Finley Experience

Last Interview with Cryptotrader Randall Lord, former Libertarian Candidate, before Reporting to Jail for Bitcoin Trading

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 23:47:00 +0000

Take Action against H.R. 1313 a Eugenics Discrimination Plan by the 115th US Congress

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 15:26:00 +0000

For a look a the work place genetics discrimination bill:
HR 1313
https://www.congress.gov/…/115th-co…/house-bill/1313/actions

For a quick way to call congress:
https://www.callmycongress.com/

House of Representative's Contact list:
http://www.house.gov/representatives/

Senate's Contact list:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

Ignes Fatui, Book 2 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:20:00 +0000

Holy Carpe Diem!

I can't believe we're 13 weeks into Ignes Fatui, Book 2 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series! That means that we're 1/4th of the way through Book 2!

I've got to apologize for the delayed posting of this week's chapter. We had what some might call a "weather event" which is to say we got snowed in and had issues with internet connectivity.

Here are the important links:

The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series

http://www.pushingbhutons.com

This is the main site where links to each book in the series are posted. Since the books are being written in as e-serials, every week I post the links to the newest chapter.

Terra Damnata, Book 1

http://www.pushingbhutons.com/p/terra-damnata.html
http://book1.pushingbhutons.com/2015/10/authors-note.html

Ignes Fatui, Book 2

http://www.pushingbhutons.com/p/ignes-fatui.html

http://book2.pushingbhutons.com/2016/10/authors-note.html

Terra Damnata, Book 1 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series [FINISHED]

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 11:30:00 +0000

Holy shit!!!! We did it! Congrats are in order! It was a long process, but over the course of the last year, Terra Damnata, Book 1 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series was diligently written, edited, and published!

Start reading Terra Damanata: http://www.pushingbhutons.com/2015/10/tpbs1-authors-note.html

*** *** ***

In the interest of not giving away anything (no spoiler alert needed), on Oct. 31, 2016, the next part of the series begins: Ignes Fatui, Book 2 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series.

Links coming soon!!!

Update: Terra Damnata, Book 1 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 23:20:00 +0000

Hey all!

I'm quite excited to announce that my first novel, Terra Damnata Book 1 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series, is nearly complete. Just a few more chapters and then on to Ignes Fatui Book 2 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series.

I know some of you aren't into serials, you'd rather sit down and devour a book in one good sitting. Well, when we get a little closer to the end date, I'll begin taking preorders for Terra Damnata, so, be on the look out for further updates.

That's all for now!

Monique

Winner of the 2016 Finley Experience International Views Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 18:21:00 +0000

Hey All!

Apologies for the late post. The winner of the 6th Annual Finley Experience International Views Conterst is:

Israel!

Congratulations Israel for your 2nd win in a row!

The run for second place was not nearly as close this year as last year, but was still a run between Russian and Ukraine, with Ukraine maintaining their lead over Russia for the entire year.

This year's 4th place is Germany. They displaced China who has now fallen in the rankings for 3 years in a row.

France, United Kingdom, Poland, and the Netherlands have maintained their places as 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th (respectively).

The 2016 Scoreboard reads:

Israel	9443
Ukraine	5612
Russia	5313
Germany	2751
China	2436
France	2270
United Kingdom	940
Poland	761
Netherlands	336

This year I'll continue writing poetry about Israel.

Who will win the 7th Annual Finley Experience International Views Contest?

The contest runs from June 1st, 2016 to May 31st, 2017. Good luck!

2016 Finley Experience International Views Contest Update

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 May 2016 11:30:00 +0000

We're coming to the end of another year of the Finley Experience International Views Contest.
Just a few days left to get those views in! Last year's winner was Israel. Who will be this year's winner?

Poems Written for the 5th Annual International Views Contest Winner: Israel

http://poetry.finleyexperience.com/2016/02/fe-ivc-diasporic-israel.html

http://poetry.finleyexperience.com/2015/07/fe-ivc-poem-oisrael-know-thou-not.html

Past Winners
5th Annual Winner: Israel
4th Annual Winner: Ukraine
3rd Annual Winner: Russia
2nd Annual Winner: Russia
1st Annual Winner: Russia

Strolling with Stein and James (or, Romantic Meanderers)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:20:00 +0000

Introduction

Gertrude Stein and Henry James paint material landscapes as background scenery for readers to stroll through while subtly contemplating the finer points of masculine and feminine dichotomies. The overall pace of their works and their word choices lead readers as if on a leisurely stroll through Hyde Park or the Louvre. In The American, Christopher Newman displays the tensions between strolling and sitting. In The Autobiography of Alice B. Tolkas, Alice exemplifies the tensions between sitting and standing. The differences, in both works, revolve around notions of motion (masculine or feminine) and states of being (active or inactive). Setting up dichotomous states of being increases dramatic tensions within the works. Dichotomies, primarily involving motion and/or lack of motion, also control the speed of scenes. Accordingly, moments of intensity wind up as intriguing bends in the garden’s path (i.e. momentary tangents). In other words, both, Stein and James, utilize the motions involved with sitting and standing to move their readers from one point to the next. The remainder of this paper will focus on explicating a few passages from each work in order to garner a better understanding of the effects of the sit/stand dichotomy as presented by Stein and James. (Note: Due to the length restrictions, I will limit passages to major plot movers specifically utilizing the words: sit, stand, and stroll.)

Gertrude Stein: “[A]pprenticeship of [S]tanding”

In The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, we’re immediately introduced to tense sitting: “I like a view but I like to sit with my back turned to it” (Stein 1 emphasis mine). There is no further explanation. The ambiguity allows the reader’s mind to drift. Alice could be putting her back-to-a-view with the same presence as the paranoid who prefers to sit back-to-a-wall. Though, the distinct smugness in the statement leads the reader to imagine a girl who doesn’t feel a view is worth the effort of facing it. Either way, this brief sentence serves to transition the reader from Alice’s preferences to the next paragraph concerning her upbringing or “the gently bred existence of [her] class and kind” (Stein 1). This transition leads the reader to the conclusion that Alice is the type of girl who is concerned with “class and kind” and who has time to ignore the same view that others would barely have time to enjoy. This instance of sitting helps to pull the reader into the story, additionally, it serves to move the reader through the subtleties of Alice’s class consciousness.

When moving from sitting to standing much masculine-feminine tension is placed in the gesture itself, however, this tension is packaged in material descriptions of “chairs” and their comfort inadequacies for “short-legged people”:

The chairs in the room were also all italian renaissance, not very comfortable for short-legged people and one got in the habit of sitting on one’s legs. Miss Stein sat near the stove in a lovely high-backed one and she peacefully let her legs hang, which was a matter of habit, and when any one of the many visitors came to ask her a question she lifted herself up out of this chair and usually replied in french, not just now (Stein 9).

Sitting on one’s legs invites the inevitable reduction of blood flow which naturally causes blood to rush back into one’s legs upon standing. The image of Stein sitting with her legs dangling then standing up quickly impresses on to the reader Stein’s readiness to stand up at speed (Gertrude Stein in your face in 2.2 seconds). Additionally, since this moment is supposed to be an observation of Alice’s, there is an indication that this opposite action impressed Alice. Speaking of those dichotomies: this sit/stand scene involving Stein’s sit-to-stand preparedness is an observation of a more masculine action whereby one dangles because one is poised and ready for action. One sits upon their legs when one feels relaxed, safe, inactive, at which point it is unnecessary to stand quickly, there’s no rush. Such sitting indicates Alice’s (in)actions as those of a comfortable class and a feminine kind. I argue two points here: one, the sit/stand dichotomy is integral to the movement of the scene and the plotline; and, two, the masculine/ feminine dichotomy is integral to the observational relationship of Gertrude (masculine) and Alice (feminine). That said, this section initially implies paintings will be spoken of, then uses chairs and the act of (un)occupying them as a transition into character development and dichotomous observations. Then the reader is just as suddenly diverted back to a secondary implication of a promised paintings discussion before the reader is deviated into a description of the room, the lighting situation, a painter, the landlady, and the year they first got electricity (“1914”) (Stein 9).

For fear of exceeding the scope of this paper, the final sit/stand scene we will discuss gave rise to the subtitle of this section:

It is a place where you were always standing and sometimes waiting, not for anything to happen, but just standing. The inhabitants of Montmartre did not sit much, they mostly stood which was just as well as the chairs, the dining room chairs of France, did not tempt one to sit. So I went to Montmartre and I began my apprenticeship of standing (Stein 20).

As seen in the earlier passage, Alice places a lot of importance on comfort while sitting. Yet, she also views sitting as a social function, whereby if the locals are sitting one also sits, if they are standing one also stands. For Alice, whose “gently bred existence” allows for turning away from a view, the act of standing for extended periods has become work, a social “apprenticeship” This moment acts as an indicator of the tensions Alice experiences over time and in new settings. For Alice, standing had previously been a masculine activity; once she begins her apprenticeship she becomes active, and therefore minutely more masculine. Interestingly, we’re only introduced to Alice’s apprenticeship after a forewarning describing the standing as unproductive and inactive. Thus, Alice’s self-affirmed apprenticeship was actually in feminine standing, a form easily contrasted against the earlier description of Gertrude’s masculine standing. Stein utilizes Alice’s class conscious voice to describe observations of sitting and standing, which feed the discussion of Alice’s “kind” (feminine) and “class” (inactive).

Henry James: “An [A]esthetic [H]eadache”

James, unlike Stein, doesn’t make it beyond the first sentence without making reference to “reclining,” though as promised, we shall skip over that sentence to another sentence about half a page down:

But his exertions on this particular day had been of an unwonted sort, and he had often performed great physical feats which left him less jaded than his tranquil stroll through the Louvre. He had looked out all the pictures to which an asterix was affixed in those formidable pages of fine print in his Baedeker; his attention had been strained and his eyes dazzled, and he had sat down with an aesthetic headache (James 1).

Here the reader is introduced to Christopher Newman, an active man who took a “tranquil stroll” through the Louvre to find himself sitting, mentally exhausted, sporting “an aesthetic headache”. James has painted an exquisite landscape for strolling, what better portrait to paint than inside of the Louvre, home to the greats? Yet, the action of a “tranquil stroll” leaves Newman without energy, “reclining” and inactive on a couch. Newman’s inactivity is not a feminine action, it is masculinity exhausted. This inactivity is also class- and kind-based as indicated by the “Baedeker” reference and the whirlwind tour of looking at everything premarked in the travel guide. Newman went to the Louvre for a “tranquil stroll” an elitist notion, but he preplanned like an active middle class tourist with a set goal and not like an inactive upper class local out for a leisurely stroll. For James, the act of strolling and sitting indicate class and kind, while simultaneously controlling the speed of the scene. As mentioned earlier the first sentence introduces Newman in a very inactive position, the reason for his inactivity is quickly explained and his inactivity is then reintroduced. In this introduction, it is less important what works of art were viewed, than that the implied acts of viewing, walking, standing, staring, and contemplating were cause for sitting and cause of his “aesthetic headache.”

The second James passage which interests us, involves Newman’s marriage proposition to Madame de Cintre:

Madam de Cintre stood there a moment longer, looking away from him. If she was touched by the way he spoke, the thing was conceivable. His voice, always very mild and interrogative, gradually became as soft and as tenderly argumentative as if he had been talking to a much-loved child. He stood watching her, and she presently turned round again, but this time she did not look at him, and she spoke with a quietness in which there was a visible trace of effort (James 118).

The tension in this standing scene is wrapped up in the interplay between masculine and feminine as well as on the level of class. Though for James, this scene serves as an exploration of social expectations as viewed through dichotomous characters: one bound by class-based on blood (blood class), the other bound by class-based on finances (finance-class). That “thing [that] was conceivable [if…]” becomes the all important focal point of the scene, yet the readers are moved to the “thing” and moved out of the “thing” with a tension-in-standing that is elevated by James’ use of “looking” and “turning.” This scene is full of bodily motions affected by gaze and emphasized through voice. Those final four words provide a brief insight into Madam de Cintre’s take on “the thing”; a take which included her responding with “a visible trace of effort”.

For that promised sake of brevity, the final James passage which interests us is as follows:

He watched the deer in Windsor Forest and admired the Thames from Richmond Hill; he ate whitebait and brown-bread and butter at Greenwich, and strolled in the grassy shadow of the cathedral of Canterbury. He also visited the Tower of London and Madame Tussaud’s exhibition (James 342).

In this scene Newman takes in the English sights, strolls through the English countryside without mention of his Baedeker, and impresses upon the reader a sense of aimless wandering. Newman’s surety in his finance-class has been thwarted by members of the blood-class; even so, it is the thwarted Newman that comes closest to obtaining a genuine level of leisurely strolling. In other words, he has to escape Paris and lose himself in England to accomplish this approximation. Thus, readers are moved through Newman’s inner tensions as played out in his varied strolling habits. The early Newman is a purposeful stroller checking off pieces of art with intention (masculine action); whereas this later Newman, tainted by interactions with blood-class, finds himself strolling without purpose (feminine action). For Newman the class battle has stripped away his surety, his masculinity.

Conclusion

Looking at three passages from both texts hardly does this subject justice and further limiting this examination to three words (sit, stand, stroll) is unfair to the role that bodily motion plays in moving these works. Stein and James were observers in human behavior and these two works show their abilities to capture the subtleties of movement and the dichotomous tensions involved in interactions between people of varied “class and kind”. While sitting, standing, and strolling are at a minimum basic action descriptors, Stein and James harness these movements as transitionary aspects of their characters which also control the speed of scenes and the flow of the plot.

***

Works Cited

James, Henry. The American. New York: Penguin Group. 2005.

Stein, Gertrude. The Selected Writings of Gertrude Stein. New York: Random House. 1990.

As I Lay Dying: Cash Bundren’s Sado-Masochistic Materialism as a Sign of Faulkner’s Modernism

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 May 2016 11:30:00 +0000

Introduction

Cash Bundren’s life experiences and personal desires influence his practical preference for the masochistic insanity of sado-masochistic and materialistic society over the sadistic anti-materialistic insanity of individuals like his younger brother, Darl. Or, as Urgo states: “[As I lay Dying] is a drama where human understanding is created and projected by the mind, reflected in the structures and the products of social realities, overturned by human conflict with inherited meaning and value, and created again” (Urgo 13). From the beginning of the novel, initially through Darl’s perspective, we see Cash as a man fixated on materials, who places man-made above natural. Through multiple character perspectives, Cash is depicted as a “good carpenter” (Faulkner 3) dedicated to building his mother, Addie, the best handcrafted coffin possible (Faulkner 20), through use of the new tools he purchased from a catalog (Faulkner 91). The reality is that Cash works to earn money to supply himself with material goods meant to ease his life (new tools make jobs easier; the graphophone makes rest easier).

Cash is the product of a mass production, cash-for-trade society that values things (coffin, barn, etc.) created over people (Addie, Cash, Peabody, etc.) created. In such a world, Cash acts as a contradiction between high-regard for the efforts (man’s sweat) put into creation and the natural inclination to sympathize with individuals (Cash himself, Darl) in horrendous situations. Every perspective is situational; in Cash’s perspective, no situation legitimizes the destruction of man-made materials, not even a forty mile trek with the rotting carcass of his dead mother and the pain of his broken and concreted-over leg (Faulkner 138). Analyzing Cash’s progression from coffin carpenter to graphophone listener enables the reader to view Cash as a masochist successfully assimilated into a sadistic society. In this kind of materialistic and sado-masochistic world, an individual focused on the practicality of materials sanely puts the well-being of other individuals behind the acquisition of materials. As such, Faulkner’s novel, As I Lay Dying, effectively captures the contrariness of a society based in collective materialistic understanding tainted by personal motivations, cynically driven to procure at the cost the ephemeral “Other,” and destined to destroy any who refuse to assimilate.

Collective Materialism Tainted by Personal Motivation

Cash was personally motivated to build the casket for Addie, his mother. The reasons went beyond what one might consider love of one’s parent. In his 1988 essay, “William Faulkner and the Drama of Meaning: The Discovery of the Figurative in As I Lay Dying,” Joseph R. Urgo wrote, “What [Addie] bequeaths to Cash, her first born, is her literal-minded approach to life, her ledger-book morality and her sense of measured justice—all of which Cash converts into the principles of craftsmanship and physical productivity” (Urgo 16). He built the casket because he had to, no other casket would be obtained, and no other person would step forward to create it. Cash is a carpenter, his mother needed a casket, his family had the materials on-hand and the tools required, but not the funds to purchase a casket, knowing the state of affairs as he does, Cash sinks into the task of building, creating.

Cash’s first chapter lists the reasons he “made [the casket] on the bevel” (Faulkner 48). The list offers post-production reasons because his rhythm, overthrown by the act of satisfactory completion, was thwarted by familial incompetence. In his “mind,” he isn’t checking off completed acts, he’s checking off reasons for building, justifications for past completed actions reviewed during the process of completion. The casket isn’t a finished creation until its filled, buried, and the dirt settled “on the bevel” (Faulkner 48). Cash knows the casket is meant to house the body of his dead mother, who happens to be living while he is creating. Later, when she is put into the casket in reverse, he contemplates the reasons for his earlier actions—building on the bevel—the material item (casket) was designed to hold weight in a specific way, non-adherence to that design creates instability in the product. Rosemary Franklin tells us that, “The key that unlocks the puzzle of the thirteen points is ‘Animal magnetism,’ the eighth. Cash’s entire theory of carpentry is built upon his understanding of this pseudo-science. Indeed, the concept of magnetism metaphorically permeates the entire novel and, in many cases, helps to clarify problems encountered in characters other than Cash” (Franklin 25). In this case, the magnetism of one item acts upon the magnetism of another item, Cash’s superimposition of this theory upon his carpentry reflects the depth of his materialism, he is hyper-aware of material forces. She goes on to explain:

The followers of animal magnetism, a kind of hypnotism, believed that a vital principle coursed through all living things in the form of a fluid or current. The devoted magnetizer was serious: he viewed himself as a healer more than an entertainer. With the powers of his will and of the magnetic vapors said to issue from the patient, he believed that he was able to direct the vital fluid to the diseased part of the body and thereby to effect a cure. Certain persons had more will, or magnetic powers, than others; and some persons made better subjects, especially those who lived a simple, rural life (Franklin 25).

Cash worries about his product because he is an impoverished carpenter living in a materialistic society. He must be skillful enough to obtain enough business to gain enough capital to procure the materials he needs (tools) to fulfill his desires (graphophone). In this sense, Cash’s hyper-awareness has assimilated into society through a measure of materialism that he prides himself in, possessions obtained through labor. Interestingly, there is nothing but humiliation in the way Cash actually achieves the fruition of his desire (graphophone), broken, bloodied, and bruised. With every ounce of his early efforts thwarted by the ineptitude of others, the injured Cash has no recourse but to noncommittally bear the sadistic brunt of the Bundren’s frustrations and anticipation.

Procurement Regardless of Cost to Ephemeral “Other”

The focus of balance, for Cash, is simple logic dictating that a body directionally balanced within a coffin is not only easier to carry, but the “correct” way to use the created materials. The craftsman, Cash, has produced a presumably well-built coffin for Addie that is misused by the living who thrust her backwards into the box; that action throws off every minutia of energy Cash invested in perfecting the product. He obsesses over the loss of balance, his every warning going unheard, his second chapter hangs unfinished in mid-sentence, emulating the nothing heard by those within his own society. There in the empty space of Cash’s second and third chapters hangs the useless expectation of the conclusion of the warning that future dangers are just as uselessly pleaded against. His family’s focus is not on the journey, but the destination (the procurement of goods/services).

At the river-crossing, during which Cash’s leg is rebroken, the casket nearly lost, the mules drowned, and his tools swallowed by the river only to be saved by Jewel and Vernon; Cash has reached what should be the emotional climax of a carpenter’s nightmare. Cash lays despondent and helpless on the bank, broken and vomit-y, while others retrieve his tools (Faulkner 90-94). Cash doesn’t complain simply because doing so would not alter the situation. “But the realism is of an epistemological nature, and the reality projected in the novel comes into perpetual conflict with the reader’s own ‘better’ judgments. Nonetheless, the ammunition in this conflict is identified by Faulkner as consisting of a magazine of images, metaphors, and projections—of figurations—that the characters volley at one another (and at the reader) in an effort to ‘know’ what is happening to themselves, to each other, and to the environment” (Urgo 14). This materialistic reality represented through the social interactions of imagery and sound is merely in the early transitional stages, but the seeds of technological extravagance have been planted in the hard-baked clay of Southern poverty. The Bundrens each attempt to obtain some form of fulfillment at the cost of the ephemeral “Other,” arguably, Cash suffers the most for the fulfillment of both himself and the others.

Destined to Destroy Any Who Refuse to Assimilate

Peabody confronts Cash about the journey at his first encounter with Cash’s concreted-over broken leg that supposedly didn’t “bother” him (Faulkner 138). While Cash doesn’t complain of the pain, vocally, signs of his physical duress are seen throughout the pages of the novel—“sweat as big as marbles running down his face” (138)—practically speaking, to complain of the pain would waste time and energy, simultaneously accomplishing no change in condition. To complain would mark Cash as refusing to assimilate. From Dorothy Hale we understand “Cash’s success at composing the trauma of the journey allows him to continue on as a survivor in the diminished world that is left to him” (Hale 17-18). Cash can easily “forgive” Anse for the pain, because Anse provides the means for months of rest listening to music on the graphophone. Urgo agrees with Hale though he takes it a step further, when he says, “Whether life is meaningful or not is really of little consequence to Cash, and his craftsman’s attitude…Cash will never challenge the way the world is defined for him” (Urgo 19). In other words, Cash has come to terms with the sado-masochistic society in which he lives, he has found materialism agrees with his sense order, thus he masochistically keeps his mouth shut and suffers through silently.

Cash’s last chapter spatially exists in multiple time-frames (before Peabody’s, during Peabody’s, and after Peabody’s). Here we see Cash ignoring (or, disassociating) himself (and the pain of his leg) for the actions of Anse, that ultimately lead to Cash’s one “desire” being fulfilled. In this section, Cash brushes over the visit with Dr. Peabody and focuses on the actions that Anse takes to acquire his new wife and her graphophone; which means that even though Anse used Cash’s money and Cash’s injury made him unable to work to earn more money, Cash still acquired the item he was earning money for: the graphophone. Darl’s inability to wait it out silently, like Cash, is only part of what lands Darl in the asylum. Elizabeth Kerr claims Cash’s materialistic “…analysis of Darl may be the ironic equivalent of the ‘unusual wisdom or power’ gained by mutilation, but it cannot aid Darl. Cash also dwells upon the idea that ‘nothing justifies the deliberate destruction of what a man has built with his own sweat’ (514-515), referring to the coffin which Darl had tried to burn and reflecting his craftsman’s pride” (Kerr 12). Attempting to burn a corpse and destroying a barn are physical manifestations of Darl’s anti-materialism and proof of his distaste for the sadistic Bundren society.

In the End, They Lived for Stuff

In later chapters, it appears as if Cash were resigned to the horrors of the journey, nonchalant (perhaps even, despondent). Fine is the line which exists between cold practicality and callous disinterest: “In pretending to give a direct quotation of the character’s mind, interior monologue…necessarily equates consciousness with plausible language use and, as a result, distinguishes an individual’s private world as being only what he chooses not to say aloud” (Hale 9). Cash chooses not to speak about his leg, though in earlier sections he would not stop speaking about the beveling of the coffin. For Cash speaking about his injuries vocalizes the pain but does not change the pain, besides, he spoke of the beveling while there was an opportunity to correct the imbalance. After the river-crossing, Cash becomes fully aware of the futility of pleading with his family, therefore he stops trying: “…although Cash has the capacity to understand these truths about human nature, he ultimately puts the protection of the social over the individual good…” (Hale 19). The sado-masochistic contrariness of the Bundren’s society is preserved by the silence of Cash, the institutionalization of Darl, and the acquisition of new materials. Every nuance of Cash is masochism idealized in the name of materialism; everything from his capitalistic name to his brutalized physical condition to his last materialistic act (listening to new records), and even, his passing nostalgia for Darl (Faulkner 149) testifies to the sado-masochistic nature of the individual’s internal struggle with external assimilation.

The very nature of Faulkner’s chosen subjects, the Bundrens, gives rise to the perspective that each individual sees only a portion of the picture and that picture is tainted by the views, needs, and wants of others within the immediate social circle. As such, Cash’s masochism becomes but one painful road to materialistic fulfillment and one horrifying exodus into depressingly cynical modernist canon.

***

Works Cited

Faulkner, William. As I Lay Dying. Norton Critical Edition. Ed. Michael Gorra. W.W. Norton Company, Inc.: New York. 2010.

Franklin, Rosemary. “Animal Magnetism in ‘As I Lay Dying’.” American Quarterly. Vol. 18. No. 1. (Spring, 1966). Pp. 24-34. The John Hopkins University Press. . Accessed: 14 Sept. 2010.

Hale, Dorothy. “‘As I Lay Dying’s’ Heterogenous Discourse.” NOVEL: A Forum on Fiction. Vol. 23. No. 1 (Autumn, 1989), pp.5-23. Duke University Press. . Accessed: 12 Sept 2010

Kerr, Elizabeth M. “’As I Lay Dying’ as Ironic Quest.” Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature. Vol. 3. No. 1. (Winter, 1962). pp. 5-19. University of Wisconsin Press. . Accessed: 14 September 2010.

Slaughter, Carolyn Norman. “As I Lay Dying: Demise of Vision”American Literature. Vol. 61.No. 1. (Mar., 1989). pp. 16-30. Duke University Press. . Accessed: 14 September 2010.

Urgo, Joseph R. “William Faulkner and the Drama of Meaning: The Discovery of the Figurative in ‘As I Lay Dying’.” South Atlantic Review. Vol. 53. No. 2. (May, 1988), pp. 11-23. South Atlantic Modern Language Association. . Accessed: 14 Sept. 2010.

Far-Right Tendencies: Past and Present

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 11:20:00 +0000

The importance of understanding possible correlations between the National Socialist Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP or Nazi’s) and modern far-right parties cannot be understated. In the current European democratic situation, doubt remains as to whether a far-right rise would foster repetition of the Nazi totalitarian state. Under Hitler‘s leadership, the totalitarian Nazi Party rose during unstable times in an unstable democracy. Through comprehension of the variables involved in Nazi extremists garnering support from the German electorate it may be possible to develop evidentiary support as to the components which led to that rise; such evidence could be used to compare current far-right parties to the Nazi model in an effort to pinpoint future problematic extremist parties. The question which eats away at today’s globalized core: How do modern far-right parties compare to Nazi isolationist diplomacy on issues of immigration, women in the workforce and rising unemployment in a world which embraces globalization?

In an effort to answer this question we must look at the characteristics of the modern far-right and the Nazis, specifically in the realms of immigration and women in the workforce in regards to rising unemployment. Necessity deems exploration of the globalization of the far-right be compare to the Nazi preferences for technology.

By comparing the political ideologies of the Nazi party with the political ideologies of modern European far-right parties my intent is to garner a better understanding of why voters throw support to extremist views and how these extremists use that support to gain political power. Therefore, the discussion must begin with an understanding of the various influences which led the German electorate to vote for the Nazi Party in 1930. From there we can jump the annals of World War II to the technologically savvy modern Far Right parties which organize protests through text messaging and email. Once we have begun comparing the modern Far Right with the Nazis it will be interesting to see which voters are targeted and how technology is used to gain support.

Overview:

Nazi Party v. Modern Far-Right (Characteristics of Extremism)

By recognizing the characteristics of voters who helped put Hitler’s party in a place of power, we have the potential to prevent the rise of another totalitarian system. “It may here be mentioned that the totalitarian maxim ‘who is not with us is against us’ applies no matter what the behavior of the outside world. It may be hostile, indifferent or friendly” (Feierabend, 738-9). There can be no argument that Hitler’s regime was ultimately totalitarian in nature, yet, ample evidence shows the Nazi’s gained power through the legal use of the political institution already in place—democracy, albeit unstable democracy.

Interestingly, Poole points out, “No evidence has been accumulated to suggest that the masses experienced any doubt of the wisdom of their choice before the outbreak of war in September 1939...” (Poole, 139). This statement implies that after Hitler initially assumed the chancellorship, German citizens were not aware of the impending totalitarian regime. Which is surprising when one considers the rhetoric Hitler uses in Mein Kampf. “There must be no majority decisions, but only responsible persons…Surely every man will have advisers by his side, but the decision will be made by one man” (Hitler, Trans. Manheim, 449).

The characteristics of voters who supported the Nazis in the “breakthrough…election of 1930 when they won 18.3 percent of the vote, up from 2.6 percent in 1928” can be utilized to understand how the Nazis came to power (O’Loughlin, Flint, and Anselin, 351). O’Loughlin, Flint, and Anselin go on to say, they focus on the 1930 election because: The distinction from “splinter group” to “national party” holds great significance to researchers in understanding the definitive historical moment when a far-right extremist group gained the foothold necessary to become politically viable (373). History shows, “Hitler assumed the chancellorship in 1933 after the party won 32 percent of the vote in the 1932 elections” (373).

O’Loughlin et al. and Brown disagree in regards to the role new voters played in the 1930 election, though they agree new voters effected later elections (O’Loughlin et al., 373 and Brown, 300). When looking at Brown’s analysis of the 1932 German electorate we find the Protestant peasants made up the majority of voters, followed by “new voters and Catholic petty bourgeois” (Brown, 285). Brown asserts that previous research “wrongly identifies the Protestant petty bourgeois as the major contributor to the Nazi vote” (285). However, in later pages she says, “the highly flaunted Protestant petty bourgeois support for the Nazis seems to have occurred mainly in the rural areas. Moreover, the Protestant urban areas seem to be just the opposite of bastions of petty bourgeois Nazi support” (300). The rural Protestant petty bourgeois played a part, while the urban Protestant petty bourgeois did not, which suggests different politics between city and country dwellers.

Even more important than the 1930 election results are the factors which influenced voters to veer towards the far right. Influences such as unemployment, women in the workforce, and immigration make for a conundrum of mitigating circumstances that raise the question: Is it possible for a current Far Right party to legally gain political power (government control) in today’s politics? Yes. On February 5^th of 2000, The Economist reported Austrian “President Thomas Klestil would have no choice but to give his approval to Mr Haider’s far-right Freedom Party, along with the centre-right People’s Party, to form a new coalition government. It would be the first time that a party carrying even a whiff of neo-Nazism has entered national government in Europe, let alone a German-speaking country” (The Economist, 2000). Various European countries reacted to this far-right coalition with threats of suspending “all bilateral political contracts if the Freedom Party entered the government.” This particular threat came from 14 European Union countries, though not through the EU (The Economist, 2000).

Perhaps it can be said that Austria learned its lesson: “At the end of November 2002 in Austria, Jörg Haider’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) was resoundingly defeated.” (Rippeyoung, 393). The 14 European Union countries which were so horrified as to the results of Austria’s 2000 election may well have played a part in the swing away from the right. “In 2006, Austria’s FPÖ won 11 percent of the votes, down from a high of 26.9 percent of the votes in 1999” (Rippeyoung, n394).

Austria is not the only European country to have the far-right as a contender in politics: “In the first round of votes in 2002, the National Front in France earned 11 percent of the votes for the French National Assembly, and Le Pen garnered 17 percent of the votes in the presidential election, although in the second rounds of votes the party earned only 2 percent of the votes for the Assembly but Le Pen’s support increased to 18 percent” (Rippeyoung, n394). The implications of French far-right voting are two-fold. First, citizens are not satisfied with the direction the center has headed. Thus, the vote for Le Pen in the first round can be seen as a protest vote. Second, should enough of the electorate decide to exercise their right to protest vote, it is possible for a far-right party candidate to become elected to the French presidency. Le Pen’s support dropped further “in April 2007 he came in fourth place on the first ballot” (Rippeyoung, 393).

Since it is a proven possibility for modern far-right parties to enter into government, understanding far-right extremism is more than necessary. Concurrently, understanding and addressing the issues important to the electorate is highly significant in government institutions where the voters have a viable far-right choice.

Unemployment Issues in the Eyes of the Far-Right:

I. Immigration

The European Union happens to be an institution the Nazis simply did not have to contend with. The complex EU membership requirements make it highly unlikely that a far-right extremist party would be able overthrow an individual country’s democracy which happens to be a EU member nation. However, as evidenced earlier, EU member countries can and will go around the EU when a far-right threat is perceived in another member country (The Economist, 2000).

It is interesting to note according to Gray, one widely held perception of European institutions is the erosion of national identities. He continues with the concept of immigrant assimilation as a difficulty in countries with weak “national cultures”; said weak cultures “are the breeding grounds for a vicious populist politics that seeks to buttress identity through ethnic exclusion” (Gray, 2002).

Gray also tells us “parties that reject liberal values are entering into the political mainstream. Center-left “conventional wisdom…explains this development by the failure of mainstream parties to defend multicultural ideals and the economic advantages of immigration” (Gray, 2002). The point could be argued that regardless of whether the centrist mainstream adequately defended the multiculturism of individual nations, far-right extremists would maintain the erosion of culture as the direct influence of immigration. Or, if immigration is not at fault, then the shipping of jobs to Third World nations is always an easy target for the blame game. “In Austria, Switzerland and northern Italy, [the far-right] promotes a high-tech economy linked with the world by free trade but insulated from the legions of the poor by a ban on immigration” (Gray, 2002).

II. Women in the Workforce

Today, liberal democratic societies view the image of female workers as a matter of equality and necessity. However, in the years of Hitler’s Nazism two different Nazi ideologies were held. 1.) Women were pressured by Nazi leadership to assume the role of child-bearer in order to propagate the ‘Aryan’ race. “Just as men served the state by fighting, so women served by bearing children” (Rupp, 363). 2.) Militant Nazis “believed that women, while different from men, were as capable and intelligent and could contribute to the German people in ways other than through motherhood. In a truly German society, they insisted, women would work and fight for the common good alongside their men” (Rupp, 364). While these two ideologies are at odds, they show the broad ideology of the Nazis.

The Nazi leadership, in response to militant Nazi writers, declared, “‘Womanly work,’ the official term for employment considered in accordance with woman’s nature or essence, included agricultural labor, social work, domestic service, nursing, education, and any profession concerned with women or children” (Rupp, 372). These Nazi leaders understood there are circumstances which would require a woman to work outside the home and determined that women, who cannot marry and must work, should work only in positions which qualified as feminine work.

Modern far-right parties share the Nazi sentiment that a woman should not be employed, but should take care of the home. “While far-right parties seek a radical change in the economic order of societies, they stress the importance of returning to the traditional family structure of a single-earner male-headed household” (Rippeyoung, 381). Rippeyoung also states that far-right “parties argue that women should be highly valued for their ability to provide the nation with native-born children….to provide children with their ‘mother-tongue’, which will counteract the influx of immigrants that threatens to corrupt the purity of their national blood…Thus, it is the ‘natural’ order of life that women stay at home to care for the family and men work outside the home to earn income for the family” (382). An intriguing aspect of the female/male role is that while the woman is expected to be an inspiring mother who teaches her child about the intricacies of national pride, the male’s role seems limited to income making, with less focus on fatherly values. Though, both mother and father are expected to ensure national pride and carry on the legacy of distrust associated with immigrants.

There are other issues which are used by far-right parties to assist in spreading the woman’s return to the home. These perceived “social ills are linked with women’s increased participation in the workforce…rising divorce rates are blamed on women’s nontraditional roles…in France in particular, juvenile delinquency and drug use, as well as prostitution, immigration, homosexuality and AIDS, are all linked with women’s paid employment outside the home” (Rippeyoung, 382). France’s Front National (FN) has encouraged the return of traditional roles for women to the point that “some in the party have pushed for a wage for housewives…in contrast to their opposition to other expansions of the welfare state and desire for minimal government intervention in people’s lives” (Rippeyoung, 382). It can be said the far-right is willing to build on social welfare programs, so long as they further the far-right agenda. Though there are members of the far-right who stand up for a woman’s right to work, it appears the far-right party members prefer to share the Nazi ideology of keeping women in the house, while ensuring men are out in the workforce.

Technology Enables Far-Right Participation—Globally

Globalization is an ambiguous term which encompasses more than multinational conglomerates stretching out their hands throughout the globe. Globalization also includes the Internet and cell phones to which average citizens now have access. In a technologically saturated world it is easier for people of all walks of life to find information which lends itself to their personal beliefs. One only has to type in the appropriate key words in one’s preferred search engine to find a plethora of information written by various groups with various agendas. “Cheap, universal, and instantaneous interaction through the Internet has allowed Nazi ideology to span the globe” (Munkova, 2008). In a computerized world gathering people together for protests or other events occurs with the press of a few buttons. Munkova goes onto say, “When it comes to on-the-ground communication, cell phones are the preferred mode, because they are much less detectable. Text messages from stolen phones are invaluable for communication among group leaders or in organizing clandestine concerts” (Munkova, 2008).

The modern far-right, like the Nazis of old, utilizes technology to disseminate protest information to countless members. Unlike the Nazis, the advent of the Internet has allowed pockets of far-right resistance to spring up globally. “Far better than its fumbling centre parties, Europe’s far right knows that globalisation has losers, even in the richest countries. By linking the fears of these people with high levels of immigration, the far right is mounting a powerful challenge to the centrist consensus that has ruled most of Continental Europe since the end of the cold war” (Gray, 2002).

If centrist parties remain doubtful of the continued threat of a far-right rise, they need only look at recent history to realize that voters can vote far-right out of protest, technology has allowed instantaneous spread of information, and members of the far-right have no qualms banning together to attack the liberal values which seem to threaten their extremist views.

Conclusion

The far-right’s targeted audience has changed as society has changed from industrial and agricultural to service-orientated. “Whereas between the wars Europe’s far right gained strength from poverty and economic crisis, today it thrives on the insecurities of the affluent” (Gray, 2002). Regardless of the benefits of membership in the EU there are members “of Europe’s far-right parties [who] are markedly hostile to European institutions” (Gray, 2002). The far-right views the EU as an encroachment on national sovereignty and a threat to national culture. At this time “many scholars see the extreme right as a social problem…since it can be disruptive to social stability by encouraging violence and potentially returning to Europe the political powers that led to the Second World War” (Rippeyoung, 393).

Even today the far-right encompasses “a growing contingent of women who are active on the right…This is evident in a rise in women’s groups within right-wing movements, such as the Women for Aryan Unity in Germany or the Feminine Union for the Respect and Help for Motherhood in France” (Rippeyoung, 381). It is striking to note that there are women who agree with the woman as child-bearer mentality. “Others in the FN also focus on rising unemployment rates and the need for women not to take jobs away from men” (Rippeyoung, 382).

Through the use of history and understanding the human face of politics this paper serves as a reminder that while doubt remains as to a repetition of the bloodiest years of history, if society is not careful the electorate can unwittingly open the door for a totalitarian regime. Finally, as citizens, we are responsible for the actions of our governments. If we do not want an extremist government, moderates must vocalize concerns through voting and when necessary protesting.

Annotated Bibliography

Brown, Courtney. “The Nazi Vote: A National Ecological Study.” The American Political Science Review. 76.2 (June, 1982): 285-302. American Political Science Association. 12 Oct 2008. .

Uses “an unusually complete data set for all Germany” to reassess to voting models: First, “Nazis’ electoral successes resulted from Protestant petty bourgeois and peasant support for fascism,” and second, “the Nazis gained the bulk of their support from newly mobilized voters” (Brown, 285). Study results in dismissal of the voter model: Protestant petty bourgeois consisted of majority of Nazi voters. Finds that the majority of Nazi supporters came from “Protestant peasants, new voters, and Catholic petty bourgeosie” (Brown, 285).

“A Conundrum for Austria--and for Europe.” The Economist. 354.8156 (05 Feb 2000). 12 Oct 2008. <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN= 2748384&site=ehost-live>.

Opens with Austria’s far-right Freedom Party joining centre-right People’s Party to form a new coalition government. This new government constitutes the first time, since the totalitarian Nazi regime, that a far-right party holds political office in a German-speaking country. Article addresses the steps taken by various countries--which bypassed the EU--to threaten sanctions against Austria. Discusses the European reaction and dissatisfaction with Austria.

Feierabend, Ivo K. “Expansionist and Isolationist Tendencies of Totalitarian Political Systems: A Theoretical Note.” The Journal of Politics. 24.4. (Nov, 1962): 733-742. Cambridge University Press. 24 Sept 2008. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/ 2128045>

Argues expansionism and isolationism are simultaneously occurring policies designed to maintain balance. Gives an overview of the Nazi totalitarian model in regards to isolationist/expansionist practices. Discusses the need for monopolization of key sectors and the concept that should total monopolization of one of these sectors be unattainable, then said sector is a threat to the totalitarian system.

Gray, John. “The Laptop Fascists.” New Statesman. 131.4589 (27 May 2002): 18-20. 12 Oct 2008.<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=67 17281&site=ehost-live>.

Describes modern far-right parties as similar to Nazis because “they embrace modernity” (18). Contrasts far-right parties with Nazis in that today’s far-right parties are prevalent in affluent countries with low unemployment. Insists modern far-right parties better understand the fragility of liberal values and free market economies than the centrist parties. Also, believes that the far-right is in a better position to take advantage of the fragility, because the center denies liberal systematic issues.

Hitler, Adolf. Mein Kampf. Trans. Manheim, Ralph. First Mariner Books. Boston. 1999.

Part II explains Nazi platform policy of pre-war Germany. Discusses the psychology of the “nationalization of the masses.” Includes information regarding Nazi propaganda efforts and Hitler’s visions of political alliances with foreign countries.

Munkova, Eva. “Here Come the Neo Nazis.” The New Presence. (Spring, 2008): 22-25. 12 Oct 2008. <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN= 32042574&site=ehost-live>.

Reports modern propaganda efforts by Neo Nazi protest groups have increased through internet usage and cell phone text messaging. Discusses legality of Plzen demonstrations and “Law of Assembly.” Shows methods currently used by far right supporters to legally voice their opinions on topics such as freedom of speech.

O’Loughlin, John. Colin Flint, and Luc Anselin. “The Geography of the Nazi Vote: Context, Confession, and Class in the Reichstag Election of 1930.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 84.3 (Sept, 1994): 351-380. Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 12 Oct 2008. .

Focuses on the 1930 election as the defining moment which turned the Nazi Party into a competitive political entity in the national elections. Uses various theories and models to “bridge the differences between national and regional interpretations…” (O’Loughlin et al., 351). Explains that based on their analyses the various theories discussed have “no clear-cut winners or losers” (373).

Poole, Dewitt C. “Light on Nazi Foreign Policy.” Foreign Affairs. 25.1 (Oct, 1946): 130-154. 24 Sept 2008. <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h &AN=14804353&site=ehost-live>.

Uses interviews with captured Nazi leadership to recount the history of German foreign policy. Explains Hitler made the policy decisions and the leadership was expected to follow his orders. Describes the Nazi Party as a German cult on the national level, with expansionist tendencies designed to focus the German masses towards defeating a perceived enemy.

Rippeyoung, Phyllis L. “When Women are Right: The Influence of Gender, Work and Values on European Far Right Party Support.” International Feminist Journal of Politics. 9:3. (Sept, 2007): 379-397. Taylor & Francis. 12 Oct 2008. <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=26210035&site=ehost-live>.

Explores the various reasons people join Far Right parties with a focus on women, economic pressures requiring women to work outside of home and the ideology which espouses a “woman’s place is in the home” taking care of the nation’s “native-born children.” Theorizes the reason women are less likely to be in the Far Right spectrum is because women are less likely to work in blue collar positions. Offers a view female far right supporters from Nazi Germany to modern times.

Rupp, Leila J. “Mother of the ‘Volk’: The Image of Women in Nazi Ideology.” Signs. 3.2 (Winter, 1977): 362-379. The University of Chicago Press. 12 Oct 2008. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3173289>.

Discusses the role of women in Nazi ideology from the perspectives of Nazi leadership and militant Nazi female writers. Explains the extent to which German women were responsible for the dissemination of Nazi values. Places the propagation of the ‘Aryan’ race on the shoulders of ‘Aryan’ women who were required to ask potential spouses about ancestry in an effort to increase national purity. Develops the Nazi woman as the mother, who sings German songs and who ensures Nazi values in her children through providing a German household: cabinets filled with German-made items, groceries from German shops, etc. Includes information regarding the types of working women appropriate to supporting the German state: Those women who have to work to help support their families and those women who work because they will never be able to marry.

Passing Women: Gender Forayers in "Merchant of Venice" and "Just One of the Guys"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Introduction

One of the plot twists that I find most interesting comes when women—for whatever reason—perpetrate masculinity. The ability of a story to develop intriguing plot twists is by no means found singularly in character cross-dressing. Yet, when characters find themselves in a position where cross-dressing seems to be the only resort, audiences then find themselves waiting anxiously for the moment of disclosure; such a moment seems not only plausible, but inevitable. One reason for the inevitability of disclosure lays in the expectations of the heterosexual social construct: it is expected that regardless of the reason for cross-dressing, the time will come when the cross-dresser must step into the socially accepted world by donning the proper gender specific attire and accepting the social role assigned to their sex. However, history has revealed many women and men who have challenged genitally assigned social roles without ever accepting heterosexual expectations.

I digress…it is my distinct impression that women were not allowed to be actresses during the early days of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (“Men” is the tell-tale key, I believe). Without women to play female roles the job would have fallen to slender adolescent or young adult males with little or no facial hair (or, shaved cheeks). With this in mind, I return to Shakespeare’s cross-dressing female characters. Such character development quickly becomes a tangled testament to the genius of Shakespeare: men portraying women pretending to be men. Add to this image the fact that these male actors played heterosexual women who pretend to be heterosexual men and from there the next leap is but a tiny jump.

Why don’t we take a trip down Funky Road: Imagine a female passing as a man in order to be an actor during Shakespeare’s time. This “passing woman” auditions for a part, only to find the director thinks “he” would be best able to portray a woman due to “his” slender features and lack of facial hair. “He” is chosen to play Portia or Nerissa in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. Now, wrap your mind around the reality of this situation: a woman passes as a man who is playing a woman who passes as a man. (Yeah, try saying that five times really fast).

For Shakespeare to challenge gender roles by having female characters portray males is to say something about Shakespeare’s personality. Considering the obstacles still associated with gender identity, Shakespeare could easily be referred to as progressive. I have to wonder if Shakespeare’s inclusion of passing women was a subtle commentary on the life of actors and the fact that women, who were barred from acting because of the their gender, were intelligent enough to cross the gender divide in order to achieve their goals. If Shakespeare’s inclusion of cross-dressing females took into account the possibility of real-life passing women within his company, then truly Shakespeare was a genius at subtlety, for certainly one could consider such character roles as tailored for passing women. Of course, there is always the possibility that Shakespeare knew that for the success of his plays female roles would be required.

The Merchant of Venice

The quick synopsis of Merchant: Portia is the wealthy daughter of a deceased father who has set up a marriage “lottery” (Shakespeare 78). Bassanio, in pursuit of Portia and her wealth, starts a chain of events which ultimately lead Portia and her handmaid/confidante, Nerissa, to don male attire. By taking on the male personas of a doctor and clerk sent to interpret the law, these two women are able to infiltrate the Venetian court where Shylock is asking for one pound of Antonio’s flesh in payment for Bassanio’s debt. As payment for saving Antonio, the doctor (Portia) and the clerk (Nerissa) tell Bassanio and his man, Gratanio, to hand over their newly acquired wedding rings. Portia and Nerissa return to Belmont (Portia’shome) only moments before Bassanio and Gratanio arrive. In this situation Portia and Nerissa, who passed as the male doctor and clerk, have now reached the long expected point of disclosure. They inform their husbands of their trickery and receive a light-hearted reception. When the end of the play roles around Bassanio tells Portia “Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow;/ When I am absent, then lie with my wife” (Shakespeare 177). Gratanio then tells Nerissa, “But were the day come, I should wish it dark,/ Till I were couching with the doctor’s clerk” (Shakespeare 178). These lines are convoluted with latent homoeroticism, especially, when one recalls men portrayed Portia and Nerissa.

Now, revert back to the earlier discussion of women passing as men portraying women who are passing as men. One could argue that Shakespeare, knowing women passed as men, had the foresight to toy with the homoerotic message which was tempered by the overall reality of passing women, who would technically be playing those heterosexual roles.

Just One of the Guys

The movie, Just One of the Guys begins with the main character, Terry Griffith’s femininity being highlighted through both the opening scenes and music. The camera slowly traces the curve of her body focusing on her panties, under shirt, and long hair. When her alarm goes off it plays “girls got something boys ain’t got, drives them crazy, gets them hot, girls got something boys ain’t got.” From here Terry goes through very feminine primping procedures prior to hopping in the car driven by her boyfriend, Kevin. Later at school, Terry overhears two male teachers discussing her body. She confronts the teacher who is responsible for reading the students’ news articles. She assumes her article was denied because she is female and determines that if she were a male the article would be accepted for publication. From this point Terry decides to don male attire in order to chase publication and the summer job of her dreams at a rival high school. Terry enlists her brother, Buddy, to assist her in throwing off the shackles of femininity by teaching her to walk, talk, and act male (including an amusing scene where Terry learns to scratch her non-existent balls).

After many moments of sexual awkwardness between characters who know Terry is female (her best friend, brother, and boyfriend) and those who assume she is male (her crush, Rick, and the students of the rival high school), we enter the realm of disclosure. Terry’s revelation comes near the end of the movie, where she informs Rick that she is in fact a woman and has romantic feelings for him. At the time of her disclosure they are at the high school prom and she is wearing a tuxedo. An angry Rick storms off, returning to the girl who accompanied him to the prom. Terry chases after him, then grabs Rick by the shoulder and spins him towards her. She forcefully kisses him while they are standing in front of all the prom attendees. His immediate response is: “It’s okay everybody, he has tits.” An incredibly awkward silence is followed by Terry bumbling through excuses to leave.

Comparing Disclosure Scenarios

While Portia and Nerissa obtain male clothing and thus male identities, neither is so fully immersed in their masculine roles as to take on such a significantly male action as ball scratching, a task taught to Terry by her brother, Buddy. All three women foray into the masculine world, never intending to stay longer than the duration needed to accomplish the tasks they have set for themselves. It is interesting that in both stories the decision to “become male” is rooted in the feminine reactionary response to the common masculine interchange, while the “decision” to disclose the reality of their gender is slightly more complex.

In Merchant, the women (Portia/Nerissa) set out in purposeful treachery to deceive their husbands and the world through the act of becoming men. Ultimately, the wives become the men who free their husbands from the usury contract written and signed by the “real” men. In essence, it is through feminine guile that the bounds of the masculine contract is broken. Once the contract is broken the women surreptitiously return to Portia’s house in Belmont; their husbands return only moments later. Immediately, the women harass their men regarding the missing wedding rings. At this point disclosure is a certainty, as the women explain their deceit. The husbands respond with amused references to treacherous wives and masculine counterparts.

Whereas, in Guys, Terry is confronted with the changing condition of masculine expectation as she is told that guys can be sensitive too. Regardless of her gender, it is apparent that the flaw with Terry’s writing is that it lacks emotion--a trait usually attributed to females--the fact is highlighted by her learning this when in male attire. From here she travels the road to masculinity where she falls for a sensitive guy who is in direct contrast to her boyfriend the masculine trophy-seeking-typical guy. Through her forays Terry essentially becomes more feminine, so much so, that by the end of the movie she has written a very emotionally moving piece that is accepted for publication, won the summer job of her dreams, and ditched the trophy-seeking-male for the more sensitive male. With Terry the most interesting point seems to be the idea that she attains an aspect of the female persona she lacked, only after passing as a male.

Conclusion

It is perfectly acceptable for women to cross-dress, so long as they are heterosexual. Females may use male clothing to disguise themselves, but only temporarily and with the condition of reverting back to their feminine clothing once said reason comes to fruition, thus continuing the perpetuation of heteronormativity. It is also important to note that in both Merchant and Guys, the women never fully discard their heterosexuality. When portraying men they automatically assume heterosexual roles and when returning to their feminine selves they are heterosexual.

Through both stories readers recognize the need to transcend gender bounds, yet, only temporarily and only for good reason. Passing women of Shakespeare’s day would have had good reason for passing, but would have been rejected for assuming male lives, rather than male roles. In more modern times evidence points to continued acceptance in temporarily transcending gender roles, but once again the key remains in the return to genitally assigned social roles. Thus, Portia, Nerissa, and Terry are completely acceptable in their forays into masculinity because they each return to wearing female garments and accept their societal roles as women.

Resources

Just One of the Guys (IMDB)

Just One of the Guys (Wikipedia)

Just One of the Guys (article on MentalFloss)

Merchant of Venice: The Full Play

Merchant of Venice (Wikipedia)

The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series Book 1: Terra Damnata

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Hey All!

If you're interested in Fantasy, SciFi, or Post Apocalyptic stories, check out my 1st novel, Terra Damanta, which is being blogged every Saturday at 4:20AM Central Time. The blog is FREE to read.

Below are a series of links to the main website for The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series, Terra Damnata: Book 1, and the first video created about Terra Damnata.

Main Website
www.pushingbhutons.com

Terra Damnata
Book 1 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series
Author's Note
book1.pushingbhutons.com

1st Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMClgCA4NEE

FE-DIY: Access Windows 10 Desktop When Missing Icons - Three Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Perhaps you've tried various recovery methods for getting Cortana, the Start button, and your desktop icons back. Perhaps you're tired of trying to fix the issue and just want to access your programs. Here's an article I wrote for just that: Access Windows 10 Desktop When Missing Icons - Three Solutions

FE-DIY: Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working - Six Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 12:30:00 +0000

Anyone who has upgraded their older computer to Windows 10, may be experiencing problems with Cortana, Start, or the Notifications Icons becoming unresponsive. Here's the link to my article, Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working - Six Solutions. My personal favorite (and the method that I have currently turned to) is #2, but give'em all a try if you want or feel the need.

FE-DIY: Windows 10 Missing Desktop Icon Recovery - 12 Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 12:30:00 +0000

If you've experienced the desktop icons error with Windows 10, then this is the article for you:

Windows 10 Missing Desktop Icon Recovery - 12 Solutions.

From Blogger Buzz: Google Will No Longer Support non-Google Acccounts for Blogger Followers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 00:30:00 +0000

I received this email, thought you all should know that Google is taking away Google Friend Connect for Blogger. I'm not sure how many of you use this, but in the future - "week of January 11th" - this feature will no longer be functional.

Blogger Buzz

An update on Google Friend Connect

Posted: 21 Dec 2015 03:02 AM PST

In 2011, we announced the retirement of Google Friend Connect for all non-Blogger sites. We made an exception for Blogger to give readers an easy way to follow blogs using a variety of accounts. Yet over time, we've seen that most people sign into Friend Connect with a Google Account. So, in an effort to streamline, in the next few weeks we'll be making some changes that will eventually require readers to have a Google Account to sign into Friend Connect and follow blogs.

As part of this plan, starting the week of January 11, we'll remove the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. At the same time, we'll remove non-Google Account profiles so you may see a decrease in your blog follower count.

We encourage you to tell affected readers (perhaps via a blog post), that if they use a non-Google Account to follow your blog, they need to sign up for a Google Account, and re-follow your blog. With a Google Account, they'll get blogs added to their Reading List, making it easier for them to see the latest posts and activity of the blogs they follow.

We know how important followers are to all bloggers, but we believe this change will improve the experience for both you and your readers.

Posted by Michael Goddard, Software Engineer

FE-DIY: Windows 10 Desktop System Icons Missing - 2 Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 12:30:00 +0000

Having problems with missing system icons, like the My Computer link? Here's the link to two solutions I've found for getting those System Icons back: Windows 10 Desktop System Icons.

FE-Poetry: It Doesn't Matter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 12:30:00 +0000

If you didn't get a chance to read it, here's my Ides of December poem, "It Doesn't Matter."

FE-DIY: Methods for Adding New Users in Windows 10

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 12:30:00 +0000

If you've recently had issues with adding new users in Windows 10, perhaps the steps in my guide, Methods for Adding New Users in Windows 10, will help you out. One of the methods can even help if you've lost access to your start menu.

FE-Poetry: Upon Seeing Our Stuff Gone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Nov 2015 12:30:00 +0000

Here's my November Ides Poem: Upon Seeing Our Stuff Gone.

FE-DIY: Rent House Damage (2/2) Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 12:30:00 +0000

Here's the second part to my Rent House Damage (2/2) guide.

FE-DIY: Rent House Damage (1/2) Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 11:30:00 +0000

I've lived in a lot of rent houses over the years. Some were far better than others. Each one has taught me valuable lessons. The first and foremost lesson: Take lots of pictures before you move in, while you live there, and when you vacate. For more things to look for follow my short guides: Rent House Damage (1/2).

FE-Poetry: A Little Q and A (2006)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:00 +0000

Just added a poem from 2006 to FE-Poetry! Check out: A Little Q and A (2006).

If you're interested in more of my past poetry, check out my archives.

On Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:30:00 +0000

When I first started blogging, it was a way for me to network with other people interested in writing. In the early days of blogging, I'd search chatrooms for bloggers with strong voices. We'd support and promote each other's blogs. Soon after, what would become known as "content mills" popped up on the web. These content mills provided bloggers with easy to use platforms for creating content and sharing in the revenue received from advertisements plus much large audience reach. I loved these sites and never thought of them as content mills (a derogatory term created by mainstream media). These sites helped people whose voices would otherwise not be heard. They did not discriminate based on the user's English grammar abilities. Members left each other comments about grammar or content. Through the advice of the community, writers who started off with bad grammar skills often improved.

Some writers only cared to share information; the correctness of their grammar was of no account. Many of these writers had large followings that were more interested in the information than the potential grammar errors. Even these writers showed grammar improvements over time. The websites offered writers multiple copyright options as well as upfront payments and royalty / revenue share payments for each article. Think of it, people with valuable information and crap grammar skills had a place to share their knowledge and to reap the revenue generated from advertisements. In contrast, people with perfect grammar skills and shit to say were also able to share in revenue generated from the articles that they wrote, albeit not as much revenue.

That's not where we are at today. Instead, English grammar police have long since taken over the major content sites which then hired editors, closed the "any registered user as writer" features, and required writing samples in their registration applications. All this in an effort to eradicate bad grammar and to professionalize popular websites. What have they've really done? Bought out the sites where user-generated knowledge was topping search engines, kicked out any writers they deemed incapable, and redesigned the sites to fit the publication guidelines for professional writers. When redesign and transition were deemed impossible, the sites were shuttered.

So, the eponymous THEY took user-generated content sites and turned them into professional writing sites. What's the big fucking deal? The people who wrote for user-generated content sites weren't all professional writers. Many were professionals who also acted as user-writers that enjoyed sharing their knowledge with the world and were happy to receive nominal Pay-Per-View revenue for their works. Many of those user-writers spent years building followings, posting content, and networking across social media accounts. When they were pushed off the content sites, many lost years of work. Those that did not lose their writings, lost the years of effort they put into creating followings on those sites.

In some ways I am very lucky, I’ve always been a professional and written professionally. Meaning, I was easily able to get accepted to the sites that offered their original users an opportunity to reapply. I watched as very knowledgeable users were not invited back to the newly revamped and professionalized sites. This is a tragic loss to all who frequented these sites. Professionalizing user-generated content sites dramatically changes the dynamics of the sites, causes the loss of average user voices, and forces user-writers to kowtow to the whims of “content mill” editors who frequently do not understand the content they edit.

An editor’s understanding of English grammar is important to editing, so, too, is the editor’s capacity to understand the content that they are editing. If an editor doesn’t understand the professional jargon of a certain topic their ability to accurately edit the content is drastically reduced. Many revamped content sites hired editors based on their ability to correct errors in generic sample articles that somehow failed to take into account the topic specific jargon used by professionals who were also user-writers. In this manner, these sites changed their focus to grammar and the editors from genuine knowledge and the user-writers.

These websites were so intent on checking editors’ grammar abilities that they failed to match editors with knowledge of specific topics to writers with knowledge of specific professions. How can unknowledgeable editors be responsible for editing content they don’t understand? I wouldn’t expect an editor of parenting articles to accurately gage the correctness of content regarding the latest discoveries in physics. Nor would I expect an editor of auto articles to properly grasp the minutiae of casino jargon. Not to say that one couldn’t master multiple professional jargons, for instance, a grammar conscious physicist with children would be capable of editing parenting and physics articles, just as a car aficionado with a gambling problem would be capable of editing auto and casino articles.

I experienced this jargon ignorant editor issue first-hand when writing how-to articles for eHow (a user-generated how-to site bought out and revamped into an edited how-to site by Demand Media). At the time, I was a professional casino dealer writing articles on playing casino games that had various levels of difficulty. While eHow was a user-generated content site, I created successful low to moderate level how-to articles on playing Black Jack, Let It Ride, and Caribbean Stud. After eHow was taken over, I created a series of high difficulty articles on Craps, all of which were refused by editors who had no knowledge of the game and were incapable of understanding the jargon (even though I frequently explained the terms with pictures). The three random editors that I dealt with had probably only seen a Craps table in movies, in which case their ignorant responses to the pictures and explanations were completely appropriate for a novice with no real concept of the game.

Craps has lots of jargon regarding over 50 types of bets that can be made at any time during the game. Of course it’s difficult, that is indeed why I labeled them as highly difficult. Casino gaming articles must include the easy to understand superstitions, etiquette, and the moderately difficult odds as well as the harder game play jargon; in craps this involves things like the Pass and Don’t Pass Bars. There is no other way to talk about specific areas of the craps table than to call the areas by their proper names (Pass Bar, Don’t Pass Bar, Come Line, Don’t Come Line) and to include pictures. A craps novice cannot possibly edit a how-to article on Don’t Pass bets if they don’t understand Pass bets, likewise, they won’t understand the Don’t Come Line if they know nothing about the Come Line. These high-level of difficulty articles were being rejected by Craps virgin editors for being too difficult for a novice to understand. Are you fucking kidding me? The articles weren’t written for novices. I was writing a series of high-level difficulty articles for people who were already familiar with the game and who wanted to further their understanding.

Aside from suffering from a chronic lack of editorial subject knowledge, these revamped websites also had a systemic rejection problem that was built into their editing feedback mechanisms. Editors and writers were frequently limited in the number of times they could respond to each other regarding any single article. This systemic problem was created to increase the number of articles that an individual editor could address. The thinking went: the more articles an editor can get through, the more money the editor makes, the more money the website makes, and therefore, the more money the writers will make. In actuality, the systemic feedback and rejection problems caused the websites to lose out on articles and writers which in turn led to a loss of revenue which then led to insolvency and, ultimately, the shuttering of the websites.

After the major writing sites were revamped, bought out, or otherwise became untenable, some users sought new platforms, others were so discouraged they quit completely, and still others returned to their own blogs. Like many of those writers, I’m not interested in putting forth a bunch of effort to drive traffic to some website that has no interest in honoring the long-term efforts of its users. I much prefer revenue sharing platforms that are open to all users regardless of grammar abilities. I’m a free-market capitalist. I know why those revamped content mills shuttered their sites. Average readers don’t care one lick about grammar; they care about content relevance and accuracy.

FE-DIY: Retevis 2-Way Radios Assembly Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 11:30:00 +0000

Follow the link to my guide on assembling Retevis 2-Way Radios.