Genre Essays (Examples)

Genre: The Conventions of Connection" by Leo Braudy is a bold and well-written article which acknowledges how too often in film theory and criticism, genre films are dismissed as fluff and all-together one-dimensional pieces of art. Braudy makes a strong case for genre films explaining how they actually represent intricate subversions or indictments of reality and he uses specific examples from westerns or musicals to support his case.

Braudy acknowledges that one of the reasons that genre films are so staunchly criticized is because they appeal to a pre-existing audience, whereas classic films have no such audience (435). But the basis of their criticism doesn't stop there: "Genre films offend our most common definition of artistic excellence: the uniqueness of the art object, whose value can in part be defined by its desire to be uncaused and unfamiliar, as much as possible unindebted to any tradition, popular or otherwise. The…

In this aspect, the show is reflecting the cultural norms of the woman staying home, to take care of the family. ("Job Switching") in the episode of Love is all around, Mary is seeking to become her own woman, by leaving ob and making it on her own in Minneapolis. ("Love is all Around") This is different from Job Switching, as the cultural norms are different, underscoring the changing role of women in society. With them being independent and strong (as shown through the character Mary in the episode Love is All Around).

How has it Changed this Reflection?

All of the different television shows can highlight the transformation of society over the decades. Evidence of this can be seen in I Love Lucy, where Lucy and Ethel are the traditional home makers. The Mary Tyler Moore Show and All in the Family; underscore a change in these norms. As…

Once again, this is an interesting platform from which to teach students about specific types of language to focus on specific communication needs without necessarily being a holistic approach to the reality of life.

The final essay takes a more academic approach, where the genre of ethnography is used to help students identify different types of language genres. The advantage of this is a wider focus and more pedagogical possibilities.

In his book, Bruce (2008) also takes a wide, academic approach to genre-based instruction. He points to the fact, for example, that discourse competence involves not only linguistic prowess, but also an awareness of non-linguistic contextual factors. Importantly, the author points out that there is significant disagreement and divergence among authors who promote genre-based language teaching, which makes a uniformly effective approach difficult to identify.

With this in mind, the author uses the rest of his book to focus on…

(Sapprkuhl, 2010) This is significant, because it shows how the ripped from the headlines format has become increasingly popular in addressing the interests of the general public. Yet, it has also served as tutorial for criminals, where they will often distort fiction with reality. As a result, this highlights how the overall formats of the crime drama has continued to evolve, while reflecting the various interests and tastes of society at large.

The above information underscores, how the crime drama has continued to change as time went by. Where, it embraces the basic format of showing the inner workings of an investigation and the judicial process. However, over the years the layout of these kinds of genres has continued to evolve. Recently, the common themes have changed, where the victims are shown to be taking personal responsibility for being victimized. At the same time, these people are often depicted as…

The humor in Seinfeld is more subtle and this is one of the main causes for which it can be appreciated. Despite the fact that "The Contest" presents a topic that was rather unmentionable in the nineties, is succeeds in breaking barriers in order to prove that taboo subjects can actually be funny. The use of taboo-focused concepts is frequently used in sitcoms today, as directors are aware that this is a good way of attracting today's audience.

Similar to Seinfeld, Friends is one of the most rated sitcoms in the nineties and is responsible for bringing humor into the lives of millions of individuals. Season four's episode eighty-five, "The One With the Embryos," provides insight on how the guys know more about the girls than vice-versa.

Joey and Chandler's passion for animals materializes into a fight they fight with Rachel and Monica, and it all comes down to a…

genre" to frame your analysis to compare "The Dark Knight" (2008) and "Iron Man 2" (2010) in relation to popular film culture

A comparison of 'the dark knight' (2008) and 'iron man 2' (2010) In relation to popular film culture

The film technology has taken a center stage in many discussions concerning the film culture in the world today. With advancement in technology especially in relation to computer programs, film writers and directors are now able to design films that are beyond the imagination of human beings. Application of science and technology has moved the film industry beyond the realities of human nature due to the application of science fiction. 'The dark knight' and 'Iron man 2' are two examples of the modern world film industry where there is the application of modern technology, and imagination in the creation of films. The two films focus on one theme, but the…

Genre Systems: Structuring Interaction through Communicative Norms" by JoAnne Yates and Wanda Orlikowski (2008)

Because all organizations are comprised of people, developing and sustaining effective organizational communications represent a timely enterprise for businesses of all sizes and types today (Miner, 2002). In their study, "Genre Systems: Structuring Interaction through Communicative Norms," Yates and Orlikowski, professors and researchers at MIT's Sloan School of Management, describe the results of their innovative experiment using so-called "genre systems" (these are sequences of interrelated communicative actions that teams routinely use to structure collaborative efforts) to investigate improved organizational communications techniques. This paper provides an analysis of this study, followed by a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion.

eview and Analysis

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study by Yates and Orlikowski (2008) was to provide support for the proposition that genre systems can provide insights concerning how teams develop…

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

The genre of a movie is the label that is supposed to be applied to that film. For example, a mystery movie is labeled in that genre because it has certain characteristics which fit in with what comes to mind with the word "mystery." Genre labels are also applied to comedies, dramas, musicals, horror films, and children's movies. Some movies however do not fit neatly into one particular category over another. These films which cross genre boundaries are more interesting, but also much more difficult to classify. The movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is partly a romance, partly a comedy, and also has a lot of elements of science fiction and fantasy.

The story of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is at first a romance. It is about a man named Joel (Jim Carrey) who purchases a treatment wherein all his…

This has led to the development of the culture of the Asian-Americans in the context of the United States thus an opportunity for global representation of the global culture. There is also an enhanced interaction between the United States and Asian nations following the increased influence on the development of the genres of the music in America (Aton p. 517).

Describe the roots of rap and hip-hop. Name the general categories we discussed and important artists from each category.

The roots of rap and hip hop are found in the culture of African-Americans following the slavery conditions in the context of the United States. The development of hip hop is often credited to the work of Keith Cowboy.

General Categories

Important Artists

Jazz

Louis Armstrong, Johnny Hartman, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Hip Hop

Run-DMC, NA, Sugarhill Gang, Erick B, and Rakim

R&B

Aliyah, Ashanti, Brady, and Bobby Brown

Rap…

Science Fiction Film Genre

Defining the Science Fiction Genre

The genre of science fiction has been defined saying that it describes,

The probable consequences of some improbable or impossible transformation of the basic conditions of human (or intelligent non-human) existence. This transformation need not be brought about by a technological invention, but may involve some mutation of known biological or physical reality" (Baldick 1991, p. 200).

Another source says that:

Sci-fi tales have a prophetic nature (they often attempt to figure out the future) and are often set in a future time. They are usually visualized through fanciful settings and advanced technology gadgets, scientific developments, or by fantastic special effects" (Dirks 2002).

While these aspects of science fiction films are generally true, such as having special effects, the one aspect that makes a film science fiction is that it is not based in the current reality. Beyond this, the genre…

For instance, in Jacob Have I Loved, a twin comes of age in the 1940s, and finds that she indeed can make ordinary life more than extraordinary. Realistic fiction also tends to be more contemporary in tone, connecting with issues that are relevant to contemporary family situations. Issues such as divorce, dysfunctional families, adoptions, etc. are dealt with in a serious and relevant manner; in On My Honor, a young boy must deal with the guilt he has about the death of his best friend; while in The Tulip Touch, a girl finally realizes she must remove herself from a destructive relationship or face becoming a victim herself. Situational realism is also part of this genre -- books on the loss of a friend, pet, or relative; family crisis; disease; adoption; or natural disasters. In Bud, Not Buddy, the issues of homelessness, the depression, child-abuse, and a search for self-actualization…

Message, Different Genres

Literature is a means by which people can raise questions about the society they live in and address issues of concern to them. One of the questioned often raised relates to the role of women in society. Female writers are able to use literature to express their opinions and explore what it means to be a woman in society. This was especially true in the times when women did not have the power and were not taken seriously enough to question their own roles openly. One text clearly describes the role of women saying that women were "supposedly the most stable of all elements of American nineteenth-century life, fixed firmly within their sphere of home and hearth" (The Literature of an Expanding Nation 21). hen women are viewed this way, they are not capable of openly questioning their role or how they are viewed. Literature then becomes…

Gregorian chant (plainchant) include characteristics genre, history, developed forms chant ( polyphonic Gregorian chanting), influence western music a . Use scholarly sources

Gregorian chant (plainchant)

The Gregorian chant is considered by experts to be part of the foundations of religious chants, dating back to the first centuries of Christianity. Despite the fact that along the time, it has known several variations and influences, it remains one of the most significant liturgical accompaniments for both the Catholic and Orthodox churches. The present research considers the evolution of this genre and points out the main contributions to the way in which religious sermons are conducted as well as the influences it had in time over religious chants and even modern music today.

The Church has always been seen as the only means thru which the religious message could be sent across. The role played by music in this context was vital. More…

Through these episodes, audiences can see the pessimistic attitude that society has expressed with the increase in progress and development of science and technology. Twilight reflects the fearful aspect of science, especially when embodied in a child whose mental powers exceeded the individual's mature capability to control these powers. Quantum demonstrates the troubles an individual went through in order to "correct" and control the effects of his time-space experiment, while, on a similar vein, the X-Files episode "Soft Light" showed the adverse effects of an accidentally 'successful' experiment, especially when the success of the experiment meant the death of all living things exposed to this new "matter." To a certain extent, these three episodes also represent the different portrayals of scientific and technological capabilities and expected future trends of each period. Twilight contemplates the possibility of the mind possessing powers that can go beyond its perceived capabilities; Quantum breaks the…

Diversity

Genres of esearch in Multicultural Education

The article, "Genres of esearch in Multicultural Education" by Christine Bennett covers the roots and "framework" of multicultural education, incorporating the author's own research and thoughts on the subject. The author discusses the beginning of multicultural education in our country, and some of the educational mistakes that helped lead the country to multicultural education for our youth. The author also cites some of the perspectives underlying education during the past century, and how they evolved into more opportunities for minorities in education. She also identifies four "clusters" of research into multicultural education, including curriculum, pedagogy, competence, and reform. The author cites research that has created these clusters, and also discusses in detail the makeup of each cluster, and how it affects the whole of multicultural education.

This article shows that despite multicultural educational opportunities, there are still many biases and prejudices that minorities…

This means that all reality in the book is quite consciously the construction of the narrator, which leads almost automatically to a reflection on the part of the reader as to the construction of their own reality -- just as the narrator in Invisible Man creates his own "truth" about what occurred in their past and in the world around them, through unconscious though necessary perspectives and perceptions, so too do all humans, right? This is one of the central assertions made by post-modernism, and in a world without any of the simple truths of nature everything truly does become man-made artifice. The definition of self is still technically possible, but it is ultimate meaningless as there is no truth behind it, or behind anything else. Truth might have been mutable in Modernism, but it is simply non-existent in Post-modernism.

Conclusion

Each of the works described above is quite typical…

This means that while jazz was restricted to a structure, popular music was not and hence when jazz musicians tried some de-structuring, the whole genre suffered seriously unlike popular music which was always open to improvisations and had never subscribed to one strict structure. The de-structuring of jazz has been linked to its slow death but there are people who defend this kind of improvisation because they feel that jazz like any other music form must be democratic in nature. Cornel West (1995) tries to defend Parker's de-structuring of jazz in his book, Keeping Faith: Philosophy and ace in America, "I use the term "jazz" here not so much as a term for a musical art form, as for a mode of being in the world, an improvisational mode of protean, fluid, and flexible dispositions toward reality suspicious of "either/or" viewpoints.... It is true that the materials of jazz were…

Film

The modern film is a genre of its own that expresses a huge variety of cultural experiences through a fluid continuum. Film expresses the entire gamut of human emotions and needs; from the tragic to the comic; from entertainment to education; from adult to the young child. Films have become cultural artifacts created by specific cultural needs -- from a sociological perspective as a form of cultural expression for that particular time and place, but even more -- from the imagination and needs of the writer, producer, or director. Moreover, this cultural expression shows how cultural and historical events are reflected and affect the individual. Even the most simple cartoon can become a social or political statement in the right hands. Film, then, is considered to be an important art form, a source for popular entertainment, a powerful tool for educating, and a way to indoctrinate -- some would…

Rock: A genre of rock music that is ambitious in the scope of its design and compisition. Progressive rock deploys an eclectic mix of styles such as classical, jazz, and rock melodies. Progressive rock albums often have the performative scope of operatic rather than song-enclusive works. It used to be on rock albums, a single song ended the meaning of what the band was trying to convey -- but progressive rock albums often have a theme and an overarching musical narrative. Progressive rock was more popular and influential in the 1960s and 1970s amongst English and Canadian bands, and drew more of its performative attitudes from musicals and opera as well as classical music than country or blues as did American bands of the era.

Yes: Progressive-sounding British progressive rock band formed in the late 1960s but most famed for its composition "Owner of a Lonely Heart" in the 1980s.…

" "Public art" referred to sculptures occupying a public space that glorified one version of national history adhered to by members of the socially dominant group in society. The "cannon in the park" phenomena is an example of such art, in which America's military might and glory celebrated by its privileged members of society was put on artistic display in public spaces such as parks, plazas, shopping malls, and so on. In contrast to this, "art in public places" referred to artwork that sought to bring attention to the physical, visual, historical, and social properties of a particular site. This type of public art led to its burgeoning use in the seventies towards promoting social and historical concerns of groups traditionally under-represented in the art world, such as women and minorities.

The proliferation of "art in public places" led to artists in the eighties being encouraged by the NEA to…

Postmodern Lit.

An Analysis of the Postmodern Short Story

Robert Coover's "Going for a Beer" passes like a dream: the faint perceptions of a man who does not know if he is coming or going -- or as Coover puts it, whether he has achieved an "orgasm" or not -- in the midst of various connections and misconnections to an assortment of characters. At the end, his life is over and all we seem to understand of it is that he lived as though on the periphery of his own life, barely cognizant of the reality around him. As an example of postmodern literature, Coover's short story illustrates the clueless emptiness at the heart of the postmodern -- the real "modern" who has lost all sense of identity, purpose, character, proportion and exists as though in a haze, distorted, fragmented, and drugged. This paper will analyze the short story from…

Leaving the bleak Post- Communistic country I lived in and entering the United States has been an experience that managed to change everything, from me beliefs to my perceptions, from the perspective on art to the way I saw art, the art process and all the new currents I had discovered in the new country.

Of course, the first notable thing that happened to me was that I discovered, with some surprise, that there is more to art than what I had already experienced during the Communist regime. The immense Communist buildings gave way to the marvelous masterpieces of the Renaissance, including the incredible European churches. The Communist movies, some of them art forms themselves, but always gloomy and reflecting the reality surrounding us, were replaced by the American sitcoms and comedies. Indeed, shows like Seinfeld and Friends reflected the entire American attitude. Free and easy, without the general preoccupations…

Miller's Crossing gives the best example of the "ethics" of the crime film genre -- beginning as it does with the classic speech delivered by Giovanni Gasparo: "I'm talkin' about friendship -- I'm talkin' about character -- I'm talkin' about -- hell, Leo, I ain't embarrassed to use the word: I'm talkin' about ethics…" The film, of course, is full of characters whose actions are shady and unethical -- but the good (calm, loyal, not afraid of a fair fight -- and not against a fixed one either) are clearly distinguishable from the bad (shifty, uncontrollable, irrational, conniving, and always looking for the fix). Tom Reagan, the hero, is the man who appears to be playing both sides against the middle (for his own interests or for those of his boss and friend, Leo?). Leo comes out on top at the end, and Tom is no worse for wear (even…

Children's Literature

Chris Van Allsburg's, The Stranger, is the tale of the Bailey family and a mysterious visitor they receive one year during early autumn. It is told from the by an unknown narrator, but this unnamed narrator tells the story from the daughter Katy Bailey's point-of-view. One night the father accidentally hit a stranger in the road and brought him home to recover. Although the stranger never spoke a word the entire time he was with the family, he seemed to be happy during his short stay. This stranger acted in the most strange ways as well, as if he was new to the planet. The stranger also seemed to have an unnatural effect on the plant life surrounding the farm. It was early autumn and other trees had already changed to fall colors, but the trees on the farm did not change from green to orange and yellow…

The Godfather is the quintessential example of the gangster genre, which includes “films that deal with organized crime, often with mob families,” (Chapter 4). In fact, The Godfather also fits squarely within the gangster genre because it is nostalgic and romanticized, offering “recreations of past eras” in which Italian-American mafia families like the Corleones did dominate both licit and illicit business activities and politics in American cities. A sub-genre of the crime film, gangster movies like The Godfather are unique because the audience is rooting for the bad guys, not the cops. Even when the protagonists of the film kill people, they are still tragic heroes. “Many gangster characters then had a certain mystique that made them appealing, almost heroic, in their ability to overcome youthful poverty and oppression to rise in power and wealth,” (Chapter 4).
In The Godfather, Michael Corleone did not necessarily overcome poverty, because he was…

Genre theory offers a useful means of classifying films according to their tropes and conventions. Although films constructed purposely to fit into a specific genre can be criticized for being overly commercial, genre theory does reveal how American audiences do react favorably towards familiar themes, actors, directorial styles, plots, and imagery (“Movie Genres”). Moreover, genres reveal the power of archetypes in storytelling. Even when a film does not fit neatly within one and only one genre, or when a film straddles many genres at once, the plot and characterization may still reveal familiar themes. Fantasy can be considered a universal genre in that all cultures have a collective body of myths and storytelling about superhuman or otherworldly creatures. Therefore, fantasy films are about much more than escapism. Fantasy is a genre that offers filmmakers and audiences alike a great degree of flexibility in terms of symbols and motifs. Audiences are…

Blade Runner: Genre, Conflict and Ambiguities

The conflict at the heart of Blade Runner is like that in most noir, neo-noir and detective films -- a fight between good and evil. In Blade Runner, this conflict is particularly compelling because the distinction between these two forces is ambiguous at best. The film uses the man vs. monster motif put forward in Shelley's gothic masterpiece Frankenstein (in Blade Runner it is updated to man vs. machine to fit the futuristic setting), and this motif allows the film to explore the question of what makes us human, intelligent, sentient, and mortal. The film's underlying philosophical tone is not used in a pedantic manner but rather to elicit sympathy for the film's most interesting characters -- the replicants themselves -- as well as the individuals responsible for creating them and destroying them. The hero of the film, Deckard, is one of the latter…

Hippie evolution

Over the course of the 1960s, the United States saw great social and political upheaval, as countless young people revolted against a system that was fundamentally incapable of effectively representing them or their desires. Though the decade saw the development of a number of important social and political efforts, such as the civil rights movement, the hippie movement has come to define the era, and for good reason. Hippies not only opposed the Vietnam War, but they also formed a counter-culture, opposing repressive standards of dress, behavior, and even thought, and, ultimately, they ended up forcing the entire country to undergo a dramatic ideological shift. The films Head, Skidoo, and Psych-Out represent three different reactions to the social conflict that gave rise to the hippie movement, and each films' implicit or explicit treatment of psychedelic drugs, as well as its representation of preexisting entertainment genres, reveals its particular…

However, in spite of the fact that the film was promoted as a motion picture displaying real-life events, it appears that the director did not hesitate to modify a series of aspects about the environment that he shot in and the story itself. The protagonist's wife and children were not actually his and Flaherty correctly believed that audiences would be more deeply impressed if he presented the story from a more spectacular point-of-view. Even with this, one can still claim that the film is a documentary because it presents viewers with its own creation.

Many individuals took advantage of the fact that documentary films were very influential and devised propaganda strategies using motion pictures. Many individuals involved in this affair considered that fiction films no longer had a strong appeal and that society was more concerned about seeing 'cinema verite'. Many filmmakers got actively engaged in creating films discussing political…

Balzac and Kafka: From Realism to Magical Realism

French author Honore de Balzac defined the genre of realism in the early 19th century with his novel Old Man Goriot, which served as a cornerstone for his more ambitious project, The Human Comedy. Old Man Goriot also served as a prototype for realistic novels, with its setting of narrative parameters which included plot, structure, characterization, and point-of-view. The 20th century, however, digressed considerably from the genre of realism. Franz Kafka, for example, has been considered as one of the forerunners of the genre known as Magical Realism. endy B. Faris defines the genre of Magical Realism as the combination of "realism and the fantastic so that the marvelous seems to grow organically within the ordinary, blurring the distinction between them… [including] different cultural traditions" (1). Faris finds magical realism to exist at the crossroads of modernism and post-modernism, as a kind…

ity Slickers (1991) depicts a group of middle-aged pals going on a two-week western cattle drive run by the cowpoke urly .Besides such obvious Western themes, such as the horses, Western scenery and uplifting music, are the male characters. Although in their modern city life the do not reveal their inner strengths, in the West, the men find the important values in life and within themselves. urly represents the sole cowboy that once was and mostly likely will never be again.

Lastly, the 1976 Outlaw Josey Wales is closest to what we today consider the Western. Once again, this movie has the rugged and individualist protagonist and the comic friend. The difference here is that Josey Wales starts out as an unassuming farmer and transforms into a violent shooter. Although he has reason to seek revenge, one questions whether two wrongs make a right and has Wales lost sight of…

Psycho

Alfred Hitchcok's Psycho was released in 1960, and encapsulates the social, psychological, and political tensions of the Cold ar era. As Raubicheck and Serebnick point out, Psycho could have been a bridge to the 1960s but the film is "less linked to and reflective of the so-called radical sixties than they are of the more controlled fifties and possess more cultural texture of this earlier era," (17). The issues related to gender, sexuality, and sexual repression in the film are likewise reflective of the interest in Freudian psychoanalysis that prevailed during the 1950s. Rebello points out that the popularity of Freudian psychology and theories like the Oedipus complex are played out on the screen in Psycho. Anthony Perkins's character Norman Bates is "connected with a much larger discussion, in the early Cold ar, of political and sexual deviance," (Genter 134). In Psycho, Bates becomes the archetype of the psychopath,…

There is a chapter entitled "Getting Even" which talks about many films that have rape as a story line and the victim gets even. This chapter was the most obscure to me, because many of the films the author mentioned did not seem to fit into the horror genre, or were pretty much unknown films (at least to me). I understand the problem with rape-related horror films, and how they often make the victim appear as if she subconsciously wanted to be raped, but I do not think the examples the author uses are the most effective. I did not relate to this chapter as much because I did not know the films, and I think that weakened the book for me. It would have helped if the films were more well-known, or there were other examples that proved the point. The other point of this chapter, that women have…

2ndGrade/Weather Lesson Plan

Weather: A Second Grade Thematic Unit

The proposed thematic unit is designed for a general education classroom at the second grade level. The suggested time frame is three weeks, but the unit could be either shortened slightly or extended by adjusting the number of activities. eading activities include shared reading and self-selected reading from a variety of books provided by the teacher. The book selection should include multiple genres and multiple reading levels. A suggested list is included. Writing activities engage students in the five stages of the writing process. Students will create a weather journal that includes their writing and a reading log. Students may also include notes about weather observations.

Instructional Focus: Grade 2

Subject: Science

Weather

Literacy and Writing Standards for Pennsylvania

Met in this unit:

eading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text -- with emphasis on comprehension, making connections…

He was attuned to her; he understood such things. He said he understood." Her helplessness and general withdrawal from the family are emphasized when she realizes that she cannot find a role that suits her: "she tried these personalities on like costumes, then discarded them." Again, as in the case of hopin's story, the conflict is internal as the character is revolting against itself. At first, the woman thinks she cannot handle the roles of mother and wife, but gradually she realizes that she cannot find any role she feels comfortable with. The emotional lack of attachment to her husband and son are soon extended; she no longer feels comfortable with anything in her life.

The main theme, that of dissatisfaction with one's life, is greatly emphasized by the mood of the story. The mood is created especially by the choice of setting; the plot takes place only inside the…

ob einer's 1987 film The Princess Bride enjoyed only moderate box office revenues, but developed popular underground appeal and has become a cult classic. The enduring respect for einer's quirky romantic comedy is immediately apparent: it is far from formulaic, and does not truly fit in either to the "rom com" designation or that of a fantasy. The Princess Bride also includes a cast filled with luminaries like Peter Falk, Andre the Giant, and Christopher Guest. Its cast and celebrity director therefore enhances the credibility of The Princess Bride. Ultimately, though, the script and the overall tone of the film make The Princess Bride classically compelling. William Goldman's eponymous novel, upon which the film is based, transforms seamlessly into a film that capitalizes on the clever story-within-a-story concept. Peter Falk reads The Princess Bride to his grandson, who is staying home sick from school. At first, the grandson balks at…

Either way the reality is that the two works demonstrate that ultimately motherhood is work and doing it effectively while concurrently chasing career goals and challenges is even more work. Though this issue is played down to some extent as the mother (while her daughter is in her body) is allowed to ignore and remake some of the obligations of her frantic career and social world, the works are congruent in that the conflict for working mothers is an essential one, often creating lighthearted conflicts and genre-based statements about the stress that the conflict can create in a women's life. In other words, having it all takes a significant toll on self, and each mother is depicted as seeking resolution that is found then through the reintroduction of childlike needs and freedoms, that help her realize what is really important and what needs to be paid attention to, i.e. family.…

Evolution of the Zombie

An element which was not examined in great detail by Bishop was the evolution of the "undead" creatures of which zombies are one of many. It would appear that Hollywood is always evolving new concepts in terms of these creatures, so much so that the idea of the zombie begins to become blurred. For example some films, most notably 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later have toyed with a concept which is very similar to that of the zombie, but is induced by a virus. The creatures in these movies are not technically zombies as they have never died, they have simply changed into flesh-eating monsters. In addition, Shaun of the Dead takes the traditional conventions of the zombie film, but adds an element of comedy, creating what is arguably a new style of film. It would therefore appear likely that given the popularity of…

The term "art-horror" was new, and after the author defined it, it made perfect sense. There are differences in the genre between films, books, and theater, and it is easy to see how much of the horror genre could be considered "art-horror." In addition, the section on plotting was extremely enlightening, especially the characteristic horror plots, which were extremely familiar once the author laid them out. In addition, the author's definitions of different genres and how they are analyzed was helpful in showing the vast differences between genres and what they hope to accomplish.

This book helped put the entire horror genre into better focus. If anyone is interested in writing horror novels, this book should be on their list of books to read and emulate. The author has a deep understanding of the horror genre, but more than that, he seems to respect and admire it, which would serve…

Though formulaic language expressions have been in regular use, in popular media forms, for at least the majority of the twentieth century if not indeed for centuries longer, their recognition and study is recent development (Van Lancker-Sidtis & allon 2004). Some texts have even been found to be comprised of a quarter or of formulaic expressions, demonstrating at once a reliance on collective cultural interpretations and a marked lack of originality in popular media language use (Van Lancker-Sidtis & allon 2004). These phrases make for interpretations that are both more colloquially colored and less symbolically imbued for their necessarily repetitive nature (thus their emergence as formulaic expressions) and their needed consistency in order to remain meaningful (Van Lancker-Sidtis & allon 2004).

Music and Language

The relationship between music and language is the subject of a great deal of debate, and ever researchers that support comparisons between the two uniquely human…

(Chu 58 -- 67) it is also important to note that the film has an emotional / cultural tie, to the director Ann Hui. As a child, she immigrated to Hong Kong. Where, she learned English, as a second language and went through some of the common struggles of immigrants. ("Ann Hui")

Clearly, the film the oat People would highlight a shift that is occurring in the cinema of Hong Kong throughout the 1980's. Where, a variety of different new genres would emerge. This is because audiences felt, that many marital arts films lacked substance. At which point, a shift would occur in the motion picture industry, as a variety of new genres would quickly emerge. The oat People would underscore this shift, by telling a unique story of Vietnamese peasants trying to escape the brutality of the communists (three years after the collapse of South Vietnam). Where, they are…

But it did make me wake up a little to the fact that this was not a true date and fact biopic, but a Stone biopic, which looks more into the heart of darkness of the topic than most others in the genre.

While the humor was there another unexpected feeling I walked away with was fear. This is just not fear of this particular president's way with words or from his gut decision making cowboy politics. It is the fear and the reality that the president is after all is said and done a human being making, often, inhuman decisions. One tends to think of the president as on a pedestal and the scrutiny there is so much higher that any error or misstep or malapropism is multiplied a hundred fold. But in this particular president, Stone by way of implication is saying that if you are not fit…

Green Day, on the other hand, may have started off as a "Punk" band, but devolved into a "punk" band. In the song "American Idiot," Green Day states a problem created by the media, yet proposes nothing to resolve it. Though Green Day attempts to rebel against the media because they do not want to be "one nation controlled by the media," they are giving in to the media through the commercialization and mass production and dissemination of their music. The production of the music is also of a higher quality. Though the band exudes the sound of raw intensity, the utilization of post-production filters and effects detracts from the "anger" and "disenfranchisement" conveyed in the song. Additionally, if one goes beyond the music and analyzes their music video, one can note how highly stylized it is and the higher production value that it conveys compared to the "music video"…

In the "hard-core" sub-genre of hip-hop, one sees a much clearer emphasis on street and urban authenticity -- rather than on sampling. For N.W.A., hip-hop is an expression of lived life -- a kind of militant message passed down to urban blacks from men like Malcolm X

But not all hip-hop comes from such types. The Beastie Boys are an example of hip-hop artists who thrive on a different message. Much of their music is centered on adolescent/teenage angst -- white suburban kids enraged by suburban living, but moved by urban beats. They inter-mingle their own white perspective with samplings from an assortment of other artists -- thus making their mark on the hip-hop scene. Their aggression appears to be real, like 50 Cent's -- even if it is different in its source. The Beastie Boys are, of course, legends in hip-hop -- but Mickey Hess denies that their authenticity…

Cool Jazz

A Brief History of Cool Jazz

December 6, 2012, would have marked the ninety-second birthday of pianist Dave Brubeck. The nonagenarian was looking forward to performing at the Palace Theater near his home in aterbury, Connecticut. Sadly, Brubeck died of heart failure just one day shy of the celebratory concert. The concert went on as scheduled, but it was a memorial rather than a birthday party. It is what Brubeck would have wanted. Brubeck was one of the originators of a jazz style that became known as "cool jazz." He was a brilliant pianist who loved to experiment with rhythms and instrumentation in ensemble work. Brubeck never stopped innovating over his long career during which he composed symphonies, classical and religious music, ballets and film scores He valued musical integrity over commercial reward. "You never know what's going to work," he said. "You just go with what you…

..I am with you, and know how it is." Cunningham utilizes this idea of hitman's timelessness to weave him through the narratives that build character in his work. hitman's issues are clearly still timely as his call to question those things that are seen as progress is universal in the developed and developing worlds, alike. Post-modernism is also often though to as post-colonial as the standardization of borders has seemed to stagnate over the last 50 or so years and colonization is conducted in much subtler ways, than were evident in alt's lifetime. Cunningham, no doubt weaves his artistic interpretation of hitman into his works, but it is clear that it is with the careful reader's vision of the subtle and constructionist leanings of hitman. Cunningham's writing is truly an incarnation of the relevance of hitman to the modern context. He utilizes the turn of many an artful phrase to…

Administrative Offices

23331 Water Circle

Boca Raton, FL 33486-8540, USA

Book Proposal

The original coal camps that existed throughout the Appalachian Mountains from Pennsylvania to Alabama have faded into memory and kudzu-covered, rusty tracks and vacant holes. The people who worked the pits had to spend a good portion of their lives below ground, breathing coal dust and facing the dangerous task of eviscerating a mountain. It was not a job from which the miners derived much pleasure other than through the camaraderie of their fellow miners. There was a constant need for recreation of some type, so dances and games were much anticipated events that allowed the work of the mines to go forward.

One summer activity that excited the workers due to the promise of competition with nearby camps and the rousing activity it provided was baseball. Most of the camps had a baseball team that was the…

Earl of Rochester / Aphra Behn

Masks and Masculinities:

Gender and Performance in the Earl of Rochester's "Imperfect Enjoyment"

and Aphra Behn's "The Disappointment"

Literature of the English Restoration offers the example of a number of writers who wrote for a courtly audience: literary production, particularly in learned imitation of classical models, was part of the court culture of King Charles II. The fact of a shared model explains the remarkable similarities between "The Imperfect Enjoyment" by the Earl of Rochester and "The Disappointment" by Aphra Behn -- remarkable only because readers are surprised to read one poem about male sexual impotence from the late seventeenth century, let alone two examples of this genre by well-known courtly writers. In fact, Richard Quaintance presents ten more examples by lesser-known poets as he defines the literary sub-genre of the neo-Classical "imperfect enjoyment poem," written in imitation of Roman poems on the same…

Contenders challenges the depth of the line between the so called reality-based survival shows and fictionalized genres. Series 7 to the greatest degree is a spoof on the idea that a game with real stakes, reputed to be stakes of life and death could truly exist within an entertainment venue. Series 7 proposes that the impact of such a situation upon the viewer can only be judged through the representative stakes of just that, life or death. The represented goal of the film is the actual violent death of opponent players in the game. The implications of such a production weigh heavily upon the viewing public and leave many questions to be answered by the phenomena of television ratings. Though the Series 7 movie is an attempt to challenge the lines between reality and fiction, in much the same way the sensational Blair itch Project did a few years before…

The narrative genre, specifically an "epic," continues in the second book of the Bible, or "Exodus," which explains the story of the Israelites in Egypt to the Holy Land, and ends with the legal genre. The narration includes the introduction, which provides the transition from Genesis and seven parts of 1) the sufferings of Israel in Egypt and God's help is promised; 2) God's power that is shown through the plagues inflicted on Pharaoh and allowing the Israelites to leave; (3) the love of God shown by the trek of the Israelites to Mt. Sinai, even when the people show disbelief; 4) the making the Covenant at Mt. Sinai with its legal ordinances; 5) the directions for building the Tabernacle where God is to dwell in the midst of the people; 6) the Covenant's renewal based on the demands following worship of the Golden Calf, and 7) the building and…

..There is reason for concern, therefore, when aggressive acts are presented in a humorous context in the media" (622).

Although it is intended to refer to society and its misdemeanor, satire cannot be considered to be offensive, since there is a small probability that it will produce any resentment in people. A good example of the American society giving birth to something that is funny and enjoyable, despite its satirical character, is Charlie Chaplin. In times when movies were something new to the American public, the English actor succeeded in making it addicted to him and to his movies. His merit is also largely owed to the scriptwriters and to the movie directors that invested hard work in making the respective movies. Even with his obvious success among the American public, there still are a number of critics believing that the characters played by Charlie Chaplin had been too vulgar…

Even in shots that might be steady, such as the sheriff is standing and talking to his men, frequent cuts are used in place of slow zooms or pans to shift the eye's focus.

Ramero uses scale to great advantage in this sequence to help build a sense of detachment from all the humans character. his detachment of course feeds into the audience's ability to accept the lesson that "we're them." his sense of scale begins with the very distant helicopter, which is so small and isolated on the screen. his proceeds to showing the hunters as tiny, wrong-ways-up specks on the ground. It is impossible to tell from the air whether the hunters are men or zombies, because they are so distant. his distant scale cuts into a close shot of the hunters walking, with the helicopter in the background. At this point the shots begin to become more…

Music on Teens Actions

In the past 40 years all kinds of music has turned out to be more and more overt predominantly towards the negative side like sex, drugs, aggression and violence. Lately two of the genres which have caught great attention is hard rock music and rap music. In most of the cases, the lyrics of the music are made in such a way that they induce negativity in the developing minds of the teenagers. This negativity is reflected in their actions in the form of drug abuse, aggression, violence, sex and rebellious actions towards parents, family, family and society in general. This kind of negative music is a major concern these days because it poses mental and physical threat to the teens of today. Some of the other alarming effects of such music are pregnancy, STDs, accidents, killing and this has resulted to be the normal lifestyle…

The massive mollusks still do seem fantastical. Several of the irrational elements of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea seemed more outrageous in the 19th century they do now. However, the novel continues to encapsulate the fantasy and science fiction genres because of its willingness to expand the boundary of what is real. Interestingly, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea did not stretch those boundaries much further than hard science has.

On the other hand, novels such as the ones in the Twilight series are more squarely fantastical. Barring any major scientific discoveries, vampires and shape-shifters simply do not exist. Such elements of the absolutely impossible serve various literary functions. For instance, in New Moon Stephanie Meyer uses vampires and shape-shifters to develop the central character, a human being. As in Frankenstein, the impossible becomes the best means to explore human motivations, dreams, desires, and weaknesses.

Moreover, the fantasy elements are not…

He is faster in every movement than any other of the above mentioned conductors and yet he scarcely sounds rushed" (Laurson 2008).

Even without an extensive knowledge of the history of Brahms symphonic compositions, the modern, 21th century nature of the Janowski approach becomes clear when comparing it to an older recording, that of Leonard Bernstein's. Bernstein's is slower, more ponderous, especially at the beginning, although it should be noted that the Bernstein sounds less like a Beethoven work than the Janowski. It sounds more like a unique, albeit slower-paced composer, more distinctly like Brahms although for some that might not be a 'good thing.' Difficult to love, personally and musically, the fact that Brahms can be an 'acquired taste' and his acceptance may vary with conductor's intentions does not reduce his important contributions in musical variation and creating a fusion between the Classical and Romantic genres of music.

orks…

One can almost consider that American filmmaking contains fixed ideas where Japanese motion pictures produced by Kurosawa are the result of complex concepts coming from a series of cultures being brought together. In spite of the fact that Kurosawa's film goes against some of the most respected Japanese values during the 1950s, it is nonetheless related to the general context involving Japan. It follows Japanese film-making rules in an attempt to captivate an Asian public through having viewers identify with the characters from time to time. While the fact that the ronins in the film are shown as being glorious and as generally being responsible for the fact that the situation is saved, this type of people was considered to be predisposed to performing immoral acts at the time when the motion picture was released. The Japanese had just survived an international conflict that claimed the lives of many and…

hile the winner gets a huge amount of money for supposedly being the strongest human, in fact, the strongest human is merely the one that uses the greatest amount of self-centered cunning and brute strength. If one is going to define humanity, especially in the post-Darwinian age, then it would seem that humanity, to be set apart, would depend on altruistic feelings and use of intelligence rather than selfish feelings and use of brute force alone. In this respect, there is little to separate the producers of TV reality shows from Dr. Moreau, and, by extension, little to separate the participants from the man-beasts. hile it is certainly a cynical viewpoint, it would seem that those who participate in the reality shows might be assumed to be as dimly aware of their condition as the man-beasts after their reversion to the more animal state.

Graff compares Dr. Moreau to Mary…

Most large cities have a symphony orchestra, which may perform a dozen times during a season. Jazz and the blues, however, are usually available most of the time in small venues like bars and clubs, and often during the year at large festivals, such as the Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey, California. Jazz is gaining in popularity on the radio too, and most larger cities have at least one jazz station, while they might not have a classical station. Classical music is accessible in a number of areas, but jazz and the blues are accessible in many more, and that is why today's listener has a wide choice of options when looking for live jazz and blues concerts.

Any trained musician knows all musical genres have similarities. They all use a distinct language of notes and rhythms, and they all use meter, tempo, and harmony. In this, jazz and blues…

Dominik's Killing Them Softly

Andrew Dominik's 2012 American film Killing Them Softly is a screen-adaptation of George Higgins' 1974 crime novel Cogan's Trade. Dominik's screenplay sets the action in modern America during the 2008 election campaign, which serves as a backdrop to the action of the film and allows both director/screenwriter Dominik and his cast of characters to ironically and wittily juxtapose their own agendas, ends and pursuits with those of the political world. Indeed, the film's subtext or undertone is really as pronounced as the main drama, paralleling the narrative in the final race to the showdown: the execution of the robbers of the card game and the election of a new ring leader (aka President of the United States). This paper will show how Dominik uses the underground world of organized crime to parallel and criticize the state of American politics and economics.

Storytelling, Editing, Style and Directing…

Big Sleep and Chinatown: Depictions of Noir in Hollywood

Film noir rose to prominence in the late 1940s and was initially described as "murder with a psychological twist" (Spicer, 1). Film noir helped to introduce audiences to a new genre that had distinct trademarks and themes. The Big Sleep, directed by Howard Hawkes and based upon the eponymous Raymond Chandler novel, helped to cement and define the genre. Similarly, Chinatown, directed by Roman Polanski, helped to redefine the genre, while at the same time, maintaining several aspects of classical film noir. The Big Sleep and Chinatown, though filmed nearly 30 years apart, are definitive films of the film noir genre, helping to establish the role of the hard-boiled detective in the genre, and adhering to the "murder with a psychological twist" trope.

The term film noir was first utilized by French film critic Nino Frank to describe four recently released…