Building 217 +Osz 。 祂為我死，我為祂活。 歡迎留言。

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這周終於有一點點在寫報告的感覺: )  美國文學讚啦!!  繼續加油囉~

America Literature Reflection Week 5

“we hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these tights, governments are instituted among men… (p.342)

 

 

 

 

 

 

        I found myself being attracted to the reading week by week.  The discovery and adventure stories are cool, the poetry and prayer are sincere, and the sermons are organized.  But this week’s reading is so famous and makes me feel I am really reading SOMETHING!  Like “A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America”, I heard of it when I was in elementary school; I know it IS important (actually, everyone does think that way I think), but now I have a chance to read it!!  It is so fun and I actually began to admire myself a little bit.  And as I read through De Crevecoeur’s work, I can sense the risen of the new America.  I even found myself passionate while reading “the race now called Americans have arisen… This is an American”

        I love Paine’s works.  At first I didn’t realize that he is the Paine I learnt in history textbook, but as I read through it, I began to like it.  And later as I was checking the history of America, which is very important for me as a beginner, I found “common sense” and the author’s Chinese name.  It appears so familiar to me again, and I love him more.  Paine enumerates many reasons for reconcile with the British and destroy it one by one.  It dawned on me that the independence of America is not that easy.  Though it is already a fact for people nowadays; Paine and many people actually need to persuade lots of people to fight for their own new world.  I also find two points interesting while reading.  First is about the role their religious play in their debate and elaboration.  In accordance with the fact that people that days has gone through the Enlightment, we can see that they didn’t mention God all the time as much as the first few weeks’ reading.  However, their religion still plays a role in their life, like a generally accepted value: Paine mentions the Almighty sometime and the capital C Creator is mentioned in Declaration as a self evident premise.  However, the way Paine elaborate concerning God’s wills is quite funny in today’s “common sense”.  He argues that “even the distance at which the Almighty hath placed England and American is a strong and natural proof that the authority of the one over the other was never the design of Heaven.”  Second, through my knowledge of logic, some of his debate has fall into the error called “tautology”.  For example, he says that those who didn’t experience the fierce attack of British “are not a judge of those who have (experience the tragic blow)”; however, for the rest who has experience the attack, they MUST fight for independence, or they will be “unworthy the name of… whatever may be your rank or title in life.”