Creon's Response To Antigone

Words: 1083
Pages: 5

People who sit back and wish society would change are the people who take no action and expect results. This is not the case for two main characters in two different readings, The Three Theban Plays “Antigone,” by Sophocles, and “Melvin in the Sixth Grade,” by Dana Johnson, in which both main characters are faced with a type of resistance against the government or society based norm. Antigone expresses an active act to resist the government and doing what she believes is right, compared to Avery in “Melvin in the Sixth Grade” does not question nor resist the injustice of society, but both characters undergo a certain change and Antigone’s way of resist is seen as best. In “Antigone” the king of Thebes Creon, will not allow one of Antigone’s brothers to be buried because he was a traitor and the other was given the most honorable funeral. Antigone …show more content…
In Antigone, the king talks to her after she has buried her brother and tries to shame her, “ No matter—Death longs for the same rites for all/ Creon: Never the same for the patriot and the traitor,” (pg. 85). Communicating their ideas and opinions is a wise way for someone to resist authority and try to change their mindset to achieve their goal. Rather than communicating with her father or family members about her issues Avery expresses herself physically, “‘Avery’s done gone white boy crazy!’… I ran to my room and slammed the door to stare at my four bare walls because Daddy had made me take down the posters…” (pg. 158). Avery complies to her father’s wishes and runs away from having to communicate her thought and emotions, scared to face the reality of her attraction for ‘white boys’ because it is not accepted in society. Antigone is seen wanting her resistance in a more thoughtful manner that will create a long-lasting change, rather than just running away from the issues like in Avery’s situation that only conceals the issue even