Film Critique: Smoke Signal

Catherine Louis-Charles

December 10, 2017

Professor Bomboy

HUM 101

Film Critique

Critique of Smoke Signals

I have chosen to critique the movie Smoke Signal written by Sherman Alexie and directed by Chris Eyre. This film was made to invalidate the image viewers have had of Native Americans through Hollywood or the Anglo-Americans. Smoke Signal inspects the essence of stereotypes of Native Americans in favored films by solemnly taxing them and making fun of the stereotypes through parables and oral storytelling traditions. What makes the movie stands out for me is the fact that the characters where played by Native American actors.  

The two main characters in the film demonstrate the peace that can be found in forgiveness.  The movie has many characters and many messages. The main message of this movie is about forgiveness. The film follows the two main characters Victor Joseph and Thomas Build-the-Fire from the Coeur d’Alene Indian reservation in Oregon as they travel to Phoenix, Arizona to retrieve the ashes and belongings of Victor’s father who had passed away.

            Years earlier, Arnold Joseph (Victor’s dad), had unintentionally set fire to Thomas’s parent’s home during a 4th of July party.  He managed to save both Thomas and his son Victor when they were just babies. The flash back scene of his father driving away was heartbreaking as the young victor chased the old truck begging his dad not to leave. Victor grew to resent his father for being an abusive alcoholic and for abandoning him and his mom. Thomas offered to financially help Victor get to phoenix, if Victor allows him to accompany him. As they journey to Phoenix, Thomas helps Victor comes to terms with his father’s memories and he later forgave his father Arnold.  

There are many quotes that shows Thomas’ quirky sense of humor as he dishes out life lessons and forgiveness through story telling. Thomas and Victor deal with losses in different ways.  Victor’s is stoicism and denial, and Thomas through mysticism and legend.  In the beginning of the movie Thomas quotes “you know, some children aren’t children at all. They are just pillars of flames that burns everything they touch. And there are some children who are pillars of ash and falls apart when you touch them.  Me and Victor, we were children of flame and ash”. My take on that quote is that “flames” and “ash” represent the characters personalities. Victor is volatile and ready to erupt at any moment because he is so full of anger; anger that has been pent up since his father left him at a very young age. “Ash” is the product of a flame. Ash represents Thomas who has survived a fire at a young age and grew up looking at life and making the best of it. Victor’s father Arnold was a flame who became an ash when he came to terms with his alcoholism and mistakes.

            Though Victor pokes fun and ridiculed Thomas for the way he is and the things he says, Thomas never cease his incessant chatter regarding Arnold Joseph (Victor’s dad). Both men have very different views on the character Arnold Joseph. Victor remembers his dad as an occasional abusive alcoholic, and the man who abandoned him and his mom. Thomas chose to exaggerate the memory of the man who saved him from a fiery death years earlier as a hero. Thomas tell many tall tales about Arnold’s prowess and undertaken. Thomas’ stories are a constant irritant to Victor. For instance, the scene where the two young men were trying to hustle a ride from two Native American girls who were in a car that could only be driven backwards and one of the young ladies ask for a story and Thomas obliges “Back then Arnold Joseph was a hippy- but that was okay because most hippies were tryin' to be Indians anyways... and he stood there with peace signs splashed across his face like war paint... and the sign beside him said 'make love not war' just as he proceeded to beat the fucking shit out of a national guard officer... they charged him with attempted manslaughter, then they plea bargained it down to assault and battery and then they plea bargained it down to being Indian in the 21st century”. Thomas places Arnold in a brave light.  Another time in the movie he states “Hey Victor! I remember the time your father took me to Denny's. It was afternoon you know. But I still had the Grand Slam Breakfast. Two eggs, two sausages, two pieces of bacon, and two pancakes. And some juice. And milk. Some days, it's a good day to die. And some days, it's a good day to have breakfast.” Here Thomas seems to be saying that life can be good at times.  Enjoy it when you have it, as in eating a bountiful breakfast.  In other words, enjoy life to the fullest.

Life on the reservation seems bleak, confound with hopelessness, and very dull.  On one scene, for example, where the character Lester Fallsapart is giving the traffic report while sitting on top of a broken-down van in the middle of a silent intersection, and in the background, the landscape consists of rugged mountains with miserable tumbledown houses and meager general stores. The scene captured life on the reservation. Though, they are not living the “American dream”, we can still sense the peace and humor that fills their daily lives. 

The character Thomas Build-the-Fire is a visionary and a story teller. He seems to have accepted his lot in life.  One can sense his contagious internal peace that exudes out of him and infects others around him. On the bus ride to Arizona, Victor tried to help Thomas become more “Indian” by telling him to let his hair loose “because Indians are nothing without their hair”, then he told him he must smile less and look stoic because “white people will walk all over you if you don’t look angry”.  Thomas tried Victor’s ideas and changed his outside appearance to appease Victor.  But what Victor realizes and so does the audience, is that Thomas is the epitome of what an “Indian” was and is.  Unlike other movies that stereotyped Native Americans as stoic, intimidating, and savages, this film shows the Natives in a different light.  They maybe westernized, and white-washed but “Indians” they are nonetheless, especially Thomas Build-the-Fire. Through his story telling, Thomas imparts some great wisdom to Victor and the audience.

            At the end of the film, Victor was able set his dad free by releasing his ashes into the wind and returned home to his mom a happier person.  Victor did finally let go of his lifelong hate for his father. He begins to see his father in a different light and laid down his hatred and anger and allow forgiveness to bring him internal peace. He also conquered the grudge he had for Thomas.  Victor saw the wisdom that flows from Thomas, and knew it was real. As the movie came to its final scene, we see rushing waters and flowing creeks and Thomas’ voice recites a Poem written by Dick Lourie and it goes like this “How do we forgive our fathers? Maybe in a dream. Do we forgive our fathers for leaving us too often, or forever, when we were little? Maybe for scaring us with unexpected rage, or making us nervous because there never seemed to be any rage there at all? Do we forgive our fathers for marrying, or not marrying, our mothers? Or divorcing, or not divorcing, our mothers? And shall we forgive them for their excesses of warmth or coldness? Shall we forgive them for pushing, or leaning? For shutting doors or speaking through walls? For never speaking, or never being silent? Do we forgive our fathers in our age, or in theirs? Or in their deaths, saying it to them or not saying it. If we forgive our fathers, what is left?”  This poem seems a very appropriate way to end the film. 

  

Works Cited

Smoke Signals. Dir. Chris Eyre. Alliance Films Inc., 1998. Film.

Painting 1500-1900: Banishment

Catherine Louis-Charles

November 5, 2017

Professor Bomboy

HUM 101

Painting 1500-1900

Banishment

Narrative paintings are paintings that tell a story of an event or a tidbit of a story as it develops.  History have proven that many stories were told through pictures such as paintings, murals, and cave drawings. As painting evolved, style and techniques have also evolved.  One of the styles that really brings a subject to life and creates movement for great story telling is the baroque style of painting. There were many artists of the baroque period which dated from the 1500 to the mid-1700. One of these artists was Giovanni Francesco Barbieri. Barbieri is best known as Guercino. Guercino is Italian for a squinter, he was called that because was affected with strabismus. He was an Italian Baroque painter from the Emilia region of Italy. One art work of Barbieri that claimed my attention is called “Abraham casting out Hagar and Ishmael”. The art work was commissioned by the Cento Community in 1657 as a gift for Lorenzo Imperiali, the cardinal legate of Ferrara. Baroque art was embraced by the catholic church because they wanted art to show faithful subject matters with undeviating and passionate attachment. “Baroque artists worked to increase the dramatic expressiveness of religious subject matter in order to give viewers the sense that they were participating in the action of the scene”. (Fiero 47)

Barbieri depiction of one of the episodes of the old Testament was well executed. He captured so many emotions and feelings of that one verse. Looking at the painting, I noticed more soft lines then sharp ones. The softer lines define the naturalness of the subjects’ skins, especially Abraham’s raised hand.  The lighter painted background not only helps to enhance the subject matter, it also helps to maintain the contrast of light and dark which shows the painting in an almost three dementional effect. The shapes are mostly round and  wavy. The positions of the figures in which the artist uses to stage the subject matter keep viewers fascinated. The contrast of colors, light and dark was well executed. The darkness enhances the folds on the garments of the figures and creates shadows that contributes to the somber mood of the painting. The lighter background enhances the figures and bring the focus to the emotions emanating from the subjects. The warm earth tone colors seem to soften the ripples of the garments creating a more realistic and natural effect. The dark colors separate the difference of the garments and the darkness on the pillar creates a sense of depth.

Looking at the painting and knowing the verse on which this painting was generated, I can’t help but feel sad and sorry at the same time. “And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away”, (Genesis 21:14 KJB) Barbieri’s work explored the human emotional side of the story through each subject’s point of view. The image of the woman consoling the crying young boy evokes feelings of strong sorrow and desolation. The woman’s eyes and facial expression appears powerless and submissive. Her appearance is a bit dishevel, her hair and garment are unruly. Her gaze seems intent yet heartbroken. Barbieri depicts the inferior standing of women during biblical time. Not that women had much freedom during the artist’s own era either. What strikes me the most is the well-groomed woman on the left of the painting. Her back is partly visible along with a view of the right side of her face as she seems to be listening in on the conversation between the other two subjects. Her face seems frigid. The male figure face is warned out. He seems haggard from worrying. The man’s attire, head dress and his authoritative stance shows a sense of dominance in the situation or relationship towards the other subjects. But it also seems the woman behind him is pulling the strings.  Her stance seems to evoke great assertiveness. The man’s raised hand appears to be an indication of rejection or the establishment of a final edict. The male subject face is creased at the forehead and the direct eye contact with the female figure on the right seems to express regret and sorrow for the decision that must be made.

There is a very interesting story behind this painting.  In the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, the patriarch Abraham was married to Sarah who couldn’t have children.  In their old age, Sarah decided to give him an heir by sending one of her maids, Hagar to sleep with Abraham. Though Abraham refused and wanted to wait on God’s promise to give him many children, Sarah insisted and eventually, he sleeps with Hagar who then gave birth to a son he named Ishmael. Abraham loved his son Ishmael. Later, when God blessed Sarah with her own son, she didn’t want the older son Ishmael receiving the inheritance that was rightly belongs to her son. Sarah command Abraham to send Hagar the slave woman and her son Ishmael away. To Abraham’s distress and unwillingness, he went ahead and sent Hagar and Ishmael away to the desert.  The artist executed the moment very well. 

As I looked at the painting, I felt like I was present for the conversation in the painting. I couldn’t help thinking, how it would feel like to be cast out by the father of your child? How horrible to have to cast your beloved child far from you to keep the peace in your family? How do you push your husband to sleep with another to save face and eventually hurting a child and a devoted servant? The painting aroused those thoughts in me which evoked feelings of sadness and some feminist rage. I want to cry injustice and oppression simultaneously for both Sarah and Hagar. Mostly Hagar.  Both women had to do what it takes to survive the societal norm of their times. Sarah’s decisions were based on the societal expectations and poor Hagar just had no choice because of her position in life. All in all, the painting was well done. Barbieri captured the essence of the episode of the unfolding story from the book of Genesis with delicate yet bold strokes of his paint brush.  He set out to involve the imagination and succeeded.

Works Cited

“BibleGateway.” Genesis 21:14 KJV - - Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/passage
Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 7^th ed. Vol. 1. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015. 
                Print.

“Il Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri): Abraham Casting Out Hagar and Ishmael.” 

ArtBible.info, www.artbible.info/art/large/82.html.

Non-Western Art Critique: Temple god

Catherine Louis-Charles

October 7, 2017

Professor Bomboy

HUM 101

Non-Western Art Critique

                                                               Temple god

          Artwork comes in so many different forms, colors and varies from country to country and from culture to culture. It represents different meanings that are unique to the region of their origins. Many religions use art to represent their beliefs. The representations are presented in the form of statues, murals and paintings. Same can be said for most of the many religions of India.  One of the many religions, is call Hindu. Hindus worship numerous deities. The religion has no historical founder that can be pin pointed to date. The most prominent deities from some of their scriptures are: Brahma the creator of the world, Vishnu the preserver of the world, and Shiva or Siva the destroyer of the world. In a temple (Vedaranyeswarar temple) that is dedicated to lord Shiva in a town call Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu, India, resides an ancient wall painting of the three eyed and four armed Hindu god Shiva balancing on one leg on top of an adversary. The fresco is called “Lord Siva as Kala Samhara moorthy”.

 The earliest ancient paintings of Hindu gods are found on cave walls at Ajanta  in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state of India, and in many temple walls in Kerala which is located on the south-west coast of India.  Most of these paintings date back as early as the 2^nd century BCE to as late as the 19^th century BCE. Most likely, the “Lord Siva as Kala Samhara moorthy” painting was produced between the 15^th and the 19^th century. “The traditional mural paintings of Kerala are a fine art of skill and creative excellence. Most of the noted mural works of Kerala were done between the 15th and 19th centuries. They bear a stamp of uniqueness in techniques used and aesthetics” (Kerala 2017).

           Though the painting has faded from the ravages of time, it still possesses some of the vibrant yet warm colors and depth it once radiated. The back ground has lost its luster and the white of the plaster is abundantly visible. The use of natural pigments and vegetable colors applied on dry plaster was the traditional style in which this artwork was executed. The fact that it was done on dry plaster one can imagine the texture to be rough but the fresco appears soft because of the warmness of the colors. The union of flowing lines and the use of proper colors gives the fresco a sublime appearance. The curvy dark lines present a sense of movement of the subject.  The deep rich color of Shiva’s skin pops due to the lighter background color. The images are well adorned with gold on their limbs as well as on their heads and on their attires. There is unity in this fresco because the gods were fashioned in a spirited expression fitting of their divinity. The use of the white streaks on the turquoise top of Shiva seems to make it shimmer. The adversary Yama is painted in a deep indigo blue and the details of his facial features are not as visible as Shiva’s. The expression on Shiva’s face exudes malice and terror. The color use on his eyes makes them stand out against the warm color of his face. The fresco conveys a god who takes pleasure in inflicting pain to those who crosses him. The subject appears to be in a dance pose a top his foe as is one of the Hindu mantras of the dancing Shiva. 

The story behind this painting is as mythological as some of the most bizarre myths from the ancient Greeks. The ancient fresco tells the story of a couple who were strong devotees of Shiva and were blessed by the god with a gifted child, a boy. The child was to live until the age of sixteen.  The boy grew to be a very strong sage of Shiva’s. The boy knew of his short life. One day on the sixteen year the boy was meditating and praying to Shiva. When suddenly, the god of death (Yama) came to collect his soul. For his time has come. As Yama threw the lasso to extract the boy’s soul from his body, the lasso simultaneously went around the boy and the shrine of Shiva. Shiva immediately came to life and was very angry with Yama and pierce him with his trident and killed death.  The other gods stepped down from heaven and pleaded with Shiva to understand the mistake of having death dead. It would mean an imbalance on earth if death isn’t around to do his job. A pacified Shiva brought death back to life with the condition that the boy would never die or age. He is to roam the earth forever doing as he pleases. The fresco painting on the temple wall portrays how powerful Shiva is because Shiva conquered death. The Hindus embrace stories such as this and worship at Shiva’s temples to gain blessings from the god. “Followers of Lord Shiva consider that this powerful mantra evokes the Shiva within human beings and removes the fear of death, liberating one from Samsara – the cycle of death and rebirth, hence the name “Great Death-conquering Mantra” (Awakening state, 2017)

          Though the story behind the fresco is interesting as most myths are, I find the fresco itself, a bit strange if not scary.  I’m certain my reaction has something to do with my Christian influences but the subject matter is creepy to me. The technique and the vibrant beautiful colors do not escape my sense of admiration for such raw talent.  I appreciate the conditions and the effort that went into producing such great art work. The disturbing three eyed and four-armed figure makes for a horrific nightmare. It just goes to show that cultures do play a major role in art and its interpretation. 

         

Works Cited

Limited, Alamy. “Stock Photo - Lord Siva as Kala Samharamvrthy Wall Painting in Vedapureeswarar Temple at Vedaranyam ; Tamil Nadu ; India.” Alamy, www.alamy.com/stock-photo-lord-siva-as-kala-samharamvrthy-wall-painting-in-vedapureeswarar-temple-43166386.html.

“Om Tryambakam Yajamahe - Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra Meaning.” Awakening State, 10 Jan. 2017, www.awakeningstate.com/spiritual-awakening/om-tryambakam-yajamahe-maha-mrityunjaya/.

 “The tradition of Mural paintings in Kerala.” Kerala Tourism, www.keralatourism.org/kerala-article/mural-paintings-kerala/549

  Lord Siva as Kala Samharamvrthy 16th century wall paintings in Vedapureeswarar temple at Vedaranyam ; Tamil Nadu ; India

Classical Architecture Critique: A Gem From Antiquity In Carlisle

Catherine Louis-Charles

Professor Bomboy

Modern Culture and the Arts

September 17, 2017

A gem from antiquity in Carlisle

     Carlisle Pennsylvania may be a far cry from being a booming city or a Greek metropolis, but as one can see in the downtown section the architectural influences of the classical Greek order are present in many governmental, religious and educational buildings. Though many of the ancient Greek buildings have long succumbed to the elements or destroyed due to humans wants, its legacy lives on and can be seen all over the world. “The classical conception of beauty has had a profound influence on Western cultural expression” (Fiero 114). It is evident the ancient Greek building styles have a long reach across the world. One of the apparent use of the classical orders is found on the entrance of the east wing of the Bosler Memorial library. 

     The Library is located on High street, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. As the name states, it is still a functioning library presently. The whole library was renovated in 2015 to maintain its longevity, it’s current function and the legacy of J. Herman Bosler, who was a prominent businessman in Carlisle. The building was designed by a well-known Victorian architect name E. Francis Baldwin. “Baldwin is known as an architect of more than 50 stations of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, as well as dozens of churches and other structures for the catholic church” (Lear). Baldwin designed the library in a colonial style and enhanced the entrance with the façade from the Ionic order, which is one of the architectural designs established by the ancient Greeks. “The exterior with its pediment, columns, and symmetry, seems to reference classical design” (Lear14).

     At first glance of the front of the building, one can note that the ionic order was well executed.  Standing on the street in front of the building the four ionic columns stands remarkably majestic amidst all the colonial buildings. The ionic columns at the entrance are typically slender. “The ionic order has a base of the Asiatic or Attic type (the latter being favored by the Romans) and the shaft is more slender in proportion than in the Doric order” (Encyclopedia.com). The bases of each column contains two round rings and each sit on a large square foundation called a stylobate.  As the eyes is drawn up the columns, the grooves and line (fillet and flute) that runs vertically along the shafts are well define and proportioned correctly.

     At the top of the shafts is where the echinus’ accommodate the well carved four sided volutes.  The spiral shells on each side gives a full symmetrical effect to the façade.  The Architrave is the structure that supports the frieze, the pediment, and the cornice, that connects the four columns as it rests on the platform which is called the abacus.  The Frieze which lays on top of the architrave doesn’t boast much as in adornments such as seen in other similar buildings, it simply has the words “The J-Herman Bosler-Memorial” carved on to it. 

     As the eyes travels up the rest of the entablature the dentils are well defined and are carved not only on the cornice board of the entablature but also along the edges of the cornice board of the building and around the its pediment. The pediment of the building is well put together with the detail carvings of architectural adornments that has stand the test of time. 

     Though the building is mostly colonial in style with its huge stained glass and vaulted ceiling, the architect managed to flawlessly combined the two styles. Baldwin may have decided to create a classical approach for the library from the railroad stations he was accustom to designing. The building seems to convey a message of its practicality of a library and of an architectural treasure.  Without the Classical Greek order the building would have appeared simple and blend in with everything else around it. The ionic order enhances not only the entrance but the whole façade, making the library stand out and be noticed.  It’s Greek entry way lends credence to its usefulness. We may never know why Baldwin chose to incorporate the Classic Greek design into this specific project but walking up the steps to the entrance, one can’t help but be impressed and a bit amazed at the execution of his design. The building is well preserved and well used. It will be around for generations to come.

Works Cited

Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 7^th ed. Vol. 1. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015. Print.

"Ionic Order." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. . Encyclopedia.com. 15 Sep. 2017 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

Lear, Bernadette. “In Search of Pennsylvania Library History.” A railroad architect builds a library: E. Francis Baldwin and the Bosler Memorial Library of Carlisle, 5 Mar. 2015, palibhist.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-railroad-architect-builds-library-e.html. Accessed 15 Sept. 2017.