professionalwork.

June 24, 2009

A Short Snippet Of A Handbook/Manual I am Writing;  

Chapter 1: The First Date.

General Information:

So… The Girl/Guy has noticed you and you are going out on your first date. This first date, acts as an initial reaction to the opposing person, it’s a first impression of whether there is potential or whether there is no help and ultimately no use to pursue the relationship at hand. The key here is to dress to impress and ultimately be yourself. It is your personal being [personality, physical appearance, etc…] that allowed this date to come about. Going back to the ‘being yourself’ comment, being yourself doesn’t mean to completely reveal your flaws. It means to be your good self. For example, here is a just list of what not to do.

1. Please whatever you do, NO BRINGING UP THE EX

This is a total deal breaker; it allows the other person to see that indeed, you are not over your ex. Even if they ask about your ex, don’t go into detail, be as vague as possible. The more you mention about your ex, the more they can tell that you simply aren’t over them, and therefore seeing that you ultimately should not be on this date. TOTAL BUZZ KILL!

1. No Embarrassing secrets, please don’t mention anything about obsessions, stories [that reveal something weird] or creepy things that you do. It’s not cute, not appealing and is just very ‘creepy’

This numbered list will allow you, basically how to behalf on your first date, because ultimately, you would never want someone’s first impression of you to be that of a creepy, obsessive, not over your ex, weirdo. Thinking that you have been a weirdo and creepy, in general, in the past will allow them, the person you are dating, to think that you are going to be weird and creepy again, because if there isn’t anything I have learned throughout my listening experiences, is that history tends to repeat itself. This statement is an extremely important theme that reoccurs throughout the whole handbook.

What to Do On Your First Date:

Something simple never hurts, in a mutual setting. A mutual setting meaning somewhere likes dinner at a restaurant or a movie at the theater. You don’t want to bring your first date to your house, or vice versa, you going to their house. Reason being is that, if the date is the first ‘real’ time you guys are going out, things might not go correctly and with you or them being at your house or their house, you aren’t really able to escape. As bad as that may sound, sometimes, dating could go so bad, that escaping, though being an ultimate decision should be an option.

[working on the rest, as i get more encouraged to do so]

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It never seizes to amaze the general public how celebutantes that are placed in their own faulted drugged-out ‘corners’, seem to reappear with barely a metaphoric scratch on them.  It’s obvious that it’s the influence of status and therefore money that allows these, otherwise jail-bound celebrities, to assuage their sentence to a ridiculously austere probation sentencing. Candidly speaking, if a less the privileged individual was caught with even half of the substance that these celebrities are caught with, these non-celebrities are extremely censured [for the most part, through crime identifying charts and pie graphs, and completely bias television shows, for example, Fox’s Cops]. Seriously, celebrities are easily able to display an anomaly, in the sense that they are able to depart from what is normally called the ‘real world’ and basically able to inhabitant themselves into their own ‘normal order’. For example, the newest case of drug possession that has appeared in the media is that of a certain Harry Potter supporting character, Jamie Waylett, who was actually caught with marijuana in his possession, in addition to growing 10 plants in his bedroom. In the state of California under the ‘California Law’ the possession of marijuana amounts to up to 10 months incarceration depending on the weight of the possession. Giving him the benefit of the doubt and him possibly having less than the legal limit, this charge seemingly amounts to just a simple misdemeanor. In the sense of the cultivation of marijuana, the minimum time incarnated for this felony is 16 months, while the maximum is 36 months. In the case of the Harry Potter veteran the charge was a maximum of 10 years, possibly because there were 10 plants found in his room. Despite the charge coming out to be 10 years, conveniently enough, Waylett only got 120 hours of community service. Seriously, that’s all that he received? The minimum for growing marijuana should be at least 16 months. It’s interesting how society glorifies these wrong doings, which therefore makes them that much famous, but when the non-celebrities are caught doing crimes such as this one, it’s criticized and therefore ‘prompts outside critics to bias[ly] comment on the supposed corruption that is seen in present day’. Maybe if minor offenses such as weed possession were fairly distributed, less people will be in the prison system and therefore the economical budget towards maintaining these prisons will not out gross the pathetic budget used to maintain public schooling. An incident from 5 years ago claims that a quadriplegic was sent to jail and died while being incarcerated for a simple weed possession. Someone who needed marijuana because of his paralysis was arrested for 10 days because of this possession, though a grower who happened to be famous got barely 5 days of community service. According to article, “Magbie was sentenced to spend ten days in jail on September 20, 2004 after pleading guilty to one charge of marijuana possession. Though prosecutors had recommended probation, the judge in the case ordered Magbie to serve jail time – noting that the defendant had told pre-sentence investigators that he would continue using marijuana because it made him feel better”[1] With the purpose of using as a medical substitute, Magbie should have been granted a passing, though that obviously didn’t happen since instead of probation, he was placed into incarceration where he later died. If it’s not a serious offense among famous icons, than it shouldn’t be an outrageous problem for the average person, but as Al Capone once said, “You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone”, and well, you really can’t buy a gun without money.

[seriously, did Michael Phelps even get charged?]

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[1] http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6282

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Dear PC,

As of right now, we are in a time-out. I’m tired of you complaining about everything that is incorrect in the world. Personally speaking, I’m in love with Sake Bomb’s every since that one night [no explanation needed], but yesterday you wanted to say that your too good for Sake Bombs, that they are a ‘Jersey thing?’ What’s Up With That? Seriously, you claim that you want to be different than all of the pompous characters of the upper east side, though when it comes down to it, your the worst of them all. You don’t want to change and that was clear when you were talking about how dumb and ignorant chicks from Texas are. I mean those girls, were pretty betchyy for trying to drink all of your alcohol and shizzzzz, but that doesn’t mean you have to generalize the whole state of Texas you pricky bastard. So for right now, you should just be best friends with Sebastian, because i don’t need a friend that will get in a fight in every state that he complete and utterly bashes. Frankly speaking, I’m pretty sure you should stay in your little upper eastside bubble, because im pretty sure these betchhesss;

will cut you with not only their words, if they ever see you out. Kapeesh!

p.s. Jessie is out of your league anyways! Just thought I should let you know :]

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Dear, The Girl In the Green Scarf ;

Who would have thought that a  movie  about obsessive compulsive shopping and metaphoric/financial journalism,  would ultimately rear me into the  career-ical ventures that I am both  capable of doing, though more  importantly passionate about. Rebecca, despite being a fictional character, is an admirable one, strongly because people wish and hope to be even as remotely passionate as she is with her fashion sense/style/and composition. It’s also admirable that she would do anything to feel and accomplish that feeling of passion that she receives from her fashion adventures. In this movie, it seems as though she will do anything to keep and posses her fashions, to the point that she is willing to be in debit to look good. Im sorry, but that is an incredible passion for fashion. I bring this concept and passion for fashion into my own life and being to question my life. What Am I Willing To Be In Debit For? This question is the ‘nerdy yet very english-y’ thesis statement of my life right now.

This being my first month outside of not  having school to fall back on, I’ve been pretty much in panic mood, basically, using the picture as a reference. Rebecca’s room was like my brain; scattered, and rather disfussed, because lets face it, how was I to automatically know what to do without school? It’s not like their is a specific manual that details the path an English major is supposed to take. I mean I have ideas of what I want to achieve and ultimate goals in life, though it’s still hard to live life. So, it’s weird when a average budgeted movie about shopping and journalism has quite an impact on me. I have realized that despite it being a hard profession to get into and the fact that you basically need to be on a need-to-know basis with individuals in the industry, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I have the love and ambition to make it as a top journalist and frankly it’s not impossible. People should never sell themselves short whether it is in an one sided relationship, or thinking something isn’t going to pan out. You can never accomplish if you don’t attempt.

So, in the end, I would like to thank the ‘girl in the green scarf’ for this recent introduction into, well, life.

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Cast of NYC Prep

okay. so yesterday’s episode of NYC Prep, on Bravo, was pretty ridiculous, in the funniest way possible. The highlight of the episode, personally speaking, wasn’t even technically in the episode. Bravo tends to show ‘deleted footage’ between commercials, and all i gots to say is oohhhh. these kiddies better be using condoms and birthcontrol!. PC, one of the main characters and my personal favorite, stated that everyone in the upper east side has ‘casual sex’, ummmmexcuse me, but why are like 14 year old guys and girls having casual sex? This isn’t the 60′s and where are the parentals?

[seriously this is how this]

[turns into this]

LINDSANITYYYYYYYY.  That’s Pretty Genius Perezzz.

I mean come on now, especially the fact that half the people on this show is fugglllyyy. i guess money inside of a materialistic valued social bubble goes a long way.

any-who, going on with the actual episode,  i almost totally died when like taylor’s ex-boyfriend Cole joined the script, i mean party and Sebastian was all like who is that guy thats like scamming on my girl talk about scandalous!. omg so you can soooo totally tell that Cole was not over Taylor and viceversa, because i mean they were totally eye-banging eachother, they midaswell just take their clothes off, but Sebastian is like sooo like surfer dreamy that Taylor can’t do that, and she better not. anyways, sebastian was totally trying to hookup with everyone in the party including Kelli’s so called friend, ummm i forgot her name [and for most of the night i thought it was Taylor], and i was like oh no he didn’t!, but what’s her faceee obviously said yes because i mean come on its sebastian [and yes im gushing every-time i say his name]. so taylor is jealous [who wouldn't?], and then makes out with sebastian to present a mature and complex relationship. WOW the NYC Prep writers have out done themselves, slutty kids!

PC is being a bastard like always [loves it!], and hates himself [which explains the convo with the therapist], Jessie, the only person that really cares about something is stood up by PC at Blue and Cream for about an hour, [that bastard], and Camille was the stalker of the day with her inability to let go of the fact that taylor and sebastian, get this, KISSED!. I mean seriously, your not even in the love triangle, unlesss. omgggg. is Bravo foreshadowing for a love square! WHOA slow down BRAVO!. I mean they are just 14-18 years old! There’s enough time for 4-somes in their college years.

p.s. in every episode, they are always partying and it seems as though they are drinking alcohol, it doesn’t matter the location [house parties are okay, because i mean typically kids drink alcohol at house parties, its like a proven fact] but i mean it also looks like they drink in restaurants as well, i.e. P.C.’s date this episode and how he was toasting. All i have to say is, somebodiesss in troublleee! [if thats alcohol of course.]

btw. i dont own these picturess.

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THEE. CASTTT.

so. last night was the series premiere of Bravo’s NYC Prep, and let me tell you. BORRINNNGGG. well most of it. The only people i like, and too an extent enjoy, are PC, the male that doesn’t look like a retard, Jessica, his awesomely dressed sidekick, in addition to Camille, the academically driven female that wants to go to Harvard. Other than these three individuals, everyone else, Sebastian [GROSSSS], Taylor [UGGHHHH], and Kelli [Miss, I have money so i can sing and curfew? whats that?] Funy part about it is that these three people that i hardcore dislike, especially Sebastian [lets just face it, he is portrayed as a slut] are in a LOVE TRIANGLE! SURPRISE!. Anyways. In this episode, we see PC and Jessica being all buddy buddy, [if they haven't done anything, i will sell my soul], talking about college and stuff like that, soooooo 2005 :] and we see Camille stressing over SAT scores, soooooo 2004 ;]. but with these students, at least they do things with their lives, its not all like ‘daddy i want chinese food’ or ‘daddy i want a credit card’ or ‘ Sebastian lets sleep together’ [the last one was a little exaggerated, but metaphorically speaking, its the truth! anyways, the three latter immature characters allows go to shop and dinner and makeout and flirt and get jealous, and thats about it. Thats all they do, but in that case, i enjoy watching this show only because of how ridiculous it is. more to commeee.

-JH

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Topic: Acoustic Night at the Glass House

Location: Glass House, Pomona

Name: Stephen Hazelton

This last Sunday, The Acoustic Yellowcard Tour, came into town with the headliners being Yellowcard themselves. Along with Yellowcard, were another noticeable band called The Spill Canvas, and some more up and coming bands (PlayRadioPlay! and Treaty of Paris).  The Glass House in general is an excellent place to go just to here some live music. The flashing lights, the bar, the attractive stage, and the distant concession stand were all in fact charming touches to this ‘underground’ concert hall.  After a short epilogue of local music, from a supposed Ipod, the crowd began to carry blank stares as the first band came up to the stage. Treaty of Paris, the opening act at the concert, didn’t seem to have a huge following and that showed on the audiences faces, though that’s the point of the Glass House. The people who go to the Glass House are seemingly open to new music, so bands that have yet to be ‘established’ in the mainstream ultimately have a chance. So, After loosening up the crowd, the audience started to clap and have a good time with their music. The lead singer being so lively got a lot of respect from the audience before their set had ended. I actually even brought their CD at the end of the night.

With the Glass House being so packed, one of its flaws were seemingly exposed. Like most underground concert halls, there is no air condition. So the close quarters were quite unbearing for some people especially since the only door open to the cool air was heavily guarded by security, which negelated anybody from staying infront of the breeze, their reasoning? It’s a fire hazard! Can You Say Ridiculous? It was quite possibly 95 degrees in main area where the concert was going on!

Anyways, 20 minutes after the first band ended their set, the next one man band, PlayRadioPlay!, started his set byexposing his computer that ultimately produced all of his beats. Alongside was a piano that flowed synthesized electro sounds through the whole concert hall. A personal favorite song my mine, ‘I am a Pirate, You Are A Princess’, was delightfully played. A song with romantic and simplistic lyrics

Playradioplay and Treaty of Paris actually promised that they were going to be in the concussion stand area talking to fans and even giving out autographs. I do know that Treaty of Paris was there talking to their fans and selling their albums, though I was not able to locate the individual from playradioplay, even though he stated that he was going to be out there. People were basically waiting for him for a good 4 hours (I’m not sure if he ever showed up, though I left at 11:30). The guys from Treaty of Paris were so down to earth and so nice to the fans, signing autographs and just hanging out with the people that took their time out of their busy schedule to come and see the show.

The Spill Canvas is a more known band in the sequence of bands, though I had only known of them, I did not know them. The lead singer was very involved with the positive comments coming from the crowd. Their set was just about an hour long, and it was safe to say that a lot of the people there only went to see them, since they are well known and they have played at the Glass House many times. They are also one of the bands that actually went to the concussion stand and greeted their fans as well.

The ending artist was the long awaited Yellowcard who produced an intimate acoustic set. It was really passionate and creative, with them having a lot of the audience singing along as they went through old and new albums. I had thought that all of the people had left when the last band was finished, though it seems as though there were even more people than ever before. Everyone was so packed into the concert space that it was even hotter, but at that point in time, I really don’t think anyone cared anymore (that and the bar was closed, so no one could get anything to drink). With such a passionate set alongside real passionate lyrics that came straight from the heart, the night came to a halt.

In the end, this was such a good time, for anyone that goes to UCR, you should most definitely go to the Glass House at least once since you are here, if you haven’t yet. It relatively cheap for tickets for such a good time.

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October 29, 2008

A Name Interpretation in the novel, Son of the Man

In the novel, Son of Man by Robert Silverberg, sets up the main character in a time flux that is pretty wacky. The introduction of the novel’s imagery reveals Clay into this magically whimsical color-festival. The first thing I would like to introduce in this analysis is the concept of Clay’s name. I did not think of anything biblical when the name Clay was presented to me [probably because I don’t have a religious background] I originally thought of moldable clay, for example some sort of ‘play-dough’. This indication would further the importance of color in the text. The first words in the novel set up Clay as having no color to his world. “He Wakes. Beneath him the black earth is cool and moist. He lies on his back in a field of scarlet grass, a soft gust of wind comes by, ruffling the blades, and they melt into a stream of blood.” (9) The landscape contributes to the color of this character and therefore is molding Clay into the character that he is supposed to be/become. Another importance of color is how it indicates the characters in the novel. Originally when Clay first meets the Hamner it is clearly stated that Hamner carries a purple background. “He is prepared to believe that the fish is begging for its life. But a purple shadow falls on him; he is not alone.” (15) This color undertone is important to understanding the class system of the time fluxed world. With the undertone of purple it’s understandable that the Skimmers are of royal decent in the world. The constant usage of the color purple allows the readers to see the important role that colors present to the narrative. The colors in the narrative not only provide a colorful spectrum that mold the main character into the ‘Messiah’ that he is going to be, yet they too are a character all to themselves.

Later in the novel, it is brought up that even some of the creature in this time flux world even communicate through colors. Clay meets a simplistic character called the Quoi who has the ability to communicate with colors. “I am Quoi, it tells him after a while, sending the information to him in a stream of blue and green and red bubbles that cross the bottom of the pool as though on phosphor dots. I am an enemy of wrong. You are safe here.” (45) The usage of the blue and green allows the readers to see the attitude of this character. Blue and green being such calm and mellow colors it allows our main character and the readers to actually think that the Quoi is a positive character. The stream of red creates an emotional bond to this character, which is presented in the way the Quoi is able to place Clay in that dream sequence in Chapter Six. With the introduction of the Quoi’s ability to ‘manipulate’ the landscape, it reveals a sense of passion and love. The passion and love in the case of the dream sequence is revealed in a sexually charged scene where Clay is trying to get this unidentified female into a hotel room. Colors are not only characters and forms of communication; they also introduce ideals about worlds in the time flux. While going through the landscape of the world ‘old’ it is revealed that there is no color in the scenery and this alone contributes to the fact that Clay and the other Skimmers whom come along with him in this world are deteriorating. “All colors have washed away. He sees everything in shades of black, even the frond’s glow. His bones bend with every step…’we’ll die here! Can’t we get out faster?’” (77) Without color, Clay is not able to live. It’s not until they get out of this world and find color is that his body is healed. Simply put, colors are attributes that Clay needs. They have the ability to mold Clay into the figure that messenger that he becomes by the end of the text.

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April 17, 2009

Push the Tempo-po [An Analysis of Tempo and Beats in Edgar Allen’s Poe’s The Raven]

Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven [Lines 21-39]

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me – filled me with fantastic terrors never felt                                                                      before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood                                                                   repeating
`’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber                                                                  door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber                                                                            door; -
This it is, and nothing more,’

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,’ said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came                                                                       rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber                                                                     door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you’ – here I opened wide                                                               the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

In the poem, The Raven, by Edgar Allen Poem, Poe reveals the concept of the uncanny through the usage of a single heart-beat and familiar sounds. This single heart-beat allows the readers to see the terrifying undertone of the poem, because something as simple as a heart-beat has become something horrid to the narrator and therefore has become horrid to the readers. This undertone starts getting scary when Poe mentions, “thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; so that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating” [22-25]. A heart-beat is quite possibly the most common sound that an individual can hear, though through the concept of the uncanny it becomes to most terrifying sound. With the mixture of gothic tropes such as ‘thrilled, filled, fantastic, and terrors’ this sets up the uncanny of the heart-beat, since all of these thrilling tropes are used to describe this heart-beat. According to the quotation, it is only when the heart-beat settles that these terrors are under control, therefore the terrors are basically controlled psychologically by the heart-beat. This parallel that the heart-beat has with these terrors allows the readers to see the uncanny-ness of the heart-beat, because in this poem, the heart-beat relates to madness and terror. The uncanny-ness is also highlighted in the words ‘thrilled, filled, and fantastic’ because these words effect not only effect the individual but it effects the atmosphere. It sets up this world of heart-beats and fantastic terrors that are uncanny to the readers. Just the simple mention of these words set up an uncanny atmosphere.

The passage then transitions from the figurative tapping into the literal tapping, when Poe says, “Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer / ‘Sir, ‘said I, ‘or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore / But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came” [31-3] From this quotation, the readers see an important shift from the metaphysical into the physical. The heart-beat at the beginning of the passage was the part identifiable part of the uncanny, though as we move into the latter part of the passage, the sound of the uncanny becomes a sound of the unknown. This unknown is simulated by the fact that Poe states, ‘Sir, said I, or Madam’ which introduces the uncanny aspect in its prime. Not only is the figure unknown, though since the figure is address as a ‘Sir or Madam’ it reveals a sense of upper class-ness and therefore a superior vibe from the uncanny. Along with the atmosphere, it seems as though the uncanny is superior and therefore inescapable. Set up by the sound of the heart-beat, the literal sounds that the narrator now hears allows the readers to see just how frightening the poem is because fear itself has become metaphorical and physical so there is a sense of non-escapement.

The heart-beat analogy intensifies with the introduction of word and constant repetition from outside the body that seems to resemble a heart-beat. Poe states, “and so gently you came rapping / and so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber / door;” [35-8] The repetition of the ‘ing’ [tapping and rapping], resembles a heart-beat. The tapping and rapping resembles a heart-beat that is uncanny. The transition from internal to external thumping allows the readers to see that there is no escape from this terror. At the beginning of the passage, the internal tempo of the heart was due to the terrors, while the tapping and rapping at the door also prompts to the terrors of the poem which is now an external terror.  This tempo that is present allows the readers to see not only to see the figurative fear of sound, which is from the initial heart-beats, though there is a literal sound now that intensifies the fear. The repetition does not help the foreign sounds either, since it prompts a sense of madness/hysteria and hesitation. This hesitation of sound allows the readers to see a sort of stuttering tone that therefore correlates with fear. Poe is so scared of the rapping and tapping, that his words have started to repeat and cause a sensation of fear.

The complimenting of the heart-beats with other foreign sounds allows the readers to see the uncanny aspect of The Raven. This arguably makes the assertion that these general sounds are the reason that The Raven is as scary as Poe intended it to be, which is what Poe was trying to do, according to the Philosophy of Composition text that stated, “its frequent repetition–and by a consideration of the ominous reputation of the fowl that uttered it–is at length excited to superstition, and wildly propounds queries of a far different character”. Poe intended to add repetition to the poem to enhance the twisted excitement that the readers would have toward the uncanny character. It’s the concept that this different character is uncanny through this repetition of sounds that The Raven is the horror poem that it is.

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December 1, 2008

A Liberal Feminist Reading of the film, G.I. Jane

G.I. Jane, a high octane macho-macho movie, is just that, a high octane macho-macho movie. Though despite having this identifiable attribute, it still has the ability to come off as a liberal feminist film. Through the titled character, Jordan O’ Brien, the viewers can see that by the end of the film the ideal of liberal feminism is accomplished by the way of equal opportunities. In the reading titled, Three Readings of G.I. Jane: G.I. Jane: Women and Bodybags, by Gillian Youngs, she describes the point in the narrative in which the film becomes an undeniably feminist film. “Victory in the Libyan desert…radical change that feminism carries with it.” [479][1] The scene that the writer is pertaining to is that of when O’Brien physically saves/carries the Master Chief to the awaiting helicopter. It is only then, after O’Brien saves Master Chief, that the male dominated society that O’Brien is engulfed in is welcoming to the ideal of equal opportunity between males and females in the Navy Seals.

Up until this point in the narrative, it is seen that O’ Brien is haunted by this male dominated narrative. This comment reveals one of the most important aspects of effectiveness carried out through Scott’s vision. Ridley Scott, the director of Jane, does not skip on the adversities that O’Brien has to endure in order to prove herself worthy of a coveted position on the SEALS. One scene that comes to mind that presents these harsh conditions is when O’Brien uses herself as a strategic human base for a human ladder. Instead of helping O’Brien, whom is the final team member who has not crossed over the wall, her team member neglects her hand and tells her that she does not belong here in the SEALS. This is one of the many instances in which O’Brien faces animosity dealt by the hands of the male egos in the film. O’Brien feels the

need to compete against the male egos in order to become accepted into their society. In order to do so, O’Brien has to face these types of difficulties.

Along with the difficulties that O’Brien endures, by the end of the film, she does indeed accomplish a sort of camaraderie, though this accomplishment does not valorizes female’s entrance into the military. Even though this is considered a liberal feminist film and the promotion of equal opportunity is present, it technically comes at a price. The superlative of equal opportunity is and only is accomplished when Jordan O’ Brien has ultimately enveloped a masculine role. The scene that reveals a sort of turning point/climax of inequality to equality is when O’Brien is physically abused by the Master Chief and after she is dealt with what seems to be a ‘final blow’, she resurrects to state, with no pun intended, “suck my dick”. Master Chief, along with the other recruits, nods in approval of her being an equal and embraces her as one of their own. The equality is accomplished, though it is at the expense of her femininity. Therefore the film seems to say that only when a female has turned into a male, equal opportunity is achievable. It does accomplish presenting that it is possible for females to get into the SEALS, though I wouldn’t state that it valorizes it.

In the film, the seductive competition to be an equal with the other Navy Seals does empower O’Brien at the expense of lesbians, through the scene in which she is exposed as being an assumed lesbian. In the scene, the ‘commander’ of the camp reveals to her the paparazzi pictures that were taken. With the still photo of her nurse friend wrapping her arm around her neck, the commander assumes that O’Brien is a lesbian. Ago, in the film, it was announced that if she was to be revealed as a lesbian that she would be pulled out of the program (this statement was mentioned by the Governor that put her up for the position). Her answer to the acquisition has nothing to do with her sexuality; her only concern is how this is going to compromise her spot in the SEALS. At the expense of her friendship (and arguably relationship) with the nurse, she ends their friendship in order to continue on in the hopes of making into the SEALS.

In addition to the problems with the lesbians, O’Brien’s rise of power seems to dehumanize Arabs as well. According to Gillians article, the scene in which the SEALS are in Lybia, consists of, “big explosions, heroic rescues and dead Arabs” [477][2] This quotation coupled along with the a quotation from the Setsu interviewing readings stating, “I remember an old Hispanic marine saying, ‘let’s bomb them all to hell – all Afghan men, women, and children.’” [96][3], reveals the true nature of the empowerment of O’Brien. The scene that Gillian mentions with the quotation is when O’Brien and Master Chief are exposed in the Libyan Desert and are attacked. The first and only physical appearance that the viewers get of the Arabs is that of a less than appealing/gun wielding/chain smoking Arab that from the second he is portrayed on the screen is supposed to symbolize a ‘bad guy’. The viewers are not exposed to the Arabs in the way that we are exposed to the SEALS. We have no idea if this Arab male has a family, has a police record, or is a model citizen. What the SEALS and Scott only expose about this Arab is what we see, and it’s appalling. The dehumanization goes to the point in which the other Arabs don’t have faces; they are completely covered by their religious garments. For all the viewers know, they are deformed and monster-isque. Basically what the film portrays is that in order for O’Brien to raise up in the ranks of the SEALS, she has to dehumanize Arabs.

In the end, this liberal film still reveals itself as a male-ego trip in which everything and everybody in the way of the SEALS seem to get in one way or another dehumanized.

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[1] Young. Gillian. Three Readings of G.I. Jane: G.I. Jane: Women and Bodybags. 6 July 2007

[2] Young. Gillian. Three Readings of G.I. Jane: G.I. Jane: Women and Bodybags. 6 July 2007

[3] Shigematsu, Setsu. Bhagwati, Anuradha Kristina. PaintedCrow, Eli. Women-of-Color Veterans on War, Militarism and Feminism. 16 June 2007 [day of the interviews]