In Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris, the topic of "otherness" was often discussed. For the most part throughout the novel, otherness was seen as a negative thing, especially when looking at Quasimodo. In recent news relating to "otherness", the article "Full-face transplant recipient marries woman he met in burn support group" (http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/30/17533222-full-face-transplant-recipient-marries-woman-he-met-in-burn-support-group?lite). This article puts the issue of being different into a positive category.
In the United States, otherness when looking at an individuals looks is not as large of an issue as Hugo makes it in his novel, we are more accepting. Dallas Wiens was injured in a construction accident in 2008 after coming into contact with a high-voltage power line. His now wife, Jamie Nash, was severely burned on her hands, back, and legs after being trapped in her care that erupted in flames. These two individuals met at the hospital where they were both being treated. Nash said that "I just looked at him across the room, and there was something about him." To these individuals, looks were not a big issue, or the idea of otherness. Although the article did not really talk about it, Wiens received a full face transplant. This reduced his "otherness" factor. Reading this article has given me some hope in humanity that looks and being different are not an issue.
Monday, April 22, 2013
World News on Feminism
As I am currently reading The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi, the topic of feminism has come up throughout the novel. There are many things happening in the world today relating to feminism, one being protests over the rape of a five-year-old girl in India. Here is where you can find the article, "Indian PM Manmohan Singh: women's status and safety a growing concern," to read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/21/indian-pm-singh-women-status-safety. Although this isn't quite the same level of feminism going on in Enchi's book, I still found it rather interesting.
So the prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh is trying to make a collective effort to protect women in the country during the protests that are going on. Currently, India has a rising rate of sexual assault, and is especially growing in the incidents involving sexual violence to minors. In the case of the five-year-old girl, officers initially refused to investigate the crime because the girl, who was from a working class family, disappeared while playing outside her home. She was later found. Then the media picked up the case, and the parents of the girl were offered 2,000 rupees to drop the case. I think that this is horrible, especially in spite of the victim being five years old.
With all of this, I am glad to see that the prime minister is trying to make the country more safe for women, as well as increasing penalties for sexual assault and in addition making sexual harassment a crime. Singh stated that "The safety, security and status of women in our country is a matter of concern. We have to make vast improvements in this area." Although some of the public is upset about this issue, feminism is seeming to become more of a predominant issue.
So the prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh is trying to make a collective effort to protect women in the country during the protests that are going on. Currently, India has a rising rate of sexual assault, and is especially growing in the incidents involving sexual violence to minors. In the case of the five-year-old girl, officers initially refused to investigate the crime because the girl, who was from a working class family, disappeared while playing outside her home. She was later found. Then the media picked up the case, and the parents of the girl were offered 2,000 rupees to drop the case. I think that this is horrible, especially in spite of the victim being five years old.
With all of this, I am glad to see that the prime minister is trying to make the country more safe for women, as well as increasing penalties for sexual assault and in addition making sexual harassment a crime. Singh stated that "The safety, security and status of women in our country is a matter of concern. We have to make vast improvements in this area." Although some of the public is upset about this issue, feminism is seeming to become more of a predominant issue.
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