Individuality: Lost.

Sir Thomas More's Utopia (Book 2 specifically) focuses a large deal on the idealistic society, a part of an individual's imagination where everything is perfect. In the particular society More describes, the citizens of Utopia are all treated equally and find true happiness in their lives on the island. Although More may be right with this statement, after reading, I found it hard to believe that a life where everything and everyone is the same can bring true happiness to each individual.

This got me thinking about individuality and the role it plays in our lives today, as well as More's Utopia. Today, people strive to be unique and individual. Currently looking for a job after graduation, I want to make sure that I stand out to a recruiter. Most of the time this happens because I hold a specific quality that the other applicants do not. This individualism would not exist in the utopia described in our reading for this week. More states that every person receives the same rights, freedoms, jobs, education, etc. - there is no differentiation among the people. It seems that the narrator's version of pure happiness is when everyone is the same; however, I see this as more of an opinion, then a true fact.

During college, everyone always says it is a chance to find yourself. Many freshmen come into college without knowing what they want to do with their lives, may not know how to handle difficult situations, and have never had to pave a way for themselves without their parents input. Within the four years at school, each student is given a chance to grow and figure out what works for them as an individual. Rewind to the time of this utopia and it would be hard for a young person to find their own way when there truly aren't any options for them to follow. Each citizen continues down the same path as the last one did to make everything in their lives equal. Having young men and women get married at a certain age limits their time to explore their individuality and become an "us" before it can become just "me."

My final thoughts after reading More's work was: can there really be a utopia? Personally, I don't think so. Because we are fortunate enough to live in a society where individualism is important, and never lost, each person has their own perception of what a utopia would be like. Some people would be willing to sacrifice their rights and personal feelings for the good of the cause, while others would believe in themselves before the masses.

Advertising At Its Finest

Advertising is something that we are exposed to every day of our lives. Television is set up around commericals, the internet constantly has ads popping up on the side of every website you click on, billboards are located on highways or posted on various means of transportation, and every other page of a magazine is a stunning picture of a new product. These attempts at catching our attention almost go unnoticed during our everyday activities because we are so used to them. During the 1500s, advertising was done through writing and speaking. In order to convince a large group of people on an idea or a new invention, respected people in society had to either give a speech or record their ideas on paper for circulation. These prose by Sir Walter Ralegh, Drayton, and Donne all advertise the same general idea: new land and new opportunity. Each author chooses to express their persuasive argument by appealing to different aspects of this new land filled with opportunities. Sir Walter Ralegh's excerpt draws the reader in by providing vivid imagery of nature. The openning paragraph describes hills, plains, mountains, and rivers using heavy diction that is sure to stay in the audience's mind. As the first paragraph continues, Ralegh describes the land as if it were a utopia, almost with a heavenly image. It seems as though nothing negative can come out of this land and the opportunities that it presents. The second paragraph, after the first break, starts with "I will promise these things that follow, which I know to be true." This statement is self-assured and confident, encouraging the reader to believe in the narrator's thoughts and observations. With such a sentence, it seems as though a world of opportunity awaits the people who take the voyage to this new land. Ralegh goes on to describe the geographical setting of Guiana, describing it as isolated and safe. Again, these conditions make it seem as though the land is nothing short of perfection. He ends the excerpt with a religious impact. If he did not convince the audience just yet, he adds this last paragraph in to seal the deal. During this time, religion played a huge factor in society. By including words such as, "God, King, and Lord," the audience is left with a sense that this new land is meant to exist because of God's will. Michael Drayton describes a specific voyage and formats his prose differently than Ralegh. He uses short and concise phrases, formatting the text to look like more of a poem. Drayton uses simple words that have enormous meaning. For example, he starts off the prose with the phrase, "You brave heroic minds." Using the words, "brave and heroic" right away give the reader a sense of optimism and confidence. The reader no longer sees him or herself as the average commoner, but a "brave and heroic" person. Putting the reader in this light makes them more likely to continue reading on and truly believe in the words Drayton has written on the page. In lines 23 and 24, Drayton goes as far as to call Virginia "Earth's only paradise" and alludes to the Golden Age in line 37. All of these phrases are extremely appealing to an audience that may see themselves as less fortunate. Building up the new world and playing on the reader's emotions and senses will lure them into making a change for themselves since they believe it will benefit them greatly in the long run. Donne's "Elegy 19. To His Mistress Going to Bed" was the most entertaining prose for me to read. When reading this the first time it was assigned, I did not make as many connections to the new world as I did this week. Reading Ralegh and Drayton first, made the connections of expansion and discovery much more apparent in Donne's work. I think Donne was extremely clever since he played on the sexual desires of the readers, rather than on the natural beauty or religious relevance of the new land. Every man and woman have sexual desires and in the scene of the poem, Donne makes sure to use comparisons that put an image in the readers mind. If moving to a new land will exude the same passion and excitement that a sexual encounter will, the audience is much more likely to take the risk and move to a place unknown to them. Line 27 is the most powerful and truly speaks to the purpose of Donne's work. It reads, "O my America! my new-found-land." The narrator is comparing his lover to the new world. Just as the narrator is exploring the features of the woman's body, new settlers are exploring the untamed lands in America.