Last Journal 12/9/11
I can’t believe that this is the last journal I will be writing for Honors 201. This semester has really flown by. It seems like yesterday that I was sitting in my dorm reading Gilgamesh. I have had a lot of fun in this class and would like to thank you, Dr. Hartman, for being an awesome professor.
This week in class we read the New Testament, did our class evaluations, discussed our critical essays, and read the Qur’an. I am not a religious person, so I was not a huge fan of reading this text. I enjoy the New Testament as a piece of literature and an art, but I wasn’t very fond of our discussion. I feel that most people in our class are pretty Christian and take a very personal approach to the discussion. I unfortunately feel the same when we read the Qur’an. Everyone in class merely compared it to their personal beliefs more than relating it as a piece of literature.
On a lighter note, I really enjoyed hearing about everyone’s essays. I thought that all of the topics were very interesting to hear about. I learned a lot from just listening to the minute long recaps and fun facts that everyone shared with the rest of us. I really enjoyed researching my topic and finding out more about reincarnation and platonic dualism.
As this being the last journal I will be writing for Honors 201, I just want to reiterate that this class was very insightful and well outlined. Thank you again, Dr. Hartman.
Peer Review 12/2/11
Today’s journal entry is to perform a peer review of another classmate’s critical essay. I was given Taylor’s essay. Taylor’s essay relates to the The Odyssey and The Aeneid, which excited me since we spent so much time in class discussing them and I find the Trojan War quite interesting. I also really like the fact that her essay was more in depth than just a research paper. Her essay covered the controversial issue of whether the Trojan War actually happened.
I thought her paper was very well written. The essay was easy to read and presented some very good information. It represented the debate of whether the war happened very well, and leaned toward the side that the Trojan War did in fact occur. At the same time, I admired the fact that the paper did not make any declarative statements forcing an opinion one way or the other.
The essay definitely covered both requirements for the critical essay; clearly presenting relevant information synthesized from multiple sources and insightfully applying information or a concept to an interpretation of a text. Taylor’s research from multiple sources definitely met the expectations. She also outlined the plot of The Odyssey and related her research to it.
One thing that I think I would be a nice addition to the paper is if she explained which parts of the war she thinks are fabricated. She mentions that she believes that Homer fabricated the war in certain ways. I would like to hear which parts of the stories we read in class she thinks are exaggerated.
Response to Art Museum visit 11/18/11
Today I had the pleasure of going to visit the art museum. It was an extremely cold walk over there, but I would say that it was well worth it. I found the art museum to be quite a wonderful place. When I first stepped in, I was astounded by the enormous bottle cap chandelier hanging above the marble floored room. I thought that piece of art was really unique. I wondered to myself how many people spent time making that, and soon giving up on my effort to count how many bottle caps were incorporated. The next thing that I was drawn to was the two set of semi spiraling staircases that led up to a very large landscape painting. I walked up the stairs and decided to explore the many rooms. The first room I went into was the one with the religious sculptures and paintings. Although I found those interesting, I don’t have much of a taste for religious works. I left that room and ventured on to the room that represented more of a modern art gallery to me. It contained many paintings that hung on different sections of white washed walls. I really enjoyed the more modern paintings, but overall liked everything in that room. After finishing my examination there, I ventured to the silver works room. I found the silver to be a unique medium that I don’t usually get to view, so I enjoyed looking at these pieces. The silver was so detailed and elegant. I took a particular liking to the pieces that had silver and copper. I then scaled the marble stairs back down to the first floor. It was there that I discovered my overall favorite gallery. I took most interest in the ethnographic gallery. I thought the different African culture pieces were astonishing. I read a lot of the information provided with the pieces, such as masks and weapons, each one leaving me wanting to know more about them. One of the pieces was a specially carved belt that the winners of competition games received. I also really enjoyed a sculpture of a warrior that had metallic, opaque like eyes. Overall, I was exceedingly impressed by the museum and really liked my visit there.
Critical Essay Topic
For my critical essay I was thinking about doing a paper on what the Hindu belief of reincarnation is and relating it to the texts that we have read. Response to The Aeneid 11/11/11
This week in class we have been reading The Aeneid. I have not found this story to catch my attention very much at all. It reminds me too much of the Odyssey, and I’m a little tired of the same old song and dance, if you will. I don’t find myself putting my full attention into this story when I am reading it, which causes me to have to go back in the story and re-read some lines over again. It’s one of those things where you read an entire page of text only to realize that you don’t remember a word of the last thousand words that you just subconsciously read. My eyes were scanning the literature, but my mind was trying to decide which dining hall was the most practical to eat at, what I was going to do over the weekend, and other things that drifted my mind away from the matter at hand.
I sometimes wish that these epics were a little less dramatic. It makes them harder to relate to. I did not support the stance that our group in class had to defend, which was that Aeneas is a jerk and that Book IV was used to provide sympathy towards Dido. I feel pretty much no sympathy for Dido, and do not think Aeneas is a jerk at all. Aeneas was doing what he was predestined to do with his life. He was following orders from the gods, and didn’t need Dido’s psychotic self to tie him down. Dido was way too attached to him for how little she knew him. Killing herself was a little over dramatic. If it was really a matter of life and death then she should’ve just gone with Aeneas to Italy. That’s a much more reasonable thing to do.
Response to Daoism 11/04/11
This week in class we have been discussing and evaluating Daoism. On Monday we were assigned to read poems over Daoism, and on Wednesday we were assigned to read more of short stories. I personally liked the poems better. The short stories were easier to read, but I really liked the cryptic feel to the poems. I liked that I had to think about more about the poems, as opposed to the laid out, simplistic style of the short stories. I still found the short stories interesting though. One thing that I definitely liked about the stories is that they tended to incorporate some element of humor in them. That was refreshing after having to think so much about the poems meanings. Of the short stories, I took a liking to the Ailanthus Tree. I thought that one had some good insight. I really like the concept of making the best of what you have, and not letting anything go to waste.
We had an interesting discussion over the first poem in the Dao De Jing. The most controversial of which was over the last three or four lines. Everyone was thrown off by the meaning of “darkness within darkness, the gateway to all mystery”. Most people said that they normally conjured up thoughts of unawareness and unknowingness when they hear darkness. When I read it though, I looked at the darkness within darkness as the blindness from desire. And to have a blindness from desire is the gateway to all mystery. In the two interpretations that we read the last lines of both used different words. They used the words mystery and understanding. I consider the mystery to be all of understanding. This poem stood out to me. Overall, I like the concept of Daoism and the assigned readings this week.
Response to the Good Life 10/28/11
This week in class we focused primarily on what the qualifications for the “good life” would be. I was a part of the group that presented on Wednesday, and thought our presentation went pretty well. The discussions provoked by the two groups went on forever. Each time a question was presented, the class would go on a rally that would end up encompassing every aspect imaginable of the presented question, and more times than not, the following questions that the our group and the other group had prepared. The “good life” question is definitely a diverse one that everyone seemed to have many different opinions on.
I personally like Solons outtake on the good life. I think that one can best judge the quality of their life when they have lived the majority of it. Also, I like that he does not base it on riches and other materialistic ideals. The good life should be about happiness in my opinion. I have a very simplistic take on what the good life should include. I believe that in order to achieve the good life, it’s all about happiness. I would consider a good life to be one without fancy material possessions if the person is still happy with what they have. If fancy material possessions and other objects like that are the only way to make someone happy then those things do make up the good life.
I like to personally think that I have indulged in the good life thus far. I have always been a pretty happy person and am usually quite content with what I have. I don’t come from an extraordinarily wealthy background or anything like that, but I’ve always had what I need, and for that I share my gratitude.
Midterm Reflection 10/21/11
I have been enjoying this class very much as we continue on in the year. There are many of the readings that I have loved, and others that I could live without. Either way the story went for me though, they were all redeemed by our discussions in class. The discussions have been great thus far. We all seem really in to it and provide informative insights to add to the circle. There are never dull or awkward moments, which is great. We bounce ideas off of each other like rubber on cement. It’s refreshing to have a class that isn’t strictly lecture based. I grow very tiresome with a professor standing in front of a class. I really like the structure that our class operates off.
I also think that we have done a great job with maintaining the course goals. We have successfully covered every goal with ease, I would say. There is no doubt that we have analyzed and formulated new understandings of the subjects. Some subjects I have completely changed opinions, understandings, etc. Another goal that we have definitely accomplished is forming knowledge individually and collaboratively, and doing so through discussion, writings, projects, and presentations. Our discussions are always in depth and helpful. Our writings were all very entertaining to hear about and see. All of the projects and presentations have allowed me to understand the ideas better, and in a more interesting way.
I can’t think of anything in the class that I have strong feelings about changing. I’m not an adamant fan on the amount of reading that is usually assigned nightly. But that is more of my lazy side poking out. I understand that this is an honors course so there ought to be more reading. Overall though, I think this class is a great to way to learn, and I would recommend it to most people.
Parody David and Goliath Incorporated
Goliath Incorporated was a monopolistic corporate giant. The company was run by a dictator of a businessman named Gage. Gage controlled the company with an iron fist and demolished all competition in the area. No one stood a chance against Goliath Incorporated.
David was an aspiring entrepreneur. He was a good man, and faithful to his morals. David was a nine-to-five worker before he opened his own business. He walked into the industry not knowing the powers and manipulation of Goliath Incorporated. Davis was no quitter though, and wanted to end the cruel reign of the monopoly that picked the pockets of the townspeople that were geographically forced to shop there.
Sam, David’s father-in-law, presented him with start up money, and got him on his way with the business. David’s humble business was based on the foundation of reasonable prices and good customer service.
As time progressed, David’s company grew larger and larger, gaining more and more customers. Soon enough he had a decent percentage of the market merging away from Goliath Incorporated. Goliath Incorporated was too large to for David to compete with their prices though. A minority of people still flocked to the store like sheep to try to resist the outsourcing, competition crushing Goliath Incorporated.
David was gaining local fame in his community. This newfound glory brought Sam much resentment, for he was the one who got David’s company on its feet and he believed that he should be the one accredited for the company’s upbringing. Behind David’s back, Sam went to Goliath Incorporated and urged an army of lawyers and businessmen from the company to try and buy out David’s store.
David met with the proposition makers, but his morals and determination were with him still. He refused the businessmen and continued on gaining more and more consumers, drawing them away from the competing monopoly. Sam accepted that he was not going to budge. He then told that he would resist acting upon his umbrage.
Sam continued to secretly oversee David’s business and try to discretely run it into the ground. Sam incessantly became more and more threatened by David’s company though. Soon after, David’s company had run Goliath Incorporated out of business and opened the market to other local businesses and competition.
Response to Parodies, Antigone, and Presentations 10/14/11
This week in class we had a wide variety of classroom events. Monday, we completed and shared our parody essays. Wednesday, we discussed our reading of Antigone. And Friday, we watched and discussed a presentation over rulers and citizens. It was a pretty busy week for our honors humanities class.
I thought that all the different parodies were really fun to hear about in class. Each one had its own unique spin to it. I thought the facebook page was a very good idea. It was more interactive and relatable then a lot others. I also enjoyed all the comic strips, childrens books, and poems that everyone parodied.
My thoughts on Antigone are slightly less optimistic. I was not the biggest fan of this story. There was a little too much droning and pessimism for me to handle. When we discussed it in class, I supported that she was right in wanting to bury her brother. Proper burials were a very important concept in that time, and she had every right to bury her brother the way he deserved to be buried. On the other hand, Creon had no right to refuse the other brother's burial. I understand that Polynices didn't fight for his side, but I still think it is unreasonable to refuse the burial rights of your own blood.
The presentation today over rulers and citizens was very interesting and informative as well. I thought the group did a great job with the powerpoint presentation, explaining the ruler and citizen scenario in each of the stories. the Discussion questions were also quite in depth. The came well prepared with multiple discussion questions that kept our class conversing. I found it funny that we had trouble coming up with a scenario that the American government was praised for. It was interesting when the reporter held in North Korea, and Bill Clinton's power to win her freedom was put in comparison to the rulers and citizens concept.
Response to Agamemnon and Heroes 10/07/11 (An accident that this got copied into your Agamemnon response? MH) Yes that was a mistake. Thank you for pointing that out, I probably would not have realized that was there ha
This week we read Agamemnon and other hero stories. We also got the pleasure of watching two wonderful presentations on what it means to be a hero. I thought the presentations were really good. They were very well put together and presented very well. I think the two groups discussion questions were quite interactive as well. The questions really lit a spark, and the class never seemed to stop finding tangents to them. I liked today’s question about modern day heroes and all the different interpretations that one can consider a hero to be. The Hitler being a tragic hero scenario was pretty funny. I think that almost everyone can be a hero when it is looked at like that.
I also liked our discussion about Agamemnon. I wasn’t a huge fan of reading the story though. I was a little angry that Agamemnon gave up so easily when it came to Clytemnestra demanding him to walk on the purple rug. Agamemnon will kill his own daughter for the gods, but he doesn’t have the will power to not walk on a rug? Ridiculous. I’d say that almost justifies Clytemnestra’s actions. Also, one of the ideas presented in class on Monday was the concept of doing something for the greater good. Some said that Agamemnon’s actions were valid because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I don’t think this is really the case in this story though. I think that it was still a very selfish act considering the whole war was based off of a personal vendetta to begin with. Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter to insure that Troy would fall easily. I don’t see why they couldn’t have just turned around and accepted that Paris was maybe just destine to have Helen. Was she really worth all that trouble? She must have been a really awesome person.
[It would be hard to worship a god named Jeff. That's my father in law's name. "I am who I am" as God's name is an expression of the Hebrews' monotheism. God just is and there are no other gods. MH]
Response to The Old Testament 09/30/11
This week in class we were in charge of reading Genesis, Exodus, Job, Psalms, and Song of Songs. One thing that puzzled me about Genesis is how Seth and Cain managed to populate the earth by themselves. Adam and Eve didn’t have a daughter or anything like that. As messed up as incest is, that’s the only way I could see it happening. The whole story about Noah, Ham, Shem, and Japheth is a little ridiculous too. I thought it was funny when the later generations tried to build an edifice to heaven. After all the work put in to it, God spits in their faces by destroying it. I don’t understand why when Moses asks God what his name is; he replies, “I am who I am.” What is that supposed to mean? It would be funny if he said “Jeff” or something along those lines.
The next story that stood out to me the most was Job. I thought this story was just down right mean. Job didn’t deserve all that. He was just a good guy minding his own business, being super loyal to God. I think God should have just told Satan no. It isn’t that hard to just say no. Job is a real stand up guy though. After everything he went through, he was still loyal. I’m not a religious person, so that kind of blind fidelity amazes me. I’m much more of a “see it to believe it” kind of person. The man lost all of his livestock, servants, and TEN children. And his wife is not supportive at all. Her best advice was to curse God and just give up. She’s a keeper.
Response to the Creation Myths 09/23/11
This week’s discussions have been revolved around the creation myths and religion in general. I claim no religious affiliation myself, so I consider myself as somewhat of a third party, or mediator, in this sense. This was the first time that I have ever read Genesis. I feel like I am one of few that haven’t read Genesis in our class. What I find most interesting about religion in general is what some people accept to be believable, and what they think is outrageous and could never be true. Why is it much more plausible that there is one god as opposed to a plethora of gods. The people back then were die-hard believers of the polytheistic concept as people are today about Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and other monotheistic religions. It makes me wonder what’s to come. Another thing that I thought was strange is the concept of converting someone that believed in multiple gods to someone that believed in only one. I don’t understand how someone could just stop believing what they’ve believed their entire life and start holding faith in only one. In history we learned that the reason most people converted was because the other religions had a much more promising and comfortable form of the after life and salvation. I don’t feel like that is any real dedication to a religion. That is purely just reaping the benefits.
Another thing that we did this week was read and discuss Sappho’s poems. I found those to be rather interesting. There are not many women writers, let alone poets, that early in history. That is definitely admirable. I liked the poem “He is more than a hero” because it can be looked at in so many different ways.
Response to The Odyssey 09/16/11
I never thought I’d see the day when I finished reading the Odyssey. But it seems that that day has finally come. This is the second time I’ve read this epic, and I can say that I most definitely liked it more this time. Rereading something is always a good way to get a better understanding of it.
I thought that the battle was a tad bit over exaggerated. Bloodshed, violence, testosterone, and what have you, are all great, but I thought some parts were just a little bit excessive. After Odysseus makes all the women servants clean and get rid of the bodies, he sentences them to death. That’s harsh. And if that weren’t enough, Telemachus decides to take it one step further by hanging them to disgrace them even more. That is one family to not mess around with.
I also thought that the battle was a little unfair. I don’t think Athena should have been able to participate. What fun is that? That doesn’t test Odysseus’s strength at all. It was basically just cheating. It is also somewhat funny that Penelope can somehow sleep through the entire fight. I feel like that I would awake to a group of twenty people being brutally murdered if I was in the same house.
I also wasn’t too crazy about the ending of the story. I think it ended a little bit too abruptly. Athena simply made them forget about the massacre and then peace was restored. Athena’s role in this book made it seem less personal and real to me. I think that the influence of an immortal played too much of a part in the succession of the story.
All criticism aside though, I did enjoy reading the epic. I wouldn’t go back and do it all over again, but it was a fun read while it lasted.
Response to The Odyssey 09/09/11
This week I realized how much longer the Odyssey is than I thought. Only reading this in high school gave me a very abridged version of the story. I am still enjoying it nonetheless though. I am very happy to finally be reading about Odysseus now. I liked the fact that I got a different perspective on the story with the first six books being about Telemachus, but I thought that was a little bit extensive. I was getting pretty bored with reading about his problems, and somewhat anxious to get to the fanatical experiences that Odysseus goes through.
I feel like this book would be more fun as an oral. I really like the story, the adventures, and all that great stuff, but I’m not crazy about the literature itself. Reading the actual book is not that appealing to me. I think it would be much better if someone could read it to me with expression and emotion instead.
I really like the part of the book when Odysseus travels to the River of Ocean in the land of the Cimmerians. Elpenor must have been the biggest buzzkill to Odysseus and his men. Going all the way back to Kirke’s island to bury his body was quite out of the way. I personally would have been a little annoyed. But Odysseus is a nice guy, so all power to him I guess.
Another part that I find to be rather ridiculous is when Odysseus’s crew opens the bag of wind that Aeolus gave him. I understand the crews’ suspicion and all, but how did they not pick the bag up and realize that there obviously wasn’t anything in it? Gold and other riches would have at least jangled around a bit and made some sort of noise. A bag of wind on the other hand, does not. I think Odysseus’s crew is not the sharpest bunch of guys.
Response to The Odyssey 09/02/11
When I was reading the first readings of the week there was one thing that stood out that astonished me; that the Iliad and the Odyssey were memorized oral stories. The fact that someone could memorize a fifteen thousand, let alone twelve thousand, verse poem is beyond me. I enjoy reading the Odyssey more than Gilgamesh because the literature is much easier to understand. I really like how there is some form of transition between events in the Odyssey as opposed to the choppy, abrupt change of events in Gilgamesh, which often left me kind of confused. I also feel like I have gone through somewhat of a prerequisite for this epic. I have read the Odyssey before, so this time around seems to click with me better. I have never read this epic in poem form before. I think I like the poetic perspective better than the narrative side. Also, I am studying the Mycenaeans and ancient Greece and other tangibles in my history class, so I feel that I have a lot of vital background information. I find Athena to be very interesting as well. Her ways of manipulative mind control is very intriguing. The way that she can take so many different forms is crazy cool. There were some parts of the story that I was a little confused as to her identity. Some people that she was talking to seemed to know undoubtedly that they were speaking to the grey-eyed Athena. I may have misread that though. Additionally, I find her focused energy on helping Odysseus and Telemachos to be out of the ordinary. Why them? Overall, I really like the Odyssey. The story is very engaging and emotionally connective. I seem to have a much more personal understanding with the characters in this story. They have definite motive and real thoughts, which is a quality I think to be crucial to be a real piece of literature.
Response to Gilgamesh 08/26/11
I thought that Gilgamesh was a pretty decently entertaining story. It most definitely wasn’t my favorite story, but I didn’t mind reading it. There were quite a few parts in the story that left my wondering “why” someone did something or “why” something happened the way it did. I was left with a lot of question of motive. I never really understood why Gilgamesh felt the need to go off on the journey to kill Humbaba. Also, I couldn’t grasp why after grappling with Enkidu for a small amount a time they instantly became friends. Also, I am left with a cloud of confusion about the towns’ people’s opinion towards Gilgamesh. In the beginning of the story Gilgamesh is a man who “No son is left with his father, for Gilgamesh takes them all; and is this the king, the shepherd of his people? His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior’s daughter nor the wife of the noble.” On the other hand, towards the back end of the story his people glorify him as an immaculate hero.
I also noticed an excessive amount of repetition in the story that almost allowed me to not have to read more than one sentence in certain paragraphs. “When he had gone one league the darkness became thick around him, for there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him. After two leagues the darkness was thick and there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.” This went on for six more leagues.
My other inquiry about the story concerns Gilgamesh’s search for eternal life. Even though he seems to absolutely hate his life since Enkidu died, he is still on a perilous journey to get to the garden to ask for eternal life. I’m not sure if this is a form of punishment to continue living like this or what his motive is.
Jack Smith
Last Journal 12/9/11
I can’t believe that this is the last journal I will be writing for Honors 201. This semester has really flown by. It seems like yesterday that I was sitting in my dorm reading Gilgamesh. I have had a lot of fun in this class and would like to thank you, Dr. Hartman, for being an awesome professor.
This week in class we read the New Testament, did our class evaluations, discussed our critical essays, and read the Qur’an. I am not a religious person, so I was not a huge fan of reading this text. I enjoy the New Testament as a piece of literature and an art, but I wasn’t very fond of our discussion. I feel that most people in our class are pretty Christian and take a very personal approach to the discussion. I unfortunately feel the same when we read the Qur’an. Everyone in class merely compared it to their personal beliefs more than relating it as a piece of literature.
On a lighter note, I really enjoyed hearing about everyone’s essays. I thought that all of the topics were very interesting to hear about. I learned a lot from just listening to the minute long recaps and fun facts that everyone shared with the rest of us. I really enjoyed researching my topic and finding out more about reincarnation and platonic dualism.
As this being the last journal I will be writing for Honors 201, I just want to reiterate that this class was very insightful and well outlined. Thank you again, Dr. Hartman.
Peer Review 12/2/11
Today’s journal entry is to perform a peer review of another classmate’s critical essay. I was given Taylor’s essay. Taylor’s essay relates to the The Odyssey and The Aeneid, which excited me since we spent so much time in class discussing them and I find the Trojan War quite interesting. I also really like the fact that her essay was more in depth than just a research paper. Her essay covered the controversial issue of whether the Trojan War actually happened.
I thought her paper was very well written. The essay was easy to read and presented some very good information. It represented the debate of whether the war happened very well, and leaned toward the side that the Trojan War did in fact occur. At the same time, I admired the fact that the paper did not make any declarative statements forcing an opinion one way or the other.
The essay definitely covered both requirements for the critical essay; clearly presenting relevant information synthesized from multiple sources and insightfully applying information or a concept to an interpretation of a text. Taylor’s research from multiple sources definitely met the expectations. She also outlined the plot of The Odyssey and related her research to it.
One thing that I think I would be a nice addition to the paper is if she explained which parts of the war she thinks are fabricated. She mentions that she believes that Homer fabricated the war in certain ways. I would like to hear which parts of the stories we read in class she thinks are exaggerated.
Response to Art Museum visit 11/18/11
Today I had the pleasure of going to visit the art museum. It was an extremely cold walk over there, but I would say that it was well worth it. I found the art museum to be quite a wonderful place. When I first stepped in, I was astounded by the enormous bottle cap chandelier hanging above the marble floored room. I thought that piece of art was really unique. I wondered to myself how many people spent time making that, and soon giving up on my effort to count how many bottle caps were incorporated. The next thing that I was drawn to was the two set of semi spiraling staircases that led up to a very large landscape painting. I walked up the stairs and decided to explore the many rooms. The first room I went into was the one with the religious sculptures and paintings. Although I found those interesting, I don’t have much of a taste for religious works. I left that room and ventured on to the room that represented more of a modern art gallery to me. It contained many paintings that hung on different sections of white washed walls. I really enjoyed the more modern paintings, but overall liked everything in that room. After finishing my examination there, I ventured to the silver works room. I found the silver to be a unique medium that I don’t usually get to view, so I enjoyed looking at these pieces. The silver was so detailed and elegant. I took a particular liking to the pieces that had silver and copper. I then scaled the marble stairs back down to the first floor. It was there that I discovered my overall favorite gallery. I took most interest in the ethnographic gallery. I thought the different African culture pieces were astonishing. I read a lot of the information provided with the pieces, such as masks and weapons, each one leaving me wanting to know more about them. One of the pieces was a specially carved belt that the winners of competition games received. I also really enjoyed a sculpture of a warrior that had metallic, opaque like eyes. Overall, I was exceedingly impressed by the museum and really liked my visit there.
Critical Essay Topic
For my critical essay I was thinking about doing a paper on what the Hindu belief of reincarnation is and relating it to the texts that we have read.
Response to The Aeneid 11/11/11
This week in class we have been reading The Aeneid. I have not found this story to catch my attention very much at all. It reminds me too much of the Odyssey, and I’m a little tired of the same old song and dance, if you will. I don’t find myself putting my full attention into this story when I am reading it, which causes me to have to go back in the story and re-read some lines over again. It’s one of those things where you read an entire page of text only to realize that you don’t remember a word of the last thousand words that you just subconsciously read. My eyes were scanning the literature, but my mind was trying to decide which dining hall was the most practical to eat at, what I was going to do over the weekend, and other things that drifted my mind away from the matter at hand.
I sometimes wish that these epics were a little less dramatic. It makes them harder to relate to. I did not support the stance that our group in class had to defend, which was that Aeneas is a jerk and that Book IV was used to provide sympathy towards Dido. I feel pretty much no sympathy for Dido, and do not think Aeneas is a jerk at all. Aeneas was doing what he was predestined to do with his life. He was following orders from the gods, and didn’t need Dido’s psychotic self to tie him down. Dido was way too attached to him for how little she knew him. Killing herself was a little over dramatic. If it was really a matter of life and death then she should’ve just gone with Aeneas to Italy. That’s a much more reasonable thing to do.
Response to Daoism 11/04/11
This week in class we have been discussing and evaluating Daoism. On Monday we were assigned to read poems over Daoism, and on Wednesday we were assigned to read more of short stories. I personally liked the poems better. The short stories were easier to read, but I really liked the cryptic feel to the poems. I liked that I had to think about more about the poems, as opposed to the laid out, simplistic style of the short stories. I still found the short stories interesting though. One thing that I definitely liked about the stories is that they tended to incorporate some element of humor in them. That was refreshing after having to think so much about the poems meanings. Of the short stories, I took a liking to the Ailanthus Tree. I thought that one had some good insight. I really like the concept of making the best of what you have, and not letting anything go to waste.
We had an interesting discussion over the first poem in the Dao De Jing. The most controversial of which was over the last three or four lines. Everyone was thrown off by the meaning of “darkness within darkness, the gateway to all mystery”. Most people said that they normally conjured up thoughts of unawareness and unknowingness when they hear darkness. When I read it though, I looked at the darkness within darkness as the blindness from desire. And to have a blindness from desire is the gateway to all mystery. In the two interpretations that we read the last lines of both used different words. They used the words mystery and understanding. I consider the mystery to be all of understanding. This poem stood out to me. Overall, I like the concept of Daoism and the assigned readings this week.
Response to the Good Life 10/28/11
This week in class we focused primarily on what the qualifications for the “good life” would be. I was a part of the group that presented on Wednesday, and thought our presentation went pretty well. The discussions provoked by the two groups went on forever. Each time a question was presented, the class would go on a rally that would end up encompassing every aspect imaginable of the presented question, and more times than not, the following questions that the our group and the other group had prepared. The “good life” question is definitely a diverse one that everyone seemed to have many different opinions on.
I personally like Solons outtake on the good life. I think that one can best judge the quality of their life when they have lived the majority of it. Also, I like that he does not base it on riches and other materialistic ideals. The good life should be about happiness in my opinion. I have a very simplistic take on what the good life should include. I believe that in order to achieve the good life, it’s all about happiness. I would consider a good life to be one without fancy material possessions if the person is still happy with what they have. If fancy material possessions and other objects like that are the only way to make someone happy then those things do make up the good life.
I like to personally think that I have indulged in the good life thus far. I have always been a pretty happy person and am usually quite content with what I have. I don’t come from an extraordinarily wealthy background or anything like that, but I’ve always had what I need, and for that I share my gratitude.
Midterm Reflection 10/21/11
I have been enjoying this class very much as we continue on in the year. There are many of the readings that I have loved, and others that I could live without. Either way the story went for me though, they were all redeemed by our discussions in class. The discussions have been great thus far. We all seem really in to it and provide informative insights to add to the circle. There are never dull or awkward moments, which is great. We bounce ideas off of each other like rubber on cement. It’s refreshing to have a class that isn’t strictly lecture based. I grow very tiresome with a professor standing in front of a class. I really like the structure that our class operates off.
I also think that we have done a great job with maintaining the course goals. We have successfully covered every goal with ease, I would say. There is no doubt that we have analyzed and formulated new understandings of the subjects. Some subjects I have completely changed opinions, understandings, etc. Another goal that we have definitely accomplished is forming knowledge individually and collaboratively, and doing so through discussion, writings, projects, and presentations. Our discussions are always in depth and helpful. Our writings were all very entertaining to hear about and see. All of the projects and presentations have allowed me to understand the ideas better, and in a more interesting way.
I can’t think of anything in the class that I have strong feelings about changing. I’m not an adamant fan on the amount of reading that is usually assigned nightly. But that is more of my lazy side poking out. I understand that this is an honors course so there ought to be more reading. Overall though, I think this class is a great to way to learn, and I would recommend it to most people.
Parody
David and Goliath Incorporated
Goliath Incorporated was a monopolistic corporate giant. The company was run by a dictator of a businessman named Gage. Gage controlled the company with an iron fist and demolished all competition in the area. No one stood a chance against Goliath Incorporated.
David was an aspiring entrepreneur. He was a good man, and faithful to his morals. David was a nine-to-five worker before he opened his own business. He walked into the industry not knowing the powers and manipulation of Goliath Incorporated. Davis was no quitter though, and wanted to end the cruel reign of the monopoly that picked the pockets of the townspeople that were geographically forced to shop there.
Sam, David’s father-in-law, presented him with start up money, and got him on his way with the business. David’s humble business was based on the foundation of reasonable prices and good customer service.
As time progressed, David’s company grew larger and larger, gaining more and more customers. Soon enough he had a decent percentage of the market merging away from Goliath Incorporated. Goliath Incorporated was too large to for David to compete with their prices though. A minority of people still flocked to the store like sheep to try to resist the outsourcing, competition crushing Goliath Incorporated.
David was gaining local fame in his community. This newfound glory brought Sam much resentment, for he was the one who got David’s company on its feet and he believed that he should be the one accredited for the company’s upbringing. Behind David’s back, Sam went to Goliath Incorporated and urged an army of lawyers and businessmen from the company to try and buy out David’s store.
David met with the proposition makers, but his morals and determination were with him still. He refused the businessmen and continued on gaining more and more consumers, drawing them away from the competing monopoly. Sam accepted that he was not going to budge. He then told that he would resist acting upon his umbrage.
Sam continued to secretly oversee David’s business and try to discretely run it into the ground. Sam incessantly became more and more threatened by David’s company though. Soon after, David’s company had run Goliath Incorporated out of business and opened the market to other local businesses and competition.
Response to Parodies, Antigone, and Presentations 10/14/11
This week in class we had a wide variety of classroom events. Monday, we completed and shared our parody essays. Wednesday, we discussed our reading of Antigone. And Friday, we watched and discussed a presentation over rulers and citizens. It was a pretty busy week for our honors humanities class.
I thought that all the different parodies were really fun to hear about in class. Each one had its own unique spin to it. I thought the facebook page was a very good idea. It was more interactive and relatable then a lot others. I also enjoyed all the comic strips, childrens books, and poems that everyone parodied.
My thoughts on Antigone are slightly less optimistic. I was not the biggest fan of this story. There was a little too much droning and pessimism for me to handle. When we discussed it in class, I supported that she was right in wanting to bury her brother. Proper burials were a very important concept in that time, and she had every right to bury her brother the way he deserved to be buried. On the other hand, Creon had no right to refuse the other brother's burial. I understand that Polynices didn't fight for his side, but I still think it is unreasonable to refuse the burial rights of your own blood.
The presentation today over rulers and citizens was very interesting and informative as well. I thought the group did a great job with the powerpoint presentation, explaining the ruler and citizen scenario in each of the stories. the Discussion questions were also quite in depth. The came well prepared with multiple discussion questions that kept our class conversing. I found it funny that we had trouble coming up with a scenario that the American government was praised for. It was interesting when the reporter held in North Korea, and Bill Clinton's power to win her freedom was put in comparison to the rulers and citizens concept.
Response to Agamemnon and Heroes 10/07/11
(An accident that this got copied into your Agamemnon response? MH) Yes that was a mistake. Thank you for pointing that out, I probably would not have realized that was there ha
This week we read Agamemnon and other hero stories. We also got the pleasure of watching two wonderful presentations on what it means to be a hero. I thought the presentations were really good. They were very well put together and presented very well. I think the two groups discussion questions were quite interactive as well. The questions really lit a spark, and the class never seemed to stop finding tangents to them. I liked today’s question about modern day heroes and all the different interpretations that one can consider a hero to be. The Hitler being a tragic hero scenario was pretty funny. I think that almost everyone can be a hero when it is looked at like that.
I also liked our discussion about Agamemnon. I wasn’t a huge fan of reading the story though. I was a little angry that Agamemnon gave up so easily when it came to Clytemnestra demanding him to walk on the purple rug. Agamemnon will kill his own daughter for the gods, but he doesn’t have the will power to not walk on a rug? Ridiculous. I’d say that almost justifies Clytemnestra’s actions. Also, one of the ideas presented in class on Monday was the concept of doing something for the greater good. Some said that Agamemnon’s actions were valid because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I don’t think this is really the case in this story though. I think that it was still a very selfish act considering the whole war was based off of a personal vendetta to begin with. Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter to insure that Troy would fall easily. I don’t see why they couldn’t have just turned around and accepted that Paris was maybe just destine to have Helen. Was she really worth all that trouble? She must have been a really awesome person.
[It would be hard to worship a god named Jeff. That's my father in law's name. "I am who I am" as God's name is an expression of the Hebrews' monotheism. God just is and there are no other gods. MH]
Response to The Old Testament 09/30/11
This week in class we were in charge of reading Genesis, Exodus, Job, Psalms, and Song of Songs. One thing that puzzled me about Genesis is how Seth and Cain managed to populate the earth by themselves. Adam and Eve didn’t have a daughter or anything like that. As messed up as incest is, that’s the only way I could see it happening. The whole story about Noah, Ham, Shem, and Japheth is a little ridiculous too. I thought it was funny when the later generations tried to build an edifice to heaven. After all the work put in to it, God spits in their faces by destroying it. I don’t understand why when Moses asks God what his name is; he replies, “I am who I am.” What is that supposed to mean? It would be funny if he said “Jeff” or something along those lines.
The next story that stood out to me the most was Job. I thought this story was just down right mean. Job didn’t deserve all that. He was just a good guy minding his own business, being super loyal to God. I think God should have just told Satan no. It isn’t that hard to just say no. Job is a real stand up guy though. After everything he went through, he was still loyal. I’m not a religious person, so that kind of blind fidelity amazes me. I’m much more of a “see it to believe it” kind of person. The man lost all of his livestock, servants, and TEN children. And his wife is not supportive at all. Her best advice was to curse God and just give up. She’s a keeper.
Response to the Creation Myths 09/23/11
This week’s discussions have been revolved around the creation myths and religion in general. I claim no religious affiliation myself, so I consider myself as somewhat of a third party, or mediator, in this sense. This was the first time that I have ever read Genesis. I feel like I am one of few that haven’t read Genesis in our class. What I find most interesting about religion in general is what some people accept to be believable, and what they think is outrageous and could never be true. Why is it much more plausible that there is one god as opposed to a plethora of gods. The people back then were die-hard believers of the polytheistic concept as people are today about Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and other monotheistic religions. It makes me wonder what’s to come. Another thing that I thought was strange is the concept of converting someone that believed in multiple gods to someone that believed in only one. I don’t understand how someone could just stop believing what they’ve believed their entire life and start holding faith in only one. In history we learned that the reason most people converted was because the other religions had a much more promising and comfortable form of the after life and salvation. I don’t feel like that is any real dedication to a religion. That is purely just reaping the benefits.
Another thing that we did this week was read and discuss Sappho’s poems. I found those to be rather interesting. There are not many women writers, let alone poets, that early in history. That is definitely admirable. I liked the poem “He is more than a hero” because it can be looked at in so many different ways.
Response to The Odyssey 09/16/11
I never thought I’d see the day when I finished reading the Odyssey. But it seems that that day has finally come. This is the second time I’ve read this epic, and I can say that I most definitely liked it more this time. Rereading something is always a good way to get a better understanding of it.
I thought that the battle was a tad bit over exaggerated. Bloodshed, violence, testosterone, and what have you, are all great, but I thought some parts were just a little bit excessive. After Odysseus makes all the women servants clean and get rid of the bodies, he sentences them to death. That’s harsh. And if that weren’t enough, Telemachus decides to take it one step further by hanging them to disgrace them even more. That is one family to not mess around with.
I also thought that the battle was a little unfair. I don’t think Athena should have been able to participate. What fun is that? That doesn’t test Odysseus’s strength at all. It was basically just cheating. It is also somewhat funny that Penelope can somehow sleep through the entire fight. I feel like that I would awake to a group of twenty people being brutally murdered if I was in the same house.
I also wasn’t too crazy about the ending of the story. I think it ended a little bit too abruptly. Athena simply made them forget about the massacre and then peace was restored. Athena’s role in this book made it seem less personal and real to me. I think that the influence of an immortal played too much of a part in the succession of the story.
All criticism aside though, I did enjoy reading the epic. I wouldn’t go back and do it all over again, but it was a fun read while it lasted.
Response to The Odyssey 09/09/11
This week I realized how much longer the Odyssey is than I thought. Only reading this in high school gave me a very abridged version of the story. I am still enjoying it nonetheless though. I am very happy to finally be reading about Odysseus now. I liked the fact that I got a different perspective on the story with the first six books being about Telemachus, but I thought that was a little bit extensive. I was getting pretty bored with reading about his problems, and somewhat anxious to get to the fanatical experiences that Odysseus goes through.
I feel like this book would be more fun as an oral. I really like the story, the adventures, and all that great stuff, but I’m not crazy about the literature itself. Reading the actual book is not that appealing to me. I think it would be much better if someone could read it to me with expression and emotion instead.
I really like the part of the book when Odysseus travels to the River of Ocean in the land of the Cimmerians. Elpenor must have been the biggest buzzkill to Odysseus and his men. Going all the way back to Kirke’s island to bury his body was quite out of the way. I personally would have been a little annoyed. But Odysseus is a nice guy, so all power to him I guess.
Another part that I find to be rather ridiculous is when Odysseus’s crew opens the bag of wind that Aeolus gave him. I understand the crews’ suspicion and all, but how did they not pick the bag up and realize that there obviously wasn’t anything in it? Gold and other riches would have at least jangled around a bit and made some sort of noise. A bag of wind on the other hand, does not. I think Odysseus’s crew is not the sharpest bunch of guys.
Response to The Odyssey 09/02/11
When I was reading the first readings of the week there was one thing that stood out that astonished me; that the Iliad and the Odyssey were memorized oral stories. The fact that someone could memorize a fifteen thousand, let alone twelve thousand, verse poem is beyond me.
I enjoy reading the Odyssey more than Gilgamesh because the literature is much easier to understand. I really like how there is some form of transition between events in the Odyssey as opposed to the choppy, abrupt change of events in Gilgamesh, which often left me kind of confused.
I also feel like I have gone through somewhat of a prerequisite for this epic. I have read the Odyssey before, so this time around seems to click with me better. I have never read this epic in poem form before. I think I like the poetic perspective better than the narrative side. Also, I am studying the Mycenaeans and ancient Greece and other tangibles in my history class, so I feel that I have a lot of vital background information.
I find Athena to be very interesting as well. Her ways of manipulative mind control is very intriguing. The way that she can take so many different forms is crazy cool. There were some parts of the story that I was a little confused as to her identity. Some people that she was talking to seemed to know undoubtedly that they were speaking to the grey-eyed Athena. I may have misread that though. Additionally, I find her focused energy on helping Odysseus and Telemachos to be out of the ordinary. Why them?
Overall, I really like the Odyssey. The story is very engaging and emotionally connective. I seem to have a much more personal understanding with the characters in this story. They have definite motive and real thoughts, which is a quality I think to be crucial to be a real piece of literature.
Response to Gilgamesh 08/26/11
I thought that Gilgamesh was a pretty decently entertaining story. It most definitely wasn’t my favorite story, but I didn’t mind reading it. There were quite a few parts in the story that left my wondering “why” someone did something or “why” something happened the way it did. I was left with a lot of question of motive. I never really understood why Gilgamesh felt the need to go off on the journey to kill Humbaba. Also, I couldn’t grasp why after grappling with Enkidu for a small amount a time they instantly became friends. Also, I am left with a cloud of confusion about the towns’ people’s opinion towards Gilgamesh. In the beginning of the story Gilgamesh is a man who “No son is left with his father, for Gilgamesh takes them all; and is this the king, the shepherd of his people? His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior’s daughter nor the wife of the noble.” On the other hand, towards the back end of the story his people glorify him as an immaculate hero.
I also noticed an excessive amount of repetition in the story that almost allowed me to not have to read more than one sentence in certain paragraphs. “When he had gone one league the darkness became thick around him, for there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him. After two leagues the darkness was thick and there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.” This went on for six more leagues.
My other inquiry about the story concerns Gilgamesh’s search for eternal life. Even though he seems to absolutely hate his life since Enkidu died, he is still on a perilous journey to get to the garden to ask for eternal life. I’m not sure if this is a form of punishment to continue living like this or what his motive is.