The nature of dreams is often found to be a most fascinating inspiration for works of art. Edgar Allan Poe wrote a poem entitled "A Dream Within A Dream" about the most obvious aspect of dreams which is that they are not reality but mere fantasy. When such a perspective is mirrored into reality, so that reality is thought another dream, the illusion is devastating in its hopelessness. This defining property of dreams is the villain in another work of art as well, a recent movie titled Inception.What makes the knowledge that a dream is not real so terrifying is that it leads to analyzing reality in a way that makes it appear it is only a dream too. For if a dream could feign reality so well, how can we tell reality isn't feigning reality? Poe's poem is of the hopelessness that strikes along with the discovery of an utterly meaninglessness life, and it is this despair that kills in Inception. Meaninglessness is the ultimate depression.
"A Dream Within A Dream" compares the comprehension of everything as nothing to one being unable to keep a handful of sand in their grasp. The hand cannot clutch the grains of sand because they keep spewing out much like the attachment of significance to everything, every part of life, being dissolved. Poe picked the most fitting comparison, even calling the sand golden as meaning is so rich in joy like gold.
In the movie Inception, the main character, while trapped in the dream world with his wife, implants into her head the idea that their current 'reality' was a dream because she was beggining to think otherwise, to believe it was reality. They eventually, after about fifty years in a dream, awaken back to how they fell asleep, young again. But the idea he had planted in her brain remained, and she began to question actual reality. She ended up committing suicide, tossing herself off a ledge to 'wake up'. Tossing herself like sand spilling between fingers as her husband watched.
No one wants to consider their lives insignificant, much less with no meaning or value whatsoever. The notion is one of the most morbid there is, for it is human nature to attach and maintain meaning to everything we see. Significance is life, or perhaps at least the illusion of significance.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Mice and Men Analysis.
The first page of Of Mice and Men cleverly disguises the foreshadowing of its end with descriptive but seemingly insignificant sentences, that when overanalyzed to the extreme, do produce some fascinating information. For example..
"the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green" is a description of George and Lenny.
Green represents fresh abundance. Deep suggests strength of the river. The river is healthy, full of life. George runs deep and Lenny is green. A river symbolizes an economy as it provides transportation, jobs, life, food, aka life.
"slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains" is a description of George and Lenny.
Rocky represents rough and treacherous area. The rocks are a bad, sharp, jagged, dangerous, unstable foundation. Lenny is physically strong. George is mentally strong, more stable. Lenny's foundation is rough, unstable.
"under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp" is the relationship between George and Lenny.
Trees represent stability. Under trees is a location that represents protection, safety, the home of the leaves protected by the trees. The leaves lying deep represents that they are wedged and dependant upon their location. The leaves are crisp, representing freshness, or youth or innocence. George is like the trees because he is stable and protects Lenny, who depends upon his relationship with George because his mind is "young" with ignorance.
"a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway" is the future of George and Lenny.
A path beaten hard represents a rocky, difficult hazard. It was beaten by boys coming from ranches which suggests ignorance being the cause of the difficult danger. And the boys swam which represents their freedom, the freeness, the fluidness, of prevailing ignorance. And the tramps who beat the path were also ignorance causing the hazard. The path is the future of George and Lenny and it is a dangerous path because of ignorance.
"the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it" is the American dream.
A worn smooth limb represents a sitting place, a comfortable position worn by others. It is a comfortable place because of others. George and Lenny strive for the American dream via their goal to live off the fat of the land. This dream, like a comfortable position, has come about from other men.
Ah, the book need not be read past the first couple pages. (But it's still recommended that you do so, because this novel really is much better than its beginning.)
ANALYSIS OF POINT OF VIEW:
In the novel, George's character is displayed by his quotations. They show George is loyal and honest. For example, when speaking of Lennie, he says, "Well, he better watch out for Lennie. Lennie aint no fighter, but Lennie's srong and quick and Lennie don't know no rules." This portrays George's loyalty to Lennie as well as his trustworthiness and that he is willing to be courageous enough to take stands for Lennie. George obviously cares greatly about his companion. George also says, "This guy Curley sounds like a son-of-a-bitch to me. I don't like mean guys." George's honesty is apparent as well as his refusal to try and make any stupid effort to gain the praise of everyone including those he does not like. George is honest when honesty is harsh.
ANALYSIS OF TONE:
Of Mice And Men is a novel whose words point to a tone both of inspiration and despair. The inspiration is apparent in quotes such as "The afternoon sun sliced in through the cracks of the barn walls and lay in bright lines on the hay." This is a very pleasant image as light represents goodness. The vision we imagine from it is quite inspiring. Another quote is "But in the barn it was quiet and humming and lazy and warm." Such an atmosphere is of warmth and happiness and thus inspiration. Despair, however, is revealed in quotes too such as "He went on sorrowfully.....Suddenly his anger rose." This refers to Lennie after accidently killing a pup. These details are very depressing. Lennie then says, "God damn you. Why do you got to get killed? You aint so little as mice." This brutal quote is also very depressing.
THEME:
I am my brother's keeper. True or false?
Whether the above statement is true or false can obviously not be determined from the insight of a single fictional story as no evidence whatsoever in support of it depends upon this story. However, the story does contain such a theme. Lennis is dependant on George in their unfortunate relationship. I say unfortunate for Lennie determines George's fate for his great dependancy upon him and George, of course, controls Lennie's as he is the intelligent and thus seemingly independant one. However, neither can possibly be independant because both at least emotionally are mutualistically dependant. Were it not for Lennie's handicapp, Lennie and George could seperate and spend their individual lives however they desired. But Lennie is unable to function without George's help. George, in turn, depends on Lennie as he is attached to him and feels the need to protect him. This mutualistic dependancy is the very definition of control, or keeping one another.
THEME:
"the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green" is a description of George and Lenny.
Green represents fresh abundance. Deep suggests strength of the river. The river is healthy, full of life. George runs deep and Lenny is green. A river symbolizes an economy as it provides transportation, jobs, life, food, aka life.
"slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains" is a description of George and Lenny.
Rocky represents rough and treacherous area. The rocks are a bad, sharp, jagged, dangerous, unstable foundation. Lenny is physically strong. George is mentally strong, more stable. Lenny's foundation is rough, unstable.
"under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp" is the relationship between George and Lenny.
Trees represent stability. Under trees is a location that represents protection, safety, the home of the leaves protected by the trees. The leaves lying deep represents that they are wedged and dependant upon their location. The leaves are crisp, representing freshness, or youth or innocence. George is like the trees because he is stable and protects Lenny, who depends upon his relationship with George because his mind is "young" with ignorance.
"a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway" is the future of George and Lenny.
A path beaten hard represents a rocky, difficult hazard. It was beaten by boys coming from ranches which suggests ignorance being the cause of the difficult danger. And the boys swam which represents their freedom, the freeness, the fluidness, of prevailing ignorance. And the tramps who beat the path were also ignorance causing the hazard. The path is the future of George and Lenny and it is a dangerous path because of ignorance.
"the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it" is the American dream.
A worn smooth limb represents a sitting place, a comfortable position worn by others. It is a comfortable place because of others. George and Lenny strive for the American dream via their goal to live off the fat of the land. This dream, like a comfortable position, has come about from other men.
Ah, the book need not be read past the first couple pages. (But it's still recommended that you do so, because this novel really is much better than its beginning.)
ANALYSIS OF POINT OF VIEW:
In the novel, George's character is displayed by his quotations. They show George is loyal and honest. For example, when speaking of Lennie, he says, "Well, he better watch out for Lennie. Lennie aint no fighter, but Lennie's srong and quick and Lennie don't know no rules." This portrays George's loyalty to Lennie as well as his trustworthiness and that he is willing to be courageous enough to take stands for Lennie. George obviously cares greatly about his companion. George also says, "This guy Curley sounds like a son-of-a-bitch to me. I don't like mean guys." George's honesty is apparent as well as his refusal to try and make any stupid effort to gain the praise of everyone including those he does not like. George is honest when honesty is harsh.
ANALYSIS OF TONE:
Of Mice And Men is a novel whose words point to a tone both of inspiration and despair. The inspiration is apparent in quotes such as "The afternoon sun sliced in through the cracks of the barn walls and lay in bright lines on the hay." This is a very pleasant image as light represents goodness. The vision we imagine from it is quite inspiring. Another quote is "But in the barn it was quiet and humming and lazy and warm." Such an atmosphere is of warmth and happiness and thus inspiration. Despair, however, is revealed in quotes too such as "He went on sorrowfully.....Suddenly his anger rose." This refers to Lennie after accidently killing a pup. These details are very depressing. Lennie then says, "God damn you. Why do you got to get killed? You aint so little as mice." This brutal quote is also very depressing.
THEME:
I am my brother's keeper. True or false?
Whether the above statement is true or false can obviously not be determined from the insight of a single fictional story as no evidence whatsoever in support of it depends upon this story. However, the story does contain such a theme. Lennis is dependant on George in their unfortunate relationship. I say unfortunate for Lennie determines George's fate for his great dependancy upon him and George, of course, controls Lennie's as he is the intelligent and thus seemingly independant one. However, neither can possibly be independant because both at least emotionally are mutualistically dependant. Were it not for Lennie's handicapp, Lennie and George could seperate and spend their individual lives however they desired. But Lennie is unable to function without George's help. George, in turn, depends on Lennie as he is attached to him and feels the need to protect him. This mutualistic dependancy is the very definition of control, or keeping one another.
THEME:
Thursday, May 20, 2010
MOTHERandCHILDREN
So..I am gazing into the eyes of a dirty, poverty-stricken mother whom I feel great connection with for her filth, her downfall, her own depression amidst the combination of so many. Her children's faces are obscured as their heads tucked upon her shoulders are turned the opposite direction. The dirt in their hair shines as a trophy for what they have thus endured, yet also as a burden, an omen for what is to come. And what approaches but doom! Their images scream for help, relief from the coming suffering! But the mother's lips are silent as they have come to accept the fate of loss. Her brow is furrowed with doubt and anxiety for the sake of her children, but her eyes are soft with weariness. Wrinkles smother her tired skin, taught with the want to release her children from their Hell, to relinquish her every particle of self and effort for them to be rescued from the dawning of hopelessness! Dirt embraces the hands and necks of her children as loss clings upon their innocent souls, and she is incapable of providing them aid. Incapable of destroying the beasts that cradle them and shall not hesitate to clutch every moment of their future! How petrifying the inevitable death of hope, which is to perish in the brutal flames of unfairness.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
UtopiaSurvey
Link to survey on utopias:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGNJMDZQX2FPUWlWTE12cUtZdjRuVVE6MQ
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGNJMDZQX2FPUWlWTE12cUtZdjRuVVE6MQ
Friday, April 30, 2010
The Giver
The scenario is a society free of suffering. How can this be? How can a society be risk-free? Lois Lowry's The Giver presents just this and determines by itself that a society cannot be risk free, and this thought did enthrall my curiosity!
So now I consider Lowry's philosophy. I quite dislike the novel's manipulative utilization of the idea of communism. Lowry makes clear that a society free of suffering and risk cannot exist and should not exist because of individuality. Individuality, according to her notions, is more significant than the liberation of suffering by the means of annihilating risk.
To what extent I disagree I am not sure. I believe individuality and separateness is an illusion. If you were told one of your cells was named Katy would you believe it or care? How ridiculous, of course not! Well a human in humanity is a cell in a body; that human is so extremely insignificant in comparison to the gigantic quantity of humans altogether. Does this justify my anger at individualism? Well, it would be selfish of a human to think themselves superior to another. I think individualism permits this secret sense of superiority in that each cares for themselves alone. Or not necessarily cares, but does for themselves. And actions affect thoughts, thus increasing our senses of superiority. Would not it be ridiculous for our cells to each secretly think themselves superior and be competitive towards each other? Yes it would be because our cells must work together for our bodies to work. And each of us humans make up humanity, which can only function properly if its components are functioning properly. Cells competing would not allow for a body to function. Humans competing does not allow for humanity to function properly. Thus, our conflicts.
Buuuuut.
A cell cannot think. A cell is not conscious. If we could only lose our selfishness and not our conciousness. Why does selfishness exist within consciousness? Because evolution favored the selfish individuals, the ones who could do for themselves. Selfishness is beneficial to the individual but not the population.
The ultimate question here: Is an individual more important than a population? Of course not! A cell is not more important than a body! The sum of components is greater than the components themselves. Though I said earlier a human is BETTER than humanity. I mean by that that a human individual has the ability to make decisions that benefit themselves and others in the realm of their existance. But humanity, although granted the potential, has not and cannot. Perhaps the individual possesses only the potential but because there are more individuals and only one humanity, I am being biased. I do not think an indivual is more important though. So, I quite disagree with Lowry.
So now I consider Lowry's philosophy. I quite dislike the novel's manipulative utilization of the idea of communism. Lowry makes clear that a society free of suffering and risk cannot exist and should not exist because of individuality. Individuality, according to her notions, is more significant than the liberation of suffering by the means of annihilating risk.
To what extent I disagree I am not sure. I believe individuality and separateness is an illusion. If you were told one of your cells was named Katy would you believe it or care? How ridiculous, of course not! Well a human in humanity is a cell in a body; that human is so extremely insignificant in comparison to the gigantic quantity of humans altogether. Does this justify my anger at individualism? Well, it would be selfish of a human to think themselves superior to another. I think individualism permits this secret sense of superiority in that each cares for themselves alone. Or not necessarily cares, but does for themselves. And actions affect thoughts, thus increasing our senses of superiority. Would not it be ridiculous for our cells to each secretly think themselves superior and be competitive towards each other? Yes it would be because our cells must work together for our bodies to work. And each of us humans make up humanity, which can only function properly if its components are functioning properly. Cells competing would not allow for a body to function. Humans competing does not allow for humanity to function properly. Thus, our conflicts.
Buuuuut.
A cell cannot think. A cell is not conscious. If we could only lose our selfishness and not our conciousness. Why does selfishness exist within consciousness? Because evolution favored the selfish individuals, the ones who could do for themselves. Selfishness is beneficial to the individual but not the population.
The ultimate question here: Is an individual more important than a population? Of course not! A cell is not more important than a body! The sum of components is greater than the components themselves. Though I said earlier a human is BETTER than humanity. I mean by that that a human individual has the ability to make decisions that benefit themselves and others in the realm of their existance. But humanity, although granted the potential, has not and cannot. Perhaps the individual possesses only the potential but because there are more individuals and only one humanity, I am being biased. I do not think an indivual is more important though. So, I quite disagree with Lowry.
Poem (redwheelbarrowknockoff)
All matter
has fallen
upon
love,
never shattered
never stalled
within my chest
this ecstasy
blessed
has fallen
upon
love,
never shattered
never stalled
within my chest
this ecstasy
blessed
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)