Representing America - American Literature AP - Blog

The Common Mistake of Comparing Movies and Books

It is a common argument of weather the movies live up to the novel when they are created. This argument usually comes from a reader's personal experience with the novel not coming through in the film experience. The flaw in this argument is that one person cannot possibly expect everything that they imagined to be displayed on the screen because the person in the theatre next to you most likely had a different image of the novel then you did. Film and Novels both shaped our culture at some point of or another, so why would fusing them together be a mistake? It wouldn't be if they weren't placed against each other after the final product. Therefore, I propose that one must analyze film and book separately as different components of the story.

Take the Harry Potter series for example. Now I am a huge Harry Potter fan and if someone were to ask me this question my first instinct, like many others, would be that the books prevail over the movies. But if you look more closely into the question it is almost in valid because the film industry's goal is not to compete with a book. If they were to do that movies these days would be five hours long, and the only movie that can pull that off is Lord of the Rings: Director's Cut.

A films job is to complement a book, entertain an audience, not compete with a 300 page masterpiece with details impossible to obtain in a two hour movie. Movies and books cannot be put together in a competition just like you can't compare a clothing store to an electronics store. What they offer their costumers is so different that no one can say a general clothing store is better when they are referring to their merchandise. 

Once you look at this question with this perspective one might understand that movies that they might of considered bad in their eyes because they did not live up to their expectations from the book, if given a second chance and looked at with an un-bias opinion, could be really great movies. My favorite Harry Potter movie is one that I read the book before seeing the film because I judged them on different playing fields. If one lets their own hindsight bias effect the way they perceive movies off of books they will never learn to fully appreciate the amazing value of film.

Satire in the Flight of The Conchords

 

This is a song by the Flight of the conchords which creates humor using situational irony. The listener if they are familiar with this type of song expects a simple love song, instead of this the lyrics are about a woman who is not the most beautiful girl in the world, and its the contrast from the expectation that creates humor. Where a normal song would say that the woman is the most beautiful woman or something along those lines they have qualifications of how beautiful the woman is like "the most beautiful girl I have ever seen with a kabab".

This song could also be seen as a parody of a typical love song. The situations which they present as romantic like doing the robot or eating kabobs are a contrast to the typical love song. It could also be said that they are using understatements to create a contrast between the descriptions of people in archetypal love songs and thier own song.

Overall the satirical point that the singers are trying to make is in my opinion mostly for humor, but they may be making a comment on the predictability of many songs in thier contrast from the usual formula.

Comedy Central Presents: Why Racism is Funny!

Mike Birbiglia, a comedian on Comedy Central, is, in my opinion, one of the funniest comedians on television today. One of my favorite sketches by him, entitled "Goals," is all about how people of different races treat each other. 

He starts off his sketch with a jab at the different nicknames people of different races give each other. He makes fun of the way white people are constantly called "cracker" by making it into something that doesn't even register as an insult, but just as a type of food. From this, he moves on to how white people make fun of themselves for being white. A white man himself, Birbiglia only perpetuates the stereotypes that he makes fun of while he makes fun of them.

One of the best parts of this sketch is Birbiglia's rendition of the "white guy doing a black guy doing a white guy" voice. With this voice, Birbiglia explains that everyone makes fun of everyone else no matter what. Different races always find something within another race that is easy to imitate. This voice fits the Zip Coon stereotype where a white person is imitating a black person imitating a white person, but managing to sound ridiculous and silly while doing it. 

What is Race?

When we think of race, we generally associate it with the color of a person's skin or the etnicity of a person, but what exactly is race? Does it really matter? Or is it something we put in our own heads as a thing that should matter? When we really think about it, race is just a generalization we make when we first meet people. The first thing you notice about a person is the way they look, and one of the biggest physical features of a person is the color of their skin. The unfortunate part of all this is there are certain stereotypes we generalize with certain races, which often gives people the wrong first impression. Reputation, class status, and acedemic achievement are among the many generalizations that go hand in hand with race and first impressions.

There are different stereotypes that go with different races and ethnicities, but the only reason these stereotypes exist is because we, as a human culture, put them into practice. This isn't to say that these stereotypes are all together false, but when we say things like "Asians get the best grades", we all know it isn't completely true. Grades shouldn't have anything to do with the color of a person's skin or the ethnic background they have, it should come from a person's attitude towards acedemic achievement and determination to get good grades. An Asian person has to try just as hard as a white person or an African American person to do well in school. It all has to do with how hard a person tries. 

It shouldn't matter if you're black, white, asian, hispanic, or any other ethnicity. Race is something we, as a human race, create in our minds. Trying to imagine a world without race is close to impossible for us, who are so accustomed to seeing people as colors, rather than who they really are; but try it. Imagine a world where we were all the same colors that we are now, but without it mattering. Imagine color not making a difference in the way people treat you. 

 

Sarah McLachlan Just Ruined My Day

 

Every single time this commercial comes on, I change the channel as soon as possible. Images of pitiful dogs and cats who apparently need my help accompanied by sad, sappy music has to be the best example of a sob story around.

A Sob Story, a logical fallacy in which the audience is bombarded by emotion-provoking ideas, could be among the most obnoxious logical fallacies of them all, especially if it interrupts my Sunday afternoon of football. How can I possibly be content with touchdowns and field goals while there are innocent animals out there dying all over the place?

This just so happens to lead to another fallacy: Either/Or. To quote Sarah McLachlan, the spokesperson of the SPCA, "This is your chance to say 'I won't sit by while an animal suffers.'" Either I donate money to this organization, or I am the reason some cat is being dismembered. While this may be an exaggeration, it is not the kind of situation I want to be thrown into. I guess I don't need to exaggerate because that's what Family Guy is for. Here is their take on the logical fallacies of the SPCA commercials:

Why Choose Pro-choice or Pro-life?

One of the most controversial arguments of the day is about abortion, but it really shouldn't be.  The problem is that the argument is set up as a logical fallacy.  The two sides, pro-choice and pro-life, create an either/or statement.

"Either you are for abortion, or you are for government control over women's personal decisions" or "Either you are against abortion or you are for killing babies."  There is absolutely no way to win.  For the most part, every American approves of women's rights and opposes murdering people, but the either/or  statement makes it seem like you have to choose.

The names of the two sides, "Pro-choice" and "Pro-life," completely avoid addressing each other.  To someone unfamiliar with American controvercies, it would appear to be two pro- sides to two different arguments because they have both decided to be in favor of something different.  The way I see it, it's the principle of having to choose between being for two very different things, not our basic beliefs that causes the problems.

In reality, everyone agrees.  It's just a matter of people's priorities,  so why can't we decide as a nation  that we want to stop unwanted pregnancies and focus on that instead?  In the mean time we can let people do what they believe.  That's what democracy is about anyway, right?

Logical Fallacies in the Republican Debate.

Overall the republican debate for presidency was rife with logical fallacies. This is not unique to the Republican party, but this form of debate seems to bring out appeals that are not to logic. Mitt Romney seemed to be using non-sequiturs when the first couple of questions were directed his way, he dodged questions by pulling out information that was not entirely related.

The moderator tried to use guilt by association against John Huntsman when he equated his plan with subsidies for natural gas companies with Obama’s attempts to provide subsidies for renewable energy.  This was damaging to him because the republican base will not support a candidate who is at all similar to Obama in political ideology.

Herman Cain was asked a question about his 999 Plan and how future presidents might use it to raise taxes and he used a non-sequitur to talk about the benefits of his plan without answering the question. Mitt Romney said the current economy was Obama’s economy and was using guilt by association by associating Obama with the current economic climate.

Rick Perry and Mitt Romney used Ad Hominem attacks against each other when Mitt Romney said he flip-flopped in his earlier position that pensions are unconstitutional, and Rick Perry responded that Mitt Romney had flip-flopped in his book over his health care plan in Massachusetts. Rick Perry, Michele Bachman, and Newt Gingrich all used the straw man argument when they contorted Obama’s positions to say that he is a socialist.

Newt Gingrich, and John Huntsman tried to create glory by association when they made references to Ronald Reagan who is largely admired within the Republican Party. 

 

Thoughts on Obama's Address to Congress (9/8/11)

    Obama begins his speech with declaring exigence and his audience very clearly. He declares his audience almost word for word when he addresses congress, the vice president, the speaker of the house, and then his fellow Americans. Notice how he used the word "fellow" to describe the citizens of America, reassuring us that he is one of us therefore improving his ethos appeal to us. Directly after Obama then declares the exigence for the address by clearly stating the poor state America is currently in and then speaks specifics that Washington needs to improve. During his explanation for the urgency Obama also states his purpose which is to promote laws to pass to improve this poor state we are in. 

    Once Obama begins to transition into his persuasion for congress to pass The American's Jobs Act you can pick up that he starts to use techniques like pathos and logos. He clearly begins to state the facts of what he would do and what will happen due to the act which appeals to logos, or factual persuasion. But even before he begins to persuade us by giving us the beneficial facts, he first scares us with the truth of our country now using pathos with the emotion of fear, but then slowly begins to transition into the emotion of hope which is what the American's Jobs Act will provide for the American people. He always uses subjects that apply to the American people and not congress, appealing to ethos that this will help our character and congresses at the same time.

    The way Obama organizes the speech also effects the way he comes across. He pauses at many moments where he tells our state of being now, to allow it to soak in, and then offers a solution to the problem, creating a sense of relief after the pause of agony. He also repeats the urgency of passing the law using the words "right away" multiple times within his address. When he talks of mistakes in the pass he becomes firm and serious, leading to pauses and smacks on the podium after they are stated. This creates a sense that he is saying we are finished and through and are now improving our methods. 

    Obama used many well known persuasive techniques in his address. These techniques seemed to be very beneficial for him, due to the positive outcome of the crowd. 

Obama's Appeal to Emotion

Obama's recurring statement, "Pass this job act right away" bothered some people, but  I found it extremely effective in getting his point across.  Besides urging congress, with every "right away" and "now," Obama is reminding the Americans that this past summer, congress delayed the passing of an increased debt limit.  The bill was not passed until a day before our government was going to run out of money which frustrated many Americans.  The  president was appealing to that very powerful emotion in order to hit home with his ideas.  He also appeals to frustration when he mentions the next election near the end of his speech. Obama reminded Congress that they can't afford to wait until the day before running for reelection while reminding the Americans that they shouldn't have to wait.

Obama's final words, "These are difficult years for our country.  But we are Americans.  We are tougher than the times that we live in, and we are bigger than our politics have been.  So let's meet the moment.  Let's get to work, and show the world once again why the United States of America remains the greatest nation on Earth," appeal strongly to pathos and ethos.  He recalls the frustrations and struggles of our past, calls out to patriotism, reminds us of our past successes, and ends with positive energy about working toward the future and a better America.

Obama Getting Angry

What seemed to be a logos appeal, as he outlined all of the programs in his new bill, shifts into more of a pathos appeal, as he repeats, "Pass this bill!" in more strident and strident tones.  He seems angry at those who he is presuming won't pass the bill.  Anger in advance, so to speak.

Live Blogging the Presidential Address

President Obama is really laying on the exigence thick here.  If we don't listen to him and pass his job plan, America will be in the dumps.

Helpful Links

Most major television networks and cable news stations will be carrying President Obama's speech tonight.  Remember, extra credit if you "live blog" the speech, leaving shorter but continually updated commentary as the speech is actually happening.

If you miss the speech, you will be able to replay it on C-SPAN and probably through the President's official streaming channel.

Remember, your assignment is to analyze the speech in terms of at least one part of the rhetorical web (exigence/audience/purpose – logos/ethos/pathos – organization/whole structure - or specific uses of language, such as diction, syntax, imagery or figures of speech).  See the rhetorical web here.