Full Thesis Statements

• Because of their determination to be popular and their music hysteria, all girls are crazy.
• Pros: Stereotypical directioners, beliebers, etc. going crazy over the artists and the hunger for popularity and being noticed at school.
• Cons: Not all girls apply to this, girls have self-control, some girls don't listen to mainstream music.
• Competition for grades is an unhealthy influence on students because of the constant pressure they put on themselves.
• Pros: Students develop jealousy/hatred to other students out of being competitive, students can gain stress/anxiety from all of the pressure they put on themselves to be better.
• Cons: It makes students work harder, forces them to put a lot more effort into their work, and they do better academically.

Defining Modernism: Exercise #2

     In the first piece, it is nice and mellow, staying at a relatively slow pace filled with pianos and violins. The second one, however, is a little livelier, adding in trumpets, cymbals, and other jazz instruments. The audio is a bit fuzzy, adding an authentic feel. The third one has a lot more instruments playing at once in different tempos. Additional vocals are heard in the background as well. There is a lot more going on in the third piece, making it seem very energetic.

     My belief is Biederbecke and Mingus are trying to make a point of getting out with the old and in the new of classical music with their new music styles. They might have thought that change would be for the better, or else we would be stuck in the classical genre forever.

    The first song made me feel really calm. I'm listening to it in the background as i'm typing and I feel like I'm about to fall asleep. The second puts me in a good mood. But the third one I personally don't like so it makes me quite uneasy. To me, it seems like all the instruments are jumbled together in different tempos and it just seems so messy. I personally like the classical style music better. I like the calm feelings that it could bring at one point, and in the next it can make you feel more powerful. I love the sound of piano almost more than any other instrument. I love to sleep, personally, so I like classical music because sometimes it can help me fall asleep. Plus, vocals with classic music can be the most elegant thing ever to some people, including me.

Empire of the Sun: Jim's Future Life

     Twenty years later, I believe that Jim will still have been affected by the war. He would have a wife, and possibly a child. I think Jim will have a closer bond with his parents than ever before. Since he forgot his parents, I believe that he might still be trying to remember some of the little things about them, possibly trying to learn about himself before the war too. He took a job as a pilot, finally getting to fly an actual plane.

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    Jim grabs his goggles from the table besides him and slides it over his hair and onto his eyes. His wife was looking through the window of the big grey stone building behind him holding their young son, tears streaming down her face. Their son looked exactly like him, but he had no idea what was going on so he was playfully tapping the window, waving to his daddy outside.
    Jim walked proudly to the plane and went inside,turning on the controls that lit up his bearded face. The Japanese men around the plane began to sing, and his wife burst into tears. His son ran out the door to the plane yelling, "Mommy! Where is daddy going?" over and over but she grabbed onto his arm before he got to close to the plane. Jim put his hand up to his forehead and saluted, revving the plane and taking off, the red circle on the plane still able to be seen in the distance. The plane went out into the air and was flying for a few minutes when a light flashed into the sky, and he was gone. Jim's wife dropped to her knees and brought her hands to her face. Jim's son stood there motionless and the model plane in his hand fell to the ground. The Japanese commander walked over to Jim's wife and rested a hand on her shoulder, as to reassure her that what Jim did brought him great honor.

Defining Modernism: Exercise #1

      The first painting in each of the sets is dated back to at least two hundred years ago. They are made to look realistic, and, personally, it is much easier to understand what the painting is depicting . The subject of each painting represents the time period they were living in, from the costumes to the environment the subject is in, etc. On the other hand, the second painting in each set portrays a more modern approach. I feel as though the painters of 1b, 2b, 3b, and 4b might think that they are considering the future in their paintings, mainly because the lines are sharper and it looks more like a cartoon.They might possibly want to be more provocative by having an individual view point, wanting their audience to see things in a different perspective.

      These modern paintings make me feel confused. Why would some modern painters want to recreate paintings dating back to the 17th century and before? Do the painters want to change them or do they simply copy the idea out of inspiration but add a modern twist? Personally, I favor the paintings made in the previous centuries than those in the 20th century. They are easier to understand and they describe what it might have been like in the past.