Chapters 8-10
Page: 64
Quote: "It was to be decided whether the result of my curiosity and lawless devices would cause the death of two of my fellow beings"
Although Mary Shelley did not physically create a monster, this emotion of guilt may also drag her down. She may feel like she failed as a wife and mother for the deaths of her family.
Page: 65
Quote: "But I do not pretend that my protestations should acquit me; I rest my innocence on a plain and simple explanation of the facts with have been adduced against me"
As Justine is trying to clear her reputation, Mary Shelley may internally be trying to clear her conscience as well.
Page: 66
Quote: "I beg permission to have a few witnesses examined concerning my character, and if their testimony shall not overweigh my supposed guilt, I must be condemned"
Shelley's experience may not mirror this scene, however, it most likely reflects the agitation of not being able to control her destiny and take control of her life.
Page: 67
Quote: "She was warmly attached to the child who is now dead and acted towards him like a most affectionate mother"
This could reflect Shelley's guilt and blame for not being able to protect her child from death.
Page: 67
Quote: "The tortures of the accused did not equal mine"
Shelley blames herself for the deaths in her family and must live on Earth with no one to console her and comfort her during such tragic times.
Page: 68
Quote: "But she had confessed"
Justine confessed to take control over her destiny. Likewise, Shelley must feel like her life is out of control and feels like she standing on thin ice herself.
Page: 69
Quote: "I soon shall see you again in heaven, where we shall all be happy"
Justine's confession and acceptance of death my reveal Shelley's unconscious hope of dying someday soon as well.
Page: 70
Quote: 'I wish,' cried she 'that I were to die with you'
Each character is a piece of Shelley and her struggles; Elizabeth represents her unconscious maternal guilt.
Page: 71
Quote: "I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts"
Victor struggles with the guilt of not being there to protect these children from death as Mary Shelley regrets being unable to protect her own as well. Both feel like they failed to fulfill their duties.
Page: 72
Quote: "The blood flowed freely in my veins, but a weight of despair and remorse pressed on my heart which nothing could remove"
The "I" of Shelley talking. True emotions felt after the death of her babies and husband.
Page: 73
Quote: "I was now free"
Shelley's desire to free herself from darkness and death. She wants to live in happiness instead of despair.
Page: 73
Quote: "I was tempte to plunge into the silent lake that the waters might close over me and my calamities forever. But I was restrained when I thought of the heroic and suffering Elizabeth"
Like Victor, Shelley held back from suicide in respect to the rest of her family left because each of them lost someone as well.
Page: 73
Quote: "I had been the author of unalterable evils, and I lived in daily fear lest the monster whom I had created should penetrate new wickedness"
From this quote it seems as if the monster is compared to God. Shelley fears her future includes more tragedies.
Page: 74
Quote: "I no longer see the world and its works as they before appeared to me"
Shelley must have experienced the same train of thought when she wrote a science fiction novel during such times.
Page: 75
Quote: "And could not the tenderness of friendship, nor the beauty of Earth, nor of heaven, could redeem my soul from woe; the very accents of love were ineffectual"
While reading this I do not picture and Elizabeth, but Shelley and her husband. It seems as if this describes their relationship after they lost their babies.
Page: 80
Quote: "He bounded over the crevices in the ice, among which I had walked with caution"
This is the battle of Shelley's mind. The irrational monster and the rational Victor. Freud's theory of the id and ego.
Page: 81
Quote: "Begone, vile insect"
Shelley's inner turmoil. It's her struggle between her conscious and her self-hatred speaking.
Page: 81
Quote: "Have I not suffered enough, that you seek to increase my misery"
Shelley is torn. She unconsciously blames the deaths on herself and one side is trying to sooth her while the other is guilt ridden.
Page: 82
Quote: "I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend"
Shelley's cry for happiness. She is alone and lost everything she had. The monser's depressions mirrors the grievances of her own heart.
Page: 83
Quote: "I weighed the various arguments that he had used and determined at least to listen to his tale"
Her rational consciousness acting to put aside her miseries to seek closure on the tragedies of her life is represented through this scene.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Psychoanalytic Application of Shelley's Frankenstein
Psychoanalytical Application of Shelley’s Frankenstein
Mary Shelley lived a tragic life surrounded by death and despair. Not only did she lose her mother at a young age, but after fleeing from her father and step-mother, lost three of her four children at infancy and her beloved husband. It was a result of these tragic events that the motivation to write the novel, Frankenstein, originated. After studying the tragic life of Mary Shelley and analyzing her literature, one can discover a great amount of interpretation is necessary to understand the true meaning of the novel. Her novel is filled with events and characters that reflect her subconsciously. Psychoanalysts view her book as proof to their theories about the struggle between the unconscious and conscious thoughts of the dual human mind.
The most obvious connection between Shelley and her novel is the played out events of Victor Frankenstein’s life in comparison to her own. Shelley lost her entire family to various deaths where Victor’s entire family and loved ones were killed off. Both lost their mother at a young age which reflects Shelley’s desire for a mother figure in her life. Victor’s father never remarried unconsciously showing readers she did not approve of her fathers remarriage to her careless step mother. Throughout her novel, it is apparent that Victor blames the death of his loved ones on his selfish ambition to create life through science. With so much stress presented on this theme, a reader may assume that Shelley feels responsible for the deaths in her life as well. She obviously did not create a monster to murder her family, however, she may feel there was more she could have done as a mother, wife, and daughter to protect her family. No doubt Shelley was struggling internally as the battles of her conscious are reflected through Victor and his monster.
The monster and Victor play a massive role in the revelation of Mary Shelley’s conscious. The characters show her battle between her conscious and unconscious state of mind. Clearly the monster is the irrational side and Victor is the rational part of her mind. The monster trots around Earth fiery with the rage for being isolated on Earth whereas Victor travels through life with silent, bitterness for his mistakes and consequences. It is unlikely that Mary Shelley intentionally constructed her novel to show such connections, but like Freud believes, we act unconsciously most of the time. She unknowingly engaged herself in writing a catharsis of her life.
Interestingly, Frankenstein was one of the first science fiction novels written during that time period. The era in which Shelley lived was that of the Victorian, romantic, and enlightened genres. Her desire to create a science fiction novel and replace the God’s greatest gift of life with science shows her lack of faith in religion. She unconsciously reveals her lack of faith through the course of events in Victor’s life. As a result of losing everything and everyone she loved, no doubt she would question the existence of a higher being and turn toward the factual life of science. When countless tragic events affect one person, it is hard to maintain a spiritual life which one can see through her literature.
With Mary Shelley nearly family-less and temporarily faithless as well, what keeps her from committing the ultimate sin of suicide? She unconsciously answers this question in her novel as well. After the conviction of young Justine for the murder of William, Victor questions his actions and his life. In the midst of considering this escape, he thinks of his beloved family left on Earth and disregards his selfish thought. Putting ourselves in Mary Shelley’s shoes while she was writing Frankenstein, she had lost most of her family, but not all. One child remained alive. If Mary Shelley committed suicide to rid herself of her miseries, she would place her child in a worse position than she was as he will have no mother, father, or siblings. Through this, Shelley succeeded in being the mother she was not for her other three children.
Mary Shelley may not have intended for her novel to be a mirror of her emotions and thoughts, however, as Sigmund Freud has said, humans are motivated by their unconscious. We as a race relate our inner turmoil to everything around us. By creating a science fiction novel full of tragic events and conflicting emotions, readers can see straight into the heart and mind of the authors like Shelley. If she had not had such a tragic and upsetting life, her novel would most likely have been another typical romance or Victorian style piece of literature. Through researching psychoanalytical criticisms, Shelley’s novel undoubtedly helps prove Freud’s theory that the human mind acts primarily through the unconscious.
Mary Shelley lived a tragic life surrounded by death and despair. Not only did she lose her mother at a young age, but after fleeing from her father and step-mother, lost three of her four children at infancy and her beloved husband. It was a result of these tragic events that the motivation to write the novel, Frankenstein, originated. After studying the tragic life of Mary Shelley and analyzing her literature, one can discover a great amount of interpretation is necessary to understand the true meaning of the novel. Her novel is filled with events and characters that reflect her subconsciously. Psychoanalysts view her book as proof to their theories about the struggle between the unconscious and conscious thoughts of the dual human mind.
The most obvious connection between Shelley and her novel is the played out events of Victor Frankenstein’s life in comparison to her own. Shelley lost her entire family to various deaths where Victor’s entire family and loved ones were killed off. Both lost their mother at a young age which reflects Shelley’s desire for a mother figure in her life. Victor’s father never remarried unconsciously showing readers she did not approve of her fathers remarriage to her careless step mother. Throughout her novel, it is apparent that Victor blames the death of his loved ones on his selfish ambition to create life through science. With so much stress presented on this theme, a reader may assume that Shelley feels responsible for the deaths in her life as well. She obviously did not create a monster to murder her family, however, she may feel there was more she could have done as a mother, wife, and daughter to protect her family. No doubt Shelley was struggling internally as the battles of her conscious are reflected through Victor and his monster.
The monster and Victor play a massive role in the revelation of Mary Shelley’s conscious. The characters show her battle between her conscious and unconscious state of mind. Clearly the monster is the irrational side and Victor is the rational part of her mind. The monster trots around Earth fiery with the rage for being isolated on Earth whereas Victor travels through life with silent, bitterness for his mistakes and consequences. It is unlikely that Mary Shelley intentionally constructed her novel to show such connections, but like Freud believes, we act unconsciously most of the time. She unknowingly engaged herself in writing a catharsis of her life.
Interestingly, Frankenstein was one of the first science fiction novels written during that time period. The era in which Shelley lived was that of the Victorian, romantic, and enlightened genres. Her desire to create a science fiction novel and replace the God’s greatest gift of life with science shows her lack of faith in religion. She unconsciously reveals her lack of faith through the course of events in Victor’s life. As a result of losing everything and everyone she loved, no doubt she would question the existence of a higher being and turn toward the factual life of science. When countless tragic events affect one person, it is hard to maintain a spiritual life which one can see through her literature.
With Mary Shelley nearly family-less and temporarily faithless as well, what keeps her from committing the ultimate sin of suicide? She unconsciously answers this question in her novel as well. After the conviction of young Justine for the murder of William, Victor questions his actions and his life. In the midst of considering this escape, he thinks of his beloved family left on Earth and disregards his selfish thought. Putting ourselves in Mary Shelley’s shoes while she was writing Frankenstein, she had lost most of her family, but not all. One child remained alive. If Mary Shelley committed suicide to rid herself of her miseries, she would place her child in a worse position than she was as he will have no mother, father, or siblings. Through this, Shelley succeeded in being the mother she was not for her other three children.
Mary Shelley may not have intended for her novel to be a mirror of her emotions and thoughts, however, as Sigmund Freud has said, humans are motivated by their unconscious. We as a race relate our inner turmoil to everything around us. By creating a science fiction novel full of tragic events and conflicting emotions, readers can see straight into the heart and mind of the authors like Shelley. If she had not had such a tragic and upsetting life, her novel would most likely have been another typical romance or Victorian style piece of literature. Through researching psychoanalytical criticisms, Shelley’s novel undoubtedly helps prove Freud’s theory that the human mind acts primarily through the unconscious.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Psychoanalytic Criticism Background
Psychoanalytic Criticism of FrankensteinPsychoanalysis can roughly be defined through the comparison between a literary novel and a dream. Both are fictional yet based on reality and must be interpreted to discover the true meaning that lies within. By explaining that “terrifying novels and nightmares affect us much in the same way, plunging us into an atmosphere that continues to cling, even after the last chapter has been read—or the alarm clock has sounded” Sigmund Freud constructed his famous psychoanalytical ideas. Fr
eud believes that it is natural to connect the effects of literature to the mental effect of a dream. Literature is a production of the unconscious mind with which dreams are also created. To understand psychoanalytic criticisms, one must be acquainted with Sigmund Freud’s ideas and theories. He believes that human ambition, from both men and women, derive from primarily the unconscious. He also believes there are two sides to the human mind: the rational, conscious “I” and the irrational, unconscious “it.” At one time or another, all human beings have acted as a result of ego, irrationality, unconscious desires, and social complexes. Some of these states of being are reflected in his other famous theory that assumes children compete with their parent of the same sex for the attention of their parent of the opposite sex. His theories may seem far-fetched and uncanny, however, Sigmund Freud is the epitome of psychoanalysis. Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, is an obvious target for a psychoanalytic
criticism once people realize the author lost her mother, husband, and three out of four of her babies. Her existence was surrounded by death and despair, as was the life of the protagonist in her novel, Victor Frankenstein. Critics feel her novel also reflected her complicated family life and the possibility of oedipal conflicts within her own relationships (Oedipal refers to the theory of child competition with a parent figure). In the novel, Victor Frankenstein produces a life which is believed to be the replacement of his dead mother. Likewise, these turn of events may reveal the inner hopes of Mary Shelley to bring a beloved back to life.
eud believes that it is natural to connect the effects of literature to the mental effect of a dream. Literature is a production of the unconscious mind with which dreams are also created. To understand psychoanalytic criticisms, one must be acquainted with Sigmund Freud’s ideas and theories. He believes that human ambition, from both men and women, derive from primarily the unconscious. He also believes there are two sides to the human mind: the rational, conscious “I” and the irrational, unconscious “it.” At one time or another, all human beings have acted as a result of ego, irrationality, unconscious desires, and social complexes. Some of these states of being are reflected in his other famous theory that assumes children compete with their parent of the same sex for the attention of their parent of the opposite sex. His theories may seem far-fetched and uncanny, however, Sigmund Freud is the epitome of psychoanalysis. Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, is an obvious target for a psychoanalytic
criticism once people realize the author lost her mother, husband, and three out of four of her babies. Her existence was surrounded by death and despair, as was the life of the protagonist in her novel, Victor Frankenstein. Critics feel her novel also reflected her complicated family life and the possibility of oedipal conflicts within her own relationships (Oedipal refers to the theory of child competition with a parent figure). In the novel, Victor Frankenstein produces a life which is believed to be the replacement of his dead mother. Likewise, these turn of events may reveal the inner hopes of Mary Shelley to bring a beloved back to life.Thursday, October 2, 2008
ALLUSIONS
The Fall
In the beginning, God created all. He created a garden called Eden, and in this garden he created man. The first man created was named Adam. In this garden, God created each and every animal, and allowed Adam to give them names. Adam was allowed to eat whatever he wanted from this garden, except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eventually, God created a mate for Adam, her name was Eve. For a short time Adam and Eve were obedient and obeyed God’s wishes and commands. After some time, a serpent talked Eve into trying fruit from the tree. She foolishly listened to the serpent and ate some. When Adam saw Eve eating the fruit, he ate some as well. They were punished for their disobedience, and that they must live by hard work, and eventually will die. They were driven from the garden and not allowed to return. God then doomed them and their descendents to encounter death.
In the beginning, God created all. He created a garden called Eden, and in this garden he created man. The first man created was named Adam. In this garden, God created each and every animal, and allowed Adam to give them names. Adam was allowed to eat whatever he wanted from this garden, except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eventually, God created a mate for Adam, her name was Eve. For a short time Adam and Eve were obedient and obeyed God’s wishes and commands. After some time, a serpent talked Eve into trying fruit from the tree. She foolishly listened to the serpent and ate some. When Adam saw Eve eating the fruit, he ate some as well. They were punished for their disobedience, and that they must live by hard work, and eventually will die. They were driven from the garden and not allowed to return. God then doomed them and their descendents to encounter death.
The Flood
God noticed how wicked the world had become and decided to wipe mankind off of the face of the Earth. However, God favored one man named Noah. God ordered Noah to build an arc that would be designed for himself as well as his family; because he would be flooding the entire world. God then ordered Noah to make the Arc big enough so that he could bring along two of every kind of animal (male and female), as well as every kind of fruit so that everyone would have enough food for the amount of forty days and forty nights. Noah reluctantly built the arc, and loaded it with everything God told him to. The arc eventually came to rest on the mountains of Ararat after the waters had receded. They were allowed to exit the arc after an entire year, and God promised that he would never again flood the entire Earth. As a sign of everlasting promise, God created the rainbow to symbolize peace.
The Creation
The theory that the Lord created both plant and animal life to be tested. It is believed that life on Earth began in the sacred place of the Garden of Eden where he created and placed both Adam and Eve. These were the first two people ever on Earth. They had to commandments to follow, one being not to eat from the good and evil tree, however, Eve failed to follow the commandment and at the apple. Thus comes the fall.
The Mark of Cain
Cain was the eldest son of Adam, his younger brother was named Abel. Cain was extremely envious of his brother Abel, and in an act of revenge and fury, murdered his younger sibling. God then asked Cain where Abel was. Cain replied "I do not know, I am not his keeper." God then realized that Cain had murdered Abel, which then labeled him as the world’s first murderer. Cain was then banished, and placed in exile. A curse was also put upon Cain. God put a mark upon him, so that no one would harm him.
Lot and His Wife
When God discovered that the men in Sodom tried to rape two of his angels, Lot and his family were the only people to survive the wrath of the Lord. The angels advised the family to run as far as they could without looking back, but Lot wished to go as far as the next town known as Zoar. However, while fleeing Sodom, Lot’s wife looked back at the evil city, and with doing so, God turned her into a pillar of salt. Yet, Lot committed the same false action as his wife but was not punished.
Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom is a city where a man named Lot lives. Gomorrah is a city located near Sodom. The people living in Sodom were wicked. Seeing this; God ordered two angels to destroy the two towns. The two angels [disguised as two travelers] were invited to stay the night in Lot’s house. That night, the men and boys of Sodom went to Lot’s house so that the two travelers could entertain them. However, Lot tried to keep the towns people from disturbing his guests. The angered townspeople then tried to attack Lot and his guests, but the angels protected themselves as well as Lot and his family. After this, the angels revealed themselves to Lot. The angels then told Lot that the city would be destroyed in the morning, and ordered him to take his family outside of the city so that they would not be hurt. They were told not to look back at the city as they escaped. However Lot’s wife was curious. She looked back and was instantly turned into salt.
The Nativity
This represents the birth of Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels. Jesus was the son of Mary who maritally belong to Joseph and was a relative to the King David. His birth was miraculous in the sense that he was conceived through Holy spirits and not through the mortal man, or Joseph. Mary was still a virgin when she became pregnant which is impossible unless conceived through Holy spirits like baby Jesus. The birth of Jesus also represents the completion of the prophecies.
Lazarus
Jesus had close friends, their names were Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. Jesus often visited their home. One day, Martha sent word to Jesus that Lazarus had was sick. Jesus did not go straight to visit him, and during this time, Lazarus died. When Jesus finally went to go visit Lazarus and his sisters, Martha ran out of the house and blamed Lazarus for Jesus’ death. Jesus told her that her brother would rise again; yet he was talking about resurrection at the end of time. Jesus then asked Martha if she believed, she replied yes. Then Mary came out of the house, and told Jesus that if he would have been at the house, Lazarus would not have died. They then went to the cave in which Lazarus had been buried. Jesus prayed to God, and then said, "Lazarus, come out!" Lazarus then came out of the cave, wrapped in strips of linen and cloth. Jesus then said, "take off the linen, and go home."
The Crucifixion
Some of the Jewish leaders hated Jesus because he condemned their sins. They didn’t want to believe what Jesus preached. They did not approve of the great crowds that listened and followed Jesus, and eventually decided to get rid of Him by having him Crucified. The Jews took Jesus to Pilate, and put pressure on the Roman Governor to have Jesus killed by Crucifiction. Jesus’ cross was laid across the ground while he was nailed there by his hands and feet. Mercifully, Jesus only survived a few hours on the cross. Even with all the pain Jesus endured, he thought of others rather than Himself. His first words from the cross were, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
The Denial
After Jesus’ last supper, he and his disciples went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus predicted that that night, before the rooster crows, peter would deny him three times. However, Peter replied that he would rather die than deny him. The other disciples of Jesus agreed. Later that night, the disciples were put through an intense test to see who would be mentally prepared to support the Lord during Jesus’ time of suffering. However, after the seized Jesus, Peter was questioned three times if he was a disciple of Jesus. Along with the questioning, Peter proved Jesus to be correct, and denied him three times. Immediately after the denial, a rooster crowed.
Thirty Pieces of Silver
Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver by his disciple Judas Iscariot. At the Last Supper, Jesus mysteriously announces that one of his twelve disciples will betray him. Each man denies it, however Jesus already knows who the disciple will be. That night, Jesus is praying in a garden, when an armed crowd led by Judas approaches him. In a prearranged signal, Judas kisses Jesus so that the crowd would know who Jesus is.
David and Goliath
The Philistines and the Israelites were going to fight each other in war. The camp of the Philistines and the camp of the Israelites were on completely opposite sides of the valley. A giant emerged out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath. He wore heavy armor, so that no sword or spear could hurt him. He called out to the Israelites, to send out a man for him to fight, and if the man kills him, then the Philistines would serve the Israelites as slaves, but if Goliath were to kill the man, then the Israelites would serve the Philistines. When the men of Israel heard these words, they were greatly frightened, none of them believed that they could kill Goliath. David was taking care of his father’s sheep at Bethlehem when he was advised to take food and ask how the war was coming along. David appeared and went out to talk to his brothers who were preparing for battle when once again, Goliath spoke the same words he had previously. The Israel men fled in fear, yet David wanted to fight against Goliath. David accepted no armor, and took with him only five smooth stones. Goliath did not take David seriously, however David was able to defeat Goliath without a sword or a spear, simply by using a sling shot and a pebble.
Buddha/Buddhism
Buddhism is considered both philosophy and religion. Buddhism is based upon the teachings of the Indian prince named Siddhartha Guatama. It is said that during his birth celebrations, a seer predicted that Siddhartha would become either a great holy man, or a great king. Upon hearing the seer’s visioin, Siddhartha’s father hoped that his son would become a great king, and therefore shielded his son from any form of religious teaching of knowledge of a greater being. Siddhartha eventually married and had a son. Siddhartha and his family were provided with everything they could ever want or need, making him feel dissatisfied and troubled. Eventually, Siddhartha Guatama was escorted on four visits outside of his abundant palace. On these four visits, he came across an old crippled man, a sick man, a dead body, and an ascetic. These sights opened him to a new feeling in which he had never experienced, seeing that he had never been introduced to the pain and suffering in which humanity endures. Siddhartha then recognized the reality of death and suffering, as well as the nature of human existence. After this lifechanging experience, Siddhartha decided to abandon his old life as a great king, and become a monk, to seek a solution to an end of suffering. He eventually came up with the idea of Middle Way, which is a huge Buddhist idea in both Buddhist thought and practice.
Golgotha
Golgotha is the biblical name for where Jesus was crucified. Although the exact location of Golgotha is unsure, it is said to have been a small hill just outside the walls of ancient Jerusalem. There are two clues provided in the New Testament giving off the location of the mysterious Golgotha spot. One was "Outside the city gate", while the other indicated that the site was near a road that carried lots of foot traffic. Golgotha is a name derived from the Aramic world "gulgulta", which means "place of the skull." Once again, people are unsure of why Golgotha was called the "place of skull", since the gospels don’t exactly specify why the unique name was given. However, it is suggested that the site was on a hill or near a rock that seemed as if it was sculpted into a human skull.
The Prodigal Son
There once was a man with two sons. The younger of the two sons asked his father for a share of the father’s money. The father then provided his estate between his two sons. While the younger son set off for a distant country and began a new lifestyle, the older son lived at home, worked in the fields, and cared for his father. Not long after the son spent everything he owned, a severe famine took over the entire country. He then was forced to work and feed pigs. When the young man realized he was being treated unfairly, he realized how foolish he was to leave home with his father’s money, and carelessly spend it. When the younger son reached home, he told his father how he sinned against him, and was no longer worthy to be considered his son. The father quickly ordered his best robe to be put upon his young son, and kill a calf to prepare for an enormous welcoming meal. When the older son returned from working in the field, he became angry to see how joyful his father was at the return of his brother, who had done nothing but cause anguish to the family and run away. The father then rushed outside to speak to his eldest son. When asked why the father was so reluctant in welcoming the younger son back, the father replied, "We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
Revelations
The revelations are the conclusions to the Scriptures that explain each event that contributes to the creation of human history. It can be interpreted to lay out what our future has in store for us, including a possible speculation on how the world will someday end. It reveals a timeline from beginning to end of life and faith on Earth. Whereas, some believe its purpose of creation is to simply teach the basic principles of spiritual faith and moral. It provides comfort that as long as we make our decisions in the eyes of the Lord we will be victorious for the Lord Jesus Christ is always victorious.
Jonah and the whale
Jonah tried to flee to the sea in order to steal away from the presence of the Lord. While trying to flee to Tarshish on ship, the Lord sent a mighty wind through the sea that could nearly have broken the ship. All the mariners, afraid for their lives, prayed to the Lord for mercy while Jonah slept nonchalantly. The mariners were distraught to find such an evil spirit amongst them and decided to throw Jonah off their ship hoping to cease the wrath of the sea. When thrown into sea, Jonah swallowed up for three days, began to pray to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy. With this actions, the all forgiving Lord, released Jonah from the sea beast and allowed him to go to safety on land.
Sampson and Delilah
Sampson, a leader of Israel, fell in love with the young woman of Philistine, Delilah. She was offered money to lead this man on, discover the secret of his strength, and have her people overpower him. She asked him how he could be tied up securely, and he would repeatedly lie to her and save himself and his secret. Finally he told her the truth that his head could be shaved and his power would leave him, and to his surprise, it became true. He was captured, sent to prison, and treated like a monkey as he performed for the people of Philistine when they wished. Until one day, he grabbed a hold of the temple pillar and with the strength of the Lord, the temple toppled a top of him and other ruthless Philistines. Sampson’s revenge was final.
Moses and the flight from slavery in Egypt
Moses was forced to flee from Egypt as he defended Israelites from his Egyptian master who later died. After forty years, God returned to Moses through the burning bush and advised him to return to his homeland in Egypt. His mission was to help release the Israelites from captivity and take them to the land of Canaan. While the Pharaoh of Egypt refused to follow the commandments of the Lord presented to him by Moses, he was warned that by night all the Egyptians would be destroyed and the Israelites saved. The Israelites were told to kill and lamb and spread its blood along their door posts to signify who they were. The next coming morning, the eldest child of each Egyptian family lie dead leaving the Egyptians no choice but to flee Egypt and leave the Israelites with peace.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
ENTRY 30
Quote: "My uncle John was your uncle John? You, Diana and Mary, are his sister's children; as I am his brother's child?" (387).
Reflection: A crazy twist has just been thrown into the plot of Jane Eyre. The news of death of the River's uncle John is connected to Jane Eyre's dead uncle John of Madeira. The inheritance that went to the other side of the family because of the Rivers' father's quarrel with this Uncle John actually went to Jane Eyre. So basically, Jane received the inheritance St. John and his sisters were supposed to inherit. More importantly, she realizes she has thus been living amongst family members, the only family she has ever had. Her rescuers were her cousins. No wonder she got along so well with the girls, and they had the same interests, they are blood bound. One can only imagine how Jane feels to know she has family alive and well. In one day she went from being a poor, orphan girl to a rich woman with the love of cousins surrounding her. How fate has its way of making circles. She had landed into the hands of family the night she nearly starved to death, what a small, ironic world. Now to see what Jane decides to do with her new found discoveries will be interesting. Will she stay and remain a teacher at the school or will she leave and start a new life for herself?
Reflection: A crazy twist has just been thrown into the plot of Jane Eyre. The news of death of the River's uncle John is connected to Jane Eyre's dead uncle John of Madeira. The inheritance that went to the other side of the family because of the Rivers' father's quarrel with this Uncle John actually went to Jane Eyre. So basically, Jane received the inheritance St. John and his sisters were supposed to inherit. More importantly, she realizes she has thus been living amongst family members, the only family she has ever had. Her rescuers were her cousins. No wonder she got along so well with the girls, and they had the same interests, they are blood bound. One can only imagine how Jane feels to know she has family alive and well. In one day she went from being a poor, orphan girl to a rich woman with the love of cousins surrounding her. How fate has its way of making circles. She had landed into the hands of family the night she nearly starved to death, what a small, ironic world. Now to see what Jane decides to do with her new found discoveries will be interesting. Will she stay and remain a teacher at the school or will she leave and start a new life for herself?
ENTRY 29
Quote: "Merely to tell you that your uncle, Mr. Eyre of Madeira, is dead; that he has left you all his property, and that you are now rich--merely that--nothing more" (384).
Reflection: Jane Eyre, the goddess of simplicity and dullness, is now rich with twenty thousand pounds of inheritance. The young woman who was on the brink of dying of starvation and begging around villages is now ridiculously wealthy. How this girl went from being poor with no family to being left an inheritance, and not some tiny inheritance, but a huge sum of money. Talk about luck or fate, but no doubt in my mind the Lord is on her side. A man she was never blessed with meeting cared and loved her so much to leave his life savings to her. He wanted to raise her and be her legal guardian, and if it wasn't for her selfish aunt she my have had that very priviledge. Her aunt did not want Jane to succeed or prosper without her, her aunt wanted to do whatever she could to cripple Jane from success and especially wealth. It is unfortunate that she could not meet, know, or even thank her uncle for his generosity and love for her. But now she has the rest of her life to be grateful for what he has done for his young niece.
Reflection: Jane Eyre, the goddess of simplicity and dullness, is now rich with twenty thousand pounds of inheritance. The young woman who was on the brink of dying of starvation and begging around villages is now ridiculously wealthy. How this girl went from being poor with no family to being left an inheritance, and not some tiny inheritance, but a huge sum of money. Talk about luck or fate, but no doubt in my mind the Lord is on her side. A man she was never blessed with meeting cared and loved her so much to leave his life savings to her. He wanted to raise her and be her legal guardian, and if it wasn't for her selfish aunt she my have had that very priviledge. Her aunt did not want Jane to succeed or prosper without her, her aunt wanted to do whatever she could to cripple Jane from success and especially wealth. It is unfortunate that she could not meet, know, or even thank her uncle for his generosity and love for her. But now she has the rest of her life to be grateful for what he has done for his young niece.
ENTRY 28
Quote: "I myself have received a letter from one Mr. Briggs, a solicitor, communicating the details I have just imparted. Is it not an odd tale?" (382).
Reflection: Jane is most likely dumbfounded that the odd tale St. John just recited is the story of her life from her wicked childhood to her heartbreaking present. He does not know to the full extent and passion behind the Mr. Rochester situation, however, he knows there was something that happened that should not have. She also gets a little defensive on behalf of Mr. Rochester when St. John takes a stab at his character as a person. How did St. John so far away receive a letter about the missing Jane Eyre. How far Mr. Rochester is searching for the young lady. However, it is Mr. Briggs who sent for her and not Mr. Rochester. Why? I wonder if Mr. Rochester is waiting and searching still for Jane or if he has given up. I hope the reason behind Mr. Briggs' letter is not to reveal the death or a tragedy of Mr. Rochester himself which I am sure is the sole concern in the back of Jane's mind this very moment.
Reflection: Jane is most likely dumbfounded that the odd tale St. John just recited is the story of her life from her wicked childhood to her heartbreaking present. He does not know to the full extent and passion behind the Mr. Rochester situation, however, he knows there was something that happened that should not have. She also gets a little defensive on behalf of Mr. Rochester when St. John takes a stab at his character as a person. How did St. John so far away receive a letter about the missing Jane Eyre. How far Mr. Rochester is searching for the young lady. However, it is Mr. Briggs who sent for her and not Mr. Rochester. Why? I wonder if Mr. Rochester is waiting and searching still for Jane or if he has given up. I hope the reason behind Mr. Briggs' letter is not to reveal the death or a tragedy of Mr. Rochester himself which I am sure is the sole concern in the back of Jane's mind this very moment.
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