September 6, 2010
Thank you Ma'am theme
The story “Thank you Ma’am” is set at night, when Roger, a boy who has no family at home, tries to snatch the purse of Luella, a tough woman. When Luella caught Roger, Luella treated him well, instead of punishing him. In the end, Roger leaves Luella’s house, touched by her kindness. Through this story, the author tries to show that treating others with empathy builds self-worth. In a part of the story, Roger was startled when Luella asked why he didn’t ask her for money rather than stealing it. This shows that Roger didn’t expect any help, which gives a sense that he does not value himself, since valued people who are capable of leading a good life are often helped by others. When no compassion was shown from the people around him, Roger didn’t value himself. On the other hand, when Luella forgave Roger for robbery and showed empathy, through kind behaviors, the author infers that Roger will not commit crime again. One of the facts that give clue of Roger’s future behavior is that he couldn’t thank Luella as much as he wanted. This showed that Roger was touched, and will not forget Luella’s words that told him not to commit crime. Due to the empathy shown by Luella, Roger realized that he could live a better life than a criminal, which is considered the lowest part of the society. When Luella was talking to Roger, she surprised him by not denying her sins. Luella showed a sense of empathy easing his guilt with the fact that he isn’t the only one who commits crime. This show of compassion led to Roger thinking that he is not a trash, and that he could do more than stealing.
Another story that shares a same theme is “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” The story is set in Nazi-occupied Poland. Bruno, a son of a Nazi officer, leaves his home as his father is promoted to run a concentration camp named Auschwitz. There, Bruno meets a Jewish friend named Shmuel. When Shmuel’s father disappears, Bruno agrees to help Shmuel find his father inside the camp, where he is pushed in to the gas chambers to die. When Bruno first met Shmuel, Shmuel was scared of Bruno, which revealed the inferiority complex that Shmuel has with his own race. Over several meetings, Bruno shows empathy towards Shmuel by sharing food and some games with him. This relieves Shmuel of his inferiority complex, a feeling that one self is not as important as others, and allows him to talk and play with Bruno freely. This shows that empathy from Bruno let Shmuel realize that he is the same as Bruno, and that he is as valuable as others. In another part of the story, Shmuel was sent to Bruno’s house as a cleaner, and Bruno gave Shmuel some food. When an officer spots Shmuel eating, he punishes Shmuel for stealing. Terrified, Shmuel claims that Bruno gave food to him, but Bruno denies it, due to his own terror of the officer. Due to this, Shmuel was punished and badly hurt. Shmuel did not meet Bruno for days, which made Bruno anxious to know what happened to Shmuel, and feel guilty of his betrayal. When Bruno finally met Shmuel again, he was forgiven and they were back as friends. Shmuel showed empathy by reliving Bruno of his guilt, and Bruno valued himself as a person who can keep his friendship.
“Thank you Ma’am” is about a boy who receives help from a stranger and escapes the life as a criminal. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” is about a boy who dies while trying to help the victims of hatred from a war that was lost. Both of the stories involve one trying to help another by showing empathy and allowing them to respect themselves.
Another story that shares a same theme is “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” The story is set in Nazi-occupied Poland. Bruno, a son of a Nazi officer, leaves his home as his father is promoted to run a concentration camp named Auschwitz. There, Bruno meets a Jewish friend named Shmuel. When Shmuel’s father disappears, Bruno agrees to help Shmuel find his father inside the camp, where he is pushed in to the gas chambers to die. When Bruno first met Shmuel, Shmuel was scared of Bruno, which revealed the inferiority complex that Shmuel has with his own race. Over several meetings, Bruno shows empathy towards Shmuel by sharing food and some games with him. This relieves Shmuel of his inferiority complex, a feeling that one self is not as important as others, and allows him to talk and play with Bruno freely. This shows that empathy from Bruno let Shmuel realize that he is the same as Bruno, and that he is as valuable as others. In another part of the story, Shmuel was sent to Bruno’s house as a cleaner, and Bruno gave Shmuel some food. When an officer spots Shmuel eating, he punishes Shmuel for stealing. Terrified, Shmuel claims that Bruno gave food to him, but Bruno denies it, due to his own terror of the officer. Due to this, Shmuel was punished and badly hurt. Shmuel did not meet Bruno for days, which made Bruno anxious to know what happened to Shmuel, and feel guilty of his betrayal. When Bruno finally met Shmuel again, he was forgiven and they were back as friends. Shmuel showed empathy by reliving Bruno of his guilt, and Bruno valued himself as a person who can keep his friendship.
“Thank you Ma’am” is about a boy who receives help from a stranger and escapes the life as a criminal. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” is about a boy who dies while trying to help the victims of hatred from a war that was lost. Both of the stories involve one trying to help another by showing empathy and allowing them to respect themselves.
August 16, 2010
Lamb To the Slaughter theme
"One’s identity is formed by societal expectations" is a dominant theme in Roald Dahl's story, "Lamb to the slaughter". The story revolves around a pregnant house wife, Mary Maloney. Mary Maloney prepared the house for her husband, just as she was expected by the society. Just like other typical housewives, Mary Maloney was obedient and pregnant. If the story took place in current times, with different social expectations, it is not likely that Mary would be the person she is in the original story. When her husband returned and suggested divorce, Mary lost her purpose of life, and her world broke apart. In order to prevent herself from thinking about the bad news, Mary did everything automatically. She pulled out a leg of lamb for dinner, rushed towards her husband and swung the leg of lamb towards his head. After the slaughter, Mary Maloney calculates her penalties, and realizes that she will be sentenced to death, possibly along with her child. In order to avoid any penalties from the society, such as the capital punishment or being labeled as a murderer, Mary makes an alibi, called the cops, and made them eat the only proof: the leg of lamb. If there were no penalties for her crime, it would have been likely that she would have stayed as a perfect house wife, instead of going though a metamorphosis and becoming a calculative and deceitful character.
Another noble that shares a similar theme is "1984" by George Orwell. The theme could be seen in the actions of children. The government required children to be in a club, teaching them anger towards whoever was against the government, even their parents. Children sued their own parents for having dangerous thoughts, and families did not have any trust amongst them. If the society had not forced children to be under propaganda, they will not sue their own parents. Moreover, this part of the story shows that the future generation will be very obeying to the government, just as the government expects of them. The protagonist, Winston Smith, struggles to be freed from the society that is always watching him though a device named telescreen, but he was caught by government agents and tortured. Through the torture, Smith realizes his helplessness and becomes sincerely obedient to the society. Through the friction against the society, the characteristics of Smith were cut and shaped to fit in to the society. I believe that this resembles to what happens in the real life. Although the society does not take the extreme measures such as torturing, the society ditches people who are not able to reach the expectations and the loneliness cause the friction that grinds people’s characteristics.
One’s Identity that shows negative parts often cause friction with the society, until they are gone. Many people’s Identities change over time because of the friction. In Mary Maloney’s case, she became a perfect house wife who was a perfectionist, instead of an impulsive murderer. In Winston Smith’s case, the torture was the friction between his struggling self and the government, and it changed his mental state completely