Use of Bathroom Scenes in the Film Pulp Fiction Essays -- Pulp Fiction

Bathrooms are filthy. They are grimy, soiled porcelain wastelands swarming with harmful bacteria and human waste. And they’re one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite tools to use on the big screen. If one were to study the history of American media, he or she may notice that bathrooms are scarcely pictured. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1960 release of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho that a toilet was shown in cinema. The featured toilet caused quite a stir among critics, and became a symbol of American ethics. Quentin recognized the subject of morality that resided in the use of bathrooms and used it to his advantage. In his 1994 release, Pulp Fiction, Quentin frequently uses the bathroom to make the viewer question his or her ethical views. The first instance of the bathroom being used to elicit a questioning of ethics within the audience occurs during the sub story of Mia and Vincent Vegas. In this scene, two questions of ethics are brought forth. After a long, fun night Vincent returns with Mia to Marsellus Wallace’s estate. He promptly announces that he has to use the restroom, and leaves Mia alone. Once alone in the bathroom, we see Vincent talking to himself in the mirror, trying to persuade himself to leave Mia alone for the night. Vince is quite obviously attracted to Mia, and Mia seems willing to spend more time with him. He has to decide whether to stay longer and risk taking advantage of Marsellus’ wife or to leave immediately, wishing her a good night and ending his relationship with her. This creates tension and allows the audience to consider their own moral standpoint in regards to the situation. The second questioning of ethics that occurs in this scene begins to take place moments after Vince leaves the bathroom. We h... ... side with. Again the audience must consider their own moral stance in regards to the situation in order to reach this conclusion. As proved in this clever arrangement of bathroom scenes, Quentin Tarantino is a creative albeit unorthodox director. Though he draws inspiration from a vast expanse of resources, this Quentin’s productions are undoubtedly unique. Through his clever use of the bathroom as a means through which to bring forth a questioning of ethics, Tarantino has again proved his creativity as a director. This movie made me think. This movie made me reevaluate my moral values and empowered me to challenge my own ethical views. This movie literally taught me more about myself than I had previously realized. We can only hope Tarantino continues to produce such impactful films so we can continue to explore our values the way Pulp Fiction has allowed us to.

Harrison Bergeron Essay

Kurt Vonnegut’s short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is about a futuristic society where beauty is destroyed to create equality. It centers around the highest official, appropriately named, the General Handicapper. His only role to to seek out and find to people who are skilled, pretty, or good at sports and forced them to hide away these talents through masks and waits. It is through basic literary elements that Vonnegut creates and develops the theme that general conformity leads to the deformation of humanity. The short story begins in the future, â€Å"The year was 2081† and Vonnegut immediately puts out the benefits of this futuristic society, stating â€Å"everybody was finally equal† and not just equal â€Å"before God† but in â€Å"every way† possible (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 7). Vonnegut’s description foreshadows what is to come in the novel and certainly this forced equality can only lead to a dangerous and potentially deadly ending. Conformity and the effects of uniformity is a common theme in the bulk of science fiction literature and Vonnegut’s short stories are no different. However, in â€Å"Harrison Bergergon† not just the theme of uniformity is explore but also the stripping away of humanity. This short story, the government forces everyone to be equal –â€Å"nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. † (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 7). Government agents force people who are beautiful to wear ugly masks and people who are thin are forced to carry around weights. The goal of all this control is to make sure that everyone has the same handicaps, the same features, and the same feelings. Even odder is that smart people were forced to wear radios which interfered with there brain functional creating a human society where everyone was equally stupid. By eliminating the the issues, which modern society still deals with, of racism, sexism, and discrimination based on looks, Vonnegut’s future society should be healthy and happy because everyone is the same. However, in the pursuit of equality the loss of humanity took place. Humanity is based on the idea of independence and individualism. The featured protagonist of this short story and namesake is Harrison Bergeron. He is a bright and friendly boy who has the most hated qualities in his society. He is intelligent, handsome, tall, and strong. Due to Harrision’s features he is required to do several things to compensate for all his good quality. He is subject to radio noises which stops his concentration and focus. He has to carry hundreds of pounds of extra weight. He also have to wear sun glasses which gives him a head and he has to undergo surgery fort o make him ugly. While awaiting his surgery he escapes and takes over a news station. On air he takes off his handicaps and is revealed to society. When enters the station he is looks â€Å"like a walking junk yard,† required to wear â€Å"a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even white teeth with black caps at snaggle-tooth random† ( Vonnegut, 1968, p. 21). He also meets up with a ballerina and she too casts off her imposed disabilities. When the couple dances they shrug off the law of gravity and the laws of motion as well,† leaping to kiss the thirty-foot ceiling until finally â€Å"they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time. † It is then that Glampers enters with her shotgun† (Vonnegut, 1968, p.  22). Unfortunately both are killed by the General Handicapper. As a sub plot his parents are watching the news station but once everything is said and done they can not remember what has happened due their forced handicaps. Irony is another literary device that Vonnegut uses in this short story. Vonnegut comments on the look-ism which is apparent in American society. Vonnegut even appears cynical about what passes as average in America. â€Å"Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts† (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 20). The observation on the ballerinas continues the undercutting humor: â€Å"They weren’t really very good–no better than anybody else would have been, anyway† (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 20). Heavy irony emerges in the plodding Hazel’s missing the point, as when she sympathizes with the stuttering announcer for trying â€Å"real hard† to do his best or suggests George might remove some of his weights in the evenings. Compounding the irony she says, â€Å"‘I think I’d make a good Handicapper General. ‘ ‘Good as anybody else,’ said George. † The range of sounds and the comic brutality of their effect provides another source of comedy. One of George’s winces prompts Hazel to ask the cause. â€Å"Sounded like somebody hitting a milk bottle with a hammer,† he replies. Another sounds like a twenty-one gun salute that leaves George â€Å"white and trembling† and leaves two of the ballerinas on the floor clutching their temples. The final one is a riveting gun. â€Å"Gee–I could tell that one was a doozy,† said Hazel. â€Å"You can say that again,† said George. â€Å"Gee–† said Hazel–â€Å"I could tell that one was a doozy. † (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 41) Hazel’s stupid behavior and mindset symbolizes the dumbing down of America. In addition the television is equally symbolic. When this book was written, the television was now found in every home throughout the country. It became the way that people communicated and received news. Reading, literature, and human interaction decreased and was replaced by the mindless chatter of television shows and governmentally run news broadcasts. Hazel’s aversion to the old days when she could be made to feel like â€Å"something the cat dragged in† (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 22) obviously is not very persuasive The narration in â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is also interesting. This is because the narration is third person, as if person is looking back on the events that just happened. Third person omnipresent is an interesting choice for narration because it allows the reader into the minds of all characters. For example Vonnegut reminds the readers, in third person narration Nobody can be in any way superior to anybody else, as guaranteed by â€Å"the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of the agents of the United States Handicapper General† (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 20). In particular, the motivations of each character which inspire their actions and words. â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is a very unique short story because Vonnegut manipulates basic literary elements and creates a satire of American ideals and societal norms. Vonnegut is able too, in a tongue and cheek manner, show how the government can create a society which lacks humanity. A government that is left uncontrolled can exert such great power that it can destroy what makes human unique creatures on this planet. In doing so, people become mindless and vulnerable to the governmental propaganda that tells the citizens of a society that these rules are for their own good.

Free Speech Freedom Of Speech - 1403 Words

FREE SPEECH Freedom of speech is perhaps the most precious tenets of liberal democracies accorded to the citizens of the free world. The United States, and the rest of the Western society is known to be the cradle of democratic principles, and this can be evidenced by the level of freedom accorded to the citizens of the United States and the West in terms of speech. The freedom of speech gives an individual an opportunity to speak his or her mind and also give his or her opinion, sometimes on very sensitive topics, without any fear of reprisal (Melkonian, 2012). The exercise of freedom of speech goes along way down the history of human civilization, and only positive results are there as the fruit of such level of human freedom. The world is a better place today, no doubt, because some men and women stood up their ground to speak their mind about what should be done and how things should be done to ensure prosperity. Despite the many gains of freedom of speech, the tragic reality is that some places still have the retrogressive rules that curtail people’s freedom to free speech, just to protect the ruling regimes (Melkonian, 2012). Throughout the history of human civilization, there has never been any doubt as to whether freedom of speech should be exercised or not. The only bone of contention, as far as freedom of speech is concerned has always, and will always remain on the limit of this freedom. In this era, the limit to this freedom of speech is being questioned moreShow MoreRelatedSpeech Free Speech On The Freedom Of Speech1380 Words   |  6 Pagesmake no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. This freedom of speech clause as included in the First Amendment guarantees the citizens of America to express information and ideas freely. But is all form of speech free? On the most basic level, this clause allows for the expression of an opinionRead MoreFree Speech Or Freedom Of Speech Essay911 Words   |   4 PagesIntroduction America is known as The Land of Freedom, basically we are entitled for legal freedom to do whatever we wanted to. However, the freedom of speech has been challenged by many university students and educators recently. In their argument, they believe that free speech has triggered students’ unhappiness and jeopardize campus’ safety. What is the free speech or freedom of speech? According to dictionary, freedom of speech is the right of people to express their opinions publicly withoutRead MoreFree Speech Freedom Of Speech1689 Words   |  7 PagesBenjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.† With this quote in mind, freedom of speech should surely be guaranteed right in a every institution. There are various forms of free speech to powerful speeches at a peaceful protest to a girl posting a selfie. Freedom of speech is the key concept that is ba sis of every human right. This inherent right should be protected and supported inRead MoreFree Speech Freedom Of Speech1180 Words   |  5 PagesFree speech shall not incite evil and hatred in this country. The First Amendment prevents the government from infringing upon our freedom of assembly and speech. â€Å"The disability is so complete that Congress is expressly forbidden to enact laws respecting an establishment of religion, or laws abridging the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech and press, and the right to petition the government† (Bybee). As a whole, our founding fathers only had good intentions with regards to First AmendmentRead MoreFree Speech Freedom Of Speech1786 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Freedom of speech is a right of every American that is protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. This democratic freedom allows citizens to speak and express themselves freely. Public school teachers and students are also free to express themselves, however they can both be limited by school administration. The goal of this paper is to analyze free speech as defined by the First Amendment and discussed limitations placed on teachers and students by schoolsRead MoreFree Speech On Freedom Of Speech1929 Words   |  8 Pagesthe use of hate speech on college campuses. These limitations on free speech strike at the heart of law and justice within our society. To tolerate these restrictions sets dangerous precedents and unveils dangerous consequences. Speech codes that limit speech and expression beyond the limits of the first amendment are not justified because they harm society and the intellectual integrity of a university while failing to adequately suppor t those students victimized by hate speech. Colleges play anRead MoreFree Speech : Freedom Of Speech1889 Words   |  8 PagesFreedom of Speech The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects freedom of speech among other valued standards. The First Amendment states that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceable to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances† (U. S. Constitution). What does it mean by â€Å"Congress shall make no law†¦abridgingRead MoreFreedom Of Speech : Free Speech1296 Words   |  6 PagesFreedom Of Speech In 399 B.C, the Greek Philosopher Socrates was persecuted for an early argument promoting free speech. Later on, The Protection of Speech was first introduced when the Magna Carta was signed in 1215, and in 1948, the United Nations stated that free speech is a human right and drafted into the international Declaration of Human rights.The government doesn t have the right to make a law abridging the freedom of speech because Free Speech is a form of democracy and it s a fundamentalRead MoreFreedom Of Speech And Free Speech1737 Words   |  7 Pages Freedom of Speech can only go so far before it starts to impede the right of the others, and free speech does not come before other people’s given rights.. According to Steven J. Heyman in the article â€Å"Free Speech Has Limits,† freedom of speech comes tied together with respecting the freedom of other and the rights of other people (par. 4). The author goes on to say that cutting off other peoples rights in the name of free speech can be seen as wrongful and can be faced with consequences (parRead MoreFree Speech Freedom Of Speech886 Words   |  4 Pagesunlike any other. The issue? Free speech. Protesters from both sides of the the political spectrum are outraged. leftists claiming that free speech is â€Å"being used as a cover for spreading hate in America†, that people like the infamous Yiannopoulos (a conservative political commentator known for making offensive statements and supporting â€Å"white supremacy, transphobia, and misogyny†) are do ing harm with their first amendment right, while conservatives are claiming free speech is being threatened by the