Or so says Cameron, in explaining how Keating passed over the Realism section in the "Pritchard" textbook. Perhaps it makes sense to you now after reading stories like Bartleby, The Yellow Wallpaper, Paul's Case, and The Second Choice. I'm reminded of the exchange of verse between Keating and the Latin teacher:
Latin teacher: Show me a man unfettered by foolish dreams, and I'll show you a happy man.
Keating: But only in his dreams can a man truly be free; twas always thus and always will be.
Latin teacher: Tennyson?
Keating: No, Keating (with a wink).
So what I'm wondering is, what do you think of these realist stories? Do you think they are more relevant because they are more realistic? I sometimes think of American Literature as reaching a peak of liberation and unadulterated transcendental freedom with Walt Whitman... then everything that has followed has served to complicate the idea, to show how it's not as easy as it seems to get through the mud and muck to reach the hard bottom and say, This is. "Paul's Case" is complicated, but one thing I think it's about is how easy it is to fall into a trap where you think you are some kind of romantic individualist, but in the end you really just think you're better than "common" people. That's a dangerous trap. And while everyone would like to think they would make the brave choice and stand up against the heavy wave of social expectation, don't you think that the vast majority of people would, like Shirley, choose the easier, safer path of least resistance?
These realistic stories, to me at least, have been the most interesting we have read this year. I find them very intriguing. I love how the plots seem to take a more mysterious path, for example in "The Yellow Wall-paper". Although I enjoyed these stories, I find myself drawn to more creative stories. I do not find these realist stories to be more relevant because although they do have to do with womens rights and self "expression" the messages in the stories are subtle. For Example, the story "The Yellow Wall-paper could be taken in two directions. It could be seen as a feminist or non feminist paper. But continuing on, I agree with Mr.H when he said that it is a dangerous trap to think you are a "romantic individual" when you really think that you are better then the "common" kitty. While there are those that try and stand against the harsh world, there are those that have prevailed such as Emerson. I find that most people, though, would choose to just go with the flow and ride in their sail boat, not getting their toes wet. Like Shirles, I find that society would rather stay within their limits then expand out of their cubicle.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading Paul's Case, I was reminded of one of my favorite people: Ferris Bueller. In my opinion, Bueller is a very romantic individual. He is able to truly capture each day, or "suck the marrow out of life." (Keating) Bueller sees that he must live, for soon him and his friends will graduate. He fakes sick, sings in a parade, and steals his friends father's car. If we were to ask Ferris, there is no doubt he would agree to being a very romantic individual. If we were to ask Ferris if he were better than the "common" people around him, I don't doubt that he would also agree. However, I believe that he would also state that they too could become just like him.
ReplyDeleteFeeling better than the average person and being a romantic soul seem to almost go hand in hand. In the cases of many, we see others choose the easier life, the path of less resistance. Shirley settling for Barton, a friend leaving a guy she likes for no reason other than that they won't see eachother for a while and she doesn't want to keep trying to make things work, and the classmate who runs during break to buy a chocolate chip muffin only to have to settle for the blueberry one left. We all settle for less than we hoped for, less than we dreamed of. The reason we do is simple, fear. Shirley could have gone to Java to meet with Arthur, but she didn't because she feared giving away her respectable place in society to go to a foreign place and not know what she will find, and possibly the fear that in Java their could be some deadly diseases she could acquire. We all are wired to fear the unknown. This we do for good reason. Just recently, I was watching the beginning of the new Alice in Wonderland with my friend Kristen. Alice's older sister remarks that Alice needs to get married soon since she doesn't want to wind up like their aunt something. This aunt is still unmarried, and has now become very old and has no options but to stay seated in her chair fanning herself, and looking longingly out for someone else. We try to steer clear of chaos and the turbulence surrounding the unknown. However, in our midst, their are some that go against these forces and truly can be considered "romantic individuals."
I honestly think that Keating kept a very good thing from his students by completely skipping over the Realism section in their textbooks, because although it is fun to theorize and philosophize every once in a while, sometimes one must realize that real life doesn’t always work out as perfectly as one might have hoped. It’s deceitful to just ignore this period entirely because understanding one period of thought helps you to understand how the next grew and developed from the first.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s easiest to liken this to taking someone’s words out of context. One of the best out-of-context quotes EVER is the quote below from Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species. We all think that Darwin came up with natural selection, right? Well, read the first paragraph. Pause. Then read the second paragraph. Can you see how Darwin’s words may have been used to bite him? Ignoring part of the whole story doesn’t mean it isn’t there, it just means that you are intentionally depriving yourself of potentially useful information! It’s like claiming that the Holocaust didn’t happen – just because it was a low point in our history does not mean that we should ignore it to make ourselves feel more righteous. Only in comparison to the bad can we see what is really good. Not that I am saying that the Realism section was bad; I enjoyed it very much (especially the creeping… so much!!). I am merely saying that it is important to familiarize yourself with things before you pass judgment.
“To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree.
Yet reason tells me, that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple, each grade being useful to its possessor, can be shown to exist; if further, the eye does vary ever so slightly, and the variations be inherited, which is certainly the case; and if any variation or modification in the organ be ever useful to an animal under changing conditions of life, then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection, though insuperable by our imagination, can hardly be considered real.” – Charles Darwin, Origin of Species
On a moderately tangential note, I definitely agree with Mr. Harrington that our society seems to idolize the romantic way of life while putting down those who are more pragmatic. It’s a bit hypocritical. It reminds me of a question I always ask myself when studying various time periods in history – if I were alive during the Holocaust, during apartheid, during segregation; would I, like Rosa Parks, be the one to refuse to give up my seat? Or would I trudge to the back of the bus with the rest of humanity?
Bueller?
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ReplyDeleteOn a personal level, I find this Realist Unit the most interesting out of all the units we've covered so far this year. While stories such as Rip Van WInkle and Ben Franklin have kept my attention, it was not until we started reading Paul's Case and The Bride Moves to Yellow Sky that I truly enjoyed reading the stories.
ReplyDeleteWhile the Romantics such as Poe and Emerson wrote amazing pieces, the cold, hard truths to the Realist stories are hard to beat. The Realist stories are more relatable to the reader than Romantic pieces. An average reader is much more likely to relate to feeling out of place in their life than falling asleep for twenty years and randomly waking up one day. There are lessons to be learned from these stories that a reader can take with them through their life. If you support the viewpoint that The Yellow Wallpaper is a feminist piece, then you can take from it that the Narrator stuck to her beliefs over everything else, which is hard to do. It is extremely hard to believe in ones self so much to stick to your opinion even when everyone else in the world says not to.
In Paul's Case, the reader was let into the mind of a boy that told us exactly what he was thinking. While people may disagree with what he said, it is an unique viewpoint to know exactly what the character is trying to say. This point of view from an average teenager would never be portrayed in a Romantic piece.
Although I do not particularly care greatly for the Romantic pieces, I would never consider completely ignoring them. Even if you do not agree with their viewpoints or believe that their symbolism and themes are important, they are at the least important to compare against Realism. If there is nothing to compare against something, such as the Realist way of writing, then there is no way of discussing the Realist piece. If there is only one way of doing something, then there can be complaints against that way, but there is no solutions.
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ReplyDeleteI think that maybe there is a difference between true romanticism and romantic literature. We have come to use the word "romantic," it seems, in the place of optimism, of transcendentalism, and of the idea of a happy ending. But these stories from the realism period in literature seem, to me, just as romantic as the rest. Am I wrong? To be romantic is to see the world with emotion - to see ideas and concepts, rather than concrete things, in everyday occurrences.
ReplyDeleteLike two different ways of looking at a tree. An unromantic point of view may see that the trunk is brown and the leaves are green. It may see roots, bark and limbs, and it may note how tall the tree is. It may think about the structure of the tree, what kind it is, or its use of photosynthesis to create energy. A romantic point of view, on the other hand, may see how it reaches toward the sky, aspiring toward heaven. It takes into account the maze of pattern on the trunk, and the chaos of the limbs and leaves, all competing for the same sky.
These stories, romantic or realist, all seem romantic to me. I think we have maybe been using the word wrong this whole time, under the impression that "romanticism" and "realism" are opposites. These stories portray life romantically, invoking deep emotions in the reader with mere language. Just because the realists don't use Poe's same overeloquent style, or end with a piece of Whitman's elated joy, does not mean that they are unromantic.
I have enjoyed reading these realistic stories, especially "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" and "Paul's Case". They are extremely interesting and completely different from the Transcendentalism Unit, but they are not better. I love being creative and have always enjoyed reading creative stories, which is why I don't prefer one unit over the other. This Realism Unit is creative in my eye because the stories are so out of the ordinary. The authors create these stories to portray larger themes and lessons to the reader, which involves having a creative plot so the right message is being conveyed. (I hope this doesn't sound crazy. It's probably not. idk)
ReplyDeleteThe Romantic writers like Whitman and Emerson captured my interest just as much because they lead me to be creative by making me think of how I can fulfill my life and become me. With the realist stories, I, actually, was not able to relate as much. They didn't have as big of an impact on me either. They were fun to read, but they weren't as daring and enlightening.
As for whether or not people in society would choose the safer path, I believe I cannot elaborate on the statement. How would I know? If I were to say yes, then I would possibly be saying that I stand above these people as someone who wouldn't choose the safer path. I would be falling into the trap of thinking I am better than the "common person". I'm not going to answer this question because I believe people in society have the chance to do what they want, whether it is choosing the safe path or not.
Thank you. Have a nice day.
I would have to disagree with Emily. Sorry my dear, but I think the boys at that school really didn’t need to see the harsh realities anymore in life. They saw enough of it in everyday life, so why read about it too? I personally am not a huge fan of realism. Not only does it take away all of the excitement and joy out of the Hollywood ending of all of my favorite movies, but it takes away dreamers. If the reality of my personal situation is that I am not going to get into my dream college, then why should I try my hardest in school? What the realist are saying is that I have no real positive chance of success or happiness. As a woman, I am going to settle for less than I deserve. In the workplace I will never find my dream job. Society has already placed me; so don’t bother trying to make a difference. I think we all need the hope that things can get better. Especially today where we see successful women in the workplace and dominant women in the house, we see the east and the west co-existing and getting along, we know it’s possible. Therefore this “realism” isn’t so real anymore. I can get a tall, dark and handsome man if that is what I want. I don’t have to settle for a short, light and ugly boy (sorry if this describes you).
ReplyDeleteI am most definitely a romantic but I do understand the need have a part of realism in you and I think that I do. I see that some things just are not going to happen and coming to terms with that can be difficult, but sure, I understand that that is apart of life. But it should not be everything you believe in. I mean seriously, can you imagine a world without Santa, the tooth fairy, and the Easter Bunny? Realists can, but no way can I.
So I guess if you are the kind of pessimist that knows that everything is not going to turn out like a fairytale, then well have fun reading the realist pieces. But me? I am going to stick to The Ugly Truth type stories, where of course Katherine Hiegel and Gerard Butler (yeah that’s for you Katie) end up together.
Mr. Keating’s decision to not teach the realism unit was controversial. I think that not teaching the “realism” is what I would prefer as teacher, but that is just because I am the type of person who loves fairytales and unrealistic happy endings. However, I do see the importance of reading realistic and analyzing these stories. Yet, I do not believe they have more credibility or are more relevant because they are realistic. That would be like if one was to say a rose is more beautiful than a twig. I mean, if you look at the twig with a romantic eye, then you might see its beauty in its rigid texture, small center, and deep coloring. And one could even argue that looking at the rose with a realistic eye, makes it obnoxious or too much.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I do strongly agree with Kristen that there is a big difference between romantic literature and realistic literature. Both are interesting to digest, yet ones leaves the reader feeling unsatisfied with a too perfect ending and the other is left with a tragic or haunting one.
My favorite story from the unit, by far, is “The Second Choice” by Theodore Dreiser. The Second Choice was extremely relatable. The abrupt ending left me wanting more, and truly feeing sad for Shirley. Many times I think girls feel unwanted or left in the dusk, like Arthur forgot Shirley, and I think that this story was perfect example of that. This story did bring out a lot of emotion. One battles with the decision between safety and risk, Arthur or Barton, along with Shirley till the very end. I think that is what realism stories indent to do. The stories bring you to either hate or side with the character and ultimately feel what the character feels. It was the same for me in “Paul’s Case” and the “Yellow Wallpaper,” you feel sorry and disturbed by the insane young woman and confused teenage boy. I think that this sense in realistic writing is much different from romantic pieces. In romantic pieces, the reader feels more happiness and curiosity. But in realistic writing, the reader feels eerie and sulky emotions instead.
But I did enjoy reading all six pieces. They each had different morals, opinions of American society, and the different vision of the progression of individuals. So all in all, realistic stories are important to read and have a lot of contrast to the previous romantic stories we engulfed ourselves in.
I absolutely loved the realism chapter!! I understand that at times it can be depressing, but I enjoyed how the authors did not preach a specific set of morals, which everyone must follow, as did many of the transcendentalists. Instead they used powerful allegories, metaphors, and symbols, to describe a condition or problem, which our society deals with. I especially enjoyed how many of the themes, which are outlined in these six stories, are applicable, even in today’s society. In particular the story “the Bride comes to yellow sky” is one, which I believe is very applicable in today’s society. America is constantly referred to as the melting pot of the world; however what we fail to understand is the implications of having such diverse cultures intermingling with each other. The result is a completely new (lack) set of customs and traditions. As influx of incoming immigrants from different parts of the world gradually increases, the cultures and traditions which people brought with them during the 1900’s are slowly lost and diminished by the lack of cultural reinforcement. I believe that the return of Mr. Potter to Yellow sky, which symbolized the beginning of western industrialization and reform, also could signify today’s loss of culture and heritage which people brought with them when first coming to this country. These types of analysis, which discuss modern day parallels greatly, intrigued me and grasped my attention while I red these stories.
ReplyDeleteOMG Asha… I’m so glad that we have such similar taste in men… Great minds do think alike!... But here’s the thing, I agree with Emily, Keating should not have deprived his students of the realistic section of American literature. I understand that his main purpose was to provide an invigorating outlook on life that the boys had never experienced before, but I think in the end he ended up doing his students a disservice, because literatures a lot like life, you have to experience all of the genres to truly appreciate it, which leads me to my next point.
ReplyDeleteI think both the realistic and transcendental periods of American Literature are equally frustrating, because they only represent one extreme emotion without acknowledging the other extreme. I mean come on how many of us get up every day feeling as if they are spiritually connected with everything in the world, not many… right, but at the same time, How many of us get up wanting to run away from our homes or rip off the wallpaper in our bedroom. Maybe there are brief moments where everything is glorious and fantastic and moments where everything is miserable and horrifying, but most of the time humans maintain a certain level of regularity, filled with good and bad things happening at once.
So, to answer your question Mr. Harrington, I didn’t like these realistic stories any more or less than I liked then the transcendental stories. I think both of these genres have something to offer, but only in moderation, too many Transcendental stories and your students will start starring at loons, while to many realistic stories and your students will have to be checked into the psych-ward.
Wow. Awesome. Truly, I'm really impressed. I wish I weren't about to fall asleep because I'd respond to everyone. Quickly: agree with Emily. Realism = not my favorite unit, but the stories usually lead to interesting and productive discussions. I sometimes think of the American realism as series of short and often intense cautionary tales. I think Kristen's talking (intelligently) about semantics -- literature is usually labeled "Realist" when it attempts to offer a more realistic as opposed to idealized view of life (which generally comes from plot resolution). Marly: I think I've seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off about fifty times. More later. :) mrh
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to disagree with a lot of people. I liked the realism stories we read. Though the stories were pretty sad, they are necesary and a could change in pace. Our whole lives we are taught through stories, movies, etc. that we can achieve anything. Though it is possible in many cases, we must be able to live just the same if we fail. If you're hopes are too high then you will be gravely dissapointed. I'm not saying lower your hopes and dreams but know that things don't always turn out the way you wanted them to. This unit is simply teaching us that lesson by not having these coincidental happy hollywood endings for every story. It's surprising to read these stories but life is surprising as well.
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