Scarlett Letter, The
Author - Nathaniel Hawthorne
Published - 1850
Genre: Historical Romance
Major Theme: A woman's struggle in puritan society
Synopsis: Hawthorne's work centre's around the life of Hester Prynne, a convicted adulterer living in Seventeenth Century Salem. At the time, Salem was a fiercely religious puritan township, hence, actions such as adultery were not taken lightly. Hester is forced to wear the letter 'A' on her garments to publicly shame for her involvement in adultery. Her child Pearl, a free spirit, is also subject to the scrutiny of the town because of her mother's perceived sins. Hester struggles with her new identity as the town proceeds to treat her like a second-class citizen. Meanwhile her husband, who was previously thought dead, has returned and is determined to reveal Hester's partner in their adultery.
Philosophical Associations:
Mary Wollstonecrarft - A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion
Relevance: Wollstonecraft is likely the first feminist philosopher. Writing in the Eighteenth Century, her works argue against the perceived inferiority of woman. She believes the conception of female inferiority can be most strongly linked to the lack of education women received at the time. She argued that there is no fundamental difference between the intellectual capacity of men and women, only that men where more highly educated and therefore had greater opportunities to increase there status and showcase their abilities. Wollstonecraft fought courageously for women's rights, not just in education, but also the right of women to be free from abusive and coercive relationships. Had she lived in Hester's puritan Salem, it is highly unlikely she would have been so passive and fatalistic in accepted the punishment for adultery, as Hester was. While Wollstonecraft provides a critical examination of Hester's treatment by the community, Dawkins provides a critique of the puritan community itself. His work The God Delusion does not hold any punches when it comes to criticising religion. Dawkins questions our understanding of God and religion to its very core. He would view the treatment of Hester as barbaric, and only possible in a community based on religious fervour, as oppose to rational understanding and compassion.
Schopenhauer Cure, The
Author - Irvin D. Yalom
Published - 2005
Genre: Philosophical Novel
Major Theme: Group therapy that is absolutely engaging
Synopsis: This story is about a psychologist named Julius Hertzfeld, who acts as the guiding administrator of group psychology sessions. Hertzfeld learns at the beginning of his story that he has terminal cancer, however he decides to continue with his group sessions regardless. At these sessions a variety of interesting character attend. One of the most important is a character named Philip Slate. Slate is a former sex addict, often using women as a means to the end of his personal conquests. However, Slate claims that he has overcome his sex addiction by incorporating the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer into his life. Slate and Hertzfeld engage in some interesting debates as their philosophies about life are often in conflict. The story proceeds as the rational coolness of Slate and the compassionate love of Hertzfeld unravel in a powerful story that attempts to get to the bottom of who we are and what kind of person we truly desire to be.
Philosophical Associations:
Arthur Schopenhauer - Parerga and Paralipomena
Relevance: This collection of short essays and aphorisms by Schopenhauer is probably the most accessible of all of his works. Here Schopenhauer is at his wittiest, and perhaps most controversial, best. Essentially, Schopenhauer argues in various ways that it is the will of the human spirit that is most significant instrument to achieving what one desires. Accordingly, with the right desire and aspirations, the will is capable of overcoming most obstacles and difficulties that people experience in their everyday lives. This turns away from the more traditional philosophical belief that rationality is the greatest tool available to humanity for solving life's ills. Schopenhauer's work provides a good insight as to why Slate believes his philosophy is so effective and inspiring.
Seize the Day
Author - Saul Bellows
Published - 1956
Genre: Short Story
Major Theme: The worst day of your life
Synopsis: Seize the Day is the story about Wilhelm Adler, or "Tommy", a failed actor in his forties. Tommy is facing a mid-life crisis. He has failed in his career, he is estranged from his wife and children, he also has an unloving relationship with his stern and unforgiving father. Struggling to cope with these many difficulties everything seems to go horribly wrong for Tommy as one problem after another occurs in what is probably the worst day of his life. Tommy's problems are compounded because of his immaturity and inability to act decisively when required. This indecisiveness as to what to do with his life and when facing various decisions as to how he should cope with his problems lead him close to mental collapse. Tommy's need to take responsibility for the problems in his life continue to confront him at every turn as he attempts to flee from the reality he has created for himself.
Philosophical Association:
Søren Kierkegaard - Concluding Unscientific Postscript
Relevance: One Tommy's greatest difficulties is his inability to act decisively and to take responsibility for his decisions. The philosophy of Kierkegaard directly relates to such issues. In particular, it is his formulation of what he calls "the leap of faith" that is most relevant here. Roughly speaking, Kierkegaard's leap of faith requires humanity to act on their beliefs. He believes that there are particular circumstances in one's life where a significant decision must be made that forever change one's life. Accordingly, the outcome of these decisions can never truly be known, yet, nevertheless, we are still forced to make a choice and must blindly take the leap of faith, accepting the consequences of our own decisions. Some such examples might include: "should I be religious?", "should I marry this person?", "should I enter into this occupation?", "should I have children?", etc. All of these kinds of questions have a profound impact on a persons life and while there particular outcomes are unknown, we are nevertheless forced to choose and accept the consequences of these choices. Tommy may have learned a thing or two had he taken time to reflect on the important decisions he had made in his life a little more deeply.
Spinoza Problem, The
Author - Irvin D. Yalom
Published - 2012
Genre: Philosophical Novel
Theme: Making reason your passion
Synopsis: This work focuses on the life the Baruch Spinoza and Alfred Rosenberg. Spinoza lived in Seventeenth Century Amsterdam, while Rosenberg was a Nazi art procurer. Yalom describes the life of these two polar opposite men and how they have been strangely interconnected through history. Spinoza's difficulties to overcome the bigotry of his time contrast accordingly with the intense prejudice of the Nazi Rosenberg. The latter attempts to free humanity from conviction and develop an appreciation for the power of reason. While the former desires that his racists convictions coincide with humanity's outlook of society. Both struggle with their sense of identity as Yalom weaves together the loose connections between two very polarizing historical figures.
Philosophical Associations:
Brauch Spinoza - Theologico-Political Treatise and Ethics
Relevance: These two important works by Spinoza provide the central core of this important philosopher's thoughts. His works are complex and require a lot patience. One of the most important conclusions Spinoza arrives at is that human passions are unavoidable. However, passions are an inconvenience, as they often differ from the results of rationality. Spinoza's solution is that people should make reason their passion. These works personify that motto, and provide a great aid to understanding the philosophy of Spinoza as expounded by Yalom in his engaging work.
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Author - Harriet Beecher Stowe
Published - 1852
Genre: Abolitionist Novel
Major Theme: The struggle against slavery and oppression.
Synopsis: This work focuses on the horrors of slavery in Nineteenth Century America. It follows the life of a slave named Tom and the life of an escaped slave named Eliza and her son. As a slave, Tom is sold to increasingly abusive masters. He continues to work with little protest, despite the level of violence and horror he is subjected too. Meanwhile Eliza is hunted like an animal as she attempts to flee her persecutors on her journey to freedom. Stowe's heartfelt story reveals the horrors of the institution of slavery in American and helped influence the country's general move towards emancipation.
Philosophical Associations:
Frederick Douglass - Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Relevance: Written ten years prior to Stowe's work, Douglass's autobiography undoubtedly had a major influence on Stowe. His incredible story provides a unique insight into the everyday struggles of oppression that slave's were subject to. Self-educated, he was eventually able to free himself from his oppressors, becoming a symbol of liberty for the abolitionists cause. His life story provides an interesting foil for Stowe's fictional work, as it reveals that fiction and reality are not so far apart when it comes to these two stories.
Ulysses
Author - James Joyce
Published - 1922
Genre: Modernist Novel
Major Theme: A day in the life of Stephen Dedalus
Synopsis: This book tells the story of Stephen Dedalus, a young aspiring writer and teacher. It has a peculiar style that delves deep into the psyche of Dedalus, exploring his thoughts about his past and his own personal philosophy. Much of this occurs as he walks the streets of Dublin visiting various places on his journey. The power of this work comes from Joyce's ability to find the profound in what is seemingly innocuous. The story can be viewed as a kind of existential crisis where Dedalus confronts the very foundations and understanding of his life.
Philosophical Association:
Jean-Paul Satre - Being and Nothingness
Relevance: If Joyce's Ulysses can be considered a quintessential existential fictional novel, then Satre's work is arguably the quintessential existential philosophical account. Satre's major work takes human psychology and the understanding of the human condition to a new level. How we act and perceive ourselves is discussed in an enlightening and novel way. Perhaps most importantly, Satre argues that people constantly find themselves in a position of what he calls 'bad faith', which the natural human tendency to act and pretend to be someone that we are not. These various personalities make up our character, without ever actually transcending into a set character. This inability to ever truly be ourselves in an authentic manner is a struggle paralleled nicely by Dedalus's character.
No comments:
Post a Comment