Analyse af Eula Bliss's essay 'Time and Distance Overcome'

Andreas Bretton-MeyerIt is a blessing when a new invention emerges into the world, full of good intentions and possibilities, but sometimes the original function of the idea may be misused. The accessibility to communication, networking, and connecting people, can sometimes end up in situations of abuse and misuse. In the essay “Time and Distance Overcome” which is written by Eula Bliss in 2008, she points out that criminality throughout history influence the perception on an invention, and furthermore how time and distance can overcome things and restore the true idea of an invention.

The story involves two themes. The invention of the telephone and utility poles to support power lines and various other public utilities along with the racism towards the African Americans that was executed during the period of the breakthrough of the telephone. The story is dealing with people being able to connect through communication and technology, but also how we misuse the means we are given. How people can disengage when they have the possibility of doing the reverse. The telephone poles are seen as crucifixes and quickly turned into gallows, because of their convenience (Page 4. L, 90-93) despite their original function were connecting people, and was able to let time and distance overcome. As the title wants time and distance to overcome the troubles between people. The way the text is composed reflects the theme. The composition is circular; it starts out with a voice of positivity, describing the history of the telephone as (Page 2. L, 17) “something that could see us all connected through one branching cable.” It continues and then fades out on a summer day (Page 6, L, 144) “where telephone poles grew small leafy branches.” Interwoven with the history of the telephone poles and lines is the history of the racism towards African Americans. The text can therefore be divided into 3 main parts: The story of Eula Biss’ personal life, who, as a kid, (Page 6, L, 141) “they believed that the telephone itself was a miracle”, the invention of the telephone and the story of the lynchings which happened (Page 4, L, 78) “from the middle of the nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth”.