1. Ashley Edmonds

    The Crow

    by
     Since I was a preteen The 1990's film adaption of The Crow has always been among my favorite films. The film always stuck with me because of it's dark references and poetic influences. The Crow is about a young couple, Shelly and Eric, who live i...
  2. Alicia Kittles

    Writing Portfolio

    by
    Throughout these 8 weeks of this English 102 course I must say it was a lot harder then I expected and definitely an eye-opener to different styles of writing. I started off really rough and made some progress later down the road. My first bl...
  3. Alicia Kittles

    Diagnostic Essay

    by

    M.I.A./Nas


                The mash-up between M.I.A/Nas highlights Nas’ lyrics to “If I Ruled the World” to M.I.A.’s beat of “Paper Planes”. It symbolizes how Nas explains his definition of how things would be if he ruled the world. But in a post-colonial opinion he won’t be able to get that power. Nas raps, “Imagine smoking weed in the streets without cops harassing, Imagine going to court with no trial”. As much as some people may wish this was true, it cannot happen. In reality and the way the laws work it’s impossible. The culture of people would be at a haywire. The economy would have no morals. They’re basically free to do whatever they would like. Freeing everyone from jail, as Nas raps, would put Police Departments in jeopardy. The city jails will be empty, police officers will lose their jobs and more importantly miss out on income. The death rate will be at an all-time high because drugs will be legal to all citizens with no consequences. Yes, people sneak drugs now, but legalizing them will make things worse.


    “No welfare supporters more conscious of the way we raise our daughters”, Nas rapped. A lot of African-American fathers have walked out on their children and leave nothing for the mother and child. Child welfare is their only hope into getting child support whether the father likes it or not, either way they have to pay or their being sent to jail. Without welfare many children and families without fathers will struggle even more. Food won’t be able to be provided if the mother has a low income and is behind on bills for rent, children won’t get new clothes when their old ones has gotten old, and more importantly… education. Children graduating high school and attending college won’t happen with a family with no money.


    Although a lot of us wish we were rich and could wear designer clothes every day drive nice cars, and travel the world whenever we want. Yes, that sounds nice and that’s one of the things Nas raps about if he ruled the world. But that’s living in a dream for us regular people. He can do all of that and more because he’s famous. But for us who aren’t were stuck in a world where businesses are closing and people are being laid off from their jobs and even worse, the killings of innocent people and the killer being free. The world is cruel. We all wish we could change society and rule the world, but we can’t. Nas can’t rule the world either, but because he’s famous and can rap about his dream of ruling the world it makes us believe we can too. Too bad this is reality.

  4. Alicia Kittles

    Disney Mean Girls

    by

    Walter Elias, also known as Walt Disney, was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer international, and philanthropist. Because of Walt Disney, we have Cinderella, Snow White, Pocahontas, Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, Mulan, Rapunzel, and many more. Each of those women is defined as Walt Disney Princesses ("Wikipedia").   

    “The Disney Princesses are characters that are currently featured in the Disney Princess franchise. The franchise is now comprised of ten female protagonists from ten different Walt Disney animated films who are either royal by birth, royal by marriage, or considered a “princess”, due to their significant portrayal of heroism in their film and/or of a very high status in their country/region” ("Wikia"). Disney Princesses normally have to maintain a good reputation, or that’s how it seems. The characters themselves are very similar and are known for their inner and outer beauty. They were not chosen specifically for their royal titles, but rather for how well they fit into what Disney executives deemed “the Princess mythology” ("Wikia").

             n. Princess

    o   A non-reigning female member of a royal family, a female sovereign or monarch; queen, the consent of a prince, and considered to have the qualities or characteristics of a princess ("Dictionary").

    Growing up many girls has looked up to Disney Princesses as they portray the “perfect” women as classy, independent, strong, royal, and all other characteristics of a princess. In this generation today, many girls believe the perfect woman is stuck-up; rich, all the boys like them, a celebrity, and most importantly popular, like some of the young ladies presented in the movie “Mean Girls”.

    The movie “Mean Girls”, written by Rosalind Wiseman, portrays the role of women as evil, harsh, back-stabbing, and untrustworthy. The movie is based on a 16-year-old homeschooled daughter of zoologist parents named Cady, who has recently moved from Africa to a public high school in Illinois. She has trouble fitting in until she gets help from social outcasts who teach her about the various cliques around school. Cady is warned to avoid the school’s most exclusive clique, the Plastics ("Wikipedia"). The Plastics are the schools most popular trio of girls. They’re pretty, independent, have perfect bodies, all the boys love them, and they’re rich. So, doesn’t that make them “perfect? This generation of young girls have grown-up to believe that those characteristics of a woman are considered “perfect” princess-like.

    So, how are the female roles defined? The stereotypical role of a woman is vulnerable, weak, dependent, and belongs in the kitchen. From a feminist critique, this mash-up between the Disney Princesses and the voices of “Mean Girls” are teaching young girls the wrong characteristic roles of a woman. A Disney Princess is known for their all-around characteristics of a perfect woman, and using the Disney Princesses to play the role of the characters in the movie “Mean Girls” makes the Disney Princesses look like a hypocrite. Nevertheless, people have high expectations for the Disney Princesses but this mash-up is giving them a bad image.


    Works Cited

  5. Ashley Edmonds

    A Modest Metamorphosis

    by






    "If Kafka's “The Metamorphosis” strikes anyone as something more than an entomological fantasy, then I congratulate him on having joined the ranks of good and great readers…for we can take the story apart, we can find out how the bits fit, how one part of the pattern responds to the other; but you have to have in you some cell, some gene, some germ that will vibrate in answer to sensations that you can neither define, nor dismiss "(Vladimir Nabokov). Far be it for us to quibble with Nabokov. But agree, with each reader brings different minds which can fabricate different ideas and views of Franz Kafka’s tedious, although clever, fantasy of wordplay. For, literature is only an art that is perceived on an open canvas as the portrayer sees. For we are all interpreters, and media inspires everyone differently. At first the long drawn out melancholy words, sentence after sentence, of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis reeked of monotone as I read. However, after a little background research and a second read through the sadness of Gregor’s experience spewed from the pages. Soon my mind raced with images and then music. Modest Mouse’s “Doing the Cockroach” soon filled in the background of my mind.

    In “The Metamorphosis” Gregor discusses his dread of his jobs duties. He explains the,
    “worries about making train connections, bad and irregular food, contact with different people all the time so that you can never get to know anyone or become friendly with them” (Kafka 4). Gregor longs for days to sleep in and not have to worry about the traveling world. As he awakes one morning Gregor finds all of his salesman troubles have diapered. However, he is now transformed into a beetle.

    As I read through these lines Modest Mouse “Doing the Cockroach” first came to mind. Modest Mouse, a folk band from the 90’s, are known for their awkward keyed lyrics and underlining messages. In “Doing the Cockroach” Modest Mouse sings about how we are all as worthless as a cockroach.
    “This one's a doctor
    This one's a lawyer
    This one's a cash fiend
    taking your money
    Tasty but worthless” (Modest Mouse)
    I believe they are relaying that no mater you job or power aren’t we all miserable just riding the train of life, trying to make it day by day to get by.

    I decided to mash up the two for the obvious reasons. One, both suggest the main character in a beetle of some sort. Two, on a deeper level, both to me tells a story about society and how we as people go along with what we are told or expected to do. Finally, I feel “Doing the Cockroach”is a perfect companion to Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”.


    Work Cited 

    •  Nabokov, Vladimir. “Lecture on "The Metamorphosis" by Vladimir Nabokov” Kafka.org. The Kafka Project, 6 January 2012. Web. 31 May 2012
    •  Kafka , Franz. The Metamorphosis. Tribeca Books, 1915.
  6. Ashley Edmonds

    Metamorphosis

    by

     

      ("There is at this moment a beetle the size of god's ass on the table about six inches from the t-writer. It is worse than anything Kafka ever dreamed, so big I can see its eyes and the hair on its legs — Jesus, suddenly it leaped off and now circles me with a menacing whir")




    At first the long drawn out melancholy words, sentence after sentence, of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis reeked of monotone as I read. However, after a little background research and a second read through the sadness of Gregor’s experience spewed from the pages. At a deeper look and a little persuasion from Barry Creamer, a ministry blogger from Criswell College, it became apparent that Gregor’s misfortune and misery was in fact a reflection of Franz Kafka’s :
    The Metamorphosis is in the realization that Gregor himself is Kafka’s prodigal—the prodigal who never “comes to himself,” never seeks help, never turns back, and never experiences the warm embrace of life-, purpose-, and for-giving grace in the arms of his true father or family. For genuine existentialists those experiences are as unrealistic as the love of Kafka’s father was (or appeared to be) to him. (That same sadness is mirrored by the family’s relief at Gregor’s loss rather than persistent pursuit of his restoration.) (Creamer) With this it can be assumed that Kafka portrays similar aspect of his own metamorphosis in his analogous story.

    As a young man in the 1900’s Kafka inexplicably resembled Gregor in The Metamorphosis as the weary saddened dung beetle. Kafka too found himself pressured by his lethargic and indifferent father to provide stability for his family. While growing up in the bureaucratic wasteland of Prague, Kafka described his town as broad modern streets of dreams, disguised with traces of the old ghetto, with its dreary alleys, reeking taverns, ubiquitous corruption to be more real than the palpable for the residents of the new city (Sokel). During his time in Prague Kafka was faced with the infant death of two brothers and constant moving that would soon send young Kafka into a state of instability. Both Hermann Kafka (father) and Julia Kafka (mother) were industrious people and instilled the necessity of work to Kafka at an early age. Although, Kafka did exceptionally well in his jobs, first at the Assicurazioni Generali, an Italian insurance company, and later with the Worker's Accident Insurance Institute for the Kingdom of Bohemia,  he often took long time off as an escape from fear of becoming just another pencil pusher (Wiki).  During his time off Kafka tried several attempts to purse his writing, but was shattered by his father when he wanted him to take charge of his brother-in-law Karl Hermann's asbestos factory, which took up a lot of his time until 1917 (when it was shut down) and literally almost drove him to suicide. (Wiki)

    In  "The Metamorphosis" the latter Gregor spends his days pressed up against the window staring out onto the gray, contemplating thoughts of his earlier days. Gregor soon begins to fit the role as the unfit beetle, pondering over the meaning of his existence.
    “Then he crept up on the window sill and, braced on the chair, leaned against the window to look out, obviously with some memory or other of the satisfaction which looking out the window used to bring him in earlier times.”  (Franz Kafka)
    As a direct reflection of Gregor, Kafka in his depressed years at the firm was also known to have spent endless hours gazing out his bedroom window contemplating his purpose.
    Kafka also developed early in life an inordinate sense of guilt. The idea of the insolubility of the most ordinary, even human problems depressed his youth and later inspired his art, Gregor in “The Metamorphosis” (Phillip Rahv 62).

    Inevitably, when comparing Kafka’s life struggles of his time, with those of Gregor, the distressed insect, the similarity of the two are evident. This could be assumed as an arguable result of the unstable and depressed ethnicity Franz Kafka lived in. During his time he faced numerous hardships and obstacles that a young Jewish man went through in those times.


     
    Work Cited

    • Barry Creamer. “The Prodigal Son Parable” 2012. Criswell College. 24 May 2012 Web
    • Wikipedia. “Franz Kafka” 2012. Wikipedia. 24 May 2012 Web
    • Sokel, Walter. “Franz Kafka as a Jew” Leo Baeck Institute Yearbook. 18.1 (2012): 233-238.Web
    • Rahv, Phillip. “Franz Kafka: The Hero As Lonely Man” The Kenyon Review. 1.1 (1939): 60-74.Web
    • Kafka , Franz. The Metamorphosis. Tribeca Books, 1915.

  7. Alicia Kittles

    "The Metamorphosis" Comparative Analysis Text vs. Film

    by

                “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka was first published in 1915. It is one of the most frequently analyzed works in literature. This elusive story, which chronicles the transformation of Gregor Samsa from a human being into an enormous insect, is renowned for its ability to inspire diverse, sometimes mutually exclusive interpretations ("Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka"). Two years after finishing film studies, Carlos Atanes, directed the film adaption very freely. He made the risky decision not to limit himself too much to the text. He took advantage of what production achieved and added some winks and above all, he dressed the story with a lot of allusions and references to the authors’ private and familiar life ("Carlos Atanes").

                The original text of “The Metamorphosis” demonstrates Gregor Samsa as the provider of the family thus transforms into an insect and is unable to work. Gregor’s father, Mr. Samsa, is forced to get a job to help provide for the family since Gregor cannot ("Wikipedia"). The film version of “The Metamorphosis” shows how Gregor is mistreated and left unnoticed by his family after he transforms into a half human half insect body. From a gender studies critique, the Samsa’s play very unique characteristic roles ("Carlos Atanes")

                Kafka’s story portrays Gregor as strong, independent, and a protector before his transformation. Unfortunately, after his metamorphosis Gregor was unable to provide for himself. Without Gregor being able to care for himself he becomes depressed, dependent, and vulnerable; all of these characteristic are used to describe your stereotypical woman. However, Gregor’s sister, Grete, took on the role as a caregiver to provide for the family and take care of Gregor as well as obtaining a job as a salesgirl. As I stated above, the Samsa’s play very unique characteristic roles, for example after Gregor’s transformation he portrays a feminist role and his sister, Grete, steps up to the plate and shows masculinity.

                Atanes’ short film portrayed gender roles very similar and different to Kafka’s.  The film shows Gregor as a half human half insect, but he doesn’t lose all of his independence and masculinity; unlike the original text by Kafka. The film also demonstrates the Samsa family as bitter and un-caring towards Gregor. Grete’s masculinity towards Gregor decreases as she gets tired of taking care of her brother and suggests that the family get rid of him ("Carlos Atanes"). Yes, Gregor’s family was unhappy with his transformation in the original text thus having to use your imagination, but the film really shows what happens between the texts with some differentiation. In the film, the father showed more anger towards Gregor because he could no longer provide for them; making Mr. Samsa become the “man” of the house and help provide for the family. Mr. Samsa’s characteristic role should have already been the “man” of the house. Yet, he relies on his son to provide for him and pay off his debts, therefore making his role very feministic.

                After Gregor’s death the family shows no remorse or grief after seeing his body lying on the library floor. Women, especially Grete, have come from being dependent and vulnerable resembling Kafka’s Gregor Samsa, unlike the film where women have gained more independence and also shows the balance of gender roles. Nevertheless, since Kafka’s original text and Atanes short film of “The Metamorphosis” gender roles are still gradually changing.


    Works Cited

    . "The Metamorphosis-The Complete Story." The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jun 2012.

    . "The Metamorphosis of Franz Kafka." Carlos Atanes. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jun 2012. 

    . "The Metamorphosis." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jun 2012. 


  8. Alicia Kittles

    "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" Play vs. Film: Gender Studies Critique

    by

    Shakespeare has always had few women in his works because women were not allowed to act in London in the late 1500s and early 1600s. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, a play by Shakespeare, is a perfect example. Shakespeare wrote this play to portray the relationship that existed between women and men in England in the 15th century. The film version of the play directed by Ed Fraiman “ShakespeaRe-Told: A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is similar to the play but written in a more modern time. The film has been cleverly updated from Ancient Greece to a present-day British holiday camp, which also doubles as the location of the enchanted forest (Scheib).  


    Although Hermia is one unique character in the play, she still portrays the strong independent role in the film. She is still very rebellious; she disobeys her father, king, and the Athenian law. Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius despite the fact that she doesn’t love him. She is willing to throw away all of her luxuries in exchange for the freedom to love Lysnader instead of Demetrius. In the play Hermia leaves her father and mother upset at her actions. But in the film version, only her father seems to be upset with her. Hermia’s father demonstrates the traditional masculine role of a father in both the play and the film. He thinks he is in control but with a daughter like Hermia he won’t get his way.


    Hermia’s best friend Helena has the role of a desperate and pathetic girl in the play. She attempts to love Demetrius with no consideration that he is Hermia’s man according to Hermia’s parents. After being too shy to ask for Demetrius’s love, she instead begs to be in his presence saying:

    “I am your spaniel; and Demetrius, 
    The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: 
    Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, 
    Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave, 
    Unworthy as I am to follow you” (Shakespeare).


     But, her character completely switches in the film. She becomes a strong minded girl like Hermia. She over comes her insecurity of love with Demetrius and denies his love, instead of him denying her love like in the play.  Helena’s role in the play demonstrates another stereotypical role of women; she comes off as weak and a “home-wrecker”. Yet, in the film Helena doesn’t care for Demetrius as much, so she decides to destroy the love between Hermia and Lysander. Although Helena has no longer begged for Demetrius’ love, she is still in the wrong for trying to destroy her best friend’s love-life. Whether it’s the 16thcentury or the 21st century, she would not get any respect from other women (Scheib).


    Shakespeare’s characters were and are scripted to perform cross-gender roles. So the similarities and differences in the play vs. the film have some resemblance. Shakespeare portrays his characters with different personalities that fit the category of the traditional masculine and feminine roles. Queen Elizabeth I helped influence many of Shakespeare’s plays which is why they have such a strong love role. Both the film and the play both show how friends and family can be envious of each other for something they want but cannot have.  


    Works Cited

    Scheib, Richard. "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Moria. N.p., 1999-2012. Web. 14 Jun 2012. 

    Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. NY: Washington Square Press, Inc., 1962.



  9. Alicia Kittles

    Shakespeare "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" Analysis

    by


    Shakespeare has always had few women in his works because women were not allowed to act in London in the late 1500s and early 1600s. Nevertheless, Shakespeare created many female characters that were strong-willed, intelligent, and daring. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, a play by Shakespeare, is a perfect example of the strong-willed and even weak roles of women. The role of women in the play is lost in control of men. Shakespeare wrote this play to portray the relationship that existed between women and men in England in the 15th century (Greene 151).


    Hermia of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one unique character. She is very rebellious; she disobeys her father, king, and the Athenian law. She is willing to throw away all of her luxuries in exchange for the freedom to love Lysnader. Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius despite the fact that she doesn’t love him. But because her father “owns” her she can either do what she is told or be put to death (Kolin 40-41). Hermia’s father demonstrates the traditional masculine role of a father. He thinks he is in control but with a daughter like Hermia he won’t get his way. Along with her father, Hermia demonstrates a feminine role of a strong and independent woman. She strives to provide for herself and not have her luxuries handed to her all for her own happiness.


    Helena on the other hand is the opposite of Hermia. She’s pretty pathetic and desperate. She attempts the love Demetrius with no consideration that he is Hermia’s man. After being too shy to ask for Demetrius’s love, she instead begs to be in his presence saying:


    “I am your spaniel; and Demetrius,
    The more you beat me, I will fawn on you:
    Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,
    Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave,
    Unworthy as I am to follow you”
    (II.i.203-207).


    Her role in this play demonstrates another stereotypical role of women. She comes off as weak and a “home-wrecker”. Most people now-a-days will have no respect for her if this play was created in the 21st century.


    Shakespeare’s characters were and are scripted to perform cross-gender roles. That’s also another reason why Shakespeare portrays his characters with different personalities that fit the category of the traditional masculine and feminine roles. Feminists truly enjoy all of Shakespeare’s women. Queen Elizabeth I helped influence many of Shakespeare’s plays and characters, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” happens to be one of them along with the similar love story “Romeo and Juliet”. Shakespeare was most certainly an advocate for feminism when he wrote “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Kolin 6-7).


    Works Cited

    Greene, Lenz, Neely, eds. The Woman’s Part: Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1980.

    Kolin, Philip C. Shakespeare and Feminist Criticism. NY: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1991.

    Shakespeare, William. Four Comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, The Tempest, Twelfth Night. NY: Washington Square Press, Inc., 1962.

  10. Ashley Edmonds

    The Metamorphosis Decades Apart

    by

    "If Kafka's “The Metamorphosis” strikes anyone as something more than an entomological fantasy, then I congratulate him on having joined the ranks of good and great readers…for we can take the story apart, we can find out how the bits fit, how one part of the pattern responds to the other; but you have to have in you some cell, some gene, some germ that will vibrate in answer to sensations that you can neither define, nor dismiss "(Vladimir Nabokov). Far be it for us to quibble with Nabokov. But agree, with each reader brings different minds which can fabricate different ideas and views of Franz Kafka’s tedious, although clever, fantasy of wordplay. For, literature is only an art that is perceived on an open canvas as the portrayer sees. For instance one artist, Carlos Atanes, an underground filmmaker, adapted in his 1994 “The Metamorphosis of Franz Kafka”; which entwines, loosely, the original story with Kafka’s reality. However, both tails circulate around one meaning Why do we exist? What does the transformation of Gregor Samsa symbolize? However, when inquired in different decades the meaning takes on a different sense.

    In the original text, “The Metamorphosis”, Kafka paints a scene based out of a dying Central European town in 1912. Based on the speculation that Kafka portrays similar aspect of his own metamorphosis in his analogous story, one could assume the grey town is a shadow of his hometown of Prague. During the early 1900’s, post the rise of capitalism, Prague was a combination of ethical barriers. At the time Prague was segregated by Czechs, Jews and Germans, endeavoring to industrialize the advancing city (Tramer 305).  As Prague crept into the new age, Kafka described his town as broad modern streets of dreams, disguised with traces of the old ghetto, with its dreary alleys, reeking taverns, ubiquitous corruption to be more real than the palpable for the residents of the new city (Sokel). Where families struggled to survive, however managed to wear a lucrative mask, Kafka developed early in life an inordinate sense of guilt. The idea of the insolubility of the most ordinary, even human problems depressed his youth and later inspired his art, “The Metamorphosis” (Phillip Rahv 62).

    Assuming that events are symbolic to his life, Gregor is also faced with similar obstacles. In the story the protagonist, Gregor, undergoes a gruesome transformation into a retched dung beetle. With his transformation Gregor became compulsorily distant from his work, society, his family and eventually himself. Which before long has him pondering what he knows, or thought he knew, and asking What is my purpose?. Given the obstructions Gregor faces, the meaning can be concluded that humanity is susceptible to forcibly reforming to an authority. Rather susceptible to settle for an expected job, lifestyle, or accepted idea, Kafka suggests that we are all insects in society, going through the same routine, decade after decade, week after week, day in day out, that eventually the custom becomes instinct. 


     
    Throughout history there has been compelling evidence of illicit force being used to reform humanity. For example, during the early 1900’s life for Jews in Prague changed from tolerable to unbearable. This was a result of the uprising of German Nazis in the 1920’s. Reputations of Neo-Nazis racial propaganda ripped through the population of Central Europe, inevitably causing the segregation of communities. With popularity of the regimes fascist views growing, Jewish families living in Prague were stricken of rights and suppressed in the community by their fellow, Czech and German, Spaniards.

    “Our personal problem was not, in fact, what our enemies were doing, but rather what our friends did,” stated Hannah Arendt, Jewish German-American political philosopher, to a friend about her escape from a death camp in Germany,1940 (Hannah Arendt). In Carlos Atanes film adaption of Kafka’s original work; that is exactly the lesson Gregor learned. Atanes’ placed the Samsa family right in the middle of late 1930’s fascist tainted Prague. Effects of Jewish segregation faded in and out from outside the family’s house, while inside, a half man half bug, Gregor tries to understand and cope with his unfamiliar form. Gregor’s transformation into an insect, or Ungeziefer, with a human-like appearance also echoes a grim realization of the Jewish torment. Ungeziefer, German for unclean animal not suitable for sacrifice, is a term that the Nazis used to refer to the Jews (Bruce 113).  
    Gregor’s figure in the causes his family to lose their companionship for him, like the betrayal Jews experienced by their neighbors and friends. After all, how could an unclean animal not suitable for sacrifice really be a human?

    Even though both Kafka and Atanes symbolic morphing toys with the question, Why do I exist, what is Gregor’s purpose? The times of the events are different, ultimately causing two different conclusions. In one Kafka suggest the formation of Capitalism and falling into uniformity. However, Atanes implies the same meaning; he strengthens it by adding symbolism of the Jewish population’s suppression by society during the German reign. Given each portrayal of “The Metamorphosis” the way an artist decides to set the scenery ultimately affects how an audience receives the underling question or meaning.



    Work Cited
    • Nabokov, Vladimir. “Lecture on "The Metamorphosis" by Vladimir Nabokov” Kafka.org. The Kafka Project, 6 January 2012. Web. 31 May 2012
    • Tramer, Hans. “Prague-City of Three Peoples” Leo Baeck Institute Yearbook. 9.1 (2012): 305-339.Web
    • Sokel, Walter. “Franz Kafka as a Jew” Leo Baeck Institute Yearbook. 18.1 (2012): 233-238.Web
    • Rahv, Phillip. “Franz Kafka: The Hero As Lonely Man” The Kenyon Review. 1.1 (1939): 60-74.Web
    • Arendt, Hannah. “Hanna Arendt” fembio.org. Notable.Women.International,  Web. 31 May 2012
    • Kafka,Franz. Corngold, Stanley.  The Metamorphosis: A Norton Critical Edition. W. W. Norton & Company, 1996. Print.
  11. Alicia Kittles

    Comparative Analysis Essay

    by
    Comparative AnalysisFranz Kafka's text of the “Metamorphosis” shows Gregor as the provider of the family, although he transforms into an insect, he later is unable to work. His father is forced to get a job to provide for the family (whic...
  12. Alicia Kittles

    Comparative Analysis Essay

    by

    Comparative Analysis


    Franz Kafka's text of the “Metamorphosis” shows Gregor as the provider of the family, although he transforms into an insect, he later is unable to work. His father is forced to get a job to provide for the family (which should have been his job already). Peter Kuper's film of the “Metamorphosis” shows how Gregor is treated and ignored by his family because of his transformation into an insect (half insect half human in the film)... 

    Gender roles are visible in the modern world. Women are supposed to equal the beautiful house wife, as with men equaling the support beam. But in Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, the characters aren't portraying the modernized role of women and men. However, the film and the text differ in gender roles. The text illustrates Gregor's sister, Grete, to be helpful around the house... cooking, cleaning, etc. for Gregor. But the film shows her doing little to nothing to help her brother after his transformation. The mother seems worried about her son in the film. With the text, the mother doesn't seem very caring about her son. It's amazing how the roles differ in the two. Some scenes within the film are very similar to the illustration of the text.

    The sister, Grete, still refuses to believe Gregor is her brother since his transformation. She believes he will be the death of the family if he stays any longer. The father goes through an outrage and throws apples at Gregor out of anger. Each of these is similar within the text and the film. People always say that the book or written version is always better than the movie. Well, that also applies to this comparative analysis. The text written by Franz Kafka illustrates more than the film by Peter Kuper. The characteristics and roles of each character seem to be more realistic in the text. Although, the text doesn’t tell us that Gregor transformed into a half human half insect. But in the film it shows Gregor as a half human half insect.

    Peter Kuper’s version of “Metamorphosis” seems played out. Many different versions and short films have been released to show the transformation of Gregor but none of them cover the full story of Gregor in “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka.

  13. Alicia Kittles

    Franz Kafka "Metamorphosis"

    by
    "The Metamorphosis" written by Franz Kafka is about a man is poorly treated by his family when he goes through a major change within his life. That change causes him to turn into an insect. Before he became an insect he was just a regular human being, ...
  14. Alicia Kittles

    Franz Kafka "Metamorphosis"

    by
    "The Metamorphosis" written by Franz Kafka is about a man is poorly treated by his family when he goes through a major change within his life. That change causes him to turn into an insect. Before he became an insect he was just a regular human being, he was a traveling salesman who never missed a day of work in five years, and he was the "breadwinner", basically providing for his family. If you compare his life story to a feminist analysis you'd realize how much the feminist role changes.

    Kafka identifies the role of characters and their persona, especially the gender role. The mother doesn't work, she doesn't do anything around the house except the cooking and the cleaning. She relies on her son, Gregor, for everything. Her role is very similar to the father's role too. Gregor's father doesn't fulfill the role as a leader, him and the mother both caused a lot of debt in which Gregor is paying for. The sister, Grete, has a very strong role. She cooked and cleaned for Gregor after his transformation into an insect, taking on the mother's role briefly. As time progresses Grete's demeanor changed and she no longer accepted Gregor's change. She also felt it was Gregor's job to provide for the family, and when he doesn't get up to go to work she becomes upset. After awhile Grete took on the job as a salesgirl. Grete played the violin and she wanted her brother, Gregor, to come to her recital but when he came... she becomes ungrateful. She doesn't claim him and even calls him a creature. Because of Gregor's transformation it allowed Grete to step up within the family and take on Gregor's role. She's even getting married!

    Gender roles are visible in the modern world. Women are suppose to equal the beautiful house wife, as with men equaling the support beam. But in Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, the characters aren't portraying the modernized role of women and men. The father is weak and doesn't support the family to any extent and he's irresponsible. The mother is your stereotypical house wife who cooks and cleans. But the sister, Grete, actually has a dominant role. She does what she has to do after her brother, Gregor, can't. Balanced gender roles promote growth; and that's what happened with Gregor and Grete.

    Gregor was the provider. He's the definition of a true man. He portrays the dominant man role that his father lacks in. All before his metamorphosis which caused a nightmare. His biggest nightmare was when his family turned on him. Which led to his death. His sister, Grete, wanted to get rid of him and the family agreed.

    In the end, Gregor was a good man. Although his physical changes made his lose his job, lose his family, and even worse...lose his life. Kafka had a poor relationship with his family as he went through tuberculosis, and because of that he wrote "Metamorphosis" in comparison to his life.



    Work Cited
    Sokel, Walter H. “Kafka’s Metamorphosis: “Rebellion and Punishments. The University of  

              Wisconsin Press. Web. 21 May. 2012

    Bryans, Lauren. "Gender Equality in Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis." Voices.Yahoo. N.p., 13 10 2010. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://voices.yahoo.com/gender-equality-franz-kafkas-metamorphosis-6689656.html>.
  15. Alicia Kittles

    Metamorphosis

    by
    Gender Studies Analogy[&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://storify.com/_AKFortySeven/franz-kafka-s-metamorphosis" target="_blank"&amp;amp;gt;View the story "Franz Kafka's \"Metamorphosis\"" on Storify&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;]
  16. Alicia Kittles

    Metamorphosis

    by
    Gender Studies Analogy[&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://storify.com/_AKFortySeven/franz-kafka-s-metamorphosis" target="_blank"&amp;amp;gt;View the story "Franz Kafka's \"Metamorphosis\"" on Storify&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;]
  17. Ashley Edmonds

    Annotated Bibliography: Metamorphosis

    by
    Still deciding the essential direction to go on analyzing how interpretations and presentations are a direct product of the culture of Franz Kafka. There are different ways I could go about generally answering the cultural aspects of Kafka in Metamorph...
  18. Alicia Kittles

    A Little GIRL Lost

    by
    The poem "A Little GIRL Lost" published in 1794 by William Blake, was written to show the discrimination of women within religion, with a little references to Adam and Eve. He portrays a "youth pair" that "met in a garden" after "the holy night had jus...
  19. Alicia Kittles

    A Little GIRL Lost

    by
    The poem "A Little GIRL Lost" published in 1794 by William Blake, was written to show the discrimination of women within religion, with a little references to Adam and Eve. He portrays a "youth pair" that "met in a garden" after "the holy night had jus...
  20. Ashley Edmonds

    Faith In Night

    by


    The poem “Night”, published in 1789 by English poet William Blake, was written with the purpose of enlightening about the existence of protective forces, and the inevitable evils of mankind. “Night” comes from the 1789 collection Songs of Innocence and of Experience, which is portrays the two contrary states of man “innocence” and “experience”. Like other poems in the collection “Night” suggests an ever going struggle between the holy and evil. Some might argue that the underlining point Blake tries to portray is as humans we all need to be protected, that people need some kind of protector. There is also the argument of sleep, that the poem in a whole is representative to the need for sleep. How sleep is the “innocent”, where people are protected, and the awake being the “experience” or “evil”. Although these are the suggested meaning I think “Night” also suggests a Christianic relationship between mankind and an all knowing God.

    In the first three stanzas presents a sense of peace and guidance. In these stanzas Blake implies the need for guidance by guardian angels. I believe this represents the beginning relationship between man and God. For example in the third stanza,
     “They visit caves of every beast,
    To keep them all from harm;
    If they see any weeping.
    That should have been sleeping
    They pour sleep on their head
    And sit down by their bed.”
    Blake uses “they”, which to me is implying the existence of Gods angels. I also see this representing sleep as the everlasting sleep, or death, and angels sent to persuade mankind to believe.

    However, in the fourth stanza Blake challenges the faith of man. Wolves and tigers, representing the demons of life, try to break the faith of others. With these challenges the guardians try to protect, but in the end the decision is up to those who need protecting. In all I see the forth stanza as being symbolic to the life relationship with God. Meaning, how we decide to live in means of faith while on earth.

    “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”  —2 Corinthians 5:10 
     Appearing before judgment is what I believe the last two stanza signify. Blake uses a lion to represent God and in the end whoever passes through judgment, and has their sins washed away can come lay beside the holy in peace. For example:
    "And by his health, sickness.
    Is driven away,
    From our immortal day.

    And now beside thee, bleating lamb.

    I can lie down and sleep;
    Or think on him who bore thy name."
     
    The 1789 poem “Night” to me represents the steps of life through Christ. I also believe "Night" is a good representative of the struggle one might face and the reward of an afterlife for overcoming these challenges.  The struggle starts with a beginning of innocence and choosing to be guarded or protected. After experience in life demons and other evils come to challenge ones faith. All stages leading to the end of life as one knows and being born again after judgment.
  21. Ashley Edmonds

    William Blake "Night"

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         "Night" The sun descending in the west,The evening star does shine;The birds are silent in their nest,And I must seek for mine.The moon, like a flower,In heaven's high bower,With silent delightSits and smiles on the night.Farewell, ...

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