What We've Got Here...Is Two Similar Characters.

Lucas Jackson and Randall Patrick McMurphy serve as iconic American heroes, brazenly defying authority, helping a group of emasculated men recover some semblence of their manhoods in the face of an oppressive authority. Moreover, each takes on a Christ-like role, leading his respective disciples (prisoners or mental patients) toward dignity, suffering and deteriorating under the burden of leadership, and eventually sacrificing himself in a selfless defiance of the demand for conformity. Discuss some of the more interesting parallels between the characters. How do Kesey and the director/screenwriter of Cool Hand Luke cast their main characters as a religious figures? What significant differences exist between the two?

Fast Food Frenzy

Morgan Spurlock's extreme diet demonstrates the hazards of consuming too much fast food. Since so much of the American diet contains processed, fatty items, obesity has become a significant, widespread epidemic. Does Spurlock's documentary effectively identify the problem and offer a solution? Is his experiment a valid one, and does he treat the issue fairly? How do his film-making techniques compare to Michael Moore's? Which part of Supersize Me did you find most effective?

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

As you read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, consider the targets of Ken Kesey's narrative: the hospital, with its emasculating nurse and sadistic orderlies, stifles individual expression (read male urges) and renders the patients both figuratively and literally impotent. The novel's "Combine," an allegorical representation of the oppressive forces of conformity in Kesey's world, and its main enforcer, Nurse Ratched, systematically prey on the men's neuroses and alienate them from their own free-spirited natures.

The book has received much criticism (and been banned in many schools) for its apparent misogyny (the female characters are either castrating nurses or prostitutes) and racism (the African American orderlies are charicatured as cartoonishly sadistic "black boys"). Do you think such criticisms are fair? What challenges does having a narrator who is a paranoid schizophrenic, often divorced from reality, present for the reader?

After the novel won wide acclaim, Kesey became a cultural icon, traveling around the country in a bus with a group called the Merry Pranksters. How did the novel help usher in the cultural changes that defined the 1960's?

Becoming a Better Writer

Improving your writing skills requires focused practice and a willingness to accept constructive criticism.  Many problems can be solved by thinking and planning before you actually start composing.  As Sholem Asch said, "Writing comes more easily if you have something to say."  Also think about how to shape your message to appeal to your audience.  Make sure your essays have a clear thesis, logical coherence, and specific examples to back your claim.  For those of you still struggling with grammatical, usage, and mechanical issues, Capital Community College has an excellent website, including some great online quizzes.  Purdue's Online Writing Lab also has a wealth of advice and reference information for the developing student writer.

Dolls and Body Image

Many writers and filmmakers who address gender issues cite dolls, specifically Barbie, as a significant influence on female body image.  In Tough Guise, Jackson Katz implies that the increased musculature of action figures leads boys to feel inadequate and overcompensate with violent behavior.  But how much of an influence on gender-related body image can a toy really exert?  The Onion mocks such concerns with its piece about Bratz dolls with enormous heads.  The Simpsons playfully grapples with the issue in "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy."  To what extent has your body image been influenced by dolls and action figures?

What Influences Gender Identity?

Do the gender stereotypes reflected (and exploited) in popular culture define and codify gender identity, or do they derive from fundamental, innate gender differences? To what extent do the messages about what it means to be male and female that we see in television, film, print, and web media influence our gender identities?

As you reflect on the gender stereotypes that pervade our culture, consider their implications: are they dangerous pigeonholes that limit understanding and personal growth (as many strident writers have noted), or are they less insidious charicatures, more deserving of playful mocking and armchair speculation (Dave Barry and Maureen Dowd) than passionate rebuke (Sut Jahlly and Jackson Katz in Tough Guise)? Additionally, what gender issues does screenwriter Tina Fey explore (and lampoon) in Mean Girls?

Fahrenheit 9/11: Persuasion or Propaganda?

Moore's controversial film attacks and ridicules President Bush and his administration for the failure to anticipate and respond effectively to the events of 9/11/01. Consider the message and methods of the film. Does it amount to a valid piece of rational discourse, mere ad hominem (argumentation through personal attack) propaganda, or something in between? How accurate is the evidence Moore presents in the film?

In his scathing critique of the film, writer Christopher Hitchens challenges Moore's film for its misrepresentation of facts and the manipulative way it presents information. After viewing the film and reading Hitchens' essay, begin a blog group discussion about the controversy. Brendan Nyhan's Spinsanity website also analyzes the film for factual distortions (and provides links to others who do as well). Still, Moore defends his facts and techniques on his own website. How can you determine who's right here?

Impact of 9/11

Once you have sent Mr. Inloes the link to your blog, start a discussion thread among your group members concerning the impact that the events of 9/11/01 have had on popular culture. Was Teresa Wiltz right in discounting the dramatic pronouncements of pundits immediately following the event, or will daily American life be forever altered in a fundamental way? You may also want to respond to Sontag’s concerns about the “infantilization” of public discourse.
Has viewing the disturbing images from On Native Soil changed your perspective on the impact of 9/11 on our culture? The film’s stark editing and dramatic soundtrack evoke a visceral response to the documented events. I found myself watching with a lump in my throat, a factor of both the memories of the day and the style of the film.