Final Gatsby Journal

Prepping for Socratic Seminar..
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Jelly Roll Morton "Black Bottom Stomp" (1922)

At Gatsby's parties, this music would probably be in the background closer to the dance floor while everyone else was talking and gathering with friends and strangers. This song would be playing in several parts, the band playing it. Everyone enjoying it. Some people would dance.
The mood is cheery and happy and it has a lot of energy. It's a fun mood. I say this beacuse the music is smooth but keeps a good beat and has high notes, making it sound exciting.

Great Gastby Reading Blog #2

The purpose of Meyer Wolfsheim as a character seems to be to give background to Gatsby's character. It gives the reader insight on who Gatsby is, as Wolfsheim is a friend of his. Wolfsheim was a part of Gatsby's past and so the reader starts to make a lot of assumptions about Gatsby after meeting Wolfsheim. When I first met Wolfsheim and learned what he had done, I started doubting Gatsby more and who he was. I saw him as a more shady character than before.  The love story that Jordan Baker tells Nick about Jay and Daisy five years earlier is really interesting. The reader sees a different Gatsby through this story. For the first time, you see that Gatsby genuinely cares more than just on the surface of things. He does nice things for his guests because he doesn't want trouble. The things that Gatsby does for Daisy show that he does care more than. He's sweet on her and it shows his soft side. It makes the reader like him more, see that there is more of him and that perhaps he is a real person.
The story of the rest of Gatsby's past changed how I looked at him because for the first time, he is discovered. One's past can say a lot about a person but I think with Gatsby it created more questions. It made Gatsby more real and more interesting in my eyes.
Over these past three chapters, my opinion of Gatsby pretty much changed every chapter, because I got a different view of him in each chapter. I saw him differently in each chapter as different aspects of his life were adressed. However all the same, I saw him as more of a real person in these chapters.

Great Gatsby Reading Blog #1 (ch. 1-3)

Hero(s): Jay Gatsby. Mr. Gatsby seems to be the focus of this book, especially since the book is named after him. On the back of the book, it says it's his story. Also he does really nice things and attempts not to have troubles with anyone like when Lucille says that "when [she] was here last [she] tore her gown on a chair... [she] got a package from Croirier's with a new evening gown in it." I think that shows that he goes out of his way to stay out of trouble and avoid conflict with others.
Antihero(s): Ms. Baker. She seems like a nice person and she does nice things for Nick in the first three chapters but Nick already knows that she's a dishonest person. He begins to think that he loves her but realizes that  she is "incurably dishonest." Also Daisy Buchanan seems to be an anti-hero because she is important to the story as she'll contribute as Gatsby's love interest. I think that because from the beginning, as a reader, I liked her character the way she was described but at the same time her ignorance to her husband cheating on her and controlling her, though it makes us root for her isn't really something good. The scene where  "she threw her napkin on the table and excused herself into the house" (p. 14) and right after that shows how she lets her husband walk over her.
Villain(s): Mrs. Myrtle Wilson and Tom Buchanan. I think that they will be the villains because it says that this is the story of Mr. Gatsby's love for Daisy Buchanan. Myrtle and especially Mr. Buchanan are ought to get in the way of that. Tom is married to Daisy and although he already has Myrtle, it seems as though he wouldn't really be okay with her being with someone else by the way he treats her and controls her at that dinner that Nick goes to in Chapter 1 at their house on the East Egg. "Neither of them can stand the person they're married to." (p. 33) This might also get in the way because Daisy is important to the story, obviously, since it's the story of Gatsby's love for her and conflict may arise between Gatsby and Mr. Buchanan.

Bua's Style

Bua's style can be indetified by looking at artistic consistencies in his paintings. He blows up things at the front, all going back to one perception point. He uses heavy dimensions and uses a fish eye lense perspective. He also has a relaxed style which is reflected in how he draws the subjects' bodies. He manipulates shading and lighting of the piece. Bua also uses a lot of curved lines.

"Race for the Prize" (1999) Flaming Lips

The theme of this song is that sometimes one is so determined to achieve something that one does extreaordinary things in order to achieve them. Although it may be hard at times, it's possible. This theme is supported throughout the song. Listening to it, the strong lead guitar gives me a sense of hope. There's a lot of different chords and sounds, which supports how hard it may be. However, it's not just the musical elements that build on this theme. Lyrical evidence throughout the song adds to it as well. "Theirs is to win, if it kills them. They're just humans."

Fallacies. Patrick Henry speech.

"Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?"
This is the argumentum ad baculum fallacy. I can tell this is so because it is an appeal to fear. Henry wants people to see that if that they don't fight now, then more critical and scary situations for the colonists might happen. He wants them to fear what they might be headed for. This is also closely linked to appeal to consequences. If they don't fight now, this will happen.

Duck and Cover (1951)

The overt message is that it is important to "duck and cover" when there is a flash or you hear the neighborhood siren. This is said repeatedly throughout the presentation.
The covert message is that the atomic bomb is coming and that is in inevitable so we must be ready when it does come. Also, children must always listen to adults because they know what's best.
This is mainly informational because it was made to teach kids what to do when the atomic bomb came. It presents different situations and what to do in each case.

Destination Earth

The overt message is that oil has made life for Americans easier beacuse not only is it a a great source of energy but it is also used in many different ways. Competition is what makes it work for everyone.
The covert message is along the lines that oil and competition are part of being American, it is patriotic, because it is what makes America work. Also, it refers to the fact that people aren't happy under communism because it doesn't allow for the same things the American system does.
A few techniques it used to exemplify this is that all the people on Mars were sad at the beginning, they weren't showing emotion, until the guy came back from America with these new ideas. Also America is generalized because they say that all Americans have cars and drive.

WWII 1941-1945

The overt message is that people should eat less bread.
The covert message is that we should sacrifice our luxuries to help the troops that are fighting for America.
The disparity between the two makes this propaganda because the covert message is what matters, what the ad is really trying to reinforce.

"Clampdown" by the Clash (1979)

- I think this song is about how people do crazy things when they are put under pressure and suddenly all these crazy things become a reality. I think that in saying "we will teach them our twisted speech" he means that that is what they will learn, that twisted speech will be their reality.
-The musical elements that add to my lyrical interpretation are mostly the drums that are heard throughout the song and get heavier towards the end of the song.
-This song relates to propaganda because there is a covert message about the Clampdown but you have to really stop and think what he really wants to say, more specifically, WHO/WHAT is the clampdown.

Quotations-Propaganda Assignment

658.

Men are so simple of mind, and so much dominated by their immediate needs, that a deceitful man

will always find plenty who are ready to be deceived… The masses are always impressed by the

superficial appearance of things… NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI (1469-1527), The Prince, 1513.

"Don't judge a book by its cover." "It's on the inside what counts." We are told these things even when we're young and growing up. But as much as we might hate to admit it, we live in a materalized world where most of what we know is based on appearances. The stars on TV commercials are always have the most "aesthetically" pleasing starring. Of course, it is made this way on purpose. This quote explains just that. "Men are so simple of mind, and so dominated by their immediate needs..." Well, yeah, we want food, water, shelter, to reproduce, and basically survive through whatever life throws at us, right? "... that a deceitful man will always find plenty who are ready to be deceived." The deceitful man in this situation would be the media, and the mass population those ready to be deceived. Now comes the most important part, " The masses are always impressed by the superficial appearance of things." This is true for I would think mostly everyone. We like classifying things by how they appear. For example, when you're looking for colleges, a lot of people tend to look at campus appearance. When shopping, the prettier it is, the better. It's how we do a lot of things. So when we're sitting in front of the TV and this beautiful actresse comes onscreen and promotes Pantene shampoo, we like it and we want it. This happens more than we often want it to. A perfect example of it is the Nixon vs. Kennedy election that we discussed in class. Nixon knew the politics, had good arguments, and spoke well. Kennedy had script scribes, spoke well, didn't have many good plans for his presidency, but was good at promoting his ideas. To those listening on the radio, Nixon won the debate. To those watching TV, Kennedy won the debate. Why? It's easy to say that Kennedy is certainly better looking than Nixon. We are men of simple mind. We are easily impressed by the superficial appearance of things. This has been evident throughout our history and our lives many times.