For the past several years, I have seen two sequels to A Wrinkle in Time in my mother-in-law's book cabinet. Repeatedly, I have commented that I should borrow them, and finally, for my birthday, my in-laws decided to remedy this by buying me the four - yes, FOUR - sequels to A Wrinkle in Time. Who even knew there were four sequels?
For the past week, I entered back into the world of A Wrinkle in Time. Since I had read this novel a few times, I decided to read all of the accompanying materials to add depth to my understanding of the novel.
After reading the brief introduction, I realized that many of the novels and short stories that I have enjoyed over the years revolve around themes prevalent in the Post-World War II Era.
One of the central themes at this time was the resistance of creating complete sameness in the name of equality. This theme can be found in A Wrinkle of Time, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, 1984, "Harrison Bergeron," and even slightly in C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy.
Until I read the introduction, I failed to notice this commonality, and I wondered why this theme was so dominant during this time period. After learning about Vietnam background information for "On the Rainy River" by Tim O'Brien, I'm guessing this theme is a push-back against Communism. How could I have never made that connection before?
In 2011, concepts like personal learning styles, personality inventories, and differentiated instruction make the fight for individuality seem a bit unnecessary; however, I still love these stories. Maybe the importance of understanding one's unique role in the world is a timeless theme...at least in Western cultures. Maybe my lies in an interest to cultivate student potentials rather than squash them in normalcy. Or, maybe I just enjoy Science Fiction, and this literature was influential, thus recommended, by the generation before mine.
In any case, I'm looking forward to reading the remainder of the series and enjoying my Post World War II literary themes.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Lord of the Flies and 9/11
I started Lord of the Flies at the beginning of the summer, thinking I'd get a good, solid academic read in before I started with the lighter fare for the summer. Well, I got two chapters in and could tell where it was headed...kids killing kids...and I stopped for a few months.
I picked it up again this weekend and quickly devoured the remainder of the book. It was depressing, but I had the urge to write a literary analysis paper on its use of the Freudian id.
The id is the part of the human psyche that is responsible for pleasure and survival...it wants gratification NOW. In the novel, this element of humanity is responsible for the destruction of innocence, even in a group of well-educated English youth.
While I completely understand the destructive nature of the id, all of the parts of psyche have the potential for good and evil. Without the id, the characters may lose the will to survive in the first place. If the super ego had mastered them, an irrational necessity and anxiety for order could have caused similar catastrophes. So, stop giving the id such a hard time, William Golding.
On a semi-related note, I watched a 9/11 documentary last night, which left me grieving the loss of so many lives in such a horrendous manner. A sentiment from Golding came back to me: The children are saved by the adults at the end of Lord of the Flies, but who will save man from himself? Indeed, humanity has the potential for great good and for great harm. I am thankful that the good often wins out, and we are not utterly hopeless.
I picked it up again this weekend and quickly devoured the remainder of the book. It was depressing, but I had the urge to write a literary analysis paper on its use of the Freudian id.
The id is the part of the human psyche that is responsible for pleasure and survival...it wants gratification NOW. In the novel, this element of humanity is responsible for the destruction of innocence, even in a group of well-educated English youth.
While I completely understand the destructive nature of the id, all of the parts of psyche have the potential for good and evil. Without the id, the characters may lose the will to survive in the first place. If the super ego had mastered them, an irrational necessity and anxiety for order could have caused similar catastrophes. So, stop giving the id such a hard time, William Golding.
On a semi-related note, I watched a 9/11 documentary last night, which left me grieving the loss of so many lives in such a horrendous manner. A sentiment from Golding came back to me: The children are saved by the adults at the end of Lord of the Flies, but who will save man from himself? Indeed, humanity has the potential for great good and for great harm. I am thankful that the good often wins out, and we are not utterly hopeless.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Grandpa's Memories
My grandpa's funeral was this weekend. He had been struggling with cancer for the past year and had proclaimed that he had lived a good life and was ready for God to take him home. For me, his death was met with a mixture of relief, peace, and a pinch of sadness.
Yesterday, I received a typed transcript of a memory book that my grandpa had filled out a few years ago.
From a psychological perspective, it was a fascinating read. I saw the story of a boy who struggled with understanding his role in his family but learned how to gain respect in a children's home. He became a man who struggled with understanding his role in his family but learned how to gain respect in his career field. He felt strongly for those who were underprivileged and worked towards helping them realize their potentials. However, he didn't seem to quite know what to do with his own children, who were privileged and who had the resources to accomplish their dreams.
To his credit, all of his children have been successful. All of his grandchildren have been successful. He and my grandmother have created a culture that valued hard work, education, and humanitarian efforts. We learned our lessons, but we never quite felt the warmth my grandfather shared with the students he taught, coached, and championed.
Nevertheless, I am thankful for what he brought to our family. With the help of others, he pushed himself past his circumstances, and he wanted to be that support to others. His childhood defense mechanisms may have led him to believe that what is the best for him is what is best for everyone. However, he leaves behind a legacy of caring for those in need and helping others work towards their potential.
Yesterday, I received a typed transcript of a memory book that my grandpa had filled out a few years ago.
From a psychological perspective, it was a fascinating read. I saw the story of a boy who struggled with understanding his role in his family but learned how to gain respect in a children's home. He became a man who struggled with understanding his role in his family but learned how to gain respect in his career field. He felt strongly for those who were underprivileged and worked towards helping them realize their potentials. However, he didn't seem to quite know what to do with his own children, who were privileged and who had the resources to accomplish their dreams.
To his credit, all of his children have been successful. All of his grandchildren have been successful. He and my grandmother have created a culture that valued hard work, education, and humanitarian efforts. We learned our lessons, but we never quite felt the warmth my grandfather shared with the students he taught, coached, and championed.
Nevertheless, I am thankful for what he brought to our family. With the help of others, he pushed himself past his circumstances, and he wanted to be that support to others. His childhood defense mechanisms may have led him to believe that what is the best for him is what is best for everyone. However, he leaves behind a legacy of caring for those in need and helping others work towards their potential.
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