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Purity
Updated 19d ago
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Created by Turbolearn AI Ghusl: A Comprehensive Guide When is Ghusl Necessary? Ghusl, a ritual washing, is obligatory in specic circumstances. These situations are categorized as examples of ha dit h- e a kb a r : After janab (sexual intercourse) After hayd (menstrual bleeding) After nifaas (postpartum bleeding) These instances necessitate ghusl for ritual purity, unlike situations requiring only w u d u (ha dit h- e a s gha r ). The Importance of Correct Ghusl Ghusl is not merely splashing water; it involves a precise method to ensure complete ritual purication. Simply showering or bathing doesn't sufce. Similar to w u d u, specic actions are required. Spending extended periods in water without performing these actions does not fulll the requirement for ghusl, rendering any subsequent prayer invalid. The Obligatory Acts (Fara'idh) of Ghusl There are only three mandatory actions for a valid ghusl: 1. Rinsing the mouth (gargling): Similar to m u dma da in w u d u, ensure thorough rinsing. ( Estimated time: < 30 seconds) 2. Snifng water into the nose: Similar to is t i n s ha h in w u d u, ensuring nasal cleansing. ( Estimated time: < 30 seconds) 3. Ensuring water reaches every part of the body: Thoroughly wet every part of the body, including hair and spaces between ngers and toes. ( Estimated time: 5-10 minutes) Note: If any of these three actions are missed, the entire ghusl is considered incomplete. Page 1 Created by Turbolearn AI Time Estimation for Ghusl Let's consider a more generous time estimate for each step: Step Time Estimate Rinsing the mouth 1 minute Snifng water into nose 1 minute Washing the entire body 10 minutes Even with these generous estimations, the entire process is relatively short, highlighting the importance of correctly performing each mandatory action. Ghusl Study Guide Ghusl Timing & Importance The entire process of ghusl can be completed within 12 minutes. This is an exaggerated estimate; it might even be quicker. Understanding this timing is crucial because ghusl is mandatory after states of janabah, hayd, or mifas to purify oneself. Prompt purication is necessary to avoid missing obligatory prayers. Salah & Ghusl: A Timely Connection Let's say Salatul Dhuhr ends at 3 pm, and Salatul Asr begins immediately after. If a woman's hayd ends at that time, she needs to determine if there's sufcient time for ghusl and prayer. Al-Balad offers a free course on hayd if you'd like to learn more. Important Note: Intentionally missing salah is forbidden. The minimum time required is enough to perform wudhu, stand for prayer, and say "Allahu Akbar." If this is possible, the prayer becomes obligatory; failure to perform it due to laziness or ignorance results in qadha (the missed prayer must be made up). Twelve minutes is generally considered sufcient time for ghusl and subsequent prayer. The Fardh (Obligatory) Ghusl Page 2 Created by Turbolearn AI The furlough of qusl refers to the minimal actions necessary for purication. If you have 12 minutes before the next prayer, this is enough time to perform the furlough of qusl and offer your prayer. Optional Acts: Washing hair with shampoo and conditioner, exfoliating, etc., are all optional and can be done after the obligatory prayer. This bare minimum ensures purication for prayer. Additional acts are supplementary and beautify the purication process. Your homework is to research how much water the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used for ghusl. Sunnah of Ghusl The sunnah (recommended practices) of ghusl enhances the obligatory ghusl. Performing sunnah practices makes the obligatory actions more complete. Metaphor: Imagine moving into a new house. The bare minimum is walls, doors, and windows. But you might add paint, carpets, and curtains to beautify it and turn it into a home. The fardh is like the bare minimum house, and the sunnah acts are like the additional beautication. Following the sunnah enhances and complements the obligatory actions. menstruation and ghusl If a woman ends her hayd with limited time before prayer, she must perform ghusl and the obligatory prayer if there is enough time to perform both. Delaying the prayer results in qadha. For more information on the rulings of hayd, consider joining the Fiqh of Menstruation course. Ghusl: The Sunnah Way Beginning the Ghusl Begin with Bismillahhirrahmanirrahim. Why? Because any action without it lacks barakah (blessings). Make an intention (niyyah): "O Allah, I intend to perform ghusl to purify myself for Your worship." Multiple intentions are encouraged. Page 3 Created by Turbolearn AI The Sunnah is the way of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It's like adding beautiful decorations to a house (the basic requirements of Ghusl). Missing some decorations doesn't invalidate the house (Ghusl), but it reduces the reward. Preparing the Body Wash your hands up to the wrists. Clean hands are essential for purication. Perform istinja: remove any impurities from the body. The Purication Process Perform wudu: Even a simple wudu is sufcient. This pre-cleanses parts of the body. Pour water over your entire body three times, ensuring thorough coverage. Pour water over your head, then your right shoulder, then your left shoulder. Scrub your body. You may use any suitable products at this stage. Recap of the Sunnah Ghusl Steps Step Action 1 Bismillah 2 Intention 3 Wash hands to the wrists 4 Istinja and removing Najasa 5 Wudu 6 Pour water over the entire body three times 7 Pour water over head, right, then left shoulder 8 Scrub the body Ghusl: A Step-by-Step Guide Step-by-Step Ghusl The following steps outline the process of performing Ghusl, according to the Sunnah: Page 4 Created by Turbolearn AI 1. Bismillah: Begin by saying "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah). 2. Intention: Make the intention to perform Ghusl. 3. Washing Hands: Wash your hands up to the wrists. 4. Istinsha' and Najasa Removal: Perform istinsha' (cleaning after urination/defecation) and remove any najasa (impurity) from the body. 5. Wudu: Perform Wudu (ablution) as you normally would. 6. Pouring Water Over the Body: Pour water over your entire body, ensuring complete coverage. 7. Shoulders: Pour water over your right shoulder, then your left shoulder. 8. Scrubbing: Scrub your entire body thoroughly, paying attention to areas like behind the knees and underarms. 9. Washing Thoroughly: Wash every part of your body to remove any remaining najasa. Important Considerations If performing Ghusl in owing water, the process is simplied as the water carries away impurities. If the water is stagnant (e.g., a blocked drain), ensure to scrub and remove najasa, then wash your feet separately after leaving the stagnant water to ensure complete cleanliness. Summary of Steps Page 5 Created by Turbolearn AI Step Description 1. Bismillah Begin by saying "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) 2. Intention Make the intention to perform Ghusl. 3. Hands Wash hands up to wrists. 4. Istinsha' Clean after urination/defecation and remove any najasa (impurity). 5. Wudu Perform Wudu (ablution). 6. Pouring Pour water over the entire body. 7. Shoulders Pour water over the right, then the left shoulder. 8. Scrubbing Scrub the entire body thoroughly. 9. Washing Wash every part of the body to ensure the removal of all najasa. Benets of Following the Sunnah Following the Sunnah in performing Ghusl ensures a thorough and complete cleansing. Developing a routine makes the process habitual and effortless. What is Najasa? Najasa refers to impurities that must be removed before prayer or other acts of worship. Examples include urine, feces, and blood. What is Wudu? Wudu is the ritual washing of certain parts of the body before prayer. It involves washing the face, hands, arms, and wiping over the head and feet. Page 6
Updated 85d ago
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than that I'nique. I think I would write a name and we cross the rental for past at do period, so like, it is us out of taking off or dealing with all of the logistics, so far, um you are still kind of getting devil or have anything else to figure out on terms of uh, just a piece adistration, conferences, anything else, uh, as usual, um, just, act and lecture or send me an email there's a few little things that I still working out, but hopefully to get settled for all of you. Um, last thing you just wanna say, thank you for your first discussion of us. They were just like specialasure read and, like, showed me how many different ways you're all being with us novel uh, and I now I like, oh, I wish you had another hour. I'm talking with this one. keep talking about it? um but we'll definitely touch on one of the things that you read in your post. today and when, um next week we're moving on to another reading, but we'll have your first conferences and that'll be a chance to talk about that kid's reading by all that really everything that we've discussed so far, so pull on to you all of these ideas that you're having. Okay, um, so today, we're gonna be a no happening, we're gonna talk about some of theorical contacts that can have us understand passing, like what's happening in the novel. Uh, and then we're gonna die further into the text of acting of what Laren is doing with this concept ofaba. Um, first, I just wanted to briefly touch on something that Irene referended in the novel, but that in this outside, it'sersen, using a novel so it references Comicorn, a little piece of history. We have I read thinking at one point, when she's worrying about Claire and correct and she's becoming, uh, and the problem of playing becomes three of her husband Rob, said, what is Luc there? He, was under eight the eight, uh, at the time that Larson was writing, passing, the rhyler case was sort of like a recent new sensation or almost like a celebrity spectacle in New York City. um, and the reason that Irene refers to it in the novel is because of the he centered around a white man who is married to a black woman who could pass her wife. uh, and the question in the rhyment her face was was she has, or did her husband, in fact, already know that she would lack? Uh, I was had like a little brief synopsis of this thing, and they' li. uh up on my versus if you wanted to read more about this soon. a fascinating story. So, in 1921, a wealthy young white man named Kit Reinellander, met Alice Jones, who was working class an racial black women. Rein Linder, the ris guy only, did not like this relationship. the two elopes in 1924, and soon after, because Bryander was part of this aristocratic family, uh, the news paint it up and published a story titled Bradland's son, and Mary is the daughter of a color name. and this led to his father finding out about the marriage and forcing his son to file for an annullment, uh, and then there were all these purpose meetings that began. And in this suit, Kitinlanders side attempted to prove that Alice had to defauded Kit using sex to gain access to hisalth. And social position. um, and then this became, as I said, kind of a big news story and cultural identity that because the right of her family was sort of celebrated being of family and because there were so many intimate details here in the court in the news about their marriage and also about Alex, um and this currently pretty preceding into all. Alice, for her side, I had been single case. She admitted to be black and she insisted that Kip had been aware of it. um and in the end, some surprisingly for the moment of by the court decided in Alice's favor and three, that KI had actually known of her blackness all along, so he was not the victim of any thought. In this case, he was not at the woman who wasying about being white. It was her husband lying about his knowledge about it. And so this is like just another variation of all these birds, like convoluted situations that arose in the midst of the American conception with the color line with racial purity and with racial power. and this is like, you just like another piece of helpful background as we head back into the novel of our characters, um, in our case, player is passing the way, and her husband, John, as far as we know, up to a point, does not have any clue that clear is black. Um, and even though this is the setup, Larsen does something to sort of what, electrify us early on, when she sets the scene with strong balloon and drink the roof and the dressingla this web. Hello, was John's reading player. Um, and I' using that that meansalonate, he's using probably obviously a variation of a regial slarity and word, right? And so this immediately creates like, great confusion for Ine and perjury who are sitting there. uh, and Claire and quickly has to explain why husband is calling you that. Her black eyes let her down. Tell them here, why you call me eyes. The man chuckled, make up his eyes, not I madeless compelled acknowledgepleasantly. He explained, well, you see, it like this, when the first married she was white as well as white as a lily. But I did lay she's getting darker and darker. I tell her if she don't look out, she'll wake up one of these days and find she her and with Edward. Heared with laughter. Claire' ringing bell light laughing his then a little later on. My goodness Jack, what difference would it make it after all these years, you were to find out that I was more than she present color. The put out his hand and refudiating flame definite and final. Oh, no, he declared, nothing like that with me. I know you known, so far right, you can get that slack as you please as far as I concerned, since I know you no. I draw the line back, the open pen words in my family ever happen and never will. Okay, how does our protagonist Irene experience this scene and how does she feel watching it? Yes.. There's. I couldn't. She's sitting at the TV party, you just kind of watching me not even even a while, put the most. But I it upset me, she doesn't know if she can speak up without real very nature. Yes, so she's like having to her appearance, like like looking around and deep confusion and disments. down because like the translated almost like half rest and comments that Cla Gertrude pick up on because the three of them are passing, and you can kind of tell that Claire has a lost experience with it has a conversation because she had she handles it a lot better than Irene does, um, and yeah, if you see all this in totalal turmoil and it keeps out a little bit in intercom conversations. Yes, right, so you trying to be her cool, but they're always like it is irrepressibleomas the sense of way, what the hell is happening here in player like aA... Claire husband to explain why would she bring up that conversation in the I? If she, oh, my husband has absolutely no idea. just for me.ger to know that idea. Why folks think? Why? Why will 30 this? There so many different ideas? few folks in the French? What are you things are? why in the read I Pandora. And all the soation and friends or what we actually. there' exposition to us a reader and to having. Yes, okay, so right, so she's like doing this like to them, like, there is there is a context here for this. Okay, there's a lot of kids and I go, here, here, maybe just go there.. as well. I is trying up all theoth or like making joke from the. because people aren has that beatified for her because she spent all this time for this performance and. And now she does advantage of this route. she work in. Yes. making a joke of her husband, right? why would she create this situation to begin with? so there's a way in which, like, there are different audiences and she created an audience to watch it un full.. sounds like, I g said, oh, you should spot, you know, uh, fire, you layer in my one pass the approaches it is like, you know, those, you don't know, but whatever really you can dola is, so it's like almost like red flag or alarms or something like battery knock and probably at me like, oh my God, like they kind of like on the closed and like my love. They're like email and they like not, everything that happens to Claire because they share this identity, that it's all black men who are can't ask for life, like anything that happening, it is like, immediately there's an implication of what this means for the other in characters. Yes. all this field are sheets like player? because um, like the she wants sitting for a her, our players trying for. and the other player wants to like more hard I his life. um, and it it feels like he's like giving a little taste like this is time, whatever med. So, like, why don't you let me your like a little more psychling real life? Yes, right, so there in which, like, maybe she showing up and like, making a joke at these I' heard a thing that there's another way she's like look at my situation, like this I live in I, uh, but it's both, right, at the same time... This is my back that. I contin what as I Yes, right. She's doing this like dance and shifting the position, uh, by by creating this and this is really dangerous essentially situation, um and and letting her friends in on it. Um, and there is this sense, right that there is, you know, danger in the scene, there is ultimately something that disturbing, but one of the involved is that I may not progress is like this this knowing lap, right? that kind of comes over earth room too, um, because there's something absurd about watching the scene, um, at one point, like Irene's lips trembled almost arm full of, but she made a desperate effort to fight after disastrider laugh and succeeded, um, and then jumped down a little bit, she's looking at her from grocery clear littleressed down a for a. I mean wish there was brief size through she feared by her self comprolled thatiled toridge for her notating anger and in that indignation. So there's like laughter and there's anger and indignation. She had a weepingiety to shout at the manip her and you're sitting here surrounded by three black devils during the teeth. So it does seem, right? that there's a joke and on notolute. He is awake and he is so sure that he would never have a black person in his family or in his house, but in reality, he is sitting there and has a black life, he has the black daughter, and there are two other black men sitting in the are and yet, they all of these women that are just referred to, player, Irene, recru, and and Claara Marjorie, all look white. How are they black? you can turn off, right. Okay, so there's sense in which a appearance is not the only way in which raises being decided, right? That becomes very clear. You can look at way as player and somehow collect Yes. you know, like like slide when you have a conversation down with the blue and it said, like, oh, and players said, what I was large, you color. And he says, well, you know, like, that's not simply means I never not that. So it's not even having, like, that like, DNA more like, you know, that like, it's the not even like it's I I don't even know like what definition is anymore because documentaries is not about, you know, having the access here, you not having that, what countries like, oh, I don't care about how you look, I don't care about you know, what's what's your ancest, you like be somebody else and something like. Yeah, it's really confusing.ired it just that John Lulu by being away, he's so sure he would go, right? There was no way she was getting away with the one or two percent colors in this case, uh, right? Um, but something weird is going on with this definition. two are men and then weonse yet. I think we need lots of different maybe people compared to the John tell the version of of push of the media of excuses. So I think with the women is that someoundaries, here, um the and also I mean for help uh, like, that their response to the outage show and how Yeah, right there are like, so many different ways that race is playing has an identity, but also have like a legal construction and also as a maybe like cartoon characteristic of what blackness is.. I don't know for what like one rule decide, um, who who wasn't? One, but under the law, there was the more, where ne the color lion have already in identities that forces you into one or the other. Yes, so this is exactly where we're headed. This is the streaming I understand, yet how he got to this place in the 1920s, where there are three white open women and all of them are apparently black. In the 1920s, this idea that right even just a tiny percentage of black ancestry made a person black um was part of a law, right? So that is happening in all of these acts were regional integrity acts laws that are prostating American deceased, uh, including in 1984 in Virginia, uh laws like the Virginia racial Integrity act outlawedational marriage and defined a white person as someone who has no pri whatsoever of any one whether than not. Right? And what is that that talk about? Um, and then there are other laws that defined lackers that owned with any trace, right? It could be, 116, uh, a black ancestry remain on. At least kind of law were as they said, white friend across the US and they also extended our back into American history street, one of the first laws that to do this work of criminalizing racial effect on the marriage, uh and defining ways by this strange formula heredity was in 1652 in a specular event. Um we often think about race as something visible, and in any case, it was a uh, but here, right we're seeing that the in terms of the law, uh, we'reology with very technical, legal, and then often invisible ideas of race and of blackness. My question is, and this has already come out a little bit irresponses, but why would Americans come up with such a thing convoluted and frame and specific and some type invisible concepts of race? I? Okay, this is funny back to Elizabeth comment, right? This has to do with the history of Americans labvery. So to answer the session, we're going on a little detour as we as do, as that how my minders. Um, we're going to go back a little bit and think about American slavery and how it works as a racial and social system. Slavery created generations and generations of makes people because, despite all of this talk about the rigid color line, slaveholders systematically crossed. I said on Wednesday that Frosted season on Monday, that Crossing the color line, especially in terms of sexual relationships, what is dangerous and needed as that is true for lacking and sometimes for, and afterately we waited, put and did allwise really violently and systematically. What did this look like? In active events that slaveholders were continuallyaping and they sexual violence was an endemic feature of the system of American slavery. It was not a random event that I approved in some cases of kind. it was a structural part of the system of American slavery. And this kind of knew that sexual violence often led to the murder of a rac children. So when these children were born, they were not considered by their fathers to be their children, they were considered to be their properties, right? Because their mothers then laid those children were and his laid. So imagine as it is a you know, 300 plus year mystery of slavery at there time generations and generations of people who were enslaved and considered to be black, but who look more and more white. This can be really hard to visualize the fact because I need the race, like they shift in different comments, they' shipped at time, we have pretty visual idea of race in the present. Uh, but this these photos for me of us a little bit to understand this. um all of the children in these two photographs were bored into slavery and all of them are considered property and all of that were consideringat. But probably to our eyes, only one of these children as looks black. So when these image of showing us is, again, like a strangeness of racing America. It's really like the fiction of race, of problems of race. We have this idea of rigid color line and then we have this social world that totally always by it. It is like a central problemating America, and it is at part of our 20th as. But it is also at the heart of the first ever African American novelot. Closelle for private's daughter, and they are mostly life was published by a for Lady author William Wells Brown in the 1856, of Phil during safety. um, and it again, at the the first factor all, this very clearly had aitional novel. It's a novel, it's written, it's a perfect of showingagos sla reading the need to project. Uh, the fact that this is the first act there in novel is a good reminder for us that novels, whether they are written by our Americans or by other groups, have not really miss it. Novels are enired or so story different from the literature, how all existed, but novels did not become kind of a cohereric form of that are literature, uh of writing until about the 18th century in Western European culture and then they started to become a major feature of Western European culture, cultureuring art aircraft the 19th century. and writing novels have is like longer durraysans in which histori can take place, and there' group or multiple different kind of stories. This is not super important about us today we're gonna come back see the conduct a lot of this then. but uh this is an important for sit situation in the 20th century where novels aren't one important for getting this little detour we taking the 19th century. Okay. back tootap. Uh, what I said is for novel and it takes up this problem of race and the problem of passing as central issue. Um Some of you here a red hotels and you know that it's like, a very convoluted and melodramatic story. um so we're not gonna do aopsis of this if you're curious, go recoel. um, but it's not that if we' for our course. I just wanna briefly introduce you to a central character in enslaved woman name hotel. This isotel as sheears about your soul. The appearance of Plotel on oct in deep sensation amongst the crow. There she stood in the complexion as light as most of those who are waiting with the wish shouldn' not referisers. The auctionireized by saying that Miss Futel had been observed for the last because she was the most valuable. how much, generally? Well, we're m meant to understand here is that, first of all, the towels of white, that is that the hotel is specially valuable because she looks like, and third, that this value attached to looking weight is sexualized, right? We get this very congestive how less g with it. Um, and this idea that played women were lighter reflection, including white acting, had special sexual values, um, was, again, a feature of this is of American slavery. Because of her lacis and also the other values white and, uh, she is persecuted across this o, which leads to a fact and laborer. She attempts to esclavery, that she gets caught and rather than go back to her factors, she chooses to to wep off the bridge for herck. So this is an illustration of that. This is like hotels weep ack. What did you with this? You might be at the Dr. D NOR. This week in the context of hot is morally righteous, right? She sort of a thing here. The cause of her death is slavery and her choice to die is, as I said, morally righteous, because it's protesting againstly and that means that within the context of the 19th century acad abolitionist dog. Uh, we can get a little bit of this, um, just from the way that lay brown wrote this right. There's no hope for aake for her down the passage. Her resolution was taken. She clasped her hands convulsively and raised them as she, at the same time raised her eyes for its heaven and begged for that mercy and compassion there, which had been denied her on earth, and then, with a single bound, she vaulted over the railings of the bridge and subbed forever beneath the ways of the river, thus died lowau. Okay. So this is a little bit of backstory and literary history that's going to help us understand where we are in our novel and how it ends. And we'll just say briefly that this is not the only novel that our literature that keeps up these issues of acid um, where a lot of really important and central novels of early actingary literature that do this, asking is one of them and then we're gonna read another one about to meet laugh more. This is all behind Ella Larson as she writing happy, and she is engaging with this literary history, but she's also complicating the story, right? I read Redfield and Cla Henry are not martyr characters by any right, the problems that they have are not only caused by outside forces. They have also caused by an own desires and wait. So, rather than writing a novel where black womenomes sort of like the vehicles for explloring an issue like slavery or race or racism. Larsen makes race and racism and passing into a being able or even like a backdrop or exploring black women, and their interiority. and they are desired potentially needed their fear, their anger, and and then ultimately their violence. We see both of these characters, sorry out, but what they are to each other and stay the missions, right? I read in the black world, players in the white, but over time their divisions were like he in by one another. um, andir, at least from our perspective, is getting too close, right? Irene, um, on getting rid of player. So, how does this like, break down in start from thisantingopter in and we talked about on Monday, there's thisensive great attraction in the beginning atoration and the sense that Irene was kind of like, not resist the thrall of player, but at some point in the novel, I mean starts to feel differently, and she becomes ultimately to consumed by Claire as a problem. Where are some of the scen that we start to see this happen for uh yeah, where are some of the turning points in the novel where he gets this ri.t. and I think this happened like somebody to going out, like not a highly lot, but you laugh and youulated things how much else if they really doing without me without. I mean, she like, you know, she's so over on cat I, and then was. Yes, right. So, at some point around an invitation that she wasn't part of, Irene begins to believe that there's a fair. But she have evidence of this fair as what I agree, and then also, we have beers like, do we have of an affair, what what did you think about? like, the truth or reality of theear? I kind of interpreted Irena's a bit of an unreliable narrator. It felt like she was telling them story that had already happened. So maybe her act of the end of the novel influences how she's remembering things and trying to justify why she would have pushed a clear in the end. So she's looking at her while they laughed at each other, so that was a sign and when she's at the party and few kind of corroborates how she feels, you see a little bit more about unreliable narrator or what that means to feel? Um when they're presenting things with objective, but their emotions and personality are actually shaping, what what evidence that preventing you and what descriptors they're using?, that's a really good way of it, so we have she is she's basically our in the sense that like she's the as we've talked about, but the character of his perspective, we're really close to. um and we start to have a approx novel see that there is like a discrepancy between her internal thought process and what is available to us as what evidence of what's happening outside of her, um and so the more and more we start to see that, like we have a little bit alienated from Irene, uh, and so, right, the reality of any of her statements, um, have comes into some question. um, so we don't necessarily know what this affair was um, other than what Irene either think it was or justified the FDA. Yeah. kind of operating? he was maybe for a bit, but I think last class mentioned how she really called Claire beautiful. and how now is that Ryan is somewhat clear and not much evidence of a ware, but maybe if she was in his position, she would find clear in my so there is a question of like whose desire is actually at the center of this, right and Brian was kind of like taking the ball for things that are going on early player, and she's rejecting herself and she comes another very good as one way that we could be. northern hand.. I think like, in terms of like there being any evidence, the only thing that I kind of pull out was the fact that like, they kept going to like parties and stuff without Irene. So, like, if we are gonna give her some of the benefit of the doubt, there is that weird kind of tension that appears when, like, even when Irene is not interested in going, Brian and Claire are still going to these things and Claire spent a lot of time at their home, even when Irene isn't there. So I I do think that, like, yes, the evidence is very sparse, but I can understand how she comes to this conclusions given her perception of what's happening between them., right? There's a little bit Iree, but there is a general sense of what happened and how becomes greater and greater. Oh, I was gonna say uh the one we're being like a ton wild narrator, it's I think it's interesting that she's like totally certain and positive, that like it is happening and even one you trying to like, identify the evidence and she's like, oh, there is it really that much other than maybe I guess it Brian earlier in the all says he doesn't think Claire, is that all with that what I spot later, he's kind of let it sit. And then at the end he's obviously like very distressed. But I think the fact that she just totally dismisses the fact that like, there is't actually that much evidence and she still have certain positive speaks that kind of unreviability little bit.... We are less to one very like what is really at the part of this because what she's going on is maybe not sufficient to to clarify um the problem as she sees it. Um Okay, I have a little off track here in. more. tired until that like he's in very cold family. And so that for old vanity yet what and also afterwards, we can there for months and the right you're getting to look down here. like they there is reasonable doubt about this, and that is just like, I don't really powerful look back about as readers, because we are now we are psychological problems.. I'm not analyst. I remember what was talking about that we really do better and I with that best of families, but from reality having theirairs way of justifying that oh, I I have ruin in my husband life, but if lived in on I thought I commit to Asia, whoa, that's.. Right, okay, so Claire is the problem when they're marriedriage, they might have just had problems in the marriage.. I was a little bit crazy and controlling, especially in her husband, like infe. I' of admitting that the wrong husbandrop. And so I really felt that my. Yes, so great and all of these things are are created by Larson's writing, right? Larsen, who gives us this perspective of Irene, which at the beginning, we are sympathetic to, we we have no reason not to trust, and then she warped our character more and more, and they are all these like critical moments in which the the consciousness, the interiority by being starts to become a place that we has readers are not as comfortable being in, one of those things happens that some of you commented on at the party at Hughes, um, with the breaking of a tea. One is to look at this scene. So, you get a green right into itself, uh, and then let the break that happens in reality, a literal break. Her mental andvisible langu receive it right. What did it mean? How would it affect her in the voice? The voice? She had a surgery. It had been. feeling ofolute uninverted quality. Actually, she didn't have counted. She was to him only the mother of her s of his son. That was all. alone, she was not worse than obstacle. Rage boiled up in her. It was a slight crash on the floor at her feet laid as shadow cup. dark seeing guide the bright grubs, red, shad shock, went on. The fore hers doeta gathered up the white dragons. As from the distance, youword flip voice hanger, though he was she was aware somehow miraculously at the side. Sorry to apologize, that I pushed you. plenty of me. don't tell me it's priceless and you are placeable. It hurts, dear God, how they hurt, but she couldn't think of that nap. Okay, so I want you to tell me how the theme is playing out internally and externally, like, what's happening inside I readhe and then what's happening? between characters and the room and how is it that we're switching back and forth between the two? Like, what what characterizes the writing here were how many who comes sentence that woman over? Yeah. I like, we're getting a lot our head the sentences are we cur and so like we' physically very small uh, and then it was very well on the tiger and there committed. And then all of a sudden there playing actual different of external things that are hurring in the world like, you person it says it clear what it is says, uh, and I guess, but basically it's just written't.. This is like a breakdown of her internal world and we're getting into like short drag sentences. And the other thing like soued with the problem in your life that, like, you're not aware of what's happening with a person sitting next to you or of theity or like, maybe all like what you're teacher ising in front of the room, like, you have a really big problem going on. and so you're at your internal world and then something might happen and you are snackpped out of it and you're suddenly disoriented of like, oh, what's happening in front of me? You live next to me? The voice of Hugh sounds like it's far away, but miraculously he's right there. And so these are some of these moments where we start to say,Ine, is maybe not so reliable, Irene is high that. And then he makes his life kind of icy and cold and a little bit frightening turn in which describes the cuff. Didn't you notice that cup? Well, you're lucky it would be other saying thatcestors were charming conf own. Iotten how many thousands of years ago was that's brand on the ele has I had a little war history, it was brought marked by other. Oh, all right, the English be you call it the underback. I' coming to the fact that I' never figured out a way to get rid of it until about five minutes ago, I had an inspiration. I only had to break it and I was of it forever. So it simple and I never thought of it before. So, what do you hear in this explanation? that she's giving to you? Yeah. She's using the for more, so basicallyolve the way change. That.... getair is she gonna do something else, right? this year. like how comes up, right start everything is having over the course of a series of the conversation. There two other. I think representation of player and how I. I want to get rid of there, she talk about all. And kind of reverse, I think earlier to help when the teacup is, which could also refer to Claire's passing. um, and I' almost like that spoil the end. Yeah, this is foreshadowing for the end for when I bring them up, like cushing clear sort of out of the windowows, like killingberg. I thought this was kind of foreshadowing for that as well.. something for not made it the end, I apologize to you, but there's no real way to talk about this novel without talking about the ending. um, it will still be shocking when you read it if you haven't gotten there yet. And but we're gonna talk about the ending with the end of our time. Now, it all fells crashing gap. Remember in the beginning, we have Irene ascending to the top of the green end, we have all of this movement up there. and then at the very end, we have all of the charactersembled at the top of the building, and the revelation that clear and then passing, uh, because her husband, John Doulouse storms into the room. He says, so you're in Ed order to Dan Edward and his voice was a snarl, and a mode, an expression, of ray and the everything was in confusion. The man had sprread forward, police had lected between them and the blue. She said quickly, hereful, you're the only white man here. And the silver silver voice, as well as of her words was a warning. Players stood at the window as composed as an everyone were not staring at her and curiosity and li, as if the whole structure of their life were not high in practice and for her. She seemed u aware of any danger or uncaring. There was even a same smile on her full red lips and the under shining eyes. was that smile that maddened by reading, she ran across the room her coting with foccity and laid a hand on players of their arms, One thought was exper. She couldn't have Claire and repacified by the Lou. she couldn't have the free Before there stood John Lewis speechless now in his f neighbor, on them, the little hudd of other people and Ryan stepping out from among them. What happened next Irene never afterwards allowed her to remember, never clearly one moment there and then if, a vital flowing thing, like a flame of red and bold. the next, she was gone. There was a cast before and above it the sound not by human, like aast in abey, nig by God, big. Okay, women happened here? Do we have we have love closely and the list between the we know that our have not slow it all in high foot high is slowly evolving in matter, but also, ever since being do throughout the heat and how the sub is. So we don't know who she is. is in the D or is so overwhelmed over the ir culturer. We don't want it being claim to not of itself. I mean it is not on herself and she won't herself whatever, right? And then yet she has the softway face of right here that the service are about really high correct by, the whole forgery loving, loveliness, clear, Henry. How do we maybe think about this ending this ambiguity of the ending in relation to that story, that I go about? Like, what kind of ending did I show you there and what kind of ending is this for a character who kind of constituively is of the same type? That's almost for where I do all of really. It a position already had this plan place that ever found out she wanted to beency and she had to loseation. So this she she just. Okay, so there's medally in which this, like hotel is a lead to freo, we could say maybe this is like, right doing something in here, or it might be something up, other thoughts and thought and that. I when I was reading it awfully, okay, so what happens to her? Um, so we have final like multiple different athletes are basically the have on standard as like CN time. you have I just that at the end fire. I see the fire Yeah, I after this is a broad looking of uh this, she seems just so calm about whole situation so it be, you. It's and ambiguous. One person back. towards freedom because she get the bird can clear she a my knowledge, then she will be home free, but even when like, he did find out she still didn't really succeeded maybe she killed. Yeah, it's all right. So there's like, as opposed to a heroic ending, a morally righteous ending, we are left to wonder it where that her death by being pusbur over death, um the place that the lay right on the ground at the bottom of the sky creaper is like burt and a dark and wathering. um so again, we are not looking at stories that tell us a problem and a solution, we are staying inside of a problem. we are going to end. I want to just prepping for next week, we're shifting years and reading totally a very different kind of stories. But the thing that might help us make this week is to think about laughter in this novel, who is laughing because laughter is gonna be at the center of the that piece. Okay, that a all. Thank you. so much (copy) (copy)
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than that I'nique. I think I would write a name and we cross the rental for past at do period, so like, it is us out of taking off or dealing with all of the logistics, so far, um you are still kind of getting devil or have anything else to figure out on terms of uh, just a piece adistration, conferences, anything else, uh, as usual, um, just, act and lecture or send me an email there's a few little things that I still working out, but hopefully to get settled for all of you. Um, last thing you just wanna say, thank you for your first discussion of us. They were just like specialasure read and, like, showed me how many different ways you're all being with us novel uh, and I now I like, oh, I wish you had another hour. I'm talking with this one. keep talking about it? um but we'll definitely touch on one of the things that you read in your post. today and when, um next week we're moving on to another reading, but we'll have your first conferences and that'll be a chance to talk about that kid's reading by all that really everything that we've discussed so far, so pull on to you all of these ideas that you're having. Okay, um, so today, we're gonna be a no happening, we're gonna talk about some of theorical contacts that can have us understand passing, like what's happening in the novel. Uh, and then we're gonna die further into the text of acting of what Laren is doing with this concept ofaba. Um, first, I just wanted to briefly touch on something that Irene referended in the novel, but that in this outside, it'sersen, using a novel so it references Comicorn, a little piece of history. We have I read thinking at one point, when she's worrying about Claire and correct and she's becoming, uh, and the problem of playing becomes three of her husband Rob, said, what is Luc there? He, was under eight the eight, uh, at the time that Larson was writing, passing, the rhyler case was sort of like a recent new sensation or almost like a celebrity spectacle in New York City. um, and the reason that Irene refers to it in the novel is because of the he centered around a white man who is married to a black woman who could pass her wife. uh, and the question in the rhyment her face was was she has, or did her husband, in fact, already know that she would lack? Uh, I was had like a little brief synopsis of this thing, and they' li. uh up on my versus if you wanted to read more about this soon. a fascinating story. So, in 1921, a wealthy young white man named Kit Reinellander, met Alice Jones, who was working class an racial black women. Rein Linder, the ris guy only, did not like this relationship. the two elopes in 1924, and soon after, because Bryander was part of this aristocratic family, uh, the news paint it up and published a story titled Bradland's son, and Mary is the daughter of a color name. and this led to his father finding out about the marriage and forcing his son to file for an annullment, uh, and then there were all these purpose meetings that began. And in this suit, Kitinlanders side attempted to prove that Alice had to defauded Kit using sex to gain access to hisalth. And social position. um, and then this became, as I said, kind of a big news story and cultural identity that because the right of her family was sort of celebrated being of family and because there were so many intimate details here in the court in the news about their marriage and also about Alex, um and this currently pretty preceding into all. Alice, for her side, I had been single case. She admitted to be black and she insisted that Kip had been aware of it. um and in the end, some surprisingly for the moment of by the court decided in Alice's favor and three, that KI had actually known of her blackness all along, so he was not the victim of any thought. In this case, he was not at the woman who wasying about being white. It was her husband lying about his knowledge about it. And so this is like just another variation of all these birds, like convoluted situations that arose in the midst of the American conception with the color line with racial purity and with racial power. and this is like, you just like another piece of helpful background as we head back into the novel of our characters, um, in our case, player is passing the way, and her husband, John, as far as we know, up to a point, does not have any clue that clear is black. Um, and even though this is the setup, Larsen does something to sort of what, electrify us early on, when she sets the scene with strong balloon and drink the roof and the dressingla this web. Hello, was John's reading player. Um, and I' using that that meansalonate, he's using probably obviously a variation of a regial slarity and word, right? And so this immediately creates like, great confusion for Ine and perjury who are sitting there. uh, and Claire and quickly has to explain why husband is calling you that. Her black eyes let her down. Tell them here, why you call me eyes. The man chuckled, make up his eyes, not I madeless compelled acknowledgepleasantly. He explained, well, you see, it like this, when the first married she was white as well as white as a lily. But I did lay she's getting darker and darker. I tell her if she don't look out, she'll wake up one of these days and find she her and with Edward. Heared with laughter. Claire' ringing bell light laughing his then a little later on. My goodness Jack, what difference would it make it after all these years, you were to find out that I was more than she present color. The put out his hand and refudiating flame definite and final. Oh, no, he declared, nothing like that with me. I know you known, so far right, you can get that slack as you please as far as I concerned, since I know you no. I draw the line back, the open pen words in my family ever happen and never will. Okay, how does our protagonist Irene experience this scene and how does she feel watching it? Yes.. There's. I couldn't. She's sitting at the TV party, you just kind of watching me not even even a while, put the most. But I it upset me, she doesn't know if she can speak up without real very nature. Yes, so she's like having to her appearance, like like looking around and deep confusion and disments. down because like the translated almost like half rest and comments that Cla Gertrude pick up on because the three of them are passing, and you can kind of tell that Claire has a lost experience with it has a conversation because she had she handles it a lot better than Irene does, um, and yeah, if you see all this in totalal turmoil and it keeps out a little bit in intercom conversations. Yes, right, so you trying to be her cool, but they're always like it is irrepressibleomas the sense of way, what the hell is happening here in player like aA... Claire husband to explain why would she bring up that conversation in the I? If she, oh, my husband has absolutely no idea. just for me.ger to know that idea. Why folks think? Why? Why will 30 this? There so many different ideas? few folks in the French? What are you things are? why in the read I Pandora. And all the soation and friends or what we actually. there' exposition to us a reader and to having. Yes, okay, so right, so she's like doing this like to them, like, there is there is a context here for this. Okay, there's a lot of kids and I go, here, here, maybe just go there.. as well. I is trying up all theoth or like making joke from the. because people aren has that beatified for her because she spent all this time for this performance and. And now she does advantage of this route. she work in. Yes. making a joke of her husband, right? why would she create this situation to begin with? so there's a way in which, like, there are different audiences and she created an audience to watch it un full.. sounds like, I g said, oh, you should spot, you know, uh, fire, you layer in my one pass the approaches it is like, you know, those, you don't know, but whatever really you can dola is, so it's like almost like red flag or alarms or something like battery knock and probably at me like, oh my God, like they kind of like on the closed and like my love. They're like email and they like not, everything that happens to Claire because they share this identity, that it's all black men who are can't ask for life, like anything that happening, it is like, immediately there's an implication of what this means for the other in characters. Yes. all this field are sheets like player? because um, like the she wants sitting for a her, our players trying for. and the other player wants to like more hard I his life. um, and it it feels like he's like giving a little taste like this is time, whatever med. So, like, why don't you let me your like a little more psychling real life? Yes, right, so there in which, like, maybe she showing up and like, making a joke at these I' heard a thing that there's another way she's like look at my situation, like this I live in I, uh, but it's both, right, at the same time... This is my back that. I contin what as I Yes, right. She's doing this like dance and shifting the position, uh, by by creating this and this is really dangerous essentially situation, um and and letting her friends in on it. Um, and there is this sense, right that there is, you know, danger in the scene, there is ultimately something that disturbing, but one of the involved is that I may not progress is like this this knowing lap, right? that kind of comes over earth room too, um, because there's something absurd about watching the scene, um, at one point, like Irene's lips trembled almost arm full of, but she made a desperate effort to fight after disastrider laugh and succeeded, um, and then jumped down a little bit, she's looking at her from grocery clear littleressed down a for a. I mean wish there was brief size through she feared by her self comprolled thatiled toridge for her notating anger and in that indignation. So there's like laughter and there's anger and indignation. She had a weepingiety to shout at the manip her and you're sitting here surrounded by three black devils during the teeth. So it does seem, right? that there's a joke and on notolute. He is awake and he is so sure that he would never have a black person in his family or in his house, but in reality, he is sitting there and has a black life, he has the black daughter, and there are two other black men sitting in the are and yet, they all of these women that are just referred to, player, Irene, recru, and and Claara Marjorie, all look white. How are they black? you can turn off, right. Okay, so there's sense in which a appearance is not the only way in which raises being decided, right? That becomes very clear. You can look at way as player and somehow collect Yes. you know, like like slide when you have a conversation down with the blue and it said, like, oh, and players said, what I was large, you color. And he says, well, you know, like, that's not simply means I never not that. So it's not even having, like, that like, DNA more like, you know, that like, it's the not even like it's I I don't even know like what definition is anymore because documentaries is not about, you know, having the access here, you not having that, what countries like, oh, I don't care about how you look, I don't care about you know, what's what's your ancest, you like be somebody else and something like. Yeah, it's really confusing.ired it just that John Lulu by being away, he's so sure he would go, right? There was no way she was getting away with the one or two percent colors in this case, uh, right? Um, but something weird is going on with this definition. two are men and then weonse yet. I think we need lots of different maybe people compared to the John tell the version of of push of the media of excuses. So I think with the women is that someoundaries, here, um the and also I mean for help uh, like, that their response to the outage show and how Yeah, right there are like, so many different ways that race is playing has an identity, but also have like a legal construction and also as a maybe like cartoon characteristic of what blackness is.. I don't know for what like one rule decide, um, who who wasn't? One, but under the law, there was the more, where ne the color lion have already in identities that forces you into one or the other. Yes, so this is exactly where we're headed. This is the streaming I understand, yet how he got to this place in the 1920s, where there are three white open women and all of them are apparently black. In the 1920s, this idea that right even just a tiny percentage of black ancestry made a person black um was part of a law, right? So that is happening in all of these acts were regional integrity acts laws that are prostating American deceased, uh, including in 1984 in Virginia, uh laws like the Virginia racial Integrity act outlawedational marriage and defined a white person as someone who has no pri whatsoever of any one whether than not. Right? And what is that that talk about? Um, and then there are other laws that defined lackers that owned with any trace, right? It could be, 116, uh, a black ancestry remain on. At least kind of law were as they said, white friend across the US and they also extended our back into American history street, one of the first laws that to do this work of criminalizing racial effect on the marriage, uh and defining ways by this strange formula heredity was in 1652 in a specular event. Um we often think about race as something visible, and in any case, it was a uh, but here, right we're seeing that the in terms of the law, uh, we'reology with very technical, legal, and then often invisible ideas of race and of blackness. My question is, and this has already come out a little bit irresponses, but why would Americans come up with such a thing convoluted and frame and specific and some type invisible concepts of race? I? Okay, this is funny back to Elizabeth comment, right? This has to do with the history of Americans labvery. So to answer the session, we're going on a little detour as we as do, as that how my minders. Um, we're going to go back a little bit and think about American slavery and how it works as a racial and social system. Slavery created generations and generations of makes people because, despite all of this talk about the rigid color line, slaveholders systematically crossed. I said on Wednesday that Frosted season on Monday, that Crossing the color line, especially in terms of sexual relationships, what is dangerous and needed as that is true for lacking and sometimes for, and afterately we waited, put and did allwise really violently and systematically. What did this look like? In active events that slaveholders were continuallyaping and they sexual violence was an endemic feature of the system of American slavery. It was not a random event that I approved in some cases of kind. it was a structural part of the system of American slavery. And this kind of knew that sexual violence often led to the murder of a rac children. So when these children were born, they were not considered by their fathers to be their children, they were considered to be their properties, right? Because their mothers then laid those children were and his laid. So imagine as it is a you know, 300 plus year mystery of slavery at there time generations and generations of people who were enslaved and considered to be black, but who look more and more white. This can be really hard to visualize the fact because I need the race, like they shift in different comments, they' shipped at time, we have pretty visual idea of race in the present. Uh, but this these photos for me of us a little bit to understand this. um all of the children in these two photographs were bored into slavery and all of them are considered property and all of that were consideringat. But probably to our eyes, only one of these children as looks black. So when these image of showing us is, again, like a strangeness of racing America. It's really like the fiction of race, of problems of race. We have this idea of rigid color line and then we have this social world that totally always by it. It is like a central problemating America, and it is at part of our 20th as. But it is also at the heart of the first ever African American novelot. Closelle for private's daughter, and they are mostly life was published by a for Lady author William Wells Brown in the 1856, of Phil during safety. um, and it again, at the the first factor all, this very clearly had aitional novel. It's a novel, it's written, it's a perfect of showingagos sla reading the need to project. Uh, the fact that this is the first act there in novel is a good reminder for us that novels, whether they are written by our Americans or by other groups, have not really miss it. Novels are enired or so story different from the literature, how all existed, but novels did not become kind of a cohereric form of that are literature, uh of writing until about the 18th century in Western European culture and then they started to become a major feature of Western European culture, cultureuring art aircraft the 19th century. and writing novels have is like longer durraysans in which histori can take place, and there' group or multiple different kind of stories. This is not super important about us today we're gonna come back see the conduct a lot of this then. but uh this is an important for sit situation in the 20th century where novels aren't one important for getting this little detour we taking the 19th century. Okay. back tootap. Uh, what I said is for novel and it takes up this problem of race and the problem of passing as central issue. Um Some of you here a red hotels and you know that it's like, a very convoluted and melodramatic story. um so we're not gonna do aopsis of this if you're curious, go recoel. um, but it's not that if we' for our course. I just wanna briefly introduce you to a central character in enslaved woman name hotel. This isotel as sheears about your soul. The appearance of Plotel on oct in deep sensation amongst the crow. There she stood in the complexion as light as most of those who are waiting with the wish shouldn' not referisers. The auctionireized by saying that Miss Futel had been observed for the last because she was the most valuable. how much, generally? Well, we're m meant to understand here is that, first of all, the towels of white, that is that the hotel is specially valuable because she looks like, and third, that this value attached to looking weight is sexualized, right? We get this very congestive how less g with it. Um, and this idea that played women were lighter reflection, including white acting, had special sexual values, um, was, again, a feature of this is of American slavery. Because of her lacis and also the other values white and, uh, she is persecuted across this o, which leads to a fact and laborer. She attempts to esclavery, that she gets caught and rather than go back to her factors, she chooses to to wep off the bridge for herck. So this is an illustration of that. This is like hotels weep ack. What did you with this? You might be at the Dr. D NOR. This week in the context of hot is morally righteous, right? She sort of a thing here. The cause of her death is slavery and her choice to die is, as I said, morally righteous, because it's protesting againstly and that means that within the context of the 19th century acad abolitionist dog. Uh, we can get a little bit of this, um, just from the way that lay brown wrote this right. There's no hope for aake for her down the passage. Her resolution was taken. She clasped her hands convulsively and raised them as she, at the same time raised her eyes for its heaven and begged for that mercy and compassion there, which had been denied her on earth, and then, with a single bound, she vaulted over the railings of the bridge and subbed forever beneath the ways of the river, thus died lowau. Okay. So this is a little bit of backstory and literary history that's going to help us understand where we are in our novel and how it ends. And we'll just say briefly that this is not the only novel that our literature that keeps up these issues of acid um, where a lot of really important and central novels of early actingary literature that do this, asking is one of them and then we're gonna read another one about to meet laugh more. This is all behind Ella Larson as she writing happy, and she is engaging with this literary history, but she's also complicating the story, right? I read Redfield and Cla Henry are not martyr characters by any right, the problems that they have are not only caused by outside forces. They have also caused by an own desires and wait. So, rather than writing a novel where black womenomes sort of like the vehicles for explloring an issue like slavery or race or racism. Larsen makes race and racism and passing into a being able or even like a backdrop or exploring black women, and their interiority. and they are desired potentially needed their fear, their anger, and and then ultimately their violence. We see both of these characters, sorry out, but what they are to each other and stay the missions, right? I read in the black world, players in the white, but over time their divisions were like he in by one another. um, andir, at least from our perspective, is getting too close, right? Irene, um, on getting rid of player. So, how does this like, break down in start from thisantingopter in and we talked about on Monday, there's thisensive great attraction in the beginning atoration and the sense that Irene was kind of like, not resist the thrall of player, but at some point in the novel, I mean starts to feel differently, and she becomes ultimately to consumed by Claire as a problem. Where are some of the scen that we start to see this happen for uh yeah, where are some of the turning points in the novel where he gets this ri.t. and I think this happened like somebody to going out, like not a highly lot, but you laugh and youulated things how much else if they really doing without me without. I mean, she like, you know, she's so over on cat I, and then was. Yes, right. So, at some point around an invitation that she wasn't part of, Irene begins to believe that there's a fair. But she have evidence of this fair as what I agree, and then also, we have beers like, do we have of an affair, what what did you think about? like, the truth or reality of theear? I kind of interpreted Irena's a bit of an unreliable narrator. It felt like she was telling them story that had already happened. So maybe her act of the end of the novel influences how she's remembering things and trying to justify why she would have pushed a clear in the end. So she's looking at her while they laughed at each other, so that was a sign and when she's at the party and few kind of corroborates how she feels, you see a little bit more about unreliable narrator or what that means to feel? Um when they're presenting things with objective, but their emotions and personality are actually shaping, what what evidence that preventing you and what descriptors they're using?, that's a really good way of it, so we have she is she's basically our in the sense that like she's the as we've talked about, but the character of his perspective, we're really close to. um and we start to have a approx novel see that there is like a discrepancy between her internal thought process and what is available to us as what evidence of what's happening outside of her, um and so the more and more we start to see that, like we have a little bit alienated from Irene, uh, and so, right, the reality of any of her statements, um, have comes into some question. um, so we don't necessarily know what this affair was um, other than what Irene either think it was or justified the FDA. Yeah. kind of operating? he was maybe for a bit, but I think last class mentioned how she really called Claire beautiful. and how now is that Ryan is somewhat clear and not much evidence of a ware, but maybe if she was in his position, she would find clear in my so there is a question of like whose desire is actually at the center of this, right and Brian was kind of like taking the ball for things that are going on early player, and she's rejecting herself and she comes another very good as one way that we could be. northern hand.. I think like, in terms of like there being any evidence, the only thing that I kind of pull out was the fact that like, they kept going to like parties and stuff without Irene. So, like, if we are gonna give her some of the benefit of the doubt, there is that weird kind of tension that appears when, like, even when Irene is not interested in going, Brian and Claire are still going to these things and Claire spent a lot of time at their home, even when Irene isn't there. So I I do think that, like, yes, the evidence is very sparse, but I can understand how she comes to this conclusions given her perception of what's happening between them., right? There's a little bit Iree, but there is a general sense of what happened and how becomes greater and greater. Oh, I was gonna say uh the one we're being like a ton wild narrator, it's I think it's interesting that she's like totally certain and positive, that like it is happening and even one you trying to like, identify the evidence and she's like, oh, there is it really that much other than maybe I guess it Brian earlier in the all says he doesn't think Claire, is that all with that what I spot later, he's kind of let it sit. And then at the end he's obviously like very distressed. But I think the fact that she just totally dismisses the fact that like, there is't actually that much evidence and she still have certain positive speaks that kind of unreviability little bit.... We are less to one very like what is really at the part of this because what she's going on is maybe not sufficient to to clarify um the problem as she sees it. Um Okay, I have a little off track here in. more. tired until that like he's in very cold family. And so that for old vanity yet what and also afterwards, we can there for months and the right you're getting to look down here. like they there is reasonable doubt about this, and that is just like, I don't really powerful look back about as readers, because we are now we are psychological problems.. I'm not analyst. I remember what was talking about that we really do better and I with that best of families, but from reality having theirairs way of justifying that oh, I I have ruin in my husband life, but if lived in on I thought I commit to Asia, whoa, that's.. Right, okay, so Claire is the problem when they're marriedriage, they might have just had problems in the marriage.. I was a little bit crazy and controlling, especially in her husband, like infe. I' of admitting that the wrong husbandrop. And so I really felt that my. Yes, so great and all of these things are are created by Larson's writing, right? Larsen, who gives us this perspective of Irene, which at the beginning, we are sympathetic to, we we have no reason not to trust, and then she warped our character more and more, and they are all these like critical moments in which the the consciousness, the interiority by being starts to become a place that we has readers are not as comfortable being in, one of those things happens that some of you commented on at the party at Hughes, um, with the breaking of a tea. One is to look at this scene. So, you get a green right into itself, uh, and then let the break that happens in reality, a literal break. Her mental andvisible langu receive it right. What did it mean? How would it affect her in the voice? The voice? She had a surgery. It had been. feeling ofolute uninverted quality. Actually, she didn't have counted. She was to him only the mother of her s of his son. That was all. alone, she was not worse than obstacle. Rage boiled up in her. It was a slight crash on the floor at her feet laid as shadow cup. dark seeing guide the bright grubs, red, shad shock, went on. The fore hers doeta gathered up the white dragons. As from the distance, youword flip voice hanger, though he was she was aware somehow miraculously at the side. Sorry to apologize, that I pushed you. plenty of me. don't tell me it's priceless and you are placeable. It hurts, dear God, how they hurt, but she couldn't think of that nap. Okay, so I want you to tell me how the theme is playing out internally and externally, like, what's happening inside I readhe and then what's happening? between characters and the room and how is it that we're switching back and forth between the two? Like, what what characterizes the writing here were how many who comes sentence that woman over? Yeah. I like, we're getting a lot our head the sentences are we cur and so like we' physically very small uh, and then it was very well on the tiger and there committed. And then all of a sudden there playing actual different of external things that are hurring in the world like, you person it says it clear what it is says, uh, and I guess, but basically it's just written't.. This is like a breakdown of her internal world and we're getting into like short drag sentences. And the other thing like soued with the problem in your life that, like, you're not aware of what's happening with a person sitting next to you or of theity or like, maybe all like what you're teacher ising in front of the room, like, you have a really big problem going on. and so you're at your internal world and then something might happen and you are snackpped out of it and you're suddenly disoriented of like, oh, what's happening in front of me? You live next to me? The voice of Hugh sounds like it's far away, but miraculously he's right there. And so these are some of these moments where we start to say,Ine, is maybe not so reliable, Irene is high that. And then he makes his life kind of icy and cold and a little bit frightening turn in which describes the cuff. Didn't you notice that cup? Well, you're lucky it would be other saying thatcestors were charming conf own. Iotten how many thousands of years ago was that's brand on the ele has I had a little war history, it was brought marked by other. Oh, all right, the English be you call it the underback. I' coming to the fact that I' never figured out a way to get rid of it until about five minutes ago, I had an inspiration. I only had to break it and I was of it forever. So it simple and I never thought of it before. So, what do you hear in this explanation? that she's giving to you? Yeah. She's using the for more, so basicallyolve the way change. That.... getair is she gonna do something else, right? this year. like how comes up, right start everything is having over the course of a series of the conversation. There two other. I think representation of player and how I. I want to get rid of there, she talk about all. And kind of reverse, I think earlier to help when the teacup is, which could also refer to Claire's passing. um, and I' almost like that spoil the end. Yeah, this is foreshadowing for the end for when I bring them up, like cushing clear sort of out of the windowows, like killingberg. I thought this was kind of foreshadowing for that as well.. something for not made it the end, I apologize to you, but there's no real way to talk about this novel without talking about the ending. um, it will still be shocking when you read it if you haven't gotten there yet. And but we're gonna talk about the ending with the end of our time. Now, it all fells crashing gap. Remember in the beginning, we have Irene ascending to the top of the green end, we have all of this movement up there. and then at the very end, we have all of the charactersembled at the top of the building, and the revelation that clear and then passing, uh, because her husband, John Doulouse storms into the room. He says, so you're in Ed order to Dan Edward and his voice was a snarl, and a mode, an expression, of ray and the everything was in confusion. The man had sprread forward, police had lected between them and the blue. She said quickly, hereful, you're the only white man here. And the silver silver voice, as well as of her words was a warning. Players stood at the window as composed as an everyone were not staring at her and curiosity and li, as if the whole structure of their life were not high in practice and for her. She seemed u aware of any danger or uncaring. There was even a same smile on her full red lips and the under shining eyes. was that smile that maddened by reading, she ran across the room her coting with foccity and laid a hand on players of their arms, One thought was exper. She couldn't have Claire and repacified by the Lou. she couldn't have the free Before there stood John Lewis speechless now in his f neighbor, on them, the little hudd of other people and Ryan stepping out from among them. What happened next Irene never afterwards allowed her to remember, never clearly one moment there and then if, a vital flowing thing, like a flame of red and bold. the next, she was gone. There was a cast before and above it the sound not by human, like aast in abey, nig by God, big. Okay, women happened here? Do we have we have love closely and the list between the we know that our have not slow it all in high foot high is slowly evolving in matter, but also, ever since being do throughout the heat and how the sub is. So we don't know who she is. is in the D or is so overwhelmed over the ir culturer. We don't want it being claim to not of itself. I mean it is not on herself and she won't herself whatever, right? And then yet she has the softway face of right here that the service are about really high correct by, the whole forgery loving, loveliness, clear, Henry. How do we maybe think about this ending this ambiguity of the ending in relation to that story, that I go about? Like, what kind of ending did I show you there and what kind of ending is this for a character who kind of constituively is of the same type? That's almost for where I do all of really. It a position already had this plan place that ever found out she wanted to beency and she had to loseation. So this she she just. Okay, so there's medally in which this, like hotel is a lead to freo, we could say maybe this is like, right doing something in here, or it might be something up, other thoughts and thought and that. I when I was reading it awfully, okay, so what happens to her? Um, so we have final like multiple different athletes are basically the have on standard as like CN time. you have I just that at the end fire. I see the fire Yeah, I after this is a broad looking of uh this, she seems just so calm about whole situation so it be, you. It's and ambiguous. One person back. towards freedom because she get the bird can clear she a my knowledge, then she will be home free, but even when like, he did find out she still didn't really succeeded maybe she killed. Yeah, it's all right. So there's like, as opposed to a heroic ending, a morally righteous ending, we are left to wonder it where that her death by being pusbur over death, um the place that the lay right on the ground at the bottom of the sky creaper is like burt and a dark and wathering. um so again, we are not looking at stories that tell us a problem and a solution, we are staying inside of a problem. we are going to end. I want to just prepping for next week, we're shifting years and reading totally a very different kind of stories. But the thing that might help us make this week is to think about laughter in this novel, who is laughing because laughter is gonna be at the center of the that piece. Okay, that a all. Thank you. so much (copy)
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FINALS Lesson 1: An Embodied Spirit Coexisting with the Environment Human Being’s Understanding of Himself/Herself Human being is the source of many questions about the existence of the world and everything that exists in it. When he/she is confronted with the question “Who Am I,” which directly unveils his/her existence, he/she is pushed to the limit of existence. Jose Rizal believes that because a human being is endowed with reason, he/she wonders and questions about everything including his/her existence. Who Am I? According to Rizal and Kant Human being is endowed with reason He is self autonomous with self regulating will According to Karl Jaspers Human being is more than what he/she knows about himself/herself (Perennial Scope of Philosophy) According to Kant, human individuals… determine themselves through their interaction with their environment. they act autonomously, they make choices, including moral choices, with the aid of their reason. They have a strict duty to make these choices in accordance with moral law. Karl Jaspers Believes that human, the being of human is lost in a context of total determination. Thus what seems to be an obvious and ordinary question “Who am I” leads him/her into the depth of his/her being. This task summons him/her to leave the ordinariness of given time and context of his/her existence. Human beings Encounter with Existential Limit Situation Limit Situations German: Grenzsituation Any of certain situations in which a human being is said to have differing experiences from those arising from ordinary situations. Boundary Situations are inescapable and inevitable breaks of ordinary patterns of human existence, such as death, sufferings, conflict, tragedy, sickness, failures, communication, struggles and guilt. These boundary situations break the conventional pattern or ordinaryness of life. According to Jaspers, boundary situations lead.. to a deeper consciousness and experience of her limitations and fortitude. humans to a deeper level of reflection of her own self being. Sickness and Pain are opportunities to know more about yourself as human beings. Lesson 2: Various Ways in Dealing with the Question “Who Am I? In the Course of History Duality of Body and Soul Our body is separate and distinct from the soul Soul is immaterial Body shows corporeality (existing as physical body) We have soul or spirit (Lorenz 2009) Soul or the spirit is philosophically discussed as mind. For dualists, mind (mental) is not to be mistaken as brain (physical) since the mental is a unique phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a non mental or physical. Dualism a philosophical theory based on the idea of opposing concepts, human beings are made up of two independent constituents, the body and the mind or soul. Plato believes in the dualism of body and soul Human soul exist prior to the body and even if after the body is gone Doctrine is connected to theory of forms, material is separate from spiritual realm of forms or essences (world of ideas) Physical world is made up of appearances (destructible, illusionary and unreliable) or copies of what is real. Knowledge is to be found in the realm of ideas or essences which are eternal and true. The soul that humans possess pre-existed in the world of forms or ideas. Soul is immortal, learning is mere remembering or recollecting what the soul once knew when it was in the realm of forms. Rene Descartes Also recognized dualism He exists because doubt requires a doubter Him doubting is proof that he exists. He that exists is clearly a thing that thinks. He acknowledge that he is a body that is bound by some figure that can be located in some place and occupy space. Has the power to move, feel and think - this is attributed to body and soul. Unity of Body and Soul Thomas Aquinas Did not believe dualism Body and soul are not two separate entities, that interact with each other but are one being made up of matter and form Matter (body) and form (soul) cannot remain a being if matter and form are not united. A being ceases to exist in death, because the matter and form that make up that being is no longer complete. Whole is the sum of its parts, remove one part it is no longer whole. Aristotle Man is the whole of his body and soul. They are one like the oneness of the ugly and his figure. The relation of the body to the soul is the relation of matter to form. The body and soul are only two aspects of the whole man. Are the Spirit and Soul the same? Your soul speaks of your inner-life in relation to your own experience: your mind, heart, will, and imagination. It also includes your thoughts, desires, passions, and dreams. But your spirit speaks of the same inner-life in relation to God: your faith, hope, love, character, and perseverance. BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT according to Christian Perspective Body (Soma) – The Outermost Man 5 physical senses: smell, taste, touch, hear, see physical needs & desires: food, water, activity, shelter, clothing, oxygen, sleep, temperature regulation (FoWaSh TeReSOCA) Soul (Psyche) – The Outer Man SELF - identity, personality, character EMOTIONS - feelings & passions EVIL - dwelling place of sinful nature & evil spirits CONSCIENCE - know right from wrong INTELLECT - mind & thoughts WILL - your own will & desires (Seeciw) Spirit (Pneuma) – The Inner Man Spiritual Discernment Peace Revelation True Ministry Communicate with God Home of the Holy Spirit (Speret Coho) Human Consciousness and Existence John Locke advanced the theory of tabula rasa (blank slate or page) thoughts are conscious (we reflect and introspect) our consciousness is the criterion (standard) for personal identity as a thinking being ourselves consists of thoughts and sensation (physical feeling) of which we are conscious (awareness). Rene Descartes ( I ) self is a thinking thing. But what then am I? A thing which thinks. What is a thing which thinks? It is a thing which doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, which also imagines and feels. -said in Meditations on First Philosophy He exists and continues to exist as long as he is a “thing that thinks”. This consciousness that allows us to know that we exist composes our soul, which is a substance for Descartes, self-identity depends on consciousness. Immanuel Kant The self is a rational agent who can know their own thoughts and attitudes, and be responsible for them. Intentionality of consciousness (Phenomenologists) Feelings are being awakened by consciousness (Existentialists) To a phenomenologists, Man as an embodied subjectivity that gives meaning , with his body making incarnate or alive the meaning he gives (Dy 2001) Consciousness is thought that is always directed towards an object. Existentialists on the other hand confront the possibility. I might have been someone else or might have not existed (Tallis 2004). Our mind presents phenomena that are distinct from those experienced by the body. The Faculty of Reason Human beings have a mental faculty or capacity that enables them to think, reason, understand, compare, analyze, associate ideas. Human Being a Limited Being “The soul is the essence of the self” According to Aristotle the three kinds of soul: vegetative, sentient, and rational. Vegetative Soul includes the physical body that can grow. Sentient Soul includes sensual desires, feelings, and emotions. Rational Soul is what makes man human. It includes the intellect that allows man to know and understand things. Thus, Aristotle suggests that the rational nature of the self is to lead a good, flourishing, and fulfilling life (self-actualization). The pursuit of happiness is a search for a good life that includes doing victorious actions. In saying this, he posits (postulates) that part of the rational soul is characterized by moral virtues such as justice and courage. St. Augustine of Hippo a saint of the Catholic Church, and his authority in theological matters was universally accepted in the Latin Middle Ages and remained, in the Western Christian tradition, uncontested till the 19th century. The impact of his views on sin, grace, freedom and sexuality on Western culture can hardly be overrated. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2019) He ultimately viewed the body as the "spouse" of the soul, both attached to one another by a "natural appetite." He believes that the body is united with the soul, so that man may be entire and complete. As a religious philosopher, he contemplates on the nature of man with emphasis on the soul as an important element of man. He believes that the soul is what governs and defines a man. Augustine espouses the significance of reflection and the importance of prayers and confessions to arrive at a justification for the existence of God. For him, "knowledge can only come by seeing the truth that dwells within us." Descartes asserts that the "thinking self" and "physical body" are distinct, they are complete opposites. He says that the mind houses our understanding, intellect, and passion. While our body is just a shape with different sizes that showcase motion. "I think, therefore I am". "I think therefore I am." Cogito ergo sum This phrase was first seen in his literary work “Discourse on Method”. For him, the act of thinking about the self (or being self conscious) is in itself proof that there is a self . John Locke bases his argument on his conception that human minds are blank slates or—tabula rasas—at birth. So, to develop a sense of ‘self’, we must experience and create memories. From there, after having gathered these experiences, we are able to mold and shape the self because we slowly become conscious of our abilities to think, reason, and introspect; we have developed a sense of ‘self’. If one remains unconscious, they are unable to construct themselves. Therefore, the ability to be conscious of oneself constitutes one of having a self. "The self is consciousness." David Hume a Scottish philosopher Hume says that in the content of one's experience, there will be two distinct entities ; impressions and ideas . Hume talks about how the self is just an illusion. "There is no self." Karl Jasper We see man’s body in its comparable expression. It belongs to man himself, has its own unique specificity, its nobility and beauty. The Relation of I and the Body The capacity of the human being to think or feel is the very basis of consciousness of the “I” of its existential existence; that tangibly exists as a thinking substance My body- main basis for reflection and self consciousness Loss of consciousness and arousal are frequent after severe brain injuries. Usually, patients recover from this transient state of coma to a normal state of consciousness even though they can suffer from various cognitive deficits. Paul Churchland Self is inseparable from the brain The brain is all that a person has, therefore if it is lost, the person is no longer there. A person's concept of self is given by their actual brain, not their fictional mind. Since the mind cannot be perceived by the senses, it does not actually exist. "The self is the brain." 10 Signs of People with Dementia Memory loss Difficulty performing familiar tasks Problems with language Disorientation to time and place Poor or decreased judgment Problems keeping track of things Misplacing things Changes in mood and behavior Challenges understanding visual and spatial information Withdrawal from work or social activities Bertrand Russel The British philosopher described them—each in his own case. Each person seems to have direct, immediate knowledge of his own conscious sensations and of the contents of his propositional attitudes—what he consciously thinks, believes, desires, hopes, fears, and so on. Immanuel Kant Our minds actively sort, organize, relate, and synthesize the fragmented, fluctuating collection of sense data that our sense organs take in. The unity of consciousness is a phrase invented by Kant to describe the fact that the thoughts and perceptions of any given mind are bound together in a unity by being all contained in one consciousness—my consciousness. "We construct the self." Kant disagrees with the notion that the self is formed or developed through experiences. He doesn’t believe that experiences and the self must co-exist for there to be a self. ➢ The self already pre-exists before we experience anything. It is the one that processes our experiences and synthesizes them into something familiar, orderly, and meaningful. "We construct the self." Sigmund Freud Austrian psychotherapist (he is not a philosopher) according to Freud, the self has three layers to the self: the conscious, unconscious, and preconscious. The Unconscious Mind Conscious – The small amount of mental activity we know about. Thoughts Perceptions Preconscious – Things we could be aware of if we wanted or tried Memories Stored Knowledge Unconscious – Things we are unaware of and can not become aware of Fears Unacceptable Desires Violent Motives Irrational Wishes Immoral Urges Selfish Needs Shameful Experiences Traumatic Experiences Gilbert Ryle According to British philosopher ,the self is best defined as a pattern of behavior, or as a person's tendency or disposition to behave in a particular way under specific conditions. Ryle’s concept of the human self thus provides the philosophical principle, “I act therefore I am.” There are complex and personal connections between the body and mind that are inherent (inborn). He says that behavior reveals the full range of human dispositions, which make up the mind. However, Ryle is certain that the complete system of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that comprise the human self is expressed by the mind. Maurice Merleau-Ponty All self-knowledge is derived from the "phenomena" of experience. The "I" is a composite of mental, physical, and emotional components. Individuals will realize that the mind and body are one. He notes in his book, Phenomenology of Perception, that everything that people are aware of is contained within the consciousness. Consciousness is a dynamic form that actively structures conscious thoughts and actions. "The self is embodied subjectivity." The embodied self is, at the same time, subjectively aware of the world, and objectively part of the world as a human, animal, or other being. The self in the first sense will here be called “subject for the world” and in the second “object in the world.” Consciousness – means awareness of self and environment. I-existence Certainty of something is always related and rooted on the very foundation of reflection: “my body” My body feels something (reality) My body senses (touches, smells, hears) the I - existence and the existence outside of itself. Objectives Recognize own limitations or possibilities for one’s transcendence Evaluate own limitations and the possibilities for one’s transcendence Thomas Aquinas Of all creatures human beings have the unique ability to change themselves and things for the better. Human beings are moral agents Humans are both spiritual and material; our spirituality separates us from animals. It separates the moral dimension of our fulfillment in action. We have conscience, determining good and evil are our responsibility. Evaluate our Limitations and the Possibilities for Transcendence Forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness. It frees us from our anger and bitterness caused by the actions and/or words of another.On the other hand, the hardness of our heart is reinforced by a whole series of rational arguments. Failure Failures force us to confront our weaknesses and limitations and to surrender to a mystery or look upon a bigger world. Acceptance of our failures makes us hope and trust that all can be brought into good. Loneliness It is our choice to live in an impossible world where we are always “happy” or to accept a life where solitude and companionship have a part. Our experience of loneliness can help us realize that our dependence on other people or gadgets is a possessiveness that we can be free from. Love To love is to experience richness, positivity, and transcendence. Love can open in us something which takes us beyond ourselves. Transcendence We have to struggle to regain spontaneous and vital awareness of our own spirituality. Transcendental and transcendence convey the basic ground concept from the words’ literal meaning (from Latin), of climbing or going beyond, with varying connotations in its different historical and cultural stages. The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit Theism is the belief that at least one god exists and that he or they created the universe and governs it. Deism is the belief that a higher being, i.e. god exists, but does not tell people what to do. Monotheism follows the same context as theism, except that it states there is only one God, hence religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam fall under monotheism. Polytheism follows all the principles of theism, except that it believes that there is more than one god, which defines the beliefs of religions such as Hinduism. Oriental Philosophy Connected to mythology and is religious in nature. Persian Philosophy (Zoroastrianism) Indian Philosophy (Buddhism & Hinduism) Chinese Philosophy (Daoism & Confucianism) Eastern Philosophy Eastern Philosophy is a diverse approach to life and philosophizing, particularly centered on understanding the process of the universe and endless “becoming”. centered on spirituality Parameters of Comparison Eastern Religions Western Religions Beliefs most of them have a core belief of Karma and Dharma mostly based on day to day good deeds and the concept of judgment day Geography East and Southeast Asia mostly no religion is ever geographically bound. Mostly in the Western world no religion is based on boundaries. Existence of Supreme Power Have a varying degree of polytheists( Hinduism) to monotheists( Buddhism) They are mostly Monotheists where they believe in only one God. Consists of Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Confucianism. Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Evangelicalism & Catholicism. Zoroastrianism Principle Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. Belief about God One God. Concept of Deity One good God who is always fighting against evil Life after Death Eternal life in either heaven or hell Practices Fire is used in worship and they pray 5 times a day. Goal of Religion To serve God by doing good deed for others Belief There is a battle going on between Ahura Mazda, the good God, and Ahriman, the evil God. Sacred Scriptures The Gathas, Yashts, and the Vendidad Three Basic Teachings of Hinduism Dharma the religious duty of people to follow the principles of cosmic order rules that guide morality of human beings Adherence to Dharma means following the laws and virtues of good living Dharma is an important concept found in many spiritual philosophies from the Indian subcontinent, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Karma set of individual rules to a specific person’s life, based on their status and deeds in both their current and past lives. Any future existence depends upon a person’s good or evil actions. Moksha The state of escaping the sufferings of the physical world in death. It is the end goal in a person's life and marks the end of the cycle of rebirth. Three Main Spiritual Philosophies on Transcendence Hinduism At the heart of Hinduism lies the idea of human beings’ quest for absolute truth, so that one’s soul and the Brahman or Atman (Absolute Soul) might become one. The “AUM” symbol (or OM – the symbol in the center) symbolizes the Universe and the ultimate reality. It is the most important Hindu symbols. At the dawn of creation, from emptiness first emerged a syllable consisting of three letters – A-U-M (often written as OM). Atman A Sanskrit word that means inner self, spirit, or soul; the essence of an individual. There is a soul called Atman, Atman assumes a physical body through reincarnation (depending on the merits of one’s deeds. Atman transmigrates during birth and rebirth until liberation is reached (samsara) Atman however is connected to Bhraman (absolute self) All living things are connected intimately, hurting another being is hurting oneself because the connection between the two beings (Brahman-Atman) is severed, causing suffering. Hinduism is against killing any kind of living being (practice of ahimsa, or nonviolence to all living being). Human beings have dual nature: the spiritual and immortal essence (soul) which is considered real; and the empirical life and character. Hindus generally believe that the soul is eternal but is bound by the Law of Karma (action) to the world of matter, which it can escape only after spiritual progress through an endless series of births. Closely involved in the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation. The determining factor that decides the state of a person's rebirth is her action. Caste System Religious system of reincarnation Higher caste members are worthy of privileges because of good karma Lower classes hoped to improve their social status in the future lives if they behave well in the present According to the Upanishads, Atman and Brahman are part of the same substance; Atman returns to Brahman when Atman is finally liberated and is no longer reincarnated. This return, or reabsorption into Brahman, is called Moksha. When they merge at last into pure Being. Humanity’s basic goal in life is the liberation (moksha) of spirit (jiva). Hinduism holds that humanity’s life is a continuous cycle (samsara) where the body goes through a transmigratory series of birth and death, even though the spirit is neither born nor dies. Dharma (Duty) Karma (Action & Reaction) Moksha (Escaping Samsara) One’s place in society What goes around comes around Attaining “heaven” One’s duty By following Dharma, one “builds up good Karma Escape from the cycle of life, death, rebirth, life, death, rebirth, etc. One’s path Consequence Becoming one with Brahman Things you do in this life Determines one’s social position in the next life Ultimate goal of Hinduism Whatever one does to acquire Artha (Wealth) should be bound by Dharma. Else, one is sure to end up in a chaotic life of suffering. Moksha (liberation from the Samsara — from the cycle of births and deaths) is considered the highest goal of life. The Hindu dharma (Righteousness) does not permit an unbridled life of carefree enjoyment; everything has its preset boundaries. ‘Eat, drink and be merry’ is never considered the goal of life. Kama (pleasure) Hinduism permits enjoyment within boundaries. Hindu Gods and Goddesses (33 Million) In Hinduism, there is a belief in three highest deities, this is called Trimurti (trinity), of which Brama, is the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. Added Notes Goddess Consorts Saraswati, the goddess of speech is to Brahma Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth is to Vishnu Parvati worship as mother goddess is to Shiva Unless the individual exerts real efforts to break away or liberate one’s spirit from the monotonous cycle, there will be no end to the cycle. Ultimate liberation, that is, freedom from rebirth, is achieved the moment the individual attains the stage of life emancipation. Hindu’s view of reality places a lot of emphasis on the attainment of self-knowledge. The goal of human life as conceived by the different Upanishads (text) is to overcome congenital ignorance. True knowledge (vidya) consists of an understanding and realization of the individual’s real self (atman) as opposed to lower knowledge that is limited to an interpretation of reality based solely on the data offered by sense experience. One concept common to all expressions of Hinduism is the oneness of reality. When we realize this unity with the absolute, we realize our true destiny. Also common to all Hindu thought are the four primary values: wealth, pleasure, duty, and enlightenment. To understand enlightenment, one must understand the law of karma, the law of sowing and reaping. The wheel of existence turns until we achieve enlightenment. Buddhism Origins developed in India 2500 years ago based on many of the core concepts of Hinduism essence of Buddhism is the attainment of enlightenment points to a way of life that avoids self-indulgence and self-denial. no supreme god or deity in Buddhism Divisions of Buddhism Theravada – found in Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, & in part, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia Mahayana – found in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam Vajrayana – found in Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and Mongolia Jodo Shin or Pure Land Buddhism – mainly from India, Japan Zen – mostly in Japan Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BC) Born in NE India (Nepal) Raised in great luxury to be a king At 29, he rejected his luxurious life to seek enlightenment and the source of suffering Lived a strict ascetic life for 6 years Rejecting this extreme, sat in meditation, and found nirvana. Became “The Enlightened One” at 35. Founder Siddhartha Gautama or Buddha (means “enlightened one”) lived in the 5th century BC born into the Brahmin caste-led a luxurious lifestyle Became troubled by the human misery that he saw around him everyday Upon reflection, he deduced that desire was the root caused of all suffering (enlightened under a Bodhi Tree) not considered a god by his followers Main Philosophy The Four Noble Truths – Siddartha’s philosophy of the nature of human suffering and its relation to desire is articulated by these four statements: Life is full of pain and suffering. Human desire causes this suffering By putting an end to desire, humans can end suffering Humans can end desire by following the Eightfold path. The Eightfold Path Wisdom (WIVIRIN) Right View – Know the truth Right Intention – Resist self-centeredness Ethical Conduct (ECSAL) Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood Mental Discipline (MEAR) Right Effort Right Awareness Right Meditation Reincarnation (Samsara) concept that one must go through many cycles of birth, living, and death After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana (a state of liberation and freedom from suffering) Nirvana can be achieved from meditating and following the guiding principles of Buddhism, such as the Four Noble Truths and 8-fold Path Karma the law that every cause has an effect, i.e., our actions have results. This explains a number of things: inequality in the world, why some are born handicapped and some gifted. Buddhists believe that our past actions have an effect on who or what we are in our next life. Symbol of Buddhism Wheel of Life (Bhavacakra) – represents the endless cycle of life through reincarnation. Each of its eight spokes represents one of the teachings of the Eightfold Path. Lotus Flower – symbolizes purity and divine birth. The different color lotus flowers have specific meanings: for example, the red lotus signifies the qualities of the heart. The Wheel of Life, a diagram depicting samsara, brings together all the different factors that define and characterize the cycle of conditioned existence. Practices of Buddhism Live by this moral code: Do not take the life of anything living (non-violence / ahimsa) Do not take anything not freely given (stealing) Abstain from sexual misconduct and sensual overindulgence Refrain from untrue speech (lying) Avoid intoxication (drinking) Do not lose mindfulness Meditation training the mind to empty all of thoughts. When this happens, what is important becomes clear. Vegetarianism Many Buddhists today eat only vegetarian foods, and most groups will instruct on a healthy vegetarian diet. Buddhism Concept of Person/Being/HumanMan Anatta means “no self” and the doctrine of anatta is the Buddha’s most unique and radical teaching We usually assume that beyond our changing body, mind, and experience is an unchanging and unique ego or self Having identified this self “me” we then identify other things as “mine” This, according to the Buddha, is the cause of much of the distress and pain humans inflict upon themselves and others through greed, fear, ignorance, hatred, and self-deception
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