HOW DOES A PERSON S CONTEXT INFLUENCE THEIR MORAL CHOICE Discuss with reference to The Horseman
To truly understand a piece of text, one must analyze the context that the text places its characters. In fact it is essential to realize that the personal characteristics of the characters are owed to their context, which sets the parameters or limits on their general behavior and train of thought. Without fully understanding this concept one is unable to compose a reply to the issue of how does context influence an individual’s moral choice, particularly when the two texts, The Horseman in the Sky and Othello, are taken into consideration. To begin with, the short story titled The Horseman in the Sky written by Ambrose Bierce must be examined. It presents to the reader the moral dilemma a soldier named Carter Druse must deal with when he is on opposing sides of the civil war to that of his father’s. The sentinel must make a grave choice between the enemy’s life, his father’s, or the lives of his fellow troops. ... The justification to why Carter Druse takes such drastic action is closely connected with his context, most of which is indicated in chapter two via the flashback technique. ... For Carter to have to face a moral dilemma whether to kill his father or not would have been greatly difficult. ... ” This resolution was created strongly due to his father’s advice: “Well, go, sir, and whatever may occur so what you conceive to be your duty. ... ” In other words the reader gets the sense that the decision has already been made for Druse, his context in a way orders him to carry out his duty, he has no choice. It is important to realize that the influence of context is not only evident in short stories, but in a wide range of texts. In fact, in the Shakespearean play Othello an extensive knowledge of the context is needed to explain the themes and behaviour of the characters. One in particular is the lead character Othello who has the moral dilemma of whether to kill his wife to preserve his honour and reputation since it is dependent on his wife chastity.