Category: Movie Review

Introduction: Challenging Conformity and Embracing Rebellion

In a town of people conforming to the social norms, Tim Burton uses the outcast Edward Scissorhands to reveal the value that can be found in rebellion. Edward was created by an inventor, unlike everyone else in this world. The inventor’s cookie-cutting method to make new objects leads him to create something greater, Edward. His synthetic son is his new companion, whom he teaches as if Edward were his own son. Unfortunately, with the sudden death of the inventor, Edward is left unfinished, left alone in a society where he does not belong. When

The Creation and Isolation of Edward: A Synthesis of Uniqueness

Edward is discovered by Peg, the neighborhood Avon Lady, his world is turned upside down. He instantly goes from living in complete isolation and feeling lonely to being the superstar of the neighborhood with attention from every housewife on the block.

From Isolation to Stardom: The Arrival of Edward in Suburbia

The people of suburbia are immediately attracted to Edward’s white scarred face, dark leather clothing, and long blades in the place of hands. Edward’s hands are idolized through his incredible shrub trimmings, dog grooming skills, and willingness to aid the women in any way possible. Although he is adored by many, he is the topic of laughter and ridicule by skeptics. Edward’s lack of social skills does not hold him back from depicting emotions of hurt and frustration towards those who look down on him. Edward attempts to become part of this uniform town, but he is pushed away due to his inability to conform.

Edward finds himself accidentally hurting others, as well as hopelessly falling for Peg’s daughter, Kim. This just took a turn for the worse. Edward, who was once a superhero in this town, is now the neighborhood’s biggest fear. Edward is not alone nor the only outcast. Peg and Kim do not give up on him, even when the entire neighborhood does. Edward’s misunderstood gentleness and helpful intentions are overcast when he is accused of burglary. The town manages to force Edward back to his castle to live in isolation where he belongs. In a neighborhood of people who are unaware of abnormality, their instincts lead them to accusations and feelings of fear

Conclusion: Unveiling Society’s Flaws through Edward’s Tale

Edward’s intentions are nothing but sincere, yet his outward appearance and unwavering naivety set him apart from everyone else, leading him to be taken advantage of or be seen as abrasive. Through Johnny Depp’s character as Edward, he exhibits how an innocent human can become easily mistaken and unwanted simply for being different. Through Burton’s film, he accurately depicts how rebellion can become just as harmful as conformity in an unhealthy culture. Civilization’s quick judgment and ability to destroy innocence is displayed through the neighborhood’s sudden turn on Edward.

References:

1. Smith, J. Conformity, Rebellion, and Societal Dynamics in Cinematic Narratives.

Introduction: The Power of Narrative in Society and Science

Everyone has a story. This idea of narrative as a defining trait of oneself contributes to society as a whole and sets boundaries for the way humans act and think. Counter to popular opinion, narrative can be used in a variety of situations, including empirically dominated subjects like science. Oliver Sacks advanced this technique of narrative in the science world and illustrated his work throughout the text “The Lost Mariner.” This essay highlights the importance of memory as a way of connecting to societal facts; however, a person’s identity and existence can be held down by the practice of religious beliefs.

Memory and Identity: The Case of Jimmie G in “The Lost Mariner”

Jimmie G in “The Lost Mariner” is diagnosed with Korsakov’s Disease, which is caused by alcoholism and deteriorates the part of your brain associated with making memories. Through Sack’s use of narrative medicine, he documents the interactions he’s had with Jimmie in order to further his knowledge of the relationships between memory and a person’s place in society. He pegs the question of Jimmie’s existence and self-identity if he has no memory of the near past, no memory of the present, and no plans for the future. Since everyone in society has a narrative, is someone who cannot create memories not a part of society or even exist?

Narrative Breach and Identity: Examining Jimmie’s Isolation

In Bruner’s essay “The Narrative Construction of Reality,” he states 10 points that are essential in the creation of a narrative. Canonicity and breach focus on the need for something to break the “normal” state or something to defy social norms. In Jimmie’s case, his breach was his lack of memory. The inability to remember anything outside of his teen years in World War II leads him to become a recluse to society. Sacks highlights Jimmie’s inability through the years to form any relationships in the hospital, which he uses to support his claim that Jimmie has, in some sense, lost his identity. Not only is the “self” and a person’s identity defined by memories, but also their interactions with others and the external world.

Rediscovering Identity Through the Sacred: Jimmie’s Connection with Religion

Sacks stays firm in his beliefs until he observes Jimmie in the Chapel. According to Émile Durkheim, life is somewhat split into the profane and the sacred. The profane is simply everyday tasks that a person is involved in. The sacred, on the other hand, the sacred relates to when a person goes beyond the “every day” or participates in religious practices. In theory, a person who is isolated from society or alone can participate in this collectivity through these sacred acts. Religion is directly connected to society and brings emotional security to a communal group. This theory is supported by Jimmie’s actions when he is examined at church. Attending Mass helps Jimmie connect with the society that abandoned him after his loss of memory; it somewhat keeps him grounded in the world.

References

1. Sacks, O. (1985). The Lost Mariner. In The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales (pp. 59-73). Touchstone.
2. Bruner, J. S. (1991). The Narrative Construction of Reality. Critical Inquiry, 18(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1086/448619
3. Durkheim, É. (1915). The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. Free Press.

Introduction

The documentary film One of Us gives an account of the life of three former Hasidic Jews found in Brooklyn. Heidi Ewing, the director of the film, explores the theme of religion through the three characters: Etty Ausch, Luzer Twersky, and Ari Hershkowitz. Each character struggles with the sense of ostracism from their ex-community and families as they reveal how they left their homeland. The three finally vacate their tightly-knit Hasidic community due to the suffocating and abusive conditions. The three characters are captured while in the pursuit of assimilating themselves into the secular American lifestyle.

The three are transforming to adapt to mainstream society while relishing the freedom that is associated with making bold individual choices. Nevertheless, the characters have a feeling of abandonment and hatred from their family and acquaintances who remained in their homeland. The three are now transforming into being members of the larger world but with disturbing past experiences. At the moment, it is not a matter of one of ‘us,’ but rather one of ‘them’ as they form a bond that enables them to adapt to the new life in a foreign land. This paper explores the film with respect to the manner in which the documentary develops on the themes of religious doubt, juvenile sexual abuse and domestic abuse among the characters.

Religious Doubt and Struggles: Breaking the Shackles

A youthful Ari endures a dreadful crime during his childhood, and the delinquency is concealed by his society. However, the crime has an adverse effect on him, and he resorts to taking cocaine, and he eventually becomes addicted to the drug. The addiction sees him endure tough times as he survives two deadly overdoses. Luzer, who is in his mid-twenties, comes to realize that he cannot bear living under the restrictions set by his community, so he divorces his partner to pursue his dream career of acting.

As a result, he leaves his family in New York and then moves to Los Angeles, where he believes he can realize his dream. On the other hand, a thirty-two-year-old Etty has one of the most worrying stories. She is pushed into an abusive marriage when she is just nineteen years old and bears seven children. Her story is more disturbing as the whole extended family, as well as a wider circle of friends, joins forces to dissuade her from having a divorce. It is worth noting that due to their strict adherence to religion, the Hasidim rail against “earthly’ inventions and are thus mistrustful of technological inventions.

Juvenile and Domestic Abuse: Trapped in a Web of Repression

The subjects in the film had exceptional reasons for abandoning their community, even though some find their reasons to be somewhat flighty. Nevertheless, the subjects still had the right to determine their individual destiny without the fear of being punished. It cannot go without saying that the most enthralling, albeit quite short, section of the film is laced with some form of historical lesson. It comes to our understanding that the Hasidic Jewish people sprung up due to the disgraceful holocaust. The community sees itself as the holy replacement for the masses that were executed by the infamous Hitler regime.

It is for this reason that the three subjects are viewed as being betrayers to the community. The three are perceived to have left the holy land and joined the sinful world where every person, including the abusers, is entitled to act in the manner that they like. However, it is ironic that the subjects were subjected to acts of cruelty while in their homeland by their own people, who claim to be the descendants of the dead millions who were regarded as being the holy community. Nonetheless, the Hasidic faith teaches people to be compassionate of their friends, whether sinful or righteous.

That said, One of Us proves to be reasonably solid, as seen in some of the harrowing parts – more so in Ari’s childhood account, where he suffers a great deal. There are also details regarding the fight for freedom by Etty, which are somewhat difficult to watch and may make a person turn off the film. Furthermore, there comes the exhilarating section where an individual takes control of another person’s own life. Possibly the most disturbing feature we come to feel in the film is the magnitude of depression that one undergoes upon losing the rousing sense of persistence that a society like the Hisidic Jews can offer.

Deserting the world that one believed to be his ancestral home where they could seek refuge in times of distress just because of being oppressed and abused certainly leaves the person without the trajectory that they were brought up to believe as being their own. The feeling is, without doubt, dehumanizing as a member of society as one has no other place to call home in case the place of refuge proves to be hostile. Losing the sense of purpose comes with its own share of psychological consequences, as witnessed with all the characters: Luzer narrates his attempted suicides, Etty desperately weeps at the Footsteps meetings, and Ari fights cocaine addiction.

The subjects in the film undergo distress even though they come from a society that considers itself religious and holy before God. The situation offers a stark contradiction because if indeed the society considers itself the replacement of the holocaust, then they should conduct themselves in a noble manner. The situation mimics the current societies where many people pretend to be religious while their actions betray their talk. The Hispanic Jewish community would not have treated the three characters in the manner exemplified in the film if they had indeed cared and cherished the Christian doctrine.

Conclusion

It is worrying when the subjects seek comfort in areas that they feel a little accustomed to – religious activities that contain some trappings of aspects they have left behind. Nonetheless, all of them have no clue of what eventually comes next. The main religious content that I learned from the film is that of tolerance and compassion. I understood the need to be tolerant of other people’s actions and to never judge them regardless of the decisions that they make. I also learned the need to be compassionate with our family members and friends. The subjects in the film did not receive any form of passion from their homeland, regardless of their being depicted as a holy community.

References

1. Ewing, H., (Producer)& Grady, R., (Director). (2017). One of Us [Motion Picture]. United States: Loki Films. https://youtu.be/feF2Ix2rCkQ
2. Poll, S. (2017). The Hasidic community of Williamsburg: A study in the sociology of religion. Routledge.

Introduction: A Multifaceted Perspective on America’s Diversity

I decided to go with a personal favorite of mine: Gran Torino is a great tale of an elderly war vet who is confronting his demons as he nears the end of his life. The conflict of the movie occurred in a neighborhood in Michigan. Basically, the problems started due to the racially mixed community. In my opinion, in this movie, we can see the actual situation of this country, a country full of diversity that is struggling to survive in this world with all different types of cultures. This movie not only tells Walt Kowalski’s tale but also gives viewers a look into the culture of the Hmong people living in his neighborhood. The film does not hold back racial slurs for any ethnicity, nor does it hold any other harsh language when Walt interacts with members of the community. The film also tackles views on many modern issues, such as women’s “place” in society, especially in the Hmong culture, and confronting racism.

Cultural Exploration: Unveiling Hmong Culture and Community Dynamics

The director and main actor, Clint Eastwood, present conflict in the film as the struggle between the people of the neighborhood against the Hmong gang led by Spider. He also shows the internal conflict of Walt dealing with his racist ways after the passing of his wife. He is then introduced to Sue, Thao, and the neighborhood. The neighborhood is made up of mostly Hmong people who come from different parts of the Vietnam peninsula. They were allied with the Americans during the Vietnam War and persecuted for doing so when the Americans left the war zone. Thao and Sue’s family is extremely traditional, as evidenced throughout the movie. I point this out because this is where you see the dynamics of their culture.

Conflicts and Resolutions: Neighborhood Struggles and Personal Redemption

Sue is a strong-willed young lady who has grown up in America along with Thao. According to the grandmother, Thao needs to be the man of the house, but because he is shy and likes to garden, he is seen as doing “women’s” work and, therefore, is not respected in his family. From my perspective, the Hmong people reflect perfectly a culture of collectivism, rather than Mr. Kowalski, who reflects the American culture of individualism.

It is incredible how the other neighbors think exactly the same. The Hmong family thinks their neighbor, Mr. Kowalski, is strange. On the other hand, the American, Mr. Kowalski, thinks they are the ones who act very strange. Definitely, there is a big cultural norms conflict. The Hmong family has many different customs and traditions. From my perspective, the Hmong people reflect perfectly a culture of collectivism, rather than Mr. Kowalski, who reflects the American culture of individualism.

Another thing that was interesting to me is that for the majority of the different groups and cultures that were depicted in the movie, the main goal was to have the 1972 Grand Torino. However, for every group, such as the Asian gang, the Mexican gang, Thao, Sue, and Mr. Kowalski, the idea to have it was for different reasons. This reminds me of how minorities are behaving here in the US, fighting for the same dream but from a different perspective and with different behaviors.

The film also reflects how this country deals with diversity every day. At some point in our lives, we have to stop thinking that the “other” people have to be like “us.” For instance, Mr. Kowalski couldn’t ignore when his doctor turned out to be Asian, even though he didn’t like it. At some point in the movie, he had to embrace the change, deal with it, and respect the customs of others. Even when there are huge differences in traditions, customs, and verbal and non-verbal communication between the Hmong and Mr. Kowalski, the need for harmony wins.

Stereotypes and Realities: Deconstructing Portrayals

Another aspect that fascinates me about the film and that I really want to pay attention to in real life is the necessity to know at least a little bit of background about other people. When I analyzed the characters of this movie, l could tell why Mr. Kowalski had this strong and rude attitude. I discovered that his military regime and behavior toward the Hmong family at the beginning of the movie came from his days in the Korean War. On the other hand, Thao’s attempt to steal Mr. Kowalski Grand Torino comes from the pressure of his cousin and the “gangs.”

The strange behavior of the Hmong family leaving things outside of Mr. Kowalski’s house is all due to their traditions. This makes me think that before judging, discriminating, or simply starting any conflict with other people, we have to consider their backgrounds a little bit more.
Additionally, l believe that this film is full of stereotypes. Thao was the typical smart Asian guy who studied a lot. “The bad boys” were the African Americans. The usually portrayed gangs were “Mexicans.” The noisy, loud, and rambunctious neighbors had to be minorities. And, of course, what the media loves the most, who better to play the “hero” if not the American? Just as America tries to do with the rest of the world, Mr. Kowalski was trying to do with the neighborhood, “fix it.”

Conclusion: A Call for Respect and Change

In my opinion, it is not necessary that we agree about other people’s beliefs or traditions, but it is necessary to respect and recognize others around our land. I do think Walt could have handled the situations a little bit better, but that would not be in the style of Clint Eastwood or a good movie. He could have called the police, kept to himself, and lived out the rest of his life without changing, but he instead decided to make a difference and not just turn a blind eye to the neighborhood he cared so much for.

The Evolution of ‘Dunkirk’: Told from Air, Land, and Sea

In May 1940, Allied troops were flanked by Germany on the Shores of Dunkirk, France. Although safety was just a skip across the channel, troops could not get there, the waters were too shallow for warships, and the channel was flooded with German U-boats. The troops’ only hope was the fleet of 700 civilian boats, which were making their way from Ramsgate, England. Christopher Nolan’s newest war film is a cinematography masterpiece, developing a story from multiple perspectives.

Dunkirk is a forever evolving plot not from one main character’s perspective but from 3 different perspectives, “Air, land, and sea,” Which are intercut perfectly between each other, overlapping from three separate but overlapping spans of time. The plot is amazingly put together, evolving chronologically, nearing closer to the arrival of help. It is a deep and rich story of not war or fighting but the simple act of not dying.

Heroism Beyond Combat: The Selflessness of WWII Era

The story begins with a young British soldier who goes by the name of Fionn Whitehead, who is on his way to the shores of Dunkirk. His journey takes course over the timespan of a week, hiding from German artillery and fire. Upon arrival at the beach, he is hit with the image of thousands of soldiers stretched across the beach, most alive, many dead, sitting and waiting for a rescue that may or may not arrive.

Next up in the storyline is the introduction of a British civilian accompanied by his son and nephew, who want to show their worth and fight for the cause. Their storyline lasts over the course of a day, and they are part of the “Little Ships of Dunkirk.” Next up is a Royal Air Force Spitfire pilot who fights against the Luftwaffe “German Airforce” trying to protect the men beneath him. This activity takes a course of over an hour. Occasionally, these narratives intertwine, but most often, they just offer a different view of the story.

This film is the epitome of human decency of the WWII era. Mark Rylance and his helpers rescue Cillian Murphy, a shell-shocked German soldier who was stranded in the ocean whilst his plane sank. However, this was a fatal decision for George, who received brain trauma from Cillian in a fit caused by his shell shock. Another example of these heroic and selfless acts is from the “Air” point-of-view; “Farrier stays over Dunkirk much longer than his fuel reserve allows him to in order to protect the ships and embarking soldiers, contently knowing he won’t make it back home, landing in enemy territory and most likely being gunned down.”

Nolan’s Take: A Refreshing Approach Beyond Traditional War Narratives

Another example “as stated by, a French soldier impersonating a dead British soldier to gain priority for the evacuation later wanders off once aboard and finds a hatch, later on in the story he uses said hatch to save other soldier from drowning on the hospital ship.”

This film reflects a lot on the values of the U.S. as a country and the British Empire at the time of WWII. Most notable is the selflessness shown by the heroes depicted in the film. Just as they put everything on the line, FDR was also willing to make sacrifices to aid in the effort, “As shown, I recommend that we make it possible for those nations to continue to obtain war materials in the United States, fitting their orders into our own program. Nearly all their materiel would, if the time ever came, be useful for our own defense.” Just as the heroes sacrificed their all for the greater good of the world, FDR understood the importance of eliminating any chance of Germany’s victory.

All in all, this film was produced extremely well, taking a leap away from the average “War” movie and depicting the heroic acts of the few, and the pride, shooting, and killing weren’t all there was to WWII. Many laid down their lives for the safety and freedom of others in a selfless act for the greater good. Christopher Nolan portrayed that effortlessly, and his cinematography prowess really shined in this film. I believe most people will enjoy this film due to its unique outtake on WWII, lack of violence, and a multi-perspective and intertwining storyline that develops a rich plot.

References

1. Nolan, C. (Director). (2017). Dunkirk. Warner Bros.
2. Churchill, W. (1940). Their Finest Hour. Speech delivered to the House of Commons.
3. Hastings, M. (2011). Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945. Knopf.
4. Seidler, A. (2009). The Little Ships of Dunkirk: 1940. Pen & Sword Books Ltd.
5. Garrett, R. (2016). The RAF in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain: A Reappraisal of Army and Air Policy 1938–1940. Routledge.

Choose one of the movies listed at the end of your lecture notes to watch. From what you have learned about the Age of Enlightenment decide if the filmmakers did a good job portraying life in the 18th century. You can discuss costumes, social structure, architecture, art, or anything that catches your attention. Movies “Sense and Sensibility”

During the 18th Century era, women could not own property or have their own wealth because women were involved largely in managing the house. While in charge of the house, women had fewer advantages than men because the property is passed on to the males in the family. Therefore, men with a title marry into wealthy families and cannot marry into a poor families because it was the custom and if you marry into a family that is not wealthy you get cut off from your family’s fortune. In the movie “Sense and Sensibility,” when Mr. Dashwood passed away, the estate was passed on to the son because that was the law. In this case, Mr. Dashwood made a mistake by not leaving a will for Mrs. Dashwood and her stepchildren. Instead, he tells his son on his deathbed that he should take care of the family.

Women could not own property or hold a job; otherwise, they would not be able to maintain their status within society. Even in this situation where Mrs. Dashwood must rely on the kindness of others to maintain their living, she cannot get a job because her daughters would not be able to marry within the social class. Women cannot own property and they are expected to marry and settle down with a man who can take of them. Women could not have a career or follow a different path other than that already arranged. The law of coverture, the idea of being sheltered state that a wife/husband is one under the law. She is consolidated under her husband essentially the property of the man.

In the movie “Sense and Sensibility,” Mr. Henry Dashwood is the father, Mrs. Dashwood is the mother, John is Mr. Dashwood’s son, Elinor and Marianne are Mrs. Dashwood’s daughter and Margaret is Mrs. Dashwood’s youngest daughter. Mr. Dashwood just had passed away and his son had inherited the dad’s estate (Norland Park). Henry’s death bed, he told his son to take care of the stepmother, and stepsister and he made a promise to his dad to take care of them. John was wealthy because of his mother’s fortune and he was married to a wealthy woman called Fanny.

In “Sense and Sensibility,” is a movie about two sisters who fall in love but go through heartbreak at the end of the day. Both sisters find true love. I believe that love comes in many shapes and forms. The two sisters who try to find true love, require a balance of reason and emotion. According to my understanding in the movie Elinor the older sister, represents qualities of “Sense and Sensibility” restraint, social responsibility, and a clear-headed concern for the welfare of others. Marianne, the younger sister, is different. She represents qualities of “sensibility; “emotion, spontaneity, impulsiveness, and rapturous devotion.

In the movie, the cottage makes a very modest-looking home. The home would traditionally be plain colored like white, brick, or gray. The Dashwood women seem to be disappointed that there is no honeysuckle climbing the walls of their new home. The Dashwood is obviously having a difficult time adjusting to their new home because they are used to their grand home back in Norland Park. The Dashwoods move into a new home called Barton Cottage. Cottages were relatively small. Dashwood women did not have servants as they had at Norland Park.

In conclusion, the Age of Enlightenment portrays women as controlled by men. Women were trapped in whatever class they were born in. If you were rich you stayed rich and if you were born poor you stayed poor. In the 18th Century era, I will rather be a man at this point instead of a woman because men had more privileges than women.

Steinbeck focuses on the theme of loneliness to describe the lives of people at the ranch during the 30s. He applies this theme to three characters in the story, Crooks, Curley’s Wife, and Candy. All three of these characters show a theme of conquering loneliness. We see this transpire through all three characters. Of mice and men we are introduced to some very unique characters. Steinbeck designed some of these characters to have a very depressed or lonely demeanor and we see this in the book.

One of the characters that stood out in the category is Crooks as he is the only black at the ranch was kicked in the back by a horse thus giving him his name and is racially judged constantly. This makes Crooks extremely lonely as all he does is stay in his horse stable alone. Many things in Crook’s stable further tell us that he is lonely such as his single-barreled shotgun. Crooks conquers this severe loneliness by talking to Lennie and getting involved in his and Candy’s dream about the farm and just wanting to get away from racial prejudice. He also allows Lennie to come into his stable and have Candy stand in the doorway. This was very rare for crooks to do because of his current situation. In contrast, the situation that Candy experiences is somewhat similar to Crook’s.

Candy has a very old dog that he cares about. It doesn’t state in the book where Candy had received the dog but we can infer that he had the dog before he arrived at this particular ranch. This dog was the only thing that Candy had to call his own as he had no other family or friends besides the ones at the ranch and even then they weren’t his friends they just kept him around so he could clean up the bathrooms. As soon as Candy is unable to do so they would let him go and just forget about him like they could have done with crooks. As we soon find out Candy’s dog is very old and is unable to do dog things. Carlson suggests that he puts the dog out of its misery. This puts Candy in a very bad situation as he doesn’t want the dog to leave him. Candy finally gives in and allows Carlson to kill the dog. This destroys Candy sending him into a deep depressed lonely state. He talks to George saying he should have shot the dog himself.

Candy was already lonely even when he had the dog because he has no family to talk to he even goes on to say in the text that he would be directed to the guys at the ranch because of this predicament. Candy’s way of conquering his loneliness was by having this dog and planning on buying the dream farm with Lennie and the crooks. His dog was his companion, his only source of true love in the book. He also makes his dream come true by actually buying the farm they plan on owning. This way Candy could conquer his loneliness fully as he is going to be around Crooks and Lennie and they can form a bond while they are maintaining the farm. Moving on to Curley’s Wife. The Wife is written as a pretty straightforward character at the beginning of the book as he never really knows what her name is and she is mainly viewed as a mean, seductive woman who flirts to get anything she wants. Curley and his wife don’t love each other at all as they both exploit each other for their desires. Curley only married her to stand out at the ranch and flag her around as a trophy he has acquired. Curley’s wife only married Curley to get away from her mother.

Curley’s wife is very lonely at the ranch and her husband knows this. Nobody will talk or hang around them because they fear a beating may ensue. Before marrying Curley, she was trying to be an actress. At the time she was “dating” a man who said he could help her star in a movie and he was going to call her back after. Several days had passed and she received no call from the mysterious man. Her only way out of her mother’s grip was escaping with Curley. We then see her talking to Lennie in the barn. Lennie was told by George not to talk to her as she is manipulative and dangerous. She takes this to heart and doesn’t understand why everyone thinks she is a bad person. She further tries to get closer to Lennie telling him to feel her hair. This causes Lennie to get very happy as he likes to touch soft things. Lennie gets too engaged in her soft hair causing his hand to get stuck in her hair. As he is trying to release his hand he accidentally breaks her neck killing her instantly.

The wife’s way of conquering her loneliness was by flirting with the men at the ranch as her marriage was very disconnected and lonely. She wanted to be loved as a woman not as some trophy to be waved around by her unloving husband. All three of these characters either conquered their loneliness or at least tried to in a way. They are also having similar letters in their name as their names all start with the letter C. They also have a strange affiliation with Lennie. crooks allow Lennie into his stable. Candy plans on buying a farm and allowing Lennie to tag along with him. And the wife flirts with Lennie allowing him to touch her soft hair.

I would like to thank you for inviting me to speak at this year’s Literature Festival. Today, I am going to reflect on Oscar Wilde’s 1895 play, The Importance of Being Earnest, and the 2002 movie adaptation. The play is a satirical comedy about Victorian society and Victorian attitudes to marriage and class. My values, culture, believes, and experiences lead me to deplore the play’s representation of love and its representation of women. I find the reaction to love and marriage wrong. I also disagree with the depiction of Cecily (in the 2002 Film) as fragile, helpless, and in need of a man.

First of all, I shall reflect on the script of the play. The values instilled in me by my family made me denounce the representation of marriage and love in the play. Lady Bracknell states to Gwendolen, “An engagement should come on a young girl as a surprise, pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be.” Lady Bracknell’s attitude towards marriage is evident because of the use of the word ‘surprise’ which implies an unexpected event. ‘Pleasant or unpleasant’ shows us that Lady Bracknell does not care about Gwendolen’s reaction as it is not important. My family has raised me to value relationships that are based on love, trust, and a genuine connection. My parents and sisters’ relationships are role models for me as they are all in relationships that are based on genuine connection and love. When I am older, I hope that I too will be in a relationship where I love and trust my significant other as that is what I have been to taught to value in relationships. Given my values, Lady Bracknell’s stance on relationships as they are some kind of business deal is just something I completely disagree with and cannot accept. I am outraged that Lady Bracknell does not even take Gwendolen’s feelings into account (even if her feelings for Ernest are quite shallow) and I am upset that not once does anybody put Lady Bracknell in her place.

Now I shall reflect on the film. The scene I have chosen to reflect on is Cecily’s daydream, I am currently a member of an all-girl school (Brisbane Girls’ grammar) so the representation of Cecily as weak goes against my beliefs. In this scene, Cecily is represented as innocent and pure- this can be seen by the use of the white dress. This is reinforced by the use of the white flowers that surround Cecily- the color white represents goodness, innocence, and purity this just strengthens the statement that Cecily is a delicate young woman. A long shot is then used to stress the environment and stress the fact that Cecily is in some kind of danger and needs saving from a man. Considering my culture as a grammar girl and a member of a family that strongly values feminism, I was greatly bothered and upset by the depiction of Cecily. My school has taught me that all women can be strong and independent, and my family has taught me that I can do anything that a boy can do. My family has taught me to do activities that are usually thought to be done by men such as dirt bike riding endurance races which I regularly participate in with my twin brother My school has encouraged me to learn instruments that are usually male-dominated such as the tuba, trombone, and sousaphone. I hope one day I will be able to join a professional orchestra for the Tuba and I know that I would have never had this dream if the school wasn’t as encouraging as it is.

Even though it was the Victorian era I can accept that for some women a loveless marriage would have been the only option. Similar views on marriage and the depiction of women as weak and incapable of doing the same as men can still be found today in some instances. For example, in the US there are less than 20 professional female Tuba players and there are a total of 0 in the world’s top orchestras, Even at Girls Grammar, there are only 3 tuba players. While there has recently been a small rise in female brass players in the world it is still a very male-dominated career path.

Introduction

Stephen King is one of the most established names in the world and he has had an effect on so many generations. Since the 70s, Stephen King has become the most famous horror writer. His books are a mainstay of book racks everywhere in the world. The genius of Stephen King has produced a multi-media franchise that has included movies, gaming, television shows and comic books. “It’s nearly impossible to overstate how influential Stephen King is. For the past four decades, no single writer has dominated the landscape of genre writing like him” (Romano, P3, 2018).

Widely recognized and well-established novels of Stephen King discover a world of monsters, evident only through the imagination of the ‘marvelous third eye’. However more perceptible during the era of childhood. Samantha Figliola puts emphasis on the relation between imagination and perception, identifying the fact that children are not limited to the ‘rational’ adult world. Considering Stephen King’s illusion of childhood, this article will highlight crucial factors in two of his most widespread novels: nostalgia for childhood and understanding of reality in IT, and the second one: Vulnerability as experienced through innocent eyes in the Shinning. Children carry a healthy and robust imagination naturally. Certainly carrying both evil and magic in their world, illuminating the wonders, surprises and fears of an active mind. They can create the imagination of every bizarre creature, prowling a monster existing in the shadows. Believing in the unbelievable however, fades out with age and hence adults get immune to the monsters associated with childhood. Stephen King’s fictional children’s stories are a great reminder to an adult of ages long forgotten. King made sure to untie the grip on reality, letting the reader to hold their imagination and all of the nightmares within (King, Carrie, 2000).

Stephen King’s work in movies and popular culture:

Labeling his work disgracefully as the fictional equal to Big Mac and fries, Stephen King apparently achieved the incredible in his strange and extraordinary ability to go above the role that limits the horror genre and accomplish global success. The incredible numbers of novels that King published were over 50, short-story collections and also non-fiction works, with a sale of 350 million books globally. Even at the age of 70, King is releasing 2 books yearly, enchanting his constant readers everywhere. Big and small screens are continuously adapting many of his novels and short stories (King, Elevation, 2018).

As per Brown’s opinion, King has mostly been pretty cynical of what he has called ‘academic bullshit’ and his ‘love of the straightforward’ perhaps outspreads his taste in horror movies, possibly explaining why some of his versions have not achieved grave success. King’s lack of affectation and his wish to entertain constant readers sentimentally lies on his literary work and consequently any televisual and cinematic adaptation in which he could possibly have had a degree of influence. In chapter one of Mainstream Horror and Brand Stephen King, Brown tries to undo what supposedly made King an ‘unusual literary success’ placed first and asked a relevant question: who is even interested to buy all these books, anyway?

Brown restates that though the prime purpose of his book is to reflect many of King’s works and adaptations as the mainly typical form of horror, we need to check out what makes King’s ordinary in the first place. As he observes, a great beginning point is King’s remarkable literary success, which initiated in 1974 with the publication of Carrie and lasts to this day. Yet again, the numbers are mind-blasting: for example, by 1980, his 21st printing which was The Shining circulated with a total paperback of 4.4 million books. As observed by Brown, if the selling of books at a huge scale is the only reason of his mainstream success then it is rather ‘far more challenging to regulate how King attained global popularity assuming the niche confines of the horror category, following King’s continued labeling as a horror writer. Apart from writing books that cross the borders of class, age, gender and mind, Brown suggested that King’s achievements are owed in part to the revival development of the horror genre through literature, film and television in the beginning of 1970. Successful film releases and popular book adaptations include Rosemary’s Baby in 1968, The Exorcist in 1973 and The Other in 1972.

Early fictional success including Carrie in 1974, Salem’s Lot in 1975, and The Shinning in 1977 held his reputation as a horror writer with extensive mainstream appeal, although part of this may be described by his adaptable emergence during the recovery of the horror genre, the second part is disputably explained by what Brown expresses King’s ‘hybridity’. King’s stories more often explore the lives of usual people that discover themselves in extraordinary circumstances. In general, the use of language by King and place that beats into ‘the vernacular of every day’ with more sets of work in his home state of Maine and with accounts that emphasize particularly on the quotidian lives of the story characters. A fine example of this is Dolores Claiborne (1992), a stream-of-consciousness tale with a noticeable Yankee accent (both literally and figuratively). Subsequently, the extensively familiar idiosyncrasies and dilemmas of these characters ‘speak’ to readers on its own way (King, Carrie, 2000).

Stephen King’s portrayal of fear and illusion:

The tendency of an adult to curb imagination and fear is present in both novels. Repression is usually understood as ‘some….emotion, or feeling- which has been immersed….The ….appearance of the repressed make an impression of threat and ‘uncanniness,’ equally in Sigmund Freud’s sense of ‘unheimlich’ – something that turns out to be obvious, though one feels it ‘have to remain hidden. Terror of the ‘unheimlich’ praises Figliola’s thought on the success of King’s work. Adults stood by the strict rules of suppressing juvenile fears which is certainly a rational logic. They are resistant to supernatural happenings because of contracted imagination, demanding proof in order to believe. ‘To experience fear, calamity and human savagery, yet vicariously, is also to get some appreciation of their reality. Kings offer adults to relive childhood fear. While accepting this invitation, blocked ‘phobic pressure points’ are conveyed to the forefront of the mind. The interior collapse of Jack Torrance reveals the danger of permitting these monsters to aggravate. The fanciful imagination during the childhood period is the reason and origin of several so-called monsters. They are shaped, expanded and then intended to reside in the closed area of a child’s imagination until bidden by fear or uncertainty. King states that ‘we make horrors to assist us with the real ones… the delusion of horror is itself an out-letting …it may be the reason that the mass-media dream of horror can at times turn out to be nationwide analyst’s couch. It is been argued by Tony Magistrale and Michael Morrison that irrespective of the fact that Americans protect themselves from the casual invasiveness of violence, it is always difficult to expect the outcome from an inconsistent mind. Imagination in his literary such as ‘pushing a child from the top of terrace merely for candy bars’, becomes difficult for the readers to absorb, hence they try to escape themselves from the certainty of such horrors. The idea preferred by the authors while creating a horror situation is to unveil its reality in the open, for the people and reader to imagine and experience the real terror and fear. It is also argued by Tony and Michael that acknowledging the intensity and closeness of horror enable the people in society to realize and process these kinds of fears in real-life experiences (King, The Mist, 2007). The capability of King Steward, as explained by Edwin Casebeer in most of his writing, is to establish a sense of fiction. The nature of that fiction is usually evaded by the readers as it persuades the readers to effectively handle and deal with the dilemmas through confidence and courage. Most of the images and scenes created by King are designed with the objective to enable people to comfortably deal with their issues. These issues are given core and central focus that ultimately results as the combination of shock and therapy for the readers. It is usually perceived and argued by most of the critics that the obsession of King with the number of anxieties that are originally produced by the traumatic experiences that occurred during his own childhood. As one of their writings of King entails about his own personal experience from his childhood when he was just 4 years old. He explains that he went to his neighborhood friend to play with him at his house. The house of this friend was located near a railroad line. His face was pale when he arrived back to his house, while his body was shivering with fear. The situation continued for the rest of that day and he remained quiet avoiding communication with everyone. Later, it was found that the neighborhood boy, with whom he went to play was killed by the freight train while crossing the train track. The author further added the comment that he has lost his memory after that incident and now he doesn’t even remember how that incident happened. Most of the critics have argued on his style of writing and publishing the sense of horror and trauma among readers. Jeppson argued on his writing expressions stating that his style of writing and exposing the dilemma are interlinked with his matter together with the impact that the event has led to his mind and thoughts. It is analyzed that the literary of a king has usually emphasized on traumatic events and issues so as to establish fear out of the subconscious. It is personally been admitted by King that there exist some internal monsters whose overabundance ultimately plagues him regularly. To this context, the king believes that with the help of creating awareness regarding such monsters, he can effectively control their limit and subsequently assist the people at the mass level to deal with its fear effectively. On the other hand, a lack of confidence and courage to confront these mega monsters can result in the failure of a child, who will eventually spend the rest of his life with the hidden fear sheltering in the depth of his mind (Lüsted, 2010).

According to King, the monsters created by him in the stories actually represent the wealth and power of internal struggle that is gained by the human being since his childhood. Some of the themes that are shown in the work of King resemble that of fairy tales. The characters such as corrupt adults are dealt by the powerful child heroes, the heroes who are assigned with the task to battle against these evils. By portraying the power of affiliation and friendship, through his characters such as Grimm’s Hansel and 5 Gretel, the king has effectively proved the strength of alliance that could help in overcoming the massive evils of adulthood. In his main stories, his idea and theme have always been the same, as to demonstrate the key points that could help in targeting the issues related to adulthood including negligence of parents, alcoholism, and child abuse. The context of his stories is a great source for developing an understanding among adult readers concerning the helplessness of innocent and immature children.

Stephens’s King’s twenty-second book and eighteenth novel IT which was published in 1986. It is that book that transitioned into one of the most notorious two-part clown film. The moral of the first part of I.T sets the tone for the second part of the movie. A quiet town is where it was set, Derry Maine. Throughout the film seven friends were tormented by the notorious “Pennywise the dancing clown”, Bill sets himself as the leader of what they called “the losers club”. Bill’s little brother Georgie was the opening of the torment that each kid would receive. Despite kids telling their parents, while they know of it, they don’t usher a word. It’s an aura of horror in Maine and Pennywise was victimizing each kid one by one.

Manifestation and Magic in IT:

IT has deeply explored imagination power, illusion and dishonesty. It is basically the suitable and effective utilization of mask that creates differences between Derry and the internal and external appearance of the monster. In the very initial segment of IT, the strength and bonding of friendship and courage is been tested of the seventeen characters. As the novel moves forward, the seven young characters return back to Derry in their adulthood summoned by the rebirth of IT. Along with their ancestors, aging has transformed and suppressed the memories of these characters which ultimately results in the loss of their imagination. In this story, the return of seven characters to Derry indicates the need of their central character to challenge their fearful history. As time passes by, the children gradually understand the fact that not all adults can be relied upon in life (King, It: A Novel, 2016).

Personal turbulence is one of the core elements utilized by the author to establish an effective association between the reader and the character. The prominent examples are fairy tale and horror stories that are followed by the breakups of parents’ core relationships, the fatality of loved ones, isolation of youngsters or separation of lovers. The reader is forced to involve himself in these issues in both genres and tries to confront them with his own expertise and experiences. In this regard, the king has used his vital characters for the traumatic conditions where they could assist the readers as a form of therapy, demonstrating the idea that issues with such gravity can only be dealt with through confrontation (King, It: A Novel, 2016).

Conclusion:

It is argued by King that finding a balance can help adults in embracing imagination and adulthood. As per the expectation, it has always been assumed that adults will murder Santa Claus hence children grow till certain age with similar perception and their personal understanding of reality. King argues that fiction is an idea that helps the adult reader to reunite with the inner child that actually resides in him. The illusion of childhood created by King in his literary provokes terror and imagination for mature readers. There are several forms for this kind of fear that includes: negligence from parents, bullying, child abuse, and mainly isolation. Referring back to the context of Derry in adult time, there was the need of rediscovering imagination for the Loser’s Club as to challenge IT. It is claimed by King that adults are perceived as the worst of monsters if they lack imagination. The essential key that could help in leaving childhood is the purity of ethics, imagination of juveniles and balance of maturity. As time and age pass by, the imagination of the Tooth Fairy and Santa are disappeared from the mind on their own. However, king proves that anything that could retain this magic is the human power of imagination. Imagination can only have a rebirth in the human mind through literature.

Bibliography

1. King, S. (2000). Carrie. New York City: Simon and Schuster.
2. King, S. (2007). The Mist. London: Penguin.
3. King, S. (2016). It: A Novel. New York: Simon and Schuster.
4. King, S. (2018). Elevation. New York City: Simon and Schuster.
5. Lüsted, M. A. (2010). How to Analyze the Works of Stephen King. Edina: ABDO.
6. Romano, A. (2018). US: Stephen King has spent half a century scaring us, but his legacy is so much more than horror

The Hunger Games movie is a love story about a lady from a district known to be poor who volunteered to replace her sister in the Hunger Games in which the participants had to fight to death in the capital city of a country. Every year in the North American ruins, the twelve districts are forced by the evil country’s capital of Panem to send a teenage girl and boy to take part in the Hunger Games competition. This is a twisted punishment for an ongoing government intimidation and a past uprising tactic, this event is televised nationally in which tributes have to fight with each other until one survivor remains. This movie was transformed from a novel into a fantasy film that has captured the hearts of many audiences worldwide through sound, editing, cinematography, acting, and storytelling (www.thehungergamesmovie.com). This paper aims to use a formalist approach to explore the elements and overall textual themes of the film.

The Hunger Games movie derives from Suzanne Collins’ science fiction novel of 2008. Gary Ross is the director of the Hunger Games movie with a screenplay by Billy Ray, Suzanne Collins, and Gary Ross. The movie is produced by the Color Force of Nina Jacobson in tandem with Jon Kilik. The movie takes place in the post-North America ruins where the heroine displays her love for her sister when she volunteers to take the place of her sister as a tribune in the Hunger Games. The entire district witnessed the affection she displays for her sister; this shows that she could not imagine placing her sister in danger or her sister dying in the hunger games since no one would be allowed to offer her support or protect her during the game (Outlaw, 2012).

The volunteering act of Katniss as tribune symbolizes the existing love between the two sisters and among families. Katniss at the beginning faces an internal conflict because she finds herself in a situation where she has to decide whether to let her sister participate in the Hunger Games where she might die or sacrifice herself and take the place of her sister in the game. The conflict later is solved when she chooses to volunteer to replace her sister in the games. Besides, Katniss also faces external conflict as she has to choose between saving her life and human actions, and she later solves this conflict by winning the games instead of having to face difficult choices throughout the games.

During the adventure, the movie captures situational irony; when only one tribune has to survive and each of them has to do what it can to make sure that they are the last one standing. The cold-hearted action of each tribune is shown in the televised hunger game and it is expected that alliances will not be formed by the tribunes and they won’t be kind to each other. However, Katniss forms an alliance throughout the adventure with the youngest tribune, with whom they help each other in the games up to the time the young tribune is killed. Besides, an alliance is also formed between Katniss and Peeta; Peeta has a crush on her and they are from the same district. At the start Peeta had formed alliances with other tribunes from other districts to protect Katniss since she had been ranked high before the games; hence those tribunes had the desire to kill her. While in the alliance Peeta managed to deceive them that he was on their side, hence managing to protect Katniss.

Satire is also shown in the Hunger Games movie when the organizers of the games are mocked by Katniss by sarcastically repeating the infamous slogan of Hunger Games. Besides, satire also appears in the movie when a shift in the rules of the games is forced by the love between Peeta and Katniss during the games and allows having two winners instead of one winner. Peeta and Katniss decide to eat poisonous berries and kill themselves when the new rules of the games are reversed, to show that the two are in control of their lives irrespective of the situation they are in. This resulted in political and social change by changing the expectations of the citizens and makers of the game in the capital city.

The role of Katniss is played by Jennifer Lawrence who is an Academy Award nominee and has established herself as one of the most promising young actresses in Hollywood. She has played various roles in different plays, but her role in the Hunger Games movie made her popular with the film going public and popular, especially among young girls, which earned her the ‘star actor’ title. A star is known to be a distinctive screen persona who is popular and known well with the film going public mostly to the point that avid film fans become curious about the private life of the actor.

The acting type used in the movie is a mixture of stylized and realism. Realism acting is the one that does not draw attention to it but instead provides an impression of genuine action and reaction of human beings. Katniss’s district’s citizen interaction seems natural, though this era’s interaction may differ from that one. In the movie, the interaction among families, friends, and neighbors seems natural. Stylized acting refers to over-the-top performances that exaggerate the outlandish personality of the characters and situations to the extreme, and this is performed by the characters that played the role of the Capitol City citizens. They dress in very bright colors and wear hairstyles that are strange and makeup over the top that depicts their wealth. Viewers through the way these citizens walk and talk enable them to understand they see themselves as elite and look down upon those from districts.

Cinematography; the lighting, clothing, makeup, and setting are used in the movie to show the mise en scene. Dim light is used in the districts, and there is a dreary feel even in the daytime in each film scene in the district. On the other hand, bright light is used in the capital city compared to the district one; this indicates the existing contrast between the thriving capital city and the poor districts. Old buildings are depicted by the setting in the district and many houses are plain and lack paint and windows. They have holes in the roofs, old furniture, and little space. In the movie, there is a scene where Katniss is seen taking a bath in an old metal container that lacks a bathtub. People in the district make money by selling old trinkets and trading items in an overcrowded marketplace. These help viewers understand the presence of a poor neighborhood in which citizens struggle to survive. In the Capital city, the buildings are freshly painted, large and modern with large windows, and have fashionable and luxurious furniture.

In the movie, shots are used to draw the attention of the viewers to the organizer and to portray that district citizens are being intimidated by the organizer. While selecting the tribunes, the camera angle is down, thus informing viewers the tribunes are inferior to the organizer. The feeling of sympathy, suspense, and drama is created in the movie through the use of a mixture of long and close-up shots from different heights levels, and angles. Most parts of the movie are shot from a subjective view as an extension of Katniss to enable viewers to see what is being seen by Katniss.

Editing is another aspect of the film; the flashbacks of Katniss on the first interaction she had with Peeta are shown in the movie, which utilizes direct cut shots, especially at the time of the games when the action is more intense. Every scene is replaced by another quickly and a good transition is maintained, however, dissolve is used at the time Katniss hallucinates in the forest. This enabled the viewers to understand what was happening and to see what happened in the hallucination. Master shots are utilized by the editor when the tribunes arrive in the forest to get their supplies while others run to find shelter. This form of editing was used in the movie to create an illusion since within the scene numerous positions of the camera are used. Fast motion is used to edit the movie scenes during the games, thus helping to make every fighting scene in the forest intense. This relates directly to the score music and soundtracks heard in the movie.

Music; the Hunger Games movie incorporates sound effects, dialogue, and music. The score music employed in the district for each scene was appropriate and some had somber and faint sounds to inform the viewers that the scene is emotional. For instance, the music used in the scene where Katniss was with her mother and sister. Upbeat score music is employed throughout the games to intensify the scenes and to give the viewers a feeling of being at war. Dialogue is used primarily in the scenes where Katniss communicates with other characters, together with low-score music that is complimentary to the scene. The voice and words of Katniss help the viewers to understand what she is experiencing in the scene. The noises of insects and animals and the sound of the blowing wind are used to provide a feeling of a natural forest and help viewers to relate what is seen, heard, and felt by the tribunes while in the forest. The soundtracks of the movie employed in the movie include songs from the most popular and young artists like Taylor Swift; hence young viewers can relate to the movie through the music.

Societal impact; the movie at some point relates to the current political climate of America. Game makers in the movie have the power and ability to manipulate districts’ mayors and they control the Hunger Games event. These game makers are like Congress, the senate, and the president, and the American political figures are represented by mayors who can be manipulated by the highest political figures. The game makers in the American culture often pit one candidate against the other and tribunes are recognized according to their respective districts. The allegory in the movie can be compared to social classes, sexual orientation, and race in the United States.

Conclusion

The movie provides escapism from the natural situations and the viewers are provided with a movie in which they experience an individual’s fight for survival. There are visual depictions that remind the viewers that it is a game, for instance, the tribunes showcase their skills to gain sponsorship and support. The movie narrates a story in which a less privileged social class is manipulated by the social elite in a game where the participants have to fight for their survival. It also portrays individuals overcoming adversity via willpower and determination. Aspects of love and sacrifice are expressed in the movie. This paper has explored the movie-making aspects such as editing, sound, music, cinematography, acting, and dialogue using a formalist approach to show the way makers of the movie organize those elements to convey the intended meaning. These aspects played a vital role in capturing the hearts of the audience and in achieving the overall movie’s accomplishments.

References

1. https://www.thehungergames.movie/
2. Caulfield, K. (2012). Hunger Games’ Soundtrack Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200. Retrieved from: https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/498744/hunger-games-soundtrack-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200
3. Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press.
4. Jacobson, N. & Ross, G. (2012). The Hunger Games. [Motion Picture]. United States: Alliance Film.
5. Manno, M. (2013). History and The Hunger Games. Retrieved from: https://teach.com/blog/history-and-the-hunger-games/
6. Murty, G. (2012). Decoding the Influences in ‘Hunger Games,’ ‘From ‘Spartacus’ to ‘Survivor.’ Retrieved from: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/03/decoding-the-influences-in-hunger-games-from-spartacus-to-survivor/255043/
7. Outlaw, K. (2012). Suzanne Collins Reviews ‘The Hunger Games’ Movie. Retrieved from: https://screenrant.com/the-hunger-games-movie-reviews-suzanne-collins/