Factoid Friday #3

This essay talks about Plato's ideas about mental illness. Plato' believes that there are two claims. "One is that psychic illness--taken to include moral and mental failings--is the outcome of bodily defectiveness." One of the earliest record of mental instability. 

Gill, C. (2008). The Body's Fault? Plato's Timaeus on Psychic Illness. In Classical and Medieval               Literature Criticism (Vol. 98). Detroit: Gale. (Reprinted from Reason and Necessity: Essays on Plato's Timaeus, pp. 59-84, by M. R. Wright, Ed., 2000, London, England: Duckworth)

Vocab Story

I glance over at my iPod dock. It's 8:34, and I promised myself I'd start my pile of homework an hour ago. My music is blaring through the house. It's okay though, because I'm the only one home. 
After a few more minutes of coaxing myself off my bed, I join my schoolbooks next to my desk. I sigh as I open my psychology textbook. I read a few sentences about inimical diseases to the mind before deciding the only pathology I need to know is that too much homework is mind-numbing. I don't understand any of it. Maybe I could call my friend, Charlotte, and ask, in the most amicable way possible, for every answer we've ever had to know for that class. She'd be enamored if I ran to her for help. Charlotte is a total bibliophile. She reads nonstop and gets every answer right when the teacher calls on her. 
No way will I allow her that complacence. She'd never be able to be pacified. I decide to wait on the psychology and odiously switch over to trigonometry. My antipathy to all things math-related is immeasurable. I don't know why I have to keep up with it. I don't think classifying triangles will get me anywhere in my future line of work: writing. After another few minutes of pretending to work out an answer, it becomes clear that my apathy toward the subject will not allow any work to be finished. 
I decide to pick up To Kill a Mockingbird instead. It's the book my English III class is reading. I'm about 50 pages behind already, and we started it last week. The word on the page appease me more than the numbers in my textbook, so I allow myself to read the fifty pages and crawl into bed. 
I fall asleep remembering that it's Friday and I have the whole weekend to finish everything else. Who am I kidding? That's not getting finished.   

Realism in Paintings

Robert Henri's strong sense of self is portrayed through Portrait of Carl Gustav Waldeck, 1896 as the man stands in a position of power while not being glorified, he gruff facial expression shows his true emotion which was captured by Henri.

Henri's elegant style is shown in The Dancer, 1910, with out exaggerating, an overwhelming amount of class and respect is shown because of her dress and beauty. 

Henri captures pure innocence in his painting The Beach Hat, 1914, a young woman ready to see the world is innocently portrayed with a beach hat on in this oil masterpiece by Robert Henri.

Factoid Friday #2

In 1999, Bill Clinton gave a radio address expressing his concerns with the mental health stigma in America and announced that on the following Monday a new plan to better the lives of the mentally ill would be brought into light. Citation: William J. Clinton: "The President's Radio Address," June 5, 1999. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=57689.

Critics Project: Week Four

Disclaimer: There were no new pieces this week so this critic is of an older piece. I will include the link below.

The world is full of technology; from phones to internet and computers to television to cars and tablets. Our society is constantly glued to a screen in order to be in the know. But what if we became glued to our screens for another reason? For love? This is the idea behind the movie Her, or as Edelstein calls it "the best movie of the year."
I've never seen or I guess read Edelstein while in such a happy mood. His critics are positive, he's funny and appreciative and genuinely likes the movie. There isn't a large amount of sass and sarcasm like his usual work which tells me that he actually enjoyed the film. Interestingly enough Edelstein calls the film director, Spike Jonze, a "romantic transcendentalist" which just so happens to relate back to class. Edelstein is also a large fan of the star actor, Joaquin Phoenix, someone that I've never heard of. But its refreshing and exciting to see Edelstein praise someone so now I want to see more movies with our star in them.
I'm glad there is a movie that David likes, it's a genuine piece and I'm willing to give this movie a chance now.

Movie review

Edelstein, David. "A Man And His Machine, Finding Out What Love Is." NPR. NPR, 19 Dec.         2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.

(Edelstein, A Man and His Machine, Finding Out What Love Is)

Factoid Friday #1

Bethlem Royal Hospital (Bedlam) is the oldest existing psychiatric hospital in the world, first opening it's doors to the mentally ill in 1337.

The London Citizen Exceedingly Injured, 1739 Alexander Cruden

Bethlem Royal Hospital. (2014, February 7). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:33, February 10, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bethlem_Royal_Hospital&oldid=594434196

Critics Project: Week Three

War movies have been on screens for a majority of time since cinema began. They are nothing new and cannot bring a unique storyline to the table. War movies are classics but according to Edelstein, Monument Men doesn't make the cut. This movie attempts to put a spin on the war movie theme by having the goal be to protect art, however attempting to protect art from both side may have been to big of a goal. The snarky commentary gives credit to the cast but having Clooney make art seem important to America was a mistake. Edelstein feels there are better actors out there for this role. The movie line has some holes, and the characters should have been developed better. The article attacks the movie for these things, in a bit of a rude manner. But Edelstein is just trying to get a point across, the movie is alright, not great. Maybe we should just wait for Redbox on this one.

Edelstein, David. "Masterpieces In Peril, 'Monuments Men' Protects, But Also Panders."NPR. NPR, 07 Feb. 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.

(Edelstein, Masterpieces In Peril, 'Monuments Men' Protects, But Also Panders)

Link

Genre Project

For my project it's more of a theme and a motif instead of a genre. I'm going to be researching the use of mental illness and mental handicap in American literature. The main differences between these two is that mental handicap is referring to the ability to function that is below average that generally occurs at birth or during early development. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that affect the mood, feeling and thinking. Anyone can be affected with mental illness and these illnesses are treatable.

Mental Retardation is Different From Mental Illness. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.progress-inc.org/mrvsmi.html

Critics Project: Week Two

Foreign films are nothing new to American screens, some have even made it big here in the States. In fact, "Slumdog Millionaire" won eight Academy Awards in 2008. Not all films are this successful but Edelstein brings a new film to light, that just may have what it takes.  "Gloria" is a film out of Chile that focuses in on an older divorced woman. Edelstein is able to take a step back from his usual sassy self and was one over by the acting of  Paulina Garcia who plays Gloria. This movie keeping Gloria constantly changing her attitudes and opinions, something that's not always seen on screen. I believe that it was Garcia's acting that made this film successful and won the approval of Edelstein over the actual context. Her abilities are what' have transformed Edelstein from his sarcastic tone to someone truly endorsing a movie. "Gloria" is set to open in select theaters across the country soon. 

 "Gloria"

Edelstein, David. "Middle-Aged And Divorced, 'Gloria' Takes On Life's Uncertainties."NPR. NPR, 24 Jan. 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.

(Edelstein, 'Gloria' Takes On Life's Uncertainties)

Last of the Mohicans: End Comparison

So the movie and the book end completely differently. In the book Uncas is deemed godly because of a small tattooed tortoise on his chest, which gives him power. Uncas is able to free Hawkeye and spare some prisoners but Magua would not compromise and ends up keeping Cora prisoner even after Hawkeye offers himself and his rifle. The Hurons hurry off  across a mountain, and when Cora refuses to continue and impatient Huron kills her. The Mohicans and Munro bury Cora and mourn all the dead. Pretty much none of that happens in the movie. The council splits up Cora and Alice (who by the way, is not mentioned in the last 3 chapters), Hawkeye gets Cora and keeps her safe. Uncas is killed by the Huron and in response Alice throws herself off a cliff instead of enduring the Indian torture. So basically a completely different ending.

Vocab Story: Juniors 3-4

My alarm clock blares out a repetitive scream for the fifth time this morning, and I have to stop myself from hitting the snooze button once again. I roll easily to the ground, remembering that my mattress is currently missing a frame. Looking around, I see avuncular paintings on the walls all around me and my little sister, still sound asleep, next to me in her own mattress. My only patrimony, a small, slightly singed, photograph of my parents at their wedding, is in it's frame next to me. All of my other belongings are still packed.
   Unwillingly, I find myself drifting through the path that has led me to the floor of the guest bedroom in my uncle's house. Well, luckily for you, unlikely happenings are a familial experience. We all have at least one to tell. This is mine.
   My parents were wed through a bigamous ceremony. Both of them were already married, and legally, they were never married to each other because their past marriage licenses still stood. Of course, this immediately brought up some difficulties for their relationship. Monogamy was the style of their relationship, though legally they had two partners. However, they only had eyes for each other. My father was utterly uxorious, and my mother was smitten. So when they decided to split last year, it was a disastrous affair. My mother tried to run from her feelings and somehow ended up serving a matriarchy in Guatemala. This left my little sister and I with my father, who wanted to keep our names patronymic to his.
   Of course my sister and I were upset about the breakup, but everything wasn't as rocky as it felt like it should have been for a few months after it happened. About two months ago, my father started spending copious amounts of time at the Chinese restaurant downtown. He seemed to be fraternizing with someone, and he became distant.
   Last Wednesday, my father called my fraternal uncle and told him of his plans to run away with the fortune cookie lady. When my uncle begged him to step down, my dad accused my uncle of patronizing him and stormed off. In some sort of rage, my dad's truck was set on fire, and my childhood home was consumed in a matter of minutes.
   My uncle was the only person able enough to pick up my sister and I.
   I sigh and put my hand out to shake my sister into consciousness. I guess we all have at least one crazy story to tell.