Monday, November 29, 2010

Characters to Cast


         Harrison Ford would be a good John Proctor because he looks like he could be a big, strong, and hardworking farmer. In the Indiana Jones movies, he as the character had multiple women in his life but eventually went back to the first woman he loved because the others just weren't the same. I think Harrison ford could create the right atmosphere in the court room where he is accused of being guilty.


            Keira Knightly would make a good Abigail Williams because she is young and looks very much like Abigail in the movie and the facial expressions were similar. Another reason why she is good for this role, is because in the movies of Pirates of the Caribbean she tries to seduce Jack Sparrow just like Abigail was trying to seduce John Proctor. She also seems like the kind of person who would lie to get the blame off of her, to get attention, and to get her way.
                  Dakota Fanning would do well playing the role of Marry Warren. She would be good because she is a good young actor who has been in many serious films and dramas. People have even said that she actually acts the way people would in different situations. Dakota Fanning is an award winning actress who can portray it well.                                                                                                                                 
                                                              
                  John Lithgow  I think would be a good Reverend Paris because he is older and has experience in many films. I thought he did well as the reverend in "Footloose" and if he could do well in that I think he could be a good Salem reverend. Also he looks like someone who cares mostly about his job and what people would think of him.                                


                  Maggie Smith would make a great Goody Rebeca Nurse. She fits the character well because she is old and is a well known actress who is one of the most distinguished actresses. Also, she has played as a nice old Lady and did a very good job at being Wendy in the movie "Hook".
                    Mark Williams is a great actor who did a good job in the many Harry Potter movies, "The Barrowers", and other movies. He looks like a person who could blame something untrue on another person just because he dislikes someone. Mark Williams would have no problem playing the role of Thomas Putnam.
                   
                              Robin Williams is a phenomenal actor and can many types of characters. Although he's a comedian he can play a serious role too. Robin should be Reverend John Hale because he looks like a guy who would believe you and can stand up for someone  when no one else does.  
                                              (I wasn't able to get picture for the following people)
                             Woopi Goldberg is a good person to act out Tituba. She is a famous good actress who is also is African American just like Tituba was in the story.                                       
                             Nicole Kidman is known for showing great emotion and her acting so I think she should play the role of Goody Anne Putnam who had 7 of her babies die. The would be good at showing resentment towards Goody Nurse with her good emotions.
                             








                                                             



                                     

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Why Authority Is Not Always Right

Michael Johnson
A/3
11-10-10

Why Authority Isn’t Always Right

Is authority always right? Just because someone has authority doesn’t mean that they are always right. Although many individuals with authority are right, many people from the past, and even people in the present who have had authority were wrong or used their power to mislead others.
    First of all, in the 1940s, Hitler caused millions of people to die because of his misuse of power. He caused people to be prejudice, he caused the Jews and the citizens who tried to help them to be tortured and killed. He used his soldiers to enforce laws that promoted hatred toward the Jews. He used his armies to take over country after country, which eventually caused World War II, the biggest war that has ever taken place on the face of the Earth. Adolf Hitler had plenty of power and lots of authority to do the things that he did. But, was he right? His horrible decisions were wrong and hurt hundreds of thousands of people. This is just one of many proofs that authority isn’t always right.
    Next, as we go further into the past, in the 1600s, there is more evidence that people in authority misuse their powers. In the American colonies, local leaders had the authority to decide people’s punishments during the witch-hunts. These leaders were quick to punish or hang innocent citizens’ accused of practicing witchcraft. They made decisions without adequate proof of wrongdoing. None of them were witches of course, but they suffered and sometimes lost their lives do to the poor decisions made by those who held the authority. These leader who were given the authority to be fair and just did not have the proof of witchcraft, so why would they put someone to death if they did not have proof of a crime? Clearly, this is an example that people with authority can be wrong about things even though they may be right most of the time.
    Another example of people unjustly using improper authority is the enslavement of the Hebrew people by the ancient Egyptians. They Egyptians were the ones with authority during this period in history, and the Hebrews were without any rights. The Egyptians treated the Hebrews like property. They would for them to do vigorous work throughout every day of their lives and they had no more freedom than work mule. They would not let the Hebrews live equal to them without the hardship of slavery. This is obviously wrong, even to just have slaves in the first place. The pharaoh and other Egyptian leaders had the authority to create slaves. Slavery is wrong because it is unfair, cruel, and selfish. These Egyptians were not right even though they ruled over the Hebrews.
    Many who have had the privilege of having power and authority have done good even great things but unfortunately that is not always the case. People with authority throughout over thousands of years have made wrong decisions and have wronged millions of people. Adolf Hitler, Quaker leaders during the witch-hunts, and the ancient Egyptians are clear examples of authority being misused against others. Learning about these societies is in very different time periods throughout the past shows proof that authority can be wrong. Clearly if someone has authority, it doesn’t mean that they always do what is right.