New Criticism

From Rotten Tomatoes to Roger Ebert, film reviews are informative literary mediums through which critics analyze a film’s overall quality, with the goal of distinguishing whether or not the film is worth watching. A film review has a typical structure: it is comprised of an introduction that provides basic background information about the film, actors, producers, and directors. It is generally followed by a brief plot summary, film analysis (of themes, film technique, acting, etc.), and a…

After the events of WWII, to say that America had changed drastically was an understatement; with the entirety of the Cold War, amongst other political strife at home and abroad, America during this time was an era of conflicting ideals. Consequently, literature changed its perspective; most commonly, however, was the transition from modernist ideals to postmodernist ideals. Much like modernism, post-modernism offered to reject the ideals presented by popular trends during their time; yet for…

Introduction Christians believe that the Bible in its entirety is the inerrant word God; they base their foundation on what the Bible says which is supposed to be inspired by God, and written by man. Some of the reasons Christians believe that the Bible is the word of God are because it gives mankind a sense of purpose, a reason for living. Another reason has to do with simply that it gives the best explanation for the world coming to existence. Due to the fact Christians believe the Bible to…

Mapping Project: Fadlan and Battutah In Franco Moretti’s, Graphs, Maps, Trees: Abstract Models for Literary History, in a chapter titled, “Maps,” Moretti notes that “there is a very simple question about literary maps: what exactly do they do? What do they do that cannot be done with words?” and “Do maps add anything, to our knowledge of literature?” (Moretti, Maps, 35). In this essay, I hope to explain the significance of maps in both Ibn Battutah’s, The Travels of Ibn Battutah and Ibn…

“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters,” Albert Einstein. The textbook definition of ‘trust’ is a firm belief in reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. For some people being trustworthy is a challenge. These people may be deceitful. Being deceitful is the act of being guilty of or involving deceit; deceiving or misleading others. Not trusting someone is like a disease trying to break free through a thick layer of…

A political allegory is when a book or a work of art, tells one story but actually is using that story as a metaphor to hide a political meaning underneath. A political allegory could be found in fiction, drama, paintings, films and music. The dictionary states that an allegory is a story, poem, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one, it is derived from the Latin and Greek word ‘Allegoria’ “meaning ‘veiled language’ or ‘figurative.’…

compared to the citizens of Venice. Additionally, Portia, a rich and powerful woman in Venice, exemplifies racism when it comes to the prince of Morocco. After her discussion with Nerissa about the available suitors, Portia's servingman arrives with news of her fifth suitor. Upon hearing about his African descent, she compares his skin color to, "The complexion of the devil." (Shakespeare I.ii.119). Furthermore, she goes to say that even, "If he [Morocco] have the condition of a saint…I had…

My definition of faith is constantly being shaped and challenged by the world and different experiences around me. Our past has so much to say about who we are as individuals, just as the history of the bible has so much to tell us about how to interpret it and make connections in the present. My life has been built on a strong foundation of church family and constant love from our creator. In our readings, I feel that Sumney does a great job of explaining how the bible is set up and how we as…

A Tales of Cinema (2005), and Night and Day (2008) by Hong Sang-Soo Production analysis is a methodologically neutral tool, which seeks to reckon with the film’s formal and stylistic patterns by charting the various technical strategies its filmmakers employ in its enunciation. These strategies include casting, performance, costume design, color design, lighting, and composition, the rendition of space, rhythm and sound design. In this essay, we will study closely Hong Sang-Soo as well as…

death of his elder brother Gerard, that moved him to write the book Visions of Gerard. Kerouac’s athletic talent led him to become star on his local football team and this achievement earned him scholarships to Boston College and Columbia University in New York.…