Friday, October 26, 2012
Bruce Catton's "Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts"
Please write a well thought out and thought provoking response to the following question:
Catton's purpose in contrasting Grant and Lee is to make a statement about the differences between two great men in American history. Summarize these differences. Do you think the differences still exist today? Explain.
In what paragraph do you see Exemplification used?
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The differnences between these two men is that one of them is family oriented and the other is not. Lee felt that family, culture, and tradition was important. Grant on the other hand, felt that growing up the hard way and learning things on your own is important. I believe that these differences still exist today because there are families out there who still treat traditions within the family as high importance, however there are other families who dont hold any traditions or care if they exist within the family. I think Exemplification is used in paragraph 3, when they are describing the two men.
ReplyDeleteGrant would fight to the limit of endurance to defend his frontier, because in defending it he was defending everything that he would give his own life. Lee he would battle with everything he had, because he could only see it as an effort to cut the ground out from under his feet. I’m unsure if the differences still exist today but I don’t know much on the subject. I'm sure people are out their today fighting for things they believe in. Exemplification is used throughout the essay. Some examples of this include: "thousands of tired, underfed, poorly clothed confederated soldiers, long since past the simple enthusiasm of the early days of the struggle, somehow considered Lee the symbol of everything for which they had been willing to die." (Paragraph 6)
ReplyDeleteGrant believed that "No man was born to anything, except perhaps to a chance to show haw far he could rise" and that he could better himself. He saw his fate in terms of the nation's own destiny. Because Grant came into the world as a drifter, he felt an obligation to the national community rather than any one particular place. Grant, however, felt a "relation to his own region." Lee on the other hand was Family orientated he strongly believed in being close to his family. I think the difference do exist today because people are all raised different and all have different views on life. Exemplification is used in paragraph 5.
ReplyDeleteI agree with familys all being raised differently. In familys that have been rich for generations you will see more of Lee. Familys were parents worked hard to gain their wealth will be more like grant. It all depends on how that wealth is handed down and how the children are brought up.
DeleteI agree with Desmond when he write, "Grant would fight to the limit of endurance to defend his frontier, because in defending it he was defending everything that he would give his own life. Lee he would battle with everything he had, because he could only see it as an effort to cut the ground out from under his feet." I think the differences still exist today because people are raised/brought up differently and have different views in life. Exemplification is used in paragraph 3.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank you for taking the time to read my post. I am glad to see we can agree on the same subject matter.
DeleteLee embodied the way of life that had come down through the age of knighthood and the English country squire. Grant came up the hard way and embodied the eternal toughness and sinewy fiber of the men who grew up beyond the mountains. Lee pretty much embodies the man that works for himself and has a set standard in society while Grant represent a man that works for his standard in society. I do believe these differences still exist in our society. Depending on where you’re born and where you grow up, kind of determines your future unless you’re truly dedicated. Those born in high standards of society pretty much enjoy a luxurious life while those who are born in low standards, must truly work their way forward.
ReplyDeleteexemplification is used in paragraph 6
DeleteI agree with Landon when he said that Grant believed that "No man was born to anything, except perhaps to a chance to show how far he could rise." That shows that Grant isn't as family orientated as Lee is right there. Lee believes you should be close to your love ones. In this society we are in now i do believe these differences still exist. Because we have the people that think nothing is given to you unless you earn it and the people who rather just be close to there love ones because its more important. Exemplification is used in paragraph 3.
ReplyDeleteCatton contrasted Grant and Lee to make the differences between them known so the fact that they came together and came to an agreement more of a profound accomplishment. He highlights the differences to that their similarities more great. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. Lee grew up with money and privileges. Lee valued family, culture, and tradition. He disliked change. Grant wanted to learn things the hard way, his own way. He grew up in the western frontier. He lived with a middle-class, hard-working family.These men were both strong leaders and born fighters. They had the ability to quickly change war to peace. These differences are still prevalent today in many people. These similarities an differences are still in existence today. exemplification is used in paragraph 6. Paragraph 6 says that General Lee was many people’s reason for fighting in the war. It gives examples of this when it says that men who were cold tired and hungry had faith because they knew they were fighting for lee. The men considered lee the symbol of living justification.
ReplyDeleteLee was a family oriented and believed in being close to him family and to his culture; however, Grant believed that learning as your grow and endure tough events in your life was important. I think that these differences do still exist because of the vast parental methods. Usually, the ultimate factor in how a person thinks or acts can go back on his or her parents and the way that they were raised as a child. These two men did not have the complete same background, therefore, it is not surprising how differently they think. Exemplification is used in paragraph 3.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Exemplification was used in paragraph 3, it is clearly shown there. I also agree with the statement that it comes down to parental methods. The parents are typically the head of the family, its their job to choose weather or not they wish to continue on family traditions.
DeleteLee and Grant were different in many ways. However, personality, underlying aspiration, and their backgrounds differed the most. Lee's background was family, culture, and tradition and Grant was the exact opposite. To be honest Grant was everything Lee was not. Lee was the type of person who was "born into success" while Grant on the other hand had to "work to be successsful". There is a big difference between the two. Yes I feel like the differences still exist in today's world, simply because there is a wide variety of people in this world, that differ in race,culture, beliefs, and many other things. That right there is a good enough reason why it still exist in today's world. I believe exemplification is shown in paragraph 6!
ReplyDeleteYou are able to see Exemplification in paragraph 6 and more places throughout the story.
ReplyDeleteLee and Grant are both very similar yet very different. Lee is the guy is the family guy.He was raised with high morals and expectations and grew up in a wealthy family. Now, Grant is an isolated man that fights for what he has and will fight for what he does not have; at least that is what the author says about him. They are both very different from each other in that way but they are both fighters,strong willed men. They are both for peace and being successful.I also believe that there are people like Lee and Grant today, with maybe same background and views in life.
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DeleteYou said,"[Lee] was raised with high morals," I disagree with you madam. I don't believe he was necessarily raised with high morals. I think he was just raised with money and people associate wealth with good feelings and so they automatically think money=morals and that is just not true. Also you seem to be a raving lunatic if i'm not mistaken ;)
DeleteMadame Emily i agree and disagree with you ..if that makes any sense...anyways being born into a wealthy family i believe means that people automatically expect a lot from you and that is why Lee was who he was if he were to be born in a family like Grant his life would be very different i think...and no i think that honestly i think that you should take a grammar class before you post your opinions here :) i just thought to give you some advice. ohhh and i have a question for you...who do you think is more likely to be successful in life? Lee or Grant? and why?
DeleteI respect your opinion and i understand the tendency for wealthy families to raise families with higher expectations but that is not alway these case. There are many wealthy families that don't teach their children any morals. I don't believe one was more successful money-wise than the other, but not for the same reason. Grant was a fighter and earned his success. Lee was born into his success.
DeleteLee is a gentleman who believed that all men should be equal, well all white men who owned land. He valued cilivary, family, culture and traditions. Grant, on the otherhand, is a mountain man or rough guy who believed that all people should get a fair chance at life. He believed that if you earned it, then you deserved it and he relied on himself rather than others. I believe that thier are people in the world today who are like both of these men. Many people feel that they have climbed up the ladder in their work and have deserved what they get in the end. Other people are born into wealth and they believe that is the way it should be. Exemplification is used in paragraph 6.
ReplyDeleteThe differences between Lee and Grant. Lee is a southern gentleman of noble aristocratic quality, who believes that family, is the key to success, he comes from old money(Family money. He clings fast to his ideals, and will fight to keep them. He does not like change, believing in a static society. Grant However being the son of a tanner on the western frontier came up the hard way. He believds that the keys to success are self reliance, making your own way, working hard for what you have. He believes that privledge was earned, no man was born into anything only a chance to show that he could succeed. He had a deep rooted sense of beloning to a national community. In this community any one who opened a business could only hope to prosper if the community prospered. His community rsn from the Atlantic to the pacific an from Canada to Mexico. He believed that with settled lands he could better himself. He believed that he and his fellow countrymen had a stake in the development of this country.
ReplyDeleteOctober 31, 2012 3:33 PM
I think these differences still exist today, the waltons of Walmart fame are one family I can think of that are like Lee they are really rich and live of of inhereted money they live a life of luxury, I do not believe that they shop in their owns stores. On the other hand Sam Walton the founder of Walmart was more like Grant he started with meager means running a ben franklin and working his way up.
DeleteExemplification is used in paragraph 6
DeleteGrant and Lee were different in personality and underlying aspiration. Lee was the notion that the old aristocratic concept might survive and be dominant in American life. His background was family, culture and tradition. Lee embodied a way to life that men "with money" had equal rights and a chance in the world. Grant on the otherhand, was nothing like lee. He came up the hard way. He did not have a trail of money like Lee. Grant embodied eternal toughness and sinewy fiber.Most of all. Grant did not respect men born into a wealthy family. Ememplification is used in paragraph 12
ReplyDeleteThe differences between Grant and Lee is that Grant is rough, tough, and knows what he is. He had nothing given to him, he had to work hard for what he wanted, he was not a little rich boy. He didn't rely on anyone, and he didn't show mercy. Grant came from nothing, he didn't really have the life Lee had. He was the complete opposite of Lee actually. Lee now, he was born into noble. He believed in family, culture, and tradition. Lee thought that all men who were white and owned land had equal rights. Lee hated change and the North brought change. Lee had lead the south.These differences are still with us today in many people. Exemplification is used in paragraph 6.
ReplyDeleteGrant grew up dealing with the difficulties of life and "embodied nothing in particular except the eternal toughness" of men who grew up outside of the city. Lee, however, grew up with tradition, as if everything should stay the way it was. He could not handle change the way Grant had grown up doing. Lee also believed in slavery. I think that differences like Grant and Lee's still exist today. Grant and Lee are very different people from one another, but even today no two people are exactly the same. There are people very similar to Grant and there are people very similar to Lee. Take the those who in New York City who spend all day long in an office at a desk, to the police in Los Angeles, to the farmers in Kansas. None of those people are the same as the other, and each live very different lifestyles. There are also people who live with some of Grant's style and some of Lee's style in their lives. However I believe that there are still people like Grant and Lee today. Exemplification is used in multiple paragraphs, including 5 and 6, where Catton goes on to describe Lee's lifestyle and what he believes, as well as who follows him during the Civil War and why they do.
ReplyDeleteLee was a big family guy and cared for people. He was traditional and grew up in tradition believing that nothing should change. Grant on the other hand, is a very isolated man and he believed that he needed to get everything done by himself. He praised himself for doing stuff himself and with no help. Lee was a gentleman and Grant was an independent man. These were their differences and we can still see those differences with many people. So we know that people are never the same. Exemplification is shown in the 6th paragraph.
ReplyDeletei dont think he necessarily praised himself for it.. he just felt like it was what he needed to do.. i believe. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your work. :)
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ReplyDeleteLee was born into an aristocratic lifestyle. He grew up in a tigh-knit wealthy family rooted in tradtion. He loved the small independent, unchanging communities and that is what he fought for. Grant however, was born into the frontier life. His lifestyle was a bit tougher but it molded him into the man he became. He saw how the country was changing and he knew it could grow more than it already was, so he fought for it.
ReplyDeleteTo a point, these differences do still exist today. There are many smaller tigh-knit communities that love tradtion and can be afraid of change. In the midst of this there are still people in these communites who have a tougher lifestyle and must fight for what they want in life. So, it is as if there is a part of both Grant and Lee in our country.
Exemplifcation is shown in paragraph 6 when Catton uses the Civil War to show how "Lee embodied the noblest elements of this aristocratic ideal".
Grant and Lee were two very different men but very similar at the same time, if that makes any sense. Grant was raised as a rough wild man who grew up in the mountains and out west while Lee was froma fine aristocrat family. Grant was more of a "make a name for yourself" while Lee was all about tradition and upholding the family values. Exemplification was used many times including in Chapter 5, 6, and 12
ReplyDeleteThe reason they were so similar was that they fought for what they believed in but they knew when to draw the line and call for peace rather than keep fighting.
DeleteLee was a family and tradtion oriented man who "embodied the elements of the aristocratic idea." (6)
ReplyDeleteGrant was brought up "the hard way."(7) He was the embodiment of tough, rugged mountain men who worked with their hands and lived off the land. He didn't care much about family, tradition or whee he came from. Instead, he cared about what he could do and where he was going. Life for him was a competition.
People are still like this today. Many are close to their family and put them before everything else. Others go years without speaking to their family and don't plan on getting any better.
Paragraph 6.
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