Good Vs. Evil--Mankind’s Debate

Good vs. evil has consistently been debated since possibly the beginning of mankind. It’s significance in history has been evident over centuries of stories, tales balancing conflict as if there are only two viewpoints to be on, good and evil, no medium or third group joining the duel. What is good, and what is evil? Is there really a difference between the two? Or is it simply our nature to give everything that happens a name in order to make sense out of our lives?

The classic novel, Gilgamesh, is said to be the earliest recorded story known to humanity. It is so old, that it was recorded on clay tablets and written in cuneiform, the earliest form of writing discovered. In this story, Gilgamesh plays the hero, who has to destroy Humbaba, the giant monster who protects the forest. The first story ever known even shows the battle between two sides, one the human, which is supposedly good or righteous, the other, the monster, which is supposedly evil and horrible. Even what is known as the starting-point of human writing shows our own bias towards ourselves and our beliefs being good and righteous, while the other is shown to be wrong simply because it is ugly or different. Modern hero stories such as those like Superman in comic books typically portray the villains to be ugly looking and demented. The typical villain is not sweet-looking and enjoyable to have around. But in real life, sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference, because we don’t have that physical appearance or eccentricity in nature to decipher who is good, and who is evil, or what is good, and what is evil. We have to decide for ourselves by thinking critically about how others act. Basing our motives upon physical appearance would be outrageous in the real world. That would be called discrimination.

Star Wars shows good vs. evil in a more personal manner, suggesting it as an inner-struggle. In the movie, young Anakin is at first good before he becomes power-hungry and misled by the evil Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Anakin’s inner-battle between choosing to become a jedi and living life fairly and understandingly verses becoming a ruler, but of the dark side, is shown clearly in the third movie, Revenge of the Sith. In all of the other movies, it shows how the jedi must use fair means in order to destroy their opponents, whereas the evil dark side may use whatever cruel means they like. Young Anakin found it easy to choose a side with such freedom and power, even though it would ultimately corrupt him, and he would later become Darth Vader. When Anakin makes his decision, he must fight against the people he once loved. Near the end of Revenge of the Sith, he fights Obi-Wan Kenobi near live running lava. In their fight, Anakin is angry and childish, defending his decision, while Obi-Wan is hurt and upset, unbelieving of the decision his once great companion has decided. As they fight with their light-sabers, Anakin falls into the lava and his body burns severely alive. This scene is the physical representation of how his decision has mutilated his soul. It is almost as if the evil that has possessed Anakin has taken over so much, it is now taking over from his interior to his exterior. His inner-struggle between good and evil seems to be complete, but it is in the last movie, when the fight is over, that Anakin makes the decision to be good once and for all, right before he dies, and he joins the light side.




This video is of a three year old explaining Star Wars Episode IV.

Ultimately, mankind’s struggle between choosing good and evil, can root right to the individual’s battle, because it is not just our society as a group that has trouble deciphering and understanding the two, but inner-selves. As children we are taught about this thing we have called a conscience, but how do we know what that is, or how it exists? Is it something we’re born with, or something our parents have to teach us? Do we feel guilt because we are told early on to feel guilt about certain things, or is it natural for most of us to know what is good and what is bad? According to Sigmund Freud, the concscience is, "nothing but external commands internalized." This student's philosophy paper explains her theory here, stating that with Freud's definition, when a child does something wrong and it goes unpunished, they will continue to do it with the belief that they are right. It is harder to define the opposing view, that our concscience comes from ourselves, not simply what we have been taught. I believe it is a combination of both though. Our parents teach us what to do that is right in certain situations as children, and then as we grow older we learn how to apply these things to all of the problems we face. Since parents can't teach us the right move to make for every situation, this is where our battle between good and evil comes in. Maybe the reason that we have this inner-struggle, is not simply because of the temptation to do bad things, but also it's our indecision in complicated situations, between what is wrong and what is right.

The debate of abortion is a great example of our indecision of what is good and evil.

How could our parents teach us to make a decision like that? In real life, it can be so much harder to decipher between what is and what isn't evil. We don't have an easily dividable dark side and light side. Villains are not hideously ugly; the most beautiful people in the world can take on even the ugliest of physical forms, while the most evil people in the world can look completely normal. Abortion is a touchy subject with everyone, because people have different opinions of what is good and what is evil in it. I am not choosing a side here. That would be an entire other paper. It seems like everyone has an inner-struggle with deciding what is right with this decision, mainly because it hits so close to home. After all, almost everyone has babies, and everyone was a baby. Abortion is a perfect example of how we struggle to make good choices, but we cannot always tell which one is the right one.

All and all, no matter how we view what is good, and what is evil, everyone in mankind has to face this inner-battle. Once we've learned how to deal with situations from our parents and made our own decisions with our hearts, we have to decide ultimately for ourselves what to do is right. Even though we talk about how dangerous and evil our society has become, I'm glad we're a society that has the choice to decide between these issues in order to become better. Our indecision and our struggles are beneficial, because if we didn't care, we wouldn't have this problem at all. The battle between good and evil is something that we are conflicted with as human-beings, and the reason it is so hard to choose sometimes, is because in life sometimes it is hard to give certain things a definition. We have to figure it out for ourselves, and this is where our confusion with the subject begins. I believe that because of these struggles though, we are ultimately good people for even worrying about such things...If we were bad people, I don't think we'd even care where we'd end up.

Paper Plan

I am really excited to begin this paper, I just don't know what I'm going to do it on yet!!! I would like to get a broad overview of all of the books we are being asked to look at before I begin, and then pick the one that strikes me or I connect with the most so I have a really thoughtfully done paper. I love that we are being given such creative license on this project, I've never been given that kind of freedom in an english class, and it really excites me!! This class has been very much a creative writing class but also focuses on the structure and deep thinking of how writing works too. I love the contrast. I can't wait to begin my paper, but before I give a real plan, I would like to do some more research first!!

Since I am very interested in true stories, the idea of doing something on Persepolis is being given my attention. Someone who can remember that much of their childhood, and who has gone through so much pain because of events on a political scale--things I didn't even pay attention to as a child, is very interesting to me.

I'm a little confused on how on topic we need to be, whether we just need to analyze the books we've read or come up with our topic and use the book as some type of source.

Romeo and Juliet Ballet

I chose this ballet to evaluate on as an interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, not only because I am so interested in dance, but also because I felt like this was a unique take on how the play can be interpreted and performed.  I was also particularly interested in this type of media because, although it is clearly set after Shakespeare's play, NONE of his dialogue ever is said!  I searched all over youtube for different videos of ballet scenes from different dancers and directors, and this one was my favorite.  The Juliet is very fluid in her movements, while the Romeo moves with a kind of wind-like force.  There are no words in this scene, but you can clearly see the two characters are falling in love, literally and physically, as they fall back and forth into each others arms and fly around the stage.  You can tell they are going through some kind of pain as they continue through the scene, because the actors faces at certain points seem filled with shock and anxiety.  Juliet teases Romeo as she would with her words in the play, by running away from him and then running back.  As they reach for each other over the balcony, separated by the height, you can see that they have many obstacles to overcome in order to be together.

I found this to be a beautiful and imaginative way to portray Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.  Rather than the use of Shakespeare's witty dialogue as the base of the play, all acting must be performed through the body.  It is an interesting take on how a story can be read.

Romeo and Juliet in-class writing

I chose lines 55-67 in Capulet's orchard where the nurse comes back after visiting Romeo. Juliet is waiting for her to come back from Friar Laurence's cell with news, but she is too, "out of breath," to tell her right away. This scene seems to be like a comedy because Juliet keeps prodding her to simply answer her question, and the nurse takes the entire scene to finally tell her what they told her.
In line's 55 through 57,
JULIET I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. 55
Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?
Nurse Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a
courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I
warrant, a virtuous,--Where is your mother?
JULIET Where is my mother! why, she is within; 60
Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest!
'Your love says, like an honest gentleman,
Where is your mother?'
Nurse O God's lady dear!
Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow; 65
Is this the poultice for my aching bones?
Henceforward do your messages yourself.

I was particularly interested in this passage because it is so funny! Juliet's impatience has shown throughout the past lines, but I think she knows the nurse well enough to know that getting angry will only prolong the wait. Instead, Juliet chooses to encouraging language to persuade her, "I'faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?" When the nurse is finally about to answer her question, going on and on about how nicely he said it, she gets distracted by her own running thoughts, asking, "Where is your mother?" Shakespeare seems to be teasing Juliet in this passage through the character of the nurse.

Coming of Age--3 Novels

There were so many many common themes surrounding the three books, To Kill a Mockingbird, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, and Blankets.  I think the theme most prevalent was Coming of Age.

First of all, all three main characters in these books started out with one point of view, and grew into a more mature, changed view point over time.  All of them discover the harsh truths of the world around them.  In the beginning, Scout simply believes what adults tell her because that is how children are raised, to just accept what they are told as correct by the authority.  But as she grows and the book continues, she learns that not all adults are right all of the time, and that everyone has vulnerabilties, regardless of age.  Her dad teaches her this when he tells her that he couldn't forgive himself for refusing to defend Tom Robinson not only as a citizen, but as a parent, he couldn't have the pride in himself to teach Scout and Jem right and wrong because he would just be being a hypocrite.  Through Atticus, Scout learns the meaning of right and wrong, and why people's actions should always reflect upon their beliefs.  Scout develops into a person who sees through the prejudices in her community and looks at them through the scope of someone who is too innocent to judge, yet too knowledgable to accept everything that is going on in around her.

In Oranges, Jeanette also learns that sometimes, feelings of the heart can be put above convictions of the mind.  Her whole community has also told her their beliefs of what is right--but unlike Scout, she has to find out on her own what is truly correct, because she has no figure to stand up for her beliefs for her, she's all on her own.  Her personal battle between what is right in her religion and what is right in her heart is how she comes of age in the book; learning to accept both.

In Blanket's, Craig's coming of age is literal, as he grows from little boy to grown man from cover to cover of the novel.  His story deals with the struggles of a boy who is just growing up trying to be a good kid.  When his teacher tells little Craig that he cannot draw in heaven, this seems to traumatize him for all of his childhood, as he is constantly thinking about how he can dedicate himself to god, at one point even trying to draw biblical comics...In one picture, the comics are spewing out of his head--and I think this shows further how disturbing this teacher's comment really was to him, because these drawings are his imagination, and in a way, they're all him.  Like the other two novels, many of Craig's struggles revolve around growing up and self-acceptance.

I think the greater purposes of these texts is to write about how hard it is to grow up, but that the hardships that are handed to you can be overcome.  I think they also talk to us as a society because all of them show that if you stand up for what is right, you can win the battle for yourself in the end, no matter how much injustice has occurred in the middle.

Blankets

In regards to Professor Wheeler's essay, I must say that he is EXTREMELY CORRECT when assessing how the students of America know how to read, but they don't know how to grasp the ideas of what they are reading...I've been disappointed to find in so many of my classes in highschool, kids who are being praised for memorization rather than intelligence, two things I find are completely different.  In my opinion, having a good memory does not necessarily mean you are intelligent.  Just because you have memorized someone else's words, by no means, means that you understand them or could ever come up with an idea that stands on it's own and is creative or meaningful.  People here get praised all the time for simply memorizing words, but a lot of the time it's never for finding meaning inside the words.  It's almost like the true use of language has been forgotten.  Memorization does not equal intelligence.

Anyways, I could go on, but more importantly I have to talk about BLANKETS, so here I begin.
I chose the passage where Craig and Raina break up, because this one in particular confused me.  Maybe it was because I was rooting for the couple, but I could not understand for the life of me, why they broke up.  Craig portrayed them to be so in love, the way the story was written, I couldn't believe they were not.  So when Craig and Raina broke up, it made me question Raina's character.  I wondered whether Raina actually loved Craig to decide for them to be, "just friends," even with all the stress she had in her life... Maybe it's because I'm a different person than Raina, but it seems like having Craig there, even just to say sweet things to her over the phone, would be enough if they were really in love.  I understand why Craig broke up with her--it was because he couldn't take all of the pain she was giving him by being so neglecting towards their relationship.  It was unfair.  I understand that most of the time, long-distance relationships don't work, but I had a lot of faith in this couple and it was disappointing to find them break up in the end.

I liked how Craig kept his characters simple looking so we wouldn't be quick to judge them like McCloud shows in his book, "Understanding Comics."  The more real a person looks, the harder it is to take them seriously--I hate those prejudgements, but it's true.  Symbolism forces us to find meaning in pictures, rather than search through the details.  Simplicity is a filter.

Belief

I believe that everyone is here for a reason, no matter how bad it gets...I know so many people who don't believe this, and don't try hard enough to find themselves and see their inner potential...I think that you have to use yourself in order to accomplish your purpose, whatever that is.  So many people just sit there and wait for things to get better...I have had friends who've taken a turn for the worse who I still love to death, but they won't try to make themselves the amazing person they can be.  And I think that's because inside, the reason why they continue to make all of these mistakes is because they don't believe that they can be that way.  Yet no matter how much convincing I try to give, it's never enough.   I've learned in life, that most of the time people never actually follow advice.  Ultimately, they're going to do what they want to do, whether you like it or not... I still try to help these friends because I can't just sit there and watch them do this stuff with my mouth shut--but my words can't change the patterns that they are stuck in, only they can.

I know I've always been really shy, but I became more independent in elementary school because the kids were mean!!!  I don't know if they were actually that bad to me--but I was a very sensitive child and for the rest of my life I made it a point not to become cliquey or ever be mean to someone because they are different...The very best people I have ever met in my life are the ones who are not trying to be perfect all of the time, they're happy with who they are insecurities and all.  I can't get along with people who portray themselves as something they're not.  Then you can't talk to them about anything personal because they're always worried about appearances--boring!

I also love my crazy friends too--I mean, I would be SOO bored if I had to sit there and behave all the time!  We do the dumbest, most fun stuff ever that only teenagers in highschool and college students would do, like yell funny stuff at people out of our car windows, but I hope we never grow up.  I have total peter pan syndrome because I'm so afraid I'll have to turn into basically a different person once I become an adult!

I'm sure my belief system has been challenged at one time or another--but I can't remember...

In the book, "To Kill a Mockingbird," beliefs that have been upstanding for years in the deep Southern city of Maycomb are challenged.
I think the major part of the novel where an, "awakening," occurs, is when Boo Radley saves the children's lives.  In the beginning, they saw him as a scary monster.  Here, they realize that he is actually a decent guy.  Scout's eyes are opened again when she sees the discrimination and racism occurring against Tom Robinson and says that killing him  would be, "kinda like killing a mockingbird."  Throughout the novel, because of the things she has witnessed adults doing, Scout herself grows to become a compassionate person who can tell the difference between right and wrong.