Assignment 4: Pham Hai Nam 1646147

I. The U.S. Declaration of Independence

1. What does the Declaration state about the rights of men and of a people?
The declaration of independence states some basic idea, including:
+ Human beings are given natural or ‘inalienable’ rights by God, and that governments are not
entitled to impose their will arbitrarily but instead derive their power from the people. Every man
and citizen are equal and they can receive the Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
+ If any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of people to alter
or to abolish it, and to institute new government.
+ “deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”, so the men and people give
government power, they set the rules to control you but you are also protected by these rights.
The government protects these rights.
2. Why did the authors of the Declaration in particular and the people of the colonies in general
decide to revolt against the King of Great Britain?
The authors of the Declaration in particular and the people of the colonies in general decide to
revolt against the King of Great Britain because of the 2nd thing I mentioned in question 1’ If
any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of people to alter or to
abolish it, and to institute new government.’ At the time the King of Great Briain had power, of
course he does not have the rights to do all. Beside him, British Cabinet or Parliament also has
rights to control the country. However, he is the symbol and figure head of this system.
Criticizing George III was really a way of criticizing the British government.
In addition, what actually happens at that time that the author knows to state it again. By the
1770s, tensions had been building among the colonists as they felt increasingly disconnected
from their British rulers. A primary source of frustration was the lack of self-governance, which
meant they were unable to make their own decisions and shape their own destinies. This sense of
disempowerment was exacerbated by the fact that they were forced to pay heavy taxes to the
British monarchy without having any direct representation in the British Parliament. As a result,
many colonists began to question the fairness of this system, feeling that they were being treated
unfairly and denied a voice in the decision-making process. This is the social context that led to
why George III received the critical.
II. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
1. What are the rights of man and citizen the Declaration states?
17 rights were stated by the declaration of the right of man and the citizens. In short, I will list
the main idea in each rights, including:
  All men are born free and equal.
 Natural rights include liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.
 Sovereignty resides in the nation.
 Laws must protect individual rights and be based on the general good.
 Liberty is limited only by laws that ensure others' rights.
 Laws can only prohibit harmful actions.
 Citizens have a right to participate in law-making.
 The law must be the same for all citizens.
 No one can be arrested or punished without due process.
 Punishments must be necessary and proportional to the offense.
 Individuals are innocent until proven guilty.
 Freedom of thought, speech, and press is protected.
 Military forces are necessary for public security.
 Citizens have a right to decide on taxes and how they are used.
 Public officials must be accountable for their actions.
 A society without governance has no constitution.
 Property is an inviolable right.

And I think the right of freedom of thought, speech, and press is protected is extremely
important. That is why in Europe nowadays, not only in the US with this declaration, but some
authors can also freely write down what they see about the society they live in and the
government that they serve. It can affect the government; they need to change if necessary to
serve citizens.
III. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s life
Summarize Rousseau’s life in a paragraph of about 70 words, which consists of crucial events in
his life.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born in Geneva in 1712 in a watchmaker’s family, experienced a
tumultuous life marked by intellectual exploration and controversy. Despite minimal formal
education, he immersed himself in literature and philosophy, influencing Enlightenment thought
with works like "The Social Contract" and "Émile." His unconventional relationships, including
with Madame de Warens and Thérèse-Levasseur, shaped his personal life. Rousseau's ideas on
human nature, societal corruption, and the role of emotion sparked both admiration and
condemnation, setting the stage for Romanticism. His life was marred by exile, accusations of
hypocrisy, and constant suspicion, culminating in his death in 1778. And this is the first time we
hear the new type of work “autobiography”.
2. Rousseau’s Confessions
2.1. What is the career of the narrator (the character “I”)’s father in Rousseau’s Confessions?
How do his parents meet up and interact with each other before their marriage?
As I mentioned in summary, he was a watchmaker (his father).
According to the passage, Jean-Jacques Rousseau's parents, Isaac and Suzanne Bernard, met and
interacted with each other from a young age. They would take evening walks together along the
Treille from around 8-9 years old, and by 10 years old, they were inseparable. Their sympathetic
and harmonious souls reinforced their feelings, and they eventually fell in love.
2.2. What happens after the narrator was born? How does his father react to that?
His mother’s tragic death shortly after his birth.
His father even sad because of him, his wife dies. However, he still loved and cared about his
son. Before this paragraph in book one, we know Issac Rousseau spent a love for books, he give
his love for his son (Jean – Jacques).Not only Jean- Jacques but also his father can go to his
mother’s library, where he can find the image of his mother. Issac loves his wife and also his son
so much .
2.3. How do the people in the narrator’s family treat his older brother, and what does this
treatment affect him? How is this treatment different from the treatment the people do with the
narrator? How is he (the narrator) shaped by this treatment?
The narrator's family gives more attention to him than his older brother, causing the brother to
feel neglected. This makes the older brother prone to trouble and poor behavior from a young
age. As a result, he struggles to find guidance and stability, and his upbringing is negatively
affected.
The treatment the people did with the narrator was different from what his family treat with him.
It was the opposite to all behavior of his family.
2.4. What happens to the narrator when he is a boy at the age of 8, and what is the result of this
situation? How does he become cynical?
At 8, the narrator was sent to live with Reverend Lambercier in Bossey. He was treated badly,
getting beaten and humiliated. This made him feel angry and distrustful towards the people in
charge. He became bitter and lost. faith i

2.5. What are the two contrasted characteristics the narrator feels inside of him when he thinks of
his own personality? What is his activity affected by them?
On the one hand, the narrator has a timid side that holds him back from openly expressing his
desires. On the other hand, he has a passionate and lustful nature that drives him to indulge in
wild fantasies and actions. These contrasting traits create inner conflict, making it hard for him to
reconcile his desires with his fears.
2.6. What does the narrator do in an inn on his way to Lausanne? How does the inn owner treat
him? Whom does he meet when he approaches Lausanne? How does this man treat him?
The narrator, broke and hungry, entered an alehouse and ordered dinner. Despite his poverty, he
pretended to be confident. The innkeeper, surprisingly kind, refused his offer of a waistcoat as
collateral and instead told him to keep it. The narrator was later greeted warmly by Perrott, who
promised to help him find work or scholars who could assist him but warned him to prove
himself before receiving financial support.
Some activities can be listed, including:

 Have one night in an inn

 Settled the bill with the innkeeper
 Offered his waistcoat as collateral
 Received unexpected kindness from the innkeeper
 Was greeted warmly by Perrott
 Spoke with Perrott about finding work or scholars

2.7. How does the narrator describe his feeling of uncertainty in his mind? What is the action he
uses to test his feeling one day when he is having meditation on this subject?
I pondered my fate, asking myself: "What state am I in? If I were to die now, would I be
damned?" According to my Jansenist beliefs, there was no doubt, but my conscience whispered
differently. I was consumed by fear and uncertainty, resorting to desperate measures to escape
the crushing anxiety. One day, while lost in thought, I found myself mindlessly throwing stones
at tree trunks with impressive aim, without actually hitting one.
As I continued this futile exercise, an idea struck me. "I'll throw this stone at the tree across from
me," I thought. "If it hits, I'm saved, if it misses..." The uncertainty was still there, but for a
fleeting moment, my anxiety was momentarily calmed.
IV. Frederick Douglass
1. How was Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave written
and developed through its different versions?
According to the author’s bio, Frederick Douglass' Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,
An American Slave was written and developed through its different versions in the following
ways:

 Public lectures: Douglass' public lectures on his life story, which he had tested out on
various audiences, formed the centerpiece of his narrative. He knew it had power and
wanted to disseminate it widely.
  Accusations of fraud: The many accusations of fraud against Douglass prompted him to
publish details about the people and places he knew as a slave, so that others could
confirm the truthfulness of his account.
 Translation and publication: The narrative was translated into French and German, and
went through nine editions in England alone, making it a widely known and influential
work.
 Continued development: The narrative continued to evolve as Douglass updated it to
reflect his changing experiences and perspectives. He made changes to the narrative in
subsequent editions, incorporating new information and insights.
Frederick Douglass' autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An
American Slave," went through three subsequent versions:

 "My Bondage and My Freedom" (1855)

 "The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass" (1881, 1892)

2. What can we learn about Douglass through his autobiographical Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass in the aspects of his life, family, education, masters, slavery, and struggle for
freedom?
Frederick Douglass' narrative explores various themes, including:
Resilience and perseverance: Douglass' story showcases his unwavering determination to
overcome the challenges he faced as a slave, including physical abuse and emotional trauma.
Education and empowerment: Through his experiences, Douglass emphasizes the importance of
education as a means to attain freedom and equality.
Slavery and its injustices: Douglass critiques the institution of slavery, highlighting its inherent
cruelty and violation of basic human rights. He advocates for unity among enslaved individuals
as a means to achieve liberation.
The struggle for freedom: Douglass argues that freedom is not easily attainable and requires a
willingness to fight for it. He emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and resilience in the
pursuit of liberty.
3. What can we know about Colonel Lloyd through Douglass’ descriptions in his Narrative of the
Life of Frederick Douglass?
Through Douglass' descriptions, we can infer that Colonel Lloyd is a wealthy and influential
slave owner who demands absolute obedience and silence from his enslaved people. He is cruel
and ruthless, punishing even minor infractions with whippings and physical abuse. He is also
shown to be highly particular about his horses and stable, whipping his enslaved workers for
minute faults. Additionally, Colonel Lloyd seems to value profit over humanity, selling enslaved
people who speak the truth or disobey him, and respecting those who are willing to kill or harm
others. Overall, Colonel Lloyd is depicted as a brutal and tyrannical slave owner who exercises
total control over his enslaved people.
Writing
“History and Self-Portrait in Rousseau’s Autobiography” Juliet Flower MacCannell
1/ the introductory sentence(s) to the main topic to be argued in the article:
“Though the precise motivation - psychological or existential - for Rousseau's apparent
compulsion to portray himself is not clear, some structural bases for the repetition may be
brought to light by an examination of the two different modes Rousseau employs within his
autobiographical works, the histoire and the portrait.” (p.280)
2/ the literature review presented in its “introduction”:
“Not even the Confessions, in particular the first six books, are an empirical chronology, but the
"histoire d'une ame." They are ... managing to exist outside of both natural, cyclical time, and
progressive chronology:”
3/ the sentences to present the author’s claim:

 Main argument is the topic sentences.

 Support argument:

i. Painting the Portrait of the Soul: “Painting and portraiture are indeed complicated topics in
Rousseau's work.”
ii. Figured Language: “Frontin likens the portrayal of a fictitious subject to a metaphor. The
same complex temporality that characterizes the portrait is also found in explicitly linguistic
terms in Rousseau's Essai sur Vorigine des langues.”
iii. The Reprises: I can’t find the support idea sentences, however the hold paragraph support
for this.