Thursday, November 6, 2008

Crazy People Make Me Cry

This is a picture that I drew today in my notes for Brit Lit2. It is a fine representation of a terribly crazy woman. Unfortunately, this crazy person is also very opinionated, in a bad way. I find that about a quarter of my comments in that class consist of me telling her she is wrong.
Example A: Today in class we read a work by Matthew Arnold written shortly after Darwin published his book. You may not realize that Darwin's book was not revolutionary, it was what people had been discussing for years, he just put it into understandable terms for the rest of the public. The world was ablaze with the idea that science could replace religion.
Arnold argues that if religion becomes obsolete and ultimately fails mankind, we should not look to science to humanize us, but to poetry.

Crazy Woman: I can't believe this, after the first paragraph I was really offended and put off from reading the rest of the piece, because he suggests that religion can fail us.

Prof. Wonderful: Well, you need to remember that while Arnold held Christian values, he did not believe in Christ. Religion had, in a sense, failed him already and he turned instead to poetry.

Crazy Woman: Well, by reading and discussing this piece we are giving voice to a non-Christian and I don't feel comfortable reading an anti-religion piece at BYU, which is a religious institution. I think it's very inappropriate for you have us read this. In the scriptures it says that the people in the last days who don't believe in Christ will be able to speak well and with flattery. That's all this is. He's trying to lead us away, and we shouldn't be reading literature by authors who have different values than us.

is this a joke?
I know that we are at a religious institution, but forgive me if I want to read books besides The Teachings Of The Prophet Joseph Smith in a Literature Class!
Besides that, she obviously DID not read the piece since it stated that the idea of religion is important which is why we must find a substitute if it fails. I was in nowise persuaded to stop being mormon and instead be only a poet.
This is what I actually said.
Me: Just because he doesnt hold the same values as us doesn't mean that his works aren't worth studying. As an intelligent, and accepting community BYU shouldn't try to subdue the voices of everyone that is not Christian or Mormon.

She looked super mad, and tried to retort, but Prof. Ever-Wonderful ignored her and moved on.


Correct me if I'm wrong, but is that not one of the most bigoty things you've ever heard. Think for a moment of all the writers in the world who are not Christian, but have produced great works of literature.
Hm, the majority of the canon comes to mind.
GAH! She stresses me out every day. Why are you so Crazy Woman?

2 comments:

Katie said...

Becky, please, we all know that the only good work of literature ever is Twilight, which was clearly written by a mormon.

Polly said...

I'm not sure why you allow her to stress you out when there are so many other things more worthy of stress, like an Obama presidency! Just try to find joy in the insanity, that is what I do every day here at home.