Assignment 16: Final Evaluation Conference

Books I'd Love to Read In The Future:

1. "Practical Magic" by Alice Hoffman
2. "The Art of Writing" by Lajos Egri
3. "The Art of Pixar" by Amid Amidi
4. "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov
5. "Baby's In Black" by Arne Bellstorf
6. "A Twist Of Lennon" by Cynthia Lennon
7. "The Fifth Beatle" by Vivek J. Tiwary 
8. "Wonderful Tonight" by Patti Boyd with Penny Junor
9. "Vincent And Theo" by Deborah Heiligman
10. "The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides
11. "Best State Ever: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland" by Dave Barry
12. "Carlin Home Companion: Growing Up With George" by Kelly Carlin

Assignment 15: McLuhan And Media Future

My Illumination Page, based on "The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects" by Marshall McLuhan.
Photography & Art belongs to Natalie A Palumbo. 

Assignment 14: Review Of "Look Out, The Saints Are Coming Through"

What is your reaction to the text you just read?

My reaction to “Look Out, The Saints Are Coming Through” from The Daily Beast is rather mixed. Personally, I would have preferred if the characters were identified by name as opposed to simply “he” and “she”. I appreciated the discussions about Bob Dylan between the two characters, but this story seemed to flash forward and back with no context to support where we were at any given time. As curious as I was about what happened to the two characters bonding over Bob Dylan, I couldn't help but be confused with all the additional of information eluding to a possible tragedy and related victims.

What also perplexed me was the insertion of social media, Instagram, used primarily for visual art, photography, or short videos. I had expected the story to be set in the 1960’s-1970’s due to the references to Bob Dylan. Mentioning social media removes the timeless element (cementing it to Instagram), as well as weaken the sense of immersion the author might have achieved had it been set in the past.

This short story had interesting aspects to it. Descriptions of the characters are expansive so the reader understands their motivations. The author makes clever use of comparisons to Bob Dylan lyrics to illuminate characters from an emotional standpoint. For example, the author references the male's favorite song as “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (about the frustrations of youth) only to have it replaced with “She Belongs to Me” (about an enchanting artist content with her life). He expresses the desire to a musician, like Dylan, and is longing to find “his artist.”

Despite the clever use of caparison, the story still felt like a steady stream of consciousness that jumped from subject to subject without an anchor to connect all the scenes together. The two main characters naturally have flaws, but there doesn’t seem to be any growth between the two while they air their criticisms about life, politics, and other people. I would have appreciated if the story was broke into cohesive pieces instead of being all mixed together. I would have preferred separate chapters so the reader isn’t confused about where they are at any given moment within the story. 

What connections did you make with the story? Discuss the elements of the work with which you were able to connect?

I could identify with the woman using the encouraging lyrics to “She Belongs To Me” for strength and motivation. I could also appreciate her bonding with someone over musician, Bob Dylan. In my own life, the rock music I love most spans many decades, and is my favorite because it endures. However, I would have preferred to hear more about the highly praised critic she knew from Yale rather than the “sudden attack” and “tragedy” of a seemingly unrelated plot.

I did think the author skillfully described the emotional reactions of each character, especially how they are perceived by one another. While it seems to be a steady stream of consciousness (which can be confusing), the author was “showing us” instead of “telling us” what was occurring, which allows the reader to visualize details while the story is revealed. 

What changes would you make to adapt this story into another medium? What medium would you use? What changes would you make?

I would separate each of the smaller plots into self contained stories as opposed to being blended without a sense of timeline. If I were to adapt this story to a medium, I might choose an episodic series solely because you can gradually evolve the characters and their personal growth in each episode. Then, you could lead up to the climactic “tragedy” and show the aftermath. I would also give names to the characters so they're easier to identify rather than guessing who is who. Audience concern and investment in the story is stronger if the viewer can bond to the characters.

Since this is heavily inspired by the legendary Bob Dylan, his music should be implemented, as well as other musicians influenced by Dylan from that period. I would also remove any references to social media and search engines so the story can remain timeless and relatable beyond the current time-frame. “You've Got Mail,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, sports the usual romantic comedy charm. However, the film references “AOL” and this “new thing called email” to such an excessive degree, it dates the film. I would keep the story relatable without such direct references. Longing and regret are human, and bonding over legendary art is timeless.

Assignment 13: Curate Yourself

“33 1/3 Rotations Per Minute” – An Exhibition of Surrealist Album Art From The Vinyl Rock Era.

This curated exhibition celebrates surrealistic album cover art from the 60's and 70's vinyl rock era, and the creative inspirations of designers. The aim of the surrealist movement was to, "Resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality.”

Surrealism grew from the Dada movement during World War I, and spread internationally to influence film, music, and visual art spanning across cultures, languages, politics, and social and philosophical theories. Surrealist art creates the element of surprise through the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated visuals as an expression of the human condition through suggestive dream imagery.

These cover illustrations explored the subconscious minds of the musicians as expressed through the conceptual ideas of the illustrators. According to André Breton, a leader of the surrealist movement, surrealism was, “A revolutionary movement, above all else.” The art inspired by the vinyl rock era represents artifacts of this philosophical movement.

Tommy

Band: The Who
Album Artists: Mike McInneryney & Barrie Meller
Year: 1969
Genre: Hard Rock, Rock.

“Tommy” was conceived by guitarist, Pete Townshend, as a “rock opera” about a boy who is rendered deaf, dumb, and blind through a trauma, and his vulnerable relationship with his erratic family. Townshend was heavily influenced by the spiritual teachings of Meher Baba, and tried to translate his teachings into musical form.

Townshend recruited designer, Mike McInneryney, who was a fellow follower of Baba’s teachings. McInneryney wanted to portray a world seen through the eyes of a boy limited by his external senses. He chose to, “Depict a kind of breaking out of a certain restricted plane into freedom."

The cover shows a blue and white “web” of clouds with a fist punching through the black void. The Who's Co-Manager, Kit Lambert, approved of the design on behalf of Townshend, who was busy in the recording studio at the time of presentation. The only change to the design was to include images of the band members in the holes of the web at the request of their record label.

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Band: Derek And The Dominoes
Album Artist: Emile Théodore Frandsen de Schomberg
Year: 1970
Genre: Blues Rock

Eric Clapton requested that the front cover for “Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs” be a reproduction of a painting by Emile Théodore Frandsen de Shomberg entitled “La Fille Au Bouquet,”or “The Girl With The Bouquet.” Clapton saw this painting in the south of France at the house of Giorgio Gomelsky. Clapton spotted a likeness between the girl in painting and Patti Boyd, for whom “Layla” had been written. He insisted the painting represent the album without any additional text to identify the band name or title.

In Search Of The Lost Chord

Band: The Moody Blues
Album Artist: Phil Travers
Year: 1968
Genre: Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock

Phil Travers worked in the art department at Decca records when he was asked to create a cover for “In The Search Of The Lost Chord”. The Moody Blues shared their recordings with Travers so he could design with the music in mind.

The directive from the band was to portray an abstraction of “meditation.” Travers found this difficult initially (having never experienced meditation), until he remembered seeing a multiple reflection of himself in the audio suite glass separating the recording and mixing stations. Travers used gouache, watercolor, and airbrushing to create the radiant visuals. Travers would continue to create album art for the Moody Blues, and his style would become synonymous with the band's albums of the 1970’s.

Days Of Future Passed

Band: The Moody Blues
Album Artist: David Anstey
Year: 1967
Genre: Proto-Prog, Art Rock, Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Symphonic Rock.

The album art for “Days Of Future Passed” is fondly remembered for its brightly colored imagery. Originally created by David Anstey, the imagery was meant to represent a musical “cycle of life” that blends psychedelic pop and classical music together.

Anstey’s illustrated cover in 1967 would set the precedent for Moody Blues album covers to feature complex surreal imagery that was both thematically cohesive and visually subjective. The meanings are still debated as to what the imagery definitively represents.

Revolver

Band: The Beatles
Album Artist: Klaus Voormann
Year: 1966
Genre: Rock, Pop, Psychedelic Rock

The album cover for The Beatles “Revolver” was designed by Graphic Designer Klaus Voormann. He met the Beatles in 1962 along with photographer, Astrid Kircherr, who took the (now famous) black and white photography of The Beatles during their club band days in Hamburg, Germany. Voormann's initial concept for Revolver was to create a “scrapbook collage” by mixing illustrations with photographs for a mixed media piece. Revolver was influential in the rise of rock subgenres such as psychedelic, electronica, progressive, and world music. The cover won the 1967 Grammy for Best Album Art. Voormann would later design art for George Harrison’s 1988 single “When We Was Fab” which included the image of Harrison from Revolver along with an updated illustration in the same scrapbook style.

On the Threshold Of A Dream

Band: The Moody Blues
Album Artist: Phil Travers
Year: 1969
Genre: Progressive Rock

After designing cover art for the Moody Blues album “In Search Of The Lost Chord,” Phil Travers was asked to create the cover for “On The Threshold Of A Dream.”
Travers created a rough pencil sketch while listening to the recordings. The cover painting is meant to depict our ambitions, sometimes left unrealized, as projected in our dreams. Travers began painting once the band greenlit the original sketch design. Due to the intricate detailing, Travers would frequently pull all-nighters in order to meet project deadlines. Despite being under intense pressure, Travers found the experience artistically fulfilling, and reflects on the period fondly.

A Question Of Balance

Band: The Moody Blues
Album Artist: Phil Travers
Year: 1970
Genre: Progressive Rock, Folk Rock

Phil Travers continued his design relationship with The Moody Blues with the cover art for “A Question Of Balance”. As with the other covers, Travers would illustrate while listening to the music. The design contains multiple swirling images, most notably a reference to Albert Einstein, the scientific progress, spirituality (God reaching out with his left hand), and satire of spirituality (God holding a smoking cigar with the other).

This cover initially stirred controversy for including an image of a man holding a gun. The art was based on an actual person, but he was not happy with the depiction. To quell the objections, Travers altered the imagery to include a pith helmet. When the album was later released on CD, the image appeared as originally intended.

Pyramid

Band: The Alan Parsons Project
Album Artist: Hipgnosis
Year: 1978
Genre: Progressive Rock, Art Rock, Symphonic Rock, New Wave.

At the time the album's inception, there was renewed interest in Egyptian culture, and in particular, and the Pyramids of Giza. The Alan Parsons Project wanted to express this fascination through their music. Pyramids were believed to harbor great power, and the cover art was meant to portray this internal fascination. The cover art was created by the design group, “Hipgnosis,” which existed from 1968 to 1982. Hipgnosis consisted of Storm Thorgerson, Aubrey Powell, and Peter Christopherson, and they specialized in album art, logos, and other promotional materials for rock musicians. The company name came from Adrian Haggard, who scratched the word on Storm and Aubrey’s front door late one night. In 1982, the artists formed a new business called “Greenback Films” which specialized in music videos.

Mind Games

Band: John Lennon
Album Artist: John Lennon
Year: 1973
Genre: Rock

John Lennon designed and created the cover for “Mind Games” using a collage style approach with pieces of his own photography. Yoko Ono's profile appears as a distant mountain range that Lennon is emerging from. It was meant to represent Yoko's powerful influence on him as an artist and romantic partner. Lennon recorded this album during his 18 month separation from Ono due to his U.S. Immigration difficulties. Both the front and back covers are similar except for whether John’s position appears in the foreground of the mountain or the background.

Axis: Bold As Love

Band: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Album Artist: Roger Law, Karl Ferris
Year: 1967
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Pop Rock

The cover art for “Axis: Bold As Love” was illustrated by Roger Law. It depicted Jimi Hendrix and his band as different forms of Vishnu. A portrait of Hendrix, taken by Karl Ferris, was integrated into the final design. When presented with the art, Hendrix was dismayed at the choice of Vishnu, stating that Native American imagery would have been more appropriate because of his heritage. Despite this, the cover art was used, and Hendrix would celebrate his Native American heritage in posters and international television appearances.

Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine

Band: The Doors
Album Artist: Bill Hoffman
Year: 1972
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Blues Rock, Hard Rock.

“Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine” was the second compilation album for The Doors, and the first to be released after Jim Morrison's death in January 1972. The album title comes from the song, “The End,” and the cover was designed by Bill Hoffman under the art direction of Robert Heimall, who has been a active designer and director since the 1960’s. The press, once highly critical of Jim Morrison for pushing the limits of decency, began to celebrate his fearless, often reckless, individualism as an artist. The cover painting is meant to suggest his image was the subject of perception, and the only true identify of any individual is within their own mind. The Gold tones suggest his exceptionalism, and the compilation album was thought to be his musical eulogy.

Toys In The Attic

Band: Aerosmith
Album Artist: Ingrid Haenke
Year: 1975
Genre: Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Heavy Metal

The art concept for “Toys In The Attic” came from Steven Tyler. He originally wanted a teddy bear with his wrist cut, and stuffing spilling out all over the floor. However, following a discussion with the illustrator, Ingrid Haekne, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry decided the attic should be filled with toys, instead. Haekne was best known for fashion design and storybook illustrations, and her artistic influence is evident in the cover's final design.

From The Mars Hotel

Band: The Grateful Dead
Album Artist: Alton Kelley, Stanley Mouse
Year: 1974
Genre: Acid Rock, Jam Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Blues Rock, Folk Rock

“From The Mars Hotel” cover art was created by Kelley/Mouse, who previously designed the covers for “American Beauty,” “Grateful Dead,” and “Europe ’72.” Alton Kelley, specifically, is credited for the 'Skull and Crossbones' design synonymous with The Grateful Dead. “From The Mars Hotel” features a depiction of an actual building in San Francisco juxtaposed against an extraterrestrial landscape. The actual building was a hotel “flophouse” and temporary residence of Jack Kerouac, and used as the location shot for David Bowie's 1972 promotional film, “The Jean Genie.” The reference to Mars refers to the otherworldly atmosphere created by those that gathered at the Hotel. This hotel was eventually demolished during the Yerba Buena redevelopment, and footage of the demolition can be seen in “The Grateful Dead Movie” released in 1977. It is now the location of the Moscone West Exhibition Hall.

Assignment 12: Games as a Medium

"Whisper And Mantra" by Natalie Palumbo

One of my favorite games from childhood is the Super Nintendo game “Secret Of Mana,” also known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in the Japanese release. When I was very young, I would watch my older brother (who has low-verbal autism) play this game for hours. It was the first time I witnessed expansive storytelling through a game, and we both loved the music. The main characters were given official names in later iOS releases. However, in the early SNES port, you could input any name you wanted for all three main characters. I would beg my brother to type “Natalie” as the girl character (later known as “Primm.”) Only six typed characters were allowed, so my name was entered as “NATTIE.” This ended up sticking with me as a nickname.

A major feature of this game is the sound effects and the original soundtrack. One of my favorite songs entitled “Into The Thick Of It” actually pushes the sound quality on the Super Nintendo to the limit bordering on more realistic sound and emotionally driven melodies. The composer, Hikori Kikuta, had only composed soundtracks for three games, including Secret of Mana. While he never had any formal musical training, his influences came from movie scores and orchestral soundtracks. From time to time, I will listen to the soundtrack from “Secret of Mana” while I'm working and missing my brother.

The main character, Randi, along with two boys from the village of Potos, disobey their Elders and trespass to the local waterfall where there is rumor of a lost treasure. Randi accidentally stumbles into the lake when he hears a disembodied voice guiding him to a rusty sword embedded in stone. The voice instructs him to free the sword, and monsters are released along with the sword. Randi is then banished from the village of Potos forever.

Randi meets a traveling knight named Jema. The knight encourages him to re-energize the sword by visiting the Mana Temples. Randi meets Primm (a magical healer) and Popoi (A Mana sprite abandoned with no memory of his family), and they all decide to go on the quest together. (Sprites live through the existence of Mana.) The Emperor starts pursuing the young travelers because of the potential power of the Mana Sword. The main antagonist is an ancient sorcerer named Thanatos who is manipulating the Emperor and his followers. Thanatos claims he wants to create a “new peaceful world”. The sorcerer's body is deteriorating, so he wants a young body to possess and continue his hunt for the Mana Fortress. He captures a boy named Dyluck, and a girl named Phanna, and plans to possess Dyluck for his final quest.

The Empire unsealed all eight Mana Seeds for Thanatos who promised them “peace” for their effort. However, Thanatos betrays and murders them so he can seize control of the Mana Fortress for his own power. Randi, Primm, and Popoi locate the Mana Tree to re-energize the sword, which is the focal point of the world’s life energy. Thanatos, who anticipates their arrival, positions the Mana Fortress over the tree and destroys it. The charred remains of the tree speaks to the three heroes to warn them that a giant dragon, known as the Mana Beast, will be summoned to combat the fortress. Despite the good intentions of the dragon, the tree warns it has little control over its rage, and is likely destroy the world while destroying the fortress. The tree reveals she was once the wife of Serin, the original Mana Knight, and he was Randi’s father. She further reveals that she was the disembodied voice guiding Randi at the waterfall.

The three heroes travel to the Mana Fortress to confront Thanatos, who is attempting to transfer his mind into Dyluck. With his last burst of energy, Dyluck warns that Thanatos sold his soul to the underworld, and is restricted from gaining control of the Fortress. Dyluck then commits suicide, which forces Thanatos to take the form of a skeletal lich. The three heroes defeat this form when Mana Beast arrives to attack the Mana Fortress. Randi is apprehensive about killing the beast because if the Mana are dispersed, Popoi (being a sprite who exists through Mana), will disappear. Despite this, Popoi encourages Randi to slay the beast with full energy from the Mana Sword. The Dragon explodes and transforms into snow, and Popoi is transformed into a spirit. At the end of the game, Randi places the Mana Sword back in it’s original location beneath the Potos Waterfall.

One of the most interesting aspects of this game is the complexity of the attack system and items used for battle. The functions were designed for players to customize gameplay. Even though I was too young to appreciate the design complexities, I was still able to enjoy the game visuals, characters, story, music, and the animated elements. While I never got around to completing the game (since I preferred to watch my brother play while I did my schoolwork), I sincerely consider “Secret of Mana” one of my artistic influences. Being low-verbal with autism, my brother and I still bond over things we loved as children. The soundtrack alone takes me right back to my childhood. I hear the music and I'm little again sitting happily on the couch next to my big brother watching him play.

Assignment 11: Long Form Television

I chose to watch the series “Sherlock,” which is a modern day interpretation by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. Detective Sherlock Holmes is played by Benedict Cumberbatch, and his partner, John Watson, is played by Martin Freeman. The series starts with Watson returning to 221 Baker Street following Military service in Afghanistan with the Royal Army Medical Corps. He is introduced to Sherlock Holmes, who is a highly intelligent but emotionally cold individual. The local police are initially suspicious of the socially quirky detective, but eventually grow to respect Holmes and his acute awareness of finite details and crime solving ability.

As the series evolves, we see the relationship dynamic between Holmes and Watson. The 'practical' Watson is periodically frustrated with Holmes for his emotionally detached behavior. His frustration is tempered by Sherlock's ability to piece together seemingly unrelated information successfully. Given that observation, Watson channels his energy on the innocent victims of crime, and Sherlock's ability to help them.

Holmes, on the other hand, seem oblivious to the external frustrations felt by the people around him. He is unmoved by the police and their annoyance that he ignores typical protocol. Sherlock does not mean to be disrespect those in charge of criminal investigations, but innately knows the fine details will aid police in the long run, and can't be bothered with arbitrary rules. Sherlock's character portrayal is consistent with traditional portrayals from the past, including speech, despite the stories taking place in modern day London. All the other characters are modernized and speak in a contemporary fashion, short of using trendy speech or slang terminology.

In the series, we are introduced to new characters, like Sherlock's brother, Mycroft. Sherlock has a tempestuous relationship with his brother given their enduring sibling rivalry and quest to better the other in matters of intelligence. Mycroft is played by co-creator, Mark Gatiss, and is the more socially aware of the two brothers. Their rivalry is more a battle of wits than adversarial.

Jim Moriarty, played by Andrew Scott, is a nemesis to Sherlock Holmes. Moriarty is initially introduced through character dialogue. He kidnaps and poisons two innocent children. After the children are rescued, the investigators notice the children's fearful reaction to Holmes. This leads the investigators to believe that whoever kidnapped the children disguised themselves as Holmes in an effort to frame him. By this time, the relationship with the police and Holmes is well established, and Sherlock's reputation for solving crimes is rooted in his devotion to defend the innocent. Jim Moriarty, is later revealed, along with his determination to destroy Holmes and remove him as a crime solving obstacle.

As adaptations go, I love the modern day depiction of Holmes as an eccentric genius, and Watson as the equally intelligent, yet frustrated, 'every-man'. This makes the characters more relatable, and allows humor to be injected into the stories. Past adaptations portray Holmes as above criticism (as he was the only one leading investigations), and Watson was merely a supportive sidekick. While that is the more traditional approach, it leaves the characters one dimensional. I feel this modern portrayal is more emotionally layered. While audience members can watch episodes separately, the series has an overarching story-line involving criminal associations with Moriarty. Some of the episodes have mini arcs spanning through two or three episodes, or end on a series cliffhanger.

Those being introduced to the Sherlock Holmes series for the first time may want to start from the beginning to best understand the dynamic between main characters. Even those unfamiliar with the original Sherlock Holmes can be entertained by the fresh portrayal of the current iteration being shown on Amazon Video. Overall, this modernized Sherlock Holmes is worth viewing for the clever storytelling, character development, overall attention to detail, and beautiful cinematography.

Assignment 10: Reading the Multimodal Narrative

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.

Persepolis is a dialogue heavy autobiographical graphic novel about the main character's evolution from a child to an adult living in Iran during the 1980's. Marjane witnesses the drastic change from a more democratic environment to an oppressive dictatorship. Among some of her recollections, Marjane recounts the hostility for simple pleasures like certain articles of clothing, music, alcohol, parties, and other everyday things most people take for granted. Recreational forms of entertainment and socializing were deemed “decadent,” and were forbidden. As social oppression grew, the progressive views of her family affected her perspective of the political landscape. Not only do you see Marjane mature from a child to a teenager, you see the evolution of her attitudes towards religion and politics. The main character is based on Satrapi herself, so the dialogue feels as if she is engaging the reader directly in real time.

The graphic art style is simple in terms of character design and color. The characters are simplified in a semi-cartoon fashion, but visually have emotional weight because of the high contrast black and white giving each scene intensity. There are humorous moments, but the majority of content is poignant and ominous given the emotional evolution of the main character. The detail and shape is reminiscent of Russian nesting dolls. Color-wise, the graphics resemble the pop art styling of Andy Warhol with high contrasts between light and dark tones.

As for the layout, each little moment is given a smaller box for that particular action or piece of information. This is to create a sense of movement within the still imagery, and to convey continuous action so the story feels fluid. This graphic novel would serve well as storyboards for an animated adaptation.

As an artist, Satrapi definitely has an Auteur’s Voice. Her graphic novel is unique and insightful, and her perspective is engaging and sympathetic throughout. The art style matched the sobering mood of her story perfectly. Most graphic novels use color to hold the reader’s attention, but the high contrast black and white matched the serious tone of a young woman trading her idealism for realism perfectly. It's as if the reader is watching a historical documentary. I would highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone looking for strong imagery coupled with fascinating and heartbreaking stories told authentically from an author’s perspective.

Assignment 09: Voice and the Auteur Theory

Sofia Coppola & Auteur's Voice

The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Lost In Translation (2003)

Sofia Coppola heavily used light effects (both natural and orchestrated) to illuminate characters, or for emphasis on a particular part of a scene. Sometimes light was used to immerse the viewer in the beauty of the surroundings, or to create a sense of mood whether it be excitement, intensity, loss, or uncertainty. Light might sparkle or glow for optimism, or be dim and narrow to convey a sense of dread.

In the case of The Virgin Suicides, Sofia's color palette (which was warm and golden) reflects the idealistic psychology of the main characters, and the whimsical view of the boys re-telling their story. There is a paradox of optimism and beauty against anguish and strict limitations. Light glistening through the trees seems to demonstrate the girls' hope in spite of their isolation, which makes their fate more poignant. The girls wanted to believe in something better. Lost In Translation also has a dreamlike quality with muted colors to portray the city of Tokyo in a calm, sophisticated manner as opposed to the bright, frenzied, overly energetic way Tokyo is represented the majority of the time. Marie Antoinette's color palette emphasis is on bright pastels, reminiscent of Versailles itself with vibrant colors everywhere. The dreamy environments makes the audience feel enveloped in the scenery as opposed to something dark they want to escape. Sofia uses color to create a sense of atmosphere based on the mood and emotional mindset of her characters or their era.

The music used in Sofia Coppola’s films is generally contemporary with hints at the era being conveyed. The Virgin Suicides soundtrack captures the style of the mid to late 70's, but also the mood and mindset of the Lisbon girls, especially Lux. You can practically feel the desperation of these sisters in the melodic, but melancholy arrangements. The music seems to illustrate the longing for some sort of answer to everything that happened to the girls. In the case of Marie Antoinette, the guitar is used to depict Marie Antoinette’s overall perception of being an outsider in the middle of Versailles. While this seems like an odd choice for such a period piece, Marie Antoinette demonstrated a more modern feminine mindset not representative of her era. The score in Lost In Translation is mostly guitar with a contemporary feel that is mellow and melancholy to communicate the emotional neglect felt by the two main characters. Sofia takes great care in her films to choose music that serves the emotional weight of any scene.

Sofia Coppola took great care developing entire worlds for her characters to live in. She even shot extra footage not necessarily planning for it to be used in the final film. For The Virgin Suicides, Sofia recorded “home movies” of the Lisbon girls when they were younger. While this never appeared in the final film, this was done because she loved the source material and wanted to expand the world of the Lisbon girls. For Lost In Translation, Sofia shows us Charlotte's world with Polaroids, notebook sketches, and by her travels to see monks worshiping. This is meant to show the audience the character's genuine interest in Japanese culture rather than simply a personal trip as a means to escape. As a director, Sofia observes the good writer's rule of “Show, don't tell”. In the case of Marie Antoinette, we see Marie observing the members of royalty within Versailles, and her reactions to the social dynamic and cultural norms. We see everything she witnesses as a revelation and a paradigm shift because she was in an arranged marriage, and everything good and bad is out of her control.

Sofia puts great emphasis on costume and set design. In The Virgin Suicides, the clothing, hair, make up, and music are all authentic to the 1970’s, as well as general attitudes. The neighborhood is reminiscent of suburban life in the 1970's. Marie Antoinette was filmed on location in Versailles, and the costuming and hair resembles classic paintings from the 1700's. In Lost In Translation, the clothing style and hair is contemporary and understated so the viewer focuses more on character emotion and surroundings. From film to film, Sofia's visual authenticity is consistent, and so is audience immersion.

Each shot in Sofia's films feels like a well thought out piece of photography. Great care was taken in structuring each shot so there was intimacy with each character. Moments are illuminated with beauty, even in the darker moments. Thoughtful lighting from scene to scene makes the audience want to stay invested in the atmosphere. Even dark moments are aesthetically pleasing as opposed to making the audience on edge or uncomfortable. This leaves the audience free to feel for the characters instead of themselves.

When depicting a tragedy, Sofia Coppola takes great care to show the emotional weight of the scene rather than glorify its violence. Visual details that might be considered vulgar are avoided out of respect for her characters. Some of the dead are depicted in silhouette allowing the audience to view the tragedy without feeling fear or offense. Sofia prefers her audience be engaged by atmosphere, story and characters rather than repelled by graphic visuals.

The camera shots, at times, almost appear “third person” as if we are in the room. We are privy to character emotions at their time and place. During action scenes, the camera might move with the characters as if we are along, or shot from character point of view. The camera might point toward the sky if the characters are looking up. The audience feels as if they are sharing time with the characters through the camera movements and angles. Story is furthered by what we witness in addition to the dialogue we hear. Cinematography includes shots from a variety of angles and perspectives so the audience feels the vast atmosphere of the cities or landscapes along with the characters. Sofia's love for filmmaking and photography is represented in the visuals captured by the cameras under her direction.

Specifically with Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicides, Sofia puts great emphasis on femininity. Both Lux and Marie are depicted as having more modern and idealistic attitudes than their eras (or circumstances) would allow. They both express frustration of having a more modern view, but suffering the limits placed upon them by their time. In the case of Lost In Translation, Charlotte is somewhat isolated from all things familiar because of her husband’s work abroad as a photographer. The interactions she observes between her husband and his friends is merely shallow conversation. When she expresses her desire for more meaningful connections with people, she's dismissed as being a snob. Charlotte, too, is a woman seeking a more meaningful existence than her circumstances provide.

Based on these subtle cues in tone, lighting, character development, and mindful unfolding of story, I’d say that Sofia Coppola definitely has an auteur's voice. She does not shy away from her emotional connection to the material, and expressing it through the characters. Her father, Francis Ford Coppola, had a great influence on her as an artist. His directorial style combines memorial dialogue with intense visuals which are strong enough to further story. However, Sofia developed her own style based on material that inspired her. As a young art student, I have always been a huge fan of Sofia's work for its beautiful cinematography. The Virgin Suicides has been a favorite film of mine since I was 14. Compared to other filmmakers, Sofia's visual style conveys the emotional depth to the audience that, for me, feels like poignant non-verbal story telling. We aren't just following with our eyes, we are feeling with them.

Assignment 08: "The Goose Father" Screenplay Outline

A collaborative project between Ga Young Choi, Amanda Jow, and Natalie Palumbo.

Act 1: The main character, Gilho Pak, has sent his family to America to have a better life while he stays behind in Korea to financially support them. He is searching for a tenant to room with him.

We are introduced to his new tenant, Wuseong, who is an exuberant college aged man who arrives with a goose. Gilho is both baffled and irritated to have to live with Wuseong's goose, but attempts to mind his own business and study his plants. One day, Gilho is attacked by the goose, and becomes extremely defensive around the bird. Tensions are eased when Wuseong prepares a lavish meal for Gilho. As they share the meal, Wuseong mentions reading Gilho’s first poetry book, to which Gilho is extremely embarrassed his old poems were discovered. The moment again softens when Wuseong mentions he is not fond of most people, but he enjoys Gilho’s company.

As time passes, Wuseong is shown to be a talented singer, actor, and photographer (shown in a quick paced montage). Gilho reacts with fascination to Wuseong’s carefree, uninhibited personality. Wuseong's unconventional nature is further made clear when he is seen acting and singing while wearing sponges on his feet to clean the floor. Gilho discovers that Wuseong had been training to become a Thespian actor, but quit college because the courses weren't helping him.

Gilho finally asks about the goose Wuseong brought with him. Wuseong says he believes the goose is his mother reincarnated. Wuseong tells Gilho that his mother promised to come back when she passed, and he was convinced the goose was she.

Act 2: Through Gilho’s travels to the karaoke bar and the slums, and we see his growing disinterest in women, which is becoming more evident the more time he spends with Wuseong. Sensing mutual attraction, Wuseong attempts to kiss Gilho. In an effort to resisting his primal urges, Gilho recoils and slaps him. Wuseong, feeling remorseful and humiliated, flees the apartment so Gilho can calm down.

Next, we see Gilho going to drink with his military friends to reminisce about their youth. Afterwards, he is stopped by two prostitutes, and is saddened to see one of them has eyes that reminds him of Wuseong. Later, Gilho meets with his military friends again to eat at a barbecue restaurant. Gilho points out the owner's pet pig in a cage, and wonders if the pig can smell the flesh from his own kind. [Perhaps a metaphor for feeling trapped, helpless, and at risk.] All the men are enduring a similar situation where they are supporting their families who are outside the country. They reminisce about their youth to cope with the hardship of being alone, but also to humble the younger ranks that have it easier.

Act 3: Gilho returns home with his drunken friend, Taeyeong, and finds the goose in the room. The drunken friend starts to chase it, and gets attacked. He wanted a feather from it’s plumage to use it as a quill pen. Wuseong bursts in to protect the goose from Taeyeong, who ends up collapsing on the nearby couch. Gilho, Wuseong, and Taeyeong soon fall asleep.

Gilho awakes a short time later to discover the first full moon of the year shining through the balcony window. Standing on the balcony is Wuseong gazing at the moon holding the goose. For a brief moment, Gilho can see the spirit of his mother standing next to Wuseong. This vision eludes to the fact that the goose is, indeed, Wuseong’s mother reincarnated.

Gilho joins Wuseong on the balcony, finally giving into his romantic feelings. Gilho admits, “I've been lonely. I've been lonely all my life.” He quietly hopes Wuseong’s mother will accept him. Gilho puts his hand on Wuseong’s face, and leans in to kiss him. [fade to black]

Assignment 07: Adaptation

“The Graduate” starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, and Katharine Ross (directed by Mike Nichols) is considered an iconic film for its controversial themes at the time the film was made. It was so groundbreaking for it's time, the film has become synonymous with the late 60's as helping to define the era. For this assignment, I will be responding to the screenplay for “The Graduate” as the director.

According to the screenplay, the story takes place in 1967. “The Graduate” is best represented using the language, fashion, hairstyles, make-up, musical score, interior and exterior design elements reminiscent of the mid to late 1960’s. Researching the time frame in which this story takes place is necessary to realistically reflect the era and how each character would look. Attitudes of the times would have an impact on the characters behavior and plot, and the viewers need to feel they are viewing this era authentically. Reviewing films that have successfully recreated the nostalgic feel of the 60's is helpful during period research. In short, it needs to look and sound like the 60's so you “feel” the era. Fashion trends can be faithfully replicated using vintage style guides matching the era and economic level and age of the characters.

As far as costuming is concerned, the attire must have nostalgic 60's look. If the design and fashion choices aren't authentic, it will distract the viewer and prevent them from feeling immersed in that time frame. Ben’s costuming, for example, must convey an entitled, privileged attitude so his actions seem consistent with his character. I believe the costuming must convey overall affluence so the audience expects maturity, and their foolish actions appear paradoxical.

Mrs. Robinson’s character must appear like she materially has everything a person could want. However, her obvious privilege stands in contrast with her unfulfilled emotional state. She must be depicted as someone attractive for her age rather than someone struggling to maintain youth by wearing fashions meant for a younger woman. Mrs. Robinson would most likely wear muted, darker tones tailored to represent an upper class lifestyle, which has left her feeling ignored and suffering a mid-life crisis. Because she appears to accept her station in life, she is able to hide in plain sight while using her authority to seduce Ben unbeknownst to her husband and young adult daughter.

Elaine must be depicted as the most sincere and thoughtful of the characters. Her innocence should be obvious amid the scandalous behavior. Her fashions, while well made given her character's affluence, should be playfully styled for a young woman reminiscent of the era. Hair and make up should reflect her youthful optimism that matches the style of the late 60's. Her conveyed goodness represents all the opportunities available to her as compared to her mother having been limited by her choices.

The set design should reflect the interior furnishings of a successful upper middle class family in the late 1960's. Family moments should include popular foods of the day, as well as music of the era, or a score with a vintage feel. Fashion magazines from the late 60's as well as period photography can help replicate an authentic era feel.

As for film direction, it should be shot from Ben’s perspective, except for the scenes when Mrs. Robinson is making an overture, or another character is attempting to take control. There should be an emphasis on who has the power in each shot by angling down on the character being controlled, or up on the character that is in control. The camera should level out only when both characters have equal control in a scene, or a monumental moment, such as Elaine fleeing her wedding to run off with Ben.

Lighting and cinematography would be reminiscent of publicity stills taken in late 60's of (now) iconic celebrities, such as Marilyn Monroe and the Kennedys. The film would be shot in color, but the color choices for clothes and interiors would be muted cool tones giving the film a “black and white” in color feel similar to intensely lit publicity shots of the era.

Because of the strength of the screenplay, recreating The Gradate on camera would be a reasonable task as the artistry and tone are consistent throughout. As a director, you should keep as close to the source material as possible with only small adjustments for screen adaptation. To avoid adjustments for pacing might leave in moments that add nothing to further the story, or may change the perception of characters from the author's intention. For example, Stanley Kubrick’s 1952 adaptation of the controversial novel, “Lolita” only seemed to borrow character names, and oversimplify the plot to exclude any scandalous content. Adrian Lyne’s 1997 Showtime Original film version of “Lolita” more closely followed the dark theme of the novel with only pacing adjustments. The screenplay for The Graduate is well thought out, all that is needed is to marry the characters, story, and dialogue to visuals.

Assignment 06: Influence

“Hitting Budapest” by Noviolet Bulawayo, Response by Natalie Palumbo

What are the precise strategies that are used by its creator to convey the world to us and us to the world?

We start off with knowing the names of the characters: Bastard, Chipo, Godknows, Sbho, Stina, and the storyteller, who is later named “Darling”.

Bulawayo introduces the characters through their interplay during the overarching action. They are traveling from Paradise, their modest village, to Budapest because their friend, Chipo, is starving for a guava. We discover that Chipo is pregnant when they take a break from traveling because she needs to rest. During a discussion about childbirth, it's inferred the group is bordering on puberty because of their lack of specific knowledge. The most horrifying revelation occurs when one character states that a man has to impregnate a woman in order for her to get pregnant, and candidly asks Chipo if her grandfather was that man. Chipo nods without answering aloud. Her reluctance to vocalize implies trauma associated with incest and sexual abuse. Chipo declares that she does not want to be pregnant or be a mother, and that she is starving and only wants guava. This frustrated proclamation implies the situation was against her will, and the guava is her simplistic way of coping under the circumstances. 

Bulawayo describes the landscape in Budapest through the character musings from previous visits, and how beautiful they say it is compared to their home. It is described as an idealistic place that appears locked up as if residents are off on vacation, and everything is put away. The phrase, “Budapest is like a different country. A country where people who are not like us live,” implies an elevated way of life as compared to the simpler village life of these characters.

The group meets a woman from London who is wearing a long dress, and a camera around her neck. While conversing with this woman, the audience discovers that the collective group is aged around 8-10 years old. Even though Chipo's stomach is the “size of a soccer ball”, the London woman is emotionally removed from the harsh reality that the child before her is pregnant. She, instead, asks to take a picture of the group as a memento of her trip, but appears oblivious to their hardship. When the group leaves, they observe her throwing away the food she had in her hand. They children shout insults at her for not appreciating something so necessary to survival that they could not readily find.

The group eventually comes across a large house with guavas growing around it, and collect them before they start their walk back to Paradise. To avoid looking like they were stealing, they try to appear as relaxed as possible as they travel. The group’s discussion reveals Paradise is more impoverished than Budapest. The children romanticize about owning a house in Budapest, or marrying someone that lives there. Most, if not all of the children, want to escape their current station in life, and fantasize about where they will travel in order to begin this new life.

The story is being told through an unrevealed character that is looking forward to going to America with her aunt. The boy, called Bastard, disagrees saying she shouldn’t go because it’s too far away, and Chipo agrees with him. The unrevealed character describes Bastard as “stupid” and Chipo as “soccer-bellied” to the audience to demonstrate her frustration with their negativity. It is at this point the audience realizes that the character telling the story has her own perspective within the group as opposed to merely being an omnipotent storyteller. Bastard starts saying offensive things about the move to America stating she will do nothing but “work in nursing homes and clean poop”. The storytelling character is enraged, and imagines physically attacking Bastard for his insulting comments. She chooses not to because no good will come of it. We then discover in her inner dialogue that she is called “Darling”, and that Bastard’s opinion doesn’t matter to her because she is going to America without him.

The group arrives back in Paradise after eating lots of guava fruit, and they are all relaxed now that they are full. Later that night, the kids are using the bathroom in the bushes. One of the kids, Godknows, screams upon discovering a hanged woman in a tree. It is inferred that the people who lured this woman to her death are still lurking because the kids heard an unfamiliar voice ask, “What’s that?” when they heard Godknows scream. At first, everyone is horrified at this discovery, and all of them want to run. Bastard, on the other hand, is intrigued with the shoes on this woman, and starts throwing rocks at her feet to make the shoes fall off. He is under the impression that the shoes could be traded for bread, and convinces the rest of the group to go along with him. The ability to see a murder victim and only see the monetary value of their shoes communicates the desperation of these children, and their willingness to do whatever is necessary to survive.

The story ends on this dark note, leading the audience to believe that the cycle of desperation will continue given an unrelenting need to survive in these harsh circumstances. Even though Darling has the opportunity to escape, she is too deeply rooted in her primal instinct to survive to avoid going along with Bastard's quest to get the dead woman's shoes for money. These children seem unaffected by the brutal circumstances deemed unthinkable in other areas of the world. The idea that a 10 year old child can be pregnant at the hands of her grandfather is disturbing regardless of economic status. It is also troubling that Darling observes that the adult women are unemotional an uncaring toward the children, except someone called Mother of Bones who tells them stories.

We are introduced to the characters through Darling’s perspective of her friends, and the description of their surroundings. The character motivations are conveyed through group conversations and recollection of events within the group, which allows the audience to visualize the scenario, and imagine their experiences, including the taste and texture of the guava fruit. Even for those that have never visited Budapest, it can easily be visualized from Bulawayo's eloquent descriptions of the roadways, houses, and surrounding landscape. It’s as if the reader is sitting down with Darling to have an intimate conversation rather than experiencing it as a distant reader.

Assignment 05: Reading From A Critical Position

The stories I read are the following:

“Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin
“Lust” by Susan Minot
“Planet of the Amazon Women” by David Moles
“Even The Queen” by Connie Williams

For this assignment, I will be discussing “Story of an Hour” and “Even the Queen” because those were my favorite stories of the four.

Are there any female characters in the work that you identify with?

I could identify with Mrs. Mallard from “Story of an Hour” and Traci from “Even The Queen”. Both characters are in less-than-desirable circumstances being misunderstood, as well as not being given the freedom to explore their options in life. While I never felt controlled by my family, I have experienced several relationships where external people tried to hinder my choices, or control me for self serving reasons. In those circumstances, I refused to give up control of my choices and give away my power, and the relationships ended. In a way, Mrs. Mallard represents the consequence of giving another person that kind of power. Traci, on the other hand, represents an alternative situation. After a childhood of being controlled, Traci attempts to give her own daughters more freedom, but offers no explanations. Traci's daughter, Perdita, is resentful of this because the lack of discussion demonstrates little concern for her feelings and concerns.

How are relationships between men and women (or characters assuming male/female roles) portrayed in the story?

In “Story of an Hour”, the male characters are more symbolic than representative of actual people. The husband represents lost opportunities for Mrs. Mallard, and how she might have made foolish decisions leading to being with her husband. As for Traci in “Even The Queen”, she is observing women being controlled by men for their feminine attributes, including their menstrual cycles. For some reviewing this story, the idea that women could be content with being controlled in this way is astonishing. Some characters act as if it is completely normal. Those women are either young enough to feel comforted with that kind of control over their lives, or experienced it long enough to have become complacent, and the idea of independence is now frightening.

What are the power relationships between men and women in the text? How are male and female roles defined?

In both stories, men are expected to have the majority of power and control in society, and women are expected to obey them without a desire for independence. In Mrs. Mallard’s case, it is presumed her husband has died, and she is now widowed. The reaction to this news isn’t that of concern for Mrs. Mallard's well being, but rather a lack of confidence she can support herself without her husband.

In “Even the Queen”, the men are in positions of political and social power over large groups of women as opposed to one man controlling one woman. They are not represented by an individual character in this instance. Men are conveyed more as a conceptual idea of authority rather than a human manifestation. Because this control is nameless and faceless, it feels more ominous and oppressive than if depicted by one singular character. The societal consensus over who maintains control implies greater helplessness on the part of these women. The idea that they are expected to surrender their control willingly, to me, is intensely more frightening.

What constitutes masculinity and femininity in the world of the story? Do characters take on traits from opposite genders in the story? How so? Does this change others reactions to them?

In both stories, the more feminine you are, the less control over your circumstances. Both Traci and Mrs. Mallard are in circumstances where other people have control over their lives, whether it be a parent or a spouse. Men are expected to be in control regardless of whether or not they seek it. Traci’s mother believed that women should not promote femininity, and should conceal it at every opportunity. This included taking medicines that altered hormonal balance and hindered the menstrual cycle. For some people reading this story, the idea that someone might suppress something as natural as a menstrual cycle would be considered invasive, if not downright oppressive.

What does the work reveal about the operations (economically, politically, socially, or psychologically) of patriarchy?

In both stories, women are expected to stay under the care of men, even if some find it less than a desirable choice. In most cases, women have no control over what happens to them, and this societal expectation gives them very little room to explore life, or determine what they really want. Even if the women determine what they want, or find themselves free to choose, and it is often too late in their lives for them to salvage their choice. The effect of oppression becomes so great that the idea of independence becomes overwhelming. In “Even The Queen”, most women succumb to the numbing effects of being controlled, and even surrender the power over their bodily functions to men. Some will even side against their own gender to avoid being chastised by men. Because of the lack of power balance, women give away their independence reluctantly, or sometimes willingly, as a means of survival to avoid the mistreatment for not being men.

What does the work express or imply about the possibilities of sisterhood as a mode of resisting patriarchy?

There is a chance for female bonding in “Even The Queen”, but it only exists in the younger generations. This is due to the fact that the younger girls have been given more opportunities to explore life as the social and political landscapes becomes more progressive. For instance, Perdita is more willing to join the Cyclists, a progressive menstruation group, despite the women in her family objecting to it. The older women don’t realize the potential of uniting to resist being controlling and punished for merely existing. In this instance, the generational divide makes forging a “sisterhood” a missed opportunity for change, and settling for outdated traditional ideals with limited choices.

What does the work say about the history of women in literature or the arts or about women's creativity?

The writings of these women could be seen as an observation of their own standing in society for audiences outside their situation to understand and empathize. In some cases, I believe these stories are meant to educate women about their worth, and what they could do to improve their station in life. These stories could also be seen as a cautionary tale of oppression, and what women could do to resist and avoid it in the future.

I read “Story of An Hour” when I was 14, and now again as a 22 year old woman. At age 14, I was astonished that Mrs. Mallard could be relieved her husband was gone. I found that to be a heartless perspective at age 14. It did not occur to me that she had spent much of her life being unhappy under his control, and his death was her only path to freedom. My perspective greatly changed re-reading the story at age 22 because of my social experiences. I was being pressured to give up my educational pursuits by someone who had self serving motives. I worked exceptionally hard for many years to gain acceptance to my first choice of college, and was unwilling to sacrifice pursuing my career. Had I given in, my reaction to this story might be one of regret that I didn't fight harder for myself. Luckily, my perspective is that of relief that I didn't give up on my goals, and joy I did the right thing.

Assignment 04: The Secret History Of Wonder Woman

If I were designing a female superhero character, I would want her to be self sufficient, reliable, intelligent, coy, and fundamentally strong. She would be a master of visual illusion able to manipulate visions and sound to confuse her foes. She would be attractive, and exude confidence. I would not, however, model her with masculine characteristics to illustrate her “strength”.

The idea that a strong woman must demonstrate strength by being portrayed as masculine is shortsighted, and completely inaccurate in today’s landscape. Strength is internal, not external. It comes from intestinal fortitude. Strength is determination, making intelligent choices, and persevering in times of hardship. Feminine or masculine qualities refer to style, but cannot guarantee strength.

I would want my character to be demonstrably feminine because I, myself, am demonstrably feminine. I like dresses and the color pink. I am undeniably “girly”. I define strength as the ability to problem solve and successfully pursue my personal and professional goals. My style doesn’t determine my strength. My choices do.

It is often debated that the biggest mistake when portraying a strong female protagonist is when that same character needs to be rescued, which they argue implies weakness. I believe that completely depends on the circumstances of the story. Was she being heroic? Was she willing to face danger for the good of the many? Was she captured by her enemies for being a threat? Is she considered a worthy adversary? Did she try to save herself? Many stories have male heroes facing peril against their enemies resulting in the need for a rescue. If a strong female faces danger with the same courage as her male counter-part, then her rescue makes her a valued part of a team, not a damsel. To suggest that a woman is somehow weaker for needing help is a dangerous message. Why should a woman be considered strong only if she depends on no one? A man is still considered as strong if he works alongside a supportive brotherhood. It should not be viewed as a sign of weakness to have quality support come to the rescue. Women should not be made to believe that separateness and “never needing help” determines her strength when it is, in fact, determination.

I've observed strong female leads that will avoid any 'classic' feminine characteristics (sometimes vocally rejecting it) and fashion themselves after typical male heroes. I feel this trend suggests that boys set the standard for strength, and girls must mirror them to be considered “strong”. This approach is meant to shatter stereotypes giving girls more imaginative options. However, it tends to come across as “the tomboy” is stronger than “the princess”. This is inaccurate since strength is measured by individual endurance and the ability to persevere. The emphasis should be about what makes an individual strong, and the qualities of dedication and perseverance.

If I were designing a strong female lead, I would want her to have a warm, natural allure, and be as indestructible as Batman. I would want her to have mystique, and be a femme fatale for her enemies. She would be confident and emotionally whole. She would use her talents wisely with humility, compassion, and an unwavering will to survive. I would want to show her practicing her education during the day, and using her intelligence to fight crime during the night. I would want her to be fearless, quick thinking, and maintain a calm exterior that outwits her adversaries. I would want to include pink somewhere in her design to defy the stereotype that femininity implies weakness. Rejection of pink further suggests that regardless of efforts, girls will still be judged by arbitrary standards of strength rather than for their accomplishments. A strong person is inspired by the good works of other strong people. Honorable is honorable regardless of gender.


To sum up, here are the characteristics I’d like to see in a strong female lead:

- Intelligence, compassion and humility

- Illusionist able to manipulate vision and sound

- A Mysterious femme fatale for her enemies

- Cunning survival skills with cool headed bravery

- Emotionally whole

- Pink in design (To defy stereotype that feminine qualities should be rejected to communicate strength)

- Feminine physique, confident and a “knowing” look (feminine, strong, and intelligence combined)


These characteristics are based on my personal perspective. I’ve always been willing to work hard to achieve my goals. From the time I was 2 years old, I've loved the color pink...to the point I was forced to choose other colors. I am the only sibling to an older brother with low-verbal autism. He was a fearless wanderer with severely limited language. We all had to work together in my family to keep my brother safe. I had to stay emotionally strong and dedicate myself to achieve my goals.

The assertion that “pinkifying girls” will somehow weaken potential and limit options is frustrating to me. I believe potential is defined by choices, and a dedication to achievement. My strength is my willingness to work hard for what I want, and to persevere through setbacks. I measure myself by my accomplishments. Wearing pink no more makes me weak than avoiding it makes someone strong. My determination to achieve and willingness to improve is my strength...I just prefer to wear pink while I do it.

Assignment 03: True Grit

Upon reading the book and watching both adaptations of “True Grit”, I've observed there are elements of American mythology (small town Americana) that are romanticized and glamorized, especially in the 1969 movie adaptation. The book, written by Charles Portis, depicts Mattie Ross, an angry and distraught teenage girl wanting to avenge her father’s death. She hires two men, Rooster and LaBoeuf, and leads them on a quest to redeem her family name. In the end, Mattie is held captive and led to believe that both men have abandoned her, and is forced to fend for herself to complete her mission.

In the 1969 film adaptation, Mattie is depicted as dainty, quiet, and in mourning as compared to her forceful counterpart in the book. This is to romanticize the traditional role of southern women, and how small town society believed a women should handle crisis in that time period. This depiction of Mattie is more ladylike and stern leading the men, as compared to her forceful leadership qualities in the book.

In the original book, Mattie demonstrates open racial prejudice. This was an unfortunate mindset common for that time period, but considered unenlightened in modern times. In the 1969 adaptation, the racial inequality aspect is excluded from the story, making the film feel more like a period western.

Mattie’s character being portrayed as more refined in the 1969 film leaves the majority of the action to Rooster and LaBoeuf. This forces Mattie's character to be dependent on these characters, and demonstrate subdued emotion while seeking revenge. Comparatively, Mattie in the book is commanding and determined overruling any hesitancy by either man.

The 2010 film adaptation by the Coen brothers is much closer to book in terms of details and dialogue. The tone is dark, and the film does not gloss over the racism or brutality, which makes Mattie's motivations more apparent. While authentic to the era, nothing about the time period is romanticized. Mattie's anguish and anger is all consuming, and nothing is more important to her than finding her father's murderer.

While the 1969 portrayal of Mattie appears passive, the 2010 portrayal does not impose societal limits about the roles of women and men. The 2010 film conveys the brutal loss of a family member, and Mattie's authentic reaction to this kind of tragedy regardless of era and gender. It's more gut wrenching for it's dark realism.

I believe each generation romanticizes different eras for different reasons. Some romanticize their childhood memories and outstanding historical events. Others may romanticize an era that inspired them artistically and attempt to reflect it in their own art.

In the 1960's, filmmakers tended to romanticize westerns, and small town America, often adhering to the societal and gender expectations of the current day, and adapting the characters to fit. Although current generations can be nostalgic, having grown up in the information age, they prefer more accurate depictions of time periods. Authentic depictions of even fictional events allows viewers to connect to the mindset of people from past eras, which makes the experience more relatable and emotionally immersive. Current generations seem to prefer depictions that adhere to American history over complete “American Mythology”. They prefer realism over myth.

Assignment 02: Pride & Prejudice

I chose to listen to the audio book of Pride And Prejudice for LibraVox.org, which can be found at this link on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVHu5-n69qQ

I feel that Pride and Prejudice has social relevance today through the character of Elizabeth. If a woman knows her self worth, she will not choose someone just because they offer to court her. I found her interactions with the first suitor to be quite refreshing, considering the fact she declines his offer, despite her mother’s insistence that he is a good match. Elizabeth knows that he will not be happy with her. His motivation is not love, but for acquisition of assets. In that time-frame, it was frowned upon for women to be so independent of men, but now emotional strength and education is encouraged. Elizabeth reminds us that we need to self analyze and make choices that are realistic and reasonable versus choices society pressures us to undertake.

I have had experiences where suitors approached me with expectations that I would prioritize their needs over my education and career aspirations. I would gently remind them that I need to dedicate myself to my work because I need to be successful. I am the only sibling to a brother with special needs, and one day his care will fall to me. My brother is low-verbal, and I refuse to let him be in the care of strangers who could mistreat him without consequence because he can't report. Some of my suitors refused to accept my life's circumstances, and chose to leave. However, I do not regret being strong enough to prioritize my education, and the realities of my family situation. These men did not understand my concerns, were too demanding of me, and therefore, not the right fit. I believe I will find someone who supports my choices, and that person will stay. In the meantime, I have my education to keep me focused, and my artistic expression to help me cope and feel fulfilled.

The character of Mr. Darcy first appears aloof and mysterious. Initially, I felt that he was not a good match for our main character. After the other suitors express their self serving desires and the limited role they desired in a partner, we learn Mr. Darcy is actually quite progressive. He wants a woman to be his intellectual and emotional equal rather than a mere acquisition to serve his needs.

I feel I have been misjudged similarly based on first impressions. Some people presume I am naive because of my girlish appearance and mannerly social demeanor causing them to either be pushy, or leave me out of activities entirely. Others assume my priorities can be easily altered to serve their needs. When I refuse to be swayed from my original goals, they are often indignant. This misinterpretation of me has not limited to peers. Prior to attending college, I had a few teachers misjudge me based on my close relationship with my parents. They did not understand that our closeness grew out of working together to keep my low-verbal brother safe. To make it worse, they presumed my parents' support of my artistic goals was “coddling”. It was shortsighted since they never asked about my situation, or made any attempts to understand it. They decided their perception was fact, and the details didn't matter. However, I was lucky to have wonderfully supportive teachers that still follow my progress, which made up for those with lack of interest.

Elizabeth’s sisters seem to be more dependent on the attention of suitors. Lydia’s dependence on suitors puts her in a dangerous situation with a man who lies about his intentions. No one knows where he has taken her, and whether or not he keeps his oath to marry her. I identify with Elizabeth completely. Relationships should be mutually beneficial to be healthy. I have witnessed many girls giving their partners too much authority over their choices, and their self worth will come second to keep the peace. I have never given my self worth away to another person. My progress in my craft is where I get my pride and self esteem.

I feel Pride and Prejudice has historical importance in terms of how women should view themselves as people versus societal expectations. In modern times, a woman being encouraged to be independent minded is not uncommon in many societies. However, some cultures still see the role of woman as subservient. I feel self esteem and happiness occurs when people practice mutual respect and should choose a supportive partner that shares their views.

Assignment 01: Prologue

My childhood could be described in one word...LOUD. The television was loud, the computer was loud, and my brother was loud. We shared a small room in a small townhouse with big wooden bunk beds. Anthony was not a great sleeper. I remember many nights drifting in and out of sleep to the sound of Super Nintendo. Those were the more restful nights.

I am the only sister to an older brother with low-verbal autism. I spent the earliest part of my life attempting (and failing) to verbally communicate with my brother. I just assumed all of this was normal, and all brothers were like Anthony. It would be years before I realized our situation was extraordinary.

Anthony's autism engulfed him. His expressive and receptive language skills were equally delayed. Most of the world didn't make sense to him, so he was restless. To spend time with my brother, I had to learn to understand his autism, and defer to it. Anthony spent many hours playing video games and time on the computer. He could rely on his visual skills, which were heightened, and this would calm him. It was cool to watch him play games like any other kid, often better. Anthony had a photographic memory, so he would remember a move that worked, and could steadily advance through the levels. I gladly gave up “my turn” to watch him play. Anthony was the most happy communicating with his electronics. I was the most happy just to be able to sit with him.

My brother and I spent many afternoons sitting side by side at the keyboard or game console. Once Anthony got his first laptop, we moved our games to the living room couch. That's when things truly got noisy. Cartoon Network would be playing on the television, a video game would be running on the computer, and both would be at high volume. It was like he was trying to fill the air with sounds that made made sense to him. It was the loudest “peace” you could imagine.

When Anthony wasn't playing computer games, he was always in motion. I would watch him pace from the living room to the kitchen and back. He was like a shark that had to keep moving, or die. Anthony was a wanderer, which was extremely dangerous without communication skills. When we went anywhere as a family, it was always tense. We had to keep an eye on Anthony at all times or he might wander off without concern. All trips, even fun ones, could end tragically if we weren't hyper aware. No moment outside felt relaxed. We loved amusement parks, and Anthony and I rode all the extreme thrill rides together. Hershey Park was our favorite park. Even though we had fun, I remember being scared the whole time that Anthony could get lost if we weren't careful. I would look at other families enjoying themselves, and wondered what it was like to go places without fear. My parents kept two-way radios, and no one ever left Anthony's side. He was always dressed in a brightly colored shirt so he could be spotted quickly and easily. We all had to work together to keep Anthony safe, so we did.

While Anthony played his electronics, I would sit next to him and draw. It was cathartic. I enjoyed being able to make something beautiful when I was having a bad (or lonely) day. What I didn't expect was Anthony to pay attention to my drawings. We didn't communicate verbally, but he started pointing to cartoon or video game characters, and I would draw them. Anthony would light up with a smile and point to another one. That's when my world really began to change.