Unit 2 Romanticism and Transcendentalism

ELAALRL2 The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of theme in a work of American literature and provides evidence from the work to support understanding.

1. Read it again. What is a theme? Would you know one when you saw it? Could you provide evidence to support what you say? Take a moment to post to your blog what this standard might mean, and while you are at it, what this thing called theme" is.

theme is the message that they do want you to take away of.yes i would know one if i saw.yes i could provide evidence to support what i say.This standard means that well say your in a t.v show and your trying to figure out what is theme. For instance my favorite t.v. show is called law and order. The theme is about crime and its telling people who watch it not to do it. Its talking about the evidence they find at the scene and it's supporting what the evidence say. This thing called theme is what is it talking about.



1.Romantics felt that reason and logic can only go so far for someone who is homeless and starving, or suffering the side-effects of the Industrial Revolution like pollution and being injured in large factories.


The Romantics believed there were higher truths than reason and logic, and they felt this could be accomplished by listening to one’s heart, or using one’s imagination to reach better places than where they were physically.

2.Romantics also focused on nature in their writing since they thought it was a way to escape from the loud city, as well as a way to hear ones intuition.


3.They want to show that common regualar people as good as anybody else.

a. What is original sin? is when adam and eve first sinned and thats how we became sinners because we took some of their sins and inherited in us.

b. How did the Puritans feel about original sin?they felt that god is angry with everybody and sent some to hell and some to heaven.

c. How did the Rationalists differ from the Puritans? they differ by thinking that god didnt control everything and that things happen because of science.

d. What are the main themes of Romanticism? Georgia Performance Standard ELAALRL2 states that you should be able to identify themes and support them with evidence. I will expect that you can do this at this point.

1.Romantics felt that reason and logic can only go so far for someone who is homeless and starving, or suffering the side-effects of the Industrial Revolution like pollution and being injured in large factories.The Romantics believed there were higher truths than reason and logic.

2.Romantics also focused on nature in their writing since they thought it was a way to escape from the loud city, as well as a way to hear ones intuition.

3.They want to show that common regualar people as good as anybody else.

5. When you are through reading, post a 1-2 paragraph response to each piece of writing to your blog. Be sure to concentrate more on what you thought of each piece of writing. Try to include at least one piece of direct evidence with each response (remember standard #1). This should be something that stuck out to you about the particular piece of writing.

from Nature

After reading I thought that going into nature would be going into a place where you or I can feel protected. Being in the presence of nature could help you or I seek spiritualality and religion. I also think that Ralph Waldo Emerson makes a good point about this story because The Transcendentalists believed that nature is a struggle and to help them not to believe that Ralph would have to talk to them. I think that the man is a good man. This story was kind of odd because I'm not really into nature like that, but it was a good story I understood it a little bit.






from Self-Reliance
My opinion is this story made me realize how I always worry more about what my little sister do and i don't focus more on Jasmine. It's bettr for me to focus mor on me for now on, because by me keep focusing on my little sister isn't really going to get me anywhere in life. So what I'm going to do for now on is worry more about me and what i do and not what my little sister do and don't do.












6. Next, write explain how each piece is a good example of Transcendentalism by identifying the central themes I described earlier in the post. Use what you read above, and prove that each piece is a good example with a paragraph supported with direct evidence (one paragraph each).

from Nature

The Transcendentalists were against religion and believed that GOD had communicated with them through nature and through peoples minds. The Transcendentalists also had believed that every human being was good and pure. The Transcendentalists did not believe that institutions like the government or organized religion were effective. Emerson reflects this belief in his very first sentence of his work, from Nature, "To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society."



Transcendentalist are sturggling to define spiritualality and religion. Ralph Waldo Emerson says it's better to go into nature and you won't have to struggle anymore. You will be able to find protection, spirtuality and religion just by going in nature. My evidence found that this is true because the two sentences that represents this says, "In the woods, we return to reason and faith." The second sentece says, "Nature always wear the colors of the spirit." Ralph Waldo Emerson concludes that this can only be achieved by men and women working in harmony with nature.

from Self-Reliance

This story is talking about how you should believe more in yourself than anything because by you worrying about somebody else means your just hurting yourself, and putting yourself in danger. It's better to just worry about you and not no one else, because you can make and get to where you need to go if you just focus on yourself and believe in yourself.

Unit 1

ELAALRL3 The student deepens understanding of literary works by relating them to their contemporary context or historical background, as well as to works from other time periods.

this standard means to me that there is music and real life examples that relate to the history and literary works in the past.For Example the literary work, of Romeo and Juliet can be reflected to the time periods we have today. For Example:their is these couples one is American and the other person is Hispanic.The parents of the American child doesn't want there daughter to marry or go with the Hispanic because he isn't an American.This is important to students because they can see what was going on in history or old literary work so they can see what not to do in the modern time which is now.









1. Before you begin this unit, I want you to have a clear understanding of what you should be learning. Take a moment to post to your blog what you think the standard above addresses, and why you think it is important for you to master. Show me what you have written before you show me the rest.

SEE ABOVE...






2. Since we are starting at the beginning of American literature, we should start at a time before where we live was called America. Use your favorite search engine to find an example of Native American Literature (a poem, short folktale, or a prayer will work best). Read a few before you choose one. You need to be familiar with the example you choose because you will need to answer some questions about it. Copy and paste the example into your blog post.

"Sell a country! Why not sell the air,as well as the earth?

Did not theGreat Spirit make them all for the

use of his children?"

...Tecumseh, Shawnee

3. What do you think of your example? What is it about? Write a 2-3 sentence response to what you chose.

I think that this example is good for me and for others because one its short and two its talking about GOD. This quote is also talking about how GOD created land and the Earth. So why should you sell his area when he created it.0

4. Go to my drop box, and click on the Assignments folder. Watch the video called "Puritans". You should take some notes of the things that stand out to you -- direct quotes from the sermon will be helpful later. You should also take specific notice of their core beliefs:






5. Compare what your just heard to your Native American example. What are the differences in these two groups of people's cultures that stand out to you. How do their ideas of God differ? Do you see ways in which their cultures may clash? Post your thoughts to your blog. It should be at least a good paragraph with direct support from your example and the sermon in the video.


difference --The native believed in god and the puritans believed that God was a angry man and that he saved certain people and sent the rest of them to Hell.

natives thought--Natives thought that god had created the world
example--"Sell a country! Why not sell the air,as well as the earth?
Did not theGreat Spirit make them all for the
use of his children?"
...Tecumseh, Shawnee
puritans thought--Puritans thought that god was a very bad person and thought that JESUS didn't die on the cross for everybody and also thought that everybody was born a sinner.
example--is that naturally man are held in the hand of GOD over the pit of HELL.they have deserved the fiery pit and are already sentenced to it and GOD is already provoked.


6. There is a lot of differences between the puritans and the Rationalist. The main biggest part of the rationalist is that they believed in science and that they could us it to figure out the natural laws of the universe while the Puritans believed that God saved only a few people and had sent everybody to HELL.These people would argue over these reasons because they both thought they had both thought they were right as in the Puritans and the Rationalists.

7. Read the excerpt from The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin in the red American Literature book. Pay special attention to the efforts Franklin made to improve his life.
Benjamin Franklin was a great and awesome example for the rationalists because he discover the laws of nature and they had became more intelligent throughout the years.

Give one example from The Autobiography of how Franklin is a good example of a rationalist. Make sure you explain why, and provide an example straight from the text.

The reason why i chose these 13 virtues because of the fact that Benjamin Franklin had discover that using science was the reason for everything that happens.
My EX:
1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.
2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.
6. Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
He committed to giving strict attention to one virtue each week so after 13 weeks he moved through all 13. After 13 weeks he would start the process over again so in one year he would complete the course a total of 4 times.

8. If you were to make a list of thirteen virtues to improve upon in your life, what would they be? List them the way Franklin did. There are a couple more good examples here. Do you think you could reach moral perfection in this way? Explain how you feel. This should be a paragraph or two.


My virtues will be
1. acceptance-It cannot be changed as satisfactory
2. bravery-A quality of spirit that enables you to face danger of pain without showing fear.
3. obedience-Willing to obey
4. patience-The ability to endure delay, trouble, pain or hardship.
5. peace-Freedom from agitation
6. focus-Concentrated awareness
7. trustworthiness-Is able to be trusted.
8. generosity-Free from meanness and prejudice
9. honesty-Truthful,sincere,not always lying and cheating
10. justice-giving a deserved response.
11. kindness-Friendly and helpful to others
12. love-A deep feeling you have for someone
13. loyalty-Always faithful to a person
The reason why i chose these is because of the fact that i really think that these virtues are well caring because you can do so many of these without even looking at the virtues.

before unit 1 GPS

ELAALRL1 The student demonstrates comprehension by identifying evidence (i.e., examples of diction, imagery, point of view, figurative language, symbolism, plot events and main ideas) in a variety of texts representative of different genres (i.e., poetry, prose [short story, novel, essay, editorial, biography], and drama) and using this evidence as the basis for interpretation.

Well let me start off by saying that I think talking about these literary devices will help me understand them better than what i already do.I technically don't know what a lot of these literary devices means since I forgot about them.
Diction,imagery,point of veiw,figurative language,symbolism,plot events,main idea,poetry,prose,short story,novel,essay,editorial,biography,and drama i know about well at least i know a lil bit but heard of all of them. I don't know what imagery is but i would love to find out.Diction means talking or having something to say.point of view means observing or considering a standpoint.symblolism means showing symbols.point of view means where it takes place.