After reading and discussing “The Paradox of the Need for Privacy and the Need for Understanding”, I wonder whether a perfect balance of privacy and understanding is ever possible. The article provides various instances of characters from the novel either achieving solely privacy or understanding, and struggling with this imbalance. Madden claims Copeland and Blount “try to subliminate their personal frustrations into public causes and their manner of fighting for these causes further intensifies their neuroses by alienating the very people they wish to convince; this increases their own loneliness, and the poison of narcissism festers in their spirits”.
Because characters such as Copeland and Blount are caught up in their desire for one “true purpose”, they fail to fulfill their need of understanding and compassion by others, in fear others will not understand. People find comfort in talking to Singer, because he does not respond, or disagree. By speaking to Singer, characters attempt to fulfill their need for human understanding, yet do not have to worry about possible rejection or alienation.
Madden proposes that individuals fighting for a cause to be understood are alienated, yet given unintentional privacy by pushing away others. People who conform to society are accepted, but are they truly understood if they change themselves to fit in? The article seems to display a pessimistic view regarding a balance between privacy and understanding, as the author believes it can not be attained.
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Nicole, i would push you on your assertion that people (at least in THiaLH) are "given unintentional privacy by pushing away others"--I'm not disagreeing with you but asking you to be more specific in what you mean by "pushing away others" and asking yourself who or what "gives" this unintentional privacy?
ReplyDeleteNicole your last point "People who conform to society are accepted, but are they truly understood if they change themselves to fit in" really made me think about our individual and society unit, especially Catcher in the Rye. What constitutes a GENUINE person and how does this genuine person reconcile the pressures of society with the ability to be an individual? More importantly, is this genuine person even possible? I feel as though society hinders one's success in becoming an individual and consequently makes it more difficult for people to be understood as they undergo a conformation.
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