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

In my opinion, if anyone would be the hero of the story it would be the narrator. His curiosity made him a traditional hero. He saw Bartleby was going through something that was causing him to perform badly at work and saw him suffering from his depression more and more as the days passed. While everyone was trying to kick him out of the office, the narrator remained curious and even offered him a place to stay at his house. Even after Bartleby declining his offer, the narrator shows compassion by bringing Bartleby turkey to eat. To me, a true hero is someone that sees someone going through a rough situation and takes initiative to help. The narrator is kind and gentle to Bartleby as he speaks to him and tries to take him home with him for the good of Bartleby. ‘“Bartleby,” said I, in the kindest tone I could assume under such exciting circumstances, “will you go home with me now- not to my office, but my dwelling- and remain there till we can conclude upon some convenient arrangement for you at our leisure? Come, let us start now, right away.” (Page 318) This part alone says a lot about the true character of the narrator, it shows he truly cares about Bartleby. He had many other options as far as what to do with Bartleby but he chose to open up his own doors to him. This is a true hero to me.

Bartleby has been set off to be seen as a very strange and different individual. Being different can always be a great thing, but Bartleby seems to be a different kind of different. As he is introduced in the story he become very well known for always repeating “I prefer not to”. As seen on page 302 this was the first time he has said it when he was asked to examine a paper. The narrator shared how shocked he was with this response and is quite puzzled as to why he prefers not to. Towards the end of the story I really did not view Bartleby as a hero but once I began to connect humanity with him it showed a Satanic heroism. Bartleby is not very clear when it comes to explaining his feelings throughout the story and I believe he does this is because he wants everyone to see it on their own. To start off, I believe what makes him a hero is that he obviously sees something that everyone doesn’t within humanity. I believe he is way more honest and when he uses the phrase “I prefer not to” he isn’t exactly saying “no” but just expresses his feelings towards what he is being told to do. Also, towards the end of the story the narrator says “The report was this: that Bartleby had been a subordinate clerk in the Dead Letter Office at Washington, from which he had been suddenly removed by a change in administration” (Melville, 321). I have come to the conclusion that I believe Bartleby see’s life in a nihilism way and sees that we are here for no reason. This way of thinking might have been triggered with all of the dead man letters. Which causes him to sometimes just do nothing in the office and act in a inappropriate way. He may believe that anything that needs to be done will be for no reason, so why waste your time doing it.

“Floating Worlds”

As some of you noted, there are quite a few red light districts in this country (albeit illegal, except for in Nevada). It’s a profession that seems global in scope (and I wonder if there are any countries where it really does not exist).

In many of these places, however illegal they may be, the police often look away. Many of you note that there are indeed benefits to this profession, but there are also many negative elements. Questions to consider: Should it be legalized? In Saikaku’s floating world, is the narrator justified in her choice of life

Some of the more salient benefits that you observed:

increase in revenue (tourism, related business, both legal and illegal); a more tolerant attitude towards sexuality; source of income for young people; source of income for people who would have no other means of supporting themselves and their families; historical significance (some of these areas are quite old, and show a kind of evolution of a part of this society, throughout the years). 

Some of the less savory elements to this profession:

increase in crime in the surrounding area (drugs, theft, but also violent crimes); discomfort and/or a lack of safety for people in the surrounding area; sex trafficking; abuse of the prostitute; child abuse; increase in the spread of disease (would legalization help to decrease this problem?).

To open the discussion I think it is important to clarify, recreational drugs are illegal in Netherlands, including weed.  The reason why it is legal to smoke and for coffee shops to offer marijuana products is because there is a 5 gram policy tolerance for marijuana and “magic mushrooms”.  I personally believe that countries or districts that have an open mind regarding sensitive subjects such as drugs and prostitution are improving the lifestyle of their citizens in a lot of ways.  In the case of drugs, by legalizing it, there is no more need for people to go to dangerous places or go through sketchy situations just to get a few grams of weed or a couple of mushrooms.  In the case of prostitution, by legalizing it, the government can force this workers to get checked constantly, and educate them with proper information in order to keep them and their customers safer.  At the same time, by legalizing the different activities, a lot of unemployed individuals are no longer considered unemployed and living out of governmental support.  Not only these but they now pay taxes what gives government the opportunity to improve other areas or invest in sectors that require more money.  

• Joaquin Azcue

Another aspect within the red light district in Amsterdam is prostitution.  Prostitution has been legal in the Amsterdam since 1830; minor laws were passed to try to regulate the profession however they were never enforced.  It wasn’t till October 2000 that a law was passed that protected prostitutes. This law prevented human trafficking, and stated that any sex business must have a license allowing it to operate. If a business breaks this law by hiring minors or illegal immigrants it can lead to a closure of business.  The Dutch believe that banning prostitution can lead worse criminal behavior, which is why they allow it.  Within the red light district there are sex shops, sex shows, window prostitution, peep shows, and brothels.  I always knew prostitution was legal in Amsterdam, however I was surprised to learn about the rules and regulations that control it. I also learned that the red light district is a very popular tourist attraction in Amsterdam.

• Katarina Stojanovic

Prostitution isn’t an ideal profession to most of us but it’s an accepted profession in Amsterdam where it’s treated as a regular employed job in the Red Light District. Prostitutes get full benefits from health coverage to being in a union. Although it may sound odd, it’s treated like any other job. Prostitutes and the brothels who employee them also pay taxes. The prostitutes themselves benefit from the health coverage and at least its regulated unlike other places where it’s surrounded by drugs and violence. Cops are everywhere to protect both the public and the prostitutes themselves from any and all casualties. The government is gaining tax money out of all this as well. Since the concept pimps are out the picture, the women feel like they are their own bosses with their own schedules creating a sense of ownership and pride. It’s profitable and convenient to the prostitute who doesn’t have a degree of any sort to have a good source of income.

• Onu Mezbah

Amsterdam’s red light district contains a vast amount of history behind it. Also referred to as the “De Wallen,” it’s ultimately the country’s entertainment center. Located in the heart of the city, it covers just over a few blocks and are crossed by several canals. The red light district itself is a region of alleys that contain cabins rented by prostitutes who offer their services. As prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, sex workers would advertise themselves along the windows of the street. However, taking photos of these women are strictly prohibited. and sex workers advertise their wares from inside red-lit cabin windows along the street. But just about a decade ago, Amsterdam’s City Council shut down 51 of the prostitution sites due to a fear of an increase in crime. This reduced the total number of windows by a third. This “red light district” began in Amsterdam as early as the 14th century. But it wasn’t till the 19th century that prostitutes had to have health checks at least twice a week to ensure that the country’s soldiers didn’t pass on any disease or health concerns. The government later tried to ban prostitution for good but they then realized that such laws could not ban prostitution for good due to the underground activity. Prostitution was then created legal again but without solicitation. Thus creating the “window trade.” But during the 1960s, the government entirely legalized prostitution which later sparked an uptick in tourist attraction.  

• Farhan Zaman

Rebecca:

Tenderloin: What’s in a name?

In Downtown San Francisco there is a Red Light District called the Tenderloin. The Tenderloin got it’s name from a similar neighborhood that existed in New York called the Tenderloin. There are different opinions on how that neighborhood got it’s name. There is one opinion that says it’s because this neighborhood is the “soft underbelly” of the city, filled with corruption. Another opinion says that there was an officer named Alexander S. Williams who said that working in any other neighborhood, he could only afford to eat chuck steak, but working in this neighborhood, because of all the bribes he got, he could afford to eat Tenderloin. Another opinion is that the officers who worked in that neighborhood could afford to eat tenderloin because they made extra for working in a violent neighborhood. In March 2011, the Vice President of PETA sent a letter to the Mayor of San Francisco asking to rename this neighborhood to a name that represents something other than the flesh of an abused animal. The mayor, Mayor Lee, responded “I think most people are wanting to change not so much the name. They actually want to change lives,” indicating there are more important issues in this neighborhood to deal with.  

Songyun:

History about Tenderloin in San Francisco

Like Rebecca said so , there are many different theories about where the Tenderloin got its name. But the most important is “most people actually want to change their lives more than the names.”The Tenderloin was a fairly residential neighborhood with the wood buildings and homes. It was only after the city’s infamous 1906 earthquake that the area started attracting single workers who could live in newly built Single Room Occupancy Hotels. With the new accommodations came bathhouses, more restaurants and the beginnings of women’s liberation, sparked by young females who were living by themselves for the first time. By the time the Roaring ‘20s rolled around, the area was notorious for its nightlife-gambling, speakeasies, restaurants, theaters and all manner of after-dark vices. And in the Vietnam War ‘70s, the Tenderloin became a refuge for immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The area’s low cost housing made it affordable for refugees, and today you can still find much of the best Southeast Asian food in here. It seems like the Tenderloin is an important part of San Francisco’s story.

Michelle:

Crime in San Francisco’s Red Light District

The Tenderloin is a red light district located in downtown San Francisco, California. According to Rebecca, one opinion as to why the downtown neighborhood was named ‘Tenderloin’ was because it is the “soft underbelly” of San Francisco where high corruption occurs. It is known as a high-crime neighborhood where most crimes, such as robbery and aggravated assault, occur on the streets. During the1960’s and 1970’s, the red light district is said be the origin of the Filipino gang Bahala Na Gang, also known as the BNG. The BNG were brought high crime to the neighborhood due to their drug distribution, murders, and extortion. The drug dealing and usage currently goes on in the neighborhood and has been increasing since 2007. With police stations around, drugs such crack, heroin, PCP, and even bath salts can be found even through the same drug dealer. Along with drug crimes, property crimes are also common.

The modern day “floating world” (better known as a red light district) that I would like to discuss is The Block, Baltimore. The Block is only one of the two remaining red light districts left in the United States. The rest, such as The Deuce in NYC, The Combat Zone in Boston, The Sporting District in San Antonio and may more, have long been eradicated and closed down by their respective cities. The aspect that I wanted to take into consideration is the lack of law enforcement in the area. Despite the fact that the local police precinct is merely steps away from the alleged red light district, enforcers of the law choose to turn a blind eye to the illegal acts that take place. Supposedly the argument is that rather than choosing to fight the problem (and perhaps inciting more aggravation), they maintain and contain the crimes to the one specific area. This makes it easier for the police to keep an eye on what goes on. However, I imagine that this must be quite inconvenient and uncomfortable to the neighboring communities simply due to the close proximity to the criminals.

• Aly

Great choice of a city Aly. The example you give on the law enforcement choosing to ignore what was going on around them is important as it helps highlight the way the city took action on this red light district. The aspect that I would like to focus on is the importance this “floating world” had on the city of Baltimore. The atmosphere of the Block started off as a friendly, exciting, and as an entertaining area where people would come together to attend some of the entertainment that was offered. The different sorts of entertainment that was offered in the 1940, 50’s, and 60’s included comedians and Opera shows that sold out quickly. The Block became well known at an international level due to word of mouth throughout WWII. However, this changed quickly as a less exciting and friendly way of entertainment came about. Over the years, the Block transformed both physically and morally, affecting the reputation of the city of Baltimore. Not only did the Block become smaller in size, but the Block became uncontrollable. Nowadays, the Block is not known for the right reasons. As opposed to the 40’s and 50’s where great things were heard, now things such as “Night Clubs facing $20,000 in fines for employing dancers as young as 15,” are the things that are heard about this area.

• Jorge M.

Aly and Jorge makes great points about the different aspects of the Block.  The one aspect I’d like to discuss is how all the clubs and bars contribute to the surrounding neighborhood.  Within the radius of the neighborhood of the Block is at least 20 strip clubs and bars.  Because there are so many of them in one area the venues don’t have any cover charges which brings more people into the neighborhood.  Although the people that it attracts have been noted to affect the neighborhood in a negative way.  The entertainment within these clubs were changed drastically from a form of art to stripping and prostitution.  These clubs also promote the use and sale of drugs which is openly seen throughout the neighborhood and the police do nothing about it.  All of the good memories people had of how the Block used to be are quickly fading and although many people are speaking out about it, there isn’t much action being taken.  These are also some of the main reasons why the Block is so infamous and well-known.

• Preston

Susanna Domosi:

One aspect of the red light district of Amsterdam is the “wholly liberal and tolerant attitude” of the place. Amsterdam is known and built on a liberal and tolerant attitude when it comes to all aspects of life, therefore the red light district in the city is completely legal. The honesty of people enjoying soft drugs, sex, and pornography is a quality unparalleled to most places around the world. Prostitution was not always legal in Amsterdam, but in modern day, prostitution is seen as a legal job where people working in the industry even have to pay taxes for their work. There is still much discrimination towards people working in the industry, such as banks not wanting to give workers loans, but Amsterdam and its red light district as a whole is one of the most liberal places when it comes to sex in the world.

Jiwoo Han:

         There is one interesting aspect in Amsterdam’s Red Light District which is the statistics in the area. This area is especially known for sex shops and cannabis coffee shops. From these commercial activities, they have their unique statistics in the area. There are people living in this area, 8060 people who do not work in the red light district, to be more exact. Most of them range from 18 to 35 years old. Furthermore, more interestingly, there are around 200 children living in this area. It is easy to think that the dropout rate for the children is relatively high in this area when compared to other areas without the red light district. But, it was the complete opposite. Only 7% of the student drops out of school in the area and 81% have a basic education. There are also a lot of people who work in the red light district, 20,075 people. This number of people is much bigger than the number of people who do not work in the red light district. In addition to that, this area contains about 250 cultural facilities such as The Old Church and the Hash Marihuana Hemp Museum. Based on statistics, it is tricky to say whether this area is mixed harmoniously or disharmoniously.

Daphne Young:

The prostitutes of Amsterdam’s red light district are generally below the age of 30, they range from single, in relationships, married, with or without kids, from different social and family backgrounds. They must be at least 18 years old and their clients must be at least 16 years old. Generally, prostitutes are their own boss. Although pimping is also legal most prostitutes will deny that they have a pimp. Prostitutes rent rooms for the day and/or night and discuss prices with clients prior to the job. During the day renting a small room would cost on average about 85 euros while at night renting one would cost on average 115 euros. On average, prostitutes in this red light district charge about 30 euros for 15-20 minutes of sexual intercourse. More than half the clients are foreigners and most of the clients range from 25 to 45 years old. Although prostitution is legal some prostitutes may find themselves in undesirable situations, most of the rooms that are rented out have buttons that when pressed will alert the police.

Maria:

In Thailand there are three red light districts; Soi Cowboy ,Nana Plaza and PatPong, all filled with bright lights, neon signs, bars, restaurants and crowds of locals and tourists. There are “go-go’s”, “sex complex’s” and “ladyboy bars”; which attract anyone who is looking to hire a woman for pleasure. Prostitution is not officially illegal in Thailand however, they regulate and monitor solicitation of prostitution. Unlike the floating world discussed in Saikaku’s Life of a Sensuous Woman, people come to Thailand’s red light district for one night stands rather than looking for temporary wives. Women are sometimes forced to sell themselves in the red light district at a very young age, similar to the sensuous woman. Some women decide to engage and work in the red light district by choice and do not hide the fact that they are selling themselves for sex or pleasure but are standing outside bars and restaurants looking for business. Prostitution has impacted Thailand by attracting tourism. The benefits to the prostitutes include physical money however the liabilities can often exceed the money such as their safety and health.

Tara:
Thailand’s red district consists of young women and sometimes teenage girls performing sexual acts in exchange for money. The women often work in bars and provide entertainment for tourists, however some engage in relationships for extra compensation. Although many insist these women are well off because they make good money in this profession, there is also a significant amount of violence associated with prostitution in Thailand. Many women become involved with gangs which then leads to violence and sometimes death. Although prostitution is technically illegal in Thailand, government officials can be easily paid off in order to continue with business. Unlike the woman in Saikaku’s Life of a Sensuous Woman, these women have no intentions of falling in love with the men they engage with. Some women even end up marrying the men they meet at the bars, however they rarely develop feelings nor do they yearn to. The narrator in Sensuous Woman was always looking for love and confused many of her relationships with being in love.

Nicole:

Continuing what both Tara and Maria have sex. Thailand is known for their red light district in Bangkok. There is one specific red-light district that is in Patpong, Bangkok. This specific red light district is primarily targeted to foreigners in tourists. This is one thing I found interesting. Being that these types of places are looked down on in some other countries, Thailand saw this as an opportunity to bring business into their country. As Tara mentioned, Thailand’s red light districts include go-go dancers as well as nude women doing stunts. Customers are also able to pay a “ bar fine” to take dancers home with them. In patpong there is also a market where they offer souvenirs, gifts and clothes. The individuals working in these red light districts are usually early-late teens. Some are also forced into service and have very little authority in their services. There is also a movie called “Bakara” that shows some of these women.

The red light district located in Paris, Pigalle is referred as Quarter Pigalle. Although prostitution is very illegal in Paris this area is filled with strip clubs, sex shops, and bars with prostitutes waiting. Apart from prostitutes there are also beggars and homeless people loitering the area. Outside the clubs are pimps trying to lure you into the club and other females, the most popular club there would be Moulin Rouge which attracts most tourists, couples and especially men. The average “working girls” are usually about 20-35 and according to tourists they usually end up spending about 200-300 euros on bottles that the girls order but as for the other business its more pricey. Everything is covert and secretive, not even photos are allowed of any of the girls. As for their motives, I believe its for the money since the poverty is high in France.

-Bintou Samura

Paris’s red light district is refereed to as Quartier Pigalle. It is rumored to get its name from World War II troops calling it “Piggy Alley”, however, the district was actually named after the famous Parisian sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. As Bintou has said, the district is filled with sex shops that tourists visit, as well as the prostitutes that roam the streets looking for work. Even though prostitution is illegal in France, I do think that this red light district is beneficial. It not only attracts the people looking for prostitution, but it is a tourist attraction that creates money for France. People travel from all over the world just to visit this red light district. With any vastly populated area there are homeless people that wander the street, which puts a damper on the tourist attraction. Even though this district has a lot of history, the district can disappear if France decides to crack down on prostitution. However, this seems unlikely to happen given the amount of money this tourist attraction makes.

-Joseph Morreale

When you hear Moulin Rouge what do you think of? Does a book or movie come to mind? How about the song “Lady Marmalade” originally sung by Patti LaBelle? Which was later remixed in 2001 by Christina Aguilera, Mya, Pink and Lil’ Kim. If so would like to know the origin of Moulin Rouge? Well built in 1889 the Moulin Rouge is a cabaret which means it is centered on women and entertainment. Such as music, songs, dance and drama. It soon became one of the legendary spots for its topless revue shows. Alongside Le Divan du Monde which now functions as a concert space. These two places are located in the Quartier Pigalle also known as the red light district. The Quartier Pigalle, as said by Bintou and Joseph is the main attraction for visitors around the world to come in contact with nightclubs, adult shows, sex shops, prostitution and so forth.

                                                                                                             –  Keauna

De Wallen is the largest and most well known red light district in Amsterdam. It consists of a network of about three hundred cabins that are rented out by prostitutes. Prostitution is allowed in Amsterdam, but it must take place in a legal and transparent manner; which means no street prostitution. While health and social services are readily available, sex workers are required to undergo regular health checks at the government’s expense. Brothel owners and room operators often require health certificates before employing or leasing rooms. De Wallen also has a number of sex shops, sex theatres, sex museums, cannabis museums and coffee shops that sell marijuana. De Wallen is the oldest red light district in Amsterdam and therefore has a very large tourist attraction.

Group: Muneeb, Jorge and Jamie.