Hitler's Youth

Marlowe is surprised in The Heart of Darkness by how normal the savages look. How unstrange they appear. Isn't evil supposed to look and seem different? The Devil has red horns and a pointy tail- so why can't it be that easy to spot evil in everyday life. I think the tragedy of Hitler's Youth was that the children were not able to recognize the wickedness of what they were doing, saying, and whom they were praising because they knew no better. Satan in Paradise Lost ponders whether it can " do [Adam and Eve] onely stand/ By ignorance, is that the happie state”(Milton, IV. 518-519). The Hitler Youth live in the happy state of ignorance, not knowing  the evil that surrounds them in around every campfire and in every tune they gleefully chant. It is palpable, but their ideas of good and evil are manipulated and reversed. With so many interpretations of evil, who really is to say what's right and what's wrong?

first impressions

I hate to say it but after reading the his first speech I'm starting to like Satan. He doesn't seem to base his logic on reason but he definitely has guts. To sum up what he said as I would have said it: "He beat us, so what? I don't care what he does I refuse to bow to him. I'd rather be here than go crawling back to Him." Its not the smartest thing to say, but he certainly does make an impression.

Reading 1

In lines 1-26, Milton uses the classical approach to beginning his poem. Using apostrophe, he calls upon the muse to inspire him, help him make the best poem, and assist him in portraying his theme: "justifying the ways of god to men" (26). In these lines, Milton makes many biblical allusions to Mount Zion and Sinai and more. He mentions them like Homer mentioned Greek Mythology in his poetry.
During the next section, Satan and his comrade, Beelzebub, are introduced. Mainly we learn about the history of the war between God and Satan. In addition, Milton mentions Satan's role in the eviction from the Garden Eden. Evil's motives appear to be revenge, lust, and pride. In the height of his pride, Satan tried to overthrow God, but God threw him down to hell, where Satan plots his revenge. Evil's presence began in the very beginning of man's time on earth.

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