Blake’s use of the perfect symmetry and the not-so-perfect asymmetry in creating a graphological double entendre in “Introduction” (Songs of Innocence)
In my essay on Blake’s “Introduction” in The Songs of Innocence, I focused on the use of colour scheme and religious symbolism that relate to the overarching themes of purity, Boehme’s contraries and the consequences of human creativity. Due to word limit and possible confusion, I omitted my discussion on the use of symmetry and […]
The Uncanny: Cognitive Dissidence
When we think of psychology, we often think of Sigmund Freud, the glorified conspiracy theorist whose widely popularized concepts of wish fulfillment, dream interpretation, and the systems of the psyche have left their stain on the modern science as we know it today. Despite some of his rather absurdist notions, particularly on the subject of […]
Make the Kallipolis Just Again
It takes a great deal of integrity to admit one is wrong. I do not have this integrity and fortunately neither did Plato. However, despite our many disagreements that will never truly be solved I do think that in light of America’s most recent election, Plato does deserve some credit. Congrats, Plato. You were sort […]
Is Modern Human Evolution a Social Construct?
Darwin believes that creatures, including us humans, adapt and evolve accordingly to the changes in our surroundings. Natural Selection as Darwin calls it, is every living creature’s struggle towards survival in this world. Taking this concept and applying it in a more contemporary setting such as a high school classroom, we see an ecosystem where societal trends govern the lifestyle of children. Mainstream media manufactures a definition of acceptable, ostracizing children that deviate from the norm, branding them as “weird” and “unacceptable,” leading these children to be bullied. Thus people…read more
Darwin: The Flower
The main part of Darwin’s writing that really stuck with me is how he talked about flowers. This may seem like a very odd thing to say, however, I feel like his piece about flowers and the reproduction of them stuck with me most because it intrigued me. Reading about how Darwin explains, or […]
Thoughts of Man vs. Nature on Darwin’s Theories
During the lecture there was a section on natural theology of the 19th century, which was the culture Darwin was raised in. It was interesting to know the decline in Darwin’s faith in it as he went on with his research, proposing ideas far removed from the theology, like Natural Selection. Then, to what extent…
Black and White, not Black or White
One of Blake’s poems that really caught my attention was The Little Black Boy. The title in itself already gives away the theme of the poem: racism. I mean seriously, who titles their poem, or any piece of literature for that matter, “The Little (insert color) Boy” without tackling racial issues. It’s not even surprising that the title emphasized on the word black, because history can not attest to the fact that the black race is one of the most persecuted of all races. I say this, not with a racist…read more
Darwin’s The Descent of Man: Discriminatory Evolution
While most people would agree that Darwin’s theory of evolution revolutionized modern biology, this does not mean that all aspects of his work was boundary-pushing. Darwin, in The Descent of Man, attempts to use the concept of sexual selection, a “less vigorous” form of natural selection that acts on one gender as they struggle against … Continue reading Darwin’s The Descent of Man: Discriminatory Evolution
Blake’s My Pretty Rose Tree, and how jealousy plays a role in our lives
So basically, a man is offered this beautiful flower and he’s like, “Nah, I’m good. I’ve got a pretty rose tree”. And then he returns to his pretty rose tree, and she’s all jealous so she turns away from him and only gives him her thorns, which makes him delighted. What? This poem brings up […]
The Sick Rose and Blake’s (possibly) Sick Mind
The Sick Rose is a truly layered poem. I think every person I discussed it had a different interpretation of…