Quest for Immortality

Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time.^[2]

As immortality is the negation of mortality—not dying or not being subject to death—it has been a subject of fascination to humanity since at least the beginning of history. The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the first literary works, dating back at least to the 22nd century BC, is primarily a quest of a hero seeking to become immortal.^[3] What form an unending human life would take (as well as whether it is subject to incapacitation), or whether the soul exists and possesses immortality, has been a major point of focus of religion, as well as the subject of speculation, fantasy, and debate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immortality

Gothic Literature

Gothic Literature: A genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. It was invented by the English author Horace Walpole.

Romanticism: Is a complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that orginated in the 18th century in western Europe and gained strength during the industrial revolution.

Transcendentalism: Was a group of new ideas in literature, religion, culture, and philosophy that emerged in New England.

The Crucible notes

Act 1 main points:
The Crucible takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The rules that they live by are driven by god and religion. Reverrend Parris is a very religous man and thinks that every thing that is done should be for god that is the same thinking of most of the people in the communtiy. When Reverrend Parris found his niece Abigail Williams dancing with many other women, some who he thought were naked he was very shocked. When he confronted the women about it Abigail denied everything and tryed blaming others. Elizabeth Procter who Abigail used to work for, also thought that their was something wrong with Abigail. Elizabeth also didnt like Abigail because she liked her husband John Procter.

Act 2
In this act John Procter and his wife Elizabeth are upset because Mary Warren who is their servant went to the witch trials even though she was told to stay away. Fourteen people are in jail because of Abigail and the other women making things up about them so they go to jail for withcraft. Whoever Abigail says is doing witchcraft is arrested and will eventually be hanged. John Procter cant belive that this scandal is going on. He wants to testify against it but he knows it will be very tough to win the trial. Also John and Elizabeth are losing trust and faith in each other becasue Elizabeth found out that John and Abigail were alone together.

Act 3
In this act the trial is still going on and John Procter and Mary Warren go into the court room and Mary tells the judge that her and the other girls were only pretending to be affected by witchcraft. The judge cant believe it and is not sure what to do. Reverrend Parris is positive that they are only trying to over throw the court. When they asked Procter if the just wanted to overthrow the court he said that he just wanted to prove that his wife was innocent. The court was not very happy when they asked Procter things about his religion and he stated that he only went to church about once a month and that he sometimes worked on sundays. Also during this trial while mary was explaining her self Abigail and the other girls started screaming and going crazy and accusing mary that her spirt was after them.

Act 4
In this act Reverrend Hale comes back to Salem which is upsetting to some people and they really want to know why he has come back. Many of them think he is only their so that some of the prisoners will confess and maybe save themselves. Reverrend Parris tells Hale that Abigail has disapeared from Salem after she robbed him of his things. He trys to get them to save the prisoners since they will not confess but his pleading does not work. Hale tells them that they need to be released because many things are going wrong in the town like crops are not being taken care of, kids are without parents and houses are falling apart. He also tells them that the court is going to rebel. Later in the act Procter signs his confession but will not give it to Danforth because he does not want it nailed to the church. He refuses to do it so he is hung and killed for what he did.

The Crucible

Elements of Plot

Foil- A minor character whose traits contrast sharply with those of the main character which helps you better understand the main charcter.

Monologue- long speech spoken by a single character to himself or to the audience.

Soliloquy- a monologue in which a character speaks his or her private thoughts aloud and is unaware of audience.

Aside- Short speech or comment that is delivered by a character to the audience, but is beyond the hearing of other characters who are present.

Spectral Evidence- the testimony of a church member who claimed to have seen a persons spirit performing witchcraft.

http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/ This is a web site about a Salem witch museum in Massachusetts.

Early Puritans and Salem Witch Trials

I learned that from September of 1692, nineteen men and women all having been convicted of witchcraft, were carted to Gallows Hills a barren slope near Salem Village, for hanging. Another man who was 80 years old was pressed to death using heavy stones for refusing to go to trial.

The Indians and pilgrims ate food like corn and turkey.

The pilgrims came to America so that they could have a better life and more freedom. When they got to America they had a huge harvest with the Indians and they had the first Thanksgiving.

The pilgrims and Indians became good friends.