Journal 13 - Masters

Journal #13 – Edgar Lee Masters Epitaphs (p. 502)

Read “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” and answer the following questions.

1. What object symbolizes George Gray’s life? How is this object representative of him?

The boat represents George Gray’s life. This boat does not represent how George Gray lived his life, but more his life as a whole. It is a symbol that he was too afraid to fulfill his dreams and “set sail.” He remained docked throughout his entire life. He had a very average life, maybe even below average. His life was muted and very gray.

2. How was Lucinda Matlock’s life different than George Gray’s? How do you interepret the last line of the poem?

Lucinda Matlock achieved and fulfilled a great life. She took chances, got married, raised children, and upheld her household. She had a drive in her life, even though it wasn’t the best. She lost 2/3 of her children before she reached the age of 60, but she wasn’t afraid to live her life to its fullest and keep pushing up. She accomplished many great things, and didn’t let the bad things get her down. She lived to be 96 and had a great life.

3. How are “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” examples of realism?

George Gray and Luncinda Matlock are examples of realism because they are very realalistic characters. There are people in the world like Geoge Gray who truly have no drive in their lives. On the other hand, there are people in the world who are very successful and positive, and never let the bad things get them down. Both people are very realistic.

Journal 12 - Young Goodman Brown

1. “Young Goodman Brown” is an allegory (symbolic narrative). What do the following represent?

Young Goodman Brown – He represents innocence, a good man who doesn’t fully understand the world and its evils. He is going from innocence to experience through his travel in the woods.


Faith – Faith is Goodman Brown’s wife. He represents his religious faith and love for God. She also represents his faith in humanity and the world.


The Elderly Traveller/Fellow-Traveller – The Elderly Traveller represents the devil or dark and evil influences. He is tempting Goodman Brown to take the evil journey through the woods.


Goody Cloyse – Goody Cloyse represents his past faith. He taught Goodman Brown about religion when he was younger, she represents the corruption and hypocrisy of the situation. She appears to be good and holy, but is actually evil and corrupted just like the Fellow Traveller.


The Ceremony – The Ceremony represents a test or revelation. It is a religious ceremony where Goodman Brown officially loses his faith. It has symbolic significance (initiation/confirmation).


The Pink Ribbon – The Pink Ribbon represents Goodman Brown’s loosing of his faith. When it falls, he says “My faith is gone” referring to both his wife and his religious faith.


Young Goodman Brown’s Journey – His Journey represents life and the changes that one goes through during life. It represents the journey from childish innocence to the adulthood of experience.



2. Identify the following for “Young Goodman Brown”:
Theme: Sin/Human Weakness
Message of the Theme: Sin and temptations draw human’s away from God and the good things in life. We are weak and often give into the evils of the world.
Element Used: Symbols/Characterization




In addition, provide three direct quotes from the story that address your theme.
1. “Faith kept me back awhile.”
2. ``My Faith is gone!'' cried he, after one stupefied moment. ``There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given.''
3. `There,'' resumed the sable form, ``are all whom ye have reverenced from youth. Ye deemed them holier than yourselves, and shrank from your own sin, contrasting it with their lives of righteousness and prayerful aspirations heavenward.’

Journal 11 - Walden

“Where I Lived and What I Lived For” (232)

One is more in touch with who they really are and should be when they are disconnected from the fundamentals and the essentials. Nature can help a person to find themselves and their deeper existence simply by sepending time being and “outcast” and spending time alone without distractions. One must be connected with their instinct and intuitions in order to have a pure and richer soul. Denying oneself from luxury and distractions will help to purify and deeper your faith and life in general.

Quote: “I went to the woods to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life…and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”

“Sounds” (234)

Walden is describing his days at the pond. He simply sat there and embraced nature to it’s fullest extent. He would take in the beauty of nature and the amazing life going on around him. He could spend hours observing the trees, sounds, and birds.

Quote: last sentence of passage

“Brute Neighbors” (235)

Hyperbole was used to exaggerate the ants, while at the same time explaining the pettiness of humans. He is watching in close detail the activities of nature and realizes that even the smallest and most insignificant creatures have some effect on our life. Their aspect on nature is somewhat negative; they commit horrible acts to each other simply for dominance.

Quote: “I was myself excited somewhat wvwn ask if they had been men. The more you think of it, the less the difference.” 235

“The Pond in Winter” (237)

Nature is a never-ending giver, even when we can’t see it’s bounty. Even in the winter humans can fish in a frozen pond if we work with nature in healthy and plesant way. Nature is God’s creation and is therefore a little pience of heaven. It is beautiful during all the seasons, even though most do not fully appreciate it’s beauty during the winter months. Even the snow is a beautiful creation. Although most plants die and the grass turns brown in the winter, it is amazing how animals can survive the cold winter months. Humans are still able to hunt, fish, and be compatible with nature even when the weather is inconvenient. If we are successful with a positive relationship with nature, great things are possible throughout the entire year. Nature is always there, even when we can’t nessecarily see and feel it.

Quote: “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads..” Page 237

“Spring” (238)

Spring is the season of rebirth. Winter is harsh, cold, and long and when springtime comes back around everything becomes beautiful and peaceful again. Spring is almost a representation of the creation of the universe all over again.

Quote: “as every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.” Page 239

Journal 10 - Othello's Insight

Othello’s Insight

Write a one paragraph response to the following question:

Often at the end of a play, Shakespeare’s tragic heroes often have a moment of insight. What is Othello’s insight? Look closely at Othello’s last speech before answering this question.

In Othello’s last speech, he tells his close friends that when they write their letters once Othello is dead, he wants them to tell the whole truth about him. He doesn’t want them to hold back and write only good things about him. Othello wants them to write the bad stuff and the good stuff, he wants the people to understand who he really was. He tells them to write that he loved to much but was not smart about the way and the extent that he loved, that he is not easily made jealous but was tricked and manipulated by his own friends. He tells them that he drove himself crazy with jealousy and was a fool who threw away a precious pearl with his very own hands. He acted like a sill Indian who didn’t understand the worth of the pearl. Lastly, he tells his friends to write that he was not an emotional man, but then cried a lot. Othello’s main point of the speech is to show his acquaintances that he doesn’t want people to think that he was perfect, he wants them to know the truth.