The human condition, simple phrase for something that encompasses of all humanity. Each and every one of us is in some way a part of this condition. It is not something that you opt into. It is an essential part of being human. The condition itself is hard to define because it is something sensed within us, an internal that each person must come to terms with by themselves.
Briony, a main character in Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement, is plagued by this issue. As a young girl she told a lie that would destroy the future of the man involved. This destruction also spread to the man’s lover, Briony’s sister, Cecelia.
Many characters in literature struggle with the good and bad found within themselves. A notable example is from T.A Barron’s The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy in which the main character may fulfill either the dark or light side of a prophecy.
How can mankind be capable of such love and charity, while at the same time being capable of such brutality and destruction? How do different people confront this contradiction within themselves?
You ask a very profound question, Bayley! For centuries, scholars, philosophers, theologians, and writers have questioned the very essence of what it means to be human. As you continue looking for answers while reading a variety of independent study novels, be sure to trace the character traits illustrated by characters able to achieve a heroic status as well as character traits revealed by characters who succumb to their base instincts.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! Mrs. Ferrill
I love your question! I'm excited to see what thoughts this sparks throughout the year because I am sure this question will connect in so many different ways. I think it's a profound way to analyze and take away personal lessons from literature.
ReplyDelete-Mariah