Hollywood Gets Lost in Translation

In class we talked about how it is difficult to translate words into another language because words can have more than one meaning, idioms don't make sense, and certain words have dimensions.  According to an article I read in USA Today, movie titles are getting lost in translation in other countries.  In Mexico, people are lining up in theaters to see The Knight of the Night, known in the US as The Dark Knight.  When translating movie titles, Hollywood caters to their audience.  For example, the movie Knocked Up has entirely different titles across the world.  In Roman Catholic Peru, the movie is titled Slightly Pregnant, but in China the movie is bluntly labeled One Night, Big Belly.  Below is the full article from USA Today..while reading it consider, are words really "lost in translation?" and does language carry culture?

Hollywood Gets Lost in Translation Article 

Power: Oni

The source of wind, power, and life all falls under the name Oni, whose name originates from the Taiga tribe.  Wind is significant throughout the entire novel.  The author displays the power of wind during the hurricane, the uncertainty of wind when Omishto is out on the boat in the fog, and life the wind is able to give, which is explained in the Taiga version of the creation story.  Wind is everywhere, but it is not visible.  This belief in wind and the knowledge we have of it brings a question to mind.  Why do we have such an easy time believing in wind, but such a difficult time believing in God?  Both God and wind are invisible, so neither fall under the "seeing is believing" category.  One might answer that we believe in wind because its effects are visible, such as the debris it carries after a hurricane.  But can't we see the effects of God as well?  Miracles happen everyday and they are visible signs of God's love for us.  Personally, I feel that God and wind are intertwined.  When I look for visible and tangible signs of God, I think of nature and all of the beauties within.  While God breathes life into each individual, the wind sustains the natural world by giving off oxygen and other chemicals living things need to survive.  After reflecting on the novel, I have discovered that the importance of Oni in the traditions and beliefs of the Taiga tribe parallels the significant role God plays in my life.  

Extra Credit: Rethinking Nonprofit Jobs

With the tight job market and struggling economy, college students face the fears of the workforce when they graduate.  Current experienced business workers are faced with the issues of merging positions, laying off workers, and pay freezes.  The competition to land a steady job is cutthroat to say the least.  The situation for young people applying for jobs for the first time will be quite difficult.  Many college students are considering attending grad school in order to wait out the bad economy.  The most important thing for both employees and managers to consider is that the best solutions will come if they can consider alternate ways to get the jobs done.  It is important for all college students to have impressive resumes in order to land a job.  In a nonprofit organization, it is beneficial to have volunteer work and community service listed on your resume.  The college seniors looking to find a job in a nonprofit organization should be volunteering around their community during their last semesters in order to increase their likelihood  of getting a job in the field they want.

Personally, I am thrilled that I am not a senior.  I hope that the economy has thrived by the time I graduate.  I am thankful that I have the opportunity to learn about ways in which I can go about landing a job; it never hurts to be prepared for the worst!

Below is a video I found on YouTube about a nonprofit workshop on interviewing and resume writing.  Check it out seniors!

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Power

While studying Power in class, the topic of creation stories came up.  I began to compare and contrast the Taiga's creation story with the creation story from the Bible.  The Taiga's creation story centers around panthers.  Both the Taigas and Catholics respect and admire a divine-like being.  The Taigas believe that the panther is a symbol of power and strength, and they look to the panther in times of need.  Omishto recalls that the scrape of the panther claw can cure sickness and disease.  The Catholics have a symbol of strength as well: God.  Catholics seek God for advice and lean on Him during times of despair.  Both the panther and God are sought after for their gifts of healing.  

The topic of creation stories also led me to philosophically ponder what belief truly is.  Both the Catholics and the Taigas center their religion around belief.  There is not factual evidence that God created the world, nor are there facts about the rebirth of panthers.  So what leads either group of followers to believe?  Faith.  In order to believe in something, one must have faith that it is true.  Although there are countless religions and belief systems, one uniting factor is that we all want to have faith in something or other.  We have a natural desire to place our trust in something, whether or not we have evidence to back it up.

Below is a song written by John Mayer called "Belief".  The song includes the lyrics..take a look!!   

Power

Thus far, I have enjoyed Linda Hogan's literary style in her novel Power.  I noticed that figurative language and description are two stylistic elements that the author uses in her text.  Omishto, the inquisitive narrator of the story, pays particularly close attention to details in nature.  She describes her surroundings vividly and brings the natural world to life by using metaphors, similes, and imagery.  It seems that Omishto feels more at home in the natural world than in her modernized home.

Lucy

While reading Lucy, I noticed that the main character has quite a few flashbacks.  The stories she tells of her past are significant to her individuality.  The character uses storytelling techniques as a way to show others her past, but also to claim her own history.  According to a website I found from the University of North Texas, storytelling is a common motif in identify formation across the diverse cultures of the Caribbean.  I think that the author of Lucy presents the flashbacks in a fluid way.  The author wrote in a way in which the reader can get a sense of what Lucy is going through and what triggers certain memories.  I think that storytelling helps form Lucy's identity.  It also helps her come to terms with her past by expressing her emotions out loud.

This Blessed House Part 2

Towards the end of class we began to discuss performances and whether or not we are always performing for others.  According to Wikipedia, a performance generally comprises an event in which one group of people (the performer or performers) behave in a particular way for another group of people (the audience).  I feel that I can state with confidence that every individual, at one time or another, has put on a show in order to cater to another's needs.  Some performances are carried out because of the person's free will, such as acting in a play.  Other performances are forced unwillingly upon people; students must write formal papers in order to make the grade in certain classes.  The more difficult question is whether or not people are always performing.  Although I have an opinion, I cannot give a factual correct answer to this question.  I believe that whether or not a person constantly performs depends on their personality.  

In "This Blessed House", Sanjeev is concerned with outer appearance.  People like Sanjeev, uptight and prim and proper, are more likely to think about what other people think of them.  People categorized under this "box-like" personality are probably performers, showing other people what they want to see.  Twinkle, however, with her carefree personality, would probably be less likely to put on a show for others because she is happy just the way she is.  Other "squiggle-like" personality types would also be less likely to be in a constant state of performing.