Eng 11
1. vocab quiz (Gatsby #2)
2. ch 8 review and questions
3. begin Gatsby film
4. HW: do ch 9 questions for Monday
Pre IB Eng 10
1. vocab quiz (CTBC #2)
2. grammar 12
3. discuss end of Book II (che 27-29)
4. HW: finish book and do 3 of 6 Book III questions)
8 comments:
In the Sophomore class, we had a large discussion about Cry the Beloved Country, and Mr. Wilson stealing a Hummer, chickens, bread, and Mr. Wilson killing a guy with just one punch. At least in third block we did, but from what I here fourth block had more or less the same discussion. The topic was basically about whether Absalom deserved the death penalty, but it spawned several mini topics. These included:
Why did Absalom end up stealing?
Is the society is to blame?
Was he forced to steal just to live?
What specifically put him in that house?
What about the other two dudes with Absalom who got off?
So what do other people think. I personally can get my thoughts out much better by typing rather than words. Or you might remember a good argument that would have helped in class but you didn't think of it then.
Personally, I am undecided about Absalom and the death penalty. I feel that there was no reason for Absalom to fire the gun. Jarvis was outnumbered three people to one, and two weapons to none, so there was no reason for Absalom to fire the gun. To me the "fired out of fear" excuse is bogus. I however don't care for the death penalty, so I don't know what should be done.
I do think the society is to blame. It is a broken society, with 76% of the people having no say in anything that is done.
I also don't see why he had to steal. He had four pounds in a post office book, and it sounded like he had a decent job.
Mr. Wilson kept asking "What specifically put him in the house?" I think it was the feeling of desperation, a feeling that most people in the country have.
I think it is complete junk that the other guys got off. What more evidence do you want than the servant recognizing one of them out of a crowd of ten, and Absalom telling exactly what happened? They should have tried to force more testimony out of that one women who was in the company of the three when they made their plans to rob the house.
Those are my thoughts, what do you guys think? That was a long post. Probably sets a record.
Why did Absalom end up stealing?
Mainly because he was in a bad crowd (most of the city), had little to live on and wanted to feel more important.
Is the society is to blame?
Oh, yeah! All of the "rules" and such are bogus and favor the 24% population.
Was he forced to steal just to live?
He was and wasn't all at the same time. Yes, he did have money in the Post Office Box, but how long was that to last considering the rise in bus/train rides?
What specifically put him in that house?
Desperation, feeling of wanting to be important and hanging out with the wrong guys.
What about the other two dudes with Absalom who got off?
As soon as I read that the two guys got let off I was about to explode! I could not believe that the judge let them go. I could, however see the judges point of view and agree with him at some points (like only identifying a guy by an eye or that the only real evedince was Absalom).
Jason: " I feel that there was no reason for Absalom to fire the gun. Jarvis was outnumbered three people to one, and two weapons to none, so there was no reason for Absalom to fire the gun. To me the "fired out of fear" excuse is bogus."
You say that the "out of fear" thing is crazy. I think it is a perfectly credable excuse. I bet you have not really held a gun, that powerful, deadly weapon. I also assume that you have never commited a crime such as robbing someone's house. I would be terrified already! Think: He is carrying a gun, he just broke into someone's home, he just saw a guy get beat over the head with a metal bar and he knows full well that he will get in alot of trouble if caught. I am not saying, however, that he should be excused. He should be punished or else we will revert to a savage state like that In Lord Of The Flies. he should not have been put to death because of his willingness to tell everything that happened, he did not cause a problem in the court or with the police and he gave himself up.
Jason: "Mr. Wilson kept asking "What specifically put him in the house?" I think it was the feeling of desperation, a feeling that most people in the country have."
I agree.
When you mention that the lady should have been pressed for evedince, I agree. She was a main source of information and they almost completely ignore her.
Jason: "What more evidence do you want than the servant recognizing one of them out of a crowd of ten, and Absalom telling exactly what happened?"
The servant recongnized him in the crowd becuase of his eye problem. Many people have that problem. Also, most of the crowd looked totally different from him! The people should have been a closer match. The judge didn't believe Absalom with good reason. If you were to be blamed for murder wouldn't you want someone to take the fall with you? Besides, Absalom is a crimanal in the judge's eyes and crimanals are not to be listened to. All that added to the fact that he is part of that 76% makes all the odds stacked heavly against him.
In my class (4th period) we only got the example of the chicken. I would have loved to hear about the hummer one.
This is, by far, my longest post!
I just noticed ... 11:18 PM?! Wow, that was late. I bet it took you 15-20 minutes to type all that too.
My timer says 5:22 PM at my last post. I posted it at 5:43 PM. A good 20 minutes typing.
My clock must be wrong .... or this site, but most likely my time is wrong lol.
This is a really tough topic; the argument could probably go on for a long time and end up right back at the beginning.
Even with all the sub topics everything really directs back to that one question that Mr. Wilson was asking in class. "What specifically lead him into the house to start with?”
I've given it some thought and I've concluded that three main things lead him into that house: Pressure, desperation, and fear.
*Pressure to go in with his two pals.
*Desperation to find food, money—even valuables to sell.
*Fear--of not living, not making it.
Three very common things that occur in life I know, but it's these things that are sort of like imperfections that human beings have been bound too--
I'm still not sure if it is fair that Absalom is hanged. But those are my views.
It only took me about ten minutes to type. Now for comments:
R. Hargis: "I think it is a perfectly credable excuse. I bet you have not really held a gun, that powerful, deadly weapon. I also assume that you have never commited a crime such as robbing someone's house. I would be terrified already!" In that case, Absalom should have not had a gun at all. If he can't control it, he doesn't deserve it. It is true I haven't held a gun that powerful. I have had airsoft wars however, and they get pretty intense. When it's just you and the other dude, one on one, it's a pretty intense feeling, and you are extremely focused on the fight. That means that I don't fire every time our house door opens, and I get startled, or my neighbor throws a pine cone or his shirt and it startles me, you have to now what you are firing at.
R. Hargis: "The servant recongnized him in the crowd becuase of his eye problem. Many people have that problem. Also, most of the crowd looked totally different from him!" I was under the impression that the eye problem was not very common. Also, I was under the impression that the other dudes in the crowd of ten looked very similar to John's son. His lawyers argued that the other guys must look EXACTLY like the servent. That makes it pointless then, if they are EXACTLY alike. Maybe I misread though.
R. Hargis: "If you were to be blamed for murder wouldn't you want someone to take the fall with you?" What would be the point of taking someone down with you? Especially if it is your own cousin and friend.
R. Hargis: "Yes, he did have money in the Post Office Box, but how long was that to last considering the rise in bus/train rides?" They were boycotting the buses.
R. Hargis: "In my class (4th period) we only got the example of the chicken. I would have loved to hear about the hummer one." Oh, you missed out then. You didn't get the Hummer or the concentration camp example then?
Tiffany: "I've given it some thought and I've concluded that three main things lead him into that house: Pressure, desperation, and fear.
*Pressure to go in with his two pals." I had never really considered the pressure. However, I bet he was under an extreme amount of peer pressure to break into the house.
I like my blue text!
All to Jason's paragraphs:
1)you may not fire at anything and everything that pops up, but you still not getting the point. An incredable amount of preassure and fear is set upon him. You are not even carrying a killing weapon (techincally your gun might work if shot in right place). Absalom has not used a gun before, he is commiting a crime (you may use a lesser gun, but it is for fun, not robbery ... two way different uses there. There is also the intense preassure of being caught by the police.
3) He would want someone to go down with him because all people want company. All people yern for the presence os another, another to relate to. The fact that they are people he knows makes it all the more pleasing.
4) yes, they were boycotting the buses, but think of how long that will last. I think I saw a passage where it was said that the price was raised anyway. The white Africans don't really care what the others do, whether it be riding a bus or not. At some point they would start to ride the buses for some reason (whether it be tired or ill or even other things. Yes, i know ill people are also boycotting buses but that can't last too long).
5) yeah, I heard on how we missed alot. We got ONLY the chicken. How sad lol.
Boy this brings back memories...
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