Category: Senior Literary

Here lately I’ve been really inspired by the work of Lana Del Rey. I know, I know, I’m a tad bit late, but I will say that her lyrics and writing have really influenced some of my own writing in the past month or so. I found it only fitting that I review one of her monologues (which happens to be my favorite) as a thank you for the inspiration she has granted me.

Also, I highly suggest that if you’re reading this that you also go listen to her read it because it honestly makes it so much more magical.

My words and thoughts will be in red:)

Ride Monologue- Lana Del Rey

I was in the winter of my life

Usually, when someone says that they are in the winter of their life, that means that they are going through a tough time or a rough patch. 
And the men I met along the road were my only summer

Meaning, the men she met were the only ones that made her truly happy.
At night I fell asleep with visions of myself dancing and laughing and crying with them

She wishes to be with them (be happy) all the time.
Three years down the line of being on an endless world tour and my memories of them were the only things that sustained me

These two lines remind me a lot of how I get when I’m in a situation that I don’t like. I tend to imagine situations that make me happy to get myself away from the discomfort. These two lines truly resonated with me.
And my only real happy times

Clarification:)

I was a singer
Not a very popular one
I once had dreams of becoming a beautiful poet

These three lines always seem to make me smile because it really shows how us as artists tend to think that we are less than we are. Most people know who Lana Del Rey is, and I’d say she is fairly popular. Personally, I also believe that her poetry is beautiful. It’s just so interesting to see just how critical we can be to ourselves as artists.
But upon an unfortunate series of events saw those dreams dashed and divided like a million stars in the night sky

I love the metaphorical sense that this gave off. 
That I wished on over and over again, sparkling and broken

I also love the use of repetition here that creates emphasis. 
But I didn’t really mind because I knew that it takes getting everything you ever wanted and then losing it to know what true freedom is

This is honestly such a good life lesson in general. I really appreciate the fact that she put this in the monologue because she does have a generally younger audience (people ranging from teenagers to young adults.) This could honestly be the right advise at the right time for someone.

When the people I used to know found out what I had been doing how I had been living, they asked me why, but there’s no use in talking to people who have a home
They have no idea what its like to seek safety in other people
For home to be wherever you lie your head

This is my favorite stanza in this entire monologue because I never thought of home being “wherever you lie your head.” I love what she did with this stanza, and the way she expressed the way she views this certain thing is honestly beautiful.

I was always an unusual girl

I remember reading this line for the first time and saying to myself, “same.”
My mother told me that I had a chameleon soul

I appreciated the fact that she made it even more personal by including her mother.
No moral compass pointing due north
No fixed personality

Love the repetition.
Just an inner indecisiveness that was as wide and as wavering as the ocean
And if I said I didn’t plan for it to turn out this way I’d be lying

This entire stanza is the perfect example of a Gemini. (I just looked it up, and indeed, Lana is a Gemini.)

Because I was born to be the other woman

This line really hit me hard because of how much it holds even though it is just a few words.
Who belonged to no one
Who belonged to everyone
Who had nothing
Who wanted everything

This also had the same affect on me as the line before. Just absolutely beautiful.
With a fire for every experience and an obsession for freedom that terrified me to the point that I couldn’t even talk about it
And pushed me to a nomadic point of madness that both dazzled and dizzied me

I almost feel like this isn’t finished. But, then again she could have intended it to be that way.

Overall, this monologue is very raw and real. I really enjoyed how I could get a clear cut picture of how she is feeling throughout the piece. The song that follows after this is beautiful as well, and gives more clarity on why Lana is how she is. I could really see into her mind in this piece, and I greatly appreciate that because it takes a lot to be vulnerable and put your emotions out for the entire world to see. 

Little King John: The Flood, is a 12 episode YouTube series created by Ratboy Genius. The show is tied in with two other series by the creator- Ratboy Genius Dreams Minecraft and Starship Genius.

The series follows king John, who’s kingdom has been obliterated by a great flood. He is alone on his yacht, until stumbling upon a sole survivor on a small patch of land. King John takes in the survivor, known as “Sneezy.” Together, the two rebuild his kingdom on a new land, making new friends along the way.

ANIMATION

The animation of the series is, admittedly, not that great. However, the animation does not take away anything from this series. I fully believe one can enjoy all the episodes without caring that this was made in Minecraft. At times, King John stretches considerably far lengths. It is unnatural, and yet it is somehow intense. It adds to the scene, rather than being unnatural to the point it takes away.

(1/5)

VOICE ACTING

Something that’s interesting about Little King John, The Flood, is that there are no human voice actors. The voices are all robotic. While each voice is different and unique to each character, there are times this doesn’t work well. For example, In a song where King John and Sneezy confront each other via song, their voices have trouble blending, and don’t harmonize well. In other instances, a voice may be hard to understand and require subtitles. I don’t hold this against the creator though, as I know these types of things take lots of time, and budget may be an issue.

(1/5)

MUSIC

This specific series has a small intro to each episode. The short clip of music is incredibly catchy, and can vary in intensity depending on the mood of the episode. I can genuinely say no other series has made me cry based on a 10 second clip of music having more brass sounds than the episode before. There aren’t a ton of songs in the actual show, but the ones that are fit well in context. In one episode,  King John has a nightmare of his past regrets. The eeriness of the song gives off a fast paced, scary tone. In another episode, they introduce a character via song.

While Little King John, The Flood is not a musical, it’s musical aspects help add interesting effects to the series as a whole.

(3/5)

STORY

Upon first viewing, the watcher may judge this series. one may think it wouldn’t have the potential to have a good, complex story line. However, it still has all the elements needed for a good story. characters, plot, conflict, etc…

While King John had the right amount of motives and character development, there are just a couple of issues. I do feel as though the series was ended rather abruptly, and some things left unanswered. Some characters are left without much development or solving the issue at hand. my biggest concern came around the last few episodes, in which Sneezy reveals he is not who King John thought him to be, and the Caterpillar Minister left us with a puzzling question about King John’s true abilities.

(4/5)

Overall, I would give Little King John: The Flood a 3 out of 5. I grew quite attached to all the characters, and the series has become near and dear to my heart. I would recommend giving it a watch!

Have you seen Little King John: The Flood? If so, let me know what you think!

Jesus of Suburbia is a song I have listened to repetitively since about the seventh grade. I can sing every word, I know it forwards and backwards, but the symbolism in every line never seizes to amaze me.

The first line dives right into the heart of the story, “I’m the son of rage and love, the Jesus of suburbia.” I always loved this beginning. It’s a hook line that wraps you into the song. it progresses to talk about he is”the bible of none of the above on a steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin.” This line delves into the personality of the character from which he is writing.

In the music video, the main character is a punk, which fits perfectly to what the lyrics explain who he is. The character is supposed to show the face of teenage culture at the time. It was released in 2005, a time where pop and punk where the for runners of fame. This character is convinced he is fine, and that everyone else just doesn’t understand him. I picked this up from the lines, “and there is nothing wrong with me, this is how I’m supposed to be, in a land of make believe that don’t believe in me.”

This song is nearly ten minutes long, and is basically a collection of different songs that fit just right together. After the first “song,” if I may, the tune slows down to a more serious tone. some of my favorite lyrics are in this verse.

It begins with the line, “at the center of the earth in the parking lot of the 7-11 where I was taught, the motto was just a lie.” I love this line so much. it is saying that the main characters whole world is small town America. The center of the earth to him is this gas station where everyone goes to hang out. The song moves on to say, “it says home is where your heart is, but what a shame, because everyone’s heart doesn’t beat the same.” This line does really give meaning to the character’s emotion, but if I am honest, I just really adore that line and wanted to include it.

“I read the graffiti in the bathroom stall like the holy scripture of the shopping mall.” this just shows more of how stuck in this little place he is. This life, in other words, has become a religion. And, symbolically, he is the Jesus of suburbia.

He is a run of the mill punk. This is showing how some people in this time (and honestly now) truly felt at this young point. There is a line that really shows the attitude of the character, and it is repeated several times in a row, “I don’t care if you don’t- I don’t care if you don’t care”

Eventually, the character becomes fed up with the people he is surrounded by:

“Everyone’s so full of it
Born and raised by hypocrites
Hearts recycled but never saved
From the cradle to the grave
We are the kids of war and peace
From Anaheim to the Middle East
We are the stories and disciples of
The Jesus of suburbia.”

These are amazing, to the point ways to show the attitude of teenagers at this point in time, especially punks in a suburban area. The song ends as the character is leaving his home. He is done with all the people  in his little town, and he wants to be free.

This was a really popular song at one point, and basically became an anthem for all the kids who felt this way. Though the character is a stereotype, the symbolism and poetic verses make this song beautiful

Today, I will be doing a review on the song “The People in the Attic” by Ice Nine Kills. I might be a bit partial to this song because when I was younger, I looked up to Anne Frank. She was my role model, and I used to aspire to have the same impact on the world that she did. You know, minus the Holocaust and dying in a concentration camp. I hope that never happens. As a small preface, the song is based off of Anne Frank’s diary and what could have been her experience when she was in the attic. For anyone who may be unfamiliar with Anne Frank, she was a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl who was forced to go into hiding with her family to avoid being captured by the Nazis during World War II. The Frank family had gone into hiding in 1942, and after two years of living in the annex, police officers stormed the small shop they were hiding in and arrested a total of ten people (two of them were helpers) on August 4, 1944. Anne was sent to the notorious concentration camp Auschwitz originally, then to Bergen-Belsen where she passed away of typhus at the age of fifteen. She is known for the diary she kept during her time in hiding.

The song focuses mostly on the literary aspect of Anne Frank’s experience, and the effort that the band went through to create the song is incredible to me. Some lines of the song are direct quotes of Frank’s diary, showing that there was at least some method of thought for the song. For example, they pull the quote “It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality” from her diary. I don’t know if it was intentional, but that quote (or line, however you’d like to take it) was written less than a month before Anne Frank and her family were arrested from the attic – close to the end of her life, basically. Yet the band chose to use that as the opening line for the song. I just find it ironic to use that particular quote. 

The lead singer and writer of the song, Spencer Charnas, tries his best to portray the fear, frustration, and hopelessness that would have been a general experience in the annex. The lines “They’re getting closer and closer to me/Stripping my dignity with every brick as it’s broken/Stealing hope from my whole family” shows how belittling it must have been to have to give up everything just because of what religion they practiced. Her father had to sell his business; her whole family had to give up their lives and pack it all into a series of cramped rooms that had to be shared with six other strangers. I just love the dedication Charnas put into the storyline of the song because Anne Frank deserved nothing less than that, and if not, more. I know that Anne Frank might seem to be a bit overrated to some people, but please give the song a listen and take a tour of the Annex!

This moment is very bittersweet for me. My first blog as a senior, and last first blog as an MSA student. Agh! For my first post, I would like to review a verse a few verses of Brown Skin Girl by Beyoncé Knowles featuring Blue Ivy, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, and Saint Jhn.  The first two I am reviewing says:

Tonight I might fall in love, dependin’ on how you hold me

I’m glad that I’m calmin’ down, can’t let no one come control me

Keep dancin’ and call it love, she fightin’ but fallin’ slowly

If ever you are in doubt, remember what mama told me

This verse sounds like something that should be in an inspirational book for teenage girls. The lines, “can’t let no one come control me”, “she fightin’ but fallin’ slowly”, and “remember what mama told me” gives me those vibes.

Brown skin girl, ya skin just like pearls

Your back against the world

I never trade you for anybody else, say

Brown skin girl, ya skin just like pearls

The best think inna di world

I never trade you for anybody else, say

This verse gives me a young mother talking to her five or seven-year-old daughter, boosting her confidence. I think these lines are the most impactful because of the context. Also, although I do believe it could account for EVERY black female on this Earth, it just feels more-so targeted towards the younger (ages four to about ten) little girls. I am a firm believer in starting early, in regards to telling a child just how perfect they are. Comparing melanin skin to pearls is brilliant. I think it is most important to say, “your back against the world”. I would even go as far as to say your back against the world because the world can and will turn its’ back on you.

Here is the next part:

–

Have you looked in the mirror lately?

Wish you could trade eyes with me

There’s complexities in complexion

But your skin, it glow like diamonds

Dig me like the earth, you be giving birth

Took everything in life, baby, know your worth

I love everything about you, from your nappy curls

To every single curve, your body natural

Same skin that was broken be the same skin takin’ over

Most thinks out of focus, view

But when you’re in the room, they notice you

‘Cause you’re beautiful

I feel like these lines are targeted more towards the adult of the female AA race. I think this just based off of her saying “you be giving birth”. I also think it has an undertone about post-partum depression because she says, “know your worth”. I enjoyed that she referenced the stereotypes and somewhat facts of the naps and curves. I do also believe that she sort of referenced herself when she said “same skin takin’ over” because she is Queen Bey, you know? I am glad she said that being noticed is because of the beauty and not for obvious other reasons.

The last line I would like to review is:

“YOUR SKIN IS NOT ONLY DARK; IT SHINES AND IT TELLS YOUR STORY.”

This is the most important line for EVERY BLACK PERSON. I think it makes a statement since it is at the end.

Overall, the message of the song is amazing. I do thoroughly enjoy that it has an African tone in the words. The song is great. I strongly recommend it.

When I heard that there was going to be an animated movie bringing together the Spidermen from different universes, I admitted scoffed at the idea. I didn’t know how on earth they would be able to pull off such a ludicrous idea. However, when I saw positive reviews from friends both on and offline, I decided to go with my sister to see if it was actually any good. I waited until the last few days it was in theaters, because I hate crowds, and I purposefully looked away from any reviews so that I could see the movie with a fresh pair of eyes. So, when I finally went to see the movie, I was shocked: this film was even better than I had expected it to be. It is now my favorite movie (right behind Megamind, which I may talk about later) and I find myself appreciating it more and more every time I see the film.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is an animated movie telling the story of Miles Morales, a boy who is bitten by a radioactive spider and finds himself obtaining superpowers. His world’s Spiderman dies before telling him how to use his powers, so he finds himself both guilty for being unable to do anything and confused about how his powers work. However, he finds that the Spidermen from different universes have been sent to his world, so with their help, he refines his powers and helps the group save the multiverse from Kingpin, Doc Oc, and other notable Spiderman villains. There are many notable actors who helped voice characters in the film, such as John Mulaney, who voiced Spiderham, a pig from a cartoon world who has taken the mantle of Spiderman, and Nicolas Cage, who voices Spider Noir, a Spiderman who works as a detective in the late 1930s.

At first, Miles is really just as normal as any teenager: he listens to music, is sociable, cracks jokes, and likes to make art to express himself. His relationship with his parents isn’t the best that it could be, but he is mostly able to confide in them. He does have a stronger bond with his uncle, Aaron, and likes to go to him for advice more than he goes to his father (his father is a police officer and doesn’t approve of Miles putting stickers on places he shouldn’t).

When he gets bitten by the radioactive spider, everything for him changes. He doesn’t know how to properly control them, leading to him getting in all sorts of crazy shenanagins when trying to navigate his school without anyone knowing. He later meets the real Spider-Man while he fightst the Green Goblin, and Peter can tell right away that he has similar powers. He promises to help him learn how to control them- a promise he isn’t able to keep when he is killed by Kingpin.

He meets Peter B, the more lethargic Spider-Man, and is disappointed when he finds that he isn’t like his own world’s Spider-Man. They have a loose relationship- Peter doesn’t want to be Spider-Man, but has to so he can help Miles, and refuses to teach him even though Miles shows potential.

When they meet the other Spider-Men, they find that he isn’t as capable as the rest of them, since he has only has his powers for a little over a day, and refuses to let him help with getting back at Kingpin. He dejectedly goes to talk to Aaron, but is distraught when he finds out that Aaron is working for the villains. Him and the other Spider-Men are ambushed, and Miles is cornered by Aaron, who is killed by Kingpin for not doing his job once he realizes who Miles is.

After all of these setbacks and moments of heartbreak, one would think that Miles would certainly give up, right? That’s the oppisite of what he does. In an amazingly animated scene, he goes to the tallest building he can, sticks himself to the glass, and jumps.

This scene is framed to give us a beautiful perspective. Miles isn’t falling down; he is rising up, with shattered pieces of glass falling around him, and shows us in one beautiful scene his leap of faith and the journey he’s had to go on to get to this moment. The music is quiet. It feels tense. The scene imeediately cuts into him falling, flailing his arms in a panic. But just before he hits the ground, he slings his web, and flies up over the street.

This whole scene is, in my opinion, the best moment of the entire movie. He’s grown as a person, accepted his role, and knows how to control his powers. The line that is sung as he rises over the street is “don’t stop me now,” and that perfectly encaptures his journey; he didn’t stop, he kept growing, and will continue to grow, despite everything he’s been through.

I think we can all learn something from Miles’s journey, no matter who we are. It’s both an amazing story and a beautiful example of the media of animation at its finest. This movie, no matter who you are, has a story that everyone can relate to: one of growing up, learning how to cope with new situations, and rising up to face your fears head on. And that is a beautiful story to tell.