Oh no, not that eighth-grade English crap. My teacher must have had her last original thought about the time she herself was in eighth-grade. So while I spent a lot of time trying to show her that not all works of fiction can fit that simplified framework, she never did understand.
“Barton Fink” doesn’t have a protagonist or antagonist. But I do agree that Meadows is the most sympathetic character. Audrey’s fault is that she will let rather undeserving men walk over her and even help them do it. Meadows is quite friendly until someone tries to walk over him, then he explodes.
Ricky, all my junior high book reports ended in some variation of this: In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book to others because it made me think.
Hehe. And that's what I would say about this movie.
When we get to my pick, I'm going to make you write a five-paragraph essay (one intro, three body, one conclusion — all with topic sentences) on why you liked/disliked this movie. So bone up!
Now how did you ever guess that I was such a fan of the five-paragraph essay? Are you done dredging up these horrors from junior high? I’ll have to sleep with the lights on.
Some quotation marks belong outside the periods, some don’t. The principle is so simple that it is almost one my eighth-grade teacher could have understood. Almost. And I’m sure that that eighth-grade teacher was one of the reasons that my writing style has many sentences starting with “and” or “but”.
Hmm. It was my seventh-grade science teacher who tried that. Actually, she tried to smite the kid sitting next to me. But either she had a really bad throwing arm or her aim went to hell when she was in a rage because the stapler she flung headed right for me. I deflected it with my textbook which was the most use I ever got out of that sorry waste of trees. The poor teacher was fresh out of college and weighed all of ninety eight pounds. What wise bureaucrat ever thought it would be a good idea to stick her in front a group of thirty seventh-graders? She wasn’t back the following year.
Hehe! I can totally picture your rapid-Rick reflexes in deflecting the blow! I bet you were cool as a fucking cucumber too. Probably went straight back to your sci-fi novel without missing a beat.
I suppose Barton Fink is the protagonist -- not in the sense that we like him, but that the movie centered on whether he survive writing his Hollywood script, and he did.
My seventh-grade science teacher showed us films all the time.
Yep, she threw a stapler. If I had reported it to the authorities, or even my parents, I supposed she would have been sacked on the spot. Thinking back on it, it is funny that I didn’t. And how did you guess I was reading sci-fi? I think the only reason I saw the stapler coming is that the tantrum she was throwing was quite a bit more entertaining than the second-rate pulp I was reading. I think I picked up the stapler and gave it back to her before resuming my reading. I kind of wish she had hit the kid she was aiming at—he was a real shit. The class would have cheered.
My only good science teacher was tenth-grade biology. But biology wasn’t really my thing. I liked physics and chemistry. Still do.
Cl, I’ll grant that my eighth-grade English teacher would expect ‘Barton Fink’ as the answer on the test. As if she would ever have shown us such a movie! At least the camera stuck with Fink: we were not given any scenes where he was not present.
20 comments:
Interesting question. I'm going to go with Fink as protagonist and Lipnick at antagonist. I guess.
Can I pick Fink for both? Man vs. self? Or perhaps Hollywood is the antagonist. Man vs. industry.
Is it totally nuts to think maybe the serial killer is the most sympathetic character in the movie?
I could see him as the most sympathetic character, but not as the protagonist (even though those categories often coincide).
Oh no, not that eighth-grade English crap. My teacher must have had her last original thought about the time she herself was in eighth-grade. So while I spent a lot of time trying to show her that not all works of fiction can fit that simplified framework, she never did understand.
“Barton Fink” doesn’t have a protagonist or antagonist. But I do agree that Meadows is the most sympathetic character. Audrey’s fault is that she will let rather undeserving men walk over her and even help them do it. Meadows is quite friendly until someone tries to walk over him, then he explodes.
Ricky, all my junior high book reports ended in some variation of this: In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book to others because it made me think.
Hehe. And that's what I would say about this movie.
When we get to my pick, I'm going to make you write a five-paragraph essay (one intro, three body, one conclusion — all with topic sentences) on why you liked/disliked this movie. So bone up!
Now how did you ever guess that I was such a fan of the five-paragraph essay? Are you done dredging up these horrors from junior high? I’ll have to sleep with the lights on.
Just one more: Spelling counts!
(and quotation marks must go outside periods. teehee)
Some quotation marks belong outside the periods, some don’t. The principle is so simple that it is almost one my eighth-grade teacher could have understood. Almost. And I’m sure that that eighth-grade teacher was one of the reasons that my writing style has many sentences starting with “and” or “but”.
Spelling doesn’t bother me as much as it did in eighth-grade. Machines spell. I’m glad to leave it to them.
Philistine! I smite thee!
Hmm. It was my seventh-grade science teacher who tried that. Actually, she tried to smite the kid sitting next to me. But either she had a really bad throwing arm or her aim went to hell when she was in a rage because the stapler she flung headed right for me. I deflected it with my textbook which was the most use I ever got out of that sorry waste of trees. The poor teacher was fresh out of college and weighed all of ninety eight pounds. What wise bureaucrat ever thought it would be a good idea to stick her in front a group of thirty seventh-graders? She wasn’t back the following year.
SHE THREW A STAPLER AT A KID????!!!!
Oh my God.
Why haven't I thought of that?
My aim is dead on when I'm in a rage.
Hehe! I can totally picture your rapid-Rick reflexes in deflecting the blow! I bet you were cool as a fucking cucumber too. Probably went straight back to your sci-fi novel without missing a beat.
I suppose Barton Fink is the protagonist -- not in the sense that we like him, but that the movie centered on whether he survive writing his Hollywood script, and he did.
My seventh-grade science teacher showed us films all the time.
Yep, she threw a stapler. If I had reported it to the authorities, or even my parents, I supposed she would have been sacked on the spot. Thinking back on it, it is funny that I didn’t. And how did you guess I was reading sci-fi? I think the only reason I saw the stapler coming is that the tantrum she was throwing was quite a bit more entertaining than the second-rate pulp I was reading. I think I picked up the stapler and gave it back to her before resuming my reading. I kind of wish she had hit the kid she was aiming at—he was a real shit. The class would have cheered.
My only good science teacher was tenth-grade biology. But biology wasn’t really my thing. I liked physics and chemistry. Still do.
Cl, I’ll grant that my eighth-grade English teacher would expect ‘Barton Fink’ as the answer on the test. As if she would ever have shown us such a movie! At least the camera stuck with Fink: we were not given any scenes where he was not present.
He WAS in every scene. Wow. That would lend some support to the theory that it was all in his mind.
It would, I suppose. But that is such a crappy and overused device, I would rather pretend that the Coens have more self-respect than to do that.
Plus, I don't think Barton's inner life is that rich.
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