Community or Not Community?
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When the characters in Into the Woods are choosing someone to sacrifice to the Giant, the suggestion is made that the blind stepsisters should be sacrificed because of their physical disability. What does this tell about what is happening to the community? What events in world history does this kind of thinking reflect?
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Hi it's Bryn here
ReplyDeleteWhen it’s suggested that the blind stepsisters should be sacrificed to the giant, it tells us that within the community things have become so terrible that they have come to the conclusion that since the step sisters have already lost their sight they couldn’t lose much else. Yes, it’s ridiculous but I think by this time in the story the characters have more or less lost all hope for their happily ever after. This kind of thinking sort of reflects past historical events, more specifically those affected during World War 2. I think these relate because thousands of less fortunate people were being tortured and slaughtered because of their culture or financial states. It’s truly awful and even though in the show it’s not nearly as terrible, it is sort of a subtle yet true way of showing what we become sometimes.
Hey Bryn, you make an excellent point. specifically when you said "World War 2. I think these relate because thousands of less fortunate people were being tortured and slaughtered because of their culture or financial states." I was inclined to agree. And yes like you said it is way more subtle in the show but it still manages to majorly affect the way the audience will continue to watch the remainder of the musical, worrying that the girls who lost their sight may be killed for it.
Delete“The characters have more or less lost all hope for their happy ever after” reminded me of a fairytale fact I read a long time ago.
DeleteIt said that the original fairytale ending line was, “And they lived happily ever after until they died.”
Your wording made me think.
Is there really such thing as a “Happy forever after?”
Hi Brynn,
DeleteI love how you pointed out the characters negative mind sets due to previous events and the effects its having on them. Its something I never thought of and is eye opening from my previous opinion which was that the community was being selfish.
Hey Bryn! It was interesting when you said " it is sort of a subtle yet true way of showing what we become sometimes". When you said this I thought of how the story of Into the Woods plays out. Everyone has a goal in the beginning and has something to achieve, and they want it so badly that nearing the end of the production, some characters will do anything to get what they want, even if it puts them or someone else at risk. Characters start acting as if they have nothing to loose, and for some characters, that gets them killed.
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ReplyDeleteWhen the characters of “Into the Woods” are desperately trying to find someone to sacrifice to the giant, the stepsisters are offered by the witch.
The other characters’ response and the witches mentality reflects that of the Americans and what happened to Japanese-Americans after the Bombing of Pearl Harbour during WW2.
In this point in history, the Imperial Japanese had attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbour.
This lead to America joining in the war efforts and caused paranoia and racist remarks from America’s citizens.
It also lead to a majority of America’s ethnic Japanese people losing everything they had, including : businesses, their houses, families (through separation), household items, and more.
This relates back to the sacrificial scene in “Into the Woods” in terms of the characters’ paranoias, the loss of under appreciated items, and the innocence of the characters being sacrificed.
In “Into the Woods”, the characters are scared of the giant and all the damage she’s caused.
In history, the Americans were uneasy around anyone who showed Japanese genetics in fear of those people being undercover spies.
In “Into the Woods”, characters lose undervalued items such as sight, independence, family, households, and power.
In history, Japanese-Americans lost everything they physically possessed. They never saw this confiscation happening, and most likely, under-appreciated aspects in their life at the time.
In “Into the Woods”, no character; no matter what their intentions were, deserved to die.
In history, the Japanese-Americans did not deserve the separation, the loss of every possession they owned, nor the military-like kind of treatment forced upon them.
In “Into the Woods” the sacrificial scene tells us that the Giant poses as a major threat and is endangering the lives of every single character in the musical. It also shows a relational tie to historical means and reflects a paranoid kind of thinking.
Hi Chelsea, while reading your comment i was posed with a question, who was the bad guy? Yes the Japanese bombed pearl harbor, but that brought america into the war- which they helped save millions from concentration camps. And the american government were the ones who allowed the fear and hatred of Japanese because of something a country they or their h=ancestors may have immigrated from. In terms of into the woods i was wondering the same question. Even though the giant killed and destroyed much of the kingdoms land and people, she was in grief over something Jack did- Jack killed her husband. In the woods the characters often made decisions out of selfish intents and rarely thought of the consequences. Your comment really helped me form a sober thought on this topic. Thank you.
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DeleteHey guys! Sabrina here.
Lindsy, I don’t think that was the point Chelsea was trying to make. Yes, the Americans did end up saving a lot of people, but she is referencing more the pain and oppression of the American Japanese. It’s almost as if you are saying, well, they fed the blind girls to the giant, but the giant stopped rampaging so that’s good right?
The point is the pain and betrayal of losing (or potentially losing) everything you have ever known and loved.
Hi Brynn it’s Hannah.
DeleteI totally agree with what you have to say on this matter, especially when you said “it’s a true way of showing what we can become.” Under distressing circumstances such as the fear of death can make up fo crazy selfish things to avoid it.
Hi Chelsea it’s hannah! You had excellent detailed historical ties to the Japanese Americans in the Second World War which I found very relevant in this context. Not only because the ste sisters were blind, but they were associated with the villains of the show, no matter their actions after the fact, they were still treated as villains and expendable and not like people, just as Japanese people were treated as villains regardless of how associated to their country’s beliefs they really were.
DeleteHey guys its Lindsy,
ReplyDeleteThe suggestion o sacrifice the step sisters because of their physical disability can remind one of a lot of time periods and travesties that have occurred in the world.
personally when reading this, i was reminded of communism. The implication they should be the ones to die is because they have become useless in the eyes of some of the characters. In a communistic society its members give what they have to get what they need, but n terms of the step sisters, the only things the characters felt they had to give was their lives. Harsh yes, but not unrealistic.
Even in today's society there is still pressure on everyone to contribute- yet we have an every man for themselves mentality. Seeing as the witch suggested sacrificing "the girls unable to see" the conclusion can be drawn that she looks out for herself (and occasionally her daughter-when its convenient for her), and that almost none of the characters objected to her suggestion- it shows theyre becoming more primal than humane.
To put it simply, the character are scared, and when comparing suggestion of death discrimination or hate to world events it can tie into almost everything we have learned in one form or another. Today's world is full of fear, and thatch exactly how the characters feel as their lives crumble before their eyes.
I like how you tied the actions in the play to fearful situations that are happening in current times.
DeleteIt kind of made me think of all the trouble the United States has been going through recently with politics and the feeling of division being depicted in their country.
hi Lindsy,
DeleteI like how you compared the sisters being sacrificed to current time events. I also liked your comparison to communism when you said" you give what you have and you get what you need" an how the step sisters had nothing to give but their lives in reality.
hey guys its Ally,
ReplyDeleteThe characters in into the woods are suggested by the witch to sacrifice the step sisters to the giant because they are physically disabled . This can relate to many different event in history. what came to mind first was the holocaust. During the holocaust not only where the Nazis trying to get rid of all the Jewish people but also homosexuals and disabled people. in both cases (into the woods and the holocaust) they where making sacrifices to what they thought would be best for the rest of them. In into the woods it shows that they are really all just focussed on what they're trying to achieve and not concerned with the consequences of that. I think this actions would split there community and grow distant instead of together.
Hey Ally! I really liked when you said " they are really all just focussed on what they're trying to achieve and not concerned with the consequences of that". I strongly agree with this. In this scene no one is really thinking of sticking together, it's more of a fend for yourself situation. All the characters are so afraid of getting hurt by the giant that they will do anything to protect themselves, and if it comes to it, they will put someone else at risk as long as it's not themselves.
Deletehey Ally, I liked how you said " they where making sacrifices to what they thought would be best for the rest of them" because moat people in situations like this one assumes they are making the right idea for everyone but it is really just for themselves.I thought that was very insightful
DeleteHi Ally, I really liked how you pointed out that these actions split the community apart instead of bringing them together because in this musical community is so important. Trying to get through these woods alone is next to impossible so the notion of staying close is very important.
DeleteHello, it's Sydney
ReplyDeleteDuring the dramatic giant scene, the witch suggests that the step sisters be the ones who are sacrificed to the giant, simply because they are blind. This tells me that this is a very tense situation and anyone will do anything to survive, even if it means throwing someone under the bus. A very selfish thing to do. Not only that, but the witch and the rest of the cast believe that because the sisters are blind, that makes it okay or less of a wrong doing to volunteer them to get killed by the giant. The witch is discriminating against the sisters because of their disability and because they're a little different from everyone else. One event I think of when thinking of this scene is the Rwandan genocide that took place during the Rwandan civil war. It was a goal of the Hutus to wipe out every single member of the Tutsi group. Thinking about this tragic event and the scene in our musical, I think; "How could these people think this way, how do they think this is okay?" I especially think this because there isn't really a rational reason for these actions, whether we're talking about the Hutus, or the witch. To be more general, I think that this scene is trying to reflect discrimination, and also in a way cowardness, by putting someone else in a dangerous position instead of being heroic and selfless.
Hey Sydney!
DeleteI like when you said “... anyone will do anything to survive.” It really brings to light the intensity and desperation the characters are feeling in this scene. It is very selfish. However, if you had to choose between your life and someone else’s (who didn’t matter much to you) in a moment of desperation, would you have done the same thing?
Idk, just something interesting to think about.
Hey Sydney, it’s Evan,
DeleteI really liked your comparison with the Rwandan genocide. When you said “anyone will do anything to survive”, do you think that in the same situation, anyone else may fall victim to wanting to “throw someone under the bus”? Not because of a disability but just in general.
Hi Sydney! I really liked your take on this question! I especially enjoyed the part where you pointed out the cowardice the witch showed in choosing the blind girls. It’s true that the witch was just looking for a scape goat and didn’t want to truly deal with the issue at hand and that is very cowardly which is a point of view I didn’t see, great job!
DeleteHi Sydney, I really liked how you connected this point to the rawandan genocide. I was totally thinking that too. The way they discriminated against the stepsisters is totally wrong and uncalled for. I liked how you touched on cowardness and that instead of showing bravery, they just sacrificed the step sisters because of their disability.
DeleteGood job!!
Alright boys and girls, let’s go! ~ Sabrina
ReplyDeleteSo, in this community, the blind girls are not seen as real people. We know this, as the witch didn’t suggest we give the giant the stepfather, or little red. Because they have disabilities, the witch, and the rest of almost everyone, was ok with giving them up. This is NOT OK. The community is obviously crumbling. To not see someone as human just because they have one less thing than you do is unfair and unacceptable. We do see, that this community is desperate. Desperate to save their kingdom, their children. So what’s a couple blind girls? This is so inherently wrong. It shows just how desperate, how far they are willing to go, but at the same time it shows how little they value the lives of those with disabilities.
This reminds me of when the French Canadians were betrayed by the prime minister in WWI. They were promised that they didn’t have to go to war, yet the prime minister administered a conscription (drafting) anyways. They were oppressed by the rest of Canada, because they all spoke English and thought they were better. This is kind of a similar situation, as the girls are oppressed and betrayed by the witch and most of everyone else.
Hi, it’s Camryn. I think that when the step sisters are sacrificed to the giant, it relates to many world events and problems. The main one that comes to mind for me is world war 2 and the holocaust events. During world war 2, Jewish people were killed because they were seen as lower class than others. They were said to be different and of no use to society. In into the woods the stepsisters became blind so they were sacrificed to the giant because they were the least useful of everyone. There are lots of time in history when this theme has occurred. Another example is the shooting at a Florida gay nightclub. The shooter didn’t think that homosexuality was valid and saw them as not a use to society. Obviously these events were a wrong doing and nothing like that should ever happen. Overall, in into the woods the stepsisters are sacrificed to the giant for the simple reason that they are now handicapped.
ReplyDeleteHi Camryn! I thought it was very smart not only to include a real world example from the past, but one that is in very recent history that feels a little closer to home.
DeleteHi Camryn, Emma L here,
DeleteI like how you used multiple historical examples in your comment, as I think this gives an extremely holistic representation of what is occurring in the scene. Using a more recent example as well is very poignant because having lived through it, it's easy to grab on to the message. I agree that the reason for their sacrifice was simple as you said. When people are fearful complicated thought rarely exists. Your comment was very well crafted, concise and gave me a slightly different perspective on this scene. Well done.
Hey it’s Erin, reading over this scene most people in it have never really thought about the greater good from another people’s point of view. When going into it they’re looking at everyones flaws as they see it not as someone else, so the group looks at the sisters and think “oh they must be miserable because they can’t see” but in actuality the sisters seemed to be perfectly content with the current situation and even with the Narrator the group show him and didn’t recognize him and And decided he should be the sacrifice because they don’t know him.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking at history you could take many situations and be able to look at the way treated the sisters and see the similarities.
To just name a few during WW2 the Germans saw Jewish people and really anyone who was not like them as different and saw themselves as better then everyone and even still now a days people of colour and LGBTQ+ people are still marginalized even just looking last year at the Charlottesville riot a group of people thought they were better than other people and thought fight was the best way to prove it.
In a situation like the one, the group was put in is a hard one because really no one wants to give their life for people they barely know but pointing out a part of someone that they can’t cause isn’t right in any situation
Hi, it's Tiernan.
DeleteI liked how you pointed out what makes these kinds of "sacrifices" so awful: the fact that the person is being condemned for something they cannot really control. In history, this is, as you pointed out, often on account of race, religion, or sexuality. In the context of "Into the Woods", this is the step-sisters' blindness (regardless of whether you believe they deserved the blinding, it is undeniable that they did not choose it) and the inherent existence of the Narrator's role. That was a very good point!
Hey all, this is Tiernan!
ReplyDeleteI’m not certain I would personally consider the suggestion to kill the blind stepsisters to be a reflection on the community of characters in “Into the Woods”, as the suggestion was made by the Witch. The Witch is already pre-established as being evil, as she got the Baker’s mother killed over her vegetables, and then decided to place a curse on his house on top of that. The beans were magic, but that is really beyond the point; she still had a woman die because of her, and decided that was then not enough to satisfy her.
I would argue that the worse example in the same scene is the Narrator’s sacrifice. The reason that the entire community (and not simply a villain) decided to have the Narrator be killed is that the Narrator is an outsider. This is, in my opinion, a clearer example of the community’s degeneration during a time of crisis. It was the Witch who ultimately had the Narrator killed, but the only objections to the Narrator's killing came from the Baker and Baker's Wife, but not for moral reasons; they only objected because the Narrator convinced them it would be to their benefit to spare him.
From a historical lense, countless examples of this same mentality can be found, though obviously not in the exact same context. Historically, outsiders (generally as a group, rather than an individual) are treated as scapegoats, and have many of their livelihoods and/or lives “sacrificed” for the benefit of the “normal” group. Some examples of this, in our very country, include the internment of Eastern European immigrants during the First World War, and the internment of Japanese immigrants during the Second World War, both of whom had atrocities committed against them. Canadian citizens, in general (there are some exceptions), did not speak out against these events, because the immigrants, being immigrants, were outsiders, and to them, it were better an outsider than themselves.
Hey Tiernan, it’s Evan,
DeleteI like how you brought up the idea of outsiders being “treated as scapegoats”, and the narrator being sacrificed for being an outsider. That isn’t something I’d thought about when writing my response and I’m glad you mentioned it. Do you think that the fact it was a community decision and not just an individuals makes it any more or less justifiable of an act?
I agree that the "Witch is already pre-established as being evil" and calling upon a different example but when thinking about it they did stop when he said that he knew what happened. This I guess is still not the best and might still classify as out-casting but it was yet again only the witch who really finished the job.
DeleteHey Tiernan, I thought it was really interesting how you brought up the difference between the suggestion of the Step-Sisters being sacrificed versus the Narrator, and how the characters all came to that decision, especially how this has a different affect on the community. Whereas the Witch would've easily, had the presence of the Narrator not been made clear, suggested somebody else (likely the Baker or Cinderella's father as they were men and the giant didn't want a woman) the community of the characters as a whole barely hesitated to sacrifice the narrator; And like you said, they solely hesitated because of their contemplations of his benefits in their lives, and not simply because he's, although different in some ways, still a part of the story and should be valued just like everybody else. It makes you wonder why it was the benefit of his own life that made the Baker decide sacrificing the Narrator wasn't what they should do, whereas from the beginning he never even considered sacrificing Jack, who would've more likely stopped the Giant, when Jack doesn't necessarily benefit the Baker either.
DeleteHey guys, it’s Evan
ReplyDeleteThe initial willingness of the characters to sacrifice the step-sisters to the giant simply due to their disability shows that the characters have been metaphorically blinded by their desperation to appease the giant. They think that their lives are less valuable because of their blindness, making them an easy solution for sacrifice. This is very similar to what happened in Germany 80 years ago. At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Nazis began their racial purification programs, meaning the eradication of “inferior peoples”, starting with the sterilization and extermination of people with disabilities. They believed that they were unfit to have children and were a burden on society. Society in Germany at that time was so divided and unstable due to economic crisis that they were desperate to find someone to blame their problems on. The exact same thing is happening at this point in our story. The characters are deeply divided by the devastation caused by the giant, that they spend a whole scene blaming each other instead of trying to fix the problem. Thankfully they come to their senses and realize they can solve their problems if they just worked together.
Hey! This is Tiernan.
DeleteI really like your metaphor at the beginning there, that in the heat of the moment, and in their desperation, it was almost that the community was the most blind, not the step-sisters. I very much agree with your point that, in real life as in the show, in times of crisis, it is best that the community does not point fingers or nominate anyone else to suffer, but instead that the community work together to solve their problems.
Hi Evan it's Keira
DeleteI really liked how you used the sister's blindness as a metaphor to relate to the community as a whole saying that they were blinded by the fact that they needed to prioritize themselves which meant they needed to do what they thought was best for the community by sacrificing the sister's who couldn't see which meant they didn't even get a choice in the matter.
Hey! It’s Caleb
ReplyDeleteIn the musical Into the Woods the characters are faced with a very difficult decision when the time comes to choose someone to sacrifice to the giant. These characters have never made a decision for themselves in their lives and now facing one with such magnitude is very daunting, this leads to a big shift in the sense of community we see in the woods. Previously to this scenario there had been some drama in the woods for sure but generally everyone had gotten along, at this point it became a game of self-preservation. No one wanted to be the one who was sacrificed so everyone began to search for the weakest link in order to save themselves. This ultimately lead to the witch suggesting the blind step sisters. This type of thinking by the witch can easily be compared to the holocaust as Hitler was searching to remove all of the “imperfections” from his land and the witch was ready to give the blind girls up purely because they weren’t perfect or of use to her.
Hey Caleb, I liked how you talked about there choice to pick the sister was really out of everyone in the groups self-preservation, really well said.
DeleteHey Caleb, I really liked how your paragraph flowed so effortlessly between talking about Into the Woods and your real world example. Another point that Erin already mentioned was pointing out the shift into a mindset of self-preservation which to me was very intellectual and quite well said.
DeleteHi Caleb, I thought it was really interesting how you pointed out the previous sense of community the characters had- I'd never thought about it that way. It's interesting to examine the interactions the characters have in the first act based of off the stakes in those acts versus the second act, when the stakes become a lot higher. It transforms from a motivation of want- Of wishes- Into a need to survive, a question of life or death. I'd hadn't thought about how the stakes and motivations had changed from Act one to Act two until reading your comment, and it is definitely something that can help explain each character's actions and how they differ from act to act.
Delete-Eve
Hi everyone it's Brandon!
ReplyDeleteIn Into the Woods the suggestion of sacrificing the sisters to the giant to me is quite interesting. My interpretation is that the characters believe that because the step sisters have a disability that they are miserable when that isn't the case at all. The step sisters even have a line saying, "Were not that miserable” (Underscore, Song 52) which clearly shows that even though they have a physical disability that they can still find happiness. This to me is very telling of how this community is functioning as they believe if you aren't normal physically, you must be miserable. In terms of world history, I think back to the way disabled people were treated in the 17 and 1800s. People of all social classes looked down upon the disabled whether it was someone missing a limb, someone blind or maybe deaf as both lesser and more upset individuals. However, many of those people went on to live very happy and successful lives either as painters, musicians, naval fleet commanders and so many other careers. In conclusion, even though you believe someone who is disabled is feeling miserable, remember that people of all disabilities learn to find happiness even though we might not see it.
I liked how you wrote that saying that "people of all disabilities learn to find happiness". Everyone finds happiness through their misfortunes or challenges they have.
DeleteWhen I read the play In to the Woods, the moment the witch suggested to sacrifice the two blind stepsisters I’ve found that at that moment their society was criticizing the sisters because they were physically disable which I find that is a bad thing to do. I mean I guess at that time what they believe in is a valid solution and, in their eyes, they are doing the right thing. The problem I’m still having is that the one who was responsible for all this didn’t get punished. This was the only thing that I, as the giant, was looking for. As for the community itself, it seems to be neglecting and downsizing disabilities which I believe within modern-day society this would be the wrong thing to do. Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean that you as a person are useless just that you’d have more challenges or obstacles to overcome. Back in the day I guess there were more obstacles with doing most tasks directed towards seeing which means that there were limitations on what they had the current ability of doing. This might be the reason but then the characters say that the sisters are miserable. At the time their beliefs are that they are doing the right thing. At that point I guess the society is doing a decent job for the time but could use some improving.
ReplyDeleteI believe this would also apply with what happened in Uganda if this did occur. I am not the best at finding historical events. In Uganda it claims that witch-doctors “... use infant body parts in traditional rituals they claim bring wealth, good fortune and good health to their clients...because of the belief that they are better off dead than having to endure a painful and incurable disability”. Sacrifices for wealth or even cause families to feel like outcasts. Within the play they haven’t gone too far in with the idea but in Uganda they were outcasts and many “...mothers with disabled children make considerable personal sacrifices. They feel obliged to meet the costs of providing for a special-needs child amid many social barriers, including severe social exclusion and... It is these barriers that force some mothers to end the lives of their disabled children”. So, in the play it isn’t as bad as Uganda but still the idea of being a social outcast happened.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Untold-story-mercy-killing-disabled-children/688342-4320562-7p6gsdz/index.html
Allen Jamieson from above.
DeleteHi there it’s Hannah!
ReplyDeleteIn the scene with the giant, the characters of Into The Woods are at their widths end, fearing for their lives and acting completely selfishly due to this. The stepsisters at this point, being blind are seen as expendable and no longer useful to the characters in any way, their existence was considered a liability, as were the lives of many minorities and people with disabilities during world war 2. This parallel is striking to me, in a rather light hearted musical, but makes sense as the show is all about people desires and goals and what lengths they will go to achieve them, in this case their goal was to stay alive, which was also the goal of the citizens under the control of the nazi regime. It would be hard to act unselfishly and empathize with someone who you’ve been convinced is a liability and worthless, when your own life is at risk.
Hi Hannah, Emma L here.
DeleteWhen I read your comment I was struck when you spoke about the contrast between the lighthearted musical and the parallel between World War II. I think the musical has dark themes throughout and this is simply another example. Some other such occurrences in the musical with dark undertones are the scene in which the stepmother cuts the feet of the stepsister and Hello Little Girl. These scenes seem to juxtapose the overall lightheartedness and is part of what makes this musical so interesting.
Hi Everybody! It's Eve here,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting part of the story to examine. Even just generally, the idea of having to choose somebody to sacrifice to the giant is very interesting. What was this criteria based off of? Who most resembles the lad? In the end that is true, but before-hand the Witch suggests one of the newly-blind step-sisters. She claims that they should be the sacrifice to "Put them out of their misery!" But at this point in the musical, the Witch is also feeling miserable- Having lost, rather then the ability to see, the ability to perform magic, something she'd been able to do for presumably her whole life. Thus, this suggestion is extremely hypocritical. By this criteria, shouldn't the Witch herself just as easily be the sacrifice? The Witch is simply acting selfishly, probably picking who she thinks would be easiest to beat in a fight (if it were to come down to that,) without even realizing the hypocrisy of her actions. I believe the Witch also chose to do this, and to later sacrifice the narrator (despite the Baker and other's protests) because she was scared. Never before has she been so unable to fight and protect herself, or the one she loves (Rapunzel, who although no longer under the witch's care, is still put into harm's way by the giant)- She believes this sacrifice of one will save many. She truly believes that it's the right thing to do. However, even on this note, it makes you wonder- If she had been who the giant was after, would've she given herself up just as easily? I don't believe so. The Witch's actions, although motivated by fear and selfishness- Emotions that make us all do things we regret sometimes- and her belief that said actions are morally correct, is simply failing to empathize with others- She is refusing to believe there is another way and thus making hasty decisions. Had it been Rapunzel who the Giant wanted, I doubt the Witch would've given her up so easily. Had the Witch paused to think about the position the Step-sisters, the Narrator, Jack- Anybody she was willing to let die- were in, imagined herself or Rapunzel in their shoes, she may have realized how wrong what she was suggesting truly was.
Hey everyone, Emma L here.
ReplyDeleteI think this scene reflects the fear throughout the community. At this point, they have reached their last resort in their willingness to sacrifice the disabled members of their community for their own gain, in an effort to survive. An event in history that reflects this is the discarding of babies not deemed valid in Sparta. When babies were born, if they were seen to have any "flaws" they would killed in order to preserve the strength and purity of the military. Similar to the community in into the woods, the Spartans killed out of fear. The characters in Into the Woods feared death while the Spartans simply feared weakness. The thought process of the Witch can also be seen as similar to that of the Spartans. The Witch, like the Spartans deemed the Stepsisters lesser than the rest and even suggested to "put them out of their misery" the Spartans also viewed any "imperfect" child as lesser and had no objections towards killing them. There are many events throughout history that could be shown to be representative of this scene and as such it is an extremely important commentary from Stephen Sondheim.
hi Emma it's Keira
DeleteI really like how you added that it reflects the fear throughout the community and how it was a last resort. It gave me a different side of the story and perspective to look at in regards to what i commented.
hi it's Keira,
ReplyDeleteThe part in the play when the community decides to sacrifice the blind sister's to the giant because of their disability reminds me of how in china if a women has a daughter or a child with problems they will leave their child at a dumpster or on the road because they think that they are not "useful" to them or they will be a "burden" to the family. This tells us that as a community in the play they are coming to a decision that the sisters are not as valued and they could afford to lose them for the greater good of the community
wow! this is a powerful example you have made. Thank you for this insight, as it has provided a global perspective to our storyline.
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