Plato used the cave as a metaphor to explain the difference between reality and illusion. In his discourse, he identified people as being held prisoners inside this cave by regular societys erroneous views and beliefs about reality. He explains that they have been bound and forced to look at the cave wall in front of them rather than the mouth of the cave where the light flows in another metaphor for enlightenment or revelation. A fire is lit behind them which casts shadows on the cave wall as object pass by it. The prisoners eventually liken these shadows to being real entities and soon inform and build their worldview according to these forms. Plato sees the philosopher as one who has escaped the bounds of the cave and emerged from the darkness of the cave into the light, thus finding uncovering the real world. The ones who do escape from the cave are considered by Plato as being true philosopher or wisdom lovers. In his work, The Republic, he constructs the ideal state in which consists of three main categories on people workers warriors and philosophers.
These three groups come together to create a utopian system in which the philosophers are the rulers hence the term, Philosopher King. Such individuals are hard to find because only selected few are capable of going beyond societal norms and truly seek to understand the world around them. True wisdom comes from a deeply sensitive observation of the world which requires great insight and discipline the likes of which cannot be achieved by most people operating in regular society. Even if some individuals manage to turn away from the shadows on the cave walls, many would be too frightened by the bright light shining in from the mouth and turn back. The pursuit of academic knowledge is also obviously enhanced by gaining freedom from the cave. True perception of the world opens up many avenues through which wisdom runs and cannot all be mastered simultaneously. Plato proposes that each of his academics be rulers turn by turn so that each area of knowledge can be explored and imparted to the utopian society that he envisions.
Art 2
This truth that Plato seeks to uncover is a global understanding of reality. It entails discarding baseless beliefs, preconceived notions and fears. According to Plato, what we perceive to be reality is in fact merely a collage of foggy interpretations of it. The truth is what lies beneath these interpretations the true forms of the world. Plato is trying to get us to understand this difference the difference between shadow and object or one aspect and the whole. The light of the sun refers to the new found, enlightened perspective that a person can bask in if he can free himself from the bondage of the cave. Plato claims that those who get out of the cave would go back in to rescue the other captives. He would appeal to them by narrating incidents that take place in the real world. This may or may not be successful in swaying them. According to me, the truth cannot be described or explained in its entirety. A person has to experience the change and challenge his mind in order to gain wisdom.
The physical appearance and mental attitudes on the Spartans in 300 match the courageous, fierce and martial nature of their warrior clan. They are in prime shape physically both young and middle-aged men are muscular, agile and quick. The hard training process that they endure from the time they turn eight moulds them into fighting machines, designed for warfare. Their strength is not limited to physical ability they are shown to possess mental strength in equal measure. They are ready to give up everything to protect what they love and uphold what they believe in. Their clever military strategy also testifies to their mental abilities. The enemy that threatens to conquer the Spartans, the Persians, is shown to be a more corrupt, self-indulgent race. Their leader, Xerxes, is shown to grant those who show obeisance to him any whim that they may want fulfilled. He himself is shown as a power hungry ruler who revels in overt displays of wealth and pomp.
Three specific scenes that stood out for me are as follows
Art 3
The scene in which a young Leonidas battles the wolf to complete his training as a warrior. This scene stood out because it captured the intensity and fierceness of the Spartan outlook and the rigours that a warrior must endure before being absorbed into their society.
The scene that unfolds at the temple atop the mountain where the Oracle is housed. The sharp contrast of the covetous and corrupt priests with the otherwise noble and passionate Spartans made this scene stand out.
The climatic scene in which Leonidas throws the spear at Xerxes. It felt like the whole movie was leading up to this one point. The open show of aggression and defiance in the face of Xerxes epitomizes the Spartan resolve and integrity.
The pace of the movie is fast and never flags. Right from the beginning, domestic scenes are inter-cut with montages or narrative sequences that hold your attention. Once the war begins, there is no question of the pace slowing down. After the battle begins, the action sequences dominate most of the movie. The slow, drawn out final showdown between Xerxes and Leonidus cleverly contrasts the otherwise fast paced movie and lends it the notion of an epic moment. The music in the movie comes to the fore during these drawn out moments. A variety of choir and solo voices are used to enhance the visual. Some of the music is reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings and Gladiator. The serene music adds weight to the dramatically poised moments on screen. The music during the action sequences makes use of mostly percussive sounds and brass instrument swells and hits.
The film is visually magnificent. The shading and tones are dark and deep, lending the visuals their sharpness. The colours also used in the movie center around the reds of the Spartans indicating war, the white robes of the women, suggesting purity, the black of the Persian army, suggesting darkness and the gaudy, gold tones of Xerxes, symbolizing his covetousness and greed. The scenery matches the epic proportions of the movie.
Art 4
The open plains of Sparta, the cliff-face and the ocean front create a sense of freedom and space that one associates with the Spartans. The movie does not seem to have any direct correlation with the political or cultural activities of today. The situation in the film is reflected to an extent in the China-Tibet crisis, but there has been no armed resilience on Tibets part. The womens role in the Spartan society was, as the Queen herself claims, to bear Spartan men. They are as shown to be as mentally strong as their male counterparts defending their honour with equal ferocity. The Queens role extends to politics as seen when she addresses the house and asks them to send Leonidas military support.
There are four main characters in, Snow Falling on Cedars Ishmael Chambers, Hatsue Imada, Kazuo Miyamoto and Carl Heine. Each of these characters struggles with issues that linger in the aftermath of the Second World War. Ishmael Chambers, the protagonist of the film, works for a local newspaper in San Piedro. The major issues that plague his existence are the loss of his arm in the War, the heartbreak of being rejected by Hatsue Imada and his consequent isolation and loneliness. Furthermore, he grapples with existential issues centering on the nature of judgment and fate. He struggles to make a decision as to whether he should share evidence in court which will exonerate Kazuo Hatsues Japanese husband. Hatsue struggles to reconcile the two different worldviews that she is forced to consider being Japanese girl growing up in a white-dominated society. She finds it extremely difficult to choose between her mothers ideals of behaving in a way that is in harmony with societal constraints and pressures and the carefree, hedonistic attitude that her lover, Ishmael adopts. Hatsue enjoys a relationship with Ishmael but settles for marrying Kazuo as per her mothers wishes. She continues to struggle with this dissonance through the course of the movie. Kazuo is haunted by the experiences of the War and finds himself rankled by the guilt of killing Germans. He cannot accept the fact that he was doing his job as a soldier and begins to wonder whether he has a right to be free. When Carl Heine is killed, he is mistakenly held responsible but Kazuo dies little to contest it. He regards his imprisonment as the outcome of his sins during the War. He is torn between the guilt of his past and the promise of a future that his family represents. Carl Heine is an important character mainly because the movie centers on the trial that unfolds after his killing. During his life, he struggles to reconcile his prejudice against Japanese people and his childhood experiences with Kazuo. Ishmael specific dilemma is his struggle to decide whether or not he should provide evidence in court that will exonerate Kazuo, the husband of his ex-lover, Hatsue. His bitterness and resentment over their break-up creates this conflict within him. The film moves at a pace that is slower than 300. It reflects more of the mental trauma and elements of the characters rather than physical events. The scenery throughout the movie supplements the inner state of the characters.
The snowstorm covers the island in snow and creates white, cold images suggesting the numbness the characters suffer post the war. The scenes involving Carl Heines boat are played out in the fog that settles over the water suggesting the role of chance and fate in shaping events. If it hadnt been for the fog, Heine would not have been led into the treacherous part of the waters. The lighting highlights the whites and blues and creates shadowy figures. The use of light makes the images very stark.
The music varies in the film from the use of powerful choral voices such as the track, Tarawa to serene string pieces. The dramatic scenes are accompanied by the former while the string pieces accompany the tenderer, introspective moments in the film such as the intimate moments shared by Hatsue and Ishmael in the cedar tree. Some pieces like, Lost in the Fog are haunting, accompanying the scene very well. The forest in the film symbolizes a getaway from society a place where Ishmael and Hatsue can express their love freely without the intrusion of any societal forces.
Art 6
The dead fish may represent the impossibility of gaining shelter from the reality of the present while reviving the bliss of the past. The two films, 300 and Snow Falling on Cedars, are very different in their subject and treatment. They are similar in two aspects music and imagery. Both soundtracks are dramatic and rely on voices for impact. The two movies also depict scenes of great beauty and proportions.
These three groups come together to create a utopian system in which the philosophers are the rulers hence the term, Philosopher King. Such individuals are hard to find because only selected few are capable of going beyond societal norms and truly seek to understand the world around them. True wisdom comes from a deeply sensitive observation of the world which requires great insight and discipline the likes of which cannot be achieved by most people operating in regular society. Even if some individuals manage to turn away from the shadows on the cave walls, many would be too frightened by the bright light shining in from the mouth and turn back. The pursuit of academic knowledge is also obviously enhanced by gaining freedom from the cave. True perception of the world opens up many avenues through which wisdom runs and cannot all be mastered simultaneously. Plato proposes that each of his academics be rulers turn by turn so that each area of knowledge can be explored and imparted to the utopian society that he envisions.
Art 2
This truth that Plato seeks to uncover is a global understanding of reality. It entails discarding baseless beliefs, preconceived notions and fears. According to Plato, what we perceive to be reality is in fact merely a collage of foggy interpretations of it. The truth is what lies beneath these interpretations the true forms of the world. Plato is trying to get us to understand this difference the difference between shadow and object or one aspect and the whole. The light of the sun refers to the new found, enlightened perspective that a person can bask in if he can free himself from the bondage of the cave. Plato claims that those who get out of the cave would go back in to rescue the other captives. He would appeal to them by narrating incidents that take place in the real world. This may or may not be successful in swaying them. According to me, the truth cannot be described or explained in its entirety. A person has to experience the change and challenge his mind in order to gain wisdom.
The physical appearance and mental attitudes on the Spartans in 300 match the courageous, fierce and martial nature of their warrior clan. They are in prime shape physically both young and middle-aged men are muscular, agile and quick. The hard training process that they endure from the time they turn eight moulds them into fighting machines, designed for warfare. Their strength is not limited to physical ability they are shown to possess mental strength in equal measure. They are ready to give up everything to protect what they love and uphold what they believe in. Their clever military strategy also testifies to their mental abilities. The enemy that threatens to conquer the Spartans, the Persians, is shown to be a more corrupt, self-indulgent race. Their leader, Xerxes, is shown to grant those who show obeisance to him any whim that they may want fulfilled. He himself is shown as a power hungry ruler who revels in overt displays of wealth and pomp.
Three specific scenes that stood out for me are as follows
Art 3
The scene in which a young Leonidas battles the wolf to complete his training as a warrior. This scene stood out because it captured the intensity and fierceness of the Spartan outlook and the rigours that a warrior must endure before being absorbed into their society.
The scene that unfolds at the temple atop the mountain where the Oracle is housed. The sharp contrast of the covetous and corrupt priests with the otherwise noble and passionate Spartans made this scene stand out.
The climatic scene in which Leonidas throws the spear at Xerxes. It felt like the whole movie was leading up to this one point. The open show of aggression and defiance in the face of Xerxes epitomizes the Spartan resolve and integrity.
The pace of the movie is fast and never flags. Right from the beginning, domestic scenes are inter-cut with montages or narrative sequences that hold your attention. Once the war begins, there is no question of the pace slowing down. After the battle begins, the action sequences dominate most of the movie. The slow, drawn out final showdown between Xerxes and Leonidus cleverly contrasts the otherwise fast paced movie and lends it the notion of an epic moment. The music in the movie comes to the fore during these drawn out moments. A variety of choir and solo voices are used to enhance the visual. Some of the music is reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings and Gladiator. The serene music adds weight to the dramatically poised moments on screen. The music during the action sequences makes use of mostly percussive sounds and brass instrument swells and hits.
The film is visually magnificent. The shading and tones are dark and deep, lending the visuals their sharpness. The colours also used in the movie center around the reds of the Spartans indicating war, the white robes of the women, suggesting purity, the black of the Persian army, suggesting darkness and the gaudy, gold tones of Xerxes, symbolizing his covetousness and greed. The scenery matches the epic proportions of the movie.
Art 4
The open plains of Sparta, the cliff-face and the ocean front create a sense of freedom and space that one associates with the Spartans. The movie does not seem to have any direct correlation with the political or cultural activities of today. The situation in the film is reflected to an extent in the China-Tibet crisis, but there has been no armed resilience on Tibets part. The womens role in the Spartan society was, as the Queen herself claims, to bear Spartan men. They are as shown to be as mentally strong as their male counterparts defending their honour with equal ferocity. The Queens role extends to politics as seen when she addresses the house and asks them to send Leonidas military support.
There are four main characters in, Snow Falling on Cedars Ishmael Chambers, Hatsue Imada, Kazuo Miyamoto and Carl Heine. Each of these characters struggles with issues that linger in the aftermath of the Second World War. Ishmael Chambers, the protagonist of the film, works for a local newspaper in San Piedro. The major issues that plague his existence are the loss of his arm in the War, the heartbreak of being rejected by Hatsue Imada and his consequent isolation and loneliness. Furthermore, he grapples with existential issues centering on the nature of judgment and fate. He struggles to make a decision as to whether he should share evidence in court which will exonerate Kazuo Hatsues Japanese husband. Hatsue struggles to reconcile the two different worldviews that she is forced to consider being Japanese girl growing up in a white-dominated society. She finds it extremely difficult to choose between her mothers ideals of behaving in a way that is in harmony with societal constraints and pressures and the carefree, hedonistic attitude that her lover, Ishmael adopts. Hatsue enjoys a relationship with Ishmael but settles for marrying Kazuo as per her mothers wishes. She continues to struggle with this dissonance through the course of the movie. Kazuo is haunted by the experiences of the War and finds himself rankled by the guilt of killing Germans. He cannot accept the fact that he was doing his job as a soldier and begins to wonder whether he has a right to be free. When Carl Heine is killed, he is mistakenly held responsible but Kazuo dies little to contest it. He regards his imprisonment as the outcome of his sins during the War. He is torn between the guilt of his past and the promise of a future that his family represents. Carl Heine is an important character mainly because the movie centers on the trial that unfolds after his killing. During his life, he struggles to reconcile his prejudice against Japanese people and his childhood experiences with Kazuo. Ishmael specific dilemma is his struggle to decide whether or not he should provide evidence in court that will exonerate Kazuo, the husband of his ex-lover, Hatsue. His bitterness and resentment over their break-up creates this conflict within him. The film moves at a pace that is slower than 300. It reflects more of the mental trauma and elements of the characters rather than physical events. The scenery throughout the movie supplements the inner state of the characters.
The snowstorm covers the island in snow and creates white, cold images suggesting the numbness the characters suffer post the war. The scenes involving Carl Heines boat are played out in the fog that settles over the water suggesting the role of chance and fate in shaping events. If it hadnt been for the fog, Heine would not have been led into the treacherous part of the waters. The lighting highlights the whites and blues and creates shadowy figures. The use of light makes the images very stark.
The music varies in the film from the use of powerful choral voices such as the track, Tarawa to serene string pieces. The dramatic scenes are accompanied by the former while the string pieces accompany the tenderer, introspective moments in the film such as the intimate moments shared by Hatsue and Ishmael in the cedar tree. Some pieces like, Lost in the Fog are haunting, accompanying the scene very well. The forest in the film symbolizes a getaway from society a place where Ishmael and Hatsue can express their love freely without the intrusion of any societal forces.
Art 6
The dead fish may represent the impossibility of gaining shelter from the reality of the present while reviving the bliss of the past. The two films, 300 and Snow Falling on Cedars, are very different in their subject and treatment. They are similar in two aspects music and imagery. Both soundtracks are dramatic and rely on voices for impact. The two movies also depict scenes of great beauty and proportions.
No comments:
Post a Comment