Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Hitchcock Psychology

 In Hitchcock's films psychology ties into many other things. Psychology ties in with historical content because Hitchcock had to research and have common knowledge about mental illness and diseases before he would know the actual signs of it and how the characters should/would act. In Psycho one of the characters has "mommy issues", this ties back to Freud's real psychological theories. Along with historical content is ethics. Ethics ties in with psychology for a numerous amount of reasons. He makes it so we actually feel what the characters are feeling and the characters ethics. With this it relates to psychology because many people have different ideas about ethics including when the characters have psychological issues. Also, science and technology goes along with psychology. For example, the camera angles. Hitchcock is known for using the camera in a unique way. With the way Hitchcock angles his camera it shows the characters psychological state.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Blog 7

In each of Alfred Hitchcock's movies, psychology plays a huge role in the development of the plot and characters. Most of the time the main characters are the one who's psychology is a little off which builds up the plot because they are acting unusual and getting them into situations that would not happen to "normal" people. For example in the movie Vertigo, the main character has a traumatic experience with heights so from then on, it affects what he does in the movie and ultimately ends up getting someone killed because he got dizzy; just like what had happened to him before. In the movie Rear Window, the same kind of thing happened with an accident happening leading to the main character just staring out his window all day watching others live their own lives. With him watching out the window all day he ends up witnessing what he believes is a murder and gets tied up into trying to prove that the main who lives across from him murdered his wife. The psychology of first watching other people live their lives instead of trying to live your own just proves that it is a crucial part of this Hitchcock film because without that characteristic, the entire film would not have happened that way. Same goes for Vertigo and how the plot develops around the mental state of him not being able to stand heights and getting dizzy every time he has to encounter them. Lastly in the movie Psycho which is the most heavily influenced movie by psychology from Hitchcock, is about "a psychologically damaged young man connected with a much larger discussion over political and sexual deviance in the early Cold War" Most of the psychology elements in Hitchcock films are based off of disorders which drives the plot and allows a thriller style movie to unfold.

^Link to PDF of psychoanalysis of the movie Psycho

^Link to use of Freud's theory in Hitchcock films

^How Hitchcock plays off of Suspense

Friday, February 27, 2015

Blog 6


When I was in kindergarten I was a very loud and outgoing girl. It was around the time of Halloween and we were having a class party like we all did as kids in school. I can remember clearly the girl who is now my best friend, Alana wearing a Hershey’s kiss costume. I had told her that the costume she was wearing made her “look fat”. She took the costume off, cried and would not wear it the rest of the day. Who would have though after calling her fat and all this time she’d be my best friend? In 8th grade she dug out the Hershey costume and we were both a Hershey kiss for Halloween. Reliving the past times where our friendship started. It’s been great ever since. From sneaking out to go get food or watching movies all day and night she’s been my best friend since day one. Friendships like ours only come around every so often. She’s been by my side since kindergarten and I don’t think I could have made it through middle school or high school without her there. I am certain she will be by myside on my wedding day and vice versa. It was an odd start to our friendship but it’s been nothing but laughs and great memories. Even being in college she is still the one I turn to for absolutely everything and it’s awesome to have a friend like that.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Blog 5

In this video it shows two different types of people in an elevator. The girl starts blasting rap music on her phone and the older man looks dumbfounded that someone would be doing that. He then grabs his phone and plays his type of music. As other people start to get in the elevator, they all begin playing their own kind of music on their phones. The last man to get in the elevator brings a boom box and everyone shuts off there music because they assume it will play way over theirs anyway. He plugs in head phones and doesn't play his music loud for anyone to here. I think the authors purpose was to show the lack of respect in today's society. It's as if we've lost a sense of respect for those around us like in the video when the young girl starts playing her music out loud, obnoxiously. They choose to do this scene in an elevator because most generally elevator music is very quiet and hard to hear and the girl just turns her music on full blast. But when the man with the boom box gets on the elevator and just quietly listens to his music it shows a sense of respect that he for those around him.  I think the audience is teenagers because so often we as teens forget about those surrounding us and the respect to give.

Friday, February 6, 2015

10 Songs


Music to me is my get away from everyone. I don’t have to listen to the chaos going on around me and can just jam out or even relax. I listen to many different genres of music but some songs mean more to me than others. It’s hard to choose from everything from my childhood to now. But I will tell you a little about the top 10 songs that best represent me.

1.       You Can Let go Now Daddy (Crystal Shawanda) - This song means more to me now than I ever thought it would. When I was in high school I was so ready to grow up and be on my own just like every other teenager is. I always told my mom and dad I couldn’t wait to go to college. I wish I wouldn’t have wished the time away because I’d do anything to have it back. I lost my dad this past August on my birthday. He was hit by a car riding home from work late at night. I’ve sense then realized, you can’t take the time you have with your loved ones for granted. There’s no rush to growing up, your time will come. I would give anything to go back to high school and have my family whole again, have my dad watch me play softball. You’re never prepared for what life throws at you but this song speaks volumes to me for a length of reasons.

2.       Mama’s Song (Carrie Underwood) – This song hits close to home. My dad was in fact my best friend but he had some alcohol problems and was in and out of my life when I was younger and my mom was always the one there. No matter what my mom would give an arm and leg for me. She made sure my brother and I had absolutely everything we wanted when we were younger and even today. She is the most selfless, and beautiful human being I have ever met and I can only hope to be half the women she is when I get older.

3.        On Top of the World (Imagine Dragons) – This was my class song. High school is supposed to be the time of your life and you can’t wait to be done until the day comes, you wish you could start all over. This song means a lot to me because it describes high school and graduation. High school was the best time of my life. I met some of the greatest people and although college has brought a lot of different people into my life, I still keep in touch with my best friends from back home.

4.       Try (Colbie Caillat) – I love this song because it tells girls that no matter what you are beautiful. As girls we tend to be insecure and think everyone is out to get us and we’re dead wrong. This song says that no matter what you are beautiful and you don’t need anyone who doesn’t need you. You’re perfect in your own way and I think it’s important that we as girls know that. It tells us to be strong no matter what.

5.       Big Girls Don’t Cry (Fergie) – When I was younger me and my best friends made a music video of our own this song and performed it to our parents. We thought it was the coolest thing anyone could ever make up. To this day whenever me and my friends back home hear this song we laugh at how ridiculous the dance we made was and just jam out.

6.       Can’t be Touched (Ray Jones) – This song gets me pumped for softball. In high school I use to listen to this song before every game and get completely zoned. In a sport that’s important. We all have them songs that just get us jacked to work out or ready to play a game and the feeling is just awesome.

7.       Friends We Won’t Forget (Lee Brice) – This song just makes me a happy person. Whenever I hear it, I think of summer and high school. It makes you wonder why you ever wanted to grow up and leave home. It brings back great memories and reminds you of all your friends and the long nights you’ve had together.

8.       You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban) – This song reminds me of my faith. It reminds me of all the special people in my life and how God really does work in mysterious ways. No matter what is going on there is a plan, you may not know it yet but one day you will.

9.       Picture to Burn (Taylor Swift) – I absolutely adore this song. Not necessarily for the meaning behind it but just the beat of it and because it’s Taylor Swift. She’s just my absolute favorite artist and all of her music is just beautiful to me. Whenever I hear her songs come on the radio or put her CD’s on I just jam out.

10.   I Want Crazy (Hunter Hayes) – I love this song so much. As cliché as it sounds it makes you think of the kind of loved you want from a person. I’d like to think I’m weird in the most perfect way. I couldn’t ever see myself being with someone boring and normal. I like adventures and things you wouldn’t just think about doing on an everyday basis.

 

Although these few songs have a deeper meaning to me, there are plenty other songs that mean something to me. I’m an outgoing girl and I listen to all types of music. These 10 songs just speak a little bit more to me than others.

 

Friday, January 30, 2015

High School Vs. College

Dear High School Senior,


As you’re getting ready to graduate high school and thinking about college there’s a few things you should know. Graduation day is something you’ve always looked forward to since being a freshman but when it comes time you’re not quite ready to leave. The future scares you because more times than not you have no idea what you want to do with your life, and that’s completely normal. When transitioning from the ways of high school and college you could find yourself in a slump. The work and teaching methods become a lot more different when you enter college. “The Transition to College Writing” says it best. In high school you are assigned many reading assignments but more times than not you get class time to read it and review. College is completely different, you are expected to have read prior to class and be ready to discuss. If you come to class unprepared you are usually just asked to leave. They expect you to grow up and take responsibility. Also when coming to college you aren’t given half as many second chances with your professors as you could with teachers in high school. In high school your teachers often got on your back and pushed you to turn in work even if it was late, in college they don’t. When you get to college your professors do indeed care about you and your success but they won’t force anything upon you. If you don’t turn in your homework, you just won’t get a grade, if you don’t type a paper than you’ll get a 0. They don’t give you time to turn it in late. You are expected to turn your work in and if you don’t, you don’t. Since coming to college I’ve realized a few changes that you just figure out as you go. When it comes to classes, they don’t force you to come. You have to take responsibility for your learning and education. If you don’t want to learn then that’s exactly how it will go. You don’t have your mom and dad forcing you to go everyday. Also time and prioritizing everything is much harder. In high school it was just the same thing everyday. College is not like that. Between having class, and homework it will seem like you have a lot more free time because you don’t have class 7hrs a day. Although you think you have all this time, you don’t. Being a college athlete, going to class, doing homework, and getting a good amount of sleep isn’t that easy. You have to prioritize everything much more than you use to and that can sometimes be hard.  Yes high school and college are very different but college is a great experience. It takes time getting use to but you’ll catch on. This is the time to find yourself and see what it is that you want to do, make the most of it.

Sincerely,

College Student 

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Poe

Poe had a very dark depressing life. He didn’t have much of a father figure and his mother died when he was young from tuberculosis. He had some siblings but a few of them also died from illness. Throughout his stories you could tell he was a sketchy guy and his life was far from perfect. Death is a common theme in most of his stories. For example “The Masque of the Red Death.” In this story, a country is haunted by a deadly plague called the Red Death. It sweeps across the nation quickly, much like the Black Plague did in Europe. If you were to catch the Red Death, you were quarantined and shut out from the help of others. The disease is very similar to tuberculosis, which was a huge part of Poe’s life. His mother, foster mother, and wife all died of tuberculosis. I think the loss of his loved ones influenced his writings in a huge way. In “The Black Cat” the main character ends up killing his favorite cat the only animal he ever liked. Poe had a hard time dealing with the loss of his loved ones, turning him mean and angry. The man also killed his wife in this story showing his unwillingness to feel anything. Poe had gotten to the point where he could no longer feel the pain and I think that had a huge impact on most of his writings.