Hey guys, got a Whose Reality piece which i would really appreciate if somebody could assess for me. Its written in response to an illusion/evasion/self-deception prompt, but it could probably also fall under conflict and diversity. The text is Streetcar; form is an editoriall in the Laurel newspaper from the period juts after the book was set.
The Laurel Leader CAll (4th July 1937)
A man, flanked by his wife and his lover, strolled towards the Moon Rock Casino on a fresh spring evening. It was a Friday night. The birds were singing, the wind was blowing softly, and the moonlight filtered through the trees to splay their reflections upon the footpath. The world seemed at peace. The group were seemingly enjoying the night air, chatting amicably and laughing freely. As they entered the Casino, the man and his wife broke off and headed to dance the Varsouviana. As they danced, words between the pair appear to have been exchanged. Bystanders recall seeing the man run, terrified and aimlessly, out of the building. Moments later, a gunshot broke the suddenly tense air, and the world suddenly seemed colder. The man was dead. His name was Allan Grey.
IT is the six-month anniversary of the tragic suicide of Allan Grey, an event which seemed to have swept through this town like an unpleasant odour. It seems appropriate to, on this day of celebration, of reflection upon the achievements of our nation, reflect on the lessons which must be drawn from the death of Grey, in order to reach the unattainable heights we continually strive for - as a collective entity and on a personal basis. We must, if we are to continue to progress as a society.
We have recently established a Post-Depression economy dependent upon a movement into the future. It has been characterized by a shift away from the inverted tendencies promoted by industrialisation, towards the opportunities presented by globalisation and trade. This economic development merely reflects wider societal trends. With transportation and travel becoming possible with unparalleled ease, running concurrently with the appalling living standards experienced in Eastern Europe, there has been an explosion of immigration from these nations.
Our towns are being filled with ethnic diversity and an unbelievable variety of cultural perspective. Consequently, at this turning point in our history, we must establish an adaptable system of morality and justice which accounts for such diversity. We need to simultaneously become more accepting of individuality and eccentricity, while maintaining the standards which have elevated our nation to such heights. It will not be an easy change – which is why we need the government to step up and lead our charge into these new, uncharted waters.
Indeed, there are many problems which must be overcome before we can become the progressive, liberal society which we so desperately desire. The most pressing of these seems to be the denunciation of non-conformity occurring just beyond the view of the public spectrum. Considering the progress which individuality has allowed us – best evidenced in the technological boom currently being experienced – such a stance is unacceptable, and it is unsustainable. Allan Grey held a clandestine relationship with a man. He had homosexual tendencies, which, due to the societal perspective, were forced underneath the surface. Allan tried desperately to suppress his intrinsic desires: from himself, from his wife, the naive Ms. Blanche Du’Bois, and from the wider community. But the truth can never be suppressed, a lesson reflected time and time again in history. The ending of Allan’s life was decided the moment he set foot on this path.
The treatment of Grey is not an isolated incident. The callous vilification of the eccentric, coupled with man’s reliance upon acceptance, has led to a growing trend of self-deception. When we do not fit into the circle of accepted social standards, there seems to be a tendency to illusion, to misrepresent the objective state of the world. It has been forced upon many of us by a callous, unrelenting society. And it needs to change.
This is where Roosevelt needs to move past the successes of his ‘New Deal’ plan and become a truly revolutionary leader. He needs to lead the fight against the oppressive treatment of individuals, and introduce legislation which punishes those groups who bleat that collectivism is power, to the detriment of the individual. Particularly, he must look at the League of Decency – a branch of the Roman Catholic Church which censors instances of ‘sexual perversion’ within films. The phrase ‘sexual perversion’, a euphemism for homosexuality, is obviously intended to negatively shape our perception of the act which, if our scientists are to be believed, is as natural as its heterosexual counterpart.
It can, however, begin with us.
We each need to become more accepting of individuality. We must not only accept difference, but also carefully nurture it, providing it with the environment it needs to develop. The individual is God’s greatest creation. Society, an expression of the majority, needs to understand this. The consequences of not doing so, as we saw with Allan Grey, are far too great to be ignored.
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