Movie Review: "Rebel Without a Cause" (1955)

World renowned actor James Dean played the role of 17 year-old Jim Stark in the 1955 film "Rebel Without a Cause." Jim Stark, new to Dawson High School, moved from Los Angeles to get away from old problems that his parents have felt would damage their own reputation. From the beginning of the film, the audience is introduced to Jim's love interest Judy (Natalie Wood), the girlfriend of the the typical teen movie tough guy, Buzz (Corey Allen). Jim and Judy's first encounter is held at the local police station where rebellious Jim is brought after being arrested for public intoxication.
Problems in Jim's home life arrise when both of his parents show up at the station already arguing. The constant fussing and fighting at home is slowing driving Jim off of the edge, feeling abandoned and alone. As the movie progresses, Jim is befriended by Plato (Sal Mineo), the shy teen who, like Jim, has his own problems at home. Buzz, beginning to notice Jim and Judy's attraction to each other, is instantly threatened and challenges Jim to a "chicken run," a death-defying game of driving off a cliff to see who will be named the "chicken" and jump out of the vehicle first. Events take a terrifying turn when Buzz's jacket sleeve gets caught on the inside door handle, restricting him from exiting the vehicle before it drives over the cliff.
Jim, absoarbed with guilt, attempts to inform the police of Buzz's death and hold himself accountable. His parents, fearful for their clean reputation, refuse to let him go but Jim leaves anyway. After finding that no one at the police station will help him, Jim retreats to an old abandoned house with Judy, his new love interest, and Plato. The couple, Jim and Judy, take on the roles of parents to Plato in what seems like a playful game. Eventually, the trio is discovered by Buzz's furious friends and the police. Plato, feeling as if he had nothing to lose, proceeds to fire his gun, causing the police to shoot back. The movie ends with Plato dead and Jim and Judy returned to their parents.
"Rebel Without a Cause" is based around the teenager to parent relationship. Each of the characters' own rebellion seemed to be caused or at least contributed to by their distant relationship with their parents. While Jim's parents are tearing him apart with their constant arguing, Judy's father is hiding his sexual attraction to her and can barely speak to her, and Plato doesn't even have a parental figure. Teens in the 1950s were much more emotionally affected by a struggling relationship with their parents as compared to teenagers today. A bad connection with your mother or father today is seen as a common and normal thing. Though filmed in the 50s, the emotional hardships of Jim, Judy, and Plato shown in the movie are, in some aspects, still relateable to today's teens.
Though many would say "Rebel Without a Cause" is not a 'timeless' movie, it is still considered a classic in today's society. The movie characterizes teens in the 50s, and though they have changed, issues about love, friendship, and family still factor into their lives today. It set the stage for all the teen movies following its release and still yet to come. "Rebel Without a Cause" will remain one of the best movies of all time.

"Time Out!" by Dave Barry

Melina Norris

AP Lang

Harmon

27 Feb. 2012

Better Late Than Never.

An Analysis of “Time Out!” by Dave Barry

            Dave Barry’s embellished fortitude exaggerates the stereotype that women are always late. Barry claims that a woman’s idea of being ‘on time’ is far different from a man’s. He employs hyperbole, satire, and ethos to justify his conclusion that it is genetically impossible for women to be on time.

Barry’s use of hyperbole delineates the misconception women have no concept of time whatsoever. “Women think there is WAY more time in the universe than men do,” a “scientific, statistically valid conclusion [Barry] reached by talking to some guys about their wives.” He

 qualifies the statement that women think there is more time in the universe than men do as a “scientific, statistically valid conclusion” simply because a few other men agreed with him. He classifies all women by his experience with his own wife who is prone to lateness. Because women believe “that the universe has plenty of time,” they interpret leaving for a party at “7:30 to mean ‘around 8,’ or more specifically, ‘9.” Barry fabricates the idea that when women are late, they are very late. Generally, no woman is going to allow herself to be one to two hours late for an event.

Barry utilizes satire to add humor to the stereotype that a woman’s perception of time is far different from a man’s. When catching a plane flight, men will always “factor in a ‘cushion’ to allow for the unexpected,” while women will “arrive at the airport as the plane was taking off” and ask what the hurry is because “the plane isn’t even halfway down the runway yet.” Barry’s sarcasm implies that women see nothing wrong with being late so much that they would arrive an airport to catch a flight as it was already “halfway down the runway.” Because women are often categorized as intelligently superior to men, Barry chooses to exalt one of the few flaws they possess to prove that, in this way, men are better. “I’m almost ready!’ ‘I’m just putting on my makeup!” are phrases commonly heard by men, but to them, “these two statements contradict each other.” “It’s like saying: ‘I’m very short! I’m 38 feet tall!” Barry uses this contradictory statement to emphasize the confusion forced upon men when women claim they’re almost ready, but have to do this or that first. His sarcasm reiterates his “factual” conclusion that the entire female population is physically incapable of being on time.

The ethos Barry uses allows the male readers to relate to his article. He pulls in situations that he himself, along with most all men, has endured with their own wife. “Every minute that a wife spends putting on makeup is experienced as 45 minutes by a husband who has reached the key-jingling stage.” Men can relate to pacing back in forth in agony waiting on their wives to finish getting ready. While women see a few short minutes as nothing, men are already starting to break a sweat. By the time 5 minutes have passed “the husband is a nervous wreck,” while the wife complains that he is rushing her. Barry conveys the animosity men have towards the female habit of tardiness through ethos. He draws men into the article relatable situations he has endured with his own wife.

           

            Barry’s use of hyperbole, satire, and ethos in “Time Out!” efficiently portray the widely known “fact” that women have no concept of time. By over emphasizing one of the few flaws of women, he places men, in this characteristic, as dominant.

Kill 'Em! Crush 'Em! Eat 'Em Raw!

2. Paragraphs 5-7 compare and contrast football and war. Is this comparison convincing? How does the comparison appeal to logos?
Yes, the comparison between football and war is convincing because much of the terminology is similar. "Field general", "blitz", "front line", "the draft", etc. are all common language in war and football. McMurtry appeals to logos by expanding on the similarities of tactics and schemes war and football share.

3. In paragraph 9, the tone shifts. How is the shift achieved? Explain how the shift mirrors a transition in McMurtry's argument.
McMurtry achieves the shift by reminicsing on his own childhood memories of playing football for the sole reason of having fun. He describes the laughs he had running barefoot on an open green field with no one keeping score. McMurtry transitions from playing football for careless enjoyment to becoming routine and dangerous.

6. Consider the language of football, especially the words shared by the military. What sports other than football have a miliaristic side?
Many sports have characterisitics similar to the military. Soccer, Basketball, Rugby, Volleyball, etc. all have two sides fighting to achieve the same goal; winning. Additionally, they use tactics or "game plans" in order to figure out the best way to beat the other team.

7. Who is McMurtry's audience? Is it necessary for the reader to understand or care about football in order to understand what McMurtry is saying about society? Explain.
McMurtry's audience is anyone involved in football; parents, kids, coaches, etc. It isn't necessary for the reader to understand every aspect of football, but it is helpful to understand the physical hardships the game can cause to be able to relate to McMurtry's text.

Standardized testing

Standardized testing is an important factor in helping kids succeed. Standardized test like the ACTAAP and the Benchmark prepare student for more advanced tests like the SAT an ACT.
Students' scores from the earlier standardized tests allow teachers to compare their class scores with the state averages. They also show the teacher each child's capability to learn in comparison to the other students.
Standardized testing only increases a child's chance to score better on others tests and succeed later on in life.

Advertisment: Dress Irresponsibly

The ad we chose is the Pacsun "Dress Irresponsibly" ad. The ad show a young, happy girl draping her body on a bed covered in the brand's clothes. The audience appeals to teen and young people because they want to seem care-free and slightly rebellious.

The use of ethos is shown by that the girl on the ad is attractive with a slight smirk on her face like she has no worries. It makes it seems like teens should want to be like her and be, in a sense, "irresponsible".
The ad is logical because because it symbolizes freedom. A person's sense of style is one thing no one can take away from them. How you dress is your choice and you can't get in trouble for expressing yourself. The model shown is nicely dressed in Pacsun clothing, and the majority of young people want to be looked at as "fashionable".
The girl on the ad looks like she just had a fun night out, and isn't that what all teens want? Underneath the phrase "dress irresponsibly", the ad is saying that if you buy their clothes, you'll be happier. Teens want to live it up while they're still young and the ad perfectly  expresses the typical, fun Friday or Saturday night they all want. The model's expression of happiness pulls at the audience's emotions of longing for fun and carelessness.

Symphony

Symphony, as Pink calls it "aptitude", is the ability to put together pieces. Some professions require symphonic thinking, such as composers, conductors, and artists. Composers and conductors take a variety of musical notes and place them in a pattern to make beautiful music, similar to artists who draw different shapes to create a big picture. Relationships are a large part of symphony. Composers and conductors had to make sure brass doesn't cover the sound of the woodwinds and artists, in drawing a portrait, have to proportion the eyes to not just each other but the entire face.While talking a five-day art class, Pink says his teacher had the class use various techniques out of the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards. In curiousity, I checked out the book online and chose one specific technique for my own experiment, drawing upside down. I had a hard time deciding what to draw so I took my sister's preschool picture down and used it. Drawing with the picture faced downward confuses the left, and most commonly used, side of the brain and lets the right side take control. In turning the picture upside down I saw portrait as more of a collaboration of shapes rather than just a photo.

So, here's the picture and what I ended up drawing..

(She had just got done crying before she had her picture made, if you're wondering why she looks sad.)

What happens to forgiveness? (Harlem poem)

What happens to forgiveness?
Does it conquer
like a case proved by a witness
And then all if forgotten?
Does it lie like an sweet girl turned rotten
Or does it lighten the mood
like a vivacious attitude
Maybe it just brings sorrow
like fearing the pain of tomorrow
Or does it deceive?