In the readings we have had thus far I have enjoyed and understood The Canterbury Tales the best! =)
I feel all readers can relate to one of the pilgrims discussed in the story. There are all kinds of people from all kinds of lands and they come together to form a type of "friendship" group! It makes me think of the first day at a new school. No one knows each other, yet through social interaction people begin to find a friend who they feel most connected to. I like how none of the people are very similar and they all have their distinctive qualities. This proves that opposites do in fact attract to one another, which I feel is a good thing because this way people's differences can rub off on one another and create diversity. It teaches us to not be bias and to accept people for who they are and what they stand for. This was represented in my class project when I had the participants answer personal and opinionated questions, which allowed the others involved to get to know one another. No two people showed the same interests and this evolved from the fact that I tried to choose people from different "cliques," which is what Chaucer did in the story. Sometimes it may feel you are having to tolerate others in order to fully understand those you are getting to know. Eventually you may feel those peope aren't connected with you and that may or may not lead into a friendship. That doesn't mean you are ignorant or rude, it just means you have different personalities which clash. I'm sure the pilgrims had their own "cliques" because in any group setting cliques tend to form, which may or may not shut out some individuals along the way.
I also really liked the way all of the pilgrims were different from one another! It gave me a much better understanding of the different social classes and situations of the late fourteenth century than I would have gotten if the group was filled with all nobility or all common people. :)
ReplyDeleteVery true! Think of America today. We're a diverse nation because so many people of different nationalities, religions, or whatever live here. It would be pretty hard to have such a diverse nation if everyone was of the same religion or nationality.
ReplyDeleteI really liked all the diverse personalities also. I thought all the stories each character told were very interesting. The way some characters did clash and some got along with each other is what makes The Canterbury Tales so in interesting to begin with, and it also makes the reader be able to stay with the stories until the end.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about it in that school scenario. But the more I think about it, the truer it is. I do remember starting middle school, and there was only one in the whole county! But very quickly, you get a feel of who is who and you become the best of friends.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your opinion about trying to be unbiased and accepting of other people/cultures/religion/etc... Especially because this country is founded on immigrants!! Sometimes, living in the south, I have felt that people forget that fact. Unless you are Native Americans, please don't go around telling Hispanics/Asians/Immigrants to learn to speak English. It's incredibly rude.