The Last Connection

I am so sorry; I am not about to talk about psychology. I honestly don't know how to tie any psych concepts to this zany novel...

I suppose I'll talk about the Big Bang Theory. Being an Atheist, I do believe this theory, sort of. There are lots of places in the theory where opinions begin to split. For me, it begins to split at the causation of the Big Bang. Some people believe that before the Big Bang nothing existed; that we can't even fathom what was before the Big Bang because there was quite literally nothing. I believe that the universe is linear in its birth, progression, and death. I believe that black holes are the key to the Big Bang. Since black holes are such a mystery to the top astrophysicists, they hold great potential in their significance to the universe. Since black holes just continually suck up matter into an incredibly dense oblivion, this matter has to go somewhere. That's just a basic law of physics. I think that once a super-massive black hole becomes so immense and so dense that even it can't support itself anymore, all of that matter simply implodes. The implosion of a black hole is thus the explosion of an entirely new universe. This theory gives rise to ideas like alternate or multiple universes since countless black holes exist. This would explain how something can come from nothing because it wasn't nothing, it was a super-massive black hole. Now obviously we can't prove this theory yet. Our understanding of black holes is still too rudimentary, the math behind it is inconceivably convoluted, and not enough time has elapsed for a black hole to implode (assuming they can/do in fact implode). This theory is easier to comprehend since it suggests that there is a linear history before our specific universe. Though, it does still beg the question as to the Original cause. Assuming this theory is true, what originally sparked this cycle of universe re-creation? This is where things become too unknown and incomprehensible for our current knowledge. I believe that one day, which may take hundreds if not thousands of years, we will eventually be able to fully grasp these pain-staking questions.

The Last Reflection Post

Mr. Wickersham... As this trimester progresses, you never cease to amaze me with your random obscurity in what we watch or read. On that note, what on earth are the final chapters of Sophie's World? It has to be the most convoluted and anti-climatic ending that I've read in recent history. I won't even touch the topic of the garden party since it doesn't really matter as it was all an illusion produced by the Major. The completely backwards series of events- from the kids throwing chicken bones into the house gutters, to Joanna and Jeremy having intercourse in the middle of a currant bush while people watched, to the airplane with the banner flying overhead, to Helene being so nonchalant about never seeing her daughter again- I just don't know what to say (or if there's anything to say). 

The next thing to address is the "Invisible people". First of all, what exactly is this world that Sophie and Alberto find themselves in? Is it a different dimension of space? Is this an allusion to the belief in metaphysical beings when Alberto discusses "spirits"? How exactly did they, along with the other fable characters, wind up there? And lastly, what are Alberto and Sophie's ultimate fates? Is this new world like a purgatory, where they hopelessly drift for eternity, having practically no impact on the real world? This book leaves a lot of questions unresolved.  

Lastly, what on earth is wrong with the Major? He shows signs of Anti-Social Personality Disorder. I think that he is aware that Sophie and Alberto exist, to some degree, yet he finds pleasure in screwing up their lives. If he truly does acknowledge their odd form of existence, then he has absolutely no regard for the well-being of them as he flips their world upside-down and sabotages them. He's like a cat, playing with its prey before going in for the kill; he finds pleasure in watching them squirm. He also has extreme control issues. When Hilde pulls her little prank on her father, he goes crazy. He realizes that he is receiving a dose of his own medicine, yet continues to be paranoid and show odd behaviors like his maniacal laughter on the plane ride.