My days are full of life.

Tone
1.Spritely
2.Fullfilled
3.Exuberent
Mood
1.Satiated
2.Content
3.Joyous
Subject:
Relationships
Theme:
Life is made up of: mind, body, and soul relationships.

Book Bucket List

      I.            Life of Pi – Yann Martel

The other day, I was at the movie theatre about to watch the Bourne Legacy, when I saw a trailer for the Life of Pi. I was instantly drawn into the ship wreck then Pi having to cope with the male Bengal tiger and make sure he is more scared of Pi then Pi scared of him. Also, Sean recommended this book to me, so of course I couldn’t turn it down. I can’t wait to read this and then watch the movie!

   II.            Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

While I was about to watch the same movie, right after the Life of Pi trailer, the Les Miserables trailer came on. I was intrigued by the extreme poverty, where people are forced to do horrible things in order to survive. It made me think about how our actions can affect the lives of others. Again, Sean recommended this book to me. I would love to read and see the movie too.

III.            Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen

Last year, I wanted to read this, but it never happened. The post-Depression America was hard, but introducing the circus lightens the mood. The combination of information and entertainment allow this book to have many themes for everyone’s likes. This book was given the award of “#1 New York Times Bestseller. It would be a great read, if I can find the time.

IV.            March – Geraldine Brooks

According to many reviews and Ms. Barnett, March is the story of the absent father in the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I honestly did not think this book was about this until I read about it. I was more interested in the book cover. So I guess you could say, I “judged a book by it’s cover.”

  V.            The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien

I imagined that this book would be about actual war, but as I was reading reviews and the first couple of pages, it seems as if the book is fiction, especially since one of the main characters is “Tim O’brien.” This book could be called “biomythography” as Audre Lorde said. The story of the Alpha Company going through war, memory, and imagination seems to be an interesting and intellectual piece of writing.

VI.            Going After Cacciato – Tim O’Brien

I was reading the review off of amazon.com, and was amazed at the one sentence description of the book, “Ultimately it's about the forces of fear and heroism that do battle in the hearts of us all.” This one liner was the ultimate decider of why I chose this book. The description hooked me in and I now would love to read “Going After Cacciato.”Show More Show Less

VII.            Snow Falling on Cedars – David Guterson

 

This book title reminds me of winter time when I was younger on my farm. We had several cedar trees and when the snow would fall, the scene was unbelievable. There was a sense of mystery and love and history to the setting. Interesting enough, that's what a lot of this book is about. A mysterious death to a man that most people said a Japanese man did. The racism toward the "Jap" is very intriguing, knowing the background of WWII. This book would be a great read.

 

VIII.            To the Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf

I was reading some of the reviews and the back of the book, and I was amazed at how much the book sounds like this band I like listening to. They are called "The Lighthouse and the Whaler." They sing about life and life itself and all the troubles of the world. I love the word lighthouse and I am interested about the family and friends of the Ramsey's living on this island facing family and human predicaments.

IX.            All the Kings Men – Robert Penn Warren

I expected this book to be about medieval times or even biblical times, but apparently, it’s basically about two men involved in the life of the political, both private and public, swirl. I’m not too interested in political writing, but the title threw me off, thinking it was maybe about Humpty Dumpty or something. It was also known as “One of the finest American novels ever written.” So it might not be too bad.

   X.            Catch 22 – Joseph Hellera

In recent years it has been named to “best novels” lists by Time, Newsweek, the Modern Library, and the London Observer. This book is set in Italy during WWII. It is the story of the incomparable, indolent bombardier, Yossarian, a hero who is furious because many people are trying to kill him that he doesn’t even know. I love action, adventure, and mystery when reading, so this would be amazing to read.

The Life of a Rebel: Movie Review of "Rebel Without a Cause"

Opening day of “Rebel Without a Cause,” October 14, 1955, was only 27 days after James Dean’s fatal car crash, freezing him in time, even to this day.  Screenwriters Stewart Stern and Irving Shulman, and director Nicholas Ray created this film to illustrate the violent restlessness of the youth from the 1950s.

Staggering into the movie drunk, Jim Stark (James Dean), a rebellious juvenile-delinquent - the new kid in town - causes many problems for his parents, because of his parents (Jim Backus and Ann Doran). Jim's parents come to the station and start to argue about how to deal with the situation when he blows up on his overbearing mother and emasculate father shouting his famous agonizing howl, "You're tearing me apart!"

Jim suddenly sights the goody good, tough, needy, girl next door, Judy (Natalie Wood). Her behavior portrays her as a crazy girl, only because she has a deliberately distant father that shows her no affection. Instantly, he falls for her, but she does not reciprocate, yet. After Judy's boyfriend Buzz (Corey Allen) dies she, strangely, falls for Jim not skipping one beat of life.

Then there's the puny, bitter and persecuted Plato (Sal Mineo). Now and days it is easier to see than in 1955 that Plato is gay and was crushing on Jim; at the planetarium he caresses Jim's shoulder. Then Jim gives Plato a lift home after Buzz dies when his car hurtles over the cliff in a racing game with the proverbial name "chicken," against Jim. Plato asks Jim "Hey, you want to come home with me? I mean, there's nobody home at my house, and heck I'm not tired. Are you?" But Plato notices that Jim glances towards Judy's house and becomes regretful.

“Rebel Without a Cause" targets the relationships between teenagers and their parents. It seemed like none of the characters had strong father figures or parents. Possibly in the 1950s, or in the childhoods of the writers, this was a typical problem. The fathers may be emasculated, distant, or even absent from their children. In today's world, though, this relationship between teenagers and parents isn't emphasized. In a movie, where there are only a few hours to develop characters, it is difficult to reveal to the audience the true depth of characters. However, Jim, Judy, and Plato are developed just enough so one can understand their similarities and problems they all face, which bring them closer together. The problems these three teenagers face may not always be relatable, but they are fairly easy to sympathize with, inspiring emotion in the audience when bad things happen to the character.

Collectively, "Rebel Without a Cause" deserves one and a half thumbs up. The conflict is a little outdated, but the adventure is still entertaining. The story is well written, and the actors/actresses, especially Dean, do a great job of grasping and seizing the roles of their characters. This film is a classic that numerous people have adored and many more will continue to adore for generations to come.

There is Still Time: An Analysis of "PolitiQuips" by Robert Haught

In Robert Haught’s column, “PolitiQuips,” Haught combines multiple current events and organizes the events by similar topics. In this specific “PolitiQuip,” he uses metaphors, humor, and allusions to further emphasize his point.  Haught’s condemning humor indicates to the reader that President Obama needs to step up his game, or he might lose the upcoming election to the strong Republican presidential candidates.

            At the very start, Haught uses a metaphor to emphasize the importance of the three recent elections. He compares “Rick Santorum [‘s]” day, of winning the “Missouri primary and the Minnesota and Colorado caucuses,” to the saying “Every dog has his day,” and even declares Santorum to being a “real contender” for the Republican Candidate. You may have not known, but Rick Santorum was the “underdog.” At that time, Mitt Romney was the leader of the Republican presidential candidates. Haught’s association of Santorum to a dog having one good day increases Santorum’s popularity, but also decreases his popularity, depending on the reader. Also, in a deeper, humorous metaphor, Haught compares President Obama using “a young inventor’s marshmallow gun” to President Obama needing a “weapon” used against “Iran and the Catholic Church.” Haught implies that President Obama needs to grow up and think about the problems with Iran and the Catholic Church. However, the harsh metaphor was added to supply some sort of humor, and the gun was at the White House science fair. Haught argues though, that President Obama needs to watch his back and think about what he is doing, because the Republicans are about to fly by him. But there is still time.

            Haught’s allusion to New York singer-dancer blames President Obama to having “lost the election.”  Even the “Obama girl” is “undecided about her choice for president this time around.” Obama has placed our country in deeper debt and has not fulfilled all his promises. Haught’s alluding amplifies his ethos by not only giving his opinion but also providing the opinion of a use to be Obamian. Also, by supplying the reader with the political view of another person, the reader’s pathos is engaged and they start to think of their decision for the 2012 election. Haught then alludes to “SuperPACs” by explaining the mess up President Obama created while trying to campaign. President Obama “railed against SuperPACs” for his campaign, but he is now “helping Priorities USA, which is backing his re-election.” Haught again bashes President Obama by ending with President Obama’s explanation for all of it, self-defense. Self-defense is usually not the excuse, especially here, and now Haught has stirred the reader’s emotion into hatred toward President Obama. Again, President Obama’s slip ups are causing him to fall behind in the presidential race, but there is still time.

            Robert Haught is trying to overly convince his readers, mostly Republicans, to not vote for President Obama, because of his failure. He begins with how well the Republican presidential candidates are doing and continues on how badly President Obama is campaigning. Haught hopes for a Republican victory in the end and so do I, but as I say again, there is still time.

"Kill 'Em! Crush 'Em! Eat 'Em Raw!"

1. John McMurtry's essay begins with a personal anecdote about the results of playing sports -- especially football -- since childhood. When he can no longer ignore his physical condition, he seeks treatment and is hospitalized. How dos the anecdote lend credibility to his argument?

   Although the reader has an idea of his thesis, they haven't been given the thesis yet. His overall thesis is about the problems with football, a cherished sport in the U.S. By begining with the issues this sport has given him through his life, he attracts the audience and keeps them interested. Also, with his experience of playing football from gradeschool through professional football, he receives credibility on his subject. Another way his anecdote lends credibility to his argument, is the paraenthetical he uses to add emphasis that he is a philosophy professor at the University of Guelph. Right then and there, the audience trusts his writing and what he is talking about.

6. Consider the language of football, especially the words shared by the military. What sports other than football have a militaristic side?

    Eventhough McMurtry talks a little about hockey, hockey would be another sport that has a militaristic side. There are rules about hitting people, but the players just ignore those and then multilple fights occur aobut 40 times a game! Another sport would be Paintball. With the use of guns that shoot out round bulllet like objects and terminology dealing with scenarios aquired in war. Paintball is the sport most similar to war than any other sport I can think of. Examples of terminology would be people in paintball who are the "snipers, grenaders and stealth." Ways of attack are similar also, "flanking" and "taking them down." The way these "games" are played, are so similar, people might think they are in war.

7. Who is McMurtry's audience? Is it necessary for the reader to understand or care about foodtball in order to understand what McMurtry is saying about society? Explain.

    His immediate audience would be the loved ones of the people who play this sport. He want his audience to be the actual players, but he knows that they are already too involved in the sport and they won't listen/read. I don't think the reader needs ot understand football to worry about the people playing the sport. They also don't need to care about football, only about the players. This is because our society loves watching people get pumbled to the ground. If his immediate audience would try to persuade their loved ones, maybe the game would be less injury prone.

8.McMurtry characterizes General George Patton and President Richard Nixon as "jock-loving...media stars" (para. 6). Think of contemporary media stars who associate themselves with football or other sports. Does the association enhance of tarnish their image?

    I believe the association with football/sports enhances media stars' image because people love football and people love movie actors. Therefore, their image in enhanced by double the amount. Over all, if you are a football player who acts in "A" movies, you will be loved by all Americans. Haha.