During its entirety, "The Lost" made me question the value of what Mendelsohn had embarked on. Why did he care to know the specifics of the lives of his relatives that he did not have any contact with, could never know? He definitely wasn’t looking to find them alive or have survived; he states that he wants to know exactly how they died. As he continues his quest, he finds the details of their lives fascinating as well. Although they are his ancestors and a part of his family’s history, I don’t think that their lives could affect his in any way. Isn’t he his own person? However, family history is something that many of us value, and remembrance of the past is shown through the many Internet genealogy websites that Mendelsohn sites. Perhaps these searches are a form of narcissism: placing value on the families that placed us here today. As well, I think that Mendelsohn finds great significance in the characters and conflicts from his family past; he shows in "The Lost" how they mirror those of his current family and even those represented in the Bible. In the same way that we strive to learn from mistakes made in history, I believe Mendelsohn is trying to extract a lesson from the lives of Shmiel’s family. Also, considering their tragic story and the movement which they were part of (the Holocaust), he provides an intimate view for the reader on a tragedy that “is so big, the scale of it is so gigantic, so enormous, that it becomes easy to think of it as something mechanical. Anonymous” (479).
The other thing that struck me about the final section of his novel is the attention Mendelsohn pays to the Ukrainians involved in the killings of the Jews. He talks often of how without the help of their former neighbors, the Germans could not have completed such a thorough slaughter of Bolechow’s Jews. However, in contrast to this harsh reality, Mendelsohn provides a background on the conflict inside this “family” of Bolechow: “I am, however, willing to believe in other generalizations, for instance that seething resentment by a class of people who both have been and perceive themselves to be an underclass, particularly when those people have recently suffered unspeakable oppression- one example of which would be, say, Stalin’s international starvation of between five an seven million Ukrainians in 1932 and 1933, which for Ukrainians is the galvanizing national tragedy just as the Holocaust is the galvanizing national tragedy for Jews” (455). Although unimaginable acts were committed during the Holocaust, as Mendelsohn describes, I agree with him that as hard as it is, it is very important to look at even these acts with an open mind, a balanced perspective.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
"The Lost" Post 5a
Vocabulary
mishpuchah (307): Yiddish for the entire family of relatives related by blood or by marriage, sometimes including friends; also called mishpachah
exculpating (312): clearing from a charge of guilt or fault, vindicating
Three Appeals
"As we walked up the concretet steps toward her she smiled broadly, exposing even rows of teeth" (318). This is a fact, a logical appeal, but Mendelsohn uses this statement as well as other descriptions to put us in his place as he is welcomed into the Reinharz's home. I thought the placement and depth of description was well done.
"'People in Bolechow take me for a rich man (since I pay enormous taxes) and anyone who needs anything comes to Samuel Jager. I have a lot of influence here and I've had preferential treatment everywhere, and so I hae to present myself well everywhere. Indeed I spend time with the better class of people" (324). These sentences from a letter written by Shmiel Jager have a strong emotional impact on the reader. One truly gets a sense of the pride and arrogance that Shmiel felt in his hometown. Although this does not paint the kindest portrait of Shmiel, it does provide a background for his reluctance to leave Bolechow, and the reader alternately feels an annoyance at his high opinion of himself, and a sadness for its effect on his life.
"Wait! Malcia exclaimed. I think she was relieved not to be talking about the past anymore, after all this time. You'll sit here a little while, and I'll make it for you!" (333). From this paragraph, the reader senses the true kindness of Malcia, even after all of the hardship and cruelty that she has been through. Also, one is reminded of how hard it is for the Jews of Bolechow to relive these memories of a terrible past. This portion of the text has an emotional appeal to the reader.
Quote
"But as Yona talked about how desperately poor my grandfather's childhood had been, I started to wonder, once again, how much of my grandfather's stories were based on fact, and how much they were the projections of his vivid and yearning imagination... Only in stories, after all, do things turn out neatly, and only in stories does every small detail fit neatly into place" (347). I liked this quote because Mendelsohn finally provides an adult aspect on his grandfather, instead of his childhood admiration, which is a nice change. As well, the reader is reminded of the nature of Mendelsohn's entire book: it is simply the memories of people which are bound to imagine over time more of a story, a way to make sense of all of it. This does not decrease their worthiness, but it is necessary to view these recollections in a certain light.
Theme
Perhaps the important part of a person, or history, is not the death, but the life.
mishpuchah (307): Yiddish for the entire family of relatives related by blood or by marriage, sometimes including friends; also called mishpachah
exculpating (312): clearing from a charge of guilt or fault, vindicating
Three Appeals
"As we walked up the concretet steps toward her she smiled broadly, exposing even rows of teeth" (318). This is a fact, a logical appeal, but Mendelsohn uses this statement as well as other descriptions to put us in his place as he is welcomed into the Reinharz's home. I thought the placement and depth of description was well done.
"'People in Bolechow take me for a rich man (since I pay enormous taxes) and anyone who needs anything comes to Samuel Jager. I have a lot of influence here and I've had preferential treatment everywhere, and so I hae to present myself well everywhere. Indeed I spend time with the better class of people" (324). These sentences from a letter written by Shmiel Jager have a strong emotional impact on the reader. One truly gets a sense of the pride and arrogance that Shmiel felt in his hometown. Although this does not paint the kindest portrait of Shmiel, it does provide a background for his reluctance to leave Bolechow, and the reader alternately feels an annoyance at his high opinion of himself, and a sadness for its effect on his life.
"Wait! Malcia exclaimed. I think she was relieved not to be talking about the past anymore, after all this time. You'll sit here a little while, and I'll make it for you!" (333). From this paragraph, the reader senses the true kindness of Malcia, even after all of the hardship and cruelty that she has been through. Also, one is reminded of how hard it is for the Jews of Bolechow to relive these memories of a terrible past. This portion of the text has an emotional appeal to the reader.
Quote
"But as Yona talked about how desperately poor my grandfather's childhood had been, I started to wonder, once again, how much of my grandfather's stories were based on fact, and how much they were the projections of his vivid and yearning imagination... Only in stories, after all, do things turn out neatly, and only in stories does every small detail fit neatly into place" (347). I liked this quote because Mendelsohn finally provides an adult aspect on his grandfather, instead of his childhood admiration, which is a nice change. As well, the reader is reminded of the nature of Mendelsohn's entire book: it is simply the memories of people which are bound to imagine over time more of a story, a way to make sense of all of it. This does not decrease their worthiness, but it is necessary to view these recollections in a certain light.
Theme
Perhaps the important part of a person, or history, is not the death, but the life.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
"The Lost" Post 4b
This part of the novel “The Lost” was particularly affecting for me as it explored first-person experiences of the Holocaust (especially pages 227-229). I read “Night” this past year by Elie Wiesel, and although it related some horrendous experiences, I somehow found it hard to relate to his point of view. Mendelsohn offers the perspective of an outsider relating first-hand experiences, which I think makes them easier to understand. He isn’t in a position to relate to them any more than I can because he was not there either, so his reactions make it easier for me to connect to the first person accounts. This portion of the book also relates to the first reason the novel attracted me: it relates to my heritage. My grandparents on my father’s side both emigrated to the United States during the 1930s because of the persecution they were receiving as Jews. Although I have no connection to them, some of my relatives perished during the Holocaust. In some ways I feel guilty that I am not more connected to my personal history, and this book makes a strong case to find out about my relatives. The fact that my family is not strongly Jewish adds to this guilt: it seems sometimes as if I am disrespecting the sacrifice that my ancestors went through for their faith. At the same time, I feel so fortunate that I am growing up here where I can feel safe walking the streets and am allowed (mostly) unbiased treatment because of my religion or my looks. Unfortunately, genocide still exists today, so perhaps the best way to respect the memory of my Jewish relatives is to work until nothing like the Holocaust will ever happen again.
"The Lost" Post 4a
Vocabulary
parashat (265): a section of the Hebrew Bible, independent of chapter or verse numbers in which each one represents a new idea or thought. Also called parashah
Kol Nidre (255): a Jewish prayer recited at the beginning of the service on Yom Kippur, means "all vows"
goĺąki (253): a traditional Polish dish of stuffed cabbages
Three Appeals
"And then Boris told me what the Jew in the French uniform had told him, during that improbable meeting. Boris said, 'He told me forget it, there's nobody left.'" (247). This quote has a very emotional appeal because of idea that every Jew in a town had been killed or forced to leave. We have already learned that there were around three thousand Jews in the town of Bolechow; it seems unimaginable that all of these people could be mercilessly slaughtered by, esentially, their neighbors. What makes this quote so powerful is its bluntness, as if this is the answer that is expected or that all are resigned to its factuality.
"For some reason, the horror of a boy having ot kill his beloved pet is easier to apprehend, to absorb and make real, than are other horrors. The horror, say, of having to kill your own child, lest its noise give you and the others away" (242). This section of "The Lost" had an extremely strong emotional appeal as Mendelsohn chronicles the atrocities of the Holocaust. A mother having to smother her own child is so horrible, its truly unimaginable unless one has been in the situation. Although killing one's own dog is horrific as well, perhaps the expectation of a child outliving a mother makes it that much more impossible to comprehend.
"Maybe he saw this sign, and maybe its tone- not, when you think of it, all that different from the tone of similar signs in the swimming pools and shower rooms of the bath spas throughout Europe, spas like the one in Jaremcze where Shmiel's father, thirty years earlier, had dropped dead- had reassured him" (338). This quote as well has a very emotional appeal- I couldn't believe that the Germans would provide the Jews with the false hope that the gas camps were actually cleaning stations. It seemed more than psychotic and evil- it was intentionally emotionally cruel. It was interesting that the author supposed that this tone on the sign would reassure Shmiel, even though it was associated with bad memories. Perhaps Mendelsohn is showing how in times of trouble, we cling onto anything that seems familliar.
Quote
"'During the march to the train station in Bolechow for the transport to Belzec, they ahd to sing, particularly the song "My Little Town of Belz." Whoever didn't take part in the singing was beaten bloody on the shoulders and head with the rifle butts"' (229). This quote is very representative of the treatment of the Jews during the Holocaust: not only were they physically tortured, but emotionally as well. This witness statement cited by Mendelsohn is so hard to read because of the truly unimaginable atrocities that it chronicles: that human beings could be that vicious is impossible to comprehend without having been there
.
Theme
Without endings, there is no room for new beginnings. However, these do not always need to be violent.
parashat (265): a section of the Hebrew Bible, independent of chapter or verse numbers in which each one represents a new idea or thought. Also called parashah
Kol Nidre (255): a Jewish prayer recited at the beginning of the service on Yom Kippur, means "all vows"
goĺąki (253): a traditional Polish dish of stuffed cabbages
Three Appeals
"And then Boris told me what the Jew in the French uniform had told him, during that improbable meeting. Boris said, 'He told me forget it, there's nobody left.'" (247). This quote has a very emotional appeal because of idea that every Jew in a town had been killed or forced to leave. We have already learned that there were around three thousand Jews in the town of Bolechow; it seems unimaginable that all of these people could be mercilessly slaughtered by, esentially, their neighbors. What makes this quote so powerful is its bluntness, as if this is the answer that is expected or that all are resigned to its factuality.
"For some reason, the horror of a boy having ot kill his beloved pet is easier to apprehend, to absorb and make real, than are other horrors. The horror, say, of having to kill your own child, lest its noise give you and the others away" (242). This section of "The Lost" had an extremely strong emotional appeal as Mendelsohn chronicles the atrocities of the Holocaust. A mother having to smother her own child is so horrible, its truly unimaginable unless one has been in the situation. Although killing one's own dog is horrific as well, perhaps the expectation of a child outliving a mother makes it that much more impossible to comprehend.
"Maybe he saw this sign, and maybe its tone- not, when you think of it, all that different from the tone of similar signs in the swimming pools and shower rooms of the bath spas throughout Europe, spas like the one in Jaremcze where Shmiel's father, thirty years earlier, had dropped dead- had reassured him" (338). This quote as well has a very emotional appeal- I couldn't believe that the Germans would provide the Jews with the false hope that the gas camps were actually cleaning stations. It seemed more than psychotic and evil- it was intentionally emotionally cruel. It was interesting that the author supposed that this tone on the sign would reassure Shmiel, even though it was associated with bad memories. Perhaps Mendelsohn is showing how in times of trouble, we cling onto anything that seems familliar.
Quote
"'During the march to the train station in Bolechow for the transport to Belzec, they ahd to sing, particularly the song "My Little Town of Belz." Whoever didn't take part in the singing was beaten bloody on the shoulders and head with the rifle butts"' (229). This quote is very representative of the treatment of the Jews during the Holocaust: not only were they physically tortured, but emotionally as well. This witness statement cited by Mendelsohn is so hard to read because of the truly unimaginable atrocities that it chronicles: that human beings could be that vicious is impossible to comprehend without having been there
.
Theme
Without endings, there is no room for new beginnings. However, these do not always need to be violent.
400 Blows Essay
The 400 Blows
“Oh I lie now and then, I suppose. Sometimes I’d tell them the truth and they still wouldn’t believe me, so I prefer to lie” states Antoine Doinel in the film The 400 Blows. I think that The 400 Blows did an effective job conveying the emotions François Truffant experienced that inspired his devotion to cinema. The film communicated well the bustling world of Paris in the 1930s/40s through a young boy’s eyes, focusing on the parts of life that would matter to a young schoolboy like Antoine, such as school, friends, and relationships with parents. I also personally enjoyed the unabashedness of the film in exposing some of Antoine’s fasults. Although this film is based on his own life, Truffant does not seek to hide the irrationality in some of Antoine’s decisions, such as stealing his father’s typewriter and running away from home. In addition to the narrative aspect of the film, other literary, dramatic, and cinematic aspects were utilized to make The 400 Blows an effective film.
The literary aspects of The 400 Blows add greatly to its efficacy as a film. The integral part of the movie is its plot, a literary aspect. This film follows young Antoine as he stumbles from misadventure to misadventure, trying to find his fit in life with his family and his schoolwork. This struggle to fit in is a rather universal one, so the plot helps The 400 Blows relate to everyone. Another literary aspect, the place, is firmly established in the opening credits as Paris, and although the time period is not directly specified, it is supposed that it is around the time of the 1930s/40s. Antoine is the main character in this film, and his story mirrors the childhood of François Truffant. He is a mischievous kid who, although not bad-charactered, always seems to be getting in trouble. His parents do not seem to have a deep sense of care for Antoine’s well being, although he seems to try his best to earn their love, obeying their demands, setting the table. However, Antoine does what it takes to survive and prosper in his small world of school and friends, even if it means stealing from his parents. Antoine explores themes such as the frustration of being trapped. This is exemplified through the shot of him on the ride where he is trapped against the wall, unable to move, as well as whenever his position as the lowest member of his family is demonstrated, for he cannot escape or rise above it. Another literary device, symbols, is utilized in The 400 Blows. The ocean seems to become a symbol for Antoine himself as the freedom and luxury that he was never able to attain in his family, and it becomes a goal for him towards the end of the movie. Additionally, during his first time running away from home, Antoine steals a bottle of milk from the street, which could symbolize his need for a mother (the milk) and his willingness to bend the rules (stealing) to gain it. Overall, a significant part of the film The 400 Blows’ effectiveness can be attributed to its literary aspects.
Another aspect to film is its dramatic qualities. In The 400 Blows especially, specific actors and actresses add a huge impact to the film’s effectiveness. Antoine is played by Jean-Pierre Léaud who, with his scruffy hair and down turned mouth that is quick to smile, clearly shows both sides of Antoine’s personality. Antoine’s mother (Claire Maurier) uses her narrow eyes, big lips, and blonde hair to exemplify Gilberte Doinel’s outer beauty and inner horridness. She also uses mannerisms such as often looking into a mirror to show Madame Doinel’s self-centeredness. Personally, I think that Patrick Auffay does an excellent job playing René. His blond, neatly-combed hair shows his class, and his smaller size and softer voice show his subordination to Antoine in their friendship. He displays perfectly René’s inner calm when removing money from a family hiding place, even when he is almost caught by his mother, as well as when he is forbidden to see Antoine in the Observation Center. He simply gets on his bike, turns around and starts home in the most fitting way. The costumes in The 400 Blows also add to our understanding of the characters. Antoine is constantly dressed in dark colors, reflecting the more negative aspect of his personality and his parents frugality regarding his state of wellness. His mother, on the other hand, always is wearing rather luxurious clothing such as her fur coat. René shows his class in the dapper little suits that are his attire through the movie. The set also contributes to the overall feel of the film: Antoine’s rooms in his apartment show his station in his family completely. Both the garbage room and his own bedroom are dark, small, and dirty; of course they are only for Antoine. Dramatic aspects definitely add to the effectiveness of the film The 400 Blows.
Finally, cinematography is a feature of The 400 Blows that augments its effectiveness. My favorite part of the film was the beautiful shots of Paris that were interspersed throughout the film. This gave a definite sense of setting, not only in the sense of the place but also of the time period. A variety of shots add to these montages. Many were shot at night, such as the ones where Antoine is wandering the streets of Paris, or when he is carted in a police coach to the juvenile detention center, so that the bright lights of Paris shine out from the darkness. The high angle shot of the gym teacher running as the boys disappear helped accentuate his bright white shorts against the dark tones of the Paris sidewalk and show truly the ridiculousness of Antoine’s entire school. Another shot that stands out is directly follows the theft of the typewriter by Antoine and René. As they weave through crowds, the camera does not directly focus on them, instead showing their rush as well as the people of Paris going about their business around the two. Perhaps this is to show that Antoine and René are not alone in this issue: that everyone has had their part in some crime (strangely, no one stops or tries to report them). Regarding another cinematic aspect, the same music makes its way throughout the entire film, providing some continuity as well as accentuating the negative or positive mood, as the difference between the minor/major sound stands out particularly in the recognizable tune. However, perhaps the boldest cinematic element that is included in The 400 Blows is Truffant’s decision to film it in black and white. I think that this choice adds to the mood of the film, putting the viewer in the place of Truffant as he watched the black and white movies during the era in which he was growing up. All of these elements strictly of cinema add to The 400 Blows effectiveness as a film.
Although different mediums, both The 400 Blows and Richard Wright’s Black Boy share many of the same themes and literary ideas that make them both effective works. Both pieces are memoirs and in them, the two main characters, Antoine and Richard, have many similar experiences that they have to cope with. Both protagonists are forced to cope with negligent/harsh parents and therefore learn to be independent from them. Both are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals, whether it is stealing from the movie theater in Richard’s case or lying to his stepfather about the Michelin guide in Antoine’s case. Both find comfort and transport themselves outside of their own lives in a form of art, literature and film for Richard and Antoine respectively. One of their most important similarities is their ability to support themselves independently: Richard moves into Memphis by himself and Antoine, while not old enough to support himself financially, has the emotional independence to have no qualms about running away from home. Finally, both Richard and Antoine set goals for themselves that act as a purpose for them even when life becomes complicated. For Richard, his dream is to become a writer, and although it causes him to sacrifice a comfortable existence many times, he is ultimately successful in writing Black Boy. For Antoine, his goal is to see the ocean. This becomes a focus for him, and he too is successful in this venture after escaping from the detention center. Both The 400 Blows and Black Boy use the similar experiences of their creators to relate to the audience, and do a very effective job.
Personally, I enjoyed watching The 400 Blows. I thought that it provided such a unique perspective of Paris: to truly see it through a Parisian’s eyes was amazing. The views of Paris were so beautiful. I also think that the film did a good job of balancing the artistic and narrative aspects of the movie. Many films get bogged down in their artistic whims whereas The 400 Blows had a moving story line that the artistic elements simply added to. Additionally, although the movie itself was a rather serious subject matter (the circumstances that would push a child to remove himself completely from his parents at the age of eleven or twelve) moments of humor kept the film from feeling overly depressing, such as Antoine’s various mishaps. The 400 Blows also utilized all of the aspects of its medium of film, literary, dramatic, and cinematic, to great effect. The characters, especially Antoine, were easy to relate to because of the universal theme of growing up and becoming independent. The actors themselves helped us understand the characters better with their mannerisms and expressions that were so appropriate. Cinematic elements such as the black and white filming style helped set the mood for the entire film. Because of my enjoyment of the film, I would definitely recommend The 400 Blows.
“Oh I lie now and then, I suppose. Sometimes I’d tell them the truth and they still wouldn’t believe me, so I prefer to lie” states Antoine Doinel in the film The 400 Blows. I think that The 400 Blows did an effective job conveying the emotions François Truffant experienced that inspired his devotion to cinema. The film communicated well the bustling world of Paris in the 1930s/40s through a young boy’s eyes, focusing on the parts of life that would matter to a young schoolboy like Antoine, such as school, friends, and relationships with parents. I also personally enjoyed the unabashedness of the film in exposing some of Antoine’s fasults. Although this film is based on his own life, Truffant does not seek to hide the irrationality in some of Antoine’s decisions, such as stealing his father’s typewriter and running away from home. In addition to the narrative aspect of the film, other literary, dramatic, and cinematic aspects were utilized to make The 400 Blows an effective film.
The literary aspects of The 400 Blows add greatly to its efficacy as a film. The integral part of the movie is its plot, a literary aspect. This film follows young Antoine as he stumbles from misadventure to misadventure, trying to find his fit in life with his family and his schoolwork. This struggle to fit in is a rather universal one, so the plot helps The 400 Blows relate to everyone. Another literary aspect, the place, is firmly established in the opening credits as Paris, and although the time period is not directly specified, it is supposed that it is around the time of the 1930s/40s. Antoine is the main character in this film, and his story mirrors the childhood of François Truffant. He is a mischievous kid who, although not bad-charactered, always seems to be getting in trouble. His parents do not seem to have a deep sense of care for Antoine’s well being, although he seems to try his best to earn their love, obeying their demands, setting the table. However, Antoine does what it takes to survive and prosper in his small world of school and friends, even if it means stealing from his parents. Antoine explores themes such as the frustration of being trapped. This is exemplified through the shot of him on the ride where he is trapped against the wall, unable to move, as well as whenever his position as the lowest member of his family is demonstrated, for he cannot escape or rise above it. Another literary device, symbols, is utilized in The 400 Blows. The ocean seems to become a symbol for Antoine himself as the freedom and luxury that he was never able to attain in his family, and it becomes a goal for him towards the end of the movie. Additionally, during his first time running away from home, Antoine steals a bottle of milk from the street, which could symbolize his need for a mother (the milk) and his willingness to bend the rules (stealing) to gain it. Overall, a significant part of the film The 400 Blows’ effectiveness can be attributed to its literary aspects.
Another aspect to film is its dramatic qualities. In The 400 Blows especially, specific actors and actresses add a huge impact to the film’s effectiveness. Antoine is played by Jean-Pierre Léaud who, with his scruffy hair and down turned mouth that is quick to smile, clearly shows both sides of Antoine’s personality. Antoine’s mother (Claire Maurier) uses her narrow eyes, big lips, and blonde hair to exemplify Gilberte Doinel’s outer beauty and inner horridness. She also uses mannerisms such as often looking into a mirror to show Madame Doinel’s self-centeredness. Personally, I think that Patrick Auffay does an excellent job playing René. His blond, neatly-combed hair shows his class, and his smaller size and softer voice show his subordination to Antoine in their friendship. He displays perfectly René’s inner calm when removing money from a family hiding place, even when he is almost caught by his mother, as well as when he is forbidden to see Antoine in the Observation Center. He simply gets on his bike, turns around and starts home in the most fitting way. The costumes in The 400 Blows also add to our understanding of the characters. Antoine is constantly dressed in dark colors, reflecting the more negative aspect of his personality and his parents frugality regarding his state of wellness. His mother, on the other hand, always is wearing rather luxurious clothing such as her fur coat. René shows his class in the dapper little suits that are his attire through the movie. The set also contributes to the overall feel of the film: Antoine’s rooms in his apartment show his station in his family completely. Both the garbage room and his own bedroom are dark, small, and dirty; of course they are only for Antoine. Dramatic aspects definitely add to the effectiveness of the film The 400 Blows.
Finally, cinematography is a feature of The 400 Blows that augments its effectiveness. My favorite part of the film was the beautiful shots of Paris that were interspersed throughout the film. This gave a definite sense of setting, not only in the sense of the place but also of the time period. A variety of shots add to these montages. Many were shot at night, such as the ones where Antoine is wandering the streets of Paris, or when he is carted in a police coach to the juvenile detention center, so that the bright lights of Paris shine out from the darkness. The high angle shot of the gym teacher running as the boys disappear helped accentuate his bright white shorts against the dark tones of the Paris sidewalk and show truly the ridiculousness of Antoine’s entire school. Another shot that stands out is directly follows the theft of the typewriter by Antoine and René. As they weave through crowds, the camera does not directly focus on them, instead showing their rush as well as the people of Paris going about their business around the two. Perhaps this is to show that Antoine and René are not alone in this issue: that everyone has had their part in some crime (strangely, no one stops or tries to report them). Regarding another cinematic aspect, the same music makes its way throughout the entire film, providing some continuity as well as accentuating the negative or positive mood, as the difference between the minor/major sound stands out particularly in the recognizable tune. However, perhaps the boldest cinematic element that is included in The 400 Blows is Truffant’s decision to film it in black and white. I think that this choice adds to the mood of the film, putting the viewer in the place of Truffant as he watched the black and white movies during the era in which he was growing up. All of these elements strictly of cinema add to The 400 Blows effectiveness as a film.
Although different mediums, both The 400 Blows and Richard Wright’s Black Boy share many of the same themes and literary ideas that make them both effective works. Both pieces are memoirs and in them, the two main characters, Antoine and Richard, have many similar experiences that they have to cope with. Both protagonists are forced to cope with negligent/harsh parents and therefore learn to be independent from them. Both are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals, whether it is stealing from the movie theater in Richard’s case or lying to his stepfather about the Michelin guide in Antoine’s case. Both find comfort and transport themselves outside of their own lives in a form of art, literature and film for Richard and Antoine respectively. One of their most important similarities is their ability to support themselves independently: Richard moves into Memphis by himself and Antoine, while not old enough to support himself financially, has the emotional independence to have no qualms about running away from home. Finally, both Richard and Antoine set goals for themselves that act as a purpose for them even when life becomes complicated. For Richard, his dream is to become a writer, and although it causes him to sacrifice a comfortable existence many times, he is ultimately successful in writing Black Boy. For Antoine, his goal is to see the ocean. This becomes a focus for him, and he too is successful in this venture after escaping from the detention center. Both The 400 Blows and Black Boy use the similar experiences of their creators to relate to the audience, and do a very effective job.
Personally, I enjoyed watching The 400 Blows. I thought that it provided such a unique perspective of Paris: to truly see it through a Parisian’s eyes was amazing. The views of Paris were so beautiful. I also think that the film did a good job of balancing the artistic and narrative aspects of the movie. Many films get bogged down in their artistic whims whereas The 400 Blows had a moving story line that the artistic elements simply added to. Additionally, although the movie itself was a rather serious subject matter (the circumstances that would push a child to remove himself completely from his parents at the age of eleven or twelve) moments of humor kept the film from feeling overly depressing, such as Antoine’s various mishaps. The 400 Blows also utilized all of the aspects of its medium of film, literary, dramatic, and cinematic, to great effect. The characters, especially Antoine, were easy to relate to because of the universal theme of growing up and becoming independent. The actors themselves helped us understand the characters better with their mannerisms and expressions that were so appropriate. Cinematic elements such as the black and white filming style helped set the mood for the entire film. Because of my enjoyment of the film, I would definitely recommend The 400 Blows.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
"The Lost" Post 3b
The quote "I too, like to think that my grandfather, had he not made his long journey to Timess skvar in 1920, would have somehow used his talent to get what he wanted, to survive..." (166-167) made me think of the tendency of people to have wishful thinking. Everytime I tell a story, I know that I have an impluse to embellish it, make it more exciting, make it more important. This seems to be an unconcious desire of ours, that somehow something more exciting is better. Mendelsohn is talking here about his grandfather and his wily ways, and it appears that his own memory is trying to embellish the talents of his grandfather, that even though he was a Jew and that his relatives who remained in Europe were all killed, he would have survived. It seems really unlikely, especially because of the position that Mendelsohn viewed his grandfather from (a young child looking up to his favorite grandparent). Perhaps this relates to the outrageous stories that Mendelsohn hears from his grandfather about the voyaget hat he took as a young man- the author may be relating his grandfather's imagination to his own, both which attempted to reflect the past in more "story-like" positive manner. Perhaps Mendelsohn is trying to make a universal point here: we are all constantly trying the shift the past in a way that will please us more. It's almost as if the past is something hazy, only there because of the views unconciously taken by our memories.
"The Lost" Post 3a
Vocabulary
nuanced (155): filled with subtle differences in expression or meaning
gopher (156): a type of wood used by Noah in the Bible to make his ark, perhaps cyprus
Three Appeals
"The Pacific is vast" (157). Although this is a logical appeal (the Pacific is a vast ocean) the use of the world vast implies an extremeness that seems to lend in an emotional quality. Additionally, the previous sentence relates that the author views the Atlantic as a "manageable" size, perhaps the immensity of the Pacific makes it unmanageable to comprehend, in which case this statement would also have an emotional appeal.
"And then she added this: Because she herself was in danger, was "passing" at that point, she couldn't allow herself to betray any emotion when she saw the bodies of her family passing by in the wagon..." (169). This is obviously an emotional appeal because of the great sadness in (a) people, especially familiy, dying, (b) bodies being heaped on a wagon unceremoniously (c) not being able to release emotions and (d) the context of the Holocaust.
"I imagined that it must seem unfai rto her to have this young American man intervene in her life, suddenly, fanning out photographs of people he never knew as if they were cards in a deck and asking her to pick one, photographs of her girlfriend's parents, when she had no photographs of her own parents" (182). I think that this quote has an emotional appeal because of the sadness that it relates, that some woman has no pictures of her parents to remember them by. This takes on special meaning in context of the book, where respect for family history is an important value.
Quote
"I would compare and contrast these columns, when I was much younger, and even then I would wonder what kind of present you could possibly have without knowing the stories of your past" (162). I really liked this quote because I think it may evolve into another theme relating the importance of personal history.
Theme
As above, our familial histories not only shape who we are but deserve to be a part of our lives today.
nuanced (155): filled with subtle differences in expression or meaning
gopher (156): a type of wood used by Noah in the Bible to make his ark, perhaps cyprus
Three Appeals
"The Pacific is vast" (157). Although this is a logical appeal (the Pacific is a vast ocean) the use of the world vast implies an extremeness that seems to lend in an emotional quality. Additionally, the previous sentence relates that the author views the Atlantic as a "manageable" size, perhaps the immensity of the Pacific makes it unmanageable to comprehend, in which case this statement would also have an emotional appeal.
"And then she added this: Because she herself was in danger, was "passing" at that point, she couldn't allow herself to betray any emotion when she saw the bodies of her family passing by in the wagon..." (169). This is obviously an emotional appeal because of the great sadness in (a) people, especially familiy, dying, (b) bodies being heaped on a wagon unceremoniously (c) not being able to release emotions and (d) the context of the Holocaust.
"I imagined that it must seem unfai rto her to have this young American man intervene in her life, suddenly, fanning out photographs of people he never knew as if they were cards in a deck and asking her to pick one, photographs of her girlfriend's parents, when she had no photographs of her own parents" (182). I think that this quote has an emotional appeal because of the sadness that it relates, that some woman has no pictures of her parents to remember them by. This takes on special meaning in context of the book, where respect for family history is an important value.
Quote
"I would compare and contrast these columns, when I was much younger, and even then I would wonder what kind of present you could possibly have without knowing the stories of your past" (162). I really liked this quote because I think it may evolve into another theme relating the importance of personal history.
Theme
As above, our familial histories not only shape who we are but deserve to be a part of our lives today.
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