Blog 3

Modern can be defined as pertaining to present and recent time; this definition describes our society. We are a society that has learned from mistakes in the past and are trying to make sure that history does not repeat itself. Our society is modern due to us having advanced, intellectual ways of handling ourselves instead of primitive ways like cavemen did. For example, us having advancements in technology to help improve our lives like computers, phones, and televisions. Most people nowadays depend on technology. However, even though we are more “modern” than past civilizations, does not exactly mean we are less violent.


Wars are still being fought to this day. They may not be happening here in America, but they are still happening overseas. In these wars, killing is happening regardless if it is on accident or not. Innocents may be killed in order to prove a point to the enemy. So we may not know exactly who we are killing, but lives are being taken. It is not like a video game where we have a certain amount of lives or we have continue points and so on. This could be a reason why when soldiers return from war time, they become more aggressive, more cold hearted because of what they have seen on the battle field; killing can change a person. It shows us that we are humans and that morality is a very valuable thing we have as humans.

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is chosen to rule as king by the gods. In today’s society, a ruler would never be picked like that. Instead, we have a choice on who becomes our next “ruler” by making our opinion known by voting for who we want to help guide us. The death of Electra’s father would have been handled differently if society back then had a better justice system and technology. Instead of simply taking revenge on Clytemnestra and her new lover, Aegisthus, by murdering them, Electra and Orestes could have taken a less violent approach in avenging their father’s death by example taking them to court.

Future generations will probably criticize and admire us for our dependence on technology. Technology has allowed us to become more advanced. A few years ago, not everyone had a cell phone, but as you may notice now almost everyone has a cell phone even small children. However once we lose something, like the internet or air conditioning, we begin to become more agitated about not having what we depend on. We did not always have these things. How do you think people who grew up without any of this technology feel now? My father always tells me that our generation is spoiled because he never had any of this when he was growing up. Our generation might just be spoiled and it’s only getting worse as more technological things are being developed and upgraded. Our generation has it pretty easy with all these technological advances. Future generations will probably figure out ways to make sure technological things will never “go out” and their dependence will probably increase 110%. They may also say we were the beginning of the “modern” age, but probably will not really consider us modern like we consider ourselves since I am sure they will be much more advanced in 2000 years.

Future generations might also criticize how we handled topics such as segregation, wars we have fought in, and slavery. However, we did try to overcome these things. We overcame segregation and slavery in the long run so maybe future generations will also admire us for getting rid of these types of problems, but probably still criticize us on them for making these things problems in the first place.

Electra

While reading Electra by Sophocles, the conflict Justice versus Revenge arises. The differences between the two can be seen clearly within this play. Justice can be defined as being logical and reasonable while revenge can been seen as taking vengenance with an overwhelming passion. Electra gives us an inside look into how Greek society was. In Ancient Greek society, the society was known as being a patriarchy. Masculine values were seen as superior to feminine values because male’s values were seen as logical and reasonable while feminine values were viewed as being filled with emotion and passion which they could not control. This play also shows how much honor was to meant to Greek society. Electra refrains from taking revenge for her father’s death because it would dishonor her brother because in Greek society it was the son’s responsibility to avenge his father.


This play is has been read for over 2,000 years because it makes you question, “What is the real difference between justice and revenge? Are Electra’s motives more for justice or are her emotions getting the best of her and does it turn more into revenge?” Electra wants her mother, Clytemnestra, and her new lover dead for her mother’s actions against her late father, Agamemnon. Electra is shown as becoming overemotional about her father’s death and her desire for her mother and her new lover’s death can be interpreted as revenge more than justice. However, her brother, Orestes, is being logical about the situation and actually has a plan; therefore, he is trying to bring justice to his father’s murder. Another reason why this play is still being read because it shows us how their society functioned and to show how far society as progressed from history.

Literature can be written to criticize or celebrate the culture in which it was written in. Sophocles may have written this to celebrate his time period by critiquing the past. This play was written in a time period in which males were superior over females although this play is based on female characters. Why? It seems like Sophocles was trying to say that because of female’s emotions getting in the way, they cannot control themselves during an upsetting time like Electra after her father’s death.

Blog #1

“Coming of Age in Mississippi” by Anne Moody and the supplemental readings have shown how much African Americans, especially in South, have suffered due to segregation and racism in the past. In “Coming of Age”, Anne shows us strong images concerning segregation, racism, violence, love, and family values. Anne faces segregation at a young age when she sees her white friends in a movie theatre. Not knowing it was wrong, Anne and her siblings went into the white section of the movie theatre to see them; however, she gets scolded by her mother and dragged out of the movie theatre. This incident makes her awareness towards the differences between whites and blacks begin. Racism is also very intense during this time; for example, Mrs. Burke and how she treats Anne and how she basically attacks her younger brother, Junior, who she blamed for stealing her coin purse when she misplaced it. Majority of the violence during this time was towards the African Americans who either disrespected white people or “over stepped” their boundaries like Emmett Till who said “Bye Baby,” to a white woman. Throughout the story, love is shown by how races mix during this time regardless of the racism going on like affairs happening with white men and their help. Also, it shows how some people are only happy when they are loved like Anne’s mother and Raymond’s relationship. Family means a big deal to Anne. Even at a young age, Anne tries to help her family survive by getting jobs and giving what little money she earned to help buy food for her mother and siblings. Chapter three begins the way it does to show the hardships her mother went through working just to make the little money she earned a week and to show how she met the white children who helped start Anne’s awareness towards the differences between whites and blacks. With the harsh attitudes and violence going on during this time, I could not imagine living during this time period. Just because someone’s skin color is different, did not mean they were lower than whites. I’m afraid if I would have lived during this time period, my family would have raised me to be racist towards African Americans and maybe even treat them as Mrs. Burke did or worse. If people like Anne Moore did not choice to stand up for what she thought was right, Mississippi would still be a dangerous place to live for African Americans and lynching would probably still be occurring. Also, schools would still be segregated and tensions between whites and African Americans would still be very high. Literature plays an important role in these questions because it shows how people like Anne Moore made a huge difference in history by standing up against society for her beliefs.