Grand Budapest Hotel

In Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson did a wonderful job of producing a comedic film in the 1930's with specific camera choices. Being complied of flat compositional frames to evoke a humorous response, there was a story that unfolded about Zero, a boy's past and his viewpoint of Mr. Gustave through their adventures of war, prison, bankruptcy, and scandals.

This thoroughly stylized film, different from other Wes Anderson films, noticeably carried its narrative through the sharp contrast of overly colorful and adorned hotels to the dull prison that M. Gustave is transported to. Creating the whole world to be presented through his eye, we see a different world that Mr. Anderson presents for us. A fictional world, but true to us as they speak to the camera the way the book shows the plot to the reader as the memory of M. Gustave is maintained in time through the reading of the girl.

After discovering its colorful past, the soon to be demolished Grand Budapest Hotel grows in vibrancy and in beauty to remember the splendor of the past. The graceful illusion that M. Gustave gave to his treasured hotel is clear, but it does not defer from the fact that the Hotel will soon be gone.

The film is possibly a reference to how we hold the past so dear to us, a habit of not being able to let go of treasured remembrances or objects that give us hope and inspiration. Objects that only specific people see beauty in because they see the value and know the story of their past.

True Grit

True Grit, one of the more eventful yet realistic literature pieces I’ve read thus far, has gotten me a bit confused. While I did enjoy the tale, Mattie had me at a bit of a crossroads. While I can thoroughly understand the insatiable yearn for revenge for her beloved father, I could not understand why she would be so stubborn at times to place herself in dire danger unnecessarily. She could have easily avenged her father without the consequence of harming herself and losing her left arm.

Thinking about it a bit more, its possible that the personality of Mattie’s father is what drove her so completely to show her bravery for him, just as he did when she knew him. 'True grit' has a rooted identity in our main characters, and all of them show it in a different way. Frank Ross, a noted gentle and kind character who had minimal time to make an impression on the reader before his death, still managed to display strength and determination. 

Attempting to save then hired hand, Chaney, from making a dire mistake by placing himself in front of the ready shotgun, Mattie’s father was clearly a man who strongly believed in helping others make the right decision, no matter how difficult it was.

Something that I cannot fathom, however, is: after having such an adventure filled with going after gangs and killers, how is it possible that this fearless trio did not reunite after ridding the world of Chaney? They accomplished their feat together and grew close - so close that animal lover Rooster, was driven to harming his horse in his mad drive to get Mattie to much needed medical attention. Even with their protests and their endless fights, it is clear they grew close as a group when Mattie moves her beloved friend onto her family plot of land several years after.

From what I can make sense of, its likely that Mattie’s sense of grit and duty led her to stay on her land to work and flourish as a young lady in the place of her father. It is unfortunate that Rooster had passed away before meeting again, but the ending leaves Mattie reminiscing about her unforgotten old friends and possibly foreshadowing a reunion with LaBoeuf in the near future. 

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen's novel provided a unique inside look on the struggles of the heart and status during courtship in the 18th century. Strangely able to relate to the complexities of modern dating, Pride and Prejudice displayed the title's projection largely on the slow emerging couple, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.  While Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley shared moments of overcoming obstacles until their marriage, there was already an established deep interest and connection that was prolonged only due to the outsiders' gossip that traveled around them. Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, had brought about Elizabeth's prejudice at his first introduction when he had difficulty accepting those he considered of lower class. 

Throughout the novel, Darcy often found himself in an internal struggle after realizing he had fallen in love with Elizabeth. He had to face his decision of accepting his love wholly and approaching proposal without second thoughts or keep his social image of high esteem among the other refined characters in the community. During his first proposal to Elizabeth, it was clear her standing with the social ladder remained an issue that he was not able to completely oversee. His actions delaying a potential proposal from his good friend Mr. Bingley to Jane Bennet also sullied the already tainted reputation that Elizabeth had of him in her eyes. As marriage in the Bennet household was a recurring objective with so many unmarried ladies, Mr. Darcy risked the happiness of Jane, who was truly very much in love already.

After the original dance rejection and rude nature upon first meeting, Jane had adopted the overall consensus of the guests to conclude that Mr. Darcy was unappealing due to his bitterness. As she fell in love, she tried to keep her affections at bay, but her reluctance to accept the more generous sides to him were seen more difficult as the story progressed. As she discovered that allegations created by Wickham were untrue and Mr. Darcy assisted her family to keep her reputation after Lydia found a lover out of wedlock, Elizabeth finally found a peace with her love and found herself on her way to happiness. 

Three Questions

Lineage. Influences. Ideology.

As many Hispanics do, I hold several names to build up my identity. I have the Cespedes from my father (and his seven brothers and sisters) and I carry Diaz from my mother. Lineage is a difficult explanation, despite it being the least ambiguous of the three questions asked, due to roots having twists and turns in several lands for different periods of time. Mine were personally gnarled in Spain and Italy for quite some time before traveling to Peru, South America.

Where each of us stand today, our ancestries likely intertwine at some point in the past to where most people can claim to have a dash of English or a sprinkle of some other distant country. There are backgrounds that affect more than others, but I somewhat enjoy the idea of the current population being a strange hodgepodge of mixed ethnicities and cultures.

Lineage holds both our biological and personal descent, as it tells a story of how I've been brought up from a particular Peruvian line that has a love for the arts and mathematics. I have been raised in the United States, having come to North America at the young age of 2, yet still hold a deep love for my country in the South. From what information lineage is able to provide, it opens up for a tale to be told.

This brings me to next topic: influences.

Being surrounded in a largely hispanic community in Miami, Florida, I was able to avoid losing touch with my Hispanic origins. My culture remained a large part of my life through the close contact of my Brazilian and Peruvian family. I even had plenty of opportunities to continue practicing the Spanish tongue, even though it often resulted in a mixture of two, known locally as the official language that is Spanglish. Miami, a Hispanic potluck consisting of Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Argentinians among others, allowed me to feel free to be proud of where I came from and learn about other cultures openly.

I had been exposed to a plethora of influences. Ranging from the loudly opinionated political advertisements to the strong characters I would relentlessly admire on Broadway, I witnessed traits that resulted in endless mental discussions that would question my own character, decisions, and aspirations. There are far too many aspects aside from family, travels, studies, and acquaintances that have complied events to build the yet unfinished person I am today. I'm not vain enough to think that I'm an ideally perfect person, despite the efforts of my parents, but I'd like to think I've grown up well, being normally welcoming to individuals different ideas or ways of living and having an at least moderate understanding of ethics and morals.

Ideology was the most open ended question I had been asked in a while. Such a broad topic that I don't even fully comprehend where I stand deserves a somewhat ambiguous answer in reply. As an entry for a growing view on literature and a deeper understanding of the media released to man, I will say that my opinion is not the final word. My opinion in fact, is subject to change according to opposing rational explanations or varied views.

From religious upbringing to conflicting personal moral beliefs, judgement on a matter may be instant or subconscious. I believe I am in no position to police those judgements, only in a position to declare my own thoughts. As unwanted or unpleasant as they could be, I see every person has a right to speak their mind and do with information what they will (while hopefully remaining tolerant). It would be a very dull existence if everyone should agree on every subject.

This blog, or journal, will be a continuing unfolding of my own understanding of the wholly powerful forms of enjoyable or controversial literature that art has provided.

My name is Nicole Cespedes, and I hope you enjoy my unbounded ponderings.