This thesis examines the influence of Romanticism on a selection of seven films from four contemporary American filmmakers: Sofia Coppola, Wes Anderson, Charlie Kaufman, and Spike Jonze. The research questions are as follows: How do particular Romantic ideas, either canonical ones or those located on the more critical fringes of Romanticism, relate to the work of the filmmakers I consider? What Romantic features do these films regularly exhibit, both aesthetically and in terms of narrative? How do these features inform their overall point of view? Finally, how do such Romantic ideas and aesthetics relate to the current cultural milieu in which the films were created? There are many familiar and more obscure Romantic strains running through the films. These include a preoccupation with personal history and memory; an undercurrent of deeply felt emotion and reliance upon mood and tone to convey it; a foregrounding of the creative process and the imagination; and an ambivalent relationship to both the natural world and civilised society. In terms of aesthetics, the films in question depend on qualities of the beautiful, picturesque, and sublime to represent the complex emotional states of their characters and to elicit emotional responses in their audiences. Above all, these films represent a preoccupation with subjectivity and self-consciousness: specifically, the coming to personal self-consciousness that creates a rift between the individual subject and a greater sense of society. By utilising the work of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Romantic authors and philosophers such as Friedrich Schlegel, William Wordsworth, Henry David Thoreau, John Keats and others, combined with twentieth- and twenty-first century readings of these works via literary and cultural theorists and critics such as Harold Bloom, M.H. Abrams, Leo Marx and Anne Mellor, I emphasise the historical trajectory of general Romantic concepts. Taking established cinematic theories (“quirky” cinema, “smart” film, the “new sincerity”) as a point of entry, I explore the underlying stylistic and narrative connections between the films I discuss. I argue these films share a fundamentally Romantic form and vision specific to their own historical and cultural environment.

Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-07T18:45:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 000409855-Texto+Completo-0.pdf: 4922404 bytes, checksum: f7e36aa9b13782d1671816db83ea48f1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Este trabajo examina las tres películas de largometraje dirigidas por Sofia Coppola: Vírgenes suicidas (The virgin suicides, 1999), Perdidos en Tokio (Lost in translation, 2003) y Maria Antonieta (Maria Antoniette, 2006), siempre protagonizadas por mujeres. Nuestro propósito es pensar esas personajes en diálogo con la dificultad de definir a la mujer y lo femenino, cuestionando temas de género, así como la rigidez de los esquemas culturales de la identidad sexual (Judith Butler, 2001). Coppola nos permite reflexionar sobre la representación (Francesco Casetti, 1996 y Jacques Rancière, 2005) de las mujeres, a través de personajes autónomas y desadaptadas, que viven en ambientes opresivos. Las protagonistas de estas películas están unidas por temas como la exploración del erotismo y estado de contemplación, que son síntomas de las sociedades contemporáneas y muestra de lo incierto del sujeto. spa / Este trabalho examina os três filmes de longa-metragem dirigidos por Sofia Coppola: As virgens suicidas (The virgin suicides, 1999), Encontros e desencontros (Lost in translation, 2003) e Maria Antonieta (Maria Antoniette, 2006), sempre protagonizados por mulheres. Nosso propósito é pensar essas personagens em diálogo com a dificuldade de definir a ideia de mulher e o feminino, questionando temáticas de gênero, assim como a rigidez dos esquemas culturais da identidade sexual (Judith Butler, 2001). Coppola nos permite refletir sobre a representação (Francesco Casetti, 1996 e Jacques Rancière, 2005) das mulheres, através de personagens autônomas e deslocadas, que vivem em ambientes opressivos. As protagonistas desses filmes estão unidas por temas como a exploração do erotismo e o estado de contemplação, que são sintomas das sociedades contemporâneas e mostra da incerteza do sujeito.

Submitted by Chaylane Marques (chaylane.marques@ufpe.br) on 2015-03-04T18:42:51Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertaçao André Antônio Barbosa Nostalgia e melancolia nos cinemas de Philippe Garrel e Sofia Coppola.pdf: 1890539 bytes, checksum: 1ed20ec06df3864c87bd0d515e78de46 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-04T18:42:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertaçao André Antônio Barbosa Nostalgia e melancolia nos cinemas de Philippe Garrel e Sofia Coppola.pdf: 1890539 bytes, checksum: 1ed20ec06df3864c87bd0d515e78de46 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-22 / FACEPE / Este trabalho pretende estudar as práticas artísticas distintas de dois cineastas contemporâneos – Philippe Garrel e Sofia Coppola – enxergando-as, porém, integradas a uma mesma e longa tradição de artistas: aquela que, desde os primórdios do romantismo europeu, tem colocado a melancolia como a força-motriz de seus trabalhos. Nestes, a melancolia frequentemente engendra, como uma espécie de correlato natural, o sentimento de nostalgia. Mas ao contrário do que o discurso crítico habitualmente propõe, a nostalgia dessas obras não é em si conservadora, simplista ou ingênua; não é uma cura paliativa, pacificadora ou solução fácil para a angústia melancólica que surge com a modernidade. A nostalgia aí é, antes, uma forma crítica de fugir de uma atualidade linear insípida ou sensório-motora – de escapar do otimismo do progresso – e ir buscar algo de mais profundo e mais complexo em lençóis e circuitos distantes do passado: a possibilidade de, nos termos de Walter Benjamin, uma experiência verdadeira (Erfahrung). O corpus principal da pesquisa consiste, por um lado, em dois longas-metragens de Garrel que, nostalgicamente, evocam o fim dos anos 60: Sauvage innocence (2001) e Les amants réguliers (2005). No primeiro, Garrel interessa-se por capturar a aura distante e fantasmagórica daquela época, enquanto que no segundo ele a enxerga não como um ponto mensurável num correr mecânico do tempo, mas como uma, nos termos de Deleuze, idade do mundo. Por outro lado, em Maria Antonieta (2006), Coppola não apenas justapõe as idades mas faz com que elas coexistam e se relacionem mais diretamente, através de um anacronismo ao mesmo tempo dissonante e nostálgico que conecta o presente, os anos 80, o século XVIII, um vago e edênico passado ainda mais anterior e a frágil esperança de um caminho futuro. O quadro fundamental de referências teóricas das análises compôs-se, por um lado, pelo pensamento de Benjamin, sobretudo pelo modo como ele relaciona distância temporal, experiência e arte; por outro lado, pelos sistemas bergson-deleuzianos de se pensar, por meio de distinções de natureza e não apenas de grau, o tempo e o movimento, o espírito e a matéria; e, por fim, pela ideia de Jacques Racière de todo um novo regime – e não apenas uma mera mudança de “estilo” ou de “escola” artística – que surge com a modernidade estética e cujas formas de funcionamento ainda determinam as operações e estratégias cinematográficas aqui observadas.

The Emancipation of Celie: The Color Purple as a womanist Bildungsroman The purpose of this essay is to study The Color Purple as a Bildungsroman, focusing on the development of the protagonist, Celie. The Color Purple is related to both the traditional Bildungsroman and to the female Bildungsroman, but the essay shows that it can also be seen as a womanist Bildungsroman. Initially, Celie believes that being a woman inescapably means that she has to serve and obey men and she is oppressed by patriarchy. She is eventually introduced to another way of living by the strong female characters of Sofia and Shug who embrace her in a kind of sisterhood, which is vital for Celie as she has nothing else to help her liberate herself from the patriarchal values that keep her down. In conclusion, this essay shows how Celie has developed from being a young girl, forced to act in an adult way, into a woman who displays signs of all the criteria for having achieved a womanist development: she is grown up (not just acting as though she is), she is in charge of a business, a house and, in short, her life. She is serious, she has a universalist perspective, and most importantly, she loves. Furthermore, the essay highlights which characteristics of her development can be linked to the traditional and the female Bildungsroman and which characteristics can be seen as typical of a womanist Bildungsroman.

Sofia Gubaidulina is one of the leading composers in the contemporary music world. Her compositional interests have been stimulated by the exploration of and improvisation with rare folk and ritual instruments, and by a deep-rooted belief in the mystical properties of music. Gubaidulina is the author of orchestral and choral works, compositions for solo instruments, chamber music, as well as electronics music. Gubaidulina's Piano Sonata sums up the composer's thinking within her piano music, and at the same time projects the development of her spiritual vision within other genres that are to come. The analytical approach in this paper is based on the correlation between each of the elements of the musical material (form, rhythm, sound, etc.) and its contextual meaning in terms of musical dramaturgy. Set-theory is applied to the analysis of motivic components of the work. The traditional form is just the basis for the original intonational structure within a modern musical idiom. Varieties of rhythmic patterns, as well as an unconventional sound production, make this work breath with an impetuous power. The examination of the Sonata's musical language and content should give some insight not only into Guabaidulina's piano music, but also into a consequent development of her compositional thinking.

Idé och intention Intentionen har varit att skapa en förskola för barnen, med hjälp av element som relaterar till barnens skala. Stora öppna rum med utrymme för förändring och skapade. Platser och rum där alla barn kan mötas. En innomhus "piazza” som inbjuder till Reggio Emilias pedagogiska riktlinjer om möten.  Förskolan ska uppmuntrar barn i olika åldrar att interagera med varandra. Det finns tydliga siktlinjer genom byggnaden för att stärka relationen mellan avdelningarna.  Huset arkitektur präglas av en tektonisk tanke och en redovisande konstruktion. Stora limträbalkar i en klassisk ”hus-siluett” löper som ett skelett genom byggnaden. Intressanta möten skapar nya rum när då limträbalkarna förskjuts. Konstruktionens förskjutningar skapar olika rum och platser på tomten.   Situation Bebyggelsen i Råsunda är varierande från större flerbostadshus till stora enfamiljsvillor. Förskolan blir ett tillägg till den befintliga stenbebyggelsen. En träbyggnad med hållbarhetstankar som smälter in i den kuperade miljön i Råsunda. Byggnaden vänder sig mot Gustafsvägen och möter vägen med sin huvudentré och skapar en skyddad baksida där barnen kan leka. Ytterligare en entré för personal och varumottagning finns vid Charlottenburgsvägen. Konstruktion Byggnaden har en redovisande konstruktion av limträbalkar som möts och skapar olika rum. Balkarna är delvis inklädda och delvis synliga med ett cc på 2400 mm. Golvbjälklaget är synligt och ligger infalsade på de horisontella balkarna. En stegljudsdämpande matta begränsar ljud att studsa mellan våningarna. Material Fasadens grånande lärkträ mönster fönster med karmar av mässing. Byggandens innerväggar är klädda i vitmålade plywood skirvor. Rummen i "väggen":  vilorummen men sina små loft och toaletter har fått behålla ren plywood som en kontrast mellan de stora öpnna rummen och rum som gömmer sig i väggen. I övrigt präglas byggnaden av ljus färger och ljusa material, förutom i köket då arbetsytorna är av mörk marmor.  Fasader Träpanel i lärk i olika nyanser och storlekar. Fasaden löper upp på taket med en dold hängränna. Eftersom byggnaden är uppdelad i fyra volymer skapar de en oregelbunden fasad. Fönstersättningen är gjord efter rum och användning inifrån och skapar ett lekfullt men organiserat intryck.  Planer och rum Byggnaden består av entréplan, övervåning och en källare. När man går in genom huvudentrén möts man av ett stort gemensamt kapprum för de lite äldre barnen. En trappa som leder till övre plan och källaren är placerad centralt i rummet med glesa ribbor som möjliggör en siktlinje in i matsalen, piazzan. Piazzan är en öppen matsal, där barnen äter tillsammans runt olivträdet.  En nära relation till miljön utomhus skapas med stora öppningsbara glaspartier. Det är öppet ner till köket som ligger på en liten nivåskillnad, för att möjliggöra en köksbänk som fungerar i två nivåer, barnens nivå och de vuxnas. Bakom en av köksväggarna finns soprummet. Genom små hål i väggen lär sig barnen sortera sina matrester Vidare från köket finns en personalavdelning med personalrum, vilorum och WC. Från andra sidan av matsalen når man rörelserummet och vidare in till småbarnsavdelningen. De allra minsta barnen har sin avdelning med en egen entré från Gustafsvägen. På den övre våningen finns två separata avdelningar. Varje avdelning har sina egna toaletter, både för barn och vuxna, och ett vilorum. Avdelningarna knyts samman av ett stort gemensamt lekrum uppdelat över två volymer. I det ena lekrummet finns en scen och en bygghörna och i den andra finns en atelje med takljus och ett sagorum. Från sagorummet kan man titta ned på olivträdet genom en glaskupol.I källaren finns ett teknikrum och en tvättstuga. Städskåp och förråd finns dolda i de dubbla väggarna som sakpas där två husvolymer möts. / Idea and intention  The intention was to create a preschool for children, including elements that relates to the scale of the children. To create big open spaces with capacity for development and creation. Spaces where children can interact. To create an inside “piazza” that invites to Reggio Emilias pedagogical guidelines regarding interactions.  The preschool aims to encourage children in various ages to interact. The clear view throughout the building aims to strengthen the relationships between the sections.  The architecture is characterized by a tectonic vision and a reporting construction. Big wooden beams constitutes a classic “house silhouette” that run throughout the building. Interesting interactions creates new spaces when the  wooden beens is displaced. The displacement of the construction creates various spaces on the sites.  Situation The habitation in Råsunda varies from larger apartment blocks to big villas. The preschool is a contribution to the existing stone buildings. A construction made in wood with a vision of sustainability, will fit the hilly environment in Råsunda. The main entrance of the building faces Gustafsvägen, which creates a safe and protected back yard for the children. An additional entrance for staff and goods is found facing Charlottenburgsvägen.  Construction The building has a reporting construction of wooden balks, which meet and constitutes various rooms. The beam are covered and partly visible with a cc of 2400mm. The subfloor is visible and synchronized within the horizontal beams. A rug designed to reduce noise is used.  Material The facade graying larch panel pattern windows with frames of brass. The interior walls are covered with white plywood material. The rooms in the “wall”: resting rooms including small loft and restrooms contains clear plywood as a contrast from the big open spaces that are hidden in the wall. Overall, light colors and light materials characterize the building, except for the kitchen where the work surface is made of dark marble. Facade  The wood paneling is in various sizes and shades of larch. The facade continues up to the roof with a hidden gutter. As the building is divided in four volumes, it creates an irregularly facade. The placement of the windows are placed according to the rooms and use from the inside which creates a playful but organized impression.  Plans and rooms The building consists of an entrance, upper floor and a basement. When passing through the main entrance, a large coatroom appears targeting the older children. A stair is placed in the centre of the room, which enables entrance to the upper level of the building. The stair consists of thin laths which enables straight view to the dining room, piazzan. Piazzan is a spacious dining room where the children are able to eat together around the olive tree.  A close relation to the nature is created by large sliding glass walls. It is an open atmosphere to the kitchen, which is placed on a small level difference to enable a kitchen worktop that works on two level differences, the children level and the adult level. Behind one of the kitchen walls, the garbage room is placed. Through small holes in the wall the children learn how to separate their food leftovers. Further on from the kitchen there is a staffroom with toilets and a room for resting. From the other side of the dining room the movement-room is placed which leads to the youngest children’s department.  The youngest children have their own entrance from Gustafsvägen. The upper floor is divided in to two separate departments. Each department contains restrooms, for both children and adults and a room for resting. The departments are tied together by a united playroom, which is divided into two different levels. A stage and a building corner characterize one of the playrooms. In the other, one can find a studio and a story-telling room. A glas cover creates the possibility to look down to the olive tree from the story-telling room. In the basement one find a room for technology and a laundry room. Cleaning cabins and storage are hidden in the double walls, which are created where two house volumes meet.

Under hösten 2013 offentliggjorde den svenska regeringen att man vill investera i att bygga ut Stockholms tunnelbana. Denna utbyggnad innefattar nio nya stationer, Sofia på Södermalm är en av dessa stationer. På grund av platsens förutsättningar kommer stationen bli en av de djupaste i världen. Detta förslag utnyttjar dessa förutsättningar för att sammankoppla gatunivån med den underjordiska perrongen och ger den vardagliga upplevelsen av rymd, atmosfär, ljus och tomrum en central position. Förslaget innefattar ett hundra meter djupt schakt, två hisschakt, ett publikt torg park och tunnelbaneperrong. / During the autumn of 2013 the Swedish government announced that they intend to invest in expanding the Stockholm Metro. The expansion includes nine new stations; Sofia on Södermalm is one of them. The conditions of the site make the station to one of the deepest in the world. This proposal makes use of these conditions to connect the street level and the underground platform level and give the everyday experience of space, atmosphere, light and void a central position. The proposal comprises a hundred meters deep shaft, two elevator shafts, a public square park and train platform.

The historic portrayal of the teenage girl in cinema as a mythical, sexual, hyper feminine and contemporary creature makes way for a specific but fairly common trope. Namely a trope where the teenage girl is used to elicit nostalgia and romance for the male protagonist, specifically because of her trauma and pain. The connection between the youth, femininity, pain and her status as contemporary is what makes the teenage girl an especially nostalgic object. Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides is a film that perfectly highlights and exaggerates this trope. By analyzing this film as well as comparing it to earlier examples, this essay will problematize this portrayal and locate its roots. This essay will analyze these examples and compare them to the general portrayal of the teenage girl in cinema during the twentieth century. By looking at The Virgin Suicides through the theory of the male gaze and the female spectacle, Coppola’s highlighting of this trope becomes clear. This essay concludes that it is unclear if Coppola subverts or simply leans into this trope, but it becomes evident that it is a trope built on the fact that pain and deadness is the height of perfect femininity. Perfect femininity in turn can only be achieved during adolescence, and therefore, the trauma of female adolescence becomes nostalgic.

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Microworlds are visual, 2D grid-based worlds with programmable actors that help ease students into programming. Microworlds have been used as a pedagogical tool for teaching students to program in an object-oriented paradigm for several years now. With the popularity of Android smart phones, creating a pedagogical microworld for Android can help students learn not just Java, OO and event-driven concepts, but also learn to use the Android framework to create concrete, real-world applications. This thesis presents Sofia.Micro, an Android-based pedagogical microworld framework that not only allows Greenfoot-style microworld programs to run on Android, but also adds additional functionalities to microworlds that have not been previously explored, such as built-in shape and physics support, event-driven programming in a microworld context, and allowing for both Greenfoot-style actors and Karel-style actors in the same world. / Master of Science