Monday, December 9, 2013
LIFE AFTER THIS BLOG POST
Writing a letter to my future self was a perfect opportunity for reflection. I got to really think about what is important and who is important to me right now. I wrote a little bit about some things that have been stressing me out and worrying me lately. It will be interesting to see if those things are as big of a deal as they seem now. Also, will the same things and people make me happy? My letter was extremely personal, after all, what can you really hide from yourself? I'm looking forward to receiving my letter and thinking back on this moment in time.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Practice Essay
Something happens in your environment. It might be a sound just outside the field of your peripheral vision, it might be be an action that inspires or outrages you, or it might be an outright crisis or opportunity. Adopt the persona of any character from either the "Allegory" or "No Exit" and explain how this character would respond to the event and why. Explain how the response reflects the characterization, theme, tone, and general philosophy of the author (Plato or Sartre) who created the character. Compare this analysis with the work you didn't choose (for example, if you choose Estella from "No Exit," explain her response in these terms and then compare with a slave from the cave in Plato's "Allegory).
Sartre and Plato tackled a similar issue in their works respectively titled "No Exit" and "Allegory of the Cave". The questions of when one reaches enlightenment and what it means to be trapped cannot be answered in a black and white/ right or wrong way. Each author expresses a unique style and form of characterization in which these issues are addressed.
Sartre's general philosophy and theme implied that one does not reach enlightenment until they have experienced the world and then had everything taken away from them. Once they are left with nothing but the ability to reflect they can truly come to terms with their actions and truth. For example, Estelle from "No Exit" might here something outside of her realm of sight going on and know exactly what it is or see ghosts from her past moving on and making decisions. Because she has already experienced the world and been banished from it (to Hell) she would be able to guess at what it was or observe the situation and understand what was happening. With herself removed she is more likely to reflect on why the sound occurred or why people are behaving in a certain way because she had once been there and been a part if it. Had she been in the cave with Plato's prisoners this would not be true.
Plato's prisoners of the cave only know what they are shown. He was portraying the philosophy that one can only reach enlightenment through experiencing what is real in first person. Had Estelle been in the cave and heard a sound from the outside she would have no way of knowing what it was and be completely unsure how to react. The prisoner's do not have the same freedom of thought that the characters of "No Exit" do because their knowledge is so limited.
Both authors attempted to address the same questions of how enlightenment is reached or brought out in us all. Their differing use of characters as well as their varied philosophies help us to understand their perspectives.
Sartre and Plato tackled a similar issue in their works respectively titled "No Exit" and "Allegory of the Cave". The questions of when one reaches enlightenment and what it means to be trapped cannot be answered in a black and white/ right or wrong way. Each author expresses a unique style and form of characterization in which these issues are addressed.
Sartre's general philosophy and theme implied that one does not reach enlightenment until they have experienced the world and then had everything taken away from them. Once they are left with nothing but the ability to reflect they can truly come to terms with their actions and truth. For example, Estelle from "No Exit" might here something outside of her realm of sight going on and know exactly what it is or see ghosts from her past moving on and making decisions. Because she has already experienced the world and been banished from it (to Hell) she would be able to guess at what it was or observe the situation and understand what was happening. With herself removed she is more likely to reflect on why the sound occurred or why people are behaving in a certain way because she had once been there and been a part if it. Had she been in the cave with Plato's prisoners this would not be true.
Plato's prisoners of the cave only know what they are shown. He was portraying the philosophy that one can only reach enlightenment through experiencing what is real in first person. Had Estelle been in the cave and heard a sound from the outside she would have no way of knowing what it was and be completely unsure how to react. The prisoner's do not have the same freedom of thought that the characters of "No Exit" do because their knowledge is so limited.
Both authors attempted to address the same questions of how enlightenment is reached or brought out in us all. Their differing use of characters as well as their varied philosophies help us to understand their perspectives.
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