This paper analyzes the role of Bruno, the son, in the Italian neo-realist film, "The Bicycle Thief." It also explores the father-son relationship of Bruno and his father, Antonio, in its ethical dimensions.
Abstract In this paper, the author focuses on two scenes from "The Bicycle Thief:" The restaurant scene and the final scene in which Antonio attempts to steal a bicycle. By focusing on these scenes, Bruno's role in the film as an ethical counterpoint to Antonio is made clear.
From the Paper "In Victor de Sica's The Bicycle Thief (1948), the main character is Antonio, a working-class Italian living in Rome after the end of WWII and trying to support his family. However, equally important to the story is Antonio's son, Bruno. Throughout the film, there are many events, but it is through Bruno and the relationship between him and his father that they are given value and meaning. In some ways, de Sica uses Bruno as a ?barometer of the condition of Antonio's spirit as he pursues his agonizing search for the lost bicycle (http://www.enl.umassd.edu/InteractiveCourse/Ethompson/bicyclethieves.html).?"
Abstract Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) wrote nearly 500 concertos of various types, composed at least 50 operas and other vocal and instrumental pieces by the score, strongly influenced the direction of violin technique and was a primary influence on Johann Sebastian Bach. The paper shows, however, that for two centuries after his death, Vivaldi and his music sank into oblivion and were only resurrected in the latter half of the twentieth century. Despite this long absence, Vivaldi's reputation has revived swiftly. Although his vocal works and other instrumental pieces are not, as yet, well known, his concertos such as "Le Stagione" ("The Four Seasons"), are among the most popular of all Baroque and classic music today. The paper traces Vivaldi's life and music career and discusses several of his works.
From the Paper "The works in L'estro armonico represented the concerto form "at its most balanced and typical moment" with only three retaining the old-fashioned slow movement at the beginning and the others in the quick-slow-quick form pioneered by Torelli (Palisca 165). Vivaldi wrote at least thirty concertos that retained this older form and, as Talbot notes, they were very often connected by title with the feast-day requirements of the Pietא which seems to indicate that Vivaldi may have hoped "to add an extra touch of grandeur and solemnity by reverting to the four-movement cycle of the church sonata" (145). But, unlike the more sober magnificence of a Corelli concerto grosso or even Torelli's three-movement solo concertos, all of Vivaldi's writing in these early concertos unleashed a "torrent of emotions" that was "unlike anything ever written or at least published before" (Landon 43)."
Abstract This paper examines how Antonio Gaudi's architecture reflects many elements of Gothic architecture in its design and construction. It looks at how Gaudi's choice of using Gothic architecture was not simply a choice that was motivated by some strange aesthetic reasoning. It shows, through an analysis of Gaudi's interpretations of his work, how, in fact, he choose Gothic and Islamic influences that represented the shade and elements of the traditional architecture of Catalonia at the time, which was overwhelmingly Gothic.
From the Paper "Part of the reasoning for Gaudi's choice of a Gothic style of architecture was due to influences beyond the purely aesthetic. To be certain, he had a great reverence for Gothic art and he appreciated some its most important ideas, especially those which dealt with the issue of monumentalism and the idea of the way the piece of architecture was perceived was more important than the regular formal design of the structure itself. However, for Gaudi, at this time, there was also a very sincere political element to the structure of his design as well. At this point, the region of Spain which he was from, Catalonia, was very much engaged in a nationalist revival and had desires to separate from the rest of Spain?indeed, citizens of Catalonia even speak a different language, Catalan, than the language, known as Castilian, which we normally think of as ?Spanish.?"
Tags: islam, catalonia, la, segrada, familia, church
Abstract This paper discusses Barcelona's famous architect, Antonio Gaudi. The intrinsic relationship between the city and the architect is explored in the paper. The paper presents a brief biography of Gaudi and examines the general characteristics, influences, and styles of his work and creations. The paper describes three of Gaudi's many projects in Barcelona: the Sacred Family (La Sacrada Familia), La Pedrera (Casa Mila), and the Guell Park.
From the Paper "As some who has visited Barcelona, one would perhaps always remember the historical area around Los Ramblas, the old Gothic Cathedral or the Olympic Stadium, as well as the special charm of the city, proud in its Catalan spirit, but there is little chance that something is likely to impress you more than the presence of Antoni Gaudi in the city, his modernist creations, his dedication to the city and, even more so, the intrinsic relationship between the city and the architect. Indeed, Gaudi has only worked and created in Barcelona and the city represented to Gaudi something that Aix-en Provence was for another artistic genius, Cezanne : place of inspiration and artistic evolution, but probably also the only place where the interior effervescence could be properly exploited."
Abstract This paper describes the life, poetry and politics of Puerto Rican political activist, Juan Antonio Corretjer. The paper also describes and analyzes some of Corretjer's writings and explains how they reflected Corretjer's political ideology as well as his infatuation with the beauty of Puerto Rico.
From the Paper "Juan Antonio Corretjer was born March 3, 1908 into a very political family. His father and uncles were involved in the Ciales Uprising in 1898, which protested the United States occupation of Puerto Rico. Corretjer was introduced to politics early in his life, when he accompanied his father and uncles to political rallies (Wikipedia). His political career continued in elementary school, when Corretjer joined the Literary Society of Jose Gautier Benitez, which was later renamed the Nationalist Youth ("Juan Antonio Correjter"). By eighth grade, Corretjer had more fully assimilated the beliefs of his family and was already demonstrating the beginnings of his career as a political activist; he organized a student protest against American authority in his town (Wikipedia). As result, Corretjer was expelled from school. In fact, Corretjer was not permitted to attend any schools in his municipality. Instead, he had to go to school in Vega Baja."
Tags: cuba, anti-batista, independence, pedro, albizu, campos, nationalist, leader, secretary, general, party
Abstract The paper discusses the 1959 novel "Pocho" by Jose Antonio Villarreal that shows the political as well as the economic reasons for Mexican-American difficulties with assimilating into American society. The paper explores how the immigrant son, Richard, experiences the classical American identity crisis that particularly afflicts recent immigrants and members of races deemed to be 'minorities.' The paper posits that Pocho is perhaps most useful to us today as an example of how far America has come, in terms of racial and cultural understanding. The paper adds that this novel also acts as a reminder of how second generation immigrants will have a different relationship with their home nation than their parents, often causing inter-family tensions.
Outline:
Overview
Reaction
Applications to Cross-Cultural Psychology
From the Paper "The 1959 novel Pocho by Jose Antonio Villarreal is a quintessentially American novel in the ways that it details the often painful process of assimilation of a new immigrant group into America. Pocho details the migration of the Rubio family heading north from Mexico after the Mexican Revolution. It portrays the family as leaving Mexico as part of a general migration pattern, typical of previous generations of American immigrants. The Rubio family "came on--insensitive to the fact that even though they were not stopped, they were not really wanted. It was the ancient quest for El Dorado, and so they moved onward, west to New Mexico and Arizona and California, and as they moved, they planted their new seed" (Villarreal 15). Yet unlike previous immigrants the Rubios almost immediately encounter racism, and learn the sad lesson that a Mexican-American must never call a white man a liar."
Abstract The paper discusses the life of Antonio Vivaldi, on of the most notable Italian composers and violinists whose operas and concertos greatly impacted the cultural world of the 18th century. The paper discusses Vivaldi's development as a music composer working for the Pieta and Teatro Sant' Angelo opera theaters. The paper then discusses the success of Vivaldi's operas in Venice.
From the Paper "Antonio Vivaldi is one of the most notable Italian composers and violinists and his creations are known and played worldwide. During his lifetime, Vivaldi managed to create unforgettable operas and concertos that have greatly impacted the cultural world of the 18th century and continue to exist as genuine works of art today.
"He was born in 1678, in Venice, and he discovered his musical talent with the help of his father, a violinist that played at St. Marco Cathedral in Venice. It was his father that encouraged and taught Antonio how to play the violin."
Abstract In this paper the author discusses whether the "Merchant of Venice" is a fairy tale, as exemplified by the romantic comedy genre, or a problem play. The author looks at the three themes he suggests run through the play: Prejudice, Loyalty and Love. He looks closely at the character of Shylock and how he has been depicted over time, from villain to someone who should be pitied and at the hypocrisy shown by the Christian characters; he examines the relationships between Antonio, Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, Nerissa, Lorenzo, and Jessica and the resulting marriages and love is examined with respect to the platonic loyalty between friends and in the romantic exchanges between suitors and spouses.
From the paper:
?The theme of loyalty in the play comes out through the interactions of several sets of characters. First, there is Bassanio, who is close friends with Antonio --? friendship which survives many stressful situations in the play. The loyalty between Bassanio and Antonio becomes evident I the first act of the play when Antonio loans Bassanio a large sum of money and takes him on his word that he will repay it.?
An in-depth analysis of this English Renaissance tragedy, the various factors involved which lead to the tragic ending and the struggle between good and evil.
2,800 words (approx. 11.2 pages), 2 sources, 2001, $ 83.95
Abstract In this paper the author examines the theme of tragedy that runs through this play. In so doing he looks at the primary relationships in the play - the relationship between the Cardinal, the Duchess and Ferdinand and the relationship between the Duchess and Antonio which he suggests is central to the play. He also suggests that the character of Bosola is an additional factor in the events that lead to the tragic end. The author examines each of these factors in turn, looking at the characters involved, their characteristics and the meaning of each factor and concludes by showing, not only how all these events led to the tragic ending, but also what meaning this has for the reader.
From the paper:
?The central tragedy of the play is that of the Duchess. She is represented as a fine woman in terrible circumstances. Her tragic flaw is her need to follow her heart. She defies the reality of the situation and makes the decision to marry Antonio and ultimately suffers for this choice. The tragedy of the situation is that she does nothing wrong. Her relationship with Antonio is pure. Even with the tragedy that results, she accepts this as a consequence of loving Antonio and accepts her fate.?
Abstract The struggle for Cuban independence from Spanish rule involved many people. Some of the key figures were Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Jose Marti, Maximo Gomez and Antonio Maceo. The paper shows that Cleveland and McKinley worked to maintain the status quo in Cuba, but events overcame their efforts. Marti, Gomez, and Maceo gave their lives to the cause of Cuban independence. An analysis in this paper of these men's actions leading up to the Spanish-American War provides an interesting study in diplomacy, the power of the press and the use of guerrilla tactics.
Table of Contents:
I. Introduction
II. Grover Cleveland
III. William McKinley
IV. Jose Marti
V. Maximo Gomez and Antonio Maceo
VI. Conclusion
VII. Bibliography
From the Paper "On 22 June 1997, McKinley received Calhoun's report that concluded that Spain could not end the rebellion. Calhoun criticized Weyler's reconcentration policy, which sought to deny the insurgents a base of operations, but caused terrible hardship for the Cuban people. Calhoun also concluded that Cuban independence was not feasible. McKinley reacted to Calhoun's report by sending a diplomatic note to Spain on 26 June 1897. In it, he demanded that Spain fight the war in accordance with humanitarian considerations, and he called for the replacement of Weyler. McKinley further stated that if Spain failed to improve conditions in Cuba that he would have no choice except to take steps to ensure peace on the island. Spain wished to avoid a confrontation with the US."
Tags: Enrique, Dupuy, de, Lome, Valeriano, Weyler, Antonio, del, Castillo
Abstract This paper is a study on the changing role of the artist in European society, as seen in its case study of Antonio Canova. It asks whether increased demand for art, and increased commercialization, gave the artist greater freedom as it released him from the grip of his patron; or, whether this only subjugated him to new restrictions, those of a competitive market.
From the Paper "Before the nineteenth century artists in Europe relied almost entirely upon their patrons to finance their work. It was extremely difficult, and pretty much unheard of, for an artist to finance his own profession, and there was not a large enough market to create a piece without having a specific buyer in mind. Therefore, patrons could, and often did, exert a large influence on the outcome of the work."
Abstract Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) wrote nearly 500 concertos of various types, composed at least 50 operas and other vocal and instrumental pieces by the score, strongly influenced the direction of violin technique, and was a primary influence on Johann Sebastian Bach.
From the Paper "Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) wrote nearly 500 concertos of various types, composed at least 50 operas and other vocal and instrumental pieces by the score, strongly influenced the direction of violin technique, and was a primary influence on Johann Sebastian Bach. His career was characterized by great fame as a violin virtuoso, "enormous productivity and [an] unusually wide circulation of his music" (Talbot 1). Yet for two centuries after his death Vivaldi and his music sank into "utter oblivion" and were only resurrected in the latter half of the twentieth century (Landon 7). Despite this long absence Vivaldi's reputation has revived swiftly. Although his vocal works and other instrumental pieces are not, as yet, well known, he was one of the primary innovators of the concerto form and, appropriately, his concertos, such as the suite of four known as..."
Abstract Analysis of Antonio Vivaldi's solo concerto "Primavera" Op. 8, No. 1 ("Spring"). The first of the 4 concertos that make up The Four Seasons, a programmatic piece. Discusses the ideas of the poem. Discusses interpretations. Details each movement and its motifs.
From the Paper "Antonio Vivaldi's Primavera, or Spring (Op. 8 no. 1) was the first of the set of concertos entitled Le quattro stagioni (Op. 8 nos. 1-4) published in Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione at Amsterdam in 1725 (although the date of their composition is uncertain). The Primavera is a solo concerto scored for Violino principale, two other violins (ripieno), violas, violoncellos and double basses with continuo (usually played on harpsichord). The four concertos provide an example of programmatic music, illustrating four simple poems addressed to the seasons which may have been written, or at least adapted, by Vivaldi himself.
In the poem to Spring, in rough outline, the goddess is welcomed by the singing of birds and the breath of Zephyrs which makes the brooks murmur. Thunder and lightning, one of her signs, arrive and darken the sky. The storm is soon over and the..."
Abstract This paper explores the views of both the vocational politician and the modern prince as being complete fabrications of reality, and therefore fundamentally useless in providing interpretations that have any real bearing on the student's comprehension of the real political system as manifested in real life. This paper compares the views of Max Weber and Antonio Gramsci in respect to how their models of the political structure are ineffective in examining real life.
