!!Spoiler Alert!!

"Double Indemnity has been called “a film without a single trace of pity or love.” Do you agree with this statement? Think about the motivations that lie behind the actions of Walter Neff and Phyllis Dietrichson when you consider your response." 



While an incredibly old movie, Double Indemnity still captivates its audience to this day. An outstanding example of cinematography and directing, it is a perfect example of what may be called film noir. Film noir most prevalently portrays a seductive and somewhat psychotic woman as a main character. The other main character is almost guaranteed to be a male with little to no success with women. The psychotic woman then uses her seductive abilities to make like a praying mantis. Aka she gets the man to do the dirty work then bites off his head (not literally of course, I can hardly imagine that would be allowed in theatres). 

With a basic understanding of film noir, it is now possible to analyse the original question stated at the top of the page. Walter Neff appears to show a certain amount of affection for Phyllis Dietrichson (The psychotic woman) and finds himself willing to kill her husband. However, later on we find that he has her all figured out which culminates in Phyllis attempting to kill him. Walter (now Holy Walter [he got shot in the arm]) tells her to try again, but she can't bring herself to shoot him again. She then claims to love Walter because she couldn't shoot him again, the motivation behind this action is almost certainly an attempt to save herself. Walter, who doesn't want her telling the court what really happened, promptly took her gun and shot her twice in the torso. Hardly what I would call love, but to each their own I guess. 

While no love or pity is shown between the two main characters, I cannot fully agree that there is no love or pity in the movie. While it is true that none is shown between Phyllis and Walter, the same cannot be said about Walter and his boss, Barton Keyes. Keyes professed his trust and friendship for Walter at various points in the movie. He defended Walter when he was a main suspect in the death of Phyllis's husband. And when he finally finds out Walter is the murderer, all he talks about is calling an ambulance to take care of Walter's arm (remember my earlier joke?). When Walter tried leaving, Keyes didn't stop him, and when Walter collapsed on the floor from blood loss, Keyes calls an ambulance and stays by Walter's side, even lighting his cigarette for him. The lighting of the cigarette is ultimately what convinced me that there is love in the movie Double Indemnity. This si so because during most of the movie, Keyes can never find his matches and Walter always lit his cigarette for him. The end of the movie when Keyes lit Walter's cigarette was a powerful message showing a very close friendship and love between the two. 

So, as a final message no, I do not believe Double Indemnity is a film with "no traces of pity or love," because a loving relationship between Walter Neff and Barton Keyes is portrayed throughout the entire movie.

Thou Art the One: Macbeth's FAVORITE SHOWS

I AM MACBETH!! (Well actually I'm a ghost, but you get the point)

Many people ask my body-less head why I became such an evilly devious person. Me, I blame television. I mean come-on!! Some of the stuff on TV now is so evil and perverted any audience individual would be driven to a life of insanity and murder (cough..cough..me). So, What shows did I love to watch premortem? Well, I've compiled a quick list of the most awesome manly shows that I felt inclined to watch due to social pressure (I sound like a teenager don't I?).

Anyway, here goes:


Number 1: TopGear UK
Category: TV

First-off, in the title it says UK...well I'm from there so that should be justification enough. No? Well fine then, more depth I shall give. Cars weren't around in my time, but if they were...well let's just say I would have many of them. I love all the manly stuff you guys are lucky enough to have nowadays, ya know: Guns, fighter jets, cars, trucks, kittens...wait forget about the kittens, but seriously my love affair of cars would have proved to Lady Macbeth that I did have a pair!! (Maybe then I wouldn't have had to kill Duncan). Going back to the point TopGear UK shows some SERIOUSLY MANLY STUFF: Cars, and explosions, and fighter jets, and...


Number 2: House
Category: TV

The television show House is certainly my favorite show pertaining to that gigantic genre of "Fictionally Accurate, yet Funny Medical Shows." This may seem like a very broad genre (of 3 shows I can think of...), but House sets itself apart from the others because of the character traits of Doctor House himself. I feel rather similar to him. He is far superior to those around him, is about as lonely as that star in Texas, and is criticized for being uhh...let's say eccentric. The main reason I feel connected to him is because of how all his colleagues/people around him react to him. Like me, whenever he gives orders they react only because they have no other choice. It reminds me of my final days holed up in Dunsinane. I don't remember much about my last days (besides a forest attacking me...which still confuses me), but I do remember everyone listening to my orders very reluctantly, just like how other doctors treat House.


Number 3: The Hunger Games Series
Category: Movie Trilogy

Before you all start whistling that annoying tune, let me explain. Pan-Am reminds me of a lot of Scotland...MY Scotland. Just like my Scotland everything is going well, people are dying from orders of the leader (ahem...Me!!), children are killing each other for entertainment of the ruling class (Didn't have a chance to do that, but I like the idea), and there is just general well being. Then, all of a sudden all the citizens revolt against the ruling class (Remind you of anything, cough cough...Malcolm) and kill the leader!! This movie series reminded me so much of my own personal story that I wept a little in the movies theater...not gonna lie.

Number 4: Die Hard Series
Category: Movie Series

As stated in my opening suggestion in this list, I love manly stuff!! Guns, fighter jets, cars, trucks, kittens...dammit, I said kittens again didn't I? Well, besides those wonderfully fluffy creatures of uber-manliness, the Die Hard series has just about everything: from planes exploding in slow motion as the protagonist shoots at it, to big car chases through heavily populated areas (sounds dangerous right?!). It has it all. So, again to prove my manhood to my terr- uhh... I mean lovely wife, this movie series is a must watch. It's so manly you'll probably grow a beard just from watching it. It's so manly, there should be a warning label on the disc telling about the manliness of it. It so manly...

Annnddddd... We're done!! Join in next week to see what absolutely not-crazy things I have to say.


Macbeth

The Hard Fall

In response to question 1...

It is a common wonderance why a person might turn to a life of crime and evil, but when one ponders the reasoning behind such a turn, many more could ponder why more people don't turn to a life of evil.

Macbeth, a character who starts out as a good and noble person, takes the first step towards evil after he is tempted by witches. These witches call him "Thane of Glamis...Thane of Cawdor... [and] shall be king thereafter" (Shakespeare 1.3). He is already the Thane of Glamis, but is intrigued by the news he could be the Thane of Cawdor and the king after that. When the "[Title] Thane of Cawdor given to me [Macbeth]..." (Shakespeare 1.3). Macbeth starts to become more and more greedy until his wife convinces him "I have done the deed [killed Duncan]" (Shakespeare 2.2).


Immediately after Macbeth has done the deed, he is haunted by whispers and believes he hears knocking and voices. "Methought I heard a voice cry Sleep no more, " and "Macbeth shall sleep no more" are phrases and whispers he hears upon killing Duncan (Shakespeare 2.2). Thus, it is implied that turning down the path of evil and murder will only lead to craziness and self loathing.

In conclusion, it is a ponderance no more as to why more people don't turn dowm the path of evil. While it is true Beowulf became King, he also started to hate himself and feared what he had done.

#FREEBEEE

this is a free-bee don't comment...

My Sandwich's are Still Better

Credit: http://www.mbaskool.com/business-articles/marketing/6541-seven-sins-of-customer.html
Author: N/A
Date of Publication: 3/21/13


The Little Picture...

Let's start from the back and move in. The picture is set on an all-green background with ghosted-captioning stating, "Don't let your kids suffer from lunchbox envy." Sticking to the little picture, in the foreground there are two young Caucasian males, both carrying sandwiches. However, the male on the left has a larger sandwich than the male on the right. The left male looks satisfied with his meal, whilst the right male looks longingly at the meat and veggie stuffed Ciabatta the male on the left is eating.

The Bigger Picture...

Looking at this from a more analytic perspective, it becomes quite clear that there are two deadly sins clearly evident in this advertisement. The first to mention is so obvious it is stated in the title of the advertisement. Envy. As stated above, the facial expression of the male on the right portrays jealousy at the size, and contents of the sandwich the child on the left is holding. After our analysis of the child on the right, the analysis of the child on the left hand side becomes easier. It becomes apparent that the child is gluttonous, for he does not require such a large amount of food in one sitting. His facial expression, while contorted at his devilish feasting (<Christian allusion), shows pleasure and contentedness at the size of his sandwich, and at the misery of his fellow sandwich consumer upon seeing his mighty Ciabatta role.

Who is it for?

This advertisement is most certainly not for the age of children portrayed in the advertisement, but is more likely aimed at the parent's of children who need packed lunches. It insinuates that the parent is being lazy for not giving their child a more impressive lunch that will make all the other children jealous.
Using the little picture analysis, it is possible to go into even more detail with who the advertisement is aimed at. Both figures in the picture are white males. "Male,"  brings the phrase "mamma's boy" to mind. This means that the advertisement is aiming at the mother's of young white Caucasian males, most likely between the ages of 6 and 9 years old (based upon age of portrayed figures).

Not The Popular Kid...

In Response to Question 6.


A Quick Summary:

Charlotte Bronte carefully portrays Jane Eyre as a girl with a secret. It becomes clear that Jane does everything possible to not stand out as a problem child. Later, it is revealed that she does this because of her troubled past. As an orphan she was adopted and given a new life, but something she lied about was so terrible that she was sent back to the orphanage. Now she must do everything she can to hide her secret. Her plan fails her when she drops her chalk slate while Mr. Brockelhurst, the director of the orphanage, is in the room. Mr. Brockelhurst asks Jane to come to the front of the room. He places her standing, on top a stool. Then promptly announces that she should be marked as a problem child, should be left out of other children's games, and her soul needs to be saved.

Analysis:

With a detailed summary of the chapter it is now possible to closely analyze how Jane's alienation in front of the entire orphanage helps to portray the moral values and assumptions of her society. Morally, the orphanage clearly shows Christian values with portrayals of religious teachings, and Mr. Brockelhurst alluding to the Bible multiple times while talking to the women running the Orphanage. The grown-ups in her society also assume that she will constantly remain a troubled child, and won't change. On the other hand, the other children in the orphanage look up to her while she stands on the stool, "now exposed to general view on a pedestal of infamy. What my sensations were no language can describe; but just as they all rose, stifling my breath and constricting my throat, a girl came up and passed me: in passing, she lifted her eyes. What a strange light inspired them! What an extraordinary sensation that ray sent through me! How the new feeling bore me up! It was as if a martyr, a hero, had passed a slave or victim, and imparted strength in the transit" (Bronte). 

As seen in the excerpt from the passage, the children look up to her as some sort of hero for her silent protests of the social system she has grown up in. They give her strength to stand on her stool with a proud stature. 



Recap:

To recap, the adults in her society look down upon Jane Eyre as a problem child and a liar because of her past. They encourage the other children to do so too, even though they claim to share the Christian values of society. The children on the other hand look up to her for standing up to the onslaught of hateful speech given my Mr. Brockelhurst, the man running the orphanage.



Till the next assignment,

Cheers. Tristan.

What's in a name?

What many do not realize is that I have an incredibly sad name.

The name Tristan literally means sad. It is possible to see this in the French language where Triste means sad or depressed. I share my first name with Sir Tristan, knight of the round table, along with Tristan from the Tragic love story of Tristan and Isolde. Being part Welsh (Celtic), I have altered versions of my name which I may also go by- Drystan, Tristram, or Drustan all convert to the name Tristan. My parents liked the name because it payed homage to my father's Celtic ancestry. Naturally, they taught me all about the name and why they chose it. I am fascinated by the stories behind my name, and find my name to be an ironic reminder of my life...I never get the girls.



And Then There Were Two...

         How do stories show one character as two stories? As readers, we encounter these situations quite a lot, even if we do not realize it. In Beowulf we see the main character -Beowulf- battle monsters, while finding himself. As cheesy as that sounds, it is easy to relate this basic ideology to my own life.

The Shortened Version of a Long Story

         I have been two people all at once. I have been a leader to others while I myself may be lost. I have been a friend to others while standing all alone. I feel the happiness of others as I feel the misery of the outcast. I promise I'm not depressed, these are just a few examples of how I, and many other people can, and have been two people at once. An individual may feel hopeless and lost, but will help his/her peer feel wanted and regarded highly. Humans are complex creatures that can put on multiple disguises at the same time. A happy email may be sent, while an angry text message is sent, while...


Until next time,

Tristan/Drystan/Tristram/Drustan

       

Post Number 1

We are the Other - Chicago Avenue, South Minneapolis, MN (2012)
Photograph by: Wing Young Huie


Small Picture:

Imaged is a torn American flag flying in the winds at the top of a flag pole. To the left there is a house, and what appears to be chimney. To the right is deciduous foliage. The sky is overcast and looks like the prelude to a storm moving from the right side of the picture to the left.


Big Picture:

The picture could allude to the famous "Star Spangled Banner" Poem by Francis Scott Key. This poem later became the american National Anthem, and portrayed a torn American flag in a hostile environment flying in the wind besides its surroundings. 


Question Response:

This picture of a torn American flag may at first seem uncorrelated to Margaret Atwood's book The Handmaid's Tale but as we look closer it is possible to see a relationship between the two. The flag could easily represent both the women and men the Atwood's book. The flag is in a position of power, at the top of a flag pole flying high. Yet, it also represents the women of Gilead. It is torn, and left unkempt. It is seemingly uncared for, and unwanted. The background also alludes to the stormy community that creates the make up of Gilead.