You already probably have heard of the unfortunate news that happened in Boston, Massachusetts a while back regarding the bombing during the marathon. When we see and hear things like this happening in the world, we can’t help but stop and wonder: Why do it? Why do something to intentionally hurt others? Well, just come to think of it, everyone has done at least one wrong misdoing in their life that they will eventually regret sometime in their life, when looking back. But what really gives people the motive to do such evil actions?
If you have ever read Othello, you know how the antagonist, Iago, had his way of doing evil deeds to intentionally sabotage Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. If you have ever discussed the novel, you have probably discussed what were Iago’s reasons for being as evil as he was in the novel. People (in this case, fictional characters) like these will always have a reason to love doing these malicious, messed up evil things. Why? Do they have a choice? Is it jealously? Greed or power? It could even be the satisfaction and pleasure in watching others suffer. I would agree to say that in reality, there are certain people who are sadistic in the world, and nothing could really be done to change this “personality disorder” in the end.
Take The Good Earth for example. Wang Lung was hit with a sense of evil. The thing is: Did he deserve it? Let’s look into it. When Wang Lung’s uncle approaches Wang Lung for money, he criticizes him and his family for being lazy and irresponsible. The uncle even considered himself as a “man of evil destiny”. From there on, he brings evil into Wang Lung’s family. When O-lan, his wife, gives birth to a daughter, Wang Lung becomes worries because this signifies bad luck and bad fortune since the baby is not a son. Wang Lung believes this as another omen of impending unhappiness that is soon to appear later on for him and his family. This chapter in the book is concluded by the “evil omen” of a flock of crows, symbolizing death/bad luck.
So after all in generalization, good people don’t deserve evil things like these happening to them. Could good people do anything to stop evil in its tracks and obliterate it as a whole? That’s a question worth finding the answer to, left unanswered since the beginning of history’s time in the past, and now sadly in the present (and future, but who knows…?).
Litertainment 