Close Reading #1 -Sept.23- "Cosmopolis"

"Cosmopolis" http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120822/REVIEWS/120829995

While reviewing the movie Cosmopolis, film critic Roger Ebert uses the techniques, diction, imagery and detail in order to better appeal to his audience.

Ebert's choice of words gives off a mixed vibe about the film. When he writes "'Cosmopolis' is a flawlessly directed film about enigmatic people who speak in morose epigrams about vague universal principles they show no sign of understanding. Its characters are bloodless, their speech monotone.", he clearly shows his distaste toward the characters, yet a liking for the director through the diction that he uses. The words "vague", "morose", and "monotone" make the characters seem lifeless zombies, especially with the use of the word "bloodless". Yet, he says the film is "flawlessly" directed, by using the word "flawless" he leads the audience to believe that it's the actors that ruin the film, without directly stating it. The elevated  language used gives the audience a serious feel, which in turn makes them feel that Ebert truly knows what he is talking about.

The imagery that Ebert writes into his review helps to give the audience a better idea of what the movie is like, without having to go see it. Ebert states "He enters his improbably long white stretch limousine, lengthy enough for a Mafia wedding, and sets off across Manhattan to his usual barbershop.". This statement gives off the image of wealth, the huge limo and the fact that he takes the limo just to get his haircut screams "money" out at the audience. Ebert also states "As Pattinson plays Packer, he states everything without emotion. All of the criticisms you may have heard or held about Pattinson's performances as the vampire Edward in the 'Twilight' films only serve to underline that he is perfectly cast as Packer.". The image of Edward Cullen, the emotionless, cold skinned vampire, allows the audience to get a feeling of coldness from Packer within the movie.

Finally, the detail that Ebert puts into the article allows the audience to have a better understanding of the movie and of his opinion of the movie. Ebert writes "The final act involves a nutty little man named Benno Levin, who opens fire on him from a warehouse in the district where limos go to spend the night". The addition of the detail "nutty little man" adds more character. Rather than just describing his as "a man named Benno Levin" he spices it up, allowing a deeper look into the movie.  At the end of his review, Ebert writes "I said 'Cosmopolis' is flawlessly directed. Yes, it is. I can't easily imagine a better screen version of the DeLillo novel, although I don't much want to imagine one at all. David Cronenberg is a master filmmaker, whose films sometimes fail to reverberate with me, but whose genius cannot be denied. There is a coldness and abstraction in much of his work, a heartlessness.". Ebert had chosen to put this into is review in order to get his audience to understand that though the film may not be all that great, the director is one that can be respected.

Overall, Ebert's use of diction, imagery, and detail allows the audience the get a feel for the what the movie is like, and what his opinion of it is, the goal of his post.

Open Prompt #1 -Sept. 16-

1995 Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Choose a novel or a play in such a character plays a significant role and show how that character's alienation reveals the surrounding society's assumptions or moral values.

Within the novel A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Huxley places one of his characters in a society completely different from his own. By doing so, Huxley reveals the odd morals and assumptions of his "utopia". John, known as "the savage", is the character that exposes the values of future London in the novel. His values are very much like our own, and so does not fit into the conditioned world of London. The contrast between the two sets of values helps to highlight the thoughts of the Londoners on things such as sex, drugs, and death.

The people of London in the novel had been conditioned when they were children to believe certain things that we would think to be completely bizarre. For example, when Lenina, a girl who grew up in London, tries to show her affection for John, she attempts to sleep with him. Of course, since it's not acceptable to sleep with someone on the first date, John refuses her and screams profanities as he walks out the door. His reaction as well as Lenina's actions show that the society of London takes the subject of sex lightly and they believe that sleeping around with many people is normal.

Another instance is when John is visiting his dying mother. Once she passes, nurses bring a group of children to his mother to try to condition them about death. John, who is angered by their lack of emotion towards his mother's death, begins to attack the children and throws the nurse's soma (the drug used by the people to "forget their worries") out the window. The nurses begin to riot over their lost soma and police's solution to calm the riot is to fill the room with soma. The outbursts from both parties reveal that the Londoners are indifferent to death and ,in fact, are completely okay with dying. It is also revealed that the people are completely dependent on drugs and that using drugs to create false happiness is something that everyone wants or even needs.

John's reaction to the people's thoughts and ways are what made him alienated in London. But his reactions are also what exposed the true nature of the values that the people hold. By placing John in London, Huxley was able to highlight the morals of his Utopian world.

Response to Course Material #1 -Sept. 9-

Even though the school year has just started, thanks to the summer homework, I have already learned new (and interesting) things. Especially when it comes to finding symbols and such within literature. While reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor I was able to find examples of each chapter in books and movies I have seen (which made the Foster presentation a bit easier). For example, I was able to see the elements of a quest within the movie UP. Learning how to analyze simple things such as weather or geography has allowed me to see deeper into some of the things I read or watch in my daily life. In The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing I learned about the elements (Concision, Clarity, Flow, Gracefulness, etc.) needed to write a college level essay. I also learned that my essays could use some work. Within the power point presentation, I was able to see the connection between The Rhetorical Situation and Argument. While writing an argument you must take the rhetorical situation into account to be able to better persuade your audience. The types of argument, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, can be used separately or together to appeal to certain audiences. I actually have never heard of these before reading them in the presentation, but I believe that I use Logos most, but write more effectively when using Ethos. All-in-all, I've learned a lot that I can really use through out the year and I hope I use it all effectively.