Essay Body Analysis no. 2
Paragraph Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen and Fourteen
Analyzing Harry M. Benshoff's, Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, Is Disney High or Low? From Silly Cartoons to Postmodern Politics
http://www.animationjournal.com/abstrats/essays/Benshoff/html
Analyzing Harry M. Benshoff's, Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, Is Disney High or Low? From Silly Cartoons to Postmodern Politics
http://www.animationjournal.com/abstrats/essays/Benshoff/html
Paragraph Seven
Define
Incessantly: Non ceasing, not stopping.
Character-based genres: The character is the genre, like a story of Steve going to sleep.
Classification: Name, or label. How it is classified. Classification. Classes. There were High and Low classes.
Construed: The same as understood. Interpreted. A way of understanding things.
Conventionalized: Rules of society. Conventionalized. Conventional is a normal or regular way of doing things.
Questions
1) Who is Theodor Adorno and why is he referenced in the context of Benshoff's argument?
Theodor was a continental philosophers of the twentieth century. He had a large range or topics he discuses and wrote about but he most concerned about the suffering among humans. He has been referenced in Benshoff's argument because he's opinion matched Benshoff's argument. If it didn't match the argument it wouldn't have been referenced.
2) What impact has the "profit motive" had on the culture industry according to Adorno?
That it has become more important than culture. It has been since it first gained power.
3) What should not be construed to mean that the "Silly Symphony" series are somehow less conventionalized than other Disney Production?
The recurring character in other Disney productions are different. Every different short film in 'Silly Symphony' has a different world, character's, situation. More work required to complete films.
Paragraph Eight
Define
Precursors: Before. Leading to. Precursors. Pre = post.
Irreverent: No respect. Disrespectful.
Idiom: Musical idioms is the characteristic mode of expression.
Bowdlerizing: Removing stuff that didn't fit for what they are fitting into. Censured or edited.
Postmodern musical bricoleur: Bricoleur = collage. Making from other makings. Bricoleur. Leur = Person. A person who makes collages.
Penchant: French for Passion.
Fellini parodies: Parodies are copies done for comical or funny reasoning. Federico Fellini. He made La Dolce Vita. He was a Italian director.
Gregorian chants: A Roman Catholic version of worship. Monophonic sound.
Questions
1) In what way can the "Silly Symphony" series be seen as precursors of Fantasia?
With the mixing of the High and Low's. Like the different music heared
2) Explain how Disney could be seen as a postmodern musical bricoleur?
They were mixing and matching different music to suit the mood in the film. Like 'sad' is violens.
3) How does the name "Silly Symphony" suggest a mixture of high and low?
'Silly' is a folk people word. And 'Symophony' is a high classed person word.
4) According to Benshoff, what was the thinking behind the combination of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Deems Taylor?
High and Low music/concepts combineing into one thing. No more 'high' or 'low' art.
5) Explain why, according to Benshoff, the issues/problems associated with mixing high and low musical idioms are scarcely imaginable in "today's postmodern world".
We are often mixing and matching different media to create a new idea like with memes.
Paragraph Nine
Define
Dominant ideology: Dominant has the most strength, over powering, main thing. Ideology. Ogy = the study of. So this means the study of a group of ideas/ideals.
Ostracism: Isolated. Cased out. Alone.
Manifestations: Appears. Comes to be clear to the eye.
Vacuous: Open space. Empty. Nothing. Blank. Air head.
Banal: Boring or dull.
Shamelessly conformist: No shame in being conformist. Just go with the flow.
Questions
1) What are dominant ideologies that transfer to the screen "fairly transparently" according to Benshoff?
They were the well known stories/fairy tales/fables. Already had a good story.
2) What point is Benshoff trying to make that he supports with a Theodor Adorno quote?
The messages are, don't dream, be normal, conform. You are a simple mouse, not a bird. Don't even try or people will laugh at your failure.
Paragraph Ten
Define
Allegories: Story/poem/picture with a hidden meaning or morals. Like how politics are involved.
Utopian human communities: Utopian = perfect and amazing. So this statement means to have the perfect human like society.
Harmoniously: Harmony. Happy. Synced.
Naturalize: To make normal. Natural way of being.
Heterosexual bourgeois romance: Heterosexual = man and woman relationship. Bourgeois = Middle class. So this statement means the middle class man and woman romance.
Psychical adjustment: Effecting the mind. Changing menially.
Subaltern communities: Subaltern. Sub = under. Alt = high. This is pro middle class. Not high. Outside power structure of the high class.
Heterogeneity: Diversity.
Questions
1) According to Benshoff, what films can be read as allegories of Utopian human communities and in what way?
Fantasy films of animals living together happily with no deaths from killing and eating each other.
2) Explain how the films "naturalize an ideology of heterosexual bourgeois romance" according to Benshoff. Give an example.
They show the classic middle class man and woman interacting like in 'Moth and the Flame'.
3) How might these act as "social cement" by appearing to celebrate subaltern communities?
Propaganda. By making it good to be middle class though media.
4) Do these films celebrate subaltern communities according to Benshoff?
No. They still want people to not dream or be different.
Paragraph Eleven
Define
Pseudo-individualization: Pseudo = Fake. Fake individual people.
Endowing: Giving to Endowed with jewels. Provide
Standardization: Creating own normal. Conform. Stranded.
Questions
1) What is Theodor Adorno's concept of pseudo-individualization and why is it referenced in the context of Benshoff's argument?
It appears different but is the same. Benshoff mentions this because it suits his argument and/or point of view.
2) Describe what you think is meant by "a halo of free choice or open market"?
They have heaven doors of the market opened to them. Halo.
3) Who is "kept in line" by making them forget what they listen to is "pre-digested"? Explain what.
Costumers. If a song has a label like 'it's in the top ten' we already think that it's a really good song without even hearing it. We are being told what to like and not notice the receptive nature.
Paragraph Twelve & Thirteen
Define
Individualized trappings: Environment. Contained within.
Protagonists: The main, good character in a story. Usually the hero.
Narrative trajectory: Direction of the story.
Idyllic: Perfect. Happy. Peaceful.
Wanton behavior: Unmoral. Bad. Sinful. Leading them on. Prostitute.
Interloper: The guy who shouldn't be there. In the way. Unwanted.
Bourgeois white male propriety: Middle class, white male ownership/strandeds/rights.
Questions
1) Explain what you think Benshoff means by the "individualized trappings" used to make each of each of the "Sillies" seem different? Give an example?
He means that there is always a unique environment for each story/character. Disney goes from the trees in a meadow to a candy land full of candy people.
2) Benshoff claims the protagonists behave the same in every "Silly". Describe what you understand to be the standardized behavior for protagonist in the "Sillies".
A middle class male as the underdog hero. The genial man who gets the only girl. A middle class woman get's herself into trouble with a bad man, so the underdog hero comes and saves her as they live happily.
3) Describe in your own words the classic narrative trajectory according to Benshoff. Do you agree? Why/Why not?
Yes, basically. 'Moth and the Flame' and 'Flowers & Trees' share this same story basses.
4) What is, according to Benshoff,, "shown to operate in film after film"? Do you agree? Why/Why not?
The ideology of the bourgeois white male propriety. They are targeting the audience in the middle classed people and want a 'good' male to save the girl. I agree with this. It is seen clearly the racism in the different characters and the 'white' man is always the hero.
Paragraph Fourteen
Define
Subversion: Underminding. The power.
Catharsis: Emotion. Desplaying emotions. Release. Express.
Reconcile: Recall. Remember. Get over it. Normal. Reconcile.
Wolfish displacement: Wolf = metaphor for bad things. Symbolic. This thing is displaced by bad things.
Fantasized blinders: Portend. Blinders. Tunnel vision. Only focused on fantasy.
Questions
1) Why does Benshoff believe the potential for subversion in the "Sillies" is minimal?
Because it is a mass produced cartoon. If made by power, it won't/can't go against power.
2) Benshoff supports his assertion in an Adorno quote suggesting the medium "deprives it of social significance". Explain what you think he means by this. Do you agree? Why/Why not?
He says that a good thing for society that is mass produced, looses it's good effect. I do agree with this. It's all related to the fantasy tunnel vision, being only focused on the certain aspects of the messages/meaning for entertainment.
3) How does listening to musical confessions of unhappiness according to Adorno, reconcile listeners to their social dependence? Do you agree? Why/Why not?
It lets them release their own emotions on a cartoon instead of a real life problem. I do agree with this. When I watch a cartoon on someone who lives in a broken world, it makes my world better. I don't think once about my world's brokenness.
4) Describe how Benshoff supports his assertion that the cartoon is catharsis for, and control of, the masses?
Real life problems. Expressed to cartoons instead of real life. A sad song about someone being lonely would relate to every person who has felt alone. The are emotionally engaged in the song.
References
http://www.animationjournal.com/abstrats/essays/Benshoff/html
1) https://www.iep.utm.edu/adorno/
Define
Incessantly: Non ceasing, not stopping.
Character-based genres: The character is the genre, like a story of Steve going to sleep.
Classification: Name, or label. How it is classified. Classification. Classes. There were High and Low classes.
Construed: The same as understood. Interpreted. A way of understanding things.
Conventionalized: Rules of society. Conventionalized. Conventional is a normal or regular way of doing things.
Questions
1) Who is Theodor Adorno and why is he referenced in the context of Benshoff's argument?
Theodor was a continental philosophers of the twentieth century. He had a large range or topics he discuses and wrote about but he most concerned about the suffering among humans. He has been referenced in Benshoff's argument because he's opinion matched Benshoff's argument. If it didn't match the argument it wouldn't have been referenced.
2) What impact has the "profit motive" had on the culture industry according to Adorno?
That it has become more important than culture. It has been since it first gained power.
3) What should not be construed to mean that the "Silly Symphony" series are somehow less conventionalized than other Disney Production?
The recurring character in other Disney productions are different. Every different short film in 'Silly Symphony' has a different world, character's, situation. More work required to complete films.
Paragraph Eight
Define
Precursors: Before. Leading to. Precursors. Pre = post.
Irreverent: No respect. Disrespectful.
Idiom: Musical idioms is the characteristic mode of expression.
Bowdlerizing: Removing stuff that didn't fit for what they are fitting into. Censured or edited.
Postmodern musical bricoleur: Bricoleur = collage. Making from other makings. Bricoleur. Leur = Person. A person who makes collages.
Penchant: French for Passion.
Fellini parodies: Parodies are copies done for comical or funny reasoning. Federico Fellini. He made La Dolce Vita. He was a Italian director.
Gregorian chants: A Roman Catholic version of worship. Monophonic sound.
Questions
1) In what way can the "Silly Symphony" series be seen as precursors of Fantasia?
With the mixing of the High and Low's. Like the different music heared
2) Explain how Disney could be seen as a postmodern musical bricoleur?
They were mixing and matching different music to suit the mood in the film. Like 'sad' is violens.
'Silly' is a folk people word. And 'Symophony' is a high classed person word.
High and Low music/concepts combineing into one thing. No more 'high' or 'low' art.
We are often mixing and matching different media to create a new idea like with memes.
Paragraph Nine
Define
Dominant ideology: Dominant has the most strength, over powering, main thing. Ideology. Ogy = the study of. So this means the study of a group of ideas/ideals.
Ostracism: Isolated. Cased out. Alone.
Manifestations: Appears. Comes to be clear to the eye.
Vacuous: Open space. Empty. Nothing. Blank. Air head.
Banal: Boring or dull.
Shamelessly conformist: No shame in being conformist. Just go with the flow.
Questions
1) What are dominant ideologies that transfer to the screen "fairly transparently" according to Benshoff?
They were the well known stories/fairy tales/fables. Already had a good story.
2) What point is Benshoff trying to make that he supports with a Theodor Adorno quote?
The messages are, don't dream, be normal, conform. You are a simple mouse, not a bird. Don't even try or people will laugh at your failure.
Paragraph Ten
Define
Allegories: Story/poem/picture with a hidden meaning or morals. Like how politics are involved.
Utopian human communities: Utopian = perfect and amazing. So this statement means to have the perfect human like society.
Harmoniously: Harmony. Happy. Synced.
Naturalize: To make normal. Natural way of being.
Heterosexual bourgeois romance: Heterosexual = man and woman relationship. Bourgeois = Middle class. So this statement means the middle class man and woman romance.
Psychical adjustment: Effecting the mind. Changing menially.
Subaltern communities: Subaltern. Sub = under. Alt = high. This is pro middle class. Not high. Outside power structure of the high class.
Heterogeneity: Diversity.
Questions
1) According to Benshoff, what films can be read as allegories of Utopian human communities and in what way?
Fantasy films of animals living together happily with no deaths from killing and eating each other.
2) Explain how the films "naturalize an ideology of heterosexual bourgeois romance" according to Benshoff. Give an example.
They show the classic middle class man and woman interacting like in 'Moth and the Flame'.
Propaganda. By making it good to be middle class though media.
No. They still want people to not dream or be different.
Paragraph Eleven
Define
Pseudo-individualization: Pseudo = Fake. Fake individual people.
Endowing: Giving to Endowed with jewels. Provide
Standardization: Creating own normal. Conform. Stranded.
Questions
1) What is Theodor Adorno's concept of pseudo-individualization and why is it referenced in the context of Benshoff's argument?
It appears different but is the same. Benshoff mentions this because it suits his argument and/or point of view.
2) Describe what you think is meant by "a halo of free choice or open market"?
They have heaven doors of the market opened to them. Halo.
Costumers. If a song has a label like 'it's in the top ten' we already think that it's a really good song without even hearing it. We are being told what to like and not notice the receptive nature.
Paragraph Twelve & Thirteen
Define
Individualized trappings: Environment. Contained within.
Protagonists: The main, good character in a story. Usually the hero.
Narrative trajectory: Direction of the story.
Idyllic: Perfect. Happy. Peaceful.
Wanton behavior: Unmoral. Bad. Sinful. Leading them on. Prostitute.
Interloper: The guy who shouldn't be there. In the way. Unwanted.
Bourgeois white male propriety: Middle class, white male ownership/strandeds/rights.
Questions
1) Explain what you think Benshoff means by the "individualized trappings" used to make each of each of the "Sillies" seem different? Give an example?
He means that there is always a unique environment for each story/character. Disney goes from the trees in a meadow to a candy land full of candy people.
2) Benshoff claims the protagonists behave the same in every "Silly". Describe what you understand to be the standardized behavior for protagonist in the "Sillies".
A middle class male as the underdog hero. The genial man who gets the only girl. A middle class woman get's herself into trouble with a bad man, so the underdog hero comes and saves her as they live happily.
Yes, basically. 'Moth and the Flame' and 'Flowers & Trees' share this same story basses.
The ideology of the bourgeois white male propriety. They are targeting the audience in the middle classed people and want a 'good' male to save the girl. I agree with this. It is seen clearly the racism in the different characters and the 'white' man is always the hero.
Paragraph Fourteen
Define
Subversion: Underminding. The power.
Catharsis: Emotion. Desplaying emotions. Release. Express.
Reconcile: Recall. Remember. Get over it. Normal. Reconcile.
Wolfish displacement: Wolf = metaphor for bad things. Symbolic. This thing is displaced by bad things.
Fantasized blinders: Portend. Blinders. Tunnel vision. Only focused on fantasy.
Questions
1) Why does Benshoff believe the potential for subversion in the "Sillies" is minimal?
Because it is a mass produced cartoon. If made by power, it won't/can't go against power.
2) Benshoff supports his assertion in an Adorno quote suggesting the medium "deprives it of social significance". Explain what you think he means by this. Do you agree? Why/Why not?
He says that a good thing for society that is mass produced, looses it's good effect. I do agree with this. It's all related to the fantasy tunnel vision, being only focused on the certain aspects of the messages/meaning for entertainment.
It lets them release their own emotions on a cartoon instead of a real life problem. I do agree with this. When I watch a cartoon on someone who lives in a broken world, it makes my world better. I don't think once about my world's brokenness.
Real life problems. Expressed to cartoons instead of real life. A sad song about someone being lonely would relate to every person who has felt alone. The are emotionally engaged in the song.
References
http://www.animationjournal.com/abstrats/essays/Benshoff/html
1) https://www.iep.utm.edu/adorno/
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