Put Your Shades Away...The Future Isn't Looking Too Bright!

A.C. Ward is one of many scholars who have taken an interest in the similarities and differences in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984 in his essay, "Conclusion: The Two Futures: A.F. 632 and 1984". These dystopian novels have been referred to as "the same" to the untrained thinker and evaluator. ( I can’t tell you how many other students will ask me “why do we have to read these two books, they are exactly the same?”) Ward attempts to validate these people's assumption as well as provide logical information to show that each book reflects a different future based in the same warnings and principle. It is obvious that each book was written with a message in mind, a warning to the future when the present was in disarray with the world at war and the threat of relentless dictators coming to power. The message was, in simplest terms: make changes, avoid corruption and do not let this become your future, detect the warning signs and save yourselves from this tragic fate (whether it is Big Brother or World State). Although the warning is the same, the context in which each future is prophesied is quite different as Ward compares and contrasts the two eye-opening novels in his essay.

A crucial difference presented in the governments of each unfortunate future is the controlling and oppressing power of Big Brother in comparison to the very structured caste system of World State. In Brave New World the people are so well conditioned that no violent force is needed, the government simply overlooks the people who instinctively know what to do from birth, they are not stripped of power and oppressed because they never knew such opportunities. Huxley refers to Orwell's future as "simply not efficient and, all other things being equal, efficiency leads to stability as inefficiency leads away from it" (119) (Of course, Huxley himself states that he did not have the aid of writing his novel after seeing the power a dictator could gain such as that of Hitler). Clearly we can see from history, as well as current day governments, that dictatorships can survive and gain a frightening amount of power. However Huxley did not argue their power, but their efficiency and stability. The well structure future presented in Brave New World ran like clock work, there was not a person out of place and everyone did their job, supported their caste, and ultimately this balance created a state of extreme stability. There was no real progress, except in the increase of the number of people decanted, but everyone served their predestined purpose, nothing was out of line (until the Savage came and briefly through their world out of balance, but ultimately it did not last). Then one looks at the future provided in 1984 and basically the whole world ran on fear: fear that your children are spying on you, fear of committing thought crime even in your dreams, and the fear of the unknown secrecy of the government. All of these concerns and worries must be buried deep inside the individual until they soon become mindless workers who train themselves to believe everything they hear, no matter how many times the truth changes. Doublespeak in itself produced inefficiency and instability as the meanings are not literal often not clear. The government in 1984 works, this comes as no surprise as we currently see that China, North Korea, and Cuba all exist under a dictator. These countries are not as extreme as Big Brother, but they show the possibility for such a future to occur. The threat of oppression is powerful, but it does not produce the stability that World State has created removing the instinct to rebel, they are conditioned from birth and know nothing else outside of what they are taught. On the other hand, in an Orwellian future, by removing freedom and crushing the people it provokes the rebellious free thinker (who clings to the past they refuse to forget) to fight for the freedom they know can once again exist.

Huxley then goes on to argue the point that pleasure leads to stability, which he find to be key in the realistic possibility of his depiction of the future, rather than a future control solely by terror as Orwell has depicted. "...the lust for power can be equally well satisfied by inflicting a humiliating pleasure rather than a humiliating pain; and the power of pleasure has the advantage of being more stabilizing" (120). In the simplest terms, people naturally are more responsive to something they feel is enjoyable rather than something that hurts them, but both can be manipulated as powerful tools. The people of World State believe they are happy because they know nothing outside of the world set up for them. They feel as though they have free will because "everyone belongs to everyone", they can take a soma holiday, and play numerous leisure sports such as obstacle golf. They are conditioned to feel this way and believe that they are doing as they please. In Orwell's portrayal of the future there is torture, the threat of being monitored at all times, and the constant state of "war" to unite the people and make them dependent on their government and Big Brother. There is no escape from Big Brother, if one commits a crime they will be re-educated and eventually vaporized, there is no acceptance of the free thinker’s beliefs, no island where they can be an individual and work peacefully with colleagues. There is no exception to Big Brother; the government seeks corruption of every individual, body and mind. This is clearly a much more difficult task than simply conditioning the individual from birth and thus seems impossible to accomplish. There will always be someone to catch, because there will always be that one individual, if not numerous individuals, who will not take kindly to a restriction of their freedom and try to change world order.

On the other hand, as Ward points out, it is ironic that any remote similarities between the two books are reversed parallels of each other. World State has removed the past entirely, annihilating its very existence and conditioning the people to ignore this matter and stay away from any reading material that may otherwise provoke thought and questions. In Orwell's world, books are available to anyone who wishes to read them, however they are all published under the control of the government and change everyday so that Big Brother is always right. Both worlds are similar because they remove any trace of the actual past from the world and they both succeed because of their certain degrees of conditioning, one from birth and one by force. While Huxley's world seems more organized, both futures seem to progress in the same direction and eventually Big Brother would achieve the same level of conditioning as Brave New World if O'Brien's plan came to fruition "...to produce ...a 'new man', a man almost as new as the genetically engineered and scientifically conditioned new man in Huxley's novel" (124). The comparison between Mond and O'Brien is also chilling as both seem to be reasonable down-to-earth individuals with a curious interest in the rebel at hand. However, the worlds that separates these characters shows their ultimate difference as Mond recites Shakespeare with John, O'Brien shocks and beats Winston. The pleasure and peacefulness of one corrupt world over the violent terror and fear of another are what divide the two character's similarities. Both conduct experiments, Mond uses John to see how he can adapt and survive in a world unlike his own and O'Brien breaks Winston's spirit by physical torture rather than the emotional destruction that leads John to suicide. In a way both men are responsible for death, although Winston survived, his life is useless and pointless, when his spirit and his lust for rebellion died the Winston Smith we followed through the novel died as well.

It is more than evident that Ward finds Huxley's prediction more realistic than Orwell's and uses Huxley's own words to support his argument. However, on a much larger scale, it does not matter which book seems more realistic, or which one evokes the most fear in the reader. Both authors strived to show society what the world was slowly becoming. They did not pull this idea out of thin air; they were motivated by the state of the world and were compelled to warn everyone of the future that would become reality without change. Today we can see that these warnings are not to far off the mark as each day technology improves, the state of war keeps the country united in fear toward foreigners, and privacy is becoming less and less existent because the government feels it has the rights to intervene for our safety. We can now see the warning signs all around us, Huxley and Orwell have done their job, it is up to us to listen. Both scenarios are different yet possible, there is something to be said when none of the potential heroes "save the day" as we expect (these are clearly not written by the Disney Corporation). This is no simple matter; if the strongest willed individuals cannot make a difference then action must be taken now to avoid either dystopian fate.

Works Cited:

Conclusion: The Two Futures: A.F. 632 and 1984

Fund the Arts...or Fear my Wrath!

It is no secret that I am a passionate supporter of the Arts, especially music. Unfortunately, we live in a world that does not always agree with my belief that art, theater, and music are crucial to a have a well rounded and cultural school which embraces the passions of all the students. With a school's pressure to raise test scores and being forced to meet that standards enforced by the No Child Left Behind Act the Arts programs are slowly diminishing, if not being wiped out completely, in some severe cases. The belief supporting the funding of the arts is one which I am deeply committed, not simply because of my past and present, as I am currently involved in many of the arts programs, but on another level, the idea of keeping the arts in flourish is one that affects my future as well. I would fight relentlessly to keep music and art alive in schools as a student and later as a teacher.

If test scores are down, punishing the children is not going to motivate them to learn their academic subjects because there is no longer that rewarding class that makes school worth getting up for each morning. I say lets teach to the student's passion and interest, not just to the test that teachers are forced to build their curriculum around, trapping their expression and the desires of the students. How can one put a price on someone's passion? Just because there is no state test for the subjects can we simply push them under the rug? As a student, my family and I are members of VH1's Save the Music Foundation where we donate money so that hopefully this threat will never become an unchangeable and permanent reality. Even more so, if for any reason the funding was cut for our arts programs I would take drastic measures of protest and rallying to make my voice heard. I would put my reputation on the line and give my all to the cause, because without music, I have no future.

Hopefully, one day I will be a music teacher, giving private lessons or directing a band on a high school or college level. I need to make sure that when my time comes to go into the real world and pass on my knowledge of music, there is a job out there waiting for me. Luckily there are so many programs owned by commercial companies and even government funding that is stepping up to keep such programs in motion. The arts are not simply facts to memorize and equations to solve; they are an interpretation of emotion driven by our culture. The belief that music and art are essential to all school systems is one of strength and action. I know far too many talented people who have blossomed through the support and encouragement of the arts department. In our graduating class alone there are talented artists, fashion designers, musicians, photographers, dancers, actors, and vocalists who would never have known the talent they possessed without taking classes in school that supplied them with the opportunities to explore all their potential to uncover a hidden talent. Now, in a school where such opportunities never exist, children are deprived of exploring all possible careers paths and for those that have them taken away, those who were considering such a career path can no longer compete with the rest of the world that has continued to grow around them.

The arts are not only crucial to be pursued as a profession for students, but also consider the emotional outlet and how important that can in a student's life, regardless of their talents. Very few students rush into math class and breathe a sigh of relief because solving the equation calms them and they can unleash all their pent up emotions (well not everyone, though I can think of a few sad individuals who shall remain nameless). However, think of a time when you perhaps played an instrument for fun or drew some doodles after a test, it can be a very relaxing or emotional experience that is enjoyable and a change from the high stress competitive atmosphere of the academic portion of school. Art class is a place to unleash one's creativity, not to make everything precise, although some do. The teachers are not there to criticize your technique, but guide and encourage your inspiration. Of course every class has some form of structure, to play music one must know the fundamentals of scales, but it’s what one does with those fundamentals that allows for the creativity to be unleashed. Whether an individual is a musical virtuoso or a prodigy painter, that is not always the importance of such programs, the emotional aspect of the arts can relieve the anxiety of the day and perhaps even improve test scores as student feel more comfortable in a school setting.

The merits of keeping the arts alive in school go well beyond the idea of simply being fair and looking as if the school is diverse and embraces culture. Those elements are crucial, but the benefits that it can have on the students are even more important. In my life there is no cause more worthy of my attention than that of keeping the arts alive so that when my time comes I can take my place among the elite to pass on my passion and knowledge to a new generation that can go to school each day not only to learn, but to feel and grow on another level beyond information but emotion. The smooth stroke of the paintbrush and the flow of a simple melody can go along way and reach the youth of each generation on a personal level and gives them an outlet to express who they are whether they pursue this professionally of simply just for enjoyment, the important thing is they option is available to all students so they can make that decision with a well rounded background of all the world has to offer.

Designer shoes, purses....babies????

As the years progress, technology becomes more and more advanced and now scientists are on the brink of some very controversial discoveries and advancements. Genetic engineering has become a very real possibility as scientists state that embryos will not simply be examined for disorders and illness, but soon they will also be able to alter the physical appearance and even the abilities of the individual. If society allows this technology, people will not simply be having children, but designing them by selecting preferable features as if they were purchasing a car. Although the elimination of disease and the creation of the ideal person seem flawless in theory, the consequences will over power the short-term logic and will lead the world to an unnatural fate. Many issues arise from the proposal of such technology, not only morally but also logically when considering how this severe change would impact the world, not simply for a day or even a year, but for the entire existence of humanity.

The idea of preventing serious diseases from ever existing sounds very impressive and beneficial in today's society. However, what's convenient for today can upset the balance of the world years later. If technology creates a world where illness is wiped out, then people will live longer. This sounds wonderful, but along with this longevity comes the idea that it will completely throw off the population. The world would become overcrowded and jobs would be difficult to find with an overflow of people who are all equally qualified because of their "design" and the way they were engineered. If scientists become capable of going beyond just curing disease, then they will proceed to create the ultimate human. Parent's will start by desiring a healthy baby, but soon they will want a baby with blue eyes, with athletic ability, and a high IQ. Is this what we truly want, deciding an individual's fate? Free will is one of the greatest gifts and individual can possess. It is truly a beautiful idea that a person can come from any background and with effort and a strive for success they can overcome their obstacles and achieve anything in life because there is no fate, only a winding path that the individual chooses for themselves. If everyone's perfect and the same and their future is decided for them, it eliminates competition and ultimately it will destroy progress as we know it. Without progress there is no drive to accomplish a goal or do the impossible. Ignorance becomes bliss because no one is aware of what they are missing, they only live and act as they were designed to act and ultimately destroy both the family identity and the personal identity.

Morally, one must consider the question of, how can we give another human being the power to change the genetic make up of an embryo to produce a race of "perfect' individuals? Just because we may have the technology to alter life as we know it, doesn't mean it is automatically the best solution. As Nancy Gibbs stated in Time magazine "Science has given us childbirth miracles. Now we need laws to create some boundaries." Who gives a scientist the right to play God, whether one is religious or not there is a certain level of natural balance in the world that would be upset significantly by this uncommon grant of power. On top of the morality of the situation, financially the whole execution of designing a baby could divide the classes even further. The cost of such technology cannot be cheap, if only the wealthy can afford to design the perfect child, then it creates an even more difficult environment for the poor to struggle to survive in. Any naturally created person would not be able to succeed in life when others around them have not only the money, but the design for success because the possibility for failure was eliminated from their genetics at birth. On the other hand, if the government stepped in to provide funding so that everyone could create the ideal baby, well, isn't it obvious. That possibility is no better than the division of classes because it will lead to a Brave New World where an individual's whole life is regulated and personal freedom is non-existent because they are conditioned and designed for only one purpose that they do not question.

Any individual who is unsure of the weight between the benefits and the consequences of genetic engineering need only to skim Brave New World to get a glimpse of what they can look forward to if the decide they want their baby to be modeled in perfection. A fiction novel, yes, but we live in a world that all ready heavily depends on image and success that this future does not seem too outrageous if parents are willing to remove the individual personality of their baby so that they will be more satisfied with their child's undecided future. It doesn't matter if a they baby is created by the government as in the novel or if the parents choose the baby's fate, it still has the same conclusion, a frightening world that never progresses, it only works to exist and stay they consistent. However, the most frightening part of all is that the individuals think they are happy becuase they did not do this to themselves, they no nothing else and think this horribly pointless cycles of existence is bliss.

Most everyone has experienced the pain and suffering that come from disease, to see a loved one stricken ill and helpless and one can't help but impulsively support the idea to eliminate such pain for future generations. However, we must take a step back from the emotional attachment and think of the chain reaction this will lead to which is ultimately the destruction of free will. Humankind cannot be trusted with this kind of power, no human has the right to play God. It is far too dangerous for science to interfere with the balance of nature as there are too many long term risks that negate the few immediate benefits that could come from genetic engineering.

Works Cited

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006.

Gibbs, Nancy. "Wanted: Someone to Play God." TIME 3 Mar. 2008: 68.

The "perfect" person, oh what a world!

Give Thanks....

Sorry I waited so long; I was waiting for most of Thanksgiving to be over to inspire my thankfulness. I figure that nothing can bring out some good ideas more than a holiday and lots of brain food. LOTS! Of course there are the simple things I take for granted that I am so thankful for but considering the circumstances of the past few months, something particular sticks out. There are people that have come and gone from my life that have given me so much inspiration and hope that they deserve my attention and thanks most of all. This fall I have lost both my private saxophone teacher, Mr. Felsen and my uncle, Robert Cupo. Although this has been extremely hard for me when I look back at what they both have done for me I am so thankful they were involved in my life for as long as they were. Mr. Felsen was my band director in middle school; he basically guided me from sixth grade to my junior year. I remember in sixth grade, it was the first time I would have to audition for a chair in the band and I was scared out of my mind. I went into Mr. Felsen’s office and started to play the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and as I approached the chorus of the song Mr. Felsen started signing along, and I ended up with first chair. He made me so comfortable with playing and he was the one who instilled the passion for music that I still live for today. He started a jazz band when I was in eighth grade just for me and made sure I was the first one to sign up when he posted the sheet. He also sold me my most prized possession, a Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone. It is beautiful and it personally belonged to him, he sold me this amazing saxophone for significantly less than its real value. I can’t even express the sacrifices he made for me. After I graduated middle school he allowed me to be assistant director of the jazz band and I started taking private lessons with him on the side. I never met a more encouraging person. Even in his final days, I would bring him gifts and send him cards when he was in the hospital and he would pretend he was doing much better so I wouldn’t worry. He was one on the strongest men I have ever met who fought to the end and would do anything for me and my pursuits. He worked with me and helped me achieve my goals and his sense of humor was so inspiring. I will never forget one of the most important things he ever said to me “I will gladly pay you Tuesday, for a hamburger today.” We had a lot of inside jokes; I was the only one who seemed to get his references. He was truly a class act who loved what he did and never gave up on me. He had no doubt I would succeed in life and now everything I do in the music world, I do for Mr. Felsen, I won’t let him down. In this world I feel like few people really believe in me, he made sure I knew he had faith in me and I couldn’t be more thankful for the time we shared, I only wish I could have had a little more.

My Uncle Bob is another person I wish I could have more time with because he was a truly compassionate uncle who cared so much about me and my sister while my other uncles never seemed interested. We never saw him often after my grandma died because of family issues with my aunt but that’s not really important right now. Anyway we saw him maybe a few times a year, but he always called us at least twice a month just to talk. He never called to just talk to my dad, even when we weren’t home and he left a message it would be “Hi John, Jill, Sandy, and Stephie” Yeah, my family calls my Stephie, every single one of them! We mattered to my uncle. We I got on the phone he would ask me about everything: band, driving, girl scouts, vacation, summer homework, projects, etc… He would tell me stories about when he was a kid and about my dad. We would talk about anything and everything and if I ever seemed negative or unsure, like when I was going for my license, he was always there to tell a funny story and encourage me. Then when we would start to wrap things up on the phone he would always makes sure, even if he called from work, to say “I love you” and not just with a mumbled “let-me-say-this-because-I–have-to” tone. I could always hear the emotion in the way he talked and it made me feel important when he was actually interested in my life. For his funeral I made a poster of all the pictures we took together since my sister was a baby and I realized that he, more than any of my other relatives, was always there for me. He wasn’t my god-father, but I always think he is because he went above and beyond the call of “uncle” to make me and Sandy happy no matter what age. He also believed in me and cared about me. He was the ideal uncle, he is not just that guy you say hi to and then never talk to because he’s too busy. He makes the time. I know this seems like a depressing topic and of course I miss both of them so much, but looking back on what they added to my life make me so thankful that I wish gifted enough to have them around. I haven’t been too cheerful in a while because I felt like my life was falling apart and I almost thought, I have nothing to be thankful for this year, but it all depends on how you look at a situation. Given the option, I’m glad I had Mr. Felsen and my Uncle Bob in my life for as long as they were, rather than not at all. I will always live my life thinking of them and trying to make them proud, their eternal faith in me is the ultimate gift that surely deserves me thanks! Thank you Uncle Bob and Mr. Felsen…..for everything!

Racism

Racism is the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races and the discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race. It is unfortunately part of our history and although the civil rights movement has ended, these feeling of hate, even if the individual fails to recognize it, are still existent in the world. Racism is presented in The Glass Castle from the perspective of a Southern setting in the 1960s. Racism is an ever growing issue that is fed by people such as Erma. Although this issue does not seem as relevant as those of poverty and alcoholism, it is important to understand how these unwarranted feeling of hatred toward the black race dominated some individuals lives while some could rise above the apparent differences to bond on an higher level. Obviously, we still have this division today.


Although Jeanette Walls was not coddled as a child or protected, her parents did instill some moral values that made her a better person than most upon their arrival in Welch, West Virginia. She, unlike the others, would help a person of any race and try to make friends with anyone who would accept her; she was one of the few who looked beyond appearance. When Dinitia invites her to go swimming with "us", meaning other black people, Jeanette feels like she's violating some unspoken code but goes along anyway. Dinitia tells her that the black people don't mind, it’s the white people who would have a problem with it as Jeanette finds out when the white clerk at the pool stares her down in shock. The pool was not segregated; the people segregated themselves to make their lives easier. With their own race, each group was more comfortable and avoided any form of confrontation. Each race lived their lives in fear of the other and would try to avoid impending problems. Although black people were only afraid because they knew the white people were afraid of them and would use any means necessary to keep themselves separated.


The most powerful proof of hatred this book can supply is the use of language. The raw uncensored vocabulary, even in front of children, that both Erma and Stanley use is full of anger and disrespect. They refer to the area of town were most black people live as "Niggerville" and that foul term is repeated to express their extreme abhorrence. Stanley refuses to let his friend drive Jeanette to that area of town for his reputation's sake. He would not want to be viewed as someone compassionate toward black people so he forced his young niece to walk there herself because she, even at such as young age, was a better person than he could ever hope to be. Yet even worse than Stanley's feelings are Erma's, the "poster woman" for white supremacy; she goes above and beyond to isolate herself from a world that allows the black race to exist. She does not leave her house for fifteen years. She keeps the blinds drawn as the black neighborhood creeps closer and closer to her house. She would sooner die than see or be seen by a black person. She blames them for everything and claims they are the reason for the downfall of the "once respectable" Welch area. She blames all her problems in life on the black community and we as readers are able to see the difference in opinion each family possesses based on their morals and the area from which they came.


In times like this when Martin Luther King Jr. was fighting for black equality and the response from the white community was full of hatred with KKK, it was surprising to see a little white girl not swayed by the violent feelings that surrounded her. She never lied to make her life easier, she never said no to going to pool because of what others might think, she knew the difference between right and wrong, and she let everyone know that. When Dinitia first asks "You think you're better than us?" (139) Jeanette replies "No...I think we're all equal" (139). When Erma offensively uses the "N" word over and over while lecturing Jeanette on the dangers of being a "nigger lover" Jeanette has the courage to tell her grandmother that she's not supposed use such offensive language. “Mom says they’re just like us...except they have different complexions.”(143). Jeanette's alone in the world of Welch and very few people believed her, listened to her, and took her seriously. There was so much unnecessary hatred in that town that all the citizens, of both races, just accepted. They each went their separate ways and tried to live normal lives along unspoken schedules to avoid each other. All that hard work to desegregate schools, bathrooms, water fountains, and all public areas had been done for nothing because white people still felt superior and the races still found way to separate themselves no matter what the law. Racism was and is a huge issue. Our government can establish as many laws and amendments as if deems necessary but racism will still exist because there are still Erma's in the world but hopefully there are more Jeanette’s that can break the chain.

Linda.......why not?

From the very first pages of the novel the plot seems to revolve around Vietnam, the idea of war, and the burdens each man must carry. Through these examples O’ Brien explores the craft of storytelling. Yet, when the novel reaches its end, the plot scenario seems to change to a little girl named Linda. At first glance, one can't help but think, "huh?” Then proceed to look at the cover to make sure it’s the same book and check that no chapters were skipped. So why throw her in? Why not? The point of the novel is not to be a factual assessment of war, rather an emotional journey in storytelling.

Linda would come into the novel, in the beginning, at various times, without any explanation as to her significance. It wasn't until O' Brien recounted Rat Kiley and the other men shaking hands with the corpse that Linda's story unraveled. Seeing death as something real, yet at the same time very distant spurred memories if Linda. She possibly came up because her death was also acknowledged by Tim at a young age. However, it never fully registered because he never allowed Linda's spirit to die. He says clearly that "...as a writer now, I want to save Linda's life. Not her body - her life" (O'Brien 236). This is how the stories all come together, his need to preserve Linda's life parallels his feeling about the men he lost in Vietnam. Linda then fits in perfectly, to save her life she does not have to be a soldier. She is an important life to Tim and worthy of remembrance to pass on to his readers and evoke real emotion, even though it is only a work of fiction.

In essence, Linda, to O' Brien, is just like Tim Lavender or Kiowa. She is a person, whose memory and story live on through Tim's “memories”, fact or fiction. Each person has a story, whether it be "story truth" or “happening truth”, they all made and equal impact on his memory to be worthy of his writing. At night he dreams of himself with Linda, but they are not alone; they are accompanied by Kiowa, Ted Lavender, and Curt Lemon. They are all there in his mind, equally important to keep alive in his eyes, and all a story to be told. This is Tim's way of preserving his life and the lives of those lost. Through the stories he tells, he allows the dead to live on.

I personally was one of the many who, at first, didn't quite get the flow of the story when Linda was thrown into the mix. Then, after a few class discussions and looking back at the book, I started to put the pieces together, at least in my mind. I could be totally off and people may easily disagree with me. I saw the quote O’Brien inserts about Linda’s life and thought is was crucial in understanding the purpose of her story in the novel. Its purpose is to save her life, to keep her alive in memory through the gift of storytelling (which we all know O'Brien has a true knack for because none of this could be true, but it's pretty convincing!) I know I could be completely inaccurate in my assessment of the purpose of Linda, but to me it makes sense and any other way I look at the situation it doesn't seem to fit. O' Brien has the liberty to write about what he wants, especially when it is a book of fiction, and the lives he chose to remember are those important to him and ones he feels deserve eternal life. Stories are how the memories of times and lives long forgotten can once again be brought to the spotlight and live on forever.