In this blog post, we will examine the relationship between American literature and the Puritan spirit through Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” American Literature and the Place of “The Scarlet Letter” Our journey through world literature began in ancient Greece, passed through China, and traversed medieval and modern Europe, finally arriving at American literature. Broadly...
Can “Designer Humans” Really Bring About a Better Future?
In this blog post, we examine whether a better future is truly possible, focusing on the potential for the creation of “designer humans” through gene editing, the ethical issues it raises, and whether it could exacerbate social inequality. Overview of the Incident and Ethical Controversies in the Scientific Community In April 2015, a research team led by Dr. Huang Junzhu at Sun Yat-sen...
Dale Carnegie’s Principles of Human Relations: Why Are They Still Relevant Today?
In this blog post, we’ll summarize Dale Carnegie’s “Principles of Human Relations,” his educational philosophy, his influence, and key lessons. Dale Carnegie and His Influence Dale Carnegie is a widely recognized educator in the fields of human relations and self-improvement. He is often confused with Andrew Carnegie, an industrialist known as the “Steel King.” I want to make it clear that...
How do cultural differences between the West and the East influence ways of thinking and the world order?
This blog post examines how cultural differences between the West and the East impact ways of thinking and the world order. We will explore how the characteristics of each culture were formed and consider what changes they may bring in the future. Author Richard Nisbett did not acknowledge cultural differences until about 12 years before writing this book. He believed, in a typically...
What is the hardboiled style of 『The Old Man and the Sea』?
This blog post focuses on how the hardboiled style of 『The Old Man and the Sea』 builds narrative tension and symbolic depth through short sentences and restrained expression. In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway builds upon his earlier works not only in content and thematic aspects but also in form and style, simultaneously developing them in a unique way. Techniques such as the so-called...
Does The Old Man and the Sea speak of human struggle, or of the coexistence of humans and nature?
This blog post looks beyond the common perception of The Old Man and the Sea as solely a narrative of man’s solitary struggle, examining the coexistence of humans and nature and the ecological solidarity revealed through Santiago’s perspective. It is said that literary works that have attained the status of classics are read anew in every era. Classics are works that rarely...
Why does the lion dream recur as a symbol of solidarity and hope for Santiago in The Old Man and the Sea?
This blog post examines how the recurring lion dream in The Old Man and the Sea symbolizes solidarity and hope beyond Santiago’s loneliness, exploring its narrative and symbolic significance. If human life is ultimately a ‘futile struggle,’ then what lends even a modicum of meaning to this struggle is the bond between people. Hemingway persistently emphasizes in The Old Man and the...
Why does Santiago remain an undefeated hero even amidst ruin?
This blog post deeply analyzes why Santiago, despite his material ruin, refuses mental defeat and remains a Stoic hero, focusing on the narrative and symbolism of The Old Man and the Sea. Hemingway addresses themes in The Old Man and the Sea that transcend his personal experiences to touch on more universal subjects. Among these, heroism and Stoicism stand as the most central themes of the...
Is Santiago’s relentless struggle to catch the marlin a challenge against time and the passage of years?
This blog post examines the meaning of aging, time, and artistic rebirth through Santiago’s battle with the marlin in The Old Man and the Sea. As is often the case with Hemingway’s works, and particularly with The Old Man and the Sea, the diversity of its themes is striking. Like many works that have attained classic status, this novel also acts as a mirror, allowing critics...
Why did Hemingway turn away from the tumultuous world history and focus on Santiago’s fishing?
This blog post examines why Hemingway focused on Santiago’s fishing amidst the tumultuous world history, exploring the literary significance and direction of thought behind that choice. In theater, the setting—whether spatial or temporal—is merely the stage upon which events unfold. In novels, however, such settings are invariably closely linked to the work’s theme, whether...