Category: Realism

In Work-family conflict: A case study of women in Pakistani banks, Faiz (2015) employs the qualitative research methodology to address issues associated with females experiences and beliefs. The researcher utilizes the critical realism paradigm as it takes into account the social aspect of human life (Faiz, 2015). This approach is appropriate as the researcher is interested in the way females to see their social roles and the way they manage to handle them. More so, Faiz (2015) stresses that the objective reality is in the researchers lens as the analysis of womens accounts is provided. The researcher critically analyzes females answers and elicits their ideas on particular issues.

To answer the research question, Faiz (2015) employs the case study methodology. This approach is efficient as it enables the researchers to unveil the causes and effects of a particular phenomenon (Mertens, 2014). The researcher is focused on the way the participants balance their work and home responsibilities, as well as the way they see these experiences.

Faiz (2015) also uses mixed methods with an emphasis on the qualitative approach. The central method is the semi-structured interview. This type of interview is an effective tool to address the research question. Interviews enable the researcher to elicit maximum information concerning peoples beliefs, attitudes, and so on (Mertens, 2014). The researcher has a set of questions but can adjust them to make sure participants share their ideas freely and openly.

At the same time, Faiz (2015) also utilizes such methods as survey data and documentary reviews as well as a research diary. These tools helped the researcher understand the background of the issue and check the validity of the participants accounts. The researcher could see the way the participants took up their responsibilities and the way they saw these experiences. The methodology chosen is effective as it enables the researcher to address the research question and collect as much data as possible.

Reference List

Faiz, R. (2015). Work-family conflict: A case study of women in Pakistani banks (Doctoral thesis, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK). Web.

Mertens, D.M. (2014). Research and evaluation in education and psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Introduction  Theories and debate on human perception of the external world

According to empiricism theorists, only what a person experience is real, which means that there is a problem with the way on which humans can check the truthfulness of their perception. Therefore, all knowledge humans obtained is based on observation, which validates such knowledge. From this view, three main theories have emerged to explain perception and acquisition of knowledge: Realism, Idealism, and phenomenalism.

However, while each of them is effective in explaining the human view of the external world, the problem is to determine which of the three theories that are most plausible within the context of human perception of the external world. The degree of acceptance and plausibility of these theories differ significantly, with several philosophers rejecting and accepting these theories depending on their degree of credibility. Empiricism and perception are greatly intertwined in the philosophy of knowledge acquisition.

Within this context, theories of realism, idealism, and phenomenalism have emerged as some of the most effective paradigms of explaining the perception of the external world. Noteworthy, each of these theories has some inherent strengths and weaknesses that affect the applicability in philosophy. However, due to its emphasis on the principle of the existence of real objects perceived through the human five senses, realism presents a more plausible theory than both idealism and phenomenalism.

Realism: Focus on the principle of real existence objects

In its simple terms, the theory of realism states that the nature of the external world is more or less the way humans perceive it (Cohen, Hilpinen, and Renzong 72). Realism is studied concerning other aspects such as minds, mathematical entities, the future, and the past, thoughts, and the materials world.

Therefore, there is a strong debate relating to the question of whether realism theory is the most plausible theory in explaining how humans perceive the external world. In general, realism is a strong theory because it holds two major facts that explain the nature of the external world. First, the theory of realism emphasizes the existence (Cohen, Hilpinen, and Renzong 122). According to this facet, objects such as rocks, water, the moon, and air are in existence, which means that facts also exist.

For instance, the sun is spherical, and shinny or rock is made of granite. Secondly, the theory emphasizes the aspect of independence (Macionis, 88). According to the theory, facts about objects exist independently of human linguistic practices, conceptual themes, or any other aspect. This generic realism takes the existence of objects and their attributes as explanations that cannot be changed concerning differences in human perceptions.

For instance, if a, b and c are distinctive objects with distinctive properties F, G, and H respectively, then the three objects a, b and c are in existence and have the properties such as being F, G, and H respectively. It follows that the properties of being F, G, and H are independent of human beliefs, conceptual claims, and linguistic properties (Cohen, Hilpinen, and Renzong 189).

These objects remain as they are, regardless of human thinking about them. It is worth noting that this concept is one of the strengths that the theory posses. Other theories fail to develop such a simple but effective procedure to show the relationship between human senses and physical objects in the external environment.

The plausibility of this theory is acceptable in philosophy for several reasons. First, it is evident that this theory is grounded on the existence of real objects in nature, which are perceived through the five senses in hams. It creates a space of science that is related to human perception. Humans must first perceive objects such as seeing the sun to develop some inference into it.

Opponents of realism argue that the theory fails to consider the fact that the objects that are immediately known to humans are not the physical objects that a lay person might consider. However, they also fail to note that a child is born without knowledge of any object until it starts experiencing them through touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste. With time, exposure of human to objects that produce stimuli affecting any of these senses makes a child start perceiving the external world based on the sense-data obtained from experience.

This data corresponds to the perceived physical objects. Human sense-date is situated within the private spaces in mind and is in the form of space of sight, touch, vaguer, taste, and hearing (Cohen, Hilpinen and Renzong 54). It is through experience that humans can correlate the wide range of private sense data spaces with the physical space that knowledge of the external world is achieved.

Therefore, this theory is the most plausible because it states that humans perceive their external world based on the impact that the elements of the external world have on the five senses. There is no other way humans can learn of their external world apart from the five senses.

Moreover, this is supported by science because biologically and chemically, physical objects transform, produce or convey energy in the form of sound, heat, chemical signals or molecules and light, which are readily perceived by animals through touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing. Thus, these are the data packets transformed from nature and processed in humans as sense-data. It is therefore worth arguing that this theory is both philosophical and scientific and, thus, it is highly plausible.

Idealism theory: How plausible is it?

Given idealism theory, the principle is that reality if fundamentally immaterial because it is fundamentally within the human mind and is constructed mentally. It contradicts the realism notion in that it does not consider the existence of objects as reality. It stresses the central role of an idea or spiritual in the human interpretation of the external world as observed or experienced.

According to idealism theorists, the world and reality exist as consciousness and spirits within human minds. Here, laws and abstractions are important in reality than in human sensory objects. Also, it holds that anything that exists is known in terms of its dimensions, which are fundamental constructs of the mental ability as human ideas.

Therefore, Idealism emphasizes on two basic aspects. First, metaphysical idealism asserts that an ideality of reality exists within the human mind and is fundamentally mental.

Despite this, the plausibility of idealism is also questionable, which means that it cannot be used to provide the absolute explanation of human view and understanding of the external world. For instance, opponents have shown that idealism is unreal because it is purely abstract and metaphysical.

Therefore, it is far from the realities of the world and life. Secondly, it employs conservatism ideas as its tactics in explaining the human understanding of the external world. According to opponents, idealism seems to emphasize the divine rights of things and that it realizes the actual rather than the ideal. These aspects affect the degree of plausibility of idealism in explaining the human view of the external world.

Phenomenalism theory: A weakly plausible theory

Phenomenalism is an empiricism theory that emphasizes the view that physical objects exist as perceptual, sensory stimuli, or a perceptual phenomenon located within the limits of time and space.

Therefore, it refutes the claim that physical objects can justifiably be considered to be in existence in themselves. It aims at refuting the claim of the existence of physical objects and replaces it with an idea of bundles of sense-data as to how things exist. Therefore, this theory is considered as a radical empiricist theory rooted within ontological ideologies.

According to the theory, the claim by idealism that human knowledge comes through their senses holds. Also, Phenomenalism tends to shift from the idea of knowledge as object by itself to a new paradigm that emphasizes the human experience of knowledge.

It is worth noting that Phenomentalism theory is based on the idea of the truth rather than an account of human perception. About the external world, Phenomenalism theory argues that when people talk about something such as a rock, they referring to their perceptions of that thing.

Phenomenalism is also faced with criticism due to its consideration of human perceptions as an element of explaining knowledge of the external world. For instance, the idea that there is no truth apart from human experience or perception is highly refuted. Critics argue that one cannot say the truth based on perception or stimuli. In other words, the presence of an object holds whether one perceives or has experience with it or not. Secondly, the emphasis on sense-date has been criticized as unreal.

Therefore, Phenomenalism seems to have several weaknesses that make it less plausible and effective in explaining the external world.

Analysis: Strength of Realism over other theories

In 1983, John Berger published a book ways of seeing in which he addresses the problem of perception in a simple but clear statement: seeing emerges before words. For example, a child looks at something and recognizes it before he or she can speak (Macionis 88). In this statement, Berger tends to support the argument that what people see is what they get. In his book, the author argues that there is still another sense in which the act of seeing is before words.

He argues that seeing functions by establishing a humans place in the surrounding world, which means that a person explains the world with words. However, these words cannot refute the fact that humans are surrounded by the world (Macionis, 93). In this context, it is evident that the author argues that the relationship between what is seen and what is known cannot be settled.

Nevertheless, perception drives knowledge, but explanation and knowledge can never fit the sight. Empiricism and perception have greatly been studied with the aim of describing how humans gain knowledge about the external world.

Reviewing the three theories show several weaknesses in each of them. However, realism is a plausible theory because it is grounded in science and psychology of human understanding of nature. Unlike realism, the plausibility of idealism is questionable because it relies on assumptions rather than scientific facts, which means that it cannot be used to provide the absolute explanation of human view and understanding of the external world.

For instance, opponents have shown that idealism is unreal because it is purely abstract. Phenomenalism is also faced with criticism due to its consideration of human perceptions as an element of explaining knowledge of the external world. These two theories are generally weak and less applicable compared to realism.

Conclusion

The degree of acceptance and plausibility of these theories differ significantly, with several philosophers rejecting and accepting these theories depending on their degree of credibility. Empiricism and perception are greatly intertwined in the philosophy of knowledge acquisition. Within this context, theories of realism, idealism, and phenomenalism have emerged as some of the most effective paradigms of explaining the perception of the external world.

However, realism theory seems to take into consideration the fact that humans learn their external world based on the information they obtain from the environment through the five senses of touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste (Macionis 123). Idealism and phenomenalism attempt to avoid these facts. They are largely based on assumptions rather than scientific and psychological facts.

Science proves that a child is born without information but with the capacity to perceive and process information. This is a fact that supports the theory of realism. Therefore, it is worth noting that due to its emphasis on the principle of the existence of real objects perceived through the human five senses, realism presents a more plausible theory than both idealism and phenomenalism.

Works Cited

Cohen, Robert, Risto Hilpinen and Qiu Renzong. Realism and Anti-Realism in the Philosophy of Science. New York: Springer, 2002. Print.

Macionis, John. Sociology 14th Edition. Boston. MA: Pearson, 2012. Print.

Realism and idealism are two different schools of thought in terms of their impacts on the purpose of school and education systems. The two schools also advocate for the necessity of embracing different issues in learning processes. Idealism is rooted in the work of Plato, although Socrates (his student) later developed it (Ozmon & Craver, 2013). Realism is rooted in the works of Aristotle. However, this school of thought has been developed to take different, though similar theoretical paradigms (Ozmon & Craver, 2013, p.40). Idealism is anchored on four main principles. The first principle is that the ideal is real. This means, What is real is the idea of the object, which is at the conscious levels of our mind and not the object that we see, which is a mere shadow of that idea (Shahid, 2001, p.56). The second principle is that man is the supreme creation, which is capable to take control of the world through his spirit and mind. In the third principle, God acts as the chief source of knowledge, which man uses to make sense out of the physical things in the environment. Thus, God is the ultimate source of reality.

From an idealism school of thought, values are very absolute. These values are attractiveness, reality, and goodness. Genuineness is an intellectual value (Ozmon & Craver, 2013) with attractiveness being an aesthetic value while goodness is a moral value. To idealists, schools must serve the functions of attaining these values during learning processes. Plato believed that these three principles are indistinguishable. The above idealistic arguments influence education in different ways. Hence, they can affect me as a professional educator. Idealism has forced learning processes in schools to emphasize the significance of preparing students not only intelligence wise but also to adopt certain prescribed moral values.

Hence, wisdom must be refined. Education must then ensure that the mind, as the intellectual property of students, is sharpened. Teaching students about the wisdom that is possessed by past heroes accomplish this goal. Philosophers who are inclined to the realist school of thought believe in the world in the manner it exists meaning, reality is what people physically observe (Shahid, 2001, p.61). Truthiness is in what people sense and/or observes while goodness is founded on platforms of an order together with the law of nature. Concerning learning, realism overrules the argument that facts can be taught to students. Realists believe that facts take the form of images within the human mind (Shahid, 2001). This implies that educators have the principal role of preparing students so that they can be able to develop such images by themselves. This argument implies that learning is meant to surface the order that guides the universe as students are essentially taught to be factual.

Idealism paints the function of education as symbolic while realism paints it as materialistic. An educator from the idealistic approach is autocratic meaning that he or she possesses more knowledge together with pedagogical capacity compared to the students or the pupil (Ozmon & Craver, 2013). The teacher thus selects contents, which he or she believes would suit the learning requirements of students. The implication to my professionalism is that a realist teacher advocates for formal teaching methods such as lecturing compared to the emphasis on experimentation together with observation approaches. The learner is principally passive from the realist philosophical school of thought while he or she is active from the idealist school of thought.

Reference List

Ozmon, H., & Craver, S. (2013). Philosophical Foundations of Education. Virginia Commonwealth University: Pearson.

Shahid, M. (2001). Prospective of Education. Lahore: Majeed Book Depot.

Introduction

Time progressed along with man, and in the 21st century, weapons of both single and mass destruction appeared. However, machine guns, pistols, and nuclear and chemical weapons are no longer designed to feed a man and ones family but to harm other humans. An international war is the most terrible thing in the world that humanity can face. Although war usually occurs with the development of totalitarianism, many unfairly blame weapons for the emergence of this phenomenon. However, I think weapons are not to blame for international wars. I take a realist standpoint, according to which the responsibility for them lies not with the machine but with an anarchic system, which, if weapons were banned, would generate other ways of starting wars.

Clausewitzs Trinity

Once considered a vital source of ageless strategic thought, Karl von Clausewitzs theories have recently come under attack due to changes in the nature of war, especially in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. His theories are thought-provoking, but his work on danger can no longer be applied everywhere in modern growing methods of warfare, such as international insurgent terrorism (Chang et al., 2022). Modern theorists have discredited Clausewitzs theories about the dangers of weapons as invalid and of little value in todays study of modern warfare (Kennedy-Pipe, 2010).

Throughout history, the war has progressed in different stages and was caused by different factors; it is currently in the fourth-generation war. In this form of war, advanced armed international forces face difficulties in order to be technologically inferior to their opponents. However, weapons are not a decisive factor, unlike guerrilla warfare, terrorism and campaigns focused on attacking and undermining public support can pose quite a significant security threat.

Modern Warfare

From the point of view of modern warfare, the trend of further invasion of weapons into the sphere of culture manifests itself in modern social transformations, leading to the transformation of intercultural interaction into an international confrontation of ideals, values, and worldviews (Jervis, 1978). In my opinion, these changes significantly affect the modern appearance of the war. The paradox lies in the fact that even powers with huge military potential have turned out to be unable to ensure their security today. According to modern warfare, the concept of security has ceased to be synonymous only with the power of the offensive and defensive potential of states (Hoffman, 2019). This proves that weapons are no longer the root cause of war.

Realism

In my opinion, the most logical and correct attitude to weapons seems to be understanding the war in political realism. Realism claims to have an original understanding of war, which distinguishes it from empirically-oriented studies of wars and other schools of international relations theory (Kennedy-Pipe, 2010). Unlike the former, political realism avoids formal definitions, focusing on understanding the causes and essence of war.

War is the most intense manifestation of this constant struggle and, therefore, cannot be permanently eliminated from international relations. From this understanding of war, a normative conclusion can be drawn that weapons are not the root cause of war, unlike the existing anarchic system (Deal et al., 218). Realism is more aware of the difficulty of regulating the use of weapons than Clausewitzs Trinity and modern warfare (Mastanduno, 1999). In addition, realism points to the dangers associated with political moralism and the criminalization of war when considering weapons as the root cause.

Conclusion

I think a weapon is not dangerous and does not cause wars. For legitimate owners of firearms who comply with the rules of their operation, its dangerous properties are useful. Since the weapon is only a mechanism, it is incorrect to talk about the danger of weapons in isolation from a specific situation. According to the realist approach, the war does not occur from weapons but from some of their owners, who are part of an anarchic system. They exploit the dangerous properties of weapons for illegal purposes, causing international confrontations.

Reference List

Chang, Y., Keblis, M. F., Li, R., Iakovou, E. and White, C. C. (2022) Misinformation and disinformation in modern warfare, Operations Research, 70(3), pp. 12931952.

Deal, N. M., Mills, A. J. and Mills, J. H. (2018) A modern warfare in the making of a commercial airline, Management & Organizational History, 13(4), pp. 373396.

Gray, C. S. (2019) Why strategy is different, Infinity Journal, 6(4), pp. 1417.

Hoffman, F. G. (2019) Squaring Clausewitzs Trinity in the age of autonomous weapons, Policy Commons, 1(2), pp. 4287.

Jervis, R. (1978) Cooperation under the security dilemma, World Politics, 30(2), pp. 167214.

Kennedy-Pipe, C. (2010) Cold wars: Themes and trajectories. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mastanduno, M. (1999) A realist view, in Paul, T. V. and Hall, J. A. (ed.) The international order and the future of the world politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1-27.

Mearsheimer, J. J. (2001) The tragedy of great power politics. New York: Norton.

Mujaddid, G. (2021) Clausewitzs Trinity of war and nuclear deterrence, Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, 3(31), pp. 279292.

The realist theory is used to evaluate international relations, and its basic principle is that states are the only actors with the power to affect international relationships. Additionally, during times of war, nations act as one voice; hence there is no internal division that would indicate the different viewpoints on the matter. From this perspective, the outcomes of World War II can be evaluated as successful since, over the course of it, the two competing powers, the Allies and Axis, each competed for goals that aligned with the national interests.

Moreover, realists often use war as an example to illustrate the underlying ideas of their theory because, in the state of an emergency on a global scale, the states can only rely on themselves. The coalitions that formed during World War II aligned with this suggestion since the competing states joined forces to protect the ideas they believed in and to avoid being defeated by the enemy. Moreover, some realists believe that politics are rooted in the nature of human behavior; hence, the patterns of both are similar. The goal is to keep and demonstrate power, which for the other party means losing power and influence. From this viewpoint, the states defeated as an outcome of World War II lost their opportunity to extort power on the international level as they were forced to change their political views and the course of the nations development. The states of the winning alliance, on the other hand, gained the power to govern international relations in the aftermath of World War II. Hence, the outcomes of World War II are consistent with the basics of the success/failure realist theory.

Representing the objective reality through the lens of a particular culture and the personal vision of its author, art has always provided a plethora of topics for discussion and the methods of developing insight into a particular socio-cultural context. The transition from the Neoclassical period to Romanticism to Realism can be described as the evolution of the artistic tradition from the endeavor at mimicking the Classical art to the revolt against the Classical tradition to the extensive focus on details.

The observed change in the perception of art can be found in the art pieces such as Marie-Guillemin Benoists Portrait of a Black Woman (Neoclassical period, 1800, oil on canvas) Edouard Monets Olympia (Romanticism, 1863, oil on canvas), and Ingress La Grande Odalisque (Realism, 1864, oil on canvas).

The shift from Neoclassicism to Realism can also be found in the themes that the art pieces under analysis cover. While Neoclassical art tends to incorporate the traditional topics and themes borrowed from Greek and Roman mythology, as seen in Olympia, Realism focuses on the current events and their interpretation. It would be an error to claim that Neoclassical art regurgitated the classical themes.

Instead, it borrowed the form of classical art, introducing the themes of politics and social issues into art pieces. The Portrait of a Black Woman is a clear representation of the described phenomenon, with the classical form being juxtaposed to the problems of slavery, gender, and political concerns that were common points of concern in France at the time (Romanticism in France).

Thus, the transfer from one mode of interpreting reality to another can be tracked down in the described art pieces quite clearly. It is quite remarkable that the essential aspects of artistic continuity can be located even in the art pieces that belong to different areas of art. For instance, the connection between the picture painted in the era of Romanticism and the sculpture created at the time of the realist movement is evident after brief scrutiny.

One should bear in mind that the transition from one type of art to another does not obscure the line between Realism and Romanticism as artistic movements. Quite the contrary, the comparison between the painting and the sculpture under analysis helps to prove that the transition from the depiction of raw emotions to the portrayal of reality in an uninhibited way that the shift from Romanticism to Realism represented was quite logical.

The lack of change in the types of the medium allows supporting the transformation in the perception of art, in general. For instance, both the Portrait of a Black Woman and La Grande Odalisque with their staggering Realism were created using oil on canvas. However, despite the similar medium, the two paintings could not be more different from each other. The use of wood instead of a more traditional material allowed emphasizing the frailty of the art piece and, thus, alluding to the source from which the image was borrowed.

In addition, the difference in the themes used in the painting and the sculpture under analysis allow drawing a line between Realism and Romanticism quite vividly. Specifically, the focus on the plot and the use of the scenarios taken from personal experience rather than fictional narratives can be seen as the essential constituent of the differences between the artistic genres (Neoclassicism, an Introduction). Although in Olympia, the author portrays ostensibly true events, the fact that liberty is personified indicates that the audience was not ready for the raw depiction of reality without the elements of fantasy or evident symbolism in it.

It could be argued that some of the artworks share certain similarities and can be seen as a blend between several styles. Indeed, the influences of their predecessors, be it Roman Classicism or the movement that occurred several decades prior to the creation of the art piece in question, each of the artworks bears significant resemblance to the other ones due to the similarities instills. The ostensibly coarse depiction of Realism, which La Grande Odalisque boasts, can also be found in Olympia, which is rooted entirely in the Romanticist movement (A Beginners Guide to Realism). Similarly, the Portrait of a Black Woman also contains the elements of Realism that allow the author to depict slight imperfections in his model to introduce the sense of truthfulness to the image and allow it to remain a genuine artistic expression.

Despite having been created in different eras and influenced by different ideas, as well as placed in entirely different contexts, the artworks under analysis share significant similarities in the essence of their message, as well as a tangible continuity in the progression of their themes.

The characteristics that set the art pieces aside are evident, with the Portrait of a Black Woman representing the subversion of the Classicism tradition, while the Olympia and La Grande Odalisque develop the theme, making it descend from the Biblical allegory to the elements of the mundane life and the struggles of social classes. It could be argued that the transition from the Neoclassical period to the Realism-riven one was not only necessary but also inevitable, with artists focusing on the depiction of social issues and, thus, slowing their artworks to provide an instant emotional connection to their intended audiences.

Works Cited

A Beginners Guide to Realism. Khan Academy, n.d. Web.

Neoclassicism, an Introduction. Khan Academy, n.d. Web.

Romanticism in France. Khan Academy, n.d. Web.

Local color realism is a writing style that is derived from the presentation of the characteristics and features inherent to a specific place and its inhabitants. Both Mark Twain and Sarah Orne Jewett created regionalist works. The role of the narrator is particularly relevant in such a context because they are the ones that make the region that is being described understandable to the reader. However, the function of gender differences among the writers is local-color realism is visible because of the varied approaches taken for integrating the style into the stories.

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain uses regionalism to bring his readers into the heart of the American West by using several different dialects and unique vernacular. The lack of grammar, the incorrect structure of sentences (e.g., Its a most amazn good idea (Twain, 2015, p. 286)), and unknown words compose the main characters language, making him specific to the region from where he is. However, the descriptions of nature have nothing to do in the plot and serve as digressions from it: The moon was so bright I could a counted the drift logs that went a slipping along, black and still, hundreds of yards out from shore (Twain, 2015, p. 188).

In Jewetts writing, local color realism, including the descriptions of nature, is connected to the characters inner feelings. The writer has often shown interest in the details of the physical landscape, although nature has not been the focus. Instead, she placed emphasis on the relationship between human consciousness and the world. When the protagonist refuses to help the hunter kill a white heron in the story A White Heron, she makes a moral choice to go against the greedy mission of abusing nature: Were he birds better friends than their hunter might have been,  who can tell? Whatever treasures were lost to her, woodlands and summer-time, remember! (Jewett, 1895, p. 22). The white heron bird symbolizes independence and natural wonder, which must be protected from destructive forces.

References

Jewett, S. O. (1895). A white heron: And other stories. Houghton, Mifflin and Company.

Twain, M. (2015). Tom Sawyer collection: All four books. Enhanced Media.

The realism era was a style in art that defined everyday life for the common person. It depicted harsh realities and the everyday life of rather ordinary people. The era’s start varies, it could be as early as 1820 to the 1930’s. Realism is a sharp comparison to romanticism. It is broadly defined as “a representation of reality”. It was a clear objection to romanticism. The main category the movement was confined in was the novel. Realism appealed to the masses of people who worked hard every day, and the people who felt a vary of emotions from real world problems. The attention to detail and the replica of what life is really like is the heart of what realism stands for. Many great artists flourished during this time. Key artists include Gustave Courbet, Jean-Francois Millet, James Whistler, Thomas Eakins, and John Singer Sargent. Realism also gave an insight into not only the struggles of people, but their way of thinking, the psyche. Getting into the minds of people and their emotions is one of the pinnacles of the movement. Realism is largely considered the beginning of modern art.

I chose the author Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”. His work depicts the harsh reality of women during the era of realism. Henrik Ibsen was born March 20, 1828 in Skien, Norway. He was once exiled to Italy, where he wrote renowned play Brand. He moved to Germany in 1868. This is where he wrote his most famous work, A Doll’s House. He wrote Hedda Gabler in 1890. By 1891, Ibsen was held a literary hero in his hometown of Norway. He returned home and passed away May 23, 1906. The significance of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House during the era of realism holds much significance. The plot of the story reads a woman whom is married with kids. Nora, the main character, finds herself in a bind. A bind that she herself created; naively may I say. Her husband Torvald was sick. While sick, Nora found herself in a hole financially. She ends up borrowing money from Krogstad. Krogstad’s character is defined as villainous. He blackmails Nora, and even threatens her. Torvald runs a bank at which Krogstad works. Torvald is getting rid of Krogstad, which Krogstad learns beforehand. Knowing this, Krogstad threatens and blackmails Nora into persuading Torvald to not fire him. This does not work, as Torvald does not care to hear Nora out. Krogstad threatens to reveal the money borrowed from him to Torvald, who would certainly not like it. He informs Torvald by mailing him a letter. Torvald performs a tantrum. At this very moment, Nora realizes two things. One, she does not want to be married to Torvald anymore. Secondly, she realizes that she is not free mentally or physically. She refers to Torvald treating her as a “doll”. She then leaves. Nora is determined to find herself and what she really wants out of life.

Charlotte Perkins Gillman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” also depicts the reality of women during the era. The story starts off with narrator writing in her journal. In her journal, she writes how she is astonished by the beauty of the house and vicinity her husband has taken them to for a vacation. She describes it as a “haunted house”. She is also questioning how they were able to afford it, and why had the house been empty for so long. She has an eerie feeling about the whole situation. The narrator has an illness, more specifically ‘nervous depression”. She is also up in arms about her marriage to John, her husband. John is also her doctor, and he belittles the narrator on her feelings, depression and everything about her in general. Being her doctor, he believes her treatment should involve her doing nothing at all. She has zero activity, and zero expressive creativity. The narrator feels like she should be able to perform creative things to help her “relieve her mind”. To relieve herself, she starts a journal. She starts the journal by describing the house she is in. The description is mostly positive, other than a few visual things such as the “tings and things” on the walls of the bedroom. One thing she is greatly disturbed by the yellow wallpaper in the bedroom. She describes it as “revolting.” She is often disrupted from her writing when John comes around, but she becomes very good at hiding her journal. During her time in the room, she yearns for more stimulating activities. She views John as controlling and possessive, and this is clear by him having her holed up in this one room. She tells John the imaginative things she thinks of. Her mind is stimulated, and John is not too happy about her thinking this way. She starts to become fixated on the yellow wallpaper. She becomes fixated to the point where she does not any anyone else to view it. She becomes obsessed with figuring out the pattern of the wallpaper. In the end, the wallpaper ultimately drives her insane. She became so obsessed with “freeing” the woman in the wallpaper, which she believes is herself. John is your typical male. Dismissive of the progressive woman, pragmatic, and nonchalant. He never took his wife’s illness seriously. The room he has her holed in became her prison day by day. As time went on, her mind tried to become free, but it never prevailed. She hid her only true self-expression, her journal. She rebelled against John and her doctor by doing so.

Both stories were written during the era of realism. Realism is defined as art which represents truth, and the real lives of everyday people. It shows different perspectives of life, while not shying away from being artistic. Realism arrived in France in the 1850’s. It came upon by then end of the Revolution (1848). The stories I chose depict women and their feelings not only throughout the realism period, but throughout time. Women have always been expected to do certain things. We can honestly say that women have never really had a voice. It is only through progressive times that women have stood up and voiced their opinion. Both texts show how women were oppressed by their husbands or society. They were treated as property and expected not to impose their voices or opinions. In both texts, the women realize their oppressive state. It comes as a new revelation to them. Most women will live their entire life being oppressed and not saying anything. The texts differ in how the main characters mental state is. One character is mentally ill but not that far off. The other character is not mentally ill but gets herself into avoidable situations. Both women know they are not free. One manages to leave her husband and find herself. The other character knows she is not free and goes into a frenzy while knowing so.

The authenticity of a word with history and culture attains significance for anyone who can properly use the word. Yes, I am implying the “n-word.” A commonly used term within the African-American community, but a word that also has the ability to produce a disapproving reaction when used by any other races. Lorrie Moore agrees that replacing this term will not solve the problem of censorship in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. However, I disagree with her solution to the controversial topic. She believes that this word should not be exposed to high schoolers. The teenage audience of any race is most likely exposed to the “n-word”, yet lack the history to understand why the term is so derogatory for anyone that is not of African-American decent to use. So, why censor this word to students in high school? A younger reader develops a better understanding than those who learn later in life. Words that are more commonly censored today that inflict abuse, violence, and suicide pose as a threat to the modern teenager because of the common influence these words have in present societal problems. The “n-word” should not pose as a threat to the younger audience. The “n-word” holds the ongoing discrimination of an entire race of humans, and hundreds of years of oppression and inhuman treatment. The “n-word” should not be suppressed to a high schooler, it should be respectfully taught to enlighten those who use it carelessly without acknowledging the discrimination, torture, and genocide that the “n-word” is historically associated with.

To fully understand why students will interpret the “n-word” better in high school, we must understand the basic knowledge of how a brain evolves over time. The brain is not fully developed until around the age of 25 (“Understanding t.”). As the brain begins to obtain information, the newly taught information will be obtained by the cerebrum. The cerebrum is the part of the brain meant for learning. When previous information obtained by the cerebrum comes into play, the frontal cortex of the brain controls cognitive skills like judgment. For example, when a teenager is offered alcohol but was taught that it is illegal, their frontal cortex will help determine if they will accept or decline the offer. This is because the decision-making and emotional part of the brain are still developing as a teen (“Understanding t.”). Students should understand why the “n-word” is derogatory earlier than later. Early learning allows students to “understand what is socially appropriate in the home, classroom, and public places” (“Benefits of Early Childhood Learning”). Students should be aware of the historical past that correlates with the “n-word” and the African-American people. By allowing students to undergo a proper lesson for apprehending the African-American culture, students will develop an understanding for its significance.

If the “n-word” is censored, how is this truly protecting our younger audience? By now, teenagers are already exposed to this word through music, media, and the public. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was created within the 1870’s, which is fundamentally around a time when slavery and African-American cruelty were still relevant. Readers should understand that Mark Twain was essentially a white man who believed in white supremacy, which was a common belief within his time. I believe that this adds more detail into why this racial slur has become a phonological taboo. Not only does this word help others accept the negative past that the “n-word” retains, but “ it conveys a social meaning that is foundational in the identity of many African Americans” (Rahman 1). If removing this word means that it will protect our readers, then does this mean that an essential component of American history is dangerous and risky for the teenage audience? As Brando Simeo Starkey’s article, “If you truly knew what the N-word meant to our ancestors, you’d NEVER use it” puts it, “Black folk rescued the word from the smoldering debris of a virulently racist land, reclaimed it and renovated the slur into a celebration of black comradery” (Starke 1). If students are hidden from historical meaning, then this slur would be used without consideration for its harsh past. The display or censorship of the “n-word” does not affect the safety of our students. When the use of the “n-word” was presented during Lorrie Moore’s paper, me and and my fellow students were in a high school environment. As a high school student this did not concern me or put me into any danger. It should be clear that students will not face any problems when the “n-word” is put into public display of history and culture.

The “n-word” is one of the most risky and negative words of English language, however, our modern society risks the use of words like suicide and many other words that can endanger the teenage audience. Current teenage dilemmas include substance abuse, violence, and suicide. Unlike the “n-word,” these words affect the younger audience in this day and age. “13 Reasons Why” became a controversial topic after the show was meant to warn the audience about suicide. People quickly became upset with the shows premier, claiming that it was glorifying the stages of suicide. I can personally relate to a parents concern after my mother was worried for my safety when she found out I was binge-watching the show. According to the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, “the Netflix show ‘13 Reasons Why’ was associated with a 28.9% increase in suicide rates among U.S. youth ages 10-17 in the month (April 2017) following the shows release” (National Institute of Health). Unlike “13 Reasons Why,” Huckleberry Finn does not afflict harmful behavior in the modern audience. Vocabulary like suicide, abuse, and violence are offensive and threatening, but it does not outweigh the ongoing discrimination of an entire race of human beings.The “n-word” and literary works that use it should not be censored. Any harm that it could pose its modern audience can be avoided by teaching students properly.

Lorrie Moore, parents, and educators should realize that educating teenagers about a very historical significant word will civilize their perspective about the diachronic implication the “n-word” has on the African-American community. Lorrie Moore is a parent. She has not experienced a day in the modern teenage society and how maturity plays a complicated role in learning new material for those teenagers. This why students should obtain appropriate, proper, and etiquette social skills earlier than college. College is the point in an adolescent’s life where they become independent. If Lorrie Moore and her followers are trying to create a world where a college student does have not proper social etiquette, historical knowledge, and consideration for using the “n-word”, it is not a world I would want any student to be a part of. The controversy between the censorship of the “n-word” in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn until college is utterly pointless. I am more convinced that keeping this word will provide more information for students. I believe that removing this word will not only destroy the context of the story itself, but a students ability to develop an understanding of evolution of the “n-word.”

Works Cited

1. “Understanding the Teenage Brain.” Heath Encyclopedia , University of Rochester Medical Center. October 1, 2019.
2. “Benefits of Early Chilhood Learning.” First Steps Inc. October 1, 2019.
3. “Release of ‘13 Reasons Why’ Associated with Increase in Youth Suicide Rates.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
4. 29 Apr. 2019. October 1, 2019.
5. Pak, Onyu. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Racism.” Youth Voices, Mrs. Reed, 16 May 2017. October 1, 2019.
6. Rahman, Jacquelyn. “The N-Word: It’s History and Use in the Africa American Communtiy.” Journal of English Language and Linguistics, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 137-177.
7. Starkey, Brando Simeo. “If You Truly Knew What the N-Word Meant to Our Ancestors, You’d NEVER Use It.” The Undefeated, The Undefeated, 18 May 2017, October 1, 2019.

15th Century Italy was unlike any other place during its’ time. The “rebirth” had given life and vigor to artists and scholars alike. Money flowed through the hands of wealthy Florentines and into the waiting arms of men like Da Vinci, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Commissions paved the way for some of history’s greatest artists to absorb themselves in their work, propelling the art world forward as if shot out of a cannon.

During the Renaissance, the heart of Florence was the cathedral. Sitting across from the Cathedral was a building known as the baptistery: the location where the citizens of Florence would go to be baptized. Adorning the entrance to the baptistery were two seventeen-foot-tall doors brandishing bronze relief sculptures created by an artist named Lorenzo Ghiberti. Since their introduction, these doors have come to be known as the “Porta del Paradiso,” or the “Gates of Paradise.”

According to legend, as all good stories begin, these doors were given their name by Michelangelo. It was told that after seeing them he proclaimed, “These doors are so beautiful that they could be the gates to heaven itself.”

Working from 1425 to 1452, Ghiberti created this commission for the Guild of Wool Merchants, one of the wealthiest guilds in Florence. Originally this work was set to be installed on the North side of the Baptistery, looking away from the Cathedral, but after its’ unveiling, it was decided that the proper place for the doors was on the East side, facing the Cathedral. It’s no mystery why the Florentines wanted these doors as close to the Cathedral as possible.

Ghiberti’s artistry is on display here as one of the greatest pieces of early Renaissance sculpture. Before this period, relief sculptures were simple picture planes; small boxes showing their subject in an almost two-dimensional space. Ghiberti’s work, however, allows the eye to fall deeper and deeper into the image, deluded into perceiving great depths and realism. This illusion of space was known as linear perspective, and it would become just as tantamount as Da Vinci’s paintbrush during the Renaissance Era.

Thirty years before Ghiberti’s “Porta del Paradiso, a man by the name of Filippo Brunelleschi had devised a mathematical system called linear perspective. Linear perspective was the idea that objects could follow precisely drawn lines toward one singular point out on the horizon, called the vanishing point, and like railroad tracks, objects would begin shrinking into the distance until they disappeared.

Ghiberti displays his grasp and perfection of Brunelleschi’s formula not just once, but ten times over. Panel by panel, from one piece to the next, figures appear to diminish from forms almost entirely in the round, to objects that more closely resemble line drawings.

Not only is Ghiberti’s use of perspective on display but the beauty and realism in the figures are almost mesmerizing. Garments swiftly and gracefully flow from the curves of the bodies as they stand in contrapposto; one foot slightly in front of the other as the body elongates and twists. Ghiberti’s choice to render the figures this way was a celebration of the classical style, an era of art and architecture whose influence is evident in every facet of the Renaissance period.