Youth vs. Aged

Youth vs. Aged

I don't think I will ever be able to anticipate the mind-blowing moments in AP Lit, no matter how many discussions I go through. Friday, after taking the reading quiz, my mind was completely blown away, literally. I read and annotated Winesburg, Ohio pretty decently but wasn’t able to draw any connections or realize any of Sherwood Anderson’s brilliance. Here are examples of my take away from some of the chapters when I read on my own: Hands= a lonely pedophile with weird hands, Mother: poor woman who cannot find comfort from anyone, and The Strength of God: a really creepy pastor who creeps on a woman. What my point is that when I was reading this book, I was just confused and puzzled as to how the stories connected together and how it can be one of Mrs. Clinch’s favorite books. But, after Friday, I had a major realization and know that that magical discussion was only a small scratch in analyzing Winesburg, Ohio.

It seems like everyone in Winesburg, Ohio is trying to teach George Willard and to force him to end their miseries by telling him about their experiences. For many of these characters, George Willard is still young, and therefore, has hope. They believe that if George heeds to their instructions, their agonies will be no more. For example, Wing Biddlebaum tells George, “You have the inclination to be alone and to dream and you are afraid of dreams… You must begin to dream” (Anderson 7). It’s not even a plea; it’s a command for George Willard to heed. Why does Wing demand this of George? Because he himself lost the ability to dream after the parents of the Pennsylvania town took away his joy and, basically, his life. For Wing, it is for George to continue the journey Wing never got to finish, but the demand only frightens George. I think a point Anderson may be trying to say is that people’s dreams are taken away by society’s rules and expectations, but for youth, there is still hope, it just depends on whether or not youth decides to listen and dream for their sake as well as for the older generation. However, Wing is not the only person who seeks to give advice to George, Doctor Parcival, Elizabeth Willard, and Kate Swift also desire for George to heed to their idea.

The conflict between youth and old age constantly appears in the novel. While the young people, just like the berry pickers in Hands, take risks and enjoy life, the older people stay confined to their environment, whether it be their home or job, and reminiscent about their past. It’s as if they are actually mentally and physically immobile from their environment. Therefore, ‘trees’, ‘fields’, ‘roads’, and ‘train’ are associated with the youth. I think this concept is still prevalent in today’s society. Many adults in a child’s life are trying to speak of their truth and to guide and instruct the child to follow their road. However, in doing so, the child may experience bewilderment and confusion because he or she is not given the chance to realize who he or she is before venturing out into the world. Finding one’s identity should occur before the adults try to force a way of life.