Pg.45 Chap.1 The Prison Door
"A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods and others bareheaded,"
This quote to me symbolizes the plainness of the Puritan society. Everyone dresses the same and acts the same. In this society individuality almost seems frowned upon, everyone is supposed to look and act the same. It seems like the society itself is a prison, because without individuality one would almost feel trapped. This way of life sort of reminds me of the story Harrison Bergeron, in that story everything is controlled and the society is a dystopia and I think that Puritan society is too. Because there are so many rules and ways of life you are supposed to follow and if you don't you are shunned. So to me the two stories are similar.
Anna - good insights so far. Keep the idea of dystopia (and the similarities with Harrison Bergeron) and continue to make connections. If you want to establish this as a thesis this idea must continue to develop throughout the novel. Keep looking for things that mark the society. Further - look up dystopia and standard elements in dystopian fiction.
ReplyDeleteYou can go further with the comparison of the two stories: How does Harrison Bergeron control its citizens (be very specific) compared with how the Puritan society controls its citizens.
Good entry #1.