BOOKS I WANT TO READ

1. American Gods Neil Gaiman
2. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett
3. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
4. Bossypants by Tina Fey
5. Is everyone hanging out without me? (and Other concerns) by Mindy Kaling
6. Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
7. To Kill a MockingBird by Harper Lee
8. Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
9. Saga (comic series)
10. Street Car Name Desire screenplay by Tennessee Williams

The Medium is the Massage

In the last 20 years, the internet and so many different forms of technology have been booming in the 21st century. Now we are the tip of the iceberg with VR (Virtual Reality) and it really scares me the more we advance the more we are on our computers, ironically I am typing on my computer one of the many things that have come up in the last couple years. We are at a point in the technology age where we are so dependent on it,  that it's become a part of our curriculum in schools, and in college as well and it's just going to get worse from here...

Social Media, in particular, is something that really worries, we have so many different sites for almost anything like uber, tinder, snap chat, Instagram, Pinterest, amazon, facebook, etc. All companies are so focused on making things more addicting and pleasurable to the customer/ audience. Like Snapchat for example, you can now be making silly filters that would change the shape of your face or like on facebook, they want to make users have an appealing way of connecting with friends and family over the internet. 

But there are bigger issues, like the freedom of the internet is now starting to be monitored by government's hands, but is that something that really is theirs to own? What worries me about this power is the use of persuasion, facebook is a great platform for that. Facebook has been known in the past to post an assortment of different content and they fuel it onto your page base on everything you've liked or down. They take all that history and data and filter out or in more things that would be of interest, but this can also influence your opinions of the different subject matter. The problems with the media that usually is filtered through facebook, it's not very relaible but the viewers would be to differ. People have become lazy about researching the very articles and media they watch, accurate or not, they become swayed by the information they're given and it can change their opinion on a topic quite a lot all because of social media. To break this issue, whenever I see a video like that on facebook, I try to question it and try to look for resources that back it up.

What's great about the internet and media, it's made us more connected as a whole society, it's amazing to be so much more connected with friends, family, and even businesses all because of the internet. But at the same time, it's made us more vulnerable when it comes to being exposed to content because we don't question any of the content we just assume that it's correct, but instead, it could be completely false.

Game as Medium

Shadow of The Colossus 

Write a post that discusses some of the merits of one of your favorite games and why it might be considered "literature."

Shadow of the Colossus was created in 2005 this game is one of the best games I think of all time. The graphic and the game play well made and the animation is high quality because they focused on a very little amount of characters basically they only had to deal with 18 or 19 characters total in their game. While other companies sought out for over 40 characters or more. This game really captures the player in this sense of solitude. The player explores this massive environment that has a whole volume of different environments from a rocky mountain to sand dune to even an old underwater kingdom. 

The main character loses his wife, to a plague of some sort. It's interesting because this man is so small and insignificant to these large giants he is fighting. He brings his dead wife to a temple and will do anything in his power to bring her back, even if it means killing colossal gods.The point of the game is to kill all 16 or 17 of these monsters in order to bring his wife back. There is an anonymous voice that keeps reminding you where to go and who to kill next in metaphors. But lo' and behold this anonymous voice actually can't bring the wife back, but by killing the colossal it actually frees him from his prison, so in a way, he was actually making a deal with the devil. 

I'm not entirely sure how this game may relate to literature but I do know that a problem drives the story, like any good book would have. This formula is in this game too, but as the main hero continues to kill these colossal creatures,  I started to question if it is right to kill them.  He is basically fighting against God in a way for taking his wife.  

Long Form Television: Good Girls Revolt

I watched Good Girl's revolt for my bingeing experience for that week, at first I wasn't entirely addicted to the series but I was curious where it was going to lead so I kept watching it.  I liked the series a lot, I

But It's interesting to look back on this experience, and I could see myself over time bingeing it more and more over the course of the week.

I felt like the series was quite interesting you felt like you were back in the 60's in New York, in a time of revolution and change it captured the era very well. What's great about this show is that it show all the flaws of this era and such as the Blank Panthers efforts during the 1960's we see how the media was trying hurt them, behind the filters and we see the reality of the situation.

I think this show has a great story like I said before it shows a perspective of the news we don't usually see or gets credit for. It's so tragic that there are so many great women writers who are not getting the credit for their hard work, it's all taken and given towards the men journalists.

 The main character Patti Robinson is a hungry for the news. She is the researcher that makes the articles happen in the news. It follows her story and the many other women on the show in their struggle for equal rights, equal pay, and equal opportunity to be more than researchers but to be a journalist. So we see Patti, Cindy, and Jane as they try to start a movement for women to have these rights.

Asterios Polyp

I really enjoyed reading Asterios Polyp, I thought it was interesting to see where we started off with the character, his life in shambles, but over the course of the book, we see who was before and why some of his actions affected his way of thinking. I really enjoyed the artistic decisions that were made in this comic, it was more sophisticated than most comics I've read in the past. But what was most impressive to me is how he capture the emotions of one of the blandest/ boring people alive. For me, I didn't feel anything for him in the beginning but when he started to dwell on his past I was beginning to sympathize with Asterios.

The author gives you plenty to read and I feel like his voice stands out; it feels like both Asterios and David, the author kept switching places as the narrator for the story. David mainly told what Asterios was feeling deep down inside, something we wouldn't know entirely from his actions. But then it would go back to Asterios talking about past events in his life that made him feel regret or go into a philosophical state. I would also like to add that writing isn't the only thing that gives to the author, I would ay it's also in his drawings. I really love how he shows basically how people's thought process is based on how they're drawn. For example, Asterios is drawn at times with clean very specific solid shapes, but his wife Hana was drawn with my sketchy values. This shows how he is a very precise man, very mathematical. But Hana believes in fate and shaping your own destiny, as well as she is more artistic and creative, they are basically polar opposites.

A New Short Story: Look Out, The Saints Are Coming Through Blog Post

What is your reaction to the text you just read?

When I was reading this story I was under the impression that this was Bob Dylan’s story because we kept going back and forth to something Bob Dylan was specifically feeling at the time and then we went back to how the wife was feeling. It wasn't until later that I realized that it was unlikely Bob Dylan, it was clear to me that the husband was struggling and unhappy. We get a glimpse of what the wife went through struggling with her husband’s drug addiction, it was very easy to sympathize and understand her. 

What Connections Did you make with the story?

 Discuss the elements of the work with which you were able to connect

What's interesting is how the wife and the husband connected at a young age to Bob Dylan, they talked philosophically about everything bob Dylan did as an artist. I really felt for the wife for this example because even though two people may not relate entirely to each other there is something they can cling to for conversation and that was Bob Dylan. But one thing about this husband is that he has done so many unforgivable actions and when the wife originally met him she didn’t see through it because she was so focused on his good looks. For me, I sympathize with her in the end because she does struggle a lot with the decisions she made to marry him, but she also does have a choice to leave him, but she feels a responsibility for him. 

What changes would you make o adapt this story in another medium 

I think this would be excellent as short film. I think if anything it would be good to start it when the two are young and in college. From there, they could begin their relationship and we can see why maybe they got together and how they bonded over Bob Dylan. But from there we see them getting married and we see the downfall in their relationship with drugs came into play. 



http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/24/a-new-short-story-look-out-the-saints-are-coming-through.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGxjIBEZvx0

Musical: Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde originally a movie was turned into a musical in the early 2000's; it's definitely one of those movies where you shouldn't "judge a book by its cover". For this week's assignment decided that a musical would fall into the Lit and Media category. I watched the musical for the first time this week and after watching I really saw the importance of this musical. This musical teases the stereotypical blonde in college, but they go deeper with the plot as we go further into the story.

At first, when I was watching it I thought it was rather shallow with the characters and I felt like I couldn't relate or develop any emotional attachments to them. Elle and her friends were very funny because they were supposed to be the stereotypical sorority girls. But, It's only when we dive further into Elle's story that I started to become more interested in her. She seemed like she had more layers than I expected and we see the challenges she goes through because the people around her make prejudice decisions based on her appearance and personality.

The story seems quite obscure and first and I think it's hard to make this musical appeal to all audience on the surface, but when you actually take the time to see it. It's very good, the dance numbers are fantastic, the music is catchy and fun, and the story at its core is about Elle trying to push herself away from the stereotypes of being a woman and getting married. But instead she decides for herself she wants to further educate herself and she is capable of doing anything even though she may not fit the mold of her profession of being a lawyer.

What I really took away from this musical is the underlying message that you are worth it and you can do anything you set your mind to. But the message is so good and so important and I feel like I also need to say that for myself as well. The musical has been quite successful, it was nominated for 7 tony awards and won the Lawerence Oliver Award for Best Musical.

The reason people should come to know? Well firstly the music is fun and catchy, secondly, like I said before the message this musical talks about it so important especially in our society right now; this is something we need to push more in the workforce, to show that people don't fit always fit their stereotypes and we shouldn't judge people on their looks but their actions.

GOOSE FATHER

Carson, Sohee, and Katie

·      Gilho’s family moves to Boston, has a boring accountant life, and loneliness leads him to have a roommate

·      The roommate, Wuseong, brings a goose to the apartment, Wuseong made Gilho very uncomfortable

·      But Wuseong character traits are unforgettable to Gilho; he has not met anyone like this before.

·      The reader finds out why Wuseong is so dedicated to taking care of the goose; he thinks that the goose is his mother

·      We also see as the reader, Gilho questioning his marriage with his wife.

·      And later that night Gilho and Wuseong go do karaoke together. Wuseong makes a fool out of himself but he doesn’t care. And even blows a kiss at Gilho.

·      Wuseong leads in to tryand kiss Gilho, but Gilho tries to divert his feelings towards Wu by slapping him instead to hide his true feelings.

·      Tries to Apologize

·      Impulse, tries to buy a Visa to get away from his problems in Korea

·      Wuseong goes out drinking with his college friends       

o   Got extremely drunk

·      Taeyoung tries to pluck feather from goose but goose hurts him

·      Gilho almost kills goose by choking it

·      Discovers the goose is possibly is his mother embodying the goose

·      Kisses Wuseong,

WES ANDERSON

In The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson, in the beginning pulls the audience back in time from the present to the past to the further past. What I find quite interesting about what Wes added in the Grand Budapest is the actual importance and voice of the Author.  We first come across the Author as an older man about in his late 50’s early 60’s and then he begins talking about how he came across the story and history of the grand Budapest and then we change time period again and we go back even further. I think the main reason Wes added the role of the Author was to commemorate the work that Stefan Zweig wrote for and work towards in his books. Even when the author is younger we see him come across the owner of the hotel, Zero. And from there we go back even further in time, its like inception but also not quite at that level?

And from there we see Zero’s troubles as a working immigrant in fragile time of the 1920’s/ 1930’s when WWII was about to break out. The borders in particular were pretty intense during that time, everyone was an enemy and if you were foreign and “illegal” this set you apart from everyone else. But when watching the Grand Budapest, we see how Mr. Gustave was so much more interested in him as a person than where he came from.  And by the end of the movie we see how intense and how dark morale people are about foreigners. 

THE GRADUATE

If I were the actor for Ben in the Graduate, it would be helpful and essential that I went through a similar situation like ben. In some way shape or form. Especially when he is feeling lost and scared for his future this is very relatable to anyone in a mid-life crisis, as for ben it’s a “just graduated what do I do now?” crisis. If anything I think it would be important to focus on mood wise, be depressed. And base on Ben’s personality through out this screenplay he get’s pushed around a lot and seems to have very little confidence in himself now compared to his college life where he was active in some many activities and hobbies. With that in mind it would be good to act like I’m in a haze all the time as if I’m remembering the past the good old’ days. In the righting I also felt like he was very awkward most of the time and people were spitting words out for him.

Especially around Mrs. Robinson, I think that would be important to show how uncomfortable he is around Mrs. Robinson. But over time we see him give up even more on life. When Ben tried to have a conversation with Mrs. Robinson, I just imagined his eyes lighting up with excitement to try and know something more about her. But we see that Mrs. Robinson doesn’t want anything more than just to have sex with him. And from there we see he losses interest in her…

When Ben is with Elaine at first I want to appear as if I have no feeling for Elaine, and tried to make her dislike me as much as possible because of where I bring her and what I do. But when I realize that I really hurt Elaine, I want to show that I was all an act, because I really do care about her and I like her, but I did it for her own good. As Ben talks with Elaine more I want to express my appreciation for Elaine, because Elaine is the first person coming back home to understand what I’m going through.

VOICE AND AUTEUR THEORY- SOFIA CAPPOLA

I watched Sofia Cappola’s work for this assignment and it’s clear she has a style for leaving her work in cliffhangers. In the three movies I watch “Marie Antoinette”, “Virgin Suicides”, and “ The Bling Ring”. Personally I was most invested in Marie Antoinette and a little bit in Virgin Suicide; both were very artistically pleasing movies very unique cinematography in both, but what struck me more in Marie Antoinette is the solidified character.  We actually feel sympathy and start to understand Marie’s hardships and pains as a young woman who is isolated in a foreign country. One aspect of her life that I had real sympathy for was when she was getting criticized for not push hard enough to seduce her husband into having children with her. And that really left her and Louis in a hard spot for years.

One thing that is common in all three of the movies is message about greed. We see that with Marie the greed she has for sex, money, food, and luxuries really brings her reputation down as a ruler and eventually leads to her downfall. We also see the same thing happen in Bling Ring where these rebellious teenager want a glimpse of a life they cannot possess and take things that do not belong to them, and eventually their greed catches up with them. And in Virgin Suicide the audience sees the girls’ chance of going to the dance as a way of breaking out of their parents homes. Ultimately, because one of the daughter’s, Lex, has a desire and lust for her boyfriend, we see her clutching her freedom and this ends up being a punishment for her and ultimate isolation for the rest of the sisters.

I do think that these movies aren’t necessarily suppose to be satisfying for the viewer, but Sofia tries to tell their side of the story and bring a message out of the character’s ultimate demises.