Friday, October 31, 2014
In Caesars Column we see strong images of Social Darwinism on a consistent basis.Social Darwinism is the appliance of the "survival of the fittest" theory in a modern setting. Its a common theme in all bodies of work we look into. Right now I will pay very close attention to this passage in Caesars Column. " there was no spring to their steps and no laughter in their eyes; all were spare of frame and stolid or hungry-looking. The faces of the middle aged men were haggard and wore a hopeless expression. " The way the underprivileged are described we can see how the world works. The poor do not get to be happy eat or even pretend to be happy. Who decides who is rich and who is poor is society. Thats survival of the fittest at its finest. If the poor were worthy to be happy they wouldn't have to suffer. This book drives the thought that the poor need to suffer and don't deserve it flourish. They are so stuck in their ways they are poor and will die that way.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey Ed. Great job on your blog. I liked your topic of choice, Social Darwinism. I think you picked an excellent passage to try and prove that this is how the poor experience life in this novel. One thing I must say is I wish that you would have included some more of your own thoughts in the blog. For instance, what are some of your own thoughts on Social Darwinism? Do you agree with what's presented in the novel? Overall, great job.
ReplyDeleteI could agree that Social Darwinism was shown through the whole book on how the poor were hungry and suffering due to the greedy rich man that had everything.But toward the end of the book, it was the people that were on the bottom that were suffering that took control of everything from the help of the Demon.Even if the higher class were more healthier, had everything but at the end they parish throughout the power of technology. I believe that technology could help turn the tables against Social Darwinism and make it not exist or little effect.Such as in page 105 they say the airship will never again feel that sense of power which now posses them. When the technology is involve, the survival of the fittest doesn't apply because technology is there to make life simpler.I'm just stating this because when the demon was involve to help aid the Brotherhood, success was guaranteed even if they poor had bad health or the middle class man were of bad health.
ReplyDeleteHey, I agree. Our professor pointed out a few weeks ago that the novel suggests that society is weak when it contains the weak (the poor). It's like they were trying to eliminate the poor to build a stronger community hence the encouragement of suicide in the beginning of the novel. Those who feel that they were not worthy to live basically weren't worthy of staying in that society, novel implies. I believe that the poor who were suffered hunger either had a choice to starve to death or just end their suffering themselves. Either way they are eliminated.
ReplyDelete