Once upon a Time: The Movie

Plot:
The main change that I would make to the plot would to eliminate the opening scene. The structure of a frame story does not really fit. I think that the story would be more effective if it stood on its own. Also, the author never returns to the opening scene. I think it would confuse an audience if the story was unresolved, as it is. The first scene is not necessary.
Point of View:
I think I would leave the point of view the same. The third person omniscient narrator was the best choice for a story such as this. I think it is best to have a third party telling the story. It is a delicate and morbid story. The reader is not really supposed to feel pity for the family I don't think. If it was told by one of the characters in the story, it would evoke pity.
Characterization:
I think I would focus on the family members' lives a little more. To create a full length movie, you would really have to go more in depth into their lives. You would need to establish details such as what the parents careers were. I think I would make the father a doctor. This would be ironic because he would have devoted his life to helping and aiding others. However, he refuses to help the impoverished that are right on his doorstep.
Setting:
We discussed in class that the author lived in South Africa. Because of this, I viewed it in that environment. I think I would definitely specify that as the setting. It would point out that racism, hate, and fear are universal issues. We recognize them in our own communities and even communities similar to ours. However, I don't think we always know that other cultures have similar issues. Many Americans are probably ignorant to the violent acts that take place around the world such as the genocide in Darfur. A setting such as this would bring awareness to current social concerns.
Theme:
The theme of fear to the point of destruction is present in the short story. I would build on that and emphasize that fear of different people and practices can lead to disaster. It would encourage an idea of openness to others and their opinions. I would again bring the universality of fear and racism to the forefront. It is not an American problem, it is a human problem. This theme would again call awareness to social justice issues in today's world.

Movie Blog: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Plot:
The plot of the movie was completely different than the plot of the short story. The sole similarity was that Benjamin aged backwards. The story jumps around a lot and major developments are different. First of all, Benjamin's mother is not supposed to die. And his father is not supposed to give Benjamin up. These details change Benjamin's life completely. The other main difference is the existence of his childhood sweetheart Daisy. His life completely revolves around her. In contrast, Benjamin never really comes close to anyone in the short story. He has a wife and family but never truly gains a life long companion. The existence of Daisy changes the entire story.
Point of View:
The point of view used in the movie is very interesting. It is told by Benjamin himself, or at least his diary which is read by his daughter. I found it interesting that in the movie, Benjamin's life is told as a frame story. This structure seemed strange to me. I thought it was much more affective in the story to use the third person point of view so the reader got the feeling that it was told by the townspeople. The audience is not supposed to get so much insight into Benjamin's thoughts and life.
Characterization:
The short story focused the most on the men in Benjamin's life. However, the movie mainly focuses on Daisy. This starts in the very beginning when the story is being told to Daisy. I feel as though the movie focuses on Daisy even more than Benjamin himself. For a character that did not even exist in the original story, I think she receives too much attention. Benjamin's father gets very little attention, and Benjamin never has a son as he does in the story.
Setting:
The setting is also completely different. This is mainly because Benjamin's father abandons him. The house he grows up in, an old folks home, has a big impact on who he turns into. It's where his adoptive mother lives and it is where he meets Daisy. It is a place he can call home. He never really has this in the original story. He also never spends time in the sea in the story. This was another big difference the writers of the movie made.
Theme:
I had a lot of trouble picking a theme for the movie. I think the main theme is the impact Benjamin had on Daisy and on the other people in his life. It did not have the same sense of lonliness as the short story did. Daisy was almost always loyal to him, his mother was there for him, and his dad develops a relationship with him. I think it also touched on the fragility of life. As well as valuing the loved ones in life before they leave you.

Popular Mechanics

I hated this ambiguous ending!!!!!!!!!! Now that I've got that out of my system, I can move on.

The first thing I noticed while reading this story was the similarity between the end of the story and a popular bible story. In this story, two women fought over a baby so King Solomon suggested that they cut the baby in half. One of the women cared enough about the baby that she gave him up to save the child's life. That is the one difference that this short story presents. The parents were too stubborn to do what was best for the child. The argument wasn't even fought because of the child. The couple continued it because they wanted to be the one to 'win'.

The Drunkard

I thought it was really weird that people went out to hang out at a bar after a funeral. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed odd. It obviously wasn't in this society though. In fact, Larry knows that one of the warnings of his father's alcoholism returning are funerals and other gatherings. For him to say that obviously shows that it was not uncommon for men to go get drunk after a funeral. This all just seemed odd to me. I've always viewed funerals as solemn services so this particular short story seemed strange to me.

Your Ugly, Too Question # 1

I believe that Zoe's eccentricities were pointed out to show how she was different from other people her age. She is very unique and different from her contemporaries. This is also shown in her interaction with Earl. He seems to be a hopeless romantic and she is the opposite. I think she wants to experience love. However, she never gives anyone a chance because she assumes it will end badly. At times like this, I feel sympathetic the her. However, I don't think I can truly show sympathy for someone that kids around by trying to through a man off of a roof.

The Lottery: Question #4

I think the fact that many aspects of the ritual are forgotten is vital to this story. I believe that the original lottery was created on the basis of superstition and sacrifice. I get this from the line on page 268 that says,
"Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' "
The lottery was meant to bring good luck for the approaching harvest.

Along with the loss of some rituals, the purpose of the lottery is also disappearing. They now seem to simply participate because it is tradition and there has always been a lottery. That's why this story kind of frustrated me. These towns people were committing murder because it was the accepted norm. I felt as though they had no other reason for it.