Post14: Elephant by Gus Van Sant (2003) 

  

   

1) What struck you most in the film?

  What struck me the most is the slowness of the film.Because on the film all the characters are filming from the back and the spectator follows all their step.Besides this we focus on the life of each character for more know them.

2) What also impressed you?

What impressed me is the ease by whom the killers are entered into the high school. Nobody has stop them.And the other things that impressed me is the reaction off all the people who was on the school during the massacre.Their reaction doesn’t convince me , it was like “normal” and i don’t feel their scare.

3) Did you find anything more particularly upsetting?

The thing that i have particularly find upsetting is the fact that the film is very slow.And there is every time different point of view in on scene.

4) What did you find very disturbing?

I find very disturbing the fact that the camera makes a plan on certains characters that facing it’s going to happen something or they were going to be important on the film.

5) What was most shocking?

The most shocking in the film for me it’s that the movie on basis is pulled of a truth story and that from my opinion the The movie removes in a way the tragedy of the drama, because it is too stereotypical.

6) What does the film  suggest about the two school shooters?

The film suggests about the two shooters that one of them was bullying at school and that people don't pray attention and was shocked by the other. The other shooter was the friend of the bullying young boy who was fan of a brutal video games.

7) What's more, what does the film director make clear about the two killers?

The director makes clear that the two killers wants to prepare something at the beginning because we can see one of them in the self look at around him and also that they are determined to make a revenge . Also that they are an unclear relation.

8) What kind of approach to the school shooting itself did Gus Van Sant opt for?

He  makes an approach that lead to think that it’s something that can happen.And also a moralistic approach because it’s the student that bullying the killers who have created a brutal person.

9) Moreover, what's the main consequence of the realistic treatment he uses? What about the 'poetic' touches he instills throughout the film?

  The main consequence of the realistic consequence is that people can change and that there is a limit of all.Also the fact of finding gun more easly.

 

10) As a conclusion, what must we admit about the way in which the killing and the killers are perceived by the film viewers?

  They is perceived like a Young school boy that was not concious of the gravity of they act .Because they take that like something normal and not seriously. And it seems that they have any regrets.


 

The US GUN CULTURE

The US Gun culture

Steve SACK, on www.startribune.com,
Gun Lobby and Congress (2010)

The Founding Fathers of the United States are the individuals of the Thirteen British Colonies in North America who led the American Revolution against the authority of the British Crown and established the United States of America.

Description : 

 The cartoon was illustrated by steve Sack and it's called "Gun lobby and Congress".The cartoon stages two characters in front of the Congress in America.One of the character represents a gun lobby and the other represents Congress. The gun lobby's man is giving a bag of money to the other by saying "Now, where were, before we were so rudely interrupted...".On the stairs of the congress, we can see blood flowing.

Interpretation :

This cartoon reflects the power of the Gun industry in US. Many campaign has been established to fight against the carrying of weapons . But it leads to nothing because they still existed a handgun violence. As underlined the cartoon many system is corrupted like the congress the lobby gun's man gives to the other some money . I think that is for not removed the laws which allows the Gun ownership in US and closed the eye about all the violence and the polemic which surround the use of gun. The pharse of the gun lobby's man which is  "Now, where were, before we were so rudely interrupted..." The interruption about which he speaks is the blood behind them in other words they have already started to establish an accord .The lobbies have taken an important place in US. 

Dave GRANDLUND, on www.davegranlund.com,
Second Amendment and NRA (2013)

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun rights.Founded in 1871, the group has informed its members about firearm-related bills since 1934, and it has directly lobbied for and against legislation since 1975. It is also the oldest continuously operating civil rights organization in the United States. This organization is the most   longest-standing civil rights organization of America.The NRA supports privacy rights for gun owners and, additionally, has invoked the Tenth Amendment to defend gun rights.The NRA is considered as being one of the most influential political lobbies of the United States because of its capacity to bring regularly a large number of votes during the elections.

Description :

This drawing was made by Dave Grandlund in 2013 and it's called "second Amendment and NRA".The drawing shows on statue of a standing soldier who has on his hand a rifle.next to the statue there is written "Second Amendment as defined by the founding fathers" in front of the the statue there is also a standing soldier but more recent . Because of the color and the soldier has in his ownership three submachine guns and two handgun. The soldier is standing on a reserves of ammunition. next to him there is written "Second Amendment as defined by the NRA".

Interpretantion :

 First the illustration confront two ideologies and two ideas. On the one hand there is the idea that the gun has served for  defend something that is very important. It was before a question of a right of militia, to participate in the defense of the State.On the other hand there is the NRA which defends the right to carry weapons in US. We see this idea clearly on the illustation .
"Our Father, who is in heavens, who your name is sanctified [...].
That the freedom to carry weapons is protected,
and that to protect our families. Amen."It it is the thoughts which they defend throught he cartoons we see that with all the bullets which are on the floor.

My individual document

POST 11: FOR LVA STUDENTS ONLY: Individual document on Exchanges in Real and Virtual Spaces

  

The personal document that i have chosen is illustration by Stephen Maurice Graham.

            

illustration by Stephen Maurice Graham

Today we can see appear new types of spaces in particulary because of the technological advances.The virtual spaces forms part of this new spaces. Virtual space is an artificial environnement generated by software.And this virtual reality reproduces articially a sensory experience which can include the view, the touch and the smelt.This shows that the borders between real and virtual world is soon crossed. 

On the illustration we can see a man who is seat on a chair and he is attached.He has a head mounted displays relied to a machine behind him which probably contyrol his thought. 

The idea is that the virtual space extend on the real world and we cannot detached from that . For example we can talked about the gaming in virtual reality.Certains of these games presents a free world where we can escapedbut this can cause a dependance and an addiction because we are isolated and cut of everything.

  

The other document that i can choose is a 2006 Horror film which is called stay alive . The film shows also the limit between the virtual and the real spaces. It's shows the same idea as the illustaration but goes even further in removing the border of the real and the virtual world.

The film is about a group of friends who finds herself in possesion of a game which is called Stay Alive. So they started to play at the game. But Everything does not go according to plan...

       

POST 7: THE IDEA OF PROGRESS : QUANTITY vs QUALITY

POST 7: Quantity vs Quality 

First let me explain the notion idea of progress. Idea of progress is all the advances in the domain  of technology, scientific,social,medical,educational ..,. that can be make life easier. We can notice that there is two types of progress; on in term of quality which  is the forward movement as toward a goal. And the other in term of quantity which is the gradual betterment  . This two phenomenon has been always confrontated. To illustrate the opposition that is between them I decided to focus on the shopping with two documents.

My first document is an article which was written by a woman who is named Marianna Glynska , the 10/10/2016 :

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marianna-glynska/quality-versus-quantity-w_b_12413012.html

In this document it's very good explain the fact that we are always confronted by  commercial center where we spend a lot of money . And we don't pay attention of what we bought and sometimes we bought thing which are not useful. Because we pay much attention of if the thing is beauty or it's trend and not if it's a good quality.

Even if the quality is more expensive than the quantity it's more durable and we are not obligated to buy another thing and we can find something with quality in reduction. And the author says that it's much better to buy good-quality that you need.

And the author tells a proverb which is “buy quality and cry once and by cheap and cry forever” .

  The quantity urges to buy more. Because when the production is a lot the price are not very expensive. For example i take the irish company Primark , this company is specialised in the less expensive sale of products . But their products are not especially of good quality because they tear fast.

But this quantity can permit to people who have not a lot of money to buy goods.

And make products less expensive is a good idea and it can be increase the turnover of the company .

For example Primark : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/22/india.humanrights

“Other major retailers are scrambling to follow the cheap, fast and fashionable concept - for good reason. Worth an estimated £5bn, the Primark chain now has 4.8 million sq feet of retail space across 177 stores in three countries, employing 25,000 people.”

Even if the quality is very expensive , the quantity seems to atracted more and more people. But the thing which are in good quality are very difficult to find .So that why we seen apearing more and more imitation .