realist vs. idealist theme
A pragmatic down to Earth character is contrasted with a visionary in pursuit of (some sort of) perfection.
Notes
The wikipedia articles discussing "realism" and "idealism" refer to abstract philosophical concepts that are not very helpful in explaining what the present theme is about. We choose to omit these as references.
5 total · 1 choice · 4 major
| Story | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| tz1959e1x27 | choice | Henry was a dreamer who believed in magic, while Bolie was a cynic who thought there was no such thing as magic. |
| movie: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) | major | The newly appointed senator Mr. Smith, a straightforward and principled man, took seriously the political ideals that he found written in the U.S. Constitution. Senator Paine, by contrast, took a more pragmatic approach to politics that emphasized compromising with corrupt cronies and advancing legislation in the public interest when the chance arose. |
| novel: We the Living (1936) | major | Andrei was a political idealist who became disillusioned when confronted with Leo's and Kira's realism |
| play: Major Barbara (1905) | major | Undershaft is a down to earth realist while his children are various kinds of idealists. |
| play: The Wild Duck (1884) | major | Greger was an idealist who believed truth must be told; other characters, for example Greger's father, were more down to earth |