"To Be Or Not To Be..." Three Ways

In the first scene, played by Mel Gibson, the scene took place next to his father's casket.  The whole room was very dark with little lighting.  Due to the lack of light, his father's casket being right next to him, and the subject matter of the speech, the whole scene was very depressing and eerie.
In the second scene, played by Lawrence Olivier, the soliloquy took place on top of, what looks like, a cliff.  The whole time Lawrence is looking over the edge, as if he's about to jump, but he has a dagger in his hand, so we're not sure.  We're not sure if he wants to jump, or stab himself.  This confusion, along with the music in certain parts of the scene, makes it suspenseful.
In the third scene, played by Kenneth Branaugh, the speech is given in a well-lit ballroom area, a very pleasant looking room.  Kenneth gives the soliloquy while looking into a mirror and holding a dagger against his face.  The director uses juxtaposition to make us feel uncomfortable.
All three scenes are very unique and individual, with few similarities.  The first two scenes are alike considering they are both dark, poorly lit scenes.  The second and third scene are alike because both actors had daggers. They both also had sound effects music in the background of some parts of their scenes.  However, none of the scenes were set in the same place, and one didn't project the same feeling as the other.

Slang

Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered typical in a speaker’s language and it tends to originate in subcultures within a society.  Slang often suggests that the person talking is familiar with the person or persons whom are listening.  It can be considered a distinguishing factor of in-group identity.  Slang embodies the attitude as well as the values of the group that uses it.  Slang occurs when those words enter the general population, they start using the phrase and its new meaning even if they do not fully understand the history behind it.  Slang is also more commonly used amongst young people rather than adults.

People tend to think slang and jargon is the same thing, they are not.  Slang tends to be more humorous, mostly crude humor, and playful.  Slang also seems to keep with its time period and particular generation; however, some slang terms and phrases are lucky enough to stick around.

What makes a term or phrase “true slang?  Bethany K. Dumas and Jonathan Lighter believe that an expression could be considered “true slang” if it meets two of the four following criteria:

1.      It lowers the dignity of formal speech or writing.

2.      Its use implies that the user is familiar with whatever is being referred to.

3.      It is a “taboo” term is normal conversation with those of a higher social status.

4.      It replaces a well-known conventional synonym.

Slang is used in every subculture around the world.  Some examples of cultures that use slang are America, Britain and Australia.  Some commonly used American slang is “pickled,” “racket,” and “rap.”  To get “pickled” means to get drunk or intoxicated.  “Racket” is a lot of noise or a commotion.  To “rap” about something means to talk about something.  Some commonly used British slang is “barmy,” “bomb,” “chuffed,” and “honking.”  If someone tells you you’ve gone “barmy,” it means you’ve gone mad.  For something cost a “bomb” means it is very expensive.  When you are “chuffed” with something, you are very pleased with something.  When someone tells someone else you’re “honking,” it means you’re throwing up.  Some commonly used Australian slang is “bikkie,” “cobber,” and “stickybeak.”  “Bikkie” is actually Australian slang for biscuit.  In Australia, if someone calls you their “cobber,” he is calling you his friend.  If an Australian calls you a “stickybeak,” you are probably trying to be in his business because “stickybeak” is slang for nosy person.

Mamatas' Interview

Throughout the whole interview, Mamatas was very calm and honest. Nick seemed overly okay with the fact that he was helping college students cheat their way through class. Bob Garfield even asked him if he felt any guilt helping these students cheat. Mamatas said no because he thinks they got theirs in the end of it all.
Hearing Mamatas' opinion does not change my opinion on his work at the paper mill. I still think the work is sleazy and dishonest, and Nick wasn't helping anyone. I still think the students buying those papers were doing nothing but cheating themselves of an education.
However, hearing Mamatas' opinion rather than seeing it, might have a different effect on other viewers. Nick's calm and collected attitude on the subjected may have people thinking that it's not such a bad thing. They may also think Mamatas doesn't take plagiarism or cheating seriously.

The Term Paper Artist Explication

In Nick Mamatas' article The Term Paper Artist, he tells us about his job as a term paper writer and the kind of clients he would write for.  Nick got the job at a term paper mill through an ad.  He says, "Then, in the Village Voice, I saw just such an ad. Writers wanted, to write short pieces on business, economics, and literature. It was from a term paper mill, and they ran the ad at the beginning of each semester."  Throughout the article, Nick explains the three types of clients: "the DUMB CLIENTS, the one-timer, and the well-educated professionals who simply lack English-language skills."  Nick also tells us that, over a period of time, he has written every type of paper you could think of.
Nick says, "Writing model term papers is above-board and perfectly legal. Thanks to the First Amendment, it’s protected speech, right up there with neo-Nazi rallies, tobacco company press releases, and those "9/11 Was An Inside Job" bumper stickers. It's custom-made Cliff Notes."  It's legal, but is it really helping anyone? The students ordering these papers aren't gaining anything, and they certainly aren't learning anything except how to be bad students.  However, Nick is right about one thing.  He says, " I know something they don't know; I know why students don't understand thesis statements, argumentative writing, or proper citations.  It's because students have never read term papers."  No one can explain to us how to write a thesis sentence, they have to show us.  Since no one ever shows us how to write a term paper, we have no idea where to begin.