English 3 – 11th Grade Term Paper, Ron Paul Curriculum

The Western Mindset, as proven throughout history, has been that of an achieving and perseverant spirit that seeks to answer questions and find solutions. The Ancient Greeks were renowned as great philosophers, responsible for important advancements in mathematics, cosmology, architecture, chemistry, atomic theory, philosophy, etc. The values & ideologies of our time, the clothes we wear, the electricity that powers the device you’re reading this on, all have originated in the West. Through trial and error, it has overcome and evolved into what it is today, it’s not perfect, but it is certainly better. The scientific method, a uniquely Western enterprise, which involves observing measurable or empirical data, forming a hypothesis and finally testing it while making every attempt to eliminate preconceived notions and emotional bias. The methodology is used, and we strive to form conclusions based on unbiased analysis, devoid of our hopes and fears.

Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, most rational people in the West adhere to this way of thinking and, apply it to most aspects of their lives. It is a mindset in which we disregard the emotional (and sometimes physical) feelings, be they negative or positive, and focus only on the end goal. We can thank the historical experiences of the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment for this.

Europe during the 15th century saw the spark that would forever change all aspects of people’s lives across the civilized world. The printing press had been invented, and its use was so widespread that it was impossible for any centralized entity to control the fluctuation of ideas they did not see fit, and so the monopoly of state and church over people’s lives was broken. This led to great technological, theological, literary, scientific, and philosophical advancements along with the writing of esteemed works of literature. If the printing press had never been invented or used in the manner that it was, we would have never known the existence of these works, or if they would have even been written in the first place. This all thanks to individuals throughout history who had gone against all odds, holding true to their ideals and facing the status quo head-on. The origin story of Western Civilization was founded through struggle and optimism (“hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.”) that everything would be better in the future. The mindset is prevalent even today, where individuals who risk everything they have for a chance to succeed in the free market or in service to their of countries, knowing they could lose everything they have along the way.

Anyone who’s ever read Candide, Romeo & Juliet, Robinson Crusoe, Harry Potter (more modern examples), or The Lord of the Rings knows that the protagonists endure terrible trials that would put them to the test. They would go through all this and more, some wouldn’t even make it out alive, yet they knew that the quest they had embarked on had to be completed. The Bible, one of the most well-known pieces of literature contains plenty of stories of individuals who went against all odds, knowing they would face certain doom in the physical world, comforted only by faith in God. The whole idea of Christian theism is that we should strive for what’s good, even if it means we must make sacrifices along the way, but that at the end it will all be worth it. This is deeply ingrained in Western culture, whether we like it or not, and has been for centuries, along with our more ancient pagan roots. An example would be Hellenistic literature, which was, very often, full of sad and tragic outcomes. It was a different worldview, but even then heroic deeds were praised above any other, as they would be sacrificing themselves for a greater purpose. They were certain something good would come out of it, or would at least be preserved.

Nowadays, we rarely see movies or read books in which the leading protagonist fails in his mission, and evil comes out triumphant over good. This is because there’s a pattern for storytelling which is very popular among authors, and moviemakers in the West called “The Hero’s Journey”. Events that transpire during this Journey include The call to Adventure, Assistance, Departure, Trials, Approach, Crisis, Treasure, Result, Return, New life, and Resolution.

Just by reading these stages of “The Hero’s Journey”, we can get an idea and make sense of how it fits in books that may have been even written hundreds of years ago! This means that the Hero’s Journey is centered around the idea of optimism and that for the character something he wants, he needs to do or must do will produce the end goal he is seeking. Almost every movie out there nowadays is structured through the Hero’s Journey, as well as most fictitious and even non-fictitious pieces of literature.

Robinson Crusoe departs from his middle-class, comfortable and promising lifestyle to one of storms, shipwrecks, battle, and danger, finding treasures along the way, facing trials and eventually ending up in an island with a new mindset and a new home. Candide is kicked out of the Castle he resided in for kissing a Lord’s daughter and is then picked up by the Bulgarian, by whom he is flogged for deserting and is forced to fight for a King he doesn’t know of. Ironically, the same Bulgarians he fought for sacked the Castle he once resided in, but figures out that the love of his life is still alive, but as a slave somewhere in a foreign land. He then undergoes multiple adventures in different lands, and finds “El Dorado”, one of the most sought-after wonders in the world, but also meets great companions along the way. In the end, he reunites with his love and buys a farm, in which he and his companions cultivate one’s garden, which Candide believes to be the purpose of life. Frodo in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ departs from the shire because the ringwraiths seek the Ring, and Gandalf told Frodo that if he does not go, all is surely lost. Along the way, he finds companions such as Aragorn, Merry, and Pippin which then accompany him to Rivendell. Along the way, he faces great trials and is even stabbed by one of the Ringwraiths (in “The Fellowship of the Ring”). This among many trials is what he and the rest of the Fellowship endure, and yet they kept faith even when their numbers were few, their cities were sacked and the last men of the West were standing in front of the Black Gate of Mordor. Optimism is what drove these people to fulfill their destiny, and is what drives us every day to accomplish deeds, whether they are grand or small, yet great by their own right.

All these stories possess protagonists which are on a journey to accomplish something. They all went through the Hero’s Journey and were not always optimistic about the future. Sometimes, we need to view things the way they are, and just think about how we can turn the tide towards a better future. Good judgment creates optimism, and each one of these Heroe’s took the decision that would turn out to give them a glimmer of hope. Great historical figures made due with what they had, and in turn, won or lost greatly depending on the end result. In my opinion, we have stoic attitudes mixed in with a certain degree of compassion here in the West, which enables us to be hard yet human at the same time while proceeding with any endeavor.

Literature is the reflection of human experience, therefore it is the reflection of culture. The environment the author was raised in or finds himself indirectly affects the way he writes about things, and what he writes about. Nowadays, almost anyone in the world has access in some degree to endless amounts of information provided to us freely through the internet. Globalization has allowed us to break free from the informational limits that our parents and grandparents endured, which has, in turn, led to a vast array of authors from everywhere in the world writing about various subject matters.

It is very similar to what happened during the late 15th century and onwards, as information became more accessible, everyone started becoming more informed on matters they previously had no knowledge of. Authors could write against establishment powers, debunking their version of what is true or what is not. No better example of this than Martin Luther’s ’95 Theses’, in which he debunks the sale of indulgences by the clergy and various other faulty interpretations that seemed more keen on maintaining a docile laity than a spiritually enlightened one. His ideas spread like wildfire thanks to the printing press, and years later whole Kingdoms would renounce the Catholic Church, and to this day several Christian denominations derive from Luther’s ideas. This led to the Catholic Church reforming itself from this theocratic establishment to a more open and accepting one. The same was true for monarchies everywhere, as the ideas of the Renaissance were popular among rulers which in turn led to reforms in the way their governments operated.

The conception of Optimism in literature nowadays is that it’s a childish thing worthy only of the lower culture of modern, Western literature. These include fantasy and fiction and exclude the high literature works which are ambiguous in most regards. Yet we are so quick to dismiss the fact that even if the Author does not intend it, there will always be some degree of optimism in the story of a character’s life. Optimism in Literature does not exclude the possibility of failure. If it weren’t for the fact that there’s always an underlying chance of failure, despair, and destruction then optimism would mean nothing, as it is something we cling on to during dire circumstances.

Furthermore, I believe that the optimism has been, and will continue to be the focal point for culture throughout the West and even the whole World.
Nowadays, there is a big emphasis on positivity in every aspect of life, and it is transmitted to us through mediums such as art, literature, music, and others all inside
the sphere of social media. Be it called faith, hope, optimism, love, positivity… it has had great impact on our historical development in the West, and I believe that it will continue to do so as long as we embrace the hustle of going after what we want, embracing the truth, chasing our dreams and doing what is right.

No better way are my thoughts expressed than through these quotes from Lord of the Rings, which summarize what I believe is the optimistic, western mindset.

FRODO: I can’t do this, Sam.

SAM: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights, we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?
But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something.

FRODO: What are we holding on to, Sam?
SAM: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

Lesson 90-100 – Rough Draft “How important has the theme of optimism been in the development of Western literature since 1493?”

The Western Mindset, as proven throughout history, has been that of an achieving and perseverant spirit that seeks to answer questions and find solutions. The Ancient Greeks were renowned as great philosophers, responsible for important advancements in mathematics, cosmology, architecture, chemistry, atomic theory, philosophy, etc. The values & ideologies of our time, the clothes we wear, the electricity that powers the device you’re reading this on, all have originated in the West. Through trial and error, it has overcome and evolved into what it is today, it’s not perfect, but it is certainly better. The scientific method, a uniquely Western enterprise, which involves observing measurable or empirical data, forming a hypothesis and finally testing it while making every attempt to eliminate preconceived notions and emotional bias. The methodology is used, and we strive to form conclusions based on unbiased analysis, devoid of our hopes and fears.

Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, most rational people in the West adhere to this way of thinking and apply it to most aspects of their lives. It is a mindset in which we disregard the emotional (and sometimes physical) feelings, be they negative or positive, and focus only on the end goal. We can thank the historical experiences of the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment for this.

Europe during the 15th century saw the spark that would forever change all aspects of people’s lives across the civilized world. The printing press had been invented, and its use was so widespread that it was impossible for any centralized entity to control the fluctuation of ideas they did not see fit, and so the monopoly of state and church over people’s lives was broken. This led to great technological, theological, literary, scientific, and philosophical advancements along with the writing of esteemed works of literature. If the printing press had never been invented or used in the manner that it was, we would have never known the existence of these works, or if they would have even been written in the first place.  This all thanks to individuals throughout history who had gone against all odds, holding true to their ideals and facing the status quo head-on. The origin story of Western Civilization was founded through struggle and optimism (“hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.”) that everything would be better in the future. The mindset is prevalent even today, where individuals who risk everything they have for a chance to succeed in the free market or in service to their of countries, knowing they could lose everything they have along the way.

Anyone who’s ever read Candide, Romeo & Juliet,  Robinson Crusoe, Harry Potter (more modern examples), or The Lord of the Rings knows that the protagonists endure terrible trials that would put them to the test. They would go through all this and more, some wouldn’t even make it out alive, yet they knew that the quest they had embarked on had to be completed. The Bible, one of the most well-known pieces of literature contains plenty of stories of individuals who went against all odds, knowing they would face certain doom in the physical world, comforted only by faith in God. The whole idea of Christian theism is that we should strive for what’s good, even if it means we must make sacrifices along the way, but that at the end it will all be worth it. This is deeply ingrained in Western culture, whether we like it or not, and has been for centuries, along with our more ancient pagan roots. An example would be Hellenistic literature, which was, very often, full of sad and tragic outcomes. It was a different worldview, but even then heroic deeds were praised above any other, as they would be sacrificing themselves for a greater purpose. They were certain something good would come out of it, or would at least be preserved.

Nowadays, we rarely see movies or read books in which the leading protagonist fails in his mission, and evil comes out triumphant over good. This is because there’s a pattern for storytelling which is very popular among authors, and moviemakers in the West called “The Hero’s Journey”. Events that transpire during this Journey include The call to Adventure, Assistance, Departure, Trials, Approach, Crisis, Treasure, Result, Return, New life, and Resolution.

Just by reading these stages of “The Hero’s Journey”, we can get an idea and make sense of how it fits in books that may have been even written hundreds of years ago!

Robinson Crusoe departs from his middle-class, comfortable and promising lifestyle to one of storms, shipwrecks, battle, and danger, finding treasures along the way, facing trials and eventually ending up in an island with a new mindset and a new home. Candide is kicked out of the Castle he resided in for kissing a Lord’s daughter and is then picked up by the Bulgarian, by whom he is flogged for deserting and is forced to fight for a King he doesn’t know of. Ironically, the same Bulgarians he fought for sacked the Castle he once resided in, but figures out that the love of his life is still alive, but as a slave somewhere in a foreign land. He then undergoes multiple adventures in different lands, and finds “El Dorado”, one of the most sought-after wonders in the world, but also meets great companions along the way. In the end, he reunites with his love and buys a farm, in which he and his companions cultivate one’s garden, which Candide believes to be the purpose of life. Frodo in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ departs from the shire because the ringwraiths seek the Ring, and Gandalf told Frodo that if he does not go, all is surely lost. Along the way, he finds companions such as Aragorn, Merry, and Pippin which then accompany him to Rivendell. Along the way, he faces great trials and is even stabbed by one of the Ringwraiths (in “The Fellowship of the Ring”). This among many trials is what he and the rest of the Fellowship endure, and yet they kept faith even when their numbers were few, their cities were sacked and the last men of the West were standing in front of the Black Gate of Mordor. Optimism is what drove these people to fulfill their destiny, and is what drives us every day to accomplish deeds, whether they are grand or small, but ever so great.

Literature is the reflection of human experience, therefore it is the reflection of culture. The environment the author was raised in or finds himself indirectly affects the way he writes about things, and what he writes about. Nowadays, almost anyone in the world has access in some degree to endless amounts of information provided to us freely through the internet. Globalization has allowed us to break free from the informational limits that our parents and grandparents endured, which has, in turn, led to a vast array of authors from everywhere in the world writing about various subject matters.

It is very similar to what happened during the late 15th century and onwards, as information became more accessible, everyone started becoming more informed on matters they previously had no knowledge of. Authors could write against establishment powers, debunking their version of what is true or what is not. No better example of this than Martin Luther’s ’95 Theses’, in which he debunks the sale of indulgences by the clergy and various other faulty interpretations that seemed more keen on maintaining a docile laity than a spiritually enlightened one. His ideas spread like wildfire thanks to the printing press, and years later whole Kingdoms would renounce the Catholic Church, and to this day several Christian denominations derive from Luther’s ideas. This led to the Catholic Church reforming itself from this authoritarian boogyman to a more docile and accepting establishment. The same was true for monarchies everywhere, as the ideas of the Renaissance were popular among rulers which in turn led to reforms in the way their governments operated.

The conception of Optimism in literature nowadays is that it’s a childish thing worthy only of the lower culture of modern, Western literature. These include fantasy and fiction and exclude the high literature works which are ambiguous in most regards. Yet we are so quick to dismiss the fact that even if the Author does not intend it, there will always be some degree of optimism in the story of a character’s life.

Optimism in Literature does not exclude the possibility of failure. If it weren’t for the fact that there’s always an underlying chance of failure, despair, and destruction then optimism would mean nothing, as it is something we cling on to during dire circumstances. No better way is my thoughts expressed than through this quote from Lord of the Rings, which summarizes optimism and the Western Mindset.

FRODO: I can’t do this, Sam.

SAM: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights, we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?
But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something.

FRODO: What are we holding on to, Sam?

SAM: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

 

 

Lesson 85 Assignment – “Why did Crusoe take the coins off the ship?”

The story of Robinson Crusoe was that of the prodigal son of a businessman who had expectations that his son would follow in his footsteps and embrace the middle-class lifestyle of leisure, work, and stability. This didn’t turn out to be the case, as young Crusoe wanted to find his fortune elsewhere, as a sailor, ignoring any advice given to him and all the events that were there just to tell him to give up. He found many fortunes and trials along the way, yet the fortunes didn’t stay and the sanctions of bad events remained. He becomes a slave, gets captured by pirates, goes through storms, and lastly shipwrecks on a desolate island. This is where the event of Crusoe taking the coins off the ship occurs, as he is salvaging for anything that might be of use in his current state. Out of all the things, coins are probably the most useless things one can have in a survival situation unless they’re silver or copper that can be used to filter water. Yet he did not think about it this way, he took them because he was clinging to the hopes that if someone did come about and rescue him, he would have those two coins to pay the fare if demanded of him. Months passed and no one came, Crusoe eventually decided to take full advantage of what providence had bestowed upon him and created a life of his own inside the island. In the end, he was thankful that he still had control over his life, had land all to himself, and learned to conform and be happy with what he had. The hopes of being rescued and not adapting to your circumstances ended along with his ethical rebellion, he became more spiritual and happy with the mercy God had given him.

Lesson 80 Assignment – “How important for the narrative are the descriptions of the storms in Robinson Crusoe?”

For the sake of the narrative, the description of the storms are of utmost importance. Robinson Crusoe, a young man who’s yet to earn his stripes as a seasoned sailor embarks upon a perilous journey, and the encounters of storms symbolize the turning, and breaking points of Crusoe during this time. As the storms rage, he promises and prays that he will go back, and retire from the life of seafairing, yet when it settles, he’s back on track again. Another one hits, and he prays that if he is spared, he will go back to his middle-class lifestyle of material ease and peace of mind, but when it settles, he’s back again once more. The way the storms are described are great, and rightfully should be if we are to agree that it was a good story. Events like these that traumatize and break down a character and everything he stands for must also affect the one reading the story in the same manner. We must feel what the character is feeling, so we can better understand him and also feel captivated within the story. Crusoe’s conviction to follow his heart, against all odds the world may put up against him is symoblized within the scenarios of the storm and after.

Lesson 75 Assignment – “In what way did Mandeville lay the foundation for Darwinism?”

The ideas of Mandeville were that society relies not on morality or God, but on the greed and pursuit of one’s own self-interest. This is similar to Darwin’s views with respect to biology and the natural order of things. Life, as we know it today, was shaped through constant struggle and adaptation, and was not by any means in benevolent harmony. Each has a place in this world, and each has to fight for their own with the tools society gives us, which in turn will benefit everyone as a whole.

On one hand, we have Mandeville trying to explain to us the interaction between humans in a society open in economic opportunities, and on the other, we have Darwin trying to explain how the current, biological world came about through his theory of evolution. The key factors that intertwine the two are that God has no place in it, nor do morals of any sort. Mandeville did not like the idea Christianity had of abstaining from one’s natural desire to pursue their own interests, own material things and their need to be ambitious. He believed that it hindered society as a whole because people would not be consuming or working as much if they believed this. Darwin believed that God was just a construct, and had no purpose in the evolutionary development of the world.

Apart from not believing in God as their only similarity, Mandeville believed that in a free market society people would compete, invest and come up with new strategies that would benefit them the most, leading to a survival of the fittest type situation in the socio-economic sphere. People would have to cooperate with each other and pursue higher standards than their competitors which in turn would lead to a higher quality of life for everyone. Darwin believed that living organisms evolve and attain skills that will help them survive and become stronger versions of themselves due to the environmental factors around them, and would slowly get rid of useless skills they possessed in earlier stages of their evolution.

Lesson 65 Assignment – “After Satan’s rebellion, Satan was motivated more by his envy of God than his jealousy of God: true or false?

Paradise Lost was written by John Milton in 1674 and was divided into two books. It is the story of Genesis, the downfall of Lucifer and the eventual casting out of Adam & Eve from paradise. The style in which this work is written is clearly influenced by the Greek Epics and at the beginning of Milton’s work, he invokes the Holy Ghost as a muse, which was a common practice among ancient authors when creating hymns, poetry, or epic history.

As to the question posed, we have to review first the definition of jealousy, and the definition of envy. The former is defined as “fiercely protective or vigilant of one’s rights or possessions.”, therefore we can infer that jealousy is fueled by the fear of losing something, common in relationships as an example. Envy is defined as “a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck.”, therefore we can conclude that Satan was, in fact, envious of God’s status and power over him. He wanted that power for himself, he desired it and believed that the way to attain it was through ridding himself of God’s power over him. Envy is when someone else has something you want, but you don’t have.

He was resentful, and vengeful after being cast out of heaven, and the reason he was cast out of it in the first place was that he was envious and rebelled against God. After he was cast out, he organized his plan in Pandamonium with his lackeys to enact revenge against God through his creation in paradise. He later deceives Adam and Eve to consume the forbidden fruit, even after they were warned by God and Raphael which leads to them being expelled from Paradise, cursed with long years to toil the earth. Satan and his followers are then turned into snakes after going back to hell from their mission.

Lesson 60 Assignment – Would any of Bacon’s essays have been more persuasive if he had talked about his own experiences? Which ones? Why?

(Excerpt from Wikipedia for the readers)

Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St. Alban, QC 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), was an
English philosopher, statesman, scientist, jurist, orator, essayist, and author. He served
both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. After his death, he remained
extremely influential through his works, especially as philosophical advocate and
practitioner of the scientific method during the scientific revolution.

Among the works of Francis Bacon, the one I’ll be dissecting today is his ‘Essays’, where he expresses his personal thoughts about matters regarding politics, love, friendship, counsel and other various arrays of topics. I would also like to remind the reader that the style of writing of an essay was first done by Montaigne, and the meaning of the word essay is ‘attempt’ or ‘trial’. The whole purpose of it is to try and put your ideas or answers about a certain topic on paper.

This particular work by Sir Francis does not contain anecdotal examples to support his own personal ideas. Rather I noted that he uses quotes and ideas from different works and philosophies such as the Stoics to reinforce his claims. On political matters such as Empires, Counsel, Kingdoms, and estates, he explains it with great professionalism which is probably due to his experience as a statesman. He knows the pillars of government, he knows what makes a King great and what does not, the purpose of the different offices in government, etc. You can note when reading them that he has a certain level of expertise and is putting it to work. Yet we cannot disregard his take on matters such as friendship, love, envy, and adversity (to name a few), as these are all things every man is guilty of experiencing and witnessing. Sir Francis was also a philosopher, and philosophy seeks to answer questions regarding all of these. He doesn’t need to use anecdotal evidence, because anecdotal evidence is what happened to someone on a certain occasion, not an intellectual breakdown of something.

Every one of us has different experiences, no better example of this than the contrast between a person who thinks life is great and full of love, with one who thinks it’s dull, sad and boring. There is a reason for that, each one of us has perspectives that were shaped by past last life experiences.

Lesson 55 Assignment – “Is it easier to read Shakespeare or the King James Bible?”

In my opinion, after reading the works of Shakespeare and various excerpts from the King James Bible, I have come to the conclusion that I find the King James Bible more intelligible and familiar in terms of how it was written compared to how Shakespeare’s works were. While I do understand Shakespeare’s style of writing, the King James Bible seems to use a more familiar yet eloquent and poetic vocabulary. One of the reasons for this I assume is because the King James Bible is one of the most popular versions of the Bible, and if often used and quoted during mass in different sects of Christianity which I was exposed to from a very young age. Both of these works use Early Modern English, which is very similar to contemporary English, so both of them feel familiar. We also must take into account that Shakespeare’s works are plays, and are written in a way to convey a story to an audience in a dramatized manner. There is a lot of vocabulary in both works that we hardly use in contemporary English, but a reason we understand Shakespeare to a certain extent is that of the story progression that lets us decipher the meaning of certain words through reason. On the other hand, the King James Bible uses very specific words that, if we do not know the meaning, it will confuse us and leave us confused as to what the statement meant. The King James Bible is the most important book in the English language and was translated by various scholars from a number of esteemed academic institutions, therefore it is bound to be rich and powerful in terms of the language used. As I’ve stated above, the reason the King James Bible is more familiar to me is that of the exposure I had to it during my younger years, so it is subjective for each person.

Lesson 50 Assignment – “How important is the idea of covenant sanctions in the week’s readings? (King James Bible)”

When we self-identify as Christians and abide by all the ordinances, rules and requirements to be a good follower of the faith, we sign up for everything, including covenant sanctions. These are essential, as God has put them in place to warn us that if we do not abide by his teachings, then we would surely face consequences. As there are sanctions, there are also rewards if we follow the teachings of the Bible. I do not call them “positive sanctions”, as sanction/s are defined as a “threatened penalty for disobeying a rule of law”, which is the opposite of a reward. The Bible is filled with examples of sanctions, and from the very beginning in Genesis, we see what happens to Adam and Eve after disobeying God’s rule and the free will he entrusted to them. As well as we also see rewards promised by God and communicated through Moses in an extensive list that would be too much to post here.

Excerpt from Deuteronomy 28

(“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

² And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

³ Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

⁴ Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.”)

An example of the results of breaking the covenant with God would be best described by the excerpts from the book of lamentations. It is the sorrow of an individual, Jeremias, who has seen a once city cherished by God become desolate and forsaken. As God gives, he also takes away.

Excerpt from Lamentations

(“1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

² She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

³ Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.”)

The story of our lives and the stories found in the Bible are all about the decision making and them ensuring that consequences, be they positive or negative will come after. This theme of Sanctions & Rewards is the essence of the Bible, as God can be merciful and rewarding as he can also be severe and terrible with his punishments. The original sin is a result of us disobeying God, and after his forgiveness of that he has set upon us rules we must abide by if we are to honor him and live in accordance to his teachings.

Lesson 45 Assignment – “How was Don Quixote’s knight-errant oath in conflict with his deathbed oath?”

Don Quixote of La Mancha, whose real name we discover to be Alonso Quixano near the end of the book, is the famous protagonist of the novel “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes. It is about a man who, due to his habit of barely sleeping and extensively reading literary works of chivalry & fantasy, had become insane. He was a man who had time on his hands, and everything else anyone at the time needed or wanted. He had properties, servants, fine clothing and various other assets that would allow him to live a very comfortable life. One day he decided to leave it all behind, put on his grandfather’s rusty, old armour and embark upon various adventures with his steed, Rocinante.

He considered himself a Knight, yet hadn’t been a squire, been dubbed a knight or even taken a proper oath. This is the first thing we must recognize, as Quixote was never even a knight in the first place. Sure, he proclaimed his love for his imaginary damsel, Dulcinea, he went forth on adventures, wore armor and rode a horse, yet was not a knight. He was a madman who believed that windmills were giants, inns were castles and prostitutes were princesses. His “Knight-errant oath” was inherently conflicted with the truth. He lured an uneducated peasant to become his squire, whose name was Sancho Panza, to abandon his family with the promises of laurels, glory, and governance over an island. It seemed that Quixote was doing more bad than good, and this is evident throughout certain encounters during his adventures.

He, later on, recognizes that he had wasted so much time reading books of chivalry that he had gone completely insane. That he had abandoned his true purpose as the head of his household and community, for imaginary adventures of grandeur from a bygone era.