In the novel, Steinbeck seems to conclude that no one is simply blessed enough to inherit a solely good or solely evil life - that it is one’s own choice that defines oneself and allows for one to be established as either good or evil. Steinbeck calls this moral choice that each person has in his or her life timshel, a reference to the original Hebrew translation of the Book of Genesis. Steinbeck defines timshel as meaning “thou mayest”, neither a command nor a suggestion, but a choice given from God to man to either do good or evil. It is timshel that transcends all bounds placed upon a person and their thinking that leads them not to their choices, but to their ability to make them. While it would seem logical that knowing that ethically good choices bring about true happiness, that people would always choose the virtuous over the vice, however, because of the existence of timshel and the vast and complex pros and cons of each possible choice that even the most virtuous of humans often fall from morality, continuing a never-ending search for true
In other words, this clearly describes the change in Elisa from the beginning that was described as strong and masculine to weak and frustrated women displaying her feminine emotions. Tinker is also a clever man who uses Elisa for his advantage, where on the other hand Elisa finds his lifestyle to be interesting. But when Elisa desires to have this lifestyle Tinker reminds Elisa of her gender as he states, “It ain’t the right kind of a life for a woman” (Steinbeck, 805). This line by Tinker underlines once again that women are weak and aren’t powerful enough to face isolation out at night. Towards, the end of the short story Steinbeck beautiful describes Elisa’s realization that equality cannot be achieved and it is just an illusion that is controlled by men.
The society has chosen to sacrifice “high art” for stability instead of allowing true happiness (226). Lastly, Mond tells John that the journey to universal happiness “...[is] never grand,” and the y encountered many struggles along the way (227). He also states that their journey to freedom wasn’t nearly as triumphant as other communities. Today, humans are trained to be selfish in nature and tend to subconsciously be self oriented.
Wollstonecraft became frustrated and tired of prejudices against women in her time and she was tired of the erroneous laws of the time in which women were deprived of their rights. She raised to show the world that women are not weak and thus she started to write a book for women. She refuses and argue the wrong prejudices of men of the time against women. She claims that women are enough puissant as men are. She brings examples of extraordinary women who have gone out of their orbit prescribed to their sex and they did extraordinary works and she says that I have been led that I should imagine that those were not actually women, but male spirited women mistakenly framed in female shapes.
Augustine refutes Caelestius’ ideas by using Scripture to show that we are righteous only by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. He showed that Caelestius is unable to explain many texts that speak of the sinfulness of all humans. Caelestius challenges the idea that the fall resulted in our nature being corrupted so that it is unable to do any good. This to him seems to either make man not responsible for his actions or God unrighteous for holding the sinner accountable, or both. How could someone, even God, call one who is born unrighteous and incapable of doing right to be righteous?
He was grounded on the idea that life was simply not worth living and it was better for human beings to just not exist at all. Schopenhauer believed that life was simply a form of punishment and was full of suffering from beginning to end. However, his one optimistic argument, was that if individuals accepted their lives were just meant to be punishment they will be able to cope better with their lives. Schopenhauer’s argument derives from historical evidence that continues in the negative side of things. He explains that “history shows us the life of nations and finds nothing to narrate but wars and tumults; the peaceful years appear only as occasional brief pauses and interludes,” (Schopenhauer 42).
In my opinion, that strongly depends on how one defines selfishness. Is one selfish by following their desires, even if their own personal desire is to help others? If that were the case, an atheist could attempt to make a case for why Jesus could be an egoist, since he did so much to help others; but it was all meant to bring glory to God, which was His personal desire throughout his life on earth. I think such a definition of selfishness is heavily flawed, despite some philosophers, such as Thomas Hobbes, arguing that human beings always act in their own interests. He argues that humans may try to hide their selfishness behind a layer of altruism, but all are still selfish regardless.
Apollonian and Dionysian spirits complement each other. “As artistic powers which spring from nature itself, without the mediation of the human artist,” however, humans intentionally favor Apollonian over Dionysian spirit through morality, science and arts. (18) A perfect example is that people naturally believe that pessimism and irrationality are wrong and chaotic, even the belief of pessimism itself is pathetic. Nietzsche denounces that scientism and rationality because they end pessimism and cover the essential existence of humans with the veil of optimism. Nietzsche believes that the fear to the surroundings leads to the birth of Olympian gods and tragedy in sensitive Greek culture.
John Updike’s “A&P” demonstrates through several methods the struggle that unwritten principle can place on women in their search for individuality and personal freedom from oppression. Sammy’s thoughts demonstrate this very concept, as well as Queenie’s actions as an independent woman, and the unfair and morally unjust establishment of a woman’s place by the oppressive male characters. With these ideas, Queenie is clearly represented as an innocent feminist who is ultimately shunned by her male oppressors. Sammy, the typical male totalitarian, is very much condescending towards the story’s female characters, automatically assuming ignorance on the part of them. His lack of understanding towards women exhibits itself on the very first page,
Her defiance has become so evident that Mike, her own fiancé, acknowledges Brett’s tendencies, saying, “’Mark you. Brett 's had affairs with men before. She tells me everything’" (147-148). The fact that Brett ‘tells him everything’ proves that she does not care about her commitment to someone. Brett’s fluidity within her own identity and sexuality confuses the men in the book, who are in love with her and are unfamiliar with the concept of a free, independent woman.