Spring Break
MAELSTROM: USEM stirs class division
by Rebecca Blady
Acting Forum Editor
Columnists | 12/9/08
Posted online at 2:31 AM EST on 12/9/08
Rewind for a moment to your days in junior high. In your efforts to decipher George Orwell's tumultuous Animal Farm, likely a component of your reading list, you undoubtedly grew suspicious of Napoleon the pig's hypocritical and corrupt actions during his tyrannical rule over the farm. Gradually, you came to understand that the real situation Orwell recounts, Stalin's regime in Soviet Russia, was capable of causing immense harm in Russia.
Metaphors this extreme can be very effective. And since Orwell's animals relayed his point successfully, why not apply them to Brandeis? In particular, an aspect of Brandeis that has recently been the focus of much dissent: the University Seminar requirement.
Return to the same context. The characters are the same, but the situation is a little different; it's not Soviet Russia in the mid-20th century. Napoleon is now in a classroom. Needless to say, he's an authoritative teacher in a classroom full of innocent, obedient animals.
First-years.
These animals have never been to a university classroom before, especially one taught by such a distinguished figure in their community. They tremble at the sight of him, anxious of what his expectations might be and unsure of how to behave.
Napoleon's class is titled "The Glorification of the Pig in Modern Society." Squealer, a pretentious student who is eager to please his professor, is particularly fascinated by the prospect of learning how to better justify the pigs' pursuit of power on the farm. Snowball, a studious, rational student, seems intrigued by Napoleon's apparent wealth of knowledge but is prepared to challenge his professor.
Others, Boxer the horse among them, seem rather confused. Boxer trusts his teacher but doesn't really understand the relevance of pigs to his life. He would have much preferred to take the class "The Construction of Windmills."
Moses the raven was more interested in a class called "The Afterlife," though he would have much preferred not being forced to take a small seminar class at all.
Metaphors this extreme can be very effective. And since Orwell's animals relayed his point successfully, why not apply them to Brandeis? In particular, an aspect of Brandeis that has recently been the focus of much dissent: the University Seminar requirement.
Return to the same context. The characters are the same, but the situation is a little different; it's not Soviet Russia in the mid-20th century. Napoleon is now in a classroom. Needless to say, he's an authoritative teacher in a classroom full of innocent, obedient animals.
First-years.
These animals have never been to a university classroom before, especially one taught by such a distinguished figure in their community. They tremble at the sight of him, anxious of what his expectations might be and unsure of how to behave.
Napoleon's class is titled "The Glorification of the Pig in Modern Society." Squealer, a pretentious student who is eager to please his professor, is particularly fascinated by the prospect of learning how to better justify the pigs' pursuit of power on the farm. Snowball, a studious, rational student, seems intrigued by Napoleon's apparent wealth of knowledge but is prepared to challenge his professor.
Others, Boxer the horse among them, seem rather confused. Boxer trusts his teacher but doesn't really understand the relevance of pigs to his life. He would have much preferred to take the class "The Construction of Windmills."
Moses the raven was more interested in a class called "The Afterlife," though he would have much preferred not being forced to take a small seminar class at all.
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