Haylee Travis
Mrs. Tomaro
English 10
October 9, 2022
Midterm Reflection
Going into college I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I was in fact completely wrong and almost not prepared for this kind of change. Of course, I knew there was going to be a lot of reading and writing but I was not prepared for everything to be done in such a short amount of time. Sometimes I still find myself saying, “Oh I have time to get that done,” when in reality I actually have no time at all to waste. Trying to find a balance between school, work and a social life has become my biggest challenge. I find myself staying up until the morning doing homework some days. The workload is super overwhelming. Although there are tons of reading and writing that is done on this course, Mrs. Tomaro does an excellent job in keeping us on track and informed. I do not regret taking this class.
As far as writing goes, I have improved significantly. I may get stuck and stubble at the beginning but once I am able to get started, I just let it flow. Our first project has really helped me improve by showing me how to dig deeper for information. By analyzing my chosen text and asking myself questions like why the author created this or what is the meaning behind it. Also realizing that every author has a different purpose for why he/she is writing. This part takes the most time. I really like to grasp an understanding of my subject before beginning a project. This could take a couple of days or a couple of hours. I have also come to the realization that most of the time, you need a draft. My work will not always be perfect the first time I go around. I have also learned to be more confident in what I am writing. Time management is unbelievably valuable in this course. Some days I turn in an assignment and must start immediately on the next one. There is no resting.
Throughout this semester I believe I have improved tremendously on my vocabulary. The amount of reading we do for this class and the amount of reading I do outside of class has been the main reason my vocabulary has improved. Reading for me has helped with so many things but my greatest learning method has been strengthening my vocabulary. As my love for reader expands so does my vocabulary. In just the last couple of weeks my vocabulary has greatly improved.
Throughout this course so far, I have grown more comfortable with my classmates as well as my professor. Being able to stay in touch with my classmates and get their support has been a pleasure. One of the things I enjoy most is being able to get feedback from my classmates. To see things from their perspectives and not just my own. I have come to an understanding that it is okay to say you need help or you are struggling with something. You are not alone. Overall, my favorite part about this course is my ability to expand my knowledge. Not just pertaining to the reading that is done but also things I am interested in as well. Like our rhetorical analysis for example. I am able dive deeper and expand my knowledge about something I am actually interested in. I feel as though I have learned and improved so much already, I am so excited to see what the future holds for me throughout the rest of this semester.
Haylee Travis
Mrs. Tomaro
English 10
October 9, 2022
Rhetorical analysis
When you Google the word inception, the meaning is the starting point or establishment of an institution. In the movie Inception, the creator Christopher Nolan describes inception as reverse extraction: planting an idea in a targets’ mind. The creator’s main purpose is to make you question everything you believe you saw on screen. Nolan makes you so invested, you find yourself looking back through every frame and shot looking for answers.
To start off with the facts from the beginning, the main character Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is a thief who invades targets’ dreams through a psychological and chemical induced shared dream state, to result in stealing valuable information. The creator uses ethos by having DiCaprio as the main character. This draws individuals who are already familiar with him and his acting because they know what to expect from him.
In the film, Cobb has a reputation for being the best and decides to take on the challenge of inception. To do so, you must dive into several layers of dreams in order to pierce the targets’ subconscious. To complete this mission Cobb needs a team. Character Ariadne, played by Elliot Page, is the architect of the subconscious dreams. The creator confirms beliefs some individuals may have about how a man is supposed to act by bringing in this character. In the film, Cobb can let Ariadne in to see his true emotions and intentions. He specifically only does so with this female character and seems closed off with the male characters. This confirms the creator’s belief of how a man should act.
Ariadne notices Cobb has no control over his subconscious and confronts him about it. He then begins to tell her how he and his wife got trapped in a subconscious dream for fifty years. To escape this dream and return to reality, they were forced to commit suicide. Cobb’s wife was so traumatized and brainwashed from those fifty years she was convinced she was still dreaming. Therefore, she framed Cobb for her murder because he chose to stay. In this part of the film, the creator brings in so much ethos by letting you in on Cobb’s darkest and heart wrenching secret. The viewer has no other choice but to feel saddened by this scene.
It is known throughout the movie that every individual on the mission gets put in danger due to Cobb’s subconscious (his dead wife, Mal). And yet he knowingly puts every individual in danger. The creator allows you to create the question in your mind whether you as a viewer trust Cobb. In the third and final stage of the mission Nolan helps the viewer realize that Mal is just a projection of Cobb’s mind and, he just has a last therapy session with himself. Author Allie Gemmill states, “Cobb can finally see the faces of his children and hug them. Before he does, though, he is compelled to spin his totem, a top once used by Mal, to see if this is all real. The top is still spinning as Cobb hugs his children and the camera cuts to black.” In the film, if Cobb’s top falls he is. If the top stays spinning, he is therefore in a subconscious dream. The creator forces you to think about what reality really is. Is Cobb still dreaming? Or has he made it to reality?
The director’s purpose throughout this film is to teach the viewers about processing. The process of reality versus dreams and how we as humans fight them every day. Nolan gave us something different and unique. He does this by structuring the film with action basics, so the viewers are tricked into thinking it makes more sense than it does.
Nolan does an incredible job maintaining that the ending is subjective. According to Grade Saver, “Cobb arrives in the United States and is greeted by Stephen Miles, who takes him to his children. Cobb arrives home and goes outside to play with his children, while his totem continues to spin.” By having Cobb walk away from the top, that tells the viewer the only thing that truly matters is that Cobb is happy where he is at. He does not care if he is dreaming or not, he is at peace.
Throughout this movie the creator builds up suspense and allows the viewer to create their own theory on how it ends. He does this by using ethos in many ways, from the actors, to the sets, down to the wardrobes. He truly lets the viewer immerse themselves into the story, by captivating them with emotions and details.
Resources
GradeSaverhttps://www.gradesaver.com/inception/study-guide/summary
https://collider.com/inception-ending-meaning-explained/Allie Gemmill