A Table for the Modern Family

Welcome to yet another end of the week at The Magical Mystery Blog.

I can imagine that most of you enjoy going out on the weekends, possibly venturing out to a bar or a nice restaurant. In eateries everywhere, many customers come and go – teenagers who are on first dates, a group of friends, a parents’ night away from the kids, and families with children.  

Honestly, I love children. They’re new to the world and have clear slates for minds that can be filled with knowledge. Their imaginations are as vast as the ocean, especially at this tender age where they’re exploring everything. Their curiosity knows no bounds because they want to understand life and all its complexities and simplicities.

However, there are times when kids act inappropriately in public such as treating the location like a playground, screaming like they’re on a roller coaster, or overall, just being a pain in the nose. They misbehave and sometimes the parents let them do what they please with the philosophy of,”They’re just children. They don’t know any better.”

Yes, children do not know better. They were not born with instructions on how to act in a restaurant or how to not run around in a department store. But that’s where parents step in and teach them how to act, show them what’s wrong and right to do in public, and discipline them. Or so that’s how it should be.

On September 19^th, 2013 a family was kicked out of a Texas Applebee’s due to their children’s  (ages 1 and 3) disruptive behavior. Apparently their children were sprinting all over the establishment and screaming at guests. To make matters even worse, the parents proceeded to fight in front of the entire restaurant. The manager had received tons of complaints about this particular family and asked them to leave. No sooner they stepped outside Applebees, the county sheriff handed them a criminal trespass slip. The owner of the establishment did not want them in the restaurant anymore due to their behavior. However, he apologized afterwards and offered them a free meal to which they declined.

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The father, Gau, claims that his two boys “act like children. They’re not adults” which is all well and good but it’s a matter of controlling them.  It’s also an issue of handling yourself in public. If you know your children are running amok and causing a ruckus, there is no need to join them. Take them by the hand, instruct them that what they’re doing is wrong, and why. That’s what you’re there for; you’re a parent, a mentor, a teacher. Children look up to their mother and father for guidance on every level from dining out to school help.

While I’m not a parent myself, I hear stories and even see situations like this occur almost every day.  I often compare how my mother and father raised me to other parents' methods. When I was a child, I was taught how to behave in locations. Of course, I wasn't always obedient. I probably misbehaved some in my day. But even so, it’s also common sense; if you have a child it’s your responsibility to take care of them.  You brought them into this world, now you have to raise them.

I believe that what Applebee's did was right because the family was disruptive and ruining the night of other guests. I do not think the restaurant was racist because race has nothing to do with this situation. It was a matter of how they controlled their children and themselves – not the color of their skin. They failed to properly discipline their two sons and themselves and got what they deserved. At first I thought that alerting the police was a bit extreme but then I considered the situation. If you were a restaurant owner with a chaotic family, would you want them to return to your establishment?

What do you think? Was Applebee's right in what they did? Please leave your comments below and as always feedback and followers are welcomed. 

Drunk on Literature

Greetings everyone and welcome to another start of the week here at The Magical Mystery Blog.

As I've mentioned before, I love to read. Reading for me is what breathing is to every living thing. Without it, we would merely die and cease to exist as nothing more than a cadaver.

I have a wide taste in various types of writing, including poetry. One of my favorite poets is Emily Dickinson, a recluse from Manhattan. Brought up as a Christian, she entertained herself with mythologies, biblical tales, and other stories to fuel her poems. During her introverted life, she read and wrote like a religion.

Like any other curious child, I find her book one day while browsing through our school’s library. Since then I have been hooked to her writing, alongside Edgar Allen Poe’s, Henry David Thoreau’s, and many others. Growing up, I often found translating poetry to be fun. To this day, I still find this activity to be fun.

Today I will be doing a rough translation of Emily Dickinson’s poem,” I taste a liquor never brewed.” Below is the poem.

I taste a liquor never brewed,

From tankards scooped in pearl;

Not all the vats upon the Rhine

Yield such an alcohol!

Inebriate of air am I,

And debauchee of dew, 

Reeling, through endless summer days, 

From inns of molten blue.

When landlords turn the drunken bee 

Out of the foxglove's door, 

When butterflies renounce their drams, 

I shall but drink the more!

Till seraphs swing their snowy hats, 

And saints to windows run, 

To see the little tippler 

Leaning against the sun!

The first verse is the introduction to the poem. Dickinson tells us she tasted a brew that’s not normally drunk in a tankard. A tankard is a specific type of drinking mug that is sometimes a pearl shade. Yet liquor or any type of alcohol is not brewed or made in a tankard, it goes through a fermentation process at a factory or brewery. The tankard is crafted (or scooped) to give it a pearl shade. Apparently the brew itself is not your average brew; it's a special one. We do not know what she means as of yet.  

She continues to explain how powerful this specific type of alcohol she drinks is. It is so strong that the vats on the Rhine cannot stop it.  The Rhine in this poem is being referred to as the Rhine River that stretches from Andermatt, Switzerland, cuts through Germany, and spills out at Rotterdam, Netherlands into the North Sea.  There are tons of towns that rest on the Rhine River in Germany and some of them even have breweries. These locations have vats in them of various beverages. Dickinson is saying that the alcohol of her drink is so powerful that the vats of the Rhine River can’t yield how strong her drink is.

In the second verse, Emily informs her audience that she is drunk on air, a degenerate of dew, and is reeling through the summer. From how it appears, she is not inebriated on any sort of physical alcoholic drink but rather nature. She is heavily drinking air, breathing it every day of her life, and enjoying it. She is a “debauchee of dew” (Dickinson); she constantly indulges in the morning dew as an alcoholic does to alcohol. The air and dew have her reeling throughout the days “from inns of Molten blue” (Dickinson). These inns that Dickinson describes could be the sky which at some points during the day has a molten blue shade.

In the third verse, Dickinson uses quotations to emphasize some of her subjects. Throughout this verse, she treats nature like a bar of people and their actions involving alcohol. In the first pair of lines, she refers to a bee as a person getting kicked out of a bar for having too much to drink. The insect is kicked out of the foxglove’s (a flower) door, which is the opening of the flower. The “Landlord” in this case is the flower itself because it has filled the bee to a great degree. In the next pair of lines, Dickinson refers to butterflies giving up their “drams” (nectar); much like an alcoholic would give up their drinking addiction. But as to where the butterflies give up their drams, Dickinson absorbs more of her particular drink.

In the final verse, she claims that she will continue to drink until she attracts the attention of saints and seraphs. These two specific figures are found in one place: Heaven. This could be an implication of her Christian upbringing because angels and saints are thoroughly mentioned in that religion. However, the only way she’ll see these figures is when she is deceased. This concept flows into her final two lines beautifully. Since she is dead in the first pair of lines, she could easily be “the little Tippler leaning against the Sun” (Dickinson) because she has joined the seraphs and saints in Heaven, which is close to the Sun.

So readers, what do you think of this famous poem? Who are your favorite poets? Feel free to leave a comment and followers are always welcomed. 

A Crown and Controversies: Our New Miss America

Welcome everyone to another glorious end of the week. It’s time to kick off your shoes, forget about your work, and pop open a beer. This is the weekend, a time for relaxing, partying, and hopefully reading this blog.

Not too long ago, we’ve given a title to someone who rocked our nation. She’s a gorgeous woman crowned to represent America in all its star spangled glory. Her name is Nina Davuluri and she is our new Miss America. Born in Syracuse, New York, she represented her state by flaunting her Bollywood fusion dancing skills during the talent portion, and dazzling the audience in the swimsuit competition. For one night, she showed people something exotic, different, and glorious.

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In the past week, our new Miss America has caused quite a ruckus. The first spark of controversy was a shred of gossip that blamed her for calling Mallory Hagan, Miss America 2013, “fat as (explicit).” However, this rumor was quickly denied by her and she immediately apologized to Hagan.

The second flame of controversy exploded when she was crowned Miss America. What makes Nina so special (other than the title she owns) is the fact that she is not your typical Miss America. Nina Davuluri is the first Miss America of Indian descent. No sooner the crown was placed upon Nina’s head, racial comments swarmed on Twitter like a crowd of bees tackling a fruitful blossom.

Most, if not all of the comments, labeled her race wrongly, and claimed she should not have won because of her race.  She was also referred to as a terrorist, had a connection with Al Qaeda as well as 9/11, and should have been crowned as a queen of 7-11s everywhere. However, the main subject of the remarks is obviously race. For a good while now, race has been a hot button issue in these United States.  In a nation where are we supposed to be united regardless of skin tone we still have hate crimes, racist comments, and stigmatic stereotypes littering our society.

While I am more than happy that Nina Davuluri is our new Miss America, I can understand why people aren't. People claim she should not represent this country because she breaks the mold of the previous winners of Miss America. Some say she is not the face of America based on her appearance.

Growing up, people have adjusted themselves to how Miss America should look. Miss America “should” be a curvy Caucasian girl with a flirty little smile and a die hard dedication to the United States. Yet over the years, we've had this image shattered by those who bore a different skin color, such as Vanessa Williams, who won Miss America in 1984. However, this title for her was short lived when salacious photographs of her were discovered, and she relinquished her crown. 

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Also known as the thing every woman wants to wear. 

Yet here we are, living in the present; a time where anything goes. Some people are all right with it, others are not. Homosexuals are being married left and right, we have an African American for a president, and now we have an American-Indian (she views herself first and foremost as American despite how proud she is of her heritage) as Miss America.

These people and our constantly changing society construct our melting pot of a nation. This is America, the land where everyone from all over the globe, regardless of race and color, comes to for vacation, a new life, business, and many other reasons. Lady Liberty welcomes everyone to this nation and promises a land of opportunity and prosperity. What we receive are more people to fill the crevices of this nation, who blend in with society, and become their own person.

The times and society are never going to stop shifting. Nothing will ever be the same as it was twenty years ago. This is a sign of progress or failure in our nation, depending on how people view it. Some may agree change is good, while others think change is bad, and then there are some who believe change is a combination of both.

As for me, I believe change relies on the situation at hand. For example, our new Miss America is a good change. It shows that the pageant is being more diverse and open to the American people. The Miss America pageant has never judged women based on their race or skin. Rather, it has always judged them on personality, background, talent, and swimsuits. Maybe in the future we will have an American-Cantonese or American-Egyptian win which will promote even more equality throughout our nation.

So what are your thoughts on the new Miss America? Is she as cute as a cheery little chipmunk? Did she win your heart? Leave your comments below and as always, followers are welcomed.

Dancing With Science

Welcome to another start of a hopefully great week.

Even though most people hate Mondays, today’s entry may change the mood. Not too long ago, Dancing With the Stars announced their season seventeen lineup.  

For those who are unaware of the program, Dancing With the Stars is a competition show where celebrities are paired up with ballroom dancers. Every week they are given a new challenge and must fulfill it to the best of their ability. Their performances are judged by the audience, who call in, and cast their vote. Their goal is to become the champion of the show and go home with the Mirror Ball Trophy. 

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Also known as shiny...

The dance partners with the most votes proceed to the next week. However, the couple with the least amount of votes is given the boot. This season’s cast was announced and revealed on the talk show program, Good Morning America. Audiences everywhere witnessed the new dancers and celebrities who would jump and jive through the new season. However, there was one star that nobody was expecting.

His name is Bill Nye, the Science Guy.

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 That’s right, Bill Nye the Science Guy is going to be on this season of Dancing With the Stars.

When this news was announced, the Internet exploded with joy and nostalgia.  Articles flared up in Facebook feeds, discussing how the famous Science Guy would be doing something completely different. People everywhere posted comments that praised Bill and included the iconic theme song we have all come to know and love.

For the past year or so, Bill Nye has been popping up on the news and even social media networks like Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube. Most people remember him from his hit show, Bill Nye the Science Guy. It was an educational program about different aspects of science from amphibians to the respiratory system. To this day, whenever the theme song comes on, people start chanting the lyrics with beaming smiles.

Bill Nye was one of the driving forces in my past. As a child, I wasn’t too fond of science but the Science Guy made everything about it interesting. However, the one important lesson he taught me throughout his show, regardless of topic, was how things work. How does a butterfly breathe, how does a star form, how does chemical x and chemical y lead to a reaction, how do those crazy tectonic plates move. It was like pulling back the veil and showing secrets only he seemed to harness.

This simple idea of ‘how things work’ pushed me to ask questions and understand the nature of machinery, animals, and other physical concepts. This inquiring and aspect led me to create and give depth, like specific brain functions, detailed systems, and other unique workings. I wanted to design concepts no one else had ever made, let alone imagined. To this day, I find myself still creating and being elated with every successful outcome and complete failure. I include failure because it presents more challenges for us to overcome and question. Tons of times I've ran into problems or obstacles and I've triumphed over them. However, there are still some that I wrestle with, which makes the creation process all the more fun.

I would like to thank Bill Nye for making me question how everything functions, their specific details, and to never stop obtaining knowledge. The more knowledge, the more ideas come to fruition, and the more creations that follow so.

I’ll be rooting for Bill Nye the Science Guy on this season of Dancing With the Stars. Season seventeen of Dancing With the Stars premieres September 16^th, 2013 at 8pm on ABC (Channel 6).

Do you think Bill Nye (or any other celebrities (celebrity) you’re cheering for) will hold up throughout the competition? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and as always, followers are welcomed.

The Jersey Shore's Bad Luck

Happy Friday the 13th everyone!

Today is to be wary of black cats, avoid shattering mirrors, and to stray away from bad luck.

Speaking of bad luck, the Jersey Shore has once again been struck with an unfortunate event.  Last year the Garden State’s shoreline was attacked by Hurricane Sandy. This horrific super storm tore through beach towns, scattered sand, swallowed homes, and flooded streets. To this day, there people living in disaster sections because of her.

However, New Jersey refused to admit defeat to this powerful hurricane. In a matter of months, campaigns were launched, claiming that we were "stronger than the storm." Boardwalks were rebuilt, businesses were reconstructed, houses were repaired, and hope started to surface along the Jersey Shore.

By summer of 2013, most of the locations hit by Sandy were restored. The Ocean City boardwalk was running and even receiving new rides, the Barnegat docks were able to host their annual 4^th of July fireworks spectacular, and even Long Beach Island’s Fantasy Island was working properly.  As for Seaside Heights and Park, their boardwalk, shops, arcades, and food stands were back and better than ever. However, they were still in the process of replacing rides lost in the super storm.

Beneath the scorching summer sun, the boardwalks thrived greatly. No sooner the summer season was completed did bad luck strike one of the newly constructed tourist attractions.

On September 12^th, 2013 Seaside Heights and Park, New Jersey fell victim to a fire started at the Kohrs ice cream stand.  The blazing wall of flames started at 2:30 pm and was considered a six (now ten) alarm fire. Within hours, the boardwalk from North Ocean Ave to Ocean Terrace was destroyed.

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Famous places like The Sawmill, The Beach Bar, and others were turned to ash. Even the Carousel Arcade which housed a historic merry-go-round didn't survive the destruction. Thankfully, no lives were taken in the ruin of Seaside’s boardwalk and the fire was contained. However, fire fighters and other officials have been injured. So far, no one knows the cause of the flames.

For many, watching the Funtown Pier slowly being consumed by the roaring blazes was heartbreaking. With every rumor of what was being exterminated, my heart sank lower and lower until it reached the soles of my feet.

Last summer Seaside Heights embraced me in its Jersey Shore boards and unveiled fantastic memories.  It was a great privilege to walk this almost endless stretch of beach and boards before the storm and fire.

I remember everything about this place; the scents of deep fried deliciousness, the chime of the carousel, the music tumbling out of stores, and arcades. It was a place that combined the old traditions and appearances with modern day culture.

I have only ventured to Seaside Heights four to five times. I regret not roaming there more as I have done with Long Beach Island and Ocean City. But the times I have visited there I was greeted with a special ambiance that couldn't be found at other locations. Seaside had its own unique flare of the past that seeped through the Kayne West raps and I Mustache You a Question shirts. The present seemed to house the past, like Carousel Arcade – astounding wondering eyes with modern video games while holding a 100 year old carousel.

Through the rebuilding process, the present even seemed to hold the future. On my last trip there, workers were putting up rides like a whale version of the Swashbuckler and a few others. This pier held the future of entertainment and enjoyment. However, no one could foretell the tragedy Seaside would suffer.

While the Seaside I have come to know and love rests in ashes, there is still hope for the burned down boardwalk. Like a phoenix rising from the debris, New Jersey's Governor Chris Christie vows to rebuild Seaside and make it better than it ever was.

How long the second rebuilding of Seaside will take no one knows but it can be estimated in about a year or more. Christie believes that we are more ferocious than the fire and refuses to let Seaside Heights and Park fade away.

                                                                  

Gonna Catch 'Em All

Along with Futurama ending this past week, we have received some other nerdy news. This tidbit of information has excited gamers everywhere, sparking nostalgia, and causing a tsunami of elation.

In approximately a month, the world will be obtaining the latest Pokemon game, Pokemon X or Y. This is the sixth generation of Pokemon, complete with creatures never seen before, and many others we've grown up with. This past summer, we've had great chunks of exciting news about this game including mega evolutions, Pokemon Amie, trainer customization, and the new fairy type.

However, on September 4^th, 2013 we have been greatly informed about something completely different in the new Pokemon world. We will receive our new starter (our choice of Chespin (Grass), Fennekin (Fire), and Froakie (Water)) along with a first gen starter. That’s right, you’ll be able to get your hands on Charmander (Fire), Bulbasaur (Grass), or Squirtle (Water). Not only that but if you purchase the game before January, you’ll receive a free Torchic with a mega evolution stone. So technically, you get three starters. 

But wait, there’s more.

Your first gen starter can now mega evolve. So Blastoise is now Mega Blastoise with three cannons, crafted for being invincibly epic. 

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Charizard is now Mega Charizard with dragonesque details, made for dominating the Pokemon world. 

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Venusaur is now Mega Venusaur with a flower for beauty, designed for ruling the battlefields.

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I feel as though this is the most prominent information because we not only receive a whole new world of Pokemon but we are joined with our old friends from the very first game. We can relive the adventure we had experienced when we first played this excellent game. Not only will we gain new memories of this brand new Pokemon experience but we will do it with nostalgia by our side, reminding us of what we grew up with, and how the past combines with the future.

As for myself, this new knowledge has made me even more excited to get my hands on Pokemon X. For me, Pokemon is a trip down memory lane and a treat for my inner gamer.  Over the years, I've watched this pixilated game premiere and evolve into tons of generations.  With every release, I've witnessed new creatures form and more features added to game play. Throughout my life, I've crafted a collection of Pokemon games that I’m glad to call my own. Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Ruby, and Fire Red.

In my twenties, I started to sample the adult life. Bills, jobs, and responsibilities tumbled onto my plate like a mountain of waffles throughout my college years. However, the memories of Pokemon lived on through conversations and friendship.Yet in the midst of laughter and Pokemon teams, a fire flared up. This flickering flame made me question if I was too old for Pokemon; if it was time to put away childish things and grow up. So I packed up my Nintendo DS, stowed away my games in the basement, and carried on as if Pokemon never existed.

When news of Pokemon X and Y came to light, my inner gamer bounced in delight. With every new morsel of information, my internal gamer was filled with more excitement. A new Pokemon game where you could interact with your Pokemon like it was your pet, an even further evolution, and more new beasts to capture and train. It was as though my childhood got an upgrade and my gamer wanted in. I dug out the old DS, brought out my old games, and picked up where I left off.

As I played through my games, I realized I couldn't abandon this series. It had been with me since childhood, adolescence, and now, adulthood. On Christmas Day, I’ll be picking up a Nintendo 2DS and Pokemon X. With a flick of the switch, a smile will appear on my face as the nostalgia will come crashing down. I’ll embrace every moment of it and do my best to catch ‘em all while preparing myself for a long life of work, happiness, and no regrets. I’m going to be the best that no one ever was and no challenge is too great to stop me from becoming just that.

Farewell From the World of Tomorrow

This week was a very important in geek entertainment. One of the most prominent events to occur was the ending of Futurama. Futurama is what happens when Philip J. Fry, a lonely pizza delivery boy, falls into a frozen cryogenic tube and winds up in the distant future. 

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In the future, everyone hails the hypnotoad.

This series has been running for thirteen years. I remember seeing it during my high school days and watched it religiously. Since then I've seen the television specials, viewed the holiday episodes, and even have my eye on a few figures.

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Itty bitty Futurama cuties. 

This final episode has pleased many but left others empty. As for myself, I’m at a crossroads with how I feel about this episode. Below are my pros and cons of the final episode of Futurama.

WARNING, THE FOLLOWING IS SPOILERS. SPOILERS, PEOPLE. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEE THE ENDING OF FUTURAMA DO NOT READ THIS. THANK YOU.

Pros:

-We see how Fry and Leela wind up : this was the moment everyone has anticipated. It was sudden, funny, and beautiful to see these two come together. After finalizing their decision, we see how they cope with a drastic change in the universe by making it into one long, glorious honeymoon. It is a romantic notion, to travel the world and literally do anything. Plus there were no travel bills to pay, no airfare, nothing of that nature. It was just the two newlyweds, their feet, and the backpacks clinging to them.

-It poses an important question: if we had the chance, would we do it all over again? Knowing how beautiful or terrible our lives were, would we go back and do it again? The Professor offers this question to Fry and Leela after they've trekked the globe and explored every wonder. The only downside to this is that if they choose to do it all over again, they would forget everything. They wouldn't remember the beauty of the rain forest, the captured untamed mannerisms of a waterfall, or the ability to walk on water.

-Open ending: due to its sudden ending of reverting the universe back to normal, we are given the freedom to imagine everyone’s lives. We find ourselves conflicted if Fry and Leela will trek across the planet again as their honeymoon. We question if Zoidberg will face more challenges with Marilyn (maybe she’s got a strange fear of a foreign alien race and they abduct her?).  We wonder if Bender and the tap dancing girl will continue to pickpocket those who pass them by. The ideas are infinite, just like space.

Cons:

-Unanswered questions: while this episode was mainly focused on Fry and Leela, it left out the other great characters such as Zoidberg, Bender, Amy, Hermes, and the Professor. What happened to them when time continued, especially with Zoidberg? Did he pursue his relationship with Marilyn? We obviously see he does so in the episode prior to this one but where do they go? And what kind of crazy money stealing scheme would Bender get into, especially with his new assistant?

-It only lasted for a half hour: this was the one thing that shocked me about the final episode. I thought it would be extended to at least an hour because it was the last show. Clearly, I was mistaken.  However, we see other shows like Friends, The Nanny, and other popular programs receive a whole hour for their finale. Futurama is the king of popularity when it comes to animated shows alongside Adventure Time and Family Guy. I question why such a fantastic hit of a show would only have a half hour devoted to its finale.

-It technically never existed: at the very end of the episode, the Professor says that he’d set everything right. By doing this, he would be able to set time back to ten seconds before he created the time device which is about four minutes into the episode. If we followed him through the readjustment we would be left with Fry coming to terms about nearly losing Leela and making the decision to propose. But what would happen afterwards? Would the episode still play out just as it did before? We don’t know because it never existed after four minutes. 

Overall, it was a good episode. It could have been improved in some ways but it was a good end. What are your thoughts on the finale of Futurama? Feel free to leave comments below about why you loved or hated it and what could have been done to improve it.

Come What May

If anyone has seen the musical movie, Moulin Rouge, you are probably aware of the main villain, the Duke. The Duke is the villain of the movie musical who wants Satine like a cat wants cat nip.

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Mreow.

For those of you who don’t know what Moulin Rouge is, it’s a musical with the overall theme of freedom, beauty, truth, and love. It’s set in the Bohemian artistic period of France and is centered on Christian, a young penniless writer just starting out in the world. He stumbles into a case of mistaken identity at the Moulin Rouge burlesque bar, where he is thought to be the Duke. Satine, the wannabe actress confuses Christian for the Duke, and the two begin a love affair. Their relationship is met with the challenges of the relentless Duke and the obstacles of life.

However, from the many times that I have viewed this film I have reason to believe that the Duke is a sufferer of molestation. He may have been a child when this occurred and is just experiencing the results as an adult. I say this because he doesn’t appear to be showing the symptoms as though it recently happened. Rather, it appears he’s suffering the effects as though it took place during his childhood. Below are my three reasons why I believe this claim.

          1)      He Has Possible Trauma– when he makes the deal with Ziddler about turning the Moulin Rouge into a theater, you notice he has his bowler hat is in his lap. This is a typical custom to remove a hat during an important event and place it in the lap or on the coat rack. At one point, we see him furiously fumbling with his hat claiming that he doesn't like “people touching his things.”  The camera focuses on his lap while he does this. The scene is below here from Nostalgia Critic's review of Moulin Rouge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLqXH95rye4 - Youtube

I feel like this scene could be a personal, traumatic flashback he’s experiencing that the audience does not witness. How he delivers the line is in pure anger as well as his actions. However, we are constantly focused on his lap with the hat covering his groin. His things could refer to his genitalia if he was ever sexually molested. Even Ziddler has a reaction of pure horror at the Duke’s outburst.

           2)      He Confuses Emotional Needs With Sex – in Moulin Rouge ‘love’ is something understood by artists and not greedy businessmen, like the Duke. However, the Duke wants Satine for the reason of lust. He is immediately aroused by her dance moves and skimpy outfits. As a possible victim of molestation, the Duke would have a specific need for sex as a way of nurturing his pain. Sex is the only way that it can be cured for.

The things he was relating to in the previous number also relates to Satine because it’s who he wants in the Moulin Rouge. She is a prostitute, a woman whose job is to give physical pleasure to clients. He considers her as nothing more than a sexual object.  His lust comes to a peak when he attempts to rape her in the Gothic Tower. He no longer treats his relationship with Satine as something civil but as a horse that needs to be broken. The Duke performs threatening sexual acts towards her like ripping off her corset and throwing her onto the bed like a piece of luggage.

          3)      He Has Trust Issues  – in order to ensure that his deal goes the way he wants to, he holds onto the deed of the Moulin Rouge. When he discovers Satine is with Christian, he attempts to rape her. When he doesn't get his ending he tries to kill Christian and even orders Christian to be murdered by Warner, his body guard. These specific situations show the extremity of how far the Duke will go when not trusting others. Yet when we see him rehearsing the plays and popping in on Satine and Christian (who are constantly making out), he immediately trusts them without a thought.

Molestation often leads to an extreme range of trust from no trust at all to complete and total trust.

If you want to see me write about anything in particular, leave a comment. Feel free to follow me as well and have a great day.