- “Pretty much from birth, people are “actors.” They have personality traits, they interact with the world, they have roles to play—daughter, sister, the neighbor’s new baby that cries all night and keeps you up” (page 7). At this moment on the seventh page, it made me reread and think a little bit more. I never thought about people being actors since they were born. I think about people being an actor, when they are in a play or acting out something in order to be another person or thing. Personally, I do not agree with this statement and that is why I had to reread and fully understand what it was trying to tell me.
- “It is in the late teens and early years of adulthood that story construction really picks up”. This quote from the text really stood out to me. I reacted as a believer because I think that at young ages you do not understand what your own definition of a narrative is and how you tell your stories. Also, at a younger age the brain is still not developed, so I believe this is not a good fit to make your own narrative.
- “Life is incredibly complex, there are lots of things going on in our environment and in our lives at all times, and in order to hold onto our experience, we need to make meaning out of it.” I reacted as a believer because I think that different situations can make people view things differently.
I completely agree with you on your first point. When Beck refers to people being actors, I had to take a step back as well. If we are always acting than how can we be telling our story truthfully? It is definitely a confusing point in Becks essay.
What an interesting question!
I like all the points you made. I never really thought of actors in any other sense than the ones you see acting out plays and movies and things like that. When Beck said this it kind of confused me and made me wonder if she thinks that we already have a life path determined and we are just acting it out right now because it is already chosen for us. I agree with the last point you made. Everyone can have the same experience, but it is what you take out of the experience that shapes you.
These are all great ideas that you picked up on! I especially liked how you included points made by the author that you didn’t quite agree with. However, I think it would be more beneficial if you were to develop your thoughts more. The first quote you discuss is a very interesting view of life that you say you disagree with it. I think it would be even more interesting if you were to add more to why you disagree with it.
Do you think viewing your life as a story would compel you to see yourself as more of an actor than if you did not organize your life events into a story?