The Dewbreaker

I recently had the pleasure of reading a short from the book Dewbreaker by Edwidge Danticat. I read the first story in the book. It was about a young “artist” who was trying to deliver a sculpture bought by someone living in Tampa, FL and on their journey her father disposed of the sculpture. To be honest I know she wrote this probably based on memory and not out of what was physically happening in that moment, but because of that being the case and how powerful this story is, I wish she didn’t try to take such liberties in her descriptions of certain moments. It takes me out of the realism, the truly raw moments of what this story is really about. I love that there is such a big twist at the end and she has to live with the knowledge that her father isn’t who she thought he was.

It’s such an interesting reveal. To find out someone you never thought could harm a fly, someone you idolized turns out to be a murderous soldier, well that blew me away. It’s hard for me to actually relate to the story, because I’ve never personally been in that situation. However, how the father goes about telling his daughter that he is a murderer and also hearing the mother’s reaction is great. She tells her daughter that they are his roots for changing his ways. I guess I’d like to know what happens if he relapses?

My father has always been a bit of a distant creature from my life. He pops in every once in a while to ask my advice on his writings and use my creativity, but when that runs out he typically doesn’t pay much attention to anything I do. He’s a very selfish being, but I understand that he is older and this is now the man that he is. Do I think it’s in any way because of him being at war at some point in his life? No I do not. I think my father has always been this way. He makes decision based on what he wants and what is best for him, not for the generally community aka his family. Regardless of who he is, my mother who is another very stubborn person is still married to the old crone and they seem to be somewhat happy.

I’ve never experienced my father taking me aside and telling me something completely personal and eye opening that makes me look at him in a different light. There’s still time for that, but I’m not holding my breath. Maybe my father saved a small village in Vietnam. Who knows? I doubt I will ever find out, because he never talks about those times and never answers my questions. I feel bad that Ka had to find out those things in the story. That being said, it does make for a good story. In a way I feel blessed that I haven’t found out some crazy new information about my father over that past few years. I’ve grown with age to accept who he was and is and how he raised me. His lack of presence actually helped me a lot with the real world realizing that not everything is perfect. People and life can be bitter, but it how you function that matters.

Blue Velvet

For this project I had to read a script of a film I have not seen. This is difficult, because I watch a lot of films. A LOT. However, I have been meaning to see Blue Velvet and this was a great opportunity to not only see the film, but read the script first and then draw up a comic strip of my interpretation. I chose a scene inside Dorothy’s apartment where her and Jeffrey get into a sexual fight, then Frank comes in and Jeffrey hides in the closet. Its a crazy scene, but I hope I tried to do it justice in this Comic Strip. (I am not an artist)

Newsworld

There are quite a few prominent symbols I came across in Newsworld by Todd James Pierce. I think one of the most important ones is nostalgia. This is referenced quite a few times throughout the piece, but also it seems to have different levels that connect with the author and the environment he is displaying for us within this theme park he grew up with. When they go in to the park after it’s closed is when his emotions and nostalgia really come in to play. The story is happening during a time of terror for our country and he’s describing how by walking through the dark wreckage of this closed down park and seeing all the cultural things that have happened in the past for the US, like the San Francisco Earthquake, made him understand the severity of 9/11. This also brought up another symbol, which is the future, or more so questioning the future. By nostalgically clinging to the innocence of his youth, he questions what will happen to them in the future.

Are they going to get drafted? Is life going to be harder and completely different than the past? These are questions we all relate to. I specifically remember feeling the same way after 9/11. I remember the exact place I was when I heard the news and how it affected me and the people I was surrounded by in school. I understand the feelings the author of this piece was feeling. I also was confused, scared, and unsure of how to react. I was a young – not far from the age of this author and when 9/11 struck I clung to the nostalgia of my past and also could help but question everything that was about to happen to us with such a change in my existence.

I think if I were to adopt this story to another medium, as a filmmaker I would make it in to film. I think the film that I would make would be a bit abstract with visuals of what the he describes from the park and what I think of as well. I would combine both renditions of what connects us to that day. I think also maybe a voice over of what he says in the story might be appropriate to add as well.

Technology an Extension of TIME

Recently I had the pleasure of reading Marshall McLuhan and Quentin Fiore, The Medium is the Massage. I decided for my own take from the book to create a page that could be added that brings the topic up to more recent events. I picked time square from the early 1900s to modern Time Square with all the lights and technology. Time Square is and important fixture in American culture and is frequently used in media to show off the success of one of the greatest cities in the US. It think something important that this book points out is remember the connections to the past and connections to subtle things we may not always stop to take notice of in life.

Pride & Prejudice

The most important thing I learned from this book is in the title. It literally spells out exactly what this Jane Austen novel is about. The best scene in the book I can think of is when Mr. Darcy confronts Elizabeth and in a very condescending way, professes his love to her. He insults her at the same time he says he loves her. Elizabeth obviously reacts how any woman would in this situation; she rejects him.

Elizabeth knows by this point of the book that Mr. Darcy has not only done awful things to her good friend Wickham in the past, but also Darcy ruined any chance for her beloved sister Jane to marry Darcy’s best friend Bingley. This is personally my favorite part of the story. I know most people hold on to the end when they put their pride aside and finally admit that they were wrong and both love each other. This is not that sappy. This is right in the middle. This is the action. This is the turning point. She is wrong about Darcy. He isn’t a bad man. Yes he has a lot of pride and a good bit of prejudice mixed in as well, but overall he is a good man and Elizabeth is very similar. Unfortunately for both of them in this moment they get more so caught up in each other flaws, instead of asking important questions and seeing who they really are. That comes later on.

The two lines that pull me in from this particular scene are first when Darcy states, “These offenses might have been overlooked, had not your pride been hurt by my honest confession of the scruples that had long prevented my forming any serious design.” He is talking about how he is offended by Elizabeth’s judgments about his nature. She has every right in this moment to feel the way she does. Darcy did purposefully separate her sister Jane from Bingley. That being said, she is misinformed about Wickham and reacts in defense without really know all sides of the story. This is Elizabeth’s biggest fault.

Elizabeth states, “From the very beginning — from the first moment of my acquaintance with you — your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike.” This is her defense against Darcy. It’s actually funny how they both compliment and insult each other at the same time. This point of the story is where I saw both characters at a peak in their negative qualities, which only then leaves room for them to grow. In this particular part of the story, Elizabeth is only projecting what she thinks Mr. Darcy’s character is like, however she does not really know him well enough to give him such judgments. It’s actually quite hypocritical for her to say this to him, because though she dislikes Darcy for many reasons, she is also extremely attracted to him.

Elizabeth is a strong unique character for her time and Mr. Darcy is a different sort of gentleman I am not familiar with seeing in stories from that time period. I really enjoy the humor in watching these two similar, prideful characters grow into a strong unit of reasonable, understanding people. They are both great people, they just need to put all of their judgments aside and really see each other for who they really are. This book really is an enjoyable, funny look at some interesting characters from that time period. I think it speaks to a lot of women about independence and logic. I will continue reading this book at least once a year as I usually do, because of how unique the story and characters are.

Two Women- Dorothy & Katniss

The two women from literature I will be comparing are Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and Katniss from The Hunger Games. Both women are strong, independent characters. They are not the typical characters I read from young adult book series. I do admit that I am more attracted to learning about Katniss’ character more than Dorothy’s. Dorothy, as young and witty as she may be, is a bit too immature and selfish for my amusement. Katniss desires nothing more than to survive and provide. Her motions are very instinctual. Dorothy makes hasty, thoughtless decisions. The differences in their makeup as characters do not detract from the fact that they are both forced into a similar situation.

The two women are both set out on a path they did not choose to an unknown ending. Dorothy may never make it back home to Kansas and Katniss may not make it through the Hunger Games alive. I also find it interesting that both of these young women aren’t driven by something as silly and emotional, like most young adult series. For instance, in other books like the Twilight Series and Harry Potter, the female leads focus more on romance than defining their own independence.

Katniss is a bit older than Dorothy, but Dorothy can definitely handle the challenges set in her path. Katniss is a bit hesitant in facing complications, but I don’t think it’s because she is fearful, I believe it because she is prideful of herself and uncomfortable in the situations she is placed. Vanity is an unfamiliar thing for both Dorothy and Katniss. They are used to their simple lives in Kansas and District 12. This changes as they go forward in their journeys. They are both faced with situations that forces them to grow and see what jealousy and vanity are and how both are created and manufactured by those in a society who want you to conform to a specific archetype that pleases them.

In Oz, Dorothy learns that the Emerald City is so magnanimous because of the emerald colored glasses the town has locked on their eyes. Katniss learns that in the Capital everything is programmed by whether or not people like you and admires you. They don’t care about whether you live or die, the people of Panem care if they are entertaining enough. Everything must be shiny and bright in Panem. Both young women are not blinded by the tricks of the cities. Their goals for survival are much more important to them. Both women are fighting for their freedom.

Though these books were written over a hundred years apart, the characters of Dorothy and Katniss do have interesting similarities. Regardless of why these stories were created, I think its good for young women to read such characters and learn from them. Katniss is strong in her will and determination for survival. Dorothy is unique in her kindness and acceptance of those around her. Both characters are a positive influence on today’s youth.

Bertolucci

For my auteur assignment I decided to go a bit off the list and rediscover Bernardo Berotlucci. I’ve been a fan of Bertolucci’s films for many years; mostly starting with Stealing Beauty, which I saw when I was about the same age as the main actress Liv Tyler. I was just discovering my adolescence and the movie spoke to me. I remember it guiding me through my teenage years of rebellion and discovery. I decided to re watch that film since I haven’t seen it in about ten years and see if it still holds up from what I remember. I think it’s even better than I originally thought. The music, the dancing, the sex, this film is rich with self-discovery and life.

Bertolucci’s style is all over this film. In particular which I think is a connecting factor to his other films is his decision to let the actors and characters be themselves. It’s like he takes a step back and in a voyeuristic manor watches over the motions of those taking part in the film. I love the party scene. It’s almost Fellini like in the way he just watches what crazy things happen when people let loose. It’s also somewhat controlled though, by looking through the eyes of this one innocent youth who is completely enamored by her surroundings. This can also be said of Michael Pitt’s character in The Dreamers.

In The Dreamers a young man who is studying abroad finds himself joining a strange brother sister duo who are film lovers like he is. They decide to live together like wolves, or artist and only feed off of art and cinema. There’s a lot of silence and voyeurism in this film as well from all of the three. Bertolucci like to put people on edge a bit by showing what typically isn’t expected to be shown, like masturbation of loss of virginity. He takes moments that are private and lets the audience discover what the other characters are discovering at the same time.

In the final film I watched this one is the most popular and talked about film from its era, Last Tango in Paris. Everyone knows this film for its strange butter/sex scene. I watched this film and realized how interesting the relationship is. This girl is still discovering who she is and this man has kind of lost his way, but decides to guide her in some manor. It’s a lot like the other two films in that sense that these characters want to find companionship in each other, but are stilted in some way. Bertolucci likes his audiences to discover things at the pace of the characters. He doesn’t just give it all away in the first 10 minutes. His films are much like and Opera, or a Ballet.

If I had to choose my favorite of the three I watched, I think I would actually still pick Stealing Beauty. This film is so unique and different for its time. Even ten years after I watched it for the first time, I’m still learning more from it. Bertolucci’s style is rare and you can tell that he really loves the films he chooses to make.

Much Ado About Nothing

I recently re-read Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare. This is one of my favorite plays. For a class I am taking, we were asked to make our own adaptation of the play. After thinking about this for a while, I came up with a film idea that I thought would be interesting. I took a scene from Act IV Scene II, the scene with Benedick and Beatrice, and played the characters by my fiancé and my puppy Zelda. I did cut the lines from Beatrice and just added reactions instead. I may change that later, but I am pretty happy with the result. Here is the link to my adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing: