The Great Gatsby...and Hunger Games*?
* Well Sorta. (Its called a hook)
On NPR, there was this thing called, "Let's Rush to Judgement." Where they make assertions based on a fresh movie trailer. When the First "Hunger Games" Trailer came out, NPR's Linda Holmes dove into it, phrophesizing (based on first impressions) whether the movie would be good or not.
Often times in books, we read the first sentence and we have convulsions or we want to cringe. It is said 80% of what people think of you is based on first impressions. And often times, like an acquiantince, we discover the aesthetics--and literary style--go deeper then looks.
If any of you are bored enough, or watches trailers on Hulu, you would discover that there is a new Great Gatsby movie, fresh and hip (or what ever you hipsters say nowadays) movie coming out.
So. I want you to check out this video, right before watching the trailers. This video is a rather shocking video! I can understand if you all want to chicken out of it (if you can't tell, I was using reverse psychology and sarcasm).
* Well Sorta. (Its called a hook)
"Don't Judge a book by its cover" is a funny idiom, because we all do it; we all jump to random conclusions when we see boring prose or something we don't understand.
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| Don't Judge Me Bro! |
Often times in books, we read the first sentence and we have convulsions or we want to cringe. It is said 80% of what people think of you is based on first impressions. And often times, like an acquiantince, we discover the aesthetics--and literary style--go deeper then looks.
If any of you are bored enough, or watches trailers on Hulu, you would discover that there is a new Great Gatsby movie, fresh and hip (or what ever you hipsters say nowadays) movie coming out.
So. I want you to check out this video, right before watching the trailers. This video is a rather shocking video! I can understand if you all want to chicken out of it (if you can't tell, I was using reverse psychology and sarcasm).
Then notice the difference between each trailers of the Great Gatsby and how the directors cut-and-paste specific clips to get your attention--stimulating you in ways to make you want what they want you to want.
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| Cover |
| Alternate Cover |
Everyword, and image, whether in books or movies, is a move to stimulate you.
When you read the Great Gatsby or any other book, even boring, understand a message and feel for the aura of the book. What message is being portrayed through buzzwords or imagery? Then riff and build off that idea.
Some cool things to understand when you read and watch things...
- Don't judge based on first impressions (but remember how you feel originally about the book/movie in the beginning, then watch your opinion be changed or verified)
- Understand an idea is being impressed into you.
- Find what is communicating those ideas.
- Buzzwords
- Imagery
- Write 'em down.
Non Sequiter Section
Cool Bonus Video about not judging things on first impressions.
Start at 2:00.
-Luke A
Very interesting for us to consider all the messages coming at us all the time in the media...writing, commercials, songs, movies. We get so used to it that we become de-sensitized. As active readers, as scholars, we need to become sensitive to this input. Fitzgerald was writing in a time when he didn't have to contend with the visual media the way we do today, and yet he was very aware of what a visual impression could do for a reader/viewer. The original book cover, the blue one that you show on the right, was specifically commissioned by Fitsgerald to be the cover of The Great Gatsby. This says two things right away: one, he was trying to say something very particular with this image; and two, he already had enough pull at the publishing company to be able to dictate what the cover art would be...something few authors nowadays have the ability to do. What does that picture represent? Does it add to our understanding of the book? Does it conflict? Why was that piece of art so important to the story he was trying to tell? Was he ahead of his time for realizing the value of marrying visual with words?
ReplyDeletejust finished reading the great gatsby, i couldnt believe how Jay was killed by George
ReplyDeleteone essay down, one to go!
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