Assignment: When have you experienced Ghosts in your lives? Think back on your lives. Look at the decisions and experiences. Where have voices from the past impacted your decisions? Have there been times when you could not tell if you believed something to be true, or that you were supposed to believe? Think about the news. Do you see ghosts "in between the lines of the newspaper." In this blog space, please share these experiences. Begin your post with 1-2 direct quotations from Ghosts that match the feelings you are sharing, so we can see the direct parallels and engage with the text.
Ghosts by Henik Ibsen (Parts 1-4)
There are over 7 billion people in the world today and there are just as many, if not more, Ghosts. Everyone has an opinion – or two – and each position is infiltrated with predilections, prejudices, and predispositions. Contrived and often outdated expectations hold back progressive thought and those Ghosts continually run through our collective psyche. As I observe the world, I realize how it is teeming with Ghosts. For example, women are still fighting for equality, and despite making strides forward, social standards somehow keep that progress from coming to fruition. The Ozzie-and-Harriett mentality seems to stunt advancement, and just as Mrs. Alving observed, this Ghost will only come into the light when we all “… seem to find explanation and confirmation of … things … (we) have been thinking.” Similarly, achieving marriage equality took herculean effort. Opponents, especially conservatives, like Manders, the pastor in Ibsen’s play, Ghosts, considered same-sex marriages “illicit relations” and “irregular marriages.” Nonetheless proponents fought to change the law because the old “doctrine w(ould) scarcely go down with warm-blooded young people who love each other.” Ghosts are the unspoken, even secret, apparitions that define and impact the course our lives. Until our Ghosts can be exorcised, they will continue to haunt society and its advancement.
ReplyDeleteDespite having so many things and people in life, often times we experience the feeling of "ghosts". In our lives, we come to learn from past experiences and adapt accordingly to better ourselves. Many times, these past relations seem distant and emotionally disconnected that a mere ghost of them haunts us into our present. Previous relationships, friends who weren't really friends, or just people who've left all continue to "haunt" us now. As Mrs. Alving said in society "...most people either don't formulate it to themselves, or else keep quiet about it." Later, as is seen is Oswald's relation with his mother, their relationship seems nonexistent as his attitude towards her is "...afraid of remaining at home with [Mrs. Alving]" while she wishes the best for him. Much like many people, relations are often single sided and it seems like someone who is physically there may often me mentally detached. In the end, the symbolic "rising of the son/sun" acted to reinforce this idea of detaching one's memory or impact from their tangible self. As with Regina leaving Oswald, Oswald leaves his mother in this inevitable cycle. Regardless, in each situation the impact of these "ghosts" will continue to haunt their lives.
ReplyDelete-Oliver Nemec
Delete“Well, I seem to find explanation and confirmation of all sorts of things I myself have been thinking. For that is the wonderful part of it, Pastor Manders--there is really nothing new in these books, nothing but what most people think and believe. Only most people either don't formulate it to themselves, or else keep quiet about it.” -Mrs. Alving
ReplyDeleteIn the quote above, Mrs. Alving finds that her ideas are not as radical as she had once thought, but are shared by others—even the community as a whole. The issue is, no one speaks their mind nor acts on it if it is contrary to the norm adopted by the society. Pastor Manders is symbolic of the traditional structure of society, but even he has his own secrets to hide. He flounders in applying the time-tested solutions to life to the circumstances of the Alving family. Ultimately, his downfall is his complete trust in the honesty and judgement of others.
Like Mrs. Alving, I have felt the presence of Ghosts when I claim to believe or think a certain way so that I don’t stand out in the environment I’m in. Around election time my elementary school used to hold a mock election. At times I found myself wanting to vote for one candidate, but all my friends were voting for another. When we talked about the election, I pretended like I shared all of their ideas. I even ended up voting differently because of it. Looking back on this experience, there might have been other friends who were, like me, going along with the most common views of the group. The self-protective instincts, or “ghosts,” that compel us to conform to avoid conflict and the judgement of others restrict our perception of our freedom of choice. If, like Pastor Manders, we refuse to acknowledge our ghosts, our society will remain static and lack diversity of thought.
“ Oh, that perpetual law and order! I often think that is what does all the mischief in this world of ours.” (Act II)
ReplyDelete“They had taught me a great deal about duties and so forth, which I went on obstinately believing in. Everything was marked out into duties” (Act III)
Restrictions are what is believed to hold us back from what allows us to be considered “free”. There is a constant debate between security or freedom. For one to feel secure, there is the belief that there will be no freedom. Others might desire freedom without regulation from government, but that might come at the cost of being secure from harm. In reference to Mrs. Alving, this could mean all the duties and laws specifically indoctrinated by Pastor Mendes are the reason why she feels these responsibilities for everyone else’s happiness except her own. Today, we constantly feel these responsibilities which are brought upon us, that result in the misery and frustration that is channeled into what is morally wrong.
I believe the stresses that are put on individuals today results in what I feel is a narrow path in order to gain success, with that, individuality and personal happiness is lost. One of the examples that comes to mind is the stigma behind college and the importance in getting a degree. It often feels as though this stigma causes those who do not feel college is the right path for them to be castrated for choosing a path that varies from the status quo .On the other hand there comes the stresses of attending college for the sake of acceptance. Although I look forward to college, I feel as though it is my duty to obtain a degree, and the weight and significance of that duty makes it feel as though I’m going through college as a duty not for myself.
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ReplyDeleteAs much as people may try not to let other people impact their own opinions and ideas, this happens all the time. Similar to how when Mrs. Alving reads the newspaper and “[seems] to see ghosts gliding between the lines,” there are other “ghosts” present in the media we consume in our daily lives. I find that sometimes I have to ask myself whether my opinion about a subject was formed from my own ideas or from other people’s. For example, when I might read a news article about some controversy that has happened, I find that my opinion ends up being strongly influenced by the first article I read on the subject. This is similar to how Mrs. Alving feels like she is “fighting [a] battle with ghosts,” both “within [her] and without.” She feels that she does not even know what parts of herself have been shaped by other people’s ideas and what parts of her truly belong to her. Because of this, I try to not make any immediate assumptions based off of any first impressions I may have, but it is not always easy/possible to eliminate any sources of bias. It is also very common for people to have their parents influence who they become morally, even when they try to resist. Ibsen uses the theme of the “ghosts” of a person’s past coming back to affect them, for better or for worse. Oswald finds his life forever changed when he learns that he has syphilis from his father, and Regina is also affected by her mother’s past decision to be a prostitute. In my life, many aspects have been changed by the decisions my parents have made. Even though many of my morals are different from my parents’ ideas, I find many of the ideas I have are because of my parents.
ReplyDelete“MRS. ALVING. And if you ever need a home, Regina, come to me.
ReplyDeleteREGINA. No, thank you, ma'am. Pastor Manders will look after me, I know.”
“MRS. ALVING. Well, I seem to find explanation and confirmation of all sorts of things I myself have been thinking. For that is the wonderful part of it, Pastor Manders—there is really nothing new in these books, nothing but what most people think and believe. Only most people either don't formulate it to themselves, or else keep quiet about it.”
I have had my strongest experience with ghosts when it comes to religion. Technically speaking I am a Catholic, but only after being forced into it by people I can’t remember and the culture of a country I have never lived in. Admittedly, the reality of this situation is a lot less dramatic than it sounds. I quietly sat my way through a few years of religious school and mass, memorized a prayer, and got confirmed for my outstanding devotion to the Church. Since then, I have been free to treat going to church like my annual check up. However, if my grandmother was alive to see how I treat religion, I would probably end up spending more time at the doctors and then church. Realistically, all of my grandparents would be disappointed, but especially those on my Mother’s side. My Mother and her parents lived during a time when being Catholic in Ireland was central to one’s sense of identity; it was a title that united families and entire communities in the conflict between Catholics and Protestants. As such, being born Catholic was not something people would change, particularly for people of my mother’s generation who experienced the full effect of the troubles. However, since the end of the troubles the importance of the Catholic church has diminished, both in Ireland and, unrelatedly, in the United States.
Speaking frankly on the Catholic church can often be a slippery slope, however it is important to distinguish between the institution my Grandparents supported and the one I don’t want to be a part of today. During the troubles in the irish countryside the church almost acted as a defacto machine government; they provided order, charity, and moral guidance when the official government would not. They were the basis of communities and while they no doubt were plagued with the same scandals as they are today, I find that more palatable when the only accountability came from the IRA. Conversely, in our current society the church is not necessary to build a civil community. While the vast majority of the Church has good intentions, between the allegations and substantial evidence pointing to systematic sexual abuse and failure to keep up with social shifts toward greater acceptance of women and the lGBTQ community I can not reconcile supporting the church. Simply put there are a lot of reasons to not support the Church when for me the primary benefit would be free latin lessons. That said, religion and the Catholic Church has the potential to be a very positive force, but the age when it is the only hope is something that only exists in history books.
“It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off.”
ReplyDelete“Oh! if I could only live over again, and undo all I have done!”
In the first quote, Mrs. Alving speaks of the ghosts of our past which haunt us for the later portion of our lives. While many may strictly believe these ghosts come from our parents or family members, that is not always the case, as Alving mentions. They come from all aspects of life that seem to have a lingering influence over our current selves. In my case, on a more trivial level, I find that learning a new concept or idea that goes against something I have previously learned is particularly difficult to me. While I may be able to recognize that the later concept I learned is correct, it is still very difficult for me to shake off the already learned use of the first, inaccurate concept. In the second quote, Oswald speaks of his regretting certain decisions and occurrences in his life. I think, to a certain extent, we all wish we could have done things differently throughout our lives. In my case, I feel as though I oftentimes let my thoughts of regretting the ‘ghosts’ of my past overtake my current life; when I should be taking action to make my current life an improvement upon my past mistakes, I frequently catch myself focusing and beating myself down over these ‘ghosts’.
“Oh! if I could only live over again, and undo all I have done!”
ReplyDelete“OSWALD. I must live differently, mother. That is why I must leave you. I will not have you looking on at it.”
When thinking about ghosts, I specifically relate to a conversation we had in class about doing things to make others happy, even when you find out later that they wouldn’t have cared either way. I have never thought of myself as someone who cares what others think of me. In middle school, I clearly remember being confused when people would get caught up about the opinions of others. It wasn’t recently that I recognized how much the opinions of others have shaped my life as well. The more I reflect on my own behaviors, the more I realize my tendencies to be a people-pleaser. This tendency is the most apparent when I think about how long it takes me to make decisions for fear of what others will think. Whether it is continuing something that no longer brings me joy because the decision to quit it too daunting, or simply not wanting to decide where my friends and I go for dinner, I can definitely see how ghosts have impacted my life. Especially going into college, I hope I am able to leave my ghosts behind me and make decisions for myself rather than trying to make others happy.
MANDERS. When Oswald appeared there, in the doorway, with the pipe in his mouth, I could have sworn I saw his father, large as life.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Alving’s biggest fear is that her son will grow up to become his father. She tries to do everything she can to avoid this from happening, but it inevitably does. This idea of parents wanting control over the outcome of their children is universal. Whether they don’t want them to become the incarnation of a family member or to take swimming lessons for personal reasons, parents want their children’s lives to be different than theirs or vice versa, it’s circumstantial. It isn’t whether or not the child wants to swim or not that is the problem, it is that there choices are limited. From birth, people are thrown into a body, a family, and a life that they did not choose. As Oswald cries to his mother overdramatically, “I never asked you for life. And what sort of a life have you given me? I will not have it! You shall take it back again!” he does make a somewhat valid point, but it isn't entirely true. Although people don’t get to choose what they were born into, they do get to decide what to make of it. That was the fault of Oswald. He could never take responsibility for his actions, always putting the blame on his mother. He grew to be selfish like his father, haunting his mother with his woes and guilting her into believing it is all her fault. People tend to blame others when they can’t accept it is their fault. People also take their anger out on others when they can’t express their feelings to the person their rage is aimed at. This often happens with siblings who argue with each other. They can’t yell at their parents, so they yell at each other. Dishonesty can weigh heavily on people. Mrs. Alving is never able to express her true feelings, which will lead her to self destruction. Lies and guilt come from dishonesty, and I believe that when people are honest with their emotions, they can finally begin to free their ghosts.
“Yes, I know—I know; my conscience would be quite easy, that is true enough. But nevertheless we should not escape grave misinterpretation; and that might very likely react unfavourably upon the Orphanage.” - Pastor Manders.
ReplyDeletePastor Manders feels a ghost telling him not to listen to conscience but to do something based on how the public would perceive it. Throughout the whole entire play, they seem to base their actions off of how the community would respond rather than with their own emotions. Similar to Pastor Manders, I’ve experienced similar ghosts. I know that a lot of times when it comes to making a decision, I end up deciding based on whether or not it is the nice thing to do and not if it is something I actually want to do. I say “no” when I need to but I think that a lot of times I do have trouble saying no because I don’t want people to think that I am being mean or disappointing them. On another note, when I try to overcome the ghost, I end up feeling bad for being “disappointing”.
“MRS. ALVING. But what about the truth?
ReplyDeleteMANDERS. But what about the ideals?
MRS. ALVING. Oh—ideals, ideals! If only I were not such a coward!”
“It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off.”
In looking for ghosts in this society, I found that certain ideals dictate how we act. The structures of our beliefs direct much of what we do and how we approach a situation. We asses situations in our lives through the lenses of many different ghosts, whether it be morals and beliefs we were raised on, or what we have learned with age, these ghosts influence how we approach and solve a problem. From these many perspectives, I often fall back on my own personal morals that I’ve developed over time, past guidance or advice of my family, and on occasional pieces of my religion that apply to some circumstance. With a variety of eyes on one issue, I can usually come to terms with it, though in reading Ghosts, I’ve noticed that many of the characters have problems letting these eyes in.
Pastor Manders is incredibly short-sighted, and this lack of vision makes him ignorant to the truth. He accepts the ideals of the Bible but uses them as his only influence. Unable to see outside of himself, he cannot come to terms with truths right in front of him and ultimately relents, unaware, to his greatest shame in this ignorance.
Oswald struggles with a lack of guidance, having no parental influence to loom over him as Mrs. Alving feared it would. In the ghosts he is missing he blames his mother for all his misery, for what his childhood lacked, and cannot move out of one place, trapped in a single mindset that he spends most of his short life in.
People carry ghosts around until they overflow. The idea of keeping up appearances in the play is universal to both external and internal problems. As Mrs. Alving tried to take the responsibility of everyone’s problems onto her own shoulders, people often internalize and try to deal with their troubles alone. This can cause them to stay in one place emotionally but nothing stays buried forever and eventually you have to confront past and present selves to understand yourself. Mrs. Alving saw these ghosts as a bad thing and tried so hard to carry them all while holding their influence back. She burdens herself with the responsibility of everyone’s ghost. To keep the oblivious pastor comfortable she hid him from the truth, to protect Oswald from his father she completely eliminated his influence, to keep the joy of life in Regina she never told her about her parentage. All the eyes she carries, the ghosts she takes on make her the most receptive in the play but also her overwhelm her in a group of single-minded individuals. They all lack perspective, while Mrs. Alving has to many perspectives to manage, her original goal ultimately failing because of this. She battles with these ghosts and the truth, yet they prove to coexist poorly as all her effort to restrain them falls apart once truth reveals itself.
“It's not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that walks in us. It's all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we can't get rid of them.”
ReplyDeleteThis quote was really interesting to me for the reason that it acknowledges both the ghosts from our parents, but also the ghosts from our society. With this topic of our ghosts and what impacts our lives, it is important to look at the concept of nature vs nurture. We talked about this in psychology class and came to the conclusion that they both have an equally important role in the development of a person’s character. I think that ghosts fall into the category of something we get from nurture, being that they are centered around our reactions and views on certain things. There is also an argument, however, that our ghosts come from our instinct, which is strictly nature. Either way, we get these qualities from our parents, and whom we are raised with. Ghosts can come in the form of many different situations. I can recognize that sometimes I agree with someone even if I know that our views don't always align. I do it subconsciously, and often before I even have time to catch myself doing it. Even little situations like these where the outcome has no impact whatsoever are examples of our ghosts. I know that when I have a strong opinion about something, I make sure to recognize that and express that. After talking about these ghosts, I also see that many of my strong opinions can come from my family and their values. As I continue to get older and go live on my own next year, I will have more decisions to make on my own, but I will always have the ghosts of the people I grew up with. Having these rooted values is not always a bad thing, but it is also important to see the line between what you believe in, and what you know other people want you to believe in.
I always grew up playing softball, it was a family thing almost. My sisters played catch, we played wiffle ball in the backyard, we practiced together. I really did love it, I spent almost all my time on it, and it was all I had ever known. But the past two years I have had the ups and downs of a shoulder injury and my view of softball has changed. I was at a point this year when I wasn’t sure if I was trying to recover to play for myself or for my friends and family. They have always been the ones encouraging me and telling me i’ll be back soon, without even considering if that was what my goal was. Personally I was considering ending my softball career and avoiding re-injury.But I did end up trying anyways, I just figured this is what I’ve always done, this is what I will do. It had become a part of my identity. I felt that I was “supposed” to love it, but I wasn’t quite sure if I did. It’s a blurred line for me because I had liked it before I got hurt but since i hadn’t played in so long, I wasn’t sure if that was true. Now these “ghosts” were probably some past version of myself or my family and friends because no one was actually telling me I had to. As Mrs. Alving said, “It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off.” Although they may not be explicitly said, the presence of these ideas are there. In a way I knew that my friends and family wanted me to even if it was not said. But I am also doing it for myself. Although there is a presence of “ghosts”, I play as a way of knowing I can be the way I once was. I can go through a tough injury, recover, and come back just as strong as I had been before.
ReplyDelete-Kathleen
ReplyDelete“It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off.”
In my opinion, the majority of actions we take in life today are a result of the “ghosts” in our lives. If one defines ghosts as past relations and memories, I believe that nearly every decision in life is based on ghost. For instance, thoughts about my parents would definitely influence my decisions with friends over the weekend and while taking an exam, I am often reminded of my teachers. On another note, ghosts also control the way I act in groups. There are often invisible pressures in society such as specific opinions on topics and acting a specific way. For me, ghosts often influenced my political opinions, as I swayed in the majority when I was unaware of an issue and I stayed silenced when I was in the minority opinion.
The quote above ties in to the feelings I have stated as things in the past do often influence us despite them not living. Mrs.Alving speaks of the ghosts of the past that haunt us later in her lives as seen in the characters such as Oswald and Manders. Manders influenced his decisions based on the religious values in which he was raised with, causing him to be close-minded on many topics. Throughout the play he is concerned about going against faith and about what other people think, and all of this was affected by his past ghost.
“‘I ought never to have concealed the facts of Alving's life. But at that time I dared not do anything else-I was afraid, partly on my own account. I was such a coward.’”
ReplyDelete“‘Then it is illicit relations you are talking of! Irregular marriages, as people call them!’”
In today’s politics, tradition is often used as a counter-argument against more progressive ideas. Of course, this conflict between these traditional and progressive ideals has created a great divide. That being said, I believe that tradition is a Ghost that, in some cases, can prevent us from moving forward in society. For instance, there are many people that continue to defend the Confederate flag, claiming that it is an important symbol honoring our ancestors. However, this sense of tradition and ancestral pride blinds these people from the racist connections that that flag holds. This has been the subject of several debates I’ve shared with others, where they argue that I am dishonoring my ancestors by opposing the flag. In Ghosts, we see a similar argument carried out by Oswald and Pastor Manders. As Oswald praises his “bohemian lifestyle” and the idea of an untraditional family, Manders condemns it, stating that they are “‘illicit relations’” and “‘irregular marriages’”. Evidently, Oswald’s notions reflect those of the people who want society to progress, where Manders is plagued with the Ghost of traditionalism.
Similar to Mrs. Alving, my anxiety also acts as a Ghost in my life. Oftentimes, it restricts me from taking risks or from being able to carry out a task in a stress-free, calm manner. Sometimes, my tendency to overthink situations and be influenced by past decisions also impacts how I handle different responsibilities. In the play, Mrs. Alving has a similar conflict, where her Ghosts lie within her cowardice. Though, of course, anxiety and cowardice are not the same item, both are dictated by fear and uncertainty.
I hadn't even thought about politics much while thinking about this blog, but you make some great points. The fact that the Confederate flag is often simply defended due to some ancestral obligation people feel is very concerning - we must not get trapped in the past like many unfortunately have.
Delete“It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth.”
ReplyDelete“There, nobody really believes such doctrines any longer.”
I thought that both of the quotes above from Act 2 of Ghosts illustrated the “ghosts” of traditional thinking that my current generation is working to move away from. As individuals, our parents create a set of ideas and virtues from a young age that most of us follow. I consider myself a Catholic because that’s what my family taught me. Until attending school and meeting different types of people, I thought being placed in CCD classes, going to church, and following Catholic holidays was something everyone did. It is interesting to reflect back on my childhood and see how it differs from the childhoods of my peers. I am fortunate enough to appreciate the values that my parents have taught me and I agree with them. However, if I was raised differently, I’d probably conform to those opinions. It’s crazy how impressionable we are as children and see how much of our personality comes from our parents and their values.
As the millennial generation or Gen Z, I am proud of how progressive and open minded my generation has become. Older generations struggle with this, as I can see through my own grandparents. Growing up in the 1920’s and 30’s, they have very different perceptions of our world than I do. Although I love my grandparents, I respectfully disagree with their opinions and try to keep a more open minded view on our society’s conflicts and issues. Although Ghosts was written over one hundred years ago, Ibsen related to a similar issue. When Oswald says “There, nobody really believes such doctrines any longer”, Manders is appalled by the forward thinking of Oswald’s friends in Paris. Following the rules of the church is of vital importance to Manders life, but I think as we progress in time, individual people have changed and therefore our values need to as well. The civil rights movement, women’s rights movement, LGBTQ movement, are all incredible leaps forward that our society has experienced, and is currently experiencing. Ghosts in our lives may not be in favor of these movements, but I am fortunate that my current generation is more open to these ideas. Furthermore, as younger generations continue to progress, I hope that these prejudices that have caused so much tension and anger in our world can become obsolete and we can be treated as equals.
“It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off.” - Mrs. Alving.
ReplyDeleteWhile reflecting, I came to the realization that ghosts regularly affect how I live my life through the decisions I am compelled to make. Myself and many others, especially at this young age, likely base most of our decisions upon what we think will make our parents happy. Playing sports, taking AP and honor classes, getting a job, behaving in certain ways when with family, among other things, are aspects of many kids’ lives that are influenced or enforced by their parents. I don’t exactly think these certain ghosts are always a bad thing, but they do bring a lot of pressure into one’s life to succeed. Similar to Mrs. Alving’s plight within the play, aiming to make everyone in your life happy at your own expense is a common struggle that most people have gone through at some point in their life. Ghosts influence everyone whether it be through news, movies, books, societal structures, or politics. As Mrs. Alving said, ghosts aren’t just kept alive through parents beliefs, they are consistently perpetuated within the collective consciousness of society. I don’t know if it will be possible to ever fully “shake off” these imposing belief systems, but being aware of them and aiming to reduce their effectiveness is a good first step.
- Ally
“It is not only what we have inherited from our mother and father that “walks” in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off.”
ReplyDelete“When Oswald appeared there, in the doorway, with the pipe in his mouth, I could have sworn I saw his father, large as life.”
When we are young, the majority of our beliefs and ideals come from our parents. As I was reflecting on the ghosts in my life, and the ghosts that I think many other people have as well, I mainly focused on how our parents’ views on the world can affect us and our life choices. Specifically in a political sense, when we are growing up we are told through our parents what is right and wrong rather than be expected to figure out what we think for ourselves. For example, by the time I was 7, I was already going to Obama rallies with my mom and holding up signs on election day with her and my younger sister. Luckily, after educating myself about what’s going on in the world, I can say that I agree with my parents beliefs and I think they taught me to have good morals when it comes to politics. However, I have seen many people who have been fed beliefs that they can’t back up for themselves. The only assurance they have that they are correct is just because it’s what their parents told them was right. Although the ghosts of family members may influence someone to not sway from what they were told when they are young, I think it’s really important for people to take positions on important issues based on their own knowledge. On a similar note, I think today certain politicians focus a lot on the past and trying to go backwards to a time when America was supposedly better. However, they are focusing too much on the past and “dead ideas and lifeless old beliefs” rather than finding new, better ways to move forward.
I think you make a good point about how influential our parents are in what our beliefs become. The point you made about the importance of forming our own opinions as opposed to mirroring those of the ghosts of our family is a significant one; without this, we fail to be our own true person.
Delete“It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off.”
ReplyDelete“Well, I mean people in such independent and influential positions that one cannot help attaching some weight to their opinions”
I think that Ghosts have definitely been apart of the decisions I’ve made in my life and that I continue to make. One Ghost that comes to me when I think about it is my religious beliefs. Growing up my dad was very adamant that there was no type of God and that there was no concrete evidence that proved religious ideas. So as a kid, I never really even thought believing in religion was an option. However, when my grandmother passed away I started to wonder why I didn’t believe in Heaven. My dad had never forced me to not be religious but, I wanted to be like him so I swore off religion. But now I realize my believes have no bearings on my dad’s and that he is supportive of whatever religion I want to follow.
Additionally, I think that people in power do use ghosts to influence their policies and ideas. Donald Trump’s infamous slogan of “Make America Great Again” is a ghost within itself. He is pulling out the ideas of prosperity and wealth that America used to have but, he never specifically states when America was so great.
-Anna
Anna, I thought that's a really cool example that you used regarding how people in power use ghosts to influence their policies and to gain people's support.
Delete“MRS. ALVING. Well, I seem to find explanation and confirmation of all sorts of things I myself have been thinking. For that is the wonderful part of it, Pastor Manders—there is really nothing new in these books, nothing but what most people think and believe. Only most people either don't formulate it to themselves, or else keep quiet about it.”
ReplyDeleteThis quote to me, exemplifies a sense of curiosity for the foundation of people’s opinions. As Mrs. Alving says that the philosophical books don’t say anything new and that people think and believe what’s in them but most people don’t formulate those opinions on their own. Similar experiences have happened to me, politically. Most people believe in certain political policies simply because they’re popular not because they’ve looked into the policies themselves and have informed opinions. For me, I followed my families political views and those of others around me without thinking for myself without forming many opinions on my own. Like many other people, my views on the world were shaped by family and the other people in my life, especially in my early life. I aligned myself with similar political views as my parents but when it came time to support political candidates in the 2016 election (prior to the primary), I, for the first time, went against my parents in who they supported. Similar ideas surround my opinions on religion. My grandparents and my other extended family were religious and I was told stories of religious figures. This was all I really knew about religion until I reached middle school and I began questioning whether I believed any of that myself or if I was simply told to believe. Eventually I came to form my own opinions and continue to form my opinions on religion today.
“MANDERS. But a daughter's duty, my good girl – Of course, we should first have to get your mistress's consent.”
This meaning of this quote, that a daughter is responsible for her family adn to follow their wishes. Throughout my life I, as have many others, have felt the weight of my parent’s expectations. I’ve done things without questioning simply because I have been asked to. One example of this was in when I was in eighth grade and I started applying to private high schools. I got accepted to the one I liked the most and even intended to go there but it ended being too much money. As much as I think I would’ve liked to have escaped from Andover at that time, I never did any of that stuff for myself. For all of my childhood I lived by my parent’s restrictions and still do now.
Elissa, I like how you can bring up how the ghosts can take the form of following your parents political views. It's true that these 'ghosts' prevent us from making our own decisions.
Delete“It is the very mark of the spirit of rebellion to crave for happiness in this life. What right have we human beings to happiness? We have simply to do our duty, Mrs. Alving! And your duty was to hold firmly to the man you had once chosen, and to whom you were bound by the holiest ties.” -Pastor Manders
ReplyDeleteThis quote from the Pastor stood out to me about how far along we have come with the values of our society. As I continue to grow, I always have valued the importance of happiness in every scenario I am in. For Mrs. Alving, happiness is simply not of importance because of how society has made it seem. Happiness is not reachable for anyone at this time because they do not believe they have a right to it. Mrs. Alving stayed in a terrible relationship for the sake of her image and what she thought she had to do. There are ghosts from the past in everyone’s lives. Our past is a constant reminder of how far we have come and often times people will reflect on what has happened in history to ensure growth. Throughout the play, Mrs. Alving experiences personal growth by finally being able to tell the truth without having the fear of the consequences keep her from doing so. During my life, I have definitely been in situations where I am unsure of what the right thing to do is. I have also been in situations when I know what the right thing to do it, but am too afraid of what may happen if I do it. As I have continued to learn and grow I have realized that two of the most important values in life is honesty and to not let what society thinks is acceptable dictate your decisions. Mrs. Alving learns these values throughout the play, allowing her to understand that not every decision has to be approved by what everyone else is doing.
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ReplyDelete“I am half inclined to think we are all ghosts…it is not only what we have inherited from our fathers and mothers that exists again in us, but all sorts of old dead ideas and all kinds of old dead beliefs and things of that kind. They are not actually alive in us; but there they are dormant all the same, and we can never be rid of them. Whenever I take up a newspaper and read it, I fancy I see ghosts creeping between the lines. There must be ghosts all over the world. They must be as countless as the grains of the sands, it seems to me. And we are so miserably afraid of the light, all of us.”
ReplyDeleteFor me, this quote really stood out in terms of its description and how similar it is to how I view ghosts in my own life. I come from a very traditional family, and a lot of the ideas of how women should behave and act are very outdated and annoying to always have following you around. Even though my parents aren’t big on enforcing anything that we don’t feel comfortable doing, I can always feel the ‘ghosts’ of these ideas following me around. These are ideas that like the quote says, are dead and old, but they’ll always be within us. I don’t dress modestly or wear the hijab, but I can never get rid of the guilt that I feel when my Grandmother tries to tell me I can’t wear something that I want to. I feel like a lot of kids can relate to this. The need to hold on to traditions and meet the status-quo even if it’s not what they want.
“But one should not talk about it, Mrs. Alving. One is certainly not bound to account to everybody for what one reads and thinks within one's own four walls.”
In class Mr. Pellerin mentioned the thing of Ilhan Omar and how that’s an example of ghosts in the modern day. I think this quote kind of speaks to it more specifically. It can be kind of interpreted as an ironic, laughable line. Pastor Manders is pretty much saying that we can think whatever we want, but that doesn’t mean one should talk about it, because it could upset the present state of affairs and how things stand. It’s like as soon as you start talking about something that everybody thinks, but is too scared to say all these ‘ghosts’ start appearing. People take things way out of context and all a sudden you have these assumptions being made about who you are, and what you stand for that are the opposite of the truth.
“It is the very mark of the spirit of rebellion to crave for happiness in this life. What right have we human beings to happiness? We have simply to do our duty, Mrs. Alving! And your duty was to hold firmly to the man you had once chosen, and to whom you were bound by the holiest ties.”
ReplyDelete“But what about the truth?”
“But what about the ideals?”
We cannot escape our pasts no matter where we go it is the shadow that follows us everywhere. There are ghosts scattered throughout history and society but also everyone has their own personal demons. I have observed that one of the biggest ghosts is religion, not only in my own personal life but also in today's world. In my own experiences, more specifically, in my interactions with the different generations of my family the ghosts of religion have caused a divide between family members and an eruption of emotions. In recent time the overall dedication to Christianity and religion as a whole has been at a decline. I believe this could be due to many factors including the scandals with priests but our cultures progression towards more accepting ideals. This contrasts the old morals of the church. To be religious today means something very different than it did in the era of my grandparents and parents and now me. But this changing in tides can be very difficult to grasp. I have seen this in many interactions with my family as we can struggle to abide by another's idea of what it means to be religious. These ghosts bring a lot of added stress, guilt, and distance in our lives. It is hard with things such as religion because it is such a hard thing to discuss. I am hopeful as our society continues to evolve we can become accepting of ALL viewpoints. Everyone ghosts and pasts have brought them to this point to believe in the things they do. But just because we do not agree does not mean we cannot be understanding and act with empathy.