Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Oliver Twist


Childhood is very important for everyone; even though during the nineteenth century this value wasn´t very relevant. Watching Oliver Twist makes me think about the role of children in our society. I know that we are supposed to live in a developed society but some issues are sort of timeless. I mean timeless because they are still affecting us directly. Oliver Twist goes through a lot and nobody seems to really care about it. That reflects that kids are not kids at all. They are seen as well as an adult. Consequently, Oliver has the same obligations that an already grown person has. Making money was a duty for a child an irrevocable duty. I wonder if this means progress; progress for whom?
Not only children suffer because of progress, but also the quality of life of almost everyone, of course with some exemptions. Images from the movie are eloquent enough to tell that opportunities are not the same for everyone.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

The Signalman.




The signal man is a short story, it´s not so easy to understand it though. This masterpiece written by Charles Dickens takes place in the nineteenth century where the dawn of a new world was highly expected. Dickens’ life is absolutely present in the entire story so it´s not difficult to realize that it represents the fears, wishes and points of view of the author.
Reading the story makes me reflect on the quality of life that this progress brings to the society. I really can´t seem to understand what is the purpose of spending a whole life just working. When population is growing amazingly fast, as in the story, it is easy to think that the social side of person can be improved with no trouble. However, we can see that more people doesn´t necessarily mean more company. Sometimes it´s the other way around and quantity doesn´t correspond to quality.
This is to say that mechanization is in some way automating our relationships, feelings and reactions. Loneliness is definitely the possible path of this situation. What I like the most of this reading is the teaching of caring about the real important things in life and give them the right priority.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Frankenstein


Frankenstein junior is the creation of a man who is interested in discovering the secrets of heaven and earth, this wasn´t a very encouraging start for this creature. He is brought to life eight feet tall and enormously strong but with the mind of a just born creature. He is sadly left alone and remained to loneliness because his creator is extremely afraid of having creating him.
Frankie has to face real life by surviving as he can, feeling what any human being would feel in such situation. Comparisons are always present in any context and this is not the exception. “ I had admired the perfect forms of my cottagers—their grace, beauty, and delicate complexions: but how was I terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool! At first I started back, unable to believe that it was indeed I who was reflected in the mirror; and when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification. Alas! I did not yet entirely know the fatal effects of this miserable deformity”. Knowing the differences you might have with the rest of the “normal” people can help you to improve or inhibit yourself. Not only Frankie wants to integrate himself to society, but also seeks revenge on his creator. This leads him to take justice in his own hands and kill innocent people.
As far as I´m concerned, normality is as subjective as beauty. This means to me that nobody has the right to judge someone by the way she/he looks. On the other hand it´s also important to me to take a look at the internal mirror once and a while and check the way people might be looking at you.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Daffodils and nature



The poem deals with the moments that you have for your own. I got the feeling that those moments of leisure are becoming less and less frequent. William Wordsworth is presenting to us his love to nature, which is highly present in romanticism. You can tell his passion to nature by his repetitive use of words that have to do with nature, such as Milky Way, trees, lake and daffodils themselves.
I had a really great time listening to the poem because I love nature with all my heart and I think it´s essential to take care of it. Nature is so full of colors, colors that make our life livelier than what it is usually. Nonetheless, not only to take care of it, but also to appreciate it daily in every step we take.
When it comes to the stanza “A poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company” it is important to bear in mind that natural science has been the inspiration for most f the artists of the last centuries, so in such a joined context loneliness is not present. Inspiration is possible to occur when sensibility and happiness are active in a poet´s mind.