Category: Uncategorized

Being that I was unable to attend class on Thursday due to strep throat, what I do want to reflect on, although it only somewhat relates to the main class material is the walk-out. Firstly, I think it is so inspiring and I feel lucky that my own professor was the leader of this #WalkOut4LockedOut, it emphasized my desire to take part in the walk-out, and it also gave me more reason to brag to my friends about my IP course. It was freezing cold out and many many students had important classes at 1 pm on tuesday, but it wasn’t stopping them. Since tuesday/thursday classes only meet twice a week, missing one of the two I found made it even more of a passionate and powerful walk-out, because for some students I can imagine it would hurt their studies a little bit, by missing their hour and twenty two minute class. I think it is more than appropriate, because Trump’s executive order was not something to be taken lightly. This order directly impacts Bucknell as an institution, and what makes up this institution: the students. Although Bucknell isn’t known for it’s diversity, it still exists here on campus. With students from the effected countries, this is no matter to be taken lightly, whatsoever. Truthfully, I cannot fathom how the directly affected students feel about this order, or how their families, friends and loved ones feel. This executive order is something that has completely turned their lives upside down. We are a country that is born from immigrants, so to be placing orders such as this one we are going against the very foundation America is built on. The Constitution reads “We The People” and the “People” in that very phrase is supposed to represent all people of this country, even if they are immigrants, even if they aren’t here to stay. To relate this back to the Chicago World Fair, the film we watched in class, we saw how each country brought something to the table. That countries all over the world came to this fair and brought a part of them, and millions of Americans came to see those countries offerings. That is because America is made up of all those countries, diversity and immigration is what makes America so unique, and also so strong. I’m currently taking a Women and Gender Studies course, and we are currently talking about the suffrage movement in 1919, the protests and activists that lead to the 19th amendment. A truly inspiring quote from the film is “America’s strength comes from the love of it’s people.” It is true, and in order to be the strong, powerful and free country we claim to be, we must stick to the foundations that we have built for ourselves. We did not come this far to take steps back, and steps back is what we are seeing with this executive order.

To go back to the walk-out, it was freezing cold and classes were in session, yet there had to be at least three hundred people there. In retrospect, three hundred people is not a lot in comparison to the number of faculty and students here at Bucknell, but as one of the three hundred people I felt like a strong member of a strong and passionate community. The protest taking place on the quad I feel really gave it the feeling that we were in the center of campus, with everyone around it still listening and seeing it and being aware of it. So much of what we have discussed in class relates to the very idea that this executive order is un-American. I’m very much looking forward to further discussing these topics in class.

The use of energy has been common in all of the readings we have discussed thus far. While in class today, we were discussing our feelings about Hank Morgan and his treatment of others. His ability to motivated the masses and persuade them into doing work, and to stop wasting their human power. As i sat there, i began to relate Hank’s experience in the 6th Century with the social changes we have observed between the 19th Century and present day. When Hank arrived in the 6th Century, human power was being wasted; people were unproductive (by Hank’s modern sense of the term). Being from the future, Hank knew that each person was of greater worth than they were at the time. Increasing productivity by giving people greater self-worth and harnessing their power, Hank was able to create enormous amounts of social construction. Similarly, the enslavement of humans in the 19th century was a waste of human power, and it wasn’t until the realization that slaves were capable of more than their current societal worth that social reformation and growth came about.

In “The Connecticut Yankee,” Hank is dropped into the 6th Century where there is no work being done. Hank, coming from the industrial future, views all of the non-workers as lesser humans than he. His judgements are based upon their inability or unwillingness to work and contribute to production. To change this, he begins to educate them, they learn to speak more like he does, and eventually he also puts them to work. These changes that Hank imposed upon the 6th Century people brought them greater value by his standards. Their work and education led to Hank’s heightened opinion of their worth.

This transformation in Hank is similar to the transformation in American society from the days of enslavement to present day. During the 19th Century, slaves were (just as the people seen in Connecticut Yankee) uneducated and underused. The use of human beings as slaves for manual labor was a complete waste of human potential and power. As an underused power source, slaves were looked down upon. Just as Hank looked down upon the “lazy” people, people also looked down upon slaves. A change in perception was created, however, by a realization of their capabilities, just as happened in “The Connecticut Yankee.” As the man-power potential of the slaves was realized, they began to gain more rights and have access to education and language and writing. These elements (also seen in the book) added value to the slaves as they began to gain recognition as humans. As the years passed, the capabilities of slaves was realized, their energy was harnessed, and their powers were used for more constructive systems than that of slavery. And it is through this phenomenon that the link between “The Connecticut Yankee” and American slavery can be drawn as a relationship of human energy and power being harnessed to generate increased production and worth.

Journal 3
While in class today, Professor Drexler asked the question as to why Hank Morgan initially keeps his educational and economic system secret. After a few comments about the oppressiveness of the church and the “residual power of tradition and superstition,” I expressed the idea about the power of written word and the power which is automatically bestowed those who can read.
The definition of enlightenment emphasizes reason and individualism. This individualism can come from many different sources, one of which is the ability to dictate one’s own education. I am not suggesting that I or any of my classmates have complete control over our educations, however, I am able to go to the library and pick out a random book, explore and read the latest gossip from the magazines in the grocery store, and to pick up the newspaper and say in tuned with current events. Those who are unable to read are only able to gain access to these stories and information by the word of mouth. During the sixth century, the word of mouth was the only source of information, unless you were one of the select few, very select few, that had been taught out of read. This made it extremely difficult for anyone to rise up and rise out of their current situation. Knowledge is power. When Hank Morgan introduces an educational system, the systematic hold that those who did know how to read was broken and all began to poke holes and see the flaws in their teaching.
Today, in parts of Saudi Arabia and countries around the globe, women especially are automatically oppressed and set at a worth that is significantly below men because of their inability to read, due to the fact that they have never been never taught or it is against the law. Knowledge is power and the freedom to be enlightened is a privilege that not everyone is afforded across the globe. My hope is that one day, all women are given the freedom to control their own education and individualism.

A key trait I’ve noticed in all the material we’ve covered is that everyone thinks that technology advancements only bring benefits. However, all the material has shown that technology advancements also produce negative repercussions.

This was an easy trait to see at the World’s Fair. At what really was the start of a century long arms race, countries from across the globe showed off all there military advancements trying to out do the others countries at the World’s Fair. One general was quoted as saying something along the lines of [the only way to maintain peace is by advancing your military]. It only took 20 years for this general to be proved wrong. WW1 was the first of a series of unprecedentedly large wars that caused millions of deaths.

Like the General’s at the worlds fair, Hank Morgan believes firmly that advancements in technology will completely better everyone’s lives. Yet in the end, Morgan’s technology just leads to tens of thousands of deaths. His technology was meant to aide the unfairness and social inequality he was seeing; however, in this case his means did not justify his ends.

I really liked the  historical documentary we watched in class: Magic of the White City by Gene Wilder. The 1893 Chicago’s World Fair expo highlighted the cinematic experience of Chicago’s Columbian Exposition of the new world. Not only did the event symbolize the brotherhood of nations and mankind, but it also embodied optimism, progress, and peace. The Chicago World Fair cost over 22 million dollars with ten cents a day labor and over 28 million people visited within the first three months of opening. During the 19th century, fairs were big, popular commodities/parties that celebrated the world’s greatest achievements in science, technology, and culture. In 1893, Chicago’s economy was booming with extravagant cultural life including prostitutes  roaming the city, crowded bars with alcohol flowing like a river, vulgar and naked art with risque dancers, and corrupt investors (Carter Harrison) taking advantage of this fair. Foreigners from all over enjoyed the commercially successful fair, however, racial discrimination deterred some from entering. Native Americans, at the time, were extinct, around eleven Italians were lynched, and Chinese immigrants were banned from the U.S for ten years. Even though the “White City” inspired future technological innovations including Henry Ford and Frank Lloyd Wright, in many ways, I believe the name of the city symbolized racism, prejudice, and  white supremacy.

In Mark Twain’s, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” chapter 1 mentions a lot of auditory and olfactory imagery including the buzzing of insects and the spring smell of flowers. The Yankee and the knight are one a journey to Camelot, where they meet a 10 year old girl with golden hair with a poppies headband. The author describes the little girl as sweet and innocent but startled when she sees Hank. They pass a rural town, described in much detail with farm animals, thatched cabins, and nude children playing in the alleys. Soon they reach the castle of Camelot as described in great detail with a mid-century drawbridge, banners of a dragon, 4 surrounding walls, and men at arms. The castle immediately made me think of the castle in Shrek. In chapter 2, I didn’t understand why the Yankee asked the commoners where he was? I’m very confused why he thinks he’s in an asylum? Or is Camelot an asylum? Clarence says that Hank is Great Lord Sir Kay, Arthur’s foster brother’s prisoner. This chapter confused me because I’m not really sure who was thrown into the dungeon? Was it the Yankee or Hank, or are they the same person?  The Yankee observes the prisoners being hacked and abused in a disturbing way. I felt such sympathy towards the author’s descriptions of the dirty prisoners and the sharp pain they suffered, weary, hungry, and dehydrated with groans and wounds.