One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (Part 3)

1. What purpose do Chief's hallucinations serve in the story?

• Chief's hallucinations, though at times fantastic and hard to follow, they serve a very literal manifestation of the things he and the other patients are feeling. It allows for an engaging and explanation of what the characters feel that we wouldn't get without it. Chief says something on the way to the fishing trip that explains this: "Maybe the guys weren't able to see it either, just feel the pressures of the different beams and frequencies coming from all directions, working to push and bend you one way or another, feel the Combine at work - but I was to see it" (Kesey 205). Even Chief is aware of his ability to truly see the forces at work.

2. Why does McMurphy eventually die?

• Unlike in The Great Gatsby, McMurphy's death was not the death of the ideas he represented. McMurphy was simply a martyr who had to die to further his cause and help the other patients. In the end, it was clear that the only way that he could truly defeat the nurse was to force her to lobotomize him. His death made it clear that Nurse Ratched was unable to handle him, and he inspired the others to change.

3. What exactly is the fog?

• The fog was all of the various forces that impeded on the characters' reality and kept them weak. Chief was often engrossed in the fog when he was asleep or experiencing harsh hallucinations. McMurp4,hy was the only one who was able to pull them out of this fog. He helped them to break free from this massive haze that clouded their minds and kept them docile and complacent.

4. Why are the divisions of hero/villain not entirely clear?

• I think that Kesey wanted to make a statement about dichotomies such as this and emphasize the more probable presence of grey areas. He avoided creating an absolute hero and villain because it makes the reader realize that not all conflicts are a struggle between the arbitrary good and evil but neutral forces that simply want some neutral outcome. This aversion to dichotomies is also displayed through the seamless changes from reality to hallucination that keeps that reader from ever knowing what it truly real. However, if analyzed, you realize that every event has aspects of both reality and fantasy. It's all grey areas.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (Part 2)

• At this point, McMurphy is definitely winning against Nurse Ratched. At the end of the section, his latest act defiance was finally able to break her. When he sits there watching the blank screen, and the other patients join him, she loses it. One of the final lines displays this perfectly: "a fifty-year old woman hollering and squealing at the back of their heads about discipline and order and recriminations" (Kesey 126). Thus far, the nurse's biggest source of power has been her ability to remain calm and patient and not react to McMurphy's antics, but this latest act was too much for her to handle.
• I am becoming more fond of Chief at this point in the story because the presence of McMurphy and his actions have inspired Chief, and he is beginning to become a more active person rather than the wallflower he has been for so long. McMurphy is making him more lucid by yanking him from the fog that so often consumes him.
• I am wholeheartedly rooting for McMurphy at this point. This is perhaps, in part, due to Chief's obvious favor towards McMurphy and how it affects his narration. However, I genuinely believe that McMurphy's defiance towards the nurse is an attempt to both break her and to liberate the patients from oppression and their helplessness. He truly wants to help these men.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (Part 1)

• So far, none of the characters seem to display the sort of flawless benevolence necessary to be a traditional hero. Though McMurphy may be the closest to this position, he far too flawed to be a hero.
• This brings me to my assertion that McMurphy is an antihero. Even though he is partially joking, he immediately makes his friendly nature clear upon arrival to the ward: "Yessir, that's what I came to this establishment for, to bring you birds fun an' entertainment around the gaming table" (Kesey 11). However, his past speaks to the "anti" part of his actions: "a history of street brawls and barroom fights and a series of arrests for Drunkenness, Assault and Battery, Disturbing the Peace, repeated gambling, and one arrest - for Rape" (Kesey 40). Despite this long list of offenses, he appears to simply be trying to help the patients in the ward stand up for themselves and fight back against the Big Nurse.
• The Big Nurse herself is definitely a villain. When describing the two groups in the ward, Bromden explains how her motivations are not therapeutic success: "Not in the hospital, these [the chronics], to get fixed, but just to keep them from walking around the streets giving the product a bad name" (Kesey  14). This seems to imply that she is only "treating" these patients to gain some sort of reputation, not to actually help them. Bromden also goes on to describes multiple scenarios in which she has done horrible things to patients.

The Great Gatsby (Part 3)

1.  What is the role of the death of Gatsby?

• I think that Fitzgerald wanted to completely destroy the idea that was Jay Gatsby, and this couldn't be achieved by simply having him fail; he had to die. It also allows for the events after his death to take place and gives the reader a new perspective. The death of Gatsby gives a certain finality and permanence that no other end could bring.

2. What does the title "The Great Gatsby" mean?

• I think the title plays directly with the book's overall theme of expectations never being met. Fitzgerald gives one the expectation of this wonderful man, Gatsby, from the beginning but ends up disappointing one with the reality. The title may also be referring to the fact that the idea of "Jay Gatsby" is very grandiose in nature and that this idea represents hopes and dreams, the dreams of James Gatz.

3. How effective is Nick as a narrator?

• Nick is a very effective narrator because of his tendency to withhold judgments of others, and his overall passivity in the story. Nick hardly even does anything in the story; he merely observes. This gives the audience a very personal look at the events and characters without having to view them through the warped lens of a biased character.

4. Does The Great Gatsby, as a whole, effectively communicate its theme?

• Yes, Fitzgerald very skillfully constructs characters that represent much larger ideas than themselves which I am still trying to decipher. However, from what I have deduced, Jay Gatsby is this idea of the romanticized and idealized life of James Gatz; Gatsby is all that he hopes and dreams for. This dynamic and the decision to kill Gatsby is very deliberate and affords the reader with a great insight into Fitzgerald's feelings about dreams and the very theme of the novel.

The Great Gatsby (Part 2)

1. Meyer Wolfsheim serves to further characterize Gatsby indirectly. We see Wolfsheim as an extension of Gatsby because he is an example of the company that he keeps. Wolfsheim represents the possible corruption of Gatsby. It makes the reader question Gatsby's character.
2. The backstory about Jay and Daisy makes Gatsby seem more vulnerable and human. This is also a double-edged sword, however, because it also makes Jay seem pathetic and whiny.
3. The rest of the story of Gatsby only serves to ruin the mystery of Gatsby. Gatsby is not the grand aristocrat that we believed him to be and is largely a victim of circumstance. The revealing of his past seems to be a method for exposing Gatsby's weaknesses.
4. Overall, these chapters make me like Gatsby a lot less because he is no longer this wonderful and mysterious philanthropist who throws awesome parties for those he doesn't know; he is simply a pathetic young man who can't let go of his past.

The Great Gatsby (Part 1)

• Nick Carraway (the narrator) seems initially to be the hero because of his position as protagonist in the story and his tolerant nature: "I'm inclined to reserve all judgments" (Fitzgerald 1). He also claims to be an honest man: "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known" (Fitzgerald 59). From the story so far, he doesn't seem to have any serious flaws, and though he has yet to do something truly heroic, he seems largely virtuous.
• Jay Gatsby appears to be a sort of antihero so far. He is very nice to Nick at his party and smiles at him with reassurance when he fails to realize that he is Gatsby: "It was one of those rare smiles with the quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life" (Fitzgerald 48). However, there seems to be a bit of mystery surrounding him, and many at the party gossip about him: "Somebody told me they thought he killed somebody once" (Fitzgerald 44). Though this may just be a silly rumor, it still hints that there could be a dark side to Gatsby.
• Tom Buchanan is most like a villain out of the characters so far. Nick describes him in a rather negative light: "Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward" (Fitzgerald 7). The audience then learns that Tom is having an affair - "Tom's got some woman in New York" (Fitzgerald 15) - with a rather contemptuous woman named Myrtle Wilson who is married herself. 

Justin Bua

Based on the three paintings viewed in class, it appears that Bua's style is marked by intentional disproportion and deep, yet subdued colors. The paintings give off a certain sensuality that - at risk of stating the obvious - looks how jazz feels. Clearly, jazz musicians are recurring subject matter, so to some extent, he is probably attempting to transfer the sound of jazz into a more visual medium. The form in his painting is very organic and adds an abstract nature to his pieces. His paintings mostly avoid straight lines and opt for more distorted lines and angles that create a dreamlike feeling.

Capital Punishment

Kroll's narrative about the execution of his friend was much more effective than Mencken's article advocating for the death penalty. Mencken opted for the "logos" approach to persuasion, but he failed to provide convincing logic. Furthermore, he began his piece by alienating a great deal of his audience. His argument centered around the idea of catharsis which is hardly enough justification for execution, but he seems convinced that everyone will agree that his point is right. Kroll, on the other hand, chose to convince his audience subtly with strong "pathos". By creating a vivid narrative of the execution of his friend Robert Harris, he makes the reader sympathetic of his situation. He describes the excruciating death of Harris, and that puts the reader in a tough position to disagree with him. At the end, he slips in a small paragraph about his feeling for the death penalty, but for the most part he avoids directly stating his point. By executing his persuasive technique well, Kroll creates a much more effective piece than Mencken.

"16 Military Wives" // The Decemberists

• The subject matter is about military wives, celebrity minds, academy chairs, and cannibal kings.
• The theme of the song seems to be about how the American people are "cannibals" of a sort in the way that we try to consume the lives of others. We just mindlessly listen to how American soldiers have died and the newest developments in some pointless celebrities mixed-up life. The song points out how try to exploit those who are actually living life. The newscaster who says "la-di-da" is just a representation of how when soldiers die we are never bothered because that is just the plan and that is entertainment.

"Race for the Prize" // The Flaming Lips

The themes of "Race for the Prize" by The Flaming Lips is that determination to win can make one obsessive and make one lose sight of reality. The scientists in the song are racing for a cure that is "so dangerous". Multiple times, the danger of the task is mentioned, and Coyne mentions that they will "sacrifice their lives". The chorus mentions that they are determined to win "if it kills them", but at the end, it changes to "it will kill them". This shows that the scientists' drive to succeed is too is too great for them to realize that "they're just humans with wives and children". The sound of the music backed this up by sounding dreamy and melancholy especially in the chorus. The Flaming Lips effectively communicate their idea with both the lyrics and music.

Fallacies in Famous Speeches

Patrick Henry's Speech

1. "Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusion phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?"
2. This quote is an example of the logical fallacy of slippery slope. In this question, Henry assumes that inaction in the matter of Britain will lead to bondage and slavery to the British. This assumption shows slippery slope in that it effectively jumps to bold conclusions about the ramifications of not fighting back.
3. Many famous and effective speeches can commit fallacy because fallacy can be powerful when used correctly. If the fallacy is successful in achieving a certain emotional reaction from the audience, it can be used effectively in any speech. Fallacy isn't a bad thing by default; it may be false logic, but it can be a powerful device for persuasion.

Duck and Cover

• The overt message is to "duck and cover" when the atomic bomb detonates.
• I didn't notice any sort of covert message in the video. It seemed purely informational.
• It was simply a persuasive message because there were no hidden messages that weren't told to the viewer up front. This video was merely meant to serve as an education device for kids so that they might know what to do in the case of an atomic bomb detonation. The video might be misleading by suggesting that ducking and covering will always save one's life, but I don't think that makes it propaganda.

Destination Earth

• The overt message is that petroleum a great wonder of modern technology. It is also that capitalism and a free market economy is the best way for a country to run.
• The covert message is that one should support the petroleum industry and buy all petroleum products. The covert message was also that communism was bad for Americans.
• This is definitely propaganda because it shamelessly praises the resource of petroleum but never explicitly tells the viewer to buy petroleum. It also presents the message in a very underhanded way by dressing it up as a cute little cartoon. The methods it uses to get across its points are transfer, glittering generalities, and bandwagon.

WWII Propaganda

• The overt message is to "eat less bread".
• The covert message is that every patriotic American should help out the war effort and help to ration bread. It implies that those who don't eat less bread are keeping their fellow Americans from victory.
• Propaganda involves an implicit message that isn't completely obvious at first glance. This poster does this by convincing the viewers that one who helps one's country and rations bread will be happier and healthy in doing so, when this is not the reality of the matter.

"Clampdown" // The Clash

• This song is about the lies and propaganda of the government and the urgency to rebel and refuse to submit to this power. The lyrics mention that anger can be power and to fight the authority and persuasion of this "clampdown".
• Musically, the song is very energetic and upbeat which supports the idea that this is a call for rebellion and defiance of the oppressive government or mainstream culture.
• The song relates to propaganda and deception when it mentions "twisted words" and how this persuasion leads to conformity into the "clampdown".

Propaganda, Persuasion & Deception

The quotes I like are 531, 548, 602, and 622.
Quote 531 is:

The persuasiveness of a low-credibility communicator can be enhanced when he argues against his own best interest, or when he is identified after, rather than before, presentation of his appeal. 

-Marvin Karlins and Herbert I. Abelson

I agree with this statement because I have noticed such a phenomenon in my own experience. I sometimes find myself believing the one who argues against his own best interest because it adds a lot of credibility. When one does this, he is arguing for a side that would not benefit him, so the point he is making must be important. Such an appeal to credibility is a strong use of the ethos side of persuasion. For instance, if there were a very wealthy politician arguing against tax cuts for the rich, I would be more inclined to believe him because he is not benefiting from the outcome of the decision.