Category: Cinema

What makes a mans life different from the life of a wild beast is the fact that the former can learn the valuable lessons which h is being taught as the life goes on. It is not necessarily that these lessons must be the result of the mans life, on the contrary  it is preferable that one should learn on the mistakes of the others.

This is also art that people can have valuable experience from. Learning the priceless lessons given to them by the authors of the poems, novels and movies, people understand that there are things which they have to take for granted. Not to repeat the mistakes of the others, we begin acting the way which was inspired by the authors of the pieces of art.

Morning by Pablo Neruda: Rising with the Sun, Aching with the Moon

One of such pieces is the poem by Pablo Neruda called Morning. Neruda managed to snatch a part of peoples life and put it into several precise and sharp lines. The perfection is what the poet tried to seize with the magic word of his, comparing the rising sun with the rising beauty of a woman.

The unceasing string of comparisons is cleaving the poem, picturing the natural beauty of a woman as the beauty of the world at dawn, comparing the marvelous sight with the wonders of the nature which a man is only about to explore, and which he never will, for they are far too beautiful  and too simple and too complicated at once for the civilized mind. The world beyond the artificial is what Neruda tried to embrace, letting the readers peep at the perfection of the beauty itself.

However, it is not only art for the sake of art which Neruda is pursuing in the poem. He is also trying to convey the beauty of the country which he is living in, trying to make the readers see the worthiness of the lands which they inhabit. The way Neruda makes a woman and the land some so close to each other, almost merging and fusing, is truly incredible.

Perhaps, he wants to show that the earth is a woman indeed, aching of the grief which people have caused her, yet willing to warm the hearts of her own children, the people who are trampling her and feeling the warmth of her heart with their feet. Neruda describes the beauty of the nature with all talent of his, so vivid that it calls tears to peoples eyes.

The second important thing to learn from the poem is that people are all children of the earth, and thus, there is no need in tormenting the poor mother with wars and unceasing grief. It is high time to leave in peace. The earth is crying for calm life.

Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda: What Is There within?

Peoples craving for love is truly unexplainable, yet the desire to find the destined part of ones world is the cry which can be heard in every poem veer written. The lyrical poems are so specific that one can barely touch tem, the current running down them as if they were livewires. The Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda is no exception.

What is the poem speaking of?  Well, love, of course, the love everlasting and lasting only a couple of moments, t fire which is burning ones heart down to the ground and which raises the soul to the ecstatic seventh heaven. Unlike the rest of the poets, Neruda does not try to depict his bellowed in the most impressive light, making it clear that love shines the heavenly light on the face most usual, brightening it for the fallen in love, but leaving it unchanged for the by-passers.

Thus, Neruda teaches us that love, a cruel blind lady, is a magician as well, making the roses grow where only the thorns used to. The stars in the eyes of the soul mate can be invisible for the others, but the person destined can see them eve through the mist of tears.

One more important thing to learn from the poem by Neruda is the idea that the tow people once fallen in love become one, creature which lives in another dimension, different from the rest of the world. The land of a fairy tale is where love takes the two and, once united, the people in le are bound to have their hearts intertwined for the rest of their lives. The loyalty is the second important lesson which the poem teaches the audience.

The United Fruit Company by Pablo Neruda: Trading Things and Feelings

Each of us has probably felt once a part of the country where he or she is living in, suffering the losses which the country did and feeling the pain which the country felt. A poet and a patriot, Neruda was so tuned with the country of his that he could not but speak of the events which took place in there, and this resulted in a poem called Canto General. A piece of this great work called United Fruit Co. was telling the story of the famous rebel Ernesto Che Guevara and the ways in which he managed to bring the regime down and make the country breathe freely.

Nerudas poem gives sufficient food for thoughts. Indeed, the striking talent of his has been shown in the most explicit way. However hard it was for the poet to rake over the past evens, he managed to depict the rebellion in a vivid and picturesque way. The events of the rebellion have been carved in the memory of people since.

The important lesson learned from the poem is that whatever a man could feel or think about the country which he was born in, the homeland will always stay an integral part of him, his heart and soul. Whenever there is a danger crawling to approach the land of the forefathers, the call of the home will make people stand up against the enemies and fight. So bright were the invaders which brought the land down depicted that every single man reading the poem felt that he needs to protect the country from the aggressors.

The second important thing to draw from the poem is that there is always the way out from the situation, however desperate it could seem. The only thing one should remember is never to give up, the fight is won only as the last foe has been brought down to his knees. This is a mans world, after all, the world of battles and fighting for freedom and justice.

The Anatomy of a Decision by Jason Van Steenwyk: Anatomizing the Will

What makes people take this or that decision? What are they motivated as they make a certain step? These and some other questions are being answered in Jason Van Steenwyks The Anatomy of a Decision. Setting the military background and describing a typical army and its typical members, man-units, the author manages to show the importance of making a choice, and explain what makes people take certain step toward their destiny.

One of the most valuable lessons which one can take from the novel is, perhaps, the one of being able to make a decision. It is all about not to hesitate when what the circumstances demand contradicts the moral norms and rules once set for a man. Following ones own heart is more important than putting someone elses order into practice, Steenwyk shows. Staying a human while such is the environment that it is easier to become a beats which follows what has been ordered is the lesson which the author teaches his audience.

Next to the idea of humanity lies the vision of the war. In spite of the fact that there have been a plenty of books written about the war in Iraq, and many films on the topic have been shot, none makes the war seem the way which Steenyk suggests. He must be the first who showed how useless and cruel the war was, and that the political reasons of the war had nothing to do with the noble feelings which called people to fight in the war. However sad it is to acknowledge, none of the wars was worth the lives which were spared in the battles.

At Night Iraq by Michael Bautista: Beyond the Daylight

Another idea of what was happening during the notorious Iraq war is represented in At Night Iraq. Michael Bautista narrows his vision of the Iraq war to a single night, which is supposed to be a focus of what the people of Iraq are and what the life in the country is like. In contrast to the popular idea that fear and chaos are at reign in the country, with people inhabiting it being most hostile and unfriendly, Bautista shows the Iraq family which treats an American soldier as a guest.

The members of the family shatter the mans idea of what the people of Iraq are and what the purpose of the war is. The war itself loses the very idea, since the people whom the soldiers are fighting wit seem nothing in common with the image of a daring rebel created by God only knows whom and existing God only knows why in the minds of the soldiers who were fighting with the Iraq army.

One of the things which the story teaches the readers is the idea that the war itself is useless, since it is unnatural for people to kill each other. The molecules which the mankind is made of are all the same and thus the people who spare their lives killing each other are actually doing the things which contradict their own nature. However, the people who started war do not care about such trifle  this is the profit which pushes them to the further military actions.

One more social lesson to learn from the novel is the different traditions and customs of various nations. What passes for god manners in the United States might be considered rudeness in the eastern countries, and vice versa. The culture clash is often the root of the problems which emerge in the process of different nations socializing.

It is necessary to take into consideration the customs of the country which one is talking to, especially if the situation is far from being non-confrontational. In cases of conflict, there is nothing worse than ignoring the cultural values of the opponent country. Tolerance must be the principle of a dialogue between nations.

The Lifelong Accident: the Movie Crash

Because of the misunderstandings constantly arising between people, the world seems such a lost place, with all misconceptions messed into a single mass which people are doomed to entangle till the rest of their lives. However, perhaps this is the very thing which makes peoples life so intriguing.

Describing the lives of a bunch of people, the movie itself is a block of flats where different people live their own lives, and watching the movie reminds of peeping in the windows of this block, watching secretly the lives of all these people.

Different scenes of Los Angeles life, starting from an ordinary family where a district attorney is trying to come to terms with his irritated wife, tired of constant conflicts, creates an image of a typical white collar, up to the scourges of society trying to make their profit stealing cars and selling them to the same mishaps of people as they are.

One of the core issues of the movie, the social aspect which is naturally haunting the movie, is the idea that all these social layers are interwoven into a solid life pattern. Without a single element of the chain, however minor it could seem, the whole construction is brought down.

The life of every singe human being is priceless; it is to be appreciated more than the riches of the world taken all together. Only understanding this idea, one can become a decent part of the society. All the problems starting from divorces and ending with wars and catastrophes are the result of this simple truth unaccepted by some people.

Another important thing to learn from the film is that the situation still can be handled. While a man has the wish and the power to change, the chances are not lost yet. Staying humane when the environment is far from being peaceful and unclouded is the idea of the movie which one should understand and take into the life pattern. Unless people find a place in their hearts for the ones surrounding them, the problems haunting the society will remain in their places.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is necessary to say that the postulates of humanity which people are told from the pages of books and the screens of their TV-sets are not to be ignored and neglected. Each of them is a peace of wisdom which people need so much in our times.

When everything around is a mess, the presence of some moral guidelines is vital, and the literature and movies are the sources which people can take the ideas from. The wisdom which the authors speak to the grateful audience is the core of the peaceful environment which people are craving for. Whatever the troubles pouring on the people might be, the need to stay humane and susceptible to the feelings of the others.

Society has always been haunted by numerous problems. As Crabb noticed,

It requires little insight to conclude that something is wrong with people. The human machine has got its wires crossed somewhere. (78) However, it is up to people to make a change to the world and turn it into a place where every single man can feel free and happy. In spite of the fact that this might seem another utopia, the idea of the relationship based on a humane approach and the trust in people is better than leading constant was, either explicit or hidden, conflicts brewing within the society.

With such approach, the hope that the world will change for better seems no longer a mirage. Turning into a goal, though distant yet quite possible to achieve the idea of common well-being and the environment free of wars and confrontations becomes another stage of the mankinds development. What people are to do now is to try to achieve this stage. The lessons learnt from the work of the great will be of great use on the way to perfection.

Works Cited

Crabb, Lawrence and Larry Crabb. Understanding People: Deep Longings for Relationship. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1987. Print.

Introduction

The clip from the film Examined Life features disability rights activist Sunaura Taylor and philosopher Judith Butler. Taylor and Butler take a walk around San Francisco and discuss issues pertaining to disability, notably the societal perception of people with disabilities. Over the course of the walk, Taylor and Butler visit a clothes store to purchase an item for the former. Taylor shares her experiences as a person with a disability, while Butler comments on how they can be described from a sociological point of view. Their discussion sheds light on the differences between the medical and sociological models of disability, as well as the minority status of people with disabilities.

Overall, it can be said that the clip is illuminating due to the information it provides and the way it is framed. The main reason why it can be considered insightful lies in the way that the experiences and expertise of Taylor and Butler combine and add to each other. The viewer is able to see different sides of the issue and receives a comprehensive overview. Therefore, one can say that the clip provides a valuable perspective on disability.

Differences between Medical and Sociological Models of Disability

According to the medical model of disability, a physical or mental impairment results in a medical condition called disability. This model views disability as a personal issue that may be resolved by medical treatment or intervention. The sociological model of disability, in contrast, views impairment as a social construction influenced by societal attitudes and beliefs. This model contends that disability is a result of how society is structured rather than a personal issue (Niraula 57). This model highlights the importance of accessibility and social inclusion while also highlighting the prejudices and obstacles that people with disabilities must overcome in society.

Taylor and Butlers discussions aid in distinguishing between medical and sociological models of disability. Taylor explains that her disability can be viewed from a medical point of view as the fact that she has arthrogryposis and needs to use a wheelchair in order to function (Examined Life 4:36). At the same time, this can be discussed from a sociological point of view, as she recalls her negative experiences with society, such as being called a monkey when attempting to walk on her own (Examined Life 11:06). This explanation provides insight into the differences between the two models of disability.

People with Disabilities as a Minority

Examining how society views those with disabilities can be used to support the claim that they are a minority group. Negative attitudes and prejudices are frequently held against people with disabilities, which can result in discrimination and exclusion. In fact, Butler specifically links the experiences of people with disabilities to the struggles of those who do not conform to their assigned or perceived gender (Examined Life 9:39). Another argument in favor of classifying people with disabilities as a minority is the fact that they may face physical barriers that prevent them from fully participating in society. Lack of accessible transportation or buildings can be considered one such barrier. Taylor indicates that her decision to move to San Francisco was in fact, fueled by the lack of such infrastructure in Brooklyn, where she comes from (Examined Life 1:32). In conclusion, it is clear from seeing the film that people with disabilities might be regarded as a minority population.

Conclusion

Overall, Butler and Taylor provide an insightful overview of issues related to disability and society. The discussion is complete with Taylors personal experiences and understanding of what it is like to have disabilities, while Butler has a deep understanding of societal prejudices surrounding minorities. The two thinkers provide a compelling argument regarding the disparities between the social and medical theories of disability, as well as the minority position of people with disabilities.

Works Cited

Examined Life  Judith Butler & Sunaura Taylor. YouTube, uploaded by NominalistWay, Web.

Niraula, Rupashree. Disability and Gender: A Study of Lived Experiences of Economic Hardships Faced by Women with Disabilities from Sudurpaschim Province, Nepal. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management, vol. 9, no. 2, 2022, pp. 55-62. Web.

Analyzing the differences and the similarities of the two short stories Videotape by Don Delillo, and The last day of Muhammad Atta by Martin Amis, it is important to mention some facts about the stories and the authors. In the story Videotape by Don Delillo the girl had the experience to tape a real crime by the chance, and the tape was so real that the reader had the feeling that random in our life can be definitely predetermined. And if the reader is involved in the story he/she realized that the accident can happen at any time and it is anticipated. One more discussed story is The last day of Muhammad Atta by Martin Amis. The events of this story are based on reality, and it is a monologue of the person who dies.

Speaking about the similarities in the stories we can definitely admit the first one when we just read the annotation to the stories. This similarity is as following: both stories are based on reality and when the reader has the opportunity to read them, he/she feels all events as though they were in the real life and feels like the character of the story. So, the first similarity is

The plot is based on reality

The main difference between the stories is that the information of the story Videotape is presented as the description of the video that the girl chanced to the tape: It is not just another video homicide. It is a homicide recorded by a child who thought she was doing something simple and maybe halfway clever, shooting some tape of a man in a car (Delillo 1); but in the story The last day of Muhammad Atta the information is presented as a monologue of the person who dies: In September 2001, he opened his eyes at 4 am, in Portland, Maine; and Muhammad Attas last day began. The worst yet to come: shaving. Shaving was the worst because it necessarily involved him in the contemplation of his own face. He looked downwards while he lathered his cheeks, but then the chin came up, and there it was, revealed in vertical strips: the face of Muhammad Atta (Amis 1). So, the difference lies in

The form in which the information is presented

One more similarity can be admitted between the stories. Both stories describe the events of the crime, in the story Videotape Don Delillo focuses the readers attention on the event that the girl tapes the death of a man driving the car and do it till the end where the man was shot by another driver: You look because this is the nature of the footage, to make a channeled path through time, to give things a shape and a destiny. Of course, if she had planned to another car, the right car at the precise time, she would have caught the gunman as he fired (Delillo 4). As well as in the story The last day of Muhammad Atta Amis concentrates our attention on the monologue of the terrorist focused on the terror itself and its agents. So, the similarity lies in

The theme of the stories

In the story The last day of Muhammad Atta the author tries to present the thoughts of the real terrorist and does that by means of putting the question of why such horrible things have happened in the world. But, also it is mentioned in the story that people committing crimes must like doing such things. The plot of the story has the image of circled hell in which the main character Atta tries to live and to stay alive all day during his terrible punishment.

The main message the author wanted to send to the readers is what ways can we find in order to stop people behave in such a way disturbing everything and getting the punishment which leads to death. Amis states that this is a real problem but it is not so, because people behave themselves in the same way as before. And the main consideration that Amis wants to give the reader and people can be formulated in the following way: People, do not be cruel, do not fulfill the actions in the result of which we will suffer. Amis describes the image of a sociopath where there is no love, friendship, laugh, and sex. His world is full of cruelty and certitude. Only with these things he feels the enjoyment. So, the image of the story is

The image of a sociopath

Considering the main point that the author of Videotape Don Delillo wanted to admit, it is necessary to say, it is not so hopeful: The horror freezes your soul but this does not mean that you want to stop it (Smith 85).

By this, the author means that even if the person suffers from horror, even if this horror disturbs his life, the person will do nothing to stop it. The narration of the story is like a commentary on the influence of the media and reality programming on our culture.

If we consider the messages that both authors wanted to send us, we could easily admit that on the one hand, they are a little bit different but on the other hand, they have a similar purpose. The purpose of preventing people not to be so cruel lies in the center of both messages, and if we suffer from this we should do something to stop it. As has already been mentioned, there is also a difference between them. In the story Videotape Don Delillo concentrates attention on how media and reality programming influence the culture, which means that the example of such video described in the story can make people cruel and lead to certitude.

And in the story The last day of Muhammad Atta the author concentrates attention on how terrorism influences the culture and why people do not want to stop it: Whatever terrorism had achieved in the past few decades, it had certainly brought about a net increase in world boredom. If the planes operation went ahead as planned, Muhammad Atta would bequeath more, perhaps much more, dead time, planet-wide. It was appropriate, perhaps, and not paradoxical, that terror should also sharply promote its most obvious opposite. Boredom (Amis 5). Making the conclusion we can underline that the similarity is

Purposes of the message

And the main difference is only the authors describe different agents of cruelty (the terrorism and the reality video).

References

Amis, Martin. The Last Days of Muhammad Atta. New York: Amis, Martin, 2006.

Smith, Patrick. Thematic guide to the popular short stories. Westport: Smith, Patrick, 2002. Print.

Reinaldo Arenas is a famous Cuban writer that lived in a period of great political changes. His book Before Night Fall is an autobiographical narration about all the hardships that Arenas had to overcome, including his imprisonment and Castros revolution regime. The book also has its screen version directed by Schnabel in 2001. However, the autobiographical narration emphasizes the details of Arenas relations and his homosexual orientation whereas the movie is more focused on the representation of the political and cultural situation in the United States and Cuba and how those events affected Arenas life.

At the age of six, Reinaldo discovered that he was a homosexual so that in his narration he reflected on how his childhood was spent. Living in poverty, he was always surrounded by women so that female excessive attention played his role. The feminine environment was usual for him and he got quickly used to them. In his book, Arenas makes the flashbacks to Saint Johns Day where on the riverbank he watched naked men bathe. From that moment, he discovered his sexual revelation. To see all those naked bodies, all those exposed genitals, was a revelation to me: I realized, without a doubt, that I liked men (Arenas 8). As a significant point in Arenas life, Schnabel recreated this scene in the movie; the six years old boy hiding behind the tree and staring longingly at the naked men bathing, splashing, and engaging in horseplay. Comparing the book description of this moment and its screen adaptation, it should be stressed that Arenas presents the reader with more detailed passages related to his relationships and experience in childhood whereas the movie gives only some brief images of these events. Instead, the director is more concerned with Arenas description as a future writer.

In the memoir, Arenas explores the later years of his childhood thus reflecting on the relationships that facilitated his sexual explorations. One of the first experiences Arenas chooses to mention to the reader is not one with another, but one with animals, First there were the hens, then the goats and the sows, and after I had grown up more, the mare (Arenas 10). When Arenas was engaged in the intercourse of several animals, his first experience of mutual penetration to be with his cousin Orlando, when he was eight and Orlando was twelve. While playing together around a plum tree, Orlando decided to drop his pants, and expose himself to Arenas. Both started to play a game of chase. However, when Orlando caught up with Reinaldo, this game stopped being a usual game of two boys. Instead What happened than that he stuck his penis into me and later, at his request, I stuck mine into him while files and other insects kept buzzing around us (Arenas 11). This experience described in the book was not the last one in his childhood; he further describes several more relationships with his uncle, grandfather, trees, fruit, and animals. Nevertheless, despite Arenas obsession with these encounters, Schnabel closes not one to include in the screen version.

In the book, the writer expresses his attitude to Cuban Revolution through eroticism and homosexuality in particular. Being a teenager, he joined the revolution bur on the advent of Fidel Castro to power, the new leader showed his resentment for the artists in particular. In those times, history witnessed severe prosecution of Cuban homosexuals at the end of the revolution. The core of the Cuban Revolution was to eliminate homosexuality to stabilize economic and political life in the country. The new ideology despised homosexual relations, as they distorted the innovated outlook on the economic and social system of the country after the revolution (Balderston et al. 136).

In this book, Arena narrates about these times as a new stage of sexual relationships. He expressed his outright hatred for Castro who, in Arenas opinion, tried to reveal the fact that homosexuality is the normal way of life for the greatest part of Latin men: In [Cuba], I think, it is a rare man who has not had sexual relations with another man. Physical desire overpowers whatever feelings of machismo our fathers take upon themselves to instill us (Arena 19). In the book, there is an emphasis on sexual determination whereas, in the film, Schnabel depicts the constant prosecution of a gifted writer thus omitting the abstracts where Reinaldo repeatedly manifests his sexual domination. Being under Castros dictation, Arenas enters the encounters with his early lover, Pepe. Arenas showed that his complicated relations were due to the revolution. However, the film did not reveal his attitude to Castro.

In his memoirs, Arenas devotes many chapters to describe his lovers. Hence, he writes, Lezama had the extraordinary gift of radiating creative vitality. After talking with him I would go home at my typewriter and write because it was impossible to listen without being inspired (Arena 83). His admiration for Lima was due to the similarity of outlook on the political situation in Cuba. Arenas also recognized Lezama as a rather intelligent and gifted person. The writer was impressed with his modesty thus considering him as a person who did not like to boast by his extraordinary knowledge. Arenas was captivated by his character and his strong-willed personality.

In the film, Lezama Lima was described as the stereotyped Cuban writer and ideologist, the Cuban Godfather who also tried to resist the revolution. The scene when Arenas meets Lima does not comprise to what extent the write was overwhelmed with Limas ideas. Moreover, in the screen version, Schnabel omits the abstract when Lima allowed Arenas to borrow five books at once. The film adaptation reveals Lima as a secondary hero that had no particular influence on the writer.

The most striking moment in the books is dedicated to Arenas depiction in the prison. Here the author put an emphasis on his hard experience of violence and dirty that he had to endure. The book presents the abhorrent picture of being in jail the way he was treated by other imprisoned and the overseers: Some prisoners, unable to bear tortures, committed suicide. Inside the prison, suicide was difficult but some took advantage of the occasion (Arenas 185). The reader can perceive what tortures Arenas experienced, especially when everyone knew that he was a homosexual. Being in the prison, he condemned the Castro policy. For the horror that he suffered in jail, that autobiographical work was a kind of revenge for this experience. Therefore, being in prison his main goal was to hold together as a writer and as a homosexual. Arena realized what the system does with the imprisoned homosexuals. In the memoir, Arenas thoroughly depicted the jailed system and criminology. By showing the veritable events taking place in prisons, he intended to show that he had numerous encounters with the men from military forces who rejected their homosexuality. He also wanted to uncover the duality of their personality. In that regard, the heavy blond transvestite in the night was Lieutenant Victor in the day whose duty was to guard the prisoners.

In the film, Schnabel manages to show the dirty and the hot, the horrible tortures of homosexuals, and Castros unjust sexual policy. However, it is natural that the film is incapable to convey all the emotions endured by Arenas that was jailed in the camera where he could not even stand straight. The film is also the manifestation of the ignorance of the human rights of Fidel Castro. Therefore, the treatment of homosexuals within Cuban jails was part of that radical policy. There are many facts about the imprisonment of innocent people only for being homosexual (Lumsden 88). Lumsden writes, Considering the societys historical ingrained homophobia, it would be surprising if prison guards treated maricones in a particularly human way (88). Arising out of this it is false to state that Fidel Castro was honest in his treatment of gays as he was elusive about jail conditions.

After Arenas release from the El Moro prison, he decided to move to Miami, to start a new life, and to continue writing. His decision to leave Cuba was due to his weak health so that he was just to die just close to the seaside (Arena 287). Thus, Miami observed the authors degradation. In the United State, he feels mortified by the daily routine and the banality of American life, where everyone strived to the so-called American Dream. He also described Miami as a town that I do not wish to remember (Arenas 150). In the film, Schnabel did insert the abstract about his life in Miami thus immediately revealing Arenas sickness in New York. It was Schnabels mistake, as Miami was a crucial point in Reinaldos life.

Describing Arenas first impressions about his life in New York, Arena writes that he enjoyed this life, as the city proposed a lot of opportunities. He admired the variety of cultures presented in one place so that the writer was delighted. He was fond of streets that were really lively, and all kinds of people who spoke many different languages; [he] did not feel like a stranger in New York (Arenas 293). But further, he realized that this city is a wretched place where people are rational machines with a primitive outlook on life.

The director of the film was not succeeded in showing his early life in New York. Instead, she moved right to the period of sickness when he suffered from AIDS. Instead, the film presents the audience with a horrible picture of suicide in New York, he was terrified with the idea of being sent to hospital and die there. Arenas was very disappointed with the life and language and with the people that surrounded him.

In conclusion, Arenas memoirs were the greatest testament of Cuban political and cultural life. He was one of the representatives of anti-communist policy who defend the human rights of homosexuals. The book is the evidence of cruel policy against sexual minorities and the Castro outright hatred for the artists and homosexuals. Finally, Reinaldo Arenas was considered one of the most scandalous personalities who was not afraid of revealing his own homosexuality.

Works Cited

Arenas, Reinaldo. Before the Night Falls. US: Penguin, 1994.

Balderston, Daniel and Guy, Donna J. Sex and sexuality in Latin America. US: NYU Press, 1997.

Lumsden, Lan. Machos, maricones, and gays: Cuba and homosexuality. US: Temple University Press, 1996.

Schnabel, Julian 2001. Before Night Falls. Javier Bardem, Olivier Martinez. El Mal Picutres.

The film by Abderrahmane Sissako, Bamako, is an illustration of the themes revealed in The Eumenides by Aeschylus. The ancient Greek tragedy depicts the human society as it was in those distant times, though it is clear that little has changed since then. Aeschylus reveals the vices of people and brings to the fore the idea of an innocent victim who becomes a prey for sins he has not committed.

In Bamako, the trial is also an illustration of the same pattern. Innocent people of Africa suffer because some vicious people commit crimes. Likewise, Orestes who commits matricide because he is told so and is being judged can stand for the entire African society which endures lots of misfortunes because of such global organizations as World Bank and IMF.

In the first place, it is necessary to note that the Greek tragedy evokes quite different emotions and thoughts. Admittedly, Orestes commits a horrible crime as he kills his own mother. However, Orestes does not seem guilty as a deity persuaded him to do that, Apollo. He is my witness. (Aeschylus, 2000, p. 177).

More so, Orestes is convinced that the woman ceased to be his mother when she committed two crimes, She killed her husband. And she killed my father. (Aeschylus, 2000, p. 177). Therefore, he was forced to revenge for his father; he was forced to commit such a crime. Nonetheless, furies pursue him and make his life a living hell.

Likewise, people of Africa are not guilty in any crimes. Even though some Africans commit crimes, they are forced to do so. For instance, the man who steals the gun has no other choice (Sissako, 2006). What is more, just like Orestes, the thief is punished.

However, unlike Orestes, who is punished temporary and is then set free, the thief is punished by himself. The poor man kills himself (Sissako, 2006). This suicide stresses the idea of injustice and the feeling of doom. The scene emphasizes the idea of despair.

Another important issue to be discussed is the very trial depicted in the two works of art. While reading the Greek tragedy, I thought that it was an example of the first trial ever, which is rather just. However, after watching the film, I realized that the film was an illustration of the present-day courts.

Admittedly, contemporary courts are far from being just, especially when it comes to multinationals and global structures. In the tragedy, the trial is institutionalized by Athena (Carter, 2011, p. 159). The decision made is protected by the power of the deity and the innocent person is saved from its sufferings.

In reality, no one can protect the people of Africa as huge enterprises have taken over all major institutions in the region. Innocent people have nowhere to go and have no one to protect them. Even though people have their right to talk and discuss, nothing really changes.

The people of Africa claim that the region is exploited by global structures and the governments give budget money away to pay the national debts, instead of focusing on improving living standards in the area. The people Africa understand that the relationship between the people, governments and global structures are governed by lies, hypocrisy, and cynicism (Sissako, 2006).

The trial in Bamako unveils a variety of vices of the modern society and the sufferings of Africans, but the trial does not end in a particular decision. This trial is symbolic as there are many talks in the contemporary society, but nothing changes.

Finally, the film can be regarded as the necessary contrast to the tragedy. When reading the tragedy, I thought it was logical that Orestess arguments were taken into account. Admittedly, it is one of the most common values of the western societies to listen to all sides and make a just decision. In the tragedy, Orestes is listened to and Athena ensures the right of each party to talk.

More importantly, the sides are heard and the just decision is made. However, in the film, the people of Africa are not heard. They provide their arguments but the words do not reach peoples ears. The director of the film makes a lot of effort to make the public hear Africans, Truth cannot always be expressed in words&

It can also be silent, and you cannot say no to those who are silent. (Lim, 2007, n.p.). The silent scene of the funeral embodies this idea. Therefore, the films ending intensifies the idea of peoples desire to live in a justice world introduced in the tragedy.

In conclusion, it is possible to note that the film is a great illustration of major themes touched upon in Aeschyluss tragedy. The film has made me see the difference between the values promulgated by the western societies and the real situation in the world where justice can hardly be achieved. Obviously, people need to go back to the just trials of Athena.

Reference List

Aeschylus, P. S. (2000). The Oresteia of Aeschylus: A new translation. (T. Hughes, Trans.). New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Carter, D.M. (2011). Why Athens?: A reappraisal of tragic politics. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Lim, D. (2007, February 11). One angry African puts big money on trial. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/movies/11denn.html?_r=0

Sissako, A. (Director). (2006). Bamako. Bamako, Mali: Archipel 33. Web.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the story within the hugely popular book series that discusses the way the need to seek revenge changes people. As the third in a series of books, it was considered to be more complex in scope than the first two (Sorcerers Stone and Chamber of Secrets) as it dealt deeply with the back story of the death of Harrys parents and a betrayal amongst friends.

Due to the sheer number of pages and sub-plots involved in the book that had to be somehow edited and included in the final film version, certain edits and watering down of scenes had to be made. Under the direction of Alfonso Cuaron, the end product was that of a movie that, although immensely different in storytelling style than the book, produced the same storyline and effect upon the fans of the book series. Having said that, we have to acknowledge that certain plots which we as readers deemed important in the book became mere mentions or were glossed over in the film version.

For instance, the Marauders Map, which was introduced in the book and played a pivotal part in Harry discovering the truth about his parents past and their bloody end, was only a mere mention in the movie. There was no mention in the movie about how Remus Lupin and James Potter created the map for the purposes of mischief in the film. More importantly, the identity of Scabbers, Hermiones cat, and the secret behind the Shrieking Shack were not delved into either. The personal history of Sirius Black and the Potters was also cut to mere mentions in the movie, so if a viewer had not read the book before seeing the film, questions might tend to be raised about that part. All in all, there was very little told in terms of Sirius Blacks character development in the film, so nobody can understand how he was able to change into an animal on demand (in the book, this ability of his was explained as being an Animagus).

Taking the technical aspects of the film into consideration, there were some differences made more for cinematic effect than anything else. Actions such as having Harry read using his wand in the film rather than by flashlight as originally portrayed in the book were used more for entertainment purposes that thankfully had no direct impact on the way the story was told.

The movie version took immense liberties, in my opinion, as they placed the important Firebolt gift that Harry received in the middle of the book at the end of the film instead. Thus changing the pace of the storytelling. In the book, the broom was received over the Christmas holidays and taken for testing by the Hogwarts professors to ensure that it was not a cursed broom meant to inflict harm upon Harry.

However, the movie makes sure, often at the insistence of book author J.K. Rowling herself, that certain dialog must be included in the film in one way or another. For instance, in the book, when Mr. Weasley makes Harry promise that he will not go after Sirius Black, Harry replies:

Why would I go looking for someone I know who wants to kill me? (Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 73)

This scene took place at the train station in the novel while it took place at the Leaky Cauldron in the film. Although said in two different places, the impact upon the viewer is the same. This was a question that Harry was asking more of himself than of Mr. Weasely. I believe he was asking himself, Should I seek revenge for my parents now that I know who killed them? Even if it meant giving my own life?

But later on in the film, just as in the book, Harry came to the realization of who the real bad guys were, and it wasnt Sirius Black, so when he offered:

Once my names cleared& if you wanted a& a different home&(Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 379)

Harry then came to realize that he could be loved in a world where he always felt alone and different from both the muggles and magical people. He had a home with Sirius, and in both the book and film, this showed a relief on Harrys part. The knowledge that someone actually wanted him gave him his existence in the world a point. So when circumstances forced this vision out of his reach, in reality, his pain could be felt coming across the page and the screen.

In all, the book told the story of Harrys parents and the rise of Voldemort, teaches lessons about the betrayal of trust and why it is important not to betray a trust. It also shows that a person seeking revenge never ends up happy even after he has exacted it upon the person who caused him pain.

Alfonso Cuaron, being a highly artistic director, paid intricate detail to the photography of the film so that the whole movie has the aura of a painting that came to life. He literally brought the flat book descriptions to life on film. While Steve Kloves, on the other hand, concentrated more on telling the story for the young audiences by concentrating on that which interests their target audience age range more. So budding romances came to the front at the expense of character development and thus causing confusion about the story for those who had not read the book but instead watched the film immediately.

Having read the book and watched the film, I must say that both have their good points but that the book is still much better than the film due to the glossed over or missing plots that were pivotal and necessary for explanations in the story. So my advice would be to read the book before seeing the film.

Bibliography

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. Dir. Alfonso Cuaron. Perf. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Gary Oldman. Warner Bros., 2004.

Ross, Shmuel. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Movie Review. 2007. Web.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic, 2001.

The 36 paged short story book written by Philip Kindred Dick, Paycheck explores political, social, and metaphysical fiction genre.

Drawn from his personal experiences, this book reveals the rot of the society as contributed by the themes of monopolistic corporation, misery, twin-self, paranoia, altered states, and authoritarian administration. This paper examines the differences that lies between the Paycheck and the movie adapted from it.

The main theme presented by this story is personal identity as a component of realism. Books are normally adapted to the screen and paycheck is not an exception. When a book is adapted to the screen, many changes are usually made. Many a times, the changes occur even before the book is released. This explains why many screenwriters end up being directors.

A movie is a visual medium and normally attempts to portray certain parts of written piece on thoughts of characters not explicitly expressed. Recognizing themes of loyalty, moral crisis, honor, and revenge, Woo brings Dicks short story to life. Woo is moved by Dicks imaginative exploration of memory manipulation and how misused technology can wreak havoc on humanity.

Woo tries to blend the Dicks high-concept vision of the world of tomorrow with his own stylized and highly choreographed action.

He creates a very human action thriller that combines stories of both self-discovery and love. Woo convincingly mingles the futuristic and the realistic imaginations of Dick to create a world of exotic technology with devices that can erase memories, machines that can create the weather and smokeless cigarettes.

Critical analysis of the short story and the movie reveals lack of strong connection between the two pieces of art. They seem to propagate different themes. To begin with, the story is more of thought-provoking. On the other hand, the film has an interesting sci-fi premise but instead of taking the route of a thought-provoking, it decides to venture down the path of action and chase scenes.

Reflectively, this creates a feeling of unimaginative casting. Factually, the story is far more and fascinating than the film. Woo even goes ahead to include slow motion pictures yet the short story is a high speed genre. This adversely distracts the story from its original interesting and provocative aspects.

In the story, Jennings, the main character, has only 7 main items: a ticket stub, a length of fine wire, a green strip of cloth, a parcel receipt, a bus token, half a poker chip and a code key. Out of these, only the bus token and code key appears in the film. He actually refers to them as trinkets and describes them as his pocketful of miracles, from someone who know the future. Actually they are a blessing in disguise.

Because prior to the memory wipe these trinkets he believed would lead him to ultimate economic freedom. Not just a paycheck but a change of lifeline. This is a vicissitude of life, items that he never valued turns about to be a necessity for his survival.

After being arrested and interrogated by the police he realizes that he can use these items to escape. This finds him under the chase of both the police and Rethrick men. He uses the objects to stay ahead of them as he tries to work out what the job was that he did for Allcom and in the end not only demand his paycheck but also a share in the company.

Still more disturbing is the fact that Jennings was a rich man in the movie after completing many jobs and memory wipes. But in the story, no other job is mentioned and this appears to be his first contract. After significant difference in the number of years he worked. In the story the job lasts for 2 years as oppose to 3 years in the movie.

In the short story there is a female character called Kelly who is a receptionist for the company. However there is no indication that Jennings fell in love her.

The fact that has to be appreciated is that he did turn to Kellys help. On contrary, in the movie, a new character is introduced called Rachel; a woman Jennings fell in love with while working for Rethrick but then forgets about when his memory is wiped. Due to this, Rachel tries to help Jennings and provides him with an ally he can trust.

The theme is not fully exploited; the thriller misses the truly poetic orchestrations of actions and heroic displays of bravado intended by Dick. The story has intriguing premise: a man who has to work backward to recover information that he once knew, uncovering that information by moving step by step into a future that his past self has already seen. This is a true reflection of Dicks imaginations.

In the thriller, however, Dicks premise are never really exploited and instead used as the framework for limp action set-pieces. Affleck seems unable to convey the poetry and philosophical inclinations of Dicks concept i.e. underlying fear and destabilizations of the imaginative explorations.

Affleck looks entirely out of place, the actor doesnt seem to understand his characters haunting position: a man who, practically is forced to talk to his own disassociated self. Affleck looks moderately concerned and a bit confused. In fact he fails to play his role convincingly as a brilliant engineer.

The endings of the two genres are quite different. In the story, Jennings tries to find Rethrickss plant, gain evidence of what he has been working on and blackmail him into letting co-run the company. He has no safe place to go because the security police are after him and this is only option.

While in the film Jennings goes back to destroy what he helped to create because it has negative consequences for mankind and the police try to help him. In the story it is the government and security police who are the bad guys, with their almost unlimited power and hold over the people, and Rethrick Construction Company are revolutionaries, trying to change from the usual.

In conclusion, the short story and the movie seem to lack connections. The movie is not able to vividly and convincingly present the theme of the short story. Moreover, the endings of the two genres do not much up. They both end up in different circumstantial incidences.

As a result, the short story and the movie present numerous differences that require further deliberations. If this is done, a new thriller can be screened to capture the theme and intention of the Dicks Paycheck short story.

The first element that is fundamental in The Left Hand of Darkness is its length and components. The book is lengthy and entails various themes, such as gender and sexuality, betrayal and loyalty, otherness and connectedness, religion and spirituality, light and dark, and truth and storytelling. The novel is interesting in the way it utilizes these themes to question gender and sexuality, just like science questions most other things. All these themes interact to develop a fictional planet and a society with gender neutrality while embracing diversity. It also brings out an aspect of the journeys that individuals have to take alone and those that they work cohesively with other parties to attain common strategies. All these themes play a significant role in bringing out the experiences of people in daily life and the way they live with each other.

However, in making the movie, the book needs to be trimmed to two hours. In this case, the novel will need to be subdivided into various parts with subheadings referencing the most essential parts relating to the final goal. Editing will be centered on the theme of gender and sexuality, betrayal and loyalty. For example, the exploration on culture and society in relation to Estraven and Ai to bring out feminism is essential. Family and love will help highlight the bonds that society has in the world and how they maintain these bonds. To make the movie appealing in this century, a few editions involving todays family expectations, spiritual values, and feminism will be incorporated. For example, digital forums of communication help families reconnect and use solicitors to fight for the rights of the planets citizens. The use of spaceships and neurotransmitters will also help neutralize the originality of the book.

The second most important element in the novel is gender equality and neutrality. The book is set as a science fiction novel where the inhabitants are ambisexual to bring equality between men and women. Therefore, both men and women in the book possess both female and male qualities since they can reproduce and bear children. However, the author uses the pronoun he for both genders in the book. The novel looks at the essentiality of masculine and feminine aspects in biological terms and not how other factors influence them. Furthermore, from various incidents, it is easy to distinguish the males and females.

The use of proper nouns is critical in defining the gender of characters in a movie. However, the use of the pronoun he dominates in the narrators opinion, the use of he and she in defining characters would help create a better effect of Ursulas ideas. However, for some sensitive parts where the author aims at using neutrality or indicating a character as genderless, then using he as she does would reinforce the action.

The text also brings out females negatively with the language that is directed or in reference to males promoting superiority which alters the overall balance. In this case, in the movie, employing gender-sensitive language would be employed to reinforce the authors ideas. For example, the description of Estraven being more built like a woman with more fat and less muscle, a head shorter describes the connotation of power given to a man. It will be necessary to elucidate the place of a woman in the Gethenian society.

The characters in the book are a mix of both white and black because Genly is asked whether the rest of the people are as black as him. They are described as dark and of short height, which captures the looks of an African American. However, the book clearly shows that in the country, people are not affected by a persons race but rather, gender is an issue. The characters play diverse roles to identify the existence of a civil war through which people are expected to align with the specific parties to win and resolve the existing conflicts.

The movie will hence depict various actors from diverse backgrounds to bring a color mix and racial diversity, which influences casting considerations. Furthermore, to add to the characters recognition and reputation, well-known actors will be invited in playing key roles. Based on the Gethenian features of shortness and heavyweight, there will be a blend of physical characteristics. Half of the actors will acquire the description, and the other half will acquire other definitive characteristics. For example, a few relatively tall and several short actors capture the idea in the book. The height and weight will relate to their roles in the movie. However, the stars of the movie will be conspicuous with their height and weight, balancing the physical appeal of the target audience. For example, Genly will be slightly dark, relatively tall, and medium-bodied. Estraven will be relatively short, with a dark complexion and heavyweight (Le Guin, 14). The stars for the movie could be Will Smith for Genly and Viola Davis for Estraven. The stars will capture the book descriptions and expectations of those who have come across the book. Several characters may also be lost during adaptation because some parts may be edited from the movie to achieve consistency.

Another critical element of the book is the story itself and the ending. Both the story and its end are crucial parts in arousing the feelings of the audience. The book maintains a difference in the way male and female readers feel about it. It favors masculinity, identifies the history of religions and mythology, and suggests new ideas on gender in promoting neutrality. The end is also captivating, which explains how the author sets everything to fall into place. Dressing of the time was not gendered or valued in the text; hence, similarly, in the movie, the dressing will be a mix of both modern and traditional attire.

Work Cited

Le Gumi, Ursula K. The left hand of darkness. Hachette, UK, 2012. Web.

The story presented in the novel Briar Rose by Yolen is unusual enough to be regarded as an ordinary book on the horrors of war. In the context of a general story, this novel can be compared with the film The Language You Cry In common features are embedded in both these creative works. In particular, Serrano and Toepke represent those characters who fight for freedom and the right to defend their dignity and independence, resisting the policy of oppression and slavery (The Language You Cry in).

Despite a fairy tale presentation that can be traced in the plot of the novel, Yolen touches on a very serious topic of the Holocaust as one of the most terrible events that have occurred in the whole history of humanity. In one of the dialogs where the characters talk, the phrase fairy tales always have a happy ending sounds (Yolen 106). However, the counterargument concerning which of the two sides the narrator is on confirms that there are always victims and winners, and the more significant and desirable the victory is, the more crushing and large-scale the defeat is.

I believe that the fairy tale form of the story is a special technique that allows the author to present the terrible events of the Holocaust in a non-standard light. The importance of being aware of the atrocities that happened during the Great War and their consequences is to be understood by all generations. This manner of narration may be Yolens peculiar attempt to draw attention to this tragedy. My little daughter was buried in the crush  these words are too horrible to tell them in an ordinary manner, and the form of a fairy tale is probably an attempt to make the story softer despite its horrors (Yolen 210).

The author uses this style, inserting excerpts from the tale Sleeping Beauty in an effort to draw an analogy with the well-known plot. I consider that it is due to this approach that the novel is valuable for different people. Various humans and, in particular, young readers may find essential information about what is often hidden from them as the facts that could disrupt the childs psyche.

The ending of Briar Rose is certainly happy since Becca manages to return home (Yolen 235). Gemma is also able to build a happy life, despite the horrors of the war, and it is also evidence that the story is in many ways reminiscent of a fairy tale (Yolen 238). Nevertheless, the plot itself is frightening, but Joseph, one of the characters of the novel, does not consider himself and other heroes.

He argues that a person seeks to survive but not to win respect and glory when he or she falls into terrible living conditions (Yolen 145 ). The very essence of the difference between the concepts of survivor and hero lies perhaps in the fact that in the first case, a persons will to live pushes to demonstrate all ones will. Heroic deeds are committed deliberately, and when the main goal is to preserve life and courage should be regarded as a natural desire for survival. It is probably this important idea that Yolen seeks to convey to readers, emphasizing that the victims of the Holocaust were ordinary people who just wanted to live.

It is essential to study the story of the Holocaust in order to remember what horrors an obsession can cause and what sacrifices a political regime may bring. The value of human life cannot be belittled and used as an instrument of power. In the context of this tragedy, people should understand that the repetition of such horror is unacceptable, and I am sure that such novels as Briar Rose are able to convey the full significance of this idea.

Works Cited

The Language You Cry in. Directed by Angel Serrano and Alvaro Toepke, performance by Vertamae Grosvenor, California Newsreel, 1998.

Yolen, Jane. Briar Rose. St Martins Press, 2002.

Surrounded by the aggressiveness of the present-day world, people tend to look for places where it is possible to find a figurative temporary refuge to escape from the stress which they are prone to. Therefore, pieces of art which contain an imaginary world have always attracted large audiences. The Giver has not happened to be an exception. This is a world best-seller novel written by Lois Lowry in 1993 which was screened by Philip Noyce in 2014. Having the plot in common, the book and the film have some slight differences in the content, and the most significant of them can be acknowledged the theme of love which is touched upon only in the film.

To start with, it is necessary to note that The Giver manages to serve a rare example of the situation in which it is rather difficult to say which one tends to be better  the novel or its screening. The main character Jonas is a young man who lives in an ideal and maximally civilized future society. In this world, there are not any wars, sufferings, joys and memories. Here, any person has a certain mode of living, without any chances to make choices and changes. Regardless these limitations, people live in peace and agreement, as they do not know that it is possible to have a different lifestyle. Soon, the High Council of the society makes a decision to appoint Jonas as the Memory Keeper and direct him to the Giver in order to be taught peculiarities of the Memory Keepers work. After the young man gets to know the truth about the existing world, he finds himself in front of an extremely difficult dilemma whether to reveal the truth to everyone in the society or to go on keeping it secret (Lowry, 23-76).

As mentioned above, the both creations have the same plot line. However, the film does not copy the book entirely, and there are some variations, with the film scenarists having managed to take into account modern realities, among others. Yet, the most important difference between the book and the film is that the book does not dwell upon a love theme in its plot (Noyce), whereas the film does, which exalts the story and makes it more live, emotional, and holistic. The difference is notable because nobody in the world is likely to imagine even an unreal world without romantic feelings as they tend to fill the life with sense. Besides, it looks like that the two works appear to be a hint of the day-to-day life: people have the beautiful and the wonderful hidden for them to discover. However, they painted their lives gray and cannot guess that there is much more in front of them to obtain. Love is one of the most powerful wonders in the world, and here it is to experience. Apart from this, it is necessary to underline that the main character of the book is a school-aged boy. However, in the film, he is about 16. Thus, the film is focused on the teenagers with their thoughts, ideas, values, beliefs, and expectations, and adolescence is a perfect time to fall in love for the first time.

In conclusion, it is necessary to point out that, contrary to the book, the film contains a love theme. Life without love proves to be insipid. Hence, this topic is significant to involve into the plot, which the film director succeeded in.

Works Cited

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York, NY: Spark Pub., 2013.

Noyce, Philip, director. The Giver. The Weinstein Company, 2014.