TAMUT Baseball Program Continues to Make History

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Andy Verke Jr.

The Texas A&M University-Texarkana baseball team is in its inaugural season and have already set the bar high for years to come. In its first year they have gained national recognition from social media with Kenneth Fudge’s walk off grand slam epic bat flip and against Georgia Gwinnett for having fireworks going off in the middle of game two. In addition to the fame from social media, on March 15, 2016, The 2016 NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll was released and the TAMUT Eagles Baseball team receiving four votes in the top 25. Now that may not sound like a big deal but for a first year program it shows what they have accomplished.

To put the cherry on top of the season, the TAMUT Baseball Team qualified for the A.I.I. (Association of Independent Institutions) Conference tournament as the #3 seed. Their first game will be on Saturday, May 7th at noon as they take on Edward Waters College (the #6 seed) out of Jacksonville, Florida.

All conference tournament games will be streamed on Grizzly Digital Network. Prices for streaming are $7.95 for a single game or $29.95 for the all tournament pass which includes every game.

There are eight teams in the double elimination tournament and the first, second, and third place teams will receive automatic qualifying bids to the NAIA Baseball Regional Tournament.

Congratulations to the TAMUT Baseball program and continue to make history.

Life of a College Baseball Player

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Andy Verke Jr.

5am alarm goes off, you want to hit snooze but you know you can’t because you still need to grab a snack before morning weights at 6. 5:45 am you’re in the gym stretching with the position guys because Coach Jones always says “if you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re late!”. It’s about 7:15 am and while people are starting to wake from their nights sleep you are in the empty cafeteria getting breakfast, showering, and getting ready for day of classes.

From 9-1pm you’re busy with classes and only 15 minutes in between each class to grab a small bite to eat. Class is done for the day but you still have to go back to your dorm room, change then head to the field for early hitting at 1:30.

For the next 3-4 hours you are dialed in on baseball and paying attention to the details. During those 3-4 hours you will have a bunt scrimmage, situational hitting scrimmage, batting practice, and conditioning. Star drills… The consequence of not paying attention to detail. So what is a star drill? It is when you start at home plate and run to the center field wall, back to home plate, down the right field line to the foul pole, across the outfield to the left field foul pole, and finally back to home in two minutes and 20 seconds or less.

It’s approximately 5:30pm and you are finally done with practice and have to head back to the dorms to get dinner, shower, and gather your things to go to the library. After your dinner you head to the library to study for test, do your homework, and complete any projects you have. It’s 11pm and the library is closing but you still have to finish some of your homework, so you go to the study room in the dorms and complete your homework for the night.

By the time you get done with your homework it’s 12:30 and you have to be up in four and a half hours to do it all again.

It takes a lot of discipline and sacrifice, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

Love of the Game

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Jamie Williamson

It takes a certain type of kid to play tournament softball or be the parent of the athlete who plays. I get to witness both of these people in my niece and my sister. My niece has been playing softball since she was 6. She is now 13 and her love is still there and doesn’t seem to be fading. She also found she had a natural ability to pitch. She started pitching and has only gotten better over time. As she got older she started playing tournament softball which is a completely different game than the local league ball she had been playing. Tournament ball takes dedication, time, and practice. My sister has been there through the years never missing a game.

I have watched my niece grow up playing the game she loves and often time sacrificing other things to play tournaments on the weekends. Her weekends are usually dedicated to softball as is most of her week. She has to juggle pitching and batting lessons as well as team practices around school work and hanging with friends. She does all this without complaint to get the chance to play a game she is good at and loves. She wants to be a professional softball player when she gets older. I would say she has the talent and drive to get there.

I have also gotten to witness my sister always being there for her daughter in support of the game she loves. My sister never complains about having to sacrifice her time or money to give my niece the chance to pursue her dreams. She is always at every game and encourages not only her daughter but every girl out on the field. She is the team mother on my nieces current team and over sees everything the team needs. If a girl were to need anything while playing a tournament my sister is the one to go to her bag is always filled with the essentials.

Right now they are both working toward going to the FASA World Series in Branson Missouri. My sister taking care of getting all the girls shirts, towels, and pins for the opening ceremonies. My niece is playing in a tournament every weekend to earn points for her team. They are also both working on fundraisers to get enough money to cover costs while in Branson for a week. Both of them would not be who they are if it weren’t for softball tournaments.

Stars in the Stanley Cup Race

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Jamie Williamson

The Dallas Stars have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals! The Dallas Stars earned their spot in the playoffs before the end of regular season. The Stars ended the regular season in the number one spot in their division. This meant they knew they would play the first round of playoffs no matter what. The stars have only made the playoffs three times in the last five years.

After advancing to the first round of playoffs the Stars had to play the Minnesota Wild. The first round was going to be an intense match up between the two teams. Every time these two teams have met it has been a showdown until the last-minute of the game. The Stars knew they had to come out strong in the first round to make a good show to stay in the playoffs. The series of games ended in the Stars beating the Wild in games.

The Stars advanced to the second round of playoffs and now face the St Louis Blues. The Stars played the first games against the Blues on April 29, 2016. The game was a match of players both trying to gain the advantage and score the most points. The score was 0-0 throughout the first period. The change in score came when the Stars scored in the second period. The Blues followed the Stars and scored their first goal shortly after the Stars to tie the game 1-1. The score was still tied heading into the third period. The Stars came out and kept getting the puck to the net, but couldn’t manage to get one to go in. With three minutes left in the game the Stars scored to give the 2-1 lead over the Wild. The Stars managed to hold the lead until the buzzer sounded and the game was over. The Stars now lead the series over the Blues.

The Stars need to maintain their momentum going forward in the second round of playoff games. If they can keep up the winning then they will be well on their way to winning a Stanley Cup. If they can make it all the way it will be the first time they have achieved this since 1999.

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The Life of the Tennis Forehand

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Deontae Harper

Everyday day I ask myself why tennis is underrated and I never could get the best conclusion. Tennis is not an easy sport to play, especially when you are playing the right way. I would like for just anybody to come out and play tennis and master the sport like Rafael Nadal and Rodger Federer does. Now these guys can hit amazing shot none stop as if it was the easiest thing on earth. The way they make a forehand shot look so fantastic is phenomenal. The reason the tennis forehand shot is astonishing is because, it allows the player to maintain control over the game and their opponent, it is the most comfortable shot in tennis for most players to use when rallying during a match, and it blows your opponents’ minds with the different types of spin that you can apply to the ball.

For starters my favorite forehand shot is the running forehand shot because it allows me to apply tons more power to the ball then I would from a stable open stance forehand shot. For instance Russian tennis player Vera Zvonareva, who now holds the highest percentage of this shot in the women’s professional stats leads with only 47% out of 100, this shows the difficulty of the shot. Although I like this shot, this shot isn’t an easy shot to accomplish because, you have to keep your body balanced throughout the shot because if not you most likely will shank the ball out the court. One author explains that Vera says, “I like to use what I call a buggy whip swing with lots of upward and forward movement,” (Rolley 39).

There is a big component to the forehand shot that has a tendency to get overlooked. This component is the mental focus to hit the ball accurately, maintain control over the game and your opponent. I have the skill to do this when I choose to sometimes , but sometimes I just let my opponent get into my head and blow the match out of anger. Many people who have this skill wins outweigh the ones who have short tempers according to the stats of sports psychologist Sian Beilock: “A player who has this skill ask themselves after every point where am I going to play the next ball to either maintain or take control of the game.

Next is the comfortability of the forehand shot. Most players like to relax as much as possible when hitting this shot so that they would not mess up the shot due to tension in the body. No player like to hit a forehand that they will regret in a match because that’s usually where a player shines on the court while performing this shot. Whenever I drop a forehand into the net due to and correctable error that I mad I flat-out yell at myself for giving that point away. In comparison to my forehand shot a professional tennis players is exceptionally off the charts better than mine. Look at men’s professional tennis player Gael Monfils’ forehand, he has way more control and power than me. Gael stats that there is five basic components to the forehand shot that he uses, which are the Shoulders, Arms, Follow-through, Knees, and Feet. All these components to Gael Monfils’ forehand allows him to maximize the ultimate comfort ability that he needs to stay ahead of himself and the game. “ There’s the modern typical forehand, and there is Gael Monfils’ forehand,” says Tracy Austin.

Last but not least we have the spin to apply to the ball when striking a forehand shot. There are several different types of spin that you can apply to the ball. The common spin that most tennis players use is the basic topspin shot. A topspin shot means that you basically close the face of your racket and brush up on the backside of the ball to create that simple spin. “ I love to hit a deep topspin shot that hits the ground and takes off due to the spin which causes my opponents to struggle with their returns to this shot,” says outstanding tennis player Rafael Nadal ( Burwash 22 ). Another great spin to develop is this slice shot which simply means to cut through the ball, but at the same time push outward with the ball evenly. This also is a hard shot to hit because your timing has to be right and at the same time you must have the control to do it , but when you develop this shot you will become a much greater tennis player on both sides of the ball because this slice shot makes the ball leave the path of the opponents which plays in your favor most of the time.

In conclusion to my research over the diversity of the tennis forehand and how it enhances the positive outcome of the game, I would like to close with saying that with out the tennis forehand I think that the intensity in tennis would be taken out because only thing that’s left is the backhand and the serve. Although the backhand and the serve are big components in tennis, the forehand excels pass them because its more popular. The reason the tennis forehand shot is astonishing is because, it allows the player to maintain control over the game and their opponent, it is the most comfortable shot in tennis for most players to use when rallying during a match, and it blows your opponents mind with the several different types of spin that you can apply to the ball.

Ratchet & Clank: Kicking Asteroid on a PS4 Near You

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Aaron Caraway

April 12th, 2016 saw the release of Ratchet & Clank on PS4, part of a now 14-year old video game franchise held exclusively on Playstation consoles.

The latest installment in the Ratchet & Clank series is a video game adaptation of the animated movie of the same name, which is an alternative re-telling of the original 2002 title on Playstation 2, conveniently also titled Ratchet & Clank. “The Game based on the Movie based on the Game”, as developer Insomniac Games describes it.

Ratchet & Clank (2016) tells the story of Ratchets joining the Galactic Rangers and saving the galaxy from evil Chairman Drek with a small robot named Clank, originally a warbot in Dreks army but much smaller and less intimidating than intended thanks to some defect. Players explore several alien worlds in their quest to defeat the Blarg (ruled by Chairman Drek of Drek Industries), using various (one such example being the Groovitron, which forces any enemy in the area to dance – another is the Pixelizer, a shotgun which transforms enemies into low-resolution retro versions of themselves) to progress.

Much of the game hearkens back to the original 2002 release, although Insomniac Games does take the opportunity to call attention to other titles in the franchise through popular guns and artwork in the extras menu. The game also uses some scenes directly from the upcoming film.

Ratchet & Clank (2016) is available at any major electronics retailer for 40 dollars exclusively on Playstation 4 consoles. The Ratchet & Clank movie opens in theaters April 29th.

Athletic Budgets

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Middle School Jeremiah Crawford. Abandoned by his father, lives with his grandmother who does the best she can, a detention regular who barely passed his classes. High School Jeremiah Crawford. Varsity athletics all three years, he doesn’t even know the definition of junior varsity. All State Football Player his sophomore year, all district basketball player, baseball player, track star, and B Honor Roll. Jeremiah Crawford. Currently a junior at Mineola High School, and one of the top 3A recruits for college football.

I am sure most of us have participated in some form of athletics during our lifetime. This could be anything from football, to tennis, to cross-country. I am also sure that sometime during your participation in this activity, you have heard someone say that too much money is invested in this area and that budgets should be cut.

Athletics is so much more than wearing cute uniforms and winning medals. High School athletics to Jeremiah is, and I quote, “My lifeline, probably kept me out of juvie.” Athletics is beneficial to school systems, and the budgets should most certainly not be cut. Athletics improves academics, students who participate tend to be healthier, and athletics teaches good morals.

 Our first benefit of athletics is that it improves academics. Now, wait a minute. Don’t sports take up a ton of time? The answer to this is yes. So, if sports take up time, wouldn’t that mean students have less time to focus on school? Yes, and no. A study done by the University of Missouri accessed April 2nd on MUhealth.org- talks about skill sets that are directly relevant to classwork. The study shows that sports require “memorization, repetition and learning. The determination and goal-setting skills sports require can be transferred to the classroom. “From this study we gather that the skills learned on the field and court can also be applied sitting at a desk. These skills help student athletes learn how to focus and, therefore, they can pay better attention in class and receive better grades. As you can see, even though time is taken up by these events, the quality of time spent on academics is actually enhanced.

Students who participate in athletics also tend to be healthier. We all know, obviously, that it helps decrease the amount of obesity. So that is not what we are going to cover. What you might not know is studies have shown that participating in physical activity prevents diseases.

According to the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport for Development accessed April 2, 2016 – “Physical activity… contributes to developing healthy bones and efficient heart and lung functions.” Athletics helps prevent chronic diseases including cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer, and depression.

We have seen how athletics improves academics and health, but one of the most important qualities to me, is that athletics teaches students good morals.  Athletic Director Joe Drennon from Mineola ISD has been coaching for more than 25 years. He said, “Athletics is a big part of a student’s life in the fact that it helps prepare them for the real world and teaches them how to earn their way everyday. That nothing is a given. It teaches them how to be thankful for their victories, and learn from their defeats.” After almost every sporting event fans observe both teams shaking hands and telling each other good job. This might not seem like a big deal, but one of those teams didn’t come out top. They had to learn how to accept their defeat and move forward. They had to learn how to improve so they could fix their mistakes and compete better the next time.

As you can see, athletics is more than just throwing a ball down a field or kids “looking cool” in jerseys. And according to the National Federation of State High School Associations accessed April 2, 2016 – “more than 7.6 million high school students, 55% of our student population, participates in athletics.” The funding going towards athletics provides for more than just sports. It provides an opportunity for students, some like Jeremiah, who would have otherwise taken a completely different path. He is on the fast track to college, whereas in middle school, he wanted nothing more than to drop out. Athletics provides classroom enhancement, health benefits, and good morals. So before you think about cutting athletic budgets at your local schools, remember the 7.6 million, remember the benefits, and remember Jeremiah.

Dark Souls III Review: Prepare to Die, One Last Time

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Aaron Caraway

“YOU DIED.” The phrase is boldface, red text, center screen and demands attention. This is the tagline of the Soulsborne series – spanning five separate entries and an updated re-release of one – and has been since 2009 for good reason. Following the success of series progenitor Demons Souls, the first entry in the Dark Souls trilogy released in 2011, and I’ve followed the train of death and despair ever since. There’s a reason this series has such a loyal following, and developer From Software proved you could summarize the reason in two words only – “YOU DIED.”

If that describes the sort of experience that will have you beating your head against a wall in frustration to you, you’re not far off. Recently released Dark Souls III represents the challenges awaiting series newcomers and series veterans alike – you are Unkindled, and tasked with ushering the Lords of Cinder back to their thrones so that you might fuel the First Flame once again before the Age of Dark begins. Much like other games in the Soulsborne series, this is about all the context you get for your adventure – more on that later. I bring this up to highlight that it is the gameplay, not the narrative, that takes center stage.

Dark Souls III‘s gameplay format, like entries before it, is of a “level-boss” format – players will explore area after area, conquering enemies and traps to reach the end. Should you fall at any point in this journey, well, “YOU DIED.” That statement takes all the more meaning when you realize that your souls – the all-encompassing resource for game progression, from leveling your characters stats to upgrading their weapons and purchasing new gear – are no longer on your person, instead left at the spot of your demise. Fail to reclaim them before you fall again, and they – along with whatever progress you made since leveling or upgrading weaponry – will be gone forever. The only things left will be your will to continue forward after such a frustrating setback, and your experience with the game and its obstacles that you have already acquired. This is what has separated the newcomer from the veteran since the release of Dark Souls II – once you’re used to the tricks up From Softwares sleeve, you’re far less likely to fall victim to them. The same holds true for Dark Souls III – I found myself having little trouble with the areas themselves and more with the clash in gameplay mechanics – again, more on that later.

What never quite translates from gameplay in one entry to another is the boss encounters, and Dark Souls III shines just as brightly here as its predecessors. At the end of each area of enemies, traps and moody atmospheres lies a boss that will not hesitate to put you in the ground every single time. What further elevates them past the likes of their predecessors is that now, every boss has two phases, sometimes beginning partway through their health bar or at the depletion of their first one. The level of depth it adds to these encounters is enthralling – managing your supply of Estus Flasks, the main and oftentimes only source of healing in the game, becomes crucial. The more you can save in Phase 1, the better your chances of skating through by the skin of your teeth during Phase 2.

It deserves mention, of course, that you need not face these dangers alone. You’re free to call allies to aid you and with the inclusion of a password system first introduced in Bloodborne, these can now be your friends! Their supply of Estus may be limited and their health scaled down, but the extra pair of hands can mean the difference between life and death for many. Of course, this is not without its drawbacks – more people fighting a boss means its health increases to match, so one unlucky hit and a player may find himself fighting a battle alone meant for two. In addition, to send for such aid, you must be Embered, a state in Dark Souls III that considerably boosts your HP but opens you up to invasions by other players, regardless of it you have souls in the level or if there is anyone available to help you through the world. Believe me, they could care less.

The character you play can also mean as much as who you play with. To begin, the potential for building a play style you enjoy is vast – you can wield heavy weapons, armor and shields, go lightweight with quick-hitting weapons, cast spells of various types such as Sorceries, Miracles and Pyromancies or, if you choose, some combination of these aspects. You are only limited by your progression through the game, and what stats you level – do I get the stats to wield the shield along side my great sword, or the stats to cast that powerful spell I found? The choice is yours, and it means far more than it should, by Dark Souls standards. Released before Dark Souls III, Bloodborne was a spiritual successor to the series – welcomed by the Soulsborne community, it favored fast-paced, skill-based gameplay in a Lovecraftian setting, in contrast to the patience driven fantasy world of the Dark Souls games. Dark Souls III attempted to merge the two styles, with little success. The game is highly enjoyable, sure, but also unreasonably frustrating at times, when the game pits the standard style of play of patience and learning for your survival against the high-speed encounters of Bloodborne. Time and time again, I found myself frustrated with certain bosses and encounters simply because I couldn’t keep up. Although the ability to respect your character can be unlocked early on, it can’t get you back the materials you used to upgrade your weapons of choice, and feeling that spending unnecessary time farming these items and the souls to level was actually a viable course of action spoke to me, as I know from past experience with the Dark Souls games that no such changes could actually improve my performance within the game.

The payoff for clearing these encounters, however, was something that the Soulsborne series strives to do – highlight achievement, and produce a strong catharsis from clearing such a mighty hurdle, no matter its validity. It’s a drug present in both gameplay and narrative, where the distinct lack of direct storytelling has fostered an entire community of players pouring through item descriptions, exploring areas, taking notes and comparing them with fellow lore-seekers, ultimately to themselves paint the world they play in. It is a process of finding oneself, through challenge after challenge, that ultimately shaped the franchise to its current state.This, I find, is the greatest thing about Dark Souls III. It is a sterling example of the creative process, one that pushes players to improve and developers to improve right along side them. It will be flawed, whether inherently or inconsequentially, but it has never stopped, and will never stop, keeping players coming back for more. In the all-too-grim words of Dark Souls III NPC Eygon, “Enough death to leave you broken, time after time.”

Broken in, sure, but who’s counting?

Developer: From Software

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4

Release Date: April 12th, 2016

Review: “The Jungle Book”

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Richardson Rutter-Reese

“The Jungle Book” was a welcome visit from an old friend. Once again written and produced by Disney, the movie was a combination of a live-action and CGI work. For those not familiar with the work, it is a story of an orphan boy, Mowgli, who lives in a forest among his animal companions. The new take draws on elements of Disney’s original animated movie, and Kipling’s original work.

The story revolves around Mowgli trying to find his place in the jungle. From when he was found, Mowgli has been raised by a pack of wolves. During a period of peace, Shere Khan,  a tiger, threatens to kill Mowgli when the truce ends. As Mowgli’s wolf pack debates on if he should remain in the wolf pack, Mowgli voluntarily leaves.

Throughout the rest of the movie Mowgli goes through various trials throughout the jungle. Mowgli has an encounter with Kaa, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, he comes face to face with a swarm of bees, gets washed away in a rushing river, and ultimately, comes face to face with Shere Khan.  

Beyond singing along to “The Bare Necessities”, and “I Wanna Be Like You”, the story is one of accepting others, believing in yourself, and standing together against adversity. Mowgli faces adversity not from Shere Khan, but from those he considers family, and from himself. We not only see Mowgli grow into who he is, but seeing others around him accept Mowgli even though he is different.

“The Jungle Book” is an excellent film. Older viewers will find this not only a welcome return, but a significant movie that can stand on its own. Younger viewers will be enthralled by the cinematics and animation.

“The Jungle Book” is a worthy movie of anyone’s time. 5/5

Kael vs. Kubrick: “A Clockwork Orange”

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Allison Hall

“Is there anything sadder — and ultimately more repellent — than a clean-minded pornographer?” In addressing Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, Pauline Kael, as quoted above, regards Kubrick and his film as unimpressive and unnecessary eroticism. In rebuttal, I argue that the elegance of violence in the film works toward overall horror,  the sexualization within society does little for dehumanizing the “straight” citizens in opposition to Alex, and, in compliance, Kubrick does employ strategic, questionable methods in pushing the audience to view Alex as the ultimate good guy, or at least victim, within the film.

Kael claims that the movie is classified as “clean-minded pornography” with the intent to arouse audiences because of Kubrick’s “pedantically calculated scenes”, however, this strategy does just the opposite. The rape scenes are riddled with savagery in that Alex doesn’t seem connected to anything he’s doing. He definitely seems to be getting pleasure, as demonstrated in the raping of Mrs. Alexander when Alex is dancing to his cover of Singing in the Rain and laughing all the while. So, yes, the experience is arousing for Alex, but does little for the average audience member. If anything, the unsettling detail accompanied by the fluid and vibrant motions hinting at Alex’s excitement during his intentional violent fits create disgust. Arguing that Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange is pornography is debatable because whether or not the intent of these scenes are to arouse is unknown, but on either side of the argument, it seems unjust to claim that whatever it is remains clean-minded.

Kael argues that the innocence and whimsical nature of the violent acts, such as the pairing of classical music with brutality, remains as reasoning for it to be looked at as comical and light-hearted, but Alex is raping someone. This is observed in the first attempted raping of a young woman by another unrelated group. Pornography has the intent to arouse the audience and this scene just shouldn’t. This woman is suffering and very obviously feeling distressed, as seen in her cries for help. The elegant music and fluid choreography emphasize the innocence felt by the teens and therefore creates more of a sickening atmosphere than an arousing one. These children are toying with this innocent girl and exploiting her for their own enjoyment, not hers. No matter what way it’s looked at, it’s a crime and a discomforting one at that. The added classical music or other just furthers the idea that Alex likes this and sees nothing wrong with what he is doing. He likes rape. And the fact that such innocence in Alex’s mind is mimicked in his actions, his “schoolboy” like and accepted behavior, elongates the intended repellents from Alex’s actions and, more so, the society that has created him.

In Kael’s review, she suggests that “the trick of making the attacked less human than their attackers, so you feel no sympathy for them…” is a thing. This doesn’t actually seem to be Kubrick’s goal. As stated previously, Kubrick does well in disconnecting Alex and making the audience feel uncomfortable with the ease urged toward Alex’s endeavors. Each victim acts as a victim might. Nothing seems peculiar or off-putting. In fact, the Alexander home is very welcoming and warm and Mr. Alexander’s mental stability has flown out the window afterwards. Kael claims that “the “straight” people are far more twisted than Alex; they seem inhuman and incapable of suffering” because Kubrick’s over-sexualized community adds even more “deformity” to the plot. The problem remains that it is unclear in the film just how long society has been this way. These elderly citizens could have been born into this. It’s normal for them. Take the scene with the fit cat lady for example. Her house is riddled with sexual vulgarity, but still when answering the door to Alex remains fearful and skeptical. She isn’t violent. One could argue on the contrary using the battle scene between her and Alex as an example, but that’s just self-defense. What attacked person wouldn’t try to save themselves? Alex broke in to a house with locked doors and high windows. She is also older, accounting for her dominant attitude. While it may be a plausible argument to say that the sexual respects add twist to the concept, what isn’t clear is why this makes the adults and other characters less human. It only pushes the concept of a crippled societal structure by pushing the question of why these sexual exploitations are acceptable in such a society. The adults aren’t acting in any way vulgar or crass. As a matter of fact they seem frail and confused, as shown through Alex’s father upon Alex’s return home. Not trusting a flawed society seems to be the ultimate message for the film.

In the end, there is no hiding the fact that Kubrick is pushing Alex to be the abused protagonist. Because of what Kubrick has portrayed society to be, sexual and crime run, the audience is very capable of pinning everything on the man. Kael says that “Kubrick has removed many of the obstacles to our identifying with Alex” in comparison with Burgess’s novel. Apparently, Alex’s habits are cleaned up in the film and throughout he is given opportunities to play the innocent bystander. For example, after leaving the government facility and returning home, he finds himself to be actually homeless and ultimately alone. The audience, at this point, feels bad for poor little Alex and the rest is history. From the start, glimpses at the disorganized and faulty world around Alex and the aggressive nature of what is arguably all teenagers leads the audience to believe that Alex is a product of society to begin with. In the end, after he is “cured all right”, the audience sees that what Alex is now is a product of what the authorities have yet again made him and not only through the conditioning, but also through bribes and hush profits. Kubrick’s argument isn’t that man should accept what man has made, but rather man should blame authorities for what man has made.

In conclusion, while I disagree that detail takes away from the dramatization of the violence and the modern citizen within the film is dehumanized, I believe Kael is right in saying that Kubrick pushes a little too hard in wanting the audience to see eye to eye with Alex and accept what he is.

Work Cited

Kael, Pauline. “Stanley Strangelove.” Visual-Memory. The New Yorker Magazine. January 1972. Web. 4 April 2016