Linsanity

The Maus books were very enjoyable and informative. I think the graphic novel format largely contributed how enjoyable it was. Also, without the pictures, a lot of the symbolism wouldn't exist. As we analyzed in class, reoccurring motifs are mostly symbols or images in the panels. The pictures contribute to creating a deeper meaning that the words may not be able to do alone.  The comic style also helps to make learning about the Holocaust easier. Compared with real pictures, the style makes the story a little more digestible, while not taking away from the gruesome but necessary depictions of its events.  One of the book's greatest features is the animal metaphor. By using vastly different animals, Spiegelman shows the clear racist ideologies in the war. For example, cats vs mice in the book clearly show the German's superiority. Yet in reality, they were all humans. thus having minimal differences. In this way, the book puts an emphasis on race relations and conflicts, bu...

  Page 125 depicts the Jews who survived the Nazis' search, showing them wearing pig masks. The masks illustrate how it was necessary to disguise themselves as Poles whenever they went out. Alongside the mask physically covering their face, it also metaphorically hides their true identity as Jews. Mice are typically weak and defenseless, which parallels the actual events, as seen in Chapter 5 when the Jews could do nothing but hide. The mask provides a façade so that the Jews can even be looked upon as humans, instead of prey. Also, in the two slides in the bottom right corner (in the present), the American receptionist at the bank is depicted as a dog, which historically makes sense. Overall, the animal analogies greatly help to depict the complicated relationships between countries in ww2.  After escaping, Vladek and Anja are seen walking along a path that resembles the Swastika, with the caption saying "We walked in the direction of Sosnowiec - But where to go?" The Sw...

  How do the characters' relationships impact their ability to fulfill their dreams and reach their goals? When do the characters support one another and when do they obstruct one another? When friends and family members become barriers to achieving goals, why do you think this happens?       Throughout the play, there are multiple instances where a character's thoughts or opinions affect another character's ability to reach their goals. The first main relation is between Cynthia and Tracey. After Cynthia got the promotion at Olstead's, Tracey began to say things about her, trying to put her down. Cynthia says (to Tracey), "I don't deserve the things you've been saying. You've always been cool...You got a problem, you tell me to my face"(Nottage 59). Tracey's motivation to badmouth Cynthia likely sprouts from multiple factors, including her jealousy and racism. Instead of being happy when good things happen to her friends, Tracey tries to put t...

 The poem "Madam and the Phone Bill" by Langston Hughes is a short poem regarding a woman talking to a telephone operator. The woman's name is Alberta, and her boyfriend (Roscoe?) calls a lot despite knowing the costly transaction. The operator requests that Alberta pay the bill, but she refuses to pay because she knows that her partner is cheating.  Langston Hughes incorporates irony and humor to reveal aspects of disingenuity in communication. The irony lies in the fact that while Alberta's boyfriend is calling from Kansas City to say he loves her, he is clearly being unfaithful. In a sense, the poem touches on the effects of technology in the world. This can be related to the present, where technology is extremely prevalent. With the rise of AI and other powerful technology, a lot of things aren't as they appear online, creating an illusion that pervades many areas of the world.  Alongside, the poem reveals the loneliness of Alberta. In the second half of the p...

 This story starts where Wilson comes to find Gatsby in his pool.  There was a faint shot that was audible from the home. I hurried down to the pool. Walking down the steps, I could see a taint of red color in the large pool.  A small gust of wind clashed with the water, forming small ripples that died out at the pool wall. Leaves fell noisily into the crime scene, rustling as they hit the ground. As I neared the pool, it became clear exactly what had happened. Wilson's body lay limp on the edge of the pool, with a single gunshot wound in his back. Gatsby was nowhere to be seen. It was only after a few hours that anybody had seen Gatsby. One of his servants reported seeing him driving a luxurious yacht towards Tom's home across the bay. I hurried to the shoreline hastily, tripping several times along the way. In the distance, Gatsby's white boat moved steadily across the water. The vessel began to approach the green light, encroaching without hesitation. As I watched the ...

 After having finished reading The Great Gatsby this weekend, a few things stood out to me. While of course the book probably does not depict exactly what life/society was like, it gives a good image because the story was largely based off Fitzgerald's own life.  Money plays a large role in the dynamics and relations of the story. When Gatsby was young, he and Daisy initially had fallen in love, but Daisy eventually moved on to Tom. The difference between Tom and Gatsby was money. While Gatsby was poor, Tom had the advantage of being born into wealth and high social status. Daisy moved on, Gatsby didn't. He had Daisy as motivation in a way to earn more and more money.  Once Gatsby had the wealth, Daisy felt her love reignite for him but only temporarily. Daisy still liked Tom more for his social standing despite Gatsby having tons of money and material items. Also Daisy kept switching up between Gatsby and Tom and I feel like she was a major cause of the conflicts in the ...

 The Great Gatsby has been interesting seeing how life was like back in the 1900s. The changes in environment, people and the English language are very apparent through reading this novel. The cause of change is the modernism mindset, along with wealth.  However, not all changes were good. In my opinion, things like abstract art and atonal music and poetry and architecture have seen a downgrade over the years. The creators became tired with traditional ways of doing things, so they started using Easter egg-esque details with a hidden meaning or in general creating something with many interpretations.  I think some of the creators have taken it too far trying to create a deeper meaning. We've all seen those paintings that look like they were drawn by a blind second grader who spent about 12 seconds. And these paintings are also being displayed in museums and galleries as "art".  Apparently this thing was sold for an equivalent of $317mil USD. There is not a single per...