annotated bibliographies

A Red-Hot A and a Lusting Divine: Sources for The Scarlet LetterFrederick Newberry
The history of the scarlet letter A is unclear. Some say Nathaniel Hawthorne was influenced by, "Endicott and the Red Cross", but that law was from 1694. The Scarlet Letter takes place earlier sometime during the 1640's. Others say that Hawthorne might have been a little more creative than originally thought. "As if the letter were not of red cloth, but red-hot iron", a quote from the custom house begins to take meaning when we look back into the records. One woman was branded for adultery in October of 1651. That woman was also executed. That woman, named Mary Batcheller had a husband who was also a Reverend. The real life Reverend Stephen Batcheller was quite the opposite of Dimmesdale, and resembled more Chillingsworth.
Newberry, Frederick. "A Red-Hot A and a Lusting Divine: Sources for the Scarlet Letter." The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings. By Nathaniel Hawthorne. Ed. Leland S. Person. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. Print.

The new England Sources of The Scarlet LetterCharles Ryskamp
While in the process of researching, Nathaniel Hawthorne's main source for the New England background during the 1640's was Dr. Caleb H. Snow's History of Boston. Hawthorne used this book for almost every detail he wrote except for the parts he made up. The details that were fiction weren't created because of lack of knowledge but so that his writing would flow better. Nathaniel Hawthorne did so much research that "the Actual and the Imaginary may meet, and each imbue itself with the nature of the other" (55)[29]. He also talks about how the audience should be able to realize the reality behind his writing ands that will help the reader understand the passion and guilt behind it. The great detail put into the descriptions and events that Hawthorne writes about is clearly a result of the endless research. Throughout this criticism, Ryskamp compares the dates of actual events to the dates of events in The Scarlet Letter. It is surprising that most of the events that took place are real and the dates described by Nathaniel Hawthorne are also accurate.
Ryskamp, Charles. "The New England Sources of The Scarlet Letter." The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings. By Nathaniel Hawthorne. Ed. Leland S. Person. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. Print.

Difficulty 2

In my quest to continue to understand what The Scarlet Letter means, I find myself running into alot more question marks than I orinally anticipated. The first part that I really didn't understand was why the people started to see Chillingsworth as evil. It is said "... [Dimmsdale] was haunted either by Satan himself, or Satan's emissary, in the guise of old Roger Chillingsworth"(86). It wasn't really until the in class discussion that I understand why the people ever thought that Chillingsworth was a bad person. That part confused me because in the beginning of the chapter they like him. The people were first saying " ..that Heaven had wrought an absolute miracle, by transporting an eminent Doctor of Physic, from a German university, bodily through the air, and setting him down at the door of Mr. Dimmesdale's study!"(81). In this case of figuring out what was going on, the only thing I could do was to keep reading. As I read into the next chapter it became more clear why they called him evil. In my opinion the author was just foreshadowing what was to come. Sure enough, later on in the chapter when Hester talks with Chillingsworth the evil about him comes out again. "In a word, old Roger Chillingsworth was a striking evidence of man's faculty of transforming himself into a devil, if he will only, for a reasonable space of time, undertake a devil's office"(110). At that point in the story, Hester went to tell Chillingsworth that she is going to let Dimmesdale know who he really is. I guess the only diffuculty I have is understanding why she didn't just go tell Dimmesdale first. When Hester actually does go and tell Dimmesdale in the woods, I don't really get who Dimmesdale is more angry with, Hester or Chillingsworth. "The minister looked at her, for an instant, with all that violence of passion....the portion of him which the Devil claimed...Never was there a blacker or a fiercer frown than Hester now encountered"(125). When I read that I couldn't really determine who he was angry with but putting myself in his position, it would be both

Difficulty 1

In the story The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the old English language is in abundance. That being said the only difficulty I have had so far is with the language. There is not one single word that I am having difficulty with, but many. The only tool that I have to use is context clues, which has been pretty good to me so far. The very beginning of The Scarlett Letter seemed to be really confusing to me. I couldn't tell if Hester Prynne was a witch or just what the people considered to be a whore back then. It wasn't until I read that they weren't going to hang her that I realized that she was just a whore. I imagine that because they talked about how her husband was an important man and had to stay behind for business before coming to America, that she got bored and found another man. She ended up having a baby without knowing who the father is. Today not knowing who the father is is not a good thing. Back then not knowing who the father is must have been really frowned upon to say the least. Context clues is pretty much the only thing that's getting me through this story, because it certainly isn't the storyline. I would've never got that she noticed the guy dressed as a Native American was her husband unless I had gone back and reread the entire page that it was mentioned on. I did have trouble though figuring out whether he is trying to help out Hester Prynne or if he is disgusted with her. The old English language again comes to play because to me it sounds as if he is being sarcastic in his tone but the words he is using sounds as if he is pretty serious. The only thing I know for sure is that he vows to find out who she messed around with and who is the father of her child. I'm pretty sure he is upset with her and wants to harm her but again the old English makes it hard for me to understand.

Week 5, Idea Paper

Reader Response Criticism
Like most teens, Sonny and his habits are only a product of his environment.
I will support this by comparing Sonny's old environment to his new home in the flowers and also the new characteristics he has picked up along the way. I will also compare my own findings to how some of the culture around me has affected my own self.

Week 4, #4

What do you think Sonny is going to do with the money? Make a prediction. What would you have done, if you were in Sonny's position?

As soon as I read that Sonny stole the Cloyd's money, I knew something interesting would come of it. I do not think that Sonny will end up doing anything special with it. I do not think he will do anything with it at all. I predict that the Cloyd will end up finding out about it and make him give it back. Sonny already got caught stealing the dirty magazines so Cloyd has it in his head that Sonny is a thief. The money is hidden right by where the dirty magazine was so it shouldn't be that hard for Cloyd to find. "...I'd stuck [the dirty magazine] there in that bookcase, under the pile of dumb heavy old geographic magazines that were always there, right below the row of books. Right below the boyscout books" (191). When the Cloyd does find that his money isn't where it should be, the first person he will turn to is Sonny because of the the dirty magazine incedent. The Cloyd will not say anything at first, then casually give hints to Sonny, making him feel unconfortable. He will say things like, "What would you do with a thousand dollars?" and "Can you get something out of that drawer for me?'. This will slowly eat away at Sonny's conscience. As soon as Sonny realizes that the Cloyd actually knows that he took the money, he will go and check to make sure that it is still there. The Cloyd will have already taken the money back and some of Sonny's own. This will create a conflict between the two and ultimately cause a big confrontation. As soon as Silvia finds out about it, she will most likely take her son's side. After this happens Silvia and the Cloyd will divorce and Sonny will have to move away from the girl he likes.
A second scenario that could play out would be if Sonny were to spend his money on Nica. I can see him buying her clothes or jewelery just to try and impress her. Sonny just might even buy her a diamond ring really fast just so that he can get rid of the money. Maybe he will pay for the paperwork and court fees so that Nica can go and get her name changed. He really likes her and her not wanting to kiss him just makes him want her even more. The amount of money that he has is not enough to do anything big but is a good amount at the same time. If I were Sonny, I would spend the money on the bel air. I would register the car under my name and make sure everything was up to date. With the money that I had left over I would buy some new tires and make the car look really nice. Although Sonny will most likely not do that with the money, that is what I would have done.

Week 3, #4

What is the significance of the car salesman? Predict what is going to happen at the end of the novel.

In Los Flores Apartments, one tennent named Pinkston, likes to sell used cars. In the book, Sonny calls him Pink for short because of his pink colored scar on his albino skin. Dialogue between Pink and Sonny are steadily becoming more frequent as the story goes on. Pink has even started to take Sonny underneath his wing. The character Cloyd and the mother, Silvia, both feel as if Pink is a really suspicious person. The significance of Pink is really starting to grow in the storyline, especially after making a deal with Sonny for the car. "This one's yours, you want it little brother,"(118). One aspect of this deal that is very interesting is that Sonny doesn't have to pay him for the car. All that Sonny is required to do is be friends with Pink and tell him information when he hears it. "Young brother, what we say to each other is between us. You see what im saying?" (119). Basically by cutting that deal with Sonny, the audience now knows that something is really up with Pink, either that or he is just paranoid. Because Cloyd doesn't like him so much, an altercation between him and Pink will probably happen. Because Pink brings black people around the apartments so much, Cloyd and Bud are just going to get fed up with it and jump him. It is going to be at that point where Sonny is going to have to choose sides between the blacks and whites. Unfortunately, Sonny does not like either race so the decision will be difficult. He will probably choose to roll with the blacks because he can keep the car and because he took Cloyds money. Pink and Sonny will end up being best of friends for about eight pages then Sonny will begin to realize what Pink's real plans are. Pink will be planning to move a lot of black people into the neighborhood to take it over. Once he realizes this, Sonny will then jump ship again back to Cloyds side and begin telling him everything. He does this because he thinks of his mom and also really doesn't want to live in a black neighborhood. Cloyd will then begin to combat the situation with the help of Sonny's intelligence of Pink. The only thing is that the situation got too out of hand when Sonny was out riding with Pink. Too many blacks had moved in while Sonny was helping out Pink. Cloyd and Bud do what they can but can only clear out a little more then half. This leaves the neighborhood including Los Flores Apartments completely diversified. Sonny comes to the realization that is was better in the end to have mixed up the people around him so that everyone can live in harmony together. But then reality sets in. Because they are in Los Angeles, fighting erupts throughout the neighborhood in a mini race war. Sonny and Pink are blamed by everyone for starting this mess. Sonny and his mother are kicked out and he never gets to see Nica again.

Week One, #1

Do your best to predict what will happen to Sonny in this book.

In the novel "The Flowers", written by Dagoberto Gilb, a boy in his early teens named Sonny is the main character. So far I have learned that Sonny is very quiet and likes to keep his thoughts to himself. After moving into an apartment building with a new stepfather and his mother, his views about life and others begin to change. Early on in the book we learn of a situational conflict that includes a man breaking into his house looking for his mother. This type of experience foreshadows a similar event that could take place later on in the book. Sonny's new friends, "the Twins" will also play a role in what kind of events Sonny will partake in. After reading the first 50 pages, I cannot help but think that the eighteen year old married girl named Cindy will create a conflict for Sonny. I think that eventually she will seduce him and somehow Cindy's husband will find out. During that time I think that his relationship with the other girl named Nica will progress into actual feelings. By that time Nica will have found out about Sonny's relations with the other girl named Cindy. It will cause a strain in the way they feel but Nica will come around and help Sonny think of a way to fend himself against Cindy's angry husband.
Another character that I find to be interesting is the albino man named Pinkston. He seems like a business man and likes to make money. I predict that Pinkston will recruit Sonny to help him with some sales. Even though everything would seem to be going smoothly, secretly Pink would rip off some guy and that person would comeback and look for Pinkston and Sonny. It seems likely that when that guy that got ripped off finally finds Pinkston, Pinkston says that it was Sonny that ripped him off. If it was a black guy that got ripped off, it would create racial tension and a complicated conflict for Sonny to resolve.
Another prediction I have for the story is that one of the black guys that were there while Sonny and the twins were eating malts might pick a fight with either Sonny or one of the twins. In the event that one of the twins gets beat up, I think Sonny will step up and fight for the only friends he has. Sonny might discover that he is actually a good fighter when he nearly kills one of those guys blinded by rage. Months might go by before the gang of that guys friends retaliate. During this retaliation, someone that Sonny has grown very close with might die or hang on the verge of death while Sonny learns more about himself and decides what to do. He will probably do the right thing and stop the violence but for the books sake and also my own attention span I hope that he doesn't.

I Am

My names Nate, I am trying to complete my IGETC, get an AA in construction technology at San Jose City, then get a BS in construction management at CSU Chico.