#willfang

[sixthsense2016]

Sobering Experience

Stepping into the conference building was a lot more intimidating than expected. The reception area was a pretty cramped place with people pushing against each other in order to get a nametag or to check in. There were no visible signs pointing out the different rooms which made navigating and trying to find a friend a challenge. However, after overcoming the initial confusion, the night went amazing. The food was great, venue was beautiful, and the presentations were spectacular. I was amazed at how many people were presenting, each with a unique idea and a unique twist on it.

I had the fortune to attend the “Rock the Boat” presentation, and let me tell you, it was one of the most depressing hours I have ever been through… in a good way though. The panel’s ideas were all united by the fact that something extreme needs to be changed for the better. The topics ranged from robotic revolutions, to the importance of silence and everything in between. The reason why the panel was so sobering and somber was the fact that all of these presentations brought out the thought provoking questions and took worst issues presented in the primary text to try and fix them. For example, in the paper Silent at Sea it explores the slave narrative or the lack of by explaining the power of silence. It was brutal and shocking how entire generations of people could be wiped completely from history, without a single trace of the slave narrative while the only thing remaining of them is the absence on something, silence. It was a powerful paper that supplemented the extremely abstract idea of silence with handouts. Additionally, along with the depressing lack of narrative of the slaves were the two conflicting ideas presented in the conference. One being, the singular focus on morality causes someone to be absent from life. That someone who spends their whole life trying to leave a legacy, focused on that singular topic will not have lived in the first place. This singular mindset presented in a paper is contradicted by another paper who stated that “only when we accept death is when we start to live”. Life is meant to be lived out in its fullest and death should not be obsessed over.

Not only did the presenters present thought provoking ideas that really stuck with me, they also successfully defended themselves and their papers with questions the audience asked. Being in a conference setting was a really interesting and motivating experience. I feel driven after listening to so many good papers to strive to grow myself as a writer and as a person.

[sixthsense2016]

When Reality Hits

Chick was one of the most interesting characters in the book for me especially after his explosive finale. He provided a stark contrast to the rest of his freakish family members. He was not insane like his parents, nor freakish like his siblings. In fact, he was a seemingly normal goody-two shoes boy who had the misfortune of being born and raised by a freak show. This contrast followed by his drastic personality difference help ground the absurd situations going on in the novel and brings out the horror of Arty’s actions.

Throughout the novel he has demonstrated to the reader time and time again that his intentions are only good, that he harbors no ill will or hatred inside his little body. All of his crimes like stealing money and acts of brutality were just to appease his deranged family members. All Chick ever wanted was to find a place of belonging, a real home setting. His young age left him with a jaded idea that if he could keep everyone together and fulfill their every demands, everyone would be happy. This effort spent, all went to waste as the family he was trying so hard to keep together literally falls apart.  His dreams of love went up in the air and so did his little heart.

[sixthsense2016]

Heimlich and the theory of Psychoanalysis

The "Uncanny" is a concept developed by Freud and support through the example of a lot of literature of an instant where something that is familiar to us becomes foreign and frightening. It is the little details that causes us to feel such eeriness and dread in what was normally amicable and normal. However, what really interested me was the way about Freud took to research and how they fit in with his theory of psychoanalysis.  

Freud does not outright define the word to us, but instead takes us on a journey to really show the reader how he psychoanalytically came to that thought. Freud cherry-picks through the multiple German dictionary definitions of Heimlich in order to find the best definitions that fit his psychoanalytical theory and his love for the subconscious. The linguistics of the word heimlich is fascinating Freund somehow comes to the conclusion that homely to mean something that is concealed from the self.  A lot of the definitions that Freund uses as example embodies “privacy”, “intimacy”, and “secrecy” which through past Freund experience, he most likely means “private parts”. Therefore, everything is unheimlich should have remained secret and hidden, but comes out to light. Of course this would make anyone feel uneasy or uncanny, by having your most intimate feelings, and pretty much your “privates come out to light”. This definition perfectly fits his theory that a person’s attitude and thought are largely influence by irrational drives that are rooted in the unconscious. When these subconscious thoughts surface it provides a surprising and unexpected self-revelation.

[sixthsense2016]

The Price of Jealousy

This book was nothing close to the story I thought it would be. Instead of a normal love story, it is a twisted dark fantasy of a family of freaks and their lives. However, the book does have one factor that all good love stories have, jealousy. Jealously is a theme that is prevalent throughout the book, especially in the children. As the children in the family grow up, they realize that their self-worth is directly related to how well their tent does. Everything in the children’s lives revolves around the freak show. They have to pull their weights as freaks in order to have a home and a job. In fact the more successful they are at being freaks and hosting successful shows, they not only have more value as a performer, but also more value under their parent’s eyes.

A prime example of this behavior is shown in Arty. Jealousy dominates his younger life as he is one of the first among his brothers and sisters to realize the importance of doing the best. He resorts to schemes and plots to underhand his competition. In fact, his younger sister Leona died “accident”, thanks to Arty's inability to control his jealous rages. If Chick had not had the telekinetic powers he did, he would have suffered from the same fate. This type of behavior is understandable since his parents drilled into his head that anyone that is not useful will be disposed of. In fact, his entire life depends on his usefulness and morals will not come above his well-being.

[thewillfang]

The Price of Jealousy

This book was nothing close to the story I thought it would be. Instead of a normal love story, it is a twisted dark fantasy of a family of freaks and their lives. However, the book does have one factor that all good love stories have, jealousy. Jealously is a theme that is prevalent throughout the book, especially in the children. As the children in the family grow up, they realize that their self-worth is directly related to how well their tent does. Everything in the children’s lives revolves around the freak show. They have to pull their weights as freaks in order to have a home and a job. In fact the more successful they are at being freaks and hosting successful shows, they not only have more value as a performer, but also more value under their parent’s eyes.

A prime example of this behavior is shown in Arty. Jealousy dominates his younger life as he is one of the first among his brothers and sisters to realize the importance of doing the best. He resorts to schemes and plots to underhand his competition. In fact, his younger sister Leona died “accident”, thanks to Arty's inability to control his jealous rages. If Chick had not had the telekinetic powers he did, he would have suffered from the same fate. This type of behavior is understandable since his parents drilled into his head that anyone that is not useful will be disposed of. In fact, his entire life depends on his usefulness and morals will not come above his well-being.

[sixthsense2016]

Closer to God?

Throughout the novel, we are led to question the inherent value of in religious institutions like Catholicism. Religion starts out like faith; both include the belief in something that concerns a person's views on God and of eternity. After that, religion and faith takes two very different paths. Religion generally sets up a bunch of qualifications in order to “get on God’s good side” and the ultimate goal is to reach heaven. While on the other hand faith is, purely believing and listening to God without a reward in mind. There are too many rules in organized religion and not enough faith. This type of belief does not agree with La Loca or Caridad who both have a closer, more personal relationship with God.

La Loca and Caridad in “So Far From God” do not follow a religion despite being two of the “holiest” characters in the novel. They were both born inherently Catholic, but do not practice. However, despite their distance from religion, their devotion and faith towards God grows stronger with every passing day. An event that connects both La Loca and Caridad is that they both have a near death experience. Despite their injuries, a higher power brought them both back to life, healed both their wounds, and opened both their eyes. After experiencing such a deep and personal connection with God, they are unable to follow a religion that people practice only for the sake of avoiding a fiery hell. They instead believe in God out of love for Him. They are unable to sit through service listening to an interpretation of God’s will when they both have experienced the real deal.  By following their own spirituality without religion both La Loca and Caridad are able to experience God directly.

[thewillfang]

Cheap Thrills

Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit takes place during the Victorian period of the nineteenth century. Victorians were prone to the paranormal, supernatural and occult, of which the most popular forms in the late Victorian period included clairvoyance, crystal gazing, thought reading, and above all, spiritualism. People were fascinated with contacting the dead and deceased through mystics and séances. These upper-class households would host mediums for a thrill. These supernatural thrills were only accentuated through the mysteriousness of spiritualism. The basis of Noel Coward’s play is to satirize the people and the time.  

Madam Arcarti is the medium hired to contact the dead. She is a peculiar character that shows the audience the truth about spiritualism. Her attitude and disposure to life really shows the satirical nature of the play. She really shows the audience the ridiculous nature of her character through her disposition and the acts of mysticism she performs. As an spectator previewing Madam Arcarti’s séance, it is almost comical. Contacting the dead has never been easier with grown men and women holding hands with one another while a crazy woman runs around in circle singing nursery rhymes. Along with her performances, Madam Arcarti’s  quirky nature of biking everywhere she goes and fainting on command only adds to the ridiculousness of spiritualism. The entire play is absurd and really shows how bored and gullible these high-class people were.