Literary Analysis Essay on the Tragic Sense of Life

Introduction

Immortality refers to the ability of the human being to live forever or have eternal life. That is one is excepted from death and acquires an existence that is not ending. In this contest, therefore, our primary focus will be on the thoughts that come up regarding the human desire for immortality and need to fight the question on our ultimate fate.

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Firstly Miguel commences with the comparison of human beings with animals. That is the reasoning of a man is a bit high, or simply animals do not have a mind that allows them to reason; thus the name reasoning animal (p.1, lines 10-20). Besides, he says that whatever that distinguishes a man from an animal is the act of feeling rather than reasoning. In the case of what determines a man making him who he is, are the concept of being able to live together and continuity. That is when an individual starts walking; one of his or her foot does not go forward while the other one goes backward. This also applies to a normal person in the case of sight. That is when an individual looks forward all his or her eyes will look forward. Momentarily human life is guided through by purpose which may change over the time resulting in an individual doing a different action. In comprehending this one can say that when one has a goal, he or she may be referred to as immortal, but the moment that purpose is lacking it means this person will go out of his way which makes him or her no longer immortal.

Another thing is the case on continuity with time. A good example that is discussed is the issue on age. That is the person you were around twenty years ago is a different person you are currently or will be in the coming years. This means that a person undergoes a continuous series of state consciousness from the period of delivery. All this facilitates to memory that makes up the personality of an individual. It is what allows human beings to live in mind whereby spiritual life helps in memory persistence resulting from hoping to allow one put effort on the transformation of the past to the future (p.1, line 25). Through this, he tries to reveal that life is something continuous. Our thoughts know that our fate from the period of birth is death and thus to some extent kills the chance of one being immortal.

However, there is the case of the people who do not have a feeling for their personality. As a result of this, he gives an example of a man, who would want to be so and so. He adds that anything that goes against the unity and continuity of one's life may end up destroying oneself. Generally, he ends up by adding that the world is for consciousness (p.2, lines 5-20). A good example that is given is that if the sun knew, it would know that its purpose is only to provide light. As for human beings immortality too is the case of consciousness. Nonetheless, there is a contradiction for everlasting life especially when it comes to gospel where there is the case of life after death.

This creates an understanding of the human desire for immortality as something that resulted as one developed. Looking at the instance of memory developing and all the sciences human beings produced to thinking of what if they did not die at all. One, therefore, can say that the text from de Unamuno mostly revealed that human immortality was more of consciousness. That, someone, knew it was there but his or her fate in this world at the end of it all would be death. Mortality comes in when an individual who has certain basics and believes in them becomes a fanatic, and his principles weaken.

Reflection

Looking at de Unamuno's work on human immortality, I do not entirely agree with him. Whereby there is no pleasure without pain which means that for one to enjoy and have a life that is non-ending, he or she must live accordingly. To live accordingly, in this case, is to avoid all the risk that might take one's life. For instance, you cannot be wanting to live forever and at the same time engaging in risky practices that might end up killing you. You must ensure that you lead a particular life and make it your principle; thus, in any case, you die that may be referred to as an injustice. This specific way of life is the life that an individual looks at and end up saying that he or she surely deserves to be immortal. Not struggling with your lifestyle and wanting to commit suicide.

In the case of the shoemaker who is leading a religious life, one can clearly say that it is one of the models on how human beings should live (p.14, lines 5-15). This is since the shoemaker is enjoying what he does for life. For him, it is not about the money but rather something that he creates. When you get to view this as the form of life, you find out that it means you have to enjoy life in such a way that you do not feel bad for the status you are in. Living the moment as it is which plainly illustrates one deserves life. However much we do believe of the existence of an afterlife with this kind of model in life one can surely say that the person deserves to be immortal since he is happy which all that is needed (De Unamuno, 2005). Apart from being happy the shoemaker is also satisfied, and all he wants is to see his shoes that he makes being bought by people.

From what one has learned from de Unamuno's regarding immortality, one can, therefore, conclude that to some extent human life should be immortal. This is since there is no need of one coming up some principles on how he or she is to live then dying at some point. For instance look at a happy couple that is living together then at some point one of them succumbs to death. It means the other person will be left with grief and anger of the loss. With life being immortal this means that people would live forever and would not have to grief from the loss through death. Immortality would also create room through which one would accomplish his or her dreams which in death would take away at any time.

References

De Unamuno, M. (2005, January 5). The Tragic Sense of Life2. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14636/14636-h/14636-h.htm#III