High Fidelity

"Reactions to the movie High Fidelity"

This was the second time I had seen High Fidelity. This movie gets funnier every time I watch it. I would have to say that I love Barry's (Jack Black) sense of humor and carefree attitude. The one thing about this movie is that it depicts what really goes on in people's lives. Everyone has relationship problems. But in Rob's (John Cusack) case, he really should this sit back and think about what he really wants out of a relationship. I know that in each of the "Top 5" or his past five relationships that he recollects on, he at least enjoyed some quality or qualities in the woman.

RESOLVING CONFLICTS ASSIGNMENT

"What's Love Got To Do With It?"

In my resolving conflicts assignment, I will mediate between the argument of the the hook-up culture vs. actual relationships on college campuses. I will use the essays "The Hook-Up Culture" by Jack Grimes and "Dinner and a Movie? No Thanks on College Campuses" by Bella English. I will talk about the aspects of both sides and get college student's opinions.As a college student, I think that college students have a lot of "big decisions" to make and whether or not to get into a relationship is one. I think that I will find a lot of resources on these topic and hopefully come to some resolution as to our sexual encounters and tendencies.

Suggestions for Writing: Section 1

For Research and Convincing

"What Wedding Films Tell Us about Love"


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According to CNN Money, the average amount of money spent on a wedding was $20,000 but is soaring near $30,000. The average cost of a honeymoon is about $4,000. In my reading, What Wedding Films Tell Us about Love, it says that the romantic illusions created by media wedding s construct desire to an extent that, without realizing it, we place these illusions above reality. For instance, when the average bride spends $823 on a wedding gown, $19,000 on a wedding, and incurring a wedding debt far beyond his/her means. It appears the wedding-ideological complex is succeeding.

Last year in September, my older brother got married in Maryland. He definitely had the formal wedding and reception. They had photographers everywhere and stretch Cadillac Escalades for the Bridal Party and Family. I know for a fact that the photographers totaled to $4,000. Now, I said that it isn't that much picture snapping in the world to spend $4,ooo on. Altogether, I know that he spent close near or more than the average amount spent on a wedding.

The value of these expenditures could be a way of expressing one's love and devotion to their partner. Also, brides and grooms know what they want and are willing to stretch their budgets to get whatever it is that they want.

My Favorite Song

I would have to say that my favorite song is "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. This song reminds me of life. It expresses that you are unwritten, undefined, and that no one else can define you but you. Natasha states that "the pen's in your hand". Basically she is saying that you live your life how you want to. I love how she states "live your life with arms wide open". Overall, I love this song.

Here are the lyrics to "Unwritten" courtesy of elyrics.net

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined

I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you

Open up the dirty window

Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance

So close you can almost taste it

Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you

Only you can let it inNo one else, no one else

Can speak the words on your lips

Drench yourself in words unspoken

Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins

The rest is still unwritten

My 6 Word Autobiography

Love. Family. Hope. Dreams. Determination. Laughter.

Persepolis

1.Satrapi’s book seeks to convey a complex political history stained with national and individual tragedy. Would you say she’s achieved her goals while using a graphic novel?
I would definitely say Satrapi achieved her goal by using a graphic novel. The illustrations allow us to visualize the emotions of people during the war. Satrapi conveys more of the impact the war had on her than on the nation though.



2.We’ve discussed the use of color as a way to evoke emotion. What does Persepolis gain or lose in its utilization of black-and-white (with no shades of graywhatsoever) illustration?
I feel that as much emotion isn't expressed in Persepolis when using black-and-white as it would have been if color was used. We associate certain feelings and emotions with colors. So without the use of color it makes everything seem dark. Despite the use of color, you can still see the expressions in the illustrations of the peoples' faces.



3.Choose one frame (a single box on any page) to analyze. Briefly discuss its visual rhetoric: Who or what is being depicted? What emotion is being conveyed? What doesthe text add to or take from the picture? What tone (sincerity, irony, humor,information) does the picture exhibit? What figures in the frame remain stationary?What figures imply action? What is the purpose of this? What shapes are used? Is there a sense or lack of realism? (Hint: make sure you can discuss several visual rhetoric techniques in the frame you’ve chosen. If you can’t you’ve either chosen too simple of an image or not looked hard enough. Over-analyzing is the name of the game.)
I chose the frame that had the caption: "Everywhere in the streets there were demonstrations for and against the veil." This frame shows the fury and animosity of some demonstrators that were against the veil as well as the demonstrators that were for wearing the veils. It seems as they were chanting very forcefully and sincerely. Both sides had their fists balled up symbolizing the strength and power they had in which side they were for. The ones for wearing the veils, were chanting "The Veil" while the ones opposing chanted "Freedom". I also noticed the demonstrators for wearing veils had their eyes closed as if they were trying to block out the light and truth. Satrapi also portrayed them in black while the opposers were in white and had their eyes old open.

Political Cartoon

Taken from "Bee Movie", this political cartoon is making fun of Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. Ever since Huckabee won the Iowa caucus vote earlier in the year, he has been plowing his way ahead of the other candidates. So this cartoon is suggesting that Huckabee has become irritating to the other Republican presidential candidates illustrated in the cartoon.

English Lab: Most Memorable Image: The Leaning Tower of Pisa

I was in the third grade when I opened my social studies book and saw this tower leaning as if it was about to fall. Out of curiosity, I had to know why and how this tower was still managing to hold up despite the fact that it was leaning. So my teacher told me that it was the Leaning Tower of Pisa. She said it was a cathedral's bell tower in the Italian city of Pisa. It was so amazed at how a building could be leaning and not fall over. The picture at the right (taken from Wikepedia) is what amazed me that Tuesday afternoon in class. The picture in my book was actually a closer view with tourists outside taking photographs of it.

Eventually, I would like to take a trip to Italy and go see this historic piece of art. I want to stand from the level ground and actually look up at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and say to myself " It really is leaning.".

Across the Universe--- "Strawberry Fields"

Strawberries are used throughout this movie clip symbolizing bombs, bullets, grenades, death, and bloodshed. As the guy pins the strawberries to the wall, he sort of creates a piece of art. The arrangement of the strawberries reminded me of the phrase " the war frontlines" since they were arranged in long rows. As the strawberries are pinned, red juice begins to run down the wall. The red juice could be symbolic of bloodshed from soldiers and others during the Vietnam War. Then I went on to notice the color red that was shown in the last scene of the clip. The girl had fiery eyes and red was splattered everywhere. It seemed as if she was angry about what was going on.

Then you have the guy who becomes upset that the television is being put into the area where he tries to construct his artwork. It's almost like he is trying to escape the war but now it's everywhere. Now the tv is broadcasting the war and stating the many casualites that have occurred. Eventually, all the violence causes the tv screen to break. Is the breaking of the tv screen symbolic?

Recollection of 9/11

The photo on page on 313 shows the hundreds of caskets of the men and women that lost their lives trying to save other lives in the 9/11 terroist attacks in the background. Then fives soldiers from the Air Force are carrying a casket to join the others in the background. Each casket has the United States flag wrapped around it, symbolizing the patriotic services that the men and women rendered. It brings back memories of people that lost their loved ones. Soldiers from the United States armed forces are standing at attention holding candles in honor and remembrance of the firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers that lost their lives. Also pictured are three priests standing behind the soldiers. It seems as if a vigil is being held.

English Lab: Movie Review for "Disturbia"

Disturbia starts off showing a father and son relationship. These two are fishing and laughing together. Without catching a single fish, they decide to call it quits and head home. In route home, a SUV in front of them dodges a car broken down in the road. But sadly, they didn't. The father died in the crash while the son lived. High school junior, Kale has to deal with his father's death and manage his grades. While in Spanish class, Kale was apparently sleeping when the teacher called on him to speak. Pissed off by the teacher's remark about his father, Kale jumps up and socks his teacher in the jaw. Following the court hearing, Kale is placed on house arrest for three long months. With the house arrest came an electronic anklet that denied him access beyond his front lawn. If he overstepped his boundaries, the cops would show up within seconds.

While on house arrest, Kale finds himself completely bored out of his mind because his mom took away all of his leisure items. So he finds a new interest of watching his neighbors from all the windows in his room. (A little Peeping Tom.) Ashley, the new girl next door, is one of his main interests and some younger boys that have grown fond to watching some adult channels. But he suspects a neighbor across the street of some peculiar activity. After screwing up once, Kale decides to mark off his boundaries in the yard. Still suspicious of his neighbor, Kale sits down one night and notices a news story on a killer out to get women. The news gave a vivid description of the killer's car. From that point on, Kale knew his neighbor was the serial killer. This is what motivated Kale to start gathering footage on his neighbor. Kale then filled his friend and Ashley in on his observations. In the end, the guy gets arrested for the murders after Kyle takes action to save his mother, who doesn't return after going over to the neighbor's house to explain Kyle's obsurd behavior. I loved this movie because it kept me on the edge of my seat. GREAT MOVIE!

English 103 Lab: College Life

I could not wait to walk across Branchville High School's stage on June 2, 2007. Then I realized that I was going to leave a lot of friends and fellow classmates behind. Now here I am, a freshman at Clemson University, majoring in biological sciences. All I can say is that it was a BIG TRANSITION from high school to college. One reason is because out of my senior class, I was the only student to come to Clemson. So I knew I was going to have to make new friends.

College life is full of suprising things. But then you have the not so suprising things like exams and practicals. It seems like all of them are are scheduled around the same time. Does anybody else feel this way? It's CRAZY! But then after all those exams are out of the way, you can get back to the partying with your friends and enjoy the good college life.

"Martin's Big Words"

Wow! That was the first thing that came to mind after having this book read to me. Martin's Big Words didn't didn't exactly use big words like his speech from jail did. But instead, Rappaport used small words like love, peace, and freedom to get the meaning across to a younger audience. These were words that Dr. King heard growing up as a child from his mother and his father's church sermans that he used to stand up for what was right. He used big words to show the equality between all races.

In addition to these big words, the illustrations by Bryan Collier were amazing. Each picture had so much detail and so many different meanings behind them. These illustrations exhibited at lease one, if not all three means of appeal. Our group noticed that in the pictures with windows, that there were little phrases, but they weren't complete thoughts. I thought that these could be some text from Dr. King's speeches or just some encouraging words. This was a great book, and I bought it for my nephew after having it read to me.

Reactions to the Academic Integrity Pledge

When I read the syllabus to see what we were going to be doing in English Lab, I saw the words "Academic Integrity Pledge". I thought we were just going to be discussing Clemson's Academic Integrity Pledge. I thought the assignment was going to be pointless. But I was certainly wrong. I liked the idea that we got to put what we value most in this pledge. It allowed us to communicate with others in our group and see what they valued. I was amazed to see that we valued a lot of the same things. Most of all, it made me realize why I take so much pride in my work. It was my hard work, morals, and values that got me where I am now.

"Julius Caesar" Act 3 Scene 2

Brutus uses pathos, ethos, and logos throughout his speech. He tends to use ethos and pathos the most. Brutus claims that he killed Caesar because he loved Rome more than he loved Caesar.

"Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more."

Brutus is using pathos in this quote to appeal to the crowd's emotions. He states that he still cared for Caesar ,but Caesar was too ambitious. Brutus knows that the crowd views him as "noble" and sees him as very formal. He uses his credibility to get the crowd to come on over and side with him.

Antony on the other hand, uses both logos and pathos more. He also used suspense in his eulogy like speech. For example, when he mentions Caesar's will, he would pause repeatedly. This is what kept the crowd excited and wanting more. He exhibits pathos when he began crying while speaking. I think the pathos actually won the crowd over. Antony used sarcasm too. He states that he only wanted to bury Caesar and not praise him. He also used it to contradict the meaning of "Noble Brutus".

Expectations of English 103 Lab

There are a lot of things I expect to master in English lab. First, I would like to have what was lectured in English class reinforced in lab. I know that when it comes to formatting a paper, I'm completely lost. I get comfused by the MLA and APA formats. Mainly because some professors want this format and some want the other. I expect to learn how to cite sources in the correct format and how to format the paper. I want to have the guidelines for MLA down pact.

Another thing that I expect to get out of lab class is how to read and understand (read for comprehension). I don't quite get the whole critical reading thing. I also would like to learn how to diagnose my strengths and weaknesses in my own writings. I would love to only proofread my writing only a few times and make corrections, not several like I'm used to. I know this lab is going to be full of suprising things. I can hardly wait to do my soundtrack of life!

Punctuation

Punctuation is a key tool that is critical in writing. So therefore it's important, but it seems to be overlooked nowadays. We have found shortened versions of words, expressions, etc. that mean the same thing and are easily understood. I mainly disagree with the author when she speaks on the subject "text messaging". She feels as if correct grammar and punctuation should be used in text messaging. If that is the case, then what's the point of texting? Text messages are usually short and use a lot of shortened phrases. I feel if you are going to use correct grammar, then there is no need to text message. Besides, you' re just wasting characters.

"Language: The Power We Love to Hate" by Robin Lakoff

[Quote] "Higher ups "never explain, never apologize," first because they don't have to, and second because it might threaten their high status" (Lakoff 23)

This quote really stood out to me. It's basically saying that people of higher statures and classes usually don't apologize simply because they don't have to. Apologizing might lower or risk their credibility or place in society. Rather than to admit to their wrongdoing, they would rather maintain their status, than to risk losing it.

This quote fits right into Lakoff's argument because this definitely goes on in politics today. No one in politcs wants to admit that they were wrong.