SECTION 1
Try to think about books or movies you are familiar with that use foreign or eastern locations or characters. By eastern I mean anything beyond Western Europe. Were those eastern or foreign elements treated stereotypically or were they given complexity and depth? Basically, were the characters just servants or terrorists or in some way the bad guys or were they characterized as complex human beings like ourselves?
Why do you think western writers have a tendency to use the east as the source of bad people and evil doings? Or do you think they do that at all?
A movie titled “Traitor” by Jeffrey Nachmanoff uses eastern characters and locations and portrays the perfect descriptive example of the treatment these people are given by the film writers and book authors. The characters are given simplistic abilities and their way of thinking leaves a lot to be desired. Despite the fact that the main character, Don Cheadle is given specialty in his fighting skills, the entire movie entails poor strategizing and failure to sensibly construct any achievable mission. This makes the movie appropriate in creating the notion that all people from the east are narrow-minded. This is especially very evidently portrayed towards the end of the film whereby Cheadle goes against everyone they had had plots with, out of which he gets no benefit.
In this film, all the characters are given stereotype characteristics, a contrasting characteristic considering the idea used on the western characters, however minor, within the same film. The characters are given terroristic characteristics and their intentions entail trying to see the fall of the Americans. It is vivid that the terrorists were disinterested in normal life activities like working for the upkeep of themselves and their families but rather engaged themselves in criminal activities and competing to be the greatest terrorists with the greatest ability to display brutality. Considering the fact that the movie is written and directed in a region where these people are discriminated against in talk and action, it elaborate that the western writers and authors are discriminative of the cultures of the east. The idea that the latter are evil minded is always portrayed in literary and entertaining works and is carried on in generations.
The main reason behind this is the fact that these authors and film creators live in a society where everybody is made to believe that it is right to talk against the east. These people are raised in a culture where the eastern culture is associated with poverty and ill-intentioned activities. For this reason, the works created by the authors have to agree with the ideas of the readers and appropriate audiences.
SECTION 2:
1. Based on your understanding of the Post-Modernism presentation, how does Hugh MacDiarmid fit into that category? What elements of his work seem particularly Post-Modern?
In his work, Hugh MacDiarmid looks deep into diversified topics. He makes it apparent that the worldly issues and topics that find way on headlines and whose process of addressing leads to a considerable level of formality should be scrapped off the livelihood of man. This makes him fit perfectly in the postmodern society whereby liberalization is fundamental and formality is not a factor worth being given consideration. In his poem, A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle, the poet is suggestive in the way that he portrays his ideas that he is not for the consideration of drunkenness as an issue that needs regulation. This is a common trait among postmodernists and he therefore qualifies for a qualification as one. Other works that suggest the same include Penny Whip and Sangschaw. His portrayal of ideas in these poems suggests postmodernism.
2. What changes in theme, subject matter and even form did you detect from the twentieth century poets?
Literary work in the twentieth century differs greatly from that which was done in the previous periods. This is evidenced by the themes and styles used in the later work, which seem to drift from such general topics as love and war to psychological and mind-involving topics such as the matters that lead to scare and questioning of personal beliefs and practices. The length of the two types of works also differs, the more recent works having shorter lengths and discussing only small bits of any topic. Creation of suspense and speculation is characteristic of most of the work done after the twentieth century.
3. In writing about Pinter’s play “The Dumb Waiter”, Critic Ian Stuart argues that Ben perceives Gus and his questions about their mysterious work as dangerous and potentially violating authority… This gradual emergence of Gus as an individual who confronts the established structure challenges the relationship between the two men. Why is Gus dangerous? Why is questioning one’s place in society viewed by some as a threat to that society?
Gus is a dangerous character considering the fact that he is keen on matters that do not affect his life as much at work but rather finds the urge to find out about the deep and confidential matters of his authority. He is therefore dangerous to the authorities at work. Questioning about an individual’s place in the society is considered dangerous owing to the fact that it could be used as a means to bring a fall to the administrators of the place.
4. R.A. Buck, in an article about “The Dumb Waiter”, points out that most critics practice what he calls “filling in”. We want to provide an ending where either Gus lives or dies. While the question is rather moot, answering it can say something about your view of humanity. So, moot point or not, tell me what you think. Does Gus live or die? Why do you think that?
Gus dies. This can be attributed to the fact that his way of thinking and doing things does not match up with the right human way of approach. As is in most tales and narratives, the ill-intentioned characters do not survive and considering Gus fits well in this category, it would be right to kill the character.
SECTION 3:
please answer these questions by either typing or recording your response.
1. How are the elements of the gothic or supernatural used differently in the Victorian Age from the Romantics?
Gothic and supernatural beings were perceived differently in the Victorian Age as compared to the Romantic era. This can be attributed to the fact that the events that took place in the periods as well as the way of perceiving things were different. The Romantic era was characterized by revolt against various political and scientific matters and the Victorian age was on the contrary characterized by development. During the romantic era, people gathered interest in the supernatural and gothic affiliations and various myths and superstitions on the latter were given importance. During the Victorian age, the people were not interested in religious beliefs as much as during the Romantic era and beliefs on the supernatural powers was not given importance.
2. Think about the Ruskin Stones of Venice presentation. What part of his argument do you think is valid? In today’s world of technology, how do people get job satisfaction? How do people feel like their jobs have meaning? Or do they?
In the argument concerning restoration, I would go for implementation and engagement in the factor owing to the fact that it is restoration that would lead to calm and political stability. In the world today, people’s preference in job entails freedom. People no longer want to be supervised for the sake of giving a good output at work and failure to be supervised leads to improvement in the way in which work is done. This leads to job satisfaction. People only feel their jobs have meaning when respected in their workplace and allowed to engage in activities that reduce formality. This factor leads to improved employee relations.
3. Think back to the descriptions of inner cities provided by Dickens and the video by Schama. Are our inner cities better or worse today?
The inner cities in the today’s society are way better than they were as described by Dickens and Schama. In the current times, people have realized the need to have development competitively without having to put the environment at risk. This makes today’s inner cities better in terms of growth and cleanliness.
