[Literature Paper 3] An introduction to Individual and Society

Individual and Society - Relationship and Interaction between Individual and Society

Study of Man in relation to community/people/constructs/institution/etc. (Relationship and Significance)
➡ Is the individual dependent on society?
➡ Is society dependent on the individual?
➡ How important is this relationship in life?

Nature of Interaction
➡ How is the interaction between Individual and Society regarded?
➡ What are the dynamics of this interaction? [Power struggle]

Individual – Identity, role, purpose, place
➡ Is identity, role, purpose, place defined by society?
➡ How do they become defined and developed?

Limitations and/or possibilities an individual faces
➡ To what extent does society influence these limitations and possibilities?
➡ To what extent are they influenced by an individual’s decisions?

Conflicts, or lack thereof, between individual and environment
➡ Influencing factors, Nature of Resolution, Outcomes, Significance of literary presentation

Man against Man/Nature/Technology/Supernatural/Self/Fate/Society

Individual – Societal expectations/Social roles shape and define individuals
➡ Gender, class, race, ideology, values, tradition, history, community
➡ Environment
➡ Culture – Practices, meaning, language, symbols
➡ Power – hierarchy, relations, structure
➡ Who has power over who?
➡ Does Man go with the flow?
Individual is in a state of displacement, alienation, isolation and stasis.

Awakening on the Individual’s consciousness
➡ Realization of role/purpose/expectation in society
➡ Something more to their identity
➡ Different Individuals have different reactions, thus there may be conflict with external forces

Individual on a journey (metaphor) of transformation & change
➡ Do they find themselves?
➡ Can they live in Society?

Conflict
➡ Within self
➡ With other characters
➡ With external forces
➡ Real or Imagined conflicts

Conflict between Individual and Society
➡ Individual have choices but Society has expectations
➡ Individuals have expectations in which the society cannot conform to

Concepts relating to Individual and Society

Displacement and Rootedness

Isolation and Assimilation

Conformity and Difference
➡ If you are part of Society, do you lose yourself?
➡ What makes you different?

Duty and Desire
➡ Can an Individual have his own choices?
➡ Or is the Individual bound to societal expectations?

Stasis and Change
➡ Are you stuck in the same thing?
➡ Is there assimilation to Society?

Appearance and Reality
➡ Are they part of Society as an appearance?
➡ Or are they truly in Society?

Private and Public
➡ How does the private individual function in the public sphere?
➡ Does he have to put up with lots of appearances to do so?

CONCEPT OF SOCIETY – What is the societal view in the text/theme?
Society (particular): New Orleans, Elysian Fields Neighbourhood, Belle Reve
Society (general): People, Place, Era (20th Century America), Behaviour, Ideas, Beliefs

American Dream – no matter who you are, you can make it big
Company – beauracratic (negative impact on indiv), hierarchical, organized ➡ characterizes a society!

Societal characteristics: Patriarchal, judgemental, energetic, volatile [NOT EXHAUSTIVE]
- Do Stanley and Mitch express some of these views? Note that Stan is not representative of the society.
- Does a character express societal views?

Society can ‘act’: Welcome, Accept, Judge, Expect, Alienate
➡ This can be evaluated in relation to theme.
➡ What does Society have to say about: Love, Marriage, Aging

Examples:
The Society of New Orleans is lively and joyful. / The neighbourhod is of working class.
Society frowns upon promiscuity, espsecially women. / Society is patriarchal.
 
Concept of Individual
Individual (Particular): Blanche
Individual (General): An Indiv

An Indiv (in relation to Society) can:
- Support/Agree
- Be indifferent
- Avoid/Hide
- Disagree/Oppose
- Change
- Try to fit in