Essay Questions

How does the author use the literary device of personification “A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful”?

The narrator is giving the mind of a human being the ability to eat food just like any other person. He says that when fed with the food of resemblance, the brain can create more images, unite and enlarge the human stocks' ability to imagine positive things. Under normal circumstances, the reader understands that the brain is just an organ that helps an individual to think and imagine. However, through personification, the reader can see the uniqueness of the mind and the ability to create images that influence positively the individual’s thinking capacity. The narrator says:

“The mind of a man has naturally a far greater alacrity and satisfaction in tracing resemblances than in searching for differences; because by making resemblances we produce new images, we unite, e create, we enlarge out our flock; but in making distinctions we offer no food at all to the imagination; the task itself is more severe and irksome, and what pleasure we derive from it is something of negative and indirect nature.”

Explain the quote "For there is in mankind an unfortunate propensity to make themselves, their views and their works, the measure of excellence in everything whatsoever." As used by Burke in his book “A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful.”

Burke is keen on studying and questioning differences and similarities in human pleasures and tastes. He scrutinizes human beings on how they pretend that their tastes and presences are similar to those of others. Many people end up making conclusions that because of their unique tastes, they are superior to their fellow humans. The author notes this is a trend has been going on for ages because some individuals would like to make others look inferior for no justifiable reason. A good illustration provided by the author is that of the solar system's geocentric conception to imply that some human beings want to place themselves at the center of things because they feel superior to others in all aspects.

The theme of childlessness is prevalent in “A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful.” Briefly explain.

The idea of studying aesthetics as portrayed by the author is to resonate with the reader on the issue of childlessness and its possible impacts. According to the author, an individual interested in studying aesthetics must think beyond the implied approval of the gorgeous rudiments of the globe. The author uses this theme of childlessness from a critical perspective and more importantly does his best not to negatively portray the work of earlier writers before him.