Friday, May 23, 2008
On Being Short
I am 5’3, which is generally considered short. When lining up in order of height for school pictures, I am always at the back of the line or close to it. The majority of my classmates (and plenty of people younger than I) tower over me. I cannot touch the tops of doorframes and more often than not I cannot reach the top bookshelf. If I decided to play basketball I would be laughed at. I’ve experienced plenty of the cons of being short. Whenever I went to a restaurant with my family, I was asked by a well-meaning server “would you like a kids’ menu, sweetie?” until roughly the age of sixteen. I was once carded for a PG-13 rated movie in the middle of my junior year. I have endured the dissapointment and embarassment of not being able to ride the big rollercoaster because I was a few inches shy of the height limit. I have had to stand on my tiptoes to properly see over the customer service counter. I have had to wriggle to the front of crowds in order to see the parade, concert, fight, etc. On a few occasions I have finally found a pair of jeans that were the right length for a person of my size only to discover at the check-out counter that they were actually capris. Taller friends have held objects high above my head in order to amuse themselves with the spectacle of my trying to grab it. In fifth grade I had to switch to a bottom locker because I could not reach the combination lock on my much-more-desirable top locker. For years and years I cursed my height and desperately wished that I could be taller. I felt as though an extra few inches would magically make succesful, respected, more attractive, and more likely to be taken seriously. Somewhere down the road, I realized that this was all wrong. Shakira, who is pletnty attractive and very succesful is only 5’0. Tom Cruise is only 5’6 and yet he is a world famous, much-swooned-over actor. Furthermore, taller people have so many worries and that I, a near midget, will never need to concern myself with. I will never have to worry about walking into doorframes, hitting my head on ceilings, being too tall for a bed or couch, or feeling in need of more leg room on airplanes. I also discovered that potential dates do not enjoy the emasculating feeling of being shorter than their female counterpart. Therefore, as a short, heterosexual female, this will never be a problem for me. The manifesto of the “Flying Spaghetti Monster” religion (also known an “pastafarianism”) even suggests that shorter people have greater spiritual power because the “noodly apendages” of the almighty Flying Spaghetti Monster are exerting greater force upon them. Also, smaller people consume fewer resources such as oxygen, food, water, and fabric for clothing. We also create less waste by consuming less. Our diminutive stature gives us the ability to hide more effectively from potential predators and our more stable, lower center of gravity makes us better fighters. If we humans were nearer to the bottom of the food chain, natural selection would most certainly favor short people. So fellow shorties, embrace your height. We are the prime examples of how less truly is more. (559)
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Bibliography
"It Was All Yossarian's Fault - Power and Responsibility in Catch-22" - Stephen L. Sniderman
"You Must Remember This: Trauma and Memory in Catch-22 and Slaughter House 5" - Alberto Cacicedo
"The Night Journey in Catch-22" - Minna Dosokow
"You Must Remember This: Trauma and Memory in Catch-22 and Slaughter House 5" - Alberto Cacicedo
"The Night Journey in Catch-22" - Minna Dosokow
The Inferno
Minna Dosokow, an author of a particularly interesting article on Catch-22 that I found, compares the “night journey” through the streets of Rome that Yossarian embarks on in the later chapters as analogous to the journeys into the underworld that are characteristic of epic heroes (such as Aeneus and Dante). Being a Dante fiend, realizing that these chapters are fraught with references to The Commedia made me rather giddy. In this section, Yossarian wanders the streets of Rome in search of Nately’s whore after Milo has deserted him to buy smuggled tobacco products. Yossarian is confronted with an array of horrors that become more gruesome and helpless as his journey continues. Like Dante in Inferno, he is not being subjected to the terrors, yet he is not protected from that wrath they incur on his psyche. Dante at least had the comforting words of Virgil “only fear that which has the power to harm” to preserve his sanity throughout the journey. Yossarian is utterly alone and without any semblance of comfort. He is shown desperate poverty, injustice, and helplessness to horrifying degrees.
Yossarian is able to be in Rome because of his unrelenting refusal to fly more missions. At the time he leaves for Rome, his purpose is a selfish one. He wants to go home so that he can be out of harm’s way. However, by the end of the novel, Yossarian begins to chase a new loftier goal of ending the corruption and ethical perversion in the power infrastructure. Dante is shown Hell in order to regain the “straight way” that he lost in the dark forest of his exile and mid-life crises. The Hell that Yossarian sees is the full extent of the abuses of power that the authorities commit. Police beat an innocent man, and ambulance arrests and innocent man, dogs and children are beaten, and the M.P.’s come not for Aarfy who has raped and murdered the only innocent girl in the officers’ residence, but for Yossarian who is in Rome without leave papers. This is the turning point the novel where the authorities are portrayed and not only arbitrary and absurd, but also cruel and immoral. (744)
Yossarian is able to be in Rome because of his unrelenting refusal to fly more missions. At the time he leaves for Rome, his purpose is a selfish one. He wants to go home so that he can be out of harm’s way. However, by the end of the novel, Yossarian begins to chase a new loftier goal of ending the corruption and ethical perversion in the power infrastructure. Dante is shown Hell in order to regain the “straight way” that he lost in the dark forest of his exile and mid-life crises. The Hell that Yossarian sees is the full extent of the abuses of power that the authorities commit. Police beat an innocent man, and ambulance arrests and innocent man, dogs and children are beaten, and the M.P.’s come not for Aarfy who has raped and murdered the only innocent girl in the officers’ residence, but for Yossarian who is in Rome without leave papers. This is the turning point the novel where the authorities are portrayed and not only arbitrary and absurd, but also cruel and immoral. (744)
M&Ms
Catch-22 exposes the corruption and absurdity of the authority infrastructure in the military in an attempt to demonstrate the horrific futility or war. Milo Minderbinder represents the new ideologies that often arise from war-torn countries that lead to dangerously powerful authoritarian governments. When Germany was devastated from WWI, the power vacuum allowed Hitlet to come to power. Similarly, when Russia was frustrated with a self-serving monarchy, the Bolshevik revolution paved the way for the atrocities of Stalin. Milo Minderbinder starts out as a well-intentioned, low-ranking officer who merely wants to better the lives of his comrades by providing them with quality food. He starts a syndicate that “everyone has a share” in.
Exemption from flying as many missions as the other men gives Milo the opportunity to create a system of importing, exporting, buying, and selling that is too complex for its growth to be slowed. Furthermore, he does not have any other officers fully involved in his system. Since he is the only one who can understand his system, nobody can stop him. As the novel progresses, Milo becomes blinded by the power that he has. For the sake of making profits, he sells ammunition and military supplies to the Germans because “they are loyal customers too”. He even removes the morphine from the first aid kits that the pilots are supplied with. As a consequence, Snowden suffers a very painful death from a fatal wound.
When Yossarian, whom Milo trusts more than any other character in the novel, decides that he is going to find Nately’s whore’s kid sister, he enlists Milo’s help because of the power and influence that he has as a result of his syndicate. As soon as Milo realizes that he has an opportunity to make a profit off of smuggled tobacco products, he takes it instead of helping his loyal friend complete an honorable task. His decision shows the degradation of Milo’s moral fiber and the corruption of his values from absolute power. Yet, Milo covers his ethical perversion with the phrase “what’s good for M&M Industries is good for the country”. Such propaganda is similar to that of the Soviet regime that claimed to be working for the good of the people when in reality its only goal was to stay in power. (381)
Exemption from flying as many missions as the other men gives Milo the opportunity to create a system of importing, exporting, buying, and selling that is too complex for its growth to be slowed. Furthermore, he does not have any other officers fully involved in his system. Since he is the only one who can understand his system, nobody can stop him. As the novel progresses, Milo becomes blinded by the power that he has. For the sake of making profits, he sells ammunition and military supplies to the Germans because “they are loyal customers too”. He even removes the morphine from the first aid kits that the pilots are supplied with. As a consequence, Snowden suffers a very painful death from a fatal wound.
When Yossarian, whom Milo trusts more than any other character in the novel, decides that he is going to find Nately’s whore’s kid sister, he enlists Milo’s help because of the power and influence that he has as a result of his syndicate. As soon as Milo realizes that he has an opportunity to make a profit off of smuggled tobacco products, he takes it instead of helping his loyal friend complete an honorable task. His decision shows the degradation of Milo’s moral fiber and the corruption of his values from absolute power. Yet, Milo covers his ethical perversion with the phrase “what’s good for M&M Industries is good for the country”. Such propaganda is similar to that of the Soviet regime that claimed to be working for the good of the people when in reality its only goal was to stay in power. (381)
Monday, April 21, 2008
A Paradox! A Paradox!
In Catch-22, Joseph Heller conveys his anti-war beliefs by creating scenarios that are paradoxical and absurd. He demonstrates the insanity of those involved in war primarily through the character of Yossarian. The reader is first introduced to him when he is in the hospital (pretending to be ill in order to avoid flying more missions) and censoring letters written by soldiers. Since the number of missions he has to fly is increased every time he is close to completing a tour of duty, he begins to search for loopholes the in military system. In this search, he comes upon “catch-22” which states that a pilot can be grounded if he is insane. However, he has to ask to be grounded and asking to be grounded proves sanity because a desire to avoid harm demonstrates sound mental health.
In the novel, more highly ranked officials are portrayed as either particularly insane or particularly sadistic. Thus far, my personal favorite of these mad higher-ups is Major Major Major Major. This fellow is so cowardly that he cannot even handle being in the presence of any of his fellow soldiers. He instructs his assistant, Sergeant Towser, to only allow people to see him once he has fled the building (another “catch-22” per se). I believe that Heller is using these people and scenarios to demonstrate how the lives of thousands of young men should not be put into the hands of inefficient governments and corrupt, sadistic officials.
The variety of “catch-22”scenarios builds toward a general theme of war itself as a “catch-22”. In order to achieve peace, the opposing sides have to kill each other until they are weary from killing each other. Minor incidents of silliness such as signing false names on documents, en masse feigning diarrhea, absurd names, absurd practices, and tampering with intelligence reports all guide the reader to the realization that the entire war itself is a massive farce. (316)
In the novel, more highly ranked officials are portrayed as either particularly insane or particularly sadistic. Thus far, my personal favorite of these mad higher-ups is Major Major Major Major. This fellow is so cowardly that he cannot even handle being in the presence of any of his fellow soldiers. He instructs his assistant, Sergeant Towser, to only allow people to see him once he has fled the building (another “catch-22” per se). I believe that Heller is using these people and scenarios to demonstrate how the lives of thousands of young men should not be put into the hands of inefficient governments and corrupt, sadistic officials.
The variety of “catch-22”scenarios builds toward a general theme of war itself as a “catch-22”. In order to achieve peace, the opposing sides have to kill each other until they are weary from killing each other. Minor incidents of silliness such as signing false names on documents, en masse feigning diarrhea, absurd names, absurd practices, and tampering with intelligence reports all guide the reader to the realization that the entire war itself is a massive farce. (316)
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The Unknown Citizen - W.H. Auden
He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be
One against whom there was no official complaint,
And all the reports on his conduct agree
That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a
saint,
For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.
Except for the War till the day he retired
He worked in a factory and never got fired,
But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.
Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,
For his Union reports that he paid his dues,
(Our report on his Union shows it was sound)
And our Social Psychology workers found
That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.
The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day
And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.
Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,
And his Health-card shows he was once in a hospital but left it cured.
Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare
He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan
And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.
Our researchers into Public Opinion are content
That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;
When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went.
He was married and added five children to the population,
Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his
generation.
And our teachers report that he never interfered with their
education.
Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.
One against whom there was no official complaint,
And all the reports on his conduct agree
That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a
saint,
For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.
Except for the War till the day he retired
He worked in a factory and never got fired,
But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.
Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,
For his Union reports that he paid his dues,
(Our report on his Union shows it was sound)
And our Social Psychology workers found
That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.
The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day
And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.
Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,
And his Health-card shows he was once in a hospital but left it cured.
Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare
He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan
And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.
Our researchers into Public Opinion are content
That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;
When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went.
He was married and added five children to the population,
Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his
generation.
And our teachers report that he never interfered with their
education.
Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.
Unknown Possibilities?
W.H. Auden’s poem The Unknown Citizen was written as an epitaph on the monument of a citizen who was identified as “JS/07 M 378”. The poem is satirically glorifying the “typical citizen” from the perspective of government organizations. Throughout his life, Auden held radically left political views. The Unknown Citizen is perhaps a reflection of his politics and beliefs that a government should do more to ensure the happiness and well being of its citizens instead of functioning as an impersonal, purely rational entity. The piece also alludes to possibilities about the true quality of life about the unknown citizen.
The poem states that there was no “official” complaint against this man. The word “official” implies that he was never arrested or in any sort of legal trouble. Auden purposely uses the word for those connotations to show that the government that is glorifying this man has no idea if his friends or family had any troubles with him or cares for him. In his work in the factory whereby he “satisfied” his employers, he was unexceptional and likely mediocre. He did nothing to distinguish himself because he did not kowtow to his employers (he was not a scab) and he was not excessively loyal to his union though he paid his dues (he was not odd in his views). The mention of his career shows a glorification of mediocrity. Since he is not unemployed or destitute, he is not using government services or any of the public coffers to make ends meet. His lower to middle class status also signifies that he did not have enough money or power to have any profound affect on the world around him. Therefore, his existence was “neutral”. He did not make the world any better or any worse.
His “popularity with his mates” really says very little about his social status. We do not know how many friends he had, if he had healthy, fulfilling relationships with them, or if they were morally reprehensible people. Since he liked to drink, he could have been an alcoholic drowning his sorrows in substance abuse. His buying a paper every day, having normal reactions to advertisements, and holding the proper political opinions shows that he was easily manipulated by the press (in this case, likely a tool of government) and did not form his own interpretations of the world around him in spite of being informed of current events. He was the perfect citizen of a powerful government because he did not try to resist the status quo in any way that we know of.
The final two lines sarcastically reveal how material possessions (“everything necessary to the modern man”) and being a good citizen do not ensure individual happiness. In terms of his freedom, it is unclear whether or not the unknown citizen is living a life that he chose for himself. We do not know if he had any desire to ascend beyond mediocrity and achieve greatness. Circumstances, poverty, or an oppressive government could have prevented him from living in a manner that he found most suitable.
The government that he was living under only wanted to ensure that he maintained a healthy degree of patriotism and did not cause any trouble. The unknown citizen never did anything to distinguish himself from the masses and the speaker of the poem implies that such behavior made him the ideal citizen. The speaker implies that the unknown citizen had no hopes and dreams beyond being an average member of the populace. If he had any other plans for his future, the poem implies that carrying them out would not have been possible because he was suffocatingly bound to the values of society. Had he been living in a society where discovering individual happiness was valued, he could have created a life for himself that would have been better than average. (645)
The poem states that there was no “official” complaint against this man. The word “official” implies that he was never arrested or in any sort of legal trouble. Auden purposely uses the word for those connotations to show that the government that is glorifying this man has no idea if his friends or family had any troubles with him or cares for him. In his work in the factory whereby he “satisfied” his employers, he was unexceptional and likely mediocre. He did nothing to distinguish himself because he did not kowtow to his employers (he was not a scab) and he was not excessively loyal to his union though he paid his dues (he was not odd in his views). The mention of his career shows a glorification of mediocrity. Since he is not unemployed or destitute, he is not using government services or any of the public coffers to make ends meet. His lower to middle class status also signifies that he did not have enough money or power to have any profound affect on the world around him. Therefore, his existence was “neutral”. He did not make the world any better or any worse.
His “popularity with his mates” really says very little about his social status. We do not know how many friends he had, if he had healthy, fulfilling relationships with them, or if they were morally reprehensible people. Since he liked to drink, he could have been an alcoholic drowning his sorrows in substance abuse. His buying a paper every day, having normal reactions to advertisements, and holding the proper political opinions shows that he was easily manipulated by the press (in this case, likely a tool of government) and did not form his own interpretations of the world around him in spite of being informed of current events. He was the perfect citizen of a powerful government because he did not try to resist the status quo in any way that we know of.
The final two lines sarcastically reveal how material possessions (“everything necessary to the modern man”) and being a good citizen do not ensure individual happiness. In terms of his freedom, it is unclear whether or not the unknown citizen is living a life that he chose for himself. We do not know if he had any desire to ascend beyond mediocrity and achieve greatness. Circumstances, poverty, or an oppressive government could have prevented him from living in a manner that he found most suitable.
The government that he was living under only wanted to ensure that he maintained a healthy degree of patriotism and did not cause any trouble. The unknown citizen never did anything to distinguish himself from the masses and the speaker of the poem implies that such behavior made him the ideal citizen. The speaker implies that the unknown citizen had no hopes and dreams beyond being an average member of the populace. If he had any other plans for his future, the poem implies that carrying them out would not have been possible because he was suffocatingly bound to the values of society. Had he been living in a society where discovering individual happiness was valued, he could have created a life for himself that would have been better than average. (645)
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