Overview: The documentary Louder Than a Bomb is a film about passion, competition, teamwork, and trust. It’s about the joy of being young, and the pain of growing up. It’s about speaking out, making noise, and finding your voice.
It also just happens to be about poetry.
Every year, more than six hundred teenagers from over sixty Chicago area schools gather for the world’s largest youth poetry slam, a competition known as "Louder Than a Bomb". Founded in 2001, Louder Than a Bomb is the only event of its kind in the country—a youth poetry slam built from the beginning around teams. Rather than emphasize individual poets and performances, the structure of Louder Than a Bomb demands that kids work collaboratively with their peers, presenting, critiquing, and rewriting their pieces. To succeed, teams have to create an environment of mutual trust and support. For many kids, being a part of such an environment—in an academic context—is life-changing.
Louder Than a Bomb chronicles the stereotype-confounding stories of four teams as they prepare for and compete in the 2008 event. By turns hopeful and heartbreaking, the film captures the tempestuous lives of these unforgettable kids, exploring the ways writing shapes their world, and vice versa. This is not "high school poetry" as we often think of it. This is language as a joyful release, irrepressibly talented teenagers obsessed with making words dance. How and why they do it—and the community they create along the way—is the story at the heart of this inspiring film.
Directions: When we finish the film, please compose a comprehensive blog response of 300-500 words, describing your reactions to the film. Post the blog response in this blog space. Please be specific. You will be asked to compose your own spoken word poems, and your final assessment for Margaret Edson's, Wit will be to create a group poem.
Overview and Directions: I selected a series of poems from the late 20th and 21st century for you to explore. Use what you learned from our lessons on sonnets as you read the following poems. How does poetic structure (based on sonnet form) help inform you as you read? Listen for sound. Be mindful of your reactions to the poems, then return and see how the poets crafted their work in order to garner these emotions. In this blog space, share your experiences in a comprehensive piece of writing of 300-500 words. You may write a little about several (or all) poems, or if one really grabbed you, focus on one poem. I look forward to your responses.
Sharon Olds
“The B Network” by Haki Madhubuti
brothers bop & pop and be-bop in cities locked up
and chained insane by crack and other acts
of desperation computerized in pentagon cellars producing
boppin brothers boastin of being better, best & beautiful.
if the boppin brothers are beautiful where are the sisters
who seek brotherman with a drugless head unbossed or beaten
by the bodacious West?
in a time of big wind being blown by boastful brothers,
will other brothers beat back backwardness to better & best
without braggart bosses beatin butts,
takin names and diggin graves?
beatin badness into bad may be urban but is it beautiful & serious?
or is it betrayal in an era of prepared easy death hangin on
corners trappin young brothers before they know the
difference between big death and big life?
brothers bop & pop and be-bop in cities locked up
and chained insane by crack and other acts
of desperation computerized in pentagon cellars producing
boppin brothers boastin of being better, best, beautiful
and definitely not Black.
the critical best is that
brothers better be the best if they are to avoid backwardness
brothers better be the best if they are to conquer beautiful bigness
Comprehend that bad is only bad if it’s big, Black and better
than boastful braggarts belittling our best and brightest
with bosses seeking inches when miles are better.
brothers need to bop to being Black & bright above board
the black train of beautiful wisdom that is bending this bind
toward a new & knowledgeable beginning that is
bountiful & bountiful & beautiful
While be-boppin to be
better than the test,
brotherman.
better yet write the exam.
"Like Totally Whatever, You Know?"
by Taylor Mali
"The History Teacher"
by Billy Collins
Trying to protect his students' innocence
he told them the Ice Age was really just
the Chilly Age, a period of a million years
when everyone had to wear sweaters.
And the Stone Age became the Gravel Age,
named after the long driveways of the time.
The Spanish Inquisition was nothing more
than an outbreak of questions such as
"How far is it from here to Madrid?"
"What do you call the matador's hat?"
The War of the Roses took place in a garden,
and the Enola Gay dropped one tiny atom
on Japan.
The children would leave his classroom
for the playground to torment the weak
and the smart,
mussing up their hair and breaking their glasses,
while he gathered up his notes and walked home
past flower beds and white picket fences,
wondering if they would believe that soldiers
in the Boer War told long, rambling stories
designed to make the enemy nod off.
"Sometimes Silence is the Loudest Kind of Noise"
by Basskey Ikpi
"First Hour" by Sharon Olds
That hour, I was most myself. I had shrugged
my mother slowly off, I lay there
taking my first breaths, as if
the air of the room was blowing me
like a bubble. All I had to do
was go out along the line of my gaze and back,
feeling gravity, silk, the
pressure of the air a caress, smelling on
myself her creamy blood. The air
was softly touching my skin and mouth,
entering me and drawing forth the little
sighs I did not know as mine.
I was not afraid. I lay in the quiet
and looked, and did the wordless thought,
my mind was getting its oxygen
direct, the rich mix by mouth.
I hated no one. I gazed and gazed,
and everything was interesting, I was
free, not yet in love, I did not
belong to anyone, I had drunk
no milk yet—no one had
my heart. I was not very human. I did not
know there was anyone else. I lay
like a god, for an hour, then they came for me
and took me to my mother.
"Sign Language"
by Rives
"The Quest" by Sharon Olds
The day my girl is lost for an hour,
the day I think she is gone forever and then I find her,
I sit with her a while and then I
go to the corner store for orange juice for her
lips, tongue, palate, throat,
stomach, blood, every gold cell of her body.
I joke around with the guy behind the counter, I
walk out into the winter air and
weep. I know he would never hurt her,
would never take her body in his hands to
crack it or crush it, would keep her safe and
bring her home to me. Yet there are
those who would. I pass the huge
cockeyed buildings, massive as prisons,
charged, loaded, cocked with people,
some who would love to take my girl, to un-
do her, fine strand by fine
strand. These are buildings full of rope,
ironing boards, sash, wire,
iron cords wove in black-and-blue spirals like
umbilici, apartments supplied with
razor blades and lye. This is my
quest, to know where it is, the evil in the
human heart. As I walk home I
look in face after face for it, I
see the dark beauty, the rage, the
grown-up children of the city she walks as a
child, a raw target. I cannot
see a soul who would do it. I clutch the
jar of juice like a cold heart,
remembering the time my parents tied me to a chair and
would not feed me and I looked up
into their beautiful faces, my stomach a
bright mace, my wrists like birds the
shrike has hung up by the throat from barbed wire, I
gazed as deep as I could into their eyes
and all I saw was goodness, I could not get past it.
I rush home with the blood of oranges
pressed to my breast, I cannot get it to her fast enough.
"I'm Losing You"
by Rat Sack
"The Two-headed Calf" by Laura Gilpin
Tomorrow when the farm boys find this
freak of nature, they will wrap his body
in newspaper and carry him to the museum.
But tonight he is alive and in the north
field with his mother. It is a perfect
summer evening: the moon rising over
the orchard, the wind in the grass. And
as he stares into the sky, there are
twice as many stars as usual.
“there are two kinds of people in the world” by eric pellerin
Overview: Here are the due dates for the Ibsen presentations & plays Please plan to work outside of the classroom if necessary.
Monday (2/3) and Wednesday (2/5) - Finish composing your work and completing your PowerPoint presentations. Make sure you can send it to me and that it will open. All troubleshooting must be complete before you present. Friday (2/7) - Rehearsals. Open a computer with your presentation and practice. Make sure it flows seamlessly. If you need to add/edit, please do so. You may also find that when you read the play aloud, it needs to be edited to sound more like plain speech. Rehearse over and over until the bell rings.
Monday (2/10) - Presentations and performances - It is the long block, so everyone will have time to present. It should be no longer than 15 minutes, total.
“A woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws framed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine point of view.”
Henrik Ibsen, 1881 Overview: In A Doll House and Ghosts, Ibsen explored the role of women and men in our society. Sadly, many parallels to our present society are abound, yet there is something dated about the philosophical concepts. Yes, as a society, we have accepted that women and men should have equal rights, for example. However, is this truly happening? Are women paid the same as men for the same occupation? More importantly, what are we seeing with regard to sexual harassment, assault, and rape in the media today? Have you noticed the difference in male and female responses in the media? This goes beyond gender. In what ways has the idea of gender been challenged through the efforts of the LBGTQ community? Also, issues pertaining to race and immigration follow similar blueprints. How would Ibsen have defended them today? How do the efforts of all marginalized groups impact everyone?
Your task will be to explore current issues (like those mentioned above) connected to human rights in and around the world. Have a global focus. Ibsen challenged society through drama. Now it is your turn.
Directions: Each group will research a global issue happening right now. 1) Each student in class will compose a blog response (here), exploring an issue seen in the current media that resembles the ghosts explored by Ibsen. Make direct parallels to what we explored in Ibsen's plays and how we see a new but reminiscent thing happening now. 2) Next, we will form groups and choose one concept to explore in an Ibsen play of your own. The written work will be visual and it will include a performance of a single scene from your play. Carefully read the criteria, below. Best of luck!
Ibsen Play Criteria
3) Slideshow Presentation
Below is a guideline for your slideshow. Obviously, you can spread out the slides in any manner you wish. Use video, music, images, drawings - the sky's the limit. Please share these with me so I can evaluate the work after class. Important: Be creative! Here is a list of alternatives to PowerPoint.
Slide 1: Create a symbolic title for the play.
Slides 2-3: Develop a statement of purpose with a focus on a global issue about the rights of women/LBGTQ community, immigrants, or another issue of concern (Please, check with me before you begin). Tell us why you are composing this play? What do you hope to teach your audience? How do you expect them to respond? What do you hope to achieve?
Slide 4: Share a list of characters (Make the cast look like Ibsen).
Slide 5: What will the stage look like? Include setting, time, place, staging, etc. Again, think Ibsen imagery and design. See the examples on this page.
Slides 6-8: Develop an outline of the 3-4 acts in your play. Include the basic plot, characters's actions, conflicts, symbols and resolution. Use all of Ibsen's techniques: the characters who develop past their initial stereotypes, couples, the outlier, a shocking ending, etc.
Slides 9-13: Share your scripted scene so we can all follow along as you perform.
4) Presentation:
Everyone should been an active participant. Perhaps some people give the above presentation, taking turns and the other group members perform. Someone can act as narrator or help explain what is going on and how it will play out your play. Again, play to your strengths as a group.
Present slides (Be engaging. Do NOT just read off the slides).
Directions: Please compose an essay and post it to Turnitin.com.
Prompt: The following passage is an excerpt from ACT I of Lady Windemere’s Fan, a play by Oscar Wilde, produced in 1892. Read the passage carefully. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the playwright reveals the values of the characters and the nature of their society through symbolic characters (Hint: Do these characters resemble characters from The Importance of Being Earnest? How can you apply this knowledge to this essay?)
From Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde - ACT I
Duchess of Berwick. [Coming over and shaking hands.] Dear Margaret, I am so pleased to see you. You remember Agatha, don’t you? [Crossing L.C.] How do you do, Lord Darlington? I won’t let you know my daughter, you are far too wicked.
Lord Darlington. Don’t say that, Duchess. As a wicked man I am a complete failure. Why, there are lots of people who say I have never really done anything wrong in the whole course of my life. Of course they only say it behind my back.
Duchess of Berwick. Isn’t he dreadful? Agatha, this is Lord Darlington. Mind you don’t believe a word he says. [Lord Darlington crosses] No, no tea, thank you, dear. [Crosses and sits on sofa.] We have just had tea at Lady Markby’s. Such bad tea, too. It was quite undrinkable. I wasn’t at all surprised. Her own son-in-law supplies it. Agatha is looking forward so much to your ball to-night, dear Margaret.
Lady Windermere. [Seated] Oh, you mustn’t think it is going to be a ball, Duchess. It is only a dance in honour of my birthday. A small and early.
Lord Darlington. [Standing] Very small, very early, and very select, Duchess.
Duchess of Berwick. [On sofa] Of course it’s going to be select. But we know that, dear Margaret, about your house. It is really one of the few houses in London where I can take Agatha, and where I feel perfectly secure about dear Berwick. I don’t know what society is coming to. The most dreadful people seem to go everywhere. They certainly come to my parties—the men get quite furious if one doesn’t ask them. Really, some one should make a stand against it.
Lady Windermere. I will, Duchess. I will have no one in my house about whom there is any scandal.
Lord Darlington. Oh, don’t say that, Lady Windermere. I should never be admitted! [Sitting.]
Duchess of Berwick. Oh, men don’t matter. With women it is different. We’re good. Some of us are, at least. But we are positively getting elbowed into the corner. Our husbands would really forget our existence if we didn’t nag at them from time to time, just to remind them that we have a perfect legal right to do so.
Lord Darlington. It’s a curious thing, Duchess, about the game of marriage—a game, by the way, that is going out of fashion—the wives hold all the honours, and invariably lose the odd trick.
Duchess of Berwick. The odd trick? Is that the husband, Lord Darlington?
Lord Darlington. It would be rather a good name for the modern husband.
Duchess of Berwick. Dear Lord Darlington, how thoroughly depraved you are!
Lady Windermere. Lord Darlington is trivial.
Lord Darlington. Ah, don’t say that, Lady Windermere.
Lady Windermere. Why do you talk so trivially about life, then?
Lord Darlington. Because I think that life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about it. [Moves up]
Duchess of Berwick. What does he mean? Do, as a concession to my poor wits, Lord Darlington, just explain to me what you really mean.
Lord Darlington. [Coming down back of table.] I think I had better not, Duchess. Nowadays to be intelligible is to be found out. Good-bye! [Shakes hands with Duchess.] And now—[goes up stage] Lady Windermere, good-bye. I may come to-night, mayn’t I? Do let me come.
Lady Windermere. [Standing up stage with Lord Darlington.] Yes, certainly. But you are not to say foolish, insincere things to people.
Lord Darlington. [Smiling.] Ah! you are beginning to reform me. It is a dangerous thing to reform any one, Lady Windermere. [Bows and exits.]
Scoring Guide for Prompt on Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde
General Directions: The score that you assign should reflect your judgment of the quality of the essay as a whole—its content, its style, its mechanics. Reward the writers for what they do well. The score for an exceptionally well-written essay may be raised by one point above the otherwise appropriate score. In no case may a poorly written essay be scored higher than a (C-).
(A Essays)
These essays offer a persuasive analysis of how the playwright reveals the values of the characters and the nature of their society. The writers make a strong case for their interpretation of character and situation, developing the relationship between language and values. The writers consider literary and dramatic elements such as characterization, diction, and tone, engaging the text through apt and specific references. Although these essays may not be error-free, their perceptive analysis is apparent in writing that is clear, precise, and effectively organized. Generally, essays scored a (A) reveal more sophisticated analysis and more effective control of language than do essays scored an (A-).
(B Essays)
These essays offer a reasonable analysis of how the playwright reveals the values of the characters and the nature of their society. The writers provide a sustained, competent reading of the passage, with attention to literary and dramatic elements such as characterization, diction, and tone. Although these essays may not be error-free and may be less perceptive or less convincing than (A) essays, the writers present their ideas with clarity and control and refer to the text for support. Generally, essays scored a (B+) present better-developed analysis and more consistent command of the elements of effective composition than do essays scored a (B/B-).
(C Essays)
These essays respond to the assigned task with a plausible reading of the passage, but they tend to be superficial or undeveloped in their treatment of how the playwright reveals the values of the characters and nature of their society. While exhibiting some analysis of the passage, implicit or explicit, the discussion of how literary elements contribute to the author’s purpose may be slight, and support from the passage may be thin or tend toward paraphrase. While these writers demonstrate adequate control of language, their essays may be marred by surface errors. generally, essays scored a (C) lack the more effective organization and the more sustained development characteristics of (B) papers.
(D Essays)
These essays fail to offer a less than thorough understanding of the task or a less than adequate treatment of how the playwright reveals the values of the characters and the nature of their society. Often relying on summary or paraphrase, the writers may fail to articulate a convincing basis for understanding the relationship between language and the values of the characters and the nature of society. They may misread the passage or may present an unfocused or repetitive reading characterized by an absence of textual support or an accumulation of errors. Generally, essays scored a (D+) exhibit better control over the elements of composition than those scored a (D/D-).
(F Essays)
These essays compound the weaknesses of the papers in the (D) range. They may persistently misread the passage or be unacceptably brief. They may contain pervasive errors that interfere with understanding. Although an attempt has been made to respond to the prompt, the writers’ ideas are presented with little clarity, organization, or support from the passage.
Directions: Please compose an essay and post it to Turnitin.com.
The following passage is an excerpt from Ghosts, a play by Henrik Ibsen, produced in 1881. Read the passage carefully. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the playwright reveals his values with regard to the nature of the society through symbolic characters. Your essay should include an introduction, at least three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Use direct quotations of the passage in your essay. Suggested time - 60 minutes
OSWALD. My stay is indefinite, sir.-But, ah! It is good to be at home!
MRS. ALVING. [Beaming.] Yes, isn't it, dear?
MANDERS. [Looking sympathetically at him.] You went out into the world early, my dear Oswald.
OSWALD. I did. I sometimes wonder whether it wasn't too early.
MRS. ALVING. Oh, not at all. A healthy lad is all the better for it; especially when he's an only child. He oughtn't to hang on at home with his mother and father, and get spoilt.
MANDERS. That is a very disputable point, Mrs. Alving. A child's proper place is, and must be, the home of his fathers.
OSWALD. There I quite agree with you, Pastor Manders.
MANDERS. Only look at your own son--there is no reason why we should not say it in his presence--what has the consequence been for him? He is six or seven and twenty, and has never had the opportunity of learning what a well-ordered home really is.
OSWALD. I beg your pardon, Pastor; there you're quite mistaken.
MANDERS. Indeed? I thought you had lived almost exclusively in artistic circles.
OSWALD. So I have.
MANDERS. And chiefly among the younger artists?
OSWALD. Yes, certainly.
MANDERS. But I thought few of those young fellows could afford to set up house and support a family.
OSWALD. There are many who cannot afford to marry, sir.
MANDERS. Yes, that is just what I say.
OSWALD. But they may have a home for all that. And several of them have, as a matter of fact; and very pleasant, well-ordered homes they are, too.
[MRS. ALVING follows with breathless interest; nods, but says nothing.]
MANDERS. But I'm not talking of bachelors' quarters. By a "home" I understand the home of a family, where a man lives with his wife and children.
OSWALD. Yes; or with his children and his children's mother.
MANDERS. [Starts; clasps his hands.] But, good heavens--
OSWALD. Well?
MANDERS. Lives with--his children's mother!
OSWALD. Yes. Would you have him turn his children's mother out of doors?
MANDERS. Then it is illicit relations you are talking of! Irregular marriages, as people call them!
OSWALD. I have never noticed anything particularly irregular about the life these people lead.
MANDERS. But how is it possible that a--a young man or young woman with any decency of feeling can endure to live in that way?--in the eyes of all the world!
OSWALD. What are they to do? A poor young artist--a poor girl-- marriage costs a great deal. What are they to do?
MANDERS. What are they to do? Let me tell you, Mr. Alving, what they ought to do. They ought to exercise self-restraint from the first; that is what they ought to do.
OSWALD. That doctrine will scarcely go down with warm-blooded young people who love each other.
MRS. ALVING. No, scarcely!
MANDERS. [Continuing.] How can the authorities tolerate such things! Allow them to go on in the light of day! [Confronting MRS. ALVING.] Had I not cause to be deeply concerned about your son? In circles where open immorality prevails, and has even a sort of recognized position--!
OSWALD. Let me tell you, sir, that I have been in the habit of spending nearly all my Sundays in one or two such irregular homes--
MANDERS. Sunday of all days!
OSWALD. Isn't that the day to enjoy one's self? Well, never have I heard an offensive word, and still less have I witnessed anything that could be called immoral. No; do you know when and where I have come across immorality in artistic circles?
MANDERS. No, thank heaven, I don't!
OSWALD. Well, then, allow me to inform you. I have met with it when one or other of our pattern husbands and fathers has come to Paris to have a look round on his own account, and has done the artists the honour of visiting their humble haunts. They knew what was what. These gentlemen could tell us all about places and things we had never dreamt of.
MANDERS. What! Do you mean to say that respectable men from home here would--?
OSWALD. Have you never heard these respectable men, when they got home again, talking about the way in which immorality runs rampant abroad?
MANDERS. Yes, no doubt--
MRS. ALVING. I have too.
OSWALD. Well, you may take their word for it. They know what they are talking about! [Presses his hands to his head.] Oh! That that great, free, glorious life out there should be defiled in such a way!
MRS. ALVING. You mustn't get excited, Oswald. It's not good for you.
OSWALD. Yes; you're quite right, mother. It's bad for me, I know. You see, I'm wretchedly worn out. I shall go for a little turn before dinner. Excuse me, Pastor: I know you can't take my point of view; but I couldn't help speaking out. [He goes out by the second door to the right.]
Scoring Guide for Prompt on Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen
General Information: The score that you are assigned will reflect the quality of the essay as a whole—its content, its style, its mechanics. I reward the writers for what they do well. The score for an exceptionally well-written essay may be raised a half step above the otherwise appropriate score (i.e. from an A- to an A). In no case may a poorly written essay be scored higher than a D.
A
These essays offer a well-focused and persuasive analysis of the assigned prompt. Using apt and specific textual support, these essays fully explore all three characters, analyzing their symbolic qualities and demonstrating what it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Although not without flaws, these essays make a strong case for their interpretation and discuss the literary work with significant insight and understanding. Generally, essays scored an A reveal more sophisticated analysis and more effective control of language than do essays scored an A-.
B
These essays offer a reasonable analysis of the assigned prompt, and what it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. They may only zero in on one or two of the characters, but they clearly define the symbolic significance. Therefore, these essays show insight and understanding, but the analysis is less thorough, less perceptive, and/or less specific in supporting detail than that of the A essays. Generally, essays scored a B+ present better developed analysis and more consistent command of the elements of effective composition than do essays scored a B or B-.
C
These essays respond to the assigned task with a plausible reading, but they tend to be superficial or underdeveloped in analysis. Perhaps they describe the characters, but do not actually define their symbolic significance. They may discuss characterization and meaning, but only with regards to the plot. Or they may describe the symbolic significance, but never actually explain why it is significant or bother to walk us through the rest of the passage. As a result they may often rely upon plot summary that contains some analysis, implicit or explicit. Although the writers attempt to discuss the assigned prompt and how the relationship contributes to the work as a whole, they may demonstrate a rather simplistic understanding of the work and/or the question at hand. The essays demonstrate adequate control of language, but they may lack effective organization and may be marred by surface errors.
D
These lower-half essays offer a less than thorough understanding of the task or a less than adequate treatment of it. They reflect an incomplete or over simplified understanding of the work, or they may fail to address the assigned prompt directly. They may not address or develop a response to how it contributes to the work as a whole, or they may rely on plot summary alone. Their assertions may be unsupported or even irrelevant. Often wordy, elliptical, or repetitious, these essays may lack control over the elements of composition. Essays scored a D- may contain significant misreading and demonstrate inept writing.
F
Although these essays make some attempt to respond to the prompt, they compound the weaknesses of the papers in the D range. Often, they are unacceptably brief or are incoherent in presenting ideas. They may be poorly written on several counts and contain distracting errors in grammar and mechanics. The writer’s remarks are presented with little clarity, organization, or supporting evidence.
Overview: In class, we have been viewing, analyzing, and discussing Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts. If you have not done so, please read Act II. Please, take this opportunity to review the text by reading and reviewing the play. Please use the three experiences on the right-hand side of the blog: text, audio and performance.
Assignment: When have you experienced Ghosts in your lives? Think back on your lives. Look at the decisions and experiences. Where have voices from the past impacted your decisions? Have there been times when you could not tell if you believed something to be true, or that you were supposed to believe? Think about the news. Do you see ghosts "in between the lines of the newspaper"? In this blog space, please share these experiences. Begin your post with 1-2 direct quotations from Ghosts that match the feelings you are sharing, so we can see the direct parallels and engage with the text. I provided some moments from Act II, below, to help you get started. I look forward to your responses. Your post should be 300-400 words.
Quotations from Act 2
Ghosts! When I heard Regina and Oswald in there, it was as though ghosts rose up before me. But I almost think we are all of us ghosts, Pastor Manders. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off. Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sands of the sea. And then we are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light.
Yes--when you forced me under the yoke of what you called duty and obligation; when you lauded as right and proper what my whole soul rebelled against as something loathsome. It was then that I began to look into the seams of your doctrines. I wanted only to pick at a single knot; but when I had got that undone, the whole thing ravelled out. And then I understood that it was all machine-sewn.
Oh, wait a minute!--now I recollect. Johanna did have a trifle of money. But I would have nothing to do with that. "No," says I, "that's mammon; that's the wages of sin. This dirty gold--or notes, or whatever it was--we'll just flint, that back in the American's face," says I. But he was off and away, over the stormy sea, your Reverence.
It only shows how excessively careful one ought to be in judging one's fellow creatures. But what a heartfelt joy it is to ascertain that one has been mistaken! Don't you think so?
At last he said: "There has been something worm-eaten in you from your birth." He used that very word… He said, "The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children." No other explanation was possible, he said. That's the awful part of it. Incurably ruined for life--by my own heedlessness! All that I meant to have done in the world--I never dare think of it again--I'm not able to think of it. Oh! if I could only live over again, and undo all I have done! [He buries his face in the sofa.]
I only mean that here people are brought up to believe that work is a curse and a punishment for sin, and that life is something miserable, something; it would be best to have done with, the sooner the better…But in the great world people won't hear of such things. There, nobody really believes such doctrines any longer. There, you feel it a positive bliss and ecstasy merely to draw the breath of life. Mother, have you noticed that everything I have painted has turned upon the joy of life?--always, always upon the joy of life?--light and sunshine and glorious air-and faces radiant with happiness. That is why I'm afraid of remaining at home with you.
