The Daily Life And Existence of Faustian Bargains

I found in reading the play Dr. Faustus this month to be a very prevalent example of why these stories are still read today. I believe that amound the many works of each time period, the one with the strongest message or is most relatable to are those that survive. The idea found in Dr. Faustus is that one man is gaining power and pleasure through a deal with the devil. Although we as humans are not conjuring with the devil on a daily basis, many believe that the battle still remains. The want of great power and pleasure is mostly found in today's corporate world, as deals are made that can backstab someone or put them out of a job and cause them to loose their life as they knew it. For the one in control, there is a great personal being it that usually accompanies these decisions. Although many cannot resist such as Faust, some do prevail in making a decision that may not benefit them completely, but is not destroying someone else. This crossroad is also seen in the average lives of ordinary people. They can be as simple as a white lie to cheating at a game. Because of their simplicity, though, many do not find significance in preventing them. Even though these modern Faustian Bargains occur every day, not everyone recognizes them. This is how an author uses their skill to affect the masses. Here, the story of Faustus is what intrigues people to see the dangers found in dealing with the devil. Although who may be reading or watching the play may not be directly dealing with the devil, they still may have personal challenges that relate to it. Since people can relate to it generation after generation, the story is told over and over again to keep society thinking. 

The Brink of Insanity

The story The Yellow Wallpaper brings up a controversial point about insanity that we see today. This is that we as a society find some people to be insane or mentally unstable, but in fact it could only be a phase of life that is completely natural although we don't know it yet. We see this in the narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper as she was not necessarily insane to begin with, but as her husband claimed to treat her, she actually began to loose her mind. Because she was born a woman, the society she lived in did not give her equal rights as a man, which allowed the man to be mostly in control. This is mainly seen as spheres of living, the woman being the small inner sphere that relies on the man being the outer sphere that decides most everything. This sphere control can be seen recently in places such as hospitals and mental institutions. We as humans have very little understanding on how the mind truly works although many have been treated successfully for various illnesses. This being said, some remodels that have been put on patients can actually worsen their condition, just as the narrators in The Yellow Wallpaper. Since the doctors and psychologists have been placed in control of the patients, they essentially have the persons sanity in their control, such as the narrators husband did. Although their intention may not be the same as his for keeping them isolated in some cases, they still could do more harm than good. Even if the patient attempts to free themself, they still are helpless because of the view society has on them, and have little hope for escape. This social captivity will most likely continue in the world, but as time goes on we have become better at giving all fair rights. 

The Journey Into Feminism

This month, a unit has started that has been talked about since the beginning of the year. Although the extremes of the feminist movement can be harsh, there are very interesting points brought up. First off is the overall role of women in society and how it is changing over the years. For example, A Dolls House provides a great comparison with today's society. In the way Nora was raised, since she was a woman, her only obligation was to take care of the family from home. This closed in feeling was present in her home by her father and then passed on to her husband Torvald. The constant isolation at home leaves Nora with a feeling of being lost and not knowing her place in the world. This is what women have now stood up to in the modern world, the dominance of men over women only based on their gender. We now view these gender dominant roles as bad and unequal in rights because it truly is, but during their time period it was more tradition based so that there was little change in lifestyle. As seen today, women fight for their rights now, just as all other inequalities in the world such as African Americans. I believe that A Dolls House is a good example of a work that presents the issues of women's rights without being overly biased toward one side or the other. Nora's departure at the end represents the fight that women began for their rights, as she was finding the right place for herself as a woman in society. Although it is very prominent in the U.S. To have this equality, it still exists in some countries throughout the world. One day there may be true equality everywhere, but as all social issues, there will always be those few who stay in their own beliefs, no matter how wrong they are.