Blog #17 Hooks

Hooks’ reading was a reading that was very interesting, it included very interesting points about sexism and prejudice. Sex discrimination has been an ongoing battle with in society, and because society has made it an ongoing battle men and women now even today but not as bad as earlier are still fighting over each other. The same old ideas are being instilled upon the younger generations that the male is supposed to be the one that goes out in to the world and makes the money looking after his wife and kids. Women are still being taught to be proper, soft and elegant and that they are supposed to find someone who will look after them and her children, also that she is supposed to cook, clean and be ready for her husband to come home and have things all organized. To many things in society have enforced this ideology and in a way one would think that a females family would be the ones who want her to break away from this mold and take on the world, being independent and striving to make her way on her own with out a man. But again society is controlling people’s thoughts and views, some families in a way are to afraid to break away form the norm. They do not want to be the ones looked at differently, for having a daughter involved in other things other than being frail and proper. This stereotype is old and it needs to be changed, I liked this reading and this blog really allowed me to rant and get some things off of my mine. I found this reading very interesting.

Blog 16 (Gilligan)

From a very young age society can sway the thoughts and views of young children. Anything from music, video games, and movies can make a huge impact on children because they see how different characters act so they mimic that and think that is how life is or should be. Young girls can become very set on the idea of a “Prince Charming” and they scum to the idea that a women should be dependent on a man, that they should find someone to help them and protect them, and follow this ideology that the women is the dependent one. A young boy can end up feeling that when they grow up that they have to be the ones to supply and look after their princess. That the male is the one who has to bring home the bacon and be independent. Males are very dominate and Gilligan explains that Males are different from Females in that they take rules and regulations very seriously, and if another male were to break a rule it is in the nature of the male to fight in order to resolve the rule which can not be broken. Females on the other hand are different in that they are the type to disregard the rules and look at them more as guide lines in which they can bend and break if need be. I found this reading to be interesting and I found that the points that Gilligan made were strong and true. It was different to understand some of her points of view and understand where she was coming from at times but all in all I though that it was a good reading.

Blog #15 (De Beauvoir)

Society has a tremendous amount of power over the way people think and live their lives, because people care so much about other people’s opinions. De Beauvoir explains that society has a greater impact on the way that women are and act as opposed to that just being the way that women act. It is funny because I feel that that is the way that society still is today. Although it is not necessarily directed completely at women, but it is interesting to see that society had and still does have a large influence and still has a tendency to control the way people act. De Beauvoir sees the tension that has been placed between men and women because of society and she is trying to inform both men and women about what society is doing, and how society is portraying women in general. This Eternal feminine myth about women is on going and in a way gives men almost a reason to miss treat women, they use this on going myth as an excuse. I enjoyed this reading and really understood what De Beauvoir was getting at. I understand that society is extremely influencing and it is not hard to see how this myth has been going on for so long. One thing that is sad to hear although true is the fact that men have used this myth as an explanation for their abusive behavior toward women. I think that De Beauvoir did a great job addressing these issues, and I think that she explained it in a really simple and effective way.

Blog #14 Woolf

Woolf just like Wollstonecraft and Stanton discussed the struggles that women were faced with during the Shakespearian time. Again women were looked down upon and not really looked to for any reason other than their looks and cooking skills. Women for the most part were extremely dependent upon men and relied on them and looked to them for everything. Women were supposed to be midwives and stay at home cooking and cleaning as well as looking after the children, of course making sure that everything is in order and ready for when the man comes home. It was not normal and strongly discouraged for a woman to partake in drama, or plays being presented to the public, women were pushed to not get involved in any other activities other than staying home. Women were looked down upon or their reputation was most of the time tarnished if they tried to participate in any other activities outside of the home. If a women came to a theater wanting to be involved in a play and act men would laugh in their faces. This to me when thinking of this doesn’t make sense. One would think that during this time if men were forced to play the role of women which they were because no women were allowed that the man would feel less masculine, or therefore be made fun of or looked down upon for acting like a women. Why is it that men can play the roles of the opposite sex but women can’t even partake in the life of theater? I like Woolf’s reading and think that she made many valid points.

Wollstonecraft Blog #13

This reading was very complex and a difficult reading at that. Wollstonecraft seemed to be a very strong valued woman. She had strong believes about women and their role in society. Her views seemed very different from what was actually happening in her time. Her views were based around the roles and job women should have in society. Also that society forces women to be more dependent upon men. When starting to read this reading I got the feeling like this reading was similar to the Stanton reading. Wollstonecraft felt that women should know and be involved with politics and be physicians and nurses. Business was also something that Wollstonecraft felt strongly about; she felt that women should be involved in the business world. The one thing that was standing in the way of what Wollstonecraft’s thoughts and ideas for women was the lack of educational opportunities. Again this reminds me of Stanton’s reading when it comes to women’s rights and that there were not as many opportunities for women as there was for men. Men were treated differently in society as opposed to women. Over all this reading to me was hard to get a full grasp on, and it also to me was similar and had many parallels to Stanton’s reading about the rights of women. Wollstonecraft seemed like she was a very intelligent women, and her views were very interesting. Society once again had a very strong influence on men and on women at the time and it really took at toll on the choices that men and women mostly women could make.

Blog 12 Reich ( Why the Rich are getting Richer and the Poor, Poorer

There are many cases in today’s world where people have been paid low wages for jobs that require high demand, or just simply that they are jobs that others feel can be done by any body but they are jobs that now one wants to do. One would think that these people who work these jobs who Reich refers to as routine producers, should be getting paid more. Over the years these people like for example factory workers have been getting laid off because of the development in newer and more advanced technology that can do the same job for the company and then the company does not have to pay for the workers any more. It is exciting to see that technology is advancing but also it is difficult to see how people are getting treaded who are hard workers. When is it going to stop, how far are we willing to go for machines and technology? Is there going to be a day where machines do and run everything? Companies are always looking for the cheapest way to make and produce their products. Some people are in dire need of jobs that they will do anything to have a chance to make money, even if it is extremely insignificant. It is sad when a company will need for their product to be made and produced in another country just because of cheap labor. It’s either the poor can work for extremely little pay or they can be out of a job because of the many poor people in the world who need jobs. Therefore I think that Reich’s title for this reading was very appropriate.

Blog #11 Galbraith

In the reading “The Position of Poverty” by John Kenneth Galbraith he explains and describes what case poverty is. “Case poverty is the poor farm family with the junk-filled yard and the dirty children playing in the bare dirt. Or it is the gray-black hovel beside the railroad tracks. Or it is the basement dwelling in the alley.”(Galbraith 407) “Case poverty is commonly and properly related to some characteristics of the individuals so afflicted”. (Galbraith 407) Poverty is a huge issue in today’s world, it is every where, in some situations poverty can consume a whole country, not just individuals in particular. A country can be rich in goods, being land, forest, and agriculture and still the people are poor. Overall this was a hard reading to grasp, it was difficult for me to understand the extent of case poverty. Poverty can be over come, depending on the types of poverty whether is be lack of education which can be overcome, mental deficiencies can be treated, and physical disabilities can be remedied. The only thing that is preventing this or is the limiting factor is the lack of money. It is amazing how we as a society ignore poverty, it is everywhere and still we chose to ignore it and pass by it. Galbraith explains that a society chooses to pass by poverty because we do not wish to see it or deal with it. It is not an excuse, society has been ignoring poverty for to long and we need to man up and address this issue before it gets way to out of hand.

Galbraith. “The Position of Poverty.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2006.pp 403-413.

Blog # 10 Marx

When looking at the Bourgeois and the Proletarians through Marx’s reading the “Communist Manifesto” Marx explains that the Bourgeois and then Proletarians are in a sense society splitting up into “…two great hostile camps , into two great classes directly facing each other…”( Marx 357). It was difficult to understand the struggle that both the Bourgeois and then Proletarians had. The Bourgeois have been around for many generations and have always fought to be on top. This class will do anything to benefit their selves. The Proletarians are the lowest on the stratum of society and in senses the Bourgeois are at the top with the power to control and watch over and boss around the lower class like the Proletarians. This should not be happening, there needs to be a society that is all equal, although this is going to be hard to accomplish. Labor should be divided up equally so therefore not just the Proletarians are doing all of the work, allowing the Bourgeois to be at the top. Marx’s theory of communism is what will help to change the ways of the Bourgeois and help the Proletarians even out the rights and the ways that they have been treated. I think that there are many situations like this still in today’s society were people of lower income are being placed into lower paying jobs and I think that Marx’s theories about the communist manifesto is a good solution to this problem of the imbalances in today’s world. I enjoyed this reading it was extremely interesting and relevant to today’s society.

Marx. “The Communist Manifesto.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2006.pp 356-367.

Blog #9 Nussbaum

When reading the Central Human Functional Capabilities it was clear to see that these are the rights that Nussbaum feel that everyone is entitled to and should be free to believe in if they do so chose. These Central Human Functional Capabilities represent social justice in that they are basic things that human beings should have, it is just common sense. With out these capabilities it is hard to imaging what the world would be like. As well as what people would be like, what would we believe in, and how would we think and develop our own ideas towards any topic in life? Every one should be given the right to these Capabilities, I totally agree with Nussbaum’s views and all of her Central Human Functional Capabilities. Her society to me is an excellent example, the government needs to keep in mind and think about different people when creating environments people need to be able to express themselves in their own ways, and they should not feel like they can’t because of society or what other people might think of them. I think that this reading was very interesting and I liked to hear her ideas about the particular Capabilities, even when we think that we know them it is good to read them from a different perspective. I also agree with that fact that the government should leave people be when it comes to their different thoughts about particular topics, beliefs, feelings and emotions. I truly enjoyed this reading and it put in perspective what humans are entitled to.

Blog #8 Rawls

Rawls truly feels that everyone has the right to be treated equally in society, even people who are at a disadvantage in life. Laws do not just affect particular people, they affect many people and politicians need to get the whole picture and think about everyone involved when it comes to making laws in society. If a law is not in the best interest of a minority then that law should not be considered. It is not fair to go against a minority and pass a law even if it is the only group that is not being benefited. I agree with Rawls thoughts on this matter in that it is unfair and not right because in some cases particular groups might be the same ones not benefiting from the laws being passed and this can not happen. People should be cautious of these matters and learn to come up with laws that can help society as a whole. People always have to be thinking of how to improve the world around us, by helping those less fortunate then it is making the cities, countries, and the world stronger. If politicians keep attacking the less fortunate then they are never going to improve. Politian’s must be open minded and try to look for positives and things to improve upon. “Justice and Fairness” is a good motto to live by in any aspect of ones life, but for politicians especially. It is important to be strong and make sure that justice is done by, as well as fairness to those under ones authority who may not be able to make a change.

Blog #7 Stanton

According to Elizabeth Stanton men have an overwhelming power over women. There are many situations in which she explains that women have been undone, or degraded by men. Many of these rights that the women are deprived of have to deal with voting rights, property rights, possession rights and even as bad as citizen rights. Women were very much discriminated against and truly looked down upon. Men left women without representation in the government, they were not allowed to vote, and they were oppressed. As well if a woman is married then she has been striped of her property rights as well as her wages that she earns. There are many more examples that go on of all this discrimination, but it is truly disappointing and sad how because of all these limitations to women it therefore made them totally dependent on their husbands and or men. It was like they could not do anything for themselves or even think for them selves for that matter because men also had the power to deny women the right to go to school as colleges were closed against them. One line that really stood out and caught my attention was the fact that “He has endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life” (Stanton 166). If this is not enough to have power over women I don’t know what is. In order to make a women feel like she is worthless and just put on this earth almost in a sense to be like a man’s accessories is discusting. It really seems to me that women must have served no purpose in the world at this time and that her lives, thoughts and feelings were not important.

Stanton Cady Elizabeth. “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2006.pp 161-169.

Blog # 6 King

This blog to me was very powerful, Martin Luther King really comes out and presents many views that are very disturbing and powerful. When it comes to distinguishing between just laws and unjust laws King makes it extremely clear that just laws are “ a manmade code that squares with the moral law or the law of God” (King 179). Also that an unjust law “is a human that is mot rooted in eternal law and natural law” (King 179). “Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust” (King 179). He feels very strongly that people have a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws and to obey just laws. He also agrees with St. Augustine that “an unjust law is no law at all” (King 179). People need to take stands to go against unjust laws, in order to change things in our society that are discriminatory and racial. If it were not for people like King who fought against what he felt was wrong then these horrible issues could still be happening today. King truly was the force behind the change I think behind racism. Also it seems to be a trend that these influential people feel that if a law is unjust then people have a moral obligation to go against these laws. I was truly thrown by the fact that King used when talking about Birmingham. “Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known. Negros have experienced grossly unjust treatments in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings in Negro homes and churches in Birmingham that in any other city in the nation” (King 175). This reading to me really showed me how influential Martin Luther King was and that if it were not for him then who knows where the world would be.

King Luther Martin. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2006.pp 171-189.

Blog #5 Thoreau

In this reading Thoreau explains that he is not really a huge fan of the government. He understands that there has to be one but he would prefer if the government was involved in a little as possible. He does not like a government that is to controlling or that wants to be involved in every aspect of people’s lives. Thoreau is strongly against the fact that people still support their government even when the government partakes in a wrong doing. This for me is difficult to take, only in the fact that, it is hard for a citizen to truly stand up to the government. Really what now a days can someone really do to voice there opinion besides, letters to the Editor, and talking about issues to others. Some of Thoreau’s suggestions as a way of going against the government out of anger might not necessarily be a wise choice in today’s society. For example not paying your taxes, that could get people into serious trouble. One line that really stood out for me was the line about his thoughts on military matters “The mass of men serve thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies” (Thoreau 139). This really stood out for me and got me to think about what it must truly be like for the men at war. What it is like to train all day everyday in order to be in a ready standing army. Thoreau strongly feels that people should get to decide how their government should be run, “…Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it” (Thoreau 138). He had many strong views but I am not to sure that I would be able to agree with everything that he says in relation to today’s world.

Thoreau David Henry. “Civil disobedience.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2006.pp 133-157.

The Establishment clause Blog # 4

The establishment clause was meant to protect religion from the state, not the state from religion. For some time the establishment clause had been thought as the protection of religion against the secular government. The fact of the matter is that the establishment cause has no theory, meaning that the Supreme Court has not offered any direction in telling whether the clause has been violated or not. In order to pass the establishment Clause, justice wrote that the statute in question must meet three criteria: “First, the statute must have a secular legislative purpose; second, it’s principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion; finally, the statute must not foster ‘an excessive entanglement with religion (Carter 106). ’” The establishment clause was written trying to build around the political process, a wall almost impossible to take seriously. Pro choice scholars have argued that pro-life legislation violates the establishment clause because of the religious motivation of many supporters. The establishment clause by its terms doesn’t allow the imposition of religious belief by the state, not statements of religious belief in the course of public dialogue. Religious freedom is something that our nation prides itself on, the establishment clause might well end up not antiestablishment but antireligion. Religious views are extremely important and should not be argued against and people should not have to feel that their religious views are incorrect or wrong. I feel that religion and the state should be separate they should not conflict because they are to totally different parts of our lives.

Carter. “The Separation of the State.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2006. pp 99-110.

Blog #3 What Happens to human beings in concentration camps?

When the phrase concentration camp comes to mind, words that immediately define the phrase are horror, death, torture, and pain. This reading is very powerful and difficult to grasp, with all the information that the author packs into the reading. When it comes to concentration camps it is interesting to learn that they can be split into three types of a life after death: Hades, Purgatory, and Hell. The concentration camps were so terrifying that it was like the prisoners were already dead and an evil spirit was getting a kick out of seeing the people suffer more before letting them die. It was easy for inmates to break not just physically but mentally as well, and the idea was for the leaders of the camps to treat the inmates as if they never had existed, they were isolated and kept from the outside word. They were treated like nothing because a prisoner has no value or price, and it was easy for an inmate to be replaced. One can not truly imagine what it is like in the concentration camps, it is something that is beyond life and death, the horror and torture can never be fully grasped. Many died from the regular torture and starvation, and as well because the camps were to overcrowded. This reading was hard to read in that yes we all know about the concentration camps and what went on but the way the author explains things and lays them out really hits the readers. This reading really lets the reader know that people have know idea of what really went on and it is to horrific to fathom what was done to the inmates and how some survived.

Blog #2 Is it better for a prince to be loved or to be feared?

There are many things that a prince when ruling his country has to be aware of. When reading Machiavelli’s The Qualities of the Prince, my answer to the title question changed from the moment I read the title of this reading to when I finished the reading. Loved was the first answer that came to mind because a prince I assumed would want the respect, love and loyalty from his people and a way of achieving this is to be kind, caring and generous to ones citizens. According to Machiavelli it is best if a ruler be both loved and feared, but if one attribute is lacking then it is far better to be feared than to be loved. It is easy for a prince to have control if he has inflicted fear upon his citizens. People are willing to abide by laws and be good and loyal citizens if fear is inflicted upon them or they are simply afraid to experience fear. Love holds to many false promises, and it will only get people so far. People will only do so much if they know that nothing will happen to them if something doesn’t get done, there is to much self interest involved, if a request doesn’t benefit someone then the majority of the time things will not get done. If fear is the motivation behind choirs and requests getting completed then so be it, if that is what has to be done to get results then the prince should do what ever is necessary to benefit his country in the long run, even if that means dealing or executing particular individuals to better his country. People do not like to be punished, and it allows the prince to be in control of his nation.

What does it mean to be in harmony with the Tao?

This reading for me was hard to understand in a way, on one end I was following how the author Lao-Tzu was connecting the Tao which means “the way” or “the Great Mother” (Lao-Tzu 20) to every day life. My understanding of the Tao is that it is supposed to be the path that both people and leaders of countries are recommended to follow in their every day lives. Meaning to just let things happen, live your life to the fullest in peace and love, displaying strong morals. A leader is supposed to watch over his or her country, not try to be over powering or controlling, and doesn’t force issues. The idea of the Tao is that the world will turn out fine and govern it’s self, always finding the way in the end. Then on the other hand one quote that really threw me after I was understanding the meaning of Tao was “When the Tao is lost, there is goodness” (Lao-Tzu 26). This did not make sense to me because the idea of being in harmony with the Tao is to live ones life with good morals and being good to one another, letting the world be, and not forcing issues on each other. So therefore shouldn’t the Tao be a good thing? If the Tao was lost should that mean that goodness is lost? For a country to be in harmony with the Tao it’s leader is powerful only when he or she is not trying to be, people are working together and looking after one another. In following the Tao the world is as it should be.

Lao-Tzu. “Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A Jacobus. Translator. Steven Mitchell. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St Martin’s, 2006.pp 22-31.

Overall this semester I thought that my writing was decent. I really learned a lot this semester about detail and how important it is in my writing. I thought that I had a good balance in my writing when it came to detail but I learnt that I need more to support in my ideas and really show the reader instead of telling them. It has always been difficult for me to adjust to a teacher’s particular style of writing and just when I thought that I had a good understanding of what I am capable of writing I am pushed to the next level or just simply another style or approach to improve. Going into the semester I didn’t know what to expect as it was a different English professor at a totally new institution. Throughout the semester I have felt that I have grown stronger as a writer. Before attending the class I didn’t even know how to write properly with MLA style writing or for that matter even know what it was. I had never been taught MLA before; however I now know and understand the basics of the writing style and I can now enforce it in my writing in the future. A part of the class that I really enjoyed this semester was writing blogs and commenting on other students blogs. It was a place where I was able to write creatively, while having a lot of fun doing it. Throughout this semester I have grown as a writer and have learnt a lot of writing techniques that I hope to apply in my future writing.

Blog (Response to David McGowan)

Its true that the media is filtered by the government and that what see on the news and TV is in a way censored all by the same source. I totally agree with this statement in a way. It’s funny how the USA is a country that has freedom of speech and everyone is allowed information and they can have their own ideas and thoughts about what they are presented with, but still Americans are in some way kept from all the information that the news presents. Although I also agree with the fact that some pieces of information do not need to be shared with the public, either for a victim, or viewers sake. Not everyone needs to know the tiny details of every single case that the news presents. Also all the different news stations are shaded with propaganda and advertisements, which is why I don’t really every watch the news, because I know and agree with McGowan’s statement that the “media machine that has become, for all intents and purposes, a propaganda organ of the state”(world as a text 561).

News Blog

The way that I get my news has changed since I have been at school in fact I don’t get or pay any attention to the news anymore. When I was living at home it was part of my routine in the morning to get up and read the news paper while I ate breakfast. I think that it was because the paper was readily available to me and it was really easy for me to just look at the paper in the morning. I never watch the news on TV, one because I don’t watch TV that much, also I like the fact that I can scan and look for things that I want in the news paper and there is no commercials. What also really bothers me when watching the news on TV is the fact that if someone is in a hurry and the beginning of the news show advertises something that really interests you and then they don’t get to it until then end of the broad cast. I know that the news paper source is accurate but I also know that sometimes the local paper does not cover as much or a many nation or global issues as the new on TV necessarily would.
I feel that it is important to pay attention to the news because it is important to know what is going on in the world around us. The news is everywhere and I am going to get back in to a routine of making an effort of knowing what is going on around me. Regardless if it is the local school paper or on a more local or global scale.

Blog about presentations

Over all I found the presentations very interesting. It was cool to hear the ideas that other people had about particular movies, either that I have seen and had different opinions about or that I haven’t seen and knew nothing about. It was also interesting to learn about other movies that I have not seen or even ever heard of for that matter. The comparisons that people made were also interesting, like Evan’s and his link between the film O’brother Where art’tho and Odyssey, I have seen O’brother Where art’tho and I understood all of the references that he was talking about in his presentation. I also enjoyed Jennifer’s presentation and really agreed with all of her arguments, like the interactions between adults and children, the eye levels and eye contact and the role changes in regards to women and men being care takers.
I know that I really tried to focus the majority of my presentation on how location, shot and angle techniques really force an audience to feel a particular way about the film, or characters, and how those particular techniques can play out a theme or particular emotion. I found that these presentations really helped with the over all outline of our papers. For me reading out my ideas to the class and presenting them and getting feedback really helped me plan for the set up of my paper and because I heard it from myself. I now know where to add missing info and other important points. I found these presentations very interesting and everyone so far has done a really good job, also it has really helped me with my paper layout and structure.

Comic Book Blog

I have seen many of the movies that have developed from the comic books, and I can truly say that there are only the odd few that I have truly enjoyed. I am a huge fan of Spiderman in fact he is my all time favorite super hero. I really think that Spiderman and X-Men are the best movies that have ever jumped from the pages of the comic books to the silver screen. What I love at the beginning of the Marvel comic book movies are how they open with the quick flash through of the comic book pages, I find that it really sets the mood for the movie. Spiderman for example I feel really brings the comic and the hero Spiderman that we know and love to life.

In many cases of the movies that are brought to the screen that have been comic books I feel the most important thing is the depth of the characters. The character of Peter Parker in Spiderman is portrayed extremely well, I felt that he is the same nerdy, shy, but yet powerful and breathe taking hero that we all love. The same goes for all the characters in X-Men, they have the depth but yet they are not giving everything away they keep the viewers wanting more, there is mystery about them, every little girl wants to be Storm and every boy wants to be Wolverine. I find that the really good comic book movies portray the original comic books but yet still have that originality to them and keep mystery about them leaving the viewer wanting more. It defiantly is a challenge to represent the more popular comics because they are so well known but the ones that are done well are huge successes.

Blog #3 TV Analysis Gray’s Anatomy

Life has been and always will be an extremely precious gift that unfortunately for some is taken away way too early, and for others can be taken for granted. The show that I am going to be analyzing is the latest episode of Gray’s Anatomy. In this episode the doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital are put to the test when a fairy boat crashes and there is mass ciaos and death, that they are forced to deal with and control. For Meredith Gray the test not only stops at the crash victims but she is put in a situation where she has to fight for her life but the question is does she fight hard enough? There are men and women who are robbed from their lives every day, and then there are people that take their lives for granted who either commit suicide or when are put in a situation that requires them to fight for their lives they take the easy way out, if they feel their lives are not worth living.

Life is sacred and many people don’t consider or think that one day when they least expect it can be taken away instantly. In the previous show the viewers were exposed to the brutal scenes of death and pain that the fairy boat crash resulted in. Doctors were sent to the site and immediately split up to help where needed, Meredith spotted one particular man who had a broken leg with an open flesh wound, climb over the wall that separated land from the water. As she was trying to help the man because he was in so much pain he knocked her over the edge of the wall and she fell into the water. My first thought was that she would be fine and swim to the wall and climb it just like the man with the broken leg did, but she never came up. Time passes and she was still submerged in the water, finally help comes for her and they get her to the hospital.

The first thing that came to mind was why didn’t she swim? If a guy who had a broken leg could get to safety why couldn’t she? Derek Shepard, Meredith’s boyfriend at the time who saved her from the water later tries to put the pieces together and the thought crosses his mind that Meredith might have tried to kill herself because he knows that she is a good, strong swimmer. Meredith as she is in a so called “in between heaven and earth” comes across previous characters on the show who have died in the hospital who have been good people who have either helped her or made an impact on her in some way. They confront her with the idea of why she didn’t swim and fight for her life, which she quickly denies but then later admits that the problems that she thought made her life not worth living were extremely insignificant, and not worth taking the easy way out for.

It is ironic how in this episode innocent people like children, pregnant women and older seniors who are going through such pain and suffering and are dying from the crash when they didn’t have a choice. Then there is Meredith who is a doctor and is there to save lives but chooses to not save her own because that seemed like an easy way out for her, when she can clearly swim and get herself to safety. It killed me to see all the pain and death in the episode, it clearly shows that life is sacred and for some people it takes a disaster like this to show them how valuable life is, to see the craziness in the Hospital when people were looking for their wives, husbands, children and parents.

It just goes to show that you never know when your time will come and in this episode it really laid out for me how Meredith when given the chance to live being that she could have fought for her life chose not to. When I look at the innocent people on the boat who died I am sure that they would have given anything to be in Meredith’s position were she had the choice to live or die. She was lucky that she was given that second chance at life, because it is too precious to just throw away especially when you are given the choice.

Grey's Anatomy watched on TV 9:00pm February 22 2007

Sledge Hammer

The late TV show Sledge Hammer was surprising, instead of being just a boring older TV series it was funny and entertaining, it had it’s moments for sure for me that were a little dry but over all I enjoyed it. I thought the character of Sledge Hammer was interesting, he was very funny, sarcastic, and very violent. The way that he portrayed his violence thought was not in a way that violence took over the show. It was very well disguised I thought by the jokes and sarcasm. The only thing that really pointed out the violence to me was the funny reactions of the characters around him and of course my own knowledge of violence. It was different though I found myself not really thinking that it was a big deal. Perhaps that was because of Hammers partner who in fact is a women, I found that she was Hammers balance in the show and really makes the audience some how feel comfortable with his actions. The plot of the show seemed well developed and it was interesting to follow along with, it made me really want to know what was going to happen next and how Hammer would react to it. There are quite a few stereo types in the show with regards to police, women, and they make fun of criminals quite a bit. I felt that the show although it is called Sledge Hammer really revolved around him and when looking at TV shows now there are many other characters that have huge parts in the show almost as much as the main characters. The show I thought had a good plot line, very funny lines and Hammers actions speak for themselves, I would defiantly watch this show again.

My Favorite TV Show and Why

For me when I watch a TV show I am looking to really get into it, I love shows that have suspense, action, drama, and keep me on the edge of my seat. The show that does this for me is the hit TV drama 24. Not only does this show have all the elements that I love but each week it leaves me wanting more and more and I can’t wait till the next week. There is extremely strong development in the show in regards to the characters and the plot line its self, each show shares something new about each character, and the characters are very deep. The plot and the suspense thickens each week as well and the main character Jack Bauer always seems to have something new to face immediately after he defeats some form of disaster. Although the show is violent it truly reminds me of a movie and not just a TV show, yes it is action packed but that is what makes the show unique in its own way. The set up of the show amazes me it is incredibly cleaver, for those of you who don’t know the title of the show refers to the hours in the day, and each hour that the show is on is and hour in the day for Jack Bauer. The whole show to me is amazing how each and every bump in the road for Jack Bauer and his collogues has a reason in the end and it all fits and comes together for the viewers. I truly recommend this show to every one unless you are not a fan of action, suspense and drama. Although it can be done it is difficult to just suddenly pick up the show if it has not been seen since the beginning episode of each season. This show is outstanding and two thumbs way way up!!!

Song Analysis

Song Analysis

When given this assignment I was surprisingly kind of looking forward to hunting for a song that really hit me or where it’s meaning really stood out for me. I am really into music and I listen to it all the time. Of course there were many songs that caught my attention, but in regards to the rhyme pattern, the actual lyrics and theme of the song and as well, whether if the music was taken away from the song would the words alone be enough for the song to flow and sound good just as the words. The song that I chose for this analysis is Don’t Speak by No Doubt.

Not only does this song flow and sound amazing but its lyrics are so heart felt, the words really paint a picture for the listener and they can really feel, clearly understand and relate to the song. The song can be looked at like a poem if the music was taken away from it, with rhyming lines like “I really feel That, I'm losing my best friend, I can't believe, This could be the end” (No Doubt), it has a pattern of A, B, C, B as well as “It looks as though you're letting go, And if it's real, Well I don't want to know” (No Doubt), with a pattern that is D, E, D. “Our memories, They can be inviting, But some are altogether, Mighty frightening” (No Doubt) with themes of F, G, H, G and also “As we die, both you and I, With my head in my hands, I sit and cry” (No Doubt) with a pattern of I, I, J, I.

The theme is clear within the song that Gwen Stefani is singing about, either a relationship between a boyfriend or a really close relationship with a friend which looks like it’s coming to an end. She can feel that it’s coming to an end and she doesn’t want it to, she also knows what either the boyfriend or close friend is going to say about the current situation and relationship so she doesn’t want to hear it because it hurts her to much. The mood of this song really is deep and sad, because it sounds like she really cares for the relationship that she’s in and it’s killing her to know that it’s coming to and end “I know what you're thinking , I don't need your reasons, Don't tell me 'cause it hurts”(No Doubt). All and all this song could stand alone and even with out the music in the background the words mesh together, rhyme and are so clear that it could be a poem.

When analysis the song Don’t Speak by No Doubt it was clear to see that the song told a story and the listener could clearly understand and feel the mood of the song. Not only does the song sound really good but if the music were to be taken away the lyrics alone would still get the message across and the words would still have a flow.



Metro Lyrics. 2000-2006. 04 February 2007 http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/4745/No_Doubt/Dont_Speak.


iTunes, No Doubt. The Singles 1992-2003. 2004.

Magazine Analysis Blog

The piece of media that I brought into class and I chose to analyze was something that I feel is extremely well known in our society, mostly by women but also I am sure that men have some knowledge of this magazine as well. Cosmopolitan is a magazine that is read by women all over, and until I had really looked at it and got to use it for the exercise in class, I saw the magazine in a different light. When analyzing the Cosmo I found myself really focusing on a few main features, like the cover, the eye catching topics displayed on the front, the woman on the front what she is wearing, how she looks, and also her pose. Not only did I look at the cover but the insides of the Magazine, what was its target audience, the age range, what sorts of products was it trying to sell, and also what were the models inside like.

When looking at the cover of the magazine I was drawn right away to the model on the front, who she was, what she was wearing, and how she looked, and also her body language, whether she was in a sexy or seductive pose or a sweet innocent and inviting pose which is how she was. Then my attention turned to the huge bolded titles all around her. Titles like Naughty Sex and Lingerie Specials, as well as Bad Skin Day, these are things that I would expect from most women’s magazines but from the bright colors and look of the cover I feel that it would be tempting for a younger audience to be drawn to it.

As far as the insides and the meat of the magazine I thought that the target range that the magazine should be reaching out to was about 18 and up just because on all the heave and older topics that I feel a younger audience should not be introduced to. The look of the models inside ranged from sexy and seductively dressed with mounds of make up on, to cute and fun day looks and fresh faces. The ads inside ranged from perfume to hair care, clothes, accessories, health products cosmetic alteration slogans, birth control and many sex related products. The ads seemed to range from targeting a younger age with younger looking styles and products to very grown up styles and products like birth control, evening were, and also proper edict.

Over all I feel that this magazine is for a much older teenage audience and up to young women. It covers and looks at many older and flirtatious topics that I feel shouldn’t appeal to a younger audience. Although it is a fun magazine, with all of its inviting bright colors and gossip about all our favorite and big stars. It provides women tips for their health, outer appearance and also has funny personal experience columns that women can just get a kick out of or relate to. However I don’t feel that the Cosmo targets a more sophisticated audience just because there are hardly any ads regarding alcohol or night life and extremely high fashion. This magazine is fun and it’s a light read for older teenagers and young women.

My Past with Writing

My past experiences with writing have been pretty good. Not until about grade six did it really start to pick up for me, my class was all about making up and writing creative stories that we had to write one every single week. I got really good at writing all kinds of stories and really ended up enjoying writing. After that all of my writing was all mainly focused around essays about specific topics, like books, or anything that the teacher had wanted, so I have not really had much freedom with regards to what I was to write about. Again like I shared in my last Blog I am a pretty good writer when it comes to the actual content of my essays, papers, stories, or what ever it tends to be. I am creative and generally tend to have a strong flow and don’t jump around its point by point and very easy to understand and easy to follow. The thing that I have always had to work on through out my school career has been the grammar and spelling, that has been my down fall every year. Also I have always been taught the typical five paragraph essay format, the basic intro, body one, body two, body three and the conclusion. It’s always been get in and get out make you point and don’t confuse the reader and the goal at the end of the paper is to leave the reader going wow. My favorite style of essays has to be the persuasive essay, it allows you as a writer to express yourself, ideas and gives you the chance to try to sway the reader to your side if it’s something that you really feel strong about. I am looking forward to learning new styles of writing and can’t wait to express my points of view about the topics chosen for our papers.

What I expect to get out ond learn from this class

I am interested to see how this class goes. Every English class that I have been in has been different whether it is learning different styles of writing, different formats of works cited, and also just in the different topics that I have studied. I was at first really nervous about this class because I wasn’t sure what to except because this is my first University English class ever. I think that I am a pretty good writer with regards to the content of my papers. What I really need to work on is my grammar and spelling that is my down fall, although I am getting better at it. So far I am excited to see where the papers that we have to write are going to go, since the topics are on the syllabus. I already find it interesting that we are going to look at and analyze music, film and the media. I expect to learn and really master the new MLA format, I have never used it before or even heard of it for that matter.
The five paragraph essay over the years has really been stressed to me that it was the way to set up and write an essay, the thought of getting in making your point and then getting out, and keeping it simple. At first it was a shock to me when Mrs. Welter told the class that she didn’t want any five paragraph essays, but now I am interested and looking forward to expressing different thoughts and ideas in a new set up and order. I expect to become a better writer and become more confident with my papers. I hope that everything goes well and I come out of this class with a great grade and a new outlook on writing and also the topics that we will be writing about.

About Me

Hello
It’s me Nicole, I am writing to let you all know a little bit about me. I am from Kitchener Ont Canada, yes I am Canadian. I am currently a freshman attending Wayne State on a Softball scholarship, not only do I love Softball but I love also Hockey and being active. I have been lucky enough to travel through my softball to Europe where I got to play in Amsterdam in international competition and also went to Paris where we got to sight see. Just recently I was in Puerto Rico participating in the Pan Am Games where I was given the honor of representing my country, Canada. Back home I live with my mom, dad and also my younger brother named Taylor who is 16, also I live with my new dog Bozley who is a Bull Mastiff, just like the dog in one of my all time favorite movies the Sandlot. I also have a boy friend named Matt who plays Jr. B hockey for the Branford Golden Eagles. I love Wayne State and being in Detroit the home of the Wed Wings which is my favorite hockey team in the NHL, I also love watching my home town Kitchener Rangers OHL team where my family has seasons tickets and attends every game. My great uncle was Sid Abel who was captain of the Red Wings and who centered between the great Gordy Howe and Ted Lindsey, his jersey number 12 hangs in the rafters at the Joe Louis Arena. As you can see family is very sports oriented and loves Hockey and Softball and that about raps me up.