The Glitz and Glamour of the Ritz

We begin with the mysterious Mr. Gatsby, who everyone seems to know and not know at the same time. Gatsby is almost an enigma; Nick Carraway observes the coming and going of visitors on party nights, yet sees Gatsby stretch his arms lovingly towards the bay. There are several points in the conversations that Nick hears rumors that Gatsby was a German spy or murderer, and Owl Eyes is thoroughly surprised that the books are real, even though the parties seem like stage tricks. Although Nick finds his company pleasant, he questions whether or not Gatsby is "real", because of his refined manners and almost "searching" glance during parties. Despite the glamorous people who pass in and out of Gatsby's parties, Gatsby seems not to know anyone personally, a mere spectator and mastermind in his elaborate performances.   

I visited New York City, the backdrop to the novel, for Thanksgiving. I wanted to see this "West Egg" and "East Egg", to better understand the novel. Unfortunately, I didn't really know where it was (though I suspect it was at the tip of Long Island), but I could understand Nick Carraway's reaction to the city. It was fast paced and flashy, crowded with people waiting for the parade; however, there was an empty feeling to all this material wealth, as if the people were pining for something else. I pictured Gatsby's mansion as sprawling, much like Breakers in Newport, and a hollow shell. I envisioned Gatsby as a clean cut, lonely man broken and sorrowful inside--despite his charisma and self-confidence--with a wistful look directed across the bay. Perhaps material wealth can't buy everything, and we will never be satisfied; at the same time, we are always waiting for something to happen, pawns in the grand scheme of life. 

Sanctum

We are the result of our heritage and culture. Despite what we act like on the outside, we will always turn towards our native roots and cherish the past, however painful. What's more, we are all related to each other (which reminds me of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon I learned in math the other day). 

In Nikki Giovanni's Sanctuary: For Harry Potter the Movie, she shows us that we are are connected in some way. Even though Harry Potter lives in a magical world, and whose parents died saving him, we are no different. In the poem/allegory, Giovanni links Harry to the baby elephant from the beginning, showing the instinctive efforts of the parents and herd to protect the child. The herd wants the baby to remember and pass on their history, much like how African slaves sang gospels of their native lands, and how Native Americans expressed their culture through folktales. It's the reason why Harry Potter refused to call Voldemort "He-who-must-not-be-named"; he understood the power of letting go. How simple would it be to conceal the past and go alone with everyone else? While we may be connected to each other, we are made unique through our heritage.

This reminds me of the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. The key theme was remembrance, even though the Holocaust was a tragedy. Survivors were urged never to forget, and to teach their children and others about the Holocaust. At first I felt it was slightly sadistic to irritate old wounds and to expose these traumatic events to the next generation, but I quickly realized that trying to bury the past only made pain and anger fester deeper. Through becoming educated and coming to terms with what happened in the past as well as our inborn nature, can we prevent things from happening in the future. We must embrace our cultures and pass down what has been bequeathed to us so that we may live on in memory. 

Road to Perdition

Sin and wrongdoing follow us forever, but we can choose to defy social expectations and set standards. Regardless of how we deal with the guilt or suffering, it remains a part of us, and can define our characters or break them down. This is best exemplified in Hester Prynne and the continuous return to her crime.

Hester Prynne is at first defiant and proud of her sins, yet later carries an air of quiet dignity about her as she retreats from society's hypocrisy. Her fall from grace is similar to that of Eve's banishment from the Garden of Eden for attempting to gain knowledge. Immoral and unacceptable in the eyes of her fellow townspeople, she is cast out. Although she is initially lonely, she has Pearl as a companion, the embodiment of her scarlet letter and sin; Hester begins to "speculate" about her society and realize that there are flaws while beginning a self-course of repentance. Hester is able to soften the townspeople over a span of seven years, and the stigma attached to the 'A' fades away. Hester is able to escape the Puritans in part because she refuses to conform to their beliefs, and in part because she feels stifled after the death of Dimmesdale.  

The Scarlet Letter was an amazing book. Somehow, everything was symbolic in its own way, and the descriptions of the dark, severe Puritan town casts a shadow over the novel. Hester was able to defy the Puritans and their misguided belief system--she ends up punishing them by forming her own thoughts about the 'A', and remains as dignified as the day she stepped off of the scaffold. Even after she migrates to the birthplace of her sin to die, Hester's grave remains separate from that of her cowardly lover, Dimmesdale, who buckled to pressure and guilt. While Hester changed society and maintained her pride, Dimmesdale was tortured to death by it.  

To sin or not to sin

How should sinning be punished? Even though the individual must face up to personal guilt, is it acceptable for society to castigate them for a single slip? When people's conscience shines through, they can choose to amend their wrongdoing and follow a different path, or self-destruct. This choice between evil and good is seen even today, where people are thrown into jail and hardened, regardless of whether their crime was severe or not. 

The Scarlet Letter is one of those books that tears me between sympathy and anger. Hester Prynne is ostracized for adultery, banished from the society and forced to wear a scarlet 'A' on her clothing at all times. At first, I feel no sympathy for Hester. Adultery is unacceptable and immoral, and should be punished. However, I relent once I find out that Hester must care for a child by herself, and that her paramour takes none of the responsibility. (This is also why I cheer on Chillingworth every time he tortures the cowardly Dimmesdale, who I despise.) Should Hester take on the burden of that by herself, just for a single sin? She changes over the seven years time span, growing grimmer yet more caring. Her "correction" is evident when the council people wonder whether or not her scarlet 'A' should be removed or not. 

Moreover, the society is incredibly hypocritical. It consistently makes use of her service as a needle-worker, yet never thanks her. The destitute accept clothing fit for kings and food, and sneer at her for thanks. Honestly, I don't understand why Hester doesn't just curse them, but in the end, she is reformed and slowly assimilated back into the society that cast her out. It still leaves me feeling unsatisfied though; did the society do good for her by being hypocritical and making her see her errors, or were they the ones acting unreasonably? I have yet to find out.