Jude the Obscure

This book made me certain that art serves a function in society, which is to broaden the constrictive boundaries of social control over an individual's life, or at least to help keep society elastic. What I mean is that if a novel challenges conventions and expresses with poetry the pitfalls of hardened, normative behavior, then it also helps to change the ideology of society at large (at...more

This book made me certain that art serves a function in society, which is to broaden the constrictive boundaries of social control over an individual's life, or at least to help keep society elastic. What I mean is that if a novel challenges conventions and expresses with poetry the pitfalls of hardened, normative behavior, then it also helps to change the ideology of society at large (at least planting a seed of ambiguity as to how a person should or shouldn't live their life.) The goal is to eventually change the behavior of society and I think this starts with the heart of the individual - this is what art can do. What a tragic tale about the real life emotional consequences of trying to live a life that is outside the accepted parameters of "proper" social etiquette.   hide