Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) keep saying they are searching for the American Dream (the subtitle of the novel was "A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream"). What do they think that Dream is, and do they find it?
1. I really dont know how I feel about this movie..maybe it will take a second viewing of the film but right now I'm a little confused. After a few summaries about the movie and its origin I understood it better. From watching the movie alone, it looks like two successful men (employment-wise) who seek for something more. Money doesnt satisfy them; they are looking for a high that is not capable of having without drugs. They also mention how drugs were the "in" thing in the 1960's so maybe this little trip was to reminisce about the good times they had in the 1960s. Honestly, I feel as if this is a film that needs to be seen more than once.
2. The American Dream to many means instant success but to Duke and Gonzo it meant instant gratification and ecstacy. If there was any way to get "high" they knew it and this pleased them more than any amount of money could. "A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream" This line proves that their dream differed from what other American may see as success. Success= immediate high they got from the drugs they used. Apparently, they already had money because they had no problem going to different hotels and purchase drugs and alcohol;but this money could also be an issue because they usually used Duke job as a journalist as a way to get free hotel rooms. I'm not sure if money was an issue or not, but they did (in some crazy way) love to take risks (ie damaging hotel rooms and tryin to get away). Taking risks mightve given them another sort of high that drug didnt provide.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Blog#8
Like a number of our short stories, The Importance of Being Earnest is overly concerned with the issue of identity. Should we take Wilde's discussion of identity seriously, or does his humor conceal critical ideas regarding how we know who we are?
1.The Importance of Being Earnest is such a great play(so far). Wilde's play on words was excellent and it was very satirical. It's funny because you see how many movies have taken away from Wildes work. Besides that it was definitely worth reading and his works are definitely something that should be read by everyone.
2. I havent finished the play yet, but it is definitely intriguing. As I read, it made me think of the division of the psyche-id, ego, and superego. We are made up of several personalities- but the two I can think of are:
-the personality you use when around your friends
-the personality you use when alone
Many people, including myself act differently when surrounded by others (especially outside your family). I'm not going to count things that change your actions like feelings of nervousness, anxiousness,etc because those definitely change how you react to certain situations.
Wilde uses a funny situation of exchanging identity, but it is something human beings do regularly. We know ourselves one way, but through interactions with others we learn more about ourselves. Friends and family will sometimes point out some of our "quirks" but it is necessary so that we can learn who we are and how we act.
1.The Importance of Being Earnest is such a great play(so far). Wilde's play on words was excellent and it was very satirical. It's funny because you see how many movies have taken away from Wildes work. Besides that it was definitely worth reading and his works are definitely something that should be read by everyone.
2. I havent finished the play yet, but it is definitely intriguing. As I read, it made me think of the division of the psyche-id, ego, and superego. We are made up of several personalities- but the two I can think of are:
-the personality you use when around your friends
-the personality you use when alone
Many people, including myself act differently when surrounded by others (especially outside your family). I'm not going to count things that change your actions like feelings of nervousness, anxiousness,etc because those definitely change how you react to certain situations.
Wilde uses a funny situation of exchanging identity, but it is something human beings do regularly. We know ourselves one way, but through interactions with others we learn more about ourselves. Friends and family will sometimes point out some of our "quirks" but it is necessary so that we can learn who we are and how we act.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Blog# 5
Both of these stories use suspense to build to somewhat bizarre climaxes. Looking at one of the stories, discuss how the ending was foreshadowed by the text, and what sort of lesson the author is hoping for the reader to gain.
"A Rose For Emily"
1. The beginning of this story was kind of confusing and dry.Maybe it because readers arent told who the narrator is and we are left to guess. I really felt like giving up but I had no choice but to continue. So I read on and it turned out to be pretty good. It was a story in which you have to read certain sentences more than once just to make sure you have the point. Some of the situations, ie the arsenic, left readers perplexed because we dont know who is going to die as the result of this poison. I loved the twist and turn Faulkner used that left readers and suspense. When I finished reading , I had so many questions to ask Emily but now its like since shes dead theres a whole lot of unanswered things she left behind. Something that was interesting was that the man who worked in Emily's house walked out as soon as people entered the home. He didnt want blame to be placed on him for anything AND he was the only person who knew the answers to the many questions people would now have for him.
2.Readers are given hints as to who would be harmed and how, but I guess we think since Emily is such an awkward character that she wanted to kill herself. She mightve been depressed after losing her father and numerous love interests, but in the end it seems as this was not the case. We are told about Homer missing, but we ASSUME that he went back north and we assume that Emily wound up using the arsenic for the rats. We didnt want to assume the worst possiblities but in the end, thats exactly what the story was set up for. Emily wanted to be loved so badly that she killed a man to have him as her own. She reached out to him and he said he wasnt the marrying type. I almost thought he was bi-sexual when he mentions how he likes to be in the company of men. That was ODD! There were so many ways this story couldve ended but we learn in the end that Emily went to an extreme just to have someone be with her and cure her lonliness. Faulkner is proving that assumption is something that we should stay away from because we arent aware of the full story. We are only told one persons opinion of what happened (and this is true, because we arent even told who the narrator is)
"A Rose For Emily"
1. The beginning of this story was kind of confusing and dry.Maybe it because readers arent told who the narrator is and we are left to guess. I really felt like giving up but I had no choice but to continue. So I read on and it turned out to be pretty good. It was a story in which you have to read certain sentences more than once just to make sure you have the point. Some of the situations, ie the arsenic, left readers perplexed because we dont know who is going to die as the result of this poison. I loved the twist and turn Faulkner used that left readers and suspense. When I finished reading , I had so many questions to ask Emily but now its like since shes dead theres a whole lot of unanswered things she left behind. Something that was interesting was that the man who worked in Emily's house walked out as soon as people entered the home. He didnt want blame to be placed on him for anything AND he was the only person who knew the answers to the many questions people would now have for him.
2.Readers are given hints as to who would be harmed and how, but I guess we think since Emily is such an awkward character that she wanted to kill herself. She mightve been depressed after losing her father and numerous love interests, but in the end it seems as this was not the case. We are told about Homer missing, but we ASSUME that he went back north and we assume that Emily wound up using the arsenic for the rats. We didnt want to assume the worst possiblities but in the end, thats exactly what the story was set up for. Emily wanted to be loved so badly that she killed a man to have him as her own. She reached out to him and he said he wasnt the marrying type. I almost thought he was bi-sexual when he mentions how he likes to be in the company of men. That was ODD! There were so many ways this story couldve ended but we learn in the end that Emily went to an extreme just to have someone be with her and cure her lonliness. Faulkner is proving that assumption is something that we should stay away from because we arent aware of the full story. We are only told one persons opinion of what happened (and this is true, because we arent even told who the narrator is)
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Blog Numero 4-Bernice Bobs Her Hair
How does Fitzgerald represent the nature of identity in "Bernice Bobs Her Hair"? Is identity a static thing or is it something we can change? What does Bernice's actions at the end of the story reveal about her identity--has she changed?
1. I enjoyed this short story alot!! I read that the original story had a different ending but Fitzgerald changed it because editors would enjoy the new ending more than the old one. Bernice was a beautiful girl but lacked one thing- confidence. Marjorie taught her some tricks on getting the interest of boys and it actually worked. The tricks that Marjorie used proved that she usually lied to the boys at these parties just to make herself look better (when comparing herself to other females). I expected Marjorie to be more empathetic towards Bernice, but she seemed to enjoy seeing Bernice suffer. When Bernice caught the eye of Marjorie's love interest, Warren, that is when the battle begins. Marjorie has already made the decision that she will come up on top and now she tells the boys that Bernice is using simple "pick up lines" to get boys. These lines are simply used to get their interest but Marjorie exposes that Bernice will never live up to these lines. She is not what readers expect out of a family member.
2.The nature of identity includes change-noone will remain the same. This experience makes Bernice a strong,mature, and less naive person. She knows not to trust anyone (even your family members). She realizes that everyone has their self-interest as number one on their priority list and things like that usually dont change. Identity changes because people do not remain the same at 25 as they were at 5 years old. People learn about others, have different expectations and learn how to react to different situations. Bernice reaction shows that she has not matured completely but Marjories action also prove that she is VERY immature. Cutting off Marjorie proves that what goes around, comes around and now Marjorie will probably loose the interest of Warren also.
1. I enjoyed this short story alot!! I read that the original story had a different ending but Fitzgerald changed it because editors would enjoy the new ending more than the old one. Bernice was a beautiful girl but lacked one thing- confidence. Marjorie taught her some tricks on getting the interest of boys and it actually worked. The tricks that Marjorie used proved that she usually lied to the boys at these parties just to make herself look better (when comparing herself to other females). I expected Marjorie to be more empathetic towards Bernice, but she seemed to enjoy seeing Bernice suffer. When Bernice caught the eye of Marjorie's love interest, Warren, that is when the battle begins. Marjorie has already made the decision that she will come up on top and now she tells the boys that Bernice is using simple "pick up lines" to get boys. These lines are simply used to get their interest but Marjorie exposes that Bernice will never live up to these lines. She is not what readers expect out of a family member.
2.The nature of identity includes change-noone will remain the same. This experience makes Bernice a strong,mature, and less naive person. She knows not to trust anyone (even your family members). She realizes that everyone has their self-interest as number one on their priority list and things like that usually dont change. Identity changes because people do not remain the same at 25 as they were at 5 years old. People learn about others, have different expectations and learn how to react to different situations. Bernice reaction shows that she has not matured completely but Marjories action also prove that she is VERY immature. Cutting off Marjorie proves that what goes around, comes around and now Marjorie will probably loose the interest of Warren also.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Blog#3
Examine the narrator from either "The Yellow Wallpaper" or "A & P." What does the narrator reveal about him or herself indirectly? What sort of transformation, if any, does the narrator experience during the course of the story?
1. When I finished reading A&P, i was like that made no sense. I can understand if you disagree the way the boss treated the three girls, but why would you quit your job? When the girls walked into the store I felt that Sammy, the guy at the register, de-humanized them and made them into purely sexual objects. The way he described the girl in plaid backside as a "can" disturbed me. It was an interesting read, but it shows how Sammy's view changes throughout the text. Even though he is the average teenage boy, with raging hormones and all, Updikes explores how men dehumanize women in our society. This seemed to take place in the 1960's and back then women werent seen as equals to men and this short story definitely depict the time period. Even though seeing women as sexual objects, I wondered why the girls came inside without enough clothing. They knew it would be awkward to walk in without shoes and regular clothing but the first girl, "Queeny", didnt care. She encouraged the other two girls to walk in and felt as if her appearance should not affect her treatment,but it did.
2.Sammy, the narrator, reveals how he feels about the opposite sex in the text. He turns these women into sexual objects, but once they are mistreated, something inside his head clicks and he empathizes with them. Through this moment, readers can see Sammy growing into a mature man. He was a man of his time where women werent considered equals but by the end of the story, I feel that he will change with time. He realizes that women shouldnt be treated negatively based on their appearance and this shows maturity. To be plain and simple, this short story shows Sammy's transformation from boy to man.
1. When I finished reading A&P, i was like that made no sense. I can understand if you disagree the way the boss treated the three girls, but why would you quit your job? When the girls walked into the store I felt that Sammy, the guy at the register, de-humanized them and made them into purely sexual objects. The way he described the girl in plaid backside as a "can" disturbed me. It was an interesting read, but it shows how Sammy's view changes throughout the text. Even though he is the average teenage boy, with raging hormones and all, Updikes explores how men dehumanize women in our society. This seemed to take place in the 1960's and back then women werent seen as equals to men and this short story definitely depict the time period. Even though seeing women as sexual objects, I wondered why the girls came inside without enough clothing. They knew it would be awkward to walk in without shoes and regular clothing but the first girl, "Queeny", didnt care. She encouraged the other two girls to walk in and felt as if her appearance should not affect her treatment,but it did.
2.Sammy, the narrator, reveals how he feels about the opposite sex in the text. He turns these women into sexual objects, but once they are mistreated, something inside his head clicks and he empathizes with them. Through this moment, readers can see Sammy growing into a mature man. He was a man of his time where women werent considered equals but by the end of the story, I feel that he will change with time. He realizes that women shouldnt be treated negatively based on their appearance and this shows maturity. To be plain and simple, this short story shows Sammy's transformation from boy to man.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Blog #2
What does Yeats hope to accomplish with his portrayal of a rape from mythology? What themes does this poem reveal about the present through its portrayal of the past?
1. When I read this poem, I was disturbed. It seems as if Yeats turns the tragedy of rape into artwork when it is nothing of the sort. I understand that it is not really a swan, but rather Zeus in the form of an animal, but why did he do this? Is this to make the reader forget of the rape and turn it into more of a romance or is this done to convince this reader it wasnt really a rape (more of an affair). It made me think of when rapists are caught and how they usually say, "Oh, she wanted it to start off with"especially the line where it says he caressed her thighs. During a rape, a woman would usually put up more of a fight than whats described in this poem, but maybe I'm wrong because this great blow described in the poem could've weakend Leda. Yeats uses words like staggering,terrified, and vague; this may prove that she was either hurt or frozen in fear (or shock). It's beautifully written and I enjoyed reading it (especially after doing some background research) but the major question in my mind is: Out of all the animals in this world, why is Zeus a SWAN?? Maybe, because the swan reminds some of things that are delicate and this adds to the shock factor when we figure out that the swan is raping Leda. I really dont know the reasoning behind this myth, but Yeats wrote his version beautifully and tastefully.
2.Yeats accomplish the task of turning this rape from tragedy to a romance. His usage of such soft language succeeds in making the reader forget the actual act taking place. He makes people think that maybe this wasn't the type of rape we think it is. Something might've taken place prior to this incident. Yeats poem makes me wonder what happened prior to and after the rape. I know Leda give birth to 2 eggs, but was she bitter towards Zeus? Zeus being the powerful god that he was, did what he pleased but I wish I could see into Leda. This romanticizes the past and takes away from the seriousness of the situation. History repeats itself over and over; but, poetry like this will take away from the true meaning and effect of a incident.
1. When I read this poem, I was disturbed. It seems as if Yeats turns the tragedy of rape into artwork when it is nothing of the sort. I understand that it is not really a swan, but rather Zeus in the form of an animal, but why did he do this? Is this to make the reader forget of the rape and turn it into more of a romance or is this done to convince this reader it wasnt really a rape (more of an affair). It made me think of when rapists are caught and how they usually say, "Oh, she wanted it to start off with"especially the line where it says he caressed her thighs. During a rape, a woman would usually put up more of a fight than whats described in this poem, but maybe I'm wrong because this great blow described in the poem could've weakend Leda. Yeats uses words like staggering,terrified, and vague; this may prove that she was either hurt or frozen in fear (or shock). It's beautifully written and I enjoyed reading it (especially after doing some background research) but the major question in my mind is: Out of all the animals in this world, why is Zeus a SWAN?? Maybe, because the swan reminds some of things that are delicate and this adds to the shock factor when we figure out that the swan is raping Leda. I really dont know the reasoning behind this myth, but Yeats wrote his version beautifully and tastefully.
2.Yeats accomplish the task of turning this rape from tragedy to a romance. His usage of such soft language succeeds in making the reader forget the actual act taking place. He makes people think that maybe this wasn't the type of rape we think it is. Something might've taken place prior to this incident. Yeats poem makes me wonder what happened prior to and after the rape. I know Leda give birth to 2 eggs, but was she bitter towards Zeus? Zeus being the powerful god that he was, did what he pleased but I wish I could see into Leda. This romanticizes the past and takes away from the seriousness of the situation. History repeats itself over and over; but, poetry like this will take away from the true meaning and effect of a incident.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
First Blog EVER!
What does Porritt reveal about conventions of reading in "Read This Poem From the Bottom Up"?
Jennifer Woods
When I first looked at Porritt's piece,Read This Poem from the Bottom Up, I didn't think she was serious. I thought maybe she wrote that to catch the readers attention, but I also thought of how unusual and difficult a task that would be. So at first, I went with what I was used to and read it from top to bottom. Okay, sounds good, I thought until I actually read it from the bottom up. Totally different meaning!?!? I felt that reading it from the bottom up had a strong meaning that it actually took me to a place where I had never been.Porritt has taken poetry to a new level in which this poem has two different meanings, depending on which direction the reader decides to read it. I have never encountered such a work, but I was impressed. Porritt revealed to readers that the written word can have more than one message/meaning;but in the end, it all depends on how the reader interprets the material. We, as readers, are accustomed to reading from top to bottom, that we even doubt that something can make sense if read the other way. Porritt defeats this "belief" in that she provides readers with a work with a double meaning. I suppose she wanted us to interpret it as one of the many ways people can use the written word as an art form, but it also takes us out of our comfort zone. She reminds me of one of the purposes of the written word- to challenge the mind or to make us think/wonder about the possiblities. Yes, I will admit that I was uncomfortable reading it from the bottom, but as I read it (out loud, there was no other way for me to understand it) I began to understand Ruth Porritt. She is a poet who wants readers to explore all parts of written works, investigate, and question why a writer might have chosen that word OR placed it in that sentence. Readers often takes poems, novels, and short stories for granted. We think okay, this will have beginning,middle, and end;however, Porritt reminds us that when it comes to the written word, we, as writers have the power to change time and the way people percieve things. She urges us to take advantage of the power and use the element of surprise/awe for our audience. Readers have become use to beginning, middle, and end as ordinary and this poems encourages writers/poets to get rid of ordinary and put some new "flavor" in to the writing world.
Jennifer :)
Jennifer Woods
When I first looked at Porritt's piece,Read This Poem from the Bottom Up, I didn't think she was serious. I thought maybe she wrote that to catch the readers attention, but I also thought of how unusual and difficult a task that would be. So at first, I went with what I was used to and read it from top to bottom. Okay, sounds good, I thought until I actually read it from the bottom up. Totally different meaning!?!? I felt that reading it from the bottom up had a strong meaning that it actually took me to a place where I had never been.Porritt has taken poetry to a new level in which this poem has two different meanings, depending on which direction the reader decides to read it. I have never encountered such a work, but I was impressed. Porritt revealed to readers that the written word can have more than one message/meaning;but in the end, it all depends on how the reader interprets the material. We, as readers, are accustomed to reading from top to bottom, that we even doubt that something can make sense if read the other way. Porritt defeats this "belief" in that she provides readers with a work with a double meaning. I suppose she wanted us to interpret it as one of the many ways people can use the written word as an art form, but it also takes us out of our comfort zone. She reminds me of one of the purposes of the written word- to challenge the mind or to make us think/wonder about the possiblities. Yes, I will admit that I was uncomfortable reading it from the bottom, but as I read it (out loud, there was no other way for me to understand it) I began to understand Ruth Porritt. She is a poet who wants readers to explore all parts of written works, investigate, and question why a writer might have chosen that word OR placed it in that sentence. Readers often takes poems, novels, and short stories for granted. We think okay, this will have beginning,middle, and end;however, Porritt reminds us that when it comes to the written word, we, as writers have the power to change time and the way people percieve things. She urges us to take advantage of the power and use the element of surprise/awe for our audience. Readers have become use to beginning, middle, and end as ordinary and this poems encourages writers/poets to get rid of ordinary and put some new "flavor" in to the writing world.
Jennifer :)
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