Please respond to the prompts below in complete sentences.
1. This chapter depicts big business as power hungry and ruthless. Was this a fair representation?
2. We talked about the different aspects of society seen in this chapter. If you were to envisage yourself in one, which one would it be?
3. Detail the connections we find between this narrative and the preceding ones.
4. We've talked about moral dilemmas a lot this year. Describe one from this chapter and write how you would you have acted.
Due: Tuesday, 9.20
1. This chapter depicts big business as power hungry and ruthless. Was this a fair representation?
2. We talked about the different aspects of society seen in this chapter. If you were to envisage yourself in one, which one would it be?
3. Detail the connections we find between this narrative and the preceding ones.
4. We've talked about moral dilemmas a lot this year. Describe one from this chapter and write how you would you have acted.
Due: Tuesday, 9.20
1. Though it may be true, the image this chapter conveys of big business is not a fair representation, considering the benefits big business offer society. For example, Google. Google is a huge company that offers tremendous amounts of service, such as email, maps, search engines, and social networking. Yes, google may be power hungry and ruthless, but at the same time, makes life more convenient and benefiting for everyone.
ReplyDelete2. I envision myself in Isaac's place. He was a part of the 'big business', however, could not fit in completely with the dirty tactics they often used. I feel that I would not be as courageous as Sixsmith or Luisa Rey, or neither be as 'outrageous' as the protesting hippies, but rather be too afraid to go against society, and end up no where, just like Isaac.
3. First of all, the readers find out more about Frobisher. Frobisher has died some time ago, and now, only Sixsmith lives, into his sixties, though he too, gets killed. Sixsmith's intimate feelings towards Frobsher is also revealed in this chapter: "He witnesses himself through Robert’s words searching Bruges for his unstable friend, first love, and if I’m honest, my last” (111). The readers are also able to see a seemingly important, yet mysterious connection between Frobisher and Luisa Rey on the comet shaped birthmark they both have on their shoulder.
4. Isaac goes through a moral dilemma of whether or not he would help Luisa or not with her inquiry of Sixsmith's report. In the end, he secretly hands Luisa the report, though she is killed soon after. I would like to do the same, because it is a righteous decision, but I'm not too sure if I would be able to, for I fear the company.
I am not really sure if it is fair to label big business as being power hungry and ruthless, but I believe that some of this is shown through the book. In the book itself I think that it is quite a good description. The corporations in the book, “have money, power, and influence” (Mitcell 123). The constantly aim to have a better reputation, or to gain money and power. In the book, the corporations really show how they dont want their reputation to be broken and their business to fail. To hide the truth they will even hurt people, and even kill them at times.
ReplyDeleteI actually cant envisage myself in any of the characters. I cannot imagine myself going against such powerful corporations to find the truth like Luisa Rey. And I also cant imagine myself going against the corporations like Sixsmith or Isaac. I would not want to imagine myself in danger of my life and neither do I want to be the one in the corporations trying to hide the truth. But if I was going to place myself in the status of the society I guess I will envisage myself in Luisa Rey`s position. Luisa Reys lives a “normal life”. Not quite normal in this situation, but she earns her money through the job she lives. Shes not really in a higher rank but is in the middle range.
I really felt like the novel became more interesting because I was able to find more connections in the story. First of all in this section of the book, we get to learn more about Frobisher. Readers get a hint from the author about how Luisa Rey and Frobisher might have some sort of connections. We know this since they have the same birthmark that is “shaped like a comet” (Mitchell 122). Another connection we find is that the section refers to Frobisher`s letters that are sent to Sixsmith. We can see that these letters contain important facts or play an important role in the story.
One of the moral dilemmas I found was when Isaac canot choose whether or not to tell the truth to Luisa Rey. This I believe is similar to how Sixsmith felt. Isaac too, I believe, does the right thing by secretly leaving the report in the car and giving it to Luisa Rey. I do not know if I would have done the same thing as Isaac, but yes, I do wish it is something that I would do. It is morally correct to do so, and I would want to believe that I would, even if it meant my life was in danger, tell the truth. But I still feel like, Isaac is somewhat trying to use Luisa Rey to show the truth. If he really had the courage to do so I think it would have been best if he reported the truth by himself.
I do not think this chapter’s representation of big businesses was a fair one. Sure, there is corruption and arrogance in places often related to money and power, but there are huge businesses that are not totally like the businesses we see in the book. In the earthquake we had recently in Japan, it was the huge companies and businesses that donated a lot of money to the people who lost houses etc. We often consider huge companies to be obsessed with power and money, but often times, we are wrong. There can be the ruthless business, but there are also the good helpful businesses also.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to envisage myself in one of the aspects of society, I think I would be a commoner working under the big businesses. Just an ordinary person stamping papers etc would probably suit me the best. Standing up to the authorities is cool and I probably would really admire Sixsmith and Luisa Rey, but I think I am much of a coward to do so. I would probably be one of the guys who would stay ignorant just to avoid complications. If possible I would probably help Sixsmith and Luisa, but not too deeply.
In the chapter we have just read, we find out that the new story includes Rufus Sixsmith, the friend and lover of Frobisher, who was our main character from the chapter before. We find out that Frobisher died young and Sixsmith treasures the letters Frobisher wrote to him when he was at Ayr’s house. Later when Sixsmith is murdered, Luisa Rey gets hold of his letters and she finds an astounding similarity between her and Frobisher. They have the same shaped birthmark on the same place. Luisa Rey also seems to hold real interest in Frobisher and she even tries to get hold of the music written by him.
There a quite a few moral dilemmas in this chapter. Joe Napier seems to have had a close connection to Luisa’s father, but he battle’s within himself whether he should take her side or stay with Grimaldi. I have a feeling he owes Lester Ray something or he was a REALLY close friend. Besides him, I think Sixsmith also faced a moral dilemma whether he should involve Luisa into the whole thing.
Zen Sugino
1. It would totally depends on what is the big business up to. In this book, well, I don't think they represents any fairness. It is hard to say because there could be million cases of how big business uses their power. Many people think they have done bad things to become powerful with money but there are also many cases that have helped the world and became powerful.
ReplyDelete2. First of all, I want to say how I am impressed about Ruisa and Rufus for risking their lives to tell the world the truth. To be honest, I am not really sure if I would do the same thing. So if I envisage myself in this case... I would have done the same thing as Rufus and Ruisa did. Because firstly, I do not like big business with power doing whatever they want. Secondly, I like thrill.
3. Now I feel like I kind of can see this puzzle pieces coming together. And also impressed about author's ability to do this. It is all coming together, how Rufus died and Ruisa now found out the existence of Frobisher. Going deeper and deeper.
4. From my opinion the biggest dilemma in this chapter is Ruisa's decision to detecting the truth of Rufus' death and secret of Seaboard. Because either she decides to find out, it is also risking her life and not to find out will also bother her for life specially when she is a young reporter.
1. This depiction of big business being power hungry and ruthless in this chapter was not fair. As one story, having the antagonist being an important company and the protagonist going against it make the story interesting. There are corruptions and unfairness within the big business that are not public, however, there are still positive views about those companies which are the parts that we, as citizens know the most.
ReplyDelete2. I really admire the position where Sixsmith and Luisa are. They are fighting for what they believe is right and that should be respected. Yet, in an other way, it's scary because they finally get killed and the truth is whitewashed. Although, it is a very hard position, I would really want to solve the problem and tell the public and also have some exciting moments in my life.
3. The letters from Frobisher are one element of connections. It is very interesting how some of the connections apparent in the three chapters are all some kind of written pieces (letters, journal) which were written by the precedent protagonist. However, in this chapter the story is told in third person perspective; so I am curious how it will be connected in the next chapter.
4. Isaac Sachs fights within himself whether is he should help Luisa Rey who is curious about Sixsmith's secret. In the end, he gives her the report indirectly which is probably the right decision though Luisa is "killed" after. I think I would do the same thing because if I went to talk to her directly, it would put in danger both our lives and also not letting her know is not going to help things because she will probably find it out in some other way.