Topics: danielle577

Jane Austen is well-known for her witty dialogue, back-and-forth banter between characters, and free-indirect discourse; yet, Persuasion is a complete departure from all of her previous works. Persuasion is a more ‘adult’ novel, with the female protagonist as a 27-year-old unmarried woman. Her once betrothed, whom she denied due to his lack of wealth and societal stature after persuaded by her aunt, has returned to her life seven years later. The lack of dialogue that ensues between these two characters throughout the majority of the novel creates a level of excruciating passion and anticipation that is palpable, and unmatched in any other work by Austen. Focusing on the sensory capabilities of the two characters creates a sensual environment where the body remains in the foreground. When reviewing Austen’s breach from the traditional overload of dialogue and new reliance on body language, the power of perception and keen sensual prowess, do we in fact have a more ‘adult’ geared book, matching her own age, and possible longing for more sensuality, and less games?

I have recently been faced with this question and I find that my response is not as black and white as I had originally supposed. Yes, you can teach someone the fundamental aspects of writing: thesis, introductory paragraph, syntax, diction, body paragraphs, topic sentences per paragraph, and a conclusion. But what about teaching someone to think like a writer? The love/hate relationship with writing that leaves one elated or deflated? Do you believe being a good writer is an innate gift, or something that can solely be taught? I do understand that some people need to be pushed to realize they do have the gift for writing, but what if it is not there, can it be induced?

Do you notice how a movie can feature one death after another and there is not one shriek from a member of the audience until the killing of an animal occurs? Why does the audience accept the loss of human life yet become upset and unsettled when a dog is shot to death? Is it a matter of innocence? The animal lacking the same mental faculties as the human and therefore placing it in an inferior, and therefore more sympathetic position? This is a phenomenon I have witnessed countless times across a number of different audiences, and I, too, have the exact same reaction. Another interesting aspect is when the victim is an infant or young child, though still in the process of development, clearly superior to a dog, but still conjuring a higher level of sympathy. This leads back to my prior questions: is this a matter of inferiority? A matter of innocence? Please discuss whether or not you have witnessed similar reactions and what is your thinking behind this disparate response?

I recently read an article in which a woman was complaining about constantly having to defend herself for listening to audiobooks. People would accuse her of being "lazy," or "cheating." Sadly, this said person had brain surgery 5 years ago that left her eye sight greatly diminished and reading had become a difficult process, and audiobooks her salvation. Where do you weigh in on this argument–just skim through the internet as those for and against audiobooks take great pride in stating their stance–and why is it even necessary to discuss one’s "reading" habits? Is this a form of prejudice? Why should individuals feel the need to defend themselves? When did the format of reading–though it has been occurring on the e-reader versus paper platform for many years–become such a volatile topic?

The Night of is currently airing on HBO as an miniseries consisting of 8 parts, but due to the successful following there are now talks–similar to what happened with True Detective–to now having a 2nd season. The miniseries, which began talks in 2012, with the late James Gandolfini slated to star, is based on the BBC miniseries Criminal Justices (2008-2009). The series follows the events of a young american-pakistani’s night out, and the repercussions that occur following the events of this night that, as conveyed to the audience, are a blur. Numerous themes are explored adding to the multitude of audiences responding to the series, ranging from racial prejudices, problems with the judicial system, economic hardships, and questions of morality as well as ethical responsibilities.What theme do you believe resonates most with audiences that is making this series such an overnight success? And if you are able to pinpoint one specific theme, please explain how it is able to resonate with a vast multitude of varying audience members.

Bruegel the Elder’s painting depicts the famous passage from Book VIII of Ovid’s Metamorphoses in which Daedalus, the father of Icarus, provides his son with feathered wings, glued together, and warns him not to fly to close to the sun, for he will be burned, and not to fly to close to the water, for he will drown. The boy does not listen; flies too high; the glue begins to melt; and he plummets to the water in which he drowns. The moral can be understood as moderation as the key to living a successful and fruitful life.
What I am most interested in is why does Bruegel paint an interpretation of this famous passage; yet, as opposed to placing Icarus in the foreground, Icarus is placed off to the side. Why concentrate on this Greek Myth but place the workers of the present day (~1560) in the foreground, and the classical mythological component, whom the painting is based on, off to the side? What is Bruegel the Elder trying to convey? The painting can easily be found with a basic search of the title. What do you believe was the theme Pieter Bruegel’s aesthetic piece was attempting to communicate to onlookers?

I refer to myself as a book snob due to having such a difficult time approaching contemporary literature. I tend to stay in the realm of the classical cannon, Medieval Literature, and only "contemporary" authors–Pynchon, Foster, DeLillo–who I know are phenomenal and up to my standard of expectation. I bring up this topic because yesterday I finally purchased The Girl on the Train. It has taken me a year to make this purchase, every time placing the book down, and telling myself I won’t like it, but then falling trap to all of the conversations surrounding the book (then again Fifty Shades of Grey was constantly spoken of!). We tend to discuss the decline in film, but what about the decline in literature? Am I a book snob, or am I accepting the painful reality that there really aren’t many good contemporary reads available? Does anyone else feel this way? Disagree, and provide numerous examples that will have me copying down the list and enthusiastically ordering contemporary books.

Though the television series Breaking Bad has been discussed numerous times on this platform, a conversation that has yet to be broached is the amount of symbolism, allusions, and "clues," the creator, Vince Gilligan provides throughout the series. For example…In season 3 episode 7, "One Minute," the time on the dashboard is 3:07. At the same time, Hank gets a call that he has one minute, as two men are on the way to kill him. 3 7=10, or let’s look at it as one minute. Also, the episode is from season 3, episode 7–same time displayed on the dashboard. Lastly, the room number of Skylar’s room when giving birth to Holly is 307. All of these connections are intricately woven by the creator.

Other examples for discussion: the constant mentions of Icarus, The Godfather and Scarface references, the similarities between Hank (ASAC) and Ahab from Moby Dick, The meaning behind the title of the series finale, "Felina," (hint, think periodic table of elements and cooking meth; also a few other possibilities), etc. There are numerous connections and allusions, from episode titles that allude to popular movies, to songs, providing the missing puzzle pieces.

What does it all mean? It must be important or else why would the creator take great time to intricately weave every single element of the series together. Questions to consider: Why does Walt begin cutting off the crust on his sandwiches?, Look at the wardrobe evolution of characters, consider the episode title, "Grey Matter," etc. The possibilities are endless….let the explorations begin!!!

We have grown quite used to seeing numerous lists ranking books, movies, and television: "The best television shows of all time," "The worst series finale of all time," "The best books ever written," "The top movies of all time." They are fun to read, and at times infuriating when you disagree. As for Middlemarch (1871), written by George Eliot, there has yet to be a list in which this novel is not included, or even at the top of the list. Yet, so many people are quick to say, "I’ve never read Middlemarch." What makes this novel immensely appealing to a wide range of individuals, critics, avid readers, and literary theorists? Why are there so many readers who have yet to tackle this novel consistently noted as one of–if not the–best novels ever written? Is it the size of this novel? Could it be the fact that people are so tired of Victorian Literature, which has constantly been viewed as "a one size fits all," style of writing? Is Middlemarch really the greatest, or just another example of an over-hyped medium of art?

The movie Inception, released in 2010, is a wonderful amalgamation of a smart, powerful plot, excellent acting, and the high action scenes current film goers crave. The premise resided on the use of dreams to manufacture thoughts into the minds of powerful CEO’s, as well as a means of stealing money and important documents from these said named individuals. The influence of dreams has always been a point of interest in film and literature.
As for Inception, it truly took these questions to a whole new level by adamantly stating, or answering the question whether dreams can affect reality. There are numerous psychological explanations regarding dreams including Freud’s discussion on latent versus manifest content, as well as wish fulfillment. Threat-stimulation theory discusses dreams as a defense mechanism revolving around the individual to revisit events and learn to successfully conquer them–this can be connected to Leonardo Dicaprio’s character in dealing with his deceased wife–in preparation for future, similar events. Expectation- fulfillment is a release of emotional arousal encountered during the day in order to actively complete or fulfill these emotions to make room for the following day. On a neurobiological note, Activation-synthesis is the theory that dreams are devoid of meaning but just a state of electrical impulses occurring in the brain that conjure images from memory ( a very controversy theory that has been consistently disputed by evolutionary psychologists). Lastly, Continual-Activation theory regards dreams as a process of memory storage in which information is encoded for long-term storage, and the process of accommodation occurs allowing for the building of new connection between synapses to successfully transfer these short term memories to long term information easily recalled.
Yet, how does Inception fit in with all of these differing theories? Does Inception fit any one of these theories, a couple, or none? Inception also utilities high-tech instruments to not only induce sleep, but to also connect individuals to one another’s dreams. How does this affect these possible theories? Is the movie attempting to investigate the power of dreams, the complexities of the human psyche, or the connection between both of these intriguing, difficult to answer concepts?

William Langland is not a well-known writer due to having spent the entirety of his life working on a single work–Piers Plowman. He did write three versions: A text, B text, and the C text. There were revisions made to each text, but the one text with the most revisions is the C text, in which the political language is toned down.

Many scholars have speculated that C text, written in 1390, was toned done in political language due to the Peasant Rebellion that occurred in 1381. This is due to the rebels actually calling out the name of Piers Plowman while rioting. Piers is a fictional character in Langland’s visionary poem who undergoes numerous tasks in attempting to find the road to salvation, alongside Will. The poem, broken up into 20 passus ("steps") highlights and personifies vices as all powerful, and the virtues are strong, at moments, yet quickly overcome by the battle between the vices.

The poem appears to end on a triumphant note in which Will, the character attempting to find the road to truth and knowledge, learns that caritas (charity) is man’s salvation. Yet, the poem ends with an apocalyptic tone with the vices building in strength and the virtues giving up the fight.

The end of the world in which Piers exists seems doomed…and then the poem ends. Though this is a visionary poem, was Langland more concerned with the sanctity of religion, or with the unsettling state of England? This was at the time when famines and plagues were rampant, and parliament became increasingly greedy and cruel with taxation and land seizure. Or, was Langland simply connecting these two facets to show how the vices of Parliament would eventually lead to the destruction of man as one is left with nothing…there is nothing to lose?

Milton was without a doubt a powerful writer and exceptional poet. One of his most famous works, PARADISE LOST, is not just a biblical retelling of the fall of man, but a work in which Milton rewrites Genesis. William Blake was so disgusted by Milton’s portrayal of God as inferior and Satan as superior that he referred to Milton as a Satanist. Yet, aptly stated by Stanley Fish, Milton does so to seduce the reader with Satan’s tantalizing language in a manner that places the reader in the role of Eve. Milton first emphasizes the prelapsarian world where temporality is non-existent, to after the fall, in which Adam and Eve now exist in a postlapsarian world in which Adam and Eve begin to notice one another in a sexual manner, realize their being nude, and experience feelings of embarrassment and shame. Does Milton glorify Satan and place God in an inferior position, or is he simply utilizing the poem to showcase the ease in which one slips into sin, and the eventual redemption that will occur with the saving grace of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus’ death to save mankind? Is this a work mocking the Fall of man, or one that upholds and restores the power of faith?

Though Bronte’s novel tends to be regarded as one of the greatest romance novels, which is true in relation to the style of the romantic writers who focused on aspects of nature, while less attention is given to the racial aspects, prevalent throughout the novel. Heathcliff is constantly referred to as dark skinned, a moor, gypsy, and an irregular black man. During the period in which the novel is set, Mr. Earnshaw makes a trip to Liverpool, one of the largest slave trading areas in Britain, and arrives home with Heathcliff. He tells his children that he found "it" in the streets and did not know to whom he belonged.His lineage is unknown, and even his name is bestowed upon him by Mr. Earnshaw. His description connotes him as an "other," due to his dark skin, babbled language, and eyes as black as night. Most people overlook the issues of race in the novel, and even when reviewing the numerous film adaptations, not until 2011, was Heathcliff depicted as a black man. Is there plausibility to this theory? Was Heathcliff a slave purchased by Mr. Earnshaw? Or, could Heathcliff have possibly been a child of Mr. Earnshaw, of mixed race, whom he could not admit as his familial bond?

Thomas Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49 was published in 1965, three years after the Cuban missile crisis, twenty-four years after the first atomic bombs hit Japan, and during the Cold War period that sent America into a “red scare.” American foreign policy called for a system of containment, aimed at spreading Democracy and expelling Communism, while propagating a state of mass consumption on the home front. Yet, this means of containment moved to American soil once McCarthyism struck and the nation was sent into a state of panic based on suspicion of the “other.”

Though this time in history has been viewed as a time of prosperity, the disintegration that occurred between fellow citizens due to a lack of trust led to an exacerbated state of disorganization and intense paranoia. In the years proceeding this novella, American culture was overwrought with Vietnam reportage and the Watergate scandal–signifying the original story we had been told about America had completely fallen apart, and it was time to reflect on alternative stories of culture to find meaning.

Embedded within the novella are the themes of communication, language, and semiotics. For example, the name of the protagonist, Oedipa, can be divided into two widely known systems of language: OED: The Oxford English Dictionary filled with the etymologies and various meanings of words, and IPA:The International Phonetic Alphabet comprised of symbols representative of the sounds of oral language.
Is Pynchon critiquing this period of suspicion and alluding to linguistics as a means of suggesting a new form of communication? Can this really be connected with McCarthyism, or is this a far-reaching thesis? Also, "Crying of Lot-49?" What is the significance of the number 49?