Men vs. Women

Communication is vital. So why is it that we suck at it? Bill Cosby once said: “Men and women belong to different species, and communication between them is a science still in its infancy.” No statement could be more correct. Argument is by far the worst form of communication, yet it seems as though within every relationship all we know how to do is to “agree to disagree”. This is a mysterious concept that is rarely discussed or attempted to solve. In “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, an attempt is made to illustrate the ridiculousness of our inability to communicate properly.

 

Lets face it, there is nothing more typical than a woman uttering the words “I’m fine” when really she is far from. It is a common occurrence that often angers a woman’s significant other, and for good reason. It is a lie told to fend off another, when in most cases, it is a plea for attention. And when the deceiving “I’m fine” is ignored, all hell breaks loose. Even being a woman myself, I do not understand why we feel the need to act in such an unreasonable way. We lie and expect to be rewarded with concern; but consequently, women are not the only sex at fault for miscommunication. “Hills Like White Elephants” effectively demonstrates the lack of communication skills men possess. In the short story, the woman is faced with an unplanned pregnancy that her boyfriend wishes to abort. He believes that it is “…the only thing that bothers [them]. It’s the only thing that’s made [them] unhappy.” (Hemingway, 50). Throughout the dialogue, the man continually assures the woman that to carry through with the operation is what is best for the both of them. He never considers her feelings and lacks any form of empathetic character. The result of this major breakdown in communication is a confused woman looking for answers and a man content to carry on as if no change has occurred. It is a simple as that. Lack of communication destroys relations between those who simply do not understand the concept of proper discussion. Both sexes are equally at fault, and most likely equally angry at one another. Communication needs to be learned, and it must be noted that “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” (Indira Gandhi).

 

I cannot tell you why we choose to “agree to disagree”, but I can tell you the idea is far too prevalent to even reflect upon. Our communication abilities, or lack there of, should be a major concern as for it influences many aspects of our lives negatively. It causes conflicts with family and friends, and majorly with those of the opposite sex. From a global perspective, poor communication can result in problems past our fixing. Change in behavior is the first step to better communication. After all, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” (Winston Churchill)

References:

Hemingway, E. (2006). Hills like white elephants In T. R. Arp (Ed.), Story and Structure (pp. 210-215). Boston: Thomas Wadsworth.

A Warning

What on Earth are we doing? Take this, a valid question often overlooked as comic relief, and genuinely consider it. Why are we here? What positive operations have mankind accomplished that justifies a position on this once unscathed planet? Not until analyzing Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness did I contemplate such oppressive inquisitions, and grasp the irrefutable truth. Man’s erroneous ways of life have negatively affected, and will continue to affect the innocent people and the innocent planet.

 In Conrad’s thought provoking novella, it is apparent that he suggests overall gluttonous tendencies of corporations. The sole intention of these corporations is to “tear treasure out of the bowels of the land…” (Conrad, 1998, pg.177) without paying any attention to ethics. With complete accuracy, Conrad epitomizes the true intention of most wealthy corporations, one of these accusable culprits being Wal-Mart. “Greed is a theme with the Wal-Mart family. The family, worth a combined $95 billion, has given a stingy one percent of its wealth to charity” (Tasini, 2005). How terrible. But wait, take a second to cogitate exactly how much the average North American citizen donates to charity. There is no doubt that most contribute less than one percent of their “hard earned” income to those who truly need it. Why is blame being placed on corporations when mankind is acting just as callously? Conrad’s protagonist in the novella, a skeptical man who comes to a realization that man “… may be such thunderingly exalted creature[s] as to be altogether deaf and blind to anything but heavenly sights and sounds.” (Conrad, 1998, pg.207). Society is not blind as many like to believe. Blindness is a poor excuse for what our own selves wish not to see: the poor, the dying, and the helpless. It is very clear that most North American citizens could easily make a donation in any form to the less fortunate, but choose not because of selfishness. Society is motivated by glamour, “… glamour [keeps us] unscathed. [We] surely [want] nothing from the wilderness but a space to breathe in and to push on through.” (Conrad, 1998, pg.216); therefore, the North American citizen is motivated by glamour. Glamour takes the form of anything not vital to survive: the shirts tucked away never to be worn, the diamond on a hand that sacrificed a hand in turn, or the use of a vehicle that is slowly but surely weakening the only possible place to exist. Unless mankind takes a step backwards into an older and simpler lifestyle, we will finally join those living a life of privation.

Conrad exposed the inner demons of corporations, the devil of mankind, but his true intention was to give a warning. Conrad’s opinion was that of his protagonist’s, “I observed with assumed innocence that no man was safe from trouble in this world.” (Conrad, 1998, pg.190). On the contrary, “Anything, anything can be done in this country.” (Conrad, 1998, pg.181). Mankind is far from safe, but anything can be done to change that fact. Where there is a will there is a way. We might not know what on Earth we are doing, but “By the simple exercise of our will we can exert a power for good practically unbounded.” (Conrad, 1998, pg.208), but if we do not do so “The rest of the world [will be] nowhere, as far as our eyes and ears [are] concerned. Just nowhere.” (Conrad, 1998, pg. 192).

Works Cited:

 Conrad, J. (1998). Heart of darkness. New York: Oxford University Press.

 Tasini, J. (2005, March 30). Wal-mart’s culture of crime and greed. Retrieved from http://www.tompaine.com/articles/walmarts_culture_of_crime_and_greed.php

 

 

forty-three little pages.

Forty-three pages. I could read forty-three pages of any standard novel and not think twice about the worthless language my brain has just mulled over. An English class with a typical novel, and typical assignments is what I believed I would be taking part in, but I was mistaken. “The water shone pacifically; the sky, without a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist of the Essex marshes was a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in diaphanous folds.” (Conrad, 1998, pg. 136). Months ago I may have asked what I did to deserve this. What did I ever do to you Joseph Conrad? Why must I laboriously adhere to a novella so out of my league while essentially in comatose? Now conscious, I have the answer. I, a headache riddled and perplexed student, is reading for the sake of learning. Who knew?

 In Book I of Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness, Marlow, the protagonist, is introduced with the description of  “…sunken cheeks [and], a yellow complexion…” (Conrad, 1998, pg.136). At first skim, I assumed this was a straightforward characterization that was monotonously insignificant. Once my slight intellect kicked in, I began to connect its meaning with that of another quote: “… white patche[s] for a boy to dream gloriously over. [They] had become a place of darkness.” (Conrad, 1998, pg. 142). As a young and undamaged boy, Marlow was captivated by blank spaces, white spaces. As an adult he traveled, and concluded that the blank spaces were no longer pure and unscathed, they were dark and threatened. Keeping in mind Marlow’s previous appearance, Conrad is implying his opinion of imperialism. Our dim-witted and imperialistic tendencies have damaged our planet beyond repair. Wherever our impractical ideas have taken us, we unknowingly have spread darkness. An epiphany has transpired, some would call it a miracle; I have somewhat deciphered one of the innumerable concepts in this novella. Even though I am unsure as to what the meaning of darkness truly is, I am beginning to grapple at its connotation. It is no longer a nuisance to pick up this novella and dive headstrong into its pages. I have come to terms with its superiority over my recognition, but I will continue to contemplate its illusive symbolism as best as I can.

Work Cited:

Conrad, J. (1998). Heart of darkness and other tales. New York: Oxford University Press.

symbolism is frustrating.

To start, I would just like to say Heart of Darkness is by far the most challenging novel to understand that I have ever come across. Before starting, I thought that it was the complexity of the grammar that would confuse me. Surprisingly, grammar has not yet played a role in my confusion . What confuses me most is the way the story is written. I have never read something written in such an odd style. I’m guessing this style could have been popular when Joseph Conrad wrote the novel, but it is definitely not something I am used to. As I have gotten further in the novel, I am enjoying it more.  I would almost say I understand it, to a degree of course. I am terrible at noticing symbolism, and now that I know Heart of Darkness is full of it, I find myself looking for it in every word. The search for symbolism is driving me crazy, all because I know it is there. I understand the black/white concept, but I know there is much more to this book then I will ever comprehend. I picture it as an ongoing assignment that never really gets finished. That’s all so far!