Everyone Loves Netflix, Even Lady Macbeth!

Top Picks for Lady Macbeth

Once Upon a Time is a fairytale drama that revolves around citizens in a town called Storybrooke. All the citizens are characters from well known fairytales. One of the main characters in Once Upon a Time, Regina, is the Evil Queen from Snow White.  Lady Macbeth would recommend this show because it portrays several lead female characters who hold positions of power.  Regina was the Queen of the Enchanted Forest and became the mayor of Storybrooke when the characters were transported.  Once Upon a Time also has several supernatural occurrences.  Regina possesses the ability to perform magic spells.  During the first season of Once Upon a Time  that Regina placed cursed the Enchanted Forest. She transported all the citizens of the forest to Storybrooke and erased their memories.  Lady Macbeth's recommendation would make us understand that she wishes to be in a position in power and that she finds the supernatural to be very interesting.  

Desperate Housewives is a comedy-drama that revolve around the lives of four suburban housewives.  Each house wife has her own goals, responsibilities, and problems.  They manage their families, jobs, maybe some extra lovers on the side.  These girls know how to manipulate others to get what they want.  Lady Macbeth would recommend this because she enjoys a nice game of manipulation.  Lady Macbeth manipulated Macbeth into deciding to murder King Duncan.  She would find the lives and stories of the housewives to be very relatable.  Through Lady Macbeth's recommendation we would learn that she feels stuck in the position of a housewife who has to use manipulative tricks to gain power over her husband.  

Scandal is a drama that revolves around hardcore "gladiators" who cover up the scandals of the wealthy and well known.  Lady Macbeth would recommend this show because she can relate to the main character, Olivia Pope. Olivia Pope is a kick-butt kind of person who is very independent and knows how to get the job done.  After Macbeth had killed King Duncan and was experiencing extreme guilt, Lady Macbeth sprung into action and took charge.  She covered up the fact that her husband had killed Duncan and made it appear that the chamberlains had performed the murder- very similar to some of the cases Olivia Pope has handled.  Maybe  watching Olivia Pope handle situations would help Lady Macbeth cope with her guilt.  Lady Macbeth enjoying this show would show us that she enjoys being in control of situations and solving a problem if a situation occurs. 

Nikita is a a drama that revolves around an assassin, Nikita, who is working to bring down the organization she works for, Division.  Lady Macbeth would admire Nikita's ability to murder and her determination.  Nikita and Lady Macbeth both have motives for wanting to remove certain people or organizations from power.  Nikita is motivated to bring down Division because they killed her husband. Lady Macbeth wants to remove Duncan from power so that Macbeth can gain power and become King.  Lady Macbeth would recommend this show because she can relate with this desire to get rid of an outside force. Lady Macbeth enjoying this show would inform us that she isn't a mindless killer, but has a motive.  

The Hours is a movie that revolves around three women from three different generations who all live somewhat depressing lives.  The movie portrays interconnections between the book "Mrs.Dalloway" the three women.  "Mrs.Dalloway" is a book written by Virginia Woolf, who is also a character in the movie.  In the movie, Virginia Woolf deals with mental illness and suicidal thoughts.  Lady Macbeth would watch this movie during the final act of the play when she is dealing with her own guilt and suicidal thoughts.  She would recommend this movie because she can relate to the trapped feeling that the three movie in the movie feel.  Lady Macbeth enjoying this movie would show us that she is dealing with extreme depression and guilt.

Macbeth's Fall from Grace to Evil

The character Glinda the Broadway musical, Wicked, poses the question, "Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" An interesting question which can be connected to Macbeth and his involvement with wickedness. Had fate already played a predetermined role in Macbeth's decision to complete evil deeds? Or did he decide to participate in evil doings because of his desire to become King? Macbeth was not an evil man before he decided to kill King Duncan.  He was a brave warrior who was well respected.  Why did he change?

Every man has his own desires and temptations.  People who are not "evil" may walk into evil in order to achieve these desires and give into their temptations.  Macbeth began his journey to the dark side when he decided to kill King Duncan.  Macbeth's desire to become King was ultimately the reason for his evil downfall.  He believed that killing Duncan was the only way to become King as prophesied by the three witches. Lady Macbeth encouraging Macbeth to kill Duncan also had a large impact on his decision.  

Once a person takes a first step on the path of evil, it can be very hard to go back to the path of grace. People begin rationalizing and justifying their actions. Deeds that they once may have viewed as evil begin to seem not quite as harmful as what they had been.  Macbeth began to view the completion of evil deeds as necessary.  Macbeth later in the play felt that he was already too involved in his plot to just give quit.  He had to see his goal through, no matter the cost.  

Actions, especially those of an evil nature, have consequences.  One may find themselves having to lie to cover up their actions.  This manipulation may be too much for one to handle.  These lies may begin to pile up causing the need for more lies.  This could get to be very confusing because it would be hard to keep all the lies straight and in line with one another. Macbeth lied to everyone and said that the guards killed Duncan when in fact he killed Duncan. Macbeth also lied about his motives for killing the guards.  He claimed that he killed them out of loyalty and love for King Duncan.  In reality, Macbeth killed them so that they would not be able to tell their side of the story.   Macbeth had to kill the guards because he originally lied and said that the guards killed Duncan.  The first lie lead to subsequent lies.  

Another consequence of an individual choosing evil is the internal guilt that one may feel.  Just because someone takes part in evil actions does not mean that they don't still have a conscience.  Guilt can eat someone alive.  It can make their stomach churn, head spin, and in Macbeth's case hallucinate.  Macbeth envisioned a bloody dagger floating in the castle before he murdered Duncan.  Later in the play, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo at the dinner table.  Macbeth is the only one to see the ghost so it is not clear if it is a hallucination or truly a ghost.  Either way, Macbeth seems to go a little mentally insane in front of his guests.  

Limited Visibility

Photo Analysis 
Art Piece: Temple of One Thousand Bells
Artist: Laura Belém
Date Created: August 2010
Medium: One thousand cast glass bells, Audio Track
Size: Area large enough to contain one thousand glass bells

     Temple of One Thousand Bells is a piece originally created by Laura Belém in 2010 for the 10th Liverpool Biennial.  The Liverpool Biennial is a contemporary art exhibition that occurs in the United Kingdom every two years.  The legend that inspired this art piece comes from the book The Song of The Bird by Anthony De Mello.  The legend has been around a lot longer than De Mello's book and likely originated in India many of centuries ago.     The artist of this piece is from Brazil which could have also contributed to the culture of this art piece
                         The legend represented in this art piece revolves around an a temple built on an island which at one time contained a numerous amount of bells.  Over many years, the island and the bells became engulfed by the sea.  It is said that even though the bells are underwater, those who pass will still be able to hear their chimes if they stop and listen.  A sailor ventures out on a journey to hear the bells.  After many weeks of searching and listening for the bells he decides to give up on his quest.  On the last day, he laid on the beach and really listened to the ocean. At last, he began to hear the chime of the bells!
     The bells in the piece appear to be missing a clapper. Without a clapper, the bells are not able to make noise.  The audience is limited to only seeing the physical appearance of the bells.  Like the sailor in the beginning of the tale,  the audience members cannot hear the beautiful chimes of the bells. When observing this piece, the members of my group had fallen silent when the audio recording of the tale began to play.  As the tale played the hint of bell chimes rang throughout the recording.  It was as if the bells in the exhibit were chiming.  I looked up to observe the bells and imagined each one had a clapper capable of producing the chimes in the audio track.
     The style of this piece includes the hanging of one thousand glass bells.  The ceiling above the bells is very bare and white.  The bells hang from the ceiling at an assortment of lengths.  This technique creates a more relaxed appearance, as if they were just casually hung up in a tree.  The bells are constructed of clear glass.  The effect of the translucent glass and white ceiling background make the bells appear eerie and haunting atmosphere.  The bells are arranged in a manner that suggests that they represent the "ghosts" (can bells even be ghosts? Sure.) of the long ago bells in the legend.  The glass bells were all hand blown.  The audio track that is played during the observation of this piece also adds to the haunting atmosphere.  A man's voice tells the legend of the temple of the bells and the sailor who journeys to hear the bells chime.  The audio track makes it easy for audiences to imagine themselves making the journey as they stand under the bells of the exhibit.
     I believe the main purpose of this art piece is to make audience members step back and embrace the beauty of silence. A quote by Lawrence Durrell states, “Does not everything depend on our interpretation of the silence around us?” The sailor of the tale only heard the chimes of the bells when he was silent and really listened to ocean waves around him.  The audience members who visit the exhibit can only hear the chimes of the bells when they are silent and listen to the audio recording.          The art piece also is also designed to make audience members to reflect on their pasts.  Everything created in this piece is made up of events that happened in the past.  The island which contained the temple of bells existed above water in the past, the sailor who completed this journey lived in the past, and the bell chimes he heard came from bells present in the past.  All these factors can create a feeling of nostalgia within the audience and perhaps make them reflect on their own past.

My Sketch:

     

   

Seven Deadly Sins

Advertisement for Evan Williams Bourbon
Creative Director of Ad: Randy Rohn
Published: Bardstown, Kentucky
Year: Unknown. Before 2009.

Denotative Examination: This picture displays three key visual elements.  On the left, the audience of this visual sees a somewhat unattractive and awkward girl.  The image is in black and white.  The girl's smile also appears to be forced and unnatural. On the right the audience sees the same girl seven years older.  The girl in this image is not wearing much clothing and is much more sexual than the one on the left.  She also appears to be very confident.  Her facial features are more model like and fierce.  The image is in color. In the center of the advertisement is a bottle of Evan Williams Bourbon.  This is an alcoholic beverage which is aged 7 years before it is placed on the market.

Connotative Examination: The black and white color scheme used in the image on the left gives a reserved and safe appearance. To contrast this, the image on the right in color has a more adventurous and wild vibe. The contrast in color scheme is also used to create a distinction between the times that these images were taken.  Black and white is typically seen in older photographs and films whereas color is a newer and more exciting development. The Evan Williams brand prides itself on the maturity of its Bourbon and the fact that it is aged 7 years.  The maturity of the Bourbon is what makes it taste so good. That exquisite taste is worth the 7 year wait. Similarly, a women also betters with maturity.  Women become more attractive and sexual.  The words located near the woman's stomach say "The longer you wait, the better it gets."  This phrase is being used to describe both the bourbon and the girl.

The Deadly sins portrayed in this advertisement include lust and gluttony.  Lust is portrayed in this Ad through the girl on the right and her over sexualized image.  The inclusion of this provocative image is to make girls viewing the ad want to be like her and to make boys viewing the ad want a girl like her. Gluttony is described as "over-indulgence"  and "excessive to the point of waste."  It is important to also consider that Christians find withholding food or beverage from those in need to also be a sin.  In the advertisement the bourbon is being with held from the public for 7 years, considered to be an excessive amount of time by some.  The over consumption of alcohol is also considered to be gluttony.  The advertisement is aimed at selling alcohol and doesn't warn audiences about the over consumption of alcohol.

The intended audience of this advertisement is men and women above of legal drinking age.  Women are targeted with the lure of maturity that the advertisement claims that the drink brings.  Men are targeted with the sexual lure of the women in the advertisement.  The advertisement is targeted to people of a middle class economic background.  Evan William's Bourbon is priced at around $15-$20 for a fifth.  Not the cheapest liquor in the world but also not the most expensive. I would say the target age range ranges from late twenties to upper thirties because of the emphasize on the product's maturity. The audience's cultural knowledge is probably more party based and focused on having a good time.

Mass media uses lust and sex to sell this product.  The use of language in the advertisement also has an impact on the audience.  People want a more mature alcoholic beverage because it is supposed to taste better and make one appear to be more mature when drinking the beverage.  I think it's interesting that this ad focuses on the benefits of aging instead of the negatives.  In society today, many want to avoid aging.  Nobody wants wrinkles or to appear too old.  Of course it is also important to note that the girl in the advertisement is only aging 7 years.  She is most likely aging from her teenage years to her early twenties which is when one is considered to be in their prime physical condition.

Canterbury Tales and Jane Eyre

Freebie

Kristina

     This may sound weird or a little nerdy, but for some reason I have always been engrossed by the meanings behind names.  I just think it's interesting to think about why a person was named what they were and whether they find identity in their name's meaning.  Names raise questions such as 'Did their parents want their child to grow into their name or did it just happen to be a family name?'

     I was named Kristina after my great-grandmother on my mother's side.  My mom had a special connection with her grandma as a child and wanted to honor her memory.  My parents also really liked the meaning of my name and hoped that it was name that would fit my personality well. Kristina in most languages means "Christian" or "Follower of Christ."  I believe that this meaning accurately represents me.  I have grown up in a Christina household and try to live my life in a way that God would be proud of.  I place a large amount of my identity on my religion because it is something that I find to be very important.  Funny thing actually, I'm writing this blog post so late because I chose to go to youth group at my church tonight instead of doing homework. That may not have been the wisest decision, but I enjoyed the fellowship at youth and learning about God.

     The idea of being an individual within a larger group of individuals is an interesting concept.  Individuals often alter how they behave to fit into the larger group.  You could potentially have a larger group filled with individuals who are acting nothing like they would if they were acting as an individual if they were alone.  So are you truly acting as yourself when you are in a group or when you are an individual? If you act differently in different groups, then which group most accurately represents you?  That's kind of mind blowing to think about.

     If you asked different people to describe me, they would probably tell you different things.  My close friends would probably describe me as someone who likes to have a good time and joke around a bit.  If you asked an acquaintance of mine though, they might describe me as being more shy and reserved.  When I am in a larger group with my friends, I feel more comfortable to open up and be more outgoing.  It's easy to be around people who know you and have been with you through many life experiences.  Friendships have a rhythm to them and offer security.  When I am in a group setting with people I don't know as well, I tend to hold back and not show my full personality because I have a fear being judged.  I won't voice my opinions or offer suggestions when surrounded by people who aren't close friends of mine.  Eventually though, once I get to know the people better, I become my normal and crazy self.

      Another interesting concept to think about is that of being an individual person within the larger group classification of 'teenager'.  I could be a perfectly well-behaved person but one may view me as rebellious simply because of the fact that I am a teenager who spends time with other teenagers.  When individuals are a part of a larger whole stereotypes come into play.  I believe that this leads to the problem of lost self-identity for the individual and also creates an unhealthy group mentality. If people classify a group of teenagers as being rowdy and rebellious, then the individual teenager will use "I'm just teenagers" as an excuse for his or her rebelliousness.

   


   
   

   

Othering

We are the Other, South Minneapolis, MN, (2012-2013)

http://photos.wingyounghuie.com/p709406511/e74051bc3

     When I first saw this picture, I noticed the chalkboards that the two people are holding and the words that are written on the chalkboards.  The chalkboard on the left says "People think I'm in a gang I'm in college" and the one the right say "1.Pull your pants up 2. Stay out of the wrong place 3. Be more careful." I also noticed what the people are wearing in the photograph.  Both have on red jackets and appear to be dressed for cold weather.  The location of the photograph is also interesting.  It seems to be a convenience store selling snack food and clothing apparel.
     Upon further examination of the photo I began to analyze the big picture and the message that Wing Young Hule was trying to portray.  Both of the chalk boards were written as a result of racial stereotypes against African Americans.  The male in the photograph accuses the general public of stereotyping him as a gang member when in reality he is a college student.  The stereotype is based on the man's outside appearance.  This includes his race and how he dresses.  The women's chalk board is formatted as if they are rules that she is to follow in order to be best suited for the environment around her.  The list is influenced by many racial stereotypes such as the misconception that all African Americans sag their pants.  The list of rules also implies that it is very important that African Americans to always be extra aware of their surroundings and what activities are going on.  These rules could be influenced by crime in the area and written as a warning for one's safety.  One could also interpret as being a warning regarding police in the are and possible discrimination.
     Both Wing Young Hule and Margaret Atwood portray "othering" by building off stereotypes and focusing on how stereotypes can cause isolation between different groups of people.  Wing Young Hule shows in her photograph the division between African Americans and other races.  These stereotypes are formed in part by the fact that some people view people of another race as being completely different as themselves.  The way some people view African Americans causes hostility and prejudices to form causing further alienation.  Instead of judging a race as a whole, one should get to know the individual.  Margaret Atwood shows in The Handmaids Tale, the division between Handmaids and the Wives due to stereotypes.  In the book, Offred mentions how many of the wives view Handmaids as being sexually promiscuous women who were beneath them.  In return, Handmaids viewed the Wives as being cold and heartless women who really had no significant value in society.  Wing Young Hule and Margaret Atwood differ due to the fact that Wing Young Hule focused more on racial stereotypes whereas Margaret Atwood portrayed social stereotypes.