Map Analysis

North America (1778):

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/map_item.pl

We all knew that in 1778 we weren't completely expanded across America, like where we are today. This map shows the 13 original colonies. There are some major differences in this map compared to a map looked at in 2014. First off, Virginia is the biggest colony and takes up some of the area that Pennsylvania would be in today.  This must be why so many men signed the Declaration of Independence from Virginia, because it was the BIGGEST colony. Then if we look at North Carolina and South Carolina, they are both two small slivers of land. This map definitely points out the power that Virginia held over America at that time.

The map “narrates” our history by showing the expanse of Virginia. It is telling us that although other colonies were being created and expanding, Virginia was the biggest and most important at the time. This is super important in our history, because it shows that Virginia was definitely important during expansion. They kept making it bigger and bigger than the other colonies, showing that the ideas behind Virginia’s colony were extremely valued by the people of America.

THE GREAT GATSBY

As we were wrapping up our Great Gatsby unit, we got the chance to watch Baz Luhrmann's version of The Great Gatsby. He made some very important stylistic choices that in the end helped make this movie a classic.

To begin, one of the best choices Luhrmann made for the movie was when he introduced Gatsby. The audience is hearing a lot about the famous Gatsby and they even see his shadow and outline a few times, but they never get to see his face until he has become a real mystery to the audience. Just like in the book we are hearing a lot of rumors about him, but we don't actually get the chance to see him until Nick is walking up the stairs at one of Gatsby's famous parties and we see his ring flash to the audience then we know that Nick is talking to the one and only Gatsby. This gave me, an audience member, a wave of excitement! The minute that Gatsby turns around and raises his glass we know he is one important dude!

Luhrmann made a lot of smart camera angle choices for the movie. When we are getting our first look at Gatsby's big and glorious parties, the camera is moving and switching angles like crazy. I feel like Luhrmann wanted the audience to understand the chaos that ensues at a Gatsby party! He wants us to understand that things are constantly happening everywhere and all the time at these parties. Another camera choice he made was the camera was angled up whenever Gatsby was thinking and hoping about his future with Daisy. The angle made the audience member feel that hope with the way we look up at Gatsby's happy face.

Flowers were a huge part of Fitzgerald's book and Luhrmann made it a point to put many flowers into the movie. There were two points where the flowers played a huge part. The first one was when Gatsby was setting up Nick's house for his reunion with Daisy and then again at the end. Those flowers represented the beginning and ending of Gatsby and Daisy's short-lived relationship.

The Great Gatsby definitely deserves the title of a classic, because it was so intensely thought through. There are many more stylistic choices that Luhrmann made for this film, but I thought these three really hit on some of the major points he was trying to make! Well done Luhrmann, well done!