There is a consistent commonality between many universities worldwide: the concealment of sexual scandals between professors and students. J.M. Coetzee’s, “Disgrace” largely focuses on a student-professor affair where David Lurie (the protagonist and professor), engages in a sexual affair with one of his students by luring them back to his place. One thing led to another and Professor Lurie’s prohibited affair eventually came to light. Similar to Lurie’s case in Cape Town, this situation is commonly found worldwide. Interestingly enough, recent conversations surrounding the ethics of student-professors have turned some heads. Headlines such as, “Is an affair between a professor and student acceptable?” or “Should sexual relations between professors and students be prohibited?” are some of the first and most popular online results. Although Lurie escaped prosecution and a court sentence, the rest of his life and reputation was not as unscathed and left in shambles. Professor-student relationships have arguably negative effects on both parties. In Lurie’s case, Melanie Issacs (the involved student) dropped out of school while Lurie later lost his entire livelihood. Relating this to a Canadian example, on December 8th 2017, the Quebec government passed Bill 151 which seeks to prevent and actively combat sexual violence on the province’s university campuses. As sexual violence has been and still is a current issue, especially within the university context, many other provinces such as British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario have followed the Quebec’s government example within the year (Venne, 2017). Bill 151’s necessity should be acknowledged, as only 5 years ago, in November 2014, only 9 out of 78 Canadian universities had sexual assault policies (Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario, 2015). Although some individuals may argue there are some benefits to professors and students engaging in a sexual relationship, in Coetzee’s disgrace the crucial piece of Melanie’s consent is blurred. Many may attempt to argue that because they are two consenting adults, sexual relationships between professors and students should be allowed. However the dynamic between the two parties still leaves room to be abused. Such was the case for Melanie Isaacs, she expected a pass on her unwritten assignment because she was sleeping with Lurie and therefore that academic power-imbalance is a dangerous territory to even attempt to explore. As a result, both parties were left with negative feelings and even more negative repercussions after the affair was exposed. Sexual relations and assaults on campus are unfortunately much too common. Major steps by lawmakers such as Bill 151, have slowly made waves within the university sphere, however there is much more work left to be done if we truly want significant change. Although Lurie technically escaped with a minor ‘slap on his hand’, many universities should be actively fighting and discouring the temptation to cover up sexual scandals in order to preserve the image of their school and rather begin prioritizing and preserving the mental and physical health of their students. The most important fact is that students attending university and college should always feel safe on campus, be treated with respect and dignity, and be protected and cared for just as much as their own school’s reputation.

https://cfsontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Factsheet-SexualAssault.pdf

https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/sexual-relations-professors-students-prohibited/

While reading Helen Weinzeberg’s Basic Black with Pearls, what truly stood out to me was the copious amount of red flags regarding Shirley Kaszenbowski (the protagonist) relationship with her supposed lover Coenraad. The warning signs of an emotionally abusive relationship rang like an alarm in my mind as I flipped every page. On page 24, Shirley boasts of her skills and loyalty to Coenraad saying, “I have learned to sit still, to stand still, and remain silent” (Weinzeberg 24). Shirley lives as if she is constantly under Coenraad’s control, she wanders from city to city in hopes of finding her love Coenraad once again. However, there is a catch to this relationship. Coenraad only communicates to her through national geographic clippings and enforces extremely unreasonable rules in an attempt to secure his relationship with her. As if she is on tight leash, Shirley mentions she is not permitted to talk to anyone, cannot keep any records of their encounters, and most horrifying of all, how Shirley herself is stateless and essentially non-existent. Completely financially and emotionally dependent on Coenraad, Shirley’s character quite frankly worries me as there are many women and men worldwide who are trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship and are unable to recognize it. Shirley gives off the impression that without Coneraad, her life would succumb to ennui and despair. A few tell-tale signs of an emotionally abusive relationship are evident within the novel. Signs such as the domination and control Coenraad has over her are visible through his strict rules: the isolation forced upon her to keep a distance between her family/friends or any human connection at all (besides himself), using money to make her further depend on him, and the constant threats of leaving her if she does not comply to his rules, are all vivid illustrations of a toxic relationship. It saddens me to see women who mentally attach themselves to someone for their happiness and security. I strongly believe women should be independent and happy on their own before entering a relationship. However, I am well aware that exiting a toxic relationship is not a straight and narrow path. Once again, like Shirley, many men and women worldwide can find great difficulty in recognizing if they are in an abusive relationship. I genuinely believe it is imperative to possess even the most basic understanding of recognizing a toxic relationship in order to identify and correct unhealthy relationships. Mental health is such an important yet unfortunately taboo topic that I find people tend to shy away from. Nonetheless, victims of unhealthy relationships deserve to be treated with respect and I believe that with a greater understanding of the signs of a toxic relationship, we would be better equipped to aid or recognize our friends, family, or anyone in need to seek help. Helen Weinzeberg’s Basic Black with Pearls, serves as a meaningful reminder to me that mental health is still so relevant and important, and the protection of our well-being and mental health should never be compromised for anyone.

Bibliography:

Weinzweig, H. (2018). Basic black with pearls. New York: New York Review Books.

Feuerman, M. (2018, July 08). 21 Warning Signs of an Emotionally Abusive Relationship. Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/blog/21-warning-signs-of-an-emotionally-abusive-relationship/

Q: Think about the roles of language, narrative, and/or narrative style in the representation of memory and trauma in the context of one of our readings—or in some other cultural object (book, movie, etc.) of your choice.    

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, experienced by Septimus in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, presents the struggles an individual with PTSD can face on an everyday basis. Through the unique narrative and perspective of Septimus, readers are able to recognize how both his own world and “actual reality” can be difficult to differentiate. An example of the role that language and narrative style plays in memory and trauma is observed in the film, American Sniper; where throughout the movie, we embark alongside Chris Kyle’s journey, otherwise known as “America’s deadliest sniper”. Due to Kyle’s line of work, when he returns home, he (like many others with PTSD) find it quite challenging adapting to society once again. In addition to the many challenges individuals with PTSD face, the common thread shared between Chris Kyle and Septimus Warren is the way their family reacts to them post-war. As their trauma and memories blend together, ordinary mundane events to accustomed civilians morph into chilling flashbacks for these post-war veterans. Through the characters of Lucrezia (Septimus’ wife) and Taya (Kyle’s wife), we are able to see how even the people who are closest to them wrestle with the fact that their loved ones have been mentally affected by the war. By way of cultural objects like the film American Sniper and novel Mrs. Dalloway, it highlights the challenges for those with PTSD to an understandably manageable level for those who do not experience PTSD. One of the underlying themes in both of the cultural objects I chose to compare is the effect that mental illness has on their loved ones. As both women, Lucrezia and Taya desperately long for their “old husbands”, the relationship between the two unfortunately deteriorates due to their spouses’ mental illness. Despite their love and constant efforts in trying to heal their husbands, mental illness is an engulfing actuality for many people. In light of this, the role of narratives that represent memory and trauma play an influential role in the conversation concerning post-traumatic stress disorder and mental illnesses. Through these narratives, we are able to see how mental illness affects individuals, their loved ones, and the community, therefore teaching us to be more empathetic and understanding in consideration of those with mental illnesses. With more representation of mental illness, it subtly breaks down the stigma behind mental illnesses and slowly normalizes the “taboo” topic. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and American Sniper are just some of the examples where the representation of memory and trauma can serve a greater purpose concerning the stigma against mental health.

• Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co, 1925. Print.
• Cooper, Bradley, Clint Eastwood, Kyle Gallner, Jake McDorman, Sienna Miller, Jim DeFelice, Chris Kyle, and Scott McEwen. American Sniper. , 2015

ASTU Blog #2

While reading Sturken’s Tangled Memories: The Vietnam War, the AIDS epidemic, and the Politics of Remembering, the topic of “memory and forgetting” posed as a subject worth researching further. The excerpt briefly mentions that for the majority of the population, memory can be seen as unreliable and selective in how and what we can remember (Sturken, 1997).

It is likely many of us have trouble recalling minor details of our lives for example what foods consisted our last Christmas dinner or even on a more simple level what time we left the house this morning. However, there is a rare community of people who do not share this common trait of forgetfulness. HSAM (highly superior autobiographical memory) also referred to as hyperthymesia syndrome, describes individuals who are uniquely able to recollect in detail almost any memory with incredible accuracy (Morris, 2017).

Many students cramming for a test likely know the longing and desire for a brain with the ability to remember everything perfectly, but for people with HSAM, they wish for the exact opposite. Although it is relatively easy for people with hyperthymesia syndrome to recall memories, there are various drawbacks to this skill which could be considered undesirable.

An integral part of the high school education system is based on memory. For the most part, testing focuses on how many facts you are able to retain and how well you can regurgitate that information back. Memory is held quite valuable as it tends to be associated with intelligence. Often when someone says “I forgot” it elicits a judgemental and at times negative response from the other party. A forgetful mind is often considered one lacking mental agility.

Utilizing Freud’s thought considering “screen memory”, can be helpful in exploring why HSAM might not be as cracked up as it is thought to be. Screen memory is when memories are substituted for other memories too painful or disturbing to retrieve (as cited in Sturken, 1997). Often when we have a memory that is too dark or difficult to process, we repress the mnemonic by replacing it with another. Much like a child who experiences a traumatic event, they may repress the memory as if it never happened. The complication with HSAM then is not the inability to remember but rather the inability to forget. Painful experiences may flood into the conscious of those with HSAM and force them to relive each part of the agony once more. Due to this occurrence, people with HSAM often feel lonely or depressed because of the heavy emotional burden of being unable to forget (Stahl, 2016). Owens who has been diagnosed with HSAM explains, “Sometimes, having this sort of extreme memory can be a very isolating sort of thing. There are times when I feel like I’m fluent in a language that nobody else speaks. Or that I’m walking around and everybody else has amnesia,” (Stahl, 2016).

Because HSAM is such a relatively new discovery, wider research about hyperthymesia syndrome has yet to be completed and equally as important, there lacks a deeper understanding as to how the syndrome affects those diagnosed. Limited magnetic resonance imaging has allowed researchers to examine and identify potential discrepancies in the brain patterns of individuals with and without HSAM. In a CBC article, scientist Dr. Larry Cahill admits “Well, if you want the honest truth, the honest truth is that I thought, I bet we’ll find nothing” (Stahl, 2016) On the contrary, two main sections of the brain -the temporal lobe and caudate nucleus often relating to memory- were highlighted as being sizeably larger than average.

Hyperthymesia syndrome is fascinating in that it seems to suspend the very human characteristic of forgetfulness. For the average person, the ability to store all your memories seems like a solution to solving many of life’s challenges however the weight of these memories is what affects the other side of HSAM, potentially leading to massive mental strains. Like anything that affects the brain, further understanding and researching the intricacies of HSAM by scientists such as Cahill will be important especially for those diagnosed with the syndrome who may want more answers and insight as to why their memory works the way it does.

CITATIONS:

• Sturken, M. (1997). Tangled memories: The Vietnam War, the AIDS epidemic, and the politics of remembering. Berkeley: University of California Press.
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-gift-of-endless-memory/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/hyperthymesia#outlook

Leiba, Luis. Drawing, C. 1983. Pencil, crayon, ink, paper, plastic. Arts and Resistance Collection. Honduras, Mesa Grande Camp.

Does your object illustrate or help you better understand a concept you have studied in any of your CAP courses so far? Introduce the concept and show how it connects to the object and what we can learn by thinking about it this way

While walking through the Museum of Arts and Resistance Gallery, I was drawn to the Salvadoran children’s artistic depictions of their time waiting in the refugee camps. From examining the drawings, feelings of sorrow and pain were reflected in the children’s traumatic childhood pieces. The blank yellow paper which –for most North American children would draw familiar scenes like a happy family— were instead filled with helicopter bombings and deaths of their relatives.  The typical North American children’s caption of, “My Family of Five”, were instead replaced with descriptions such as, “In the Lempa River, the soldiers made a massacre and killed many children, old, people and women. They burned the places where we used to live” (Leiba 1983). It is disheartening knowing these young Salvadoran refugees had already experienced such distress in their short lifetime. Regardless of ethnicity or nationality, parents and people alike strive to protect and ensure a child’s youth be joyous, stress-free, and safe. Unfortunately, this desire was not easily afforded to the parents of the 1980s Salvadoran refugees who experienced such pain and horror that no one, let alone a child, should ever encounter in their lifetime.

Despite the horror the Salvadoran refugees experienced during the bombings near The River Lempa, perhaps a silver lining to the refugee’s experience could be found by relating it to Benedict Anderson’s concept of what builds a society. Undeniably, the Salvadoran refugees suffered a great deal of agony living through cruel warfare. However, considering Anderson’s theory, our identity is deeply rooted in our historical past (Anderson 1982). The history and identity of being Salvadoran was perhaps strengthened through difficult times. Through the experience of warfare, one can share their collective hurt and transform it into a common ground with those who have gone through the same trauma, resulting in a greater sense of community and identity (Anderson 1982). There is a great sense of comfort in knowing that you do not stand alone and that there is someone else who has gone through what you have gone through. People who have undergone traumatic experiences are able to relate and understand other’s similar trials because they too have been through it themselves. By having similarities like being Salvadoran and carrying that traumatic history, a certain trust and commonality is shared when meeting another Salvadorans, despite being strangers. History is able to shape our identity, while a common history also creates a building block for relationships to form. It is important to acknowledge the past, especially those that are traumatic, and acknowledge them for what they are. However, it is imperative to acknowledge the role history plays in shaping present identities as well as serving as a familiar ground for cultures and communities to connect.

Misery and heartache possess the ability to blossom new relationships and experiences. In knowing that there is a comforting prospect to any situation, the Salvadoran children and Anderson’s ideology provide a helpful reminder for those who feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

CITATIONS:

Anderson, Benedict R. OG. Imagined Communities. 1982.

Leiba, Luis. Drawing, C. 1983. Pencil, crayon, ink, paper, plastic. Arts and Resistance Collection. Honduras, Mesa Grande Camp.