Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities

Week 1 Bridget Jones Diary Name: Amy Date: 2005-10-26 22:24:31 Link to this Comment: 16642

Question Week 1 Bridget Jones Diary

What qualifies BJD as a 'chick-flick'? Do we get anything out of chick flicks besides entertainment? Did BJD address any of the big issues of race, class, gender or orientation? What issues did it use humor to portray?

Bridget Jones Diary Name: hopeless r Date: 2005-10-27 13:28:15 Link to this Comment: 16664

Bridget Jones Diary is very much a 'chicflic' in the way we have defined one in class. It has a romantic conflict, there are 'cute' guys, a happy ending...and so forth. It does serve a purpose beyond entertainment because it makes a statement about how to deal and get over heartache as well as teach others, particularly other women, that despite pressure from those around you, it is you who ultimately must make the decisions and effort. You cannot be passive about the things you desire and you have to go after them, finding what works for you, even if you have to stumble or fall on the way to get there. In terms of humor, like someone mentioned in class, I believe it gives the character of Bridget a very endearing quality so that we relate and root for her instead of mock her for her inability to be at ease socially.

BJD Name: Realist Date: 2005-10-29 17:34:35 Link to this Comment: 16693

Bridget Jones' Diary qualifies as a 'chick-flick' because it follows the formula perfectly. It's a love story with romantic obstacles; it's light and humorous with a happy ending.

In thinking about what we get out of chick flicks, we thought also about what we expect to get out of movies in general. I think we expect entertainment, emotional and/or mental stimulation. In chick flicks, we get entertainment and, to some extent, emotional stimulation (because of the "happily ever after" ending). So I don't know that we need to expect a chick flick to provide us with more than that.

I don't think that Bridget Jones' Diary really addressed race, class, gender or orientation, but I don't think that it was meant to. So while it didn't address these issues, it wasn't a failure on the part of the movie, because that wasn't the goal of the movie.

The main issue this movie used humor to portray is Bridget's social ineptness.

Also, the fight scene was great. We really liked it because it seemed very realistic with the way the guys were kicking at each other.

BJD Name: Andrea Cut Date: 2005-10-30 10:02:28 Link to this Comment: 16698

Though Bridget Jones' Diary has all the elements of the quintessential “chick flick” (damsel in distress meets desirable suitor, romantic and humorous conflict ensues, all seems lost, tears are shed, then knight in shining armor saves damsel and all live happily ever after … at least until the sequel) I believe that it is the “happily ever after” segment of this series of events that causes box office reports to soar and viewers to add both Bridget and her sequel to their DVD collections. Thus, while chick flicks certainly provide an element of entertainment (they are essentially adult- fairy tales) I believe they also provide either a means of escape, for the cynical, or a means of reassurance, for the downhearted (or hopelessly romantic). Ordinary life doesn't follow the afore-outlined course of events and, as most Bridget Jones viewers have probably learned, a significant amount of frog kissing is often required before a prince is found! For this reason, I believe viewers flock to movies like Bridget because it allows them to see the world through her eyes and experience with her the happy ending. In the dark of the theater viewers can forget their own woes and “make believe” along with the “storybook” plot. Romantics can oooh and awwww and leave fully reassured (as if they ever doubted!) that their very own Prince Charming will soon arrive.

BJD - wk 1 Name: skeptic Date: 2005-10-31 13:36:26 Link to this Comment: 16724

There are numerous qualities that make Bridget Jones Diary a ‘chick-flick’. The most significant of those are the romantic dilemma that is the basis of the story, the humor and the ending that leaves us all smiling.

I think that we do get something more than entertainment from chick-flicks. Chick-flicks seem to give me some kind of shallow emotional fulfillment. I watch chick-flicks when I’m feeling down or overly stressed because firstly, the humor is always very cheery and light, and this type of humor is great when you’re feeling down. Secondly, there is always a happy ending. Problems are always resolved, and this gives me a sense of fulfillment. This fulfillment however, is temporary and very shallow.

One could definitely make any number of interpretations on the issues of race, class, gender or orientation from Bridget Jones Diary, just as one could from any movie. However, I do not think that this movie was meant to be that deep. I don’t think that chick-flicks generally address these issues because they are intended to be light, humorous love stories.

Humor was used heavily in this movie to portray Bridget’s social awkwardness.

BJD Name: Bayh Sulli Date: 2005-10-31 18:57:03 Link to this Comment: 16743

BJD is most certainly a chick flick. It caters to women who grew up on fairy stories in which the female lead overcomes any number of serious and comical hurdles but finally finds that the male protagonist loves her "just as she is." Chick flicks that follow this mold inevitably produce box office hits and achieve far-reaching (often international) success. This is because they appeal to a broad audience that is interested in any number of things ranging from entertainment, to revenge against a boyfriend, to escapism. I agree with the posts that have been made in that these movies often function for us (the general female audience) as a two-hour window in which we are assured to laugh, empathize, and experience the relief associated with the happy ending. While these types of movies could potentially be analyzed as subliminal carriers of race, gender, class, or orientation commentary, one of the reasons I enjoy them so much is that in those two hours, I don't feel socially responsible to interpret or deconstruct them in this manner. The comedy is there to relieve that responsibility, as well as to our heroin into her final bliss with the one who ALMOST got away.

BJD Name: Dreamer Date: 2005-11-01 14:32:38 Link to this Comment: 16747

BJD is a chick flick because it portrays relationships in their ideal forms. The resolution of the romatic conflict is always how one would hope their relationships would be resloved, but unfortunately, in real life, it is highly unlikely that a situation similar to the one in the movie would result in the way that it will in the movie. Also, the friendships are usually pretty one-sided and simplisitc - when Bridget has a problem none of her friends also have complicated things going on in their lives so they can totally be there for for. They also don't present the emotionally-draining effects all this kind of conflict can have, and the drama that arises from that. These movies play on stereotypes, and i think the main female character does things that the "typical" woman would do, but the resolution is unlike any real life resolution. The problem is, while they portray the typical female, they make the men the girly ideal of a man. Ideally, a man would behave as Colin Firth does, but i don't think any real life man would be so understanding or enamoured, etc...

I think chick-flicks are valuable soley for entertainment. I went through a phase where I started modeling myself after some typical charaters in these movies in hopes that a certain romantic conflict i was facing would have a happy ending ( i was really desperate for things to work out and all my friends told me to give up, so i turned to these movies for advice). It totally didn't. It is because men are not portrayed realistically.

As a chick flick, the movie had to be light. It has to be funny and sweet and not cause the viewer to think to hard or question the status quo. As such, BDJ did not address issues like race, class, gender or orientation... Other than to portray people as stereotypes: the black characters must act "typically" black, the gay characters act "typically" gay, ect.

The movie only used humour to portray a romantic situation. And it was used to endear us to the characters. Even if maybe in real life the character wouldn't be so endearing, in the movie they use humour so we'll love her.

And then you have the fight scene, or a lesbian kiss (BJD 2), so boyfriends who get dragged to the movie will be entertained. This is totally playing into stereotypes. The makers of the movie know their audience and mold the plot to shape what people WANT to see. (not what people *should* see).

Humour Name: Idealist Date: 2005-11-01 18:37:27 Link to this Comment: 16754

I really enjoyed watching Bridget Jones. I think it uses humour to deal with many of the issues that women deal with in every day life: low self-esteem, weight complexes, etc. I think that its use of humour makes Bridget endearing. Viewers more easily relate, in this way, to her character. I think that this can sometimes be an effective way of addressing social issues.

Week 2 A League Of Their Own Name: Amy Date: 2005-11-02 10:32:01 Link to this Comment: 16761

One qualifier we talked about for a women’s sports film was there had to be a ‘victory’ in the end. The female protagonist had to overcome the adversity, mature, successfully navigate a relationship and find some level of happiness. Does this happen in A League Of their Own? Did Dottie drop the ball on purpose and if you think she did, of did not—is “the victory” achieved either way? Why or why not?

A League of Their Own Name: hopeless r Date: 2005-11-03 15:48:08 Link to this Comment: 16802

As apparent by the discussion following the movie on Tuesday night, you can debate whether or not Dottie dropped the ball on purpose until you are blue in the face because we will never really know. Whether or not she dropped the ball as more to do with what you believe the moral or message of the movie was. I believe, personally, that she did drop the ball on purpose. Yes, she was competitive and could play great baseball when she put her heart into it so it is hard to say that "whoever wanted it more" achieved the victory in the end (meaning Kit). The movie started out by demonstrating the relationship that the two sisters had in Oregon and what Dottie was willing to do for her sister so I think that we can assume that under the disguise of a 'women sport film' this movie was more about the relationship between two sisters and the importants of that bond. The ability of the movie to communicate this to it's audience is where the victory truly lies, not in it's baseball.

A League of thier Own Name: Andrea Cut Date: 2005-11-06 13:01:10 Link to this Comment: 16826

It is my firm belief that to question whether or not Dottie intentionally dropped the ball in film’s brilliantly poignant and culminating baseball scene is to effectively fail to grasp the entire premise of the movie. The interpretation of _A League of Their Own_ as a movie about baseball, or a “sports film” is superficial. The effects of the politics, societal controversies, and logistics associated with women playing their first season of major league baseball reach far beyond the center-field wall. The film supplies adequate examples of these aspects of the league, many of which were discussed in class on Tuesday. Thus, the athletic victory, so to speak, is that the women endured and overcame countless hardships and succeeded in completing an entire season of baseball. In other words the victory, from an athletic standpoint is that the final game of the World Series took place at all. Just as Rocky “goes the distance” against Apollo Creed (to evoke one of my favorite movies of all time) so did the Peaches and the Belles lead the league and the nation to triumph. Dottie, a superior athlete and more mature individual than her kid sister, Kit, knew this. While there’s no questioning whether she wanted to win the Series, there is likewise no questioning whether such a title was worth the loss of a sister. The significance of Dottie’s instinctive recognition that to tag Kit out at home plate would be to alienate herself from her sister forever takes this movie to another level accurately portraying the heart-rendering complications of both team sport, and life. In no way do I believe that Dottie so much as made the decision to drop the ball, it was purely an instinctive sacrifice made for her family. Long before the Peaches and Belles, were Dottie and Kit, linked by the bond of sister-hood, arguably the strongest of human ties (after all, who could better and more completely understand another than her own sister?) And nothing, nothing, nothing could ever be worth severing that bond.

Dottie Dropped like its hot... Name: Date: 2005-11-07 14:35:22 Link to this Comment: 16852

Dottie Dropped like its hot... Name: Sarah Mack Date: 2005-11-07 14:39:04 Link to this Comment: 16853

Yes. Dottie dropped the ball - you just have to go ahead and accept it, really.

I think that its important how we construct these notions of victory in sports film - as if victory can be measured in home runs or scores. Honestly, I think because this film was a chick flick/sports film, victory has to be redefined! Dottie, although she worked hard with her team throughout the season, and knew how much this world series win would mean to her team and to Jimmy, she realized that this win meant the world to Kit - and to let the ball 'slip' was in no means to let go of victory. The "victory" here was personal, it was ethical and the winner was
l-o-v-e people.

A League of Their Own Name: Realist Date: 2005-11-08 02:28:45 Link to this Comment: 16875

I definitely believe that the female protagonist had to overcome adversity, mature, successfully navigate a relationship and find some level of happiness. In terms of overcoming adversity, Dottie was a pioneer in women's sports. She matured by realizing that she had to let her sister go and accepting that the sport was important to her. She successfully navigates a romantic relationship with her husband, as well as forming a successful friendly relationship with the manager - one that was on equal footing with mutual admiration. And Dotie does also find a level of happiness - with her husband when he gets back from the war, plus with herself by accepting the desire she has to play baseball and not quitting. I don't think that Dottie consciously thought to herself "I should drop this ball" as Kit was racing towards her, but I don't think that she tried quite as hard to hold onto the ball as she might've if it had been anybody else. The victory is definitely achieved because Dottie has a sense of resolution, she didn't quit, she got to finish the season. And there was victory in the peace and love that flowed afterwards in her relationship wiht her sister. Dottie didn't even seem that upset to have lost the game because I believe she lived vicariously through her sister's victory anyway. She may have even recognized Kit as the underdog, and hence, rejoiced her victory as a spectator.

Name: Dreamer Date: 2005-11-08 13:27:25 Link to this Comment: 16877

Dottie, the protagonist, definitely overcame adversity, matured and navigated tricky relationships (as did all the female ball players). The final scene in the movie showed Dottie's progress when she dropped the ball. No one, not even Penny Marshall, really knows whether she dropped the ball. But I would argue that she did drop it in the culmination of her maturation. It is clear that while Dottie plays the game, she doesn't really care much for it. She only went to the try outs because her little sister would only be able to go if she did. So she went. She was willing to leave the team for Kit, too. Vicotry can still be achieved through letting Kit win, because victory is all about perceptions. Kit has no idea Dottie let her win, so therefore to Kit (and the rest of the world), Kit's team won. There is still vicotry. It is a victory for Dottie because she helped her sister out, and saw her sister get something she wanted more. Even though Dottie told the thrower (?) what to throw so Kit would likely miss the ball, in that last second she could have easily changed her mind, and it would be more in-line with her character to help the sister out. And by instructing the ball hitter (?) on what to do, it made it look less like she WOULD let her sister win, so her team couldn't accuse her of doing something like that. I think Penny Marshall was a genius to end the movie like that.

ALOTO Name: Bayh Sulli Date: 2005-11-08 14:06:44 Link to this Comment: 16879

In A League of Their Own, there is certainly a victory. Actually, there are several. There is Jimmy's victory over his sexist preconceived notions, there is Dottie's victory over the uncertainty of her husband's return, there is the victory of Kit over Dottie's perpetual superiority, and there is the Belle's victory over the peaches. Specifically, within Dottie's and Kit's relationship, there is the most important type of team victory; the two sisters, as a team, act in one another's best interests for a favorable outcome that provides both of them with what they need. Dottie needs to exhibit her love to Kit, and Kit needs to have the spot light in order to understand that she functions as much as an independent athlete at Dottie. The both mature and come to realize the importance of baseball in their lives. More importantly, however, they both come to realize the importance of the other to their family team mentality. I believe that Dottie dropped the ball on purpose, and yes, in this final act of sisterhood, the victory is acheived. Both sisters get what they need out of this act, and their relationship is cemented as one of superior love. It is an indication that Dottie has her priorities in order, that family is first, baseball is a close second, and nothing can get in the way of her role as Kit's big sister. Kit does not know about the sacrifice, though, which is what ultimately allows this be a victory. Kit is able to celebrate her win, and Dottie is able to support her sister in the best way she knows how. Ultimately, it is a victory for both of them.

Dottie messed up Name: Date: 2005-11-08 16:59:37 Link to this Comment: 16881

Dottie messed up Name: G Date: 2005-11-08 17:17:28 Link to this Comment: 16883

Why does everyone believe that Dottie dropped the ball on purpose?? Except for the Smac who makes some excellent introductory points. I think that she definitely wanted to win the game and the drop was a mistake. Besides, I think many of us are forgetting that this is not just a movie for chicks, focusing on the relationships between the characters,but a sports movie at heart. Dottie dropping the ball at the end allowing her underdog kid sister to wind is one of those fantastic lucky plays that ends every single sports movie ever made. Let us not underestimate the power of the archetypal sport movie-making formula! Also, it was clear from the beginning that Dottie was very serious about baseball. Although she may not have been as committed to the game as her younger sister, Kit, she certainly played to win every time. Earlier in the last game,she attempted to ruin Kits chances for a hit when she informed the pitcher of her weaknesses. So why, in the short period of time between then and the final play, would Dottie suddenly decide to help her sister? She had been playing hard the whole game, no, the whole season so that she could enjoy that moment of victory - there is no way that she would decide in an instant to throw that all away.

ALOTO Name: skeptic Date: 2005-11-08 17:18:52 Link to this Comment: 16884

Yes, I do think that the female protagonist, Dottie, was able to overcome adversity, mature, successfully navigate a relationship and find happiness in this movie. In fact, all the women were able to achieve these things. It seemed that everyone, including the men, were victorious at the end of the movie. It was just about as happy as an ending can get. Everybody won in this movie. However, I do not think that Dottie dropped the ball on purpose as this would have cheapened her sister’s victory. Kit was the underdog throughout the entire movie and in order for Kit to be truly victorious at the end of the movie, for once she needed to be better than her sister. And if Dottie had dropped the ball on purpose, Kit’s victory would have been a fraud. So even though Dottie dropped the ball unintentionally, she still comes out feeling victorious because she has matured enough to realize that it is not all about winning the game. The fact that the game is taking place at all seems victory enough for Dottie. And Kit was obviously the most victorious, as she was finally able to prove that she was better than her sister.

Does it matter? Name: Idealist Date: 2005-11-08 18:53:07 Link to this Comment: 16886

The beauty of the movie is that you don't know whether Dottie dropped the ball or not. You can read into it whatever you like. I think that that's what makes it a chick flick. You can read into it the possibility of sacrife: of an older sister sacrificing for her younger sister. If you knew that she had dropped the ball on purpose, then that would take away from the value of the sacrifice. And if it was certain that she didn't drop the ball on purpose, then it would be a simple story of victory, the victory of one sister over another.

Week 3 Pretty Woman Name: Amy Date: 2005-11-09 22:57:59 Link to this Comment: 16906

We have watched two very different 'chick flicks' and one women's sports movie. Why does Pretty Woman work - or not work as 'the ultimate chick flick? Does the power difference, class difference have an effect on why this movie works? Does the "fairy tale" come true aspect connect the movie to viewers? Is Vivian more of an ‘equal’ to Edward with or without her wig – ie ‘in character’? What does it say about the relationship and affecting the success of it being the ‘ultimate chick flick’?

Name: Dreamer Date: 2005-11-11 01:42:54 Link to this Comment: 16926

Pretty Woman is the ultimate chick flick, because as I said in my post for BJD, a chick flick is about ideal romatic relationships. What more of a fairy tale can you get? Everything works out just as a girl would dream... and probably totally unrealistically too... In real life, a man like Edward would never let the stripper get in the Lotus, he would simply ask for directions. Assuming that he would let her in his car, and invite her into his room, he would probably do it just to help her out. He would NEVER then invite her to a business meeting. A hooker to a billion dollar business meeting. And the movie ends with te assumption they will get married. There is nothing realistic about this premise, but i am sure it is the fantasy of a million people.

This movie would be nothing without the power and class difference. The premise is a hooker snags a wealthy, powerful man. If they were on the same level, this would be like any other chick flick, not the ultimate fantasy. This difference also allows Vivian to really have an effect over Edward; if he wasn't rich an powerful he probably wouldn't lead such a dull life. Or if she was in the same social circle, she'd probably be as pathetic as all the other women he knew. Vivian is not an equal to Edward, never

The "fairy tale" aspect seperates this movie from viewers. Life never works out that way, and it kind of dissillusions you. It gives you a false hope. You want life to turn out like that, but it won't. And because the plot is so exaggerated, you realise it.

Chick flicks are about the relationship fantasies of women coming true, and this definitely happened in Pretty Woman.

Pretty Woman Name: hopeless r Date: 2005-11-11 01:53:06 Link to this Comment: 16927

'Pretty Woman' sets itself up as the ultimate chick flick and I think that class has a great deal to do with why it is so successful in this genre. The audience would not care half as much about Vivian and Edward's relationship working out in the end had he not accepted her as being more than a prostitute and she not accepted him as being more than a business man in a suit. A fairytale ending will always appeal to its audience in the way that everyone dreams of being able to meet someone that looks past big differences and sees them for something else than what they appear to be on the outside, or in this case, how they earn a living. Their relationship matures throughout the movie and slowly begins to develop into something that surpasses class and outward appearances but says more about what draws two people together and ultimately about love, the ultimate ingredient for a 'chick flick'.

Its just a fairy tale Name: G Date: 2005-11-11 11:46:16 Link to this Comment: 16931

"Pretty Woman" works as an ultimate chick flick because its shows the power of love to overcome all odds in a fairy-tale type of way. In the movie, a man and a woman from totally different worlds are thrown together by some chance circumstance (Edward gets lost on his way to Beverly Hills)and, within the span of a week, fall in love and presumably end up together. What makes this especially remarkable is that the characters of Vivian and Edward are polar opposites in regard to their education, class, wealth, upbringing, goals, demeanor, and general outlook on life. So, the movie shows that their feelings for each other is the only thing they have in common (besides screwing people for money, i guess)and, ultimately, is the single reason they end up together. It is the most extreme example of "Love is all you need." This is a really comforting idea to many women because, if we were to believe it, then they can safely hope that they can work it out with any man, (even if they are a hooker and he is a wealthy business tycoon) if only there is enough love between them - isn't that sweet?
I think that if you linger for just a moment on the thought of what Vivian and Edward's future together will be like, the fairy tale is over. Would love be enough for Vivian to endure the ridicule of all of Edwards swanky socialite friends? And for that matter, will it be enough for Edward to proudly introduce her in to his social circle in the first place? Probably not. And will love be enough to prolong the initial connection between the two characters? After the honeymoon, what will they spend the rest of their lives talking about? The business of prostitution? I dont think so.
I think we women should recognize this movie for exactly what it is, which is just a fairy tale.

Pretty Woman Name: Andrea Cut Date: 2005-11-13 14:34:36 Link to this Comment: 16947

There are several aspects of Pretty Woman that enable it to serve as “the ultimate chick flick”. It is the classic “from rags to riches story” a sort of late 80’s Cinderella in which a woman is overnight elevated from poverty to royalty. While Edward functions as modern day royalty to start (he practically lives in a Beverly Hills hotel penthouse) his calling Julia Roberts “Princess Vivian” at the movie’s end seals the deal. It is the power of class difference that makes it all so enchanting. Vivian, like Cinderella, is an exceptional human being, loving, charming, strong, and confoundedly hopeful in the face of insurmountable odds. Edward then is Prince Charming, who discovers Vivian removes her wig, (or maid outfit to work with the metaphor) and fits the glass slipper, or Rodeo Drive wardrobe, to her foot. Vivian then takes her place beside Edward as the royalty her audience always knew her to be. Naturally it is the “happily ever after” fairytale-esque aspect of the film that connects viewers to the movie. Just as Vivian described herself as a small child dreaming of her prince who would come rescue her from the tower, throughout the film each viewer internally wonders if she may not be the next to be whisked-away by her own prince.

Why Women Do... Name: Bayh Sulli Date: 2005-11-14 16:09:30 Link to this Comment: 16981

Pretty Woman is the ultimate chick flick because it is the archetypal fairytale. She is rescued from her tower (or, you know, her corner) and wisked away by the prince to a better life where the evil step mother (or threatening pimps and potential venereal disease) won't be able to detract from her virtuousness anymore. It has a modern twist that endears it to current audiences, and Julia Roberts and RIchard Gere have an uparalleled chemistry (prostitution never looked so good). The power differences and the class differences never seem to affect the dynamic between the two of them because while he has class and money, she has sensitivity and emotion. They both have a little something to learn, and society ultimately (at least in this romanticized Hollywood context) values Julia Roberts' commodities of kindness and down-to-earth common sense more than Richard Gere's hard-won money. The give and take between them seems to ameliorate the inequalities which in real life would be glaring (another reason why we probably love this movie). These qualities about Julia Robert's character, Vivian, make her more the equal of Richard Gere's character, Edward. In other words, when she reveals herself, makes herself vulnerable, she in turn activates all of her softer qualities (kindness, innocence, hope) which offset the harder qualities about Edward (business mind, fear, drive). With the wig on, she can't do those things, and so it is only after she takes it off that Edward asks her to stay. If he did it while she was wearing it, the offer would not feel as right to the audience. Ultimately, this helps the fairytale-esque nature of the film, because just like in Briget Jone's Diary, all women seem to want to be loved exaclty as we are.

Pretty Woman Name: skeptic Date: 2005-11-15 18:07:28 Link to this Comment: 17001

I don’t really see why Pretty Woman is more of a chick flick than Bridget Jones Diary. I think they both have the same basic elements of chick flicks, just different story lines. However I definitely think that Pretty Woman is more appealing to viewers because of the class difference. I do not think that the fairy tale come true aspect of the movie necessarily connects to viewers, because those things just don’t happen in real life, but I do think that viewers like to see the fairy tale come true, as it does in Pretty Woman.
I think that Vivian is more of an equal to Edward with her wig on in the first half of the movie. Towards the end of the movie however, he has some major changes in character and becomes a better person. Then it seems that he is more of an equal to Vivian without her wig. This all leads to Vivian’s dream of a fairy tale love becoming reality for her.

Classic Fairy Tale or Modern Romance? Name: Idealist Date: 2005-11-15 18:46:44 Link to this Comment: 17005

I think that Pretty Woman is the ultimate chick flick. It goes beyond the traditional modern romance tale (which is exemplified in Bridget Jones). It is more of a classic fairy tale. And this is largely due to the class difference. Love conquers all. The princess at heart falls for the prince (kind of like the princess and the toad but inverted). And that is what attracts all to it...

Pretty Woman Name: Realist Date: 2005-11-15 18:49:32 Link to this Comment: 17006

Pretty Woman works as a chick-flick (perhaps the ultimate one) because it IS simply an updated version of Cinderella! It’s Cinderella to a modern extreme. She’s not JUST impoverished and put upon, but ALSO in one of the most stigmatized jobs we have nowadays – a prostitute. He is the closest to royalty that we have nowadays – rich, a little pretentious, powerful, and yet vulnerable on the inside. This is an ultimate “love overcomes all obstacles” movie. Power and class difference definitely has an effect on why this movie works. I mean, it’s just the same old story – poor little girl rescued by strong brave knight in shining armor. She’s in one of the lowest social classes, and he’s in the highest. Yet, he brings her up to his level. I find it interesting how many women absolutely ADORE this movie, and yet would probably never talk to a prostitute in a million years. Funny how ideals never seem to play out in real life. I think what connects the movie to the viewers is not so much the fairy tale part as the realistic parts. Vivian’s rejection at the store on Rodeo Drive, the reactions she elicits from people in the beginning, her drive to become more than JUST some man’s mistress. I think Vivian is more of an equal to Richard in her wig, when she’s “playing the part of a hooker” and just “doing it like a robot”. As he said himself, they both screw people for money. I think her vulnerability once her wig is removed is what brings out the humanity in Richard, and thereby allows them to fall in love. As a person, Vivian may have the higher ground than Richard, but they both do appear to develop and grow together.

Week 4 Bend It Like Beckham Name: Amy Campbe Date: 2005-11-17 14:37:03 Link to this Comment: 17053

Compare and contrast how Bend It Like Beckham is like (or not) Bridget Jones Diary and League Of Their Own.

BILB Name: Andrea Cut Date: 2005-11-20 22:43:41 Link to this Comment: 17104

To me, the manners in which BILB differs from ALOTO are more telling than those in which the film is similar. BILB is a feel-good, coming of age movie about the identity struggles associated with coming of age and the challenges associated with the inevitable conflict between parent and child. In the case of BILB this particular conflict not only involved college choice, but also religion, culture, and gender. These are issues that could have been relevant in ALOTO, however there is no scene in which Dottie and Kit's father tells them women don't play baseball and implores them not to embarrass their family - to the best of the viewer's knowledge they girls have the full support of their parents. It isn't until the end of BILB that Jess has earned the full support of _her_ parents, thus the movie is much more about the struggle with family, culture, and maturation, that Jess faces, than it is about soccer. ALOTO, however, I would venture to say, captures more of the actual sport.

BILB is also a bit of a love story in a way that ALOTO is not. It doesn't follow much of the typical chick flick format we have discussed because it is not wildly romantic and unexpected - rather Jess and her coach "click" because of shared experiences. Both share difficult experiences with tyrannical fathers, and both have suffered painful and physically scarring accidents. This seems a logical common ground on which to connect - which is precisely the aspect of their romance that makes it non chick flick material. It was the fact that Bridget and ends up falling in love with a man who so blatantly insulted her at the movie's start (or that a prostitute ends up with a billionaire) that gives the other movies their fairy-tale aspect. Little about BILB is fantasy. Rather, the entire movie realistically captures Jess' hardships presenting them in a way that teenage viewers can relate to.

compare and contrast Name: Bayh Sulli Date: 2005-11-21 14:18:37 Link to this Comment: 17120

BILB is very different from BJD and ALOTO. It focuses on younger women and centers around their coming of age in the contexts of multiple cultures, stigmas around participation in sports and identities as athletes versus as young women focused on finding bofriends or husbands. It deals openly with issues of class and ethnicity. BJD fits all of the criteria that we have discussed each week as befitting a chick flick, whereas BILB and ALOTO are clearly about women in sports. They focus on personal and team victory and overcoming challenges in order to play. BJD is designed to emulate a fairytale, and while there are aspects of the fairy tale in both BILB (Jess falls for the coach and he befriends the father to suggest they will be together when Jess returns from America) and ALOTO (Bob returns unscathed from war, Kit finds a husband, Marla gets married) the focus is far more on the victories that make these films function as women athlete-centered movies. All of them aim at entertaining their broad female audiences, but out of all of them, BILB is the most thought provoking in terms of salient social issues, such as gender, class, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Name: Realist Date: 2005-11-22 15:05:27 Link to this Comment: 17141

I don’t really think there’s much similarity between BILB and BJD. They’re made for different purposes, to get across a different message. They do both have some romantic scenes, but BILB is not ABOUT the romantic part, it’s about overcoming obstacles – athletically and culturally. BJD is about a silly mid-thirties woman who gets in messes, but winds up getting lucky and landing a man. ALOTO is more sports oriented, but it doesn’t focus on the same issues as BILB either. ALOTO focuses more on the sibling rivalry aspect, and sort of how the sport of baseball can get inside somebody’s blood. BILB really brings out very well a lot of the culturally sensitive issues, jokes about sexual orientation, and focuses a lot on the main character’s attempts to successfully integrate the sport she loves with the people she loves and the life she lives.

Name: G Date: 2005-11-22 16:10:08 Link to this Comment: 17143

Bend it Like Beckham is vastly different from both Bridget Jones Diary and A League of Their Own for a number of reasons. First and foremost deals with audience. Bend it like Beckham is aimed a reaching a much younger crowd of women (girls, really)that the other two. It is fashioned so these youthful people are attracted to the good-looking celebrities (i.e. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Kiera Knightly)and contemporary plot lines (i.e. dealing with issues of ethnicity, race, feminism, radition, etc.). I even doubt that many old fans of Bridget Jones Diary and A League of Their Own have even seen this movie.

It is like A League of Their Own in a few ways - they both deal with women in sports, and both coached by a man. They also both deal with tradition vs. personal aspirations - the issue of marriage is prevelent in both films. So, this it is reasonable to compare the two.

On the other hand, it is not as productive to compare Bend in Like Beckham to Bridget Jones Diary. The only thing they seem to have in common is that they both take place in London.

Name: Dreamer Date: 2005-11-22 17:34:37 Link to this Comment: 17144

I do not think there is much in common between these movies. In A League of Their Own, Dottie was hesitant to play ball because she didn't want to. In BILB, Jess is struggling whether or not to play because her family does not approve. In some way this is related to BJD because in both, the children are trying to rebel against their overbearing parents

Name: Skeptic Date: 2005-11-22 17:41:47 Link to this Comment: 17145

I think that while BILB is reaching a young audience, so is BJD and ALOTO. As a matter of fact, I think both the latter movies are really geared towards younger audiences - we were young when they came out and all saw them. I also think that BILB was a bit more of a indie movie and the audience is mostly college-age. (While i think the others are geared towards audiences a bit younger).

In both BILB and ALOTO, the main players have obsticles they must overcome to play in the sport. However, in BILB the obsticle and external and in ALOTO the obsticle is internal.

Compare and Contrast Name: hopeless r Date: 2005-11-29 14:03:40 Link to this Comment: 17211

I think that while BILB has similar qualities and situations to BJD and PW, it is a different movie all together. The plot is centered around a different generation, for one. It deals with many different types of relationships than just the typical romantic ones that 'chic flicks' always seem to include. It has a deeper evaluation and observation of the dynamics of family, more so than BJD or PW because the relationships are between not only a daughter and a father or mother but more importantly, with an adolescent and her parent. It also deals with new catagories such as culture and ethnicity that BJD and PW do not address. This movie in a lot of ways, because it combines and addresses so many different issues, reaches a larger audience and successfully convey's it's "chick flick" qualities while still being a movie about sports.

Name: Group 4 Date: 2005-11-29 18:51:02 Link to this Comment: 17213

We really liked the bryn mawr part in "Somethings Gotta Give".

Week 6 Questions on <3&Bball Name: Andrea Cut Date: 2005-11-29 21:56:46 Link to this Comment: 17219

How is the nature of the relationship between Monica and her mother representative of the cultural dichotomy that exists for female athletes who struggle to identify themselves as feminine and athletic? Is this same dichotomy present at Bryn Mawr? Is this exemplified by the title given to Bryn Mawr athletes: scholar athlete? What about the title woman athlete? Is the gendered adjective necessary? Why do you think society still needs to identify female athletes by their gender rather than just their commitment to a sport?

other <3& basketball Questions Name: Kate C Date: 2005-11-30 20:49:03 Link to this Comment: 17244

Love and Basketball examines the question of priorities. Which is more important, the sport and the pursuit of victory, or the relationship? How is the comparison handled differently in Love and Basketball than the other movies (ALOTO and BILB)? Which is right? Who is right about Monica's priorities, Monica or Q? Does it cheapen her sports(wo)manship that she no longer wants to play once Q isn't around? How does one reconcile the difference in priorities and find a happy medium? Did Monica do a good job?

<3 & Bball Name: Andrea Date: 2005-12-03 14:19:32 Link to this Comment: 17278

Question #1: Love and Basketball superbly captures the complexities associated with being female and athletic in a subculture (a family) that has adopted a particular set of standards for its women. At the movie’s onset, 11 year-old Monica tells young Q that her mom says she is “different,” that she must have come from “somewhere else.” Throughout the movie the viewer witnesses Monica’s strained relationship with her mother, a homemaker. The dénouement comes when Monica, in her late twenties, finally confronts her mother about never attending her basketball games. Her mother fires back with accusations about Monica’s opinion of her choice to raise a family in lieu of working a job. Few scenes could more accurately capture the challenges women face when choosing between a career and a family.
I believe that many viewers could watch this scene and arrive at the conclusion that Monica’s mother should have pursued her “dreams” as she referred to them, rather than “settling” for a life of home-cooked meals and ironing shirts. Monica’s mother doesn’t see her choice as “settling” however, and largely I believe that her response is the most powerful statement of the movie. Her character portrays a woman in one of the single-most important and respectable roles she could play: the mother. At the movie’s end we see Monica balancing a career as a professional basketball player and motherhood. It is left to the viewer to determine the degree to which her own mother influenced her decisions.
For this reason I believe the challenge isn’t specifically for women attempting to identify themselves as female and athletic, but as female – with all the implied duties concerning child baring and rearing – and successful.

<3 and Bball Name: Andrea Cut Date: 2005-12-03 14:37:50 Link to this Comment: 17279

Question #2 Before I begin to approach responding to the question I wish to note that I do not believe Monica in anyway failed to support Q in his time of need. She needed to make curfew, however, she told him to come back with her. She told him she would stay up all night and talk to him. In no way did she ever choose basketball over Q, and his childish reaction, cheating on her, and decision to break-up with her reaffirms the fact that it was Q, and not Monica who had the priority issues. That said:
Just like ALOTO, Love and Basketball depicts the story behind the sports, human relationships. This is not an unusual approach for sports movies: (Rocky had Adrian, Hilary Swank had her trainer, and Kit had Dottie). It’s unrealistic to portray an athlete as simply a well-oiled machine and many of these movies capture what a lot of us have experienced: that competitive edge and the will to win can carry you 90% of the way to victory, but in the end its those the faith and support of those who love you that carry you the final miles or minutes. In no way does it cheapen Monica’s sportsmanship that she no longer wants to play when Q is not around, rather it completes her.

Name: Dreamer Date: 2005-12-05 20:40:19 Link to this Comment: 17316

Monica and her mother have a very disfuncional relationship because the mother is the typical female. She doesn't have a job, she likes to cook and supports her husband, but Monica is athletic, and while she'll support the people in her life, not to the detriment of the things that make her happy (basketball). The dichotomy between the mother and Monica is representative of what society thinks of women - they should be like the mother, and the ones who aren't are not normal and it isn't worth trying to understand where they are coming from. I think that Bryn Mawr understands that people have passions and may sacrifice other things to pursue their passion. The same goes for the athletes here, although the title of 'scholar athlete' reflects what society thinks - other things should come first. The gendered adj is not necessary, although society expects there to be a difference between an athlete and a woman athlete. I don't know why this is but i think it has something to do with our upbringing and culture.

Q1 Name: skeptic Date: 2005-12-05 21:02:07 Link to this Comment: 17317

I think all of the women’s sports films we’ve watched have addressed the struggle that some women have to identify themselves as both feminine and athletic. I don’t think that this dichotomy is quite the same at Bryn Mawr. At Bryn Mawr there seems to be a struggle to be both athletic and academic, but I don’t think that it has anything to do with gender. I’m sure the struggle between academia and athletics can also be found at co-ed institutions that like Bryn Mawr, focus on academics. I don’t think it’s necessary to specify gender when referring to an athlete. I think that society still identifies female athletes by their gender because athletics is still dominated by males.

Q2 Name: skeptic Date: 2005-12-05 21:10:25 Link to this Comment: 17318

I think that priorities vary for every individual. No one person can say sports should come before love, or vice versa. Everyone has their own priorities according to what makes them happy. I don’t think it cheapens Monica’s sportsmanship when she no longer wants to play when Quincy is not around. There is no definitive answer to the question about reconciling the difference in priorities and finding a happy medium. Monica obviously did a great job with this, as it was a very very happy ending.

LAB Questions 1 and 2 Name: Bayh Sulli Date: 2005-12-05 21:30:46 Link to this Comment: 17320

Question #1:

Monica struggles to identify herself as both feminine and athletic, as is exemplified by her relationship with her mother. She tries to rectify her interest in athletics with being beautiful (e.g. when she gets dressed for her dance). She is clearly rewarded for her attempts to be classically feminine when her mother lends her the pearls, but is punished when her mother fails to attend more than two of her basketball games. This same dichotomy is present at Bryn Mawr, but the emphasis is different. Priority is given to academics rather than athletics. This is different, however, because Bryn Mawr is a microcosm of the society that LAB speaks to. The women who come to Bryn Mawr have committed first to their academics and second to their athletics. This is represented in their dual title of scholar athlete. Conversely, women generally do not opt to place their athletics before their femininity, or vice versa. This is something that is imposed on them externally. This is exemplified in society’s need to continue identifying athletes who are women as women athletes. It is an attempt to maintain their assigned gender roles and ensure that society is not threatened by an imagined lack of femininity due to participation in athletics.

Question #2:

It seems in LAB that Monica’s relationship with Q is ultimately more important to her than her pursuit of victory and her love of basketball. Initially, it appears that she chooses basketball over him, but ultimately, she risks her career in order to get Q back, even though he is committed to another woman. She does go back to basketball, but only after she has resolved her romantic relationship. This is similar to the resolution in ALOTO, but different from BILB. In BILB, we are to understand that Jess’ romantic relationship has been put indefinitely on hold, until her sport and her relationship can coexist. She is not forced to give up either for the other, unless we view a long distance relationship as giving up the romantic relationship. In BILB, then, it would seem that the ideals of a woman’s sports film are most accurately conveyed. For me, it does lessen Monica’s ultimate victory in obtaining both Q and a place in the WNBA. While it doesn’t cheapen her victory, it suggests that her love of basketball is second to her love of Q, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Rather, it suggests that love and her personal relationship with Q are necessary for her more so than participation in her sport. I think that the end of the movie allows us to reconcile the fact that she is willing to give up basketball because she doesn’t have to, but I think we would all feel very different about the movie if it had ended with neither of them playing basketball, or with Monica sitting on the sidelines of an NBA game cheering on Q. The plot of the movie, rather than the individual choices or priorities of Monica, allow us to categorize this movie as a woman in sports film rather than a chick flick, but it is also the closest of the three to a chick flick.

<3 and Bball Name: hopeless r Date: 2005-12-08 22:47:07 Link to this Comment: 17357

I agree with some of the comments above that Monica wasn't being unsupportive just because she choose to keep her curfew. Q was a big part of her life but she needed to find a way to balance being there for him while not undermining or compromising her place on the team. We have to remember that it was never easy for her to excel the way that Q did. He was an instant star in college where she was the ignorant freshman. She was following her dreams, just like Q but she had to work significantly harder to be recognized for her efforts and he should have understood that, nomatter what he was going through. I like the title of this movie because I think that love, like life, is about choices. Relationships have to grow and you make choices along the way that can either make or break your relationship. In order to be successful, a relationship must be equal with two people putting in the same efforts and support and balancing their dreams and aspirations with time for each other. It's hard to say whether or not one thing or another should be a priority because I believe that relationships and the other activities in your life (whether it be family, academics, sports or otherwise) have to have a balance in order for each of them to succeed. For instance, Monica said that basketball just wasn't the same for her anymore. But she wasn't balancing basketball with anything else in her life and without her relationships (Q and her mother for instance), it just didn't have the same role in her life. This movie, to me is about the success of working hard to achieve your goals in many ways. One, was the success of Monica in sports. In the end she finally had the career that she wanted as a basketball player. The other was her success in being in a happy relationship and finding the inner strength to fight for what she wanted and loved.

FINAL PAPER Name: skeptic Date: 2005-12-09 14:19:27 Link to this Comment: 17363

1. It is 2015 and you are writing/directing a film that is a combination
CF and women’s sports film. Who are the protagonists? What is the plot
and conclusion?
Comeback

CHARACTERS:
Kara A young woman struggling to make it for herself as a dancer and discover what is real and what she is living for.
Sadie A singer and Kara’s current girlfriend, who has destroyed her sense of self-confidence as a dancer and as a person through her bad influences and her critical and jealous nature.
Paul An enthusiastic musician working on an album produced by Kara’s father who falls in love with Kara and believes that the passion she once had for dance can be revived by love.
Dan Kara’s father, a very wealthy record producer who loves her very much and believes in her, but does not approve of her homosexuality, and thinks that all Kara needs is the right man.

PLOT:
It is the year 2015. Kara lives in New York City. She lives in her own place, a beautiful apartment overlooking the park, and paid for by her father. Kara and Sadie met five years before. Sadie was a musician working on her first album, produced by Kara’s father Dan. Kara had been working on a dance piece funded by her father. She wanted to do things that had never been done before in her dance company. She wanted to dance to vocals, not instrumental music, but a cappella. She was having trouble making it work, but truly believed that it could be something great. After a couple years of going nowhere, her dance troop began to lose faith in her ideas about dance. Eventually, they all quit and decided to work with other choreographers. Kara began to lose all direction and inspiration. She was lonely and unhappy. Feeling lost and dead as a dancer, Kara became reclusive and quit dancing completely. Kara is Dan’s only child, and her happiness is very important to him. Dan suspected that Sadie’s music might be exactly what Kara needed for inspiration. And how right he was. They were perfect together, in more ways than anyone had ever expected. Their first meeting was very shy and awkward at first, as they were both very physically attracted to each other. But at the most awkward moment, Sadie started singing, and Kara started dancing. It was beautiful perfection. They seemed to understand each other on a much higher level than they’d ever experienced before and they fell madly in love at this first meeting.
Shortly thereafter, Sadie moved in with Kara. Kara however, had never ‘come out’ to her father. She knew he would not approve. On one of his regular visits to Kara’s place, he caught them in bed together. He lost it completely. He immediately dropped his record deal with Sadie and demanded that she move out of the apartment. Not wanting to destroy the bond between father and daughter, Sadie left. Without work and money, Sadie was struggling to survive in the slums of the city. Kara and Sadie still met up and tried to continue their relationship.
Things were great for a little while, but Sadie started hanging out with all the wrong people and became addicted to drugs. She lost touch with music and reality. By this time, Dan had sent another musician to Kara. He sent Paul. Paul was a very talented musician with a beautiful voice and his ideas about music were very similar to Sadie’s. Even though Paul was just as good if not better than Sadie as a musician, Kara just could not find inspiration in him.
Sadie in the meantime had completely changed as a person. She became very critical of Kara and extremely jealous of her relationship with Paul. Paul was falling in love with Kara. He truly believed in her and her ideas about dance. They became very close friends, and Kara confided in Paul about what had happened and was happening with Sadie. Although Paul was madly in love with Kara, he also respected her a great deal and wanted her to be happy. He would never try to come between her and Sadie. In fact, he knew that Sadie was all that Katie wanted and needed to be happy. And he knew that Sadie was all that Kara needed to dance again. Sadie began pressuring Kara to do the drugs she was doing. Kara obliged, willing to do anything to keep Sadie in her life. When Kara became as addicted to the drugs as Sadie was, she became once again completely dead to dance. She again became reclusive and depressed. She stopped seeing Paul and avoided her father.
Paul saw what was going on and because he loved Kara and wanted the best for her, decided to talk to Dan. He knew Dan would not like what he had to say. His career as a musician was dependent on his record deal with Dan, and he knew that he could potentially lose it all by telling Dan what he thought about Kara and Sadie. And sure enough, after talking to Dan, Dan dropped his deal with Paul and told Paul to stay out of his and Kara’s lives forever. Then Dan went to Kara’s place to check up on her. He found her on the bathroom floor lying in her own vomit. All she could say was that she needed Sadie. This opened Dan’s eyes up to what his daughter truly wanted and needed.
While Kara was in the hospital recovering from her drug overdose, Dan spent five days without sleeping looking for Sadie. When he found her, he gave her a passionate hug, kissed her forehead. He told her that he loved, that Kara loved her and that they both needed her desperately. Sadie moved back in to Kara’s place shortly afterward. They decided to never mess with drugs again, and they began dancing and singing together again. Paul and Kara began singing together, and eventually made a record together, produced by Dan of course. They all made glorious comebacks and lived happily ever after.

Name: idealist Date: 2005-12-16 12:58:43 Link to this Comment: 17439

The Setting: The year 2015. Planet Alfaterna, a planet 2.08 Astronomical Units away from Earth. Altaferna has 6 moons. Its sun is the star Giuzar. Days on this planet last as long as 1 month on earth.

The Context: After the invasion of planet Earth by the Marquessa aliens, an evil breed, Earth was left almost completely destroyed. The few hundreds of survivors were transported to the Marquessa’s home, Altaferna, where they were sold as slaves. Among the survivors is Svetlana, a Russian girl aged 17.

The humans have been challenged to a game of Fusion-Schism.

Other characters:

Svetlana’s Teammates:
Time spent in planet Altaferna’s foreign atmosphere has mutated the human slaves. Each of them have developed their own special powers. These special powers have been kept secret for fear of what the Marquessa may do to the humans upon finding out.
Youssef - a 20 year old Egyptian with infinite strength
Claire - a 15 year old American with infinite spirit
Song Mu li - a 18 year old Chinese girl with infinite patience
Nandakishor - an 8 years old Indian boy with infinite wisdom
Ronke - a 16 year old girl from Ghana with infinite agility

The Marquessa:
Mancho - the old king
Lasera - His evil mistress
Banterbo, better know as Bot - their three eyed handsome son
Martianessa - their medling daughter

The Marquessa Team:
Androido - the captain and faithful man servant to Lasera… some say more
Pargenta - the fierce right fielder recruited from planet Harkowna
Jayduu - the lethal forward
Delkech - the skilled and ambidextrous goalie
Tyrwa - the indefatigable defender
Fagustiis - the mastermind

The Plot:

The ever resilient and beautiful Svetlanna, kidnapped from her home town of Lebyazshk at the age of 7, has vowed to regain her freedom and avenge her parent’s death. Forced into working in a spaceship parts factory under the miserly Odefmah, Svetlanna has been working on building a secret spaceship that may one day carry the humans to the friendly planet of Nanpok. The only fault in this scheme is that Svetlanna has fallen in love with Bot and that their love for one another has been discovered by Martianessa. But Martianessa does not stop there. Upon further meddling, she finds out about Svetlanna’s plan for escape. Martianessa reports their affair to Lasera and Svetlanna is sentenced to death. Bot, heatbroken by Svetlanna’s predicament, feels culpable for her situation. He comes up with what could potentially be craziest idea he has come up with yet… or is it? His plan is the following: the humans will be challenged to a game of fusion schism, a game they have been forbidden to play since their arrival on planet Alfaterna. The humans are at a great disadvantage and will therefore be expected to lose. He knows that this detail is what will win Lasera over. The stakes are as such: If the human team defeats the Marquessa, all of them, including Svetlanna will be set free and transported to Nanpok. If they lose, however, they will be executed in the most painful way known on Planet Alfaterna…This method of execution is spoken of and greatly feared but what it is, is known only to Mancho. Lasera, excited by the prospect of what she perceives to be an uneven playing field, accepts the challenge. The humans are given two weeks to prepare for the game for their life. Lasera, meanwhile, handpicks the Marquessa team: only the strongest, the most agile, and the most fierce will make it through the selection process. To make things worse, Lasera has decreed that any Marquessa found instructing the humans on the rules to fusion schism will be extradited to planet Earth’s remains. Sventlanna, banned from seeing Bot and under-surveillance, must put aside her emotions and come up with a plan. The time has finally come for the humans to use their powers. All hope for humanity rests now on 8 year old Nandakishor who must use his infinite wisdom to understand the game of fusion schism. It is up to Claire to keep the team spirit high as the shadow of death looms larger and larger ahead. Ronke must now use her agility to sneak around the training site of the Marquessa, without being discovered. Ahmad must build up his strength in preparation for the final face off. And Song Mu li’s must rely on her patience to help her get through the 783,460,215 to the power ten books she has found in Alfaterna’s micro-processor library on the subject of fusion-schism, none of which describe how the game is played.

36 hours before the game: Ronke has not come back from her last trip to the training camp. Song Mu li’s patience is growing thin.

But then it happens… Suddenly, it occurs to Nandakishor.

24 hours: The team is training hard. Svetlanna’s resilience is even more prominent. She has kept the team together for this long. She can usher them through the next twenty four hours she says to herself…keep training, keep training, keep training…she says to them.

21 hours: Keep training… still no sign of Ronke. Sventlanna holds the team together. She has found that she has a special knack for fusion-schism.

3 hours: The team must go on without Ronke. It is a tough decision that Svetlanna must make but whatever has happened to her, they will find out soon. Until then they have to rely on her and Ahmad and there team must play one player short.

The Game: As soon as the humans arrive on the “courts,” they find out what has happened to Ronke. She has been captured in spite of her infinite agility. And because of her illegal conduct, the Marquessa are granted 10 points to start off with. 10 points. But that’s ridiculous…

All it takes for Svetlanna to regain her confidence is one look into the eyes of Bot. She can do this. “We can do this!” she tells the team. And they did. On that day, they one. No one knows to this day how it really happened. There are all sorts of stories. Its still talked of today, 2000 years later: the story of how the humans were freed, how they moved to Nanpok, and then came back to free the planet of Lasera. It happened… I tell you. I was there. But maybe I will tell you about it another time. As for Sventlanna and Bot, well they became the new king and queen and well naturally…lived happily ever after….

The End