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.

Copper Sun: Chapter 3, 4 & 5

As the sun rose the next morning, Amari looked to see that her village had been completely destroyed. The bodies of her friends and family members lay on the ground and there was no one to preform the proper rites for burials. Amari, along with twenty-four other villagers had survived the slaughter. They were huddled and chained together. They were then made to march to Cape Coast. Throughout the journey many of the slaves died and Amari was heartbroken by this. As they arrived at Cape Coast, Amari and the rest of the captives were guided to a huge white building made of bricks and stone. Amari was then shoved inside a room with the rest of the women who had survived their journey. Soon after, she befriends a woman named Afi. Afi is kind to her, protects her and teaches her lessons that aid in her survival. Then one day, without warning,  Amari and the other women are brought into the center of the prison by the white soldiers. Each woman is thoroughly inspected by the soldiers to see if they are healthy. Amari and the other healthy women are then taken through a door. On the other side of the door is a beautiful white sandy beach. Before Amari had time to absorb the atmosphere, she was dragged to what looked like a goat pen. Amari was held down and branded. She screamed and screamed. The intense pain gradually subsided and was replaced by a duller throbbing. Amari was then pleased to see Afi emerge from the prison as well. Later that night, Amari thought back to the night she was captured and she thought of her brother. She was glad her brother was not there to endure any of the horrors. Then she managed to fall asleep.

Copper Sun: Chapter 1 & 2

As you can see from my previous blog post, the book that I have chosen to do my ISU Assignment on is Copper Sun. So far I have read the first two chapters of the book and I found them thoroughly interesting. In the first chapter we are introduced to a fifteen year-old girl named Amari, she is one of the main characters. We also learn that Kwasi is Amari’s younger brother. In the first chapter he is seen climbing a tree like “a little monkey”.  While he is up in the tree he notices Besa walking towards them. Besa is from their village and he is Amari’s fiancé. The first chapter is described very pleasantly. In the second chapter the Europeans arrive at the village and the villagers refer to them as strangers. The Europeans are accompanied by warriors from the Ashanti tribe. The villagers welcome these strangers. However, Amari feels uneasy about them and is not sure why. The villagers welcome the strangers with storytelling, music and dance. Then suddenly, the villagers are attacked by the Europeans and the warriors from the Ashanti tribe. Amari’s mother, father and brother are murdered. She feels intense agony about the loss of her family. Moments after the death of her brother, she is captured by the attackers. She knew that she along with her entire village were defeated. 

ISU Assignment

ISU Assignment

Copper Sun

I have chosen Copper Sun as my first choice for this assignment. I became aware of this novel through one of my teachers from a previous school that I attended. I have chosen this novel because I believe that it is the most suitable one for this assignment. What drew me to it was its summary. From reading the summary it was obvious that Copper Sun and The Book of Negroes had many similarities. Firstly the protagonist of this novel is female much like Aminata in The Book of Negroes. Also Amari, the protagonist, is abducted from her village in Africa when she is just a child, just like Aminata. For this assignment I am interested in exploring the themes of freedom, extreme hardship, determination and human exploitation and suffering.

Twelve Years a Slave

I have chosen this novel as one of my book choices for this assignment as I believe that it has many similarities to The Book of Negroes. Like Copper Sun, I also because aware of it through one of my teachers from a previous school. The summary of this book allowed me to see that this is a suitable choice for this assignment as a result of similar themes and ideas present throughout the novel.  Both books are based on slavery and the many hardships faced during slavery. Also, in Twelve Years a Slave, Solomon Northup, the protagonist, uses his skills to help him advance in slavery, much like Aminata. A few common themes that are present in both novels are hardship, dehumanization and the importance of using skills to our advantage.

Beloved

This book is another of my choices for this assignment. I came across this novel when I was researching books with themes related to The Book of Negroes. I was drawn to this book because I have heard many people talking about it and wanted to check it out for myself. I believe that it is suitable for this assignment as it has many similarities. Two common themes in Beloved and The Book of Negroes are the horrors of slavery and the effects of slavery. Both novels show what slavery can do to a person and the negative effects of it.