Abstract This paper explains that "Donnie Darko" is a film, set in 1988 in Middlesex, Virginia, about a young teenage boy named Donnie Darko, a somewhat disturbed teenager who escapes a weird accident and from then on sees a vision of a large rabbit who makes him believe that the world will end in 28 days. The author points out that, at first, the film may be viewed as a shallow disoriented teen movie but, as critics cite, reveals a much deeper revelation and reflection of American society at this specific time. The paper concludes that the film proves the power of media to educate, free, convict and manipulate; therefore, filmmakers should always be responsible and accountable in their works.
From the Paper "Jim Cunningham, played by Patrick Swayze: This character in the film establishes this "self-help" empire aimed at helping people battle their fears through his therapies and seminars. According to him, mans' proceedings are based on two inert human emotions, fear and love. Hence, bad or negative actions lead to fear and positive or good actions lead to love. His philosophical thought attracted a lot of educational institutions that adopted his line of thought. His numerous therapies on helping people overcome and solve their fears was a magnet. Because of this he became a very influential and famous person. Nevertheless, his hypocrisy would soon be unfolded in an accident. He was discovered to be a pedophile when his mansion was gutted by fire. In his basement was his stash of child pornography materials. It was later referred to as "Kiddie Porn Dungeon"."
Tags: 1980s, satire, homosexuality, teenager, guru
Abstract This paper examines how the Dude from the film "The Big Lebowski" betrays the traditional image of the hero with his less-than-perfect physique and substandard ambition. It explores the Dude's role as mediator between the oppressive, zealous Walter and the passive, naive Donnie as well as his heroic role as he blunders through his misinformed attempt to rescue Bunny on behalf of the Big Lebowski from the apathetic German nihilists. The paper also delves into the buffering role the Dude plays between the aggressive Jackie Treehorn and the ostensible victim Bunny. Finally, the paper explores the Dude's fulfillment of Maude's odd wishes in spite of the Big Lebowski's oppositions, who adopts the role of the aggressor in this situation.
From the Paper "In what may appear to be a common friendship between three men, the Dude actually plays a critical role in mediating the conflicting natures of his two closest friends. Walter, an eccentric, outspoken, Vietnam veteran relentlessly chides Donnie, whose absentmindedness is a ready fuel source for Walter's self-righteous anger. Essentially, Walter and Donnie respectively personify an opposition between defilement and naivety, which casts Walter as the strong and Donnie as the weak. Though the Dude forgoes active intervention between the two in most circumstances, his mere presence reconciles Walter's hostility with Donnie's passiveness, a presence that prevents, and even rescues Donnie from becoming entirely subjugated by Walter's dominating personality. "
Abstract The paper discusses the subject of "semiotics" and explains that it is the study of signs involving words, sounds, and body language or mannerisms and involves the examination of the roles that signs play as components to social life. The paper states that semiotics investigates the nature of signs and the underlying laws that may govern them. The paper then applies semiotics to the study of the film "Donnie Darko", explaining that a semiotic analysis of certain components of this film could focus in on particular characters, relationships, or sequences of events.
From the Paper "Donnie's relationship with Gretchen in the film is very simple and straight forward. This relationship grounds Donnie in the conventional reality, and provides balance between the parallel universes he is able to tap into. Balance between good and evil, dark and light is symbolized through out the film through sequences of events. Examples of these sequences are when Donnie's teacher fight for creative freedom (good) results in her termination by the school (evil), and when Donnie's act of vandalism involving burning down the motivational speaker's house (evil) results in the discovery of the child pornography ring. "
Abstract This paper examines how entering into the narcotics business helped cause the downfall of the Italian Mafia, La Cosa Nostra. It explains how the drug or narcotics industry led the Mafia to a lower prestige, and began its downward spiral. The paper shows how it is no longer the respectable, honorable organization it once was, and is now viewed as little better than your normal street gangs.
From the Paper "As a society we face many problems, two of which are drugs and organized crime. Drugs, which were once considered just to be for hoodlums and never a mainstream problem, are associated with organized crime, especially La Cosa Nostra, the Italian Mafia. La Cosa Nostra was once a much-revered organization that was comprised of select Italian people who sometimes defied the laws to obtain things for themselves, and other people. La Cosa Nostra, also known as the Mob, the (Secret) Society, Organized Crime, the Confederation, the Outfit, and the Underworld, is comprised of different families with a don, or boss, running each family and a consigliere, advisor, aiding him, and a couple of capos, or captains, who help run the operations with 10 foot soldiers under him. La Cosa Nostra makes its money by getting involved in legitimate operations such as casinos, labor unions, strip clubs, and restaurants as well as illegal rackets like prostitution, loan-sharking, and narcotics. Narcotics have been popular since the late 1960's and early 1970's among the mobsters. The drug racket has only one good thing about it; it makes a lot of money quickly. Narcotics have caused many bad things to happen to the Mafia, and have caused the downward spiral of La Cosa Nostra."
Abstract This paper reviews and summarizes Radcliffe's book about Hilary Clinton, her successes, failures, political career and personal life and the forces that shaped her early career.
From the Paper "Hillary Rodham Clinton grew up in an era where women often felt like they had to make a choice-choose between children and a career, between love and pursuing a life's dream of professional success. But Hillary Clinton was determined to 'have it all.' She wanted both a fulfilling private and personal life, and a fulfilling life as a career woman and later, as a politician on the national and international stage. This conviction came not simply from her ambition and her desire to advance the career of her husband. Rather, it was also motivated by a desire to engage in social activism, particularly to advance the causes the First Lady felt passionate about, such as children's rights, as well as and including women's rights."
Abstract On August 15, 1971, Richard Nixon announced that the US dollar would no longer convert to gold, effectively ending the Bretton Woods system. Tobin suggested a new system for international currency stability, and proposed that such a system include an international charge on foreign-exchange transactions. The Tobin Tax was born. This paper examines how the Tobin Tax aims at reducing short-term speculative currency transactions in order to enhance more stability within today's international financial markets. It concludes that the issue of a Tobin Tax not only arouses questions about the way to address the problem of financial speculation but also expresses the necessity of introducing more democratisation within the international economic management, by calling into question the neo-liberally sustained effectiveness of de-regulated markets that actually has proved faulty in the view of recent major financial crisis.
From the Paper "However, Patomaki puts the emphasis on four major problems characterising the international financial system that the Tobin tax can hardly address. Since tax-avoidance is likely to remain in a global economy dominated by neo-liberal principles of de-regulation, offshore centres would not be reduced by the introduction of a currency transactions tax. Moreover, the problem of "short-termism" would not be easily addressed by the Tobin tax with respect to speculative attacks of a large extent in the context of devaluation. Then Patomaki evokes the problem of "further flow of resources to financial markets": the extraction of tax revenues from financial capital movements would not necessarily be used to sustain non-financial actions but could also re-enter the financial process in a neo-liberal economy. Finally, he denounces the problem posed by the "governance of credit and investments": the Tobin tax is not likely to do anything against "the asymmetric dependence of most governments on the Bretton Woods institutions or the credit-rating agencies" (PATOMAKI, 2001: 221)."
