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During what turned into “storytime” on Monday, we looked at Ursula K. LeGuin’s short story, “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas.” Finish the story. We’ll discuss it tomorrow.
We’ll have a discussion of conformity tomorrow and seek answers to questions of equality, specifically: What is the overlap between a society that values conformity above all things and a society that values equality above all? Is there any overlap? Michel de Montaigne, considered by many to be the father of the modern essay (now you know who to blame), says of conformity:
Once conform, once do what others do because they do it, and a kind of lethargy steals over all the finer senses of the soul.
Which, of course, raises the question: What are the “finer senses”? (See Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron“) After freeing himself from the equality devices, Bergeron dances with the prima ballerina. Can we make the argument that the arts are made possible by these “finer senses” and thus non-conformity or rebellion? Of course, Bergeron also declares himself “a greater ruler than any man who ever lived!” So there’s the wrench in that analysis. Thoughts?
Your homework for this weekend is to keep reading Brave New World (reading journal=friend) and finish Harlan Ellison’s “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman.” First question: What’s with the jellybeans? I leave you to come up with other questions that pop up.
Bonus reading: Ursula LeGuin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas.” This is a quick read, but a very haunting story. Read it if you so desire, but we will be focusing on Brave New World and Ellison’s story in class on Monday.
P.S. If for any reason you have trouble opening Ellison’s essay, download a free PDF reader or read LeGuin’s story. Discussion is impossible if we’re not all on the same page.
August 18, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Jellybeans…taste the rainbow??