Ive attempted to stray as far away from text response styling as much as possible, my question is: does this in any way resemble a text response?
Also, does this satisfy the criteria of context? also Ive tried using much of vivatequilas ideas in her guide as they are applicable to McCullers herself
Esp; exploring the ideas of identity and belonging?
Thanks! I was stressing out much earlier today but I think this is much better than the piece I originally wrote and why I was afraid earlier
Having a sense of being different makes it difficult to belong.
To The Age,
Today, the educational system ensures all students must undertake English as part of their essential study during their journey through the educational process here in Australia. This system is implemented on the understanding that through literacy, we can learn how to articulate and interpret information and more importantly to draw meaning from it. As a PhD student in literature, I believe my insight into the study of issues with identity and belonging is invaluable in the effort to add perspective on the effects literature has one's ability to belong to society. As an accomplished literature student, my perspective is enhanced by the work of great authors, one such author is Carson McCullers. For instance, Carson McCullers in her niche novel "The Member of the Wedding" wishes conveys that being physically different deters an individual from establishing a secure identity. McCullers' protagonist however acts as an allegory to her own personal imperfections and social commentaries. Through acknowledging different ideas associated with identity and belonging we can appreciate one of McCullers' messages, that having the sense of being different deters an individual from establishing a secure identity.
Groups and communities provide us with a sense of security, support and acceptance in our lives. By nature, we are not solitary creatures and we seek out those in society who are similar to us. However, this ubiquitous concept becomes a problematic if an individual appears to be physically different, this is what McCullers' attempted to suggest. Unfortunately, this belief dominates our society even today, whether it be through a disability, skin colour, religion or social status. Our discrimination and initial judgments of others are detrimental to our acceptance of those who are different, and these beliefs are the crux in the causation of difficulties in achieving a sense of belonging by those who are viewed as different. Together through reading different stories and articles from the perspectives of those who feel isolated, we can appreciate their point of views and experience life from multiple viewpoints.
By acknowledging the perspectives of different individuals we can eliminate our prejudice to those who are different and welcome them as functional members of society who feel cherished for their individuality, rather than their differences. Carson McCullers was born as Lula Carson Smith in 1917, and ran away from home at the age of 17 in hopes of becoming a pianist but lost her tuition money and was denied admission to her tertiary school. Furthermore, McCullers suffered from serious health issues such as rheumatic fever that lead to multiple debilitating strokes that left her paralysed at the age of 19. Becoming plagued with disability during a young age, McCullers faced issues of isolation and tragically caused her to adhere to the belief "I wish I was somebody else, except me", and ultimately reverted to literary writing as a form of cathartic relief. Her first piece of writing "Wunderkind" depicts the failure of a musical prodigy, the obvious conclusion can be drawn - her inspiration from her works are sourced from her external life. Through writing, McCullers promulgates her belief that feeling different leads to difficulties in establishing a secure identity. In doing so, McCullers' wishes to change our minds and our tendency to denigrate those who are different, and challenges us to accept them for who they are.
McCullers wanted to educate her audience, albeit in a subtle manner. Astute readers can draw parallels from McCullers' protagonist Frankie Addams to McCullers herself. Similarly to Frankie, McCullers also changed her name during her childhood and the obvious conclusion can be drawn - McCullers' too felt isolated . The root of her problems are that Frankie believed she was much older than her true age, and it is her mentality that leads her into a descent of madness. Her conflicting views with her actual self and ideal self led her to wish she was "anyone but herself". The significance of using the wedding of Janice and Jarvis reveals much about McCullers' take on life. Frankie's rejection from society was alleviated following her obsession with the marriage between Jarvis and Janice. This event sheds much of McCullers' emotional baggage, McCullers' married to keep up the appearance that she was a part of a happily married couple to avoid criticism from others and in doing so McCullers' created a faux identity where she appeared to belong. McCullers structured her text with a limited third person narrator which carefully never comments on Frankie's behaviour itself, but rather observes with utter objectivity. McCullers' did this to ensure that only the well educated literary pessimists would understand her message, and it is these people who have the power to make change to the world.
Ultimately, authors write to challenge our bias and thereby inform us of their views. The notion I propose to readers today of this newspaper is to take a minute out of your ongoing everyday lives and consider the thoughts of others as if you were them, before making unsupported judgments. In doing so, we can finally eliminate prejudice and create a peaceful society in which all individuals are welcomed.
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