...Silent Dancing Judith and her family moved to United Stated because of economic pressures on their growing family. Her father joined the Navy and was assigned to duty on a ship in Brooklyn Yard. In 1995, they lived in a tiny apartment in a huge tenement that once housed Jewish families but was taken over by Puerto Ricans. The apartment they were living in was small, have thin walls and heater pipes that bangs and rattles that startled them out of sleep. Those pipes are connected to all the other people that lived in that apartment and she remembers her first spanking, her playing tunes on the pipes in her room to see if there would be an answer. Her father had a strict order, for them to keep their doors locked, the noise down, and themselves to themselves. Judith’s father’s obsession was to get them out of the barrio but living in El Building was a comfort to her mother, who never got over yearning for la isla. Inspite of her father’s order, her mother would take them to La Bodega, a grocery store across the street from El Building. She buys all her Goya beans, soups and other condiments there and she gets to talk to the other ladies that lives in El Building which she likes. They would put up a christmas tree and get presents both Christmas day and dia de Reyes. Judith and her brother love to watch the television. She remember watching all series showing families. Her father’s navy check provided them with financial security but only thing his money could not buy them...
Words: 624 - Pages: 3
...April Synenberg Mrs. Thomas English 1101 January 23, 2014 The three assimilation phases of Judith Ortiz Cofer’s, “Silent Dancing” In “Silent Dancing”, Cofer presents three paramount influences of assimilation. These influences are presented in family different family members in a black and white movie playing throughout Cofer’s mind of her family’s holiday party. The assimilations were presented through three essential women in Cofer’s life; her mother whom was in middle assimilation, her fully assimilated cousin, and her newly assimilated cousin’s brother’s girlfriend. Cofer’s mother is in the middle phase of her assimilation. Cofer’s mother wanting to stay in El Building, whilst her father yearned to live somewhere else, because she never got over the yearning for la isla “The Island”. Her mother only cooked with foods she could pronounce the names of which were some of the same brands her own mother had used. Cofer’s mother shopping outside of La Bodega going to Sears, Penney’s and Lerner’s, showed a willingness unlike the other women to shop in American stores but still held onto the small comforts that reminded her of her home land. (53-55) Cofer’s cousin is fully assimilated into American life. She claims it herself, she is and American woman and will do what she pleases. She has bleached her hair where others left there’s the same black they had come with. She also had an American boyfriend. The irony of Cofer’s cousin is that she became impregnated by her boyfriend...
Words: 563 - Pages: 3
...Jose Rodriguez SPAN 2750 Professor Torres Dreaming In Cuban Dreaming in Cuban is a book that has to do with three generations of women and their assimilation into the United States as well as their traditional roots, which derive from Cuba. The novel is centered during The Cuban Revolution; there are four main characters throughout the novel (Celia, Lourdes, Pilar, and Felicia). This book gives really good examples of diversity between Cubans. Dreaming in Cuban also touches on incestuous relationships as well as resentment between families. Dreaming In Cuban begins with Celia; she is an ageing woman who devotes most of her time and life to the Cuban Revolution. The novel has lots of flashbacks and one way in which you can tell the book has flashbacks is the letters Celia writes to Gustavo Sierra de Armas, Gustavo is Celia’s first love that she can’t seem to get over. Throughout the book she writes about two decades worth of letters to him. Celia would write to Gustavo on the eleventh day of each month, the funny thing is she would never send the letters to him she would keep them in a box hidden away. She stops writing to him in 1959 when The Revolution succeeds and she becomes a Communist. Lourdes is Celia’s oldest daughter; she suffers a lot in this novel. To start off she is resented by her mother (Celia) also she is raped and tortured. Due to the fact that she is raped she becomes pregnant and loses her unborn son. Lourdes decided to leave Cuba and move to...
Words: 791 - Pages: 4
...A Summary of ‘Silent Dancing’ by Judith Ortiz Cofer An influential writer that contributed to the Latina literature that came out of the 1980s and 90s is Judith Ortiz Cofer. Ortiz Cofer was born in Puerto Rico in 1952. Her parents were young, and the best way her father found to support her family was to join to U.S. Navy. The family moved to Paterson, New Jersey, when Ortiz Cofer was only three, so the family could be closer to where her father was stationed at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. When her father was sent out on missions, her mother took the kids and herself to stay with Ortiz Cofer’s grandmother. This clash of cultures, the Latina homeland and the foreign mainland, spurred Ortiz Cofer’s unique writing style. She acknowledges her grandmother for teaching her “…storytelling is a form of empowerment…passing on power from one generation to another’ (45). Ortiz Cofer has fine-tuned her storytelling to ‘reverberate with symbols and images’ (45) by reflecting on experience. Dabbling in many of the writing styles, she doesn’t favor one in particular, but enjoys combining them. In this selection, “Silent Dancing”, she has done that by writing anecdotes on a home video of a New Year’s Eve party, alternating between paragraphs reflecting on growing up in New Jersey. The home video, made by her maternal uncle at a New Year’s Eve party, is ‘grainy and of short duration’ (46) but Ortiz Cofer was grateful it existed, for the ‘visual aid’ (46) it provided her memory of life at point...
Words: 1376 - Pages: 6
...1) Describe the three basic types of music heard in original scores during the silent film era and cites specific examples from The Birth of a Nation. (10 points) There are three basic types of music heard in The Birth of a Nation. Each type serves it’s own purpose in the film. The first is adaptations of classical works. These adaptations are extended versions of the original classical piece of work. These adaptations are used for extensive action scenes. For example, Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyrie is the leitmotif for the Klu Klux Klan in the movie. The second type is arrangements of well-known melodies. These well-known melodies are used for emotional appeal. For example, “Dixie”, a very popular song of the South, is used to express Southern patriotism. Also, these well-known melodies were used to set a racist mood. A scene shows slaves dancing to “Turkey in the Straw”. Lastly, the third type is original music. The original music is used to reinforce the characters of the movie. For example, Elsie has a sweet, playful leitmotif. This theme implies her innocence. The original music in The Birth of a Nation is the strongest of the three types, composed by Joseph Carl Briel. 2) What is the role of source music in Casablanca? (10 points) The role of source music in Casablanca is in the development of the character Rick. The source music used is mostly American popular music. All the popular songs used are barrowed. The only exception is “Knock on Wood,” which was created specially...
Words: 329 - Pages: 2
...1 Katherine Anne Porter’s “The Rope” and Margaret Atwood’s “The Resplendent Quetzal” have a lot of similarities. These two short stories are based on couples, and the basis of the problem in the two stories seems to be that they do not have children. In “The Resplendent Quetzal” we know that they lost their child at birth. While in “The Rope” we are lost as to the “how” or “why” they do not have children. The two stories show how these couples cope with their issues instead of trying to address it. In “The Rope”, the author does not use “he said” or “she said”, the narrative just goes straight into the conversation or thoughts of the character. The third person narrative technique does not give us insight into the psyche of the characters. It makes it seem like we are watching the incident happen. Each paragraph recounts the dialogue of both static individuals indirectly, without punctuation, in past tense, as if the tale were being told later by an overhearing neighbor. Each paragraph moves, not to a new speaker, but to a new grievance that both parties address; neither ever truly hears the other, although we do. We perceive a map not only of the argument but also of the frustrations that make up the marriage. We get the emotional standpoint of both characters. The story starts using the wife’s point of view who seems to have hysteria. There is no description of her, we do not know her name or where they are. There is also no name or description of the husband. The husband...
Words: 1128 - Pages: 5
...Charlie Puth "Marvin Gaye" lyrics [Chorus] Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on You got the healing that I want Just like they say it in the song Until the dawn, let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on [Charlie] We got this king size to ourselves Don't have to share with no one else Don't keep your secrets to yourself It's karma sutra show and tell Woah There's loving in your eyes That pulls me closer It's so subtle, I'm in trouble But I'd love to be in trouble with you [Chorus] Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on You got the healing that I want Just like they say it in the song Until the dawn, let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on You got to give it up to me I'm screaming mercy, mercy please Just like they say it in the song Until the dawn, let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on [Meghan Trainor] And when you leave me all alone I'm like a stray without a home I'm like a dog without a bone I just want you for my own I got to have you babe Woah There's loving in your eyes That pulls me closer It's so subtle, I'm in trouble But I'd love to be in trouble with you [Bridge] Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on You got the healing that I want Just like they say it in the song Until the dawn, let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on [Chorus] Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on You got the healing that I want Just like they say it in the song Until the dawn, let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on You got to give it up to me I'm screaming mercy, mercy please Just like they say it in...
Words: 1529 - Pages: 7
...Melissa – 40 years old. Molly, a 20-year old, was accepted into NYU, but sadly the scholarship only covered a forth of first year tuition. While she was waiting for her loan approval, Molly’s friend who was an erotic dancer suggested Molly to try dancing as a way to make money. Molly decided to give it a chance. She learned how to dance very quickly, and she also had grown to love it. Molly earned a large amount of money to pay for her school tuition each semester. Now Molly is an executive marketing research analyst for Diakin Co. Do you think it was right or wrong that Molly decided to become an erotic dancer to put herself through school? The subject thinks that it’s wrong mainly because this job is unhealthy for those who are involved in the industry. In her opinion, the industry promotes the objectification of women. The atmosphere surrounding the clubs has no positive attributes, which causes the women feeling worthless and ashamed. Majority of the women in this industry are exposed to situations that are dangerous and unforgettable such as rape, metal issues or drug usage. Melissa also concerns about the consequences that may follow Molly after erotic dancing; for example, the chances of Molly getting sexually assault would likely to happen or Molly could potentially develop a self-esteem issue. Furthermore, Melissa expressed her opinions about a country where young women would have to think of this path as an option to make money, and those men who look at women as...
Words: 1424 - Pages: 6
...Dirty Dancing ENG225: Introduction to Film Instructor: Michael O'Donnell August 27, 2012 DIRTY DANCING Dirty Dancing came out in 1987 and they didn’t have the technology they do today to make it fancy, but they didn’t need to. It was supposed to show the transition of a girl becoming a woman by falling in love with someone no one saw as her equal, according to society. Although the movie was made 25 years ago, it still brings a good message to the audiences that watch it. It has become a classic movie that no amount of technology could change. It takes so much to make a movie, and no one realizes it, but in this paper, it’s going to analyze what made Dirty Dancing become such a classic movie. Storytelling The narrative structure of the movie is told from Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman’s point of view as it was the summer she fell in love. The storytelling in Dirty Dancing is told in chronological order because she sees the dancers, wants to be one, then the female dancing lead, Penny Johnson, became pregnant. Baby fills in for her and Johnny teaches her dance in her place. The story takes place at Kellerman’s country club where she goes on vacation for the summer with her family. The conflict in the story is that Baby comes from a respectable family and falls in love with Johnny, the dance teacher, and Baby’s father does not like Johnny because he believed that Johnny got Penny pregnant and then moved on to be with his daughter. The conflict is resolved when Robbie, the man...
Words: 2218 - Pages: 9
...Short Essays 1) Describe the three basic types of music heard in original scores during the silent film era and cites specific examples from The Birth of a Nation. (10 points) There are three basic types of music heard in The Birth of a Nation. Each type serves it’s own purpose in the film. The first is adaptations of classical works. These adaptations are extended versions of the original classical piece of work. These adaptations are used for extensive action scenes. For example, Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyrie is the leitmotif for the Klu Klux Klan in the movie. The second type is arrangements of well-known melodies. These well-known melodies are used for emotional appeal. For example, “Dixie”, a very popular song of the South, is used to express Southern patriotism. Also, these well-known melodies were used to set a racist mood. A scene shows slaves dancing to “Turkey in the Straw”. Lastly, the third type is original music. The original music is used to reinforce the characters of the movie. For example, Elsie has a sweet, playful leitmotif. This theme implies her innocence. The original music in The Birth of a Nation is the strongest of the three types, composed by Joseph Carl Briel. 2) What is the role of source music in Casablanca? (10 points) The role of source music in Casablanca is in the development of the character Rick. The source music used is mostly American popular music. All the popular songs used are barrowed. The only exception is “Knock on Wood,” which...
Words: 988 - Pages: 4
...story full of humanity and moral value. Reading this novel we can learn how terrible the black people were treated in the white society that is unimaginable in the modern world. Besides, readers can perceive an idea that all people are equal whatever their color or ethnic and they deserve to be treated fairly. After the publication of “Uncle Tom’s cabin” a lot of novels and articles were printed showing an outstanding work has the great effect not only on the audiences but the other authors also. While the educational role of the arts can be not easy to see, almost people take the arts especially the performing arts as a way of entertainment. One of the most notable comedians is Charlie Chaplin who along with his silent film series was the phenomenal of the silent-film era. It is obvious that people despite of the age or nationality may find the relaxation each time watching this movie. By unique and lively acting, Chaplin brought to the audiences not only the laugh but also the meaningful stories. That is reason why so many modern artists try to imitate his moves and create various works affected by Chaplin style. From audiences and authors’ point of view, the arts in generally have a power to improve life. It is an effective way of teaching and relaxing and also is a mean of...
Words: 342 - Pages: 2
...happening to other humans. One of the oldest stories in Western civilization, The Iliad, describes the destruction of Troy by its enemies, the Greeks. But of course, before Troy is destroyed, the story introduces us to the people inside the city. Thus, when we finally reach the violent climax, we are swept up in the personal cost of the Trojan War. To judge by the enormous box office earnings for movies like 2012, the same basic formula is still effective today. In this paper I will present a brief history of disaster movies, starting with the silent film era and continuing on through some more recent movies. Throughout, I hope to illustrate the way directors get us to care about the characters, and then unleash the forces of disaster against them. In the hands of a true artist, this formula can create exciting, interesting drama. Disasters in Silent Films Disaster movies have been popular since the beginning of cinema. Directors of the silent film era readily understood the value of good disaster. Such works tend to fall into two categories, personal dramas and epics. Personal dramas focus on an individual working out a private problem against a backdrop of impending catastrophe. The Last Days of Pompeii, for example, capitalizes on the excitement inherent in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the devastation that we, the modern viewers, know will follow this cataclysmic event. Because the majority of the movie focuses on the people of Pompeii, living their lives unaware of the...
Words: 843 - Pages: 4
..."Movies were intended to talk from their inception, so that in some sense the silent cinema represents a thirty-year aberration from the medium's natural tendency toward a total representation of reality." This quote by David Cook deals with what is referred to as the “silent era” in film history. This era was between 1894 to the early 1920s and dealt with films with no synchronized sound. These films that were produced in this era were known as silent films and include motion pictures with subtitles instead of sound. Some of the motion pictures known as silent films include: The Gold Rush, Girl Shy, For Heaven’s sake, The Dark Angel, and Dangerous Money. The film reviews of these motion picture films will be looked into for a better understanding of how the audience felt about these films. These American films were born in the age of reform and addressed themes that focused on major social and moral issues that the audience could relate to. A common theme that was prevalent in the aforementioned movies is the openness of romance in the American society. Romance films mainly involve a connection or bond shared between the two protagonists. There were many ways the theme love was displayed in these silent films. Some examples of the themes displayed in these romance films include: young love, love at first sight, unrequited love, spiritual love, sexual and passionate love, sacrificial love, tragic love, and forbidden love. The film, The Dark Angel, could be looked...
Words: 1079 - Pages: 5
...generations we have labeled, and how the idea of Pluralism plays a part in the Entitlement way of thinking as well. Along with how this mentality is perceived, why and how it’s been acquired by our new generation and how other generations played a part in this new mind set and the potential effect and how or what we can do to remedy the situation. Introduction I would like to explain my background as I feel this will lay the groundwork for this paper and portray my personal beliefs as to why the various generations have played a part in my life and others lives as well. I myself was born in 1964 in Chicago the last year of the “Baby Boomer Generation” (1946-1965) one year before “Generation X’ (1965-1981) and from parents of the “Silent Generation” (1928-1945) and I now have children from the “Millennial” (1982-2009) or “Generation Y” (Pew, 2010). I am the oldest of 6 children my father is the son of Sicilian immigrants, and my mother is one of twelve children from a Irish Catholic family who for a while lived in Irish poverty before as my grandfather would say, that he got lucky and made it. My father (Frank) started working at around the age of 8 in his father’s (Tony) and grandfather (Frank) fruit store/stand, and he learned a very...
Words: 5667 - Pages: 23
...happening to other humans. One of the oldest stories in Western civilization, The Iliad, describes the destruction of Troy by its enemies, the Greeks. But of course, before Troy is destroyed, the story introduces us to the people inside the city. Thus, when we finally reach the violent climax, we are swept up in the personal cost of the Trojan War. To judge by the enormous box office earnings for movies like 2012, the same basic formula is still effective today. In this paper I will present a brief history of disaster movies, starting with the silent film era and continuing on through some more recent movies. Throughout, I hope to illustrate the way directors get us to care about the characters, and then unleash the forces of disaster against them. In the hands of a true artist, this formula can create exciting, interesting drama. Disasters in Silent Films Disaster movies have been popular since the beginning of cinema. Directors of the silent film era readily understood the value of good disaster. Such works tend to fall into two categories, personal dramas and epics. Personal dramas focus on an individual working out a private problem against a backdrop of impending catastrophe. The Last Days of Pompeii, for example, capitalizes on the excitement inherent in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the devastation that we, the modern viewers, know will follow this cataclysmic event. Because the majority of the movie focuses on the people of Pompeii, living their lives unaware of the...
Words: 844 - Pages: 4
