Thursday, November 17, 2016
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Monday, November 7, 2016
Webpage Examples
Here are a couple of examples of webpages that students in my College Colloquium section created two years ago.
They left their webpages publicly accessible, so clearly don't mind sharing them with the world at large.
As you can see, some of my students developed a considerable degree of creativity even though that's not required. Most important is that your analysis is sound and interesting.
1. Ian Simon's page on "300" was created with Weebly, another free webpage design software that several of the 2014 students used with success:
http://wedineinhell.weebly.com/
2. Bryce Withy-Berry investigated the use of sound and music in "Gladiator":
http://aminotmusical.weebly.com/emotion.html
3. Felicity Helfand's page on "Hercules" was created with tumblr:
http://untilalongcamezeus.tumblr.com/
They left their webpages publicly accessible, so clearly don't mind sharing them with the world at large.
As you can see, some of my students developed a considerable degree of creativity even though that's not required. Most important is that your analysis is sound and interesting.
1. Ian Simon's page on "300" was created with Weebly, another free webpage design software that several of the 2014 students used with success:
http://wedineinhell.weebly.com/
2. Bryce Withy-Berry investigated the use of sound and music in "Gladiator":
http://aminotmusical.weebly.com/emotion.html
3. Felicity Helfand's page on "Hercules" was created with tumblr:
http://untilalongcamezeus.tumblr.com/
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Disney's Hercules
They didn't mention that he was half human. He didn't have the fits of madness brought on by hera because she loves him in the Disney film. They left out the cauterization of the hydra's necks. They hardly mentioned most of the 12 trials except for when Phil talks about Hercules' schedule for the day. I think they shouldn't have left out the fact that he wasn't immortal even to begin with, because he was only a demigod. Most of the other things that they left out made sense because it's a G rated movie and they would have definitely not been.
Disney's Hercules
The Disney interpretation of the myth of Hercules is very skewed from the original. The first disparity comes at the first scene of the animated movie when Hercules is introduced as the son of Zeus as well as Hera. From the original story we know that Hercules is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman. Most of his life was plagued by Hera's rage from Zeus's infidelity that she took out on him through curses and manipulation. Hercules performs the twelve trials informally in the film but does them none the less, killing the hydra, fighting Nessus (which was intertwined with him meeting Megara), and following the path to becoming a famous hero. In order to restore his immortality, Hercules needs an event that will prove to the Gods that he is worthy. The Titans being released by Hades doesn't occur in the original myth, but the restoration of his immortality does occur in a different fashion as he is made a God at the end of his journeys.
After reading the myth and how he treated Megara and killed her and their children, the conclusion of the Disney version upset me. I felt as if it glorified a relationship that was originally depicted as extremely abusive and unhealthy. Although Megara and Hercules end up together and Hercules gives up his opportunity to be a God to be with her, I felt as if Disney was glossing over factors that made Hercules what he truly was in the myth. Overall, the film's changes made it very fun and enjoyable for children; however, it was extremely different from the true myth.
3rd Paper: Webpage Design
For your final project, please select a film you really like and about which you would like to create a website.
This website will be like a paper in the sense that you should make defensible claims about each aspect of the film you discuss, back them up with reasons, and provide evidence for your claims.
Preferably the film you analyze should be one of those we have seen or will still watch in our Colloquium, and also one that you did not review for your second paper.
By next Tuesday, you should have some idea which aspects of the film you would like to address on your webpage. These could be features that you find particularly memorable or worth discussing in more detail, for example,
• the plot (How does the plot relate to other toga movies? What is original about it?),
• the acting (e.g., How does it fit to the movie’s themes or message?),
• the costumes (e.g., How do they support the film's message, characterization of roles, etc.?)
• set (maybe in terms of the way it is used to convey the movie's themes),
• cinematography and editing (talk, e.g., about the use of slow-motion in "Gladiator"),
• sound effects
• music (How does it support the story telling? Is there anything unusual about it?)
• leitmotifs or themes, recurrent imagery, etc., etc.
There are many ways to create a website for free without much technical knowledge:
If you have a Mac, you could try out your iWeb software.
PC Users may have something similar, or you could use, for example, free basic website builders such as WiX or Weebly:
http://www.wix.com/?utm_campaign=vir_wixad_live&experiment_id=abtestbanner49310001.
https://www.weebly.com/signup
WAs are only
paid for appointments for which you show up. For that reason, no-shows or cancellations less than 24
hours before your meeting time will result in a reduction in grade.
Format:
• 1800-2400 words (ca. 6-8 double-spaced pages if you print out the text alone) • one illustration / still shot (or more, if needed) for (almost) all pages.
Deadlines:
• Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016:
200- to 300-word abstract (1 page of text only) due in class. Summarize what central claim (thesis) you plan to make, which sub-claims, and how will you prove/defend them? Provide 2-3 images that can serve as evidence for your claims. Bring TWO hard copies to class, one for me, one for a classmate to peer review and give you feedback.
• Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016:
Webpage draft due
–bring your laptop to class so your classmates can give you feedback!
• Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, 9 A.M.:
Final Version due.
– List a link to your page on our blog!
This website will be like a paper in the sense that you should make defensible claims about each aspect of the film you discuss, back them up with reasons, and provide evidence for your claims.
Preferably the film you analyze should be one of those we have seen or will still watch in our Colloquium, and also one that you did not review for your second paper.
By next Tuesday, you should have some idea which aspects of the film you would like to address on your webpage. These could be features that you find particularly memorable or worth discussing in more detail, for example,
• the plot (How does the plot relate to other toga movies? What is original about it?),
• the acting (e.g., How does it fit to the movie’s themes or message?),
• the costumes (e.g., How do they support the film's message, characterization of roles, etc.?)
• set (maybe in terms of the way it is used to convey the movie's themes),
• cinematography and editing (talk, e.g., about the use of slow-motion in "Gladiator"),
• sound effects
• music (How does it support the story telling? Is there anything unusual about it?)
• leitmotifs or themes, recurrent imagery, etc., etc.
There are many ways to create a website for free without much technical knowledge:
If you have a Mac, you could try out your iWeb software.
PC Users may have something similar, or you could use, for example, free basic website builders such as WiX or Weebly:
http://www.wix.com/?utm_campaign=vir_wixad_live&experiment_id=abtestbanner49310001.
https://www.weebly.com/signup
Writing Consultant:
Our Writing Associate is Rachael Christman. For
full credit on your papers, you are required
to meet Rachael once per paper.
Sign up with
the Signup link on WISE either for a
30 min. brainstorming session or, once you have an abstract or a first draft,
for a 1-hour session to get feedback on how you have organized your ideas, etc.
Rachael will NOT proofread your paper, but may help you to polish it.
Format:
• 1800-2400 words (ca. 6-8 double-spaced pages if you print out the text alone) • one illustration / still shot (or more, if needed) for (almost) all pages.
Deadlines:
• Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016:
200- to 300-word abstract (1 page of text only) due in class. Summarize what central claim (thesis) you plan to make, which sub-claims, and how will you prove/defend them? Provide 2-3 images that can serve as evidence for your claims. Bring TWO hard copies to class, one for me, one for a classmate to peer review and give you feedback.
• Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016:
Webpage draft due
–bring your laptop to class so your classmates can give you feedback!
• Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, 9 A.M.:
Final Version due.
– List a link to your page on our blog!
Disney's Hercules
Disney’s
Hercules is vastly different from the more traditional myths that we know. The
reason for this being that Disney is catering to a young audience that needs to
laugh and be inspired without any concepts that are too difficult for a child
to understand. I do like how Disney changed the beginning of Hercules’ story.
How he was born a god and then became mortal, no thanks to Hades. Although Zeus
having a child with a mortal is typical of a Greek myth, I did not mind this
version with Hera on his side. Hercules still has to learn lessons and no
innocent people have to be killed in the process. I do wish that Disney had
included more of the twelve labors. The whole musical note with quick scenes
that barely showed some of his great deeds was unsatisfying. At the same time a
counter argument could be made for Disney saying that they were making him a “true
Hero.” The whole idea of becoming a “true hero” was the best part of the movie
for me. Having a hero with the ability to make such a sacrifice, whether for
love or something else, is the best type of hero.
Disney's Hercules
I think that the directors should have not changed the majority of the original myth the way they did. I dislike the fact that they had Hades and Zeus feuding in the movie which never happened in the real myth. I also think that Hera should not have been cast as Hercules's mother, simply because this is in direct contradiction of the entire myth in which Hera is jealous that Zeus had a kid with a mortal woman and since then had tried to kill Hercules as way of exacting revenge on Zeus. Hercules in addition was never a god in the myth but they portray him a such in the movie. They also mention later in the movie that Hercules killed the Minotaur and the Gorgon Medusa. This never happened in Greek mythology. The Gorgon Medusa was slain by Perseus and the Minotaur was killed by Theseus. The directors also do not mention the twelve trials that Hercules went through in the actual myth. Lastly they portray Hercules as a hero to every one but in the actual myth he was hero and a villain to many. He saved as many lives in the myth as he killed. All of these plot twists were something added in by the directors to give the story a greater flair to it than it would have had otherwise. While the movie itself was highly entertaining, I wish they had kept it more accurate and in sync with the plot of the myth itself.
Disney's "Hercules" tweaked the actual myth of Hercules to fit the screen for children. It may have tweaked it a bit too far. It did include a lot of Hercules' 12 labors but not all. I think it should have at least skimmed over every labor because that would make it much more interesting of a movie for me and I'm assuming others who enjoy mythology. Some parts of the movie were left out with good reason. They made Hades the bad guy in this movie instead of Hera. Children wouldn't be able to understand why someone's own mother would hate her child. Also the adultery of Zeus is way too much for kids to handle. It's not accurate to the myth but I do think it's a good alternative for a kids movie. I don't think this movie was aiming for accuracy, like most Ancient Greek and Roman movies, but rather give a moral. The moral of this story is you can start from bottom and reach the top if you believe and work hard enough for it.
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