Rear Window

During the film “Rear Window,” the main characters comment on how one of the neighbor’s apartment seems to be a mirror for Lisa’s apartment. When Jeffries first says this, it seemed that he meant it as a joke. However, Lisa could see the truth behind the words. If Miss Torso’s apartment was anything like her own, then this meant that she didn’t love any of the men that she was currently entertaining, and she was longing so someone that was never there. At the end of the film, the audience sees just how much these two women are alike when a man that seems to be Miss Torso’s boyfriend shows up in a military uniform. Another similarity between the two women is that Lisa and Miss Torso both seem to be in love with men that most people wouldn’t picture them with.
On the other hand, Lisa is a lot like Miss Lonelyhearts who is wanting someone that never comes to her. Therefore, it was very fitting that she ended up with the composer in the end. This is because the composer is very much like Jeffries. Both are very alone individuals, even when they are surrounded by people. They need someone that seems to understand them and can share the same passions in life. Miss Lonelyhearts seems to share a passion for music since hearing the composer’s song is what kept her from killing herself, and Lisa was willing to change herself just to be with Jefferies. At least a little bit, she was still a strong enough woman to stand her ground on certain things and kept up with her love of fashion, even if it was when Jefferies wasn’t looking.
Since the main focus from the window is the Thorwalds, it would only be fitting if they too were reflecting the relationship between Jeffries and Lisa. Obviously Jeffries doesn’t kill Lisa like Thorwald did his wife, but it appeared that Thorwald felt like her was being suffocated by his wife and that was the reason for wanting to get rid of her. Likewise, Jeffries didn’t want to be tied down by anything, so he was pushing her away. Jeffries obviously has the more healthy way of dealing with his situation. Because of their similar situations, I find it funny that the drama between the Thorwalds is what finally brings Jeffries and Lisa together.
The last window that reflects the main relationship is the one that belongs to the newlyweds. However, instead of the two following along side each other, they do just the opposite. How the newlyweds are acting at the beginning of the film is how Lisa and Jeffries are at the end of the film, and vice versa. The couple at the beginning could be considered foreshadowing for Lisa and Jeffries, but by having the husband being tired and annoyed by the wife at the end brings the situation back in full circle.

Glengarry Glen Ross

While I can understand understand why some people would see this play as being anti-feminist, I would have to disagree. The woman may not be present, but they certainly have an impact on the action of the play. It would also seem that the women are holding all of the cards so to speak. The men in this play would like to think that they "wear the pants," but the truth is that is that it is the women pulling their puppet strings. In the few cases where this is seen, it shows that it is probably a good thing. When left to their own devises, the men of the play seem to have no morals if it gets in the way of making money. Not only do I think this play is not anti-feminist, but I think it paints men as the ones that might be in need of some oppression. The women of this play are not out to hurt other people, they are just protecting what is theirs.

Mrs. Lingk for instance is the initial reason for Ricky Roma losing the contest within the office. While Roma might like to blame his boss for losing the deal for him because he did not knowing the mark, there would not have been any trouble to begin with if Mrs. Lingk hadn't told her husband to get their money back. This also causes a chain reaction and gets Levene caught for what he did the night before. Now, I'm pretty sure that Mrs. Lingk had no idea what her choice was going to ultimately bring about. Then there is Harriet Nyborg. She and her husband take up Levene's time and get his hopes up for something that will never happen. She played Levene like a fiddle just because she liked talking to salesmen for some strange reason. While her motives might have been slightly insane, she still knew what she was doing. However, Levene is hurt by his ex wife before either of these women come into his life. It would seem that she kicked him out and he is still paying her bills. On top of paying her bills and his bills, he also seems to be the main source for taking care of his daughter's medical bills. This once again shows just how much power Mamet has given these unseen characters.

Now, I know that it could be argued that Mamet was using this to show that if woman have this sort of power, then they would have the ability to hurt men. I just don't think that that's the case. Most of these characters are back stabbing con men and all of them are just out to make a buck. Roma didn't care how much money he was taking Lingk for, all he cares about was winning his contest. It didn't matter to Levene or Moss that Williamson would lose his job if the office was broken into. Mitch and Murray only cared about how much profit they were making and not about someone losing his job over impossible sales. In fact, the only male character that wasn't out for himself was Aaronow. The women had the right to not trust these men.

Persepolis

The frames that I was drawn to the most were the middles and bottom ones on page 144. In this section she is questioning her teacher and backing up her argument with facts, and she shows an interest in learning instead of being lied to. These frames demonstrate just how important education is. This doesn’t just simply mean going to school and reciting what the teacher is saying. People should be knowledgeable and aware of what is going on in the world around them. Students should never be afraid to ask questions because this is the only way people are going to learn. If you walk around in a daze just doing what you are told, then you are always going to be ignorant. These particular frames speak to me because I cannot even begin to imagine a world where I am not encouraged to ask questions. Asking questions is what shows that people are thinking for themselves. Of course, in the context of the book, thinking for yourself is not considered a good thing. It is considered radical and can get you arrested, tortured, and executed.

However, being educated doesn’t only mean being aware of things. Educated people also know how to act in certain surroundings. It is clear in this situation that the main character does not see the importance is keeping her head down. Because she is still just a child, she is not aware of the consequences of her actions. Not only could she get herself killed, but she could also put the rest of her family in danger. Of course, like every other child, she is a product of her surroundings. Being raised by radical parents has is good and bad effects. The good is that she does know how to think for herself and she does not believe everything just because someone said so. Her parents taught her to question things and to think for herself. The bad side to this is that it could easily find herself in a deeper trouble than she can get herself out of.

While reading this book, I have come to realize just how ignorant of the world I am. My parents did not raise me to be politically active or even aware. We never discussed foreign affairs in my family while I was growing up. And since the events in this book took place before I was born, I honestly had no idea what had gone on in Iran, so I had no opinions to either confirm or deny. I can‘t even begin to imagine what life would have been like to grow up in those situation. In my opinion, it was probably harder for her than it was for those whose parents assimilated with the rest of society. At least they were not constantly hearing two opposing arguments. I don’t think that those of us that were born into an environment where we are allowed to think for ourselves will ever be fully aware of just how lucky we are to not have to constantly keep our heads down and our mouths shut.

The Moviegoer

I believe that when Binx says that he has “not the inclination to say much on the matter” in the epilog, it’s because he has finished his search, not just given up on it. I think there is something to be said about the meaning of the “everydayness” of the lives that most people lead. If it weren’t for the everyday people, then great men would not be so great. But I think that he doesn’t want to speak on the matter because he doesn’t have the authority to. If the search is to be continued, then it shouldn’t be by him, because he has no idea what he is looking for. I believe the meaning of life is in your friends, your family, your coworkers, and all the other normal everyday people that you come into contact with. I would like to hope that Binx would come to the same conclusion and was not merely settling into the depression of everyday life. After all, he did say “to be aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair.” By using this logic, he knew that there was the possibility of a search, and even began one in a strange sort of way. Just because he is no longer searching is not to say that he wasn’t on to something.

I think that Binx had the right idea but he was over thinking it. He says that the movies had the right idea but they messed it up. I think they got it right. They just have a way of showing the extraordinary in the everyday life. It seemed to me that Binx was realizing this when he was with Sharon. It seemed like he was indulging himself in her beauty. He also had this need to please the people that he cared about, like his aunt. He said “my search has been abandoned; it is no match for my aunt, her rightness and her despair, her despairing of me and her despairing of herself.” This makes me think that he cares more about what his aunt thinks of him than he does uncovering the meaning of life, and this is something that everyday people do. He even has to convince his aunt that he is “not a hero, but an ordinary fellow.” He even cares about Kate enough to look after her and make sure that he is in complete control of her life like she asked him to be. He even cared enough to test whether or not she is getting better by giving her instructions but telling her to go on her own. Being with a beautiful woman, gaining the approval of his aunt, and helping someone that he cares about are part of what brings Binx to his conclusion. The search may not be over, but it is for him. And I think he found what he was looking for even if he isn’t able to open his eyes and see it.