International Film Critique

1.      Title of film:

Princess Mononoke

2.      Year of release:

July 12, 1997

3.      Language of the original film:

Japanese

4.      Director:

Hayao Miyazaki

5.      Actors:

Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson, Minnie Driver, Billy Bob Thornton, Jada Pinkett Smith, Keith David, John DiMaggio, John DeMita, Tara Strong, and Debi Derryberry.

6.      Give a brief plot summary.

The main character Ashitaka was attacked by the great boar spirit Naga. Because of his encounter and fight with Naga Ashitaka was left with a demon mark on his arm. The tribal wise lady told him that he would die no matter what. She then told him it would be best to leave the village and never return. Ashitaka then leaves on a journey in order to find the spirit of the forest. He hopes that the spirit of the forest who takes life and gives life will know what he should do with the rest of his life. On his way to find the forest spirit Ashitaka encounters a town called Iron Town. In this town he meets the leader named Lady Eboshi. Lady Eboshi has created Iron Town when no one else wanted it and turned it into a productive iron smith. By doing this the emperor becomes envious of the iron and sends and attack raid to destroy Iron Town. Lady Eboshi isn’t worried about the empire that wants her iron, she is only worried about the forest gods that are attacking Iron Town. Princess Mononoke (San) has declaired she is going to kill Lady Eboshi for destroying the forest. During this time the Boar tribe decide they are going to attack Iron town in an attempt to stop them from destroying the forest. The residents of Iron town defeat the Boar tribe and use their skins to convince their blind leader to lead them to the forest spirit. One he leads them there Lady Eboshi decapitates the forest spirit that then turns into a black mass that kills anything it touches in an attempt to get its head back. After following Lady Eboshi San and Ashitaka are able to stop her and give the forest spirit its head back. The forest spirit then heals Ashitaka and the forest returns to life.

7.      Analyze the social and philosophical issues the film addresses. Make sure you include the point of view of the movie, the context of the movie, what audience the movie is targeting, and why.

The big issue that the movie addresses is the relationship between nature and humans. The humans of Iron Town want to chop down trees to heat the forges to forge their iron while the spirit gods of the forest are trying to drive them away and rebuild the forest. The Ape tribe wants to eat the humans so they can plant more trees and rebuild the forest. The Wolf tribe wants to kill Lady Eboshi. Also the Boar tribe wants them gone and wants to attack Iron Town in an attempt to drive them away. The humans want to destroy the spirit of the forest so that the spirit gods will become regular animals and leave them alone as they mine their iron. An even bigger problem is that the guns that Lady Eboshi and her town use in order to fight the animals leave the bullets in the spirit gods and turn them into demons. The demons don’t care about anything and have super strength and want to kill everything they come across. It was because of this that Naga was turned into a demon and attacked Ashitaka’s town. This lead to him receiving super demon strength. Ashitaka used this super demon strength to become the mediator between the humans and the spirit gods. When San came to Iron Town to kill Lady Eboshi, he stopped their fight and brought San to safety. Ashitaka came to take the stand where he believes that the humans and the forest gods could live together in harmony. Throughout the course of the movie he is constantly trying to convince both the humans and the spirit gods to live together instead of fighting. This theme of humans and nature living together in harmony is the main theme of the movie. From this we can learn that it is possible to have humans and the land live together if neither tries to destroy the other. There are also other sub themes such as the dangers of greediness. Jigo, who is a monk, is working with Lady Eboshi in order to kill the forest spirit so that he can bring the head to the Emperor. He does this because the Emperor promises a mountain of gold to anyone who can make him live forever. He also believe that the spirit of the forest’s head can make you live forever because it is the god of life and death. For this reason Jigo decides that he is going to help Lady Eboshi kill the spirit of the forest and get its head to receive a mountain of gold from the Emperor. He doesn’t care that taking the spirit of the forest’s head will turn it into a wrathful god that kills everything until it gets its head back and that the forest will die without it. It was only Ashitaka and San who catch him and force him to give the head back that makes him finally see that what he did was wrong. This is important because it teaches us to not be greedy or it could lead to the death of many innocent people and to nature. We have to learn from Jigo’s mistakes and not make them ourselves.

8.      What is your response to the message of the film? Why do you respond this way?

My response the message of this film was that I agreed with it. I think that humans and nature can live together in harmony. They just have to try to get along with each other. The biggest problem in this relationship is the humans.  The biggest problem is that the humans are destroying the forest which is the animal’s home. The animals fight back in order to protect their home but this just makes the humans even angrier and then they retaliate and kill the animals. I think that the animals and nature could give up some land to the humans and in return the humans not destroy the forest and kill the animals. I find that if humans and nature work together they can not only not destroy each other but bring out the best of each other. Humans can use their knowledge in order to help heal plants and animals and make them grow better. Nature and animals can provide good and healthy food sources for humans along with giving them a wonderful place to live, explore, and enjoy. Together humans and nature can live in a mutually beneficial relationship. As for the greed portion of the film I think that no one should be greedy. Greed always makes me think of the capitol in the Hunger Games. It makes me think how they would greedily horde all of the riches and food for themselves and make the districts live in terrible conditions, practically as slaves barely surviving off of their meager earnings.

9.      What cultural differences did you notice about the film?

I noticed that there were a lot of cultural differences from our movies. Even from the beginning the outfits and building that they live in are far different from any American clothing or dwellings. They often wear a lot more layers of clothing than we ever have here. They also use face masks pretty often when I can’t think of any Americans who cover their faces with masks. The buildings were primitive, wooden, and tall. While the movie was set in an old time period the buildings still were far different from any American buildings. As the movie progresses you also saw them eating Japanese food and it is different from any American food. They also used chop sticks which is a very Asian chose of utensil. Another big difference from American films that I noticed was the amount of violence that it had. There was a lot of decapitation and chopping off of limbs in the movie that I don’t think would be allowed in American movies unless there was a higher rating on the movie. Another difference that I found was that women had many positions of leadership in this movie. In an American film this would be very rare or nonexistent because America is a male dominated society. I am not sure if all Japanese movies portray women in a position of power or if it was just that one. I found that the Japanese have a very different set of customs and values that they put into their movies than what we put into our movies.

10.  What techniques did the filmmaker use that were different from what you see in the films you normally watch?

The techniques used in this movie were very different from those of usual American movies especially since it was an anime. Even compared to American cartoons it was very different. In the anime the screen moves a lot different from how I was used to and it took some time to get adjusted to. There would often be sections were the screen would look around like a giant panorama. It would also do these crazy zooms that look weird and took time to get used to. The anime was also very fast and sometimes hard to follow. It was also interesting to see the difference in an anime in comparison to a cartoon. In anime there was a lot more attention to detail. There were complex light patterns that came into play along with shadows of trees that wouldn’t be added in a cartoon because it would have been a lot of work for pretty much nothing. It was interesting to see how all of these details and light patterns were added with such intricacy while in an American cartoon they wouldn’t even be there.

11.  Why do you think I assign a foreign film?

I think that you had us watch foreign films in order to further understand other cultures. By having us watch other cultures movies it exposes us to how they think in their daily lives and they customs that they have. This is probably one of the best ways to study the humanities because it can easily show a people’s beliefs including during different time periods by older or newer movies.

A: What a Billionaire Should Give

What Should a Billionaire Give?

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Peter Singer in his work What Should a Billionaire Give is that some people live in immense wealth while others fight to survive on very little money. More specifically Singer suggests that the rich should give more money because they have much more than they need. He writes, “Philanthropy on this scale raises many ethical questions: Why are the people who are giving doing so? Does it do any good? Should we praise them for giving so much or criticize them for not giving still more? Pg. 805. In this passage, Singer is suggesting that while very rich philanthropists are donating lots of money they might not be donating enough. In conclusion, it is Singer’s belief that while rich philanthropists donate a lot of money by other’s standards, but that doesn’t mean that they are donating enough because they have so much more than everyone else.

Planning Your Own Argument

            In my view, Singer is right because I believe that some people shouldn’t own many mansions and private jets and all these toys when there are people who are starving to death and could have been saved by the money spent of the toys. For example, in the Hunger Games the residence live in wealth and comfort while the residents of the districts are barely surviving on their small amounts of food that they work all day to get. Although Singer might object that we can necessarily tell the people with all the money what to do, I maintain that what they are doing is just as cruel as what the capitol does to the districts in the Hunger Games. Therefore, I conclude that the rich should share a lot more of their wealth than they do.

Cultural Activity #3: Music/Theater

Cultural Activity #3: Music/Theater

1. What musical event did you attend? (provide the location, name of musicians, titles of songs)

I went to the Utah Musical Symphony group. The concert was on November 29, 2011. It was located at Murray High School in the auditorium. The director’s name was Vladimir Kulenovic.

2. Give a summary or description of the work you heard. (at least 150 words)

The director was very informing about the beat of the music. He had the audience listen to the temp of the music and try to understand the different times the kept the music. He talked about the difference of 4/4 time and ¾ time along with the difference of 5/8 time. The director also had the audience listen to the quick tempos that we heard in the song Shostakovich symphony number five. He had us note the much faster paced tempo in comparison to the slower tempo in Beethoven’s symphony number eight. He also had us pay attention to the changing tempos in Shostakovich’s symphony number five. He noted that the tempo switches from Duplo time to 5/8 time. The was all very entertaining to listen to since I have a background knowledge of music from the three years that I was in band which made me know what the different times meant and know what to look for in changing times and tempos.

3. Would you say that this was a poor/fair/good/high quality performance? Why? Justify your answer. Did you notice any mistakes or other problems that detracted from the performance? (150 words)

I would say the performance was a high quality performance. You could tell that the performers were very professional by the attire they wore i.e. suits for the men and dresses for the women. Also by the way that they that they sat with correct posture and behaved very professional. I have seen them once before at Abravanel Hall. I think that the performance was a little better in Abravanel Hall because of the better acoustics and fancier atmosphere but they still did a fabulous job at Murray High School. The only thing that really detracted from the performance was the high school students that were talking during the course of the performance. Their talking would interrupt the music and detract from its greatness. I never heard any mistakes from the performers and you could tell that they practice all the time. Even the solos didn’t have any mistakes which is even harder to do because you are singled out and makes you more likely to make a mistake.

4. What did you find out about the background of the works, composers, artists, or others connected to this production? (100 words)

I found out that the symphony was founded in 1940. The symphony performs worldwide and plays songs from artists such as Adams, Beethoven, Schumann, Mozart, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Walton, and many others. All the works performed by the Utah Symphony are considered to be great American works. Abravanel Hall, which they perform in, is considered to be one of the world’s greatest concert halls. Abravanel Hall has won awards for superb architecture and extraordinary acoustics. The Symphony also participates in Utah’s annual productions at the Salt Lake Capitol Theater. Funding from the state makes it possible for the Symphony to perform for over 55,000 students every years all throughout the state.

5. What was your personal reaction to this performance? (250 words)

I thought that this was a great performance by the Utah Symphony. They were very professional and they sounded really good. I really liked being able to relate to the Symphony. I played trumpet in band for three years and I really enjoyed listening to the trumpets perform in the Symphony. I really liked the song where the trumpets had some solo time and I was able to listen to them and how they were able to hit notes with perfect pitch that were really high with ease. This was incredible some to the notes they were playing I am pretty sure that they couldn’t even hit those notes let alone be able to play them with perfection and ease. All of the performers were seasoned and never made a mistake as far as I could tell. I also loved to be able to recall old memories of being in band. I was able to think about the different times and tempos that our music was set to because the director singled out the time and tempo to the audience. This performance made me think of some of my favorite songs from band such as magma, phantom of the opera, crazy train, Ventura Avenue, Del Toro, and many other great songs. One of the songs that were performed reminded me of part of the song Imperial March from Star Wars. I also was wondering why the Symphony was playing for high schools because they needed to be able to afford travel and other expenses but then when I looked them up online I found out that the government pays them to go and play for the high schools which I thought was cool.

6. Would you recommend this performance or musical group to others? Why or Why not? (100 words)

I would recommend this performance for others to listen to. They did a great job with their performance and I think that anyone who enjoys music would enjoy this performance. I especially would suggest this to anyone in band or music classes because they talk about music terms and they play songs from great American classics such as Adams, Beethoven, Schumann, Mozart, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Walton, and many others. Another reason that I would recommend the Utah Symphony is because they were really good at the songs they performed. They had obviously practiced for many hours and knew the songs very well.

7. Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or why not? (100 words)

I would enjoy attending this type of even again. I would like to because I could hear more of their songs. I would be able to see more of their songs that they didn’t play for the high school because of their lack of time during the assembly. I would enjoy being able to listen to the extreme skill of the artists in their works. It is always fun to be able to see others share their talents with others for their enjoyment. This is part of why I love photography because I can share my views and art with the world. The Symphony was just artists of music instead of light.

Art Project

In our individual art projects we had to have some kind of art which related to one of our readings. I choose the reading "Walden Pond" by Henry David Thoraeu. My picture related to this reading by the lone leaf that stands out among the others. The was this relates to the text is that Thoreau encourages everyone to stand up and think as an individual. He especially says this in regards to the governments actions such as the slavery of African Americans.

Individual PowerPoint

That D@mned Fence

That D@mned Fence

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Anonymous in his work That D@mned Fence is that the person thinks that it is ridiculous that they are put behind a fence for security reasons. More specifically Anonymous suggests that they were placed behind the fence for crimes they didn’t commit. He writes, “To keep us penned up behind that d@mned fence, is someone’s notion of national defense!” Pg. 745. In this passage, Anonymous is suggesting that just because someone thought that the Japanese Americans were a threat to national defense they were locked up behind a fence. In conclusion, it is Anonymous’s belief that it wasn’t their fault that they were locked up behind the fence and they don’t deserve to be.

Planning Your Own Argument

            In my view, Anonymous is right because the Japanese Americans didn’t deserve to be locked up behind a fence. For example, this is similar to how the Jews were locked up and put in concentration camps in World War II. Although Anonymous might object that it wasn’t quite as bad as it was with the Jews, I maintain that the taking away of freedom is bad no matter what. Therefore, I conclude that the Japanese Americans were treated like the Jews were during World War II.

To the Lady

To the Lady

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Mitsuye Yamada in her work To the Lady is that she should have done something about being brought to an internment camps. More specifically Yamada suggests that if she would have made some attempt to refuse going to an internment camp then someone would have done something about it. She writes, “Should’ve screamed bloody murder like Kitty Genovese then YOU would’ve come to my aid in shining armor.” Pg. 744. In this passage, Yamada is suggesting that it was her fault that she was sent to an internment camp because she didn’t protest it. In conclusion, it is Yamada’s belief that because they didn’t draw the line anywhere, all were punished.

Planning Your Own Argument

             In my view, Yamada is right because no one could expect something to be done about something that no one has rebelled against or rejected. For example, Yamada could have done any of the things that she suggested in her poem to take a stand against being sent to an internment camp. Therefore, I conclude that people need to take a stand for what they believe in and make sure that what they want is known to others so they don’t miss out on what they want.

Citizen 13660

From Citizen 13660

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Mine Okubo in her work From Citizen 13660 is that the Nisei didn’t think that they would be sent to internment camps. More specifically Okubo suggests that she was very surprised that she was sent to an internment camp when she was a US citizen. She writes, “It was a real blow when everyone, regardless of citizenship, was ordered to evacuate.” Pg. 748. In this passage, Okubo is suggesting that all the Japanese Americans were resenting there relocation and the lack of privacy and poor treatment they received. In conclusion, it is Okubo’s belief that the Japanese Americans shouldn’t have been relocated if they were citizens of the United States.

Planning Your Own Argument

            In my view, Okubo is wrong because the government relocated them not only for national defense but also for their own protection from angry US citizens. For example, there were many US citizens who attacked Japanese Americans because of the attack on Pear Harbor.. Although Okubo might object that they had no right to relocate them, I maintain that they were trying to do what was best for the Japanese Americans and the Nation. Therefore, I conclude that while the government should have thought of a better plan to protect the nation and the Japanese Americans, they did the best they could.

Kenji

Kenji

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Mike Shinoda in his work Kenji is that the Japanese immigrants were sent to internment camps because of Pearl Harbor. More specifically Shinoda suggests that Kenji and his family were unjustly sent to the internment camps and that they were sent there because of Americas fear of Japanese spies. He writes, “You have to come. All of the Japanese have to go.” Pg. 746. In this passage, Shinoda is suggesting that it didn’t matter to the United States whether or not the Japanese were innocent or not just that they were all sent to internment camps. In conclusion, it is Shinoda’s belief that Kenji and his family shouldn’t have had to go to the internment camps because they didn’t do anything wrong.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, Shinoda is wrong because the Japanese weren’t sent to the internment camps just for the fear of spies but for their own safety from other hate filled citizens that would have attacked them. For example, the people who vandalized Kenji’s house and said that Japanese aren’t welcome here. Although Shinoda might object that it was all just prejudice and hatred for the Japanese, I maintain that the internment camps were also for the Japanese’s safety. Therefore, I conclude that the Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps to prevent spies as well as to keep them safe from angry citizens.

In Response to Executive Order No.9066

In Response to Executive Order 9066

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Dwight Okita in his work In Response to Executive Order 9066 is that even though she had a Japanese origin she was very American. More specifically Okita suggests that her best friend Denise started to hate her because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He writes, “I gave her a packet of tomato seeds and asked her to plant them for me, told her when the first tomato ripened she’d miss me.” p.743. In this passage, Okita is suggesting that many Americans made rash judgments on all Japanese Americans just because of the bombing even though they didn’t know what to do. In conclusion, it is Okita’s belief that the Executive Order 9066 was a rash punishment that was unfairly given to Japanese Americans.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, Okita is wrong because Japanese Americans were sent to camps to protect them from other people’s reactions to Pearl Harbor just as much or more than to stop spies from providing information. For example, in In Response to Executive Order 9066 Denise started to be hostile towards the little girl because of the events at Pearl Harbor. Although Okita might object that Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps because of racial prejudice, I maintain that It was mostly for their protection. Therefore, I conclude that while Japanese internment camps weren’t the correct solution they we’re just because of racial prejudice.

Executive Order No. 9066

Executive Order No.9066

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by President Roosevelt in his work Executive Order No.9066 is that the Secretary of War and the U. S. armed forces were authorized to be able to declare areas of the U.S. as military areas. More specifically President Roosevelt suggests that certain groups or people may be excluded from this. He writes, “I hereby further authorize and direct the Secretary of War and the Military Commanders to take such other steps as he or the appropriate Military commander may deem advisable to enforce compliance with the restrictions applicable to each Military area.” Pg. 741. In this passage, President Roosevelt is suggesting that everyone is to follow the instruction of the military commanding officers without any repercussions. In conclusion, it is President Roosevelt’s belief that the military has every right to quarantine the Japanese Americans.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, President Roosevelt is right because he did this to protect the Japanese citizens. For example, if he had left the Japanese Americans then they would have been persecuted because of the happenings at Pearl Harbor. Although President Roosevelt might object that it wasn’t for their safety that it was for ours, I maintain that it was for our own safety. Therefore, I conclude that was beneficial to both the Japanese Americans and our own.

Favorite Poem Project for Freedom and Responsibility

Let America Be America Again
by Langston Hughes
Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.) Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed-- Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. (It never was America to me.) O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe. (There's never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.") Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark? And who are you that draws your veil across the stars? I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek-- And finding only the same old stupid plan Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak. I am the young man, full of strength and hope, Tangled in that ancient endless chain Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land! Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need! Of work the men! Of take the pay! Of owning everything for one's own greed! I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean-- Hungry yet today despite the dream. Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers! I am the man who never got ahead, The poorest worker bartered through the years. Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream In the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true, That even yet its mighty daring sings In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned That's made America the land it has become. O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas In search of what I meant to be my home-- For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore, And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea, And torn from Black Africa's strand I came To build a "homeland of the free." The free? Who said the free? Not me? Surely not me? The millions on relief today? The millions shot down when we strike? The millions who have nothing for our pay? For all the dreams we've dreamed And all the songs we've sung And all the hopes we've held And all the flags we've hung, The millions who have nothing for our pay-- Except the dream that's almost dead today. O, let America be America again-- The land that never has been yet-- And yet must be--the land where every man is free. The land that's mine--the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME-- Who made America, Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain, Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain, Must bring back our mighty dream again. Sure, call me any ugly name you choose-- The steel of freedom does not stain. From those who live like leeches on the people's lives, We must take back our land again, America! O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath-- America will be! Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death, The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies, We, the people, must redeem The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers. The mountains and the endless plain-- All, all the stretch of these great green states-- And make America again!        I chose this poem because I thought it was interesting how Houghes said that America wasn't a land of freedom and liberty as it calims that it is. He related to all of the groups of people that have been discriminated and beaten down by the American "dog eat dog" plan. He says that he never felt like America was America. This is a really interesting statement in which he is implying that American doesn't stand up for the ideals that it represents.

The Four Freedoms

The Four Freedoms

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his work the Four Freedoms is that every person and nation has specific rights that they are entitled to. More specifically Roosevelt suggests that the basic four freedoms are the freedom to fear, the freedom of speech, the freedom to worship, and the freedom to want. He writes, “The first is freedom of speech and expression – everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way – everywhere in the word. The third is freedom of want... - everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear… - anywhere in the world.” p.738. In this passage, Roosevelt is suggesting that these four freedoms should be given to everyone no matter where they live or who they are. In conclusion, it is Roosevelt’s belief that people are being oppressed and that they deserve to have freedoms no matter what.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, Roosevelt is right because everyone deserves freedom. For example, in the book 1984 the people who lived in the party weren’t granted any of the freedoms that Roosevelt described and the effect was that everyone was miserable. Therefore, I conclude that every person deserves to have freedoms and rights in order to live a happy and productive life.

Looking for My Prince Charming

Prince Charming

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Shalmali Pal in her work Looking for My Prince Charming is that it is stressful to find a mate especially in the arranged marriages of India. More specifically Pal suggests that she should be able to have the best of the three men that she dated. She writes, “If I could take elements of my three suitors and fuse them together, maybe I would have the perfect man. I could just relax while genetic engineering caught up with my needs.” p. 545. In this passage, Pal is suggesting that finding the perfect man is too much work and she wishes she could custom make one. In conclusion, it is Pal’s belief that finding a mate is very difficult.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, Pal is right because it is hard to find the perfect person. For example, in the Hunger Games Katniss has a hard time finding the perfect man because she is torn between Peta and Gale. She also doesn’t want to love because she doesn’t want to raise kids in such a cruel work as that of Panem. Although Pal might object that Katniss has it easy because she has not one but two eligible men, I maintain that true love is hard to find because even though she has multiple options this still complicates the decision of who she likes. Therefore, I conclude that finding the perfect person is a difficult thing to do.

Media Portrayal of Men

Media Portrayal of Men

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by the Media Awareness Network in their work Media Portrayal of Men is that the media is telling people that it is important for a man to be masculine and to follow their standards of what it means to be masculine. More specifically the Media Awareness Network suggests that strong, smart, and while males are the definition of masculinity. They write, “Such magazines still rely on stereotypical portrayals of men and masculinity, featuring handsome, white, well built, and well-dressed men.” p. 539. In this passage, the Media Awareness Network is suggesting that the media says if you aren’t “handsome, white, well built, and well dressed, then you aren’t masculine. In conclusion, it is the Media Awareness Network’s belief that the media makes you think you have to do what they say to be masculine.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, the Media Awareness Network is right because the media has taken over and it is what people look to in order to find the standards of our time. For example, the media has set a unobtainable standard of beauty by making all of the models on ads and movies dressed up and photoshoped to make them impossibly perfect. Because of this the media continues to set standards that shouldn’t be true but they have influenced them. Therefore, I conclude that you don’t have to follow the media’s standards to be masculine.

Male Privilege Checklist

Male Privilege Checklist

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Peggy McIntosh in her work The Male Privilege Checklist is that men have advantages over women that are unwritten. More specifically McIntosh suggests that men do suffer too, but that women get the worst of it. She writes, “Pointing out that men are privileged in no way denies that bad things happen to men.” p. 367. In this passage, McIntosh is suggesting that men have a lot of unwritten advantages over women even though they do still have hardships. In conclusion, it is McIntosh’s belief that men have a male privilege checklist that gives them advantages over women.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, McIntosh is wrong because while some of those this are partially true she is stretching thing to make it seem like women are discriminated against. For example, women have not been involved in the work force until recently and during this time their number of employment has grown rapidly. It always seems like every minority uses the fact that they are a minority to blame the majority of the population for their misfortunes. Although McIntosh might object that women actually are oppressed against, I maintain that they are not. Therefore, I conclude that men and women have an equal “privilege checklist”.

Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by David Osborne in his/her work Cult of Fatherhood is that it is very difficult to be a full-time parent and be able to work a full-time job at the same time. More specifically Osborne suggests that women who stay home and raise children and take care of the house are very hard working and should be awarded for their hard work. He writes, “I’m ready to pin medals on women who stay home every day with their kids.” In this passage, Osborne is suggesting that every woman should be awarded medals for their work. In conclusion, it is Osborne’s belief that it is a very difficult task to work full-time and to be a parent full-time at the same time.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, Osborne is right because I know that it would be hard to work a full-time job and take care of children at the same time. For example, this reminded me of the movie raising Helen where both of the parents die and the aunt has to have a job and raise the kids by herself. Therefore, I conclude that having a full-time job and working full-time at the same time would be very difficult and almost impossible.

Civil Disobedience

Civil Disobedience Questions

1. Think about what a “citizen” is. How would you define a “good citizen” of the United States? How does Thoreau define a good citizen?

I would define a good citizen as someone who does the best they can in order to serve their country and help it progress. Thoreau would define a good citizen as a person who will stand up to the government and fight unjust laws that they pass.

2. MLK, like Thoreau, says we have a “moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws” and Gandhi says that resistance to such laws is a “sacred duty.” What is an unjust law? How can one show respect for law even while breaking it? What if everyone acted according to their conscience?

An unjust law is a law that oppresses, or unequally effects people and miss treats them. You can show respect for the law by still following it but disobeying its principle. If everyone acted according to their consciences then we would have a lot of people that are protesting for just about everything.

3. Is dissent patriotic? Is it moral? Is it Christian? Is it American?

A dissent is patriotic, it is moral, it is Christian, and it is American. Having an opinion different from your predecessors doesn’t mean that you are not of the same affiliation as them.

4. Is it true that the mass of men serve the state as machines? That they do not use their own minds, their own consciences? What does the state do to the people who follow their conscience?

I think that it is true that the mass of men serve the state as machines. They often do not think for themselves and just follow what the majority of people in what they decide. The state often doesn’t like those who follow their conscience because it is against what they are saying and so they try to stop their progression.

5. Should we, as citizens, trust statesmen and legislators to tell us what is in the best interests of the state? Should, for instance, statesmen be allowed to define “patriotism”? or “good citizen”? or “justice”? or proper “morality”?

We as citizens should be wary of statesmen and legislators because even though we would like to think that none of them are corrupt, the truth is that we have to be wary of everyone because if we are ignorant then we won’t know if they are cheating us of what we rightfully deserve. Statesmen shouldn’t be allowed to define patriotism, good citizen, justice, or proper morality because if they were to define it then they could twist the definition in order to fulfill their own purposes.

6. What is Thoreau’s opinion on wealth and consumption? Why does he say that the rich are less likely to practice civil disobedience? Why do issues of economic class figure so centrally in the works or Thoreau, Gandhi, and King?

Thoreau’s opinion on wealth and consumption is that he believes that no one should use material good but should only use things that they themselves make and that they shouldn’t seek after material things. He says that the rich are less likely to use civil disobedience because they aren’t oppressed like the poor because they are the ones in charge. Economic class figures into Thoreau’s, Gandhi’s, and King’s works because they affect the principles that they are fighting or arguing for.

7. Martin Luther King, Jr. says “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor.” Why?

This is because those who oppress are intentionally taking freedom from those that they oppress. It would be a paradox if an oppressor intentionally gave freedom.

8. What happens when the government grows so large and powerful that it can no longer be resisted effectively? Are we then still “free”? What does Thoreau say we should do? What happens when the state (i.e. government) goes right up to our income and takes the taxes out before we see them? How then can we resist the actions of that government? What defines a “free” state?

When a government grows so large and powerful that it can no longer be resisted effectively it becomes a totalitarian style of government. When the government takes the taxes before we have them it takes away our free agency and makes the government oppressive. The only way to resist the actions of that kind of government would be to defy the government itself. A free state is a state that is one where the people decide what they are going to do and not be told what to do by the government.

9. King’s public “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (April 16, 1963) is written in opposition to a specific opinion piece signed by eight clergymen and published in the Birmingham News. How does King dismantle the argument the clergymen and others have made about “outside agitation?” What four steps does King say are necessary in every nonviolent campaign? How does he say that his followers and allies have carried out these steps in seeking to achieve racial justice in Birmingham? According to King, what is the immediate purpose of direct, nonviolent action?

King says that those that are oppressed have every right to practice civil disobedience especially through nonviolent action. His four necessary steps to a nonviolent campaign are the collection of facts to determine if there is injustice, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action. He says that he and his followers have demonstrated the fact that there is injustice and have tried to negotiate with the majority. They have also taken action and shown nonviolent protest.

10. What should be done with people-preachers, iconoclasts, educators, and anyone else- who seemingly undermine the values of the society where they live as Thoreau was doing in New England, or Martin Luther King in the South? What seems to be the proper relation between the individual and the community and between the local community and society in the broader sense? Consider Kay Anderson’s attempt to stop Michael Moore from speaking at UVSC a couple of years ago because “this man does not represent the values of this community.”

They should be left alone because it is a right to have the freedom of speech. The proper relation between the individual and the community and society is that the individual should be involved in the community and individuals as a collective form society. I find it ridiculous that Kay Anderson tried to stop Michael Moore from speaking at UVSC because he “does not represent the values of this community.” Everyone has the freedom of speech and should be allowed to say what they want. Just because she doesn’t agree with his views doesn’t mean others in the community don’t.

Langston Hughes Poems

Selected Poems

Analyzing a Written Argument

The general argument made by Langston Hughes in his work Selected Poems is that he hopes that Gandhi will be able to help Great Britain and the United States to stop being opressors. More specifically Hughes suggests that Gandhi’s actions can stand as an example for the US and Great Britain to follow. He writes, “Mighty Britain, tremble! Let your empire’s standard sway lest it break entirely Mr. Gandhi fasts today.” In this passage, Hughes is suggesting that Gandhi’s actions could help to influence the world and make it better. In conclusion, it is Hughes’s belief that Great Britain and the United States can overcome being opressors.

Planning Your Own Argument

In my view, Hughes is right because it is through influential people such as Gandhi that great change happens. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr. was able to us nonviolent protest to fight for civil justice just as Gandhi did before him. Therefore, I conclude that With great and influential leaders great and wonderful change can occur.

Cultural Activity #2 Music or Theater

Event Critique - Drama

1. What play or musical did you attend?

I attended the musical performance Fiesta Latina on board the Carnival cruise ship Splendor. The name of the company wasn’t given they were the performers that preformed every show on the Splendor.

2. Give a summary or description of the play you saw.

Fiesta Latina is full of Caribbean and Latin American sounds with artists such as the Mambo Kings, Gloria Estefan, and many others. Some of the songs were Lucy don’t touch the banana and Hey Mambo. The dancers wore many colorful costumes with many different costumes in each song and many different songs. The musical performance displayed an array of diverse cultural songs and artists with fast paced beats and crazy dancing to each song. The musical performance followed a blond girl through many dances and I think her name is Lucy because it seemed like they were trying to make her Lucy in the song Lucy don’t touch the banana. There was no dialogue in the show so everything is speculation about the dancing and lyrics to the songs. The show had many special effects and lighting techniques such as a laser show that would go off every now and then.

3. In 250 words, discuss the quality of the performance.

The performance was very good quality. You could tell that they had practiced the performance for a long time because they didn’t mess up and they all knew what they were doing. They probably have done that same performance every week for the last six months because that is how long each employee works on board the cruise ship at a time. There was a lot of time and thought put into the costumes that they wore because they were very elaborate and there were many different costumes that many different performers used during the course of the performance. There were elaborate light shows that went on during the course of the performance as well. There was a laser show that would go off during the middle of several of the dances. The performers were very good at their intricate dances that they performed impeccably. They all danced synchronized together and to the music and but on a great display that showed that they knew the show. The lead singer lady was in many of the songs that they danced to and she was very good at singing. She had a large vocal range that when really high and she danced while she sang the songs. There were some songs where most of the performers would leave the stage and only two would remain and they would dance duets together. They also were very good at their dancing and implemented a lot more crazy dance moves like lifting each other.

4. In 250 words discuss the social and philosophical issue the play addressed and indicate what answers/conclusions were reached.

This musical performance didn’t have any social or philosophical issue in it. The musical performance was all about experiencing the Latino culture through the music and dancing that happened in the show. The music was specifically selected because of its Latino origin and was used for the performance to make it culturally representing. These songs were the base for the dances that were choreographed to further show of the Latino culture through this musical performance. The dances ranged from salsa to mambos and showed an array of different dances that the Latinos dance because of their culture. Their dress also showed off their culture and what it would be like if you were to see an original Latino cultural dance performance. The dancers that were actually singing the songs also added to the experience by making it more authentic. The songs that they sang were written by Latino artists such as Gloria Estefan and the Mambo Kings. The one thing that might have even been considered a social issue with this musical performance would have been the fact that the performers who were in this performance were not actually Latino themselves. I found this rather ironic and weird because it seems like they should have been since it was supposed to be a Latino cultural show.

5. If this was a musical or opera, discuss the role the music played in the work.

In this musical performance the music was what made the entire show possible. Without the music the dancers would have had nothing to set a tempo and rhythm off of. It also was a big part of what made Fiesta Latina a cultural event. There were cultural songs and artists that sang the songs. Some of the songs were Lucy Don’t Touch the Banana and Hey Mambo with artists such as Gloria Estefan, Mambo Kings, and others. It was the music which drove the entire performance without it, it would have been a lot of people in cultural outfits dancing off been and probably out of sync with one another and it would have been kind of awkward.

6. What did you find out about the background of the work or playwright?

I found out that this musical performance has been being performed on the Carnival Splendor since 2008. I also found out that the Splendor and therefore the play were played in London, Dover, Civitavecchia, the Mediterranean, Grease, Turkey, and Florida before it came to the Mexican Riviera were I watched it. I also found that there was a performance at the white house for president Obama that was called Fiesta Latina, but I don’t know if it was the same musical performance or if it was a different one than the one that I saw.

7. Would you recommend this performance to others? Why or why not?

I would recommend this performance to those who like dancing and music. It was full of dancing, music, lighting effects, and a Latino cultural style to it all. I think that it really would come down to personal preference on whether or not one would like this performance. There were aspects of this musical performance that I didn’t like but that others might think make the performance even better. I thought that the actors should have fitted that Latino aspect of the performance and that they shouldn’t have added islander part that seemed unrelated to the theme.

8. What was your personal reaction to this performance? Would you enjoy attending this type of performance again? Why or why not?

I personally thought that the musical performance was weird. It was called Fiesta Latina yet the main singer, dancer lady was white, white with straw blonde hair. The other actors in the musical performance also weren’t Latino which I thought detracted from the supposed theme that the title suggested. I thought that I would like the performance because I have gone to many Murray High School Dance Company performances and I thought that they were great. I thought that this would be similar, but I didn’t like it near as much as our dance company’s performances.

Fire Runs Through My Body

Fire runs through my body the pain of loving you.
Pain runs through my body with the fires of my love for you.
Sickness wanders my body with my love for you.
Pain like a boil about to burst with my love for you.
Consumed by fire with my love for you.
I remember what you said to me.
I am thinking of your love for me.
I am torn by your love for me. Pain and more pain.
Where are you going with my love?
I'm told you will go from here.
I am told you will leave me here.
My body is numb with grief.
Remember what I've said, my love.
Goodbye, my love, goodbye.

Connection: This makes me think of when Roran is forced to leave Katrina behind in the book Brisinger. He loves her very much and is very reluctant to go but he knows that he has to leave to help the Varden over through the Empire so that he can raise his family in peace.

Art Museum

Event Critique – Art

1. Which museum did you visit?

I attended the University Of Utah Museum Of Fine Arts.

2. Describe at least one of the broad collections on a theme, period, geographic region, or topic within the museum.

One of the broad collections in the museum was called color. The collection had a wide variety of pieces from all over the world. The collection, using color, connects different time periods and cultures of the world. This collection has works by artists such as Robert Motherwell, Alex Katz, Anna Campbell Bliss, and others. The collection includes a “create your own color composition” collage wall. It lets you experiment with what colors and compositions of colors look good together. The collection focuses on the effect that color plays in art. I really liked the sun painting that was in this collection. It emphasized how color can change the feel of a painting. It contrasted the warm symbol of a sun to the cool colors of blue and orange and a frowning face. Another piece that I liked from this collection was called Jumping Salmon and it had two orange/yellow streaks over a patterned blue background. I liked the complementary color scheme of the painting and the interesting background design. The title also added to the painting making the orange/yellow streaks come to life.

3. Give a brief, one paragraph description of a special exhibit.

The special exhibit at the museum was the works of LeConte Stewart. Stewart is known for his realistic rural and urban landscape paintings. He work was also greatly inspired by the Great Depression. LeConte Stewart is known to be the soul of rural Utah because of his paintings. He says, “Painting is more than expressing the appearance of things; it is expressing the spirit of things.” In a majority of his works, Stewart, painted farms, barns, fields, and other rural landscape paintings. He found the essence of the land in desolate locations across Utah. He is simpered by these locations because they have been solace to him throughout his life.

4. What kind of information is provided about the works? Tell me three places you might find more detailed information that doesn’t include the web.

There are detailed plaques that are next to the paintings and there are little brochures that give information about the works and their authors. The curator told us that the best places to get information about the works besides from the web is the detailed plaques on the wall next to it, from the curators, or from a library.

5. Choose several works that particularly appealed to you. Explain why you were drawn to these works. Comment on the subject, style, medium, time period, ect. Who were the artists?

My favorite piece at the museum was the wooden horse. I really liked how it looked a lot like a horse and it was make out of just sticks. It gave the piece a very unique feel to it. I also liked that the horse was full size that added to how awesome it was. The horse made me think of Shadowfax who is Gandalf’s horse in Lord of the Rings. I liked how all of the sticks that made up the horse were very smooth which gave the horse texture and more realism. The medium of the horse is three dimensional art. My next favorite piece at the museum was the picture of the two skeletons with heart bombs in their hands. Its medium of this piece was painting. I liked the leading lines in this picture and how they made your eye go all over the picture. The lines take your eye and make it go every which way from the hearts where you first look because it is the place of the most contrast to an edge of the piece where another line awaits to take your eye to another line that eventually loops around full circle and I think that it is a very cool implementation of leading lines. I also like how the skeletons are placed on the vertical thirds of the picture making it more pleasing to the eye because to the rule of thirds. My next favorite piece was the sarcophagus. The medium of this piece is three dimensional art. I really liked how detailed this piece was. It had many small hieroglyphics that covered the entire sarcophagus. I also thought it was cool because Egyptian sarcophaguses have very interesting stories behind them. I find the Egyptian beliefs of the afterlife to be very interesting. My next favorite piece was the alligator looking thing with faces inside its mouth. This piece’s medium is three dimensional art. This piece reminded me of something that you might see worn on the head of a Native American. The alligator thing had two different faces in the mouth; it had one in the very back that was three dimensional and one that was painted on the lower jaw section of the piece. I also like the complementary color scheme that was chosen by the artist. I think that color is one of the most over looked elements in art. Another piece that I really liked was the Japanese Samurai suit. This piece’s medium is three dimensional art. I thought that it was really cool to see what the Japanese Samurai used to wear with my own eyes. I have seen pictures of them before but that was the first time that I had seen it with my own eyes. One other piece that I liked was a painting of a sun. The medium of this sun is painting. The sun is very cool because the symbol of a sun represents warmth but the color scheme of the sun is blue and orange which are cool colors and they contrast the symbol of the sun. The sun also is frowning witch further reflects the cool feeling of the picture.

6. How did the artworks you looked at relate to material we have discussed in class?

The biggest way that the art relates to our class is that art is an expression of one’s self and humanities is studying what it means to be human. By looking at the different ways and different mediums through which people express themselves can help us to have a better understanding of what it means to be human. One piece that I related to class was a picture of Christ. This is because one of the religions that we looked over was Judaism. It made me think of the Old Testament. Another connection that I had was the alligator like sculpture made me think of the story Shakespeare in the Bush. I thought that that would be the type of art that the people who lived in the bush their whole lives would make. It also displayed some sort of belief that the sculptor has. It had multiple faces in the mouth of this alligator like sculpture. I am not sure what the artist was trying to convey by doing this.

7. What was your personal reaction to this experience? Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or why not?

I didn’t care for any of the art on the first floor except for the color room. Most of the artwork on the first floor was LeConte Stewart’s. I don’t particularly like his paintings. I don’t see what people think are so great about those paintings; he implements a few principles of art but just having that isn’t going to make me interested in a piece of art. Most of his pieces have the same or a similar color scheme that centers around a very dull brown. I think that he needs to add more color to his work. I would rather go to an art museum with more photography than this museum. I would enjoy that more because I love photography.