The Fight for Freedom

After thoroughly analyzing The Book of Negroes throughout the course of the school year a word that has frequently come up is freedom. What does freedom mean to you? For most of it doesn’t mean much as we have had the privilege of being free for our entire lives. However, this was not the case for slaves. In the times of slavery, people suffered through the most traumatic of experiences in the hope of one day being free. Doesn’t seem cynical that we take our freedom for granted?

Aminata would give anything to be free. She despises the fact that she is “owned” by another. It was her main goal to return back to Africa and she did everything in her power to ensure that she did. For example, when she worked for Solomon Lindo she convinced him to take her to library to look at a map of Africa. She does this in the hope of learning more about her homeland. Aminata makes it her sole purpose to further educate herself so that she could one day return to Africa.

Aminata is a determined woman who does not let anything get in the way of her venture for freedom. She is knocked down time after time yet she always manages to get back up. This shows how much freedom means to Aminata. Her strength of character is one of the factors that not only aid in her survival but also allow her to one-day return home. She says, “Then I will sleep by day and walk by night. But listen to me, friend. I will come back and I will come home” (Hill 60).

Slaves are not the only people who have had a long walk to freedom throughout the course of their lives. For example, Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to fighting for freedom for South Africans. Mandela changed the lives of the South African people. Also, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. In my opinion, Aminata can be compared to these world leaders as her quest for freedom was just as difficult. Aminata eventually achieved her freedom as a result of determination, hard work and maintaining a positive attitude. She never gave up and therefore was successful!

The Oedipus Complex

“You murdered your father,

  You married your mother.

  You rascal!

  You’re my kind of guy!”

  - Madame Peep

Oedipus the King, also known as Oedipus Rex, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles. Oedipus, the main character in the play has been the inspiration for a theory called the Oedipal Complex. This theory causes us to look at human existence in a completely different way. The theory created by Sigmund Freud discusses the psychosexual stages of development to describe a boy’s feelings of desire for his mother and jealousy and anger towards his father. This is clearly derived from the play as with in the play, Oedipus marries his mother and kills his father. One might think that this is an insane thought! How could a person be attracted to his mother and want to kill his father? According to Freud, it is a fact of life but definitely not as drastic as described in Oedipus Rex. The boy feels as if he is in competition with his father for possession of his mother. He views his father as a rival for her attentions and affections.

Although, this theory seems disturbing to me and I’m sure many others, it does have it’s truths. When you are a young child it is only obvious that you are going to want your mother’s undivided attention. Therefore, if someone has the ability of taking this attention away, such as your father, then you are not going to be happy. This theory also makes sense to me because it is a common fact that the person you marry will most likely have qualities, values, character-traits like your mother or father. You may not want to believe it but it is true! It is possible that this initial attraction to your parent causes you to want to marry a spouse like him/her.

When researching the Oedipus complex I found an article called “The Real Oedipal Complex” by Jeffrey B. Rubin. He states that Freud misread Oedipus Rex as it does not illustrate the Oedipus complex. He also states that Freud distorted Oedipus Rex’s meaning to suit his theoretical preconceptions. Rubin states, “What Freud willfully omitted from his theory of the Oedipus complex were two terribly important facts about Sophocles’ play: Oedipus Rex begins with parental aggression and abandonment, not filial patricide or incestuous relations between a son and mother.” Therefore, in Rubin’s opinion, the Oedipus Complex is not displayed in Oedipus Rex as Oedipus did not grow up in a normal situation where he had his actual parents present in his lives. He states that he in fact tried to protect the people who he thought were his parents by abandoning them.

Works Cited: "The Real Oedipal Complex." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

A Streetcar Named Desire: Production Elements (Editing)

A second production element that stood out to me in the film was the editing. It plays a major part in the film. From watching the clip it is seen that the very beginning of scene one was left out. We are introduced to Blanche first instead of the rest of the characters. The director of the film also included a few parts that were not mentioned in the play. For example, in the beginning of the film, Blanche is seen at the train station looking rather puzzled. A young sailor then tries to help her and shows her which streetcar to take. He also helps her with her bags. The streetcar named desire is then seen pulling in and the man helps her onto it. I believe the director began the play like this because he wanted to show the significance of Blanche’s arrival in New Orleans and the significance of the streetcar named desire to the film. Desire plays a major part in both the film and the play. The audience is given a bird’s eye perspective of Blanche walking down the streets of New Orleans looking for Elysian Fields. This allows the audience to see the setting of the rough and cosmopolitan city of New Orleans. It also allows the audience to see how out of place Blanche looks while she wonders the streets. She juxtaposes the setting.

A Streetcar Named Desire: Production Elements (Music/Sound)

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, was first adapted for film in 1951. In the film, a production element that stood out to me was the sound/music. In the clip of scene one, the music as well as sound play a big part in creating the atmosphere. For example, in the beginning of the clip jazz music is played as Blanche walks through the streets of New Orleans. This music, the sounds of men shouting, glass breaking, and car horns beeping all allow the audience to see the rough, chaotic and busy atmosphere of New Orleans. The rough and unsophisticated setting of New Orleans is also described in the text. As the clip continues, it is noticed that the music drastically changes.

Throughout the clip the music changes with the mood of the character and with the message that is supposed to be communicated to the audience. The jovial jazz music switches to dark and mysterious music when Blanche begins to tell Stella about the loss of Belle Reve. Before Blanche even begins to speak, the sinister music communicates to the audience that something is about to be revealed. It also creates a mystifying atmosphere. The mysterious sounds of the trumpet become louder as Blanche informs Stella of more details about the loss. Blanche then runs outside and the booming sounds of a train are heard. This allows for dramatic effect. Towards the end of the scene, Blanche mentions to Stanley that she was once married. As she says this, the polka tune, the “Varsouviana” is heard. It allows the audience to see that Blanche is remembering something from her past. This is true to the text, as it is seen that every time Blanche mentions her dead husband, she hears this music. The music haunts her as it was played the night her husband killed himself. The sound of a gunshot is then heard and the music stops. This music and gunshot also create a mystifying atmosphere.

A Streetcar Named Desire - Main Characters

A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, is the play that we are reading in English class. Throughout the book we are introduced to various characters. The main ones are Blanche Dubois, Stanley Kowalski and Stella Kowalski.  Blanche Dubois is a woman who seems to look out of place throughout the entire play. She is very posh and thinks that she is better than everyone else. She juxtaposes the setting, which is located in the rough New Orleans. We learn that Blanche really isn’t what she seems to be. Stanley Kowalski is the complete opposite to Blanche and perhaps that is why they do not get along. He is a rugged, rough looking man who has grown up in much harsher conditions than Blanche. He is married to Stella Kowalski, Blanche’s sister. He is most definitely the controlling one in his and Stella’s relationship. He takes advantage of her and mistreats her. Stella Kowalski is a kind and loving young woman. She would do anything for the people she loves. Both her sister and her husband mistreat her yet she loves then unconditionally. She even waits on then when they do nothing for her in return.