This particular episode--funny, introspective, and strange--focuses on people who are dealing with different aspects of memory and of being remembered. Something like finding a certain type of bird can earn someone important accolades, whereas something like escaping prison can earn someone desired freedom; something like a yearbook photo seems so trivial in the scope of life, whereas something like a horrible physical altercation can scar someone with an indelible impression on his/her mind forever.
At the end of his solid speech in Chapel this morning, Luis Torres posed a very important question to the audience: "What will you do with what you've been given?" Think about the cards that the people in the four segments of the TAL episode have been dealt. How have they dealt with their problems, successes, and failures? Which person do you remember and why?
PROMPT:
This episode deals specifically with two subjects: confinement and freedom. Each of the people from the episode has confined him/herself to a certain standard/condition/idea/way of life, and each seeks his or her own freedom in different ways.
In no fewer than 10 sentences--for full credit--please post a free response to this episode that includes some details about how you empathize with the people we saw today. Pay specific attention to your usage and grammar in this assignment.
Due before class begins on Monday, 1/31
The last video stuck with me more than the others. A man who has unfortunately encountered the darker side of human nature and society, has consequently lost his faith in people. He finds sanctuary in solitude where he can recreate his own world, where he can control how life should be in his mind. I believe that everyone has one of these fantasies; their own perception of how the world should work. However, not everyone has the ability or motivation to actually make that world a reality. I sympathize for that man for his misfortune, however, through his tragedy, he has been able to overcome the barrier between fantasy and reality. Although his fantasy is not the happiest, I think it is a direct result of his tragedy. His misconception of justice has this man terrorizing one of the most terrible groups of people in history. Picking the Nazi SS as a target I think leads to radical releases of anger that could potentially be unleashed one a living person, if he ever overcame his fear of people. I also think that he was a great candidate for a show about freedom, confinement, and idea of life, for this man has knowingly or unknowingly has made his life based around these three principles.
ReplyDeleteThe scene set in high school really hit me the most. The lives of these high school students revolve, almost single-handedly, around their school and what goes on in between the walls of their high school. High school pressures and drama consume many of their worlds. During the scene, many of the kids discuss how one school photo shows no reflection of who the students really are. The pictures in the yearbook are tiny little cutouts of each other students head, nothing more. The picture gives no opportunity to display who each person really is. These kids are confined to that high school and the people in it for eight hours of their day. It is a good guess to say that high school is all most of them know. The students have no idea what the world is like outside of their high school walls. I sympathize with these students because sometimes I feel the same way. I've been going to school with the a lot of the same people for most my life and honestly, I too have no idea what the real world looks like.
ReplyDeleteThe scene about the jailbreak struck me the hardest. It shows how two men have put forth unbelievable amounts of effort in order to achieve a certain goal. They then succeed in their plan only to fail, and become detained for a longer period of time. This serves as a symbol of the daily occurrences of life. Often times, one is faced with a challenge, comes up with a plan to overcome the challenge, and then still fails to achieve success. These men offer a life size illustration of this in the episode of This American Life we watched. I can sympathize with them because I know this has happened to me more than once. Granted, I was not breaking out of jail or anything near as extreme as that, but when working on a project in school that you put a lot of effort into, only to get a poor grade on it produces the same feeling. Every person has experienced this, it is just a daily non-seen hardship of life.
ReplyDeleteThe scene about the jailbreak stuck with me more than any of the others. The amount of effort that the two men put into making such an elaborate escape plan amazed me. For a second, their plan worked. They had gone from confinement to freedom, until they got caught. The saddest part is that the two guys didn't learn anything from this experience. Also, if they had spent the same amount of effort on their families and lives as they did on their escape plan, they might have been able to stay out of prison.
ReplyDeleteThe high school scene probably stuck to me the most. It is unfortunate the way the life of these kids' goes around on a daily basis. The way they deal with their problems can be very appropriate or inappropriate for their age group. In high school there are many choices someone can make that are both good and bad. High school is a place where someone is suppose to explore their individuality, but a lot of times people will conform with what others have set upon them. The way the pictures of these kids were taken shows exactly what I mean. Everyone is trying to look a certain way almost in a uniform kind of style. In reality, everyone is so different from each other that it is almost unbelievable. Although I go to high school with a lot of people who are "similar" to each other, we each have our own differences that set us apart despite wearing the school uniform on a daily basis. Right now, I only know high school for what it is, but I also know the realities and possibilities of the real world outside of it. Makes me wonder sometimes if growing up is really all that it cuts out to be.
ReplyDeleteI felt most connected to the episode of the jail break in This American Life. Two prisoners organize an elaborate plan to escape from jail. They collaborate and decide to make a contraption out of teeth floss.
ReplyDeleteThe perseverance and effort these men put into escaping from jail is incredible; even though, they ultimately got caught. This episode made me realize that we can achieve almost anything we put our minds to. If these men would have put that same amount of effort into becoming a better person and following key principles of good character and integrity, it would greatly help them to stay out of jail.
The man in the last episode had the most impact on my train of thought. The man was clearly a normal upstanding citizen of society who, by all accounts in the film, was living a normal life. His life was smashed by the cruel actions of some thugs outside of a bar. Since this event, he has proceeded to seclude himself from society with his coffee and cigarettes. I feel for a man who has to live his life through figurines because he is afraid of being hurt by humans again. This is no way for any human to win. Although I have never experienced anything like this, this is clearly no way for anyone to live.
ReplyDeleteGood comments. Although the jailbreak seemed to resonate with all of you, so did the man at the end. Good work, and nice comments.
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