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Post by rafael nunez on Sept 9, 2015 23:50:41 GMT
While reading this story I honestly felt like there was nothing of significance going on here, like many of my classmates have posted it just seemed to be about a few children having fun on a beach starting a fire and doing what it takes to get it burning in the first place. However I do have to admit that things did become a little different as soon as the wanderer came into the story. Here is a man who has been wandering for whoever knows how long in the middle of December who is probably freezing himself to near death and happens to find a random fire on the beach. If that doesn't seem like the work of god (or gods) to him than I don't know what is. Also comparing the way he sees the fire to the way the children see the fire, to him it may have saved him, maybe not physically but definitely spiritually.The once lifeless wanderer seemed to regained his youthfulness after his encounter with the fire as the story notes. But even then I still have trouble understanding the meaning behind this story. Is the fire supposed to show the difference between a child’s mindset who is carefree and full of energy, to that of an adult who (I believe) has seem to lost that sense of energy? Is the story supposed to remind us about how it is to be a child again and to appreciate the small joys in life? Or is it the author trying to show us the complete opposite by telling us how a child’s plaything could mean so much to someone else?
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Post by Caden Hong on Sept 10, 2015 1:35:39 GMT
I think all of the things you mentioned in your questions are true to what the author’s intentions are. There must be a reason why the author decided to put an old man’s reaction to the fire right after the children leaves. The contrast in how they interact with the same fire is an interesting one. I think your questions/analysis is true. I also think the author decided to show us the complete opposites both in the energy and appreciation for fire to highlight the concept of impermanence that we talked about in class. Without the boys and their act of building the fire, the old man’s journey would have continued without any changes in his course. Likewise, if the old man never appeared wandering near the beach, then the boys’ fire would have been left as a product of play. It would not have evoked all sorts of emotions displayed by the old man. The fact that this fire’s meaning can change so quickly is an interesting example of impermanence that we should take note of.
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Post by rafael nunez on Sept 11, 2015 2:55:51 GMT
I actually came to a very similar conclusion to you as I was commenting on someone else's post. It only occurred to me that the fire could also symbolize impermanence. I think I paid too much attention to the story about the kids running around and having fun than realizing that their fun was really only for a brief period of time. Much like how the wanderer was only at the fire for the brief period of time. I think that they all capture what fire's true nature is, sometimes it burns brightly, sometimes it becomes smaller but it only takes a few seconds for it to disappear as quickly as it was started.
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