Skip to main content

Home/ APLit2012/ Group items tagged Me

Rss Feed Group items tagged

anonymous

A Journey Through Modern Philosophy: Albert Camus (1913-1960) and Absurdism - 1 views

  • Absurdism is an off-shoot of Existentialism and shares many of its characteristics. Camus himself was labeled as an ‘Existentialist’ in his own life, but he rejected this title. He was not the first to present the concept of Absurd but it was owing to him that this idea gained popularity and influence, and it transformed into a proper philosophical movement of Absurdism.
  • Kierkegaard describes the Absurd as a situation in life which all thee rational and thinking abilities of a person are unable to tell him which course of action to adopt in life, but in this very uncertainty he is forced to act or make a decision. He has to do something but his reason offers him no help. He writes in one of his journals: “What is the Absurd? It is, as may quite easily be seen, that I, a rational being, must act in a case where my reason, my powers of reflection, tell me: you can just as well do the one thing as the other, that is to say where my reason and reflection say: you cannot act and yet here is where I have to act...”
  • Even in the latter case, the question arises: what is the purpose of God? And it is this question which a believer has no answer to, as Kierkegaard pointed out, rendering belief in God (or any other religious authority) as absurd. Hence there exists an absurdity which can not be eliminated.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Camus believed in the first scenario: a life intrinsically devoid of meaning and purpose. He refuses to accept any meaning that is beyond this existence. “I don’t know whether this world has a meaning that transcends it. But I know that I do not know the meaning… What can a meaning outside my condition mean to me? I can understand only in human terms.
  • Camus begins with a criticism on Existentialism. He says that Existentialists recognize initially that this life is absurd and meaningless, but they then take an ‘existential leap’ or a ‘leap of faith’ and attribute a fabricated meaning to their existence, and often they deify the Absurd. Camus calls it a ‘philosophical suicide’.
  • But then, do we not realize that this myth is a metaphor for our very lives. Our lives too are spent in a useless working routine, whose end even we are not aware of. But it doesn’t shock us like Sisyphus’s punishment because we are not conscious of it. “If this myth is tragic, that is because its hero is conscious. Where would his torture be, indeed, if at every step the hope of succeeding upheld him? The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd.”[10]
  • Yet, Sisyphus is superior to his fate because he has accepted.
  • We have to believe Sisyphus to be happy if we wish to believe in genuine happiness, a happiness that is real because it is an outcome of the awareness of the reality of life itself.
  • We must note here that although Camus sees life as absurd and ultimately irrational, he does not advocate a stoic acceptance of the difficulties and problems of life. Camus believed life to be valuable and worth-defendin
  •  
    Argument: The author explains that though Camus was labeled as an existentialist, he rejected the title and called himself an absurdist. Claims: Camus believed that life was devoid of meaning and purpose and rejected any idea that attempted to apply meaning to life beyond physical existence and human connection. What was most important was living in consciousness of the absurdity; he criticized existentialists for merely recognizing the absurdity of life and often taking a pathetic leap of faith to apply meaning. Camus disagrees with the idea that life is not worth living simply because it has no meaning. Sysiphus is Camus's depiction of a man of full consciousness, aware of his reality. Such a life may seem torturous and worthless to many, but Camus was a staunch believer in the value of life. Evidence: "Absurdism is an off-shoot of Existentialism and shares many of its characteristics. Camus himself was labeled as an 'Existentialist' in his own life, but he rejected this title. He was not the first to present the concept of Absurd but it was owing to him that this idea gained popularity and influence, and it transformed into a proper philosophical movement of Absurdism" (Aftab). "Kierkegaard describes the Absurd as a situation in life which all thee rational and thinking abilities of a person are unable to tell him which course of action to adopt in life, but in this very uncertainty he is forced to act or make a decision. He has to do something but his reason offers him no help. He writes in one of his journals: "What is the Absurd? It is, as may quite easily be seen, that I, a rational being, must act in a case where my reason, my powers of reflection, tell me: you can just as well do the one thing as the other, that is to say where my reason and reflection say: you cannot act and yet here is where I have to act"" (Kierkegaard qtd. in Aftab) "Even in the latter case, the question arises: what is the purpose of God? And it is this question which a
lindsey shields

"Hollow at the core": Deconstructing Yann Martel's Life of Pi | Stratton | St... - 1 views

  •  
    Argument: This article's main purpose is to deconstruct Yann Martel's Life of Pi. The author, Florence Stratton argues various points, depicting the novel by reasoning Martel's choices. Stratton also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the novel's claims. Claim: Stratton proposes Martel's treatment of religion in the novel reigns unpersuasive in the essence that the story would not make others believe in God, but justify the belief in Him. He also argues Life of Pi structures around various philosophical debates such as favoring reason over imagination, science over religion, materialism over idealism and fact over fiction or story; these debates are symbolized through the various characters of the novel. Stratton discusses Martel's elaborative plot and characters, discussing their symbolism. Evidence: "This wonderful book did not make me believe in God but it did reinforce my faith in the considerable redemptive powers of fiction" (Whittaker). "Mr. Chiba, on the other hand, represents the viewpoint of Romanticism, and, in particular, its emphasis on spontaneity, subjectivity, imaginative creativity, and emotion" (Stratton). "The dazzling display of colours and patters suggests that Richard Parker's primary signification is the incantatory or transcendent power of art: the imaginative truths or realities that great art encompasses" (Stratton). "..the heroic struggle of a religiously devout man to overcome the impediments of material reality" (Stratton).
lindsey shields

Powells.com From the Author - Yann Martel - Powell's Books - 0 views

  • most books come from the same mix of three elements: influence, inspiration and hard work.
  • was about a zoo in Berlin run by a Jewish family. The year is 1933 and, not surprisingly, business is bad. The family decides to emigrate to Brazil. Alas, the ship sinks and one lone Jew ends up in a lifeboat with a black panther
  • the book fatigued Updike but it had the effect on my imagination of electric caffeine. I marvelled.
    • lindsey shields
       
      Martel took Scliar's book and made it his own, perhaps creating a novel he thought this critic would approve of?
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • Was it that the allegory marched with too heavy a tread, the parallel between the black panther and the Nazis too obvious? Did the premise wear its welcome out? Was it the tone? The style? The translation?
  • brilliant premise ruined by a lesser writer
  • I was in need of a story. More than that, I was in need of a Story
  • theme that reality is a story and we can choose our story and so why not pick "the better story"
  • religion and zoology would make a good mix
  • the novel emerged fully formed: the lifeboat, the animals, the intermingling of the religious and the zoological, the parallel stories.
  • India, where there are so many animals and religions, lent itself to such a story
  • tensions simmering just below my level of consciousness were probably feverishly pushing me to come up with a story
  • The other animals in the lifeboat ? the zebra, the hyena and the orang-utan ? arose naturally, each one a function of a human trait I wanted to embody, the hyena cowardliness, the orang-utan maternal instincts and the zebra exoticism.
  • no matter how the novel would fare, I would be happy with it, that it helped me understand my world a bit better.
  •  
    Argument: This article simply gives background to Martel's influences and mindset behind the writing of the novel. Written by Martel himself, he describes the mix of three elements in which books come from: influence, inspiration, and hard work. Claims: Martel writes that most books come from the same mix of three elements:influence, inspiration, and hard work. His influence for this novel was an interest in a novel after reading a somewhat skeptical review over it. Seemingly, Martel became enveloped in the critic's reasonings for such a harsh review. He was disappointed that such "a brilliant premise [was] ruined by a lesser writer", therefore suggesting he could have done better. While in India, the remembrance of this review he read came to him, and while observing Indian ways, all aspects of the story flowed to him. In a place with many animals and various religions, Martel created Life of Pi. All aspects didn't come easily though; he found himself spending over a year doing extensive research and observations in order to create the memorable novel Life of Pi became today. Evidence: "most books come from the same mix of three elements: influence, inspiration, and hard work" "brilliant premise ruined by a lesser writer" "the novel emerged fully formed: the lifeboat, the animals, the intermingling of the religious and the zoological, the parallel stories" "theme that reality is a story and we can choose our story and so why not pick 'the better story'?"
Joshua Furphy

Literary Reference Center - powered by EBSCOhost: Tortilla Flat - 0 views

  • It was the first of Steinbeck’s novels to look at life through the eyes of those without homes, possessions, or security, and Danny and his friends foreshadow others of their kind who appear powerfully and poignantly
  • Steinbeck exalts the natural man, untainted by civilization, unspoiled by either conventional wisdom or conventional morality.
  • Tortilla Flat is a deeply religious book.
  •  
    In Brynie's critical analysis of Steinbeck's book, Tortilla Flat, she stated that Tortilla Flat has similar ideas found in Mice and Me. Yet, in this book Steinbeck establishes a frame that later George and Lenny are built upon. George and Lenny don't have a home or security, yet their dream involves what they do not have currently. Also Brynie comments on how Steinbeck favors the poor or natural man in his book and that Steinbeck closely ties his books to religion. From Brynie's critical analysis, the two books, Tortilla Flat and Of Mice and Men display many similar aspects but they are told in different ways to diversify the way of the American Dream. Usable Quotes: "Steinbeck exalts the natural man, untainted by civilization, unspoiled by either conventional wisdom or conventional morality," (Brynie). "It was the first of Steinbeck's novels to look at life through the eyes of those without homes, possessions, or security, and Danny and his friends foreshadow others of their kind who appear powerfully and poignantly," (Brynie).
Christy Manson

For One More Day book analysis and review - 0 views

  •  
    -Main Idea: Describing what Albom's purpose of writing the book; how divorce affects the children. Themes: man vs society, and man vs himself. Learn to forgive yourself. -Claims: Makes readers relate to the story, his themes in other books including this one always seem to be universal. Everyone goes through disappointment, sadness, or loss one point or another in their life. "Many people are hanging on the past, so it would be nice to read something that would go back to it and learn the things that you never learned in your past life." -Evidence:  "This book let me explore how children, when their parents split, chase after the love thateludes them. That chase often haunts you right into adulthood" "He always gives inspiration to thereaders and this time an eye opener to the children who always took their parents for granted. " "You can find lessons that arealready seen by your own eyes but not yet felt by your hearts"
Megan Brown

Jodi Picoult Interview- Ninteen Minutes - 0 views

  • What appealed to you about bringing back two characters from previous novels:
  • It's always great fun to bring a character back, because you get to catch up on his/her life; and you don't have to reinvent the wheel -- you already know how he speaks, acts, thinks.
  • Two other facts that surprised me: for many of these shooters, there is the thinnest line between suicide and homicide. They go to the school planning to kill themselves and decide at the last minute to shoot others, too. And that, psychologically, a single act of childhood bullying is as scarring emotionally as a single act of sexual abuse.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • You once remarked about your previous novel, My Sister's Keeper, that "there are so many shades of gray in real life." How might this statement also apply to Nineteen Minutes?
  • And like the moral and ethical complications of MSK, you have a kid in Nineteen Minutes who does something that, on the surface, is absolutely devastating and destructive and will end the lives of others. But -- given what these characters have endured -- can you blame them? Do I condone school shootings? Absolutely not. But I can understand why a child who's been victimized might feel like he's justified in fighting back.
  • I also think it's fascinating to look at how two good parents might find themselves with a child they do not recognize -- a child who does something they can't swallow. Do you stop loving your son just because he's done something horrible? And if you don't, do you start hating yourself?
  •  
    Claim: Argument: Evidence:
Cameron Black

Mockingbird in Context - 0 views

  •  
    Argument: Gurdip Panesar in her article "Mockingbird in Context" argues that "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a rare single work of literature that is said to have attained a mythical status. Claim: Her view on this is that the story seems to "impress people on a deeply human level." She is saying that it has had deep impacts similar to the bible. The message in this book inspired many people and also helped the Black Rights Movement with it's racial conflicts and examples throughout the book. Evidence: " g o es on to n o te that the n o v el c a me in s e c o nd o n ly to the B i b le in o ne r e a d e r s' list of b o o ks that w e re felt to c o n t r i b u te m o st s igni f i c ant ly to i n d i v i d u al p e o p l e 's lives. Mockingbird is o ne of t h o se r e l a t i v e ly r a re s ingle w o r ks of lite r a t u re t h at c an t ruly be s a id to h a ve a t t a i n ed a my t h i c al s t a t u s; it is u l t im a t e ly l a u d ed less for its b r i l l i a n ce in t e rms of l i t e r a ry art t h an for t he w ay in w h i ch it s e ems to i m p r e ss p e o p le on a d e e p ly h u m an l e v e l."
Ashley Prosser

Literary Reference Center - powered by EBSCOhost: Far from Xanadu - 0 views

  • Horn Book Magazine; May/Jun2005, Vol. 81 Issue 3, p332-333, 2p
  •  
    The criticism starts on pg. 332 about half way through starting with "Julie Anne Peters.." Argument- "A decade after M. E. Kerr's straight-up look at lesbian gender roles in Deliver Us from Evie...Peters's book may score lower on social realism than Kerr's... but it packs more heat." Claim-Peters sets another strong-willed butch lesbian in a small town in the Midwest, while maintaining constant dramatic appeal, "The parade of human drama is a bit excessive here..." Evidence-  "Peters translates this [Mike's acceptance] nicely by allowing Mike to introduce herself in the first chapter without mentioning gender at all."  " Her [Mike's] hunger for Xanadu is achingly apparent, and Peters plays this well; Xanadu knows what Mike wants and her responses are unpredictable, to both Mike and the reader."
Ivan Munoz

EBSCOhost: Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical/ Anthem: Expanded 50th Anniversary Edition (B... - 0 views

  •  
    Shelton, Robert. "Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical/ Anthem: Expanded 50Th Anniversary Edition (Book Review)." Utopian Studies 8.1 (1997): 225. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Dec. 2011.
Megan Brown

Rob Merritt Interview with Jodi Picoult - 1 views

  • hey were great. Those two really gave me the teacher's point of view. A lot of the details that you see in that first chapter, on the shooting, came from either the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (Columbine) or from those teachers. I also spoke to a young man named Kevin Braun, who was a survivor at Rocori. His best friend was killed that day, and he was in gym class with the other student who was killed. He had never talked about this with anyone. He says—as I imagine you have heard also—that kids who were there know that there are no words for what happened, and if you weren't there, you'd never understand anyway, so why bother?
  • In terms of the twist at the end, I often do that in my books. I'll have a twist, and I'll know it before I even write it. Because I need to be able to lay a paper trail for you throughout the book, so you can go back at the end and say, "What did I miss?" And of course, thematically, this twist is something you should be able to figure out.
  •  
    Argument: Claim: Evidence:
1 - 10 of 10
Showing 20 items per page