MacDuff Recommendation List

Watched by MacDuff

          Gladiator 

Gladiator, a movie about an honest man who was named successor to the throne by the king, only to be exiled have his family brutally murdered by the jealous son of the king. The hero must rise through the ranks of being a gladiator in order to face and kill the new king who was the jealous son. MacDuff would definitely make a personal connection with this piece because not only was his king murdered by the man who came to power in suit, but his family was also slain for political reasons. This recommendation by MacDuff would reveal how passionately and with what motive MacDuff sought to kill Macbeth. We should know that MacDuff was out for blood and retribution to the man who made him lose everything.

          Kill Bill

A pregnant ex-assassin has her entire wedding party, including her husband, slaughtered while she was left for dead. Her friend, Bill, was the ringleader. Once recovered, the heroine sets off on a mission to kill all the people involved for destroying her life and the one she was about to give. MacDuff would relate to the character’s loss and be satisfied that she too succeeded in her retribution. This recommendation would reveal that MacDuff, even though he might not show it, is still in pain over the death of his family, so he must quell his feelings by watching others get their revenge. Viewers should now know how bringing justice to an murderous tyrant was not his main motive; he wanted justice for his family.

The Dark Knight

Batman faces a new threat in Gotham City as the Joker employs the help of Batman’s powerful friend in the DA, Harvey Dent. This friend-turned-enemy went on a destructive killing spree until Batman reluctantly intervened and led him to his death. This film would resonate with a sense of a broken bond and friendship for MacDuff, as Macbeth became quite similar to Harvey Dent, if not worse. MacDuff would indirectly reveal that he killed Macbeth not because of who he was, but because of what he had become. Choosing the Dark Knight would showcase MacDuff’s moralistic traits and ability to bring justice even in the face of an old friend.

       Machete

After witnessing a notorious drug lord kill his wife, the hero sets out with the help a trusty I.C.E. agent to take down the man that brought him so much pain. On his quest, he realizes the drug lord is collaborating with a corrupt U.S. senator to create a Mexican-American Wall. This movie shares a number of similarities with MacDuff’s situation with Macbeth: a powerful leader that kills his family, a dastardly plan for more power, and justice being served in the end. MacDuff’s recommendation would display his masculine and ambitious nature because he intended to avenge his family’s murder and take down an elaborate power grab by the villain. MacDuff means business and he will do and use whatever it takes to get the job done.  

Macbeth's Fall From Grace

I believe evil is an ever-present force in our world that people must resist on a daily basis. Although some may be more immune or conditioned against such temptations, others continue to steal glances at the sometimes alluring yet always dangerous prize. The day one finally decides to reach out and grab that forbidden fruit and all its glory, he unknowingly also decides to takes a one way path towards self-destruction and evil.

Macbeth is one such man who, despite his valiant deeds in battle, succumbed to evil in the face of insurmountable power. His downward spiral began when the three witches hailed him as the next king. One could almost see his lust for power as Macbeth begged for the witches to, “Stay… tell me more!” (Shakespeare 6).  Now the idea of being so much more than a general plagued his thoughts relentlessly for the next days. He was just waiting for a trigger to set him off. The spark turned out to be his very own wife who, upon hearing the witches’ prophecy, insisted Macbeth that takes immediate action by assassinating King Duncan. At first, the thane of Cawdor is hesitant because he realizes the fatal consequences of being caught and the fact that he is about turn his whole world upside-down.  After more pushes from his wife, he follows through and murders the noble king that very night.

The death of the king acts as a turning point for the evil-inducing Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Now there is no going back and they must constantly be weary of blowing their cover. Lady Macbeth puts on a façade as she tries to remain level headed as her husband laments over his unforgivable actions. They begin falling into the grips of madness as the scenes progress. They realize they can’t keep hiding what they did forever- stories change, details are forgotten, and evidence is unearthed. Macbeth tries taking matters into his own hands by murdering the guards that would have compromised their scheme. He slyly says, “repent me of my fury / That I did kill them” (Shakespeare 27). The phrase "repent me" seems like a command instead of a plea, and it also lacks any remorse due to the lack of "sorry" or "please forgive me". However, that only leads to more suspicion over the royal couple because the supposedly guilty guards were obviously needed for questioning. Macbeth must end more innocent lives and fight off his guiltyconscious as he desperately tries to avoid being caught. In the end, the only apparent remedy that silences his guilty conscious is the powerful poison of insanity. 

Art Post

IB cashing in that freebie!

Sinful Selling

Gluttony

Hidden Valley Ranch: Window
Author: Kelly Colchin
Date: 2010
Place of Publication: San Francisco

At first glance, this advertisement appears to be an innocent snapshot of a little boy cautiously taking vegetable salad resembling a green pie. The boy has a surprised expression and  is looking anxiously through the window. A collection of a porcelain hen, metal container and salt and pepper shakers with cherry designs. The clock points to approximately 11:12 and the sunlit background outside the window indicates the photo took place in the morning. A bottle of ranch dressing is set on the red counter with a caption reading, “Where Vegetables Are Delectable”. This signifies that the ranch dressing on the usually unappealing “vegetable” salad changes its appearance and taste to that of a sweet treat. Hence, the child is trying to steal the “delectable” (a word often associated with tasty unhealthy food) salad instead of being forced to eat it by his parents.

However, under closer inspection, one can make out the subtle and hidden messages being conveyed in the image. First off, the red-white color scheme and antique porcelain decorations give away the fifties time period when all that was in fashion. In regards to the ad’s deeper meanings, the ad is deeming it acceptable, and to some extent desirable, for children to sinfully steal from others. Furthermore, the fact that a food is the object of thievery in this case, the advertisers are consciously or unconsciously promoting gluttony for the viewers. This deceitful form of persuasion means that if you take and eat food from someone else, it is considered cute and harmless, when in fact, gluttony can lead to obesity, diabetes, and death. While Junior in the photo could be pondering the long term consequence of his poor decision, he is most likely trying to avoid detection from within the house. Based on his wide eyes and gaping mouth, the youngster probably sees somebody walking around inside or has just been caught.

This old-timey piece has a nostalgic effect on the reader as it brings him or her back to a simpler time in one’s childhood. It reminds the viewer how they used to steal the pies and other sweets their mother or grandmother would make. The wow-factor is that the ranch can evoke a similar sense of desire but in a much healthier fashion. That being said, the intended audience of the photo are parents with young kids who are picky-eaters.  Parents will assume that the sweet-tasting Ranch will entice their children to eat healthy greens that they would normally reject. These young parents would be from any socio-economic background due to the cheap pricing of ranch, but if I had to choose one, I would say middle-class because of the fifties middle-class layout of the house and small yard outside. The audience would most likely have to be aware and cultured of fifties lifestyle to grasp the nostalgic reference the ad is making.

Can't bury these tales: Canterbury Tales & Jane Eyre

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5. In the passage, Mr. Brocklehurst is mercilessly chastising little Julia Severn for having naturally curly hair while his wife and children are wearing false add-on curls to their own hair. The blatant irony somehow surpasses the “pious prick” (literally just came up with that) when he says that no girl should conform to nature, but rather to Mr. Brocklehurst’s own liking. He even goes as far as to say she must have her entire head shaved off. Yet a bald head will not allow poor Julia to have her hair “arranged closely, modestly, plainly.” The sheer hypocrisy of the notion iterates how society treats the upper class and lower class so differently.

Author Charlotte Brontë conveys that women of the upper class are allowed to express themselves with far more distinction than women of the lower class. Apparently, wearing curls is a sign of distinction, which is solely reserved for the wealthy folk. Mr. Brocklehurst, being a staunch follower of societal norms, tries using the Bible and Christianity as a means of justifying why curly haired Julia must be punished. The man even acknowledges the social status of the orphans by informing Miss Temple his “plan in bringing up these girls is, not to accustom them to habits of luxury and indulgence” (Brontë). He is saying that the girls were into poverty and must learn to live such a life, as if they are stuck in that class forever. Although Brocklehurst elaborates on the necessity to suffer through life just as Jesus and his disciples did, he doesn’t even notice the fallacy when his glamorously clad, curl toting girls walk through the door. The author makes light of the ironic situation when she says, “They ought to have come a little sooner to have heard his lecture on dress” (Brontë).

 During this time period, there was a wide disparity between social classes, especially since a large middle class had yet to be formed. Quite possibly, the orphanage owner could be afraid of some of the orphan girls competing in beauty with his own upper class family members. Not only would that be a huge embarrassment, but the parentless girls would have subtly been given the confidence and power needed to rebel and stir trouble in the establishment. In this sense, the orphans represent the lower class being pushed down and normalized by the jealous, fearful upperclassmen, represented by Mr. Bocklehurst and his family.

                                      

What's in a Name?

The name Patrick has always had various meanings and values to me. It’s a fairly unique name, so much so, that I had only known two other Patricks until going to Governor’s School. I met three there. (Coincidence? I think not!) To me, my name stands for everything I have ever done and will ever do. It is the signature to a life that only I have lived. On a wider scope, my name is what sets me apart from other people with other names. Whenever I asked my parents why they named me the way they did, they would reply by saying it was the only name they could both agree on and that it meant differently to each of them. My dad would say it’s been a name frequently used in the family, so he just wanted to uphold that tradition. My mother would just say it sounded "pretty".


After taking IB English 3, I've come to realize that having a name like Patrick definitely sets me in the realm of white privilege. I will never have to worry about being judged poorly prior to a job interview or meeting based on my name. With my white name, nobody would ever guess that I’m half Colombian and that I have a long line of Hispanic blood in my family. Odds are, I won’t be othered and I will be treated with respect unless I prove someone otherwise. It is unfortunate how racist our society still is today, but having a name like mine really helps me hurdle over obstacles that countless other ethnics must face daily.


My name has usually brought me many differing yet often intertwining identities. When I used to play baseball, I would just be one with the team. Each person had a specific role on the field that they were expected to fulfill. In that sense, some of our individuality was lost in the effort to make a stronger whole. In order to win, we had to think for ourselves yet communicate with each other and work together as a team. It was difficult to be both an individual and a team member at first (I’m talking about T-ball times, folks), but over the years, I managed to easily pull my weight as well as supporting and communicating seamlessly with others on the team. I’d like to note how I refrain from saying MY team, because it really isn't. It was OUR team because it wouldn’t have functioned or be the way it was without every single person doing their specified job every time we played. A team is just like a colony of ants– if every member works together on the same focus, they can carry out things they simply couldn’t do by themselves.



To be an individual in a larger whole means that you won’t often get recognized for what you do. Your and everybody else’s individual achievements are seen as the team’s achievements. Unless you really stand out positively (like the time I hit a game-winning triple) or negatively (like the time I gave away the game-losing walk) then the praise or criticism drops on the team and not the individual. In that sense, the team can act as a safety umbrella for all the individuals to fall under.

Post #1

Photographer Wing Huie took this seemingly ordinary picture of David and Lou in South Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2012. Upon first glance, you can see two adult men, one white and one black, casually sitting on a porch outside. It is clear that these two friends are wearing glasses and have similar facial hair. In addition to exhibiting similar poses, these two friends appear to not be too photogenic nor pleased with the photographer based on their facial expressions. Despite their lack of interest, they seem relaxed and content with where they are, solely based on their posture and residential location. Through the reflection in the window, you notice a short, wide building which is most likely a small office building. Paint is peeling off the railings and the house looks relatively small from what is seen in the photo. The windows are large and high, typically found on one-story homes.

The interracial "bromance" shown in the photo depicts the photographer’s interest in diversity among lower income communities. Both men, especially the one on the left, are casually dressed in what appears to be midday. This indicates that they either work part time or do any odd jobs available. Due to the clear paint peelings, one can assume they cannot afford to keep their humble abode in pristine condition. The piece presents an intriguing situation where two racially different men of different backgrounds come together to form an inseparable friendship of over seven years. These “brothers from another mother” don’t care about any racial barriers, and neither should the viewer.

Both Wing Young Huie and Margaret Atwood present “othering” in some shape or form within their works. In David and Lou, the two men are dressed in considerably different apparel and are of different races. This is enough to instill a sense of othering between the photo’s characters. Also, the pillar erected between the two men acts as a literal divider of the white man and the black man. The photographer purposefully took the photo at such an angle to make it easier for the reader to distinguish between the individuals.

In Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, “othering” is clearly seen in the social classes as well as gender. For example, each class has a designated color to wear and duty in society. The Bible is manipulated to support “othering” by defining the societal rules. Only a select few men of authority are allowed to read it, so no one can really disprove the gospel verses. Public information is highly filtered and censored by the government, so much so, that people in Gilead are completely unaware of the events and norms in other countries.