Today we got prepared in creating outlines for final exams.
After that we had to choose a question and answer it with the help of the outlines.
My group and I chose; "Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending."
We were supposed to then discuss the validity of this statement in relation to the Godfather PartI.
Through the characterization, dialogue and scence filming this statement is valid because it illuminates the overall theme of power and the boundaries between business and family, in relation to the Godfather Part I.
Through the characterization in the Godfather Part I, power and the care for family and business is showed.
-----
Due to completing a whole write up, we put out our ideas and after tried again to somehow connect them into the outline table.
*connecting between the first and the last scence of Part I.
*From when the scene begins with a man and ends with a woman.
*beginning: audience accepted into the office
ending: audience (with Kay) stay outside the office
*wit and how that is used to illuminate power between Michael and Vito
* "Its not personal, It's strictly business."
We had so many ideas that we wondered off into the question about the rights of men and women. And even though we talked about a different question, I was still happy because we continued to argue/ work on each others' ideas on different literary features. We basically chose a literary feature and began to expand on it. I think that this was a great practise in recognizing where and how we can use certain literary feature and still answering 1-2 questions from the DP Paper 2 Exam questions.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Week 2 Connection- Denitza
Women Minority
This is a connection between the society in Persepolis and the society in the Godfather and how women are treated. In Persepolis, when women were married, they had to stay committed to their marrige and nobody else. Women then were not used because they were strongly committed to their husband, even though sometimes the husbands were not as committed to their wives, just like Sonny was not with his wife, Sandra.
Another connection between the treatment of women in both societies would be that the women were never given the right to know, discuss or get into business. Is this because women are easily moveable, emotionally and metally? (Just like Kay was moved by Michael when he returned from Sicily and made her believe that he had not forgotten her, even though he did not say a word to her for a few years!) (Or just like Marjane could not find herself for most of the book?)
So the questions that I am trying to get to is:
1) Should women and men be equal in the knowledge that happens within the family?
2) Shouldn't women be allowed to obtain the same rights to do business as men?
3) Does time and the place you live change who you are? (Marjane and Kay)
This is a very confusing message, but it is something that I would like some other people's ideas on it.
This is a connection between the society in Persepolis and the society in the Godfather and how women are treated. In Persepolis, when women were married, they had to stay committed to their marrige and nobody else. Women then were not used because they were strongly committed to their husband, even though sometimes the husbands were not as committed to their wives, just like Sonny was not with his wife, Sandra.
Another connection between the treatment of women in both societies would be that the women were never given the right to know, discuss or get into business. Is this because women are easily moveable, emotionally and metally? (Just like Kay was moved by Michael when he returned from Sicily and made her believe that he had not forgotten her, even though he did not say a word to her for a few years!) (Or just like Marjane could not find herself for most of the book?)
So the questions that I am trying to get to is:
1) Should women and men be equal in the knowledge that happens within the family?
2) Shouldn't women be allowed to obtain the same rights to do business as men?
3) Does time and the place you live change who you are? (Marjane and Kay)
This is a very confusing message, but it is something that I would like some other people's ideas on it.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Week 2 Lit Feature Hunt- Denitza
Symbolism
When Michael meets Apollonia, she is wearing scarlet red. This is a symbol (just like it was a symbol for Kay) that something bad would be happening the scene after. Instead, nothing major happened because Michael was in Sicily and nobody knew where he was, yet. That is why I think that Coppola wanted Apollonia to wear red because it is she that is going to get into trouble, not Michael's family. This is proven by the explosion of the car. Later on, when Michael returns to NY and meets Kay, Kay is not wearing any type of red. This is symbolic because it means that she has let go of him and that he was now gone from her life. She does not wear any red from then on. This could be interpreted in a good and bad way.
Good: she has fit into the family.
Bad: she is worn out and does not like how things are hidden from her. It might be depression of being alone. It might be that she does not want to live in a life where there is dirty business going on in the office.
Juxtaposition
There is a shot of how Michael and Apollonia are taking a stroll and how there is a group of ladies following a few feet behind them. This is juxtaposed to the next scene right after, which is of Sonny leaving a woman and walking out a building with a group of guys behind him. This shows the difference between the brothers, yet the similar situation that they are in. It was also interesting the way that Michael took great care of Apollonia compared to his brother, Sonny who does not care that he is even married. (I already explained this in detail previously)
Foreshadowing
When Kay came for the last time to Michael's house to see if he was home, she left a note for him. Behind her was a crashed car. This was foreshadowing to what later on was the explosion of Apollonia's car.
When Michael meets Apollonia, she is wearing scarlet red. This is a symbol (just like it was a symbol for Kay) that something bad would be happening the scene after. Instead, nothing major happened because Michael was in Sicily and nobody knew where he was, yet. That is why I think that Coppola wanted Apollonia to wear red because it is she that is going to get into trouble, not Michael's family. This is proven by the explosion of the car. Later on, when Michael returns to NY and meets Kay, Kay is not wearing any type of red. This is symbolic because it means that she has let go of him and that he was now gone from her life. She does not wear any red from then on. This could be interpreted in a good and bad way.
Good: she has fit into the family.
Bad: she is worn out and does not like how things are hidden from her. It might be depression of being alone. It might be that she does not want to live in a life where there is dirty business going on in the office.
Juxtaposition
There is a shot of how Michael and Apollonia are taking a stroll and how there is a group of ladies following a few feet behind them. This is juxtaposed to the next scene right after, which is of Sonny leaving a woman and walking out a building with a group of guys behind him. This shows the difference between the brothers, yet the similar situation that they are in. It was also interesting the way that Michael took great care of Apollonia compared to his brother, Sonny who does not care that he is even married. (I already explained this in detail previously)
Foreshadowing
When Kay came for the last time to Michael's house to see if he was home, she left a note for him. Behind her was a crashed car. This was foreshadowing to what later on was the explosion of Apollonia's car.
Week 2 Hero's Journey- Denitza
The stages of change in the protagonist (Michael Corleone).
*The Innermost Cave- The hero goes through some kind of change, and then is reborn in some way-physically, internally, emotionally, or spiritually.
This stages is illuminated in Sicily. It is in Sicily when Michael goes through a change of emotion, and power. His first trial is when he goes to Apollonia's father and asks for her hand. He basically makes her father an offer he cannot refuse. This is a change in Michael's life, because he makes a progression into being a similar speaker as his father, strong and consice with what he says. His emotions go through a change as well. He cared strongly for Kay, yet married a different woman. In conclusion all the changes from this stage shape the character of Michael for when he returns to NY. But through all these changes, Michael Corleone comes out from Sicily as a confident man with strengths in speaking, women and business.
*Return and Reintegration with Society- The hero uses his new wisdom to restorefertility and order to the land.
This is basically when Michael comes back from Sicily with a greater understanding with what he can do and how the family runs the business. He then takes over his father's job and continues the mafia affaires to make himself head Don of NY. He then has full power to put order to the land and the people.
*The Innermost Cave- The hero goes through some kind of change, and then is reborn in some way-physically, internally, emotionally, or spiritually.
This stages is illuminated in Sicily. It is in Sicily when Michael goes through a change of emotion, and power. His first trial is when he goes to Apollonia's father and asks for her hand. He basically makes her father an offer he cannot refuse. This is a change in Michael's life, because he makes a progression into being a similar speaker as his father, strong and consice with what he says. His emotions go through a change as well. He cared strongly for Kay, yet married a different woman. In conclusion all the changes from this stage shape the character of Michael for when he returns to NY. But through all these changes, Michael Corleone comes out from Sicily as a confident man with strengths in speaking, women and business.
*Return and Reintegration with Society- The hero uses his new wisdom to restorefertility and order to the land.
This is basically when Michael comes back from Sicily with a greater understanding with what he can do and how the family runs the business. He then takes over his father's job and continues the mafia affaires to make himself head Don of NY. He then has full power to put order to the land and the people.
Week 2 Class Act - Denitza
This is the last week of watching the Godfather movie.
Because we are only watching Part I. :(
* The role of women.
Coppola (the director) has made a significant difference between the two brothers, Sonny and Michael. He shows the audience different types of differences, such as way of thought and interpitation, which is very obvious. But one that caught my eye was the way the handle women.
Michael
- he looks at Apollonia with love and even catches her when she falls, because he is looking out of her and watching every move she makes.
Sonny
- He is married, yet still goes out with other women. It is like he does not care about his wife.
This shows a great difference, until we reached the part of when Michael goes back to NY and lies to Kay and says that he loves her...yet that is hard to believe. Which brought me to the question "are Michael and Sonny really all that different in handling women?" I mean Michael moved very quickly from one girl to another! This brought me to a conclusion that family is very important to an italian man, but only because he have children. Therefore it the woman was never really all that important. Later on in the movie this statement is supported. (divorce scene)
*Clothing colors
In Sicily, Michael meets another woman, Apollonia, who is wearing red as well. Probably Michael likes girls that are unique, or that are always trouble. Which is weird, yet interesting to investigate. Any way, after Michael marries Apollonia, she does not wear red any more. It is like she is accepted into the family. On the other hand, Kay wears red until Michael returns from Sicily. There are 2 reasons why she is not wearing red when they meet again;
1) It is a very happy scene. She is glad that her love is back and wants her back. Therefore there is nothing bad that can follow.
2) It has been such a long time that they have not seen each other that she has slowly let him go. And with him goes all the dangerous things (red).
Another addition to this title would be the changes that Vito Corleone goes through. Character wise and clothing wise.
Since Michael took over the family business, there is a scene where Michael is oppointing things and Vito is just listening. Vito is wearing gray clothing, this is a symbol of age and letting go of power. Because the power is now with Michael, who is wearing pitch black suits, just like Vito used to. His clothing also protrays his character. After his final meeting with all the 5 families, Vito turned into a person that could not remember properly, repeating himself and not caring so much about the business anymore. He seems to focus more on his family then on business. This is all signs of a regular old man. Thats why Vito is looked upon as not having that much power in the eyes of the other heads of the other families. On the other hand, the audience thinks that his words and sayings are very valuable.
FAV. PARTS IN PART I
- It was really cool how Coppola filmed the scene where Michael went to the babtism of Connie's baby, yet during the same time all the heads of the 5 families are being killed. And the sounds behind all the kill scenes was the voice of the priest that was babtising Connie's baby. I thought that this scene was the first best scene made in the whole part I of the godfather. It was like a huge turning point. That was when Michael became the leader of mafia in NY, because there was nobody to compete with him.
-The second best scene in the Godfather Part I is the ending. It finishes in a way that made me want to see more because of all the loose ends that were still hanging. Michael just lied to Kay that he did not kill his sister's husband, when he did. This right away shows that family should never mess with business. Unfortunately when Kay exists the office, she sees how people are kissing Michael's hand, like is a Don. Right then, she realizes that Michael lied and that he is now the head of the family's mafia gang. And exactly at the moment that she realizes, the door of the office shuts, shutting off or ending Part I of the Godfather.
Because we are only watching Part I. :(
* The role of women.
Coppola (the director) has made a significant difference between the two brothers, Sonny and Michael. He shows the audience different types of differences, such as way of thought and interpitation, which is very obvious. But one that caught my eye was the way the handle women.
Michael
- he looks at Apollonia with love and even catches her when she falls, because he is looking out of her and watching every move she makes.
Sonny
- He is married, yet still goes out with other women. It is like he does not care about his wife.
This shows a great difference, until we reached the part of when Michael goes back to NY and lies to Kay and says that he loves her...yet that is hard to believe. Which brought me to the question "are Michael and Sonny really all that different in handling women?" I mean Michael moved very quickly from one girl to another! This brought me to a conclusion that family is very important to an italian man, but only because he have children. Therefore it the woman was never really all that important. Later on in the movie this statement is supported. (divorce scene)
*Clothing colors
In Sicily, Michael meets another woman, Apollonia, who is wearing red as well. Probably Michael likes girls that are unique, or that are always trouble. Which is weird, yet interesting to investigate. Any way, after Michael marries Apollonia, she does not wear red any more. It is like she is accepted into the family. On the other hand, Kay wears red until Michael returns from Sicily. There are 2 reasons why she is not wearing red when they meet again;
1) It is a very happy scene. She is glad that her love is back and wants her back. Therefore there is nothing bad that can follow.
2) It has been such a long time that they have not seen each other that she has slowly let him go. And with him goes all the dangerous things (red).
Another addition to this title would be the changes that Vito Corleone goes through. Character wise and clothing wise.
Since Michael took over the family business, there is a scene where Michael is oppointing things and Vito is just listening. Vito is wearing gray clothing, this is a symbol of age and letting go of power. Because the power is now with Michael, who is wearing pitch black suits, just like Vito used to. His clothing also protrays his character. After his final meeting with all the 5 families, Vito turned into a person that could not remember properly, repeating himself and not caring so much about the business anymore. He seems to focus more on his family then on business. This is all signs of a regular old man. Thats why Vito is looked upon as not having that much power in the eyes of the other heads of the other families. On the other hand, the audience thinks that his words and sayings are very valuable.
FAV. PARTS IN PART I
- It was really cool how Coppola filmed the scene where Michael went to the babtism of Connie's baby, yet during the same time all the heads of the 5 families are being killed. And the sounds behind all the kill scenes was the voice of the priest that was babtising Connie's baby. I thought that this scene was the first best scene made in the whole part I of the godfather. It was like a huge turning point. That was when Michael became the leader of mafia in NY, because there was nobody to compete with him.
-The second best scene in the Godfather Part I is the ending. It finishes in a way that made me want to see more because of all the loose ends that were still hanging. Michael just lied to Kay that he did not kill his sister's husband, when he did. This right away shows that family should never mess with business. Unfortunately when Kay exists the office, she sees how people are kissing Michael's hand, like is a Don. Right then, she realizes that Michael lied and that he is now the head of the family's mafia gang. And exactly at the moment that she realizes, the door of the office shuts, shutting off or ending Part I of the Godfather.
Week 1 Connections- Denitza
Big Brother and the five mafia families.
To me it seems like out of the 5 families, the Corleone family is the best at predicting and acting on things. Yet this could be a limitation to my perspective of the film because I am not able to view the thoughts and predictions of the other 4 mafia families.
Big Brother, in 1984, was made out of a group of people that basically controlled what was happening with the people in their community. In the Godfather, the 5 mafia families are the little group(s) of people that make their community. In both stories the groups make their community worse by doing bad things (Big Brother: elimination of humans. Godfather: killing people in their way to success). Later on, in both stories, the groups cover up what they have done so that the public and the family do not know what exactly happened- Big Brother: making up stories about people and how they died. Godfather: because we have a limited omnicient point of view and we can only see what Vito Corleone has, we can say that in the Godfather they can hide what they have done by having control over the newspaper writers and public announcers. As for the family they have to lie, only for their protection and safety.
To me it seems like out of the 5 families, the Corleone family is the best at predicting and acting on things. Yet this could be a limitation to my perspective of the film because I am not able to view the thoughts and predictions of the other 4 mafia families.
Big Brother, in 1984, was made out of a group of people that basically controlled what was happening with the people in their community. In the Godfather, the 5 mafia families are the little group(s) of people that make their community. In both stories the groups make their community worse by doing bad things (Big Brother: elimination of humans. Godfather: killing people in their way to success). Later on, in both stories, the groups cover up what they have done so that the public and the family do not know what exactly happened- Big Brother: making up stories about people and how they died. Godfather: because we have a limited omnicient point of view and we can only see what Vito Corleone has, we can say that in the Godfather they can hide what they have done by having control over the newspaper writers and public announcers. As for the family they have to lie, only for their protection and safety.
Week 1 Hero's Journey- Dentiza
"Leave the Gun. Take the Cannoli."
Through the whole beginning of the film, there has always been a way to connect with the Hero's journey.
STAGES OF THE HERO'S JOURNEY
1) Departure- The hero is called to adveture, although he is more reluctant to accept.
This stage is protrayed through the beginning of the movie, when Michael comes to the wedding of his sister, Connie. Basically presenting Michael that he is leaving the army and coming home shows that Michael is entering an adventure.
2) Initiation- The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining a more mature perspective.
This stage begins when Michael enters family business meetings and decisions. A great scene was when Michael was speaking to his father's crew about a plan in his office and the camera zoomed into him, presenting confidence in what he was saying. His stance in that scene also illuminated power. That was more of the communication wise in entering a new world.
Physically, Michael entered the dangerous world of mafia gangs when he shot the cop and Sollozo.
3) The Road of Trials- the hero is given supernatural aid, endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance.
This stage is shown when Michael gets a hold of a gun (his magic weapon) from his strange but wise mentor, Clemenza. Clemenza teaches Michael how to use the gun and how to present himself. Basically something like Harry getting his wand from Dumbledore, who teaches Harry how to use his wand in order to win the task.
-------------------
-The Castle- this is a place where there is a strong proctection and safety. It reminded me of Corleone's house because that is where Vito was brought after Michael saved him from the hospital. It is where nobody dares to enter because Vito's whole crew is there to protect, not only Vito himself, but as well as the whole family.
-I WAS RIGHT! A few days ago I wrote about how cats have something to do in the film, and that the represent a higher status to the protagonist. I was looking through the hero's journey and under the 'character archetypes' there is an archetype that states "Friendly Beast" and that is an animal companion that protrays that nature is on the hero's side. Nature contains many things under it's title. Therefore, the fact that Vito Corleone has a cat in his hands represents power of nature because nature is the existing system of all things in the world.
Through the whole beginning of the film, there has always been a way to connect with the Hero's journey.
STAGES OF THE HERO'S JOURNEY
1) Departure- The hero is called to adveture, although he is more reluctant to accept.
This stage is protrayed through the beginning of the movie, when Michael comes to the wedding of his sister, Connie. Basically presenting Michael that he is leaving the army and coming home shows that Michael is entering an adventure.
2) Initiation- The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining a more mature perspective.
This stage begins when Michael enters family business meetings and decisions. A great scene was when Michael was speaking to his father's crew about a plan in his office and the camera zoomed into him, presenting confidence in what he was saying. His stance in that scene also illuminated power. That was more of the communication wise in entering a new world.
Physically, Michael entered the dangerous world of mafia gangs when he shot the cop and Sollozo.
3) The Road of Trials- the hero is given supernatural aid, endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance.
This stage is shown when Michael gets a hold of a gun (his magic weapon) from his strange but wise mentor, Clemenza. Clemenza teaches Michael how to use the gun and how to present himself. Basically something like Harry getting his wand from Dumbledore, who teaches Harry how to use his wand in order to win the task.
-------------------
-The Castle- this is a place where there is a strong proctection and safety. It reminded me of Corleone's house because that is where Vito was brought after Michael saved him from the hospital. It is where nobody dares to enter because Vito's whole crew is there to protect, not only Vito himself, but as well as the whole family.
-I WAS RIGHT! A few days ago I wrote about how cats have something to do in the film, and that the represent a higher status to the protagonist. I was looking through the hero's journey and under the 'character archetypes' there is an archetype that states "Friendly Beast" and that is an animal companion that protrays that nature is on the hero's side. Nature contains many things under it's title. Therefore, the fact that Vito Corleone has a cat in his hands represents power of nature because nature is the existing system of all things in the world.
Week 1 Literary Feature Hunt- Denitza
In the godfather film, there are many things that symbolize or foreshadow something.
*Kay and her Red clothing
It is very smbolic that Kay always wears something red. The color red stand for confidence and courage. I think that Kay is very confident and courageous to stay with someone like Michael and know that there was some serious business going on behind the office door. This is like going at your own risk. Red could also symbolize blood and death. It was a constant motif of how everytime Kay was with Michael (and she was wearing red), the next scene something bad would happen. It was almost as if her reddness foreshadowed the bad events that were coming.
*Luca Brasi's Death
A very obvious way to protray forshaowing and metaphor is the way that Luca Brasi's death was filmed. It started from the very beginning, when Luca entered the resturant of the Tattaglia family there was a big tank of fish. This was a connected foreshadowing (later on connected with something else) of Luca's death because 24 hours later, the Corleone family reseves a package of a fish.
* 2
It was an interesting relization of how the number two was shot in the scene where Michael goes to protect his father. The scene is shot so that it has the number 2 (which is the room number) as well as Michael and Vito. This was foreshadowing because it said 2 meaning that there would probably be a second something, and Michael beside his wounded father. All in all, it presented the meaning that there would soon be a second godfather.
*Foreshadowing the obvious
In many of the scenes in the godfather, it shot of what is happening is shot from where a person would be coming (foreshadowing). For example; when the nurse and Michael were moving Vito into a different room in the hospital so that he does not get killed. Another shot, and a very popular one thoughout the whole film, would be the angle at which the camera is positioned right behind a shoulder to film the person that is talking. This shoulder would provide the viewer to see exactly what the person in power (the shoulder) would see. This shows power, and through the viewer's view, it makes the viewer more confident and interested in the movie, since they have a type of view that no one else can in the film.
*Kay and her Red clothing
It is very smbolic that Kay always wears something red. The color red stand for confidence and courage. I think that Kay is very confident and courageous to stay with someone like Michael and know that there was some serious business going on behind the office door. This is like going at your own risk. Red could also symbolize blood and death. It was a constant motif of how everytime Kay was with Michael (and she was wearing red), the next scene something bad would happen. It was almost as if her reddness foreshadowed the bad events that were coming.
*Luca Brasi's Death
A very obvious way to protray forshaowing and metaphor is the way that Luca Brasi's death was filmed. It started from the very beginning, when Luca entered the resturant of the Tattaglia family there was a big tank of fish. This was a connected foreshadowing (later on connected with something else) of Luca's death because 24 hours later, the Corleone family reseves a package of a fish.
* 2
It was an interesting relization of how the number two was shot in the scene where Michael goes to protect his father. The scene is shot so that it has the number 2 (which is the room number) as well as Michael and Vito. This was foreshadowing because it said 2 meaning that there would probably be a second something, and Michael beside his wounded father. All in all, it presented the meaning that there would soon be a second godfather.
*Foreshadowing the obvious
In many of the scenes in the godfather, it shot of what is happening is shot from where a person would be coming (foreshadowing). For example; when the nurse and Michael were moving Vito into a different room in the hospital so that he does not get killed. Another shot, and a very popular one thoughout the whole film, would be the angle at which the camera is positioned right behind a shoulder to film the person that is talking. This shoulder would provide the viewer to see exactly what the person in power (the shoulder) would see. This shows power, and through the viewer's view, it makes the viewer more confident and interested in the movie, since they have a type of view that no one else can in the film.
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