The Sea Inside Reflection Extra credit

A New Perspective

My opinion on the movie, “The Sea Inside” is that it is a very interesting movie. This movie enlightened me on both sides of the spectrum on the topic of Euthanasia which is the right to die, or to be assisted to kill yourself. Before this movie I thought that people who want to kill themselves are just weird like that and don’t have any real good reasons, but after seeing this movie, I see that there are many reasons why people might want to kill themselves whether it is to leave with some dignity, or maybe its just because there in too much pain to continue on like they are. This movie was effective on getting there point across because it really persuaded me to a point now where I am unsure where I stand on he topic of Euthanasia.

The Sea Inside was a really great movie due to its many literary aspects it possessed. The main character Ramon was played wonderfully, but I think the best portrayal of any character was done by Ramon’s sister-in-law, who never once had a boring part. She was continuously in the middle of arguments between Ramón and José, but also you could tell that even within the acting there was an internal battle going on between if she wants the courts or anyone else to help Ramon with killing himself or if she wants him to just keep living, since she respects his decisions, but still loves him too much to let him go. The sea is a symbol of both Ramon’s freedom, since Ramon was a sailor before the accident and he loved everything about the sea, and it was also his captive, because the sea is also what caused him to be a quadriplegic.

Although the film had very good literary aspects, I feel it lacked a little bit in the cinematic aspects of the film. I feel that the camera angle while Ramon was in bed did not portray well enough how boring and annoying it would be to see the same things day after day for 28 years, which I feel was an issue for him. During the movie, I also felt that the music was not used to better the scenes, and at times it almost seemed to change the message of the scene to a totally different meaning then what they were trying to portray. Also at the end of the movie I feel that when Javi was chasing after the car it would’ve been more effective to have a medium shot before they zoomed out to a long shot, because the message didn’t really have any meaning to me when it started zooming out more from an already long shot. On the other hand though, I do like how the director put in under water close-ups to show what happened underwater which really showed the importance and magnitude in relation to the story.

Between the movie The Sea Inside and the book The Diving Bell and the Butterfly the similarities and differences are between the main characters. Ramon and Jean-Dominique Bauby are similar and different in many ways. They are similar in many ways like how they both made a book about the condition they both are in. Also as it was evident in both the movie and the book, they were each good with the ladies. On the other hand they were both also very different. First off, the time period in which the accidents occurred were different since Baubys’ happened when he was middle aged, and Ramon’s happened when he was a young man. Also the general outlook on life is difference since Bauby is looking for hope to be able to get a little bit better, while Ramon just wants to die with the dignity he still has.

I would definitely recommend this movie to just about anyone. Whether you are for Euthanasia or even if you’re strongly against it, I think either way it’s a good eye opener. The movie was very touching and well made. The characters were fabulous and people could really relate to them. This movie in specific makes you re-think about your own feelings and position on euthanasia and if it should be allowed or not.

Week 5 Post B

Dear Tony
I have been reading your book now for a really long time and im getting really close to finishing. I think its really cool how you name your chapters and how they also tell a story also. For example, one of your chapters is called "walking the plank", which many unfortunate events happen to you and your family with your mother dyeing and you losing your job, and the next chapter is called "a soft landing", which is like a transition, and your luck kind of turns around. I found this cool because its like walking the plank and thats real bad, but then have a soft landing, i thought the names of those two chapters were very clever.
Also id just like to say that i am sorry that all these bad things keep happening to you. I know many bad things happen to everyone, but all of these things happen so suddenly in your life, and i duno how you could deal with a loss of job, your mother dieing and your son taking his life. I really respect how through all of these events you have kept God as a big part of your life as usual. Many people would not be able to go through what you did, and still believe that there even is a God, while for you it just made you talk to God a little more.
I have not finished reading, and i plan to finish in the next few days, but i hope that things start looking up for you and your family , which i am pretty sure they do since there are pictures with you after you had won the SuperBowl. So goodluck with everything, and i hope everything turns out alright.
Sincerly
Charlie ______.

Week 5 post A

Vocab
Naysayers(241)- a person who habitually expresses negative or pessimistic views
Retrospect(238)- To look back and contemplate retrospectively

Appeals
"We went 12-4 and won the AFC South Division for the second straight year."(238) - This is a logical appeal because it shows a record which is a statistic or fact so its a logical appeal.

"For the fourth year in a row, we started the season 3-4."(187)- This is a logical appeal because it is a statistic that shows how they started there season.

"But this game, I was focused on the anthem itself- the words, the music, the meaning- as much as the game"(190)- This is an emotional appeal because the song symbolizes more then just a song to Tony for this game, (since the game was right after september 11).

Quote
"Tony, sit tight. I'm going to find a flight. i'll be in Indy tonight." - this is a very important quote because it shows that Tony was going through soo much during this time, with the death of his mother and now his son james, and its good that he has such good friends that are willing to just fly to him on christmas when a thing like this happened, instead of just like calling him.

Theme
The theme in these chapters to me seem as if it was that you need to stick with God even through the roughest times, because its all apart of his plan.

Week 4 post B

Dear Tony
I have noticed throughout your book that continuesly people have done things wrong to you and you continuesly forgive them and consider them as good friends. I know that if any poeple would have done things to me like they have done to you, like how Marty Schottenheimer screwed you out of the defensive coordinator job twice, id probly never forgive him since he promised you, and deffinitly not put that "Marty and i remain good friends to this day" in a book that i wrote. I dont know but i guessed that this ability to forgive so easily may be because of your strong religious beliefs or maybe because you may meet these characters late on in your book at some point maybe?. well congratulations on the birth of your daughter Tiara And your son Jamie and also on the new job as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Week 4 post A

Vocab
Swagger(120)- to walk or strut with a defiant or cocky manner
Stewarding(102)- One who manages another's property, money, or other affairs.

Appeal
"Now i was going much farther than i wanted-out of town."(71)- this is an emotional appeal because this shows a sad moment for him. He doesn't want to be fired, and hes not looking forward to moving, so you feel bad for him.

"After all, Minnesota had the best record in the NFL at 5-1, while we were 0-5."(129)- This is a logical appeal because it shows a statistic that can be verified.

"I can still remember the excitement and relief we felt as the clock wound down and we wrapped up our victory, 24-13.(121)- This is a logical appeal because it shows a score of a game which is a fact which makes it a logical appeal, But also i feel that this could also be an emotional appeal because this really lets me imagine what it was like at the end of the game, because i have been in that position many times and know what that feels like.

Quote
"Tony, you're our defensive coordinator."(69) - This is an important quote because it both provides a lot of humor for the occasion and it also provides a future for what Tony will do for the next few years of his life.

Theme
The ongoing theme of religion is not as obvious in the chapters i read, a theme i noticed was to do whats best for all, and no whats just best for you and this is evident when Tony decides not to go to the 49's or the Giants when they are a whole lot better then the team he chose, which was Kansas City, because he didnt want his children growing up in such a big city.

week 3 post B

Dear Tony
I have been reading your book "Quiet Strength" and i have really enjoyed it so far. One thing i really like about your book is just the overall story of it. It's a great story already, even if the main climax hasnt happened. You grew up having race as an issue for you, you played bball and football and choose to stick with football, played college ball, didnt get drafted, joined steelers as a free agent and in your 2nd year, had the most interceptions on a winning team who won the Super Bowl, and while your at it have kept God with you all along. That right there is a good enough story for me too read, but no, im only like a fifth of the way through the book. I really like how around page 50ish it is sort of like an underdog story of a kid who hadnt even been drafted, black, worried about losing his job, who then goes out and leads the team and is tied for 10th most interceptions that year in the whole league.
i have heard alot of things about your story (even though i havent finished) from espn and other news stations, but i am still really excited to read the rest of the book. Hope all turns out well, and good luck with your team this year.

Sincerly
Charlie Grande

Week 3 post A

Vocab
Alluded(42)- to refer casually or indirectly
Meek(42)- humbly patient or docile

Appeals:
"That year, 1977, I had fair amount of playing time at the safety position, and i ended up intercepting three passes for the season."(45) - This is a logical appeal because it shows a statistic of how he had 3 interceptions.

"Yet the concept of putting God first in everything I did hadn't been my primary focus. Finally i understood, and i started to move from being a casual Christian to a fully commited follower of Jesus."(43)- this is an emotional appeal because it shows his beliefs and thoughts on life, and it makes you feel uplifted that he resolved a major issue in his life."

"We went 14-2 and won the Super Bowl over Dallas, 35-31."(51)- This is an example of a logical appeal because its a statistic and it shows both there record for the season and how much they beat Dallas by.

Quote:
"Tony, I think you're at a crossroads," Donnie said. "You know what life is all about. you profess to be a christian, and you tell everybody that God has first place in your life. Now, when your career looks like its teetering, we're getting a chance to see what really is in first place for you."
- This is a very important qoute because when Donnie said that it made Tony really think of how he was acting because of the possibility of the loss of his job , which he then changed because it wasnt how God wouldve wanted him to live.
Themes: The theme still remains that to live for the lord. BUT there also is a mini-theme in one of the chapters were a theme of believing in yourself

the diving bell and the butterfly

i thought the The diving bell and the butterfly was a decent book. I reallly liked how he was able to write the book with just blinking his eye, but i also think it might have been a disadvantage also because at some places it gets real choppy and hard to determine if its past/present, or if its real/make bielieve. As for the story, i found it very interesting story because he doesnt just add the good things of his life, he adds the bad things from his past, his present, good times from the past and others. I dont know if he couldve improved on the ending or not, but i didnt really like it all that much. i think the ending shouldve been some turning point, or some very sad moment. I know this is hard since its not like he could write if he died, but i think he couldve changed the ending, and i duno maybe i just didnt understand the ending like others but i found it reallly bad. If we do another book lets try more of an action-filled book.

Week 2 post B

My favorite character in the book so far is Mr. Rocquemore because theres people who i can compare him to in my life. Mr. Rocquemore is an assistant principle at Tonys high school who really cares for everyone at the school, but he takes a liking to Tony and his friends. Mr. Rocquemore seems really cool/nice because they say that they would go out to lunch with him and even sometimes go to the movies with him which shows that hes made personal connections with the boys. Mr. Rocquemore helps out greatly in Tonys life because when Tony was thinking about quiting football, Mr. Rocquemore convinced him to stay, and helped him sort things out.

Mr. Rocquemore resembles a church leader in my life who is a good friend of mine, but is also someone who is higher up than me if that makes sense.

week 2 post A

Vocab
Accolades(16)- an expression of approval or praise
Innovative(34)- ahead of the times, something new or different introduced.

Appeals
"Thankfully, our running backs stayed hot, the offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and we dominated Wisconsin with the run, winning 24-3." (32) - This is a logical appeal because it shows a statistic, which shows that they owned the game even though he made a real bad play.

"Tony, is this right? I've talked with your father countless times over the years and spent many a practice with him. He's a doctor?"(13) - This is an emotional appeal because it makes me like the father more, because it shows how humble he is by having Tonys good friend ask him something that he probably would've already known if his father would brag about being a doctor.

"I graduated as fourth all-time in total offense in the Big Ten, a two-time team Most Valuable Player, and captain my senior year."(34) - This is a logical appeal because it states facts about how well he did playing college football.

Quote
"Tony, you enjoy playing football, and these other guys enjoy plaing football. You should have your senior year to play, and so should they. At the end of the day, what are you really upset about, anyway?" (24) -- This is a very important quote in the book, because this quote changed Tonys mind about quiting football. If he would have quited football we probably would'nt even know who Tony Dungy is.

Theme
The theme so far in the book is that hes growing up and learning his lessons and growing from things his parents teach him, hes always stuck to his morals, and all along the way hes stuck with religion.