The focus of this seminar paper shall be on HIV-negative people and their living circumstances in the era of AIDS. The research question, which will be investigated, is: How does AIDS affect HIV-negative characters in Susan Sontag’s “The Way We Live Now”? The thesis statement goes as follows: The HIV-negative characters’ reactions to being faced with AIDS are expressed in a vast range of behavioral patterns, such as cognitive escapism, methods of stress management, avoidance of HIV-tests, development of HIV-negative identities, collective fear, states of denial and anticipatory grief.
First of all, the plot of “The Way We Live Now” will be introduced shortly. In order to get a better grasp of what the situation in the U.S. looked like at the time the story is set, an overview of the historical context will be given. The sexual liberation in the 1960s/70s and the AIDS crisis in the 1980s will be discussed. The main part of this seminar paper will focus on the characters of the short story. They were divided into two camps – the healthy and the sick.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Synopsis of “The Way We Live Now"
3. Historical Context
3.1. Sexual Liberation in the 1960s/70s
3.2. AIDS in the 1980s
4. Characters
4.1. The AIDS Patient
4.1.1. Cognitive Escapism
4.1.2. Stress Management
4.1.3. Avoiding Getting Tested
4.2. Friends and Acquaintances
4.2.1. Forming a Collective Identity
4.2.2. The Way They Live Now
4.2.3. State of Denial
4.2.4. Anticipatory Grief
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This seminar paper investigates how the AIDS crisis, specifically in the 1980s, influenced the psychological and behavioral patterns of HIV-negative individuals as depicted in Susan Sontag’s short story "The Way We Live Now." The central research question explores the reactions of the uninfected characters to the pervasive fear and mortality surrounding the pandemic.
- The impact of the AIDS epidemic on the lives of HIV-negative characters.
- Behavioral manifestations of stress, including cognitive escapism and denial.
- The role of collective identity formation among friends of AIDS patients.
- Historical perspectives on sexual liberation and the emergence of the AIDS crisis.
- The psychological dimensions of anticipatory grief in the face of a lethal pandemic.
Excerpt from the Book
Cognitive Escapism
[A]nd Kate recalled, sighing, a brief exchange she’d insisted on having as long as two years ago, huddling on a banquette […] and toking up for their next foray onto the dance floor: she’d said hesitantly, for it felt foolish asking a prince of debauchery to, well, take it easy, and she wasn’t keen on playing big sister, a role […] he inspired in many women, are you being careful, honey, you know what I mean. And he replied, Kate went on, no, I’m not, listen, I can’t, I just can’t, sex is too important to me, always has been, […] and if I get it, well, I get it. (Sontag 11)
This passage describes his lifestyle in a nutshell. His behavioral patterns – using drugs and having unprotected sex with men and women – correspond with the characteristics of cognitive escapism (Yi et al. 205-6). Yi et al. describe this behavior as “cognitively escaping self-awareness of HIV risk” (206). The man perceives too much stress and chooses disengagement from the possibility of contracting HIV over engagement coping strategies – committing to a healthy lifestyle and safer sex – which require carefulness and effort.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: Presents the research question and thesis regarding how AIDS affects HIV-negative characters through various behavioral patterns like denial and anticipatory grief.
2. Synopsis of “The Way We Live Now": Provides an overview of the short story, which is narrated entirely through dialogue and focuses on the reactions of 26 friends to an unnamed man’s AIDS diagnosis.
3. Historical Context: Analyzes the sexual revolution of the 1960s/70s and the subsequent societal backlash and fear caused by the AIDS outbreak in the 1980s.
4. Characters: Examines the two camps of characters, the sick and the healthy, and details their respective psychological coping mechanisms.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, confirming that Sontag’s story realistically mirrors the emotional and behavioral struggles of the uninfected during the AIDS crisis.
Keywords
AIDS, HIV-negative, Susan Sontag, The Way We Live Now, cognitive escapism, stress management, anticipatory grief, state of denial, collective identity, sexual liberation, 1980s, pandemic, psychological landscape, social stigma, behavioral patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this seminar paper?
The paper focuses on the experiences and psychological reactions of HIV-negative individuals living during the AIDS crisis in America, as portrayed in Susan Sontag’s short story.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
Key themes include cognitive escapism, stress management, the formation of an HIV-negative collective identity, the state of denial, and the expression of anticipatory grief.
What is the core research question?
The research question asks how AIDS affects the HIV-negative characters depicted in Susan Sontag’s work, specifically regarding their behavioral patterns and emotional responses.
Which scientific methodologies are utilized in this research?
The author employs a literary analysis of the short story, supported by sociological and psychological secondary literature regarding grief, coping mechanisms, and the historical context of the AIDS pandemic.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section analyzes the behavior of the AIDS patient (the sick) and the collective behavior of his 26 friends (the healthy), exploring how they deal with the threat of the disease.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Relevant keywords include AIDS, HIV-negative, Sontag, cognitive escapism, denial, anticipatory grief, collective identity, and the AIDS crisis.
How does the author interpret the namelessness of the AIDS patient?
The author suggests the namelessness serves as an exclusion of the HIV-positive individual, contrasting with the distinct alphabetical names given to the 26 friends, which represents a broad spectrum of society.
Why did the friends in the story avoid using the word "AIDS"?
The author argues this is a manifestation of the "state of denial," where the friends avoid the terminology to distance themselves from the reality of the patient’s impending death.
What conclusion does the paper reach regarding the characters' behavior?
The paper concludes that the characters' reactions are broad, ranging from avoidance and denial to the formation of a collective identity that attempts to secure their own sense of health and safety.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2018, Analysis of Susan Sontag’s "The Way We Live Now". A Lethal Disease Affecting People’s Lives, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/539308
