The House of the Seven Gables

       When we hear someone mention the town of Salem we immediately think of witches. It is only natural that we think of this for it was part of one the most talked about parts of history. The first person to be accused of witchcraft and have trial was Bridget Bishop. As many of the other cases she was accused by many that claimed to see her transform into a cat or walk with the Devil. Her trail was on June 2, 1692. Her body was inspected for cuts because many said that she would have these marks because her victims managed to injure her.

       Another interesting case was probably the first case that was caused by someone being mentally insane and not actually possessed by Satan. Dorothy Talbye was this person. She killed her daughter and was therefore executed. Many believed she was possessed but she was still charged like a common criminal.

      Puritans were the people that were doing the persecuting and being persecuted. This religion was one of the first religions to exist in America. Many priests performed exorcisms. These people believed in demonic forces. Some people believe that Puritanism is what has provided a firm  foundation for American democracy. Many think that puritans were a little extreme in the way that they though and worshiped. They believe in absolute sovereignty of God, total depravity of man, and the complete dependence of human beings on divine grace for salvation, and they stress the importance of personal religious experience.

     In Nathaniel Hawthorne's book The House of the Seven Gables he explains that the house was built after an alleged wizard, that had his own home in that spot, was hanged for witchcraft. Hawthorne got the inspiration from the house by the same name located in Salem. It is clear that he used Salem's infamous witch hunt history to start the story of the how the house came about. The House is also known as the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion and it was built in 1668. It is one of the houses from the 17^th that is still standing. It was built with a type of wood brought by the Puritans to New England.

     Although religion is not supposed play a role in government it does have a little influence. Murder, you can say, is prohibited and its is also one of the Ten Commandments. But unlike the Puritan religion where murder automatically would have resulted in the murderer's death, in our society depending on the severity of the murder, each murderer can get a different sentencing. Capital punishment may be given to someone but in some states it is no longer an option.

The Moment I Knew I Was an American...

     Because I was born in Mexico I would never have thought I would feel and be as American as I am today. America is what defines so many of my characteristics. But I can never forget were my past is, because this past is what makes me who I am and helps shape the person that I will become. The American way of life is all I have ever known since I was five years old. So you can imagine how easy it is for me to feel American.


    I would say that a moment in which I truly felt like an American would be when I actually read my first English book all by myself when I was in 1^st or 2^nd grade. The language is such an important part of culture that speaking, reading, writing it makes you feel more of a part of that culture.


    Another moment in which I felt like an American was when I became eager to embrace this other culture, to be part of this huge melting pot that defines the United States. Being able to understand how different cultures interact and how as long as you respect other’s views they will most likely respect yours.


   Part of being an American is being proud of this country and what it has to offer. I always enjoy taking trips and seeing this country’s beautiful sights, from the huge cityscapes to the vast forest/mountainous landscapes. I remember when going to Wisconsin Dells was like the best thing that ever happened.


   I really think that most people would feel American by their first few Thanksgivings. Thanksgiving is a very American holiday. The beginning stages of American history are in this holiday. Even though this part of history is not exactly all sugary and nice it doesn’t change the fact that America is here because of those first people.


    As long as you are ready to embrace this way of life and what it has to offer, you will feel like an American. You may have been born all the way across the world and still feel like an American. Remembering your roots and understanding were your future might be is part of being an American. Being able to keep your original identity and adding new traits to it is being an American.

Talking Back? Really? It's Called Answering Your Question!

I can think of a few times when my “smart” mouth got me in trouble. I am not known as someone who creates much trouble or disobeys (much), but I do have tendency to talk back to my parents (mostly my dad) and maybe, once in a while, to a teacher. I don’t really look at it as talking back but more like being honest and answering their question. I am sure I’m not the only one who thinks this way. Do parents actually ask these questions to get answers? It seems that sometimes when we answer it’s never the answer they want.

            One of the incidents that got me in trouble (more like just a scolding) was when I talked back to my 8^th grade science teacher. I also didn’t help that some of my classmates were encouraging to go on.

            That day our teacher wasn’t really teaching. He was just telling one of his many uninteresting stories. I decided to put my head down. In no way was I going to take a nap. I merely wanted to put my head down. I guess the teacher thought I was taking a nap and called me up on it. He then asked me, and I remember this very clearly: “Is there anything hanged on the wall that says you can sleep in the classroom?” That’s when I “smartly” answered back, “There is nothing that says I can’t.” In my defense he asked a very specific question that asked if there was anything “hanged on the wall” and there really wasn’t. So you see, I was just stating a fact. This was followed by my classmates yelling out, “Treated!” Needless to say it didn’t lessen the trouble that I was in.

            I really didn’t mind getting in trouble because I know that at some level I wasn’t really “talking back” and some will probably agree. I also didn’t mind, well, because I didn’t really like the teacher. I can sincerely say that I did not learn any science-y stuff in 8^th grade and that was the reason why “napping” became the cause of most of the trouble I got in.

SUPER PROCTOR...sort of.

I wouldn’t exactly put John Proctor, of The Crucible, in a Batman suit and start singing the theme song. Na Na Na Na… BATMAN BATMAN! I also wouldn’t call him a stooge.

    I do believe that he is more of a hero. He is at least brave. He stands up for what he believes in, or doesn’t believe in. He also admits to the mistakes that he’s made an decides to not repeat them. I believe that by admitting to one’s mistakes you are actually a better person and most likely more respected than one who does not admit to mistakes that they have done. It also helps that you try to change and avoid making the same mistake. John Proctor does exactly this.

    He did admit to Elizabeth, his wife, that he had an affair and Elizabeth seems to have forgiven him. He refuses to get back with Abigail. Although he doesn’t seem to be well liked by the other villagers he is certainly made out to be liked or at least respected by the reader. I think that the reader respects him because compared to some of the other characters he looks at things in a more realistic point-of-view and isn’t very power-hungry as some of the other villagers are. Specially if he is compared to the Putnams and Parris.

   I can also see why the greedier villagers wouldn’t like him. He sees how these people are and maybe they feel that he will convince others that they don’t have the best interest in mind. With Parris it’s that he wants to keep his position because he knows it is of great power and money. But Parris sees that Proctor might threaten his position. Proctor makes clear that he doesn’t like Parris and I believe that he does see that Parris is a greedy man who wants people to keep on coming to his sermons and is doing it by speaking of how evil they will look in the eyes of God if they do not listen to the “messenger”, which is Parris.

   When the whole witchcraft accusation starts Proctor thinks that they are ridiculous and he knows that they are false since Abigail pretty much told him so. I don’t think he believed it will go as far as his wife, and himself, being accused of witchcraft. He is willing to defend their innocence and the innocence of other who were already condemned. He knew the truth and wanted the truth come out.

   He, along with Hale and Giles Corey, show courage because they show up at the court with evidence and with Mary who knows the accusations were false but in the end decides to change her story once more and ends up accusing Proctor. Proctor does “confess” (and I put this word in quotation marks because there was nothing to confess to, he never used any sort of witchcraft.) But he then refuses to lie and believes that as long as the judge and God see his confession it is enough, there is no need for the whole town to have prove, for shouldn’t a judge’s word be enough proof.

  Unfortunately like most heroes there are not seen as such when they are alive but most likely they are seen as heroes when they are gone. He learns from his mistakes as many of us do throughout our lives. He shows integrity by not giving up on what he believes in and stays true to those believes.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

Faith is the confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.- Wikipedia “Faith”

   

     How is it possible that you fear someone who you are supposed to trust? How can you trust someone who instead of forgiving you for a small human mistake will burn, shot, or drown you?
Someone who fears his/her God is someone who does not trust his/her God. To trust someone you must believe that they will lead you through the right path and that they will not harm you, they will understand and be able to give you a second chance.

    To have faith in an angry God, is to have no real faith, for faith is being confident that this God will lead you to your desired destination and not kill at the first sign of sin.

     Edward’s sermon is one that today might be viewed as ridiculous, and to me it certainly is. The idea of making a small mistake and being instantly killed for it is an enormously radical punishment. This type of sermon probably lead people to stay with that religion in order to avoid being in the hands of an angry god. But there must have been those who believed that this was far to unreasonable and decided that their God would never do such things to those who have faith in him. Edward was probably a preacher who wanted everyone to believe in what he believed in and that this way was the only right way.

     Its good to know that a lot of these kinds of believes have died down and that the majority no longer believe in a God that can be this cruel. A God who is cruel is a step behind being evil and apathetic. Many now believe in a forgiving and merciful God.
 

There Goes the Neighborhood

      If I were to describe Pilsen today, I would say that it has more of an artistic and calm atmosphere than it did a few years back. I have been living in the Pilsen neighborhood for the last ten years. I have seen it grow from being a mostly Hispanic neighborhood to a more diverse one.

    As a little kid my mother would always warn me about looking out for clues that will help me avoid trouble. As this neighborhood has been known for gang related violence it was not uncommon to hear about someone suffering through such violence. These incidents have decreased over time. While walking around the neighborhood you can still see signs of such gangs but it is probably not as bad as it was.

     If you were to take a stroll through Pilsen you can see that it is very diverse and has come a long way. You can hear all sorts of languages being spoken. You would most likely hear people either talking English, Spanish, Italian, or Chinese.

     Although this neighborhood has almost always been a very art-focused place, in the last year it has increased. New galleries are being opened and opportunities to display your own artwork are drawing more artists in(no pun intended), making Pilsen become more diverse.

    One of the biggest changes to come to this neighborhood is the kinds of stores that are being opened. In the last year or so a few vintage stores, like Knee Deep, have opened. Recently an Italian restaurant has opened up in the historic Thalia Hall, which was recently renovated.

    In the local supermarket you see that they now stock many organic foods and certainly different kinds of products like Thai, Italian, etc. Whereas if you had entered that same store about two years ago you would mostly see Mexican or American products. There is also a small street market(or in this case parking lot market) were they sell the BEST honey.

    I truly believe that these changes have made this neighborhood better and more interesting. It is good to interact with the many kinds of people that have moved here and learn about something that you would not have known if this neighborhood would have stayed predominantly Hispanic. It creates a well rounded place and there is less ignorance. Even though a lot of us hesitate to accept change, sometimes changes happen for the best and in this case it certainly did.

Who is this Katia you speak of?

Umm…I guess I should start by saying that my name is Katia. I wish I knew the pronunciation key to my name because a lot of people will pronounce it wrong. I really don’t mind. Nicknames are welcome. I am currently a sophomore at Whitney Young. I was born in Mexico. Moved here when I was a wee little thing. When I first meet people I am very shy and awkward around them but then I start to feel more comfortable.

You know that little vampire craze that is going around? Yeah, well I’m sort of into that. Have been since fifth grade. It’s just a little guilty pleasure of mine, along with Jersey Shore.

Some of the weirdest things about me are:

«When I was 8 years old, I wanted to be a witch. (I forgot why.)

«I believe in incarnation and that I was a cat in one of my past lives. (Maybe not so weird, except for the cat thing)

«I like to believe that dreams are either memories of our past lives or our lives in a parallel universe. (Some dreams just feel too real)

«Sometimes my imagination gets the best of me and I start seeing things. (That or I might be crazy...NOT)

«In the morning I am very clumsy. I trip, run into walls, etc. ( Might be because I’m in the midst of waking up)

«I have a tendency to randomly start dancing. (I am not very good at the dancing part)

«I have an unexplainable obsession with the moon.

«I am confused as to why “sugar” is pronounced like shoo-gar and not sue-gar ( If you can explain it to me that would be awesome.)

One thing to know about me is that I LOVE to read. I guess it’s a way to relief some stress. Allows for escape for a couple of minutes when life gets a little too hectic. My favorite type of book is supernatural fiction. I have tried to read non-fiction, but I can’t really can’t get into the text. I think I spend more money on books than on anything else.

Music plays a vital role in my life. I think music should be in everybody’s life. It’s just one of those things that can influence your mood and can be very therapeutic as well as for leisure. My musical preferences are those that many people have not really heard of. For example, I really like to listen to a very unique genre called symphonic metal. Bet you haven’t heard of it.

One of the things that I would love to do is travel. Maybe even live in Italy or Russia. I would really like to travel because languages interest me a lot and I seem to be good at learning them. Russia is one of the top places I would like to visit because I think the architecture there is breathtakingly beautiful. Norway would also be one of those destinations.

Seeming as this intro is getting a bit lengthy I will conclude with two random things: FRIENDS is the best show ever made and Astronomy is the best kind of science.