Ignorance and Ingenuousness
When I was younger, I never had a clear idea of the problems or situations that where going on around my home. I acted very naive and so did my sister, we where children and therefore didn't have the obligation to worry or to understand what was going on. When I grew up I understood and now I have to take important descions and worry about what is going to happen. Children, most of the times are not aware of the real situations their parents or grown-ups are in. They always act towards most of the situations with ignorance or ingenuousness becuase it is not their problem yet.
In the book, we can see this ignorance and ingenuousness with the daughter of Captain Fellows; Coral. She is thirteen and is not aware of the political and religious situation that is going on in Mexico and of the "real" life her family is going through. The first example of this is when Greene compares Coral with her mother. "Terror was always just behind her shoulder: she was wasted by the effor t of turning round. She dressed up her fear so that she could look at it - in the form of fever, rats, unemployment." Pg. 33. Mrs. Fellows is scared she is tired of life but on the other side Coral was not. "She was very young -about thirteen -and at that age you are not afrai of many things, age and death all the things which may turn up snake-bite and fever and rats and a bad smell. Life hadn't got her yet; she had a false air of impregnability."Pg. 33
We continue seeing Coral as a naive girl when she tells her father that the priest is in the barn. "'Lying? Good God,' Captain Fellows said, 'You dont mean he's here.' 'Of course he is here,'Coral said." Pg. 36. Altough she seems to take "grown-up" decisions such as telling the Leuitenant to stay in the hammoc she does not seem to notice what is really going on. Mr. Fellows knows what is really going on and knows the seriosness of the problem when he is warned by the Leuitenant. " 'He is a priest. I trust you will report at once if he is seen' The Leuitenant paused. 'You are a foreigner living uder the protection of our laws. We expect you to make a proper return for our hospitality.' "Pg. 35. Coral is naive, she does not know what is going on and therefore helps the priest hide in the barn but she doesn't know the consequences because of her ingenuousness and ignorance because she is still a child.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
The Power and The Glory Blog # 2
Money=Success
Throughout history in various cultures and societies, money has meant success. This, has been showed in two ways. The first way, is the way everybody should gain succes; by hard work and effort. But the second way is the easy way to get money and to get what people want, this, is called corruption. History has demostrated that in various conflicts and situations, the major power has most of the times used corruption to avoid problems or to get what they want. This "major power" most of the time has been the church or a religious figure, that have had the power of the word of the townspeople. People, bribe people usually that have no means what so ever and have no idea of the mistake they are making.
Throughout history in various cultures and societies, money has meant success. This, has been showed in two ways. The first way, is the way everybody should gain succes; by hard work and effort. But the second way is the easy way to get money and to get what people want, this, is called corruption. History has demostrated that in various conflicts and situations, the major power has most of the times used corruption to avoid problems or to get what they want. This "major power" most of the time has been the church or a religious figure, that have had the power of the word of the townspeople. People, bribe people usually that have no means what so ever and have no idea of the mistake they are making.
In The Power and the Glory, the power of the church is inmense and the conflicts are all because ot this major power. When collecting the indulgences, the church is strict and does not permit anybody to skip this payment. "And the priest came round with the collecting bag taking their cetavos, abusing their small comforting sins and sacrificing nothing at all in return-exceot a little sexual indulgence."Pg. 22-23. Church, is seen as an authority that no one can challenge and everybody is afraid of this power. This means that if people pay idulgences they will be free and they will be at peace and therefore have a succesfull life but others, that have no money will suffer the consequences. But is that suffering in the church's principals?
Another example in the book of money eaqual to succes is when Mr. Tench narrates the situation in jail. " They came bowing, hat in hand, ne behind the other. 'so-and-so drunk and disorderly.' 'Fined five pesos.' 'But I cant pay your excellency.' 'Let him clear out the lavatory and the cells then.'"Pg. 20. Here, the major power is the Leuitenant and he is using corruption, to gain money and permit the people leave with no charges ans therefore have succes. But people who cant pay this "five pesos" will be in jail. These people who can not pay maybe are the good people and the ones that can pay can cause more trouble if they are set free.
These two powers, the church and the Leuitenant are important in the book because both are powers that people look up to and are afraid. This, makes me wonder if both authorities are connected or work by separated? Is the church allied with the Leuitenant to gain power and to corrupt the townspeople?
The Power and the Glory Blog # 1
Loneliness and Depression
One of people's major frights is ending up completely alone with no friends, family or nobody to talk to. This feeling/State leads to depression. In the beggining of the book The Power and the Glory, Mr. Tench expresses his situation and the way he lives. He is completely alone in a country that is not his. "It had been talking to a stranger, Mr. Tench thought, going back into his room, locking the door behind him (one never knew). Loneliness faced hime there, vacancy. But he was as accustomed to both as to his own face in the glass."Pg. 18.
Mr. Tench, lives alone and knows nobody. This character can be compared with Kapuscinski in The soccer War when he narrates that no sickness is worse than being alone. "More devastating than malaria or amoebas, fevers or contagion is the disease of lonliness, the disease of the tropical depression. Defending yourself against it takes iron resistance and strong will. (Here begin a description of depression.)" Pg. 138(The Soccer War).
These two characters live by themselves and in a country different from their own. They are both experiencing political and cultural conflicts where they don't have much to do but they still prefer to stay there, rather to go bck to their countries. Altough the narrations and plots of the book are very different Mr. Tench resembles to the character of Kapuscinski. Loneliness and depression connects both of the characters.
One of people's major frights is ending up completely alone with no friends, family or nobody to talk to. This feeling/State leads to depression. In the beggining of the book The Power and the Glory, Mr. Tench expresses his situation and the way he lives. He is completely alone in a country that is not his. "It had been talking to a stranger, Mr. Tench thought, going back into his room, locking the door behind him (one never knew). Loneliness faced hime there, vacancy. But he was as accustomed to both as to his own face in the glass."Pg. 18.
Mr. Tench, lives alone and knows nobody. This character can be compared with Kapuscinski in The soccer War when he narrates that no sickness is worse than being alone. "More devastating than malaria or amoebas, fevers or contagion is the disease of lonliness, the disease of the tropical depression. Defending yourself against it takes iron resistance and strong will. (Here begin a description of depression.)" Pg. 138(The Soccer War).
These two characters live by themselves and in a country different from their own. They are both experiencing political and cultural conflicts where they don't have much to do but they still prefer to stay there, rather to go bck to their countries. Altough the narrations and plots of the book are very different Mr. Tench resembles to the character of Kapuscinski. Loneliness and depression connects both of the characters.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Response to Adrew Rice: The Passanger
When reading Kapuscinski, the hardest thing to analize is his character inside and outside of his books. Your point of view of Kapuscinski resembles very much to mine. "He is everywhere, behind and between the front lines, and yet no one ever seems to notice him." Kapuscinski was a risk taker, he wanted to be everywhere covering every situation but who noticed him? He was completely unoticed and it seemed to me no one ever worried about him. "He made himself invisible, in other words: a secret agent. And yet, insinuating as he was, it's hard to imagine a correspondent less likely to make a successful spy. one ever seems to notice him." I cite your words because after reading your article I thought they were perfect to describe Kapuscinski. Eventhough, this writer is difficult to decipher either inside of his books as a character or outside as a writter, The Soccer War is an excellent narration about what is happening in the world at that time.
The Soccer War Blog # 8
Racism
Slavery and the trade of Africans, made people conscious of the differences in the cultures and traditions. In the past, racism became a rough topic and colored skin people where vastly discriminated and had absolutely no human rights. Throughout the years this has changed and there is not as much discrimination, but it some communities’ people still have many negative opinions towards this issue. This is a concern in society that can be argued for ever but still many people won’t understand that EVERYONE has the same rights and that EVERYONE has absolutely no right to be discriminated. In the last pages of the book Kapuscinski narrates how he hates racism and the difference in color. “I can’t bear that language, that language of white, black and yellow. The language of race is disgusting.” Pg.231. He expresses this to Kofi, in a village in Ghana, but Kofi then explains that he talks about white just as he has been taught. “For a hundred years they taught us that the whit is somebody greater, super, extra. …We knew exactly as much as they wanted us to know. Now it’s hard to change.” Pg. 231. It is about time for people all around the world to make a change and eliminate racism and discrimination. Although there are differences between cultures and beliefs there should be no discrimination what so ever.
Slavery and the trade of Africans, made people conscious of the differences in the cultures and traditions. In the past, racism became a rough topic and colored skin people where vastly discriminated and had absolutely no human rights. Throughout the years this has changed and there is not as much discrimination, but it some communities’ people still have many negative opinions towards this issue. This is a concern in society that can be argued for ever but still many people won’t understand that EVERYONE has the same rights and that EVERYONE has absolutely no right to be discriminated. In the last pages of the book Kapuscinski narrates how he hates racism and the difference in color. “I can’t bear that language, that language of white, black and yellow. The language of race is disgusting.” Pg.231. He expresses this to Kofi, in a village in Ghana, but Kofi then explains that he talks about white just as he has been taught. “For a hundred years they taught us that the whit is somebody greater, super, extra. …We knew exactly as much as they wanted us to know. Now it’s hard to change.” Pg. 231. It is about time for people all around the world to make a change and eliminate racism and discrimination. Although there are differences between cultures and beliefs there should be no discrimination what so ever.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Soccer War Blog # 7
An Excuse
Excuses are used by most of the people to cover a lie, to comfort someone, to take advantage oaf a situation or to create conflict. This has been seen throughout history in several wars and events. A concrete example of this is narrated in The Song of Troy. In this narration, Paris, the prince of Troy falls in love with Helen, the wife of Menelaus, the heir of the throne of Sparta. Helen’s beauty leaves Paris astonished, this causes him to kidnap Helen and take her to troy. Meanwhile, all the Greek nations unite and create a plan to rescue Helen. They say they just seize Troy and gain power in that nation. But the real purpose of the seize, is to gain control of the trade in the Hellespont channel where plenty of money is gained. They use the excuse of Helen to fight against the Trojans.
In The Soccer War, Kapuscinski narrates a very similar story; Honduras and El Salvador use the excuse to fight. “These are the real reasons for the war: El Salvador, the smallest country in Central America, has the greatest population density in the western hemisphere (over 160 people per square kilometer)…Honduras (12,000 square kilometers) is almost six times as large as el Salvador, but has about half as many people (2,500,000)…Relations between the two countries were tense…There were pogroms. Shops were burned. In these circumstances the match between Honduras and El Salvador had taken place.” Pg. 182. The excuse of The Soccer War was a soccer match but actually both countries had other reasons to fight for.
Excuses are used by most of the people to cover a lie, to comfort someone, to take advantage oaf a situation or to create conflict. This has been seen throughout history in several wars and events. A concrete example of this is narrated in The Song of Troy. In this narration, Paris, the prince of Troy falls in love with Helen, the wife of Menelaus, the heir of the throne of Sparta. Helen’s beauty leaves Paris astonished, this causes him to kidnap Helen and take her to troy. Meanwhile, all the Greek nations unite and create a plan to rescue Helen. They say they just seize Troy and gain power in that nation. But the real purpose of the seize, is to gain control of the trade in the Hellespont channel where plenty of money is gained. They use the excuse of Helen to fight against the Trojans.
In The Soccer War, Kapuscinski narrates a very similar story; Honduras and El Salvador use the excuse to fight. “These are the real reasons for the war: El Salvador, the smallest country in Central America, has the greatest population density in the western hemisphere (over 160 people per square kilometer)…Honduras (12,000 square kilometers) is almost six times as large as el Salvador, but has about half as many people (2,500,000)…Relations between the two countries were tense…There were pogroms. Shops were burned. In these circumstances the match between Honduras and El Salvador had taken place.” Pg. 182. The excuse of The Soccer War was a soccer match but actually both countries had other reasons to fight for.
The Soccer War Blog # 6
A World to Discover
During summer vacations, I had the opportunity of being in a magical place in the north of Colombia; La Guajira. When I reached this place I realized that I had been missing out of such beautiful places. This was because I had a routine where I had forgotten there is a world outside for us to discover.
Throughout the years, the ideas and facts about technology, new ways of thinking and the everyday life in an office or in a city have become ver popular. This, has made people to start to depend on technology and to have an every day routine and forget that there is a world outside needed to be discovered. When I talk about discovered, I do not refer to it as for the people to be the first to find, learn or explore, but for the people to discover as for the first time in one's experience. People who never get out of their homes and offices who depend on the internet or on T.V's are missing out of tons of things that happen all around the world.
In The Soccer War, Kapuscinski lets us know that he wants to discover the world, that he is against of offices, routine and furniture. "Furniture divides man from man; people cower behind furniture like birds into holes...While many whole categories of furniture may be man's serviceable insturmnets, his slaves, in the case of a desk a contrary relationship obtains: man is its instrument, its slave...Once plunked down behind one a man will never learn to tear himself free."Pg. 146. When Kapuscinski arrives to Poland he is put behind a desk to do wrk but after a few days he is desperate and wants to go out to find the world he has not discovered, the world he has not written about. Because of this he goes to South America, Chile and finds how different culture is.
During summer vacations, I had the opportunity of being in a magical place in the north of Colombia; La Guajira. When I reached this place I realized that I had been missing out of such beautiful places. This was because I had a routine where I had forgotten there is a world outside for us to discover.
Throughout the years, the ideas and facts about technology, new ways of thinking and the everyday life in an office or in a city have become ver popular. This, has made people to start to depend on technology and to have an every day routine and forget that there is a world outside needed to be discovered. When I talk about discovered, I do not refer to it as for the people to be the first to find, learn or explore, but for the people to discover as for the first time in one's experience. People who never get out of their homes and offices who depend on the internet or on T.V's are missing out of tons of things that happen all around the world.
In The Soccer War, Kapuscinski lets us know that he wants to discover the world, that he is against of offices, routine and furniture. "Furniture divides man from man; people cower behind furniture like birds into holes...While many whole categories of furniture may be man's serviceable insturmnets, his slaves, in the case of a desk a contrary relationship obtains: man is its instrument, its slave...Once plunked down behind one a man will never learn to tear himself free."Pg. 146. When Kapuscinski arrives to Poland he is put behind a desk to do wrk but after a few days he is desperate and wants to go out to find the world he has not discovered, the world he has not written about. Because of this he goes to South America, Chile and finds how different culture is.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The Soccer War Blog # 5
"Life is a challenge, and only those who live up to the challenge really know what it means to live."
In life you have to take risks, not only physical, but mental risks that will challenge yourself and will make you learn new things and become a better person. I believe this is a very good way of seeing life, but until a certain point. Until the point you know it will be safe for you. This quote is perfect to explain this thought, because it says you have to experience things to know what they are like.
When I read the following passage from the book it made my connect it with this quote. "I was driving along a road where they say no white man can come back alive. I was driving to see if a white man could, because I had to experience everything ormyself. I know that a man shudders in the forest when he passes close to a lion. I got close to a lion so that I would know how it feels. I had to do it for myself because I knew no one could describe it to me."Pg. 130. It connects perfectly to the quote because Kapuscinski wanted to experience and to know what it would be like. But allthough it connects, I think he is taking too many risks because he doesn't know he will get out alive. And for a job, this is too risky.
In life you have to take risks, not only physical, but mental risks that will challenge yourself and will make you learn new things and become a better person. I believe this is a very good way of seeing life, but until a certain point. Until the point you know it will be safe for you. This quote is perfect to explain this thought, because it says you have to experience things to know what they are like.
When I read the following passage from the book it made my connect it with this quote. "I was driving along a road where they say no white man can come back alive. I was driving to see if a white man could, because I had to experience everything ormyself. I know that a man shudders in the forest when he passes close to a lion. I got close to a lion so that I would know how it feels. I had to do it for myself because I knew no one could describe it to me."Pg. 130. It connects perfectly to the quote because Kapuscinski wanted to experience and to know what it would be like. But allthough it connects, I think he is taking too many risks because he doesn't know he will get out alive. And for a job, this is too risky.
The Soccer War Blog # 4
"Kapuscinski's Reports Hit Communism at Home"
At the beginning of the report, it is said that Kapuscinski was a reporter a covered the "hot spots in the late 1950's" which is true becuase in The Soccer War he narrates about Africa's situation and he is the narrator in his own stories. Once again I refer to the following quote in the book to relate it with the report. "In the course of a moth I had driven though five countrie. In four of them, there were states of emergency. In one, the president had just been overthrown; in a second, the president had saved himself only by a chance; in a third, the head of government was afraid to leave his house, which was surrounded by troops. Two parliaments had been dissolved. Two governments had fallen. Scores of political activists had been arrested. Scores of people had been killed in political conflicts." Pg. 127. Kapuscinski was int he hot spots, he always wanted to cover every topic that had to do with politics, thanks to his own country, Poland and its communism.
I was surprised, when in the report it was said that Kapuscinski had to live in harsh conditions only to cover the hot spots he talks about in most of his narrations. It would be very hard for me to accept the job Kapuscinski had if I wasn't sure I was going to be safe and if I had to pass over difficult times. The job of a reporter who is a critique must be very difficult becuase when you critique someone or a situation, many people will go against you or will defend your point of view. This, makes the job even more dangerous and makes it a job where you have to take many risks. In the book, Kapuscinski talks about Ben Bella and Boumedienne; "I want to defend Ben Bella just as I am going to defend Boumedienne."Pg. 106. He talks about both in a good way but he also criticizes both.
At the beginning of the report, it is said that Kapuscinski was a reporter a covered the "hot spots in the late 1950's" which is true becuase in The Soccer War he narrates about Africa's situation and he is the narrator in his own stories. Once again I refer to the following quote in the book to relate it with the report. "In the course of a moth I had driven though five countrie. In four of them, there were states of emergency. In one, the president had just been overthrown; in a second, the president had saved himself only by a chance; in a third, the head of government was afraid to leave his house, which was surrounded by troops. Two parliaments had been dissolved. Two governments had fallen. Scores of political activists had been arrested. Scores of people had been killed in political conflicts." Pg. 127. Kapuscinski was int he hot spots, he always wanted to cover every topic that had to do with politics, thanks to his own country, Poland and its communism.
I was surprised, when in the report it was said that Kapuscinski had to live in harsh conditions only to cover the hot spots he talks about in most of his narrations. It would be very hard for me to accept the job Kapuscinski had if I wasn't sure I was going to be safe and if I had to pass over difficult times. The job of a reporter who is a critique must be very difficult becuase when you critique someone or a situation, many people will go against you or will defend your point of view. This, makes the job even more dangerous and makes it a job where you have to take many risks. In the book, Kapuscinski talks about Ben Bella and Boumedienne; "I want to defend Ben Bella just as I am going to defend Boumedienne."Pg. 106. He talks about both in a good way but he also criticizes both.
The Soccer War Blog # 3
Greed for Power
Are political wars, used to improve a country's situation or only for the greed of power? Throughout the book I have wondered if all of the politics of the countries that are named in The Soccer War, are fighting because they want to improve their county or only because they just want to have the power. At the beggining, Kapuscinski states valid reasons to have a war, but these benefit the towns people, they are for the good of everybody and not only for the goog of the politicians and the high class of the countries. For example, wanting to free Algeria from France and making it an idependent country where there are original and unique customs. But as the book continues these reasons start to dissapear and the only thing Kapuscinski writes, is about the political issues and wars that are going on in the five countries he has visited. "In the course of a moth I had driven though five countrie. In four of them, there were states of emergency. In one, the president had just been overthrown; in a second, the president had saved himself only by a chance; in a third, the head of government was afraid to leave his house, which was surrounded by troops. Two parliaments had been dissolved. Two governments had fallen. Scores of political activists had been arrested. Scores of people had been killed in political conflicts." Pg. 127
It is amazing to see how wars go around political issues and that's about it. The presidents and teh governments don't actually care about what their people think, what their people want and what is the best for their country. The greed for power is clear in each of the five coutries that have been narrated until this point, and it is unbeliavable to read and to think that thousands of people were killed and politicians didn't actually care because all they wanted was to reach power. "Everywhere there was an atmosphere of tension, everywhere the smell of gun powder."Pg. 127
Are political wars, used to improve a country's situation or only for the greed of power? Throughout the book I have wondered if all of the politics of the countries that are named in The Soccer War, are fighting because they want to improve their county or only because they just want to have the power. At the beggining, Kapuscinski states valid reasons to have a war, but these benefit the towns people, they are for the good of everybody and not only for the goog of the politicians and the high class of the countries. For example, wanting to free Algeria from France and making it an idependent country where there are original and unique customs. But as the book continues these reasons start to dissapear and the only thing Kapuscinski writes, is about the political issues and wars that are going on in the five countries he has visited. "In the course of a moth I had driven though five countrie. In four of them, there were states of emergency. In one, the president had just been overthrown; in a second, the president had saved himself only by a chance; in a third, the head of government was afraid to leave his house, which was surrounded by troops. Two parliaments had been dissolved. Two governments had fallen. Scores of political activists had been arrested. Scores of people had been killed in political conflicts." Pg. 127
It is amazing to see how wars go around political issues and that's about it. The presidents and teh governments don't actually care about what their people think, what their people want and what is the best for their country. The greed for power is clear in each of the five coutries that have been narrated until this point, and it is unbeliavable to read and to think that thousands of people were killed and politicians didn't actually care because all they wanted was to reach power. "Everywhere there was an atmosphere of tension, everywhere the smell of gun powder."Pg. 127
Literary Circles Vocabulary
- Marengo
- Algiers
- Slumped
- Hearse
- Geraniums
- Inquires
- Taciturn
- Strode
- Brandished
- Chaplain
- Dwindling
- prince-nez
The Soccer War Blog # 2
Two different countries, but same situation.
In Colombia, throughout the past years there have been many refugees or "desplazados" in the big cities such as Bogota, Medellin, Cali, ect. This has been because of the guerrillas, who have caused tons of violence in the towns of these people. It is unbelievable how one group of people that only cause harm to people are capable of making people leave their homes and towns only to survive and to be alive. This refugees arrive to big cities, without a home and a job, most of them have big families and it is very hard for them to fin a job that can sustain their whole family. For this reason most of them live in the streets in a complete misery. This situation can be compared to the soccer war when Kapuscinski relates the situation in Algeria and what war caused to Algerian villages. "Three hundred thousand feld Tunsia and Morocco. At the same time, throughout the whole war, people from the villages -where repression hit hardest- fled to the cities, where, today, thirty per cent of the Algerian population now lives. Most of them have no jobs, but they do not want to go back to their village, or they can not return because the villages no longer exist." Pg. 102. It is sad to see this situations, and it is surprising how it can happen anywhere around the world. This is what war causes, death, poverty and misery.
In Colombia, throughout the past years there have been many refugees or "desplazados" in the big cities such as Bogota, Medellin, Cali, ect. This has been because of the guerrillas, who have caused tons of violence in the towns of these people. It is unbelievable how one group of people that only cause harm to people are capable of making people leave their homes and towns only to survive and to be alive. This refugees arrive to big cities, without a home and a job, most of them have big families and it is very hard for them to fin a job that can sustain their whole family. For this reason most of them live in the streets in a complete misery. This situation can be compared to the soccer war when Kapuscinski relates the situation in Algeria and what war caused to Algerian villages. "Three hundred thousand feld Tunsia and Morocco. At the same time, throughout the whole war, people from the villages -where repression hit hardest- fled to the cities, where, today, thirty per cent of the Algerian population now lives. Most of them have no jobs, but they do not want to go back to their village, or they can not return because the villages no longer exist." Pg. 102. It is sad to see this situations, and it is surprising how it can happen anywhere around the world. This is what war causes, death, poverty and misery.
The Soccer War Blog #1
The Stranger in the Soccer War
"Ahmed Ben Bella, the president of Algeria, was overthrown on June 16, 1965. It happened during the night-time changing of guard, just after two o'clock in the morning." Pg 95
With the overthrow of the president Ben Bella in Algeria, this book can be compared to The Stranger. With the first line of the book we can see that Ben Bella is a stranger to his country, to Algeria. After the war, the president becomes a stranger to most of the situations,the country's misery and conflicts are out of his hands and people are discontent with the president they have. Although the situations are not the best and Algeria is a hard country to govern Ben Bella could have taken messures to improve the county's situation. Mersault and Ben Bella have the same "problem" they're both strangers to something and this causes them to end in situations they have never wished for. Mersault is a stranger to life such as Ben Bella is a stranger to his country.
"Ahmed Ben Bella, the president of Algeria, was overthrown on June 16, 1965. It happened during the night-time changing of guard, just after two o'clock in the morning." Pg 95
With the overthrow of the president Ben Bella in Algeria, this book can be compared to The Stranger. With the first line of the book we can see that Ben Bella is a stranger to his country, to Algeria. After the war, the president becomes a stranger to most of the situations,the country's misery and conflicts are out of his hands and people are discontent with the president they have. Although the situations are not the best and Algeria is a hard country to govern Ben Bella could have taken messures to improve the county's situation. Mersault and Ben Bella have the same "problem" they're both strangers to something and this causes them to end in situations they have never wished for. Mersault is a stranger to life such as Ben Bella is a stranger to his country.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
The Stranger Blog # 6
The Stranger
Throughout the whole book I have wondered who is the real Mersault? But after finishing the book I have come to realize Mersault is a complete stranger to me and to his own life. "The chaplain knew the game well too, I could tell right away: his gaze never faltered. And his voice didn't falter, either, when he said, 'Have you no hope at all? And do you really live with the thought that when you die, you die, and nothing remains?' 'Yes,' I said." Pg. 117. With this passage, Mersault shows he has no feeligs what so ever, he has made everyone understand that he is a stranger not only to himself but to everyone that surrounds him and the sad thing about it, is that he doesn't actually care.
"'I am on your side. But you have no way of knowing it, because our heart is blind.'" Pg. 120. Mersault has no feelings and does not care about what will happen with his life, he has shown throughout the book that he is the stranger and this is why he is judged guilty at the and of the trial.
In the last two pages of the book, Mersault realizes how he has been a complete stranger to everything that surrounds him, and eventhough he realizes late Camus makes a good end out of it. "And I felt ready to live it all again too. As of that blind rage has washed me clean, rid of me of hope; for the first tiem, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifferece of the world. Finding it so much like myself, so like a brother, really, I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again."Pg.122-123.
Throughout the whole book I have wondered who is the real Mersault? But after finishing the book I have come to realize Mersault is a complete stranger to me and to his own life. "The chaplain knew the game well too, I could tell right away: his gaze never faltered. And his voice didn't falter, either, when he said, 'Have you no hope at all? And do you really live with the thought that when you die, you die, and nothing remains?' 'Yes,' I said." Pg. 117. With this passage, Mersault shows he has no feeligs what so ever, he has made everyone understand that he is a stranger not only to himself but to everyone that surrounds him and the sad thing about it, is that he doesn't actually care.
"'I am on your side. But you have no way of knowing it, because our heart is blind.'" Pg. 120. Mersault has no feelings and does not care about what will happen with his life, he has shown throughout the book that he is the stranger and this is why he is judged guilty at the and of the trial.
In the last two pages of the book, Mersault realizes how he has been a complete stranger to everything that surrounds him, and eventhough he realizes late Camus makes a good end out of it. "And I felt ready to live it all again too. As of that blind rage has washed me clean, rid of me of hope; for the first tiem, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifferece of the world. Finding it so much like myself, so like a brother, really, I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again."Pg.122-123.
The Stranger Blog # 5
Mersault as an Outsider
Throughout chapters 3-4 in part two, unconsciously Mersault watches the trial as if everything were happening to someone else. "In a way, they seemed to be arguing the case as if it had nothing to do with me. Everything was happening without my participation. My fate was being decided without anyone so much as asking my opinion." Pg. 98. Mersault is not concious of what he is going through and he is not aware of the seriousness of this case. Once again I recall my Honesty vs. Ignorance blog and ask to my self, is Mersault beig ingnorant towards the situation? Or simply he does not want to realize the situation he has to confront.
Throughout the trial Mersault realizes its him they're talking about and that both, the prosecutor and his lawyer have in a way deciphered his life. "But all the long speeches, all the interminable days and hours that people had spent talking about my soul, left me with the impression of a colorless swirling river that makes me dizzy."Pg 104.He is now aware that peolple talk about him but that confuses him. The prosecutor says Mersault is guilty and eventhough his lawyer is wanting to defend him at one point of the trial everybody knows that Mersault will be judged as guilty.
Throughout chapters 3-4 in part two, unconsciously Mersault watches the trial as if everything were happening to someone else. "In a way, they seemed to be arguing the case as if it had nothing to do with me. Everything was happening without my participation. My fate was being decided without anyone so much as asking my opinion." Pg. 98. Mersault is not concious of what he is going through and he is not aware of the seriousness of this case. Once again I recall my Honesty vs. Ignorance blog and ask to my self, is Mersault beig ingnorant towards the situation? Or simply he does not want to realize the situation he has to confront.
Throughout the trial Mersault realizes its him they're talking about and that both, the prosecutor and his lawyer have in a way deciphered his life. "But all the long speeches, all the interminable days and hours that people had spent talking about my soul, left me with the impression of a colorless swirling river that makes me dizzy."Pg 104.He is now aware that peolple talk about him but that confuses him. The prosecutor says Mersault is guilty and eventhough his lawyer is wanting to defend him at one point of the trial everybody knows that Mersault will be judged as guilty.
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