Ways of Thinking: After the Bomb!

[jack1722]

Hi so i have an extension speech due in a few days on 'Good Night and Good Luck' wondering if anyone could have a read of what i have so far i really need to make it more concise as its too long at the moment also any tips would be great. Im planning to go on and talk about media censorship and either the Annie-Lee-Moss or Milo Radulovich case.

Following the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 a new definition of institutional control emerged as a seemingly genuine fear of nuclear annihilation prompted hysteria around the world. After the bomb texts demonstrate an intensified questioning of both the political and personal spheres and the values that permeate them as a result of an ideological standoff between Western Liberalism and Eastern Communism.
George Clooney’s 2005 film noir docudrama ‘Good Night And Good Luck’ follows journalist, Edward Murrow’s efforts to expose Senator Joseph McCarthy’s heretical and rumour based methods of interrogation regarding his combat against the alleged infiltration of ‘un-American activity’ in the US Government during the 1950’s. As McCarthy perpetuated mass hysteria over what was mostly false pretence. Clooney’s film not only accurately depicts McCarthy’s investigation techniques but also allows a contemporary audience to parallel this to the treatment of suspected terrorists in modern society and the culture of paranoia that accompanies it. This notion of fear being a device to justify institutional prosecution without regard for the individual’s civil liberties is critiqued in ‘Good Night and Good Luck’ Foucault’s Panopticism theory aligns with the surveillance methods of the time that institutional power like McCarthy employed with the understanding that the fear of communism would ironically turn fellow Americans on each other through constant social surveillance.  Clooney employs black and white chiaroscuro lighting that is synonymous with film noir to provide both historical accuracy and illustrate zeitgeist of paranoia and distrust. The opening scene introduces the use of cinema-verite as the camera takes up and omniscient ‘fly on the wall’ view getting close to the characters, panning from face to face and sacrificing their privacy thus constructing an uneasiness that comes with the fear surveillance. Venetian blinds become a motif is the film symbolising a physical barrier of privacy that is negated by the intimate camera action, this most notably occurs at the start of the film as we can witness Joe and Shirley Wershba whispering in a ostensibly private room. The Wershba subplot brings attention to wether their secretively is regarding their marriage or communism, and is further questioned when Joe states “if I don’t sign it they’ll fire me” with reference to an anti-communism pledge that was common occurrence in the 1950’s workplace. This contextual allusion allows the viewer to understand the notion that, if one simply did not explicitly deny communist ties then that was enough to be fired, in the words of Murrow “we cannot confuse descent with disloyalty”.

[elysepopplewell]

Hey ATB fam!

As of today, the Berlin wall has been dismantled for as long as it was standing.

[elysepopplewell]

If you're looking at Cold War Germany this might be an interesting resource. There's all sorts of little things in this article (that you'll need to get google to auto translate for you) that could make for really interesting segments in a creative writing piece. Like, in the GDR there was a significant period of no plastic bags.

http://einheitsreise.morgenpost.de/

[theyam]

Hello

Is it possible if someone could please help me identify the political, philosophical, economic and religious paradigms found in Spy who came in from the Cold?

So far I have
- A clash of politics (communism vs democracy) (political)
leading to
-  lack of amorality as each side goes to extreme lengths to achieve their goals
- this creates a climate of anxiety
- nihilism (philosophical?)

But ye, the ones I've listed above, I'm not too sure what categories those even go into so any help would be much appreciated.

[elysepopplewell]

Hello

Is it possible if someone could please help me identify the political, philosophical, economic and religious paradigms found in Spy who came in from the Cold?

So far I have
- A clash of politics (communism vs democracy) (political)
leading to
-  lack of amorality as each side goes to extreme lengths to achieve their goals
- this creates a climate of anxiety
- nihilism (philosophical?)

But ye, the ones I've listed above, I'm not too sure what categories those even go into so any help would be much appreciated.

hey Theyam!! Loving your dedication to E1.

I'd put the clash of communism and democracy as political too.
I think the idea of nihilism and anxiety is a social and spiritual paradigm. You could say this lends itself to being a religious paradigmatic perspective too but I can't remember the text well enough to think of any religious references, as opposed to spiritual references.
The economic paradigm leads itself to the socialist and capitalist perspectives. I have to admit, while I did study the Spy, I didn't use it in my HSC because I found it to be the most difficult to draw things from. There are some notes on it in the Notes section though, so I'd check that out!

Also consider the idea of love...love for the state, love for humanity, love for duty...all of these are explored in The Spy. You could say they relate to different parts of the paradigms, but I'd think mainly political and social (which you haven't listed social above, but I think it can be useful).

[beeangkah]

I've noticed in a few past Qs that they've asked to use a main character/setting of one prescribed text for the creative...

Should I prepare one entirely based on those?

Or go with another original idea which I have in mind?

[elysepopplewell]

I've noticed in a few past Qs that they've asked to use a main character/setting of one prescribed text for the creative...

Should I prepare one entirely based on those?

Or go with another original idea which I have in mind?

Much to the prepared student's dismay - Extension 1 creative stimuli have been verrrry diversified in the past. Have a look through some past papers and see how they can really throw a spanner in the works. One time you had to creative a story based on two people who are significantly connected but never meet (I think 2013 cohort? But I'm just guessing).

So to answer your question - you should go with another original idea, but be prepared to change it dramatically in an exam. There's no way of getting around it other than by pushing your creative to the limits and out of its comfort zone!

[beeangkah]

Much to the prepared student's dismay - Extension 1 creative stimuli have been verrrry diversified in the past. Have a look through some past papers and see how they can really throw a spanner in the works. One time you had to creative a story based on two people who are significantly connected but never meet (I think 2013 cohort? But I'm just guessing).

So to answer your question - you should go with another original idea, but be prepared to change it dramatically in an exam. There's no way of getting around it other than by pushing your creative to the limits and out of its comfort zone!

Okay, thank you!

Also, I have this idea for a creative...

Spoiler

Centres around a scientist working for USSR… but eventually his moral compass becomes compromised - 1) while researching he stumbles across footage from Hiroshima and is uneasy about the horrors inflicted upon people and 2) when he views the detonation of the most powerful bomb at the time that he was a part of constructing and realises that the consequences are even worse
He burns everything and has potentially stopped the Cold War… [stops here more hopeful ending - qualities of existentialism?] OR finds out through a spy that USSR has been monitoring and copying his work [more dismal ending - no control in paranoid era]

From this basic outline does it sound okay to proceed with? Thank you!

[elysepopplewell]

Okay, thank you!

Also, I have this idea for a creative...

Spoiler

Centres around a scientist working for USSR… but eventually his moral compass becomes compromised - 1) while researching he stumbles across footage from Hiroshima and is uneasy about the horrors inflicted upon people and 2) when he views the detonation of the most powerful bomb at the time that he was a part of constructing and realises that the consequences are even worse
He burns everything and has potentially stopped the Cold War… [stops here more hopeful ending - qualities of existentialism?] OR finds out through a spy that USSR has been monitoring and copying his work [more dismal ending - no control in paranoid era]

From this basic outline does it sound okay to proceed with? Thank you!

Hey there!

Okay so I really like your idea. I have to say I don't properly understand the second alternate ending: a USSR scientist was spied on by a USSR spy? I'm keen to know about him stopping the Cold War - perhaps it's not a logical thing to write about but could you somehow internalise this to be a metaphor? I like the direction this is going in!

[beeangkah]

Hey there!

Okay so I really like your idea. I have to say I don't properly understand the second alternate ending: a USSR scientist was spied on by a USSR spy? I'm keen to know about him stopping the Cold War - perhaps it's not a logical thing to write about but could you somehow internalise this to be a metaphor? I like the direction this is going in!

Thank you!

Now that I think about it, it doesn't make much sense 
But I wasn't sure how else he would find out about the government essentially monitoring him, and spies are indicative paranoia of each of the superpowers so I thought about slipping it in somewhere. Maybe it will be too cliched?

I have no idea how to end it haha... maybe I can just leave it at the realisation that his morals were being compromised?

[elysepopplewell]

Thank you!

Now that I think about it, it doesn't make much sense 
But I wasn't sure how else he would find out about the government essentially monitoring him, and spies are indicative paranoia of each of the superpowers so I thought about slipping it in somewhere. Maybe it will be too cliched?

I have no idea how to end it haha... maybe I can just leave it at the realisation that his morals were being compromised?

I'd start the text even though you don't know how to end it yet. As you learn about your characters as you create them, I think you'll decide pretty early on which route to take!

[elfestos]

Hi,

I'm doing my first Ext 1 assessment currently (it's a speech). My prescribed text is Godot (50s) and related is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (70s). I am struggling to find the links between the context of the specific decade and the ways of thinking in that decade beyond what I have been told in class. For example how does the context of Detente relate to Cuckoos nest's critique of institutional structures? I've tried searching online (using phrases like "cold war literature") but haven't really found anything good. 

I was just wondering if someone could point me in the right direction.
Thanks.

[theyam]

Hi

I was just wondering if someone could provide me a link to the full: "The Kitchen Debate" and their thoughts on whether it could pair well with "Spy who Came in from the Cold"

this video has english subtitle but its not the full thing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CvQOuNecy4



Thanks

[theyam]

Hi,

I'm doing my first Ext 1 assessment currently (it's a speech). My prescribed text is Godot (50s) and related is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (70s). I am struggling to find the links between the context of the specific decade and the ways of thinking in that decade beyond what I have been told in class. For example how does the context of Detente relate to Cuckoos nest's critique of institutional structures? I've tried searching online (using phrases like "cold war literature") but haven't really found anything good. 

I was just wondering if someone could point me in the right direction.
Thanks.

Hi there,

I haven't actually done Godot yet so I can't provide much help, but if you're looking for more contextual stuff  or research I found these presentations quite helpful,

-  I found this prezi quite useful: https://prezi.com/hxd-4novla4l/after-the-bomb/?webgl=0 (they provide a lot in my opinion and link it to paradigms)

- Also, this powerpoint has some analysis on Godot (Godot analysis starts on slide 89) and other ATB texts: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15Wdh0H3nHQueWsA7h6gyxxRiDP37IPQmPqXJVDFxzz4/edit?usp=sharing

Good luck

[elfestos]

Hi there,

I haven't actually done Godot yet so I can't provide much help, but if you're looking for more contextual stuff  or research I found these presentations quite helpful,

-  I found this prezi quite useful: https://prezi.com/hxd-4novla4l/after-the-bomb/?webgl=0 (they provide a lot in my opinion and link it to paradigms)

- Also, this powerpoint has some analysis on Godot (Godot analysis starts on slide 89) and other ATB texts: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15Wdh0H3nHQueWsA7h6gyxxRiDP37IPQmPqXJVDFxzz4/edit?usp=sharing

Good luck

Thanks so much these helped a lot.