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    "Does it suggest that monogamy is an outdated form of living for men or woman, one that confines and frustrate people?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 I believe this story suggests that monogamy is an outdated form of living because it is based on situations in which the characters feel the need to be sexually intimate with other people besides their partners.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