Samuel Johnson Ian Lawson Anton Nelson Hima Tammineedi

Samuel Johnson Ian Lawson Anton Nelson Hima Tammineedi David Melvin

The Life ● Born 1709 ● Lichfield, England ● Unhealthy child ○ Scrofula ○ Loss of hearing, blind in one eye ● Father was a bookseller ○ Spent time in the shop reading ○ Started learning early on ● Went to Oxford ○ Dropped out due to finances

The Life cont. ● Married Elizabeth Porter (21 years older than him) ● Moved to London ○ Wrote book reviews, biographies, other periodicals ● Wrote a few poems in 1730 s-40 s ● Literary works became more popular in 1750 s ○ Dictionary ○ Rambler essays ○ Idler essays ● Received government pension in 1762 ○ Fixed many financial problems

The Life cont. ● James Boswell wrote biography of Johnson ○ “The Life of Samuel Johnson” ● Continued writing towards close to his final years ● Became depressed as many of his friends left him ● Stroke in 1783 ● Died 1784

Video https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ip. VP 8 ezo. Vl. M&t=1066

Literary Terms ● Denotation and connotation ○ Denotation: Basic meaning or reference of an expression, excluding its emotional associations ○ Connotation: The emotional associations or implications of the word ● Thesis and argument ○ Thesis: Main idea that is supported in a work of nonfiction prose ○ Argument: Presents reasons for accepting or rejecting a thesis

Literary Works ● A Dictionary of the English Language ● A Brief to Free a Slave ● An Account of the Life of Mr Richard Savage ● The Rambler

A Dictionary of the English Language ● Used examples (aka “illustrations”) to highlight English language in use ● Used connotative and denotative definitions ● Used witty humor to define words ● Made English language copious with order ● Each definition serves as a short narrative of a slice of the language

Some Entries of the Dictionary. . . Lexicographer: A writer of dictionaries; a harmless drudge that busies himself in tracing the original, and detailing the signification of words. Dull: Not exhilaterating (sic); not delightful; as, to make dictionaries is dull work. Oats: A grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people

Purpose of A Dictionary ● Printing press caused an explosion of literacy ● Printing consortium wished to establish a dictionary, but could not afford to ● Dictionaries printed before Johnson’s were of poor quality, gave no examples ● Johnson created his dictionary with six assistants from the consortium ● First dictionary to give sense of English language as it is used

Critical Response ● Most feedback of the time was positive, applauding the scope of the work ● Adam Smith applauded work in a 30 page anonymous review ○ Did request foreign words be expunged from future editions ● Humor and use of examples were criticized ● Gentleman’s Magazine: “Any schoolmaster might have done what Johnson did” ● Modern lexicographer’s call use of examples it’s strongest point

Fun Facts about A Dictionary ● ● Four volumes (21 lbs of book) Definition of “take” covered five pages Illustrated and comprehensive First modern dictionary

Activity Time ● Define these words using Johnson’s style: ◦Student ◦Teacher ◦Physics ◦Failure ◦College ◦Sleep

A Brief to Free a Slave ● Joseph Knight was a slave who wanted freedom from his Scottish master ● Johnson wrote the brief in order to advocate for Knight’s release because he detested slavery ● Boswell actually countered Johnson’s arguments by saying that abolishing slavery would ruin the order of everything and would cause chaos

Excerpt from book Pg. 623

Analysis of A Brief to Free A Slave Thesis: “No man is by nature the property of another” Arguments: ● If someone were to be jailed, that does not mean that his descendants should be jailed; the same can be applied to slavery ○ “An individual may, indeed, forgeit his liberty by a crime; but he cannot by that crime forfeit the liberty of his children. ” ● There are no natural laws that dictate that Knight should be enslaved ○ “He is certainly subject by no law, but that of violence, to his present master, who pretends no claim to his obedience, but that he bought him from a merchant of slaves, who right to sell him never was examined. ” ● Knight has not given permission to forfeit his rights ○ “if no proof of such forfeiture can be given, we doubt not but the justice of the court will declare him free. ”

Activity Time ● Write a paragraph about something you feel strongly about ● Then give it to a partner who must then write thesis for your paragraph