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

Thesis: In the model of “The Allegory of the Cave” few men’s perception of reality is guided by someone who shows them actions of shadows on a wall. In “Aura”, Felipe’s relationship with Consuelo is similar because she uses her young image, Aura, to manipulate his perception of reality.

The Allegory of the Cave journey model is about  few prisoners who are forced to only watch a blank wall where they only see shadow of objects. They have been there for their whole life and for them the truth and realm of life is whatever is projected on the wall.

In my visual aid black and white colors represent dark cave and light outside the cave, which creates shadows on a wall. Circular shape of my image represents enclosure of a cave where the prisoners are captive and similarly Consuelo’s dark house where Felipe is trapped too. The swirl that is becoming darker in the center represents the prisoners’ and Felipe’s perception being taken away from reality of their lives into different dimension.

Connection between Endgame, the video and the play is the theme of absurdism. The poem describes the scene where the swan trapped in the lake under the ice is hopelessly trying to exile. Even though there is a pure brightness around, “The horror of the earth will remain where it lies”. This can be interpreted in a way that no matter how hard one tries to struggle in life, some outside forces will be in his/her way and eventually one will realize that there is no sense to struggle, no sense to strive in life. In the video, all we see is pile of garbage that were accumulated by the existence of humans and the horrifying sounds of scream represent the lives of those who are suffering and experience “the horror of the earth”. This may have the meaning that all humans get out of this life is the suffering and the waste. Similarly, the characters in Endgame have all lost their hopes and each is stuck in the same situation and nothing changes in their lives during the whole play. (Maia)

As Maia pointed out, both the video and the play touch upon the concept of absurdism, which a central theme in Endgame. In the poem, the swan seems hopeless and although she tries many times to escape her circumstances, her attempts remain futile. This suggests the meaningless world in which the swan, who is stuck in a frozen world, lives in. The swan’s efforts are meaningless, and it is suggested that the swan will die because it cannot escape. In a similar manner, as Maia pointed out, the video “Breath” also highlights on the theme of absurdism. It is set in a vary dark, bleak room an there is no dialogue or characters present aside from a pile of garbage. There is the sound of a crying child, which indicates that life is meaningless just like a pile of garbage. Both the video and the poem relate to Endgame in that the story presents a very bleak outlook on life. Seemingly, all of the characters have lost hope in life and settle in their current situation and do not make any effort to change their circumstances. (Lauren)

In the story “Cloud”, cloud represents psychological state of mind that lets a person change his/her perception of reality. Cloud is seen as something that can be altered, make someone happy or sad. Cloud even allows a person to create people or the stories inside him/her: “One day I noticed that I can change it myself. Transform it”(Cloud). This theme connects to “Aura” in the way that an old lady creates in her mind the youth of herself: “Now you know why Aura is living in this house: to perpetuate the illusion of youth and beauty in that poor, crazed old lady” ( pg. 844). From this quote, we see that Aura is an illusion, an imaginary transformation of an old lady who wants to keep herself young and happy through this creation of Aura.

Maia

A theme from “My Cloud” revolves around how nothing in life lasts forever. This theme connects to the theme in “Aura” because Consuelo desires youth and beauty over the reality of old age. When asking Felipe if he will love her forever, she prods “Even if I grow old? Even though I lose my beauty? Even though my hair turns white” (847). This quote illustrates how she places a strong emphasis on youth and beauty and tries to overcome the fate of reality. She has a strong desire to relive the past. She also knows that she will die soon and as a result, wants Felipe to finish her husband’s memories as soon as possible. Moreover, the temporary nature of things in life is also illustrated by Aura’s age, which seems to fluctuate daily (at first she is presented as a young lady but later on is depicted as an older, middle-aged woman). This illustrates how even Aura cannot escape the process of aging as well as the temporary nature of life.

Lauren

I find one theme from “Cloud.” The theme is that one wants to be young again. This theme from “Cloud” connects to “Aura.” There’s one quotation that connects to the theme that I mentioned: “’Don’t stop me,’ she said. ‘I’m going toward my youth, and my youth is coming toward me. It’s coming in, it’s in the garden, it’s come back . . .’” (851) In this reading, mostly Consuelo was described as an old lady, but in this quotation Consuelo was younger since that was Consuelo’s husband’s words. However, even though she was younger than in this point, she was still longing for her youth. This isn’t that different from now. Since she is eager for youth, she creates Aura to represent her youth.

Dajung

I can see an example of Alienation in the texts and the visuals. Specifically, in “Kaspar” we see an individual who is all alone, withdrown from the rest of the world. He doesn’t know how to strive in life, since he lacks the basic skills, such as reading and walking. He lacks motivation and an interest in improving his situation. He accepts his life as it is and it doesn’t “occur” to him that there might be anybody “outside” him, who brings him food and water, who is willing to help him. eventually he is being helped by “a man in black”, who teaches him to walk, read and being ambitious-skills needed to survive in life. Kaspar ends his story by saying “i stay standing where i am”, but when he starts telling the story he is dressed as a sophisticated man dressed in a suit and a hat. Maybe, after all, the help from a man in black made difference in Kaspar’s life. And by this, Obomsawin wanted to preserve the importance of every little help that could make a difference in human’s lives.

At the end of the story we see big difference between the way Gregor’s father and maid react to his death.  Even though she has been keeping eye on Gregor everyday, maid had no feelings towards him, and when he died, she didn’t express any sorrow. She tells parents “you don’t have to worry about how to get rid of the thing next door” (241). For her Gregor remained the “thing” to her, because Gregor wasn’t related to her or hadn’t known him before his metamorphosis. On the other hand, Gregor’s father felt sorry for his death and even became teary, since “they were all teary”(240), after his death. In spite of the Gregor’s father’s condition, that he was tired of his situation and wished this “animal” wasn’t in his house, after all, this “animal” was his son, whatever shape he may have had, and he was sorry he had died.

Miss Julie is Identified half man half woman because she learned to hate man and the same way she doesn’t consider herself the either. She doesn’t behave like woman behaves. She doesn’t take care of her appearance as most women do. She was taught by her mother to treat men as her subordinate. From example where she was with her intended one for the last time: “[Miss Julie] made him leap over her riding whip, the way you teach a dog to jump”( 2). Here she wants to show her power to his fiancé. Another example is when she explains how her parents influenced her to be half woman and half men: “It is Due to my father’s training that I learned to scorn my own sex. Between them both they have made me half man, half woman” (32).  Strindberg brings up the discussion that even if woman tries to be half and half woman would she be ever be catching up to what this woman want to achieve. In author’s eyes this modern idea of matriarchate is a desperate battle agains nature. Half man and half woman implies tendency for some women to think that they are no different from man.