=tpJwOLzqkPbeZb7aitH-yA&zoom=1&tbnid=ltRNtyr9sJlABM:&tbnh=74&tbnw=185&ei=X6OXTNG7NIv0swO2ovjACg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmoses%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D611%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C17&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=84&vpy=365&dur=1132&hovh=142&hovw=354&tx=184&ty=122&oei=X6OXTNG7NIv0swO2ovjACg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:0&biw=1024&bih=611

A picture of Moses, the man who guides his people who are “lost” to salvation.

Personal Response

Personal Response
English 20
Daniel Lin

Victorian literature, a form of writing that emerged during the early seventeenth century, known today as the Victorian era. Originally, these pieces of literature portrayed difficult lives in which hard work, perseverance, love and good luck triumph in the end, where the virtuous are rewarded and wrongdoers punished. However, as the century progressed, the basis of Victorian literature swayed from its original path and became much more complex. The Lady of Shalott portrays the ideal roles of what men and women in that era. It also conveys what romance would have been in the times of Victoria’s reign. Mainly, it informs that one should not attempt to defy fate, and any attempts to do so would result in dire consequences. Such a masterpiece illustrates the environment in which people lived during the Victorian age, as well as the mindsets of people at the time.

During Victorian times many pieces of poetry were written with romanticism as their main themes. They speak of beauty, emotions, utopian visions, and the focus of “self”. One of such, would be, “The Lady of Shalott”. This poem tells a tale about a beautiful lady who lives in a tower overseeing Camelot. She can never look directly out of her window, or a curse will befall on her, so she sits in her tower forever weaving a tapestry of the scenery she sees from her mirror. One day, a valiant knight known as Sir Lancelot passes by, clad in shining armor, catches Lady of Shallots’ eyes, and compels her to look out of her window. Thus far, one would be able to say that during Victorian times, the ideal woman would be a beautiful young damsel in distress, weaving, or doing more housework than anyone would be able to handle, to wait for the ideal man; a heroic knight to save her from her ordeal.

Although one cannot obtain factual evidence of what exactly Victorian literature was meant to portray, but judging from this passage, one can assume that during the 1800s, an ideal portrait of romance would be filled with a beautiful landscape in the background, and in the foreground. Along with this, there would be a stunning knight in shining armor rescuing a sweet, gentle lady that has been held captive by someone or something of incredible evil. A thing such as this could be thought of as romantic propaganda, but there really isn’t much evidence from this poem of what romantic propaganda was like in such times. It would most likely the case that, it is every lady’s dream to be saved by a gallant knight clad in shining armor and fall in love and live happily ever after.

It wasn’t The Lady of Shalott’s destiny to live happily ever after with the one she fell in love with. It was, however, to look outside her window and have the curse of death befall her. After she knew that the curse was upon her, she quickly got into a small boat with letter in hand, and drifted off to Camelot in the last moments of her life. The message here from the author, I believe, would be that during such times, women would be forever bound by a curse placed upon them by the society they lived in. Whether it would be the inability to go to school, or unable to work and make a living by themselves, they would make futile attempts to break off these chains. However, no matter how hard they tried, they could never break off these chains of fate put on them by society, and if they were able to, dire consequences would come to pass, and they would be the examples of any other woman that is to follow in her footsteps. Similar to The Lady of Shallot she tried to break her chains, but it merely resulted in her death.

From this poem, we are able to have a better understanding of past ideals, and how they affected the lives and thoughts of people who lived in the seventeenth century. It has taught us of the ideal roles of men and women, that almost every person has strived to be. The Lady of Shalott also painted a portrait of romantic themes, of what would have been then, and finally, from this poem, we learned that for people to go against the will of society, back then, was the same as going against fate, which would result in disastrous consequences. Overall, this piece of poetry has brought us an image of what life was like back then and how people were thinking in an era we would never be able to directly ask questions of.

http://farxodoremptyjournal.blogspot.com/2010/09/response-1.html?showComment=1284405415713#c8614557469835639212

http://farxodoremptyjournal.blogspot.com/2010/09/response-1.html?showComment=1284405415713#c8614557469835639212

Billy Budd questions

4. Discuss the possible significance of moving from a merchant ship (Rights of Man) to a war ship (Bellipotent). What might Melville be suggesting with this transition?


I would think that Melville is trying to say, life is never static, you can never live your life at one location until you die. The world is changing, and as it changes, so do the people that live in it. I think that the transition from the Rights of Man to the Bellipotent means that, Billy is leaving his old life behind and starting anew, he is changing from one "profession" to another, and his carefree attitude is helping him with this transition and making it easier for him than it would for others. It could also mean that Billy is a person that won't resist what life throws his way and goes with the flow. Also, "Rights of Man" is the French declaration of freedom (from Louis XVI) while Bellipotent means "good at war", it could also mean that Billy, someone who once lived a carefree life, has now become a machine for war, and has been transformed into an evil thing for massacre.


https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1QNJafqrNP3wSJ1iPzZqywEHkvGv6rgwWl_eCnRvDQIXgmCCfyOyiLOzOqbsdwTYn9zxsgfGo0ESSAzJgSul5BhnIuOETWc4v-91D24xNLzLOeerK4GP41J6KVaR_q7agyUOuzQ5yzE/s400/stormsea.jpg


This picture shows a ship being swept by giant waves without the slightest protest.

Billy Budd questions

2. Examine the incident between the Red Whiskers and Billy. What is this incident meant to do? Does it suggest comething about Billy's character or just the Red Whiskers's.


This incident was meant to show that Billy Budd is a person that doesn't like to be bothered. He won't resort to violence if the other party isn't the first to make a move. It suggests that Billy, although seems like a harmless and sweet little creature, can pack quite a big punch if aggravated, and that he can easy adapt to his surroundings. This incident also suggests that Red Whiskers's character can seem quite mean and act like somewhat like a bully, but he can also be a really nice person. For example, after the incident, Red Whiskers would "love" him just as much as the ships crew and would be extremely nice to Billy from then on. It seems like that these characters have dual personalities (not to the extreme), and have both light and dark sides of themselves.


http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2009/10/20/masks_LLDPf_26050.gif


The photo shows two masks, one is smiling and the other frowning, it represents a single entity with two completely different expressions (personalities).

English 20 Goals

1. Get better at essay writing and writing in general

2. Get 90% or higher in the course

Test