The arguments that Azar Nafisi made in this commentary are well presented and efficient. Azar used several methods of arguments to persuade us into understanding his point and then siding with him. Azar tried to get his point across that with empathy we can embark into other people's world and actually feel their pain or joy. The methods of arguments that Azar used were based on emotions and many others including character values. However, I felt that the argument of emotions came off the story stalwartly and made me fired up.
Emotions -
The arguments based on emotions that Azar used in this story were very gripping and clutched at my heart on occasions. "Huck remembers Jim and their friendship and warmth. He imagines Jim not as a slave but as a human being, and he decides that, "alright, then, I'll go to hell." (Lunsford, p. 909) After this statement, I was immediately hooked onto this story because of personal experiences that I had with hearing people just yesterday. A hearing player on my team made a great play on the opposing sidelines in front of the other team's players... One player screamed out, "Deaf people shouldn't be able to play football!" My teammate yelled back, "Oh yeah? Look at the scoreboard, (Bleep)!" Even though, he was hearing and shouldn't be offended by the statement that the opposing player made, he still had a lot of empathy. What I mean by that is that he was heavily in our world and in that moment, he felt like as if he was completely Deaf and felt our pain of discrimination. And just like Huck, the teammate was ready to go to war for us. Another argument that really motivated me to step up and do something now... "And it is at times like this when I ask myself, am I prepared - like Huck Finn - to give up Sunday school heaven for the kind of hell that Huck chose?" (Lunsford, p. 910) The author really presented a question in front of us saying that would we do the same thing for what we believed in even if the public didn't agree? I have to admit, most of us in that time wouldn't have the guts to do what Huck did for the former slave, Jim, because it had so many risks and pitfalls. Basically, through empathy, a weird power of self-righteousness is instilled in us and we could become like Huck to fight for what we believe is right in our hearts.
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I love your writing, it is intelligent. Also, the author is a woman not a man, just so you know.
ReplyDeletehaha, i love the football story :)
ReplyDeletebeautifully written :)
I love your writing too. I do agree with you that most of us are too afraid to risk with things like Huck did, ingoring the sunday school.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that our blogs are similar... great minds think alike ;)
ReplyDeleteI love your writing too :)
I love the football story. That's perfect example of using your personal experience to this story. What a great connection!
ReplyDeleteIf only everyone would just take a moment... leave themselves and feel others' pain.
ReplyDeleteThe world would be a grander place.
You said most of us don't have guts to do what Huck did. I think more people would do what Huck did than you think. Huck did it for his very close friend. You have seen what people did for their loved ones. Some went crazy to keep their loved ones. It would have been different if that slave had no relationship with Huck to begin with.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Kudos on your first win
I love your writing too :) It is nice to know who your friends are when people judge deaf people wrong. Congrats on your first win too
ReplyDeleteNafisi is a girl.......
ReplyDeleteOther than that mistake, your blog was wonderfully written. As a hearing girl in the center of Deaf culture here at Gallaudet, I face similar situations that your hearing teammate does. I obviously have no idea what it's like to be Deaf but I respect the culture and would protect it without question. The ignorant hearing part of the world will never understand me or you.
Lazy, every time you used the word stalwartly, it cracked me up. Other than that, what a vivid description of an illusion of a football game. Kudos to that.
ReplyDeleteJane, I have to say I am going to disagree with your comment. You can say it is common for people today to face their fears for their loved ones. But not during early nineteenth century where the society was very disputing. You can't compare the level of courage during the periods you never experience in. In Huck's shoes, nobody would rather to gamble his life for a slaved friend.