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Classical hollywood techniques
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Babette’s Feast
Like probably most of the people in our class, I grew up watching and
enjoying Hollywood movies and have never really tried to appreciate
European cinema. I initially thought of it as something boring or
something that required too much analysis and interpretation that it
took the “fun” part out of watching a movie. However, watching the
film, Babette’s Feast, certainly changed my viewpoint. Though it
didn’t fully transform my view into instant admiration and outright
appreciation, my viewpoint on European cinema definitely changed from
indifference to curiosity and interest. As I was watching the film,
instead of getting bored or sleepy from the slow-paced scenes, I found
myself wanting to know the message and meaning of the story behind the
seemingly simple plot. Because of the film’s simplicity and subtle
pacing, I became more aware of the symbolisms and deeper meanings
found in the film. I do believe in the transforming power of art and
have even experienced it myself after watching this film. My attitude
and interest towards European cinema may still be different from that
of Hollywood movies but watching this film has definitely made me more
open to the art of European films and made me look forward to watching
and hopefully appreciating more of these in our class.
One of the first symbolisms found in the film is that of the dried
fish, which serves as a stark contrast to the opulent feast Babette
prepares in the end. Aside from being the staple food of the
characters in the film, the dried fish can probably represent the life
that they had before Babette’s arrival in their village. It signifies
the characters’ extremely simple and puritan way of life to the point
of becoming stiff and lifeless just like the fish. Their lives are
devoid of excitement and passion and the original dream of their
religious group is growing as old and tired as the members themselves.
Another symbolism to be found is when Babette was washing the
The Breton lai, Milun is the ninth among twelve lais in the collected works known famously as the Lais of Marie de France. It is a narrative about a courtly love and family bond that become divided by an overpowering marital system. Written in England, the lai of the legendary medieval poet, Marie de France, can be traced back to the 12th century. Virtually nothing is known of the writer. Any information identified, including her name and geographical background, has been discovered through her manuscripts. While her poems focus primarily on the observance of love, distinctiveness of each character, and vibrancy of words, Marie’s lai, Milun, had a sense of realism involved that impacted me personally. The fictional tale corresponds to my life in a meaningful way that made me feel connected to the female character in the story. Marie’s style of writing provoked me to respond through my own life experiences and emotions of loving secretively, mothering a child, and the pain of separation.
In the brief introduction of the story, Wolff mentions, “Helping out with the dishes was a way of showing how considerate he was,” (1356) which shows the initial nature of the couple’s relationship—caring. The caring nature of the couple’s relationship is show again when the wife cuts her hand and the husband, “ran upstairs to the bathroom and rummaged in the medicine chest” (1357). These two instances provide the reader with the notion that the couple, especially the husband in this instance, cares for one other deeply. Though this statement seems to be true, the domestic details serve an alternative purpose as well—symbols. When the conversation begins to become more heated, Wolff demonstrates how, “she was piling dishes on the drainboard at a terrific rate, just wiping them with a cloth” (1356). Wolff’s attention to this detail shows how the frustration of the wife is building up and ultimately leads to her stabbing her finger. The water of the sink, “flat and gray” (1357) symbolizes the essence of their conversation—gloomy and going nowhere. Towards the end of the story, the husband cleans the house as it was when they first moved in which symbolizes how their relationship is reverting back to the beginning when they were
In Lizzie Widdicombe’s article “The End of Food”, Widdicombe interviews Soylent’s chief executive, Rob Rhinehart. Throughout the article Rhinehart puts forth compelling arguments for the merits of a diet sustained mainly by synthetic substances like Soylent, citing nutritional benefits as well as hopes for future humanitarian uses. Soylent’s extremely affordable price and claims of better nutrition aimed at busy people make it a breakthrough product for many. The obvious nightmare of drinking pureed humans aside, it is still in debate how surviving on a diet for utility could affect cultural and social customs long linked to traditional meals. Also currently unknown is whether Soylent can really provide all of the nutrients found in real food,
All of the characters that are sitting down to dinner are responsible for the death of one girl Eva Smith, but not all of them think about their responsibilities, Birling feels that everyone has to look after themselves. Priestley partly shows what he is trying to say by showing Mr. Birling a proud man to be in so much error about so many things, such as the unsinkable Titanic ship and the two world wars not going to happen the audience would know that he is wrong. This is a device which Priestley uses called dramatic irony which is essential to the play because it’s based on the world wars and the titanic sinking.
the genteel society of her Belle Reve, her own beautiful dream. Blanche arrives at Stella’s
“I have dreamed in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind.” (Bronte 70) Emily Bronte went through a life of difficulties such as her poverty, family, relationships, and hardships. She also went through many experiences that formed her into the writer that she is today.
Where there was such love and joy, there would be nothing but coldness for her once Armand felt betrayed by the baby’s skin color, “Armand, she panted once more, clutching his arm, look at our child. What does it mean? He coldly, but gently loosened her fingers from about his arm and thrust the hand away from him, tell me what it means! She cried despairingly, it means, he answered lightly, that the child is not white, it means that you are not white”. (83) The L’abri held many secrets that in the end would reveal the harsh truth and the reality that Desiree’s and the baby’s death was in vain, if only Armand’s mother had not withheld his true blood line. “night and day, I thank the good God for having so arranged our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother, who adores him, belongs to the race that is cursed with the brand of slavery.” (84) The L’abri also symbolizes class and wealth of the Aubigny family, the trips to France, and the Clothing (Corbeille, Peignoir, Muslins, and laces) special ordered from Paris show the wealth of the family, as well as the higher-class
This is held to honor the head of a family, who have supplied the king. They believe through this ceremony, this will lead to wealth and prosperity of the country. “You have reason for to commend that excellent institution of the Feast of the Family. And indeed we have experience, that those families that are partakers of the blessing of that feast do flourish and prosper ever after in an extraordinary manner” (Bacon, Page 93). The Europeans have readily accepted to be citizens of Bensalem before this feast, which cause them to move onto learning about their customs and practices. As I mentioned before, this is where they meet Joabin. The European narrator asks him if polygamy is practiced in Bensalem, which is found on page 92, since they believe in large families. “I desired to know of him what laws and customs they had concerning marriage; and whether they kept marriage well; and whether they were tied to one wife? For that where population is so much affected, and such as with them it seemed to be, there is commonly permission of plurality of wives” (Bacon, Page 93). Joabin speech is important because he is the only character described as wise. According to Bacon, Joabin is “a wise man and learned, and of great policy, and excellently seen in the laws and customs of that nation” (Bacon, Page 147). This is proved in the Feast of the Family when Joabin answers his questions. He responds to
While seemingly random and a bit confusing, the wine scene is an important symbolic scene that foreshadows the horrors and evils of the French Revolution. When the wine is initially spilt, people come rushing towards it eager to take up as much as they can. This symbolizes is symbolic to the eagerness with in which everyone responds to the French Revolution in its early days; everyone wanted desperately to take part in it. In this scene, men, women, and even children, are pushing one another aside to drink up as much wine as they possibly can.
All of our various boating excursions in and around the Mekong Delta had thrown up and involved some dynamic, interesting, larger than life individuals. One of these was the Cabaret Club owning, petit and slender, Mademoiselle Béatrice de Funès. Who, due to her socialite connections, and a working relationship with the Diem administration, had been recruited by the “Agency” in Saigon as an intelligence gathering “Ear”. Being a natural linguist blessed with a phenomenal eye for detail made her an invaluable addition to the intelligence agency.
One day, there was this girl called Anayra Ivette but right after years pass they called her lightning girl she had special powers she also had purple hair and blue eyes. She's 5’7 tall when shes 15 years old and she's 5 years old in the beginning of the story. She lived in a small place where the woods are in Methuen she lives with her mom, dad, sister and brother in the country of massachusetts. When she was getting older as an adult she didn't like people she turned real bad. This is a tall tale about a girl using her powers.
In Kate Chopin’s short story “Ripe Figs” we acknowledge the two characters as complete opposites. Maman-Nainaine is a patient elderly woman, whereas Babette is an immature young girl. Through-out this short story Chopin uses contrast to show age versus youth and humans time versus nature’s seasons.
Pierre Auguste Renoir was a French Impressionist painter born on February 24, 1841 (Wolf). Renoir was one of the most well-known Impressionist painters of his time. He was a founder of the Impressionist movement, starting in the 1860’s (Wolf). He painted over 4,000 paintings during his lifetime (Covington).
A begins this dialog by saying, "perhaps they thin themselves by eating each other." This is then followed by B saying, "Perhaps they such babies under the feet of a priestess while still in their mothers wombs" (183). These are seen as both irony and ignorance. Diderot is having A and B say this to be comical but, at the same time the characters are symbolizing the rest of European society and they view these savages as doing these things because they do not understand. The next form of criticism comes as B says, "The life of a savage is simple and our society s are such complicated machines" (186). Diderot is portraying the common European idea that anyone who does not live in Europe lives a simple lifestyle. Europeans believed that they were the superior beings. They believed that, in comparison to human life, they were towards the end; wise, and full of tricks to better themselves. However, by saying that, "our societies are
Brechtian Theatre or the Theatre of Alienation is the form in which this play has been written. The first scene starts with six women, these women are said to have been important women from the past and have all come to meet at a restaurant, to celebrate Marlene’s success as a businesswoman.