Emily Dickinson...not really sure about her

I have to agree with of my other peers, that I'm not a huge fan of Dickinson. Honestly, I had no idea what her poems meant that we read in class until we talked them over for a while. Even then I was not completely sure what they meant.
I was looking at my notes from her poem about madness 620 [435], and I'm still confused. She did compare madness with sense, but I'm unsure as to what point she was making. Is she exclaiming that no one can really make sense, or that someone sould make sense of madness? Either way, I think she is talking about individual over society.
Along with that, her lifes seems very quiet and sad. She mentions in one of her poems how she has church at home. I want to push her into community with other believers. I know that sometimes it's good for one to step back and dwell on their own thoughts and life, but it's also very important to stay connected with life and society. I don't agree with everything she has to say, or even understand it, but that's okay.

Carnival Post: Conglomerated Thoughts on Whitman

Personally, I really enjoyed learning about Walt Whitman and his works. His thoughts are intriguing, and can make one think deeply about simple things (such as grass). For one to write a famous poem, solely on grass, has talent. Anyways, most of the classmates agreed with me about Whitman’s talent. Even though not everyone felt the same way, it’s important to see both sides of view! Whitman talks a lot about how diversity is a positive thing, and in this instant it is as well.

Some of the classmates who mentioned that Whitman was interesting and enjoyable also talked tended to talk about how he paints beautiful pictures with his words. Tanisha talked a lot about how his imagery of grass really excited her, and made her appreciate it more. Another interesting subject that was talked about in regards to Whitman was the fact that he celebrates the individual. Julia wrote, “His opening words of Song of Myself (1) express how he celebrates each individual and the art possessed within our souls. It is not a statement derived from egotistical intentions but rather a call for people to recognize the potential they have as unique individuals.” Whitman chooses to dwell on the positives of the “self” rather than shooting them down. I’m not sure if he is leaning towards narcissism, but I would hope not.

Esther’s thoughts towards Whitman were a little different than most of the ones I read, but I appreciate her thoughts. She talks about how Whitman was pretty egotistical. She mentions his lines, “Divine am I inside and out, and I make holy whatever I touch or am touch'd from/The scent of these arm-pits aroma finer than prayer/This head more than churches, bibles, and all creeds.” She also comments that she could be taking his poetry to literally, but I agree that he can come off as narcissistic. Esther also wrote, “He simply seems to be singing the praises of humanism to the extreme - that we as humans can be completely satisfied in this world and in ourselves through gratifying all of our desires. "I believe in the flesh and the appetites/Seeing, hearing, feeling, are miracles, and each part and tag of me is a miracle”.  He could be focused more on humanism, rather than the power/control of God, but I didn’t pick that up by reading them. Reading her post makes me second guess Whitman though, because those lines do seem almost too bold.

Tanisha took a different swing on things, and focused on how Whitman makes simple things seem powerful. She wrote, “Whitman not only provides great imagery throughout his poems, but he also leaves reminders for what is important”.  I agree with this. When he writes on creation, he really seems to be thankful for it and it also makes me more thankful for it. His writing makes me want to take life more simple, and focus on what’s important. Andrew wrote, “He has some really interesting undertones to some of his poems, undertones that seem to be much more suited to the culture of today than the 1800s. That aside, he paints some beautiful word pictures.” He seems to think that Whitman write with solid imagery, but Andrew also debated whether or not Whitman was writing in praise to God, or just praise to creation itself. All of these opinions of Whitman are valid, and I side with both. I do think that Whitman had an artist’s hand when writing poems because he does paint a beautiful picture of creation. On the other hand he does seem very consumed with himself. Either way I’m thankful for his work, and hope that he wrote with good intentions rather than giving himself glory.

Emily Dickinson

620 [435] page 1216

Much Madness is divinest Sense-
To a discerning Eye-
Much Sense- the starkest Madness-
'Tis the Majority
In this, as all, prevail-
Assent - and you are sane-
Demur - you're straighway dangerous-
And handled with a Chain-

Sometimes Dickinson's poems can be hard for me to know what she's talking about, and this was one of those poems. Some random thoughts we talked about in class were: what makes sense, and what lies out of common sense? Getting people to look at things from a different perspective. This poem talks about madness and sense. It speaks of getting people to look at things from a different perspective and finding the meaning of widom. Also, hints on individual verses society, and having a higher focus.

An example we talked about in class was if schools should think about promoting abstinence in schools or focus more on the reality of the matter. It makes me sad to think that schools have to promote "safe" sex rather than abstinence. What is the sense of the matter, and what is madness? Personally, I think promoting "safe" sex can make students think that it's okay, but if schools stick with teaching abstinence then maybe students will understand the seriousness of the matter.

Song of Myself

Walt Whitman wrote in Song of Myself, "You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, nor look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres in books, you shall not look through jy eyes either, nor take things from me, you shall listen to all sides and filter them form your self" (1012). He is talking about how one should figure out their beliefs for themself. Hemmingway wrote something similar, and he explained how one shouldn't be looking up what to believe in libraries but one should live life for oneself.

I really like this idea of one figuring out life for themself, but I do think that one can learn from the past. Everyone makes mistakes, but maybe one can escape some mistakes by looking at ones that people have made before them. This was written during the romantic period, when the individual was celebrated.  Transcendentalism was developed during this time, when the focus was more on the nature over civilization. The shift in the wtyle of writing was less importance on rhymn/meter/strict form.

Sentimental Novel?

Uncle Tom's Cabin is definitely a sentimental novel, in my eyes. Even by reading the first couple chapters, there words were tugging at my heart. By reading about the painful experiences of the slaves, it can form a catharsis of some kind. A gratefulness for one's own state, or maybe even a reliability in some way can create sentimental feelings. This novel was written in a way to show the sinfulness of slavery, and it created an up rise because of the feelings it stirred from the readers. This "marketing strategy" worked, but it speaks of real-life situations that needed, and still need to, be addressed and stopped. One might take the novel as too dramatically written. If one does think that, they should step into the shoes of a past slave, and see if the novel related. I think they would be surprised at the painful lives some have lived.

Uncle Tom's Cabin and Today

Reading through "Uncle Tom's Cabin" one can wonder if we have anything like this going on in our world today. It scares me to think we do, but I also think it's a smart thing to consider. What are misconceptions that we have about the Bible. It makes me cringe when the Bible is quoted by the white characters in the novel, because most of them think they're in the right. Slavery is in no way right. I can't see anything right about it.
What is something that I do, and might think it's right, but it really is not? I think that's a valid question to ask. Some red-flags I see in our world today are how huge Church buildings are being made and some of them are way over the top in my eyes. In my personal life though, I know that I need a heart check when it comes to spending my money. Most of my money is spent on myself and so the fact that I'm judging the Church isn't right either.
What I'm trying to say is that each one of us should look at our lives personally, and at our world as a whole and try to decipher the misconceptions going on. Positive changes can be made if we work together, and ignoring the changes needed won't get us anywhere.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

This book is really hard to read when knowing it's based on true events. I can't believe this ever happened. I don't see how any race of people could think how they're better than another, and should be waited on hand-and-foot. It sickens me.
Thinking about some of the characters, I appreciate Mrs. Shelby because she stands up for what she believes in. Although, her conscience seems to tell her slavery is wrong she still is letting her husband participate. She makes the "best" of the situation by making friends with them, and she's downtrodden when she finds out her husband was going to trade any of them.
I like the character George Harrison. He is very down in the first part of the book, and I can completely understand why. He worked his way up in a business and was well liked. Just because his owner seemed jealous of him, and didn't want him to have power he made his life miserable. I don't blame him for running to Canada.

What to think of Uncle Tom

In class we debated on whether or not Uncle Tom's character was noble or if he let himself be too controlled. My first opinion of him was that he was noble. I thought of him as one who took the "bullet", even when times got hard, so that others would not be hit. I thought of him as someone who is full of morality, has a humble spirit, and is inspirational.
The more we talked about it in class, I think a lot differently about him. Not that I don't think he's a good guy, but I definitely think he lets himself be too controlled. He is honest, but too submissive. When Eliza left with her son because there were about to be sold, Tom stayed back. The reason seemed to be that he didn't want the whole farm to be sold, and that's noble. Part of me wonders if he stayed back mostly because he was crippled by fear. He hasn't known life much different, rather than being a slave on the Shelby's farm, and I could see how it could be hard to let that go. Another instance he seems too controlled is when he jumps into the water to save the Eva. This is very noble, but it also made me wonder if he did it to serve the white men on the boat. This could be a very harsh statement, but I also think that he was pushed around too much. II don't want to seem like I'm down-looking Tom's character.'m glad he saved Eva, but I just wish (not in this instance though) he would stand up for himself.

The Raven

In this intriguing poem, there is an element of fear and mystery. We talked about in class how the speaker is going through this inner struggle and he's searching for healing. He looks to a bird (the Raven) for the answers, and he munipulates the same answer into what he wants to hear. I didn't realize the word "nevermore" could mean so many different things! I like the part when the speaker is talking about how the bird must have come from an unhappy master. It states in the poem, "Caught form some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster / followed fast and followed faster--so, when Hope he would adjure..." The speaker, at first, seems to focus on the problems of the bird but then starts to think about his own. This poem really keeps one on the fence because you're unsure what is about to happen. 

Chillingworth and Dimmesdale

As a physician, Chillingworth does have a legit excuse to get to know Dimmesdale but not at the level he is trying to. For instance, he could be asking him questions in order to know where his health is going, but his motives are different. Chillingworth and Dimmesdale's "relationship" seems very sketchy and it's only for selfish benefit.

Chillingworth hopes to get an answer from Dimmesdale concerning his wife, but his scheme doesn't seem to be working in his favor early on. Chillingworth starts speaking of an unspoken crime to him and Dimmesdale replies, "The heart, making itself guilty of such secrets, must perforce hold them, until the day when all hidden things shall be revealed." Dimmesdale is planning on keeping his secrets hidden until the day Jesus returns. I'm not sure why he is less afraid of God's judgement rather than man's, because that is definitely a mistake.

Dimmesdale

I can see Dimmesdale's huge pressure to keep a mask on throughout most of this story. He has played this role of being the town's stable man, and one that they look to for direction and morality. Although, he has played this role and doesn't want to let down his town's people he should confess. There are times when one can just confess a sin to the Lord and be forgiven, without telling anyone else, but I don't believe this is one of those cases.

Dimmesdale says, "Happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret!" I don't sympathize much for his to feel this inner pain, because he could end this pain by confessing. At the same time, I realize how hard that can be. He is being tormented innerly, but he won't feel freedom unless he lets this go; lets go of what others will think of him. Hawthorne wrote about Hester's character, "She had not known the weight, until she felt the freedom!" I wish this upon Dimmesdale, because life will be easier in the end if he mans-up at this earlier part in the story.

Pearl

What does the character Pearl have to say? She can't defend herself, or her mother, at the beginning of The Scarlet Letter but I know she would if she could. Here, she sees her mother being mocked while she's being held in front of the whole town. Pearl, is also getting part of the blame from the townspeople, even as a precious innocent baby. Even though her mother has sinned, Pearl is not a mistake. Pearl should not be thought of as an error. A very beautiful blessing came out of this situation, and that is not emphasized or looked upon at all by others.

So often children blame themselves for mistakes of their parents in our world today. For instance, when divorces happen kids sometimes blame themselves for it. This is not truth, and children should never have to feel like mistake their parents make are because of them. My heart goes out to her character, because she is almost a clutch for her mother. Her mother has been shunned from the town, and only has her daughter. Her daughter gets to live with a woman that is feeling alone and Pearl could feel the pressure to help her mother feel better. Pearl, eventually marries and moves away from the distress she’s lived with since she was born, but I’m sure it was hard to work through.

Hester

So far in the Scarlet Letter I have been very impressed with the character Hester. I can't imagine having the whole town criticizing me, and not showing me any grace. I also know that I wouldn't be able to not hold my tongue and not try to explain myself. I know that I would care way too much about what people think of me to not want to blame anyone else along with me.

After reading about Hester, I hope that I would act with the same class as she did. I'm still unsure as to why she hasn't told the town who Pearl's father is, but I respect it either way. Hawthorne wrote, “She was patient,--a martyr, indeed, --but she forebore to pray for her enemies…”

What would it take to truly love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us. My life has never has had as much ridicule as Hester’s, but I still have a problem forgiving those who hurt me. I am encouraged and challenged by her character, and I hope to live out what I’ve learned from her.

Thoreau: Work and Possessions

In the first pages of reading Thoreau, I was intrigued by his ideas of men working. He talks about the struggle of men trying to work and how little the gain is compared to the hardship. He writes, "He has no time to be anything but a machine". He speaks of how one should treat themselves with delicate handling rather than roughing up the body. I've never read a man's perspective on their work, and it made sense to me. I think it's really important for a person to enjoy their work, because it is a part of life. I also think one should take time to rest as well and take care of themselves.

I also really like the idea that he has about how people tend to waste their lives when they have to work so many hours to pay off things that they don't get to enjoy. For instance, if a man boys a big house and has to work all of the time to pay it off he won't get to enjoy it. This subject made me not want to buy as much, and to enjoy what I already have and to be thankful. I would rather live a simple life than have to work all of the time to pay off what I buy. Like Thoreau, I want to enjoy nature and the simple things of life. I don't want possessions to end up owning me, rather than me owning them.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I like Emerson's view of living life rather than following others completely. He explains some rich views of how a person is not what they do. For instance, a person should not be called a "famer" but instead "a person who farms". This makes it so all are equal, and just because they do a particular job that does not define them. He also talks about the individual and becoming self-reliant. I like when he writes, "...but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude" (536). He also writes, "...why should we grope among the dry bones of the past, or put the living generation into masquerade out of its faded wardrobe? The sun shines to-day also" (492).

I totally agree with Emerson's idea of not living in the past, and being okay with making our own worship, work, and laws that flow with today instead of the past. I also think that the older generation as learned sometimes the hard way, and it's important we don't forget that so that we can learn from the past. There is a difference from learning from the past, and not living in the past. For instance, I'm learning from Emerson (a man from the past) and am learning a lot, but that doesn't mean I have to follow his every direction and dwell on how he lived life.

Reflection on American Literature [1820-1865]

This time in history can also be known as the American Romanticism, American Renaissance, or the Age of Transcendentalism. It was a time of becoming a more independent country, and literature was a step in the right direction to become more free from English tradition.

The literature during this time focused a lot on nature imagery, and ran away from an artificial mindset. It also broke down on the emphasis of rhythm in poetry. It had a lot of emotion and instinct over reason and also individual mindset over society as a whole. It really celebrated the individual, and pushed for one to make choices for themself. It really started forming American literature because it wanted to break away from the regular British tradition of literature and the question "Who are we as a country?" started being answered through people thinking independently from what they had always known. The book states, “England may have had Spenser, Shakespeare, and Donne, but America, Matthiessen argued, had Emerson, Hawthorne, Melville, and Whitman” (431). Their independence was starting to be revealed even more.

Washington Irving

He is known for writing "Rip Van Winkle" which is a crazy and imaginative tale. I couldn't help but think of Irving's own biography while talking about this tale because Rip became a bachelor and learned to be thankful for things in life. Irving also became a bachelor in his lifetime. Rip's case is different considering he fell asleep for twenty years and awoke finding out that his nagging wife had passed. He could have been relieved at first, but he starts realizing how much life has changed and has a shift in identity.

This made me wonder if people define ourselves by what's around us. Rip used to live a carefree life, and everyone accepted who he was (besides his wife it seems), and now he is in a place where no one knows him. He starts having to find his identity on his own, and goes through a hard and growing process.

I started thinking about this story and my own life. I think that if I went to a different high school or college, or grew up in a different city I would be a different person. It scares me to think about that; how fragile our lives are, but it also makes me thankful for where I am today. Thinking about this story really helped me reflect on my own life, and if I'm being thankful for each person that's in my life and where I've been placed. I also thought about how I need to find my identity fully in Christ. People will come and go in my life, and places with change, but the only stable and consistent One is the Lord and He'll guide me through.

Phillis Wheatley

I was very impressed with Wheatley's response to the blessings of Christ. She had a lot of things happen in her life, like being treated as a slave, but she seemed to look on the positive side of life. In her poem "On Being Brought from Africa to America" she has taught me so much, even though this poem is only eight lines long. She used her gift of writing as a witness for Christ and wrote, "'Twas mercy brought me from my pagan land,/taught my benighted soul to understand/that there's a God, that there's a Savior too..." (1-3). She seems to have such a humble spirit, and seems to understand the fact that Christ saved her and nothing she did brought her to a safe land.  There is a metaphor she used, whether it was intentional or not, that she was brought from Africa to America to live with a family that seemed to treat her well, and she also was brought to safety from death to live with Jesus. She has witnessed what it feels like to be, in a way, rescued and gives the credit to God.

Her other lines I enjoy from this poem are, "Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,/May be refined, and join the angelic train" (7-8). She is talking about the color of human's sin rather than their skin. She is pleading for others not to judge by the outside, but remember that the heart of a person is what matters in the end.

I complain a lot in life. I complain about the weather, homework, not getting enough sleep, and friendships/relationships. It was really beneficial to read what Wheatley had to say about being thankful for the Cross, and not thinking so much about this present life. My "problems" in life seem a lot less dramatic than hers, but she still kept a positive perspective. I've learned a lot from her.

De Crevecoeur

This guy reminded me a lot of John Smith. He has a vision, and it’s a big one. I admire him for the fact that he thought it was a positive thing that the United States was a melting pot.  With English, Irish, Scottish, German, Swedish, and so on, he thought of this as a new nationality.  He wanted something new with the new world, and he seemed to get what he wanted. He wrote, “We have no princes, for whom we toil, starve, and bleed; we are the most perfect society now existing in the world. Here man is free as he ought to be; nor is this pleasing equality so transitory as many others are” (311).  I like that he was so excited about the new world, and the direction it was going, but I also think that he thought it was too perfect.  This world will never have a perfect place till Jesus comes back, but I think he thought it was the closest thing we could get to perfect. 

John Adams and Abigail Adams

I really appreciate this couple. Relationships are hard in general, and especially if you have to live apart for ten years, but they seem to have it figured out. They have a different and admirable relationship because of how they communicated and what they all had in common. They wrote letters to each other, and although I wish there was more affection within them, I admired both of their knowledge regarding the Declaration of Independence.  Abigail didn’t grow up education, and that’s an amazing trait of her biography because she worked hard at learning despite the setback.

Another admirable trait about their relationship, and them as individuals, is that they cared a lot about the United States and the founding principles.  In one of Abigail’s letters she wrote this about the new constitution, “May the foundation of our new constitution, be justice, Truth and Righteousness. Like the wise Mans house may it be founded upon those Rocks and then neither storms or temptests will overthrow it” (305).  I’m so thankful that we had people like her while the time of creating the constitution, because the Lord was definitely working through her.  

Benjamin Franklin

I had never known much about Benjamin Franklin, but I have to say that I was not impressed. Although, I admire his self-discipline and motivation for being a good person I think he put way to much thought into scheduling his life.  First, I’m going to comment on what I admire about him so I don’t sound like such a critic. I admire the fact that he taught himself so many languages; French, Spanish, Italian, and Latin. I also need to be somewhat sympathetic of him because his father offered him as an offering to the church as a young boy, and then he had to leave school to work for his father. He seemed to be forced into a serious world growing up, and I give him credit for continuing to be a good person even though he could have rebelled. I admire his ambition for wanting to please God.

On the other end of the spectrum, I wish he enjoyed some freedom in the Lord. Joy and freedom come with being a Christian and I don’t feel that through his literature voice. His schedules that he had set out to make a timeslots that planned out his day are overwhelming. When one focuses so much on what they’re doing, and if they’re pleasing God, than they can start to become too much into the self. That could turn into pride or insecurity, if one is constantly critiquing themselves. 

I could definitely learn from Franklin that although Christ has won it doesn’t mean that we can sit around. There needs to be some self-discipline and if we love the Lord we will want to work for Him. Also, I don’t want to put down Benjamin Franklin, but I do hope that he had some joy in his life. I just want to give him a pat on the back and let him know that Christ loves him so much.

John Winthrop: Charity and Community

I already discussed John Smith and John Winthrop in comparison, but now I'm going to discuss just John Winthrop in a more detailed discussion.
I'm going to discuss Winthrop's idea of Christian charity, and also his idea of a community.
It is human nature to think about oneself more than others. We need the love of Christ to show any act of kindness towards others...it has nothing to do with us. I think about myself a lot, and I'm not proud of it. I think about how I'm feeling more than others, and about how I want to spend "my" time and money. When I pick up my paycheck I instantly think that it's mine and I've earned it. In his writings A Model of Christian Charity Winthrop discusses the matter that we, on earth, are made uniquely different for a purpose--for His purpose. Not only that, but we owe it to God to give Him back what's already His. That doesn't mean just money, but also our thoughts and actions. Our love. I'm not preaching, because this is something I struggle with daily. Winthrop brings up Proverbs 3:9, "Honor the Lord with your wealth, and the first fruits of your crops". Winthrop adds, "...he claims their service as His due...". It's an honor for us to be able to give to the King Almighty, and I want that kind of perspective.
I also admire Winthrop's idea of a community, and how he talks positive about the differences among man. Winthrop discusses that differences in God's creatures are there for a reason, and it's keeping the world preserved and well as a whole. In His writings A Model of Christian Charity he wrote, "...it appears plainly that no man is made more honorable than another or more wealthy, etc...". Not only is it for that benefit, but it gives God glory. His vast imagination could create somethings out of nothing in only seven days.  He also wrote "...that as it is the glory of princes to have many officers, so this great King will have many stewards...". Not that I think God can be compared to earthly princes but I do see Winthrop's point.
Winthrop hopes for a more knitted togethor community. He wrote, "Thirdly, that every man might have need of other, and from hence they might be all knit more nearly together in the bonds of brotherly affection". His argument may suggest that if we rely more on one another than there may be a tighter community. There won't be a perfect community till we get to Heaven, but I think it would be healthy for us, Americans, to stop trying to be so independant and afraid to ask others for help. Not everyone is like that, but I think it would help our country as a whole if we would share our struggles and fears among one another, and grow in love.

Edward Taylor...what a man!

I really appreciate that a lot of Edward Taylor's writings/meditations were not written for the public, or to make himself look better, but they were written during his personal time with the Lord. Specifically, I admire his Meditation 8 (First Series).  He talks about how his soul (Bird of Paradise) is in a cage because it pecked the Fruit that was forbidden. He's wondering what it will do now because the bird has "lost its golden days", and now is condemned. He then concludes with streams of Grace that will end all strife. He wrote, "The Purest Wheat in Heaven His dear-dear son" (21) would be the one to come. Jesus would come and end slavery to sin.
I like that he used the metaphor of the bird in a cage compared to humans bondage to sin. The fact of God sending down His Son to save us sinners is something I'll never be able to grasp, but I need to continually be reminded about the power of it.
He then talks about how the bird is saved and can eat the White Loaf that is in Heaven. He wrote, "It's Food too fine for Angels, yet come, take and Eat thy fill. It's Heaven's Sugar Cake" (29-30). We are not worthy of this gift, but we are welcomed warmly to come and take.
Thank you, Jesus!

Anne Bradstreet

Talk about a role model! Anne Bradstreet is very honest and isn't afraid of discussing about her personal struggles. It's interesting that her father put so much into her education, and that she could have had a very prideful attitude about being very intellectually smart. Especially for that time; when woman were seen as a less of a person than a gentleman.
When she talks about moving to the New World, after marrying. It's interesting how she explains her adjustment to the change. She wrote, "But after I was convinced it was the way of God, I submitted to it and joined the Church at Boston".  She was speaking of the new manners she had to get used to, and it's amazing how she could humble herself enough to admit she was wrong-and proceeded to submit to what the Lord was teaching her.
I also admired her letter to her children. She writes about caring way more about their relationship with Christ than anything else, and doesn't want her letter to be glorifying of herself. I liked reading this letter the most, rather than the other articles, because it wasn't about the rhyming and structure of her poems, it was just a letter that explained her life in a very personal way.

Comparison of John Smith and John Winthrop

John Smith and John Winthrop both had a mission. Even though their goals were similar the way they wanted to accomplish those goals was completely different.  Both of them had the goal to promote a successful New World and for the people of the New World to have a life of fulfillment.  John Smith wanted to get to that goal by focusing on one working hard for oneself to become successful, in a financial way.  John Winthrop focused on Christ’s love binding people together, and by becoming successful with His justice and mercy.  A lot of what John Smith focused on was how to become wealthy and gain the “American dream”. His writings were very self-promoting and had a marketing appeal. It is also said that he milked his stories.  From The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles he wrote, “Captain Smith, who, by his own example, good words, and fair promises, set some to mow, others to bind thatch, some to build houses, others to thatch them, himself always bearing the greatest task for his own share, so that in short time he provided most of them lodgings, neglecting any for himself.” It is hard for me to believe that he did not take any lodgings for himself, and his lack on humbleness perplexes me. In John Winthrop’s writing A Model of Christian Charity he wrote, “Therefore let us choose life, that we and our seed may live by obeying His voice and cleaving to Him, for He is our life and our prosperity”.  His goal was based on relying on Christ for direction rather than humanity.  I definitely agree with John Winthrop, but I also can’t judge John Smith. There have been many times in my life when my inspiration for achieving something is for financial gain, rather than for the glory of God. I also have made many decisions that I’ve made without praying about them first, but I don’t recommend. I hope that I’ll live my life based on John Winthrop’s views rather than John Smith’s, even though I know that I’ll continue to make mistakes.