Welcome to the American Literature Class Blog: Diamonds in
the Rough
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What does a good journal entry look like?
· Pick
a juicy passage and dig. Diamonds are mined.
· You
will find yourself learning things. Diamonds are valuable.
· Don’t
worry too much about rhetorical polish. This is not a paper, a work of
art in its own right, but a diamond in the rough.
-Dr. Hake
1: 8/24/12 (Introduction) (378 words)
ReplyDeleteOf the more interesting facts to stand out to me from this Nation’s conception in the bosom of the wilderness is in the seeds of the Puritans. It has been held by many that the puritans were by far a rather stoic group of people. People who generally turn a nasty glance towards comforts and the pleasures of the body. Yet what we find is quite the opposite. Rather than a stoic body of starched individuals, we find a hedonistic people. The puritans enjoyed a great many of the joys of life; beer chiefly among them. Coupled with a dedication to the word, and we see a people who truly do enjoy life.
This I think to be crucial to the further expansion of the coming kingdom. Many have held Christians to be the stoic stereotype of Puritanism; so focused on the coming life that somberness becomes the tone of all merriment. Ironically, I find this to echo the mischief of the Greeks; denying the senses in forgetfulness of God’s kindness. In truth, as C.S. Lewis observed, Christians are to be the most happy people on the earth; they have every reason to be. Because this is so, it is an improper, and I would even argue a sinful practice, that Christians and their goods be boring. God is himself the most interesting and fun-loving person in existence, and we do him the greatest disservice by appearing as pharisaic and boring. The church represents Christ, and we do not want to misrepresent him. God is the most interesting person in existence, therefore we have no excuse for making him look like a prudish and legalistic nun with a ruler.
Another point I found to be interesting was in the realities that the Indians—for I refuse to give in to the politically-correct spirit of the age—did in fact extort the colonists. In a generation of James Cameron’s Avatar, and Disney’s Pocahontas, it is often forgotten that the Indians themselves were also guilty of evils themselves. In fact, the Indians took advantage of the new weapons brought from the old world; coining to mind an image from War of the Worlds. This I found interesting, because it shows all men are sinners and no different; white or red.
Hi Josh,
DeleteIt would be best to make this into a new post. Simply go to the dashboard and click "new post"
thanks sir!
-Caleb Sasser