Ideas of the Great Philosophers

After our discussion of philosophical meanings of Invisible Man, I've become interested in philosophies, especially existentialism that shares many of my thoughts and perceptions formed and sculptured during high school years. I began doing a research on my own, but the websites on the Internet didn't seem to provide enough information (maybe it was because I don't like reading online posts; they hurt my eyes!), so I ended up buying a book, Ideas of the Great Philosophers by William S. Sahakian and Mabel Lewis Sahakian.

This is the excerpt from the book that I found interesting about one of the concepts of existentialism: 

Existentialists do not believe in a rationally ordered reality, but in a subjective, irrational human existence, whose decisions, choices, and behavior are executed independently of reason. Subjective man is motivated by feeling, anxiety, irrational impulses, which override whatever decision his rational forces can rally. Existence is not rational, but permeated with intense feeling, anxiety, forlornness, abandonment, despair, which become man's criteria for knowing truth. 

It's an intriguing way of thinking, that what we believe to be rational is really irrational since our perceptions depend on our feelings and other surroundings from our existence. This belief came to me as truth as I went through years in high school. From only four years of maturity process, I saw various, perhaps too many, kinds of people who all think differently. Individually analyzed, everyone walking on this planet has their own way of thinking and conceiving ideas. The "truth" we believe in varies, therefore forming different rationale.

For instance, a group of people can call a person mentally disabled for being an example of oddity. Then, think about it the other way; for that person, those people in the group could be the lunatics! Clearly, we all think we're "normal". The person who sets a criteria for being "normal" is us, which comes from our brains, from our conceptions of the truth, where we are placed as a standard that determines or judges others' value. 

So maybe nothing is really "rational", even the math problems that are considered strictly logical. It's just a fun, complex concept to think about.


-Chloe K.

Literary Merit

I have always wondered what makes a book "important". When I was younger, I was a greedy reader who befriended books rather than socializing with children of my age(which works the other way around now). My favorite book was of course Harry Potter series, thinking that not only does it provide entertainment, but it also has educational values. It didn't take me too long to realize that it is considered commercial, not "literary". Such realization came to me as a great disappointment. Are fun and interesting fantasy fictions not part of the "importance"?
Fortunately, this year in AP Lit class, we get to learn about literary merit. It solved a mystery of which books are claimed to have literary merit and which ones do not; complexity and the truth, creative plot, engaging questions, exploring human nature, the craft of the text--all of these mattered in the world of literature, to be named a work of true art. Now I understand it, and can accept it. It has become more interesting to open a book since I get to figure out if it offers a literary value, as if I am a intellectually mature scholar.
-Chloe K.

What I Read That Mattered

a piece from my Senior Memoir

                 During my four years at Los Osos I have had three different English teachers who have encouraged me to explore various kinds of literature. The book that was most significant to me was Atonement by Ian McEwan.

       What most struck me about Atonement is the significant role perspective plays in the novel. Not only in the novel when Briony misinterprets the scene by the fountain and the note from Robbie to Celia due to her naive perspective of sexuality but also the reader’s attitude towards Briony’s actions later in the novel is subject to the readers’ individual perceptions of her motivations. The first time I read Atonement the summer before freshman year I was repelled by the actions of Briony. Initially I viewed Briony’s lack of courage to confront her sister as an act of complete cowardice. In later years when I revisited the book I found that Briony was intimidated by the idea of having to face the two people she had wronged but in seeking forgiveness she gave something even better that they would have never had in their lives: a happy life. Even if Briony had mustered up the courage to recant her testimony Robbie and Celia would have had to live their lives knowing that her sister was responsible for separating them for years. While they would have been together they still would have had to struggle with that issue. In the ending to the novel Briony gives them almost an eternal utopia in which they can live a life unburdened by the past. In my later readings of Atonement I found myself more understanding of Briony and that her action of depicting them as a happy living couple is as extremely unselfish and just act. Through this ending to the story Briony depicts them as forever alive and forever happy. Although some see this as deception I think Briony gave them something close to immortality. In reviewing the book I came away with a happier disposition because they live on through the book. In reality Robbie and Celia die separated and unhappy, this would have made Atonement just another well written sad story, rather than the epic novel Briony made it through the fantasy ending the book has. I also enjoyed the importance of perspective in the novel, the misinterpretation of the note to Celia and the scene by the fountain by Briony is central to the novel and lets the reader get to know the characters more. When the reader experiences the day of the party through Celia’s perspective her frustrated attitude towards her life with her family and the future that is expected of her which is to marry a wealthy man and have children like her mother is revealed. It is also found through Robbie’s perspective of the day that while he and Celia were at college together they did not see each other very much even though they had been friends at the Tallis’ estate. This came as both became more conscientious of the class difference between them. The different character’s perspectives of that one-day add so much more depth to all the events that play out in the novel.

-Jasmine M.

On the Death of Osama Bin Laden

       I've been reading a lot of articles on the death of Osama Bin Laden and the new evidence uncovered on the terrorist group, Al-Qaida. Its just interesting to see a true result from a decade longwar on terrorism. But what I found rather striking and sort of repulsing was the disbelief of the general public of Bin Laden's death. Instead of being happy and feeling a bit more safe, people question the legitamacy of this good news because of the fact that they didn't, firsthand see the body. Is it really too much to just believe what our government says? I know there are people who love conspiracy theories and the idea of an oppressive and tyranical governement but I don't think our governemnt would really lie about this. What would they have to gain from lying? Sure the leader of Al-Qaida is dead but there are still others ready to fill in his shoes. We will still be in a arduous war against terrorism and are still engaged in two differnt wars. Honestly, I see no reason for doubting the truthfulness and integrity of our government especially in this instance.
     Another thing that had me shaking my head was the constant stream of facebook posts, blogs, and radio hosts that cheered at the death of Bin Laden and said things like "may he rot in hell" and so on. Yes it's good that the face of terrorism in the middle east is no longer alive. But to celebrate anyone's death in such zealousness is just downright wrong. Yes he killed thousands of people and planned to kill more and deserved the end he met. Still if we dance and sing over his grave, how are we any better than those who support and encourage suicide bombers and sing about the death of their victims. As Americans, we have a responsibility to act in a dignified and respectful manner and be the bigger man. Otherwise we are just sinking to the level of our dreaded enemies and their barbaric tactics that we claim to discourage and disapprove. 
                            - Jacob Sanchez

The Plight of Bigger Thomas

         If a person had never experienced the feeling of pity, then they could never have read about the sad tale of Bigger Thomas and his inevitable demise in Richard Wright's "Native Son." Undoubtedly, this novel is the most melancholy story I have ever read. Of course Tess Durbeyfield, Jane Eyre, and even Victor Frankenstien dealt with their own cases of sadness whether in rape, abuse, or death. But none of those emotional novels stand comparable to the horrible ordeals that Bigger Thomas encounters in "Native Son."
         This book's great tragedy is most likely attributable to the racism that most African Americans faced in 1920's Chicago. Because of this harsh discrimination and prejudice towards Bigger and his race, he is driven to violence as his only outlet to be free and to fight the chains that White America has intentionally clasped on him. Yet in my eyes it's not really Bigger's choice to do so. Yes, he killed both Mary Dalton and Bessie on purpose and of his own accord. But what we, the readers, must notice is that both murders were commited out of fear rather than want or desire. Bigger did not want to be a criminal, a rapist, or a murder. Still, his fear of society's misinterpretation and the scary presence of Mrs. Dalton led him to smother Mary and then to hide her in the furnace. Again, he was afraid that Bessie was going to give him up or slow him down so he proceeded to do the only thing he thought he could do, kill her. In essence, White Americans drove him to murder those girls due to the fear they inspired in the Black communities.
         When I read Native Son, I found it impossible to keep out of the shoes of my protaganist. Thus, as I heard, felt, and saw what Bigger did I consequently could see what drove him to do what he did and see the story through the eyes of a true victim.

                                                                           - Jacob S.

Social Class in Jane Eyre

When Rochester invites his guests to his estate forces the reader to consider social class the most in the novel Jane Eyre. Previously, class had been a concern of Jane's while Rochester seemed to be unperturbed by the concept. When he hosts families of his own class his guests much more conscientious of the difference in their and Jane's social class. Particularly his female guests are aware of the fact that they have a superior social status to Jane's and assume that she is less intelligent because of her station. However, this passage reveals their own ignorance to basic social standards, which are to be polite to others, as they discuss Jane's flaws while she is still in the room. Of course Rochester is still aware that he is the master and Jane is the servant, but when they have their discussions he usually treats her as his intellectual equal. He also takes her into his confidence by revealing the parentage of Adele and his relationship with her mother, as well as his worry over the presence of Mason. This whole section also reveals a flaw of Mr Rochester's as he invites his guests so Miss Ingram can excite the jealousy of Jane. Most contradictory is that Jane doesn't have a very strong reaction to this revelation, even though she is depicted as somewhat rebellious and outspoken in earlier chapters. This can be explained by the simultaneous revelation that Mr Rochester cares for her in return, but affection should not excuse such behavior.

-Jasmine M

The Invisible Man

"I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids—and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus sideshows, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. When they approach me they see only my surroundings, themselves, or figments of their imagination—indeed, everything and anything except me."
- The Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison


On February 2, we wrote our own version of the opening, and I wanted to share it with you guys.


I am a sleepyhead. No, I am not tired like those who work eight hours everyday; nor am I one of your lazy friends. I am a student of diligence, of dedication and honesty, endurance and patience--and I might even be said hardworking. I am sleepy, understand, simply because my brain forces me to be so. Like the puppets manipulated by men, it is as though I have a wire attached to invisible, nimble hands of no one. When my brain functions it only tells me to close my eyes, ears, or mouth--indeed, everything and anything except nose.


Chloe K.