The Basic Idea of Oedipus Rex and America'S Obsession With Crime

The central idea for Oedipus the King and America’s Obsession with Crime is that everyone has done something wrong and has been guilty of it. In Oedipus the king, somebody was guilty of killing Laius and Jocasta was guilty of lying to Oedipus(her son) so she killed herself. In America’s Obsession with crime, we are guilty of hurting our self and other people and the wrong things we do makes us guilty.One we are guilty it affects the way we act and how we do other things.

The central idea for Oedipus the King developed from the killing of Laius. So, the people were looking for a new king and also trying to find out who killed Laius. Oedipus gathers information about the killer but he also find about his childhood. Jocasta didn’t want him to find out about his life so she decided to kill herself because she has been lying to him.

Then Oedipus finds out Jocosta is his mother and wife so he takes his eyeballs out to see no more bad things. So he wanted to see his children one last time before he killed himself. Here it states ”He was the most powerful of men. All citizens who witnessed this man’s wealth were envious. Now what a surging tide of terrible disaster sweeps around him. So while we wait to see that final day, we cannot call a mortal being happy before he’s passed beyond life free from pain.”(Sophocles,pg39) So in the story everyone was wrong and guilty of something.

The central idea for America’s Obsession with Crime developed from the beginning of time. Every single person in this world has sinned and has been guilty of something. We have been hurting people and ourselves. Once we are guilty it affects the way act and the things we say. When there is crime near you have to think about is it safe to do the right thing or do what you think is right. Once we realize we guilty of something we need someone to blame and forgiveness.

In conclusion, the central idea is that everyone has been wrong and guilty of something. In a way I described how that is the central idea of both stories. Nobody is perfect and has been affected by sin. So, everyone is guilty of something.

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