In this last section of the book the Dominican government and its political injustices were explained in great intensity. Juan Bosch the PRD presidential candidate in 1962 advocated for the draft of a new constitution. However, the elite of the Dominican Republic felt that Bosch's ideals were too radical and that he was a threat to the church, businessmen, landowners, and the military of the country. He soon began to be depicted as a communist which sparked the creation of many anti-Bosch movements. The people of Dominican Republic feared he would become another Fidel Castro who at the time had usurped control of Cuba through communism. In 1963 Bosch was overthrown by a military coup and the Dominican Civil War began. The Dominican army under President Johnson and the United States fought against the constitucionalistas or the supporters of Bosch. The United States invaded the D.R to help ease the violence and pandemonium in the island. Eventhough the United States had intentions to imperialize Quisqueya, they used excuses like saving the island from communism to invade. The government then fell back into the hands of the Dominicans where Balaguer became president leaving Bosch without position. Balaguer in fact, sent for the death of Bosch supporters which resulted in the death of more then 350 activists in less then five months. In addition, Balaguer supported the International Development of the country. In particular, the United States financed an infrastructure which lured foreign investors to the island. Balaguer built schools, clinics, highways, bridges, streets, and ports all over the country. The Dominican Republic became one of Latin America's dominant powers with its immense foreign investment. Balaguer went out of power and Antonio Guzman came into power from 1978 to 1982. However, nepotism and self-embetterment were his ultimate goals. Guzman completely disregarded the people of the island and made himself and his family rich leaving the island in debt. Balaguer then returned to power in 1986, and was portrayed as the last hope for democracy to many Dominicans.
Quote:
"In the faces of the Dominican people, there are visible traces of cross-racial hybridization. Today one readily witnesses the society's amalgam of diverse skin hues, hair textures, and other distinctive racial-group characteristics" (Cambeira 212).
Reaction:
I completely agree with Cambeira's explanation for Dominican diversity. The mix and unison of Spanish, African, and Taino influences in the Dominican Republic have shaped dramatically the Dominican appearance. Dominicans range from tall to short, very dark skin to caramel and even European white. How about the hair, there are the Dominicans with the sleek Spanish hair, to the kinky African hair, or the curly bunch. Some of us have green eyes with blonde hair and fine noses. In particular, many people confuse me for an Indian when I straighten my hair, and its clearly the fact I have native roots grounded in me. To show how diverse Dominicans are, let us use my family as an example. I never thought of this as much, but really we do not look alike at all. In my household my father looks like a European and so does my mother with her naturally blonde hair and my father with his blue eyed father. My brother Robert looks like a Spanish just like my sister Jeanny disregarding her thick body and curly hair. My little sister and I are the darkest in my household. Eventhough our parents are very light, my grandmothers from both sides are as dark as night. My mother's mom looks like an Indian with her long black hair and cinnamon complexion and my father's mother looks like an African, with her kinky naps and dark skin. But aren't we all Dominicans?
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Quisqueya La Bella 150-190
Summary:
Dominican Republic's southern zone was where the large landowners accompanied with their slave labor predominated. In the island's southern zone was where the great sugarmills, the ingenios, and immense sugarcane fields reigned. The North of the Dominican Republic or the Cibao had a paucity of slaves. El Cibao however had a great cultivation of tobacco. Cibao soil was very fertile and lush particularly because of Santo Domingo's climate. By 1763, the tobacco planters del Cibao had almost doubled and so did the tobacco. The famous Tabaco Cibaeno was the island's main economic base and staple. It became Espanola's chief export since everyone wanted tobacco at the time. Hispaniola's neighbor Saint-Domingue was also prospering with its sugar plantations and success. The sugarmill production in Martinique and Guadeloupe placed France at the top of the export line. Hispaniola and Santo- Domingue created tight economic ties trading meats for manufactured goods. Saint-Domingue was ruled by Whites at the time. The grands blancs or the great Whites controlled the entire Hatian economy. The sugar production profit went directly to this small group. The petit blancs or the little Whites who were the street venders, store clerks, shopkeepers, and overseers were not part of the colonies elite class. Eventhough the petit blancs were not labeled as the inferior class or the gens de couleur, they still were not to be compared with the elite class. They were considered normal Whites eventhough Hatians or the gens de couleur wanted to be in their place.
Quote:
"Here this category of gens de couleur greatly surpassed the Whites in numbers, also often in formal education, and frequently, even in wealth" (Cambeira 151).
Summary:
This here quote refers to the Hatians of Saint-Domingue. Eventhough the Europeans controlled Haiti, the biggest group were the people of color. It is a little shocking how these Europeans were able to control this country although they were the minority. Then it makes me feel sad when I read that these Hatians were better educated and sometimes wealthier then these Whites but were not given the respect or place they deserved. This proves to show how not everything in the world or in life is fair, but with perseverance and struggle one can endure. Years after, these Hatians were able to free themselves from European bondage and became independent.
Dominican Republic's southern zone was where the large landowners accompanied with their slave labor predominated. In the island's southern zone was where the great sugarmills, the ingenios, and immense sugarcane fields reigned. The North of the Dominican Republic or the Cibao had a paucity of slaves. El Cibao however had a great cultivation of tobacco. Cibao soil was very fertile and lush particularly because of Santo Domingo's climate. By 1763, the tobacco planters del Cibao had almost doubled and so did the tobacco. The famous Tabaco Cibaeno was the island's main economic base and staple. It became Espanola's chief export since everyone wanted tobacco at the time. Hispaniola's neighbor Saint-Domingue was also prospering with its sugar plantations and success. The sugarmill production in Martinique and Guadeloupe placed France at the top of the export line. Hispaniola and Santo- Domingue created tight economic ties trading meats for manufactured goods. Saint-Domingue was ruled by Whites at the time. The grands blancs or the great Whites controlled the entire Hatian economy. The sugar production profit went directly to this small group. The petit blancs or the little Whites who were the street venders, store clerks, shopkeepers, and overseers were not part of the colonies elite class. Eventhough the petit blancs were not labeled as the inferior class or the gens de couleur, they still were not to be compared with the elite class. They were considered normal Whites eventhough Hatians or the gens de couleur wanted to be in their place.
Quote:
"Here this category of gens de couleur greatly surpassed the Whites in numbers, also often in formal education, and frequently, even in wealth" (Cambeira 151).
Summary:
This here quote refers to the Hatians of Saint-Domingue. Eventhough the Europeans controlled Haiti, the biggest group were the people of color. It is a little shocking how these Europeans were able to control this country although they were the minority. Then it makes me feel sad when I read that these Hatians were better educated and sometimes wealthier then these Whites but were not given the respect or place they deserved. This proves to show how not everything in the world or in life is fair, but with perseverance and struggle one can endure. Years after, these Hatians were able to free themselves from European bondage and became independent.
Quisqueya La Bella 100-150
Summary:
The Cimarrones were escaped runaway slaves who escaped from plantation oppression on the island of Hispaniola. The Cimarrones or the maroons escaped into the remote mountains in 1503. Cimarrone communities were very ordered and stabilized. Their goal was to imitate and revive their villages and former communities in Africa before the transatlantic slave trade. The most prominent fugitive slave community was Maniel. The Dominican term "maniel" refers to the mountains located in the north of the Neiba Valley. By the 1580's, Spaniards feared the slave insurrections on the island. The first full and successful insurrection took place in 1522 where more than 20 African slaves at a sugar plantation destroyed everything they could find. African slaves or Cimarrones had three tactics to rebel. The first was to run away and hide close to the plantation they worked at until they were captured. Another tactic was to flee to a particular hiding place and become members of the group or area located there. The last formula was to escape into the mountains which was what most runaway slaves did. The earliest African population was made up of groups called negros ladinos. These Africans were born in Lisbon, Madrid, Sevilla and other cities in the Iberian peninsula. These Africans arrived on the island with spanish explorers like Chistopher Columbus. The first African ladinos came in Columbus' ship La Nina in 1492. At the beginning of African arrival in Hispaniola, only Ladinos were permitted on the island because they were Christians and had assimilated to Spanish customs. The Spanish discriminated against any other faith and forbid them from residing on the island.
Quote:
"The Spanish regarded all Moors who were naturally of the Islamic faith, other sub Saharan Africans, Jews, gypsies, and any other so- called Christian (converts), as a suffering from a distinct moral disability"(Cambeira 100).
Reaction:
This quote brings no surprise to me; I had learned before that Dominicans and Spaniards immensely discriminated against people of darker skin and distinct religion. It would be an abomination to call a Dominican black, for they right away feel inferior and insulted. Connecting with what we have been learning in Othello with Othello, discrimination against Moors has been around for a very long time. The separation of we and they is a technique used by many cultures to alienate themselves from individuals who are different from them. Trujillo, a Dominican dictator, murdered thousands of Hatians because he felt they were uncivilized particularly on the basis of their skin color and religion. In other words, separation of race and religion have been factors that date hundreds of years back but still surround us today.
The Cimarrones were escaped runaway slaves who escaped from plantation oppression on the island of Hispaniola. The Cimarrones or the maroons escaped into the remote mountains in 1503. Cimarrone communities were very ordered and stabilized. Their goal was to imitate and revive their villages and former communities in Africa before the transatlantic slave trade. The most prominent fugitive slave community was Maniel. The Dominican term "maniel" refers to the mountains located in the north of the Neiba Valley. By the 1580's, Spaniards feared the slave insurrections on the island. The first full and successful insurrection took place in 1522 where more than 20 African slaves at a sugar plantation destroyed everything they could find. African slaves or Cimarrones had three tactics to rebel. The first was to run away and hide close to the plantation they worked at until they were captured. Another tactic was to flee to a particular hiding place and become members of the group or area located there. The last formula was to escape into the mountains which was what most runaway slaves did. The earliest African population was made up of groups called negros ladinos. These Africans were born in Lisbon, Madrid, Sevilla and other cities in the Iberian peninsula. These Africans arrived on the island with spanish explorers like Chistopher Columbus. The first African ladinos came in Columbus' ship La Nina in 1492. At the beginning of African arrival in Hispaniola, only Ladinos were permitted on the island because they were Christians and had assimilated to Spanish customs. The Spanish discriminated against any other faith and forbid them from residing on the island.
Quote:
"The Spanish regarded all Moors who were naturally of the Islamic faith, other sub Saharan Africans, Jews, gypsies, and any other so- called Christian (converts), as a suffering from a distinct moral disability"(Cambeira 100).
Reaction:
This quote brings no surprise to me; I had learned before that Dominicans and Spaniards immensely discriminated against people of darker skin and distinct religion. It would be an abomination to call a Dominican black, for they right away feel inferior and insulted. Connecting with what we have been learning in Othello with Othello, discrimination against Moors has been around for a very long time. The separation of we and they is a technique used by many cultures to alienate themselves from individuals who are different from them. Trujillo, a Dominican dictator, murdered thousands of Hatians because he felt they were uncivilized particularly on the basis of their skin color and religion. In other words, separation of race and religion have been factors that date hundreds of years back but still surround us today.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
La Republica Dominicana : Quisqueya la Bella by Alan Cambeira 50-100
Summary:
Rural and suburban Dominican families take extreme pride in their conucos. Conucos are a small plot of cultivated land set for the family's vegetable garden. Dominicanos grow platanos, yuca, batata, yautia, and mapuey in these fields. These conucos are usually visited on the weekends where the entire family comes together and kills a goat or a pig and feasts for the day. In addition, Los Tainos or a group of indigenous people, immensely influenced the vocabulary of Dominicans. In particular, the words barbaco: barbecue, bohio: palm house, guagua: bus, hamaca: hammock, and mani: peanut are all words derived from the Tainos. Also, most of the fishes found in waters of la Quisqueya still have their Taino names. On another note, when the Spanish arrived in Dominican Republic in 1492, there goal was to find gold and become rich. Luckily, la Quisqueya had exactly what they needed. As a result of their ambition, the Spanish tried exterminating the Tainos so that they could stay with all of the island's riches. In fact, the Spanish created an intense system of labor called the Encomienda. Encomenderos, usually Spaniards, were given the right to collect tribute and demand manual labor from the Tainos. Quickly this system enslaved the entire indigenous population and with the help of Small Pox, the Tainos became annihilated. In particular, the Tainos were overworked and exploited to death. There was no compensation for their labor, so many of their family members died of starvation. Friars such as Antonio de Montesinos, Pedro de Cordova, and Bartolome de las Casasa, raised protests to denounce this malicious system of labor. Furthermore, a very bold Taino, started a rebellion against the Spanish. Enriquillo also known as El Primer Heroe de America, launched guerilla attacks against the Spaniards and created secured villages for women, children, and elders.With the help of Cimmarrones or runaway African slaves, Enriquillo was able to succeed for many years. Even though so many efforts were made to restore the Tainos at the time, Christopher Columbus and the Spanish made it impossible with the encomienda.
Quote:
"This strange but very useful and practical lexicon enriched the Spanish language... mainly in the form of nouns, these words can be heard quite casually among the people in various parts of the island" (Cambeira 42).
Reaction:
I never really noticed how every day words derived from the language of the Tainos. I knew many Spanish words derived from Arabic but since the Tainos were exterminated, I never thought I used them in my conversations. It still shocks me how Dominicans have worked so hard to preserve their history. In the Dominican Republic, there are museums and sites dedicated particularly for Tainos. At first I felt I would be cheating myself by reading about the Dominican history, but I did not know half of the information I have learned in these two posts. La Quisqueya has a very interesting history and as a Dominican American, I feel very ignorant in Dominican topics especially politics. This book has widened my own horizon in ways that benefit me.
Rural and suburban Dominican families take extreme pride in their conucos. Conucos are a small plot of cultivated land set for the family's vegetable garden. Dominicanos grow platanos, yuca, batata, yautia, and mapuey in these fields. These conucos are usually visited on the weekends where the entire family comes together and kills a goat or a pig and feasts for the day. In addition, Los Tainos or a group of indigenous people, immensely influenced the vocabulary of Dominicans. In particular, the words barbaco: barbecue, bohio: palm house, guagua: bus, hamaca: hammock, and mani: peanut are all words derived from the Tainos. Also, most of the fishes found in waters of la Quisqueya still have their Taino names. On another note, when the Spanish arrived in Dominican Republic in 1492, there goal was to find gold and become rich. Luckily, la Quisqueya had exactly what they needed. As a result of their ambition, the Spanish tried exterminating the Tainos so that they could stay with all of the island's riches. In fact, the Spanish created an intense system of labor called the Encomienda. Encomenderos, usually Spaniards, were given the right to collect tribute and demand manual labor from the Tainos. Quickly this system enslaved the entire indigenous population and with the help of Small Pox, the Tainos became annihilated. In particular, the Tainos were overworked and exploited to death. There was no compensation for their labor, so many of their family members died of starvation. Friars such as Antonio de Montesinos, Pedro de Cordova, and Bartolome de las Casasa, raised protests to denounce this malicious system of labor. Furthermore, a very bold Taino, started a rebellion against the Spanish. Enriquillo also known as El Primer Heroe de America, launched guerilla attacks against the Spaniards and created secured villages for women, children, and elders.With the help of Cimmarrones or runaway African slaves, Enriquillo was able to succeed for many years. Even though so many efforts were made to restore the Tainos at the time, Christopher Columbus and the Spanish made it impossible with the encomienda.
Quote:
"This strange but very useful and practical lexicon enriched the Spanish language... mainly in the form of nouns, these words can be heard quite casually among the people in various parts of the island" (Cambeira 42).
Reaction:
I never really noticed how every day words derived from the language of the Tainos. I knew many Spanish words derived from Arabic but since the Tainos were exterminated, I never thought I used them in my conversations. It still shocks me how Dominicans have worked so hard to preserve their history. In the Dominican Republic, there are museums and sites dedicated particularly for Tainos. At first I felt I would be cheating myself by reading about the Dominican history, but I did not know half of the information I have learned in these two posts. La Quisqueya has a very interesting history and as a Dominican American, I feel very ignorant in Dominican topics especially politics. This book has widened my own horizon in ways that benefit me.
La Republica Dominicana : Quisqueya la Bella by Alan Cambeira
Summary:
The Dominican Republic also recognized as "La Quisqueya" is a beautiful island in the caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. The Dominican Republic shares its western border with the French country, Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. In addition, the national tree in la Republica Dominicana is mahogany or caoba. Most Dominican homes are saturated with furniture made of mahogany. Furthermore, Santo Domingo's national bird is the Cotica Parrot, and most Dominican teens train these loritos to repeat every word they say for months. In fact, competitions are made in Dominican barrios with these parrots, the goal is to test which bird can recite the most bad words. Also, Los Dominicanos are huge baseball lovers and players. By the age of 5, Dominican little boys already aspire to be professional baseball players. Most Dominicans believe making it to the major leagues is the only way out of poverty. In fact, more then half of 300 professional Dominican ball players who play for North American leagues, come from San Pedro de Macoris. When there is no money for baseballs and bats, water caps and brooms substitute these equipments. In addition, sugarcane cultivation has been a prominient source of trade in Santo Domingo since 1506. However, many Dominican sugar cultivaters have remained destitute since the prosperous sugar economy made its way particularly to the Dominican elite and foreign investors. The poor who worked these fields, were not able to benefit from the abundance of sugar in their country since they were payed so little money for their work. Eventhough the Dominican Republic is portrayed as a country of ultimate bliss and perfection for tourists, immense poverty and dejection roams through the unpaved streets of the country. Part of this problem is the 4 billion dollar debt Dominican Republic has with the United States. On another note, the first residents of la Republica Dominicana were the Arawak Indians. This group of indigenous people called the island Hayti which means the Land of Mountains referring to the mountain chains in present day Haiti. Then the Tainos arrived in 3000 BC naming the island Quisqueya or Earth Mother. This name La Quisqueya has remained in Dominican culture. In particular, many grocery stores in D.R. as well as families have named their children and properties Quisqueya. Then the renown name La Espanola, was what Christopher Columbus called the island in 1492. In other words, the Dominican Republic has acquired different names throughout its history.
Quote:
"It was in 1833 that Duarte conceived the country's independence under the glorious banner 'Dios, Patria y Libertad, Republica Dominicana' "(Cambeira 28).
Reaction:
As a Dominican myself, when I hear the phrase Dios, Patria, y Libertad, I imminently smile. When my ancestors fought for our independence from Spain, France, and Haiti, they used these words to restore their nationalism and pride. Dios and Patria are very important words to Dominicans; In fact, every Dominican mentions God before they do anything. For example, when a Dominican especially the older ones have anything to accomplish, they say Si Dios Quiere: If God wants to. Then when Patria comes into the picture, every Dominican raises their flag and screams how proud they are of being Dominican. I have never met a group of people with the exception of Mexicans, who feel so much nationalism and respect for their country. The exact way to make any Dominican really angry is to say something insulting or pejorative towards their people. It pains them very deeply since they feel this ardent love and respect for their country.
The Dominican Republic also recognized as "La Quisqueya" is a beautiful island in the caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. The Dominican Republic shares its western border with the French country, Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. In addition, the national tree in la Republica Dominicana is mahogany or caoba. Most Dominican homes are saturated with furniture made of mahogany. Furthermore, Santo Domingo's national bird is the Cotica Parrot, and most Dominican teens train these loritos to repeat every word they say for months. In fact, competitions are made in Dominican barrios with these parrots, the goal is to test which bird can recite the most bad words. Also, Los Dominicanos are huge baseball lovers and players. By the age of 5, Dominican little boys already aspire to be professional baseball players. Most Dominicans believe making it to the major leagues is the only way out of poverty. In fact, more then half of 300 professional Dominican ball players who play for North American leagues, come from San Pedro de Macoris. When there is no money for baseballs and bats, water caps and brooms substitute these equipments. In addition, sugarcane cultivation has been a prominient source of trade in Santo Domingo since 1506. However, many Dominican sugar cultivaters have remained destitute since the prosperous sugar economy made its way particularly to the Dominican elite and foreign investors. The poor who worked these fields, were not able to benefit from the abundance of sugar in their country since they were payed so little money for their work. Eventhough the Dominican Republic is portrayed as a country of ultimate bliss and perfection for tourists, immense poverty and dejection roams through the unpaved streets of the country. Part of this problem is the 4 billion dollar debt Dominican Republic has with the United States. On another note, the first residents of la Republica Dominicana were the Arawak Indians. This group of indigenous people called the island Hayti which means the Land of Mountains referring to the mountain chains in present day Haiti. Then the Tainos arrived in 3000 BC naming the island Quisqueya or Earth Mother. This name La Quisqueya has remained in Dominican culture. In particular, many grocery stores in D.R. as well as families have named their children and properties Quisqueya. Then the renown name La Espanola, was what Christopher Columbus called the island in 1492. In other words, the Dominican Republic has acquired different names throughout its history.
Quote:
"It was in 1833 that Duarte conceived the country's independence under the glorious banner 'Dios, Patria y Libertad, Republica Dominicana' "(Cambeira 28).
Reaction:
As a Dominican myself, when I hear the phrase Dios, Patria, y Libertad, I imminently smile. When my ancestors fought for our independence from Spain, France, and Haiti, they used these words to restore their nationalism and pride. Dios and Patria are very important words to Dominicans; In fact, every Dominican mentions God before they do anything. For example, when a Dominican especially the older ones have anything to accomplish, they say Si Dios Quiere: If God wants to. Then when Patria comes into the picture, every Dominican raises their flag and screams how proud they are of being Dominican. I have never met a group of people with the exception of Mexicans, who feel so much nationalism and respect for their country. The exact way to make any Dominican really angry is to say something insulting or pejorative towards their people. It pains them very deeply since they feel this ardent love and respect for their country.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Film Reaction
The film The Lovely Bones honestly was not my type of movie. I felt it didn't include sufficient action or thrilling music to keep me at the edge of my seat. However, there were many camera techniques and angles used throughout. In particular, I recognized many extreme close-ups and establishing shots. The close-ups were usually used on Mr. Havery or Susie Salmon. The establishing shots were mostly in front of the Salmon home or the cornfields. Furthermore, the film included high and low key lighting. However, despite the role of the movie to be a despondent film about raped young girls, there was a lot of high key lighting. In addition, the filmmaker assigned many point of view shots. Usually they were depicted on Lindsey and Havery. Her reaction to his glares were very obvious through this shot.
Also, the movie maker used a lot of panning and rotating in general. When Havery convinced Susie to go into the underground house, the director made sure he tilted and rotated the camera in the entire house. It was completely scary and built up suspense immediately. As an outsider, I felt myself in Susies position. It was clear she would not make it out and either way she would be killed. There was a Birds Eye Shot when the director took the shot looking down into reality. Susie was in the sky and she was gloriously looking down into her house.
While searching for camera terms, I noted down a few of the songs used in the film. In particular, "Alice" by Cocteau Twins, "Song to the Siren" by This Mortal Coil and "I Hear You Knockin" by Dave Edmunds were all played in the film. My favorite was "I Hear You Knockin" which was a rock song played in the middle of the movie.
All in all, I really wished I could have experienced a Deus ex Machina in The Lovely Bones. After all the only time I found a problem was abrupty solved was when a block of ice fell on Mr.Havery and forced him to fall of a cliff and thus die. Now that was funny and we didn't need Fenerman or Mr. Salmon to kill him, the ice commited the crime for all!
Also, the movie maker used a lot of panning and rotating in general. When Havery convinced Susie to go into the underground house, the director made sure he tilted and rotated the camera in the entire house. It was completely scary and built up suspense immediately. As an outsider, I felt myself in Susies position. It was clear she would not make it out and either way she would be killed. There was a Birds Eye Shot when the director took the shot looking down into reality. Susie was in the sky and she was gloriously looking down into her house.
While searching for camera terms, I noted down a few of the songs used in the film. In particular, "Alice" by Cocteau Twins, "Song to the Siren" by This Mortal Coil and "I Hear You Knockin" by Dave Edmunds were all played in the film. My favorite was "I Hear You Knockin" which was a rock song played in the middle of the movie.
All in all, I really wished I could have experienced a Deus ex Machina in The Lovely Bones. After all the only time I found a problem was abrupty solved was when a block of ice fell on Mr.Havery and forced him to fall of a cliff and thus die. Now that was funny and we didn't need Fenerman or Mr. Salmon to kill him, the ice commited the crime for all!
Movie Review Reaction for The Lovely Bones
On December 11, 2009 the New York Times writer, A. O. Scott posted the Movie Review,
"Gazing Down, From a Suburb of Heaven, at an Earthly Purgatory". I agree partially with Scott's ideas towards The Lovely Bones. In particular, Scott states,"The filmmakers’ evident affection for the book expresses itself as a desperate scramble to include as much of it as possible, which leaves the movie feeling both overcrowded and thin. The anguish in the Salmon household is dutifully observed: dad smashes his collection of model ships, mom withdraws and then flees to California, and in the middle of it grandma arrives, a brassy boozer played by..."(Scott). I fervently believe the filmmaker became too enamored with the book. There were parts throughout the movie I experienced Oh Yeah moments. They happened in the book so imminently and in the film like Scott acknowledges, they were intermixed and abruptly forced to fit in. However, I do disagree with Scott's belief that the filmmaker overcrowded the movie. I in fact, felt closer to Susie and sensed her death more and more each time certain sections of the book were elaborated and visually placed in the film.
Furthermore, Scott explains about the lovely bones and its relation with the title,"The title of “The Lovely Bones” refers to the relationships among these people that knit together in Susie’s absence. In Mr. Jackson’s version, though, they are hastily and haphazardly assembled, so that nothing quite fits together"(Scott). I completely agree with Scott's explanation for Jackson's version of the bones. In the book the only body parts found by Detective Fenerman were her teeth and her elbow. In other words, even though these are key elements to find her assassin, they were really hard to place together. The teeth were found in Connecticut while her elbow was found in another state. It became very difficult for Fenerman to ultimately accuse any one person. Moreover, Scott's symbolism for the title The Lovely Bones, does become obvious throughout the film as well as the book. For example, while Susie is dead, Lindsey and Samuel become engaged, and even her mother and the detective make out. Clearly many individuals bonded while she was absent.
In addition, Scott critiques about the film,"Mr. Jackson’s film, from a script he wrote with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, his frequent collaborators, shows less audacity and too much art"(Scott). In simpler words, Jackson took the art, the imagery, and the metaphors to another extent. For example, there was a part in the film where Susie appeared in a magazine in this world of bliss and ever-lasting peace. I think Jackson could have limited his fantasies by having equal amounts of fantasy and reality. The fantasy in fact confused me but brought laughter at certain points.
Overall, Scott's review for The Lovely Bones really broke down the film and criticized Jackson's techniques. This movie review reveals many truths about the film, but it also doesn't recognize the complexity of the movie. It is a film already filled with confusion and suspense, for its a raped teenager living in both worlds.
Work Cited Entry:
Work Cited Entry:
Scott, A. O. "The Lovely Bones - Gazing Down, From a Suburb of Heaven, at an Earthly Purgatory."
New York Times [New York] 11 Dec. 2009. Movie Reviews, Showtimes and Trailers - Movies - New
York Times - The New York Times. 11 Dec. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2011.
<http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/movies/11lovelybones.html>.
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