To See and Not See Essay Example for Free

To See and Not See Essay Have you ever been blind and then regained your sight even for a little while? Here’s another interesting question. If you have been blind and regained your sight for just a little while then, how would you think and how would you feel? It is imaginable that you might experience happiness and excitement at being able to see a world that had been hidden from you for so long; then, after a bit you might experience anger and frustration because of the difficulty adjusting to life as a sighted person. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that these and many other emotions were felt by Virgil, Amy, and his family when he regained his sight after being blind for most of his life. However, despite an operation to regain his sight Virgil loses his sight again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both the book To See and Not See by Oliver Sacks and the dramatic movie called Love at First Sight starring Val Kilmer as Virgil and Mira Sorvino as Amy tell Virgil’s remarkable story as his travels from darkness to light back to darkness again. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the story and the movie. In addition, I will provide some personal reflection concerning how I would function in everyday life if I were blind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The movie called At First Sight and the story To See and Not See has many differences. Some differences between the story and the movie are important to how the reader/viewer makes note of the key differences and some differences between the story and the movie aren’t important to how the reader/viewer look at the differences between the two mediums. There are many case studies of other blind people who have regained their sight for a while just like Virgil’s case. In fact, the story illustrated these other case studies such as a patient who went by the initials H.S. in order to compare and track Virgil progress and regression after the operation (Sacks, 1994, 10). The movie didn’t talk about other people who had been blind almost the entire lives and then regained their sight for a short time. This difference isn’t important to the evaluation of the two mediums.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In contrast, there is a difference between the story and the movie that does make an important difference in looking at the key points between the two genres. In the story Virgil and Amy had met and dated many years before they met again and ultimately married and in the movie Amy and Virgil had never met before they met at the spa. In addition, Amy in the movie had never been married and Amy in the story had been married before when she met Virgil. This is an important difference because some people when they have gone through life changing events such as moving and divorce would contact someone they liked and felt comfortable around. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that Amy would contact Virgil who she had dated before and felt comfortable with him. Also, the fact that in the story Amy and Virgil got married and in the movie Amy and Virgil are just dating make a huge difference because married people might stay together in times of crisis and a dating couple may decide that being together in times of crisis isn’t worth it and they may break up.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, I think that the fact that Amy has health problems in the story and she doesn’t have health problems in the movie provides her with different motivations for Virgil having the operation to restore his vision. In the movie At First Sight, Amy motivation for Virgil having the operation may be grounded in the fact that they are involved in a new love relationship. Also, she could wish Virgil to have the eye surgery because she is a perfectionist and if he has the operation to restore he will be perfect in her eyes (At First Sight, 1999). In the movie it seems as if Amy equates having the operation with having the â€Å"perfect† life with Virgil. In contrast, Amy in the story has health problems herself such as diabetes and asthma. In fact, Amy had to quit her job as a botanist due to her asthma (Sacks, 1994, 5). In the story, it seems as if Amy’s motivation for Virgil having the operation involves trying to help Virgil get better using the doctors that Amy uses to help her with her eye check ups due to diabetes (Sacks, 1994, 5). Due to the different motivations that prevail for Virgil having the operation the viewer of the movie might see Amy as selfish whereas the reader might feel for Amy and root for her and Virgil because of their health problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I think that it is hard to give a concrete answer to the question whether operations to restore sight should be performed. It seems as if both in the movie and in the story Virgil had more problems when he could see than when he was blind. In the story when Virgil was blind he enjoyed life more because he loved going to the zoo to touch the gorillas and the giraffes. He also loved listening to baseball games when he was blind. However, when he could see and he went to the zoo he wasn’t allowed to touch any of the animals. Therefore he didn’t enjoy the zoo. Also, he lost his job due to complications from the operation (Sacks, 1994, 15, 20). Therefore, it seems that Virgil had freedom and independence when he was blind and he acted like a scared little child when he could see a bit. In fact, in the movie Virgil screams when he hears loud horns and sees bright colored cars coming at him (At First Sight, 1999). Therefore, based on these two examples it would seem that there needs to be more discussion and thought before allowing operations that restore sight. I think that people who have had their sight restored should have the option to have a Seeing Eye dog until they adjust to the world as a sighted person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If I were blind then, I would have to have to have much help in learning to adjust to not being able to see. I am an avid reader and I love to cook and bake. Therefore, it would be hard getting used to reading with my hands and learning a different way of cooking and baking. I would be frustrated if I regained my sight and then lost it again I feel for Virgil in both the story and as I watched the movie. However, I felt more sympathy for Amy in the story rather than Amy in the movie. I think the moral of both the story and the movie is sight doesn’t always give you the freedom or perfection that you seek.

Much Ado About Nothing Essay: Love Found and Conflict Resolved

Love Found and Conflict Resolved in Much Ado About Nothing      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Much Ado About Nothing is a lighthearted play that Shakespeare wrote between 1598 and 1600. It has been described as one of his "more mature romantic comedies" (Bevington, 216). This play focuses on two different relationships, formed by two pairs of lovers. The comparison between how people went about getting married back then and how they do it now is similar in some ways. Much Ado About Nothing portrays the manner in which people fall in love, the way they interact with each other and how they manage to get through the rough times without changing their love for one another. The two couples include the young ladies, who are cousins, Beatrice and Hero, and the gentlemen, Claudio and Benedick. There is a lot of obvious love between Hero and Claudio and he has come to claim her as his own. However, there is some bad blood that runs between Benedick and his Beatrice. Little do they know that they are made for each other.    Messina, Italy, a small province facing the Straits of Messina, in northeastern Sicily, at the estate of the governor of Messina, Leonato is where this play is set. "Don Pedro of Aragon and his men are returning from a series of wars; stopping to visit Leonato, where they make plans to spend the next month. Among the group are Don John (Don Pedro's bastard brother who once led an unsuccessful revolt against him), young Claudio, and Benedick. The young men are reacquainted with Leonato's beautiful daughter Hero, and his spirited niece Beatrice...and once again, the verbal sparks fly between Beatrice and Benedick. Yet Claudio's fascination with Hero is born out of love, not scorn" (http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/1743/ado.html)... ...d Beatrice decide to get married at the same time as Claudio and Hero. In the end, everyone is happy, as expected. Hero and Claudio get what they want, and so do the other two lovers. This is one of the more light-hearted of Shakespeare's plays. It has all the elements of fun, family responsibility, and love. The main problem, the conflict between Beatrice and Benedick, is resolved.    Works Cited Bevington, David. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. 4th ed. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1992. Halliday, F.E. A Shakespeare Comparison. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1952. "An Analysis of Much Ado About Nothing." http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~babydoll/coursematerial/fall96/fallstudentwork/jbpublic_html/maana.html (16 April 2000). "Ye Olde Plot Summary: Much Ado About Nothing." http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/1743/ado.html (16 April 2000).

Fences, August Wilson

As illustrative of the kind of analysis I would bring to Fences, by August Wilson, if my bid to direct is successful, O prose to take direction for a part of Act 1, Scene 3 of the play. This will include possible blocking, camera work, music, and what the actor should be feeling and experiencing while acting the part. I will examine how crucial it is that the actors portray their characters effectively, and I will offer commentary to assure just that.On the basis of these findings I will determine the function of this scene in the whole play and how the characters and ensuing events of play are necessarily different because of the presence of this scene and the manner in which its conflicts are resolved. To set the scene, Troy and Cory are debating with one another Cory’s goals and aspirations in life. It is Cory’s dream to play football, to receive a scholarship to play at North Carolina. In Troy’s eyes, his son is wasting his time.Using his experience and his p ast ventures in the sports world when he was younger, Troy has created this illusion that black men would never thrive and succeed in professional sports. He says, â€Å"The colored guy got to be as twice as good before he get on the team. That’s why I don’t want you to get all tied up in them sports†. Instead of pursuing a failed career, Troy wants Cory to work in the A&P and learn a trade such as fixing cars or building homes. Cory is in disbelief that his dad would deny his dreams and aspirations. TROY. You damn right you are!And ain’t no need for nobody coming around here to talk to me about singing nothing. *distraught, the feeling one should feel when a football game should have been won, when victory was imminent, but with seconds left the opposing team somehow pulls of a miracle play to win the game themselves. Cory should feel that his dreams are so close to beginning but in fact over because his dad refuses to support him* -camera zooms in on a distraught and shocked cory- CORY. (softly) Hey, Pop †¦ you can’t do that. He’s coming all the way from North Carolina. TROY. (almost chuckling, firm) I don’t care where he coming from. walks up to Cory and gets in his face, almost asserting himself directly, as to make a crucial point) The white man ain’t gonna let you get nowhere with that football no way. You go on and get your book-learning so you can work yourself up in that A&P or lean how to fix cars or build houses or something, get you a trade. That way you have something can’t nobody take away from you. You go on and learn how to put your hands to some good use. Besides hauling people’s garbage. -camera focuses right back to Cory’s face- CORY. (almost pleading) I get good grades, Pop. That’s why the recruiter wants to talk to with you.You got to keep up your grades to get recruited. This way I’ll be going to college. I’ll get a chance †¦ -camer a zooms out to capture Troy turning his back on Cory, doing something entirely irrelevant- *at this point the actor playing Troy should almost be done with arguing with Cory, so sure on his stance that any word coming out of Cory could never convince him letting his son play football. The actor should feel annoyed that the argument is still going, because he should feel that no more talking is necessary. What’s decided has been decided* TROY. (interrupting) First you gonna get your butt down there to the A&P and get your job back.CORY. (annoyed that his father is not understanding him) Mr. Stawicki done already hired somebody else cause I told him I was playing football. TROY. (stunned turns back around and confronts Cory) You a bigger fool that I thought †¦ to let somebody take away your job so you can play football. Where you gonna get your money to take out your girlfriend and whatnot? What kind of foolishness is that to let somebody take away your job? *Troy should f eel almost hopeless for Cory, that he feels like a bad father for letting his son think that it was okay for him to give up his job.For Troy, a job meant a steady income, the crucial number determining the future of life. For example, taking care of the family and girlfriend. Losing a job to someone else means to lose the meaning of life to Troy, and he feels disgusted his son has done this* CORY. (a bit naive) I’m still gonna be working weekends. TROY. (not having any of his son’s foolishness) Naw †¦ naw. You getting your butt out of here and finding you another job. CORY. (again, pleading) Come on, Pop! I got to practice. I can’t work after school and play football too. The team needs me. That’s what Coach Zellman say †¦ TROY. yelling, declaring himself the alpha male, making himself heard) –camera captures takes of Rose in the house, hearing him yelling- I don’t care what nobody else say. I’m the boss †¦ you understa nd? I’m the boss around here. I do the only saying what counts. CORY. Come on Pop! (throws hands up in extreme frustration) TROY. I asked you †¦ did you understand? CORY. Yeah †¦ TROY. What?! CORY. (a little defeated) Yessir. TROY. You go on down there to that A&P and see if you can get your job back. If you can’t do both †¦ then you quit the football team. You’ve go to take the crookeds with the straights. CORY. hurt) –camera holds still on Troy and Cory in the shot- *at this point, a full 5 second pause should be experienced, to set up Cory’s loaded question. He doesn’t understand why his father is treating him in this way, denying his hopes and dreams* Can I ask you a question? TROY. What the hell you wanna ask me? Mr. Stawicki the one you got the question for. CORY. (3 second pause, looks at Troy and scans him for attention) How come you ain’t never liked me? *Troy is a little taken back from this loaded question hi s son has proposed to him, but instead of feeling compassion, he starts to rant and start an outburst*TROY. (after another pause) Liked you? Who the hell say I got to like you? What law is there say I got to like you? Wanna stand up in my face and ask a damn fool-ass question like that. Talking about liking somebody. Come here, boy, when I talk to you. -camera shifts as Cory has begun to distance himself from his father, but snaps back into his father’s grip as he gravitates back toward Troy to listen to his rant. Cory should seem as he is starting to regret asking this question- TROY. Straighten up, god dammit! I asked you a question †¦ what law is there say I go to like you? CORY. coldly, as if one is responding to a monotonous interactive children’s TV show ) None. TROY. Well, all right then! Don’t you eat every day? (short pause, Troy does not mean to pose a rhetorical question, wants Cory to answer, but he does not) Answer me when I talk to you! Donâ⠂¬â„¢t you eat every day? CORY. (coldly, this time almost bitter and blunt) Yeah. TROY. (fed up with Cory’s disrespect and tone) Nigger, as long as you in my house, you put that sir on the end of it when you talk to me. CORY. (this time, a little mockingly) Yes†¦ sir. TROY. (hammering his point across into Cory’s head) You eat every day.CORY. (now in a marine like tone, but still mockingly, Troy does not pick up on it) Yessir! TROY. Got a roof over your head. CORY. Yessir! TROY. Got clothes on your back. CORY. (no marine tone, tired of the answering) Yessir. TROY. Why you think that is? CORY. Cause of you. TROY. Aw, hell I know it’s cause of me †¦ but why do you think that is? -camera views shot of a Troy ready to go off, almost guaranteeing explosion but still giving Cory a chance to answer a question with no correct answer. CORY. (knowing this, answers hesitantly) Cause you like me. *at this point, Troy has gone mad.He has had enough of his sonâ€⠄¢s foolishness and starts an outburst, ranting, but ranting with no real direction—ranting on emotion and impulse. The point the actor should send across to the audience is that Troy does not have any interest in his son other than assuring he lives with the right essentials—almost as if Cory was a burden, rather than a son. It should not be apparent that Troy actually knows and is processing the words that are coming out of his mouth. Any normal, levelheaded, morally sound father would and should never say what Troy would say next in his rant.In Troy’s mind, Cory is just a responsibility and a nuisance that he needs to take care of. * TROY. Like you? I go out of here every morning†¦ bust my butt.. putting up with them crackers every day†¦ cause I like you? You about the biggest fool I ever saw. (pause) It’s my job. It’s my responsibility! You understand that? A man goes to take care of his family†¦ Don’t you try and go throu gh life worrying about if somebody like you or not. You best be making sure they doing right by you. You understand what I’m saying boy? CORY. *Cory is stunned.His own father, has just told him that he does not love him or like him, or have to, for that matter. Cory, usually with something to say or argue with against his father, after this rant, has nothing left to say. Troy’s words has pierced him through his heart, and he realizes now that he no longer can convince his father to support him in his dreams. He can only respond with one word* Yessir. TROY. (adding insult to injury, giving no remorse for the words he has just spoken to towards his son) Then get the hell out of my face, and get on down to that A&P. end direction- On the basis of my findings and examinations of the scene, I believe the function of this scene shows the relationship of Troy and Cory, and how Cory begins to resent and reject his father more and more. Troy is visibly different, changing from the casual, joking, and laid-back drinking man on Friday nights, to a heartless and stout individual. It shows how his lack of love for his son may reflect on the lack of love for his wife Rose, as we find out later in the play Troy has in fact cheated on his wife.

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