Group+3

Group 3 Duty To Society Versus Duty To Oneself

Thesis: The conflict of civil disobedience versus submitting to the law is a prevalent cultural and historical theme embodied in David Lean's film Doctor Zhivago, the protest of the Vietnam War, and the television program Prison Break.

Introduction: Civil disobedience is a medium through which people, usually youths, show their dissatisfaction with society, especially during times of war and turmoil. It has defined many eras of history and permeated through various genres of culture.The conflict of civil disobedience versus submitting to the law is a prevalent cultural and historical theme embodied in David Lean's film Doctor Zhivago, the protest of the Vietnam War, and the television program Prison Break.

**A. The purest characters in Dr. Zhivago, like Yuri and Pasha, engage in civil disobedience when they believe that their human rights have been violated.** 1. Yuri commits theft in order to sustain his family. a. He comes home to find that the fire is out that his family does not have enough fuel. His son is getting sick and losing weight, so he resorts to stealing firewood and does not care when he is seen. b. This act of civil disobedience is looked upon as noble by Yevgraf, who helps the family escape. 2. Yuri deserts the army to pursue his "personal indulgences (poetry)" a. After two years of conscripted service, Yuri can no longer take the horrible experiences of the war, so he deserts, even though he knows that deserters will be shot. He does not believe in the cause of the war and is frightened by the destruction it has caused, especially when a group of startled women approached the soldiers in shock over the destruction of their town. b. He and Lara move to his estate in Varykino where he writes his famous "Lara" poems, even though they are seen as antagonistic to the government 3. Pasha's passion often fuels his civil disobedience, but in the end, it also corrodes his vigor. a. Pasha was one of the instigators of the revolution. He is marked by the Tsar's army which fuels his anger. b. Pasha's involvement with the Bolsheviks turns him into Strelnikov, an empty shell of his passionate youth. c. He disobeys the army and refuses to answer to Strelnikov, reverting to his passionate youth. Unfortunately, in his fervor, he kills himself.

1.- Fear drove many people into hiding or protest during the war. a.- Many American people burned their draft cards because of the atrocities that they had seen on television. They believed that if they could not vote at 18, they should not have to be drafted, leading to the passage of the 26th amendment. b.- Because this was the first war to be broadcast on television, people were exposed to the atrocities of the war at home. Many drafted citizens fled to Canada or burnt their draft cards because they were scared. 2.- This was an era of violent protest, where much of the rage of the youth in society was flagrantly displayed. a.- Protests against the Vietnam War began in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. b.- Many youths actively protested the war, even engaging in violent acts. Some activists like Quaker Norman Morrison and Roger Allen LaPorte set themselves on fire in protest of the war. Other activists like Abbie Hoffman who co-founded the Youth International Party ("Yuppies") often held anti-war rallies.
 * B. The Vietnam War is widely known for lighting a spark to a period of social and civil upheaval.**

1. The characters are forced to practice consequentalism, where the end justifies their means. a. Michael commits a capital crime so he can get into jail in order to break his brother out, who was wrongfully sentenced to death. b. When they are free, they have to commit more crimes to protect people or stay out of jail. 2. The irony in their everyday situation is that they try to submit to the law, but in the end, they are forced to resort to breaking it. a. they are all inherently good people, but have to commit capital crimes. b. Many of the "crimes" that they commit are to protect innocent people. For example, Michael is coerced into breaking someone out of jail because the people that want that man free are holding his girlfriend and nephew hostage.
 * C. The characters' lives in the television show Prison Break revolve around their struggle to abide by the law.**

Conclusion: Civil disobedience has been a way for people to voice their opinions for centuries. The film Doctor Zhivago, the Vietnam War and the television program Prison Break all convey the theme of civil disobedience versus abiding by the law in different ways. In Dr. Zhivago, Yuri uses his poetry to convey his passion for life, but it is seen as antagonistic to the government. Likewise, during the Vietnam War, personal expression, specifically the Yuppie movement, was used to convey the youths' anger with the war. Many people that were drafted burned their draft cards or fled to Canada. Prison Break ironically portrays this theme as well through the brother's good intentions that often result in breaking the law. Civil disobedience versus abiding by the law is a common theme in history and culture.