Inspiring or Discouraging People in Literary Works - Essay Example

Inspiring or Discouraging People in Literary Works Real life events and experiences have influenced literary works through time with the aim to either seek triumphs and/or struggles that play significant roles in history. These works intend to either inspire or discourage people for whatever intentions. Events that have happened in the 20th century influenced writers in creating literary works that mirror the effects that these events have on people’s lives and nations’ transformation. The first journal activity makes a person to reflect on the changes that happen in this world. These changes happen so fast that people often realize important events have just passed and missed an opportunity. This can be related to the punishment that was given to Sisyphus in The Myth of Sisyphus. Readers can relate to the rock that Sisyphus is pushing up the hill to the trials that a person faces in life. Even if the sentence is considered as pointless and incompetent work, Sisyphus still obliged without hesitation. The protagonist’s heart and courage can be measured to be stronger and more substantial than the rock being pushed (Sagi, 110-15; Camus, 110-30). War and The Hunger Artist are about acceptance. There are many events and experiences that will constitute changes either to a person, a society, a place, a country or even to the whole mankind. These changes serve as inspiration for memoirs that are written for the past events and experiences to be appreciated at present (Kafka & Heller, 80-90). One of the most tragic events in history is the Holocaust. Though there are people who would want to move on from this kind of event, there are also some who would want to remember such event as hundreds or thousands have died at the concentration camps. Sometimes, this kind of event should be acknowledged as innocent people died just to please one. For others, this is an event that is just written in the history books or a nightmare that happened in real life where they have lost their loved ones. Memoirs are souvenirs of the past. These are written so that the past would still live in the hearts of people living in the present and in the future. Such events are not just meant to be left in history books. There are lessons embedded in every lines of a memoir that bear morals and serve as an example of acts that should not be done. Even if the public have been aware of such tragic events and experiences, the Second World War still erupted. The two World Wars have inspired a number of literary works during and after the war itself (Kelly 19-30). In Praise of Feeling Bad About Yourself mirrors how different personas would react to violent events just like the World Wars. A sad conclusion in any war is that men are fighting against men. If the creation of man would be considered, each person is the other person’s brother. A man’s skin color may differ from another but both of these people came from one origin. There might not be any close relationships between their races during this lifetime; however, have they looked back (Nadelhaft & Bonebakker, 1959)? It has always been said that a person cannot see his own mistake. The poem relates that statement. When somebody criticizes another, he has criticized himself also in the process. Instead of changing one’s self and admitting one’s fault, a person tends to look for an escape goat to clean his or her own name and reputation. Such act could ruin an innocent person’s life and career. There is no person who has admitted to a crime that he had committed. There is no person who would say he is responsible for such an indecent act or behavior. Literature allows people to see what are intended to not be seen by the eye. Only a few people can say that they have a clear conscience but still they are not capable of vindicating others. Every person is innocent in their eyes but not every one of them can say that they have a clear conscience. A person will wash their hands as a sign of innocence even if he is just as guilty as others. People would praise somebody for all the good that he has done but the same group who would first turn their backs as soon as they will find any blemish on the person’s record. Judgment would be given even if the people judging are as guilty as the accused. This is what transpired as the second activity of the journal progressed. Time is a very precious as it cannot be stopped. Nobody can control time and once it has passed, it cannot be turned back. Life is just like time that cannot be delayed or stopped. An event in one person’s life differs from another. There is no point of envying one’s life because each person exists with different situations in life and there should be no comparison in views as different people do not have the same outlook with respect to various subjects. Even if it has been said that life should be lived to the fullest, there are limitations that the society sets. Though literature is a form of expressing one’s thoughts, views and opinions, there is still censorship being done to every masterpiece. There is nothing that can stop a writer to express himself or herself, it is just that not all people would be able to analyze or understand fully what a specific writer would want to persuade to his audience. This is what The Censors contradicts however. There is nothing wrong when a writer would want to address his thoughts which are aimed to a specific group of audience. Have people thought what the consequences would be if there will be no censorship? Adults do have a strong concept as to which is right or wrong and what to do and what not. Does the same apply to the children? Also does the concept of being responsible present in all adults? Censorship is a matter of filtering sensitive information before it will be made available to public. If there would be no censorship made with delicate information, have anybody thought of what would the effect of such information especially to young children? Everything that is applied in moderation would not be of harm to anyone. Once something is abused or misused, that is the time it will be harmful either emotionally, physically or psychologically. The function of censorship is very important especially during days when very sensitive and violent materials can be easily accessed even at the comfort of one’s home (Valenzuela, 40-50, 200-10). Different wars have been fought by soldiers worldwide. Most of them were able to safely go home to their families. There are a number of soldiers who were not as fortunate as the others. There are various reasons as to why wars occur and end. Lives may be lost but dignity and respect are gained. Civilians take their hats off to the soldiers who put their lives on the line to fight for the good of the majority. Wars however can be put in a situation wherein both sides would be lost for mankind. Even if the country would prosper and benefit from the war, it is always the men and their families who would suffer the effects of the battle. If leaders would want peace, then why is violence needed for peace to take effect in a certain location? The third journal activity shifted the point of view of people towards the self to opinion about the society and mankind. Literature plays a role in portraying stories of people that have been and are still being affected by war. World literature shadows thoughts and events worldwide even if it is being relayed to the public with fictional characters. It is not meant to prolong the suffering of victims that can see themselves within the written work. The presence of literature in this world aims to reserve a recollection of historical events using fictional works. The fourth journal activity then attacks a person’s perspective to the basic unit of society which is the family. Though the world is made up of millions of people, hundreds of races and ethnicities, mankind itself is a family on its own. Ocean of Words is composed stories of men killing each other at war or basically lives at the army. Killing a person is like killing one’s own brother. The way one person thinks about another person is a reflection of how one would think about his own kin. This activity is a deeper reflection of the third activity (Jin, 165-72). There is always something that influences any artistic form. What makes world literature stand out is its ability to reach out to emotions and thoughts of people through the ages. It serves as window to the events that only a selected number of people have experienced. There are several views by different people who would read such works of arts. Literature as a whole is more of an opinionated matter as this will enhance critical thinking to those who would engage in such materials (Prendergast & Anderson, 54-60). World literature bridges one country to another using written works of art as a tool. Going back to what have been written at the start, there is still a connection between different races living in this planet. Even twins have physical differences however that does not change the fact that they both have the same parents. This is what men and women should take in consideration when deciding on life changing events. World literary works that have been written in recent decades should serve as a guide on what effects violent events in world history will have on mankind. Works Cited: Camus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus: And Other Essays. New York, USA: First Vintage International Edition. March 1991. Damrosch, David. What is World Literature?. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. 2003. Hornstein, Lillian Herlands, Brown, Sterling Allen, and Percy, G.D. The Reader's Companion to World Literature. 2nd ed. USA: Signet Classics. 2002. Jin, Ha. Ocean of Words Army Stories. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Zoland Books. 1996. Kafka, Franz and Erich Heller. The Basic Kafka. New York, USA: Pocket Books, Inc. 1979. Kelly, Judith. Primo Levi: Recording and Reconstruction in the Testimonial Literature. Leicester, UK: Troubador Publishing Ltd. Levi, Primo. Survival in Auschwitz and The Reawakening, Two Memoirs. Trans. Stuart Woolf. Summit Books. 1986. Nadelhaft, Ruth L. and Victoria Bonebakker. Imagine What It's Like: A Literature and Medicine Anthology. USA: Maine Humanity Council. 2008. Sagi, Avi. Albert Camus and the Philosophy of the Absurd. New York, New York: Editions Rodopi B.V. 2002. Prendergast, Christopher, and Benedict Richard O'Gorman Anderson. Debating World Literature. UK: Verso. 2004. Valenzuela, Luisa. The Censors: A Bilingual Selection of Stories. Trans. Hortense Carpentier, J. Jorge Castello, Helen Lane, Christopher Leland, Margaret Sayers Peden and David Unger. Willimantic, CT: Curbstone Press. 1995. Wiesel, Elie. Night. Trans. Marion Wiesel. Penguin Books. 2008. Read More