One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Questions

1. Who was responsible for Billy Bibbit's death?
Even though McMurphy introduced Candy to Billy Bibbit and encouraged him in his behavior towards her, Nurse Ratched was actually responsible for his suicide. Nurse Ratched knew that Billy's mother was his weak point and when she saw him misbehave, she threatened him with the idea of telling his mother despite his begging and crying. Billy Bibbit was obviously mentally unstable and Nurse Ratched took advantage of his misconduct to push him to his limit. Billy had a long history for being self conscious and having little confidence. After seeing his bad behavior, Nurse Ratched tore down what little self esteem he had by forcing him to imagine humiliation from his mother and this was too much for him. Because of Nurse Ratched's threats, Billy killed himself.

2. What was the purpose of Chief being "deaf" to the story?
In this story, it was very necessary for others to believe that Chief was deaf and dumb. Because of these false beliefs, people showed unexpected sides of themselves and revealed important information. Nurse Ratched blew up on the blacks in front of the Chief because she didn't think it mattered if he saw. If it had been anyone else, Nurse Ratched would have controlled herself and readers would have lost a valuable piece of information. Also, because people think the Chief is deaf, they allowed him in the staff meetings. The Chief's condition is crucial for the information we receive and also it enhances our trust for him. As the audience, through the Chief's eyes, we know things that the other characters don't understand. This helps us to trust in our narrator.

3. How was the fog effective in conveying the mood?
Many scenes in this story involve government/society controlling individuals and oppressive power. The fog helps to emphasize the individuals and their defenseless condition. Nurse Ratched and the staff put the Chief in the fog and he can't seem to control everything. He imagines things and can't get a grasp on reality. The fog is a symbol of the Nurse's power and authority. The mood that the fog creates is confusion. This helps the story because it allows readers to feel the effect of the fog rather than have it be explained. A lot of the time when our narrator is in the fog, we can't completely understand the situation because the mood is confusion, this helps us to realize on our own the effects of Nurse Ratched's actions.

4. How effective is the shattering of the glass in the conflict between McMurphy and the Big Nurse?
When McMurphy repeatedly shatters the glass window in the ward, it not only is an act of defiance but it is also a symbol for order in society. On the ward, McMurphy shatters the window simply to annoy the staff and prove that he isn't easy to mess with. If you look more in depth, his actions also show that in society, it only takes one individual to destroy order. However, the glass window is also easily replaced. This shows that society/government always has a way to counteract trouble and restore order. The shattering of the glass is very effective because it is a small act of defiance on McMurphy's part that annoys the Big Nurse and serves as a symbol for a greater conflict.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Blog #2

In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, McMurphy and the Big Nurse have established a rivalry. By the end of part 1 it seems that McMurphy is by far getting the best of it. McMurphy always remains unfazed by the Big Nurse and what she has to say and he even causes her to lose her temper during the scene with the game going on. Also, McMurphy seems to even be enjoying himself. He riles up Acutes and manipulates people to seem like they're against Big Nurse. Then, when the Big Nurse gets really aggravated and frustrated, McMurphy remains completely unbothered by her attempts to slash back at him. For example, when the Big Nurse turns off the tv, McMurphy just continues to pretend as if he's still watching it. He ignores Nurse Ratched's attempts to make him mad where as Nurse Ratched is very easily provoked.

Even though our narrator is a patient in a mental institution, I think he's reliable. The reason I say this is because everyone else thinks he's deaf and overlooks him. This gives us clear insight into how people behave and act in their most vulnerable state, when they let their guard down. For example, through the Chief's narration, we knew that Nurse Ratched was capable of loosing her temper and blowing up even before any of the other patients because nobody bothers hiding anything around the Chief. Also, our narrator is capable of interpreting and picking up on minute details of other characters. He describes the conditions of the other patients and even interprets the actions of McMurphy. This shows us that the Chief is pretty intelligent and capable of being a reliable narrator.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Blog #1

In the first half of part one in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest we're introduced to multiple characters. Through the eyes of the Chief, the Big Nurse (Nurse Ratched) seems to be the villain. She establishes all the rules in the ward and she seems to be the reason behind Bromden's fear. Nurse Ratched also commands the three black boys who enforce all her orders. Nurse Ratched and the three black boys are the ones who shave the patients and cause them to fall into a "fog". The Chief fears both of these things and because Nurse Ratched is the instigator of both, she appears to be the villain. Also, so far McMurphy is the antihero because he resists Nurse Ratched. He's the only one that doesn't seem to have fear of the black boys. McMurphy's confidence and superiority give a sense of hope to readers that things might not be so bad for Bromden in the future. Also, the reason McMurphy is an antihero and not just a hero is because he's in a mental hospital and some of his actions don't seem to be acceptable in society (gambling) and yet he's also friendly and rebellious of the regulations in the ward.

The Great Gatsby #3

Interpretive Questions:
1. How does the death of Gatsby help to convey a message about society in East Egg?
Gatsby's death and the events surrounding it show that in East Egg, people will put aside their emotions and the truth in order to maintain an image. Daisy is a prominent example of this. Gatsby's entire life revolved around Daisy and she also loved him deeply. However, when the rumors she heard about Gatsby seemed a little more substantial, she was hesitant. And then, when Gatsby's death was linked to Myrtle's death, instead of telling the truth (that she had hit Myrtle) she left with Tom. Daisy, even though she had once loved Gatsby, went on with her life as if she never knew him so she could keep her image free of scandal.

2. How is Nick's relationship with Jordan significant to the story?
Nick's relationship with Jordan is parallel to his outlook on society in East Egg. At first, he is captivated by Jordan similarly to how he was intrigued with the lives of Tom and Daisy. He knew from the very start that Jordan and the lives of the people in East Egg were filled with lying, scandals, and cheating, however he still accepted it. As the story line goes on, Nick discovers more about Jordan as does he with Tom and Daisy. When he learns the true rot underneath the facade Daisy and Tom put on (through the story of Gatsby's life and Myrtle's death), he's disgusted with the both of them. Towards the end of the book, Jordan also appears to be significantly less attractive and his relationship with her eventually dies out. By the very end of the book, Nick could not care less about Tom, Daisy, and Jordan.

Evaluative Questions:
1. Why is Nick a static/dynamic character?
Nick is a dynamic character. Throughout the story, Nick's outlook on society changes significantly. At the very beginning of the story, Nick (even though he knows of the lying and cheating that goes on) is fascinated by Daisy and Tom. He frequently visits them and builds strong relationships to both of them. However, as he learns more about them from their actions, he grows to realize the horrors of living to appeal society and eventually develops a strong distaste for their lifestyles. In contrast to the very beginning, Nick undergoes a change that causes his opinion on East Egg society to almost be the opposite of what it was in the beginning.

2. Of all places why would Fitzgerald have placed the eyes of TJ Eckleburg above the Valley of Ashes?
Fitzgerald placed the eyes of TJ Eckleburg above the Valley of Ashes to symbolize a god-like figure watching over the rotten and filthy sides of society. The Valley of Ashes is also the setting that is mentioned right before multiple events. A couple of them being when Tom takes Nick to meet Myrtle, when Myrtle dies, and right after Tom realizes the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby. All these events are scandalous and by having TJ Eckleburg's eyes directly watching over when these events are happening, the unmoral values of the characters are effectively emphasized.

The Great Gatsby #2

1. What is the purpose of Meyer Wolfsheim as a character?
The purpose of Meyer Wolfsheim's character is to add more mystery to Gatsby's character. After reading about Mr. Wolfsheim, the audience starts to doubt Gatsby's virtues. All up until now, we assume that the rumors about Gatsby killing a man, being involved in crimes, and bootlegging is false, but now that he's associated with and doing business with a famous gambler, Nick (and thus the audience) starts to suspect the rumors to be true.

2. What does the backstory about Jay and Daisy's past do to our impressions of Gatsby?
Learning Gatsby's past with Daisy seems to help us understand Gatsby more. He also seems to be a bit more normal because now we know that there's something he yearns for and we also know the reasons behind his lavish parties. His backstory with Daisy makes us like Gatsby more because he seemed to be a romantic soldier and has waited for his love for 5 years.

3. What does the rest of Gatsby's past do to our impressions of him?
After finding out that he lost all of his family, we find sympathy for him. It helps us, as the audience, to understand a little better that he's strange and mysterious because of all the pain he had to endure. It also makes us feel sorry for him because he describes how he turned to jewels, gold, and rubies to try to forget the pain he was in.

4. How does your overall impression of Gatsby change over these three chapters- do you like him more, less, and why?
In the last three chapters, we find out a lot more about Gatsby. We find out that he's been waiting and longing for Daisy for the past five years and we also find out that he lost all of his family before the war. However, we also find out that he might be associated with shady business. I have grown to like Gatsby more over the past few chapters because he seems to be less of a figure and more an actual person.

Gatsby's Party Music

The music is lively and comfortable. I could imagine it at one of Gatsby's grand parties because it seems like it'd be very easy for people to socialize with this in the background. Also, it seems like fun and happy music that people could dance to. It's not too loud or disruptive and it's very upbeat. I could imagine this music playing at an event where everyone is dressed up and laughing or gossiping. The music would definitely work for one of Gatsby's parties.

The Great Gatsby #1

In the first three chapters of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, we are introduced to several characters whom we can label as hero, antihero, or villain. So far in the book, I would say that Nick Carraway is both the hero and antihero. He shares similar morals and values as people in our society. He describes himself as "one of the few honest people..." and in the beginning he states that he does not judge others. This allows people in our society to generally like him. However, as we keep reading, he seems to shift almost towards being an anti-hero because he keeps saying that Jordan Baker is dishonest and the party Tom takes him to is unmoral however he is captivated by them and unable to pull himself away. I think Tom, so far, is the villain in the story. When we are first introduced to Tom, he seems arrogant and rude. Also, as we keep reading, we find out that Tom has a lover in New York who is also married. These characteristics of Tom cause us to view him in a negative way. I think Gatsby is also a hero in the story. Through the descriptions Nick gives us about Gatsby, he seems to be a remarkable and fascinating character. First off, Nick says (about Gatsby), "there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life". This quote shows that even though Gatsby is a mystery to Nick, there's something "gorgeous" and good about him. Later in the book, we also find that Gatsby served in the war. Because people in our society are naturally inclined to revere people who serve for our country, Gatsby seems even more of a hero.

Bua Paintings

-What is the style?
Bua's painting style is a mix between abstract and realism. He paints realistic settings and environments however he uses bent and unnatural lines to portray his figures. He also likes to elongate his figures making many of the subjects in the paintings seem skinnier than they probably are. He uses muddy colors and organic shapes in all of his paintings which make his paintings seem almost animated.

"Sixteen Military Wives"

- What is the song about?
This song is about the small percentage of Americans who suffer because of our government and our society. The small percentage of military wives are hopeless under the hands of the "cannibal kings" (the government) who control their husbands' actions and lives. Also, the celebrity minds are hopeless under the "cannibal kings" (the media) who portray the celebrities in only the ways that society wants to see them.
- What is the theme of the song?
Our country isn't as great as people think. Even though most people have the freedom to do as they like, there's a small percentage of people who have no control over their lives/the lives of their loved ones and they suffer because of that.

"Race for the Prize"

What is the theme of the song?
There are people in the world devoted their entire lives to bettering mankind. These people sacrifice their own lives to move our species one step forward. In the song, the instrumentation and tune makes the song seem happy but the lyrics seem sad. This is to show that these people are willing and wanting to put their own lives in danger for everyone else, they aren't forced to sacrifice they're own lives. I think this song also wants to show that individual people are not very important in the grand scheme of the world. The lyrics say that there are scientists fighting to reach a prize even if it kills them, and then it says "they're just humans". This shows that the loss of an individual isn't nearly as important as an improvement for our entire species.

Death Penalty Essays

Mencken and Kroll used two very different approaches to persuade their audience. In their arguments, Mencken was almost completely logos while Kroll used mainly pathos. In Mencken's essay, he spends the majority of the time explaining 'katharsis' to support his claim (directly) that capital punishment is justified in certain circumstances, whereas Kroll uses a personal anecdote to indirectly show his opposition towards the way executions are carried out. Kroll's argument is much more effective because instead of using logic and facts to state an opinion, he gives an emotional account of the impact of the issue. For example, in Mencken's essay, the last paragraph starts off with, "the wait, I believe, is horribly cruel". These words have hardly any effect on readers. It's common sense that waiting to be executed is not pleasant and Mencken's argument gives no support for how it is "horribly cruel". Saying the same exact message, Kroll writes, "when they brought Robert in, he was grim-faced, tired and ashen. Beyond the horror of having stood at the brink of the abyss just two and a half hours before, he had been up for several days and nights. He was under horrific pressure". Kroll's argument of the same message is much more effective because instead of thinking of a hypothetical criminal, Kroll provides us with an image of a real person that has gone through the slow wait to be executed. Kroll uses the method of painting a picture for us through descriptions, whereas Mencken only leads us through a series of logical thought. Because pictures stand out much more in our memory than a single train of logic, Kroll's essay is much more effective.

JFK Speech: Fallacy

In John F. Kennedy's inauguration speech, I found an example of a non sequitur fallacy in the last sentence of the eighth paragraph when he says "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich". This is an example of a non sequitur fallacy because the conclusion (a free society that cannot save the few who are rich) does not follow the established premises (a free society that cannot help the many who are poor). The conclusion is irrelevant to the first statement, the logic does not follow, therefore it is non sequitur. However, this example of fallacy is beneficial to the speech as a whole because it implies that Kennedy wants to satisfy the needs of all (the poor and the rich).

Duck and Cover Video

- Overt message? The overt message is that atomic bombs can explode at any time and people need to know how to protect themselves in all situations. I also think the video is trying to say that the government (the civil service people) is here to help and protect citizens in every way possible, in this case it would be by informing the citizens.

- Covert message? I don't think there is a covert message in this video.

- Propaganda/persuasion or informative? I think this video was strictly informative. I don't think the producers of the video where trying to persuade or convey a hidden message, I think they simply wanted to inform young students of all the ways they could be best protected when exposed to potential danger of an atomic bomb explosion.

Propaganda Video

- Overt message? Oil is a great resource. We use it for all different kinds of purposes and it's in many different products that we buy. But, it is also very hard to find. Competition pushes the motive to find more oil, and therefore we get more products out of the oil drilled.

- Covert message? This video is pushing individuality and freedom to do as one likes. In the video, the leader of the martians is against competition and individuality and he is also seen as the antagonist. Also, the video stresses the need for people to go out and compete to achieve more for your "industry" (which is again, your individuality and prosperity). I also think the video is sending a message that the United States is a model nation for others countries and the US is what others should strive for. I think this is the covert message because it is never said straight-forwardly, however, every prospect of our daily lives is marveled by the alien.

- Is the video propaganda or persuasion? I think the video is propaganda because the video not only persuades people that drilling oil is great, it also gets people to think about how individuality pushes competition, which then turns into rapid achievements. The video uses glittering generalities to make their message seem better than it is.

"Propaganda"

- What is the overt message?
The overt message is "eat less bread". This is shown by the woman standing in the picture carrying a soup pot. The message is very clear that the creators of the ad want people to eat less bread.

- What is the covert message?
The covert message is that people need to change. At a time when most people mainly ate bread, the ad tells people to eat less, meaning they have to find something else to eat and change their habits. I think message says this is because they want to get people to start thinking about change, to start creating new ideas and advancements. Change is the key to victory, the key to winning the war.

- How does the disparity between the two make it propaganda?
Instead of straight out telling people that change will bring them victory, they disguise it with a comparison the the kitchen, making it a covert message. They are trying to persuade people without them realizing it, they are trying to get people to think about change, this is why it's propaganda.

"Clampdown" the Clash

- What is the song about? How do you know?
I thought the song was about the Holocaust. I thought because in the song, the man who doesn't fit in is assumed to be a Jew. Also, the lyrics say "no man born with a living soul can be working for the clampdown." The people working for the clampdown would have been the Nazis and they treated the Jews in a very inhuman manner. It also says "stop wasting your time, there's nothing coming, only a fool would think someone could save you." During the time of the Holocaust, the situation seemed pretty hopeless like the singer mentions.

- What music elements add to your lyrical interpretation?
The beat of the song is very steady and fast making the song seem extremely structured. This can be connected to the Nazis who were very structured and uniformed.

- How does it relate to propaganda, rhetoric, and persuasion?
There's one particular line in the song that struck me as a connection to propaganda. That would be when he says "we train our blue-eyed men to be believers". Instead of saying the blue-eyed men ARE believers, he says that they have to train them to become believers, this makes it seem as if they're forcing them to believe in what they say.

Rhetoric/Propaganda/Persuasion Quote

Quote: 1033 "To the academician, the language of the reporter is excessively casual, trivializing, and simple-minded, if not downright wrong or silly. To the journalist, the language of the academicians is excessively passive, technical, and complication, if not downright wordy or pompous. ... Academic language strives to be informative and accurate. ... To the reporter, though, the result sounds like nitpicking; it encumbers the research with so many qualifications and exceptions that the results seem meaningless." Carol Tavris

In this quote, Tavris explains that there are two different types of using language to convey a message or an argument. The first, the language of reporters, focuses completely on emotions and rhetoric devices to persuade or inform. Tavris also explains that this causes academicians to view them as "simple-minded" and inaccurate, which may also make them seem ignorant or "silly". The second type of language, the language of academicians, does not use rhetoric devices or emotions to persuade but rather it is strictly factual and statistical. The evidence and support is extremely concrete, however, to a reporter the argument often seems "wordy or pompous" and may even cause the message to seem meaningless. With this said, I think Tavris is trying to convey that the most successful way of using our language is to incorporate both rhetoric devices AND informative facts. This way, the argument will not be overwhelmed with research and yet, it will certainly not be dismissed as "simple-minded". Therefore, the strongest argument will be one that includes both rhetoric devices to persuade and irrefutable evidence to support.