Katabasis in Myth and Film

Nov 30 2008

Julia’s Presentation

2 responses so far

2 Responses to “Julia’s Presentation”

1. # artemis7on 01 Dec 2008 at 10:14 am

   This is my Art Reflection Paper
   Orpheus and City of God Art Reflection Report
   The first picture displays the passion of the artists, Orpheus and Rocket together as one with their crafts. Both of them find not only a love for their art, but also the path they choose to follow in life in order to discover their inspiration. The second picture portrays Orpheus and Knock-out Ned bound together as one because of the bitter tragedy and suffering that they were forced to face. Ned and Rocket represent the artist and the tragic hero qualities of Orpheus to the extreme so much that it seems that the famous musician was split into two separate individuals. However, Ned and Rocket possess different qualities that clearly set them apart from Orpheus as people with their own unique personalities.
   Rocket holds a camera in his hand which tells us several things about him. The first and foremost is that he is an aspiring photographer who sees the world through the eye of a lens. However, the camera is also a symbol of truth and revelations that a photographer goes through every day to capture those moments in time. The truths that a photographer presents to the world can be both beautiful and horrible beyond imagining, but nonetheless the pictures show the evidence that those moments which we consider impossible do exist. The ocean behind Rocket can be both calm and raging, just like the truth. The sun behind him burns away all the shadows casted by the illusions the rich outside of the city of God that the violence that occurs within does not exist. Rocket also learns to look through different perspectives of the people around him as he continues his career into photography. In the film he introduces several characters’ stories and the interactions he had over his life time residing in the city of God. The flashbacks in his narrative also represent the pictures he took with his mental camera: his memories! From the very beginning Rocket has followed the path of a photographer because of his experiences. The bright colors of the scenery behind him emphasized the brilliance of finding his inspiration. It was from those moments that he was able to draw his inspiration from when he took pictures.
   Orpheus’s musical inspiration is not completely clear as Rocket’s source; however there is no doubt that Orpheus finds passion in his art as well. The effect that his music has upon his surrounding environment could be where he finds inspiration from. The serene expression on Orpheus and Rocket’s face emphasizes the comfort they feel when they are fully submerged in there element. Unlike Rocket who had to face the dangers and poverty of his world while learning the ways of a photographer, Orpheus had it easy. He was not only born with the talent due to his Muse mother, a minor goddess of song, but also he was able to use his talents to get exactly what he desired. While Rocket tried and failed to win over a girl with his photography talent, Orpheus charmed his own fiancé with his musical gift. The bright light shining around Orpheus and the vivid colors of his scenic background was made to emphasize his divinity and power over nature when he played his lyre. A musician expresses oneself through whatever instrument they play. Orpheus used his voice and lyre to express his longing, love, and heartbreak to the gods of the underworld when his wife died upon their wedding day. It is emotion and the power that song has over others that musicians get there inspiration. The art that Orpheus and Rocket pursue and where they find inspiration to fuel their craft is what makes them different. The zeal they show in the creative process and the attempts they make to show the world their stuff is what makes them one and the same with each other.
   Ned and Orpheus are portrayed in shadows and pale colors of their environment, along with tragic visages to match the atmosphere. Ned on the right carries a firearm in a colorless world brightened only by the color of blood, while a pale Orpheus stands in the midst of the departed and holds his instrument limply in his hand. The firearm and blood is a clear symbol of anger and vengeance that Ned is feeling at that moment towards Lil Ze for the suffering he had put Ned’s loved ones though. The way Orpheus holds the lyre symbolizes forsaking the pleasure music brought to him and quiet despair at his failure to bring Eurydice back to the realm of the living. Both of them cope with their loss and pain, but in different ways. While Orpheus isolates himself from the rest of the world, Ned in his quest for revenge gets sucked into another gang and ends up igniting a gang war that hurts innocent people like him.
   In the Ovid tale of Orpheus, Eurydice was pursued by an unwanted suitor during the day of her wedding, thus causing her to get bitten by the viper which ultimately ended her life. Ned’s girlfriend was ruthlessly raped in front of him as he lay beaten and helpless by Li’l Ze. The expressions on their faces also express anguish. Anguish at the fact that they could not protect the people they cared about because they were helpless. The helplessness they experienced caused both of them to believe that they were somehow at fault for the tragic events that had come to pass. The shadows of the underworld and the ghetto vividly express the katabolic journey that both of them made to compensate for their faults. In their anabolic journeys each of them paid a price for the lessons they learned. Ned learned the hard way that vengeance is never justified, and the gun that is pointed around the corner symbolizes his demise at the hands of someone else who was seeking revenge. Orpheus learned that death can never truly be overcome when he lost his wife a second time. They were permanently altered from their experiences so much so that they had never risen up from their inner darkness of despair and anger.
   Orpheus represented both Ned and Rocket as a tragic artist. Rocket possessed the traits of an artist, while Ned was befallen by tragic misfortunes. The melding of Orpheus with Rocket and Ned was suppose to emphasize on their similarities, but it also ended up pointing out their differences as well. Ned and Orpheus deal with their grief differently, while Rocket pursued an art and inspiration different from that of Orpheus. Nevertheless all of them together made the katabolic journey down for their own personal gains and each of them came back with changes in their characters.

2. # Katabasis: A Journey through a Virtual Course Space – UMW Blogson 08 Dec 2008 at 11:10 am

   [...] your own adventure” website, some inspired, artwork, a look at Katabasis in the film Groundhog Day, and much, much [...]

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