From the Paper "With Blue Velvet, David Lynch did an effective job in dividing both popular and critical opinions about his odd piece of cinema. While some hail it as a masterpiece, others retain that it is pure perverse nonsense. Despite the initial shock of the overly violent sequences, Lynch's vivid revelation of baseness and depravity in small-town America makes its point clearly, if not bizarrely. One of the most obvious and effective ways by which the film's themes are conveyed is through an absolutely brilliant utilization of sound and score."
Abstract This paper analyzes the film "Boys Don't Cry" created in 1999, which explores how we identify gender and differentiate between the masculine and the feminine. The paper describes the story of the female Teena Brandon who masquerades herself as the male Brandon Teena. It illustrates visually that identity as male and female actually involves only a relative few visual and aural cues. The author writes that society does not tolerate that much freedom and that those who step too far outside the gender boundaries society has set are destroyed. The paper demonstrates how gender is not the only issue being tested in this film, for ideas about small towns, tolerance, and the threat of the outsider are also examined.
From the Paper "The film Boys Don't Cry (1999, Kimberly Peirce) is based on a true story and raises numerous real-world issues in its story of a murder case in middle America in which the victim was a girl who successfully passed herself off as a boy. The film delves into gender issues, questions of identity, and the ethics of interpersonal relationships. First, the viewer asks why so many people were fooled for such a long time by this masquerade."
Abstract Examines goals of auditory rehabilitation programs, the development of age-appropriate language skills and oral/aural communication skills. Examines current research that discusses the anatomy and/or physiology.
From the Paper "The ultimate goals of auditory habilitation programs for children with impaired hearing include the development of age-appropriate language skills and oral/aural communication ..."
Abstract This paper suggests that the current models of teaching secondary languages, which emphasize the value of drills and memorization with standardized testing, are overly limited, especially in their failure to acknowledge the different kinds of intelligences that exist in the human population. It looks at how those teaching strategies that incorporate the principle of "multiple intelligences" allow each student to learn the same material in different ways. It shows how some students will be best served by learning material visually, others interpersonally, and how others are best served when musical or aural elements are introduced into the classroom.
From the Paper "The concept of multiple intelligences in some ways goes against much of many of the developments in the public schools over the last decades. While standardized tests in the form of IQ tests have been given to some people for years and older students have for decades taken exams such as the SAT to help them gain entrance into prestigious colleges and the MCAT to help them gain entrance into medical school. But the past decade has seen an increasing trend to test students at a young and younger age so that middle and elementary school students are now taking exams along with the older counterparts in high school and college. These exams in many ways undermine the entire concept behind multiple intelligence teaching by forcing each student to learn in a narrowly delineated way as Johnson (1997) suggests."
Abstract This paper examines how Wilfred Owen wrote the poem, "Dulce et Decorum Est", to reflect on his experiences during the First World War and attempts to establish whether it can be applied to any war. It looks at how the purpose of Owen's poem was to shock the reader and move away from the popularly believed image of war being glorious. It shows how the poem is made up of similes, metaphors and alliteration, which create many vivid visual and aural images ? some of which are applicable to the wars of today. This essay points out a number of similarities and differences between war today and as it was in the First World War by closely analysing the techniques employed by Wildred Owen when he wrote the poem Dulce et Decorum Est.
From the Paper "Later on in his poem, Owen went on to describe the effects of a condition specific to World War One, trench foot. Trench foot is where, through lack of basic hygiene and standing in damp conditions, the foot begins to decay. This was described in Owen's poem when he wrote:?"Many of them had lost their boots, but limped on, blood shod"?
This told the reader that there was a thin layer of blood around the foot, possibly a repercussion of trench foot. This was applicable to World War One because the soldiers worked in trenches under terrible conditions, but could not apply to any other war as trench foot is no longer allowed to happen ? the men are kept in much better health and trenches are no longer a prominent part of war."
Abstract This paper examines how motion pictures and television are audio-visual mediums and how they engage both our visual and aural senses. It looks at how the meaning and emotion of a piece is commonly thought to come from the image and that the sound at best just duplicates the meanings from the image. It explores how music combines with, adds to and enhances moving image in many ways and how it can heighten and refine emotion as well as meaning.
From the Paper "The tone of music can be used to create meaning and generate mood in a scene or in a production as a whole. In The Empire Strikes Back the rebels attempt to flee from the empire. During this sequence Darth Vader's and the rebels leitmotif is heard. Vader's motif is played at an increased tempo and higher pitch to normal. The function of this change is to show the imminent danger of the empire and Vader's likely success in capturing the rebels. The rebels leitmotif is played but does not contain the opening and perhaps most identifiable phase. The tone is slightly deeper, the pace slightly slower and is mixed up in and slightly drown out by other sound effects. The function of this use of sound is to put the out come of the situation in doubt and make the rebels attempt at escaping unlikely. When the rebels do escape the distinctive opening to their motif is played at normal pitch and tempo and without the distraction of other sounds. This functions to signal their success but also the finality of the scene. The leitmotifs and the tone of the motifs are used to guide the spectator through narrative change."
Tags: ambience, effect, emotion, motif, score, television
Abstract This paper explains that, as an aural music, the blues has few absolute features, intending to take on its shape and style during the performance, reflecting the personal response of its inventor to a specific occurrence or situation. The author points out that, like other black folksong, blues' lyrics are rich in imagery; the blues is distinctive for its three-line stanza, an apparent throwback to its African origins because the three-line stanza is uncommon in American and European folksong repertories. The paper relates that blues lyrics were filled with provocative and sexually pervasive imagery, openly addressing both male and female sexuality; the music was performed solo marking the advent of popular culture performances.
From the Paper "Although Handy was the first man to write a blues composition and the first to popularize the blues, two blues pieces actually appeared in print prior to his "Memphis Blues". The "Baby Seals Blues," written by the rag-pianist Artie Matthews, was published in August, 1912, and the "Dallas Blues' written by the white songwriter Hart A. Wand, was published the following month. Handy's blues piece came out three week later, followed by his "Jogo Blues" in 1913, "St. Louis Blues" in 1914, and "Joe Turner Blues" in 1915. In 1915, Matthew wrote another popular blues, "Weary Blues," and that same year, Ferdinand Joseph Morton published his "Original Jelly Roll Blues"."
Tags: ellison, performance, lyrics, morton, sexual
Abstract This research explores the hip hop culture and its identity. An overview of the current literature is given that reflects the theoretical position of Black culture in the United States. In addition a definition of hip hop and rap is provided, including a discussion of its origins and the current state this art form is in. The influence of the ghetto and hip hop culture is explored at length, as well as the lyrical content of the music. Commercialization of this unique music form is discussed, in addition to hip hop culture's tendency toward visualization as opposed to aural. Finally, hip hop as a global force is reviewed. In the end, it becomes clear that hip hop music is a significant influence on global culture, for Black and non-Black community members and this influence has been facilitated by technology and the drive of capitalism.
Introduction
The History of Hip Hop
Overview of Current Literature Regarding Hip Hop
Defining Hip Hop Culture
The Four Pillars of Hip Hop and Others
The Ghetto, Hip Hop Culture and the Divergent Styles of West Coast and East Coast
East Coast versus West Coast Conflict
Geographical Diversity of Hip Hop Today
Hip Hop and the Jail Culture
Graffiti as a Subversive and Sublime Cultural Arm of Hip Hop
African Americans and Spatial Mobility
The Ghetto Environment and its Effects on the Lyrical Content of Hip Hop
Examination of Lyrical Content in Gangsta Rap Songs
Discussion of Virulent and Caustic Language Within the Sub-Genre of Gangsta Rap
The Double Standard in the World of Gangsters as Demonstrated by Hip Hop
Hip Hop Culture and Misogyny
Hip Hop Culture and the Poetry of the Dispossessed
The Controversy About Selling Out and Hip Hop Culture
Representing the Ghetto
Hip Hop Culture and Sports Marketing
Hip Hop Sales Statistics and the Thug Image for Sales Controversy
Hip Hop as a Force in American Pop Culture and the Displacement of Other Genres of Music
Tastes and Decadence in Hip Hop Culture
The Hip Hop Culture and Political Influence
Hip Hop as a Global Force
References
From the Paper "Although one may be led to believe that hip hop music is a recent evolution, it relates back to the griots of West Africa, from more than two hundred years ago. The griots were, and in some rural areas still are, storytellers, poets and traveling singers who played an important role in ancient African societies. They used poetry and rhythm to teach the people about their history, as written language was rarely used ("Griot").
One could even argue that hip hop music began even earlier than griots, stemming from the ancient societies of Egypt, as a rich, Black tradition of admiration for rhetoric in both written and spoken form. It is part of the Black rhetorical continuum, as it borrows from and expands a tradition of creative use of language styles and strategies. It was created as rhetoric of resistance primarily to racial discrimination and oppression (Kopano). "
Abstract Dubbed 'anti-flic', Kassowitz's film "La Haine" shot to infamy, undoubtedly accelerated by the perceived violence in the film. This paper outlines the cinematic techniques used in the film "La Haine" to represent violence and how these techniques are used to steer the audience response.
From the Paper "Indeed, one of the most apparent visual techniques in the film is the fact it is in black and white; quite unconventional for a modern film, lending it a documentary feel. The footage of the riots and the appearance of the news reader at the beginning of the film certainly communicate this, then as the story unfolds and we are still left in black and white, it is almost as if we become part of the news. The lack of colour also highlights the monotony of their lives on the estate."
Abstract This paper discusses how the modern African American musical experience is rooted in ancient times. These roots go back to ancient Egypt and their conquests of the Nubians. The paper further discusses how the language of African tribes is tonal and one word might have several meanings in different tones. The talking drums of several countries mimic this quality of language. Despite the reputation of being a simply aural and oral musical tradition, African tribal music actually did have a complex local style of musical notation available to it.
From the Paper " The musical history of any region is important. African music has taken on an even greater significance due to its importance not only to its country of origin, but also due to its importance in the countries to which it spread. African American music has its roots in tribal cultures. It has lent its influence not only to African American popular culture, but to religion as well. Tribal Music The ancient history of African music is confused at best. It is undoubtedly conflated with the music of the Old Kingdom Egyptian music, when Egypt dominated and colonized the Nubians (Hester, 2005, p. 1). Hester comments that "surprisingly, the history of Egyptian music presents little evidence of the use of drums prior to 2000 B.C." (2005, p. 1). "
Abstract In this article, the writer analyzes the film "The Red Shoes". The writer considers a number of aspects of the film including characters, lighting, dance sequences and color. Further, the writer highlights a number of the film's main themes including passion and jealousy. Overall, the writer maintains that the film's appeal should be attributed to the good taste of Michael Powell and the multitude of prestigious aids he employed such as Jack Cardiff, Robert Helpmann, composer Brian Easdale, and art director Arthur Lawson. Their contributions to the film are invaluable, making "The Red Shoes" a special film that offers overwhelming visual and aural sensations. The writer concludes that combined with the complicated philosophical and emotional issues, Powell and company produced a movie that should stand among the greatest in its genre.
From the Paper "By the time this plot has come fully to fruition, the film is nearly over. The second act last somewhere around one hundred minutes; it is not hard to imagine a less patient audience being bored with, if not entirely dismissive of, the film's long path toward a culmination that last only a matter of minutes. The Red Shoes, however, is not really a love story at all; the relationship between Craster and Paige is present only to set up some of the larger themes that are all resolved in the end. Thus, the concrete story must be approached as something to be dissected, a narrative with many layers to be pulled away and exposed.
The real goal of Powell's film is to examine the pressures and costs of passion. This theme is focused directly on Vicki Paige; she is the character most influenced by Lermontov and most willing to sacrifice everything for the ballet."
This paper discuses Jelaluddin Rumi, one of the most well-known of Persian poets, who is largely credited with infusing Sufism with its highly intimate relationship with aesthetic traditions.
Abstract This paper explains that classically trained Jelaluddin Rumi, who was born in 1207 in the region that is now part of Afghanistan, lived most of his life in Turkey and the surrounding area. The author points out that Rumi created the Mevlevi Order of Dervishes or commonly called the Whirling Dervishes of Sufism. The paper relates that the Whirling Dervishes are most recognized for their unique dance movements, oblique body posturing, acute mental focus and their musical facility, which is said to combine to bring them closer in union to God. The author states that Rumi's poetry is regarded as the cultural epicenter of all thought, literature, dance and music in the world of Islamic aesthetics. The paper reports that the traditional approach to studying the impact of Rumi's poetry on Sufi music has been to examine the text from a critical theoretic perspective.
From the Paper "The natural academic tendency, regardless of academic specialty, is to examine the concepts contained within the lines of verse; to question 'what is the tree of wisdom' and to ask what or how one identifies one's internal "fairy." These are important metaphysical questions that can and should be asked of the text through critical analysis. However, therein rests the academic pitfall that most researchers and even casual observers typically get trapped in: the interpretation of the text which is made even more complex in translation."
Abstract In this article, the writer discusses that the future of music and technology is a market and legal issue. The writer points out that in an ideal world, the critical voices in this discussion would be fans and the musicians, but that has become something of a secondary issue. The interesting point in this situation is that a wide range of music is still available, though niche market exposure. The writer notes that big business and new technologies push mainstream acts into the aural limelight as copyright legalities continue to be debated. The writer concludes that a lot of noise will continue to be generated around this issue, but that ultimately the record companies will have to stop complaining and find a way to adapt to their business environment.
From the Paper "It does not follow that corporate oligarchies can actually limit what we hear; they can only limit their list of recommendations. Regarding the Sony pundits, their statement asks listeners to put more faith in the future of technologies, so that eventually, we can listen to something new. But innovative acts such as Charlie Parker, the Sex Pistols, and Karlheinz Stockhausen did not come from big business. They just used whatever technology was available. That is not the same thing as making new music.
"It would be fairer to admit straight out that music technology will probably continue to surprise us."
Abstract The paper explains how the ear and hearing works and how the cochlear implant, the electronic audio mechanism, provides hearing in cases of sensor neural hearing loss. The paper outlines the fundamental workings of a cochlear implant and the need for a post-cochlear implant rehabilitation program. The paper also looks at the potential benefits of bilateral cochlear implants and explains when unilateral implants with FDA-approved cochlear implants and associated aural rehabilitation may be considered medically necessary.
From the Paper "The cochlear implant is an electronic audio mechanism that returns to the deaf partial hearing. The human ear consists of three main parts - the external ear, middle ear or tympanum, and the inner ear, or labyrinth. The external ear catches sound waves and channels them to the middle ear. This is brought about when sound travels along the ear canal of the external (middle) ear and causes vibration in the ear drum. Accordingly, in the middle ear is where sound waves set up vibrations that are converted into nerve impulses in the inner ear. These impulses are in turn, sent to the brain. The inner ear is also responsible for the sense of balance."
