Fast Five

I just saw the movie Fast Five and I thoroughly enjoyed the graphics and cars showed in the movie. I liked the acting by Vin Diesel and The Rock.  And the fact that they were pretty bad-ass in the movie. I also loved all the different amazing and fast cars in the film. Overall it was a great action packed film that was very entertaining for a thursday evening.

The End

The year is coming to an end and I find myself reflecting on the past 7 years of my Buckley career. So much has happened and so many changes have altered my perspective on life and the life that surrounds me. I have grown and matured yet I still have so much to learn. I hope college will help me grow in the ways that I hope and help me understand who I want to be and what I want to achieve. I hope to fall in lo e with behind the scenes profession in media arts and to travel to different parts of the country to learn about different cultures and to work as a behind the scenes person on a documentary. I am so excited for all the opportunities that Emerson offers and to meet people that inspire and motivate me.

Senior Project in Canne

I feel extremely excited because on May 10th I am going to Canne for the annual movie festival for my senior prokect. I will be interning withe the Russian pavillion in Canne. I am so excited to not only be in Canne but to watch all the incredible independent films that are playing. The atmosphere is expected to be great with tons of talented actors,directors, and producers. I am hoping to learn more about film making and the markiting side of the buisness. I know that this festival is crucial in the marketing and business side of the film industry and I am eager to learn about the process.

Bucket List-#3

Bucket List as of 2011:

1.Sky Dive
2.Graduate college
3.Make something out of myself
4.Influence music in some way
5.Have a family
6.Make a difference in the world
7.Cave dive
8.Try different foods around the world
9.Have a st.bernard doggy
10.Find something that i love to do

Creative Blog #2

After reading our latest novel, Metamorphosis, I have thought about what it would feel like to wake up as an insect and have your whole life change in a split second. I feel my reaction would be completely opposite of Gregor since our lives are completely different. If I opened my eyes  and couldn't get out of bed because I had magically turned into a giant insect over night I would probably start to panic. I could never think of work, school, or anything besides how my life has changed forever and how I would approach the world in my new form. I am just shocked at how Gregor confronted the situation and what his initial thoughts were. Unlike Gregor, waking up as a bug would be a terrifying and shocking experience for me.

Creative Blog Numero Uno

Conformity has been an ongoing theme in the novels we have read this year and in our every day lives. In Pride and Prejudice we saw the Bennett sisters and other women of that time period conforming to the societal "norm" of marriage. Also the women in Pride and Prejudice are voiceless and lack the power to control the fates of their own lives. Conformity is also present in my generation. Every day my peers are afraid to show their true feelings/personalities because they feel it is not acceptable by their friends or family. For example people are sometimes afraid to be open about their preference in music or religion because it is different from what the majority believe or prefer. Conformity is evident in generations in the past and the present.

Conformity in the classroom

I believe that schools do push students to conform because of their structured plans and rules. No school will allow for students to run wild like animals with no barriers as to what is acceptable. All the rules set by schools have a purpose. Whether its to control mistreatment/misbehavior or to enhance the level of a home-like feeling of a school. For example Buckley forces its students to follow a strict dress code not only to allow for students to feel comfortable around each other but to lessen the focus on what we wear and push it towards academics and such. Conformity is practiced in schools to give structure and force students to be the best they can be.

2 Kafka Questions

1) When I first heard that Gregors woke up as an instinct I reacted with confusion from the start. I then pictured waking up as an insect and realized how absurd I would feel. I definitely found it comical and enticing. I began to take the novel seriously when Gregor attempted to get out of his bed. The story painted such a struggle for Gregor which again forced me to imagine myself in a similar situation. This abnormal beginning caught my attention and made me want to find out how this drastic change will affect Gregor and weather he would be able to transform back.

4) Kafka does not allowed for Gregror to act shocked by his new body because it emphasises Gregor's selflessness and his priorities. Gregor is the ultimate provider. His entire life is spent on keeping his family on track financially. All Gregor can think about when he wakes up as a bug is how he is going to get to work and how his family will be affected by his new state. He barley even acknowledges his new body and is too worried about his job to be shocked. Kafka does not add a shock factor to Gregor's reaction so his push-over personality can surface

Does civilization make a person better or worse?

Civilization, in my opinion, can influence a person negatively or positively. Certain negative aspects of our society such as war, segregation, and poverty bring out the worst in people many a time. Alternatively, positive aspects of our society such as, education, health care, and family can shape a person in a positive manner. Also, each individual has the option to choose the good or bad path in a society. Any of the aforementioned characteristics of a society can be driven in either direction. For instance, war, bringing out the worst in many, can also spark positive protests against the fighting. Therefore the good in people can triumph over major negative influences in civilizations.

Intro Paragraph

In Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Kurtz is implied to be dominant and omniscient--a character whose presence commands respect and awe. However, this does not prove to be the case. In Karl's Introduction to the Danse Macabre: Conrad's Heart of Darkness he writes of "a sense of the absurd gap between what we profess to be and what we are." This idea is, indeed, exhibited in Heart of Darkness. Who Kurtz is, is very different from who Kurtz is said to be. Kurtz is not the fortified character he is portrayed as. In actuality, Kurtz is corrupted with the craze of the Congo jungle. He is cruel, vulnerable, and undeserving of any respect he is given. Contrary to his reputation, he is weak. It can be asserted that Kurtz represents the duality of the unconscious human mind that is promoted by Freud.

Worksheet: #1

The symbol of Kurtz in "The Heart of Darkness" is an important one. On the literal level he is seen as powerful, all-knowing, and persuasive. The men Marlow encounters paint Kurtz to be the wisest man they have ever met. However as the novel and Kurtz's story unfold, Kurtz's weakness begin to surface. The reader truly understands that Kurtz has become obsessed with the lifestyle in the Congo and has allowed for it to destroy him. Kurtz's id has surfaced in the jungle and;therefore, the Congo killed Kurtz.

Essay Ideas

In this paper I want to explore the idea of the "savage" and who, in reality, is the savage in the novel. I will assert that the Europeans are the savages. Despite the Europeans colonizing and bringing "light" to the Heart of Darkness, I will assert that they are, in actuality, the abominable. In this novel, the savage is to be feared. The Europeans, although they feel superior to the natives, fear them as well. They are afraid of the unknown. They would rather morph an entire race of people into what they want rather than deal with change. The natives, too, fear the Europeans (who are the true savages). In both groups the savage represents the unknown.

The Psychological Journey

Marlow's journey into "the heart of darkness" is described mainly through Marlow's accounts throughout the days. Each vivid and lengthy description is full of Marlow's feelings and interpretations of what he sees. The descriptions portray men stripped of all human necessities and Marlow's view of their treatment and state. He mainly is shocked at the savage and wild manor in which people live in. Thus the whole journey described through Marlow's eyes shows his emotional and psychological transformations according to the scenery he sees.

The Significance of the Painting

The painting to me symbolizes a skewed perception of blinded justice. I think the fact that the woman is blindfolded symbolizes ignorance found within this novel. The white men in charge believe they are superior and prevalent over women (and other sectors of society) in this case. The flame/torch that the woman holds signals leadership which is ironic because she is blinded. This is similar to the white men in charge who are ignorantly leading the uncivilized. Marlow obviously disagrees with this sentiment and is shocked at the injustice found within the area. Marlow, too, has been completely oblivious and relatively ignorant of the conditions in these civilized places.

1st Blog of 2011!

I believe Marlow's beginning set up of London "in very old times..." creates a connection to the English colonization of Africa by displaying London as a previous heart of darkness which was unknown and full of savages. Africa now is the heart of darkness where mystery lies due to its unexplored lands. Marlow desires to uncover the darkness which he believes lies in Africa as the Romans did in London. He as an explorer dreams of treasures and an empire that could be. Due to London's growth since the Romans, Marlow believes that something special lies in Africa's heart of darkness.