Final Essay: A Scrutiny of Good and Evil by Pearse Wolfe Liblong

A Scrutiny of Good and Evil:
Examining the Effects of Hardship on the Protagonist

An essay by Pearse Wolfe Liblong

Jesus had the Devil and Harry had Voldemort but would their chronicles have been as captivating and famous if they had not had terrible things happen to them? Throughout the history of storytelling some of the most common themes have been unbeatable odds, adversity, and darkness. This gives the hero something to rise out of; after all, evil makes heroes and vice versa. In Memoirs of a Geisha, Sayuri (then, Chiyo) was taken from her parents and forced into a world of slavery. However, by the end of this Cinderella story, she has overcome the forces working against her, found her true love, and ends up living happily ever after. Perhaps one reason why this theme is so common is because it is relatable. Not only do most members of the human race harbour both good and evil, but tales of unlikely triumph resonate deep within, providing a sense of comfort, hope, and elevated self-esteem.

First of all, what is evil? Is it simply the absence of good? If so, then what is good and how is one able to recognize it when presented with an example? These are questions that have been pondered by philosophers and religious scholars through the ages. Traditional Judeo-Christian morality dictates that evil is that which is lacking in fundamental goodness; it is that “the man should be alone” which is the “not good” (Genesis 2:18), i.e. that which goes against god and society at large is evil.[1] Contrarily, the philosopher Benedict de Spinoza defines good and evil in his 1677 magnum opus Ethics by saying: “By good, I understand that which we certainly know is useful to us. By evil, on the contrary I understand that which we certainly know hinders us from possessing anything that is good.”[2] More importantly, however, he states in Proposition 68 “If men were born free, they would form no conception of good and evil so long as they were free.”[2] This implies that without the chains of societal expectation binding us in squalor to the moral ground, man would have no way of knowing what is good for the human race and what is not.

Before she was taken from her parents, Chiyo was a relatively happy girl. Although she and her sister were relegated to the position of a proxy-mother, because theirs was sick and dying, Chiyo had a normal childhood; she played with the other children in the village and was respectful of her elders. One day she met Mr, Tanaka, a handsome, gracious man. Chiyo, figuring it would be easier on her father, made a plan for her and her sister to be adopted by Mr. Tanaka. On the day of the adoption, however, they were taken by Tanaka’s assistant to Gion, where Chiyo was sold to an okiya and her sister, Satsu, was forced to become a prostitute. This event was only the first of a series of traumatic episodes, the likes of which might have driven some people to the point of insanity or suicide. Other tragedies that befall her include constant sabotage by the malicious Hatsumomo, and living in exile during World War II. Eventually, she finds true love and all is well in her life, but this ending would not have been so extraordinary had she not become such a close friend with catastrophe. It is the contrast between her life before and after misfortune that distinguishes her ending from those more ordinary.

This archetypal “Cinderella Story” appeals to the very basics of human nature. It includes elements of love, good eventually prevailing over evil, Prince Charming; some of the earliest and most common themes found in literature.  The majority of people in western society are not living their ideal lives and have to work very hard to make a living. When reading Memoirs of a Geisha and similar stories, one can find solace in the belief that if a broken woman like Sayuri or Cinderella can emerge from their cocoon of discontent, then it is not impossible for one to do the same.

All evil needs good and all good needs evil. They are two opposing forces that contradict as much as they compliment each other. Without evil, how would we know what is good and vice versa. Although they mix as well as oil and water, one cannot exist in the absence of the other. Even if all present evils were eradicated, would we not simply find something new to demonize? It is this balance that makes the stock rags-to-riches folkhero such a popular character. They (the hero/heroine in question) serve as a motivational device and moral compass for any hopeless, lost soul who might hear the tale; and again, as Benedict de Spinoza wrote: “If men were born free, they would form no conception of good and evil so long as they were free.”[2]

Citations/Quotes:
1. The Bible: Book of Genesis (2:18)
2. Ethics by Benedictus de Spinoza, translated by R. H. M. Elwes, Part IV: Of
Human Bondage of the Strength of the Emotions. (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ethics_%28Spinoza%29/Part_4)
Other Sources:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil#Christianity 2. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden