Journal 1

Moll Flanders seems as though it is going to be a very interesting read and I am somewhat excited to get into the readings. She seems to be a very different character and the novel comes off as slightly comedic. I haven’t personally read a lot of novels that are comedic or have a main character put in less serious situations, or otherwise funny experiences. In the novel Oroonoko I cannot make out much as to what it will truly be about but I am interested in what is to come. From what I am able to make out on my own it seems to be from the perspective of a servant, who is writing an account to his lord, and he is talking about all of the great things that this lord has done, from reading countless great novels, receiving and giving gifts, having great knowledge and wisdom, and overall just a lot of positive traits from this Lord. It seems though that the main plot of the story comes in the last paragraph, where the servant is telling the lord that he has written the accounts of a man known as “The Royal Slave”, who the servant wants to protect at all cost it seems. 

Journal 2

Literature for a long while was used as forms of entertainment through the use of plays and also as signs of love through poetry. When novels started to come into the limelight of the world around the time of Oronooko, I don’t know the exact reason why novels were written, but one could assume that it was similar to a play as for a sense of entertainment but different in the ways that it was able to be based in reality and have many important societal issues imbedded within. This may have not been the case during the 1600 and 1700’s but more so now during the 2020’s I would think that a lot of novels have the purpose of showing morality/lessons, but more so the societal issues that can be overcome or are overlooked by society at times. Just from the first thirty pages of Oroonoko I can start to make out ideas of familial issues and the effects of having a royal lineage during war times, the effects of slavery by white Eruopeans but also Africans, and the effects of loneliness and waht it will cause people to go to in times of desperation. 

Journal 3

Oronooko took such a dark turn towards the later part of the novel, having Ceasar (Oronooko) starrt a revolt, kill his wife and them be brutally murdered. IT was sad to see how he was given false promises throughout Imoidia’s pregnancy to only be brutally tortured and killed before he could ever meet his child. It seems as though Behn was writing this in a way to grasp the empathy of the Lord she was writing to. She made the character of Oroonoko so human, and his experiences so awful but true to what probably was happening and how many slaves were treated. I think that having Oroonoko as a Prince makes it play more to the Royal, or Nobles in England because if their skin had just been darker than they could have experienced a life similar to Oroonoko and a life much worse than the one they had. I do believe however that this novel does read similarly to a play and probably would be suited best as one, I think it would have a greater effect of being seen but I can see an argument for it being more effective in word. When you read it forces you into the life of the characters, so it can be more immersive to read a novel than to watch a play. If Behn, was trying to be impactful and mention the injustices put upon enslaved people than I could understand her reasoning for putting Oronooko in the form of a novel

Journal 4

A novel has the qualities that other writings do not contain, being length, developed connection, dialogue in some cases, and the ability to contain a main and sub plot. Moll Flanders fits in the set of a novel because of the time of which it was written, the probability that this could have happened and her intrigue as a developed female lead at a time when women were oppressed. Moll as a character could be a real person due to the fact that a lot of people men, women and children were in the realms of poverty and willing to do what they could to escape these lives whether through the routes of servitude or marriage. Albeit that as a woman, Moll could be seen as a less probable character because at the time women were expected to hold themselves up to the standards of a gentlewomen, raising and teaching children, cleaning the house, making food, raising a family, and to come to her husband’s every need. As a character that seems to be dejecting the guidelines set in society and by herself, Moll becomes a less probable character person, but a very possible character that may have been based in the reality of many different people. The genre of a novel excels due to the inability to know whether or not something every truly is in fact fully real but knowing the probability of something happening is completely possible makes it more enveloping especially with a fully developed realistic character.

Journal 5

Moll has lived a wild and scandalous live so far, multiple husbands, many children and a life full of lies. Moll had done so much but also so little at the same time, her life is pretty sad to read about. A woman without a place in the world, just jumping from one person to the next that could maybe support her for a short while. Moll never finds a stable place that she can truly call a home with a good husband, children, family and friends. After every relationship ends Moll is left alone and back to square one time and time again as she tries to find the next man. I really hope that this story isn’t based in truth because for any person to have to live through all of this is truly awful. I’ve lost count of how many kids she has had and lost throughout the story so far, and even the 4 husbands are difficult to keep up with. I would hope that no one would have to ever live through this experience. I hope that Moll’s life gets better but I really doubt anything good will be coming soon.

Journal 6

Moll’s exploits and crimes were fun to read about, not many stories I have read have followed a criminal like this before. She seemed addicted and very dedicated to her craft as a thief and just a general bad person of the time. There were a couple times my mind was blown on how close she was to getting caught and how she weasled her way out of it all, to only be caught in a pretty easy situation. I was hoping she would’ve made it out of being sent to prison but it was to no avail. Moll’s death sentence and then reversal was pretty annoying, time and time again she escapes the punishment for her wrongdoings. She luckily meets James again in prison and both are sent to be deported or transported, to where I was confused but it seems as though they were going to America to start a new life together. Moll, and James getting a thousandth chance in America is a nice way to end the story of Moll Flanders with who seemed to be the person she had truly loved, not for money or security, but actually loved.

Journal 7

The background on Pamela was very useful for what we are going to read next, Anti-Shamela which seems to be a parody of Pamela. Pamela seems like a really interesting story and something that I may want to go back to at another time. I like how the story is told through letters, something I haven’t seen done or read before. I also liked how the British Library broke down the story of Pamela very simply while still giving enough detail, as well as the power dynamics and the themes of servitude, womanhood, and the controversy of the novel. I really liked the last section on Shamela because it seems to be very interesting and in a way somewhat similar to Moll Flanders. This seems like it will be a fun story to read and something else that will be different from many stories that we are getting now. I hope that Shamela is what I am expecting, but I know that won’t be the case.

Journal 8

All of the experiences that Syrena has to go through has made me very uncomfortable so far. I have noticed that I have a strong dislike towards the men of this time period, many of them preying on a young girl no older than 15 I think. It may have been normal for the time age wise, but she has time and time again been taken advantage of because of her good looks and innocence of not knowing how to defend herself from such pursuits and desires that men have towards her. Another portion that has made me uncomfortable is how easily Syrena lies to her mother, who seems to have her best interest at heart, and how easily she is prepared to manipulate the men that take advantage of her for money and gifts. When she was “with Vardine” she was willing to keep him around for the goal of getting gifts and money from him, and once he left she was annoyed that this inflow of presents had disappeared. This novel so far seems as though it is subtly calling out the actions of men, servitude and innocence of women. Men in power seem to take this hierarchy of power out on the women around them and impose their dominance for their own sexual desires, which in turn stunts the women affected and can possibly ruin their future lives. 

Journal 9

This parody of Pamela reminds me of the Scary Movie parodies, where instead of being an actual horror movie it is instead a comedy. In the case of Pamela and Shamela, it is just a dramatized account of the character of Pamela. Instead of being an innocent, naive girl Shamela uses her sexual charm to get waht she wants in life a rich husband and the affection of a man she loves?, although in both cases they are just using her. This parody of the story is interesting because it gives a little explanation as to why characters and situations were laid out the way they were and how it was inappropriate for readers, like a parental advisory warning almost. It warns of how this novel could lead to poor decisions from both young men and women in these types of situations, which is understandable. However unlike Fielding I believe that the purpose of Pamela was to show the voice of an unheard person, the people that don’t normally get stories told, the people who are normally shut up and taken advantage of. Although it could be deemed inappropriate, I believe that it was necessary to shine light onto issues that were occurring during the time and still occur now in a way.

Journal 10

I found both of these excerpts pretty interesting reads and would have to disagree with them completely. I understand the ideas of this time, a little more “old-fashioned” than we are now and I completely take that into account when writing this reading log. People wanted to read fantastical lands, and stories, they didn’t want something that they could see if they just walked out into the street. Readers wanted something that wasn’t real, something that wasn’t Earthly possible, worlds to escape into. I, as much as the Englishmen of the time, am very much impressed with these stories of wonder. I mean who wouldn’t want to hang out with genies, or fairies and make wishes that would change their lives. Stories are about getting into those distant lands, and crazy wild stories, but it is the characters in these stories that drive them beyond any plot. I disagree with these articles due to the fact that it disregards the stories of regular people, living fairly normal lives. I have personally found these stories to be some of the most interesting at times, snippets into the lives of people who aren’t otherwise heard or seen. I find joy in the untold stories, there is something about them that makes life seem real. It’s nice to escape into fake worlds, but being rooted into reality is something different. As people we can forget what other people live through each day, understandably so, but asking authors and readers to put these stories away is atrocious. I understand that it may have been seen as vile, unholy, boring, too real, or even just not good enough but I think the reason for that was because people wanted certain things to be kept untold. Once stories unwind, other real life events can follow, stories are a way to inspire change, and for some people like the men who wrote these letters?, with inspiration and change comes backlash against them, their actions, their words, the things they wanted to keep untold, the people they wanted to keep in line. I appreciate the vantage of the men of the period but without everyone’s story included we miss out on so many important views.

Journal 11

I found both of these essays pretty interesting, I only wish that I had more knowledge on the text that they are writing about. I personally don’t know Tom Jones or Clarissa as stories but if I had some more background information on them it may have made the essays more understandable. However, without that background I was still able to understand what was being said and the arguments that both authors were making. I don’t agree with what either author really argued about. Cumberland was arguing why a female heroine is not an appropriate character in the manner that Richardson wrote her, being a maid that is taken advantage of and then dies. The actions of Clarssia and what not could lead to poor decision making for young women who have read the novel. Repton argues that Tom Jones is a worse character due to the nature of him being a free thinking young man that sexually exploits women. Repton defends Clarissa stating that she is a character of high morality and virtue and superior in temptation. I think that both authors make reasonable arguments and I understand where they are coming from. I would just argue that both characters do not seem to be very moral or virtuous, so neither should be entirely praised to be read by youth. I think that the characters and their stories should be read but with the precautions that these are not real people and it should not be the way that young people act. Each other tries to get across that parents or guardians should ban the other book from being read, which is ridiculous. I think that they should be read but with the knowledge that the actions in the novels should not be replicated or praised for being morally right.

Journal 12

The Governess by Sarah Fielding, is regarded as one of the first novels for children and specifically for young girls. It is very evident that in reading the Governess that it was a book for children. It is not that the writing style is childish or that of simplicity. Fielding writes The Governess with so many lessons, and ways that a young girl should live and then supports this through all of the fairy tale stories within the novel. All of these stories are interesting and have a lesson centered around them about being a good child and being a good woman. I found it interesting how each fairy tale was given an explanation right after about what the story was trying to show and the motives and actions of each fairy tale character. To me this immediately points out how it was aimed at young girls, Fielding tried to make it as obvious as possible what she was trying to get across without just blatantly telling the readers what to do. This is an interesting craft choice, as a reader and student these sections of  the novel seemed like something I would do if I was trying to dissect and give a summary of a story or reading I had been given. It makes me wonder if something like this had been done before in earlier literature or if it was something that Fielding experimented with and worked out well for her at the end of the day. I also have to say that the description of Mrs. Teachum’s life and many of the girls are very interesting, varied, and some are quite sad. I wonder if this was used as a way to make readers of different backgrounds and ages feel represented in the novel and increase their comprehension of The Governess.

Journal 13

This section of The Governess was not too different from the beginning of the novel. It had a very similar structure in which everything was written, with a description of a girl, her backstory , and then eventually we got the last fairy tale/ fable and its description of it and the important pieces to take away. A small part that I found interesting was on page 156 when after talking about the play Mrs.Teachum basically tells the girls not to read any plays without the regard and input of the person in charge of their education. This is similar to what we read with the critical essays in Cumberland and Repton where each basically said that a parent or guardian should be in charge of what young children are reading. Is Fielding supporting what each of these men say? Is Fielding trying to make young readers think more about their actions especially when it comes to reading? She also does something like this when she tries to tell the girls how they should be reading and interpreting the play, and how this should carry over into readings that they do in the future and for the rest of their lives. I know that Fielding is trying to make young girls understand important values and traits to possess, but is she also trying to affect the way that they read. It was just something that I thought about especially after the little section about the play. I also like how the course of the novel is only 9 days. I wonder if Fielding made it a short amount of time to show how quickly behaviors can be changed. If she had made it a longer period of time it may have been unlikely for girls to listen to the advice that the novel was providing because it was a long term goal, more so than a short term outcome. The Governess was definitely an interesting read especially for it being the first novel for children.

Journal 14

Evelina by Frances Burney has a letter format, which I haven’t really enjoyed reading through the novels we have had so far. I understand the popularity of them at the time, and it may be due to my own inexperience with the format that I find it uncomfortable. The novel however has been an interesting read so far, it reminds me of a mix of Pamela and The Governess’s Academy. This is another novel of a young woman of lower standing that is being courted by men of higher social rank, she is also in the care of another person that is not her parent or guardian. I wonder if this was a popular topic during the time, or if it is because of the selection that they are all similar topics. This narration has been a better read for me than some of the other letter formatted novels we have read. I think the extended narration of Evelina makes it similar to the modern novels that we have, and when it is broken up with another person’s letter it is to include vital information that the reader couldn’t get from Evelina or a recap on what came before the new letter. The first volume ends on a big cliffhanger and I want to read on, especially after the letter to Sir Belmont. I am also intrigued to see what happens to Sir Clement, I don’t like him, and Lord Oriville, I like him the most. I notice how the summary says that Evelina is a satirical novel about 18th century London, and I can see how this is portrayed in the novel, but I also have trouble picking up on some parts that are meant to be more satirical or comedic. If I had not known this before reading I don’t think that I would have picked up on this aspect of the novel.

Journal 15

This section of Evilina is much more subdued, maybe because I have gotten to know the characters a little bit better. It starts off pretty funny with the whole robbery scene with Duval, Mirivan, Evelina and Willougby. I am picking up on some of the comedic aspects of the book a lot easier now and it starts to shine through now that I know what I am looking for in the novel. I still have a strong dislike for Sir Clement Willoughby, he just irks me the wrong type of way. I think Burney included his character in the novel because there are people who act in this manner and will try to prey on the young and innocent, which is quite disgusting. She may have used Willoughby as a warning for readers to watch out for in a man that is pursuing young women. I wonder if Burney had a similar situation as Evelina and that is why she is writing Sir Clement in this manner. One thing I wished I saw more of was Lord Oriville, I really like his character and his role in the novel. I understand why he wasn’t super prevalent but I want to see more of him and hope that he isn’t gone from the story quite yet.

Journal 16

In this section of Evelina I am happy to see that we have gotten more of Lord Orville, he deserves the screen time in my opinion. I like how he is the character that the reader is supposed to like and look up to in a way. It’s funny how every encounter between Evelina and Lord Orville is always so awkward and seems to be at the worst of times, like with the prostitutes. I was skeeved off by Duval and Branghton and their persistence to marry the young Branghton. That whole scene and the note from Du Bois was all just very weird and I just keep getting put off by how all these older men want to be with Evelina, a 17 year old girl. I guess it was normal for the time but to the modern reader it seems pretty gross as most of these men that are infatuated with her are much older, at least like 5-6 years older. Evelina in Bristol with Mrs.Selwyn doesn’t have a huge amount of development but introduces us to new characters and into the personal life of Lord Orville, his sister and her fiance. I’m interested to see where this goes from here, I assume they will stay in Bristol for a little while, but I hope to see Evelina reunited with Villars.

Journal 17

This section of the novel delves deeper into the closest relations that Evalina has with the people around her. Evalina has a bit of a rift with Lord Orville because Villars wants her to watch out for him and takes his words about the man to heart. Mrs. Sewlyn makes Evalina stay, which eventually causes her and Orville to become engaged. This part really interested me, I felt like it was coming but the idea that it did is still surprising. Orville is a high ranking individual, and yet knows nothing of Evalina’s birth or really her social standing. Considering how important social status was at the time, and that a marriage was basically securing an useful asset in a wife, like how Lord Melton is marrying Lady Lusia both of them are increasing their standing. Orville’s character, with others, always leaned towards the improbable, but his choice to marry Evalina, although very admirable for following his affection and feeling, is unlikely. A young man in his social status would be foolish to marry a woman of unknown birth, low social status and shaky beginnings.

Journal 18

In the last section of letters that Evalina writes to Villars, the reader gets a lot thrown at them. It is nice to see that everything is wrapped up neatly and that there was a happy ending for Evalina afterall. Evalina got everything she wanted, her birthright restored, and a marriage to Lord Orville. The situation with her birthright I found pretty funny, with the nurse switching the babies at birth to confuse Sir Belmont. Mark Twain wrote Pudd’nhead Wilson 120 years later off of the same idea of two identical looking babies being switched at birth to give the baby of lower social status a better life. I wonder if he took inspiration from Evalina at all, like this one section of the novel. That was the only thing that I could think of while reading this section when Sewlyn and Belmont were questioning the nurse about what happened. It was also nice to see how quickly Villars opinion on Lord Orville had switched and that he was happy for Evalina for finding such a great man to marry. One thing I thought was a little weird was that Macartney was going to marry his fake sister, I thought it was a bit weird. I guess he never knew her as a sister but the idea of it skeeves me out. Overall I like that throughout the novel that we get Evalina developing her voice, personality, and opinions all through her own experiences. She is able to grow throughout the novel and does so mostly through her own intentions.

Journal 19

The Preliminary Dissertation of The Letters of a Hindu Rajah was helpful in learning the history of the Hindu Religion. I have had some basic knowledge on the Hindu religion beforehand but this just expanded on my knowledge a lot more. I liked when the author compared the Hindu gods to Roman and Greek gods. That worked for me because I already know the more “mainstream” gods and I assume most other people do as well. A part that I found interesting was the perception of death and the afterlife. It’s interesting that it’s believed there is an infinite cycle of life and death, that the soul is constantly reborn. I also found some of the historical accounts interesting, like how the Muslims were prosecuting the Hindus at some point in time until the British came along. I found it a little funny how the author praises the British for coming to the Hindus’ aid and “giving” them access to things they didn’t have before. I know it’s a British author writing to a mostly British audience but it is still comical, especially since it was a couple decades before the Indian revolution against Britain.

Journal 20

There is something about the epistolary form of letters that I just don’t care for that much and don’t understand its popularity. I could see at the time as to why it may have been popular, I think, but why has it completely disappeared from mainstream literature. A part of the letters taht I was interested in was in the first letter and the overall comparison between the religions of Hinduism,Christianity and Islam. I have basic knowledge on Islam, I would say advanced knowledge on Christianity, but no knowledge on Hinduism. Seeing the way that the other compared the three and specifically used women in the afterlife was pretty interesting to me. There was a large focus on women, and their role in the society and religion throughout all of the letters. Whether it was the narrator’s sister marrying the letter recipient or woman in general there was a focus on them through most of the letters. Another part that I found interesting was the focus on Great Britain and how much they were helping the Hindus and India. I assume this was written for a British audience at the time so I can see why it would be written this way, but was Britain truly doing these things?

Journal 21

In this section of Translations of a Hindu Rajah there was a lot more focused on the narrator’s experiences in London and the people there. An aspect that I found interesting was how Hamilton wrote the English characters in a very hospitable way, all willing to help others. In a way it felt insincere and could have been satirical. For example when they were on the ship and the narrator hid the boy in the chest and then the boy tried to give the narrator Indian garments that he bought with the little money he had. I could see where this could come from because the narrator essentially saved the boy’s life, but it seems too unlikely that he would give up what he has that easily. Another instance of this was near the end of letter 13 when the Doctor gave 50 pounds to the Lady. At first I thought this was a fake scam situation of some sort, at least if it happened to me I wouldn’t have believed the woman. I don’t know whether these parts of the story are exaggerated or if I am just reading too much into it because many of the stories we have read have had the underlying satire in them. I did like this section and the way that it talked about gender roles kinda. When it spoke about Miss Aderton and how she was acting “unladylike”, and acting too masculine for a woman. I thought it was another instance of satirical aspects, because so far it has seemed as though this novel has been a critique on the gender divide in England, especially with education and roles within society.