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A Book Review In Understanding The Development And Social History Of Los Angeles
A Book Review In Understanding The Development And Social History Of Los Angeles
In the book Mildred pierce by James Cain I would give it grade B because it gives a better understanding of development of literature about los angels. in that it portrays the great depression when Mildred and her efforts to build a restaurant business made it vivid the twin pillars of los Angeles life of self possessed free-standing which los angels had more than any other American city. He portrays well the social history of Los Angeles, California and United States which comprised of small population of immigrants to draw for domestic work also these cities were made up of middle class and lower middle class components (Cain 89).
In Walter Mosley always outnumbered always out gunned, I would give it a grade A because, He describes Los Angeles in the 1950s turn the city character into novels. In understanding the social history of Los Angeles, South California and United States he shows perfectly how racial and social complexities took place in mid twentieth century, which really affected these cities. He is ample with the transplanted southern culture and how it came about.
In Yxta Maya Murray, Locas, I would give it grade E because the book doesn’t show clearly the forms of development that took place in Los Angeles it only shows a development of one’s life from one stage to another i.e. from gang bangers to saved people. It is freaking to many readers. It portrays Los Angeles, South California and United States’ culture and social history as one that had been dominated by gangs and how that culture has dominated the cities.
In Burd Schulberg’s ‘what makes Sammy run’ , I would give it a grade F because the book represents lack of ethics that the Hollywood film industry has created in its origin. It shows a unit in the American traditions that is shriveling that is the customs and traditions that were added over in the end of the 19th century (Marmer 149).
American history is known for certain signature triumphs. Anna Deavere Smith’s Twilight is a crucial exploration of what is arguably American culture’s signature tragedy: that whatever it is that one thinks makes the United States “great”, that thing exists side by side and in constant tension with our ongoing failure to address social injustice, economic inequality, and the clash of race, power, and privilege. For those who may not be familiar with Anna Deavere Smith’s w…morIn Anna Deavere Smith, Twilight, I would give it a grade B because it is an essential exploration of what arguably American culture’s signature tragedy is. That whatever it is that one thinks makes the United States “great”, that thing exists side by side and in perpetual tautness with our current failure to deal with social injustice, economic inequality, and clash of race power and privilege. It demonstrates how race is the most dogged dividing line among the Americans and how the whites is the los Angeles live their entire lives without having black neighborhoods like the south central(Plagens 126).
In Nathaniel west- the day of the locust I would give it a grade C because as much as it shows the development that took place in los Angeles in and Hollywood movies it only centers itself to fringe players in the movie industry. It depicts the cultural and social history of the United States, Los Angeles and south California as one that was centered on lesbianism, extra marital sex, prostitution, Hollywood excess and brutality of cockfights and mob violence.
In Karen Yamashita-Tropic of Orange I would give it a grade C because in this book it does not really show the developments that have taken place in Los Angeles the characters were flat may be because of “multiculturalism” in Los Angeles. But the exiting part of it is that it shows Los Angeles in the new millennium. It animates the American history through voices sounds and visions of magical characters in crux of Los Angeles. Also the characters are from different background ethnicities of which it portrays the Los Angeles history and culture well (Marmer 151).
In Christopher Ishe wood –a single man I would give it a grade A because it shows the struggle of which Los Angeles has undergone to develop through the gay man whom his partner has just died and his adjusting to life. One clearly understands the cultural and social history of Los Angeles, south California and United States when he brings out the modern gay literature in the community.
Conclusion
All in all these all books try to portray the developments that have taken place in Los Angeles and Hollywood in the olden times till present. They have also tried to picture out the cultural and social history of los angels, south California and United States.
Works Cited
Cain, James. Mildred Pierce. New York: vintage books, 1989.
Marmer, Nancy. Pop Art in California. New York: Pragear publishers, 1966.
Plagens, Peter. Sunshine Muse:Contemporary art on the west coast. New York: Paragear Publishers, 1974.
Critical Analysis of “Evita The Real Life of Eva Peron”
Critical Analysis of “Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron”
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Critical Analysis of “Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron”
The book “Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron” by Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro depicts a clear illustration of the famous Eva Peron’s real life. Maria Eva Duarte de Peron was a popular actress, a candidate of the vice-presidency and a wife to the Argentina President Colonel Peron. She colored and influenced lives of many Argentinians as well as playing a significant role in the political field regardless of her failure to secure the seat of the nation’s vice president. Eva Peron’s life was faced with ups and downs regarding her career influence as well as the power to convince people regarding her views. In her entire life, she greatly portrayed nationalism, enhanced gender equality as well as influencing the society’s politics, race bias, and social class status. She is a legend in the Latin American culture whose legacy will forever be memorial in the nation’s history as well as encouraging people to make efforts regardless of the social class as all people have the capability of excelling by the utilization the limited resources. In this discussion, the critical analysis of the “Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron” is elaborated into a profound extent in consideration of the Eva Peron’s life as a symbol of her era as well as her legacy as an icon of Latin American.
Eva Peron was born in Los Toldos in the year 1919. The story by Fraser and Navarro begins in a grimy village where Eva Peron and her mother, as well as other siblings, lived. Lower social class emerges to be the first image depicted in the book where the tender girl strives to get her way to the city to run after her dreams regardless of her family’s scarceness status (Fraser & Navarro, 1996). When she was fifteen years of age, Eva Peron moved to Buenos Aires where she perused her career as an actress. It became a significant phase in Evita’s life that shaped her career path and success in life. She first appeared in the “Segundo Afuera” where she first played her actress role, got an opportunity to work in a radio station, worked with some theatre corporations and continued to toil in stage productions. Later, she started her entertainment and production enterprise which established well enhancing her great success in the show business filed.
It is during her career duties that Eva Peron attended fundraising to help victims of the hazardous earthquake that she met her future husband Colonel Peron who has also participated in the event. She later got married to Colonel Peron who became Argentina’s president, Evita being the first lady of the nation. At this stage, Eva Peron has become prominent in the country getting a wide variety of followers as well as participating in charity work to assist the relegated. The storyline of Eva Peron portrays that every person has the capability of succeeding in the society regardless the social status. Initially, she was brought up in poverty and a low-class level environment but later emerged a superstar who touched lives of many Argentines as well as socially, economically and politically influencing the society (Pellarolo, 2000). From a lower class to a prominent actress and first lady, Eva Peron’s lifeline encouraged many people in the community.
Furthermore, as the first lady of the nation, Eva Peron significantly fought for the right of women in the country. During that particular error, gender inequality that was devastating not only in Argentina but also in a large number of other communities globally. At this decade women were not granted their civil rights in the country which degraded them in the society. The society was patriarchal where only men had political rights to vote as well as vying for different political positions. Women just acted as vessels for enhancing men’s social well-being as well as supporting them in the family affairs. In her post as Eva Peron used her passion of resounding speech to convince the men in the higher hierarchy of power in the nation to grant her fellow feminine gender rights to vote. She argued that gender equality will at no time make females masculine and more powerful thus there will be the mere possibility of males being overpowered by the female counterparts. She instigated the mentality that women’s votes will be countable and significantly be influential in the country’s political grounds. Gender inequality more significantly female chauvinism is depriving in the society women are pillars of the community who can equally be productive as men not only in the social field but also in the economic and political sector.
Throughout her life, Eva Peron depicted nationalism where she was most active in addressing people in the most effective manner that could leave a high number of audience convinced. She had the gift of putting out her points in the right way as well as the ability to speak for a significant time and appropriately expressing her emotions during the speech (Greene, 2010). Eva Peron’s patriotism was evident as her many Argentine followers depicted her as their goddess regardless of having a few who were at all the times against her. She had the power of speech efficiently supporting her husband in his political career as the president where her many followers supported Colonel Peron just because of her appealing vehemence. The act of helping the poor and the sick portrayed her patriotism and willingness to give back to the entire Argentina society.
Nevertheless Eva Peron’s admirable outstanding and nationalism, Fraser, and Navarro in their book “Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron” depicts her as a vessel to postulate racism at the worldwide level. On her rainbow to the European nations, Evita was faced with various victimization as well as rejection by some communities. On her trip, she gave money to the poor children in Spain, met protesters in the Switzerland country where they hurled tomatoes and stones at her, and she also had a visit to the Palace of Versailles. Eva Peron was referred as a famewhore by the public a thing that has racism roots as the primary reason behind the degrading insult was just because she was from Argentina and did not belong to their ethnicity. Furthermore, towards the end of her life, she had vied for a political seat as the vice-president where she could have adequate control of legislative affairs to a great extent. At this moment she greatly influenced the nation’s political sphere, but the cervical cancer sickness interfered her success. The action of her body being hidden after her demise was politically based as a way of enhancing Colonel Peron political weakening and disappointment (Stille, 2006).
From the above discussion, Eva Peron life is a symbol of her era and also an icon of the Latin American history with regards to Fraser and Navarro’s elaboration in their text “Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron.” She is an excellent example of the prominent women in the globe that changed the world’s history by fighting for gender equality as well as empowering her nation. The act of a woman being involved in political affairs during that particular decade as well as moving from poverty background to a favorite actress and a first lady was not an easy thing making her a superstar. Patriotism and optimism towards success are vital things to make the individuals dreams and goals into reality regarding the Eva Peron’s lifeline story.
References
Fraser, N., & Navarro, M. (1996). Evita. WW Norton & Company.
Greene, R. (2010). The art of seduction (Vol. 1). Profile Books.
Pellarolo, S. (2000). The Melodramatic Seductions of Eva Perón. Corpus Delecti: Performance Art of the Americas, 23-39.
Stille, D. R. (2006). Eva Peron, First Lady of Argentina. Capstone.
The Pianist critical analysis
The Pianist critical analysis
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The Pianist is a 2002 film based on war biographical drama. Roman Polanski directed the production of this film. The movie was a masterpiece that won several awards. It was based on the autobiographical book “The Pianist” written by the pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman. The director coalesced several scenes that allured the audience into the timeline of the Holocaust. As a result, the movie was shot in several countries that participated in the war namely; France, Poland, the UK, and Germany creating the intended pictures. The scenes display the horrific nature of the war, which had deleterious outcomes on the survivors. The movie received global critical acclaim, many of the persons praising the director and lauding Brody’s performance as well as Harwood’s screenplay. This film won several awards, such as the best director, best-adapted screenplay, and best actor at the 75th academy awards. It is also included in the BBC’s Greatest films list (Prince, 2015).
The story is based on the autobiography of Szpilman. He was playing his piano live on the radio in Warsaw when the radio station was bombed by the Nazi Germans. The story focuses on the tremor and survival instincts of the main protagonist. At the time of the war, the German troops had advanced their war plans. Hitler was determined to eradicate the Jews from the face of the earth, and they were the primary victims of the war that lasted till 1945. After the attack on the radio station, Szpilman rushed home thrilled that Britain and France had declared war on Germany. He hoped that the war would last only briefly. Warsaw became entangled in the war between the Germans and the Soviet armies. Many lives were lost on both fronts. The Jews were the most affected in this war. They were killed, raped, experimented upon, and displaced from their homes. For a few months, Warsaw became part of the Nazi-controlled government.
Szpilman and his family were displaced from their home into the isolated Warsaw Ghetto. The conditions here were worse for everyone due to the scarcity of food and proper sanitation. There were heaps and heaps of dead bodies scattered everywhere. The Szpilmans witnessed the murder of an entire family. In August 1942, the Szpilmans are relocated to the Treblinka camp as part of Operation Reinhard. One of his friends in the Jewish Ghetto Police recognized him and separated him from his family. Things take a run of twisted events that see him learn how to survive the war. It was during this time that he learns of an upcoming Jewish revolt. Szpilman serves as an aide to the revolutionists by smuggling in weapons to them. During this mission, he narrowly escapes being noticed and captured by a suspicious guard. A non-Jewish sympathizer Bogucki and his wife facilitate his escape. Since he could not return to the camp, he becomes a passive participant in the revolt. He watches as the war manifests and his comrades are humbled by the Germans in a crushing defeat. A neighbor discovers that there is an intruder amongst them, which forced him to flee his ‘paradise’. He finds himself in a new hideout with a piano. However, his health worsens at this moment as symptoms of jaundice begin to slowly torment him but to avoid capture, he chooses to remain silent amidst the pain.
In August 1944, the Home Army attacks a German building a few blocks from Szpilman’s hideout. The raid becomes a threat to his safety, and therefore, once more, he is forced to flee. The raid flattens Warsaw leaving the victim in pursuit of food and proper shelter. On several occasions, he drinks dirty water to quench his thirst. Szpilman slowly adapts to the way of the early man in search of food. His hunting and gathering lead him to a house where he finds a can of pickled cucumbers. Unfortunately, while he tries to open the can, Szpilman is noticed by Wilm Hosenfeld, who identifies him as a pianist. The piano saved his life. Hosenfeld leads him to a grand piano and requests him to play it. Szpilman plays Chopin’s “Ballade in G minor” which thrills Hosenfeld and, as a result, chooses to supply him food. Their relationship would last a few months.
In January 1945, the Germans are losing the war and begin retreating. Hosenfeld and Szpilman meet for the last time, and Hosenfeld promises to listen to his music on the polish radio when the war is over. The two had become close, and Hosenfeld gives him his coat to keep warm. However, this would not come to pass since the Germans are defeated, and Hosenfeld is captured. Hosenfeld meets a friend of Szpilman, a violinist, who he begs to ask Szpilman to return the favor. Unfortunately, the happy ending is only for Szpilman while his friend dies while in Soviet captivity.
The story is a parallel experience of the director Roman Polanski. This partly elaborates why he chose to direct the film and also its success. The screenplay deviates from the hero narrative to survivor instincts. It is a film whose creativity was shaped by trauma. The film is practically a one-person story set within their surroundings. The protagonist experiences painful horrors of traumatic isolation, loss, suffering, and ultimate survival. Music is one of the themes of the film. Szpilman is a classical pianist. His piano skills convinced Hosenfeld to spare his life. Music is a powerful force capable of connecting people even during dark moments. The director was selective and used parallelism at the start and end of the narrative to show the significance of music (Stein, 2004).
The movie is set up in the war-torn area of Warsaw amidst the onset of the holocaustic experience. The characters wear old costumes that were typical at the time of war. The director chose to use different tones and moods, ranging from seriousness, dramatic, suspenseful, disturbing to moving ones. Tragedy and PTSD were predominant aftermaths of persons who made it through World War 2. All these victims of the war give stories about how the war affected their mental health (Waterhouse-Watson & Brown, 2015). Szpilman is steadfast to make it through the war despite the pain he went through. His will to survive was greatly tested when he managed to be the sole survivor in the abandoned hospital. At the Jewish Ghetto, the Szpilmans were starving, yet he refused to take up the opportunity to beat up fellow Jews for a few pennies and food. He chose a higher moral ground that he could live without regrets.
War brings the destruction of life and property. Most of the victims are permanently mentally affected. War brings out the worst in people. During this war, the Germans tortured and experimented on live human beings, something that the people of today would call terrorism. Nevertheless, the director did an excellent job of demonstrating the aforementioned themes. The screenplay earned its place among the greatest of all movies.
References
Prince, S. (2015). Movies and meaning. An introduction to film. Boston: Allyn.
Stein, A. (2004). Music and trauma in Polanski’s The pianist (2002) 1. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 85(3), 755-765.
Waterhouse-Watson, D., & Brown, A. (2015). Playing for their lives: music, musicians, and trauma in Holocaust film. Dapim: Studies on the Holocaust, 29(1), 1-16.