Outside reading post

In Moving Violations, John Hockenberry's world has completely changed because of his accident. Everything that used to be simple tasks that he never had thought about have suddenly become daunting. He describes his adventures of making it across a sidewalk. "It was crucial to be aware of the curbs at each intersection. It was on the concrete lip of each of these curbs that the most gripping of my early physical dramas were played out" (104). Walking across the sidewalk used to be something he never had to think about. Now that he is in a wheelchair, he has to pay attention to every single detail. Hockenberry notes how easily everyone else moves around and comments, "If the able-bodied hiked casually through the world's physical terrain, I approached it as a golfer playing sudden death on the back nine at Augusta" (105). Nothing is easy for Hockenberry anymore, and he must do everything with the utmost care. Just because of one accident, John Hockenberry had to completely alter his lifestyle.

Outside reading- stereotypes

John Hockenberry in his book, Moving Violations, reflects on the falsehood and hurtfulness of stereotypes. Ever since he became a paraplegic in an accident, people have always tried to categorize him based on his disability. They seem to think that his wheelchair defines him, and he frustratedly reveals what he knows to be true about stereotypes: "Each stereotype thrives in direct proportion to the distance from each class of persons it claims to describe. Get clse to teh real people adn these pretend images begin to break up..." (89). Hockenberry understands better than a lot of people the difficulty of breaching the physical appearance and really know someone. I find it hard to believe the questions that strangers ask regarding his physical and sexually disabilities, and also they ask "...what do I prefer to be called? Do they think I have an answer?... I am a gimp, crip, physically challenged, differently abled, paralyzed" (87). Hockenberry doesn't want to be called any of those. "If you need a name for me, call me John" (102). For most people, appearance serve as a barrier to getting to know the actual person. We all need to learn to let go of our stereotypes and ideas of how people are supposed to be in order to really understand them.

By the way, I know this post isn't about ethics, but this book hasn't been about ethics at all. I'm really sorry about that...

Blog Question- OTW

In the movie, On the Waterfront, it is clear that there is corruption everywhere involving a mob and lots of money, and the question is hanging over everybody on whether or not to bring the mob cases to court. To one man, the answer is obvious. The priest is trying throughout the whole movie to get the dock workers to turn the mob in. To him, it is not a matter of money- money is worthless- but it is a matter of doing the right thing. It is a matter of truth and morality. For another character, however, it is not that simple. Terry knows better than anybody about all the corruption going on on the waterfront, but he doesn't dare bring it to court, for his brother is a lead member of the mob. Also, the main leader treats him very nicely, and he feels like it would be traitorous to turn them in. By the end of the movie, Terry must choose if the real act of treachery would be to betray his brother or stand by while the mob continued committing crimes.

It is obvious to me that this movie is in favor of standing up for truth rather than worry about keeping loyalties. Of course if Terry does turn the mob in, they will view him as a traitor, and he will lose all friendship with them. But on the other hand, people are dying, and Terry has a chance to end it. If he can gather the courage to do what is right, he will be clearing the waterfront of corruption and earn the title of a moral crusader.

All My Sons

In Arthur Miller's play, All My Sons, the biggest debate is whether or not taking care of your own is more important than regarding the needs of society. There is one character in the play that you never meet, but is opinion on this subject is very clear. Larry Keller was a pilot in the war, and when he discovered the atrocious crime his father did, he wrote in a letter, "...I read about Dad and your father being convicted. I can't express myself. I can't tell you how I feel- I can't bear to live anymore...if I had him here now I would kill him" (83). Even though he wasn't even the one who committed the crime, he still can't live with himself with the knowledge that his father knowingly jeopardized people's lives on the basis of supporting his family. At the end of the play, Joe Keller finally understands his son's point of view and says, "Sure he was my son. But I think to him they were all my sons. And I guess they were, I guess they were" (83). Larry believed that as humans, we all are obligated to protect and take care of each other whether we are related or not. To Larry, the pilots that died were like his brothers, so it was as if his father had killed his own sons. Larry felt so strongly that protecting society was just as important (if not more so) than protecting your family that couldn't even live with himself when his father violated that obligation.

Personally, I believe that taking care of your family is most important, but it is not the only thing as Joe Keller thought. I think that it is each family member's responsibility to take care of their own, but not at the cost of other people's lives. If the choice is between your family's well-being and the lives of strangers, I would not have done as Joe Keller did, and I probably wouldn't have reacted much differently than Larry.

Outside reading- Getting Through Life-Altering Injury

In the memoir, Moving Violations, the author, John Hockenberry, defies what society sees as a life-ruining disability and accepts his new life with wonder and vigor. After being in a car accident that made him lose control over his legs, many people looked at Hockenberry as though he were a young man whose whole purpose in life was taken away. Several even suggested doctor-assisted suicide: "...it was chilling to think that going on with my life made less sense to some people than a self-inflicted death" (77). It is suprising to Hockenberry that society believes he should give up so easily; that his life is as good as done. He sees his disability as the start of a brand-new life and each simple action is an exciting challenge. He never once considered suicide. Instead, he declares, "From the beginning, disability taught that life could be reinvented. In fact, such an outlook was required. The physical dimensions of life could be created, like poetry; they were not imposed by some celestial landlord" (79). By seeing his injury as an opportunity to mature and challenge himself, John Hockenberry is able to live life to the fullest in a situation where most people would have readily given up. Every day, every single person is faced with problems, and they must figure out a way to get through them all, but how can they do it when they focus on everything they've lost and can't envision new opportunities? This is exactly how Hockenberry felt when he decided to take on life from his wheelchair.