Q: In the interactive presentation of The Matrix, what are some of the specific aspects that stick out in your mind?
The interactive presentation of The Matrix was done very well in many aspects. The audience participation really got everyone involved in the movie, so that everyone did not get bored watching the movie. The choreography and acting was also vital in making the presentation a success. The interactive performance really added something to the viewing of the movie, and really enhanced certain parts of the movie that might otherwise not stand out in the viewer's mind.
The audience participation added a little something different to watching a movie that can be visually entertaining and intellectually stimulating. The viewers were allowed to feel as though they were also part of the movie in some way. It got them to pay more attention to what was going on, so they could yell whatever was necessary at the time. They also participated in trying to bend the spoon and choosing which "pills" to take as Neo did in the movie. Having the audience "indirectly" involved in what is going on throughout the course of the movie, made the night just that much more entertaining.
The choreography and acting in the presentation made the movie more "real." The interactive scenes were done at times when it was pertinent, during an action sequence. The uses of light and dark with the shadows, helped show what was perceived to be real and what wasn't. The choreography could be seen as a huge asset to the movie, and other times became distracting. There were just certain instances where it seemed overdone. The action scenes were done very well, and as close as possible to the actual scene. The acting was crucial to the success of the show, and was done very well. The acting got the attention of the crowd by running all over the place, and the certain moves they made during the presentation. All three of these aspects of the interactive presentation made the entire experience a lot of fun to be a part of!
Q: How does "Neo," the character in The Matrix, connect with the phrase "Pathway from Slavery to Freedom" from Douglass' Narrative?
In the movie, The Matrix the main character is a man named Neo who goes through many changes in his life to find out what is reality and what is not. The name Neo is defined as new or reborn, and this is much the same way that Douglass' Narrative shows how a person can be reborn or start a new life when they go from slavery to freedom.
Neo goes through many changes in his life while he is going through the Matrix, just like Douglass did while he was traveling the path out of enslavement. Neo goes from being an ordinary person who is shielded from what is reality and to being born again into this totally different world. He goes from being oblivious to what is going on around him, to "seeing" things how they really are. The Matrix evolves Neo into the character he becomes and thus changes everything about his outlook on reality, freeing him from his former perception of the true world.
Douglass' Narrative shows how a slave goes through changes during the course of his life to become a free man. The "pathway from slavery to freedom" is the course Douglass follows to his new life as a man who is born again into the world of freedom. His view of the world after his "rebirth" is much different than it was like while being enslaved. Douglass' Narrative shows a true example of someone's awareness of his surroundings while on his path to a new life going from slavery to freedom.
In his Narrative, Douglass follows the path out of slavery to freedom, and in a sense Neo does the same thing in The Matrix . Both Neo and Douglass are born again into a different world than the one they had been formerly accustomed to.
Today at the first FYE event, Dr. Zeltser gave a wonderful piano concert in Hurley Auditorium. Dr. Zeltser who is originally from the USSR, has performed with many of the world's great orchestras and is known throughout the world for his wonderful piano play. The pieces of music he played for the audience were in the styles of Dionysian and Apollonian art and music.
Throughout the performance, Dr. Zeltser told the audience about the styles of Dionysian and Apollonian melody. He would specifically tell about the different events that inspired some of the pieces he would play. In many of the pieces played, there seemed to be a harmonious conflict, because his strokes would indicate a sign of conflict, but the piece would still continue with a wonderful melody throughout. Apollonian style of music seems to be more logical in thinking, because it shows clear signs of order and structure throughout each piece. These pieces showed more form and predictability, and seem to use the left side of the brain. The Apollonian pieces were composed by the likes of Bach, Scarlati, Schubeut, Vivaldi, and Mozart. The Dionysian pieces of music Dr. Zeltser played seemed to show more creativity, chaos, and emotion throughout the pieces. His key strokes would be more jumpy and harder sounding than the Apollonian style, and two of the composers were Liszt and Rachmaninoff. He said the Dionysian style, which uses the right side of the brain has more of an upbeat tempo.
Dr. Zeltser did a wonderful job showing the differences between the style of Dionysian and Apollonian art and music. The performance was both entertaining as well as informative, because he brought a connection between our readings from class and the styles of music from that time period.
9-25-2001
Q: Why would an on-campus bar be beneficial to the students at Centenary College?
(Apollonian) A: Having an on-campus bar such as the "Olympus Bar," which is being proposed here today would do many great things for the students here at Centenary College. For one, it would create a place where college students could go and hang out and drink in a respectful and mature manner. The few rules that would be in place at the bar, would not stop people from having fun and enjoying themselves. These rules would be in place to ensure the safety of everyone who goes there. This bar is suppose to be a place where Centenary students could go have a good time, and we would make it that way. Another reason this bar would benefit the students, is that it would bring people together at a place where they might normally not all regularly congregate. It would build trust, understanding of one another, and also build the school into a closer community.
We firmly believe that this on-campus bar would do many wonderful things for the students as well as the school. Because every student would have a place where they could go and drink responsibly at their leisure and enjoy themselves, they would feel a part of something much bigger. It would create a tight-knit community and bring together those who might not meet at the same kind of places. This idea to have an on-campus bar is a great idea, and something we believe would build the character of this great institution even more.
9-24-2001
During one of the episodes of the soap opera "The Young and the Restless," there were specific instances where ideas were stolen from Electra and inserted throughout the hour. In this particular episode, people continually deceive one another to get what they feel is either best for that person, or will end up being beneficial to themselves. An example of this was seen where a man was trying to convince his girlfriend to go to work for his brother at his legal firm. She didn't want this at all, and was very assertive in her answering of questions he asked her. He continued to hound her about the job opportunity, saying how it would take her away from the city they live in and how it would ruin the relationship they have. He continually asks her to re-think her decision and the consequences of it. This is similar to Electra in that Electra convinces Orestes to do what she wants to have happen.
Another time in the episode a woman tells her husband her true feelings about where there marriage has been and where it should go from there. The woman tells her husband that even though they have been in disagreement for a long time about many things, she still loved him, and wanted to start up new. She wants to get on with their lives together, much the same way Chrysothemis wanted to get on with life after the death of Agamemnon had taken place in Electra.
In many soap operas, there are events that have been stolen from Electra and inserted into the plot. These are just a few of the many similarities that can be drawn from the events in Electra and in soap operas on television
9-27-2001
Another of our First Year Experience events took place on Tuesday evening, September 25th, Professor S. Giora Shoham spoke in Hurley Auditorium about mythology, and how that relates to the horrible concentration camps, particularly Auschwitz, under Adolf Hitler's regime. Professor Shoham is a very intelligent person who is a professor at Tel Aviv University, he speaks 12 languages, has written 78 books, and has been a veteran of 7 wars. He is a man with tremendous knowledge, and throughout his presentation he displayed it very well.
Professor Shoham discussed mythology and how myths relate between cultures, people, and societies. He spoke of how the Holocaust in Nazi Germany defies the human mind. When the Holocaust is looked at through myth though, it is easy to see how one person can change the world forever. The professor described how Adolf Hitler sold guiding and persuasive mythology to the German people that would convince them to punish and kill the Jewish people in Europe. He also went into how the Nazis believed they were performing Pagan rituals that were to benefit the entire world. In a sense, the Nazis did a "death march" against the Jewish people, and all of it was started because of the myths of deception about them told by Hitler.
Mythology determines how we act in the world around us and how others judge the world. This is exactly what happened to the German people who believed what Hitler was saying about Jewish people. Professor Shoham went into much depth about the subject of mythology and how it relates to what went on during the Holocaust. The professor's knowledge on this subject is very extensive, and through his lecture I get a better understanding of how the Germans did what they did to the Jewish people during the Holocaust.
* See What Mamina Turegano Thought About Dr. Shoham
10-7-2001
High Aloft
Floating high over the ground and the seas,
They always seem to be coasting along
Going at their own particular speed.
Some are tiny and others are long,
But none ever seem too big or too small.
Many are surrounded by their close friends,
While others stray off and go their own way.
Little children gaze at them and pretend
That they see countless animals at play.
Whether they be to shield the red-hot sun,
Or to give the soil a little relief,
Each one was created for a reason.
* Take a look at Katie Harwick's Poem
10-12-2001
Over my Fall Break last week I decided to go home and surprise my family by flying back to Phoenix, Arizona. To get home I had to drive to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and then board a plane home. It doesn't seem like too big of a deal, but flying was a little different this time. Since the horrible tragedies of September 11th, security at the airport in Dallas as well as Phoenix was definitely heightened. Now you must have your ticket and an i.d. everywhere you go. Before you even get to the security checkpoint, they check your ticket and i.d. and as you board the plane. There are police officers everywhere looking for suspicious activity. When I got home, I walked in my grandparents' house where the rest of my family was eating dinner, and shocked my entire family. Nobody knew I was coming home except my grandparents who helped me keep it a secret. I was very glad to see them as were they to see me. I enjoyed the few days I had back home very much, but I knew I had to come back to school on Sunday.
When my time at home was over, it was time to go back to the airport. At the airport, there was a police officer there to check everyone's trunk before anyone can get into the parking garage. This is just as a precaution to avoid any more terrorist actions from taking place. After saying good-bye to my mom, I was on my own again. Just before I boarded the plane in Phoenix, Osama Bin Ladin had just spoken on TV. This made me a little more wary about who was on my plane. I looked at almost everyone who boarded just to be cautious, and even though there were a few suspicious people on my plane I made it to Dallas safely. When I landed and got off the plane, I saw signs of war against terrorism at the airport. There were National Guard soldiers carrying large guns over their shoulders. This made the realization of what is going on in our country really hit home to me, but I was very glad to see their presence there.
These events at the airport don't seem like they would relate to Shakespeare's King Henry V, but they do. In the play, Henry had to show model behavior, this relates to my break, because if I were to not show model behavior or look a little bit suspicious there were many police officers there to arrest me. Seeing the signs of war at the airport in Dallas, is similar to the war Henry V was in against the French. War is nothing to joke around with, and is a matter of life and death. In winning the battle against the French Army, who outnumbered Henry V's troops, he surprised the French. This is kind of like how I surprised my parents, but I did it in a good way and the French were surprised in a very bad way. And although King Henry V and his troops won the battle against the French, we have not won this war against terrorism, we have only just begun.
* Lacy Millet Saw the War Too But In a Different Way!
10-21-2001
This past week Shenandoah Shakespeare Express put on a production of King Henry V , in Kilpatrick Auditorium as part of our FYE events. The play was done entirely with the lights on, just like it was in Shakespeare's day. The cast of 11 actors and actresses played all the characters in the play. The play followed Shakespeare's script word for word, and really brought the words in the book to life.
The actors began the play with a song, which led into one of the actors speaking as the chorus. The play followed Shakespeare's script very well, and the actors did a wonderful job in their presentation. At one point in the play, the audience was included into the production. This occurred in the scene where King Henry V is rallying his troops to get them fired up, and the troops as well as the audience members stand up and cried out, "God for Harry, England, and Saint George!" It was a great way to make the audience feel a part of the actual play.
There were many instances in the play where the actors' tone and actions clarified how I understood the scene in the book. For instance, in the scene where King Henry V is speaking to his troops before battle and says that through the will of God they will beat the French; the play seemed to emphasize that it is through God that they would win more so than I did when I read it. The characters tone was important as well, because it is not something understood by reading the text. For instance, when Katherine was speaking in French very quickly, it gives a different outlook on the situation that it does by just reading the words she says.
The production of King Henry V was done exceptionally well. The audience involvement and the tone and actions the cast made enhanced the viewing of Shakespeare's play.
10-27-2001
On this past Thursday, October 25th, C.K. Williams was honored with Centenary's Corrington Award for achievement in language and literature in Kilpatrick Auditorium. The presentation of this award was another FYE event, which featured a great speaker and author. C.K. Williams has translated a few famous works, one being The Bacchae of Euripedes and is also a wonderful poet. After receiving the Corrington Medal, Mr. Williams spoke about his appreciation for the award, and then proceeded to read some of his well-known poems to the audience.
Throughout the reading of his poems, C.K. Williams would first give a brief introduction to help with the understanding of them. For instance, in "Mornings: Catherine," Williams said this poem was about his wife, shortly after meeting her. It was a poem about a woman singing softly as she woke up in the morning. He also spoke about how he was once a carpenter, and how it inspired him to write the poem, "Tar." Williams even read his latest poem entitled, "War," which had just gone through its final revision before publication earlier in the day. It was his second poem named, "War," in which the first one was about his son Jed and his friend playing war as little kids.
C.K. Williams not only showed his great talent of writing, but he also spoke masterfully as well. He displayed his knowledge of language and showed why he was worthy of receiving the Corrington Award. Hearing the poet actually say the words he'd written, made the poems more meaningful listening to them.
11-2-2001
As part of our FYE events, this past week I attended three movies of the Frankenstein Film Festival. I saw a double feature of Frankenweenie and Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein as well as Young Frankenstein. These three movies were to relate to the text of Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, which I had been reading for my English 101 class.
Frankenweenie was the first of these movies I watched this week. It was about a little boy who created a dog made of different parts. It was similar to what Victor Frankenstein did with the monster, except in this case it was a dog instead of a person. This was a pretty light-hearted movie that was entertaining to watch.
The second of these movies I saw was, Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein movie was not even close to the text we had been reading for class. The monster in this movie was named Frankenstein, and that right away differs from the text. When Alvin and the Chipmunks first meet Frankenstein they are terrified at the sight of him. This is similar to how other people reacted to seeing the monster in the book. After getting over the sight of Frankenstein, they learn that Frankenstein is actually nice to be around. Again this movie was serious like the book was.
However, the third movie I watched was Young Frankenstein, which followed much closer to Shelley's text. This movie was about Victor Frankenstein's grandson, who at first wanted no association with his grandfather's actions of creating a monster. He is then intrigued by his grandfather's work and ends up doing pretty much the same thing he did. The plot line doesn't exactly follow the text, but it's pretty close in how Frankenstein's grandson creates a monster. This movie was by far closer to the text version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
When comparing all of these different versions of "Frankenstein," each one brings in similarities that occur in Shelley's work, but don't really follow the story line. These versions were not meant to follow the text exactly, but each picked out certain points and used them in each particular version.
11-8-2001
Tonight I went and watched the production of Electra done by the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse at 8:00 pm. This presentation was part of our FYE events we attend and discuss in our English 101 class. Earlier in this semester, we read Sophocles' Electra, and this production was done very well, and brought the text to life.
Q: In the play, why was the rain used as a prop?
A: The rain was used as a prop to give the audience a little better show. The rain scene occurs at the end when Orestes and his servant killing Aegisthus, and the rain provides an added visual effect to give the audience a better performance.
Q: At the beginning of the play, why was a bicycle used to bring in Orestes and Pylades into the kingdom?
A: A bicycle was probably used as a prop, because that was maybe the easiest prop to carry three people onto the small stage. It did not fit in at all with the rest of the set or the props, and just didn't coincide with the time period that the story takes place in.
Q: Were the costumes the characters wearing indicative of the time period the story occurs in?
A: The characters' clothing seemed realistic according to the time period of the story. In general, the types of costumes fit each cast member as they should have.
This production of Sophocles' Electra was done exceptionally well. It was an entertaining play to watch, and most of the props made it that much better.
11-9-2001
Yesterday, I had the privilege to listen to Rose Van Thyn speak in Kilpatrick Auditorium about her experiences as a Holocaust survivor. This event was another convocation in our FYE events, and was by far the most interesting of them all to me.
Rose Van Thyn lived in Amsterdam, Netherlands during the time of World War II and the Nazi Concentration Camps. Being a Jewish person in Europe at the time was very rough, but she said she didn't know how good she had it compared to some of the other Jews in other parts of Europe. Anyway, she told us her personal story of how she was forced to wear the Yellow Star of David on her clothes, and then described being forced out of her home in Amsterdam by the Germans and then herded into cattle cars. Mrs. Van Thyn told of how ignorant everyone was, including herself, that the Germans were just taking them to work camps, because they had heard about the concentration camps before they were forced out of their homes. She went on to describe the details of what she encountered at Auschwitz and her personal struggles to survive.
This lady was amazing! I don't know how somebody could go through the appalling things she did, and talk about them in front of a few hundred people. Mrs. Van Thyn is a much stronger and braver person than I would be, had I gone through the things she did. She is an amazing lady, and to hear her speak was a treat. There were many times throughout her speaking, where I can only begin to imagine how she was feeling at that time. This was the first time I had personally heard someone tell of their experiences in a concentration camp, and her story really brought everything to life.
11-23-2001
On November 15th, Dr. Alexander, a professor here at Centenary College gave a presentation on his study of the Gothic aspects of our culture today. His study was entitled, "Haunted Spaces: Monsters, Madness, and Sex in Cyberculture." I attended this event in place of visiting an art museum as part of my FYE curriculum.
Dr. Alexander's presentation was certainly unique, and he presented much of his study through his webpage. He pointed out how as a society we see gothic ways or signs through the media as well as through other people. For instance, there was a TIME Magazine cover with a picture of a little boy on the front, staring at the camera. His eyes were fixed on something and his eyes looked like they were altered to make his appearance stronger. Something as simple as a magazine cover shows how the gothic is prevalent in our society.
To tie this presentation by Dr. Alexander in with Maus, a few things were looked at. For one, the fascination of the gothic genre and other characteristics that go along with it are very popular, as are people fascinated with the Holocaust. In Maus, it is easy to see how people can be fascinated with certain periods of history. As a class, we fit into this group of people who want to learn more about the Holocaust, so we read books like Maus and listen to survivors of the Holocaust speak like Rose Van Thyn.
This presentation was informative, and although a direct relationship with Maus wasn't clearly seen at first, it is now very clear how the two relate. Things in society today show signs of the gothic, and how people are fascinated with it; the same way we are fascinated with the Holocaust.
10-21-2001
On Tuesday, October 16th, as part of our FYE curriculum, I attended The Shenandoah Shakespeare Express' production of St. Joan in Kilpatrick Auditorium. This play was put on by the same cast who put on Henry V the night before. Overall this play was entertaining to watch. It had lighter moments, which made me laugh and serious parts that kept my attention.
The story itself was about a woman named Joan who was one of the best soldiers of the day. She fit in well with the other soldiers, because she kept her hair cut short, and made sure she wasn't perceived as a woman, instead of as a soldier.
After a time, rumors started flying around that Joan was practicing witchcraft, which was strictly forbidden. She said she could hear voices from God, and she followed what they said. Eventually enough evidence was brought forth to force a trial to take place. She even admitted to hearing and listening to the voices in her head. Her friends tried desperately to convince her that she was not hearing things, because they knew she would be killed for her deeds. Finally, after denying everything, she finally confessed, but only to please the people around her. She knew what she was hearing, and continued to listen to the voices. Once this was found out that she still believed in her voices she was burned at the stake, unfortunately though, she was telling the truth and her heart was the only thing that never burned. She was telling the truth, and only after she was killed was it truly found out.
12-3-2001
Well, my first semester at college is coming to a close, and although it has gone fast, I've learned so much. This First Year Experience course has covered a lot of material in the past 3 ½ months.
We began learning about the connections between The Matrix and Plato's Republic , and have since gone on to learn about poetry from C.K. Williams, Sophocles' Electra , The Bacchae of Euripides , Mary Shelley's Frankenstein , and the latest, Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman. Besides just reading the texts of these books, I've attended FYE events that have directly related to the topics we'd been studying in class. I have: heard C.K. Williams read his work in person, listened to a holocaust survivor tell of her experiences in Auschwitz, seen other Frankenstein movies that were derived from the text, heard a great composer play, and many other things this semester.
The biggest and maybe the most time-consuming thing I've learned in this First Year Experience class is definitely FTP. Creating a website from scratch is a very difficult skill to master. From the looks of my peers, it seems I have a long way to go, until I get to where some are, but I feel good with what I've learned how to do. My English 101 website is far from professional, but it looks good to me! I feel somewhat proficient in it now and can even answer other's questions on occasion. However, despite it being a timely task, it was fun to see something build like my web page has done. Who knows, I might actually be able to design a website for my own company one day!
I have learned so much in this class in the past few months, and I anticipate the same will be true of next semester.
That's All Folks