"Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown" by Mr. Patrick J Butler

"Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown" by Mr. Patrick J Butler https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit Exit Question: Hons Humanities: Film Connection: Greek Tragedy--Tropes and Motifs en-us 2017-01-31 02:35:10 UTC 2020-11-15 02:27:02 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padletuploads.blob.core.windows.net/prod/164069059/ffb38d3ffae1e6788c84148e5578a274/IMG_1639.jpg Exit Assignment : Motifs (Literature to Film) osentowski18 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/236499474 Liv:

You are a bit off the mark here. Both characters are urged to slow down in order to avoid a "collision," but neither do. This is not simply about heartbreak. I'm a bit confused by when you refer to how others urge Oedipus to "pursue his own ancestry"? 33/40

In the film, Chinatown, Jack's colleagues try to notify him by telling him to not continue his relationship with Evelyn. Although it is better to distance himself from Evelyn, Jack continues to involve himself with her, which results in him getting hurt/heartbroken. In Sophocles' text, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus ignores Jocasta and Tiresias' advice. They try to warn Oedipus and tell him to figure out his own genuine ancestry. In the end, Oedipus, just like Jack, gets hurt when he blinds himself with the broaches. ]]> 2018-02-28 16:32:35 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/236499474 gsmith183 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/237408573 Excellent. 40/40. I like the citations - apropos and makes the crux of your responses accessible.
Polanski's 1974 film, Chinatown, utilizes multiple tropes to mirror the greek tragedy style. Polanski employs tropes specifically similar to Sophocles's Oedipus. The most apparent of these motifs is the people of Chinatown and the people close to Jake attempting to warn him about the consequences of continuing on the road he travels. In addition, Jake warns Evelyn of the same dangers, but both characters refuse to listen to their advisors. These warnings perfectly mirror those of Jocasta and Tiresias from Oedipus as well as Haemon's from Antigone. These characters warn the tragic heroes of the stories to stop the path they travel as it only ends in sorrow, but the tragic heroes refuse to listen, just like Jake and Evelyn.]]> 2018-03-02 14:36:09 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/237408573 Exit Assignment: Literature to Film (Motifs): 30 Points pjbenglish https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/876261498 Today's prefatory classroom discussion and activities focused on how the various tropes and motifs present in Ancient Greek tragedies/dramas are still widely used in today's dramatic and theatrical productions. In order to check for your understanding of the same, in a pad (please include your name if still "unregistered'), please bullet one trope or motif from Greek tragedy/drama that Director Roman Polanski made effective metaphorical use of in his 1974 gender-bending reimagining film adaptation of Oedipus, Chinatown, and then offer a sentence or two noting how the trope's or motif's use in the film mirrors its original function in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. Be concise. ***Link to Article and Video Essay:

"Chinatown: A Greek Tragedy "– Filmscalpel
http://www.filmscalpel.com/chinatown-a-greek-tragedy/

30 Points.

]]> 2020-10-30 13:21:30 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/876261498 The Car eclark218 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877367117 In Chinatown, a prominent motif used by Polanski is Evelyn’s cream convertible. She constantly insists on taking her own car, even when Jake advises her not to. This is a parallel to Oedipus’s need for knowledge. He does everything he can to discover the truth about his family in order to avoid his fate, but it is no use. Eventually, Evelyn is killed in her car and Oedipus fulfills the prophecy.
Lizzy:
Need for knowledge-his tragic flaw or how he colludes with his own tragedy and the car is more representative of his dreaded fate?
28/30]]> 2020-10-30 17:51:46 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877367117 Halle Karam https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877492740 There are several motifs present in Polanski’s Chinatown that are also seen in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. One prominent motif in both works is blindness. Throughout the Greek tragedy, Oedipus was blind to the truth until he physically blinded himself once he learned the truth. Chinatown mirrors this, representing blindness in several ways: Evelyn being shot in her left eye, a lost glasses’ lens, a black eye, a missing rear light. These symbolize the characters’ blindness to the truth.
28/30]]> 2020-10-30 18:25:41 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877492740 Evan Holt https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877530770
Although there are many motifs throughout the Chinatown fill by Polanski that are very similar to ones in Oedipus Rex, one I would like to hone in on would be blindness/vision deficit. With the combination of both Evelyn's lost eye and lens, the motif for blindness is very clearly drawn out in this film. Similarly in Oedipus Rex...
Evan:
Is this finished? It reads rushed, and it is a tad underdeveloped.
23/30]]> 2020-10-30 18:37:13 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877530770 Blindness sgagliardo21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877540899 In Chinatown, there are many metaphors to blindness. These include the shattered eyeglass lens, the lost lens of the sunglasses after a fight, as well as Evelyn losing her left eye from a gunshot at the end of the movie. Even prior to this, she touches her left eye as almost a foreshadowing to the injury she will sustain. In Sophocles Oedipus, King Oedipus is metaphorically blind to the truth that he killed his father. After he learns the truth, he physically blinds himself with the pins from his wife's jacket, as a sort of reckoning for what he has done. ]]> 2020-10-30 18:40:07 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877540899 Kieran Schutt https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877542147 In Chinatown, there are many parallels with the greek tragedy Oedipus Rex including that of blindness or loss of sight. First, in Chinatown there is foreshadowing or imagery as Evelyn touches her left eye when driving away, the camera panning to the lost sunglass lens after a fight, and finally Evelyn being shot through her left eye. This relates back to Oedipus who is figuratively blind throughout the novel. He can physically see everything around him but he is unable to see the future and what will happen to him because of his tragic flaw. In the end of both Oedipus Rex and Chinatown the main characters tragic flaws lead them to physical blindness. ]]> 2020-10-30 18:40:29 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877542147 blin213 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877568492 Polanski's film, Chinatown, mirrors many motifs of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. One main motif was the blindness of the characters. There were many incidences of blindness that were foreshadowed through the movie. One of murderer's lens was shattered, Jake's sunglasses were missing a lens, and multiple occasions of black eyes. These all led up to the final event that Evelyn was shot through her eye, mirroring how Oedipus pokes his eyes out, and showing the characters' blindness.]]> 2020-10-30 18:48:16 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/877568492 Mika Bickford https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/878595843 In both Roman Polanski's movie, Chinatown, and Sophocles' play, Oedipus, the director and author use the motif that fate is inescapable and the seeking of knowledge brings the tragic heroes to their inescapable undoing. Both main characters seek knowledge with intentions to help, but ultimately end up colliding with their own fate; and the revealing of secrets leaves casualties. Oedipus seeks the knowledge of who killed his father in order to help the city of Thebes. In Chinatown, J.J. Gittes seeks to know the truth from Evelyn Mulray in order to help her. In both cases, the seeking of knowledge leads them to the fate that they were trying to avoid. For Oedipus, the knowledge of incest leads to the death of his own mother, though the city of Thebes ends in a better state. In Chinatown, Evelyn ultimately dies trying to hide the truth of incest. Chinatown ends up more tragic in that Gittes didn't ultimately help anyone by seeking this knowledge. Evelyn dies and her daughter ends up with her incestual grandfather/father. Tragically, what happens to her, seems to be a repeat of something that happened in Gittes’ past, in the same place. Gittes is unable to escape Chinatown. Everything leads him to it.
Mika:
Did you view the film in its entirety? This reads as if you gave the film a focused viewing. Thank you for the multiple correlations and for arguing your points to a definitive conclusion. I like how you make a decision as to which character's "tragedy" is more tragic.
30/30. ]]> 2020-10-31 13:26:47 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/878595843 Shane Nachshen https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/879078621 Roman Polanski's gender-bending film, Chinatown, put to use many tropes/motifs to connect to the Greek Tragedy Style, and more specifically, Oedipus, by Sophocles. The most prominent of these tropes is Blindness vs. Sight, which is apparent in both works of art. In Chinatown, this theme is shown numerous times, included Evelyn rubbing her eye while driving, Evelyn being shot in her left eye, a glass lens falling out, a broken back car light, and finally a black eye. This theme is present in Sophacles' Oedipus Rex when Oedipus blinds himself after finding out the Curses came true. In both of these plays, tragic flaws, such as trying to avoid fate (blindness of reality), lead to physical blindness.]]> 2020-10-31 22:34:07 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/879078621 Dylan Karam https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880251784 Chinatown and Oedipus Rex both follow the Greek tragedy concept of being in collusion with one's own fate. For example Evelyn only rides in her yellow car, which ultimately leads to her being shot in the eye. Similarly Oedipus refuses to stop his search for the killer of Laous, which while doesn't end his life, it does shake and metaphorically leave him disabled that he stabs his own eyes out.]]> 2020-11-01 17:45:58 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880251784 Julia Caporusso https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880308492 The Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and the 1974 film Chinatown, by Polanski both utilize multiple motifs throughout their productions. One motif in particular is that of blindness, metaphorically and physically. In Chinatown, the motif of blindness comes to play through descriptions of black eyes, broken lenses, and the blinding and killing of Evelyn. Ultimately, these acts of blinding are the results of being blind to reality. Oedipus in Oedipus Rex also turns a blind eye to reality, until it is the reality that blinds him, when he stabs out his eyes. Both Evelyn and Oedipus being blind to reality ultimately leads to their downfalls.]]> 2020-11-01 18:31:43 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880308492 goshaughnessy21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880311467 In Chinatown, the writer incorporated many motifs that replicate the Greek tragedy style. Some of these motifs are displayed in the Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex. In both these stories, blindness is the common theme that is depicted. In Chinatown, there are many scenes that foreshadow the final event of Evelyn getting shot through her eye. These scenes show either a broken lenses in glasses, or black eyes, or one of her tail lights being kicked out, or even when Evelyn rubs her eye after saving Jake from a shootout. This final event of Evelyn getting shot in the eye directly reflects how Oedipus stabbed his eyes out, both depicting the characters blindness. ]]> 2020-11-01 18:34:04 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880311467 Luke Leshnower https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880406327 In Chinatown, Richard Polanski used many tropes that are similar to those in Oedipus Rex. One of the motifs that are truly evident in both masterpieces is the "long road traveled" cliche. In both works, there are people that warn others of mistakes that can be made, but make them self. In Oedipus Rex, Jocasta and Tiresias warn each other of the path they are taking and what is to come. They still both complete their fate, and neglect to take their own advice. This is very similar to Chinatown, where the people always around Jake are warning him of his potential mistakes that are up and coming. Likewise, Jake attempts to warn Evelyn who does not listen to him either. Clearly, there is a relationship in the two pieces of art in their shared motifs. ]]> 2020-11-01 19:52:55 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880406327 Dante Giampietro https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880516912 Both Roman Polanski's movie, Chinatown, and Sophocles' play, Oedipus Rex, incorporate similar motifs/tropes throughout their respective productions by following the Greek tragedy style of literature. The idea of blindness vs. sight is evident in both of these works, where the main characters, Evelyn and Oedipus, are blind from their fates and it is not until the reversal when they are able to see their fate. Foreshadowing is a major literary utilized in Chinatown, with the idea of the eye, Evelyn touching her left eye, the black eyes, and the broken glass, to set up Evelyn's fate: being shot in the eye. She is blind to these incidents, similar to Oedipus as he is blind to his reality and who he actually is: the killer of Laius and married to his mother. It is not until Oedipus blinds himself is he actually able to see nor is Evelyn until she is shot.]]> 2020-11-01 21:29:59 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880516912 cforte21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880530285 In Roman Polanski's film Chinatown there are many motifs scattered throughout the film. A major one is eyes and blindness. The main character Evelyn first touches one of her eyes and in the end is shot through the same eye. There is also glass lenses that are broken, and a pair of sunglasses with one lens popped out. Evelyn is the Oedipus of Chinatown and her eye being shot out is a reference to Oedipus and him being blind to the truth of his father and mother. Once he figures out the truth he literally blinds himself from the shame of everything he has done. ]]> 2020-11-01 21:43:22 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880530285 Nicola Thompson-Hill https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880603232 In Chinatown and Oedipus Rex, one recurring motif that has a huge connection between the two would be the 'blinds eye'. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus stabs out his eye, causing him to be blinded from the truth. Just like in Chinatown, when Mulwray got shot right through her eye she was as well being stolen the ability to see the truth. ]]> 2020-11-01 23:00:51 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880603232 Mara Tarino https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880649021 The film Chinatown has many similar motifs to the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex. One striking similarity between the two productions is the importance of blindness. Blindness symbolizes realizing ones fate. Sight is similar to ignorance while blindness represents an understand deeper than anyone can see. Oedipus could not see the truth when he has his sight and blinds himself once he finally understand the truth. In Polanski's Chinatown, blindness represents Evelyn meeting her fate. Many times throughout the movie, Evelyn's fate is foreshadowed by broken glasses, touching her left eye, and black eyes. However, Evelyn only meets her fate when she is shot through her left eye, taking away her sight and killing her.]]> 2020-11-01 23:49:59 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880649021 Alex Eversfield https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880867982 Both Oedipus Rex and the film Chinatown have similar motifs shown throughout. Most importantly the concept of blindness. In Oedipus Rex, the author displays this concept through the main character, Oedipus, who blinded himself after finding out the truth about his mother and father. When Oedipus has come to the realization of what he had done, he accepted his truth. Blindness is symbolic for acceptance and realization. In Polanski's film Chinatown, Evelyn is shot in her left eye which blinds her. This may have been foreshadowed earlier in the film when she touched her eye that would later be shot. Both Oedipus and Evelyn were blind to what was happening around them and what they had done until they were literally blind. This is when the realization hits both of them. This is the moment they can both "see". ]]> 2020-11-02 02:18:41 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880867982 Brandan Bonadies bbonadies21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880908502 In the movie Chinatown, there are a considerable amount of motifs that are present which mirror the ones found in Oedipus Rex. One of the more prominent motifs in the movie is the one blinded or flawed eye. Some examples of this are the missing lens Jake lost after the fight, the murder’s broken eyeglass lens, and Evelyn’s shattered taillight. Later on in the movie, we see some foreshadowing when Evelyn rubs her left eye, the same one she would lose when she gets shot at. This relates to Oedipus, as he is unable to see his future, which eventually results in his downfall. When looking at the outcomes of the movie and the play, you can see how much they mirror each other. Evelyn gets her eye shot out while Oedipus stabs both of his eyes out after realizing that the prophecy became true. Both lose their sight as a result of their tragic flaws.]]> 2020-11-02 02:46:42 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880908502 John Scelsa https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880974811 In both Chinatown and Oedipus Rex, the most noticeable motif is blindness vs. sight. As the film Chinatown progress, there is lots of foreshadowing presented to the audience. Whether it’s a subtle pair of broken glasses or a black eye, it leads up to Evelyn getting shot in the eye. In regards to Oedipus, he is blind the entire time to seeing his fate and what he has done. He can’t see the reality of what has happened until he blinds himself, similar to Evelyn. Both of these characters suffer tragic flaws and they unwind themselves in the end with being shot or stabbed; The mirroring is incredible. ]]> 2020-11-02 03:37:36 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/880974811 lkaufmann21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882204548 There are many similarities between the film Chinatown and the play Oedipus rex, but the most obvious one is the reoccurring theme of blindness vs. sight. Throughout Chinatown, there were multiple occasions where the film was hinting at the importance of seeing clearly, until the very end when Evelyn was shot through her eye. Similarly, Oedipus was not able to see his fate until he took his own vision. In both the film and the play, the main characters are unable to see their fates until it is too late. ]]> 2020-11-02 13:37:12 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882204548 jkaplan211 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882234066 Both the movie Chinatown and Oepidus Rex are based off of the traditional form of a Greek Tragedy. However, throughout both stories, there is an abundance of motifs present. The most obvious motif found in both Oepidus Rex and Chinatown is the idea of blindness vs. sight. In the movie, the idea of blindness vs. sight can be found all over, from the glasses with a missing lens after the fight to the broken eye glasses shown specifically. There are also the examples of the tail light of the car being broken and Evelyn rubbing her eye, all foreshadowing that Evelyn is blind because she is attempting to outrun her fate. Sophocles' play is based off of this same idea, having Oepidus be metaphorically blind because he attempts to outrun his fate, but like in both stories, their vision is lost in order to grant the characters metaphorical sight. ]]> 2020-11-02 13:45:56 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882234066 awangsness21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882402618 The film Chinatown and the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex share a common motif of "Ignorance is bliss" will lead to your own demise. In Roman Polanski's film, Evelyn hides a very important fact from Jake. The secret was the fact that the blonde woman who was with Evelyn's husband in the photographs that were published earlier, was her sister/daughter. Trying to hide her secret form the investigation led to her own death. When she withheld the information, she became wrongfully accused and was then shot at by the police. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is told time and time again about the prophecy. Rather than accepting his past actions that have already set the prophecy in motion, he decides to dismiss it. By not accepting it, he can't ease into understanding what happened and learning from them. This thus leads to his ultimate downfall. and personal exile.]]> 2020-11-02 14:25:42 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882402618 Kathryn Scherman https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882677196 The film Chinatown and play Oedipus Rex both hint at several similar motifs. One of the most prominent ones would be the unavoidable fate that both Evelyn and Oedipus both face. In Evelyn's case, she is warned not to go in her cream convertible, but avoids this and is pulled towards her car anyways. She is very sure that her car will be the safer option, but in this case it is not. This is similar since Oedipus is set on the fact that he will not fulfill his prophecy, but is pulled towards his fate anyways. He was very sure that he would be safe and avoid his fate. In both cases, they met their unavoidable fate. ]]> 2020-11-02 15:27:35 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882677196 nkelleher21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882821347 In Roman Polanski’s film, Chinatown, there is a constant theme of working to bring about their own demise (colluding with one’s tragedy). This greatly resembles the same theme present in Oedipus Rex. This can be seen in Evelyn’s refusal in Chinatown to heed Jake’s advice to leave her car, another recurring motif, similar to Oedipus’ refusal to stray from his search for Laius’ murderer. The same trope can be seen in Jake’s story, when he constantly ignores the advice of his friends and those around him (who are akin to Jocasta in Oedipus Rex), pushing forward in his effort to do good, just as Oedipus believed he would save Thebes from the plague with his efforts, only to bring about the tragedy of the film. Each time Jake and Evelyn supposedly escape a tragic fate, as they do in the first car get away, they are only continue into their fated, tragic outcomes.]]> 2020-11-02 15:59:22 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/882821347 Eric Shertzer https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/883457300 The movie Chinatown and the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex both offer many motifs as Roman Polanski was inspired by the classic Greek tragedy. One motif that both stories have is the idea of blindness vs sight. In the movie Chinatown, Evelyn gives the viewer a perfect example of blindness vs sight as the movie constantly foreshadows how Evelyn is blissful and blind. Several scenes in the movie hint at the idea that Evelyn is blind including the time the right tail light on her car was broken or the time she wipes her left eye which foreshadows to the time she was shot in her left eye. The concept of the broken tail light and her getting shot points to the idea that she is ignorant and blind to her fate. Oedipus Rex also has the same idea of blindness vs sight as throughout the play Oedipus constantly tries to run away from the truth and block out his true identity. But later when he realizes his fate and the truth he cuts out his eyes as he was too blind to the truth and was not able to see clearly. Only when he cut out his eyes was he able to see the truth.]]> 2020-11-02 18:16:37 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/883457300 woswald21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/883677479 One of the most obvious motifs in Chinatown and Oedipus is blindness. In Chinatown we see the broken glasses, the black and blue eye, and most importantly when Evelyn is shot in the eye. In Oedipus it is Tiresias and when Oedipus plucks his own eyes out.]]> 2020-11-02 19:05:23 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/883677479 Ryan Sowa https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/884609798 In the 1970's thriller Chinatown, and the classic Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex, a main motif is blindness. In Chinatown, the plot uses a lot of foreshadowing to hint towards Evelyn's demise. There are many instances of Blindness with Broken glasses, broken lights, and small hints of blindness. Evelyn is shot in the head through the eye later in the film as a result of her own actions. All of these instances of Blindness are also found in Oedipus Rex, where Oedipus is too blind to see the truth. The prophet in Oedipus is also Blind, another hint to Oedipus's similar demise. In the end, Oedipus destroys his eyes similar to the fate of Evelyn from Chinatown.]]> 2020-11-03 01:23:33 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/884609798 Olivia Sternberg https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/884635727 The film Chinatown and the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex both share similar motifs. The most obvious motif shared is blindness vs. sight. Throughout the movie, blindness vs. sight is shown multiple times using foreshadowing. From the broken glasses to the black eye, it ended in Evelyn getting shot in the eye. In Oedipus, it is shown that he is blind to the truth of killing his father. In the end, he eventually sees the truth and poked his own eyes out with pins out of shame.]]> 2020-11-03 01:37:28 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/884635727 Dylan Pigden https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/884665013 In the movie Chinatown, and the Greek Tragedy Oedipus Rex, the main motif is blindness. For instance, Roman Polanski portrays Evelyn as a tragic hero who is blind to her own fate because she is constantly warned throughout the movie to not go into her car but she insists or to not go into Chinatown. Polanski also uses symbols such as the broken tail, Evelyn wiping her eye, and Evelyn getting shot in the eye. Symbols like these are also used in Oedipus Rex when Oedipus constantly ignores the warnings from Jocasta, but when he discovers the truth he stabs his eyes out. This is similar to how Jake constantly warns Evelyn about Chinatown and how he's always had bad experiences there. In this case, Jake is similar to Jocasta and how he knew that what he was doing would result in a tragic outcome, but he seemed to not "see" the results. He is then reminded at the end by the famous line, "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown". ]]> 2020-11-03 01:53:23 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/884665013 Luke Stinson- Drought lstinson21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/884845027 In Oedipus, Thebes is shown as lifeless with the plague spreading and killing everyone. Somehow after the syphinx there is something morally wrong in Thebes and it's told to Oedipus it's the murderer. The same is true for the drought in Chinatown, Jake investigates it and it leads to his downfall. The drought makes Chinatown lifeless and corrupted, just like the Plague does in Thebes. It represents a moral evil remaining in the town, something only the main characters can't understand.
Luke:
How profound! I have never considered the "drought" as a motif that bridges the works. Impressive! 30/30]]> 2020-11-03 03:43:50 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/884845027 Maggie Malady https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/890083469 The movie Chinatown by Roman Polanski is an homage to Sophocles's play Oedipus Rex, therefore they incorporate many of the same motifs in the works. The most prevalent, however, is the connection to blindness vs. sight. The two main characters, Oedipus in Oedipus Rex and Evelyn in Chinatown both are blind to their inevitable fates. In Chinatown specifically, foreshadowing is used to show her unescapable fate. Evelyn at the end of the movie is shot in the eye in her own car. Throughout the movie we see scenes of touching her eye, broken taillights, back eyes, and cracked eye glasses. While trying to escape, she runs into it by getting shot in the eye. Similarly to Oedipus, by running from their fates they actually run into it. When Evelyn gets shot in the eye and Oedipus stabs himself in the eye, it is the first time either of them can really see.]]> 2020-11-04 14:35:18 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/890083469 Savannah Sutter https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/891463610 In both Roman Polanski's film, Chinatown and Oedipus Red there is the theme of fate and destiny being inescapable. Both Oedipus in Oedipus Rex and Evelyn in Chinatown both tried to discover certain truths but in the end, they found that there fate was inevitable. Both the play and the movie used foreshadowing to show that these characters were going to fall victim to their supposed destiny no matter how hard they tried to escape it.]]> 2020-11-04 19:15:46 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/891463610 Savannah Sutter https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/891488011 In Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex and Polanskis movie Chinatown there is a constant theme of characters facing an inescapable fate and blindness vs sight. Both Oedipus in Oedipus Rex and Evelyn in Chinatown search to find out the truth but both end up finding that the can not deny there fate and they are blind to there destiny. Both of this play and movie use foreshadowing to show that they will not be able to avoid the inevitable but the characters continue to be blind until it is too late. ]]> 2020-11-04 19:21:30 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/891488011 Charlie Sabino https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/896319047 One motif prominently evident in both Chinatown and Oedipus is blindness. Both Evelynn and Oedipus are blind to their own fates. The motif is seen frequently all throughout Chinatown, some instances including the multiple black eyes seen throughout, Jake's glasses being broken, "something black" in Evelynn's eye, Jake's glasses being broken, the murderer's bifocals being broken, and Evelynn touching her left eye. In Oedipus, the same motif is prevalent. Oedipus ignores several warnings and is blind to his own fate., and stabs his own eye out. ]]> 2020-11-06 00:24:29 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/896319047 Finn Daggy fdaggy21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/896373706 A motif found in both Oedipus Rex and in Chinatown is the characters being blind to their own fates. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus stabs his eyes out in the end when he realizes what he has done. He was warned many times to stop searching for more knowledge about his fate. When he finds out the whole truth he cannot stand to see what he has done, so he stabs his eyes out. Similarly, in Chinatown, Evelyn eventually loses her sight too because she is blind to her fate. There were plenty of instances throughout the movie where it is foreshadowed that Evelyn is going to lose her sight. She was warned many times to stay away from a certain car. Of course, she does not listen. In the end, she is shot in the eye while in the car. There were many other scenes in the movie where it is foreshadowed that she is going to lose her sight. For instance, she touches her eye moments before being shot. The downfall of both Oedipus and Evelyn is that they were blind to their own fates and did not listen when warned. ]]> 2020-11-06 00:52:18 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/896373706 Thomas Aiello taiello21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/897629129 In both Oedipus Rex and Chinatown, there is clear foreshadowing surrounding certain character's fates. It is not known whether these characters really knew what their fate was, but there are instances that would indicate they do. Interestingly enough, in both of these cases their fate had something to do with blindness or not being able to see clearly. In Chinatown, Evelyn is blinded after being shot in the eye while driving in a car after a few different scenes foreshadowing this event: her touching her left eye, a shot of broken glasses, and some black eyes. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is told of his fate by a blind man who he believes to be a fool due to his lack of sight. In the end, it turns out Oedipus was the fool lacking vision, and he ultimately stabs his own eyes out. Here we see two instances of a creator attempting to foreshadow a tragic event in their story before it occurs, specifically, a loss of sight. ]]> 2020-11-06 14:21:10 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/897629129 Joe Siino https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/897951589 In both Chinatown and Oedipus Rex, blindness is a similar motif. In Oedipus, blindness is expressed from the character blinding himself by cutting out his eyes because he realized a truth about his parents. In Chinatown the blindness is found when Evelyn is shot in her eye which leads her to be blind in one of her eyes. These two actions that lead to them being physically blind do not mean that they were both not blind before. They both were blind to what was going on around them. The author's made both of the characters literally blind which allowed them to see what had really. been going on.

]]> 2020-11-06 15:39:29 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/897951589 Caleb Henry https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/904332629 There are many similar motifs in both Polanski's "Chinatown" and Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex". One includes the incest of families, as Oedipus has a child with his mother, as well as Evelyn has a child with her father. The one that sticks out, however, is the theme of blindness, or being unable to see one's destined fate. In "Chinatown," Evelyn, who is a shady, two-faced character, fails to acknowledge the countless amount of warning signs that she will end up perishing in the movie. We see many motifs of losing an eye - including a broken lens, a broken tail light, and pain surging through one of her eyes. At the end of the movie, it is too late for Evelyn to avoid her tragic death, as she is shot through the eye. In "Oedipus", we see that King Oedipus is selfish and blind to his fate. When he is looking for the man who killed King Laius, he receives many signs that he is the man he is looking for. However, he disregards these signs, which leads him to the sad truth that he has fulfilled his destiny, and he chooses to gauge his eyes out. In both instances, Evelyn and Oedipus fail to see the signs of their tragic downfall before it is too late.]]> 2020-11-09 14:33:34 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/904332629 Billee Krupnick https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/904557380 A constant motif in both "Chinatown" and "Oedipus Rex" is one cannot run from their fate. Throughout the movie Chinatown, Evelyn is blind to her own fate. Throughout the movie it is foreshadowed many times that she will lose her own sight. We see, broken lens, pain in her eye, a broken tail light, and many other instances where Evelyn was warned not to go near her car. She ignores all these signs and ends up loosing her vision in the car. In Oedipus, he was told all about the prophecy. He is blind to all the signs and the truth. Eventually, leads to his downfall, causing him to stab himself in the eyes. ]]> 2020-11-09 15:19:22 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/904557380 Exit Assignment gbentrovato21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/904558084 I think the main main motif shown in both is the idea of blindness. In "Oedipus" this is how he chooses to blind himself after learning what he has done and that he has fallen into his fate. This is backed up in "Chinatown" with how Evelyn was shot in the eye at the end of the film. I think both are supposed to explain how blindness and fate coincide with each other. When fate is horrific enough someone will turn blind, when someone does not want to except their fate they are blind. Either way it seems, you will end up "blind" one way or the other. ]]> 2020-11-09 15:19:31 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/904558084 gfoli21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/904821228 the main motif that is seen throughout both movies is of ignorance. Throughout the movie Evelyn withholds very crucial information from her husband that eventually leads to her demise. This shows how her ignorance stands in her way. Also in oedipus, he doesn't know that he has committed such a crime. his ignorance gets in his way, which ultimately leads to his downfall.]]> 2020-11-09 16:13:59 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/904821228 Jordan Colombo https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/905862034 In both Chinatown, and Oedipus Rex, there are many similarities and connections. One of them being the blindness of the characters. In Chinatown, the mirroring character to Oedipus tries to make a run for it and get away in her car, but she fails and is shot in the eye because her fate cannot be outrun. This is another reference to Oedipus when he gauged his own eyes out because he could not face his prophecy. ]]> 2020-11-09 19:44:02 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/905862034 tguo21 https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/908485966 The motif that occurs in both Oedipus and Chinatown is blindness.
In Oedipus, many have warned King Oedipus over and over again to listen to what the elders of Thebes say and how they look upon the current situation, but he was too blinded by the power and his own greediness that he didn't take the elders thoughts in consideration, which lead to his downfall. After, he punished himself by blinding himself.
In Chinatown, Evelyn was warned to stay away and to not go any farther. Several hints directed towards Evelyn were shown in the film, but she was blinded and didn't listen which lead to her getting shot in the eye and dies.]]> 2020-11-10 14:02:29 UTC https://padlet.com/pjbenglish/ChinatownOedipusExit/wish/908485966