How Yeh-Shen Is Relevant To Today's Society

The quest towards developing the ideal human character is sought after in both the Bhagavad-Gita and Confucius’ The Analects. In the Bhagavad Gita, the concept of sacred duty is prevalent throughout the text, as the warrior-prince Arjuna faces a moral dilemma throughout the story. In Confucius’ The Analects, filial piety is a virtue which impacts an individual’s character in relation to the Confucian religion. Sacred duty within the Gita requires the protection of one’s dharma, which is defined as the religious and moral law that manages an individual’s actions. Within Confucian thought, filial piety is a virtue of respect for one’s elders, ancestors, and parents within a community. Despite the differences between the contextual meanings of developing the ideal human, both the Bhagavad Gita and The Analects utilize their teachings towards developing ideal human character within the themes of sacred duty and filial piety with the goal of establishing a set of communal ethics to be maintained through different caste systems, essentially protecting the existing social structure. To argue this claim, I will begin by analyzing the similar intentions of deviating from selfish actions and thoughts to develop ideal human character. I will then express how the nature of this character leads towards the development of one’s sacred duty and filial piety. I will then connect these two ideas to show how together they work to develop a communal set of ethics aimed at maintaining order

Lin Lan’s “Cinderella” is a classic fairy tale that depicts the life of a poor, young girl named Beauty in the hands of her wicked stepmother and stepsister. The story leads one to believe a moral lesson is portrayed as how in the end evil never prospers. Beauty is rewarded in many different forms for being the innocent protagonist, while the stepmother and stepsister are chastened for their heinous deeds. As children are the main targeted audience for fairytales, it would seem evident to create a character of good standing morals and virtue; however, there are multiple instances that contradict Beauty’s faultless character.

In a perfect world, every citizen would be beatific because of their wealth, fame, and fortune. Each person would have a reason to smile every morning, and would not face any consequences if they took part in immoral actions. However, if one person seems out of place in a utopia, he or she may be a victim to oppression. In most fables, the unique character, or underdog, finishes victoriously: becoming the hero, winning over the girl, and so forth. This story line has been seen in many different fairy tales. The Crucible follows that same plot, but twists the typical denouement into one that portrays the darkness of a society meticulously. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible highlights the significance of conformity in a society of people and growing suspicion that will begin to lurk throughout a community if one is different. This is portrayed accurately by the vehement John Proctor, who had the ability to influence society conspicuously because of his refusal to act as a typical Puritan.

Recently, religion has become very controversial as many people think that their religion is the only true religion, and that if one does not follow that religion, bad things will come. This has even gone so far as to make people commit violent, murderous acts in the name of their god. While reading fairytales are definitely a welcome escape from this crazy world, the principles displayed in such stories also teach valuable lessons about what really matters and how we, as humans, should conduct ourselves. In the Slavic fairytale Baba Yaga, the inclusion of both Pagan and Christian values helps to develop the message that regardless of religion, basic kindness and compassion dictate one’s fortune.

Generosity though is not the dominant virtue in these texts, but its human survival and how and what humans do in the face of danger.

Human behavior is often based of the laws and expectations set by community surrounding them. Breaking these norms results in many arrays of emotions. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and The Help by Kathryn Stockett all exemplify the consequences of breaking standards in societies with set norms to uphold. The various authors have crafted societies that behave in distinct manners, and classify people as either normal, or abnormal. These works show that breaking societal standards, familial standards, and ones own standards sprouts disaster, and in serious cases, leads to the demise of characters.

Fairy tales, folk tales, and fables are commonly used as lessons for individual growth. In European tales, an emphasis is place on the importance of good behavior for the individual. The reader sees how negative behavior inhibits personal growth, while positive behavior improves it. Material wealth and riches are often the reward for good behavior, and there is a strict barrier that separates the social classes. In contrast, tales from Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific have an overwhelming concentration on positivity for public good. A stronger focus is placed on how one can serve his or her community rather than how one can serve him or herself. Characters in these tales seek resolution through peaceful or neutral means, often to keep

A yearning for power, the thirst to become wealthy, intense cravings of lust, these examples of greed affects humanity in various ways, yet always seems to control a society. This constant longing for more is prevalent among most people, including the protagonists of beloved novels, often resulting in their gradual downfall. This corrupt behavior is addressed in Siddhartha Gautama’s ancient fire sermon, which discusses the important Buddhist idea of freeing oneself from desire. This ancient saying is among some of the most treasured and analyzed Buddhist compositions, and molds the values and morals of a culture. Its teachings illuminate the destructive qualities shown in society and throughout literature and its relevance can be examined in The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Macbeth written by William Shakespeare.

Suliven & Venter (2009) claims that heroes and she-roes serve as psychological aids to people. This means heroes and she-roes provides essential help to people. It can be assumed that in most cases, people resort to them as a shield to escape the harsh realities of this world. For example, listening to the lyrics of famous people as Bob Marley who, sang about love, peace and unity relieves people from pains. Heroes and she-roes are considered to give people peace when restless, strength when effortless and lastly courage to keep fighting. Crucially, they affect our personal value system in various

“You inherited only a hundred cattle and you went and spell them out on me,” quote from the story The Wise Daughter. Folktales have been around wherever communities have formed. The folktales can be made about anything from myths to legends. Folktales can tell a lot of thing in various ways, they can also be taken differently. At someone’s perspective it can mean good or evil. I read two folktales which both convey a message about greed, wealth, and foolishness. “How the wicked sons were duped” and “The Wise Daughter”. Both conveyed with me in a good manner.

Many stories teach the viewer about other cultures or our own and show different values such as bravery, skill or mateship, in texts such as the Highway Man or Guo Nian. Values and attitudes date back a long time ago and teach us about people’s cultures. One text that teaches the viewer about values is the Highway Man by Alfred Noyes. The story the Highway Man teaches us about values such as loyalty when it says: “Warned him with her death” when Bess, the landlord’s daughter dies and warns her love, the Highway Man. This shows that in the 1800’s England, loyalty was important to the people.

Passed down orally from generation to generation, fairy tales have been produced throughout history. They tell stories of witches, demons, creatures, dragons, and ultimately good vs. evil. Yet, delving into the real meaning behind fairy tales sheds light into motives of the lower class. For as long as there have been classes, the upper class has been taking advantage of the lower class. The lower class tries to earn freedom and equality throughout history. Fairy tales offered the lower class with a market for spreading these ideas. Rather than being a way for the upper class to spread the ideas of the elite, the fairy tale offered the lower class the opportunity to criticize the upper class while arguing for more independence and

Classic lituture will always be around and retold over the generations through life lessons and morals that we try to live by. These morals are thought to use as children and help shape us through these guiding values and morals we learn from. We learn these morals thorough fairy tales, and movies or cartoons as a child and never realize or wonder where did the moral come from, or should I say who was the original creator of this moral I am watching unfold in a Disney movies. The correlation between a fable and the other stories is length a fable is a short-written witty and deeply riddled with moral messages through tails of animals. Fables were for adults but through time have been woven into everyone’s childhood. Fables, Ghost-less ghost stories, urban legends are modern day fairytales or fables. Just as the grasshopper and the ant and Tortoise and the Hare were spread by oral tradition, urban myths are spread by word of mouth, creating contemporary folklore, often with a moral sting in the tail. Aesop’s Fables tell so many morals that is easy to understand and see them worked into many Disney movies. In Disney movies, the violence or death that happens in many of Aesop’s fables if left out to help portray the happy life lesion and morals vs the dark and scary things that can happen with the consequence of your actions. We will look at Disney movies that taught us horrible life lessons verses the classic moral Aesop’s was intending us to learn.

Throughout the societies from which ancient stories came, morals were valued and taught to keep everyday life functioning in a productive manner. Through the stages of British literature, the epic stories of Beowulf, “Gilgamesh”, The Iliad and The Odyssey show vast evidence of this. When showing loyalty in these societies, conflict and the concept of being a hero were very important elements.

Since the beginning, children are taught to be selfless and think of others before themselves because it will lead to a blissful life. However, one’s selfless acts are often taken for granted. Russell Banks’s novel, The Sweet Hereafter, highlights that people generally do not value selflessness, so one should prioritize his/her needs before others because that will help to attain a happy, and fulfilled life. In the novel, Risa prioritizes herself by having an affair with Billy. Billy and Lydia do the same when they go on vacation and use marijuana, with their children present, and so does Nichole by lying in her deposition. All these examples make these characters quite happy. They also prove that in today’s society, small generous gestures can manage to make one feel good about him or herself. Nonetheless, one should address his/her personal needs in certain situations, as people do not appreciate immense selfless acts.