Old Maids by Sandra Cisneros

I have chosen this poem not only because I like the theme (marriage) but also because the author is clear with what she want to express. After doing some research, I found out that this poem is autobiographical. Cisneros and her cousins were born and raised in Mexico. They were 30 years old and they were consider to be spinsters for their community and family. The poem explains that their aunts asked them why they haven't got married yet.

After reading the poem several times, some strong feeling were evoked such as sadness, gloomy and sorry for them. But after some research, this feelings changed because Cisneros chose to remain single. She explains in an interview: "I've never seen a marriage that is as happy as my living alone," Cisneros replied. "My writing is my child and I don't want anything to come between us." (taken from Wikipedia)

I believe that I can relate this poem with "To the lighthouse" because it is strictly connected with Cisneros. Marriage and age are important themes in the novel, mainly when we are talking about Lili Bricoe. She was single and  everybody at the Ramsey's house were trying to find her a husband even though she wanted to remain single and to continue working with her paintings.

In the gloster, I included a picture of Sandra Cisneros, rings (which represents marriage), a Mexican family (because of what the poem says) and an interesting video.

TRAILER: NICE WORK 2012

We have chosen to create a trailer for an imaginary film version of “Nice Work” as we feel identified with the story itself,with Robyn and Vic’s relationship and with the way in which the author presents the two different worlds - the Industrial and the Academic. With this trailer, we are trying to portray the most important features and themes of the novel.

In order to create this trailer, we followed some production stages. First of all, we watched different kind of trailers so as to know what a trailer consists of and what we should bare in mind while doing it. Then, we made a list of important quotations and key words that should be included. And finally, we made an exhaustive web search looking for photographs (characters and objects) and songs mention throughout the novel.

The programme we use to create this trailer is "Ulead Video Studio 11". We found it very useful and appropriate to produce this work since as an editing tool it allows us to include photographs, videos and music. At first, we had some difficulties with learning how to use Ulead but after trying several times we cope with them. Moreover, we found really hard to learn about the different format video files that are used to make this kind of works. And finally, at the moment of publishing it in “youtube”, we encountered serious problems concerning copyright issues so we were not able to publish it as it was asked in the assignment. We just managed to  upload it in the Litin3blog.

Postmodernism

I've chosen "The Final Cut" and "Jokaydia"

Both of them have postmodern characteristics. As regards the first one, the most important aspect is knowledge and the beginnings of technology- "The advent of electronic computer technologies has revolutionized the modes of knowledge production distribution and consumption in our society." In the movie, when a person is born, he /she can have a chip implanted that can record all the moments of his/her life. When this person die, that chip is taken off and cut to make a "memorial video" (something interesting to see) for their families. 

As regards Jokaydia, we can found what Baudrillard calls "simulacra". In this case, it is related to virtual reality- "The page was created to document the educational uses of virtual worlds and games"- and not to copies of originals  This wiki has useful information about virtual worlds, platforms, tools, social networking services and games. 

I believe that in the trailer and in the wiki, knowledge becomes functional because they learn things, not only to know them, but to use that knowledge. 

Words between inverted commas have been taken from Klages and Jokaydia Wiki
   

Heilman

Heilman's interpretation of “The Turn of the Screw” is from an apparitionist point of view. He expresses that James constructed the work as a result of the cultural environment, which can also be seen in other works from the same period.
Heilman compares “The Pledge” of Duerrenmatt with James’ novel and he cites several similarities between the novellas:

- “Ghosts are real, evil entities”
- Grown-ups persuade children to do what they want.
- Children and evils have secret and expected encounters.

- In both novellas, not all the children accept the "threatening evil".
- The killer and Quint are alike because they have the same social status.
- In the novellas, the ghost and the killer want to hurt mentally and physically. The killer does not like women and he wants to hurt them and Quint and Miss Jessel want the children to “share their own infernal torments”.
- In both, there are symbolic interpretations. The author’s have chosen “fertility images” to introduce “images of death or decay", such as the garden.
- The apparitions are true but the main characters are thought to be mad. Heilman does not agree with this and he expresses that they are normal. They behave like this because of the difficulties they are undergoing.


What Heilman does not contemplate is the fact that Durrenmatt might have used James' novel as an example to construct his novella and that's why there are so many coincidences between them.

In conclusion, I find this analysis suitable and I agree with many of the points raised by Heilman. I believe that the ghosts are real and that the governess does not suffer from psychological problems.

Biopoem

Greta

Happy, responsable, talkative and sociable

Sister of Camila

Lover of dancing, friends and watching series

Who feel happy when she is with friends, sad when she can’t see her boyfriend and excited when she dances

Who needs family, friends and boyfriend

Who fears being alone, failing subjects and hurting people

Who would like to see herself become a teacher and accomplish all her goals

Resident of Rosario, Santa Fe

Fijtman

I've chosen this pattern because my classmates can learn some things about me.