Brave ~ Family

The film Brave explores family relationships, specifically a mother and daughter relationship. In this relationship the film also explores the process of a child coming to understand their parent/s as a real and complex person and not just as someone who should fulfill their needs and wants. A child generally grows up with the parent providing all the necessities of life in early life and always being their for their child. However, eventually a child comes to realize and develop a more balanced relationship with their parents. This is what happens between Merida and Fergus in that Merida comes to understand her mother better and in turn decides to help her mother much like how her mother only tries to help her. Also, here the film has a coming of age moment as well since Merida grows to become caring much like her mother is caring. So, the film shows the coming of age process of learning to understand others perspectives, particularly, parents' perspectives. The film is about 'understanding' others and then making one's own decisions. Merida doesn't completely agree with her mother, nor her mother with her, but they both come to understand one another and make a compromise.

The film also explores the reality of undergoing hardships, conflicts, and rifts within family relationships. The film recognizes that families aren't happy 100% of the time but that they have to work to keep their family together. Merida learns about working to keep a relationship and the need to sometimes repair relationships in that she must repair the relationship with her mother in order to reverse the spell on her mother.

Another concept we discussed in class was that some media is close to us because we share it with others and that experience of sharing with others is what makes it important or good to us. For example, Fergus wasn't necessarily fisher or hunter but spending time with her daughter was important to her so she has and will have fond memories of catching fish with her daughters. Also, Merida and Fergus bonded together when breaking into the castle. Overall, quality time together with family is important and is what brings people together. So, watching Merida and Fergus bond together with family could also be a bonding experience, which is what the film is hoping for.

George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'

George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' 

George Orwell's novel 'Animal Farm' is very specific in its critique of Joseph Stalin and Stalinism. Through the arch of the story and through the characters, Orwell is specifically shaping a satire to critique Stalin. He isn't subtle in the book or when talking about the book. He openly admits that the book's purpose is to be a critique on Stalin.

When reading this novel I could very easily see how Orwell was playing on things from history and politics and how he was using this to make statements which illustrated the problems in these ideas and systems. However, when considering it as a piece of children's media, it may not be so obvious to a child that the novel is a critique on Stalin. A child may not really know the history of Stalin or of Stalinism. However, a child can pick up on the discussion of principles and ideas which are presented within the book. The main value change which highlights a 'flawed' principle is the shift from one of the original commandments that "All animals are equal" to the change to a maxim of "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others". Orwell clearly is demonstrating the wrong in this last maxim through the story and by appealing to the reader's since of moral justice. I child will easily pick up on this critique of the maxim. And though the reader may be a child who doesn't understand that this maxim is specifically critiquing Stalin's system, the child does recognize the principles and values being discussed.

Orwell's structure of the book is also smart in its construction. Because the characters are animals the story tends to have a more child like feel to it since it is like a fairy tale (Orwell even had the subtitle 'A Fairy Tale' on some publications). Because of this the story appeals to children. However, it is the adults and older children who will pick up on the historical analogies of the book while younger children will only pick up on the over-arching themes of the book. Through this the novel is like a parable. One can read into the story to different degrees depending on one's knowledge and intellect. So, this book is a children's book but it is also a book that can be understood as a more advanced or adult discussion of political ideology.

Overall, 'Animal Farm' is a satire critiquing Stalin's rule in Russia and even though a child may not know this, a child will still pick up on the critique of the moral and political ideas.

Politics - Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

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Wo aber Gefahr ist, wächst

Das Rettende auch

(But where danger is, grows

The saving power also.)

~ Hölderlin's poem "Patmos"

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Everyone sees the world differently and interprets it differently. These views, opinion, and beliefs can be seen as one's politics or as the things which shape one's political view. These views are inherent in one's actions and works. Therefore, media is political whether it strives to be or not. One film which is quite pointed in its ideals and politics in Hayao Miyazaki's film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984). These ideals are encompassed by the protagonist, Princess Nausicaä, who strives to keep peace between warring nations and between the humans and the insects. She is a pacifist and it is her stance for peace that drives her character to heroism and to saving the world, both politically between the warring nations, and the actual physical world of life of the earth they live on.

One political stance which Nausicaä makes in the film is that the oppression can be a necessary endearment since it may save life, as opposed to rising up in pride of one's homeland and falling into death. She is not absolute against violence, which is apparent when she takes revenge on the soldiers who killed her father and when she fights for the people she loves. But she values life over the pride of her homeland which is why she allows her people to be oppressed. This is a difficult topic, since many would rather die for their country than serve another. But the film places more value on having the opportunity to live, as opposed to dying for a cause that is probably destined to fail. It appears, though, that if Nausicaä could have overpowered the intruders of their land with minimal casualties she probably would have, but she decided to swallow her pride to save the lives of those who couldn't have endured such a battle, like the children.

The film also makes several statements in the film about the importance of preserving the earth and the creatures it houses. Nausicaä, from a young age, sought to understand and make friends with the insects rather than kill them. This understanding is what brings her to love and care for the creatures. And it is the insects understanding of Nausicaä's love and compassion for them and their young that leads them to distill their anger against the humans for Nausicaä's sake. So, the film is teaching the value of trying to understand one's enemies, because it you can understand them you can understand how to appease their anger and possibly form a friendship. Also, Nausicaä strives to preserve the earth and comes to understand that the earth has the ability to cleanse itself from the toxins of humans, as long and humans give the earth a chance. The film really speaks strongly about trying to help the earth and not to destroy it.

Also, my favorite idea of the film I feel is well put in Hölderlin's poem "Patmos" when the poem states "But where danger is, grows/ The saving power also". I like this statement because it shows that the trails and danger uncover the possibilities of how to be saved from them. This is particularly true through the course of this film. It is the presence of the insects which guard the jungle where the under-forest purifies the water for the humans. The insects are the ones who have saved the humans. They are the humans danger but they are also the humans saving power. This emphasizes the importance of trying to understand the world rather than fighting it because you don't always see how the world is saving you.

Play --- Pottermore

For my reading in 'Play' I decided to sign up for a Pottermore account and see what was on the website...

When discussing 'Play' in class, I concept discussed was that play often is mimicking adults. This is true in games such as house, dress-up, operation, toy kitchen, etc. I feel that Pottermore is a type of mimicking in that it mimics the books and films. When first signing up for the site there were two options for me. I could either follow/explore Harry's story or I start developing my own story by getting ready to go to Howarts. I chose the latter first. So, I first had to go to Gringotts and get gold, like Harry, and then buy supplies, a wand, and a pet. I had to accomplish each step before I could be sorted. Which was really what I wanted to do. I felt like some of this was tedious, such as buying the books. But I had to do it to 'unlock' things and so that I would be within the rules of mimicking the books. I could see how it might be interesting to some but I felt like I was just doing busy work. I just wanted to take the questionnaire for the sorting, much like I wanted to take a BuzzFeed quiz which will then sort you into a house.

So, I took the sorting quiz, which was different than any BuzzFeed quiz I've taken and I got...

hmph

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Wasn't what I wanted. (I wanted Hufflepuff). However, the introduction which the Prefect gave made Hufflepuff seem a lot better. It really stressed that Hufflepuff was the most decent lot since they weren't preoccupied with conquering others in braver, intelligence, or just plain conquering them. However, I also somehow unlocked some writing by J.K. Rowling (still not quite what I did to qualify the unlocking) and it made them seem more like a bunch of idiots since she explains how their common room isn't necessarily that secure since it has no guard and it's password hasn't changed for hundreds of years. Despite this though, it was really interesting to read a behind the scenes of Hufflepuff and the authors thoughts on it. It makes me want to create different accounts and take the sorting quiz again till I get sorted in each house and can read their welcome and J.K. Rowling insight. I might be able to unlock it as a Hufflepuff though? Maybe? 

In contrast to the more video game, hands on, of creating your own path/profile and being able to compete against others is Quidditch, Duelling, and House contests you can explore the books. There were 'moments' from the book which you could explore and if you clicked on something that glowed red then it 'might' unlock a reading, but not always. These readings were my favorite part of the site. It was BTS but for a book which is super fun and brings back memories of childhood. The readings are really feeding into nostalgia because it is allowing a reader to return to the worlds of the book from same author. The readings were the most nostalgic for me, but really, the whole site is super nostalgic in its purpose and feeds off this to sell it's merchandise. 

The site offers all the common features associated with 'play' discussed in class. The site is 'mimicking' the books and films and allows one to play like they are in and a part of the fictional world. Also, the site has 'rules and structures' on how one can play and how to 'unlock' or achieve success and rewards. The site also has 'competition' between players within the structure and mimicking scheme. But most relevant the site is designed to be a 'fun' experience for fans. Overall, the site delves into fans nostalgia and lets them go in and play in world both by creating their own world and by allowing them to explore deeper into the already established world. 

The Nightmare Before Christmas -- Nostalgia

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The Nightmare Before Christmas...

The character Jack is introduced as a character un-satisfied with his current life. His dissatisfaction becomes apparent in his opening song Jack's Lament:

"And I Jack, the pumpkin king,
Have grown so tired of the same old thing…
Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones
An emptiness began to grow,
There’s something out there far from my home,
A longing that I’ve never known
....
"But who here would ever understand
That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin
Would tire of his crown, if they only understood
He’d give it all up if he only could…
Oh, there’s an empty place in my bones,
That calls out for something unknown
The fame and praise come year after year
Does nothing for these empty tears"

Jack feels that his life is empty and is no longer what he once loved. In this emptiness he is experiencing a type of unappeased yearning, a type of nostalgia. He yearns for his life to feel full like it once did. He, however, doesn't know how to re-gain excitement for his life. And instead of trying to find excitement in his homeland he feels that what he yearns for "something out there far from my home". Jack doesn't' realize during this lament that Sally is listening in. Sally expresses to herself that 'she understands how you [Jack] feels for she feels it too'. Sally's longing though is a longing for Jack and for his happiness to return. Sally too, is a character yearning for a different life. However, she isn't yearning necessarily for a life she once knew, typical of nostalgia, but she is yearning for a life wants to have. However, she is empathetic towards Jack, and yearns for his happiness to return, which is like empathetic nostalgia, not her own nostalgic return.

Jack very quickly gets his wish to take a journey far from home and unexpectedly finds some relief for his pain when he stumbles upon Christmas Town. When in Christmas Town he proclaims:

"Oh, I can’t believe my eyes!
And in my bones I feel the warmth that’s coming from inside
....
"I’ve never felt so good before,
this empty place inside of me is filling up, I simply cannot get enough
I want it, oh, I want it, oh, I want it for my own.
I’ve got to know, I’ve got to know, what is this place that I have found.
WHAT IS THIS?
…Christmas town..? Hmmmm…"

When Jack returns to Halloween Town he suffers an acute case of Nostalgia for Christmas Town. So much so that he strives to re-create Christmas Town in Halloween and then even takes over actual Christmas by trying to be Santa Claus. Jack is driven in his attempt to fill his bones with warmth again. However, taking over Christmas doesn't actually allow him to achieve this. Jack is nostalgic for Christmas Town but ultimately he is nostalgic for his 'old bony self again'. He finally comes to this realization once he crashes back down to reality. He sings:

"But I never intended all this madness,
never,
and nobody really understood,
well, how could they?
That all I ever wanted
was to bring them something great.
Why does nothing ever turn out like it should?
Well, what the heck, I went and did my best.
And by God, I really tasted something swell.
And for a moment, why,
I even touched the sky
and at least I left some stories they can tell,
I did.
And for the first time since I don't remember when
I felt just like my old bony self again.
And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King.
That's right, I am the pumpkin King! Hah! Hah! Hah!
And I just can't wait until next Halloween
'cause I've got some new ideas that will really make them scream
and, by God, I'm really gonna give it all my might!
Uh-oh, I hope there's still time to set things right…."

It is after crashing to the ground that Jack has an internal homecoming or nostos. Jack again feels like his 'old bony self again'. Which is what he wanted all along. He didn't necessarily long for Christmas, but for the warmth of Christmas re-ignited his drive for his old life. After his internal homecoming to self, Jack then experiences a literally homecoming to Halloween Town.

Upon Jack's return to Halloween Town, the citizens also experience a type of homecoming since they realize they have gained the old Jack back and are excited to be returning to their old town ways of Halloween. Sally, in particular is thrilled to see Jack's return and his psychological return of happiness.

Overall, the film explores various types of Nostalgia including internal longing for a former self, longing for a place both other and homeland, and empathetic nostalgia. These are primarily explored by Jack but also by Sally and the other Halloween Town's people.

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Diversity - George Washington

The film George Washington (2000) really explores a diverse range of kids and adults. They are diverse in race, background, health, and personality. The diversity is also more prevalent with in the film because it is placed in the south. The south has a more diverse demographic of race and culture as compared to other parts of the United States. Though the film acknowledges the diversity among the characters within the film, the film also highlights the similarities between the characters on an emotional level.

For example, at the beginning of the film the narrator, Nasia, describes the good she sees in her friends. She looks at them as sees them as beautiful, she looks at their cores, and 'at their bones' and she sees the good. They are a diverse bunch of kids but at the core they want to do what is right but they see right and wrong differently and they see the right paths differently as well.

George, is torn by the death of Buddy because he feels it is his fault and tries to become a hero instead of a monster. This leads him to try and become a better citizen within his community. It is his way of coping with his conscience to strive and save others lives, as a means to make up for taking Buddy's life.

Sonya, also becomes concerned about her inner darkness, not because she feels Buddy's death was her fault, but because she feels guilty for not being upset over his death. In turn she tries to open up more to Vernon and to the authorities as a means to clear her conscious.

And lastly Vernon is grief ridden and driven to do things he wouldn't normally do, like steal a car.

Each of these characters were present at the same situation but due to their diverse circumstances and personalities they each handle the situation differently. It is here that the film shows that we are diverse in look but it is our actions with shape our true diversity from others. Our diversity comes from us shaping ourselves into the people we want to be. Into people who run away (Vernon), people who try to learn to care (Sonya), and into people who try to become heros.

Play

Play is an interesting and an important part of childhood and of the development of the mind. It is also a combination of previous ideas and themes of childhood which we have discussed such as adventure and imagination. Play is also a means to help facilitate the development of various skills. For example, the board game 'Battle Ship' teaches deductive reasoning, strategy, and reading people. These are skills which can be helpful in everyday application and for the future. This was one of the games I played last week and I felt slightly like I was making a business deal. We were both fishing for something by asking questions and seeing the response. It was interesting for me to observe my strategy of play. At first, I tried to set up my ships so that they would be hard to guess their location. I ended up setting them up fairly evenly spaced, which later is not necessarily the best idea since this is what people typically do. This reasoning, of this being a common strategy, contributed to my finding Marritt's last ship. Her ships were fairly evenly spaced and by looking at the board I could deduce the location of her next ship because I knew it would be vertical since I had uncovered 3 horizontal ships and only 1 vertical ship. So, to make it even she would have done a vertical ship. From here I figured she would also space the vertical ship away from the other vertical ship. I also figured that she would leave at least 1 open row in-between any other ships. By taking these into account my first guess for her ship last was - bingo - right. In battle ship people try to have random placements of their ships but their random isn't truly random because it is evenly spaced. This game was really interesting for me to play since it really reminded me of some of the valuable reasoning skills which games can teach you.

The next board game I played was 'Twister'. I've always liked this game because it was generally easy for me to do well since flexibility and balance are things I commonly practice as a dancer. However, the game was a new experience this time because it had been re-imagined a bit. In this version, the board could tell you to take feet and hands off the board and the spinner could also choose a move for you if the spin board landed on a certain symbol. This made the game much harder and one would need to be more of a gymnast since standing on one's hands or hand with one's feet in the air was now an option in the game. I felt like this re-mix of the game really made it more intriguing because it made is much more physically challenging. Also, it was interesting in our discussion afterwards on how Twister has been seen as obscene. I do think this comment is relevant to this game because it definitely can get awkward when you get tied up in knots with other people. However, this awkwardness would probably only be apparent to older kids. So, Twister is an example of how a game could change tones over time.




The tool box video game was very interesting because it allows the play of action figures in the virtual world. It is an extension of the action figure since one places the action figure on the consol. Also, I liked the freedom of finding an objective in the game. I think this gave the game more value since the play is constructed by the player not by the game maker. I think this type of play, the player creating the game, is a more creative and engaging play process. The most engaging games are the ones in which you create the adventure yourself. This contrasts with the first video game we played which had a specific objective. This video game to me was pointless and boring because I felt like it didn't engage the mind or the player's creativity enough, but was busy work.

Overall, the construction and execution of play is a typical part of child's media. I also think that the construction of play by the children themselves allows more creativity to be developed. The constructed games may teach very specific skills, like battle ship does, but by developing the game the player is exploring more into what they want to develop.