"Medianeras" Entry 17

“Medianeras”

The Argentinean movie “Medianeras” shows us both Mariana and Martin`s struggle to be happy within a city in which “meeting up” and “getting together” might seem easier that it actually is. Both characters present themselves as depressed people who, after having been abandoned or hurt, constantly fail and fear to meet new people and to become serious in a relationship. Despite their biggest efforts, Mariana and Martin always end up alone and as the movie moves forward the audience is led to believe that both of them will be perfect for each other once they meet.

The lives of both Marina and Martin give an important twist from the moment they decide to construct a window on the sidewall of the building. By the end of the movie not only do they meet but also show themselves very happy with each other leading the audience to believe  they will be a lively and long lasting couple. From my point of view it is no coincidence that they meet after having built a window since it can be interpreted as a metaphor for opening up to people and to allow great thing to enter your life and not close yourself to those opportunities.

Ted and Walls Entry #18

The Global Citizens

Hugh Evans belongs to a worldwide movement called “Global Citizens” which, by persuading the global leaders, wishes to solve the global issues such as climate change, gender equality, diseases, poverty etc, in spite of the enormous distance between the countries. This young man tells us that even though the movement has accomplished many great results there is still a long way to go because not only are the global leaders thinking exclusively about their own country`s issues or, as Hugh says “looking into their own backyard”, but also acting indifferently towards the other countries ‘issues, an attitude that is , as he states, a big mistake: It is necessary for us, as citizens of the world, to care about the other countries` issues because those issues might someday become ours or even the world`s if they are not addressed in time. “Global Citizens” needs people who are motivated into looking beyond their borders and taking action towards the world`s most serious problems.

From my point of view the content of the video seems to be a little utopian not only because of the idea of all the people of the world working together for a common cause but also because of the erroneous concept of the good and generous global leaders. Sadly the global leaders do think about their own welfare and common interests and from their point of view it is meaningless to help the poor and wretched countries. I am not affirming   that is it absolutely impossible but what I do affirm is that it will be a movement almost unimaginable to achieve if we, as people, do not look beyond ourselves.

World of Walls Entry #16

As I have read in the article "World of walls"  from the site called "Mail on line", there are sixty five walls completed or under construction nowadays all around the world and they are being built up for many reasons but mostly because of security issues such as holding back the tide of immigrants and for preventing criminals, terrorists and drug dealers from crossing the border. According to some experts and contrary to what many people might think, walls do not provide real security since not only immigrants find a way to pass through or to climb the fences but also criminals, drug dealers and terrorists who, among all the unwanted visitors, may find it easier to cross the border specially because they have access to the necessary resources such as fake documents. Surprisingly, wall supporters do think that there is little proof of the effectiveness of the fences in stopping all people from crossing the borders, yet they state that leaks are better than a flood, meaning that they prefer one or two illegal visitors than a whole pack.

According to Professor Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly from Canada`s University of Victoria, real border control comes only through the slow and exhaustive work of building ties and sharing information with other countries. Not only accepting diplomatic cooperation but also sharing databases are much more effective in a long term.

Across The great Divide Entry #14

Across the Great Divide

Twenty seven years after having been demolished, the Berlin wall still continues influencing the west and the east citizens’ lives in Berlin .It might have been assumed that after the demolition of the barrier that had sliced Germany in two, not only the lives of the Germans would have been restored but also Germany itself. Easterners still earn less money that the westerners who also live in better conditions and are more likely to be successful bosses or to have successful marriages. Despite the fact that the great divide is no longer a real division in Berlin, the consequences of its construction still linger across Germany.
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Regarding the article´s macrostructure,  we can identify the title and the pictures which gives us a clue about what the article is about. Reading the title " Acorss the great divide", looking at the pictures, reading the subtitles and also reading the month in which the article was pubished (november: the anniversary of the destruction of the Berlin wall  ) gives us a hint that the article may be related to the Berlin wall. 

• Regarding its semantic organization we can identify instances of

Exophoric References: Ossi, Wessi, Berlin, Germany 

Endophoric Refereces; through the use of pronouns( it, they, he, his, their)

Semantic field: Words reated to the Berlin wall ( to slice, to split, west berliners, east berliners, counterparts, citizen, side, barrier, to collapse, half, border, to come down, reunified country)

Synonims:  Wall- Barrier- Border
                   To slice- To split
                   To come down- To collapse
                   Half- Other side

Repetition of words: Wall, Berlin , East, West, City, Dissapointment

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1st and 2nd  Paragraph: Introduction: Ossis and Wessi`s Life in Berlin
3rd Paragraph: West and East Berliners
4th and 5th Paragraph: Present events
6th, 7th, 8th 9th,10th Paragraph: West and East Berliners
11th Paragraph: Ostalgia for the old life
12th Paragraph: Reunification
13th Paragraph: Conclusion

Poem Entry #15

1-      Why would someone build “walls” around his or her feelings?

Sometimes and depending on the situation or the people we relate to, we build imaginary walls. We do this as a defense mechanism in order not to end up hurt from a situation or to be hurt by a person and these “walls” can be manifested in the form of lies, silences, violent outbursts , tears etc. We prefer to avoid the situation rather than to confront it.

2-      Do you or others you know, ever build such “walls”?

It is not a question of who builts these “walls” but a question of who does not. In my personal opinion almost every human being has at least once built these barriers.  All people safeguard their own mental health: I do it and almost everyone I know does so too.

3-      Do you think that there are times when we need to build walls?

I think there are special moments in which we need to build walls, difficult moments, moments we would like to erase from or memory such as a family or a friend´s death, a very violent disagreement with someone or a fight. That is when we build a wall so that the awful memory does not hurt us anymore.

Entry #12 Death penalty

Video " Jeremy Irons talk about death penaty"

Key Words:

• Crime
• Death Penalty
• To punish
• Crime rates
• To abolish
• Legal counsel
• Capital punishment
• To be executed 
• Child offenders
• Innocents
• Human rights
• Imprisonment
• Revenge
• Deterren

Key Phrases

• Those without the capital get the punishment
• Everyone has the right to live and no one should be subject to torture
• It is not a deterrent against the crime that it punishes
• To plunge into criminal chaos
• The death penalty targets the economically disadvantaged 
• The right to life is inalienable: it cannot be given and it cannot be taken away

Jeremy Irons expresses:

• Death penalty does not prevent high crime rates 
• Good legal counsel cannot be afforded by the poor people 
• Death is irreversible 
• Death penalty is not acceptable even if it means killing both an innocent or a criminal 
• Death penalty kills people but also tortures them psychologically when having to wait for death 
• Human rights apply to all human rights 
• The right to life cannot be taken away

Entry #11 Yoko ono´s letter

2o years after John Lennon´s death ,Yoko Ono decided to write a letter in response of the possible release of his husband´s murderer.

 After reading the letter we can outline 5 main points:

1- John´s death changed the lives of everyone who knew him

2- Yoko Ono tries to look to the future but the memory of that awful night still haunts her

3- Yoko Ono believes that John would have changed his position with his murderer to be able to keep on living, writing songs, hearing the voice of the people he loved. 

4- The widow believes it is no fair for the murderer to be released

5- She also thinks it would not be safe for her or John if the murderer was to be released; She claims it would not also be safe for the murderer himself since there are many people who are strongly distresed for what he has done.