Blog Entry #11: Final Paper

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Domenick D’Angelo

Professor Smith

ENG 102

Final Essay Option Two: The Meaning of Creatures

       Since the beginning of time, humans have tried to escape reality as much as humanly possible. Whether it’s with the assistance of a strong imagination or with the use of drugs. In terms of literature people have produce so many works with the mentioning of supernatural beings or activity. The escape from reality or discussing the supernatural gives people feelings of enjoyment on things they normally would never see in real life.  Comparing the real world to the supernatural, its pretty clear the supernatural is a whole lot more exciting. Being able to fly, having telekinesis, or in the case of the film “Spirited Away” being in a spirit world, seems a whole more exciting than going to school or work. People tend to lose their imagination when reaching into adulthood, but with supernatural literature it gives a childhood like imagination during adulthood and that’s why I think there will always be supernatural works of literature.

      During the film, I couldn’t help but to think about compare Chihiro with the novel Coraline that we read during the semester. Both young girls who well aren’t really happy with their current situation; moving into a new town, a new house, and having to attend a new school. Both Chihiro and Coraline enter a supernatural world that at first frightens

them, but then they grow to get used to it, just like anything else in life. With supernatural beings either looking absolutely nothing like humans, or that look like humans but have some type of supernatural ability or looking a little different physically. Whether its

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having button eyes in the case of the novel Coraline, or a boy who can fly and turn into a dragon like in Spirited Away. It’s no surprise that the trill of the uncommon is the reasons why these works exist and things similar to it will continue.

       One thing with works of the supernatural whether it’s a novel or a film, is when they have supernatural beings that also have a “normal” life in the “real world.’ For example, Sabrina The Teenage Witch or the television series Charmed, they’re both television shows of witches that go to school, work, and keep their precious secret hidden. Situations where the combination of natural and supernatural mesh, makes the supernatural seem possible and wanting to have these ability even mores because now you’re favorite actor/actress “has” those powers. I wish I could be like Sabrina The Teenage Witch she got virtually every and anything with just a point of a finger. With an insane schedule of having a full-time job, part-time job, and being a full-time student, I would love to get basic necessity completed with a point of my finger.

       The mystery of the supernatural and the thrill it gives me and the same emotions for other, assures me that these works will continue to be created and may get better and better with time. Although I know most of these aren’t humanly possible, I still have some type of hope that maybe it actually can. Watching X-Men films makes me wonder that may something within humans DNA all these things can be possible. Even though I’ve been told by numerous science teachers and professors, my active imagination is what I listen to and even if people tell me it isn’t possible in some way I’d like to think it is and we’re all just not looking close enough.

Blog Entry #10 Final Research Paper

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Domenick D’Angelo

Professor Smith

ENG 102

Stardust Research Paper

Love, this four letter word that conveys such emotion and drives people to insanity. Is it merely just one emotion or is it motivation to go beyond what people think they’re capable of? In the film Stardust the story of Tristan, a boy who isn’t the most wealthiest head over heels for a woman name Victoria whom has her eye on someone else and thinks of Tristan as barely a friend. After attempts for Victoria’s heart, Tristan is trying to think out of the box to win her over a neighborhood rival. Victoria informs Tristan that his rival is on an journey to bring a ring to Victoria from a far away land, proposes that if Tristan is able to bring her a star she will wed him. Tristan embarks on an insane journey to a forbidden part of town in hopes to get a star for his beloved Victoria. Tristan’s journey suddenly changes when the star he was so desperate to find is in a human form called Yvaine and she is beautiful. His journey becomes their journey; evil witches are on a look for Yvaine because a star can grant them immortality. During an insane of a chase and fight, Tristan realizes love is something unconditional one can’t do one task and suddenly another loves them. He realizes he just had a crush on Victoria, and in the end Yvaine and him marry. Love conquers all, and love makes people do crazy things. Throughout the

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entire film you see many interesting characters that happen to follow archetypes from the Pearson system.

According to the Pearson System of archetypes, Tristan would follow the archetype of the lover. Someone who loves unconditional and someone whose love knows know limits. Despite love being infamous for leaving people with stress and even at times a broken heart, Tristan fights through extremes for something he truly believes in. According to a poet from England, Lord Alfred Tennyson who once said, "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have love at all." I feel as if Tristan fully believes in that, knowing that love can make one feel things that aren’t too desirable its worth it in the end because one put themselves out their for something so precious.

Yvaine would follow the archetype of the innocent. For many years Yvaine has looked over Earth and see humans and all their infamous human emotions and she admires the lengths people go for love. Whether its parental, friendship or romance love is still love and love is powerful. Yvaine follows the innocent, because she’s a bit naive, spontaneous and definitely up for an adventure as she did when she met Tristan. Yavine is an innocent soul, with no evil thoughts or any clue what it means to be human. But the journey although at first she was being captive open to her eyes to things she just couldn’t see being a star a million miles away from humans. That although humans are notorious for destroying everything, their capacity to love can make them do things that would amaze themselves if they dove in without a second thought. Adventure especially to

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someone like Yvaine who is an innocent, can determine a lot of their perception of both life in general and importantly their inner person.

The evil witch Empusa would follow the destroyer archetype. According to the novel What Story Are you Living? “The Destroyer character can be seen as a victim (experiences tragedy or loss and then has to rebuild his or her life) (120). Empusa is a victim of vanity, she believes that youth and beauty is everything no matter what the cost. Being old and hideous to her is considered a tragedy and her quest to steal Yvaine to be immortal and youthful is what she is willing to do. Empusa being a destroyer she clearly is willing to destroy anyone or anything to get what she wants. The final fight scene she kills one of the last of the King’s sons because he got into her way of getting Yvaine. In the end of the fight scene Yvaine shined so bright and killed Empusa without having to touch her. That final moment I thought of the quote from an unknown author, “Destroy everything you love, before everything you love destroys you.” Empusa felt that she had to destroy Yvaine to get what she loves, immortality and eternal beauty but in the end she wasn’t able to and Yvaine destroyed Empusa.

Stormhold’s King would obviously follow the ruler archetype. He enjoys ruling everything and being in full control. His greatest fear is no longer being able to be king and having to pass his royalty to one of his many sons. Although he obviously would prefer giving it to one of his own children than to have a stranger take his place. The king

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enjoys the throne too much. Seeing this character made me think of the quote John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton once said, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Power,

fame, money, and social status can change a person in a blink of an eye. Not only is the person who is corrupted in grave danger, but also in this case so are the people of Stormhold under his ruling.

Captain Shakespeare who is played by my favorite actor Rober De Niro follows the jester archetype. He is filled with joy, humor, and isn’t obsessing with the negative in the world but still finds the positive. His greatest fear would probably being too bored, because he is such an advocate of living a carefree life. When people typically hear the word jester they think of an unintelligent slave to perhaps a king of some sort and all they do is dance for the king. But with archetypes they’re not so black and white. Captain Shakespeare serves himself, as he is the captain of his ship. He entertains himself; his main goal in life is to make sure he is enjoying life to the fullest because he is fully aware that life can easily no longer be there for people. Although his character didn’t have the biggest role, he should’ve because he can teach people a lot. Breathing and being alive doesn’t mean you’re living life. Laugh everything off, treat life like it’s a party because everything in life is temporary the good and the bad.

Archetypes play a big role in works of literature and also in this case a film, they’re more than just stereotypes, which I initially thought of when learning about what archetypes were. Archetypes are a system of personality types that many people

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unknowingly fit to. When reading the twelve different archetypes I instantly think of people in my own personal life that would perfectly fit each of the archetypes. Reading archetypes helped me understand characters a whole lot more, it gives the pros and cons of a archetype, their hopes and fears, and the true essence of the character. A better understanding of characters gives people a better understanding of the story in general and as to why certain characters do certain things. I wish I‘d learned the twelve archetypes earlier in my English education; I probably would’ve been able to analyzing characters a whole lot easier at this point of my education.

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Work Cited

Pearson, Carol, and Hugh K. Marr. What Story Are You Living? Gainesville FL: Center for Applications of Psychological Type, 2007. Print.

Blog Entry #9

102 Blog Entry 9: Stardust

One archetype from the Pearson system I've noticed occurring a lot throughout the film Stardust was the lover archetype. The love Tristan believed he had for the girl whom he has crushed on forever, started off his peculiar adventure to capture a star so she can marry him. He thought he loved her so much that proving it to her by bringing her a star would bring him everything he ever dreamed of when it came to relationships. But, the thing with love is, it's unconditional. Love shouldn't be something one has to prove with the use of materialistic objects. When Tristan finally does capture the star who ends up being a woman named Yvaine, Tristan realizes she's the one she is falling for and not his original crush. Yvaine shares her own experience observing love from the skies and explains how jealous she is of humanity's capability to love and receive love. Throughout Tristan's adventure to bring Yvanie to his beloved, Tristan protects Yvanie from evil witches who want the star for their own personal vanity agendas. Tristan and Yvanie share feelings of love throughout the entire adventure and it is proven when Yvanie shined so brightly and killed the witch who was trying to kill her and her newly beloved Tristan. Love gives people motivation to do crazy things, without love what are we all doing what we're doing?

Blog Entry # 8

Dylan Thomas’ poem, “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” at first seemed confusing as to what the author was trying to convey. After reading this poem multiple times, the message Thomas was trying to say became clear. Although life may not be ideal to most, it is better to be alive than dead. The author strongly believes that one should fight to stay alive and not give up and pass away. Thomas has a personal connection to this concept with the mention of his father’s last moments of life.

Repetition of lines in literature, especially in poetry is usually intended to emphasize what the author is trying to say. In this poem Dylan Thomas repeats two lines, both four times. “Do not go gentle into that good night” (line 1, 6, 12, 18) means to not let go of life so easily after each day. Who knows, maybe “that night” might be one’s last and it shouldn’t be one’s last without a fight. The line “Rage, rage, against the dying of the light,” (line 3, 9, 15, 19) compliments the other line in the message the author is conveying. Life is precious and it shouldn’t end without a passionate fight to claim one’s life.

Thomas also uses the symbolic concepts of dark and light that goes with his overall message. In the second stanza, “Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lighting they Do not go gentle into that good night.” Dark represents death, although people fear death they are aware that it is bound to happen to us all and we should not go to our deathbed gently without a fight. Light represents life; the wise men know that death is apart of life, but people should go towards life than to be drawn into death.

The author’s usage of repetition, symbolism and his personal reference to the author’s father makes this poem authentic and heartwarming. Thomas’ bluntness in his choice of words goes deep in his overall message, without playing it safe. On a personal level, this poem reinstates my own personal belief that life is precious, even if it isn’t ideal.

Blog Entry # 7

I chose the archetype that seemed problematic to me was "The Destroyer." Initially, I assumed it was a big tyrant doing whatever it please despite the pain it causes on others. But after reading the description, the destroyer isn't a archetype that is a one way mind-set as I thought. The Destroyer in fact can be seen as a victim who has experience something so tragic. When a tragedy occurs to people, the reactions and coping mechanism varies on the different people. The textbook uses the examples of Zorro and Robin Hood, someone who has experience oppression and is willing to do whatever it takes legally or illegally to fight for what they believe is right. In real life, the only group of people who I would classify to follow the archetype of the destroyer are protestors/activists. Some protesters/activists are peaceful ones, it may have worked for Ghandi. But it in the present day, if you're not doing something to get attention, even bad attention, nothing will change. People may have to result in a violent riot, and literally fight for their right. The Destroyer archetype, makes me think of the quote "

Blog Entry # 6

Archetype's are stereotypical personality characteristics that have been labeled and dissected and now is typically used when referring to pieces of literature on fables, fairy tales and folktales or in the psychological field when describing one's personality/ego. I choose The Magician archetype. Initially, I chose it before reading any of the other archetypes, because of my interest of magicians, witches and magic. But after reading all of the twelve archetypes, my decision hasn't changed. The Magician, is referred to as a powerful being that doesn't really have much authoritative power but is powerful nonetheless. The Magician prefers to be in the sidelines, than being the center of attention and being fully responsible. In real life the person/people I would think to follow "The Magician" archetype are my managers at my job. They have authority over my fellow cashiers and myself, yet they still have no authority fully of the store, the owner does. Customers typically confuse the mangers as the owners, although they know the entire store like the back of their hand and help cashiers and stock people, the managers do not want the resonipbility that comes with owning a store. People assume it's easier to own a store rather than manage it, and nine out of ten times, they're wrong. 

Blog Entry #5

During the semester, I learned a new way of learning with this class. This is the first time, I'm taking a hybrid class. Although, I was completely unaware that I signed up for a hybrid class, I do not regret it at all. I never knew learning in English class could actually be fun until this class, the usage of blogs makes writing an essay not feel like we're writing an essay. Class discussions on intriguing topics like the supernatural really interests me as a opposed to constantly reading and referring to Shakespeare's works of literature. Not trying to talk badly about Shakespeare, just after a while always talking about him, isn't the most fun. This course is not going the way I thought it was, since like I mentioned before of being unaware that this was a hybrid class, I thought it was going to be a standard English class, sitting in a room constantly writing and revising essays and analyzing pieces of literature. So far the two pieces of literature that really stuck out to be was "Goblin Market" and "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" they're such powerful works of literature, and both stood out to me, out of all the pieces of literature we have worked on thus far of the semester.