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Night and Fog Discussion

          Night and Fog was a very concise yet informative documentary. Several elements of it shocked me and made me realize how even the trivial parts of a genocide are eventually impactful and horrifying. For instance, the documentary describes the styles of concentration camps because they were “built like a grand hotel.” It is true; architects are needed as if any other building was being constructed, but this one was grim and deadly. The fact that people were willing to construct death camps is just unbelievable to me.

          Another part of this documentary that moved me are the parallels drawn between Jews during the Holocaust and how animals are treated in slaughterhouses today. To clarify, I am not an incessant and nonsensical vegan, but I do care for animals dearly. The Holocaust had Jews shaved, tattooed, and numbered like animals today before they are slaughtered. Millions of animals die each year from slaughter, so it is very similar as well. The dehumanization of a group of people is so disconcerting as we see similarities in animals today.

          I knew hunger was a great factor for the death of Jews, but I could never imagine them even eating the dressings of their wounds. Starvation to death is probably one of the cruelest ways one can die. The victims looked like living skeletons, and it was difficult to watch. I can even imagine how survivors of the Holocaust are even affected by malnutrition up until today.

          What questioned my ideas of the Holocaust most is the fact that there were millions of Nazis that are now virtually inexistent today. What happened to their descendants? Have all their mindsets been magically altered that there are no modern Nazis? I know there were many anti-Nazi laws implemented after World War II; they must have been very strict. The U.S. should emulate this act by condemning support of the Confederacy and white supremacy, but like always, racism is denied. Is history repeating itself?

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Modernism - Reflection

          Upon reading about modernism, I was reminded of my eleventh-grade American history class, in which I learned about the technological advances and industrialization of the West that took place, as well as the notable baby boom. I was amazed at how distant parts of the globe became so intricately connected through trade, immigration, and communications; it is hard to even imagine a world today where you are not given instant news about what happens in another country. There is also a surprising juxtaposition of births and deaths during the twentieth century, which, although the bloodiest in human history, also had the most births than any other century.

          By reading these pages I was also bleakly reminded of Europe and North America’s imperialism, as they extended their political power to cover most of the globe. Not even the North and South Poles were left untouched, which honestly saddened me to read. The passage could have expanded on the Ukrainian genocide, the Holodomor, that took place from 1932-1933, which was during the United States’ Great Depression as well. I learned about this for the first time this week, in my Psychology of Genocide class, which shows just how tragically unknown or unacknowledged it is in history today.

          What caught my attention most was the mention of modernist literature. When it comes to this type of literature, the only prominent one I have read that I could think of is The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot. Like other modernists, Eliot broke away from conventions and the boundaries of genre. It was also interesting to learn about authors such as Virginia Woolf and Leo Tolstoy; it made me want to read their works more as I have never done so before. Additionally, I am glad that modernism entitled a change in the content of literature, like the inclusion of previously taboo subjects, such as sexuality. There was also greater attention to shifting social roles, which is clearly still impactful to our society today.

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The Lady with the Dog - Reaction

          My main thoughts about this story are that I dislike Dmitri and feel pity for Anna. The setting of Yalta seems beautiful and idyllic. Most importantly, it imbues a sense of romance. If it were not for its small-town quality and stunning scenery, Anna and Dmitri would probably never meet nor grow attached to each other. Anna seems to be adventurous and driven for a better and more interesting life. She is fairly young; Dmitri describes that “only a very short time ago she had been a schoolgirl, like his own daughter,” which is a bit disturbing.  Dmitri, on the other hand, seems like the type of man who refuses to face how old he really is and acts like an adolescent; he sleeps around with women, neglects his wife, and goes on vacation to Yalta for his own pleasure. His low view of women is also very despicable, especially when he comments that the lace trimming of the underwear of several women he slept with “reminded him of fish-scales,” which dehumanizes them. 

          What I do love about this story, however, is the idea that both Dmitri and Anna feel stifled by their lives, therefore they are both drawn to one another. I like that Chekhov’s writing is straightforward and neutral, although I personally prefer writing that has more emotion or wit. I know other similar stories about married people falling in love with each other, but this one is interesting because of its setting in Ukraine. It is despondent to read how Anna clearly thinks little of herself; she feels repulsed by herself after having sex with Dmitri, lamenting that she’s a “wicked, fallen woman” who despises herself. I just hope that, either Anna finds happiness on her own, or that Dmitri ends up with Anna as a changed and matured man who genuinely cares and wants to be better for her, despite that he is generally wont to commit infidelity.

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Confessions - Book 1 Discussion

          My initial reaction upon reading the beginning of Book 1 of Confessions was that Rousseau’s life was that of a privileged, wealthy boy. However, I came to admire the views he had about his life. The way he described his parents’ romance surprised me, as I believed that all marriage in the eighteenth century was, as Amy March from Little Women believed, an economic proposition and not based on genuine love. Rousseau’s parents knew each other as kids and married when they were both mature enough; their love lasted all the way until his mother died at childbirth. This is truly a rare historical love story.

          A recurring pattern I noticed in Book 1 is that Rousseau seems to remember the small or arbitrary aspects of his childhood, such as his mischief and his aunt’s beautiful singing voice. Rousseau seems to take pride in these aspects of his upbringing, not attempting to hide even the most embarrassing or ridiculous memories he had of his youth. I feel like any other autobiography would omit such incidents, but Rousseau is genuine and unique in his story.

          Overall, while I am not a fan of most autobiographies (I find them a bit egoistic), Confessions has me interested. Even its title caught my attention, because a confession is an admission of a truth, even if it is a difficult or terrible one. Therefore, I feel like he is going to continue to describe memorable events throughout his life, whether they’re positive or negative, in order to present some sort of message or moral.

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Candide - Chapter 22 Discussion

          As though a portal to a world full of trickery and deception has opened, Candide and Martin arrive to France. In this chapter, Voltaire, despite being a Parisian himself, insinuates that the French government and the church are corrupt and filled with bitter and deceitful people.

          In typical eighteenth-century literature, Europe as a whole is written augustly about. However, Voltaire is virulent in his depiction of Paris; from the beginning of the chapter, events that have previously gone Candide’s way seemed to go instantly wrong the second he set foot in France. For instance, Candide’s sickness, although attempted to be cured by physicians, intensified. When Candide gambled with an abbé of Perigord and his friends, he lost a large amount of money.

          Events continued to go wrong for poor Candide because of Parisians. Most importantly, the Marquise of Parolignac was able to seduce a naïve Candide and steal his two diamond rings, deeming him a cheater and robbing part of his acquired wealth. Voltaire further condemns France through his portrayal of its greedy police officers who accepted Candide’s bribe and arranged for him and Martin to go to England. Rather than being depicted as a progressive and fair nation, Voltaire criticizes France and its people for being parasitic gold-diggers.

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Candide - Chapter 1 Discussion

          Upon reading Candide, my first impression was that its humor seemed significantly out of place for someone from Voltaire’s time. I had previously read this book in high school for my own pleasure, but I did not understand it much. However, now that I am beginning to understand the basics of the Enlightenment era along with its ideals, I can understand the story’s satirical purpose better. 

          One element of the story that immediately stood out to me was that virtually all of Candide’s characters were satirized. Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh is an example, who has quite a mocking name, as well as Pangloss, a scholar who believes everything that happens in the world is ultimately for the best and has a purpose. Pangloss’s field of study is also named to be “metaphysico-theologo-cosmonigology.” Such a name for a scholarly field of study clearly parodies religion, science, and philosophy. I am not sure what Voltaire’s intentions were for doing this, but I hope that, as I learn more about the Enlightenment and what it was criticized for, I will understand Candide’s purpose and significance much better. Ultimately, I am looking forward to continue reading Candide because of its historical significance and witty messages.

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The Enlightenment in Europe and the Americas - discussion

          The Enlightenment embodies the development of science, economy, and political freedom. It was a shift in how people perceived life, emphasizing individualism, reason, and skepticism instead of traditional religious views. There are many ideals from the Enlightenment that I find unique and noteworthy.

          Firstly, I find Deism, the belief that God exists but never interferes with nature or human action, fascinating. I never knew about this religion that believes in a God that lets humans commit evil acts. If God does not cause any effects on humans, then that would mean that miracles would not be real. Coincidences are simply just coincidences. I find it a bit silly, to believe in a God that is indifferent to the own world he created. However, I understand that during the Enlightenment, skepticism and reason was advocated to raise many questions about humans, God, and the world around us.

          Another important idea from the Enlightenment that I found remarkable is how the traditional social order and hierarchical structure faced challenges. This was prominent when, for instance, the white Creoles insisted on their superiority over other races in the Americas. Another example is when the abolitionism movement began to question the ethicality of slavery in the eighteenth century. I believe that these examples highlight how the age of Enlightenment challenged tradition and morals. However, I do find it hypocritical that the Enlightenment advocated for liberty only when it comes to the freedom of the aristocrats and those well-off. There was still a widespread support of slavery which completely upends the meaning and purpose for the Enlightenment.