My Journal Entries for English 101
Journal Entry #1 ~ Matrix in the Gym
I sat down on the hard, cold floor with my pillow and blanket and an "Agent" approached me with smooth confidence. He shook my hand and introduced himself, then exited my immediate presence with as much style at his entrance. After recovering from my surprise I proceeded to watch him greet other spectators in the same manner.
Was this agent so cordial in accordance with the Matrix or was it a glitch in his performance? Perhaps this young man had misinterpreted the movie, or just enjoyed the moment and so strayed from his role. The atmosphere was quite silly at times with the water pistol scene and the dancing at the end. However, because the drive-in movie theme complete with unique live interaction was intuitive and creative I am inclined to believe his presentation followed the intricacies of The Matrix.
Maybe he was attempting to gain human confidence and cause the audience to remain slaves of the Matrix. If this young man represented the agents in the movie, then the audience symbolized the human race in bondage. The agents were portrayed as superficial especially in the scene when Neo was captured. They seemed like bad guys when they captured him, yet the head agent attempted to be cordial to Neo by erasing his crimes from the record. Neo was expected to cooperate and remain a slave by never discovering the truth. The agent from Orientation attempted to lull the audience into the same false sense of security.
Elizabeth Carter chose to discuss the light vs. dark motif as it affects reality in The Matrix.
Journal Entry #2 ~Cipher's A, B, C's
What role does Cipher's name play in the destruction of his colleagues in The Matrix and how does this correspond to Frederick Douglass's A, B, C's?
Cipher's name is symbolic of his destruction of his colleagues. The definition of a cipher is a symbol or character with no value by itself that increases or decreases others' values. Cipher is depicted as the evil character as he would stop at nothing to fulfill his own needs. He decreased others by murdering Switch and Apoc and wounding Tank and Dozer in a fatal effort to regain entrance into the matrix life. He was morally empty and died unfulfilled as a "nothing".
As Cipher savored a steak in the matrix while accepting a bribe from the agents, he stated that he knew the steak wasn't real but he preferred ignorance to the awful life he led outside the matrix. "Oh ignorance is bliss;" he sighed, "I want to remember nothing. Got it? Nothing."
Cipher's name is a pun on "decipher" as he unveiled the truth that life outside the matrix was more mentally and physically demanding than the bliss of ignorance. His longing for the bliss of ignorance parallels Frederick Douglass's learning of the A, B, C's. When Douglass could read he discovered that slavery is wrong and his mind was tormented by his physical captivation.
His master warned about the dangers of enlightening a slave's mind because it would, "Make him discontented and unhappy." Douglass acknowledged the truth of this as he realized "learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing…it was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me." Just as Douglass was unhappy with the negative effects of learning to read, Cipher was tormented with learning the A, B, C's about the matrix. He still felt bonded by its forces and was willing to destroy his colleagues in order to end the tormenting of his mind.
Journal Entry #3 ~ Recital featuring Appolinian vs. Dionysian
Dr. Zeltser's piano recital featured the diversity of musical expression based on Appolinian and Dionysian artistic influence. He defined Appolinian style most simply as "order" and Dionysian as "frenzy". The Bacchae of Euripides relates to this as it centers on the conflict between these two living styles. However, it differs as Dr. Zeltser proved that the two styles of music can complement each other to create an extremely intricate work.
The philosopher Neitzche defined Apollo as the Greek God of clarity, precision, and self-control. The Appolinian style works performed by Dr. Zeltser were characteristic of this. The blocked chords in Bach's Prelude in Bb minor coupled with delicate descending runs created a sadly sweet tone of self-control while the nearly perfect form distinctly showed the order and precision. Even the audience relaxes as they sense the harmony of the music with the atmosphere. This is parallel to the strict discipline of Appolo.
Dr. Zeltzer demonstrated the Dionysian style with a piece he described as "written ecstasy". This work was clearly in accordance with Neitzche's definition of Dionysus as the Greek God of change, ecstasy, and wine. A tone of chaos and frenzy was created by sporadic dynamic contrasts coupled with the disorder of the melody and accompanying chords. The audience is affected the same as the Dionysus's women drawn to wild dancing in the forest as they sit up straight and focuses intensely on this style of music.
However, contrasting to the argument in The Bacchae, Dr. Zeltser proved that both styles of music can work together for greater effect on the audience. The frenzy of Rachmaninoff's Concerto #3 interspersed with pockets of delicate sweetness shows just how awe inspiring and emotional this technique can be. This was a brilliant conclusion to his concert that centered on Appolinian and Dionysian influence in musical expression.
Journal Entry #4 ~ Dionysians Speak Out
"Dionysians, you are taking part in a debate which is defined as "the formal discussion of a motion before a deliberative body according to the rules of parliamentary procedure." Why can you not respect the rules of conduct in the Appolinian based court setting?"
"We as Dionysians feel that the Appolonian society's strictness is against our religious freedom and we are not willing to bow Dionysus before a false idol's rules. Further more, we have no respect for them as their hearts were set against us before they even heard us speak. Our oracle foresaw their shortsightedness proved by the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, 'The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time - and still retain the ability to function.'
Recently, Dionysus' authenticity was attacked by the leaders and women of Thebes. King Cadmus of Thebes accused Dionysus of being a fraud by starting the rumor that instead of his being conceived by Zeus, Semele's lover was a mortal. The women of this Appolinoan land spread this rumor through the streets until Dionysus' name was scarred.
Dionysus proved his power by exacting revenge on all of Thebes. He possessed the women until they danced in his honor, turned the leaders into snakes, caused the mother of the King Pentheus to murder her own son who was his foremost enemy, and then banished her.
'Blessed, blessed and happy are they who, in the holy rituals, consecrate themselves.' We will not disrespect Dionysus who 'liberates, enabling you for a short time to stop being yourself.' We will not bow him to the rules of Appolonian society."
Lauren Norris discussed the question concerning an on-campus bar that the Appolonians claimed would regulate student drinking.
Journal Entry #5 ~ Soap Opera Sensationalism
Passion, jealousy, revenge, love: these are the universal themes for sensationalism. Soap operas are a modern example of this with plots based on tragedies created by human emotion. However, this drama has been the heart of story telling for thousands of years.
Sophocles proves this in his carefully constructed Electra. Electra's mother commits adultery (passion) while the great Agamemnon is bravely fighting the battles of Troy (bravery). Instead of celebrating his return, Clytamnestra murders him and hands the crown to her new leader (conspiracy). Electra is outraged and mourns her father's death for years while awaiting her banished brother's return to avenge the evil deeds (emotional distraught). When Orestes finally returns, he deceives Electra's household into believing he is a messenger carrying news that he is dead (deception). Clytamnestra backstabs Orestes (treachery) and he murders her and her lover and reclaims his crown (revenge).
This is very similar to the soap operas of today. The plots are constructed around exceedingly dramatic interchanges within the fine workings of high society. These rich and beautiful people seem to have no purpose to life other than back stabbing each other and diligently mourning their loss of loved ones or social status. Revenge is always attempted to attain for the losses whether by the bad guy as an evil act or by the good guy in a heroic and courageous deed.
So what did the soap opera I watched "steal" from Electra? This one was centered on Electra's grieving motif as both she and Electra mourned at sacrificing marriage for a father's tragic needs. Both Sophocles and modern soap opera writers knew how to attract an audience with the sensationalism of tragic human emotion.