...Miranda Muller Professor Lewis Reading Cinema, MW 2:30-3:45 13 December 2013 A Walk Through Fate and Semiotics “Some say our destiny is tied to the land, as much a part of us as we are of it. Others say fate is woven like a cloth, so that one’s destiny intertwines with many others. It’s the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it, but there are those who are led” (Chapman). Those are the words of Merida, the heroine of one of Pixar’s latest films, Brave. The Disney production may be quite recent, but the overall moral of its tale is certainly nothing new. Instead, it merely reinforces two simple but powerful themes: it implies that pride and a reckless wish to change one’s fate may result in a recipe for potential disaster. This paper will explore through a semiotic study how its three most important symbols, the torn bond, the bear, and the standing stones render the tale of the courageous tomboy a cheerful but cautionary one. As the princess of the Scottish Kingdom of DunBroch, custom holds that she is to be married to a prince from one of the neighboring clans. Throughout approximately the first half of the film, her mother Queen Elinor tries to prepare her for her marriage and for the day that she herself is to become queen. Unfortunately for both mother and daughter, Merida has no desire to be married to any of the suitors in the film or to accept the responsibilities of the crown just yet, and thus creates a tension with her parents that...
Words: 3279 - Pages: 14
...Good Warriors And Good Kings In Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, it portrays a young man who is a brave and a courageous warrior because of his experience with many battles. Conversely, in The Things They Carried by Tim O´Brien, he narrates and shows how young men have little experience with protecting their country. In the differing eras, the manner in which they were brought up was different. The era of the medieval time is different than the 1960s era due to the skills of weaponry and attitude. In The Things They Carried, the government took young men away from their lives without giving them a reason due to the Vietnam draft. Each book proves that no matter what time period fighting happens people will still have feelings and hatred...
Words: 611 - Pages: 3
...Christopher Columbus: “Hero or Villain?” While many schoolbooks present Christopher Columbus as the famous Italian explorer who discovered America, history has painted a much more complicated picture. For a long time people are arguing was Christopher Columbus actually a hero or a villain? Was the man from Genoa a brave explorer or greedy invader? A gifted navigator or reckless adventurer? The man who laid the foundation for that most glittering daughter of the Western heritage: America is definitely a hero. Christopher Columbus was one of the greatest sailors and explorers of all time; in present time and in the past he represents a hero for the people. “He had made great proficiency in geography, astronomy and drawing, as they were necessary...
Words: 657 - Pages: 3
...Rodriguez 1 Priscilla Rodriguez English 4 Mrs. Pla 7 December 2011 Achilles People posses both negative and positive personality characteristics in themselves as an personality. Achilles in the Iliad in an example to this statement. In the Iliad Achilles is a great warrior, also fights in the Trojan War. The big leader Agamemnon that hates Achilles takes all the credit when he wins the battles. There's a Prince names Hector that Achilles later wants revenge on for killing his best friend Patroclus. The anger rages, the people fight, day of the Trojan War arrives thats when the tragedy and the life of Achilles is taken. Achilles demonstrates negative and positive behavior. Achilles is loyal, brave, and obeys the gods, but he is also revengful, quick to feel anger, and has no remorse for who he has killed. Achilles has a cold heart at times but also is a great warrior. He fights anyone that gets in his way. Fearless for the decisions he makes, also fearless against the gods. As Achilles saids, "As my life came frome you though. it's brief, honor at least, from Zeus who stormed in heaven I call me due" (Book I ). This means Achilles is a valorous warrior among the greeks. Also earned hands of Briseis for himself. He rages his anger and goes by himself to kill Hector. He goes on his own will instead o ftaking the whole troop with him. Achilles is capable of feeling sympathy. His caring side of knowing that is his father will sooner feel the same way...
Words: 1232 - Pages: 5
...“A hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.” “A villain is cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime.” Napoleon Bonaparte was the prime emperor of the French and was first consul. He had many great ideas that he thought would benefit him and his country but sadly, the way that he implemented those ideas did not have a great appeal on some people. Napoleon’s rule as a general, consul and emperor stood as a subject to varying interpretations along the spectrum of heroism and villainy. In this paper, his foreign behaviour as well as his greater effect on Europe will be navigated. Napoleon and his actions will be covered, giving a clear view onto where his rule lied in terms of...
Words: 640 - Pages: 3
...that lies at the very core of the genre.” (The Pleasure 19) In each of the three books, the reader can see individual or groups of young adults having to unite to achieve a certain goal. In class Professor Walker discussed how rebellious many young adults become as they reach their mid-teens and twenties. Becoming rebellious as a young adult is often seen by our parents as a reckless, impulsive eruption of emotions from within that allow rash decisions to be made. However, in each of the young adult, dystopian novels being reviewed, the main characters are considered rebellious by the law makers and rulers even though they are pushing for change in their unjust society. This essay will discuss three dystopian young adult novels, Divergent, The Hunger Games and Unwind and how each of them reflects on possible futures for humanity and the way young people are called to respond to the changes in the worlds they live in. Before getting started with the novels themselves, getting a brief overview of dystopian societies in Young Adult fiction is necessary. In, Contemporary Dystopian Fiction for Young Adults: Brave New Teenagers, the authors examine young adult dystopian societies, “YA dystopias can uphold that tradition of optimism, embrace a more cynical vision, or oscillate between the two. All these questions underscore the negotiation between often conflicting literary influences, political ideologies, and intended audiences that these texts must undertake.”...
Words: 1168 - Pages: 5
...Beowulf Beowulf is a story about a hero who takes on challenges and has a lot adventures. He lived during the Anglo-Saxon period. The character Beowulf embodies the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs. The traits the he embodies from the Anglo-Saxon society are strength, bravery, honor. Beowulf displays strength a lot throughout the story. He especially shows it when he fights Grendel. "I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore, to heighten Hygelac's fame and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield,the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend." Beowulf makes his fight with Grendel more interesting and heroic by...
Words: 319 - Pages: 2
...Because we first hear of Macbeth in the wounded captain’s account of his battlefield valor, our initial impression is of a brave and capable warrior. This perspective is complicated, however, once we see Macbeth interact with the three witches. We realize that his physical courage is joined by a consuming ambition and a tendency to self-doubt—the prediction that he will be king brings him joy, but it also creates inner turmoil. These three attributes—bravery, ambition, and self-doubt—struggle for mastery of Macbeth throughout the play. Shakespeare uses Macbeth to show the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can have on a man who lacks strength of character. We may classify Macbeth as irrevocably evil, but his weak character separates him from Shakespeare’s great villains—Iago in Othello, Richard III in Richard III, Edmund in King Lear—who are all strong enough to conquer guilt and self-doubt. Macbeth, great warrior though he is, is ill equipped for the psychic consequences of crime. Before he kills Duncan, Macbeth is plagued by worry and almost aborts the crime. It takes Lady Macbeth’s steely sense of purpose to push him into the deed. After the murder, however, her powerful personality begins to disintegrate, leaving Macbeth increasingly alone. He fluctuates between fits of fevered action, in which he plots a series of murders to secure his throne, and moments of terrible guilt (as when Banquo’s ghost appears) and absolute pessimism (after his wife’s death, when he seems...
Words: 443 - Pages: 2
...should be in the ancient Mesopotamian world. Gilgamesh possessed the three most essential traits a person has to have in order to become a king, “to be superior in military leadership, good looking (healthy and young), and educated”. Gilgamesh was a king no one can compare to and his divine birth was a sign he was chosen by the gods for greatness. “who is there can rival his kingly standing, and say like Gilgamesh, ‘it is I the king’? Gilgamesh was his name from the day he was born, two-thirds of him god and one-third human”. Divinely appointed by the gods, Gilgamesh’s military skills surpassed other kings, he was strong, intelligent and brave. Despite his habits to oppress his citizens, Gilgamesh protected his kingdom providing safety to his people under his rule from outside threats. “surpassing all other kings, heroic in stature, brave scion of Uruk, wild bull on the rampage! Going at the fore he was the vanguard, going at the rear, one his comrades could trust!”. He demonstrated his courage, bravery, and worthiness to be a leader by meeting Humbaba, the guardian of the forest in battle with the help of Enkidu and becoming victories. As any king should, Gilgamesh charged toward Humbaba without fear of death proving his valor and ability to protect his subjects if dangers arises. Gilgamesh was the perfect king for Sumerian society because he was willing to learn for his errors and held a progressive mind. Gilgamesh morality improved over the course of time, once he experienced...
Words: 741 - Pages: 3
...enough to wear. Snowboarding has become wildly popular in the teen world, and teenagers think that they don’t need protection while snowboarding. Teenagers have no sense of safety for themselves and are ignoring the fact that they might get hurt. Teens should view wearing safety gear as an acceptable idea. Snowboarding doesn’t need daredevils who think that they are invincible. People take the risks of snowboarding too lightly. Snowboarding is a dangerous sport, and not enough people view it as such. Precautions should be taken at all times while snowboarding. New snowboarders should be prepped in what to do when they fall instead of trying to catch themselves, which only increases the chance of breaking an arm. New people trying to brave the world of snowboarding should at least take one lesson before starting, just to know how to snowboard and keep themselves safe. There should be some way to enforce the rule of wearing protective gear while snowboarding. It should be made clear that snowboarding is too risky and that not wearing protective gear is not the smartest idea....
Words: 475 - Pages: 2
...happiness with, he went off into the world on his own. He was searching for a purpose. Sometimes people just get the feeling that they want to connect with nature and survive off the land. Because he showed signs of wanting to be rescued from the forest, he realized that he didn't want to die and wanted to return to his life and even start a family. His decision could be perceived as selfish, but you could also see it as freedom from his boring life. We will never know the true reason for his departure, but I think that he went to try and escape his emotions rather than to experiment with exploring Alaska. In conclusion, Chris gives us a wide variety of moving factors and justificational decisions. While some can view his actions as selfish and reckless, it is necessary to know everything about the situation before declaring the report. His leap into nature was sudden and unexpected, but it was, in my opinion, the best decision he would ever make (besides the dying part). If he didn't go, his life would continue to be bland, and he would never feel like he had truly completed everything he wanted to and reached personal and emotional...
Words: 471 - Pages: 2
...“You are so brave and quiet I forget you are suffering.” Once said Ernest Hemingway. This quote stands true for the quite obvious tragic hero in the novel A Separate Peace written by John Knowles. Although daring and somewhat reckless, Phineas does have his flaws. Phineas is clearly a tragic hero. He is oblivious to the war that is right in front of his face. He also refuses to believe a confession from someone he claims to trust. Finny gives away his trust too easily. Finny is clearly a tragic hero due to his oblivion, and his doubtfulness in Gene’s confession. Finny exhibits many flaws. One easy way to tell Finny is a tragic hero is his oblivion to the war. He claims it is something made up. Then “Have you swallowed all that war stuff (Knowles 105)”? asked Finny. This shows that Finny does not seem to believe the...
Words: 492 - Pages: 2
... or a hamartia. In his case, his flaw was his vaulting ambition, combined with a lust for power. Macbeth himself recognises this ambition in act I, scene 7 where he states in a soliloquy “I have no spur to ***** the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition”. This comment suggests that he knows that the only thing that prompts his actions is his ambition. While ambition alone is not in fact a bad trait, when added with a lust for power, this ambition can become dangerous. Did having these qualities mean that Macbeth was indisputably corrupt? No, they simply meant that he, like all human beings, had a flaw and a weakness. Indeed, at the start of the play, Macbeth was seen as the hero, being described as “brave Macbeth” in act I, scene II, and shown as a loyal and brave solider on the battle field. He is also frequently referred to as valiant by Duncan throughout the first act. That ambition always resided within him but did not cause a problem until the prophecy was made by the witches in act I. It was essentially the moment that the witches first cast the prophecy over Macbeth that sealed his fate forever. Without the witches foretelling his rise to power as Thane of Cawdor and furthermore as...
Words: 1026 - Pages: 5
...When Philip asked Alexander if he found “fault with thine elders in the belief that thou knowest more than they do or art better able to manage a horse?" (Plut. Alex. 1.6.3), Alexander cheekily responded "This horse, at any rate" (Plut. Alex. 1.6.3). He believed that he “could manage better than others have” (Plut. Alex. 1.6.3), that he was more capable than all of the grown men around him. As just an adolescent, Alexander believed that he was equal if not better than the men his father surrounded himself with. According to Plutarch, Alexander felt a need to prove this by doing dangerous, and sometimes reckless, things like trying to tame a wild horse. Secondly, when Alexander met with the Persians, he tried to act as mature and clever as possible in order to prove his worth next to his father. As Plutarch vouches, “[the Persians] regarded the much-talked‑of ability of Philip as nothing compared with his son's eager disposition to do great things” (Plut. Alex. 1.5.3). The Persians, ironically enough, even saw Alexander’s passion to do great things. Plutarch also state that when talking about his father with his friends, Alexander declared that his father was doing to much so that he was leaving “no great or brilliant achievement to be displayed to the world..." (Plut. Alex. 1.5.4) for him to carry out. Alexander was afraid that he was never going...
Words: 999 - Pages: 4
...George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948), was an American baseball outfielder and pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1914 to 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", he began his career as a stellar left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth established many MLB batting (and some pitching) records, including career home runs (714), slugging percentage (.690), runs batted in (RBIs) (2,213), bases on balls (2,062), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.164), some of which have been broken.[1] He was one of the first five inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. At age seven, Ruth was sent to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, a reformatory where he learned life lessons and baseball skills from Brother Matthias Boutlier, the school's disciplinarian and a capable baseball player. In 1914, Ruth was signed to play minor-league baseball for the Baltimore Orioles. Soon sold to the Red Sox, by 1916 he had built a reputation as an outstanding pitcher who sometimes hit long home runs, a feat unusual for any player in the pre-1920 dead-ball era. Although Ruth twice won 20 games in a season as a pitcher and was a member of three World Series championship teams with Boston, he wanted to play every day and was allowed to convert to an outfielder. He responded by breaking the MLB single-season home run record in...
Words: 546 - Pages: 3
