"In the bus on the way to school next morning we passed 4 red cars in a row, which meant that it was a Good Day" (Haddon, 24).
The idea of logic and perception is central to Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I think that this will be the focus of my final paper. This concept first struck me as interesting when I read the above quote. When so-called fully functioning adults say a day is going to be bad because it is raining or a Monday, it seems to make sense and nobody questions it. However, when an autistic young boy decides a day is good or bad based on the color of passing cars, it is meant to strike us as illogical or nonsensical. However, it is the exact same type of thinking in each individual, yet one is perceived to be strange.
This idea of logic is twisted around social roles. Christopher is an extraordinarily intelligent young boy who from the text we can gather is a genius in mathematics and physics, yet is perceived by society as dumb because of his inability to communicate and connect with others. Somehow this shortcoming influences how he is viewed. However, his "odd" approaches to everyday situations seems to make sense to him, and when he explains it, to the reader as well.
I am not exactly sure what my thesis is going to fully entail quite yet, however, I enjoy playing with the notion of intelligence, social roles and perception, and their interactions with one another. Specifically, I notice that perceived intelligence is viewed in a completely subjective manner by society. Additionally, of all the characters, Christopher is the one that seems to make the most sense to the reader...why? Is what makes sense to us relative? Is intelligence subjective?
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
November 11 Post
1a) "But the instant the criterion of authenticity ceases to be applicable to artistic production, the total function of art is reversed. Instead of being based on ritual, it begins to be based on another practice - politics (Benjamin, 1237).
1b) "As if my natural deformity wasn't enough, I tried a few new haircuts. A little snip of the scissors on the left and a few weeks later, a little snip of the scissors on the right. I looked like a cosette in Les Miserables." So I coated my hair in gel, I added a thick line of eyeliner, a few safety pins, which were replaced by a scarf. It softened the look. It was beginning to look like something (Satrapi, 190).
2. The idea of authenticity of art and the quality of its reproduction, I believe, perfectly embodies the relationship between Marjane's changing appearance and her personal conflict with the perceived betrayal of her culture due to this change.
3. These two quotes makes sense when you look at the word art from the first passage as Marjane's appearance. She herself becomes the canvas on which she is trying to create something. She changes her appearance from her ritualistic veil and overwhelmingly modest clothing to a more politically Western wardrobe. The second passage describes the new rebellious look exactly, which I believe is important when taken into the context of the novel itself.
Marjane changes her appearance to fit in with her Western peers, who come from a completely new type of lifestyle than she does. It is an attempt to discover herself and fit in, a small rebellion of her own really. Her peers are delighted by her new look, however, in the ensuing conversation with her parents, she reveals that she feels lesser than what she used to. Marjane believes that her new Western look is simply a poor recreation of the other people. More importantly, she feels that what she has created herself to be is a rejection of her own roots and rituals and an acceptance of her new environment's politics.
This is where the idea of authenticity seems to crawl into the conversation. Benjamin goes on in his article to discuss the idea that recreated art is a depreciation of the original. This non-authentic recreation of the original is less than that which it seeks to recreate. This is how Marjane feels. Her new look seems to make her feel like less than what she used to be, an authentic Iranian. Because she changes, she loses her authenticity, which causes feelings of guilt and isolation from her original life and family.
1b) "As if my natural deformity wasn't enough, I tried a few new haircuts. A little snip of the scissors on the left and a few weeks later, a little snip of the scissors on the right. I looked like a cosette in Les Miserables." So I coated my hair in gel, I added a thick line of eyeliner, a few safety pins, which were replaced by a scarf. It softened the look. It was beginning to look like something (Satrapi, 190).
2. The idea of authenticity of art and the quality of its reproduction, I believe, perfectly embodies the relationship between Marjane's changing appearance and her personal conflict with the perceived betrayal of her culture due to this change.
3. These two quotes makes sense when you look at the word art from the first passage as Marjane's appearance. She herself becomes the canvas on which she is trying to create something. She changes her appearance from her ritualistic veil and overwhelmingly modest clothing to a more politically Western wardrobe. The second passage describes the new rebellious look exactly, which I believe is important when taken into the context of the novel itself.
Marjane changes her appearance to fit in with her Western peers, who come from a completely new type of lifestyle than she does. It is an attempt to discover herself and fit in, a small rebellion of her own really. Her peers are delighted by her new look, however, in the ensuing conversation with her parents, she reveals that she feels lesser than what she used to. Marjane believes that her new Western look is simply a poor recreation of the other people. More importantly, she feels that what she has created herself to be is a rejection of her own roots and rituals and an acceptance of her new environment's politics.
This is where the idea of authenticity seems to crawl into the conversation. Benjamin goes on in his article to discuss the idea that recreated art is a depreciation of the original. This non-authentic recreation of the original is less than that which it seeks to recreate. This is how Marjane feels. Her new look seems to make her feel like less than what she used to be, an authentic Iranian. Because she changes, she loses her authenticity, which causes feelings of guilt and isolation from her original life and family.
Monday, November 5, 2012
November 6 Post
1a) "Fourteen-year old 'Marji,' wearing Nike shoes and a jean jacket with a Michael Jackson button...she is stopped by the morals police who threaten to imprison her for her unacceptably Western appearance...The last panel shows her in her room dancing and singing along to Kim Wilde's "We're the Kids in America" to calm her nerves" (Naghibi, 235).
1b) Dad: "They've occupied the U.S. embassy."
.......
Dad: "You're not interested?"
Mom: "I couldn't care less. Anyway, the Americans are dummies."
Dad: "Maybe, but now no one can go to the United States."
2. I find the "I hate but still need the United States" mentality to be particularly interesting.
3. These two passages I find to be particularly interesting because I feel they perfectly embody the majority of the world's less than approving view on America. What strikes me as key to this issue is that it calls attention to these countries' need for the United States as well, which many people refuse to acknowledge. Many nations around the world, especially in the Middle East and liberal European countries are highly critical of the United States, thinking that we are ignorant, lazy bullies. Yet what nobody has the critical thought to bring up is just how reliant they are on us, and whenever something bad happens, the U.S. is the first place they come running to for help.
The first passage illustrates just how much impact the U.S. has in the world. A young Marji dresses like American youth and listens to American music, even singing the pop song "We're the Kids in America." She finds relief in American culture and music, a symbolic representation for the United States, from the the brutal and disastrous government of her own country. The second passage is key to this notion as well. Her father and mother dislike the United States, even calling it a dummy, yet are still troubled by the fact that they cannot travel to it now. If it were such a bad place, why do Marji's parents care that they cannot travel there. I believe the answer to this question to be jealousy.
Now it is time for a brief real world example. When the United States interferes in global conflict, we are regarded as bullies who need to "butt out," such as the conflicts in Vietnam, Somalia and Iraq. However, when we stay out of conflicts people cry out "Where is the U.S.?" such as in Egypt and Syria. It is a lose-lose situation, yet it does in fact provide solid evidence that the world does rely on us for many things, even if they claim to not need or like us.
In conclusion, these two passages illustrate the point that the negative esteem the United States is held in by the world is hypocritical because there is a strong dependence on this country by the rest of the world.
1b) Dad: "They've occupied the U.S. embassy."
.......
Dad: "You're not interested?"
Mom: "I couldn't care less. Anyway, the Americans are dummies."
Dad: "Maybe, but now no one can go to the United States."
2. I find the "I hate but still need the United States" mentality to be particularly interesting.
3. These two passages I find to be particularly interesting because I feel they perfectly embody the majority of the world's less than approving view on America. What strikes me as key to this issue is that it calls attention to these countries' need for the United States as well, which many people refuse to acknowledge. Many nations around the world, especially in the Middle East and liberal European countries are highly critical of the United States, thinking that we are ignorant, lazy bullies. Yet what nobody has the critical thought to bring up is just how reliant they are on us, and whenever something bad happens, the U.S. is the first place they come running to for help.
The first passage illustrates just how much impact the U.S. has in the world. A young Marji dresses like American youth and listens to American music, even singing the pop song "We're the Kids in America." She finds relief in American culture and music, a symbolic representation for the United States, from the the brutal and disastrous government of her own country. The second passage is key to this notion as well. Her father and mother dislike the United States, even calling it a dummy, yet are still troubled by the fact that they cannot travel to it now. If it were such a bad place, why do Marji's parents care that they cannot travel there. I believe the answer to this question to be jealousy.
Now it is time for a brief real world example. When the United States interferes in global conflict, we are regarded as bullies who need to "butt out," such as the conflicts in Vietnam, Somalia and Iraq. However, when we stay out of conflicts people cry out "Where is the U.S.?" such as in Egypt and Syria. It is a lose-lose situation, yet it does in fact provide solid evidence that the world does rely on us for many things, even if they claim to not need or like us.
In conclusion, these two passages illustrate the point that the negative esteem the United States is held in by the world is hypocritical because there is a strong dependence on this country by the rest of the world.
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