The Philosophy Behind Anarchy
The constant power struggle between the state and its people seems almost never ending, as the people riot for government officials to step down and government officials send in enforcement to calm the people; it seems as if we are stuck in a constant time loop. The people scream for democracy when they are really shouting for anarchy, and the citizens remaining silent simply wish for a better life outside of government regime. As long as the people keep screaming for a deadly outcome, we must ask ourselves, is anarchy a just solution? In Charles Johnson’s short story “Menagerie,” a group of animals at a pet shop set themselves free and spiral into complete and utter anarchy without their owner. The animals turned
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on each other and created unspeakable chaos, until the shoppe finally burned down, allegedly killing all the animals except for the submissive tortoise, who took no part in the chaos. “Menagerie” stresses the importance of needing a government system within every civilization to avoid anarchy and promote social balance through its plot, literary devices, and characters. Through his plots development, Johnson stresses the emotional turmoil that builds up over time when citizens oppose their government and the actions they are willing to take when the opportunity presents itself. Before Tilford left the shoppe for seemed to be good, the animals observed his behaviors. Tilford was not known for being an exceptional owner to his pets, as the animals often complained of his treatment towards them. The narrator insinuates Berkeley characterized him as a dictator among them rather than an owner, saying, “Sometimes he treated the animals cruelly, or taunted them; he saw them not as pets but as profit” (Johnson 344). Berkeley managed to be a control character in this short story, often trying to take Tilford’s side to regain control of the animals, but his statement contradicts his alleged loyalty to Tilford and overturns his own self confidence. When a loyal citizen begins to see flaws within their own government, it produces fallout among the population. This is easily seen among the rebellion Monkey soon begins; the revolution against profitable self worth so to speak. Even in old folklore and history, once the king’s men began to question his power, the king would surely fall. Even so, what caused Berkeley to overturn his loyalty? Berkeley was favored by Tilford as opposed to the other animals, but something possessed him to let each animal out, besides their need for food. The narrator even stated, “Furthermore he didn’t want to be called a Fascist” (Johnson 346). Even though Berkeley was favored by Tilford, it was obvious he felt he needed more acceptance from his fellow inmates. By letting the animals out, Berkeley assumed he would use this action to his advantage to gain popularity among the animals. However, Berkeley was played by Monkey, who ultimately used him for the chaotic rebellion against the governing power, Tilford. If a government begins to appear weak to a society, the citizens first instinct is to attempt to overturn it and bring about a new leader that promises a brighter future, but in the Shoppe’s case, the wrong personality took control and left the shoppe in flames, literally. When the opportunity is presented, any unhappy civilization will revolt against its governing power in hope for a new regime, but during the chaos, goals are lost and a revolution can easily turn into complete anarchy and no citizen is left unmarred. Menagerie’s many literary devices allow for the stories theme to be broadened and uncovered within its hectic plot.
Besides Johnson’s obvious personification of the animals, his use of metaphors and imagery strengthened the plots theme. When Tilford returned to the shoppe, no animal dared make a sound. Even Berkeley stood in his tracks and waited upon Tilford’s next move, but he never expected Tilford to praise him for the chaos that ensued while he was absent. “Reaching down, he stroked Berkeley’s head. And at last he said, like God whispering to Samuel: Well done” (Johnson 349). The image of Tilford being analogous to God is fitting, given the governing power he represents throughout the story. Johnson’s use of not only this metaphor, but also this image of God reigning down his wrath upon his people only to praise them for an unlikely outcome allows the reader to make real-world connections. Likewise, it creates a comforting image of Tilford rather than a cold and political portrait. The point of view of this story remains third person omniscient; the story is told from an outside voice, but it also feels as if the narrator could be God himself. Each animal’s thoughts are projected perfectly into the story, showing the many differing perspectives revealed when authority is absent. “Menagerie” also uses Tortoise to foreshadow the complete anarchy to come. As Berkeley and his foil, Monkey, worked to free all the animals, each animal darted out of their cages except for Tortoise, who remained solitary within his cage. “Tortoise had escaped the year before, remaining at large for a week, and then he returned mysteriously on his own, his eyes strangely unfocused, as if he’d seen the end of the world” (Johnson 346). Tortoise’s escape reveals the reason behind his desire to remain submissive throughout the whole conundrum; He saw a world without a master and decided he wanted to be without chaos. In Tortoise’s leave of absence, he recognized the people outside the Pet
Shoppe may have been free, but they were living in a toxic environment. There was no control, and anyone was free to do whatever they pleased. His return was inspired by the fear of too much freedom and the idea if he were to remain free, he would surely lose himself within the chaos. Tortoise’s return foreshadows the upcoming anarchy about to ensue within the shoppe by representing everyone’s need for control within their lives. Through his literary devices, Johnson stresses the importance of needing a strong central power, whether it is God, a master, or a government, any power is needed to maintain peace. Johnson’s characters illustrate the many societal roles seen within society today and how a removal of government is critical to their personalities. Once the authority figure is removed from a society, citizens begin to break out into hysteria. Every day, Berkeley begins sitting at the window, waiting for Tilford’s car to park outside, but he never comes. Monkey constantly reminds Berkeley Tilford will not be returning, but Berkeley is adamant to insist Tilford will return. “Berkeley looked; witheringly, toward the front door. His empty stomach gurgled like a sewer. It took a tremendous effort to untangle his thoughts. ‘If we can just hold on a-’” (Johnson 345). Berkeley is beginning to show angst, he knows deep down Tilford may never return, but he does not want to admit Monkey is right. Monkey has begun to instill the idea of a free society into every animal, and Berkeley doesn’t want to accept it. Berkeley’s willingness to ignore fact shows his mental break once his master has been removed and his intuition tells him this situation will not end swimmingly. Within each civilization, stereotypes are set for certain citizens who will excel above the others. Berkeley, Monkey, Tortoise, and the Goldfish are perfect examples of these citizens, each representing the four main roles among an anarchy bound society. Berkeley represents the appeasers of society; authority figures lacking better judgment and allowing others to do as they please. Likewise, Monkey represents the rebels without a cause, finally exerting their angst upon the state and letting themselves spin rapidly out of control. Tortoise represents the survivors, as they remain hidden in the shadows and indifferent to popular opinions while the Goldfish represent the disabled and dependent community searching for a rebel to depend on. Even so, as different as each personality is, they all share one common trait; they will always bow down before their government when it presents itself in a meaningful force. “Tilford threw open the Pet Shoppe door in a blast of wind and burst preternatural brilliance that rayed the whole room, evaporated every shadow, and brought the squabbling, the conflict of interpretations, mutations, and internecine battles to halt. No one dared move” (Johnson 349). Each personality, the appeasers, the rebels, the survivors, and the dependers all cower and cripple before the presence of their previously absent government. When what was once in control returns, the force it brings with it is terrifying. Tilford was more than a governing force to the animals, he was a God-figure, controlling and manipulating the animals for his own personal benefit. When the government is removed or when God is deemed absent, society will divulge into anarchy and sin, but once it returns, society will return to its natural and appeasing state. Everyday citizens of each society question the authority and power of their government, simply reasoning that they could survive without any dictation in their lives. While this thought may seem ideal to some and radical to others, one fact rises above all; Anarchy is not a valid or just solution. When anarchy is presented, societies fail to function and citizens perform extreme acts of rebellion including rape, homicide, and theft. Even so, as a modern society we must often ask ourselves the philosophy behind the idea of anarchy and why it becomes so appealing to the normal citizen’s eye; drawing in thousands of spectators with every mention. If history has not proven us wrong, then why hasn’t a children’s story comparing society to animals proven anarchy’s deficiency? Through “Menagerie”, society can learn that a functional government is attainable, but that citizens should never resort to anarchy as a solution to any situation. Johnson proves every civilization needs a governmental system or religious control to promote social balance and avoid anarchy.
In chapter three, Steinbeck immaculately describes the long, tedious journey of a land turtle across a desolate highway. From the onset of his journey, the turtle encounters many setbacks. Along the way ants, hills, and oak seeds hinder him under his shell. The turtle’s determination to reach his destination is most apparent when a truck driven by a young man swerves to hit the turtle. The turtle's shell is clipped and he goes flying off the highway, but the turtle does not stop. He struggles back to his belly and keeps driving toward his goal, just as the Joads keep driving toward their goal.
In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Simon and Piggy are among a group of boys who become stranded on a deserted island. Left without any adults, the boys attempt to create an orderly society. However, as the novel progresses, the boys struggle to sustain civility. Slowly, Jack and his hunters begin to lose sight of being rescued and start to act more savagely, especially as fears about a beast on the island spread. As the conflict progresses, Jack and Ralph battle for power. The boys’ struggle with the physical obstacles of the island leads them to face a new unexpected challenge: human nature. One of the boys, Simon, soon discovers that the “beast” appears not to be something physical, but a flaw within all humans
...ven its unique personality, identity, and destiny. They are like us, but they live in books. To me, we can know read their stories and use what we read to connect them to what we already knew. Manny, the main character in “Crossing”, was being compared to a monkey whose tied up with chains, which resembled the lost of freedom for both of them. Manny compared the group of people who wants to catch him and sell them to hawks to emphasize that he can not fight back the hawks. it’s either run or caught, he doesn’t have a choice. He also compared the way the people from example three to street dogs, because they way they fought. Throughout our processing throughout the history, we had maintained a very close relationship with animals. Which is what Gary Paulsen, the author of “ Crossing,” had tried to do in the “ Crossing,” to compare the character he made to animals.
Firstly, perhaps no book has linked animals to human counterparts better than Animal Farm. Orwell's beasts serve as a representation of important characters of the World War II era and beyond. For example, Karl Marx, the inventor of the communist movement, was represented by Old Major, the most important animal on the farm until his death. Much like Old Major, Marx was a visionary who dreamed of equality. Old Major states:"Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings? Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we could become rich and free. What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race! That is my message to you, comrades: Rebellion!"(Orwell, Animal Farm, 30). In addition, he inspired the Russian Social Democratic Leader Party, led by rivals Joseph Stalin and Leon Trostky. Napoleon is represented by Joseph Stalin and much like him, he builds loyalties within the communist party ( pigs and dogs) so that he can overthrow Snowball (Trostky). Snowball displaying similar traits with Trotsky in the fact that they both fight bravely in their respective battles. Trotsky was an important component to the victory in the Russian civil war, Snowball displaying this bravery during the battle of the cowshed. The hens, geese, and sheep that are executed are a representation of the millions who opposed Stalin's, and who are killed banished as a result. The hens and geese are not known for their docile natures, and serve as perfect rebels . As well, the pigs' metamorphosis of their face and behaviour is symbolic of the transition of a government initially for the people, into ...
William Godwin's novel Things As They Are, or The Adventures of Caleb Williams raises several important political questions as Caleb struggles through his subordination to Mr. Falkland. Obviously, the battle between oppression and freedom is rampant throughout the novel. Mr. Falkland and Caleb both have trouble dealing with oppression in many forms. It is interesting, therefore, to wonder if William Godwin is supporting anarchy in his novel.
In the novel, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a group of British schoolboys are stranded on an island, and soon find that fending for themselves and staying civilized is not as easy as they thought it would be. Although they start off with an organized society, through interactions with each other and objects around them, they become completely savage over time. Golding employs the symbolism of Jack, the conch shell, and the beast to serve the purpose of the allegory of the inherent evil of the human race.
This leads to the fact that a beast really does exist within all human beings, but is only expressed when human instinct for survival becomes the main objective. At first the boys aren?t able to kill, but as survival instinct starts taking over, the reader?s are able to se the true character?s play out, and lives are compromised. ?You feel as if you?re not hunting, but- being hunted, as if something?s behind you all the time in the jungle,? (pg.53) proves that it?s every man for himself and people will do anything to survive. An example of this in the novel was when Robert became the ?pig,? and was wounded even though it wasn?t intentional, but the situation became worse when Piggy?s death happened as a result of all civilization lost and evil taken over.
The focus of this paper will be on criticizing the argument. He effectively explains what justifies the authority of the state by giving reasons that anarchy is better for autonomous nature of man. One might agree that the state can command an individual to obey the rule even if it is against the person’s moral beliefs. His argument, however, seems to undermine the
He sees how much an animal means to an individual, whether it be a cow to a farmer or a little poodle to an old lady. Each and every case is a brand new one. He feels for each and every animal, whether it is a bird or a horse.
Henry Adams, an American historian, once said, “Chaos was the law of nature; Order was the dream of man.” Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Golding, shows how order is established until the evil nature of mankind seeps through. In this story, parents send their sons away on a plane in order to escape World War II. However, the plane crashes and leaves them stranded on a deserted island. From there, the boys have to learn how to take care of themselves and create rules revolving around a conch. This shell represents how fragile order and democracy can be. If one follows the conch throughout the story, he or she can see that it symbolizes civilizing forces, such as democracy, law, and order. The more the boys disregard it or mistreat it, the more uncivilized they become.
Allegory was central to the understanding of Animal Farm, thus digging the deeper meaning behind the literal meaning would be beneficial for the understanding of dualism in this work. Allegory was “a story or visual image with a second distinct meaning partially hidden behind its literal or visible
Ralph represents people who fear wildlife – they do whatever possible to remain a part of civilization. Who was it that held the conch, a symbol of society and order? Who never voluntarily went out into the forest, unless it was essential for survival? Whose idea was it to focus on making shelters, dragging the rest closer and closer to order? Ralph strives for uniformity. He claims, “…the rules are the only thing we’ve got!” showing that he opposes nature’s unpredictability and lack of rules (p. 91). Untamed...
The animals in the book “Animal Farm” hoped to achieve unity, equality. trust/truth, prosperity, better quality of life, freedom and individuality, in terms of the revolution. This was achieved at the beginning of the revolution, which made it a success, but in the end the revolution was a failure. The farm, in many ways, was very prosperous when the revolution began. The animals were given an education, “the reading and writing classes were however a great success,” which made them feel equal to the humans because they were now learning in the same way the humans did.
It was the glorious speech from Old Major that made the animals want to rebel so badly. Animal Farm, written by George Orwell is an excellent novel that portrays the need for power. It shows how power can be used for either good or evil. The story begins on Manor Farm, owned by a farmer named Mr. Jones. One of the pigs, named Old Major, gives a speech that motivates the animals to rebel. After a while, the animals ended up rebelling, and managed to kick out Mr. Jones. During the beginning of “Animal Farm’s” reign under Snowball and Napoleon’s (main characters) lead, it brought the animals on Manor Farm together into a peaceful world. However, after this initial stance of power, Snowball and Napoleon began to fight for it. In the end, Napoleon ends up with control of the farm and Snowball is never seen again. Power is a corrupting influence in Animal Farm and both Snowball and Napoleon’s way of leading are very different.
I was surprised at how much meaning and how many connections I was able to pull out of the novel. Themes that I recognized were corruption, ignorance in society leading to the degradation of equality, and how power can overpower sense and take control. These were very apparent throughout the novel, with the animals and events representing the