brainstorm

Internet and the prospects of online social networks

In the novel, Pattern Recognition, the internet is an essential part of the storyline because it is how Cayce gets her inside information about the video clips. Through chains of email and messages from web forum F:F:F:, Cayce is able to keep in contact with Parkaboy, Damien, and her mother from around the world. Even though Cayce has never met Parkaboy before, she feels that she can trust him more than she can with the people around her. Having the technology to be able to communicate with so many people that are each so distant from one another gives off the impression that the world is smaller than it seems. Cayce’s daily life revolves around the videos posted on the forum and her messages from Parkaboy. So without the internet, her life would most likely have no meaning. In the future, it is probable that everyone will become extremely dependent on the internet and online social networks that it would be impossible to live without a computer.

Post 9/11 social commentary

The tragic incident on 9/11 changed America as a whole. Because it was sudden and unexpected, we Americans began to live in a world of uncertainty. This uncertainty of everyday life turned to fear of the unknown. It is difficult knowing that there is something out in the world that cannot be comprehended. This applies to the mysterious footage that is all over the web. The whole world seems to be obsessed over these one hundred video clips because of its puzzling scenes. After which seems a year, still, no one knows who is uploading all of these clips, which makes the people even more compelled to solve the mystery. After 9/11, everyone wanted life to return to normal and wished that something like that would never happen again. People feel safer living life day by day the exact same way, needing to know what is coming next.  Because if something does not fit into that already existing pattern, then chaos is everywhere until a way is found to make the problem fit.

pov

The short story, “A Rose for Emily” was narrated in a first person plural point of view. If the story was to be retold from Tobe’s point of view, the way Emily Grierson was portrayed would be completely different.

Emily was described through the eyes of the narrator, a combined voice of the townspeople. From that perspective, the reader was limited to seeing only what the others saw. But since Tobe was Emily’s personal servant, he would be able to tell Emily’s story in much greater detail. A noticeable change would be a deeper development on Emily’s character. With Tobe narrating the story, the reader would be able to understand the reason behind Emily actions, especially why she murdered Homer. Without Tobe’s inside perspective on these events, only assumptions can be made about Emily’s life.

But if Tobe was shifted to be the narrator, most of the mysteriousness and eeriness would be gone. When Emily’s life was told from the first person plural point of view, it seemed like the narrator and the townspeople were spying on her. Doing things they were not supposed to do, like peeking in her windows and monitoring her nonexistent social life. Not knowing what was really happening in Emily’s house added to the intensity of the disturbing ending.

The theme of death would remain, even if the narration shifted. Every man that Emily has ever loved always ended up dead. If Tobe narrated the story, there would be a more accurate understanding about the relationship between Homer and Emily, and why she killed him and kept his body. Nevertheless, in the end, Emily herself dies too.

machines

When Brautigan wrote this poem several decades ago, computers have just been invented and were extremely rare. In this poem, he expresses his anticipation of the impact computers and future technology would have on society and nature. The tone of this can be interpreted in two ways, either as anti-technology, or as pro-technology.

Back then, it would have been easy to imagine that computers would change the world for the worse. Having organisms like “flowers with spinning blossoms” (15-16) in the forest would be bizarre. This makes it seem like technology has taken over nature and is replacing the organics. Instead of having technology and nature live together mutually, they have to be “programming harmony” (6), being forced to live together. The word programming is too technological and not natural. It is impossible and wrong to try train or instruct nature to become something it is not meant to be. Technology should always be under control and should never be left to take over society.

Brautigan sounds confident that one day “mammals and computers [will] live together mutually” (4-5). Unlike the current situation the world is in right now, where technology is eating away at the environment, there will soon be a happy median where nature and machinery is balanced. We will be “free of our labors and joined back to nature” (20-21). The benefits technology will have on us are so great that we would not have to work in the future. Nature and technology will be able to coexist where one does not overpower the other, giving us more time to enjoy the things we like.

I like to think of this poem as pro-technology because the title, “All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace” makes it apparent that Brautigan sees technology as a savior to humans. There is a reason why he titled it this and not “All Destroyed by Machines of Controlling Power”. The overall mood of this poem is optimistic of the future and I would agree with Brautigan that one day, the advances in technology will allow humans to have more freedom and not be restricted by work.