On Mon, 22 Jan 1996, Randy Drabman wrote:
>
>
> Lord of the Flies is not my idea of historical justice.
Yes, but herein lies the problem with your comparison. Correct me if I'm
wrong (read it a long time ago), the Lord of the Flies is a political
allegory based on an implicit "state of nature" philosophy. The
political violence of the *boys* (in Crusoe like isolation) is meant to
show how grown-ups act like children. The novel works as an indictment
on HUMANITY'S perpetual immaturity, without, indeed by decidedly erasing,
any specific conditions.
While there MAY be a place for an existential critique of politics, the
conditions of racism in America are, I think, one of the worst places to
try it out.
> >
>
> Unfortunately, there is not. Go to local school district. Do an empirical
> test, and then let's talk.
As Hume pointed out (right?) empiricism and observation cannot do much in
the way of understanding causal connections (why do these kids feel the
need to arm themselves?). In fact this sort of empirical test is
precisely what makes this very questionable comparison between the Nazis
and an American underclass possible.
Erik> > >
Erik D. Lindberg
Dept. of English and Comparative Lit.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI 53211
email: edl@xxxxxxxxxxx
------------------
>
>
> Lord of the Flies is not my idea of historical justice.
Yes, but herein lies the problem with your comparison. Correct me if I'm
wrong (read it a long time ago), the Lord of the Flies is a political
allegory based on an implicit "state of nature" philosophy. The
political violence of the *boys* (in Crusoe like isolation) is meant to
show how grown-ups act like children. The novel works as an indictment
on HUMANITY'S perpetual immaturity, without, indeed by decidedly erasing,
any specific conditions.
While there MAY be a place for an existential critique of politics, the
conditions of racism in America are, I think, one of the worst places to
try it out.
> >
>
> Unfortunately, there is not. Go to local school district. Do an empirical
> test, and then let's talk.
As Hume pointed out (right?) empiricism and observation cannot do much in
the way of understanding causal connections (why do these kids feel the
need to arm themselves?). In fact this sort of empirical test is
precisely what makes this very questionable comparison between the Nazis
and an American underclass possible.
Erik> > >
Erik D. Lindberg
Dept. of English and Comparative Lit.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI 53211
email: edl@xxxxxxxxxxx
------------------