"Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future, and the future is ours"

Media Literacy Rough Draft: Beijing Bicycle

Beijing Bicycle: Social Status and Acceptance

                Beijing Bicycle challenges social roles, social status, and social hierarchy within the  confines  of Beijing, China.  The film focuses on two teenage boys from different social classes who struggle to obtain a higher social status. The film's main protagonist, Guei, is from the countryside; however, recently moved to Beijing to establish a career. He was fortunate to find a job as a courier and given a brand new bicycle that he could keep only after he delivered a certain amount of messages.  The bicycle establishes a sense of social identity and status because, the majority of Beijing residents commute via bicycle. In owning the bike, Guei is free to travel the city as he pleases and he has become a part of the Beijing culture. Unfortunately, shortly after his employment his bike gets stolen. As a result, Guei is fired from his job; however,  begs his boss to keep his job if he finds the bicycle. Through the loss of the bicycle, Guei loses his identity in Beijing culture and social status as a mainstream citizen and his desperate attempt to find his bicycle parallels his need to regain his social status and social identity.

                When Guei loses his bicycle, the film introduces another protagonist named Jian, a teenage boy whose family lives in Beijing. Like Guei, he wants a bicycle but his family isn't able to afford it because his young sister will attend a prestigious school. Jian is a city boy who is surrounded by the Beijing culture and desires a bicycle in order to fit in with his peers and establish a social status.   Unlike Guei, Jian wants to fit into the culture to impress his friends---particularly a girl. Here, is it apparent that because these two young boys come from different social backgrounds, their desires to fit into soc iety are rooted in different reasons. For example, for Guei, the bicycle represents social status and social identity within the Beijing lifestyle of survival---he wants a job, to make a living, and to make sothing of himself that he wasn't able to in the country. Jian, however, perceives the bicycle as a symbol of social acceptance---to impress his peers and fit in with mainstream culture. Jian was never limited to career possibilities, because he was raised in the city; therefore, the bicycle doesn't carry as much weight for him as it does to Guei.

                Through the desperation of owning the bicycle the film exemplifies just how important social status and social acceptance is. Jian's father is unable to buy him a bicycle and instead of accepting that, Jian goes behind his father's back and steals money to buy the bicycle himself. Here, the film exemplifies that social acceptance and status is worth obtaining, even at the expense of family trust. However, when Guei confronts Jian's father, Jian's betrayal is exposed. After his exposure, Jian justifies himself by arguing that his father promised him a bicycle but, didn't keep his word. The bicycle, representing social acceptance and status, is worth more to Jian than family loyalty. Like, Jian, Guei sacrifices a lot to get back his stolen bicycle. He fights against a gang of Jian's friends numerous times and relentlessly pursues Jian. To Guei, the bicycle is his ticket into Beijing culture, success, and social status. Not only is Guei fighting to own the bicycle, he is fighting for a place in society and social identity. Both Guei and Jian sacrifice a lot to own the bicycle because, they both long for social status and social identity.

                Towards the end of the film, after constant battle for the bicycle, Guei and Jian decide to share the bicycle. This compromise illustrates the notion of camaraderie as a success factor for social acceptance and social status. During the film, Guei and Jian were fighting for social acceptance through owning the bicycle. If Guei, a country boy, had the bicycle he also established social acceptance; however, if Jian, a city boy, had the bicycle then he was the one with social acceptance. This back and forth fight for social identity was never successful until the boys decided to share the bicycle; thus granting one another a place amongst Beijing mainstream society.

                The film Beijing bicycle grants its audience with a glimpse inside Beijing culture and what it means to become socially and culturally accepted. For Guei, it means establishing a career

Two Original Poems: "Lost" and "Dear You,"

 

Lost

Let's get lost.

lost in the clouds.

in the sunsets.

in the rain.

Let's get lost.

lost in a stare.

in a touch.

in a kiss.

Let's get lost.

lost in a hope.

in a need.

in a desire.

I want to get lost

in every inch of your skin.

in every inch of your soul.

I want to get lost in you.

I  want never to be found.

 

Dear You,

What makes your soul ache?
What makes your heart pound?
What sets your spirit fee?

Is it the beat of the music,
running through your veins?
Is it the taste of sweet liquid,
that makes you feel sane?

It is the beat of their heart beat
next to your skin?
Is it the taste of their kiss
over again?

Is it the speed of the night sky
when you dance with the stars?
It is the sound of the strings
when you play your guitar?

Is it the speed of sweet life
that fills up you soul?
It is the sound of the sunset,
when you lose all control?

What makes your soul ache?
What makes your heart pound?
What sets your spirit fee?

Is it in you?
Is it them?
Is it in me?

 

Poetry Analysis: "Ricard Cory" by, Edwin Arlington Robinson

Poetry Analysis

February 10, 2014

Richard Cory: The Dark Side of Wealth, Respect, and Success

            The poem, “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson illustrates the notion of faulty perceptions and judgments based on appearance. On the surface, the poem is about a wealthy man named Richard Cory who is highly admired by those around him; however, despite his envious lifestyle and likeable character, he ends up killing himself.  This drastic contradiction between Cory’s outward appearance and his inward struggles illustrate the notion that judgments based on an individual’s appearance and materialistic possessions are fruitless.

                Although the poem ends in the death character Richard Cory, the word choice used and the overall mood of the poem is pleasant. For example, the first stanza sets a pleasant tone using word choice in both denotative and connotative word meanings. The first stanza states:
            "Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
            We people on the pavement looked at him:
            He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
            Clean favored and imperially slim". (Lines 1-4)

Here, the words "sole" and "crown" are used both literally and figuratively. The word "sole" is used
refer to both the sole's of his feet and his actual soul. The word "crown" refers to the crown of his head, as well as a crown of royalty as he was seen as a king to the speaker and the townspeople. This use of figurative language suggests that Richard Cory was a true gentleman down to his soul---he was pure of heart, kind, and good. He was also seen as a king in that he was powerful, respected, and successful (Sweet). This stanza introduces Richard Cory as the man that the people thought he was through pleasant word choice; however, in the third stanza the mood shifts when the speaker reveals the notion that there is a darker side to Richard Cory no one knew.

The poem is a narrative and told from third person perspective which parallels the relationship between the speaker and Richard Cory because, third person narrative suggests a distance between a speaker and a character. This distance is also illustrated through the speaker's faulty perception of Richard Cory, as the speaker doesn't truly know Cory. For example, the speaker observes a man named Richard Cory who is perceived as “having it all” (Kavka).  In the second stanza the speaker states:

            “And he was rich - yes, richer than a king -

And admirably schooled in every grace:

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place (Lines 9-12)”.

Here, Richard Cory is described as rich, educated, and admirable. Those who watched and knew him wanted to be “in his place” However, in the third line within this stanza the speaker states “we thought that he was everything" (line 11). This word choice foreshadows the notion that they were wrong because, they didn’t know he was everything, they only  thought he was everything.  The latter supports the idea that their positive perception of Cory, based on his wealth and education, wasn’t worthy of envy at all.

            In the last stanza the speaker reveals the unfortunate truth that Richard Cory's success, wealth, and good character offered him true happiness. In the very last line, the speaker reveals that Richard Cory killed himself, thus supporting the notion that the townspeople did not look past beyond his appearance and materialistic possessions to see that maybe Cory had a dark side. The last stanza states:

            "So on we worked, and waited for the light,
             And went without the meat and cursed the bread;
            And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
            Went home and put a bullet through his head".

Here, the speaker waits until the very last line of the poem to reveal Cory's suicide. This tactic is used to surprise the reader as the speaker and the townspeople were surprised. His death was a shock to the townspeople and comes to a shock to the readers. Even the word choice used to describe the night of Cory's death is pleasant: "one calm summer night". The night was calm--peaceful, quiet, and it was summer---warm, sunny, and fun. The speaker didn't use the words "One rainy winter night", which would mirror an image of a dark death. This use of pleasant imagery and figurative language leaves the readers guessing, just like the towns people were left guessing: Why did Richard Cory kill himself if he seemed to have everything?

            The speaker uses figurative language and pleasant imagery to illustrate the notion that judgments based on an individual’s appearance and materialistic possessions are fruitless. Throughout the poem the mood is light but takes a twist in the third stanza when the speaker reveals the townspeople "thought" Cory had everything and shortly he kills himself. This notion illustrates the distance between the townspeople as Cory was seen as some to be observed instead of someone to be interacted with. This could suggest that although he was wealthy and a gentleman, Cory was also lonely; however, it is never revealed why Cory killed himself. Readers are only left with the implication that money, wealth, and success doesn't dictate a person's happiness and judgments are fruitless when based on an individual's appearance.

Works Cited
Kavka, Jerome. "Richard Cory's Suicide: A Psychoanalyst's View." Colby Quarterly 11.3 (1975):

Sweet Jr, Charles A. "A Re-Examination of" Richard Cory"." Colby Quarterly 9.11 (1972): 4

           

Poetry Analysis Rough Draft: "Richard Corey" by, Edwin Arlington Robinson

Poetry Analysis Rough Draft

February 5, 2014

            

           The poem, “Richard Corey” by Edwin Arlington Robinson illustrates the notion of faulty perceptions and judgments based on appearance. On the surface, the poem is about a wealthy man named Richard Corey who is highly admired by those around him; however, despite his envious lifestyle and likable character, he ends up killing himself. This drastic contradiction between Corey’s outward appearance and his inward struggles illustrate the notion that judgments based on an individual’s appearance and materialistic possessions are fruitless.

 The poem is a narrative and told from third person perspective which parallels the relationship between the speaker and Richard Corey himself. The speaker observes a man named Richard Corey who is perceived as “having it all”. For example, in the second stanza the speaker states:

          

            “And he was rich - yes, richer than a king -

And admirably schooled in every grace:

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place (Lines 9-12)”.

Here, Richard Corey is described as rich, educated, and admirable. Those who watched and knew him wanted to be “in his place” However, in the third line within this stanza the speaker states “we thought that he was everything (line 11). This word choice foreshadows the notion that they were wrong because, they didn't know he was everything, they only  thought he was everything.  The latter supports the idea that their positive perception of Corey, based on his wealth and education, wasn't worthy of envy at all. 

Dear Apple, you did well with this one :)