April 19, 2010

Autism the Musical

Autism the Musical, the documentary directed by Tricia Regan, followed five families that had an Autistic child that was in the experience of creating, preparing, and performing in the live musical. The documentary was not made to show children struggling with Autism; rather it was intended to show kids that have Autism, trying to achieve a goal. In the film, viewers see the ups and downs within each of the families, and the individual struggles the parents go through with facing a child with Autism.

Raising a child with Autism is not an easy task, and it’s even “painful, difficult and frightening” at times (Hart). Making a movie about that would not entice many people in to the theaters, however Elaine Hall, an acting coach, and mother of Neal, one of the boys that was in the musical, had a different idea about this movie. Instead of showing all of the scary aspects of Autism, she wanted to “make a movie about kids who were trying to achieve something, and Autism is the obstacle that gets in the way of their success”(Hart). She had dedicated herself to Neal, but wanted to branch out a little, and teach other children, like him, how to dance and perform in the theatre. This was not an easy project to take on for Hall, the first few months all the children would “hide under tables, or just run around in circles, but after awhile everything started to come together as a group (Hart)”

The film gives some insight to how the parents of these children deal with everything. It is not easy, and most of the families are divorced, or have other problems, and they’ve blamed in on their child’s Autism. We see Lexi’s mother go through a divorce, Adam’s mother have a breakdown when her son’s cello song was cut from the play, and even Elaine Hall, having to deal with Neal’s aggression. This side of Autism is what it is like on a day-to-day basis, without including that into the film, viewers that have never been in contact with a child with Autism would not be getting a accurate depiction of the hardships that the parents go through when just trying to simply raise their children. These children usually do not know how their parents feel, like Lexi, she had a difficult time thinking for herself, and really only communicated by repeating what was said to her. As well as Adam, when his mother was upset that he was not going to be able to play his song, Adam was not concerned with playing it or not.

Autism the Musical give it’s audience “not only a better understanding of Autism, but it’s celebrates the joyful spirit of each child”(Hart). Elaine Hall did this for the kids, she wanted them to be able to have somewhere they could go to relax, and that is what the musical was for them. However, the “film would not have been a success without also seeing the painful side of the parents, and when both sides are shown, it’s not so scary anymore”(Hart).

Work Cites

Autism the Musical. Dir. Tricia Reagan. 2007.

Hart, Hugh. “A Season of Song, Dance, and Autism.” The New York Times. 23 March 2008.

March 29, 2010

Blog #3

Significance of Trees

In the short story, “Dingle the Fool”, different types of trees are brought up through out the story. Lemon, Mulberry, and Christmas trees were all mentioned at some point in the reading, and each one symbolizes something different. However, the mulberry tree seems to hold the most significance to this story.

The mulberry trees represent protection, strength, and patience because they wait to bloom until after the last frost of the season, and shortly after, buds begin to appear almost overnight.  Just as Deirdre was patient listing to Joanna about selling the house, and Joanna waited, not so patiently, for Deirdre to agree, and finally one day, she finally found a way to say they would sell the house (Jolley 133). Deirdre is shown as being patient in more than that one instance.  Compared to her sister, Deirdre waited a much longer time to find a husband, whom she met just in time to be married the same day as Johanna (Jolley 128). Star-crossed lovers is another symbol for the mulberry tree, which is significant in Greek symbolism, and was used it “A Mid Summer Night’s Dream” representing two lovers forbidden to get married.  Similarly, with Johanna and Spiro, Deirdre’s husband, when Johanna began doing simple tasks, for Deirdre’s husband, and he would watch Johanna, and gaze at her with admiration (Jolley 128).

Dingle was the reason Deirdre and Johanna kept the house as long as they did, and they made sure to protect him from people that did not know him so that he could have a happy life. However, after the three of them are finished picking mulberries, their hands are stained red, which is foreshadowing Dingle’s death. Black mulberries are a deep purple color, and can look red before becoming completely ripe, and could be what Deirdre, Johanna, and Dingle were picking causing the stains on their hands. Black mulberries signify not outliving you. Just as Dingle did not survive in the fire, leaving his family behind (Jolley 132). Deirdre was the mulberry of her family. She was the oldest, and took on the majority of the responsibility, and she was the strength and protection for everyone.

Work Cited

Bee, Samantha. “Mulberry System”. 20 March 2010. 2010. http://www.ehow.com/about_6127710_mulberry-tree-symbolism.html

Frieda Kahlo was very grateful for everything that her doctors did for her; one in particular is Juan Farill, who was one of the doctors that left a large impression on Kahlo’s life. Frieda thanked him by incorporating Dr. Farill into one of her self-portraits, “portraying him as a saint in her life” (www.fridakahlofans.com/ c0602.html). Frieda Kahlo was diagnosed with poliomyelitis, which is a highly infectious viral disease, at the age of six, which weakened and deformed her right leg; and in 1925, she was a part of a bus accident that caused damage to her spine and pelvis. These injuries caused Frieda constant pain and sickness. Kahlo was in the “ABC Hospital in Mexico City for nine months, and had to undergo seven orthopedic surgeries, which were complicated by infected bone grafts” (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Many people, like Frieda Kahlo, would not be able to survive if it was not for doctors that dedicate their lives to helping others. Dr. Farill spent numerous hours operating on Kahlo to eliminate as much of her suffering as possible. Kahlo repaid Farill by putting him into one of her paintings. In Kahlo’s self-portrait, Dr. Farill is painted as a picture within the picture. His head is tilted, as if he is watching over Kahlo to make sure that she will be all right. In this painting, Frieda is holding a few paintbrushes along with her paint palette, which vaguely resemble instruments used in surgeries. The palette and brushes, which are dripping a little red paint, which is meant to be Kahlo’s own blood, onto her white garment represents all of the suffering that she has had to endure through out her life (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Frieda Kahlo used her own blood, sweat, and tears to show how much she appreciated what Dr. Farill, along with other doctors that she also incorporated into other paintings she has done. Kahlo gives credit to Dr. Farill for “giving her back her joy in life”(www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).  Even though she is still in a wheelchair, she finds happiness in painting, and shows the gratefulness to all that have helped her in life to be as content as possible.

Work Cited

Park, M.P. “The fine art of patient-doctor relationships”. Pub Med Central. 18 December 2004. BMJ. 8 March 2010. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov>.

“Self-Portrait with the 
Portrait of Doctor Farill.” Frieda Kahlo Fans. 1 January 2008. 8 March 2010. <http://www.fridakahlofans.com/mainmenu.html

Professor Gabbard

LIT 4093

26 January 2010

Control

The way others see a person is not a good judge of character, hidden feelings are often kept buried down where no one is able to see what is actually going on, and pretending everything is alright. Ian Curtis used his stage presence to hide the fact that he was ashamed of his epilepsy, and who he had become, but by reading the lyrics to his songs, it was very clear how his disability made him feel.

Joy Division’s “fans” went to their concerts to see the show within the show, which was the dance that he did while performing, but they were all hoping for Ian Curtis to have an actual seizure on stage. The epilepsy dance was Curtis’ way of making light of his disability. It made people think that he was comfortable with his epilepsy, but in fact, what he felt was the complete opposite.

Ian Curtis kept his feelings to himself most of the time, but his outlet was in his music. If one would take a closer look at the lyrics of his songs, they all have a consistent darker message. In “Atrocity Exhibition”, Curtis acknowledges the crowds that come to see Joy Division play are there “for entertainment, they watch his body twist” hoping witness the one of his seizures (Curtis). It is all just an act that he puts on, he does not know this body anymore, but “behind his eyes, he still exists” (Curtis). Since the seizures started, Curtis is not himself anymore, if has lost control of his life. He feels that his epilepsy is killing him, and the crowds are getting to see “mass murder on a scale never seen”(Curtis). Even though he feels this way, he is “still pursuing the path that’s been buried for years” because he does not want to let the other members of the band down.

The words in Ian Curtis’ songs were overlooked. He hid the pain that he was going through because of his epilepsy through his stage presence, and making it the seizures more of an attraction than a disability. His emotions were written in each of his songs, but everyone was more fascinated with the possibility of seeing one of his fits. Not having the consistency within his everyday life and band life, Ian Curtis was not able to handle the pressures, and finally lost control.

Work Cited

Curtis, Ian. Atrocity Exhibition. July 1980.