Sunday 7 December 2014

In 1891, Irish author Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) observed, "Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man's original virtue. It is...

In this question, we are asked "to what extent" Wilde's claims are valid. Based on the examples of the readings you provided, it would appear that Wilde's claims are valid only to some extent. 

Let's take for example, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. All three rebelled for the sake of independent thought, religious/political autonomy, and freedom from oppression. Without Gandhi's rebellion, we might not have a free India. Martin Luther rebelled against the hypocrisy and corruption of the Church; his rebellion paved the way for the Protestant Reformation and for greater personal agency in terms of religious practice. His namesake, Martin Luther King Jr. also rebelled, and his rebellion ignited the Civil Rights Movement. I've included a link below about Martin Luther King Jr.'s part in the Civil Rights Movement. You may want to include some examples from it for your essay.


As for Frederick Douglass, his rebellion became not just a political statement but also an inspiration to his peers. Douglass endured unimaginable torture and brutality from Thomas Auld (Captain Anthony's son-in-law) and Edward Covey. The latter particularly subjected him to cruel physical punishment and psychological torment. However, Douglass physically fought back against Covey and held his own in a savage fight to the death with his nemesis. Douglass's rebellion not only galvanized his peers but also gave him a newfound sense of confidence. Douglass eventually saved enough money to move North, later becoming an important figure in the abolitionist movement.


The rebellion in Fences (movie) is of a similar nature. In the movie, Cory (Troy Maxson's son) dreams of pursuing a football career. Troy, however, is less than enthusiastic, particularly because he failed to fulfill his own goals of becoming a major league baseball player. Troy also doubts that Cory will ever be able to break through the color barrier in the major leagues. Both Troy and Cory engage in a battle of the wills, a battle that often results in violent physical altercations. Eventually, Troy gets Cory kicked off the football team, and he also refuses to meet with a college football scout, an opportunity that may have proven useful to Cory. With his dreams of playing football dashed, Cory joins the Marines. Cory's independence and disobedience of his father's wishes cements his success. Despite his failure to become a professional athlete, he still manages to make a mark for himself in the Marines.


Meanwhile, the last three readings (The Great Gatsby, The Crucible, and The Scarlet Letter) show that rebellion doesn't always contribute to social progress. In The Crucible, a group of girls engage in a pagan ritual in the Salem woods. This is the 17th century, of course, and the girls belong to a strict religious community. Their actions horrify the local minister (Reverend Samuel Parris) and the officials of Salem.


You may choose to provide a summary of what the girls' actions lead to: a witch hunt. The girls lie to protect themselves but by doing so, they unwittingly cause countless innocents to be executed. Their rebellion and independence paves the way for social disintegration, not social progress. Essentially, their actions entrench their community in its intolerance.


In The Great Gatsby and The Scarlet Letter, the effects of rebellion are similar. Hester Prynne rebels against the norms of her community and religion. She rejects the strictures put upon her and has an affair with a minister, Arthur Dimmesdale. Because of her affair, Hester is shunned by her entire community; she is treated as a religious outcast and a social pariah. However, Hester rebels even in her new role as an outsider. She engages in charitable work on behalf of the community that has shunned her. After Dimmesdale's death, Hester and her daughter, Pearl, flee Boston. Hester later returns alone (after Pearl marries) and resumes her charity work. Hester's rebellion throughout her story results in bittersweet consequences. While she attains a measure of freedom, her rebellion results in great personal unhappiness and does little to bring about change to her community. You can also discuss The Great Gatsby in a similar manner.


To conclude our essay, remember to reiterate your answer to the original question. For example, in my answer above, I wrote that Wilde's claims are valid only to a certain extent. In the last paragraph, we can briefly explain why this is (with reference to some of the points in the body of the essay), which should conclude our essay admirably.

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