Free Will: The Awakening

          While thinking about what I should write for this post, I came across an article about free will. In class, we were talking about Edna being free and having a privileged life that allowed her to neglect her children because there would be someone to be the mother figure of her children. Anyway, the article stated a claim: “free will is an illusion.” The article also stated that “researchers have found patterns of brain activity that predict people’s decisions up to 10 seconds before they’re aware they've made a choice…The result was hard for some to stomach because it suggested that the unconscious brain calls the shots, making free will an illusory afterthought.” Taking this into consideration, I think that some of Edna’s actions could have been impulsive. For example, when she decides to cheat on her husband it could have been because she wasn't aware about her decision—like the article mentions. Free will is defined as the ability to choose one’s actions or determine what reasons are acceptable motivations for actions. According to the article, free will is an illusion and I believe this is true in the actions of Edna because the life that she is living with her husband and children has taken a toll on finding herself which makes her act on impulse rather than free will. 

Another example of Edna acting on impulse is when she decides to buy the “pigeon place.” She has the idea and she immediately goes and buys it. This is the result of impulse not free will. This article about free will as an illusion is very interesting and it can be a claim for the actions of Edna. I think that Edna doesn't have those intentions (adultery, neglecting her children, etc.) but other factors contribute to her impulsive actions. This book reminds me a lot about the Mexican culture. From what I have witnessed, I see women taking the role of a housewife. They do not have a choice in either getting a job or being at home. The man in the family decides that they will work to provide for the family and the woman should take care of the house and the children. I know a family that depends on these roles to be able to function as a family. What I mean is that if the woman doesn't care for the children and the household chores, then the house is out of order. I could say a lot about this aspect of the book and the Mexican culture but I would be writing a book. The thing that surprised me the most was the suicide issue. This book has so many issues that I think aren't appropriate to teach in a high school class and it just comes to show that Huck Finn should be acceptable in a high school setting.