Monday, February 6, 2017
Wave Three
To begin, we see multiple short stories, folktales, and myths spread throughout the novel that all have significant meanings some that tie into the characters, and others that give us an insight of Gethen culture. Each one has a significance in providing a more in depth understanding of the plot whether it be describing the old tale of "Estraven the Traitor" or the myth "The Place Inside the Blizzard". In the tale of "Estraven the Traitor" is a folktale that describes how the name Therem of Estre came to be and how the belief of making peace but being seen as a traitor reoccurs in the novel in present time in Genly's time. This reveals how the Gethenians use folktales to understand events from the past whether it be to understand the domain of a name or why something is the way it is for example like why some borders are drawn where. In the Gethenian culture the myths describe some of the Gethen morals and beliefs. In the myth "The Place Inside the Blizzard" it is a story about two brothers falling in love and they aren't allowed to have vowed kemmer after they conceived a child. One of the brother hearing this committed suicide. In Gethenian eyes this seen as the worst possible thing a person could do it is seen as worse the murder. The people blamed the other brother for his brothers death and banished him from the land. The Gethenians hold honor, bravery, and pride very high in the hearts and beliefs. They call it shifgrethor and wage it when they aregue and so forth its quite unique and intricate I try to like understand it throughout the book and I somewhat understand it. That's why they see suicide as such a terrible thing because they see it as a weakness. This reveals that Gethenian culture is based a lot on respect and so forth and that's why they use shifgrethor to defend it or attack it I believe. All in all they use stories to describe and understand events, morals, and the past in general. That is how they pass knowledge down through the generations not really through school and books but through folktales and myths.
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I'm not sure if I'm just crazy, but I believe that there is term for peoples who use folklore to explain the way things are in their world or society. The way they hold their shifrethor to be so high, reminds me of how honor was very huge for Chinese dynasty societies. And to add on to that, they also used folklore to often explain things in their culture.
ReplyDeleteAlso, on a more serious note, suicide is definitely the most serious crime in Gethen, but in our world suicide is one of those touchy subjects. There is the question of ethics, is assisted suicide, murder? When we touch on suicide whilst reading, I can't help but think that maybe some people in our world would even view suicide as being a treacherous act to commit.
I'm not sure if I'm just crazy, but I believe that there is term for peoples who use folklore to explain the way things are in their world or society. The way they hold their shifrethor to be so high, reminds me of how honor was very huge for Chinese dynasty societies. And to add on to that, they also used folklore to often explain things in their culture.
ReplyDeleteAlso, on a more serious note, suicide is definitely the most serious crime in Gethen, but in our world suicide is one of those touchy subjects. There is the question of ethics, is assisted suicide, murder? When we touch on suicide whilst reading, I can't help but think that maybe some people in our world would even view suicide as being a treacherous act to commit.