[Pride and Prejudice] - The Pacific

The Pacific (HBO)

Have you watched a miniseries called The Pacific by HBO? It is one of the most epic World War II movies based on the perpective of US Marine Corps in the Pacific War. Unlike HBO's previous masterpiece Band of Brothers which focused on the catastrophic situation of the US Paratroopers in Europe, The Pacific switched its focus to lovelines between soldiers and women, and strong bonds between soldiers in jeopardy.

The loveline of this miniseries shares some similarities in terms of painful rejection, and impossible love. A private called Lacky fights in the Pacific, but is given a month worth of reservation in Australia. In Australia he enjoys sex, gambles, drinks with his platoon until he encounters a beautiful woman in a tram bus. He asks her out for a date, and she invites him to a dinner. After dinner, he is offered to live in the house until he goes back to the front line. Although he denies their hospitality, eventually he decides to live with her.

One day, Lacky comes home with a bundle of flower to surprise her. However, her reaction was cold, and she did not let him in the house. Lacky, dumbfounded, demands for an explanation and she goes on to say "your life style is not enough to 'tempt' (p.13) me." He loved her so dearly that he suddenly loses all motivation to live. He goes back to his camp, gets severely drunk and gets in a fight with a ranking officer. Due to this trouble, Lacky was on the verge of getting a court martial but his friend saves him from this potentially fatal trouble.

Although Mr. Collins did not lose his mind due to a severe rejection, I found the style of rejection to be somewhat similar. From Isabella Copello's blogpost, I realized that she has a different interpretation of the plot of Pride and Prejudice considering the fact that she connected its plot to a movie called The Women.  While I focused on the story's love relation, in fact I conclude Elizabeth's reason to rejection to be “ ... the difference in matrimonial affairs, between the mercenary and the prudent motive,” (p.142), Isabella focused on the characteristic of women in the past to the women in present. The fact that people connect the same story with a completely different idea is very interesting.

[Pride and Prejudice] - Eyes Reflect Characteristic

My expected impression of Lizzy

Jane Bennet in the moive was not as hot as I imagined. I guess that's the least I could have expected but I am still dissapointed.  In fact, all of the Bennet members physically looked naive - meaning the supposedly smartest girl, Elizabeth had a set of "innocent" eyes, Jane looked as if she is always spaced out, Mrs. Bennet appeared to be more generous looking than I thought, and Mr. Darcy tried to look so stern that it made him look like a complete idiot. In other words, most of the characters in the movie were depicted differently than the book version of Pride and Prejudice. 



The plot of the story was also paced fast just like any other movies that are modeled after books. The minor descriptions of settings, characters and behaviour were often ignored, although some lines were identical in both cases: "She is agreeable, but not handsome enough to tempt me (in a thick old British accent)" (Movie Pt.1).

About the plot, poor Mr. Collins! Elizabeth rejected his proposal in such a cold way that he started to stall during the conversation. I have to agree with Billy's opinion - "I think Austen's diction regarding the Bennets' feelings towards Collins is hilarious. Mrs. Bennet is in a "most pitiable state" (99). She finds it "inconvenient and exceedingly troublesome" that Collins is visiting her "while her health [is] so indifferent," although prior to his engagement with Charlotte, his visit was a "matter of pleasure" (98)." In fact I was looking for a perfect quote to describe the situation, and fortuantely Billy was able to get hold of it. Thanks to Coombs.



Lizzy's approximate appearance in the movie



[Pride and Prejudice] - What is her true Color?

El Rancho

I am currently in a country club called El Rancho. For once, the sky is blue after constant days of raining, and there aren't many people in the club today. I see some people playing billiard a few meters away from my table - but I've gotta say they "suck." They look happy at least. People are staring at me while passing me by. Yeah I know, an Asian kid reading Pride and Prejudice in a beautiful Colombian country club - a little abnormal, I know. But I am used to it, so it's alright. So let's see...what next? As soon as I finish this bottle of coke, I am going to order another one to fuel myself to finish up this post. Then I am probably going to head into the sauna - wait, before going into the sauna, I am going to jog around a little. My right arm is a little sore from playing tennis which I haven't played since this summer.

Why am I saying this? I have no idea. That's just what I seem to be doing right now - HOMEWORK in a country club. Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I am inspired by Billy Coomb's post. Therefore I want to make my own version of Pride and Prejudice's character analyze, but I am going to focus on Elizabeth only. I don't think I can describe her as accuratelely as Billy had done, but I am going to give a shot anyway.

Elizabeth - She may not be the prettiest, but surely the "smartest" (p.7). Elizabeth is the only person who can cope with any situations based on her logic, not relying on her emotion. However, I got an impression that she is very undecisive. I think it's her own intelligence that acts as a "hold up" when it comes to her decision making. During a conversation between Mr. Collins, she stalled a bit and requested him to "leave [me] to judge for myself [...] in making me the offer, you must have satisfied the delicacy of your feelings..." (p.82). What seemed like an undecisive personality to me was an attracting aspect for Mr. Collins, because he "attribute[s] [Elizabeth's rejection] to [her] wish of increasing love by suspense" (p.83) despite Elizabeth's "rejection" (p.83). What a werid relationship, I've gotta say.

[Pride and Prejudice] - Tough Call

Is this novel simply illustrating complex love lines between a woman and a bunch of men? All I've noticed so far is the introduction of complete new characters, Mr. Collins and Mr. Wickham. Their emergence made the plot of the story far more complex, since Mr. Wickham is attracted to Elizabeth. It is narrated in the book that "Mr. Wickham was the happy man towards whom almost every female was turned (p.57)," whereas  Elizabeth thought him as a guy "[...] far beyond them all in person (p.57)."

I don't believe in love at first sight. I believe this type of love can only occur in movies or fictional stories - therefore Jane Austen's illustration of seemingly "forced love line" highlights its fictional aspect. How could a person like Elizabeth, (who is the "smartest (p.37)" girl in the Bennet's family) become attracted to a compelete stranger like Mr. Wickham? Although it is true that Mr. Wickham is a type of person whom most women in town "has an affair to (pg.50)," he does not differ much from Mr. Darcy in terms of his financial status. Then again, Elizabeth is a bit intrigued by what Mr. Wickham had told her, so it is really hard to predict whom she is going to end up with.

Here are 5 vocabulary words.

1. Parlour

2. Engross

3. Implacability

4. Parish

5. Abominable

[Pride and Prejudice] - Flaws of the Society

I realized that Mrs. Bennet is an extremely materialistic person. I would like to admit that Mrs. Bennet is not similar to most mothers, therefore my previous post is proven wrong. I sensed her greediness when she said "Dining out [with Bingley] is very lucky (p.22)." She is also very strategic because she "obliged [Jane] to go on horseback (p.22)," just to get her sick so she won't be able to come back. Fortunately, the smartest girl in the Bennet's family, Elizabeth, smelled her plan out and said "But if you have got them (horses) to-day, my mother's purpose will be answered (p.22)."

The plot of this novel got more complex after introducing Mr. Darcy's loveline with Elizabeth, only that she denied his attraction towards her. I can't help but say Mr. Darcy is an undecisive man and surely a guy who can't attract women. Apparently he is described as a guy "[who] has no defect. He owns it himself without disguise (p.43)." Sure, he is rich, and physically attractive, but he is arrogant and overly demanding.

Although this book was written a few hundred years ago, I am shocked by how Jane Austen pin pointed the flaws of the society in such an impressive way. It is undeniable that social status is still an imporant factor among capitalistic countries - arrogance continues to derive from one's social/financial background. Yet this time I want to highlight Mrs. Bennet's sick greediness, and her overly protective attitude among her daughters.

I know a friend of mine who is suffering from exceedingly demanding parents. She is the type of person whom we call "amiable." Her parents are wealthy, and they order her not to hang out with peole who are less wealthy. As a friend, I understand the situation and try my best not to expose my friendship to her parents. The problem occurs with people who doesn't know her much - they usually isolate her due to her self-restrainment. Things like this should not happen, and I believe that's what Mrs. Bennet is leading her daughters into.

[Pride and Prejudice] - What is going on?

Pride and Prejudice - the Ball Scene

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

I found this sentence quite puzzling for an opening sentence of a novel. I had to pause a few times while reading this short phrase, trying to understand what the author was trying to imply. After a few more attempts of re-reading I gave up on trying to comprehend and moved on.

However, by the time I finished Chapter 6 my question regarding the primary sentence was answered. Personally I had the feeling that the quote represents Mrs. Bennet's state of mind who seeks "a single man of large fortune (p.1)." It was also funny how an arrival of a wealthy stranger could shake up a family.

There were so many characters introuduced in the course of 20 pages that trying to remember everyone was virtually impossible. Therefore I found it hard to judge or describe even the main characters. For instance, I realized that most peers in our class described Ms. Bennet as an impetuous person, who is "quite disconcerted (p.6)" after revealing the fact that Mr. Bingley was "unable to accept the honour of their invitation (p.6)." She also "attacked him [Mr. Bennet] in various ways - with barefaced questions, ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises (g.5)." Yet, I do not think, well I'd rather say so far I do not think she is impulsive nor impetuous, because most moms in the world obsess over their children's future husband/wife. Her strong desire to get her 5 daughters married to a wealthy and stable man seems reasonable.

Not only Ms. Bennet, but Mr. Darcy is also underestimated. I found his "arrogant pride (p.13)" to be actually normal for a person who lives in the 1800's. Social status was the most significant factor in terms of assossiating with complete strangers, so his resisting behaviour among people of lower class is reasonable.

But for now, I think it's too early to judge any of the characters in the book.

Hamlet : Last Scene

Hamlet and Laertes in a Dual

Death, and revenge. People call it a tragedy. But is it really? Just because most characters died at the end, does that mean it yields a tragic end? After finishing the book, I have come to realize that Hamlet is not a tragic play, nor Hamlet himself is not a scapegoat of a conflict that derived from a generation before him. Am I sounding as if I am going agaisnt the widely held perspective? I guess I could, but here are some points that could validate my opinions.

• Death of Hamlet means the end of possible future revenge
• Denmark was being too "Bossy" - a destruction of an evil empire is NOT  a tragedy
• Horatio, the only one who seem to maintain a sense of sharp logic, survives the catastrophe
• Fortinbras, who also endeavered to enhance his authority, eventually obtained power

Viewing this play just a few degrees off the publicly held perspective, I got a completely different outcome. The death of Hamlet - "If thou didst ever hold me in thy hear / Absent thee from felicity awhile / And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain / To tell my story." ( V, ii, 381-383) means that the revenge has officially ended for eternity. Why? Because if Hamlet had survived the ordeal to live another day, there would have been another revenge for Claudius. Although Claudius was way off from being an ideal king, there must have been people who followed him, if none, his family. That would have yielded a more impactful tragedy. Consequently, without Hamlet's death, the cycle of revenge would have continued until everyone got eliminated.

Another equally significant character, Horatio, survives the catastrophe. In fact, his role was as big as that of Hamlet's, because he was a loyal mind-mentor, and also a very faithful friend. It just goes to show that logic wins over emotion in terms of dealing with situations. Even after the death of his good friend, Horatio remains logical and even shouts out, "Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." (V, ii, 397-399)

Due to these reasons, I think Hamlet is not a tragic story afterall.

Dying Hamlet



Directing of Hamlet

Directing is pure magic. Depending on who the director is, and how s/he directs a movie, the final product could vary heavily from one to another. Hamlet is not an exception - there are a several movies out there on Hamlet, and 3 of them which I watched had completely different interpretations. However, the ones I believe to be most respected are the actors. For one thing, I "suck" at acting. I cannot memorize more than 10 lines, therefore learning each line is a pain on my butt. Consequently, when I see people who have great acting skills (and this means anyone who could memorize a page of lines) I end up staring at them with awe. Talking about my acting skills, I was not exactly nervous during our own version of the play, but I ended up missing a line out of four. Plus, although I thought I had enough practices, I had to review these lines hard because I couldn't recite them without having to look at the book. I hope that doesn't mean I am stupid - I just hope I was born with zero acting talent. Anyhow, play is a beauty, and I respect everyone involved in play department. 

T.S Eliot

Due to my excessive ignorance toward poetry, the name T.S Eliot did not sound too familiar to me. In fact, I didn't even know he was a poet - oddly enough. I hope there are none out there who could possibly be as silly as I am but just in case, I would like to provide some background information on who Eliot was. Through this, I will be able to learn about this person also.

[Wikipedia]

Thomas Stearns Eliot OM (September 26, 1888 – January 4, 1965) was an American-born English poet, playwright, and literary critic, arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century......

Poetry

• Prufrock and Other Observations (1917)
  • The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
  • Portrait of a Lady (poem)
  • Aunt Helen
• Poems (1920)
  • Gerontion
  • Sweeney Among the Nightingales
  • "The Hippopotamus"
  • "Whispers of Immortality"
  • "Mr. Eliot's Sunday Morning Service"
  • "A Cooking Egg"
• and etc...

Just a general info. More info here There are more poetries he wrote, and I was amazed at the quantity.

Thomas Stearns Eliot

About the actual text - for one thing, I don't like this poet's seemingly arrogant attitude. He is too much of a critic, considering his vague validation phrases. Not direct from Eliot, the passage still starts out with, "Hamlet the play is the primary problem." Eliot goes on to criticize the play in general: "they knew less about psychology than more recent Hamlet critics, [...] in their old-fashioned way, to the secret of dramatic art in general." I can't agree to this statement as Hamlet is not SCIENCE. Although it's true that the major theme of this play copes with emotions of various of people, I still think it's only a PLAY, that could sometimes go against scientific theories. The only part I actaully like about this passage is the section where the poet agrees with the causes of Hamlet's madness - which I thought it was a feign to escape his thereabout's situation: " and that the "madness" of Hamlet was feigned in order to escape suspicion, and successfully."

Freud...?!

Sigmund Freud

Surprise, surprise! "Freud must be a total psycho!"

Well no, it's not that of a surprise. How many times have I heard this phrase in Psychology class? As far as I remember, even the teacher agreed to the clichetic statement. I, myself, who consider to be a very open-minded person couldn't stop but assume Freud was a pervert. Just to validate my opinion, I would like to introduce some of his "funny" theories.

• Penis Envy - it's when a young girl (around 5 ~ 6 year old) "secretely" starts envying her father's penis
• Anul Stage - an infant feels orgasm while pushing out "stuff" out of its bottom
• The Phallic Stage - when sexual conflict maximizes: eg) Oedipus/Electra Complex (a child's unconcious desire to possess opposite-sexed parent and to eliminate the same-sexed one)

Whoa, what a creative guy! I will not make any affirmation on the fact that all these theories are false, yet according to some other wacky theories Freud had it is certainly hard to believe what this guy was trying to imply.

The text seem to refer to Hamlet's Oedipus Complex - in summary, Hamlet "unconciously" desired to get rid of his own father, and in fact admired Claudius' murder. Everything I have said in summary can be put as,

"All these circumstances are obvious to everyone, but they do not help us to explain dreams of the death of their parents in persons for whom filial piety has long since come to be unquestionable. We are, however, prepared by the foregoing discussion to look for the origin of a death-wish in the earliest years of childhood." Not only this, Freud also says that we are secretely jealous of our own brothers and sisters: "Feelings of hostility towards brothers and sisters must occur far more frequently in children than is observed by their obtuse elders."

Hamlet, in my opinion, has got nothing to do with Oedipus's Complex. If I try to apply Freud's theory to Hamlet, the only answer I can get is hiss extreme rage was shown as a back-reaction to his secret full-filled satisfaction; which doesn't seem to be plausible.

*****

Here are 5 words.

a) Misdeeds - immoral

b) Filial - pertaining to

c) Piety - dutiful respect or regard for parents, homeland, etc

d) Pedagogue - a school teacher

e) Wrath - strong