Mr. Sands and WillIam

Why does William leave Mr. Sands? Do you think his actions were justified or rude?

William ran away from Mr. Sands because he wanted freedom, and hated being a slave. He just wanted to have his freedom. Mr. Sands told William that he would be freed by him if he waited five years. William didn’t seem to care and took his chance to escape when Mr. Sands was bringing him to New York. I think his actions were justified because he wanted to escape and live in the free North. William thought it was a good decision for him to run away because he wasn’t sure he could of trusted Mr. Sands.

Mista Sands

Mr. Sands obtains possession of the children after Linda attempts to escape from slavery. She got fed up with Dr. Flint and left him and her children. Dr.Flint decided to sell Linda’s children after his attempts to bring Linda back to his daughter’s service. He sold the children to a speculator who was hired by Mr. Sands. Linda trusts him because he has been there for her. Mr. Sands has attempted to free Linda and her children so I believe that he will do what he says. Linda should also trust him because he is the father of one of the children.

Gold Chain

In this chapter Linda has yet another baby. This is odd because she is sad about people in slavery, which means her children will be too. A gold necklace was given to her baby when she was being baptized; this necklace is a sign of symbolism in this book. The gold necklace is a bond for slavery. “She clasped a gold chain round my baby's neck. I thanked her for this kindness; but I did not like the emblem. I wanted no chain to be fastened on my daughter, not even if its links were of gold. How earnestly I prayed that she might never feel the weight of slavery's chain, whose iron entereth into the soul!" (68, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl) She says that she doesn’t want any chain, not even a gold one, on her baby’s neck. Linda does whatever she can to keep the idea of slavery from her baby. She doesn’t want her to “feel the weight of slavery.” I thought it was weird that she wouldn’t accept the present from her old master. I agree that Linda is strong toward her view on slavery and she doesn’t want her children to have any part in it, I believe that she is doing the right thing. Though I would have taken the chain anyway because it’s gold.

Interesting Passage

“READER, be assured this narrative is no fiction. I am aware that some of my adventures may seem incredible; but they are, nevertheless, strictly true. I have not exaggerated the wrongs inflicted by Slavery; on the contrary, my descriptions fall far short of the facts.”

This is one of the first things that settled in my head before I started reading this story. Just from the Preface I realized that this story was going to be harsh. Jacobs doesn’t want an image out that she is writing this for attention, or doesn’t want people to get in trouble over this. She gives the reader an assured statement that gives her a confident voice. This book contains harsh material, one being sexually abused by her master. I find that Jacobs is a strong woman who has a determined mind towards freedom. She shows her strength and courage throughout all the obstacles that she must encounter.

ITLOASG 2

In chapters 4-8 Jacobs talks about how love is perceived through the eyes of a slave. Slaves believe that there is no point in love because their loved one could be sold off any moment and they would have no right to argue. Linda wants to sell herself to her lover, who is a free black man, so that he could free her. When she proposes her master to request to be with him, he slaps her and tells her that she is living a better life with him. He sees that it is an advantage to keep her as the slave to his daughter. Dr. Flint offers her one of his slaves to marry, but she finds her deprived emotions feeble. She was scared to love anybody because her love is isn’t acquirable.

IITLOASG 1

I was reading the “Preface by the Author” and just by reading that I could tell that the story was going to be sad and gruesome. The author Harriet Jacobs describes the life of a slave, in the perspective of a slave. Linda, who is the main character, and the author, had been treated well as a child. Her life had drastically changed after her mother had passed away at the age of six. Her normal master had died and another took her. He wasn’t the normal master either. He would beat her until she bleed. An example of this is when her father dies she doesn’t have the permission from her master to visit his grave. Jacobs gives the reader the view on slavery from her eyes, and how they lived. She refers to the other people as just “slaves” meaning everybody that she is with, and she gives us her individual story by incorporating her life with how she lives.

Thomas Paine

Our group has been focusing on different historical characters, and the one I’ve learned a lot about is Thomas Paine. He was one of the important characters in the Revolutionary Period. He wrote Common Sense, which is very well written. This factual story talks about the complications America had with England in order to gain their independence. Paine wanted a representative democracy that gave equal weight to each of the colonies. Paine says that’s the practice of monarchy originates from a sin, and how it affects the public. This novel was very successful in America, and helped colonists strengthen their views. This book has shaped the view on the colonists and has contributed in the establishment of our nation. Paine makes it clear that the colonies must declare independence, so they can ask for help from other countries when needed.

Reflectin

In class we talked about how Gatsby has been going after his dream to be with Daisy, and that she wasn’t like the new Daisy. He has practically dedicated his life to this dream, and if he can’t accomplish it then there is nothing else to look forward to. Wilson killed Gatsby, who killed Myrtle, who ruined Wilson by not being faithful to him. Gatsby was so much about the past, and that makes you unaware of what’s going on around your life. Gatsby wanted his perfect life with Daisy before he went off to war, Nick wanted a perfect woman and job, Daisy wanted money, and Wilson just wanted his love with Myrtle.

Mista Gatz Funeral

The people that attended Gatsby’s funeral were Nick, Mr.Gatz, and his servants. These were the only people that were kind enough to pay respects to Gatsby’s body. The people that didn’t show up were Meyer Wolfsheim, Tom and Daisy, and Jordan. Meyer Wolfsheim didn’t come because he said he had been to too many funerals when he was younger. I was surprised that Meyer didn’t come because apparently he was the man that made Gatsby. Tom didn’t come because he thought that Gatsby had killed Myrtle. Daisy didn’t come because Tom didn’t let her go.

Climax of the B00K

In chapter seven we reach the climax of the novel. There were many things that could have been hinted at like Tom and Wilson’s wife being with other men. Gatsby was stealing Daisy from Tom, who was with Myrtle. Myrtle is really weird and she wants to be in a higher class incredulously. She is stupid for running out in front of the car to get with Tom. First off running in front of cars is not the best idea. Gatsby was also in the car when Myrtle was run over. This book has turned into Gatsby going after Daisy. He is upset in the end because he has figured out that their relationship has changed over the years.

Truth about Gats

I believe that Gatsby makes up the lie because he wants to show that he is a class man because he came from a bad family. He is also embarrassed to tell the truth. Gatsby has a big obsession with wealth and he envys Dan Cody a man he used to work for on a yacht. He doesn’t want to show or tell about his lower class identity so he tells people that he attended oxford and had wealthy parents from the Midwest, which he never did. I think Nick tells us these news at this point because all the anticipation of this Gatsby build up, and now he wants us to know about the real Gatsby.