My last English teacher in high school did a great job in making sure I would be able to read and write at a college level. He essentially taught me two things: how to understand a story thoroughly and the way in which a proper essay is constructed. He explained that in order to fully grasp something intellectually, one must go from concept to context. This methodology allowed me to enjoy works like Hamlet and Heart of Darkness because I was never lost in the plot and never felt confused about the characters. There was a clear focus on esteemable western works. It was because I was able to recognize the true meaning and beauty behind the aforementioned pieces, as well as others, that I fell in love with Literature. However, if one could just read all day, that would be a job.
The Importance of Being Present
Since the semester is almost over and I’m heading back home for the holidays, I feel it’s appropriate to discuss the idea of reflection. The fact that the concept of reflective thinking seems to be crucial in studying English is another reason to write about it. Our roots and beginnings shape us. Their significance is undeniable. However, looking back on your life isn’t very easy. Many people are unhappy with themselves. When practicing reflective thinking, it’s typical to indulge in the urge to practice self-loathing. Earlier in the semester, I wrote a post where I praised the idea of reflective thinking and suggested that one should do it constantly. I take that back. We should all be living in the present at all times, as that is the key to happiness.
The Soul and Sex
“Body” by Percival Everett has got me thinking. It’s a poem about the human body that is very formal and unnerving. He uses scientific terms to describe the inner structure of a human, which is disgusting. It’s interesting that I have this aversion to the anatomy of people. Specifically, I’m often repulsed at the many bodily fluids and processes that are part of what it means to be human. Of course, this includes my own as I’m no hypocrite. The vulgar and crude nature of mine and other’s existence is something I’ve always struggled to accept.
How should we judge art?
How should we judge art? More importantly for us, how do we judge whether Percival Everett’s works are good or not? In order to answer this question, I spent some time looking into the philosophy of David Hume. For those unfamiliar with the guy, he was a renown Scottish Enlightenment philosopher that, among other things, concerned himself with how we should evaluate art. He wrote a scholarly essay on this topic titled “Of The Standard of Taste” where he revealed, in his opinion, what constitutes an exceptional critic of art.
Dropping the Beads
Our professor tried to teach us how to write by using a hands-on metaphor. We were given a few beads and a piece of string. We were told that the beads represented body paragraphs and the string represented a thesis. Then, we had to “plunk” the beads on our desk. Unsurprisingly, most of us were confused as to what “plunking” something entailed, so she demonstrated. Words can only go so far, and the more I study literature, the more I realize this. The silliness of our language is astonishing. Percival Everett’s works seem to embrace this concept and I suppose that’s what makes them entertaining to me. Anyway, the purpose of the “plunk” was to illustrate how the beads just go everywhere when bounced against a wall. To prevent this, one must string the beads as one strings together an essay around a claim. So, we proceeded to create a lovely necklace.
That’s when I dropped the beads…twice.
Pushing the Envelope
As I read books by Percival Everett, I find myself feeling uncomfortable. I know becoming more engaged with topics like race and sexuality is beneficial, but I’m still hesitant. Why? One reasonable explanation is that I’ve not been exposed to these themes enough. I honestly don’t think that’s the case considering the media I’ve been digesting for years. Many contemporary creators seek to “wow” their audience through pushing the envelope. Everett definitely fits into this category since he chooses to dive into rough concepts and ideas while making constant scatological jokes and references. Although this could be seen as crude and vulgar, I believe it to be entertaining and meaningful. My feelings of awkwardness must derive from discussing I Am Not Sidney Poitier with my peers in an academic setting. Everett is probably seeking to legitimize these subjects through satire, which makes him a great author and activist.
Be Your Own Vlepo!
As students and scholars studying English (and other disciplines), we are learning to embrace reflective thinking in order to analyze literary works. Additionally, we can also utilize the process of thinkING to lead a more meaningful and direct life. Throughout “Frenzy”, Vlepo is trying to find answers by utilizing this reflective system. One maintains a certain amount of control over their existence by being conscious of, and being able to critique their own thoughts and behaviors. This is certainly a valuable and dangerous skill to have, as the excessive practice of reviewing can lead to self-doubt which renders one unable to function. Ironically enough, if you are aware that this could happen to you, it makes it easier to avoid it by possessing an attitude of indifference. Regardless of the implications of adopting the idea of constant reflection, I would argue that it is beneficial.
Dionysus is quite apathetic towards people. True, he provides them with gifts and makes them happy, but the god doesn’t seem to really care about them or anything for that matter. He is seemingly detached from the world. Therefore, he is incapable of genuinely feeling and seeing the implications of his actions. This is where Vlepo comes in. Vlepo’s purpose is to observe the frenzy and report back to his Bakkhos. Undoubtedly, he takes great pride in his purpose, which is to describe what’s going on (the first step in the reflection cycle). Vlepo must be in constant suffering for a multitude of reasons. One of them being the fact that, he cannot actually engage in this ritual madness. It must be torturous to be so close to something but still on the outside of it. Additionally, almost all of his experiences and feeling are commanded by Dionysus. At will, the god can toss Vlepo’s very being into inanimate objects, animals, or people. While in these forms Vlepo has two duties: to mark the events happening from a third-party perspective and to recognize the feelings and thoughts that the host has and report that to Dionysus. One instance of this exercise is when Vlepo gets to read Sibyl, his crush’s, mind. Lo and behold, he finds out that she believes, “I feel only for my Bakkhos.” Vlepo also has the ability to evaluate and analyze experiences, but he struggles with formulating a conclusion and action plan for much of the story. As we know, he eventually goes through the full cycle by killing Bromius.
If you were to pretend that you were Vlepo, looking at your own life, what would you observe? How would you describe it? By answering these questions truthfully, one has the power to make drastic changes in their life for the better.
Thoughts on “The Bacchae”
By creating this play, Euripides warned that we must follow Dionysus. The god’s power is simply too great. But, where does that power come from? It was given to him by us. The early humans seeked answers about their world and themselves, as we still do today. They found that the explanation for almost everything was to be attributed to a god, or a necessary being. Not only did the gods represent aspects of existence, they had the power to control them. All of the Greeks must’ve been extremely paranoid due to this apparent truth. However, gods of Greece were surprisingly benevolent having been given renown and respect. They had the power to destroy anything and everything, but they didn’t. Instead, they provided for the mortals. In return, we performed rituals dedicated to them. This system is pretty simple, and easy to understand. I suppose that is why it was largely accepted. Dionysus was essentially the god of harvest and fertility. Two things absolutely necessary to human life. So the specific practice intended to honor him was called a “bacchanal” otherwise known as, “an occasion of wild and drunken revelry.” Certainly, this behavior has its appeal since we all have a disposition for decadence. In order to function as a society, we suppress these feelings of savagery and visceral lust. But, when a god commands, one must obey. To blaspheme was to dig one’s own grave in Ancient Greece (Exhibit A: Pentheus).