My name is AC-14623, and I was born as Lukas. I was awakened today as always by the alarm in my housing complex, and as always I and the residents of Unit 43 hurried into our provided clothing. Our gray jumpsuits adorned with the red symbol of The Administration and our new names. I did not know why one would not wish to be referred to by their new name, but some of the older people still demanded to be called by their birth names. We stepped outside of the unit to be brought down to the main hall for daily sustenance.
Unit 43 was ushered quickly into the cafeteria by the Overseers per usual, and we all quickly consumed the contents of white packages vended to us by the large machine central to the room labeled "SUSTENANCE" in large white letters. The package contained a cube of meat that I could not identify and a container of water with a slight grayish tint. The meal did not appeal to our sense of taste but The Administration assured us that our sustenance was stable and efficient, which we could not deny. We were again quickly ushered off by the Overseers into the transportation hub, where every morning the Razor would take all of the people to the factory, or in our case, the Reformation Center.
We all stepped onto the train one by one and as the heavy doors closed, the entire cabin became dark. The ride was loud, and I could hear some of the younger children whimpering. I was too old for that, and held on to the metal rail until the train came to a halt. The doors opened and we walked outside. The area around the factory was always overcast because of the exhaust from the machines, but The Administration assured us the fumes were safe for us in small quantities. The air was much thicker here, but I had become used to it. Overseers brought us into the Reformation Center, where I and several others were assigned to Room 52. It was just like all of the others, there were many metal desks, a large Viewer at the front of the room, and an Overseer stationed at the door.
We all sat down and the Viewer began to project today's lessons. The metallic voice of The Representative echoed through large speakers around the room. Today's lesson, much like yesterday's focused on the need for cooperation. The Representative talked about the benefits of following the laws of The Administration, and not questioning the rulings made as they were made for our safety. The Representative spoke of the benefits of Augmentations and how the workers were vital to their fellow subjects as well as The Administration. I looked to the back of the room at AC-13752, it seems that he had fallen asleep during the lesson. The Overseer walked to the back of the class and woke him up. He looked down at his desk, and then stood up and walked towards the door, where he was met by two Overseers who escorted him out. I quickly returned to attention, and remained so until the loud alarm signaled the end of the lesson. We all were escorted back to the Razor and sent to the Complex.
I returned to Unit 43, and I noticed that AC-13752 was not present. I was not worried however, for The Administration knew what was best for AC-13752 and knew what was best for me. I slept that night, contented and ready for another day.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Facade of the Doll's House
As the title would suggest, this story shows a pretty pink surface of a shrouded interior. It would appear that inside the pristine doll's house exists a brooding secret, perhaps the purpose of the facade.
Nora from the getgo appears disillusioned with something, but it's not readily apparent what. Her attitude towards others, her ignorance, her blind devotion to Torvald (not as a lover, but as a provider) builds a house a cards that begins to shake when demons from her past, and not coincidentally from the one action in her life where she did not ask anyone's permission, and begins to peel away the pretty exterior and reveal the slum that is Nora's marriage to Torvald. Nora knows that even though her actions may very well have saved Torvald's life, if Krogsdad were to reveal the truth of the matter, Torvald would certainly be furious. Torvald takes pleasure in being the stronger one of the relationship, the provider, the father figure, not a partner. He feels he should be the one to pity others, not to be pitied. Nora understands this deep within herself, but has hidden these feelings away for the benefits of her marriage (monetary and socially.)
Thusly the story becomes more about the facade of Nora's marriage than the events surrounding her. Eventually she seems to forget about her reputation and the unscrupulous characters surrounding her, and for the first time at the very end of the story she confronts Torvald honestly and without consideration for anyone's but her own feelings. It is only then that she really understands why she had covered up her emotions, and in a shocking move, walks out on Torvald.
Because the story is about relationships, it's not too surprising that Christina and Krogsdad end up together, a poor widow looking for a family to care after, and a older man with a family to support looking to get away from his previously dubius practices. The match almost presents itself, although the way it comes about is odd. Another odd relationship is between Nora and the Doctor. This is true love, and can be seen from a mile away. Unlike the superficial relationship between Nora and Torvald, the Doctor and Nora flirt, have real emotions for eachother, but only when the Doctor reveals his true love does she realize that it can never be. He blows it by ruining their good friendship when she needs a friend the most, not a lover.
The complicated nature of the story is intertwined into the complicated nature of relationships, while there are only a handful of central characters, each one has a special need or quality to desire of fufill.
Nora from the getgo appears disillusioned with something, but it's not readily apparent what. Her attitude towards others, her ignorance, her blind devotion to Torvald (not as a lover, but as a provider) builds a house a cards that begins to shake when demons from her past, and not coincidentally from the one action in her life where she did not ask anyone's permission, and begins to peel away the pretty exterior and reveal the slum that is Nora's marriage to Torvald. Nora knows that even though her actions may very well have saved Torvald's life, if Krogsdad were to reveal the truth of the matter, Torvald would certainly be furious. Torvald takes pleasure in being the stronger one of the relationship, the provider, the father figure, not a partner. He feels he should be the one to pity others, not to be pitied. Nora understands this deep within herself, but has hidden these feelings away for the benefits of her marriage (monetary and socially.)
Thusly the story becomes more about the facade of Nora's marriage than the events surrounding her. Eventually she seems to forget about her reputation and the unscrupulous characters surrounding her, and for the first time at the very end of the story she confronts Torvald honestly and without consideration for anyone's but her own feelings. It is only then that she really understands why she had covered up her emotions, and in a shocking move, walks out on Torvald.
Because the story is about relationships, it's not too surprising that Christina and Krogsdad end up together, a poor widow looking for a family to care after, and a older man with a family to support looking to get away from his previously dubius practices. The match almost presents itself, although the way it comes about is odd. Another odd relationship is between Nora and the Doctor. This is true love, and can be seen from a mile away. Unlike the superficial relationship between Nora and Torvald, the Doctor and Nora flirt, have real emotions for eachother, but only when the Doctor reveals his true love does she realize that it can never be. He blows it by ruining their good friendship when she needs a friend the most, not a lover.
The complicated nature of the story is intertwined into the complicated nature of relationships, while there are only a handful of central characters, each one has a special need or quality to desire of fufill.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
"Too Late" and Greek Tragedy
If Antigone can teach us anything, it's to not ignore the signs and let our pride overshadow our reason. Creon, whilst setting an important principle in his mind and, originally, with some degree of reasonableness, also shunned several important people who may have been able to save him from the tragedy to befell his family at the end of the play.
Creon's hubris was his downfall, even though he felt he was doing the right thing for Thebes, he let his ego dictate all of his actions, and eventually struck Thebes with such fear that no one felt comfortable or safe disagreeing with his increasingly hostile actions except for his own son, who even then sacrificed his life for his principles and love. The Leader of the Chorus represents an interesting side to the story, while he tells Creon the truth, he often does it with tongue in cheek because he is so afraid of what the King may do in anger if he feels as though HIS right is being questioned. Creon forgets very quickly that the King is to protect the right of Thebes, not his own, and becomes more and more filled with his own egomania until eventually everyone dies who he held dear.
He acted too late, a theme characteristic of Greek Tragedy. After finally understanding his foolishness (with finally being the important word) he finds that he has taken too long to come to truth, and all that he could have saved are gone. Creon's hubris is just that, it exists to show what happens when Pride and Ego supersede logic and fairness. Creon began the story with a somewhat level head, regressed into lunacy and as his son put it, behavior like a "child", and eventually ended the story a damn fool who had found out just too late that his previous foolishness was pointed out to him and made apparent, but he was too full of himself to notice.
Important lessons can be taken from this, as even a King, if not especially a King, can find himself thrown off of his high horse with his high ego and his high "rights" and down onto the ground with logic and reason; and more often than not, the actions he made will come down with him, damning both him and the ones he loves.
Creon's hubris was his downfall, even though he felt he was doing the right thing for Thebes, he let his ego dictate all of his actions, and eventually struck Thebes with such fear that no one felt comfortable or safe disagreeing with his increasingly hostile actions except for his own son, who even then sacrificed his life for his principles and love. The Leader of the Chorus represents an interesting side to the story, while he tells Creon the truth, he often does it with tongue in cheek because he is so afraid of what the King may do in anger if he feels as though HIS right is being questioned. Creon forgets very quickly that the King is to protect the right of Thebes, not his own, and becomes more and more filled with his own egomania until eventually everyone dies who he held dear.
He acted too late, a theme characteristic of Greek Tragedy. After finally understanding his foolishness (with finally being the important word) he finds that he has taken too long to come to truth, and all that he could have saved are gone. Creon's hubris is just that, it exists to show what happens when Pride and Ego supersede logic and fairness. Creon began the story with a somewhat level head, regressed into lunacy and as his son put it, behavior like a "child", and eventually ended the story a damn fool who had found out just too late that his previous foolishness was pointed out to him and made apparent, but he was too full of himself to notice.
Important lessons can be taken from this, as even a King, if not especially a King, can find himself thrown off of his high horse with his high ego and his high "rights" and down onto the ground with logic and reason; and more often than not, the actions he made will come down with him, damning both him and the ones he loves.
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Curious Incident of the Book I Read This Summer
It seems popular, if not necessary, in modern society for authors, companies, artists, public speakers, schools, doctors, and even actors to be politically correct and remind everyone of it. This has resulted in a (since the early 90s) flurry of "handicapable" characters to be added to cartoons, dolls, movies, and almost any form of media. These characters are often, for lack of a better word, lame. They are presented with so much of a "my weaknesses are really strengths!" that while presenting different individuals as equals; a noble intention, viewers are brainwashed of the fact that they are different; an important part of being an individual. Equality through sameness is not equality. While society feigns tolerance and acceptance, often they miss the intention of their "PC" attitude: Understanding; more importantly, understanding of a different way of life. Yes, it is certain that many "handicapped" people have trouble existing in society, often because of the title given to them. This is most definitely the case for Christopher, but in a different move, his handicap is shown in a realistic light by the reactions of other people, but his strengths and thoughts and motivations are also seen realistically, not as a genius trapped but as a boy living his life the way he has to.
The book's biggest strength is not its plot but its characters. However, the minor characters such as the policemen or Christopher's neighbors offer the most insight in the story, as they are onlookers to a boy's frankly strange actions (by societal standards) and make obvious their emotions, but Christopher is oblivious, even though he will bluntly state the clues that they are perplexed by his behavior. These reactions, while sometimes slight, offer a huge insight into Christopher's mind. Christopher can spit out Greek letters and math equations without any trouble, but even facial expressions; a trait most people learn to read at an early age, baffle him. Stranger yet, his bizarre rituals and habits such as counting cars and disavowing completely foods that touch indicate that on some level, he doesn't even understand himself.
The book's message, most likely intended but not stated, is that Christopher is not handicapped in a traditional sense of being a normal person physically disabled or trapped at a younger/simpler capacity. He has a capacity in some ways much higher than "regular" people, but still is almost unable to function in society. Which raises the most important question, is Christopher handicapped? In ways yes, in ways no. As a member of society, a well cemented claim could be made for yes, because he does not function on a similar or sometimes compatible level with other people, which does not necessarily make him handicapped in being but may make him handicapped in practice. As an individual, he is not necessarily handicapped at all, because he has his own way of functioning in a society, but unfortunately that society does not exist. These questions, which rise out of the fairly simple plot, are the most important part of the book, because the story becomes less and less about the dog or even Father's marital problems and more about Christopher's perceived ignorance to the world. He sees society and the real world as a very black and white matter, when in fact relations with people are very rarely so clean cut. This brings me back to my original point, Christopher is a real person and not a feel-good story with unreal characters. This does not make him tragic either, he is as close to the definition of normal as a novel character can be, which lends more to his strength being that it is established quickly that he is "handicapped." When, by the end of the story with the stark difference in personality and approach Christopher has from his father and other people, one may question exactly who was better off.
The book's biggest strength is not its plot but its characters. However, the minor characters such as the policemen or Christopher's neighbors offer the most insight in the story, as they are onlookers to a boy's frankly strange actions (by societal standards) and make obvious their emotions, but Christopher is oblivious, even though he will bluntly state the clues that they are perplexed by his behavior. These reactions, while sometimes slight, offer a huge insight into Christopher's mind. Christopher can spit out Greek letters and math equations without any trouble, but even facial expressions; a trait most people learn to read at an early age, baffle him. Stranger yet, his bizarre rituals and habits such as counting cars and disavowing completely foods that touch indicate that on some level, he doesn't even understand himself.
The book's message, most likely intended but not stated, is that Christopher is not handicapped in a traditional sense of being a normal person physically disabled or trapped at a younger/simpler capacity. He has a capacity in some ways much higher than "regular" people, but still is almost unable to function in society. Which raises the most important question, is Christopher handicapped? In ways yes, in ways no. As a member of society, a well cemented claim could be made for yes, because he does not function on a similar or sometimes compatible level with other people, which does not necessarily make him handicapped in being but may make him handicapped in practice. As an individual, he is not necessarily handicapped at all, because he has his own way of functioning in a society, but unfortunately that society does not exist. These questions, which rise out of the fairly simple plot, are the most important part of the book, because the story becomes less and less about the dog or even Father's marital problems and more about Christopher's perceived ignorance to the world. He sees society and the real world as a very black and white matter, when in fact relations with people are very rarely so clean cut. This brings me back to my original point, Christopher is a real person and not a feel-good story with unreal characters. This does not make him tragic either, he is as close to the definition of normal as a novel character can be, which lends more to his strength being that it is established quickly that he is "handicapped." When, by the end of the story with the stark difference in personality and approach Christopher has from his father and other people, one may question exactly who was better off.
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