1

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan NilesFinal PortfolioLetter of Reflection December 8, 2011

Dear Reader,

In many ways, this writing seminar on Milton’s Paradise Lost was filled with challenges and arduous tasks. We dealt with a poem composed with ambiguous diction that spoke of mind-boggling theological concepts such as free will, predestination, and the relationship between reason and faith. Writing about this poem and the themes within it was often difficult. Yet, I have tried my utmost best to overcome the difficulties I face in writing critically.

I have tried my hardest to overcome my weakness in writing good first drafts. Tending to be a perfectionist, I am usually extremely cautious of making mistakes in my writing. Whenever I write (especially for rough drafts), I am consciously aware of the mistakes that plague my writing even as I write them down. Because of this, I often have trouble writing first drafts. I find it very difficult to transfer the complex, abstract and divided ideas in my head into writing that is rough but still unified. Writing about Milton’s Paradise Lost, a poem that expert critics have spent years over and of which I have merely spent a few months to explore, this phenomenon was greatly amplified. ButI forced myself to write concerning a subject I was a novice in. I forced myself to write rough drafts in a short amount of time with scattered ideas (this is especially clear in my timed essaysand diagnostic essay).

When writing the rough draft for the midterm portfolio, I failed in writing a good rough draft. I did not focus on figuringout what my central ideas for the paper would be. Instead, I

2

focused on minor details like writing the introduction and conclusion as well as revising my grammar. The result was that I ended up with a paper that was proving an unclear and bifurcated proposition. After I had already written the second draft, I realized that I needed to revise my proposition. I had no choice but to rewrite my whole paper. I used some of my previous ideas and evidence but needed to incorporate new ideas to write a new paper. This used up a lot of my valuable time. Thankfully, I was able to finish rewriting, but was not able to rise up to my full potential as I could not finish revising my position paper due totime constraints. Learning from this past experience, I spent a lot of time thinking about what my proposition would be for my research paper. Writing the rough draft, I tried not to focus toomuch on the details, but instead to focus on my big ideas. My first draft for the research paper is unrefined (it even lacks anintroduction or a conclusion) because I focused mainly on gettingout my raw ideas. Knowing that I would have the opportunity to write two or three more drafts, I used the rough draft as a way to try to synthesize the varied views on the topic and come up with my own new ideas on my research topic.

I have tried to overcome the difficulties that arose in relating to my audience. My research paper’s thesis deals with Paradise Lost’s Christian theory on the relationship between reason and faith. Most readers would disagree with this theory of reasonand faith, which might make them naturally disinclined to read myproposition as it might have possible implications to the real world. But throughout the essay, I attempt to make it clear that I am focusing on the poem, not about the relationship of reason and faith in the real world. With the help of Cornelius Van Til’sDefense of the Faith, I also try to provide some context about Christian epistemology. Then, to make the paper’s content more relevant to all readers, the conclusion points out ways in which the paper can affect their own life.

3

I have tried to overcome the difficulties of synthesizing conflicting views. Despite that the sources I read had diametrically opposed views on my research topic, I have tried tosynthesize these conflicting views and use the valid points different critics make in order to create a new proposition of the poem’s position on relationship between reason and faith. When I first decided to write this paper, I had thought that I would actively oppose two positions on the topic (Fish’s fideism,Walker’s merely rational faith) in order to support my view whichprovided a balance between the two extreme views on faith and reason. However, I found out that focusing on opposing critics’s ideas did not move the discussion along since I was focusing on opposing these critics instead of actively focusing on what the poem was saying. Therefore, I chose not to focus on picking out the problems with these critics’ positions. Instead I used the parts of both of these critic’s arguments that I agreed with to actively support my own view. I also personally read a theological apologetic book called The Defense of The Faith by Cornelius Van Til to get some helpful information about one Christian philosophical position on the relationship between reason and faith. Much of his ideas have been also used to supplement my arguments in the paper.

Thank you,Josep Folta

4

Josep Folta

WRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Draft 3 of 3 (final)

Faith as the Foundation of True Reason

Critical opinion on the relationship between reason and faith in John Milton’s Paradise Lost is varied. On one side of the argument, critics such as Stanley Fish claim that the poem presents faith as an entity entirely separate from reason. Diametrically opposed to this, critics such as William Walker claim that the poem presents faith to be completely reasonable and that faith can even be said to be simply an extended exerciseof reason. Both sides reveal truths about the poem. The poem clearly regards that obeying God is always reasonable. But at thesame time, the poem also clearly reflects that one cannot have faith merely through the powers of reason and that faith is in some sense a process beyond reason. The relationship between reason and faith that Paradise Lost presents is one in which faith in God is the foundation of true reason.

To begin with, Paradise Lost assumes that obeying God is always reasonable. If faith and reason were not ultimately in harmony with each other, faith could not be the foundation of reason. Butthe poem conveys that faith and obedience to God is always aligned with reason. As critic John Ulreich says, for Milton, “obedience [to God] means conformity to Nature…to what was once called the reason of things” (38). In Book 12, the archangel Michael teaches Adam that “virtue…is reason” (Milton 12.98), affirming that living virtuously, that is living according to God’s standards, ‘is reason’. Obedience to God means living in accordance with one’s “own God-given nature” (Ulreich 38), whereas “disobedience…is a violation of being itself, for it is contrary to fact” (38). Disobedience goes against the natural order of the universe and so it necessarily destroys man’s life and reason. After creating Adam, God gives Adam this warning: “The day thou [transgress] my…command…inevitably thou shalt die” (Milton 8.299-330, emphasis added). Death will inevitably come to

5

man if he disobeys God because then he would have violated his created nature. Similarly, when the demons and mankind go againsttheir source of life, their reason breaks down (Ulreich 38). As C.S. Lewis says, since God is man’s source of reason, “rebellion [against God]…means Nonsense for the intellect” (qtd. in Teskey 402).

Apparent contradictions between faith and reason are not true contradictions. On the surface, the poem seems to indicate that Adam and Eve have several legitimate reasons to disobey God.However, careful examination reveals that the epic voice unmistakably asserts that these apparent reasons to sin against God are merely seeming reasons. The authoritative epic voice declares that Satan’s arguments which lead Eve to consume the forbidden fruit merely seem to be reasonable but are not truly reasonable (“impregn’d/With reason (to her seeming) and with truth” (Milton 9.737-8, emphasis added)) and that Adam’s predicament that “forces” him to sin (either by forsaking his natural ties to Eve or by sinning against God) is only seemingly remediless, not truly remediless (“Submitting to what seem’d remediless” (9.919, emphasis added)). It is impossible for there to be a true contradiction between faith and reason because in the poem’s ‘God-centered universe’, “all values proceed from and are defined in terms of God” (Fish 246). By definition of who He is, God who created reason cannot and will not command something against reason (Van Til 68-9). There may be seeming contradictions between what the all-knowing God declares and whatman observes with his limited mind, but the wise man, using true reason, will nevertheless submit to God since the Word of the omniscient God is a much more reliable source of knowledge than man’s understanding.

Reasoning is not mere intellectual thinking that is separatefrom morality but one that actively upholds or rejects faith. Critics such as William Walker assume that reasoning is an intellectual activity which does not need the guidance of faith. They assume that man can reason with a completely objective view,a view that assumes nothing and simply looks at the world as it is. Agreeing with Joan Bennett, these critics propose that “Eve's failure comes in not reasoning long or hard enough, and in not calling

6

upon the collaboration of another reasoner” (qtd. in Walker 155). But Paradise Lost actually presents a Christian view of reason and knowledge that radically differs from Walker’s notion of reason. In Paradise Lost, knowledge is intimately connected with morality. Adam and Eve sin by consuming the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Before the Fall, man only desired “knowledge within bounds” (Milton 7.120), but at the Fall, man did not apply “temperance over appetite to know” (7.127), but sought to know “[t]hings not revealed which the invisible King/[o]nly omniscient hath suppressed in night” (7.122-3) and by doing this, man sinned. Adam and Eve were created with free will and were given the choice to accept God as the ultimate authority or regard their own experience as the ultimate authority of knowledge (Van Til 58). “Reason…is choice” (Milton 3.108). “[R]eason…[God] made right/ But bid her well beware and still erect/Lest by some fair appearing good surprised/She dictate false and misinform the will/To do what God expressly hath forbid” (Milton 9.352-6). Adamand Eve had the choice to hold unto erect Reason or to choose misinforming reason that told the will to disobey God. They choseto disobey God’s command, sinfully and falsely reasoning that their intellect was more reliable than God’s Word.

In the poem, true wisdom is centered on God. As Fish says, “[t]he centrality to Milton’s thought of monism cannot be overestimated” (xix). Paradise Lost exudes Milton’s belief in the centrality of God. Paradise Lost’s epistemology, heroism, morality, and many other of its aspects are centered on God (xix). For Milton, the center of the universe is God. Stripped from God, everything is meaningless. Like everything else in a God-centereduniverse, reason is centered on God. The Bible, which Milton cherished, declares that “[t]he fear of the Lord is the beginningof wisdom” (English Standard Version, Proverbs 9:10). True reason always starts from the truth of God. Reason and wisdom truly exist only if they first submit to God, the center of the universe. When prelapsarian man seeks knowledge beyond the boundsGod has set and thereby rejects God’s authority, “Wisdom [turns] to Folly as nourishment to wind” (Milton 7.130).The Bible calls the one who says in his heart that “there is no God” (Psalm 14:1)a fool. Without faith, “reason” is mere foolishness.

7

Carnal reason actively rejects God. All reason other than true reason which is grounded on faith is ultimately founded on active disbelief in God. When Adam and Eve sin, they reason with a “distrust of God” (Ulreich 41). They actively deny God’s claim to be the ultimate authority and set their own reason and experience as the ultimate authority which will be used even to evaluate the claims of the God Almighty (Van Til 58). When Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit despite God’s command, they are exhibiting their lack of faith. Ultimately, they are claiming that they know more than God does and that they, independently ofGod, can decide for themselves what to do. Eve listens to Satan and regards her own experience to be more reliable than God’s authority. Eve uses experience to interpret God, instead of usingGod’s authority to interpret her experiences (Fish 249). Eve eventhinks that since her knowledge of the universe and God is ultimately based upon her trust in God’s Word, she is “under thisignorance of good and evil,/ Of God or death, of law or penalty” (Milton 9.774-5). She feels as if she now needs to experience things for herself without faith. Similarly, Adam does not trust in God’s goodness, but instead distrusts God’s power. Even thoughhe was taught that “[a]gainst his will…[man] can receive no harm”(9.350), Adam believes that the situation he finds himself in forces him to sin either by abandoning Eve or eating the fruit along with Eve (Ulreich 41). But as shown previously, such carnalreason, reason that is not based on faith, is ultimately false.

True reason actively trusts in God. After Adam and Eve sin, God in his mercy restores Adam’s and Eve’s faith: “[p]revenient grace descending had removed/The stony from their [Adam and Eve’s] hearts and made new flesh/Regenerate grow” (Milton 11.3-4). This faith creates the foundation for which Adam and Eve can once again truly reason. With newfound faith, Adam trusts in God’s mercy, boldly declaring that if man repents, “undoubtedly He [God] will relent and turn/From His displeasure, in whose lookserene/When angry most He seemed and most severe/What else but favor, grace and mercy shown?” (Milton 10.1093-6). With true reason that is founded on faith, Adam now uses his past experience of God’s goodness to support His faith instead of opposing it (McColgan 8). The angel Michael helps Adam learn further about how to use reason by relying on its foundation of

8

faith. At the beginning of Michael’s teaching, Adam reasons without faith, solely relying on immediate experience to deduce that, regardless of God’s promises, there is no hope for mankind (Fish 279). Without faith, Adam reasons wrongly. But Michael teaches Adam to always trust in God’s promises even in the midst of apparent hopelessness. Made certain of God’s promises with thehelp of Michael’s teaching, Adam slowly starts to reason correctly. Confident of God’s faithfulness, Adam stops being moved by his immediate experience to doubt God’s promises. Instead, “Adam now reads the world and everything in it as an expression of God’s goodness” (Fish 280). Adam declares: “Henceforth I learn that to obey is best…ever to observe/ His providence and on Him sole depend” (Milton 12.561, 563-567). In reply, Michael answers: “This having learnt, thou hast attain’d the sum/ Of wisdom; hope no higher” (12.575-6).

In Paradise Lost, true reason is founded on faith. In the poem’s theocentric world, faith is always compatible with reason. True reason is centered on God and requires a foundation of active belief in God’s authority. The poem’s conception of reason differs greatly from modern society’s popular view of reason. Thepoem can remind modern readers that “Reason also is choice” (Milton 3. 108). Reason itself needs a basis for us to believe init. Man always needs some sort of a priori knowledge to base his fundamental belief in reason on. Does this require man to have faith? Perhaps but that goes beyond the scope of this paper.

9

Works Cited

Fish, Stanley Eugene. Surprised by Sin: the Reader in Paradise Lost. 2nd ed.

Cambridge, Mass: Harvard UP, 1998. Print.

McColgan, Kristin Pruitt. "Reason, Faith, and `The Soul of All

Rest': Separation and Reunion in `Paradise Lost'" ANQ 6.4

(October 1993): 193-204. EBSCO. Web. 5 Nov. 2011.

Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W.

Norton, 2005. Print.

Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2001.

Print.

Ulreich, John C. "‘SUFFICIENT TO HAVE STOOD’: Adam's

Responsibility in Book IX." Milton Quarterly 5.2 (May 1971):

38-42. Print.

Van Til, Cornelius. The Defense of the Faith. Ed. K. Scott Oliphint.

4th ed. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Pub., 2008. Print.

Walker, William. "On Reason, Faith and Free Will in Paradise

Lost." Studies in English Literature, 1500 - 1900 47.1 (Winter 2007):

143-59. Literature Online. Web. 5 Nov. 2011.

10

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Rhetorical Outline, Draft 3 of 3 (final)

Research Paper Final Draft Outline

PROPOSITION: True reason in Paradise Lost is necessarily based on belief in God.

PLAN: I have tried to divide the paper largely into two parts. One part tries to prove that according to the poem faith is always harmonious with true reason. This was necessary because some critics had implied that faith and reason are not harmoniousin the poem. The other part tries to prove that according to the poem true reason is centered on God and always stems from faith and actively uses faith.

GOAL: Although my goal is rather ambitious, I try to show that according to the concept of faith and reason that is presented inthe poem, true reason and faith always go hand in hand. True reason necessarily has to stem from faith in the true God.

AUDIENCE: Someone who has read Paradise Lost and interested in the nature of the relationship between reason and faith.

Paragraph 1 SAYS: Critics differ on their opinion of what the poem says about reason and faith. Some critics say that Milton thinks faith and reason are separate and that reason should not intrude upon the jurisdiction of faith. Opposing this, other critics says that faith is derived from reason. Both critical opinions help shed some light onto the nature of reason and faithin the poem. True reason in Paradise Lost is necessarily based on belief in God.

Paragraph 1 DOES: Gives context to the critical argument about faith. Explains two different sides and introduces how I will synthesize contrasting the two opposed views, using aspects of both sides to derive a greater proposition about reason and faithin the poem.

11

P2 SAYS: In the poem, submission to God is shown to be always aligned with reason. This needs to be true or else logically reason cannot be founded on faith. Obedience is following one’s human nature. Obeying God is reason. Rebelling against God meansviolating one’s own nature, causing one’s own logic and life to deteriorate.

P2 DOES: Briefly explains why this paragraph (and in extension the next) is necessary for the paper to go on. Uses quotes from Ulreich to define the nature of obedience and disobedience in thepoem. Uses direct citation from the poem (the primary source) to back up Ulreich’s reasoning, making sure that it is true for the poem. This is done for both of Ulreich’s quotes.

P3 SAYS: Although faith and reason seem to conflict with each other a few times in the poem, these clashes are not true conflicts between logic and faith. Careful reading can show that this is true. The epic voice repeatedly says seeming and uses other diction such as that to show that reasons to disobey God are always false, though they can seem truthful. In a theocentricworld, God created reason. God who is perfect cannot command something against reason (something he himself has made). Even ifman seems to detect a contradiction, one must remember that ultimately it won’t be a contradiction; God has a higher mind than humans.

P3 DOES: This paragraph supplements P2 and is necessary because the poem presents some apparent contradictions between faith and logic. Uses close analysis of particular texts to reveal that Milton was careful to show that there are not real contradictions. Also uses Fish’s analysis as support (even thoughFish himself believes that faith and reason are separate entities) as well as a Christian philosopher’s ideas to support the main idea that God won’t command that contradicts reason. Thelast sentence ties up loose ends.

P4 SAYS: Reasoning is closely intertwined with morality in the poem. Reason needs to directly trust God or disbelieve Him. Critics like Walker say that reasoning can be done without any presumption and without the use of faith. They say that Eve sinned because of bad reasoning. The poem’s view of reason is

12

entirely different. Knowledge and reason is related with sin and morality. Man sinned because he did not revere God’s set boundaries to knowledge. He chose to regard his own intellect as a higher standard than God’s authority.

P4 DOES: A short refutation paragraph. Briefly explains the viewsof opposing side and then uses evidence from poem to oppose that view. Primary evidence is used to show that in the poem knowledgeis connected with morality and then more quotes from the poem to introduce the idea of reason as choice. Ideas are introduced thatare later fully developed in other paragraphs.

P5 SAYS: For reason to be ultimately true, it needs actively use faith in an active way. True wisdom only comes from being grounded in God. Milton really thought that the world was a God-centered world. Everything, including reason, was centered on God. As the Bible says, faith in God is the starting point of wisdom. Without belief in God, man is a fool. When man disbelieves God, his wisdom becomes folly.

P5 DOES: Uses Bible and Fish; adds one quote from the poem. Bibleis used since Milton seems to have consulted Bible greatly as he wrote the book (since he is writing about a deeply religious topic). Greatly relies on Fish’ argument of a theocentric world but also uses Bible to back it up. Would be better if more quotesfrom book were used.

P6 SAYS: Reason that does not submit to God rejects God. Adam and Eve reason with a distrust in God. God says He is the ultimate authority but man makes himself the ultimate authority. They act like they can reason without God. Eve makes her experience more reliable than God, and Adam makes his immediate reasoning higher than God. They both actively reject God. Their seeming reasons are but folly.

P6 DOES: Uses the stories of Adam and Eve’s moments of original sin to show how carnal reason actively reject God. Evidence from philosophy, criticism and the poem is used. One problem is that Iclaim that all reason that is not founded on faith actively goes against that, but only use specific examples to try to prove thisgenerality.

13

P7 SAYS: True reason necessarily reflects belief in God. After man sins, God gives them back faith, which allows man to reason properly again. With faith, Adam uses his experience and reason as evidence to further believe in God’s goodness. When Adam uses immediate experience only, he fails to see clearly. But when Adamuses faith to interpret his experiences he reasons properly and attains the sum of wisdom.

P7 DOES: Continues the story from P6 to show how Adam with a restored foundation of faith reason correctly. Many quotes from the poem are used along with direct analysis and supplementary analysis from critics. Again, one problem is that I claim that all reason that is not founded on faith actively goes against that, but only use specific examples to try to prove this generality.

P8 SAYS: True reason in Paradise Lost is necessarily based on beliefin God. Reason needs to be based on belief.

P8 DOES: Restates proposition, briefly summaries paper. Then, moves on to broader implications, more specifically asks what canbe learned from the poem’s presentation of reason and faith. Makes it relatable to modern audience and makes reader think about what reason is founded on and if man is needed to have faith in something no matter what.

14

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Draft 1 of X

Writing Research Paper: Rough Draft

In Paradise Lost, reason stripped from its foundation of faith stops being true reason. The foundation of true reason is faith in God.

Faith is always in harmony with true reason. In Book III, Milton presents God as the wielder of pure logic (see Fish Surprised by Sin, chapter 2). In accordance with this, God is always shown to be reasonable; obeying God is reasonable. “Obedience means conformity to Nature (both external and internal, physical and spiritual), to what was once called the reason of things” (Ulreich 38). Obedience to God is harmonious with one’s “own God-given nature” (38), whereas “disobedience…is a violation of beingitself, for it is contrary to fact” (38).

Against his will he can receive no harm.

But God left free the Will, for what obeys

Reason, is free, and Reason he made right,

But bid her well beware, and still erect,

Lest by some fair appearing good surpris'd

She dictate false, and misinform the Will

To do what God expressly hath forbid.

(9.350-6)

God created all things “very good” (Genesis 1:31). God created man with uncorrupted faith and reason. “Reason he made right” (Milton 9.352). God created man with true reason that submitted to God and acknowledged His centrality in all things. As Fish argues in his preface to the Second Edition of Surprised By

15

Sin, Milton believed in the centrality of God. The center of the universe is God. Stripped from God, everything is meaningless. This is true also for reason. True reason is always centered on God. True reason always starts from the truth of God. The Bible calls those who say in their heart that “there is no God” (ESV, Psalm 14:1) fools. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). God created Adam and Eve with true reason that was foundedon faith in God.

But God also created man with free will; God made man free to obey Him or disobey Him. Though man was made perfect, man was able to sin if he so chose. God commanded man to keep reason “still erect”, so that “surpris’d” “by some fair appearing good” it did not “misinform the Will/To do what God expressly hath forbid”, so that reason did not move away from its ultimate foundation, faith in God. In Paradise Lost, God declares that “Reason also is choice” (3. 108). God made man with both reason and will that was active and free, not passive and not free (Wilson 147). Man is able to choose whether to use true reason that is grounded in faith or false reason that denies God’s sovereignty.

Reasoning is not mere intellectual thinking that is separatefrom morality but one that actively upholds or rejects faith. Many critics of Paradise Lost seem to assume that reason is an intellectual activity that is completely separate from faith. To them, reason consists of looking at the world from a completely ‘objective’ view, a view that assumes nothing and just simply looks at the world as it is. But Milton views reason and knowledge in a completely different way. In Paradise Lost, knowledgeis intimately connected with morality. After all, Adam and Eve sin by consuming the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Before the Fall, man only desired “knowledge within bounds” (Milton 7.120), but at the Fall, man did not apply “temperance over appetite to know” (7.127), but sought to know “[t]hings not revealed which the invisible King/[o]nly omniscienthath suppressed in night” (7.122-3) and by doing this, they sinned. When Adam and Eve disobey God, they choose to embrace

16

false reason that denies God’s goodness instead of relying on true reason that believes in God’s goodness.

All reasoning inevitably starts with presuppositions (see part 2 of Milton’s Preface to the Second Edition of Surprised by Sin for more information about this in Paradise Lost, see Cornelius Van Til’s Defense of the Faith for the theological view). When Adam and Eve sin, they reason with a “distrust of God” (Ulreich 41). When Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit despite God’s command, they are exhibiting their lack of faith and are ultimately claiming that they know better than God does; that they, independently of God, can decide for themselves what to do; that they can know independently of God. Forgetting that God is the source of all knowledge, Adam and Eve act like they can reason without faith. They fail to “recognize the insufficiency of reason without faith” (McColgan 198).

Eve listens to Satan and regards experience higher than God’s authority. Eve uses experience to interpret God, instead ofusing God’s authority to interpret her experiences (Fish 249) (see Van Til, 70-3). Eve “holds to the ultimacy of the mind of man itself” (Van Til 71) and rejects God’s omniscience. Similarly, Adam does not trust in God’s goodness in faith, but instead distrusts God’s power and believes that the situation he finds himself forces him to sin either by abandoning Eve or eating the fruit along with Eve (Ulreich 41). Reasoning without sobriety and faith “turns/Wisdom to Folly” (Milton 7.130). After the Fall, “man tried to interpret everything with which he came into contact without reference to God. The assumption of all his future interpretation [of the world] was the self-sufficiency of intra-cosmical relationships” (Van Til 70).

True reason actively involves faith. Just like Satan’s reason fails and falls to pieces (causing him to believe in paradoxes like he can beat an omnipotent God) after he renounces faith, the Fall causes Adam and Eve’s reason to fail. “For Adam as for Satan, disobedience results in the loss of reason, a confusion which impairs the ability to choose, hence the ability to act consciously and freely” (Ulreich 38). After the Holy Spirit redeems them, Adam and Eve start once more to cling to faith and so reason properly.

17

Adam says: “with good/ Still overcoming evil and by small/Accomplishing great things, by things deemed weak/Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise/By simply meek” (Milton 12.565-69). (page 7 of McColgan marriage….)

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Rhetorical Outline, Draft 1 of X (final)

Research Paper Rough Draft Outline

PROPOSITION: True reason in Paradise Lost is necessarily based on belief in God.

PLAN: I have tried to divide the paper into two parts. One part tries to prove that according to the poem faith is always harmonious with true reason. The other part tries to prove that according to the poem true reason always stems from faith and actively uses faith.

GOAL: Although my goal is rather ambitious, I try to show that according to the concept of faith and reason that is presented inthe poem, true reason and faith always go hand in hand. True reason necessarily has to stem from faith.

AUDIENCE: Someone who has read Paradise Lost and possibly some discussion about the nature of reason and faith.

P1 SAYS: Faith and obedience in God is perfectly aligned with true reason. God was shown to be the essence of true logic. Following God means following the inner nature, the inner reason that God has created us with.

P1 DOES: Uses Fish’s argument about God’s logic to lead up naturally to my main idea in the paragraph (this leading up mightnot be very smooth). Then, uses quotes from Ulreich to back up myassertion, I should try to have more quotes from the poem itself.

P2 SAYS: God made man in a perfect state. Man was made with pure faith and pure reason, as is told in the poem. From the Christianperspective of the poem, this pure reason would have had served God and acknowledge His authority. Fish says Milton believed

18

Christ is central to the whole universe. Naturally, then Christ should be central to even reason also. True reason is connected to God. The Bible says that atheism is foolish and that knowledgeand faith in God is the beginning of wisdom.

P2 DOES: Starts off with a long quote (probably unnecessarily long) from the poem. Uses many quotes from the Bible to help the reader know what the Bible’s view on reason/wisdom is. Needs to be more organized. Uses one of Fish’s argument, but changes it toapply to my proposition.

P3 SAYS: God created man good, but made with him with free will. God told man to make sure to use reason well; to make sure that reason did not leave its foundation of faith. Man had a choice touse reason in the right way or not.

P3 DOES: Uses a few quotes from the poem, but the conclusions I make from the poem seem a bit like assertions, not logically derived. Wilson is used to support the idea that reason was a free choice.

P4 SAYS: Reasoning is not completely separate from morality as some critics of the poem assume it is. In the poem, Adam and Eve’s inappropriate longing for knowledge was the original sin. They forsook the faith God gave them, and chose to believe in false reason.

P4 DOES: Refutation format. Briefly describes the opposition’s view (probably needs more explanation of the opposition’s view). Then tries to use the poem’s description of the Fall and of the proper boundaries of knowledge to try to show that knowledge and reason is connected with morality.

P5 SAYS: Logic necessarily starts with assumptions. In Adam and Eve’s sin, they reason, disbelieving God’s goodness. By disobeying God, they claim that they know better than God, that they can know without God. But God is the source of all good. Everything in the universe is centered on Him.

P5 DOES: Expounds upon and analyzes further what I said in P4. Talks a little about presuppositions—should be connected to what

19

was said in P4 and either be explained in detail or not mentioned. More quotes from critics.

Might be kind of repetitive. Might be good to combine P4-6 together.

P6 SAYS: Both Adam and Eve thought that reason stripped from faith in God could lead them to discern what is right to do. Eve uses her experience to evaluate God instead of allowing God’s command to form her ideas on her experiences. Adam disbelieves God’s goodness when he thinks that his situation is remediless when it is not.

P6 DOES: Not organized well. Needs a more clear main point (the last sentence). Uses a Christian philosopher’s ideas on reason and faith and the original sin to support my ideas. Also uses quotes from critics and the poem.

P7 SAYS: To reason truly you necessarily need faith. Like the Devil, when Adam and Eve start disobeying God and renouncing their faith, their reason deteriorates. After God gives them faith once again, they start to reason properly again.

P7 DOES: The second part of the paper. Should have been put before P4. One possible problem is that the second point of the paper is almost identical with the thesis…..Uses critic’s quotes,probably needs to include textual evidence from the poem.

20

Josep Folta

WRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Peer Review of Portfolio Author’s Work

Peer Reviewer: Jason Ling

Proposition: Intellectual reason and spiritual faith are actuallyclosely related to each other according to Paradise Lost

Plan: to present an explanatory proposition followed by numerous reasons such as God being perfect reason, the epic voice, the centrality of God, free will, false reasoning being separate from true reason, and faith leading to restoration of reason

Goal: to convince readers of the validity of the proposition

Audience: scholars of Paradise Lost, John Milton, and/or religious epics

Says/Does:

P1 Says: Critics debate the relationship of reason versus faith. While some may say that they are independent of one another,Paradise Lost shows how the two are intertwined.

P1 Does: Introduces the paper by addressing what the subject willbe. It presents a field that is heavily conflicted with manyinterpretations before introducing the proposition of the essay.

P2 Says: Before the showing that faith and reason are always in harmony, it needs to be proved that reason supports faith.

21

P2 Does: Introduces the first reason that will support the proposition. It prepares the reader for what the subject matter of the argument in the coming paragraphs will be about.

P3 Says: Following God is always in line with reason. He is shownto have perfect logic, which makes Him the supporter of reason. Living virtuously and obeying God’s command to not eat the fruit unless man dies are both reasonable choices.

P3 Does: Provides evidence that supports the reason that reason can parallel faith. Listening to the will of God is shown here to be the most reasonable conclusion. It also brings upthe ideas of the critic John Ulreich.

P4 Says: Contradictions of faith and reason are not actually so. Whenever it Adam and Eve appear to think that it would be reasonable to disobey God, the epic voice informs readers otherwise. Man sometimes cannot comprehend the wholeness of faith and reason whereas an omniscient deity can.

P4 Does: Gives the epic voice as a reason why faith and reason can be reconciled. It states that the epic voice presents reasoned insight for the reader who may otherwise be incapable of seeing true logic. The last sentence, however, is a bit confusing.

P5 Says: Paradise Lost is centered around God. Reason is another aspect of existence that must therefore revolve around God, according to Milton’s thoughts. One who does not believe in God therefore lacks reason.

P5 Does: Shows that the centrality of God is another reason in support of the proposition. Fish and the Bible are cited many times in this paragraph. Also, the opening few sentences seem a bit repetitive.

22

P6 Says: Mankind was given free will upon creation, which gives them the capability to exercise reason and faith however they like. “Reason” that leads mankind astray from God is not true reason, but rather a false understanding. Reason is much like free will – it can be used in ways that supportGod but also in ways that lead away from Him.

P6 Does: Presents the comparison to free will as another reason that supports the proposition. It separates pure reason fromthe type of logic that is used to lead people away from God (which appears to sometimes be mistaken also as reason).

P7 Says: People either willfully accept or reject faith. Some critics say that reason is completely separated from faith, which is not the case in Paradise Lost. Reason either agrees with God’s supremacy or denies it.

P7 Does: This paragraph sounds similar to the introduction of thepaper. I can’t really detect a single reason that unites this paragraph well, also. I think that you should consider blending this paragraph with the introduction since they both contain similar ideas and yet this one contains a specific example of critical opinion.

P8 Says: Reasoning based on carnal desires is against faith. WhenAdam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, they reject faith to God and also are suggesting that they know better than He does. Eve in her temptation believes that her experiences mean more than God’s authority. Adam also does not trust in faith and instead buys into false worldly reasoning.

P8 Does: Presents the scenes of temptation as specific examples where a lack of faith is connected to a lack of reasoning. The reason in support of the proposition introduced here is the fact that carnal reasoning, or reasoning based on worldly experiences, leads one away from faith. There are a

23

few places in the paragraph where a clause or two seem redundant.

P9 Says: True reasoning leads to genuine spiritual faith. When they fall, Adam and Eve lost faith and reason, but afterwards God gives them the tools to rebuild both. He impresses a new sense of faith in Adam and Eve, which leads to redevelopment of true reason. With faith, Adam is able tomake reasonable assertions and is helped along the way by angels.

P9 Does: Gives the final reason that supports the proposition. The restoration of faith after the Fall leading to the redevelopment of reason shows how the two are combined. Manysources are cited in this paragraph, which may be the strongest reason in the essay.

Final Paragraph

This paper presents the opinion that faith and reason are interwoven within Paradise Lost. It provides clear rebuttals of interpretations that are against the proposition while also putting forth reasons that favor the argument. It reconciles the principles of faith and reason by showing how both sides of the debate are partially correct: genuine faith and truthful reason are indeed connected while false reason can be the opposite of faith. Also, I was impressed with the ingenuity of some of the arguments that were made in this essay such as the connection with free will and the final paragraph where reason is returned via faith.

In terms of structure, I thought that the division by subject area approach was best. After reading through all of the reason paragraphs, though, I’m unsure of the necessity of the second paragraph. It seems to work for the first few paragraphs, but it becomes a bit extraneous in context of the whole paper. I would recommend combining the second paragraph and the seventh

24

one (the short paragraph on the second page) with the introduction. Alternatively, you could include some of that text into a conclusion for the paper as well. I also thought that the last paragraph had the strongest reason in the essay, which wouldsuggest Nestorian Order happening here?

Lastly, there are a few issues of repetitive sentences occasionally seen in the paper. It shouldn’t be very difficult tonotice them and deal with them accordingly.

25

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Peer Review of Another Student’s Final Research Essay

Peer Review of Jason Ling’s Research Essay

Peer Review of Jason Ling’s Research Paper

PROPOSITION: Paradise Lost urges readers to use their free choices to follow God.

PLAN: Explanatory proposition that looks at diction, angels, God,Eve, and Adam and how they bring out free will in the poem. The views of critics are often used in this discussion.

GOAL: To show the readers that free will is a major theme of the poem and that Milton indicates free will should be used to glorify God.

AUDIENCE: A reader of Paradise Lost (either Christian or non-Christian) who has not read the extra articles and book beside Surprised By Sin.

P1 SAYS: Milton was an antinomian (God’s laws did not have to beobeyed fully) and so his perspective on free will was considered radical. Miltonists have seen how free will played a central rolein many of Milton’s writings. This is also true for this poem. Milton tried to teach the reader to become a better Christian by revealing things about free will in the story of the Fall. Adam and Eve brought much evil into the world through their bad decisions. Milton hoped readers would not do the same but learn from the poem. Paradise Lost urges readers to use their free choicesto follow God.

P1 DOES: Gives context about Milton’s beliefs, specifically antinomianism and about the role of free will in Milton’s thoughtand works. Then narrows down to this poem and shortly lays down some reasons for the proposition.

26

Interesting context (but not sure if very connected to the argument, how does antinomianism affect free will?)The first sentence is a bit confusing and does not really seem to hook the readers in.

P2 SAYS: Milton’s complex use of diction makes the readers focus on free will. Milton allows for multiple meanings to exist in hispoem, which allows the reader to choose which meaning he wants toaccept. This supplements Milton’s focus on free will in the poem.

P2 DOES: Primarily explains Ricks’s argument. Alludes to emblem art. Might be good to explain things more clearly; it was hard tounderstand that you were saying readers have the ‘free will’ to choose out of the multiple meanings. Also, might be good to explain more how this use of diction directly supports your proposition.

P3 SAYS: Free will among the angels/demons illustrates the dangers of free will. Although there wouldn’t have been plot without Satan, Satan’s use of free will is obviously bad. Free will certainly exists among the angels. Angels relate to human beings and can teach us about human free will.

P3 DOES: Focuses on one set of characters to speak about the dangers of free will. Uses many critics. Be careful, sometimes the quotes (e.g. Low) don’t seem to really relate to the argumentas a whole. Try to structure the whole paragraph so that it is connected and all goes back to the paragraph’s reason and the essay’s proposition. I’m probably wrong, but I wasn’t sure if your point about Abdiel and Uriel were correct.

P4 SAYS: God’s speeches on free will show that man has true free will. Milton is against Calvinistic predestination, and believes God guarantees everyone free will.

P4 DOES: Uses many critics to show that Milton’s God surely guarantees free will. The main point of the paragraph is a bit confusing. If possible, try to connect paragraph to proposition more.

P5 SAYS: A crucial part of free will is the concept of obeying freely. Low states that man needs free will in order to freely

27

obey and so truly love God. Bennett says Adam did not force Eve to follow his authority because he wanted her to obey and love him freely.

P5 DOES: Discusses two different critics’ use of the concept of willful obedience. Mostly explanatory reasoning. A little confusing because reader is left unsure of whether Bennett thinksGod gives Eve free will or not. Also try to connect more to the proposition.

P6 SAYS: Eve’s use of her free will teaches the reader a lesson. Although some critics think that Eve practically had to give intoSatan’s temptation, they still think that she should have thoughtmore carefully so as to avoid falling into such a predicament. Fish says Eve freely chose to sin. Eve’s story teaches readers tobe careful in their choices.

P6 DOES: Present two opposing sides (explaining them) and then tries to actively synthesize them together. Uses many quotes. Then, produces an implication. It might be nice to make implication a bit clearer, especially in how it ties to the proposition.

P7 SAYS: Adam’s use of his free will presents a bad use of free will. Most critics agree that Adam freely chose to sin, despite being aware of the circumstances. Free disobedience is shown to be extremely wicked.

P7 DOES: Concisely presents (explanatory) the views of various critics on Adam’s free will (your explanation of Bennet’s view isdifficult to understand). Synthesizes all of them. Ties it back to the proposition. (p7’s main point) First sentence is a bit confusing.

P8 SAYS: Paradise Lost deals closely with the theme of free will. Milton uses the poem to depict stories of people using free will in a good way and a bad way to caution readers to use their free will wisely, using it to obey God not disobey Him.

P8 DOES: Gives much implication to the whole paper. Actively shows how Milton uses the poem to teach reader to use free will

28

to obey God (it would be nice if analysis like this was weaved inthroughout the poem).

Final Paragraph:

Since the essay spends a lot of time explaining (various) critics’ views, it seems as if this essay works to show that despite their differences, all/most critics seem to agree that Milton’s discussion of free will teaches the reader to use free will to obey God. There is much disagreement on the nature of free will (especially concerning the free will Adam and Eve had at the Fall). Although it seem rather difficult to synthesize thesources which seem to be radically different (and even conflicting) from each other, this essay tries to find a commonality among the differences, showing that the proposition is certainly true. I thought it was good how you synthesized the sources, but I think you still need to work on it a little more (sometime the synthesis is not clear or your explanation of a critic’s view is not clear).

Your choice to structure most of the essay by dividing your discussion on free will by the different characters works but I think you need to be careful with it. Make sure you connect the part about complex syntax with the rest of the essay. Make sure each paragraph about specific characters has a clear main point that is tied to the proposition---you don’t need to make every point about every character; in my opinion, I think it would be best if you use one character to talk about one specific aspect of Milton’s use of free will.

29

Peer Reviewed Paper Author: Jason LingPeer Reviewer: Josep Folta

Milton based his epic Paradise Lost on the concept that mankindpossessed total free will in order to elicit a specific conviction in readers. John Milton’s views on free will were considered radical in his day, as he subscribed to the belief of Antinomianism. Adherents of such a belief thought that laws did not have to be fully obeyed since they are more of a guideline for good, spiritual behavior (Bennett, 389). They believed that people ought to be free to decide their own actions in spite of the orders of a higher authority. Critics studying Milton have often noted areas in his work where the concept of free will achieves emphatic importance. There is no doubt that the existence of free will is an integral component of the poem. Milton intended to make the reader of Paradise Lost a better Christian by revealing the circumstances surrounding the Fall of Man and how one could learn from the mistakes made. The failure of Adam and Eve rests heavily on the free choices that they made,from which Milton hopes the reader will learn. Therefore, a central purpose of Paradise Lost regards Milton’s message to readersto express free will in God-supporting decisions.

Many critics explain how Milton presents his ideas on free will through complex manipulation of text. Christopher Ricks closely investigates Milton’s syntax and writing style in order to demonstrate how ideas of free will present themselves. He concludes that Milton is more often than not presenting the text with multiple meanings (Ricks, 96). Treip also offers insight into Milton’s complex manner of presenting free will in Paradise Lost. She compares the discussion of the topic with the sort of complex imagery that existed in emblem art in Milton’s own time period (147). The need to often go back and reinvestigate the same section of text indicates Milton’s specific treatment of free will (157). This method draws a parallel with emblem art

30

from Iconologia, which also on occasion presents instances of freedom of choice (Treip, 162). Milton’s intense devotion of detail to the subject of free will underscores his desire to havereaders focus on considering its importance in a God-oriented life.

Angelic demonstration of free will in Paradise Lost shows how its implementation could lead one away from spiritual cohabitation with God. Low argues that without the existence of free will in Satan, there would have been no progression of the plot in Paradise Lost (354). Satan obviously demonstrates an independence of will from God by rebelling against Him in an attempt to overthrow Heaven. But Satan’s subsequent failure and then efforts to defile God’s later works sets the plot of the epic in motion (Low, 355). Satan is a clear example of free will gone wrong. Satan’s persuasion of immortal beings also demonstrates instances where a choice is presented to individual wills. For instance, Satan is able to convince one third of the angels in heaven to join his cause while the other two thirds chose to remain with God. Milton clearly portrays angelic beings as having the free will to choose their allegiance, which is further supported by the fact that Abdiel first chose to follow Satan before changing his mind and returned to God (V.153). Critics like Waldock then solidify the connection between the actions of angels with those of people. Milton presented angels to the point where their human qualities begin to outshine their ethereal attributes according to his personal beliefs (Waldock, 107). Even the angel Uriel, said to be “the sharpest sighted Spirit of all in Heav’n” (III.324), willingly chooses to buy intoSatan’s deception (Fish, 233). Since Milton believes that the actions of angels and humans can parallel each other, the capability for free will act against God is a constant, impendingpossibility.

31

On the other hand, God’s treatment of free will displays to the reader that one may use free will to lead a spiritually morallife. Low provides the interpretation that free will is guaranteed by God’s omnipotence, as evidenced by a speech made inBook VII (Low, 364). God’s assurance of free will is dramaticallycontrasted with the Calvinist approach of unquestionable predestination (362). In fact, Bennett sternly shows that Milton is whole-heartedly against many principles of Calvinism includingpredestination (Bennett, 392). Milton’s God in Paradise Lost is an advocate of free will and repeatedly states that he bestowed freewill on mankind. Fish argues the existence of God-given free willversus omniscient predestination and claims that free will can only exist if there is a wrong choice available (Fish, 210). In terms of God, free will is a divine gift given with the full possibility of disobedience.

One of the most important results of the existence of free will is the concept of willful obedience. A number of critics usethis idea to justify Milton’s choice to employ absolute free willin Paradise Lost. Low and Bennett present two different yet similar examples of instances where willful obedience is a prominent argument for free will. Low states that God gave mankind the freedom to choose obedience since true love can only come from a willful decision to obey the laws of God. Without free will, mankind would not have been capable of expressing love towards God since they essentially would have been forced to abide by Hisside (Low, 351). Bennett instead presents the example of Adam asking Eve to remain together instead of splitting up their tasksin the Garden of Eden. The separation of the couple contributed to Satan’s temptation of Eve, to which some blame Adam’s concession of splitting up (400). However, Bennett proposes that Adam did not force Eve to stay with him since he too desired her unforced affection (401). Willful obedience appears as the alternate side of free will and Milton’s preferred option for hisideal reader.

32

The circumstances surrounding the temptation of Eve provokesreaders into specific understandings of free will. Watkins suggests that the temptation by Satan must have been so alluring that practically any will would have given in (132). He suggests that Eve’s temptation had been built up of a number of contributing attractions from achieving independence from Adam toSatan’s assault on all of the senses (Watkins, 132). Waldock shares this same interpretation of Eve’s situation (30). Fish, however, disagrees with the interpretation that Eve was caught upin a tight mesh of Satan’s temptations and claims instead that she reasoned to eat the fruit on her own accord (Fish, 252). Nevertheless, Eve still demonstrates free will in her choice to partake of the forbidden fruit. All of the sources are quick to emphasize that Eve should have been mentally prepared against such an assault on her will. Watkins, Waldock, and Fish warn thatEve should have been wary of the consequences of her decisions since she was free to choose her course of action. Readers are then shown to be wary of uncertain conditions and to weigh the rational consequences of their actions.

Adam’s temptation is an even bolder statement by Milton on mankind’s expression of free will based on rationality. Waldock is quick to point out a vast difference between Adam and Eve’s temptations: Eve was deceived while Adam freely chose to disobey just to join his wife (31). Bennett offers an interpretation thatmakes Adam transgression even direr: it is Adam who most often supports adherence to obeying God (Bennett, 401). Watkins also agrees with the idea that Adam “sins with full knowledge,” but adds that it is because he favors Eve over God (Watkins, 140). Like the other authors aforementioned, Fish is of the opinion that Adam fully consented to his fall and chose Eve over God (230). Free will is undeniably expressed in Adam’s temptation since he is fully aware of the choices and the consequences (Fish, 230). However, the willing instance of disobedience meant that Adam intentionally turned his back on God. Therefore, an act

33

based on free will guaranteed the complete exile of humanity out of Paradise. In this way, Milton reveals the greatest sin of mankind as an intentional defiance of the will of God.

Paradise Lost dissects the various aspects of free will within the context of a religious epic. Milton presents extensive cases and consequences of the freedom of choice. These examples show what the attentive reader and learning Christian ought to do and what to avoid. Milton’s point is that people have a freedom to choose and they should make their decisions in life with the utmost care. His wish is that readers will look at the instances of free will gone right and wrong in order to improve their actions.

34

Works Cited

Bennett, Joan S. ""Go": Milton's Antinomianism and the SeparationScene in Paradise Lost, Book 9." PMLA 98.3 (1983): 388-404.

Fish, Stanley. Surprised by Sin. 1997. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

Low, Anthony. “”Umpire Conscience”: Freedom, Obedience, and the Cartesian Flight from Calvin in “Paradise Lost.”” Studies in Philology96.3 (1999): 348-365.

Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Gordon Teskey. 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2004. Print.

Ricks, Christopher. Milton’s Grand Style. 1963. Oxford University Press, London.

Treip, Mindele A. “”Reason Is Also Choice”: The Emblematics of Free Will in Paradise Lost.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 31.1 (1991): 147-177.

Waldock, A.J.A. Paradise Lost and its Critics. 1964. Cambridge UniversityPress, London.

35

Watkins, W.B.C. Anatomy of Milton’s Verse. 1955. Louisiana State University Press, Clinton.

36

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Custom Proofreading Sheet

Custom Proofreading Sheet Draft 4

IncorrectSentence

Corrected Sentence The Little,Brown

EssentialHandbook

Type

Because God, in the second commandment , emphatically orders his people not to create or worships carved images or likenesses of Himself; Milton…..

Because God, in the second commandment , emphatically orders hispeople not to create orworships carved images or likenesses of Himself, Milton…..

Pg. 90 (24a) Semicolons—“No semicolon between amain clause and a subordinate element, such as a subordinate clause or a phrase.”

But Milton does not write the well-known storyin a boring or mundane way, in fact he writes the story as an epic poem.

But Milton does not write the well-known story in a boring or mundane way; in fact, he writes the story as an epic poem.

Pg. 90 (24b) Semicolons—“Use a semicolon between main clauses that are related by two kinds of words: conjunctive adverbs, such as however, indeed, therefore, and thus; and other transitional expressions, such as after all, for example, in fact, and of course.”

..has heard of …has heard of the Pg. 35 (6b) Cutting

37

the importance of environmentalconservation from their birth. And consequently, many students today think thatprotecting the environment is avery important issue.

importance of environmental conservation from theirbirth. Consequently, many students today think that protecting the environment is a very important issue.

empty/repetitive words—“Cutting words that contribute nothing to your meaning will make your writing move fasterand work harder.”

Even the youngsters of myage (18) remember the time when all their work vanished in an instant when thecomputer they were using crashed.

Even the youngsters of my age (18) remember the time when all our work vanished in an instant when the computer they were using crashed.

Pg. 66 (17a) Pronoun-antecedent agreement—“For clarity a pronoun should agree with its antecedent in person, number, andgender”

Milton did not purposefully write for modernreaders, insteadhe wrote for thereaders of his time.

Milton did not purposefully write for modern readers; insteadhe wrote for the readers of his time.

OR

Milton did not purposefully write for modern readers. He instead wrote for the readers of his time.

Pg. 90 (24b) Semicolons—Use a semicolon between main clauses that are related by two kinds of words: conjunctive adverbs, such as however, indeed, therefore, and thus; and other transitional expressions, such as after all, for example, in fact, and of course.

38

39

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Timed Essay 2

Timed Essay #2

Complex logical reasoning, especially in complex philosophical discourses, has a tendency not to be engaging or personally relatable. Logical ideas can seem like they are up in the air without much immediate connection to the world. However, good logic and reason does not necessarily have to be abstract and unrelated to the world. Instead logic when used well can be both engaging and applicable, meaning that it is unnecessary to use logical fallacies to engage one’s audience.

Logic can be engaging. Although emotion is easier to use to provoke immediate responses, logic can be much more effective in creating a long-term response from the audience. Illogical appeals to emotions can last for a while, but once found to be illogical and without basis, even previously positive audience will feel cheated and be unconvinced of one’s ideas. Logic has the potential to convince the audience for a sustained time. But in order to be engaging, a logical discourse has to go beyond therealm of theoretical ideas and be able to provide lively examplesas well as reasoning in a clear and easily understandable manner.If one uses emotion in the right way, it can improve logic.

Logic can be applicable to the real world. Oftentimes, academians reason theoretically and leave the reader hanging in the theoretical world, forgetting to relate theories back into the ‘real world’. However, an important part of rhetoric and writing is answering the question ‘So what?’ at the conclusion ofa speech, essay or discourse. Logic that is able to fully relate theoretical ideas into the real world can accomplish great

40

things. Theoretical ideas have the potential to be able to convince the audience of one’s propositions.

Logical fallacies such as emotional appeals can seem easier to use, but logic can have much more potential to convince the audience, when engaging and applicable.

41

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan Niles Timed Essay 1

Timed Essay for Writing Class: Paradise Lost

Having chosen to support Stanley Fish’s thesis, I encountered many rhetorical problems.

My first problem is that it is very difficult to find a premise that would relate to my audience since many in my audience had extremely conflicting views and beliefs with me. I am a Christian who strongly believes in the divine, perfect authority of the Bible. I primarily read Paradise Lost, thinking about how it matches up with Scriptures says and thinking about how it helps me learn more about God. But many other students in my class do not read Paradise Lost in the same way I do. They have differing beliefs and even differing values. It is hard to balance the prospects of having a premise that is general enough and also having a specific enough premise that will support my thesis. My strategy for coming up with a premise to support Fish’s thesis is to use the poem itself as a base to relate to the readers. Everyone would agree with what the poem actually says. So I will come up with a premise that is founded on the literal words of the poem, not any interpretative analysis, and then make my argument from there.

My second problem is that of creating distinct reasons and creating a good structure for my essay. I have perfectionist tendencies so I often try to start out my writing would a pretty good idea and basic outline of what I have to write, but since there are so many things I want to write in order to support Fish’s thesis, I cannot possibly group all these ideas into unified paragraphs! My head is getting chaotic and I am getting

42

frustrated with myself. My strategy is the following. In order tocreate a good structure, first I will write a general outline with the fundamental reasons, but these will not be all worked out in my head. Using this, I will write the rough draft---and it will be rough. In my second draft, I will struggle with creating a good structure, even if that means changing how I grouped my ideas from the rough draft. Then, in my final draft I will make do the final touches and make my words sound proper andright. By doing this, I will be able to have a clear structured essay.

43

Josep FoltaWRIT 039-324: Milton's Paradise LostAlan NilesWriting Diagnostic

Today’s world is filled with ecological concerns and so a trend of emphasizing the protection of the environment has emerged in the modern day. The younger generation in the world today has heard of the importance of environmental conservation from their birth. And consequently, many students today think that protecting the environment is a very important issue. However, despite the fact that many students value environmental conservation and the fact that most modern students grew up with computers, many still prefer printed matter over digital matter. I am one such student. I prefer a paper copy to a digital copy. And here are the reasons why.

Firstly, printed matter is more concrete. Often, digital communication can feel virtual and not concrete. Take for instance, reading. Even today in “the modern world”, more people like reading paper copies instead of digital copies of books. Unlike digital copies, paper books involve the sense of touch. Asthe ‘paper-book’ reader turns the many pages of a book, his reading experience is complemented by the important aspect of touch, which is something the virtual reader lacks. The culture of touching the book and turning the page is closely intertwined with the ancient history of literature. Without a physical, papercopy, many readers feel like they cannot read. Most readers prefer paper copies to virtual ones because paper copies are muchmore physically concrete than virtual copies.

Secondly, printed matter gives people a psychological sense of security. Even the youngsters of my age (18) remember the timewhen all their work vanished in an instant when the computer theywere using crashed. Although technology has greatly developed in recent years, making computer files more reliable; most people still feel more secure when they press ‘print’.

44

Even though the environment is very important and needs our protection; printed material still has many benefits over digitalmaterial. Paper hurts the environment. It is said that “the paperindustry is the single largest industrial consumer of water” and that “20% of the world’s deforestation is due to paper consumption”. Use of paper is causing many environmental problems. This fact needs to be acknowledged. Use of printed matter needs to be lessened. However, this does not mean that no one should use paper anymore. Paper has its advantages over digital material. People should utilize the advantages of paper,but take care not to exploit them.

I personally prefer paper over digital material. I love to read paper books and I feel more secure when I print, than when Ijust have a digital copy of something. However, I am also aware that it is my duty as a person to protect the environment. I personally try to print only when I need to and try to use up as much space in a sheet of paper as much as I can. People all over the world need to try to lessen their use of paper so that our paper resources are not exhausted, but I think they can still enjoy the benefits of paper, but just in a more restrained manner.