The things we read in this class are considered timeless in that they transcend a particular time and speak to what it means to be human. The character flaws, the themes, the philosophical ideas all can be examined across a wide variety of literary genres and mediums.
With that being said, it is important that as readers of not just texts, but readers of the world, we should be able to recognize when these timeless conversations are present and how new time periods try to enter that conversation.
For your first blog, I want you to look at your choice book and choose one aspect—characters flaws, themes, philosophical ideas—and look around your world to do a comparison. Choose one song, one film, one episode in a series, a poem, a video game, etc. and explain how you see the timelessness of your chosen text live and breathe within your chosen piece.
This should two-three paragraphs—please have textual evidence.
1. A description of the item you are analyzing in your choice book
2. A description of the item you are analyzing in the chosen medium or genre
3. This is where you connect them together and reveal what you notice that is the same, different,
and why it matters.
Throughout “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Díaz, a theme that constantly appears is the acceptance of self and others when society presses standards on people. Oscar struggles to love and accept himself for who he is and his qualities, especially since his own family beats him down at times, like when Lola says, “You need to lose weight…” (61). Like Oscar, many people struggle with the same problem, focusing on individuals of the adolescent age, when they are trying to find their sense of self. Back in Oscar’s earlier years, “He no longer went anywhere near the girls because at best they ignored him, at worst they shrieked and called him gordo asqueroso,” fueling the decline of his self-esteem (17). No matter what, there is always that one individual who criticizes others, making them insecure and unsure of themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe movie, “Napoleon Dynamite,” is quite similar to the common theme of acceptance and expectations in “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” Pedro, the new kid at Napoleon’s high school, is picked on and bullied when he asks out the popular girl Summer and when he runs for class president. Pedro tries to fit in with the crowd by wearing wigs, using his cousins as bodyguards, and ditching his bike, yet none of his attempts make a great impact. During Pedro’s performance for class president, Napoleon dances, in result of Pedro breaking down. In the end, Pedro wins class president, gets a girlfriend, and is finally accepted at his school. Similarly, Oscar is bullied for his looks and attributes, causing him to become self conscious. During his older years, as a teacher, the narrator explains, “...boys of all grades and dispositions sh*tted on him effusively,” lowering his confidence (264). Although Oscar was constantly mocked, he did not have a “peak” like Pedro, and remained the same throughout his life; depressed and dissatisfied with life.
This theme of struggling with acceptance and expectations is extremely important as it relates to today’s society, in which people have expectations for others, and those people given the expectations struggle to accept what they are and their true self. Despite the unfortunate truth of the real world, every person is struck with this confliction, and many can end up like Oscar or Pedro, in which for a time, they do not have a sense of their self.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete{LAURA MILES PART 1}
ReplyDeleteIn The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, one of the main themes is how societal pressures and values encourage vanity. The main character, Dorian Gray, is used throughout the story to represent the consequences of valuing and admiring physical beauty rather than inner beauty. When Dorian was a young, Lord Henry led him to wish for eternal youth. Dorian’s wishes eventually became reality and he was praised for his good-looks and innocence. However, as his body remained young and beautiful, his soul bore the flaws that Dorian’s face did not display, “...the face painted on the canvas could grow bestial, sodden, and unclean” (Wilde 125). While Dorian was preoccupied with maintaining his social status, he allowed his soul to become hideous and ugly. The man knew that his soul was becoming increasingly more disfigured with each passing day, but he decided to ignore his conscience. Moreover, Lord Henry says, “‘...Beauty is a form of Genius - is higher, indeed than Genius, as it needs no explanation’” (Wilde 24). Lord Henry also pollutes Dorian’s mind with literature and plays that alter his views of reality and encourage him to pursue temporary pleasures through things such as drugs or crime. Through this influence, Dorian relinquished his soul to what society told him was desirable, which eventually drove him to carry out countless immoral acts. The desire to look beautiful while acting in accordance to those surrounded him permeated every aspect of Dorian’s life and led to his inevitable demise.
Although Wilde’s novel was written in a different century, the warning against vanity is arguably more crucial to society in the twenty-first century. In the age of technology and social media, it is easy to become absorbed in the internet and the way one portrays themselves to the world. A singer that touches on this topic is DEAN in his song, “instagram”. Throughout the music, DEAN describes the way that people use Instagram as a way to fabricate an alter ego through online photos, profiles and captions. He says, “I’m sinking right now/ Inside a square ocean” (Wozumo lines 31-32). This song illustrates the idea that society, which places so much pressure on individuals to focus on what can be seen on social media, encourages people to act according to certain standards. Furthermore, he expresses the way social views are so constant and ever-present when he says, “I know tomorrow is coming/ But I can’t let go of my phone” (Wozumo lines 1-2). In today’s world, DEAN touches on the idea of vanity by explaining how society has many ideals that many individuals tend to embrace. With the popular usage of cell phones, it is easy to become absorbed by how certain individuals present themselves upon these platforms. However, a large quantity of the people that utilize these platforms do not portray themselves as they truly are, “People are living in a different world from me” (Wozumo line 47). In this song, DEAN expresses feelings of helplessness as a result of others using new technology to mask their true identities.
{LAURA MILES PART 2}
ReplyDeleteWarnings against vanity have been present throughout many works of art. Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray clearly illustrates the dangers of focusing on beauty through the death of Dorian Gray. This book, taking place in Victorian England, shows how things such as art or plays can influence a person’s ideas of reality. Similarly, DEAN’s “instagram” illustrates how technology in the modern age does a lot to discourage a realistic view of the world. Although these two works of art originated in very different time periods, they both emphasize the dangers of submerging oneself into societal values. Wilde expresses through Dorian that becoming vain and seeking pleasure in the way that society encourages will never lead to true happiness. DEAN expresses a similar message through his song that says, “These days, knowing more/ Makes you more miserable” (Wozumo lines 21-22). Both of these works illustrate that, although forms of communication and self-expression may evolve over time, the desire to admire oneself will forever be present throughout the human race. Therefore, through these works of art, the speakers warn against relinquishing one’s soul to societal pressures to be vain and self-centered.
Book: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Song: instagram by DEAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKyMIrBClYw
Throughout “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Díaz, a theme that constantly appears is the acceptance of self and others when society presses standards on people. Oscar struggles to love and accept himself for who he is and his qualities, especially since his own family beats him down at times, like when Lola says, “You need to lose weight…” (61). Like Oscar, many people struggle with the same problem, focusing on individuals of the adolescent age, when they are trying to find their sense of self. Back in Oscar’s earlier years, “He no longer went anywhere near the girls because at best they ignored him, at worst they shrieked and called him gordo asqueroso,” fueling the decline of his self-esteem (17). No matter what, there is always that one individual who criticizes others, making them insecure and unsure of themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe movie, “Napoleon Dynamite,” is quite similar to the common theme of acceptance and expectations in “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” Pedro, the new kid at Napoleon’s high school, is picked on and bullied when he asks out the popular girl Summer and when he runs for class president. Pedro tries to fit in with the crowd by wearing wigs, using his cousins as bodyguards, and ditching his bike, yet none of his attempts make a great impact. During Pedro’s performance for class president, Napoleon dances, in result of Pedro breaking down. In the end, Pedro wins class president, gets a girlfriend, and is finally accepted at his school. Similarly, Oscar is bullied for his looks and attributes, causing him to become self conscious. During his older years, as a teacher, the narrator explains, “...boys of all grades and dispositions sh*tted on him effusively,” lowering his confidence (264). Although Oscar was constantly mocked, he did not have a “peak” like Pedro, and remained the same throughout his life; depressed and dissatisfied with life.
This theme of struggling with acceptance and expectations is extremely important as it relates to today’s society, in which people have expectations for others, and those people given the expectations struggle to accept what they are and their true self. Despite the unfortunate truth of the real world, every person is struck with this confliction, and many can end up like Oscar or Pedro, in which for a time, they do not have a sense of their self.
In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, the theme of conformity is present throughout the novel in the way the characters act to try and fit their corrupt society’s norms. One character that struggles in fitting in with society is Bernard. He knows that he is different from the rest of his colleagues and the only person he can connect with is his friend Helmholtz. The novel states: “...Bernard hastened across the roof. He was like a man pursued, but pursued by enemies he does not with to see” (Huxley 63). Bernard is seen as socially awkward compared to everyone else in his social class, and tends to run away from people instead of spending time with them, as the quote explains. This gave him a reputation of being an outcast in the alpha social class and made him desperate to fit in. When he finally has some social status when he brings back the savage from Arizona to show everyone, he tries too hard to fit in and ruins his chances at conforming to the society. The theme of conforming is shown in the novel through Bernard's actions and shows how it is better to be one’s true self instead of destroying one’s soul in order to be like the general public.
ReplyDeleteOne book that compares to this idea of conformity is the book What To Say Next by Julie Buxbaum. The main character, David, struggles to fit in with his peers at school and impress a girl who is his only friend. David is aware that he is different and tries to avoid people, but when Kit, the girl that he really likes, basically forces him to become friends, he tries to change to fit her expectations. The first way he does this is changing his appearance. David states: “I am no longer invisible…. My hair is short and choppy instead of hanging long in my face. My clothes look more like what the popular guys wear in school” (Buxbaum 116). David changes his looks just to fit the societal norm of the “cool kids” at school. By doing this, although he is impressing Kit, he is losing his individuality and what makes him unique. He does still have all his weird facts that he spews out to Kit, but even as he changes to impress her, these become less and less as he is conforming to society. David’s changes throughout What To Say Next represent this theme of conforming, which is also shown in Brave New World.
Although these two books are very different in many aspects, they both share the common theme of how conformity affects people in society. In both Brave New World and What To Say Next, they each show characters trying to conform to society and how this destroys their individuality. These characters, Bernard and David, each change their appearance or behaviors to try and please other people. The one thing that is different about each scenario is with David, he ends up getting what he wants in the end and actually enjoys this new lifestyle. Whereas with Bernard, he is ultimately unhappy with the results of changing his personality so much when he knows that he cannot fit in with everyone else. These two examples show how society can force people to change in such ways that erases who they truly are and the individuality as a whole.
In the novel, “Brave New World,” by Aldous Huxley, and idea that is presented is that people like watching others either in pain or struggle, but don’t want to experience those things. This is seen in, “Brave New World,” when John, a focal character in the book, has had enough with this society, he strikes, “at his own rebellious flesh, or at that plump incarnation of turpitude writhing in the heather at his feet.” (258) While he tries to harm and end himself, people from this society were, “drawn by the fascination of the horror of pain and, from within, impelled by that habit of cooperation, that desire for unanimity and atonement, which their conditioning had so ineradicably implanted in them, they began to mime the frenzy of his gestures, striking at one another,” (258). These people are relishing in John’s pain and gaining entertainment out of it. Although they enjoy watching others conflict’s, they don’t want to face any. In this society, when people get stressed out or have the sense of having problems, they take a drug to help them ease their situation on go into fantasyland for a time being. When a character named Lenina is facing a struggle and talking with her associate Fanny, Fanny simply just tells her to, “take soma then.” (188) Soma is the name of this drug that they take to ease themselves when they get into a tizzy or just want to really chill out. This society as a whole enjoys watching others struggle, but don’t want to face any for themselves.
ReplyDeleteA similar situation appears in the book and film, “The Hunger Games,” by Suzanne Collins. In this futuristic dystopian society, these issues are seen as well. These people host the Hunger Games, which is a competition when 12 people try to kill each other in an intense fight to be the last one standing. The people in society and especially in the capital city of Panem get a great thrill out of the Hunger Games, and will even contribute money and materials in order for this event to continue. This is like, “Brave New World,” where they watch John beat himself up, and cause pain to himself. These same people who enjoy watching others toil, take a drug called Morphling to make themselves get high and take them away from pain, just like characters in, “Brave New World,” with their soma.
There are great similarities in both texts about the idea about watching and feeling pain. Both think watching others encounter struggle is fine and is great fun. These people also feel that they should take drugs so that they don’t have go through these immense pains, and are hypocritical in this sense. This is important in that is shows that both of these future societies have distant views on this idea than we in our society do, and hopes to point out that if we as humans continue on the path we are on with watching others fight and continue to take drugs, then we won’t be much different than these people when we arrive at their time period.
Huxley’s Brave New World quickly introduces the reader to a society where the arts have been sacrificed in favor of stability and scientific progress. In this “brave new world,” people are raised in factories to grow into functioning members of a mechanical society that frowns upon interpersonal relationships, passionate emotions, solitude, and monogamy. Instead, their definition of “progress” is “making ninety-six human beings grow where only one grew before” (Huxley 6) through their Bokanovsky Process and a drug called soma that wipes troubles away. When describing the manner in which this new world has discarded all things that are beautiful, the director of such a people-factory “waved his hand; and it was as though, with an invisible feather wisk, he had brushed away a little dust, and the dust was Harappa, was Ur of the Chaldees; some spider-webs, and they were Thebes and Babylon and Cnossos and Mycenae. Whisk. Whisk - and where was Odysseus, where was Job, where were Jupiter and Gotama and Jesus?” (Huxley 35). With a brush of their hand, the leaders of this new world have eliminated history, literature, mythology, religion, music, and culture itself in order create the utmost efficiency. When John, a man raised in a place uncorrupted by this belief system, questions why these people do not know about God (Huxley 231) or why people are not permitted to read Shakespeare (Huxley 219), the Resident Controller of Western Europe simply replies that people have changed, “and you can’t make tragedies without social instability. The world’s stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can’t get” (Huxley 220). In this way, Brave New World begs the question of whether sacrificing all that is beautiful is worth the placid happiness achieved by never rocking the boat with art.
ReplyDeleteFast forward from 1932 to 2018, when Jason Katim’s television series Rise first premiered on NBC. In its single season, Rise follows Mr. Lou Mazzuchelli as he takes over a dwindling high school theater program in hopes of inspiring the students and reinvigorating their love for theater. Rather than choosing a “safe” musical as requested by the school’s administration, Mazzuchelli elects to put on Spring Awakening in its full glory - abortions, domestic abuse, suicide, homosexuality, and all. The students, though at first disgruntled by their new director’s approach, quickly become enamored by the play and the issues that it beautifully addresses. Whether it is a football player who is able to escape the pressures of his father and coach by being cast as the male lead, a girl who finds comfort from her mother’s promiscuous attitude and poverty while playing the female lead, a transgender teen who finally feels like he fits in as part of the ensemble, a girl who begins putting herself back together after her father’s affair left her in pieces, or a gay student who is given the courage to share his true self with his extremely religious parents, the play serves as a catalyst for personal growth for everyone involved. However, the community sees the play as shocking and blasphemous and launches a campaign to shut down the musical. The series highlights the conflicts between sports and the arts as well as the struggle between society and the arts as a way to change that society. After its final episode, NBC elected to cancel the series for various reasons. Regardless of my personal opinions on the topics presented in the series, this cancellation could also be viewed as a real-world manifestation of the issues the episodes themselves addressed - is art viewed as too dangerous when it confronts the public and their beliefs?
Audrey Miles Part #2:
ReplyDeleteWe live in a world where we are constantly faced with the debate between music and technology, between science and literature, between history and the future. At times, this may feel like it is unique to our generation; our world is the one at a crossroads between the old and the new, and that we are pioneers of this “never-before-known” conflict. However, though Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and Jason Katim’s television series Rise were created with nearly a century between them, both works emphasize the time-enduring struggle between society and its dying appreciation for culture. In both works, the question of arts vs. society is presented in living color. Brave New World presents a society where art and literature have already been erased, where Rise depicts the fight to keep the arts alive. Decidedly, the world where culture has been minimalized is far less human, where Rise’s production of Spring Awakening emphasized the ability of the arts to reinvigorate humanity in hearts where pain has been acutely felt and all seems to be lost. This battle between culture and progress seems be never-ending, but as stories and history continue to fight for their place in the world, it is forever apparent that the loss of those things that are beautiful would mean the loss of humanity itself. Forward motion into the future is fantastic, but when it comes at the cost of the things that bind us together as the human race, there is truly no point to progress at all.
I've never heard of Rise, but I was surprised to see that it revolves around a school's production of Spring Awakening, as I watched Deaf West Theater's production of Spring Awakening for the first time yesterday on YouTube, not live, unfortunately. It is an incredibly moving musical, and Deaf West incorporation of both hearing and Deaf actors, as well as both American Sign Language and English made the musical even more touching. As you said, the musical, despite the characters' ages intending to be 14-15, is very "M Rated", which puts it in an interesting predicament. While the issues discussed and the characters are relevant to teens, it's content would be deemed by many to only be suitable for adults. After watching Spring Awakening, I asked myself if I would be comfortable seeing it be preformed by highschoolers. The answer for me, initially, was a pretty firm "No". But it made me think, where does the "line" differ between what is appropriate for youth in their real lives and what is appropriate for them in fiction?
DeleteSorry, not really thoughts on Rise, but just some on the commentary it makes on Spring Awakening and the arts as a whole.
I think that's what is so intriguing about this perpetual argument between the arts and the censorship of those arts - they depict real life in all of its ugly beauty, but society seems to want to take them away for that reason. Their honesty is insulting to idealism.
DeleteI have never watched the full musical, but I think I may give it a try!
Felicia Pasadyn
ReplyDeleteMrs. Perrin
AP English Literature
17 February 2019
A major character flaw in the novel The Things They Carried is Tim O’Brien’s constant worry over what the world around him will think as he journeys through life. He finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place when he receives the draft notice to go fight in Vietnam, facing either exile and embarrassment or possibly the ultimate sacrifice of life. When Tim goes to the Rainy River to make his final decision between fleeing to Canada or fighting in the war, he sees the Canadian border twenty yards away. This moment is very similar to the internal conflict exhibited in the song “How Far I’ll Go,” of Disney’s Moana. In Moana and The Things They Carried, it is shown the fear of disappointing others has the potential to inhibit a personal goal or desire; this type of internal battle is only ever won if the individual has the power to overcome the fear of what others think about them.
Moana and Tim both “see” their goal within reach, but struggle with what their friends and family will say when they try to accomplish it. In the novel, Tim sees the Canadian border a mere twenty yards away, glances at his hands on the rim because he knows one jump could free him from the death and destruction that is war. He feels “all those eyes on [him] -- the town, the whole universe -- and [he] couldn’t risk the embarrassment…[he] could hear people screaming at [him]” (O’Brien 59). As Tim is on the boat making his major decision, he thinks about all those he would disappoint if he fled. He imagines the town would talk about him, and even utilizes the hyperbole of the “universe” watching to show just how much pressure he truly feels. This pressure is also seen when Moana sings, “I wish I could be the perfect daughter/...I know everybody on this island, seems so happy on this island/...I'll be satisfied if I play along/But the voice inside sings a different song/What is wrong with me?” (3-19). Moana sees the ocean far and wide, wanting to go explore it, but she knows it may disappoint her family and village. Just as Tim could flee to Canada and escape the war dilemma, Moana could head out on a boat into the unknown. However, both Tim and Moana have this weight of expectations and judgement stopping them.
The difference between the major internal conflicts presented in The Things They Carried and Moana is the flaw in Tim: letting the potential judgement of others hinder the personal goal in the long run. Tim admits, “I couldn't make myself be brave. It had nothing to do with morality. Embarrassment, that's all it was. And right then I submitted. I would go to the war—I would kill and maybe die—because I was embarrassed not to. That was the sad thing” (O’Brien 60). Tim is driven to go to war only because of a fear of exile and judgement. He actually makes one of the biggest decisions of his life, choosing not to escape and flee to Canada, simply because of this expectation he feels his family and town have for him. On the other hand, Moana chooses a different path. She decides toward the end of the song, “The line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me/And no one knows, how far it goes/If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me/One day I'll know, how far I'll go” (24-28). Moana realizes that one day, she aims to leave her village and step out of the comfort zone that has been put around her all of her life. Later in the movie, she does journey out and accomplish her goal of restoring the heart of Tafiti. The major difference between Tim and Moana, who found themselves in very similar circumstances internally, was that Tim let his fear of exile and judgement take over his desire to flee. Moana decided to do what she truly wanted to do. If only Tim could have overcame his character flaw (debilitating worry of what others think), he would have been able to gain the courage to accomplish his goal of being brave and fleeing.
Throughout the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the idea of Hedonism is present in multiple characters, ultimately driving the plot as we follow the choices that Dorian Gray decides to make. The idea of Hedonism is pursuing pleasure, acting on desires, and behaving however one wishes. Based on this mode of decision making, hedonism articulates that humans should live free of restriction in society instead of resisting temptations. This way of living is seen especially in the character Lord Henry who eventually imposes his ideas upon Dorian Gray. Going against social norm, such as being devoted in a relationship with only one person, is not the way that Lord Henry decides will please him and this idea of his is vocalized: “I hope that Dorian Gray will make this girl his wife, passionately adore her for six months, and then suddenly become fascinated by someone else” (54). Lord Henry is married himself, but does not feel that he is satisfied with the woman he has which in turn leads him to fulfill his desires. This thinking of giving into desires will later rub off onto Dorian as seen when he spends three days in Opium dens due to his desires. Because of this desire, Dorian goes to the Opium dens where “He heaved a deep breath, and his nostrils quivered with pleasure” (137) when he has finally been met with the drug. Both Lord Henry and Dorian Gray disregard the outside world’s view on the actions that they take and act merely out of self-indulgence and desire.
ReplyDeleteThis idea of Hedonism is also prevalent in the song “‘Cuz I Can” by P!nk. Throughout the song, the singer talks about the life that she lives and the motive behind her actions. The decisions that she makes are merely because she has the choice to do whatever she pleases as seen when she says, “Tonight I’ll do what I want/ ‘Cause I can” (19-20). Hedonism and the idea of free will work hand and hand. The idea of making your own choices are true with each of these theories, but hedonism is solely based on making decisions to satisfy oneself. The actions that the singer takes is not a lifestyle that is approved by society, however, hedonism is based upon what is believed to be best for the individual and no one else: “I live a life of sin/… I don’t play your rules, I make my own” (16-18). The singer does what she wants simply because it will satisfy her and she has no consideration for anyone else’s opinion.
Through The Picture of Dorian Gray and “‘Cuz I Can”, hedonism plays a big role in the decision making process. Both the singer and Dorian act out of self interest while outside opinions or judgement is not a factor. Living a life of fulfilling one’s own pleasure is a common theme seen in both of these works. However, there are certain aspects that are dissimilar between the two. In The Picture of Dorian Gray the idea of self indulgence is rather extreme, all the way from drugs to affairs. This extreme truly only has the interest of the individual in mind, especially in the case of murdering an innocent man over a secret and possible judgement. On the other hand, “‘Cuz I Can” is more of a commentary on gender roles and and the expectations from society and Hollywood. Doing what the individual pleases in this case means being equal with the actions that men in society are doing and not what the women are expected to do. P!nk was a little less extreme than Oscar Wilde was in this case.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Brave New World the concept of freedom is strived for by very few. Each one of the citizens has been placed into the mold society has placed on them, developed them with. Huxley states, “From the same ovary and with gametes of the same male to manufacture as many batches of identical twins as possible-that was the best” (8). Which envelopes the extent of their creation of humans; rather than the known human reproductive system they just “manufacture” the humans. Majority of the citizens do not understand the outside world and what they are not experiencing compared to the outside, the savages. That plays right into the director’s hands because once they experience it they will want it. Which is explicit states, “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin” (240). By experiencing the feeling of freedom they want to get out of the manufactured world. They want to understand what each feeling is and what impact each one has on them. They want to become well-rounded humans.
ReplyDeleteThe same concept has been brought up in an obscure yet animated way, the movie WALL-E. The movie premiered back in 2008 as part of a collaboration between Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney. The main premise was to show the eradication of humans from earth due to the damage they have done to their original home planet. The humans live in a nearly utopian society up in space where the government cares for them to a tee. One major parallel is shown by how they provide them with food to keep them happy and enthusiastic. Which is an identical implementation as soma was to the government in Brave New World. In order to keep them from questioning how they ended up where they were, they always pushed some since, “there is always soma, delicious soma” (2). However, the perfect “fitless” world was disrupted by one single plant, one single savage. Such outliers provided an outside look to what the normal world is: normal vegetating life and vanished cast systems. The freedom has been released and revealed to the rest.
Though there was a seventy-seven-year difference between 2008 and 1931 when Brave New World was written similarities were blatantly paralleled. The absence of freedom was an explicit standout within the two. Within both stories, the citizens were fed into happiness and questioning was answered with a pill or obesifying food. However, once the hatch of freedom has been opened the citizens wanted to feast on it. That is where the door was closed and left open. In WALL-E the humans noticed earth’s vegetation, and they all ran fee towards it, towards freedom, since the “government” did not place any barriers in their path. All to show children in this centry that they have a voice and power to change the world. Whereas, in Brave New World a barrier was placed to stop the freedom; there was a banishment in order to stop the spread. Which is explicitly stated by Huxley in, “I was sent to an island where I could have got on with my pure science” (155). They did not want them to spread the knowledge to the “uninfected” of society. Huxley used his gift to warn the world of the downfall of the communistic rain and how horrific it can be to its citizens. In both instances, a sense of freedom was present and one was vanquished and another thrived.
In the novel, "Brave New World " by Aldous Huxley, individuality is a capital offense in a prison that its followers call a society. There is an undying loyalty to this way of life, which means that people are willing to sacrifice their humanity for what they view as the common good. This common good is happiness, but along the way they lose what happiness is because they have never experienced happiness. They have followed the status quo and have become a slave by demanding that "everyone belongs to everyone" (Huxley 205) in a drugged world that demands a human to fit a mold in order to belong. Society has created "emotional engineers" (Huxley 220) for its people to feel something, which is truly an oxymoron because emotions cannot be conducted, but they are like the weather. They come and go with little warning, which can make a sunny day exciting and a rainy day stunning. It spices up the ordinary because our world was simply not meant to be ordinary, but this "brave new world" "is idiotic." They live, experience, watch, and "write when there's nothing to say" (Huxley 221). The creation of this world has not engineered stability but robots that are unable to soak up the richness and bitterness of this "old world" that we choose to suffer in.
ReplyDeleteIn "milk and honey" by Rupi Kaur, the struggle of relationships runs far and wide, but her final part of poems is called "the healing." This section describes the importance of finding yourself before you are able to find anyone else. My favorite poem is her commentary to other poets, but I truly believe it is commentary to everyone. The poem "to all you young poets" explains the beauty of creating simply for one's self. Kaur explains, "your art is about if your heart likes your work" (4-6). However, this is not a limitation to poetry and writing, but it is for who you choose to be. Your art is you. You determine the piece that they remember. You determine if they see you as just another Rothko or the Mona Lisa. She describes art as being, "about how honest you are with yourself" (Kaur 8-9). Your art and your time is a waste if you choose to deny expressing who you truly are. You not only punish yourself but also all those around you.
These two pieces comment on the importance of individuality over following social normalities. Huxley explains what he truly wants out of the world on page 215, "'But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.’" As humans we want every aspect of life because denying truth and ideas is denying the beauty of humanity. Kaur also uses her final words to emphasize the point of being you by saying, "and you must never trade honesty for relatability" (10-14). Both Huxley and Kaur understand that this world is not here for us to follow in someone's footsteps. We cannot be a slave to someone's status, but we must truly accept and embrace who we are in order to truly experience this life and this world. By living comfortably, we never experience the beauty of failing and growth. We were not made to be conditioned to follow a routine, but we are challenged to challenge the world and everything it stands for. We must "claim the right to be unhappy" (Huxley 205) in order to make our heart and soul sing its truest song. We were never meant to be another "cell in the social body" (Huxley 90) because your art, your life is about how you choose to live it. These two pieces emphasize a mantra to live by every day we wake up. We can no longer follow the monotony of this enslaving society, but we must choose to be ourselves even when it is most difficult. By being more of who we are, we give back to the world the masterpieces it deserves.
PART 1
ReplyDeleteAt the core of Tim O’Brien’s novel The Things They Carried is the idea of remembrance. Tim, a former US Vietnam soldier, writes this novel about his time in Vietnam and on the impact it still has on his life today. According to O’Brien “Forty-three years old, and the war occurred half a lifetime ago, yet the remembering makes it now” (O’Brien 38). As the title of the novel shows, Tim still carries with him the strong memories that were made while he was fighting in Vietnam. Although all these memories are not necessarily positive, they still impact Tim’s everyday lifestyle. One aspect of the war that Tim will never allow himself to forget is the friends he made and unfortunately lost. One very evident and inevitable aspect of war is the death it brings upon those who don’t necessarily deserve it. This characterizes the death of many of Tim’s friends, including Kiowa, Ted Lavender, and Curt Lemon. Although his friends are gone, Tim uses their memory to influence his daily decisions. In remembering the place where his good friend Kiowa died, Tim states: “There were times in my life when I couldn’t feel much, not sadness or pity or passion, and somehow I blamed this place for what I had become, and I blamed it for taking away the person I had once been” (O’Brien 185). Tim let the actions of the past affect his emotions in the present. Because of an event that seemed to happen lifetimes ago, “They carried all the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing- these were intangibles, but the intangibles had their own mass and specific gravity, they had tangible weight” (O’Brien 77). O’Brien’s novel strongly demonstrates the effect on someone who can’t move on from monumental events.
Since the Vietnam War era was such an impactful time period for the United States, there are many examples of pop culture that are influenced by America’s time in Vietnam. One of these is the song “Born in the U.S.A” by Bruce Springsteen. Obviously flustered by this seemingly pointless foreign war, Springsteen writes this song about the men’s lives that are completely thrown upside down after finding out they must become a soldier. Springsteen states “Got in a little hometown jam / So they put a rifle in my hand” (Springsteen 7-8). Many men all across the United States were forced to join a war that they had no knowledge about and that they were not prepared for. Not only were the lives of these men disrupted when they were drafted, but they were also disturbed when they finally returned home. The lives of the people surrounding the men kept going, while there’s was momentarily halted. This idea can be seen when Springsteen states “I’m ten years burning down the road” (Springsteen 24). It is hard to resume a life that seems to have occurred so long ago. As clearly shown in Springsteen’s song, the Vietnam War had very strong negative effects on the lives of many men.
PART 2
ReplyDeleteIn both The Things They Carried and “Born in the U.S.A.” the disliking of the Vietnam War is clearly shown. In the novel, Tim is initially taken aback and confused when he gets a notice that he must fight in the war. As stated in the song, he is “Sent off to a foreign land…” in which he knows nothing about (Springsteen 7). However, the most notable of these two pieces similarities can be seen in their interpretation of the effect that the war has on soldiers. After returning from the war, the men have “Nowhere to run ain’t got nowhere to go” (Springsteen 25). This idea can also be seen in the novel when O’Brien tells the story of his good friend Norman Bowker. After returning home from the war, Norman’s life seemed not to make sense anymore. This sense of confusion eventually leads him to take his own life. After returning home from the war, the song refers to the soldiers as being “long gone” (Springsteen 27). Although this statement may seem offensive, it is unfortunately true. War has a very definite effect on soldiers, and many of the experiences that occur at war they will never forget. This is how Tim O’Brien constantly feels. The experiences of the past affected him internally, and because of that will forever be a burden on him.
Throughout “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde, an ever present theme is one of good vs. evil. This is seen through the conflict Dorian has with himself and also with those who try to influence him. Dorian often struggles to find balance between the two, leaning more toward evil. His thought that “‘Each of us has heaven and hell in him’” (Wilde 99) demonstrates how he is able to commit some horrendous acts and later regret them as he tries to right his wrongs. This conversation with Basil shows how both good and villainous thoughts reside inside of him, even if the good ones do not often find their way out. This conflict is further developed as Dorian’s influences are examined. The struggle within Dorian is deepened with the contrasting ideas of Lord Henry believing that “pleasure is the only thing worth having a theory about” (Wilde 50) and Basil arguing that if someone lives for oneself only, “one pays a terrible price for doing so” (Wilde 51). Not only is Dorian’s struggle pictured within these contrasting influences, but so is the idea that supporters of one thought often have trouble seeing the other side.
ReplyDeleteA parallel to the theme of good vs. evil is found within the “Star Wars” franchise in the form of the character, Darth Vader. Vader battles his inner struggle throughout the entire film series. First as Anakin Skywalker, he is a student of the light side of the force, but as the movies progress, he is tempted to fall to the dark side and become Darth Vader. The light side represents everything that is good in the universe, while the dark side represents everything that is bad. This parallels Dorian’s pure beginning and eventual fall to evil at the hands of Lord Henry. Furthermore, Vader’s allegiance is tested as he encounters his son, Luke, who helps him to see that good still resides within him. In the end, both Vader and Dorian seek to destroy the thing that made them evil, ultimately resulting in their death.
The theme of good vs. evil plays a major role in not only both works, but also the world as we live in it today. So many people try to stick to one side of the spectrum, all while suppressing the other. This ultimately leads to a struggle as one can never truly be just good or evil and thus, they use those around them to find which side suits their life the best. The struggle between good and evil, ever present in the novel and the movies, shows how one can never truly be on just one side.
In Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”, one the most evident aspects from the start is its setting: a dystopian world characterized by its population of mindless and passive civilians. The “new world” has been established as a place where humans are genetically modified in a laboratory to ensure maximum efficiency of societal growth, and then divided upon birth into caste systems. This allows those in power to have complete control over the people they govern, as said by one of the Directors of the factories, “ . . . after all, what is an individual?’ With a sweeping gesture he indicated the rows of microscopes, the test-tubes, the incubators. ‘We can make a new one with the greatest ease -- as many as we like . . .” (Huxley). The individual means nothing to this world, as this system strives only for mechanical efficiency and growth, simultaneously casting aside emotion, culture, and family. Despite all of this dictation, the masses are content with their lives and the world they serve. The people were never shown the alternative to their perfect, clean, promiscuous lives, causing them to have no desire to experience anything outside the ideology adopted from birth.
ReplyDeleteThis concept of a mechanical society is prevalent in the song “The Sound of Silence,” by Paul Simon. The song follows a narrator as he mentions his grievances with the world he lives in. At the start, the narrator discusses how he feels separation from the rest of world and is forced to “[turn] my collar to the cold and damp” (Simon 11), as it is one of few parts of the world that he can connect with. He then goes on to discuss the society that surrounds him, describing the people as “talking without speaking . . . hearing without listening” (Simon 17-18). This uncommunicative society simply moves along, not caring about the beauty of the world around them and instead worshiped “the flash of a neon light / That split the night” (Simon 12-13). This is a reference to television, which was growing to be popular at the time this song was written. Simon was worried that people would focus more on objects like the television and less on actual people and reality.
What truly brings these two pieces together is the sense of isolation felt by the people who are considered “the other.” In “Brave New World” John, a “savage” who was born outside the “new world” and was not affected by its system, attempted to start a rebellion against the system by trying to get a group of working-class Deltas to understand their reality. He begins throwing boxes of soma, a drug used to keep the citizens passive and content, out the window, to which the group reacted “at the spectacle of this wanton sacrilege, with amazement and horror” (Huxley). The people simply could not fathom what was taking place and were unable to relate to John’s cause as they had no context. Similarly, the narrator in “The Sound of Silence” attempted to reach the people and teach them how he appreciates the world, but to no avail as “[his] words like silent raindrops fell / And echoed in the wells of silence” (Simon 26-27). The people were unaffected by the narrator as his ideas did not appeal to them. Both of these pieces warn the dangers of not being observant oneself and society. It makes you wonder if the world we live in could eventually turn out in a similar way.
Throughout the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, written by Oscar Wilde the main character, Dorian struggles with self-image as the pressure of society to remain beautiful and “perfect” forces him to give in to his vanity. Feeling that he needs to stay forever young and poised leads him down a dark path of destruction where he not only hurts himself, but those around him. He ends up being everything he did not want to be he turns toxic and cast away from society. The sentence, “ there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about” is given to Dorian by his twisted philosophical friend Lord Henry (Wilde 4). Dorian believes this to be true as he wishes to be adored by his peers, his community, and by his love interest. It drives him wild to not be seen as charming and loved by others which ultimately becomes an obsession as he lives a beautiful life with a slowly corrupting soul. His obsession with his looks would in turn“...mar its beauty, and eat away its grace. They would defile it, and make it shameful”(Wilde 146). Becoming dazed in his own mind he loses his sanity and finally transforms into something he never wanted to be ugly and cast away.
ReplyDeleteThe themes in the novel are timeless as they are still seen today in modern television. The themes in The Picture of Dorian Gray oddly parallel an episode of a children’s cartoon. The episode “Just the Two of Us!” is from the show The Fairly Oddparents and was premiered in 2003. The episode center around the main character, Timmy and his love interest Trixie, the prettiest girl in school. Timmy wishes that they were the only two people left on earth so he could be the only one to admire her. Unfortunately, Trixie does not stay as perfect as Timmy thought she was. She ends up going insane because she does not have enough people to call her pretty and needs 24/7 attention from Timmy. In the end the one person who wanted to truly love her pushed her away and wished to never be alone again. It follows the message of “When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one’s self, and one always ends by deceiving others”(Wilde 62). Both Dorian and Trixie love being loved by others so intensely that it drives them to the point of no return in terms of sanity. They let their looks consume them and are so focused on what other think they cause whoever was initially attracted to them to want to leave. For example, Basil and Dorian’s relationship. Basil wanted so badly to care for Dorian that “It was not that mere physical admiration of beauty that is born of the senses, and that dies when the senses tire”(Wilde 145). Even with that type of unconditional love Basil could not take the corrupt man Dorian was becoming to the point where Dorian ended their interactions permanently killing his friend because he could not handle who he was anymore. Frankly, this is a saddening character behavior because it shows that vanity puts a strain on people and those around them. When consumed by the pressure to be perfect other separate themselves from their relationships losing something positive in their life for something that is superficial in the end.
In “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Diaz, one of the themes present is the questioning of fate. Throughout the book, the idea that the Wao family has a fuku placed upon themselves is a central plot point. For example, one of the major turning points in the book is when “One day while watching his mother tear his sheets off the bed it dawned on [Oscar] that the family curse he heard about his whole life might actually be true” (Diaz, 303). This curse motivates many characters in the book from people on the island “who offer Beli's near-fatal beating as irrefutable proof that the house of Cabral was indeed victim of a high-level fukú, the local version of House Atreus” (152) and causing Lola, the daughter of Beli, to put on her daughter “three azabaches… Three barrier shields against the [fuku]” (329). Essentially, this puts an emphasis on the idea that the characters are not responsible for their actions, or at least to a degree.
ReplyDeleteA similar theme appears in the movie Groundhog Day. In the film, weatherman Phil Connors is stuck reliving the same day over and over again. At first, he enjoys manipulating the day’s events to his advantage, but eventually, he grows depressed and desperate to escape the recurring nightmare. Similarly to the Wao family, Phil does not hold himself responsible for his actions as they don’t really matter if the day will simply restart and everything he has done will be erased. Additionally, both Phil and Oscar end up accepting and embracing this concept of fate, making them better people. For Oscar, he realizes that if fuku is going to get him one way or another, he should spend his life doing something important to himself or something that makes him happy; for Phil, he eventually decides to use the days to better himself and make everyone else’s day better, thus overcoming his major character flaw, selfishness, in the process. By embracing the fact that their choices may not really matter and using that concept to benefit themselves and those around them, the two characters actually are able to accomplish their goals. When Oscar accepts that the fuku is real, he is able to go back to the Dominican Republic and chase after his love interest Ybon and get laid, thus allowing him to die happy and a better man. When Phil finally overcomes his own selfishness, the days finally stop repeating themselves and he gets to go to tomorrow, a better man now.
The reason why this matters is that it shows the positive takeaways of existentialism. In both cases, the characters accept the futility of their existence and how their choices may not matter; however, they also reason that if nothing really matters, then the only things that really do matter are what they can do for themselves and others. This allows them to motivate themselves and accomplish their goals. This same logic can be applied to real life. If this life is the only we have and there is nothing after it all, then we should do the most to make this existence the best for everyone around us.
Throughout "Brave New World", Aldous Huxley explores the ideas of the ethics of biological manipulation of humans and what the replications of a utopia are. In the New World, every person is genetically and environmentally altered in order to create desired traits. Even after creating embryos with specific genetics, the scientists in the New World further manipulate them, including giving them an, "oxygen-shortage for keeping an embryo below par" in the case of a low-class Epsilon embryo (Huxley 14). This manipulation allows the leaders of the New World to determine the job, lifestyle, abilities, likes, and dislikes of every person in the society. While often not directly, the entire novel reflects on the way in which creating a utopia is not as perfect as it may seem. Through the character of John, a man born outside of the New World's society but brought into it as an adult, it is shown that the constant perfection the citizens of the New World are exposed to doesn't allow them to experience the beauty of culture, and since if the feel uncomfortable they can take a drug called Soma, they have never experienced discomfort.
ReplyDeleteThe video game BioShock, developed by Irrational Games, addresses similar themes to Brave New World. The game is set in the ruins of an underwater city named Rapture which was created as a utopia for the world's elite. It was intended to be a paradise where people were not constrained to the usual rules of society, and could create without fear of censorship or morality. While living in Rapture, Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum discovers a chemical substance called ADAM, which is able to alter the genetics of a person and give them superhuman abilities. However, ADAM was also extremely addictive, and those who continually used it became near non-human. The rampant use of ADAM eventually leads to the downfall of Rapture as more and more people become addicted or are murdered by those who are. Ultimately, BioShock shows what the worst effects of a utopia combined with genetic engineering and laissez-faire government can be.
While Brave New World and BioShock have many dissimilar elements, their subject matter and commentary on said subject matter is similar. The ADAM of BioShock is surprisingly similar to the Soma of Brave New World, in that it is something the citizens of the world become reliant on. The people of the New World are reliant on Soma not because it is addictive, but because they are unable to handle their emotions without it. As John witnesses Delta workers line up to receive their soma, he sees them snap into order at the threat of "Deprivation of soma--appalling thought!" (Huxley 210). The two works are also similar in their depiction of utopia as something that cannot be created. While BioShock shows the ruins of a failed utopia, Brave New World shows how oppressive a utopia could be. What differs in these utopias however, is the manner in which they were run. Rapture was intended to be about individual freedom, while the New World leaves almost no freedom to the individual. Despite this difference, both utopias are shown as dysfunctional, and both are a commentary on how it is impossible and oppressive to live in a "perfect world."
In “A Picture of Dorian Gray” one of the most prevalent themes is about an artist’s connection with their art and what is revealed about them through it. In the beginning, Basil Hallward seems to believe an artist’s job is to “‘... create beautiful things, but should put nothing of his own life into them.’” (Wilde 12). This belief that art should reflect reality and the subject rather than the artist themselves is shown at its most literal in Dorian’s curse as the portrait is the only honest reflection of Dorian’s true nature. Despite this, the portrait also reveals a significant amount about Basil. Though Basil admired Dorian he was not completely unaware of his selfishness and carelessness “‘... however, he is horribly thoughtless, and seems to take a real delight in giving me pain.’” (Wilde 12). The portrait managed to capture both the beauty Basil admired and the darkness he always knew was there.
ReplyDeleteThis question of how much of an artist is revealed through their artwork in a way connects to the movie "Bohemian Rhapsody". The biopic follows the life and career of the infamous lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury as he rose and dealt with his fame, his relationships, and his own sense of self. Throughout the movie, Freddie is shown to be extremely passionate about his music and often drew inspiration for it from his own life and personal experience. The song “Love of My Life” is a good example of this as it was written for his wife and good friend Mary Austin. While the song itself is focused on Mary it is full of Freddie’s own feelings towards her. The entirety of the song “Bohemian Rhapsody” is also full of references to Freddie’s own personal life as well as other contributions from the entirety of Queen. A common theme throughout the movie revolved around the band wanting to be able to stay true to themselves as they made music even rejecting a large record deal in the process of this. This seems to go against Basil’s belief that a true artist should not include any part of themselves in their art as the movie implied that the personality of the artist is what makes art great, to begin with.
In Brave New World, Huxley explores the idea of standing out. He shows this throughout the novel by explaining John's different ideas about live/relationships. There were many times in the text that John questioned the way of life in the World State when he asks questions such as, "Don't you understand what freedom and manhood are?"(213). He does this to emphasize that the citizens of the World State could live a much more fulfilling life if they did not blindly follow orders.
ReplyDeleteJust as John did not give in to the pressures of fitting in with the rest of the World State, Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, also stood up for what he knew was right. Atticus Finch defended a black man in court, which was unpopular and frowned upon. However, he worked tirelessly for his client, regardless of his race. It would have been much easier for Atticus to give up and not help the black man, but he did what he knew was right instead.
Although it would have been easier for John to live like the rest of the World State, he continued to live in the way that he knew was more beneficial. Both John and Atticus had to stand out and stand up against the pressures to conform to the patterns of their world. This shows that doing the right thing is not always rewarding in the moment, but it leaves an imprint on society and could promote change.
“The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” written by Junot Diaz tells the story of a young Dominican-American who lives a tough life as a nerdy geek who obsesses over girls that he can never have. In the novel, the narrator, Yunior, who is also his roommate at the time, trains him to be the person he wants to be so that he can get the girls he desires. “I decided that I was going to fix Oscar’s life”(Diaz 175), is when Yunior makes this decision. This was because “Oscar’s idea of a G was to talk about role-playing games!”(Diaz 174), which obviously hasn’t been working for Oscar. Yunior then enters his mission, waking up Oscar every morning to go out running and giving him advice on the things he should and shouldn’t do. This ultimately leads to Oscar finding a girl by being himself after giving up on Yunior, and feeling a great depression upon finding her “cheating” on him. Oscar would later attempt to kill himself, Yunior saying that “he’d jumped off the New Brunswick train bridge”(Diaz 191), which is something nobody had expected previous. This transition, in most cases, would lead to a change in Yunior’s player like ways, but it had not. Even at the hospital, Yunior says he was “trying to get ass”(Diaz 192) from Oscar’s sister Lola, the girl he had been trying to impress by coaching Oscar the whole time.
ReplyDelete“Hitch” is a 2005 Romantic/Comedy film directed by Andy Tennant, which tells the story of dating coach Alex Hitchens (Will Smith) and his coaching of a client of his named Albert (Kevin James) as he tries to win the love of model Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta). Albert is a nerdy accountant who has never had any luck with the ladies, which is why he consults in Hitch, who is a professional dating coach who, at least seems to, has plenty of luck with them.
But, Hitch, much like Yunior, doesn’t have the luck that Albert needs. Through hopeless efforts to get Albert to be less of who he is, Hitch realizes that he can only train people in the dating aspect of things, not the love aspect. This ultimately leads to Albert, much like Oscar, being more of himself and actually getting the girl. The only difference is, Albert doesn’t lose the girl, and Hitch, in the end, decides to change his ways, and gets a girl of his own. As far as Yunior, he doesn’t decide to change his ways until much later in his life, when he finally gets Lola and finds true love. This all matters because it teaches the lesson that being yourself is truly all you need. Oscar discovers himself further through Yunior putting him through hell in training, much like Albert discovers himself through Hitch. And, not only that, both Yunior and Hitch find themselves and the meaning of love in the end, and that’s what really matters.
In The Picture Of Dorian Gray, the theme of youth is a wild predicament that the main character finds himself facing. In fact, his morales become affected by the very concept of youth and the influences others like Lord Henry, brought onto him. This can even be seen when Dorian says, "How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day in June….. If only it were the other way!” (Wilde 19). This comments on how Dorian's frame of mind affects his decisions and turns his lovely portrait of a young man into a deception of an old man.
ReplyDeleteThe second thing being analyzed is the song "We are Young" by the band Fun.The song explains how a young person makes a lot of choices that was originated from his views on youth and “The holes in my apologies” explains how Dorian never made up for the acts he committed for youth and “I’ll carry you home” insists upon the deception created by Dorian in the long run by doing so. In turn, this son goes on to explain how doing what you want can corrupt.
All together, in the song, “Tonight/We are young” explains how that one particular day in June that Dorian explains was his capture of youth
“So let’s set the world on fire” also explains how he continued with reckless abandon onto a path he didn’t fully understand with the aid of Lord Henry. Lastly, “so let’s set the world on fire / We can burn brighter / Than the sun” explains how Dorian wanted his youth for vanity and sin to remain young, rich, and beautiful instead of being a good person.
Kaitlyn Martin's
DeleteA. Huxley comments on a fast paced, substance addicted society that has total disregard for human emotions. The people of this New World are completely disconnected to the places and people around them. Unique beauties and arts are designated at a young age to be undesirable, so that people are drawn to places by market demand and not special features (Huxley 34). These places then have no qualities to differentiate from one another.
ReplyDeleteThe members of Modest Mouse would satirically describe present day society in a similar light in their song “Lampshades On Fire”. Life is a party, and people abuse the world as they please: “burn it up, or just chop it down, this one’s done so where to now?” (MM 18). After the object of their desire is obtained and destroyed, they move on to the next place.
This abandonment of places is not where these commentaries soley meet. The people search for distractions from their present day lives. Soma is the go to sedative that keeps the BNW people from experiencing the stresses of everyday life. When John stops the Soma inflow, the people become overwhelmed (Huxley 124). Most likely this is because they are finally noticing the claustrophobic feelings of a subway station. The chaotic closeness of a party is unappealing to the people of LOF: “pile out the door when it all runs out” (MM 33). When the drugs and unbeat feelings of the party diminish, the people run away from reality. The people in both societies also parallel in their failure to see the true value of human life and see others as their own property. Modest Mouse sings, “Tough love, we’ll kill you off then make a clone” (MM 45). People are replaceable. As one disappears another can easily take their place and do a better job than the last. This is much like the idea of the reproductive system in BNW. It does not matter when people die, because they are easily replaceable in the stable society where there are 1900 identical sets of DNA.
Both mediums are commenting on the importance of recognises the qualities that define, places, people and experiences. They are not easily replicated and require care and appreciation to sustain and flourish.