great works ii – 2850 jta 12:25-2:05: love letters from the world

Over the course of the year I have truly developed a capacity to see a variety of viewpoints in a particular story. I think its valuable to be able to have an open and ready outlook when you go into a reading as many people may see the story line differently. There isn’t always a right or wrong answer. Instead we are simply expected to explain our viewpoint no matter how odd or different it may be. The fact that anything goes does sometimes irritate me considering the fact it is so counterintuitive. Sometimes we need black and white answers but in arts and literature that is not necessary.  Story allows one to explore thoughts and ideas in a way many other forums may not allow.

1. What are some of the common characteristics that all stories from all different cultures agree about regarding the definition of a hero? Comparing and contrasting different stories could help in this analysis.
2. Why does the lawyer in the “Bartleby the Scrivener” relate so strongly to Bartleby? They seem on the surface to be such opposite characters, one who is serves his function to society and one who refuses to associate with wordy matters. Why does the lawyer care so much about Bartleby?

Monkey goes through some sort of midlife crisis three or four hundred years into his existence. Monkey explains his distress when asking his monkey peers, “If we die, shall we not have lived in vain”. Monkey finds a stark vacuity in his life. Monkey’s vacuity wakes him vigorously and provides him with the motivation do action. Many times, people will discover issues in their own lives, clear vacuities that should be addressed, but instead ignore the issue. To recognize an issue is one thing, but to gather the inner strength to go and tackle that issue, to take action, is whole new endeavor. Monkey, however, had the moral strength to give up all the benefits of being the handsome monkey king in an instant. Monkey showed no reservation in his commitment, he said he would “wander with the clouds to the corners of the see or journey to the distant edge of Heaven,” all with the intention of find the immortals. Comfort can be a dangerous trap, despite monkey’s leisurely position in life he had the moral fortitude to take action simply because of his wake to vacuity.

Group Partners: Muneeb and Jorge

Tao’s “twenty-two” is attempting to explain the irony of how many things in life work and that even the simplest things work as a double edged sword. One will never get everything he or she wants and so in life one must “Yield and overcome”, in other words one must be willing to give to get. People have a constant need for stimulation of different sorts, this is clear in an age of technology where people are attached to the pinging and ringing of their electronic devices. It seems counterintuitive to “Empty and be full” but when one is able to empty themselves of all extraneous and harmful thoughts, one begins to be full of positivity and excellance.  One may think he or she wants all different sorts of lavish possessions but Tao reminds the reader, “Have much and be confused”, one gets overwhelmed in possessions and will loose sight of the things that matter in life. Although at first sight possessions seem nice they lead to a life of meandiering confusion. Life is many times more complicated than it seems. Changing one factor of life can change many other aspects of life in unintended ways.