The AXE Man

Advertisement, itself, is a creative genre in these post-modern days of ideas. If people in the future were to search for artifacts of our culture, in hopes of finding something that gives them insight into our culture and our life, they will be able to see what we leave behind in this consumer-driven world. Our ancestors left behind arrow heads and pottery, and we will leave behind a lot more that can easily communicate about who we are and what is important to us. Commercials and the products they advertise are some of the most important cultural artifacts in our society. They communicate what is important to or influences our culture, the good and the bad, because within any culture it is natural for the many different aspects of that culture to be portrayed on the screen or the page, from our stereotypes and biases, to what makes us proud and what makes us ashamed. One commercial that seems to represent an artifact of American culture is the recent AXE commercial, where a young man on a beach begins to spray AXE cologne, attracting literally hundreds of buxom beauties in bikinis, with the slogan being â€Å"Spray more, Get more†. The implications here about the way our culture stereotypes gender and what types of images we find to be suitable becomes part of the artifact and what it stands for in our culture. The first part of the advert shows a woman running in a wilderness. The first question that comes to mind is if this is a spoof of the new Mel Gibson movie â€Å"Apocalypto†? The theme of said movie is the hunter-hunted type of thriller where the protagonist is always on the run (from an AXE man perhaps? ). This is further implied by the choice of music – â€Å"Deus Irae† by Karl Jenkins which appears on his album â€Å"Requiem†. But then the video shows something else. There are many more than women running and therefore this is something else. The women are all focused with the task of reaching the goal first. They are single-minded indeed, to the point of being obsessed with whatever it is that made them run in the first place. All are jockeying for position and intense shoving and pushing is seen in the first few seconds. The second thing that hits the viewer is the fact that the women are not properly clad. If they are indeed going for a late afternoon jog then where is the sports wear needed to do the job? It is not usually normal to run with skimpy clothing! Then the next thing that hits the viewer is the fact that these are not only a group of young women running but it is actually a swarm. The multitude running together indicates mass hysteria. At this point the audience is becoming interested to know what this anarchy is all about; are they hunting for something? Again similarities can be drawn with â€Å"Apocalypto†. The next scene makes the video a bit confusing as a shot is taken from the other side of the terrain – a shot of the ocean where a similar number of horde of women are swimming frantically towards the shore. For a minute there one thinks that this may be something about the â€Å"Iron Woman† competition. But then it becomes clear as the video gives a top shot that shows where all the women are heading. The swarm is converging on the shore where a solitary male figure was spraying AXE cologne, specifically AXE Lynx. And the text flashed in the end saying, â€Å"Spray more. Get more. † If the AXE commercials are to be marked as anything of immediate interest, the popular tags that come to mind immediately are â€Å"pornographic advert† or â€Å"advert with sexual overtones. † Such terms are quite befitting as we find the women who are running from different topographical extremes have svelte, well-maintained physiques with sexual appeal, and the man on the beach stands armed with AXE cologne to attract more such women by spraying more of the heart-smashing fragrance. Commercials stand as an important artifact that can be used to understand a culture, and this commercial in particular says a lot about certain gender-related issues. Commercials such as this are not only for entertainment value, they are subconsciously sending messages to a population of people that view what they see on television as truth and fact. Someday, people will study such commercials in search of something historically or culturally important to our generation and will quickly realize that for all of our advances in our way of thinking and our technology, we were still submitting ourselves to the humiliation of gender-related stereotypes and sexually explicit material. If sexual excesses are not used deliberately, then why has such a slogan been floated in the air: Spray more, Get more? Is it not somewhat pornographic, tickling the fancy of men with the promise of winning an armful of femme fatales at one sprinkle of AXE? Why again a horde of belles are needed with immense sexual charms if no sexual implications are intended? When a condom, a bra or lingerie is advertised, the same types of images are blatantly paraded across the television screen, the sexual overtones not even subtle anymore. Even in odd places do we see such use of sexuality to sell a product, like the commercials that are for car insurance but are cartoons, using the cartoon character of a cute, busty girl to try and sell insurance for someone’s automobile. Even Pizza Hut commercials use Jessica Simpson’s sexuality to sell pizza, and Pepsi has been notorious for using stars such as Madonna to sell their product. The fact is that sex sells. Thus, if categorically the artifact is to be judged, then it is a piece of advertisement in the first place and then it is pornographic i. e. an advert with sexual overtones. In my view, whatever nomenclature may be piled on the term â€Å"advertisement†, it is a creative way of presenting an object or a commodity. So I would like to call it innovative advertisement. If we move a step further we will be able to see that innovative and sexually-exploitive adverts apply to all sorts of business tricks to catch the consumer youth. There is yet another genre that this advert falls into, and that is humorous. Despite its sexual overtones, the commercial is filmed in such a way that, at first glance, it appears to be harmless, comedic tone and all. The public seems to be very forgiving of any images or messages that are not politically correct when there is humor involved, as in this case. There is no complaining from the public even if a salacious picture or video clipping is used in order to make a commodity attractive to the target audience. It may appear denigrating in the eye of a few thoughtful, conservative people, but to hit the bull’s eye of consumerism, it is a weapon, a necessity, the need of the hour. In fact, this advert was shown only once on British television prior to a World Cup football game where it has reached near cult status. I never considered myself to be a conservative person, not even a little bit. I really thought the AXE commercial to be a great one with a sense of humor, but after I observed it many times closely, there were several things really bothering me. While it is common knowledge that marketers are using sex to sell their products, the issue that arises with this commercial is that it tried to hide the sexual content behind the product itself. The text did not imply anything sexual and therefore no one can accuse AXE of intentionally telling men of the benefits of using their cologne in terms of their becoming attractive sexually, but the imagery is enough to convince the viewer that it is selling the product through sex. In other words, AXE is using the fantasies of young men to bring them in as consumers of their product by promising them, visually, that there is something about their product that attracts women. If there is a law regulating sexual themes in advertising then it seems that the AXE advert is trying to beat the system. Those who do not agree with the blatant use of sex in advertising, be it implied or explicit, must heed the words of Tom Reichert when he wrote, â€Å"†¦other forms of sexual information is woven into ads [†¦] sexual content can vary in form and meaning, it is important to provide an overview of recurring representations of sex in advertising† (Reichert, 2003). The bone of contention here is how to draw the line between what is acceptable and what is not. J. Sivulka had warned that â€Å"when scholars have explained the changing nature of sex in advertising, they have often viewed this shift as an evolution from a relatively innocent representation of a sexually alluring woman to a new type of image, in which sex is explicit† (Sivulka, 2003). The world it seems is divided over what kind of judgment to give this sort of TV commercial, but fo r those who are looking for substance there is only one verdict. For those who are tired of being given information that is not based on truth but rather on assumptions and pop culture, the verdict is not positive. In the AXE commercial the first thing that does not escape the viewer is the stereotyping of the female. Geral Tellis observed that, â€Å"One of the most common criticisms of advertising is the gender stereotyping [†¦] endorsers are typically presented as young, beautiful, and sexually attractive†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tellis, 2004). As a female watching this commercial I felt it not only was the dreaded stereotyping being used but also the fact that women were depicted as not having the intellect to comprehend what was going on and furthermore, that women were not valued for their intellect at all, but for their appearance. The women were portrayed like buffoons, parading themselves with no regard for their self-worth, with no obvious intelligence (in direct contrast with the ‘Iron Woman’ comparison). Instead of showing a commercial where the images show an intelligent, well-mannered male using AXE cologne and attracting an intellectual and strong woman, we are bombarded with yet more images of the stereotypical buxom bimbo and in my opinion, that is an insult to the feminists out there who are championing woman’s equal rights, access to power and control. The AXE commercial made them look like they have no ability whatsoever to control their destiny, much alone their lives and they are purely driven by instincts. Lorraine Code asserts that this kind of reaction is not new and she wrote that in fact, â€Å"In the 1970s feminists criticized advertisements for portraying stereotypical images of women†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Code, 2000). Forget about the feminist stereotype, what is disturbing about the way women were depicted in the AXE ad is the fact that there is no truth to what was being communicated. Granting that commercials are not supposed to be whole truths, still the fact that something can be created wholly out of imagination is a bit of a stretch. Adding another aspect of then forcing people to accept it or maybe worse, manipulating people to behave in a certain way are actions not acceptable for a highly influential medium. A casual survey of the real world will immediately inform the observer that women do not behave like those in the said commercial. If the producer of the AXE commercial would come back and say that this is the whole point; that making fantastic claims and using pure creative imagination to sell something is the reality of advertising, then it is going to be hard to argue that line of reasoning. Even if this were the case, not everybody will agree with the producer. Many believe that advertising is no longer a neutral medium but that it is an artifact that has the capacity to transform society, especially how people think, and therefore it is a medium to be regulated. If one allows the producer of the AXE commercial the benefit of the doubt, that there was no intention to demean women and to insult their intelligence, then the problem keeps on compounding because the next group that would be insulted by this commercial is the male population, because while it is common to hear women being exploited, more and more men are being devalued by the media as well. There is a movement out there that forces the world to recognize the place of women in society. It is almost a normal experience to constantly hear of women being abused and misrepresented, but it may be taken for granted that men can also be stereotyped. That there is a whole assumption out there that men are savages and no smarter than wild beasts who are being controlled by their carnal instincts would be insulting to me if I was male, and I cannot believe that the media can stereotype both genders in such simple terms. To be honest, however, no man would stand up and say that his reputation is on the line because of such media exploitation. For them, it is somewhat absurd, but if truth can be told and truth be the standard of knowing what must be done in this society then someone has to point out the problem with the AXE commercial. What exactly is wrong about it in terms of the male image is that this time men are not depicted as buffoons in the same way that the ladies were depicted running around half-naked and half-crazed when a potent brew aroused their senses and they could not control themselves. This time men were assumed to be buffoons, period. This assumption is basically a belief that when men will see the commercial then they will not stop to think and evaluate what is being projected on screen. They will simply instinctively pick up their wallets, head for the store and buy a crate full of AXE cologne – and â€Å"spray more†. It is interesting to note that marketers are well aware of what they are doing to the male stereotype and the projection of an image that will make men want to buy the cologne. As suggested by Stephen Fox in his study of the history of American advertising, marketers in the past made the generalization that, â€Å"†¦all men are fools† (Fox, 1997). They have expanded this theory into something more useful, â€Å"†¦that while men may be fools and sinners, they are everlastingly on the search for that which is good† (Fox, 1997). Advertising is the guide that leads them to the path of bliss and truth; yet, there is one more weakness of the male psyche that is being exploited here, but it must first be understood that this commercial was not created with the general public in mind. It is quite probable that the target-segment are young men between puberty and their twenties. It is possible that the target-market are adolescent males who lack the confidence to take their place in the world and establish relationships with the opposite sex and therefore need a touch of courage, in this case in the form of AXE cologne. There is evidence pointing to the fact that the target market is indeed the teenager segment of the population. Buddenberg pointed out that, â€Å"†¦despite being more knowledgeable about advertising, teens are still very susceptible to it† (Buddenberg, 2004). Fox enumerated the common behaviors considered normal for teens: a) struggle with sense of identity; b) feeling awkward or strange about one’s self and one’s body; c) concerns regarding physical and sexual attractiveness to others; and, d) worries about being normal (Fox, 1997). If Fox’s theory proves right then what a powerful effect the AXE commercial must be having on the minds of the teenage males that watch it. The video suggests achieving power and control where there is none – by simply spraying more AXE. To be fair, however, I must say that the humorous nature of the commercial was, even to me, funny at the beginning and I did not take it serious on first glance. The women, making funny faces and rushing this geeky-looking young man whose eyes are huge as he watches the scene unfold before him was more of a comedic event than anything. In this way, the producer of this commercial was not, perhaps, trying to use stereotypes about men and women to influence our culture, but perhaps just trying to make an impression, something that is hard to do in a society filled with a flood of advertisements at every turn. Despite my misgivings about the commercial, I do not remember any other cologne commercials vividly, only AXE, and perhaps that was the point all along. The advertisement used in this study can make people react in many different ways. The more important issue to address is the potential offensive effect of the commercial to both men and women, at least to those who are sensitive enough to really analyze the content of the video. The problem with the video is that it depicts women as stupid and at the same time assumes that young men are stupid enough to believe what they are seeing and will not take the time to verify it. Moreover, the commercial is trying to hide its sexual content and that is not acceptable for those who are shielding children and the rest of the public from too much exposure to indecency. Still, at the core of the problem is the unceasing evolution of advertising. This time what is perceived to be improper will soon change in a few years time. This will continue until one day, parents and concerned citizens will one day wake up to see sex in advertising being shown explicitly without shame. At some point, American advertising will turn the corner and, just as now, we will simply sit back, watch, hence evolving as viewers too, and let the images convince us of something just as ridiculous as the assumptions made in the AXE cologne commercial. Having said that, however, the public is not as taken in by adverts as we once were and so advertisers may be responding accordingly by making adverts more humorous, shocking and ridiculous in order to capture our attention and remember the product in question which is being advertised. Then just as the advert may be mocking women and/or men it may just as easily be merely ‘tongue in cheek’ and using the satirical content to try and get the consumer to simply buy a product which makes you smell nice! So, whether it be gender stereotyped, intellectually backward or in direct contrast, intellectually superior in order to be able to appreciate the humor in the AXE advert and not take it too seriously, the artifacts our commercial culture is leaving behind are, sadly, not a representation of who we really are, but who were are told to be.

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 1 Analysis Essay

A desert place. The setting of ‘Thunder and lightning’ depicts bad weather, which shows the eerie atmosphere and tense mood. The play opens on a note of noise and disorder, foreboding much evil to come. Witches, who seem to enjoy the chaotic weather, appear to hold alien values and preferences compared to normal men and women. The mood is sinister, dangerous and ominous; the immediate appearance of the witches starting from the first scene is used to inform readers of the underlying note of darkness. The witches speak in riddles, and seem to know Macbeth’s secret desires and are seen as mischievous, otherworldly and evil beings. By saying that the ‘battle’s lost and won’, many meanings emerge, such as the ‘battle’ refers to the fight with Cawdor and though Macbeth may have ‘won’ against him, he has ‘lost’ a battle to himself, by afterwards caving into the witches’ tempting words. They seem to refer the dark ‘ere’, which means after, ‘the set of sun’. This hints of their evil natures that seem to relate to their preference of bad weather and dark skies. They decide on the ‘heath’ to meet Macbeth. The rhyming words lead us to think of the ‘heath’, which is a wild and barren place, in relation to Macbeth and his future. This way, we are lead to think that Macbeth’s heart will too, become wild, dry and bare. This is the first meeting between Macbeth and the witches and we can see that they are keen to meet him. We can infer from this fact and what we have learnt about the witches’ that they plan to do him harm. The mention of familiars, ‘Graymalkin’, which is a grey cat and ‘Paddock’ , a toad, continues to inform us of the Witches’ supernatural status, as well as further deepening the theory of ‘evil witches’ as they have chosen to keep strange pets. Back in Shakespeare’s time, people believed that such familiars were actually spirits trapped in the bodies of animals, hence we see the witches as unnatural and demonic in nature. The next riddle, ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through fog and filthy air.’ Once again the seemingly illogical statement keeps the reader wondering. It could be saying that what appears to be good may not be so and that there is a thin line between good, ‘fair’, and evil, ‘foul’. It could also be warning readers of Macbeth and his deceptive personality, as well as not to take appearances and people’s personalities for granted as nothing is what it seems to be. Hence, the recurrent theme throughout this scene is the perversion of moral values and the disruption of all thing good, as well as that nothing is to be trusted as appearances are a form of deception. The witches’ evil is also a dominant theme throughout the scene as their preferences and actions give readers an overwhelming sense of evil and discord. There is an impending sense of disaster from their riddles and the belief that the witches are the embodiments of evil forces and the whole scene prepares the audience for the tragedy to come, as well as giving us a small peak into the future of the play. MACBETH The classroom analysis (generalized) (Previous analysis was June holiday homework) Act1 Scene 2: 9 / 7 /11 A camp. The scene starts with King Duncan himself asking an injured captain to report on the latest revolt. The scene serves a purpose of explaining the political situation in Scotland through the onlooker’s eyes. In other words, though the scene does not go directly into the battle zone itself, it still adequately informs the audience of what is going on both outside and inside of the battlefield. It also introduces some important characters, such as King Duncan, Ross, Angus and gives a few mentions of Macbeth and Banquo. Though not as dark and eerie as the previous scene, this scene uses battle scenes and the imagery of blood and gore to further establish a slightly dangerous, gruesome scene. An underlying note of darkness can also be felt throughout the scene, as the use of subtle hints about Macbeth’s future betrayal keep up a sense of foreboding. The battle is described as ‘two spent swimmers, that do cling together; And choke their art’. This tells us that the battle is very closely fought. No side is given a clear advantage but both sides are determined to keep the other ‘down’ for their own side to survive. The traitor ‘Macdonwald’ is also introduced as the enemy that King Duncan’s men are fighting in this particular battle. ‘And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling, Show’d like a rebel’s whore’, tells us that he at one point had seemed to be winning the battle, considering that ‘fortune’ is on his side. ‘Fortune’ is personified as a prostitute in this scene, giving him favors and such. Shakespeare also refers to ‘fortune’ as a goddess with a distinctly fickle nature that deceives the rebel (Macdonwald) with her smile before abandoning him. Following this predicament, Macbeth displays great courage and determin ation as he fought valiantly, undaunted by ‘fortune’. Because of his bravery and strong will, Macbeth is praised many times throughout the entire Act 1. The very first praise ‘brave Macbeth’, was given to him by the captain, because of his valiance and dauntlessness before Macdonwald. In this scene, Macbeth is constantly shown in a positive light. Multiple praises of him lead to the audience becoming in awe of him, as he appears very impressive. He is also praised as ‘Valor’s minion’. ‘Valor’ being considered as a goddess of valiance and bravery and Macbeth being thought of as a favorite of hers, hence leading to the conclusion that he is a valiant warrior. These praises help to raise suspense throughout the audience as the more in awe and impressed they become, the more they want to meet the glorious hero, Macbeth. However, even though Macbeth is constantly praised throughout this scene, the overwhelming presence of gore and blood show some character flaws in him as well. Macbeth ‘carved out his passage’ throughout the battlefield and ‘unseam’d [Macdonwald] from the nave to the chaps, And fix’d his head upon our battlements’. ‘Carved out’ gives us the image of constant killings, till a passage is carved out through a wall of men. This savage, sickening imagery is made worse when the image of Macbeth ripping open the rebel from his chin to his navel and then hacking off his head. The gruesome, gory image is the work of Macbeth. Hence, because of his savage kills and brutality of the battles, we can infer that he also has a strong, ruthless and slightly cold-hearted side to him. The blood and gore plays a large part in the play, as it is later on associated with Macbeth’s murder of King Duncan and his own eventual death. Here, Macbeth’s kills and the shedding of blood are glorified as it done in support of the King. The irony is that later on, Macbeth’s kills and the shedding of blood will be associated to the killing of the King and many other innocents. This scene is also ironical in the sense that Macbeth’s great achievement of killing the rebel will later be the very way he dies; his head will get chopped off. Hints of the future turn of events continue to appear as the Captain reports of Norway’s immediate attack right after their apparent victory over Macdonwald, ‘whence the sun ‘gins his reflection; Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break, So from that spring whence comfort seem’d to come; Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark’ . The meaning of this warning is that just as good things happen, bad things occur. This statement, though said with no reference to Macbeth, is immediately linked to him. This is due to Duncan’s praises of Macbeth just before the warning was said, ‘O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman’, hence it can be interpreted as a warning that while Macbeth seems to come across to the other characters as a savior and hero, he may actually end up as the source of all discord and enmity. This makes the audience think twice about Macbeth’s both future and current loyalty and starts off one of the major themes in the play: Appearance and illusions VS reality. What seems honest and beneficial may turn out to be the exact opposite. It also warns the audience of Macbeth’s future deceit and duplicity. The battle scene thickens as the Norweyan troops take advantage of their moment of victory to begin a fresh assault on them. Macbeth and Banquo are further praised here for their fearlessness and energy faced with yet another foe. They were said to be as dismayed and afraid as ‘As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion’, in other words, not afraid at all. The use of nature imagery here are compare them to the eagle, king of the sky, and the lion, king of land, implying them to be very noble and prideful in their fight for their king. Later on, when Duncan is murdered, the natural order of things is disrupted and the animals behave strangely. This fact further emphasizes the wrongfulness of murdering a good and lawful King, hence further condemning Macbeth. Ross later reports of betrayal of the Thane of Cawdor, and makes some comparisons with The King of Norway and Macbeth. ‘Confronted him with self-comparisons’, here implies that Macbeth and him were matched in strength and courage. However, as the King of Norway is considered to be treacherous and cunning, the words ‘self-comparisons’ further hint of Macbeth’s future treacherous personality. Ross also praises Macbeth, calling him ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’. Bellona is the roman goddess of war and by calling him her newly-wed husband; it implies that he too is a great warrior. His enjoyment of war and his enthusiasm and zeal over it also achieve the audience’s further questioning; in the case where Macbeth’s loyalty to Duncan is diminished, what will come of his enthusiasm for violence and love of war. Later on Duncan awards Macbeth with the title of ‘Thane of Cawdor’, unknowingly beginning to fulfill the prophecy which would lead him to his own demise. By condemning the current Thane of Cawdor, he blissfully is unaware of the fact that his presenting of the title to Macbeth will lead Macbeth to becoming a treacherous usurper. Duncan final words that close the scene are an ominous echo of the witches’ riddles in the first scene ‘When the battle’s lost and won’. ‘What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won’, makes it such that by becoming thane of Cawdor, Macbeth has entered some sort of curse, as though he wins the characteristics of the previous thane as well as his title but he eventually loses his future and sanity in the process. This shows the clear link between the King’s current actions and the scheme of the witches, which further leads to the fulfillment of the prophecy of the witches, which fuels Macbeth’s savage ambitions. It also makes the audience wonder the outcome of the play, had the King not given him the title. In summary, we can infer from act 1 scene 2 that Macbeth is brave, courageous, valiant, strong-willed, but at the same time hinted to be ruthless and slightly savage. Still, the audience will be mainly in awe of his loyalty and ability to overcome adversity in battle, as well as his apparent image as the embodiment of justice and valor. MACBETH The classroom analysis (generalized) (Previous analysis was June holiday homework) Act1 Scene 3: 9/ 7 /11 A heath. This scene marks the beginning of evil in Macbeth. It depicts his inner thoughts and struggles to keep his ambitious desires for the crown at bay. It is thought to be the ‘temptation scenes’, where Macbeth’s longings are further aroused by the witches’ words, instigating him with the hope of becoming king of Scotland with their prophecy. The 3 main purposes of this scene are 1. Characterization of the witches 2. Contrast in the difference between Macbeth and Banquo’s reactions to the witches’ prophecy. 3. Character of Macbeth is explored in greater detail. (Imaginative nature and high-strung temperament makes him inclined to soliloquy – ‘aside’ thoughts of character onstage, only audience can hear it.) With regards to the plot, the witches’ make the initial movement, through them Macbeth’s ambition crystallizes and his definite resolution to murder Duncan is established. However, bear in mind that Macbeth’s ambition was already present before the witches’ approached. Still, his meeting with them helped his vague aspiration take a definite shape. First and foremost, the scene introduces the witches’ sadistic and cruel nature, showing that they are vindictive, spiteful creatures who want to wreck revenge on the sailor’s wife, by giving out punishment on her husband which is out of proportion to the nature of the offence. Their reason for casting a spell on the sailor and his ship, cursing them to prolonged periods of suffering was simply because his fat wife refused to share her chestnuts with the First Witch. Such extreme measures emphasize the witches’ malicious natures, immediately giving the audience a poor impression of the characters. The animal imagery of a ‘rat’, tells us that they are sneaky, mischievous and harmful, biting a hole into the sailor’s ship. The way they chant ‘I’ll do, I’ll do and I’ll do’ appears to readers as eerie, almost definite manner of speaking. Their chants and ability to control winds further informs us that they are unnatural, almost magical beings. However, the witches though having powers beyond the norm are not completely powerful and are limited in their ability. Though they certainly can control winds, water, chant and attempt to place misguided thoughts in the characters minds, they cannot kill anyone nor can they force someone to bend to their will (as seen from the way they only influence the already ambitious Macbeth and not the honest Banquo). Furthermore, this indicates that Macbeth’s murder of Duncan and usurping was not because of the witches. He has evil thoughts already in himself, the witches only acted as guides, suggesting and tempting him with their words. The roles of the witches from the beginning were only insinuators, to provide suggestions and are not the direct cause for Macbeth’s actions. Hence, we can conclude that Macbeth is responsible for his own evil deeds and that the witches cannot be used to excuse Macbeth from his behavior. Still, the witches’ unyielding, cruel nature is still undeniable as they cause horrors for the people they target. The sailors are subjected to 81 days of wasting away, living like cursed men. Though they cannot completely destroy the ship, they can still cause it to be tossed and churned wildly through the storm. Also, we can tell that their cruelty and vindictive nature is apparent as jubilant is evident in their voices at Macbeth’s approach. From what we have learnt of their natures, we may conclude that they are deigning to work harm on Macbeth. Macbeth continues to link himself to the witches. His mention of ‘so foul and fair a day I have not seen’ reminds us of the ‘fair is foul’ comment that the witches used to close scene 1. It shows a clear connection between Macbeth and the witches’ evil. The ironic repetition is unconsciously echoed by Macbeth, indicating the changing direction of the battle or the weather, however it could also hint of Macbeth becoming further involved with the witches’ evil plot. The witches are also described in detail by Banquo here, seen to be strange looking and ‘withered’ and ‘wild’ in their dressing and features. However, their strange looks help to promote themes like appearance VS reality, as the women though seemingly women, have beards like men. This emphasizes their unnaturalness and status as perversions of nature. Their prophecy is also reviewed in this scene. First, Macbeth will become Thane of Glamis, which is more of a fact, seeing that Macbeth will inherit the title from his father. Next, they claim he will become Thane of Cawdor and then King. The last two are great prophecies; however it is the prophecy of becoming King that provides Macbeth the greatest temptation. It spurs him on for the most of the play, killing in hope to gain and keep the elusive title. Also, the witches are noted to not indicate how to achieve this title, giving only predictions and no suggestions. This further increases Macbeth’s responsibility for the murder of so many innocents. He crafted his own path and used his own means to achieve the titles and hence the murders committed in the process are more of his choice than any witches’ suggestion. Next, Macbeth is furthered introduced and the difference between Macbeth’s and Banquo’s reactions to the witches prophecies is explored. Through Banquo, we can see Macbeth is deeply shocked by the witches’ prophecies. ‘Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear. Things that do sound so fair?’ This suggests that the witches’ revelation was of Macbeth’s innermost thoughts, his dark hidden desire to become King. However, unlike Macbeth, Banquo sees no reason to fear the witches, indicating a strong sense of integrity and justice in him. While Macbeth is ‘rapt’, thinking of the King’s position; Banquo challenges the Witches’; fearing not as he does not have any greedy ambitions and a clear conscience. Hence, to summarize, Macbeth’s deep, dark innermost thoughts being revealed tell us of his ‘guilty’ status, who indeed, did have dark intentions towards King Duncan. Whereas, Banquo’s reactions are that of an honest man, skeptical and mistrustful of the witches as well as wary of his and Macbeth’s prophesized glory. More riddles follow, as the number of paradoxical statements (statement in which it seems self-contradictory, absurd, but in reality it expresses a possible truth) grows. First Witch Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Second Witch Not so happy, yet much happier. Third Witch Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! The words could have many double meanings, for example ‘lesser’ and ‘not so happy’ could be referring to Banquo’s lack of titles and social status; whereas ‘greater’ and ‘much happier’ could refer to Banquo’s clearer conscience, honest character and upholding of morals. However, it is the last line of the riddle which though straightforward to a certain extent, tells us that Banquo will sire a long line of Kings. This is strange, as it makes the audience wonder how Macbeth will become King but have Banquo’s children gain the crown. Macbeth’s power hungry nature is emphasized as the witches leave the scene. He desperately wants to know more. As the witches refuse to direct or properly guide him, Macbeth is eager to learn how to make this prophecy come true. His commanding nature and forceful demand does not affect the witches. Hence we can infer from this that the Witches are mischievous, mysterious beings that do not listen to normal men. However, their elusive nature helps to add to a sense of suspense building up amongst the audience as it increases their fear of the unknown. This scene, especially this part, emphasizes how the Witches bait and lure Macbeth into their plans. The witches vanish suddenly, and are likened to ‘bubbles’ by Banquo, suggesting that just like bubbles the witches are insubstantial, as though they do not really exist and are unnatural occurrences. Furthermore, their disappearances fuel the uncontained hunger in Macbeth for the knowledge to become King. However, Banquo on the other hand is confused and bewildered by the Witches’ sudden appearance and disappearances. He wonders if they had eaten the ‘insane root’ and hence have gone mad. The men try to reconfirm the witches’ prophesies by repeating them to each other. However there is a difference in the tone of which the words are said. Macbeth seems wary and resentful of the fact that Banquo children are supposedly going to gain kingship, rather than his own children. Whereas, Banquo’s mood is light and joking, as he still is disbelieving and doubtful of the witches. The arrival of Ross and Angus interrupts the exchange between the two men. In summary, they inform Macbeth that Duncan is caught between praising Macbeth or expressing his amazement at Macbeth’s courage and skill. He also comments on Macbeth’s lack of fear of the distorted faces of the people he has killed, ‘strange images of death’, and this later becomes an irony as Macbeth will later make even stronger images of death later on, one of which being Duncan. Next, they deliver the message that the King has awarded Macbeth the title of Thane of Cawdor. This decision is Duncan’s undoing, as it was the gaining of this title that persuaded Macbeth to act on the prophecy and kill Duncan. Banquo is shocked by this revelation as he is still full of doubt and mistrust for the witches. On the other hand, Macbeth questions Ross and Angus, unaware of the Thane of Cawdor’s betrayal. The phrase, ‘dress me in borrowed robes’, is used to denote the new status or rank Macbeth has been give. It gives the image of unfitting clothes that do not rightfully belong to him, hence the term ‘borrowed’. This implies that the title is unsuitable for Macbeth and like ‘borrowed robes’ do not befit him. It is then revealed of the previous thane’s betrayal and efforts to destroy the country. The link between the new thane of Cawdor and the previous thane of Cawdor is the knowledge that they both betray the King’s trust, as Macbeth seems to be already in anticipation of his Kingship, ‘the greatest is behind’. Banquo then shares his opinion on the witches and the turn of events to Macbeth. His own thoughts are addressed to both himself and Macbeth, acting as a warning to Macbeth as he senses his excitement. That trusted home Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor. But ’tis strange: And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence. Cousins, a word, I pray you. His words convey the message that the witches are not to be trusted and that if he believes in their words completely, he might burn with an unholy desire for the crown. He expresses his belief that the witches are agents of evil who tell them but simple truths to betray them in far important matters and are simply baiting them to their demise. Banquo’s remark is penetrating, having described the true nature of the witches in detail. He appears to us as a wary but honest man who holds a great deal of moral wisdom. However, with the use of soliloquy (as previously mentioned, it is when one shares his inner thoughts on stage with the audience but away from other characters), Macbeth expresses his confused and undecided feelings and is debating internally with himself. He is undecided if the prophecy is good or bad, ‘cannot be ill, cannot be good’. This paradoxical statement shows the sheer depth of the confusion in Macbeth as the statements directly contradict one another. This use of antithesis (the direct opposite: or in this case a balanced contrast of ideas), is used to show the conflicting emotions raging in Macbeth and uncertainty on whether he should trust the witches. However it also shows the inclination in Macbeth to evil as though deep down, he knows the implications of the prophecy are sinful actions, he still tries to justify the witches. Macbeth understands that if the prophecy is fulfilled, then one way or another Duncan must die. However, the repulsive thought of murder makes Macbeth’s hair stand on end and the mere thought of cold blooded murder make his heart, usually fixed within his chest, pound so hard it is as if it were pounding against his ribcage (exaggeration). He realizes that if this prophecy is good, he should not yield to the thought of murder, and the fact that it does, unnerves him. His every action is smothered in imagination of the King’s murder and he is so upset by the thought of murder that he quivers with fright. His mind is overwhelmed with such a thought that he is unable to think about anything else. Due to his cruel wishes, his inner stability is threatened and his inner peace lost. The next statement is also seemingly contradictory and paradoxical, ‘nothing is what it is not’, and yet it still tells us that the only thing real to him is what has not happened yet, the murder of Duncan, and the present is blotted out completely. Macbeth demonstrates a vivid but futile imagination and immediate fears do not worry him so much as his worries about the future. While he is lost in thought, Banquo comments on his ‘rapt’ state. Finally, Macbeth decides to wait for the opportunity to come, having decided that though seemingly ‘good’ as the prophecy has led him to the title of thane of Cawdor, the witches tempting of him to commit regicide (murder of monarchy) through dangling the prospect of becoming King before him may also be a ‘ill’ thing. He wishes for matters to be taken out of his hands so that he can become King without having to delve into foul means. Another imagery of clothing is also explored as Banquo comments that on Macbeth’s new titles. New honors come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould But with the aid of use. This also provides the image of an unfitting set of clothes, referring to Macbeth’s new titles and honors. The metaphor takes on a role in which Macbeth is not suited or entitled to. Furthermore, Banquo says that the clothes need to be accustomed to, and that it is Macbeth’s thoughts and actions will fit the clothes to him and nothing else. This further emphasizes that what becomes of Macbeth is due to his own thoughts and choices. The scene ends with Macbeth claiming that the other men’s efforts are recognized before making their way towards the king. MACBETH The classroom analysis (generalized) (Previous analysis was June holiday homework) Act1 Scene 4: 24 / 7 /11 Forres. A room in the palace. This scene talks about the execution of the thane of Cawdor, praising of Macbeth and giving of title of crown prince to Malcolm. Imagery in this scene supports the sense of natural order in Duncan’s reign and the imagery of plants is used to describe Duncan’s nurturing of Macbeth and Banquo. In this scene, two things help mark a turning point in this play. 1. Duncan’s proclamation of his son as crown prince This clinches Macbeth’s decision to murder Duncan, as it confirms that Macbeth will never be king through natural causes. Unless Macbeth takes initiative to do something, the Kingship will slip out of his hands forever; hence he decides to murder the king. 1. Duncan’s decision to stay at Inverness Macbeth’s ‘chance’ to murder Duncan was produced due to Duncan’s foolish and fatal decision. The scene begins with the current situation of the previous thane of Cawdor. Cawdor, who had been executed, was reported as showing a ‘deep repentance’ before death. They even go so far to say that his death ‘became him’ and he was at his best right before dying. Duncan then comments that ‘There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face’, referring to Cawdor’s betrayal of Duncan’s complete trust in him. The irony of this situation is that Duncan still does not learn his lesson after this, and still continues to trust those around him, eventually being betrayed by the current Thane of Cawdor (Macbeth) in an almost similar fashion. Macbeth is someone who Duncan will put ‘absolute’ trust in, like the previous thane. However, Duncan appears to be a poor judge of character as he is soon tricked by the thane of Cawdor again. His comment ‘There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face’, basically means there is no technique or skill to see a person’s heart gives the scene a sense of foreboding and prophesy. It helps give rise to the theme of APPEARANCE AND REALITY, as well as injects a sense of dramatic irony as the audience knows he is about to make the same mistake again. As we can see, this line incorporates much dramatic significance, also because after this line is spoken, Macbeth enters. This link can only be seen by the audience and not Duncan; a subtle hint about the future. In this scene, we are able to characterize Duncan. He is a generous, appreciative, noble, naà ¯ve, trusting, gullible, gentle, dignified and benevolent king. He is associated with the natural order of things and even Macbeth recognizes me as a good king whom the subjects love. However he is also a poor judge of character as well as a tactless/thoughtless man. He gives Malcolm the crown before Macbeth, a tactical error which costs him his life. Macbeth would have be likely to feel jealous of Malcolm, not to mention having done so much in the war, he would feel as if his reward of the title ‘thane of Cawdor’ is small and insignificant compared to the crowning of the prince. However we cannot completely blame and ridicule Duncan for trusting Macbeth. Macbeth having had lain down his life for him, has earned Duncan’s trust. However we can still feel the irony as Duncan praises the treacherous Macbeth with words like ‘O worthiest cousin!’ etc. Duncan even says that Macbeth has done so many brave deeds that he has already been put in front of all of them, as if having been ‘elevated high above them all’. He expresses his internal gratitude, claiming that whatever reward is give to him is still not enough to fill the debt he owes to Macbeth. Macbeth replies Duncan claiming that there is no need to thank him as his service and loyalty to Duncan rewards him, and that he is full of love, duty and loyalty towards Duncan the country, him and his children. This provides a sharp contrast to the later soliloquy of scene 4, where Macbeth calls on the powers of darkness to kill the man he has just declared complete allegiance to. The contrast emphasizes Macbeth’s duplicity and double dealing nature. Duncan, as an appreciative and generous King, also does not forget to thank Banquo. The seed and plant imagery, otherwise known as a horticultural image, is used in Duncan’s speech to Banquo, to indicate a natural growth of appreciation for him, which is no less than the appreciation of Macbeth. Banquo’s reply is also less flowery and elaborate compared to Macbeth’s, making a clever conceit (does not mean arrogant, means something like ‘thought’) on Duncan’s embrace, and his desire to hold Duncan to his heart, hence showcasing his loyalty. Banquo continues the natural image of sowing and cultivating crops, then reaping them when ripe. Duncan is portrayed to be the rich soil in which Banquo has been planted and will thrive in. Banquo informs the King in a simple, straightforward manner that if he ‘thrives’ the King will naturally reap benefit from him, as well as that all his power, possessions and status belong to the King. We must take note of the differences between Macbeth’s and Banquo’s replies. MACBETH BANQUO Flowery stilted Elaborate insincere doesn’t seem to come from the heart Straight forward sincere full of humility humble simple Duncan, in his joy, thoughtlessly names his son as the successor but still claims that his son is not the only one to receive such honors as he still loves everyone equally. Macbeth however, is disappointed, troubled and is even a bit angry. He sees Malcolm as an obstacle and is now seriously thinking of treachery. Duncan does not recognize his displeasure. He decides to proceed to Inverness, Macbeth’s home, and the words ‘bind us further to you’, invoke a sense of irony in us. We can see that Duncan will be bound to Macbeth in a way that he has never dreamt of. He has no idea of what Macbeth is going to do to him in his stay in his castle. This will go on, unknown to Duncan but known to the audience, as they know of Macbeth’s evil plans. Macbeth lies to the King, pretending that he is rushing back to deliver the message of Duncan’s soon arrival to his wife, when the truth is he wants to hurry back to plan the murder of Duncan with his wife. He even says that â€Å"rest is labor, if not used for you’. In other words, resting feels more like labor if not done to help his King in any way. Duncan, naà ¯ve and trusting, calls him ‘worthy Cawdor’, not suspecting a thing. With the King’s decisions in mind (crowning of Malcolm and the decision to stay at his castle), Macbeth is now more determined than ever in his evil purpose. The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see He calls on the stars to block out their own light as what he is about to do is bad, terrible, treacherous and evil that he does not want anyone, even himself, to see it being done. He does not want to relive the full horror of his deeds and hence rather not let his eyes see his hands at work. This also tells us that Macbeth recognizes the evil and wrong in his actions and yet he still proceeds to carry out the evil deeds. He coveys this to the audience with the use of soliloquy and hence we understand that Macbeth’s invocation (to call on) to the stars to dim their lights are thoughts which are kept to himself and are only known to him and the audience, emphasizing the fact that these are thoughts running through Macbeth’s mind, unbeknownst to the rest. His words are like an inversion of nature; as if he were to ‘obliterate’ the light from heaven just to fulfill his dark purposes (MURDER DUNCANà ¯). Dramatic irony is continued as Duncan and Banquo proceed to discuss Macbeth’s nobility and courage after he leaves to discuss Duncan’s murder with his wife. They call him ‘a peerless kinsman’, in other words saying that no one is as good as him in terms of goodness and courage. This further emphasizes Duncan’s gullible, trusting and naà ¯ve nature, not suspecting Macbeth’s motives in the slightest. COMPARE AND CONTRAST†¦ In drama, it is more accurate to study the main character in relation to the roles that he/she/it plays and his/hers/its relationship to other characters. Macbeth VS Banquo 1. PARALLEL characters Characters which are very similar to one another Why? 1. both help kings fight the rebels 2. Both are captains 3. Both receive prophecies from the Witches 4. Both commended by the King However, that is where the similarities END. 1. Banquo is used to show CONTRAST with Macbeth Why? Stark contrast between Macbeth and Banquo’s 1. Reactions to the witches’ prophecies Macbeth – fearful, awed, eager to know more Banquo – wary, defiant, confused 1. Reactions to Duncan’s commendations Macbeth – flowery reply, full of insincere sounding praises Banquo – brief, humbling, sincere and self-evasing reply 1. Personality and character Macbeth – ambitious, deceptive, cunning, cruel and ruthless Banquo – full of integrity, honest, valiant, brave, loyal, and cautious 1. Royal line Macbeth promised to be king Banquo promised to be the father of many kings Banquo promised to be greater and happier than Macbeth 1. Attitude towards each other, before and later At first open with each other; later they will be wary and cautious with each other and unwilling to share their thoughts, hiding their intentions from each other. Macbeth VS Witches 1. Witches are supernatural beings with supernatural knowledge Offers go beyond that of ordinary human limits 1. Macbeth is embodiment of ‘man’; Full of apparent ‘valiance’ but actually easily mislead 1. We are rather unclear to witches’ intentions towards Macbeth in ACT 1 Later, Hecate scene indicates that they are supernatural agents of evil and destruction, holding power through surprise magical intentions Appearance VS Reality (theme) 1. Theme of FALSE appearance can thus be understood firstly in terms of conscious deception and hypocrisy 2. DECEPTION can thus be understood, secondly as part of the broader theme of concealment. From the beginning, Macbeth conceals his feelings about becoming King by speaking in ‘aside’ or soliloquy. 3. HYPOCRISY can be seen from Macbeth hypocrite actions, as he claims to be loyal and honorable but in truth; plots to kill his King (commit REGICIDE) Evil VS Fear 1. GOOD and EVIL are moral absolutes: The ethical view that certain actions are absolutely right or wrong, regardless of other contexts such as their consequences or the intentions behind them 1. Macbeth’s murder of Duncan is treated as a crime of the most terrible kind, of which he is deeply fearful from the moment he entertains the thought of it, which has far-reaching consequences. 2. 3. Recurrent images of darkness and night, illness and blood are all used figuratively to suggest moral significance, and to give a CONCRETE image of evil. Explain: REGICIDE, when it is performed of a good, lawful King, is considered EVIL. There is no moral objectivism, especially when the murder carries it out for his/her own benefit. This is emphasized by the many symbols used. 1. However, good and evil is also presented in a paradoxical way†¦ Macbeth expresses the most sensitive moral awareness: he accuses himself of the evil of his murder in the most eloquent terms; and experiences great horror and terror both before and after the deed. This contradicts the idea of good and evil as though Macbeth ‘knows the evil’, he still carries on to perform the ‘evil’, as if it were ‘good’ The choosing of wrong though aware of the right, causes good and evil to seem also like paradoxical ideas. INTO THE PLAY à ¯Ã‚ ¦ Macbeth’s soliloquy: 1. Macbeth speaks the greatest proportion of his lines alone; in a soliloquy or an ‘aside’ 1. Lack of interaction with other characters is very SIGNIFICANT in this kind of drama which usually relies upon dialogue to move the action forward. 2. This solitary speech produces a strong sense of Macbeth’s isolation especially later in the action, where he is virtually speaking alone even though there are many silent servants on stage. 3. This makes Macbeth a very internal character, whose inner life creates a kind of action in mind. His private speeches use vivid and moving images and develop powerful inner experiences at different points in the play. Scottish court: 1. Duncan, Malcolm and Macduff have distinct roles to play 2. However, thanes are apparently generalized in speech and decisions at the start of the play 3. Duncan’s role is that of a gracious but overly trusting and wrongfully murdered King. He relates to his scout with elaborate and formal courteousness 4. After Duncan is murdered, thanes become wary of each other and their surroundings

Film Genre, Narration, Reality Tv Essay

â€Å"Types of films are commonly referred to as genres (pronounced â€Å"zahn-rahz†). The word genre is originally French and simply means kind or type.† (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004: 108). Genre groups films, which share similar filmic qualities and themes, into various subsections according to the type of film they are associated as. Various film genres are recognisable by the way they are presented and patterned or the way that they portray a certain emotion or feeling, as those of humour or horror. There is no distinct way by which we can define genre. Some films incorporate various aspects of different genres, thus we cannot define exactly what kind of text-book definition genre it is and being that all people are different, a comedy to one person may be a complete bore to the next. In a sense, certain films portray their genre as a subjective opinion. Film genre, in the modern filmic world today, is also very reliant on the actors that star in the feature. Automatically we, as viewers, would associate brawn and large stature with an action film, but occasional films tend to meld these characters into completely different subgenre, giving the film a very hybrid, generic feel to it. Genres are ways of providing films with the intended associations. It is a convention in which people can refer to initially grasp the notion of a film, â€Å"for the vast publicity system that exists around filmmaking, genres are a simple way to characterize film. In fact, reviewers are often central in gathering and crystallizing notions about genres.† (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004: 110). Genres are helpful in the general public as they give spectrum to different people and their different tastes. It also accommodates for any mood one may be in if they wanted to watch a film. It characterizes the films and sorts them into place for the viewer’s pleasure, â€Å"At all levels of the filmmaking and film-viewing processes, then, genres help assure that most members of society share at least some general notions about the many films that compete for our attention.† (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004: 110) Most genres share specific genre conventions. Stereotypical plots or certain predictable characters are expected to appear during a film of a desired genre. These are the conventions which group films into subgenres. Other than visual and audio conventions, those concerning mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound, lighting and editing, genres often also make boundaries around the type of thematic notions that are presented within films. Interweaving and altering certain genres, film producers create hybrids of genres that are incorporate mixture of different filmic techniques implemented by different genres. These subgenres, as with conventional genres are not always effective. â€Å"The periods in which a genre remains popular are called cycles.† (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004: 115). Genres can only be portrayed so many times before they become old, such as with anything else in the world. Film Narration (Researched from â€Å"Film Art: An Introduction† by D. Bordwell and K. Thompson.) According to D. Bordwell and K. Thompson, a narrative is considered to be, â€Å"Â…a chain of events in cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space,† (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004: 69), otherwise also known as a story. The narrative of a film begins with an instance and throughout the film’s time and space alters in story and elements in such a way that the final narration is the end product. The narrative of a film is structured in a way that we, the viewers, can identify with and understand what is going on in the film. The sequences and events are arranged in an order such that to portray the notion of a flowing story. Causality, time and space are the governing factors behind this story or narration. The story undergoes a â€Å"cause and effect,† (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004: 69) situation where one event leads onto another. â€Å"A narrative may cue us to draw parallels among characters, settings, situations, times of day, or any other elements.† (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004: 69) The way in which the narrative of a film is revealed can lead the viewer to make connections between certain elements in the film such as interlinking character backgrounds or settings. What the viewer sees onscreen is mechanically fed into the back of his/her mind and slowly they start tying in different aspects of a film as they are uncovered one after the other. By the actions or method of speech certain characters have in films, for example, the viewer can achieve a comprehensible understanding of the character and how he/she fits into the, sometimes social or other, hierarchy of the narrative of the film. This is a contributing factor towards the plot development of a film as the characters are to have an affirmative role that the viewer should be able to understand. â€Å"Â…the film’s plot may contain material that is extraneous to the story world.† (Bordwell & Thompson, 2004: 71). D. Bordwell and K. Thompson use the example of nondiegetic intro music being a form of narrative to the story plot as it does set a pace and a mood for the story. The film’s plot and story are not the same thing but are closely linked in aspect. The plot mechanically uncovers a film’s storyline and events while the film’s story adds complexity and body to the film as a whole through diegesis. The Bordwell and Thompson CD-ROM addition describes diegesis to be, â€Å"Â…the world of the film’s story. The diegesis includes events that are presumed to have occurred and actions and spaces not shown onscreen. See also diegetic sound, nondiegetic insert, nondiegetic sound.† Therefore the understanding of the film’s narration will have a different, more in depth meaning to someone like the director as opposed to the viewer. Thus it is the director’s duty to arrange the narrative in such a way that it would portray a desired notion or motif through the way it is presented. Causality, time and space are the overall key factors governing the convergence of film narration. Precise sequencing and technical usage of these three elements is what brings about a good story narrative. Reality T.V (Researched from â€Å"InfoTrac Onefile† online journal.) â€Å"The term ‘reality TV’ was first coined in the USA, and was used to describe television programmes based on film footage from police forces and the emergency services, usually featuring dramatic car chases and accidents.† (Joan Garrod, 2004). Reality is a rather new and very different hybrid of television genres that are encountered daily. It totally abolishes the rules and regulations of standard acting and filming procedures. Whereas other forms of televisual entertainment make use of camera and acting synchronisation, reality television goes one step ahead to disrupt this congruency and allow the action and camera to work individually creating a, once-unnatural, different form of filmic entertainment. â€Å"The main reason viewers give for their interest in reality TV is that it is not as predictable and formulaic as ‘mainstream’ television dramas and sit-coms.† (Mark Andrejevic, 2004). This factor is what binds viewers to their television sets when a new hit reality show is broadcast. The fact that this stream of entertainment is still rather new and unpredictable, viewers become completely absorbed and over-obsessed with their new favourite show, â€Å"Â…13 million people in the UK watched the final of I’m a Celebrity†¦Get Me Out of HereÂ….† (Joan Garrod, 2004). That is a colossal quantity of viewers for the UK alone. Reality television it considered by some to be an insult to their intelligence. It requires no previous acting skills at all and has the habit of creating stars almost as popular as ones we would find in our everyday Hollywood films, â€Å"Here, in short, are people becoming famous for  doing nothing much at all, but doing it where everyone can see them.† (Salmon Rushdie, 2004). It is easy to notice why various media critics are ‘insulted’ by this form of television entertainment. They are coming from backgrounds with the art of media has been cultured to such a fine point that an entertainment of this nature would be, just plainly, unacceptable. Certain critics have made note that reality TV, as well as having negative repercussions on the viewers, have negative repercussions on the participants as well. â€Å"Â…participants become psychologically weakened and more easily manipulated, and are thus more prone to be subject to the authority of the producers.† (S. Brenton and R. Cohen, 2003). Many participants often enter a â€Å"distressed state† and, invariably, leave the show early. Mark Andrejevic, a Colorado PhD student, goes on to find other aspects of reality TV that are beside the norm. He states that because the participants, in reality TV, are ‘real people’, more and more viewers are adapting to identifying with them as opposed to acted characters in conventionally produced film. He also states that reality TV is a new advancement in â€Å"televisual interaction†. It gives the viewers the option to choose how they would like the ending to happen. This is silly however, as what would be the point of watching a reality series in the first place? Reality TV is a diverse and upcoming television genre in the future. Critics predict it to be around still for an extensive amount of time. So many ideas and manipulations from real life can be brought into action on the screen and we, as mindless, malleable viewers, will eat up all the Americanised filth that is brain-fed to us through our television setsÂ… an unhappy ending to a debatably unhappy story. Bibliography David Bordwell & Kristin Thompson, (2004) Film Art: An Introduction, The McGraw-Hill Companies: New York. P 69, 71, 108, 110, 115 David Bordwell & Kristin Thompson, (2004) Film Art: An Introduction, The McGraw-Hill Companies: New York Ââ€" CD-ROM attachment. Joan Garrod (2004). Author of news article, â€Å"What is reality TV and why do we like it?† Sociology Review journal, Feb 2004 v13 i3 p14(3) S. Brenton and R. Cohen (2003) Shooting People: adventures in reality TV, Verso. Mark Andrejevic (2004) Salmon Rushdie (2004)

Causes Of Violence In Our Society Communications Essay

Causes Of Violence In Our Society Communications Essay The world most disturbing topic now days are violence. People are not responsible any more they don’t even know what their personal responsibilities are. Respect your older, manners and responsibility are an obsession of the past. Media and drugs play a very important role in the violence of the society. Our society becomes more violent and dangerous day by day due to media. It’s a scary world for our children every third or fourth teenagers knows someone who has been shot. Media is one of the most dangerous sources of violence in our society. The news-media promoted intense fear before and during the Iraq War by almost universally, unquestioningly reporting the government position as fact. On the local level, news programs constantly report violent episodes in poor neighborhoods with increasing frequency while consciously or otherwise consumers see their society as violent and scary. Mostly white people spend so much of their income on security systems while they aren ’t supporting the local corporate puppet promising to crack down on crime. Media is one of the main sources of violence in our society. The movies of new era video games and TV programs everything have different kind of violence. Many video games are full of violence and children around seven years or older love to play those kinds of games. When I was Twelve years old I was very interested in video games, my favorite games was street fighter and I always dreaming to be strong like my game player and I can beat the people who give me hard time in the school, Just Imagine if every child have the same experiences that I had, and what a big impact that could do to a little children. Many teenagers try to bring out their dreams to be exactly like their favorite hero done in the game or movie. By selling and showing these games and movies, I would emphasize that we are propagation a production of violent children, which make our society more violent in the future. We have to teac h our children that violence is bad for our society. We try to teach our children self respect brotherhood and patience. We also teach our children don’t hurt anybody and always help others. Every two minutes someone is sexually assaulted in America. One in six women and one in 33 men will experience sexual assault in their lifetime, according to a study by the World Health Organization. The U.S. Dept. of Justice states that nearly a quarter of a million sexual assaults occur each year. Sexual, physical and psychological violence causes as much illness and death among women aged 15 to 44 as cancer, while child sexual abuse is more common than teen pregnancy, pediatric cancer or childhood obesity, according to the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Given all the press lately about the issue of childhood obesity, we should remember there are many hidden issues facing our children today —sexual violence is one of them. The American Medical Association has call ed it â€Å"the silent violent epidemic.†

Standardized testing - Cons Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Standardized testing - Cons - Research Paper Example since then it has been a debatable topic. It has become one of the most controversial topics in the education field where educationists have presented different views about this type of testing. Initially, the standardized testing was used to enhance the thinking skills and was seen as a way to expand the education system, but as soon as this type of testing became a persistent aspect of higher education, the educationists criticized it, and argued that this is not the basis of education. A standardized test is measured and administered in a consistent manner. It usually comprises of multiple choice or true and false questions, it does not encourage critical thinking or analytical study, and rather it repeats the same mindless facts. The standardized tests are needed by schools in order to meet their federal funding. When a school knows that some percentage of their students needs to pass the standardized test in order to ensure their funding, they give this test immense importance (Downing and Haladyna, 2006). There are test curriculums given to the teachers which include the basic and important items that are featured in this test. According to that, the teachers have to plan their lessons. There is further pressure to get all the material that is needed in order to introduce to the class before the test so that any confusion or trouble of the student can be resolved (Downing and Haladyna, 2006). This system is at times referred to as the system to test the progress made by the teachers and school management rather than addressing to the students’ abilities and learning (Assessor, 2011). Educationists have long debated on the fact that whether standardized testing is fair. Standardized tests are hence, referred as unfair and unhelpful evaluation tools. In these exams, all the questions are either multiple choice or true and false. All the test takers answer the same questions on the same conditions. These tests reward to quick answers and usually

Ninth world by Jewell Parker Rhodes book question Essay

Ninth world by Jewell Parker Rhodes book question - Essay Example Moreover, despite not related by blood, Mama Ya-Ya had a incredibly strong love with the young Lanesha. However, despite having outstanding similarities, Jewell Parker Rhodes the author of the ninth world has demonstrated considerable level of differences between young Lanesha late mother and Mama Ya-Ya. The essay below will compare and contrasts the relationship between Mama Ya-Ya and the death mother. Similarities Both the death mother and Mama Ya-Ya had a strong affection on Lanesha. The death mother took great care of Lanesha for nine month until her demise in the delivery process. Similar to Mama Ya-Ya, the death mother hoped for a better future to the new born. She had a great plan to ensure the young girl prosper in her life. However, death could not have allowed her to take care of the new born. Lanesha admits that, she could have died at her tender were it not for the good care of Mama Ya-Ya. According to Lanesha, Mama Ya-Ya sliced the bloody membrane that covered her face d uring birth. Moreover, Mama Ya-Ya took good care of the child until her adult age. In some instances, Lanesha asserted that â€Å"I would have died, too, if Mama Ya-Ya had not sliced the bloody membrane from my face† (Rhodes 12). ... Mama Ya-Ya asserted that, the death mother used to narrate to her stories on past phenomena like earthquake and droughts. Just like the death mother, Mama Ya-Ya talked about past occurrences. It is also through Mama Ya-Ya that Lanesha understand the reality that, she was born with skin netting that covered her face. Moreover, Lanesha explains that, in every year’s birthday Mama Ya-Ya told her about the situation that surrounded her birth. According to Mama Ya-Ya â€Å"Lanesha, your eyes were the lightest green, with the tiniest specks of yellow. I knew you would have the sight. † (Rhodes 17) Differences Contrary to the death mother, Mama Ya-Ya was in a position of predicting future incidences. The same spiritual power was as well transferred to Lanesha. Lanesha held the spiritual ability of interacting with the spirits of deaths while Mama Ya-Ya predicted the coming of Hurricane Katrina and its impacts. As stated in the novel, â€Å"Lanesha can see the spirits of the d ead, and Mama Ya-Ya is a midwife, able to predict the future† (Rhodes 67). However, the death mother lacked the spiritual power of predicting future occurrences. The death mother was also not linked to spirits of the deaths. Despite presences all indicators in her delivery, the death mother could not envisage her death. In addition, although Lanesha intended to rely on her mother spirits to predict the future, the spirit of the death mother lacked the ability to forecast the occurrence of Hurricane Katrina. The death mother was composed and had independent minded traits. She lacked direct and strong connection with other people in the society including her relatives and friend. Despite being too friendly and lively to her family, the death mother

Critical appraisal of a nursing research study article Essay

Critical appraisal of a nursing research study article - Essay Example ties are being carried, it is important that there be an effective system by which these researches can be appraised to determine their validity and reliability. Wood (2010) explain that reliable research studies provide quality information that can be used in making changes that can cause better and effective systems and human environment. One of the ways of making such a process is conducting a critical appraisal process; critical appraisal can be defined as the process involving careful and systematic examination of research for judging its trustworthiness, relevance and value for their particular contexts. According to White (2008) critical appraisal is very important especially for health professionals, considering the fact that they handle critical matters of human life. Many of the research studies that are carried out on human and animal health are often treated with great esteem considering the changing health problems and challenges in the human environment (Pignone 2005, p. 67). According to Armstrong (2012) an effective healthcare process can only be managed by an application of effective and reliable strategies derived from research studies, which underpins the need for their critical appraisal. This paper examines a critical appraisal for a research that was conducted on the participation of patients in the NHS Bowel Cancer screening programs. The critical appraisal of this research process will undertake the qualitative approach, examining the methodology that was used and its effectiveness (Wake 2013, p. 31). In this case, it will be possible to assess the effectiveness of the research process. According to McCabe (2009) qualitative research processes are known to use approaches that deliver quality information from resource persons, most of whom are carefully selected for the research process. The process of critical appraisal aims at assisting people to develop necessary skills that can help to make sense of various scientific evidences. This