tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327484429725532216.post7229185601296799472..comments2023-11-05T03:25:53.239-08:00Comments on Drake's Flames: Movie Review (Sorta) - To Kill A MockingbirdUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327484429725532216.post-11486121907488533642011-03-28T15:17:07.783-07:002011-03-28T15:17:07.783-07:00I think your enthusiasm is a testament to what a g...I think your enthusiasm is a testament to what a great movie this is. I should watch it sometime.<br /><br />thanksJurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159781200263742361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327484429725532216.post-57997225629541444172011-03-27T19:51:02.824-07:002011-03-27T19:51:02.824-07:00Indeed, every scene has mulitple meanings, and aft...Indeed, every scene has mulitple meanings, and after a brief bit of internet reading, it seems the dog is a metaphor for racism as well - which makes a lot of sense.<br /><br />The only thing I have a problem with in your interpretation is walking away from it as a justification of capital punishment. I have a problem with that interpretation, and I think Harper Lee would have too (though I could be completely wrong). <br /><br />Unlike a rabid dog, human beings are redeemable (and I don't mean from a religious point of view; I'm not religious) - even Bob Ewell. And more to the point, we don't have the right to take another human being's life for any reason, especially with the inevitable flaws in our judicial systems. <br /><br />That's just my opinion and interpretation, of course. It's been a while since I read the book.UniversalHeadhttp://www.headlesshollow.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327484429725532216.post-64370871066487976852011-03-27T18:03:52.790-07:002011-03-27T18:03:52.790-07:00I think that's the brilliance of To Kill A Moc...I think that's the brilliance of To Kill A Mockingbird. The story is cohesive on its own. While stories like Lord of the Flies rely so heavily on odd scenes to hint at the author's overall message, To Kill A Mockingbird uses every scene for more than one purpose. On the surface, the dog scene does help to characterize Atticus, and contributes to his portrayal as a powerful man who uses his strength as a last resort.<br /><br />But no scene in the movie is wasted (it's been a long time since I read the book, so I couldn't attest to the same being true of the novel). Every scene contributes to the story and characters, and at the same time, serves to further deliver the more subtle underlying message. Harper Lee could have chosen nearly any challenging confrontation to make Atticus more powerful, but she used a rabid dog. An escaped prisoner or a wild animal could have allowed Atticus to prove his strength, but a rabid dog is a powerfully one-dimensional device. A rabid dog is all bad, incurable and irrationally violent. It can cause only harm, and no good can come of its continued existence. Unlike a wild animal, which Atticus would regret killing, or an escaped prisoner, whom Atticus would try hard to avoid killing, a rabid dog must be destroyed, with no apologies or hesitation and no regrets or guilt.<br /><br />An escaped prisoner or wild animal may have been a difficult obstacle, but it would not have been as perfect a congruent character for Bob Ewell. Like the rabid dog, his death leaves no guilt or regret. He brought only strife and misery to the world, and made the world a better place for leaving it.<br /><br />I grant you that you can take away a lot from the story without having to read into it Harper Lee's deeper message. But when she named her book, she was throwing out a big neon clue. The title could have been a lot of things, but her choice of titles tells us that she was pointing to specific elements within the book and asking the reader to see deeper than a story of racism and strength during the Depression.Matt Drakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10293720777403743376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327484429725532216.post-49820219508252823302011-03-26T22:41:49.026-07:002011-03-26T22:41:49.026-07:00Great post Matt. It's been a while, but I alwa...Great post Matt. It's been a while, but I always saw the rabid dog scene as there to tell us more about Atticus' strength of character. Up until then he is shown as bookish, somewhat non-confrontational, even to his kids; but then he shoots the dog and we're told he's the best shot in the area. In other words, his great strength is that he has 'power' but he also has the self-control and lack of ego that means he chooses not to exercise it unless it is absolutely necessary. Scout looks at him differently, understands a bit more about him after that scene. And so do we, because we know he would do almost anything to avoid a violent solution - not because he can't, but because he chooses not to.UniversalHeadhttp://www.headlesshollow.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327484429725532216.post-25909498099103302872011-03-26T00:34:52.065-07:002011-03-26T00:34:52.065-07:00I've always thought the story was also about s...I've always thought the story was also about standing by your convictions and morals.<br /><br />Atticus Finch is such a powerfully good man. Despite the heavy pressure of the public mindset and the mass bigotry, Atticus stays a constant and pure person. He remains uncorrupted despite what surrounds him.<br /><br />Tom is much the same way. "Keep your head down and don't mix with the white folk" was the mentality from the black community in those types of places in those days because it helped you not get lynched. Tom is just a good person though, so when someone asks or needs help he's happy to oblige. His death in the story is one of the most tragic scenes there is.<br /><br />Great stuff all around, great article, great book, great movie, great acting by the great Gregory Peck, etc...<br /><br />If you got the three most amazing games ever all at the same time, and all before their releases and you had another post like this one stewing in your head - feel free to put the reviews on hold.Wind Lanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327484429725532216.post-85350496862409874212011-03-25T21:59:21.398-07:002011-03-25T21:59:21.398-07:00I would like to accommodate, but unfortunately, th...I would like to accommodate, but unfortunately, thoughts this deep are few and far between. Instead, if you were to see the monologue inside my head, it would usually sound like this:<br /><br />'Hurr. Boobs. Ass. Hot legs. Sex. Heh. Oh cool, games with monsters. And boobs. Huuuh.'<br /><br />It took me a week and a half to sound this smart. No way can I do that three times a week. Or realistically, three times a year.<br /><br />But if aliens deem me worthy for another dose of semi-literate inspiration, I will do my best to write it down before I am distracted by porn.Matt Drakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10293720777403743376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327484429725532216.post-63923404749761965902011-03-25T21:11:56.053-07:002011-03-25T21:11:56.053-07:00This is an amazing post. Please do this more ofte...This is an amazing post. Please do this more often.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15970293461574726183noreply@blogger.com