Titles

As discussed in class today, we read about the titles on the coffin. I will say, I have been extremely confused throughout this entire novel, and I don't feel like I have much to add because I am not pulling the same meaning out of the passages as everyone else. However, I thought the passage with all of the titles was interesting. Throughout every novel we have read titles are an extremely important, as well as clothing, food etc. They all show a symbol of status and, I believe, a certain amount of respect. I found this play of titles was pretty amusing honestly. When you start reading a huge list like that you tend to just skip over it and move on, at least I did, and doesn't seem to matter. However, when we took a closer look at the passage I realized how ridiculous it seemed to have all of that on a coffin! I mean can you imagine walking into a cemetery and someone having to headstones with all of their titles and accomplishments? I mean, that would be the most ridiculous thing ever! So it made me think, why does this matter? Well it does in so many ways because, if you really think about, we all want the credibility that comes with the titles. As we said, that's why we choose UT over ACC. In another class of mine we were talking about Jonas Salk, who discovered the vaccine for Polio, and his wife's parents would not let them get married until he got his degree, that way the invitations could read "Dr. Jonas Salk". He could be the crappiest doctor in the world, but as long as he had the title that's all that mattered. I think Desani had a great point, you acquire all of theses titles, true or untrue, and that's all that people look at.