A Tapestry of Trust Evan Walden

Introduction Hello there and welcome. Today I will be taking you on an adventure thought the concepts of trust and betrayal. These are interesting concepts as, while they may be well hidden, they are present in every piece of literature written. This adventure should help bring you closer the concepts and what they mean both to the world around us and to me personally. If all goes as planned you should learn why trust and betrayal are so important to human relationships and behavior. Unfortunately you wont have much input yourself and will have to trust me as your guide. I hope you enjoy the journey.

Quotes All trust involves vulnerability and risk, and nothing would count as trust if there were no possibility of betrayal. Robert C. Solomon This quote is fairly self-evident, but nonetheless interesting. It shows that without betrayal trust would be meaningless. While it is somewhat ambiguous I believe that this quote shows a positive side of trust. Robert C. Solomon (1942-2007) was a philosopher, author and university professor. He was considered a founder of and an expert in the field of business ethics, the philosophy of emotions (in particular Love) and existentialism (the philosophical and cultural movement which holds that the starting point of philosophical thinking must be the individual and the experiences of the individual). As a founder of business ethics, I believe that Soloman would have felt that Trust was the most important aspect of any business arrangement. When two people or companies enter into a business transaction they both must believe that the other will follow through with the deal. The risk is that one of the members of the deal might betray the trust-resulting in a loss of money and reputation. For example, if a lumber mill states that it will provide lumber to a furniture factory for a certain date and the factory in return will pay a certain amount for that lumber within specific time (30 days after delivery) this arrangement involves risk for both parties. The lumber may not be delivered on time and the factory would be without resources to produce furniture. This would be an expensive problem for the factory. On the other hand, if the factory received the lumber, made it into furniture, but refused to pay the lumber millthis would be an expensive problem for the lumber company. The term Business ethics really means Trust in Business. I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you. Friedrich Nietzsche This quote establishes the truth behind betrayal, that the backstabbing is not the terrible part in itself, it is instead the loss of a positive relationship that is terrible. This quote defiantly show a negative side of trust. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher, poet, and cultural critic. He wrote on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy and science. Nietzche was very interested in the concept of Truth and spent considerable time questioning if truth existed or was a good thing! He felt that humans (especially scientists, religious leaders and philosophers )needed the concept of truth to help them survive. Humans cannot cope or survive with untruth, uncertainty, and ignorance. His quote does indicate this: He is not upset about the lie

per se (the untruth) but rather that it affects his ability to carry on and believe in (or survive with) the other individual. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flash Fiction Its Just Not Fair I have no idea why, but my crazy parents and the principal at my school seem to think I am some kind of untrustworthy person. I dont understand it because, honestly, I have never told a lie in my life. I really was home last night at 10:00 p.m. Its not my fault if my parents didnt hear me come in. Obviously, when they found my bedroom empty at 11:30 p.m., I must have been in the bathroom. I had a bottle of orange soda on the way home from the library- so I had to use the toilet a couple of times through the night. As for the dents in the side door of the car, I can only guess that some irresponsible person hit me in the library parking lot. You would think people would have the decency to leave a note or something! Can you believe I spent six hours at the library last night, working on my English assignment? Ask my friends Steven and Mark, they were there too. I swear we must have read every book on Trust in the T section! But, despite the truth, my parents are still questioning my whereabouts last night, and I have been grounded for a month. On top of that, we have to meet with the principal to discuss my truancy-whatever that is. Its just not fair. Reflection This flash fiction is relevant to my tapestry subject of trust due to the unreliable narrator of the short story. It is very clear from early on that the narrator it in fact lying to the reader and that we cannot trust them. This completely reshapes our view of the story and the unknown events that led up to it. This demonstrates how important and powerful trust in literature is. Good use of breaches in trust between reader and narrator can be powerful tools in literature, but overuse can easily damage a story as well. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Short fiction Report on the Barnhouse Effect by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was an American author. He is best known for his international best-sellers Slaughterhouse Five and Breakfast of Champions. His books were dark comedies that focused on war, death, fate and questioned everyday morality. Report on the Barnhouse Effect was his first short story. Trust plays a major role in his writing, as he often writes from the perspective of an untrustworthy narrator. In Report on the Barnhouse Effect, the reader is lead to believe that the narrator is telling the truth about his mentor and professor Dr. Barnhouse. However, it becomes clear as the story

progresses that the narrator has much to hide, throwing a shadow of doubt on to what we have been told. The premise of the story is somewhat supernatural/science fiction. Dr. Barnhouse has discovered a way to move objects with the power of his mind. As he becomes more and more powerful, Dr. Barnhouse uses his gift to begin a massive world disarmament project, while the US government would have preferred to use The Barnhouse Effect as a weapon. The narrator is his friend-he has been asked to submit a report on Dr. Barnhouse to the press. We gradually realize that he cannot possibly be telling the whole truth about Dr. Barnhouses whereabouts and activities as he plans to join Dr. Barnhouse in hiding. In this instance, I believe my second quote I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you. is relevant. As the reader of the Report, I am not upset by the deceit. I completely understand the narrators reasons for lying to the reader. However, I know I simply cannot trust any of the information. In the end, I was left feeling that the story was full of half-truths. Report on the Barnhouse Effect Quote: I promised to have this report on its way to the publishers today. In review of what has happened, I am obliged to break that promise, or release the report incomplete. The delay will not be a long one, for one of the few blessings accorded a bachelor like myself is the ability to move quickly from one abode to another, or from one way of life to another.... Fortunately, I am not without substantial private means, which may take as long as a week to realize in liquid and anonymous form. When this is done, I shall mail the report. I have just returned from a visit to my doctor, who tells me my health is excellent. I am young and with any luck at all, I shall live to a ripe old age indeed, for my family on both sides is noted for longevity. Briefly, I propose to vanish. Sooner or later, Professor Barnhouse must die. But long before then, I shall be ready. So, to the saber rattlers of todayand even, I hope of tomorrowI say: Be advised. Barnhouse will die. But not the Barnhouse Effect. (pg 393)

"The Knotted Gun" disarmament sculpture by Carl Fredrick In my flash fiction Its Just Not Fair, I have also used the unreliable narrator as a tool to express uncertainty and lies. It is obvious to the reader in both instances that the details of the stories are not the truth. However, the reader is better able to connect with Vonneguts narrator than my own, because Vonneguts narrators motives are honorable, whereas my narrator was merely a selfish liar... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Poetry IF If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too: If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise; If you can dream---and not make dreams your master; If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim, If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same:. If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools; If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings, And never breathe a word about your loss: If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!" If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much: If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son! Rudyard Kipling In Rudyard Kiplings Poem If, he indicates three times that trust/truth is a major part of being a mature adult. In the first instance, he references trust in oneself and its importance to maturity. If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you. In the second instance, Kipling urges the reader to avoid lying even if others are lying about you. Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, In the third instance, Kipling brings to light that one may be accused of lying even when one tells the truth, and a mature person has to handle that situation. If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Kipling is stating that a man is true to himself and others and his word. Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!

This poem relates back to the original quote I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you. (Friedrich Nietzsche) in that both share sentiments of honor. The poem by Kipling states that you must be truthful in order to uphold your honor and be a Man. Trustworthiness is something that is built slowly over time. Until you are trustworthy, you are a boy. Nietzsche simply shares that without a reputation for trustworthiness, you will not be believed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel The Tsimtsum sank on July 2 , 1977. Yes. And I arrived on the coast of Mexico, the sole human survivor of the Tsimtsum, on February 14th, 1978. Thats right I told you two stories that account for the 227 days in between.
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Yes, you did. Neither explains the sinking of the Tsimtsum. Thats right. Neither makes a factual difference to you. Thats true. You cant prove which story is true and which is not. You must take my word for it. I guess so. In both stories the ship sinks, my entire family dies, and I suffer. Yes, thats true. So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you cant prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with the animals or the story without the animals? (pg 351-352) The narrator Pi in Life of Pi is an unreliable narrator, as in my Flash Fiction Its Just Not Fair and Kurt Vonneguts Report on the Barnhouse Effect. As Pi tells the story of this ordeal at sea with various zoo animals and suspicious occurrences, the reader is asked to accept more and more details on faith. The story becomes increasingly unbelievable with each chapter. Towards the end, from which the above excerpt comes, an alternative story is revealed. The alternative story is a typical story of mans inhumanity to man, and is quite easy to believe, if very depressing. The above excerpt highlights the concept of the truth. Is the truth truly always the best option? Could either story be completely trusted? What is the point of the truth?...

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Images

The Trust Fall has become a common element in many team-building exercises. The faller must believe that his team is willing and able to catch him before he hits the ground. All trust involves vulnerability and risk, and nothing would count as trust if there were no possibility of betrayal. Robert C. Solomon

The Circle of Trust. A group of people show their solidarity by joining hands in a circle of trust. This type of handshake originates in The Three Muskateers who declared they were All for one, and one for all.

I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you. Friedrich Nietzsche

The Lion King-Betrayal. Everyone of my generation understands this image. Mufassa is betrayed and killed by his brother Scar. This represented the ultimate betrayal of trust. . All trust involves vulnerability and risk, and nothing would count as trust if there were no possibility of betrayal. Robert C. Solomon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Song A Matter of Trust Lyrics by Billy Joel Some love is just a lie of the heart The cold remains of what began with a passionate start And they may not want it to end But it will it's just a question of when Ive lived long enough to have learned The closer you get to the fire the more you get burned But that wont happen to us Because it's always been a matter of trust I know you're an emotional girl It took a lot for you to not lose your faith in this world I can't offer you proof But you're going to face a moment of truth Its hard when you're always afraid You just recover when another belief is betrayed So break my heart of you must Its a matter of trust

You can't go the distance With too much resistance I know you have doubts But for gods sake don't shut me out This time youve got nothing to lose You can take it, you can leave it Whatever you choose I wont hold back anything And I'll walk away a fool or a king Some love is just a lie of the mind Its make believe until it's only a matter of time And some might have learned to adjust But then it never was a matter of trust Im sure you're aware love Weve both had our share of Believing too long When the whole situation was wrong Some love is just a lie of the soul A constant battle for the ultimate state of control After youve heard lie upon lie There can hardly be a question of why Some love is just a lie of the heart The cold remains of what began with a passionate start But that can't happen to us Because it's always been a matter of trust [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyrics The lyrics of this song relate to both original quotes in this Tapestry. All trust involves vulnerability and risk, and nothing would count as trust if there were no possibility of betrayal. Robert C. Solomon In the song, a man is trying to convince a woman to trust in his love for her. It is obvious from his words that her trust has been betrayed in the past. It took a lot for you to not lose your faith in this world and You just recover when another belief is betrayed indicate that she has difficulty trusting others because of her experiences. This man seems to be honorable,(a reliable narrator) but once a person is betrayed by one person, they may generalize to all people. In her perspective, the world has lied to her, and she cannot believe the world. (I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you. Friedrich Nietzsche). The man insists that love is always a matter of trust. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Film Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince directed by David Yates, 2009 Dumbledore: I am sure. I trust Severus Snape completely." Harry: "Well, I don't! He's up to something with Draco Malfoy right now. Right under your nose, and you still-" Dumbledore: "We have discussed this, Harry. I have told you my views." All trust involves vulnerability and risk, and nothing would count as trust if there were no possibility of betrayal. Robert C. Solomon Is Snape trustworthy? The fact is, both Dumbledore and Voldemort (the antagonist) have placed great trust in Snape. As they represent the opposite forces of good and evil, ultimately, Snape must betray one of them. In the end, he betrays Voldemort, which from the readers perspective makes him a hero. However, he is in fact a traitor to Voldemort and his forces. This shows the complex nature of trust. Snape is not trustworthy, but he ultimately represents goodness. Goodness and trustworthiness are not necessarily the same thing. Betrayal and trust are not as black and white as they are made out to be

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Conclusion The weaving of a tapestry is incredibly complex. So is the concept of trust. We have examined a number of literary and artistic resources with a theme of trust. Two ideas arise that represent the two sides of the concept of trust. Soloman along with Kipling, Billy Joel and me take a fairly simplistic, cut and dry view of trust. Soloman believed total trust was fundamental to business ethics. Kipling equates trustworthiness to being a Man in his poem If. Billy Joel dwells on the negative results of betrayal/lack of trust in his song Its a Matter of Trust. In my flash fiction Its just not Fair I have created a childish, selfish untrustworthy character. In these examples, trust is the ultimate good. But is it always? Nietzche along with Vonnegut, Martel and J.K Rowling have a blurrier view of the concept of trust. Nietzche questioned if truth existed and if it was in itself good. Vonnegut in Report on the Barnhouse Effect showed an example of when a breach of trust between narrator and reader is a positive force. Martel in Life of Pi breaches the trust of the reader, but then inquires if it was truly wrong to do so by asking, Which is the better story, the story with the animals or the story without the animals? J.K. Rowling creates in Snape a character who is untrustworthy and yet a great hero. Trust is relative. It can vary greatly by perspective and scenario. It can mean a lot of different things, but in every case, trust is a great force in literature. Coming to the end of this tapestry project, I have made my choice. Nietzsche said it best: I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.