January 11

Gratitude

When humans suffer they turn to recreation to push away realities miseries. Suffering is inevitable and we distract ourselves with euphoric dreams and ideas to escape. In the end, individual’s only means of having their attention drawn away from their hardships have their limits. We are then forced, to face these problems, for they are constantly reminding us of their presence. That when a well-lived individual faces such conflict, they begin to be aware of the selfishness of themselves, and how they take the small but important things in life for granted. 

Countries like Ethiopia endure despair like no man living in prosperity could. Women bear the responsibility of searching for drinking water for their families. While fathers go out to work, to make a profit, to improve their way of life. The soil, that they bring water from within, has the color brown, much like the color of their skin. This implies that they are like dirt, to be stepped on. We also see a rope that has been cut on its end, where we can assume that their ties with the world are no longer there. Countries suffer because of poverty, but we ignore their cries for help. Because of its monotony. However, they are truly living because they take every little thing as important. Need not to be bountiful. If, given the opportunity, they take it. For every little thing leaves a large impact on their already developing life. While in Mumbai, India, families appreciate the boisterous recreation of a water park. For water is a tool that is used to increase the enjoyment of life. We can drink it and swim in it and bathe in it.  The colors blue and white. This entails purification, innocence or cleanliness, where water is free from dirt and seen in bountiful. Masses are swimming in it, which suggests that they long for incorruption of the world’s problems and theirs. Human beings think only to oneself that when one is personally in distress, there is regard for compassion, but they are relieved. For it is not they who are in despair. Sadly, they are seen as incoherent and apathetic people towards the suffering because they use so much as to not have a care in the world that countries like Ethiopia are near their downfall because of the lack thereof.  

I may never witness the poverty that the people in Ethiopia have to bear. It is a selfish thought, but I am much overjoyed that I live in a place where our daily lives are not consisted of searching. Searching for life. However, we should not digress that poverty is everywhere. People in third world countries struggle to live a day, and we grumble about things that we commonly do. We should be much grateful. Not only for water but the little things that help us live.

Individuals who appreciate the little things, truly live. This enables them to feel more compassionate and empathetic. Instead of giving in, they embrace their suffering. They are then able to face difficult obstacles and can overcome it, to search and hope that they will live another day, despite their lack of water. They are blessed because they are thankful. Sometimes all we need is gratitude. 

 

Category: Anna | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 2

I need a moment…

After examining the given photograph, it is evident that the police officer is committed to his duties by patrolling the neighborhood, and happened to come across kids playing a game of soccer. Poor countries don’t have a properly developed government meaning that the individuals living in those countries have to be constantly aware of the dangers around them, such as thievery, murder, etc. This shows us that individuals living in harsh conditions due to the given state if their country will not have similar experiences as others and have to be precarious about the things happening in their surroundings.

Some individuals are not fully aware of the dangers that a simple object may pose a threat towards others. It is can be interpreted that the police officer holding a gun arrives in the midst of kids playing soccer which shows that it can impose a different meaning to the parents of the children than what was intended by the officer. Police officers are known to carry a weapon(most likely in the form of a gun) along with them on their job because of the role assigned to them. However, the rules following the usage of the guns are much different in smaller countries than in major countries such as Canada and the United States. The rules of the US and Canada states that guns are open to fire upon the command of an individual of the highest rank, but in smaller countries, they are open to fire upon the individual’s circumstances, in order to accomplish their job.  The officer may impose that they should not have to worry because they are there for the protection of the citizens. However, the parents might not trust the officer around their children because of the how dangerous the conditions of the country are and the feeling of the many possibilities of dangers. Living in smaller countries with a poor government can tell others that the individuals have experiences things unlike them, such as civil war, abuse of power/authority, etc.

In conclusion, the conditions of a country can determine the roles of the individuals and their experiences. The gun is a symbol of violence, however, can also be a symbol of protection from the reasoning behind the usage. To the individuals of the smaller countries, the condition may seem normal to them because of the things experienced throughout the years. In my opinion, this photograph does a good job of demonstrating how much suburban countries differ than major countries. In my own life, I’ve lived in Nepal for over 10 years of my childhood; ever since the early years, I was always told not to let go of my parent’s hands while outside so that I wouldn’t get lost in the crowds of people outside. I was told that there were high chances of getting lost or kidnapped so it was a must for me to always be beside my guardians. Crime in rural areas of the cities is very often heard of while living in third world countries which high raises the people’s attention towards the safety of themselves, their loved ones and their belongings. When playing with friends, I was told never to go too far away from the house and to make sure not to talk to strangers, especially the ones that like giving away free candy.

Category: Protsahan, Sept 2017 | 3 Comments on I need a moment…
September 27

Assignment 1: Visual Reflection

Assignment 1: Visual Reflection

Creative: interior monologue

Exam: January 2015

This, so called town, is extremely small and is falling apart. I feel terrible that I have to be here, honesty I don’t know how much more I can take. It is so rough and to see these little kids running around without shoes on. But yet they still have the biggest smile on their face because this is the only life they know.

I have come overseas, leaving my family and friends, to help maintain this town. I miss them so much especially including my wife, Sauvneet along with my two kids; Abdule and Harsh. We live back in Canada and it has been 7 years there and we love it. Personally we wouldn’t want to live anywhere else; it is so welcoming.

Most of the kids tend to keep their distance from me because, as my job, I have to carry around a gun in case someone attacks. The third world countries have been getting worst in the sense that they aren’t free anymore, they can’t do what they want. It’s all a dictatorship, but I am just here to protect not to live. The conditions of this town are so poor; they play soccer without shoes but yet its so hot with nice palm trees. Such a warm climate but its a very polluted and low economy, i just feel so bad for them.

It is incredible how much hardships one town can truly go through. I’ve never lived in a town so small, so beat up and so weak. I can’t imagine what some of these kids are going through, I’m glad my kids are growing up in Canada where they are safe and secure from the world out there.

I’ve never been one to take life for granted but after being sent to this town of Sibernes, I realized how good my life actually is. I must be thankful because     Canada is so great, I don’t know where I would be without such a good country, it is honestly so safe.

All these kids, old and young, playing soccer without shoes because they can afford them and they don’t understand. Soccer is one of the only things keeping them going and is one of the few things they can do during their day. Time is running out for these kids and they don’t realize, next thing they know they will be working and having their own kids. It honestly is such a fast cycle and they are growing up in poverty.

I can’t do much else but do my job and protect them the best I can. If I could I would do so much more including; rebuild many buildings and structures, give some of these kids shoes, and maybe build them a soccer arena. This way they would truly realize how much a life can mean to them, understand the little things in life.

These poor kids! This is your life and you can’t do much about it, but neither can I…

Category: Chantelle | 2 Comments on Assignment 1: Visual Reflection
October 21

With the Steps You’ve Been Given

 

Humans have developed a certain knack of wanting to learn. A desire that was inexplicably written in our genes.

River-Runs-Pitt-Sheffer-SkerittAnd we’ve that same desire to pass that knowledge on to whomever we deem fit of our trust; family, friends, maybe even to the rest of humanity if we feel like it. It’s not so much a thing that’s pressed on by society, but rather an interaction taking place organically. Knowledge passed and earned is something completely natural; just as natural as the evolution that has made us come to be. Such is the case with this grainy photograph displaying three men partaking in their favoured pastime: fly-fishing. A pastime in which the techniques and methods have been passed down, and with the growing of an individual, that given knowledge grows along with them.

The photograph shows us a father-son relationship taking root with the three Maclean men, with Reverend up to the front and in focus. Our eyes drawn to him as our main focal point, not only because he is up front and center, but the colours on his attire are far more radiant than any other subject in the photograph, as well as having the most light directed towards him. It also happens to be a gentle nod towards his faith; an all-mighty being lending a smile towards Reverend for his loyalty towards his religion. Not to mention the fact that out of all three of the men, he is the most enlightened; the more knowledgeable and wise, as he should be through his title of: Father. Furthermore, this can connect with the idea of knowledge in the sense that before it can be given it must be possessed by a someone first. Someone to take up the mantle as a teacher, a mentor. Reverend Maclean is their guiding force, as his God is his.

Moving onto the Maclean brothers, our eyes are drawn to Norman next. Perched up on top of a rock, focus blurring on him only slightly. Also taking note that he is positioned not far from his father, indicating a more exceptional bond between the two. His attire also compliments his presence in the photo as he is more noticeable along with his father. And the fact that he stands on top of a rock and ending up towering over Paul, can signify his gifted superiority and supremacy over him; his own wisdom and insight that’s obtained through his growth could potentially even rival that of the Father’s. We finally see Paul on the far left, knee deep in the river himself, and focus being fairly obscured on him. Paul chooses to don some dark green clothing, bringing even less attention to himself, as opposed to the other men. (It’s fair to note that Paul and Norman have a likeness in the way they dress, as indicated with the rolled up sleeves and matching gear.) He is also taking up a more crooked stance and adopting a new style of fly-fishing compared to Reverend and Norman, who are standing upright with their chests out, fishing ‘proper’ way. But taking a look at all three of the subjects, we are reminded that knowledge is always going to be passed down through the ages. Wisdom is transferred from the wisest, Reverend, to their successors, his sons. But with the passing of knowledge, the more refined it has the possibility of becoming.
Focus plays a huge role in this photo, in the sense that it serves a dual purpose specifically for Paul, both positively and negatively, depending on perspective. From Reverend’s perspective, for example, we can see how the focus can make Reverend look like more of the proper and upstanding man of authority he is. We can think of him having the most clear vision and having the most wisdom on the matter. Followed by Norman, who we know heavily takes after his father and was influenced by him the most, thus he is placed up higher compared to his brother and staying close to Reverend. Then there’s the risk-taking with Paul and his own endeavors. Paul tended to his own being as he saw fit, and while he too was influenced by his father, likewise to his brother, he instead chose to stray away from his father’s knowledge, or dare I say “enlightenment”, and ended up becoming even less like him. Thus, his limited amount of visibility in the photo. But flip the focus to serve Paul’s perspective, and him straying away isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Because it also signifies development and the pursuit of veering away from your mentor’s ways and discovering your own path with the steps you’ve been given.
But that’s the thing with knowledge and wisdom. It’s never lost. It’s recovered, it’s passed on and transferred from generation to generation. But not only is it passed down, it’s changed. With the passing of knowledge, it evolves from the use of each wielder, and has the potential to adopt new styles and forms throughout. But for that development to occur, it all has to start from somewhere.

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October 20

Harmony in a Father-Son Relationship

River-Runs-Pitt-Sheffer-Skeritt

In a father-son relationship virtues that a father passes down to his son are of much importance. For these virtues are a beautiful sight to see in a son. A son, who looks up to his father as an idol, will soon be a man of much pride. But before a son is to follow the footsteps of his father, he must see his father as his greatest friend.

A visual from the film, A River Runs Through It, directed by Robert Redford, takes the audience on a journey in which two boys, Paul and Norman, grow, prosper, face adversities, and strive for their own happiness under the many influences of their father, Reverend Mclean. Although the boys idolize their father in their younger years, they soon come to realize that the ever changing world around them continues to expose them to many new influences. Which in result creates many differences between the three while maintaining many similarities. It is through these contrasts that we witness the role that harmony plays in balancing the ideologies of discipline and freedom in such relationships. These very relations include the struggle that Paul has towards valuing his relation with Reverend Mclean, while Norman juggles between the two. The imbalances and struggles eventually lead the three individuals to act, think, and live in diverse ways. The only source of balance, the three tend to find, is in fly-fishing; an abundant source of harmony seems to resonate in nature for them.

First off the visual has been explicitly staged in a full shot frame, in order to demonstrate the beauty of the environment and the stimulus that the three are reacting too. In this case the environment is a shallow moving river with plenty of boulder size rocks creating small waves and crashes, illustrating the free and resilient force of the river. This free and resilient nature of the water symbolizes the natural but unpredictable attitude and personality of Paul when it comes to maintaining his relations. While the rocks and the waves symbolize the role Norman and Reverend Mclean play in Paul’s life; holding him accountable and responsible for his actions and pacing him to move more cautiously in life. The very relation that Paul has developed with his brother and father are key examples of when an individual’s chooses to find balance between discipline and freedom. Paul strives for freedom with great effort but is never shy of taking advice from his father and brother; even if the advice or reminders challenge is own ideologies. And in attempt to appease Norman and Reverend McLean, Paul finds harmony with them in fly-fishing; a moment that allows the three of them to balance their powerful influences on one another.

Amongst the three, it is noticeable that the color of their clothing is of different gray contrast and hues. Reverend is glowing in his pure white shirt and shiny gray vest coupled with the matching pants. Norman, who is between Paul and his father, is wearing a light gray outfit, consistent in this color, from top to bottom, and Paul is wearing a complete set of saturated brownish gray clothes. This visual aspect portrays the imbalance between the characters Paul and Reverend, where white represents a life of innocence, battling, a dark brown style which illustrates a life of secrets, and the fact that Norman is in the middle, dressed in a blend of the two colors, symbolizes the balanced relationship he holds between his brother and father; he keeps secrets for Paul, which poisons the shadow of pure innocence casted by Reverend. In another sense the innocence portrayed through Reverend’s attire is an illusion for discipline; an ideology that tells us to hide nothing from one another and forces us to take a pledge towards valuing the relation. Whereas Paul, with his life of secrets, demonstrates what happens when an individual values the ideology of freedom over discipline. This unbalanced approach between freedom and discipline makes it difficult to obtain harmony due to opposing perspectives in a relationship.

In the film, A River Runs Through It, Robert Redford illustrated the journey of brotherhood and fatherhood in which discipline and freedom are two countering ideologies that find balance through the means of harmony. A visual from the film shows two brothers, Norman and Paul, fly-fishing with their father, Reverend Mclean. Their relationship with one another is illustrated through various aspects of cinematic imagery; which include the environment and colors in the frame. These very aspects demonstrate how the three build and approach their relations with one another. These relations are heavily influenced by their own ideologies which in return cause imbalances between Norman, Paul, and Reverend. In order to re calibrate their imbalances the three use fly-fishing as an activity of harmony.

Jassy

Category: Jassy | LEAVE A COMMENT
December 9

critical

Even with all the international organizations based on humanitarianism working to provide people in need around the world with the necessities of life, there are still communities in all parts of the world who go through great hardship to come up with these basic needs. While these communities suffer and put up with their hardships, other parts of the world have it easy with everything they will ever need at their fingertips. In the provided photographs, this disparity is proven by the recreational water park in Mumbai, India and the hand dug well to find water in Ethiopia. The inequality in the quality of life shown in this prompt shows just how good and how bad some people have it.

The water park in Mumbai displays a sum of people both splashing around and relaxing having a good time cooling off in the hot summer sun. Given the design of the water park, it was not cheap to build and is not cheap to run; not only does this community have money to through away for public recreation, they have an abundance of water to use, throw away, and use at their leisure. The children in this photograph are all enjoying themselves and not one of them looks to be deprived of any necessity life along with many of the wants available to them, including potable water at the turn of a tap. There is a father laying down and relaxing watching his kids in the water with his shades on; he does not have to and does not worry about how he’s going to come up with basic needs for his family for he lives in a place lucky enough where everything they will need is readily available.

The photograph taken in Ethiopia shows a person struggling to get water from hand dug well which is but a few feet deep in the dry, hard-packed ground. Their two containers are rather small and are made of what looks like the scavenged shell off the fruit of plant; not only is there little water in them, the water is extremely murky to the point its brown. The person in the photograph is awfully scrawny and has to work hard to come up with the basic needs of life to survive and help provide for their family. They must be very careful in how they deal and use their water supply, many people live off this well and walk a great distance everyday for just a taste of water.

The displayed photographs exemplify the disparity around the world; some people have everything they could think of at the tips of their fingers while others go through great hardship to survive and come up with enough water to last the day. Perhaps international organizations and charities should get more support from those thriving to help do a better job to provide people with the basic necessities of life and raise the quality of life around the world.

Category: Stephen, Uncategorized | LEAVE A COMMENT