40 Year Old Virgin

The 40 Year Old Virgin
I contributed to my group was the similarities in the scene in the 40 Year Old Virgin where Andy is playing poker with his friends and they find out he’s a virgin and The Breakfast Club where the character of Brian is told he’s a cherry meaning a virgin by John in front of Claire. The two scenes fit together on how it rebels the two characters are virgins and the shame they feel about it. I found it fascinating that although their peers find out their virgins on how they feel more shame that the girls find out. It shows how the typical nerd or dork wants to strive in being a total ladies man. Andy’s friends just see sex as a game and there shouldn’t be anything serious about it. As for Andy he sees it there should be relationship and the connection between the two people. Although both Andy and Brian are different ages by 20 years part it shows how regardless of our age being a virgin is pretty bad for a male. Especially in high school since all teenagers what do to it’s lose their virginity and be accepted by their peers. The Breakfast Club is almost twenty years older than the 40 Year Old Virgin it shows that no matter what time era it is a male is suppose to be promiscuous and women virgins. Men have to be sexually active and if their not their masculinity is questioned.

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The Black Cat

Christian Alarcon

Prof. Wexler

English 313

October, 10^th 2008

The Black Cat

The cat (Felis catus), also known as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from other felines, is a small predatory carnivorous species of crepuscular mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt.[1] Women on the other hand are known to be domesticated (being a house wife), valued by men, and lastly great hunters; in the idea that they will obtain what they really want no matter the price. In society today, one can still see the similarities that women have to cats. In the media for example, we have a five girl group known as the Pussycat Dolls. The name alone isn’t the only thing that connects them to the feline, but also their beauty, lure, and seductiveness that are known to be cat characteristics. By illustrating the similarities with a cat and a woman, we can use Ferdinand de Saussure Course in General Linguistic idea of literal and metaphorical definitions of words. Thus, in the following paragraphs, I will illustrate how a feline is analogous to a woman by using examples from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the Black Cat in the Spiderman comic book.

The Black Cat is a cat burglar with incredible cat like abilities. Her real name is Felicia Hardy. She is a girl that is in love with Spiderman. Although, she’s a cat burglar she has helped Spiderman when he is in trouble. She was trained and created to be a cat burglar and assassinate Spiderman. She rebels against her orders and does what she can to get Spiderman’s attention. The Black Cat signifies the rebellion of women that their told to do something and go off to do something else. The Black Cat like most women are just not going to be a domesticated house cat, but rather as what the Black Cat says “I’m just a stray black cat.” She is the essence of a cat and a woman from her costume which is tight provocative clothing. The way her body language is and how she speaks is very seductive just like a cat. She lives doubles lives being a student by day and a cat burglar at night. They are some domesticated house cats that stay at home during the day, but at night they wander the streets. They are women that do that too that live double lives.

Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s is an escort to wealthy men in New York City. Besides being an escort, she has a past that she is trying to escape. She owns a cat that is nameless and claims that it doesn’t belong to her. She says she has no right to give it a name since she doesn’t own it. The cat is a metaphor on what Holly Golightly signifies which is a lost stray is trying to belong somewhere as much as she tries to hide. Although, she wants a home she tries to push it away more from her grasp. Holly doesn’t allow anyone to come close to her. By not allowing anyone to come close to her illustrates her feeling like a stray cat because a stray cat is one that has no friends, family, and home. The men she surrounds herself are with are similar to rats they are that are in love with Holly, she uses that to her advantage. Holly like a cat uses her feminine wiles to entice men to get what she wants. Cats also do that with their owners they will purr and walk all over their owner to get food. Many would agree that is bad way to get what you want and need. However, in the end who knows if Holly does find at home, but her cat certainly does. Holly knows herself she is like a wild animal. When she’s talking to Joe Bell she advises him “Never love a wild thing; Mr. Bell” (74). This is what perfectly describes the behavior of these two women. They go beyond on what society wants them to be and go out to find their own identity. In Holly’s time it was traditional for women to get marry and have kids, but she doesn’t follow what’s traditional. The Black Cat proves there can also be a woman superhero. According to Chris Barker Cultural Studies defines femininity as a discursive construction that describes and disciplines the cultural characteristics associated with what it means to be a woman; that is, culturally regulated behavior regarded as socially appropriate to women (479). A cat is the essences what it means to be a woman The Black Cat and Holly Golightly represent a certain type of women from different time periods. They each have the characteristics of cat and unleash the animal inside of them weather is the way they walk, speak or approach men.

Femininity is defined though a women’s body language and style. It’s the essence that makes a woman. The media has showed us through music, books, and comic books on how cats and women share similar characteristics. Holly Golightly and the Black Cat are the essence of femininity and metaphor of a cat by being sensual, feminine, and seductive.

Word Cite

Barker , Chris . Cultural Studies . 3 . Los Angeles : Sage , 2008.

Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's . New York City: Random House , 1958.

Saussure, Ferdinand de . Course in General Linguistic. 1916

Wolfman, Marv The Amazing Spider-Man #194, July, 1979

"Cat." Wikepedia . 2008. 14 Oct 2008 <.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat>.

Breakfast at Tiffanys

I never seen the movie or read the book..i didnt even know the movie was based on a
book, I know Breakfast at Tiffanys is famous is reference in pop culture all the time. I
know the movie starts Audrey Hepburn(who is beautiful). I can see now why its so
famous, but i cant really see Audrey Hepburn play the part of Holly Golightly because
Audrey has so much elegance and class. But anyways the book was very interesting and
Holly was such an interesting character there is much mystery and elegance to her(I
could see why Audrey Hepburn plays her since she has elegance). She is woman who is
control of her self and not like any other women of her time. I could see why most
people would call her a slut since shes not being very lady like and the lifestyle that she
lives. There again with amguilty what she is and the kind of life she lives. Holly Golightly
reminds me of the metaphor we had for Maggie of a cat. Holly reference how she doesn't
like to see things in a cage and having a cat with no name that no one owns. She is a
way a cat wondering where ever or doing what ever she wants, without having anyone
own her. She can not be retrain since shes just like a wild cat. She does say "Never love
a wild thing,Mr. Bell"(74). That is clearly meaning to herself a wild thing that does what
she wants.

Coffee Bean on a Friday night?

This going to sound lame, but my friend and I usually like to get coffee if we both have
nothing to do on a Friday night. This time she just came from a movie with her friend and
sister and she swang by to pick me up. We went to the Coffeee Bean by my old high
school on Hillhurst.
The people I first noticed were this couple sitting down. They both seem to be on a first
date since they both had pretty formal wear and seem pretty conservative. The girl was
wearing a white dress and this guy a long sleeve light shirt. They were talking and
laughing a little bit. The guy had his right leg crossed over his left leg not sure if that
means anything. The girl had her legs crossed. They werent there for a long time. He did
hold the door for her after the left could mean hes trying to establish a relationship with
her.
The second group were a bunch of guys playing cards. They were four of them im
guessing Armenian. All of them had casual clothes since they just hanging out with each
other not going any where special. One of them was smoking and one was texting most
of the time. They seem to be pretty close friends they were laughing and playing around
with each other.
The third group were two couples. Each of the couple were talking to each other showing
pictures and other stuff to each other. One of the couples the girl was touching the guys
neck and holding his arm she was very affectionate with him. The guy responded by
holding unto her. The other couple not so much. This could mean it depends on how long
the couples have been together. It is said when a couple first starts their more
affectionate with each other. If you been with the person for a while not so much.
So each relationship could be established just by observing them through their body
language and interaction with each other. Some of them seem pretty happy just to be
around each others company. Coffee shops are a place that not only couples go but also
friends. It does seem like most of the people is things we seen on movies or read on
books. Like Mcdonalds book says you can see the elements in real life what makes a
romcom. Love does seem to be a universal theme.

Romantic Comedies

I personally enjoyed reading Mcdonald's Boy Meets Girl it had interesting ideas on how
genres have certain elements thats make them what they are. There was a part in the
chapter that talked about the love story is in every film. Even if a film isnt a romcom
there always seems to be a love story. Love just happens to be a universal idea. I have
watched a few romcoms, but it does seem to have the same theme of boy meets girl,
loses girl and wins her back. Sometimes the film starts with the characters having an
unsuitable partner and loses him or her and gets the other partner and they happily ever
after. I do believe sometimes romcoms tend to depress people because after the film
their like "Why havent i found love?" or "Why cant you be more like the character in the
film?" In way it feeds the idea of true love people search for and might never find it like
the books says love is the myth of adults like Santa Claus is for kids. In way it makes
women look bad as always looking for a man and were just consumers buying things or
looking good for the reach of love.

cat on a hot tin roof

I never read cat on a hot tin roof just the title was pretty ambiguous to me. After reading it was pretty ambiguous how the cat is a metaphor for Maggie. In what way is she a cat? How a cat can jump off a roof and land on its feet and pick herself right up or having nine lives and she can survive any life she lives. The relationship between Maggie and Brick its pretty ambiguous on how why Brick wouldnt sleep with Maggie? It's obvious why Maggie married Brick for money(this seem to me like a streotype a women only marries men with money), its unclear why Brick is still with her if he doesn't love her. Also the relationship on Brick and Skipper, Were they lovers or just good friends? It is hinted that they were probably more than just friends, but it's not clear.
Also the relationship between Big Mama and Big Daddy. Big Daddy is 65 years old and he seems pretty miserable with Big Mama. But why until now is he admitting to it? The ambiguity between the characters why they remain in relationships that they are not happy with is unknown.