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Quote:
5) "I sought him whom my soul did love,
6) with tears I sought him earnestly.
7) He bow'd his ear down from above.
8) In vain I did not seek or cry."

Purpose: Bradstreet is seeking for God's help(5) because she is in need and prays to him(6). God finally heard her(7) and she doesn't cry because she doesn't want to seem like she is weak(8). The stanza helps make it clear in the poem that she is an ideal puritan and an elect because. She loves God deeply and she is on of the elect because God decided to help her and rewarded her.

Analyze diction: The words sought, bow'd and in vain. The word sought helps explain that Bradstreet decided to come to God out of all the people for help because she knows that he is the only one who could help her in this situation. The word bow'd supports the idea that God took his time to listen to Bradstreet and help her out in any way. The word in vain refers to the idea that Bradstreet believes that God is a superior person who helps her out but she doesn't cry or seek so that she wouldn't look weak in front of God so that she wouldn't displease him. The words impact the reader because it creates a good image of God by making it apparent that he is always there to help out and that people should be loyal to him and love him. The overall purpose of the stanza with the help of these words is to make a good image for God.

Line-by-line analysis: Line 5 talks about how Bradstreet prayed to God for help and was desperate to come in contact with him so that he could help her out. This supports puritans views because she is following God and is a devotee. She looked and believed that God out of all the people is the only one who can help her and change anything.  Line 6 makes it clear that Bradstreet is in deep pain and God is the only one who can help her out which can be evident through her tears. The line supports puritans views because she worships him and is working to have a relationship with God. She knows that God is the only one who can help her out because he is the one who decides faith. Line 7 supports the idea that God selects Bradstreet to help her out and comes in touch with her. The evidence  supports puritans views because it makes it clear that he is the only one who can change decide faith and chooses to help Bradstreet because he chose her to be an elect. Line 8 makes it apparent that Bradstreet deeply respects God so she decides not to seem weak in front of him.  The piece support the puritan beliefs because Bradstreet shows love and respect for God which is the most important principle in the puritan society.

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Ideal:
Hard work and self discipline through her description of real world events. This sign of elect. Works hard to improve her works for public viewing. Self discipline is by apologizing for her wrongdoings by admitting to everything she has done incorrectly and goes on to correct them which is one of the key idea for the entire poem.

Literary devices:
Extended metaphor- describes the book as her child.
Rhyming couplets- (1-4)
Personification- Gives human attributes to book

Opposing:
Through explorations of themes such as the fallen nature of humanity(expresses her frustration in her work by comparing it to a "rambling brat," using a self-deprecating tone), the concept of original sin(indirectly alludes to the concept of original sin, connecting her work to the inherited sinfulness of humankind), and the pursuit of perfection(expresses her aspiration to polish and perfect her work, reflecting the Puritan emphasis on personal growth).

Literary device:
Allegory and allusion: (4-6) refers the puritans crossing to america, as well as their ridiculous rigid religious standards.
Connotations: (8-10),she is talking about her poems being published without her consent and wanting to change their meanings to show her authentic self, rather than being the model Puritan woman.
Rhyming techniques:(15-18)

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Opposing:
Puritan lifestyle: Puritans believed that the wife would be lucky to be given a husband. Bradstreet would use that belief to imply that she was one of the elect because she would be implying that God had chosen her specifically to have such a great husband which indicates that she was special in some way. This indication would be a direct opposition to what the Puritans had believed.

Literary techniques: Personification (9) uses the word hungry to describe her soul, allusion(13), rhythm scheme (1-4)

Beliefs: The way that she deals with her uncertainty represents her devotion to the puritan faith, and how far she would go to preserve her image. She questioned her faith, and become anxious about why she didn’t have the same relationship with God that others seemed to have.

Ideal:
Puritan lifestyle: Bradstreet demonstrates that Puritanism is a beneficial lifestyle by explaining God’s effect on her: filling her soul with goodness and washing her negative emotions away. He helped her retain an optimistic outlook, rewarded her, and allowed her to be relaxed due to her absolute devotion to him.

Literary techniques:  rhythm scheme (1-4), Personification (9), Fixed Form: the poem contains four quatrains with an alternating rhyme scheme throughout the poem, hyperbole (15-16) she exaggerates her love for God, Mood of despair (With tears I sought him earnestly......And banisht thence my Doubts and fears.)

Beliefs: Anne Bradstreet connects to the Puritan belief of being devoted to god through a hyperbole about her love for God.

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Ideal:
Role of religion and faith: Bradstreet work was published without her knowledge and had no power to even stop her brother in law from doing so. She highlights the downside to the specific gender roles proposed by the puritan lifestyle by describing her own experience with the gender role. The Puritan ideals of male dominance is clearly showcased.

Opposing:
How faith and religion blind people from truth: People would be reluctant to share or express authentic or novel ideas that differ from everyone else because of the societal standards set in stone for the already existing set of beliefs. (9). Faith and religion can cause self-doubt in one’s ideas (6).

Puritan faith: Bradstreet talks about Puritan faith through predetermined fate, god punishing sinners, and men being above women.

How had faith and religion come to shape american literature: The puritans have an idea of perfection and how people should be well educated. This shapes american literature because it helps the pieces of work get near perfect and be written in a way by intelligent people so that they can attach readers to their story.

How can faith and religion reveal truth to people: This is because people realize that they want everything to be perfect but it cannot always be like that and it happens to everyone. This can be seen in the distress Bradstreet has shared because of how her poem isn't perfect enough for the world to view it.

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What role faith and religion play: Faith and religion help mold the characters of Flesh and Spirit. Flesh is against faith and religion and takes pleasure in material wealth. She lives in the present day and only thinks about what is going on Earth and what the reality is. Unlike Flesh, Spirit is a religious person whose soul is fully in the spiritual world with God. She values faith and religion because she deeply loves God. She always thinks about the world beyond Earth, heaven, and has no interest in material wealth. She is a pure puritan.

How does faith and religion reveal the truth: Faith and religion reveal the truth explain the peace and happiness that come from believing in God rather than having interest in the material world. It shows that believing and practicing beliefs like such can keep a person at rest.

How do faith and religion blind people from the truth: Faith and religion blind people from the truth because it causes people to believe in something that might not even be real. People who are pulled into the spiritual world and always think God is the answer to everything but that might not be real because the actions that take place are based on the person.

How does religion and faith shape american literature: Religion and faith shape american literature because Bradstreet uses them to make strong and emotional comparisons between flesh and spirit. She makes sure to use literary devices to express the deep feelings that are held.

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Opposing:
What role faith and religion play: God is in every part of life and they believed that everything that happened to her is because of God. (12-14). God took away fears and how God had helped the writer. Even though in Puritan beliefs God wasn’t supposed to help humans, people still use God as a way to explain how certain things happened and how God has helped them.

Ideal:
Bradstreet addresses that faith and religion can reveal the truth about how people are connected with God by using end rhymes. (1-5). Others are sleeping without worry, and she is awake but can still relax because she has a strong connection with God. Her faith in the her religion reveals that she is more acquainted with God than most Puritans and is a part of the Elect because of her strong beliefs

How do faith and religion blind people from the truth: This is because they have created a belief system were only certain values are accepted and if someone has a different view they are rejected. This can limit the people from seeing the truth.

How does religion and faith shape american literature: This can be due to the fact the the work would be surrounded by the theme of God and concentrate on values that are believed by the puritans and by agreeing with those beliefs.

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Literal meaning: Bradstreet describes events that transpired regarding the the published book, "the tenth muse lately Sprung Up in America, by a Gentlewoman of Those Parts”. Talks about her frustration when the book was published without her consent. She refers to the poem as her child.

Figurative meaning: Her works acted as promotion of the puritan ways of life, writing the poem acted as self discipline, The literature shows her prowess as a well educated women, an ideal aspect for the Elect. Some of her methods of interpretation in the book are indeed wrong and later goes on to correct them, showing that she improves herself and establishes a better connection with God. (21), (12-14), (17-18).Her ability to write supports the fact she is an elect. The elect had education of higher levels in order to serve god better and spread his will.

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Literal meaning: Bradstreet believed in God and stuck to her Puritan ideals.She claims to be different from other Puritans because of her strong connection to God. God helps her during her times of trouble and is grateful for God and vows to serve and honor God.

Figurative meaning: Bradstreet supports her conversion narrative of being a part of the Elect through personification and proves this by claiming that God rewards her, a situation that only the members of the Elect can relate to.

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Literal meaning: She wrote her poems but she didn't fully develop the poem because her brother in law published it without her knowing. She wanted to change somethings. It is a love hate relationship.

Figurative meaning: The struggle Bradstreet had with the rules and the restrictions of puritan beliefs. (5), She compares the puritan beliefs to her own and how they do and don't apply to her (4-6). (1). She uses this poem to show her dilemma between having her own beliefs or having puritan beliefs. Puritanism fully blocked all self expression, if they believed it didn’t align with their beliefs.

She wants to hide her writing which had her beliefs and values (9). Casts disgust towards her original work after exposure (1). casts a mother-child relationship with the book (23).

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Literal meaning: She is the only one awake and lies about who she is and her beliefs. God comforts Bradstreet and assists her with her struggles. Bradstreet feels a deep connection with Him.

Figurative meaning: (3-4) the puritan lifestyle bothers her but she couldn't tell this to people because she is married to someone high in society.  By writing about an encounter with God that the Puritans would have believed to be impossible, she was opposing their beliefs by stating that their faith is what is going to get them into heaven, and that salvation is something that you are in control of.

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Ideal-
Religion and faith: Very strong beliefs, use of encouragement and inspiration, and blessing from god.

Literary techniques: Anaphora (31-34), Imagery (43-46)(Describes heaven with great imagery), and allusion (35-36)(1:2 ecclesiastes)

Puritan beliefs: The elect, her house is heaven, (43-54)

Opposing-
God causes what happens in life and people should accept whatever happens. (19-20). God is main authority in life.

Literary devices: 2 allusions to bible (Job 1:21, Ecclesiastes 1:2), End-line rhyming (throughout whole poem, ex: (1-2)), Complex metaphor (43-54).

Puritan beliefs: Heaven is much superior compared to actual world, she compares her house to heaven, (43-44), not as upset with god because house is up in clouds.

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Ideal-
What roles does faith and religion play: Role of religion plays in shifting the speaker's mindset when faced with tragedy through biblical allusions (14-18).

Opposing-
What roles does faith and religion play:  Religion and faith provide justification and support. (19-20) shows that even if much is gone she is left with needs to survive. Supports people through tragedy.

How religion and faith shape American lit: This is because it influences the themes that are found in the story and even takes part in developing the characters. The themes and characters have to be created according to the puritan values and beliefs.

How can religion and faith blind people from truth: This can be caused because a person's mindset will be changes making them get further away from the truth and what actually is happening (14-18).

How can religion and faith reveal truth to people:
They can reveal truth to people by directing them in life with the help of beliefs and values. It lets people uncover the true meaning in life and sets them toward a path.

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Literal meaning: Looks toward god and puritan faith for strength after her house burnt down

Figurative meaning: Uses her poem as a conversion narrative along with representing herself to the puritan community as a true puritan women. (51-54)

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Literary Meaning: She writes about her witnessing her house burn down and her reaction.

Figurative Meaning:Uses the loss of her house to question puritan belief. (30-33)