Social Criticism 2

Living in Ignorance: A Wilderian Analysis of Misinformation in the Living World Aubree Piepmeier

Characters are ignorant to complexities and contradictions within themselves Critical Postmodern theory

Ignorance Of the Living World

Critical Marxist theory Ignorance, apprehension about the future

Critical PostStructuralist theory shared ignorance of the living world to the value of life

Critical Marxist Theory

Evidence: “Some people ain’t made for small town life. I don’t know how that’ll end” (41)“I don’t know how that’s goin’ to end, Mr. Webb” (44)

The living exist in a constant state of ignorance and apprehension about the future. They do not find the answers to these questions till after death Interpretation: In “Our Town,” the characters consistently wonder about their futures. According to Marx, this confusion and anxiety about the future fuels social change. The quotations reflect multiple instances of feeling uncertain about the future as the characters question how situations will end. Dayton Kohler notes Wilders ability to capture this universal emotion and other essential truths

Peer Review: “Thornton Wilder, by Dayton Kohler -Wilder understands life and its essential truths, including the timeless confusion and anxiety about the unknown

Critical PostModern theory The characters attempt to label themselves and others with black and white terms, unaware of the various emotional dimension they hide from themselves and each other Interpretation: Through the post-modern theory one can recognize the elements of tragedy that color Wilder’s seemingly content characters. The characters themselves seem ignorant to this presence until they are dead. As a child, Emily never imagines she could feel any discontent yet after death she realizes this “happiness” was merely blindness and her emotions ran much deeper. These deeper tragic dimensions are recognized by Ballet

Evidence: “’Haven’t any troubles on your mind, have you, Emily? ’‘troubles, papa? No.” (45) “that’s the happy existence you wanted to go back to. Ignorance and blindness.” (109)

Peer Review: “In Our Living and in Our Dying,” by Arthur H. Ballet Ballet recognizes the various tragic layers beneath the surface of Wilder’s characters

Critical PostStructurali TheTheory society of the st

living world attempts to measure the importance of each individual day, though in truth, each day is significant, as recognized by the dead Interpretation: Untouched by the realizations of the dead, the living world is ignorant to the true value of life as a whole and the importance of each day. The deceased Mrs. Gibbs advises Emily that a day which seems insignificant in life is very significant in death. Corrigan supports this point, stating that Wilder illustrates the significance of everyday events.

Evidence: “Choose the least important day in your life. It will be important enough” (100)

Peer Review:“Thornton Wilder and the Tragic Sense of Life,” by Robert W. Corrigan -Wilder finds the significance in the simplest elements of everyday life

The living world exist in a constant state of ignorance, misunderstanding, and apprehension. The living are in question about the events of the future, their own emotions and identities, and the value of the time they spend on earth. This consideration of the living’s capability to assess their presence on Earth introduces questions about existence and knowledge received in after death.