posted
I have exams comming up next week, sofar this term we have studied Shakespeares Othello, Orwells Nineteen Eighty-four and a movie called 'The Mission' by Roland Joffe, staring Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons.
If you have read both books and/or have seen the movie i'd like to know points in which they are smiliar, I am having a hard time finding them and I have been told this type of question will be on my exam.
Thanks for your help.
Posts: 139 | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
So, by "English question," you really mean "literature question." And by "literature question," you really mean "can I weasel my way out of actually reading the literature and watching the movie?"
The answer is no. You can't. Unless you're really good at that sort of thing, in which case you wouldn't be asking.
posted
This is the type of exercise where your own interpretation is the most important thing. That's what English class is all about.
The only thing I can think of as common to all three works is "corruption." That's after 10 seconds of deep thought.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
So yeah gang up on me *gets psyched up* I mean English question, if you need to get anal do it with something other than my posts.
Now honestly I don't see the problem with seeking advice from those wiser than I on a forum. I would find it interesting to see others views on this and hopefully I could be inspired for an essay thesis. Is asking others for help weaseling?
Psychological aspect now: Some of you may simply be embarrassed to have no idea what books or film I am talking about, yet feel compelled to say something. Others try to seek an excuse for not posting a reply competent to the question, laziness or lack of motivation does not have to be 'excused', just don't post. Although I suppose you still need to sustain e-mage by saying something. More may remember my past threads and feel superior to me because I am emotionally distraught, or was. Then there are the followers, need to be part of the game, need to piss further.
More come to mind but excuse this hypocrite for not going any further... feel free to tear the shit out of my views, if it so pleases you.
The question I ask now is; Is it truly that bothersome to help someone experiencing difficulties revising for exams by sharing ideas?
Posts: 139 | Registered: Nov 2003
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And their point is, it seems you haven't read them or are trying to get around reading them. I dont think they understand that you are asking help on further comprehension. I haven't read 1984(how dare me!), so I can't help further.
posted
Desu, if you're too damn lazy to do your own homework there's no way in hell anyone here is going to help you. That's kinda not the point of the education system. And if you're having problems finding Othello or 1984 you likely haven't heard of things called libraries or can't read. Either way, it's a little late to ask for help. Save us your holier-than-thou crap and do your work.
Now, if you'd actually like to DISCUSS something, rather than just saying why you think everyone who isn't helping is a weiner we'd be more open. What do YOU think are the key points. How would YOU compare them? I know I've read the books and seen the play and the movie. I could discuss it.
But you're going out of your way to make me not want to help you.
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I don’t think anyone was being overly harsh with you. There’s no reason to be defensive. You’re right. Most of the responses to your thread have not been very helpful. But that’s because it really does appear as if you have not done or cannot do your own homework and want others to do it for you. Try being a little more specific in your requests. Pose some questions regarding thoughts you already have on the subject matter and I guarantee someone will be willing to help you. Or they would have. If you hadn’t insulted their intelligence.
Posts: 288 | Registered: Nov 2003
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quote:Some of you may simply be embarrassed to have no idea what books or film I am talking about, yet feel compelled to say something.
I suspect that many of us are better read then you might think.
quote: Others try to seek an excuse for not posting a reply competent to the question, laziness or lack of motivation does not have to be 'excused', just don't post. Although I suppose you still need to sustain e-mage by saying something.
They were trying to tell you to knock it off while still being polite.
quote:More may remember my past threads and feel superior to me because I am emotionally distraught, or was.
This has no bearing on the present conversation
quote:Now honestly I don't see the problem with seeking advice from those wiser than I on a forum. I would find it interesting to see others views on this and hopefully I could be inspired for an essay thesis. Is asking others for help weaseling?
There is not really any problem with seeking advice, or asking for help. There seems to be a standing policy to not help on homework, in any way shape or form. I can see the logic behind not doing someone else homework (unless well compensated). How ever even if that is not what you were looking for that is how it appears, as you never presented your views on the given topic, do that and I expect that you will get some discussion out of it.
Athought you second post in this thread is not going to make people want to go out of their way to help you.
Posts: 1458 | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
You are right, of course, yet I was not trying to be holier, I wonder why you jump to conclusions. I am horrible at English, I need something to inspire me, usually I’d walk down the hall and debate with one of the guys, but everyone is on edge. It annoys me that you assume that I am trying to get around something... have you never found difficulty in accomplishing a task? I realize though, that to get I must give.
Posts: 139 | Registered: Nov 2003
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What I'd do, were I you, is give each book a quick skim and re-watch the movie if it's close at hand. Pay attention the heroes and villains of each story. Are there similarities between them? What about overarching themes between each story. Simply put, what was each about? Can they be tied together in any way?
Come back to Hatrack and say, "Look, I've been thinking about it, and I've come up with this, this and this." It doesn't have to be deep or even "right", just show that you know what you're talking about. I can promise you that all the avid readers here will take to it and suggest other things, other ways of looking at things etc.
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Thank you for the advice, I guess i'm new at this forum thing. *goes to reread and rewatch* I'll post something up tomorrow, I am getting grogy and assholish.
Posts: 139 | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
There's a way to get around this, you know. You just present your thoughts on the subject, and why you think that way. Then you might think of a possible different view and flesh that out a bit. Then you ask for input.
That shows that you've done your homework and you're trying to get some good feedback.
In the past, I've argued against the no-homework policy around here. These kind of threads seem to incite what could almost pass as flaming if you didn't know any better. The harshness of it is a bit unwarranted, IMO.
Anyway, once you're a little more familiar with how the board works, you'll be better at framing your question to get more actual responses.
Seriously, I'd help you, but I'm working on a paper of my own and I can't be bothered to think about three works whose themes I only vaguely remember. I'd do some research, but I don't have the mental energy.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
I must say those are rather unusual works to compare/contrast. In addition to which, I haven't read/viewed any of them. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to get a degree in anything...
But how about themes of loyalty to persons vs. loyalty to institutions or some such.
Edit: There's also the "I'd rather avoid death" theme.
posted
Maybe which is worse, Death or Insanity? Intimacy gives one the power to destroy? I guess it would help to give my outsiders synopses.
Othello is about Othello who loves Desdamona but Iago seeds Othello's jealousy and he kills the woman he loves. In 1984 doesn't the dude betray Julia by telling big brother that she really fears rats? All I know about the mission is there is these two men working with the "aborigines" in Brazil. Is there betrayal between the men? Are the aborigines betrayed? I don't really know. I just know some guy goes over a waterfall tied to a cross.
posted
You know, now that I'm actually thinking about it and not flaming the guy I'm having a hard time coming up with any similarities as well. Love leads to the downfall of all 3 characters? As far as betrayel goes, Iago is more of a betrayer than Othello and certainly O'Brian betrays Winston. Was there any betrayel in The Mission? I admit, I don't remember that one nearly as well as the other 3. I think TAKs point about corruption could also work. But it seems any points of similarity are going to be tenuous ones at best.
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I was mostly snarky because I was all excited to answer a language question, but all I got was a literature question.
Posts: 276 | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
Desu, I swear, if I had read your second post not knowing it was you, I would have guessed it was your father.
I'll admit to not being familiar enough with these works to be of any help (are you getting used to me saying that yet?). I'll also say to the avoidance people, he's at least read and thought about 1984; I remember talking to him about a paper he was writing last month for that one.
Posts: 3956 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
Betrayal in The Mission: Deniro’s character kills his younger brother in a duel because he knows that he has no shot at the woman he wants because she is in love with the younger brother. At least I think that’s what I remember. It’s been a long time. I could be transposing The Mission with The Flintstones Viva Rock Vegas.
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