Westerns - The Good, The Bad, and the Different

Even when I didn't know that the genre was called Westerns, I had already had the theme written into my head. The classic lonely, crazily good shot, outlaw was the hero, and the Indians or some idiot who shot people for no reason being the antagonist. Westerns all generally have the same theme or ideas. For example, the laws of the West never change. The law of lex talionis, of "an eye for an eye", is existent in all Westerns. The people acted their own laws. A great example is the Ringo Kid, played by John Wayne(pictured left), shooting the Plumber Boys in StageCoach.

This leads me into the next theme of the Western. Everyone is a great shot, but the bad guys. The antagonists can't shoot worth beans, while all the hero needs is one bullet per person.
In a 3v1 duel, Ringo guns down 3 people with 3 bullets, while all three shoot at Ringo simultaneously. It is also absolutely hilarious how accurate they are with shotguns at a range. I mean....all the shells that come out are supposed to spread out, but in movie Unforgiven, there is a huge explosion of shells in the chest of the people when shot. All in all, Westerns are great when you want to see some action flicks, but the traditional Westerns do nothing for the folks who want a meaningful plot.

YOU CAN ANALYZE A FILM?!?

I have seen many movies, and some I liked and some i liked a little less. I even started writing my own stuff, so I decided to take a Film class.

There is so much more to film than what you see on the big screen. It is so nice that there are writers and crews who do all the breaking down of what makes a movie good for us. I mean....there's contemplating what camera to use, the angle, lighting, and an infinite amount more of thinking.

I myself prefer to see action pieces with good character development. If one is missing, then I feel like the film doesn't really have closure.

Citizen Kane was one film I was introduced to in this said class. Okay...it had a really interesting story, and the presentation was really inventive. Problem for me was that it lacked action. I mean...the most violent action we see in the movie is the main character smashing his wife's (or should i say ex-wife's) room to smithereens.

It was a good break from such works as HEROES, but with the premiere on 9/22/2008, I think I'm going back to HEROES.

Stereotypes, and SHAKESPEARE!!....DUM DUM DUM(Dark music playing in background)

As always, "writers tend to reveal themselves more than they'd like in their writing." I think most things are influenced by our own beliefs, just like how the great Shakespeare does. For example, he depicted the nobles like Leonato as clean and sophisticated, while the watchmen were dirty and ragged. Maybe it was a correct rendering of the times, but it could be his own views. I see much class reference, but not so much racial, seeing as how he lived in England, and that would be mostly white majority. However, by depicting the Prince himself as black, he does show maybe he believes that all people should have rights to rule, or once again showing his own views.
I have heard that Shakespeare was Anti-Semitic, but it could be slander. I do believe he is a great man. While on the concept, I love the character of Benedick. I don't know why.

First Poem Ever

This is the first poem I have ever heard, and learned to recite, but never realized it was a poem until i grew older.

Bed before bright moon shine Think be ground on frost Raise head view bright moon Lower head think home

Before my bed, the moon is shining bright, I think that it is frost upon the ground. I raise my head and look at the bright moon, I lower my head and think of home(town).

(Courtesy of Chinese-Poems.com) Originally by Li Bai/Bo

This poem is short, but has many meanings all depending on the reader. It's the type of art that is different upon perspective, like a painting that asks you what you see. In Chinese Classical Poetry, it really emphasizes the use of precise, and concise, wording. The poet Li Bai always traveled and wrote poems to show the Chinese people what all these different parts of China is like. He always compares his environment to a time he is reminiscing about. He sees the moon and thinks of the time he looked up and saw the moon in his hometown. His diction is very concise, and really hits home.

This is why I like this poem. I always think about all the times I had at a younger age, and my hometown. Li Bai also lets the reader know how he feels while allowing reader to contemplate their own thoughts by explaining that he is homesick while away in this poem. His wording is usually very direct and his tone is very hard to put my finger on, but it leaves the reader thinking about themselves.

PS. Special bonus for you guys:
My dad told me the believed meaning of the poem:
Li Bai was travelings all the time, and this time he was away from his home once again. He lies down to sleep but he can't seem to get comfortable. He opens his eyes to realize that the moonlight is very bright and the brightness makes it impossible for him to sleep. He wanders out and looks out his room window into the courtyard and realizes that the moonlight is like the snow on the ground of his hometown. He looks up at the moon, and thinks about his home and how it would feel to look at the moon from there.

Evaluation: My Writing Techniques

I feel I have done quite well in this quarter. I didn't start out great, but in the end it all worked out. I learned MLA a format, although using it has been a hassle, it gives my writing a gleaming new structure. I guess I should work on the ability to generate thesis on the spot. I love the classroom environment, where we can speak our minds with minimal criticism. (A little humor...) My only goal is like always, be all I can be, and improve my ability to snap out thesis.

I'm looking forward to Q2.

Be sure to vote and leave suggestions.

CITR: Phoebe

Phoebe is basically the embodiment of all that Holden wants to hold on to. Holden sees nothing but negativity from the adult word like Richard does. He says, "It was just that she looked so damn nice, the way she kept going around and around , in her blue coat and all. God, I wish you could've been there" (275 Salinger). He wishes that he can stay in his childhood forever. He doesn't see the need for growing up. He states how all the adults are "phonies" acting on what they think people will like them for, and this is what saddens him. Phoebe speaks her mind and acts according to what she knows. He wishes that there is this kind of purity forever. He even speaks to Phoebe about being" the catcher in the rye" (225 Salinger). What he means is if a child running in the rye should fall from the ledge of childhood, he would catch him and put the child back. Phoebe thinks this is crazy, but this what Holden loves about Phoebe.

CITR: Medium of Speech

The author creates Holden's voice really well through the idea that Holden is the one writing the story itself. In this way, we can see Holden's view as a real person's view more than someone's interpretation. For example, he says, "I could probably tell you what I did after I went home, and how i got sick and all, but i don't feel like it. I really don't" (276 Salinger). Because this is how he speaks, we can directly deduce that he may have problems with people trusting him, so he uses I really _____ to make it sincere. It can get confusing at times trying to decipher his words, and find a theme behind it, but it also makes for an easier read since you can really feel sympathy for the narrator. The way the character's voice is built up, you really feel for him at the end when he says, "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody" (277 Salinger).