Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Research Paper on Bodybuilding Essay Example
Research Paper on Bodybuilding Paper Bodybuilding is amateur or professional sports discipline. It is based on the muscular development of the body by stimulating the hypertrophy of skeletal muscle as a result of the weight training while reducing the body fat for the better visual muscle separation. Originated in ancient Greece, the modern bodybuilding appeared in Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. Prussian strongman Eugen Sandow who is generally considered as ââ¬Å"The Father of Modern Bodybuildingâ⬠became famous through the demonstration of his body at the numerous exhibitions or shows in France, Great Britain and the United States. He was one of the first to seek a muscular aesthetic rather than a demonstration of brute force. Bodybuilding as a sport took its current form by the end of the 40s in the USA thanks to brothers Ben and Joe Weider, who founded the IFBB in 1946. One of the most famous bodybuilders is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has won 7 titles of the Mr. Olympia competition ( in 1970 ââ¬â 1 975 and 1980 ) and five Mr. Universe titles. In recent years bodybuilding is very popular due to the spread of the ideas of a healthy lifestyle, it finds its partisans not only among young people, there is a growing interest shown by the different age groups, up to eighty-year-old men and women. One of the most famous aged bodybuilders is Tsutomu Tosaka from Japan. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Bodybuilding specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Bodybuilding specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Bodybuilding specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This research paper topic can be of great interest for a student due to its actuality in the modern society, its growing popularity all over the world and its influence on our health, our lifestyle or our culture. It can be studied in many different aspects and connections, and maybe it can provide the answers we have been looking for a long time. An interested student can compose a good research paper on this topic because of its polyhedral nature and its great history. Each facet of this phenomenon can be developed into an individual and completely different study and give you a great deal of a knowledge to gain. Composing a research paper on bodybuilding requires a lot of special skills. The topic is very multiplex and needs thorough research and penetrating analysis. To create a good college research project you must refer to reliable sources, read a lot of sport literature and study the whole process of the genesis of the phenomenon. You should carefully analyze its causes and factors affecting its formation and development, how bodybuilding influenced other sports disciplines. In return, you get a vast topic for your studies and by the unique experience in the study of such questions. There are a lot of free examples of research papers and research proposal samples about this kind of sports. Find the most suitable research paper to write a good paper assigned in your university or college. At EssayLib.com custom writing service you can buy a custom research paper on Bodybuilding topics. Your research paper will be written from scratch. We hire top-rated Ph.D. and Masterââ¬â¢s writers only to provide students with professional research paper assistance at affordable rates. Each customer will get a non-plagiarized paper with timely delivery. Just visit our website and fill in the order form with all paper details: Enjoy our professional research paper writing service!
Friday, March 20, 2020
Jazz Giants essays
Jazz Giants essays J.J. Johnson was born James Louis in Indianapolis on January 22, 1924. At the age of nine, Johnson became very interested with music thus learning the piano with a church organist. He took further interest in music once he attended Crispus Attucks Senior High school playing the. He started out playing the Bari saxophone being that it was the only instrument available to him. After a short time, he lost much interest in the saxophone and at the age of fourteen he picked up playing the trombone. Johnson then played in the high school band as well as the brass marching band of the YMCA. The 1920s in America was a jazz period classified as the Roaring Twenties or Jazz Age dominated by Bessie Smith, and people at the top such as Duke Ellington. Much of it reflected the Harlem Renaissance. It was a time where jazz began to separate from its roots in ragtime and blues. This new art form went through many periods of change and evolution. Dixieland soon sprang up from the new jazz styles. The development of jazz in Chicago came from New Orleans where, after World War I many musicians left because of the new military port that had been constructed there. It was during this time that the Chicago style was developed and at this point the solo became more prominent in jazz music. J.J. Johnson was considered to be the finest jazz trombonist of all time. Johnson somehow transferred the innovative and exciting styles of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie to his own instrument. He played with such speed and ease that at one time listeners thought that he was playing on a valve trombone. Also, when Johnson played ballad jazz pieces, his sound was so full and powerful, you would think he was a French horn in a symphonic orchestra. I feel that Johnsons style was vital to this period and periods thereafter because it allows other trombone players to see that it is not impossible to play with the speed ...
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
About Lois Lowrys Controversial Book, The Giver
About Lois Lowry's Controversial Book, The Giver Imagine living in a society of sameness where you find no color, no family connections, and no memory- a society where life is governed by rigid rules that resist change and resent questioning. Welcome to the world of Lois Lowrys 1994 Newbery award-winning book The Giver, a powerful and controversial book about a utopian community and young boyââ¬â¢s dawning realizations about oppression, choices and human connections. The Storyline of The Giver Twelve-year-old Jonas is looking forward to the Ceremony of Twelves and getting his new assignment. He will miss his friends and their games, but at 12 he is required to set aside his child-like activities. With excitement and fear, Jonas and the rest of the new Twelves are bid a formal ââ¬Å"thank you for your childhoodâ⬠by the head elder as they move into the next phase of community work. In The Giverââ¬â¢s utopian community, rules govern every aspect of life from speaking in precise language to sharing dreams and feelings at daily family councils. In this perfect world, climate is controlled, births are regulated and everyone is given an assignment based on ability. Couples are matched and applications for children are reviewed and assessed. The elderly are honored andà apologize, and the acceptance of apologies, are mandatory. In addition, anyone who refuses to follow rules or who exhibits weaknesses is ââ¬Å"releasedâ⬠(a gentle euphemism for killed). If twins are born, the one weighing the least is scheduled for release while the other is taken to a nurturing facility. Daily pills to suppress desires and ââ¬Å"stirringsâ⬠are taken by citizens beginning at age twelve. There is no choice, no disruption, and no human connections. This is the world Jonas knows until he is assigned to train under the Receiver and become his successor. The Receiver holds all the memories of the community and itââ¬â¢s his job to pass on this heavy burden to Jonas. As the old Receiver begins to give Jonas the memories of ages past, Jonas starts to see colors and experience new feelings. He learns there are words to label the emotions that are erupting inside him: pain, joy, sorrow, and love. The passing of memories from aged man to boy deepens their relationship and Jonas experiences a powerful need to share his newfound awareness. Jonas wants others to experience the world as he sees it, but the Receiver explains that letting loose these memories all at once into the community would be unbearable and painful. Jonas is weighed down by this new knowledge and awareness and finds solace in discussing his feelings of frustration and amazement with his mentor. Behind a closed door with the speaker device turned to OFF, Jonas and the Receiver discuss the forbidden topics of choice, fairness, and individuality. Early in their relationship, Jonas begins to see the old Receiver as a Giver because of the memories and knowledge he is giving to him. Jonas quickly finds his world shifting. He sees his community with new eyes and when he understands the real meaning of ââ¬Å"releaseâ⬠and learns a sad truth about the Giver, he begins to make plans for change. However, when Jonas finds out that a young child heââ¬â¢s grown fond of is being prepared for release, both he and the Giver quickly alter their plans and prepare for a daring escape full of risk, danger, and death for all involved. Author Lois Lowry Lois Lowry wrote her first book, A Summer to Die, in 1977 at the age of 40. Since then sheââ¬â¢s written more than 30 books for children and teens, often tackling serious topics such as debilitating illnesses, the Holocaust, and repressive governments. The winner of two Newbery Medals and other accolades, Lowry continues to write the types of stories she feels represents her views about humanity. Lowry explains, ââ¬Å"My books have varied in content and style. Yet it seems that all of them deal, essentially, with the same general theme: the importance of human connections. Born in Hawaii, Lowry, the second of three children, moved all over the world with her Army dentist father. Awards Over the years, Lois Lowry has accumulated multiple awards for her books, but the most prestigious are her two Newbery Medals for Number the Stars (1990) and The Giver (1994). In 2007, the American Library Association honored Lowry with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Contribution to Young Adult Literature. Controversy, Challenges, and Censorship Despite the many accolades The Giver has garnered, it has met with enough opposition to put it on the American Library Associationââ¬â¢s most frequently challenged and banned books list for the years 1990-1999 and 2000-2009. Controversy over the book focuses on two topics: suicide and euthanasia. When a minor character determines she can no longer endure her life, she asks to be ââ¬Å"releasedâ⬠or killed. According to an article in USA Today, opponents of the book argue that Lowry fails to ââ¬Å"explain that suicide is not a solution to lifeââ¬â¢s problems.â⬠In addition to the concern about suicide, opponents of the book criticize Lowryââ¬â¢s handling of euthanasia. Supporters of the book counter these criticisms by arguing that children are being exposed to social issues that will make them think more analytically about governments, personal choice, and relationships. When asked for her opinion on book banning Lowry responded: I think banning books is a very, very dangerous thing. It takes away an important freedom. Any time there is an attempt to ban a book, you should fight it as hard as you can. Its okay for a parent to say, I dont want my child to read this book. But it is not okay for anyone to try to make that decision for other people. The world portrayed in The Giver is a world where choice has been taken away. It is a frightening world. Lets work hard to keep it from truly happening. The Giver Quartet and the Movie While The Giver can be read as a standalone book, Lowry has written companion books to further explore the meaning of community. Gathering Blue (published in 2000) introduces readers to Kira, a crippled orphan girl with a gift for needlework. Messenger, published in 2004, is the story of Mattie who is first introduced in Gathering Blue as Kiraââ¬â¢s friend. In fall 2012 Lowrys Son was published. Son represents the grand finale in Lois Lowrys Giver books.
Monday, February 17, 2020
World Hunger Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
World Hunger - Research Paper Example It should be noted that most of the countries are spending huge amounts of money for conducting wars whereas their expenditure for wiping off hunger from their soil remains relatively low. Many people have the false belief that hunger is a problem only in developing and underdeveloped world whereas it is not a problem in developed countries such as United Sates. According to Usborne (2008), ââ¬Å"28 million people in the US will be using government food stamps to buy essential groceries in the fiscal year 2008, the highest level since the food assistance program was introduced in the 1960sâ⬠(Usborne). Some people believe that United States is responsible for world hunger whereas many others are of the view that it is illogical to blame America alone for the world hunger. This paper analyses various reasons of world hunger and the role of America in contributing to world hunger. The main argument against America with respect to world hunger is that America is spending too much money for defense purpose and conducting wars. The current war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan is causing huge poverty and food deficiency not only in the victim countries, but also in America as well. Being the only superpower in the world at present, America definitely has a huge role to play in eradicating world hunger. America has a decisive control over global economic and political matters. No other country enjoys the same power over global matters as America does. Even half of the amount spent for conducting war on terror can be enough for eradicating world hunger. It should be noted that America has a major role in the allocation of financial aids to poor countries from international bodies such as World Bank, IMF etc. Shah (2009) has pointed out that ââ¬Å"being a major player of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, US actions can be felt around the world (Shah). However, United Sates is more interested in providing assistance to their allies and majority of t heir policies with respect to the dispersion of aids from international bodies are politically motivated. According to LaFollette, (2003) ââ¬Å"decisions taken at one part of the world have economic ripples elsewhereâ⬠(LaFollette). In the current globalized world, the argument of LaFollette seems to be more relevant. It should be noted that the recent American economic crisis has been affected many other countries in different continents. Same way American policies and activities can cause severe problems to other countries, especially to the poor countries. In that respect also, one can argue that America is contributing heavily to global hunger or world hunger. Somali pirates believe that America like developed countries are dumping toxic wastes near their coastal region and destroying their marine wealth. As a result of that, poverty in Somalia and other African countries are increasing day by day since their major revenue sources is destroyed by America like countries. â â¬Å"Reports suggest that illegal fishing and dumping have disrupted Somaliaââ¬â¢s coastal economy. Recent estimates by the United Nations suggest that Somalia may lose $95 million annually to illegal fishingâ⬠(Ploch et al, 2011, p.9). America on the other hand argues that they are not responsible for world hunger. They cite examples from Africa in order to substantiate their arguments. African countries are the worst, as far as world hunger in concerned. Majority of these countries do not have good governance and the autocratic administrators in this region are more interested in safeguarding their interests rather than safeguarding the interests of the
Monday, February 3, 2020
HealthCare Reform in the United States Research Proposal - 1
HealthCare Reform in the United States - Research Proposal Example Based on the study conducted by the Pacific Institute on Research and Evaluation (PIRE) in 1999, almost 3,500 deaths are caused by drinkers of below the age of twenty one every year (STATS, 2005). In fact, the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (2001) reports that approximately 70% to 80% of road accidents occur due to alcohol consumption amongst youngsters below the age of 25. Thus, evaluation needs to be conducted to review the existing policies and come up with sound measures that would cut across the policy criteria effectively to address the teen drunk-driving fatalities problem. According to the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (2001), alcohol product pricing has an effect on the rates of the consumption of alcohol in the society. Studies have demystified that if all other factors are held constant, alcohol price increase in general results in a decrease in alcohol consumption, and the opposite is true. The regimes of taxation are a platform from which alcohol price can be influenced. Most governments use their political autocracy for raising revenue to fulfil its goals of protecting the freedom and wellbeing of the citizens. Generally, the revenue comes from taxes. Alcohol is a significant source for raising government revenue in most countries. The benefits of increasing taxation on alcoholic beverages lie on the basis of public health view. Taxing alcohol as a measure of policy is relatively elementary and acceptable by the government who obtain revenue from it to fulfil its mandate of satisfying public needs. Through making the alcoholic drinks more expensive, there would be a decrease in per capita consumption and this would in turn reduce the problems associated with it. From a public health perspective, taxing alcoholic drinks would prevent both social and health problems and minimize alcohol-based burden on society. Thus, aside from just curbing drunk-driving
Sunday, January 26, 2020
The Desktop Publishing DTP Computer Science Essay
The Desktop Publishing DTP Computer Science Essay Refers to the use of computers to design and publish books, brochures, newsletters, magazines and other printed pieces. DTP is really a combination of several different processes including word processing, graphic design, information design, output and pre-press technologies, and sometimes image manipulation. DTP centers around a page layout program. Typically, a layout program is used to import Texts created in word processing programs; Charts and graphs from Spreadsheet programs; drawings and illustrations created in CAD, Drawing or paint program is then used to combine and arrange them all on a page. It is this ability to manipulate so many different items and control how they are used that makes layout software so popular and useful. However, modern word processors also have publishing capabilities, meaning the line separating such programs from DTP software is becoming less clear. in general, though, powerful new publishing systems use high-quality scalable fonts and give you control over typographic features such as Kerning(adjusting the spaces between letters to achieve even, consistent spacing). Another key feature of DTP software is text flow the ability to put text around graphic objects in a variety of ways. Once composed, DTP documents are printers on a laser printer or on a high resolution imageaetter. for transfer to a commercial printer, their native page layout format (such as Adobe inDesing or QuarkXpress) or as PDF files. PDF stands for Portable Document Format and allows people to view, search and print documents exactly as the publisher intended, you donà ´t need to have the software and the fonts used to create it. History Desktop publishing began in 1985 with the introduction ofà Mac Publisher, the firstà WYSIWYGà layout program, which ran on the original 128Kà Macintoshà computer. (Desktopà typesetting, with only limited page makeup facilities, had arrived in 1978-9 with the introduction ofà Text, and was extended in the early 1980s byà Latex.) The DTP market exploded in 1985 with the introduction in January of theà Appleà LaserWriterà printer, and later in July with the introduction ofà PageMakerà software fromà Aldusà which rapidly became the DTP industry standard software. The ability to createà WYSIWYGà page layouts on screen and thenà printà pages at crisp 300à dpià resolution was revolutionary for both the typesetting industry and the personal computer industry. Newspapers and other print publications made the move to DTP-based programs from older layout systems likeà Atexà and other such programs in the early 1980s. The term desktop publishing is attributed toà Aldus Corporationà founderà Paul Brainerd[1], who sought a marketing catch-phrase to describe the small size and relative affordability of this suite of products in contrast to the expensive commercialà phototypesettingà equipment of the day. By the standards of today, early desktop publishing was a primitive affair. Users of the PageMaker-LaserWriter-Macintosh 512K system endured frequent software crashes, the Macs tiny 512 x 342 1-bit black and white screen, the inability to controlà letter spacing,à kerningà (the addition or removal of space between individual characters in a piece of typeset text to improve its appearance or alter its fit) and otherà typographic features, and discrepancies between the screen display and printed output. However, it was a revolutionary combination at the time, and was received with considerable acclaim. Behind-the-scenes technologies developed byà Adobe Systemsà set the foundation for professional desktop publishing applications. The LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus printers included high quality, scalable Adobeà PostScript-fonts built into theirà ROMà memory. The LaserWritersà PostScriptà capability allowed publication designers to proof files on a local printer then print the same file at DTPà service bureausà usingà optical resolutionà 600+ ppi PostScript-printers such as those fromà Linotronic. Later, theà Macintosh IIà was released which was much more suitable for desktop publishing because of its larger, color screen, support for multiple displays, greater RAM capacity and itsà SCSIà storage interface which allowed fast, high-capacity hard drives to be attached to the system. Although Macintosh-based systems would continue to dominate the market, in 1986, theà GEM-basedà Ventura Publisherà was introduced forà MS-DOSà computers. While PageMakers pasteboard metaphor closely simulated the process of creating layouts manually, Ventura Publisher automated the layout process through its use of tags/style sheetsà and automatically generated indices and other body matter. This made it suitable for manuals and other long-format documents. Desktop publishing moved into the home market in 1986 withà Professional Pageà for theà Amiga,à Publishing Partnerà (now Page Stream) for theà Atari ST, GSTsà Timeworks Publisherà on the PC and Atari ST andà Calamusà for theà Atari TT030. Even for 8-bit computers like theà Apple IIà andà Commodore 64à software was published: Home Publisher,à The Newsroomà andà geo Publish. During these early years, desktop publishing acquired a bad reputation from untrained users who created poorly-organizedà ransom note effectà layouts criticisms that would be levied again against earlyà webà publishers a decade later. However, some were able to realize truly professional results. For example,à .info magazineà became the very first desktop-published, full-color, newsstand magazine in the last quarter of 1986, using a combination of Commodoreà Amigaà computers, Professional Page desktop publishing software, and anà Agfaà Graphics typesetter.[2] Often considered a primary skill, increased accessibility to more user-friendly DTP software has made DTP a secondary skill toà art direction,à graphic design,à denvelopment, marketing,à administrative careersà and advanced high school literacy in thriving economies. DTP skill levels range from what may be learned in a few hours (e.g. learning how to put clip art in a word processor) to what requires a college education and years of experience (e.g.à advertising agencyà positions). The discipline of DTP skills range from technical skills such asà prepress productionà andà programmingà to creative skills such asà communication designà andà graphic image development. Terminology There are two types of pages in desktop publishing,à electronic pagesà and virtual paper pages to be printed onà physical paper pages. All computerized documents are technically electronic, which are limited in size only byà computer memoryà orà computer data storageà space. Virtual paper pages will ultimately beà printed, and therefore require paper parameters that coincide withà international standard physical paper sizesà such as A4, letter, etc., if not custom sizes for trimming. Some desktop publishing programs allow custom sizes designated for large format printing used inà posters,à billboardsà andà trade show displays. A virtual page for printing has a predesignated size of virtual printing material and can be viewed on a monitor inà WYSIWYGà format. Each page for printing has trim sizes (edge of paper) and a printable area ifà bleed printingà is not possible as is the case with mostà desktop printers. Aà web pageà is an example of an electronic page that is not constrained by virtual paper parameters. Most electronic pages may be dynamically re-sized, causing either theà contentà to scale in size with the page or causing theà content to re-flow. Master pages are templates used to automatically copy or link elements and graphic design styles to some or all the pages of a multipage document. Linked elements can be modified without having to change each instance of an element on pages that use the same element. Master pages can also be used to apply graphic design styles to automatic page numbering. Page layoutà is the process by which the elements are laid on the page orderly, aesthetically, and precisely. Main types of components to be laid out on a page includeà text, linkedimagesà that can only be modified as an external source, and embedded images that may be modified with the layout application software. Some embedded images areà renderedà in the application software, while others can be placed from an external source image file. Text may beà keyedà into the layout, placed, or (withà database publishingà applications) linked to an external source of text which allows multiple editors to develop a document at the same time. Graphic design styles such as color, transparency, and filters, may also be applied to layout elements.à Typographyà styles may be applied to text automatically withà style sheets. Some layout programs include style sheets for images in addition to text. Graphic styles for images may be border shapes, colors, transparency, filters, and a parameter designating the way text flows around the object called wraparound or runaround. Comparisons With word processing While desktop publishing software still provides extensive features necessary for print publishing, modern word processors now have publishing capabilities beyond those of many older DTP applications, blurring the line betweenà word processingà and desktop publishing. In the early days ofà graphical user interfaces, DTP software was in a class of its own when compared to the fairly Spartan word processing applications of the time. Programs such as Word Perfectà andà WordStarà were still mainly text-based and offered little in the way of page layout, other than perhaps margins and line spacing. On the other hand, word processing software was necessary for features like indexing and spell checking, features that are common in many applications today. As computers and operating systems have become more powerful, vendors have sought to provide users with a single application platform that can meet all needs. With other electronic layout software In modern usage, DTP is not generally said to include tools such asà TeXà orà troff, though both can easily be used on a modern desktop system and are standard with manyà Unix-like operating systems and readily available for other systems. The key difference between electronicà typesettingà software and DTP software is that DTP software is generally interactive and WYSIWYGà in design, while older electronic typesetting software tends to operate inà batch mode, requiring the user to enter the processing programs markup language manually without a direct visualization of the finished product. The older style of typesetting software occupies a substantial but shrinking niche inà technical writingà and textbook publication; however, since much software in this genre is freely available, it can be more cost-effective than the professionally-oriented DTP systems. It is also particularly suitable for corporate newsletters or other applications where consistent, automated layout is important. One of the early and comprehensive reference books on the art of Desktop Publishing is Desktop Publishing For Everyone by K.S.V. Menon. This publication deals with virtually every facet of publishing and nearly all tools available as at the time of the publishing of this book in the year 2000. It is currently out of print. There is some overlap between desktop publishing and what is known asà Hypermediaà publishing (i.e. Web design, Kiosk, CD-ROM). Many graphicalà HTML editorsà such asà Microsoft FrontPageà andà Adobe Dreamweaverà use a layout engine similar to a DTP program. However, some Web designers still prefer to write HTML without the assistance of a WYSIWYG editor, and only resort to such software, if at all, solely for complex layout that cannot easily be rendered in hand-written HTML code. DTP applications Adobe FrameMaker Adobe InDesign Adobe PageMaker CorelDRAW Corel Ventura iStudio Publisher Microsoft Office Publisher OpenOffice PageStreamà (used to be Publishing Partner) QuarkXPress Ready,Set,Go Scribus Serif page plus
Friday, January 17, 2020
Movie Response – Oklahoma Featuring Hugh Jackman
1. The central conflict of the musical ââ¬ËOklahomaââ¬â¢ is concerned with the complicated love relationship of the two protagonists, Curly and Laurey. While they evidently fancy each other, they are reluctant to admit it openly. They are afraid that their affair will be talked about all around the town. As young people in love often behave, they are teasing each other by flirting with others. Curly asks Laurey to go with him to the Box Social, yet Laurey decides to go with Jud (who can be regarded as the antagonist). At the Box Social, Curly outbids Jud for Laureyââ¬â¢s baskets, and the young couple acknowledges their feeling towards each other. Conflict resolution occurs when drunk Jud comes to the wedding ceremony of Curly and Laurey and puts up a fight but accidentally stubs himself with his own knife. The people at the wedding stage a quick trial and decide that Curly is not guilty of what has happened. After it, the young couple goes on a honeymoon. While the relationship of Curly and Laurey is the central conflict of the musical, there is also another love story that contributes to the plot development. Will is in love with Ado Annie, yet upon his return from the Kansas City, he discovers that she is flirting with Ali Hakim, a peddler man. Yet Ali doesnââ¬â¢t have any plans to marry Ado Annie, while her father takes everything too seriously and threatens to shoot him if he doesnââ¬â¢t propose. However, after the Box Social, when Aliââ¬â¢s intentions to stay a bachelor become far too evident, Will and Ado Annie talk freely about their relationship. Finally, another implicit conflict in the plot is the division between farmers and cowboys. While these divisions are presented in a funny and lighthearted way, farmers and cowboys represent two different communities, and the any pretext can be used to start a brawl. When two communities come together to raise money for a schoolhouse is an interim resolution of this conflict. 2. Characters of Curly and Laurey are very graphically depicted in the musical. Their relationship is complicated, yet so is their emotional life. This is specifically true for Laurey who at times finds herself trapped in the confusion of her feelings. At the beginning, Laurey seems slightly too self-confident and stubborn: when Curly asks her to be his company at the Box Social, she doubts whether he is good enough for her. This image is further developed in the ââ¬ËMany a New Dayââ¬â¢ scene: she sings that she will never be too upset if her man is gone; sheââ¬â¢ll find a new love instead. She is confident of her beauty and her charm; she is sure that when she buys a new dress and brushes her hair, sheââ¬â¢ll be able to start over a new leaf. However, this image of a self-confident girl who doesnââ¬â¢t take her love life seriously is questioned in the scene when Laurey dreams about getting married to Curly, but the image of Jud penetrates her dream. In this episode, Laurey is presented as a sensitive and vulnerable girl who cannot make up her mind but wants a happy love life. As for Curly, in the opening scene he is portrayed as an optimistic and buoyant guy with a good sense of humor: he sings of corn as high as an elephant's eye and the cattle are standing like statues. He is determined to win Laureyââ¬â¢s affection and is hurt by her refusal to go to the Box Social with him. In the episode when he asks her out, he is presented as a creative and romantic young man as he promises his honey that heââ¬â¢ll take her out in the surrey with the fringe on top with a team of snow-white horses. As the plot develops, a darker side of Curlyââ¬â¢s personality is revealed. When he comes to the Smokehouse, consumed with jealousy and the pain from being rejected, he dreams of Jud being dead. Yet he decides to take a more constructive approach, and sells everything he has to outbid Jud for Laureyââ¬â¢s basket at the Box Social. Both Curly and Laurey are too preoccupied with what other people think about their nascent relationship; they donââ¬â¢t want neighbors to gossip all day behind their doors. But when everything works out well, Curly rejoices and claims publicly that Laurey is his girl. Hugh Jackman and Josefina Gabrielle both makes believable Curly and Laurey. However, if I dare voice a personal opinion, Hugh Jackmanââ¬â¢s performance is slightly superior to that of Josefina Gabrielle. It can be perhaps explained by the fact that the character of Curly is more integral and consistent, while Gabrielle could have done a better job revealing two different sides of Laureyââ¬â¢s characters, hard and soft one. 3. To my mind, the song that best serves the purpose of revealing the character is the ââ¬ËLonely Room.ââ¬â¢ It gives a valuable insight into the inner world of Jud. It clearly identifies his motivation for getting Laurey: he cannot stand being in his room, all alone, without a girl to hold. The song probably suggests that itââ¬â¢s not so much about Laurey as about his unwillingness to be on her own anymore. While Jud should be best seen as an antagonist in the musical, the song serves to generate sympathy towards him. He spent so many long and lonely nights in his room that he deserves his own love. The song also gives a sense of Judââ¬â¢s determination and impatience: instead of dreaming of Laurey, he wants to go outside and get her immediately. 4. Apart from serving a purely aesthetical purpose, the Dream Ballet also plays a foreshadowing role. In her dreams, Laurey is getting married to Curly; both look beautiful in their wedding costumes and happy to unite with each others. Yet this idyllic scene is devastated when Jud appears seemingly from nowhere. His costume and appearance both hint that he is not the one Laurey should be with; it reflects the feeling of insecurity Laurey experience by Judââ¬â¢s side. The choreography of the ballet also represents the build-up of the tension between Curly and Jud; it ends abruptly when Curly is killed by the hatred and aggression Jud emanates. The theme of the ballet is connected with two dimensions of the first major theme of the musical (i.e. the power of love). First of all, people in love should acknowledge their feelings to each other openly, and girls should look for the right man for them. If it isnââ¬â¢t happening, and girls toy with the feelings of other men, the power of love can turn into a destructive and dangerous force. The ballet helps to advance the plot in two different ways: first of all, it serves the purpose of foreshadowing future events; secondly, it shows what a nightmare scenario will be like so that the viewer feel emotionally relieved upon the happy end. 5. There are two predominant themes of the film: the first one concerns the issue of true love and its power, and the second one is connected with the separation of public and private. The essence of the first theme is fairly clear-cut: both Curly/Laurey and Will/Ado Anne end up together despite the girlsââ¬â¢ hesitation and flirt with other men. The film also suggests that girls should be honest with themselves and look for a man that has serious intentions. The power of love is also presented with a dramatic touch: it can grant happiness, but can also lead to tragic consequences, like Judââ¬â¢s death. The second theme is also implicitly present throughout the whole story. While love is a private matter, people always take the opinion of family and community into account. Curly and Laurey are well-aware of the fact that they love each other, yet they donââ¬â¢t want their relationship to be discussed by everybody. Similar is true about Ado Annieââ¬â¢s affair with Ali: the father intervenes into their relationship with the intent to make Ali marry his daughter. All these facts exemplify that the line between public and private is blurred. 6. I enjoyed watching ââ¬ËOklahoma,ââ¬â¢ but it would hardly make it the list of my favorite films. While both camera work and actorsââ¬â¢ performance are great, there are certain limitations. The passages from comic to tragic are too abrupt, and certain characters lack in-depth elaboration. However, keeping in mind that itââ¬â¢s a complicated and challenging task to adapt a musical for screen, Trevor Nunn did a fairly good job. References Oklahoma. Dir. Trevor Nunn. Image Entertainment, 1999.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)