Instinct vs. Rational Thought: Examples in Literature and Film

This is shown in the book Lice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll when Alice chases the rabbit down onto a rabbit-hole without giving it any thought Alice Just Jumps right in not thinking about the consequences "In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out" (Carroll 20). Another example of instinct overcoming rational thought is found in Milan, a Disney movie about a girl who goes and fights for her injured father in a war that he would most likely not have survived in.

In a specific scene she sees her father and grandmother arguing through the window and from that point is determined to do anything to keep her father from owing back into action (Walt Disney Pictures 1998). Milan does it because she loves her father and wants to make her family proud by saving him from having to fight again. Her instincts make her very emotional and lead to her becoming a warrior and bringing Joy to her family. Most people act first and think later causing emotion to overpower their logic. Secondly, emotion prevails over reason because it is more heart-felt and sentimental.

The book A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens contains various quotes that help to connect to emotion. The first quote that relates to the big question is about a man who Just lost his daughter due to the recklessness of the Marquis: "A tall man in a nightcap had caught up a bundle from among the feet of the horses, and had laid it on the basement of the fountain, and was down in the mud and wet, howling over it like a wild animal. Pardon, Monsieur the Marquis! Said a ragged and submissive man, it is a child. Why does he make that abominable noise? Is it his child? Excuse me, Monsieur the Marquis-it is a pity- yes. "It is extraordinary to me, said he, that you people cannot take care of yourselves and your hillier. One or the other of you is forever in the way. How do I know what injury you have done my horses? See! Give him that. He threw out a gold coin for the valet to pick up, and all the heads craned forward that all the eyes might look down at it as it fell. The tall man called out again with a most unearthly cry, DEAD! " (Dickens 115) This quote tells about a man who Just lost his daughter in the blink of an eye and can't control himself, so he Just starts sobbing uncontrollably and crying out like a wild animal.

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His heart is broken and he has no time to think. All he feels is sorrow and it affects everyone around him. The people around really feel sympathy for this guy and react emotionally as well. They are angry at the Marquis, and they are angry at how they have to live their lives because of the imposing government as well. All of these emotions (angry, somber, and scared) mixed together, also help lead to revolutionary thinking, which is a big part of the book.

Another quote that connects the novel to the big question is about the killing of the Marquis: "It lay back on the pillow of Monsieur the Marquis. It was like a fine mask, suddenly startled, made angry, and petrified. Driven home into the heart of the stone figure attached to it was a knife. Round its hilt was a frill of paper, on which was scrawled: Drive him fast to his tomb. This, from Jacques. " (Dickens 252) This quote is about the killing of the Monsieur the Marquis and it helps to reinforce the argument. Sentiment is shown in the quote by how personalized the killing was made out to be.

The Marquis was stabbed straight in the heart and there was a letter signed by the killer "Jacques", an anonymous name used by many evolutionarily used to keep the identities secret, but also used to show that they all had one goal or one purpose in mind. It emotionally bonded all the revolutionaries together showing unity. Another source that connects to emotion is a British television show called Sherlock. As the title gives away, the show retells the story of Sherlock Holmes in modern times. Sherlock is the most rational, logical, and mostly sane person of all time, but even he succumbs to his emotions at times.

He falls in love with a spy/ enemy informant and she gets sent to a terrible place where she will most likely die, but even Sherlock with all of his wisdom cannot stop himself from saving her. He knows it is the wrong thing to do because she lied to him and conned him out of important information, but he cannot help what he feels in his heart. (Gait's 2010) Lastly, emotion is stronger than reason because it is irrational and spontaneous. The book Lice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll showcases many absurd things and emotions.

A doctoral candidate at the University of Texas explains the homes and background of the book and is in agreement, "the absurdity, even insanity, of the world from the point of view of the innocent. We're all mad here, the Cheshire Cat informs her in their famous exchange. This absurdity is frequently little more than a source of amusement to Alice; many times, though, it is a source of grief. " (Stanley 1999). Alice enters the rabbit hole and from that point on is confronted with crazy experiences that leave her very emotional.

Although emotion overpowers logic in most situations, reason may be evident at retain points in time. An example of this would be an argument of an atheist against religion. The atheist believes in facts and what he/she can observe in the universe around him. Atheists do not believe in having a blind faith towards anything that is not measurable in any humanly way, while religious people are perfectly content with believing that there is some sort of god. A census taken in England in 2011 showed that the numbers of atheists were increasing while the numbers of Christians were decreasing.

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