PLACES AND FORMS OF POWER: How does the society have a certain form of power on our everyday life?
Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the metaphor of MCCarthyism
The play
17th century, Salem, Massachusetts
suspicions of witchcraft
after Tituba, black slave, was cought doing witchcraft, every one started accusing each other
real story about the Salem trials
fear and terror spread in the village; anyone could accuse anyone, and accusations made accused people go to jail without any proof
village became dysfonctionnal
exile
people in jail
12 have been hanged, 7 will be hanged
marshall: depressed + became alcooholic
Metaphor of McCarthyism
McCarthyism started during 50's/60's
senator McCarthy: blacklist of 200 people working for governement suspected of being communist (cold war context)
= case opened + other blacklists were created: Hollywood
accused people
had to give names to be clamed innocent
careers were destroyed: no one wanted to hire somoene blacklisted: could be also accused
families destroyed: children taken from mothers because considered as communists = unfit mothers
fear of every one
Power of the society
created fear and wrath
destroyed carrers, families, friendships, lives (suicides)
Mass tourism: the exemple of Venice
Hinduism's power in India: the exemple of Ganesh Chaturthi
The festival
Hindu festival celebrated all over the country
celebrates Ganesh's birthday: the day he got his elephant head because he had been beheaded by Shiva
initially celebrated around 14th century, became more popular during 18th century, 19th century it became a domestiv festival for all hindus, not only brahmins
celebrated in August/September every year during elevent days
took 11 days to write a religious book without food, water, sleep or bath
11th day, when it was done, Ganesh had been recovered of clay and was asked to take a bath in a river
during 11 days, people pray for Ganesh in front of clay statues (+ flowers, colors), 11th day the idol is immersed into water > people go in after
The power of the festival and religion in India
Festivals
vacations
every thing is dedicated to gods
every thing is decorated by colors
Religion
casts (still in minds but illegal now)
temples in every districts, almost streets
Social consequences
too expensive
some venitians resort to squatting
doing groceries depends on the number of tourists
extremely hard to not buy in tourists shops: only few grocery stores
depopulation by being squizzed by the tourists: inhabitants don't feel they are in their own cities
Tourists behaviours put the city in a extreme danger
feeding pigeons: number growing up too fast
sitting every where: damages the rock
going in the water/jumping = dangerous for tourists themselves
very damaged city
XXth century
expensive city to visit
enjoy culture and luxury
now on a very regular basis
tourists buses, very cheap
cruises: only one day stop
airport nearby: new low cost companies
North Europeans
problem is mass tourism, not tourism
over 2 billion euros/year: main business
veniziano, local language, disappearing
tourists here have to power to destroy or kill this city, by their number and their behaviour
Intro
Conclu
By places and forms of power, we mostly hear about politics or economy. But the society is the most influent power we culd find. By this way, we can ask ourselves how does the society have a certain form of power in our everyday life?
By these three ways, the society has an extremely important power , which can be great as assembling people together, or a negative power as destroying lives or places.
These two assemble people together in India, by this commun culture and history. Here the society, by celebrating these festivals even more and more, has the power to gather every one in the country.