1) What is he saying?
2) What are the literary strategies he is using to convey his message?
3) How does his message convey a hegemonic or counter-hegemonic ideological stance? Does he make reference to institutions that perpetuate certain forms of ideological consent?
Make sure you refer to page numbers and use direct quotes when discussing a specific sentence, line, or phrase. Also, remember to sign your post with your first name and your last initial so that you may receive credit!
19 comments:
First Passage I did:
(page #1772, last paragraph)
It seems in this passage Thoreau is asking mankind to examine their lives, to question who they are, why they do what they do and more or less the human condition. Thoreau believes that men by nature behave accordingly to the way society sees it socially acceptable.
Man doesn't question enough the reason why things are the way they are and deny "the possibility of change." He uses a direct, philosophical quote from Confucius, after straying from religious comments, to express his opinion that "when one man has reduced a fact of his imagination to be a fact to his understanding, I forsee that all men will at length establish their lives on that basis." When man does not question things, their life will become no more than a mere illusion to the reality. Man can not just take another man's perspective and wield it as his own.
Thoreau, here, is commenting on the hegemonic part of society. Thoreau, himself, is being counter-hegemonic by telling the public to rebel from their instinctual desires to "trust" the existence and meanings of their ritualistic mannerisms and socially acceptable actions in society. In this passage he seems to use the church as an institution that conveys idealogical consent. "at night we unwillingly say our prayers and commit ourselves to uncertainties." It seems as though Thoreau is commenting on the fact that though one may not want to "live by faith" they do because that is what is expected by them. He pulls in this religious aspect to show the double standard between people who practice religion and yet are unaware of their own divinity and true connection to it. In organized religion, he argues, that man doesn't ask enough questions or try to discover their part in being. Man instead just follows along with the crowd (hegemonic).
~Jewels~
Thoreau critiques the lifestyle and extravagence that is the modern man. His works seem objective in the purpose of such criticism as well as relaying his views through his manner of living.
In the second paragraph of page 1781; "The childish and...skin-deep and alterable", Thoreau criticizes the human's whimsy and everchanging tastes in clothing and style. The metaphorical "kaleidoscope" suggests that these people view the world surreally and unsubstantially. People tend to deviate from previous trends and traditions as time passes on. Doing so may seem counter-hegemonic due to the conflicts between traditon and unending altercations in perception and interests. Keeping up with the trends in season, however, is also, in itself, hegemonic, especially in the views of youth.
Also on page 1781, in the last paragraph, Thoreau writes of man's need of shelter as it's just "now" that it has become necessary. He used direct quotations and biblical allusions of Adam and Eve as evdience for how shelter was not always so essential, but can not deny its importance as he mentions the weather's influence. Such a subject can't really be said to be neither hegemonic nor counter-hegemonic for it is a necesity and only common sense for one to find shelter. Yet Thoreau was still able to criticize humans as superfluously seeking shelter as a means to gain prestige.
To further qualify his criticism on the human need for shelter, Thoreau writes of the farmers striving to own a home (1785) "And when the farmer has got his house, he may not be richer but the poorer for [it.]" He states that homes are a burden and can cripple one's life as much as it can alleviate it. "[Our] houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed in them". He compares home to prison because it is something that keeps one inside, trapped, away from the outside world. Such a view could be considered counter-hegemonic because it challenges how others usually view a home. Others would say that a home is a safeguard, while Thoreau denounces it as a prison. His views are critical and somewhat true as well because the home can be said to keep one in, rather than to keep things out.
-Danh Nguyen Nam-
My Second Passage:
(page #1777, first paragraph)
Thoreau, in this paragraph jumps into a little anecdote about a Native American trying to sell his baskets he had weaved to a wealthy white lawyer. The lawyer, of course, does not want any.To express the lawyer's distaste for the "Indian's" craft, Thoreau states "that the lawyer had only to weave agruements." This play on words creates an understanding that the lawyer is regarded as a higher class than the "Indian" and his basket weaving.
Thoreau relates himself to this "Indian" because Thoreau also had a poor time selling with his books. It is interesting how Thoreau would relate himself to an "Indian" considering the time period. Many thought of the "Indians" to be savage and wild. In some ways it seems that Thoreau is expressing how he is free of civilization and living "simply." Thoreau's overall meaning or theme centered around this little story is a probing question relating back to Gramsci- why are traditional intellectuals seen as superior to organic intellectuals? A man who uses his hands to create art and worth should not be any less than a teacher-or a lawyer in this case. Thoreau asks the meaning behind praising one man's work as successful and the other man's as not. He ask "Why should we exaggerate any one kind at the expense of the others?"
Thoreau, once again, is expressing the need for counter-hegemony. Society needs to open its eyes and see that the existence "traditional intellectuals" and the label could not be possible if it were not for "organic intellectuals." He seems to be trying to convey the message that living "simply" would be in fact more "simple." Material possessions and the division between wealth and poverty has left an imprint on society's mind that has completely washed away its ability to judge and think critically and what they really need in life.
~Jewels~
Keyla Hernandez AP English
4/3/08 Questions
Pg.1773 Paragraph 2
1.) I believe that he is trying to say that the economy isn’t really changing that everyone is kind of living in the same norm and how there isn’t much change from back then in their ancestors time then now and how society and it’s laws are the same as back then. “…as our skeletons, probably are not to be distinguished from those of our ancestors.”
2.)He actually compares society to back in the old days. He comments on the fact that we aren’t much different from our ancestors and how we can‘t really Compare our skeletons to our ancestors and how we have the same morals and laws that our ancestors also believed in.
3.) I think that he is giving an example of a hegemonic society because he is talking about the merchant and how times aren’t really changing and everyone is constantly following the same old laws and are following the old ways. He doesn’t talk about institutions in that paragraph he is giving more of like examples of a hegemonic society by talking about the merchant and the stores.
First passage: First full paragraph on 1772
In this paragraph Thoreau is describing , what he believes is, the reason for humanities tendency towards “ennui” and a lack of vigor for exploration of life. He blames it on a general belief, a hegemonic ideology, that all that can be done; has been done. He suggests that “both the heights and the valleys and all things to be cared for” have been exhausted by past generations. He argues that this is far from the truth and that humanity has absolutely no idea how much can be done because “man’s capacities have never been measured.”
In this passage Thoreau uses many anecdotes dealing with the ways in which generations of the past have created the illusion of having done all humanity can do. In an anecdote dealing with instructions, given by Hippocrates, on how to properly cut one’s fingernails Thoreau employs satire. The satire is evident in the fact almost nothing could seem more tedious or spawned from boredom than instructions on how to care for fingernails. And in that if the great physician and intellectual Hippocrates has nothing more interesting to do than write about his manicure preferences, the boundaries of humanity must have been reached.
This passage conveys a counter-hegemonic message by disclaiming the validity of the traditional intellectuals quoted. Thoreau discuses Hippocrates and John Evelyn, traditional intellectuals, in a way that debases their authority. He supports a counter-hegemonic stance by discouraging organic intellectuals and others from buying into the traditional intellectuals’ hegemonic ideology. Thoreau states that the capacities of man have not been tested, despite what the quotes from Hippocrates and John Evelyn and their life’s work suggest.
First passage: First full paragraph on 1772
In this paragraph Thoreau is describing , what he believes is, the reason for humanities tendency......
Belongs to Kassie Doyle
Pg.1773 Paragraph 2
1.) I believe that he is trying to say that the economy isn’t really changing that everyone is kind of living in the same norm and how there isn’t much change from back then in their ancestors time then now and how society and it’s laws are the same as back then. “…as our skeletons, probably are not to be distinguished from those of our ancestors.”
2.)He actually compares society to back in the old days. He comments on the fact that we aren’t much different from our ancestors and how we can‘t really Compare our skeletons to our ancestors and how we have the same morals and laws that our ancestors also believed in.
3.) I think that he is giving an example of a hegemonic society because he is talking about the merchant and how times aren’t really changing and everyone is constantly following the same old laws and are following the old ways. He doesn’t talk about institutions in that paragraph he is giving more of like examples of a hegemonic society by talking about the merchant and the stores.
pg1774 last paragraph
1.) He is saying that there is no wiser man than that who lives in voluntary poverty. Being rich doen't make you noble or wise it just makes you a man but a man who lives in a world of poverty in which they choose then the man is wise enough to become an observer of life and see how something so simply as a fruit can be a luxury.
2.) He talks about the ancient philosphers as different countries to signify how little we really know about them because we have never lived and observed in such a place but how suprising it is how much we do know about it never having been there. He also used rhetorical questions to where he tries to show how a philosopher gives up everything in order to get wisdom or achieve it by knowing or observing the world.
3.) This shows a counter hegemonic view because he talks about philosphers and how they achieve wisdom and observe the human life not through what man perceives to be luxury but through what luxury could be like a simple ordinary fruit or plant. So it shows how the philosopher's ideas are merely what they observe and see.
Pg 1772 last paragraph
1.) Thoreau is talking about how people seem to follow the same norm "denying the posibility of change" and how their is many different ways to live properly as demande by society that there isn't just one perfect way to live by.
2.) He uses religion and faith as a way of describing the "morally correct" and how people seem just to believe in one thing rather then in many and he also uses a quote from Confucious to explain how life is the way we live it not the way that others live it for us.
3.) this shows a hegemonu view because it shows how the society is influencing people to live a certain way that seem fit and also because he uses religion in a way to exclaim how people have one view and one belief system rather than having many and showing diiferent views rather than just one.
By Keyla Hernandez
Whooops... I never posted this:
My Third Passage I did:
(pg 1782, first paragraph)
In this passage Thoreau is speaking of how children are born with the natural instinct to love the outdoors. "Every child begins the world again, to some extent, and loves to stay out door, even in wet and cold." When children are just-well-children they are free of hegemonic restraint. Children have not learned the social "norm" yet and are as free as man can get from anything. It isn't until years later do they learn to be "proper" and see living in a house with a leek free roof as "normal."
Thoreau also mentions how children love to explore caves. He says this is "the natural yearning of that portion of our primitive ancestor..." From caves, humans advanced over and over again until we ended up where we are now-with wooden houses and shingle roofs.
Thoreau asks his audience to think back to how the world once was and how nature lives. Thoreau is once again asking man to live "simply." Thoreau, this time, however does not tell man to throw everything away and become simple. He acknowledges the need for a home and instead asks his audience to sometimes simply make a journey out into nature and take in its beauty. "...perhaps if we were to spend more of our days and nights without any obstruction between us and the celestial bodies..."
Thoreau uses examples of birds to express what he means "Birds do not sing in caves, nor do doves cherish their innocence in dovecots." Thoreau is telling man to step out of their comfort zone and see what the world has to offer outside of industrialized items and possessions of little real worth.
~Jewels
Thoreau begins by asking what the “chief end of man” is, immediately setting up a counter-hegemonic idea by suggesting it is not to “glorify God and enjoy him forever”. He never actually gets around to saying what the chief end of man is in this paragraph, but he does specify that it isn’t what our elders believe it is. Thoreau goes on a rant about how age means nothing in relation to wisdom, basically refuting the idea of respecting your elders. (Kind of sounds exactly like my essay, what a coincidence)
Thoreau makes an allusion to the Shorter Catechism from the New England Primer and to Christianity by discussing to “Chief end of man” , and to Homer‘s Odysseus. Metaphor is used to draw a parallel between short-lived ideas and mindsets that change with new developments and have followers that are willing to abandon them once they become obsolete and others that are more stubborn to a cloud of smoke and a promising rain cloud that was hoped to fertilize fields.
Kassie Doyle
Last paragraph on page 1786
In this paragraph Thoreau expresses his belief that materialism, fashion, and trends will “emasculate” a man. He claims that he would much rather have the simple and more deficient thing than the elaborate and fanciful decorations and fashions becoming popular.
In this paragraph he supports the hegemonic ideology of the separate spheres for men and women and that deviating from one’s defined gender characteristics is wrong. He negatively talks of the men who have embraced the “feminine” fashion trends and says that any American man should be ashamed to even know the names of these frivolous things.
In the lines “I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion. I would rather ride on Earth in an ox cart with a free circulation, that go to heaven in the fancy car of an excursion train and breathe a malaria all the way” Thoreau uses a metaphor to describe his preference to simpler things and his dislike of the “effeminacy” of luxurious trends. Juxtaposition is also used to show the immense differences between these two lifestyles.
Kassie Doyle
pg. 1770, paragraph 2:
1.)Here, Thoreau is critiquing men and women's role in society. He's describing their tendency to live in "machine-mode," and involve themselves in unimportant and materialistic nonsense. He describes that in society, we have grown to prioritize poorly, placing tedious and unncessary tasks before relations with others and stopping to recognize the finest qualities in nature.
2.)To convey his message, Thoreau uses similies, for example, "The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be preserved only by the most delicate handling." He also uses extended metaphor of clumsy hands for peoples' inexperience with nature and each other in the second sentence.
3.) This message conveys ideologies of a hegemonic society in various ways. He describes the interactions between people and their work as almost robotic, and meaningless. These exemplify hegemonic aspects of society.
-Kelly
pg. 1769, paragraph 3:
1.)In this paragraph, Thoreau is critquing the employment system, and the world of working. He is saying that in the end, it is useless and non-beneficial to the individual.
2.)Some literary strategies he uses are allusion (to a Greek analogue to the biblical legend of Noah and the flood.) He states, "It is a fool's life as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before. It is said that Deucalion and Pyrrha created men by throwing stones over their heads behind them.
3.) In this paragraph, he illustrates ideologies of a hegemonic society. He portrays the labor in society as repetitive, similar, and conformed. He describes that it is also unbenificial and useless.
-Kelly
pg. 1773, paragraph one:
1.) In this paragraph, Thoreau describes the the influence of nature on our lives and the issues of change in lifestyle. He writes about the way we learn from change, stating, "All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant."
2.) He uses allusion to a proverb from Confucious, saying, "To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, this is true knowledge. This agrees with his argument, and backs up his profound statements.
3.) He is describing both a hegemonic society, and counter-hegemonic ideologies. He explains that in our hegemonic society, we do not take full advantage of knowledge, and choose not to learn from change. He also inferrs that, by taking change as a positive and insightful aspect to our lives, we can break away from conformity, or, in essence, from our hegemonic society.
-Kelly
pg. 1773, paragraph one:
1.) In this paragraph, Thoreau describes the the influence of nature on our lives and the issues of change in lifestyle. He writes about the way we learn from change, stating, "All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant."
2.) He uses allusion to a proverb from Confucious, saying, "To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, this is true knowledge. This agrees with his argument, and backs up his profound statements.
3.) He is describing both a hegemonic society, and counter-hegemonic ideologies. He explains that in our hegemonic society, we do not take full advantage of knowledge, and choose not to learn from change. He also inferrs that, by taking change as a positive and insightful aspect to our lives, we can break away from conformity, or, in essence, from our hegemonic society.
-Kelly
second paragraph pg. 1769:
1.) Thoreau is saying that property (inherited property specifically, but it seems to imply property as a whole) is cumbersome and impedes living "a man's life".
2.) The first literary strategy Thoreau uses is allusion. "Better if they had been... suckled by a wolf," refers to the mythology of Romulus and Remus who were abondoned in the wilderness and suckled and raised by a wolf mother. Ironically Romulus killed Remus over disputed property and Romulus then founded Rome, became king, and owned much property.
3.) This message conveys a very counter hegemonic ideological stance. It doesn't quite challenge the idea of private property, but it does challenge the idea that the aquisition of property and wealth is the goal in life or even a necessity.
shenzi
paragraph 3, page 1770:
1.) Thoreau is continuing to criticize labor and wealth ideas in society.
2.) Thoreau uses a mild kind of ironic, sarcastic satire. He characterizes the act of reading his book as "robbing your creditors of an hour".
3.) This is, like the rest, counter-hegemonic. It builds upon the property and wealth stuff by calling to thought capitalist labor and the idea of credit and the importance of money.
shenzi
p.s. i think by now we can pretty much agree that Thoreau is counter-hegemonic. so is Emerson. i think by this point it becomes an unnecessary question. just my own little commentary.
paragraph 4, pg. 1772:
1.) Thoreau is saying that the things that most consider good he sees as bad. He is not any more specific about this than to refer to his "good behavior".
2.) He uses no particular literary strategy except, i suppose the use of "demon" in the paragraph's third line. i suppose this is metaphor of a kind, but not particularily potent.
3.) of course it is counter-hegemonic. This paragraph is almost exclusively counter-hegemony for counter-hegemony's sake.
shenzi
In the passage on page 1768 Thoreau states his sympaty for the unfortuante young men who inherit the tools and farms of their father and are strapped down with the lives that their fathers had. "my townsmen, whose misfortunate it is to have inhereited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools." Thoreau uses rhetorical questions to pick the minds of his reader and force them to think about why labor and servitude are past down from generation to generation and why some people were born to work until they died."Who made them serfs of the soil?...Why should they begin digging their graves as soon as they are born?
-semone scurry
In the passage on page 1771-1772 Thoreau uses an anecdote uncover the false reasoning of others. In the anecdote Thoreau speaks of a man that believes that a man cannot servive on "vegetable food alone," but all the while on his search for bones for sustinance he is being pulled along by his stong ox, which servives soley on a diet of wild plants. Thoreau uncovers that man may believe that they need certain things but truthfully thay only need what they can survive on. "some things are really necessaries of life in some circles, the most helpless and diseased, which in other are luxuries merely, and in others still are entirely unkown." Thoreau's view is on of counter hegemony because he believes in only having what you need and in most societies wealth is based on your ability to acquire an excess of property.
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