Category Archives: Midterm Close Reading Assignment

Close-Reading Midterm: Oannes

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Hiba Aljawad

“Oannes” And Human Development

To progress as a human civilization, we must look beyond ourselves for progress and future development. Earth and its non-human attributes existed before humans did, and there is a lot to be learned from non-human creations that would significantly impact human existence. “Oannes” teaches us to view and respect nonhuman creatures to gain knowledge and wisdom that is necessary for human existence, progress, and development. 

As a society, it has been instilled in us to be fearing of non-human creatures. Looking at human civilizations, order and progress have been necessary to further the expansion of human development. The role that nature plays in this expansion is vital to the progress of our societies. This is significant because nature is what pushes order and progress in our universe. Furthermore, we define nonhuman creatures as part of the natural ecosystem that keeps the “order” in our universe. By learning from nonhuman creatures instead of fearing them, we can gain further knowledge and wisdom that will broaden our understanding and advance our learning in the world. 

“Oannes” expands on the idea that humans are in need of help from nature to advance and improve the world. In the introduction to “Oannes”, The Book of Mermaids reports that Oannes, as well as other hybrid creatures, are characterized as “holders of knowledge” (pg. 3). This emphasizes the point that nonhuman creatures are a source for a deeper understanding of the world. This concept is significant because by respecting nonhuman creatures as “holders of knowledge”, we gain a deeper understanding of how our world is connected which fosters the acceptance of wisdom that is present in nonhuman creatures. Moreover, “Oannes” makes it apparent that people need guidance by pointing out that in Bayblon there was” a great resort of people… who inhabited Chaldea, and lived without rule and order, like the beasts of the field” (pg. 3). This idea highlights that human nature is to act beastly. To be specific, we commonly fear nonhuman creatures for their animalistic behaviors and sporadic tendencies; however, through natural kingdoms, we learn a lot about the rule and order in our ecosystems which helps foster a better understanding of our environment. Through this understanding, these ecosystems are replicated to a certain extent to create a balance between humans and other nonhuman entities. We can derive wisdom from nonhuman creatures and “Oannes” illustrates this by noting that the appearance of “an animal endowed with reason” surfaced the land (pg. 3). This hybrid creature– Oannes, encompassed the body of a fish with a second head underneath the fish head and legs like that of man (pg. 4). This illustration draws the differences between the hybrid creature and humans which foreshadows the idea that despite the differences, this creature holds an abundance of knowledge. To expand on this, Oannes would “converse with men, but took no food at that season; and he gave them an insight into letters, sciences, and every kind of art” (pg. 4). This example highlights the selflessness of Oannes as a teacher of valuable knowledge that does not ask for anything in return. This is significant because it teaches humans that through empathy, collaboration is fostered which enables growth and societal progress. Furthermore, Oannes taught many things that would help push a society forward such as to “construct houses, to found temples, to compile laws…” and “everything which could tend to soften manners and humanise mankind” (pg. 4). This example suggests that without nature being our teacher and source of knowledge, humans would not have been able to shape human civility. This notion is significant because it molds the idea that through valuing and respecting nonhuman creatures, we progress as a society through compassion and esteemed civility. To highlight the respect that is deserved to Oannes, the writer notes that “when the sun set it was the custom of this Being to plunge into the sea… for he was amphibious” (pg. 4). This emphasizes his nonhuman nature to demonstrate that nature is a human ally, working with us and shares the common goal of progression and advancement in this world. This encourages the suppression of fear in nonhuman creatures and fosters trust to be built to expand the goal of seeking knowledge. 

To conclude, the myth of “Oannes” teaches us that human progression and the craving for knowledge and wisdom can be accomplished by learning from nonhuman creatures, which is possible through respect and value. Our fear of anything nonhuman sets us back as a civilization and prevents our growth. In other words, the wisdom gained from nature could outweigh the fears we have. 

Works Cited 

Bacchilega and Brown, The Penguin Book of Mermaids, Penguin books, 2019

Oannes

Close-Reading Midterm: Melusine and the Objectification of the Female Body.

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Ranya Tobin

ECL 305

03/03/2024

Melusine and the Objectification of the Female Body.

In a time where the precedent depictions of mermaids were arbiters of folly and sin, that harbor ill-will and prey by means of manipulation and sexual depravity, The Romance of the Faery Melusine worked to turn the reputation of the mythical mermaid into an admirable, good-natured being—an empathetic character which humans could swoon over. Though Melusine is made to be a powerful, wise, and endlessly compassionate character, there is one aspect of her that the text takes care to highlight; Melusine’s false human body is made a main focus of the narrative. Every scene that features her vast displays of intuitive insight and selflessness is overshadowed by the descriptions of her form—a device used to point the reader in the direction of Raymondin’s focus. He is predominantly fixated on her body, more so than any other one of her more impressive traits. Once Melusine’s true form, her serpent body, is revealed to Raymondin, he rejects her not only coldly, but viciously. The scene in which Raymondin discovers Melusine’s true nature, while noting the text’s fixation on Melusine’s beautiful appearance and Raymondin’s immediate admonishment of her after her body is no longer pleasing to him, brings to light the hypersexualization of the female body in both intimate relationships and our greater society, promoting the societal norm of prioritizing physical beauty while diminishing inner qualities, ultimately misrepresenting women and holding their agency hostage. 

Melusine’s attractive appearance is what initially drew Raymondin in upon their first meeting, followed by her sweetness and care, she became the perfect picture of a wife; but this surface-level image did not work to glorify the woman inside. The story repeatedly objectifies Melusine’s false human body, filling the text with in depth descriptions of her chest, hair, and face. In the passage where Raymondin breaks into her abode and betrays her trust, the story takes care to describe the image he sees from the top-down, featuring “her bent back magnificent in profile, her breasts raised, as she combed her long golden hair…” (125). In this scene, her husband assesses the aspects of her he lusts after, a perverted act shrouded by the shadow of the room. Her body is commodified in a space that was meant to be sacred, where she should feel safe to release the binds the human world demands be placed on her body. Raymondin objectifies his wife to the point he feels warranted in his uninvited leering, which exemplifies the mindset that causes him to ultimately turn on her once her form does not meet his desires. Melusine is at home in her abode, able to appreciate her natural body in privacy, and “hold[ing] a mirror…smile[s] to herself.” (125). Melusine examining herself in the mirror and expressing pride in her natural body is a crucial moment of her self-actualization—emphasizing the importance of this time alone. This is her time to reclaim her agency lost within marriage. Under the constant pressure of living in a world that determines her worth based on a certain standard of outer appearance, Melusine’s expression of love and pride in her natural self is a revolutionary moment. Raymondin catches a glimpse of this natural form, her “tail of green scales stretched under the water…like that of a fish.” (125), and recoils, “He drew back…his face fallen into the fine sand, which penetrated his nostrils, his open mouth, and grated between his teeth…” (125). He is so repulsed by this image, his senses are overwhelmed with the abode that houses it. He willingly buries his head in the sand to shrink away from this reality, but feels as though the fine gravel of the sanctum he has sullied is attacking his senses—exemplifying how the offense he feels at Melusine’s “betrayal” of hiding her true form from him was, in actuality, his own immaturity. He himself is imposing and adhering to a beauty standard set for her, just as he himself is shoving his face into the sand, so when the body he had been objectifying throughout their marriage does not please him, he experiences it as a personal transgression. This scene depicts how regarding a woman as a purely sexual being not only overshadows the human within, but gives her worth an expiration date; one that Melusine had prematurely reached in her husband’s eyes. In the instant Raymondin lost attraction for Melusine, after seeing her for the complex creature she is, “he who had been Raymondin ceased to exist…glaring at her with a look of hatred” (138). She had done all that she could to hide the most foundational parts of herself from him in order to give him the life he desired, sacrificed all but one day of the week for him, yet once her image was unattractive, he turned on her—watching her like she was a detestable stranger and outing her most vulnerable secret. His instant loathing of her the moment her body was estranged from him exemplifies the harsh reality that once a woman is made to exist under a sexualized lens, the human inside of her is lost, no matter how hard she strives to be greater than just the body she was born into. 

The Romance of the Faery Melusine offers a powerful criticism of the objectification of women and the consequences of prioritizing physical beauty over inner qualities. Melusine’s initial allure, her beautiful outward appearance, sets the stage for her eventual objectification and betrayal by Raymondin. The text takes care to highlight her physical attributes in depth in order to express how Raymondin reduces her to a mere object of desire. Raymondin’s eventual invasion of Melusine’s private day, betraying their agreement, further exemplifies this objectification, as he feels no shame for his breaking of their contract and momentarily revels in voyeuristically assessing her. When Melusine’s true body is no longer pleasing to Raymondin, his immediate expression of loathing mirrors the harsh reality of objectification women are made to endure; once their physical beauty wanes, they are discarded and dehumanized. Melusine’s story has us recognize the societal attitudes that enable such objectification, and asks readers to reevaluate the value placed on women beyond their physical appearance.

Citation:

Lebey, André. The Romance of the Faery Melusine. Trans. by Gareth Knight, Skylight, 2011.

Midterm Close Reading Assignment

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Ashley Rubin 

3 March, 2024

Pressman 

Midterm 

The chapter “Freak Shows and Fantasies” from “Merpeople: A Human History” by Vaughn Scribner proves that the media has always greatly influenced the public’s opinions of those different than them. This chapter tells how stories of merpeople were spread through newspapers in the 19th century, providing sightings and hoaxes, and how that compares to public opinion of marginalized groups. People based their beliefs off of what the newspapers had to say just as how the media still plays a big role in the beliefs people hold on those different from them today. 

“Freak Shows and Fantasies” focuses on the nineteenth-century Western world, specifically in Britain and America. This era was characterized by significant urbanization, economic growth, scientific advancements, technological innovations, and shifts in demographics. Such transformations contributed to a rapidly changing society, where people were increasingly interconnected and exposed to new ideas and experiences. Newspapers were gaining popularity, featuring an increasing number of stories focused on mermaid sightings. With their rising numbers, newspapers became integral to shaping the media and its effect on the public.  “This chapter’s analytical arc is largely reliant on the boom in popular press in the nineteenth-century West. By the early nineteenth century, newspapers and periodicals became the most efficient means through which to transmit information to the broadest portion of the populace” (Scribner, 127). Scribner describes here the pivotal role of the popular press in shaping public perception during this time. Media is a means of communication that can reach a large audience and take an influence on that audience. By the year 1860, the United States was giving its citizens access to over 3,000 newspapers. The Western world was not a time where everyone was accepted no matter what they looked like, believed in, or where they were from. Societal norms and prejudices often dictated who was deemed acceptable or desirable, and individuals who deviated from these norms faced marginalization and discrimination. This can be proved especially true through the increase of stories being told about mermaids and how the public perceived this based on what newspapers had been reporting.

While the argument over whether or not mermaids were real might seem far-fetched in comparison to the discrimination of marginalized groups, its role during this period proved how unaccepting the world can be. Between 1810 and 1845 mermaid sightings were being reported in the paper at least four times a year. As mentioned before, most civilians of this time were getting their news from these newspapers and these newspapers only. “Periodicals were, as one nineteenth-century writer exclaimed, ‘the owners and stars’ of heaven and Earth. Therefore, everyone from greedy hucksters to erudite academics carved out space in this popular medium, for nowhere else could they spread their message so broadly and proficiently. This makes them ideal vehicles through which to delve into Westerners’ investigations of merpeople between 1800 and 1900” (Scribner, 128). The belief of whether or not mermaids were real was high during this period. As the fascination with mermaid sightings began, many people believed that they could be real. This is because newspapers were publishing stories that favored verified mermaid sightings rather than hoaxes and mistrusting sources. The papers also emphasized stories that highlighted human interactions with merpeople along with cultural poems and songs. The choices of these papers ignited the public’s interest and acceptance of merpeople. In doing so, newspapers not only reflected societal attitudes but also played an influential role in shaping beliefs about the existence of mermaids during this era of curiosity and exploration. 

Following the year 1845 the view on mermaids and other mythical creatures began to shift. “With the humbuggery of Eades and Barnum so publicized over the past thirty years, newspapers primarily printed pieces that concentrated on the hoaxes and frauds surrounding mermaids and tritons. These articles usually employed a mocking – if not deriding – tone, and sometimes even targeted certain political groups or people” (Scribner, 128). The influence of P.T. Barnum increased the curiosity and talk about mermaids and other unique creatures. Barnum was well known for his display and fascination with unconventional people and creatures. His knack for showmanship not only entertained but also shaped popular perceptions and discussions around these subjects. When Barnum’s Feejee Mermaid was proven to be fake, the journalistic view on mermaids shifted along with the public’s opinion. This shift happened quickly and proved how much of an influence newspapers, or the media, had on those who were consuming it. People went from completely believing in the idea that merpeople could be real to immediately taking detest on that idea. This transformation showed the power of the media to shape and influence societal norms. It revealed how quickly public opinion could be swayed by journalistic narratives, highlighting the balance between belief and skepticism. The evolution of attitudes towards mermaids serves as an example of the dynamic between media, perception, and cultural discourse in shaping societal beliefs and values.

This can easily be compared to the acceptance and unacceptance of marginalized groups. When the media is highlighting positive stories of mermaids, the public has interest and acceptance. As the media started to shift its reporting, it became clear that the public no longer accepted the idea that mermaids could be real. This chapter takes place during the nineteenth-century Western world, a time when groups such as women, racial minorities, lower socioeconomic groups, and religious minorities were not accepted by the rest of the world. Similar to the beliefs about mermaids, the opinion of the majority on these groups was due to news coverage. Newspapers had the power to cover these groups in both a positive and negative light. They had the power to release coverage that was either supportive or hostile. Whichever way the papers would cover these groups is how the majority of people would think of them and in return treat them. A specific example of this during this period is the treatment and coverage of women. Due to the patriarchal attitudes of the time, newspapers had the choice to either support women’s rights or oppose them. Depending on which paper audiences were reading affected their opinions on women and their rights. If a paper was supporting women’s rights and publishing stories that painted the movement in a positive light, its readers were likely to support the marginalized group. If a paper was opposing women’s rights and talking about them in a negative light, its readers most likely did not support the group or the movement. The influence of newspapers on public opinion was high, as readers often relied on them as primary sources of information and as guides for societal norms. The framing of stories and editorials by newspapers had huge effects on how marginalized groups were perceived and treated by society as a whole. The comparison between these groups and mermaids highlights the power dynamics apparent in media representation and its impact on social attitudes and behaviors. By diving deeper into the comparison between the perception of mermaids and the treatment of marginalized groups, insight is given into the ideas and views of identity, representation, and power in nineteenth-century Western society.

The ideas presented in this chapter are significant because they are still relevant in today’s modern society. The media plays an important role in our society and has an extreme amount of power when it comes to influencing public opinion. In today’s world, the media serves as a primary source of information and a crucial platform for news, entertainment, and cultural narratives. With the large presence of digital media and social networking platforms, the reach and impact of the media have expanded, furthering its influence on public opinion and perception. Through selective reporting, editorial decisions, and the use of persuasion, the media can sway public opinion, reinforce existing beliefs, or challenge established ones. A modern-day example that can be compared to both the belief of merpeople and opinions on women’s rights in the nineteenth century is the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. The LGBTQ+ community has been fighting for years to be fully accepted and treated as equals in society. This is a group that has had a continuous struggle with acceptance and is still being impacted by the media. The media still varies in its coverage of the LGBTQ+ community, oftentimes painting the group in a negative light. Society seems to go back and forth with its acceptance of the community quite often in recent years. When the media highlights positive stories people become more accepting but the rise of social media has made it even more difficult for the group to be accepted. Social media has offered both opportunities for visibility and acceptance but has also opened up spaces for harassment, bullying, and hate speech. This can make it challenging for LGBTQ+ individuals to find acceptance and support in online spaces and can increase harmful stereotypes and misinformation, proving how much of a role the media plays in acceptance. Just as the media played a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions and attitudes towards issues similar to this in the nineteenth century, it continues to have significant influence over the acceptance and treatment of marginalized communities like the LGBTQ+ community today.

In conclusion, the chapter “Freak Shows and Fantasies” from “Merpeople: A Human History” by Vaughn Scribner offers profound insights into the influence of the media on shaping public perceptions and attitudes towards marginalized groups both in the nineteenth-century and modern-day society. By examining the role of newspapers and their impact on the beliefs of both marginalized groups and mermaids in nineteenth-century Western society, the chapter underscores the pivotal role of media in disseminating information, framing narratives, and influencing societal norms and how that idea is still apparent today.

Works Cited

Scribner, Vaughn. Merpeople: A Human History. Reaktion Books Ltd, 2020.

Close Reading Assignment-Sedna the Sea Goddess

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The Legend of Sedna the Sea Goddess is a story told all throughout the Arctic region, where it experiences new interpretations, names, and details depending on the region. The Inuit tale is an origin and creation tale that details the story of a young girl and the trials she faces in her young life. The story follows, Sedna, who is promises herself into a potential loving marriage; she later discovers that her husband is a bird dressed up as a man and that he cannot fulfill the promises he had previously made, causing her to flee with her father. When fleeing, her father murders her husband out of anger, to which the husband´s friends seek revenge against Sedna and her father in response. During their escape on the boat, the friends who are also half human-half birds, fly above their boat and viciously cause a storm to kill her and her father. Sedna´s father throws her off the boat in hopes that they will stop but they do not. Sedna clings onto the boatside for her life after being thrown overboard, yet her father cuts off her fingers one by one to prevent himself from drowning as well. She sinks to the bottom of the sea where the segments of her fingers turning into sea mammals, and she becomes the Sea Goddess, who has the power to control these animals and their abundance to man. The specific scene of Senda’s fingers being cut off joint-by-joint by her father is a pivotal scene that may be interpreted to represent the trauma she experiences as a transformational experience of her soul and strength to persevere. There is both a literal detachment through her father cutting off her fingers and her figurative detachment from family, comfort, and social constraints. Spurring from her fingers are marine animals, which exhibits Sedna´s strength against her life that was holding her back from her soul´s transformation. For Sedna to experience her true soul in the form of a goddess, it was necessary for her to both figuratively and literary detach from her past constraints. Through the close examination of the cutting of the fingers scene, it is evident that transformational growth is only possible if one detaches from past trauma/ties. Whether the detachment is forcible or voluntary, individuals must disconnect and dissociate from their constraints in the form of comfort, family, societal ideals, etc. to experience a full transformation of the soul and body. 

First and foremost it is important to understand the content of the story and understand the initial traumas that Sedna´s growth spurs from. Sedna is a defiant girl who leads herself by her self-determined laws, which is communicated directly in the story where it states, ¨She liked the comfort of her parent’s home and refused to marry.” While she is defiant of the idea of marriage, she does so for the betterment of her people and family, which later on benefits no one involved. This is the traditional suffering that she experiences in the form of the societal expectations of being a woman and a woman’s role to marry. It is clear that Sedna is a woman of choice and leads her life intending to make independent choices, although she is not given the opportunity to choose when it comes to the boat scene. Following the idea of trauma, a key part of the boat scene is Sedna’s father and that it is him who throws her overboard into the icy water to prevent his boat from filling with water. It is no mistake that the boat is her father´s boat and that she is physically cut from the side, after grasping on to save her life. The father´s boat serves as a representation of her family as a whole and he is the sole controller of her fate, just as he was in her life. Typically fathers are modeled as a family´s protector, dedicating themselves to the safekeeping of their family’s life; yet the situation is entirely upside down in this scenario. Her father is the perpetrator and betrays her just as her husband does, causing a strong traumatic experience between Sedna and her father. All the trust is lost in their relationship as she is sacrificed to the ocean at the hands of her father who is supposed to be the one man who dedicates himself to her protection. This is a literal and figurative detachment that is forced upon her by her father´s choices, as he sentences her to death and attempts to prevent her from being able to swim to the surface. There is a strong importance in the fact that he does not simply push her off, but chooses to individually cut each one of her fingers off,  ¨one joint at a time.¨ This action would inflict the most physical and emotional pain to her body and mind cruelling detaching her from this familial and societal trauma in a literal and figurative sense. Although only after these forms of dissociation and her body sinking to the very bottom, is Sedna able to fully transform herself. The cutting of her fingers prevents her from reaching back to grab onto the boat or in a figurative sense her past comfort abilities, she is unable to save herself and is forced to the very bottom of the ocean to transform herself. It is important that after this action Sedna ¨sank to the bottom of the ocean ̈ and established hesr new self and home on the ¨ocean floor.¨ Sedna is forcibly pushed into the detachment that allows her to grow, as she is sent to the deepest part of the ocean where she is required to think in the deepest of thoughts. She is not only mentally at her lowest point but she is physically at the lowest point on Earth, due to the deep trauma she experienced in her life. As for society, people often fear deep thought and detachment from a comfortable life, but in Sedna’s case, the choice is not for hers to make. She is only able to experience her highest potential as a Sea goddess once she is released from the torment and trauma that held her back. The cutting of the fingers scene holds importance through its presence in the text, through its situation, length, etc. Observing not only the content but also the presentation of the content is key to understanding how the story follows the argument that literal and figurative detachment is a fearful necessity. The word fearful is key in this statement, as detachment is a fearful concept and people are often extremely uncomfortable when they are forcibly removed from the comfort of their lives. The only details the reader is given about the scene are a mere eleven words long, ¨ the father cut her fingers off, one joint at a time.¨ This length is intentional and provides the reader with little to no details on the exact scene before it progresses to the next scene in the story. The story avoids the uncomfortable but is a story entirely about embracing and pushing back against being uncomfortable and pressured. The shortness of the scene allows the reader to apply their own imagination and perspective to the scene, making the lesson/story more personable to the reader and the reader´s experiences. Details and complexity can act as limiting factors to creativity, which is a huge factor in this story to understand its deeper meanings. This short scene is also situated in the center, not the beginning and not the ending of the story. It is perfectly in the center with exactly four paragraphs above and three below, making this scene the most central part of the text. This is the main climax and placing it in the middle allows for there to be a background to her life and the future of her life after her psychological and physical transformation. Her story does not have a happy ending and this scene is not intended to be anything less than pain and torture. In Inuit culture death is viewed as rebirth and the transformation of the soul, which is the exact experience of Sedna in her story of transformation. She becomes the Sea Goddess, and is no longer controlled in life, and rather is turned into the controller of animals and man. Sedna is no longer a woman who must rely on people for comfort, rather people rely on her to obtain life and sustenance. The specific scene of Senda’s fingers being cut off by her trusting father is a pivotal scene that causes this drastic change from having to rely on people to being relied on. This transformation stems from her literal and figurative detachment from her past traumas, which gives Sedna the strength to experience transcendence. To experience her soul´s transformation, she needed to dissociate from her past constraints. Although Sedna’s disconnection was not voluntary it was important in her journey of detaching from her former constraints in the form of comfort, family, societal ideals, etc., and was necessary for her to experience a full transformation of the soul and body. 

Close Reading Assignment

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Emmanuel Alvarez

Jessica Pressman

ECL 305:Literature in the Environment

3 March 2024

The Little Mermaid

The tale, “The Little Mermaid,” by Hans Christian Andersen delves deeply into topics that are fundamental to the human experience, going beyond the simple fiction of its setting. In contrast to conventional mythological representations, Hans Christian Andersen’s portrayal of the Little Mermaid presents a figure whose connections, experiences, and feelings provide important insights into the nature of mankind itself. This essay will argue that Hans Christian Andersen’s depiction of mermaids offers a new perspective on the notion that they resemble humans more than we previously thought. Through an examination of the Little Mermaid’s curiosity, psychological depth, and familial connections, it is clear that Hans Christian Andersen has not only written a tale about a mermaid but has also considered what it means to be human, thus bridging the gap between entities from two seemingly separate worlds.

Curiosity is one of the most remarkable human qualities that Hans Christian Andersen gives the Little Mermaid. The Little Mermaid is shown as being enthralled with the land above the water from the very beginning of the story. She is not just interested in learning about the realm of people; she truly wants to know and comprehend things, and it is conveyed in the word choice used to display her curiosity, “What struck her as most beautiful was that the flowers of the earth should shed perfumes, which they do not below the sea; that the forests were green, and that the fishes amongst the trees should sing so loud and so exquisitely that it must be a treat to hear them” (Anderson, page 109). The need to explore, comprehend the unknown, and look for answers to the mysteries that surround us is a quality that is essential to the human spirit. Humans frequently pursue knowledge and make sacrifices in its name, and Hans Christian Andersen’s portrayal of the Little Mermaid’s desire to explore the human world and her readiness to pay for this knowledge is a reflection of this. Not yet being able to go above the water till she is fifteen, the Little Mermaid throughout the whole story, “Longed after all these things, just because she could not approach them” (Anderson, page 111). But, the Little Mermaid’s curiosity is not a passive trait, rather it is what pushes The Little Mermaid to venture into the dangerous unknown and leave the comforts of the known. This fascination reveals a basic quality of the human spirit: the will to discover new things, develop personally, and fully understand our role in the universe. For the Little Mermaid, whose interest with the human world is entwined with a deeper desire for an immortal soul and the eternal love she believes it would bring her, Hans Christian Andersen raises this curiosity to a matter of existential consequence. This examination of curiosity as a blessing and a curse strikes a deep connection with the human condition, bringing to light our own battles with the drive that lead to both success and failure in humans’ everyday lives. This new interpretation from Hans Christian Anderson casts mermaids with traits of one of the deepest human desires, the need for knowledge, challenging the idea that they are otherworldly beings separated from human experience.

The curiosity that defines Andersen’s Little Mermaid is not the only aspect of her personality. Rather, she is a complex individual with a rich psychological interior that is characterized by a variety of experiences and feelings. Her journey is one of love, sacrifice, pain, and ultimately, transcendence; and the Little Mermaid’s struggle is foreshadowed in the begging when Anderson conveys “When the sisters rose up arm-in-arm through the water, the youngest would stand alone, looking after them, and felt ready to cry; only mermaids have no tears, and therefore suffer all the more” (Anderson, page 113). Readers can relate to and feel the desire, misery, and unselfish love of the Little Mermaid because of the psychological depth with which Hans Christian Andersen imbues the character. The exploration of her unfulfilled romantic feelings for the prince and her choice to give up her voice in order to stay in his company highlights the complexity of human emotions and relationships, thus further blurring the line between mermaids and humans. Perhaps the most moving aspect of Hans Christian Andersen’s examination of the Little Mermaid’s innermost thoughts is her ability to love and sacrifice, her love for the prince is a complicated, all-consuming passion that drives her to make unfathomable sacrifices rather than a straightforward, fantasy like infatuation. She lost her voice, a symbol of identity and power, but she gained a human body instead, demonstrating the depth of her emotions and the extent of her willingness to sacrifice for love. This story thread examines the transformational power of love and how it can both inspire enormous sacrifice and cause immense misery. Andersen does not shy away from the darker aspects of the Little Mermaid’s journey, presenting her love and sacrifice as a path to understanding and growth, even in the face of unreciprocated feelings and ultimate loss. After all in order for her to become human and be able to present herself to the prince she had to understand all the suffering she would have to endure in exchange for human legs, “I will prepare you a potion; and you must swim ashore with it to-morrow before sunrise, and then sit down and drink it. Your tail will then disappear, and shrivel up into what human beings call neat legs. But mind, it will hurt you as much as if a sharp sword were thrust through you … You will never be able to dive down into the water to your sisters or return to your father’s palace” (Anderson, page 121-122). The Little Mermaid is displayed as an individual with the ability to feel deeply felt emotions, which is in line with human nature, and less of a menacing and non-human creature like a siren by diving into her personal life and sharing the hardships she faces. 

The Little Mermaid’s bond with her family is another aspect of Hans Christian Andersen’s story that demonstrates the humanity of the Little Mermaid. The Little Mermaid’s decisions are greatly impacted by her love and concern for her family throughout the entire story. Her interactions with her grandma, father, and sisters show a network of relationships based on understanding, compassion, and caring for one another. Her relationship with her family is just like humans have as well and we can as well relate to some of these interactions, “There was nothing she delighted in so much as to hear about the upper world. She was always asking her grandmother to tell her all she knew about ships, towns, people, and animals … At length she could resist no longer, and opened her heart to one of her sisters, from whom all the others immediately learned her secret” (Anderson, page 109 and 116). With something so simple as sharing that connection with her grandmother, similar to our grandparents telling us stories as kids, or sharing secrets with her sisters like little girls often do; Anderson further emphasizes the similarities between the Little Mermaid and humans. The Little Mermaid’s plot revolves around her familial ties, which impact her decisions and determine her fate. Because familial affection and obligation are universal and profoundly rooted in human communities, Andersen’s emphasis on family highlights this fact. Through depicting the Little Mermaid’s family’s significance, Hans Christian Andersen implies that humankind’s potential for love, devotion, and sacrifice within the framework of a family is not exclusive to humans, but rather is a universal quality that can bridge the gap between the idea of mermaids and humans being of completely different worlds. 

In “The Little Mermaid,” Hans Christian Andersen creates a story that breaks down barriers between the supernatural and the natural, the human and the non-human. Andersen sheds additional light on the idea that mermaids and all other beings are more like humans than we may have previously thought by depicting the Little Mermaid’s curiosity, psychological depth, and familial ties. Despite taking place in a magical underwater kingdom, this story explores the core themes of human nature, reflecting our desires, our struggles, and our capacity for love.  Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid is not just a creature of the sea; she is a mirror reflecting the complexities, the beauty, and the pain of being human. 

Works Cited

Anderson, Hans Christian. “The Little Mermaid.” The Penguin Book of Mermaids, edited by 

Christina Bacchilega and Marie Alohalani Brown, Penguin Books, 2019, pp 109-122.

Bridging the Gap Between Land and Sea 

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Kayla Poland 

Pressman 

ECS 305

1 March 2025

Bridging the Gap Between Land and Sea 

While engaging in discussion that focuses on the environment and its plentiful relationships with history, humans, nonhumans, and beyond I have recognized my interest in the ocean and maritime history. To further this study I stumbled upon a Wooden Boat magazine from 1990 and flipped through the dated pages. I landed on this image titled “Railboat” which includes a railroad track with a train in motion, following behind a sailboat with four men onboard, and on the starboard side the vessel reads “Molly B”. A seemingly comical image that at first glance that visibly represents a time of technological advancements. In reality this demonstrates the gender roles that come forth in the workforce.

Initially, it seems this comic was intended to represent historic events in industrialization, but looking beyond demonstrates the male vs female representation in work environments. The only characters on board who work on the vessel are men. The boat is named Molly B, because it is referred to as a woman who is to be worked on and fixed by men. It is evident that it was intentional to refer to boats as female, and this remains true today. The woman is objectified, yet represented as the one that requires constant upkeep by another being, a man. This extends further than just this one depiction, but a multitude of jobs are not to be done by women because of fear of inability or lack of strength. 

As time moves forward opportunities are slowly opening up for women to have equal rights in the workforce, but it is still clear that this image demonstrates the gender roles that have been present amongst various aspects of society. The way the train is drawn in the background of the photo, with smoke, shows the advancements in industrialization that grew transportation and in result, opportunities. Similarly, boating has always been a way of exploration and transportation. It is encouraged now to not only use boats for these reasons, but to have more recreational opportunities. This is where sailing comes into play, but again has roles that are controlled by gender. Whether this boat is under sail for recreation or as a passage, there is lack of female representation. 

When it comes to the connection between literature and the environment, this image illustrates the relationship between industrialization and the environment by connecting land to sea. It also shares with us how the ongoing phase of rapid industrialization affects our environment negatively. These are key factors that are demonstrated through our studies and are found in various works of literature. This all comes together and contributes to the understanding of environmental history while simultaneously sharing the roles of gender in culture over time. 

There are many connections between this work and what we have studied in class. There is great representation of gender roles in mermaid texts. We can compare how in Hans Christians “The Little Mermaid”, there were only men onboard as well. There is clearly a trend amongst these pieces of literature that lack feminism. There are examples again in The Little Mermaid that normalize pain as part of a woman’s part in transaction.

We see many patterns through history that demonstrate polarity in gender, and especially in older works of literature. It is evident that this image has a vast number of messages, but it is key that gender has an effect on opportunity in work, and that women are predisposed to unfair treatment.