Restraint

"A Measure of Restraint" by Chet Raymo reveals a vital flaw in mankind's desire for scientific progress. Just like everything else in life, science should be subject to a certain "measure of restraint". When the two men discover a stainless steel cylinder in an abandoned radiation clinic, they do not think twice before distributing the "seemingly magical material" inside of it. Although this may seem to be a foolish mistake that could only happen in the past, the reality is that a very similar phenomena is occurring today: Genetically Modified Organisms.

In modern times, science has gone so far that it is beginning to defy nature. Genes of certain insects are being added to plants to give them desirable characteristics. Today, 88% of corn is genetically modified, 92% of soy is genetically modified, 94% of cottonseeds are genetically modified, and the list goes on and on. None of these Frankenstein-like species would exist in a natural setting, but science follows no limit. There are definitely positives to GMOs such as the ability to mass produce but they are also known to cause organ damage, antibiotic resistance, and allergies. No one is arguing against scientific progress, but it is important to set limits in every field, even science.

Maus Close Read

On page 110 in Maus Book 1, Vladek continues to narrate his past experiences to his son. In this particular instance, Vladek chooses to take charge in the process and draw out a memory.

This page reveals the effectiveness of art as a means of communication and perhaps provides reasoning for Spiegelman’s decision to write a graphic novel instead of the ordinary novel. Vladek “explains” (which is usually done through words) his experience to Artie by drawing the bunker. No number of words could have represented the memory as clearly as the picture does. Everything from the location of the bunker to the two prison-forming outer walls is made apparent through a simple sketch.   

The theme of entrapment is present throughout the novel. Usually it is the Germans who capture Jews and confine them to prison. From Vladek’s recollection and drawing, however, it becomes apparent that sometimes the Jews confined themselves in bunkers. To keep themselves free from the grasp of Nazis, they had to take away their own freedom. This is not just ironic but also reveals a sad truth about the Holocaust. No matter what the Jews did, the environment had made it impossible for them to live even a seemingly normal life. 

Biased Media

Media is one of the most potent forces on Earth. It has the ability to change public perception and sway minds to support a certain ideology. Oppressive regimes throughout the course of history have realized the usefulness of media and have used it to their advantage. From the fictional authoritarian government in 1984 to the much too real tyrannical leadership of Hitler and Stalin, those in power have found a way to use media as propaganda in order to popularize their horrific actions.

As much as we would like to believe that biased news and propaganda in media are a thing of the past, it is sadly not the case. Even today,in the 21st Century, we face the same biased media as the Germans during Hitler's reign, although to a slightly less extreme degree. one even will be warped by each individual news outlet to further its own ideological and financial goals. Our media is in such a state of corruption that some "news" outlets, such as Fox News, go to the extent of flat out lying. A great example of this were the "no-go zones" Fox News created in Europe which led David Cameron, the Prime Minister of England, to call their source an "idiot". When the very people we rely on for facts begin lying to us, there needs to be some action taken. 

Animal Rights

In his essay "Consider the Lobster", David Foster Wallace makes a case for the rights of lobsters to not have a painful and torturous death for the temporary pleasure of humans. In the specific case of lobsters, the typical animal rights argument is valid but when the identical point is used to span all animals, many issues arise. It is reasonable to feel empathy for any creature being slowly boiled to death or having a it's limbs torn out while it is still alive and breathing. Adopting the notion that the killing of any animal for food is wrong or immoral due to the sole reason of "feeling bad" for the creature, however, is preposterous. Just like every single other animal on earth, human beings need a source of energy to survive. While advocates of animal rights argue that animals should not be considered one, it only takes a slight glimpse into nature to see the contrary. The ecosystem is a hierarchy, those at the top eat those below them and the circle of life continues. 

"Rights" are privileges unique moral human beings. They only have meaning in a moral community, one which clearly excludes animals. The debate is not about whether or not animals should be killed humanely or boiled to death, it is about whether they should be killed by humans at all. 

Laura Brown

There are many obvious similarities between Virgina Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and Steven Daldry’s The Hours. From the constant motifs of suicide and death to the bold defiance of social norms it is not very difficult to see the relationship between the two works of art. There is, however, a major difference between them. While the events are very similar, the characters that are affected by them are not

            In this way, Laura Brown is representative of Septimus Warren Smith. Both Laura and Septimus are unhappy with the status of their life. Septimus feels this way because of his experiences in the war but the reasoning for Laura’s depression is not nearly as clear. It appears as though she is living the American Dream; she has a beautiful home, a loving spouse, and a lovely child yet is still unable to find happiness in her life. Septimus and Laura also both have encounters with suicide. While Septimus is able to go through with his death, Laura is not. One of the scenes that clearly establishes the connection between these two characters is when Laura is actually contemplating her suicide. He hotel room she is in appears to fill with water. She is being surrounded by water with her bed being the only thing delaying her death just like the rock when Septimus is drowning. 

Mrs. Dalloway Passage

She felt somehow very like him—the young man who had killed himself. She felt glad that he had done it; thrown it away. The clock was striking. The leaden circles dissolved in the air. He made her feel the beauty; made her feel the fun. But she must go back. She must assemble.

This short passage encompasses many of the themes of Mrs. Dalloway.  Even thought Clarissa and Septimus have never met, Clarissa feels a special connection to him. Even though they have never physically come in contact, time connects them just like it linked Clarissa to the old lady. Clarissa “felt glad that he had… thrown [his life] away” because Septimus had been emotionally dead all along. While it may seem that the word “thrown” is alluding to Septimus’s life, it is actually referring to his physical body. When Septimus threw himself out of the window, he was merely imitating what his soul had done long ago.

The fact that Clarissa feels such an intimate connection to Septimus suggests that he actually lives on. His soul has been preserved past his death through memories much like the royals are preserved through paintings and statues. This reveals that ultimately, time conquers death. Although it appears that death is the final resting place, Woolf shows that it is just another part of an ordinary day. Septimus’s death is not given any more importance than the airplane or the lady singing signifying the Woolf’s unfazed attitude to the subject. Time moves on and the lives of others move on.

Perception

“Nothing exists outside us except a state of mind”. This remark by Septimus is one of the finest in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. Essentially, the world is what our mind perceives it to be. Every single moment, every single event, and every single object is perceived by each individual differently. Because of this, there is truly nothing that is a FACT. For example, global warming is considered a fact by 97% of scientists yet the other 3% perceive it differently. The viral blue and black/ gold and white dress is thought to be different colors by different people even though it cannot be physically both at once. Each group believes it a fact that it is a certain combination suggesting that facts are just abstract interpretations based on how our mind perceives something to be. An example of this phenomenon in Mrs. Dalloway is Septimus himself. Evan appearing from the dead, a dog morphing into a man, and being alive after drowning are all facts and reality to Septimus. To everyone around him, however, these are hallucinations of a veteran experiencing a mental illness. Again the world around us forms itself based on our mind’s perceptions.