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Bruce Dawe Bruce Dawe is a prominent Australian poet born in 1930, in Geelong. His experiences as a laborer, postman, gardener, and in particular his 9 years as a sergeant in the Royal Australian Air Force, have enabled him to recollect and articulate his memories into a renowned compendium, Sometimes Gladness, which has been described as “perhaps the most successful book of verse by a contemporary Australian poet”. His anthology contains a variety of poems. The three I will be discussing include The Day that They Shot Santa Claus, The Wholly Innocent, and Homo Suburbiensis, all of which focus on life (or the lack of it) and its ups and downs. The Day That They Shot Santa Claus tells a story through the eyes of a bystander; obviously in central Melbourne (the reference to Bourke St). It elaborates not the death of Santa Claus, but rather the consequences of the event. It tells of extreme sadness after the death of the highly prominent symbol of innocence, happiness and festive spirit, key themes of this verse. The speaker is portrayed very sadly, (yet in a way...
In the film, A Christmas Story, directed by Bob Clarke, Ralph Parker tells the story of a noteworthy childhood Christmas. The story takes viewers through Ralphie’s trials and tribulations in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Throughout the film, he narrates over specific events in order to highlight its significance to that Christmas as well as its impact on his childhood and adulthood. An example of a major moment is when Ralphie is assigned a paragraph from his teacher over what he wants for Christmas.
Bruce Dawe is strongly opposed to consumerism, as shown through his poem, Americanized. The poem is written in a predominantly bitter and ironic tone. The title itself is ironic. Bruce Dawe is Australian and has spelled the title using American spelling rather than Australian spelling, with the ‘s’ being replaced by a ‘z’.
On Christmas Eve , Scrooge is gone by a progression of ghosts,starting with his old business accomplice, Jacob Marley. The three spirits follow,the Ghosts of Past , Christmas present and Christmas future ,show how his ,mean conduct has influenced everyone around him. Toward the finish of the story ,he is soothed to find that there is still time for him to change and we see him changed into a liberal and kind hearted person.
In the poem “May” written by Bruce Weigl, the speaker has a sick, suffering dog named May. The speaker is taking May to the veterinarian to be put to sleep. The speaker is sad, but does not want May to suffer anymore. He/she lies into the May’s ear with comforting words as the veterinarian puts her to sleep, ending the pain and suffering.
A Christmas Carol is a classic novel with lessons that is universally recognized. Scrooge is a cold-hearted, bitter, and greedy man who detests Christmas. Joy is his enemy and he believes it to be unnecessary. Scrooge realizes a great deal about himself and those around him because of the spirits of Christmas Present, Past, and Future visits. Through those visits, he undergoes a transformation that effects the rest of his life. Ebenezer Scrooge sees firsthand how temptation can corrupt and how redemption can save.
Miracle on 34th Street is a classic Christmas movie that has stood the test of time through eight decades, and was even made into a book by Valentine Davies. This classic Christmas movie has become an essential film for every American family during the holiday season. There are both many changes and continuities through the novella and the 1947, 1973, and 1994 versions of the movie.The novella Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies is similar to the 1947, 1973, and 1994 versions of the film in theme; however, the films differ in characters and setting due to social changes.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966&2000) explains not only the life of the Grinch but the Whos as well. Through the theorists of Karen Horney and Erik Erikson, viewers can learn why the Grinch’s personality is formed. Not only had it formed, but through the years it transformed.
Toni Cade Bambara was a native of New York City who devoted her life to her writing and her social activism. Throughout her career, Bambara used her writings to convey social and political messages about the welfare of the African-American community and of African-American women especially. According to Alice A. Deck in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, the author was "one of the best representatives of the group of Afro-American writers who, during the 1960s, became directly involved in the cultural activities in urban communities across the country." Deck also pointed out that "Bambara is one of the who continued to work within the black urban communities (filming, lecturing, organizing, and reading from her works at rallies and conferences). In addition, Bambara established herself over the years as an educator, teaching in colleges and independent community schools in various cities on the East Coast." Bambara's influence derived from the combination of her duties such as writer and social activist. "It's a tremendous responsibility and honor to be a writer, artist, a cultural worker...whatever you call this vocation," she explained in an interview in Black Women Writers. Bambara showed the world from a different perspective through the eyes of a factory worker or welfare children. Her objective was to describe the urban black community without resorting to stereotype.
In William D. Howells’s “The Rise of Silas Lapham”, Silas is faced with many conflicts that cause him to lose people he cares about, destroy his company, but most importantly greed and selfish ambition. Silas has no intention of changing until he is faced with the most important challenge of all. This is finding his true self. In the title of “The Rise of Silas Lapham” it is not the “rise” to wealth, greed and selfish ambition, it is the “rise” to humility, honesty and becoming a good man by the end of the novel.
The greatest icon of martial arts cinema, and a key figure of modern popular culture. Had it not been for the amazing Bruce Lee and his incredible movies in the early 1970s, it's arguable whether or not the martial arts film genre would have ever penetrated and influenced mainstream western cinema & audiences the way it has over the past three decades.
In “My Favorite Holiday Movie Involves a Giant Rabbit”, Boylan discusses her favorite Christmas movies and how their meanings have influenced her during the holidays. Through the use of allusions, metaphor, and imagery, Boylan argues that the holiday season is really about believing and practicing internal virtues to uplift oneself and one’s life. For example, Boylan makes several allusions to popular Christmas movies, like “The Snowman”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, and “It’s a Wonderful Life”. However, her most prominent allusion throughout the article is to “Harvey”, which “on the surface… is not a Christmas movie at all but the story of a man whose best friend is a six-foot-tall invisible rabbit”. At first, Boylan’s choice to reference
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens is a tale of the morality changes of a man. The uncharitable, cold heart of the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, melts with ardent love as he receives visitations from three Christmas spirits who enlighten his soul with wise lessons and bring a warm change to his heart. In the beginning of the novel, Scrooge expresses his vices of greed and cold heartedness by his words and actions, but as the story unfolds, his life is renewed by these Spirits who shed light and truth upon him, resulting in making him become a better man, portraying the virtue of charity.
Poet Gwendolyn Brooks states, “Art Hurts. Art urges voyages - and it is easier to stay at home” which is true for many viewers when experiencing Bruce Nauman’s work. Nauman is classified as a contemporary American artist whose works also incorporate ideas of post-modernism and minimalism. He has been making art since the early 1960’s and has moved through many different mediums as his art progressed and his style changed. At first Nauman was a painter who soon ended that career and turned to sculpting, photography, film, and video. Bruce Nauman’s works of art have interested me and inspired my final assignment by his professional legacy, inspirations, and techniques.
Meeting the Ghost of Christmas Past begins the first stage of Scrooge’s transformation: regretting his actions. When Scrooge is shown his younger self alone in his classroom on Christmas, he regrets chasing a Christmas caroler away from his door. The Spirit skips ahead a few years to show him a happier time. His sweet little sister Fan arrives to take him home, and this is his first Christmas in a long time that is spent with family. Unfortunately, Scrooge doesn’t see it that way; seeing this scene makes him “uneasy in his mind” as he thinks about the way he treats his nephew Fred. Instead of treating him like his only family member, Scrooge denies invitations to Christmas dinner every year and is rude whenever Fred speaks to him. He doesn’t have time to dwell on this for long, however; Scrooge has many other important things to think...
It was Christmas Eve, 2003, when a terrible storm hit. In the awful storm, his wife and two boys had been caught outside and had been blown away in the snowstorm and were found dead, plastered against a barn five miles away. Henry was heartbroken. He asked why and why not him instead of his beautiful wife and kids. He blamed it on Christmas. Every year after that, he despised Christmas because he would have to spend the day all alone and think about what had happened on that cold, windy day in