In his book, “The Norton Anthology of World Literature,” Martin Puchner begins by focusing on whether the latest thing is always the best. This question reveals how challenging it is to please human beings. People spend time trying to possess and own new, trending, and shinier items, yet at the same time, they worry that the old tones are gone and forgotten. The text shows how the modern world is full of confusion. Puchner proves how those believing in the past, and individuals practicing modernity arrived at an amicable solution. The resolution was that one should not blindly follow the rules but be skeptical about every idea and reason about the consequences before engaging in a particular act. Puchner (2018, p. 93) states, “life is a struggle between rationality and emotion.” As enlightenment continued, it brought many changes in the relationship between humanity and nature, society, convention, and authority.
Puchner shows how people realized that kings and queens were not immortal, the differences between the diverse social classes, and the relationships between men and women. He reveals the relationship between humanity and nature and the factors involved in their connection. In the eighteenth century, people developed aspects to emphasize the need to follow decorum as it was seen to preserve society’s standards (Puchner, 2018). To modern readers, this might seem antique and artificial due to the changes that have been experienced. However, conserving humanity’s values can still improve today’s rules and modify them to fit contemporary society. Thus, the audience can learn that the text’s main idea entails the differences between the contemporary and ancient world.
Reference
Puchner, M. (2018). The Norton Anthology of World Literature. W. W. Norton & Company.