Most recent public comments by Madison Mckinney https://nowcomment.com/users/88597 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303640 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303640 This location represents the contrast between the frontier and the city where Clark is - it ties into the theme of inner self and connection with inner self. Earlier in the paragraph, Georgiana is described as having been a music teacher and later in the story we are given Clark's memories of music with her. However, this frontier life described in the end of the paragraph does not mention music anywhere, and this is representative of struggle. During this time, Georgiana was not able to connect with the part of herself that loved music, but it still existed within her. It was so clearly within her that it came right out when Clark took her to a concert later in the story. Mon, 01 Feb 2021 01:15:41 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303624 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303624 This is a quote from one of Clark's memories from his childhood home with Georgiana. This is foreshadowing for the fact that Georgiana ends up sacrificing the music that she seems to love when she goes to live on the frontier. This fits in with my idea for theme being "connecting with one's inner self" because it offers insight into the fact that the music means a lot to Georgiana, and it makes you feel sad for her giving it up. Her reconnection to music occurs later in the story when she goes to the concert. Mon, 01 Feb 2021 01:11:38 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303622 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303622 I think that one of the themes of this piece has to do with one's inner self and being able to connect with it, regardless of what struggles you go through. Georgiana is a woman who has experienced a frontier life and Clark notes that she seems changed by this experience, but also has memories of her and music. When she returns from the frontier, she is still the same Georgiana she was in his memories. When she hears the music at the concert, she is reconnected with that part of her. Mon, 01 Feb 2021 01:06:34 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303621 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303621 This comment is a metaphor for how Georgiana sees other women, as Braeden mentioned before me. She regards them as "daubs of paint on a palette," which implies that there were many women, none of which were super outstanding and they almost seemed to flow or mix together, like paint on a palette does. I'm picturing a drab palette with tons of like colors mixed together, and to me this metaphor means that the aunt had an aversion to "city" women, since she had been hardened by the frontier. Mon, 01 Feb 2021 01:01:34 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303606 https://nowcomment.com/documents/251842?scroll_to=2303606 The story, being in first person POV from Clark's perspective, is revealing layers of Georgiana's character and experiences. This statement by Clark shows his acknowledgement of those layers and how he had tried to "judge a book by its cover." His perspective shows that he is learning and realizing more about her at almost the same rate that the audience is. Mon, 01 Feb 2021 00:57:19 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/236830?scroll_to=2168878 https://nowcomment.com/documents/236830?scroll_to=2168878 I took this statement to refer to something close to an anarchy or at least a lack of rules and rulers. I think the connection you mentioned to individualism is interesting - if an individual group of men are running the government, are the people they govern truly "individual"? Or are they just followers? (which would contradict the romantic movement's ideals). Just something I was thinking about :) Wed, 28 Oct 2020 00:41:12 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/236830?scroll_to=2153723 https://nowcomment.com/documents/236830?scroll_to=2153723 Thoreau's radical idea, "that government is best which governs least," is probably my favorite line in the text. To me, it means that Thoreau prefers a government which does not meddle with his life in order to do horrible things that he doesn't approve of. For example, in this piece, Thoreau coined the term "civil disobedience" which could possibly refer to his refusal to pay taxes in protest of slavery and the Mexican-American war. His willingness to dissent during the time further highlights his transcendentalist values. This quote is important to me because it applies now just as much as it did then - the government meddles in our lives to an extent that I find unnecessary, and it seems that if the people disagree with anything and protest, they're typically punished. This reflects the fundamental wrongness of our government - like Thoreau criticizes later in the essay, there is little focus on the individual but rather a focus on the (privileged) majority. This can function to marginalize the minority's ideas. Thu, 29 Oct 2020 22:48:26 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/236830?scroll_to=2153699 https://nowcomment.com/documents/236830?scroll_to=2153699 Transcendentalism is an intellectual and spiritual movement in which the individual is encouraged to stress their personal connections with the universe, and this involves the concept of non-conformity (which should strengthen the feelings of individuality) and can be extended to apply to radical and unique ideas, such as those that Thoreau is stating here. His essay is essentially a criticism of the government, and I'd particularly like to note his dislike for slavery, since transcendentalism ties into early ideas of abolitionism, which likely were far and few between during the time. Thoreau's confident criticism shows his value for his individual ideals, and thus connects to the Romantic movement. Thu, 29 Oct 2020 19:31:52 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049952 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049952 this definitely makes me think about the effects of white people's actions on the land. I genuinely wonder what shape the land in America would be in if white people had not taken it all away from the people who had originally taken care of it. Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:16:02 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049944 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049944 I think that this sentence also shows the mistake of the governor's choice; in the hands of the white people the land would probably be mistreated/taken for granted in contrast to the way that the natives would have appreciated and nurtured it. Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:14:36 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049933 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049933 I'm not sure what the purpose is, but I feel that it was to express to the militant governor that his reservation idea was very wrong. It seems that rather than trying to convince the governor otherwise, the chief just wanted to make him aware of the very sad consequences of what he was doing. Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:12:08 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049925 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049925 This sentence in particular makes me ponder a lot. It reminds me of the huge mass of lives lost, and makes me think about the fact that each and every person had their own feelings and memories and experiences and they were all just wiped out. I wonder what the hills and valleys would say if they could talk. Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:10:33 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049919 https://nowcomment.com/documents/225812?scroll_to=2049919 The word choices here are really harrowing; he seems to have accepted this fate but is certain that his the memory of his people will haunt the land - literally or metaphorically. Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:07:23 -0400