Sula Group Project Analysis--- 10/7/10

My group and I discussed Toni Morrison's Sula. As a group we decided that the book lent itself well to Derridian philosophy. So we broke down the novel into four key binary relationships: Medallion City and the Bottom, Nel and Sula, The Bottom before and after Sula, and male and female gender roles. There were eight of us in the group and we decided that we would work in partners to each work on a different binary relationship.  My partner, Jenny and I worked on the binary relationship between Nel and Sula.  We each formed two questions to present to the class during the discussion.  I started our portion of the discussion with a quote from Derrida's Differance and opened the floor for the class to share their thoughts about Nel and Sula.  I found that Nel and Sula were basically complete opposites in many ways. Nel is passive and rational and Sula is aggressive, forthcoming and explicit in her intentions. These opposite personality characteristics form almost a ying and yang. There is no Sula without her relationship with Nel. And same for Nel. Neither characters can stand alone without the other. There is no moment of absolute presence for either woman. I believe their binary relationship to each other drives each one's actions at all times. 

Overall, I enjoyed the novel immensely. It was telling of black experiences during Post WWII era America. I also had a great experience with my group. I often find group projects to be more trouble than good, but I was lucky to find myself in a group that cared about the book and their grade as much I did. I had a great time!!!

"10"---9/30/10

Consider all three characters (Webber, Jenny, and Sam) in terms of the romance genre. What is the cultural work being done by each? How does the relationship between the three characters resist and/or protect “romance”?

In the film “10” the main character Webber (Dudley Moore) is suffering from a mid-life crisis at age 43. Jenny (Bo Derek) represents the dream girl for any man going through a mid-life crisis. Sam (Julie Andrews) is clearly Webber’s perfect match. She is smart, educated, talented and understands Webber. He obviously enjoys her company and is torn by his longing to be young and his love for Sam.

In the film, Webber essentially goes off the map in an attempt to meet and woo Jenny. He finally meets Jenny after saving her husband’s life in Mexico. The sex scene that ensues is a debacle of sorts. Jenny is young and aloof, she comes from a different generation of lovers. Webber is older and accustomed to the type of foreplay Jenny wants to engage in. The “10” he fantasizes about and the lovemaking he believes will be a “10” is instead awkward and clumsy. In the end, I assume that Webber realizes that the relationship he had with Sam is a “10” and goes back to her with his tail between his legs.

The relationships in this film protect romance by giving a glimpse at the “other side”. In a relationship, one or both persons involve will find themselves at some point wondering if they may be suited for someone else. And typically, if one of them decides to step out of the relationship for a while what they find is that it was not the relationship they were unsure of but rather themselves. Jenny’s character resists the notion of romance. Webber asks her during their fling if she likes him, her response is that she sleeps with whomever she wants if she feels like it. This crushes Webber, who clearly was hoping that Jenny would fall in love with him and the two could live happily ever after. His objection to Jenny’s liberal notions of love, sex and marriage further protect traditional romance.

Zombies and Radical Romance---Response Paper 10/14/10

Ashly Nelson

October 14, 2010

English 313, TTh 11:00 

Response Paper

Zombies: Radical and Romantic

     Zombieland is a film about an earth that has been ravaged by homicidal zombies.  The film follows geeky loner Columbus with a long list of rules on how to survive Zombieland.

  He begins his journey to Columbus, Ohio to find his parents.  Along the way he meets bad-ass, Twinkie loving Tallahassee and the beautiful and tough Wichita and her little sister, Little Rock.  Columbus quickly falls for Wichita.  I offer the argument that although the film centralizes around survival in this Zombieland, the film reinforces traditional romance under quite radical circumstances.

     In traditional romantic comedies the “boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back” formula is always employed McDonald 2) .  Often the leading man is handsome, strong and masculine.  In Zombieland, the leading man does not embody any of these qualities; rather he is cute, quirky, smart and witty.  He is likeable and you quickly find yourself rooting for him as the underdog.  The leading lady in traditional romantic comedies is beautiful and relatable.  Wichita is certainly beautiful but she is a tough con who will not allow anything to stop her and Little Rock from surviving.  It’s at first hard to relate to Wichita but like Columbus you find yourself liking her more and more as her personality is uncovered.  A common trope or narrative pattern used in romcoms is the “meet cute”.  The “meet cute” between Columbus and Wichita happens in an abandoned grocery store.  Wichita and Little Rock pull a con Columbus and Tallahassee to gain their truck and weapons.  Columbus is immediately drawn to Wichita.  For her the attraction comes on slower.  Columbus definitely has a few Woody-Allen-esque neuroses.  He is afraid of clowns and has an almost OCD type list of survival techniques that he swears by. 

     Not long after meeting Wichita, Columbus is faced with the option of leaving Wichita and continuing his journey east solo.  Columbus realizes that “…where this girl [Wichita] is where I wanted to be” (Zombieland). Soft, melodic music plays in the background after Columbus’s subconscious narrates his feelings and the way Wichita regards him almost immediately softens.  The music and soulful looks at each other are examples of specific iconography that is displayed in all romcoms.  Another example of romcom iconography is the scene where Columbus and Wichita are expected to share their first kiss.  They are sitting in a shadowy candlelit room in Bill Murray’s (possibly the greatest cameo ever) sharing a bottle of wine.

  It is a scenario that can be scene in just about every romantic comedy.  The mood is set and kiss is just about to happen…. And then of course the moment is ruined by some intrusion.  In this film Tallahassee fumbles the moment and as always the moment can never be rekindled until the perfect moment usually at the end and after some heroic feat.  After the awkward almost kiss, Wichita and Little Rock take off leaving Columbus and Tallahassee.  Columbus boldly decides to go after her.  Although the film’s main theme is survival against all odds, it must be noted that Columbus’ actions from this point on are driven by his love for Wichita. 

     In the traditional romantic comedy, after the boy loses the girl he must win her back through some lavish declaration of his love for her.  In Zombieland, what better way to profess love than by saving the damsel in distress from flesh hungry zombies? 

 In the film’s climax Columbus must face his fear (clowns) and break all the rules he sets forth for himself.  During the film Columbus narrates, “I really want to impress Wichita, but it would be a direct violation of rule #17, maybe the most important rule of all. Don’t be a hero.” But this is exactly what he does.  Columbus loves Wichita and he must prove that by completely abandoning all his hang ups to save her.  This reinforces the idea that love will conquer all.  Columbus’s actions “…continue to reinforce the old fantasy” (McDonald 14).  The film amidst all the blood and gore has a happy ending in which the nerd gets the hot girl.  In real life it’s hard to believe that someone like Columbus could land a girl like Wichita. But the circumstances that they fall in love are so radical in nature that you begin to believe anything could be possible.  

Works Cited

McDonald, Tamar Jeffers. Romantic Comedy. Great Britain:

     Wallflower Paperback, 2007.

Zombieland. Dir. Ruben Fleischer. Perf. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody

     Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin. Sony Pictures, 2009