Tennyson, responding to Paris massacres in the 1840s, asserts his faith in love and in social truth. Our challenge is to continue to believe this in the wake of the recent terror attacks.
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Tag Archives: violence
Love & the Red Fool-Fury of the Seine
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Alfred Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam, Paris terror attacks, Terrorism Comments closed
A Fantasy about U.S. Thirst for War
Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods” understands the thirst of those Americans that want to go to war with Iran.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged American Gods, fantasy, Iran, Iraq War, It, Neil Gaiman, neoconservatives, nuclear negotiations, road novel, Stephen King, war Comments closed
Can Lit Make the Rich More Empathetic?
With growing income disparity comes a decline in empathy. Literature can help rebuild our compassion.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Clansmen, empathy, Honoré de Balzac, Income inequality, Jonathan Swift, Thomas Dixon, Thomas Pinker Comments closed
Top Post of 2014: Black Lives Matter
I repost a Toni Morrison essay on the importance of black men asserting their worth.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Eric Garner, Ferguson, killings of black men, Michael Brown, racism, Song of Solomon, Tamir Rice, Toni Morrison Comments closed
“Everybody Wants a Black Man’s Life”
Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon” offers a vision of hope for targeted black teens.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged gun violence, Jordan Davis, Michael Dunn, Stand Your Ground, Toni Morrison, Trayvon Martin Comments closed
America’s Heart of Darkness Beginnings
America’s bloody beginnings are part of who we still are.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Colonia America, colonization, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, U. S. history, Wayne Karlin, Wished For Country Comments closed
Syrian Violence vs. Our Humanity
Galloway’s “Cellist of Sarajevo” gives a face to the victims of violence.
Lit’s Role in the Decline of Violence
The empathy fostered by novel reading may have played a role in the decline of violence.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Daniel Defoe, Elaine Scarry, Henry Fielding Tom Jones, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Moll Flanders, Pamela, Samuel Richardson, Steven Pinker Comments closed
Vigilante Films Responsible for Trayvon?
Trayvon Martin’s death has Americans rethinking the vigilante film.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Clint Eastwood, Death Wish, Gran Torino, John Ford, John Wayne, Martin Scorcese, Taxi Driver, Trayvon Martin, Vigilantism Comments closed