Plot
The plot of the movie is very different from the short story because in the movie Benjamin does not even live at home with his parents. The movie has Benjamin's father drop him on the doorstep of an old nursing home. Benjamin, instead of growing up with his family and feeling so different from everyone else, he is taken in by the woman running the nursing home "Queenie". The plot is also different in the movie than in the short story because it has Benjamin leaving the nursing home when he is about eighteen to go and work on a boat. He travels with the captain of the boat to various places, and even is involved in the WWI, which is not in the short story. All of these elements go into how the story plays out in the end, which is also different. Benjamin meets his wife, also one of his childhood friends, when he is in the nursing home, her name is " Daisy". In the movie Benjmain dies in the arms of his wife when she is old, and in the story they don't mention much about his death.
Point of View
The movie's main point of view is from the main character Benjamin. Daisy, Benjamin's wife, is dying in the hospital, so her daughter reads what Benjamin wrote in a journal for Daisy. It goes throughout Benjamin's whole life and how he got to where he was. Caroline, Daisy's daughter, is reading to Daisy when she finds out that Benjamin is really her father. This point of view is different from the short story because in the short story, Benjamin is being observed rather than talking. Also, in the short story, one of the main differences in the point of view is from Benjamin's son.
Characterization
Benjamin mainly has the same characterization in the short story as in the movie. He grows up the same way, does most of the same things, and dies the same way. However, there are some changes in his character and other characters in the movie. One change is the fact that he has an affair with another woman. He is not married, but the woman that he is with is, to a spy. Another change is the change between Benjamin and his wife. In the short story Benjamin's character meets his wife when he goes to a party and dances with her. In the movie, Benjamin's future wife is his childhood friend that he has know almost his whole life.
Setting
The settings are very different from each other in many ways. One difference is that in the movie, it is set in New Orleans, in the short story, Baltimore. Another difference is the difference of where the main character lives all his life. In the movie, Benjamin lives in a nursing home because that is where he is left the day he is born when his father does not want him and his mother is dead. In the short story, Benjamin lives with his parents, his mother still alive after childbirth being the difference. In the movie, the setting changes more than in the short story because when Benjamin gets the job on the tugboat, he goes around the world to many different places and meets many new people.
Theme
The theme of the movie is close to the same as the short story. Benjamin always does what he thinks is important to himself. When Benjamin does not like something, or he gets tired of it, he makes that change happen. He is not afraid of change because in the movie he changes all the time and lives in many different places. One of the main theme's that stands out to me is the fact that Benjamin does not care what other people think. Many of us in this world today would not know what to do if they were put in a situation like this. We would think that it would be the worst thing that could happen to us, but Benjamin didn't make it seem that way. He went throughout his whole life overcoming obstacles and doing what was needed to make his life better for his family and for himself.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Plot
This story is an interesting type of story because the main characters life is basically in reverse. Benjamin Button is born into the Button family in 1860 in ante-bellum Baltimore.(pg. 5) When his father finally gets to the hospital and asks to see his child, everyone seems astonished at the sight of the newborn that they don't know how to tell him. When Mr. Button finally gets to see his child, he is also astonished at the sight of a 70 year old man. Mr. Button doesn't know what to make of this birth and therefore throughout the story, Mr. Button and Benjamin's relationship seems distant. Benjamin realizes that he feels more at ease when he is around his grandfather rather than his father because his father does not understand him. His father is almost disgraced by looking at his son, so he does what he thinks is right to fix this problem, he tries to make Benjamin look like a normal boy. ( pg. 17) One night, when Benjamin is about 50, he meets what is soon to be his future wife Hildegarde. He falls in love with her and eventually they conceive a child. Towards the end of the story, Benjamin just keeps getting younger and younger, until he becomes an infant.
Point of View
In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the point of view is set in third person. We know that this is set in third person because the names are listed throughout the story in dialogue i.e. Benjamin, Hildegarde, etc. This point of view is important in this story because it allows us as readers to understand the different sides of the story. For example, when Mr.Button asks to see his child in the hospital, the dialogue allows us to see his emotions and the emotions and thoughts of the other characters. This type of point of view also helps us to understand and visualize the lives of the other characters and how they are in relation with the main character, Benjamin. An example of this in the story would be on pg. 35. " Fifty seemed to Benjamin a glorious age. He longed passionately to be fifty." " I've always said, " went on Hildegarde, " that I'd rather marrry a man of fifty and be taken care of than many a man of thirty and take care of him." This statement especially shows the thoughts and emotions of Benjamin and his wife Hildegarde when she is talking about what she wants in a man. Without this type of point of view, we may have not been able to understand why Hildegarde picked Benjamin to be her husband.
Characterization
Benjamin Button is born in 1860, with the looks of a 70 year old man. He grows up like this, but essentially is growing younger in appearance. When he finally reaches infant age he must be taken care of because he can no longer fend for himself. When he is younger, as in he has only been alive a couple of years, he realizes that he enjoys his grandfather's acquaintance more than his fathers. He knows that his grandfather understands the same things that he is going through which makes him feel more at ease. ( pg. 22) At the young age of 50, Benjamin meets his wife Hildegarde. Hildegarde likes Benjamin because he is not like anyone she has ever met. ( pg. 34)
Setting
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is set in Baltimore, Maryland in 1860 when Benjamin Button is just a boy. As Benjamin gets older, he begins to experience new things in life and moves different places. When he is of college age, he tries to attend Yale college, but is rejected for being too " old looking" to attend. In 1898, Benjamin decides to join the army and be in the Spanish- American War. ( pg. 40) Benjamin is tired of his home situation with his wife that he decides to join the army in hopes of getting more excitement in his life as he gradually gets younger. Towards the end of the story, as Benjamin is almost a child if not an infant now, he goes to live with his son Roscoe.
Theme
One of the most important themes in this short story is to be yourself. If Benjamin was not himself throughout his life, he would not have become as successful as he became. Another important theme is to not judge a book by its cover. Benjamin Button is misunderstood almost his whole life as being someone who could never accomplish anything in his life because of his strange situation, however he overcame that and became on that showed everyone that he could be accomplished. Today, we base most of our views of people on looks, whether they are white, black, hispanic etc. We segregate people into different categories according to their appearance, not their personality. We pre-judge people by what they look like and how they act, before we even really meet them. This is exactly what happens to Benjamin throughout the whole story. He is seen as an old man when he is born, and therefore there is something wrong with him. He never really fits in with anyone and no one understands what he is going through. Many people have these same emotions that Benjamin felt his whole life and the theme allows us to see the point of view of the other person that we may be ridiculing for being different. ( pg. 43)
This story is an interesting type of story because the main characters life is basically in reverse. Benjamin Button is born into the Button family in 1860 in ante-bellum Baltimore.(pg. 5) When his father finally gets to the hospital and asks to see his child, everyone seems astonished at the sight of the newborn that they don't know how to tell him. When Mr. Button finally gets to see his child, he is also astonished at the sight of a 70 year old man. Mr. Button doesn't know what to make of this birth and therefore throughout the story, Mr. Button and Benjamin's relationship seems distant. Benjamin realizes that he feels more at ease when he is around his grandfather rather than his father because his father does not understand him. His father is almost disgraced by looking at his son, so he does what he thinks is right to fix this problem, he tries to make Benjamin look like a normal boy. ( pg. 17) One night, when Benjamin is about 50, he meets what is soon to be his future wife Hildegarde. He falls in love with her and eventually they conceive a child. Towards the end of the story, Benjamin just keeps getting younger and younger, until he becomes an infant.
Point of View
In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the point of view is set in third person. We know that this is set in third person because the names are listed throughout the story in dialogue i.e. Benjamin, Hildegarde, etc. This point of view is important in this story because it allows us as readers to understand the different sides of the story. For example, when Mr.Button asks to see his child in the hospital, the dialogue allows us to see his emotions and the emotions and thoughts of the other characters. This type of point of view also helps us to understand and visualize the lives of the other characters and how they are in relation with the main character, Benjamin. An example of this in the story would be on pg. 35. " Fifty seemed to Benjamin a glorious age. He longed passionately to be fifty." " I've always said, " went on Hildegarde, " that I'd rather marrry a man of fifty and be taken care of than many a man of thirty and take care of him." This statement especially shows the thoughts and emotions of Benjamin and his wife Hildegarde when she is talking about what she wants in a man. Without this type of point of view, we may have not been able to understand why Hildegarde picked Benjamin to be her husband.
Characterization
Benjamin Button is born in 1860, with the looks of a 70 year old man. He grows up like this, but essentially is growing younger in appearance. When he finally reaches infant age he must be taken care of because he can no longer fend for himself. When he is younger, as in he has only been alive a couple of years, he realizes that he enjoys his grandfather's acquaintance more than his fathers. He knows that his grandfather understands the same things that he is going through which makes him feel more at ease. ( pg. 22) At the young age of 50, Benjamin meets his wife Hildegarde. Hildegarde likes Benjamin because he is not like anyone she has ever met. ( pg. 34)
Setting
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is set in Baltimore, Maryland in 1860 when Benjamin Button is just a boy. As Benjamin gets older, he begins to experience new things in life and moves different places. When he is of college age, he tries to attend Yale college, but is rejected for being too " old looking" to attend. In 1898, Benjamin decides to join the army and be in the Spanish- American War. ( pg. 40) Benjamin is tired of his home situation with his wife that he decides to join the army in hopes of getting more excitement in his life as he gradually gets younger. Towards the end of the story, as Benjamin is almost a child if not an infant now, he goes to live with his son Roscoe.
Theme
One of the most important themes in this short story is to be yourself. If Benjamin was not himself throughout his life, he would not have become as successful as he became. Another important theme is to not judge a book by its cover. Benjamin Button is misunderstood almost his whole life as being someone who could never accomplish anything in his life because of his strange situation, however he overcame that and became on that showed everyone that he could be accomplished. Today, we base most of our views of people on looks, whether they are white, black, hispanic etc. We segregate people into different categories according to their appearance, not their personality. We pre-judge people by what they look like and how they act, before we even really meet them. This is exactly what happens to Benjamin throughout the whole story. He is seen as an old man when he is born, and therefore there is something wrong with him. He never really fits in with anyone and no one understands what he is going through. Many people have these same emotions that Benjamin felt his whole life and the theme allows us to see the point of view of the other person that we may be ridiculing for being different. ( pg. 43)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Sonnet 73
The message that is being portrayed in this sonnet is that we should cherish every day we have here on earth because our life could change as quickly as the seaons change. One minute it is fall now and everything is beautiful. However, winter is coming soon and death will take over all the beautiful things like trees for instance. In the beginning of the sonnet, the time of year is fall. The leaves are beginning to fall off the trees because it is getting colder, but it has not turned to winter yet. Then it begins to describe how it gets dark during the winter and nature is taken over by death. In the sonnet there is a line that stands out to me. " As after sunset fadeth in the west, Which by and by black night doth take away, Death's second self, that seals up all in rest." This stands out to me because it paints a picture in my mind. I see an image of the fall sun being swallowed up by darkness because of the change of seasons from fall to winter.
I think that this is very true because I know from personal experience that we need to cherish every moment we have with the ones we love. I regret not being there with him when he died and I know the rest of my family feels the same way. We always loved him and willl remember the wonderful memories we have with him, but it is not the same after we lose a loved one. When my grandpa died, my family literally fell apart. It is like the leaves falling off the trees because we all lost touch and drifted gradually apart from each other. Like the change of seasons, there is always a change in someone's life when one of their loved ones dies. Also, much like the change from fall to winter, we have to hope that something good will come out of something bad. When it changes to winter, we know that for the next couple of months there will be rough patches like slick ice on the ground, but when spring comes everything is good again.
I think that this is very true because I know from personal experience that we need to cherish every moment we have with the ones we love. I regret not being there with him when he died and I know the rest of my family feels the same way. We always loved him and willl remember the wonderful memories we have with him, but it is not the same after we lose a loved one. When my grandpa died, my family literally fell apart. It is like the leaves falling off the trees because we all lost touch and drifted gradually apart from each other. Like the change of seasons, there is always a change in someone's life when one of their loved ones dies. Also, much like the change from fall to winter, we have to hope that something good will come out of something bad. When it changes to winter, we know that for the next couple of months there will be rough patches like slick ice on the ground, but when spring comes everything is good again.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Mine- Ballad
Mine by Taylor Swift is considered a ballad because it has many characteristics of a folk ballad. One characteristic that is portrayed in this song is the reflection or expression of a sentiment. This song is telling a story of how a girl and her lover met and came to love each other. Another characteristic is the tendency to suggest rather than directly state. This characteristic is shown throughout the song when she is talking about how the little things he did, meant so much to her and how it has changed her for the better. A final characteristic is the use of refrain. This use of refrain is repeated often, especially in this song, because she wants her lover to remember each time they get in a fight, how much they loved each other before and still do. Folk ballads are also focused on the topics of unrequited love. This ballad shows that because she is telling him that even though they have been through so many rough times, if they just look back to when they were in love before, they will stay in love.
Mine- Taylor Swift
Oh oh oh.
Oh oh oh.
You were in college, working part time, waitin' tables,
Left a small town and never looked back.
I was a flight risk with a fear of fallin',
Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts.
I say "Can you believe it?", as we're lying on a couch,
The moment I could see it, yes, yes, I can see it now.
Do you remember we were sitting there by the water,
You put your arm around me, for the first time.
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter.
You are the best thing, that's ever been mine.
Flash forward and we're taking on the world together.
And there's a drawer of my things at your place.
You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded,
You say we'll never make my parent's mistakes.
But we got bills to pay, we got nothin' figured out,
When it was hard to take, yes yes, this is what I thought about.
Do you remember we were sitting there by the water,
You put your arm around me, for the first time.
You made a rebel of a careless mans careful daughter.
You are the best thing, that's ever been mine.
Do you remember all the city lights on the water,
You saw me start to believe for the first time.
You made a rebel of your careless man's careful daughter.
You are the best thing thats ever been mine.
Oh oh oh oh.
And I remember that fight 2:30 AM, 'cause everything was slippin' right out of our hands.
I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street.
Braced myself for the goodbye,
'cause that's all I've ever known,
And you took me by surprise,
you said "I'll never leave you alone."
You said, "I remember how we felt sittin' by the water.
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time.
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter.
She is the best thing, that's ever been mine."
Hold on, make it last.
Hold on, never turn back.
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter,
You are the best thing, that's ever been mine.
Do you believe it?
We're gonna make it now.
And I can see it,
yeah, yeah
I can see it now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPBwXKgDTdE&ob=av2n
Mine- Taylor Swift
Oh oh oh.
Oh oh oh.
You were in college, working part time, waitin' tables,
Left a small town and never looked back.
I was a flight risk with a fear of fallin',
Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts.
I say "Can you believe it?", as we're lying on a couch,
The moment I could see it, yes, yes, I can see it now.
Do you remember we were sitting there by the water,
You put your arm around me, for the first time.
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter.
You are the best thing, that's ever been mine.
Flash forward and we're taking on the world together.
And there's a drawer of my things at your place.
You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded,
You say we'll never make my parent's mistakes.
But we got bills to pay, we got nothin' figured out,
When it was hard to take, yes yes, this is what I thought about.
Do you remember we were sitting there by the water,
You put your arm around me, for the first time.
You made a rebel of a careless mans careful daughter.
You are the best thing, that's ever been mine.
Do you remember all the city lights on the water,
You saw me start to believe for the first time.
You made a rebel of your careless man's careful daughter.
You are the best thing thats ever been mine.
Oh oh oh oh.
And I remember that fight 2:30 AM, 'cause everything was slippin' right out of our hands.
I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street.
Braced myself for the goodbye,
'cause that's all I've ever known,
And you took me by surprise,
you said "I'll never leave you alone."
You said, "I remember how we felt sittin' by the water.
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time.
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter.
She is the best thing, that's ever been mine."
Hold on, make it last.
Hold on, never turn back.
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter,
You are the best thing, that's ever been mine.
Do you believe it?
We're gonna make it now.
And I can see it,
yeah, yeah
I can see it now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPBwXKgDTdE&ob=av2n
Monday, August 23, 2010
Heroes
A fictional character that I think would be considered a hero is Superman. I think he is a hero because he always does what is best for the people. Superman is not always perfect at everything he does, but he tries his best to be fearless in times his people need him. I think that he is a good role model for people because he saves lives, and even though we cannot all do that, we can do our best to strive to be like him. If we have the mindset like Superman does, that we can do anything, we can acomplish so much more.
A personal hero for me is my mom. It may seem cliche that I chose my mom, but she really is a hero to me. From all the things that she has done for my sisters and I, to the things that she does at school for her students, she really cares about everyone. I don't know how she does all the things that she does and still has time to spend time with her family and friends. She is a hero to me because I look at her and see bravery. She has been through some hard times and she deserves the world. She really means the world to me and she is my role model, which I think is a trait that heroes should have.
A popular hero that I look up to is Martin Luther King Jr. He is a hero because he never gave up and he always did what he believed was fair for everyone. He was courageous when everyone was trying to pull him down and he always spoke about things that mattered to him and even involved him and his beliefs. He is a hero that not only was a role model to other people but he did everything possible to get what he wanted and had the right to get. He will always be remembered as a hero because he changed the world for the better.
A personal hero for me is my mom. It may seem cliche that I chose my mom, but she really is a hero to me. From all the things that she has done for my sisters and I, to the things that she does at school for her students, she really cares about everyone. I don't know how she does all the things that she does and still has time to spend time with her family and friends. She is a hero to me because I look at her and see bravery. She has been through some hard times and she deserves the world. She really means the world to me and she is my role model, which I think is a trait that heroes should have.
A popular hero that I look up to is Martin Luther King Jr. He is a hero because he never gave up and he always did what he believed was fair for everyone. He was courageous when everyone was trying to pull him down and he always spoke about things that mattered to him and even involved him and his beliefs. He is a hero that not only was a role model to other people but he did everything possible to get what he wanted and had the right to get. He will always be remembered as a hero because he changed the world for the better.
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