Each one of us has a distinct identity, shaped in accordance to the culture and norms of our time. Though we may be reluctant to admit we don’t have complete autonomy over the formation of our identity, in Stephen Greenblatt’s “Renaissance Self-Fashioning,” he reveals that culture, literature, and institutions are inextricably tied our notions of self.
Greenblatt begins by defining “self fashioning,” the idea that we construct our identity according to a set of socially acceptable standards (or more simply, how we want others to perceive us). This notion is constantly evolving-- as culture develops over time, so does the way in which we view ourselves. For example, while in the Renaissance era, it was customary for wealthy men to exemplify wealth through a formal education, a large collection of literature, and fancy clothes, now, it is more customary for wealthy men to own fortune 500’s and perhaps not even receive a formal education. Although our notions of self can evolve, they are always shaped by the culture, literature, and institutions of our time. In my commonplace book, I drew a picture of a book to demonstrate how literature can have a profound effect on our formation of identity. In “Renaissance Self-Fashioning,” Greenblatt identifies three ways that literature functions within the notion of self: as a manifestation of the behavior of its author, as an expression of how behavior is shaped, or as a larger reflection upon culture and social norms. He then explains the limitations of each of these interpretations of literature: if the interpretation limits itself to the behavior of the author, it might lose a sense of the broader networks the literature acts within, if it is solely viewed as the expression of social rules, it becomes an ideological superstructure, and if it is seen solely as a detached reflection of social codes, it diminishes our grasp of how we function within it. This raises the question of how we should understand literature in accordance to identity. Should we combine each of these interpretations or should we chose one interpretation and understand that it might not be an accurate reflection of culture? Another question Greenblatt raises is whether we form our identity in relation to the same structures. Greenblatt answers this by stating that “one man's authority is another man's alien,” explaining that not everyone constructs themselves in accordance to the same customs or in relation to the same authority. In my commonplace book, I drew a star of david and a cross because I think religion (or a lack thereof) exemplifies the differences in our formation of identity-- documents like the torah and bible provide different and perhaps slightly contradictory rules and social norms that shape our behavior and identity. Though we all form our identity in accordance to a structure, that structure may not be the same for everyone. I think we read this piece because this year, we will read literature that will give us insight into how people previously self fashioned, and how the ways in which we self fashion have evolved.
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Growing up, curiosity is an intrinsic part of our identities; we unapologetically ask question after question, hoping to gain a more nuanced understanding of the world. But as we get older, we find ourselves more reluctant to question, the natural curiosity that was once such an invaluable part of our lives subsequently dissipating. In Warren Berger’s, “A More Beautiful Question,” he attempts to understand this phenomenon, questioning why we lose our childhood curiosity, and the ways in which we can get it back.
Warren begins his essay by explaining how the education system is complicit in our loss of curiosity. As the education system becomes more rigorous, penalizing wrong answers and assigning copious amounts of schoolwork, it inadvertently dismisses questioning as stupid and a nuisance (who has time to ask questions when we have all this work to finish?). As a result, at school, students are incentivised to stop questioning, to conform and be compliant to expectations, and to be caricatures of the “perfect student.” In my commonplace notebook, I drew a school with the question, “is school killing curiosity” because I genuinely believe that as long as the education system emphasizes “good grades” and “looking good to colleges” over actually learning, it is killing curiosity. However, this issue lies beyond school-- in almost every aspect of life, admitting you don’t know all the answers is considered taboo. A few weeks ago, while attending debate camp, I experienced this issue firsthand; during a discussion about this years debate topic with my lab, I found myself reluctant to ask questions out of fear that my peers would think I was stupid or unworthy of attending the camp. I was so focused on appearing “smart” and “competitive,” that I forgot that asking questions isn’t something to be afraid of-- it’s an inherent and important part of life. So how can we fix this issue? Berger explains that in order to regain our curiosity, we must “attempt to adjust the way [we] look at the world so that [our] perspective more closely aligns with that of a curious child” (page 75). In other words, we must take a step back from our work, acknowledge that we don’t have all of the answers, and attempt to look at the world from a new perspective. In my commonplace book, I drew a picture of the Buddha because meditation is an effective means of regaining curiosity. It forces us to clear our minds, step away from the issues of our daily lives, and re-examine how we approach problems. Although meditation doesn’t automatically make us more effective questioners, Berger explains that upon stepping back and re-examining something we’ve looked at the same way for years, we are able to notice new patterns and phenomenons that we likely wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. Berger’s essay taught me that, unless we want to live in subordination, we must challenge conventional norms, be receptive to new ideas, and inquire about issues that interest us because asking questions isn’t a sign of inferiority, but rather, a means of become more creative and innovative individuals We likely read this essay because this year in AP Lit, we will ask insightful questions that will enhance discussions, challenge what’s considered conventional, and develop our own unique insights on literature. |
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November 2019
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