Post A.
votress (213)- a woman who is votary
masectomy (235)- medical removal of the breast
Fig. Lang.
"I'm grand about it, Says Carmel. -but I'm going to be nicer.
Paula laughs.
F*** off, says Carmel. -I am."
I thought this was an amusing bit of irony. Hopefully, you can see it.
(237)
"I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY, LUCKY,- and she held up John Paul a couple of inches so he'd be the same height."
Irony again. This is Paula before losing her son, and then gaining him back. I wonder if she knew then that she'd feel like that after losing him?
(251)
Nicola picks up her forms and papaers. She taps them on the table. She slips them into a plastic folder. She standus up. She stretches, a long time, her arms way up."
(256)
Imagery. Nicola is a very visual person, so I thought it was neat the way the author portrayed that through using imagery.
Theme:
Loss and gain. Paula's sister Carmel is diagnosed with breast cancer in this section. This both positively and negatively affects her. She knows she most likely has little time left since she is an aging woman, however, she gains a new respect for others and for life in general.
Quote:
"She's gorgeous. Her tummy there, where her blouse has come up out of her trousers. The little mark where she once had her belly-button pierced." (256)
Nicola shows beauty in change in this quote, and Paula accepts that the scars are there forever, and sometimes cannot be healed. However, they don't affect the beauty overall if you don't let them.
Post B.
I actually really liked this chapter for showing me another side to all the characters. Firstly, I noticed Nicola a lot more, who was once a character who just lounged in the background. She is a bit like a mother, a bit like a child playing grownup. But she’s good at both respects. She was never a child, says Paula, and this gives us some insight as to how things where growing up for her. Also, I liked the bit where Paula falls on her sister Denise, and they start talking about Denise’s ankle bracelet. Denise says that her husband didn’t buy it for her, and the reader doesn’t know what to assume. Denise is actually cheating on her husband, and this shows a bit of shadiness in her character, because as far as I know, none of the characters in the story are especially rich. I still want to know more about Jack. He is a background character, who is in the middle of everything. So it’s a bit hard to get a handle on Jack. What we do know of Jack is that he has a crush on his teacher, and is a ‘good lad’… not really enough to make much of any sort of assumption on, is it? So Paula has changed. We see that. She believes that other people notice that she has changed as well. However, we still see the side of Paula that is accepting things when she comments on how she is glad that people smile at her when she walks into a store because she is a customer and welcome there. I really liked this bit.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Post A
Vocab-
bollix- confused situation (210)
mastectomy-removal of breast: the surgical removal of a breast, usually as a treatment for breast cancer. (220)
Literary Elements:
Carmel nods; she shrugs. She drinks. She coughs. (219)
-this is an example of the ever lovely Shakespearean method of iambic pentameter.
Are you into it yet? (215)
Example of a rhetorical question, and speaking to the reader.
The telly's on, the sound's down.
(213)
Great useage of voice by the author.
Theme:
Bad things happen to good people. For example, Jack tries to help his school by rating his professors' performances online. However, he is a bit harsh in his opinion, and gets a suspenstion for it. The reader knows that Jack is a good character, and that he is trying his best to be what our world considers normal for the average 16 year old kid in high school, with a brother who's on drugs, an alcholic sister, and a recovering mother. The reader knows this, but the teachers do not.
Quote:
"I'll say I know nothing about the changes" (213).
This is a quote from the book by Paula to Jack. Jack needs to change his comment online so that he can show his teachers that he has reformed himself. I like this because it shows that Paula is not only gaining ownership of her son, which before was extremely shady, but she also fails to see most of the signs of his deteriorating performance in school.
Post B
Dear Paula,
Since I have stumbled around in your mind for a good period of time now, I am beginning to understand some things. First, that you are caring- to your children you show great support and love. Also, you display great moral restraint. Where things get rough, whether it be your job or your household, you keep yourself objective to the possibility that things might change, might be better tomorrow. Also , I like the way that you continue to perservere through the hard times even through they get very rough. It intrigues me that someone of your stature would be able to sustain such stress, because I know that it would really bog me down. I agree with your understanding of the world in the way you separate everything into cold, hard facts. One way which I would like to change myself to be more like you is to find the truth more often. I think that there would be a lot less wars and violence in the world if people would just take the time to find the facts like you do. Not only do you find the truth you find the optimistic truth. Somehow through all the faults of the world, you seem to keep your cool and live up to your potential. You always see good in people and not only does that allow you to find the truth, but it allows you to better the world while you do it. Regardless, I think that you should sometimes be more pessimistic like me.
Vocab-
bollix- confused situation (210)
mastectomy-removal of breast: the surgical removal of a breast, usually as a treatment for breast cancer. (220)
Literary Elements:
Carmel nods; she shrugs. She drinks. She coughs. (219)
-this is an example of the ever lovely Shakespearean method of iambic pentameter.
Are you into it yet? (215)
Example of a rhetorical question, and speaking to the reader.
The telly's on, the sound's down.
(213)
Great useage of voice by the author.
Theme:
Bad things happen to good people. For example, Jack tries to help his school by rating his professors' performances online. However, he is a bit harsh in his opinion, and gets a suspenstion for it. The reader knows that Jack is a good character, and that he is trying his best to be what our world considers normal for the average 16 year old kid in high school, with a brother who's on drugs, an alcholic sister, and a recovering mother. The reader knows this, but the teachers do not.
Quote:
"I'll say I know nothing about the changes" (213).
This is a quote from the book by Paula to Jack. Jack needs to change his comment online so that he can show his teachers that he has reformed himself. I like this because it shows that Paula is not only gaining ownership of her son, which before was extremely shady, but she also fails to see most of the signs of his deteriorating performance in school.
Post B
Dear Paula,
Since I have stumbled around in your mind for a good period of time now, I am beginning to understand some things. First, that you are caring- to your children you show great support and love. Also, you display great moral restraint. Where things get rough, whether it be your job or your household, you keep yourself objective to the possibility that things might change, might be better tomorrow. Also , I like the way that you continue to perservere through the hard times even through they get very rough. It intrigues me that someone of your stature would be able to sustain such stress, because I know that it would really bog me down. I agree with your understanding of the world in the way you separate everything into cold, hard facts. One way which I would like to change myself to be more like you is to find the truth more often. I think that there would be a lot less wars and violence in the world if people would just take the time to find the facts like you do. Not only do you find the truth you find the optimistic truth. Somehow through all the faults of the world, you seem to keep your cool and live up to your potential. You always see good in people and not only does that allow you to find the truth, but it allows you to better the world while you do it. Regardless, I think that you should sometimes be more pessimistic like me.
Call Monitoring
Intro- ask Q
Imagine breaking some private news to a friend on a sunny day in the park. Next, imagine how you might feel if an undercover CIA agent were writing down your every word without your consent. Some might ask, is this appropriate? Is this constitutional? Is this right? This same question is asked surrounding the issue of call monitoring. When is it just for government officials to monitor their citizens’ calls?
Background-
Call monitoring exists in the United States at present, and has been an issue of debate for as long as it’s been around. Some believe that it is an illegal invasion of privacy, while others see it as a necessary measure in the aid to the prevention of terrorism on the home front. One example of call monitoring that has been widely accepted is in the workplace. Workplace call monitoring is used as a method of making sure that employees are on task and dedicated. There it is virtually unregulated. In the practice of call monitoring at work, “80% of employers disclose their monitoring practices to employees” (Privacy Rights ClearingHouse) However, if a monitor finds that they have found themselves listening to personal information, they are required by law, to hang up. Exactly the opposite of this is domestic call monitoring, sometimes called ‘domestic spying’. Since September 11th, the NSA logged tens of millions of recorded calls,
pros-
cons
conclusion- opinion!
Imagine breaking some private news to a friend on a sunny day in the park. Next, imagine how you might feel if an undercover CIA agent were writing down your every word without your consent. Some might ask, is this appropriate? Is this constitutional? Is this right? This same question is asked surrounding the issue of call monitoring. When is it just for government officials to monitor their citizens’ calls?
Background-
Call monitoring exists in the United States at present, and has been an issue of debate for as long as it’s been around. Some believe that it is an illegal invasion of privacy, while others see it as a necessary measure in the aid to the prevention of terrorism on the home front. One example of call monitoring that has been widely accepted is in the workplace. Workplace call monitoring is used as a method of making sure that employees are on task and dedicated. There it is virtually unregulated. In the practice of call monitoring at work, “80% of employers disclose their monitoring practices to employees” (Privacy Rights ClearingHouse) However, if a monitor finds that they have found themselves listening to personal information, they are required by law, to hang up. Exactly the opposite of this is domestic call monitoring, sometimes called ‘domestic spying’. Since September 11th, the NSA logged tens of millions of recorded calls,
pros-
cons
conclusion- opinion!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
141-192
Post A
eejit (185)- derogatory name for someone from Ireland.
biro (170)- Irish word for 'pen'
Figurative language
"Her body was a map of his scars (150)"
Metaphor for the pain he caused her. I like the 'map', like there's a story to ever scar.
'It feels strange, knowing the house is empty." (174)
Metaphor for Paula's new life away from the drink.
'Is this the way she'll save Leanne? Find a bottle and put her mough to it? Pull her head back. And Leanne will be saved.' (180)
Don't know what this is called, but it's mother becoming daughter and likewise. Thought it was clever.
Quote:
'He's having his bowl of cornflakes standing up' Before, the cornflakes have alwalys been at the table! This is a major character change. I like how the author incorporates small things into the story, it lets the reader think about the plot for themselves.
Theme:
Switching. Leanne and Paula, John-Paul and Nicola, her sisters, everyone is switching roles. They each show something within them that Paula has never seen before. Confusion? Yes. Expected? Of course.
Post B
Dear Mr. Doyle,
I am really beginning to get into your book. I must admit, when I first set eyes on it, it looked a bit standoffish, but now that I am more than halfway, I really do sympathize with your characters. They do say that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, so I guess shame on me, right? But I do have to say that you are a phenomenon writer, and your style is stunningly knitted together with theme. I enjoy reading mostly because you show me how lucky I am, how incredible it is to have what I do. Secondly, I love how simple Paula is. She is ordinary, and I like that you didn’t compromise her character with some huge secret or superhero quality, which would have- pardon- completely ruined it. I like her just the way she is, and I think her struggles show her character in more ways than just the alcohol business. Because as important as that it, it’s not the only thing necessary to show off a character. As you say, ‘anyone can be an alcoholic’. Right?
Mostly, your dialogue impresses me. I like the way you have to read between the lines to see what people mean. This reminds me of Richard Wright’s Black Boy which had similar qualities. I like the way you are delving into Leanne more. She is very vague, but very interesting. I feel like Paula at times, like I’m just about to understand something about her, but it bounces off my fingertips.
eejit (185)- derogatory name for someone from Ireland.
biro (170)- Irish word for 'pen'
Figurative language
"Her body was a map of his scars (150)"
Metaphor for the pain he caused her. I like the 'map', like there's a story to ever scar.
'It feels strange, knowing the house is empty." (174)
Metaphor for Paula's new life away from the drink.
'Is this the way she'll save Leanne? Find a bottle and put her mough to it? Pull her head back. And Leanne will be saved.' (180)
Don't know what this is called, but it's mother becoming daughter and likewise. Thought it was clever.
Quote:
'He's having his bowl of cornflakes standing up' Before, the cornflakes have alwalys been at the table! This is a major character change. I like how the author incorporates small things into the story, it lets the reader think about the plot for themselves.
Theme:
Switching. Leanne and Paula, John-Paul and Nicola, her sisters, everyone is switching roles. They each show something within them that Paula has never seen before. Confusion? Yes. Expected? Of course.
Post B
Dear Mr. Doyle,
I am really beginning to get into your book. I must admit, when I first set eyes on it, it looked a bit standoffish, but now that I am more than halfway, I really do sympathize with your characters. They do say that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, so I guess shame on me, right? But I do have to say that you are a phenomenon writer, and your style is stunningly knitted together with theme. I enjoy reading mostly because you show me how lucky I am, how incredible it is to have what I do. Secondly, I love how simple Paula is. She is ordinary, and I like that you didn’t compromise her character with some huge secret or superhero quality, which would have- pardon- completely ruined it. I like her just the way she is, and I think her struggles show her character in more ways than just the alcohol business. Because as important as that it, it’s not the only thing necessary to show off a character. As you say, ‘anyone can be an alcoholic’. Right?
Mostly, your dialogue impresses me. I like the way you have to read between the lines to see what people mean. This reminds me of Richard Wright’s Black Boy which had similar qualities. I like the way you are delving into Leanne more. She is very vague, but very interesting. I feel like Paula at times, like I’m just about to understand something about her, but it bounces off my fingertips.
Monday, November 26, 2007
83-140
Post A
Vocabulary
AIB- (86) American Institute of Banking
sieve- (88) meshed utensil
Figurative Language
'-I'm going to the shops, Leanne. Can I get you anything?
The face lit up. She sat up on the couch. She smiled- grinned; the little girl wo'd danced around the kitchen, trying to distract her father, trying to charm him from her mother's broken body.
-bottle of something would be nice, she said' (85)
This is a metaphor, comparing the Leanne who thinks her mother will understand her situation, seeing as they are the same- seeing as she distracted her father from beating her too long. The little Leanne and the one who is broken and looking for escape.
'She misses her second pillow. She feels too flat, too close to the mattress.' (97)
Metaphor- Second pillow to me means her mask. She lost her drink, and lost the mask that came with it. She lives in reality now, which can be less fluffy than we think at times.
'The bottle was on the floor beside Leanne's bad leg, with the coke and a cup. Half empty. Half full.' (102)
While I'm not exactly sure what this means, I'm pretty sure that it's a metaphor for how Paula is feeling at seeing her efforts wasted.
Theme: I would wager a guess that the emerging theme is Leanne vs. Paula. I think that the author is delving into that vein a little bit, and I enjoy exploring it. Leanne is the old Paula- she gets to see exactly what she was like, and see if she can change who 'she' is to become.
Quote:
'Leanne's hands were gone and Paula fell back. She sat on the floor. She was gasping. The bottle was beside her.
Post B
Dear Mr. Doyle,
I am absolutely and thoroughly confused by your book. It is exceptionally well written, it is powerful in all the right places, and it genuinly makes me think... but I can't make heads or tails of it. I suppose halfway isn't far enough to decide whether I like your novel or not, also taking into consideration that this isn't the type of story I usually read, but I'm a bit shaky on the theme. Usualy when I pick up a book it's because the theme caught my eye. But I suppose this is interesting- the theme hidden between the lines. The thing that I want most for this novel is for it to all tie together in the end. I am already starting to see some ties, but there's no real connection between this and that and everything around their heads. I'm glad to see characters emerging, especially Leanne. I have to say, she is my least favorite character, but she intruigues me the most. How odd. And then there's Paula... who is eccentric and down to earth. She doesn't much tickle my fancy either, as much as it pains me to admit it to you. What I do enjoy about the story is how it moves. There's backwards forwards land, and then there's present past tense land, and in between there's thought and reality land. Quite the little map for me to follow- I've gotten lost on more than one occasion too and had to go back a few miles for directions... or a dictionary. No matter though, I generally like things that confuse me, and this is one of them. So yes, favorites next, shall we? Jack. I don't know why, but Jack is my favorite character so far. Probably because I feel like he is the most like me. I like Paula the cleaning lady- a little bit of a metaphor for her life as an alcoholic trying to clean up where she's spilled and where others have. My favorite 'theme' is the Paula-Leanne wars. I love the mother daugther communication and craziness.
I hope you write more novels, I've gotten quite a few reccomendations to become well read in your stories.
Best of luck,
-Dani B.
Vocabulary
AIB- (86) American Institute of Banking
sieve- (88) meshed utensil
Figurative Language
'-I'm going to the shops, Leanne. Can I get you anything?
The face lit up. She sat up on the couch. She smiled- grinned; the little girl wo'd danced around the kitchen, trying to distract her father, trying to charm him from her mother's broken body.
-bottle of something would be nice, she said' (85)
This is a metaphor, comparing the Leanne who thinks her mother will understand her situation, seeing as they are the same- seeing as she distracted her father from beating her too long. The little Leanne and the one who is broken and looking for escape.
'She misses her second pillow. She feels too flat, too close to the mattress.' (97)
Metaphor- Second pillow to me means her mask. She lost her drink, and lost the mask that came with it. She lives in reality now, which can be less fluffy than we think at times.
'The bottle was on the floor beside Leanne's bad leg, with the coke and a cup. Half empty. Half full.' (102)
While I'm not exactly sure what this means, I'm pretty sure that it's a metaphor for how Paula is feeling at seeing her efforts wasted.
Theme: I would wager a guess that the emerging theme is Leanne vs. Paula. I think that the author is delving into that vein a little bit, and I enjoy exploring it. Leanne is the old Paula- she gets to see exactly what she was like, and see if she can change who 'she' is to become.
Quote:
'Leanne's hands were gone and Paula fell back. She sat on the floor. She was gasping. The bottle was beside her.
Post B
Dear Mr. Doyle,
I am absolutely and thoroughly confused by your book. It is exceptionally well written, it is powerful in all the right places, and it genuinly makes me think... but I can't make heads or tails of it. I suppose halfway isn't far enough to decide whether I like your novel or not, also taking into consideration that this isn't the type of story I usually read, but I'm a bit shaky on the theme. Usualy when I pick up a book it's because the theme caught my eye. But I suppose this is interesting- the theme hidden between the lines. The thing that I want most for this novel is for it to all tie together in the end. I am already starting to see some ties, but there's no real connection between this and that and everything around their heads. I'm glad to see characters emerging, especially Leanne. I have to say, she is my least favorite character, but she intruigues me the most. How odd. And then there's Paula... who is eccentric and down to earth. She doesn't much tickle my fancy either, as much as it pains me to admit it to you. What I do enjoy about the story is how it moves. There's backwards forwards land, and then there's present past tense land, and in between there's thought and reality land. Quite the little map for me to follow- I've gotten lost on more than one occasion too and had to go back a few miles for directions... or a dictionary. No matter though, I generally like things that confuse me, and this is one of them. So yes, favorites next, shall we? Jack. I don't know why, but Jack is my favorite character so far. Probably because I feel like he is the most like me. I like Paula the cleaning lady- a little bit of a metaphor for her life as an alcoholic trying to clean up where she's spilled and where others have. My favorite 'theme' is the Paula-Leanne wars. I love the mother daugther communication and craziness.
I hope you write more novels, I've gotten quite a few reccomendations to become well read in your stories.
Best of luck,
-Dani B.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
This is my On the Waterfront Essay, I hope you all enjoy it!
Dani B.
Mrs. Burgess
Enriched English 6
25 November 2007
The View From the Waterfront
On the Waterfront is a captivating watch full of drama and action. It stars Marlon Brando as Terry Mallory, Eva Marie Saint as Edie Doyle, and Karl Malden as the Reverend. In this film, the characters face challenges that decide if they will become the people they want to be, or the people who they despise.
I really liked the ethical dilemma in this film. Actually, it would be the dilemmas, because each character had a unique one that really pulled the theme in all directions. On The Waterfront reminded me of how strong bonds between those we love and ourselves are, and how easily we cast aside forced bonds which can sometimes result life or death because of those we care about. In particular, I enjoyed the tension between the two worlds that constantly nagged at Terry. I thought that his predicament was a necessary message to myself and the rest of the world- to hold on to what you love because sometimes it can be too late to save it by the time you stop dancing around what you know you want. I had a much higher opinion of On the Waterfront than of 400 Blows, which could be because Waterfront was in English… and because I connected to the message and characters more.
Three themes that really caught my attention were trust, loyalty and revenge. Each of the characters faces these themes to some extent. Trust was the theme that encompassed the entire film. For example, Edie chose to trust Terry for no other reason than he seemed like a good person the first time she met him. Then, after he dug up the compassion to tell Edie that he set up her brother’s demise, she still trusts him- against her better judgment as seen when Terry is on the run from Johnny Friendly and breaks open her door to get to her. Loyalty was the second most prominent theme in the film, as seen between Terry and Johnny Friendly, and Terry and Edie. I thought that this film did an excellent job in portraying the tension between the two cases. Also, it showed the contrast between the mob and the girl. Terry eventually has to choose where his loyalties lay with the climax- his brother’s murder. Also, on a smaller scale, Edie had an almost simplistic choice of loyalty (in contrast with most of the other characters’) between her father’s judgment of Terry and Terry himself. Loyalty was a very powerful theme in the film. Lastly, revenge was a large chunk of the film in general for the characters. In the very beginning, we see Edie laying over her brother’s corpse preaching revenge for her brother. This is paralleled later in the film when Edie looks on to Terry swearing revenge on Johnny Friendly for the death of his brother, which he would have gotten if not for the Reverend forcing him to do the thing right and take Friendly to court. I think that the director wanted to show in this, that revenge has a ripple effect on those it touches, and that if someone doesn’t stop it, it will keep spreading.
The three most prominent and important characters were without a doubt Terry, Edie and the Reverend. They each represent a corner of the triangle of the solution to a problem larger than any one of them individually, but one that together, they are able tackle head on. I think Terry was the most complex character with the main focus put on him for that reason. Edie would be next, in my opinion, because of her good nature. She is the one who keeps Terry in line and helps him make the right decision in the end. The Reverend is quite black and white, but he is a strong personality in On the Waterfront. In utilizing his strength in standing up for what’s right, he is the person who holds everything together. Quite the trio.
The P.O.V. followed the conscience of the viewer, mainly focusing on Terry, Edie and the Reverend. This was effective in ensuring that the viewer got the message that the director was trying to send about morality and conscience . I really liked the director’s way of portraying just the bits that were the most important to the growth of the story and the moral dilemmas.
Possibly my favorite actor was Marlon Brando who played Terry Mallory in the drama. He not only delivered the emotion at the correct times, but made the viewer believe his indecision and frustration at being in the middle. He also played his double role quite well, and I found myself admiring the way that he could go between knowing that his brother was dead to showing such love for Edie in a time of crisis. I enjoyed listening to the way Edie’s careful, precise accent contrast with Terry’s thicker, jumbled one. This helped me scope out how muddled in his life was, because of his pronunciation. This changes in the end when Terry shouts at Johnny Friendly exactly what he thinks of him. Then the viewer can hear him clearly, suggesting that his accent, therefore his vision had been cleared enough for him to make sense of things. It impressed me how effectively he could use that tool.
Johnny Friendly, the main antagonist of the movie was one whose character I didn’t necessarily like, but who did an excellent job in terms of making the audience united in hating him. Lee J. Cobb, especially in the court scene, did a very effective job of creating turmoil amongst the other characters. His hooked nose suggested that he was a sneak and a cheater. The thing that I most enjoyed when watching his acting is when he says “Gimme! Gimme!” in the very beginning. He was attempting to be ‘kind’ to his business associates, but this one phrase reveals his true character. Also, just the way he held himself suggested that he was either very important or a thug.
Eva Marie Saint was my third favorite actress in terms of acting. I liked her character’s scope of knowing that all the horrors of death brought to her, and at the same time, how she stayed optimistic and helped Terry recover from his need for revenge long enough to think clearly. Her performance was one of the hardest to play, in my opinion (mostly because of her capacity to love absolutely everything all the time).
My favorite part about the movie besides the acting was the setting. The way that Terry and his younger friends sat on a roof with a pigeon coop to occupy them really gave way a to sense of height and lack of gravity holding the boys down. Another reason the set gave me such a thrill to behold was the way the characters held it. These days, we see our towns and neighborhoods as places to all work together to keep clean and safe. But also, we take care to stay away from actually taking ownership of any of it, like the job of mowing the grass by the sidewalks. I enjoyed seeing such a difference in the movie, where the people of the city actually owned it, and took pride in claiming their own little corners as theirs.
Since the movie was in black and white, the lighting played a much bigger part in the telling of the story. For example, when the truck was chasing Terry and Edie down an alley, and the world is bathed in threatening night, the viewer notices the gleam of the doorknob that draws Terry’s attention and saves his life and Edie’s by allowing them to escape. The director uses shadow and lighting to trick the audience of viewers into believing things as well, such as at the very end when the viewer believes that Terry will black out because he is heading towards the black mouth of the work area. I thought that that was a clever deceptive trick.
The Leonard Bernstein track expressed the emotions, the actions and the things left unsaid by many of the characters. One great example of this is shown in the very beginning of the film when the man in charge of the workplace throws out the working coins into the mob, which goes into a fighting frenzy against itself to grab up whatever it can get. There is a moment where the camera focuses on a man punching another, and a trumpet laughs in the background. What the camera sees with it’s peripheral vision is the man in charge of the workforce chortling to himself. What I wasn’t so much in love with are the scores for the love scenes. They seem too powerful, too loud, and therefore they wash over the listener’s head. Sometimes they can seem just noise. But overall, I enjoyed the music.
The camera was usually straight on the face, straight forward, and at no angles when it was focused on the protagonists. This was a good way to show the viewer that nothing is being hidden from the camera. With the antagonists however, especially Johnny Friendly, the shot duration is shorter and the camera angles are always in odd positions, never facing the antagonists face on. For example, in the warehouse/hideout of Johnny Friendly, none of the men got a close up or a straight angle. Possibly this implies the existence of crooked personalities? It also gives the impression of shiftiness in these characters, and makes the viewer not trust them.
I was a fan of the photography in the film because it was relatively easy to comprehend. My favorite shot in the film was after the murder of Kayo in the workplace when the Reverend is being raised on the lifting platform above all of the workers. This gave the viewer the impression that what the Reverend says is what he absolutely believes and that his word and his faith is above that of the plain workman. It also gives the audience a greater impression of his holiness. Another impressive cinematic element in the film was how in the very beginning Joey Doyle’s falling body was seen from below, and this not only gives the viewer a sense of impending doom, but a greater fear of the murderer. It’s a rather blatant way to hand out the exposition.
On The Waterfront can easily be both compared and contrasted with Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. Terry, in On the Waterfront set up the death of an innocent person for the personal gain for himself and his brother. In All My Sons, Joe Keller sends off a batch of cracked cylinder heads to the plane manufacturers, knowing that the alternative would be having his children suffer the depression. However, his choice leads 21 young men, and his own son to death. The outcome in both cases, is the guilt catching up to both men and each surrendering to it. Another primary conflict that parallels in both stories is the presence of a few symbols. In the novel All My Sons, Arthur Miller sets the scene with a fallen tree, symbolic of one of the sons, Larry’s death. I believe that this same idea is seen in On the Waterfront when Terry’s pigeon collection, symbolic of life and freedom and flight are strangled to death. In both cases, the main characters have to face reality after noticing that their symbols of hope are no more. On a grander scale, the themes of the two dramas can also be compared. At the end of All My Sons, the father in the novel, Joe Keller decides to take his own life because he recognizes that all the boys he killed with his decision were, in essence, his sons as well. Similarly, In On the Waterfront, Terry’s brother is killed by an organization that wants to take out any person who disagrees with them. This means that the whole waterfront is being suppressed by their ways, and none of the men that Terry works with are able to earn enough to support themselves, sometimes, they’re not allowed to even work. It takes Terry standing up to the main antagonist, Johnny Friendly, near the finale for his brothers of the waterfront to be avenged and freed.
In contrast, however, All My Sons’ Kate is in denial about the reality of her son’s death and her husband’s guilt. The book also centers around the issue of acceptance. However, On the Waterfront when Terry tells Edie that he set up her brother’s death, her common sense bids her to accept and make sense of the situation. She is a much stronger character. The two main females in both dramas are therefore quite different. Also, the settings of the two are quite different. In Waterfront, the characters live in a wide, cold city with buildings and industries as far as the eye can see. This is a deep contrast with All My Sons where nature surrounds the little abode, and the story takes place in one house for the entire play.
I liked this film for a variety of reasons, mostly because the characters were so enchanting. I loved the acting, that being my favorite part of the film. Also, the editing had an excellent effect as well, creating suspense at just the right times. For example, the court scene where the shot was cut just as the verdict was being given, and the attention switched from a flat angle to a T.V. screen’s vision. I would also recommend this film because Leonard Bernstein did an amazing job at capturing the moment with his brilliant scores. This made the movie not only fun to watch, but to listen to as well. The best part about the movie that everyone will enjoy is the issue of morality in the film. Terry starts out letting himself be jerked around and used as bait. But through a series of events that change him specifically, he finds the strength to do what is right and set the rest of society’s moral compasses straight. I would recommend this film to a wide audience, and anyone looking for a captivating watch.
In conclusion, Waterfront encompassed the issues of morality, betrayal and love on the screen. It is an excellent watch that makes the reader question what is right and what is easy. There is only one question left at the end of the film that the viewers have to decide on for themselves: Does violence stop because of one man, or many men as a whole? Does is ever cease?
Dani B.
Mrs. Burgess
Enriched English 6
25 November 2007
The View From the Waterfront
On the Waterfront is a captivating watch full of drama and action. It stars Marlon Brando as Terry Mallory, Eva Marie Saint as Edie Doyle, and Karl Malden as the Reverend. In this film, the characters face challenges that decide if they will become the people they want to be, or the people who they despise.
I really liked the ethical dilemma in this film. Actually, it would be the dilemmas, because each character had a unique one that really pulled the theme in all directions. On The Waterfront reminded me of how strong bonds between those we love and ourselves are, and how easily we cast aside forced bonds which can sometimes result life or death because of those we care about. In particular, I enjoyed the tension between the two worlds that constantly nagged at Terry. I thought that his predicament was a necessary message to myself and the rest of the world- to hold on to what you love because sometimes it can be too late to save it by the time you stop dancing around what you know you want. I had a much higher opinion of On the Waterfront than of 400 Blows, which could be because Waterfront was in English… and because I connected to the message and characters more.
Three themes that really caught my attention were trust, loyalty and revenge. Each of the characters faces these themes to some extent. Trust was the theme that encompassed the entire film. For example, Edie chose to trust Terry for no other reason than he seemed like a good person the first time she met him. Then, after he dug up the compassion to tell Edie that he set up her brother’s demise, she still trusts him- against her better judgment as seen when Terry is on the run from Johnny Friendly and breaks open her door to get to her. Loyalty was the second most prominent theme in the film, as seen between Terry and Johnny Friendly, and Terry and Edie. I thought that this film did an excellent job in portraying the tension between the two cases. Also, it showed the contrast between the mob and the girl. Terry eventually has to choose where his loyalties lay with the climax- his brother’s murder. Also, on a smaller scale, Edie had an almost simplistic choice of loyalty (in contrast with most of the other characters’) between her father’s judgment of Terry and Terry himself. Loyalty was a very powerful theme in the film. Lastly, revenge was a large chunk of the film in general for the characters. In the very beginning, we see Edie laying over her brother’s corpse preaching revenge for her brother. This is paralleled later in the film when Edie looks on to Terry swearing revenge on Johnny Friendly for the death of his brother, which he would have gotten if not for the Reverend forcing him to do the thing right and take Friendly to court. I think that the director wanted to show in this, that revenge has a ripple effect on those it touches, and that if someone doesn’t stop it, it will keep spreading.
The three most prominent and important characters were without a doubt Terry, Edie and the Reverend. They each represent a corner of the triangle of the solution to a problem larger than any one of them individually, but one that together, they are able tackle head on. I think Terry was the most complex character with the main focus put on him for that reason. Edie would be next, in my opinion, because of her good nature. She is the one who keeps Terry in line and helps him make the right decision in the end. The Reverend is quite black and white, but he is a strong personality in On the Waterfront. In utilizing his strength in standing up for what’s right, he is the person who holds everything together. Quite the trio.
The P.O.V. followed the conscience of the viewer, mainly focusing on Terry, Edie and the Reverend. This was effective in ensuring that the viewer got the message that the director was trying to send about morality and conscience . I really liked the director’s way of portraying just the bits that were the most important to the growth of the story and the moral dilemmas.
Possibly my favorite actor was Marlon Brando who played Terry Mallory in the drama. He not only delivered the emotion at the correct times, but made the viewer believe his indecision and frustration at being in the middle. He also played his double role quite well, and I found myself admiring the way that he could go between knowing that his brother was dead to showing such love for Edie in a time of crisis. I enjoyed listening to the way Edie’s careful, precise accent contrast with Terry’s thicker, jumbled one. This helped me scope out how muddled in his life was, because of his pronunciation. This changes in the end when Terry shouts at Johnny Friendly exactly what he thinks of him. Then the viewer can hear him clearly, suggesting that his accent, therefore his vision had been cleared enough for him to make sense of things. It impressed me how effectively he could use that tool.
Johnny Friendly, the main antagonist of the movie was one whose character I didn’t necessarily like, but who did an excellent job in terms of making the audience united in hating him. Lee J. Cobb, especially in the court scene, did a very effective job of creating turmoil amongst the other characters. His hooked nose suggested that he was a sneak and a cheater. The thing that I most enjoyed when watching his acting is when he says “Gimme! Gimme!” in the very beginning. He was attempting to be ‘kind’ to his business associates, but this one phrase reveals his true character. Also, just the way he held himself suggested that he was either very important or a thug.
Eva Marie Saint was my third favorite actress in terms of acting. I liked her character’s scope of knowing that all the horrors of death brought to her, and at the same time, how she stayed optimistic and helped Terry recover from his need for revenge long enough to think clearly. Her performance was one of the hardest to play, in my opinion (mostly because of her capacity to love absolutely everything all the time).
My favorite part about the movie besides the acting was the setting. The way that Terry and his younger friends sat on a roof with a pigeon coop to occupy them really gave way a to sense of height and lack of gravity holding the boys down. Another reason the set gave me such a thrill to behold was the way the characters held it. These days, we see our towns and neighborhoods as places to all work together to keep clean and safe. But also, we take care to stay away from actually taking ownership of any of it, like the job of mowing the grass by the sidewalks. I enjoyed seeing such a difference in the movie, where the people of the city actually owned it, and took pride in claiming their own little corners as theirs.
Since the movie was in black and white, the lighting played a much bigger part in the telling of the story. For example, when the truck was chasing Terry and Edie down an alley, and the world is bathed in threatening night, the viewer notices the gleam of the doorknob that draws Terry’s attention and saves his life and Edie’s by allowing them to escape. The director uses shadow and lighting to trick the audience of viewers into believing things as well, such as at the very end when the viewer believes that Terry will black out because he is heading towards the black mouth of the work area. I thought that that was a clever deceptive trick.
The Leonard Bernstein track expressed the emotions, the actions and the things left unsaid by many of the characters. One great example of this is shown in the very beginning of the film when the man in charge of the workplace throws out the working coins into the mob, which goes into a fighting frenzy against itself to grab up whatever it can get. There is a moment where the camera focuses on a man punching another, and a trumpet laughs in the background. What the camera sees with it’s peripheral vision is the man in charge of the workforce chortling to himself. What I wasn’t so much in love with are the scores for the love scenes. They seem too powerful, too loud, and therefore they wash over the listener’s head. Sometimes they can seem just noise. But overall, I enjoyed the music.
The camera was usually straight on the face, straight forward, and at no angles when it was focused on the protagonists. This was a good way to show the viewer that nothing is being hidden from the camera. With the antagonists however, especially Johnny Friendly, the shot duration is shorter and the camera angles are always in odd positions, never facing the antagonists face on. For example, in the warehouse/hideout of Johnny Friendly, none of the men got a close up or a straight angle. Possibly this implies the existence of crooked personalities? It also gives the impression of shiftiness in these characters, and makes the viewer not trust them.
I was a fan of the photography in the film because it was relatively easy to comprehend. My favorite shot in the film was after the murder of Kayo in the workplace when the Reverend is being raised on the lifting platform above all of the workers. This gave the viewer the impression that what the Reverend says is what he absolutely believes and that his word and his faith is above that of the plain workman. It also gives the audience a greater impression of his holiness. Another impressive cinematic element in the film was how in the very beginning Joey Doyle’s falling body was seen from below, and this not only gives the viewer a sense of impending doom, but a greater fear of the murderer. It’s a rather blatant way to hand out the exposition.
On The Waterfront can easily be both compared and contrasted with Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. Terry, in On the Waterfront set up the death of an innocent person for the personal gain for himself and his brother. In All My Sons, Joe Keller sends off a batch of cracked cylinder heads to the plane manufacturers, knowing that the alternative would be having his children suffer the depression. However, his choice leads 21 young men, and his own son to death. The outcome in both cases, is the guilt catching up to both men and each surrendering to it. Another primary conflict that parallels in both stories is the presence of a few symbols. In the novel All My Sons, Arthur Miller sets the scene with a fallen tree, symbolic of one of the sons, Larry’s death. I believe that this same idea is seen in On the Waterfront when Terry’s pigeon collection, symbolic of life and freedom and flight are strangled to death. In both cases, the main characters have to face reality after noticing that their symbols of hope are no more. On a grander scale, the themes of the two dramas can also be compared. At the end of All My Sons, the father in the novel, Joe Keller decides to take his own life because he recognizes that all the boys he killed with his decision were, in essence, his sons as well. Similarly, In On the Waterfront, Terry’s brother is killed by an organization that wants to take out any person who disagrees with them. This means that the whole waterfront is being suppressed by their ways, and none of the men that Terry works with are able to earn enough to support themselves, sometimes, they’re not allowed to even work. It takes Terry standing up to the main antagonist, Johnny Friendly, near the finale for his brothers of the waterfront to be avenged and freed.
In contrast, however, All My Sons’ Kate is in denial about the reality of her son’s death and her husband’s guilt. The book also centers around the issue of acceptance. However, On the Waterfront when Terry tells Edie that he set up her brother’s death, her common sense bids her to accept and make sense of the situation. She is a much stronger character. The two main females in both dramas are therefore quite different. Also, the settings of the two are quite different. In Waterfront, the characters live in a wide, cold city with buildings and industries as far as the eye can see. This is a deep contrast with All My Sons where nature surrounds the little abode, and the story takes place in one house for the entire play.
I liked this film for a variety of reasons, mostly because the characters were so enchanting. I loved the acting, that being my favorite part of the film. Also, the editing had an excellent effect as well, creating suspense at just the right times. For example, the court scene where the shot was cut just as the verdict was being given, and the attention switched from a flat angle to a T.V. screen’s vision. I would also recommend this film because Leonard Bernstein did an amazing job at capturing the moment with his brilliant scores. This made the movie not only fun to watch, but to listen to as well. The best part about the movie that everyone will enjoy is the issue of morality in the film. Terry starts out letting himself be jerked around and used as bait. But through a series of events that change him specifically, he finds the strength to do what is right and set the rest of society’s moral compasses straight. I would recommend this film to a wide audience, and anyone looking for a captivating watch.
In conclusion, Waterfront encompassed the issues of morality, betrayal and love on the screen. It is an excellent watch that makes the reader question what is right and what is easy. There is only one question left at the end of the film that the viewers have to decide on for themselves: Does violence stop because of one man, or many men as a whole? Does is ever cease?
Monday, November 19, 2007
42-83
A
alco- short for alcoholic - 53
anorak- hooded waterproof parka - 74
'Leanne moves, every part of her jumps, like a puppet whose strings have been tapped. She raises her hand'. (70)
Example of a similie. 'Like a puppet', is her daughter Leanne.
'Leanne tries to smell the air between them, but her nose is still full of the mountains'.
This is metaphoracle language, she is saying that she can't sense anything because she is still full of her latest adventure. (64)
'She's the only white woman' (54)
This is a symbol. For her discomfort. She always claims not to be racist or uncomfortable in any way, however, I think that she's just uncomfortable with the fact that 'they don't talk'. She thinks that like their population in her country, their silence is growing larger as well.
''You've no right to lecture me, mum.'
'I know."
This quote is the developing plot in two lines. Paula's relationship with her children is growing in intensity, and we're starting to get more backgroung on them. And when she tries to tell Leanne that she shouldn't drink, Leanne throws it back at her.
Likewise, the theme of the book overall that had been protruding from Paula's mind is the theme of cycles. That everything happens again, and that if you don't stop something, eventually, there will be a ripple effect, and it will continue to repeat over and over again.
B
Like I said before, Paula’s past is beginning to re emerge and with flashbacks of her children leaving, coming back and leaving again, we begin to see some patterns. Paula, for example, is proud of her progress at avoiding the bottle. Her daughter Leanne, however, is not. She took a whole hour, according to Paula to yell and throw old events back into her mother’s face- things that Paula didn’t believe were legitimate anymore. Furthermore, Paula cannot protect herself from the onslaught of insults and old wounds being reopened. Leanne seems to be the antagonist in the story so far. Also, another character that I just don’t like right now is Paula’s sister Caramel. The one with money, who doesn’t consciously do it, but flaunts it. She always offers not so inconspicuous ‘let me help you, and I’ll be a great person and everyone will love me’ hints. For some reason, that really bugs me. She seems nice enough, and the funny thing is that I probably would have done the same thing for a sister who was so low. But for some reason, (probably because it’s in Paula’s point of view) I can’t stand her. So, Paula also had another child as well, John Paul. He is a heroin addict- and he disappeared for a few years off of Paula’s radar. And the reader got a look at him briefly, when there was a small amount of dialogue between Paula and he. It was the two of them discussing which of them was clean now. Turns out, it was actually John Paul. So yes, very odd, interesting book so far.
alco- short for alcoholic - 53
anorak- hooded waterproof parka - 74
'Leanne moves, every part of her jumps, like a puppet whose strings have been tapped. She raises her hand'. (70)
Example of a similie. 'Like a puppet', is her daughter Leanne.
'Leanne tries to smell the air between them, but her nose is still full of the mountains'.
This is metaphoracle language, she is saying that she can't sense anything because she is still full of her latest adventure. (64)
'She's the only white woman' (54)
This is a symbol. For her discomfort. She always claims not to be racist or uncomfortable in any way, however, I think that she's just uncomfortable with the fact that 'they don't talk'. She thinks that like their population in her country, their silence is growing larger as well.
''You've no right to lecture me, mum.'
'I know."
This quote is the developing plot in two lines. Paula's relationship with her children is growing in intensity, and we're starting to get more backgroung on them. And when she tries to tell Leanne that she shouldn't drink, Leanne throws it back at her.
Likewise, the theme of the book overall that had been protruding from Paula's mind is the theme of cycles. That everything happens again, and that if you don't stop something, eventually, there will be a ripple effect, and it will continue to repeat over and over again.
B
Like I said before, Paula’s past is beginning to re emerge and with flashbacks of her children leaving, coming back and leaving again, we begin to see some patterns. Paula, for example, is proud of her progress at avoiding the bottle. Her daughter Leanne, however, is not. She took a whole hour, according to Paula to yell and throw old events back into her mother’s face- things that Paula didn’t believe were legitimate anymore. Furthermore, Paula cannot protect herself from the onslaught of insults and old wounds being reopened. Leanne seems to be the antagonist in the story so far. Also, another character that I just don’t like right now is Paula’s sister Caramel. The one with money, who doesn’t consciously do it, but flaunts it. She always offers not so inconspicuous ‘let me help you, and I’ll be a great person and everyone will love me’ hints. For some reason, that really bugs me. She seems nice enough, and the funny thing is that I probably would have done the same thing for a sister who was so low. But for some reason, (probably because it’s in Paula’s point of view) I can’t stand her. So, Paula also had another child as well, John Paul. He is a heroin addict- and he disappeared for a few years off of Paula’s radar. And the reader got a look at him briefly, when there was a small amount of dialogue between Paula and he. It was the two of them discussing which of them was clean now. Turns out, it was actually John Paul. So yes, very odd, interesting book so far.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
1-41
Post A
nixer (37) - nothing (a 'nothing' glance)
rind (23) -outer emotional layer
"She wants a drink.
The house is empty." (2)
Symbolism is shown in this quote, because the emptiness represents the drink.
"The pride takes care of the humiliation every time. Kills it dead as stone." (4)
Personification- 'Killed it dead as stone' is very human.
"She brushes her teeth. The important ones are there. The ones in the front. The missing ones aren't seen, unless she smiles too wide." (11)
I'd like to say that this is a metaphor... basically she relates her teeth to her happiness. If she gets her hopes up, then things might fall away.
Quote: "She can't blame herself for staring to drink. She can, but she won't." (22) This shows the exposition of the story, in that the main character is recovering from alcoholism. She is dealing not only with withdrawl, but with the guilt and the emotions that the drink 'held back' from her.
Theme: The struggle in the story for the main character is alcohol. It's not just the drinking but the emotions that go with it. This woman is trying to catch up with her life, the life that she left behind for the bottle.
Post B
I think since this is the first post, I’ll begin by telling you about the protagonist, Paula Spencer. She is a recovering alcoholic, and a mother. Her children, Jack, Leanne and Nicola are quite different from each other. Nicola is the oldest, has children and is very well off. I think her role in the book is to show extravagance and wealth. Leanne is an alcoholic just like her mother, and is described as “Mad, funny, mad, good, mad, brainy, mad, lovely, and frightening (2). Jack is probably the best that Paula had at the moment, as he is just about 16. On page three, Paula reveals to the reader that she thinks he will break hearts because he has a ruffle-able head, and is a good kid. We hear a bit of dialogue involving Jack, and the reader can make a judgment that he is a relatively nice guy. Paula’s husband died in a previous novel, and we only know so far that she threw him out. Nothing out of the ordinary, in Paula’s mind. She seems bitter, optimistic, and wishful, and to her, the world is relatively small. There is no place to go other than the small market on the side of the road. She isn’t very observant, but we do know that she doesn’t really see things in color. I think that she will undergo a change, however small that will pull her out of her funk sooner or later. Overall, Paula Spencer is teetering on the brink of recovery, but only just.
nixer (37) - nothing (a 'nothing' glance)
rind (23) -outer emotional layer
"She wants a drink.
The house is empty." (2)
Symbolism is shown in this quote, because the emptiness represents the drink.
"The pride takes care of the humiliation every time. Kills it dead as stone." (4)
Personification- 'Killed it dead as stone' is very human.
"She brushes her teeth. The important ones are there. The ones in the front. The missing ones aren't seen, unless she smiles too wide." (11)
I'd like to say that this is a metaphor... basically she relates her teeth to her happiness. If she gets her hopes up, then things might fall away.
Quote: "She can't blame herself for staring to drink. She can, but she won't." (22) This shows the exposition of the story, in that the main character is recovering from alcoholism. She is dealing not only with withdrawl, but with the guilt and the emotions that the drink 'held back' from her.
Theme: The struggle in the story for the main character is alcohol. It's not just the drinking but the emotions that go with it. This woman is trying to catch up with her life, the life that she left behind for the bottle.
Post B
I think since this is the first post, I’ll begin by telling you about the protagonist, Paula Spencer. She is a recovering alcoholic, and a mother. Her children, Jack, Leanne and Nicola are quite different from each other. Nicola is the oldest, has children and is very well off. I think her role in the book is to show extravagance and wealth. Leanne is an alcoholic just like her mother, and is described as “Mad, funny, mad, good, mad, brainy, mad, lovely, and frightening (2). Jack is probably the best that Paula had at the moment, as he is just about 16. On page three, Paula reveals to the reader that she thinks he will break hearts because he has a ruffle-able head, and is a good kid. We hear a bit of dialogue involving Jack, and the reader can make a judgment that he is a relatively nice guy. Paula’s husband died in a previous novel, and we only know so far that she threw him out. Nothing out of the ordinary, in Paula’s mind. She seems bitter, optimistic, and wishful, and to her, the world is relatively small. There is no place to go other than the small market on the side of the road. She isn’t very observant, but we do know that she doesn’t really see things in color. I think that she will undergo a change, however small that will pull her out of her funk sooner or later. Overall, Paula Spencer is teetering on the brink of recovery, but only just.
Friday, October 19, 2007
25-27
Summary (B)
These are the last two chapters of the book! Yay!
...mkay. So Ellie finally gets her high school diploma after taking two exhausting and rigerous tests. She is now free to go to college and get her actual teaching diploma. This frees her physically of the lowly under-provided-for life, emotionally from the hurt that surrounded her, and spiritually from all the chaos of her doubt. Ellie breaks out of a rocky relationship, and finds her husband on a subway of all places... this inspires me to believe in miracles. If I could tell Ellie one thing, it would be that her persistance and good attitude payed off and that she should be proud of herself. I really admire Ellie and everything she's been through. She kept a positive attitude and a clear mindset all the way throughout her ordeal... more so than any of the 'Americans' she so admires. In that sense, she beat not only her enemy, but her idols as well. For this, she should be proud of herself.
(A) Vocab and such
Vocab
Fedora (223)- a soft felt hat with a brim and a crease along the length of its crown Encarta
(® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)
Milieu-the surroundings or environment that somebody lives in and is influenced by
gossamer- something smooth and delacate
Appeals-
Mostly emotional appeal in these last two
(230)'snatching my bright red coolie from the closet I run down the stairs, out into the street. Ocean Avenue is basking in the golden rays of the late afternoon sun.' She describes her emotional happiness in imagery, which is very creative and endearing.
also, I like:
(232)'Papa, for me you're not gone. You're near me, within me foreer. Tears are trickling down my cheeks form under closed eyelids. I want you to be proud of me, Papa!''
You can definitely feel the pathos for this girl already building behind your eyes. She's so incredibly brave and you just want to hug her and tell her so. It's amazing how much emotion she puts into the page.
Quote:
(240)'... This entitles Mrs. Friedman to the equivilant of a high school diploma.'
Really puts her achievements into perspective, but not her struggles. She can see past everything she's been through in one moment of shining glory that this piece of paper gives her. The whole book seems to center around this moment. Plus, what a powerful ending.
Theme:
Achievement. Finally, it's nothing but achievement. No sorrow, so anger, just pure happiness and realization of achieving one's dreams. The book closes with this emotion radiating off of the page, and the reader feeling it right along with her.
These are the last two chapters of the book! Yay!
...mkay. So Ellie finally gets her high school diploma after taking two exhausting and rigerous tests. She is now free to go to college and get her actual teaching diploma. This frees her physically of the lowly under-provided-for life, emotionally from the hurt that surrounded her, and spiritually from all the chaos of her doubt. Ellie breaks out of a rocky relationship, and finds her husband on a subway of all places... this inspires me to believe in miracles. If I could tell Ellie one thing, it would be that her persistance and good attitude payed off and that she should be proud of herself. I really admire Ellie and everything she's been through. She kept a positive attitude and a clear mindset all the way throughout her ordeal... more so than any of the 'Americans' she so admires. In that sense, she beat not only her enemy, but her idols as well. For this, she should be proud of herself.
(A) Vocab and such
Vocab
Fedora (223)- a soft felt hat with a brim and a crease along the length of its crown Encarta
(® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)
Milieu-the surroundings or environment that somebody lives in and is influenced by
gossamer- something smooth and delacate
Appeals-
Mostly emotional appeal in these last two
(230)'snatching my bright red coolie from the closet I run down the stairs, out into the street. Ocean Avenue is basking in the golden rays of the late afternoon sun.' She describes her emotional happiness in imagery, which is very creative and endearing.
also, I like:
(232)'Papa, for me you're not gone. You're near me, within me foreer. Tears are trickling down my cheeks form under closed eyelids. I want you to be proud of me, Papa!''
You can definitely feel the pathos for this girl already building behind your eyes. She's so incredibly brave and you just want to hug her and tell her so. It's amazing how much emotion she puts into the page.
Quote:
(240)'... This entitles Mrs. Friedman to the equivilant of a high school diploma.'
Really puts her achievements into perspective, but not her struggles. She can see past everything she's been through in one moment of shining glory that this piece of paper gives her. The whole book seems to center around this moment. Plus, what a powerful ending.
Theme:
Achievement. Finally, it's nothing but achievement. No sorrow, so anger, just pure happiness and realization of achieving one's dreams. The book closes with this emotion radiating off of the page, and the reader feeling it right along with her.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Ch 20-25
Summary and Thoughts, also known as post B
In these chapters, Ellie moves to a new apartment with her mother, and settles into her new home. Both are very thrilled about this fortunate event, and make the most of it, milking it for everything it's worth. They also witness thier first snowfall out of the window of their new home... a spectacular thing, since they haven't seen something so pure and innocent for a very long time. Ellie is then elected to go to camp- a huge honor coming from the school she teaches at. She says goodbye to her first graders, letting them go into the world, wondering what they will become, hoping she has taught them wrong from right. At the camp, Ellie accidentally enters a relationship with another councelor named Yishai. Ellie didn't understand the concept of 'giving someone your sweatshirt'. Incase some of you don't know what that means, it's basically an offer to date. So, Ellie accepted the sweatshirt, and then, when she realized what it meant, she quickly accepted the relationship without missing a beat... which I thought was amusing, because every time she thinks she has something down, it sneaks up on her another way. But she's getting so much better at the American ways. It also amuses me that she talks about the boys that are hounding her like hungry dogs as though they were just passing friendly faces. Because from the way I read the book, she's quite a little blonde bombshell!
Vocab and such, which most call post A
misanthropic (171)- someone who hates people
bungalow(192)- single story house
Appeals
A lot of emotional appeal in these chapters. For example, when Yishai wants his sweatshirt back, and because Ellie didn't go to the 'bushes' with him... I think you all know what that's suggesting. "'Would you mind returning my sweatshirt, Leah?'" (187) (Leah is her Jewish name) Naturally, Ellie is embarassed and angry, and conveys pathos to get the readers to feel for her.
"The head of the dark crwon waves turns, bits ofsound travel in the wind, shreds of sound, unintelligible fragments reach me. I cannot make them out." (220) Emotional appeal, portrayed quite nicely, in my opinion. She meets her potential husband on a subway! They exchange phone numbers, but never get eachothers' names. This is trying to convey anxiety to the reader.
Quote
"I've done it, Papa! The first stage of a fervent dream has come true!"
This quote encompasses everything that has happened so far. Ellie has worked hard, and she has stuck to it. Every time she is down, she pushes herself back up, and doesn't let others get in her way. She impresses the reader with this final quote in the chapter, which fills in all the hazy unsure edges with certainty and no hesitation.
Theme
-the theme is most definitely overcoming obstacles in these chapters. This was the toughest chunk to digest so far, both as a reader, and a young girl myself. This issue was very prominent in all five chapters, and always kept the reader on edge.
In these chapters, Ellie moves to a new apartment with her mother, and settles into her new home. Both are very thrilled about this fortunate event, and make the most of it, milking it for everything it's worth. They also witness thier first snowfall out of the window of their new home... a spectacular thing, since they haven't seen something so pure and innocent for a very long time. Ellie is then elected to go to camp- a huge honor coming from the school she teaches at. She says goodbye to her first graders, letting them go into the world, wondering what they will become, hoping she has taught them wrong from right. At the camp, Ellie accidentally enters a relationship with another councelor named Yishai. Ellie didn't understand the concept of 'giving someone your sweatshirt'. Incase some of you don't know what that means, it's basically an offer to date. So, Ellie accepted the sweatshirt, and then, when she realized what it meant, she quickly accepted the relationship without missing a beat... which I thought was amusing, because every time she thinks she has something down, it sneaks up on her another way. But she's getting so much better at the American ways. It also amuses me that she talks about the boys that are hounding her like hungry dogs as though they were just passing friendly faces. Because from the way I read the book, she's quite a little blonde bombshell!
Vocab and such, which most call post A
misanthropic (171)- someone who hates people
bungalow(192)- single story house
Appeals
A lot of emotional appeal in these chapters. For example, when Yishai wants his sweatshirt back, and because Ellie didn't go to the 'bushes' with him... I think you all know what that's suggesting. "'Would you mind returning my sweatshirt, Leah?'" (187) (Leah is her Jewish name) Naturally, Ellie is embarassed and angry, and conveys pathos to get the readers to feel for her.
"The head of the dark crwon waves turns, bits ofsound travel in the wind, shreds of sound, unintelligible fragments reach me. I cannot make them out." (220) Emotional appeal, portrayed quite nicely, in my opinion. She meets her potential husband on a subway! They exchange phone numbers, but never get eachothers' names. This is trying to convey anxiety to the reader.
Quote
"I've done it, Papa! The first stage of a fervent dream has come true!"
This quote encompasses everything that has happened so far. Ellie has worked hard, and she has stuck to it. Every time she is down, she pushes herself back up, and doesn't let others get in her way. She impresses the reader with this final quote in the chapter, which fills in all the hazy unsure edges with certainty and no hesitation.
Theme
-the theme is most definitely overcoming obstacles in these chapters. This was the toughest chunk to digest so far, both as a reader, and a young girl myself. This issue was very prominent in all five chapters, and always kept the reader on edge.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The 400 Blows
The 400 Blows
The movie 400 Blows by François Truffaut is a memoir directed by the author. Taking place in France in the 30s, it shows a young boy, Antoine with little guidance in the world. This inspires the viewer to be grateful for modern opportunities to chase their dreams. Some aspects of the film were more present than others, and some were not at all strong. However, Truffaut combines vigilance with careful thought and inspiring situations in this thought provoking memoir of his own childhood.
I thought the movie was all around alright, not spectacular, but it did have it’s high points. It also conveys to the viewer the motivation in the characters to go get something that you want, and not let anything stand in the way. It was effective for me in a few ways, the one that stands out most being that if he can chase his dreams under those circumstances, then I can reach my goals as well. Antoine’s lack of a positive attitude did not inspire me, however, because he had no long term goals- no plans. No plan for survival once he ran away. Also, he didn’t try to make things better for himself, or fix them. He ran away from the problem instead of meeting it head on.
Some of the main characters include the rebellious, slightly reckless, largely an introvert, Antoine, who holds the main point of view. His mother, a fancy, self concerned woman who cares not for him, and his stepfather who follows Antoine’s mother are both examples of everything parents should not be to a child. Together, the three make up the semblance of a one dis-functioning, albeit, interesting family. The plot was mainly concerned with a boy who has been oppressed by his surroundings, and therefore has no goals. He ends up finding them when he runs away from his stagnant living environment. The memoir centered around the time period of France in the 30s, and followed Antoine as he braved the difficulties of unruliness in the classroom, loneliness at home- an apartment where Antoine’s only use it taking out the trash-, and eventually, an observation center where Antoine gets his first real taste of freedom. The theme beats happily next to Antoine’s nonconforming heart, letting the viewer know at every possible opportunity to never let go of your dreams. There were symbols in the characters, such as Antoine, the glaring metaphor for plain old rebellion. Also, the mother and stepfather duo, who represent ignorance in the story. However, there were positive symbols too. France in the 18th and 19th centuries built an amazingly successful colonial empire, which Antoine stumbled through daily, never realizing it’s potential or it’s symbolism- opportunity.
The dramatic part of the film was played exceptionally. For one as young as Patrick Auffay, who acted the part of Antoine’s best friend René, the talent was very apparent. He looked the part of an innocent schoolboy who goes with the flow. Slightly pudgy, kind faced and docile enough in character, he suited the acting and the image as I imagine he truly was. However much distaste I held for her character, the actress who played Antoine’s mother was the right pick as well. Ms. Maurier’s subtle useage of impatience and snooty attitude effectively got the viewer to detest her character right off the bat. Mr. Bigey, or ‘Sourpuss’ as the children call him outside of the classroom was played by Georges Flamant. Utilizing some of the same impatience that the mother’s character was so fond of, Mr. Flamant acted the personality of an impatient, hotheaded schoolteacher wonderfully. He was just the right age, and his facial features screamed of teaching unruly pupils. Overall, excellent casting.
The photography of the facial shots, I noticed, was much closer than one gets to another comfortably. For example, quite a few times, the camera looked Antoine squarely in the face, close enough so that the viewer could the details of his facial features quite clearly. The action was tagged by the camera movement almost all of the time, following the main flow of events. Antoine usually got most of the camera time. The memoir was pretty much 3rd person omniscient all of the time, but near the end it made a slightly awkward switch to what felt like first person from Antoine’s point of view. I was impressed with the duration of the shots, it felt almost like the camera was behind the eyes of an onlooker who was watching the main events constantly. So it reminded me of a person mostly only watching the interesting bits. The music I wasn’t really a fan of. However, it was a good mood stimulator. Only, it dumped moods onto me, not only suggested them. It was almost too forceful.
Both memoirs, Black Boy by Richard Wright and The 400 Blows directed by François Truffaut did a good job of not sympathizing with the younger child. In Black Boy, Richard Wright examines burning his house down and killing a kitten with a mature eye, rather than the point of view he must have held as a child. Truffaut examines being a twit in class and making not so smart decisions with property and time. Also, both of the mothers in the two stories showed a lack in care for the physical safety of their child, although Wright does insist in his memoir that his mother loved him by showing specific examples of her care. Truffaut showed exactly the opposite, of his mothers’ secret spite and a longing to be rid of the problem. One thing that was the exact opposite in the two films was the main character’s interests. Wright wanted nothing to do with the nameless, faceless oppression of his time. However, Truffaut seemed to show a tendency in Antoine to want to melt away from society and fall amongst those who have nothing to show for themselves.
I do not recommend this movie to those looking for a meaning in a memoir. For those who like to hear stories of self preservation, this might be a better fit. However, I thought the tale was drawn on longer than necessary, and the director used bits of his life that didn’t need to be known to the viewer. Stylistic choice as it may be, it was rather confusing and not easy to fit into one thing.
Truffaut utilizes many stylistic choices to show the viewer the bulk of his childhood, including, but not limited to dramatic, literary and cinematic elements. Providing that his main inspiration seems to come from the wish to expose his childhood emotions within a TV screen, he uses music and a background of black and white to get some of the more pressing feelings into the open without getting too much inside the main characters’ head. This, combined with the magic of theatre gives The 400 Blows an appropriately singled out feel, leaving the viewer with a sense of nostalgia by the last frame of the film.
The movie 400 Blows by François Truffaut is a memoir directed by the author. Taking place in France in the 30s, it shows a young boy, Antoine with little guidance in the world. This inspires the viewer to be grateful for modern opportunities to chase their dreams. Some aspects of the film were more present than others, and some were not at all strong. However, Truffaut combines vigilance with careful thought and inspiring situations in this thought provoking memoir of his own childhood.
I thought the movie was all around alright, not spectacular, but it did have it’s high points. It also conveys to the viewer the motivation in the characters to go get something that you want, and not let anything stand in the way. It was effective for me in a few ways, the one that stands out most being that if he can chase his dreams under those circumstances, then I can reach my goals as well. Antoine’s lack of a positive attitude did not inspire me, however, because he had no long term goals- no plans. No plan for survival once he ran away. Also, he didn’t try to make things better for himself, or fix them. He ran away from the problem instead of meeting it head on.
Some of the main characters include the rebellious, slightly reckless, largely an introvert, Antoine, who holds the main point of view. His mother, a fancy, self concerned woman who cares not for him, and his stepfather who follows Antoine’s mother are both examples of everything parents should not be to a child. Together, the three make up the semblance of a one dis-functioning, albeit, interesting family. The plot was mainly concerned with a boy who has been oppressed by his surroundings, and therefore has no goals. He ends up finding them when he runs away from his stagnant living environment. The memoir centered around the time period of France in the 30s, and followed Antoine as he braved the difficulties of unruliness in the classroom, loneliness at home- an apartment where Antoine’s only use it taking out the trash-, and eventually, an observation center where Antoine gets his first real taste of freedom. The theme beats happily next to Antoine’s nonconforming heart, letting the viewer know at every possible opportunity to never let go of your dreams. There were symbols in the characters, such as Antoine, the glaring metaphor for plain old rebellion. Also, the mother and stepfather duo, who represent ignorance in the story. However, there were positive symbols too. France in the 18th and 19th centuries built an amazingly successful colonial empire, which Antoine stumbled through daily, never realizing it’s potential or it’s symbolism- opportunity.
The dramatic part of the film was played exceptionally. For one as young as Patrick Auffay, who acted the part of Antoine’s best friend René, the talent was very apparent. He looked the part of an innocent schoolboy who goes with the flow. Slightly pudgy, kind faced and docile enough in character, he suited the acting and the image as I imagine he truly was. However much distaste I held for her character, the actress who played Antoine’s mother was the right pick as well. Ms. Maurier’s subtle useage of impatience and snooty attitude effectively got the viewer to detest her character right off the bat. Mr. Bigey, or ‘Sourpuss’ as the children call him outside of the classroom was played by Georges Flamant. Utilizing some of the same impatience that the mother’s character was so fond of, Mr. Flamant acted the personality of an impatient, hotheaded schoolteacher wonderfully. He was just the right age, and his facial features screamed of teaching unruly pupils. Overall, excellent casting.
The photography of the facial shots, I noticed, was much closer than one gets to another comfortably. For example, quite a few times, the camera looked Antoine squarely in the face, close enough so that the viewer could the details of his facial features quite clearly. The action was tagged by the camera movement almost all of the time, following the main flow of events. Antoine usually got most of the camera time. The memoir was pretty much 3rd person omniscient all of the time, but near the end it made a slightly awkward switch to what felt like first person from Antoine’s point of view. I was impressed with the duration of the shots, it felt almost like the camera was behind the eyes of an onlooker who was watching the main events constantly. So it reminded me of a person mostly only watching the interesting bits. The music I wasn’t really a fan of. However, it was a good mood stimulator. Only, it dumped moods onto me, not only suggested them. It was almost too forceful.
Both memoirs, Black Boy by Richard Wright and The 400 Blows directed by François Truffaut did a good job of not sympathizing with the younger child. In Black Boy, Richard Wright examines burning his house down and killing a kitten with a mature eye, rather than the point of view he must have held as a child. Truffaut examines being a twit in class and making not so smart decisions with property and time. Also, both of the mothers in the two stories showed a lack in care for the physical safety of their child, although Wright does insist in his memoir that his mother loved him by showing specific examples of her care. Truffaut showed exactly the opposite, of his mothers’ secret spite and a longing to be rid of the problem. One thing that was the exact opposite in the two films was the main character’s interests. Wright wanted nothing to do with the nameless, faceless oppression of his time. However, Truffaut seemed to show a tendency in Antoine to want to melt away from society and fall amongst those who have nothing to show for themselves.
I do not recommend this movie to those looking for a meaning in a memoir. For those who like to hear stories of self preservation, this might be a better fit. However, I thought the tale was drawn on longer than necessary, and the director used bits of his life that didn’t need to be known to the viewer. Stylistic choice as it may be, it was rather confusing and not easy to fit into one thing.
Truffaut utilizes many stylistic choices to show the viewer the bulk of his childhood, including, but not limited to dramatic, literary and cinematic elements. Providing that his main inspiration seems to come from the wish to expose his childhood emotions within a TV screen, he uses music and a background of black and white to get some of the more pressing feelings into the open without getting too much inside the main characters’ head. This, combined with the magic of theatre gives The 400 Blows an appropriately singled out feel, leaving the viewer with a sense of nostalgia by the last frame of the film.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Chapters 11-20 A and B
Wow, I read a lot this week...
Anyway.
Rant Thing
I started to see Ellie recognize (finally) that America is not all that she's worshiped it for. Not that I don't love my country, but she made it seem like America was perfect, a word in which I have absolutely no belief. So she learns. For example, there are a number of incidents surrounding the number on her arm from the concentration camps.
Happily hired to a school to enlighten first graders in Hebrew, she finds that children are children, and they are not so different from those in her country. However, their innocence keeps them that way. Those who have grown out of this happy stage see Ellie differently. The pricipal at Ellie's school admonishes her for explaining to a curious child that the number on her arm was her 'identification number'. She lets slip the term 'concentration camp', and the principal tells her that it was not appropriate for children to hear... that she should have told the child that it was her phone number. I was terribly angry at the absolute blindness of those who did not want to acknowledge the Holocaust, when it was obvious and real and painfully THERE. Disgusting.
I was having a good day.... darn it.
Vocab:
banality (140) : unremarkable comment or feature
triteness (140) : overused
Appeals:
"Piece workers are paid per piece, and so their earnings depend on the number of pieces they manage to complete by the end of the workday. Thier earnings depend on speed." (142)
Logical Appeal in here- She's explaining to the reader the qualities of her mother's job.
"I no longer need to talk about the things that tured my night into a sring of nightmares. Just being here with Alex- in his company, and the nightmares dissolve." (168)
Emotional Appeal. She's been having dreams that disturb her quite a lot- of people who dare to point and laugh about her ID number. Basically, terrible nightmares.
Quote
"Friendship is free and open wihtout constraints... without obligations." (169, Ellie)
She and Alex aren't doing well. They agree on friendship. I think this sums up the whole chapter adequetely because it points out the compromise that is seen everywhere in this chapter.
Theme:
I guess it's compromise. There was really no other underlaying theme in these chapters, they were all really spread out and a little random. So Compromise.
Anyway.
Rant Thing
I started to see Ellie recognize (finally) that America is not all that she's worshiped it for. Not that I don't love my country, but she made it seem like America was perfect, a word in which I have absolutely no belief. So she learns. For example, there are a number of incidents surrounding the number on her arm from the concentration camps.
Happily hired to a school to enlighten first graders in Hebrew, she finds that children are children, and they are not so different from those in her country. However, their innocence keeps them that way. Those who have grown out of this happy stage see Ellie differently. The pricipal at Ellie's school admonishes her for explaining to a curious child that the number on her arm was her 'identification number'. She lets slip the term 'concentration camp', and the principal tells her that it was not appropriate for children to hear... that she should have told the child that it was her phone number. I was terribly angry at the absolute blindness of those who did not want to acknowledge the Holocaust, when it was obvious and real and painfully THERE. Disgusting.
I was having a good day.... darn it.
Vocab:
banality (140) : unremarkable comment or feature
triteness (140) : overused
Appeals:
"Piece workers are paid per piece, and so their earnings depend on the number of pieces they manage to complete by the end of the workday. Thier earnings depend on speed." (142)
Logical Appeal in here- She's explaining to the reader the qualities of her mother's job.
"I no longer need to talk about the things that tured my night into a sring of nightmares. Just being here with Alex- in his company, and the nightmares dissolve." (168)
Emotional Appeal. She's been having dreams that disturb her quite a lot- of people who dare to point and laugh about her ID number. Basically, terrible nightmares.
Quote
"Friendship is free and open wihtout constraints... without obligations." (169, Ellie)
She and Alex aren't doing well. They agree on friendship. I think this sums up the whole chapter adequetely because it points out the compromise that is seen everywhere in this chapter.
Theme:
I guess it's compromise. There was really no other underlaying theme in these chapters, they were all really spread out and a little random. So Compromise.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Chapters 7-10
As I read this chapter, I looked with a budding interest towards which American ideals Ellie would pick up first, because obviously, if she did not pick anything up from America, a book there would not be. It was especially important to me to see the changes, because I too have recently embraced the theme of starting new, fresh, in a place that is unfamiliar to me. Though not such a drastic change (I mean, come on. We the Valley Viewians moved about 3 feet to the left...), it was still a hard adjustment, as most of my friends are younger than me. What was most prominent was the emerging theme of love in these three chapters. Ellie is slowly falling for her doctor who escaped a similar fate to that of Ellies as a child. His name is Alex, and he is 18 years older than she. But who really cares if it's love, right? Ellie actually snaps at her mother for saying that her daughter was getting into 'complications' with Alex... she refused to say 'falling in love.' I don't know if this is an impact of losing her own husband during the Holocaust, but she just does not like the idea of her daughter falling for anyone.
Ellie also gets a job in chapter seven... or rather tries to get one. Her boss and she are all alone in the factory, and Ellie does not work fast enough. Her boss tries to 'help' her, but the reader can see what is actually going on. 'He draped his arm around me, I could smell his garlic breath and his chest was pressed to my back...' (79) Hopefully, we all got the same conclusion there. But she got away and was assigned another job from the company who does the job suppliances.
Vocab:
guillotine- machine for beheading people (77)
oblong-elongated (76)
Appeals:
'She's afraid that I'm falling in love with Alex, an older man who is "not right" for me. Why isn't he right for me when I'm so happy in his company?' (86)
Here Ellie's using a mixture of logical and emotional appeal. She cannot understand why her mother would not want her to be in love if all she wants is for Ellie to be happy. The emotional bit is the hurt clearly heard within her tone. This shows the reader how much she's come to care for Alex.
'How will I ever gain admission to college without a highschool diploma? And if I can't go to college, how will I become a teacher?' (71)
More emotional appeal. She is quite scared that since her highschool years were taken from her, she will never become a teacher for her lack of ability to go to college. Her friends say that she shouldn't worry, but she is quite afraid. I can't blame her.
Quote:
'Despite my initial disappointment, I find myself anticipating the challenge of my new job with a growing sense of adventure.' (72)
I liked this one because it shows the reader her idea about looking at things another way. I agree with her on this: A problem becomes much more solveable when you are curious about it instead of afraid of it. This is how Ellie faces America, without fear.
Theme:
I'd have to say once again, that this was overall love. Basically, she built this theme up through all three chapters until it climaxed in chapter 10. Love keeps trying to find a way into her life, but everything is so complicated already that she cannot seem to let love in the way she wants to.
Ellie also gets a job in chapter seven... or rather tries to get one. Her boss and she are all alone in the factory, and Ellie does not work fast enough. Her boss tries to 'help' her, but the reader can see what is actually going on. 'He draped his arm around me, I could smell his garlic breath and his chest was pressed to my back...' (79) Hopefully, we all got the same conclusion there. But she got away and was assigned another job from the company who does the job suppliances.
Vocab:
guillotine- machine for beheading people (77)
oblong-elongated (76)
Appeals:
'She's afraid that I'm falling in love with Alex, an older man who is "not right" for me. Why isn't he right for me when I'm so happy in his company?' (86)
Here Ellie's using a mixture of logical and emotional appeal. She cannot understand why her mother would not want her to be in love if all she wants is for Ellie to be happy. The emotional bit is the hurt clearly heard within her tone. This shows the reader how much she's come to care for Alex.
'How will I ever gain admission to college without a highschool diploma? And if I can't go to college, how will I become a teacher?' (71)
More emotional appeal. She is quite scared that since her highschool years were taken from her, she will never become a teacher for her lack of ability to go to college. Her friends say that she shouldn't worry, but she is quite afraid. I can't blame her.
Quote:
'Despite my initial disappointment, I find myself anticipating the challenge of my new job with a growing sense of adventure.' (72)
I liked this one because it shows the reader her idea about looking at things another way. I agree with her on this: A problem becomes much more solveable when you are curious about it instead of afraid of it. This is how Ellie faces America, without fear.
Theme:
I'd have to say once again, that this was overall love. Basically, she built this theme up through all three chapters until it climaxed in chapter 10. Love keeps trying to find a way into her life, but everything is so complicated already that she cannot seem to let love in the way she wants to.
Monday, September 24, 2007
chapters 4-6
Dear Ellie,
Three weeks you have been in America! How wonderful! What does it feel like to embark on a journey so grand, to learn a differnt language in only three weeks? I'm amazed... I've been taking French for almost five years and I still only know the basics. Do you think you are starting to fit in? It's really amazing here, the country of freedom. Some things that you need to know are:
1) You can always ask for help. Most people are kind here, and would not feel annoyed to give you some of their times.
2) Be polite and courtious, and it will come back to you.
3) copy and you will learn. Also, immitation is the best form of flattery, and people generally love to become someone's idol.
I hope you feel like a true American soon, Ellie!
Best of luck,
-Dani
Vocab
Incarcerated- imprison/confine (41)
Gulag- political USSR prisoner (59)
Appeals
1) 'Aunt Celia keeps up her banter all the way home from the doctor's office, teasing me mercilessly about having "bewitched a perfectly nice doctor"' (40) - This is a kind of comic appeal towards the audience. She is in the midst of all this rushing and she has caught the eye of her own doctor!
2) "'Where did you leave your shopping wagon?' the store manager asks, incredulous. 'Outside the store? On the street? What did you expect?'" Poor Ellie, this is another example of emotional appeal- they expected America, 'the land with it's arms wide open' to be free of such petty things as thieves. (53)
3) "I'm thrilled. To be in a classroom once again! To sit in a college class!" Yet another example of emotional appeal, she now has friends and a plausible future. So naturally, the audience feels happy and excited for her. (60)
Quote: "They're called coolie coats, the latest fashion rage." (55) Shows the way she is beginning to live an American life. It's clear that she is adjusting, and that not only just is she accepting America, but America is accepting her.
Theme: These three chapters focus on adjusting, setting our standards, and controlling our destiny. These are the themes that Ellie has to adjust her mindset to.
Three weeks you have been in America! How wonderful! What does it feel like to embark on a journey so grand, to learn a differnt language in only three weeks? I'm amazed... I've been taking French for almost five years and I still only know the basics. Do you think you are starting to fit in? It's really amazing here, the country of freedom. Some things that you need to know are:
1) You can always ask for help. Most people are kind here, and would not feel annoyed to give you some of their times.
2) Be polite and courtious, and it will come back to you.
3) copy and you will learn. Also, immitation is the best form of flattery, and people generally love to become someone's idol.
I hope you feel like a true American soon, Ellie!
Best of luck,
-Dani
Vocab
Incarcerated- imprison/confine (41)
Gulag- political USSR prisoner (59)
Appeals
1) 'Aunt Celia keeps up her banter all the way home from the doctor's office, teasing me mercilessly about having "bewitched a perfectly nice doctor"' (40) - This is a kind of comic appeal towards the audience. She is in the midst of all this rushing and she has caught the eye of her own doctor!
2) "'Where did you leave your shopping wagon?' the store manager asks, incredulous. 'Outside the store? On the street? What did you expect?'" Poor Ellie, this is another example of emotional appeal- they expected America, 'the land with it's arms wide open' to be free of such petty things as thieves. (53)
3) "I'm thrilled. To be in a classroom once again! To sit in a college class!" Yet another example of emotional appeal, she now has friends and a plausible future. So naturally, the audience feels happy and excited for her. (60)
Quote: "They're called coolie coats, the latest fashion rage." (55) Shows the way she is beginning to live an American life. It's clear that she is adjusting, and that not only just is she accepting America, but America is accepting her.
Theme: These three chapters focus on adjusting, setting our standards, and controlling our destiny. These are the themes that Ellie has to adjust her mindset to.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Chapter One-Three
Post One: Ch 1-3
My book is called 'Hello America' by Livia Bitton Jackson.
My first impression of this book is of a girl called Ellie who has been intimidated by her surroundings, seeing as she's just escaped the Holocaust and moved to America. This is a huge feat, and I can see her expressing her gratitude nearly every paragraph. Ellie is a bright, optimistic, down to Earth girl, and she has no problem saying what she feels. I enjoy this about her, and I definitely see some similarites between the two.
However, she is also strong. She shows strength in emotion that you could not imagine one who has just been scraped from underneath the fingernails of death and spared from a terrible dreath. Her father lies in a mass grave in Bergen-Belsen, and her home has been torn to shreds. There is nothing, absolutely nothing left for her, and she has the outlook of someone who has just won the lotery. She is hesitant, however, to believe in hope. She has witnessed too many things that've been snatched from under her nose like a hungry dog mourns the loss of a steak dinner to be completely filled with excitement for a new future right off the bat. I predict that this will get better as she goes along and grows and resets her mind to the American mindset. I noticed too just how much I myself take for granted. I cannot control how I have grown up, spoiled with love and chivalry and learned and given a mind of my own. But I know enough about her to know that she lost everything that I held dear, and that makes me realize just how fortunate I am. After I finish this book, I would like to wake every morning to a new sunrise, diverse in its colors and patterns and breathe in peace and freedom. I want to live the life of forture that I know I will bring upon myself and others and know in the end that what I have done is right.
Some Vocab
(6) Sabbath- Sunday: the day of Jewish religious worship
(23)Schnitzel- Fried, thin slice of meat.
And the Appeals
1. '"Throw it out?" I cry, taken aback. You throw out a pair of shoes just because the strap broke?... I have been happy with the one pair of shoes I own... forever remembering the shoes I was forced to wear in the death camps, the agony of walkin miles and miles in shoes two sizes too small...' This is emotional appeal, forcing the level of pathos of the particular character to sky rocket. (23)
2. 'I will not let the mass grave be the final arbiter of your dreams! Your dreams are not buried in Bergen-Belsen. I will make them live on here in New York. I will make all your dreams live on. I promise I will make all your dreams come true.' Emotional appeal again. Basically shows her overall strenght at losing everything, moving to a new country, being in unfamiliar territory with unfamilar customs and still holding her head high. (42)
3. 'What does kidding mean? I hope it means he was not serious about Brooklyn being a foriegn land.' Ok, so there's a lot of emotional appeal in this book so far. The reader is sorry for this young girl who does not know how to kid. (4)
Quote
'America, will you be my home? wIll you embrace me as a daughter yearning to belong, an equal among equals, or will I forever remain a stranger, as on the other side of the ocean?' (1) This quote invoked curiosity in me, I want to know what happens to her, and if she keeps this attitude throughout the book. It's important to the overall plot because it tells how most Jews were feeling when they first lay eyes on America.
Theme
As of now, this book seems to focus primarily on self discovery, and how one can either start new with a positive outlook, or a terrible one.
My book is called 'Hello America' by Livia Bitton Jackson.
My first impression of this book is of a girl called Ellie who has been intimidated by her surroundings, seeing as she's just escaped the Holocaust and moved to America. This is a huge feat, and I can see her expressing her gratitude nearly every paragraph. Ellie is a bright, optimistic, down to Earth girl, and she has no problem saying what she feels. I enjoy this about her, and I definitely see some similarites between the two.
However, she is also strong. She shows strength in emotion that you could not imagine one who has just been scraped from underneath the fingernails of death and spared from a terrible dreath. Her father lies in a mass grave in Bergen-Belsen, and her home has been torn to shreds. There is nothing, absolutely nothing left for her, and she has the outlook of someone who has just won the lotery. She is hesitant, however, to believe in hope. She has witnessed too many things that've been snatched from under her nose like a hungry dog mourns the loss of a steak dinner to be completely filled with excitement for a new future right off the bat. I predict that this will get better as she goes along and grows and resets her mind to the American mindset. I noticed too just how much I myself take for granted. I cannot control how I have grown up, spoiled with love and chivalry and learned and given a mind of my own. But I know enough about her to know that she lost everything that I held dear, and that makes me realize just how fortunate I am. After I finish this book, I would like to wake every morning to a new sunrise, diverse in its colors and patterns and breathe in peace and freedom. I want to live the life of forture that I know I will bring upon myself and others and know in the end that what I have done is right.
Some Vocab
(6) Sabbath- Sunday: the day of Jewish religious worship
(23)Schnitzel- Fried, thin slice of meat.
And the Appeals
1. '"Throw it out?" I cry, taken aback. You throw out a pair of shoes just because the strap broke?... I have been happy with the one pair of shoes I own... forever remembering the shoes I was forced to wear in the death camps, the agony of walkin miles and miles in shoes two sizes too small...' This is emotional appeal, forcing the level of pathos of the particular character to sky rocket. (23)
2. 'I will not let the mass grave be the final arbiter of your dreams! Your dreams are not buried in Bergen-Belsen. I will make them live on here in New York. I will make all your dreams live on. I promise I will make all your dreams come true.' Emotional appeal again. Basically shows her overall strenght at losing everything, moving to a new country, being in unfamiliar territory with unfamilar customs and still holding her head high. (42)
3. 'What does kidding mean? I hope it means he was not serious about Brooklyn being a foriegn land.' Ok, so there's a lot of emotional appeal in this book so far. The reader is sorry for this young girl who does not know how to kid. (4)
Quote
'America, will you be my home? wIll you embrace me as a daughter yearning to belong, an equal among equals, or will I forever remain a stranger, as on the other side of the ocean?' (1) This quote invoked curiosity in me, I want to know what happens to her, and if she keeps this attitude throughout the book. It's important to the overall plot because it tells how most Jews were feeling when they first lay eyes on America.
Theme
As of now, this book seems to focus primarily on self discovery, and how one can either start new with a positive outlook, or a terrible one.
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