I am curious is Elizabeth Graskell is playing with notion of grace, faith and prudence within the Novel. It can't be an accident that she named main characters with those names when writting a novel in Puritian, protestant christian society. I am not sure as to what she could be getting at but I would venture from the actions of the characters throughout the novel that Faith is not acting faith, Grace is not acting in grace, Prudence is not acting in prudence. OED describes the action of faith as to put trust into and Faith throught the novel loses any trust she once had in others, in fact she does the opposite and her actions are lies and accusations of a lie that leads prudence to accusse Lois of being a witch. To act in faith is to never lose faith and continue to trust in the lord, especially in puritian society. Grace is a norrow individual who gives Lois the gift of staying in her house but only after persueaded by her husband whom dies shortly thereafter. OED states grace is acting in favor or thanks, grace is not very thankful towards the end of the novel towards lois whom has never done her wrong but Lois only did her absolute best to please her aunt. Prudence would live up to her name if she acted good sense or rather used her ability to recogize good sense and carrying it out in her actions. Instead Prudence acts in an evil sense to sentence her innocent cousin to death from her false accusations and continued fits at the sight of her cousin. Prudence doesn't act in Prudence but in witckedness, which she contfess to at the end of the novel.
Lois is the only person whom I feel in the novel whom has the characterists and actions of faith, prudence, and grace. Lois continued throughout the entire novel did her absulute best to please eveyone else and lead a live a good christain life. When she was confused she had faith in God to give her strength; prudence or the good sense to know that she not only wasn't a witch but that she would be a martyr for the sake of not lieing before God that she is a witch becasue she is not. Most of all Lois displayed grace that even in her turmoil she comforts the indian women and shares the gift of grace with her. Lois is an example of Puritians should have lived their life if they really wanted to be the City on the hill.

Value of Novel Reading

I have really learned the value of Novel Reading much from this previous summer 09 semester in my Theology and Literature Class. We read Novel such as Graham Greene's novel the Honorary Council which is a story filled with Greene's own theological questions and possibles thoeries of who is God and how we describe him.
Novel allow the reader to escape reality in the sense and explore a different world or point of View almost and to expereince anothers life through their insights and experiences as fortold on the pages of the book. In the Novel Honorary council I got to espace my own personal beliefs and tradional beliefs systems and really explore a different POV of a despricption of God and God's interaction with the world.
Novel can also tell us alot about our self. For instant the Novel which you like the most, like for me Honary Council I like becasue I can relate to it, not just in profession but in the theological question presented within the novel. Every Novel more or less can relate you, but the best Novels are the ones that relate in multiple ways. The relations are seemly endless. One can relate from experience, known friends/aquantces expereinces, dreams, philosophy, family, thooughts, etc. The relations that Novel have tie our minds and sometime our soul to them and reveal aspect of ourself as well as explore what our curious mind wonders about but may be against societal norm or just against possibilites in reality itself. All in all Novels have so much to offer for one's overall health and cultural health.

portrayal of Mr. Enfield

Mr. Utterson is a unique character whom tell the events of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. If Mr. Enfield was to have given his Point of View on the matter of the events and describe them into detail i venture that it would actually fair pretty close with Mr. Utterson's, only he might of been a little more serious in his explaining of the events. The indicdent at the window with Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield seems to show that Mr. Enflied is almost accostimed or acceptent of the unexplained Jekyll and Hide relations. As Mr. Utterson is shocked at what he sees Mr. Enfield is quiet and continue to walk in silence as if he is moving on from what he just witnessed. I think this shows that Mr. Enfield has a bit of a tough stone like personality when it comes to events or stories of horror. Mr. Enfield would have portrayed the events much like Mr. Utterson only he might have been a bit more serious or direct in the events not going into deep detail but merely pointing out the facts with just enough detail for someone to get the picture of what is going on.

Moral Theme: The sins of the Father

A moral theme that is present in "The Castle of Otronto" is the sins of the father are the sins of the sons. This moral is not meant to say that the sun is sinful because his fathers actions but he is influenced by his father sins and he also inherits his father sins that affect him in a manor that subject him to his father consequences for his sinful act. The act of the prince's grandfather taking over the throne from Antonio the righteous king of Otronto didn't just simply affect himself but affected his generations after him. Richardo, Manfred's grandfather, in succeding the throne of Otronto to his family also succeded his sin that affect his generations after him to suffer from his sin until the sin was attoined and the true succesor of Otronto took the throne. Manfred gained his legacy from his grandfather sin and so lost it becuase Richardo will gave not only kingship but misfortune because one day the true heir to the throne of Ortonto would return and rightfully reclaim his throne but not until time permited the young heir to grow up into a position to where he is mature (thus the sin pass through generation because of the heir necessity of age for reclaiming the throne); mature in the sense that Theodore is strong and wise enought to take the throne and the lineage of Richardo ended to allow for theodore (true heir) to take the throne. Thus the sins of Richardo ened with his household being destroyed in the generation of Manfred. This story shows how a man acts not only affect himself but his family--not just immediate but also in the generations to come. In other words heed your actions becasue evil sins don't just affect thinself but one's family as well and possibly the generations to come.

Introduction

I am a junior Relgion major here at TCU as well as a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Not until the last year did I really start getting into ready fiction literature and my reading are more based on that have some theological rellevence to it. Gothic literature is not something I have ever really read and on that Gothic in general is not something I would say I understand. I know the stereotypes that most people would project at me if I ask them, what is Gothic, but I am curious as too its true meaning and to understand what Gothic literature actually is. I am hoping that even if I may not Gothic style the reading assignments and novels will at laeast be thrilling reads. I have read the terms and condition as outlined in the syllabus and understand all the requirement for class.