Values Dissonance/Literature: Difference between revisions

* The ''[[The Divine Comedy|Divine Comedy]]'' can be seen as [[Values Resonance]]. Dante didn't put any Jews in Hell; very important because a piece of literature at that time would expect and condone anything that shows Jews as sinners or marginalizes them in anyway. Notably when the moneylenders that he encounters are all gentiles. He also puts a poet who writes homosexual love poems in heaven, as well as a few virtuous pagans. He lets Cato the Younger be the caretaker/gatekeeper of Purgatory which implies that one day he will be allowed into Heaven. One time in Paradise he actually says (paraphrased) that an Indian who is a good person but has never heard the name of Jesus should be allowed into heaven. Dante was not happy about the Catholic doctrine that made anyone who isn't a Christian go to Hell or Limbo. Especially poignant throughout Inferno and Purgatory where Virgil guides him and Dante cannot reconcile how Virgil is a great man and has saved his life but will have to return to limbo for what is essentially an accident of not knowing Christianity.

** Also notable is the inclusion of eminent Muslims such as Averroes in Limbo. Even Muhammad, who Dante places in Hell (for being a "schismatic"), still tells Dante to warn a contemporary schismatic of his wrongdoing, so as to spare him from the same fate.

* In an instance of [[What Do You Mean It's Not Heinous?]], [[Ben Elton]]'s novel ''Meltdown'' features a character who attempted to be an actress but dropped out of her first production, ''Oedipus Rex'', because the director wanted to show her as Jocasta breastfeeding Oedipus. Elton portrays this as something equivalent to non-simulated incest and the woman's reaction ("You want me to get my tits out?!") as perfectly justified. While the idea would be provocative and unusual, and many actors might reasonably decline to do it, there are plenty of performers in legitimate theatre who have no problem with appearing nude and simulating sexual acts. For someone who claims to want to be active in the theatre community, therefore, the character comes across as prissy and provincial for being shocked at the mere idea.

* In [[Beverly Cleary]]'s ''Beezus And Ramona'', pre-school age Ramona is left to play in a sandbox in a public park with no supervision. Modern parents would be too terrified of her being scooped up by a pedo to do such a thing. Later in the series, Kindergarten Ramona hides all day because she doesn't want a substitute teacher (with no concern over where she is that we see), walks to and from school, crossing a busy street, is left home alone, and is punished by having to sit outside the classroom-when the classroom opens not onto a hallway, but a playground!