Whalers and modern pirates are most like the classic pirates we read about in Rediker in that they have all, at one point or another, been involved in a self-perpetuating cycle of violence and abuse, which additionally is made no better by a constant need for higher wages and a lust for a better, more … Continue reading Classic Pirates, Whalers, and Modern Pirates: The Similar Creations of Three Institutional Enemies

Ralph Waldo Emerson is widely considered one of America's greatest poets and speakers. He is also regarded as the founder of Transcendentalism—a movement established romanticism that idealized nature and said that spirituality and divinity are both in humanity as well as nature. These ideas of a deep connection with nature were strange and new for … Continue reading Building on the Sepulchers of our Fathers: Emersonian Ideas and Beginning Anew

In a New York Times article about Pope Francis “touring” around Africa, the Catholic Church is certainly focused on spreading its word and gaining more followers. Perhaps it’s the way the Catholic Church is developed, or maybe it’s “tradition” to try to convert and spread your gospel among non-believers, but it’s very apparent that the … Continue reading Current Event Connections

            In Shakespeare’s Macbeth¸ Shakespeare tells a terrifying tale of a respected noble and his wife driven mad by a supernaturally-charged prophecy which leads to multiple deaths, insanity, and the loss of the main character’s very humanity. Macbeth, a Thane in King Duncan’s service, plots along with his wife to kill King Duncan in order … Continue reading Macbeth, Time, and Nothing

            The movie WALL-E, produced by Pixar for Walt Disney Pictures in 2008, is the heartwarming story of a small, trash-compacting robot on a mission to fall in love and save humanity. While the film might initially seem like a simple futuristic cartoon, the themes of romantic comedy fill the movie and are so prevalent … Continue reading WALL-E: The Ultimate Romantic Comedy

            In James A. W. Heffernan’s critical analysis, Looking at the Monster: Frankenstein and Film, Heffernan argues aptly that in film, we are unable to see the monster's true emotions because we see the visuals that make the monster so grotesque and therefore deny his humanity. According to Heffernan, this is because film directors and … Continue reading The Humanity of Frankenstein’s Creature in Film

In Margaret Atwood’s The Age of Lead, a woman named Jane reminisces about her deceased friend and lover, Vincent, as she watches a TV show about the discovery of the failed Franklin expedition and the recovered body of one of the men on the expedition, John Torrington. While this text may seem like a simple … Continue reading The Franklin Expedition and its Connotations in The Age of Lead

In Robert Cormier’s The Chocolate War, Jerry Renault disrupts the social norms in his school by meddling in the school’s ethically questionable chocolate sale, which imbalances the hierarchy of the school and sends its students and faculty into chaos. Jerry uses his power as a student to affect the natural order of the school to … Continue reading “Absolutely, You Should:” How Marcelo Sandoval Successfully Disturbs His Universe

Electronic media has been used to spread political opinions for a long time. Some may remember the “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign that was prevalent in the 1980’s and started by Nancy Reagan—a series of advertisements and programs that appeared mostly in television and arcades. This is an example of more radical electronic advertisement promoted … Continue reading Everyone Can Be a Hero: Inclusion and Acceptance in the Invariable Video Game Industry