March 2013 ď ˇ Vol. I, No. 1
Cover Art:
Dance Line Headdress Elise LaBella ‘13
Originality is the essence of true scholarship. Creativity is the soul of the true scholar. – Nnamdi Azikiwe
The publication of the inaugural BL Scholar marks a significant milestone in Bishop Lynch High School’s foray into digital academia. While based on the concept of the former Literary Magazine, this National English Honor Society endeavor expands the parameters to now include not only creative writings and visual art, but also academic works. Thus, accompanying a photograph of a painting or sculpture may be a research paper on Beowulf or a biography of a scientific icon. Our intent is to document the texts – creative and academic – and visual arts that best represent the Bishop Lynch community. Advertising, gathering, formatting, re-doing layouts, editing, re-editing, etc. takes an immense amount of time and patience. For taking the time – concept to publication – I am deeply thankful to Ariel McDonnell, Lily Sooter and Jennifer Dorn. Their vision and fortitude has launched a valuable addition to the litany of BL publications already cherished by students, faculty and alumni. Poetry, essays, photographs, research papers, paintings and sculptures captured via digital camera – BL Scholar aims to showcase the talented creative artists and academic, philosophical thinkers within the Bishop Lynch community, for it is this vast spectrum of the textual and visual that depicts and reveals who we are as a collective conscience. While many within BL Scholar echo the sentiments of Georgia O’Keefe: “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for,” many reflect the philosophy of Hermann Hesse who states, “Without words, without writing and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity.” These pages are the unique presentation of our history in colors, shapes and words. Enjoy the exploration.
Stuart Kantor
Betrothed Avery Gore ’13
The last daughter of King Ethelred as dainty as a spring wild flower used as a pawn in the game of thrones, The young Princess Godiva awaited her predestined fate Betrothed to Sir Godfrey of Warbulton, a man of age to be her father. Although he owned the most in the land, the Princess had no cares for him A small simple face contrasted with hair as red as a dragons tongue. a small golden band fit softly around her finger as she solemnly anticipated her wedding. The dress she wore was made from eerily beautiful fabric some would say that it was woven by the hands of fairies. A glistening tiara adored her intricately braided hair Fresh white roses were held between her childish hands A thorn prick caused blood to trickled from her finger tears ran down her face as she pondered her future Blossoms Avery Gore ‘13
Still Life Avery Gore ‘13
Within My Thoughts Bailey Josephs ‘13
Within my thoughts… I felt the heaviness in the prayer I felt the sting of the words I felt the catch in my breath I felt the world shake I felt sickness sweeping through me I felt dread coursing through my veins I felt the slap of the wind I felt the sadness of others I felt their solemn stares I felt uncertainty for the future I felt uneasiness for life I felt a wave of fear I felt full, of emotions…full of anger, sadness… I felt empty I felt my pain I felt pain of others I felt calm I felt unmoving I felt the urge to run and never stop
I felt the need to scream at the top of my lungs I felt no one could hear me I felt no one could feel my pain I felt no one could understand my pain I felt the tears running down my face I felt salty paths being left behind I felt stares of others I felt worry from others I felt concern from others I felt nothing I felt the sound of gun shots cracking through the air I felt the shots salute the fallen hero I felt my hate I felt their hate I felt our hate, for goodbye I felt the flag in my hand I felt the only thing left for me I felt the only thing left of him I felt goodbye.
Gloucester Sarah Carlson ‘13
Betrayal versus Loyalty Molly Benavides ‘13
Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been Lizette Hernandez ’13
In Marie Borroff’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the anonymous poet explores the Arthurian world of knights, honor, and chivalry and even touches on religious aspects such as temptation, sin, paganism, and Christianity. At the heart of the story, the poet conveys the troubling idea that while Sir Gawain, a knight in King Arthur’s court, follows the Code of Chivalry that render him an upstanding man, he still has characteristics that render him weak unto temptation. First and foremost, because he writes about the Medieval period of the sixth-century, a time of romantic knights in shining armor riding to the rescue, this fourteenth-century poem incorporates aspects of the Chivalric Code of behavior that governs Gawain’s world, a world of virtues such as: honesty, chastity, loyalty, and bravery. The poet also draws attention to the amalgamation of aspects of pagan religion with those of Christianity through symbols, promises, and actions; the author remains critical of man’s desire to establish superiority through false courage and façades and to remain ignorant of one’s own limitations and weaknesses. In this expression of joy, shame, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness for the human condition, the author depends more upon symbols and challenges to tell the story and express ideas than upon traditional epic, narrative structure. Developed around a central image of romanticism and well-defined codes of behavior, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight evolves into an extended metaphor illustrating a vision of
humanity tempted to the point of sin in which the ideals of chivalry (which in fact are tested in the story) derive from the Christian concept of morality and seek to promote principled ideals in a spiritually fallen world. The author formulates the story by including the forces that shape the values and actions of Sir Gawain. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight indubitably depicts the Medieval Age in this story of honor and failure; a daunting task—the Beheading Game—challenges supposed principles and virtues by confronting the hero with temptation that inevitably leads to cowardice and moral instability. For example, after Gawain accepts the Green Knight’s challenge in the beheading game, he, in accordance with his word, vows to meet the knight at the Green chapel in a year’s time or be known as a coward and a treacherous leech: “Gawain grips to his ax and gathers it aloft/…brought it down deftly upon the bare neck/…‘Sir Gawain, forget not to go as agreed,/ and cease not to seek till me, sir, you find/ as you promised in the presence of these proud knights/…therefore come, or be counted a recreant knight’” (Borroff 171). Gawain—although clearly striving to demonstrate courage—remains humble against the words of the Green Knight; no matter how much Gawain desires a reputation as a valiant and renowned knight, the Code of Chivalry restricts him from showing extreme signs of hubris or even fear of losing his life to the stranger. Furthermore, Andrew Bethune, whose article is included in The Facts On File Companion to British Poetry before 1600, introduces the history and importance of the beheading game in medieval society: “The folk motif of the beheading game is used to test a warrior's honor. In later romances, it became a
test of knightly virtues and a measure of the warrior's chivalric oaths. The game serves as a reminder that the surety of a man's word is worth as much as his physical prowess” (Bethune par.1). The one way the Green Knight determines whether King Arthur’s knights are as loyal and honorable as is proclaimed throughout the land is to challenge them and see whether they succeed in a satisfactory manner; after Gawain accepts the terms of the beheading game, he cannot back out lest he risk looking like a fool and dishonoring his family. These rituals that enable knights to exemplify men of virtue and honor also help to define the characters and establish the parameters of their potential actions within the narrative; essentially, they define who the characters are and who they are supposed to be in terms of class and background. Moreover, focusing on the aspect of Chivalric Code that demands chastity and purity from its knights, Gawain successfully thwarts Lady Bertilak’s seductive advances: “‘In all that I am able, my aim is to please,/ as in honor behooves me, and am evermore/ Your servant heart and soul, so save me our Lord!’/ Thus she tested his temper and tried many a time,/ whatever her true intent, to entice him to sin,/ but so fair was his defense that no fault appeared” (Borroff 194). The Code of Chivalry calls for the protection of women and children, and in order to accomplish this, a knight needs to show restraint in times of sexual temptation; Sir Gawain encounters such challenges when he meets King Bertilak’s wife. Though she makes advances towards Gawain, he cannot flat out dismiss her because he cannot disrespect a lady nor can he violate the rules of hospitality and host; instead, he cleverly manages to remain chaste in thought and action
while maintaining a reasonable relationship with Bertilak’s wife. Here, Gawain’s moral restraint does truly prove admirable. In contrast, Candace Gregory-Abbott, whose article appears in the Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature, comments on the duplicitous and illusionary nature of chivalry: In its most Christianized form, chivalry carried with it high expectations of virtuous and noble behavior on behalf of God, the church, and those the church marked as worthy of protection. It emphasized the Christian virtues of generosity, loyalty, honesty, bravery, and spiritual purity (which are frequently exhibited by physical chastity). It was always more ideal than real. This ideal remained a staple of English culture throughout the Renaissance during which, it was transformed into an elegiac, nostalgic genre that looked back to a medieval past that had never been as real as the writers might have wished. Chivalry was more real in the literature of the Middle Ages and Renaissance than it ever was in life: It represented life as it should have been. (GregoryAbbott par. 2-3) According to Abbott, chivalry merely represents the mold of what society should emulate in the sixteenth-century; this idea would enable the society of the time to be more lax in its attempts to develop in areas of principles and virtues because it does not have a proper example in the real world thus, it has no real standards to strive for; a character in a story simply represents an ideal that perhaps may not even be possible to attain. Similarly, despite all the virtues and promises of goodness guaranteed by the Code, Sir Gawain fails to display
bravery—under the imminent blow of the blade—and honesty—when he does not uphold his promise to King Bertilak and return the green girdle given to him by the Queen: “‘true men pay what they owe;/ no danger then in sight./ You failed at the third throw,/ so take my tap sir knight./ For that is my belt about you, that same braided girdle’” (Borroff 210). Sir Gawain’s failure to restrain emotion at the time of death details his shortcomings and symbolizes humanity’s inability to emulate perfection at all times; even the strongest and most virtuous fall because they are not supernatural beings but rather sinful humans who remain susceptible to temptation and inevitably render weak unto it. The author solicits much attention to the significance religion—whether pagan, Christian, or a combination of the two—has on the hero’s journey toward salvation and redemption. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, chivalric expectations define Gawain’s actions; without religion, the hero cannot succeed because he does not have supernatural powers like other epic heroes. Instead, he relies on spiritual help to get him through ardent trials. For instance, introducing the reader to Gawain’s shield, a symbol of perfection and virtue, the poet writes, “ then they showed forth the shield, that shone all red,/ with the pentangle portrayed in purest gold” (Borroff 175). The shield itself is meaningless without the pentangle, a simple yet important shape that represents the five fives or virtues Gawain aspires to embody; these include: faultlessness in his five senses, compassion, brotherly love, courtesy, piety, and manners. For instance, Michelle Sauer, author and compiler of The Facts On
File Companion to British Poetry before 1600, further remarks on the significance of the pentangle shield in pagan religion: “When dressed, Gawain and his horse, Gringolet, make a stunning picture. This shield is made of gules—pure red gold—and emblazoned with a pentangle (five-pointed star) on the outside and a picture of the Virgin Mary on the inside. The pentangle is carefully explained in the poem as an important symbol. Dubbed the "endless knot" in Celtic cultures, the pentangle symbolizes perpetual loyalty" (Sauer par. 5). Here, Sauer reveals the enmeshed nature of religion in the poem; the pentangle on Gawain’s shield, a Celtic symbol, represents his infinite and unwavering virtues, while on the other side, the portrait of Mary reminds the knight of the purpose behind the Code of Chivalry. Her portrait also serves as a constant guide and comfort for when Gawain feels alone or troubled; she also reminds him of his wish to remain loyal to Christ’s five wounds and Mary’s five joys (the Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption) purely Christian elements. Similarly, the poem also has singular Christian aspects that draw the reader’s attention: “He feared for his default, should he fail to see/ the service of that Sire…/ ‘And Mary, thou mildest mother so dear,/ some harborage where haply I might hear mass/ and thy matins tomorrow— meekly I ask it,’” (Borroff 178). In contrast to the poem’s origins and connections to pagan folklore, the poet chooses to include elements of Christianity such as Mass and the holy sacrament of Confession which further add to the agglomerated culture of the poem. On the other hand, Michael Cornelius, author of The Hero’s Journey, introduces the concept of the hero’s
An Alternate Soliloquy Anna Paige Padilla ‘13
inevitable fall and writes: “In defiance of custom, the heroic condition of both Gawain's society and the knight himself are not improved by Gawain's journey. However, this lack of fulfillment is precisely the purpose behind Gawain's quest in the first place. The Gawain author has designed his romance to demonstrate the inherent impossibility of the Chivalric Code that Gawain lives by, ensuring Gawain's failure” (Cornelius par. 1). Cornelius, like Abbott, mentions the fact that chivalry lacks the necessary models which showcase the ultimate example of perfection; Gawain, set up to fail from the beginning, falls into temptations’ grasps, thus he cannot represent the world’s model of total virtue. The poet poses a troubling idea that may, in fact, foreshadow humanity’s collapse; if Gawain, the knight of highest virtue in Arthur’s court, cannot succeed in his quest, then where does that leave the rest of humanity. The poet incorporates Christian elements into the poem, so that they show one man who does triumph over evil, thus giving humanity hope; at least Gawain recognizes his wrongdoing and takes up the penance of wearing the green girdle in order to achieve redemption. Finally, in keeping with possible Christian interpretations, the author alludes to the fall of Adam and Eve writing, “‘I shall give you my girdle; you gain less thereby./…but if the virtue that invests it were verily known,/ it would be held, I hope, in higher esteem./ For the man that possesses this piece of silk,/…could not be killed be killed by any craft on earth.’…And he tucked away the token the temptress had left,” (Borroff 200). Like Adam (from the biblical story of creation) who succumbed to sin after listening to Eve and taking the forbidden fruit, Gawain, too, perishes at the hands of a woman; King
Bertilak’s wife manages to tempt Gawain with the green girdle by assuring him that it contains magical powers that will protect the bearer. Gawain’s acceptance of the girdle and failure to return it to King Bertilak marks his true failure and collapse into sin; although Gawain sins by putting his faith in the girdle and not confessing when he is caught, the Green Knight pardons him, thereby allowing him the capability to understand better the meaning of a true Christian by learning from his mistakes. Through the various games played and hardships endured, Gawain manages to find his place within the Christian world. The author uses descriptive imagery and symbols not only to silently tell the heroic, humanity-redeeming story, but also to incorporate ideas and criticisms of the archaic code and its defects. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the poet depicts an omnipresent color that serves to expose the nature of the Green Knight, expose the witchcraft and supernatural world of the poem, and foreshadow Sir Gawain’s fall. For instance, focusing on the significance of the color green, the poet writes, “Great wonder grew in hall/ at his hue most strange to see,/ for man and gear and all/ were green as green could be./...‘I shall give you my girdle; you gain less thereby.’/ She released a knot lightly, and loosened a belt/ that was caught about her kirtle, the bright cloak beneath/ Of a gay green silk, with gold overwrought,” (Borroff 165, 199). Prominent throughout the poem yet given its varied interpretations, the color’s precise meaning remains ambiguous; the color green traditionally denotes nature and associates itself with attributes such as fertility. This makes sense since in pagan
Deadly Fate Lizette Hernandez ‘13
mythology, the Green Knight represents an old fertility god. Because of its connection with fairies and spirits in early English folklore, green also signified witchcraft, devilry, and evil such as jealousy; yet the green girdle, originally worn for protection, transforms into a symbol of shame and cowardice and is adopted as a symbol of honor by the knights of Camelot, thus signifying a transformation from good to evil and back again. In contrast, Cornelius also points out the fact that the girdle gives Gawain a renewed sense of hope and courage because he believes the girdle to have magic powers: Yet what is the source of Gawain's strength? Is it his Chivalric Code? Is it a newfound resolve or a sense of acquiescence over his fate? Or is Gawain's mettle derived from the green sash he believes may preserve his life? By this point in the narrative Gawain's quest has
already been lost; the true test—the test of his knightly codes—has already been decided. Certainly Gawain is courageous to continue forth, as he has no proof of the mantle's power. Yet the girdle must provide him with enough resolve and belief to offer him some hope of survival; otherwise, he would not have taken it in the first place. (Cornelius par. 16). Yet again, the poet incorporates pagan mythology and simple fantasy in order to show humanity’s tendency to fall for that which eases one’s suffering no matter the cost; the girdle provides Sir Gawain with a possible outlet to prevent his death and he takes it (which, in turn, corrupts his virtue because he does not fulfill his promise to King Bertilak and return the girdle). Moreover, the poet’s narrative strategy allows him to avoid a direct description of the girdle, yet his use of allusions and metaphors leave no doubt about Gawain’s impending fall from grace: “‘If he bore it on his body, belted about,/ There is no hand under heaven that could hew him down,/ For he could not be killed by any craft on earth.’/ Then the man began to muse, and mainly he thought/ It was a pearl for his plight, the peril to come/…Could he escape unscathed, the scheme were noble!” (Borroff 200). The author draws attention to Gawain’s craftiness and attempts to stop the inevitable; the knight wishes to avoid death because he, enamored with his mortality, cannot simply fail to appear at the Green Chapel for fear of cowardice nor, does he want to lose his life. Focusing on the game as a design to prove the fallibility of the Chivalric Code and absurdity in its promise of perfection, Cornelius writes,
The conclusion to the Beheading Game suggests not so much another challenge for Gawain as a punishment: His humiliation at his own cowardice during the first blow, the aborted second blow, and the interminable fear of losing his life are designed to both chasten and censure Gawain. The quest has already failed, as has the quester; what follows is proper reparation before Bertilak explains how perfectly Gawain has played his part within the quest's ultimate design. (Cornelius par. 17) The quest itself does not matter, nor does the person embarking on the quest; the overall purpose of the quest illustrates the fact that even the most noble and worthy are capable of falling (and will fall). Gawain’s failures also show the world that the code of honor, despite all the “propaganda” and supposed assurances of its goodness and incorruptibility, fails to encompass one’s humanity and inability to reach such high standards of perfection. Finally, focusing on the Green Knight’s prominent role in helping Sir Gawain recognize his vulnerability and faults, Borroff writes, And the wooing of my wife—it was all my scheme!/…So is Gawain, in good faith, to other gay knights./ Yet you lacked, sir, a little loyalty there,/ But the cause was not cunning…/ But that you loved your own life…/...Accursed be a cowardly and covetous heart! / In you is villainy and vice, and virtue laid low!/…Behold there is my falsehood…/ YoNur cut taught me cowardice, care for my life/…I hold you as polished as a pearl, as pure and as bright/as you had lived free of fault since first you were born. (210)
Morgan's tests elicit pride, fear, cowardice, disloyalty, and dishonor from Gawain, traits that ensure he is far from perfect; though Bertilak reminds the knight that, in reality, his slight faults and his courage do not merit castigation, the Chivalric Code does not enjoy the same abeyance; Bertilak himself helps Gawain to realize his shortcomings (sin) and accept the consequences of his actions (penance). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight depicts the Chivalric Age as a time in which chivalry and romanticism thrived in abundance; as Sir Gawain refuses to accept truth, he succumbs to a dark void of sin and corruption and proves the infallibility of the code. For instance, the poet manifests the Arthurian world as one in which the knights are governed by moral codes of behavior; the author suggests that because these traditional codes suffocate the will of all individuals and in its place institutes falsehood and false standards, there remains no true example of goodness that humanity can strive to emulate. Furthermore, the author combines elements spanning different religions, traditions, and spheres of influence in order to more properly develop the hero and enlarge the scope of the audience; the combination of religions binds together the old world with the new and suggests that though older models may not be the perfect example, one still finds solace and comfort after failure and yet still has hope. Finally, the author’s clever use of symbolism, allusions, and metaphors creates the setting for the story without ever explicitly saying so; the poet’s description of the green girdle and the Green Knight emphasizes humanity’s inability to separate itself from sin and forego judgment without punishment and penance. The poem does not, by any means, suggest that the Codes of Chivalry be abandoned; in fact,
them keeps him from sleeping with his host’s wife. Through the Green Knight’s challenge, Gawain learns that at a basic level, he embodies a physical being that cares more about his life and appearance than true honor and integrity. Though he may be the most chivalrous knight in the land, he remains human and capable of error.
Still Life With Lilies Rachel Grinbergs ‘13
Works Cited Abrams, M. H. "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." Trans. Marie Borroff. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8th ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006. 160-213. Print. Bethune, Andrew. “Beheading Game” In Sauer, Michelle M. The Facts On File Companion to British Poetry before 1600. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom’s Literary Reference Online. EBSCO, Web. 19 November. 2012. Cornelius, Michael G. “Sir Gawain’s Unfulfilled Quest” In The Hero’s Journey, Bloom’s Literary Themes. Bloom’s Literary Reference Online. EBSCO, Web. 19 November. 2012. Gregory-Abbott, Candace. “Chivalry” In Sauer, Michelle M. The Facts On File Companion to British Poetry before 1600. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom’s Literary Reference Online. EBSCO, Web. 19 November. 2012. Sauer, Michelle M. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” In Sauer, Michelle M. The Facts On File Companion to British Poetry before 1600. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom’s Literary Reference Online. EBSCO, Web. 19 November. 2012.
Revolve
Ovation Asher Miller ‘13
The Aimless Pursuit Jennifer Dorn ‘14
In his short story Ethan Brand: A Chapter from an Abortive Romance, Nathaniel Hawthorne presents the reader with the question of whether or not the pursuit of knowledge justifies a man’s self-imposed separation from society. To do so, he crafts a tale of a man named Ethan Brand who abandons his work to go in search of the Unpardonable Sin. Initially, Hawthorne presents the danger of retreating entirely into one’s own mind by relating the beginnings of Ethan’s descent into complete intellectual self-absorption. In addition, he cautions against abandoning the community for the sake of knowledge and emphasizes the importance of respect for fellow man. Ultimately, Hawthorne uses Ethan’s fate to mock the pursuit of complete intellectual enlightenment at the sacrifice of humanity because, in doing so, all potential impact is eradicated. Thus, Hawthorne uses Ethan Brand as a cautionary tale that warns against pursuing complete knowledge and understanding because to do so would entail dissolving the chain of humanity that keeps all members of the human race tethered to one another and prevents the indispensible bonds of society from breaking. At the beginning of the story, Hawthorne recounts Ethan’s gradual transition from an average working man to one obsessed with the attainment of ultimate knowledge and understanding. He does this by recounting how Ethan comes to his
choice to devote his life to the attainment of knowledge and discovery of the Unpardonable Sin. Hawthorne first informs the reader that lime-burning “…is a lonesome, and, when the character is inclined to thought, […] an intensely thoughtful occupation…[but] the man who now watched the fire was of a different order, and troubled himself with no thoughts save the very few that were requisite to his business” (Hawthorne 1185). In this way, Hawthorne shows the reader that although not all lime-burners choose to indulge in deep thought while tending the kilns, Ethan does not set himself apart by merely contemplating the mysteries of life, but rather by allowing his ideas to completely take hold of his heart and mind, thereby becoming his obsession. In her analysis of the story, Abby Werlock mentions how Ethan Brand “…may serve…[both] as a cautionary tale about the dangers of divorcing the mind from the heart and humanity [and] as a story about the perils of obsessive dreams based on self-delusion…” (par. 1). Hawthorne makes these themes present in the very beginning through Brand’s complete preoccupation with contemplation and his inclination to place his individual ideas over the needs of the community and his obligation to serve it. Naturally, Ethan’s unusual fixation on those ideas that come to him as he tends his kiln gives rise to rumor and “Ethan Brand, it was said, had conversed with Satan himself in the lurid blaze of [that] very kiln” (Hawthorne 1188). From this the reader can infer that the fire in the kiln not only represents the flame of knowledge, but also the threat of hellfire and damnation if he allows that blaze of understanding to grow too large and all-consuming, and Hawthorne uses this representation to depict Brand’s
temptation to give in to an unbridled pursuit of personal knowledge without regards to the rest of society. Beginning with this uninhibited quest for enlightenment, Ethan becomes the “…philosopher-scientist, motivated only by his intellect” (Grant par. 10). However, obsessive pursuit of intellect alone cannot preserve the chain of humanity, for only through a balance of understanding and concern for the good of society can one attain an enlightenment that serves not only the individual but also the greater good. After Brand decides to give way to unrestrained contemplation, he becomes dissatisfied with mere theoretical thought and decides to actively embark on “his search for the Unpardonable Sin” (Hawthorne 1185). Thus, Brand’s choice to pursue not only knowledge itself but also the knowledge of something so terrible that God himself will not pardon it demonstrates his total abandonment of any concern for his own salvation, proving his disproportionate infatuation with his own intellectual capacity, and by extension his declining concern for the good of humanity. In depicting Ethan’s diminishing empathy for his fellow man, Hawthorne rebukes the idea of placing the individual and his quest for knowledge above the general good of mankind. In doing so, Hawthorne also presents the idea that man can only retain his humanity by remaining an active member of the community and by actively participating in society’s natural give and take. Following his return from his quest to discover the Unpardonable Sin, Ethan describes his findings to Bartram and says, “It is a sin that grew within my own breast […] A sin that grew nowhere else! The sin of an intellect that triumphed over the sense of brotherhood
with man and reverence for God, and sacrificed everything to its own mighty claims! […] Freely, were it to do again [sic], would I incur the guilt” (Hawthorne 1189). This proves that Ethan’s searched-for “Unpardonable Sin” amounts to a person’s choice to single-mindedly pursue a cold-hearted intellect that causes him to lose his humanity and morality; in choosing to chase after total knowledge regardless of the potential consequences of such a discovery, Ethan alienates himself from society and thus abandons his own brethren. In support of this, John McElroy argues that “…the story constructs a theological idea in secular terms, with primary emphasis on brotherhood among men rather than on God’s grace” (637). In this way, just as a sinner may consciously choose to reject God’s forgiving grace, Ethan consciously chooses to reject the good to be found in communion with society. To contrast Ethan’s conscious renunciation of his own humanity, Hawthorne provides three examples of men who, like Ethan, have greatly sinned in their lifetimes, but have chosen to continue to dwell amongst their fellow man, and he describes of them by writing, “A maimed and miserable wretch he was; but one, nevertheless, whom the world could not trample on, and had no right to scorn…since he had still kept up the courage and spirit of a man…” (Hawthorne 1190). Despite this man’s dreadful misfortunes brought on by an intemperate lifestyle, he still retains a spark of humanity and remains connected to the community which he had served for so long in his past and which has helped him get by during his more difficult circumstances, whereas Ethan has entirely severed his ties to his brotherhood with mankind and attempts no good for them,
Fire Manipulation Andrew Hawkins ‘13
thus extinguishing his human spark. In relation to Brand’s ruthless treatment of others, William Grant writes that Ethan’s “…heart has been so subordinated by his thirst for ultimate knowledge that he acts without regard for the sanctity of other people’s beings: He is a man without conscience or human sympathy” (par. 10). Accordingly, nothing beneficial or even truly enlightened can arise from the mind of a man who solely seeks to extend his own knowledge; rather, such an attitude can only destroy the humanity of oneself and others. A prime example of this comes when Hawthorne mentions an incident that occurred while Ethan journeyed on his quest to find the Unpardonable Sin, and he describes Ethan’s encounter with “…the Esther of our tale, the very girl whom, with such cold and remorseless
purpose, Ethan Brand had made the subject of a psychological experiment, and wasted, absorbed, and perhaps annihilated her soul, in the process” (Hawthorne 1191). Perhaps more so than any other example in this story, this incident points to Ethan’s abandonment of humanity through his merciless use and abuse of others because it shows that Ethan places his own intellect above the souls of all those who surround him, thus dissolving his link to the chain of humanity. In the end, Hawthorne uses Ethan’s fate and the events leading directly up to it to solidify his mockery and criticism of the pursuit of knowledge at the cost of negative societal effects. In doing so, he also demonstrates the uselessness of an enlightenment that cannot be used to further the purposes of the human race as a whole. The first inkling of the fruitlessness of Ethan’s labors comes when the Jew of Nuremburg comes to visit the town with his diorama, an event that leaves a profound impact on Ethan, for “Ethan gazed into the box for an instant, and then starting back, looked fixedly at the German. What had he seen? Nothing, apparently; for a curious youth, who had peeped in almost at the same moment, beheld only a vacant space of canvas” (Hawthorne 1192). Thus, Hawthorne uses the emptiness of the canvas to depict the worthlessness of Ethan’s discovery because, in the long run, even if Ethan chooses to share his knowledge with the world, such knowledge would have no profound effect upon civilization because few people would act upon it, and, like Ethan, the actions of these individuals would impact only themselves and have little consequence in the world. In this way, “Ethan Brand begins his search as nothing but a common man and returns from it a
interests, not only will no good arise from his discoveries, but, in fact, nothing at all. Perhaps because of his realization of this fact, Ethan commits suicide after offering to tend the kiln for Bartram while the current lime-burner and his son sleep; in the morning when Bartram goes in to check on the marble, he finds that “The marble was all burnt into perfect, snow-white lime. But on its surface, in the midst of the circle--snow-white too, and thoroughly converted into lime--lay a human skeleton, in the attitude of a person who, after long toil, lies down to long repose. Within the ribs…was the shape of a human heart” (Hawthorne 1196). Through this, Hawthorne conveys the idea that although Ethan manages to harden his heart into stone and convert himself into a creature incapable of fully functioning within the community because of his “superior” understanding, with his death dies the flame of his knowledge, and the insignificance of his life’s work comes into full view. In support of this, Kurt Eisen writes that “A single-minded pursuit of knowledge is precisely what most distinguishes Ethan Brand as tragic…” (55). Indeed, Ethan’s single-mindedness tragically (or perhaps not so tragically) prevents him from making any sort of impression on the world, and thus his labors bear no fruit; although he attains knowledge, that knowledge bears no weight in the world. Additionally, Hawthorne also emphasizes Brand’s lack of impact through his lengthy description of the beauty of the morning after Ethan’s suicide, and he writes that “The early sunshine was already pouring its gold upon the mountain-tops, and though the valleys were still in shadow, they smiled cheerfully in the promise of the bright day that was hastening onward” (Hawthorne 1195). By showing the ways in which Mother Earth continues her usual morning
routine even after the death of such a profoundly enlightened man, Hawthorne accentuates the great insignificance of Ethan’s intellectual insight; for, in choosing to sever himself from all of humanity and society, Ethan himself squelches any impact his knowledge may have on the world, thus putting his own work to utter waste. In Ethan Brand: A Chapter from an Abortive Romance, Nathaniel Hawthorne cautions the reader against placing the pursuit of knowledge above the need to remain an active member of the community of mankind; for in doing so, a person divorces himself from the rest of mankind and demolishes his link to the chain of humanity, thus losing all possibility of impacting the community. In the beginning, Hawthorne begins to introduce the idea of total intellectual selfabsorption and the dangers it entails. As the story continues, he emphasizes the necessity of a bond with society and reminds the reader of his obligation to respect the humanity of his fellow man. In the end, Hawthorne uses Ethan’s fate to point out how purely individual enlightenment not only destroys one’s own humanity, but also how it fails to make a lasting impact on the rest of the community. In these ways, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Ethan Brand to pose the question of whether or not the quest for individual enlightenment justifies one’s abandonment of humanity and separation from society.
Works Cited Eisen, Kurt. "The Tragical History of Ethan Brand." Essays in Literature 19.1 (1992): 55-60. Literary Reference Center. EBSCOhost, 19 Mar. 2007. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. Grant, William E. "Ethan Brand." Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition. N.p.: Salem, 2004. 1-2. Literary Reference Center. EBSCOhost. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. Harris, Mark. "A New Reading of 'Ethan Brand': The Failed Quest." Studies in Short Fiction 31.1 (1994): 69-78. Literary Reference Center. EBSCOhost, 25 June 2002. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Ethan Brand: A Chapter from an Abortive Romance." The Complete Novels and Selected Tales of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Ed. Norman Holmes Pearson. New York: Random House, 1937. 1184-196. Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library. University of Virginia, 1996. Web. 24 Sept. 2012. McElroy, John. "The Brand Metaphor in "Ethan Brand"" American Literature 43.4 (1972): 633-37. Literary Reference Center. EBSCOhost, 25 June 2003. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. Werlock, Abby H. P. "Ethan Brand." The Facts on File Companion to the American Short Story. 2nd ed. New York: Facts on File, 2009. N. pag. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts on File, Inc. Web. 25 Sept. 2012.
Ashleigh Humphries ‘14
America on the Podium Courtney Koch ‘14
“A city upon a hill.” These words were spoken of America by John Winthrop, four-time governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1630 as he and many others set sail for the journey to the New World: a mysterious land filled with innumerable opportunities. But in a country pushed by the competitive nature of its people, America has become a land constantly in competition: a nation upon a podium. And why does this matter? It matters because this common trait binds Americans together in a state of constant competition. The quadrennial events of the Olympics and the Presidential Election happen to be on the same cycle making every fourth year the most competitive year for the American people. 2012 is one of those years.
Behind the Tapestry Madison Sowder ‘13
Last month, Americans supported their favorite Olympic athletes, claiming their allegiance to the Great American Olympic Team for bringing home 104 medals (46 of them gold) and placing the nation on top of the Olympic Podium. The frenzy continues in the form of American politics with the Republican National Convention last week and the Democrats closing theirs this Thursday. Political tensions are rising with the approaching November 6th election, the Ultimate American Contest. But this is not the only time when America is competitive. Since its establishment, the United States of America has been known as a land of amazing opportunities for advancement in society. These opportunities have been opened to intelligent, competitive Americans to better the nation and therefore create new opportunities for the next generation. In the words of Bill Gates, â€œâ€Śif we are to remain competitive, we need a workforce
Warm Roots Avery Gore ‘13
Words Leah Kelley ‘13
brightest minds.� But these American opportunities seem to be growing scarcer as the population grows larger; even the most hardworking and competitive find it challenging to stand out above the rest and achieve their America-sized dreams and aspirations. The furthering of the American dream must be attained with a strong competitive spirit. This characteristic has been present in Americans since early colonial times: a common tradition shared and passed down by American families from the first generation to the present. And this trait is essential to the makeup of the American character. According to Maps of the World, the competitive wiring of Americans contributes to the fact that America is the most powerful nation in the world. Similarly, the competitive economy of America allows the country to produce the highest GDP per capita. Sports, whether recreational or professional, are enjoyed among American children and adults alike for this reason. In these sports, only a select few receive a title or trophy; this instills the idea that winning is the ultimate goal and only way to receive genuine praise. Americans go so far as secretly racing other cars on the
road (even if their destinations aren’t the same) to provide the thrill of competition and to satisfy their desire to win. And Americans love to win. These seemingly petty contests are the unseen ways in which the competitive ideals of American society are instituted into the minds of each generation, ensuring that they can continue the American legacy and grow off of the nation as the nation grows off of the success of its people: a competitive lifestyle for a competitive nation. The American people thrive on victory over others, summed up perfectly in the theory of Ricky Bobby (played by Will Ferrell in Talladega Night: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby): “If you ain’t first you’re last.” And as part of their ever-competitive nature, Americans are proud of what their country does best: being the best. It’s the American Way.
America Thomas Blake Caron ‘14
I Won’t Say It Anna Paige Padilla ‘13
I wish I could tell you That Pigg’s popular song Brings you to mind Or that I can’t think the thought Of you not being mine Or that I’m tumbling, Tripping, And falling for you That this isn’t untied laces Caught under my shoe I wish I could tell you, But I don’t have a way Bound to twenty six letters A pen And a page Writing Ariel McDonnell ‘13
Another Amazon Dawn Yibo Yang ’14
Light flees by Tickling the luscious dews of dawn Kissing every inch of new green Restless through the brilliant June sky
Light Luiza Carvalho ‘13
Adjective Anna Paige Padilla ‘13
My name is an adjective Rather than a noun I am not best dressed Or even the class clown
I will hold the hand of friends And try to make them smile I’m not the strongest runner But I run a 6:40 mile I do not have a 4.0 Or a perfect SAT Simply a love of verse, Of books, and history I love to speak, to write, to know Dream of far off lands Wonder what tomorrow brings Design my future plans
Every day I row or bike Explore disremembered roads I’m a blogging prodigy But can’t write computer codes To se a clearer picture of me Look at who I admire The impact of Jefferson and Rowling Is something I desire We must not forget Douglas Adams Who wrote the Hitchhiker’s Guide If you haven’t read it There are a thousand laughs inside To describe me, I have one word I am not a prophet, or a sage For I am my own adjective I am known as Paige
Smile Ariel McDonnell ‘13
Left:
Perspective Avery Gore ‘13
Dreams Logan Metzel ‘15
I can’t remember the first time I remembered a dream. All I know is simple observations led to complex thoughts. Complex thoughts led to intricate platforms For my own dream architecture- my own playground, Replacing gravel with boulders, swing sets with wings. Once I discovered this ability to escape, I wondered if anyone else held this insane super power as well. The first time I dreamt of my parents and friends, I worried, once awaken, that they had invaded my private island. I thought it was mine. I was greedy for privacy, But only out of fascination and curiosity. Looking forward to bedtime was a new possibility. As my father tucked me in, secretly I wondered if he would meet me again that night. I assumed that this so-called “dreaming” thing was a secret Understood by every person on this planet. But one day I awoke, and having had the most amazing dream in my six years of life, I told everyone about my experiences that night. As I grew older, my parents grew worrisome of my imagination.
At 11, I was scolded for my extensive imagination and the fantasies and dreams that sprouted from my slumber: “You’ve got to stop living in your childlike dream world!” As I continued to grow, I recognized the major contrasts between my spontaneous dream world and the reality in which I was expected to live. So it came to this: living in reality with almost zero ambition and imagination was acceptable. This is what is expected to happen to many children once they hit their teenage years. I didn’t conform however. The sleeping rebel inside of me awoke. I made the choice to preserve this dreaming super power of mine, Which, sadly, was looked down upon by adults whom, in my opinion, seemed lacking in any sort of color scheme. Where was the hope? Where was the childlike curiosity in their eyes? I asked myself these questions with a hint of anger until one day, I awoke with no dream recall at all. Dreaming had been my thing, MY thing. And it betrayed me. No longer did my escape remain safely on my bed. I now had to question whether I would wake up refreshed or irritated. One morning, as I drank my first cup of black coffee, My mother questioned me: “Coffee? Did you not sleep very well?” “Oh, Mom, it’s not just that. I can’t remember last night’s dream!” Frightened, I lost a bit of hope. Now I could not rely on my old escape. Is this how it ended? No more absurd stories to tell people, So they can poorly pretend to be captivated by my stories? Zen Foxman To my relief, I soon discovered this lack of memory was temporary. Andrew Hawkins ‘13 Drastically, my dream playground transformed into a dream canvas.
Father and Son Emily Bearden ‘13
I learned how to play tricks with my mind and induce the type of dream/nightmare I was in the mood for. I saw how my fantasies held a myriad of possibilities.
I learned how to play tricks with my mind and induce the type of dream/nightmare I was in the mood for. I saw how my fantasies held a myriad of possibilities. I mentally noted each moment in each dream that I found important. One night, I saw what I believe to be my “ultimate heaven.” I saw a vast field with the sun rising off in the distance, And the ocean swayed just how I wanted it too: spontaneously. I would rest in this heaven of mine, right in front of the woods, Where the serene wolves would invite me to run into the wild, as the pack leader. This special dream of mine gave me freedom to change the season, And create the sounds and music continuously lingering in the crisp air, to my liking. But most of all, this dream provided hope. Hope for better things, better places. So I thought that maybe, one day, I could
Crazy Molly Benavides ‘13
actually reach this ultimate heaven of mine. There was no way my parents could label this positive thinking as unacceptable and unrealistic, For a dream is the exact, raw opposite of the words improbable, unrealistic, and impossible. With my dream platform seemingly eternally budding, I developed eternal hope. I decided to not let go of this source of ambition, color, and aim. Passing by my peers and teachers in school, I still find myself wondering whether these people had given up on their dreams or pursued and prospered in them. Hopefully their parents’ introduction to this so-called “reality” did not hinder their minds’ passion and longing to belong to no single realm. This only inspired me even further to be the rebel of reality, the superhero of imagination and ambition, and an everlasting fountainhead of curiosity.
Oregon Trail Avery Gore ‘13
Symbolic Devices as Means of Control Morgan Petri ’13
In oppressive or totalitarian societies, a small item with no meaning, such as a seashell or a poster, changes quickly into a huge symbol if the government sees potential in it. The rulers stay consistent with the symbol and hope the people do not see the amount of control placed upon them with that single item. In 1984 by George Orwell, Big Brother represents the entire government as the single dictator who makes all the decisions on how to make his reign last forever. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of young boys who crash on an island. The boys find a conch shell as soon as they arrive. Similar to the shell, modern day companies strive for a single advertisement slogan that contains a deeper meaning for its customers. Big Brother’s government incorporates sayings into the everyday lives of its followers. Over time, the government builds up the meaning of small things to represent something greater.
Magic Conch Avery Gore ‘13
In 1984, Big Brother represents the entire government as the single dictator who makes all the decisions on how to keep his reign last forever. The government knows the only way for it to continue its rule is to enforce the same rules year after year. Everywhere the citizens venture, they encounter a poster with a face of an unknown man and a saying underneath. The people see this depiction on every corner: “A colored poster, too large for indoor display, had been tacked to the wall. It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a meter wide: the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black mustache and ruggedly handsome features… It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran” (Orwell 5). This constant face gives the citizens the feeling of a stalker following right behind them, and they must follow the laws established by this huge figure. Kenneth Matthews explores the possibility of a society like Oceania in his article "Guardian of the Human Spirit': The Moral Foundation of Nineteen Eighty-Four”: Of course, abstract moralizing is all well and good. But we have seen, within a lifetime, Stalin, Hitler, Chairman Mao, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, the masters of apartheid, and others like them practicing their malevolence upon millions of innocent people; many of these gorgons have exhibited a desire virulent enough but have apparently lacked only an increment of power or technology, or even luck, to take over the whole world. Knowing now that our real world can produce such creatures surely must constrain us to hear as one of the truths Orwell utters in this tale the plea that each of us should exert every effort to make sure Big Brother and Oceania are never born. (Matthews 3)
Although Orwell’s story, or prediction as some call it, appears unlikely, Matthews provides evidence from history that matches with Orwell’s plot. He knows if the world has the ability to produce totalitarian and oppressive rulers, Big Brother could return as a modern day dictator. Big Brother never appears to his followers in the flesh; people worship him, but no one ever sees him face to face. During the Two Minutes Hate, citizens of Oceania gather in one central place to yell and scream at enemies projected on a screen: “…a Eurasian soldier who seemed to be advancing, huge and terrible… But in the same moment, drawing a deep sigh of relief from everybody, the hostile figure melted into the face of Big Brother, black-haired, black-mustacio’d, full of power and mysterious calm, and so vast that it almost filled up the screen” (Orwell 17). The people believe the face of an ordinary man who claims to have power can save them from all war and keep them safe, but no person stops to think whether this depicted man exists. Matthews continues in his article and explains why Big Brother reaches his level of complete control over a nation: “Only Big Brother has been willing to take the final step into perfect consistency: not just immoral means toward immoral ends, but immoral means as ends in themselves, creating a world in which the distinction between moral and not moral has no meaning--complete moral nihilism” (Matthews 3). Big Brother forces people to believe through him; they will survive and/or succeed in society. Everyone must follow Big Brother even though they cannot analyze the choices they must make in order to stay on that path. Legitimate dictator or not, Big Brother’s depiction in society makes the citizens believe he serves the people without fear. The Two Minutes Hate trains the people to loathe one thing and adore the other: “The little sandy-haired woman had flung herself forward over the pack of the chair in front of her. With
a tremulous murmur that sounded like ‘My Savior!’ she extended her arms toward the screen. Then she buried her face in her hands. It was apparent that she was uttering a prayer” (Orwell 17). The woman not only obeys like a dog, but also praises Big Brother as a God. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of young boys who crash on an island. The boys first find a conch shell, present throughout the entire novel. Piggy figures out that the shell works the same as a trumpet, and from that noise, other boys gather from other sides of the island: “The note boomed again: and then at his firmer pressure, the note, fluking up an octave, became a strident blare more penetrating than before… A child had appeared among the palms, about a hundred yards along the beach” (Golding 17). The conch brings the boys together and gives them a reference point to other life on the island in order for meetings to occur. David Spitz’s article “Power and Authority: An Interpretation of Golding's 'Lord of the Flies'," contains explanations of the boys’ reactions to the conch: “Though Ralph discovers the conch, it is Piggy who understands its significance as a symbol of legitimacy, an instrument of reason and order.... Like Socrates in the Phaedo seeking to remove the child-like fears of Simmias and Cebes, it is Piggy who reminds the others not to act like children but to behave like grown-ups” (Spitz 2). Without Piggy, Ralph would not have figured out how to use the conch as a signaling device for other missing boys, and Piggy acts the most like an adult throughout the story because of his mature logic. In these meetings, Ralph, one of the eldest, suggests the designated speaker always holds the conch. This intangible power comes from the conch, and it ultimately decides the chief of the group: “But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out… most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The
being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart” (Golding 22). Ralph automatically has a certain aura about him reflecting leadership into the other boys’ minds. An article by Jerome Martin, "Symbol Hunting Golding's Lord of the Flies”, says that Ralph holds an unknown power and authority: “Early in the story Ralph points out and Piggy grabs a conch which becomes the symbol of order and authority. Ralph is the only one who is supposed to blow into the shell to create a loud blast calling all facets of the personality to attention. These assemblies, resulting from the call, are times of decision” (Martin 2). Whenever the boys need to make a joint ruling, they blow the conch to symbolize the meeting instead of blowing it to find any boys alone on the island. The conch consistently embodies the peaceful society from which the boys came. The group understands meetings commence with the trumpet noise from the shell: “They obeyed the summons of the conch, partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority; and partly because they enjoyed the entertainment of the assemblies” (Golding 59). They trust Ralph to act as a mature grown-up and tell them what to do because children depend on older and wiser people to guide them. Any advertisement strives to have a memorable slogan or jingle. In the same way, Big Brother’s government incorporates sayings into the everyday lives of its followers. Over time, these sayings develop more into philosophical teachings. The main slogan drilled into the minds of the people is War is Peace. In his first lawbreaking diary entry, Winston Smith describes viewing a war film with many people: “Audience much amused by shots of a great huge fat man trying to swim away with a helicopter after him… audience shouting with laughter when he sank” (Orwell 11). The government regulates these films so the viewers chuckle in
the faces of the dying and put a positive energy into the thought of war. A short article entitled "A small large coffee please," written by Andrew Wileman, connects the slogans of Big Brother and modern day business tactics: “In Orwell's 1984, war is peace, love is hate. For today's consumer, cheap is deluxe, small is large. Big Brother would have just loved corporate brand speak” (Wileman 1). Companies invest in advertising to have the world’s most well-known business, and Big Brother succeeds with his advertising campaign because he makes the slogans easy to remember but difficult to understand. Freedom is slavery refers to both physical and mental ways of the body. O’Brien mocks Smith for his poor physical conditions since his capture and holding inside the terrifying Ministry of Love: “‘Look at this filthy grime all over your body. Look at the dirt between your toes. Look at that disgusting running sore on your leg. Do you know that you stink like a goat? Probably you have ceased to notice it’” (Orwell 224). Smith’s lack of cooperation causes him to slowly rot in his cell, but the longer he protects his personal freedom, the worse his body gets. . Charles Kaiser’s article “Welcome to 1984” continues the dream of Big Brother and applies it to current day apocalypses. Today, these supposed ends of the world happen every few years, but they always get exaggerated to the point of fear: “When the year 1984 rolled around, free men and women around the world congratulated themselves for having dodged the universal totalitarianism that Orwell had predicted would prevail by then. But now we are closer than ever to malting Orwell's horrific vision come true” (Kaiser 1). Orwell’s use of the year 1984 was not necessarily meant as a literal prediction of a totalitarian government having complete control over society in 1984 but as a warning to the future. The public viewed Orwell’s book as an apocalypse where a form of Big Brother would only happen in 1984, but this type of nation could control the world soon enough.
Ignorance is strength explains how the Pastel Fruit citizens are better off not knowing the reality Avery Gore ‘13 in which they live. During Smith’s torturous interrogation led by a man named O’Brien, O’Brien takes out a photograph of person erased from society and places it into a hole to vanquish forever: “‘Ashes’, he said. ‘Not even identifiable ashes. Dust. It does not exist. It never existed.’ [Winston cried,] ‘But it did exist! It does exist! It exists in memory. I remember it. You remember it.’ ‘I do not remember it,’ said O’Brien” (Orwell 204). O’Brien denies the reality and facts perceived by the eyes in order to make Winston accept only what the government tells him, which ultimately controls his personal thoughts. Governments aim to change lives through single items like a conch or slogan, but that change often overpowers the unknowing people, so the ruling body takes that chance and continues to promote those devices in the daily lives of its followers. Big Brother appears to the people of Oceania as a savior, even though his physical body has never been seen. The conch in Lord of the Flies signifies order and authority, but the delicate symbol can easily be broken. The slogans of Big Brother are planted in the minds of the citizens in order for the government to have ultimate control over all aspects of the nation. These characters need to either open their eyes and analyze the world around them or let the oppression continue.
Jennifer Robles ‘15
Francis Crick: One of the Most Influential Biologists of the Twentieth Century Michelle Pham ‘13
Francis Crick was one of the most prominent and significant biologists of the twentieth century. His numerous works with genetic coding and DNA structure have won him many accolades and prestige. However, his name is most commonly associated with the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. Nevertheless, Francis Harry Compton Crick was born into a modest background in a small town in England. His interest in chemistry and his boyish curiosity fueled his scientific career. His perseverance and dedication eventually paid off. After several years of research, he, along with his colleagues discovered the double helix structure of DNA. This discovery was not only remarkable because it helped scientists understand more about DNA, but it has also aided scientists in making medical breakthroughs. Francis Crick was born Francis Harry Compton Crick on June 8, 1916 in Northampton, England. He was born to Harry Crick and Annie Elizabeth Wilkins. He was the eldest of two sons born to the couple. The small town of Northampton was known especially for its impressive and multiple cobbling (shoe production and repair) businesses. Harry Crick, Francis Crick’s father, owned and ran a successful and flourishing boot and shoe factory passed onto him from his father to support his family (Aaseng Par. 8). His mother, Annie Wilkins, was a schoolteacher in Northampton. The Cricks lived a comfortable middle-class life.
Moreover, his parents regularly took him to church until he was twelve. At that time, Crick decided that he preferred proven scientific theory to religious faith. Meanwhile, in school, Crick excelled academically. In 1940, Francis Crick married his first wife, Ruth Doreen Dodd. Ruth Dodd bore Crick one son, Michael F. C. Crick who followed in his father’s footsteps and became a scientist. However, the marriage only lasted seven years. In 1947, the couple divorced. Shortly after, in 1949, Crick married his second wife Odile Speed. Together they had two daughters, Gabrielle A. Crick and Jacqueline M. T. Crick. As a young child, Francis Crick attended Northampton Grammar School where he was intrigued by several chemistry experiments. As a young child, Crick was so curious and inquisitive about various subjects that his parents purchased him a children’s encyclopedia (“World Biography” Par. 2). As a result he was awarded a scholarship to a private boys' school in northern London called Mill Hill School. Here, Crick received an extensive education in the sciences and mathematics. However, while he received a thorough education on sciences like physics and chemistry, Crick had to learn about genetics on his own because a course of Mendelian Genetics was not offered (“The Francis Crick Papers” Par. 3). After Mill Hill School, he went on to study physics at the University College in London (“Francis Crick” Par. 1). At University College in 1937, he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics. Afterwards, Crick began work on a Ph.D. in physics at University College. Francis Crick showed promise in the orld War II (“Francis Crick” Par. 2) He began to research and work with molecular biology at Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge University. In 1951, James D. Watson traveled from the United States. Watson was only twenty-three years old, eleven years younger than Crick. Crick
was more skilled and educated, but both scientists were inept in the laboratory (Aaseng Par. 11-12). Watson nearly burned down a laboratory while Crick flooded a laboratory twice. The unlikely pair of Watson and Crick quickly began to collaborate on tackling the mystery of DNA. However, Francis Crick and James D. Watson (also referred to as J.D. Watson) were not the only scientists working on solving the mystery of DNA in 1951. Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin (also referred to as Rosy or Rosie) were also working on DNA at King’s College while Crick and Watson were working at Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge. Although the two
pairs were rivals racing to discover the structure of DNA before the other, the pairs often shared information and data to further the progress of their own research. For example, there were thirty-four letters and three postcards exchanged between the two groups (Gann and Jan 520). Moreover, because Watson and Crick were not very skilled in the field of X-ray crystallography, they heavily relied on the data that Wilkins and Franklin produced (Aaseng Par. 18). Watson even attended one of Franklin’s lectures and reported back to Crick. However, Watson incorrectly reported information back to Crick. Unknowingly the pair built a model and showed Franklin and Wilkins. Franklin immediately knew that the model was incorrect and was offended by how blatant the mistake was. Along with racing against Wilkins and Franklin, there was another scientist from America vying to be the first to discover the structure of DNA. His name was Linus Pauling. In December of 1952, Pauling claimed that he had discovered the
Portrait of Gabby Zetune Jennifer Robles ‘15
structure of DNA and sent a report to his son working in the same laboratory as Crick and Watson. Disheartened, Crick and Watson read the report. Joyfully, they located an error in Pauling’s work and continued on their quest to find the structure of DNA before anyone else (Aaseng Par. 20). However, Crick, Watson, and Wilkins realized that Pauling would quickly discover and remedy his mistake. They feared that he could possibly beat them in discovering the structure of DNA. Therefore, the three began to collaborate because they preferred that a British group discover the structure before an American. Franklin, on the other hand, was more cautious. She was apprehensive about sharing her work with other scientists until she could figure out the solution (Aaseng Par. 23). However, Wilkins told Crick and Watson everything he knew and showed them the x-ray photographs Franklin took without her permission. They were the clearest photographs to date, and the photographs gave Watson and Franklin everything they needed. From these photographs, Crick and Watson saw a clear image of the double helix. Combined with the research they had already done, Crick and Watson concluded that when there are equal amounts of the nitrogen bases adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine, adenine and thymine are joined together in a hydrogen bond as well as cytosine and guanine (Aaseng Par. 28). Crick and Watson concluded that when these nitrogen base pairs repeat, they form a double helix structure. That pattern of those nitrogen bases creates a code that creates the blueprints for proteins (“World Biography” Par. 4). Although his work was groundbreaking and extraordinary, Crick stayed humble. He maintained that the extraordinary part of his discovery was not the discovery itself. Rather, it was the sheer brilliance and simplicity of the double helix structure of DNA that had eluded many renowned scientists (Robertson Par. 5)
On April 25, 1953, James D. Watson and Francis Crick published their report in the British journal Nature. This 900-word published report was so well supported by evidence and well written that most scientists accepted his findings to be true. Maurice Wilkins accepted bitter defeat well, congratulating his longtime rivals. After the report was published, both Watson and Crick were two of the most well-known scientists of their time. Their discovery of the double helix structure solidified their place in the science books for generations to come. However, Crick did not stop his work. He continued to research more about genetics until his death on July 28, 2004 of colon cancer. Francis Crick received many awards and tributes for his work. Among the most impressive of his awards was the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962. However, this award is controversial. Francis Crick, James D. Watson, and Maurice Wilkins were all awarded and honored for their work. Rosalind Franklin, however, was not. She tragically died at the age of thirty-eight in 1958. Because the Nobel Prize is not awarded posthumously, she was never recognized for her accomplishments and contributions to the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. If Wilkins had not secretly shown Crick and Watson her work, Franklin may have been the first person to discover the structure (Aaseng Par. 33). Francis Harry Compton Crick was one of the most influential scientists of the twentieth century. He was accredited, along with James D. Watson, for the discovery of double helix structure of DNA. However, the pair was greatly assisted by the work of other scientists including Linus Pauling, Maurice Wilkins, and most importantly Rosalind Franklin. Through Crick and Watson’s extensive research and Franklin’s clear X-Ray photographs, the pair was able to uncover the mystery of the structure of DNA. His long years of dedication and hard work resulted in many
received many accolades. However, his most prestigious award was The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962. His discovery opened the door for future scientists. Because of his discovery of the double helix structure of DNA and his work with genetic coding, the abilities of science to penetrate the wonders of the medical field are limitless. Erin Elizabeth Brown â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;14 Works Cited Aaseng, Nathan. "CHAPTER FIVE: James Watson And Francis Crick And The Double Helix." Genetics: Unlocking The Secrets Of Life (1996): 84. Science Reference Center. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. "The Francis Crick Papers." : Biographical Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http:// profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/SC/p-nid/141>. "The Francis Crick Papers." : The Discovery of the Double Helix, 1951-1953. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/SC/p-nid/143>. "Francis Crick." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/ bocric.html>. Gann, Alexander, and Jan Witkowski. "The Lost Correspondence Of Francis Crick." Nature 467.7315 (2010): 519. Science Reference Center. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. "The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1962." Nobelprize.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http:// www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1962/crick-bio.html>. Robertson, Miranda. "Francis Crick, 1916-2004." Bioscience 54.9 (2004): 808. Science Reference Center. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. "World Biography." Francis Crick Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.notablebiographies. com/newsmakers2/2005-A-Fi/Crick-Francis.html>.
Those Halcyon Times Yibo Yang ’14
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