Jones' Criticism and Our Culture

I'm with Roger on this piece not having really any significant thesis or any real purpose outside of a simple summary.  I will agree that, for a summary, it did do its job and explained the play quite clearly.  Criticism, however, does not seem to be the focal point of this piece, despite the fact it was in a section under that label. 

But I'd like to turn and respond to Jeremy's entry.  He writes, ". . . Elesin's strugle, his goal is not to let his people down.  This is an exceptionally foreign idea to most [of] us, being as there are elements within modern culture that frown upon patriotism and the things that go along with it."  I whole-heartedly disagree.  I think that even though we do live in an incredibly individualistic environment due to our capitalistic societal upbringing, we can make a strong connection with this idea of not wanting to let others down.  One only need to look to sports (of which I admit for the most part I am ignorant) or the family unit to see that one does not want to let down one's team or parents.  And to say that patriotism is frowned upon in America is a shock to me.  Just think of our soldiers who still continue to sign up for the army and get shipped over to Iraq... this display of patriotism is not admonished, rather those that go (and possibly return) are shown immense respect for not letting down their country and serving to bring democracy to the world.  Even those who do not agree with the war still praise those who go off to fight it for their courage and sense of duty.

So, I guess in lieu of that, I still fail to see the significance of Jones' piece.  It is not an idea outside of any cultural understanding as I believe Jeremy claims.