I think bewilderment means when objects or conditions are in a confused maze or tangled state. I really don't think we need bewilderment in our lives. we can do with out it. It really doesn't happen that too often. In The Serpents of Paradise , Edward Abbey talks about when he was up close on the snake when they were doing there ritual. The male and female gopher snake were intertwining and they were winding and unwinding. Then the snakes seen Edward following them and then they and turn and go after him with there forked tongue's flickering. Edward was paralyzed by wonder, then he came back to his sense and rose back to his knees. This was a bewilderment state because Edward Abbey was in a confused state when the snakes were coming at him. Most people would have been running and screaming away.
Certainty is necessary in our lives because certainty gives you that confidence. In The Serpents of Paradise , Edward Abbey talks about when he caught the gopher snake and he released it in his trailer house for a few days. He let the gopher snake hunt and kill all the mice that were in his house. Then
he went for a walk and he had the gopher snake wrapped around his wrist and waist inside of his button up shirt. And then Edward would leave some of the buttons open so the snake can peak out and look around. Edward Abbey had to be certain that the gopher snake didn't try to attack him. Edward and gopher snake had to have a good bond.
I think bewilderment is the opposite of certainty. It is a state of curiosity that makes you want to know more - it intrigues you and invites you to dig deeper. When discussing bewilderment, Fanny Howe states, “It won’t go away but will continue asking irritating questions…” Without bewilderment, I don’t think people would develop true passion for knowledge. No one would ever be excited enough about anything to continue learning about and studying it. We wouldn’t have great scientists or wonderful musicians because who would care enough to go that far and always do their job to the best of their abilities? I think bewilderment is necessary for passion to thrive.
ReplyDeleteI think certainty is what comes after bewilderment. It is because one is curious that they discover the answers. Certainty is necessary because without it, there would be no growth - no development of any kind - because you need something factual and grounded to tie everything back to. Also, without certainty, there would be no need for bewilderment - that is if bewilderment is actually a trigger for the lust of knowing. Bewilderment and certainty work together and thrive off of each other. They need each other in order to be effective.
I agree with you completely. On the matter of if we need bewilderment in our lives I would also say no. To me bewilderment is just not knowing what is going on, almost as in a state of awe or confusion. When you come across a situation that strikes you as astonishment, the bewilderment comes from being in awe about that situation. Honestly, I don’t think we need bewilderment in our lives because like you said, it doesn’t happen that much. I can’t remember the last time I was in a state of bewilderment. On the matter of certainty, I agree that we do need it in our lives. I found the part of the essay In The Serpents of Paradise by Edward Abbey where he talks about going for a walk with the snake inside his shirt was very intriguing and answered this question very well. Edward trusted that the snake would not harm him, and in turn the snake trusted Edward would not harm him either [which is why the snake was not going to harm him]. This is the state of certainty. Certainty is being absolutely sure of something; being confident in your actions and having no doubts. Edward was certain the snake would not harm him, so he kept it in his shirt. Edward had the confidence he needed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your definition of bewilderment, but I feel that it is partial. I define bewilderment as being a state of confusion so great, that it leads to speechlessness regardless of circumstance. Additionally, I disagree with both your statement regarding bewilderment, and your statement regarding certainty. I think that life needs bewilderment to have meaning. For example, in “Bewilderment”, Fanny Howe references King Midas and her interpretations of the tale. She states Midas’s wish removed his ability to question the future, as everything would be “condensed into a spread of sameness.” Additionally, Howe summarizes her essay by stating, “After all, the point of art – like war – is to show people that life is worth living by showing that it isn’t.” In the case of Midas, having everything become certain changed his life to one that wasn’t worth living. Bewilderment is necessary in life, because the unknown allows for the creation of new meanings and purposes in life.
ReplyDeleteOppositely, certainty is unneeded. Looking at “The Serpents of Paradise”, Edward Abbey nature and man near the end of his essay. He presents several questions to the reader about nature, regarding his lack of certainty he discovered watching the ritual dance of the gopher snakes. At the end of his second-to-last paragraph, he states, “If I had been as capable of trust as I am susceptible to fear I might have learned something new or some truth so very old we have all forgotten it.” Due to his uncertainty, Abbey questions himself, and finds new purpose.