Hills like White Elephants

Vague intensity wrapped up in a conversation seemingly about nothing but really about a very dark deep topic. Hemingway wanted to tell a story within a story; a dialogue that from a passerby perspective may have been nothing more than a couple who were in a bit of a quarrel. But what is not seen is the undertone of the conversation, the emotions that are subdued, and the resolution at the end of the story. When reading this story it is easy to overlook the fact that there are allusions to the real point of their dialogue that show the seriousness of the chat. It is as if the reader gets the story with Hemingway sitting at a bar watching this whole encounter take place and giving us the facts. He wants us to figure out what was happening, or conclude that there was nothing happening at all.

                The two members of this story, the American man and assumed lover of Jig, are at a train stop and simply conversing about a topic that they do not name. The conversation ends with Jig accepting whatever proposition the American has made for her. They then move on with their lives and continue through in their travels. The indicators of abortion are there and rather than bore you with literary techniques that Hemingway uses I will say that he conveys the issue of abortion using both allusions, symbols, and the setting around them.  I am far more interested in the characters ability to speak about abortion in this sort of setting, and the impact it has on Jig, juxtaposed to the lack of impact it seems to have on the American.

                Psychologically abortion is a terrifyingly detrimental action to partake in on a woman’s body and her mind. It is the separation of a piece of her and the destruction of that piece. In my opinion the baby becomes a “person,” immediately after conception and is therefore a person who can be afforded such rights. I say this only to preface my next point which is the lack of impact or emotional shift the abortion seems to have on the American man is startling and telling of Hemingway I believe. In the numerous Hemingway novels I have read the Americans are never given good portraits in society. It may be the distaste Hemingway has after his extensive travel but I believe that it is his commentary on the plight of human dialogue and feelings. He makes it evident that the two characters are having a discussion or chat about basically nothing while at the same time making a life alerting decision. He also shows the man pushing for the abortion and Jig simply conceding at the end. It is a frightening scene to think about because it also implies that these sorts of discussions can happen all around us due to the fact that people are talking to one another but not really conversing. They are simply stating things at each other and not being a fully active participant, rather simply waiting for their turn.

                Hills like White Elephants struck me because of the talk of abortion and the impact it had on Jig. But to me the most startling thing that I took away was the lack of real communication between the two characters. Conversation is allowed to have emotions and feelings, it is allowed to be blunt and coarse at times, it is also supposed to be constructive and productive rather than just existing. The plight of the human voice was a major theme in the story, and I believe that it inevitably led to the abortion. A simple act like communicating that has gone awry led to a devastating conclusion.

The Cask of Amontillado

Catharsis is a powerful feeling that can dictate actions and feelings beyond logic. It is also a dangerous feeling as it can cause actions based on vengeance, intense emotions, or even trivial slights that may be interpreted in a certain way. In The Cask of Amontillado the author, Edgar Allan Poe, stuns audiences by telling a simple story of a murder from one man to another. The killing is justified according to the main character by a slight or insult the victim made to the murderer. As a first time reader, it evoked so much emotion and terror out of me and led to comparisons of other more modern expressions of seeking revenge.

                The two main characters in the story are ironically named, Fortunato and Montresor. Fortunato is an acquaintance of the man Montresor and as the reader is told, slighted his friend in some way. The two men run into one another at a carnival and Fortunato is inebriated wearing a jester’s costume. After some small talk, he is led by Montresor into the catacombs with a promise of a rare drink, amontillado. Once down there it becomes known to the reader that Montresor has led Fortunato to his death and in there chains him and leaves him to die. The original reading of this story left me confused and intrigued. How a man could justify the killing of another man has always vexed me, let alone in a barbaric and inhumane way that Fortunato was left to die.  The first striking characteristic was the idea of a way a man should die. The fact that he was left chained to the side of a wall in a catacomb tells the reader what the assailant thought of his victim. It is a tortuous way to die, leaving the audience to believe that he must have had something larger than a slight towards the victim. Entombing his victim also leaves open the idea that the murder can revisit the scene. Montresor is not seeking a justification or public humiliation at the expense of Fortunato, he has a vendetta against the man is actively seeking to quench the blood lust in his own heart. It brought me to modern examples that are similar to the feelings Montresor felt.

                In the movies Gladiator and Patriot the two main characters are enthralled for their hunt of justice and revenge leading them into lives that they were far removed from. In Gladiator, a general of a Roman legion makes an enemy out of the Caesar, who has the general’s family killed and his title stripped from him. He spends the rest of his life waiting and plotting to kill the Caesar and eventually accomplishes his task. Similarly in the movie Patriot an American farmer during the Revolutionary War has one of his sons killed brutally by a British soldier. After his death, the farmer picks back up his fighting ways and brings together a group of men who decimate the British supply lines, moral, and personal. It leads to a fight scene on the battle field between the American farmer and the British soldier. In the scene the reasons why the American is fighting are restated, because of the death of his sons. After killing the British soldier the troops press on and the Americans begin to rebuild their lives. The similarities are present in the all out determination to seek their vengeance. Beyond that the reasons are different in all three stories, as well as the way the men receive satisfaction and justice.  

                The stories immediately jumped to mind because of the main characters dealing with controversy. The idea that a man would do whatever it takes to get the vindication that he feels is needed in a situation is a trait that has mixed reviews. Although it can be a respectable one by some, it may also be seen as immature and immoral to others. The reason I bring up the comparisons to the movies, is to show that immaturity and lack of morals in Montresor. The man not only killed a man, albeit a fool, but he also did so in a calculated way. Montresor knew exactly what he wanted to do and how he was going to mock Fortunato as he was laying the last brick to the coffin. I believe in just and righteous rage as it pertains to family and loved ones, but that blind egocentric killing was a way to avoid the maturity that it takes to overcome that obstacle. Men are defined by their actions, but even more so by their reactions.

A Lesson in Humility

What are we to do when the entire world thinks we are snobs? At the collapse of the stock market and the plummeting value of our currency the world felt its ramifications as well. The Middle East in particular immediately began changing prices and looking for further buyers in order to curb their American market loss. As I learned in my latest meeting there are a lot of harsh feelings in other parts of the world about the way the American people dealt with the failing industry and the affects it had globally.

            Tara and I moved through our normal Friday lunch with speed as we both had a number of topics to discuss with one another. The food was barely down when the intense conversation began, and inhibitions left the room. Cutting words began to flood the table and cause the tension and emotions to rise. It began with a question about my thoughts on the United States dependence on the foreign oil industry, and whether or not the nation was in a war based on the oil. Tara incessantly stated that “oil was the reason, is currently the reason, and will always be the reason for the decimation of the Middle East.” I was taken aback and quickly tried to make the argument that the United States gets most of its oil from Saudi Arabia and attempted to concede the point that the American government may have had some economic interest in the war. I knew though that this was not a battle I could win. The moment I made one concession more accusations flew out at me, nearly culminating in an outright statement that the United States of America had declared a holy war on the Middle East. The strength and conviction in her voice is what made the entire encounter so startling.

            With an unshakeable belief and unmoving thoughts, Tara had made statements of fact in her eyes and there was no room for any sort of gray area. The conversation began to die off into more pleasant topics, but the lingering disagreement filled my mind. The fact that she could state so simply and powerfully that the world I believed and the reality that she knew were miles away from one another. I realized that no matter my thoughts or opinions I could not tell her what I thought or try to convince her of what I believed for one simple reason. I had not lived her life and had not lived during this time. I did not grow up in this environment nor did I know people who had grown up there. I was an outsider trying to make peace with myself about what I knew.  The media constricted my knowledge and more importantly my understanding of the culture. My American ignorance was made embarrassingly clear by our conversation, and it taught me a lesson of humility in that moment that I hope to carry. I am not in a position to dictate to others what I believe to be happening or what may be right, our country might be in the same position today. 

It’s Just like Movies…

It’s Just like Movies…

Watch any movie with Arabic or Middle Eastern people driving around in these countries. For the first time, the stereotype was correct.  Nour decided that today she wanted to take me to an Arabic restaurant so I could better understand parts of her homeland. The conversation in the car was short and sporadic due to my horror of her driving.  Weaving in and out, intentionally cutting people off, driving 80 mph in a 50 mph limit area, these are just some of the things that were considered normal to Nour.  These terrifying encounters continued until we finally came to stop at this place that looked as though the roof was about to fall off of it. She told me to trust here and to “prepare yourself for a little bit… of ahh… culture.” She was mistaken, it was not a bit of culture but a flood of new sensations and sights that was incredibly unprepared for and it showed in my first face.

                The typical confused American that visits a new country in the movies and is utterly lost and almost a little scared. Again the stereotype was correct as I was exactly that upon entering this restaurant. Restaurant is a generous term; it was essentially walking into a part of the Middle East. I realized that not only was I the overwhelming minority in the venue but, Nour had recognized my apprehension and begun to laugh. She could sense my fear and knew that I was in the best of mind. We were seated by our waiter who was a plump and kind man but spoke exclusively Arabic to Nour as he was delighted to find a fellow Arabic speaker. He often times glanced at me and looked with an opening expression but was still gathering his judgment on me.  He left after Nour and I ordered our drinks and she began to explain some Arabic eating customs to me. “Austin if you do not like something do not continue to eat it, tell me you hate it. I will not cry over it,” a blunt sentence uttered from a less than open woman.

                As we began our discourse about the menu I realized that she was so entertained by confusion. When we went over food items she told me Arabic food was spicy, I stated that growing up my grandmother had always given me spicy foods and that I was more than used to, trying to assert the fact that I was not the typical American. I would not be lost in this world. We began to munch on our appetizers and they were so large, even by American standards, but I learned it is because most Arabs don’t eat breakfast and they eat lunch around 4 or 5 therefore lunch has to be large. For some it is the only meal of the day. We moved through the meal quickly as the belly dancers approached the table and danced for a few minutes. Nour then asked me “why is sex so open and easy in America, in my home that is a travesty and strictly punished.” What a lunch time conversation.  So I began to explain how our television programs, film, and media expose us and that Americans are far more open to it because of the lack of guidelines for exposure thus instilling it in us as a young age. But this was enough. Nour wanted to know why we all had sex. I again had to explain that we don’t, but the ones who do have sex are far more vocal than those who abstain or do not have it for whatever reason.  The food came out and was delicious although I did cry from the spiciness (Mexican spicy has nothing on the Arabs). We drove back to TCU and she believes that all she showed me was food and a new world. But that is not what I learned.

                Walking into that room I realized the thoughts and views the world has on our nation and people. We are viewed as the scared, shy, and ignorant group with regards to foreign nations and people. The world sees us as men and women who live our lives in pure ignorant bliss and are terrified of what we don’t understand. That we are a people that are not of the cultural intellect to carry on conversations and match thoughts with ours around the world because we know nothing of their world. The world believes that we get lost when there is a different language or food presented to us, and that we are found constantly in a state of obliviousness when abroad.  The only Americans may return to the promise land where we are atop the world in intellect, culture, society, industry, and all other facts of life is to learn of the world we live in as a nation and to again develop the work ethic that it requires to learn from them.  Just like the movies, that is the only way to return to the promise land. At least for this wide eyed bewildered American.

An Unexpected Meeting

Israeli and Pakistani relations, what it’s like to party in the Middle East, and how America is playing a role in the war of people groups and how Allah will come down and set the Middle East then the World to order. The first conversation I ever had with my conversation with Tara Nour, was a insightful and terrifying experience to say the least. She was incredibly confident and a women that had seen a great deal of the world that I had never seen. She spoke with elegance for someone attempting to master a new language. Her stories and tales were brilliant, interesting, and a bit scary all wrapped into one. Tara told me of her homeland being completely separated from the majority of the luxuries that here in America are so taken for granted. She spoke with an incredible accent and one that made it seem that she was drenched in the culture of her homeland and had no desire to depart from her ways. Hesitant to talk, Tara moved through our conversation where she noticeably held back her true feelings or beliefs out of fear, privacy, or simply not knowing what she felt. But our conversation turned out to be anything but surface or reserved.

The conversation started as most awkward arranged meetings first begin. With a customary uncomfortable few minutes where the two people involved have no clue what the other thinks about the situation. The moments are then filled with questions that we people say and barely care enough to ask let alone listen. But after our perfunctory questions that dealt with majors, hers being mechanical engineering, hometown, Jerusalem, among other questions she read my face perfectly and proposed a conversation I was so curious about but could not bring myself to question. She said, “Austin the Jews and Arabs still hate one another and that is all this war is about, it is about more than 1,000 years of hating one another.” So taken back I barely mumbled, “Tara we in no way have to talk about this, I understand living in it and seeing it from my view are two very different things.” She was far more in tune with own thoughts and knew the curiosity that had building in my head. We then jumped head first into something that was more than a conversation or required meet and greet. It was a time of Eastern ancient culture educating the Western ignorance. Religion dictating wars, passions deciding foreign policy, life being lived on a set of codes and ethics. Throw in a generation of young people who largely feel that this war is their fathers war, not their own. They feel as though they must inherit the hate or be outcast of a society that is the only one they know. Tara though embodied a different attitude. She showed a belief that was similar to that of her fellow countrymen but was unwilling to say she agreed with the war. She was learning that the war was not her best option. A fact all mankind will hopefully learn at some point. That through understanding others, we can avoid the mistakes of our forefathers, but only through understanding. 

What to learn on Thanksgiving

Fifty-one years is a huge span of time in which so many parts of society can change and is nearly unfathomable for a nineteen year old college student. But November 21^st, 1960 is just that, a date so far removed from the minds of most American that it seems rather inconsequential. It is though three days before Thanksgiving, its a few days after John F. Kennedy won the Presidential Election, the Cold War is brewing in Europe and there are numerous other important parts to this day. In this edition of Time magazine there are so many interesting, shocking, and applicable things to see about this one date in history. It was the letters to the editor, the scathing advertisements, and the election of John F. Kennedy. But the saddest part of it all is that Time seems to have forgotten Thanksgiving.

            Sir seems to be a word that has either fallen completely from the English language or is so passed over now that it is said without even thinking about it. It is that statement that initially caused me to notice the letters to the editor section at the beginning of the periodical. The idea that these people, not professionals or media members but just average Americans, had the decency to give the respect that may not be earned but is deserved. Respect that every person is due regardless of what they may say or do. That is not the only I realized was different from today’s conversation. In two particular letters to the editor the words, “insidious, liberalism, labyrinth, aneosis,” are all used in some form and fashion in a span of about 150 words. If people used those kinds of words today it would be confined to a research paper and that is about it. But again what is so fascinating was that it was a letter to the editor, a letter from a reader. Who was so compelled to write about their feelings in a controlled and intelligent way rather than having their emotions dictate for them and ending up with a rant than a real thought. It was not only the readers of Time who truly thought out every word. The advertisements also included a lot of well thought out if not insulting ads to run and may have been in this day a great way to sell a product.

            The advertisement has changed since 1960 in one huge way that may not be discussed due to its national embarrassment. The fact of the matter is that women were not viewed as equals as was made evident in one advertisement in particular. There is a picture of a women with a before and after picture of a nose straightening and raising. She is quite pretty and yet in the second picture one of the captions reads “straighten it up because you can, men don’t you just wish…” and it goes on to encourage men and women for this procedure. As if women were nothing but a sort of asset for men that can be modified on command. Beyond that there is another ad that reads “How a boner helped me earn $15, 000,” and it tells a story of a man who was introduced to Wall Street Journal under less than favorable circumstances and eventually makes a great sum of money based on the information he gathers from magazine. The lack of tact in the ad is not only disturbing but also sad. Remember this was published 3 days before thanksgiving and it is found right next to an ad for children’s health information. The plight of human decency in this issue was appalling, disheartening, yet hopeful. The idea that as a society we have come so far in fifty-one years and in today’s world the fact that this would be unacceptable to be printed in any form or fashion is comforting to me. A man instrumental to societal change was the new President elects John F. Kennedy. Time ran a overview of the election and the impending future for Kennedy. But yet there is something else missing, there are no ads talking about Thanksgiving.

            President Kennedy in this issue of Time is broken down, measured, evaluated, and then some. He is laid out in front of the American people so they may know their President on a better level. He was really an unknown in the election and stole the national spotlight as the campaign continued until winning it and becoming the leader of the free world. The part that caught my eye though was the fact that the entire world was concerned with the fact that Kennedy was a Roman Catholic. His religion was such a point of contention for the world at that time as they were fearful that he would be taking his orders from the Pope and leading the nation to a religious movement ostracizing the Protestant community. There was a cornucopia of letters written to the news outlets expressing these exact thoughts. The fact that any man be judged on the personal faith he carries is still ridiculous to me. If a man’s policies are not affected by his faith in a negative way then why should that be any basis for a judgment call? In reality this whole issue for me was a time to reflect on my life and opinions. I realized something that I often times took for granted was in fact so crucial.

            For people to come together as a family or even a group of friends and sit around a table and have meaningful conversation can be more valuable than money. The fact of the matter is that the decaying art of articulation, the equality of people, and the religious tolerance and acceptance can be fixed in experiences and dialogue. A way to have these conversations, a family gathering like Thanksgiving. It truly was surprising to see the lack of ads, articles, even blurbs about the family holiday. If this had been stressed and occurred without the sense of obligation and could be used as an outlet for these crucial discussions it could provide and initiation so much thought. It took fifty-one years to have this growth that we enjoy today, what if these conversations had happened earlier though, where could we be today? Life is full of decisions and although strides were made, humanity as only begun to develop and is on the verge of true greatness. All it takes is a conversation.

            

TIME Magazine: Looking to the Past

The Untied States of America was caught in an uproar with the floodgates of culture and vibrant life now open.  February 18, 1929 found America in a clash between the harsh contrast of the impoverished lower class and the flamboyant and younger upper class. Scientist Albert Einstein graced the cover of the weekly magazine for his Field Theory featured in the science section. A reader from 2011 may wonder if this is magazine is even the same as the Time Magazine that is mass distributed today.  The 1929 version of the magazine had simple concise articles opposed to the few headline articles that we have today paired with the numerous other stories. The striking amount of advertisement was not only distracting and visually impairing to the magazine but it showed the pulse of the nation. The ads showed a world with new machines, ideas, and products in every facet of life. It was the picture Time painted of the American people and what the future holds for this nation.

There was an advertisement in particular that captured the ideal of the American business man in the late 1920’s. “The Man who discovered his Son,” was the title of the two page ad that discussed the state of the American business man and his life. It tells a story of endless hours “shackled to his desk by fetters stronger than steel,” and the father too busy to see the image of himself growing in his son. The son goes through neglected until by accident the father finds a friend in his son and is transformed by this into a father once again. The advertisement continues to talk about the men of business world and their time being minted in currency; the idea that they are the engines of the United States of America. But just when men feel they are on the edge of the cliff they are caught. They are caught by Remington Rand and their business services. The Remington Rand business service is the way out and the way into the future. It is the filing cabinet, the typewriters, and the accounting machines. The machines are the way out of the despair. Time magazine makes no hesitation to state that the best of what the world has to offer is on the counter, who is going to take it though?

Remington Rand is one example of the magazines design and concept. Time is depicting a society on the verge of greatness beyond anything the world has ever witnessed or imagined. The different sections tell how the government is moving forward beyond the setbacks of corruption and failure and into a truly progressive state of pure democracy. That art is so transcendental and innovative that the world is on the cusp of a “modern revolution,” that music, theatre, and art will forever change. Sports are now returned to the times of the Greeks, full of mythical beings like the “Murders Row,” Yankees lineup that redefined baseball and what it takes to win. Einstein will be the man of the century and will not only reshape the world we see and hear around us but will conceptualize what we cannot see. Milestones occur daily. Lives are constantly in a change of flux but always in the process of betterment. The most striking feature was the way the country was confident beyond belief. Secure and confident were not words thrown around like today, it was something that was almost tangible; it was a mindset.

February 18^th, 1929 the world was on the verge of a downturn that was so unseen previous to it that nations crumbled and great nations found their breaking point. The stock market would crash later that year and the economy would nose dive into a seemingly endless hole that seemed insurmountable. The irony and really the worst part of it is that the Time’s portrayal of the American life was so fleeting in the months and years to come following this publication. The idea that men could redefine their future and rediscover themselves through this product or through this initiative and that life was on the verge of emerging as a modern display of culture and society. The issue brought to life the incredible hope and faith in the future through its colorful and masterful diction, often not found today, Time brought to the forefront the concept of something that American had always felt and believed but may not have seen acknowledged. The idea was a great nation. The issue really brought to life though the devastating consequences and struggles that must have ensued following the collapse of the economy and the government confidence. People saw something that was so massive and powerful that it was too big to fail. No one saw the decline coming and therefore it affected more people than expected, it was absolutely devastating. Comparing the beliefs of the American media and masses during the publication to those of the Great Depression must have been night and day.

February 18^th, 1929 was a regular day to a lot of Americans. It was though in perspective a monumental day as it was one of the few remaining good days the nation enjoyed prior to the Great Depression. Time magazine depicted a world with seemingly endless and abundant possibilities that people could have never dreamed of before this day. Something that 2011 can take away from 1929 though is the sense of a brighter tomorrow. An idea that man is whatever his will, heart, and mind set out to be.