Questions:  

1. What is Spurlok’s message about fast food?
2. How does he try to prove his message’s validity?
3. What does he do as a director to make you believe his message?
4. What flaws  do you see in his strategy?

Q1: His message is that by eating fast food you become addicted to it and it damages your health. Fast food is becoming the main meal for americans and so thats why there is a huge number of obese people in the US. 

Q2: He tries to prove his message by starting a McDiet, which consists on eating fast food for an entire period of 30 days straight. He can only eat McDonalds and he mus have 3 meals a day. If the restaurant asks Spurlock if he wants his meal supersize, he has to say yes. He also has to try everything in the menu at least once. 

Q3: Firstly, he actually sticks to his McDiet which to many is really impressive. Secondly, he uses professional people to measure his process during the diet and he shows actual facts on the documentary. He also shoes the stories of people who have been 'addicted' to McDonalds and how have they been affected. 

Q4: Some imperfections in the documentary are that it is a one-side documentary, it is based only on the point of view of McDonalds affecting obesity in America. The documentary is in response to a lawsuit done by two affected clients by McDonalds. Spurlock reduced his exercising during the diet. He also went from a vegetarian diet to the McDiet, this obviously had a greater impact. The supersize option is looked as if Spurlock is forced to take it, and so it only shows that point of view from McDonalds, however it is just an option and he didn't have to take it. Finally he didn't show the other healthier options from McDonalds, and when he did, he added mayonnaise and extra sauces. Off course, its his job to show it that way, but he wasn't honest about McDonalds, which i also consider it to be another flaw. 

Dig-Deeper

What is a dead metaphor? A dead metaphor is a metaphor which has lost its original intended imagery, that is why it is called a 'dead' metaphor.It lost its original imagery because of excessive repetition of the metaphor. Examples: "body of an essay"('body' originally meant to describe the human body, the metaphorical image of human anatomy) "It's like swimming. Once you learn, you'll never forget." (now known as "riding a bicycle") Fact: 'Don Quixote' helped the use of dead metaphors to be understood

What is the history of rap? What early forms of expression can the music be traced back to?

Rap started in the 1970s in the neighbourhoods of South Bronx. Mainly teenagers practiced rap and it soon became popular. However they say rap started in the Caribbean and mainly had African roots. Hip-Hop had a huge influence on rap because of its creative rhythms and styles. Rap was mainly used for expression and talked about the situation that was going on in the 'hood'. Soon rap, as it was mainly presented on the streets, travelled from Bronx to different clubs around the U.S.

What key ideas are explored in rap music? Can you find any quotes as examples?

Some of the main ideas in rap music are mainly racisms and self expression. Rap songs are used to express your feelings, this could be something you love or hate, something that is around the media and even something about rap itself. Rap is used to describe your thoughts and that is the main key in rap music. I chop ‘em into salad and my name ain’t Caesar.- Black Thought, “@15,” from The Roots’ Rising Down, 2008
Step to this and get shanked up,
I knocked out so many teeth, the tooth fairy went bankrupt.

- Big L, “Let ‘Em Have it L,” Lifestyles Ov Da Poor and Dangerous, 1995

Inhale deep like the words of my breath,
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death.

- Nas, “New York State of Mind,” Illmatic, 1994

Rap music is closely linked to Hip Hop culture - what is Hip Hop culture? How and why did it develop?

Hip-Hop started in the streets within african-american communities at the same time as rap. It soon spread to Latin-American communities and went all over the U.S. It developed because the people in the 'hood' started rapping and so the crowed join in to make a rhythm and so Hip-Hop began. 

For example, THE BEASTIE BOYS!

YOU'VE GOT TO FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY.
 Beastie Boys started in New York, 1981. Mike D, drums, Adam MCA, bass,  and Adam Ad-Rock, guitarist. There is also Mix Master Mike and Run- D.M.C. They were originally formed as a hardcore punk with John Berry as guitarist. 

My personal thoughts about rap music is that i like the idea of expression by using rhymes and rhythm and perform it in an incredible performance were lots of people join in. However there is good rap and very bad rap. I just prefer 1970s rock.

Island Man Commentary

The poem "Island Man" was written by Grace Nichols, a poet born on a small country village on the coast in Georgetown, US. The poem talks about a man who wakes up in middle of a beach and feels the ambient of the place very relaxing. There is no stress on the man, however, the poem also talks about the relationship of the man and nature and how that vanishes once the man wakes up again in middle of London. The effect and feeling of the poem are emphasised by the variety of literally techniques used by the author, which are mainly used to describe the false feeling of being on an island while having to wake up to reality and deal with a stressful city, once again.

In the first part of the poem the 'island man' wakes up to the sound of the waves, in what we suppose to be, a beautiful beach. "Morning/And the Island man wakes up/to the sound of a blue surf." The wave is described as blue, which gives us the feeling of clear water. The wave describes the flowing and splashing of water which is really relaxing and so gives the effect of a peaceful atmosphere. There is sensory imagery used in the line ,"to the sound of a blue surf", to project to the reader the sound of the waves. The author starts showing the reader that the scenery isn't real, "in his head". She relates the place towards her motherhood and childhood, "The steady breaking and wombing", since she was born in the cost. Also the word 'wombing' is  used to describe the pureness of the feeling, this shows that the author really misses to be in the coast and she is fed up with the city.

In the second part of the poem, the author takes the reader to a closer part of nature, and and even closer  part of her feelings. For example,"wild seabirds/and fisherman pushing out to sea". Wild seabirds are a representation of the Island man, it shows that he is independent and away from any control. It shows that he is free. The fishermen pushing out of the sea tries to explain how the island man is pushing away the city, how he tries to free himself from the strong tide which represents the suburbs of London.  Both lines connect nature with the island man and create a calm ambient which relaxes the reader as it reads on, it also shows how man can convey with nature. Nichols uses a sibilant effect in the words 'pushing' and 'sea' to create a hissing effect of the waves, of nature. Nichols starts her verses with one or two words and then the following line is usually longer. This gives the poem a slow but constant rhythm which creates a peaceful feeling which clearly manages to catch the reader. The next three lines of the verse are also a representation of the island man, fore example "the sun surfacing defiantly/from the east/of his small emerald island". The sun is a strong representation of strength and power, "surfacing defiantly", this is also a personification of the island man. The word 'defiantly' shows how the island man defies the city and prefers to be on the beach. There is a place in London which is located on the east part and it is called 'east end', this part of the city is known to still contain some of the greatest poverty in London. What the author is trying to tell us is that the island man is defying that part of the city and it is turning it away, he is turning away his pain and he is picturing himself on the beach. The line 'of his emerald island' is used to describe the opposite of his real home, it is also a metaphor to describe how beautiful and priceless the island is. The last line of the verse is used to remember the reader once again that the island man is on a dream. For example, "he always comes back groggily groggily". The word groggily is used as alliteration, it is used to describe that the island man is drowsy and sick of the city.

The last two verses of the poem are used to describe how horrible the city is compared to the beach, fore example, "Comes back to sands/of grey metallic soar/to surge of wheels/to dull North Circular roar". The first line says that that the noise and troubles of the city come back in 'sands', this is used as imagery to explain how much the pain is and how hard it is to escape from it since it is so much. The word grey is used as sensory imagery to describe sadness and dulness of the city. the words 'sand', 'soar','surge' and 'roar' are used to describe the nature of the city and its relationship withs the island mans dream of the beach. The word soar describes the high pitched noise of the abounding metal in the city which makes the reader feel irritated and uncomfortable, just how the island man feels. The line 'surge of wheels' shows that the itchiness of the previous noise increased to be even more annoying.
The last line of the first verse creates a juxtaposition of the city and the island, "to surge of wheels/to dull North Circular roar". The North Circular road is usually a road with lots of traffic. The last verse accepts the reality of where the island man is and  then calms down to begin another day. "muffling muffling/his crumpled pillow waves/island man heaves himself/Another London day". Here there is again alliteration used on the repeated word 'muffling'. The word muffling is used to show how the island man tries to quiet the noise from the city, "his crumpled pillow waves". There is again relationship to the beach in the words 'waves' and 'heaves'. Finally the poem finishes with a three word line, "Another London day", to show how simple it is to explain how boring and endless it is to be in London, again.

Analysis of the poem "Half Cast" by John Agard

“Half Caste" By John Agard The poem “Half Caste” is an incredible representation of the sufferment and anger from those who where mixed race, son of an English father and an African mother, for example. John Agard was born in British Guiana in 1949, now known as Guyana. Agards’ parents were of different races, which gave him the surname of “Half Caste”. “Half Caste” was a phrase used to represent, differentiate people of mixed races, this was usually used as a racist term. The poem describes Agards’ intentions to make the people understand that they should not only be ashamed of using such a phrase, but to think twice about it and reason in order for other people to change and so eliminate this racist term.

 The language used in the poem is strictly set to the reader. The language is mainly phonetic which gives an accent similar to the one black people had in the old England. “Wha”, “yu”, “dat” and “dem” are some brilliant examples of the use of phonetic language. This represents a mixed race person, in this case John Agard. The words “ “Explain yuself” are directed to the reader in order to make them feel guilty and to think about the phrase “Half Caste”, this is repeated throughout the poem and every time its power increases. John also uses lots of imagery and similes like “yu mean when light an shadow/mix in de sky/is a half-caste weather?/ well in dat case england weather/nearly always half-caste” and “yu mean Tchaikovsky/sit down at dah piano/an mix a black key/wid a white key/is a half-caste symphony?”. Not only does he mock the phrase “half-caste”, but also he shows that it is stupid and ignorant to name someone half pure. At the start of the poem he defines half in a very pure way, “Excuse me/standing on one leg/I’m half-caste”. This shows that it is cruel to refer to someone as “half-caste”. At the end of the poem, John Agard finishes with a personal and strong answer to the term “half-caste”, “but yu must come back/tomorrow/wid de whole of yu eye/an de whole of yu ear/an de whole of yu mind./an I will tell yu/de other half/of my story.” John knows refers to you as a “half-caste” since = he tells you that you must come back with the whole of your eye and the whole of your ear and the whole of your mind, meaning that you must know understand the term “half-caste".

The rhythm and rhyme in the poem is very Caribbean and marks John Agards routs. The rhythm helps the poet show his anger and frustration; also it helps get the accent to work fluidly with the phonetic language. From my point of view, I’m sure that John Agard wanted to mock the people using the term rather than showing how he feels. He wants to teach throughout this poem, but also he wants to state why he did this poem. The poem should be heard rather than read, since that’s how the effect gets into the reader. The rhythm and rhyme help this in every way. For example, “I’m sure you’ll understand/why I offer yu half-a-hand/an when I sleep at night/I close half-a-eye/consequently when I dream/I dream half-a-dream” There is rhyme in understand and hand, night and eye and in dream. Also you can feel the rhythm growing in your tong.

Finally, John portrays his feelings into the poem producing his anger to mix with his sarcasm and ideas in order to show how fool and ignorant is the person whom dares to use or abuse from this racist term. His use of phonetic language and rhythm produces the reading of the poem to be vivid and real. It shows the incredible strength in the voice of Agard and mocks the phrase every single time. At the end of the poem, however, he forgives the people who have used this term, giving them a second chance to think over. This is why this poem is so incredible; it shows someone that apparently for “pure races” was useless and impure still manages to have a greater maturity and morality towards the situation making them look like fools and still manages to make them regret and move on from what happened.

One flew over the cuckoos nest "Baseball scene"

Baseball Scene

You can observe that MacMurphy joins the group with his humour and ability to have fun. Since Nurse Ratched didn't allow them to watch the baseball even though they had won the votes, MacMurphy defies her by inventing that there is a game going on in the TV. Everyone starts joining in, with confidence and emotion, and even though some aren't so crazy to notice that there is nothing on the TV they keep on jumping and shouting, following MacMurphys' joke. This particular scene is of extreme importance because it shows how Mac Murphy introduces baseball to his 'new buddies' and that the patients are more joined with MacMurphy. Nurse Ratched is lacking control. Also it shows that MacMurphy won and Nurse Ratched lost, showing that Nurse Ratcheds' impotence does not affect MacMurphy. This only made Nurse Ratched more severe with MacMurphy, pushing him more and more to his limits. 

Beat-Generation!

Questions and Answers 

1. Name some important Beat authors. 
Gary Snyder, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Michael McClure and Philip Whalen.

2. Where did the Beat Generation culture originate primarily?

At start, the Beat Generation started by a small group of friends, young writers and became a movement later. It originated in a small neighbourhood surrounding Columbia University, uptown Manhattan in the mid forties.

3. How was it seen by the general public?

General Public saw them as Hippies and modern subculture. A group of people with a goal and also seen as people of words. Anti-Society people.

4. What did it offer the nation?

• Liberty to express sexually, a spiritual liberation
• Free use of drugs such as marijuana and LSD
• The evolution of rhythm and blues intro rock and roll as high art form
• The spread of ecological consciousness
• Opposition against military-industrial machine civilisation
• Respect for land, indigenous people and creatures.

5. Describe the main characteristics of Beatniks. Can you find any images or video clips to support your description?

They based themselves on anti-materialism. Men wore cotton shirts with turtlenecks and scarfs. Sometime horizontal stripped shirts and wore almost all the time black sunglasses. For women, black was favoured colour and it was usually worn in pants and turtlenecks. They mainly contradicted the typical fashion at that time. Below you can see a female Beatnik look.

6. How do you think the Beat Generation have influenced our present culture?

I think that the Beat Generation has influenced on our present culture by giving us more options to in what we believe. Now in days you have the liberty to express your sex, gay or straight etc. In some countries the use of marijuana is legalised and it will probably be legalised on the US further on. There is much more opposition to war and military and peace is one big thing these days. More people believe in peace than war. There is less racism and more cultures are accepted widely around the world.

References: 

• http://www.heureka.clara.net/art/beat-generation.htm
• http://www.litkicks.com/BeatGen#.UJg296mhB7E