Scientists Use Thoreau’s Journal Notes to Track Climate Change

by Mr. MacKnight (13) on March 30th, 2012

Researchers use “Walden” author’s tables of flowering dates in 1840s Massachusetts to show temperature has risen 2.4 C.

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1 comment to Scientists Use Thoreau’s Journal Notes to Track Climate Change

Mr. MacKnight

April 6, 2012 at 2:28 pm

More Thoreau in the news (“non-violent direct action” = civil disobedience): http://www.thenation.com/blog/167211/99-spring

Mr. MacKnight: Michelle, literature does not send messages! It raises questions.
Michelle: Hehe, so how does cultures (Chinese and American) affect us though (including how we think, act and behave)?
Linus: You mentioned that Odysseus was a curious man and wanted to explore the world so he gathered a crew and set sail and on his way home from this journey he faces all the challenges of which we read about. This is wrong. Odysseus was met with these challenges while sailing back from the battle in Troy.
Michelle: Yup, I agree with you Venus. That is another aspect of looking at how Tan structures the novel. Firstly, Tan structures it like a journey and also that is why she starts the book. But, then what is the use of the stories between? Is it just to strengthen the main message of the novel?
Jarand: The way you say that nature and the gods are the same is interesting. Couldn't the psychological gods be described in the same way as the nature gods?!?
Sabrina: Hey michelle! I thought it was really great you talked about that different cultures effect they way people act and it gave me some more information for my IOP
Venus Cheung: I agree that being able to relate to certain books does make it easier to understand the book more. Even though some of the views in this book is pretty extreme, I can definitely relate to some aspects of it as I have some Chinese background.
Linus: I like your blog post. I also think it is important to take into consideration how the nature gods can be described as nature itself. For example Poseidon's personality is very much the same as the nature of the sea. They are both ruthless and unforgiving in many circumstances and therefore they can be described as one and the same. It seems as if their personalities define nature in a way.
Jarand: You are right in saying that Odysseus is a "person", but there might be a thought that he was a hero. He is helped a lot by the gods, but still has some problems with them. So what you are trying to say is that Odysseus is a hero, who faces dreadful consequences. Or?
Michelle: I agree Venus, about how the main message of Joy Luck Club is to show the difference between the two cultures (America and Chinese). Also, I really like your interpretation of how when Jing-mei Woo reads the letters and went to China, she discovered deep inside she has been influenced by Chinese culture. Moreover, I think it also shows that no matter how hard you want to hide a culture it will alw...
Venus Cheung: I agree with you Michelle, I think that structure does play an important role in this book. The whole book is like a journey of Jing-Mei Woo finding her own roots, that is the chinese side of her. That is probably the reason why she is the person to start the book and also to end the book.
Tal: my bad..I thought it was Gandhi's. then Orwell raised very interesting questions in these essay.
Jarand: Tal,what you try to express in this blog-post is that Odysseus is a hero and should not need help by the gods? Or is it about Odysseus' getting home? Please help me...
Sabrina: Hello Venus, thank you so much for this blog post! It made me realize what my topic should be for my IOP which was the "strong difference between the american culture and the traditional chinese culture" I thought your opinion was very interesting about the mothers representing the traditional chinese culture and the daughters representing the american culture.
Mr. MacKnight: Tal, you confuse me because you seem to think that all of the quotations you mention are Gandhi's words—but most of them are Orwell's, no Gandhi's.
Mr. MacKnight: Sabrina, none of the miners Orwell describes are Africans. Their skin is black down in the mine because they are covered with coal dust.
Mr. MacKnight: Jarand, this is a paraphrase, but it is not a personal response. What is your response to what Orwell writes?
Mr. MacKnight: Michelle, all you do here is paraphrase what Orwell wrote. What is your response to what he wrote?
talm: Hi Mr MacKinght, Thank you, and I will loot at the links.
talm: I agree Jarand, it is awful when someone prefers to be in a prison than a hospital, which is sopposed to be a place where people feel safe and knowning the dorcotrs are going take good care of them. but yet they prefer to be in prison,which is meant to be this horrible place where no one goes. I agree very much with your personal response.:)
Mr. MacKnight: Hi Tal, Thank you for pointing out those passages about Jews in 'Down and Out'. To explore this question further, have a look at the links I have posted under the title, "Was George Orwell anti-Semitic?"
Angel: I think that it makes the readers think more about the children as 3D characters instead of just perfect children that turn out to be the hosts of the ghosts of their governess past. More so than Miles, I wonder what happened to his sister because her reaction to her brother's heart stopping isn't mentioned.
Mr. MacKnight: Angel, re: "So I want to know why the author left everything hanging." Better question: What is the effect of leaving everything hanging?
linuss: Antigone is the protagonist of the story, therefore the play is named after her. Although at some parts of the play is is hard to distinguish who is the protagonist is the story, whether it is Creon or Anitgone, as they both fight towards their beliefs. Maybe they both get to be classified as the protagonist of the story, and at some parts, Creon might even be more suitable for the role of protago...
Callam: ignore that last comment i misread your post. sorry!
Callam: and to answer your question. maybe he was acting calm so he could get a good opportunity to kill the king as he would then not be as aware????
Callam: cassie in a tragedy everyone usually dies, why was you so surprised that hamlet died? didn't you see it coming?
Mr. MacKnight: "After achieving the revenge-killing Claudius-Hamlet has nothing left to him as well, so he is made to choose death." This requires some explanation. If I am nicked by a poison-tipped rapier during what I thought was a sporting event, in what way have I "chosen" to die?
Jennifer: I don't really get the last line too :( I thought the melancholy part was interesting too, and also how Hamlet's character led him to take revenge for his father then made him kill himself.
Averil: Sure, life is full of uncertainty and doubt, and that is something that we've just got to accept. This could be a reason why people turn to books and fiction for some 'normality' where we can find answers. This, in turn, possibly, is why it becomes a tad irritating when there are no answers in fiction either. But yes, of course, I get Keats' point here. (:
Mr. MacKnight: Averil, here is what John Keats famously said about the capacity to live without answers: ". . . it struck me what quality went to form a Man of Achievement, especially in Literature, and which Shakespeare possessed so enormously - I mean Negative Capability, that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason . . . ".
Jennifer: It seems quite vague to determine whether a piece of literature is 'true': even though it was the writer's personal experience, his or her memory could have been distorted as well. It's important to take note of what the writer's purpose was, but in the end it's our personal interpretation that matters :)
Jennifer: I think by exploring different texts and different aspects it really deepened our understanding :P I was surprised that even though we've all read three texts together, we are still ignorant of some of the ideas presented in IOPs.
Callam: isn't it like that with all types of literature though? how do we know if stories such as to live is actually true? or maybe it is true but its just extremely exaggerated. does that still make it true?
Callam: There are a few images in there that you could infer that someone close to her has died? like the "shipwreck", could be symbolising a person?
Callam: well even if it was a she it would make no difference. What makes a woman's happiness any different from a mans? nice 3 wasted comments :)
Callam: why would it be harder? we are advised to use the same structure in history when writing our essays. It would make no difference, it would actually be more relevant since were not experienced writers of commentaries and it would make sure we dont go off track
Brandon: I agree with callam I thought Thoreau was trying to promote self-reliance with that statement.
Brandon: I think that Thoreau's time in jail was to him a period of enlightment instead of a punishment.
Brandon: So what does the MLA say about this situation?
Brandon: I agree that PEEL structure can help organize your ideas to keep the question more focused, however don't you think it's harder to apply it to IB level commentaries? or is it not? I'm kinda confused...
Brandon: My commentary was basically the same I made a whole load of repetitions in my explanations. When I read my explanations and found them unclear I just tried to re-explain them all over again.
Brandon: Exactly the poet seems to be writing about a chain of inevitable heartbreaks thus the image of cycles in nature such as the tide
Brandon: As I was saying though I see no mention of death in the sonnet only mentions of aging and images of cycles.
Brandon: woaw double posted my bad
Brandon: Callam I'm not 100% sure but I think the persona of the poet is female.
Brandon: Callam I'm not 100% sure but I think the persona of the poet is female.
Callam: can you explain how Thoreau "has a way of getting you to believe in what he says and thinks" please?
Callam: I thought the "sitting on the shoulder" part was referring to relying on someone, and the problem with being reliant on someone is that it makes an individual feel helpless and has many consequences in the future. I may be speaking nonsense but that’s just what I got from it :)
Callam: did you guys also pick up on how Mr Mcknight's references of page citations all synced in perfectly. I dont know about you guys but i find it hard to do so and it often makes my sentence confusing and makes little sense
Callam: i thought that the tide could be representing love or happiness and as the tide goes out so does his happiness, leaving him with nothing. It could also be suggesting that happiness is unreliable?
Angel: I don't think the sonnet is about death in particular, except maybe about the death of this love? But I agree about the commentary being very concise and easy to read. Every sentence had a point and I think that's something I have to learn. Also, Callam what do you mean by tide? What deeper meaning were u thinking of?
Averil: I agree that getting to the point and being concise are very important. i often find myself going in circles or just rambling one because i've got nothing else clever to write about. I think this is a very serious error and bad habbit.. :(
Averil: I just remembered something. I had an issue with the whole 'sitting on the shoulder' part. Isnt it normal to 'sit on the shoulders' of those who came before us? Learning from them and their mistakes, what they think, getting better and better? One lifetime isnt enough for one to make all the mistakes on our own, why can't we learn from others' mistake 'step on their shoulders' and become better fr...
Averil: Yes John, that's my point. Anything can happen. We have no idea what good or bad impacts anything we do happen. To be fair, every decision probably has positive and negative impacts. So it's really hard to say.
Averil: I agree that personas are annoying. How can we be sure if the poet is talking about himself/herself, or just writing from another's point of view? We can never be sure, especially if we do not have substantial background knowledge of the poet. So, I guess when it really comes down to it, it doesnt seem unreasonable to just analyse the poem as it comes. After all, it is just our interpretation of t...
Jennifer: Yea, after discussing this sonnet in IGCSE class I began to like it better :) But I'd like to know why was it boring to you. Were the expressions hackneyed, or did you seel lots of similar poems/sonnets?
Jennifer: I feel like my commentary also lacked precision and detail. If I looked over my commentary, I'd notice lots of verbose or redundant sentences and would be able to improve it. But since it's done in exam-conditions, planning beforehand, as you've mentioned, could be also an effective alternative as well :)
Jennifer: I agree with you John. And the other thing I've noticed is that Mr. Macknight's analysis flows really well. For me, I'm somehow obligated to begin the point with "Firstly/ Moreover/ Also", and saying "This shows/ portrays/ illustrates" after stating the point which makes my commentary seem quite repetitive. I think I still have a long way to go :D
Jennifer: I think the speaker is trying to say that she'll love and be heartbroken again. Even though her head knows that loving someone else is painful, her heart inevitably would go through the same process of loving someone and being hurt again.
John: I think personas can get pretty annoying. Sure I am making an assumption if I assume that Edna is writing about her own experiences, but I think in poems like this or in Thomas Hardy's "The Voice", it can be pretty clear that the speaker and writer are one in the same. What I take from the poem is that Edna (or the persona) has just experienced the end of a serious relationship - perhaps a marri...
Callam: i thought the exact same thing last year when we first did it but after we discussed it in class and found out what some of the things, such as the "tide" symbolised i thought it had a deeper meaning and began to enjoy it
Callam: i just went back and looked over his commentary. I did the exact same thing!
Cassie: :) You are more than welcome to.
Cassie: John, I totally I agree with starting the essay. I also find it difficult but it shows that you don't need a long introduction to make a good essay. (Well for GCSE anyway)
Anita :): HAHAHA. Okay, if I have a problem about anything, I'll be sure to ask you then!
Cassie: Yes and the rules for exam writing and citations. That's why David got confused since he doesn't know if it is a part of it. There are many different ones as well so many people can get confused. I always pay attention it just doesn't seem it. :)
Anita :): -_-.... Sorry Ms. Milestone... I didn't know you paid attention... It's just the association that makes the rules and stuff?
Cassie: Modern Language Association - We have discussed it in the Extended Essay meetings we also had a power point on it from Mr Mac Donald. If you would like more information he will definitely help.
Anita :): What's MLA?
Cassie: You skimmed over your "deeper understanding". Is it similar to things to what we discussed in class? Or have you gained something else what you could share? :)
Cassie: Anita I was wondering how can you find this poem confusing? Was it the sort of language or was it something I totally missed? I also found it a bit confusing but this was because of the words I had no clue about. :)
Cassie: Well if you read the commentary you will see that ETM does see a shift in the language or the main theme. Don't you agree?
Callam: what do you mean by the switching of the poem cassie?
John: For the most part, I would agree with Averil here. While that sweet pair of Nikes for $5 must have come from a sweatshop, I don't think that not buying them would have an equally bad effect. Instead I would think that the responsibility doesn't really fall to you the consumer. I think the 'sitting on the shoulders of others' should be taken in to consideration if you are advocating a cause which...
Callam: great minds think alike :)
John: Would it set of something just as bad Averil, would it?
John: Yeah, I would side more with Brandon here. From my experience most of the sonnets I've read have been love poems, and this one is the same. While the sonnets will sometimes turn to death or the failure of love in the second segment after the volta.
John: I think Callam's structure of PEEL can be very useful while writing essays. If you remember that while making your point you should be sure to make it an assertion then the PEEL structure can actually keep you very focused on the question.
Callam: PEEL helps me structure my paragraphs and helps me not go off topic.
Mr. MacKnight: Good question, David. I will have to check what the MLA says about line and page citations.
David: Your closing paragraph seems to merit the question: Is she saying that she will love again, or does she say she will love and be heartbroken again?
David: Thanks guys ;)))). I too hate how Drinnon tries to classify Thoreau as a left wing figure. Maybe he is simply a humanitarian and a free thinker.
David: Personally, I find that there is not so much left for a rebirth. Edna seems to paint the picture that her life has been destroyed on the coast from a massive wind. The wind being the breakup and the mess being her. A shore of course symbolises an end. However, I can see your point about the rebirth, because all the metaphors used, the moon waning and the flowers dying are possibly purposely fla...
David: In your post you mention a "never ending chain of heart breaks". Is this your view on Edna's Persona's heartbreak? Do you think that she is just merely like an angsty teenager?
Brandon: I find I must disagree with you that the sonnet is about death. The sonnet mentions ending and re-birth but not about death.
David: I think it is hard to work with PEEL in essays. I find that a good essay comes out when the information is fully synthesised. I find that if the information is not synthesised then my assertion just becomes a clear fact.
David: I was also confused with the l and ll. I thought it was ok to just put the line numbers in brackets and page numbers if it is a book. I am now confused as to if this is MLA or if it is otherwise.
David: Sonnets are often about death. I know how you feel about the feeling like you're writing something, happens to me a lot. Like in the mock in November. I got home and typed it up. While I did this I realized that it was not particularly deep. I still got a 5+ though. I'm quite unsure on how examiners judge whether an argument is good or not.
Averil: At the same time though, with globalisation, the world is getting to be increasingly interconnected. Almost every decision we make sets off a domino effect, affecting people near and far in ways that we can only imagine possible. I don't think it's fair to feel upset over every small decision. Yes, we should do what is right. But no, we shouldnt have to beat ourselves up for-- say buying a pair of...
Averil: While I completely agree with the point about feeling strongly about a particular point but not standing up for it, and I get how and why students might feel slightly offended and disapproving of the idea, I dont see why we should push the blame to Thoreau. Yes, he raises points that makes us uncomfortable, but in the end, he is just simply pointing out facts. Whether we choose to do something abo...
Averil: I think that time is an issue, and so is sticking to relavant points. I've got a big problem with staying on track and writing things worth marks too. I never seem to be able to write with the PEEL structure though. Just never seems to come out right.
Averil: Yeah, It's kinda genius seeing how Mr. Macknight is so to the point, no wasted words, yet capturing the entire idea so aptly.
Averil: I find the rhymes and intonations part very interesting. I do notice them when reading the poem. But when it comes to writing the commentary, I never know how to write about these intonations and point out the rhymes properly in ways that actually make sense. This is something that Mr MacKnight's essay really opened my eyes to. I'll have to try doing that some time.
Averil: I dont really get the relationship between sonnets and breakups. Is there some general sonnet/relationship? Other than that, I agree. Most of the time when we're put into time constraied situations, we end up commenting on parts of the poem that actually dont need to be commented on. Which wastes time and makes me feel that i'm actually writing something ><
Anita :): Yes, I agree. Everything in the essay was to the point. Usually, I always add extra useless stuff in, so everything gets too confusing or wastes time.
Anita :): Witness? Okay then... I was just saying...
Anita :): :) Yeah, I think his writing style is kind of unique and interesting, even if you may not agree with the content, it has something attention grabbing.
Callam: speaking about rhythmic qualities, did you notice at the end of each line the last words rhymed? could this possibly be relating to time and how his life is slowly going on and nothing interesting nor new is happening? just a few things to think about :)
John: Also true, it is nice to see the actual lines but I think Mr. MacKnight still manages to capture the essence of the poem in his allusions to it.
Mr. MacKnight: Anita, I DID write that commentary, and I have witnesses to prove it.
Callam: i agree, it makes it a lot easier to follow! However i personally like having direct quotes in essays since you can see what the person is relating to without having to open the book. But thats just my opinion :) sounds lazy but its the truth haha
Callam: some really good ideas here! i like your idea about nature and it having something to do with the fact that Thoreau doesn’t complain that he is in jail, but thinks of it more as a "journey".
Callam: some really good points here David, and i like how you have page referencing to back up all your points. very helpful!
John: Yes, I like how he references line numbers in brackets when a direct quote is not necessary.
John: Interesting points. I think you could be right about why Thoreau got so much attention - 'Civil Disobedience' is a kind of art rather than a vessel for messages to be broadcast. While others may have been more pivotal than Thoreau in certain movements, one cannot deny how aesthetically pleasing Thoreau's writing is.
John: Agreed. When it comes to politics, people are so concerned with classifying things that they seem to miss the concrete stances and different issues. I like how you disregard Drinnon's desire to classify Thoreau and instead point out instances in 'Civil Disobedience' that contradict Drinnon's claim.
Mr. MacKnight: More Thoreau in the news ("non-violent direct action" = civil disobedience): http://www.thenation.com/blog/167211/99-spring
Anita :): Yeah, thanks! She didn't really seem to be hiding anything, pretty easy to talk and listen to!
Mr. MacKnight: Reading grows your brain: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2012/04/03/study-reading-for-pleasure-makes-your-brain-grow-literally
Mr. MacKnight: Wow! Great stuff, Anita!
Anita :): Wow, cool! I agree with you! It's interesting how the poem is revolved around how he gets home, and not what happens at home!! The journey is where you experience everything and learn new things. Your so cool!! Ah!!
Jennifer: Yea.. I liked how she wasn't hesitant about telling us her life stories. Conversation with her felt very comfortable, and she was willing to answer any of our questions too.
Jennifer: Haha :D It would be really interesting to find out how cows are related to Helios. He is the god of sun, but cows seem a bit irrelevant. I think organisms like plants which depend on sunlight to live would be better representation .
Jennifer: It is interesting how you've focused on Telemakhos! I thought that Telemakhos' journey was quite pointless because Odysseus comes back to Ithaka anyway. But throughout the whole poem I could see how he grew up mentally to become a 'man' like his father.
Jennifer: Yea..in the beginning I was quite shocked to see the length of the 'poem'. To me, poem was only a page long or slightly more so seeing the thickness of Odyssey was quite amusing. But as you've said, considering that it's the summary of his 20 year journey the poem seems a bit short :)
Anita :): Shows his love for this family, dude, be kind Averil! It's more dramatic. Aww~ LOL. It's about everything though, the journey, the family, the war. Everything took such a long time, and it's like he's finally here. Yet no one knows who he is. Wouldn't there be so much worry for him? But I do agree, sometimes he doesn't cry at all, yet at other times he crying loads, seems kind of unbalanced.
Averil: Hey Angel, sorry about that, I completed my sentence now! Of course men can wear pink (right?) and cry. Of course. I think they should be expressive reather than suppressive. But the thing is, wouldn't we expect more self-restrain from Odysseus? It might have been better if they said that 'his face contorted in pain as tears rolled down his face' or something. Rather than 'he burried his face ...
Angel: except what? I agree about Odysseus crying too. But don't they say it takes a real man to wear pink? Does that apply to crying?
Mr. MacKnight: Angel, you make a good point about fame. What I meant to point out is that in the Christian culture of the West from the Middle Ages onward, most people had another way to survive their own death: the Christian afterlife. But for the ancient Greeks, fame was the ONLY way for them to survive their own death.
Angel: Ya, I thought so too. When I think of a god of gods, I think invincible and perfect. But they seem very human in this poem.
Angel: What do you mean by the style it is written in?
Mr. MacKnight: Hi Jennifer: this is very good, but do remember that when writing about polytheism, it's always gods, not God.
Mr. MacKnight: Callam, please use proper capitalization, apostrophes in contractions, and a full stop at the end. Once again: you are not writing text messages here!
Angel: I read it again and I found out that I was wrong. There was a sentence that said that her mother listened to Second Wife and tried to do pretend suicide. Then there was another sentence that explained that her mother had not listened to the Second Wife and committed suicide to end her own suffering.
Averil: I agree with Angel. Jing-Mei the pleading child (when she was learning piano and begging her mother not to force her to be a prodigy she's not) and the perfectly content adult she is right now (despite not being a prodigy), make up her past and present, and represents who she is and who she has become. I also think that Jing-Mei never believed to be anything other than ordinary- that she lacked...
Mr. MacKnight: John, can you add a brief but specific comment about each of the four chapters?
Mr. MacKnight: Angel, does An-Mei's mother pretend to commit suicide, and then die accidentally? I don't think so. Read it again.
Angel: I'm just guessing but I think it represents the fact that no one can ever be really satisfied with anything. We constantly want something more or something better. So "pleading child" would be the part of us that is incontent and the "perfectly content" could be when we are happy with what we have. THey are two halves of the same song. Its like, those two added together makes one person.
Angel: hehe wrote the last comment before I finished the book. Maybe I used the wrong words. I think she could be just trying to help save her mother and the fact that she came back means that she still cares about her family and she didn't leave just because she felt like it.
Averil: I think that we're jumping to conclusions too quickly here. If you've read the entire book, you'll realise that An-Mei's mother did not marry another man willingly, and did not choose to leave her children behind or disrespect her parents in any way. Parents are just people and they are not perfect, but I think in Asian culture especially in the past where An-Mei lived as a child, filial piety was...
Angel: I understand how they think, like respect towards you're parents is really important. But cutting a piece of your own flesh seems too extreme in my opinion but maybe she was trying to seek retribution for leaving her children behind and marrying another man.I think we still respect our parents but just in a different way and sometimes respect and trust are in blance. I mean, if you respect your pa...
Angel: I think that because the story starts out with the daughter narrating and not the mother, we are able to see more of a contrast between the mothers and the daughters. In this book, one of the recurring themes, I think are that the mothers and daughters often don't understand each other and they have different views on many things. So because the daughter narrates the story, it shows us that the da...
Jennifer: I think this chapter was quite interestiong because the story begins with not the original member of the Joy Luck Club but instead with a daughter. Also, it was quite shocking how the story said that Jing-Mei's mom, one who created toe Joy Luck Club, died. When I was looking at the contents page, I was wondering why only Jing-Mei's name came out, not her mother (even once): after reading the first...
Jennifer: I thought this part shows the contrast between past and modern thoughts. In the past, the respect towards the parents was much stronger, and it was right thing to sacrifice yourself for parents no matter how much they hated or disregarded their child. However, in the modern days less people would dare to pay respect to parents who say "You are a ghost, and saying your name is disgrace to your husb...
Mr. MacKnight: 'Cardinal' here means 'fundamentally important'. And of course the three 'Christian' virtues—faith, hope, and love—are called that by Christians but have been practiced by millions of non-Christians all over the world.
Brandon: 'Antigone' not 'to live'
Angel: Why is it called cardinal virtues? Is it because you have to be a cardinal to truly understand them or is it because of another reason. What about Christian values, only peopel who are christian and go to the church can follow them?
Angel: Haha, jen i agree that I was pretty disappointed too but to be honest, I kind of expected the mark I got. I think we just need to be optimistic and practice makes perfect!! I need to approve on A LOT more than just organization and language.
Mr. MacKnight: I agree with Anita!
Anita :): Ha... Don't be too disappointed, I mean we all did pretty bad... I think IB English is different to last year's English, and essays take time to change and improve, so don't worry that much, it was only your first exam!
Anita :): Hilarious!!!!
Anita :): Thank you... Sometimes we seem to just say what we think, but other times there seems to be a yes/no answer to how we interpret the poem...
Anita :): Hahaha, I agree! I think I made up half the interpretation of the poem or drifted off with it as well! Have fun reading the Bible!
Angel: I totally agree with u. I thought that we could all have our own interpretation and if you think about it. How do examiners mark our understanding and interpretation? I thought it was all subjective and based on how each individual reads the poem but it seems like we can only interprete it one way and one way only...
Angel: That's interesting. I see what you are trying to say, but isn't that a very big leap. Not having filial piety seems like a small act of rebellion but civil disorder is more large scale. I still believe that just because people may not have filial piety in the sense that they don't listen or do whatever their parents say doesn't mean that civil disorder will be caused. In a sense, if we always list...
Jennifer: I agree with the fact that this book was quite hard to grasp and also discussed religion very openly, combining both Greek mythology and Christianity. I've also read a Korean book called "Son of a Man" which explicitly says that 'devil' that Jesus met was actually a person and views the world in the perspective of that person. This book was also quite hard to understand since I've never properly a...
Averil: I think the issues brought up about respect and obedience are very interesting. I read a novel once called 'ties that bind, ties that break', which revolved around a typical chinese family in the past. There was this part when a girl's parent's wanted to bind her feet, but she did not want to. This whole incident was then followed by a conversation betweent the girl's older sister and her parents....
Angel: I agree with what you said about individualism and duty to your parents. I think that they are two separate things and you can be an individual but at the same time respect your parent's wishes. This sounds easier said than done but if you think that they just want the best for you and that their backgrounds are different from us then it is easier to accept. Also, I think there are many ways to be...
Angel: So you think that filial piety means you can't have your own personality? I personally think that yes, Confucius thinks filial piety is an important thing but in my interpretation it doesn't really have anything to do with individuality. Duty can just be to respect your parents and they are unable to care for themselves, you care for them. But I do agree with you about obedience. I just don't lik...
Anita :): Haha, like Charlie said? Lol. I guess it's true, I mean many people have ideas that are similar but just put into different words.
Angel: Haha, ya it was confusing in the beginning but what do you think about whether or not we should live by Confucius's 'rules' as you put it. I personally think that theres a lot to be learnt from his sayings but at the same time it doesn't really apply to everyone's lifestyle so we can just take some bits and interpret it in our own way.
Anita :): Oh, that's a nice quote, where did you find it? I agree in a way though. If people can't even show respect towards one another, how are they suppose to perform more complex things?
Anita :): HAHA, 'who mistreat them and beat them up'!!! That just made me laugh... I agree with you Averil. I think I just can't compare 'myself' with 'my family', they just seem like 2 different things. How can we compare 1 individual with 1 group of people who have different ideas? Yes, I think in lots of Asian culture, people may feel the need for their parents to 'agree' for them to make large choice...
Mr. MacKnight: David, you wrote, "What’s ironic is that Dante would, were it as easy to get into Hell as he says, be there himself for heresy, since of course Inferno contradicts the Bible", but to my knowledge Dante and his poem were never sanctioned by the Church . . . so the Vatican must have a different interpretation of the Bible than you do. What contradiction did you find, that would constitute a heresy...

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Scientists Use Thoreau’s Journal Notes to Track Climate Change

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