Queer Theory

The Gay Writer Who Died in Cold Scotch

                 Probably the most famous American writer who is known to be gay is Truman Capote. His most famous books are “Breakfast at Tiffanys” and “In Cold Blood.” I didn’t read the books but I watched both movies. In cold Blood was so suspenseful--my heart was beating like crazy and I needed to use the bathroom but I waited until the last minute. Mr. Capote won many awards for writing “In Cold Blood”—a murder mystery (I think it was a true story, it certainly seemed as if it were true. Ironically the book almost killed him. While writing the book, Capote like many writers tried to tap into his creative powers. So he typed and tapped and when he got stuck in a writer’s block, he drank his favorite scotch. When he ran out of scotch, he drank whatever was left. Sometimes the alcohol didn’t work, it probably made it worse, but that’s when he mixed in drugs like cocaine. When the hangovers banged his head, Dr. Scotch (that’s what he called his bottles, it didn’t matter if it was scotch or vodka) prescribed him morphine. In the beginning, his boyfriend and lover, Jack Donfey, who was also a writer but not nearly as great bought most of the alcohol and drugs. Truman loved him for bringing him alcohol. Or maybe Truman loved the drugs more. I’ll do anything for another bottle of Scotch, Truman said to Donfey. If you were a dog holding a bottle of Scotch in your mouth, I would kiss you on dog-gone lips. You’re my bitch, he often said to Donfey. It bothered Donfey, but Truman’s wit could not be stopped by manners.

             But when Truman became really addicted, Donfey left Truman alone in their house. Donfey couldn’t stand to see Truman suffer so much. After Truman finished writing “In Cold Blood,” he was a wreck. He checked himself into a rehab. It was not his first and was not his last time. But he was so high from the success of the book, he fell and crashed lower than ever. His baby, his book, brought Truman much fame, but his fame did not satisfy him. Truman wanted a real baby, a son. “Donfey, you’re worse than a bitch. At least a bitch can make a bastard. I’m wasting my seed on you.” That really hurt donfey. But it was a problem that hurt Capote to the core.

                Truman wrote some short novels and short stories after In Cold Blood was published. But it was downhill after that book. He wanted to surpass it with something better. He tried to write without the drugs and alcohol but he couldn’t. So he went back to his “friends” but they didn’t help him anymore. Murderers chased him. The rehab psychiatrist told him he was hallucinating. could such a great writer have reached his greatness without “cheating” with performance drugs?! In 1984 he died from liver disease. Maybe like the athletes he might have raced his bicycle a little slower, but in the long run he could have probably reached greater heights of creativity. He could have gotten high from the achievement of writing award winning books and stories. And perhaps his son would have even surpassed him. That would have made him happy.

 

 

History Re-Written

Journal Entry

17^th Century
 

       Living with my two stepsisters is not easy. They are extremely messy and overweight! Being that they are not my real sisters, I feel no connection in terms of establishing a relationship with them. I find myself cleaning up daily after them and the way my stepmother keeps the home is gross. However, I really don’t mind cleaning and I actually enjoy it for the most part. I do remember cleaning with Mother as a child, cleaning helps me remember her and keeps my mind off how much I miss her. 

        There’s a ball coming up my stepmother thinks it would not be great for me to go to. She keeps trying to convince me that there is no real ball. I do know its her evil plan to not let me go. She doesn’t think I’m emotionally stable and being that I’m not taking my meds for my OCD, my hallucinations are coming back. The doctors say that all the hallucinations occurred and were triggered because of my mom's death. I love when I am in a daze, though. I see my mother then and she talks to me! More recently I’ve been also talking to mice and riding in pumpkins. And I can't seem to remember if all those are dreams or if I am awake.
       
         Yes, I honestly don’t really care to go to this ball, yet I would definitely not want one of my stepsisters to end up with him, the Prince. With my beauty and charm I have no doubt that I can lure the Prince in and manipulate him to end up with me. I just have to find my jeweled dress and hope that my glass slippers still fit! 

 

                                                                                                                                  -Cinderella

Culture

My Background:

            There are so many stories and details in how my parents found and chose to follow the religion I was raised in, and now follow on my own accord. My parents were both born Jewish, as any child of a Jewish mother is born, though they were not raised keeping much of their religion. As they grew older and studied they both became associated with the same group within Orthodox Judaism, called Chabad-Lubavitch. There are many different orthodox Jews and within Judaism there are many sects. Each sect follows the same one bible and same rabbis and laws. Within each sect stem different ideologies and different Rabbis. The Rabbi we look up to and follow is Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, whom we refer to as "The Rebbe". Chabad-Lubavitch is one the largest groups of Judaism. Our main philosophy's focus is Mind over heart, and finding g-dliness in mundane matters. The Rebbe was one recognized worldly and preformed many miracles through his blessings. His way on life and followers are known to view life through pure Happiness with a strong belief in G-d.

My Story:

         Within my religion having a family life and many children is looked greatly upon. When my parents got married it was difficult for them to conceive children. Many people, Jewish or Non-Jewish would write letters or stand in line to have a word with the Rebbe. He would advise people on many decisions and bless them. My parents went to the Rebbe to get a blessing for a child which they received. During my mom's pregnancy there were complications and advice from doctors to have an abortion. My parent got in contact with the Rebbe again, who strongly blessed them. Months later my parents gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby girl, my older sister.

          After going through not having children for awhile and a complicated pregnancy my mom wrote a thank you letter to the Rebbe, thanking him for his blessings. As she was writing she looked out of her front window and saw her childless friend, and put her name in at the bottom, requesting a blessing for her. Nine months from when she wrote the thank you letter her friend gave birth to a boy. A couple weeks before I was born, a surprise to my parents.

We strongly believe that when you pray for someone else you get blessed, you get blessed first. I strongly feel connected to this man and know that I was born from a great blessing, a blessing originally for someone else. 

Me and My Older Sister

Deconstruc​tive Analysis

 

This advertisement looks very structured which makes it believable. All the boxes are aligned and from an artistic point of view it’s brought together well by incorporating the orange from the beginning to in the end of the ad.

When reading this ad, at first it seems like a catchy phrase, believable, and true! But if you think about it, this phrase is pretty ironic. “America runs on Dunkin” it’s actually because of Dunkin that most can’t run.

          Dunkin Doughnuts motto is EXACTLY opposite of what it is. It is proven to be unhealthy. Here we have an advertisement; advertising about running and exercising and even has a picture of a man running!! We also see a picture of America showing that this is an accepted branch by all. When globally accepted things become much more believable.

          In this advertisement it was very smart of them to leave out the word “doughnuts” something that does not help people run. Today in society these images and statements run through the subconscious mind, making one believe how not so unhealthy or bad it is. I personally never grew up eating doughnuts or bagels regularly; it was a ‘once-in-awhile’ type of food. Here we have a huge chain store where that’s most of what they sell, unhealthy products.

 

 

An HONEST Dunkin Doughnuts AD would look as follows:

 

Copy of Nechamas Art

Slideshow :  Copy of Nechamas Art

 

Structuralism

 

 

 

Technology; Timesaver/ Timewaster?

 

 

 

 

Nechama Jacobs: Structulism: Technology; Timesaver/ Timewaster?

Technology can save one so much time. You can call people to make sure your plans are stil in tact. You can research and find out if a store is still open or carrying your item. You can even order your item online. But are you saving or wasting more time with technology?

 

Psychoanalytic Critism

Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know

 

Somebody that I Used to Know

Lyrics:

Now and then I think of when we were together

Like when you said you felt so happy you could die

Told myself that you were right for me

But felt so lonely in your company

But that was love and it's an ache I still remember

You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness

Like resignation to the end, always the end

So when we found that we could not make sense

Well you said that we would still be friends

But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over

But you didn't have to cut me off

Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing

And I don't even need your love

But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough

No you didn't have to stoop so low

Have your friends collect your records and then change your number

I guess that I don't need that though

Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over

But had me believing it was always something that I'd done

And I don't wanna live that way

Reading into every word you say

You said that you could let it go

And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know

But you didn't have to cut me off

Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing

And I don't even need your love

But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough

No you didn't have to stoop so low

Have your friends collect your records and then change your number

I guess that I don't need that though

Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Somebody, I used to know

(Somebody) Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Somebody, I used to know

(Somebody) Now you're just somebody that I used to know

I used to know, that I used to know, I used to know somebody

 My Psychoanalytic Critism:

Wally De Backer, or “Gotye”, as his mother would call him in French, is a Belgian-Australian song writer. The Song “Somebody I Used to Know” is a song that many relate to. Nowadays there are so many break-up songs, so many songs sung about heartbreak, songs everyone can relate to. This “heartbreak” song seemed different to most out there. For starters, it was sung in many different tenses at once. Gotye is an emotional artist as most are. In his early 20s he wanted a name for his project that was kind of personal and similar to what he felt about his music, using the past to broaden into the present. He chose “Gotye” something he emotionally connected to as a child, a name that had passion.

Gotye put this song together over a few months. He used two notes which prompted the reflective mood. It quite a bitter song when you listen to it carefully. In this song Gotye was trying to convey the different perspectives one has being on each side of a broken up relationship. There are a lot of confused and mixed up emotions at different times when going through a break up. Gotye, like most, obviously went through a break up and this song is an expression of his emotions. The song was released in July of 2011 when Gotye was age 31. Unlike other songs and artists, this song has a mature perspective of how he’s looking back and reflecting on the relationship.

Gotye has said he sometimes feels "less of a musician, more of a tinkerer." Gotye sees himself as more of one who is experimental and not so skilled. This song could be expressing how he did not feel worthy of his girlfriend’s love. She loved him, “you felt so happy you could die" though he could not love her back “I’ll admit that I was glad it was over”. SInce she didn't feel this love back breaking up with him played a big part on his ego, or self esteem as he says “I don’t even need your love but you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough”. He is now looking back was defending himself, coping with the rejection of her having to leave him.

In this song the verse, “Have your friends collect your records…” shows how Gotye is referencing the past. Gotye was not born at the time when records were around much. Gotye is a man of the past, looking back and dwelling on what had happened.

In an interview Gotye says, “I don’t really feel like it (this song) belongs to me anymore,” he said. “Everybody else kind of owns it now.” He is born in May, having the star sign as Gemini, one is known to be emotional though to move on, something he is doing now, " Now your'e just somebody that I used to know". He is accepting the situation.

I think it's very interesting to see and analyze what Gotye is expressing here, how his background and experienes effect him. We might never know his true story with all the details but from hearing this song we can feel a bit of what he went through, and understand the words, comprehending what he was thinking, and how he must of felt then.