In my opinion the movie adaptation was pretty good although it lacked a few main components to make it spot on. The director had some good ideas on ways to put some extra symbolism but there was too many thing off.
In the written story it is based in the 1900's time period. Thus making it impossible to have an flat screen TV there. Also they kept the soldier and girl scene which was mainly in there to set the time period. Any could tell that bar setting was not World War I times. The director also left out the key component that even though the cafe is well lighted, the old man was in the shadows. That being said I did like the scene when he pays for the drinks and it focuses on the glass of brandy that is almost gone.
Along with the setting the characters seemed kind of off. Something about how the actors we're talking just didn't seem how I would have pictured the story. I know they're Irish but they're accent isn't why. To me it sounded like when they spoke the words sounded really awkward like they had just read the script..
The movie was actually pretty close to the story even though there were some things I though were weird. I said a lot of things that I though were bad about the movie but there are a few really good things the director put in. The scene in the bar really showed the meaning of why the old man likes the cafe. It shows sad people dressed in black sitting in the bar. Another thing I liked was the way the old man walked off into the darkness to really show that the cafe was his light in the dark.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place
"How do you know it was nothing?"
People tend to overlook many things and many times they think when your rich you have no problems or worries. In this instance they miss the fact that besides his niece he has nobody in his life.
"You do not understand. This is a clean and pleasant cafe. It is well lighted. The light is very good and also, now, there are shadows of the leaves."
The older waiter realizes that the man although sad with his life, wishes to be clean and at peace. He sits in the shadows of the leaves but the bright lights make him feel better. This seems like a symbol for his life even though it is dark he prefers not to be dirty.
"the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference."
This shows the man prefers peace and is most likely frustrated he can't hear what is going on around him. Once the night comes its just him by himself with his thoughts.
People tend to overlook many things and many times they think when your rich you have no problems or worries. In this instance they miss the fact that besides his niece he has nobody in his life.
"You do not understand. This is a clean and pleasant cafe. It is well lighted. The light is very good and also, now, there are shadows of the leaves."
The older waiter realizes that the man although sad with his life, wishes to be clean and at peace. He sits in the shadows of the leaves but the bright lights make him feel better. This seems like a symbol for his life even though it is dark he prefers not to be dirty.
"the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference."
This shows the man prefers peace and is most likely frustrated he can't hear what is going on around him. Once the night comes its just him by himself with his thoughts.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Loss of Innocence
What do you see when look at a song bird? A being of
innocence. A bird that hears no evil, speaks no evil and sees no evil. All it
does is sing for everyone to hear. When it’s killed, the innocence is lost just
like in To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout, Jem, and Tom Robinson start in
this way but as the trial begins the mockingbird is slaughtered by the real
world.
The beginning of the book reveals the life of the people in
Maycomb county. It shows the kids having fun and messing around. Just living a
childhood of innocence. As the book goes on Scout and Jem catch glances of the
real world around them. This is the start to the slow death of the innocent
mockingbird. At one point Atticus buys
the kids BB guns and tells them, “Shoot all the blue jays you want if you can
hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (90). This shows that
the kids are the mockingbirds surrounded by blue jays by which their sins kill
the small songbirds.
Unlike the part one of the book, part two begins the
execution of the mockingbird. The single trial of Tom Robinson begins the kids journey
into the real world. An innocent black man accused of rape of a white woman
kicks the town into a frenzy of racism, picking sides, and craziness. Tom
Robinson is also a mockingbird caught up
in the cruel world. White people had the power and once Mayella spoke the first
words against Tom he was done for. Atticus defends this black man with his full
might but the town either supports him or doesn’t. He helps Tom make the first
steps to become a free man again. Then the men of the town take tom out of jail
to kill him causing “[the] murder of a an innocent songbird”(192). The men aren't even prosecuted for their crime. All these
events give the kids a mountaintop view of reality. Not to mention the crazy
Bob Ewell who tries to kill the kids and threatens anyone connected to the
trial.
This story shows the loss of innocence though many
characters. This is a mirror to our real life because we all start off innocent
and free in childhood but we grow old in hope to hold onto this innocence that
is slowly slipping away.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Loss of Hope
Author's Note: This is a theme essay on loss of hope. I did it on the Hunger Games, the Bourne Identity, and Life of Pi.
Ever feel lost, sad or just feel like there is nothing you can do? You feel hopeless and yet somehow things turn around. Many characters in books feel this way but somehow they find a way to change it. I found this in these three books the Bourne Identity, The Hunger Games and Life of Pi.
In the Bourne Identity the main character Jason Bourne is completely hopeless. He has just ended up in a drunk doctors house being nursed back to health. He's been shot in multiple places and can't remember a thing of his past. Jason has no idea what's happening to him, what happened to him and what's going to happen. There is nothing but his past skills and a piece of film surgically implanted into his hip. The film reveals something though, a bank account in Zurich. From this he begins the have flashes of the past and pieces everything together to find his true identity.
Another character who is clueless is Katniss from the Hunger Games. She has a moment of great hopelessness when she volunteers for the hunger games. All she can think of is the fact that she is going to die. She is scared, confused and feels weak. She has no options but to fight to the death. Then she comes to her senses and realizes she can win and makes it her goal to come home and see Prim again.
Life of Pi is the same thing except that instead of fighting to the death Pi is fighting against death. He is stranded in the middle of the ocean with a huge Bengal tiger. Food running low he losses his fight and can't seem to think. All hope fails and he is left to fight for life in agony. Although he somehow finds food and begins to adapt himself to life at sea. He finds a way to barely stay alive throughout the entire voyage and somehow makes it the coast of mexico.
These books teach that even though it doesn't seem like there's hope you can find your way out of it. Even thought these characters feel hopeless they overcome it and make the story interesting. People can learn from this, even though there is a down time it has to get better at some point.
Ever feel lost, sad or just feel like there is nothing you can do? You feel hopeless and yet somehow things turn around. Many characters in books feel this way but somehow they find a way to change it. I found this in these three books the Bourne Identity, The Hunger Games and Life of Pi.
In the Bourne Identity the main character Jason Bourne is completely hopeless. He has just ended up in a drunk doctors house being nursed back to health. He's been shot in multiple places and can't remember a thing of his past. Jason has no idea what's happening to him, what happened to him and what's going to happen. There is nothing but his past skills and a piece of film surgically implanted into his hip. The film reveals something though, a bank account in Zurich. From this he begins the have flashes of the past and pieces everything together to find his true identity.
Another character who is clueless is Katniss from the Hunger Games. She has a moment of great hopelessness when she volunteers for the hunger games. All she can think of is the fact that she is going to die. She is scared, confused and feels weak. She has no options but to fight to the death. Then she comes to her senses and realizes she can win and makes it her goal to come home and see Prim again.
Life of Pi is the same thing except that instead of fighting to the death Pi is fighting against death. He is stranded in the middle of the ocean with a huge Bengal tiger. Food running low he losses his fight and can't seem to think. All hope fails and he is left to fight for life in agony. Although he somehow finds food and begins to adapt himself to life at sea. He finds a way to barely stay alive throughout the entire voyage and somehow makes it the coast of mexico.
These books teach that even though it doesn't seem like there's hope you can find your way out of it. Even thought these characters feel hopeless they overcome it and make the story interesting. People can learn from this, even though there is a down time it has to get better at some point.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Night of Redemption
Author's Note: In this piece I used imagery and figurative language like similes and metaphors to really set the mood of suspense.
The steel glinting in the gloved hand of a killer. The black trench coat holding death inside. Was this it, was the man was to finish my like this. I try to run but my feet are cement blocks. I try to swing but my arms are dead weight. There is nothing to do but accept death. The man swings the dagger in an arc driving it deep into my chest. Blood pouring out of me like rain. Leaving it there for me to suffer. I collapse to the ground trying to keep my grip on life as death tries to pull it away. I pull the dagger out of my body knowing I have only seconds left. Dagger in hand I throw it with all the life I have sticking it into the back of the killers head. Death drags me away as I watch the man fall like a stone.
The steel glinting in the gloved hand of a killer. The black trench coat holding death inside. Was this it, was the man was to finish my like this. I try to run but my feet are cement blocks. I try to swing but my arms are dead weight. There is nothing to do but accept death. The man swings the dagger in an arc driving it deep into my chest. Blood pouring out of me like rain. Leaving it there for me to suffer. I collapse to the ground trying to keep my grip on life as death tries to pull it away. I pull the dagger out of my body knowing I have only seconds left. Dagger in hand I throw it with all the life I have sticking it into the back of the killers head. Death drags me away as I watch the man fall like a stone.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Gun Control
There have been huge arguments lately on the topic of gun control laws. People say make it hard for everyone to get a gun. You can't only do that you have to take other things into consideration. If you want to reduce gun violence in the US you need to test mental health, control the black market, and monitor the
AR-15 style rifles very closely.
A big pattern that is occurring with these shootings is a persons mental stability. Many of the shootings lately have been by people who are just crazy. They feel like it would be cool to shoot people and cause tragedy. There should be tests in place that test the mental stability of the customer buying a gun. Just having background checks isn't enough. The thing is, usually these shootings are done be people who could easily pass a background check. They aren't felons until they start shooting.
If a felon wanted a gun they usually don't walk into a gun shop. They know they won't pass a background check. When they want a gun they go to the black market or buy one off of a friend. If the government can control these exchanges and underground businesses there wouldn't be as many of these guns being passed around causing mayhem. The guns are easy to get and usually cheap. Why wouldn't they go there?
The next thing that the government needs to do is monitor the AR-15 type guns that are causing these shootings. In my opinion these AR-15's should only be used in law enforcement. Yet there is always the collectors. There are these people who have huge collections of guns. They can sell them to anyone they want. The government should keep track of who owns assault weapons and have regular checks on where they are.
The shootings we've had lately have rocked our country. We can figure out ways to solve many of these problems without banning guns completely. All this country has to do is sit back and think.
AR-15 style rifles very closely.
A big pattern that is occurring with these shootings is a persons mental stability. Many of the shootings lately have been by people who are just crazy. They feel like it would be cool to shoot people and cause tragedy. There should be tests in place that test the mental stability of the customer buying a gun. Just having background checks isn't enough. The thing is, usually these shootings are done be people who could easily pass a background check. They aren't felons until they start shooting.
If a felon wanted a gun they usually don't walk into a gun shop. They know they won't pass a background check. When they want a gun they go to the black market or buy one off of a friend. If the government can control these exchanges and underground businesses there wouldn't be as many of these guns being passed around causing mayhem. The guns are easy to get and usually cheap. Why wouldn't they go there?
The next thing that the government needs to do is monitor the AR-15 type guns that are causing these shootings. In my opinion these AR-15's should only be used in law enforcement. Yet there is always the collectors. There are these people who have huge collections of guns. They can sell them to anyone they want. The government should keep track of who owns assault weapons and have regular checks on where they are.
The shootings we've had lately have rocked our country. We can figure out ways to solve many of these problems without banning guns completely. All this country has to do is sit back and think.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Winter
When winter hits it drives us inside
but not for long as
it breaths fall a cold goodbye
the days are short
the nights are long
the snow starts falling down
a warm fire is built
hot chocolate is made
and snowmen pop up too
the ski hills begin to open
people zooming down
kids build forts
and stash their snowballs
waiting for someone to come around
everyone is merry
ice fishers on the lake
people say that winter is bad
but I say that's a mistake
but not for long as
it breaths fall a cold goodbye
the days are short
the nights are long
the snow starts falling down
a warm fire is built
hot chocolate is made
and snowmen pop up too
the ski hills begin to open
people zooming down
kids build forts
and stash their snowballs
waiting for someone to come around
everyone is merry
ice fishers on the lake
people say that winter is bad
but I say that's a mistake
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