In “The Risks of Empathy” Megan Boler argues that the development of empathy thr
In “The Risks of Empathy” Megan Boler argues that the development of empathy through readings of multicultural texts by American students is ineffective because it allows readers to create a distance between themselves and the characters involved. The empathy created is shallow because it becomes based on the reader’s experience rather than a historical and contextualized understanding of the violence.
Meanwhile, in “Photographs of Agony,” John Berger argues that images of agony and violence arrest the viewer. The violence becomes so overwhelming that the viewer/reader decontextualizes the image from its context altogether and views it as a normal condition of human suffering.
Susan Sontag recognizes the possibility of images to be manipulated and/or staged to facilitate a specific political argument. Images can be exploited to manipulate readers’ and viewers’ emotions for a specific cause that may not be representative of the actual issue.
In a 1,500-word MLA style (12pt. font, times new roman, and 1inch margins), argumentative essay, write about your own emotional response to the violence depicted in 2-3 scenes within the novel, City of A Thousand Gates. Choose representations of violence about the Palestinian -Conflict; please avoid writing about sexual assault or self-harm. Based on your emotional response, how effective are these scenes at motivating readers to create change? To support your argument, use either Megan Boler, John Berger, or Susan Sontag to analyze how you are feeling and responding to 2-3 scenes of violence in the novel. How or why is this your response? How closely does your response match what Boler, Berger, or Sontag writes about how audiences respond to scenes of violence? How would Boler’s, Berger’s, or Sontag’s theory apply (or not apply) to your psychological and emotional response to this novel, as well as to whether or not that response leads to the changes necessary to eliminate the kind of violence that the book depicts?
Briefly describe the scenes that you are analyzing. You will need to incorporate your thoughts and feelings along with quotes from both the novel and one of the readings to support your arguments.
Tips for outlining, structuring, and writing your essay:
Identify the scenes that you would like to analyze. Try to choose scenes that evoke a strong emotional response for you (if there aren’t any, why is that? Choose some scenes to describe and talk about your lack of emotional response). Go beyond sad, mad, shocked, or happy; your emotional response might be complex so don’t feel like you only have to pick one feeling. Here is a range of feelings to consider:
Apathetic Angry
Numb Outraged
Unsettled Nihilistic
Disoriented Ashamed
Confused Defeated
Invigorated Compassionate
Powerless Motivated
Overwhelmed Empowered
Grateful Bitter
Optimistic Jaded
Distraught Hopeful
Ask yourself questions. How am I feeling as read this? Why am I feeling that? Is it the way the scene was written? The context of the situation? What about the scene is causing you (or not causing you) an emotional reaction? And what are you likely to do with that emotional reaction?
Choose an author that matches or directly contradicts your own feelings. Ask yourself, Why do they align with or depart from your emotional response to the readings? How much do their arguments apply to your experience of reading this novel?
Think about what this novel has (or has not) inspired in you. Is it likely to change the way that you think or act? Do you want to: learn more about political violence? Talk to others? Donate to prevent it? Volunteer? Or has this made you think about another personal/political situation that you want to do something about?—— Are you not inspired? Why and how does that impact you and your action (or inaction)?