Monday, May 14, 2012
Personal Reflection
So here I am, my last day of English. It's a bittersweet moment for me. A whole year with my fellow classmates and professor. A whole year we got to know one another, a rare chance during college. I could honestly say that English 114 A/B was one of my favorites. I'm not just saying that because this is being graded and all, but because I truly mean it. Professor Sean showed us teaching skills I rarely seen throughout my student career. He learned how to incorporate things we have, listen to, watch and read on a daily basis in his lectures, broadening our perspective in life. He taught us to read "outside the box." Taking cartoons or shows and analyzing them in a way myself nor my peers would really look at, and the fact that it all made sense was quite astonishing.
From this class I take something important: reading in between the lines. Because if we don't, there can always be something that we're missing towards the whole story.
Project Web Analysis
So I'm finally writing my last few posts here for this blog: Project Web. Project Web for me was an experience. Sure I blog everyday on my personal blog, but never for school. I would have never expected to do something like this. Project Web was something that was enjoyable and easy to keep up with (that of course you aren't lazy).
This whole assignment kept us out of boredom. Being more of a visual learner and a person who likes doing hands-on learning, this was something for me. Instead of listening to lectures and being bored out of my mind, Project Space allowed me and my other fellow classmates to interact with the web. Also, this assignment is something very modernized and very future oriented. And what I mean by that is that it is something us students can enjoy in the "now," it is something that can keep us motivated to do.
Today's society or generation, is all about the technology and the future, and this assignment is definitely one of them.
Dune: Final
Nicole Alibutod
Sean Pessin
English 114B
13 May 2012
Power
The book Dune was written by Frank Herbert and is still today one of great scientific novels written. Dune was written in the early 1960s, when drug experimentation was beginning to enter the mainstream society of America. The book explores the concept of drugs as a way of opening “perception.” Consuming mélange, which is highly addictive in large quantities, allows Paul to see through time and perceive the future. The drug Spice is found on the planet Arrakis. Without the existence of the drug Spice, there would be no sense of hierarchy. Obtaining the spice you have to have some type of power status. The higher status, the easier it is to obtain the spice. In today’s society you see how power comes to play. Having money determine your status in this world, the more money, the more money and power you obtain. The definition of power is: the ability to do something in a particular way. The importance of status is shown throughout the books. Power is the key to the people living in the Dune universe; they always need to be on top. With power it determines the hierarchy of the individual on these various planets.
Spice is known to be like the Truthsayer drug according to the Reverend Mother. People take the drug to advance their capabilities to see falsehood. Many had taken it, yet died trying. The drug had become the main priority of the planets and will do anything to get rid of anything in their way. The need for spice led the war between the Atreides and the Harkonnens. The books show how each act on their desire to succeed the drug. With the battle you see how power comes to play, and to whoever wins the battle their status can rise up. Not only is spice the prize but also their reputation of whoever can be the greater power.
The universe of Dune contains several planets where some live on and some that don’t. Each of the planets has something that differs among the rest, all that holds different resources. Many of these planets are treated like items in the market, leading to trades. The more power status you had the better the trade can turn out to be. Many of the decision making was up to the Great Houses of Landsraad. Seeing that the planets are being allowed to be trade off and sold can correlate to the times of slavery. We saw many of the African American race were being traded and sold because of the color of their skin to the White community. Being black put them on the lowest of low list on the hierarchy charts, putting the whites number one. And for those who are able to afford the planets are put in a higher position, especially if they were to obtain the planet. Those who cannot go through with the trade are seen as they are bit less of status to those who gain the planet.
Dune’s universe utilizes a primitive government system that includes dukes and barons and in which religion has a very strong tie with everyday life and politics. As a symbol, melange represents the untapped potential of human perception and brainpower. Melange is a costly crutch, however. And this is where the power comes to play. The highest power in the novel is of the Padishah Emperor, Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, ruler of the Dune universe. No one dares to go up against him because his powers are unknown on how great they may be. The Emperor is the one who is to give power to those living on the planets and is the one who sets all the rules. Where he gets his power is known by some unknown and some known, for example from the prison planet, Salusa Secundus.
An important part of the hierarchy is of those in the military force. In today’s society we look up to those who are in the force. For those who are in the armed forces we as the “lower class” (compared to them) look up to them. They have a high status in the community, because we always assume what they do is for the greater good and have a close connection to the government. In the book we see many armed forces. One of the top armies in the book is known as the Sardaukar, led by the Emperor Shaddam. They are the army to be feared among the rest. The Sardaukar are violent people who have been exposed since they were young yet have the skills to kill all. Many who have tried to go up against them have always failed. Their victories represent their leader the Emperor to show others that he is unstoppable and has the power of no one else. Because of their victories, great strength skills and violent nature, no one dared to question the Emperor. The Emperor’s status to the universe is like God: untouchable and “worshiped” by all. No matter how scary an army can be, no matter how evil, those who bring some type of fear are seen on top of their game, because no one can fight against their status.
Another person added to the top of the hierarchy list is the Reverend Mother. The Reverend Mother is the spiritual leader of the Benne-Gesserit. She is the one who serves as the emperor’s truthsayer (someone who can tell the emperor whether someone is lying or not). Her job is very important to the emperor, for without her many bad things can happen because of poor choices. The reverend is to go through school and learn these precious and important ways of being able to read people. Her being close to the Emperor gives her a position of a higher status. And the Emperor having her gives him yet another great advantage. Using her can give the Emperor insight and makes him two steps ahead of his enemies. The truthsayer was a cross of power of knowledge and tradition and of political power. Who can go up against someone who already knows your future, who is already two steps ahead from where you are? Having this person on your side makes you seem untouchable.
Next we have the royal families: Atreides and Harkonnes. Looking at these families they are very different from each other but have one certain thing in common: to win against the other. The Atreides live on the planet Caladan and the Harkonnes on Geidi Prime. Their battle is simple: who ever can obtain the more spice and have Arrakis.
On Caladan we have the Atreides household, Paul and Leto. Duke Leto Atreides is the head of the House of Atreides and the rightful ruler of Arrakis. The duke received Arrakis from the emperor in exchange for Leto’s own planet of Caladan, which was given to the duke’s mortal enemy, Baron Harkonnen. The duke is a wise, intelligent, and compassionate man, but he is ruthless when it comes to dealing with his enemies. And another to the house is Paul, the son of Leto. Paul is seen as the protagonist of the story. He is also the heir to the House of the Atreides. At the beginning of the novel, Paul is fifteen years old. He has been trained from birth to fulfill the role of duke. He is taught of the skills of combat and strategic thinking. Paul at first seems very shy but when broken into he is more than what meets the eye. He is believed to be “The One” the Kwisatz Haderach- the male version of the Benne-Gesserit.
Next is the Baron Harkonnen is the leader of them all. His main goals are to murder the house of Atreides and gain control of the spice. He even also plans on becoming the emperor. Ironically, the baron’s plans drive Paul to become the leader of the Fremen and eventually leader of the universe. The baron is clearly seen as the novel’s main antagonist from his very first appearance. The baron is ruthless, ambitious, cruel, and so fat that he requires antigravity devices to suspend his bulk. He is an ugly creature. But Baron is not very different from Duke Leto Atreides. Both men are ambitious and ruthless. Leto, however, genuinely cares about his own men and family and regrets many of the tactics he must use to protect them, such as poisoning his rivals and raiding their supplies. The baron seems to delight in the intricacies of political warfare.
When Jessica and Paul land on the planet Arrakis we see them venture out to a world unknown to them. And they finally come across the Fremen, the people who have the “bluer than blue eyes.” They are the native people on Arrakis. The Fremen are seen as the warriors of that planet. Some believe that they are far from great than the Sardaukar. They taught themselves how to be strong and fight off whatever they needed to fight off in the worst conditions ever just like those on the planet Salusa Secundus. If that were to be the case you can say that the emperor should have something to fear, because if they were to throw off his army, it will weaken his protection. The Fremen are people with strong values which shows that is what helped them get through all their rigorous training. The Fremen were the Sardaukars for Paul.
Towards the end of Dune two years pass on Arrakis. Paul has become very powerful and inspiring to the Fremen. He is both their civil and religious leader, like Kynes, but his powers are far greater than of Kynes. Paul then has a child with a Fremen woman, Chani, the daughter of Kynes. His mother has also given birth to Alia, Duke Leto’s daughter. Paul teaches the Fremen to fight using a unique style called the “weirding way” and using the advanced fighting techniques of the Bene Gesserit. One day, the Fremen discover that the baron has abandoned his aid to Rabban, the nephew he assigned to rule over Arrakis. Paul and the Fremen make plans to raid the Arrakeen capital now that Rabban is cut off from the baron’s help.
Upon discovering the power of the Fremen, the emperor himself comes to Arrakis, along with his Sardaukar and the Harkonnens. The Fremen attack the emperor, quickly dismantling his spaceships while destroying the Sardaukar. In the battle, Alia kills Baron Harkonnen, and Paul’s young son dies in a raid. Paul demands that the emperor step down. Paul asks to marry the emperor’s daughter, Irulan, so that he may become the new emperor. Feyd-Rautha also then challenges Paul and kills him in a duel. Powerless now, the emperor agrees to Paul’s demands, and Paul becomes the new emperor. And with that happening you see that the roles has certainly reversed, the Emperor being the grand power to now nothing. Paul has now become top of the status, the hierarchy.
Towards the ending of the first book we see that there is the big battle against the Harkonnens with the Fremens and Paul. Paul’s rising to the emperorship and the Fremen’s regaining of control complete the reversal of status that occurs during the course of the novel. At the beginning of the novel, the emperor and the Harkonnen dominated the Atreides and the Fremen. The power structure of Dune has changed since Paul was on Caladan. Duke Leto is dead and now Paul is not only duke of Arrakis, but also the new emperor of the universe. The Fremen have regained control of their world and will soon turn it into the garden paradise they have long desired. Once this change occurs, however, we wonder how the Fremen’s culture will change—whether they will retire into easy lives of spice mining or follow their prophet into space.
By marrying the emperor’s daughter Paul is in control and needs to be in control furthermore. By doing so, his status raises immensely. By marrying the top, he stays on top. And with his higher power he is to rule the people. All this has happened because for the fight over the spice on Arrakis. “The drug had him again and he thought: So many times you’ve given me comfort and forgetfulness. He felt again the hyperillumination with its high-relief imagery of time, sensed his future becoming memories—the tender indignities of physical love, the sharing and communion of selves, the softness and the violence.”(Herbert p.378) This passage occurs in Book II after Paul takes the drug spice, which significantly changes him. His senses become more critical, and he is suddenly able to “see through time.” Paul can now see infinite possibilities in future events, and he realizes his actions will cause a jihad (holy war) in the universe. Paul is also more sensitive to physical contact, particularly when he is with his love, Chani. Paul’s consumption of the spice is an important turning point in his development as a Kwisatz Haderach. Paul needs the spice to live and to fulfill his role as a Kwisatz Haderach. He needs spice to perform the mixture of gene pools that will ultimately save his species.
When looking at the characters in Dune it is know that they are all tied to power. If there was no power mind set there would be no motives for the Emperor, Paul and Leto and the Baron. But because of the high demand there could only be one who was to obtain all. To whoever was to gain that power sets the hierarchy and to those who are not necessarily in the battle stay up with the hierarchy. The battle between the Atreides and Harkonnes, the Harkonnes and the Fremen, the Fremen and the Sardaukar, the Emperor and Paul all lead up in a big or small degree is of spice.
Project Space: Final
Nicole Alibutod
Sean Pessin
English 114B
13 May 2012
Project
Space
By
definition, space means the unlimited or incalculably great three-dimensional
realm or expanse in which all material objects are located and all events occur
(dictionary.com). The space provided in the game matters as much as the person
playing the game. Without the space there is no player of and in the game. Your
surroundings in where you want to play also take on a big role when you want to
play the game comfortably and in full focus. When playing in an awkward place,
for example not at home or where ever you play most often, can make the game a
bit harder for yourself and when playing in a familiar environment your mind is
at ease which makes you put your full focus into the game, especially playing
on a handheld console.
In
our surroundings we try to engage ourselves in things that make us feel
comfortable. We choose to live in a house with things we are familiar with and
own. All of our necessities take up a good amount of space. No matter how much
things we may have, there would be an extent where space is shortly limited. The way we interact with it is crucial to how
we run our lives. We dictate our boundaries and organize them freely. In every video game you play there is always a
limit amount of space that you are allowed to be in. In some games it can be
very small or can seem infinite, but there is always a limit.
The Fairly OddParents: Breakin' Da
Rules is a video game released for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox,
and the PC in 2003. It is based on the famous Nickelodeon cartoon, The Fairly
OddParents. It was developed by Helixe and
published by THQ.
The main goal of this video game is to restore peace. Anti-Cosmo arrives to
steal the book, and you defeat Vicky at the very end to restore peace. The
backstory to this is that when Timmy was going through school (before his
fairly oddparents) he was always miserable because of his evil babysitter,
Vicky, and his evil teacher, Mr. Crocker. Every day they would “ruin” Timmy’s
life, and because of that he was granted fairly oddparents, Cosmo and Wanda.
Along with Cosmo and Wanda came a rule book, Da Rules, which are a set of rules
on wishes that are not allowed to make by a child. “Da Rules” book is an
essential part of being a fairy for whoever, other than the fairy, has it can
cause serious trouble.
This
game has various versions in which you can play it on (consoles). This game is
provided on the Xbox, Playstation2, Nintendo DS, and etc. The version I have
been playing on is on the Nintendo DS, which a handheld console. For those who
are not familiar to what handheld means, it simply translates to portable
playing. You can take the game anywhere you like and at any time. You obviously
cannot luggage around an Xbox or PlayStation around to play a video game.
Being
able to bring the game around where ever I go was hassle free. The space I was
allowed to play the game was almost about infinite. Where ever I go, I was able to put the DS
into my purse and play it when I please. It did not matter if there were
hundreds of people or a small amount of people unless I find a good amount of
space to play I was good. Being able to shift places, from home to somewhere
else, to play made it easier to finish the game because I was able to play at
any given time and day. Every movement you make takes up space and how we
choose to move determines where we will go and end up.
Being able to play the game other than home
can also help you concentrate more (depending on your environment at home).
Leaving the space you live in to move to another space can clear your
frustration. For example I practically live in a full house, and playing video
games can be quite a challenge with all the noise and distractions. But if I
were to relocate myself, maybe the park, I would probably be able to play
better. My space has dramatically changed from something all closeted up to
something more open and free. I would not have to feel claustrophobic when
playing. But because playing wherever you decide is great it does have its
disadvantages.
When
bringing the game around you can also lose control. What that means is that you
aren’t always able to hold on grasp in how you perform when playing the game. If
you were to move to a space where there are a bunch of distractions, like a
concert (even though those chances are unlikely) the way you perform the game
can be quite difficult. Your space is limited to your seat and probably the
bathroom. You are not allowed freely to move as you please. Another example if
you were to a moving vehicle like your car or bus it can also be quite hard to
perform on your game because of the frequent movements the vehicle is doing,
taking you to point A to point B. Also another disadvantage of being able to
play on a handheld can be that the screen is quite small and others around you
would not be able to see what you may be doing. And because of that the person
would so more than likely move closer to you, making your space much smaller
and more awkward. You are not allowed to move.
Each
“regular” fairy always has an “anti-fairy,” sort of like an alter ego. They are
usually meaner and are the opposite of the “original” fairy. For example,
Cosmo’s, who is quite stupid, anti-fairy is quite intelligent and as for Wanda,
who is the smart one between the two, is stupid. And because they are evil,
they are out to steal “Da Rules” book. Each level of the game you are to cruise
along until the “finish line.” During the “walk” there are certainly obstacles
that come your way.
There are various anti-fairies who are out to
kill you. There are some that you can kill in one hit, some in two and some
quite a few. You are to avoid their red zaps, and if you are hit, you lose a
life. Some fairies have more than one zap at a time. Other than the fairies
being there, there are also other creatures there that can also hurt you as
much as a fairy can. Some of these creatures are frogs (that jump up and down),
flies (that obviously fly around), jellyfish and fish (that also obviously swim
around), and other alien type creatures.
These
so called enemies take advantage of the space given to them. They take on full
force on what the game gives them. A lot of the time when the level starts
getting harder, more fairies appear in the screen, making it harder to dodge
the red zaps. In parts of the levels there are several ambushes. In these
ambushes many of the creatures pop up and your goal is to shoot them all and
not get hit. You are only allowed a small space in the game; you are not
allowed to move backwards or to move forwards until cleared. Timmy Turner is
the character who you are playing, and is the only option in the game, and you
are free to move about in the game. He is allowed to move forwards, jump up and
down, but can only move back to a certain extent. You are not allowed to move
back all the way, only forward.
At
the end of each level you collect a page of the book, various amounts of coins,
and a password. The password is a crucial part of the game. Say for example,
you decide to stop playing the game for a moment and would like to resume the game
later on you will need that password to either move on or to resume the level.
There are 4 levels, which each has sub levels along with it. As the levels go
on the harder it becomes. But it still has the same concept of fairies and
creatures in the level. You are only allowed a limited space in this
two-dimensional game, as for three-dimensional games, the space seems infinite.
The
equipment of the game can determine how well you can survive throughout the
game. One part of your equipment is your gun, which zaps the creatures and
fairies. With this gun you are allowed infinite zaps. Along the way you can
pick up power up to change the setting of your gun. Some power ups allow your
gun to kill with one shot and some allow your gun to shoot more than one zap at
a time. With these power ups you are able to kill your enemy quicker and move
along the game quicker.
Another
type of equipment in the game is the “big zap” by either Cosmo or Wanda. What
this “big zap” does is that when you feel as though there are too many enemies
attacking you at one certain time you are allowed to use the zap to kill all of
your enemies at once. If you are playing without cheats you are only allowed 15
per level. But if you are playing with cheats are you use your coins to pay for
the zap and have infinite zaps. The zaps are very useful when you are feeling
overwhelmed by the fairies and creatures filling up your screen and making your
space in the game smaller, which make it harder to dodge their zaps.
Something
similar to the “big zap” is the wands. What this is that when clicking the same
button for the big zap, instead of a big zap you either get Cosmo or Wanda to
play for you for a bit. When either fairy is playing you kill your enemies
quicker and with one shot. But these fairies are timed in how long you use
them. The amount of space the fairies moves is more than what Timmy Turner has,
and quicker too. The fairies can be all over the screen, from corner to corner,
while Timmy I cannot really accomplish that space, and if he were to try to, it
would be in a slower manner.
Another
equipment of the game is the bombs. In the game you are allowed 3 bombs per
game. What this bomb does is blow up what is in front of you. You are only
allowed 3 at a time until you raise enough coins to play. If you reach the
minimum amount of coins, you regain your 3 bombs again.
In
the game you are given 10 lives. Each time you are hit by the enemies zap you
obviously loose a life. But there is a power up throughout the level that lets
you regain one full life. These are in the shape of a crown. The way you move
about the game determines if you can gain or lose a life. Either if you move
too much or too little, too fast or too slow all determines your life
throughout the game. Everywhere you move around the space helps you a little
bit. All these equipment benefit you in anyway. But how you use the space and
time to use the equipment can either help or fail you.
The
signs, signals and symbols in the game helped me conquer the game, if it
weren’t for them you could not reach your goal: to defeat Vicky and the evil
anti-fairies. With some of the signs in the game it would tell you that danger
is approaching and you need to watch out. Also some of the so called signs
could be the noises the anti-fairies gave to signal that they are coming.
Signals such as the arrow to tell you to move forward or the sound of the
fairies make also help determine your position in the game. And as for the symbols you see the crown as a
new life, the coins as money and the hand as a special equipment and etc. These
signs, signals and symbols are crucial when playing the game. Space, whether in
the game or in your surroundings determines your performance on how you play
the game, every step and move you make can either kill or make you.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Dune
Nicole Alibutod
Sean Pessin
English 114B
9 April 2012
The Status
The book Dune was written by Frank Herbert and is still today one of great scientific novels written. Dune was written in the early 1960s, when drug experimentation was beginning to enter the mainstream society of America. The book explores the concept of drugs as a way of opening “perception.” Consuming mélange, which is highly addictive in large quantities, allows Paul to see through time and perceive the future. The drug Spice is found on the planet Arrakis. Without the existence of the drug Spice, there would be no sense of hierarchy. Obtaining the spice you have to have some type of power status. The higher status, the easier it is to obtain the spice. In today’s society you see how power comes to play. Having money determine your status in this world, the more money, the more money and power you obtain. The definition of power is: the ability to do something in a particular way. The importance of status is shown throughout the books. Power is key to the people living in the Dune universe; they always need to be on top. With spice it determines the hierarchy of the individual on these various planets.
Spice is known to be like the Truthsayer drug according to the Reverend Mother. People take the drug to advance their capabilities to see falsehood. Many had taken it, yet died trying. The drug had become the main priority of the planets and will do anything to get rid of anything in their way. The need for spice led the war between the Atreides and the Harkonnens. The books show how each act on their desire to succeed the drug. With the battle you see how power comes to play, and to whoever wins the battle their status can rise up. Not only is spice the prize but also their reputation of whoever can be the greater power.
The universe of Dune contains several planets where some live on and some that don’t. Each of the planets has something that differs among the rest, all that holds different resources. Many of these planets are treated like items in the market, leading to trades. The more power status you had the better the trade can turn out to be. Many of the decision making was up to the Great Houses of Landsraad. Seeing that the planets are being allowed to be trade off and sold can correlate to the times of slavery. We saw many of the African American race were being traded and sold because of the color of their skin to the White community. Being black put them on the lowest of low list on the hierarchy charts, putting the whites number one. And for those who are able to afford the planets are put in a higher position, especially if they were to obtain the planet. Those who cannot go through with the trade are seen as they are bit less of status to those who gain the planet.
Dune’s universe utilizes a primitive government system that includes dukes and barons and in which religion has a very strong tie with everyday life and politics. As a symbol, melange represents the untapped potential of human perception and brainpower. Melange is a costly crutch, however. And this is where the power comes to play. The highest power in the novel is of the Padishah Emperor, Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, ruler of the Dune universe. No one dares to go up against him because his powers are unknown on how great they may be. The Emperor is the one who is to give power to those living on the planets and is the one who sets all the rules. Where he gets his power is known by some unknown and some known, for example from the prison planet, Salusa Secundus.
An important part of the hierarchy is of those in the military force. In today’s society we look up to those who are in the force. For those who are in the armed forces we as the “lower class” (compared to them) look up to them. They have a high status in the community, because we always assume what they do is for the greater good and have a close connection to the government. In the book we see many armed forces. One of the top armies in the book is known as the Sardaukar, led by the Emperor Shaddam. They are the army to be feared among the rest. The Sardaukar are violent people who have been exposed since they were young yet have the skills to kill all. Many who have tried to go up against them have always failed. Their victories represent their leader the Emperor to show others that he is unstoppable and has the power of no one else. Because of their victories, great strength skills and violent nature, no one dared to question the Emperor. The Emperor’s status to the universe is like God: untouchable and “worshiped” by all. No matter how scary an army can be, no matter how evil, those who bring some type of fear are seen on top of their game, because no one can fight against their status.
Another person added to the top of the hierarchy list is the Reverend Mother. The Reverend Mother is the spiritual leader of the Benne-Gesserit. She is the one who serves as the emperor’s truthsayer (someone who can tell the emperor whether someone is lying or not). Her job is very important to the emperor, for without her many bad things can happen because of poor choices. The reverend is to go through school and learn these precious and important ways of being able to read people. Her being close to the Emperor gives her a position of a higher status. And the Emperor having her gives him yet another great advantage. Using her can give the Emperor insight and makes him two steps ahead of his enemies. The truthsayer was a cross of power of knowledge and tradition and of political power. Who can go up against someone who already knows your future, who is already two steps ahead from where you are? Having this person on your side makes you seem untouchable.
Next we have the royal families: Atreides and Harkonnes. Looking at these families they are very different from each other but have one certain thing in common: to win against the other. The Atreides live on the planet Caladan and the Harkonnes on Geidi Prime. Their battle is simple: who ever can obtain the more spice and have Arrakis.
On Caladan we have the Atreides household, Paul and Leto. Duke Leto Atreides is the head of the House of Atreides and the rightful ruler of Arrakis. The duke received Arrakis from the emperor in exchange for Leto’s own planet of Caladan, which was given to the duke’s mortal enemy, Baron Harkonnen. The duke is a wise, intelligent, and compassionate man, but he is ruthless when it comes to dealing with his enemies. And another to the house is Paul, the son of Leto. Paul is seen as the protagonist of the story. He is also the heir to the House of the Atreides. At the beginning of the novel, Paul is fifteen years old. He has been trained from birth to fulfill the role of duke. He is taught of the skills of combat and strategic thinking. Paul at first seems very shy but when broken into he is more than what meets the eye. He is believed to be “The One” the Kwisatz Haderach- the male version of the Benne-Gesserit.
Next is the Baron Harkonnen is the leader of them all. His main goals are to murder the house of Atreides and gain control of the spice. He even also plans on becoming the emperor. Ironically, the baron’s plans drive Paul to become the leader of the Fremen and eventually leader of the universe. The baron is clearly seen as the novel’s main antagonist from his very first appearance. The baron is ruthless, ambitious, cruel, and so fat that he requires antigravity devices to suspend his bulk. He is an ugly creature. But Baron is not very different from Duke Leto Atreides. Both men are ambitious and ruthless. Leto, however, genuinely cares about his own men and family and regrets many of the tactics he must use to protect them, such as poisoning his rivals and raiding their supplies. The baron seems to delight in the intricacies of political warfare.
When Jessica and Paul land on the planet Arrakis we see them venture out to a world unknown to them. And they finally come across the Fremen, the people who have the “bluer than blue eyes.” They are the native people on Arrakis. The Fremen are seen as the warriors of that planet. Some believe that they are far from great than the Sardaukar. They taught themselves how to be strong and fight off whatever they needed to fight off in the worst conditions ever just like those on the planet Salusa Secundus. If that were to be the case you can say that the emperor should have something to fear, because if they were to throw off his army, it will weaken his protection. The Fremen are people with strong values which shows that is what helped them get through all their rigorous training. The Fremen were the Sardaukars for Paul.
Towards the end of Dune two years pass on Arrakis. Paul has become very powerful and inspiring to the Fremen. He is both their civil and religious leader, like Kynes, but his powers are far greater than of Kynes. Paul then has a child with a Fremen woman, Chani, the daughter of Kynes. His mother has also given birth to Alia, Duke Leto’s daughter. Paul teaches the Fremen to fight using a unique style called the “weirding way” and using the advanced fighting techniques of the Bene Gesserit. One day, the Fremen discover that the baron has abandoned his aid to Rabban, the nephew he assigned to rule over Arrakis. Paul and the Fremen make plans to raid the Arrakeen capital now that Rabban is cut off from the baron’s help.
Upon discovering the power of the Fremen, the emperor himself comes to Arrakis, along with his Sardaukar and the Harkonnens. The Fremen attack the emperor, quickly dismantling his spaceships while destroying the Sardaukar. In the battle, Alia kills Baron Harkonnen, and Paul’s young son dies in a raid. Paul demands that the emperor step down. Paul asks to marry the emperor’s daughter, Irulan, so that he may become the new emperor. Feyd-Rautha also then challenges Paul and kills him in a duel. Powerless now, the emperor agrees to Paul’s demands, and Paul becomes the new emperor. And with that happening you see that the roles has certainly reversed, the Emperor being the grand power to now nothing. Paul has now become top of the status, the hierarchy.
Towards the ending of the first book we see that there is the big battle against the Harkonnens with the Fremens and Paul. Paul’s rising to the emperorship and the Fremen’s regaining of control complete the reversal of status that occurs during the course of the novel. At the beginning of the novel, the emperor and the Harkonnen dominated the Atreides and the Fremen. The power structure of Dune has changed since Paul was on Caladan. Duke Leto is dead and now Paul is not only duke of Arrakis, but also the new emperor of the universe. The Fremen have regained control of their world and will soon turn it into the garden paradise they have long desired. Once this change occurs, however, we wonder how the Fremen’s culture will change—whether they will retire into easy lives of spice mining or follow their prophet into space.
By marrying the emperor’s daughter Paul is in control and needs to be in control furthermore. By doing so, his status raises immensely. By marrying the top, he stays on top. And with his higher power he is to rule the people. All this has happened because for the fight over the spice on Arrakis. The drug had him again and he thought: So many times you’ve given me comfort and forgetfulness. He felt again the hyperillumination with its high-relief imagery of time, sensed his future becoming memories—the tender indignities of physical love, the sharing and communion of selves, the softness and the violence. This passage occurs in Book II after Paul takes the drug spice, which significantly changes him. His senses become more critical, and he is suddenly able to “see through time.” Paul can now see infinite possibilities in future events, and he realizes his actions will cause a jihad (holy war) in the universe. Paul is also more sensitive to physical contact, particularly when he is with his love, Chani. Paul’s consumption of the spice is an important turning point in his development as a Kwisatz Haderach. Paul needs the spice to live and to fulfill his role as a Kwisatz Haderach. He needs spice to perform the mixture of gene pools that will ultimately save his species.
When looking at the characters in Dune it is know that they are all tied to spice. If there was no spice there would be no motives for the Emperor, Paul and Leto and the Baron. But because of the high demand there could only be one who was to obtain all. To whoever was to gain that power sets the hierarchy and to those who are not necessarily in the battle stay up with the hierarchy. The battle between the Atreides and Harkonnes, the Harkonnes and the Fremen, the Fremen and the Sardaukar, the Emperor and Paul all lead up in a big or small degree is of spice.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Project Space
Nicole Alibutod
Sean Pessin
English 114B
16 April 2012
Project
Space
By
definition, space means the unlimited or incalculably great three-dimensional
realm or expanse in which all material objects are located and all events occur
(dictionary.com). The space provided in the game matters as much as the person
playing the game. Without the space there is no player of and in the game. Your
surroundings in where you want to play also take on a big role when you want to
play the game comfortably and in full focus. When playing in an awkward place,
for example not at home or where ever you play most often, can make the game a
bit harder for yourself and when playing in a familiar environment your mind is
at ease which makes you put your full focus into the game, especially playing
on a handheld console.
In
our surroundings we try to engage ourselves in things that make us feel
comfortable. We choose to live in a house with things we are familiar with and
own. All of our necessities take up a good amount of space. No matter how much
things we may have, there would be an extent where space is shortly limited. The way we interact with it is crucial to how
we run our lives. We dictate our boundaries and organize them freely. In every video game you play there is always a
limit amount of space that you are allowed to be in. In some games it can be
very small or can seem infinite, but there is always a limit.
Each
“regular” fairy always has an “anti-fairy,” sort of like an alter ego. They are
usually meaner and are the opposite of the “original” fairy. For example, Cosmo’s,
who is quite stupid, anti-fairy is quite intelligent and as for Wanda, who is
the smart one between the two, is stupid. And because they are evil, they are
out to steal “Da Rules” book. Each level of the game you are to cruise along
until the “finish line.” During the “walk” there are certainly obstacles that
come your way.
These
so called enemies take advantage of the space given to them. They take on full
force on what the game gives them. A lot of the time when the level starts
getting harder, more fairies appear in the screen, making it harder to dodge
the red zaps. In parts of the levels there are several ambushes. In these
ambushes many of the creatures pop up and your goal is to shoot them all and
not get hit. You are only allowed a small space in the game; you are not
allowed to move backwards or to move forwards until cleared. Timmy Turner is
the character who you are playing, and is the only option in the game, and you
are free to move about in the game. He is allowed to move forwards, jump up and
down, but can only move back to a certain extent. You are not allowed to move
back all the way, only forward.
At
the end of each level you collect a page of the book, various amounts of coins,
and a password. The password is a crucial part of the game. Say for example,
you decide to stop playing the game for a moment and would like to resume the
game later on you will need that password to either move on or to resume the
level. There are 4 levels, which each has sub levels along with it. As the
levels go on the harder it becomes. But it still has the same concept of
fairies and creatures in the level. You are only allowed a limited space in
this two-dimensional game, as for three-dimensional games, the space seems
infinite.
The
equipment of the game can determine how well you can survive throughout the
game. One part of your equipment is your gun, which zaps the creatures and
fairies. With this gun you are allowed infinite zaps. Along the way you can
pick up power up to change the setting of your gun. Some power ups allow your
gun to kill with one shot and some allow your gun to shoot more than one zap at
a time. With these power ups you are able to kill your enemy quicker and move
along the game quicker.
Another
type of equipment in the game is the “big zap” by either Cosmo or Wanda. What
this “big zap” does is that when you feel as though there are too many enemies
attacking you at one certain time you are allowed to use the zap to kill all of
your enemies at once. If you are playing without cheats you are only allowed 15
per level. But if you are playing with cheats are you use your coins to pay for
the zap and have infinite zaps. The zaps are very useful when you are feeling
overwhelmed by the fairies and creatures filling up your screen and making your
space in the game smaller, which make it harder to dodge their zaps.
Something
similar to the “big zap” is the wands. What this is that when clicking the same
button for the big zap, instead of a big zap you either get Cosmo or Wanda to
play for you for a bit. When either fairy is playing you kill your enemies
quicker and with one shot. But these fairies are timed in how long you use
them. The amount of space the fairies moves is more than what Timmy Turner has,
and quicker too. The fairies can be all over the screen, from corner to corner,
while Timmy I cannot really accomplish that space, and if he were to try to, it
would be in a slower manner.
Another
equipment of the game is the bombs. In the game you are allowed 3 bombs per
game. What this bomb does is blow up what is in front of you. You are only
allowed 3 at a time until you raise enough coins to play. If you reach the
minimum amount of coins, you regain your 3 bombs again.
In
the game you are given 10 lives. Each time you are hit by the enemies zap you
obviously loose a life. But there is a power up throughout the level that lets
you regain one full life. These are in the shape of a crown. The way you move
about the game determines if you can gain or lose a life. Either if you move too
much or too little, too fast or too slow all determines your life throughout
the game. Everywhere you move around the space helps you a little bit. All
these equipment benefit you in anyway. But how you use the space and time to
use the equipment can either help or fail you.
This
game has various versions in which you can play it on (consoles). This game is
provided on the Xbox, Playstation2, Nintendo DS, and etc. The version I have
been playing on is on the Nintendo DS, which a handheld console. For those who
are not familiar to what handheld means, it simply translates to portable
playing. You can take the game anywhere you like and at any time. You obviously
cannot luggage around an Xbox or PlayStation around to play a video game.
Being
able to bring the game around where ever I go was hassle free. The space I was
allowed to play the game was almost about infinite. Where ever I go, I was able to put the DS into
my purse and play it when I please. It did not matter if there were hundreds of
people or a small amount of people unless I find a good amount of space to play
I was good. Being able to shift places, from home to somewhere else, to play
made it easier to finish the game because I was able to play at any given time
and day. Every movement you make takes up space and how we choose to move determines
where we will go and end up.
Being able to play the game other than home
can also help you concentrate more (depending on your environment at home). Leaving
the space you live in to move to another space can clear your frustration. For
example I practically live in a full house, and playing video games can be
quite a challenge with all the noise and distractions. But if I were to
relocate myself, maybe the park, I would probably be able to play better. My
space has dramatically changed from something all closeted up to something more
open and free. I would not have to feel claustrophobic when playing. But
because playing wherever you decide is great it does have its disadvantages.
When
bringing the game around you can also lose control. What that means is that you
aren’t always able to hold on grasp in how you perform when playing the game. If
you were to move to a space where there are a bunch of distractions, like a
concert (even though those chances are unlikely) the way you perform the game
can be quite difficult. Your space is limited to your seat and probably the
bathroom. You are not allowed freely to move as you please. Another example if
you were to a moving vehicle like your car or bus it can also be quite hard to
perform on your game because of the frequent movements the vehicle is doing,
taking you to point A to point B. Also another disadvantage of being able to
play on a handheld can be that the screen is quite small and others around you
would not be able to see what you may be doing. And because of that the person
would so more than likely move closer to you, making your space much smaller
and more awkward. You are not allowed to move.
The
signs, signals and symbols in the game helped me conquer the game, if it weren’t
for them you could not reach your goal: to defeat Vicky and the evil
anti-fairies. With some of the signs in the game it would tell you that danger is
approaching and you need to watch out. Also some of the so called signs could be
the noises the anti-fairies gave to signal that they are coming. Signals such
as the arrow to tell you to move forward or the sound of the fairies make also
help determine your position in the game. And as for the symbols you see the crown as a
new life, the coins as money and the hand as a special equipment and etc. These
signs, signals and symbols are crucial when playing the game. Space, whether in
the game or in your surroundings determines your performance on how you play
the game, every step and move you make can either kill or make you.
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