"The Hound of the Baskervilles," starring Basil Rathbone from 1939, starts out with Sir Charles Baskerville, running through the moor, tripping, as a dog howls. A bearded man tries to take his pocket watch, but runs. Dr. Mortimer concludes Sir Charles "was in a nervous state," "no marks on the body," and died of "heart failure." Mr. Frankland interrupts twice, saying Charles "was murdered." Watson reads a newspaper article, talking about Sir Henry coming from Canada, as heir to Charles. Holmes and Watson studied Dr. Mortimer's cane inscription and its bite marks. Dr. Mortimer reveals the hound footprints near the body and reads the legend of the Hound of Baskervilles, in which each heir has died from a dog. Mortimer tells Holmes, his dog is dead. Dr. Mortimer picks Henry. As they travel, a brick is thrown through the carriage window, saying, "As you value your life or reason, keep away from the moors." Henry tells them his new boots were stolen from his room. Holmes stops a shooter, aiming at Henry. A old boot shows up at Henry's door. Watson and Henry head to Baskerville Hall. Dr. Mortimer and Watson chase a prowler in the moors, where the bearded man throws a rock at them. Henry is saved by Beryl Stapleton while walking. Henry has dinner with his neighbors. Mr. Frankland calls Mr. Stapleton a "grave robber," as he saw him removing a skull from the moors. Mrs. Berryman holds a séance at the party and they hear howling. Beryl and Henry take a walk and he proposes to her. Watson, Beryl, and Henry are approached by a bearded salesman. Watson receives a note asking him to meet him in the moors. The salesman reveals he is Holmes. They find the bearded man dead, wearing Henry's clothes. Mrs. Barrymore reveals he was her convict brother. Holmes and Watson pretend to leave for London. Mr. Stapleton throws a goodbye party for his sister and Henry. Stapleton has Henry's boot and lets out the hound. The hound attacks Henry and Holmes shoots at the dog. Holmes chases Stapleton, with Stapleton tricking Watson to leave. Holmes knocks the medication out of Henry's hand, that Stapleton has given him. Holmes reveals Stapleton found out he was the secret "next of kin" to the fortune. Stapleton runs with is gun and knocks over Watson. Holmes has the house surrounded by police to capture him.
I watched the film, "The Hound of the Baskervilles," starring Basil Rathbone from 1939. I saw the film a year ago, after I read the novel for the first time, so it was just as good the second time around. I would give the movie three out of four stars. I thought the film wrapped up the plot faster than book, which was a relief. I like how they showed us what happened, such as Charles's death, instead of just telling us the details through Watson's letters and Holmes's interviews of Laura, Mortimer, the Stapletons. and the Barrymores. I liked the addition of the Barrymore's séance at the dinner party, because I felt it gave an added creepy effect to the plot with the howling in the middle of it. The séance seemed to fit in well with the mysterious moors. The special effects in the film could have been better. My only problem with the film, was that the moors were too dark and looked like a screen, which made it impossible to identify the people constantly running through it. The moors could have used some glowing colors, from the hound and the moon, but since the movie was made in 1939, I guess that wasn't possible. The hound should have been bigger and more terrifying, like he glows in the book, while in the shadows of the creepy moor, causing someone to be scared and run away from the dog. I think making Beryl, Stapleton's actual sister, instead of his secret wife, made her romance with Henry seem more genuine. I thought the last line from the movie, after Holmes had solved the case, was pretty funny ending and a nice bonus. Holmes says, "Oh, Watson - the needle!," as he going to bed, which is typical of Holmes.
The novel, "Hound of the Baskervilles," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle starts with Watson inspecting Dr. Mortimer's cane. Watson believes the inscription, "C.C.H." is a hunt while Holmes believes it is the hospital. Mortimer asks to touch Holmes' head, as he admires his skull. Mortimer tells them about the curse of the Baskervilles. Hugo kidnapped the Yeoman's daughter and locker her in Baskerville Hall. The daughter escaped by climbing down the ivory. Hugo gives the hounds her scent and they follow her, to where they find her dead body. Holmes dismisses the legend as a "fairy tale." Mortimer tells them of Sir Charles, who was recently found dead. He believes Charles was running from something and there were footprints of a hound near the body. Mortimer tells them Sir Henry, visiting from Canada, is arriving as the next of kin. Holmes and Watson meet them at the Northumberland Hotel. Henry receives a telegram, saying, "As you value your life or reason, keep away from the moors" and one of his brown boots was stolen. They track down the cabby who drove the thief, and the man told him, he was "Sherlock Holmes." Holmes say to Watson, "This time we have got a foeman who is worthy of our steel." Watson goes with them to Baskerville Hall. They are warned that "Selden, the Notting Hill murderer" has escaped. Watson meets Mr. Stapleton, who warns him of a bog-hole and they hear howling. Beryl Stapleton mistakes Watson for Henry and tells him to "go straight back to London, instantly." Watson begins writing letters to Holmes, recapturing the events of his stay. He tells him of meeting Mr. Frankland, who spies on the moors with his telescope, and meeting the Barrymores. Henry proposes to Beryl, with Stapleton interrupting them. Watson writes of Barrymore signaling someone with a candle and Mrs. Barrymore tells Henry and Watson, Selden is her brother. Watson discovers Charles was leaving to meet a woman named Laura Lyons, the daughter of Frankland. Watson sees Holmes in his disguise through Frankland's telescope, and Holmes reveals himself. They find Selden, dead in the moor, wearing Henry's clothes. Holmes tells Laura, Beryl is really Stapleton's wife, not his sister. Laura tells them she was engaged to Stapleton and Charles was helping her with her divorce. Stapleton is the culprit, who sends his hound after Henry and Holmes shoots the dog, killing it.
The film and novel versions of "Hound of the Baskervilles" are similar in plot, but different in the details, clues, and scenes. I thought the film wrapped up the plot in a fast manner as the book goes on and on. In the film, they begin with Sir Charles running, while the book starts with Watson inspecting Mortimer's cane. There is no coroner's meeting in the book like there is in the film. In the book, Watson plays with Dr. Mortimer's spaniel while traveling to Baskerville Hall, while in the film, Mortimer tells them his dog, who made the marks on his cane, is dead. In the book, they are warned by police about the convict, while in the film, we just see him in the moor and don't know until Holmes tells the Barrymores he is dead, that he was an escaped convict. In the book, Watson meets the Stapletons first, where as in the film, Henry meets them first. In the film, the Stapletons are really brother and sister, where as in the book they are actually husband and wife pretending to be siblings. In the film, Mr. Stapleton isn't as controlling over his sister as he is the book, and even throws Henry and Beryl a goodbye party, where as in the book, he is upset over their engagement. In the film, Beryl warns Henry of the bog-hole in the moor, where as in the book, Mr. Stapleton warns Watson of it. There is no séance or dinner parties in the book, like there is in the film. There is no mention of Laura Lyons in the film, who plays an important role in the book, as the person Charles was going to meet, the night of his death. In the film, there is no mention of Frankland's telescope, through which Watson sees Holmes in his disguise. The film has Holmes sending Watson a note, asking him to meet him in the moor.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Philosophy and Ethics
I wasn't familiar with the writings of Wallace Stegner, John Hay, or Lewis Thomas. In Wallace Stegner's introduction, little is revealed about his childhood as his introduction is only one paragraph, so that wasn't enough to get a good reading of Stegner's character. Stegner was an "English Professor and Director of the writing program" at Stanford University, which is interesting. His writing subjects were "pioneers, mountain men, and settlers" and his themes were about "Western identity," which are relatable subjects for someone who lives in Utah. Stegner wrote while asking questions "while looking at landscapes," which I'm sure is what a lot of writers do in order to have a unique experience. In Lewis Thomas' introduction, we find out he was a doctor like his dad in New York, and was the president of "The Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center," which makes a pretty impressive expert on nature and how cancer develops out of cells. Thomas won a National Book Award for his collection of essays on cells, which is an impressive accomplishment. He wrote about "the biology of cells, as well as "compassion and concern for the earth and its creatures," which were related to his career. Thomas's writings on his subjects were humorous, optimistic, taking "challenging ecological positions," and "accessible," which is good because a lot of people don't understand tough medical terminology. They call him, "one of the most innovative and important writers in the field," which is a pretty remarkable honor. In John Hay's introduction, we find out his center for writing is Cape Cod, which he first came to in 1942 "to study with poet Conrad Aiken." He wrote about "migration, global connections, landscape potential, Maine, New Hampshire, Greenland, Coast Rica, and the inner and outer environments of humans and other lives." I wondered how the other places matched up to Cape Cod.
In "Glen Canyon Submersus," Wallace Stegner writes about Glen Canyon, before they closed the dam in 1963, and it became known as Lake Powell. The Glen Canyon he remembers, was full of animals, silence, rubber rafts. The canyon which was "a great recreational resource," is now dwindling down to nothing, nature wise, thanks to human interference. Stegner is sad to see that the Lake Powell after the dam closed has no wildlife "on the main lake," and has noisy "power boats and water skiers." In "Coda: Wilderness Letter," Wallace Stegner writes a letter to David E. Pesonen about "wilderness preservation" in 1960. He quotes Charles Darwin, Sherwood Anderson, Mark Twain in his argument. He says our current way of life, cutting down trees, our machinery, and not recycling our used goods, "threatens now to become the Frankenstein that will destroy us." Stegner reveals he grew up in Montana and Utah, which wasn't mention in his introduction. In "Death in the Open" Thomas writes about "animals dead on the highway". He also talks about cells multiplication, and how they vanish "into their own progeny." He tells us elephants carry the dead carcass of a fellow elephant to a proper burial place. He puts things in perspective by saying, "there are 3 billion of us on the earth and all 3 billion must be dead, on a schedule within this lifetime." In "The Common Night," John Hay describing an experience during an evening with nature. He writes about the hatching of herring. Hay watches the gulls and heron waiting for the tide at Paine's creek one night "in the middle of May," so they could catch fish. He also saw a "ghostly green eel" in the seaweed. He also sees fisherman as he is walking back, "without much hope of a strike."
In "Glen Canyon Submersus," Wallace Stegner writes, "they have diminished [the canyon], they haven't utterly ruined it. It isn't Glen Canyon, but it is something in itself," making me glad to see there is still something worth visiting. Stegner writes about his feeling of seeing the Lake Powell as feeling, "even in my exhilaration, with the consciousness of loss. In gaining the lovely and the usable, we have given up the incomparable," arguing for no human interference of nature and how it is supposed to be left. In "Coda: Wilderness Letter," Wallace Stegner writes his main argument for nature, saying, "Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into comic books and plastic cigarette cases; if we drive the few remaining members of the wild species into zoos or to extinction; if we pollute the last clear air and dirty the last clear streams and pus our paved roads through the last of the silence, so that never again will Americans be free in their own country from the noise, the exhausts, the stinks of human and automotive waste." These sad events will destroy our humanity and our souls if we use and abuse nature until it is gone. In "Death in the Open" Thomas writes, death "is a natural marvel. All of the life of the earth dies, all of the time, in the same volume as the new life dazzles us each morning, each spring" which is his main point of his essay. In "The Common Night," John Hay asks, "Who will see more than that is his short life, with its many meetings and separations?," urging us to take some time to appreciate what nature does when we are busy.
I have never been to Lake Powell, but I know some people who have a house boat down there. I usually drive through Saint George when I am travelling down in Southern Utah. I have been to Moab, but it's been seventeen years. When I was there, I did go river rafting like Stegner did in Glen Canyon. It's always refreshing to read essays and stories about something so close to our hometowns and feel inspired to travel close to home to see what Wallace Stegner was talking about. While reading "Glen Canyon Submersus," I felt Wallace Stegner gave enough description that I could picture it, before and after the dam closed. Stegner mentions the Hole in the Rock pioneers of 1880 and I know a little about them, having just read a historical fiction book about them, called "Fire of the Covenant" by Gerald Lund. Thomas tells us in "Death in the Open," that Elephants carry the dead carcass of a fellow elephant to a proper burial place, which I thought was really interesting to have a species who takes care of their own like humans do. I used to live up by highway 89 in Layton, and one day when I got off the bus, there was a dead deer lying next to the sign. It's a pretty somber experience to have and know something that used to breathe, has ceased to exist in a short amount of time. I also realize death is a part of life, since I have had twelve family members and three friends die in the past nineteen years. I had to look up the "Alewives," because I had never heard of the type of herring before. I agree with John Hay's wanting to experience nature in the dark, can be as awarding as in the daytime.
In "Glen Canyon Submersus," Wallace Stegner writes about Glen Canyon, before they closed the dam in 1963, and it became known as Lake Powell. The Glen Canyon he remembers, was full of animals, silence, rubber rafts. The canyon which was "a great recreational resource," is now dwindling down to nothing, nature wise, thanks to human interference. Stegner is sad to see that the Lake Powell after the dam closed has no wildlife "on the main lake," and has noisy "power boats and water skiers." In "Coda: Wilderness Letter," Wallace Stegner writes a letter to David E. Pesonen about "wilderness preservation" in 1960. He quotes Charles Darwin, Sherwood Anderson, Mark Twain in his argument. He says our current way of life, cutting down trees, our machinery, and not recycling our used goods, "threatens now to become the Frankenstein that will destroy us." Stegner reveals he grew up in Montana and Utah, which wasn't mention in his introduction. In "Death in the Open" Thomas writes about "animals dead on the highway". He also talks about cells multiplication, and how they vanish "into their own progeny." He tells us elephants carry the dead carcass of a fellow elephant to a proper burial place. He puts things in perspective by saying, "there are 3 billion of us on the earth and all 3 billion must be dead, on a schedule within this lifetime." In "The Common Night," John Hay describing an experience during an evening with nature. He writes about the hatching of herring. Hay watches the gulls and heron waiting for the tide at Paine's creek one night "in the middle of May," so they could catch fish. He also saw a "ghostly green eel" in the seaweed. He also sees fisherman as he is walking back, "without much hope of a strike."
In "Glen Canyon Submersus," Wallace Stegner writes, "they have diminished [the canyon], they haven't utterly ruined it. It isn't Glen Canyon, but it is something in itself," making me glad to see there is still something worth visiting. Stegner writes about his feeling of seeing the Lake Powell as feeling, "even in my exhilaration, with the consciousness of loss. In gaining the lovely and the usable, we have given up the incomparable," arguing for no human interference of nature and how it is supposed to be left. In "Coda: Wilderness Letter," Wallace Stegner writes his main argument for nature, saying, "Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into comic books and plastic cigarette cases; if we drive the few remaining members of the wild species into zoos or to extinction; if we pollute the last clear air and dirty the last clear streams and pus our paved roads through the last of the silence, so that never again will Americans be free in their own country from the noise, the exhausts, the stinks of human and automotive waste." These sad events will destroy our humanity and our souls if we use and abuse nature until it is gone. In "Death in the Open" Thomas writes, death "is a natural marvel. All of the life of the earth dies, all of the time, in the same volume as the new life dazzles us each morning, each spring" which is his main point of his essay. In "The Common Night," John Hay asks, "Who will see more than that is his short life, with its many meetings and separations?," urging us to take some time to appreciate what nature does when we are busy.
I have never been to Lake Powell, but I know some people who have a house boat down there. I usually drive through Saint George when I am travelling down in Southern Utah. I have been to Moab, but it's been seventeen years. When I was there, I did go river rafting like Stegner did in Glen Canyon. It's always refreshing to read essays and stories about something so close to our hometowns and feel inspired to travel close to home to see what Wallace Stegner was talking about. While reading "Glen Canyon Submersus," I felt Wallace Stegner gave enough description that I could picture it, before and after the dam closed. Stegner mentions the Hole in the Rock pioneers of 1880 and I know a little about them, having just read a historical fiction book about them, called "Fire of the Covenant" by Gerald Lund. Thomas tells us in "Death in the Open," that Elephants carry the dead carcass of a fellow elephant to a proper burial place, which I thought was really interesting to have a species who takes care of their own like humans do. I used to live up by highway 89 in Layton, and one day when I got off the bus, there was a dead deer lying next to the sign. It's a pretty somber experience to have and know something that used to breathe, has ceased to exist in a short amount of time. I also realize death is a part of life, since I have had twelve family members and three friends die in the past nineteen years. I had to look up the "Alewives," because I had never heard of the type of herring before. I agree with John Hay's wanting to experience nature in the dark, can be as awarding as in the daytime.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Decorations, Cats, and Heritage Days
I have watched the movies, Charlie St. Cloud, The Dying Detective , and Little Fockers.
I read The Adventure of the Dying Detective by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I read Rain and Rhinoceros by Thomas Merton, Of Red Tailed Hawks by Ann Haymond Zwinger, The Tree Where Man was Born by Matthiessen, and The Clan of One-Breasted Women by Terry Tempest Williams for Literature of the Natural World.
On Thursday, Shadow woke me up at 4:30 last Thursday morning, knocking my nail clippers into my garbage can. I ran and walked while Mom drove her scooter from Target down to Barnes and Noble, which she really enjoyed. She bought some hibiscus dishes and I got some new jeans.
On Saturday, I painted my dad's mickey garden statue and repainted my mom's outdoor bear that had to be sprayed, because the paint had come off due to the weather. We watched the Syracuse fireworks for Heritage Days.
On Monday, I decorated the house for July.
I read The Adventure of the Dying Detective by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I read Rain and Rhinoceros by Thomas Merton, Of Red Tailed Hawks by Ann Haymond Zwinger, The Tree Where Man was Born by Matthiessen, and The Clan of One-Breasted Women by Terry Tempest Williams for Literature of the Natural World.
On Thursday, Shadow woke me up at 4:30 last Thursday morning, knocking my nail clippers into my garbage can. I ran and walked while Mom drove her scooter from Target down to Barnes and Noble, which she really enjoyed. She bought some hibiscus dishes and I got some new jeans.
On Saturday, I painted my dad's mickey garden statue and repainted my mom's outdoor bear that had to be sprayed, because the paint had come off due to the weather. We watched the Syracuse fireworks for Heritage Days.
On Monday, I decorated the house for July.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The Crooked Man
In "The Crooked Man," Jane brings tea for Mrs. Barclay and hears her scream. The door is locked from both sides and the key was missing, so Bates comes running into the window and sees Mr. and Mrs. Barclay on the ground. Holmes and Watson meet with Major Murphy, and abruptly says to Murphy, "tell me the facts." Mr. Barclay is dead and had 2 cuts on the back of his head. Mrs. Barclay has been hospitalized for fainting. A wooden club was in the room. Major Murphy tells Holmes, Mrs. Nancy Barclay "is incapable of dreadful act." He tells them, thirty years ago, Nancy was courted by two men, but Mr. Barclay won her hand. He admits he "saw a different side to the marriage," walking in on them arguing. He also tells them Mr. Barclay suffered from depression. Holmes and Watson go the Barclay manor and interview Jane. She tells them, Nancy went out to a clothing donation and returned, clearly upset and pale. Jane saw Mr. Barclay enter the room and shut the door. She heard Nancy yell "David" twice. Holmes interviews Bates, who was frightened by Mr. Barclay's fearful face when he turned him over. Holmes deduces that the suspect entered and exit through the windows, and there were prints of creature with 4 legs. Holmes interviews Miss Morrison, who was with Nancy at the donation. Morrison recalls a man with a "crooked back" wearing "Oriental clothing", arguing with Nancy. Nancy told Morrison, he was a "former acquaintance." The man was a soldier in India, entertaining the troops with his ferret. Holmes and Watson find the man at a pub and Holmes calls him, "Henry Wood." Wood insists Barclay was killed by his "own guilty conscience." Wood tells Holmes, that he "was the one [Nancy] loved." Barclay betrayed Henry on their mission, leading him to the enemy's camp where they hung his arms from a tree. He lived as a slave, being treated like a dog for a year, and they broke every bone in his body. He escaped and came to London, "no longer wanting to kill Barclay." He saw Nancy at the event and followed her home. He sees Barclay and Nancy arguing and comes through the window. Barclay fell and hit his head, dying of shock. Watson asks who David was, and Holmes tells him it was reference to King David and Bathsheba.
In the story "The Crooked Man," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes asks Watson to go to Aldershot with him the following day. Holmes tells Watson he is investigating the "supposed murder" of Colonel Barclay. He has met with Major Murphy, Jane the maid, and the Coachman. Murphy told Barclay couldn't stand to be away from his wife, so when she left for an evening to go to a Catholic church clothing donation, he was depressed. Mrs. Barclay returned around 9:15 pm and was upset, asking the maid to bring her tea. The coachman saw Mr. Barclay walk down the hall and enter the room where Mrs. Barclay was. The maid was surprised to hear the Barclays arguing. Jane heard the Mrs. Barclay say "David" twice. The coachman entered the room through the French windows. The staff and the police are puzzled by "the contortion of the colonel's face." Mrs. Barclay has been hospitalized for brain fever. Holmes deduces a "third person must have entered the room" after witness the fight from the street and came "through the window" with a four legged creature. He tells Watson, he interviewed Miss Morrison, who was with Mrs. Barclay at the donation. She told him Mrs. Barclay ran into a man she recognized and said, "I thought you have been dead this thirty years, Henry." They leave to talk and Morrison sees them arguing. Barclay tells her, Henry is "an old acquaintance of mine who has come down in the world." The next morning, Holmes and Watson track down Henry Wood and ask him about the case. Henry claims Mrs. Barclay is innocent and declares, "If [Barclay's] own guilty conscience had not struck him down it is likely enough that I might have had his blood upon my soul." Wood tells them his story of meeting Mrs. Barclay, declaring, "I had her heart, her father was set upon her marrying Barclay." He volunteered to go on a mission, "to warn General Neill." Barclay drew him a map to "get through rebel lines" and led him right into the enemy's hands. Henry shows Holmes his mongoose, Teddy, who was the creature with him, when he broke up the Barclay's fight. Barclay fell and hit his head, dying of "apoplexy." Watson asks who David was, and Holmes tells him it was reference to King David and Bathsheba.
The film and story versions of "The Crooked Man" are very similar in plot and theme. They both involve the "supposed murder" of Colonel Barclay, but are told in different ways through the first act. The film doesn't mention Watson having a wife, as opposed to the book opening with Watson mentioning this case occurred "a few months after my marriage." In the film, there is no visit from Holmes, but starts with the "murder" itself, which makes it more mysterious. The film is in present tense, with Watson going to interview the staff and Miss Morrison with Holmes. In the book, Holmes is narrating his research so far to Watson for the entire first half of the story, which seemed like a long monologue. In the novel, we don't see the events as they occur, as opposed to the film which actually shows the action. Holmes says "Elementary, My Dear Watson" in the film like he does in the story, but doesn't say till the closing. Mrs. Nancy Barclay seemed passive in the book, and seemed more fiery in fight scenes in the film, even though in the book we get a glimpse of her temper in the last fight. She says in the book, "You coward. What can be done now? What can be done now? Give me back my life. I will never so much as breathe the same air with you again. You coward! You coward!," which is similar but longer to what she says in the film. In the book, Holmes explains the David reference to Watson from the Bible in one paragraph. In the film, Holmes explains the David reference which takes up a five minute scene. The film expands on Henry Wood and Major Murphy's flashback with more detail, as opposed to the book which mentions them in less than a page.
I watched the film, "The Crooked Man" starring Jeremy Brett. I watched the film before reading the story, for a change, to see if I could follow it without knowing what happens in the book. I think watching the film before hand, made me notice clues in the book more accurately. They both have an impact on the other, when reading or watching. I would give the film four out of four stars, because I really enjoyed it. I thought the film was really mysterious and suspenseful, yet full of humor from Holmes. I thought this was the best adaptation of the novels we have read, because it added more storytelling to the novel, with additional scenes. I liked the film better than book because I think the film's approach to the storytelling worked better, as it was mostly in real time and not just having Holmes tell Watson about what he had done so far. I thought the acting, especially from the actor who played Henry Wood, was great. I'm beginning to favor Jeremy Brett as Holmes over Basil Rathbone, but really enjoyed Robert Downey, Jr.'s portrayal. I compare all three actors to each other when watching the films, to see how accurately they portray the Holmes of the novels. It was great to see Fiona Shaw as Miss Morrison, since I am familiar with her work as Harry's aunt in the Harry Potter series of films and the school headmaster in 3 Men and A Little Lady. I think she is a great actress and really added to her scenes. The makeup, the costuming, and the eerie lightning really brought his disabilities to light. The film showed Holmes's personality and how seriously he takes his investigations. After he interviews Murphy, he abruptly says to Murphy, "tell me the facts." When the interview is over, Holmes concludes, "What can I say? Major Murphy, you have told me *nothing*!"
In the story "The Crooked Man," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes asks Watson to go to Aldershot with him the following day. Holmes tells Watson he is investigating the "supposed murder" of Colonel Barclay. He has met with Major Murphy, Jane the maid, and the Coachman. Murphy told Barclay couldn't stand to be away from his wife, so when she left for an evening to go to a Catholic church clothing donation, he was depressed. Mrs. Barclay returned around 9:15 pm and was upset, asking the maid to bring her tea. The coachman saw Mr. Barclay walk down the hall and enter the room where Mrs. Barclay was. The maid was surprised to hear the Barclays arguing. Jane heard the Mrs. Barclay say "David" twice. The coachman entered the room through the French windows. The staff and the police are puzzled by "the contortion of the colonel's face." Mrs. Barclay has been hospitalized for brain fever. Holmes deduces a "third person must have entered the room" after witness the fight from the street and came "through the window" with a four legged creature. He tells Watson, he interviewed Miss Morrison, who was with Mrs. Barclay at the donation. She told him Mrs. Barclay ran into a man she recognized and said, "I thought you have been dead this thirty years, Henry." They leave to talk and Morrison sees them arguing. Barclay tells her, Henry is "an old acquaintance of mine who has come down in the world." The next morning, Holmes and Watson track down Henry Wood and ask him about the case. Henry claims Mrs. Barclay is innocent and declares, "If [Barclay's] own guilty conscience had not struck him down it is likely enough that I might have had his blood upon my soul." Wood tells them his story of meeting Mrs. Barclay, declaring, "I had her heart, her father was set upon her marrying Barclay." He volunteered to go on a mission, "to warn General Neill." Barclay drew him a map to "get through rebel lines" and led him right into the enemy's hands. Henry shows Holmes his mongoose, Teddy, who was the creature with him, when he broke up the Barclay's fight. Barclay fell and hit his head, dying of "apoplexy." Watson asks who David was, and Holmes tells him it was reference to King David and Bathsheba.
The film and story versions of "The Crooked Man" are very similar in plot and theme. They both involve the "supposed murder" of Colonel Barclay, but are told in different ways through the first act. The film doesn't mention Watson having a wife, as opposed to the book opening with Watson mentioning this case occurred "a few months after my marriage." In the film, there is no visit from Holmes, but starts with the "murder" itself, which makes it more mysterious. The film is in present tense, with Watson going to interview the staff and Miss Morrison with Holmes. In the book, Holmes is narrating his research so far to Watson for the entire first half of the story, which seemed like a long monologue. In the novel, we don't see the events as they occur, as opposed to the film which actually shows the action. Holmes says "Elementary, My Dear Watson" in the film like he does in the story, but doesn't say till the closing. Mrs. Nancy Barclay seemed passive in the book, and seemed more fiery in fight scenes in the film, even though in the book we get a glimpse of her temper in the last fight. She says in the book, "You coward. What can be done now? What can be done now? Give me back my life. I will never so much as breathe the same air with you again. You coward! You coward!," which is similar but longer to what she says in the film. In the book, Holmes explains the David reference to Watson from the Bible in one paragraph. In the film, Holmes explains the David reference which takes up a five minute scene. The film expands on Henry Wood and Major Murphy's flashback with more detail, as opposed to the book which mentions them in less than a page.
I watched the film, "The Crooked Man" starring Jeremy Brett. I watched the film before reading the story, for a change, to see if I could follow it without knowing what happens in the book. I think watching the film before hand, made me notice clues in the book more accurately. They both have an impact on the other, when reading or watching. I would give the film four out of four stars, because I really enjoyed it. I thought the film was really mysterious and suspenseful, yet full of humor from Holmes. I thought this was the best adaptation of the novels we have read, because it added more storytelling to the novel, with additional scenes. I liked the film better than book because I think the film's approach to the storytelling worked better, as it was mostly in real time and not just having Holmes tell Watson about what he had done so far. I thought the acting, especially from the actor who played Henry Wood, was great. I'm beginning to favor Jeremy Brett as Holmes over Basil Rathbone, but really enjoyed Robert Downey, Jr.'s portrayal. I compare all three actors to each other when watching the films, to see how accurately they portray the Holmes of the novels. It was great to see Fiona Shaw as Miss Morrison, since I am familiar with her work as Harry's aunt in the Harry Potter series of films and the school headmaster in 3 Men and A Little Lady. I think she is a great actress and really added to her scenes. The makeup, the costuming, and the eerie lightning really brought his disabilities to light. The film showed Holmes's personality and how seriously he takes his investigations. After he interviews Murphy, he abruptly says to Murphy, "tell me the facts." When the interview is over, Holmes concludes, "What can I say? Major Murphy, you have told me *nothing*!"
From Sea to Shining Sea
I read John Steinbeck's book, "Cannery Row" for my American Literature: Modern class, so I was familiar with his writing about "the landscape of California, particularly in the farming and fishing communities of the Salinas Valley and the Carmel Peninsula." His introduction in our textbook, doesn't really give a background on his life, just telling us he "undertook a research voyage to the Gulf of Mexico with Edward F. Ricketts," which is his basis for "The Log from the Sea of Cortez." His introduction in my copy of "Cannery Row" tells us Steinbeck grew up in the same area he writes about, which makes his writing more authentic. The introduction calls Steinbeck "a ceaseless experimenter throughout his career" and he "changed courses regularly." I wasn't aware of Rachel Carson's work. Her introduction tells she was a "marine biologist" who worked "as a specialist in commercial fisheries and as a writer." Her writing "portrayed the ocean as a single complex entity," and "the harmful effects of pesticides on the health of the environment" I think it is cool that President John F. Kennedy launch a "federal investigation, which resulted in must tighter controls on the use of DDT and other toxic products" after reading her book, "Silent Spring." That shows how much power writers can have, if people who can make a difference, read their books. I wasn't aware of Loren Eiseley's work either. His introduction tells us he grew up with a "deaf and mentally unstable mother," which must have been really tough. He is mentioned as having fused "effectively," "personal and professional perspectives" his work. Eiseley grew up to be "a professor of Anthropology" and museum "curator." His outlook is "characterized by loneliness and pessimism, he find comfort in our shared condition with other animals" and "communication with nature."
In "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" by John Steinbeck, he writes about having to write a book about the California Gulf and starting a log to write the reasons for the expedition. He and Edward F. Ricketts took the expedition to "observe the distribution of invertebrates," and "to see everything our eyes would accommodate and to think what we could." He admits, "It is good to know what you are doing," making it seem like he did research on the fish they would be studying. He seemed hopeful, the both science and experience would make a "picture more complete and more accurate that either alone could produce." In "The Marginal World," Rachel Carson writes about the ocean. She writes, "the edge of the seas is a strange and beautiful place" and the shoreline is "an area of unrest" and "an ancient world." Carson talks about identity of the shoreline, belonging to two natures and worlds of the shore, "belonging now to the land, now to the sea." She describes her most memorable and "magical" place as "a pool hidden within a cave that one can visit only rarely." When she was there, she saw a Elfin starfish, who "reached down to touch its own reflection," which she described as a moment of "poignant beauty." She calls the shore at nighttime, a "different world in which the very darkness that hides the distractions of daytime brings into sharper focus the elemental realities." In "The Judgment of the Birds," Loren Eiseley writes about seeking a "natural revelation." He writes about observing birds from his window, before he goes to work and observing them while he takes nature walks. Eiseley describes a crow who usually hides to avoid "humanity," and was scared and "lost," flying in fog. Eiseley describes a raven as "bird of death," no other bird wants to mess with. He relates to the birds and their experiences, seeing himself in their actions.
In "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" by John Steinbeck, he writes a lot of reality. He says, "the design of a book is the pattern of a reality controlled and shaped by the mind of the writer." In each book, lies the truth as the writer knows it. Steinbeck writes, they were going on the expedition "to build some kind of structure in modeled imitation of observed reality," by combing scientific study with observing the beauty of the sea. He concludes that if you just record the scientific aspects, you "have recorded a reality which cannot be assailed- probably the least important reality concerning either the fish or yourself." In order to have a clearer reality, we need to record the entire picture. In "The Marginal World," Rachel Carson writes "Today a little more land may belong to the sea, tomorrow a little less. Always the edge of the sea remains an elusive and indefinable boundary," which describes the drought and the moving of land. She writes, "In this difficult world of the shore, life displays its enormous toughness and vitality by occupying almost every conceivable niche." The shore is where most humans visit the beach, and we are reminded by the power of the waves and the strength of its water. The title comes from her quote, "Looking out over the cove I felt a strong sense of the interchangeability of land and sea in this marginal world of the shore, and of the links between the life of the two." Her point is that we as a world are all connected in somehow, no matter how different we may be. In "The Judgment of the Birds," Loren Eiseley writes about the wilderness as "a commonplace of all religious thought." In each religion, they have an example of a man "seeing visions," leaving society and living "for a time in the wilderness," making it seem like the wilderness is a place for inspiration and spiritual refinement. He calls the Raven an example of "the judgment of life against death," from which his essay title comes from.
In "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" by John Steinbeck, he gives an example of a scientific recording, naming the fish with roman numerals and numbers, such as "D. XVII-15-IX." I wasn't aware this was how scientist document fish. His excitement of heading to see, is relatable and understandable. I always enjoy being out in the open sea, on either a glass bottomed boat, a catamaran. or a Cruise ship, with nothing surrounding me but water and the sun. In "The Marginal World," Rachel Carson writes about shore and its hidden and visible beauty, so reading her work reminded me to appreciate things like the shoreline at a beach. When I go to somewhere on a coast or an island, I usually visit the local beach. While I am there, I take photographs from the shore or the pier, trying to capture brilliance. I usually try to make a collage or paint a seascape based on the photographs, but can't capture it fully. I also usually take seashells home with me as a memento from the trip. In "The Judgment of the Birds," Loren Eiseley writes about birds and their habits, so reading his work reminded me to take a closer look at the birds around me. In the past couple of months, I have had bird nests on one of my spotlights on my deck and one under my tree. They also built a nest in my barbecue, which I had to get rid of and had to put aluminum foil in the side openings to keep them out of there. The deck nest belonged to Robins, who left a few days after the eggs hatched and their babies were able to fly. The tree nest belonged to Killdeer, and while the eggs were nesting and when their eggs hatched, they were very protective of their young. I couldn't even go in the backyard, without them squawking at me and trying to lead me away from their nest, by pretending to have an injured wing. I think humans protect their young in the same ways.
In "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" by John Steinbeck, he writes about having to write a book about the California Gulf and starting a log to write the reasons for the expedition. He and Edward F. Ricketts took the expedition to "observe the distribution of invertebrates," and "to see everything our eyes would accommodate and to think what we could." He admits, "It is good to know what you are doing," making it seem like he did research on the fish they would be studying. He seemed hopeful, the both science and experience would make a "picture more complete and more accurate that either alone could produce." In "The Marginal World," Rachel Carson writes about the ocean. She writes, "the edge of the seas is a strange and beautiful place" and the shoreline is "an area of unrest" and "an ancient world." Carson talks about identity of the shoreline, belonging to two natures and worlds of the shore, "belonging now to the land, now to the sea." She describes her most memorable and "magical" place as "a pool hidden within a cave that one can visit only rarely." When she was there, she saw a Elfin starfish, who "reached down to touch its own reflection," which she described as a moment of "poignant beauty." She calls the shore at nighttime, a "different world in which the very darkness that hides the distractions of daytime brings into sharper focus the elemental realities." In "The Judgment of the Birds," Loren Eiseley writes about seeking a "natural revelation." He writes about observing birds from his window, before he goes to work and observing them while he takes nature walks. Eiseley describes a crow who usually hides to avoid "humanity," and was scared and "lost," flying in fog. Eiseley describes a raven as "bird of death," no other bird wants to mess with. He relates to the birds and their experiences, seeing himself in their actions.
In "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" by John Steinbeck, he writes a lot of reality. He says, "the design of a book is the pattern of a reality controlled and shaped by the mind of the writer." In each book, lies the truth as the writer knows it. Steinbeck writes, they were going on the expedition "to build some kind of structure in modeled imitation of observed reality," by combing scientific study with observing the beauty of the sea. He concludes that if you just record the scientific aspects, you "have recorded a reality which cannot be assailed- probably the least important reality concerning either the fish or yourself." In order to have a clearer reality, we need to record the entire picture. In "The Marginal World," Rachel Carson writes "Today a little more land may belong to the sea, tomorrow a little less. Always the edge of the sea remains an elusive and indefinable boundary," which describes the drought and the moving of land. She writes, "In this difficult world of the shore, life displays its enormous toughness and vitality by occupying almost every conceivable niche." The shore is where most humans visit the beach, and we are reminded by the power of the waves and the strength of its water. The title comes from her quote, "Looking out over the cove I felt a strong sense of the interchangeability of land and sea in this marginal world of the shore, and of the links between the life of the two." Her point is that we as a world are all connected in somehow, no matter how different we may be. In "The Judgment of the Birds," Loren Eiseley writes about the wilderness as "a commonplace of all religious thought." In each religion, they have an example of a man "seeing visions," leaving society and living "for a time in the wilderness," making it seem like the wilderness is a place for inspiration and spiritual refinement. He calls the Raven an example of "the judgment of life against death," from which his essay title comes from.
In "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" by John Steinbeck, he gives an example of a scientific recording, naming the fish with roman numerals and numbers, such as "D. XVII-15-IX." I wasn't aware this was how scientist document fish. His excitement of heading to see, is relatable and understandable. I always enjoy being out in the open sea, on either a glass bottomed boat, a catamaran. or a Cruise ship, with nothing surrounding me but water and the sun. In "The Marginal World," Rachel Carson writes about shore and its hidden and visible beauty, so reading her work reminded me to appreciate things like the shoreline at a beach. When I go to somewhere on a coast or an island, I usually visit the local beach. While I am there, I take photographs from the shore or the pier, trying to capture brilliance. I usually try to make a collage or paint a seascape based on the photographs, but can't capture it fully. I also usually take seashells home with me as a memento from the trip. In "The Judgment of the Birds," Loren Eiseley writes about birds and their habits, so reading his work reminded me to take a closer look at the birds around me. In the past couple of months, I have had bird nests on one of my spotlights on my deck and one under my tree. They also built a nest in my barbecue, which I had to get rid of and had to put aluminum foil in the side openings to keep them out of there. The deck nest belonged to Robins, who left a few days after the eggs hatched and their babies were able to fly. The tree nest belonged to Killdeer, and while the eggs were nesting and when their eggs hatched, they were very protective of their young. I couldn't even go in the backyard, without them squawking at me and trying to lead me away from their nest, by pretending to have an injured wing. I think humans protect their young in the same ways.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Disney Rides
Here are my top 10 rides at Disney theme park:
Hollywood Backlot Tour
The Great Movie Ride
Indiana Jones Adventure
Jungle Cruise
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Peter Pan's Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Soarin'
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Toy Story Mania
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