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Creative writing about war
War poems dramatic imagery
War poems dramatic imagery
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“…Good god it’s pathetic… Hacked seven-teen-year old kids to death…I did things… Horrible things that I have to live with” These are all excerpts from the main character of the movie Grand Torino, Walt Kowalski. The movie “Grand Torino” is a motivating tale of the emotional struggles of the Anti-hero role of “Walt”: a widowed Vietnam veteran who fights a daily struggle with the memories of his sins as a soldier and his ever-growing biased against, what seems to be, all of humanity. This boorish character makes a perfect antagonist to the Hmong family that resides next door. Despite his entail reluctance to grow attached to the neighboring family a stimulating chain of events, starting with the attempted theft of the Grand Torino, transformed Walt from an embittered, materialist old man into a courageous hero with honors incomparable to those he earned in his army days. There are plenty of examples that can be pulled from the story line and used to mark each stages of the metamorphosis but there are three main quotes that caught my attention exclusively “Get off my lawn”; “I’ve got more in common with these goddmaned gooks than my own spoiled-rotten family”; and “You have no Honor.” Each of these quotes works as individual turning point of our antagonizing protagonists. The first quote is introduced in the story during the earliest confrontation with Tao’s family over the attempted theft of Walt’s Grand Torino. Following Tao’s first gang initiation, the car theft, a second arrangement was made which was a classic “jump in” that resulted in a brutal struggle between Tao and his family on Walt’s front yard. The beginning climax rapidly grows in its violence as Tao get’s thrown to the floor. The rest of the gang proceeded ... ... middle of paper ... ...came up with something much more powerful: Self sacrifice, and this time with wittiness. With pride Walt gave his own life to protect the people he loved the most and with honor he will forever be remembered as a genuine hero to his friends and family. Never did he stop speaking the truth with a tongue as sharp as blades, hissing insults from his grave. Even at his formal he was remembered as a brute but now it was recognized as an old fashioned old man trying his best to pass down his words of wisdom in the best way he knew how. In retrospect that was what he was trying to do all along, “Get off my lawn” “I’ve got more in common with theses god damned gooks…” And “You have no honor” are all lesions he was trying to teach to people that simply did not want to listen, including himself, but as in time each and every word he spoke was realized.
In “The Thematic Paradigm,” University of Florida professor of film studies, Robert Ray, defines two types of heroes pervading American films, the outlaw hero and the official hero. Often the two types are merged in a reconciliatory pattern, he argues. In fact, this
Mr. Leo wrote this piece not only for informative purposes, but also to convince a particular audience that, whether intentional or not, characters have taken on harmful images some may find offensive. He is not speaking only to his fairly educated, loyal readers, but also to those who may have taken part in producing the movie. Mr. Leo makes visible to his readers what he believes to be stereotypes in the film. People may not have noticed these before, so he makes clear definitions and comparisons. To the rest of the audience, those who had a hand in making the movie, he makes a plea not to redevelop these characters in future films.
In conclusion, a hero may not measure up to what the public accepts as true, but the nation grants them credit for the country’s success. If the world lacked baristas and other “small” employments, “the right stuff’s” significance would cease to exist. A hero’s accomplishments often overshadow the genuine individual behind the deeds. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe illustrates how humans have the tendency to place heroes in a position of high honor and respect, when perhaps these idols do not hold entitlement to the privileges they
During the movie, I found that these concepts that were taught in class helped me better understand and relate to certain clips of the movie. Throughout the rest of the paper, I will be going into a bit more detail about exactly what these concepts are and mean, following that I will be giving examples from the movie that demonstrate the concepts of conflict and politeness theory.
In the beginning of the movie Walt is attending his wife Dorothy’s funeral. He finds himself bombarded by the young Father, Janovich, who informs Walt that he is there to fulfill Dorothy’s wish, which entails that her husband attend confession. Walt’s responds by insulting and mocking the Father by expressing, “I never really cared for church and I only went because of her.” Then he goes on to further insult him by saying, “I wouldn’t confess to a boy just out of his seminary.” This statement provides the viewer with labeling, there are also obvious cultural differences in this scene as well, which include, age, religion and identity that shadow both the Father and Walt’s realization of each other. Their cultures are very different which presents difficult conversation. Communication between people is the most effective when the other person that we are talking with, suit’s the identity we think is the most crucial at the moment. Distinctly Walt does not think that Fathe...
When Walter was twelve years old, his parents moved the family from south central California to a more comfortable, affluent, working-class west Los Angeles. He was largely raised in a non-political family culture, although there were racial conflicts flaring throughout Los Angeles. When he was very young, he would sit right in front of the television set. He would close his eyes while watching because it w...
Although, it is proven difficult to completely change your point of view from the society you are brought up in. The characters in this film go through a lot of self-reevaluation to find their place in society, as well as a reevaluation of their initial prejudicial
The Godfather is the “dark-side of the American dream story” (Turan, pp2). The film follows the practices of a fictional Italian mafia family, the Corleone’s. Though most Americans do not condone the practices of the Italian mafia, they cannot deny that Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is a cinematic masterpiece. This film gave insight to a mysterious way of life that the average person does not have knowledge of. As the audience is educated about the mafia they also are introduced to many stereotypes.
...the deeds done for your family. Instead of choosing to give up the home his mother purchased for the family Walter stands up and chooses not only a better home for his family but also a better life. He chooses to keep a place his mother purchased that went against his dreams to provide his son with a real home and in doing so he finally and truly understood what it was to have his manhood restored.
...I personally feel that Walt was a good manager because he had the skills and determination prosper, creating a company that continued to live on after his death. He had a quitting is not an option attitude, no matter the road blocks he faced with his visions. High risk and change did not keep Walt from working hard to bring his dreams to life. He had the ability to draw people into the adventure of his dreams through his captivating personality. He had an understanding of what it took to make his product stand apart from all others on the market; Walt knew it was important to give consumers more than what they wanted or expected, and that holding faithful to a company’s mission was a key to success. Walt was constantly thinking about what could be done to make a product better. He also knew how to bring the right people together for accomplishing a mission.
In the article “The Thematic Paradigm” exerted from his book, A Certain Tendency of the Hollywood Cinema, Robert Ray provides a description of the two types of heroes depicted in American film: the outlaw hero and the official hero. Although the outlaw hero is more risky and lonely, he cherishes liberty and sovereignty. The official hero on the other hand, generally poses the role of an average ordinary person, claiming an image of a “civilized person.” While the outlaw hero creates an image of a rough-cut person likely to commit a crime, the official hero has a legend perception. In this essay, I will reflect on Ray’s work, along with demonstrating where I observe ideologies and themes.
If Casablanca's audience had to choose between Rick and Laszlo, they would choose Rick because everything in the film has prepared them to choose him, who represents the rejection of America's involvement in world politics. Instead, the film relieves the audience of the necessity of choice by displacing the film's political conflict into melodrama, where familiar emotions overwhelm ideas. Although Victor Laszlo is always in Rick's shadow, he stands for the values of the father and the prevailing American belief in 1942 that freedom is worth fighting and dying for, which is the definition of the official hero. By censoring the theme of American reluctance to give up its autonomy, the film spares the audience the agony of siding against the values of the father, condensing the oedipal resolution to another shared experience between Rick and the viewer.
The film “Gran Torino” shows us the growth of a person and the relationships and actions that led to this growth. Walt changes a lot – he overcomes his cultural differences with the Hmong family and his strong bond with them helps him find redemption. He dies satisfied with his life. For me the film gives a message that if a person is not at peace he or she could not achieve self-actualization. I think that we find ourselves through changes. The challenges and the constant struggle for what we need and what we have never had helps us improve. As we accept the challenges that life gives us and the people around us, we find peace with ourselves, just as Walt did.
The story of Forrest Gump is one for the ages. Other than the cinematic feats the film has achieved since its release, it has garnered much in-depth academic study into the culture, thematics, and characters that are portrayed. Forrest Gump is a multi-genre film that follows the life of a slower-than-average southern man as narrated by Gump himself. The journeys of his life take place through some of the most impactful events in United States history during the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. Gump’s naive and rose-colored glasses views of these events are able to influence his development, relationships, and sometimes even influenced the famous events themselves. Forrest Gump as a character subject is a seemingly simple man made of complex principles. Exhibiting notions of compound optimism, altruistic helping behaviors and interpersonal attractions.
Gran Torino is a suspense film directed by Clint Eastwood, which portrays the relationship between a 78-year-old Koran war veteran and his neighbors who are from Laos. The main character, Walt is a racist who still has memories from the horrors of war and has a dislike for anyone, including his own family. After his young neighbor Thao is coerced by his cousin’s gang into stealing Walt’s prized Gran Torino, a unusual relationship forms between the pair. Walt starts to respect Thao and his culture while fulfilling a fatherly role that Thao is lacking. Eventually, Walt has to confront the gang knowing that the confrontation will end in his death. Apart from the stereotypical, get off my lawn quote, this film depicts the relationship of family concerning the care for older adults, the struggle with despair and meaning later in life, and the morality of a good death. This paper will address each of these themes.