Why We Must Learn about Puritans:

Nathaniel Hawthorne was of Puritan descent, and if we all haven't figured out yet, Puritans happen to follow a set of strict guidelines we find ridiculous today.Two of Nathaniel's ancestors happen to be involved in religious persecution, one of them a judge known for giving harsh punishments during the Salem Witch Trials. Boo.

His family’s name originally was Hathorne, but to avoid tying himself to his violent ancestors  he later added the “w”.

It started off when Nathaniel injured his leg and had to remain immobile for a very long period of time, during which he developed a taste for reading and thinking.

His wealthy uncles helped pay him into Bowdoin College, where he made many famous friends, like Franklin Pierce and Henry W. Longfellow. Later in life, he befriended Herman Melville, who wrote Moby-Dick.

After being dismissed as surveyor from the Custom House in Salem, he wrote The Scarlet Letter.

Salem at that time of his book was primarily occupied by the Puritans, who had tried to isolate themselves from outside ideas, but failed, obviously, because Hester Prynne was not executed literally.

Though we may now think that Puritan religion is ridiculous and harsh, Puritan ethics are very much prevalent in our society now. Many people in our society strive to have and practice good morals; to work hard and have self-discipline to achieve salvation. Laws were made to be broken, but they were also made to dispose of/correct those who strayed from the path of Puritan ethics. Or in more general terms, we are all seeking rewards for righteous, hard work. For those that do not, they can spend their happy lives in jail or in Hell.

As for Hester Prynne, she was merely humiliated and shunned for committing adultery. Nowadays, adultery is not a crime, but it isn’t going to get onto the List of Morally-Correct Things anytime soon.

I think Puritan roots can be found in many other places, but ultimately, Puritanism has taught us an uncommon common sense: stick to your morals, and work hard.

-JY

I'm American?

The definition of "American" depends on the person you're talking to. Frankly, I'm not quite sure myself (hence the uncertainty in my title). But I guess when I evaluate myself, I have to decide that I'm not American.

Boohoo. Whatever. For legal reasons, I'm not an American. We're currently in the (ridiculously) looong process of getting a Green Card (which means I can't travel abroad or anything like that, or go overseas for vacation). I can't even mention anything about my currently non-existant American citizenship.

Although I have adopted some American habits like the 5-second rule, or the fact that I now am not afraid to sit on the ground, or to plop down on the very dirty floor in Gym B. I don't think sweets and snacks were as sickeningly sweet as I used to find them (though they are still too sweet, and I still hate angel food cake).

Including my dislike for angel food cake, I also do not like eating pears/apples with their skins, and I still think potato chips are toooo salty.

But besides food likes/dislikes, there are other weird habits I've come grown used to, and ones I have not. I still have Asian parents with Asian "connections"--meaning they yell at me about the littlest faults on Edline, they decide they want me to do SAT/ACT practice problems everyday, and they go psycho over the fact that I still try to maintain a social life (even though I'm already biting off more than I can chew). I guess it's racist/stereotypical for me to say this, because these are not necessarily Asian-parent qualities. But I feel like our customs and values are so different. I may have picked up some American ideals/habits, but does it necessarily mean I'm American?

I guess those with kind of a vague, open, and welcoming definition of "American" would probably say I am, but sadly I don't quite see myself living up to that kind of image.

A Death in Result

The only time someone got in trouble because I didn't want to confess was when I decided to throw an orange at someone's head during lunch.

Although at first, thinking about it, it seems ridiculous that people with their own selfish needs end up making a small disagreement into someone's death. But I've gotten people to ignore me for weeks over something incredibly stupid (and it wasn't even my fault!), so I know better.

Another case would be a fight to death. Unless the other person dies, you don't win, and you don't stop. I find that extremely ridiculous, but then again, I don't feel satisfied winning fights unless I've crushed the other person (in some cases their dignity) so much that they apologize. Sincerely.

I think that saying that fighting to death is ridiculous now is so much easier, because when it comes down to it, we're hypocrites. We've all got on the wrong pants, but we don't care. When I'm against someone, I want total defeat, total victory. There's never a "oh, thanks for apologizing insincerely--I don't really care, so I'll just let it go" moment. When we fight, we want a clear cut decision. And when that doesn't happen, someone dies. Because after all, first and foremost, once you're dead, you lose! (And after that, we take into consideration that you're actually no longer alive.)

It's not a matter of how your opponent's kids are going to avenge their relative's defeat, but because if you don't get rid of them completely, they'll just keep coming back. Things are awkward, and most importantly, they'll stay up late every night, devising tricks and stupid comebacks (that are so stupid you can't think of a good rebut) and someday they'll spring up and defeat you when you least expect it. They'll laugh at your humiliation and step all over you.

Haha, no thanks.