Grant Wiggins, the protagonist African-American main character in A Lesson Before Dying, has a tone that develops dramatically beginning with his initial malleable attitude, developing into serious intrigue in formerly-charged-to-death inmate, Jefferson. Scout Finch, protagonist Caucasian main character in To Kill a Mockingbird, seems to have generally a consistent spunky and energetic tone throughout the novel, with a coming of age spin. Both characters face their personality and race in effect with their tone.…
Augustine’s various writings have been critical to the Middle Ages and the understanding of Christianity. This understanding provides a strong religion which was able to survive the splitting of the Roman and to continue to manifest itself…
Augustine fell into the trap of worshipping people because of their works, instead of worshipping God, whom all the works truly come from. In book 4 of The Confessions, Augustine explains that he had written his own book on beauty, which he dedicated to a Roman orator, Hierius. Augustine further states that Hierius, “was the sort of man [Augustine] loved in the sense of wanting to be like him” (Augustine, 70). Augustine worshipped Hierius, and many other famous rhetoricians like him. Unfamiliar with God, Augustine was in constant search of approval from other humans whom he admired. He details that if he did not find approval, “a heart vain and empty of [God’s] solid strength would be wounded” (Augustine, 71). Augustine failed to prioritize God over these other worldly “celebrities”, for…
Saint Augustine’s Confessions autobiographically chronicles his spiritual journey into developing his beliefs and accepting Christianity. He only recounts the events from his childhood and adolescence that lead to his conversion. Instead of anecdotally laying out his life story, Augustine chooses to write about his personal struggles to become a devout Christian. Throughout the story, he entangles himself into different philosophical schools of teaching to better understand his take…
Augustine’s theodicy is mostly influenced by the creation stories found in the Genesis. Augustine had a traditional view of God and thought God was omnipotent and good. The genesis mentions that everything God made was good, therefore the universe that God created is good. Augustine believed there were higher and lower goods but everything was good in its own way.…
In this parable, one of the two sons left with half of his inheritance. After using it up and having nowhere to go, he saw the error of his ways and repented for his mistakes. The reaction of his father upset the other brother and complained why his brother receives such treatment after being such a disgrace. The reaction of the father and the two sons is an example of the Sacrament of Confession and pride. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the penitent must feel sorrow in order to go to confession. A priest who hears the confessions is like the father who ran to his son when he returned; they both forgive their children in a way from their faults after witnessing their struggle.…
Augustine Confessions Oh Muses, lofty Genius, who inscribed the things I saw, assist me now, I pray! Here will be seen your true nobility! Dante Inferno Canto II At the dawn of day, when you dislike being called, have this thought ready: “I am called to man’s labour; why then do I make a difficulty if I am going out to do what I was born to do and what I was brought into this world for? Is it for this that I am fashioned, to lie in bedclothes and keep myself warm?” Roman Imperalism II Marcus Aurelius Meditations Then the god said, “Since you cannot be my bride, surely you will at least be my tree. My hair, my lyre, my quivers will always display the laurel. You will accompany the generals of Rome, when the Capitol beholds their long triumphal processions, when joyful voices raise the song of victory. You will stand by Augustus’ gateposts too, faithfully guarding his doors, and keeping watch from either side over the wreath of oak leaves that will hang there.” Roman Imperalism I Metamorphoses Ovid Heaven and earth will crash in ruin, the stars themselves will fall to hell, and all harmonious Nature be divided against itself, sooner than Truth, who is our Judge, can be…
It is difficult to determine exactly which side Augustine would find most favor with it; I write it in such a manner as I believe Augustine would have, in many ways, disagreed with the philosophies of both. In his book City of God, he states, “Accordingly, two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The former, in a word, glories in itself, the latter in the Lord. For the one seeks glory from men; but the greatest glory of the other is God, the witness of conscience. The one lifts up its head in its own glory; the other…
Augustines first book is devoted to his early childhood and his reflections on human origin, memory, and desire. His ideas of God were very much influenced by the religious teachings of his day.…
The Confessions, written by St. Augustine, have a large part of theology in today’s world because of the great deal of contemplation and conversion that Augustine experiences throughout his lifetime. While these are both true, there are major flaws in Augustine’s understanding of God due to a multitude of reasons. Augustine even makes this claim in his own writings, stating that he continues to have a restless heart even after the book was written. Because he believes that God is greatly superior in which humans cannot begin to understand Him because of our great inferiority, Augustine fails to develop his own personal relationship with God because he sees too much of a distance between himself and God, explaining why he continues to have…
Augustine reflects on Christianity in the secular world in his writing The City of God, where the focal point of the writing is to differentiate the two separate kingdoms men are living in. A kingdom lived by according to man and a kingdom lived by according to God. Augustine states that when a man lives according to himself, or society in this case, he is living according to a lie. Augustine openly states this about the kingdom of man, “But as this is not a good which can discharge its devotees of all distresses, this city is often divided against itself by litigations, wars, quarrels, and such victories are either life-destroying or short-lived.” He pushes for the reader to simply notice and examine the division created by personal victories, which leads him to write “…all men desire to have peace with their own circle whom they wish to govern as suits themselves.…
individualism is “a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control”. what this means is that the individual has control over what goes on in the society rather than a government or any one force controlling what the individual does, individualism could be shown in many different forms. examples of different forms individualism could be shown is through the way you dress, your moral beliefs, or even your actions.Individualism is shown through romantic, revolutionary, and colonial text in Sinners in the hands of an angry god, speech to Virginia conviction, and self reliance…
Meditations is one of Marcus Aurelius’ few pieces of work. The book preserves information pertaining to the author, genre, intended audience and provenance of the text. The author, Marcus Aurelius, was born in born 121 CE into distinguished Roman family. His father died when he was young; consequently, he was adopted by his grandfather who was a relative of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Hadrian adored Marcus, and when he chose his heir, Antoninus Pius, he requested that Antoninus adopt Marcus and Lucius Verus as sons. During his childhood Marcus was educated by famous teachers, and he showed skill in philosophy. He gained power as Antoninus' successor and became emperor in 161 CE. He ruled with his brother, Lucis Versus, until Lucis died in 169. At that time he became the sole ruler of Rome until 175 CE when Avidius Cassius took control, and Marcus died in the spring of 180 CE. Near the time of his death, Marcus wrote Meditations. The composition took place during a campaign in central Europe between 171 and 175 CE. Meditations was never intended for publication because it was a private notebook. Marcus Aurelius had no other intended audience other than himself; therefore, there is no clear structure and no recognized genre of ancient writing. The notebook was originally written in Greek, and the purpose of writing it was to advise himself how best to live, and…
Augustine viewed human nature in only one way: good and evil. Augustine lived in an era when the pillar of strength and stability, the Roman Empire, was being shattered, and his own life, too was filled with turmoil and loss. To believe in God, he had to find an answer to why, if God is all-powerful and purely good, he still allowed suffering to exist. Augustine believed that evil existed because all men on earth was granted, at birth, the power of free will. He states that God enables humans to freely choose their actions and deeds, and through our own action and choices evil is established. Even natural evils, such as disease, are indirectly related to…
Summary of City of God (politics): The idea of the two cities is as follows. The "city of God" consists of those who will enjoy eternal happiness with God in heaven, the "earthly city" of those who will not. The city of God is not identical with the Church, since not all members of the Church will be saved. During this age, before the Day of Judgment, the members of the two cities are mixed in together, no one knows with certainty who are the elect. Although, Augustine sometimes seems to identify Rome as the earthly city, at least in later sections of the book the earthly city is not identified with any particular state. Members of both the city of God and the earthly city will be among the citizens of any particular state. The members of the two cities have different ultimate values but have many intermediate ends in common -- for example, they both desire worldly peace. So far as any particular state serves such common ends it will have the cooperation of members of the city of God. Like Plato and Aristotle, Augustine was no admirer of militarism or empire. Peace is one of his favorite themes. Love of glory or honor is not a virtue but a vice, according to Augustine; yet politically it has similar effects to virtue: love of honor inhibits other vices. In this respect it is an image or imitation or likeness of real virtue. Augustine's philosophy was much influenced by neo-Platonism. Plato distinguished especially between two levels of reality: the Forms, and the things of our experience, which imitate or resemble the Forms in an inferior way. The neo-Platonists extended this to many levels: Reality has many levels, each of which is a reflection or imitation of the level above it. This makes Augustine perhaps surprisingly tolerant of lower…