How Modernism is Reflected in Short Stories - Essay Example

?Insert Insert of the supervisor Insert of the Insert assignment is due How modernism is reflected in short storiesA critical analysis of the short stories, Dry September by William Faulkner, The New Constitution by Sadat Hassan Manto, and The Bet by Anton Chekhov, shows that modernism has played a key role in shaping the contemporary world and has both progressive and retrogressive effects on people’s lives and the society. Modernism refers to things and actions that take place during the modern period. The three stories, which have utilized symbolism to pass out messages about modernism, show that modernism has both progressive and retrogressive effects on human life and the society. Progress experienced during modernism The three books show that modernism has enabled the world to experience progress in economic, political and social lives. It has actually promoted positive change from traditional values to modern values that enhance fairness, human dignity, and respect for people’s rights. In addition, modernism has promoted awareness on a number of issues such as gender equality and has created a big difference between people living in rural setting and those in modern setting (Everdell 69). In the story, The Bet, it is clear that modernism has promoted education that has enabled people to change their attitude towards some issues that have been raising ethical questions. In the party thrown by a banker, a group of learned people discuss about death penalty. Chekov(1) states,” They considered that form of punishment out of date, immoral and unsuitable for a Christian state. In the opinion of some of them the death penalty ought to be everywhere by imprisonment for life”. The well educated friends believe that it is unethical to punish a person by taking his or her life away and they propose that criminals should be given a life sentence. This discussion is clear that modernity has had a positive influence on people’s ability and need to question and express their opinion on issues that touch on their lives and society in general. Modernism enlightens people about their rights and privileges. In the new constitution, people are happy that a new constitution would bring hope. Ustadh Mangu feels that a new constitution would usher in a new era of prosperity, change in leadership and would change his lifestyle. Manto (209) states, “ He was very happy. A delightful cool settled in his heart when he thought of how a new constitution would send these white mice scurrying back into their holes for all times to come”. They had been oppressed by the British colonial rulers and their rights had been stumbled upon. It is practical that with the changes proposed in modernism are good and when applied well they, have a potential of changing the lives of people and the society in general. Generally, modernism as theme has many positive effects but human beings, in their quest to fulfill their selfish interest have played a key role in soiling it (Everdell 109). Through modernism, people’s view and treatment of others have changed. There has been a notable change in habits that were discriminatory against others. This is evident in Dry September by William Faulkner where a barber vehemently supports Meyer, a black watchman against the accusations that he had raped a white woman. There was a heated debate over whether the accusation was true. A group of white men did not see the need for justice and so they reached a conclusion that since the allegations were made against a black man, they were true. The barber, who is also a white man, differed with them. The barber in Faukner (1) states,”I don’t believe anybody did anything. I don’t believe any thing happened. I leave it to you fellows if them ladies that get old without getting married don’t have notions that a man can’t”. From the barber’s perspective, justice needed to be done and no one should be accused simply because he or she is from a specific ethnicity. This is a clear indication that modernism has been playing a key role in changing people’s way of thinking as presented by the barber who is a white but calls for justice. However, there are many drawbacks in modernism which are represented by those who call for punishment of the black watchman simply because he is from a black community. From the three stories, it is evident that modernism has brought several progresses to human lives and the people. It has enlightened people about human dignity, quest for justice, promoted peace through positive human interaction but its advantages are drawn back by selfish human nature (Everdell 79) . Retrogressive effects of modernism Although modernism has proven to be a good pathway through with man has improved his life and has enhanced social relations, it is a major factor that is bringing problems in the contemporary world. As such, modernism has returned man to the same spot that he is trying to escape from (Everdell 32). One of the drawbacks in modernism is the evolution of violence. There has been development of hi tech weapons that can claim many lives. For instance, development of nuclear weapons is a good example of how modern scientific skills can be used to develop weapons that can lead to large scale destructions and many deaths. Although there are many rules and regulations that govern war and other violent acts, violent is still valued even in the modern periods. In Dry September by William Faulkner, violence is used as one of the means of punishing crimes. When McLendon and his group find Will Mayes in his work place, they start beating him before forcing him into the car. Faulker(6) states, “ ‘Get in!’McLendon said. He struck the Negro. The other expelled their breath in a dry hissing and struck him with random blows and he whirled and cursed them…..”.From Faulkner’s statement, it is evident that violence took a center stage at the expense of justice despite the fact that in a modern society, justice is supposed to be upheld before punishment. From the story, McLendon flings his wife because she was waiting for him. He treats her violently, which show that domestic violence is still common in the contemporary society despite the fact that the value promoted by modernism opposes it. The automatic pistol wield by McLendon is a clear indication that tools of violence are still being developed and their operations enhanced to cause deadly violence to people. Violence shows that although modern thinking is believed to bring progress in people’s lives, it is a major factor that takes people backward (Everdell 92). Modernism promotes justice, respect for human rights, dignity and freedom, economic prosperity, political stability, and social cohesion. But in reality, modernism which has encouraged self centeredness has played a key role in suppressing the values that it tends to enhance. The New Constitution by Sadat Hassan Manto shows that in a modern society, people expect real changes in their lives, freedom, and rights. This is not the case in the story where a new constitution, which is believed that it would promote changes in people’s lives, fails to fulfill their expectations. When Mangu listens to educated people talking about how the new constitution would bring equality in India, he becomes happy because he assumes people would no longer be slaves of British rule. Manto(208) states, “The news that a new constitution was to be implemented had brought him at the door step of the new world”. But it dawned to Mangu that change in political leadership could not bring much change as the new rulers behaved just the same as their predecessors in order to retain power. The author clearly indicates that modern progress does not bring much change but provides an avenue for the mutation of one problem into another as shown by the oppressive governing system that was transferred from British rulers to the Indian native rulers. Although modernism has played a key role in arresting past injustices and enhancing fairness, attaining its actual objectives has become a futile feat. In Dry September by William Faulkner, there is no justice as each side of the accused and accuser is not given a chance to give its views. The act of raping is criminal and so according to modern ideals, justice needs to be done. However, justice is not done as no one seems to care if there is evidence to prove that Minnie was raped and so Mayes is punished unfairly. Since Mayes is black, he is punished because of mere accusation of raping a white woman thus contravening the modern quest for racial equity (Everdell 72). An important and dangerous issue that characterizes modernity is the love for material things. People love material things at the expense of their rights, freedom and humanity in general. The Bet by Anton Chekhov shows that human life is more valuable than money or other material items. In the modern world, people value material items to such an extent that in their pursuit of wealth and possessions, they forfeit human dignity and personal freedom. The lawyer loses his freedom by staying in confinement for fifteen years in order to get 2 million dollars, which is a clear example that the modern world embraces material prosperity at the expense of humanity and human freedom. The lawyer later learns that modernism has brought selfishness and increased lust for material things which end up harming human beings. Chekov states," I despise wisdom and the blessings of this world. It is all worthless, fleeting, illusory, and deceptive, like a mirage. You may be proud, wise, and fine, but death will wipe you off the face of the earth as though you were no more than mice burrowing under the floor, and your posterity, your history, your immortal geniuses will burn or freeze together with the earthly globe”. From the lawyer’s statement, it is clear that he learnt a lesson that selling his freedom for money was like giving up his life and concluded that embracing the materials things that accompany modernism is dangerous to a peaceful human existence. In conclusion, the stories have used symbolism, an important aspect of modern literature, to highlight the importance and danger of modernism. Modernism has brought enlighten among people, has promoted justice and made life easier, but it has numerous drawbacks that have regressed the gains made. The themes of these stories express shortcomings and evils in human nature which are not resolved despite modern progress and show that such progress do not bring meaningful changes that would make people’s lives better. Works Cited Chekhov,Anton.The Bet.Pdf. Craig Owens. Beyond Recognition: Representation, Power, and Culture, London and Berkeley: University of California Press ,2000. Everdell, William . The First Moderns: Profiles in the Origins of Twentieth Century Thought, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. Faulkner, William. Dry September.pdf. Manto,Sadat.The New Constitution.Pdf. Read More