Ralph Abernathy

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s The Poet remains one of the most influential works in American Critical Theory. It is an essay so finely wrought and intricately layered that it borders at times on unapproachable, not because of the difficulty of its theory (though this is a serious work of high academia), but because of its vast spread. Arguments are dislocated across the work, conclusions are divorced from their premises by pages. Yet the work never strays to the ecstatic fervor of Nature and is salvaged…

Nathalie Vieux-Gresham 10/31/15 ROUGH DRAFT 1.9.16 Whitman: Whitman vs Narrator Whitman’s “Song of Myself” Walt Whitman was a prolific author who has written many works. One of his works, Song of Myself, describes the experience of a narrator whose life is very relaxed. This narrator is a young thirty-seven-year-old, who is constantly loafing. On the other hand, the author of his story, Walt Whitman, is completely different. He was a prolific writer of a large collection, and an abolitionist…

Good evening parents, classmates, teachers, staff, and visitors. Thank you for coming out and supporting the class of 2016. We are able to be here today because of the help and motivation of our principal, Dr. Sledge, our counselor, Ms. Dechant, and our senior advisors, Mr. Markofski, Mr. Farrell, and Ms. Alderdice. Also, we would like to recognize the scholarship organizations and contributors here tonight for aiding us in continuing our educational path. We are here today because these people…

Transcendentalism Unit Assessment 1. In Emerson’s Nature, he uses figurative language to personify Nature and make comparisons between his view of nature and society’s view of nature. Emerson uses vivid language: “I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me” (1), to explain that he is among nature in his solitude. The effect of this statement develops a point that even though he is alone, Nature surrounds him with its beauty. Comparisons such as “the stars…though always…

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness” - John Muir. For a young Chris McCandless who was unsure of his identity and struggling with family issues, it makes sense that he turned to the outdoors in an effort to find clarity and purpose. Chris grew up in a fairly wealthy home, with a seemingly ideal life. His parents gave him everything he ever wanted and more monetarily, however there was always a disconnect between them. After his father’s affair, Chris seemed to view…

Mooji states his purpose as a nondual teacher is the same as his master, Papaji, in that he simply looks to point the seeker to an area of ‘openness’, which gives them the opportunity to awaken to the Self by their own accord. He states his teachings should ‘pass over’ the one studying, and not be dwelled upon. The final ‘taste’ of what remains with us after his teachings are presented, is his self-proclaimed ‘essence’ as a master. Mooji is an incredibly charismatic individual, and presents his…

No Impact Man: A Journey of Self Discovery Summary The brainchild of history writer Colin Beavan, No Impact Man is a life experiment, an online blog, and personal narrative. The story opens with a worried and frustrated Colin who preaches liberal environmental politics to those who impetuously wreck our environment without recognizing he as well is complacent about his own behaviors. Instead, he is on the spectrum of liberals who feel superior with their intellectual resources and acknowledges…

The process of discovery enlightens and educates individuals with fresh, meaningful ideals about the physical and spiritual world, whilst also reshaping an individual’s perspectives of the world, themselves and others. Two texts which explore this dynamic of discovery is Simon Nasht’s documentary Frank Hurley: The Man Who Made History (2004) and Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner (2003). Nasht’s documentary uses Frank Hurley’s expedition into the Antarctic as a vehicle to convey one’s…

Every novel has a character that changes throughout the story and with Christopher McCandless, his character changed over time. Before and after his death McCandless wanted to live a life far away from civilization and with the wild. McCandless purpose for living wild was to feel the freedom and the desire to do whatever he wished to do without no obligation of being stopped or judged. Chris McCandless romanticized living alone in the wild, but was severely underprepared to do this in Alaska.…

Paul, follows the “hero monomyth, which affirms the value of the individual and the desirability of that individual's finding a suitable role in society” (Hume 431). This progression is at odds with Vonnegut’s pessimistic views on society as a whole, but especially with regards to machines. Paul’s journey is one of self-realization, as he comes to realize how empty a life he has been living. He finds part of this meaning in the farm; becoming so infatuated with the place that “Indulging an…