Friday, May 23, 2008
Extras in English
English involves many, many different things. From Greek mythology, to biographies, to even a sports column that uses techniques to lure reader's eyes. There is so much that everyone can have fun in relating to at least one type of literature associated with english. I found Greek mythology very interesting here, in the myth of sisyphus.
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It's interesting. Instead of physically torturing Sisyphus, the gods punish him through mental pain. They put him in a world where his only responsibility is to push a rock up a mountain, where it then falls back down. So he must repeat the process infinitely. And it may be exhausting to push, but if he can push the same rock once, he can do it again. But he thinks, as any one else would, there is no point in pushing a rock that'll fall anyways. He wants to be on earth, where he had his routine life. This thinking is torture to the brain. Like a poor man depressed because his fortune, or on a lesser scale, a man cursing the look of his face. But Sisyphus must push infinitely, but then again, infinitely is a long, long time. Over time, the man who cursed his looks is used to it, and is accepted by his wife in long-lasting love. The poor man makes a routine living, and becomes grateful for living. And, over time, one must think that Sisyphus will become happy. He is happy, he has adapted to his new routine life.
In class I remember saying myself, "Overtime, we can get used to anything." Meursualt from, The Stranger, had said that. And that statement is what explains why Sisyphus is happy with his new lifestyle. He keeps pushing, but that is he believes is life now.
It's also known that, in a controlled environment, a baby can be taught to be a criminal, or a lawyer in a matter of a few years. If stealing is all the baby is taught in his world, then that's what the baby will learn and live to do. Sisyphus is the baby of this new world. Sisyphus learns how to push in this controlled environment where pushing is the only thing he knows to do, and gets used to it. So, at seeing the rock reach the top, he's happy that he did his job. Then when it falls, he knows he must go back to work. As absurd as life in one world or another can be, we get used to it, and believe it is our duty.
What a said had a good similarity to quite a few people. Like, Kevin for example. Life can seen as hopeless for many people at instances...only, he said we are happy when he find a shred of hope in our hopelessness. Where can Sisyphus find a shred of hope in his world kevin? I had to re-read what he said a few times, and it would be nice if he can answer that later, but the way Kevin said, "Sisyphus must be happy," sounded sarcastic. Could he be sarcastic >_> ? That's a bit odd.
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