A selection of quotes

“Riches have never fascinated me, unless combined with the greatest charm or distinction.”
–Letter, Aug. 1936, to Ernest Hemingway

This quote relates to the saying that money cannot buy you happiness. In this part of the letter he is stating that money and riches are not important to him. The only way that money and riches held interest to him was if it brought something more important to him. Fitzgerald could also be implying the idea that riches can change people. In most cases, riches and everything that comes with it change people for the worst. He wants people to know that in his eyes, if the riches do not bring good character to you then it’s worth nothing and people need to see that.
This quote can be related to The Great Gatsby. Gatsby had plenty of money and lived the way any person would only dream. He had the fortune and the great lifestyle, however he was not entirely happy. He didn’t have the charm like the quote, or the distinction of his character and true love. His past true love Daisy was married to someone else and he longed to be with her again. This hole in his heart proves the quote true. All the money in the world, the big houses or the fame cannot buy your happiness. The only way that it can buy you happiness is if there is something more meaningful attached.

Great Gatsby Journal

In the first few chapters I have so far read that Nick Carraway, the narrator, announces that he is writing his account two years after the events he is talking about. Age twenty-nine, in the spring of 1922 he travels East from his midwestern home to work as a bond salesman in New York. He has rented a house on West Egg, in between the mansions along the shore of Long Island Sound. He knows nobody except his distant cousin Daisy Buchanan, who lives with her wealthy husband Tom on East Egg, across the bay. Nick drives over to dinner with the couple, who he has not seen in years, and their guest Jordan Baker. Tom, an athletic polo player, betrays his cocky arrogance as he tells of a racist theory he has read. Daisy's magical voice compels Nick forward to listen to her, but he suspects her sincerity when she says she is unhappy. I am a little confused at whats going on, but I think I get the main jist of it. Also I cannot figure out how to get my wordle document onto my blog.

American Poetry Supermarket

Henry David Thoreau was an American essayist, poet, and practical philosopher, renowned for having lived the doctrines of trancendentalism as recorded in his masterwork, Walden (1854), and for having been a vigorous advocate of civil liberties, as evidenced in the essay “Civil Disobedience” (1849). Thoreau attended Harvard University and was good friends with Ralph Emerson during his life.
I chose "Light-Winged Smoke Icarian Bird" because I had never seen poetry like it before. It sort of synyster and even evil in a way think. Like the line "melting thy pinions in thy upward flight" seems pretty evil. It could also have sort of a big brother is always watching theme to it. There are many ways to interpret Thoreaus work and that why I like him as a writer.

American Realism-Short Story Journaling

For my assignment I chose Mark Twains short stories and they were fun to read. Twain writes stories that almost seems real but it is fiction after all.
Twains stories are very entertaining and you never know what will happen next. The story of "The good little boy" and "The bad little boy" are very ironic in a sense. The good little boy would do nothing but nice things and nothing but bad things would happen to him. On the other hand the bad little boy would get rewarded for his naughty deeds.
When I was reading these two stories I thought that maybe Twain writes to teach a lesson, sort of like a fable. Like in "The jumping frog of calavares", Twain could have been teaching a lesson about karma, or to be careful who you mess with because no matter how good you are at something, theres always gonna be someone better.

Can writing enact social change

I believe this question can go two ways. Yes writing has the power to enact social change, but it highly depends on the reader. If the reader is stubborn as a mule then he will not be changed, but if the reader is open to new ideas then they can most definitley be changed.
Also, the piece of writing has to truly be meaningful because if you write any old piece of crap then the reader is not going to soak any of it in. For instance, some people who sparked social change by writing are Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, and of course Jesus and the disciples. JFK and MLK's speeches both sparked huge social change and the bible is one of the most, if not the most, influential books in the world.

Light-winged Smoke, Icarian Bird

http://www.poetry-archive.com/t/light-winged_smoke.html

James Coin
Newspaper Article

Mercer Gray vs. Jackson Pryor


A short while back Mercer Gray, a slave owned by Jackson Pryor, had escaped due to the help of William Still and Passamore Williamson. Mercer Gray, originally known as Ginnie Pryor, had been on the run with two of her three children, Etta and Mattie. They were not alone though. They had a lot of help from the quick family, who helped them escape and kept them safe. Ginnie Pryor changed her name to Mercer Gray to represent her new life. Though she changed her name the past caught up to her andas was feared Jackson Pryor pressed charges. William Still was arrested for assault and battery, while Passamore Williamson was imprisoned for contempt of court because he refused to give up Mercer when he was ordered to. After Jackson Pryor pressed charges the family decided it would be smart to split up Mercer and her children. Mercer moved to West Chester with Aunt Zilpha, a member of the Quick family, while Etta and Mattie stayed in Philadelphia. Mercer visits Passamore Williamsons cousin Eliza who
convinces her to sign and affidavit stating that Mercer left Jackson Pryor on her own free will. Even though she signed the affidavit she still had to come in to the courthouse and testify under her slave name, Virginia Pryor. After hearing all of the testimonies the judge finally reaches a decision. Mercer is reunited with her kids and is a free women and all the charges are dropped against the men involved in the escape of Mercer Gray. As a result of this desicion a young man Nig-Nag, who helped Mercer escape, was beaten and killed by a slave catcher hired by Pryor named Keller. This event opens Mercers eyes to the horrors that occur to slaves every day. As of now Mercer is traveling and telling her story to others hoping to inspire them and open their eyes to these horrors as well.