In Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, dinosaur fanatic and billionaire John Hammond creates a large-scale zoo on an isolated island near Costa Rica called Isla Nublar. He is populating this island with several species of dinosaurs that were genetically recreated by a team of scientists from InGen, Hammond's genetic engineering company. This island should be the ultimate resort, but dinosaurs are escaping from the facilities and people are starting to take notice. Jurassic Park is trying to say that people, especially scientists, should be careful and think about the effects of things before they create them, and not only the benefits.
Towards the beginning of the book, a chapter is focused on a group of paleontologists who are visited by a lawyer from the Environmental Protection Agency investigating John Hammond and his shipments of gene sequencers and computers to Isla Nublar. Alan Grant, a paleontologist, tells the lawyer about how he was offered fifty-thousand dollars to write a paper on the eating habits of juvenile dinosaurs. He says, "You see our operation here. Fifty-thousand dollars would support two full summers of digging. I told him I'd do what I could." This shows that even though the request for the paper was odd and he was asked many suspicious questions, he was easily bought. This shows that Grant was not thinking about what Hammond's company would do with the information, he was thinking about how he could benefit from giving the information. Later on in the book, Hammond is talking to Donald Gennaro, who helped Hammond found InGen. Hammond is talking about how the project is going. Gennaro says, "I heard there were accidents during construction, some workmen died..." Hammond responds by confirming the deaths, and saying that one workman that was mauled by a dinosaur was killed by an earthmover. He also says that everything is going fine. This lie and obvious denial show that Hammond is only interested in moving forward with the project without considering that there may be major problems.
In conclusion, Jurassic Park focuses on the idea that sometimes people think only about the benefits and not the consequences of things. John Hammond and his Jurassic Park are a prime example of this idea.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Poison And the Border Between Love and Hate
In the book The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, Flavia de Luce, an eleven year old chemist, tries to solve the murder of a total stranger that died in front of her in her garden. Throughout the book, Flavia seems to have an intense hatred of her sister Ophelia. However, Flavia seems to really look up to and love her older sister.
Flavia and Ophelia have a spiteful relationship. In the beginning of the book, Ophelia is rude and annoying to Flavia, so then Flavia melts her lipstick and adds an oil to it to make Ophelia break out in pimples. She then tracks the progress of her little prank. On page 12, Flavia says, "And Feely--Miss Snotrag--hadn't even noticed it was gone." This shows that Flavia and her sister don't have the best of relationships. I also shows that even when she's thinking about her, Flavia views Ophelia negatively. On page 13, Ophelia says to Flavia, "Where's my lipstick, you little swine?" The fact that Ophelia calls Flavia a little swine is another indicator that they have a hateful relationship. I think the author includes their sibling rivalry in the book to show that even if you are related to someone, they aren't necessarily your friend all the time.
Although Flavia and Ophelia aren't exactly nice to each other, they still love one another. Towards the middle of the book, the reader can tell more that Flavia loves Ophelia. On page 104, Flavia says, "long after my sister Ophelia is dead and gone, whenever I think of her, the first memory that will come to mind will be her gentle touch at the piano." This detail says a lot about how Flavia admires her sister. When Flavia thinks about Ophelia's talent in a kind way, it shows that she loves her. Also, Flavia tries to set Ophelia up with a boy that Ophelia thinks is cute. This is another example that however misguided, shows that Flavia loves Ophelia.
In conclusion, even though it seems that Flavia and Ophelia seem to have a rivalry, they actually love each other but are too afraid to admit it.
Flavia and Ophelia have a spiteful relationship. In the beginning of the book, Ophelia is rude and annoying to Flavia, so then Flavia melts her lipstick and adds an oil to it to make Ophelia break out in pimples. She then tracks the progress of her little prank. On page 12, Flavia says, "And Feely--Miss Snotrag--hadn't even noticed it was gone." This shows that Flavia and her sister don't have the best of relationships. I also shows that even when she's thinking about her, Flavia views Ophelia negatively. On page 13, Ophelia says to Flavia, "Where's my lipstick, you little swine?" The fact that Ophelia calls Flavia a little swine is another indicator that they have a hateful relationship. I think the author includes their sibling rivalry in the book to show that even if you are related to someone, they aren't necessarily your friend all the time.
Although Flavia and Ophelia aren't exactly nice to each other, they still love one another. Towards the middle of the book, the reader can tell more that Flavia loves Ophelia. On page 104, Flavia says, "long after my sister Ophelia is dead and gone, whenever I think of her, the first memory that will come to mind will be her gentle touch at the piano." This detail says a lot about how Flavia admires her sister. When Flavia thinks about Ophelia's talent in a kind way, it shows that she loves her. Also, Flavia tries to set Ophelia up with a boy that Ophelia thinks is cute. This is another example that however misguided, shows that Flavia loves Ophelia.
In conclusion, even though it seems that Flavia and Ophelia seem to have a rivalry, they actually love each other but are too afraid to admit it.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Juliet
In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the two children of rival families fall in love. There is a lot of focus on each character's views on love, as I mentioned in my last post, but I think it is Juliet's that changes most drastically.
Towards the beginning of the book, Juliet isn't really looking for a relationship. She rejects the idea of marriage when her mother proposes that she think about marrying soon in act one scene three. She tells her mother "It is an honor I dream not of." She respects marriage, but she doesn't want to be married at age thirteen.
Even at Capulet's party when she meets Romeo, Juliet seems to think he is silly for pursuing her and demanding that they exchange the promise to get married. In act two scene two, Romeo says "O' wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" And Juliet says, "What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?" This shows that Juliet is not quite willing to take things as quickly as Romeo would like.
But then, towards the middle of the play, Juliet's view on love begins to change. At first, Juliet had a very logical view on love. She wouldn't get married until she was ready, and she wasn't willing to take things too quickly with some guy she met that night. But she starts to become more rash. When Tybalt dies and she discovers that it was Romeo who killed him, Juliet mourns for Tybalt for only a short amount of time before ultimately siding with Romeo. In act three scene two, the Nurse says, "Will you speak well of him that killed your cousin?" And Juliet says, "Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?" This shows that she is aligning with Romeo, not Tybalt.
I think the idea of Juliet's changing view of love applies to teenagers because things are always changing, especially as one is growing up. Maybe Juliet's changing view on love is a sign of her growing up. But maybe it is also a sign of her innocence. After all, she is only thirteen, and it is probably easy for her to think she is in love with Romeo when she really may not be.
What do you think was Juliet's reason for the sudden change in her view on love?
Towards the beginning of the book, Juliet isn't really looking for a relationship. She rejects the idea of marriage when her mother proposes that she think about marrying soon in act one scene three. She tells her mother "It is an honor I dream not of." She respects marriage, but she doesn't want to be married at age thirteen.
Even at Capulet's party when she meets Romeo, Juliet seems to think he is silly for pursuing her and demanding that they exchange the promise to get married. In act two scene two, Romeo says "O' wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" And Juliet says, "What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?" This shows that Juliet is not quite willing to take things as quickly as Romeo would like.
But then, towards the middle of the play, Juliet's view on love begins to change. At first, Juliet had a very logical view on love. She wouldn't get married until she was ready, and she wasn't willing to take things too quickly with some guy she met that night. But she starts to become more rash. When Tybalt dies and she discovers that it was Romeo who killed him, Juliet mourns for Tybalt for only a short amount of time before ultimately siding with Romeo. In act three scene two, the Nurse says, "Will you speak well of him that killed your cousin?" And Juliet says, "Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?" This shows that she is aligning with Romeo, not Tybalt.
I think the idea of Juliet's changing view of love applies to teenagers because things are always changing, especially as one is growing up. Maybe Juliet's changing view on love is a sign of her growing up. But maybe it is also a sign of her innocence. After all, she is only thirteen, and it is probably easy for her to think she is in love with Romeo when she really may not be.
What do you think was Juliet's reason for the sudden change in her view on love?
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Romeo and Juliet: Views on Love
The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is about two teenagers that fall in love after spotting each other at a masquerade. The characters in Romeo and Juliet are all incredibly different, but what stands out a lot is their different views on love. Throughout the beginning of the book you can see their views on love are distinct.
Romeo is by far the most strongly affected by love out of all the characters introduced. He especially experiences the highs lows of love very deeply, and spends a lot of his time mourning Rosaline's love. He is an incredibly romantic character. In act 1 scene 4 lines 21-22 Romeo says, "I cannot bound a pitch above such woe. Under love's heavy burden do I sink." By this he means that he can't rise above his sorrow over the fact that Rosaline doesn't love him. This is a very melancholy quote that I think represents perfectly Romeo's experience and thoughts on love.
Mercutio is a very manic character, and his view on love reflects his jester-like nature. He thinks that love should be about having fun and feeling happy. A lot of the time Mercutio is trying to get Romeo to do something or chiding Romeo for being such a hopeless romantic. In act 1 scene 4 lines 23-24 after Romeo's line in the last paragraph Mercutio says, "And to sink in it should you burden love-Too great oppression for a tender thing." I think Mercutio means to say that by giving in to the depression Romeo is feeling, he is only hurting the love he has and that love is a tender thing that shouldn't be doing that much harm.
Juliet is (in my opinion) very logical when it comes to love. Her mother wants her to marry Paris, a kinsman of Prince Escalus, but Juliet doesn't want to. In act 1 scene 3 lines 70-71 Juliet is talking to her mother about marrying Paris. Lady Capulet says, "How stands your disposition to be married?" and Juliet says, "It is an honor I dream not of." Juliet is saying that she thinks marriage is a good thing, but she doesn't want it for herself at age thirteen. This is sort of a polite refusal to try to fall in love with Paris.
In conclusion, characters in Romeo and Juliet have very different views on love. Which of the characters do you relate to most?*
*Note: They don't have to be listed above!
Romeo is by far the most strongly affected by love out of all the characters introduced. He especially experiences the highs lows of love very deeply, and spends a lot of his time mourning Rosaline's love. He is an incredibly romantic character. In act 1 scene 4 lines 21-22 Romeo says, "I cannot bound a pitch above such woe. Under love's heavy burden do I sink." By this he means that he can't rise above his sorrow over the fact that Rosaline doesn't love him. This is a very melancholy quote that I think represents perfectly Romeo's experience and thoughts on love.
Mercutio is a very manic character, and his view on love reflects his jester-like nature. He thinks that love should be about having fun and feeling happy. A lot of the time Mercutio is trying to get Romeo to do something or chiding Romeo for being such a hopeless romantic. In act 1 scene 4 lines 23-24 after Romeo's line in the last paragraph Mercutio says, "And to sink in it should you burden love-Too great oppression for a tender thing." I think Mercutio means to say that by giving in to the depression Romeo is feeling, he is only hurting the love he has and that love is a tender thing that shouldn't be doing that much harm.
Juliet is (in my opinion) very logical when it comes to love. Her mother wants her to marry Paris, a kinsman of Prince Escalus, but Juliet doesn't want to. In act 1 scene 3 lines 70-71 Juliet is talking to her mother about marrying Paris. Lady Capulet says, "How stands your disposition to be married?" and Juliet says, "It is an honor I dream not of." Juliet is saying that she thinks marriage is a good thing, but she doesn't want it for herself at age thirteen. This is sort of a polite refusal to try to fall in love with Paris.
In conclusion, characters in Romeo and Juliet have very different views on love. Which of the characters do you relate to most?*
*Note: They don't have to be listed above!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
That's Advertainment...
The article "That's Advertainment" by Veronica Majerol from Upfront Magazine is about the increase in product placement in many types of media. From television series to music videos, product placement has become more common. In the case of music videos, it may be because it is more profitable to have advertisers pay to feature in a video than to promote it. In the eighth paragraph, Corie Wright from Free Press, an organization to educate consumers about media, says, "Typically, when people view a commercial, they employ a veil of skepticism." In movies and television shows, advertisers have realized that it is easier to shape viewers opinions of a product without them even noticing. Most people don't mind product placement, but it is advised to remember that companies are trying to sell their products.
I think that Veronica Majerol is pretty unbiased in the article. She doesn't want to make the reader think it is bad or good, she just wants the reader to think about why a product is there. She wants the reader to consider who made the decision to include the product and their motives. Veronica Majerol wants the reader to feel shocked that product placement has risen so much recently. She tries to surprise the reader by using examples of borderline ridiculous product placement. For example, she says, "The 'Telephone' video prominently features at least half a dozen brands-some by Lady Gaga's artistic choice, some by payment..." This example of product placement is over the top and shocking, and it is a great example of the rise of product placement today.
I think that product placement in television is fine in moderation. However, I think product placement in music videos is not okay unless the product is in the song lyrics and the placement is subtle. Music is about self expression, not advertising. Advertising has almost always been a part of the television experience, so I do not feel as strongly about product placement on TV as I do about product placement in music videos. Overall, I don't mind product placement that much, but when it is so obnoxious and in your face that it makes me uncomfortable, it shouldn't be happening.
In conclusion, product placement is relatively harmless until it goes too far. What do you think is the point where product placement starts to ruin your media experience?
I think that Veronica Majerol is pretty unbiased in the article. She doesn't want to make the reader think it is bad or good, she just wants the reader to think about why a product is there. She wants the reader to consider who made the decision to include the product and their motives. Veronica Majerol wants the reader to feel shocked that product placement has risen so much recently. She tries to surprise the reader by using examples of borderline ridiculous product placement. For example, she says, "The 'Telephone' video prominently features at least half a dozen brands-some by Lady Gaga's artistic choice, some by payment..." This example of product placement is over the top and shocking, and it is a great example of the rise of product placement today.
I think that product placement in television is fine in moderation. However, I think product placement in music videos is not okay unless the product is in the song lyrics and the placement is subtle. Music is about self expression, not advertising. Advertising has almost always been a part of the television experience, so I do not feel as strongly about product placement on TV as I do about product placement in music videos. Overall, I don't mind product placement that much, but when it is so obnoxious and in your face that it makes me uncomfortable, it shouldn't be happening.
In conclusion, product placement is relatively harmless until it goes too far. What do you think is the point where product placement starts to ruin your media experience?
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Loneliness of Anne Frank
The book Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl is the diary of a teenager who went into hiding in a Secret Annex at her father's workplace in Amsterdam in 1942. She is living with her mother, sister, and father as well as the Van Daan family and, later on, a dentist named Alfred Dussel. Life in the Annex is cramped and unpleasant. There is little food and little space. Relationships are strained because everyone is arguing all the time. I think that Anne Frank must have been incredibly lonely during her four year stay in the Annex. There were no people her age, she was constantly criticized when she spoke, and she had a distant relationship with her sister and mother.
In the Secret Annex, there were no people Anne's age. Her sister, Margot, was sixteen and shy and bookish. Peter Van Daan was Margot's age, but he was more of a love interest than a friend to Anne. For the most part, Anne didn't have anyone to talk to or hang out with, so she devoted her time to her diary. Her diary, who she called "Kitty", was her only true friend at the Annex.
It was hard for Anne to socialize because every time she tried to speak, she was criticized (mostly by Petronella Van Daan). This made it hard to have conversations one on one with her father or her sister. On page 137, Anne says "Relationships here in the Annex are getting worse all the time. We don't dare open our mouths at mealtime (except to slip a bite of food), because no matter what we say, someone is bound to resent it or take it the wrong way." Even when she wasn't talking, Anne was criticized for being to immersed in her studies. You can see why this constant criticizing could make a person lonely.
A third reason why Anne was probably very lonely in the Annex is that she had an awkward and detached relationship with her mother. Anne's mother tries to reach out to her, but Anne is always pushing her away. On page 158, Anne says "It's true, she didn't understand me, but I didn't understand her either." Because Anne and her mother do not understand each other, they have an odd, distant relationship instead of the close bond most mothers and children share.
I think that many teenagers can relate to the loneliness that Anne felt. Lots of people think that they have no one to talk to. Some people have friends, but don't have anyone who understands them. Some people are trapped into loneliness by their own self-consciousness. If someone does not want to be lonely, it is important to have people to confide in and to not be afraid to speak.
In conclusion, the Annex was a very lonely environment for Anne Frank. She did not have anyone to confide in and she couldn't speak without everyone being a part of the conversation and putting their two cents in. On the bright side, Anne's loneliness drove her to write a diary which is a great insight into the thoughts of a teenage girl in the 1940s.
What do you think would be the hardest part about living in a place like the Secret Annex?
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Weekend Wars
The song "Weekend Wars" is by MGMT. They were formerly called "The Management" but shortened it to MGMT (it isn't an acronym). I got to know this song by listening to a ton of Pandora radio, and it is one of my favorites. The lyrics are a little trippy and hard to interpret, but I think this song is about someone who rejects change. This is someone who doesn't do much of anything and lives entirely for the weekend. The message in this song is probably that there are negative effects to being idle youth (young people who don't go to work or school).
One part of the song that supports this is when it says, "Was I too lazy to bathe/or paint or write or try to make a change". This shows that the speaker in the song is not very productive. They also don't seem to put the effort into being creative.
Another part of the song that supports my claim is towards the middle when it says, "it's difficult to win unless you're bored/and you might have to plan for the weekend wars". The writers of the song want the listeners to know that the weekend wars are a sort of ritual for unproductive people. At the end of the song it says, "there's a reason I don't win/I don't know how to begin". I think this is one of the more important quotes in the song. This is an important detail because the speaker realizes his idleness has a negative effect, yet still seems to continue to participate in the "weekend wars" which most likely have something to do with drugs, alcohol, partying, etc. All of these quotes support my theory that "Weekend Wars" is a commentary on idle youth.
This message is an important one to share with teens. Being idle has many drawbacks. Never doing anything creative can diminish quality of life. Excessive drugs and alcohol can also seriously damage opportunities and chances. The song is about living only for the weekends and never doing anything, and it certainly doesn't reflect well on this type of lifestyle.
There are near infinite ways to interpret the lyrics to a song; comment of your take of the lyrics provided below:
WEEKEND WARS LYRICS
One part of the song that supports this is when it says, "Was I too lazy to bathe/or paint or write or try to make a change". This shows that the speaker in the song is not very productive. They also don't seem to put the effort into being creative.
Another part of the song that supports my claim is towards the middle when it says, "it's difficult to win unless you're bored/and you might have to plan for the weekend wars". The writers of the song want the listeners to know that the weekend wars are a sort of ritual for unproductive people. At the end of the song it says, "there's a reason I don't win/I don't know how to begin". I think this is one of the more important quotes in the song. This is an important detail because the speaker realizes his idleness has a negative effect, yet still seems to continue to participate in the "weekend wars" which most likely have something to do with drugs, alcohol, partying, etc. All of these quotes support my theory that "Weekend Wars" is a commentary on idle youth.
This message is an important one to share with teens. Being idle has many drawbacks. Never doing anything creative can diminish quality of life. Excessive drugs and alcohol can also seriously damage opportunities and chances. The song is about living only for the weekends and never doing anything, and it certainly doesn't reflect well on this type of lifestyle.
There are near infinite ways to interpret the lyrics to a song; comment of your take of the lyrics provided below:
WEEKEND WARS LYRICS
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