Part I
While reading the judges monologue, one could really feel the burning pain inside the judge’s heart for his city. It almost feels like a time before the rebirth of the world, where everything is in chaos and there is nothing but crime! But in all of the commotion, one could clearly sort out people like the tightrope walker because in the judge’s eye, he was a unique one. He respected the tightrope walker because he made a monument by doing something that caught people’s eye temporarily and was bold. This makes me think of how there are always some revolutionaries who would go against the flow and would try to bring about a change. The tightrope walker is one such revolter, who makes things lively in an area that is filled with crime and malice.
Part II
In life, sometimes you have to make rash decisions whether you like it or not. And often as a judge you will be faced with such rash decision making opportunities frequently, where you will be forced to make a decision based on your understanding, your morals and based on what you know from the story. So, when looking from Judge Soderberg’s perspective we find out that he sentences Tillie to eight months in prison because he sees her as a prostitute and as a criminal he mentions in the monologue. He has no clue as to what her backstory is. I also feel like he sentenced her for eight months instead of six because he sees her as a waste of the society that needs to be either tamed or removed. And removing isn’t an option in this case, so he decides to put some sense into her head by locking her in for an extra two months. However, the case of Petit is completely different. He is in fact fascinated by Petit as I mentioned in Part I. In some sense he grows to respect Petit because of what he had done. Therefore, he feels pressurized when the time comes for him to decide for Petit. In some sense, the sentence he gave to Petit, about paying a cent for every floor on the building, is funny and clever. However, it isn’t fair as it allowed Petit to walk away as a free man while it imprisoned Tillie. Now, from my personal opinion, I wouldn’t have sentenced Tillie to eight months prison since I know her backstory. It might not have been possible, what I am trying to do, but it is worth a shot. I would have sentenced her to wearing ankle bracelets for 6-8 months, so that she could stay with her granddaughters, while at the same time understand that she was given another chance in life to become a better person. This would also allow her to reflect on the part where if she was sentenced to prison then she wouldn’t have had the chance to be with her grandchildren. Maybe somewhere in this sentence, she might have found her true purpose in life and might have changed her lifestyle. The possibility of it happening might be minuscule, but it is still there. However, on the case of Petit, even though his punishment wasn’t fair in comparison to Tillie, it was justified. I feel so, because Petit was just doing something he loved. He was reaching out towards freedom. And nobody should ever be punished for following their hearts. But then again it may be more complicated than that. What if he influenced other people to do the same, but those other people weren’t skilled enough and had fallen into the arms of death? So, I understand Soderberg’s opinion as well. But I feel like the piling up of the two cases is quite complicated as it depends from person to person to give their opinion as to what they would have done. There isn’t a definite answer.
Part III
When one listens to the phrase “the world spinning”, one might think of how our earth constantly rotates and revolves around the sun on a fixed path. And there is the gravity of the sun that allows the earth to do that. Similarly the gravity of the earth allows the moon to rotate and revolve around the earth. So, we see how things keep on going, and as they go on, they cause another affect. Similarly, such is the story of our earth. Our everyday boring lives go on and on and on until something unique comes about to stop it and entertain it for a while. We as human beings are tempted to react to such a unique performance. And our reaction to that performance causes the performer to do more of such acts. And such acts influence other people’s lives like Petit influenced Claire and her friend’s lives. We don’t seem to notice the connections in between such interactions. But somehow, I feel like when Jaslyn saw Petit’s image and the date on that image, she noticed something unique. She called it beautiful and ugly simultaneously. I feel like she started to see all the connections. It made her happy because she saw how the tightrope walker followed his heart and did what he wanted to. But also, at the same time, it was the day when her mother died in a car accident. She also might have known about Gloria’s children and how the women thought Petit’s act to be nothing more than giving away his life. Jaslyn might have been able to notice all these connections and might have had come to the conclusion that despite the fact that the world keeps on spinning, there are incidents that catch us off guard and alter the course of the world. Either ways the world still keeps on spinning even with the altered path. There is no stop to it. So the best we can do to contribute towards it, is by doing what we do best, hoping that we inspire people in the best of ways.
There were many bridges in this story that were unsettling. But the one that personally made me feel a bit unsettled at first was the connection between Corrigan and the prostitutes, especially Jazzlyn. This is because in our society prostitutes have a bad impression. And maybe I was also one of those people who might have thought so until sometime in my life. But I was so wrong. After knowing Tillie’s story, it broke my heart. She did all this to make sure that her children don’t go through the same experience, but in the end, even Jazzlyn ended up being a prostitute. And honestly speaking, I personally have a friend who was a prostitute. I won’t be sharing any incidents of how we met, or who that person is, or even why they did this. But I know their story, and I am pretty sure, if you knew their story then maybe you might have sympathized with them as well. Many of these prostitutes, become one because they are desperate. They just want to be able to feed their family. They don’t see any other option. And in their opinion, the quickest way to get cash would be by being a prostitute. And honestly, I don’t even blame them. Sometimes, I am even forced to think about what would I have done, if I was so poor that I was on the brink of death, and on top of that I had to support my children and my family. It’s a tough choice to make. When you don’t see options, you do somethings that you naturally wouldn’t. And honestly speaking, that friend of mine was one of the nicest person I have ever met. But society sometimes f**ks you up so bad, that there is nothing you could do. You have to live with the pain, and drop your esteem and respect in order to make sure that your loved ones are safe and are fed.
A bridge that actually made me cry was when Corrigan was drunk all day and night and was smoking on his mother’s birthday. And he came home with eyes that were numb and a body that couldn’t stand on its own feet. Despite all this, his mother hugged him and made sure he was alright and saved him the birthday cake. I feel like I have a deep connection to this moment because I live here without my parents. Sometimes when you see such parental love and you know you are deprived of it as for the moment in life, you start to feel happiness in the moment because of the story but yet you cry so hard inside, that it creates a hole in your heart. I feel like in some sense that is what I went through while reading this connection between Corrigan and his mother. In my situation, you would give anything to have that parental love in your life. It isn’t like I am deprived of it. But it’s just that, that I don’t physically have my parents with me to comfort me in such situations. It isn’t my parents’ fault. But it’s just that people are put in situations where there are no options. This matured me quicker than I might have if I was living with my parents. But still I tend to make rash decisions as all of you might already know! But I hope that some day, despite being an adult, I will come home to my mother, all drunk and smoked up, just to be comforted by her and being able to reminisce this moment of the past.
