Rowlandson
- In what ways does Rowlandson use her experience to reaffirm her Puritan beliefs and those of her audience?
- How does her faith, or her view of God, change during the course of the captivity?
- What portrait does she create of her Indian captors?
Contact and Conflict
- Logan and Red Jacket address whites, while Pontiac and Tecumseh address Indians. What impact does their audience have on these speeches?
- How does Red Jacket’s argument for a separate yet equal faith under the Great Spirit effect the tone of his piece?
- What role does the Pontiac’s vision play in providing justification for Indian warfare against the whites? Why would he need this justification to battle the whites?
Edwards “Personal Narrative”
- What is the relationship between Edwards and God as presented in this narrative?
- Notice how often Edwards uses the word “sweet”. Why this word? How does its repetition impact how you respond to the narrative?
- Why doesn’t Edwards clearly detail the sins he commits?
Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God”
- Identify a specific passage in the sermon to which you are interested or to which you have questions. Explain why that passaged appealed to or what questions it raises.
- Why is God so angry in this sermon?
- How does the view of God in this sermon differ from the view of God in “Personal Narrative”? How does that difference impact how each is received by the audience?
Thoreau
- What is Thoreau’s disagreement with his government?
- What is the relationship, according to Thoreau, between the individual’s moral duty and their role as a citizen to the government?
- What does Thoreau consider the moral response of an individual to an immoral government?
Emerson “Nature”
- Emerson argues that “To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature” (1112). What does he mean by this? What has to happen in order for us to see nature? Why do we need to see nature this way?
- Emerson writes that “Beauty, in its largest and profoundest sense, is one expression for the universe” (1118). What does this mean? What is the relationship between Beauty and Nature? Beauty and Art?
- Emerson writes that “The corruption of man is followed by the corruption of language” (1119). Why, according to Emerson, does corruption in man lead to corruption in language? Do you see examples of this in contemporary culture, such as advertising or politics or entertainment?
- Emerson concludes his essay by arguing that “The reason why the world lacks unity, and lies broken and in heaps, is, because man is disunited with himself” (1136). What does he mean by this? Do you see this “disunity” existing (from Emerson’s perspective) in contemporary society?
Tyler
- Identify the significant character contrasts in this play. Focus on one set of character contrasts and explain their contrasts and how that contrast adds meaning to the play.
- Are these characters (developed, dynamic) or stereotypes (flat, one-dimensional)? By setting up these contrasts what is Tyler trying to do?
- Identify the strengths of this play. Identify its weaknesses. What makes this play a success? Does it stand up as a piece of literature