Author Archives: chard3ah

isaac frasier

Nature- Frasier is always referring to his true nature as one of wickedness: he seems to see himself as a naturally evil person, held back from time to time from committing evil deeds. First his mother instills in him a … Continue reading

Posted in conscience, engl375mm, nature, stealing | Comments Off on isaac frasier

owen syllavan

Guilt- Owen in no way denies that he is guilty of counterfeiting money, but seems to make a different conception of guilt than Esther or Patience.  Although he seems himself as guilty in the sense that he did it, he … Continue reading

Posted in bravery, guilt, mercy | Comments Off on owen syllavan

william fly

  Bravery- The captain, William fly, in an attempt to go out heroically, refuses to appear in public on the Lord’s day, or to forgive his executioner or make any sort of repentance: “he seem’d all along ambitious to have … Continue reading

Posted in bravery, repentance, spirit | Comments Off on william fly

patience boston

Wickedness- Patience, when recalling her early life, seems to have a concept of herself an innately wicked: despite the good efforts of her parents, she would “play on the Sabbath, tell lies, and do other Wickedness” (120).  Although her mistress … Continue reading

Posted in believing, murder, wickedness | Comments Off on patience boston

esther rodgers

Believing- Esther Rogers is told before her execution that if she believes in Jesus, she will be saved, which interestingly removes her from the whole dilemma of crime and punishment and places her problem in the larger realm of religion. … Continue reading

Posted in believing, deserve, mercy | Comments Off on esther rodgers

Pillars of Salt

Humiliation- Humiliation, or loss of pride, took on two purposes. It was not only the stripping of dignity from the accused as part of the punishment, but for the onlookers, it was merely a form of entertainment. “New Englanders were … Continue reading

Posted in god, humiliation, wrath | Comments Off on Pillars of Salt

foucault “the spectacle of the scaffold”

Truth- The justice system being described by Foucault has an interesting concept of truth and falsehood, guilt and innocence. It “did not obey a dualistic system: true or false, but a principle of continuous gradation” (42). In this way, minor … Continue reading

Posted in secrecy, spectacle, truth | Comments Off on foucault “the spectacle of the scaffold”

body of the condemned

Spectacle- Foucault argues that as the “gloomy festival of punishment was dying out,” one of the first things to go was “the spectacle of punishment”.  He uses the word spectacle to describe the public torture and execution of prisoners used … Continue reading

Posted in blame, judge, spectacle | Comments Off on body of the condemned

reconnected reading

Politics– Shakur first mentions politics by saying that he is no longer in a place where politics is not important. He tells his cellmate that he doesn’t understand that the the prison system has its own set of politics, involving … Continue reading

Posted in degrade, politics, war | Comments Off on reconnected reading