Castle Rock

 

We’re finishing up “The Importance of Being Earnest” in my Intro to Lit class, and yesterday we were discussing Oscar Wilde’s thoughts on human nature.

“The more one analyses people,” Wilde writes, “the more all reasons for analysis disappear. Sooner or later one comes to that dreadful universal thing called human nature.”

With a room full of seniors only two months away from graduation but seven months into the weirdest school year ever—hopefully—you can imagine that the conversation was, at times, animated.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to analyze humans myself over the last thirteen or so months, and I have made it, finally, to about the same spot Mr. Wilde did over a century ago.

What’s the point?

Humans, in general, usually act like humans.

That’s one reason studying literature is so interesting, because human behavior is usually predictable, whether we’re reading about a cursed king from ancient Thebes or a tribe of insane children on a tropical island or a future fireman having doubts about his profession. The setting and plots may change, but the characters are often chillingly familiar.

For example, I’ve been reminded over the last thirteen months that humans have a tendency to take advice from other humans who happen to share the same beliefs.

Humans seem to listen to other humans who reinforce what they think they already know.

And I’m just as guilty as anyone else.

It turns out evidence and reason are rarely a match for tribal allegiance.

Just ask Piggy.