Nature Portfolio: Reactions to Essays

Reactions to Essays

Essays chosen: Walking, by Thoreau June 1862

The Divine Soil, Burroughs April 1908

The Force That Drives the Flower, by Dillard November 1973

Despite living as many as over one hundred years apart from each other in vastly different worlds and cultures, these three essayists share some common themes in their writing.   In particular, the essays “Walking,” “Divine Soil” and “The Force That Drives The Flower” all speak to nature’s quiet powers and man’s insensitive and sometimes, even disruptive and destructive ways.   Surprisingly, even though their language style and approaches may change, the three writers (Thoreau, Burroughs and Dillard) speak to some of the same issues. 

            All three of the essayists begin by discussing what is good in nature, for nature and man.   Thoreau seems to write in his typical fashion and tells of how great it is to live in the wild alone, away from human development.    Thoreau tells his readers to walk, to “go in search of the springs of life” and to “lose themselves for half an hour in the woods.”   Burroughs talks about one of the hardest lessons we have to learn is “to see the divine, the celestial, the pure, in the common, the near at hand – to see that heaven lies about us here in this world.”   And, even Dillard, writing in modern day 1973 says ironically that she “gives a little cheer” when “ailanthus, ginko, and sycamore roots” get in the way of New York’s underground plumbing.

            However, all three writers then go on to discuss how man seems to work against nature (even their own nature to like nature) and how man should embrace nature versus trying to own everything and change it.  Thoreau says we should share the earth and not one patch should belong to or exclude others, stating “the best part of the land is not private property…to enjoy a thing exclusively is commonly to exclude yourself from the true enjoyment of it.”   Burroughs in his essay, “The Divine Soil,” explains human desires and claims people will never be satisfied with what they have.   Burroughs states “we found the universal everyday nature too cheap, too common, too vulgar.”  We often forget how much we have and are lost in our lust for material possessions.   Finally, Annie Dillard writes about plants and our human nature to think they are in the way, while she feels the opposite, stating “plants are not our competitors; they are our prey and our nesting materials.”   Dillard then writes about how plants ignore people and always succeed despite our best efforts, sometimes even if they “get in the way of human ‘culture’.”

            I think all these essays share a disdain for common human material desire, but all also believe these desires can be overcome and conquered if the person really tries. However, I don't think they agree on the methods or the requirements. Thoreau seems to believe you must detach yourself from society and possessions and "walk" alone in the wild, in his typical Transcendentalist way.   Meanwhile Burroughs thinks that you must think more carefully about what is beneath you (“look under foot”) at what you have, and how that truly makes you happy, or not.    At the very end of her essay, Annie Dillard tells you to let plants grow freely and to let them in and welcome them (even if they are in the way of waterpipes). 

            Personally, I agree with Burroughs' ideas most out of the three essayists.  Burroughs writes about how you as an individual can change and is very nice in his wording. For instance he writes, "The lesson which life repeats and constantly enforces is, “Look under foot.”" I think this perfectly shows what Burroughs wants you to do. Burroughs says you must appreciate what you have and the things beneath you for what they are; to understand the value of everything and all life.   I'm not too fond of Thoreau's unrealistic ideas and idealistic philosophies. Thoreau talks about living in the wild.  He writes, “Man and his affairs, I am pleased to see how little space they occupy in the landscape."   This seems a lot like what Dillard wrote as well, being disdainful of man and his society for no good reason I feel. Thoreau thinks you need to go all the way out into the wild and live there alone to experience nature, which I disagree with completely, as I think, like Emerson says, you can just be in a park in a city and immerse yourself in the experience.   Also, I think Dillard is very negative and somewhat cynical and callous.   For instance Dillard writes "these primitive trees can fight city hall and win." This just seems a bit derogatory to people and modern societies. I feel Dillard is disdainful of people for no reason really other than they stop poisonous plants from getting in their water.    

            The writing of Burroughs is the most realistic and relatable.  I think anyone could do what Burroughs wants us to do, if they were just a little more careful and caring and took some time out of their day to think about nature and everything they have.    I honestly feel we could all live and work where we do, while still taking a little time to “look under foot" and probably, care for nature a bit more.

Nature Portfolio: Responses to Pieces

5 Responses to Pieces 

Nature: I think Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Nature” is the best and most interesting out of all the pieces we read about transcendentalism.  Emerson’s work is also my personal favorite. Additionally, I think it achieves the idea of simplicity most out of all essays. “Nature” is sweet, short and easy to understand – like Emerson’s writing style and language. Conversely, I feel, Thoreau's pieces are long, confusing and overextended in terms of tone and language. “Nature” it not overly full of high flown metaphors and literary devices.  Instead, “Nature” is aimed at the common men, not philosophers. It's trying to show the ideas to everyone and share the concepts with the world. “Nature” uses ideas that can easily be grasped by anyone. Emerson writes that if you walk on a common green while on a break that's experiencing nature the way I want you to I agree with “Nature” the most out of all the essays. It might just be because I was confused by Thoreau's complicated explanations; but, I also think the ideas convened in the short essay really are the core of Transcendentalism, which is "to experience nature every day". That's all Emerson is trying to show to the reader.  Emerson is not trying to completely change their outlook on life, or make them live in a forest.   Emerson is a lot less radical than Thoreau, and stayed relatively conservative in his writings. To put it in modern day “gamer terms,” Emerson is the basic and structure package and Thoreau is the complicated booster pack. Emerson writes, "Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles" meaning anywhere there is something natural and open, you can have the experience there. I agree completely.

Word Count: 298

Walden: I didn't really like Walden that much. I feel like Thoreau takes extreme viewpoints and rambles in his writing a lot.   Also, it was confusing and hard to understand the point he was trying to make in comparison to Emerson. To me, it felt like Thoreau repeated himself over and over again, in a sort of never-ending cycle.   In Walden, Thoreau went off to live in a forest by himself, which I think is a very extreme interpretation of Transcendentalism. Like I stated in the first response, I really think Transcendentalism is about just experiencing nature everyday, like walking in a park on your break time. But Thoreau take it to the deep end. I think his example about the trains doesn't really make any sense either. He tries to say if no one wants the trains then we won't need them.  He writes, "if we stay at home and mind our business who will want railroads?" and, "but to go tinkering upon our lives to improve them?" Here I think Thoreau is being ridiculous and very over-the-top ideologically. I think nobody needs the trains, they just like them. Trains make life easier and are faster. Trains help people to survive and make a living.  Trains are also sometimes enjoyable and help give people food and clothing. It's not a matter of necessity, but a matter of want and desire.  I think most people don't desire to leave everything and live alone in a forest. We desire to better our existences and why is that bad?   Thoreau I think just tried expanding on something that didn't really require expansion. The philosophies of Transcendentalism are short and simple and that's the point of them. You don't need an over-complicated essay to explain them.

Word Count: 293

The Most Sublime Spectacle on Earth: I enjoyed “The Most Sublime Spectacle on Earth” by John Wesley Powell a lot.   Mainly, I enjoyed Powell’s writing because it was really descriptive in word choices and he created beautiful language  I also enjoyed Powell’s work because it didn't talk about Transcendentalism or how you "should" or "need" to experience nature.  Rather, Powell just painted a brilliant picture for you to enjoy any way you wanted.   Powell’s writing style left more of the thinking and interpreting work up to you. You could compare it to a painting masterpiece of the written style. I think the author's little analogies about the Grand Canyon were really clever and help the picture become vivid in your mind.  For instance, Powell’s analogy comparing the sound of the water to beautiful music was terrific, he stated "It is a land of music. The river thunders, swelling in floors of music."  Powell then went on to explain the music and tides, etc. which I think lets you go even farther in your own imagination. The way the author expresses his awe and amazement really made me feel like I was there with him and the Canyon was so incredible I couldn't speak.   His vocabulary choice is amazingly rich too, ranging from words like “tempest” to “multifarious.” These word choices help with the painting of the picture as well.  Mostly, this is a really well written piece that I enjoyed thoroughly in class. I really find it interesting because most of the things we read were telling you to go out and be with nature or experience, etc.   However, Powell’s essay had no aim in mind but to share an amazing experience with you. I think that's really considerate of the author to share something like that with the world and his readers.  I appreciate that Powell put that much work into his writing (versus preaching).   He's not trying to prove a point, just entertain you (and maybe, subtly then let you come to your own conclusions).

Word Count: 336

Snowbound:  I think Snowbound is an interesting poem. It tells a story about a family stuck in a deadly winter storm on their farm. I think the author took something relatively boring and uneventful and turned it into a great poem. I like how quickly it changes from fear and cold to warmth in the house. It always seems to be jumping between amazement of the snow and fear of the cold. I think however, some parts of the poem need to be a bit more clarified. It may just be is artistic style or choice but I think the parts about the animals are confusing and left relatively blank and bland. I also found it hard in the second paragraph to understand the pain of the people and what the cold was actually doing to them. The part later on where the father talks to the children and sort of interacts with them isn't really described either. I feel like I don't know anything about this family and I'm not that invested in their survival of this storm. On the other hand, I really liked his description of the snowflakes. I though comparing them to a "whirl-dance" was very descriptive and showed in the reader's head how quick the snow flurries were moving.

Word Count: 215

Thanatopsis:  I really liked William Cullen Bryant’s poem,“Thanatopsis.”  I thought it had great and interesting ideas that it talked about in clever and well-veiled ways. I thought it got a bit repetitive at times, in many of the same ways Thoreau's work was repetitive. But, I think Bryant kept the ideas fresh and the story interesting through the shifting focus and all the benefits he gave to death. It's a bit creepy in that sense and I feel like Bryant was obsessed with death (or crazy), because in the poem he praised death for all its amazing effects and how great it would be to die and live with kings and nature. It almost seemed like he was pointing out all the bad things in life and all the "great" things in death. I think Bryant was a little biased though and not really accepting all the good things about life. I kind of just want to yell at him, "Do you know what death is?"  But, I do think that the poem was very well written, even if its topic was controversial.   Bryant used a lot of great descriptions about the sun and the rocks, as well as other natural decorations. For instance he wrote, "The venerable woods-rivers that mover in majesty, are but solemn decorations of the great tomb of man." I think that quote was a really descriptive way to convey Bryant’s point.  His point was that even in death, you live on through the plants, trees, rocks, rivers, etc.

Word Count: 253

Nature Portfolio: Weather Experience

Weather Experience Narrative

I volunteer every summer at a day camp for kids ages 6-12. We take field trips almost every week to somewhere, like the beach. Should be great, right? Not so. Historically, the beach has always been bad for this cursed camp.  Things always go wrong. So, I'm reluctant to go every time, but I went this year anyway.

So, off we went.  We took the campers to the beach and things looked fine. We had a great time for a couple of hours. Maybe we were going to finally have a great “Beach Day.” The day at the beach

Then "it" happened. First the temperature dropped, sharply. The air turned frigid, in a matter of

minutes. But my camp director said it was fine and not to worry, we were almost done anyways. 

heads. Finally, lightning struck in the distance. Our director ordered us out of the water and said it was time to go. the Storm of Storms started pouring on us. The rain fell so heavily on me, it literally hurt my head when it hit. To make matters worse, I had to carry three buckets filled with backpacks and balls for the campers.

One of my friends had to carry one of the tired and wet campers. Even worse, the campers were so scared and wet I had to give one of them my coat, because he lost his while we ran. I was colder than I am even now in December. My clothes were falling off they were so wet.

I was just glad we had finally made it to the buses, or so we thought. When we got to the bus pick-up spot, there were no buses. My Camp Director started furiously calling on his phone and yelling as the cold Storm of Storms continued to rain down on us. The campers shivered and moaned as we all huddled together.

Finally the buses came and we got on. I was relieved we were on, but now my clothes were super sandy from the beach, and also wet, cold and clammy. And wet sand doesn't come off of clothes easily and smells horrible afterwards. To add further insult to injury, we had to sit on the bus for a couple hours because the traffic was so bad.

The Storm of Storms was really the worst weather experience I had ever had. I never got my coat back from the camper. We threw my other clothes out because of the stench. It was a horrific day, but I guess I got through it, it's not the first time that I've had a rainy beach day, or the last probably.  

Word Count: 432

Nature Portfolio: Native American Creation Story

Native American Creation Story:
“The Creation of the Dog”

Long, long ago, people and wolves were two different tribes. Both were very mighty and intelligent, matching each other in strength. They lived in peace for many years, but not forever.

One day while the wolves were out hunting, one of their members got caught in a dangerous, lethal trap set by a person. The wolves were very upset because the trap had been set on the wolves' side of the forest and killed one of their warriors. The wolves demanded an explanation from the people. At the same time, the people were out gathering berries. One of their men got caught in a pit underneath a berry bush made for catching animals. The wolves were known to make pits like this to catch unsuspecting animal prey for their dinner. The man died from the fall, which also made the people very upset, because it was on the people’s side of the forest.

At this point, both tribes became very confused and angry, so they decided to meet in the center of the forest at the Lake of Truth. Meetings at the Lake of Truth were supposed to allow both tribes to air their differences and come to a peaceful solution. However, this time, the tribes were both so angered and upset by the others' accusatory claims that they decided a war would be the only way to settle this argument. So, both the wolf and human tribes left to prepare for battle against each other.

However, the real truth turned out to be that the mischievous raccoons had set both traps (the pit beneath the berry bushes and the hunting trap) hoping to fool the tribes. The raccoons wanted control of the forest because they weren't satisfied with the small den they had at the edge of the forest. Unfortunately, neither tribe knew this truth.

During the war, the people and wolves fought very hard, but the people were obviously winning.  But, the devious raccoons wanted both sides to be damaged beyond repair, so they offered to help the wolves. However, the wolves were too honorable to accept the raccoons’ offer and declined. Naturally, the raccoons became very concerned when their offer of assistance was rejected, so the raccoons secretly set more traps and killed many of the warriors of the people. Soon, almost all the people had died, and the wolves were going in for the final kill in the last village populated by part of the people tribe.

At this point, the gods heard all the commotion going on in earth and came down to see what was the matter. When the gods saw the wolves attacking the people, they ordered everyone (the wolves and people) to stop. However, the raccoons didn't hear the gods ordering a cease fire, because they were hiding and awaiting what they thought would be their turn to control the forest. Soon, because of the gods’ order, it was very quiet in the forest land. Both tribes were obeying the gods and attempting to heal their wounds. The raccoons then eventually came out of hiding because the earth wasn’t shaking from all the fighting anymore. The raccoons though the humans were defeated and the wolves less strong. The raccoons thought forest control was now theirs. When the evil raccoons came out from hiding, the raccoons cheered and celebrated how they had helped the wolves destroy the humans.

The gods were enraged that the wolves and raccoons would try to destroy all of the humans. So, the gods forever made the wolves and raccoons walk on four legs low to the ground, beneath the people. Next, the gods merged the wolves and raccoons to make a new species called “The Dog.” And the Dog would forever be in service and care of the humans, to make the wolves and raccoons pay for their dishonorable fighting. 

Word Count: 645

Nature Portfolio: Nature Poem

Nature Poem: Backyards

1              Nature is grand,
                Nature is wild,
                But, my yard is bland,
                And really mild.
5              Living in the city,
                Means nature isn't always there,
                Things look pretty gritty,
                But then I step into the fresh air.
                I think, maybe, well,
10            My yard isn't that bad,
                I take in the smells,
                And I feel kind of glad.
                I dig through the garbage,
                So I could find,
15            A beautiful piece of yardage,
                A flower primed,
                For my touch.
                I took it into my house,
                I washed off the sludge,
20            So I could see it sprout.
                I gazed outside at the dirt,
                Maybe nature is always here,
                It felt a little strange in my heart,
                And I felt sure,
25            Nature doesn't have to be amazing,
                You just have to experience it,
                You'll get its blessing,
                And finally understand,
30            True beauty, is within.

Nature Portfolio: The Most Beautiful

The Most Beautiful

The most beautiful thing I've ever seen happened while I was at Disney World. While I know it's a bit corny, and childish, but it was really impressive and moving for me.

 A couple years ago I went to Disney World with my family over summer break for a couple days. My littlest sister was only five years old, so it was a big trip for her and she was really excited. On the last day, we went to the Magic Kingdom as we were saving the best for last. We had enjoyed most of the day going on rides and wandering around but it wasn't until the end that the most beautiful thing happened.  

You probably know about the infamous Cinderella Castle and Disney’s closing event, the fireworks & light show at the Cinderella Castle. The Disney company always promotes the castle and fireworks & light show in their advertising. Honestly, I had always thought this kind of stuff was gimmicky and could never lived up to all the hype. But I was dead wrong. When Disney says they're going to do something, they do it, and better than anyone else could ever.

It was raining at the end of our day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom.   So, I was positive the castle lights & fireworks show was going to be a bust. How could it be worth the wait, in the rain?    But, wait we did.  My parents and little sister were adamant. So, we sat in the outdoor balcony of a restaurant (somewhat shielded from the rain) directly facing the Cinderella Castle. I was convinced this long and boring waiting was going to be a huge waste of time and definitely not worth it.

But, then things started to happen. The fireworks weren't the first thing to come on. Instead, a spectacular light show started at the beginning. Thousands of hidden lights and beams shined on the Cinderella Castle from every corner imaginable. The lights made the bricks explode off the castle. The lights made children's faces appear. And, the lights even made Mickey Mouse dance. It was astounding and I almost couldn't believe my eyes, it looked so real. Music blared across the park from a million speakers, disguised as simple rocks or trees making the sound travel wherever you were. I remember my sister got up and leaned over the balcony to watch as close as she could. The lights bounced off her eyes as she gazed down and laughed at the cartoons plastered onto the castle. My little sister really thought it was Cinderella’s magic castle and Mickey Mouse that were making it all happen.

Just when I thought everything was done, the loudspeaker shouted that the fireworks were about to begin. Then, and I was really shocked by this one, Jiminy Cricket voice told me to “wish upon a star,” and just like that a firework shot in a beautiful arc over the whole park, traveling for what seemed like thousands of miles.  It was incredible, and honestly seemed like magic really had made the whole park come to life.

Then the real show started, and thousands of fireworks, in every color, sprang out of the ground. They leaped to enormous heights and exploded in shapes and sizes of all kinds. The came on perfect cues with the song, "When You Wish Upon a Star" showering when the song reached its high points. It was really magical, and I think that it touched me, honestly. It was not just a cute moment watching my little sister caught up in the Disney moment. I was honestly moved by the music, the lights, the magic that really is Disney. Despite my initial disbelief, I was impressed, overwhelmed and even touched.  I will never forget something as incredible as those fireworks and the truly magical show Disney put on for me and my family that rainy vacation night.

Word Count: 656

Classmate I am Thankful for

Thanksgiving is the time where many thank their family, friends and others for helping them, or being nice, or just being meaningful to them. I am thankful for a particular classmate, Sandy Wu. Sandy and I both attended the Academic Center at school, so we knew each other at the beginning of this year. It was nice seeing another familiar face in a scary, new class with mostly people older than me. Together we are working on the Indian storytelling project, and I do most of the writing and explanation, while she does the art. Although her constant carping and frustration with my writing can be annoying, she's still a great partner to have and is very helpful.

Word Count: 118

Short Stories Responses

Aleister Martensen

The University Days response is very accurate. Thurber just seems to sort of give up and accept "what's coming to him" you could say. Thurber does not do anything to excel in his classes and is lacking enthusiasm. Thurber complains about his classes being difficult, but if he applied himself more it seems to me like he would do well. I think he needs to find the value of trying hard and working towards a goal in his schooling.

Briana Popa

I completely agree with you on University Days. I think Thurber set his goals at this naively high level which ultimately threw him off when he realized things would not be as he expected. I think once he got into these harder classes such as Botany he expected to breeze right through them, like maybe he had before in high school, etc. However, he was met with a brick wall that was the limits of his skills and I think the first time he was ever required to do much of anything in school or work towards a goal. It seems like he was unprepared for the University and that was his worst mistake.

Short Stories Questions

An Account of Experience with Discrimination-

1. The person was raised when they were young and for much of their life in a community that believed blacks were a "lesser race", and many of them were also slaves. They were brought up this way and that's how they lived and acted their whole lives every day, so it was a very awkward and hard transition for many people and slaveholders to make, but also a hard transition for slaves. The laws may change in a year, but a community can take a lifetime to alter. Cultural beliefs don't vanish like paper or laws, they hang around in the backs of people's heads, similar to the slow transition in modern times to be more accepting of Mexican culture for instance, whom are now the discriminated against.

2. It gives a direct relationship and a personal experience. This is Sojourner Truth telling the reader how she felt and experienced racism and discrimination, which tells the reader first hand about her experiences on "the front lines" so to speak. A reporter or biographical author, etc. simply is giving a summary or status of a situation and experience with no connection or not a real personal connection to the story. A reader feels more empathy or reaction when an author is or had actually experienced what they are writing and I think it is very important to have a direct connection with your writing.

University Days

1. Thurber the way I see him is kind of a goof. He doesn't act correctly in class, he never understands what he's doing, he can't get the simple things done, and he just messes up all the time. But the way the author constructs his story, you feel sorry for him, and feel like even though he's always messing up, Thurber is really a good guy and smart too. I think in his story Thurber just wasn't really the strict and "stream-lined" student his teachers expected and maybe Thurber just wasn't cut out for that kind of education. When they did their marching drills, or look through their microscopes, etc. Thurber couldn't function like the other students and he somewhat failed in the eyes of his university I think. But, the university I think didn't live up to Thurber's expectations because they weren't the easy and nice classes he expected. I think Thurber just wasn't prepared in his mentality to handle this and was still growing really. These mentalities meant Thurber never exactly fit in or did his work correctly, but he almost did. Eventually he succeeds after he's really tried and worked hard, he finishes his classes and graduates, which I think is the theme of the story.

Crucible Whole Response

The Crucible is a fictional story about the real life issues that occured in Salem. The author wrote about the Salem witch trials as a means of interepreting the stress and issues in his world at the time. It was written during the 1950's when the "Red Hunt" was in full swing. Anti-Communism sentiment and fear of Communist spies abounded, much like the Salem fear of witches. One could theoretically save themselves from becoming "evil" or "Red" so to speak, by confessing who else committed crimes or was a witch/communist. So, a vicious cycle of accusing and accusing back started which really couldn't be stopped. They weren't factualized theories, because you can't prove someone's a witch, nor can you read their mind to determine their political ideas. The idea of fear and the fear of not having power is played around with by the author. He puts his characters in positions they are uncomfortable with, or even the reader feels uncomfortable. The author does a great job imprinting the feelings of the characters on the reader. The author never actually tells you who was a witch or who was doing what was wrong/accusing except for rare occasions, when the characters would finally discover a confession or heard someone in court. I think this really plays into the characters' total sense of helplessness and fear of the unknown, and since the reader only knows what they know, I think that feeling comes off really well. The characters all have a unique "wrong-doing" or vice about themselves that the author tries to exemplify. For instance Proctor is adultery, and the author uses very dramatic irony to show what Proctor has done and create a really tragic story. I felt genuinely sad and upset for the fate of these characters, and I think the author really captured that feeling of not having anything to lose, and not caring anymore.

Word Count: 319

Essay Outline

Thesis: Harry Caray was one of the most influential sports announcers of all time, and he changed the way fans watched and enjoyed baseball and also the way speakers and announcers talked and interacted with their audience.

Argument 1: Harry Caray created a new style of sports announcing which connected with the fans and was very successful.

I. Harry Caray liked to broadcast in the bleachers with his fans. This was a crazy idea at the time, and strange strategy, which ultimately proved very successful. Caray tried new ideas that seemed radical and silly. Caray angled himself to be "one of the fans" not some intangible and alien announcer who didn't understand the spirit. (YouTube, Harry Caray, broadcast from the bleachers)

II. Harry Caray emphasized his fans feelings and tried to make a personnel connection with them. He talked like the fans, with the fans, and made himself out to be "for the fans". It was important to do this to accomplish that link people hold still today with him. (Kindred, Dave, Forever we'll hear his voice.)

III. Harry Caray developed key catchphrases and concepts that related to him and made him unique. These were very useful for being a memorable impact among the people and fans. Even today his famous line after the 7th inning stretch, "let's get some runs" is still said today by others. (Baseball Almanac, Harry Caray Quotes)

Argument 2: Harry Caray changed the way fans experienced baseball, making it more enjoyable and accessible to the common viewer.

I. Harry Caray made the fan experience friendlier and less about winning, more about fun. Caray was all about having a great time whether you're listening, watching, or at the game. (Bluth, Andrew, Harry Caray remembered as Baseball Ambassador)

II. Harry Caray made baseball and announcing more accessible to the common populace enjoying baseball. Through his easy going, friendly style and feedback he made even the least knowledgeable fan feel at home. Caray was fun to listen to or watch even if you knew nothing about baseball. (A Tribute to Harry Caray)

III. Harry Caray was as he said himself, "an extension of the fans", and treated himself as such. Caray felt like he was the voice of the fans and talked like he was a friend of theirs, explaining a funny story. This stuck with the fans and created a sort of personnel bond which drove the fans nuts. Everyone felt like Caray was the best friend they never knew. 

Argument 3: Harry Caray changed the way sports announcers then and today speak and created a new outlet and  description for being a sports announcer. 

I. Caray's new strategies and ideas showed to be very successful both in his personnel remembrance, but also in driving team and franchise sales. In essence, a good announcer is good for business. This model created by him was followed by countless more, including many of his descendants, many of whom are also announcers today. Even today many still follow Caray's styles and ideas creating a lasting legacy. (Sullivan, Paul, Harry Caray, 10 years after his death)

II. Harry Caray changed the ways announcers nationally feel about "jokes" and comedy in announcing. Announcing before Caray was a very serious business, and most announcers were straight faced, conservative speakers who didn't stray far from the norm. But Caray dared to do the unusual and used comedy as a tool to fuel his popularity and success. This was wildly popular and was a great success story many future announcers would model their careers after. (YouTube, Good Harry Caray Interview)

III. Harry Caray related to his team fantastically and created the perfect sense of "team spirit". He seemed to care tremendously about his team and his city, but especially the fans. Many fans respected him for this and he became known for his genuine care and good will. It is important for a sports announcer to appear like he supports and loves the team he's with, or his fans won't care about him, or possibly dislike him. This was a lasting example Caray created for the announcing world we know today. (WGN Gold, Harry Caray)


Conclusion: Harry Caray was one of the most influential sports announcers of all time, and he changed the way fans watched and enjoyed baseball and also the way speakers and announcers talked and interacted with their audience.

I.

Essay Note Cards

1. A family written short biography about Harry Caray. Talks extensively about wife and home life. Includes major catchphrases Caray liked to use and became known for, and some very helpful pictures. 

2. Summary of Harry Caray's influence on the baseball fans, players and employees. Discusses his funeral and how people felt. Key interviews of important players, critics, etc. Shows Harry Caray's legacy.

3. Good and long biography about Harry Caray's achievements, life events and happenings. Talks about what influenced him and how he came to be who he is today. Broad and informative analysis and overview. 

4. Talks about family life and important dates. Statistics and lifetime, another good total 

overview of his life. 

5. A news article discussing Caray's profound effect on players and how they felt about him and his death. Also asks questions of other commentators about Caray's ideas and strategies and how it caused him to be so enjoyed and successful, and ultimately change the fan experience.

6. A short biography about Harry Caray, and particularly his childhood and how baseball affected him as a boy. There are selected bits where Caray talks about himself and what he feels he did in his life and why. 

7. Extensions of the previous source, more biographical and information about Caray.  

8. More information about how Caray carried himself around his house and home and what led him to be a famous successful announcer. Talks about what made Harry Caray such a charismatic and overall likable guy. Much of the article explains why people liked Caray so much.

9. This is a short summary of Caray's active baseball life. It focuses especially on his achievements and all that he got done in his career. The teams he talked about, his influential style, his legacy, etc. It is big on statistics and has many numbers such as "Caray broadcasted over 8,300 Cubs games."

10. Quotes from Caray and quotes about Caray. Some of the most important and lasting ideas that Caray left at Wrigley are mentioned here. There are even soundbites of many of these quotes to pair up with. 

11. Very extensive biography about Caray. Talks about much of his life before joining the Chicago Cubs, or even the Chicago White Sox, contrary to many of my other sources. An important background piece which gives a foundation of Caray's feelings, upbringing, daily life, etc.

12. This one is really important to me because it actually shows the influence Caray had on fans and how they saw baseball, especially Chicago Cub fans. The writer even goes out and says, "I care and love the Cubbies because of him [Caray] and his broadcasting." 

13. A great and fantastic tribute to his life. Particularly useful for the interviews with Caray after his years as an announcer. Caray talks about his relationship with the fans, the 7th inning stretch, and his attitude towards announcing. 

14. Talks about Caray's lifetime in the industry and the choices he made throughout his life. The fans and how they experienced baseball were always one of the most important things to Caray. He quit the White Sox because there were discussions about moving the broadcasts to cable, which he felt wasn't fair to the fans.

15. A fan remembrance of Caray and how he personally recalls Caray's moments of glory and greatest feelings. The author talks about how he always felt a personnel connection with Caray. The article does a great job of showing how Caray single-handed created a new sensation for baseball and the Cubs particularly.  

16. Talks a lot more about Caray's sort of "development" phase during his radio host development. This eventually leads to the legendary host that the world came to know from the Chicago White Sox, and then predominantly the Chicago Cubs.

17. .    17. An excerpt from Ford Frick's acceptance speech for the Baseball Hall of Fame, talking about his relationship with Caray. An important thing Frick says is, "more than anything Harry Caray is the most LOVED host by the FANS in history." A key connection for the thesis.

18. Includes many of Caray's most famous moments on recordings, hours long. A lot of evidence from Caray himself, as he is actually talking and interacting the way he once did. 

19. Another fan remembrance of Caray and how they personally felt how he impacted them and the way they experienced and felt the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, and baseball. 

20. An article explaining the reader about Harry Caray and his impacts on Chicago. One of the main points the article makes is the impact Caray left with his restaurants and how fans still embrace his outlook today. 

21. A fan's remembrance of Caray. This  article shows the love and importance Caray had to the Cub, and baseball community when the author flat out says, "Harry Caray was probably the most loved baseball broadcaster in the history of the game." It is a story of how a person remembers someone who they didn't know or ever meet, but feels as if they were a strong friend. 

22. This article not only talks about the fans remembrances but also Caray's significance in Cubs revival and financial boon. People watched baseball and went there not only for the game, but for Caray himself and often Caray alone. He turned the time into a fun experience.

23. A quick and important reference to Caray about his affect on teams across the United States. Caray changed the way announcers nationally talked and interacted with fans, and was a key stepping stone into somewhat bringing the announcers more into contact with their fans, and personalizing the experience.

24. Another fan story of his memories of Harry Caray and how much it made him enjoy the Cubs games.

25. Another similar story of remembrance and care for Caray. More evidence to support the fans' devotion and lasting legacy to Caray.

26. A tribute to Harry Caray and his time with the Chicago Cubs. The title is referring to a catchphrase Caray used to use while announcing. The book is full of useful interview and auto-biographical knowledge about Caray's feelings towards his fans, and what he felt his duties were. Caray mentions how he had to be funny and interesting or else no one would care about the Cubs! This still holds true today and Caray's influence has extended past his time and death. He made a lasting impact on baseball enjoyment, especially for Cubs fans.

27. A biography and remembrance of Caray in his prime. The book contains many interviews of other successful announcers and baseball critics and what they thought of Harry Caray. A lot explain how important Caray was to their career and how Caray changed the idea of an announcer to a tangible and personnel connection with their audience and the fans.

28. The title says it all for most of this book. It is an explanation of how influential with his fans. He was, "the voice of the fans" as it says in the title. The Chicago Cubs gained a lot of popularity from Harry Caray and the philosophy he instilled within the Cubs. Its about going out, having fun, not always about the score. That's what Caray felt towards the Cubs, and that's how he projected to his fans.

29. This book is not completely about Caray, but makes good reference to him as a influential figure in Cub history, and how he shaped the modern-day Cub, and Cub fanbase. Although Caray is widely regarded to be a silly, fun radio/tv host, his effects are actually much more real and serious than common belief. Caray revitalized the Cubs, and changed their outlook on their team, and more importantly their fans.

30. An interview of Caray's style of fan interaction and announcing. It also shows clips of him actually in the bleachers with fans, yelling with his shirt off. He really integrated himself with the fans and acted like "one of them". Caray created this sort of feeling of friendship and camaraderie which very few announcers could accomplish at the time with conventional tactics and speaking strategies. Caray made himself by the fans, for the fans, and was very successful with it.

31. This I feel is one of the more important pieces I have for discussing Caray's legacy in his announcing and also fandom. The article compares Caray and his styles with modern speakers and how he has shaped announcing with his own strange ideas. Modern announcers reflect Caray in their speaking styles, and almost everyone tries to develop their own personnel catchphrase, a defining feature of Caray.

32. A great interview, which captures Caray in his element so to speak, and shows his humor and genuine charisma. He just feels like the kinda guy you like and wanna have a good time with. Caray talks particularly about the fans of the Cubs today and discusses how he envisioned baseball enjoyment, especially for the Cubs. Some great examples of how Caray shaped the future of baseball fans.

33. Another interview of Caray as he talks to other announcers of the time and they discuss their strategies and ideas within announcing and sports speaking. Past all the humor and jokes they talk about how Caray changed speaking and the younger ones especially tell him how they used to practice how Caray talked, giving their best Harry Caray impressions. Its all jokes, but beyond that there is definitely truth in how Caray affected this generation and last generation's speakers and will likely continue to show new announcers how to talk, interact and appeal to fans.

34. An interview with Caray and then a talk about Caray's impacts on the world of Baseball. He says , "I'm an extension of the fans, and I get as excited as they are. I'm their tool to understand and enjoy baseball." I think this is a really great quote and directly proves my thesis and shows Caray's devotion and love for his fans and the Cubs in general.

35. A big book about Caray. Includes many small eulogies, biographies and bits and pieces from players, announcers, and even fans about Caray and what they meant to him. Dozens of people say how they had fond memories of Caray and what they remember about him best.It seems like everyone felt like they knew him and were great friends, even if they had never even met. I think that's what Caray is all about. He makes a connection with his fans that no one else could accomplish, and not only changed the fans outlook on baseball and what they enjoy about it, but also how announcers speak today and the new strategies and ideas Caray brought into play.

Crucible Act 2 Response

Act 2 of the Crucible starts with a long scene between Proctor and his wife Elizabeth. Proctor and Elizabeth have a strange discussion where both seem to try to avoid the flaws and wrongs in their relationship. There is kind of an awkward silence and tension in the air that is so stated and strong that even the reader can feel it. As I read I personally felt worried for Proctor because there was so much tension and buildup. There are stages it seems in this scene as new characters enter, heightening the fear and danger of the situation. You feel the fear and pain as things are discovered that were meant to be lost. As each new character enters, a new sense of urgency rises with a new revelation about the story. It feels like a bad rumor escaping that you try to control, but just falls out of your grasp. It's as if the whole town of Salem is worried about their own crimes, but at the same time slowly discovering the crimes of their fellow townsfolk. It really seems to add a feeling of chaos and fear that I think is transported to the reader very quickly and seriously.

Word Count: 202

Posts on other Blogs: Responses

Response 1 Melanie Sykes

I like the connection between American values and life to community. A lot of immigrants and settlers felt the same way as I see it, being outsiders and downtrodden where they came from, America granted them "new life" and basically let them work their way to riches and a happy life. Whereas in England many would work for days and never amount to anything. I think Crevecour likes the idea of a free and honest system, with a direct relation of lifestyle to hard work.

Response 2 Thomas Bulvan

I agree with you views on Crevecour's ideas. I think you sort of stray away off topic and lose your track but your piece seems to reflect your ideas and opinion well. I'd like to ask for instance what are some comparisons Crevecour makes between America and England. Who is Crevecour and why did he write what he did? I like the bits about everyone's own idea and definition of freedom and America, it seems very thoughtful.

Act 1 Crucible Response

 The Crucible tells us a lot about human nature and fear. Despite the fact that all the townsfolk have deep secrets, but are scared of their secrets being discovered. Human nature causes people to panic in situations of great fear and danger. When something unexplained or you don't understand/can't control starts happening people begin to lose their minds. A common way to save yourself would be to create an even bigger crime that someone else did, to appear better or shift attention to another person. In the Crucible, this leads to suspicion of almost everybody. Anybody and everything is questioned, because if everybody is a witch, what's a witch, and what do you believe in? It shows the chain reaction of panic and blame starting with Parris blaming Abigail for dancing and conjuring with Betty. Abigail blames Mrs. Putnam, who blames Tituba, who in turn blames the other women of the village under the justification of being purified. And eventually no one is safe from the fear of others. Its like a plague, constantly spreading.

Word Count: 175

Essay Sources

1. "Harry Caray." Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse and Bar. Harry Cara'ys Italian Steakhouse and Bar, 2009. Web. 21 Sep 2012. <http://www.harrycarays.com/harry_caray.html>. A family written short biography about Harry Caray. Talks extensively about wife and home life. Includes major catchphrases Caray liked to use and became known for, and some very helpful pictures. 

2. Bluth, Andrew. "Harry Caray Remembered as Baseball Ambassador." The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Feb 1998. Web. 21 Sep 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/28/sports/harry-caray-remembered-as-baseball-ambassador.html>. Summary of Harry Caray's influence on the baseball fans, players and employees. Discusses his funeral and how people felt. Key interviews of important players, critics, etc. Shows Harry Caray's legacy.

3. "Harry Caray." Encyclopedia Brittanica. Encyclopedia Brittanica, n.d. Web. 21 Sep 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/94632/Harry-Caray>. Good and long biography about Harry Caray's achievements, life events and happenings. Talks about what influenced him and how he came to be who he is today. Broad and informative analysis and overview. 

4. "Caray, Harry." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 21 Sept. 2012.
<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9389281>. Talks about family life and important dates.
Statistics and lifetime, another good total overview of his life. 

5. Smith, Bryan. "Caray's Pals Bid Farewell." News Bank. Chicago Sun-Times, 28 Feb 1998. Web. 21 Sep 2012. <http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNSE&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EB42380AD9EA46F&p_docnum=3&p_queryname=13>. A news article discussing Caray's profound effect on players and how they felt about him and his death. Also asks questions of other commentators about Caray's ideas and strategies and how it caused him to be so enjoyed and successful, and ultimately change the fan experience.


6. Smerz, Barbara. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sep 2012. <http://sports.jrank.org/pages/784/Caray-Harry.html>. A short biography about Harry Caray, and particularly his childhood and how baseball affected him as a boy. There are selected bits where Caray talks about himself and what he feels he did in his life and why. 

7. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sep 2012. <http://sports.jrank.org/pages/775/Caray-Harry-Growing-Up.html>.
Extensions of the previous source, more biographical and information about Caray. 

8. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sep 2012. <http://sports.jrank.org/pages/780/Caray-Harry-Fun-Family.html>. More information about how Caray carried himself around his house and home and what led him to be a famous successful announcer. Talks about what made Harry Caray such a charismatic and overall likeable guy. Much of the article explains why people liked Caray so much.

9. "1989 Ford C Frick Award Winner Harry Caray."National Baseball Hall of Fame. National Baseball Hall of Fame, n.d. Web. 28 Sep 2012. <http://baseballhall.org/awards/ford-c-frick/1989-ford-c-frick-award-winner-harry-caray>. This is a short summary of Caray's active baseball life. It focuses especially on his achievements and all that he got done in his career. The teams he talked about, his influential style, his legacy, etc. It is big on statistics and has many numbers such as "Caray broadcasted over 8,300 Cubs games."

10.  "Harry Caray Quotes." Baseball Almanac. Baseball Almanac, n.d. Web. 28 Sep 2012. <http://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/quocaray.shtml>. Quotes from Caray and quotes about Caray. Some of the most important and lasting ideas that Caray left at Wrigley are mentioned here. There are even soundbites of many of these quotes to pair up with. 

11. "Caray, Harry (c. 1919-1998)." Newsmakers. Ed. Terrie M. Rooney. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. Discovering Collection. Gale. Young Magnet HS - Whitney Mid. HS. 11 Oct. 2012 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do?&source=gale&srcprod=DISC&userGroupName=cps1810&prodId=DC&tabID=T001&docId=EK1618000909&type=retrieve&contentSet=GBRC&version=1.0>. Very extensive biography about Caray. Talks about much of his life before joining the Chicago Cubs, or even the Chicago White Sox, contrary to many of my other sources. An important background piece which gives a foundation of Caray's feelings, upbringing, daily life, etc.

12.  "A Tribute to Harry Caray." Pmaxinc. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Oct 2012. <http://www.pmaxinc.com/harrycaray.htm>. This one is really important to me because it actually shows the influence Caray had on fans and how they saw baseball, especially Chicago Cub fans. The writer even goes out and says, "I care and love the Cubbies because of him [Caray] and his broadcasting." 

13. Watt, Richard. "Caray me away: 50 years of Harry Caray." Sport July 1994: 51. Educators Reference Complete. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. A great and fantastic tribute to his life. Particularly useful for the interviews with Caray after his years as an announcer. Caray talks about his relationship with the fans, the 7th inning stretch, and his attitude towards announcing. 

14. Miller, Charles P. "Holy Cow! It's Harry Caray!" Saturday Evening Post Oct. 1989: 54+. Educators Reference Complete. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. Talks about Caray's lifetime in the industry and the choices he made throughout his life. The fans and how they experienced baseball were always one of the most important things to Caray. He quit the White Sox because there were discussions about moving the broadcasts to cable, which he felt wasn't fair to the fans.

15. Kindred, Dave. "Forever we'll hear his voice." The Sporting News 2 Mar. 1998: 63. Educators Reference Complete. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. A fan remembrance of Caray and how he personally recalls Caray's moments of glory and greatest feelings. The author talks about how he always felt a personnel connection with Caray. The article does a great job of showing how Caray single-handed created a new sensation for baseball and the Cubs particularly.  

16.  "Sportscasters: Harry Caray." Radio Hall of Fame. Radio Hall of Fame, n.d. Web. 12 Oct 2012. <http://www.radiohof.org/sportscasters/harrycaray.html>. Talks a lot more about Caray's sort of "development" phase during his radio host development. This eventually leads to the legendary host that the world came to know from the Chicago White Sox, and then predominantly the Chicago Cubs.

17. .    17. "Harry Caray." Baseball Voices. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct 2012. <http://www.baseballvoices.com/html/harry_caray.html>. An excerpt from Ford Frick's acceptance speech for the Baseball Hall of Fame, talking about his relationship with Caray. An important thing Frick says is, "more than anything Harry Caray is the most LOVED host by the FANS in history." A key connection for the thesis.

18. . "Harry Caray." WGN Gold . WGN Gold, 12 Oct 2012. Web. 12 Oct 2012. <http://www.wgngold.com/people/caray-harry.htm>. Includes many of Caray's most famous moments on recordings, hours long. A lot of evidence from Caray himself, as he is actually talking and interacting the way he once did. 

19. . "A Tribute to Harry Caray." Cub Nation. Cub Nation, 03 Mar 2010. Web. 12 Oct 2012. <http://cubnationky.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/a-tribute-to-harry-caray/>. Another fan remembrance of Caray and how they personally felt how he impacted them and the way they experienced and felt the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, and baseball. 

20. Lee, Helen. "Harry Caray and the Chicago Cubs." Chicago Windy City Guide. Chicago Windy City Guide, n.d. Web. 12 Oct 2012. <http://www.windycityguide.com/main/publish/article_253.shtml>. An article explaining the reader about Harry Caray and his impacts on Chicago. One of the main points the article makes is the impact Caray left with his restaurants and how fans still embrace his outlook today. 

21. Lukowsky, Wes. "Where's Harry? Steve Stone Remembers His Years with Harry Caray." Booklist 1 Mar. 1999: 1143.Educators Reference Complete. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. A fan's remembrance of Caray. This  article shows the love and importance Caray had to the Cub, and baseball community when the author flat out says, "Harry Caray was probably the most loved baseball broadcaster in the history of the game." It is a story of how a person remembers someone who they didn't know or ever meet, but feels as if they were a strong friend. 

22. Sullivan, Paul. "Goodbye, Harry." Sport May 1998: 30+. Educators Reference Complete. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. This article not only talks about the fans remembrances but also Caray's significance in Cubs revival and financial boon. People watched baseball and went there not only for the game, but for Caray himself and often Caray alone. He turned the time into a fun experience.

23. Thomas, Mike. "The sodfather: major-league teams from coast to coast are turning to third-generation groundskeeper Roger Bossard to give them a winning edge."Smithsonian Apr. 2008: 102+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. A quick and important reference to Caray about his affect on teams across the United States. Caray changed the way announcers nationally talked and interacted with fans, and was a key stepping stone into somewhat bringing the announcers more into contact with their fans, and personalizing the experience.

24. Michael, George. "Identifying mystery photos." The Baseball Research Journal 33 (2004): 36+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. Another fan story of his memories of Harry Caray and how much it made him enjoy the Cubs games.

25. "Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky., Keith Lawrence column: Holy cow! Memories of a trip to heaven." Messenger-Inquirer [Owensboro, KY] 10 June 2010. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. Another similar story of remembrance and care for Caray. More evidence to support the fans' devotion and lasting legacy to Caray.

26. Caray, Harry, and Bob Verdi. Holy Cow!. New York, NY: Villard Books, 1988. Print.

27. Stone, Steve, and Barry Rozner. Where's Harry? : Steve Stone remembers Harry Caray. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing, 1999. Print.

28. Hughes, Pat, and Bruce Miles. Harry Caray : Voice of the fans. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks MediaFusion, 2008. Print.

29. Golenbock, Peter. Wrigleyville : a magical history tour of the Chicago Cubs. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin, 1999. Print.

30. "YouTube." Harry Caray Broadcast From the Bleachers. YouTube, 04 2008. Web. 17 Oct 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKGrxyLXte8>.

31. Sullivan, Paul. "Chicago Tribune: Hardball." Harry Caray, 10 years after his death. Chicago Tribune. Web. 17 Oct 2012. <http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/02/remembering-har.html>.

32. Larz, . "Chicagoland Radio and Media." Mike North Interviews Harry Caray. Chicagoland Radio and Media, 28 2011. Web. 17 Oct 2012. <http://chicagoradioandmedia.com/news/1453-mike-north-interviews-harry-caray-1997>.

33.  "YouTube." Good Harry Caray Interview. YouTube, 09 2012. Web. 17 Oct 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC_gc4PCRIA>.

34. "YouTube." Harry Caray Passing Interview Roy Firestone Chicago Cubs. YouTube, 09 2012. Web. 17 Oct 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-P-IWU98DE>.

35. Wolf, Rich, and George Castle. I Remember Harry Caray. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing Inc, 1998. Print.

21.

8.