Ambition; The March of Folly
Jesus preaches that "Man does not live by bread alone." From Maslow's five tiered hierarchy of needs to the Freudian notion of unconscious motivation, man is naturally driven by many varying desires. Physiological needs are only the most basic, and represent only one step on the pyramid. Security, love, ego and finally self-actualization are all other significant human motivations. External influences also add another factor in determining man's motivation. Zora Neale Hurston wrote of the strong protagonist Janie Crawford and her quest for self-actualization and fulfillment. Mordecai Richler wrote of an incorrigibly ambitious, conniving, and sly protagonist Duddy Kravitz and his dreams of wealth and recognition. These two characters, although very different in their motives, are held back to different degrees by external influences that warp their wants and in the process impede their happiness. Bowing to external pressures and using others expectations to fuel one's motivation often come at an inordinately high cost. Generational differences encumber the success and satisfaction of the protagonists by altering their motivations and dreams in Zora Neale Hurston's novel of self discovery Their Eyes Were Watching God, and M
But whose gold is this I'm digging out? Living the dreams of our fathers impedes the chances of reaching feelings of fulfillment and actualization. Where and what are you fighting for, whose gold are you digging for, what are you trying to accomplish; these are all questions that arise when following someone else's ambitions and dreams. "I don't want to wake up/ Lost in the Dreams of our Fathers/ Oh, it's such a waste child/ To live and die for the Dreams of our Fathers." One can easily squander his existence relentlessly pursuing another person's goals. Blindly following in someone else's footsteps often offers the realization that happiness escapes those who remain blind to their own internal desires. Duddy took a quick look at Virgil's bank balance, whistled, noted his account number and ripped out two cheques. He forged the signature by holding the cheque and a letter Virgil had signed up to the window and tracing slowly. (Richler:296) This despicable act is the climax of Duddy's descent into total dissolution. Duddy has isolated himself and now faces his relegation from all those that he previously had loved and who had loved him back. Although this young protagonist is utterly loathsome, he somehow educes a certain sense of pity and tragedy. The tragic element is that Duddy is steered awry by pursuing his grandfathers life long dream at all cost. Following the advice of his grandfather as gospel proved to be Duddy's undoing and constituted his demise. The lesson learnt is that dreams rarely stand the test of time. Dreams and goals are not to be left for posterity as part of one's estate; rather, dreams, ambitions, desires, goals, these are all inwardly derived.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Duddy Kravitz, Despite Duddy, Dreams Fathers, Hurston14 Nanny, Killicks Ah, Kravitz Janie, Oh I'm, , Nanny Janie, Hurston23 Janie, duddy kravitz, dreams fathers, pear tree, slave mentality dreams, i'm choking, janie crawford, janie leaves, land surrounding, external influences, one's own, oh it's,
Approximate Word count = 1460
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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