In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain Tom starts off as a mischievous young boy who has no regard for social norms and does whatever he pleases, however, as the book progresses Tom engages in more noble, mature acts which then puts restrictions and guidelines on his actions as a part of becoming an adult.
Tom is first introduced hiding from his Aunt Polly to eat a sandwich filled with jam that she forbade him to eat, this is an example of his immature and childish nature. These characteristics are further emphasized when he distracts Polly upon being discovered so he could make a getaway to dodge his punishment. Aunt Polly expresses this by saying "Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time?'' (Page 4). Tom also portrays traits of wittiness when he slyly manipulates children passing by to paint his fence by giving the task a guise of importance and value by saying "...She's awfully particular about this fence; its got to be done very careful; I reckon there ain't one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand that can do it the way it's ought to be done." (Page 14)
The first subtle signs of Tom maturing are shown when he is introduced to Becky. He is instantly enamored and goes out of his way to get her attention while still keeping most of his boyish mannerisms. "As he was passing by the house where Jeff Thatcher lived he saw a new girl in the garden- a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair plaited into two long tails, white summer frock, and embroidered pantalettes. The fresh crowned hero fell without firing a shot. A certain Amy Lawrence vanished out of his heart and left not even a memory of herself behind..." "He worshipped this new angel with furtive eye till he saw that she had discovered him; then he pretended he did not know she was present, and began to "show off" in all sorts of absurd, boyish ways, in order to win her admiration." (Page 18).
Twain also hints at Tom's maturation when he nobly takes Becky's punishment in chapter twenty "Becky as passing by the desk, which stood near the door, she noticed that the key was in the lock! it was a precious moment. She glanced around, found that she as alone, and the next instant she had the book in her hands. The title page - Professor Somebody's Anatomy- Carried no information to her mind, so she began to turn the leaves. She came at once upon a handsomely engraved and colored frontispiece- a human figure, stark naked. At that moment a shadow fell on the page and Tom Sawyer stepped in at the door, and caught a glimpse of the picture. Becky snatched at the book to close it, and had the hard luck to tear the pictured plate half down the middle. She thrust the volume into the desk, turned the key, and burst out crying with shame and vexation..." (page 128) "...The master faced the school. Every eye sank under his gaze. There was that in it which smote even innocent with fear. There was silence while one might count to ten, the master as gathering his wrath. Then he spoke: "Who tore this book?" There was not a sound. One could have heard a pin drop. The stillness continued; the master searched face after face for signs of guilt..." "Rebecca Thatcher [Tom glanced at her face- it was white with terror]- Did you tear - no, look me in the face [ her hands rose in appeal ] - did you tear this book?" A thought shot like lightning through Tom's brain. He sprang to his feet and shouted "I done it!" The school stared in perplexity at this incredible folly. Tom stood a moment, to gather his dismembered faculties; and when he stepped forward to go to his punishment the surprise, the gratitude, the adoration that shone upon him out of poor Becky's eyes seemed pay enough for a hundred floggings. Inspired by the splendor of his own act, he took without an outcry the most merciless flaying that Mr. Dobbins had ever administered..." (Page 131).
Finally at the end of the book Tom tries to coax Huck into behaving himself at a formal party. "Well I ain't used to that kind of crowd. I can't stand it. I ain't going down there Tom." "Oh bother! It ain't anything. I don't mind it a bit. I'll take care of you," this is the point in the book where Tom begins his ultimate transformation into a young man that is becoming a part of society. Tom's decision to wear formal clothes to an event is a picture of setting aside his childish manners and acts as an example to Huck. This act shows maturity in the willingness to sacrifice and support for a friend.
The examples that I've mentioned in my essay direct the reader to believe that Tom is a representation of a boys rite of passage into society. Toms unruly behavior with Aunt Polly was the status quo for Tom, it wasn't until he fell for Becky that he began taking steps towards manhood. The sacrifices he made for his friends Becky and Huck is the culmination of the mark of becoming an adult. Tom started off as a selfish boy but by the end of the book he displayed his care for others.
Resources
Clemens, Samuel (1981). The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer. New York: Bantam Books, Dell Publishing Group, Inc.
Cliff'sNotes.Com Book Summary Of 'The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer'. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Accessed December 17, 2017.
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Short Story Compare And Contrast Essay
I recently read three short stories for school and was directed to select two of them to compare and contrast. For this essay I chose The Machine That Won The War, by Issac Asimov and The Story Of An Hour, by Kate Chopin both of which display foreshadowing and various devices of irony. I will provide examples from each of the stories to support my points.
The Machine That Won The War is about the Multivac; a craftily designed machine that allegedly won a war against the opposing planet 'Deneb'. The Multivac was programmed to calculate fail-safe fighting tactics which are then forwarded to the General to follow through on the machine's instructions. The Chief Programmer John Henderson would feed the machine information which would then be translated by Max Jablonsky the Chief Interpreter who would then send the completed instructions to Lamar Swift the Executive of Director of The Solar Federation. The Story Of an Hour is focused on Louise Mallard, a woman with a frail heart and her coping with her husbands' supposed death.
As I've mentioned before, both writers incorporate irony into their stories, however, they use different types. Verbal irony which was depicted in The Machine That Won The War, is when what is said is contrary to reality or twisting the meaning of what you say and is closely related to sarcasm. On the other hand, The Story Of An Hour uses situational irony, which is the occurrence of an unexpected outcome to a situation or the opposite result of an assumption.
In The Machine That Won The War verbal irony is used when Swift sarcastically admitted that he won the war, alluding to his method of decision making; a flip of a coin. He states, "Multivac is not the first computer, friends, nor the best-known, nor the one that can most efficiently lift the load of decision from the shoulders of the executive. A machine did win the war, John; at least a very simple computing device did; one that I used every time I had a particularly hard decision to make." The Story of An Hour uses situational irony by depicting the emotional roller coaster Louise experienced upon being informed that her husband had dies in an accident while he was in fact still alive, after she is shocked by the reality of the fact, she herself dies.
The Machine That Won The War is about the Multivac; a craftily designed machine that allegedly won a war against the opposing planet 'Deneb'. The Multivac was programmed to calculate fail-safe fighting tactics which are then forwarded to the General to follow through on the machine's instructions. The Chief Programmer John Henderson would feed the machine information which would then be translated by Max Jablonsky the Chief Interpreter who would then send the completed instructions to Lamar Swift the Executive of Director of The Solar Federation. The Story Of an Hour is focused on Louise Mallard, a woman with a frail heart and her coping with her husbands' supposed death.
As I've mentioned before, both writers incorporate irony into their stories, however, they use different types. Verbal irony which was depicted in The Machine That Won The War, is when what is said is contrary to reality or twisting the meaning of what you say and is closely related to sarcasm. On the other hand, The Story Of An Hour uses situational irony, which is the occurrence of an unexpected outcome to a situation or the opposite result of an assumption.
In The Machine That Won The War verbal irony is used when Swift sarcastically admitted that he won the war, alluding to his method of decision making; a flip of a coin. He states, "Multivac is not the first computer, friends, nor the best-known, nor the one that can most efficiently lift the load of decision from the shoulders of the executive. A machine did win the war, John; at least a very simple computing device did; one that I used every time I had a particularly hard decision to make." The Story of An Hour uses situational irony by depicting the emotional roller coaster Louise experienced upon being informed that her husband had dies in an accident while he was in fact still alive, after she is shocked by the reality of the fact, she herself dies.
These two stories share a theme of misinformation, in The Machine That Won The War, the entire population of earth is led to believe that the war was won by the Multivac's calculations when in reality all the important decisions were decided by a simple man and the flip of a coin. in The Story Of An Hour poor Mrs. Louise is informed that her husband has perished in a terrible accident when outside of her knowledge he was alive and well.
However, the outcomes of the character being misinformed are very different, In The Machine That Won The War the blindness to the reality of the matter brought peace and hope to the minds of the population while Mrs. Louise, upon discovering she had been misinformed, was too overwhelmed with emotion causing her heart to fail her.
In conclusion these two stories have similar themes but very different situational outcomes. Only having partial knowledge of truth can be detrimental and each story showed the consequences of that.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Immigration Paragraph
In 1903 a poem by the name of The New Colossus, by Emma Lazarus was inscribed on a plaque at the foot of The Statue Of Liberty. It reads “Give me your tired, your
poor, your huddled masses, yearning to be free.” America accomplish this by giving immigrants opportunities in their times of need to start again, for example, the Irish suffered greatly during the great potato famine which led to migration by the millions to America.
Friday, October 27, 2017
The Gilded Age
The period from the end of the Cvil War (1865) to the year 1900 has been give the name 'The Gilded Age', a phrase originally coined by Mark Twain, meaning an object covered in a thin layer of gold. Gilded can also apply to something that is attractive on the surface but has a deceptive underlying face. Historians granted this title to this time period due to the vast expansion and popularity of factories which produced astonishing amounts of varied products in record time as a result of the start of the industrial age. This rapid growth took on an appealing guise to the citizens of America and people of the world. The industrial boom was also the main motivation for immigration causing opportunists and those looking for a better way of living to pursue it. However, once they arrived on American soil they were met with discrimination, funneled into poorly built and over populated tenements, and overworked. For some, however, the willingness to work hard for a better life did afford them the opportunity to live the American dream. They also laid the ground work for the success of future generations.
Fredrick Taylor
What do you think of Fredrick Taylors ideas? I think his philosophy on efficiency in the work place is smart and should be considered by companies around the world, however, the individual workers should be taken into consideration while modeling an ideal work environment.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Top 10 Facts About: Harriet Tubman
1. Harriet Tubman was born 1819 or 1820 in Dorchester County Maryland
2. In the act of protecting another slave Harriet was struck in the head with an iron weight
3. Jobs: Abolitionist, humanitarian, union spy, scout, under ground railroad care taker
4. Married: John Tubman, a free black man
5. Helped Under Ground Railroad
6. Served the union as a nurse, cook, scout and spy
7. Gained freedom after escaping Philedelphia
8. Went to Auburn, New York
9. Settled there for some time
10. Died of pneumonia on march 10, 1913
2. In the act of protecting another slave Harriet was struck in the head with an iron weight
3. Jobs: Abolitionist, humanitarian, union spy, scout, under ground railroad care taker
4. Married: John Tubman, a free black man
5. Helped Under Ground Railroad
6. Served the union as a nurse, cook, scout and spy
7. Gained freedom after escaping Philedelphia
8. Went to Auburn, New York
9. Settled there for some time
10. Died of pneumonia on march 10, 1913
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Take A Step Back
Every once in awhile it is good to take a step back and think, "What am I grateful for?" Things we label 'everyday items' are commonly taken for granted or go unacknowledged. I am writing this article to take a moment to appreciate what I have.
First, I'm grateful that I was raised into a family of believers and was taught the truth from the start rather than being born into a secular family and left to myself to accept God after years of being taught otherwise, because chances are I would have rejected him like most. My parents have taught from the Bible throughout my childhood which has given me a strong understanding of the subject while others may be born in to a Christian family but have strayed due to lack of conviction.
I'm also fortunate for a nice neighborhood and house to live in. There are other neighborhoods that aren't nearly as safe or conveniently placed. My house/street is the crux of many fond childhood memories such as playing with neighbor kids at our annual potlucks.
I'm appreciative of a proper education with a Christian basis via homeschooling, in which I avoid common core and public school drama. Along with the advantage of having a small classroom, I can get the help I need. I also happen to have multiple professional art tools at my disposal, a talented mentor to work under and encouraging class mates that support my work.
Stopping to appreciate what you have gives you a different perspective on life.
I Thessalonians 5:18
First, I'm grateful that I was raised into a family of believers and was taught the truth from the start rather than being born into a secular family and left to myself to accept God after years of being taught otherwise, because chances are I would have rejected him like most. My parents have taught from the Bible throughout my childhood which has given me a strong understanding of the subject while others may be born in to a Christian family but have strayed due to lack of conviction.
I'm also fortunate for a nice neighborhood and house to live in. There are other neighborhoods that aren't nearly as safe or conveniently placed. My house/street is the crux of many fond childhood memories such as playing with neighbor kids at our annual potlucks.
I'm appreciative of a proper education with a Christian basis via homeschooling, in which I avoid common core and public school drama. Along with the advantage of having a small classroom, I can get the help I need. I also happen to have multiple professional art tools at my disposal, a talented mentor to work under and encouraging class mates that support my work.
Stopping to appreciate what you have gives you a different perspective on life.
I Thessalonians 5:18
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Benevolence Lost
Defining humanity would require volumes. A good portion of the description of humanity is accomplished through the writings of History and Literature. These two subjects offer a great explanation for the depths and questions that we tend to ask about ourselves, especially concerning the make up of man, which consists of; attitude, personality and biological make up. These two specific books in Literature offer views into those questions and help lead the reader to a deeper understanding of the inner workings of man. Although written one hundred twenty eight years apart both Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, display the dichotomy of human morality. These books provoke our thoughts and make us question how far science should explore in the field of human experimentation.
In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie Gordon, the main character who is mentally impaired struggles with how to acquire intelligence, social acceptance and love. He wanted an identity and was willing to sell himself to science in order to gain the things he felt he lacked. As the story progresses Professor Nemur, the scientist conducting the experiment, encourages Charlie that he is doing the right thing because it will help better mankind and quite possibly make him famous. Charlie replies "I don't care so much about being famous. I just want to be smart like the other people so I can have lots of friends who like me."- Page 97. The monster in Frankenstein observes a family living in a cottage and how they interact with each other. This caused him to seek human contact in order to change the situation he was in. The monster states his needs by saying, "The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures."- Page 126
In both books, the problem of intellectual validity becomes a topic of contention. Both characters were searching for meaning through the power of the intellect. Philosophically, we state that, what makes us human is intelligence. While this view may be socially accepted it is not entirely correct. Take someone who is mentally disabled for example, they may not have the same mental capacity as the average person but that does not make them any less human. We value intelligence because we know it can progress human kind in the fields of science, economy and industry. We tend to forget that there are many forms of intelligence that may not necessarily be able to be measured. For instance, the sense of humor of one individual may impact another to the point of shaping that person while the same sense of humor may have no effect on someone else.
Regardless of levels of intelligence we all want human connection, friendship and the ability to relate. In Flowers for Algernon, as Charlie grew smarter he found it hard to relate to his colleagues due to his expanding knowledge. His experience with alienation from the acceptance and love he sought before the experiment ironically had the same result in the remedy. Charlie realizes this truth when he surpasses his experimenters in intellect and writes, "I've got to guard against the natural tendency to look down on them...but still it's frightening to realize my fate is in the hands of men who are not the giants I once thought them to be, men who don't know all the answers." Page 107. In Frankenstein, the monster took desperate measures to make a meaningful connection with Dr. Frankenstein by forcing him to listen to his story. Even though he was met with abhorrence and hatred the monster persisted, "Be calm! I entreat you to hear me before you vent your hatred on my devoted head..." - Page 95. "Let your compassion be moved, and do not disdain me, listen to my tale; when you have heard that, abandon or commiserate me as you shall judge that I deserve. But hear me..." - Page 97.
In the world of ethics, science falls into using manipulation in order to justify the reasoning of moving forward in the experimental aspects of science. In both books no one benefited from the experiments. Both scientists failed to properly handle the outcome of their creations. Upon the completion of these experiments both scientists were surrounded with guilt and were forced to explain their selfish reasons for their ambitions. In Flowers For Algernon, Professor Nemur placates Charlie with a sense of altruism and with accolades of human betterment and fame but the outcome was adulterated. Charlie later retorted with, "I've discovered that nobody really cares about Charlie Gordon, whether he's a moron or a genius." Professor Nemur replied, "You're feeling sorry for yourself. What did you expect? This experiment was calculated to raise your intelligence, not to make you popular. We had no control over what happened to your personality, and you've developed from a likable, retarded young man into an arrogant, self centered, antisocial bastard." Professor Nemur may have succeeded in his intellectual experiment but ended up detached from Charlie. The human equation was annihilated for the sake of science. Charlie resented professor Nemur due do his clinical attitude towards him. He felt like a guinea pig and Professor Nemur's references to, 'making him what he was' or coldly stating, 'someday there will be others like him who will become real human beings' sums up Charlie's point when he states, "How can I make him understand that he did not create me? He doesn't realize I was a person before I came here." Page 101. The same ramifications can be seen with Dr. Frankenstein's reaction to his own creation and the fact he failed to create something beautiful. His mind was completely focused and entangled with the processes of creating a functional human body to the point he ignored warnings about his ideas from his family and colleagues and proceeded under a cloak of secrecy. His father warned him early of the danger of his imaginative pursuits in the ancient philosophies and tried to direct him to return to his former modern system of scientific studies by stating, "Ah, Cornelius Agrippa! My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this; it is sad trash." Page 38. Dr. Frankenstein encompasses the spiritual consequences for creation without due authority in the following statement, "I doubted at first whether I should attempt the creation of a being like myself... but my imagination was too much exalted" - page 52. His reaction to his creation was of disgust, horror, rejection and abandonment which lead to the destruction of himself, his creation and those he loved. Trying to take the authority of God into your own hands is problematic and leads to dysfunction because we were not meant to have such power.
Humans are curious and continue to push forward in experimental sciences which may contain beneficial outcomes for mankind but also have the same moral questions Algernon and Frankenstein encounter. Two modern equivalents that encompass these questions are found in computer science; specifically artificial intelligence and biology, in the field of genetic engineering. Artificial intelligence promotes the idea that this system will make life easier and connect science, economy and industry. AI is the 'well oiled machine' that connects society but we should question if this is a good thing. Are we giving too much control to a machine? What are the ramifications for a thinking people when a machine dictates and controls knowledge. In biology, genetic modification can help find and fight disease, it can also dictate gender, intelligence and even the eye color of a baby. This field can be extremely helpful but also lead to a 'god complex'.
As humans we are fated to question and yearn for answers. Our failure to correctly evaluate the moral consequences and set proper boundaries results in destruction instead of what is intended; the betterment of humanity. Reading these books will make you question if knowing is really worth the consequences. The experiment performed on Charlie resulted in feelings of ridicule and he explains this with Plato's allegory of the cave when he quoted, "...the men of the cave would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes." The regression of Charlie and his awareness of losing what he sacrificed himself for was littered with sorrow, pain and irreversible loss. Victor Frankensteins personal decent into madness and despair due to not being able to rectify himself to his mistake caused enormous pain within his soul and the world around him. " Thus spoke my prophetic soul, as torn by remorse, horror and despair, I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims of my unhallowed arts." Page 85.
In conclusion, both books refer to John Milton's, Paradise Lost to describe the main theme found throughout the pages. The souls of all characters were scarred in some manner by the decision to forgo natural set boundaries. The scientists and subjects lived within a newly distorted reality which took precedence in their minds. The scientists actions were captivated by their thinking which had residual results with their fellow man. Those associated with the experiments were effected with loss of life or loss of quality of life. In effect, all lost their innocence and were unable to re-coup their former selves. The lesson of the frailty of human nature and the limits we should live within is best stated by Milton, "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven."
References:
Keyes, Daniel. Flowers For Algernon, Bantam edition, July 1975.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstien, Signet Classic. Penguin Books, 1963.
Written with the help of my mom.
In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie Gordon, the main character who is mentally impaired struggles with how to acquire intelligence, social acceptance and love. He wanted an identity and was willing to sell himself to science in order to gain the things he felt he lacked. As the story progresses Professor Nemur, the scientist conducting the experiment, encourages Charlie that he is doing the right thing because it will help better mankind and quite possibly make him famous. Charlie replies "I don't care so much about being famous. I just want to be smart like the other people so I can have lots of friends who like me."- Page 97. The monster in Frankenstein observes a family living in a cottage and how they interact with each other. This caused him to seek human contact in order to change the situation he was in. The monster states his needs by saying, "The more I saw of them, the greater became my desire to claim their protection and kindness; my heart yearned to be known and loved by these amiable creatures."- Page 126
In both books, the problem of intellectual validity becomes a topic of contention. Both characters were searching for meaning through the power of the intellect. Philosophically, we state that, what makes us human is intelligence. While this view may be socially accepted it is not entirely correct. Take someone who is mentally disabled for example, they may not have the same mental capacity as the average person but that does not make them any less human. We value intelligence because we know it can progress human kind in the fields of science, economy and industry. We tend to forget that there are many forms of intelligence that may not necessarily be able to be measured. For instance, the sense of humor of one individual may impact another to the point of shaping that person while the same sense of humor may have no effect on someone else.
Regardless of levels of intelligence we all want human connection, friendship and the ability to relate. In Flowers for Algernon, as Charlie grew smarter he found it hard to relate to his colleagues due to his expanding knowledge. His experience with alienation from the acceptance and love he sought before the experiment ironically had the same result in the remedy. Charlie realizes this truth when he surpasses his experimenters in intellect and writes, "I've got to guard against the natural tendency to look down on them...but still it's frightening to realize my fate is in the hands of men who are not the giants I once thought them to be, men who don't know all the answers." Page 107. In Frankenstein, the monster took desperate measures to make a meaningful connection with Dr. Frankenstein by forcing him to listen to his story. Even though he was met with abhorrence and hatred the monster persisted, "Be calm! I entreat you to hear me before you vent your hatred on my devoted head..." - Page 95. "Let your compassion be moved, and do not disdain me, listen to my tale; when you have heard that, abandon or commiserate me as you shall judge that I deserve. But hear me..." - Page 97.
In the world of ethics, science falls into using manipulation in order to justify the reasoning of moving forward in the experimental aspects of science. In both books no one benefited from the experiments. Both scientists failed to properly handle the outcome of their creations. Upon the completion of these experiments both scientists were surrounded with guilt and were forced to explain their selfish reasons for their ambitions. In Flowers For Algernon, Professor Nemur placates Charlie with a sense of altruism and with accolades of human betterment and fame but the outcome was adulterated. Charlie later retorted with, "I've discovered that nobody really cares about Charlie Gordon, whether he's a moron or a genius." Professor Nemur replied, "You're feeling sorry for yourself. What did you expect? This experiment was calculated to raise your intelligence, not to make you popular. We had no control over what happened to your personality, and you've developed from a likable, retarded young man into an arrogant, self centered, antisocial bastard." Professor Nemur may have succeeded in his intellectual experiment but ended up detached from Charlie. The human equation was annihilated for the sake of science. Charlie resented professor Nemur due do his clinical attitude towards him. He felt like a guinea pig and Professor Nemur's references to, 'making him what he was' or coldly stating, 'someday there will be others like him who will become real human beings' sums up Charlie's point when he states, "How can I make him understand that he did not create me? He doesn't realize I was a person before I came here." Page 101. The same ramifications can be seen with Dr. Frankenstein's reaction to his own creation and the fact he failed to create something beautiful. His mind was completely focused and entangled with the processes of creating a functional human body to the point he ignored warnings about his ideas from his family and colleagues and proceeded under a cloak of secrecy. His father warned him early of the danger of his imaginative pursuits in the ancient philosophies and tried to direct him to return to his former modern system of scientific studies by stating, "Ah, Cornelius Agrippa! My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this; it is sad trash." Page 38. Dr. Frankenstein encompasses the spiritual consequences for creation without due authority in the following statement, "I doubted at first whether I should attempt the creation of a being like myself... but my imagination was too much exalted" - page 52. His reaction to his creation was of disgust, horror, rejection and abandonment which lead to the destruction of himself, his creation and those he loved. Trying to take the authority of God into your own hands is problematic and leads to dysfunction because we were not meant to have such power.
Humans are curious and continue to push forward in experimental sciences which may contain beneficial outcomes for mankind but also have the same moral questions Algernon and Frankenstein encounter. Two modern equivalents that encompass these questions are found in computer science; specifically artificial intelligence and biology, in the field of genetic engineering. Artificial intelligence promotes the idea that this system will make life easier and connect science, economy and industry. AI is the 'well oiled machine' that connects society but we should question if this is a good thing. Are we giving too much control to a machine? What are the ramifications for a thinking people when a machine dictates and controls knowledge. In biology, genetic modification can help find and fight disease, it can also dictate gender, intelligence and even the eye color of a baby. This field can be extremely helpful but also lead to a 'god complex'.
As humans we are fated to question and yearn for answers. Our failure to correctly evaluate the moral consequences and set proper boundaries results in destruction instead of what is intended; the betterment of humanity. Reading these books will make you question if knowing is really worth the consequences. The experiment performed on Charlie resulted in feelings of ridicule and he explains this with Plato's allegory of the cave when he quoted, "...the men of the cave would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes." The regression of Charlie and his awareness of losing what he sacrificed himself for was littered with sorrow, pain and irreversible loss. Victor Frankensteins personal decent into madness and despair due to not being able to rectify himself to his mistake caused enormous pain within his soul and the world around him. " Thus spoke my prophetic soul, as torn by remorse, horror and despair, I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims of my unhallowed arts." Page 85.
In conclusion, both books refer to John Milton's, Paradise Lost to describe the main theme found throughout the pages. The souls of all characters were scarred in some manner by the decision to forgo natural set boundaries. The scientists and subjects lived within a newly distorted reality which took precedence in their minds. The scientists actions were captivated by their thinking which had residual results with their fellow man. Those associated with the experiments were effected with loss of life or loss of quality of life. In effect, all lost their innocence and were unable to re-coup their former selves. The lesson of the frailty of human nature and the limits we should live within is best stated by Milton, "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven."
References:
Keyes, Daniel. Flowers For Algernon, Bantam edition, July 1975.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstien, Signet Classic. Penguin Books, 1963.
Written with the help of my mom.
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