Sunday, November 29, 2009

Media&Fairytale& Life



Recently, I did some research about those superstars in my country as well as other countries. I just checked an interesting news article regarding Beyonce’s new song, “Video Phone.” Another superstar, Lady GaGa, was invited to dance with Beyonce in the video. Both ladies dance sexually, with raunchy moves.

After I read about Beyonce and Lady GaGa, I was reminded of Erin’s presentation last week. As she mentioned, Beyonce’s “singer lady” tries to encourage women to be free from the power men yield over them, take off their rings, and ask themselves “What about me?” It’s important to note that Beyonce herself is married to one of the richest entertainers in America, Jay-Z. Also, she enjoys showing her big diamond ring in public.

Moreover, there is another news article called “Lady GaGa Considers 'Love Game' Too Rude For U.K. Fans,” which explains that “she considers the song's lyrics, which contain line ‘I want to take a ride on your disco stick,’ are too rude for her fans in the country. This song has attracted worldwide attention due to its raunchy lyrics. The article went on to say: "For your first two UK singles to go to No 1 is amazing and we would like to try and carry that on." In other words, the new song “Love Game” will not be released due to its raunchy lyrics. But it is possible that she will make some changes for the song. This is not the first time that Lady GaGa’s music has caused controversy. According to the article, her video, which features naked Lady GaGa frolicking with two men, has been banned in Australia despite the fact that the single has climbed to number 18 on Australia Singles chart.

But , my question is if they try to change the lyrics and succumb to pressure, does it mean the Lady GaGa will change who she is as an artist in order to appease those who are offended by her style? There is other song singed by Lady GaGa called “ Bad Romance,” which contains these lyrics: I want your ugly, I want your disease, I want your everything, As long as it’s free, I want your love, Love-love-love, I want your love.” All the lyrics are quite bawdy. They demonstrate Lady GaGa’s music style. It seems that even if the lyrics are changed, her style will remain. In addition, the song shows an ugly side of life. As she sings, “All your love is revenge, You and me could write a bad romance.”

In my opinion, such lyrics demonstrate the sheer power of the media. Obviously, phrases like “I want your disease” and “All your love is revenge” could be misinterpreted by young minds. Such lyrics may influence people’s lives and thoughts. Similarly, fairy tales has a similar effect on people’s lives. The story from Disney movies always shows how romantic love is, but the romantic love only happens to the damsel distress who finally encounters Mr. Prince. In other words, such movies teach audiences that their own destinies rely on catching the “perfect man.” However, in the reality, how many perfect men are there? Perhaps none. Each woman has her own definition of the perfect man. Sadly, those ideas may be influenced by superstars like Beyonce and Lady GaGa.

In the end, it is important for women to make their own fairy tales. Women today do not need man to complete them. As long as a woman is satisfied, that should be enough, regardless of the man. So, perfect man is the man you stay with and truly love; people should not be influenced by the fairy tales or celebrities’ songs.


Work Cited:

"Lady GaGa Considers 'LoveGame' Too Rude For U.K. Fans". April 11, 2009 03:03:14 GMT.
Retrived from http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00023432.html. 29 November, 2009.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Ending and Sadness


It is Thank giving day. It is the time for family members gather together and share joy , but I have nowhere to go because my family is far away from me. Although I am a grow up girl, I still cannot stop crying. I called my boyfriend who is in China right now, but he did not answer. I kept calling him almost hundred times, he still did not answer. However, he finally turned off his cell phone. Few minutes ago, he texted me that “I cannot wait for you any longer, so I want to broke up.” What is that? “I cannot wait any longer, so I want to break up.” This is it. Six years relationship. I do not know how to describe how hurt I feel now, but I just want to say that if every love story has a ending with a happy ever after. Why I feel so hurt now. Does Cinderaller and Snow-white really have a happy ever after ending if all the fairy tales are truly exist. If the happy ever after ending exist, how come there are so many love song with blue feeling such as “If today was last day”, “Never day never”. I really cannot get it.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Gender Role in Fairy Tale


Today I would like to discuss some thing regard to gender role in Fairy tale. As explored the ideal PRINCE Charming and genre of fairy talelast few blogs. The danger of having complex relationship is the fact I would detail more today. It teaches readers beware of the dangers of having step mother and sisters ,and teach readers being brave to face it. As mentioned above, either kids or adults nowadays dream to be popular characters in school and society; therefore they can get Mr. “prince “attention or Miss Prince’s love. Therefore, in order to be popular, people need to maintain a strong networking. In other words, people need to maintain a variety of relationship with different groups includes strangers or devil person, and then their popularities will be rise up. However, when they occupy with keeping relationship with others, they overlook the danger from trusting strangers or evil person, but fairy-tale give them the sense of how scaring the danger can be. One of example is the danger from trusting strangers. For instance, in the tale,” Little Red Riding Hood”, she does not aware of danger from the strange wolf, and responses him all the questions precisely, therefore, it result that she and her grandmother are eaten by wolf at the end of story. The conversation between wolf and Little Red Riding Hood is that
Wolf: “ what are you doing here, little girl?”
Little Red Riding Hood: “I am going to see my Grandmother.”
Wolf: “Does she live very far away?”
Little Red Riding Hood: “Oh, yes, she lives beyond the mill that you can see over there. Here is the first house you come to in the village.”(Charles Perrault 15)
The other example is the danger of having evil sisters in the reality. The fairy tales obviously shows how wicked step sisters or real sisters can be and the great braveness of Cinderella. In the tale, “Beauty and Best”, although Beauty’s two sisters know that Beauty would be killed by Beast if she delays the time back castle; they purposely set her up and make her go back castle late. It is only story of how evil real sisters can be; the next example is how devil step sisters can be. In the tale, “Cinderella”, her step sisters are not only take over all her fancy materials, they also hurt her psychologically by laughing at her. For example, in the tale, it says,
“They took away her beautiful clothes, dressed her in an old Grey smoke, and gave her some wooden shoes.” “ Just look at the proud princess in her finery!” they shouted and laughed , taking her out to the kitchen, from morning until night she had to work hard. On top of that the two sisters did everything imaginable to make her miserable.” (Brothers Grimm 117)
The quotation shows how evil the step sisters are. In contrast, it also shows how brave Cinderella is when she lives in the terrible condition.
From the analysis above, it is clear that by reading fairy-tale, readers will realize the similar fact that happens in the society as well as the story. So, audiences will be influenced by the tale and be aware of the danger from stranger and evil person. It also implys readers that people should be brave to overcome the dangers when they encounter it.
By examining the gender role of different tales, I have disclosed how fairy tale influence the perception of society’s romantic relationships and readers. Despite fairy tales have negative effect on readers such as it overstates the romance of the tale result readers forget reality; they also have some positive influences on readers and Society. Audiences are not only get confidence based on the spiritedly satisfaction from the tales to the reality, they also affected by the lesson of being a mankind should have the beauty of virtue. In addition, they also get the sense of how danger by trusting strangers and evil people from tales. All in all, I would conclude that the confidence and the beauty of virtue: self-confidence, kindness and braveness are the way in the 2009 that we work against this ideal from fairy tale, It is the key principle of romantic relationsip.
Work Cited:
Brothers, Grimm. “Cinderella”. Epic Reinvented: The Classic Fairy Tales. Maria Tatar. The United States of America: 1998. Print.

Charles Perrault. “ Little Red Riding Hood.” Epic Reinvented: The Classic Fairy Tales. Maria Tatar. The United States of America: 1998. Print.

Girl, Be Indepdent


I had a tough week, presentation, test, quiz and assignment due. Although I am feeling tired now, I still would like to write a journal before I go to get some sleep.
There were ten presentations during the week, I would say we all did a good job. From each presentation, I can observe that all of classmates put a lot of efforts on the project. Also, one interesting observe is that most of presentation were related to Mr. Prince Charming. So, today, I would like to discuss a little bit more about t Mr. Charming again.
Mr. Charming, in other words, is the Mr. Perfect. In the fairy, Mr. Charming is described as Mr. Prince, the one with a wealthy, image of hero, and high-social class background. So, all the girls are crazy about him. Why these girls crazy about him, what are the reasons Mr Charming so popular? The most important reason I can think of is his fortune and power. As the story mentioned, Mr Charming is the prince of the kingdom. Namely, Mr. Charming does not only have money, he also has strong power on people. Therefore, if girls once marry him, she and her family will climb to another social class. Despite the power, the another advantage of marrying Mr. Charming is that whatever dreams the girl have, will eventually come true after she marry him. In addition, Mr. charming is also a handsome gentleman. However, there is a question I would propose is that what if Mr prince Leave the lucky girl. what is she going to do since all her life depends on the perfect man.
Coco Channel is the found of the famous brand Channel. it famous all of world, such as Channel Perfume, Channel bag. But how many people know the story behind the outstanding brand. Mrs Channel was raised up by Chunch since her mother passed away. In order to start a new family, her father left her and her sister to church and lied to them he would go to America working. One day, Little Channel saw her father on the street and discovered truth. She was heart breaking at that moment, but she did not tell her sister. Because she has great passion for design clothing, she gets a job in a clothing design store after she left church. When the time passed by, she meet a her My Charming , who is a gentleman and handsome as well. She gave up her career to live with her Mr. Charming for one and half year. At the end, she left the gentleman because she realizes that her Mr. Charming would never marry her due to the reason that she was born a low social class. After the second time heart breaking , she focus on her career. With a friend’s help, she opens up the first Channel store. It is a typical story of how woman fall in love with a man, and how she back up after the man left. Also, I believe there are a lot of similar stories in today’s society. Husband left wife or boyfriend dumps girlfriends. Some people can handle it, but some people cannot , so they even choose suicide after their significant other left them. What a tragedy!
In contrasting the female charater in fairy tale and the sotry of CoCo Channel, I would like to say that if girls have a dream to marry a Mr Charming, that is totally understandable; but she should not only marry a man with a purpose or depends on him for everything, she should have depend on herself such as having her own career like Mrs. Channel.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

"Freeway" &"Little Red Riding Hood"


“Freeway” is modern version’s “little Red Riding Hood”. It mainly talks about a unfortunate girl, Vanessa. After her mother and step father unrested , she decided to find her grandmother. On the way, her car broke down, and she encounters a freeway rapist, Bob Wolfton. Luckily, Vanessa shot him by a gun, which her boyfriend gave her before She had headed to freeway. After she fled away, Bob was survived. He reported to police and was arrested a Vanessa and put in the jail. At the end, she escaped from the jail and encountered bob at her grandmother’s house again and kills Bob.After I watched the movie, a question pops out on my mind. The question is that is there any similar situation exist in the reality. If it does not how the movie comes out or it’s just the story the director made it up. However, it the movie truly reflects reality, how many “Vennesia” exist in the world, what we can do about

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

It's racist, Hey, It's Disney"


On Tuesday, we watched a movie called “Mickey Mouse Monopoly”. It basically talks about how Disney shapes children’s life by the innocent, magic images. The most impressive part for me is the concerning of gender role and race, and how children’s culture commercialized. Now, I am going to discuss those three concerns in detail.

Let’s look at the gender role first. In the beginning of Disney movie “Beauty and The Beast”, Beast dances with Beauty, the picture looks so lovely and romantic with the adorably music. However, the Beast, later on, turned to be violently and horrified. He keep yelling to Beauty and abusive to her. As an adult, when I watched the violent part, I even feel scary. How about those young children’s feeling and what kind of message they learn from the movie. In the movie, they interviewed three or four young kids to review the story. At the beginning, they play the film to the kids, and then they asked them what they would say to Beauty if Beauty is their friend and being treated like the what happened in the film. One girl answered something like I feel happy for her because she finds someone to be with, but I feel bad for her because she gets yelled a lot. At this point, I would say, girls, be careful, those kind of message is dangerous . If a girl's goal is only want to find a man to be with, so they should put up with the volient..

Besides gender role, there is another concern I would discuss is the race. In the movie, it shows a title on newspaper, it shows “It’s raciest, Hey, It’s Disney.” Also, in the movie, it mentioned about a tale called Tarzen( I am not sure about the spell), a story of a while man grow up in Africa Jungle. The interesting part in the tale is there is no black people display in the movie at all although it is in Africa. Furthermore, the image send a message to kids that the world is only exist white man, no more other races. The last point I would discuss is how Disney commercialize the children’s culture. They marketing children on the toys ads, encourage children to ask their parents to buy the toys (toy is just one of example) for them. Also, there is another part of Disney movie related to sexual message. They teach young audience to how to get what they want by using their body.

I have analyzed the gender role, race and how children commercialized by Disney movie. the only thing I would say is that those innocent and magic image is just an excuse of how Disney company making money . In other words,the considerable profit from the innocent image of Disney is the final goal from the hidden behind veil of innocence. It just like what the head of Disney Company proposed, “making money is only objective for them”. So, guys, it is not your fault if you like that innocent and magic image, but do not forget reality.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

How Fairy Tales influence Romantic Relationships continue


Today I am going to discuss is that the influence of fairy tale on readers and the perception of romantic relationship is the gender role and the danger of relationship. By studying different gender role in the romantic story, the characteristic of main characters is explored, readers learn the important lesson that the benefits of being a high-quality person. The tale, on the one hand, affects readers to believe the retribution of being devil person by showing how harsh the punishment the evil person receives. For example, in the tale, Snow White, the punishment of her wicked step mother is the death. Again, in the tale, Cinderella’s stepsisters are punished by the blindness. In the book, “The Classic Fairy Tale” ,shows that “two sister’s eyes are pecked by dove. In the end, they were punished for their wickedness and malice with blindness for the rest of their life.”(Brothers Grimm 120)
On the other hand, audience also can learn how lucky good people will be if they are being a fine mankind. For example, in tale, “Snow White”, readers understand that the reason why Snow White meet Prince because the seven dwarfs misunderstand that Snow White died already and put her in a glass coffin, then prince pass by and save her accidently. In the tale, “Snow White and Severn dwarfs,” shows that
“The seven dwarfs could not bring themselves to bury her in the black ground so they made a glass coffin, and set in upon the seventh mountain so that all who pass by could peek in upon her beauty. A prince come and carries the coffin. Snow white woke up by a accident stumble.”(Anne Seton 99)
At the section, the miraculously moment, at some level, can influence readers to believe the critical principle is that luck and miracle only come to people who has the beauty with an inner essence. Without Snow White’s kindness, she would not talk to the wicked queen who pretends to be a poor and old lady. And she would not buy the poison apple and ate it, and she would not be able meet the Mr. Prince.
Collecting all the coincidences together, readers are surely getting the message, which good people will be the lucky one eventually. Moreover, it also teaches readers that the dream to be perfect prince and princess is no long supported by the outer appearance or luxury castle, but the inner essence and the virtue. Namely, the concept of ideal does not rely on how beautiful people are; it depends on what they have inside of them such as kindness and self-confidence.
From the analysis above, it is clear that by reading fairy-tale, readers will realize the similar fact that happens in the society as well as the story. So, audiences will be influenced by the tale and be aware of the danger from stranger and evil person. It also implys readers that people should be brave to overcome the dangers when they encounter it.
Work Cited:
Charles Perrault. “ Little Red Riding Hood.” Epic Reinvented: The Classic Fairy Tales. Maria Tatar. The United States of America: 1998. Print.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

How fair tale influence romantic relationship


Samantha Montgomery and Austin, Modern version’s Cinderella and Prince in the movie “A Cinderella Story”, are the student at North Valley High. Austin is a popular kid at North Valley High; his dream is to go to Princeton. Samantha is a stepdaughter of her family and is treated deviled by her step mother and two stepsisters after her father died. One day, Samantha accidently meets Austin on internet and text each other for a while, then they decide to meet at Halloween party. At the party, Samantha leaves her cell phone because she is hurry to go back home before her stepmother finds out. Since then, Austin starts looking for his dreaming girl -the owner of cell phone- in school. All girls in school are crazy about the news and pretend to be the owner.
It is the modern version of Cinderella and typically example of how fairy tale influence young generation’s life, In school, popular boys and girls, normally, have been treated as prince and princess. While the definition of popular boy is someone who has a rich family, smart and handsome, the definition of popular girl means someone who is not only having a wealthy family, she is also sexy and pretty. Every kids in school dreams to be the popular kids and to be treated as prince or princess, it is an universe phoneme in society as well nowadays. Girls are looking for Mr. charming and wish to marry them then happy ever after, but how many of them can really dream come true? Now, I am going to examine the principle that readers are no longer the victims of the ideal by exploring the influence of fairy tales on readers and perception of romantic relationship: the genre of fairy tales.
The influence of fairy tale on readers and perception of romantic relationship is the genre of tales. The universe genre of fairy tale is ended with a happy ending, with the happy ending; audience can be influenced in both positive and negative way. Reader can get a satisfaction from the happy ending and build up confidence and hope from the reality. In the tale, “Snow White”, the main character is saved by a handsome prince at the end, eventually, they get marriage and happy after forever (Snow White and Seven Dwarfs 98). Also, in the tale, “Beauty and Beast”, Beauty marries to a Beast, but the ugly Beast lastly turns to be a charming prince (Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont 30). All the tales teach audiences how lucky the girls are at the end, how romantic the love story can be. So, readers can be comforted spiritedly by the tale especially the female who has been treated unfairly in society, such as she does not have a good looking and unpopular in her life or her significant other treats her in a bad way. Furthermore, fairy tale also brings a confidence and hope to readers by prince display.
However, with the prince display, fairy tale can create a negative influence on reader as well. If readers are too obsessed with romantic side of fairy -tale, they are more likely to forget the difference between reality and story. In order to pursue their ideal dream such as ideal man, girls can act as crazy as they can. For example, Leo, the main character of the movie “Lavender”, is a famous singer. All girls crazy about him, and chase him everywhere he goes. However, Xun, the other main character in the movie, is Leo’s first lover since he was ten. When their relationship is explored by journalist and reports on the news. Two girls go crazy and find Xun , break her bike and warning her to stay away from Leo. It is only a movie, but it is the reflection of reality, otherwise, the director cannot make the story up without any sources. According to the article, “Why Movie Move Us,” Professor, Marshall McLuhan, states that, “Film’s impact is due to the medium becoming the message itself. It is an extension of our sense; it is a mirror of the external world.” (Roger Bacon 65). In other words, movie is not only a fiction for audience; it is also a reflection of people’s life-which is outside of movie- in the society. Thus, the similar situation appears in the movie also occurs in the reality. But the question is what ends up with the ideal dream of the girls and boys who wish to marry superstar or become the super modern or the richest guy like Bill Gate? The only answer is there is nothing left for the ideal dream except disillusionment.
Since the happy ending of fairy tales bring not only a positive influence, the spiritedly comfort from tales to reality; but also a negative influence on readers and society, the confusion between tale and reality. It is clear that audience can fulfill their wish spiritedly by the tale , but they should be able to understand the difference between romantic story and reality. Therefore, people should keep their hope based on the spiritedly satisfaction and build up their confidence to looking forwards the real life, but to hold up the ideal dream and wish it come true forever.

Work Cited:
Anne , Sexton. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Epic Reinvented: The Classic Fairy Tales. Maria Tatar. The United States of America: 1998. Print.

Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. “Beauty and the Beast.” Epic Reinvented: The Classic Fairy Tales. Maria Tatar. The United States of America: 1998. Print.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Relection of Fairy Tales


I watched a movie called Mirrors. Ben Carson, a former detective in New York, is the main character of the movie. In order to rebuild his life, he got a new job as a night watchman at a fired department store –Mayflower. During the time, many weird things happened caused by an abnormal mirror. The things reflect in the mirror was not reflect in the reality. Also, the mirror tried to force Ben to find a lady called Eessker. At the end, he did what the mirror asked him to do, therefore, his family survived. Unfortunately, he died in the mirror.
After finished the movie, there was a question has remained on my mind. The question is that does the romantic story in the fairy tale reflect in the reality? Since the semester has started, I and our classmates have been discussed different fairy tales a lot. We discussed the cultural difference of each tale, the main characters, and the moral of those stories. However, what we really learn from the fairy tale, the moral or the tale itself? My opinion is that the most important lesson we have learned is the truth beyond the moral and tales, it’s the lesson we have look at closely and read hardly, and then realize that there is no Mr. Charming at all in the reality. Compare those tales to the modern society, there is some different places and similarities as well. For example, the concept of Mr. Charming or prince, in the tale, is an ideal man all girls dream of. Slimily, the sort of situation also happens in today’s society. Girls always dream to have a Mr. Prince (Mr. Rich) to get marriage. So, they try to learn how to make up, prepare themselves to wait for their Mr. Prince‘s display. However, the question where is the Mr. charming exist? As result, those girls always end up with disappointment not the dream come true. For example, Lauren, one of my best friends, she tries to learn how to wear high-heel only because people tell her that guys love girl who wear sexy high-heels. Although her feet feels hurt and even cannot walk, she still continues to wear them. Few days ago, she visited me and complained about her life. She said that “I am looking around even the corner; there is no Mr. handsome at all. I feel so bored and disappointed.”
Among all the facts I have been given above, it is clear that there is no Mr. charming in the reality. The romantic story displays in the tale does not reflect in the today’s society, therefore, girls, please wake up and come back to the real world.