The creators of our own freewill

“ I realized I had to free myself from the images which in the past had announced to me the things I sought: only then would I succeed in understanding…”(pg 48)

This passage taken from Italo Calvino’s novel Invisible Cities is one of the very few passages that summarize the main idea that is being communicated to the reader throughout the novel. In my opinion, this idea consists that life is about perspectives. Everything around us is viewed differently because we are individuals, we are the creators of our own theories and at times we might say that the problem with the world is that we are not able to completely accept and understand the opinions of others which is due to the one factor that makes us blind to all other perspectives, our own. This is the reason why when Marco Polo suggests in this passage that should free ourselves from the images of the past to fully comprehend what is happening around us. That is forgetting about our perspective, as in completely clearly our mind, and allowing other ideas flow efficiently through our minds. But, as I will explain further on, this idea on perspectives not only does it appear in the novel but it also applies to our day-to-day life and especially in the virtual drama, Façade.

In fact, this very idea could be also related to the reason why the novel is titled the way it is. The cities described by Marco Polo in the novel are in reality completely invisible to the Great Khan because there exists the possibility that if Kublai Khan were to actually visit these same cities, he would view them differently and therefore making Marco Polo’s cities invisible to him. In fact, this rule applies to everyday life. What one may see will always be invisible to the other person; the only thing visible to you is your perspective and opinion on the subject, you will never be able to fully comprehend the other person’s opinion because again you will always compare it to your own and therefore making yourself invisible to others and vice versa. Again, I will mention the passage from which this essay started with, the only solution to our troubles is that of getting rid of our own thoughts in order to take one step into the future. But this is not possible because we only see what we want to see. “…That those who strive in camps and ports exist only because we two think of them, here, enclosed among these bamboo hedges, motionless since time began.”(Pg 117) This is the point in the novel where this of ‘seeing is believing’ idea comes up. It is where Khan actually decides to begin describing the cities he has imagined in his dreams to Marco Polo with the hope that these exist. But as Marco Polo later reveals in the book, every city that Khan dreams of does exist because if he is able to imagine them then they exist. In other words, whatever it is one person may want to see is what they will actually see. We are also able to relate this to the game, Façade. After various attempts with various outcomes of the ending of the game, I realized that there existed a certain pattern. That the game revolved mainly about solving a couple’s marital issues, but this was not possible because each one had a different perspective on the issue. I, myself did not achieve in the couple’s finding a reasonable solution therefore I am not sure that this is possible, but based on my experience with the game, my character could have said many things and could have taken sides with the couple, but in the end there was no understanding whatsoever. So we may say that, what one individual in the game saw was completely invisible to the other and therefore creating a great barrier between them and the solution to their problem.

So not only does this theory apply to both the novel and the game but it can also be related to the one subject that we have seen throughout the course. That is, free will. We had various discussions on freewill vs. predestination, and in my opinion the simple fact that life is based on perspectives and the barriers that these create, in the end freewill prevails over predestination. Because it is our decision whether we let go of our perspectives and make ourselves invisible to others or not, it is our own freewill that controls us.

Another point I would like to make would be that of the cycle of life. To me the book communicated the great importance of all the elements that make up our life, whether they are bad or good, sad or happy, they are what make life unique and beautiful. What would life be if there were no ups and downs? This is what Marco Polo begins to explain to Kublai Khan. In fact, most of these cities contain specific elements such as memories, desires, death, etc. There were passages in the book to which I could relate to my life, emotions that cities made me feel and I realized that some of these were phases that each and every one of us would have gone through. For example, take the city of Adelma where “..you reach a moment in life when among the people you have known, the dead outnumber the living. And the mind refuses to accept more faces, more expressions: on every new face you encounter, it prints the old forms, for each one it finds the most suitable mask.”(pg 95)To me, this description of the city made me think about the moment in life where we let the fear of death overcome our minds, we begin to think of what lies ahead of us and sometimes some of us let that fear overcome the desire to live. There is also the city of Eusapia where “ No city is more inclined than Eusapia to enjoy life and flee care.” (pg 109) This reminds me of when we begin to enjoy life more freely, we believe there are no limits to our actions and live out those moments that truly matter. Therefore the idea of all these different emotions making life at it is can be reinforced with the fact that Marco Polo reveals to Kublai Khan that the city he has been speaking of the whole time has been Venice. As if to say, our analogy could be stated as this: Venice being life is made up by different cities, which can be emotions and faces that we experience in our lifetime. Without these, Venice or life, cannot be what it actually is.

But as always in life, the one common goal that we as humans seek out is that of happiness. Which we can find both in the book and in the game. In the game for example, the couple seeks a solution to the problem, and of course the best solution should contain the happiness for both individuals. In the novel, we also find the pursuit of happiness from both Marco Polo and Kublai Khan. Marco Polo seeks to find a city where he will feel the need to explore no more and Khan seeks to find a solution to his kingdom expanding which would bring him great happiness.

When talking about how perspectives influence your life a very important question comes up: Will you let your perspective control you and create barriers? Or will you rid yourself of this? How will you do such a thing? And finally is a person capable of having freewill without it controlling you?

The danger of stepping outiside your house...

The time has come to step out of the house.

Where shall we go?

How about we take a cab...

The moment has come to step into that outside and unknown world. Once you step of the curb, that's it. Your on your own...

But wait?!

Didn't they teach you to look both ways?

Especially in Bogota where people drive so careless...

Oh no. Not only were you left to agonize on the side of the road. But it was a 'hit and run' situation. 

And observe how instead of people stopping to help you. They help themselves at your expense. There goes your iphone. 

People just drive by. No worries. Only a man lying on the side of the road. Very normal...

Finally someone with some heart. She is in complete shock by the severeness of your wounds. 

And who are the only ones that can help?

Sadly they were to busy giving out parking permits. If there were a next time, I would tell you to be more careful when you decide to step outside your house. 

Superiority?

In chapter five and six of Gulliver's Travels we are introduced to the laws and culture of the Lilliputians. But the climax of both chapters does not revolve around these, instead it revolves around the fire incident in the emperor palace which is solved by the act of Gulliver urinating on the fire and therefore putting it out.

Even though this is a heroic act and without it, the consequences could have been worse, it also shows superiority. Throughout the past chapters we have seen that Gulliver respects the emperor and is very grateful when he is granted his freedom. Also the only thing that Gulliver wishes to do is gain the emperors trust. But the way he put out the fire shows to the Lilliputians that in the end the 'giant man mountain' has and will always have superiority. So obviously the emperor feels threatened because it demonstrates to the kingdom his weakness, and as a leader he must not allow this to happen. 

Freedom: Is not all about chains...

In chapter three and four of Gulliver's Travels I found it very interesting how he describes the Yahoos better along with their various rituals. We can now tell that there exists more confidence between Gulliver and the kingdom since there is more interaction between the two. 

But even though Gulliver is given everything he needs, he is not given the one thing that he really wants. That is, his liberty. Everyone searches liberty one way or another. Liberty includes everything from expressing your ideas freely without any consequences or having the liberty to decide what to do in the day. But even though we have the privilege to experience freedom, some of us are not aware that there are a lot of people that are denied their freedom. How can a person live a happy and long life when they are denied their freedom?

The answer to this question does not exist. There is no way that a person can live a happy life when their freedom is denied. At freedom does not necessarily have to mean that their chains are taken off nor that they are let of of jail, but freedom is about accepting people they way they are. Without judging. And most of all, tolerance must be shown. In fact one of my favorite quotes explain freedom the best way possible:

"To be free is not merely to cast of one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others"

-Nelson Mandela

Gulliver in movies

As I read the first chapter of Gulliver’s Travels, the only image that came to my mind was that of the movie Castaway. Just as Gulliver, the protagonist in the movie is a victim of a terrible accident and is then swished upon the shore. Although he does not encounter any human life on the island and much less has any encounters with people such as the Yahoos he does have to survive alone for four years. 

I also found it quite interesting that most of the descriptions and plot of the book reminds me of various movies that I’ve watched and TV series. So then it occurred to me that if this book were made into a movie it would be a hit.

Even though it does not use direct humor, as a reader I find it quite amusing the image of a human being tied down by several ropes and little people walking all over him. I can’t help but think of what the Yahoo’s think of him. 

In the second chapter, as Gulliver has various encounters with the emperor , who then decides to search him and strip him of all his belongings. Since the only thing that Gulliver wants is to have his liberty, the first step to this is gaining the emperors trust. This is the reason why he lets the emperor take all his belongings, including the ones that could help him if he were to need them as defense weapons. 

I also want to point out that the emperor is depicted as a very smart man. He thinks of every possiblitly that Gulliver can cause upon the kingdom. And he makes decisions which are very wise and benefit both his kingdom and Gulliver. 

Visuals are key

I found most groups did a very good job in terms of acting, memorizing their lines, and completing the scene as it is in the book. Although there were some scenes that were much clearer than others, for the most part I was able to understand what was going on in most of them.

The only thing I found fairly confusing was the fact that we made a huge fuss about what time period to choose in Colombia that could be related to the scene but in the end almost every single one of the groups used the same time period. As if to say, we all dressed the same and at times we could have simply dressed up, chosen the time period and saved ourselves a lot of energy that we wasted on choosing the EXACT moment in time that could be related. 

But for the most part, I found it a very fun exercise. We all had fun dressing up and acting out our scenes. I believe that it made us also understand certain scenes better. Because you may be a good reader but sometimes visuals are key in understanding something. 

Company CEO's Vs. 'Young People'

Whether an article is written in a formal or informal voice, whether it's written for The New York Times or Vogue, and whether it is supposed to appeal to a certain group of people, one thing is for sure, that all published articles are created to state a point. 

So when it comes to comparing these three articles, one thing is for sure, although the message might be different and the way it is given, they all give their ideas across effectively in their own fashion. 

In "The Cost Conundrum" piece, the author uses a more serious tone by giving it elaborated and sophisticated words. The way the ideas are developed, the reader can tell that the author automatically assumes that the reader must have basic knowledge on both medical terms and financial factors. This is the reason why we can tell that the way an article is written also depends on the audience it is intended for. This is obviously a newspaper in which articles should be written in a formal and respectful tone and the subjects that are talked about are ones that have a lot to do with politics and the economy. 

Even though the article "Heeeere's...Conan!" is also published in a well known newspaper whose articles are usually of a serious tone, this is completely the opposite of what articles are usually expected to be in this newspaper. It uses more of a relaxed tone and at times slang language. Also the subject that is being talked about has nothing whatsoever to do with economy or politics, it talks about the entertainment business. But even though it is more relaxed than the previous article it still does not completely meet the expectations for a ultimate serious toned article.

Finally, the last article talks about a graffiti artist, along with a background of his life and what he thinks about what he does. This is a perfect example of a very laid back, opinionated article. It uses a lot of slang language and the subject appeals only to a certain type of group of people. As if to say, company CEO's wouldn't be completely captured by the article while people of our age would have a bigger impact. 

So even though the audiences the articles are intended for are different, the language used in terms of word selection is also different and the subjects are complete opposites, the one thing that they definitely have in common is the technique. They all use the fact that they articles are written using 'experience'. The subject they describe is based on the experience the author has had with the subject.