8A Vlog - Emily, Kylie, Annapoorna, Serafina

Background Information

Marriage in the 19th and 20th centuries was more about money and power than anything else. People switched wives and husbands in order to gain a higher rank or position. Royal only wanted to marry Mattie for her father’s land-to gain position and become richer. Chester Gillette and Grace Brown worked together in Cortland skirt factory in New York that was owned by Chester’s Uncle. That’s how they met. In this case, Chester Gillette killed for power and position. After Grace Brown got pregnant, he was worried that people would find out the astonishing truth about him having a child before he got married. He was concerned that pregnant Grace would ruin his reputation and social status. Grace begged him to elope with her so that she wouldn’t ruin her family’s reputation and forever taint her good family’s name. But Chester was a total player. He had lots of other girlfriends, and he wanted to marry someone who would be profitable and make him rich and popular. If he didn’t marry Grace, she would have the baby, and he would be announced as the father, which would ruin his social status. But if he married Grace, he would not have the money and power that he wanted to gain through marriage. The only choice in his greedy twisted mind was to kill Grace so that she couldn’t have the baby. Killing his problem seemed like a fine and dandy answer to his issue. Unfortunately, that’s not the only issue he had. He hatched a master plan; he would hit her in the head with a tennis racket-and then he would push her in the lake!!!

Unfortunately for him, the foolproof plan didn’t really work out… When the media found out about the murder- the were really surprised-Who in their right mind would kill a pregnant women??? Chester Gillette, that’s who.

Headlines read “Organization formed to lynch Gillette.” There are various books, movies, plays and songs written about this story. There is a very popular book called “An American Tragedy” and “Entreating” and “The Ballad of Big Moose Lake” are some of the songs written about this.

Images

Blog Highlights

Chester Gillette and Grace Brown Love Letters:

The so-called "love letters" that were exchanged by Chester and Grace in 1905 and 1906 were used at the trial by both the prosecution and the defense. Grace wrote most of them during the time she was home in South Otselic, when she was pregnant and waiting for Chester to come and take her on their trip together. Chester’s letters back were short and less dramatic.

After Chester was found, they had a infamous trial of the century. During the trial, the Ward read the letters in such a dramatic way during the trial that reporters claimed that every eye in the room was wet and they did much to paint exactly the picture of her that he wanted: the pleading pregnant girlfriend who wants to get married. However, the letters never mention pregnancy or even marriage. They do mention suicide and were used by the defense to back up Chester’s story that she committed suicide.

Mattie and Royal

Mattie seems to not believe that Royal and her are "sparking" or at least she doesn't seem like it is reality. She thinks that kisses from boys like Royal are for girls like Martha Miller.

She knows that he doesn't really love her, but many marriages were based on anything but love. People used to marry for power or wealth (and probably still do in many places). Mr. Loomis, Royal, and Chester are all similar in a way because they all seem to be taking advantage of the women they are romantically involved with. Maybe the author was trying to illustrate the nature of relationships between men and women in this time period...

Connections between Grace Brown and Mattie

They both had fiancés that they knew did not really love them. Also, they both kept trying to convince themselves that their fiancés really did love them, when they didn’t love them at all for who they really were. The difference between the two was that Mattie never let go of her dream of attending college and she lived to go. Grace Brown on the other hand gave up hope after she knew Chester was cheating on her

Discussion Anecdotes

What were the big differences between gender in the 1900’s and now?

We think that in present day women are free to get an education instead of marrying young, and they can also have a career and a family.  Women have more freedom overall.

Is there a similarity between Chester and Royal, and Grace and Mattie?

Chester and Royal are self-centered and alike because they are both using women to get what they want even though they don’t truly love them. Grace and Mattie are alike because they love their boyfriends even though Royal and Chester don’t love them. Both girls expect commitment and love from their boyfriends.

What do you think about royal’s proposal and his reasons?

In this time, love wasn't always the main reason for marriage, so in some ways, Royal's reasons could have been expected. Royal didn’t really get to know Mattie or her interests.  He just saw the things that were on the surface, therefore they didn’t really connect as people.

What’s your opinion on promises and what is the basis they should be made on?

We think people should make promises that they can be certain that they can keep, and that people should not commit to making promises in the un-foreseeable future because the course of events that take place could possibly change the basis on which the promise was made. Promises are important things that people will hold you to and you should think about it before you agree to the promise.

What is your definition of (your) voice?

I think your voice is what is “inside” and outside you. Your voice makes up your opinions/ what you believe. I think your voice is like your view on things/opinion.  It’s what defines you overall as a person or what makes you unique.  

Quotes

(p. 37) “’Look around at yourself Mathilda,’ she said.  ‘At the trees and the lakes and the mountains.  At the magnificence of nature.  It should inspire joy and awe.  Reverence.  Respect.  Beautiful thoughts a fine words’”

·      Mattie is expected to write about happy things even though she doesn’t always see the happiness in them

·      She wants to write about the truth, she wants to write about her view on things

·      Her teacher believes that thinking happy thoughts will make things seem more delightful

(p. 109) “’ There goes Emily Wilcox,’ she said, watching my teacher walk by.  ‘Thinks quite a lot of herself, that one.  She’ll never find herself a husband.  No one likes a too-smart woman’”

·      Highlights female expectations

·      Highlights gender stereotypes

-Finding a husband was seemed to be expected to be a priority

-Women weren’t expected to be confident and intelligent

(p. 208) “Jeezum…What if God was a woman?  Would the pope be out of the job?  Would the president be a woman, too?  And the governor?  And the sheriff?  And when people got married, would the man have to honor and obey?  Would only women be allowed to vote?”

·      What if gender roles were reversed?

·      Gender stereotypes are so enforced that certain roles in society are mainly fulfilled by men

(p. 221) “It’s not illegal for a husband to destroy his wife’s home…”

·      Example of married woman who pursues a career

·      Women who try to get married and have careers are sometimes pressured to quit their careers in order to tend to their families

(p. 274) “I knew then why they didn’t marry.  Emily and Jane and Louisa.  I knew and it scared me.  I also knew what being lonely was and I didn’t want to be lonely my whole life.  I didn’t want to give up my words.  I didn’t want to choose one over the other”

·      Men could have kids AND pursue careers

·      Married women are expected to fulfill their domestic responsibilities

·      Mattie struggles deciding if she should marry or choose to pursue a career

(p. 298) “’Royal, do you…do you love me?’  ‘Aw, Matt.  I bought you a ring didn’t I?’”

·      Royal didn’t propose because of love; he proposed for convenience

·      Mattie feels she must take what is offered, which is Royal

Royal is a cheapskate!

We all now that Royal is a jerk and doesn't really love Mattie for her, but I have found something even more appalling! (Maybe that was a little too dramatic...) Anyways, whenever Royal gets Mattie gifts, they're always cheap, secondhand, broken, the list goes on and on.

Supporting evidence:

"I opened it and saw a dull gold ring. It was set with three stones--a chipped opal flanked by two tiny garnets. It must've been pretty once." (Pg. 298)

"Someone else's name was written on the title page. I flipped through the pages. A few were stained." (Pg. 334)

Royal always, always only buys Mattie cheap, secondhand gifts. It shows that he doesn't care enough to try and get something better. Jerk.

-Jane

The End

We are done with the book! I was so happy with the ending and I really glad that Mattie overcame the feelings that were keeping her back. What did you think about Emmie Hubbard? Why do you think she is coming out of her “fruitcakeness” to take care of Weaver’s mama? I personally was very proud of her. I felt so bad for Weaver and his mama because of the racism that the felt. I think that over the book Mattie learned a lot about herself and she realized that she didn’t want to be stuck she wanted to be free. This is a problem because she also wants to be loved and that love will lead to a family and taking care of the house and you can’t write if your taking care of a family. But in the end she went to college and is going to get an education.

Random Connections

A while ago I was researching to see if Emily Baxter existed. If you don't know this already, she doesn't. But that's not the point. Anyways, I noticed that an author, Theodore Dreiser, was mentioned in the book: "There were three books: Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser; The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair; and Threnody, a volume of poetry by Emily Baxter" A little more research lead to the discovery that not only had Dreiser written a book based on the Grace Brown case (called An American Tragedy), but he had also been the one to inspire Jennifer Donnelly (the author) to write A Northern Light. Apparently she had read it when she was really young and ever since then she had wanted to learn as much as possible about the case. This eventually lead to her writing the book!

Just an interesting fact I thought it would be fun to know. :)

-Jane

Mattie's Dilemma

I think that Mattie has a colossal dilemma.  She has been talking about going to college and learning to be a writer a lot, but she's also been talking about getting married and having somebody love her the way Jim loves Minnie...I think that the main cause of her dilemma is that she wants to be loved, but being married in this time meant being at home to cook, clean, take care of the kids etc. When she talks about going to college and living alone, she imagines a lonely, but free and liberating life.  She wants that free life, but she also wants love.  She wants to marry, but she wants a career.  The problem is that women who married in this time period had to take care of all the responsibilities that came with being a wife/mother, some of which are listed above.  They couldn't be independent and married at the same time.

Now (at least in our country), women can get married and raise children and have a career.  What do you think about Mattie's dilemma?  What other similarities or differences between the early 20th century and this time period have you guys noticed?

Emily Baxter

i decided to look up Emily Baxter because she is really cool and has some crazy ideas and just so you know, Emily Baxter is not a real person, which is sad because i would have really liked to read her poetry, and she had some amazing ideas. i just thought that was cool :) kylie

From the new reading assignment

I feel really bad for Minnie, and I'm afraid that this is going to happen to Mattie. It's so sad because she has so much talent and could be a really cool writer. I hate Jim and Royal, and Mattie needs to wake up from this pretty soon or she will regret it I think. These are my thoughts on some of this week's reading.