Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Coach Steve Rocker The Most Successful High School...

Coach Steve Rocker is one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in Kentucky’s history. Coach Rocker was very successful in previous years. Strangely, this year was very different for him. For the first time in his professional life, he is falling short of his expectations, the community expectations, and the team’s expectations. His team lost a lot of games, but most importantly the boys had no motivation or desire to bring the team out of the rut they found themselves. His players have lost their will to win, their love for their teammates, and their passion to play. Coach Rocker’s motivational methods that have always worked before and resulted in success are now failing, and he doesn’t know why. He argues that his players have become selfish and bored with winning because they have been so successful in previous years. â€Å"And there’s no question that my guys have lost their drive to win because they’ve won so mu ch in the past. Now all they want is individual ‘wins’†¦which just doesn’t cut it on a team† (Gongwer, 2010, p. 17). As for Coach Rocker’s personal life, his priorities are a bit skewed as well. His dear friend Grant Steffin and his wife are splitting up. Coach Rocker’s son, Brandon, and Grant’s son are best friends. Grant’s wife and son are moving away. Brandon is scared to death his parents may split up as well. Brandon has over heard the last few arguments his parents had over the time Coach Rocker has been spending in the gym and in

Monday, December 9, 2019

Film Study The Godfather I and II Essay Example For Students

Film Study The Godfather I and II Essay The film Godfather 1 and 2 directed by Francis ford Coppola, some characteristics of his directional style are; cinematography with specific use of close up, cross-cutting, lighting and sound through a variety of different camera angles to enhance the audiences way of thinking and having a clear understanding of the key idea â€Å"Duality of man† of the characters in the film. Francis ford copolla incorporates cinematography within the scenes of the film as it represents different perspectives making the audience discover important aspects of what is happening in the film. In Godfather 1 and 2 Francis Ford Coppola successfully uses cinematography such as the cross-cutting technique to enhance the audiences view of the characters which was in the â€Å"baptism scene† of Godfather 1 that features Michael Corleone in a ceremony of his nephew being baptised and the assassination of the 5 heads of the mafia family. Through this cross-cutting technique the audience can see the calm and innocent face of Michael Corleone as he is inside a cathedral taking the role of being godfather to his nephew. We will write a custom essay on Film Study The Godfather I and II specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now As an audience Coppola is making us empathise with the â€Å"good† side of Michael Corleone making us think that he is an innocent man who has no affiliation with the business of his father by being present in a cathedral. Within the â€Å"good† side of the baptism scene it cross-cuts to the henchmen preparing to eliminate the five heads of the mafia families under the order of Michael Corleone, this shows the power of what Michael can offer showing dominance over the 5 families resulting in ending the mafia war. In the opening scene of Godfather 2, the technique of extreme close up on Michaels face can be depicted as this shot represents the role of Michael being a powerful man, along with the extreme close up follows up with a close up shot o the office chair which also symbolises power and authority. The close up shot of the office chair is powerful as it represents the legacy of Michaels father Vito Corleone, in his footsteps he has the role on carrying on the business of being a mafia leader. The use of cinematography on the character Michael Corleone in the baptism scene of Godfather 1 and the opening scene of Godfather 2 both share the role in understanding of the key idea â€Å"Duality of man† as it displays the power and authority of Michael Corleone. In the film Godfather 2, the role of the main protagonist Michael Corleone plays a significant role in contribution to the audience as we are viewing the power and authority he has to offer through the film. Francis ford Coppola skilfully does this by utilising the chiaroscuro effect to portray it. In the opening scene of Godfather 2 the chiaroscuro effect is successfully carried out by Copolla to expose the dual sides of Michael Corleone where one half of Michaels face is dark and the other is light. This effect influences the audiences understanding of the key idea â€Å"Duality of man† as it is evidently shown on the face of Michael Corleone. The light side signifying the â€Å"public side† where he is seen as an innocent figure while the dark side indicates his â€Å"private life† behind closed doors where â€Å"business† is being planned. The chiaroscuro effect is also used in the baptism scene in Godfather 1 where Michael is in the cathedral in a ceremony of his nephew being baptised, not only that but also the assassination of the five heads of the mafia family. Through this the chiaroscuro effect clearly supports the evidence as we can see the â€Å"good† side of Michael with the cathedral representing it and behind it is the illegal business being prepared by Michaels men. As an audience we are cunningly influenced by the killing but also rejoiced in the assassination of the five heads of the mafia. .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb , .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .postImageUrl , .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb , .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb:hover , .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb:visited , .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb:active { border:0!important; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb:active , .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uccd65e5cdf743467821ff676697700cb:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Essay about A Research Study On Quantitative Research EssayThe use of sound plays a significant role in setting the tone of a scene providing us a better understanding of the idea â€Å"Duality of man† in the Godfather 1 and 2. In the Godfather 1 the start of the film is presented by a haunting theme song alongside with the characters Bonasera and Don Corleone. After the theme song it breaks into silence between the conversation of Bonsasera and Vito Corleone. In this conversation Bonsasera is making a request for justice of his daughter because the American legal system failed him. Silence is utilised effectively by Coppola which is evident as he has done it in a private office, the idea for Coppola was to build tension as silence allows for no distraction for the audience who have to emphasis on the power and meaning of the words being said by the two characters. There is also contrast between the silence in the private office and the sound of the wedding music outside, this indicates to the audience the dual sides of a man being good and bad at the same time. The usage of sound which was also used effectively in the baptism scene of Godfather 1, religious music is played on the organ throughout the ceremony of Michael’s nephew being baptised. Michael who must act as a role model for his nephew professes his faith in God and rejecting in Satan however the assassination of the 5 heads of the family takes place the volume of the religious music increases as the cross-cutting comes back and forth of the baptism and the dirty work being done by Michaels men, the volume of the religious music increases greatly reaching its climax of the film. The use of sound helps the audience understand the tension of music and contrast between the life in closed doors and life in public. The film Godfather 1 and 2 the key idea â€Å"Duality of man† can also relate on life experiences. In response to the theme the Godfather 1 and 2 aided the audience in understanding of being a powerful mafia leader where in life we are caught up in situations where we make choices that will either benefit ourselves or it can harm us. Another example is when a person has power it can lead us to penalties where we have too much it gets uncontrollable we tend to ask for more. In conclusion, the Godfather 1 and 2 directed by Francis ford Coppola intelligently uses cinematography such as close up, cross-cutting, lighting and sound through a variety of different camera angles to strongly enhance the audiences’ way of thinking of the key idea â€Å"Duality of man†. Through the use of cinematography the theme is successfully portrayed which gives the audience a better understanding about life experiences.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Harlem Renaissance And Langston Hughes Essays -

The Harlem Renaissance And Langston Hughes Humanities 1020 November 29, 2000 The Harlem Renaissance and Langston Hughes The Harlem Renaissance was a great and powerful era in black history, ?It was an African American cultural movement of the 1920s and early 1930s that was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City? (?Harlem Renaissance?). Langston Hughes wrote ?Blues and Jazz flourished throughout the streets of New York, and young black artists began to arise [. . .]? (63). An important part of this era had to be the inspirational writings of Langston Hughes. James Mercer Langston Hughes, born in Joplin, Missouri, February 1, 1902, was raised by his grandmother after his parents divorced (Sporre 551). He graduated from high school in Cleveland, Ohio and went off to Mexico to live with his father for fifteen months (Jackson 1). While in Mexico, Hughes lived a very rural life and wrote many of his first poems which, although never published, began to distinguish him as a writer. Hughes attended Columbia University for one year, then returned to home for a short period in 1923 before he joine d the crew of the SS Malone bound for Africa (?A Salute to Hughes?). From there he visited many places including Paris, Venice and Genoa before once again returning to America to live in Harlem, New York, in November 1924 (Andrews 65-69). While working in Washington D.C. as a busboy, Hughes left three of his poems beside the plate of Vachel Lindsey, an American poet, who liked Hughes' poetry and helped him publicize his writings (Jackson 3). Hughes' first book of poetry, The Weary Blues, was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1926 (?Langston Hughes?). He was a great writer who completed a two volume autobiography, and edited many anthologies and pictorial volumes. Hughes dazzled writing for forty years and never gave up protesting for the rights of African Americans. He gave many motivational speeches across the nation supporting the black movement. Hughes continued his career publishing many books of poetry and prose. Langston Hughes went on to inspire the world through his literature until his death in Harlem on May 22, 1967 (Sporre 551). Living in Harlem, he soon discovered the culture and literary circle of the Harlem Renaissance. As best said in the Norton Anthology of African American Literature, ?Hughes brought the spirit of the African American people to life, using blues and jazz as the basis of his poetic expressions [. . .]? (Andrews 1252). This is evident in some works such as The Negro Speaks of Rivers, and The Weary Blues. Most of his influences came from fellow black writers. Names such as, Dubois, Locke, Jesse Redmonfaset, Jean Toomer, Arna Bontemps, and Carl Van Vechten, inspired Hughes in his form and writing style (Andrews 929-930). His poems often portrayed the trials, tribulations, struggles and thoughts of a young Negro growing up in the twenties through sixties. His main goal was to express concern about the treatment of African Americans in this country, and to pursue civil and social justice. One of his most famous works is his continuing sage of Jesse B. Semple, also known as Simple. Hughes wro te columns about this fictional character, who dealt with very non-fictional problems. Jesse, who was really Hughes' voice, expressed the views and ideas of young black Americans (Andrews 1252-1253). Creating Simple to be smart, strong witted and wise, allowed Hughes to publish and undermine the standard of our pretentious society, while ironically and humorously pointing out the hypocritical nature of American Racism (Andrews 1257-1263). Hughes went on writing four series of writings about Simple. Hughes used a variety of themes in both his poetry and his prose. Nathan Irvin Huggins wrote ?His voice was very moving when he read his poems publicly. His voice was both rich and poetic and gave strong inspiration and love to the black community? (Andrews 1253). One work of his is particularly interesting. It shows the emotion and creativeness of the Harlem Renaissance in a few short lines. Hughes named this poem Cross. My old man's a white old man And my old mother's black. If I ever cursed my old white man I take my curses back. If ever I cursed my black old mother And wished she were