Friday, November 29, 2019
The exposition and complications are introduced right from the start when the theme of the play, marriage, becomes apparent Essay Example For Students
The exposition and complications are introduced right from the start when the theme of the play, marriage, becomes apparent Essay The exposition and complications are introduced right from the start when the theme of the play, marriage, becomes apparent. Theseus and Hippolyta are anxious to wed and are in a Dionysian mood and full of love and bliss. We see the complication shortly after this when Egeus enters the room, greets Theseus and suddenly launches into a twenty line rant due to his vexation right after Theseus states that he does not want anybody making him potentially upset i. . he does not want to be in the midst of any pale companions. We are led to believe that the play will end in tragedy when Theseus attempts to rectify the difficulty between Hermia and her father Egeus. Egeus wants Hermia to marry a man who she doesnt want to and she wants to marry a man, which Egeus doesnt want. Theseus tells Hermia, Either to die the death or to abjure forever the society of men. We will write a custom essay on The exposition and complications are introduced right from the start when the theme of the play, marriage, becomes apparent specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This means that Hermia has three options: Listen to her father and marry the man he chooses for her Continue to object and be put to death Be sent to a nunnery for the rest of her life This complication is developed when we find that Hermia and Lysander the man Hermia is in love with leave the apollonian realm of Athens and flee into the Dionysian realm of the woods whereby no rules are bound to anybody. Dramatic tension is created in the play as we see it once when Theseus gives Hermia her options i. . a question of how this problem will develop. The repetition of the statement four days in the opening paragraph gives the play a structure and a time span that they will become newlyweds in four days. This also indicated the exposition as well and we also see that the play is a comedy because all comedies end in marriage. We see that love is presented as a main them in the play because it is clear that through Act One Scene One, everybody who is a genuine character has somebody to lov e. There are many different types of relationships; firstly the father daughter relationship between Egeus and Hermia and then the rivals Lysander and Demetrius who are etching for the right to Hermia. True love is shown from Hermia and Lysander and we also see Helenas unrequited love from Demetrius. We see that love is bound up with economics in the sense that Theseus won Hippolyta in battle. This re-enforces the medieval chain of being and shows that women in that time were shown to be objects; in this case Hippolyta is seen as a prize to Theseus. In this play we see that men and women are treated differently. We see that they are both good and bad in different lights but in general we see men are unfaithful but also far more powerful than women. Women are seen to be loyal and true but are seen to be potential prizes and general property. Shakespeare uses figurative language throughout the play. He uses metaphors, similes and semantic fields associated with economics and pastoral imagery to create strong impacts on his play. The metaphor of the moon, a symbol of chastisy, this old moon wanes! shows affection during the night. The constant use of this metaphor and the quote four days serve a constant reminder of the play being a comedy. A simile is used line to a step-dame or a dowager. This associates love and money and bounds them together à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã¢â¬Å" the stepson is waiting for the stepmother to die so that he can get all the money. Shakespeare uses stichomythia in two different ways. Once it is used between Hermia and Lysander. They used balanced phrases and agree with each other which show they think alike and that theyre in love. .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 , .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .postImageUrl , .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 , .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5:hover , .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5:visited , .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5:active { border:0!important; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5:active , .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5 .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u516ef0fd1ab26c1bc418c37b693f8cf5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: An examination of the way two 20th Centuary Film Directors have interpreted Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet EssayStichomythia is used again between Helena and Hermia however on this occasion they have contrasting and somewhat opposite views which mean that they finish of each others sentences in disagreement. Although in both cases it is indicated that they both show that love is complicated, The course of love never did run smooth. From a Nietzchean perspective, characters and locations within the play can be stereotyped as either Apollonian or Dionysian. Athens is viewed as Apollonian and is strict and strongly bound by laws. However, the woods are viewed as Dionysian which means that no rules are applied to anybody and people are happy and do as they wish. The complications of the play are really rectified here as we see that as people have no rules bound to them they can live their lives freely. In terms of people, we can say that the younger generation of characters in the play are far more Dionysian i. e. Hermia than the older generation who are more Apollonian i. e. Egeus. There are some moments when the duke Theseus is both Apollonian and Dionysian and in general he ends up in a Dionysian mood e. . he is very Apollonian when he is giving Hermia her options and then speaks to her in a very friendly manner. It is said that the perfect society would be when Apollo and Dionysius dance together in which they do at the end of the play. In Athens when the law is too strict for Hermia to marry Lysander, the laws are suddenly bent and the permission is granted. From here we can see that the different societies merge together into wholesome agreement and there are no longer any conflicts regarding Apollo or Dionysius perspectives.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Valentines Day Date Ideas for College Students
Valentines Day Date Ideas for College Students As we all know the key to stellar Valentineââ¬â¢s Day dates is a mixture of creativity and originalityâ⬠¦with a dash of personalization for good measure and nuance. Without ample life-experience to draw on, some great date ideas are pretty valuable commodities. Hereââ¬â¢s 5 we know you and your special someone are going to simply adore! 1. Get Saucy Romantic Through Antioxidants Who says that eating healthy has to be crummy or dry? If you focus on antioxidants you can create unbelievably tasty and sensual meals that compliment a date extremely well. Think about this: A bottle of quality Merlot is jam-packed with antioxidants that help the mind become sharper, fight off cancer-causing agents and improve the digestive system. Plus, itââ¬â¢s a pleasant aphrodisiac! Your wine is then complimented with an assortment of darkly colored berries like blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, etc. Each of these are like little packets of healthy micronutrients that excite the senses and add to the flavor of the experience. A slab of organic dark chocolate, which is a little on the bitter side and will pair well with the pinch of the wine and the sweetness of the berries. Also, brimming over with antioxidants. That there is a healthy and quite romantic Valentineââ¬â¢s Day treat, especially if your date is a health nut. 2. Organic Food Memories Speaking of chocolate and berries, why not make a tongue-tantalizing meal and serve it to your date in the place where you met? Along with some wholesome food that gives them a sense of home, bring back the memories that will remind both of you why youââ¬â¢re together. Remember to choose something lite, because if you burden the digestive tract the mind tends to follow in its wake. Salads. White seafood with scampi-like accoutrements. Lean chicken with pasta and vinaigrette. Choices like that. Then, add in some music that brings you back as well. Some great songs that lighten the mood with romantic songs intermingled into the playlist. Also, donââ¬â¢t be afraid to go into a genre of music youââ¬â¢ve never really listened to together before that can transport you out of your generation and into another from the past. Swing is a stupendous option! 3. Incorporate the Wolf Pack Who says the occasion just has to be about you and your date alone? Why not the more the merrier? Perhaps you could find a way to get the whole gang in on the action, including both family and close friends. Make the date a celebratory event that takes so much pressure and focus off the two of you and is instead spread evenly throughout the wolf pack. Plus, when you put your minds together you can come up with some really intriguing and memorable things to do. Pictures are a must. A great location is another. After that, it just about good old fashioned quality human experience. Your date will adore it, unless they were already intending on the date being more conservative. 4. Take it to the Highbrow Level Is there a club or restaurant in your area thatââ¬â¢s almost impossible to get into? If so, plan way early and do whatever it takes to get reservations. Make sure that your date understands itââ¬â¢s a formal dress-up occasion so they donââ¬â¢t show up under-dressed. Just the fact that your there will really make a huge impression. Take it high-brow. Do the limousine. Splurge on expensive classy appetizers and drinks. Afterwards donââ¬â¢t just go to a movie, go to an opera, a dance, a play or something like that. If this isnââ¬â¢t your typical lifestyle it will be a real treat in every way. Theyââ¬â¢ll feel special in a way no one has bothered to show them before. For college students this could be a stretch, but it all comes down to saving up the necessary cash using a budget and being connected with the right people. 5. Buy Them an Experience! What if you rented a freaking Lamborghini for a night? What if you got an air balloon ride set up, or helicopter or plane? How about parachute jumping? Scuba diving? How about a day on a gorgeous sailboat equipped with a full staff? The idea here is not to buy a thing, but provide them with an exceptional experience that theyââ¬â¢ll never forget and always regard with a smile and excitement. These memories will be more than date memories. Theyââ¬â¢ll transcend your relationship and really just be a great gift from one human being to another and thatââ¬â¢s the way to make a real impression on someone. Is there anything youââ¬â¢ve done on Valentineââ¬â¢s Day, or had someone do for you that people should hear about? Share it and help make Valentineââ¬â¢s Day an awesome holiday.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Border Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Border - Essay Example In addition, the rise in drug trafficking around the globe also necessitated the institution of heightened security checks in airports. The immigration station is responsible for checking each passengerââ¬â¢s documentation to ascertain the validity. Unlike US citizens, international citizens undergo more stringent security checks. US legislations mandate their compliance to US policies pertaining to immigration documentation, luggage policies, and invasive security checks. Firstly, each immigrant passenger must have a valid international visa and passport, which provides details about their travel history. Logging passengersââ¬â¢ documentation into the airport system provides a reference point for authorities in the event of a crisis. For example, law enforcement units obtain search warrants to access travel logs from airports when examining evidence of an alleged criminalââ¬â¢s history. In addition, the immigration personnel at the airport examine immigrantsââ¬â¢ documen tation to confirm that they have received all the stipulated immunizations. Secondly, the luggage policies are in place to ensure no contraband materials make their way into the country; for example, drugs. Finally, the invasive security checks such as full-body scans and physical searches are in place to ensure passengers are not in possession of any weapons. Currently, there are high-tech equipment that search for any explosives on a passenger and on their luggage. The security systems are continuously upgraded to ensure airports authority keep up with advanced types of security breaches. My first visit to the J.F.K International airport was a couple of years back on a family vacation. At the time, I was unaware of the purpose of security checks. In retrospect, I remember being extremely fascinated by having to walk through the full-body scan machines because of the sounds they made. Recently, I visited some friends who live in Manhattan for a month. My parents simply dropped me off
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
The History of Warfare in the Perspective of John Keegan Essay
The History of Warfare in the Perspective of John Keegan - Essay Example The samurai were roughly considered as Japanese counterparts of Western European knights during their time. The Japanese were a literate a people, and the literary culture of the samurai was highly developed (Keegan 42). The samurai also developed a strong code of ethics that revolved around loyalty, self-denial, and honor to his lord and clan, and also being in constant readiness to die in the face of duty or failure. These set in mind the samuraiââ¬â¢s striving for perfection in the art of war, especially in swordsmanship and the martial arts: It was fostered by Zen Buddhism, which stressed the ââ¬Ëtwo supreme ideals ââ¬â fidelity and an indifference to physical hardshipââ¬â¢. It was reinforced by the culture of the warrior class, ââ¬Ëa culture that paid meticulous attention to the formal, the ceremonious, and elegantly expressed in life and artââ¬â¢; Japanese swordplay was as much an art as a skill, governed by rules of deportment and gesture which epitomized th e Japanese concern for style in every aspect of existence (Keegan 45). The introduction of firearms in Japanese warfare during the 16th century was initially accepted at first due to practical reasons in relation to the ever-changing landscape of war during that time. ... Also, guns were unquestionably a symbol of foreign intrusion and were associated, illogically but inescapably, with the spread of Christianity (Keegan 44). It was for this reason that during the Tokugawa Shogunate period, all firearms in Japan were banned, therefore reversing the military advantage it once enjoyed for the sake of maintaining the samurai status quo. The next question to ask is when societies and organizations are most likely to originate or adapt to new military technology. The answer simply lies in necessity. The harsh realities of war and battlefield set the precedence that societies and organizations must adapt or completely change the way they wage war. During the First World War, nations developed several new military technologies to gain battlefield dominance that would ensure victory in the war. The invention of the machine gun, the breech loading shell cartridge rifles and artillery served as the initial technology for such dominance, but this led for all comb atants to take up trench warfare with much horrific loss of life for the attacking side since all combatants were equipped with such technology on the onset of hostilities. The invention of the tank was the second solution, but the machines produced were too few in number, too slow and cumbersome to impose a decisive alteration to tactical conditions (Keegan 313). The tank was developed as a defense, and because of it, there was no need to send waves of soldiers that will be cut down by deadly volleys of bullets and artillery shells. The last inquiry deals about specific characteristics of societies, technologies, and organizations in relation to their readiness to adapt to military changes. A specific characteristic is conditioned on society possibly
Monday, November 18, 2019
Addictions Theory- Theoretical Conceptualization Essay
Addictions Theory- Theoretical Conceptualization - Essay Example Many theories have been developed to explain why people become addicted. Key among them is the disease theory of drug addiction. As aforementioned in the abstract, the key reason why people become addicted is related to the personal choices one makes. It is not by any means as a result of any kind of disease. It is worth noting that in a real disease, there are parts of the body which are usually in a state of physiological dysfunction, and this then causes symptoms which are not desirable. For instance, when it comes to cancer, the mutated cells would be the proof of a physiological abnormality. Looking at diabetes, low insulin production or failure of cells to use the insulin in the right way can be pointed as the physiological malfunctioning that is behind the harmful symptoms. If one has either or both of the aforementioned diseases, one cannot decide to make a choice of stopping the symptoms or opt to end the physiological malfunctioning which generates the symptoms. Such patients can only opt to end the physiological malfunctioning in the body through taking medicine, and in the diabetes case, treatment measures indirectly stops the symptoms. In addiction, there is no existence of physiological dysfunction of the body. The best physical proof fronted by proponents of the disease theory falls completely off the representing measure of a physiological malfunction. This is the widely touted brain scan. The National Institution of Addiction and Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the organization behind fronting the brain cells. NIDA defines addiction as a chronic brain disease which includes compulsive drug use and seeking, inspite of the obvious harmful consequences (NIH Medicine Plus, 2007). That it is regarded as a brain disease since drugs normally alter the brain structure and the way it operates. Such changes to the brain can last for a long time and often lead to the damaging behaviors observed in those people who abuse drugs. NIDA gives an outright
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Presenting Reality In Documentaries
Presenting Reality In Documentaries The term documentary stems from the verb to document to convey information on the basis of proof and evidence to support it, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. In the realm of films and cinema, a documentary is a film that is an attempt, in one fashion or another, to show reality as it really is. In this essay, we shall be concentrating on the documentary by American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. By the end of this essay we should hopefully reach to a conclusion whether Morgan Spurlock used the medium of documentary film effectively in order to represent the truth. The latter will need an in depth analysis n observation of the style of documentary Super Size me is and how it has been treated and presented by the filmmaker. The ultimate aim of documentary is to find the perfect way of representing the real is what Stella Bruzzi believes is the function of a documentary. As she states it herself, the aim is to find the perfect way of representing reality. The three underlined words are themselves hypothetical terms that are not certain, hence this is the first indication that documentary might not necessarily achieve its aim. Documentary style of films are still under debate as to how real can they be, this probably why Stella Bruzzi uses the word find instead of a more commanding and certain word. Therefore, what is really a documentary according to different theorists? John Grierson, the first writer to use documentary as a term in his review of Robert Flahertys Moana, came up with his famous dictum that documentary is the creative interpretation of actuality. Griersons essay First Principles of Documentary argued that documentary was cinemas potential for observing life could be exploited in a new art form; that the original actor and original scene are better guides than their fiction counterparts to interpreting the modern world; and that materials thus taken from the raw can be more real than the acted article. Contrary to Bruzzis idea of representing reality, Grierson believes in interpreting it. Interpretation can be in form of re-enactment. So the question that arises is how realistic is a documentary that has actors and scenes guiding the flow of the film? Any re-enactment or borrowed situations can be manipulated to reflect the directors idea, which leaves hardly any space for 100% reality. In addition to John Griersons explanation about documentary, Bill Nichols (2001:165) suggests that documentaries have a sense of realism which other genre of films lack as the realism in documentaries represent what the eyes and ears experience in everyday life. Morgan Spurlock achieves the degree of realism and transparency explained by Bill Nichols in realism in documentary film. Morgan Spurlock presents his point against fast food by living, observing and literally eating it. He documents his 30 days Mc Diet effectively that the audience has little or no hesitation to question the transparency and authenticity (Bill Nichols:165). Morgan Sprulocks objectives for making Super Size Me were to investigate the reasons and claims about USA having an epidemic of obesity. As he sarcastically says in the beginning of his documentary; The biggest people, America has now become the fattest nation in the world, CONGRATULATIONS! This statement by the filmmaker suggests that in teh documentary, the audience will be seeing and hearing the reality that Morgan Spurlock chooses to show them and he has already taken the liberty to express his personal emotions towards the theme of the documentary. Another driving force that led Spurlock to make this documentary was the lawsuit brought against McDonalds on behalf of two overweight girls, who, it was alleged, became obese as a result of eating McDonalds food (Pelman v. McDonalds Corp) in 2003. Spurlock argues that this case against fast food joints is as significant as the criticism faced by tobacco companies. A brief summary of the documentary is that Morgan Spurlock makes himself a test subject of this documentary about the commercial food industry. Rigorously eating a diet of McDonalds fast food, three times a day for a month straight and restricts himself to only 5000 steps a day. Therefore, he lives the life of most American who eat fast food regularly and also hard burn it out in terms of physical exercise. Spurlock is out to prove the physical and mental effects of consuming fast food. While doing this, Spurlock also provides a look at the food culture in America through its schools, corporations, and politics as seen through the eyes of regular people and health advocates. Super Size Me is a movie that sheds a new light on what has become one of our nations biggest health problems: obesity. Critics of the film, including McDonalds, argue that the author intentionally consumed an average of 5,000 calories per day and did not exercise, and that the results would have been the same regardless of the source of overeating. He was eating solely McDonalds food in keeping with the terms of a potential judgment against McDonalds in court documents highlighted at the beginning of the film. The film addresses such objections by highlighting that a part of the reason for Spurlocks deteriorating health was not just the high calorie intake but also the high quantity of fat relative to vitamins and minerals in the McDonalds menu, which is similar in that regard to the nutritional content of the menus of most other U.S. fast-food chains. About 1/3 of Spurlocks calories came from sugar. His nutritionist, Bridget Bennett RD, cited him about his excess intake of sugar from milkshakes and cokes. It is revealed toward the end of the movie that over the course of the diet, he consumed over 30 pounds of sugar, and over 12 lbs. of fat from their food. The nutritional side of the diet was not fully explored in the film because of the closure of the clinic which monitored this aspect during the filming of the movie. Spurlock claimed he was trying to imitate what an average diet for a regular eater at McDonalds-a person who would get little to no exercise-would do to them. Spurlocks intake of 5,000 calories per day was well over twice the recommended daily intake for a sedentary adult male, which would amount to only about 2,300 calories. A typical man consuming as many calories as Spurlock did would gain nearly a pound a day (which is roughly how much Spurlock gained), a rate of weight gain that could not be sustained for long periods. Additionally, Spurlock did not demonstrate or claim that anyone, let alone a substantial number of people, eats at McDonalds three times per day. In fact McDonalds is mentioned during the movie to have two classes of users of their restaurants: There are the Heavy Users, (about 72% of the customers, who eat at their restaurants once or twice a week), and the SUPER Heavy Users (about 22% of the customers, who eat McDonalds 3 or more times a week). But no one was fo und who ate at McDonalds three times a day. This brings out the fact that maybe Morgan was exactly as objective as he should have been. There is a clear exaggeration of his Mc Diet as no one was found to be eating as much fast food as he did. However, the counter argue this claim one can say that maybe not every day but like a few participants in the documentary said the eat fast food up to 3 times a week. So if one spreads those continuous 30 days over couple of months the result might be the same. The only difference left will be that Morgans body and health showed accelerated reaction to the fast food intake because he did it at an extreme level. According to Bill Nichols in Introduction to Documentary (2001:163): Social issue documentaries are usually in expository mode. However, Morgan Spurlock contradicts this statement by making a social issue documentary in a participatory mode making it more a personal portraiture documentary. If super Size Me was to be categorised in the b asic six mode of documentary according to Bill Nichols, it would be a participatory documentary. In the latter, investigation takes a step back to make way for a more responsive and reflective relationship in unfolding the events by the filmmaker (Bill Nichols 2001:119). Super size Me is a personal testimonial where Morgan Spurlocks voice is prominent throughout the overall structure of the film and this is what hold the audiences attention. It will be appropriate at this point to go deeper into the documentary Super Size Me and analyse it in order to understand the objectives and mode of the documentary. Firstly, Super size Me is the idea of an ordinary American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. This is an important fact to be taken into consideration because eventually the ideology and aim intended by Morgan Spurlock is what will direct the ideas reflected in the documentary, hence, objectivity can be compromised. For reality to be completely present in order to have a real documentary there should be ideally, no draw backs on objectivity in the portrayal of ideas. Secondly, Super size Me is more to do with creating awareness amongst people. Creating awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an observer without necessarily implying understanding. This suggests that Spurlock was not aiming at influencing people to completely revolt against fast food but at least beware and conscious of the harmful effects of it. He leaves it upon the audience to make their choice without brainwashing them. Thirdly, Super Size me is what Grierson would categorize under participatory mode, in which filmmakers move from behind the camera and appear as subjects in their own work like Spurlock carries out his experiment himself and becomes the main subject of the documentary. He is the director, producer and writer of the documentary. So much control over a project does make it a very passionate and well organised piece of work; however, with so much power and control over a project, the audience might be getting the side of story which the director has in mind. Hence, can the audience be completely dependent on what is being shown to them and believe that Spurlock was being completely objective? The audience plays a great role in what and how the director delivers the documentary. Super Size Me was released in 2004, mainly for the American audience as he directs his attention to Americans by repeatedly saying WE are The taste of what the audience want now is different from what was expected in earlier years when illiteracy levels were at their highest. The audience want something more intellectually stimulating and not propaganda. Moreover, reality and truth in the form of controversy is what really gets peoples attention. This probably the deciding factor when it comes to Spurlock putting together eye catching facts and shocking moments like his depression, or his girlfriend admitting to him being not as good as before during sexual intercourse. Such facts can be hidden or edited out, but the director keeps it, to show his transparency but also to add the elements that sell in todays world. In addition, editing plays a big role in representing reality. The camera can capture all the truth there is to be captured, but the audience eventually see what is presented to them after much chopping done in the editing room. Directors choice of scenes, images and music is what is eventually reflected in the documentary. In other words, only one or a few peoples choice or ideology is selected and presented to the audience. The directors selection does not necessarily have to reflect the reality. Therefore, how is reality ever represented in documentaries? Triumph of The Will (1935) is not only a masterpiece entirely on its own, divorced from political or propagandist considerations, but in its emotional manipulation of the audience represents the very heart of what propaganda is all about. (Barsam, 1992, 130) Riefenstahl is able to create a glorified representation of the NSDAP, or Nazi party, with the use of a music score that invents Hitler as heroic. Her ability to represent a political party so triumphantly is noted in the moving and chilling pieces of cinematography when Hitler gives his final speech and compares his party to a holy order. She captures an essence far purer than the NSDAP, and in a way does more than justice to the partys attempts of propaganda. On the other hand, her achievements in portraying the NSDAP as glamorous can be seen as misrepresenting and a line can be drawn between fact and fiction as to, whether her glorifications are unjust and morally wrong. For the Nazis, the euphoria of a perfect Germany according to them can be portrayed with proper film aesthetics but without directly referring to the contemporary society of the 1930s. The what it would be like if Nazis ruled agenda can be portrayed with the use of abstract visuals and other techniques as long as the real is not referred to, as societies in Germany were not of pure race. The idea of creating a pure race and portraying this in a film is almost mythical, yet alone absurd. In order to portray an Aryan world blatant lies and imaginative discourse would be called for. The ethical implications behind this, is that the people themselves must change in order to create this ideal society. The overly repeated Flag Bearer image depicts symbolism connected to Nazism; the inclusion of a flag bearing the Nazi Swastika symbol represents the militarized power of the party. As a trend in Nazi propaganda, there is enormous emphasis on military symbols in Triumph of the will, triggered deeply felt emotions associated with Germanys former military might. Leni Riefenstahls editing provides an insight into the status of Triumph of the Will as Nazi propaganda. For example, one sequence during Hitlers arrival in Nuremburg is composed of four shots; the first two shots show the old buildings of the city and then a German flag therefore representing the old, traditional Germany. The following two shots depict Hitler and then a Swastika. This sequence typifies how Riefenstahl has represented the Nazi ideology of a return to a mythical epoch by linking the ideals of the traditional dogma with a visionary future. Similarly, before the scene of the city awakening Riefenstahl links a shot of an old church to represent Volakis thought, with the rally camp site to signify the new Germany. Incidentally Hinton suggests that as result of these sequences, Triumph of the Will is more than a document of the 1934 Nazi Party Rally; it is a document of the city of Nuremburg where the viewer gains a sense of the beauty and history of the medieval centre. F urthermore, the use of German and Nazi flags ties in with the use of military symbols inherent in the propaganda of the Third Reich. She also states that; In my cutting room, it was the most difficult work of my life describing the task that took at least five months to fulfil. She explained that she did not care much about chronological accuracy on the screen and that she intuitively tried to find a unifying way to edit the film in a way which would progressively take the viewer from act to act and from impression to impression. With political pressure, adoration for Adolf Hitler, and clearly a propaganda film, Triumph of the will does portray reality in terms of the images used; they are all live and not re-enacted by Riefenstahl. However, it is a biased documentation of the reality. I believe it would have been a real documentary if only there was not so much of glamour shown about the Nazi rallies, and the darker side such as the Holocaust and ghettos were also covered. The latter would have made it a more objective piece of work, making it more of a documentary instead of a propaganda tool. From the information given above about the documentaries in question the first thing that is important to note is the fact that Triumph of the Will was an idea suggested by Adolf Hitler whereas, Super size Me was the idea of an ordinary American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. This is an important fact to be taken into consideration because eventually the ideology and aim intended by Adolf Hitler and Morgan Spurlock is what will direct the ideas reflected in the documentary, hence, objectivity can be compromised. For reality to be completely present in order to have a real documentary there should be ideally, no draw backs on objectivity in the portrayal of ideas. Adolf Hitler was a Nazi dictator ruling over a powerful country like Germany, his influence and power to pressurise Leni Riefenstahl was unquestionable. On the contrary, Morgan Spurlock was just an independent director. What kind of objectivity and impartiality (two very important subjects to reflect reality) can one expect from a director working under a dictator who controlled the population through fear? The purposes of both documentaries are extreme opposites. Triumph of the Will was intended to be a propaganda political film. Propaganda is after all; a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda. In comparison to this, Super size Me was more to do with creating awareness amongst people. Creating awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an obser ver without necessarily implying understanding. This suggests that Spurlock was not aiming at influencing people to completely revolt against fast food but at least beware and conscious of the harmful effects of it. He leaves it upon the audience to make their choice without brainwashing them. The presentation of Triumph of the Will is what documentary forefather, John Grierson would categorise under Poetic mode. Such documentary thrive on a filmmakers aesthetic and subjective visual interpretation of a subject, in addition to it different music is selected for different scenes, just like in the Triumph of Will. By contrast, Super Size me is what Grierson would categorize under participatory mode, in which filmmakers move from behind the camera and appear as subjects in their own work like Spurlock carries out his experiment himself and becomes the main subject of the documentary. The time period in which both documentaries are set in are also crucial points to be noted. Triumph of the Will was set in 1935 in Germany, where people were in the middle of Nazi revolution and political chaos. In contrary to 2004 America where Super Size Me is shot, the taste of the audience has changed dramatically. Audiences of Super Size Me are not only in America but world around, which wasnt the target audience of Triumph of the Will, the latter was meant for only the Germans. To add to this, Germans in 1934 were comparably less educated than the audience of 2004, because one of Germanys major issues at that time was low education. Hence, propaganda movies worked to its full potential as people would not question or form their own opinions; however, the same cannot be expected from liberal thinking people in 2004. The taste of what audience around the world want now is completely different from what was expected in 1930s. Nowadays, reality and truth in the form of controversy is what really gets peoples attention. One may wonder if 1930s audience would have liked to watch real documentary, what if Triumph of the Will was to include scenes from the concentration camps, how would have the audience responded to the documentary? Lastly, editing plays a big role in representing reality. The camera can capture all the truth there is to be captured, but the audience eventually see what is presented to them after much chopping done in the editing room. Directors choice of scenes, images and music is what is eventually reflected in the documentary. In other words, only one or a few peoples choice or ideology is selected and presented to the audience. The directors selection does not necessarily have to reflect the reality. Therefore, how is reality ever represented in documentaries? Returning to Stella Bruzzis statement, the aim of documentary is to represent the truth. According to her, the way of doing is still being found. Truth can be the body of real things, events, actuality, or fidelity to an original or to a standard. Super Size Me does get close to Stellas definition of documentary. It represents what happens with Americans being addicted to fast food and barely exercising. What makes this documentary a real representation of reality is the presence of objectivity. If Spurlock enjoyed something it was showed and when he was not at his best (scenes of vomiting and depression) that was also shown, to portray both sides of the reality. On one hand, Triumph of the Will with the use or real images and not actors and fabricated scenes, is a way of showing the truth, however, the sincerity lacks because it is a highly biased propaganda. Moreover, with political pressure at that time, there was no freedom of showing a balanced truth, which is supposed to be the real essence of a documentary. To sum up about Triumph of the Will, it is right to say that it does actually document the events such as Nazi rallies and political speeches, but the immense lack of objectivity does not make the propaganda film a real representation of the truth (according to the quote of Stella Bruzzi). On the other hand, Super Size Me does get close to Stellas definition of documentary. It represents what happens with Americans being addicted to fast food and barely exercising. What makes this documentary a real representation of reality is the presence of objectivity. If Spurlock enjoyed something it was showed and when he was not at his best (scenes of vomiting and depression) that was also shown, to portray both sides of the reality. The documentary is also very credible because of all the science backing that it has thanks to the doctors Spurlock had on board for the film. The latter brings a logical reasoning to what is being shown in the documentary, unlike the Triumph of the Will where no space is giving to the audience to make their own opinion. The documentary is also very credible because of all the science backing that it has thanks to the doctors Spurlock had on board for the film. The latter brings a logical reasoning to what is being shown in the documentary. To conclude, Super Size Me is definitely closer to Bruzzis definition of documentary because of the unbiased representation of truth. Nevertheless, in Super Size Me, the experiment is itself not true or completely reliable, as no one eats fast food three times a day for a whole month with only 5,000 steps as exercise. Moreover, Spurlock is a bit too aggressive in trying to bring down one specific chain of fast food joints which is Mc Donalds. He bases his whole experiment solely on Mc Donalds. What about the other fast food companies? Arent their menus as harmful as or worse than Mc Donalds? This makes the documentary a little less objective than what the audience want to believe in because it is after all biased towards giving bad publicity to mostly Mc Donalds. It is however commendable that Spurlock wisely made science the back bone of the experiment. By doing so he bought the logic to the arguments he had against the unhealthy life style of Americans. The realism that Spurlock ex plores in his documentary is the psychological realism which conveys the sense of a plausible, believable and accurate representation of human perception and emotion.'(Bill Nichols 2001:171) Spurlock achieves this realism but making the audience relate themselves to characters and situations which are life like in a universalizing way. After watching Super Size Me, one can either feel more knowledgeable about the dangers of excessive fast food eating or because they have been exposed to constant images of Mc Donalds, actually crave for a meal at Mc Donalds. This goes to emphasize that visual images is what is mostly kept in the audiences minds. On a final note, it seems that the perfect way of representing the truth is yet to be found, till then individual prejudice and biasness will always somehow continue to influence the truth in documentaries however transparent one is, there is always somehow a loophole which will lead to documentaries truthfulness being questioned.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
An Inspector Calls by J.B.Priestly Who killed Eva Smith? Essay
An Inspector Calls by J.B.Priestly Who killed Eva Smith? There are many different factors involved with the death of Eva Smith that should be considered while asking the question whom ultimately killed Eva Smith. Each one of the Birling family (including Gerald Croft) pushed Eva Smith that extra bit closer to killing herself, but no one person was individually responsible for her death. Whether one person was more to blame than any other it is hard to say. Although these people contributed to her unfortunate end to life, her position in life and society are also greatly to blame. It is Mr. Arthur Birling who starts off the train of events, as he is the first to come in to contact with Eva Smith. Mr. Birling sacked Eva Smith from his factory after she and a few others went on strike, demanding higher wages. As Mr. Birling said to the inspector, 'She'd had a lot to say - far too much - so she had to go'. I don't see that he did anything wrong, anyone in his position would have done the same. And as he says, it's his duty 'to keep labour costs down'. He's a 'hardheaded businessman', as he calls himself, he'd do anything to make as much profit as possible. He wasn't to know what would happen to Eva Smith two years down the line, after he sacked her. As he said 'If you don't come down sharply on some of theses people, they'd soon be asking for the earth'. Although Mr. Birling didn't do anything wrong in my eyes, he wasn't portrayed too well throughout the play. He shows himself to be arrogant, complacent and self-absorbed. One major flaw in Mr. Birling's behaviour is that he seems to show no remorse at all for Eva, and after all he did help drive her to commit suicide. He shows no regret for dismissing E... ...ike ending her life, and she wouldn't be lying on a slab with her insides burnt out. After all, she was the person who decided to kill herself, she could have tried for another job, she could have accepted the money from Eric and she could have made him responsible for the baby, when it came. In conclusion, it would be unfair to put the blame onto one person, when each and every one of them helped contribute to Evas' miserable end to life. It may be more accurate to blame society, her class, and the time in which she lived. No real crime has been committed in this play, but I believe that the Birling family should share the moral responsibility for this young woman's pitiful suicide. Then maybe next time they are about to do something selfish they'll think of the devestation they might bring to others, and not just the benefit they bring to themselves.
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