Quiz #1

1. What is nihilism? Is it correct to say it is the belief in nothing? Nihilism is the denial of any moral principles and the belief that life is meaningless. It is not correct to say it is the belief in nothing because everyone has their own personal opinion about their values and beliefs.

2. What are the differences between Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian values according to Nietzsche? Which values does he believe are better for living a full and healthy life and why?
According to Nietzsche Greco -Roman and Judeo- Christian values were completely opposite but almost the same. Even though Christians were considered physically weaker, they were smarter and had better virtues than the Romans did, who were more corrupt. Once Christians had power they kept their norms or values and stayed in that position. Nietzsche believes the Greco- Roman had better values to live a healthy life because they were newer values and they weren’t haters unlike Christians. He thought Christians used their weakness for kindness and were vindictive too.

                                                                                                 
3. Why is Dada art so pessimistic and bizarre? What groups in Germany society where Dada artists trying to discredit and undermine? Dada art is so pessimistic and bizarre because it was demonstrating how German society was corrupted. It was an era of brutal abuse towards many innocent and military people.  The artist created these types of art so that society can see the reality of war and government system and how ugly the situation was getting. They wanted society to react to the situation and help make changes. Dada artist were trying to undermine the German government and the middle class.

4. How many jobs does Dr. Caligari have in the film? He was a somnambulist, director of a medical institution and a doctor.

5. Why does Siddhartha leave his father? Siddhartha leaves his father because feels he can’t learn from him anymore. He wanted to search for enlightenment and find his true self. He didn’t want to learn from others teachings but himself and wanted to grow as a person.

6. How does Cesare "die" in the film? As he was trying to run away Cesare had a heart attack and died.

7. Why is the river so important to Siddhartha at the end of the novel?

The river is so important to Siddhartha because it symbolizes life and how it keeps flowing. As he slept by the river he realized that the river answered all his questions without words and that he felt as if he has been reborn. He learned that the universe is a cycle that never ends and just like the river it never stops flowing. The river doesn’t have a past or a future but lives by the present.

Siddhartha

Siddhartha Author: Hermann Hesse

The passage I chose was part of the chapter “Awakening”…..

 “Out of this moment, when the world melted away all around him, when he stood alone like a star in the sky, out of this moment of a cold and despair, Siddhartha emerged, more a self than before, more firmly concentrated. He felt: This had been the last tremor of the awakening, the last struggle of this birth. And it was not long until he walked again in long strides, started to proceed swiftly and impatiently, heading no longer for home, no longer to his father, no longer back."

The meaning of the passage is that Siddhartha is no longer living in the past he is trying to find himself. Siddhartha feels as if he is being reborn again and sees the world differently and more clear. He feels this is his last chance to realize what surrounds him and what path he needs to take in order to fulfill his goals. He states that he will no longer return home or to his father because he feels like he can’t learn from his past anymore. This chapter is an important portion of the story because it means there’s a new beginning for Siddhartha in which he feels determined and focused to a new path.

I chose this passage because I thought it was very interesting how Siddhartha realized that his life needed a change. He wanted to find his inner self and was no longer afraid to make a first move. Siddhartha did not want to learn from others but himself. In this last chapter the awakening, he woke up from all the experiences he was going through. He did not want to rely on any teacher but learn from himself. Siddhartha doesn’t want to go backwards but move forward. It is a new Siddhartha with a clearer mind, determined to accomplish his goals and conquer any obstacles that comes his way. It is an inspiring passage because he realizes enlightenment doesn’t come from learning from others but from within. A person can only learn so much from someone else. In order to find yourself and purpose in life, individuals have to make their own decisions. Learn from their mistakes and have their own identity.

Otto Dix & His Paintings

Otto Dix was a German artist that was known for his dark, grotesque, and ruthless style of art. He used his paintings to represent and express Weimar society and the brutal reality of war. He was a proud veteran who witnessed the harsh reality of war and used his artistic skills to express himself.

 Otto Dix was born on December 2, 1981 in Gera, Germany. His parents were Franz Dix who was an iron foundry worker and Pauline Dix who was a seamstress. Through elementary school he started to prove his artistic talent and have a passion for painting. Ernst Schunke his art teacher guided him along the way. He then began his studies at Dresden Academy of Fine Arts where he learned many different methods and ways to paint. Later on when the war began he decided to volunteer and become a veteran on 1915. During the war he witnesses a lot of tragic scenes and even got hurt a lot times. Those harsh moments inspired him to sketch and express what he was going through. After war he decided to go back to his painting and was using elements in his paintings such as Dadaism, cubism, realism and expressionist. Delivering in his paintings violence and what was really going on that time. In 1923 Dix married Martha Koch and later had three children with her. In the 1920s Otto Dix became a well know known painter and was included in Neue Sachlichkeit exhibition. In 1967 he suffered a stroke which paralyzed his left hand and died in 1969. Otto Dix and his artistic works influenced a famous era in German history.

Famous paintings:

Title: Flanders

Year: 1934

My interpretation of the art piece is that it looks like a war had occurred overnight. There are many dead and decomposed bodies with military gear. Everything seems destroyed on the land and it also looks like its becoming daytime. The meaning of art piece is that aftermath of a war, the war in which the Nazis gained power. Otto Dix is expressing his tragic war experiences in the painting.

Title: Three prostitutes on the street

Year: 1925

In this art work there are three women dressed with an old style but two of them look like prostitutes. There’s a woman that has her nose up and looks like she’s disgusted by the prostitutes. The one in the middle looks like she is looking for customers and the other on the right looks embarrassed and doesn’t want anyone to see what she is doing. In my opinion the painting is about the prostitution that was occurring in that time and the way these women were criticized negatively.

Title: The Match seller

Year: 1921

In this painting there is a mutilated veteran that is blind and disabled from war. The painting looks sad; as he is selling something on the floor everyone that’s passing by is ignoring him. The only attention he is getting is from the dog in which urinates on him. This painting demonstrates how bad individuals were being treated even those who were in the military. Those who were in the military didn’t even get the help they needed after serving the country.