Introduction
The concept of death in the world of art is highlighted through the harmony and balance between human beings and nature; the works Redemption by John Gardner and the Indian Sundance by Michael Crummett are examples of positive concept illustrations through their influence on future survival and new values development. The works are considered to be quite expressive and emotionally depicted through symbolism and metaphorical illustration of the death faced by the characters. The modern world of literature and art reflects the concept of Death as the fresh start to new beginnings and harmonic redemption; death leads to unity with nature and soul balance.
ArtWorks Analysis
The work Redemption is aimed at showing the consequences resulted from the death of a close person. The author strived to underlie the positive effects and the state of values realization reached by the character who suffered the death of the relative. It is necessary to note that the story discloses the gradual opening of the new talent having been understood only after the death of the close person and feeling the burst of guilty. Redemption is the process of artistic harmony between the person and the music. Gardner managed to show the disclosure of the limited talent connected with the power of music and human harmony with it.
The protagonist of the story, Jack Hawthorne, is considered to be the example of the person seeking consolation in horn music because of the brother’s death; the death is showed as the way to something new and unknown for the character. Being followed by self-hatred and guilt Jack tries to escape from himself which leads him to complete harmony with the music.
The concept of death in the Story Redemption closely interacts with religious motives. The author sticks to the aspect of theodicy to explore the contradictions between good and evil through religious believes and views. It should be stressed that the story is concentrated on the magic world of French music being the way of the character’s self-realization and being safe from the feeling of incompleteness and life sufferings. The author showed how death allowed finding a personal calling and allowed the character to join the sphere of art being supported by its power. The character strives to dive into self-isolation separating his world from his family and friends; death brings suffering and hurt but it helps to start evaluating new aspects of human life such as art and music sponging its energy and recovering from all possible problems of life.
“…beatific and demonic at once has paradoxically saved (Jack) from the artistic self-absorption and isolation he has chosen” (Gardner, 49)
The idea of being a musician changes the values of the character’s life considerably; the brother’s death joined him with the world of art resulting in re-unity with the family and new successful life in society. (Howell, 1993)
The concept of death in the work Indian Sundance by Michael Crummett is expressed through Indian traditions and ceremonies of sacrifice disclosing the fact that only death can bring living beings to complete harmony with nature. Comparing this work with Gardner’s story, it is necessary to underline the fact that both works demonstrate the same concept of death through religion. The author strived to highlight the strong traditions of Indian culture and its spiritual ceremonies. The work is devoted to the description of ancient sun dance ceremonies, which were focused on the process of sacrifice. The ritual is considered to be a privilege for the Indians and a reflection of religious believes.
The ceremony and its rituals last for about four days covering the formation of various levels in the human subconscious mind. The formation of these levels is very important for the awareness of nature values and their power; the sundance ceremony contains the unity of earth, water, fire, and airpower for strong belief and expectations formation. (Spier, 1993)
The concept of death in Indian traditions was perceived as the state of reaching religious devotion and harmony with nature; people tried to gratitude their Gods through sacrifice rituals. The author managed to show various sides of the religious practice of the Crow people disclosing rituals prohibited by federal law. The Indian traditions are shown to be based on the principle of continuity between death and life stating that death is a symbolic state transferring the creature to the world of balance and harmony. The true-life end does not exist but the state of regeneration and rebirth. The analysis of Crummett’s work allows seeing that ancient people considered all human beings, animals and plants equal through their close connection with nature and dependence on it.
According to the Indian customs and traditions accepted in Crow society death is considered to be the greatest and the most powerful challenge. People compared this concept with baby bearing because it could result in a mother’s life loss at an early age. The author managed to highlight the basic elements of the Crow Sun Dance ceremony through national traditions and people’s attitude to the concept of death:
- Ceremonial variations connected with traditional Sun Dance. Strict ritualists character of Crow people made them stick to variations during any ceremony;
- The symbolical representation of Crow cottonwood or, as it was called, Sun Dance Pole;
- Crow’s attitude to death in the ceremonial rituals when they tried to show their harmony with nature was expressed with the introduction of the sacrifice process;
A special place was given to the role of women in the traditional ceremonies of the Crow people. It was stated that Sundance traditions expressed the elevation of female respect and honor in society. Women had to make special vows for the ceremony in case of illnesses or some personal crisis. (Crummett, 1993)
The role of men was shown through their deep patriotism to the land and national traditions accepted in the society despite the introduced prohibitions of the federal law.
“The men emulate the deeds of their fathers in order that they may take part in the sun dance. And thus this wonderful dance becomes a school for patriotism among the tribes and a stimulus to deeds of valour as well as an incentive to virtue.” (Spier, 1993)
Men were presented as a strong inseparable part of the rituals through which one could observe “spiritual dances” of the fire and air.
The works of art devoted to artistic redemption demonstrated by Gardner and Indian traditional rituals of sundance ceremony described by Crummett appeared to be aimed at the illustration of the concept of death and its influence on human existence and harmony. The authors managed to show the positive side of the issue through its role in human relations with art and nature.
Both stories are considered to be symbolic due to various elements used by the authors; for example, Gardner described French horn music as the art of redemption resulted from death. The author tried to deepen into the atmosphere of music disclosing the fact that very often pain and hurt of life losses may lead to something new allowing the character to come to self-realization and open new talents in harmony with the art. Gardner broke the conception of death’s one-sided characteristic proving that sometimes it can lead to positive effects. (Howell, 1993) The story of Crummett disclosing Indian traditions of the sundance is also focused on the symbolical representation of the death concept through various rituals and customs of sacrifice. It is necessary to underline the fact that the author paid special attention to the philosophical presentation of nature describing it as the universe supporting people in their decision-making processes and life conditions. He stressed the significance of the motherland for the Crow people devoting their lives to its well-being. (Spier, 1993)
Conclusion
So, the modern world of literature and art is focused on the depiction of the principle life concepts in the paintings and stories. The analysis of two stories allowed seeing another side of the coin – the authors managed to show that sometimes it is very difficult to see a positive beginning in things hurting and troubling you but to do this means to start a new life which may bring you to the harmony and balance with the nature and art.
References
Crummett, Michael. Sundance, The 50th Anniversary Crow Indian Sun Dance. Falcon Press Publishing. 1993.
Gardner, John. The Art of Living and other Stories: Redemption. Published by Alfred A. Knopf. 1981.
Howell, J. Michael. Understanding John Gardner. University of South Carolina Press, 1993.
Spier, Leslie. The Sun Dance of the Plains Indians. The Trustees. 1993.