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Ignorance In Sodium Girls By D. W. Gregory

688 Words3 Pages

When danger lurks around every corner, is it truly best to turn away? The concept of "ignorance is bliss" is a popular phrase that suggests that ignorance can bring happiness by avoiding the burden of knowledge and responsibility. This idea is challenged in both D.W. Gregory's play, Radium Girls, and Lois Lowry's novel, The Giver. In Radium Girls, the story of young women who worked with radium and were unknowingly exposed to its harmful effects exemplifies the consequences of blind trust in authority figures and the dangers of ignorance. Similarly, in The Giver, the protagonist Jonas learns that the elimination of pain and suffering from society through ignorance comes at the cost of losing valuable emotions and experiences that make life …show more content…

Gregory illustrates the negative effects of ignorance and blind faith in authority figures in their play Radium Girls. This play demonstrates how important it is to pursue knowledge to stop injustices. The play's central theme emphasizes the importance of awareness, just as The Giver does, as the girls' ignorance of the poison they were facing led to many injustices. When the truth began to unfold, the United States Radium Corporation was forced into a web of lies and deception used to protect the ignorance of the working girls and the public. “He is concerned with the truth. He undertakes years of painstaking study to arrive at an understanding of intricate natural processes that most people could never presume to comprehend. You would do well to listen to science and ignore the nonsense that is printed in the newspapers. Because I can tell you right now - radium has nothing to do with what's ailing you.” (Gregory pg. 51-52) Deceived by the fake doctors’ words, the girls were told that radium had nothing to do with their illness. To the uneducated girls, they believed this. To go against the Company, took a lot of courage from the dying girls and forced them to reveal the truth, which broke free from the chains of ignorance. The play also highlights the power dynamics at play in society, where those in positions of authority are often seen as flawless and powerful, which ends the preservation of ignorance. The story illustrates that by seeking knowledge and challenging authority, one can expose the truth and bring about change, as opposed to living in ignorance and keeping quiet about the company’s

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