Bystander Non-Intervention and Musee des Beaux Arts

I found Musee des Beaux Arts to be a very interesting poem in that it subtly critiques man’s lack of help for another. The prime example within the poem is the “ploughman” who turns away as Icarus falls from the sky and drowns in the sea. It is not an “important failure” for the ploughman while Icarus’ “white legs” disappear into “the blue”. Throughout the poem, W.H Auden suggests that travesties have nowhere near the same meaning for the outsider as they do for the victim; the world lacks empathy. Such a critique is interesting to connect to a recent lecture in my psychology 101 class about bystander non-intervention.
As my professor pointed out, our society neglects to intervene under even the most strenuous situations. He brought up the instance of a New York woman screaming loudly in the busy street while being raped yet none of the many apartment dwellers – who had awoke to the screams – did anything. What some can immediately point to is the complete lack of empathy of the bystanders, yet in the context of such a horrific lack of absence this does not seem like an adequate explanation. The second most logical idea is that the bystander is among many and assumes someone else will do the job. In certain cases, such as where a direct physical intervention is needed, some may be scared for their own safety. Yet, as my professor pointed out our inaction as a society is quite baffling. It shows an underlying selfishness in human nature as helping someone out or acknowledging and reacting their pain is a completely selfless gesture; there are no personal benefits or rewards thus our judgment is not clouded by personal reasons. Bystander non-intervention – prevalent in our society – is a sad story which one should consciously be aware of if ever in the situation where someone needs help.

The Antagonist In Mending Wall

The way in which the “bad side” is portrayed in Mending Wall by Robert Frost is one of the most interesting parts of the poem. As background, the narrator’s neighbour is described as old-fashioned and traditional but in a very negative manner. Firstly, he uses a very clichéd phrase “good fences make good neighbours” which gives him a stereotypical and unoriginal character. This phrase makes the neighbour seem unintelligent because in the context of the poem it is illogical. The narrator asks if such a phrase is not for “where there are cows” and states that there are no cows in the area which this wall separates. Furthermore, the fact that he is saying it in a literal sense also makes the phrase illogical.
Frost portrays the neighbour as a brutish caveman to hyperbolize his traditional nature. He refers to him as an “old stone savage” and says he “walks in darkness”. The latter phrase literally means that his side is unexposed to the light yet metaphorically it shows that the neighbour is dimwitted and from the dark ages. “Old stone savage” very effectively hyperbolizes the notion of the neighbor as being traditional. This is just more effective than just saying the neighbour has traditional values. Yet, it also exposes the narrator as prejudiced and imperfect – which is also a thoroughly developed aspect of the poem. Although I cannot fully analyze this here, this is exemplified by such contradictions in the narrator’s actions such as his rebuilding the wall every year despite attacking the process. No one would actually believe their own neighbour – who occupies similar land and lives in their time – is an “old stone savage” which ironically shows the narrator to be ignorant himself.

Introductory Post

Although I am currently undecided with regards to my major, my interest is in the humanities and more specifically Government and History. Firstly, I enjoy studying people and their interactions because I feel I can gain a self-understanding from this process. The triumphs and blunders that key historical figures have made, for example, are psychological case studies which may help me better myself as a person. With respect to History, the marquee events of the past are as intriguing as the world’s greatest fiction. Yet more importantly, these stories are integral to an understanding of the world today – how it came to be and how it may further develop. In a similar way, I find the subjects covered in Government to be fascinating while at the same time allowing me to understand the crux of the present world and what may become of it.
I am from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Approximately a four hour drive from Ithaca, the capital of Ontario has roughly the same weather as Cornell. Some Americans may notice my slight accent or be startled by certain different customs – for example we celebrate Thanksgiving in October – however my country of origin is of a very similar nature to the States. Our television, for example, is for the most part made up of American shows and our dominant corporations are U.S based; as a result, our culture is infused with this one.
I like many sports, most prominently golf and football. They are two very different sports and I enjoy the former for its focus on mental ability and the latter for its contact aspect. I was on my school’s Canadian football team for 4 years and have played golf ever since I can remember. In terms of popular culture, I enjoy Pink Floyd, the TV show Entourage and am a big fan of Al Pacino when it comes to movies.
Good writing involves solid structure but at the same time a variance in pace and syntax. It has nothing to do with verboseness or complication. Often complication is a product of good writing but not vice versa.
For my first paper, I chose to write about The Silken Tent by Robert Frost, more specifically its last line. I chose this subject because the central image of the poem was fascinating and I thought it was a good basis from which I could effectively explore the main tension of the work – that between the woman’s freedom and constrictions. As I was absent for the first couple classes and had a day to do the essay, a more thorough appreciation of the poem might have allowed me to be more convincing and specific in my paper however I hope I was able to get my point across.
I hope to learn what makes good poetry. I also hope to learn how to best analyze it. Moreover, I simply want to be exposed to good poetry as up until now I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Lastly, I hope to improve my writing in every aspect as it is a fundamental academic skill worth refining.