“The genuine proverb is not the elaborately thought-out sentence of an individual, but the commonly adopted expression of long and wide experience. Its literary form is usually, crude, unpolished, and devoid of style, indicating that is obtained its currency among the lower classes, not the litterateurs. Hence the saying that proverbs are the “People’s Voice” is true in more senses than one. It is a popular speech in so far as it reflects the popular mind, but it is also an accurate record of the vernacular.”

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

1/23/12 William Blake and Middlemarch Parts 1&2

Spotlight Poet/Artist: WILLIAM BLAKE

Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
By the stream and o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb.
He is meek, and he is mild;
He became a little child.
I a child, and thou a lamb.
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Take some time to look at William Blake's paintings and writings. (The cover of the edition of Pride and Prejudice that we are using is a photograph of one of his engravings.)

It was said that Satan was asleep in the 18th century.

Marriage: A contract between two people and society.
MIDDLEmarch: Middle of society, the people in this book are neither rich nor poor.

Society is the focus of this book. Society is simply and outward expression of individual justice.

Books that talk about shifts in society: Howard's End, Main Street, The Help, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Lycurgus.

Quotes from Middlemarch:

"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?"

"The strongest principle of growth lies in the human choice."

"I like not only to be loved, but also to be told I am loved. I am not sure you are of the same kind. But the realm of silence is long enough beyond the grave."

Add to the Phases of Learning, a Love of Wisdom.

We are all given a winning hand
A lot of people don't realize that good lives exist
George Bailey
Viktor Frankl- Iogotherapy

(Another list of books...I can't remember why we listed them!)

Man's Search for Meaning
Corrie Ten Boom
George Bailey
Uncle Tom
Ivanhoe
Les Mis
Scarlet Pimpernel
Jane Eyre
The Lonesome Gods

You can't stop a man who knows he is in the right and keeps on coming. - Louis L'Amour

Bad pride: The pride that wants to have what someone else has. The pride that has to beat you just to beat you.

We often hurt when we are made to face the truth.

Good pride is wanting to become a beautiful person.

Tyranny is playing the same note. Plato says we need harmony.








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