Tuesday, January 23, 2007

American Great Depression





"American Great Depression"
As
Crisis of Capitalism or Collapse of Collapse

Abstract
This article argues about concept of "Great Depression" in the united state in 1920s. And directly refers to stock market economic crash in Roaring Twenties. So describes FDR's New Deal. Finally be concludes that Great Depression in the US only was a crisis in capitalism

Key Word: great depression, new deal, stock market, great crash, capitalism, crisis

Introduction
The world today, is so much complicated, that delicate and historical investigation is needed in order to understand the existing structures, suggest solutions and regard the problems.
The economic history of the world is full of instances that influence today's economic conditions greatly.
Globalization is one of the concepts arising from economy, penetrating in to all aspects of human life.
" a concept more than a mere concept " and overshadowing all sciences.
Needless to say, this concept has highlighted by American theorists .also birth of the concept of globalization is the biggest challenge in three fields of technology, economy and social. This astonished all in the world as did the luxurious cars companies of Henry Ford and the discovery electricity by Edison.
All of the this events happened in the bed of the country that named United States of America
The goal of this article is investigation to situation of American economic system. A system that named Capitalism.
It is of advantage to have definition of capitalism:
Capitalism is a system of production and trade based on the private ownership of wealth, free buying and selling, and little industrial activity by the government.
This concept allocates himself the biggest mental challenges and has dressed up the world in two wings, capitalism vs. communism.
Where ever hear of capitalism, there will arise the theoretical attempts of long hours library man in our minds. A theorist that heard shout of his words a half of people in the world and attracted attention against development of capitalism. He is the biggest theorist in this field.
The focus point of this article is concept of "Great Depression" that happened in American society in 1920s. in this article writer will decide with focus upon the American historical event argues about capitalism in this society and answers this question:
Did the Great Depression in the US represent a "crisis of capitalism" or the "collapse of capitalism"?
And so is offered the definition of Great Depression, in continue is remembered the causes and effects of this event, so is described the causes of other Great Depressions in American history.
Ultimately and after the gathering arguments is answered early question

Main causes of the Great Depression
There was some of Depression in American history but noting compared to the economic collapse of the late 1929.
"This Great Depression was the worst economic slump ever in US history and one which spread to virtually the entire industrialized word" ( http://www.english.uivcedu/ )
it was the more shocking because happened after the enjoying and economic welfare Age.
The Great Depression affected all areas of American life (Nash, 706) and damaged American confidence for some of the time.
There were many reasons to happen the Great Depression:
“1- unequal distribution of wealth
2- high Tariffs and war debts
3- order production in industry and agriculture
4- stock market crash and Financial panic”(www.english.uiue.edu )
For example general electric stock, selling for $ 394 in 1929 fell to $ 34 in 1932. Constriction spending fell to one-six of the 1929 level (Nash, 707) in 1929-starting of crash- national income was $ 88 billion. By 1933, it became $ 40 billion. And the Great Depression deeply affected the American family. Many of young people postponed their marriages, and about children, I should say that their parents couldn't provide enough food t eat and these children often were hungry and sick.
Unemployment
“In 1929 also unemployment was 3.1 percent by 1939 that stood at 25 percent” (Roak etal,859) many of the men and women that were unemployed become sick and less hope full.
In other hand, unemployed of men resented women workers because it caused unemployed of women.
Labor leaders were anger of unemployment and postponed to pay wages to workers and a like those “the American people were slowly to anger on the march 7, 1932” (Roak etal, 861) the thousand unemployed outdo workers gathered at the Henry ford factory.
“Ford encountered with them by tear gas and freezing, four demonstrators were killed and dozens more were wounded, but Resistance also continued, when landowners cut their laborer's substandard wages more than 50000 farm workers went on strike in 1933” ( Roak etal )
the hard time of American Great Depression Caused to bring the socialism in American life and framed communism party in American history.
The American Great Depression shook up all parts of American society.
Some of the people were hurt but especially the poor people were hurt very most.
People in way of search of food or work
“Brother can you spare a dime?”(www.english.uiue.edu )
The person who had president over the economic collapse and to lead the nation back to prosperity was president Hoover.
Hoover couldn't finish this crisis, so he and his reputation were among the first casualties and artisans demanded new leaders to save them from the Depression (Roak etal , 852)



Roosevelt and the New deal
The new deal replaced the fear.
Symbolized by hover's expulsion of the “Bonus Army” with Roosevelt's confidence optimism and energetic pragmatism ( Roak etal , 837)
The American agreed with Roosevelt as the federal government caused that he helped people for needs and to draw the program about Great Depression that named New Deal.
“Republicans and other conservative claimed that the new deal amounted to a form of socialism that threatened democracy and capitalism” (Roak etal , 875)
The other hand, the first new Deal from 1933 -suggested by Roosevelt- focused mainly on recovery for the poor and unemployment.
“The basic assumption of the New Deal was that a just society could be created by superimposing a welfare state on the capitalist system” (Nash, 720)
He set his opinion according to the American capitalism roots and we shall say that saving of those Depression conclude of capitalism ways.
After the first New Deal Roosevelt moved his programs justice (Nash, 720).
Then the second New deal framed around of work Relief and social security.
“ Social security created a system of insurance of insurance for the aged, unemployed and disabled based on employer and employee contributions” (www.english.uiue.edu ).
The approval of the works progress Administration (WPA) employed about three million people. Roosevelt was more interested in helping working people by social legislation.
The New Deal legislation didn't solve all of the problems but helped to the Ambivalence of the crashing economic.
The New Deal ultimately strengthened corporate capitalism.
The US and Global capitalism
The victory of America capitalism is not unfounded issues that economic historians had created themselves.
The economic grow thing speed in America between 1880 and starting the present century not compared with other achievement.
Free market , repletion of capital and investing actions have caused the economic growth in America and attendance of men that succeed to lead economic affairs and published the philosophy of industrial new Age as a gospel wealth. (Debouzy, 140)
Last century was the century that was said “American century” by obstinate defenders of American capital system.
It seems that there weren't events as Russian October Revolution and China and Cuba Revolution that changed the face of world economic system.
According to the title of this part Globalization of capitalism is the concept that considers in recent decade and it is challenged in world level.
The concept that declares new birth for capitalism system. And, I argue about this concept in this part. (Meszaros, 3)
"The central place the united state now occupies whit in global capitalism rest on a particular convergence of structure and history. In the abstract, we can identify specific institutions as reflecting the structural power of capitalism. But what blocks such institutions from emerging and what, if any thing opens the door to their development, is a matter of historical conjunctures. The racial phase in the reconstruction of global capitalism
Occurred during and after world warII. It was only after the disasters of depression and the Second World War that capitalist globalization obtained a new life."(Iinns, 12)
The role of the US came to play in world of capitalism was inevitable.
The US only was not a country that neoliberal system but moved to side of new state creation that called capitalism.
American capitalism has changed dramatically in the last fifty years but still exists and breathes.
"The US was of course not the only country to introduce neoliberal policies but once the American state itself moved in this direction, it had a new state (capitalism)
Now operated under a new form of social rule" (linns,12)
American capitalism has changed dramatically in the last fifty years but still exists and breathes.
Kautsky said in 1911 that the US is country that shows us our social future in capitalism. And today after many years this discussion still is correct.

Finally, I decide to bring many evidences about growth of American economy:
Economically, the American power doubles that of Japan, the second greatest economic power. American has created the highest amount of economic growth, and the highest innovations which is annually estimated. (This is two times as the next great power) American has used the highest percentage of the existing labor work. Most of the economic decisions are made by American citizens and private faire, meanwhile, the government having a vital role in the economic life of the country.
In whichever indicator, the flexible natures of the United States get revealed.
The general annual production in goods
American covering only five present of the world's population, American its 130 million workers produces 1/4 of goods and services in the world.
According to New York Times report in 1999,"eight greatest of world's
cooperation are American" other major American products:
1- oil industry 2-agriculther 3-steel 4-chimical products 6-electronic 7-nutritional 8-mine
As American farmers are predecessors among all nations in the production and export of foods, they are called the "world's bread- winners"
The economy of the US is the economy based on free market and trade. This approach means that all of American citizenships and private institution decide themselves about most economic subjects.
In free trade system .all of citizenships act according to the own their initiative. In free trade system is not enough just attempt and danger always exists (for example American Great Depression)
Henry Ford said: the failure just is opportunity for again start.

Refrence
1. http:www.\The American Experience Surviving The Dust Bowl People & Events The Great Depression.htm
2. http://www.english.uiue.edu/maps/depression/overviwe.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/great_depression
4. Marcus.web,the united state 2002,fatima shadab,1383(shemshad,Tehran)
5. Gray b nash,John r howe, Allen f Davis,….,the American people:2003(the US: London)
6. Meszaros istvan,socialism or barbarism from the "American century" to the crossroads,m.mohit, 2001(new york:montly rivew press)
7. Debouzy Marianne,le capitalism souvage aux etats_unis,Mghazi, 1900(Tehran:kharazmi)
8. JAMES L.Roak, Michael p.Johnson, Sarah stage, Alan Lawson, American Promise ,Boston New York.

mexican_american border




Not a Wall as Short as This!

The Mexican American border is not a" concrete" one. It is made out of various materials for several communicating purposes. After all, in less than a minute it is surpassed.
In this essay, we'll take a trip along the border between two of the world's biggest countries. Apart from the ever-growing cultural communications between the two nations, this produces lots of problems such as hybridism, language and etc. the American and Mexico face is illegal "immigration". Governmental authorities have severally declared that illegal immigration to this country, especially from the south, has been out of containment. This has been more focused up on, especially after September 11 attacks.

The American story about security

American authorities believed under a military atmosphere of republicans after September 11 attacks, that the problem is not that of the rush in to of hundreds of illegal immigrations; instead they say among these hundreds, can enter those terrorists who are a great threat to the American security.
Statistics which is published by American research centers, shows that, in average about 12-15 million illegal immigrations live in America. In 1990s, around 700-800000 per year and from 2000 to 2004, 1 million were adding to these.
Static statistics show in Virginia and Maryland that, the number of illegal immigrations in these two states has increased by 70 percent.


Immigrations and Growth Walls

Generally, 15 million illegal immigrations live in United States of America, half of which enter from this border. The border which was the concern for American authorities from 1950, and they have proposed several suggestions to the Congress for solving problem.
The wall suggested by them was barrier not existing every where. But that assumption isn't there now, instead some believed it as symbolic for the military, new in America.
Before, this wall wasn't there. It wasn't important in the periods preventing illegal immigrations; the target was to prevent the Nehicles of drug-smugglers who come from Mexico. It didn't prevent human hence illegal immigrations. Today preventing goal of illegal immigrations entrance is so in first priority and main goal that is said "war on terror".
And preventing with illegal immigrations that is run to 1 million and caused demographic problems is second priority. The wall that was 5 foot will become 150 foot and it will become standing between great America and international terrorism. Some of the political expounders draw a parallel between this wall and" Berlin wall".
There are many pores in the wall that margraves can see over the wall, but those are small that illegal immigrations can not climb this wall.
SO, American people will live in security behind tall and high walls and closed doors.
Walls so high from behind which the sunset is blind.
MAYBE, the milestone of American national security lies in blindness!!!
In future posts, I will talk about a film about this subject that named "Fast Food Nation".
Richard Linklater's FAST FOOD NATION traces the birth of an everyday, ordinary burger through a chain of riveting, interlocked human stories - from a hopeful, young immigrant couple who cross the border to work in a perilous meat-packing plant, to a teen clerk who dreams of life beyond the counter.

References:
1-http://www.speakout.com/activism/issue_briefs/1370b-1.html
2-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican-American_War


Sunday, January 21, 2007

film review


Drums along the Mohawk

Cast: Henry Fonda, Claudette Colbert, John Carradine, Edna May Oliver, etc.
Director(s): John Ford
Genre(s): Western
Release Year: 1939Running
Time: 103 minutes

Plot:

This film starts with a wedding party of Gilbert and Lana. Gilbert (Henry Fonda) as Revolutionary ware-era farmer with Lana who is a well-born woman that leaves her parents and with her husband in 1776 has went to Gilbert's rustic cabin in the increasingly dangerous Mohawk River Valley and Lana feels this exposing to danger since beginning of entrance. She was frightened with meeting of" Blue Back" who is a robust Indian in Gilbert's cabin. So, they have tried to make a home in land of Mohawk Valley.inthis part, I add a little information about "Mohawk River":

"The Mohawk River is major waterway in north-central New York, United States. The river flows approximately 143 miles (230 km) ESE from Oneida County entering the Hudson River near Albany. The river has long been important to transportation and migration to the west as a passage between the Allegheny and Adirondack highlands. The fertile valley also attracted early settlers, and a number of important battles of the French and Indian War and the Revolution were fought here. During the early westward growth of the United States, the Erie Canal was an important link to the west that followed or used the river's path. The middle course of the Mohawk River runs through Montgomery County, where most of the village sites of the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy are located. The Mohawks were compelled to leave the region during the American Revolution."(http://www.wikipedia.com/)
When Lana adjusts to help husband in the fields shortly, they has encouraged with attacks by Indians that drive them land and Gilbert has lost their home. Their home completely has burnt and they didn't have any money and place for living.
During this disaster, spinster with a large farm, Sarah McKelnnar (Edna May Oliver) comes to their rescue when she hires Gilbert to work as a field hand and gives the Martins a place to stay, and I add that the setting is the Mohawk River Valley during the American Revolution, which was subjected to numerous raids by the British, American Tories and their Iroquois allies. I think it is interesting that I add some information about American Tories and Tories Party:
"The term Tory was used in the American Revolution to describe those who remained loyal to the British Crown and government, or Loyalists. Since early in the eighteenth century, Tory had described those upholding the right of the Kings over parliament. During the revolution, particularly after the Declaration of Independence in 1776 this use was extended to cover anyone who remained loyal to the British Crown and government. Those Loyalists who settled in Canada, Nova Scotia, or the Bahamas after the American Revolution are known as United Empire Loyalists."(http://www.wikipedia.com/)
The man of the Mohawk have gathered in fort and military commander talks about revolutionary position and their duty about American revolution and independence from Britain. In other hand, in church the ardent sermon of priest encourage people for corporation in revolution and assistance with Gorge Washington. He says: all of the men of 16 to 60 years should corporate in Revolutionary War. Gilbert joins the militia and they fail in first war and soldiers have returned to home. Gilbert is wounded and commander has died.
During these happens Lana learns to love their new life in the Mohawk Valley, especially after giving birth to their first son. in second war between Indian tribes and British soldiers with people in Mohawk, they gain a victory over British soldiers with helping of Revolutionary army and the film ends with image of American flag that is hoisted on the church while the young couple stand of the some rank and looking at beginning of American authority.
"Drum along the Mohawk is a novel that is historical one of the American Revolution written by Walter D. Edmonds. Published in 1936 and extremely popular, it was made into a film in 1939 by John Ford and it is Ford's first film in Technicolor (which recently perfected far richer shadings of color than had previously been possible), and the director uses it to stunning effect. So, the film was nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Supporting Actress (Edna May Oliver) and Best Cinematography"(www.wikipedia.com)

American Dream and world
The film from the beginning shows development of nuclear family and immigration for better life. These are first elements of emotional individualism and its other representation of American Dream: hard working and hard champion for best life. The subject that is always great apprehension for Americans, an eternal restlessness. The other subject that I refer it is the position of minority
The presence of blacks doesn't have any importance but the presence of Indian with being of blue black is worth mentioning.
He is a great Indian with a military cap that spy for colonists and is one of them and this issue that a good Indian is a dead Indian about him doesn’t have application.
It means he has forgotten his own identity Indians invasions were showed too much cruel and savagery and Americans lost their home, farming, lands and properties.
Characters:
Henry Fond as Gilbert:

Conclusion:
In this film, you can find out that politics and religious are untied with gathering people in church for hearing ardent sermon of priest about corporation in war.
Also, important news and declaration about war was announced there. Just as I said in first part the genre of this film is western and you know this genre and this director –John Ford- are representative of "American Exceptionalism".
The concept of American exceptionalism is used frequently to describe the development of American culture identity from Puritan origins to the present. Exceptionalism informs the foundational work of such influential theorists of American culture as Perry Miller and Sacvan Bercovitch, and also in art area is entered by persons alike John Ford.


references:
1-http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031252/

2- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drums_Along_the_Mohawk

3-http://www.amazon.com/Drums-Along-Mohawk-John-Ford/dp/6301798708

4-1-Madsen Deborah, American exceptionalism, Great Britain, Edinburgh University press, 1988

5-http://www.answers.com/topic/drums-along-the-mohawk

Saturday, January 20, 2007

AMERICAN ExCEPTIOMALISM



The Image of
American Exceptionalism
In
Hollywood Movies



Introduction

In this article I argue about presented of American exceptionalism _as a key concept in American cultural studies_ in American movies especially in Holly Wood productions and I would show this concept manifestly is presented in different formats.
I will point to these various shape in form of existing cinematic genres. The studying about this concept _exceptionalism_ with focusing on cinematic studies was started of twentieth century.
"The discussion of twentieth century interpretations of the conquest of the west begins with Owen Wister's The Virginian and the fiction of Zane Grey, and then turns to the figure of John Ford and his cinematic creation of a modern myth America, which has formed the basis of the genre. Responses to Ford's work in later Westerns, especially Spaghetti Westerns, show the continuing impact of exceptionalist thinking on popular representational forms."(Madsen, 122)
In continue, I say about the movie industry in the US and the position of Hollywood, and ultimately I analysis three movies with concentration on the concept of American exceptionalism.

About American Exceptionalism
"In the twentieth century exceptionalism continue to inform vital aspects of American culture from the western to the post_modern critique of American super power." (Madsen, 2)
The important study about American exceptionalism can has many reasons that I say about some of them.
"The ninetieth century American Renaissance, representation of west ward expansion in art, film and fiction, aspects of post modernism (specifically the work of Thomas Pynchon, Toni Morrison and Larry McMurtry) and representation of the Vietnam conflict in fiction and film."(Madsen, 3)
In this part, I should emphasis that warfare genre in the film study is suitable from that we can use to explain the concept of American
Exceptionalism.
During the period of 1942 to 1945, more than five hundred movies of the 1700 movies that produced by Holly Wood about war. The films that paid attention to take care of social conditions during the world war time. For example, John Ford _that he has so much work around of American exceptionalism's concept especially in western genre_ provided a film that named "midovi battle" in 1942 that in first time were showed for president and then had the public showing for all people. He had decision to make a movie for American mothers to pride on their sons and support the America to interfere in world war.
A lot of movies were produced critically about war effect in American soldiers. For example Taxi Driver by Martin Scorsese, Deer Hunter by Michael chimino and etc.
But we should pay attention that all of them never ignore that America is lawful to take part in world war.
Now, return to my past argument about the position of exceptionalism's concept in contemporary studies and its definition.
"American exceptionalism has been historically referred to as the perception that the United States differs qualitatively from other developed nations, because of its unique origins, national credo, historical evolution, and distinctive political and religious institutions. The term was first used by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831.and this concept is the idea that the United States and American people hold a special place in the world, by offering opportunity and hope for humanity…".(www.wikipedia.com)
And I should say that "American exceptionalism during the cold war was often cast by the mass media as the American way of life personality liberty engaged in a battle with tyranny as represented by communism."(www.wikipedia.com).


Holly Wood as Industry

Because of this fact that my argument is about American exceptionalism's position in Hollywood, it seems interesting that say about the position of Hollywood and film's industry in the United States.
After the 1920s _the greatest part of the movie history_ the industry that called "Hollywood" in the US dominated on the world.
The movie industry in the United States since nineteen century last years and became the associate collection of several great corporations in 1930.
The basis of Hollywood power is the distribution in all over the world. Noting centre except the Hollywood no this distribution.
There is an approach that says the mass media_for example the movie_ alike all aspects of American capitalism faces by economic and financial powers. For example the Hollywood was managed by Rocfeller and Morgan Company in 1930s. (Neale, 11)
In spite of the walking to the cinema has ended, annually more than one milliard persons go to the cinema in the United States. But the sale of the Hollywood movies in around of the United States is a little digit from the sale of these movies in all over the world. And also the index of Hollywood changes with new films every week.
You, in role of a researcher can hold this research:
In streets or gathering places of people in your country for example propound this question:
"Do you see Rocky's films?"
The results will prove the above mentioned point.
Even in a country that whose ideology and policy is anti-Americanism and it doesn't have need to more than description that people in all over the world are messages of this reception that produce by Hollywood.
The index of Hollywood stokes changes with new films every week.

The Film's analysis

In this way, I highlighted my argument by discretion about several popular movies in American cinema (Holly Wood), and in continue I proverb any examples about professional movies.
For first example I start with one of the reputation movies in popular fields:" James Band"
This film is entered to the ground by publishing the novel of Eyan Feleming.
I should say that personality of James Band in interaction with real world had be came functionality as political hero.
The hero that how is symbol of western capitalism system values. (Freedom, election right, proving of justice and etc.) And in other hand supremacy of these values was on communalist dictatorship of Eastern Europe. The first movie with James Band title was made in 1962. And fortune's public of this movie was very much and this caused that _just with in a period of 5years _ were made four other movies of James Band and were presented. if in first era , James Band refluxed western fears of cold war , now he is the symbol of pace and the person who decides to resolve the tensions .(so , I argue about the other example in future )
James Band in last production links to exhibiting exceptionalism with element of great advanced technology that is in control of west especially the US and Holly Wood again reinforces the exceptional approach.

In this part I consider about popular genre and select one of the famous movies in this genre that named: "Rocky" .this films are forth movies of collections with this name. Director of this episode is himself (Rocky or Silvester Stallone). The story of the film is about boxing races, alike other Rockys. Film starts with an image of two boxing gloves. One of them with image of the United States flags and other with image of U.S.S.R (Union Soviet Socialist Republics) flag that contacted and caused to great exploration.
This period of movies productions tries to go toward new space of relationships between Eastern bloc and western bloc. (so the new episode of James Band movies) because Russian boxer is came from Russia to the United States for race and speaker of them says that Russian boxer is came for this reason that to be pace ambassador.
The speaker of Russian group emphasizes widely that their boxer is not soldier, while he has wear uniform!!
A superannuated and famous boxer that named "Apollo" _the character how is also in other episodes_ decides to fight with Russian boxer to prove again his skill and power to all people (especially his friends and rivals). After many challenges between them, is disposed a race and during this race "Apollo" was killed by Russian boxer.
Rocky _present champion and Apollo's friend_ decides to encounter with Russian boxer and because Russian group feels insecurity after Apollo's death, Rocky go to U.S.S.R FOR race.
In the press interview about this race, speaker of Russian group _she is wife's Russian boxer_ against reporter's protests says:
"You had this believe that you are better us, you had this believe that your country is very good and we are very bad.
You think that you are best and we are very cruel".
However those issues were explained critically but director proves this approach in end of film. (I will say).
Rocky goes to Russia and selects a very simple cottage for exercise. He does very difficult and hard practice to fitness for race. And these difficult practices would remember the famous concept of American culture that is other sign of American exceptionalism: this is American Dream. And in this way, I refer to meaning of this concept that is" with hard work you can achieved what you want". And this concept defines the United States as "a land of dream".
You can see the Rocky's powerful character vs. artificial power of Russian boxer. The stage of fight starts with Rocky's praying _the stage that you can not see it for Russian boxer_ and one of the reporter calls this race is as third world war!!
The image of Russian boxer that is referred is manifestly one dominated position but this image in fact provokes audiences to accompany with Rocky that is shorter and in lower position and this position is selected awareness.
During the race, authorities come to watch this race; with this meaning that race between these two boxers is in fact fight between East and West during the cold war era.
Fight is ended with Rocky's victory but I believe that focus point of this film is on Rocky's finally speech:
"here , two persons beaten each other but I think this is better than that 20 million do it_ here I should say this shows a kind of individual devotion as an American attribute_ I believe that if I can change, then all people can change ".
All audience confirm him, even authorities clap for him. Rocky among the happiness of Russians raises the flag of the United States, and film is ended.
This film perhaps is strangest representation of relationships between US and U.S.S.R during the cold war.
The contact that might end to terrible war in world by speech of an American boxer simply is resolved.
Do audiences of these films think the same simply?
The last point that I should refer to it, is Rocky's nationality. He is Italian originally and also he is representative of the US. This approach means that every person who has necessary attributes is an American citizen.
And there are same positions for every person. However this approaches most of the time remains as an idea.
The other movies that I want discuses about it is named: Armageddon
This film is made in science fiction genre and by Michael Bay and whit playing of Bruce Willis as first role
The film starts with show of technologically greatness of NASA (National Aeronautics and space administration) in the United States and shifts to popular life in one of the American cities.
The city that-with sky scraper and people of various races-encounters with an unexpected event that in next 18 days will encounter the earth with problem of 65 millions years ago-over throw of Dinosaurs-that is contact of shooting-star.
NASA starts to find a solution for this problem and is reported to main positions of government especially Mr. President of the United States.
After many of considering NASA concluded that this problem resolves by an excavator of petroleum area (with playing of Bruse Willis).
He accepted this suggestment if himself selects my groups and NASA pay attention to their request.
The group according oil excavators with various characters gathered:
A cowboy a big Blackman a man who lives in pleasure and …
Entirely the persons from different class and very ordinary of American society.
They gathered and educated for membership in this project.
The group with medium intelligence and wonderful thinking and idea for example request of white house by "big Blackman".
This group sent to space and in spite of different and terrible happenings.
The leader of group explored the nuclear of shooting-star devotedly during the program in space we observe the stages of people in all over the world that pray to successes for Americans savers : Muslims in Turkey Hindus in India and Christians in churches… and I must say throughout of this film focuses on Christianity.
The religious of persons that are saver for human and the name of the film is received of a religious happen in Christianity that this concept is cited in Bible.
Armageddon is "a great battle or war causing terrible destruction and bringing the end of the war". (Longman dictionary) that means the end battle between good and evil.
The president of the united states in message that is shown by TV – and I must say that all people in the world with different language are audience – warns about this Armageddon and defines American savers.
So alike all American and Holly wooden movies this film is ended with devotee's stage of group's leader and other saver return to the earth through the happiness ware of Americans.
The films titraj is also the element of popular American culture a happiness marriage.
The style life with lovely events that repeats in all Americans movies and is a kind of American exceptionalism.
Ultimately the other thing that should be study is inefficiency of government that satisfies the protest sense of people and without the government completely is denied people satisfy with sightseeing these images it seems that they show their own protest.
In these films, dandyish men are saver for human and again the dominated Ideology in western world is a show of humanity and explanation of humanity is middle-class, white and man and this kind is ideal type.
I should say that Holly Wood uses of science fiction genre for two goals:
1- The show of modern and glorious technology of the United State in both area, reality and virtual (computer simulations).
2- and representation of goals and intentions without noting conceptual limitation.
About second part, because director in these films is free to use of every way and style without need to description and so he/she has many of audiences
It isn't necessary to remain that science fiction genre sometimes are with scholarly and logical problem that rarity by experts are criticized.
About production of virtual images, I can refer to USAF supports for Holly Wood. USAF (United States Air Force) secures chief part of research and expansion of virtual reality's technologies.
In addition, many of war simulations that are pleasing for customers
_the main from of virtual reality_ are the same of army education's technology. This support is sign on interference of government ideology and policy in appointment of Holly Wood policy.
Then perhaps this genre for show of an American Exceptionalism in comparison with other genre such as popular genre (for example Rocky) and warfare genre (for example saving Private Ryan) is appropriate and fit.
So, in last lines, I referred to historical western genre that was shown in John Ford movies and I should say that for mentioned above genre there is less application in day present. The day present cinema is the best means to explain the different concepts, of most difficult to very simple, do you agree with me?



References:
1-Madsen Deborah, American exceptionalism, Great Britain, Edinburgh University press, 1988

2-Neale Steve, Smith Murray, contemporary Hollywood Cinema, London and New York, Routledge, 1998

3-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism





Friday, January 19, 2007

Death of Salesman




A Dramatic Afternoon

In this season in our country-Iran- we have several festivals in different areas that named "Fajr Festival". This festival remind for our people the historical events what presented for them the things that they want to reach them and it was "Islamic Revolution of Iran" in bahman 22, 1979.
A part pf this festival is drama festival. In one of these days, my friend and me went to see a drama that named "Death of Salesman" writhed by Aurtor Miller presented in Dey 26.
Also I should add that the popular presence is very great and I glad that drama meeting is apprehension of our people.


Family as a Drama

The story of drama takes place during the economic depression and the wave of unemployment in the United States. Although is not refer to it directly during the drama. Miller as author has used of family form for making his story. In this way, I should say that for much modern American drama the Family" is the central subject, as the anthology selection show. In "Long Day's Journey into Night", O'Neill" studied his own family through the Tyrones; in Tennessee William's "A Streetcar Named Desire" the Kowalskis are one family , which Blanche invades , while Blanche and Stella, as sisters, are another. Most of Arthur Miller's plays as well, concentrate on the family and envision ad ideal world as, perhaps, an enlarged family. Often the protagonist's sense of family draws him into conflict with- and eventual doom in- the outside world.
Yet, Miller recognizes that an ideal is sometimes a rationalization. Joe Keller insists in "All My Sons" (1947) that he shipped damaged airplane parts during the war to support his family, but a desire for commercial success was part of his motive. Eddie Carbone in "A View from the Bridge" (1955) accepts death because of his sense of responsibility to his niece, but married man though he is; he may also be in love with that same niece. Also in this drama , "Death of Salesman" (1949) Willy Loman's delusions and self-deceptions derive from, and return to, his image of himself as family provider, an image he can not live up to.
The man who becomes disable while has toiled all of his life. He has thought that he has succeeded in his life and salesmanship is only important job and even his sons should become salesman; but the reality is else.
He doesn't have any savings except for future. Life insurance that also it isn't chargeable to his family because he wants to suicide. I think all of the restlessness arises of abstract concept that named "American Dream". The concept that by it proves the desire of Great America, and encourages all of the Americans in different classes to reach it. It's clear that the attempts of different persons don't have same conclusions, and it causes human distress.


Sociological Presence in Art


This drama is other discretion from American restless that causes many different reactions:
Conformism, Innovation, Ritualism and finally Resignation or Isolation.

What do these concepts remind for you?
Yes, Merton theory that talks about different positions of people when they confront with social different affairs (the position of goals and tools)
And I should say the situation of this drama is" Anomy" that Durkhaim talked about it.
In this way, I will talk about these positions in connection with Miller's characters:
1-Innovation about Willy, because he has accepted American goals but he doesn't have reach the suitable tools, and the way how selects similar to creation.
2-Resignation or Isolation about Bife, he doesn't accept both of tools and goals and leaves home.
3-Conformism about Happy, he has adopted with social trite values, just as his name shows it.
4-Ritualism about Linda as absolute dependence against her husband without any protest, and it shows the manly system in American family during that time.
Miller has reflected all of these social facts and I think his dramas are best representation of American society and these are great references for studying about the United States of America that show us things that we don't reach them by scientific texts.


The Man of American Events

I think, it's good that talk about the author of this drama:
Miller was born on October 17, 1915, into a German-Jewish family in Manhattan; his father was a well-to-do but almost illiterate clothing manufacture, his mother an avid reader. When his father's business collapsed after the stoke market crash in 1929, the family moved to Brooklyn, where Miller graduated high school. His subsequent two years of work in an automobile-parts warehouse to earn money for college. In the University of Michigan he enrolled as a journalism student. These were the years of the "Spanish Civil War", the rise of fascism, and the attraction of Marxism as away out of the Depression, and here Miller formed his political views. He also began to write plays, which won prizes at the university and in New York. He then went to work for Federal Theater Project, wrote radio plays , toured army camps gathering material for a film, and married Mary Slattery, the first of his three wives.
In 1947, his first Broadway success," All My Sons", was produced (the man who had all the luck and failed in 1944). This strongly realistic portrayal of a family divided because of the father's insistence on business as usual during the World War II drew the attention of audience and theater critics. "Death of Salesman", his masterpiece, was produced two years later; it won the "Pulitzer Prize". In 1950s the hysterical search for supposed communist infiltration of American life reached its height, as Senator Joseph Mc McCarthy summoned suspect after suspect to hearing in Washington. Miller later said that at this time he was reading a book about the Salem.
Miller had long been looking for the way to dramatize what he had earlier learned about mob control of the Brooklyn waterfront and finally did so in the one-act play "A View from the Bridge", produced with "A Money for Two Mondays" in 1955. In 1964 two plays opened and in late 1960s he was asked to become president of PEN (poets, essayist, novelist), the international writer's group. By opening this organization to writers in what were Iron Curtain countries and speaking out for those repressed by totalitarian regimes, he has become a respected champion of Human Rights.
It is good to remember that for both earlier and later plays Miller's protagonists have death on their minds, a concern greater than any political affiliation.
Finally, I suggest you to see this drama, because there are so much distance between hearing and watching, as Iranian said.

References:
1- Baym, Nina, the Norton anthology of American literature, sixth edition, volume (New York, 2003)













the story of propaganda and mel gibson



The story of propaganda
And
Mel Gibson


In July, 2006 published news of Mel Gibson being arrested by police, while drunk. Gibson's protest against this arrest was read as anti-Semitism, as if he had scorned the Jewish policeman while being arrested by him.
Even the wonderful words from him published: "Get the hell over it".
The news is brief, but the atmosphere it made is really vast and apt to be investigated. For explaining the matter better, it is good to the concept of "anti-Semitism" and the reason of caring it so much.



Anti-Semitism as hegemony


"Anti-Semitism is hostility toward or prejudice against Jews as a religious, racial, or ethnic group, which can range in expression from individual hatred to institutionalized, violent persecution. While the term's etymology may imply that anti-Semitism is directed against all Semitic peoples, it is in practice used exclusively to refer to hostility towards Jews. The highly explicit ideology of Adolph Hitler's Nazism was the most extreme example of this phenomenon, leading to the Holocaust (www.wikipedia.com)"
Anti-Semitism can be broadly categorized into three forms:
1-Religious anti-Semitism
2-Radical anti-Semitism
3-New anti-Semitism
As was told before, one engage over this news in different ways .exactly on the same day, there was news that was not covered as much as this one:
This news was about a Muslim entered the building of the Seattle Jewish Federation and shot every Jew he saw, murdering one woman and wounding five others.


The miracle of words


The question here is "why the news of Gibson's insulting a Jewish police officer is more vastly covered than the news of being kill of several Jews by Muslim when Jews are looking for an opportunity for adjudging Muslims?!
The answer is disreputation of director known as one with high Christian devotion, and producing a movie in blame of the Jews is more contributing to the Semitist propaganda than going to the news of a terrorist action by a Muslim whose name won't be mentioned even. After making The Passion of the Christ (2004), Gibson became distinguished as a "fundamental Christian" and Jews were chasing an opportunity to dispute him. Over emphasizing DUI charges and that Gibson has been driving while drank, are the only and the most things remaining in the mind, of the readers. In all the news about Gibson before going to any subject, this phrase comes:
"The Hollywood star, who issued a groveling apology to the Jewish community after making anti-Semitic comments when was arrested for drink-driving, said the way he had been treated since was "out of proportion".
He also defended his new movie, Apocalypto; against charges it is excessively violent …."
(Rachel Williams in New York, December 17, 2006 12:00am).
And then introducing his new project or his contract with same company. Of course for restricts Christians, drunkenness is quite more blamed than breaking driving rules. Other news comes with the repeated words of the previous news. This news is Gibson's support of a female singer _ Britney Spears_ who naked herself in front of all audiences in a concert. This sentence was quoted by him:
"Your heart goes out to her because I'm positive that, at her core, she's a good woman." (WENN)
Just as you see the past news is again the tool for destruction of Gibson's position in restricts Christian's sight. If after this process was conducted a poll among the people, that would have shown how their idea about Gibson has dropped, and my own idea indicates it. This is the power of media and in fact the power of words, and also the concentration of this power in the control of some ideologies.
Today, the label of anti-Semitism is on the fore head of the backed by God, these who run a term against Jews, a label of which one can not get rid. In posts of future, I refer to other cases similar to this happen about very famous person that you know him!!
Refrences:

1-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Gibson

2-http://www.topix.net/who/mel-gibson

3-http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/28/gibson.dui/index.html