Entertainment is part of human life. This is because if enables people to have an opportunity to replenish their energies as they take their time off their busy schedules. There are different types of entertainment. First, there is active entertainment and there is passive entertainment. Active entertainment involves the actual participation of the person who is being entertained. In this case, it might be sports.
On the other hand, passive entertainment does not involve a person who is participating. It is usually based on the person being in a position of following a series of activities without being necessarily involved. Either way, a person is being entertained. In this paper, we are going to look at a passive form of entertainment. Passive entertainment involves watching a movie or a program.
The return of martin guerre movie: Plot This is a true story which revolves around a man named Martin Guerre. This story gives a reflection of Martin’s life which took place in the 16th century. In essence, martin decided to flee from his home town and family in 1549. This was a consequence of a seemingly difficult life that he was or had been leading in his past. Martin had faced several accusations from his father. For instance he had been accused of stealing the family grain for his gain.
Martin surfaces after eight years showing great changes and progress in his life. In this case, he comes back having possessed the ability to read and write. Furthermore, he is able to impress majority of the people of Artigat with the stories about his life in the army. Martin comes back with the sole intention of possessing his family and properties back. Essentially, this new life that he represents is challenged the moment three vagabonds appear. These vagabonds identify Martin as Arnaud du Thil.
That is, a young man who strove with the real Martin and who they claim was living in a place known as Flanders. This information does not bring much stir. However, the moment that Martin decides to ask his uncle how he took care of the property he had, his uncle opts to file a suit against Martin. In this case, Martin is sued for being an impostor. In this case, his uncle seems to side with the accusers which spur investigation into the claims which leads to an ultimate trail in the local parliament.
The trial reflects the case of a man who is alone in the docks fighting off accusations from a group of angry peasants. This gives a reflection of a battle of wits. This court drama brings to the fore the twists and turns which are usually associated within the courts. The Great Cat Massacre This article is a reflection of life in Paris during the 18th century. It is based on the fact that in the 1730s, a group of apprentices tortured any cat that they could come across.
This article narrates a story about an apprentice, which is Nicolas Contat who narrates of his experience as an apprentice in the printing shop of a man named Jacques Vincent. Contat recounts of the experiences that he had with his colleague Leveille during the apprenticeship. It was during this time that they reportedly slept in rooms that were in no condition for human habitation.
They were filthy and very cold. Finding food was not an easy task for these two. This is because they had to feed from the scraps in the kitchen instead of finding food from the master’s table. What can be recounted as the last injustice which was meted against these young apprentices is the theme has been captured as the theme of cats. In essence, cats occupied a prominent position in this article.
Especially in the house of the rue Saint – Severin, the master’s wife adored the cats. During this time, it seemed as though the passion of cats had swept this era’s printing trade. This is especially regarding the master’s class and the bourgeoisie. Some have gone on record to have even kept up to twenty five cats in a home. The passion for these cats was so high such that their owners even fed them on roast fowl.
On the other hand, the apprentices had a nasty experiences with the cats which were prowling almost everywhere in the alleys. The cats disturbed the peace of these young men by howling and growling at times the whole night on their room’s roof. This denied them the ability to have adequate rest at night. This was especially because Jerome and Leveille had the responsibility of opening the gates of the earliest arrivals.
In spite of all their acts, the master did not even eat with them. In addition, the only time that they interacted with their master was when they were had confrontations from their master regarding what was supposed to be done within the shop. Having been bothered enough by these cats, Leveille decides to take a step to stop this menace. During one of the nights, he climbed on top of his room and ensured that he was almost near the master’s bedroom. During this time, he mimics the cats.
He howls and meows horribly such that it denies the bourgeoisie and his wife adequate sleep during the night. After being exposed to several nights of this experience, they both agree that they have been bewitched. And in the attempt to bring this habit to an end, they opt to get rid of the cats. Happily, Jerome, Leveille and the journeymen armed with all manner of weapons pursue the cats violently with the aim of eradicating them completely.
They bludgeon them heaping them in sacks and placing them in the courtyard. A mock trial is staged and the animals are pronounced guilty. During this experience, the mistress appears and she seems to be shocked by the scene of what is taking place. However she is reassured by the apprentices that everything is in order and as such they proceed with the activity.
This experience brings to the fore the hilarity which is associated with the negative state of affairs at some point. This story brings an issue to the reader. Contat’s story depicts an attack which targets a given class of people. In this case, it is an attack which targets the master and his wife. This is based on the fact that there is the denial of basic things like food, and sleeps whereby there is a great disparity between the apprentice and the working class. The injustice meted against the apprentices is shockingly noticeable.
This is characterized by the fact that these people seem to be considered lesser as compared to the cats of the day. In this story, the animals occupy a position at the master’s table while the boys are denied this position. In essence, this gives the reader the interpretation that the animals have a higher value than the humanity which is depicted by the boys. Although the apprentices seem to be the ones who are mostly abused, killing of the cats is an expression of hatred of the bourgeoisie.
This is a hatred which is spreading among the workers. This hatred is based on the fact that since the masters love the cats, the workers hate them. In this context, Leveille becomes the hero of the shop because he was the mastermind of the whole exercise. Some historians portray the workshop as a family. This is an extended family whereby the master and journeyman labored at some point for the same objectives.
Comparison The movie and the article both represent the on goings in the country of France. This captures the historical traditions of what was happening in France during this time as well as the challenges which were faced by people who were living in this era. Secondly, the article and the movie reflect a clash of interests between two parties. In this case, we have the social classes in both cases. What comes to the fore in this is the fact that these two classes have got different views about life and what life should be.
In the article for instance, the apprentice who is associated with the lower class seem to be condemned to struggles and working for the bourgeoisie. On the other hand, in the movie, the peasants seem to be people who live though when it comes to seeking professional assistance, they have no choice but to run to the bourgeoisie. Both cases give a depiction of what is happening in the current society. That is, in the current age, the struggle and the conflict regarding social class are still eminent.
There is a tug of war which exists between the working class and the seemingly lower class. People are divided and live based on their earning ability. Those who have got a financial muscle have a better chance of making in life. This is because they have the ability to ensure that quality is achieved. For example, there are schools and locations which are associated with the affluent in the society. Lastly, both of them give a depiction of the writings of famous authors.
What is captured clearly is the fact both the early and the modern society use literature to inform what is going on in the society. Through writings of famous people, people or citizens are able to associate what is going on the society. Despite the fact that there is a difference when it comes to the issues which are facing the general human race during that time and the present, the fact that still holds is that life and issues evolve with time.
Conclusion In conclusion, writers give the society an opportunity to reflect where it has come from. Through the eyes of authors and critical analysts, one is able to understand where the society is coming from and where it is heading to and thus arrive at a conclusion as to what can be done in the same breadth. Thus, the movie and the article have enabled us to be able to associate the on goings in the French country during that time as well as the present society.