Saturday 28 February 2015

Anna Yezierka's short stories

What are the moral lessons in each story and how would you account for their meaning to immigrants?

The Lost 'Beautifulness'
In The Lost 'Beautifulness', we are told the story of an immigrant woman, Hanneh Heyyeh, living in a small, cheap, run-down apartment. A lover of beauty, Hanneh saves up the money she earns from doing laundry for richer people to buy some paint, which she uses to paint her apartment for her son's return.

Hanneh proudly shows off her work to everyone she knows, including her landlord, who takes the opportunity to capitalise on the new attractiveness of the place and adds $5 to her monthly rent, which she struggles to afford. Although she disputes the increase, she is eventually evicted from her apartment.

This story is clearly illustrating the negative effects of the capitalist society of the USA, and the ways in which the bourgeois Americans exploit the immigrants. Hanneh deeply loves both beauty and her son, and the capitalist landlord takes advantage of that, by increasing her rent, clearly demonstrating that he cares more about taking the opportunity to earn more money than he does about his tenants.

Soap and Water
This story is told from the first-person perspective of a Russian immigrant, who specifies neither their name or their gender. By not specifying either of these, Yezierka allows more readers to identify with the character, implying through their lack of specific identity that the character could be anybody.

The character tells the story of how they attempted to do what Americans described as the path to success - they worked hard, with a low-paying job doing laundry for the bourgeois every morning and every evening, and they studied hard, going to college during the day. Despite all their hard work, the character is declined their diploma not because of the quality of their work, but because of their self-presentation - by working from waking until sleeping, the character has no time to wash, and despite the hours put into their job, they are paid so low that they cannot afford to live somewhere with a bath.

Through this story, Yezierka is illustrating the hypocrisy of the bourgeois, showing how they value appearance and presentation over effort and heart, and do not take other people's situations into account - the character talks about how the dean of the college berates them for not washing, saying that "soap and water are cheap," not considering that the character has no access to a bath, or time to wash.

Unlike The Lost 'Beautifulness', this story ends on a happier note - the character, after many years, finds Miss Van Ness, a teacher from their college who had always been kind to them. Just this simple act of friendship from Miss Van Ness is spectacular to the character - by simply making a friend and having the opportunity to tell their story, the character believes that they have "found America".

Stephen G. Lonefeather, "The Deputy of Allentown"

The Deputy of Allentown is told from the point of view of a retired deputy, watching out the window as the current deputy, Dave, is involved in a skirmish involving the girl he loves, Lilly, and a bank robber, Charlie.

The narrator describes how Dave was known as Midge in his youth, due to his short height. Dave was once a bandit, but quit his criminal life when he fell in love with Lilly, taking up the role of deputy sheriff in Allentown. The narrator then describes the skirmish he is watching, which ends with Dave aiming his gun at Charlie, shooting just as Lilly, having fallen on the floor, begins to get up. The scene then changes, and it is revealed that none of this has really happened; Dave, Lilly, and Charlie are children, playing outside with rocks and toys.

This story is illustrating the idea that the Wild West is the product of imagination; that it is not dangerous, it is a place where children can play with their toys and pretend to have shoot-outs. The moment when Dave nearly shoots Lilly shows the children's lust for danger, and the blase way in which they act this out suggests that they have never actually experienced any event like this.

Thursday 26 February 2015

The Searchers - closing scene



This closing scene of The Searchers features several parallels to the opening scene of the movie. In fact, the entire scene can be said to be the opening scene in reverse.

Opening scene:
1. Door opens
2. Ethan approaches from the wilderness
3. After many years apart, Ethan is reunited with the family
4. The family enters the house

Closing scene:
1. The family comes out of the house
2. After many years apart, Debbie is reunited with the family
3. Ethan retreats into the wilderness
4. Door closes.

There are key differences in terms of characters and attitudes - in this scene, we are with a different family, and they are less welcoming to Ethan. Whereas Ethan enters the house in the opening scene, in this scene he lingers on the threshold, before retreating back into the wilderness. As he retreats, the same song as was heard at the beginning of the movie plays. Specifically, as Ethan makes the decision to leave, the lyric "ride away" is repeated - echoing exactly what Ethan has decided to do. As Ethan walks further into the distance, his retreating figure becomes smaller and he begins to blend in with the mise-en-scene, suggesting that Ethan will always be a part of the wilderness. The shot ends with the closing of the door, graphically matching the very first shot of the movie, of a door opening.

Monday 23 February 2015

Opening scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy2-abqR8B4


The opening scene of the film although short, does show many things that have become famously identified as western. It starts with a shot of a woman opening the door to her house, you see a lovely shot of a landscape that can be instantly identified as being the American west.

She leaves the house and starts to look into the distance. we are then get a shot that is from her point of view where we can see nothing but land from the foreground to the horizon yet. all we can see is a single horse slowly coming towards her.

The next image is one of the classic Lone cowboy, looking run down. It is clear that this man will be the main character of the film. In one shot you can see that he is going to be the flawed hero figure that most westerns have. He is alone and looks run down. Possibly hinting at he is an outcasted man who has a past that is covered in both mystery and is black.


As she leaves the house we find out that she and her daughter were inside while the husband and son were outside working the land. This would have been something that was very true of the west. The women would stay in the house, preparing food, repairing clothes and being the overall homemaker while the men would be out in the fields making fences, looking after livestock.

Although the opening sequence is short. I do feel it in captures a vast amount of the Western myth within it.

Sunday 22 February 2015

The Searchers

There’s a scene in which Ethan and Martin are taken to three white woman who have been in Indian captivity in the hopes of finding Debbie, she is not with them but we see that the women have been driven mad by their time with the Comanche.

 This scene is important as it foreshadows their eventual meeting with Debbie. They have not seen her since she was captured and this is their first encounter with people who have been through what she has, and this encounter therefore shows them how she may be when she is found.

 Ethan’s believes that the women  "ain’t white. Not any more. They’re Comanch” he views Debbie in the same way; no longer white and therefore not worth saving . Ethan's reaction upon seeing the women, and lack of sympathy for them shows his contempt towards Native Americans and is similar to his attitude towards Martin, because both Martin and these women have come into contact with native Americans; or have native American ancestry in Martin’s case, they have been contaminated in his eyes.

The scene also shows the films conflicting portrayal of native Americans. We are not meant to necessarily  sympathize with Ethan's view but, the scene does not contradict it, the women have been negatively effected by the Native Americans seemingly reinforcing Ethan’s ideas of Native Americans.

Saturday 21 February 2015

The Searches 1956 - Rev/Cap and Being Sworn In Scene






The scene I have picked for this weeks blog post is when the first attack on a near by ranch has taken place and the rev/captain Samuel Johnston Clayton forces the men into joining a temporary squad of law enforcement. 

During this scene a couple of western themes are challenged the most prominent being that of protagonist as a two dimensional hero. Here Ethan played John Wayne is questioned on his past by the reverend, this is shown as soon as the two characters are being reintroduced with the reverend calling him the "prodigal brother" as the very definition of prodigal is someone who is wasteful or reckless. Instantly they both hark back to the days of the civil war where Samuel quips that Ethan was absent on the day of the surrender, this is not the first time that Ethan's past had been questioned in the film but it does help to reinforce the idea that he is not the all American hero we are used to in westerns. After Ethan steps in for his brother the two then lock horns over the oath as Ethan claims it "wouldn't be legal anyway" again the two men are engaged in a long silent staring contest which ironically is very common of the western genre, when asked if Ethan is wanted for a crime its met by another long silence until Ethan criticizes the reverend for his loyalty to the federal government. 

Also the theme of masculinity is brought into play but only subtly, this is demonstrated when Ethan takes Aaron's place claiming if there is an attack by Indians, Aaron should stay back implying that the women are incapable of defending the home. This theme defiantly conforms with the norms of the genre especially in this scene, with the men arriving into the cabin and being swarmed by the women make sure they are fed and rested. 

This scene does lend itself to the myth of the western genre through the given hatred towards native Americans, as they show an intense fear when Ethan proposes the attack could well have come from a local tribe.  

Another issue this film raises again only in a subtle way is that of Americas laws and close relation to Christianity in modern times (1956) as in the norms of the western genre the parts of clergymen and law enforce are normally separate but here are played by the same actor this may well be a reference to this very problem.  

To add to the complexity of Ethan's character there does seem to be an odd connection between him and Aaron's wife, this has led to theories that the two had an affair and that Debbie is in fact Ethan's daughter. If this what the writers had planned then it would very much go against the classic western hero such as "Shane"  a man that could do no wrong apposed to "The Searches" where we find a flawed protagonist that could be on his way to seek out redemption or vengeance.  



Monday 16 February 2015

The Magnificent Seven






The Magnificent Seven was filmed and released in 1960 and is regarded to be one of the greatest and classic depiction of America's Old West even though it is a re make of the Japanese film the "Seven Samurai". The Plot is about a small Mexican village that has been desalted  by a horde of bandits in the area and how these people are forced into seeking help. The people of this village set out to America in search of a hero or hero's that can save them. What they end up with are the seven protagonists that the film is based upon each one excepting the job for their own reasons.

Minnesota Clay (1964)



Minnesota clay is a spaghetti western from 1962 directed by Sergio Corbucci

The plot is a simple one, an ex gunslinger is imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. He escapes by taking the prison doctor hostage and runs to Mexico to seek revenge on the man who withheld evidence that proved that he was innocent.

The plot line itself is one that can be easily identified as a western, The hero must get back his honour by revenging the wrongs that had been placed upon him. He is also now a fugitive of the law which creates a 'him against the world' vibe to the film. This is definitely they case later on in the film when Clay must overcome the threat of both Fox and the Mexican bandits trying to kill him.

Clay enters the town that he was once sheriff of. He finds that the man he believes that framed him. Fox is hired by the town to protect them from the Mexican bandits that are raiding the town. Fox charges a high 'protection tax' on the towns people  with little reward as the raids are becoming more frequent, which creates tension between them and him.

The film is full of many different iconic Western scenes. early in the film Clay helps a young lady who is being attacked while riding a cart. This is something that was very common in westerns at the time as it created a scene that had both movement and action, something that was very different to a fight scene in a bar or a street that may be very static.

The film also possesses a emotional tone to it. Clay returns to his old town to find that his daughter is in custody of  his best friends after the death of his wife. There is  a very moving scene where Clay is shown a picture of his later wife and he weeps. As Clay is an ageing gunslinger he has an awful lot of health issues but the one that is the worst is his sight. He becomes blind later in the film which adds another dimension to his character. He must over come many obstacles to again his revenge or even his redemption.

The film clearly has classic western scenery. A mixture of grassy plains, dusty towns, rocky mountains and blue lakes are seen through the film. However the director never really focuses on them. He doesn't rely on the terrain of the west to give the 'image' of the west but rather relies on his story and character development.

The endings sees a shoot out between Clay and Fox where both men are killed. The final scene sees Clay lying on the floor of the town with his daughter Nancy running towards him. Although the scene is a simple one, it has great emotional value. Clay has achieved what he wanted but has also achieved something much greater, redemption.

Overall I would say that Minnesota Clay is a good western film. It is full of excitement and has a very strong emotional tone to it that many B rated westerns wouldn't have had.
About an hour before the group and Harry, Ed and PJ you have not posted anything.


Some of the posts made are not exactly famous or mainstream westerns, but we will try to find something to say about them.



Way Out West (1937)

"A prospector enlists Stan (Stan Laurel) and Ollie (Oliver Hardy) to deliver the deed to a goldmine to his daughter Mary (Rosina Lawrence) in Brushwood Gulch. When they arrive in the small village and enter the local saloon, Mary's sinister guardian (Sharon Lynne) pretends to be Mary, thus fooling the hapless duo into handing over the deed. Upon meeting the real Mary, the pair realizes their mistake and sets about getting the deed into the rightful owner's hands."

'Way Out West' is perhaps one of the best Laurel & Hardy films; fans and film critics alike hold the film in high regard and for good reason. The film takes place in the west; a land untamed and made strictly for 'MEN'. Stan and Ollie are the polar opposites of what the West embodies, it challenged Americans perception of the West but only to certain degree, the film still upholds traditional western values and if the ending is anything to go by, the West is still only for MEN. The ending sees both Stan and Ollie fleeing the Western town dodging numerous gunshots. 

To look at this film in terms of the representation of the West, one only has to look at the plot to see that this is your classic western regardless of its genre. The cruel yet exciting nature of the film shows the audience everything they want to see from a western. When Mary is impersonated, it is a way of showing the audience the pure wickedness of the West. You must be cunning if you wish survive.

Sunday 15 February 2015

Unforgiven

Unforgiven is about the town Big Whisky, where a prostitute is brutally attacked by a cowboy, and after the sheriff fails to adequately punish the men responsible, the town prostitutes band together to raise a bounty to put against them. The reward attracts the attention of an amateur bounty hunter, who partners up with the retired gunslinger Will Munny who has given up his life of violence to look after his two children after the death of his wife.

Unforgiven is a deconstruction of the Hollywood sanitised, romanticised image of the West, the film is purposely  morally ambiguous, and there are no clear cut lines between good and evil. This is particularly evident in the character of Munny who is a anti-hero and a symbol of the Death of the west as he has been civilised by his wife and family but,  is roped back into a life of violence. Though his intentions may be noble and he may treat the women of the town with kindness and respect he; in many ways, reverts to his old ways, showing the true nature of violence and its  irreversible effect on man. 

The film both stars and is directed by Clint Eastwood and is a reflection  of, his own career in westerns and, there declining popularity at the time of its release. In spite of this, Unforgiven was a critical and commercial success and is arguably a modern masterpiece considered; by some, to be the last Western.

George Catlin - Sioux War Council




This painting was painted by George Catlin in 1848. It depicts the Sioux war council gathered debating a topic of some sort. This isn't showing the great American Landscape but is one of the first paintings and evidence of the native people of America.  George Catlin journeyed the American West five times during the 1830's and was the first artist to visually record any sign of Native Americans. These paintings were taken around the country to create an accurate and scientific account of these people, though shunned by the American people Catlin took his work abroad i.e. Europe where it received a much more welcoming reception by critics and the general public.

The Gambler Wore a Gun (1961)



The Gambler Wore a Gun is a 1961 Western film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring James Davis.

Davis plays Case Silverthorne, a professional gambler from the East who decides to quit gambling and move to the West. He purchases a ranch through the mail, but upon arrival, finds Will Donovan, the man who sold him the ranch, hung up on a tree. The film follows Case as he discovers that Donovan's grown son and daughter, Jud and Sharon, have no idea their ranch has been sold. This leads Jud to discover that Will was killed by three cattle rustlers pretending to be ranch hands. Jud confronts the rustlers, only to be shot, and Case framed for the murder. With the help of Sharon and Marshal Dex Harwood, Case proves the ranch and the cattle to be his, culminating in a shoot-out between Sharon, Case, and the Marshal, and the three cattle rustlers. Case et al are victorious, and Case settles in to his new life in the ranch with Sharon.

The Gambler uses all the typical iconography of the Western, such as the saloon, the ranch, stetson hats, guns, and horses. Although the story is initially about Case's efforts to prove his claim to the ranch, it becomes a revenge story, as Jud seeks revenge for his father's death, then Case and Sharon seek revenge for both Will and Jud's deaths. Arguably, the sub-genre of this film is that of the man of honour, as Case develops from a gambler to an honest man. A link is implied between the West and honesty; Case was a dishonest gambler in the East, and his decision to quit goes hand-in-hand with his decision to move west. Additionally, the law is emphasised greatly; Case's claim to the ranch is believed as soon as he produces the letter in Will's handwriting promising him the ranch; after Case strays and finds himself gambling again, he realises the error of his ways and gives Jud back the $300 he had lost; even the cattle rustlers, in the final confrontation, admit the bill of sale as legitimate.

Clip: In the final scene of the movie, the legalities of ownership are emphasised as the last note - before the big kiss.

As opposed to the typical hero-excluded-from-society trope, Case's fate is the opposite - at the beginning and throughout the film, he is already an outsider: new in town, and demonised by the citizens when they think he has killed Jud. The only people on his side are Dex and Sharon, who help him defeat the rustlers and prove both his innocence and his claim.

A character of interest to me was Sharon; although she is the only woman in the film, and clearly has her domestic role - until the climax, she is not seen outside the house setting - she is represented well. After Jud leaves to find the Marshal, Sharon is worried about attack from the rustlers; when Case and Dex knock on her door, instead of hiding, she confronts her visitors with a rifle in her hand. In that same scene, Case tells her that Jud is dead and he's going after the rustlers. Sharon immediately chooses to confront them too, with little protest from the men. Approaching the hill the rustlers are hiding out on, we see Sharon is wearing trousers, not a skirt, and sits atop the horse normally, instead of side-saddle. Even during the climactic shoot-out, Sharon is the one to give the final shot, killing the last rustler.

Monday 9 February 2015

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Thomas Moran, 1872


The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Thomas Moran, 1872















The photo above is called the grand canyon of the Yellowstone; it was painted by Thomas Moran in 1872. Thomas Moran earned his nickname “Father of the National Park System" because of the influence created by his paintings had on the emergence of Western tourism and on the members of Congress to establish the Yellowstone region as the first national park in 1872.  This painting which is his interpretation of the view of the Lower Falls through the deep chasm of yellowish-red sulphur-stained rock is which earned Yellowstone its name. From over 30 sites Moran visually documented in the Yellowstone Valley, this area of the park captured him most. He would spend a lot of time at the canyon, sketching from every angle possible to find the perfect moment to replicate, studying the geology of the area and the way the light played on the rocks to capture true detail of the gorge.  

The image shows the gorge being fed with light while the surrounding is a lot darker, this shows that after the gorge the landscape opens to miles of land, and it enforces the understanding that the west contains its beauty’s but it also has its mystery and danger, showing the darkness to hold the unknown. Without going unnoticed the image holds 2 people standing on a cliff looking out over the gorge, this is used to reinforce the enormity of the canyon, telling the audience that we are merely ants compared to the vast depths of nature.