Continue Watching for Banquo

The Breakfast Club

This movie is the story of a day in Saturday detention for five students: a rebel/criminal, a princess, an outcast, a nerd, and a jock/athlete. Although these students come from "different walks of life," they tell their individual stories, and everyone starts to see each in a different, more positive way. At the end of the movie, detention is over, and the five students get into their respective parents' cars. During the fade out, the rebel/criminal walks across the football field to the song of "Don't You (Forget About Me)."

Banquo would recommend this movie mainly for the final famous song, as he ensures that Macbeth will not forget about him and what he did when his ghost haunts Macbeth during the banquet scene. Also, Banquo would appreciate the message that there is more to people besides stereotypes and what you see on the outside (i.e. Macbeth isn't actually a trustworthy leader). This relates to the motif of appearance vs. reality in the play.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The third movie in the Harry Potter series follows Harry, Ron, and Hermione at Hogwarts, but it also covers the mysterious character of Sirius Black, who is held responsible for the assisting with the murder of Harry's parents. We learn at the end, though, that it was never him after all; instead, it was Peter Pettigrew, and unfortunately, he escapes.

Banquo would most likely love all Harry Potter movies because of the supernatural, but he would recommend this one in particular because of Professor Trelawney's prophecy. Trelawney, the divination teacher, makes the prophecy that Peter will break free and reunite with Lord Voldemort. However, when Harry hears this, he assumes that she means Sirius.

Banquo would feel a personal connection to this prophecy scene, for it was the three witches' prophecy that ultimately led to his own murder. He would recommend this movie to send the message that witches' prophecies end up becoming true through action and that you have to listen to them closely to understand.

Any Disney show

Disney shows are intended for a young audience, so each one's content is clean and familial. For example, episodes of The Wiggles contain healthy life lessons such as nutrition. They made lots of songs about what a healthy lifestyle looks like, and my favorite when I was little was the "Fruit Salad" song (see below).

Banquo would love the down-home, clean Disney shows with positive messages and without displays of negative character traits and/or actions. Throughout the play, Banquo's character is brave and ambitious, yet he does not commit murder to fulfill the prophecy like Macbeth does. In Disney words, Banquo is the "good guy," while Macbeth is the "bad guy." Banquo would want to send out the message to the young "bad guys" that doing the right thing and making good life choices, like he did, is important.

Brain Games, "Morality"

This particular episode of the series Brain Games focuses on morality and where it comes from. Does it come from the brain or from society's expectations? It provides trials for the viewer that "test the strength of moral fiber." The episode reveals in the end that the outside world has great influence on one's morality.

Banquo would recommend this episode because of the message it would send to Macbeth and others similar to Macbeth. He would challenge Macbeth's actions as immoral, while he would consider his own decisions in the play to be moral. He would also want to try to understand why Macbeth did what he did, and exploring how the human mind functions is a good way to start. Banquo would apply the episode's claim that the outside world influences morality to Macbeth decisions. With that, the prophecy, desire for power, and Lady Macbeth all play a role in Macbeth's choices.

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/characters.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/synopsis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2cUscfxfiE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB4MNu6W9sg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4430376/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhKOAH3Kn3k

Lights, camera, ACTION, Macbeth

Chaucer-like disclaimer: I am taking a risk at the beginning of this post when I briefly reveal a few personal items.

When I was going through a tough time in my life when my parents divorced, I became a fairly spiritual person. With the help of various supporters, I learned to accept the drastic life changes that were occurring and that they were happening for a reason.  I grew to know that this was a part of God's plan for me; He was teaching me early on that life isn't easy.  

With that being said, I believe that the events in my life are in accordance to God's plan for me. However, I also think that I am in control of my actions.  I am the one who decides how to handle each situation that I come across.  As an example, I was the one who made decisions about how to split time between my parents during that difficult time.

Even though I believe in God's "fate," or plan,  Shakespeare did not; it can be seen through his play, Macbeth, that he believed that people are in complete control of their actions.  Through this text, Shakespeare demonstrates his view that fate plays little to no role in life events.  He argues through the character of Macbeth that actions are choices that have substantial effects on the future.

When Macbeth receives the prophecy from the three witches, his actions, not fate, determine the rest of the play, as Shakespeare and I would agree.  It is not fate that drives Macbeth to kill Duncan. Instead, the murder is a power-hungry decision that he made to fulfill the prophecy.  (Of course, he couldn't have done it without the assistance of Lady Macbeth, whose persuasive tactics vary from mockery to encouragement).

However, the final decision to kill Duncan was utterly in the hands of Macbeth.  Once that action was complete, there was no turning back, as indicated when he states, "We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it," in Act III Scene II.  By saying this, Macbeth declares that there is more that he needs to do to fulfill the prophecy, such as order the murders of Banquo and Fleance in the previous scene of Act III.

As can be seen through these examples from the text, Macbeth's actions are not driven by fate, but by his desire for success and power.  He makes things (mainly murder of people who are in the way of his prophecy) happen himself, without the contribution of a higher power to assist him.




Macbeth will DO anything for his 15 minutes of fame... and can you imagine Miley's actions driven by fate? C'mon- she is in complete control of her (questionable) actions.


http://memecrunch.com/meme/SXOA/macbeth-meme/image.jpg?w=586&c=1

"Adam and Eve"

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/19.73.1

This piece, entitled "Adam and Eve," was created in 1504 A.D. by the German artist Albrecht Dürer.  He completed it using engraving as his medium, and the work's dimensions are 9 7/8 inches by 7 7/8 inches.

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art website, Dürer was fascinated by the particular measurements and proportions that make up the human body. Thus, he created Adam and Eve in this work in relation to his theory of human proportions, making their figures perfect in his perspective.


The aspect of the human figures that drew my attention the most was the muscularity of Adam; I mean, clearly, he's ripped in all parts of his body. It is interesting to note that while the woman is also muscular, her figure may not fit today's society's image of the "perfect figure." Dürer draws her with wide hips and small breasts, which are two aspects that are frowned upon in society. However, Adam and Eve have very similar body positions: they both have one leg straight with the other bent, and the same goes for the arms, so maybe Dürer is depicting male and female as somewhat equal. It is fascinating to see a depiction of what the ideal human body looked like during the early 16th century (taking into account Dürer's bias and the concealment of the private parts, of course).
Besides Adam and Eve's bodies, there are other interesting stylistic choices featured in the piece. The choice to only use black and white was mandatory, as he engraved this piece on copper with carving tools, which I find highly impressive. Also, since the work is carved, I would imagine that it would have a very unique texture.
The significance of this piece lies first with the animals included. There is a cat in the area between their feet that represents irritability, while the rabbit behind Eve's right leg is a symbol of peace. The ox in the bottom right represents tranquility, and the elk portrays sadness. These four qualities were considered the "four temperaments" of medieval society (Metropolitan Museum of Art). An innocent man or woman would have a balance of all of these qualities, but when he or she committed a sin, all four characteristics would be prominent at the same time, meaning that he or she would no longer be innocent.
That being said, this piece has a religious connotation. It signifies the biblical story of Adam and Eve and the reasons they were expelled from the Garden of Eden by God. Eve is seen receiving the forbidden fruit from the snake, which she sinfully eats in the story. This action thus eradicated her innocence, and that is why all four of the temperate animals are showed at once.
Dürer made this piece in accordance to typical German art during that time. According to the National Gallery of Art website, as the Protestant Reformation occurred, other European nations were becoming more powerful; Germany, on the other hand, still consisted of smaller independent states connected by the Holy Roman Empire. Therefore, Germany remained dedicated to Christianity during the early 16th century when "Adam and Eve" was created. Dürer thus made this piece considering societal values with the purpose of reminding his peers not to sin and therefore terminate their innocence.
Lastly, here is my sketch(y) rendition of "Adam and Eve." Please note that I have no artistic skills whatsoever. For a laugh, look at how I struggle to draw hands and feet!

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/features/slideshows/15th-and-early-16th-century-germany.html

http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/336222

Play Freebie

I went to the play for blog post #4!!

Freebie (gotta love college apps and theatre research presentations!)

What's in a (double) name?

For a laugh click on this link.

Anna Claire is not a name that you hear often. Even for a double name it is unique due to the lack of hyphenation.  When I got old enough to question my name, I asked my parents why they chose to call me this.  I learned that my parents wanted to choose a family name, while my sister was dying to call me Claire.  So, Anna came from my Great Aunt Anne, and Claire came from my sister's temper tantrums (not even kidding- she actually called me just Claire until I was 10).    


One benefit of having a unique double name is that people usually remember it.  It's different from other names that they hear, so it stands out in a sea of new names.  Sometimes people even compliment me, saying that I have a pretty name, which boosts my self-confidence. 


While it's nice to be called something unique and different, it can also be a pain due to the numerous times that people ask me how to spell it.  Yes, I get it; there are multiple variations of Claire. Is it C-l-a-i-r? Or C-l-a-r-e?  No, it's C-l-a-i-r-e.


And then there is the dreaded hyphen. I am pretty sure that most people besides my friends and family would add a hyphen between Anna and Claire without hesitation.  However, that has never been a part of my name.  When I asked my mom about that choice, she told me that my dad, my sister, and her could not agree on exactly what to call me.  They already knew Anna and Claire, but would I go by just my middle name?  Or just first name?  But my mom liked the "ring" of Anna Claire Riggins.  So, just to keep the options open for me in the future, they chose not to hyphen my name.


I believe that my name and nickname (AC) represent me well.  I, like my name, am unique and different from your average teenager.  Moreover, the lack of hyphenation correlates nonconformity as well.


I love the quote from Anna (ha) Quindlen about the "two me's."  As a part of various volleyball teams throughout the last five years, I have had to face two versions of myself.  There is a large disparity between myself as an individual and myself as a member of a team.  Everyone has heard the cliché that "there is no 'I' in 'team.'"  However, what you don't realize until you are actually a part of a team is that it can be very difficult to place more importance on what your team is doing instead of what you personally are doing.


For example, it has taken me years to stop being so hard on myself on the court.  Every time I made a mistake, I made it such a big deal; I became so frustrated with myself.  Sometimes, though, that showed on the court, and that is where the line between the two me's had to be drawn.


Ok, I shank a pass or miss a serve.  Frustration.  Correction: inward frustration.  As member of a team, you have to learn to put your personal emotions aside in order to be a true team player.  So, on the volleyball court, I can sometimes have two me's: the inwardly angry one and the one who is outwardly tough and resilient.  I have to focus on my team's play and not just mine.

Syrup labels: perpetuating "othering"?

#1: September 13th, 2015

Wing Young Huie: Still Life 2014

See photo here.

At first glance, my stomach growled.  The view of three shelves containing different types of syrups was enough to create a craving for pancakes!  The foreground features bottles of Aunt Jemima Lite, their labels claiming that the content inside is "a reduced calorie syrup product."  The top shelf is the home of the Karo brand of corn syrup and includes both dark and light versions of the product.  Various types and brands of molasses are seen on the bottom shelf, including House & Herbs' "Blackstrap Molasses," Grandma's Molasses, and Brer Rabbit's options of "Dark Full Flavor" and "Light Mild Flavor."  All of these delicious syrups are sold at amounts close to the same, if not equal, in price.



After a few minutes, my craving was interrupted by a harsh moment of realization.  This photo is not about the difficulties associated with choosing which syrup to purchase for your breakfast; rather, it speaks to racial disparities.  Let's start with the bottles of Aunt Jemima Lite that your eyes are drawn to upon first view of the photo.  Based on its positioning, this particular syrup product is clearly being promoted by the store selling it.  The domination of the Lite version means that it is the better option to choose since the original version is located at the top of the shelves, out of quick reach.


Translation: whites are superior to blacks and other dark races.  This is also visually represented by the light and dark Karo corn syrups; the light color looks more appealing, while the dark color is much less enticing as well as seems less healthy.  Through this aspect, Huie makes an argument about racial profiling, i.e. just because a person is black doesn't mean that he or she is the perpetrator.


Huie shares this photograph to argue that products' light versions, classified as healthier and superior compared to their original state, contain underlying race issues.  Moreover, he is insinuating that the simplest of items such as syrup exist as racial implications today and that we continue to "other" blacks in society.


Huie's depiction of "othering" deals with race.  In this picture of syrups, the photographer physically represents "othering" by the layout and color.  He took this particular photo to draw attention to the way that the shelves were arranged, with the light versions of syrups in the foreground.  Another method that Huie utilizes to develop his argument is a little less noticeable: the color scheme.  He edited the picture so that it would be black and white instead of color, again hinting at racial disparities and the sharp contrast between white and black.


Another aspect to consider with this piece of Huie's work is how he addresses viewers with the photograph.  He shows them that "othering" is everywhere, even on syrup labels, without our immediate realization.


Atwood's representation of "othering," on the other hand (no pun intended), relates more to gender than it does race.  In The Handmaid's Tale, the author uses language and an anecdotal format to display how women are subjected to "othering."  Gilead is a patriarchal society, and most women's titles relate to their relationships with their Commanders, therefore making the women inferior and "othered." 


For instance, Serena Joy's official title is a "Commander's Wife" and Offred is the Commander's handmaid.  They are strictly subjected to his rules, which are really the government's.  Atwood chooses to represent women as the subordinates of men to appeal to her feminist audience; she wants them to take action to quell society's "othering" of females.


Both Atwood and Huie created forms of art to show how "othering" is a fact of society.  Huie does it in the form of a photograph, displaying the numerous brands and versions of syrups available at a grocery store and how their format insinuates that white is superior to black.  Atwood does it in the form of a novel, narrated by oppressed handmaid Offred, and she warns her audience that a society like Gilead is possible unless they amend their unequal society. 


If they don't, they will simply be perpetuating "othering."