Dickens

           Matthew Davis brings up great points about Dickens’ writing. Right from the start of the article, I was reminded of the power of good storytelling. Dickens' skilled and artful storytelling drove Davis to devote a year to his works. That alone is impressive.  To think that Dickens’ writing has been affecting people like this since 1836 is all the more amazing.

            Claire Tomalin made a really great point about why Dickens’ books are so engaging. The more I thought about it, I couldn’t quite agree with her statement. The engaging storytelling techniques and inclusion of universal themes are deeply connected—not “separate questions.” The “amazing characters” wouldn’t have been quite as amazing if they weren’t relevant or relatable. I get drawn to characters when I see bits of myself or others that I know reflected in them. The quotes from the article are great examples of this. Even though the outward appearances of people have changed, emotions and will have not. Dickens has a way of cutting to the grittiness of humanity.

            Although the major issues such as “recession” and “unemployment” are often displayed in situations that are external to a character, the character must still react to those situations internally. You can’t separate the magnetism of a character from the relevancy. The universal theme that needs to be a part of a good story is displayed through characters. Just as the author pointed out, even though Dickens’ stories took place in a totally different society, timeless issues draw us in. With the added beautiful metaphors and eloquent descriptions in Dickens’ novels, it’s not hard to see why they have been so impactful.

1800s: The Tiers of Education

The mentioned passages can be found on pages 487, 491-4, and 508. The screen cast kinds of cuts off, so I just want to add that it's sad that, despite the laws, it took a long time for there to be equal opportunities in education. Segregation was prominent long after slavery was abolished and public school was available to everyone. It's great that institutions like the Penn Center were there to initially help the blacks, but I'm glad that education has changed to invite diversity. When I hear about people in other countries who are risking their lives to have an education, I appreciate American freedom (and the risks taken to obtain it) more.

1788: Race, Gender and Property—the U.S. Constitution

The mentioned passages can be found on pages 394-396, 402, 406, and 411.

1682: Christian Parentage (Virginia Slave Act)

Sorry for saying "um" so many times, speaking grammatically incorrect sentences, and having long random pauses where I lost my train of thought. I started to pressure myself out as I tried to say everything that I wanted to say during a small, rare time of quiet in my house. In case the pronouns are confusing, the "they" around 2:16 refers to slaves--not Christians. The section from Uncle Tom's Cabin that I mentioned in the video can be found on page 348. While I didn't mention this in the video, the article also made me think of Simon Legree. Twisted logic that justified this slave law lived on in owners similar to Simon Legree.