Outline

1.   Introduction

    1.1 Introduction to the topic

    1.2 thesis

2.   Body

    2.1 Background
     
         2.1.1  The approach taken by Expressionism in Germany

         2.1.2   German Expressionism on American Cinema

     2.2  Analysis

          2.2.1 "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari"

          2.2.2  "Metropolis"

3.   Conclusion

4.    References

Thesis Statement

     This essay will consider the historical background of German Expressionism and also will analyze it for its deeper  meaning within German expressionist films, arguing that German expressionism demonstrated a nihilistic concern with industrialization and modernization. 

" Theses On the Philosophy of History"

     What I could understand about this work from Benjamin is that the time is really you and that the past and the future exist in a single present. This essay handles two important concepts in its thesis; history discontinuous and interrupted time. For Benjamin history is the subject of a fragmented building, where there is no linear time. According to Benjamin the past should not be articulated historically because this would mean not to know it the way it really happened since we only know memories as history. Therefore, in order for the past to continue living, collective memory must reinvent it every minute. He also emphasizes that all the energy of the history focuses on reality of the present, and that past and future are only ways of how we live now.  

" The Work of Art In the Age of Mechanical Reproduction"

     The principal concept of this essay is the lost of  " aura" in the work of contemporary art. It is the hidden and mysterious which give us that aura. For Benjamin the aura contains all the essential qualities of the art work. Art has lost its original character of unique and unrepeatable work. The time from which Benjamin speaks , innovative techniques have been developed that makes an art work to be updated or copied very easily. It seems that the work of art in the age of technical reproduction has changed; it is no longer authentic and unique.

     Benjamin also gives reference to photography and films, about how the actor has changed his public by a camera. Therefore, the aura gets lost within the actor and the character it represents. On the other hand photography gives the opportunity to examine images at different speed and sizes ; by the time of Benjamin people debated if photography could really be called art.

"The Triumph of The Will"

     " The Triumph of The Will " shows the main messages of the Nazi ideology; it visualizes the concepts of command, leadership and mass support. This film shows a unified Germany under Hitler and the believe that the Aryan race is the ideal of the German people.In this film we can see the support that the Germans gave to Hitler; people of all ages and social status welcomed him. In this film Hitler is portrayed as some kind of savior, someone who had to be respected and admired. I find it difficult to understand how so many people followed or agreed with Hitler's ideals, he was praised regardless of the things he did.

      I think this film was a smart way to promote the Nazi doctrine because it could reach a wider audience, promoting an ideal of strength, hope, and sacrifice through social unity and the leadership of Hitler. The message that this film wants to transmit is clear: a beloved, respected and superior Hitler who represents hope and the solution to a better and powerful Germany.

Rosa Luxemburg

            Rosa Luxemburg was born in Zamosc, Russia on march 1871. She became interested in politics at a young age ,while she was still in school. Luxemburg is considered is considered one of the most important leader of the Spartacus movement. trying to scape the authoritarian government of Alexander III, she emigrated to Zurich in 1989; she studied law and political economy there. During the 1905 revolution Luxemburg was arrested soon after returning to Warsaw. The point of view that luxemberg had about international politics was changed by her experiences during the revolution. For instance, she used to believe that a socialist revolution was something that would take place in countries like France or Germany which are advanced, rather than in a undeveloped country like Russia but now she believed it could take place in undeveloped countries as well. She disagreed with Lenin which was the leader of the communist revolution in Russia in 1917; Lenin believed that a socialist revolution could not be brought about by the working class itself, on the other hand luxemburg believed in the spontaneity of the mass as the only way to create a equal and democratic society. In 1906 she published "The Mass Strike, the Political Party and the Trade Unions", sharing her thoughts on the revolution. How can be Rosa luxemburg related to nihilism? Rosa luxemburg always defended her beliefs regardless if people disagreed or not with her. She believed that the masses should govern themselves and take power into their own hands.

  

             

           

German Revolution 1918-1919

       The German Revolution was a civil conflict at the end of world war I. This civil conflict led to the replacement of Germany imperial government with a republic. The period of revolution lasted from November 1918 to August 1919 when the Weimar Republic was formally established. The revolutionaries were inspired by communist ideas and unlike the Bolsheviks they failed to take control in Russia, because the leaders of the Social Democratic Party in Germany (SPD) refused to work with those who supported the Bolsheviks. Fearing a civil war between the communists and the reactionary conservatives, the SPD did not plan to completely take away the power of the old imperial elites and instead wanted to make them part of the new social democratic system.The revolution ended August 11, 1919, when the Weimar constitution was adopted.

"Dream Story"

    I was able to watch the film "Eyes Wide Shut". I think this movie does a great job portraying the paranoia and insecurity that comes along with marriage.

    In "Dream Story" the relationship between Fridolin and Albertina addresses themes such as jealousy, guilt and infidelity. As soon as Fidelin and Albertina confess their fantasies to one another they start dealing with feelings of insecurity and resentment." Is anyone to blame in this story?" I do not think there is anyone to blame. However, I do think that it was a little inadequate for Albertina to confess her fantasy to Fidelin because maybe he took her confession as an excuse to act on his desires. "Is Fidolin wrong to attempt to pursue these kinds of affairs?" Of course he is wrong because by doing so he is putting his feelings and marriage at risk and also because he could have done something that could have had consequences for life, for example, sleeping with the prostitute supposedly infected with  HIV.

    "Does it suggest that monogamy is an outdated form of living for men or woman, one that confines and frustrate people? Or does it reaffirm monogamy by showing the decadent side of sex?" I believe this story suggests that monogamy is an outdated form of living because it is based on situations in which the characters feel the need to be sexually intimate with other people besides their partners.   

    "Is marriage and monogamy something we do just because it has been passed down this way for centuries, or does it have some inherent goodness in itself that leads to a healthy and full life?"  I believe both questions to be true. Marriage and monogamy is something that has been passed down for centuries as something you should look forward to, and as the highlight of a romantic relationship between a man and a woman. On the other hand, some people might be looking forward a long lasting commitment with another person, someone who they expect to be faithful, and maybe they believe that marriage can guarantee that to them.

" The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari"

Reflection Paper #3

       The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is without any doubt one of the most important movies of German Expressionism. Many important elements of an expressionist film are present in this movie: exaggerated characters, deformed objects, irregular windows and doors, contrast of light and shadow and dark make up, among other things. All of these elements create an unreal atmosphere. This movie unfolds in an environment of crime, horror and insanity, which creates a disturbing scenario. I am really impressed about what a silent film like this one can achieve, a single word was not necessary in order to understand the feelings and the personality of the main characters. I really enjoyed watching this movie.

Quiz#1

TH 3/10: Quiz #1

1-Both the "Greco-Roman" and the "Judeo-Christian" have had a big impact on the society. Even though the Christian were weaker than the Romans they were smarter, which help them to gain power and institutionalize their values. Conventional definitions of nihilism tend to stay away from Christianity, however, Nietzsche thought that Christianity was Nihilistic because he believed that it along with others traditional belief systems had an ambition to destroy life. One of the evidence he used to support this belief was the severe moral standards of Christian doctrine or Asceticism.

2-Otto Dix experienced Germany's most shocking times of the early twentieth century, which he clearly expressed in his work. after the first Wold War the purpose of his paintings was to depict the realities of the war and its disastrous consequences. In the drawing "wounded soldier" Dix wanted to show the real face of the war. This drawing clearly shows the way Dix wanted the war to be seen. This image reflects the horrific experiences the author went through during the war. 

3- During the 1920's Germany went through difficult situations which caused distress and frustration. In the same way as Siddhartha, the Germans were trying to give meaning to their lives, they wanted to find peace. They wanted to reach a state of peace and happiness. 

4- In the movie " The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" the main psychological themes are crime, mind control and mental illness. Dr. Caligari really played with the mind of the people around him, especially with Cesare's leading him to commit those crimes.  

Reflection #2

Johanna Cabrera

February 24, 2011

LEH 300

Reflection #2

For some people, life has always been based on getting the most out of everything; on searching peace and happiness and not finding it. And for all of us, identifying and finding our selves is the quest of a whole life. Humans spend a lifetime trying to find themselves and never do, the reality is that we never get to know ourselves or others around us. And everyone has a different vision for life and all the things around us. For Siddhartha, finding himself was more than just meditating and fasting as he was taught. As he experimented religions, Siddhartha felt that all the things he had done following the different beliefs were worthless as he was not finding his true self as he was long searching for it. We are told so many things and we observe so many people trying to reach their goals and trying to find happiness and always failing. But if we look around, we can see how wrong some people are, just focusing all their time and energy in what’s not essential for our lives such as material things. Sometimes human beings do not appreciate the beauty of nature even though it is beautiful and pure, or a simple smile that can definitely bring happiness and joy to our lives. Instead, we sometimes appreciate things that are just temporary just like the people around Siddhartha. The more we have, the more we want, not considering sometimes that everything we need, well, almost everything, is in spiritualism; in how we can help someone with a simple advice or a smile. Also, sometimes we lack ourselves from happiness thinking that it will come through the things that won’t last forever. And that can relate to finding ourselves too, the merchants in the reading spent their time just trying to get more money and power and though that that actually made them happy when that was not the case.

This reading has impacted me in a positive way because people focus on finding their inner self by attaching themselves to the things the world offer and Siddhartha found a path to happiness and his tru self on his own, when he was taught differently. the conviction  and the determination he had till the end led him to achieve his goal which is very impressive.  

Johanna Cabrera

February 15, 2011

LEH 300

Otto Dix

Otto Dix was a German Painter born in December 1891. He is believed to be one of the most important artist of the Neue sachlichkeit. He joined the Academy of Applied Arts in 1910 where Richard Guhr was one of his teachers. During WWI he volunteered for the German Army. He was very Affected by the war, to the point of having nightmares.He was one of the founders of the Dresden Secession group in 1919 ,during this time his work was going through a expressionist time. Some of his most famous painting are triptych metropolis 1928, Sylvia von Harden, 1926 among others.

Portrait of The Journalist Sylvia Von Harden (1926)

I found this portrait very interesting because beauty did not take important place in it. Sylvia Von Harden was impressed that Dix wanted to paint her despite of her physical appearance but in what he was really interested was in her psychological condition. This portrait reflects a very independent woman who might contrast with the majority of woman at that time. Her short hair reflects an independence from the social standards of how a woman should have look like at that time.

  The Skat Players 1920

This painting shows three mutilated veterans. Their injuries have deformed them in such a way that they have to use their arms and feet in order to play. I think that this painting shows that even if some soldier survived their lives would never be the same. I believe in this painting Dix wanted people to understand that the war could change you in a negatively way and that those changes may not be reversible.

Wounded Soldier 1916

In this drawing Dix wanted to show the real face of the war. Dix is showing a soldier in real pain with disturbing expressions in the face. This is a very vivid image which reflects the horrific experiences the author went through during the war. I think the message of this painting is very clear; wars only lead to destruction and death.