Drowning Ruth (Essay)

Drowning Ruth was been written by Christina Schwarz, a skillful writer. Schwarz worked as a teacher before becoming a successful writer. Drowning Ruth was her first novel. It was published on 2000, and became best known for her Oprah Book Club. 

The novel Drowning Ruth is a chilling, haunting debut about the relationship that bind families together and the secrets that can tear them apart. It is also a gripping psychological thriller. The main characters, Amanda Starkey and Ruth Neumann were brilliant in their escalating encounters. Experiencing love, hate, life and death; holding on to each other in their own way and determined to keep those whom they love close. 

The novel portrays two sisters. Amanda and Mathilda Starkey, whose lives were drastically changed on a cold winter night of the year 1919. Amanda, (Mandy for short) the elder of the two, worked at Milwaukee hospital as a nurse who wounded soldiers back into proper shape. She considered herself to be a brilliant nurse, until one day, she had been laid off, not permanently, but because of her hallucinations and various accidents that concerned both her and those around her. Amanda later decided to return home to the farm with her family in Nagwaukee, where her sister, Mathilda (Mattie for short), lives with her three-year-old daughter Ruth. Mattie being eight years younger, instead decided to get married, helped her parents on the farm, and raises a family. Both Mandy and Mattie shared a close relationship. So close that they were almost inseparable. But things began to change when Carl, husband of Mattie, stepped on to the scene.

Back in the winter of 1919, a young mother named Mathilda Neumann drowns beneath the ice of a rural Wisconsin lake. The shock of her death dramatically changes the lives of her daughter, troubled sister, and husband. Soon after Mathilda's death, Carl returns home from the war with serious injuries, and he was been nursed back to health by Amanda. Ruth, traumatized, is behaving strangely and very leery of her father, whom she barely knows. The three of them live together for a while without incident, but after a while, Carl starts to suspect that there might be more to the story of his wife's death than he has been told. As far as he knows, his wife wandered out into the night all alone and disappeared, later to be found under the ice.

Amanda starts having serious issues again with her nerves and anxiety. She is institutionalized in a mental hospital, and Carl is left to take care of Ruth on his own. Worried that he doesn't know enough about children, he asks his cousin, Hilda, to come to the farm and care for Ruth. Ruth dislikes Hilda almost instantly. She is strict, serious, and humorless. She sees Ruth as a problem child, and seems almost to enjoy punishing her.

Told in the voices of several of the main characters and skipping back and forth in time, the narrative gradually and tantalizingly reveals the dark family secrets and the unsettling discoveries that lead to the truth of what actually happened the night of the drowning. Schwarz certainly succeeds at keeping the reader engrossed.

As of the theme of Christina Schwarz’s novel Drowning Ruth, it runs throughout jealousy. In some flashbacks, it was been established that Amanda Starkey feel offended in losing her exclusive authority to her mother when Mattie is born. Then Mandy has to take care for the girl who is younger than her, much prettier than her, and more lovable than she. Mandy never let herself in being jealous. But when Mattie’s husband, Carl, went off to war after their baby Ruth was born, Mandy moves back to take care and to help raise the baby. Amanda grows obsessed with Ruth and openly preempts Mathilda's motherhood, making Mathilda jealous and resentful.

For all the things and memories that happened in the content of the book, I just find out that all of us had been experienced being in jealousy and anger. But all of a sudden, we should lessen it and be comfortable and be contented for what we have. Of course, through works, everything can change. Also, anger was been made by some serious mistakes, but all of the problems that made us angry, has all solution.

Moving on to the whole structure of the novel, it is in a proper sequence and orderly well. But at first, I’m getting confused on the flashbacks and the main story of the book. And on the middle part, I found out the reason why I am getting confused. My imagination was been mixed up with another visions, that’s why those visions were some throwbacks or some flashbacks.

As I evaluate the story of the novel, most of the content that I really get perplexed were the characters of the story. I ended it up by finalizing on what and how does the story will end up. On the part of the flashbacks and the other characters, I thought that some of them were important, but it is not.

In the over-all content, I find the story interesting. As what it says that the novel was best known in the Oprah Book Club, people might be interested on the whole plot and get some ideas and learn a lot about relationships, like love in the family, loving your friends, being trusted to someone whom you really love, every life of a person, and also the death.

9th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival

On July 26, 2013, that is my very first time to go to the Cultural Center of the Philippines for the 9^thCinemalaya of the Philippine Independent Film Festival. This is also my first time to watch an indie films and go to a special event in our country. So the theme is Cinesthesia, which means "synergy of the senses". The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is a film competition and festival that aims to encourage the creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers - works that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.

The day after the opening of the 9^th Cinemalaya, July 27, 2013, we’ve watched the first film entitled “Sana Dati” casting Palo Avelino as Dennis (younger brother of Andrew), Lovi Poe as Andrea (girl friend of Andrew), Benjamin Alves as Andrew (the older brother of Dennis and the boy friend of Andrea), and TJ Trinidad as Robert (Andrea’s husband). 

Directed by: Jerrold Tarog

At first, I feel so awkward because on the name of Lovi Poe as Andrea, and because that is my name. And also her nickname as Drea, and that is what my family and my friends call me. On the other hand, it is a love story about a woman whose wedding is thrown into disarray when a mysterious person arrives and reminds her of the man she really loves. Who is a person that can be able to move on if his/her love one left him/her? Of course, on the situation of Andrea, it is hardly to move on and forget those things and memories that she and Andrew had.

If I were on her situation, I’m still not able to move on in what had happened to the person I really love. It was an accident, and of course, I have no choice on how can I return the past and change everything. But in the condition of Andrea, she’s trying her best on how she can let things go.  One incident was her wedding. Andrea was just been constrained to marry Robert because she has no choice. She lost her loved one, and her mother forced her to marry Robert. That’s why she has no choice. When the time came that Andrea was supposed to commit suicide, I get confused. Why? First, she will just ruin her own wedding. Second, all of her will families and friends will get sad or disappoint. And third, nothing will change.

Then after watching the movie “Sana Dati”, I think that there’s something wrong or I just misunderstood. Dennis never saw Andrea even before his brother died, so it makes me get confused and makes me think on how Dennis recognizes Andrea on her wedding?  

Then, I just realized that the scene where the wedding happened was only taken in one day. The whole scenarios are on the wedding day that some were just flashbacks. I like the way how the sequence of the movie made. It was almost a reality that sometimes, it’s just throwing some flashbacks. Then I also realized that while I am watching some movies, I am focusing on the sequence, the outfits of the actors and actresses, and also the theme. In the characters outfits, I figured out that their clothing was still the same and they’d never change or anything. But of course, their clothing changes when it has some flashbacks. 

So, on the theme of the movie, I figured out that its main insight of the movie was the shoes Andrew gave to
Andrea. Because on the part when Andrea wears
the shoes on her wedding, it shows that she’s still have feelings for Andrew even though she’s getting married to Robert, and she doesn’t care what can happen on the day of her wedding. Also, some people say in some couples that giving a shoe with their partner, means that one of them will leave in their relationship. And then I think that the blue shoes, means that Andrew will leave Andrea. But it is just what I realized about the sayings of the people. 

Moving on, I laughed on the part when Jaime, the younger sister of Andrea, lost her iPhone on the cab and her sister Andrea told her to stop crying because she’ll buy another one. And she says she want a new Samsung phone instead of iPhone again. So in case I lost my cell phone. I’m also going to tell my sister to buy me an iPhone, though I am using Samsung. 

Therefore, I conclude that the theme of the movie is a love story and a little bit comedy. Also, I like the way on how the film was been taken. I like it because it was almost a reality and I like the way on how they included the flashbacks. At the end of the movie, I almost cry because Andrea left the shoes on the cemetery which means, she is already forgetting Andrew, their past, or also those memories and she’s starting to move on and have a new life. And on the part where Andrea says I love you to Robert, I feel so sad. Because all the memories Andrea and Andrew had done, were unforgettable for me. I thought that Andrea doesn’t really love Robert that’s why I get a little confused at the end of the movie. I really like this movie because romance was one of my favorite in genre.

On the second film “Amor y Muerte (Love and Death)”, I thought that it’s about an action and love story. But I was wrong. It is all about the passion, religion, love, sexuality, death and historical.

Directed by: Ces M. Evangelista

At first, I'm confused on how was it started. I mean, on how the whole introduction was played. I was just shocked when those sex scenes were played, but of course I should focus on the main insight of the movie. But I didn't get it. I just found out that it was all about love and death. But for me, the introduction wasn't detailed.

I didn’t watch the trailer that’s why when the movie starts playing, I am really shocked on the scenes. While watching, I feel awkward because there is a guy on the back of our seats. It’s just, all of the scenes were just about sex and then those guys were re-acting in every scene. I get irritated because they’re so noisy that’s why I can’t focus on the movie. Then, while I am focusing on main point of the movie, I realized that it was all about sex and full of lies. Not literally all the scenes were all about sex, but some of those. They were lying with each other, but of course, all secrets revealed. I was really confused on what is the main point of the movie.


From the beginning, it is well orderly made. But on the part when Diego, Amor’s husband, left, the movie began to start its humor. From the start up to the end, it is funny because I know that there’s something wrong. The movie would be nice if it’s properly ordered. That’s why I think that the director is the one who is wrong, but not the script. The good performance of the actors and actresses were just wasted. Yet, if the director really does better, for sure, the movie will not have its humor.

On the setting of the film, I find out that it was only taken in the same venue in every scene. But what I really wanted to know more about the place was the place where Diego encounter between the Indios or the natives and the Spaniards or the colonizers. It is not shown in the movie or any of those scenes about the encounter of the Spaniards and the Indios. It only shows on the part when Diego’s apparel was full of blood.




For the theme of the movie, I realized that the snake is the main point of the movie. When Amor left the house and tells Apitong that the snake is already gone, I realized that it determines Amor, which means the snake is Amor. On the other hand, some people says that a snake means a traitor. So it means that Amor is a traitor. She betrayed her husband and her religion. That’s why because of the snake, the death came.



Moving on to the next scene that really makes me confused is the scene where the massacre came. The killing seems so fake. Especially when Diego stabbed Soledad, the knife was so bloodless and I find out that the scene should be taken twice. That’s why there is really something wrong on the movie. If it’s properly in order, the movie might not have some humors. Thus, it will really be a great movie if it’s in a proper sequence, more places, and be more realistic.

But the genre of the movie was more historical, so it is worth it because I understand about the encounter. It is worth it even though it has some humors. Therefore, for me, the movie was all about betraying with each other and because of love, the death came. So if I would have a relationship, I would not betray my partner. Because what is trust if you will just betray your partner? But of course, there are no perfect relationships. But still, I will keep my relationship lasts forever.


Lastly, on the third film “Babagwa: The Spider’s Lair”, all I know that it is about social networking sites and love. And I am right. Because I haven’t watched the trailer of the movie before we went to CCP.

Directed by: Jason Paul Laxamana

But on the beginning of the movie, I sensed what the movie is all about. It is about social network, and relationships. On the social networking sites, people can find out what's happening in our surroundings. And also, people can find some person that they can be attracted with. Like this movie, "Babagwa", because of an Internet scammer, he was easily get attracted and fell out of love to a girl that was actually a gay. In social networks, there could be a lot of changes that might happen.



While watching, I get a little confused on the different characters in every scene. There is a guy who’s in the province, a guy who’s pretending as a rich man, and a guy who’s lonely or depressed. But that guy is just an imaginary guy, and that is Bam. That’s why I am deeply confused on how does Bam and Greg connects with each other. But of course, I understand on the middle part of the movie. The movie is getting intense in every scene of Greg and Daisy that people makes people heart throb. It’s also because we are serious in watching the movie.


What I really like the most is the last part when Greg was supposed to be with Daisy, and the real Daisy was also a fake one. So it means that Bam was Greg that I really get confused. Then Daisy was a gay that really never give up in pretending. Though, it means that they’re just pretending with each other, and because Greg was really attracted to Daisy, that's why he almost trusted Daisy.





But Daisy was just brilliant that he didn’t give up in pretending on the two of them. Greg was really attracted on how Daisy got the feelings of Greg. Surely, Greg will really regret when he knows the real Daisy. I wonder what happened if the movie didn’t end yet. What I really like was having a relationship even though they didn’t saw each other. But then, the producer was so brilliant that he/she intended to have another visual to make people imagine and get people intense in the movie.



RATINGS:

On the three movies that I’ve watched, I rated all of them. So my top 1 was “Sana Dati”, top 2 is “Babagwa”, and top 3 “Amor y Muerte”.   

“Sana Dati” is my first because romance is my favorite genre at all. But if “Amor y Muerte” is just really in a proper sequence, it would be my number two out of three. “Babagwa” is my second because I really like being intense and deeply focusing on the movie. “Amor Y Muerte” is my third because there is something unique on the story of the movie. But all of them were great.

I am very well impressed in all the indie films that I've watched. By next year, I'll surely make to watch all the new indie films even though I will waste my money just for the Cinemelaya. I wonder where am I going to work after college, being a film maker or advertising. I am hoping that someday, I would be part of any movie. Though, I’ll study better to reach my goals and because of these three indie films, I am so inspired in all of them. ☺