Author Archives: isadorebetesh

Friendships

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Eric Grode review’s Sylvan Oswald’s “Nightlands” in the article Astrologist Meets Wig Seller in Simmering ’60s. He begins by describing the setting of the play, Oswald’s hometown of Philadelphia during the 1960s, which was a time of racial tension and uneasiness. Grode mentions that one problem that the play has is that it tries to jam too many stories and styles into the production. He then goes on to give the reader a small background of the production. The play is about two main characters who develop an interesting an unusual relationship. Netta Klein, a Jewish wig saleswomen, seeks “respite from her stultifying marriage,” by heading to a predominantly black section of the city for astrology lessons from Ivy Silver, the black host of an astrology show on the radio. The play portrays the development of their relationship during a time in which these relationships were frowned upon.
One thing about the play that really intrigues me is the development of a relationship between people on the opposite sides of the spectrum. Sometimes even when certain things may be right it is hard to pursue them when others view it as unorthodox. However, these two characters do not succumb to that “pressure” and develop a friendship that doesn’t follow the norm of society.

You Can’t Escape Fate

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Throughout the play, “The Barber of Seville,” by Pierre Beaumarchais there is the recurring theme of fate and destiny. Fate is the developments of events beyond a person’s control. These events are predetermined and are controlled by some supernatural being. We can see that the play is surrounded by this notion of fate and that most of the events take place as a result of chance or coincidence.

From the very beginning of the play we can see the effect of fate in the story.  When the Count saw her in Spain that first time it was fated that he would fall in love with her. However, the antagonist of the play, Dr. Bartholo, had a different idea. In an attempt to alter fate he decided to lock Rosine in his house and planned on taking her to be his wife. Bartholo constantly watches over Rosine and won’t stop until he gets his way. However, the Gods had an alternative plan and did everything in their power to ensure that the marriage did not happen. They made sure that the Count would get his way and set up the coincidental meeting between himself and Figaro, his old servant who “happened” to be the barber of Dr. Bartolo. The Count was in the right place at the right time and he finally got his chance to acquire the love of Rosine. Together they devised a few plans to get Count Almaviva into Dr. Bartholo’s house and to set up a meeting with Rosine. At the end of the play we can see the effect of fate to an even greater extent. The Count finally has some time alone with Rosine and as soon as he reveals to Rosine who he really was the notary “happens” to walk in and marries them off.

From the play we can see the effect to which fate can have on the lives of people. Fate is inevitable and no matter how hard you try to escape it, you will not succeed. Bartholo tried to alter fate, however the power of the gods was too great for him and in the end he sped up the process.

Fate

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Throughout the course of a person’s lifetime he may encounter certain situations that force him to raise the question, “Why me?” or “What did I do to deserve this?” He may wonder how he ended up in the situation and if it was predestined for him to end up in the predicament. Throughout Sophocles’ Antigone we can see the central theme of fate and destiny. Fate is defined as the development of events beyond a person’s control. It is seem as regulated by some supernatural powers. In Antigone, almost all of the characters would meet their destiny and their inevitable fate.

From the very beginning of the play we can see the predetermination of Antigone’s life. As soon as she is born she is confronted with fate and cannot escape her destiny. She is born to a family which includes an incestuous relationship between her parents and her brothers would end up killing each other. We can see the extent to which fate dictates her life. Antigone believed that Polynices was a proper burial and she goes out of her way to make sure  that he will receive it. She knew that doing so she is violating the kings order that no one shall bury Polynices and that death is the consequence of doing so, however, she believed that this was her destiny and that eventually it would come no matter what. She is the vehicle in which her own predetermined fate is carried out. By rebelling and causing her death she has carried out the will of the supernatural powers and of the gods. Creon too was confronted with fate. Creon tried to prohibit Polynices from receiving a proper burial and believed that it was Polynices fate to be left without a burial. At the end he would be left with nothing- no wife and no son- except the crown on top of his head. He believed that it was Polynices’ destiny to die without a proper burial, but he would soon realize that he was totally wrong.

Both Antigone and Creon were victims to their fate and couldn’t escape it no matter how much they tried. Fate was just too powerful and we see that eventually their actions would lead to the destiny that was predetermined for them.

The Unpredictable Production

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Sometimes certain things may surprise you and may come to you out of the blue. However, these surprises may really be helpful to you in the long run and can really turn you into a better person. Like life, the production “The Love Letter You’ve Been Meaning to Write New York,” experiences the same situations and may be swayed by its surrounding environment.

Claudia Lo Rocco, in her article “Just Can’t Say Goodbye to Gotham,” discusses the production.  She begins by bringing down some peculiar aspects about the productions such as the hackneyed script, the amateur performers and the strained concept and plot. However, she states that there is something about this production that draws the audience in.

The reviewer then brings down the location of the play which is at the 3LD Art & Technology Center in Lower Manhattan. however, it is not really inside the center, rather it takes place outside on Greenwich Street, making the play all the more exhilarating. The audience sits inside the theater, along with the composer and musicians, as they watch the action unfold through floor to ceiling glass windows.

Lo Rocco continues to give us a little background of the play and provides some information as to her experience of watching it. She explains that the play is about and “young romantic” who’s proposal was rejected by his girlfriend. He contemplates whether or not he can bear to stay in New York. She explains that most of the play is scripted, however, due to their “unpredictable stage” some parts are improvised or come about as a result of traffic flowing through the street. Lo Rocco explains that these moments were her favorite part of the production. Throughout the play many pedestrians strolling the street, stop by and watch as the play goes on and react in different ways. Some passer-bys are confused and bewildered, while others are delighted to see what will happen next.

While reading this article, I was immediately intrigued by the production. The actors of the play are almost in the same position as the audience. Just like us, they are waiting to see what will happen next and don’t really know how it will play out. They must react to certain things going on around them and must be prepared to act out a change in their environment.

My Hero

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I interviewed my grandfather about his experience as a soldier in World War II. Throughout my childhood, he was always reluctant to reveal any details regarding the war, however, after a lot of begging, I finally persuaded him to discuss “the worst experience of his life.”

When my grandfather was only 18 years old he heard a knock on the door. He peeked outside and saw two man dressed in army uniforms waiting for someone to answer. He quickly jumped up to answer the door and they told him that they were here to draft his brother Leon to fight in the war. This visit was extremely unexpected and they tried to face the fact that he was needed in battle. Leon was the provider for the family and without him they wouldn’t have enough money to put food on the table. Realizing this, my grandfather jumped in front of his older brother and requested that they take him on Leon’s behalf.

                                               

After a couple of months of training my grandfather finally went to battle and was in charge of driving gas trucks to refuel the tanks. “On one hand the job wasn’t too exciting as being on the front lines. However, on the other hand it was extremely dangerous because one shot to the gas tank and I would go up in flames.”  During one particular trip he received directions to drive the truck to a certain base, however, he noticed that there was something wrong with the path and chose an alternate route to get to the base. When he finally arrived he heard devastating news. His sergeant told him that a different truck that followed those directions was ambushed by some of the opposing forces and was blown up. If it wasn’t for his intuition, him and his partner wouldn’t have made it out alive.

After a couple of months, his platoon was being sent to Japan to embark on the second part of his tour. While aboard the General J.P. Breckenridge ship he received the exciting news that the war was finally over and that they were being sent back home. He described it as “the happiest day of his life.” His whole platoon was singing and partying and they were so excited to rejoin their families . This experience changed my grandfather’s life and it really turned him into the man he is today.

The Land of the Free

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Calling all Americans to come visit the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, where many of our ancestors had their first steps to a start of a better future. Over 12 million immigrants passed through the doors of Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954, hoping to achieve the “American dream.” As they entered America, the first thing they would glance upon was the Statue of Liberty, which is a “symbol of freedom and democracy.” This is what America is all about, having the opportunity to not only make a better life for yourself, but for your family as well. As human beings we have the responsibility to retrace our past and to recognize how it is that we got to where we are today. So come join me as we celebrate our country’s history and the building of a better future. For more information please visit http://www.nps.gov/elis/index.htm. Ellis Island is only accessible by state cruises, which leave from the Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park in New York and the Museum at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ. Liberty and Ellis Island are open Daily.The first ferry departs the mainland at 9 a.m. and the last ferry leaves at 3:30 p.m.The final ferries of the day departing from Ellis Island will leave at 5:15 p.m.

Writing Techniques

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Many writers and journalists have different styles of writing and use those styles in order to capture the attention of their readers. However, what determines whether or not a journalist is effective is the way he/she is able to implement his/her respective style in order to attract readers. Some reviewers or journalist are more effective at accomplishing this then others and that’s what separates them as the elite.

In his review, A Play That Will Not Come to Dust While It’s a Troupe’s Lucky Charm, Ben Brantley reviews the play Cymbeline and begins by giving a couple of details as to the plot of the play. He gives the reader a glimpse of the play without giving away the entire play, because if that was the case why would one want to see a play if he/she already knows what will occur. He uses many descriptive words and phrases, such as “credibly portraying incredible feats of derring-do” and “bringing elaborate battle scenes to life,” to give the reader a sense of what to expect while watching the play. By doing so he is able to establish an emotional relationship with the reader and connect to him/her in a more effective manner. He then goes on to give us some details about the set of the play and the cast that starred in it. Brantley ends his review by offering his personal opinion on the piece and by noting some aspects of the play he really enjoyed. He comments that the actors didn’t goof around and that they were able to portray the piece in a way that “the play itself really was the thing.” In my opinion, Brantley wrote an excellent review on the play and not only described its plot, but was also able to establish a connection with his readers.

Neil Genzlinger, discusses the play “Temporal Powers” in his review, A Couple’s Big Break That’s Not So Lucky. He was able to draw me in by beginning his review with a question, however, as I continued reading I realized that he was not as effective as Ben Brantley. Genzlinger starts off by bringing up another play performed by the same company and gives a comparison between the two. He then goes on to summarize the play without lending his opinion as to how he felt while watching the play. Genzlinger failed to establish a connection with his audience and ruined the entire play for the people who were interested in seeing it. He finally ends off by offering his opinion on the piece, but it is too late. By summarizing the play he has lost the attention of the reader and has established his review as an ineffective one.

As you can see, the technique a writer decides to use is very important and can establish him/her as a great journalist or one who is unsuccessful. Reviewers must pay careful attention to the style and methods that they choose to use because it can either lead to their success or their downfall.

Remembrance

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In both Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake we see the importance of a father figure in the lives of the protagonists. In both stories the main characters are devastated by their fathers’ deaths and try to hold on to them. They try to recount the memories of their fathers to bring them closer to them.

In Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, the protagonist, Oskar Schell looks up to is father and is devastated upon his death. Oskar tries to hold on to his father and searches the house for clues that might help him understand his death. Oskar tries to “remember” his father in a couple of ways.  Firstly, his expedition to find the lock that matched the key was in my mind a way to remember his father and embrace his memory. Oskar had an ulterior motive to his investigation. Not only did he embark on this journey to find the truth about his father’s death but he felt that by searching he was getting closer to his father. He tries to visit all of the people named Black because he believes that his father may have been associated with them and that they may hold a piece of his father’s memory. Secondly, I believe that the answering machine was, in Oskar’s mind, something that tied him and his father together. He believed that he was the only one who received the message and it made him feel connected to him. The answering machine is the last memory that Oskar has of his father.

In Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake we see the struggle of an Indo-American Boy in balancing both his new American culture and the culture of his family. Gogol’s very name invokes the remembrance of his father and keeps him close to his heart. We see that growing up Gogol dislikes his name and believes that it has nothing to do with his culture or his ethnicity. When he turns eighteen he upsets his father and changes his name to Nikhil. Later on in the story Gogol hears the story of his father’s near death experience and finally realizes the value of his name. He regrets changing his name and starts to understand the importance of the name Gogol and how it saved his father during the train accident. Later on, Gogol realizes the significance of the gift his father gave him during his fourteenth birthday and how close this gift was to his father’s heart. Gogol finally sees that in his very name rests a piece of his father and all of the memories they shared.

The Scavenger Hunt

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During the first chapter of Jonathan Safron Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly, the main character Oskar Schell discusses a game that he and his dad used to play together, named Reconnaissance Expedition. He describes how the game was played and tells the reader that the last one they ever played took place in Central Park and was never finished.

While reading this a great childhood memory popped into my head. At least once a week my family would get together and my parents would conduct various games such as monopoly, Risk and Stratego. These games gave us a time to bond and talk about eachothers’ days and all of the things we’ve been up to. I specifically remember that one night my parents came to my siblings and me and told us that tonight we would be having a scavenger hunt. Around the house they hid various items and clues and each clue led us to another until we reached the final stage of the hunt.

I was never so good at all of these games and I never really one on family game night. I was determined to take this one home and finally win my first game. Like Oskar, I was infatuated by the game, digging for clues and running around the house looking for things that would help me get one step closer to the finish line. However, in the end my hard work did not pay off and I came in second place behind my older Sister.

At first, I was very upset and couldn’t believe that even after all the work I put in I still didn’t win. However, my frustration soon turned to delight when I saw the look on my parents’ faces. They were so happy that we were bonding as a family and there smiles were contagious. Soon after, my entire family was laughing and joking around. At that moment I realized that these games were what kept my family close together and I am extremely thankful to my parents for that opportunity.

A Little About Myself

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Hey guys, my name is Isadore Betesh. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and have lived there my entire life. i am very excited to get to know each and every one of you over the course of the semester. During my time at Baruch I plan on majoring in entrepreneurship and I am really excited to further my knowledge in the business field.

One of my major hobbies is both playing and watching sports. I enjoy almost every sport from hockey to baseball to basketball and football. My favorite teams are the Rangers, Jets, Yankees, and Knicks. You can always find me either watching a game or shooting hoops outside with my friends. I would love to study abroad during my time here at Baruch College. I believe that it would be a great experience for me to see what the world has to offer and to further my knowledge concerning other cultures. Another one of my passions is giving back to the community. I enjoy doing community service and taking part in many community events. I am involved in community service almost every night, whether it be visiting the sick, delivering food packages to the less fortunate, or tutoring those who cannot afford help. I believe that this service not only benefits those I am helping but makes me a better person as well and I feel that by doing so I am helping make the world a better and safer place.