Scarlet Letter 6: 126-144

1) "I , your pastor, whom you so reverence and trust, am utterly a pollution and a lie!" (131).

Dimmesdale has this thought constantly running through his mind. He wants to confess so badly, but he cannot. This quote is what he truly wishes to say, but he fears that the people in the village will fall into utter chaos if he does specially confess. Dimmesdale, trying to relieve himself of his guilt, often says that he is a vile and unholy creature during his sermons. However, the people of the village never make the connection between him and Hester. This is because they view him as infinitely holy. They believe him to be a saint on earth so he simply cannot confess, no matter how much he alludes to his sin.

Will Dimmesdale's mental and physical anguish force him to confess? If he did confess would the townspeople believe him?

2) "Come with me, I beseech you, Reverend Sir; else you will be poorly able to do Sabbath duty to-morrow. Aha! see now, how they trouble the brain,—these books!—these books! You should study less, good Sir, and take a little pastime; or these night whimseys will grow upon you" (143).

Chillingworth says this after observing the scene on the scaffold in the middle of the night. Pearl takes notice to him during the phenomenon of the letter A appearing in the sky. Chillingworth walks up to the scaffold in an innocent manner, and speaks as if he knows nothing. He does not accuse Dimmesdale of anything. He merely claims that Dimmesdale is sleepwalking because of studying too hard. He begs the reverend to come with him, and Dimmesdale complies. Chillingworth is secretly overjoyed at seeing this behavior in Dimmesdale. He wants to drive him to insanity slowly and painfully. Dimmesdale's behavior shows that he is succeeding in this goal. 

When will Dimmesdale realize Chillingworth's evil intentions?

Scarlet Letter 5: 107-126

1) "Then why not reveal them here?... Why should not the guilty ones sooner avail themselves of this unutterable solace?" (120).

Chillingworth says this to Dimmesdale during their discussion about men bearing their sins. Chillingworth asks the reverend why men keep their sins bottled up inside him. He believes that they should express it to the world, so that they may feel redemption. Dimmesdale responds to this by, at first, agreeing with Chillingworth, and then saying that some men cannot admit to their simply because of their nature, or they believe that they cannot be redeemed even if they confess because of the severity of their sin. He says that some would rather confess to God with their last breath because they cannot bear to confess to others.

This passage obviously alluding to Dimmesdale's own guilt. He tries to defend his own character. He is the type of man who he explains cannot confess. What he says about men bearing guilt is what he is going through.  

Does Chillingworth suspect Dimmesdale to be Pearl's father at this point? Will Dimmesdale be unable to confess because he is the type of man he describes in the quote?

2) "The people looked, with an unshaken hope, to see the minister come forth out of the conflict transfigured with the glory which he would unquestionably win... the battle was a sore one, and the victory is anything but secure" (117).

This quote describes the conflict that faces Dimmesdale. This is both the conflict of his sickness and a conflict with Chillingworth. His sickness is a direct result of the guilt he feels from his sin. Chillingworth will soon realize this fact and begin to take his slow, torturous revenge on him. Dimmesdale is now being hurt by two things, which are his guilt and Chillingworth. This quote says that he will emerge victorious, but it will be a long and hard fight. One way he may be able to emerge the victor is, if he confesses to his sin, rather then letting Chillingworth find out.

Will he emerge victorious from Chillingworth, or his guilt, and why do the people of the town expect him to be the victor?

Scarlet Letter 4: 91-107

1) "But it was a remarkable attribute of this garb, and, indeed, of the child's whole appearance, that it irresistibly, and inevitably reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom" (93).

Pearl reminds Hester of the scarlet letter. This is because Hester made her a beautiful robe, similar to how she made the scarlet letter beautiful. Pearl is the sin of the letter in embodied in flesh. Every moment Hester is reminded of the letter, even her own daughter is a symbol of it, and it gives her unbearable pain. Pearl also often points at the letter evilly, and is a constant reminder of her sin. Hester will live with this pain from Pearl because she seeks redemption. 

Will Pearl be as truly evil as Hester suspects her to be?

2) "She is my happiness!—she is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too! See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved, and so endowed with a million-fold the power of retribution for my sin? Ye shall not take her! I will die first!" (103).

Hester refuses to give Pearl up. She says that Pearl is what gives her happiness, but also punishes her. She claims that Pearl is more powerful then the scarlet letter because she is alive. Hester will not give Pearl up even though she seems to be evil and punishes her. This is because Hester believes that  every bad thing that happens to her is a consequence of her sin, which she much suffer through in  order to receive redemption. She says she will die without Pearl because she needs Pearl to be redeemed.

Will Pearl be taken away?

Scarlet Letter 3: 72-91

1) "Day after day she looked fearfully into the child's expanding nature, ever dreading to detect some dark and wild peculiarity, that should correspond with the guiltiness to which she owed her being" (82).

This quote shows how Hester views her child. She fears that the child will turn out to be evil because of the sin she has committed. Hester names her daughter Pearl to show that she is a 'treasure', and the only good thing in her life, but Pearl displays odd characteristics. She has no friends, and the other children in the village ostracize her. The first thing that Pearl recognized when she was born was not her mother's smile, but rather the scarlet letter, which is why Hester expects her to be a demon. Everyone judges Hester for the scarlet letter, even her own daughter. Pearl's odd behavior shows that she may be cursed by her mother's sin.

Is Pearl really a demon?

2) "But, wether from pride or resignation, or a feeling that her penance might best be wrought out by this unutterable pain, she resisted the impulse, and sat erect, pale as death, looking sadly into Pearl's wild eyes" (89).

This quote describes what Hester is feeling while Pearl throws weeds at the scarlet letter. Hester resists the urge to cover it, and lets Pearl continue. She also does this throughout town. She never covers the letter, even though she feels terrible when people look at it and judge her because of it. She cannot find one ally in the entire town. Hester makes the choice to never cover the letter because she believes she deserves this punishment as a part of her penance. This issue of penance also comes up when Hester decides to not run away back to Europe. She thinks that his whole situation is part of her redemption, so, she will not run away, or cover the letter. She also accepts Pearl's evil nature as part of her penance.

Will Hester be redeemed herself by accepting all the bad things that happen to her?

Scarlet Letter 2: 56-72

1) "Truly Friend; and methinks it must gladden your heart [...] to find yourself, at length, in a land where iniquity is searched out, and punished in the sight of rulers and people, as here in our godly New England" (58).

This quote relates to the idea of religion in the colonial society. This man admires the fact that sinners are sought out and publicly punished in New England. This shows that the town takes religious offenses very seriously and wishes to torment all who commit them. This is very similar to the colony of Salem in "The Crucible". He also uses the word 'godly' to describe this method of persecuting sinners. This shows that the community believes that this method is what God intended. This is how Salem was lead into its downfall. The government thought they were doing God's will, but they were actually misguided by evil.

Will this society view themselves as doing the work of God by punishing sinners, like in Salem?

2) "What should ail me, to harm this misbegotten and miserable babe? The medicine is potent for good; and were it my child,—yea, mine own, as well as thine!—I could do no better for it"

Chillingworth, the wise and strange physician, says this to Hester after she refuses to give her child the medicine he offers. He calls the child miserable, because it is a symbol of her sin. Both the child and the scarlet letter symbolize her sin, and yet these do not appear as negative or ugly things. She made the scarlet letter beautiful, and her child is innocent, so they do not seem like reasonable symbols of evil. Lots of the citizens are jealous of her beauty, and enraged at the way she crafted the scarlet letter. They expect her to be devastated, but she is beautiful along with the symbols of her sin.

Will Hester's child be cursed because of what she has done?

Scarlet Letter 1: 45-56

1) "In either case, there was very much the same solemnity  of demeanor on the part of the spectators, as befitted a people amongst whom religion and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly interfused, that the mildest and the severest acts of public discipline were alike made vulnerable and awful" (47).

This quote shows that the colony is a theocracy because religion and law were closely connected. This is exactly the same as Salem in "The Crucible", which also had a government that relied on the religious beliefs of citizens. This also relates to how the society influences the individual. If the society's government was based upon certain religious beliefs, then all of the citizens would be pressured to follow those beliefs. Anyone who may have had different religious beliefs would be looked down on based upon the government standards. It also states that disciple was made public and awful no matter how trivial. This is a very strict, overly religious colony, much like Salem.

Will all of the citizens fall into chaos because of this theocracy, like in Salem?

2) "Could it be true? She clutched so fiercely to her breast, that it sent forth a cry; she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real. Yes!—these were her realities,—all else had vanished!" (56).

This quote occurs after Hester relives many memories from the past. She begins to daydream when she is put up in front of the town for ridicule. She then must remind herself that it is all real. This may show that she tries to live in the past, and not think about the mistakes she has made. In her memories, she thinks of native village, which is in England, and of her parents. Her mother has passed away. She also remembers coming to a colonial for a new life.

Does she deal with all hard situations by thinking about the past?

Second Crucible Essay

Proctor’s Redemption

            How would it feel to suffer with your sins without reconciliation for your entire life? This is exactly how John Proctor feels in “The Crucible”. This is because in the theocracy of Salem there was “no ritual for the washing away of sins” (Miller 20). Proctor commits the deplorable sin of adultery and feels mortified with this mistake. He then goes about seeking redemption, through forgiveness of this sin. He first confesses to his wife, hoping for mercy, but is met only with suspicion. He then confesses to the entire town, and is condemned to death. Finally, he realizes that he must first seek forgiveness from God in order for him to feel truly forgiven.

            After Proctor sins he feels unbearable guilt, so he attempts to confess to his wife, Elizabeth, to relieve himself. Unfortunately this does not go as he expected. His confession only leads Elizabeth to aroused suspicion of lechery, and a judgmental attitude. It is impossible for her to truly forgive him because she was directly harmed by his sin. He is constantly reminded of her distrust toward him with her foul comments and her cold, unloving attitude. Proctor’s sin distances him from Elizabeth, and their love is no longer the same. His miserable situation is demonstrated when he says, “I cannot speak but I am doubted, every moment judged for lies, as though I come into a court when I come into this house!” (55). He feels Elizabeth judges him as if he is in court. When Proctor does go to the court, he is further judged, and is still unforgiven.

            In an attempt to set the situation right and still searching for absolution, Proctor confesses his sin to the court. This was a very difficult thing for Proctor to do, but it was necessary for him to try and stop the evil rampage of Abigail that was also a result of his sin. It was nearly impossible for him to confess in front of the court because it would ruin his name and cause him to be accused. Also, Proctor saw the negative results that confessing to Elizabeth brought, so he was even more reluctant to admit to his sin in front of the entire court. However, Proctor’s main goal was still to receive forgiveness, so he confesses despite the consequences. Once he musters the strength to confess, things go horribly wrong and Proctor is condemned to death. The court, like Elizabeth, was unable to offer Proctor his desperately sought after redemption. This is because the court was under the control of Abigail, an evil girl, who they perceived to be doing the work of God. Both times Proctor tries to confess, it is impossible for him to accomplish his goal of receiving forgiveness because he has not yet realized that he can only feel true redemption from God.

            Proctor is not redeemed until he seeks forgiveness from God. After he is condemned to die, he cannot believe that things were not set right even after he confessed to the whole town. Proctor is infuriated because he lived by his motto from the Bible, which stated, “Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee” (95). He is doing the right thing by confessing, but he is still being harmed, so Proctor cannot comprehend the situation. This disbelief at the hopelessness of his situation is shown when he says, “God is dead!” (119). He thinks that God is dead because he cannot receive forgiveness from anyone. It is only at the end of the play does he realize that he must seek forgiveness from God and not others. The words of the other characters help him to understand this.

            On the day of Proctor’s execution, he still does not feel redeemed, but a series of events takes place that changes this. First, Danforth and Hale try to convince Proctor to confess, and they let Elizabeth speak with him. Elizabeth tells him that, “I cannot judge you, John, I cannot!” (138).  At that moment Proctor realizes that only God can offer true forgiveness when he says, “Then who will judge me? Suddenly clasping his hands: God in Heaven who is John Proctor, what is John Proctor?” (138). This is his first time he mentions God as his judge, and Elizabeth helps him to understand this. Then, John also sees Rebecca’s disappointment in him when she sees he is about to sign the false confession. Finally, when Proctor rips up the confession, and Hale says that he cannot hang, Proctor responds, “I can. And there’s your first marvel, that I can. You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor” (144). At that very moment Proctor was able to forgive himself. This is because Elizabeth and Rebecca helped him to realize the God is the only judge. By understanding this, and offering his sin up to God, Proctor was able to forgive himself and die a redeemed man.

            Proctor’s desperate search for redemption could only conclude when he let God and not others judge him. Elizabeth could not forgive him because she was hurt by his sin. The town could not forgive him because Abigail was controlling it. Only God was able to forgive Proctor, and he only realizes this with help From Elizabeth and Rebecca. After he places his sin in God’s judgment, he is able to finally forgive himself and is redeemed. Once he is finally absolved from his sin, he gains the courage to die for it, and as a martyr, and he does.

First Crucible Essay

It’s All Proctor’s Fault

            Adultery is one of the greatest sins that can be committed by a man. In the play “The Crucible” which takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1692, one man commits the terrible sin of adultery, which leads the rest of the play to a tragic descent into chaos. This man is John Proctor. He has an affair with Abigail Williams behind his wife’s back. This original sin in the play causes many others. Proctor then has a chance to fix the situation by confessing to this sin at the right time, but fails to do this. John Proctor is most to blame for all of the events in Salem because he commits the initial sin that starts a chain of evil, he is the one that unleashes the sinister being that is Abigail Williams on the rest on Salem, and he fails to confess this sin at the right moment.

            If it were not for Proctor’s affair with Abigail the plot of the entire play would not have taken place. If this affair did not happen then John’s wife, Elizabeth would not have kicked Abigail out of the house and she would not have spread rumors about her. Thus, Abigail would not be the enraged, infatuated, psychotic, and purely evil character she is throughout the play. If Abigail were not kicked out of the house then she would not seek revenge on Elizabeth through witchcraft. There would be no dancing or drinking of potions in the woods. Parris would not have discovered them, and Hale would not even need to enter the play. Without the original sin of adultery, witchcraft hysteria does not break out in Salem.

            It could be argued that it takes two people to commit adultery, and that Abigail is just as much to blame as Proctor, however this is not the case. Abigail’s evil was created, sustained, and unleashed by Proctor through his sin of adultery. Abigail was a mere servant in Proctor’s house, while Proctor was the man of the house, and clearly a more respected and revered individual in the town. Proctor and Abigail both committed the sin together, but Proctor is more to blame because he is expected by other citizens in Salem to be a better person. This can be seen when Proctor finally confesses his sin of adultery, the court questions him and is shocked, but they do not blame Abigail nearly as much as they blame him. Proctor is the one that inspires Abigail to become the evil character that she is. This is seen when she discusses their relationship: “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men!” (Miller 24). After their affair Abigail claims she realizes that Salem is fake. She was raised all her life in an environment ruled by her religion. Now that she sees a man that sins, she makes a self-realization that it is all pretend, and that everyone in the town is a hypocrite. This is not true; it is only Proctor who is the sinning hypocrite. John Proctor is the one that puts this idea in her head, and she then releases her vengeful wrath upon the town. Not only did Proctor instill this feeling in Abigail, but also he sustained it in her mind by not confessing his sin.

            Proctor had the opportunity to confess to his sin much earlier then he actually did confess. Proctor did not want to confess because he did not want to ruin his name or hurt his own pride. This character flaw leads to the death of many innocent people. Had the court known this information much earlier they would have scrutinized Abigail’s accusations more. All because Proctor does not want to hurt his own pride, innocent people had to die. Not only did Proctor make the initial mistake of committing adultery, but when he has another chance to set the situation right by confessing, he passes up that opportunity until it is too late, all for the sake of his own pride.

            If the blame was to be pinned on one person in “The Crucible” it should be Proctor. This is because he commits the initial sin of adultery that begins the series of evil events, he is the one that unleashes the pure evil in Abigail Williams on the rest on Salem, and he fails to confess this sin at the right moment. When Proctor has his affair with Abigail he instills in her the hatred she had for Salem. After the affair, she believes the rest of the town is full of hypocrites, Lastly, Proctor could have confessed at any time to the whole town what happened, but he could not because of his self-pride. He made two crucial decisions that led to the events in Salem. In either of which he could have made the right decision, and the events would have turned out better. Proctor tries to live off his own motto from the Bible: “Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee” (95). This motto fails him, though, because he has a flawed character. He himself even realizes at the end that he is to blame: “My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing’s spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten wrong before” (136). Proctor says this just as he is about the sign the confession. He says that he has sinned long a go, alluding to the adultery, and so he might as well sin now. This just shows how flawed of a character he is, and if it was not for his poor decisions and failure to comply with those bad decisions, the events of the play could have turned out better.

Letter 3: From Elizabeth to John after he is arrested.

My Dearest John,

            I feel terrible for all the events that have happened in these past few months. I never thought it would come to this. I am eternally sorry for what I did in court that day. You must understand that I did not tell the truth because I love and respect you. I did not want to ruin your reputation. I had no idea that you already confessed to the court. It is entirely my fault that you are imprisoned now. Had I told the truth, Abigail would be ruined and the town would be set free.

            John I must be truthful with you. Even though you confessed your affair with Abigail to me I never fully forgave you. I always had suspicion after that, and because of this our love suffered. I feel that it is my fault. I must have done something wrong. I was the one who drove you away, and into your sin. I now truly forgive you.

            When the horrible day of your execution comes, do what you believe is right. You have my forgiveness no matter what you do. Remember that there is no one in this town that can judge you. God is and has always been the only judge. I will love you no matter what happens. Follow your heart.

Love,

Elizabeth

 

Letter 2: From Abigail to Proctor while he is in jail.

Dear John,

            This was never what I intended. I never wished to get you mixed up in this matter. Please do not misunderstand me! I love you John, and I always will. You know that you love me too. You can deny it no longer. You have hoped all along that I succeed in ridding you of your wife so that we may not be hindered by anything in our love. I do not understand why you cannot admit your love for me to yourself. Do not regret what you have done, rejoice in it! It was you who showed me how fake this place is. You broke through the illusion of all the “Christian” men and women living their supposed holy lives. I have been taught to be holy all my life, but now I realize that everything is not as it seems. This town is all full of hypocrites, and it was you who taught me this. You set me free John, and I will never let you go.

            I have a plan. John, we can escape together! I am going to break into my uncle’s strongbox and take his money. We will be able to board a ship in Boston and be free. We will no longer have to be trapped in this evil town. This is a crazy and wild place, and I only wish to be with you. Let us run away together. We can put all of this behind us and start anew. Please come with me, I only did all of this for the sake of our love.

Love,

Abby

Letter 1: From Hale to Danforth after Proctor is accused and Hale quits the court.

Dear Danforth,

            I fear the safety of this village is at risk more then ever before. You have made a grave mistake in believing the lies told by the children. The fate of many innocent lives now rests in your hands, and I regret putting my faith in your court. I came to Salem eager to help rid it of witchcraft, and reclaim this town for God. I realize that I have succeeded at neither of these. I feel that I am at fault for the fate of John Proctor and his wife. I assumed that the court would bring justice to Salem, yet it has only brought tyranny. These foolish children control your mind, Danforth, and therefore they control the entire town.

            It is my greatest hope that God looks with mercy upon your soul, knowing that you killed innocent men and women. Also, you worsen the situation with concern for your own reputation. You refuse to free those who even you know to be innocent. John Proctor is no evil man. There will be chaos in the town on the day of his execution. If you set him free your reputation will be tarnished because the citizens would think it unfair to those innocent lives you have already taken. The town of Salem is caught in the chaos of a girl who has always seemed false to me, and she has tricked us all.

            It is my hope, and it should be yours too, that Proctor will confess, because I know you have not the courage to set him free. If you prove me wrong in this matter by allowing for his freedom, I will be most pleased. Even if his confession is a lie let us hope that God damns a liar less then one who throws their life away for pride. We both have failed Danforth. God is the only judge now.

Sincerely,

Rev. Hale

Crucible 9: 128-145

1) Danforth: “Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. While I speak God’s law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering” (129).

 

            This quote shows that even after Danforth realizes he was wrong, he still will not free the other innocent people. He does this for the sake of his reputation. He has already killed other citizens, and it would prove his ineffectiveness as a judge if he set some free. The other citizens would be outraged at him if this happened, and Danforth cannot deal with this. He is far too stubborn and will not drop the charges against Proctor even when all the others tell him to.

            The citizens who are still to be executed are also concerned with their reputation as good Christians. They do not wish to lie and commit sin, but they also do not wish to die. Hale and Parris try to convince them that this pride is not worth dieing for. They say it is better to lie and confess, than to die for the sake of lies.

 

Why can’t Danforth let them go if they all know what Abigail has done?

 

 

2) Hale: “ Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own. I came into this village like a bridegroom to his beloved, bearing gifts of high religion…Life, woman, life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious may justify the taking of it…for it may well be God dams a liar less then he that throws his life away for pride” (132)

 

            In this quote Hale acknowledges the change in his character. At the beginning of the play he judged accused people strictly because he believed in the ability of the court. When he realizes how controlled the court was by the lies of Abigail, he regrets what he has done. He blames himself for the death of Proctor.

            This quote also deals with the issue of pride. Hale tries to convince Elizabeth that it would be better for John to tell a lie in order to save himself. Proctor was too stubborn to convince in court, because he refuses to do the wrong thing in order to get out of this situation. Proctor then attempts to confess, but cannot in the end because it will be made known to all the other citizens. He does not want them to know that he gave into the lies of the court, and he dies for this.

 

Why can’t Danforth drop the charges because they know he is innocent? Why doesn’t Proctor confess then explain why he had to do it to all the others later on?

Crucible 8: 113-127

1) Proctor: “A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours, Danforth! For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud–God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together!” (120)

 

            This quote shows that Proctor is driven to insanity by his rage toward the situation. He cannot believe what has happened, and when he himself is accused he can no longer contain himself. This quote makes him look even more like a warlock or wizard to the others, but this quote is really about what is happening in Salem. He is expressing his opinion that God is dead in Salem because God appears to have failed Proctor. He says that Danforth will regret what he has done, and that the will both burn in Hell together.

            Proctor has gone completely insane because the ‘motto’ that he held to be true has failed him. “Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee” (95). Proctor from the beginning has tried to tell the truth, and he believed that God would make everything turn out as it should in the end. When he realizes that doing what was right in the court did not lead to the problem being resolved, he cannot believe it and curses everyone.

 

Will Danforth realize what is going on because of Proctor’s exclamation?

 

2) Parris: “I tell you what is said here, sir. Andover have thrown out the court, they say, and will have no part of witchcraft. There be such a faction here, feeding on that news, and I tell you true, sir, I fear there will be riot here” (127)

 

            Parris is warning Danforth that citizens in Andover overthrew the court, and that it could easily happen in Salem. Parris says that a riot is likely to happen when Rebecca Nurse or Proctor is executed because they are viewed as good citizens. Parris recommends that Danforth postpone the executions.

            This quote is the only sign on hope so far for the innocently accused people in Salem. There were 91 citizens who signed the petition saying that these people were respectable citizens, and there are probably many more that disagree with the court, like the families on the 400 people that Danforth sentenced. A rebellion is definitely possible, because there are enough people to support the cause. The only problem is that if they go against the court and are unable to overthrow it, then they too will be sentenced.

            Parris also has changed his character a lot since the court scene. He now seems to be more reasonable. He is even interacting with Hale who defended Proctor. It is possible that Parris has changed his opinion of the court too a negative one. This may have to do with the disappearance of his niece.

 

Will the court be overthrown, or will the citizens be too fearful to take a stand?

Crucible 7: 98-113

1) Hale: "I cannot say he is an honest man; I know him little. But in all justice, sir, a claim so weighty cannot be argued by a farmer. In God's name, sir, stop here; send him home and let him come again with a lawyer–" (99).

This quote is Hale once again trying to stand up to Danforth. Hale now seems like a much more reasonable character. He realizes what grave thing he has done. He now knows that he convicted many innocent people to trial in a court that he is beginning to see is incompetent. He at first trusted the judgment of the court and even ensured Proctor that, if Elizabeth was truly innocent, then the court will set her free. He now is very regretful because he no longer thinks that the court will come to the right decisions. He is trying to save Proctor from making a big mistake, and he is trying to relieve himself of some of his guilt by at least saving Proctor. He cannot take back his actions because then even he will be suspected. He feels terrible because he put the lives of many innocent people in the hands of an unjust court.

Will Hale be able to help Proctor and Elizabeth, so he can save at least two of the innocent people he convicted?

2) Mary Warren: "I–I cannot tell how, but I did. I–I heard the other girls screaming, and you, Your Honor, you seemed to believe them, and I– It were only sport in the beginning, sir, but then the whole world cried spirits, spirits, and I–I promise you, Mr. Danforth, I only thought I saw them but I did not" (107).

This quote is Mary Warren defending her claim that she never actually saw any spirits. She explains that the influence of others around her affected how she behaved. This explains how witch hysteria is like a disease in Salem. It is spreading like wildfire, and only because of a small group of girls influencing the whole town. All of the citizens are peer-pressuring each other into this madness, because if one person looks like they do not believe in witches, they will stand out from the crowd and be accused. This draws all the people together in one long chain of accusation against the very few people who refuse to lie to just save themselves.

Mary Warren seems to be telling the truth, but the only problem is that Abigail makes a much more convincing argument to Danforth. Abigail is much more confident, and does not stutter like Mary. Abigail also has the power of her other friends to help her too. They will go along with anything she says because she threatens to kill them if they do not.

Will Danforth see through Abigail's lies, and believe innocent Mary even though she looks far guiltier than Abigail?

Crucible 6: 83-98

1) Giles: “My proof is there! If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property—that’s law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. This man is killing his neighbors for their land!” (96).

            This quote from Giles is a daring accusation of Putnam. Giles thinks that Putnam is hoping his neighbors will be hanged just so he can buy their land. The court was trying Giles’s wife, Martha during this time, so he may be saying anything just to win her freedom, or Putnam may be truly trying to acquire more land.  This also came up earlier in the play, and it involved Proctor, Giles, and Putnam. In Act I Putnam said that his grandfather owned lots of the land in the area. Proctor then said that Putnam’s grandfather had a bad habit of giving away land that never belonged to him. Putnam may want his land back that he believed belonged to his grandfather. He may also be angry with Proctor for saying negative things about his grandfather. Putnam may now want revenge on all citizens living on what he believes to be ‘his land’.

 

Does Putnam really have the intention of hanging people just to get their land, or is Giles overreacting to the situation?

 

2) Danforth: “But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between” (94).

            This quote is Deputy Governor Danforth explaining to Proctor that he is either with or against the court. Proctor is suspected of disrespecting the court. This leads to suspicion of him and even more suspicion of his wife of witchcraft. This could be very bad for Proctor because when Hale was at his house he said some very erratic things that could be used against him as evidence later on. For example, both he and his wife claim they don’t believe in witches, and he ripped up the warrant. Proctor is not doing a very good job at making himself look innocent. He is very angry because he cannot believe the ridiculousness of the situation. However, this anger is coming across in the wrong way. He is mocking how absurd the accusations are, and showing lots of anger. He should be acting very innocent and respectful of the court if he wants to earn their trust and thus his wife’s freedom. Anger is not the way to go about saving his wife.

Will Proctor’s anger toward the situation make him look more guilty than innocent? When will he realize it’s a better idea just to agree with the court in order to free his wife?

            

Crucible 5: 68-83

1) Proctor: "If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers? I'll tell you what's walking in Salem—vengeance is walking in Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant's vengeance! I'll not give my wife to vengeance!" (77).

This quote perfectly describes what is happening in the plot. None of the characters had the courage to state this truth except for Proctor because he became enraged at the accusation of his wife. He knows that Abigail is desperately trying to frame his wife, so she can be with him. She does this out of vengeance. This is also the cause for many of the other accusations. When a person in Salem wants revenge over another, all they need to do is cry witchcraft to get it. Proctor realizes that the situation is ridiculous, and he seems to be the voice of reason so far. He also brings up the point that certain people will confess anything just to save themselves, but he does not think that confessing should absolve them of their sins. He has no faith in the court to make just decisions, and this is a good judgment because it is being corrupted by the lies of Abigail and false confessions of others.

Will Proctor get into trouble with the court because of all the things he said in defense of his wife in front of Hale and Cheever? Will he be the next one accused?

2) Proctor: "Good. Then her saintliness is done with. We will slide together into our pit; you will tell the court what you know" (80).

Proctor says this in response to Mary telling him that Abigail will ruin him with the story of his adultery. He thinks this would be a good thing if she tells the story because it will make herself look worse. However, as we have seen so far, whoever confesses will suddenly be forgiven of everything they have done, and all the blame will shift to the accused. It would be much wiser for Proctor himself to confess, instead of letting Abigail get away with another sin just because she confessed first. This happened earlier in the play when she confessed to dancing in the woods and all the blame went to Tituba, no one even realized that Abigail sinned too. So far confession leads to immediate forgiveness without penalty. Confessing should not lead to absolution, this is illogical. 

Will Proctor be able to confess after suffering from all the negative affects of confessing to his wife? Will Abigail confess first and get away yet again?

Hw 11/13/08

1) Mary Warren: "-and of all the ten she could not say a single one. She never knew no commandments, and they had her in a fat lie!" (58).

This quote states what the 'proof' is against Sarah Good. Every time she came to the door begging and Mary turned her away, she mumbled something. Mary accused her of muttering curses on her because she always got sick after this happened. The judge asked Sarah Good what she said, and she claimed it was the commandments. When the judge asked her to recite them, she could not say a single one. They use this supposed 'proof' to accuse her of witchcraft. This is very ridiculous. She was just claiming she said the commandments to make herself look good. Just because she was not saying the commandments does not automatically make her a witch, she could have been saying anything. The townspeople seem very eager to accuse anyone they can, even on faulty evidence.

Will the townspeople ever realize what they are doing, or are they too fearful of the Devil to do anything right? Will they just kill everyone accused to make sure the Devil is no longer in the town?

2) Hale: 'Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small" (67).

This quote perfectly describes how all of the citizens in Salem view their religion. If there is even one bad deed committed by a person they are automatically associated with the Devil. They have the wrong ideas about Christianity and they take it too an extreme. 

Is this quote a good piece of advice, or is it just how the townspeople in Salem view their faith?

HW 11/6/2008

1) Hale: "No, no. Now let me instruct you. We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of hell upon her" (38).

This quote is important because it shows that all the citizens trust Hale's judgement. There may be a rivalry between Parris and Hale because they are both reverends, and if one is respected more than another it may lead to competition. This quote also explain how the Devil acts. It says that his marks are obvious. This interpretation of the Devil's action will probablycome back later in the plot

How may this quote and what it states about the Devil affect the plot, or the characters' accusations of others as being witches?

2) Abigail: "Sometimes I wake and find myself standing in the open doorway and not a stitch on my body! I always hear her laughing in my sleep. I hear her singing her Bardados songs and tempting me with–" (44).

This quote is Abigail trying to defend herself. She accuses Tituba of everything. She may be lying or telling the truth. Tituba denies all her claim and is shocked that Abigail said the things that she did. Abigail seems to be lying to cover for herself, or cause any other problems she can. She seems evil and crazy.

Is Abigail lying or not? Did she simply to get out of trouble or did she really want someone else to be punished?

Character List

Reverend Hale- feels superior to others, feels he wants to preserve goodness and God

 

Rev. Parris- priest in Salem, does not like children, believes he deserves more money and is under appreciated, tries hard to not make people accuse him a witchcraft

 

Mr. Putnam- daughter is sick, wants help from Hale to cure her, wanted Bayley to be minister

 

Ms. Putnam- daughter is sick, had 7 kids, but they all died at birth, dislikes Rebecca

 

Rebecca Nurse- her family was disagreed over the choice of Bayley as minister, the Putnams don't like her

 

Giles Corey- in a land dispute with Putnam, his wife reads Devilish books, he can't pray because of her reading

 

John Proctor- rebellious farmer who does not believe in witches, had an affair with Abigail but still seems to love his wife

 

Mrs. Proctor- spreading rumors about Abigail because she suspects what happened between her and Mr. Proctor

 

Betty Parris- daughter of Rev. Parris  ten years old, Hale tries to help her, tried to jump out of window, she might be possessed, others believe she can fly,

 

Abigail- danced with other girls as Tituba called upon the dead, drank blood potion to curse Mrs. Proctor for revenge, acts innocent, blames Tituba's, in love with John Proctor, seems evil, obsessed and crazy

 

Tituba-  slave of Parris, loves Betty and God, accused of conjuring the dead, she denies this and blames the white women 

Crucible HW 2

1) Putnam: I never heard you worried so on this society, Mr. Proctor. I do not think I saw you at Sabbath meeting since snow flew.

This quote demonstrates how important religion is to the people of Salem. Putnam then replies to this by saying that he does not go to the meetings because because Reverend Parris no longer mentions God. The other characters in the scene are shocked at this claim. Later Parris says he is the third priest in seven years

What do the citizens think about Parris? Do they respect their priests? Do they think he is worthy of being a priest?

2) Proctor: Your grandfather had a habit of willing land that never belonged to him, if I may say it plain.

This quote shows tension between the citizens. Proctor, Putnam, and Giles have a fight over land disputes. Fights over territory will certainly lead to anger between the characters. They may accuse each other of participating in which-craft to reclaim their land.

How will this quarrel between the major men of the town affect the rest of the plot?

The Crucible HW

Putnam: Don't you understand it, sir? There is a murdering witch among us, bound to keep herself in the dark... Let your enemies make of it what they will, you cannot blink it more. (16)

This quote causes Parris to ask Abigail if it was her who was conjuring spirits last night. Abigail then admits that it was Tituba and Ruth, but still denies her,own involvement. This already shows suspicion, accusations, and denial coming into the play.  How will this rumor of a witch affect people's opinions of each other?

2) Abigail: "Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents' heads on the pillow next to mine" (20)

This quote is Abigail threatening to kill either of the other two girls if they tell about what else happened in the woods that night. The violent language makes her seem even more like a witch. She denies her association witchcraft, but she seems like a witch with the threatening language used in this quote. Will this quote foreshadow what is to come? Will Abigail be forced to kill the other girls to save herself?

The Crucible CW

Characterization

Parris: a serious Puritan who is suspicious of being accused as a witch, has no care for children

"He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side." (3)

Betty Parris: daughter of Rev. Parris 

"His daughter, Betty Parris, aged ten, is lying on the bed, inert" (3)

Tituba: a frightened slave who is new at Parris' house

"... she is also very frightened because her slave sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually lands on her back" (8)

Martha Corey: suspected of being a witch

"Martha laid herself down on his chest and 'nearly suffocated him'" (7)

Importance of Background

This play is set during the time of the Salem witch trials, which will influence the actions of all the characters. This will affect the interactions between characters   because they will always be fearful of being suspected as a witch. The characters' religions will also be a major influence. The major influence in the entire community is religion. The community is a theocracy.

In Salem everyone is expected to be to be pious. If someone was not pious then they would be ostracized, and there are constantly two men patrolling the village to look for suspicious activity. Every citizen of the village was to follow the standards of their religion, and attempts at disunity would result in witch accusations. 

From the perspective of the worst member of a sports team.

Dear Journal,

I missed again today, and it was a perfect pass too. The keeper was even on the ground, all I had to do was tap the ball in, but I missed.

No, don't get over excited this was not a game. It was just another simple drill during practice. They would never let me in a game with the way I play. If I cant even score once during any drill so far at practice how can I have any hope to play in a game? I suck. I always have sucked, and I always will suck.

Today while I was filling up the water, as usual, the one other kids on the football and volleyball teams called me the water boy. Then, they pushed me over and the water jug spilled everywhere. This made infuriated my coach, who didn't care that it wasn't my fault. I had to fill the water again and run extra laps at practice. 

I don't know why I don't get any better even after all the practice I've had. I want to quit, but my parents would be too disappointed in me. My Dad was so happy when I first told him I was going to play soccer. I can't let him down like that.

I like the sport, but I just suck at it. My only option is try practice even harder. I can only hope that some point before I work myself into exhaustion I'll get just a little better.

From the Perspective of a Kid Who Gets Bullied.

Dear Journal,

I don't understand why this has to happen to me. Today was even worse than yesterday.

When I got on the bus everything was normal, people were throwing things at me and calling me names. I sat in the only empty seat near the back of the bus. That was a terrible decision. While sitting in the back the bus driver, the only person who might protect me, could not see me or anything else that was about to happen. All of the sudden 3 of the older 8th grade kids jumped on me and started punching and kicking me. They tore my clothes, broke my glasses, and ripped all the papers in my backpack.

When we got to school everyone was making fun of my ripped shirt as I walked inside. I couldn't walk without stumbling because my glasses were now destroyed. When I got to my first class I couldn't pass in my homework because it was ripped to shreds. I received no mercy from the teachers, who wouldn't believe my story. The rest of the day followed the same pattern of me stumbling to my next class, not passing in my homework, and kids relentlessly making fun of me and laughing.

I just don't know what to do. This never happened to me last year in 6th grade, but now that I am in junior high everything is terrible. I don't want to tell a teacher or my parents because then I will be labeled a snitch, and things will be even worse. I could try and fight back, but I don't think I can protect myself against three 8th graders. Maybe I should make friends with 8th graders who can protect me. I have to think of something.

From the perspective of an International Student.

Dear Journal,

Maybe this whole exchange student program was a bad idea. I thought it would be a great chance for me to have some fun, and make new friends. This was a lot harder than I expected. I've only been here for two days and I'm more than ready to go home.

I thought I knew Spanish pretty well in America but now that I'm in Spain nothing makes sense anymore. I can understand the basis of what people are saying to me, but I usually would miss a word or two. In America not knowing a word or two was a 95% instead of a 100% on a test, but in Spain it means you can't communicate with anyone. I can never get the context what people are saying right. I can't tell who is being serious, or who is being sarcastic. There was one incident when someone said my American clothes were really nice. I said thank you, but they just laughed. I guess that was sarcasm. Any time I try to talk all I receive is laughter or confused faces. This really sucks.

 Today I was so confused when school ended at 11AM. I think some one was trying to explain to me (I was lucky to get anyone to talk to me) that  everyone had to 'rest' or something like that. I was happy I got to leave school, but when I went to what I understood was the local market to buy some new Spanish clothes , no one was there. I have no choice to but to sit in my 'house' from noon until three because the rest of town is deserted during that time. 

In America I wouldn't have had school today because it is Columbus Day, but that doesn't apply here. I can't even watch the Red Sox because all that is on TV is soccer, and its in Spanish of course.

The school that I am going to does not have its own soccer team, so I would have to join a random club with players that are way too good for me.

The only good thing is that, the people I am staying with have a computer and a telephone. These two things will help me survive. At least I can talk to my parents and friends.

I just want to come home.

Ideas for the Perspective of an international Student

• Can't understand what people are saying in conversations
• People make fun of me because I cannot understand them
• The culture is very different; example different holidays or religions
• No other international students to be friends with
• Missing family
• Can't watch TV or read most things in your own language
• May get bad grades only because you can't understand questions
• Language barrier

From an Inanimate to Myself (Letter 5)

Dear Mike,

This summer was really fun for me. We had some great times together. Absolutely destroying everyone we played in Madden was awesome. As was shooting down all the enemy fighter jets we encountered. But I miss you.

I am writing this to remind you that I'm still around. You haven't  even pressed one button on me in over a month! I know school has started, and soccer makes you really tired, but this isn't like you. When you aren't busy with tons of homework we should remind everyone who's the best. Aren't you sick of your friends and rivals bragging yet?

I also wanted to talk about how you treat me. Look, when PS2 freezes on the last level of a game it does not give you the right to throw me against a wall! I have never seen you do that with a Wii controller. Are they any better then me? Also, DS told me that he cannot stand to be dropped off your bed one more time. 

Look, I know that I'm not shaped like a guitar, I can't be used to accesses the internet, and I'm not motion sensitive, but I still have known you longer than any of those other controllers. I'm still fun and you know it. It's only a matter of time until you pick me up again.

Missing you,

Your PS2 Controller

From a Body Part to Me (Letter 4)

Dear Mike,

This is Hell! Soccer may be fun for you but these first two days have been terrible for Lefty and me. I don't think we can last a whole season. 

It's great that you are getting exercise, having fun, and all that, but is it really worth it? You are working us to the bone. I honestly don't know how you are dealing with this pain. The only explanation is that it hurts so bad that you are numb. Mind and Nerves must be letting you know how we feel. I shouldn't even have to write this letter, all this running needs to stop. Do you remember when you sprained me a while back? I don't know how you are brave enough to risk that happening again, because I  won't be able to bear it.

I know that your response will say something like you will be ten times stronger because of soccer, but I have my doubts. If you hurt me or Lefty then you won't be able to play and we will be weaker than ever before. If this continues you better hope it is worth it. I'm struggling to hold you up every day.

Sincerely,

 Your swollen right ankle

Letter from the Devil to God (Letter 3)

Oh My God,

How are things up there in Heaven? Its been getting very crowded down here in Hell lately. I don't know if you have noticed (actually you are supposed to be omniscient aren't you), but there are far more evil people in the world then good.

It is very entertaining to watch people try to resist evil. They know that it will bring them pleasure, which is every human's only desire, so I don't know why they bother. I also find it amusing that they believe worshipping you will excuse their every flaw. How foolish they are.

You are currently losing the battle for their souls, and I am going to keep it that way. All I need to do is sit back and watch the show. The humans are causing their own damnation through everything they do. As technology progresses you would assume that humans would too, this is very false. They become more ignorant and reliant upon it. It makes them lazy. It also causes wars and violence to be more devastating. The more they rely on material possessions or technology the better. They will forget to use the vales within themselves and others.

There are still many good things and people that need to be eliminated, but they will all come to my side with enough time. I wonder how you plan to deal with this.

Your worst enemy,

The Devil

Letter from Nature to Humanity (Letter 2)

Dear Humans,

You obviously will not learn you lesson until you destroy the planet. Just because you can't see or realize the effects of your existence does not mean they are not tremendously harmful.

 All of you must stop arguing if global warming is real or not, and do something to prevent it. If pollution continues at this rate, then the Earth will be ruined to a state from which it cannot recover. It is good that  you are finally bringing forth the issue of alternative fuels, and I hope you quickly apply them. Sunlight, wind, and water are my gifts to you, so use them to your advantage. 

I am not a battlefield for you to wage war either. I am here to shelter all creatures of the world. Bombs, planes, and guns only cause destruction. When will you learn? Only after all the species of the Earth are extinct, including your own, following a nuclear war.

If you don't understand by now that all resources of the earth are limited, then it is hopeless. Ignorance will be deadly to your race. Remember that if I am destroyed, then you too will be destroyed. Please heed my warning.

Here until you destroy me,

Nature

Letter from Myself 10 Years in the Future (Letter 1)

Dear Mike,

Knowing you, in fact I am you, you probably will find it hard to believe its possible to receive a letter from the future. Then you will remember that you think anything is possible don't you? I am writing this to give you some advice that you may need later.

Don't stop trying in school, even though I know you never give up on anything, and this trait won't change. The next two years are going to be the two most important years in your pre-college life. You have got to try harder than you ever have. Your ability to memorize things is extremely useful, but don't let it make you lazy. Getting a 96% by just paying attention in class may be an accomplishment, but sometimes the ten more minutes of studying is worth it to get a 100% especially during these years. By the way, even though I know it won't stop because I still do it all the time, try to procrastinate just a little less. You work well under pressure so use it to your advantage, but don't think that it is best to wait until the last minute every time.

No, I am not going to ruin it and tell you what college you go to, but I will say that it will be lots of hard work no matter where you go. Don't forget that it will also be tons of fun. I wonder if you reading this letter will change how things turn out. I hope not because things are great right now, and I am not going to spoil it.

 Never play the lottery because you won't win for the next 10 years. Also, don't invest too much money in the stock market. Try not to change the timeline too much because everything turns out great.

From,

Mike

Letter From A Person I've Hurt

October 22, 2008

Dear Mike,

            I know I haven’t talked to for three years now, but I think it’s time for that to change. What happened that day on the phone was terrible. When you said what you said I couldn’t believe my ears. I was shocked and hurt. That was one of the worst moments of my life, and I hope you realize that.

 

            But now I understand that this whole problem is just as much your fault as it is mine. It was wrong of me to listen in on a conversation you were having with another person, but that still doesn’t make it OK for you to say something like that. I also now accept your apology that I should have accepted three years ago. You tried really hard to apologize, but I did not listen to any of it. I didn’t accept it because I wasn’t ready to forgive you. It was too soon, I was hurt, and I was too angry to even talk to you.

 

            I regret that we haven’t talked for three years because we used to be such good friends. My failure to forgive you ruined our friendship and caused so many more problems. We avoid each other so much that it affects our personalities. I want to go back to what it was like before that day on the phone. What do you say Mike can we start over?

Your old, and hopefully new friend,

Tanya

 

My Five Cliffhanger Introduction Stories

I woke up and immediately began to frantically search for my backpack in the darkness.

 My Algebra II homework had to be done by forth period. I completely forgot and fell asleep the night before. When I woke up it hit me like a rock on my head. After working as fast I could in the car ride I managed to get 10 of the 30 problems done. In the IRC I got through 5 more. Then in Theology another 5. I couldn't do any in English because we had a test that day. Thankfully I had time in Chemistry to do 9 more. I ran to Algebra II and finished the last one in the minute I had before class started. I felt accomplished and very lucky. 

When I hit the ground I heard the sound of a stick snapping.

I didn't know it at the time but I had broken my collar bone (clavicle). I was playing football with Sebastian, Mike Grigas, Andy, Tom, and other people. Tommy threw me a pass that a could have caught if I dove for it, which stupidly, I did. My fingertips barely touched the ball, and I did not catch it. I landed full force on my shoulder, and that is when I herd it. The infamous crack that still gives me chills today. Right after I hit the ground I rolled over and got back up, not feeling any pain, then about 3 seconds later my shoulder was killing me. Andy then said, "Oh, Mike you're fine, you just have a stinger. It will be OK in 15 minutes." I sat down next to a pole on the side of the field. When we walked over to the basketball court Andy and Tommy kept poking my shoulder and asking if it hurt every time. After poking down by my neck, Tom established, "OK good its not your collar bone, because that would suck." Tommy  couldn't have been more wrong. I didn't go to the hospital for 3 days after this happened because the pain was slowly going away, and I though I was fine. When my Mom finally convinced me to go to the hospital I found out what made the cracking noise. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30007632&l=68fa2&id=1245330096

I was laughing hysterically, probably the most I have ever laughed, in amazement and disbelief that what we made worked. 

I will always remember when Daryl first said to me, "Lets build a hovercraft". I thought that it was the stupidest idea ever because I kept thinking that it would never work. I said that to him in a joking way after every failed attempt we had. Then, when it finally worked I was in such disbelief that I couldn't control my laughter. It was probably the best idea we ever had, and my skepticism towards it made it all the better when it worked. We even went on to win the science fair.

I nearly went into shock when I saw the whitest flash and heard the loudest noise in my life.

I was at my house on Cape Cod. During a thunderstorm in the summer lighting struck the tree outside of my house. All I can remember is that I was sitting on the couch and it was 6 in the morning. The lighting traveled down the tree, into the roots, which lead to the pipes under my house. It traveled along the metal pipes, and finally stopped in my basement where 2 pipes crossed. It had blown a hole in one of these pipes and my basement was filled with a foot of water. Coincidentally my Dad was brushing his teeth during the lighting strike. If he had been washing his hands at the wrong time, it could have been tragic. 

When I looked at the clock it was 2 am already, and I could not believe I let this happen again.

I once again did not get to finish my homework before 2 am. This was terrible because I had done the same the night before. I was getting increasingly tired throughout the week. My procrastination was devastating on nights when I had to do AP U.S. History outlines, which take at least 4 hours. I was sick of listening to my parents telling me to go to bed, but i wasn't going to give up. I managed to finish the outline by 3 am. After that, I always begin my outlines at least an hour or two earlier than I normally would.

Five Cliffhanger Introductions

I woke up and immediately began to frantically search for my backpack in the darkness.

When I hit the ground I heard the sound of a stick snapping.

I was laughing hysterically, probably the most I have ever laughed, in amazement and disbelief that what we made worked.

I nearly went into shock when I saw the whitest flash and heard the loudest noise in my life.

When I looked at the clock it was 2 am already, and I could not believe I let this happen again.

Another Unflattering Thing

I got my iPod as a free gift with my computer in the summer of 2006, and I started using it iPod a lot in late January. My iPod also came with the usual set of iPod headphones. Back then I thought it was a big deal to keep the little black foam pieces over the headphones. I will not easily for get the day I lost the first one. 

One day in April of freshman year I took my iPod out of the front pocket of my backpack like usual, but to my dismay that little black piece was not on the left headphone (yes I do still remember and I am sure that it was the left). I remember immediately telling Billy because he was one of the first people around me that morning, I vented my problem to him. I was angry for the whole day, and didn't want to listen to my iPod for about 3 days, which is a long time for me with no music. Every time I looked at my Ipod all I could think of was that I lost that little black piece.

After loosing the first one wearing only one random piece of black foam was pointless. I soon gave up on the foam all together. Then I happily enjoyed my iPod for 8 more months. Over that time the place where the metal plug meets the wire gradually wore out. Then one day in late January (after the 1 year warranty was expired) the wire became loose enough that the left headphone did not work, which was more annoying to me than both breaking. I spent about an hour trying to fix them. This only resulted in the right headphone breaking and more rage from me. 

I suffered for one week, and then I found another pair of headphones in my house, which had a retractable wire. This was great for storing them, the only problem was the wire would sometimes retract while I was listening to music, causing the headphones to be ripped from my ears, which I find extremely unpleasant, and the other end would sometimes retract and hit me in the face. These headphones suffered from the same fate as the previous ones, but they lasted a much shorter amount of time. This was because I hated these headphones and did not treat them with care. After that pair broke I found a pair of really old headphones (the big ones that go over the top of your head). These were very old and weak, since I was used to the newer, more durable headphones I eventually broke this pair after two weeks of carelessness.

After that there were zero pairs of headphones left to use, and I was forced to buy new ones. I bought the new Apple iPod headphones at the end of February for $30. I did not bother putting the foam pieces on these, as I knew that they would only irritate me if i lost them. I was perfectly satisfied with this pair until about September. In September the silver part of the right headphone that goes in the ear would pop out of the white plastic part every time  I took it out of my ear. Even though I could pop it back in, this was an extremely annoying sensation. The exposed wire would even give my fingers mild static shocks. I got very sick of this, so I super-glued the piece back in place. I was happy with my repair job until it started happening with the left side. I never got around to gluing it, and eventually the wire wore out, and only the left side stopped working. This happened about a week ago, and I remember complaining about my situation to Macda and Dora who were online at the time. 

After that I started to use my cellphone headphones which I got in September. I did not like these headphones because the wire leding to the left ear is much shorter then the one leading to the right for some reason unknown to me, and consequently the left one always falls out of my ear, which I hate. These headphones are noise canceling, which means they have a small rubber piece, similar to a suction cup that holds them in your ear. Today I lost that small rubber piece to, of course, the left side.

I went through 5 pairs of headphones in a little over two and a half years. Ever since the first pair broke it got me irritated, and  as a result of my temper, I wasn't concerned when the other pairs broke. When I got new ones I took them for granted and let them slowly break because of my carelessness. I complain about this minor situation to many people and make it sound like a big deal. Its amazing that I let such small problem aggravate me so much, but it does and it always will.