Posted by Darth Dobbin at 12.19.232.3 on March 30, 2001 at 16:23:56:
In Reply to: While introductions seem to be occurring . . . posted by Cathryn on March 30, 2001 at 15:18:19:
: You know, I'm usually terribly nervous when I'm sending my first post to
a firmly established online community, but not today. I mean, let's face
it. No matter how lame, ridiculous, or stoned this post ends up being, I
cannot possibly make a worse impression than 3eves.
Well, I suppose it's good that she served some purpose. If only John
Hinkley could have been so helpful. In any case, have fun "here," and don't
take anyone too seriously. They could be a sometimes harsh and caustic
crowd, but it's mostly just anonymous bravado.
ly need to rewatch because I get the distinct feeling that I missed a lot.
: Bartleby as tragic hero. (Should there be a question mark there?) In
terms of literature definitions, a tragic hero is a hero with a tragic flaw
that ultimately serves as his downfall; pride is a common tragic flaw.
I'd say you are on pretty firm ground there. As long as you're tackling
this point academically, check out the short story by Melville from whence
Kev got the name..it can be found online at http://www.bartleby.com/129/
I think that it's not so much pride as a surfeit of punishment-and the
consequent throwing up of hands and saying "I have taken ENOUGH." Both
Melville and Kevin, in each of their own ways, explore the ramifications of
what happens AFTER someone arrives at that point. It's the abandonment of
perserverance, I think, that signals the beginning of ruin. In a similar
fashion, Michael Douglas as "D. Fens" in FALLING DOWN is a related figure.
All are folk who, faced with what they feel is "too much," give up on
trying, and vow to "take no more." All are disastrous in their consequences.
I think the end "moral" of all these types of cautionary tales is the same-
that the world, life, and all of the kint & caboodle may indeed be
expressly UNFAIR, or at least uncomfortable... But that this unfairness
does not allow you "give up." It's a prideful act to assume that YOUR
specific suffering/burden/whatever is somehow more cumbersome, and less
tolerable than anyone elses, and that when you abandon even the pretense of
"carrying on," bad stuff goes down.
Dunno. In any case, glad to see new, non-demented folk are coming in as well.