Double Indemnity

#5

From the start, it is evident that the male lead, Walter Neff, is a weak man in comparison to the charming, young Phyllis Dietrichson. Not in terms of status or wealth, but in his inability to resist temptation from this future love interest. In the 1944 film, Double Indemnity, it is clear that women’s appearance is used to lure in the focus of the man. Dietrichson is constantly being sexually objectified by other lead characters, which is accepted by the audience. There is no doubt that her true motives are shielded by her flowery feminine cover up, as she appears to an outside perspective as the damsel in distress. She directly addresses the situation of being objectified when she notes the lack of respect her own husband has for her. It is not her morals that give her the attention from her male counterparts, but their desire for her based off of the sexual attraction she gives off. 

It is evident that the way Phyllis Dietrichson is portrayed in the film is reflective of how the vast majority of women in the 1940’s were treated- not as powerful or dominant, rather, they were seen merely for their outer appearance. This could be noted by the light colors she wears, representing her elegance and femininity or by the sly and flirty tone she uses when speaking to Neff. She also poses in positions showing off her legs rather than staying seated in a productive manner. It is for her looks that the men fall weak, but also the standards for gender that are set by society in this time period. She understands the position she is put in here and acts on it, as she manipulates the men and uses her stature as a woman to her advantage. 

netflix and chill? or netflix and kill?

From the perspective of Macbeth! 

Wizards of Waverly Place

In order to understand the prophesies of he witches, I decided to add this show of magic and mystery to my queue. Siblings Alex, Max, and Justin live their daily lives as high school students yet they have a secret to keep- they are actually wizards striving to fulfill a prophecy and achieve the title of family wizard. I relate to this show because of the connection I have to the supernatural. I, too, wish to fulfill a prophecy and come out victorious in my power. I get tips and tricks from these teenage wizards on how to react to the witches that haunt me. 

Gossip Girl

Definitely my guilty pleasure! I love the use of power displayed among the characters. The upper east side, wealthy teens get themselves into lots of trouble with the use of manipulation and control- sounds a bit like my wife, if you ask me. I strive to create a life where I hold as much power over people as Blair does, and I have learned to use her tactics in my own life.

Master of None

This new release has certainly caught my attention! The show follows Dev in his personal and professional life, always getting himself into some kind of trouble while teaching the audience important real life lessons. Like Dev, I love being the center of attention and will do almost anything to obtain it. I relate to his character and the struggles he goes through when attempting to get himself out of situations, always making things even worse. I about lose my head every time he cracks a joke!

Mean Girls

When Cady enters an American high school, she has no idea of the hierarchy that is formed among groups of teens. Just trying to fit in, she ends up searching for friends and popularity in the wrong places. These mean girls will do anything to hold power over their peers. I idolize their motivation to get to the top, as I share that same drive. One day I will hold even more power over people, and I will try not to abuse it like Cady. 

Mac(kinley)beth

My perspective as a Christian leads me in my belief that God’s will determines our fate. I am a firm believer in the notion that everything happens for a reason and the struggles we go through make us stronger. Because of my faith, I believe that our lives are in the control of an almighty God, who has the best for everyone as individuals in mind. From my perspective, the idea that chance guides our lives is not something I could handle, as I personally need something greater to believe in. 

Because there is not much information on the religion of Shakespeare, it could be assumed that the faith he practiced publicly would have been Protestant as he was under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I. Although what he actually believed is still a secret, reading between the lines of his works is a way to better understand his inner thoughts. The way Macbeth lives his life is similar to mine, as he depends on the predetermined fate of the witches controlling the future, as I count on God to point me in the right direction. Although it is his power-hungry nature and choices that lead him to becoming a murderer, these decisions would not have been made if it were not for the witches who had manipulated his thinking, as noted in their rhyming. Hectate explains, “And at the pit of Acheron Meet me i' th' morning. Thither he Will come to know his destiny. Your vessels and your spells provide, Your charms and everything beside” (Shakespeare 111). By this, he is expressing how the witches are the ones determining Macbeth’s destiny with the assistance of their charms. 

This is my freebie post!

I was at the Canterbury Tales show!

If I was a rich girl nananananananananananananana

The advertisement I selected was a Sprint Commercial in 2015 titled “Some People Are Too Rich to Care”. The idea behind the commercial is to inform that their product is affordable to a large population of people, not just the upper class. 

Denotative Examination: The commercial focuses on the wealth of a mom and daughter duo, capturing their excessive and unnecessary spending. They express this to the audience by their elaborate attire and quotes such as “…money doesn’t spend itself” and “we don’t need to save money…” Their lack of focus towards the situation reflects on how spending an enormous amount of money is normal to this family. 

Connotative Examination: The Deathly Sin of avarice can be defined as “extreme greed for wealth or material gain” and can be clearly seen through this commercials because of the dependence on money seen by the speakers. Because of the bland background with everyone dressed in black or dark colors, the two females stand out in comparison. This gives the audience a better idea of what they should be focusing on. The goofy southern accents mock the idea of southern charm or money by providing a stereotype that creates a bias that they could be air-headed (kennings woo!). 

Intended Audience: The commercial concludes by declaring, “for the rest of us”, meaning that the advertisement is more focused on the middle class, or those who need to manage their money more intently. By making the audience broad and relatable while still adding in some comedy, a larger population of people have the opportunity to enjoy it. The connotation of the product to the commercial is positive because of the light-heartedness. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNsuBt7fEss

Miss Mary Mack

The name Mary might seem bland to the average person, but to me there is an abundance of meaning. Mary was my grandmothers name who died years before I was born of cancer, whom my dad promised her he would name his first daughter after. The name is representative of my Christian background, because as the granddaughter of a preacher, I have grown up in a religious family. Although I do not go by this name, I am very fond of what it reflects. I was named Mackinley after my great-grandfather, William Mckinley, who was named after President William Mckinley. My parents thought this name would fit well because it was unique, and decided to give it a feminine twist with the spelling change. The name also offers several nicknames such as Mary Mack, Mack, and Mac n cheese. 

When I first meet someone, I come across as very reserved. It takes time for me to warm up to people and feel comfortable enough to be myself with them. Because of this, I feel like I reflect two separate personalities- one where I am shy and the other where I am free to be myself. My friends might see me as extremely outgoing and loud, but to others I am the shy girl in class. This personality change could even be identified based on the class that I am in. In my IB classes, I feel comfortable because I am with friends, but if I were put in a class full of people I did not know, you would not see me answering questions or doing much class participation at all. Perhaps one day I will lose this trait, but for now I feel that it benefits me in how I make friends who are appreciative of who I am either way.