Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Final Course Evaluation



What I have learned in this course has been extremely valuable to me. I learned that this country was built by many great people who had a dream about a place where freedom abounds.  I never really thought of the forefathers the way that I do now, dreamers. I always thought of them as extremely smart people who knew exactly what to do and how to do it. What I see through their literature is people who dream just like me, of how they can improve their lives and the lives of others, to make it better for all people, especially here in America.  I have realized that these Early American writers are more fascinating than I thought, and that we are not that different from them.

I think of Thoreau and Emerson, who helped preserve the idea that even though we are to grown and invent that we are also to take pleasure in the simple things in life. That we must take note of the beauty of the world that is already there so that we do not destroy it with innovation and industrialization. I absolutely love this quote from “Walden”: “We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour. If we refused, or rather used up, such paltry information as we get, the oracles would distinctly inform us how this might be done.”

I think about the Enlightenment, the pursuit knowledge, and not just take other’s perception of what is real for pure truth, in that there is so much to discover. And the beauty of obtained knowledge means that you explored your own mind, and this world, and discovered yourself outside what you are told to believe.  Religion, as passed down through generations is an important part of humanity, but can’t stand alone when it comes to the truth of this world.  Also, speaking on religion, even though our forefathers make a point to take religion talk out of American policy, they also make it clear that religion was ever as important to them as it is to us now, because it is something that is a part of every human being, whether one sides with a strict set of moral rules, or some more liberal, there is something that drives each and every one of us, and it is important to have this dialogue to find common ground.  I love that we were able to have the discussion in our Committee about religion, that we were able to share with each other the commonalities, even if it were just one basic idea. In the Maryland Committee we were able to converse freely, and with respect.  I think that this is an important dialogue that should be happening more. I think that if there were more talks about such things among people and especially people in power, then I think that it would open an even wider floodgate of compassion for the common good of man.  Just like Professor Brandon said in his writing in the announcements “Our greatest tool is your humanity and your ability to see ourselves in others and feel empathy for them.”

I have learned through literature such as “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”, that we are not a perfect country and that we can come out of something so wrong, and make it better. That we can take a school of thought that is out of date and fix it. There is a foundation of law that is laid for us that we have the power to make a change. That we have the power to let our government also reflect the evolution of our people so that we are not stuck in an ancient way of thinking because that is how it was done once so that is how it will always be. Just like Harriet Jacobs did in telling her story, through literature, we can shed light on truths, and spark a revolution.


My evaluation of my performance in this class is going to be a completely raw and honest one.  As I have nothing to give, but myself, and my truth. This is the first time in a long time that I am not completely proud of my work. I will not go as far to say that it is really bad, as I still believe in my ability to write well. I however, went into a summer semester for the first time, not having any expectations of what it would take. I am a single mom and going to school is essential to my children and I’s well being. It is not only something that I love, and is something that I have always been good at, but it is something that is necessary for me to be able to gain an income about the poverty level.  I currently (not after this semester) have a GPA of 3.6. This is a reflection of the hard work that I have put into my education thus far. I have made the Dean’s list. So, when I say that I am a good student, I am. I just was not able to give all that I wanted to give to this class, balancing a higher work load, and the needs of my children and family this summer. I know now that summer courses should not be classes that I love so much, like this literature class.  I took the second Survey of American Literature class last fall, and got an A.  My professor loved my work, and I was so proud of all that I accomplished in that class, gaining a better understanding of the evolution of American Culture. That being said, that does not mean that I did not learn anything, or work hard in this class at all. No I did my best, and I gave the best that I could. It is just not the best that I have seen come from myself before. However, I am trying to cut myself some slack knowing my circumstances. I think that my work was well written and thought out, and I enjoyed the discussions in the committees the most, because I got to interact with others and this is how I learn the best.  I know that if this was not the summer semester, I could have shined much brighter. I will be blessed to even get a “C” out of this class. Not because I didn’t participate well, but because I was not on time most of the time.  I loved this class, I loved the structure of it, and I loved the way we learned about Early Americans.  Even in my challenge, I will recommend this class to anyone who asks me for advice.  For me, History is best learned through literature.  In literature, is the heart of the man who wrote it. Not the calculated words of accounts of past events that we read in history books.  One thing that I have realized from this class is that I am very much a romantic.  That I relate with the romantic writers, I am always trying to find the sublime in everything. I try to make a point to take notice of things in everyday life that bring me joy.  I am always dreaming of a better future. And even though I did not read Henry “Box” Brown’s story, I read about him, and I am that kind of person too, that would ship myself in a box to get to somewhere where my dreams could come true.



I was not able to do any extra credit that was listed, but in a way I got outside of the literature and took what I was learning on the road with me. When I traveled to Delaware to pick up my daughter from summer camp, I drove across, not only a paved road, but a paved bridge across the Chesapeake Bay to reach her. In my mind, I thought about those who came before us, specifically the authors that we have read this summer. I think about the road that they have paved for us, not only physically, getting us to those frontiers past the Appalachian Mountains and over the waters (like the Chesapeake Bay), but as well as the roads they paved in our minds and in our hearts as citizens of this country.  Along the roads there are many signs, telling stories of the past events that occurred along the road. I envisioned those climbing the rugged mountains before there were winding roads. I saw early settlers sailing across the James River pointing toward the unknown. The wilderness, still untouched and mysterious, just like the wilderness many had to enter to survey the land, ready to build future communities on.  When I traveled to Kansas, across the plains, I reflected on my selfish thoughts of how hard it was for me to travel in my engine powered mini-van with kids, crying about how bored, thirsty and hungry they were, when really they were not, and when before me, families travelled by horse and wagon, and their children really were starving, and some of them didn’t even make it, a sacrifice made all in the name of exploration and in hope for a better life.  We now have the privilege of reading their stories, stopping to take a look at the brown signs along the way. But, we must not forget that there are still many stories to be written, and we ourselves do not have to take their stories for our own, but we too can explore and follow along the same path.
I think that there is one negative reflection that I have that has come with this class. And that is about our current culture. Many people have, and are taking for granted the hard work and the dreams of those before us.  Many people have become sheep-like in conformity, that they just go with the flow of things, and take things for what they are. I think that this is especially in the case of politics, and law.  They follow the media, and take its word as it is solid, instead of finding things out for themselves. I feel like many people have no passion for our country. I again, reflect on Franklin’s autobiography and think about the passion that he had for this country, and for the necessity to carry on a dialogue about our thoughts. He wrote ““If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix'd in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error.”  Many people forget that this freedom we have is not just personal and that we are to live in a bubble as long as everything is going good for us alone. No it is our duty to be passionate about the good of all, the opportunity for freedom, liberty, and happiness is for all. It is easy for some to ignore injustice because it is not happening to them.


From here, this class has given me more of a connection to the past, and what it means to me now. I appreciate more the country that I was born into, and I do not want to be one to take for granted the road that has been paved for me. The same passion that lived in those before me must be carried on. I think that I will continue to read Early American literature, and even though my work may carry me overseas, it always will be a reflection of the American Dream. A dream for building bridges, bridges of freedom and justice for all. I want to be an advocate for people.  I want to go back and read more of Thoreau and Emerson, to help me look for happiness in the simplest of things, finding that connection with God, with Nature, on my own terms, on my own spiritual journey. In “Nature” Emerson wrote “If we live truly, we shall see truly. It is as easy for the strong man to be strong, as it is for the weak to be weak. When we have new perception, we shall gladly disburden the memory of its hoarded treasures as old rubbish. When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook and the rustle of the corn.” It is essential that we form our own perception, that we also can be just as profound, and important to this world.
 I also know that I will never take a class that I want to be so immersed in, in a summer session. That is now a law, in my own books.

Professor Brandon,
Thank you for this enlightenment. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, and teaching this online class in such an interactive way. It is obvious that this is a passion for you, and it reflects in your teaching style and the way that you connect with your students. Additionally, thank you for the open invitation for future communication. I value your knowledge and I am sure that I will find this a valuable resource in my endeavors.
Sarasusan

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Declaration of Faith


Declaration of Faith

I believe in one God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. I believe this is the same God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohamed. I consider myself to be a Christian, by the fact that I am a follower of Jesus and I believe in his teachings. I consider his words to be a command in respect for humanity, and the good will of all.  I do believe that the way to God is a patch available to all men, and that we should not put a restriction on His Mercy when we are speaking of salvation.
I am a woman of God, and I believe it is important to share our lives with others, carrying on a dialogue of what drives us to serve humankind. I do not believe that it is our duty to enter communities and try to convince others that the connection that they have with God is absolutely wrong.  If someone is going to get to know God through me, and see Jesus the way that I do, then I want it to be because I was a guiding light, not a driving force.
 I believe in Creation, but do not disregard science. I believe in the evolution of creation, that the world can be explained scientifically, but that there is diving inspiration behind it. Creation touches the soul in all its wonder that to me, it must be divine.
I do believe also that God can intervene through Revelations and Miracles. Unlike Thomas Paine did in his declaration of faith in the “Age of Reason”, I do not see Godly revelations as only personal communications between God and an individual, rather these revelations, through credible people, have been passed down as the word of God.  For example, we look at the Ten Commandments, and this moral code, to me, is universal , therefore, it must be Godly.
This leads me to mention that I also believe in the ninety-nine names of God.  This list can be found here , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_God_in_Islam/  . I believe that all of these names, such as Merciful, Just, Loving, are all things that are most precious in our lives, therefore are the ways of God, who’s image we are created.
I believe that there are only two kinds of people in this world, Good and Bad. I think that everyone deserves respect, and equality. I think that this is a very simple concept, yet the world makes it so complicated.  Like Paine also said in “Age of Reason”  our only religious duties should  “consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.”   I feel that we should be reaching out hands in brotherhood, not engaging in battles of who is right and wrong.
Therefore when it comes to how we govern ourselves, it is important to draw out the good in our faith.  In the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom it is said “ that our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions and physics or geometry.” Because with religion also comes behavioral code, where some are universal, and some are not, and it is important to come to the table and examine our beliefs and find the commonality so that we can all enable each other to pursue that which makes us happy, without infringing on the pursuit of happiness for others.  
And lastly, I completely concur with Paine, that it is important to share these thoughts and have this dialogue, with respect among each other, allowing each other to share their beliefs, because “He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.” I believe that a major way that God intervenes in our lives is by the people in our lives. Therefore if we do not listen, or open our hearts to each other, then we might be missing out on the Revelations about life that we are looking for.  We are all in this life together, it is better to help each other, than to hinder. I pray for peace, for all of humanity, and that all people come together for the greater good of this world.

Sarasusan

 “Age of Reason” by Thomas Paine : http://www.ushistory.org/paine/reason/singlehtml.htm

Monday, July 16, 2012


Virtues  from the Heart of Sarasusan

I once heard someone describe excellence. It is not to achieve perfection, rather it is a road somewhere between perfection and failure; where you know that your heart is your guide and that even though you will never be perfect, you are giving your all so that you do not give up and fail.
First and foremost, the most important virtue I shall hold is that of:
Faith:
 Faith in  my loving and serving a merciful God.  And through this faith, and the belief in his omnipotent wisdom, I borrow this prayer from Franklin:

"O powerful Goodness! bountiful Father! merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolutions to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favours to me."

Without seeking God, these virtues I cannot attain in their fullest.


Love:
 If I am ever to claim love in any form to anyone, then I must remember these words from the book of Corinthians from the Bible.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

Charity:
 This is not just about money. It is about my time, my talent, and any resource that I can use to make a difference in the world.

Hope:
Hope means that I will never give up on myself, and always trust that as long as I let good things happen, they always will. 

Compassion:
 No matter how painful it is to feel, or whatever I may be going through , there is always something that is going through something worse. I will have compassion for those near and far and do whatever I can to bring hope to any heart that I cross paths with.
Purity:  
To try to stifle my human indulgences, so that I might live a longer, healthier life, and have more time to do the works of good.
Franklin wrote about his struggle with order, and in this he realized that there it is impossible to achieve perfection, and therefore accepted that it is ok to be flawed.  Just like him though, I know that with at least the effort to recognize the flaws within me, that I will still achieve something, rather than not trying at all.

Knowledge:
 To always seek out knowledge, and know that there is always something to learn, and appreciate the fruit of the minds of others.

Honor:
To honor who I am in my heart and in my soul and to honor the sanctity of my marriage, and honor the many roles that I have been given in my life; mother, sister, wife, and friend. I cannot take these roles for granted. I am in them for a reason.


Cleanliness:
I believe aesthetics do play a part in credibility. I like to present myself as an outward reflection of my inner self, as well as the environment that I live in.  For example, you feel much better sitting in a clean and modern office of a dentist than that of one filled with old equipment. Somehow you automatically trust this specialist, if you will.

Humility:
Franklin said it best:  Imitate Jesus. He was friends with everyone. He had not a single hate in his heart, even when he acted in angers ( as toward the pharmacies, it was out of disciple and to call out those who were hypocrites. Franklin says it well, “that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance. “  No one is perfect, and I shall never conduct myself as if I am.


Duty:
 With the very faith in God and his works, that drive me to want to do great things , I feel it is my duty to sacrifice myself for the sake of others; To spread compassion for others and for equality. It is my duty to build bridges.  Not argue why I think I know more, and degrade the heart of every soul.
“It will be remark'd that, tho' my scheme was not wholly without religion, there was in it no mark of any of the distinguishing tenets of any particular sect. I had purposely avoided them; for, being fully persuaded of the utility and excellency of my method, and that it might be serviceable to people in all religions, and intending some time or other to publish it, I would not have anything in it that should prejudice anyone, of any sect, against it.
I believe that my list, although inspired by my faith, can also be practiced by anyone with goodness in their heart.


Quotes taken from Franklin’s Autobiography : http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20203/20203-h/20203-h.htm

Monday, July 2, 2012




This week we are to reflect on the progress we have made in this class, where we need improvement, and come up with a plan to achieve our best grade.  I have been able to complete the essays that are assigned for the week; however, I have not submitted them all in time.  I realized in looking back, that I could be quoting more from the texts that we are reading and that our essays are not so abstract that they are simply a place to put our thoughts out there but I also need to incorporate more, on how it connects with what we are reading as a class.  In the second half of this semester, I just need to work harder to take every single free moment that I have to devote to reading more, this way I can stay with the fast pace of this intensive summer class. This is the first summer semester that I have taken, and I had no expectation of how this would go. I can assure you that I am never taking a summer semester again especially not an English class, because I love reading and writing, and I have  made A’s in all of my English classes before this one, and this is my last one. I am a great student, I just need more time. It just brings tears to my eyes because I have not been able to balance my work, my school, and my kids needs in this semester.  Even write now as I type this my kids are asking me to read something with them, or play a game. As a single mom, it is only me, and it is hard to make it all happen. I am very lucky to be able to go to school right now though. I love school, I feel like I am accomplishing something, something that I am actually good at.  In light of this imbalance,  as much as I would still love to make an “A” and will give the best effort that I have to do that, I  have accepted that I might end up with a “B”.  If I get a “C” I am taking my Dean’s List certificate off of the refrigerator. I’m joking, because I still earned it. This is just a lesson that I had to learn, that summer is for my kids only, even if it does take me longer to get the degree that I want.  I miss them and they lose enough time with me during the fall and spring sessions. 
As far as our weekly Committee of Correspondence posts go, I am doing fairly well in there. I think that I have a great group, and we have great discussions that I think even Professor Brandon adds a lot to, as well.   I love it when my email pops up with a response in there. It is nice to be able to discuss with other people what they think. I always learn something in there.  I also read what Professor Brandon has to say in the Announcements because there is always such useful information that helps bring together what we are reading with where our thoughts should be going.  I always wonder after reading a long post of his, is if he just typed all of that for us just now or if it is something that he wrote before. My honest opinion is that it was typed just for us. I can tell that he is very passionate about this subject and loves it when his students get really interested in it too.  Not just getting by to get a good grade, but taking a real interest, which is evident also in our Committee of Correspondence because that is where we get to ask our questions.
After reflecting on the question of how much I am incorporating what Professor Brandon has said in the announcements and information from Wikipedia, this is an area of improvement that I could also focus on.  I don’t think I am doing this enough. I am happy with my essays and I love that they are not just reviews or critiques of what we have read, but actually taking what we have read and forming our own ideas about ourselves and things that are important to us and being able to write under the influence of such great authors. I know one thing for sure, I am not giving up, I am enjoying this class even if I am having a hard time balancing it all, and I will give it my best shot to achieve the best grade because I will not fail.