Learning from the Past

Hidden After Offending, Mural at a State Office Is Back, for Peeks Only

For the last decade, one of New York's most controversial pieces of art has been hiding behind a curtain in the State Education Building. The 30-foot mural, entitled "The Genius of America", was painted by Adolphe Yvon in the 1870s. It depicts "angels, babies and women in togas; Gen. George Washington and a god of war; and what seems to be a group of colonial zombies rising from the grave:" The controversy lies in the lower right corner, where a slave in a loincloth is seen being held under the arms by a well-dressed white man. Staff members aren't sure whether the slave is being lifted up or restrained, but the painting was covered nonetheless after numerous complaints. Now the department, led by its first African-American commissioner (John B. King, Jr.), is unveiling the mural for a single hour, once a month, allowing visitors to form their own opinion about the painting's meaning.  Thoughts on the piece are varied; the opinions range from "a majestic work of art" to "an offensive and stilted portrait."

The author, Jesse McKinley, doesn't seem to have any strong feelings about the topic. More often than not, he uses quotes to transmit his feelings. For example, he quotes Mark Schaming saying that the slave image is “about abolition than about emancipation.” He also quotes Dr. King, Jr. saying that "we should make it accessible." This led me to think that McKinley believes the mural should be open to the public. He also seems to think that the painting is about the liberation of slaves, not the use of them.

This article made me think about the past, and how we can learn from it. I believe it was a bad idea to cover "The Genius of America" as it is a good source for looking back and seeing how much the world has grown. Seeing the slaves in the corner made me happy that we have left behind that horrible episode of history. Many mistakes have been made in history and in our personal lives, and it is important to learn from them so we never make them again. We must work forward, trying to solve today's problems so they will not crop up again in the future.

~Adrian

Trust

The Night Circus is a beautifully written debut novel by Erin Morgenstern. The level of detail is intricate and artistic, and the complex story is enchanting (and perhaps overdone)– it draws you in the moment you start reading it. While the written story is slightly suffocated by trivial details,  I think there are a few strong messages at its core. One of these is that trust is fragile, and trusting someone is an important step in your relations.

Let me tell you a little about the plot, in case you haven't read this book yet (you should.) It's written in the present tense, which helps the reader immerse him/herself completely. The story takes place in the late 1800s and early 1900s over the course of about 30 years, with a few exceptions in the first and last chapters. It begins with a magician's daughter (Celia, 6 years of age at this time), who is bound into a "challenge" with another young magician (Marco), whose identity is not revealed to her until later on in the story. After this event, the two opponents are taught separately, each with their own mysterious instructor (for Celia her distant father, for Marco a strange man named Alexander). Not much happens during this peaceful time. Finally, we come to the rising action: Celia auditions for the role of illusionist in Chandresh Christophe Lefévre's (a rich entrepreneur) new endeavor; a circus the likes of nothing ever seen before. She gets the job (of course), and she is swept into the magical world of Le Cirque des Rêves. It also happens that Marco is working as M. Lefévre's assistant. Each of them add magical constructions to the circus in turn as part of the ongoing competition (they still don't know who their opponent is). The circumstances become complex when it is revealed that one of them must die in order for the other to win.

Now, let's come to the part about trust. The complicated situation that Marco and Celia are put in (it becomes even more complicated when they fall in love) inevitably causes them to tell others things in order to feel more secure. However, some people aren't the best ones to trust with your secrets or problems. Celia trusted her father as a child, but as an adult she finds it difficult. He criticizes her constantly and in a bad way, believing that maybe she is stupid and unworthy of his time. On the other hand, when she tells  Tsukiko (a contortionist who was formerly in a similar challenge) about her problems, the contortionist is understanding and calm, nudging Celia in the right direction with tranquility. I think Erin Morgenstern wants her readers to know that trusting someone is an important decision that should be given some thought.

Trust is something that everyone desires, or at least should desire from one another. Without trust, there is no friendship, and without friendship, there is no love. However, we should never take advantage of that trust. Trust is the bond between two friends, and taking advantage of that will lead to discord and anger. Friendship and love are important, and trust is the "glue" that holds two people together. Trust should be cultivated, as it is the root of a relationship; it is great to be able to talk with someone about anything we might have going on in our lives.

~Adrian

PS: Sorry I posted this so late (or early, you might say). I'm currently in a country that's in a different time zone, so it's a perfectly normal time here :)