Writing about War is Hell

The "Heroic Age" roster of the Avengers. Cover art for Avengers vol. 4, #12.1, by Bryan Hitch. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Can't sleep again.  I was just flipping through channels on tv, stopped for a minute on Troy (about the only movie that I thought I could scan), and heard Hector telling his men about his warrior code, which reminded me that I'm still 5 posts behind.

I had a scheduled conference yesterday with the prof to talk about how she wants me to revise my research paper draft.  She gave me some ideas about how to fix the wording of my thesis, and told me to quote both my sources and the film a lot more.  Luckily, she thought the scenes I chose from AAoU (I'm kind of tired of typing out Avengers:  Age of Ultron.  Hey, I just did it again) worked, so I don't have to start anything over.  It's going to be a lot of work.

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I've Got a Thesis!

Regions of the brain affected by PTSD and stress. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yes!  I'm still playing around with exactly how to word it-- probably will be doing that right up until I turn it in-- but the idea is pretty clear to me, and I can see the development of the pattern in the films from Iron Man right through to Avengers:  Age of Ultron.  I was having trouble narrowing it down for the longest time.  It basically has to do with what happens when one person (Iron Man) is not adhering to the same code as the rest of the unit.  The actions he takes set him apart from the rest of the team, cause the threat he was trying to prevent, and create resentment.  Of course, there are other factors as well:  it's evident from the character's appearance in other films that he is having significant difficulties that constitute an almost textbook case of post-traumatic stress disorder, for one thing.  For another, his self-image is not that of a warrior; he isn't part of the culture.  He has a line in the first Avengers film, "we are not soldiers," that bears that out.  He's a loner in many ways and is used to working on his own, with his own rules and no oversight. 
The irony here is that the most important long-term benefit of a warrior code is that it helps prevent the worst effects of PTSD--if he would accept the same values that the others do, he would be able to find support in being part of the group and probably suffer a lot less.

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The Sinus Infection from Hell

Is this gross, or what?!!
An infection of the maxillary sinus as seen on CT
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yeah, I'm sick.  I've had fully-loaded sinuses since Christmas, and earlier this week an infection set in, swelling up my eyes and blocking my ears.  Luckily (?), my school week was over on Wednesday, so I didn't miss any classes.  I've even kept up with my research schedule, since I didn't feel up to anything but reading.  I'll have my bibliography done on time, and my definitions essay is coming along pretty well.
The rest of the time I've been hanging out with my grandmother.  She came to live with us a few months ago when she sold her house (it was too big for her to keep up).  Dad asked her if she'd like to make our house her home base (she wants to travel with a couple of her friends), and it was all set.  She watched Age of Ultron with me, but gave up when I started watching my three possible scenes over and over.  She had some good ideas, so I was sorry she left.
I'm on my second day of antibiotics, and I still don't feel any different.  I'm worried about school on Monday.

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Coming up with a research schedule

I'm not really sure how to schedule my research, but right now I plan to spend an hour a day searching until I have enough for the annotated bibliography and the definitions essay.  I will probably go to the library tomorrow after class, assuming I get the okay on my proposal.  So, that's as much as I can say about that right now.  

I'm still thinking pretty hard about my movie (oops- got to get used to using "film" when I'm working on this project).  Avengers:  Age of Ultron has several scenes I'm thinking of using.  I'm definitely going to use the scene near the end with Clint and Wanda, where he lays out what it means to be an Avenger, and I'm looking at Tony and Bruce deciding to use the staff for Ultron, but I also need Cap chewing Tony out for not sharing info.  I think.  That's as far as I've gotten on my primary research to date.

Waiting is the Hardest Part

The "Heroic Age" roster of the Avengers. Cover art for Avengers vol. 4, #12.1, by Bryan Hitch. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I turned my research proposal in on Wednesday, so I figure I'll get it back on this coming Wednesday.  Tomorrow (Monday) seems too soon, based on last semester's assignments in all my classes.  I'm really hoping she okays it.  I'm sticking with Avengers:  Age of Ultron and a men's studies approach, but I narrowed it down to the code of the team.  My initial research question is:  Do the Avengers all keep to the same code?

The reason I'm asking this is that it seems to me that they don't, and they probably should for the good of the group.  This brings me to the fact that I am worried that I am partly drawn to that conclusion because I have a pretty good idea what the filmmakers are planning for the future films, thanks to my older brothers, Paul and Brian.  I'll get to that in my next post.

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Men's Studies and Avengers: Age of Ultron

Captain America and The Avengers
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today's lecture was on men's studies, and I've decided to use that for my approach to Avengers:  Age of Ultron.  What interested me most was behavior codes, specifically warrior codes.  Watching the film again had me noticing all sorts of things I didn't think about when I first saw it.  For example, it's kinda obvious that they've all been working together a lot, since they have developed team moves, like Thor hitting Captain America's shield with his hammer and knocking out a large group of soldiers at one time with the shock wave.  What struck me the most, however, was when Captain America talked about losing "together" if it was necessary.  The basic cause of the action is Stark wanting to work alone or just with Banner and wanting not to even discuss his plans with the rest of the team.  Is this just because he's so used to getting his own way he can't stand to be thwarted?  Or is it that he isn't sure that he wants to be part of the team when they're not actually fighting?  Either way, the code of the group seems to involve being a group and being open with the group about things involving the group.
I've got a lot of thinking to do, and a proposal draft due on Wednesday, so I'd better get to it. 

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