Should judgement of people’s intelligence be based on their knowledge or their wisdom? While those with broader spans of knowledge have all the answers because of logic, they might not be able to see past the trivial facts they believe to become wiser and more enlightened. Some might be able to see the true reality they are in, but most are not able to grasp these ideas. Two of J.D. Salinger 's characters, Teddy from a short story of the same name, and Franny Glass, from the book "Franny and Zooey", both realize and have begun to “see” in terms of detachment and spirituality. They begin to differ on how knowledge can help or hinder in reaching that understanding, as Franny believes it is there to help guide and fuel, while Teddy says that one …show more content…
Ironically, in order to gain a sense of reality, one might have to lose the logic they have been taught. Removing all of the intellectual facts will help show more to the world, in terms of spirituality. This is what has happened to Teddy, from the J.D. Salinger short story of the same name. He has detached himself from all knowledge and has now seen what life really is, and how to reach that enlightenment. When describing the apple from the biblical tale of Adam and Eve, he describes its contents as, “Logic and intellectual stuff. That was all that was in it. So--this is my point--what you have to do is vomit it up if you want to see things as they really are.” (Teddy 79). Teddy has come to realize that in order to see the truth and become wiser to his surroundings, and even God, one …show more content…
Franny Glass, a college girl from Salinger’s book Franny and Zooey wants to believe this idea. She expects that everything taught should have some meaning behind it that leads to a new understanding. While complaining about college to her brother Zooey, Franny describes it as, “…if just once in a while—just once in a while—there was at least some polite little perfunctory implication that knowledge should lead to wisdom, and that if it doesn 't, it 's just a disgusting waste of time!” (Franny and Zooey 124). Franny still holds on to the beliefs that what she has been taught her entire life will be useful in reaching her personal enlightenment and spirituality. She wants this knowledge to reach God and find the truth in her world, when none is actually being given to her. Critic John P. McIntyre discusses this in his essay “A Preface for ‘Franny and Zooey’” when explaining Salinger’s overall point with the themes of his stories. He states, “And that the wisdom of the world, as St. Paul tells us, is foolishness to God, who communicates His wisdom to the little ones. And that one must become, in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, as Christ tells us, a Wise Child.” (McIntyre). McIntyre is on the same thought process as Teddy, by saying that knowledge is stopping some to reach God. It all depends on finding that true wisdom very young, which is what most Glass children have found
“One Mississippi…From the snap of the ball to the snap of the first bone is closer to four seconds than to five.” (Michael Lewis-). One commonly agreed upon notion is a world at peace; this can happen when you’re not quick on judging in life and being open-minded. In the poem “Mending Wall,”1914 by Robert Frost, The children’s book The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, and the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, all have in common is that; there are characters in each who are open-minded. An example of this is when in the novel the Great Gatsby, the character Nick was always open-minded, he states this when he said- “in my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in the world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.’” (Fitzgerald 1). This quote really stuck out at me, because
Franny held many strong beliefs that caused her to view her surroundings pessimistically. After spending three years contently in college, Franny changed her view of the college experience. She decided that college was “one more dopey inane place in the world.'; (Salinger, 146) She failed to see college as a place that allows one to increase his or her knowledge and independence. Similarly, she thought “that just because [she] wanted enlightenment or peace instead of prestige or fame-doesn’t mean that [she was] not as egotistical and self seeking as everybody else.';(Salinger, 149) Instead of looking for the positive qualities in others, she made a generalization that all people are egotistical and self-seeking. Additionally, she “raved and bitched about the stupidity of [her] audiences [and their] unskilled laughter.';(Salinger, 199) Despite the fact that the audiences were supporting Franny by watching her perform, she insists all audiences are stupid. Franny’s religious quest caused her to view her surroundings pessimistically.
I think people who didn’t get much schooling didn’t mean they are not intelligence. Intelligence can’t use to measure a person schooling. In the old generation, parents don’t have much money to support all their child’s go to college because of the tuition fee and they had a lot things need to support. For example, my parents didn’t go to school, doesn’t mean they are not intelligence or not smart, their family can’t give them that much tuition fee and not much money to let them go to college, however now they still have a job to work on and keeping it. However people don’t go to college doesn’t mean they can’t get a job or can’t survive. So I agree with the author, intelligence can’t use to measure a person schooling. Also I believe that can’t go to college doesn’t mean you can’t get success in other way. The god is fair for you close a door at the same time will open another door for you but you need to be confident.
Although they are the protagonists from two separate books, Franny Glass, a teenage girl in J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey, and Holden Caufield, a young man in Salinger’s novel Catcher in the Rye, serve as foils to each other. Both suffer unnecessarily due to their interaction with those whom they are close to, due to their relationships with themselves, as well as due to their views on the world. In the end, however Franny and Holden change their values and therefore are able to begin the healing process.
In JD Salinger’s Franny and Zooey, Franny Glass undergoes a mental and physical collapse, followed by a spiritual crisis. Every one of the Glass children is considerably precocious and deep thinking, and Franny and Zooey are no exception. With her fluctuating self-worth and perception, Franny begins to break down without any conscious awareness of why, which ultimately leaves her curled up on her mother’s couch in a state of emotional, intellectual, and spiritual crisis. This is why there is a need for urgent and vigorous “therapy” for Franny, and Zooey, having shared the elder Glass’ spiritual instruction, is the only character capable of providing any support for Franny.
Schultz also stressed the importance of a biblical worldview in the teacher. As the leader in each classroom the students will adapt their teacher’s beliefs, values and finally actions. If they are taught by a teacher who holds a dualistic view of dividing the sacred and the secular, or a postmodern or modern worldview, it will adversely affect the ability of that child to develop Christ centered wisdom based upon the Word of God. Schultz, in referring to the education of children, stated “anything that hinders their moral and spiritual development is the epitome of child abuse.” (2006, p. 163). As such, our curriculum, teaching methods, and moral example, must all reflect a biblical worldview that will evangelize and discipline each student to know and love Jesus Christ.
...at I believe about Mr. Salinger, but in the end, all it really comes down to is what you’ve learned from this, and how your opinion has formed. Just try and keep in mind that maybe, just maybe, Jerome David Salinger wrote what he wrote, was what he was, and lived how he lived, all because of his past, and how, all in all, God knew it would amount to nothing terrible, at all.
Children are born with basic knowledge, yet adults don’t always let the child experience the world to learn and attain knowledge from it. Adults teach children their ways, their opinions, their prejudice, hobbies or even trades. Throughout the life cycle we all learn from experiences. This is basically what Jean Piaget is trying to express that happens from birth. Something that starts out accidently conforms to a consciously deliberate action. I believe there is something to learn from every experience, every day, every moment or even every second. Knowledge is a person’s power that no other person can take away. Jean Piaget’s statement, “The principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women that are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have already done,” appears to be good advice for new teachers. Maybe if we let the personality differences of the students come out in the classroom setting, then the children may be more involved and interested in the educational knowledge that is required with the help of the teacher’s hands on approach of instruction. One might consider, Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences as well when working with and preparing instruction for the
"J. D. Salinger." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Research in Context, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=MSIC&sw=w&u=avlr&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CK1631005792&asid=9d7e04ba37c8259de38b906c482330b4. Accessed 5 Nov. 2017.
He is saying that, theoretically, the growth of reason would come with knowledge. People would be less inclined to have a lot of children because they would no longer be afraid of losing them to unnatural things. People would then be more inclined to focus on their happiness and expanding their
Born on January 1, 1919, Jerome David Salinger was to become one of America’s greatest contemporary authors. In 1938 Salinger briefly attended Ursinus College in Pennsylvania where he wrote a column, "Skipped Diploma," which featured movie reviews for his college newspaper. Salinger made his writing debut when he published his first short story, "The Young Folks," in Whit Burnett’s Story magazine (French, xiii). He was paid only twenty-five dollars. In 1939, at the age of 20, Salinger had not acquired any readers. He later enrolled in a creative writing class at Columbia University. Salinger was very much interested in becoming an actor and a playwright, which was quite odd because he would later in life become a recluse (Wenke, 3). Salinger adjusted his writing style to fit the literary marketplace. He was writing for money and began writing for magazines like Good Housekeeping and Mademoiselle. Many of Salinger’s characters have unique character traits. "Salinger presents a number of stories that consider characters who become involved in degrading, often phony social contexts," states a major critic (Wenke, 7). These characters are often young and have experienced a lot of emotional turmoil. They have been rejected by society and mainly categorized as "misfits." This alienation of the personality is often viewed as a sign of weakness by society when in fact the outcasts ultimately gain strength from their experiences as shown in Nine Stories, The Catcher in the Rye, and Franny and Zooey. Salinger is telling a tale of the human condition in its reality through his novels. Nine Stories is a collection of short stories of people who are uncertain of the next path to take in life. They are lonely, needy, and searching for love. One of these stories, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," is the story of a young couple who try to understand their life together and the true meaning of love. Seymour Glass has just been released from the Army Hospital and he is unable to adjust to life with his "crass wife Muriel amidst the lavish and vulgar atmosphere of their post-war second honeymoon" (Gwynn & Blotner, 19). It has often been called "the loveless tunnel of love." Salinger portrays Muriel in the first part of the story as superficial. ...
... learn from. He exists to teach us a lesson. This is why he is the family storyteller. He is our teacher, our example, and our leader. What is the lesson we are to learn from him? Maybe only Salinger knows that for certain but I believe Salinger would have us each search out our own “pieces of holy ground”. He would have us all find our one true thing we are to do, even if it is only to go to teach in a small classroom with less than average writers, as is Buddy’s holy ground, or to live alone and write for only yourself, as is Salinger’s holy ground. He would have us all admit to ourselves what it is we are supposed to do and go out and do it instead of forever complaining and searching for better. Through Buddy, Salinger is trying to give us his version of the meaning of life. The ultimate message: Find your holy ground, there lies happiness and truth.
Our knowledge is a key to our success and happiness in our life to give us personal satisfaction. Knowledge is power but not always. Sometimes our self-awareness and growth as an individual gives us negative thoughts that make us want to go back to undo it. Everyone wants to unlearn a part in our life that brought us pain and problems. Good or bad experiences brought by true wisdom can be used for our self-acceptance, self-fulfillment and these experiences would make us stronger as we walk to the road of our so called “life”, but Douglas’s and my experience about knowledge confirmed his belief that “Knowledge is a curse”. Both of us felt frustrated and sad from learning knowledge.
George Santayana, the Spanish-American philosopher, poet, and Harvard professor once stated “Wisdom comes by disillusionment”. This statement shows that with having no more misconceptions or false impressions of people or reality, individuals are then more knowledgeable of what is true or right, paired with just judgment as to action or insight.
As discussed above, over-reliance on a single way of knowing can almost never lead us to a wholesome and unbiased rendition of the truth. It is very difficult to learn anything by using only one way of knowledge. Each way of knowledge correlates with at least one other; it cannot be used alone. For example, a person who is overly logical and, hypothetically, devoid of emotions will still need to have access to the world through perception to learn anything. He cannot use his logical mind if he has no data to work with. To climb higher on the tree of knowledge, if this person can now communicate with other people via language, he can add their discoveries and experiences into his pool of data. Yet, he cannot do this if he has no sense of perception; without sensory perception, he cannot read, write, or hear any language.