Knut Hamsun seems like a very unique author. You really got me interested in learning about Hamsun’s writing style when you shared that he had written Hitler’s obituary. It would have taken a very skilled writer to write a politically and socially appropriate brief summary on the life of one of the most notorious characters in history. You mentioned that it was odd that Hamsun wrote the obituary when he didn’t believe that writing was not for political or social views but Hamsun might actually have been the perfect candidate to write it because he would be cautious about keeping his own view out of a very risky piece of writing. Another thing that interested me about Hamsun was his incorporation of psychology into his writing.
I read your Open Question Essay #2 and it seems like Hamsun completely turned Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs upside down. I remember learning about Maslow and his Hierarchy in AP Psychology last year and talking about it earlier this year when we were reading “Their Eyes Were Watching God”. Like you said in your essay, the protagonist surely does seem deranged because as he is starving and poor he is searching to achieve higher goals such as love. Breaking Maslow’s Hierarchy is unnatural and fairly unrealistic. Something that I wished that you would have addressed a little bit more is why Hamsun chose to write about a character that saw Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as one line where the goals and levels could be fulfilled whenever instead of taking them in order. Overall, I enjoyed your presentation. Your visuals were all very professional, especially your business card and you definitely drew attention and curiosity towards the highly unknown Hamsun.
I was very intrigued by your essay, Vineet, and it really got me thinking. Has Ms. Wilson been lying to us all along? No, that’s not really what I was thinking, but the events of your authors book to cast a shadow of doubt on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which is a fundamental part of what we have learned in AP Lit. You mentioned irony a lot in your essay; is it not also ironic that in doing an assignment for this class, something you came across refutes something we learned in the class? But back to your essay, and me being intrigued. You had an excellent description of how your author makes his point, but I think you take his book and apply it universally. True, the character in his book is able to skip steps in the hierarchy of needs, but that does not mean everybody can. Many people never get beyond hunger, or money, or love, or whatever step they get stuck at. I think it is important to note that the main character used to be wealthy, and then became a beggar. Is it possible that he was able to transcend the hierarchy because he had already experienced more meaningful layers of self-actualization? He had already been a sort of scholar, but people who are born beggars often don’t get to the point your character got to. Maybe we can only skip steps in the hierarchy if we have previously been to a higher spot. My point really is, I think you took your book at face value a little too much, however, your essay was still concise and intriguing.
Knut Hamsun seems like a very unique author. You really got me interested in learning about Hamsun’s writing style when you shared that he had written Hitler’s obituary. It would have taken a very skilled writer to write a politically and socially appropriate brief summary on the life of one of the most notorious characters in history. You mentioned that it was odd that Hamsun wrote the obituary when he didn’t believe that writing was not for political or social views but Hamsun might actually have been the perfect candidate to write it because he would be cautious about keeping his own view out of a very risky piece of writing. Another thing that interested me about Hamsun was his incorporation of psychology into his writing.
ReplyDeleteI read your Open Question Essay #2 and it seems like Hamsun completely turned Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs upside down. I remember learning about Maslow and his Hierarchy in AP Psychology last year and talking about it earlier this year when we were reading “Their Eyes Were Watching God”. Like you said in your essay, the protagonist surely does seem deranged because as he is starving and poor he is searching to achieve higher goals such as love. Breaking Maslow’s Hierarchy is unnatural and fairly unrealistic. Something that I wished that you would have addressed a little bit more is why Hamsun chose to write about a character that saw Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as one line where the goals and levels could be fulfilled whenever instead of taking them in order. Overall, I enjoyed your presentation. Your visuals were all very professional, especially your business card and you definitely drew attention and curiosity towards the highly unknown Hamsun.
I was very intrigued by your essay, Vineet, and it really got me thinking. Has Ms. Wilson been lying to us all along? No, that’s not really what I was thinking, but the events of your authors book to cast a shadow of doubt on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which is a fundamental part of what we have learned in AP Lit. You mentioned irony a lot in your essay; is it not also ironic that in doing an assignment for this class, something you came across refutes something we learned in the class?
ReplyDeleteBut back to your essay, and me being intrigued. You had an excellent description of how your author makes his point, but I think you take his book and apply it universally. True, the character in his book is able to skip steps in the hierarchy of needs, but that does not mean everybody can. Many people never get beyond hunger, or money, or love, or whatever step they get stuck at. I think it is important to note that the main character used to be wealthy, and then became a beggar. Is it possible that he was able to transcend the hierarchy because he had already experienced more meaningful layers of self-actualization? He had already been a sort of scholar, but people who are born beggars often don’t get to the point your character got to. Maybe we can only skip steps in the hierarchy if we have previously been to a higher spot. My point really is, I think you took your book at face value a little too much, however, your essay was still concise and intriguing.