I approv’d the amusing one’s self with poetry now and then, so far as to improve one’s language, but no farther.
Seems like Franklin instills the value that pursuing the arts is not worthwhile even though he himself enjoys literature. This seems like a value that has formed parts of the American identity, that of labor/trade over the arts.
He did not like my lodging at Bradford’s while I work’d with him.
Idea of competition and business loyalty that seems a key trait in America today.
ask’d for bisket, intending such as we had in Boston; but they, it seems, were not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked for a three-penny loaf, and was told they had none such. So not considering or knowing the difference of money, and the greater cheapness nor the names of his bread, I made him give me three-penny worth of any sort
Franklin seems to be experiencing similar experiences of the contact zones that early colonist experience as the cultures between colonies are so different. Detail brings forth ideas that the American identity is not quite unified yet, colonies see themselves as individual and seperate.
I knew no soul nor where to look for lodging
Franklin's experience and ideas of the self-made man seem to showcase a sense of isolationism and individualism that was not as present with the Puritan colonies. This isolationism and independence to me seems like important parts of the "American Dream"
When we drew near the island, we found it was at a place where there could be no landing, there being a great surff on the stony beach. So we dropt anchor, and swung round towards the shore. Some people came down to the water edge and hallow’d to us, as we did to them; but the wind was so high, and the surff so loud, that we could not hear so as to understand each other. There were canoes on the shore, and we made signs, and hallow’d that they should fetch us; but they either did not understand us, or thought it impracticable, so they went away, and night coming on, we had no remedy but to wait till the wind should abate; and, in the meantime, the boatman and I concluded to sleep, if we could; and so crowded into the scuttle, with the Dutchman, who was still wet, and the spray beating over the head of our boat, leak’d thro’ to us, so that we were soon almost as wet as he. In this manner we lay all night, with very little rest; but, the wind abating the next day, we made a shift to reach Amboy before night, having been thirty hours on the water, without victuals, or any drink but a bottle of filthy rum, and the water we sail’d on being salt. In the evening I found myself very feverish, and went in to bed; but, having read somewhere that cold water drank plentifully was good for a fever, I follow’d the prescription, sweat plentiful most of the night, my fever left me, and in the morning, crossing the ferry, I proceeded on my journey on foot, having fifty miles to Burlington, where I was told I should find boats that would carry me the rest of the way to Philadelphia.
This part seems similar to the travel narratives of Smith and De Vaca, as Franklin is talking about his own struggles travelling to Philadelphia
I took upon me to assert my freedom
Idea of freedom in labor. Ben Franklin recognizes unfairness of his work under his brother. Seems to echo ideas of self made man and also the ideals of freedom and liberty that define American identity.
Plutarch’s Lives
refers to a collection of biographies known as "Parallel Lives" juxtaposes lives of Greek and Roman figures.
It has ever since been a pleasure to me to see good workmen handle their tools;
Detail seems to promote the ideas of the self-made man in "Spirit of Nationalism" video. Men "willing to labor with hands and mind" could have the "American Dream"
a business he was not bred to, but had assumed on his arrival in New England
detail seems to show self-determination over pre-destination. Idea that people make their own destiny.
And now I speak of thanking God, I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to His kind providence, which lead me to the means I used and gave them success.
This line seems to echo John Smith's ideas of God, thanking him for his success.
stripped him naked
powerless
he begged of them his life, promising them money
powerlessness, but at the same time, money signifies power in the world of the Puritans, but not the Native Americans
Pallas
associated with Athena's title
Minerva
roman Godess of wisdom, strategy and warfare
Who says my hand a needle better fits,
seems to challenge the ideas that women and Bradstreet specifically are not supposed to write. This is not part of her Puritan duty.
Bartas
referring to French poet Guillame du Bartas. Feels like maybe its meaning bard in this sake?
culture of response
annotations = culture of response, goes back to the reader response theory
he should have life, liberty, land, and women
second mention of liberty. Starting to see the connections and formation of freedom as a cornerstone to early American literature
Savages
Very different from Cabeza de Vaca's diction to describe the natives.
they approached and put their hands to our faces and bodies and afterwards to their faces and bodies also.
Represents maybe a welcoming or understanding they are not so different from one another.
contract
Reminds me of the "Utopian Promise" video and the contracts of the New World the Quakers and Puritans were making on the ship and in the new land
Christians, quartered on the coast, were driven to such an extremity that they ate each other up until but one remained
Seems Christians are as barbarous as "Indians"
to a land of Christians.
Is the new world not a land of Christians? How does Cabeza de Vaca view this space?
two Christians with two Indians
I'm noticing that this distinction and seperation seems significant. Especially with the introduction and appeal to Christianity in it.
he Indians sat down with us and all began to weep out of compassion
Cabeza de Vaca speaks with such ceratinty that he knows how the "Indians" are feeling and why they take such actions
very barbarous people with whom I talked and dwelt
contact zones, this is the colonizer perspective
I firmly trusted that my conduct and services would be as evident and distinguished as were those of my ancestors, and that I should not have to speak in order to be reckoned among those who for diligence and fidelity in affairs your Majesty honors.
Think maybe he is saying this in order to excuse some not great actions he takes in the narrative.
being at sea, heard various unfrozen words
Given the context of Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel as a "mock epic" that parallels Homer's Odyssey (Ahn 10), the "unfrozen words" seem to allude to the sirens in the Odyssey.
Ahn, Joyce. "The Renaissance Reception of Homer's Odyssey: A Review-Essay." Homer's The Odyssey: Critical Insights, edited by Robert C. Evans, pp. 3-16. Salem Press, 2020.
The ape keeps not the house as a dog doth, he draws not in the plough as the ox, he yields neither milk nor wool as the sheep, he carrieth no burden as a horse doth. That which he doth, is only to conskite, spoil, and defile all, which is the cause wherefore he hath of all men mocks, frumperies, and bastinadoes.
Gargantua's reasonings here closely align with the Christian humanist values of fellowship over self-interest. This argument highlights the way the monk compared to other jobs and societal roles offers little value to socitey as a whole. This seems to align with the argument that Rabelais seems to create throughout this text of the pointlessness and lack of value that religion can have, especially when considering the "French wars of religion" and its "lethal outcome" (Rossner)
Rössner, S. (2017) The giants Gargantua and Pantagruel – 16th century lifestyle habits. Obesity Reviews, 18: 1108–1109. doi: 10.1111/obr.12555.
O Cyprian, cast me not on these; but sift, Keen-eyed, of love the good and evil gift.
Cyprian refers to Aphrodite the Goddess of love who had been born on the island of Cyprus (Notes and Study Guide).So, essentially the chorus is asking Aphrodite to not to give them love. The chorus recognizes the way love can be both good and evil. The chorus in this statement recognizes that love and hate are synonymous.
Notes and Study Guide, jan.ucc.nau.edu/jgr6/201%20web/unit11/study_guide_media.htm. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
Those know Me BRAHMA; know Me Soul of Souls, The ADHYATMAN; know KARMA, my work;
The word "Atman" means "higher self" which contrast with the word "deha" the lower self (Majithia 78). I believe this indicates that "[t]he Adhyatman" are the higher selves or souls. What is interesting about the word "Brahma" is that it looks very similar to the word "Brahman" which means the "universal self" (Majithia 78). While through context, I understand that this is meant to essentially be god, the implications of the idea of the universal self suggests to me that Brahma is the soul that all higher selves are trying to become. Especially since Brahma is known as "Soul of Souls" (1087) gives this idea of superiority and reminds me of the phrase best of the best.
Majithia, Roopen. The Highest Good in the Nicomachean Ethics and the Bhagavad Gita: Knowledge, Happiness, and Freedom. Bloomsbury Academic, 2024, https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350215122.
Majithia, Roopen. The Highest Good in the Nicomachean Ethics and the Bhagavad Gita: Knowledge, Happiness, and Freedom. Bloomsbury Academic, 2024, https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350215122.