Ah I forgot to hit the post button last night! Cinco De Mayo class notes

We may be getting our outlines back tomorrow…EXCITING!

But today we finished up talking about Longfellow. Ian felt that The Jewish Cemetery had been neglected the other day so he decided to open the floor with a discussion about it. After a few awkward moments of silence Ian noted that throughout the entire poem Longfellow seems to be 'looking backwards' at how things used to be in the past.

Arka believed that it wasn't in a harsh or derogatory way, but rather in an understanding tone, as if Longfellow knew what the people were going through. Laz confirmed this. He said that there is a sympathetic attitude, and even when there is 'abusive' language it is always balanced by words that imply steadfastness or strong faith. Longfellow seems to be trying to convince the people that the days of persecution have passed in a positive almost urgent tone.

Ian was surprised that Longfellow knew so much about Jewish history but not much of African culture. Laz and a few others in the class weren't surprised, since at that time very little was known about Africa but Jewish people had been known for a very long time in Europe.

After that brief closing of Longfellow we moved onward to Poe.

Ben asked why Gothics were considered Romantic. Laz explained that Gothics were more interested in human nature than 'leafy' nature. He told us that Hawthorn and Thoreau used to go ice skating together and talk about their ideas. He also expanded that by noting that Poe had a desire to investigate the inner workings of the human psyche. Poe is also considered the first writer of the American detective story.

The class felt that Poe wrote such strange stories because of his chaotic life. But Laz said that the artists liked to separate themselves as unique human beings who could 'create' completely new things. We talked about some of the Poe myths, and we talked about his rabies.

We then began to talk about the Cask of Amontillado, and we ended class with the realization that the audience in that piece is a Priest, and the story is actually a confession!