Jerzy Kosinski’s satirical and ingenious novel, Being There, introduces a new term to us: videots, who are the people whose language got depleted, whose dreams are advertisements, desires are videotaped, perceptions are fixed and their understanding of self and society has been stereotyped by television. Like so-called Chauncey Gardiner, who is actually Chance the Gardener, the citizens of this artificial video-web; which we can call the entire world of today, only “watches” but do or know nothing.
The character of a person takes its shape with communication, however in contemporary world, there is huge gaps in communication. People tend to watch the events go by, rather than participate in them. This is the situation in important matters; such as political, environmental or religious issues that are needed to be dealt with an activist manner. Moreover, a more grave problem in “culture” emerges at this point. The society is so dependent on television and “watching”, that nobody really thinks it is necessary to question or even read. As in the novel, Chance tries to calculate the time needed to read a page (441) which is enough, for Chance does not know how to read, but the created society is so typical to the television, that he can easily fit and blend in. A man without any real comprehension or quality can be the celebrity of the day, like Chance does. As Andy Warhol said, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”. Television does not ask for a diploma, or a real work of art to make you known. It just creates a new you, reflects its own values on you so you become one of the unreal people of television, as you watch it, take it seriously, or appear on it. We can see this in the novel too, when Chance thinks about television with his only outside source of information, gardon which represents the whole real world before us:
“By changing the channel he could change himself. He could go through phases, as garden plants went through phases, but he could change as rapidly as he wished by twisting the dial backward and forward. In some cases he could spread out into the screen without stopping, just as on TV people spread out into the screen. By turning the dial, Chance could bring others inside his eyelids. Thus he came to believe that it was he, Chance, and no one else, who made himself be.” (433)
Television affects social behaviour, firstly its messages broadcast throughout the world, people with little knowledge or people who takes information as granted are the first victim of this messages. Secondly it reorganizes the social setting by changing interactions of people and by weakening the relationship of physical and social areas. It defines the social roles and behaviours, determines new masculine and feminine roles and overruns the borders of public and private lives. Also it creates “fictions” instead of facts, with the messages that mentioned earlier.
In the novel we see the ultimate creation (or maybe the creature) of television, Chance. There is no person that can really identify with him, but in reality, he is every one of us. After Chance appears on television as a public personality, both Soviets and United States intelligences starts to make investigation about him. The Soviets analyse his appearance on “This Evening” and says that it is “impossible to determine in any way whatsoever his ethnic background or to ascribe his accent to any single community in the entire United States!” (490). When we consider these sentences we eventually come with one result, the television creates clones of people with a blend of characteristics that appeared on it, like Chance. With all their awe, Sulkin makes the perfect metaphor for Chance; “a blank page” (490). A page which had been erased and had not been given permission to be written on. Its ultimate creature is a blank page, however the other minions of the television are nor blank, for none of them are really like Chance, but the same effect can be seen on anybody; as a page that shows letters that have been seen on television yesterday, acts as the person that is being seen every single week.
To conclude, Chauncey Gardiner, with the name he has been given by television upon his creation, deemed as a personable, well-spoken man, and looking good on television. Thus he identifies as one of “them”. He is their only chance (495). He is a beloved creature of the television, one of the best, with his lack of comprehension of world, with his lack of identity, he is perfect for constant recreation and re-characterization. Chance is one of us, an imitation of his unpicked observations of his creator, who lives his life by chance, and who has never been born.
3.6.09
Rocking in a Dystopian Culture
The punks, grunges, rockers. The ultimate musical creatures of the trends that had an effect on the Generation called “X”. The letter “X” defines a generation as “lost” but also open to an immense unknown. Although they have various musical tastes in their occult, the main difference comes to life as a dystopian cultural perception, for they all have the same kind of gloomy pattern in their way of thinking, but they are varying in the political activism embedded in the notes of their music. For that instance Rock music can be described as a mass medium that cultural values and meanings circulate, reaches far beyond the material nature of music (Wicke 9). Therefore, the songs are not isolated from the cultural context which owes their existence in social and political relations as well as to the particular environment of their listeners (Wicke 8). The content of rock music is not merely grounded in the musical form of the songs. On the one hand this content is determined by the contexts which its admirers give it, and on the other hand it is also precondition and distribution together with the institutional contexts in which these stand. In other words, these contexts become a component of the lyrics, a component of a cultural text formed from cultural symbols of the most varied kind (images, technology, leisure objects, the everyday materials of the consumer society), and the music is the medium for the formulation of this cultural text (Brottman 42). Because of this, rock music is a very complex cultural form in which the mass media, media images, styles of dress are included as well as music.
The time that covers the world is constantly changing, whether it is with generations, or milestone events. Music itself too, is constantly changing; the rock and roll tunes like Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock in 1954, or latter day’s phenomenon, The Beatles, and its constantly changing, evolving, and more and more involving perspectives to the world changed into a more dystopian activism in 60s and 70s. The year of 1967 was a milestone of this activism, when Rolling Stones made a big concert in San Francisco; the audience welcomed the crowd with a speech full of anarchist-communist propaganda, like as follows:
(…) they will not escape the blood and fire of the anarchist revolution. We will play your music in rock and roll marching bands as we tear down the jails and free the prisoners, as we tear down the State schools and free the students, as we tear down the military bases and arm the poor … and create a new society from the ashes of our fires. (…) ‘Rolling Stones – The youth of California hears your message! Long live the revolution!’ (Wicke 105)
The constant change would not ease in the years that were coming. Late 70s and 80s were the peak points of the Cold War era. Implicit and clear references and criticism directed to the authorities. Rock music was now placed in a context in which it no longer defined itself merely in musical terms, but also in political terms, however these were expressed in misleading manner (Wicke 105). Rock stars were also a big influence for they started to be differentiated from the ‘plastic pop stars’. Thus the political activism of the students, who are frustrated from isolation in the family, school or at work, flourished.
It can be said that the media saturated stars of popular culture were thrown into this newly founded arena of consumption. These so-called stars were not an influence, but mere tools of entertainment. However the youth of Generation X was still learning how to consume this cultural bombardment. They could not affect the culture on their own, even if they were studying in the universities and forming the future’s holders. They have just let the ‘culture’ come to them for it was impossible to maintain a standard and quality. The impossibility of affecting this cultural wasteland made it mandatory to make little dents of their own individualities throughout this big dystopian sculpture. That’s why the individual and anarchist depressive culture was born and grew this wide. Punk rock culture was the first thing that can come into mind alongside these characteristics. Therefore the origins of punk culture needs to be identified, the Sex Pistols, the band known as the first punk rock band, and their groundbreaking single, “Anarchy in the U.K.”
The Sex Pistols were the embodied anarchist – politically disengaged Generation X prototype and “Anarchy in the U.K.” was the peak point of political disengagement of Generation X. Actually they made fun of and despised anything that contributes to the boundaries of constitutions. They made non-academic criticism (it can be said that was why they were influential on general public) on monarchy, the queen of England (“God Save the Queen”), the government (“Anarchy in the U.K.”), the human body (“Bodies”), multinational corporations (“EMI”), and the Jewish Holocaust (“Belsen was a Gas”) (Brottman 15). The Generation X youth made out a hero of Sid Vicious, name of the Sex Pistols’ front man, who was the “Punk God”, the alias given to him by his admirers. He was a kind of “god”, who accused of killing his girlfriend in a hotel room, let out from prison with bribery, a heroin addict, and a man, who tried to commit suicide several times, but died of heroine overdose. That can depict the view of Generation X to the world. The anarchy they wish destroys the authority and implements chaos. To some people, punk rock was the direct musical expression of unemployed teenagers’ political protest against a society that had turned them into useless outsiders (Wicke 137). Generation X determined its life with the help of disbelief and its offspring, indifference, but also they were in need of any hope, even though it would come from a drug addict, ignorant, teenager, who says he was the anti-Christ as in the song “Anarchy in the U.K.”.
But what was the rock’s part in this depressive play? Was it only an artistic outcome of the time, or had it created its own generational characteristics from one point on? The answer can be given within the generational context. The predecessor generation of Generation Xers, the Baby boomers (1945-1960) have failed to bring about most of the benefits outlined in the rock & roll ‘to save the world’, whales, rainforests, ozone, or on political context, to bring down the bourgeoisie, or even legalizing the marihuana. The basis of rock entwined with these failures. From the time of Bill Haley, for 20 years, rock music said so much on behalf of the boomers and did nothing (Pollock 284). However, from late 70s and on, Generation X emerged as anti-utopian listeners and contributors of rock music culture. The public policy of those times in the U.S. was not different from the implemented social plan called the New Deal by Roosevelt in 30s after the Great Depression. Public policy was moved to right wing policies, and so the hope of a normal politics into which the pursuit of equality and social justice could be incorporated never came to life. However, the movements were institutional, the civil rights, women’s, peace and environmental movements peaked (Darnovsky, Epstein and Flacks 258). Nevertheless these activists were boomers, and as their age grew older they forgot their activist past, and only wanted a settling down. They raised their children to think as their old selves, and to be politically disengaged. Therefore, the late 80s were times that the movements lost will and capacity to mobilize direct action protest (Darnovsky, Epstein and Flacks 258). The general cynicism and pessimism affected Generation X activism, they were no longer the “Paint it Black” anti-authority anarchists of Rolling Stones, but they were the depressed kids that think no one loves them. They started to make songs saying that they were “negative creeps” and “they were stoned”, like in Nirvana’s “Negative Creep”. With the help or as the outcome of this cultural U-turn, the submissive behavior became widespread in Generation X. They submitted the facts that they will always have McJobs, the Cold War, gender and race discrimination and unsuccessful lives. The reason that generated economic, social ,sexual and psychological problems –even the deficit to the divorce rate to AIDS- inherited by Generation X, from the “hippies” and “yuppies”, both successful and self-indulged collective of figures. As Neil Howe and William Strauss says, Xers are, “the clean up crew” of hippies and yuppies (qtd. in Ortner 5).
A point should be made here regarding their cultural breakdown. The haven they have taken refuge in was MTV and the culture that MTV was imposing that ‘the Generation Xers were truly damaged by the world in which they find themselves’: they feel themselves to be worthless losers (one anthem of the generation was a rock song by Beck, of which the refrain is, “I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me”; the band in Richard Linklater’s Slacker was called “The Ultimate Losers”) and are deeply depressed. The suicide of rock star Kurt Cobain (of Nirvana), and the empathetic responses to it, typifies this cluster of images (Ortner 6). The media made it essential to be one of the so-called ‘losers’ for it was the only way of being. Apocalypse and depressive images are also significant in MTV’s generation creation. One ultimate creature of this perception was the band, Duran Duran; clearly making simple music, a synthesizer based rock, dance tunes and such, but MTV comes into action beyond the lyrics or music. Their single “Wild Boys”, had a video in 1984 that has an immense effect on viewers for it was an exemplary video. The simple, basic rhythm some whining high pitched voice of standard song, made a hit by video. Video of this song shows a surrealistic and apocalyptic world full of confusing symbolism. Nightmarish, dark, unconnected images rush by frantically in no particular order, bathed in a pale blue light or in the flickering of flames. There are really vivid scenes of torture and the scenery is dominated by battle, attack, aggression and stylized force (Wicke 164). However, the attackers (here they can be interpreted as activists) are wild, prehistoric, half-naked men with leathers. The political awareness, the activism is undermined to savages and they were getting tortured ‘because of their actions’. As a conclusion, while the video industry was making enormous profit and gaining success, implicit messages were given to the typical Generation X audience: “watch and do not act.”
Nevertheless, it would be an overstatement to say that every member of this generation shares the same characteristics in rock music culture. For example, in the late 1980s, one of the most popular forms of rock & roll was ‘heartland rock’. It was characterized by a straightforward musical style, a concern with the average, working class American life, and a conviction that rock music has a social or communal purpose beyond just entertainment. It was going on par with the blues and rap culture, for the heartland rock were criticizing the social, economic, and physical inequality and isolation with the help of real rock music. Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger and Tom Petty were making decent comments about the society, about discrimination and freedom with rock music. Their voice, however, can never be louder than the MTV strengthened “grunge”. The rock in late 80s made a name with its unawareness and non-challenging lyrics and images of bands. R.E.M., which is still a band that is being known and loved by many people, had not started helping raise funds for environment, feminist or human rights since 2000s. Another popular culture icon, The Cure, first mainstream ‘gothic’ band, just tossed gloominess, horrific elements and again, deep depression to their cohort. The bands which were advanced Lyric-wise also were not contributing the political awareness. The Smiths, whose lyrics is said that full of implicit political references were just seen as superficially depressing and sometimes sarcastic (Pollock 297). It is not a surprise that Generation X became apathetic and depressive in their youth, while the cultural influence center of this generation was MTV which was pumping a constant gloominess through its viewers.
Generation X is the most typified and stereotyped generation of all. However some may say that they are only a collective of experiences and emotions to create a generational identity with big voids. This eclectic life and culture of Generation X made them vulnerable to any cultural change and it leads to submissive behavior for their identity was also open to change by mass cultural effects. The late 70s destructive anarchist punk rock, gave way to more and more disturbing grievances of grunge rock, and complete apathy. The cultural wasteland made them be individuals of their own selves and own problems only. Sense of collectiveness, feel of productivity was discarded for ‘self’s sake’. The nature of rock music was important for any political involvement with it, for it is mainly an underground cultural aspect. However, behind this music, very contradictory and socially conflicting cultural processes lie. If the music itself to be taken as a textual embodiment of ideology, it can be said that throughout the years rock music become more and more apathetic, indifferent, passive and depressive instead of aggressive and active; and also made the Generation X gain these epithets.
Works Cited
Brottman, Mikita. High Theory / Low Culture. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.
Darnovsky, Marcy, Barbara Epstein, and Richard Flacks, eds. Cultural Politics and Social Movements. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995.
Ortner, Sherry B. "Generation X: Anthropology in a Media-Saturated World." Cultural Anthropology 13.3 (1998): 414-40. EBSCOhost. Bilkent Library. 15 Apr. 2009.
Pollock, Bruce. Hipper Than Our Kids: A Rock & Roll Journal of the Baby Boom Generation. New York: Schirmer Books, 1993.
Wicke, Peter. Rock Music Culture, aesthetics and sociology. Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1991.
The time that covers the world is constantly changing, whether it is with generations, or milestone events. Music itself too, is constantly changing; the rock and roll tunes like Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock in 1954, or latter day’s phenomenon, The Beatles, and its constantly changing, evolving, and more and more involving perspectives to the world changed into a more dystopian activism in 60s and 70s. The year of 1967 was a milestone of this activism, when Rolling Stones made a big concert in San Francisco; the audience welcomed the crowd with a speech full of anarchist-communist propaganda, like as follows:
(…) they will not escape the blood and fire of the anarchist revolution. We will play your music in rock and roll marching bands as we tear down the jails and free the prisoners, as we tear down the State schools and free the students, as we tear down the military bases and arm the poor … and create a new society from the ashes of our fires. (…) ‘Rolling Stones – The youth of California hears your message! Long live the revolution!’ (Wicke 105)
The constant change would not ease in the years that were coming. Late 70s and 80s were the peak points of the Cold War era. Implicit and clear references and criticism directed to the authorities. Rock music was now placed in a context in which it no longer defined itself merely in musical terms, but also in political terms, however these were expressed in misleading manner (Wicke 105). Rock stars were also a big influence for they started to be differentiated from the ‘plastic pop stars’. Thus the political activism of the students, who are frustrated from isolation in the family, school or at work, flourished.
It can be said that the media saturated stars of popular culture were thrown into this newly founded arena of consumption. These so-called stars were not an influence, but mere tools of entertainment. However the youth of Generation X was still learning how to consume this cultural bombardment. They could not affect the culture on their own, even if they were studying in the universities and forming the future’s holders. They have just let the ‘culture’ come to them for it was impossible to maintain a standard and quality. The impossibility of affecting this cultural wasteland made it mandatory to make little dents of their own individualities throughout this big dystopian sculpture. That’s why the individual and anarchist depressive culture was born and grew this wide. Punk rock culture was the first thing that can come into mind alongside these characteristics. Therefore the origins of punk culture needs to be identified, the Sex Pistols, the band known as the first punk rock band, and their groundbreaking single, “Anarchy in the U.K.”
The Sex Pistols were the embodied anarchist – politically disengaged Generation X prototype and “Anarchy in the U.K.” was the peak point of political disengagement of Generation X. Actually they made fun of and despised anything that contributes to the boundaries of constitutions. They made non-academic criticism (it can be said that was why they were influential on general public) on monarchy, the queen of England (“God Save the Queen”), the government (“Anarchy in the U.K.”), the human body (“Bodies”), multinational corporations (“EMI”), and the Jewish Holocaust (“Belsen was a Gas”) (Brottman 15). The Generation X youth made out a hero of Sid Vicious, name of the Sex Pistols’ front man, who was the “Punk God”, the alias given to him by his admirers. He was a kind of “god”, who accused of killing his girlfriend in a hotel room, let out from prison with bribery, a heroin addict, and a man, who tried to commit suicide several times, but died of heroine overdose. That can depict the view of Generation X to the world. The anarchy they wish destroys the authority and implements chaos. To some people, punk rock was the direct musical expression of unemployed teenagers’ political protest against a society that had turned them into useless outsiders (Wicke 137). Generation X determined its life with the help of disbelief and its offspring, indifference, but also they were in need of any hope, even though it would come from a drug addict, ignorant, teenager, who says he was the anti-Christ as in the song “Anarchy in the U.K.”.
But what was the rock’s part in this depressive play? Was it only an artistic outcome of the time, or had it created its own generational characteristics from one point on? The answer can be given within the generational context. The predecessor generation of Generation Xers, the Baby boomers (1945-1960) have failed to bring about most of the benefits outlined in the rock & roll ‘to save the world’, whales, rainforests, ozone, or on political context, to bring down the bourgeoisie, or even legalizing the marihuana. The basis of rock entwined with these failures. From the time of Bill Haley, for 20 years, rock music said so much on behalf of the boomers and did nothing (Pollock 284). However, from late 70s and on, Generation X emerged as anti-utopian listeners and contributors of rock music culture. The public policy of those times in the U.S. was not different from the implemented social plan called the New Deal by Roosevelt in 30s after the Great Depression. Public policy was moved to right wing policies, and so the hope of a normal politics into which the pursuit of equality and social justice could be incorporated never came to life. However, the movements were institutional, the civil rights, women’s, peace and environmental movements peaked (Darnovsky, Epstein and Flacks 258). Nevertheless these activists were boomers, and as their age grew older they forgot their activist past, and only wanted a settling down. They raised their children to think as their old selves, and to be politically disengaged. Therefore, the late 80s were times that the movements lost will and capacity to mobilize direct action protest (Darnovsky, Epstein and Flacks 258). The general cynicism and pessimism affected Generation X activism, they were no longer the “Paint it Black” anti-authority anarchists of Rolling Stones, but they were the depressed kids that think no one loves them. They started to make songs saying that they were “negative creeps” and “they were stoned”, like in Nirvana’s “Negative Creep”. With the help or as the outcome of this cultural U-turn, the submissive behavior became widespread in Generation X. They submitted the facts that they will always have McJobs, the Cold War, gender and race discrimination and unsuccessful lives. The reason that generated economic, social ,sexual and psychological problems –even the deficit to the divorce rate to AIDS- inherited by Generation X, from the “hippies” and “yuppies”, both successful and self-indulged collective of figures. As Neil Howe and William Strauss says, Xers are, “the clean up crew” of hippies and yuppies (qtd. in Ortner 5).
A point should be made here regarding their cultural breakdown. The haven they have taken refuge in was MTV and the culture that MTV was imposing that ‘the Generation Xers were truly damaged by the world in which they find themselves’: they feel themselves to be worthless losers (one anthem of the generation was a rock song by Beck, of which the refrain is, “I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me”; the band in Richard Linklater’s Slacker was called “The Ultimate Losers”) and are deeply depressed. The suicide of rock star Kurt Cobain (of Nirvana), and the empathetic responses to it, typifies this cluster of images (Ortner 6). The media made it essential to be one of the so-called ‘losers’ for it was the only way of being. Apocalypse and depressive images are also significant in MTV’s generation creation. One ultimate creature of this perception was the band, Duran Duran; clearly making simple music, a synthesizer based rock, dance tunes and such, but MTV comes into action beyond the lyrics or music. Their single “Wild Boys”, had a video in 1984 that has an immense effect on viewers for it was an exemplary video. The simple, basic rhythm some whining high pitched voice of standard song, made a hit by video. Video of this song shows a surrealistic and apocalyptic world full of confusing symbolism. Nightmarish, dark, unconnected images rush by frantically in no particular order, bathed in a pale blue light or in the flickering of flames. There are really vivid scenes of torture and the scenery is dominated by battle, attack, aggression and stylized force (Wicke 164). However, the attackers (here they can be interpreted as activists) are wild, prehistoric, half-naked men with leathers. The political awareness, the activism is undermined to savages and they were getting tortured ‘because of their actions’. As a conclusion, while the video industry was making enormous profit and gaining success, implicit messages were given to the typical Generation X audience: “watch and do not act.”
Nevertheless, it would be an overstatement to say that every member of this generation shares the same characteristics in rock music culture. For example, in the late 1980s, one of the most popular forms of rock & roll was ‘heartland rock’. It was characterized by a straightforward musical style, a concern with the average, working class American life, and a conviction that rock music has a social or communal purpose beyond just entertainment. It was going on par with the blues and rap culture, for the heartland rock were criticizing the social, economic, and physical inequality and isolation with the help of real rock music. Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger and Tom Petty were making decent comments about the society, about discrimination and freedom with rock music. Their voice, however, can never be louder than the MTV strengthened “grunge”. The rock in late 80s made a name with its unawareness and non-challenging lyrics and images of bands. R.E.M., which is still a band that is being known and loved by many people, had not started helping raise funds for environment, feminist or human rights since 2000s. Another popular culture icon, The Cure, first mainstream ‘gothic’ band, just tossed gloominess, horrific elements and again, deep depression to their cohort. The bands which were advanced Lyric-wise also were not contributing the political awareness. The Smiths, whose lyrics is said that full of implicit political references were just seen as superficially depressing and sometimes sarcastic (Pollock 297). It is not a surprise that Generation X became apathetic and depressive in their youth, while the cultural influence center of this generation was MTV which was pumping a constant gloominess through its viewers.
Generation X is the most typified and stereotyped generation of all. However some may say that they are only a collective of experiences and emotions to create a generational identity with big voids. This eclectic life and culture of Generation X made them vulnerable to any cultural change and it leads to submissive behavior for their identity was also open to change by mass cultural effects. The late 70s destructive anarchist punk rock, gave way to more and more disturbing grievances of grunge rock, and complete apathy. The cultural wasteland made them be individuals of their own selves and own problems only. Sense of collectiveness, feel of productivity was discarded for ‘self’s sake’. The nature of rock music was important for any political involvement with it, for it is mainly an underground cultural aspect. However, behind this music, very contradictory and socially conflicting cultural processes lie. If the music itself to be taken as a textual embodiment of ideology, it can be said that throughout the years rock music become more and more apathetic, indifferent, passive and depressive instead of aggressive and active; and also made the Generation X gain these epithets.
Works Cited
Brottman, Mikita. High Theory / Low Culture. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.
Darnovsky, Marcy, Barbara Epstein, and Richard Flacks, eds. Cultural Politics and Social Movements. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995.
Ortner, Sherry B. "Generation X: Anthropology in a Media-Saturated World." Cultural Anthropology 13.3 (1998): 414-40. EBSCOhost. Bilkent Library. 15 Apr. 2009.
Pollock, Bruce. Hipper Than Our Kids: A Rock & Roll Journal of the Baby Boom Generation. New York: Schirmer Books, 1993.
Wicke, Peter. Rock Music Culture, aesthetics and sociology. Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1991.
Reality, Media and the Role of Human Nature in The Truman Show and The Matrix
Humanity always had an urge to control what they see in the environment. They wanted to be in charge of the nature firstly and they managed that generally by creating tools, from a pointed stick to a death trap for animals. This urge to control needed to find new targets throughout its lifetime for the nature had already been conquered. Mankind’s motivation to own and manipulate its surroundings led to the inevitable: conquest of other societies. They used newly made machines in their wars; invention of steel, firearms, airplanes and missiles all occurred because of this expansionist urge of control. Wars were bloody but effective ways of control; however, anyone can claim that the physical wars are not the way to control and conquer the contemporary world, but a new and more vicious but less apparent way has been introduced to us in the last century: media. As mankind developed many ways to overcome the vicious webs of control throughout the history, the only thing that can stand up against media’s manipulative behaviors is the intriguing nature of men.
Media has severe control mechanisms on people, and it can be easily said that media is the biggest influence on our lives today. Imitated and therefore stereotyped lives have gained importance. The machines and media have done this hand in hand. By developing technological advancements, media started to become more and more widespread. Mass media’s creation can only be possible with technology and machinery. The movies The Truman Show and The Matrix brought a new critical and almost prophetical perspective to new technological mass media, and its manipulative behavior. Both movies deal with virtual reality and a world of dreams and lies, and both of them give their message quite similarly: with the help of a well-known allegory.
The allegory is nothing but Plato’s cave. In his book The Republic, he has a conversation with Socrates about an imaginary scene that a group of people who lived chained in a cave throughout their lives, facing a wall. The people watch shadows on the wall created by things passing from the entrance of the cave, and the forms are attributed to these shadows. According to Plato, the shadows are the only and utmost reality that prisoners can ever see. He then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cave and understands therefore that the shadows on the wall are not elemental reality at all, as he can now perceive the true form of reality rather than the shadows seen by the prisoners (Adam 56). Like Plato’s cave metaphor, the residents in The Matrix (which is purportedly our world) only watch the shadows of the authentic reality. It is not the cave anymore, but an artificial womb, and the shadows are just dreams created by a computer program by machines. Neo, (an anagram of “one”) hacks the system of slavery in this dream world, where people dream a permanent so-called reality. Neo here is a prophet, a messenger who will warn and save people from eternal trickery.
On the other hand, in The Truman Show, the lead character, Truman Burbank does not grow to be a prophet or a messenger but an ordinary human being who wants to live a real life with real emotions. He is a man who has been deceived by an artificial life in a TV studio. The movie portrays Truman's discovery that a world outside his “bubble” exists; a world that the movie suggests is more "real," free from the manipulations of Christof, the show's producer, whose name may also represent a biblical Antichrist if one thinks of the name as Christ-off. If Truman could only get outside the bubble, outside the manipulation of Christof, he could desire authenticity, find his true love, and live a real, unmediated life. The movie ends with Truman leaving the dome, refusing the safe yet empty fantasy world offered by the producer.
The Truman Show has been universally interpreted as an allegory of the false influence of the media upon our lives. According to a website devoted to the movie, "It is a story that reveals an essential truth about what is happening to society in the 20th century, . . . (i.e.) how the media and corporations have begun to surround us with a universe of illusions" (Sanes). From this perspective, Truman Burbank is a "true man," an everyman, who can represent each one of us; however, with effects of media, the consumerist habits, with advertisements in Truman’s world created authenticity-aware media pawns, such as Truman’s wife and friends. Similarly, the consumerist media created its own reality-aware betrayers in the world of Matrix like Cypher, who knows that the Matrix is not the real world, but still wants to be in it, as long as he forgets everything about reality. People all over the world are content with their lives just like Cypher; the intriguing nature of mankind is not really determining their future, for they are “happy” to live in chains.
That’s how both movies persuade their ideas on the audience. The intriguing and curious self of mankind embodied in Neo and Truman. That symbolic embodiment also leads them to an epiphany. Neo has long suspected that the world is deceitful, and he questions reality, reaching the authentic reality with the help of a man who calls himself Morpheus. Morpheus in Greek mythology is the master of dreams, which means a lot Neo refers to Morpheus as he has “woken” him up. The feeling that something is wrong with life itself also urges Truman Burbank to investigate, which eventually leads to his freedom. The only difference between these two movies in regard to the extent of reality is that the figure of omnipotent creator or guide differs. Morpheus guides Neo to his way of reaching reality whereas the figure of Christof tries to imprison Truman in an eternal lie. That can be understood that the benevolent and malevolent selves of “God” divided in two in The Matrix, while the machines try to imprison all humans for their own reign, Morpheus tries to save them.
All in all, both movies are about sinister media manipulation and the virtual reality in our own world. But both the protagonists succeed in their aims through the values of human nature, curiosity, love and freedom. However some of us and some of the characters would willingly choose an imprisoned life to make our own lives easier, As Ursula K. LeGuin said in her novel, The Earthsea, “Would you want to stop the tides or to ease the seas to save only one wave, to save yourself? Would you sacrifice your hand’s skill, your heart’s desire and your mind’s hunger to buy your own safety?” Absolutely not, if you are a “true-man” or “the one”.
Works Cited
Adam, James. The Republic of Plato. 1902. 2nd Ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1963.
Sanes, Ken. Truman as Archetype. Transparencynow.com. 1996-2001. 29 July 2004..
The Matrix. Dir. Brothers Wachowski. Perf. Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburn. 1999. DVD. Warner Bros., Village Roadshow.
The Truman Show. Dir. Peter Weir. Perf. Jim Carrey and Ed Harris. 1998. DVD. Paramount Pictures.
Media has severe control mechanisms on people, and it can be easily said that media is the biggest influence on our lives today. Imitated and therefore stereotyped lives have gained importance. The machines and media have done this hand in hand. By developing technological advancements, media started to become more and more widespread. Mass media’s creation can only be possible with technology and machinery. The movies The Truman Show and The Matrix brought a new critical and almost prophetical perspective to new technological mass media, and its manipulative behavior. Both movies deal with virtual reality and a world of dreams and lies, and both of them give their message quite similarly: with the help of a well-known allegory.
The allegory is nothing but Plato’s cave. In his book The Republic, he has a conversation with Socrates about an imaginary scene that a group of people who lived chained in a cave throughout their lives, facing a wall. The people watch shadows on the wall created by things passing from the entrance of the cave, and the forms are attributed to these shadows. According to Plato, the shadows are the only and utmost reality that prisoners can ever see. He then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cave and understands therefore that the shadows on the wall are not elemental reality at all, as he can now perceive the true form of reality rather than the shadows seen by the prisoners (Adam 56). Like Plato’s cave metaphor, the residents in The Matrix (which is purportedly our world) only watch the shadows of the authentic reality. It is not the cave anymore, but an artificial womb, and the shadows are just dreams created by a computer program by machines. Neo, (an anagram of “one”) hacks the system of slavery in this dream world, where people dream a permanent so-called reality. Neo here is a prophet, a messenger who will warn and save people from eternal trickery.
On the other hand, in The Truman Show, the lead character, Truman Burbank does not grow to be a prophet or a messenger but an ordinary human being who wants to live a real life with real emotions. He is a man who has been deceived by an artificial life in a TV studio. The movie portrays Truman's discovery that a world outside his “bubble” exists; a world that the movie suggests is more "real," free from the manipulations of Christof, the show's producer, whose name may also represent a biblical Antichrist if one thinks of the name as Christ-off. If Truman could only get outside the bubble, outside the manipulation of Christof, he could desire authenticity, find his true love, and live a real, unmediated life. The movie ends with Truman leaving the dome, refusing the safe yet empty fantasy world offered by the producer.
The Truman Show has been universally interpreted as an allegory of the false influence of the media upon our lives. According to a website devoted to the movie, "It is a story that reveals an essential truth about what is happening to society in the 20th century, . . . (i.e.) how the media and corporations have begun to surround us with a universe of illusions" (Sanes). From this perspective, Truman Burbank is a "true man," an everyman, who can represent each one of us; however, with effects of media, the consumerist habits, with advertisements in Truman’s world created authenticity-aware media pawns, such as Truman’s wife and friends. Similarly, the consumerist media created its own reality-aware betrayers in the world of Matrix like Cypher, who knows that the Matrix is not the real world, but still wants to be in it, as long as he forgets everything about reality. People all over the world are content with their lives just like Cypher; the intriguing nature of mankind is not really determining their future, for they are “happy” to live in chains.
That’s how both movies persuade their ideas on the audience. The intriguing and curious self of mankind embodied in Neo and Truman. That symbolic embodiment also leads them to an epiphany. Neo has long suspected that the world is deceitful, and he questions reality, reaching the authentic reality with the help of a man who calls himself Morpheus. Morpheus in Greek mythology is the master of dreams, which means a lot Neo refers to Morpheus as he has “woken” him up. The feeling that something is wrong with life itself also urges Truman Burbank to investigate, which eventually leads to his freedom. The only difference between these two movies in regard to the extent of reality is that the figure of omnipotent creator or guide differs. Morpheus guides Neo to his way of reaching reality whereas the figure of Christof tries to imprison Truman in an eternal lie. That can be understood that the benevolent and malevolent selves of “God” divided in two in The Matrix, while the machines try to imprison all humans for their own reign, Morpheus tries to save them.
All in all, both movies are about sinister media manipulation and the virtual reality in our own world. But both the protagonists succeed in their aims through the values of human nature, curiosity, love and freedom. However some of us and some of the characters would willingly choose an imprisoned life to make our own lives easier, As Ursula K. LeGuin said in her novel, The Earthsea, “Would you want to stop the tides or to ease the seas to save only one wave, to save yourself? Would you sacrifice your hand’s skill, your heart’s desire and your mind’s hunger to buy your own safety?” Absolutely not, if you are a “true-man” or “the one”.
Works Cited
Adam, James. The Republic of Plato. 1902. 2nd Ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1963.
Sanes, Ken. Truman as Archetype. Transparencynow.com. 1996-2001. 29 July 2004.
The Matrix. Dir. Brothers Wachowski. Perf. Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburn. 1999. DVD. Warner Bros., Village Roadshow.
The Truman Show. Dir. Peter Weir. Perf. Jim Carrey and Ed Harris. 1998. DVD. Paramount Pictures.
18.2.09
Diction and Meaning in William Butler Yeats’s “Leda and the Swan”
In “Leda and the Swan”, William Butler Yeats addresses a story from Greek Mythology. Leda is the wife of King Tyndareus of Sparta. Zeus comes to her in a shape of a swan. The swan and Leda has a sexual intercourse. Most probably Zeus rapes Leda, as we can also see in the general atmosphere of the poem. Leda lays two eggs with two children in both of them. One of these children is Helen, which will be the famous Helen of Troy. One other was Clytemnestra, who is the wife of the Mycenean Commander Agamemnon, and the murderer of him.
The poem starts with an end of an action, there is “a sudden blow”, where the swan comes on to Leda and his “great wings beating still”. We start to observe the rape scene from the middle, where the swan is holding her body with his wings and her neck with his beak. The effect of this, is that it draws the reader, into the action and into the poem easily.
Throughout the poem, Leda described in concrete words and the swan in abstract terms with synecdochies mainly. Leda is described as "the staggering girl" and the poem mentions "her helpless breast”, "her nape", and "her loosening thighs". The swan is never called as Zeus or even “Swan” (actually, Agamemnon is the only name mentioned). The swan is described as "great wings", "dark webs", "white rush", "indifferent beak" and "feathered glory".
Although the “Leda and the Swan” myth -therefore the poem,- has many connections with the Trojan War. Helen is the main reason of the war, name of Agamemnon can be seen in the fourth stanza, and Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon killed him after the Trojan War, because of jelaousy. Helen and Clytemnestra are Leda’s daughters, and Agamemnon was the Mycenean Commander.
The last line of the Fourth stanza is “And Agamemnon dead.”. Trojan War is accepted as an end of the Mythological Era and a start of the modern times, so we can infer that the rape ends at that line, like the war ended with Agamemnon’s death. Therefore, it may be a reference of “the loss of purity”, or an idea that “growth can only be achieved under force and hardships”.
To conclude, we can say that, "Leda and the Swan" is a violent poem and can be seen as Yeats's own perception to a mythological event. However the poem can also be widened to the whole time and than it can represent “women’s loss of purity against male domination”.
The poem starts with an end of an action, there is “a sudden blow”, where the swan comes on to Leda and his “great wings beating still”. We start to observe the rape scene from the middle, where the swan is holding her body with his wings and her neck with his beak. The effect of this, is that it draws the reader, into the action and into the poem easily.
Throughout the poem, Leda described in concrete words and the swan in abstract terms with synecdochies mainly. Leda is described as "the staggering girl" and the poem mentions "her helpless breast”, "her nape", and "her loosening thighs". The swan is never called as Zeus or even “Swan” (actually, Agamemnon is the only name mentioned). The swan is described as "great wings", "dark webs", "white rush", "indifferent beak" and "feathered glory".
Although the “Leda and the Swan” myth -therefore the poem,- has many connections with the Trojan War. Helen is the main reason of the war, name of Agamemnon can be seen in the fourth stanza, and Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon killed him after the Trojan War, because of jelaousy. Helen and Clytemnestra are Leda’s daughters, and Agamemnon was the Mycenean Commander.
The last line of the Fourth stanza is “And Agamemnon dead.”. Trojan War is accepted as an end of the Mythological Era and a start of the modern times, so we can infer that the rape ends at that line, like the war ended with Agamemnon’s death. Therefore, it may be a reference of “the loss of purity”, or an idea that “growth can only be achieved under force and hardships”.
To conclude, we can say that, "Leda and the Swan" is a violent poem and can be seen as Yeats's own perception to a mythological event. However the poem can also be widened to the whole time and than it can represent “women’s loss of purity against male domination”.
Imagery and Meaning in George Herbert’s “Virtue”
The poem, “Virtue” by George Herbert, mainly develops with the theme that the world and all living beings and unliving things are mortal, and everything in this world will eventually end or die. This theme is developed by three metaphors; first one is a “day”, second one is a “rose” and third one is the “spring”. All of these first three images are attractive things that people would want them to last forever and they are concrete images. Nevertheless in the last stanza, the reader can see an abstract image of “the soul” and by that image, the poem reaches a conclusion.
In the first stanza we see the image of the “day”; like all the metaphors used in the poem, first, it is shown some attractive traits of the image. Like it is sweet, cool, calm and bright, and in the second line it is said that the daylight is like the marriage of the earth and sky. Whenever the day turns into darkness, the morning dew mourns and cries with grief because the day must die. The dew here may also symbolize the youth, which is lost with the end of the life. There is a joy dominating the first two lines of the first stanza, whereas in the gloomy third line, the death theme can be seen. Also, while the periodic commas in the first line makes the line slower and longer to read, the constant “s” sound and repeated “so” words make an impression of perpetuation of the “day”, which will be wiped with the third and fourth lines.
The metaphorical image in the second stanza is the “rose”. The color of the rose is the color of anger, which is supposed to be red. It is also a brave and daring color, so it makes all people who are looking incautiously, wipe their eyes because it is bright and splendid. The rose is beaming with life, however as in the third line of the second stanza indicates, its roots are already in its own grave. That represents a natural bond between humankind and death, the eternal resting place for all men.
Third image is the spring which is the sum of the first two images. The spring has both sweet days and roses, it is the time of year which is compared with a box of compressed sweet. Its density of life and sweetness makes an impression of eternity again, as the first two metaphors, but spring has an end too. This “end” feeling is given with the word “close” which is the musical ending, or a final chord. Thus the spring and therefore life, compared with a musical piece or a song, that also will end eventually.
The last stanza is a bit different from others for it is not depicting an image or thing that will die or end. It shows the only thing that will survive; it is a virtuous and kind soul, only it would endure the eternal flames of the doomsday when the “world turn to coal”, the kind and virtuous soul would not turn into coal or dust, like an ember. It will glow with its faith and virtue. Thus only the soul can live rightfully and eternally which is the only thing that would not die.
To conclude, the poem “Virtue” emphasises on the loveliness of the world but also on the inevitability of death. Without making an argument, but using various kinds of imagery, the poem contrasts the mortal glories of the mortal world with the eternal glory of the immortal soul. Thereby it also contrasts the brief pleasures as day, rose or spring with the eternal pleasures of commitment to virtues.
In the first stanza we see the image of the “day”; like all the metaphors used in the poem, first, it is shown some attractive traits of the image. Like it is sweet, cool, calm and bright, and in the second line it is said that the daylight is like the marriage of the earth and sky. Whenever the day turns into darkness, the morning dew mourns and cries with grief because the day must die. The dew here may also symbolize the youth, which is lost with the end of the life. There is a joy dominating the first two lines of the first stanza, whereas in the gloomy third line, the death theme can be seen. Also, while the periodic commas in the first line makes the line slower and longer to read, the constant “s” sound and repeated “so” words make an impression of perpetuation of the “day”, which will be wiped with the third and fourth lines.
The metaphorical image in the second stanza is the “rose”. The color of the rose is the color of anger, which is supposed to be red. It is also a brave and daring color, so it makes all people who are looking incautiously, wipe their eyes because it is bright and splendid. The rose is beaming with life, however as in the third line of the second stanza indicates, its roots are already in its own grave. That represents a natural bond between humankind and death, the eternal resting place for all men.
Third image is the spring which is the sum of the first two images. The spring has both sweet days and roses, it is the time of year which is compared with a box of compressed sweet. Its density of life and sweetness makes an impression of eternity again, as the first two metaphors, but spring has an end too. This “end” feeling is given with the word “close” which is the musical ending, or a final chord. Thus the spring and therefore life, compared with a musical piece or a song, that also will end eventually.
The last stanza is a bit different from others for it is not depicting an image or thing that will die or end. It shows the only thing that will survive; it is a virtuous and kind soul, only it would endure the eternal flames of the doomsday when the “world turn to coal”, the kind and virtuous soul would not turn into coal or dust, like an ember. It will glow with its faith and virtue. Thus only the soul can live rightfully and eternally which is the only thing that would not die.
To conclude, the poem “Virtue” emphasises on the loveliness of the world but also on the inevitability of death. Without making an argument, but using various kinds of imagery, the poem contrasts the mortal glories of the mortal world with the eternal glory of the immortal soul. Thereby it also contrasts the brief pleasures as day, rose or spring with the eternal pleasures of commitment to virtues.
Imagery and Diction in Walt Whitman’s “A Noiseless Patient Spider”
Imagery is the most common literary technique in the poem, while most of the lines have a concrete image in it that helps the reader in seeing exactly what the poet intends them to see. The first example occurs on the first line; “A noiseless patient spider.” This visual image brings pictures of small, perfectly still, spiders sitting on their perfect webs for days at a time, completely unmoving, no sign of life at all. It is amazing all the thoughts those words can bring to mind. The image of the motionless spider, completely alone and isolated, as depicted in the first three lines of the poem introduces the idea that the speaker feels alone in the world. The image of the “vacant vast surrounding” also hints at the speaker’s doubt in the meaning of life. If the spider is the speaker’s soul, then the surroundings should be the rest of the universe, and if the rest of the universe is empty and there are no other souls or things for the filaments to connect to, then what is the purpose of “tirelessly speeding them” on?
Another image can be seen in second stanza, “surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space, ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,” is a clear reference between the spider's duty and the speaker's. Both the speaker and the spider seem incapable of finding anything else in the universe, or at least anything meaningful. However they both keep trying, either with optimistic hope or blindness. Also the speaker can be incapable of admit the idea that there could be nothing else in the universe besides himself, “the vacant vast surrounding” and is so optimistic or too incapable of that terrible realization to stop launching “forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself.”
The last two lines of the poem can be interpreted as supporting the idea that the speaker is habitually optimistic. One other interpretation can be disproving the idea that the speaker is alone in the universe; “till the bridge you will need be formed, till the ductile anchor hold, till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, o my soul.” What ever interpretation the reader chooses to take from these lines, the images in “A Noiseless Patient Spider” holds great importance inside the poem.
The words that Whitman chooses to use in his poem often have secondary meanings. For example, at line four, “it launched forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,” could be stated that the spider was making a web, but the words Whitman chooses to use carry more meaning. The idea of the spider “launching” filament supports the idea that there is a correlation between the spider and the speaker and symbolizes the speaker’s attempts to make connections in the universe. The words “out of itself” also support this idea, it leads the reader to think of the filaments as attempts by the speaker’s soul to find meaning, and since they are coming from deep inside the reader, they are coming “out of itself.”
To conclude, we can say the poem can be interpreted in two ways, one is the pessimistic, vast vacancy of life, and one is hopeful search of a place in a society. With its word choice and image usage it is an exceptional poem, and they help to build up the main message of the poem.
Another image can be seen in second stanza, “surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space, ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,” is a clear reference between the spider's duty and the speaker's. Both the speaker and the spider seem incapable of finding anything else in the universe, or at least anything meaningful. However they both keep trying, either with optimistic hope or blindness. Also the speaker can be incapable of admit the idea that there could be nothing else in the universe besides himself, “the vacant vast surrounding” and is so optimistic or too incapable of that terrible realization to stop launching “forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself.”
The last two lines of the poem can be interpreted as supporting the idea that the speaker is habitually optimistic. One other interpretation can be disproving the idea that the speaker is alone in the universe; “till the bridge you will need be formed, till the ductile anchor hold, till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, o my soul.” What ever interpretation the reader chooses to take from these lines, the images in “A Noiseless Patient Spider” holds great importance inside the poem.
The words that Whitman chooses to use in his poem often have secondary meanings. For example, at line four, “it launched forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,” could be stated that the spider was making a web, but the words Whitman chooses to use carry more meaning. The idea of the spider “launching” filament supports the idea that there is a correlation between the spider and the speaker and symbolizes the speaker’s attempts to make connections in the universe. The words “out of itself” also support this idea, it leads the reader to think of the filaments as attempts by the speaker’s soul to find meaning, and since they are coming from deep inside the reader, they are coming “out of itself.”
To conclude, we can say the poem can be interpreted in two ways, one is the pessimistic, vast vacancy of life, and one is hopeful search of a place in a society. With its word choice and image usage it is an exceptional poem, and they help to build up the main message of the poem.
“The Soul Selecets Her Own Society”: Walls
People built walls without knowing what are left behind. Sticking with only one life perspective is the reason to all these. You can select whoever you want to be with you, that is true but that surely means that you left somebody you would want in your life, outside.
Though, the walls are useful to protecting yourself. You would nor worry about getting harmed or disturbed. With your best friends and beloved ones near you. You would only listen to them as they are “your society”. You will take their advices, their beliefs are yours now also. But, what if you made a wrong choice to take them inside your walls? How would you cast them out now from these gateless ramparts?
Thus, I think walls should be built only for protecting self, not keeping all people outside or inside. Make a door to welcome some people in, if they are needed, and just get out of the door sometimes and look at your wall, at you from a distance.
Put some windows to your wall and see the sparkle of the differences of the world. That's how a home is built, that's how a castle is risen, that's how an empire expands.
Though, the walls are useful to protecting yourself. You would nor worry about getting harmed or disturbed. With your best friends and beloved ones near you. You would only listen to them as they are “your society”. You will take their advices, their beliefs are yours now also. But, what if you made a wrong choice to take them inside your walls? How would you cast them out now from these gateless ramparts?
Thus, I think walls should be built only for protecting self, not keeping all people outside or inside. Make a door to welcome some people in, if they are needed, and just get out of the door sometimes and look at your wall, at you from a distance.
Put some windows to your wall and see the sparkle of the differences of the world. That's how a home is built, that's how a castle is risen, that's how an empire expands.
“The Story of an Hour”: Roles
Throughout the ages women are being repressed by male dominated society. It is not just based on mere discriminative point of view in my opinion, it is also a gender role. Men would not (and do not) know what to do if the women would do the same things with themselves. Men should be the hero, the martyr, the suffered and the survived. These are the so called manly powers. In our day, most women have these powers and they are seen as the superior women in our society. The successful, knowledgable and dominant woman figure can be seen now.
However, while women figure changes, the feminine qualities are staying the same. Attending the household, taking care of kids, cooking, cleaning, keeping the family together, still burdens to the modern women. These are the basic woman qualities, but if a man has them, unlike the vice-versa, is not appreciated enough. The gentleness make the man “unmanly”. I think there is still a discrimination, whether it is positive or negative, manly qualities are being praised, while womanly qualities are staying the same level.
In my opinion, Turkey has the most concrete family life within keeping these traits to the respective gender. That is not a good thing obviously, but we are not that different from the Mallard’s.
However, while women figure changes, the feminine qualities are staying the same. Attending the household, taking care of kids, cooking, cleaning, keeping the family together, still burdens to the modern women. These are the basic woman qualities, but if a man has them, unlike the vice-versa, is not appreciated enough. The gentleness make the man “unmanly”. I think there is still a discrimination, whether it is positive or negative, manly qualities are being praised, while womanly qualities are staying the same level.
In my opinion, Turkey has the most concrete family life within keeping these traits to the respective gender. That is not a good thing obviously, but we are not that different from the Mallard’s.
“Young Goodman Brown”: Purity and Zealotry
The Puritan America was beyond odds as a nation at the point it was established. It was an impressive thing that every other exile melted to a new nationality. However the puritan protestanism as a religious group had tremendous effects on the American people. These people were known with their zealotry actually, ther were devoutly bounded to their prayers and they wanted to purify the animal side inside every person.
A question that comes into my mind is, do people deserve a purifying, only for they are not from someone’s belief. It is just an extremist thought and that is what should be purified. People need to live their own beliefs freely and without boundaries.
As we can see in the story, the extreme good turns into the most evil. The prayes and the zealous sermons became dark rituals and demonic speech. This can represent the thin line between devoutness and wickedness in my opinion
The religion is open to many comments, but one thing is, as we see from the contemporary situation, if the religion is misused by some power focuses, it can create masses that are ready to fight, kill and die, in the name of God, Allah and Jehovah.
A question that comes into my mind is, do people deserve a purifying, only for they are not from someone’s belief. It is just an extremist thought and that is what should be purified. People need to live their own beliefs freely and without boundaries.
As we can see in the story, the extreme good turns into the most evil. The prayes and the zealous sermons became dark rituals and demonic speech. This can represent the thin line between devoutness and wickedness in my opinion
The religion is open to many comments, but one thing is, as we see from the contemporary situation, if the religion is misused by some power focuses, it can create masses that are ready to fight, kill and die, in the name of God, Allah and Jehovah.
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”: Despisal
Walter Mitty escapes from his tedious life by entering a world where he is almighty enough to do anything. His wife, a policeman, parking lot attendant and a woman on street treated him badly in a really short day. So what happens if despisal becomes the main element of someones life?
First, a person who is successful in anything at all, would not take depreciation easily. Only a man who has given up all hope from his future would tolerate such a thing. So we can say denial of despisal begins inside the individual's mind. Success is important for self confidence, but being loved is essential too. Also we can see from the story, Mitty have not got any decent loving relationship with anyone. Love of mother is not a thing that helps us to grow to a individual person. That love is protecting you form harm, does not trust you in tough decisions and also when the lover is not your mother, it is clearly despising.
Escaping from despisal is not easy. It is a thing that the people around you learn quickly and hardly forget. But it can be a process, and you can wait for it to happen. While doing this, I do not think it is a good thing to close yourself to reality and build a new one, but to put effort in every step to gain acceptance. Because human is not created to be isolated, it should live with others to fulfill its needs.
I would like to quote form Cervantes at this point; “One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars; and the world will be better for this.”
First, a person who is successful in anything at all, would not take depreciation easily. Only a man who has given up all hope from his future would tolerate such a thing. So we can say denial of despisal begins inside the individual's mind. Success is important for self confidence, but being loved is essential too. Also we can see from the story, Mitty have not got any decent loving relationship with anyone. Love of mother is not a thing that helps us to grow to a individual person. That love is protecting you form harm, does not trust you in tough decisions and also when the lover is not your mother, it is clearly despising.
Escaping from despisal is not easy. It is a thing that the people around you learn quickly and hardly forget. But it can be a process, and you can wait for it to happen. While doing this, I do not think it is a good thing to close yourself to reality and build a new one, but to put effort in every step to gain acceptance. Because human is not created to be isolated, it should live with others to fulfill its needs.
I would like to quote form Cervantes at this point; “One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars; and the world will be better for this.”
"The Man He Killed": War
Wars are the past, future and contemporary reality of the world history. Every country today, every society’s ancestors were in war to gain some rights, land, or just glory. The warriors and soldiers are praised in all cultures throughout the world. That’s why the wars seem as a rightful cause to all. It is a heroic deed, it is manly and justified.
Nevertheless everybody misses one point in wars. People die in the battlefield. People suffer and somebody loses a husband, father, son. The other side of the war has also rightful causes to fight, and they just clash in the flames of battle, they hate each other beforehand. Maybe they do not know anything about each other, but the “others” becomes the “enemy”.
Countries make wars and regular people die, nameless martyrs created, legends created and with every death, the hatred between two sides grows. The density of this hatred is determined by the blood they shed. What I wonder is, if there would be somebody who come and tell that they are both rightful and they should make an agreement and not fight, would they believe?
No. Whether it is for resources, or for land, or glory, or freedom, all these benefits and sublime things will be built on the corpses of “the unlucky”. And luck is the only force to save “the lucky”, but only for a while.
Nevertheless everybody misses one point in wars. People die in the battlefield. People suffer and somebody loses a husband, father, son. The other side of the war has also rightful causes to fight, and they just clash in the flames of battle, they hate each other beforehand. Maybe they do not know anything about each other, but the “others” becomes the “enemy”.
Countries make wars and regular people die, nameless martyrs created, legends created and with every death, the hatred between two sides grows. The density of this hatred is determined by the blood they shed. What I wonder is, if there would be somebody who come and tell that they are both rightful and they should make an agreement and not fight, would they believe?
No. Whether it is for resources, or for land, or glory, or freedom, all these benefits and sublime things will be built on the corpses of “the unlucky”. And luck is the only force to save “the lucky”, but only for a while.
“The Chaser”: Innocence and Experiments of Love
Innocence was an essential emotion in the story. Alan’s pure belief in true love made me think about the naiveness of love. I asked myself such questions as, “does love blind people?”, “does belief in love go to vain with age?”
Firstly, love challenges people with the loss of innocence. Whenever a love get response, it begins to fade in time. Love alters into addiction, obsession and maybe fear; fear to lose the beloved one (the one obsessed with in this case). These unhealthy feelings may recover in sometime, but it requires self-respect and self-realization. If those qualities wouldn’t ocur, people who “was” in love become the most cruel person ever lived. The love you’re enduring is a burden now, you hate the person, who you wanted the most only sometime ago.
Nonetheless love gives people courage too. An hopeless love can open the doors to you just like the doors Alan opened. But those doors lead dark ways and I think no good can come with haste. But I learnt these by experience. So what can an inexperienced lover do? Nothing but making mistakes! Love blinds the lovers and the “responded love” enlightens their sight again.
The old man in The Chaser also can act as an antagonist where the main character is “innocence”. His disbelief to all human qualities and emotions made me ask that, “can only aging make a person like this?” Well I don’t think so. I think his cynic view of life based on harsh and maybe dark things he lived through in his youth. Thus only a human being could be that emotionless. So, in my opinion, belief in love vains not with age but with false experience. A loving family, healthy social enviroment and a faithful relationship can provide a lifetime of optimisim about love and other feelings.
To conclude, I imagine two person standing at the farthest edges from themselves one has corrupted with false experience and one has cursed with false innocence.
Firstly, love challenges people with the loss of innocence. Whenever a love get response, it begins to fade in time. Love alters into addiction, obsession and maybe fear; fear to lose the beloved one (the one obsessed with in this case). These unhealthy feelings may recover in sometime, but it requires self-respect and self-realization. If those qualities wouldn’t ocur, people who “was” in love become the most cruel person ever lived. The love you’re enduring is a burden now, you hate the person, who you wanted the most only sometime ago.
Nonetheless love gives people courage too. An hopeless love can open the doors to you just like the doors Alan opened. But those doors lead dark ways and I think no good can come with haste. But I learnt these by experience. So what can an inexperienced lover do? Nothing but making mistakes! Love blinds the lovers and the “responded love” enlightens their sight again.
The old man in The Chaser also can act as an antagonist where the main character is “innocence”. His disbelief to all human qualities and emotions made me ask that, “can only aging make a person like this?” Well I don’t think so. I think his cynic view of life based on harsh and maybe dark things he lived through in his youth. Thus only a human being could be that emotionless. So, in my opinion, belief in love vains not with age but with false experience. A loving family, healthy social enviroment and a faithful relationship can provide a lifetime of optimisim about love and other feelings.
To conclude, I imagine two person standing at the farthest edges from themselves one has corrupted with false experience and one has cursed with false innocence.
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”: Death as an Escape
Death is the inevitable. People like me afraid of being dead actually, but when we face it we just welcome them. I had a traffic accident three years ago, and all my thoughts were about “finally I'm out of this life” while the car is sliding to another one. All people would grow weary with the life, all of us wants a salvation, whether it is a solution of all our matters, or it is death.
However choosing death willingly is a crime against humanity. Everybody hurts sometimes and everybody may want to take their own lives to escape. But this is a matter of this earth. What place you can live when you leave this world? If you are a religious person, you would probably endure eternal agony, if you are not, well, congratulations, you just missed the rest of your life!
When we read the poem though, we can get another idea of escape. Just by taking it literally, we can leave our all belongings and beloved and go away. This will delete all our worries and weariness, but bring new ones.
The gods placed this pile of soil inside a sphere of problems, every time it turns, you just face a new problem. You can choose to die of course, but only ship you will take is going to be black one, and that one goes nowhere.
However choosing death willingly is a crime against humanity. Everybody hurts sometimes and everybody may want to take their own lives to escape. But this is a matter of this earth. What place you can live when you leave this world? If you are a religious person, you would probably endure eternal agony, if you are not, well, congratulations, you just missed the rest of your life!
When we read the poem though, we can get another idea of escape. Just by taking it literally, we can leave our all belongings and beloved and go away. This will delete all our worries and weariness, but bring new ones.
The gods placed this pile of soil inside a sphere of problems, every time it turns, you just face a new problem. You can choose to die of course, but only ship you will take is going to be black one, and that one goes nowhere.
“Richard Cory”: Mediocracy
Richard Cory is a representative of extraordinariness in a society. All of his traits are honorable and noble, he is a good man, kind and caring. Also he is down to earth, not a snob with his wealth. He is morally, economically and physically ideal man.
We have this kind of people in our society too. We also admire them, appreciate them and talk about them like idols. However, maybe the evilness in all of us, wants these good and successful people to fail, maybe just to see them as human, like us. It may be simply jealousy, for we know we cannot achieve some of these people's qualities. But I think the main reason is mediocracy.
Every person wants to be the lead figure in the society, whatever his traits and qualities are, he just wants to be on top. Almost everytime, the leader of a society tends to be just a regular but influential man. While this man does not want others to overthrow him, he simply thinks, “if all the people will be like me, I may be the one to lead them” and that makes the society mediocre in generations.
The real unique and valuable people are labeled as narcissist or arrogant. Every quality seems like a tool of their boasting speeches.
Thus these people left alone, abandoned in a mediocre society, with their goodness and their royal hearts broken.
We have this kind of people in our society too. We also admire them, appreciate them and talk about them like idols. However, maybe the evilness in all of us, wants these good and successful people to fail, maybe just to see them as human, like us. It may be simply jealousy, for we know we cannot achieve some of these people's qualities. But I think the main reason is mediocracy.
Every person wants to be the lead figure in the society, whatever his traits and qualities are, he just wants to be on top. Almost everytime, the leader of a society tends to be just a regular but influential man. While this man does not want others to overthrow him, he simply thinks, “if all the people will be like me, I may be the one to lead them” and that makes the society mediocre in generations.
The real unique and valuable people are labeled as narcissist or arrogant. Every quality seems like a tool of their boasting speeches.
Thus these people left alone, abandoned in a mediocre society, with their goodness and their royal hearts broken.
“Penelope”: Role of a Woman
Penelope waits in her cage, for her husband to come from his heroic journey. She rejects dozens of people who wanted to marry her. Every time she keeps her suitors at bay, she prays to Artemis to take her life. She is a symbol of fidelity, loyalty, and the woman that needs to be. Or is she?
According to all mythologies, woman are the life givers to the earth, they are the mother goddesses, symbols of fertility, household and family. These qualities may seem good now, but they are just degrading woman to something lays an egg, and watches after it.
All the religions however, has a masculine god, and they suggest the women as just “a companion to men”. Degrading women with religion is easy, just put them in a home where they are familiar already with the pagan beliefs. With religious books, they lost their holiness first, than the identity. Woman have no name no more.
It may change in time, but as long as one “holy book” says that a woman is made from a spine of the almighty man, another one shows virginity of the “mother” of god is a virtue to keep, another just destroyed the only anarchist woman, Lilith; nobody would give women the same rights with men in this “religious” world.
According to all mythologies, woman are the life givers to the earth, they are the mother goddesses, symbols of fertility, household and family. These qualities may seem good now, but they are just degrading woman to something lays an egg, and watches after it.
All the religions however, has a masculine god, and they suggest the women as just “a companion to men”. Degrading women with religion is easy, just put them in a home where they are familiar already with the pagan beliefs. With religious books, they lost their holiness first, than the identity. Woman have no name no more.
It may change in time, but as long as one “holy book” says that a woman is made from a spine of the almighty man, another one shows virginity of the “mother” of god is a virtue to keep, another just destroyed the only anarchist woman, Lilith; nobody would give women the same rights with men in this “religious” world.
“Next, Please”: Dreams and Hopes
We always want our dreams to come true. The poem is criticizing this expectancy as showing it as useless. Well, I do not think it is useless. How can a man survive without dreaming? Dreams are the base of our life, we built our life upon our dreams, they lead us through dark ways. And say; who can punish someone for dreaming?
For me, if a man is aware of his thoughts are dreams only there is no problem. But hopes on the other hand, is another issue. If we keep on hoping the same thing for years, that is where the problem begins. Long term hopes should be replaced by dreams, not obsession. Thus only a person would get on with his life.
Yes, life is rational, there probably is not an armada coming towards us, but if you dream that they will come, there is no harm, your disappointment is not that big that you “live with the fact” that they will come someday. Our dreams are fragile too, they can be broken and left nothing but an empty shell of daily matters, no joy or expectancy, just living the day is not the intended life for human in my opinion.
We have to make an agreement with our minds. Our hopes should be short termed, bu they can stay as dreams forever! If they do not, I pity that humanbeing, waiting for night to come to sleep and morning to wake. A man with dreams can sleep at midday and wake whenever he wants.
For me, if a man is aware of his thoughts are dreams only there is no problem. But hopes on the other hand, is another issue. If we keep on hoping the same thing for years, that is where the problem begins. Long term hopes should be replaced by dreams, not obsession. Thus only a person would get on with his life.
Yes, life is rational, there probably is not an armada coming towards us, but if you dream that they will come, there is no harm, your disappointment is not that big that you “live with the fact” that they will come someday. Our dreams are fragile too, they can be broken and left nothing but an empty shell of daily matters, no joy or expectancy, just living the day is not the intended life for human in my opinion.
We have to make an agreement with our minds. Our hopes should be short termed, bu they can stay as dreams forever! If they do not, I pity that humanbeing, waiting for night to come to sleep and morning to wake. A man with dreams can sleep at midday and wake whenever he wants.
“Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds”: True Love
What human changes into when he falls in love? What is the boundary that is holding his soul and body to the end of time? What is “the love” anyway?
Shakespeare was an utopian in my opinion, or just not rational. Who can deny the love is the change itself! How can one say the true love does not change! Love alters us into somebody, the one we are not familiar with, without a signal, without a word. All of our beloved's expressions, the things that she has lived through, the things we endure together is another, another and another altering itself. Love changes with time, love starts as a passionate tango, and than caring steps of valse, only than a slow and commited hug with slow swings.
Love is not a regular thing. Maybe the action of “falling in love” is the same towards different beings. However, I think falling in love means nothing to a person, as long as it is supported with the true love itself. The passion may change, lives may change but true love holds them together with changing itself to compensate the flaws. Love is something to rely on, something to trust, but not a concrete thing to build castles on.
Although it is a pessimistic thought, love will alter to emptiness with time. People who are not growing together will consume each others soul, as they own it. They do not know that the soul of a lover, just have been given them to keep for some time.
Shakespeare was an utopian in my opinion, or just not rational. Who can deny the love is the change itself! How can one say the true love does not change! Love alters us into somebody, the one we are not familiar with, without a signal, without a word. All of our beloved's expressions, the things that she has lived through, the things we endure together is another, another and another altering itself. Love changes with time, love starts as a passionate tango, and than caring steps of valse, only than a slow and commited hug with slow swings.
Love is not a regular thing. Maybe the action of “falling in love” is the same towards different beings. However, I think falling in love means nothing to a person, as long as it is supported with the true love itself. The passion may change, lives may change but true love holds them together with changing itself to compensate the flaws. Love is something to rely on, something to trust, but not a concrete thing to build castles on.
Although it is a pessimistic thought, love will alter to emptiness with time. People who are not growing together will consume each others soul, as they own it. They do not know that the soul of a lover, just have been given them to keep for some time.
“Because I Could Not Stop for Death”: Boundaries of Life
People are so busy with living. We do not see the grave situation, that we are going to die within a very short time to earth’s perspective. We cannot live our life to the end also, because we are taking our life as granted. We do not enjoy its possibilities. That is the main problem in a human’s life in my opinion. Also we are living it blindfolded to our environment. There are billions of people in the world and all lives are connected with each other. We do not have the priviledge to ignore these tight connections.
For example a child is grown in an intense environment, he is affected by many things, his friends, teachers, the fights between his parents. When he finally grew up to be a grown man, he would do the same things as he saw in his childhood. That is prototyping human society in a sense. We eventually do not care what will happen in the future, because we are living it according to scheme, unchangable but seems to be changing, monotonous but seems as thrilling.
Fooling ourselves with words is easy. But is that the living really? Death will come eventually and take us as in the poem, and we will just realize what we missed throughout our empty lifes. We should do whatever we want, as Montaigne says, “Do things because you wish for, not because you need to”.
For example a child is grown in an intense environment, he is affected by many things, his friends, teachers, the fights between his parents. When he finally grew up to be a grown man, he would do the same things as he saw in his childhood. That is prototyping human society in a sense. We eventually do not care what will happen in the future, because we are living it according to scheme, unchangable but seems to be changing, monotonous but seems as thrilling.
Fooling ourselves with words is easy. But is that the living really? Death will come eventually and take us as in the poem, and we will just realize what we missed throughout our empty lifes. We should do whatever we want, as Montaigne says, “Do things because you wish for, not because you need to”.
17.2.09
"A Worn Path": Altruism or Implicit Selfishness
Altruism takes an important place in the story. Phoenix' courage and will to keep on going is only for her beloved grandson. They're literally the only people for each other. This is where altruism takes its role. Are we showing generosity only to our beloved ones? Is that the right thing to do?
First of all, I think people meant to be alone in the life journey on the long run. People come and go, they affect your life somehow. Although when you are bound to someone for the rest of your life, or dependent to someone, you begin to make sacrifice without thinking. It makes a routine of sacrifices, and more you do it, the more it normalizes itself. In my opinion, addiction or “boundaries” can be demanding at this point.
I think when our self-sacrifice becomes an obligation, it also becomes a kind of “Achille's Heel.” We are not aware of that weakness, but it puts us in danger with the probability of getting hurt. After I thought these, I asked myself “can a man make sacrifices for a person who he does not know at all?” Philosophers have long been arguing about this aspect of human nature. Are we just self-interested animals? When we show generosity to people there is a possibility that our acts are driven by implicit self-interest. I am asking myself, for instance, when I love somebody, do I expect her to love me back? My answer is generally yes; Imagine a person you love deeply. It can be a special friend or a member of your family. You sacrifice your time, for example, to be with that person but if that is not reciprocated then you feel that you have been let down. This feeling is actually the hint of self-interest in the act of self-sacrificing. In this sense it can easily be argued that even love is a self-interested feeling.
On the conclusion, I see the unconditional love nothing more than an illusion. In general, mother-child relationship is interpreted as the only instance of unconditional love existing in the world, but one can still claim that mother-child relationship has the element of selfishness in a sense that mother carries the baby for nine months, and basically it is a biological part of her. As in the story; the boy needs Phoenix to live, but also Phoenix needs him to have a “reason” to live.
First of all, I think people meant to be alone in the life journey on the long run. People come and go, they affect your life somehow. Although when you are bound to someone for the rest of your life, or dependent to someone, you begin to make sacrifice without thinking. It makes a routine of sacrifices, and more you do it, the more it normalizes itself. In my opinion, addiction or “boundaries” can be demanding at this point.
I think when our self-sacrifice becomes an obligation, it also becomes a kind of “Achille's Heel.” We are not aware of that weakness, but it puts us in danger with the probability of getting hurt. After I thought these, I asked myself “can a man make sacrifices for a person who he does not know at all?” Philosophers have long been arguing about this aspect of human nature. Are we just self-interested animals? When we show generosity to people there is a possibility that our acts are driven by implicit self-interest. I am asking myself, for instance, when I love somebody, do I expect her to love me back? My answer is generally yes; Imagine a person you love deeply. It can be a special friend or a member of your family. You sacrifice your time, for example, to be with that person but if that is not reciprocated then you feel that you have been let down. This feeling is actually the hint of self-interest in the act of self-sacrificing. In this sense it can easily be argued that even love is a self-interested feeling.
On the conclusion, I see the unconditional love nothing more than an illusion. In general, mother-child relationship is interpreted as the only instance of unconditional love existing in the world, but one can still claim that mother-child relationship has the element of selfishness in a sense that mother carries the baby for nine months, and basically it is a biological part of her. As in the story; the boy needs Phoenix to live, but also Phoenix needs him to have a “reason” to live.
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