An Imaginary Life

An imaginary life is relevant to foundations of literature for a couple reasons. In the spirit of the past possessing the present, i think there is a connection to be made. Probably the clearest connection i can see here is the idea that language makes people who they are. then and now. That could be language like Ovid's: the actual perfection of the art of writing in rhetoric to create fascinating stories, or it could be language like the child's: the intonation with nature, and the ability to understand its workings. I think there is also a connection to this class by looking at the idea of education. Even in despair like Ovid's at the beginning of the novel when he is nothing more than a bumbling old man, seemingly crazy, there is structure of knowledge. it may seem hopeless but, there is only time to gain knowledge.

Something else i would like to point out is the idea of transformation. Ovid rides the exile as a vessel taking him from a bitter old man, to one having complete understanding and "oneness" with the universe. In a broader sense you could interpret this as a metaphor for education, and that though something seems to be wrong or bad, may transform you into something else entirely via knowledge of that and of yourself.

Revenge as a question to the authenticity of religion

It is interesting that in many creation stories there are floods. Not only are there floods, but the floods are usually an act of vengeance. In Christianity's case, because man attempted to reach heaven. In Ovid's Metamorphoses, similarly men attempted to reach the realm of the gods. Then as an act of vengeance towards the human race the gods/god wipe out the human race. the fact that both of these stories have stunning parallels calls to question the possibility that religions such as Christianity and other creation stories that include the idea of "the great flood" perhaps stole the idea from Greek literature.

Beauty on the inside?

About 4 months ago my girlfriend and I got into an argument regarding ugliness. Conflict between men and women? We argued for an absurd amount of time given that no conclusion can be reached on the topic. Almost all people are bound by a few things: birth, death, and sex. Damn what is there to argue about right? Well, she states that sex is common because people have soul mates. Hogwash. In this scientific world the idea of a soul mate is laughable, because it is impossible to find just on solitary person you would call a soul mate. People have hundreds of potential soul mates, and how do we find them? Physical attraction, and yes its true, in some cases what makes a person attractive is projected and not explicit. I know because I used to love a land beast of a woman and my attraction was no less grounded than with a superhotsupermodel.

The argument revolved around the idea that there is an exact someone for everyone. I had to be tactful in the way of conducting this argument because for me to say there isn't implies that I ought not be with her. So I construct, in my most diplomatic tone, the basis for attraction.
"Paige, I am attracted to you obviously for your wit and mirroring interests to my own. You being a fox has far less to do with it." WOW the diplomatic sarcasm paradox! What a load of bullshit. Had Paige been a bumbling chub monster, i do not feel the forces of the cosmos would have still lead me to her door. However that is not to say true love doesn't exist between us just because she happens to be attractive. it simply means nothing is fixed. If you want true love you have to work hard for it. you won't find it just because God, whoever that is, has preordained you to find that person. I then took a moment this moment to remind the her that there are 6 billion people on the planet, of which you would be lucky to meet a minute fraction... So you only meet soul mates through a filter of economic, geographic, religious, or political factors? NO! everybody is reading too much into it. its just an urge of sex. 1. I see her 2. she's attractive 3. i ask for date 4. she says no and cleans my eyes with mace (wintery refreshing) 5. i know love does not exist between us 6. I continue to look. IF my goal is to find someone i can love, then i have 599,999,999 other options. the search continues forever in a cycle that will never end. until nuclear holocaust. We inevitably agreed to disagree based on spiritual differences, but i know she resents my love for her to this day based on this one silly argument.