While oppressive ideals, and those that propagate them, often try to spread the idea that it is hopeless to resist, there is a reason to act out. Hope, Solnit asserts, is a gift that one does not need to surrender, and a power that an individual does not need to throw away (Solnit 4). Hope is an act of defiance, and while resistance alone is not sufficient reason to hope (Solnit 3), there are good reasons for the sustenance of hope. This paper will seek to review the current LGBTQ social justice movement, aimed towards elimination of systemic discrimination, and test if Solnit’s assertion that the grounds for hope lie in the records and recollections of the past is credible.
The Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) movement is a social movement that advocates for the LGBTQ people in society. These movements seek to dispel discrimination based on a heteronormative world-view and may include a focus on equal rights, self-help, self-acceptance, or outright liberation. Solnit posits that contemporary time is one of transformation and nightmares, and thus a full engagement would require the perception of both (Solnit 5). This statement holds for the LGBTQ movements, which, throughout their lifetimes, have had profound wins, but also faced significant drawbacks. For this study, the scope of the review will be limited to rights and freedoms as provided by legally-binding statutes, including Supreme Court rulings, executive orders, constitutional amendments, and Legislative Acts.
Initially, following a provision in the American Psychiatric Association, homosexuality had been listed as a mental condition under sociopathic personality disturbance. However, with the contemporary levels of acceptance and inclusivity, this has been disproven and was reflected in the diagnostic manual of the same organization later. Further, homosexual individuals had been barred from working within the federal government, as a security risk (Solnit 7). These levels of systemic and occupational discrimination do still exist in modern times, and Solnit addresses this reality by stating that having hope does not mean denying uncomfortable truths, but rather confronting them by remembering that which has been achieved instead.
The LGBTQ social movement has made significant achievements. These are conceptualized in different forms, including the all-out protests and riots following the police raid on Stonewall Inn. These raids towards a gay bar birthed the cultural phenomenon that is now the pride march. Further, the development of non-profit legal institutions for the representation of homosexual individuals in court through Lambda Legal set the precedence for LGBTQ legal representation in the Judicial System. The development of the rainbow flag also symbolizes unity and inclusivity and has become a powerful symbol for the social movement as well. More recently, same-sex marriages, as well as a landmark Supreme Court ruling, stating that occupational discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is illegal, marked a significant development in the fight for equality and representation.
These changes reflect Solnit’s position that recent times have had remarkable movement-building, social change, and profound shifts in perspectives and frameworks for large swathes of the population. However, hope is defined, not by the belief that everything is fine, either in the past, present, or future. Still, that specific possibility in the future can invite or demand people to act (Solnit 7). The review of the drawbacks and the achievements of the LGBTQ movement are necessary because grief and hope can coexist. Looking at the significant progress made by the movement, and the shifts in perspective and frameworks in contemporary society, there is an acknowledgment that there is the future possibility that discrimination against an LGBTQ person will elicit people or institutions to act; which is precisely Solnit’s description of hope.
Work Cited
Solnit, Rebecca. “Hope is an embrace of the unknown: Rebecca Solnit on living in dark times.” The Guardian: Culture, 2016, Web.
International relations are important to all organizations especially non-governmental organizations because they help in establishing links with other organizations, which are important for the organization in meeting its goals. One such organization is Hope for Children. It is a non-political, non-sectarian and non-profit making organization.
It is an international organization working in more than thirty nations in the world with full-time representatives in Uganda, UK, India, Ghana, Sri-Lanka, Zimbabwe and the Philippines. Its aim is to improve the health of children as well as giving them a future and aiding their acceptance in their societies. This paper details the operations as well as the working of Hope of Children Charity Organization.
The organization
This organization has been operating in the last seventeen years under the leadership of Dr. Robert Parsons. It is accountable through its set constitution to its executive committee of trustees and members (Parsons 23). Its major objective is to help the orphaned, disabled as well as the exploited children especially those found in the developing countries.
Developing countries are mainly composed of poor populations with millions of people living below the poverty line. As a result, many children in the developing countries do not get access to the basic human requirements exposing them more risks in the society. Some besides being malnourished lack access to education resulting into an uneducated population in the society, which is unable to pull itself out of poverty (Jere and Behrman 24).
Communicable diseases and HIV/AIDS also play a major role in rendering many children in the developing nations vulnerable to many hardships in life. In addition, developing countries experience wars weakening the countries’ economy thus unable to provide for the basic needs of the less privileged in the society. Hope for children addresses the hardships that children in most developing countries experience.
The organization not only focuses on the needs of poor children but also the entire society where the children belong. It works with grass root projects in these nations with the aim of getting those who are not able to get aid support or assistance from elsewhere. These projects incorporate all the members of the society that the children belong. By so doing, the organization helps in bringing sustainable development and the eventual elimination of poverty in these societies.
Hope for Children work through a dedicated network of volunteers and international staff. They act as full time representatives in many nations to ensure that the organization achieves its aim. These representatives help in the establishment of grass root projects in the developing nations.
They do so by identifying the needy children and coming up with a way to help in assisting in their situations (Jacoby and King 350). An example of such a project is the rehabilitation of street children in Kenya. In some cases, the organization not only helps the needy children but also the less privileged individuals in a given society. For instance, in Sri-Lanka the organization has set a project in Batticaloa District.
The people in this region live in extreme poverty especially after the 2004 Tsunami struck the region. Research has shown that there are nearly 48,000 disabled people in this region. These people not only lack the basic needs but also suffer much discrimination from the rest of the society. The organization has embarked on building schools, vocational training as well as outreach for families to help in overcoming the situation. Currently, the organization has numerous projects worldwide thus in need of more resources.
Hope for children draws its resources from well-wishers. It relies on the generosity, passion and the commitment of other companies in supporting their work. The support, which is mainly in form of donations include direct financial contributions to the organization’s projects, products as well as services.
Quite a number of the workers of the organization are volunteers who are committed in helping the organization succeed in its projects. Examples of organizations that collaborate with Hope for Children are Comic Relief in Ghana, British Airways, Sterea Limited, Jet2.com and Vedams among others. Most of them not only offer their services in the projects but also help in financing the organization’s projects. With the help of donors and volunteers, the organization has been able carry out its projects successfully.
The support that the organization receives has helped it to grow significantly. Parsons says that the organization began with £5,000 and now has a turnover of over £1 million (1).With the substantial support it has received from international organizations; Hope for Children has widened its scope in most developing countries.
Conclusion
Through its well-established international relations, Hope for Children has been able to succeed in assisting the less privileged in most developing countries. The organization encourage the participation of needy children as well as their families in processes that enhance the well being, self reliance and long term sustainable development of the children.
The organization achieves this through the provision, promotion and advancement of children rights to basic needs including education and healthcare aimed at sustaining long-term development. Donors and volunteers play a major role in enhancing the success of the organization’s projects in the developing nations.
Works Cited
Jacoby, Henry, and King, Emmy. Early Childhood Nutrition and Academic Achievement: A longitudinal Analysis. Journal of Public Economics 81.3 (2001): 345-367.
Jere, Behrman. The Impact of Health and Nutrition on Education. World Bank Research Observer 11.1 (1996): 23-26.
The author of Soaring Hope, Lynn Thrush, aims at visualizing and bringing into perspective the biblical scenarios of hope. The writer imagines how life is and tries to help people understand death. He brings into focus the negative perspectives that people have for the church in the modern age. Lynn helps the reader to re-imagine how good the gospel can be for himself and his loved ones. The book explores the values of optimism and hope given by God to the universe and the church (Thrush, 25).
Lynn Thrush says that Christians cannot live without hope and imagination. The two principles may not make a positive impact on the world due to the growing trend of immorality. The book leads the reader into a deep, rich, and concrete knowledge of the Bible. The holy book can free Christians from sin by guiding them on the appropriate way of life according to God’s counsel
Thrush’s message contains hope and understanding of the desire of God for mankind, as reflected in the scripture. Many people, including Christians, lack hope for the future life and hold rational thoughts about optimism. Thrush evaluates the events in the Bible that bring satisfaction to mankind.
The main message of the book comprises the values of hope, imagination, and optimism of Christians and the church in the world. Thrush draws inspiration from the teaching of Christ in his message of God’s will for the universe. He derives hope from the Lord’s Prayer that features in Chapter Six of the Gospel of Matthew. The writer inspires the reader to replace anarchy and ill motive with hopefulness. Thrush derives hope, restoration, and positive imagination from the Gospel of St. Mark.
In the second unit, “The Rule of God” (Thrush, 12), the author examines “the tragedy of the squelched imagination” (Thrush, 24). He ignores any misinterpretations that may arise from the Greek perspectives of the New Testament. He reminds the readers to display their faith and make choices that will lead to a transformation of their lives.
He challenges Christians to imagine nature as it ought to be. He presents positive information of hope, meditation, and transformation to the Christians (Thrush, 12).
Practical applications of faith that feature in the book
Hope and imagination may reduce in an individual when his faith is subjected to temptations, trials, and pain. Businessmen may tend to give up on life if they do not make expected sales. Clerics may lose hope if their congregations do not grow numerically. Students in colleges face challenges related to social, economic, and academic dimensions. Workers in various organizations and companies may lose their faith if their managers do not improve their pay. The book leads all the mentioned categories of people to develop their knowledge of the Bible to overcome worries related to their vocations (Thrush, 34).
The motive of God for humanity features in the Lord’s Prayer in which Christ teaches his people in the Gospel of St. Matthew to believe in the words, “Let thy will come true.”(Thrush, 29).
Impacts of the call to pray and believe in the words “father’s glory to come to the universe” on the anticipated career of a Christian
Mankind ought to accord special attention to vocations, as opposed to jobs. People work to earn a living through pay for their services. The concept of work does not solely entail the use of talents and gifts by employees.
This paper highlights the difference between a primary and secondary calling. A primary calling involves following Christ and being in a close relationship with him for an individual (Thrush, 23). A secondary calling denotes an individual’s role in life through work. Christians need to focus on the primary calling before embarking on the second one in order to transform the world and live hopeful lives, as elaborated in the book Soaring Hope by Lynn Thrush.
The book persuades Christians to identify their vocations and understand themselves and God’s will for their lives. It brings out the reality of temptation and confusion in people’s lives but maintains the view that the experience of God can be a remedy for hopelessness. Thrush underscores the importance of prayer in overcoming adversity. Prayer may be the best way of communicating with God for mankind. It helps Christians to identify their calling through meditation moments.
The value of hopefulness for individuals
Hope as a virtue helps Christians to anticipate positive outcomes for their endeavors. A hopeful Christian may be able to perform to his optimal capacity because of expectations of success. Thrush tries to justify the role that challenges, temptations, and adversity play in building a spirit of resilience in individuals. Problems help in building people of strong character. A Christian should not be discouraged by challenges in the course of the performance of his duties.
He should see temptations as challenges that he should overcome. This study agrees with Thrush on the need for hopefulness for Christians. A truck driver who transports food to refugees should be hopeful of a successful journey. His mission may involve the delivery of food that sustains the lives of people. The transporter should overcome the fear of experiencing mechanical problems in the course of his journey or accidents.
The need for hopefulness in the church
The church in contemporary times experiences competition from the secular or worldly domain. Thrush says that modern lifestyles may tend to lead people away from the church. The modern-day youth may not see clerical activities as lucrative as opposed to vocations like engineering, law, and medicine. In Europe and America, only a small percentage of people attend church services. Christianity must incorporate technology into its ministries in order to access a large audience globally. Many people may listen to sermons through televisions and the internet. Hope is, therefore, a virtue that the church must embrace in order to remain relevant. The church must also incorporate transformation and conduct research on ways in which it can outlive the secular world.
The worth of hopefulness for culture
The church must look for ways of integrating cultural elements of people into its framework. Certain social elements may be desirable, like the traditional attires and eating habits of people. The church can bring about hopefulness for culture by the use of the native languages of people during sermons. It can also use traditional instruments during praise and worship sessions. Thrush advocates for the translation of the Bible into local languages to enable people to relate to its message. Most cultures believe in life after death. The Bible also upholds a similar belief. The two perspectives may converge to form a strong foundation for hopefulness for culture as advanced by Thrush.
Conclusion
Thrush’s twelve chapters of the book, Soaring Hope, deliver a message of hope to Christians of all categories in the world. The author persuades Christians to accept God’s scripture in order to solve their problems. The writer describes hope as an inevitable value in the lives of Christians.
Works Cited
Thrush, Lynn. Soaring Hope. Imagining Life as it Ought to be, Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image, 2012. Print.
In the early 1970s, theology of hope emerged as a new field in theological studies (Escobar, 2003). Two Germans who were attempting to understand theology from an interpretive point of view are considered the founders of this dogma. Since then, several Christian leaders have adopted and championed the dogma.
According to these leaders, human beings exist because of hope. Similarly, those who believe in the dogma believe that hope transforms the world and humanity. Through these teachings, a believer should believe that God’s pledges are in the process of being fulfilled. In general, believing in hope means that we should anticipate what God promised to do in the Bible.
Based on the founders of the dogma, theology of hope analyses eschatology from the resurrection of the Messiah onwards rather from the creation of the universe (Escobar, 2003). In theological studies, Moltmann and Pannenberg are acknowledged for their contribution in the theology of hope. This article compares and contrasts Moltmann and Pannenberg’s findings on theology of hope.
Jurgen Moltmann is one of the individuals behind the emergence of theology of hope. Moltmann earlier experiences changed his life entirely. As a young boy, Moltmann was determined to study physics and mathematics. However, the effects of the World War II convinced him to study theology. According to his writings, God is understood from the future perspective rather than from a historical perspective (Escobar, 2003).
Moltmann argues that through this approach man should realize that the future offers limitless possibilities and not the past. In addition, Moltmann argues that the theology of hope encourages individuals to be actively involved in the present occurrences and issues rather than waiting passionately for the final consummation.
Another great contributor of theology of hope is Wolfhart Pannenberg. Pannenberg’s earlier life experiences shaped his life. Just like Moltmann, Pannenberg approaches theology from an interpretive point of view. Pannenberg writings emphasize on hope and faith. His theology has apologetic flavour and explains Christian doctrines with the goal of showing the truth of the Christian conception of God (Grenz & Olson, 1992).
A close study of their contributions in the theology of hope reveals that the two developed their doctrines without adhering to the Biblical models. The two leaders’ teachings on the understanding of evil and suffering encourage Christians to believe that there is hope for the future (Grenz & Olson, 1992).
Based on their teachings, Christians should not accept to suffer silently. Instead, they should protest the suffering while hoping for the best. The two leaders believe that Jesus Christ suffered, died, and resurrected. Therefore, Christ’s resurrection should be a clear indication to Christians that they will overcome all the challenges and make it to the kingdom of God. Through this concept, Christians have every reason to hope for the best in the future.
One major difference between the two scholars is that Pannenberg illustrates the understanding of God from a traditional perspective, while Moltmann illustrates his understandings from an atheist’s point of view (Grenz & Olson, 1992).
Though the two believe in the potentials of the future over the past and the present, their understandings of the topic differ. For instance, Moltmann believes that the future will transform human beings in a revolutionary way. On the contrary, Pannenberg believes that the tomorrow’s potentials are tied to today’s occurrences.
References
Escobar, S. (2003). The new global mission: the Gospel from everywhere to everyone. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
Grenz, S. J., & Olson, R. E. (1992). 20th Century theology: God & the world in a transitional age . Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
Man1 is a born sinner, there is a fundamental evil in man that makes him stand up to God, and try to mimic Him and His omnipresence. It is this desire to rise and reach the heights that man sins.
To sin is to do something forbidden, something evil and unjust which needs salvation, in Christian text there is a very clear black and white fight between good and evil, good being God and man being the essential sinner. This is an enduring war and Luther asks the question unequivocally in his book Bondage of will:
Since [God and the world] are at war with each other, how can there be anything else throughout the whole world but uproar.(94)
He cites Jesus who said:
I am come not to send peace but a sword” (cited in Luther, 94 (Matthew 10:34))
To Luther salvation of mankind was the most important issue and to him Jesus did not come in peace but to wage a war, to save the mankind from their own collective moral degradation, corruptness and ignoble presence. Luther believed that no one had appreciated Jesus’ words and instead were interested in peace rather than waging war against forces of evil embodied in man himself. Luther’s belief in the original evilness of mankind is a fact rather than a conjecture, to him it stands out as something so evident that sacrificing lives of individuals is insignificant compared to eternal salvation—the ultimate aim of any Christian.
Much before Luther set forth to reform the Catholic Church, St. Augustine is one of the most important individuals who created the framework of Western Christian Church in the early middle ages. He is the person who defined man as the original sinner and separated the material world of man from the spiritual house of God. His confessions – an autobiography describes his own evilness:
Our only pleasure in doing it was that it was forbidden..The malice of the act was base and I loved it-that is to say I loved my own undoing, I loved the evil in me-not the thing for which I did the evil..What was it that attracted me in that theft?….The sin sweetened it..[It was] the delight a prisoner might have in making some small gesture of liberty-getting a deceptive sense of omnipotence from doing something forbidden without immediate punishment..[Finding] pleasure only in what was forbidden, and only because it was forbidden.(1119-20)
Luther’s observations were very broad and not as explicit as St. Augustine, in whose view from the time of infancy evil intentions are clear as his own demands were such that his parents had to submit to them. St. Augustine is extremely critical of mankind’s struggle to deal with inbuilt shortcomings and at the same time the idea of man to show a false omnipotence.
To him it is the notion of deriving pleasure from forbidden just because of the fact that it is forbidden is what makes people act immorally. To him this is a reflection of the sinful soul of man which indulges in different immoral and wicked thoughts and actions from the time of infancy.
The ingrained and deeply visceral desire of man to go after forbidden things is something very natural, it is from within and this is the reason why Rabelais the controversial French Humanist claims that people belonging to upper-classes are forced to be honorable; in the presence of others like them, but if their circumstances change or are in any way “oppressed or enslaved” then they tend to show their real predisposition.
Rabelais’ Christian beliefs stand out as he shows that material wealth and standing is necessary for man to be complacent, but any kind of subjugation and denial of needs makes them act as their true self:
if they are subjected to vile constraints, brought down to a lower moral level, oppressed and enslaved and turned away from that noble passion toward which virtue pulls them, find themselves led by that same passion to throw off and break any such bondage, just as we always seek out forbidden things and long for whatever is denied us.(2161-2)
This indicates an inherent immorality which may not be visible in the more well-to-do but is an intrinsic part of man’s very existence. And as soon as he or she believes something to be forbidden he or she immediately tries to reach for it or struggles to possess it. Rabelais is thus not as constricted in his approach as St. Augustine, but is a believer in immoral behavior of men.
Machiavelli is as convinced about the wickedness of men as St. Augustine, although he believes that the malice and immorality of man makes him not only lying, deceiving and conniving individuals but in an environment where a majority of mankind is ready to cheat and be devious the people who may be good are losers, as they are exceptions and their uprightness and truth doesn’t stand a chance against general prevalent wickedness:
Anyone who determines to act in all circumstances the part of a good man must come to ruin among so many who are not good. (1954)
Machiavelli although admits that he may have been wrong if all men had been good, but the reality is on the contrary calling them:
Men generally are ungrateful, mutable, pretenders and dissemblers, prone to avoid danger, thirsty for gain..Men forget the death of a father more quickly than the loss of their patrimony. (1955)
Although some people argue that Machiavelli ignores church, but other recent readings indicate that he submits to the fundamental teachings of Church. But whatever might be the case Machiavelli’s description of men and their wickedness is caricatured in black humor as he points to the materialistic extreme when paternal love takes a backseat to worldly passion as loss of father is inconsequential to the loss of inheritance. He is more practical when he states that in the absence of any kind of truth it is better to be wicked then to be a good man.
Dostoyevsky on the other hand is convinced about man’s nature—spiteful, unkind, uncontrollable, irrational and perpetually dissatisfied. But he is more interested in the self-destructive behavior which he believes is the cornerstone of man’s state. In his satirical analysis man has the ingenious quality of what he calls “fatal fantastic element” (8), the perverseness which is an inclination to “contrive” suffering, destruction and chaos. In his view man seeks out suffering, instead of looking for happiness, the spite which is an integral part of humans makes them self-destruct:
A man’s advantage sometimes must consist in his desiring in certain cases that is harmful to himself and not advantageous…Out of sheer ingratitude, sheer spite, man would play you some nasty trick. He would even risk his cakes and would deliberately desire the most fatal rubbish, the most uneconomical absurdity, simply to introduce into all this positive good sense his fatal fantastic element. (16)
This by any measure is no mean feat, in his sarcasm Dostoyevsky’s sardonic tone says that all this self-inflicted punishment because of pure spite and maliciousness is just what man is looking for —–maybe according to him—humans may be benefiting in some way from this suffering, and maybe this suffering is as good for them as their well-being. However one cannot just ignore this as an inherent quirkiness, rather it is more like fault which drives people to their doom. In his view it’s more an internal struggle rather a consequence of external impetus.
At this point a question arises, is mankind an epitome of wickedness and irrationality, so much so that man in any state tends to show his spite and immoral behavior. Moreover human weakness and failing is so overpowering that it eclipses all that may be considered good. But who will decide what actually is good and whether man is capable of overcoming these shortcomings and rising above the intrinsic spite, maliciousness and corruptness.
Being upright, principled and truthful, standing up for right and in any circumstances ignoring the baser evil can counter these internal shortcomings. Instead of a constant struggle to fight and seek the forbidden and denied, is it possible for humans to demonstrate qualities to rise above all that holds him down?
The views diverge for some of the above mentioned writers, while St. Augustine and Luther profess to salvation by turning towards religion, Machiavelli is more inclined to believe that man’s state cannot be changed and every individual has to think independently and for his own well-being where all men are fundamentally “wicked” and each individual has to struggle to find his own place.
Rabelais believes that external conditions can have greater impact on man’s behavior; favorable conditions may lead to a more acceptable behavior while bondage and suppression can have adverse impact. While Dostoyevsky is not very optimistic, because in his opinion man creates his own problems and sufferings and in a perverse way enjoys the misery, perhaps more than well-being.
But there can be another side to this kind of argument, for instance Galileo is concerned that there is a difference between ignorance and knowledge. Ignorance on one hand pushes man towards moral depravity and public pronouncements which may illustrate their personal shortcomings. Galileo states:
Long experience has taught me this about the status of mankind with regard to matters requiring thought: the less people know and understand about them, the more positively they attempt to argue concerning them, while, on the other hand, to know and understand a multitude of things renders men cautious in passing judgment on anything new.(256)
Here Galileo is differentiating between men, instead of labeling and stereotyping the whole mankind as being evil or irrational or beyond salvation, Galileo divides humans into those who struggle to analyze and learn from their surroundings and those who have no understanding of different thoughts and who are ignorant.
The former because of the burden of what they know and their understanding of the workings of the world become careful with empathy towards their surroundings, they are also aware of what is happening therefore they are not as reckless as the latter category. The Ignorant are the ones who tend to behave irrationally, who are full of themselves even though they know very little.
Lumping all Individuals under a preconceived idea of what humanity is would be incorrect, if Galileo’s approach is followed. Change in Individuals occurs because of the degree of understanding and knowledge they demonstrate and it is the burden of understanding and awareness of the universal truths that makes individuals more non-judgmental.
Voltaire is more vocal and his words are clearer when he counters the claims, he states that human nature is considered:
Essentially perverse, that man is born the child of the devil, and is wicked. Mankind is nothing but an assembly of monsters, and every time you must feel sure that they will rob and murder you, for they are the children of the devil..Nothing is more ill considered. (298)
Voltaire vociferously criticizes the universal damning of mankind, here he may be up against the Western Christian interpretation of human existence, where all humans are considered originally flawed, who are ready to do their worst and completely depraved. His belief is very evident when he points out that Children are born pure and innocent, there is nothing wicked about them. It is only a very small minority in Voltaire’s opinion who think that children are sinful.
And this kind of warped thinking has been used by a few individuals who control mankind. Children’s innocence can be felt as they don’t display any evil behavior. Depravity of thought, Irrationality and immorality are only present in a few individuals. It is not a collective mindset, rather Voltaire says:
Then why are some of them infected by this plague of wickedness? Because their leaders, infected by the disease, communicate it to the rest of mankind. (299)
So it’s actually the responsibility of a few who infect the mind of the masses and make them believe in imagined conjectures and assumptions which have no basis whatsoever. Enlightenment is reflected in his words as he strives to counter centuries of accepted paradigm about fallibility of mankind and the preordained evilness of man.
Even when declaring innocence of mankind Voltaire has to admit that man does has a propensity to be led astray and also capable of extreme measures and thoughts. This is very clearly portrayed by Capek in his play Rossum’s Universal Robots, who had deep misgivings about man’s tendency to use industrialization and other scientific inventions and progress to act as superior being; he foresaw the influence of large corporations:
I wanted nothing, nothing, and nothing to be left of this appalling social structure. I’m revolted by poverty. I wanted a new generation. I wanted to turn the whole of mankind into an aristocracy of the world.(40)
Capek is fearful of socialistic tendency and dictatorial regimes in the name of mankind’s superiority over other beings and primarily over nature. Where Voltaire strives to break out of preconceived paradigm of mankind’s collective sins and evilness, Capek’s concerns are more to do with liberties taken by men especially a few while other humans and nature suffers at their expense.
It is now evident that the collective weakness and immorality which has been lamented for centuries is not actually a depravity, a quirk or an intrinsic tendency, there is nothing predetermined about mankind’s fate, as Galileo rightly points out that the difference between good and evil is rather a difference between awareness and ignorance.
Voltaire’s defense also absolves man of any natural deviousness, but Capek’s warning can also not be ignored as time and again mankind has been witness to totalitarianism, and we cannot deny the existence of people like Hitler or even the genocide in Burundi and Rwanda. But here it is important to understand and appreciate the difference between an individual and his decisions and a collective thought which is either imposed or assimilated and accepted by the masses like the theory of man as a born sinner.
But when we look at man— an individual—the essence of mankind is reflected in him. There is nothing clear-cut or black and white about man, rather there are innumerable shades of grey.
Mankind is neither wicked, depraved nor are all humans weak, there are so many facets to an individual’s personality which are simultaneously contradictory, and even awareness and knowledge do make a difference but the choice is ultimately mans as there are evil geniuses as well as illiterates who have the ability to discern. According to the French Renaissance philosopher Montaigne:
All contradictions may be found in me by some twist and in some fashion. Bashful, insolent; chaste, lascivious; talkative, taciturn; tough, delicate; clever, stupid; surly, affable; lying, truthful; learned, ignorant; liberal, miserly, and prodigal: all this I see in myself to some extent according to how I turn; and whoever studies. Himself really attentively finds in himself, yes, even in his judgment, this gyration and discord. I have nothing to say about myself absolutely, simply, and solidly, without confusion and without mixture, or in one word.(2202)
Montaigne’s understanding is the most appropriate; he believes that human tendencies and man’s nature cannot be understood from one paradigm or an absolute perspective. Man is a bundle of contradictions, in many ways this creates a kind of conflict but in other instances these qualities complement each other. Montaigne also feels that these attitudes and behaviors change with conditions and situations that man has to deal with.
The most significant issue is the role of environment, and how it plays a pivotal role in determining the behavior of man, most of the philosophies mentioned here pointed to the inborn tendency towards evil in mankind. But they ignore the fact that it is the state of man’s existence which determines to a large extent how an individual behaves.
Passing a collective judgment on mankind and its inherent fallibility is too sweeping, critical and narrow as opposed to a balanced view. Even Machiavelli and Dostoyevsky do not reflect conventional Christian philosophy but their ideas do have an underlying Western Christian approach.
There is no universal law which can be applied to mankind, man is a kaleidoscope of changing patterns and different angles strange unpredictable behaviors. The divergence of thought is visible even though all these views are from western thought process, and there is a clear possibility that other value systems, cultures and societies interpretations about man and mankind may vary. Therefore man’s judgment and understanding about himself and all the ideas are relative in an existence which cannot be nailed down in absolutes.
Works Cited
Capek, Karel. R.U.R. 1920.
Dostoyevski, Fidor M. Notes from Underground. 1864.
Galileo, Galilei. Letter written to Don Virginio Cesarini from Galileo Galilei. 1621.
Luther, Martin. Bondage of Will. 1525.
Maciavelli, Niccolo. Prince. 1513.
Montaigne, Michel De. Complete Essays. 1580.
Rabelais, Francois. Gargantua and Pantagruel. 1532-1552.
St. Augustine. Confessions. 397.
Voltaire. A Philosophical Dictionary: Wicked. 1764.
Footnotes
This paper uses man and masculine reference as universal without limiting the essay to one single gender or ignoring female sex.
Hope and love are prominent themes in the Christian faith that are often considered the central tenets of the religion. God promises His followers many things throughout the Bible, but to receive the reward, they often have to endure difficult conditions for extended periods. The faith that God will fulfill his promises is predicated on the hope that the Christians’ hardships and struggles will be rewarded. In Christianity, it is most strongly featured in the ultimate promise that faithful people will attain salvation and eternal life in Heaven after they die. Christianity adds the virtue of love, which one should feel toward their neighbors and peers. It is a central virtue that Christ has demonstrated in his act of dying to absolve humanity of its sins. The purpose of this essay is to examine the presence of hope and love in the Biblical metanarrative to better understand their relationship with God.
The Biblical Metanarrative
The term “metanarrative” represents the overarching story of a text, one that goes beyond what happens in the story and to the underlying meanings. The Bible is typically divided into four chapters: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and New Creation. Creation refers to the original period where God created the world and everything that is in it, with Adam and Eve living happily in the garden of Eden. The Fall is the pair’s choice to reject God’s rules at the serpent’s suggestion, which has led to them being expelled from Paradise and becoming mortal. It represents physical death as well as spiritual, through humanity’s rejection of God and the virtues associated with Him, and continues until the coming of Jesus Christ. The connection is not entirely lost, as there are some faithful people in the world, but it is overwhelmingly sinful. In the Redemption chapter, God comes to humanity through Jesus Christ and forgives its sins through His Son’s death. Finally, the New Creation chapter has not happened yet, but the Bible promises that it will do so. In it, humanity and the world will be saved and restored to their original perfect states, and evil will be eliminated forever.
Hope in the Biblical Metanarrative
Throughout the Creation chapter, everything is perfect, and God has provided Adam and Eve with everything they could ever want. As such, there is no need to hope, as they desire nothing that they do not have already. The perfection of this state, where desire and hope are unnecessary, is what all Christians desire and strive for. With that said, the situation changes dramatically after the Fall, when the pair find themselves devoid of everything they used to take for granted. Instead, they have to work for their survival while also dealing with sickness, aggressive animals, and death. However, Genesis 3:14-15 provides a suggestion that God has not abandoned humanity entirely, as, instead of giving it over to the sinful serpent, he puts enmity between the two.
In doing so, God introduces the hope that, by defeating the sin introduced by the serpent, humanity may regain the grace of God. Indeed, people who follow God throughout the Old Testament receive boons from Him and are promised life, explicitly framed as the opposite of death (Ezekiel 18:32). The assumption that eternal life is meant therein is reasonable and reinforced in the Redemption chapter through verses such as Matthew 17:3. Christ promises his followers salvation and Heaven forevermore, which constitute the entirety of the New Creation chapter. Following Christ’s departure, his followers adhere to the dogma He left behind, hoping for him to hold to His promise and save the faithful. Lacking evidence such as miracles, they can only hold to hope.
Love in the Biblical Metanarrative
Unlike hope, love is present in all chapters of the metanarrative, starting with Adam and Eve. They love God and each other unconditionally and receive the same treatment in return. God made the garden of Eden to please Adam and created various animals to be his helpers in tending to the garden. Seeing that was not enough, he also created Eve, the woman, which was finally a suitable partner for the original man. Even after the Fall, God provides the pair with clothing (Genesis 3:21) before driving them out and keeps a close watch on them, shown by him regularly interacting with Cain and Abel. Adam and Eve, as well as their later offspring, also love each other, and the mother credits God after giving Cain birth (Genesis 4:1).
However, the theme is love is truly expanded upon in the Redemption chapter, as it is central to Christ’s character and His overall message. He expounds upon the nature of love as non-selfish and self-sacrificial, as for every charitable act of giving away, one will be rewarded in Heaven (Mark 10:21). He exemplifies the type of love that He proposes by sacrificing himself at the cross, taking on all of the sins of humanity, and allowing them to enter Heaven regardless. As the New Creation chapter states, only the people who practice such love can qualify for salvation. It is an essential part of being a Christian and a believer and informs virtuous traits and actions, without which one cannot enter Heaven.
Conclusion
The Biblical metanarrative forms a coherent story that contains and extolls a variety of Christian values. The central virtues of love and hope, in particular, are prevalent throughout most of the story and its underlying themes. Hope is shown to be essential to receiving God’s grace, especially that of the ultimate salvation and return to a happy eternal life such as that of Adam and Eve before their fall. God shows love toward humans regardless of their transgressions, and people love Him back, though many turns away from His light. Additionally, virtuous people love each other, and Christ requires them to do so and shows an example for others to follow. No matter what happens, Christian needs to help others and remain strong in their conviction that they will ultimately be saved. In doing so, they will be rewarded for their efforts, whether in this life or the next.
References
Strahan, J. (2020). The basics of Christian belief: Bible, theology, and life’s big questions. Baker Publishing Group.
A large part of the MIGP model’s focus is on the healing power of hope and the positive energy that comes from it. Many clients arrive at treatment feeling defeated by life and overwhelmed by their inability to control their substance use. It is as if they do not know where they are going or what their future holds (Tan, 2022). Joining a community of like-minded people with a similar attitude on life gives these people a unique opportunity to see others transform while also experiencing their own minor wins, which the whole group can celebrate. With each step, a glimmer of optimism begins to appear.
It is possible to employ a variety of exercises to help people who misuse drugs and make them feel hopeful. As part of the treatment process, clients may be asked to envisage a life without substance abuse and how their lives would be different and better. As a result of this experience, other customers’ support becomes even more intense. Group leaders must take prudence while doing directed imagining exercises (Tan, 2022). If such an activity is not handled with care, it can be humiliating for individuals struggling with substance abuse. Such shame can be avoided by actively participating in building an image and monitoring its safety for all participants during a training session.
The ability to grow, heal, and cultivate a life-giving perspective is impossible without the presence of a positive sense of hope. When one does not know the answers but believes they exist and that whatever happens, even if the causes are unknown, it will ultimately turn for good, that is when hope appears (Tan, 2022). Hope may be instilled more effectively in groups than in any other settings. Positive expectations are reinforced, and group leaders and members reflect negative prejudices. In this case, a group serves as a therapeutic tool since it provides a constant source of information for its members. Therefore, interventions in Hope Therapy included strategies for increasing enjoyment and mastery, enhancing problem-solving and planning abilities, and reshaping negative thoughts.
It is possible to establish that installation has a prominent force in the group through the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory which can be used to determine the viability of group hope. Several types of patients might benefit from group therapy: those with interpersonal difficulties and pathology; those lacking self-confidence; those who are action-oriented; those who are socially isolated; and those who would benefit from interacting with peers who can both challenge and support them. Extroverts and conscientious people are more likely to benefit from group therapy. Therefore, based on personality test neurotics are less likely to benefit from group therapy.
Group therapy should not be used with individuals in immediate danger of harming themselves or actively contemplating suicide. Patients who are not appropriate for group treatment should be avoided at all costs, as their involvement could harm both the patient and the group. Patients who cannot participate in the group’s major activities owing to logistical, cognitive, or interpersonal reasons are excluded. Other than that, it is preferable to use relative rather than absolute exclusion criteria when dealing with potential patients. As a result, a patient who is unable to be placed in one particular group due to conflicting personality qualities may be able to be placed in a group with similar characteristics.
As an attempt to address some phenomenon in human life, some philosophers have contradicted or dismissed claims of other philosophers. Concern of human suicide is a philosophical problem that has elicited different claims among philosophers. Many philosophers have provided diverse explanations for this event in human life. In their claim, they have used existing philosophy to build their own or conceive a fresh.
Being a philosopher, Nietzsche provides an in-depth view of suicide in his various works, which delineate suicidal motive. He uses a supernatural character, Zarathustra, to explain the concept of suicide in humankind. Additionally, Camus developed a different perspective of suicide.
Hence, this paper focuses on the interpretation of Nietzsche Zarathustra in terms of the relationship between absurdity and suicide as described by Camus.
The Problem of Suicide
Camus methods of resolving the Nietzsche’s problem of suicide, and absurd reasoning, might have seemed very surprising to Nietzsche (Camus 3). This may be the case since Camus feels honored to presuppose and confront the complete deficiency of meaning in entire human life.
Consequently, after posing his concern of suicide and life value, he notes that the voluntary death process indicates acknowledgement of the importance of suffering, and the lack of a weighty reason for living. Therefore, Camus (6) asserts that the relationship between the absurd and suicide, the actual extent to which suicide serves as an answer to the absurd, represents the true subject of his essay.
Camus does not seek refuge in any perspective of the ascetic ideal, which Nietzsche has added meaning in every life of human up to the present. As Camus works his path towards the answer, he emphasizes on the question whether it is achievable to appreciate life as worth living without invoking a single ascetic concept that undervalue life.
These ascetic concepts include God, guilt, sin, morality, eternal freedom, soul, ideal worlds, and afterlife. He argues that all such ascetic concepts appeal to the concern of a sacrificial mind.
Life Affirming Suicide
Nietzsche focuses on reversing Schopenhauer’s appraisal, and thus keen on reviewing the problem of suicide from the viewpoint of life-affirmation. Thus, he had expressed the perspective that people should accept the wishes of others, who prefer to be deceased, in the Zarathustra speech on the death preachers.
Zarathustra in response to those of the view that life is typical suffering says that, “see to it, then, that you cease … and let this be the doctrine of your virtue … thou shalt kill thyself!” (Loeb 168). Later in the Twilight of the Idols, Nietzsche gives the same advice to Schopenhauer, which Loeb feels can extend to Camus.
Nietzsche argues that it is not under the control of a person to thwart their birth although humans can correct this error, because it is in other cases an error. Thus, when one commits suicide, he or she does the most worthy possible alternative.
Life itself gets more benefit from this course than from life of anemia, renunciation, and many other virtues. The victim has freed others from sight of him or her, and has freed life from hostility. Pessimism first ascertains through the self-refutation by the pessimist. He or she must advance the logic, rather than negate life simply by illustration and will.
Nietzsche argues that the pessimist who desires death conducts a life-affirming and life-enhancing action by killing him/herself. This view aligns with those of Camus and Schopenhauer (Loeb 166).
Life itself gains an advantage from the suicide of pessimism, and the suicide frees life from hostility. Even though the pessimist does not deserve to live, he or she earns the right to live through his or her life-affirming and life-supporting suicide.
If an observer compares life-affirmation with life- and self-preservation, one comes to believe in the strangeness and contradiction of Nietzsche’s reference of the suicide of a decadent. However, this perspective ignores his differentiation of the things, which benefit life from those that benefit specific creatures.
Nietzsche would agree, for sure, that there are life instincts in the degenerate that sustain his live against his or her wish to die. Nevertheless, such forces are lasting and partial for the benefit of people at large. Despite their efforts to keep the degenerate alive, they are helpless with respect to the underlying disease, misery, and fatigue, which make him or her constitutionally incapable of affirming life.
To transcend his or her death wish, the degenerate does not have an option but to live in rebellion against the unsuitable life he or she does not fit. Since the lasting forces that sustain the life of a specific living decadent work against the profits of life, they have overwhelming influence of human life (Loeb 167).
Generally, these forces keep alive a person who tends to oppose life and whose existence represents opposition to life. The decadent has only one option of affirming life in general, which is to deny by ending his or her own life
Nietzsche draws some fundamental conclusions from this course of thinking, which contradicts the usual and the innocuous understanding of his insistence on life-affirmation. The subsequent paragraphs will pivot on three of the conclusions he drew. First, he argued that the decadent has just two alternatives of life-affirming suicide or life-depriving survival that hinders the decadent to live in a manner that affirms life.
Philosophers perceive Nietzsche as upholding the life-affirming life for all, besides counseling pessimist to alter or enhance the life-denying perspective of their lives. Nonetheless, despite his intent to promote life-affirmation of decadents, Zarathustra appears to propagate and intensify the decadents’ innate drive to self-destruction.
Thus, he emphasizes in the Twilight of the Idols that the optimal life interest of ascending life requires that the decadent should push down and away degenerating life. In addition, he later writes in the Antichrist that, “the weak and ill-constituted shall perish: first principle of our philanthropy.
And one shall help them to do so” (Loeb 169). This is absurd as in mainstream public, a person who encounters a decadent anticipating to commit suicide should help the decadent in reversing negative thoughts of suicide.
The second conclusion concerns his quest for a counter-ideal to the ascetic-ideal. In support of this conclusion, he asserts that the decadent is unable to affirm life despite ascetic ideal conferring meaning to his or her life. This implies that meaning is a survival precondition, although it does not ensure life-affirmation.
Therefore, a counter-ideal must offer the form of meaning that sustains life-affirmation. Nonetheless, because Nietzsche views suicide as the only life-affirming alternative for decadents, the counter-ideal must symbolize a new meaning that will overpower any lasting life-preserving forces and facilitate the decadent to succumb to their prevailing suicidal instincts.
This implies that the mainstream understanding of the counter-ideal cannot be proper. The optional non-ascetic ideal “must be able to bear the burden of answering the question, ‘Suffering for what?’ Thereby, impeding suicidal nihilism, because that is the existential task the ascetic ideal discharges” (Leiter 287).
However, counter-ideal hinders the capacity of the ascetic ideal to prevent the occurrence of suicide among decadents. In other words, the counter ideal must object the ability of the ascetic ideal to preserve the blank life of decadents who make up a destitute and opposition to life.
While the ascetic ideal represented a trick life played during its struggle against the imperative death wish of a decadent, the counter-ideal must reveal that trick and simultaneously enhance and justify the appropriate desire of the decadents to commit suicide.
Counter Ideal of Zarathustra
In his third essay, Nietzsche used most of his time disintegrating and reviewing the dominant ascetic ideal while dismissing plausible candidates for a novice counter-ideal. However, he did not propose his idea of the construct of the new counter-ideal (Loeb 172).
As a result, many scholars have found his conclusion as unconvincing, evasive, or a depiction of his character as the best at disintegrating than advancing a hypothesis. Nevertheless, scholars should consider Ecce Homo argument, which is in post-Zarathustra books, as presumed to be wholly critical and preliminary to the positive solutions, which Zarathustra had proposed in advance in Thus Spoke Zarathustra.
The reason for this attention is his testimony at the end of the essay of Genealogy that he belonged to his decadent age, and thus, is not healthy, strong, courageous, or free enough to speak with conviction on behalf of the requisite counter-ideal to object the ascetic ideal.
Conversely, he argues that he had to visualize a prospect man with the requisite inspiring wickedness and self-convinced intellectual malice. In this context, Nietzsche recognizes the immoralism of the counter-ideal and confesses to be less courageous or free to advocate it.
According to him, it will take a man belonging in the future era to liberate his contemporaries from the past ideal such as intense nausea, the will to oblivion, and the nihilism. Since Nietzsche argues that the decadence of humankind induces the great nihilism that represents humankind weariness over its own decadence. Hence, the life-affirming aspect is necessary in the facilitation of suicide in humans.
In Ecce Homo analysis of the Genealogy, Nietzsche states that ascetic ideal has immense influence due to ideal independence in spite of the harm associated with it. Noteworthy, counter-ideal was nonexistent until Zarathustra was conceived. Nietzsche attested that the counter-ideal did not originate from him, thus, he did not explain it in the range of work that projected his perspective, not even in the Genealogy.
In light of his conclusion of the second essay, he asserts that it is proper for him to keep silent to avoid interfering with the ascetic ideal than be an atheistic Zarathustra (Loeb 172). Presumably, he could interfere because by writing in his perspective, he would be too afraid to express the sublimely evil and rationally malicious perspective of the desired counter-ideal.
Thus Spoke Zarathustra portrays Nietzsche’s imaginary man of the future compelling human to transcend itself and to determine its own demise. In an introductory exhortation reechoed at various key instances throughout the book, Zarathustra urges humans to accomplish their biggest experience finally, one that will allow them to overcome self.
This symbolizes the hour of intensive disdain towards self when humans appreciate all that they highly treasure concerning self, such as a rationale for existence, poverty, grime, and distorted contentment.
Speaking from a position of a redeemer of grand love and alluding to the beatitudes in the Gospel, Zarathustra declares his love for the overall self-destructive humans desiring to kill themselves and those who can access means to achieve that objective.
Speaking as a preacher of repentance, a position that does not suit him, Zarathustra cautions humans about the consequences of preserving self, disgraceful insignificance, sterility, and hardships that accompany lasting survival.
Criticism of Nietzsche by Camus is rather different from criticisms of other critics. Camus does not deny the importance of transmutation of principles and virtues.
Although in the aspect of nihilism and Nietzsche’s methods for attaining it, Camus creates another transmutation in his writing, which maintains awareness of contemporary and cultural relevance. Camus has the conviction of Zarathustra moving from the cave to the society with a view of provoking it to continue with the rebellion for the cause of a genuine self.
Conclusion
Evidently, scholars do not accept most of the initial public speeches of Zarathustra, for they refuse to see or hear, but they use much of their time and efforts in attempting to explain opening command of Zarathustra. Certain philosophers question the meaning of the terms that Nietzsche uses, such as Untergang.
Moreover, other philosophers argue that the Zarathustra’s domination is simply psychological, spiritual, or metaphorical. Yet, some philosophers also claim that retraction and deconstruction of Zarathustra’s initial domination occur as the book advances.
Yet still, some dismiss the whole book as forsaken by Nietzsche when he translated it into the optimal phase of his real masterpieces including the Genealogy. Thus, Nietzsche Zarathustra is a hero who has no hope in life.
Works Cited
Camus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays. New York: Vintage International, 1991. Print.
Leiter, Brian. Nietzsche on Morality. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print.
Loeb, Paul. Nietzsche on Time and History: Suicide, Meaning and Redemption. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2008. Print.
One of the main indications that a particular work of literature (meant to be read by children/adolescents) represents high literary value is this work’s ability to inspire readers to remain optimistic, while they face the challenges of life. Therefore, it is not surprising that many children’s novels are being concerned with promoting the idea that, no matter how hard it gets addressing these challenges, one may never become discouraged, as there is always light at the ‘end of the tunnel.’
In other words, there is indeed a good rationale for the theme of hope to be featured in children’s works of literature rather prominently. In this paper, I will explore the validity of this suggestion, in regards to the novels: James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I will also strive to expose what accounts for the specifics of how each of the mentioned authors tackles the theme of hope, as the mean of encouraging readers to think positively.
Probably the main aspect of how the theme of hope is being explored in James and the Giant Peach is that the author made a deliberate point in referring to hope in one’s life, as something that resides deep inside of the concerned person’s psyche.
The validity of this suggestion can be illustrated, in regards to the novel’s main character – a four-year-old boy James, who after having been forced to live with his evil aunts Sponge and Spiker, never ceased experiencing the sensation that he would eventually be able to begin enjoying his life.
In its turn, this sensation appears to have been extrapolated by the character’s tendency to spend long hours, while observing the horizon: “If he (James) looked in the right direction, he could see a tiny gray dot far away on the horizon, which was the house that he used to live in with his beloved mother and father” (Dahl 5). As the above-quotation implies, James thought of the years that he lived with his parents, as the happiest time of its life.
Hence, the discursive significance of the actual location of James’s old house – the very fact that the character could observe this house, as a great tiny dot on the horizon, prompts readers to think that James’s current misery was only temporary. After all, one’s tendency to look at the far-horizon has traditionally been deemed as the proof of the concerned person’s existential optimism – the act in question implies that he or she regards the future, in terms of a life-enhancing opportunity (Caspar 144).
Another noteworthy feature of how Dahl expounds on the theme of hope is concerned with the fact that, throughout the novel’s entirety, readers are being prompted to think that miracles do occur. In this respect, we can well refer to the scene, in which James encounters the old man (supposedly a ‘wizard’): “(The old man): Marvelous things will start happening to you, fabulous, unbelievable things — and you will never be miserable again in your life. Because you are miserable, aren’t you?
You needn’t tell me!” (Dahl 10). What is especially notable about the above-mentioned suggestion is that it does not only confirm the realness of miracles but that it also promotes the idea that it is specifically miserable (due to having been unjustly punished) individuals, who qualify for miracles more than anyone else does.
This, of course, was meant to appeal to the readers’ deep-seated sense of an existential idealism, sublimated in their unconscious tendency to believe that truth and justice must triumph in the end. We can speculate that the author wanted the character of James to be perceived by young readers, as a ‘child-Jesus’ of some sort – hence, the novel’s clearly defined quasi-religious overtones, in respect of how it interconnects the theme of justice with the theme of hope.
The fact that James and the Giant Peach indeed radiates the spirit of hopefulness can also be shown, in regards to the author’s tendency to address the notion of ‘travel’ as being essentially synonymous with the notion of ‘hope’: “The journey begins!. We are now about to visit the marvelous places and see the most wonderful things!” (Dahl 25).
While working on his novel, the author never ceased being aware of the fact that it is in people’s very nature to strive to travel, as something capable of making it possible for them to attain the state of self-actualization. After all, it is not only that, while traveling, people can experience new things, but they are also often provided with several new life-opportunities.
Therefore, it was indeed thoroughly appropriate, on the author’s part to establish a link between the notions of ‘journey’ and ‘hope,’ as it well correlates with the innate workings of one’s unconscious psyche.
Finally, we can well mention the fact that in James and the Giant Peach, the theme of hope is explored in close conjunction with the motif of the ‘American dream.’ There is another memorable scene in the novel, which describes the main characters becoming utterly excited, because of having realized that their journey has brought them to the shores of America: “Those are skyscrapers! So this must be America! And that, my friends, means that we have crossed the Atlantic Ocean overnight!” (Dahl 59).
As this quotation implies, the author tended to think of America, as has been nothing short of the ‘paradise on Earth’ – just as it happened to be the case with many of those people who dream of immigrating to this country. It is indeed in people’s very nature to think of the notion of ‘hope’ as being not an abstract category, but rather something embodied physically.
Thus, it will not be much of an exaggeration, on our part, to suggest that probably the main reason why Dahl’s novel was able to win the status of a critically acclaimed piece of children’s literature, is that it is psychologically plausible. The very manner, in which Dahl tackles the theme of hope in his novel, confirms the validity of this suggestion.
There can be only a few doubts that the theme of hope is present in the novel Charlotte’s Web, as well. After all, it is namely due to the sheer strength of Wilbur’s hope-‘fueled’ resolution to avoid becoming a Christmas-meal, that he was able to survive, in the first place. What is especially notable, in this respect, is that White appears to imply that ‘hope’ is essentially a positivist category. That is, there are must be the objective preconditions for a particular individual to choose in favor of a hopeful stance in life.
The reason why, throughout the novel’s entirety, Wilbur is being represented quite capable of withstanding hardships, is that the character’s very physiological constitution predetermined his perceptual/cognitive cheerfulness: “The pig, although tiny, had a good appetite and caught on quickly” (White 7).
This, of course, implies that, for one to be able to turn its hopefulness into an asset, the concerned individual must be physically healthy. Therefore, there is indeed a good reason to believe that, after having been exposed to Charlotte’s Web, young readers will be more likely to decide in favor of adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Another interesting aspect of how White explores the theme of hope in Charlotte’s Web is concerned with the promotion of the idea that one’s seemingly objectionable practices, cannot be deemed reflective of this person’s sheer ‘evilness.’ The legitimacy of this statement can be confirmed, in regards to the scene, in which Wilbur reflects on the apparent dichotomy between Charlotte’s ‘bloodthirstiness’ and the fact that she nevertheless was an utterly lovable individual: “Charlotte is fierce, brutal, scheming, bloodthirsty – everything I don’t like.
How can I learn to like her, even though she is pretty and, of course, clever?” (White 35). This scene advances the subtle idea that there is indeed a possibility for even the most psychologically incompatible people to coexist peacefully, which in turn creates a certain hope that the world could be turned into a better place to live.
In its turn, this suggests that in White’s novel, the motif of hope revolves around the notion of tolerance – it is only when individuals are willing to treat each other with respect, that they will be able to make the best of their lives (Vernon and LaSelva 7).
Nevertheless, it is specifically the novel’s promotion of the idea that one’s sense of ingenuity is the most effective instrument for addressing even the seemingly impossible odds, which causes Charlotte’s Web to emanate a stronger spirit of ‘hopefulness,’ more than anything else does. After all, it was namely due to Charlotte having been an utterly inventive ‘lady-spider,’ that she was able to produce the ‘miracle’ of her own, by the mean of weaving words into the web: “A miracle has happened on this farm.
There is a large spider’s web in the doorway of the barn cellar… And right spang in the middle of the web there were the words ‘Some Pig’” (White 69). The discursive implication of this is quite apparent – Charlotte’s sheer resourcefulness, as an individual, allowed her to become a ‘life-saver,’ in the literal sense of this word. It is understood, of course, that this conveys a clear message of hope.
This message can be formulated as follows – for as long as one happened to industrious enough, he or she will be able to overcome just about all the obstacles, on the way of seeking to attain a social prominence
The theme of hope is also prominently featured in Collins’s novel Hunger Games. In its turn, this appears to have been predetermined by the novel’s survivalist content. After all, as the popular discourse tells us, one’s chances to come out victorious from of the ‘win or die’ situations, positively relate the measure of the concerned person’s endowment with the sense of an existential optimism (hope). Nevertheless, there are also several peculiarities to how Collins explores the theme of hope in her novel.
The main of them has to do with the fact that, as the novel implies, hope thrives on people’s tendency to perceive the emanations of the surrounding reality, as being utterly symbolical. This is exactly the reason why, by giving Katniss the loaf of bread, Peeta was not only able to relieve the girl’s sense of hunger, but also to instill hope in her heart: “To this day, I can never shake the connection between this boy, Peeta Mellark, and the bread that gave me hope, and the dandelion that reminded me that I was not doomed” (Collins 46).
The author wanted to convince readers to believe that, as people go through life, they never cease being presented with the opportunities of self-actualization, which manifest themselves in the highly symbolic manner. This, of course, presupposes that there is indeed a good reason for just about anyone to act ‘hopeful,’ as the behavioral mode in question appears thoroughly consistent with the fundamental laws of nature.
What is also quite notable, within the context of how Hunger Games explores the theme of hope, is that the novel prompts readers to associate the notion of ‘hope’ with the notion of ‘willpower.’
The validity of this suggestion can be shown, in regards to the fact that, as it appears from the novel, the protagonist had what it takes to be able to derive a certain pleasure from facing the hardships of life, as something that has a value of a ‘thing in itself.’ In its turn, this can be seen as the direct consequence of Kantniss’s endowment with the ‘fighting spirit’: “My spirit. This is a new thought. I’m not sure exactly what it means, but it suggests I’m a fighter in a sort of brave way” (Collins 173).
Having been a ‘natural born’ fighter, Katniss was naturally affiliated with the so-called ‘Faustian’ existential values, which derive out of the assumption that: “Individual’s willpower must never cease combating obstacles, that the catastrophes of existence come as an inevitable culmination of past choices and experiences, and that the conflict is the essence of existence” (Greenwood 53).
This explains why Katniss prevailed at the end of Hunger Games – deep on an unconscious level; the narrator was emotionally comfortable with the publicly staged murderous spectacle, in which she needed to participate. In its turn, this provides an additional depth to the message of hope, conveyed by the novel.
After all, it is very likely that in the aftermath of readers’ exposure to this novel, they will be much more likely to believe that being the in the ‘right state of mind’ is the main prerequisite for a particular individual to be able to succeed while ensuring its physical survival. It is needless to mention, of course, that the adoption of this idea, on the part of readers, should empower them rather considerably, in the sense of making the people more ‘hardship-proof.’
I believe that the earlier deployed line of argumentation, in regards to how the theme of hope is being explored in the mentioned novels, is fully consistent with the paper’s initial thesis.
Works Cited
Caspar, R. “’All Shall Be Well’: Prototypical Symbols of Hope.” Journal of the History of Ideas 42.1 (1981): 139-150. Print.
Collins, S.mes and the Giant Peach. Web.
Greenwood, S. Anthropology of Magic. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 2009. Print.
Vernon, R. and Samuel L. “Justifying Tolerance.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 17.1 (1984): 3-23. Print.
Cedric Jennings is the protagonist in the story “ A Hope In the Unseen” by Ron Suskind. He has a high motivation to perform well in his education even though he goes through so many challenges.
The challenges that Cedric goes through are brought about by his pat, his identity, his culture, and the people he meets in life.
Being from a low-class child whose mother struggles to make ends meet for him and his two other sisters. His father is a drug dealer who goes to jail. and comes out frequently. Initially, he starts school in a better school and proves to be worth it. The problem comes in when his mother cannot afford to keep him in this school, forcing him to change schools and as a result, he goes to Ballou High School where good performance is scorned. This does not however discourage him from being a good performer. He tries and does everything he can to make sure that he performs well. He is scared of coming for the celebrations that would expose him to ridicule by other students but he realizes that he likes his performance. He is attempting to carve out his identity through performing well in education. Even her mother Barbra Jennings shows her concern that if he gets himself so much into this education, he might lose his identity which, according to her and the society they live in, low-class people do not have a place in higher learning institutions.
The other factor that plays a very challenging role in his life is his race. Being a black student in a racist society, he is faced with all the difficulties that are associated with him being black. The presence of racism is demonstrated by the way other students nick-name the performing students in this school whiteys, a clear indication that goods education belonged to the white. Another instance where he is put off is when he gets to the Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science, although it proves to be very difficult for him, especially since he came from a poor school, he attempts to improve, the faculty director who is white- Leon Trilling tells him off that he did not belong there. He immediately dismisses Trilling as a racist, but on the other hand, he feels like he belongs to Ballou, where he decides to join Brown University that is more accommodative to the minority students, he discovers.
Even though he is here, he still struggles, though his personality keeps on changing. He keeps friends for a short time for example his roommate. At a certain period, he decides to behave like someone who is from the ghetto and he realizes that he even gets more people liking him that way for example some like him for his knowledge of hip hop. This makes him see that he has been taking trouble avoiding people who could be his friends, that is, other black kids.
Cedric’s culture also brings about difficulty because in his urge to seek education, he seems to be dealing with people who have a different culture than his. In the school in Ballou, we see that good performance is scorned and yet he is struggling to be a good performer. The culture of associating good education with being white is not in him. Unfortunately, even his mother seems like she is afraid that if he goes ahead in education, he might lose his culture and identity. However, she supports her in everything. The other people he deals with are the kinds of Trilling who do not just believe that a black can perform, because of the racism factor. That is why he dismisses Cedric’s ability even though he has improved a great deal.
Cedric and his mother go to Bishop Long’s church for as long as he could remember. It is in the church where he got his first motivation that everything is possible. Even though it turns out to be a factor of negative influence when they do not reward his efforts as a choir leader, it has always been a source of inspiration to both him and his mother. Apart from Bishop Lo0ng, other people help him so that he maintains his motivation. They kept encouraging him to thaw it was possible to change his future by working hard. They include Reverend Keel who is his Science teacher. He did a lot of encouraging Cedric. Shirley Briscoe, his English teacher who helped him in writing his speech so that it became gentle. Justice Thomas also gave him some tips on how to handle himself while in college, and this was a positive influence that could build him. His mother was the greatest inspirer because she supported him even when she seemed afraid of the outcome. Unlike his father who was a drug peddler always being thrown in and out of jail. The encounter with Cedric was not the best because he beat him hence contributing to his habit of being moody.
In conclusion, we see that even though Cedric faces great challenges, he does not easily give up. In addition, we can say that the conditions surrounding him at any given time only act as demoralizers for a while but it is clear that he needed them to set for him a target, which was, to make sure that he proved those who underestimated him because of the culture and class, wrong.