Puritan Synthesis Essay
Synthesis Essay
The Puritans dream was to create a model society for the rest of the Christians. Their goal was to make a society in every way connected to god. But to really understand what the aspirations of the puritans were, we must first understand their beliefs. These beliefs were expressed through their writings which have been read through the years by American students. With this, American students were taught Puritan lessons of devotion, virtue, and conformity. Devotion can be defined as love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. It can also as mean religious worship or observance. Each of these definitions were significant in Puritan beliefs and expressed very strongly within their writings. Reading these pieces gives American students an opportunity to learn how to express love, loyalty, and religious worship. In poetry, for example, life long perseverance of being in love (Bradstreet) can teach modern American students what it is to show devotion to a loved one. Puritan writing also expresses the belief of devotion through worship, in most instances, of a God. However, some Puritan pieces take a different approach in teaching this lesson and instead, give examples of worshiping the Devil in forms of witchcraft (Miller) only to later explain the repercussions that God has in store for the sinners who would have then become objects of this wrath (Edwards). The fear of such a wrath will teach modern American students to express a loyal devotion to their God and not to any “evil” practice. Puritans were a very virtuous people being that their behavior showed high moral standards, this came about in their writings as well. Students can be taught this lesson from reading Puritan pieces that introduce one character as being a walking representative of sin (Hawthorne). In situations like this, an American student can learn how to mature and acknowledge their mistakes in order rise above all judgement and continue on their duties in
The Puritans dream was to create a model society for the rest of the Christians. Their goal was to make a society in every way connected to god. But to really understand what the aspirations of the puritans were, we must first understand their beliefs. These beliefs were expressed through their writings which have been read through the years by American students. With this, American students were taught Puritan lessons of devotion, virtue, and conformity. Devotion can be defined as love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. It can also as mean religious worship or observance. Each of these definitions were significant in Puritan beliefs and expressed very strongly within their writings. Reading these pieces gives American students an opportunity to learn how to express love, loyalty, and religious worship. In poetry, for example, life long perseverance of being in love (Bradstreet) can teach modern American students what it is to show devotion to a loved one. Puritan writing also expresses the belief of devotion through worship, in most instances, of a God. However, some Puritan pieces take a different approach in teaching this lesson and instead, give examples of worshiping the Devil in forms of witchcraft (Miller) only to later explain the repercussions that God has in store for the sinners who would have then become objects of this wrath (Edwards). The fear of such a wrath will teach modern American students to express a loyal devotion to their God and not to any “evil” practice. Puritans were a very virtuous people being that their behavior showed high moral standards, this came about in their writings as well. Students can be taught this lesson from reading Puritan pieces that introduce one character as being a walking representative of sin (Hawthorne). In situations like this, an American student can learn how to mature and acknowledge their mistakes in order rise above all judgement and continue on their duties in