Things Fall Apart in China

Achebe's Things Fall Apart contains the distinction between the colonizer and the colonized, the assimilation of both cultures and potential clashes between the two. While reading Things Fall Apart, I noticed that the novel for my midterm paper, Amy Tan's The Hundred Secret Senses, contains a setting that closely resembles the colonial clashes of Things Fall Apart. The Hundred Secret Senses contains a separate frame tale that takes place during the Taiping Rebellion. Like Things Fall Apart, the main character's homeland is met with the likes of European missionaries. Of course, the native people find the missionaries to be odd but not harmful. So, they allow for the assimilation of these colonizers. However, when battles turn violent it is too late for them to fight back, as many of the locals have already joined with the other side. Much of the same symbols are used for the spread of western culture in both texts. The Hundred Secret Senses' pastor amen is much like like Mr. Brown in their adaptation to cultures and spread of Christianity. General Cape and The Commissioner both show a spread of government and capitalism.

Come See The Nutcracker Tomorrow

A good 4 hours of my day was spent rehearsing in the pit for the Nutcracker Ballet (Come to the Ford Community Performing arts center in Dearborn on 12/2 at 7, 12/3 at 1, or 12/3 at 7 to see the ballet!) . Being a christmas tradition in the united states, I delved deeper to find out why the Nutcracker has the become the christmas staple it is. At its premier, the Nutcracker as a ballet recieved rather poor reviews, and didnt recieve widespread acclaim until 1954, when George Blanchines staging premiered in New York. Prior to this, the concert suite was widely popular. However, this differs though from the full Ballet as it only includes a select few dances from the second act. These of course, are the most popular tunes that people associate with the Nutcracker. Pieces like "The waltz of the flower", and "Trepak" are some of the most widely renown works, not only during the holiday season, but for classical music as a whole. As to why audience members enjoy these tunes so much, one could look at the concert suite being composed of mainly waltzes. This correlates with a more lively and engaging experience for many people. The first act, mostly composed of eastern european dances in odd time signatures may not be the most enjoyable to the average listner. Also the length of the first act may be rather tiring to the listener, as it is considerably longer than the second act. The Nutcracker ballet's setting is based around the christmas holiday, and thus is likely as to why performances revolve around the christmas season. But its popularity has to do with nothing except the pure writing genius of Pyotr Illych Tchaikovsky.

Kwan and Spirited Away

Amy Tan's The Hundred Secret senses, revolves around a girl and her chinese immigrant half sister. The main character, Olivia first encounters her sister, Kwan as a 7 year old. Being a young child, Olivia finds it difficult to understand her sister's cultural difference. One specific example is Kwan's spiritual beliefs, and chinese superstitions. Kwan claims that she has "Yin" eyes and is able to see ghosts. This at first scares Olivia, resulting in Kwan being sent to a psychiatric ward.While in western culture, Halloween is celebrated, belief in ghosts and spirits is absent from everyday life. For the most part, in western culture ghosts are feared, but in Kwan's case she sees ghosts as beings that are there, a part of her daily life. In the film "Spirited Away", a young girl is also faced with many spiritual encounters that put her on a similar level to Kwan.While Spirited Away and The Hundred Secrest senses differ in many ways plot wise, they both share the cultural backgrounds and spiritual understandings in their characters. Both characters share a sense of spirits as beings, and at some points friends who are no more than a part of their everyday life. In some ways this shows the difference between western and eastern culture in regards to a belief in spirits. While western culture spirits are often seen as ambiguous and mysterious, asian culture often sees spirits as a part of life, or its absence.

A Hellbound Creature

"It lives 

in folds of red and steamy air 

It lives 

in misery"

This is the first verse of the song Hellbound by the Breeders. While the Breeders write about a failed abortion, many of the ideas in this song can relate with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The creature experiences the neglect of his creator much like the figure in Hellbound. Both characters are the result of something their creator's did not want or regretted doing. Because of this, they both live in misery; feeling unwanted by anyone, even to the extent of being disowned by their creators. Also, the vivid description of the baby in Hellbound's first verse relates to much of the creature's situation. The "folds of red and steamy air", represent something utterly disgusting and inhumane, and while much of its state is not the result of its own doing, it is put through misery because of unfortunate events in its creation. Dr. Frankenstein attempts to quiet and get rid of the creature, this also connects to many of the ideas in Hellbound. Abortion at its root is an attempt to get rid of a baby that would pose hindrances to the parent's life. While their are different situations behind why someone would choose to have an abortion, the reason at its heart is for the ease of the parent's and sometimes the child's life. Thus, the word "Hellbound", is a fair representation of the creature's situation. From its very start, the creature is destined for despair, its spawning was regretted by its creator and much of its place in life is confused. The creature also speaks about his relation to Satan as opposed to God in his story of his life. In this way, the creature is undoubtedly Hellbound to the description in the Breeder's song. 

"Hellbound"

by The Breeders

It lives in folds of red and steamy air 

It lives in misery 

Hellbound 

Hellbound 

Hellbound 

Hellbound 

Hellbound 

Hellbound 

Oh, oh we're falling 

Falling down 

Down... 

It lives, dispite the knives internal 

It lives marry me 

Hellbound 

Oh, we're falling 

Falling down 

Down... 

It lives in misery 

Hellbound

J. Alfred Prufrock is a Creep

The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock is far removed from any Shakespearean sonnet that we've read in class. In fact, the first stanza points the reader to a setting quite opposite from any standard love song. The "half-deserted streets", and "one-night cheap hotels" indicates to the reader that J. Alfred Prufrock's love song isn't one they'd like to receive. The poem is an extended monologue told from J. Alfred Prufrock as he observes a woman he's interested in chat about Michelangelo among company. The narrator battles with himself as he tries to work up the courage to talk to the woman. However, he knows that he doesn't have a chance as he overhears them talk about his bald spot and thinness. Prufrock envisions scenarios where she rejects him, and bickers with himself about his age and balding head. When reading this poem I was reminded of the Radiohead song "Creep", in it's similar scenario and narrator. The song lyrics are as follows.

[Verse 1]

When you were here before

Couldn't look you in the eye

You're just like an angel

Your skin makes me cry

 [Verse 2]

You float like a feather

In a beautiful world

I wish I was special

You're so very special

 [Chorus]

But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don't belong here.

 [Verse 3]

I don't care if it hurts

I wanna have control

I wanna a perfect body

I wanna a perfect soul

 [Verse 4]

I want you to notice

When I'm not around

You're so very special

I wish I was special

 [Chorus]

 [Bridge]

She's running out again,

She's running out

She's run run run run

 [Verse 5]

Whatever makes you happy

Whatever you want

You're so very special

I wish I was special

[Chorus]

Creep is told from a man who follows a woman that doesn't share the same interest in him that he does. The narrator also behaves in a similar way to Prufrock, he is very self conscious about his physical appearance. He also visualizes scenarios where the girl rejects him, and in the end, never achieves what he desires. Both creep and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock display the anxieties of the character through showing their thoughts in a stream of consciousness. Although Creep isnt from the modernist era, one could say Creep is a song that J. Alfred Prufrock might have sang. 

Please... fix it, Daddy?

Queen's News of the World album has long been known as a cultural staple with the hit songs "We Are the Champions", and "We Will Rock You". However, my focus isn't about the songs on the album, but the album art. Queen's News of the World cover art takes from the magazine, Astounding Science Fiction where artist Frank Kelly Freas depicts a large, intelligent robot with a dead man in hand accompanied by the caption "Please... fix it, Daddy".

When the band contacted Freas, he produced the album art that we now see on one of rock music's most iconic albums. On the cover, the man in Freas original painting is replaced with two of the band members (Freddie Mercury and Brian May) while the other two members (Roger Taylor and John Deacon) are seen falling from the robot's grasp.

When I first saw the cover art, I was shocked to see such a haunting image accompanying the childhood rock tunes that I grew up hearing. However, It was very thought provoking- enough so that I looked further into it's background. With the caption in mind, I interpreted the story regarding the art to be quite similar to Frankenstein. Although the robot's creator isn't seen in the art, we know that there must be one. Also, because of the caption we understand that the robot is oblivious to the world around him, and doesn't understand the idea of death or the extent of the powers. In the end, we can conclude that the robot is quite similar to a baby, and feels emotions similar to what a human can perceive. This rises multiple moral questions similar to the ones found in Frankenstein. While the creature doesn't come into prolonged contact with his creator, his innocent curiosity is shown through his first encounter with Dr. Frankenstein. Because of this, the creature's unawareness puts him in a similar situation to the robot on the cover of News of The World. The moral question of who is at fault for murder is found in both of these examples. One can easily point the finger to the creator who doesn't take control a being that is able to kill. However, one must also understand that both, although unaware, are able to think independently. This goes further to beg the question if morals are taught or imbedded. While much of the album's songs have little correlation with the album art. Before playing the album, one is always confronted with a haunting image that makes you think.