How has the progression of society and civilization been both a detriment and benefit to humankind?
In A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man, by James Joyce, Stephen Dedalus, the protagonist, recalls his experience in Catholic school as a teenager, a fictionalized autobiography of Joyce's life. Stephen struggles between being extremely devoted to his religion and being completely indifferent to the practices of his religion. He goes through a stage of great sinning followed by a stage of deep devotion to Catholicism, ultimately, though, ending up disregarding religion all together in order to focus on art. Stephen chooses to leave the church in order to follow his artistic passions. At this point in time, the people representing Irish Catholicism are not accepting of Stephen's decision to ignore his religious duties in order to seek out his artistic talents. However, in centuries previous to the time in which the novel takes place, Stephen would not just have people turn their backs on his decision. In earlier times, if a person were to leave the Catholic church they could pay the price with their life. As society progresses, it becomes more and more accommodating to people's independence. Today, people have many different religious options, some even opting not to partake in a religion. In the way, the progression of society has wholly benefitted humankind to accept and embrace individuality in regards to religion which poses stark contrast to the homogenous societal expectations of several centuries ago. Stephen's choice to follow his artistic calling may not have been wholly accepted by all, but it was still up to him to decide.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Beloved
How has the progression of society and civilization been both a detriment and benefit to humankind?
When we began reading Beloved as a class, I had a difficult time believing that the novel was not about slavery. Toni Morrison, the author, depicts so graphically the injustices suffered by slaves and how these injustices effected their lives, even after escaping. In the current day, we reflect upon slavery as a horrid part of our country's past, with most people promoting racial equality. However, some of our founding fathers owned slaves, not realizing at the time how inhumane the ownership of other humans was. One of the benefits that the progression of society has brought to light is the inequality of a time and the amendments made to these inequalities.
Gradually, as society progresses, we alter our laws and societal expectations on behalf of the betterment of humanity. As the years progress, we have a fresh perspective of our past decisions, and continue to try to grasp insight on the improvements necessary for the present day. It is horrific, now, to consider some of the laws and behaviors that influenced our society in the past; yet it is important at the same time to reflect upon our past mistakes, in order to further improve society.
While Beloved might not primarily focus on slavery, at least according to Morrison, it definitely describes slavery in an attempt to illuminate how prevalent the past remains in a person's life. In this illumination, we find further comprehension of the lives of slaves after evasion, and can only try to imagine the horrors of living during this time as a slave or escaped slave.
The novel depicts, to an extent, how the progression of society in America, at that point in time, was detrimental to humanity. We had reached the point where it was considered acceptable to treat some people as subhuman, based merely upon the tone of their skin. Considering the idea of capturing natives from Africa and bringing them to America for our own use to be acceptable was certainly not a highpoint in the progression of our ideas as a society. However, since then, we have been able to recognize our cruelty and try to amend our societal expectations to promote equality of race, amongst other things.
Beloved displays how the progression of society has been both beneficial and detrimental in our country, and how these influences shape both people and society through the reflection of the past.
When we began reading Beloved as a class, I had a difficult time believing that the novel was not about slavery. Toni Morrison, the author, depicts so graphically the injustices suffered by slaves and how these injustices effected their lives, even after escaping. In the current day, we reflect upon slavery as a horrid part of our country's past, with most people promoting racial equality. However, some of our founding fathers owned slaves, not realizing at the time how inhumane the ownership of other humans was. One of the benefits that the progression of society has brought to light is the inequality of a time and the amendments made to these inequalities.
Gradually, as society progresses, we alter our laws and societal expectations on behalf of the betterment of humanity. As the years progress, we have a fresh perspective of our past decisions, and continue to try to grasp insight on the improvements necessary for the present day. It is horrific, now, to consider some of the laws and behaviors that influenced our society in the past; yet it is important at the same time to reflect upon our past mistakes, in order to further improve society.
While Beloved might not primarily focus on slavery, at least according to Morrison, it definitely describes slavery in an attempt to illuminate how prevalent the past remains in a person's life. In this illumination, we find further comprehension of the lives of slaves after evasion, and can only try to imagine the horrors of living during this time as a slave or escaped slave.
The novel depicts, to an extent, how the progression of society in America, at that point in time, was detrimental to humanity. We had reached the point where it was considered acceptable to treat some people as subhuman, based merely upon the tone of their skin. Considering the idea of capturing natives from Africa and bringing them to America for our own use to be acceptable was certainly not a highpoint in the progression of our ideas as a society. However, since then, we have been able to recognize our cruelty and try to amend our societal expectations to promote equality of race, amongst other things.
Beloved displays how the progression of society has been both beneficial and detrimental in our country, and how these influences shape both people and society through the reflection of the past.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
The Stranger and the Progression of Society
How has the progression of society and civilization been both a detriment and benefit to humankind?
In The Stranger, by Albert Camus, Meursault does not necessarily abide by social customs. He is alienated by society because of his seeming lack of emotion at his mother's funeral, and his inability to sufficiently explain his actions at times. His acceptance by society seems to gradually slip away the further into the novel we read.
Ultimately, Meursault finds himself on trial for murdering a man, with somewhat of an unclear intent. More than his actual crime, Meursault seems to be under scrutiny for his personality and how he displays his emotions. The prosecutor's main argument for why Meursault is guilty consists of accusations regarding the apparent apathy the day of his mother's funeral and the days following-all which is days before the murder. Meursault eventually gets sentenced to death by a guillotine. It takes him until his last days-sitting in jail, awaiting his imminent death-to realize the significance of death, and to actually understand his mother's choices near her death. This tragic realization is a result of Meursault being forced into a situation where all he has left to do is ponder life.
The manner in which Meursault is ordered to end his life gives him an interesting perspective on death. He realizes that death is inescapable, and that "whether it was now or twenty years from now, I would still be the one dying" (Camus 114). He ascertains that it does not matter when one dies, since eventually everyone will die. He considers his public death by guillotine, and laments that he never learned more about deaths by guillotines and that he never witnessed an execution. This is what leads him to start considering his life and the significance of the moments leading to his death.
The progression, by society, of dealing with criminals has been ever-changing, and at this point in time, the conviction of death by the guillotine is what allows Meursault to step back and observe life. Although being condemned to death rarely has any positive emotions associated with the accusesd, Meursault reaches the clarity we have been questioning throughout the novel when he is finally at his downfall.
In The Stranger, by Albert Camus, Meursault does not necessarily abide by social customs. He is alienated by society because of his seeming lack of emotion at his mother's funeral, and his inability to sufficiently explain his actions at times. His acceptance by society seems to gradually slip away the further into the novel we read.
Ultimately, Meursault finds himself on trial for murdering a man, with somewhat of an unclear intent. More than his actual crime, Meursault seems to be under scrutiny for his personality and how he displays his emotions. The prosecutor's main argument for why Meursault is guilty consists of accusations regarding the apparent apathy the day of his mother's funeral and the days following-all which is days before the murder. Meursault eventually gets sentenced to death by a guillotine. It takes him until his last days-sitting in jail, awaiting his imminent death-to realize the significance of death, and to actually understand his mother's choices near her death. This tragic realization is a result of Meursault being forced into a situation where all he has left to do is ponder life.
The manner in which Meursault is ordered to end his life gives him an interesting perspective on death. He realizes that death is inescapable, and that "whether it was now or twenty years from now, I would still be the one dying" (Camus 114). He ascertains that it does not matter when one dies, since eventually everyone will die. He considers his public death by guillotine, and laments that he never learned more about deaths by guillotines and that he never witnessed an execution. This is what leads him to start considering his life and the significance of the moments leading to his death.
The progression, by society, of dealing with criminals has been ever-changing, and at this point in time, the conviction of death by the guillotine is what allows Meursault to step back and observe life. Although being condemned to death rarely has any positive emotions associated with the accusesd, Meursault reaches the clarity we have been questioning throughout the novel when he is finally at his downfall.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)