The Post-Modern Reality of Hollywood Essay -- Essays Papers

The Post-Modern Reality of Hollywood The shower of bullets leave white grooved funnels in the air, as the hero in slow motion leans back to avoid the deadly aims of the gunmen—all the while his black trench-coat billows underneath him. The saddened husband in heaven spans the chasm of hell to be reincarnated with his soul-mate wife. The young business executive places the pistol in his mouth, his blood-shot eyes rolling upwards as beads of sweat trickle down his grimy face. Moments later, after the bullet has been released into his head he turns to see that his nemesis, his alter-ego, is now dead on the concrete. Sound unbelievable? Perhaps, but when realized as scenes from famous movies such as The Matrix, When Dreams May Come, and Fight Club, they seem not quite so unreachable as before. In recent years, Hollywood has been inundating the American public with movies that question the very essence of reality. While set in highly entertaining, thrilling, and spectacular films, the very foundations of reality have been challenged, and some unsettling questions have been left unanswered in the minds of the American public. When did Hollywood become such a philosophizer? But more importantly, why has Hollywood taken to creating powerful films that manipulate the emotions and beliefs of their viewers as specifically concerns reality and their understanding of it? Surely the foundations of reality have not always been so heavily emphasized in Hollywood in years past. Looking to motion pictures such as Casablanca, The Sound of Music, Clint Eastwood Western’s, Indiana Jones, and James Bond 007 (a handful of famous films), we do find questions posed and important scenarios of life brought to the screen. However, such movies were... ...wood with a nice paycheck. Granted, not all films produced by Hollywood are illusionistic mind-benders such as The Matrix, and there are still films which present a very â€Å"real† reality. However, the increasing number of films such as Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, and The Matrix, and the subsequent encouragement by the American viewing public is most definitely a phenomenon worth exploring in greater depth. Hollywood has indeed become one of the largest mediums and beneficiaries of the post-modern, and this can be seen clearly in the post-modern reality which it so brilliantly presents. According to Michael Albert in his article â€Å"Post-Modernism†. http://zena.secureforum.com/znet/ZMag/articles/albertold10.htm Godwa, Hollywood Worldviews, pg. 17 Veith, Postmodern Times, pg. 35-36 Godwa, Hollywood Worldviews, pg. 19 Downing, When Heaven Becomes Desolate, pg. 6

Douglas Coupland’s Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture: an alternative voice :: Essays Papers

Douglas Coupland’s Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture: an alternative voice On production of his first novel, Coupland was labelled by critics spokesman for a new lost generation - â€Å"Generation X† - those individuals aged between mid-twenties and mid-thirties who have come of age in an increasingly technological and materialistic bureaucratic society. As a consequence, they are emotionally scarred and alienated, reject conformity and search for some kind of meaning to life. When asked about this label, Coupland stated that he spoke â€Å"...for myself, not for a generation. I never have†, arguing that he addresses issues relevant to himself and his peer group who grew up in Vancouver (Hall, Sharon K. â€Å"Douglas Coupland† Contemporary Literary Criticism, Vol. 39, 29). The subsequent success of Generation X both in America and Europe, indicate that the experiences Coupland records are global, appealing to a wide audience who share his fears and expectations. While the debate about the lack of a distinctive Canadian voice continues, the critical reaction to Generation X illustrates the problems inherent within Canadian literature. Coupland wrote the novel in America, and it was here rather than his native country that it was actually published. In â€Å"Malaise of the Mall-Raised†, Brian Fawcett details the reasons for Coupland’s initial lack of success in Canada, indicating that it was the book buying public rather than the literary establishment who put Coupland on the literary map: ...the book couldn’t find a Canadian publisher, that the Globe and Mail didn’t review Generation X, or that Books in Canada...rejected [it] for having an attitude problem (Fawcett, Brian. â€Å"Malaise of the Mall-Raised† Books in Canada, Vol. 21, 44-6). Typical of this critical reaction, Laurel Boone in a Books in Canada review of Generation X, is scathing towards the novel which she describes as â€Å"shallow†, and for the fact that its Canadian characters do not translate the French phrases they use (Boone, Laurel. â€Å"Review of Generation X.† Books in Canada. Vol. 20, 50-1). Boone also faults Coupland’s use of cartoons, definitions and slogans within the work. One of these pop art cartoons shows a young man reading a real estate magazine and telling his father: â€Å"Hey, Dad, - You can either have a house or a life I’m having a life.† In contrast to Boone’s opinion, it was the actual format of the novel as well as the content which appealed to the reading public. The reason Coupland was overlooked may be due to the fact that his novel was viewed as the antithesis of conventional Canadian writing.

You Don’t Know Jack: An Analysis

Euthanasia has been a debatable issue since one's perception of this idea could depend on different factors such as religion, culture, and even personal life experiences. DRP. Jack Savoring witnessed how his mother suffered in agony with her disease, describing the pain as a toothache In all your bones. Just Imagine how painful that is. At that time, he cannot do anything to alleviate the pain his mother is going through. He felt lost. That's how he felt responsible in aiding those people who are terminally ill.For him, it's not about killing someone. It's understanding that Hess patients have gone through a lot, and listening to their wish to end the pain rather than continue living but you're actually dying. Another point Is that he's doing it free of charge. He used his own resources to â€Å"help† his patients. There is no personal gain to him, but it is rather an act of service. It may not be acceptable to many but he was doing It from the standpoint of a medical person, of a son who understood what It's Like for someone to live fighting off a disease.II. â€Å"Oh, the lingering of death. What a business. Keep death alive. Hospitals don't make money otherwise. Drug companies either. If you're rich and you have the money, you can pay to die. But the poor, they can only afford to suck It out and suffer. † This quote from the movie truthfully states that the medical industry is also a business. Most people are in it to save lives or improve health. But there are others who see it as a moneymaking opportunity. To be honest, hospitals and drug companies don't make money when no one Is sick.These businesses â€Å"keep death alive†. A patient may still be alive but only because he/she Is still In the process of fighting off death. But the reality is that this person is actually dying compared to cost of us (since all of us are in one way or another living and dying at the same time). Rich people can afford the operation, treatment, hospitaliz ing bills, and drugs so their way of dying bearable compared to those who can't. Ill. â€Å"To each person, their own way of death – with dignity. † At this age, I now look at suicide as something sad and depressing.We now know for a fact that some people commit suicide because of psychological depression thinking that this Is the only way out. We feel sad for them, and think on how could the people around them possibly changed their decision. I remember years back when we hear of someone omitting suicide, one of the many things that pop out of our heads is the question â€Å"Why? ‘ Followed by a questioning thought If this person will still go to heaven because he/she lived a good life, or if he/she will go to hell because to be straight forward, it's murder of one's self.Euthanasia gives the patient liberty to decide for his/her own life. We can try, but the truth is, none of us can fully comprehend someone else's thoughts. We will never understand how a perso n feels, or how much pain they're going through so who are we to Judge? 1 OFF to use abundantly together with the freedom to decide on what to do it. It is human to choose pleasure, enjoyment, and happiness. But sometimes, life will not offer these choices. There will be pain, suffering and sadness.The movie mentioned a religious dogma that makes euthanasia unethical: â€Å"God almighty who wills us to suffer† This teaching goes against the objective of euthanasia to relive the patient pain and suffering making it morally wrong. On the contrary, God gave us the freedom to decide. It is in dying that we can union with him. The belief is that we should always let nature take it's own course V. Crime vs.. Civil Rights: â€Å"When a law is deemed immoral by you, you must disobey it. Medicine and Law are two of the most influential and powerful disciplines in the world.It is studied to help serve humanity but sometimes they clash for their arguments come from diverse objectives. Civil rights is about personal liberty-? patients have the discretion to seek suicide assistance making euthanasia a result of one's personal decision and freedom to decide for his life. But the law does not make it legal to kill someone even with the patient's consent. Dying is always easier to comprehend and acceptable if it's a natural death when no other human is held responsible.

Judith Beveridge poems

Poetry offers a new way to look at familiar situations. Judith Beverage does this in three of poems. â€Å"The Domesticity of giraffes†, â€Å"Fox In a tree stump† and â€Å"The Two Brothers†. Through the use of repetition and personification she Incorporates her feelings about cruelty towards animals and humans. She uses these techniques in all three of her poems. Poetry shows the reader a new way to look at familiar situations and in her poem â€Å"The Domesticity of Giraffes† she uses repetition to show the cruelty towards the Giraffe.This creates a feeling of annoyance towards the zoo as the reader wants the Giraffe to be free. She repeats the phrase â€Å"licks the salt† which is what the Giraffe Is doing constantly shows how the Giraffe Is self-harming because Its mouth gets drier and drier, this shows how boarded the Giraffe Is. Beverage shows this torture through repetition in all of her poems which familiarizes the reader with her message t hat animal cruelty is wrong. In Beverage's other poem â€Å"The Fox in the Tree Stump† she also uses repetition to sow animal cruelty throughout.This gives us an insight towards her feelings about animal cruelty. The use of the word â€Å"shot† is constantly repeated while there Is no gun being fired it implies something is being damaged or hit. The â€Å"shot† Is what the girl Is Imagining while she Is hitting the fox. This Is done to part herself from the killing, making It sound Like someone else Is shooting it for her. Beverage shows the cruelty towards animals once again throughout â€Å"the Fox in a Tree Stump† by repeating the violent and abrupt word â€Å"shot†.In Beverage's third poem the situation of cruelty is present but it is not towards an animal but towards a girl. She again uses repetition to how the reader that It Is not only happening once but multiple times. â€Å"The Two Brothers† torture and kill animals while the girl I s caring In the fact that she tries to save even the snails from the torturous ways of â€Å"The Brothers† The repetition of the words â€Å"those boys† and â€Å"the brothers† shows that the girls is trying to alienate herself from the senseless torturing of or animals.The repetition is used to make the reader fell empathy towards the girl as she is faced with an impossible situation. Save the bugs and get tormented by the brothers or let the innocent creatures get killed. Beverage shocks the audience to make her message seem more serious that cruelty towards animals should not be happening which Is familiar through all three of her poems. Beverage uses the poetic technique of personification throughout her poems to give the animals human qualities which make the reader feel sympathy towards them.She goes this in her poems â€Å"the Domesticity of Giraffes†, â€Å"Fox in a Tree Stump† and â€Å"The Two Brothers†. This is familiarized by the reader. Beverage personifies the Giraffe as a beautiful flower surrounded by concrete. This symbolizes the Giraffe in captivity as something beautiful that doesn't belong where It Is. Beverage familiarizes the reader with the use of personification to express her feelings of animal cruelty. Throughout her second poem â€Å"The Fox in the Tree Stump†, Beverage uses the technique of personification to express her feelings about animal cruelty.This is done by personifying the fox to make it harder for the girl to kill it. The quote â€Å"the fox stood coughing† represents the fox suffering from when the girl smoked It out of Its Beverage is trying to get across to the audience. This theme of animal cruelty is familiarized through personification in Beverage's first and second poem. In the poem â€Å"The Two Brothers† the theme of animal cruelty is shown through the poetic technique of personification which is familiar in three of Beverage's poems.The use f personi fication gives a deeper understanding of animal cruelty by giving the animals human qualities. The quote â€Å"the snails never needed more than a single leaf to paint† personifies the snail as an artist as it eats the leaves of the flower. This is used to make Beverage's message clearer about how animals should be left alone and not tortured. In Beverage's poems she familiarizes the themes of animal cruelty and uses the same poetic techniques to display the theme. Even though her poems are the about different events the massage does not change. â€Å"Animal cruelty is wrong†.

American Imperialism

During the Cold War, the world in general was a maniacal, paranoia-driven place to live in. Feelings of nationalism and inter-cultural isolation/conformity created rifts filled with fear between opposing nations, especially the two superpowers. The United States, as the juxtaposition to Soviet communists, sought to identify communism as a social evil, and a suppressor of both happiness and liberty.The resulting mentality following the period of global animosity triggered numerous instances of economic/cultural collapse, simply because the United States refused to acknowledge communism as an acceptable alternative to a democratic, capitalist society. In truth, the actions practiced by the United States are essentially reprehensible. Just to eliminate traces of the misconception that capitalism is the solution to world-suffering, one must recall the situation in Chile during the Cold War.When Augusto Pinochet came to power in 1973, a startling statistic is that the unemployment rate wa s an enviable, by today’s standards, 4. 3%. However, in 1983, after ten years of free-market modernization, unemployment reached 22%. Real wages declined by 40% under military rule. This reality solidifies the fact that although not a necessarily democratic government, the free-market/capitalist Chilean government, severely exacerbated the issue of poverty in Chile.Capitalism, a system consistent with democracy, failed. Miserably. The first point is that the United States’ concerns for the economic well-being of other countries was misplaced, believing that the only way is the American way. As a world power drunk with international influence, the United States forced its policies on nations that were doing well without being â€Å"saved†.

Of Mice and Men Characters Essay

At the beginning both George & Lennie met at the rench near the river,close to the hill sides. The relationship between George & Lennie is that they are close friends.Acctualy George had promised Lennie’s Aunt Clara that he will take care of Lennie, as she laid on the bed of death. â€Å"Some body’d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself. No you stay with me, your Aunt Clara wouldn’t like it if you were Running off by your self, even if she’s dead.† Although Lennei is mch stronger,taller & muscular than Goerge, he still seems to depend on George. He forgets everything, he can’t cook, he’s got immature adult hood behaviour, he can’t deal with day-to-day life. Where as George happens to be the leader. He cooks for him, takes care of him, & there relationship between them seems to be like father & son. H e does at times get angry & frustrated with him due to his behaviour or the attitude toward him having to forget everything. George & Lennie both carry a dream along themselves, which the want to fulfil, of having a place of there own, â€Å"With us it ain’t like that new got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar-room, blowin’in our jack jack jus because we got no place else to go. If them other guys get in jail then can rot for all anyone gives a damn. But not us.† However Lennie always seem to have a frustrated attitude, â€Å"But not us ! An’ why because †¦because I got you to look after me, & you got me to look after you, & that’s why.† â€Å"Some day where gonna get the jack together & where gonna have a little house & a couple of cows & some pigs.† In this case Lennie had kept control of the money, as he told every thing to Lennie to do, & that this money would help them in buying a place of there own. As the third person helps them so that he could also move out without the others knowing about it. As they had prepared there dream to come true, but as always Lennie had spoilt everything due to his immature attitude. At this stage of agreement with old man, Curley’s wife walks in asking for trouble as usual, well that’s what George thought. After there conversation over there secrete, Lennie fell a sleep on the bunk dreaming, mean while Curley walks in asking George & the bold man if they had seen his wife. During this they end up in a slight argument. As Curley gets furious at the telling of the people, telling him to keep his damn wife a home. On the other hand as Lennie is dreaming, he was smiling & delighted at the memory of ranch. At this stage Curley glaed at him, as he slipped his eyes off the past & lighted on Lennie, as he had become the centre of attraction. At this stage he stepeed towards lennie, as he was half asleep, & replied unknowingly & confusingly â€Å"Huh†?Due to him being so deniable Curley exploded with range. † Come on you big bastard-get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch, is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show ya who’s yella?† Curley’s anger made Lennie look helplessly at George, & at this stage Lennie gets up & tries to retreat Curley, but Curley was balanced & poised . Right now he slashed a thump at Lennie withhis left, & then hit him under his nose. During the pain Lennie felt he cried for George’s help. But unfotanly the beating was at limited for Lennie & was in anger,despite having George stood on his feet yelling above all, to Lennie, telling him to get him (revenge). â€Å"Get him Lennie† Although Lennie was much stronger & muscular than Curley, â€Å"Don’t let him do it† Pain was getting to Lennie & the others in the room. At this stage Lennie covered his face with his huge pones (hand) & felt the beat ness of terror within himself, as then beating, as he again cried for George’s help & the others to make him stop. Then again Curley had attacked him in the stomach & blow of his wind. The scene now was painful & thew feeling of careless struk every one, especially Slim as he stud to his feet to betray Curley. â€Å"The dirty little rat; he cried, I’ll get’ un my self† But George atn this stage grabbed Slim by holding out his hand,asking him to wait, as knew Lennie would get Curley back. He new it was at limited for Lennie & the support of them in the room defiantly want revenge from Curley. † Wait a minute† (George said to him) † Get him Lnnie† The single voice of George Struck Lennie, as he took his hand away ftrom his face & looked around for George. At this point Curley took the advantage of him having to take his hand off his face & slashed him again in his eyes. Lennie’s face was covered with blood & George was again yelling/persuading Lennie to hit him. Again Curley’s fist was snagging when Lennie reached for it fist & seconds layer Curley was flopping all over the place like a fish would. Curley’s closed fist was now lost in Lennie’s big hand, revealing his anger in agony, as this time George ran down the room yelling at him to let go of him, but Lennie did not let go, & slapped him across the face repeatingly, but still he didn’t let go. However Curley was slushing as he fell white in his face & started to shrink,as he became weak.Howeever at last he did let go, as he crouched against the wall. â€Å"you told me to, George† At this stage Slim regarded Lennie with terror, as he statedy then they better get Curley to the doctor, as soon as possible, as they thought that he could be worse than what it look, but he also mentioned to Curley & the other surrounded strictly that his hand got stuck in the machine, if any one hade to ask then Lennies name should nit be mentioned strickly or trouble would occur. ( George said)†Slim, we get canned now? We need the stake. Will Curley’s old man cane us now? (Slim said to Curley)†you got your senses in hand enough to listen? â€Å"I think you got your han’ caught in a machine.† â€Å"If you don’t tell nobody what happened, we aren’t going to. But you jus tell an’try to get this canned & we’ll tell ever’body,an the will you get the laugh.† After this obviously George & Lennie had to stay well clear from cur ley’s wife, especially Lennie in eve at the time,& was specially warned from George, that she’ll cause trouble & that Lennie was in the bad books ofCurley & was better to stay out of his way. The old man was talking to creok ojn his bunk as Lennie arrived, & both Lennie & the old man started telling there story of them 3, haqving there place of there own,with Lennie’s rabbits & other animals/habitats. Again Creok offered to put fowar some money, but as George walked in the room & having a suspicious shocking look on his face as he saw Lennie sitting there. The old man mentioned the thought offered by Creok, but the shock & discomfort of privacy shrook him as he apologised to them all but this place was supposed to be a secrete & a place of there own & no one was to know in case of trouble. During the conversation Curley’s wife had walked in the room & interruptedly every one was shocked to her there especially if she had geard everything then trouble was to come, also her distance close to us would let her know what accually had happened to Curley that night. However later on in the argument with her & the others in the room she accually found out that it was Lennie who hert his hand & not the silly excuse of the machine.As Curley’s wife tried to get on Lennie,George tried to hold Lennie away from her, & tried to get Curley’s wife out of the room as Curley & his old man walked in the room,& suddenly intruptted the argument.

Magnificent play Essay

Language is extremely powerful in ‘The Crucible’. Miller’s words are used effectively and do not include anything unnecessary to convey the idea. For instance, ‘She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave. And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance and you must see it, I set myself entirely in your hands. ‘ This quote consists of simple speech and tells a straightforward message. Proctor knows his mistake and regrets it, but he also knows he must reveal it to the court in order to stop the trials. Another example of a powerful quote is ‘A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between. ‘ This quote is very effective in a way Danforth is telling everyone their fate. He is saying those against the court are evil and will suffer the consequences for it, presumably death. he tells everyone in favour of the witch trials that they are victorious and have nothing to worry about if they carry on as they are doing. The theme of this play I believe is a very interesting one. In my opinion ‘The Crucible’ is about rising over adversity, standing for the truth even to the death. there are many examples in the play to support my opinion. John in the beginning wanted to keep distant from the trials, he didn’t want to have a part whether good or bad, but when Elizabeth was arrested he was forced to take part. Throughout the trial, he stood for the truth. He confessed to his affair and was forgiven for his sin. He died a hero learning what truth really meant through his sufferings and struggles. there is also a great deal of hysteria in this play. The village’s people were easily manipulated by Abigail’s lies and came to quick poorly judged conclusions, which lead to killing a great many innocent people. Act 3 is very strong most of the main things are revealed such as the court’s verdict, who is right and who is wrong, who will win and who will die. It is an extremely gripping part of the play, telling how Proctor was so close to victory (through his confession and Mary Warren) yet he still defeated by the envy of Abigail, or rather the loyalty of Elizabeth and the fearful Mary warren. He knows he will die but he also knows he has a chance of stopping this fate yet because of his decency Proctor decides he would rather face death than bring trouble upon his friends and everlasting shame upon his family. I also noticed that in act 3 the three main sides are shown clearly. The power hungry stand together, those full of jealousy, greed, hate and lust join and those who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the truth unite. The people in this play may have had different motives for accusing other people, and practically sentencing them to death, but the outcome of all accusations was more or less the same. Innocent people died and there was more than one person to lay the blame on. In almost every conflict, there is someone or some people to hold responsible. In this case, it was Abigail for her manipulative nature, the Putnam’s for their greed, Mary Warren for being weak-willed and Rev. Parris for craving power. It makes one wonder how such a diminutive act of young girls could lead to such destruction of a community. How could innocent people be sentenced to death simply because some girls were playing and dancing? This is the power of religion and the annihilation it can cause if people refuse to tolerate any other explanation and follow it blindly. ‘The Crucible’ is a magnificent play, superbly written conveying one simple message. It is better stand for the truth and sacrifice yourself than to live with a lie. It reminds us that man is not perfect, and that we can make mistakes. However, even with these mistakes, we can cleanse ourselves and purify ourselves by making what is wrong right.