To begin, a throwback to our previous favorite book:
“One mild night in the beginning of November…” um, hello Frankenstein?
Does Latimer’s brother know no more about poor spirits than his horse knows? I agree with Laura, there is no one in the world who never suffers. Basically because there is sin in the world, no one is perfect, etc. Sadness, loneliness, poor feelings are all a part of being human, so it is definitely impossible to always be positive. I think Alfred is overcompensating for his LACK of self confidence or some other lack of feeling in his life. Plus, I have trouble taking anyone seriously that is named Alfred. Personal problem, I guess.
Laitmer can’t find any doubt or uncertainty in Bertha. This fact in itself is almost a proof that Latimer can’t actually read minds, every one has even minuscule little doubts reeling through their heads. Latimer then compares himself to Alfred. Is he chastising Alfred for not being as sensitive as him? Latimer seems very jealous of Alfred, even though he doesn’t know him. All he sees is the outward appearance and the affection from their father. In this way, Latimer must feel like he has to come up with something to feel superior to Alfred. Latimer chooses to take pride in his sensitivity and clairvoyance.
Good substance: The fear of poison is feeble against the sense of thirst.
This thought is especially true in relationships. Latimer asks Bertha if she really loves Alfred. Bertha then responds it’s easier and better if she doesn’t love her husband.
Alfred tells Bertha that she doesn’t really feel that way. He is, again, projecting his feelings on her. It might actually be impossible not to project on someone you love. Sarah here agrees!
“The easiest way to deceive a poet is to tell him the truth.”
Latimer says to Bertha “Will you love me when we are married?” and two hours later Alfred ends up dead. Did Latimer kill him? What would Bertha think?
When Latimer finally penetrates Bertha’s mind, he is horrified. They both look at each other and judge each other. There is no hidden landscape or depth in Berthas soul, she is very surface and narrow.
Are there two kinds of projections? One idealizes Bertha, and one demonizes her. In a Christian sense, there is something wrong about presuming to judge. There is this fleeting thought in the mutually judgment standoff, that he is selfish and judgmental also. Is judging realism? One way to escape from the knowledge that YOU are petty is to judge other people as petty. Is there never a true sense of judgment since everyone doing the judging is also worthy of judgment? This reminds me of Matthew 7:5: You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. > From this, I really think that judgment is never really true, that judgment comes from the judgment of ourselves, projected upon others. We refuse to acknowledge our own weaknesses, especially in this American, individualistic society, so in hypocrisy we judge people who are equal or even less blameless than we are.
The mutually judge RIGHT after Latimers fathers death. He doesn’t need her anymore to prove himself to his father (or brother?) so she becomes a real person to him.
That’s all today for judgment and projection!
