Othello Films

Aftering viewing two very different clips of Othello I was amazed on how much people can interpret Shakespeare differently. The 1965 film was staged more like a play, which I liked less than the one that was viewed in class. The creative differences used in Othello films and plays is very diverse and adds new dimensions to the play that I might have overlooked. It was interesting to see the final scenes of Othello played out after having the preconceived notion of what the characters looked like and what they were doing while I was reading it. After watching the films how I now imagine the final scene has changed and gotten more detailed. However, the bed is still significant to the imagery that I have of the final scene, just like the films.

Reputation in Othello

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." John Wooden

When reputation as discussed I couldn't help but remember this quote that was used consistently by my basketball coach in high school. He was always talk about how our character is really important and our reputation was insignificant. Our actions would make or break other peoples view of the team. However, Cassio realizes that even if he does have good character his reputation as a drinker effects his life by making him lose his job position. He sees his self and reputation as the same. Also, Iago has bad characteristics but his reputation as honest hinders people from seeing his true self. He does not thing that reputation is important and that can be seen in the John Wooden quote. It makes me question if reputation is important or not important depending on the situation. In basketball the teams reputation as less important than it was for Cassie whose job was his identity.

Girl, Interrupted

"Have you ever confused a dream with life? Or stolen something when you have the cash? Have you ever been blue? Or thought your train moving while sitting still? Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe it was the 60's. Or maybe I was just a girl... interrupted."

In class the question was proposed why was the movie titled Girl, Interrupted? I think it was titled to describe Susanna's life interrupted by her time within the mental hospital and the change within herself that resulted from it. Before entering the mental hospital she lead life without taking responsibilities and she was not in control of her life. Susanna led her life like a child without thinking of the consequences of her actions and not admitting and dealing with the repercussions of them. During her stay at the mental hospital Susanna was confronted with fact that she needed to take charge of her life and decide what she was going to do with it. Susanna was forced to deal with her issues and decide if she was going to keep neglecting them if they didn't exist or overcome them. Her time there allowed her to grow into an adult and let her take control of her life.

Gilman "The Yellow Wallpaper"

Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" made me a reader feel like I was going through a nervous breakdown. I felt "crazy" when her thoughts would shift within the text. It was like I had the disorder and I knew how she felt, which was one of her goals in reading the short story. It made me uneasy and I had to stop and remind myself that I am not going through a nervous breakdown. Also, after discussion in class I realized how "the rest-cure" actually made her worse and affected this book. The rest cure allowed Gilman to be alone with her thoughts and not with people that could have brought sanity into her life. Therefore the doctor's cure for her could have made her worse. I think that her treatment should have included being outside in nature and with family and friends, experiencing life in a positive "normal' way.