Unlikely Contributions to an Ethical Problem
Unlikely Contributions to an Ethical Problem
Module 14 Discussion Forum: Unlikely Contributions to an Ethical Problem II
Rationale
This will be our final installment of the unlikely contributions series this semester. In a work like A Dybbuk, its unlikely or speculative aspects are inseparable from its meaning and broader purpose.
Similar to Unlikely Contributions to an Ethical Problem I, this post could potentially serve as pre-draft exercises for our our final high-stakes writing assignment, the Signature Assignment Essay, which will ask you to focus on an ethical problem raised in one or two of our readings.
Forum Instructions
The class will be divided into 4-5 randomly assigned groups. What contribution does the dybbuk’s possession of Leah make to the ethical dynamics of the play? To put it differently, what sort of moral infraction is Chonen guilty of? How does depiction of supernatural in this play make possible a kind of ethical thinking that wouldn’t be available otherwise? (Additional questions to think with: What complex idea about an ethical problem does the work present through the dybbuk’s possession of Leah? How does it embody an ethical dilemma? What are the nuances of that depiction? What ethical values are at stake in this dilemma? What relation does the the possession have to individuals and institutions? How does it relate to other ethical or societal problems raised in the play?)
Please Order Your Post in the Following Way:
- Make a claim about how ethical dynamics are explored through Chonen’s possession of Leah in A Dybbuk.(1-2 sentences)
- Anchor your claim in a discussion of at least one concrete and specific narrative or textual detail. (1-3 sentences)
- Supply reasoning that supports your claim. In other words, explain how the narrative or textual details that you cite confirm your claim, that is, serve as evidence. (Ideally, you’ll either offer evidence that no one in your group has previously addressed or you will offer a different take on evidence previously mentioned.) (1-3 sentences)
Reference
Ansky, S (Russia). A Dybbuk: Or Between Two Worlds. Translated by Joachim Neugroschel and Adapted by Tony Kushner. Broadway Play Publishing Inc., 2017.
