Post by kimb07 on Nov 11, 2007 21:29:59 GMT -5
Kimberly Berke
American Voices – English 3H
Period 7
Word Count: 482
The Candle That Would Light the World: One or many?
16th century Massachusetts was predominantly Puritan. The Puritans felt that they were God’s chosen people on a divine mission and that their beliefs and ideologies were superior to others. In the overture of Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the Puritans are described as a group of people who “believed, in short, that they held in their steady hands the candle that would light the world” (Miller 5). This belief shows the Puritan motive of wanting to spread Puritanism to non-Puritans. The candle symbolizes a single flame that can ignite more candles and spread beliefs.
In the modern world, there are many religions and groups of people who believe that they hold the “candle that [will] light the world”. Both Judaism and the various sects of Christianity believe that they are God’s chosen people.
In Judaism, it is believed that Jews are chosen to be in a covenant with God. This idea is evident in the Torah, the five books of Moses, and in the Hebrew bible, or the Tanach. The various sects of Christianity, however, feel that the chosen people are those who believe that Jesus is the messiah and the Son of God and must accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior in order to go to heaven.
America, as a whole, also believes that it possesses the “candle that [will] light the world”. President George W. Bush addressed America in his second inaugural speech by stating that, “America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength — tested, but not weary — we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom” (Bush). Bush believes that America holds the candle to spread freedom and democracy. In his inaugural address, Bush claims that the American way of life is superior and that it is necessary to spread it to other countries throughout the world. This supports the idea of using a single candle to ignite multiple candles. Miller says that, “We [Americans] have inherited this belief, and it has helped and hurt us” (5). America has illuminated the way for many countries that were in need of development and advancement to improve the standard of living of their people. In many instances this belief of superiority has hurt America. Due to our commitment to the spread of freedom, many countries have developed distrust towards America’s questionable political motives and aggressive involvement in their internal affairs. In the past, America has established “puppet” governments with little regard for the impact it would have on the people most directly affected, causing wholesale resentment.
While many believe they hold “in their steady hands the candle that light the world”, a greater light and understanding would emanate through the commingling of a multitude of candles.
www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050120-1.html
American Voices – English 3H
Period 7
Word Count: 482
The Candle That Would Light the World: One or many?
16th century Massachusetts was predominantly Puritan. The Puritans felt that they were God’s chosen people on a divine mission and that their beliefs and ideologies were superior to others. In the overture of Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the Puritans are described as a group of people who “believed, in short, that they held in their steady hands the candle that would light the world” (Miller 5). This belief shows the Puritan motive of wanting to spread Puritanism to non-Puritans. The candle symbolizes a single flame that can ignite more candles and spread beliefs.
In the modern world, there are many religions and groups of people who believe that they hold the “candle that [will] light the world”. Both Judaism and the various sects of Christianity believe that they are God’s chosen people.
In Judaism, it is believed that Jews are chosen to be in a covenant with God. This idea is evident in the Torah, the five books of Moses, and in the Hebrew bible, or the Tanach. The various sects of Christianity, however, feel that the chosen people are those who believe that Jesus is the messiah and the Son of God and must accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior in order to go to heaven.
America, as a whole, also believes that it possesses the “candle that [will] light the world”. President George W. Bush addressed America in his second inaugural speech by stating that, “America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength — tested, but not weary — we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom” (Bush). Bush believes that America holds the candle to spread freedom and democracy. In his inaugural address, Bush claims that the American way of life is superior and that it is necessary to spread it to other countries throughout the world. This supports the idea of using a single candle to ignite multiple candles. Miller says that, “We [Americans] have inherited this belief, and it has helped and hurt us” (5). America has illuminated the way for many countries that were in need of development and advancement to improve the standard of living of their people. In many instances this belief of superiority has hurt America. Due to our commitment to the spread of freedom, many countries have developed distrust towards America’s questionable political motives and aggressive involvement in their internal affairs. In the past, America has established “puppet” governments with little regard for the impact it would have on the people most directly affected, causing wholesale resentment.
While many believe they hold “in their steady hands the candle that light
www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050120-1.html