Category Archives: Uncategorized
Fight The Power?
Do The Right Thing does more than just illustrate a day in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn during the 1980s. It shows how racial tensions and unnecessary hatred can tear us apart, all in the matter of a day. It is a frightening expose of how easily people can be driven to commit acts of violence, and how it never solves anything.
Something that struck me deeply in the film was the song that Radio Rahim constantly played on his radio, “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy. The racial groups in the film–the African-Americans and the Italian-Americans especially–felt that the “power” that needed to be fought was each other. Throughout the film, there was obvious hatred and bigotry on each side, leading to palpable racial tensions and ultimately violence. However, all of this was unnecessary. Why must the different racial groups blame each other for their personal problems and failures? I felt that most of the characters were lazy and deplorable, and brought this upon themselves. I don’t understand why they couldn’t just work together and live in harmony with each other. Obviously, their hatred did not solve anything. Rather, it just made the relationships between the ethnic groups worse.
The true “power” that must be fought in the film is this narrow-minded bigotry exhibited by most of the characters. The violence that occured at the end of the film did not surprise me in the least. The film would’ve been much more poignant if the characters actually shed their prejudices and learned to treat each other with the respect that every human being deserves. The film shows that such harmony is possible through the friendship between Vito and Mookie. Although one was black and one was white, they were like brothers and accepted each other for who they were, instead of hating each other for the color of their skin. That’s the way every character should have been in this this film.
Therefore, I think that no one in the film did the right thing. They did not “fight the power.”
Do the Right Thing
Unlike most of my fellow students, I am disgusted by the profligate use of profanity in “Do the Right Thing.” Yes, I enjoyed the scene with the fire hydrant where the (white) driver gets splashed and becomes apoplectic. (And no, he is not racist. Any normal human would have the same reaction.) And yes, this movie is surely a commentary on race relations in Brooklyn and in the country at large. But I cannot help expressing my disgust at the vulgar utterances of certain characters. This movie creates a very negative impression of the African-American community by suggesting that its members cannot communicate without resorting to curse words. Personally, I dislike these kinds of race movies, that seek to divide people on the basis of skin color and promote a victim mentality. Still, I look forward to watching the rest of the movie and seeing how the message of “doing the right thing” plays out. Perhaps we should focus less on race, and more on doing the right thing.
Lend Me a Tenor
Hey, guys:
For the past month, I have been working with my old high school in its production of Lend Me a Tenor, a Ken Ludwig comedy in two acts. I am tech directing (lights, sound, etc.) and have been coaching these kids in acting, stage presence, inflection, etc. for a while. They’re a talented group of kids and I know they’re going to put on a spectacular show as they always do. If any of you are interested in coming, here is the info:
LEND ME A TENOR
Location: Xaverian High School
7100 Shore Road 11209
Dates:
November 18th (8:00 pm)
November 19th (8:00 pm)*
November 20th (3:00 pm)
Tickets cost $10 at the door
*On Saturday, November 19th, Xaverian will be hosting a special Dinner-Theatre event at 5:30. The cost is $40, which includes beer, wine, soda, food and a ticket for the show. There will be live music, food prepared by gourmet Chef Ayoub, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to St. Jude’s Hospital. Note: this is not mandatory. If you want to come on Saturday without paying for the dinner-theatre, you can. But if you can make it, every penny helps!
Richard II
Like others, I found the text somewhat difficult to understand because of the archaic terminology, but the plot is really not that difficult – especially for a person who is interested in politics. Basically, two nobles are embroiled in a fight over who is more loyal to the Crown. There is some rather violent and bitter language, such as Bolingbroke’s promise to tear out his own tongue and “spit it bleeding” in Mowbray’s face rather than withdraw from the fight. Who doesn’t love this kind of violence and passion? I enjoyed the biblical allusion to Cain and Abel, where the blood cries out from beneath the earth. There are other religious references like “miscreant,” “innocent souls,” “rites of knighthood,” “defend my soul from such deep sin,” and “our sacred blood.” While the plot is enjoyable, I definitely need some work on understanding the language. Shakespeare, after all, is no easy read.
Women
If there is one theme in fiction that I keep seeing, it is the fact that women are the catalyzers of bold actions, such as homicide. In Richard II Act 1 Scene 2, the Duchess of Gloucester wishes her nephew luck in slaying Thomas Mowbray, the Duke of Norfolk, for her husband and brother had been slayed. And in the opera Don Giovanni, Donna Anna seduces her husband into agreeing to avenge her father’s death. Both women use their grief to manipulate the men around them.
I find this both intriguing and slightly insulting. That women are portrayed as such devious creatures strikes hard on my feminist button. Not only that, the playwright William Shakespeare seems to love sculpting scheming female characters, such as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, and Tatiana of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Like sweet venom sits
The spider waits for its mate
Only to eat him
-Megan P. Low
Don Juan
Don Juan is turning out to be more interesting than I expected. While this is a seemingly ancient play, the translation is quite understandable, and the plot is actually amusing. (Who thought that a play could be fun?!)
It is fascinating to read how Don Juan promises to marry two women at once – Charlotte and Sganerelle. Perhaps this symbolizes dual commitments that we sometimes make in life, a commitment to two things at once whereby it is impossible to keep both. Anyway, it is rather amusing to see the two women fight it out and debate which one of them is really beloved by Don Juan. I was also amused by the part where Don Juan is supposed to be killed.
The discussions about religion and creation are fascinating, as Moliere was well ahead of his time. He wrote this play during the Enlightenment, and who knew that we would still be having these debates today?
Michael B.
Don Juan, The Eight Deadly Sin
Don Juan is a very interesting character. He does not refute God as an atheist, but at the same time he feels that religion is somehow not all its hyped up to be. His attitude can be described as feeling above religion, as if it doesn’t apply to him because he is more important than other people(Pride). What we see in Don Juan is the collection of several of the “Deadly sins” being consistently repeated throughout the play. Don Juan’s numerous marriages, divorces, and mistresses exhibit his extreme lust for women, and especially beautiful women. He reasons that he has the right to pursue any beautiful women, due to the fact that their beauty should be enjoyed by man, and what right does man have to keep that beauty from the rest of the world. His argument, although extremely flawed, makes sense to him. It also shows that Don Juan is addicted to the chase. He loves the beginnings of a relationship, where one has to work and use romance to charm a woman, but once he has become the master of that woman he loses passion for her and needs to find a new woman to entice him.
Don Juan’s character is extremely immoral to say the least. He is lustful, proud of his lifestyle, and even seems to boast of this lifestyle to his servant Sganarelle. He is the perfect example of an “addict,” someone who can’t live without romance, but this does not make him a hopeless romantic. His actions do not benefit women, he only breaks their hearts. Instead he only cares for himself, and this narcissistic attitude is what leads him to his eventual doom. Don Juan’s narcissism and lust for women, along with repeatedly breaking the hearts of these women, ironically become his fate when Karma eventually catches up to him.
The Peripeteia of Don Juan
The story of the infamous Don Juan has been recanted in various forms and settings over the years. However the event that interests me most is the subtle peripeteia of regarding Don Juan, and the brother of Elvira. Peripeteia is defined as the moment or realization, where ignorance is transformed into a shocking truth. The moment where Oedipus realizes he is married to his mother being the most famous of these discoveries.
After abandoning his love, Elvira, Don Juan seeked a new relationship. However, her brothers’ wrath encouraged them to kill Don Juan for his actions. The play goes on and Don Juan saves a stranger from bandits. The Stranger, who is ironically Elvira’s Brother, admits that he owes his life to Don Juan. It is only when they realize who the other is, is the shocking truth revealed. The brother chooses to forgive Don Juan of his actions.
Ironic occurrences such as this are riddled through the literature of the world, notably in the works of Wilde, Shakespeare, and Sophocles. Moliere’s adaptation of the story, puts him at this high level of literature.
Walking The High Line
Check out this video I made of my walk along the High Line!
