Done With Eula Biss

     So yea, blogging time once again. This time it seems that Eula Biss is finally over but we still must end by discussing a topic she mentions in her book. I specifically am discussing her concept of victim and perpetrator, and the thin line she draws between the two in multiple situations. I seem to recall a popular movie "A Few Good Men" when expressing my ideals on the subject, as its seems that this time 250 words are required for such a small topic, but I digress. The movie simply explains the line that a person is expected to follow when defining victim and defining perpetrator. Both these men did a wrong, and killed their fellow soldier, all the while being told to by a superior officer. They KNEW the act was wrong, yet they still went out of their way to commit the crime. At the end, one of them expresses his confusion as to why he is being dishonorably discharged even when he is the "victim" but it is revealed that they still killed a man. So, can you be a victim and a perpetrator? In my mind no, you either did the act or didn't. We all have a choice and we choose to do something, while others effect us and respectfully our choice(s) they do not make us do it. If I kill a man, I am therefore a perpetrator. If someone kills me, I am a victim. It is as simple as that.

Bechdel Test

     Alright so, one of my favorite movies (notably animated since we discussed animated movies in class today) would be Mulan. Well animated, especially for a movie made in 1998, as well it had a balance of comedy and action, yet it would be the fact the main protagonist is female. Not only does she deify social norm, she fights among men as equals, and saves the male (oh, and all of china but yea) from danger. She even goes against a powerful Hun warlord who, having more experience and strength, still gets beaten by Mulan. It passes the "Bechdel Test" by a large means. It consists of 2+ women, Mulan and her mother (as well as her elderly grandmother who is AMAZING), they speak to one another a great deal and discuss social expectations Mulan must follow and family (rather than men directly). Even so, it is an amazing movie and defies all related content of its time.