Aesthetics and Sound of Japanese Horror Films 1990s-2000

Aesthetics and Sound of Japanese Horror Films 1990s-2000 Analyse the aesthetics and sound of Japanese horror films from late 1990s to early 2000s World Cinema is typically used to refer to films of non-English speaking countries and has a representation to take the least amount of dominance in popularity compared to the works of Hollywood cinema. However, since the evalutiton of cinema My critical analysis will be viewing the television programme as a representation of escapism from real life events by considering the ways in which media texts change our perspective on entertainment through the codes and conventions of narrative and genre.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   I will take the Waking Dead series and look at what drives the narrative forward in which the story, characters and sequence of events, is put together within the script. The effects of this will come in to play as I list the relative media theorists such as, Vladimir Propp and Barthes to gain a better understanding. The horror genre has been utilized especially in film as a way to startle viewers as its primary objective. Consistently, its most used ordered structure of a: beginning, middle and end can be argued as unsurprising. Over time, in order to bring in new audiences, the horror genre has been forced to adapt its context by perhaps a use of hybrids or a new type of subgenre to suit a particular need as well as continuing to scare and entertain. A case of this can been seen through an examination of the American horror film Scream (released in 1996) and Japanese Horror Ringu (1998) as noted, Hollywood horror films are generally overwhelmed by the slasher subgenre as it depends on gore and physical brutality while, the Japanese, utilized the mental or rather psychological subgenre that ordinarily include ghost, spirits and possession. As mainstream Ring seemed to be, it turned into the first western remake of a Japanese awfulness great, entitled: The Ring (2002), this made ready for some J-horror revamps that started a worldwide enthusiasm for the Japanese wide screen and culture now with the term J-horror turning into its very own category outside Japan.   In the past decade, few countries have received more attention from Hollywood than Japan. Indeed, its folkloric legends and eerie aesthetics have in many ways revolutionised the horror genre. This essay will look at the relationship between American and Japanese cinema and explore how the two countries overcame cultural differences in order to develop a successful horror film cycle. The first section will describe how American and Japanese cinema have influenced each other over the years. In the second part, the phenomenon of J-horror will be analysed in order to demonstrate how remakes have contributed to the Western understanding of Japanese horror films. Ultimately, the final section will look at the implications of this interrelationship in terms of the accessibility of Japanese films in Western culture, and the growing importance of transnational cinema. Although the recent embrace of J-horror by American filmmakers and audiences has received a great deal of media and critical attention, Hollywoods affinity for Japanese cinema is in no way a new phenomenon. In fact, both countries have influenced each other for many decades. This led to the 1917 version of his own film The Loyal Forty-Seven Ronin (Japan 1912). Incidentally, after many adaptations this film is now being remade for the American public as 47 Ronin (Carl Rinsch, USA 2012). Similarly, after the Second World War, some Japanese films began to attract the attention of the American audiences, particularly Gojira (Godzilla, Ishiro Honda, Japan 1954) which mirrored the apocalyptic cultural fears of the 1950s American science-fiction films, and Shichinin no Samurai (Seven Samurai, Akira Kurosawa, Japan 1954), a film that influenced a number of Hollywood adaptations. Interestingly, it was around this time, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, that anime became extremely popular in the Western culture (Napier 2005: 22). Writing about the global success of anime, Susan J. Napier points out that: Anime is indeed exotic to the West in that it is made in Japan, but the world of anime itself occupies its own space that is not necessarily coincident with that of Japan. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] It is thus a particularly apt candidate for participation in a transnational, stateless culture (2005: 24). The popularity and critical attention that anime has received introduced many Western viewers to Japanese cinema. It can then be suggested that this trend has opened a Japanese niche market in America, indirectly contributing to the introduction of what has come to be known as J-horror. This Hollywood take up of Japanese films which were strongly inspired by the American horror genre, constitutes an unprecedented example of the cross-fertilisation between Hollywood and Japanese cinema. At the turn of the century, as Steffen Hantke explains in his study of Japanese horror, America was in need of a new horror film cycle (2005: 54). Franchises like Halloween (John Carpenter, USA 1978) and Friday the 13th (Sean S. Cunningham, USA 1980) had countless remakes, and the industry would only produce horror films like Scream (Wes Craven, USA 1996) that were so filled with self-referential humour that the genre had lost its terrifying appeal. In 1998, the horror film Ringu (Hideo Nakata, Japan 1998) was extremely successful in Japan. Hollywood producers saw an opportunity for a return to a more gothic form of horror with an exotic twist. Gary G. Xu explains the appeal of the Japanese horror genre to Hollywood: There is a certain aura in Japanese ghost fiction and films, often filled with womens grudges against men who deserted or injured them. Unlike most ghost stories in the West that seek moments of shock and harmless thrills, the Japanese ghost stories tend to allow the aura to linger, to permeate, or to literally haunt the audience (2008: 192). In order to adapt the film successfully, the Japanese specificities of Ringu, such as the slow atmospheric pace and the compassion with wronged spirits were adapted for a more Western audience: more closure was added and the ghost became a manifestation of evil. The remake that followed, The Ring (Gore Verbinski, USA 2002) grossed $250 million worldwide (Xu 2008: 192), encouraging a franchise and numerous subsequent remakes of Japanese horror films. This enthusiasm has encouraged many Western horror fans to watch the original movies and to seek out more Japanese films. Consequently, scholars have questioned this new-found popularity, including the ways these films could translate to the common Western spectator. Indeed, the Japanese culture is known to be extremely rich and different from the Western one. Although Japan is a highly modernised country, traditional values remain that might not be understood by every Western viewer. One of these scholars, Ruth Goldberg, discusses two ways for audiences to read foreign films: in terms of cultural specificity or as acts of translation to foreign audiences (2004: 371). Similarly, Hantke quotes Masao Miyoshi who speaks in terms of domestication and neutralization (2005:62): To restore the accustomed equilibrium, Miyoshi writes, the reader either domesticates or neutralizes the exoticism of the text. The strategy for domestication is to exaggerate the familiar aspects of the text and thereby disperse its discreteness in the hegemonic sphere of first world literature, [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] the plan for neutralization [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] operates by distancing the menacing source, defusing its otherness with [s]uch pseudocomments as delicate, lyrical, or suggestive, if not illogical, impenetrable, or incoherent (Miyoshi quoted in Hantke 2005: 62). Simply put, the films cultural specificity can be either recognised by the viewer, dismissed as exotic, or they can be replaced altogether by a universal reading which makes the text more accessible when it does not lead to misinterpretations. For example, Ringu is culturally specific in the sense that is part of the Japanese kaidan (ghost story) genre which derives from the traditional plays of the Noh and Kabuki theatre (McRoy 2008: 6). As the writer of Ringu, Koji Suzuki explains, this folklore has a different perspective on ghosts than the Western tradition: In America and Europe most horror movies tell the story of the extermination of evil spirits. Japanese horror movies end with a suggestion that the spirit still remains at large. Thats because the Japanese dont regard spirits only as enemies, but as beings that co-exist with this world of ours (Suzuki quoted in Branston and Stafford 2006: 98). Furthermore, Ringu reveals national fears related to the increase of divorces and the new gender roles: nowadays, Japanese women often have careers and are no longer full time mothers. As Goldberg puts it, Ringu reflect[s] in microcosm the anxious tension between tradition and modernity that looms large in the nations sensibility (2004: 371). On the other hand, using Myoshis expression, the film can easily be domesticated by Western audiences: Nakata has named The Exorcist (William Friedkin, USA 1973) and Poltergeist (Tobe Hooper, USA 1982) amonghis influences (Branston and Stafford 2006: 98). Moreover, Ringu refers to the teen culture that is so common to the American horror film, comprises the typical final girl and the themes of technophobia and broken families that have populated cinema for the past two decades. In this way, it has been suggested that Nakata manages to strike a genuinely alarming balance between the cultural depths of Japanese folklore, and the surface sheen of l atter day teen culture (Kermode 2000). In adapting the film for Western viewers, Gore Verbinski ignored the Japanese cultural specificities and focused on fully domesticating the film. However, as the following will demonstrate, he preserved some memorable and eerie images from the original production which would become the markers of J-horror. Drawing its inspiration from A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, USA 1984) and Friday the 13th(see McRoy 2005: 176),   Ju-On (Takashi Simizu, Japan 2002) is a similar hybrid between American horror classics and the kaidan tradition. When Simizu remade the film as The Grudge (Takashi Simizu, USA 2004) for an American audience, he filmed the ghost of Kayako in the same way as Sayakos in The Ring: a faceless head covered by long black hair that reveal only one eye. In imitating this successful film, it can be suggested that Simizu was constructing a deliberate relationship between the two films and, as such, conforming to Western expectations about a vengeful ghost in the Japanese horror film (Balmain 2008: 189). This new symbol of horror began to appear repeatedly not only in Japanese films like Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara (Dark Water, Hideo Nakata, Japan 2002) but also in other East-Asian films like Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters, Jee-woon Kim, Korea 2003). When p ut in its original linguistic and cultural context, the characteristic appearance of this spirit is understandable. Indeed, in Japanese, the term kurokami is a homonym meaning both black hair and black spirit. In addition, Jay McRoy describes the cultural significance of the hair and single eye: These physiological details carried a substantial cultural and aesthetic weight, as long black hair is often aligned in the Japanese popular imaginary with conceptualisations of feminine beauty and sensuality, and the image of the gazing female eye (or eyes) is frequently associated with vaginal imagery (2008: 6-7) Consequently, it only makes sense that a ghost with bad intentions, especially a beautiful woman that has been wronged and seeks revenge, would be represented with long black hair. By repeating this image across films, it was slowly converted into Western culture from a culturally specific symbol to an immediately recognisable piece of horror iconography. This image could very well have participated in making J-horror a cult phenomenon. On the other hand, this repetition was quickly starting to remind audiences of the overly repeated American horror franchises and raised criticisms, such as Grady Hendrixs, who has seen enough of the long-haired-dead-wet-chick (quoted in McRoy 2008: 173). The never-ending American remakes have also exasperated Japanese filmmakers like Ju-On director Simizu. In response, he released the short film Blonde Kaidan (Takashi Simizu, Japan 2004) which portrays a Japanese filmmaker haunted by a blonde spirit, parodying the obsession of American producers for interchangeable blonde heroines. The upside of this recurring visual trope is that it has helped popularise the Japanese horror film and positioned the genre into the mainstream. In fact, studying the American horror fans reception of J-horror, Matt Hills points out that: The remakes success is viewed positively, as providing a platform for the cult texts wider availability [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦]. Hollywood remakes are thus positioned as relatively inauthentic/inferior texts that nevertheless allow the cult original to move beyond its initial underground status, a shift that is embraced, as if culturally validating the fans love of Ringu et al (2005:164). With Japanese horror becoming a bigger part of popular culture, Western audiences encouraged the distribution of more violent and original Japanese horror films that often offer more thrills and depth than the popular likes of Saw (James Wan, USA 2004-2010) and Hostel (Eli Roth, USA 2005-2007). Indeed, as Jay McRoy puts it, these disturbing films offer visceral visions interlaced with a degree of stinging social satire rarely seen in works of Western horror directors (McRoy 2008: 10). For example, new cult films include the shocking social satire Batoru Rowaiaru (Battle Royale, Kinji Fukasaku, Japan 2000) and the disturbing and genre-bending Odishon (Audition, Takashi Miike, Japan 1999). As a result, it can be argued that the multiplicity and repetition of American remakes have familiarised their viewers with elements that used to be typically Japanese. Their cultural specificity has become more transparent, and in this way, they have come to transcend their original folkloric refere nces. The fact that genre films from distant cultures have nowadays become so accessible to popular understanding is a sign of the increased transnationalism of film culture. As Elizabeth Ezra and Terry Rowden explain: Without succumbing to the exoticizing representational practices of mainstream Hollywood films, transnational cinema which by definition has its own globalizing imperatives transcends the national as autonomous cultural particularity while respecting it as a powerful symbolic force. The category of the transnational allows us to recognize the hybridity of much new Hollywood cinema (2006: 2). This transnationalism is therefore characterised not only by the American remakes or re-interpretation of foreign films, but also by the ability of foreign films to represent universal issues and thereby transcend their cultural specificity. Ruth Goldberg, who is quoted above as saying that the Japanese horror film can be read as culturally specific or as an act of translations to foreign audiences, ultimately adds that a third possibility can be to use elements of both approaches (2004: 382). This more balanced mode of spectatorship could be referred to as the transnational reading. As suggested earlier, the cycle of Japanese remakes in America is very likely to have educated audiences to this broader reading of Japanese films. This worked to strengthen the foreign film market in the United States, a country that has been long renowned for its aversion to subtitles. In fact, not only did Hollywood never hide that their new cycle of horror films were remakes of Japanese movies, but t he viewings of the original versions were encouraged through cross promotion. For example, while discussing the special features on the DVD of the Hollywood remake The Ring, Chuck Tryon observes that the selection Look Here invites viewers to watch a trailer for the Japanese original, which was distributed in conjunction with the DVD version of the American remake (2009: 24). The remake, in this way, acted as a transition between American and Japanese horror. Interestingly, the advent of the DVD format proved to be fundamental not only to the popularity of Japanese horror, but to its transnational reading. Indeed, the availability of subtitles on DVDs makes it easier for people to acquire movies that are not available in their country or language. If the original Japanese versions are distributed in Western countries, the films are usually complemented with special features to allow a better understanding and reading of the cultural specificities. For instance, the 2 Disc Special Collectors Edition DVD of Ju-On offers a large number of special features including: interviews and commentaries with the director and a selection of actors, a Ju-On True Stories Featurettes and an Exclusive Feature-Length Audio Commentary with Asian Cinema Expert, Bey Logan. These features are included to educate the viewers in their transnational reading of the film, giving them a clearer understanding of the Japanese culture in order to approach the cultural s pecificities of the movie with an informed mind. In addition to the remakes and the transnational format that is the DVD, many Japanese films owe their success to the Internet. Indeed, this medium provides endless possibilities for film discoveries and international communication. One can, for instance, mention the emergence of the online grassroots participatory culture, which Henry Jenkins describes as a bottom-up consumer-driven process (2006: 18): consumers can now actively influence the production and distribution of films by highlighting the existence of niche markets. Other benefits of the Internet in terms of promoting transnational cinema are the unlimited availability of short films from all over the world, and the forums where international users are given the opportunity to discuss their opinions on films and share their interpretations. In this way, they encourage transnational readings of films along with the expansion of the foreign film market in America. Japanese films have inspired the American movie industry for decades. However, their films were always adapted for the Western culture and stripped of their deeper cultural meanings.   Apart from a handful of productions that became international classics like Godzilla and Seven Samourai, Japanese film culture remained quite obscure until the success of Japanese horror. A series of American remakes called attention to the existence of this genre that portrayed terrifying horror filled with deep significance: either specific to the Japanese culture or universal. Some factors such as DVD distribution, the Internet and active fan culture led to the increased distribution of these films in America, and strengthened viewers involvement in transnational film culture. Thus, through its multitude of adaptations and hiring of international filmmakers, Hollywood has become central to the crossover of cultural boundaries at a time of rapid globalisation.

Arck Systems Case Analysis Essay

This paper will discuss the history and background of Arck Systems and its merger with Lux Software. I will then examine, discuss, and analyze the nuances of the merger and the resulting issues that arose with different compensation packages for each company’s sales team. In my analysis, I will address the intended and unintended consequences of incentive compensation plans. Finally, I will offer my recommendations to Arck Systems. Background Arck Systems Arck Systems was a medium-sized manufacturer of network computers used by many corporations to manage data. Customers used the serves to run software that helped them manage finances, compensation & benefits and customer accounts. This hardware was integral to ensuring the success of the corporation. In addition to the hardware it produced, Arck also developed and distributed an operating system with its servers; however, third party software companies provided the software applications. Arck Systems’ Merger with Lux Software, Inc. In order to strengthen and expand its software business, Rob Chatterji strategically decided to acquire Lux Software, Inc. Lux Software, Inc was a leading provider of middleware. Middleware is software that acts as an intermediary between different software applications. More companies need middleware as enterprise software applications become more complex making middleware a rapidly growing product and industry. Middleware Purchasing Lux was an ingenious move on Arck’s part because it provides a surefire way for them to develop the software side of their company in addition to enhancing the operating system they’ve developed for their hardware. Arck was able to purchase Lux Software, Inc rather quickly in order not to disrupt the flow of business. The merger/acquisition contained provisions that provided incentives for engineers and software developers to stay with Arck after the acquisition. This ensured that the talent and skill stayed with the company for at least three years. However, no provisions were made to keep the Lux Software sales team on board for the long term. Immediately after the merger Lux’s executive vice president of sales announced that he would be leaving Lux Sales and taking the sales management team with him. Fortunately, no key sales people left. Arck’s CEO Chatterji was not concerned. Similarities in Sales Management However, Arck’s Executive Vice President of Sales, Bryan Mynor, seemed concerned about having to manage Lux’s sales team. Although Mynor had successfully managed Arck’s sales team and doubled the company’s sales since becoming vice president, he was unsure about the most effective way for managing Lux’s sales team. Lux and Arck operate their sales force under different methods, targeting different decision makers within a company. Arck salespeople tended to target the CIO or CTO, who would be concerned about the performance specifications of the servers. Lux focused selling to the finance or administrative divisions of company, or those who would be interested in the implementation of the software. Hence, Mynor is used to managing a sales team that is much more technically oriented sales force. So as to not disturb the flow of business as usual, Mynor decided to keep the two sales teams separate until he could figure out how to merge them. After a conversation with Synder, former EVP of sales for Lux, Mynor was assured that both Arck and Lux utilized similar approaches to sales management, including: †¢Salespeople dedicated to territories based on geography and industry †¢Levels of organization were the same (district & regional managers, head of sales and EVP of sales) †¢Sales people could set discounts at their own discretion †¢Similar sales dynamics (avg. sale was approx. $350,000 for both) However, Snyder described Lux’s compensation plan as â€Å"aggressive† and â€Å"standard for the industry. † Mynor was not worried about the compensation; his main goal was to build a close relationship with Sharon Esteves, the most senior sales executive to stay with the company after the merger. Differences in Sales Compensation It wasn’t until Mynor began to review the compensation plan for Lux salespeople that he realized that he may have more of challenge managing the Lux sales team. The Lux Sales compensation package was vastly different than the Arck’s. Lux’s compensation package included accelerators, which increased the percentage commission a salesperson could earn based upon quarterly sales. A salesperson could potentially earn 24% commission. Arck’s compensation package included a standard 9% base commission paid after the quota was met. There was also a $50,000 bonus if the $6 million sales cap is reached. The Critical Issue The critical issue facing Arck Systems is attempting to figure out how to best manage the Lux sales team. While reviewing the plan, Mynor noticed that â€Å"top guns† at Lux make 30 times more than the average salesperson. Whereas the best sellers at Arck make only 4 or 5 times more than the average salesperson. He understands that the sales approach differs from Arck because it requires a more personable approach, rather than a technical one. If he decides to change the compensation plan, he needs to be able to anticipate how the sales people react. And predicting or anticipating reactions is a near impossible task. Analysis The ultimate goal of incentive compensation packages is to attract and retain employees, specifically well or high-performing employees in dispensable roles. The incentives should be designed in such a way that continuously motivates employees and recognizes both effort and achievement. Incentive compensation plans come with inherent tradeoffs; they are also excellent individual motivators for employees to succeed in the workplace and contribute significantly to the financial gain of the company. Incentive compensation packages also act as a tangible form of gratitude, ensuring that employees are properly rewarded for their diligence and dedication. Unfortunately, these incentive plans do not always work. Incentive programs require effort beyond normal job responsibilities, instead of rewarding excellent performance an execution of normal job duties. Yes, incentive plans motivate employees to earn more revenue; however, it inevitably teaches how to manipulate the system in order to obtain the desired results. In Arck’s Systems situation, Mynor noticed a discrepancy in compensation vs. productivity with Lux’s compensation package. He noted that the productivity levels simply did not match the payment level. The top sellers at Lux made 30 times more than the average salesperson, but were only 14 times as productive. The top sellers at Arck make for four or five times more than average and are four or five times as productive. Hence, Lux’s compensation plan seemed infeasible to Mynor. Mynor’s inability to full comprehend the Lux compensation plan stems from the fact that he is used to managing a sales team that focuses on selling technical hardware, which requires knowledge of the product and is pretty much straightforward. The sales of enterprise servers depend largely on the design of the product itself rather than a charming sales team. Conversely, selling enterprise software requires a â€Å"soft sales touch. † It requires the sales team to be able to convince prospective clients that their software is the best option currently available on the market. The irreconcilable differences between the products inescapably demand the need for different sales compensation packages. With Arck Systems and Lux Software, Inc. operating as two separate entities this poses no foreseeable conflicts. However, with Arck and Lux sales teams operating under one executive manager, conflicts will arise in the long run. Keeping the sales teams separate for the foreseeable future is wise because it allows Mynor to brainstorm, develop, and implement changes to the compensation packages that are fair and equitable to both sales teams. He needs time to develop a system to merge both sales teams without losing talent from either team. More importantly he needs to be able to implement these changes without negative reactions. Tweaking the compensation packages isn’t a simple task.

College Essay Samples for Health Care Fundamentals Explained

College Essay Samples for Health Care Fundamentals Explained More technology reforms are also vital to ensure it is possible that individuals get enough treatment on time with no delay. The government won't be in a position to present enough money to guarantee the usage of the absolute most innovative techniques of treatment. Unfortunately, huge numbers of people have never been insured. A universal medical care system in place is likely to make people less responsible for themselves, should they are aware that the government will give them a completely free ride. College Essay Samples for Health Care - What Is It? A superb healthcare reform needs to be economical in its implementations and affordability. The government and healthcare system have continued to put money into research and high technologies that will ensure the folks will receive the best services. As a consequence, it will become difficult to deal with the medical care system financial expenditure. Superior health is the actual wealth means money that has capability to help us always. Medical insurance plans need to be more affordable, particularly for retirees. These days, the availability of healthcare services is among the key problems, which impact the place of individuals in the society. The effort by the insurance businesses to strive to stay relevant in the company by providing adequately medical coverage only results to a good deal of danger and adverse selection. Furthermore, it has provisions for offering support regarding healthcare expenditures. Vital Pieces of College Essay Samples for Health Care Universal health care is a wide notion that's been implemented in lots of ways. Hence, it's crucial for a person to spend on his health care and education. Health is a rather important aspect in the life span of everyone. Health and fitness is the combo of healthful living with healthy way of life. The central target of efforts to shield children's health is the decrease in disease, disability, and mortality. There's need for additional therapy beds to avoid homelessness, that's the best source of drug abuse. It's correct this to maintain a great health we need money and to make money we need excellent well-being. A superb health lessens the stress level and promotes healthy life with no sufferings. The Most Popular College Essay Samples for Health Care Remember when you're reading a report by an authority in a specific subject, it represents their view but might not be supported by strong evidence so you must seek out that evidence to provide weight to your argument. To help you recognize which issues to discuss, we've listed the very best health care essay topics below. If you feel you'll hardly succeed making your own topic, consider looking for good ideas on the internet, at resources offering useful guidelines on effective essay writing strategies. There may be situ ations, once you will have to compose decent essay topics dependent on the health and care issue. The Canadian government is totally accountable for the regulation of the health care insurance plans. Canada has implemented among the ideal healthcare reforms on the planet. The Canadian healthcare system additionally gives a public coverage in the private healthcare delivery. In place of take care of medicine and nursing, the government's primary goal needs to be to monitor and manage the political and financial situation in the nation. For instance, you could possibly be interested in knowing more about traffic issues in the usa. Amongst the developed donations, the USA spends the greatest proportion of its GDP on medical care expenditure. The medical care system in the usa has been a subject of criticism concerning its effectiveness in the delivery. Approaches to healthcare in the usa, UK, and Australia differ, and that means you may concentrate on discussing their advantages and disadvantages in the essays about medical care. Health issues are extremely serious and ought to be attended to seriously to lower the range of diseases and deaths within our communities causing a health community.

The American Dream By Ralph Ellison - 1465 Words

The American Dream exists in the hearts of all Americans and is a concept that drives many people from all over the world to want to come to America. It holds the promise of infinite possibilities and allows them to escape a society of poverty and racism. This Dream also exists in the hearts of many Americans already living in America. However, this dream primarily exists in the minds of minority populations, such as African Americans, whose past is full of discrimination based on their race. The American Dream not only offers success in the form of economic stability but also acceptance from society regardless of an individual’s race or religion. Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison, shows how the American Dream is not often available to†¦show more content†¦In Gatsby’s case, his dream is short lived when he realizes he can never â€Å"repeat the past†(Fitzgerald Page #). Jay Gatsby is a physical representation of a man so blinded by his own greed, that he c annot see the true reality. After realizing the failing promises that the American Dream offers, and the ways in which the American Dream is only applied to specific people, these protagonists want to create their version of an America that actually fulfills their promises of the American Dream. The term â€Å"American dream† is relatively new and can stand for different connotations depending on the context. It was created by James Truslow Adams and written down in his book, The Epic of America, which was published in 1931. He states that the American dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†(Adams). However, the basis for the foundation can be traced back to the sixteenth century Puritans. The Puritans did not call it the American dream, but their attitude towards religion and work ethic is similar to the term. They believed that for every single person there was a destiny. 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An African-American man who refers to himself as the invisible man goes through life without being truly noticed as a person. He states that because of his skin color he is only looked down upon, if he is ever noticed at all. The invisible man goes through life living in a closed down part of aRead MoreSimilarities Between Shirley Jackson And Battle Royal1604 Words   |  7 PagesThe Lottery (1948) written by Shirley Jackson and Battle Royal (1952) by Ralph Ellison are short stories that stress the issues of conformity and breaking tradition. Both stories were written during a time when individuality was not looked upon in a pleasant manor. Battle Royal and The Lottery both deal with the internal struggle of trying to accept societal norms when they do not match up with one’s beliefs. Difficult lessons were learned in th ese stories, for example in The Lottery a cruel traditionRead MoreHow Aldous Huxley And Ralph Ellison1307 Words   |  6 PagesSocial, cultural elements, and political ideals often influence how literature is written and stated during that specific time period. Political, culture, and social elements defined how Aldous Huxley and Ralph Ellison wrote their popular books Brave New World and Invisible Man. These factors include lust, advancement of technology, and racism. Aldous Huxley was a British writer and philosopher born in Godalming, England on July 26, 1894 and wrote the famed book Brave New World. This author livedRead MoreI Have A Dream By Martin Luther King Jr.909 Words   |  4 Pagesassassinated in 1968 and will always be remembered by his famous speech, â€Å"I Have a Dream†. To me, he has reminded me of other people I’ve watched through movie films, and in a story I’ve read. When I think about what one person can do to step up and fight for their b eliefs and for Civil Rights, I can relate that to the movies, A Raisin in the Sun, and To Kill a Mockingbird, but also the first chapter of Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison because of how those characters stand up in their own way to express theirRead MoreInvisible Man By Ralph Ellison1694 Words   |  7 Pages Ralph Ellison was a writer of the late 1930s as a product of the Great Depression. He originally came to New York from Tuskegee Institute in search of a way to make money for his senior year of college, however, while in New York he decided not to return to Tuskegee due to his inability gather enough funds to return to school due to the Great Depression. While in New York, Ellison met Richard Wright who introduced Ellison to the New York Federal Writers Program; there, Ellison gathered stories