Upper School thesis project
H.J. Percival: A Journey to Post Modernism
Mrs. Clark
AP English
13 April 2008
Introduction: Self-Realization
Man has always expressed himself through literature. Whenever he feels that he cannot say something in public, he usually expresses it in a book, summarizing his point through the journey of a character. What I want to focus on is how man has grown as a thinking entity and how, throughout history, he does sadly engage in destructive behavior, but how slowly, he realizes the path of self destruction and does attempt to correct it. His path of self-realization can be tracked through literature.
Now, when I speak of self-realization, I do so in the sense of not only behaviors but also ways of thinking and living. Usually the realization that the author wants to relay is something quite revolutionary for his day and can only be expressed through the journey of a character. When dealing with a situation where someone has decided to go against the status quo, it is very possible that society will turn against this trailblazer, ostracize him, and possibly kill him in ignorance. Several pertinent examples are, Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, etc. Only later after his death or exodus do they realize that he was right the entire time and his belief comes into widespread acceptance. This character becomes what the author wisely does not want to be: a martyr. Though martyrdom is admirable, what writers have done in this case is in the long run much more efficient in spreading their truths and improving humanity.
This essay is going become an examination of these characters, these saviors, who seek to change society for the better and how they relate to society, who sometimes kill them. More specifically, I will attempt to analyze what brings these characters to their moment of self-realization and what the author was trying to relay when he or she wrote this story. The reasons can be broken down into three groups. The first group is those that gained their realization through observation of humanity for the fringes of society. Those characters are Salinger’s Holden Caulfield and Gardner’s Grendel, who were born into ostracization and realized the shortcoming of humanity through disappointment. Second are those who come to this realization through being thrown into adversity. Characters such as John Proctor from The Crucible and Meursault of Camus’ The Stranger are common men with common lives until unforeseeable circumstances cause them to choose between their lives or their precepts. It is through holding on to these precepts that the blinders are removed and they can become fully exposed to the truths of the world. And finally, there is the group represented by the character Dante of the Inferno and the wise gorilla Ishmael from the book bearing the same name. These characters arrived at their conclusions simply by reason, by sitting down and making sense out of things by means of endless analytical processes.
Each one of these groups arrived at the same basic destination by different means. They willingly or unwillingly, found out that something was wrong with the world and decided to stand against it. However, the true question is, did the authors convince us enough? Did they make the journey of each character worthwhile enough to grab humanities attention? The answer is yes; through the acknowledgement and study of these novels our culture’s change of behavior over history is a testament to a change of heart.
Chapter One: Ostracization
As human society progresses, certain people will come to new realizations about morality, religion, and what is considered socially acceptable, and will attempt to change their surroundings to accommodate this change in thinking. Most of the time these changes are for the better, and they replace backwards ways of thinking and living. However, it is the natural response of society to preserve the status quo at all costs, and that is what makes this expression of these new ideas so dangerous. As times have changed authors have expressed these new blossoming ideas through the journeys of their characters. Just like the authors that create them, the most common way a literary character comes to a realization is through being pushed out from society. It is only after living life on the fringes that a character grows to maturity and society finally comes around. Sadly, though, not all characters are so lucky; sometimes it is only after they are destroyed that society comes around.
Characters of this caliber have several traits in common; the most common attribute is their innate dissatisfaction with the status of their culture. They often refer to this inconsistency they feel very vaguely, such as Holden Caulfield’s description of his headmaster as a “phony slob” (Salinger 3) and Ossenburger as a “big phony bastard” (17). Holden’s constant accusations of “phoniness” only increase through the story, and this vague inconsistency he feels is what ultimately sends him on his journey. However, some characters fall into the realm of existentialism in that they do not choose where they are brought into existence and are born into the outskirts of society. They never know what it is to be accepted, but they still instinctively know that something is wrong. This situation is Grendel’s; initially he constantly wonders how he deserves his lot in life. He is born with no one to talk to; his mother and the other nameless creatures only stare at him in their animal stupidity. The horrible thing for Grendel is that he is born with an animal exterior but with human reason. Because of this he has a desire to be accepted by those like him. Still, his first real encounter with humans goes less than well, as he chronicles their reaction to him,
I staggered out into the open and up toward the hall with my burden, groaning out, ‘Mercy! Peace!’ The Harper broke off, the people screamed. (They all have their own versions, but this is the truth.) Drunken men rushed over with battle-axes. I sank to my knees crying, ‘Friend! Friend!’ They hacked at me yipping like dogs…I crushed the body in my hug, then hurled it in their faces, turned, and fled (Gardner 52).
The Danes cannot accept Grendel; they too can only stare and fear with the same animal stupidity. On his way home, depressed and beaten, Grendel implores the sky why he too cannot have someone to talk to like Hrothgar and the Shaper have. This questions shows he innately knows that his lot in life in not fair and he is completely undeserving of it. Additionally Grendel’s comment, “ ‘The Shaper may yet improve men's minds, bring peace to the miserable Danes.’ But they were doomed, I knew, and I was glad. No denying it. Let them wander the fogroads of Hell” (Gardner 53), indicates that Grendel naturally knows what the Danes are doing to him is wrong and they will eventually be punished for these actions. Again, it is this dissatisfaction that propels Grendel on his journey to change, fall into the company of the dragon, and finally become the nihilistic monster.
After they both venture out on their journey, the characters of Grendel and Holden Caulfield converge in a sense. It begins with Holden actually referencing Grendel when conversing with one of the nuns. When asked what books he has read this year he responds, “Well, most of the time we were on the Anglo-Saxons. Beowulf, and old Grendel, and Lord Randel My Son, and all those things” (Salinger 110). Now according to Tom Murphy, “Holden's mention of Grendel carries a very faint whiff of approval or attraction…for Holden its "old" Grendel. Adolescent boys are notoriously attracted to the dark side, curious about the power of destruction. They may ultimately want to identify with the hero, but there seems to be a deeper soul-link with the monster.” This point is very visible throughout both stories. As Holden falls deeper and deeper into his breakdown, the reader can feel a twisted sense of enjoyment. This subtle enjoyment reaches a high point as Maurice, the pimp, and Sunny the, prostitute, leave his room after Maurice has punched him in the stomach. As he limps towards the bathroom he says,
About halfway to the bathroom, I sort of started pretending I had a bullet in my guts. Old Maurice had plugged me…I pictured myself coming out of the goddam bathroom, dressed and all, with my automatic in my pocket, and staggering around a little bit. Then I’d walk downstairs, instead of using the elevator…I’d ring the elevator bell. As soon as old Maurice opened the doors…I’d plug him…six shots right through his fat hairy belly…I’d crawl back to my room and call up Jane to have her come and bandage up my guts. I pictured her holding a cigarette for me to smoke while I was bleeding and all. The goddam movies. They can ruin you (Salinger 104).
Some say this crazy story inside Holden’s head is only an expression of him trying to compensate for the ridiculous situation he had been put in. However, paralleling this happening to a movie just shows how naïve he is. He doesn’t realize how serious his situation is, and he attempts to downplay it by relating it to fantasy. He truly believes this is a game, and he has become content with his path of self-destruction. After years of isolation and shunning, Grendel finally settles into his path of destruction too, after assaulting the meadhall, he triumphantly proclaims, “I had become something, as if born again. I had hung between possibilities before, between the cold truths I knew and the heart-sucking conjuring tricks of the Shaper; now that was passed: I was Grendel, Ruiner of Meadhalls, Wrecker of Kings!” (Gardner 80). Tom Murphy agrees with these conclusions and adds,
Both Holden and Grendel are sharply alienated characters, estranged from self, family, others, the world...while they are in the process of trying to understand those very things. There seems something particularly adolescent in Grendel's curiosity about the world of men and his anger at being excluded. So he becomes The Destroyer, The Hrothgar-Wrecker. Similarly, there is something at least potentially monstrous in Holden's self-absorption and the temptation to nihilistic generalizing about the phoniness of the world (Murphy 1)
The irony of this is by accepting their paths of destruction and view of the world, both characters seal their fate. Because of Grendel’s relentless attacks on Hrothgar that give both man and monster meaning, Beowulf eventually comes to rescue the Danes sending Grendel to an untimely death. Holden’s distrust and disillusionment with the world finally cause him to reach the “end of his rope” and have to be committed to an institution for therapy.
Both characters represent great points that the authors observed about the world. Gardner attempts to play the devil’s advocate and show us the mindset of the other side, and how our unbalanced view of our actions can sometimes blind us to the injustices we commit. However, as stated in the beginning, sometimes it takes the death of a character for humanity, within or outside the story, to realize the error of their ways, such as with Grendel. This statement by Gardner made a great impression after its publication in 1971, and opened up the idea that maybe not every human endeavor was completely correct and naturally granted. And though we have no idea whether or not the Danes saw the error of their ways, we can only assume that Grendel did make a lasting impression that molded them into the society we see today. Salinger was attempting to convey the difficult reconciliation of growing up and learning how to handle the so-called “phoniness” of the world. By the end of the story, Holden has learned to temper his condemning attitude and has finally found a healthier outlook on life. Salinger’s book has become an expression of the struggle that every adolescent faces, and a great commentary on the way people relate to each other. I believe that Tom Murphy closes the story of Holden and Grendel perfectly,
But they are both Lost Boys. There is hope for Holden by the book’s end - he has found some sense in the midst of all ‘this madman stuff’. For Grendel - as for many in this broken world who can’t find their way through - there is only more darkness (Murphy 1).
Chapter Two: Adversity
A man is nothing without his principles. Whether those principles are a belief in God or a belief in self, a man always has a higher law that governs his life and transcends his physical being. The time when this belief system is truly evident is when that person faces persecution, adversity, and possibly death. Whenever a person is faced with persecution, a situation where his/her life is truly on the line, the true character emerges and one realizes who they are, not whom they have been pretending to be their entire life. The personality that a man or woman exposes in everyday life is not their true self, it is only a social façade, and when that person faces adversity that their true character comes out. It is at that moment, when they are making those difficult decisions that they can see what they really value. They also see things for what they really are, such as societies inconsistencies, ignorance and shortcomings, or an epiphany of human nature. They can see the foolishness of certain aspects of human behavior. Much like, when we look back at outdated medical procedures, such as, bloodletting, etc. Authors use this type of character in their books frequently to make a point, a realization or observation they have made in society. These types of characters are closely related to characters such as Grendel and Holden whom we discussed earlier. However, the crucial factor separating these two groups is that one group is innately separated from society and is in a sense born into adversity while the other group is initially an accepted entity of society and is then thrown into this life and death situation. In simple terms, one character stays the same or static throughout the story while the other’s dealings with adversity causes him to grow, and by the end we are dealing with a completely different dynamic character then in the beginning of the novel.
John Proctor from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a perfect example of such a character. Upon his entrance, he is described as an ‘every man’, he is a simple farmer and a family man. However, he is also very charismatic and “not easily led” (Miller 20), standing up to the foolishness displayed by the less likeable characters, such as, Reverend Parris and Mr. Putnam. When Mr. Putnam attempts to bully the Reverend into doing his will, Procter responds to him by stating, “You cannot command Mr. Parris. We vote by name in this society, not by acreage” (28), and when asked why he rarely attends church, Proctor again swiftly responds that he
…has trouble enough without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnation. Take it to heart, Mr. Parris. There are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly ever mention God anymore (28-29).
These attributes, along with the fact that with Rebecca Nurse he also serves as a voice of reason, make him a very likeable character, not only to the reader but also to the rest of the community. The only ones that Proctor has to fear are those that simply clash with John’s character as Miller describes Proctor as a man “who cannot refuse support to partisans without drawing their deepest resentment” (20) As the story evolves, a vengeful Abigail has decided that she wants to remove Proctor’s beloved wife Elizabeth through her insane accusations of witchcraft, and Procter’s trail by fire begins. Elizabeth is arrested and put on trial, and Proctor struggles to do everything in his power to save her. However, his attempts are futile has Abigail has utilized the ignorance of Salem to her every advantage. It comes down to those characters with strong convictions to stand against the injustices and lies propagated by Abigail and her cohorts. Proctor leads, along with others such as Giles Corey and Francis Nurse to save their wives. However, as the trial ensues Corey brings forth convincing evidence in his wife’s defense, but refuses to name his source when asked. The residing judge tells him he faces prison if he will not name his source and asks him why he will not he burst out, “ You know well why not! He’ll lay in jail if I give his name…I will give you no name. I mentioned my wife’s name once and I’ll burn in hell long enough for that. I stand mute.” (Miller 97) He is arrested and later we find out he was killed during his interrogation by means of pressing. His final moments are a testament to this determination a man has to adhere to his principles. Elizabeth relays to John that “Great stones they lay upon his chest until he plead aye or nay. They say he give them but two words. “More weight,” he says. And died” (135). Finally, in a last ditch attempt to save his wife, Proctor is lured into Abigail’s most elaborate trap, and he finds himself accused, arrested and sentenced to death. On the morning of his imminent death, he is advised to plead guilty to these crimes he did not commit to save his life. He decides to do it but when he is asked for his signature on a confession that will be paraded through the town he cannot go through with it and declares, “You will not use me…I have three children-how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?” (Miller 143) He is asked why he is making such a big deal over simply signing his name he responds,
Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (143) He tears up his confession and seals his fate. Some of his final words are “ I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. (144)
John Proctor was content with his life and was a well-respected member of the community, and then he made a small unwise decision to engage in adultery with Abigail. It is this seemingly insignificant event was what caused him to be thrown into this situation and completely lose control of his life and have everything taken from him. However, in the end he clung to the only thing a man truly has: himself and his beliefs, which in this case are his own convictions and God. He adheres to Elizabeth’s advice that “There be no higher judge under Heaven than Proctor is!” (Miller 137) and to his conviction that “I confess to God, and God has seen my name on this! It is enough…God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough!” (Miller 142) Finally in the end, Proctor finally reconciles with himself and sees things for what they truly are. He finds that truth is worth dying for.
Another character that finds himself in a very similar situation is Meursault from Camus’ The Stranger. Meursault is a common man with a job, a girlfriend, and his own problems. His path of adversity begins when he is thrown into the most absurd of situations and finds himself on trial for the murder of an Arab. Throughout the book Meursault appears to be quite an existential character seeming to approach everything with reason and be forever indifferent. However, Bob Dylan once said, “People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent” (Quoted from brainyquote.com) and we expect Meursault to quickly change in response to this insane turn of events. Yet, despite pressure from all sides, including his own lawyer, to say whatever to prove his innocence, Meursault refuses to say anything but the truth. The moment that displays his determination plainly is when his lawyer asks him if he will tell the court that on the day of his mother’s funeral, he simply held back his emotions. He responds simply, “No, because it’s not true” (Camus 65). This situation plays out several times throughout the book, as he is questioned when it would be in his best interest to not tell the entirety of his feelings he does so in the interest of telling the truth. He doesn’t do it for a moral reason, nor for God, as he is an atheist, he does it simply because he believes so strongly in it. He is so truthful that he even admits to himself that he “didn’t feel much remorse for what I’d done” (Camus 100), and even at the conclusion of the trial when he has the chance to say some words in his defense as to his motive, he cannot stop himself for citing the ridiculous cause: the sun and its relentless heat. It is because of Meursault’s unflinching commitment to his belief and the truth that he ends up condemned to death. He spends the last few months of his life calmly coming to terms that he is going to die very soon. The climax of the book, however, arrives when the priest arrives one final time to attempt to save him. As he does this Meursault says that suddenly
…something inside of me snapped. I started yelling at the top of my lungs…” (Camus 121), and by the end of his tirade, he has finally reconciles his himself and truly realizes the indifference of the universe, but most of all he is finally at peace about it. His final words are “…that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and star, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself-so like a brother really-I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again (Camus 122-123).
Both Proctor and Meursault find themselves in very similar situations, where they are faced with death for adhering to their principles or living on by giving them up. For some the decision would be easy, but the honorable know better. As a said in the beginning a man is nothing without his principles, and that in itself is self-evident. A man who will turn away from his beliefs at the slightest sign of trouble carries the contempt of every person in our culture and a man who can hold fast to those beliefs no matter what earns the highest admiration. However, the most important aspect of this situation is how adhering to these beliefs give the character a moment of self-liberation and self-realization. Proctor realized the goodness of his soul and the evil of Salem, and as Meursault recognized the meaninglessness and indifference of the universe. Authors use this point, this cleansing catharsis as a chance to make their point through the character. Because of humanity deep admiration of honor until death, this method of exposing a truth to society is one of the most efficient ways of relaying to society as truth as the author as seen it.
The most prominent tool utilized to reach an epiphany is one’s own reason. Authors have taken this gift of reason and imbued it into their characters to show a relevant truth. Usually this reality the author is trying to relay is a realization that he believes can improve humanity as a whole. This chapter will examine the use of reason on the path to realization in literature.
When speaking of improving one’s self though reason, the most prominent book on that subject is Dante’s Inferno. It is a novel that has a haughty and judgmental tone, but it is consistent. Throughout the book as Dante speaks of the condemned and their sins he continues to repeat that their sins “lacked all reason” and implies that if the damned souls had merely used their God given ability of reason in their lifetime they would not have earned this fate. The most specific example of Dante’s conclusion is when he follows Virgil into the second circle of Hell, which houses those overcome by lust and carnal desires. As Dante arrives the place of punishment he hears the cries of the lost and sees how they are constantly smashed back and forth by powerful winds, and he understands their punishment fits their crime. He says “I understood that to such torment are condemned the carnal sinners who subject the reason to the appetite.” (Dante 22) Dante’s view correlate closely to Aristotle’s observation that what sets us apart from animals is our reason and that in itself can be utilized to reach our full potential as humans. However, upon further examination of the book we find that reason is a double-edged sword. As the circles descend and the punishments increase we can see that the sins require more premeditation and manipulation. For example the eighth circle contain seducers, flatters, false prophets, fraudulent advisors, thieves, etc., all these types of people are guilty of deliberate evil which they not only know of but had to thoroughly plan out. The point is brought to a head as Dante describes the ninth and final circle of hell, the betrayers. The most infamous occupant of this realm is Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus Christ. Not only did these people exploit their reason to do evil, they took advantage of those they were supposed to have a special relationship with. Camus once said, “Beginning to think is beginning to be undermined”(Camus quoted from brainyquote). In essence, Camus is saying that while thinking things out is good, doing so is the beginning of over thinking which usually hurts more than it helps. We can see how this plays a major part in the Inferno; the use of reason will save us but the overuse of reason will damn us. Dante is taking what Aristotle and Camus said a step further by saying that “reason is God's greatest gift to humankind and, therefore, its perversion or misuse constitutes the worst possible sin” (Serio par. 4).
The application of reason for good is also exemplified in Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael. Quinn created a character, Ishmael, and used him to convey his thoughts on the possible salvation of man. Throughout the novel, Ishmael calmly lays out a well-thought out analysis of humanity, its weakness, and how it can improve itself. He came to this realization simply though a lifetime of studying and his own thinking. The importance Quinn places on reason is evident even as the book begins. We find the nameless narrator enraged by an ad in the newspaper for a reason unknown to him. After presenting an excuse for this seemingly illogical outburst, he does something that most human beings are unable to do, he says to himself, “Let it go. I was being irrational.” (Quinn 6) The simple fact that the narrator is able to at least recognize his irrational behavior sets the tone for the rest of the book. We are dealing with an author who is trying to convey a message of calm reason.
This entire novel is a complex essay on humanity and the concepts it presents are endless. However, the most pertinent concept shown in Ishmael is its idea of “Leavers” and “Takers” (Quinn 39) which Ishmael uses to separate those our cultures have deemed civilized and uncivilized. Ishmael leads us through a history of these “Leavers” and “Takers” basically telling us that our culture has convinced us that the earth and everything in it is the property of humankind and we can do with it whatever we please. However, because of man’s limited food supply due to competition with wildlife, he did not have the support necessary to expand and realize this false destiny of owning the world. The agricultural revolution, which is deemed in the book the “ biggest moment in human history up to this point” (Quinn 69), became the support system that was needed for man to initialize his globalization. And as a result those who went on to harness the world for their selfish benefit became “Takers” and while they seem more prosperous they are solely responsible for the dilapidated state we find the world in today. Those who continue living simply and modestly are designated “Leavers”, but though they are not considered civilized they view their relationship with the earth in a healthier manner and serve as a model as to how the “Takers” should think.
This well thought out cause and effect view of history is much different from what is taught to us our history class but the detail and rationality used to set it up is flawless. It is a testament to the beauty of reason and though Ishmael was not a human, he was given human reason and therein lays the truth that Quinn was trying to show the reader. He came to realization of man’s destruction of the earth around him and he wanted to express this truth to the rest of us through literature. He used a character to act as a messenger of this epiphany and hopes to teach us the value of reason through Ishmael.
Dante was as much as a philosopher as he was a poet and religious expert, and he realized a new philosophy to improve man: utilize reason to save your eternal soul. Daniel Quinn’s philosophy to improve man: use reason to make the world and his way of life better. Both of these authors used reason to reach their conclusions and imbued that same power of reason into their characters to express to man that reason its so powerful it can save us.
Conclusion: Hope
Each character served their purpose, and exposed something new about humanity and society. Holden and Grendel, showed us how cruel and judging society can be and easy it is to get caught up in it. These two characters merely desired to reconcile their innate dissatisfaction and the feeling that something was wrong with the world; they wanted to belong but could not. By the end of both their stories, one lays dead and the other in a mental hospital, but their point is a made. It cost one savior his life, but the reader understands what Salinger and Gardner were trying to say. That too many times takes those we don’t understand and put them off to side to stew in their isolation, because they aren’t worth understanding.
John Proctor and Meursault, displayed the madness that can overtake a society and how it can quickly turn irrational and bloody. Each man simply wanted to live his life and be left alone but situations came about and called him to up to stand naked against adversity. Both reluctantly accepted and at the moment of truth realized that there is nothing more sacred or valuable than holding on to your values despite the pressures of the world. This discovery cost both men their lives but it certainly made an impression upon the other characters and certainly the reader. The authors wanted to show that man should be more careful when seeking justice as sometimes it can go to our heads and destroy the lives of the innocent. Also, the authors showed us the beauty of man’s right to resist to the end for his dignity and honor. These two in conjunction still remain the greatest testament to the power of man to rise up and meet adversity.
Dante and Ishmael show us something that we always possessed but never fully utilized: reason. Through their teachings we can see its use and beauty. Both authors wanted to save us from our nature and, in essence, ourselves. Dante preached a message of saving your eternal soul by simply thinking your actions through in accordance with the commandments of God, and Ishmael showed us we could save our current soul by reasoning in accordance with the tenants of consideration that we are not the only ones on this planet. The calm arguments set out by both are a convincing testament to the effectiveness of reason.
All these characters had something about humanity and its nature to express. All were thrown into different situation but I believe each author’s purpose was served. Overall, all the writers had a common message; they merely wanted to see humanity sit back and think. To consider that maybe there is something wrong, and maybe we should seek to understand and change it. They did not seek bloody revolution, or political overthrow simply a chance to relay their thoughts and to be fairly heard through their character’s journeys. We see the effect of their literature everyday and that in itself gives tribute to the fact that their may still be hope for humanity.
Works Cited
Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy: Inferno. New York: Pocket Books, 2005.
Brainy Quote. 22 Apr. 2008 <www.brainyquote.com>.
Camus, Albert. The Stranger. New York: Random House, 1988.
Gardner, John. Grendel. New York: Alfred a. Knopf, 1971.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Books, 1964.
Murphy, Tom. "Salinger's Catcher and Gardner's Grendel." Catcher: External Aspects. 26 Feb. 2008 <http://www.wahlbrinck.de/catcherintherye/ext.htm#25grendel>.
Salinger, J.D. Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1945.
Serio, John N. "John N. Serio." The Explicator 57 (1999). 6 Apr. 2008 <http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/frost/fireice.htm>.
Quinn, Daniel. Ishmael. New York: Bantam Books, 1992.
