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Showing posts with label Reply 1994 (Kdrama) 4.9 || 4.8. Show all posts
K Drama Review: Reply 1994 / Answer Me 1994 (2013) 4.9 || 4.8
Oppa, my siblings, and I agree that Reply 1988 set the bar very high for the Reply series and K dramas in general. So far, it's the only drama that got a 5 from me. It didn't help that when I checked The Fan Girl Verdict's ratings, Reply '88 also had the highest grade among the three shows. But we still looked forward to Reply 1994 because the entire Reply series was highly acclaimed. Oppa also scanned through some episodes and he said Go Ara seemed as funny as Hyeri.
We knew better this time. Oppa looked for a copy with no cuts and blurs. And it really helped us better appreciate and understand the show.
Reply 1994 revolved around the lives of the boarders of the Sinchon Boarding House in Seoul. The newly-opened boarding house was owned by the family of Sung Dong Il and Lee Il Hwa who were natives of Masan. Dong Il was appointed as the coach of the Seoul Twins baseball team. His daughter, Na Jung (Go Ara), was a freshman at the Yonsei University. The boarding house welcomed four Yonsei freshmen from different provinces (plus an adopted one who was the cousin of another boarder). Apart from them, Trash (Jung Woo), a very close family friend of the Sungs, also stayed in the house. The story focused on how these strangers grew close to each other and became family.
Since this is our second Reply drama, I would say that we're becoming more familiar with the director and writer's style. There's love for doctors and hospitals (Sun Woo in '88, Trash and Binggeure (Baro) here, and Hospital Playlist). There's also the love for baseball (Dong Il and Chilbong (Yoo Yeon Seok) here, Dong Il in Reply 1997, and Prison Playbook). They love sports as shown through references to the Olympics, World Cup, football, and basketball. Just with their favorite themes alone, we already love them.
We loved how the show kept the identity of Na Jung's husband a mystery, revealing it only during the finale. Throughout the show, we can see the groom's body, feet, back, or blurred face. And the show kept giving confusing clues on who the real husband was.
In the beginning, all five guys were candidates. They all had nicknames either based on their hometown (Kim Sung Kyun as Samcheonpo), personality (Trash and Chilbong, which means seven shut outs in baseball), or a baseball team (Son Ho Jun as Haitai and Binggeure). So although the husband's name was revealed early on as Kim Jae Joon, you won't be able to guess who he was because the guys were all called by their nicknames. The real name of the guys were only revealed when they were already eliminated from the race, i.e., when they already had girlfriends whom they all ended up marrying. That was a really brilliant way of adding mystery to the story.
I also loved how the sped up years were handled. This drama showed us the painful reality that no matter how close people are, they are bound to go their separate ways either voluntarily or involuntarily. In this case, Haitai had to leave for military service, while Chilbong had to leave for Japan and eventually for the US to pursue his baseball career. Trash was temporarily assigned to Busan and Na Jung worked in Australia for two years. Although the show still breezed through some years as was done in Reply '88, it still gave us glimpses of what happened during those fast forwarded years. This was done quite differently from Reply '88 where some years were totally skipped and we had no idea about what happened during those times.
I was very grateful that the adult versions of everyone was featured. This was one thing I sorely missed in Reply '88 where we only saw adult versions of some of the characters. It was great that even Dong Il and Il Hwa made appearances during the present scenes. It provided some sort of closure for me.
I also loved the confusing previews they showed at the end of each episode, which threw the viewers off track. An example was the episode for the wedding of Trash's brother. The preview showed Trash's first love attending the wedding then the next scene was a crying Na Jung walking alone. One might conclude that Na Jung felt jealous. However, the full episode would reveal that her tears were totally unrelated to Trash and his first love. She was actually crying because she thought Chilbong was trapped in the Sampoong Department Store that collapsed. I absolutely love shows that do not spoon feed their viewers.
And of course, I loved the historical stuff - the department store collapse, the 1997 financial crisis, and the 2002 World Cup. They also had fun facts about the Korean entertainment industry (Seo Taiji, Kim Min Jong who was in Vagabond, etc.).
It's great that although Reply '94 already had a great story, it still made sure that the show was well executed, making it more interesting for its viewers.
Similar to Reply '88, Reply '94 also had a perfect cast. Everyone played their characters really well, that as Oppa said, it might be difficult to dissociate them from their Reply '94 characters.
Na Jung was the daughter of the boarding house owners. She's crazy, funny, and ill-tempered. She loved shouting and nagging her friends. She had this weird habit of biting people when she's drunk. She loved basketball and was crazy about Lee Sang Min. And she's madly in love with Trash. Although they practically grew up like siblings, she's crazy for her oppa. Her loyalty to Trash was just so admirable. I can't remember how many times she had to clean up after Trash.
Na Jung was a great and dependable friend. She was there when Yoon Jin (Min Do Hee) was depressed with Seo Taiji's retirement. And she made sure to break the rejected boy's heart honestly but gently.
And the best thing about Na Jung was how she fought for her own identity. It would have been more convenient for her to just marry Trash instead of working overseas. But she wanted to be her own person and she refused to be solely dependent on her husband. Atta girl! :)
Go Ara was perfect as Na Jung. She was absolutely funny. She delivered the punchlines really well. And her beautiful huge eyes greatly helped complete her funny look. But just like Deok Sun in Reply '88, you can also see that beyond the funny faces, Na Jung was very pretty. Oppa's so fixated with Go Ara as Na Jung that he's been complaining that she looks so different now.
Trash was a close friend of Na Jung's deceased brother. When his friend passed away, Trash vowed to be a son to Dong Il and Il Hwa and a brother to Na Jung. He never left their side. I was totally clueless that they were not related by blood until that was revealed in the second episode.
I absolutely loved how Trash valued his extended family. He had special relationships with each of them. I loved how he worried for Il Hwa when they thought she was going through menopause. I loved his thoughtfulness in finding a seal stuffed toy for Na Jung that was similar to what she had when she was young but she gave it to her brother when the latter died.
Trash, as his name suggests, lived like trash. He's absolutely gross - survives without baths, wipes his body with a floor mat, rarely changes his clothes, including his underwear and socks, that Na Jung has to strip him naked so his clothes can be washed. If you knew how he lived, you won't probably like him.
But the amazing thing about Trash was that despite his flaws, he's actually a cool guy. He's very smart. He's on top of his medical school class. Patients loved him because of his happy personality. Even kids listened to him.
You know he'd make a great doctor because he was very compassionate and kind. I loved how he helped a sick mother tell her children that she was terminally ill.
Trash was naturally funny too. I loved his funny faces and how he annoyed Na Jung.
Oppa said Jung Woo is a good actor and I definitely agree with him. And coming from Oppa who rarely has nice things to say about actors, that is definitely a compliment.
Chilbong was the adopted boarder of Sinchon. Unlike the other boarders, he was not a country bumpkin. He was raised in Seoul. He was the cousin of Binggeure, the legit boarder. He's a popular baseball player who's also the starting pitcher of Yonsei's baseball team. He went on to play baseball in Japan then in the US. He was in love with Na Jung and he came up with crazy ways to be closer to her.
Although he's extremely popular, Chilbong was actually lonely. His parents were divorced and both of them were busy living separate lives. Chilbong found his family in Sinchon. There, he was treated like all the other kids - no special treatment (like how the '88 kids treated Taek) except perhaps from Dong Il who was wooing him to join Seoul Twins.
Being an athlete, Chilbong was naturally competitive but that didn't stop him from being kind. He was there for his friends. And he was very selfless. But we'll talk about that later.
Yoo Yeon Sook was great as Chilbong. He had the body of an athlete. He handled the drama parts well. I just wanted to hug him when he was heartbroken. But he delivered his funny lines perfectly too. Who can forget his hilarious pronunciation of Tous les Jours?
Although I was not initially rooting for him, Chilbong definitely grew on me and I found myself on Team Chilbong in the end. There's just something charming about him, especially after knowing that beneath that accomplished athlete was a sad boy.
Although his role was not as prominent as the other characters, there were still a number of lovable things about Haitai. I loved that he was a very dependable friend to Na Jung and the other guys. He volunteered to find an original song for Binggeure's Campus Music Festival audition. And while he was probably embarrassed to be seen with Samcheonpo, they always did things together. And the best thing about Haitai was that despite his flashiness, he was really a softy and a romantic deep down who could not get over his first love (and the fact that Sook Sook ditched him upon seeing Il Hwa). Son Ho Jun was adorable as cocky yet mushy Haitai.
Binngeure was the baby. He seemed weak especially after quitting med school after less than a year, earning him the Puppy nickname from Trash. But I loved how he bounced back. His experience in Seoul turned him into a stronger person. He worked to avoid depending on his parents. And while he dreamt of doing other things, he gave up his dreams in order to make his parents happy. I loved his major transformation when he started dating Die Die, which he subtly but maturely announced to Trash by telling the latter that he will no longer ask him to buy food and he was going to call him Hyung moving forward. How the puppy has grown!
This was my second exposure to Baro. I first saw him on Angry Mom, which was shown later than Reply '94. Although he still has that baby face, I'm proud to see how much he's grown and matured from Binggeure to Sang Tae in Angry Mom.
I absolutely loved Yoon Jin. Her face was often hidden behind her hair during the first few episodes. She was mostly quiet and aloof. But she was actually very observant. She knew everyone's secrets and she had this nasty habit of revealing these secrets when she's drunk. I especially enjoyed her babbling in episode 8 when she announced that Na Jung liked Trash. And I loved it that during the rare times she talked, she was brutally frank.
Although she seemed distant, she was actually a very caring friend too. I was amazed at how she grabbed the bus keys from the driver to force him to wait for Haitai who was still eating at the rest stop on their way back to their provinces.
Another reason why Yoon Jin was endearing was the fact that she had a mute mother. That was probably why she mostly kept to herself. It was a secret she kept until Samcheonpo discovered it.
And while it's difficult to understand, I'm just amazed at her loyalty to Samcheonpo.
Min Do Hee was very effective as Yoon Jin. She was the epitome of a small but terrible girl (those eyes were really scary). And I loved her glow up in the 2013 version of Yoon Jin.
Although he was annoying, I'm sure we all had fun watching Samcheonpo. Kim Sung Kyun really handled the funny parts well. But he showed us that he can do drama too. I loved how despite his physical flaws, uptightness, and inflexibility, he actually had a good heart. He gave up his planned trip because he was concerned about Yoon Jin's mother who was waiting at the bus stop for a long time. So I guess we can say that he's also a good catch.
It was definitely nice to see familiar faces here. I loved Dong Il and Il Hwa in Reply '88 and they were just as lovable here in '94. Or maybe even more lovable since they were the only main parents in the cast. Dong Il was his usual funny self, while Il Hwa remained charming. I loved how they treated all of their boarders as their own kids - with love and scolding when needed. They became their boarders' family away from home.
One of my most favorite Reply '94 character would be the Sinchon Boarding House. It witnessed all the sad and happy moments of its boarders. If it could talk, it would probably reveal more than a drunk Yoon Jin can.
It was a very cozy place. Its mere presence was probably very comforting for everyone. It was really heartbreaking for me when Dong Il and Il Hwa decided to close it down in the end.
The Funny Scenes
The first few episodes were extremely funny. There was always at least one scene per episode that would leave me gasping for breath because I was laughing too hard.
Who can forget about Samcheonpo's 10-hour journey to reach Sinchon, only to end up in the police station after being found with protest fliers?
Or the 40 KFC biscuits that Haitai and Samcheonpo ordered to impress their dates. Such country bumpkins!
And how Dong Il peed on the phone booth. Or how Yoon Jin sat beside ahjummas during a Seo Taiji concert. Or how Il Hwa always cooked a feast enough to feed a village. Or how Trash kept on being clumsy with Dong Il during the finale. Or how Na Jung confessed to Trash on April Fool's Day making the latter think she was only joking. Or how nobody guessed that Samcheonpo was Yoon Jin's boyfriend even if they were already wearing couple shirts. And how Dong Il tagged them as the Beauty and the Beast. And how Samcheonpo was always mistaken as Yoon Jin's uncle or professor. Or Chilbong's dinosaur-like pronunciation of Tous les Jours. Or how the guys called the huge discount Na Jung got from renting Chilbong's apartment as a first love discount.
While there were also dramatic scenes, Reply '94 made sure I would laugh super loud at least once per episode.
Reply '94 was different from '88 since its focus was more on friendship unlike '88 which also touched on family stuff.
I totally loved the Trash-Binggeure bromance. Although it seemed superficial at first, I loved how their friendship deepened. Trash encouraged Binggeure to try out for the Campus Music Festival. Trash was there when Binggeure's mom was hospitalized. Trash helped Binggeure during the med school hiking even if he called him an ahjussi. Trash gave his notes to Binggeure. I loved how Trash was really a sunbae-nim to Binggeure. And how Binggeure showed his loyalty to Trash when he stayed on the groom's side during the wedding.
I loved how Reply '94 showed us that family ties are not always formed by blood. This group of friends formed their very own family in Seoul through the Sinchon Boarding House. They were always there for each other - Haitai and Samcheonpo during Binggeure's audition, Haitai was Na Jung's shoulder to cry on, they were all there to send off Yoon Jin during her first day of work, etc. I loved how they kept in touch even if they were far from each other - Haitai sent them letters while he was on military service and Chilbong called them when he was in Japan and exchanged e-mails with them when he was in the US. Na Jung also sent them e-mails when she was in Australia.
I super loved this last photo they took before the last boarder (Haitai) moved out. I could not help but feel super nostalgic watching this.
Of course it won't be a complete K drama if there's no love story. But I loved how apart from the main love storyline, Reply '94 also imparted some other nuggets of love wisdom.
I could totally relate to that scene in episode 6 where the girls were trying to help Haitai figure out if his girlfriend wanted him to visit on her birthday or on some other day. The girls captured it perfectly when they said that sometimes, girls are not really asking for answers. When we rant, we are not asking for you guys to solve our problems. When we rant about how much work we have to do, we're not telling you that we want to quit or that you should find us another job and we're definitely not asking you to get two jobs. We rant because we want to rant, because we're tired, and we want to unload our feelings. We are not necessarily asking for solutions. We are asking for a listening ear and we want to feel your care and concern. That's all. And I loved how this was expressed through the analogy of what Na Jung was supposed to do if there was suffocating air inside the house. :D
I also loved that episode where Trash was telling Dong Il to be more patient and caring towards Il Hwa because they thought she was going through menopause already. Trash told Dong Il to focus on the little things to make Il Hwa feel loved and needed.
I loved how the Reply series deviates from the abusive guy character that we usually see in most K dramas. When I think about it, the girl characters are actually the abusive ones - Deok Sun, Bora, Mi Ran, Na Jung, and Yoon Jin. :D
I also liked the love stories of Binggeure and Haitai.
I was happy to see Haitai reunited with his first love.
Die Die, the outgoing and carefree noona, was perfect for our baby Binggeure.
And when it comes to true love, no one definitely can beat Samcheonpo and Yoon Jin. It was totally unexpected since they were always fighting. But when it happened, things happened so fast. I loved how stiff and inflexible Samcheonpo scrapped his plans to be with Yoon Jin's mom in the bus terminal. And how he told her that he was the closest one to Yoon Jin.
Samcheonpo and Yoon Jin loved each other immensely. Who can forget that time when Samcheonpo brought home Seo Taiji's toilet bowl to comfort Yoon Jin who was so hearbroken with her idol's retirement? I was laughing so hard but I ended up crying when I realized that he was professing his great love for her by showing that he was willing to do anything for her.
Yoon Jin loved Samcheonpo as much. She was angry because Samcheonpo announced to everyone that they had no plans of getting married yet. But she still showed up when Samcheonpo begged her to attend his office's karaoke session because his bosses wanted to see her. That was huge, knowing how much she hated gatherings.
And the best part of their love story for me was when Samecheonpo proposed to Yoon Jin with his passbooks. I loved how he had a passbook for savings, the house, and wedding. How can you say no to someone as dependable as that? :)
The Love Triangle
This was a confusing one for me. For the love triangle in Reply '88, I was fine with either one getting the girl. I loved them both and I would have been heartbroken either way.
I started out rooting for Trash - so much that I spoiled the show for myself by researching Na Jung's groom online. But towards the end, I found myself switching teams. If we were choosing the husband solely based on effort and love for Na Jung, I would like to think that Chilbong was more deserving of the girl. Let me explain.
I probably started favoring Chilbong in episode 10. The kids were off to celebrate New Year at Samcheonpo, except for Trash who was on duty, Binggeure who was working, and Chilbong who had a meeting. Their appointments all got cancelled. I was hoping Trash would follow Na Jung but he went to play billiards with his friends instead. Chilbong, on the other hand, travelled for 6 hours to Samcheonpo to stay there for three hours, and went back to Seoul with another 6-hour bus ride, just to spend New Year's eve with Na Jung (who was unfortunately knocked out most of the time due to tear gas). Such great love.
Oppa and I also felt that Trash confessed to Na Jung only because he was challenged by Chilbong. Chilbong, on the other hand, was brave enough to tell Na Jung how he felt. After they broke up, Trash only pursued Na Jung again when he saw her with Chilbong. If he truly loved Na Jung, he should not have needed any challenge to make his move.
I loved how the show confused the audience by naming both Trash (Kim Jae Joon) and Chilbong (Kim Seon Joon), Kim and Joon. Or how Binggeure joined the groom's side during the wedding pictorial, which could make you think that Na Jung married his cousin.
I liked that scene where Chilbong gave Trash a baseball that was valuable to him. Chilbong told Trash that he can keep it for now (as he keeps Na Jung) but he will definitely get it back (and Na Jung too). In the 2013 scene, we see the ball displayed in Na Jung's house. One would initially think that Na Jung and Trash did end up together. But that would not have made sense when they broke up. So did Chilbong get the ball back because he and Na Jung got together eventually? Then did Trash finally get it again when he got back together with Na Jung? I was confusing myself and I shared my theory with Oppa, which spoiled the show for him too. In the end, my theory was proven wrong. Chilbong never got the ball back because he never got the girl.
I liked how things didn't go awkward among the three even after Chilbong was rejected and Na Jung and Trash got married. Their friendship was not as solid as Taek and Jung Hwan's in '88 yet they overcame the awkwardness of the situation. Much respect of course for Chilbong. He did not need to maintain that friendship but he did. He even leased his apartment to them. He must have really loved Na Jung.
Using Reply '88 standards where the guy who wanted the girl more or who was more persistent succeeded, Chilbong should have gotten the girl. But the difference was Na Jung was madly in love with Trash and from the beginning, she already made up her mind that Trash was the one for her, unlike Deok Sun who was undecided.
Although I ended up going to Team Chilbong, I'm not saying that Trash was bad. Na Jung was very lucky to have two great guys after her. Both of them were worthy and there were moments when I wished Na Jung could marry them both.
Chilbong and Na Jung
I've said a lot about Chilbong already but allow me to elaborate some more. I loved Chilbong because he was persistent. That episode about his persistence in baseball when he was younger was a sign that he was going to be as persistent with Na Jung. I loved his fighting spirit especially when he said it ain't over 'til it's over. I loved the creative excuses he came up with so he can spend time with Na Jung, like taking the driving test even if he already had a license.
Initially, I found it problematic that despite Chilbong's competitiveness and the huge threats he told Trash about stealing the girl, he did not really do enough to pursue Na Jung. Yes, he confessed. And he probably respected Trash. But he already had feelings for Na Jung even before he confirmed that Trash liked Na Jung back. And when he came back from the US for a vacation, he knew that Trash and Na Jung were no longer together so he could have actively pursued Na Jung then. I initially felt that he was all bark and no bite, like most guys. But I saw the light in the end. My poor Chilbong tried his very best. But when he saw that Na Jung was in despair because she could not be with Trash who was sick at that time, Chilbong decided that it was time to give up and let her go.
Na Jung said it perfectly, Chilbong was nice. And Chilbong's realization was so painful - he was nice that's why he was ruined. He kept on giving way. And as they say, nice guys finish last. He was so nice and I was so proud of how great his love was for Na Jung that he bravely let her go. That breakup scene on the baseball field was so heartbreaking. But I loved how he got the closure he needed.
In the end, I picked Chilbong because he had a sad life and I really wanted him to be happy. I just find comfort in the fact that he did get married as he revealed in the finale (presumably to Jung Yu Mi whom he bumped into during the show's last episode. Happy with the Jung Yu Mi cameo because we're watching some episodes of Live and Summer Vacation on tvN.).
P.S. I loved how only Chilbong and Na Jung remembered the new millennium reunion that the boarders planned. This paved the way for their "almost" relationship.
Trash and Na Jung
Yes, I spoiled the groom for myself. But it did not actually ruin the show for me. I was still curious about how they were going to end up together. It even made me more alert to the hints on who Na Jung was going to marry (like how Trash's older brother was named Jae Young and how some Korean families use similar syllables for their kids' names, which would make you think that Trash is Jae Joon).
I started out rooting for Trash because he had more history with Na Jung. They go way back. And I know Na Jung loved him dearly. Between him and Chilbong, it would have probably been more heartbreaking for Trash if he did not get the girl.
It took time before Trash finally confessed his feelings to Na Jeong. Looking back, however, Na Jung is partly to blame too. Everytime Trash tried to tell her that he liked her or when her friends told her that Trash liked her, she would completely ignore them. But then again, I would still blame Trash for not saying it formally and properly right away. Girls hate being assuming so we tend to ignore signs, unlike guys like Haitai who often assume that girls like him.
I felt bad for Trash because he must have been scared of admitting his feelings. He might be accused of taking advantage of his close relationship with Na Jung's family. I acknowledge that the circumstances made things more difficult and complicated for him. But it must have also been heartbreaking for Na Jung to be "family-zoned," like when Trash picked Yoon Jin over her because she was family.
But despite all the complaints I have about Trash, I would have to say that he gave the most passionate kisses. His kisses made me smile from ear to ear.
I loved the straightforward way he proposed to Na Jung. They were in his hospital dorm and he casually gave her the ring and asked her to marry him because he no longer wanted to worry about losing her. I loved how he revealed his insecurities, unlike most guys who probably would be too proud to admit that.
I respected Trash when he allowed Na Jung to leave because she wanted to have her own identity too. This issue is probably often ignored by couples but I believe it's something that must be discussed. Both should be on the same page regarding this to avoid problems later on.
I loved how long distance relationships were discussed in this drama. It showed us that men and women have different expectations about LDRs. Guys feel that as long as they don't cheat, they're already doing great. But for women, not cheating is already a given. It's probably not even a bare minimum. Women expect men to put in time and effort to keep in touch. We still want to communicate, to be updated, and to feel your presence even virtually.
I absolutely hated Trash when he distanced himself from Na Jung when his mom died, which led to their "break up without having to break up." Yes, he was probably sad and depressed. But as Na Jung told him, he should have said it. If he was hurt and having a hard time, he should have said it. If he fell out of love, he should have been straightforward about it. Although it may hurt, the truth will still be much better than being ghosted where you're left to doubt your self-worth.
Despite the break up, I loved how Dong Il and Il Hwa's love for Trash never changed. I loved that conversation Il Hwa and Trash had about going to neurosurgery because of Il Hwa's deceased son. I felt Dong Il's pain when he told Trash that he felt like he lost another child when the two broke up. I loved that Dong Il gave his family gloves to Trash, as if telling him that even if you're no longer with my daughter, you will always be family.
While I favored Chilbong, I was just happy for Na Jung because she got the guy she truly loved.
I super loved the references to sports. Oppa was excited when he saw the previews because Na Jung was a basketball fan, while Chilbong and Dong Il were on to baseball. Football was featured too through the World Cup.
I loved how they featured real basketball players from the '90s. I can totally relate to Na Jung's fangirling. Na Jung was crazy over Lee Sang Min, who coincidentally caused the Philippines' heartbreaking loss in the 2002 Asian Basketball semi finals. Oppa was saying that he'd give Reply '94 a perfect rating of 5 but would need to deduct some points because it featured Lee Sang Min.
I liked how the show used English songs from the '90s like What's Up, Love is All Around, and All I Want for Christmas is You. It was really much better to watch the original version of the drama because when we checked, the Netflix version did not use these songs. The version we watched also had subtitles for the Korean songs so we were able to appreciate them more. You'd be surprised at how perfect the lyrics were for the scenes where they were played.
I liked how the show gave us glimpses of what happens during military service. The show also had the usual throwback stuff - backmasking, beepers/pagers, first generation mobile phones, etc.
I really appreciated how the show featured what city life was like for country bumpkins. It was funny most of the time but I liked how the show explained that while city life was obviously more convenient, there will always be something charming and appealing about living a simple but happy life in the province. I could totally relate to how heavy the feeling is every time you leave the province to go back to the city. My cousins based in the province always had that problem whenever they had to go back to Manila for school. Because of the focus on country bumpkins, I'm sure this show will be so much more nostalgic for those who came from the province and stayed in boarding houses and dorms.
I absolutely loved how the show ended. I'm glad they closed the loop on everything, including the literal closure of the boarding house when Dong Il posted a sign saying they were no longer accepting boarders.
It was great to see the older versions of everyone, including Dong Il and Il Hwa. It was a very sentimental journey seeing how everyone has evolved. You can still see traces of their old selves (annoying Samcheonpo, innocent Binggeure, and flashy Haitai) but they've all improved as well (Binggeure seemed more sure of himself and both Yoon Jin and Na Jung seemed tamer). It was a great way to end a show that reminisced about the time when they lived passionate and pure lives.
The Not So Good
The show had some flaws and we could not just ignore them the way we did in Reply '88. Probably because Reply '88 trained our eyes already and we are a bit more discerning this time.
The explanation about who Trash was in relation to Na Jung's family was a bit confusing. We had to repeat the scene to understand things better. Although it might just be a translation problem or even a comprehension one.
I appreciate that the version that we watched had explanations on some of the Korean references that non-Koreans might not know (like the collapse of some companies). However, some of these explanations were too long that we were not able to catch them at all.
There were inconsistencies/flaws in some scenes too. Oppa noted that when Haitai and Yoon Jin were going back to their provinces, Haitai was almost left behind by the bus and he left the restaurant in a rush when he realized he was late. However, when he was already settled on the bus, he offered to share his twin popsies with Yoon Jin. When did he exactly buy it? If he bought it way before he left the restaurant, it would have melted already. It didn't make sense either if he bought it just before leaving the restaurant because he was already pressed for time.
Na Jung and Yoon Jin were both basketball fangirls during the first episode. While Lee Sang Min's posters remained in Na Jung's room, her fangirling was barely mentioned in the succeeding episodes. However, we learn during her wedding that she was still into Lee Sang min and her groom allowed her to watch the weekend games.
Similarly, Yoon Jin was a huge Seo Taiji fan. She was so depressed when he retired. The retirement was short-lived because he became active again after about two years. However, it was mentioned very sparingly (she handed out copies of his new album to her colleagues in 2000). I would like to think that someone like her who was so crazy about Seo Taiji would have done/celebrated more when he came out of retirement.
Unlike Reply '88, I found some episodes dragging although the show would put in an exciting scene or two to make up for the drag. I remember feeling this way in episode 10 where the highlights were the kisses between Chilbong and Na Jung and Samcheonpo and Yoon Jin.
I wish they featured Sook Sook more prominently. I understand that during the first few years he might have been stuck in the room most of the time since he was still a baby. Although that was also odd for the scenes where all the grown ups were outside. Who looked after Sook Sook then? But what bothered me most was even during the final days before everyone moved out of the boarding house, Sook Sook still did not join them even if he would have been big enough at that time. They all ate breakfast together but Sook Sook was not there. Was he in school already? I hoped they featured more of him the way Jin Joo was shown in '88.
The thing that I disliked the most was the cameo of the Reply 1997 cast. I felt that it was overextended and it was on the slapstick side. And it's definitely not because I was unfamiliar with them. I did not know Trash and Na Jung either when they appeared in '88. But their cameos in '88 meshed nicely with the story. It was as if it flowed naturally from the original plot. I would even say that their cameos were pivotal because it led to the reunion of Bora and Sun Woo. The cameo of the '97 cast, on the other hand, felt disjointed from the entire '94 plot. Would you really get into a fistfight with strangers on a bus over some loud music?
If you're planning to watch the entire Reply series, it might be advisable to watch them in the order they were released ('97, '94, and '88) so you won't spoil '97 the way we did. Now we know who will end up together in '97. At least I won't need to spoil it for Oppa. :) And based on how we felt about '88 and '94, I would like to think that the series progressed for the better so it's best to watch '88 last.
Over all, '94 was also great. It was definitely much better than your usual K dramas. But compared to '88, I think it paled a bit in comparison because as I mentioned in the beginning, '88 really set the bar so high. What set '88 apart for me was the focus on family. It gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling that '94 was not able to match. But '94 is still a must watch.
Noona says...4.8. :)
Labels: Reply 1994 (Kdrama) 4.9 || 4.8


gift of paralysis had the most liked content!
Next month Envy On The Coast twice! well only 2 of the original members but still super excited to see them again. it's been 6 years! And Taking Back Sunday in September.
at least Envy On The Coast is back..sort of.
I loved my Secret Santa gift. Thank youu!
I just came home to a mysterious package. So I'm assuming it's my secret Santa.
is anyone collecting addresses yet?
I'll be joining too and can ship internationally. I'm excited!
I had to sell my tickets for the tour with The Used But I'm going to an acoustic TBS show today.
Yep I think it's weird too. But I guess that should make it an interesting show.. I'm excited anyway because I've never seen The Used and always wanted to.
Anyone else excited about TBS and The Used?
Awe! This would've been my dream tour ten years ago!
So I did see Tegan and Sara Saturday night. It was pretty cool and different from my usual shows I think. Mary Lambert opened and tried to make me cry. But the venue was so cute!
I trust you. I will buy my ticket this Friday. Because you said so Sulfur.


text:
Jakob Ludwig Schmitt (* 11. Oktober 1891 in Mainz; † 13. Dezember 1955) war ein deutscher Silberschmied und kriegsblinder Bildhauer.

Leben
Jakob Schmitt lernte den Beruf des Silberschmieds. Im Ersten Weltkrieg wurde er am 24. Dezember 1914 bei einem Patrouillengang an der deutsch-französischen Frontlinie bei Roye (Somme) durch eine Gewehrkugel so schwer an den Augen verletzt, dass er erblindete. Nachdem er zuerst in einem Feldlazarett versorgt wurde, kam er mit einem Lazarettzug zurück nach Deutschland in die Augenklinik nach Frankfurt am Main.

Dort nahm er als Therapie erste Modellierversuche vor, dies war bereits seit den 1880er Jahren in entsprechenden Einrichtungen üblich, um das Wahrnehmungsvermögen mit den Händen und Fingern zu schulen. Während seiner siebenjährigen Ausbildung wohnte er in einem Kriegsblindenheim in Frankfurt. Laut den Lebenserinnerungen der Hofdame Mathilde von Keller überreichte Schmitt 1917 dem deutschen Kaiserpaar eine überlebensgroße Büste im Schloss von Bad Homburg. Diese fertigte er an, nachdem er bereits davor bei einem Lazarettbesuch Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria kennen gelernte hatte, die ihn zu dem Motto "Werdet zu Stahl" animiert haben soll. Er nahm unter anderem 1929 an der Großen Ruhrländischen Gartenbau-Ausstellung in Essen teil und 1932 an der ersten deutschen Kriegsblinden-Ausstellung in Hamburg. Der 1949 gegründete Bund der Kriegsblinden Deutschlands stiftete im Jahr 1950 den Hörspielpreis der Kriegsblinden. Die Gewinnertrophäe gestaltete Jakob Schmitt und stellte "die Tastwelt des Blinden" dar.

1923 heiratete er seine Frau Maria geb. Fath. Er wohnte von 1923 bis 1934 in Mainz-Kostheim im eigenen Haus mit Atelier in der Schiersteiner Straße 17. 1934 zog er nach Kastel und hatte dort in der Reduit ein großes Atelier.

Werke
 1917: Der erblindete Feldgraue, Gipsbüste in der Dauerausstellung des Bad Homburger Schlosses
 1919–1921: Entenfänger am Flachsmarkt in Mainz
 –1931: Lebensgroße Figur des gekreuzigten Christus (Bronzeguss als Grabkreuz heute auf der letzten Ruhestätte des Künstlers auf dem Mombacher Waldfriedhof)
 1941: Maske mit tastenden Händen (Eigenportrait)

Weitere Werke befinden sich als Dauerausstellung im Heimatmuseum Mainz-Kostheim.

Literatur

Einzelnachweise

Bildhauer (Deutschland)
Person im Ersten Weltkrieg (Deutsches Reich)
Person (Mainz)
Deutscher
Geboren 1891
Gestorben 1955
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Posted on May 4, 2019 by Brian Edwards
Orson Welles Great Mysteries
The legendary Orson Welles hosts thirteen mysterious tales from this much sought-after anthology series creeping its way on to DVD for the first time.
Buy On AMAZON.co.uk
Showcasing a haunting theme by John Barry, these macabre – often supernatural – dramas feature an astonishing array of talent, including Rupert Davies, Eli Wallach, Michael Kitchen, Patrick Magee, Donald Pleasence, Peter Cushing, Susannah York, Michael Gambon, Julie Dawn Cole, Kenneth Haigh, Harry Andrews, Dinsdale Landen, Jane Seymour, Ian Holm and Christopher Lee.
The thirteen tales of mystery and suspense featured on this set – including classic tales from Wilkie Collins, W.W. Jacobs, Honoré de Balzac, Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle – are:
DISC ONE
• A Terribly Strange Bed
A young American hits a winning streak in a Paris casino, but finds that his luck changes when he tries to sleep in the casino's guest bed.
– Starring Colin Baker, Edward Albert, Rupert Davies and Jenny Nevinson
– Dramatised by Anthony Fowles
– From a story by Wilkie Collins
– Directed by Alan Cooke
– Original ITV Transmission 20 July 1974
• Compliments of the Season
A drunken down-and-out returns a special doll to its owner, the young daughter of a millionaire. In doing so, he receives two rewards – one completely unexpected.
– Starring Eli Wallach, Ed Bishop, Hildegard Neil and Billy Hamon
– Dramatised by Donald Wilson
– From a story by O. Henry
– Directed by Philip Saville
– Original ITV Transmission 11 December 1975
• The Ingenious Reporter
A newspaper reporter poses as a suspected murderer, but his plans go awry when he loses his proof of innocence.
– Starring Geoffrey Bayldon, Pam St Clement, David Birney, Anthony Ainley and Ronald Radd
– Dramatised by Carey Harrison
– From a story by Pontsevrez
– Directed by Peter Sasdy
– Original ITV Transmission 18 September 1975
• The Monkey's Paw
A monkey's paw with a strange and unnatural past brings fear and disaster to an unsuspecting family.
– Starring Michael Kitchen, Cyril Cusack, Meg Jenkins, Patrick Magee and Robert James
– Dramatised by David Ambrose
– From a story by W.W. Jacobs
– Directed by Alan Gibson
– Original ITV Transmission 7 September 1974
• Captain Rogers
An old shipmate arrives at the inn owned by his former skipper and enmeshes him in a web of blackmail, bribery and terror.
– Starring Donald Pleasence, Kevin Stoney, Donald Gee, Joseph O'Conor, Daphne Heard and Alan Bennion
– Dramatised by Harry Green
– Original ITV Transmission 6 July 1974
• For Sale – Silence
A criminal seeks an illegal fortune – and pays for it in blackmail.
– Starring Jack Cassidy, Ed Devereaux and Harold Goodwin
– From a story by Don Knowlton
– Directed by Peter Sykes
– Original ITV Transmission 9 October 1975
• La Grande Breteche
A French count, master of a chateau known as La Grande Breteche, torments his young wife and wreaks vengeance upon her lover…
– Starring Peter Cushing, Susannah York, Michael Elphick, Morag Hood and Pauline Delaney
– Dramatised by Martin Worth
– From a story by Honoré de Balzac
DISC TWO
• An Affair of Honour
When espionage is discovered in a colonial outpost it is dealt with in a gentlemanly manner…
– Starring Michael Gambon, Jenny Hanley, Harry Andrews and Jeremy Clyde
– From a story by F. Britten Austin
– Directed by Alan Bromly
– Original ITV Transmission 30 October 1975
• In the Confessional
A young paranoiac's confession leads his priest and the police to the unexpected and dramatic solution of a girl's murder.
– Starring Julie Dawn Cole, Philip Davis, José Ferrer, Milo O'Shea and Shane Rimmer
– From a story by Alice Scanlan Reach
– Original ITV Transmission 14 August 1974
• The Furnished Room
A young man comes to the big city to search for a missing girl.
– Starring Clarence Williams III, Joan-Ann Maynard, Irene Worth and Sally Travers
• Under Suspicion
A concert pianist's loyalties are torn when she discovers that her lover is a traitor. But is he betraying her love – or his country?
– Starring Julie Crosthwait, Kenneth Haigh, Dinsdale Landen and Janice Rule
– From a story by Norman Edwards
• The Leather Funnel
A young Englishman arrives in Paris to propose to his French girlfriend. But her uncle shows him, through the power of dreams, that his desire to marry into the family could cause him to lose his reason – or his life.
– Starring Christopher Lee, Simon Ward, Jane Seymour, André van Gyseghem and Ralph Arliss
– From a story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Trial for Murder
The foreman of a jury at a murder trial is influenced by visions of the victim's spirit.
– Starring Ian Holm, Jennie Linden and Keith Buckley
– Dramatised by David Lawrie
– From a story by C.A. Collins and Charles Dickens
– Original ITV Transmission 30 April 1976
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


They say you haven't really seen Israel until you've studied in a yeshiva, so I accepted the offer for a few days.
At the school I gave a synopsis of my book's thesis over lunch. The audience was large and kind in its reception, with a few notable exceptions. But after I was shown to my quarters, which was shared by five other young men, an opponent to my views walked into the room. He sniffed the air as if to indicate some foul odor being present, and then stated, "I think I smell a goy." It wasn't the kind of greeting that I was hoping to get. Nate told me to ignore it, but I couldn't.
By the following morning, word of my presence and opinions had reached the head rabbi before class began. The topic for the day was miracles. Those that were attributed to the Nazarene were discussed, as were those that were attributed to another false messiah, Sabbatai Sevi.
I asked him how it was that Jesus could perform any miracles at all. The rabbi's answer took me by surprise, for I had been devoid of mystical knowledge until that day.
I was in shock. How was it that I had heard none of this in years of research back in America? And who was this Sabbatai Sevi? Oh yes, I had heard of him before. The man was a false Messiah that lived between 1626 and 1676. He converted to Islam. I never thought it worth pursuing any further information about him after hearing of his apostasy. But now I was asked to believe that false prophets had the power to raise the dead! And through what? Kabbalah? The implications were overwhelming. For one thing, it meant that my book was instantly obsolete because it left the topic of mysticism completely out. To hear a top rabbi also credit Sabbatai with such feats also meant that I would have to do my homework again about the Turkish Jew.
Still awed by what I had heard that day, I decided to take a walk through the streets of West Jerusalem. It wasn't long before I saw a book in the window of a bookshop that offered answers to many of my questions.
Sabbatai Sevi, The Mystical Messiah by Gershom Scholem, was a thousand-page masterpiece that included every single detail scholars had ever managed to dig up on the man. I bought it and a few other books on Kabbalah, then returned to the yeshiva and began to study. What I learned was most unsettling.
I had always known and used his first Hebrew name Itamar, though at times I had, as on the cover of my first book, misspelled it as Etomar. But on checking my circumcision certificate I learned that my full Hebrew name was Itamar Sabbatai. I shared a common name with the apostate. This was an odd coincidence, especially because I too had a certain attraction to Islam.
The book on Sevi was so long that I decided to hold off reading it all until my return to Miami. In the meantime, I chose to concentrate on Kabbalah.
The texts made it clear that one should not attempt the study of Kabbalah until the age of forty, an idea that I quickly put aside. I read, however, of four who studied it. One died, one went crazy, one apostatized and only one, Rabbi Akiba, survived with his wits intact. There were warnings everywhere I turned. While reading on a bus to Tel Aviv, I was again cautioned by a stranger sitting next to me.
"You're too young for that!" the man advised.
"I'm nearly thirty-one. I want to know what everybody's so afraid of," I told him.
"Suit yourself, friend. But I know what I'm talking about," the man replied.
I read something about a Jewish Trinity: the Holy Ancient One, Blessed Be He, was a male part; the Shechina or female Presence of God was a second part; and then there was a Son, Adam Kadmon, the archetype man. The warning about apostasy as a possible consequence of Kabbalistic studies was clear. I had sacrificed a wife and son to publish a book attacking the Christian concept of the Trinity only to now read in Israel of a Jewish one. I was depressed and confused for I had gone too far too fast. Dejected, I stopped in a shop to pick up a postcard to write Maria that perhaps I had been wrong to attack her faith. I told her that I would return soon and said I hoped that she would forgive me.
I informed him that I'd soon return to America to be with my son. The rabbi responded, "Why? He's a goy. Forget about him!" These remarks did little to further my already shaken view of Judaism.
I returned to the travel agent to arrange for a scenic trip home. The first leg took me by a car ferry through the Greek Islands to Pireas and Athens. I then took a week to work my way through Europe by train. Munich was interesting, but I felt great anxiety when I got off the train in Hamburg. As I walked around the station, I seemed to almost remember being there during the Holocaust. I knew that was silly because I wasn't even born then and yet flashes of memory seemed to dance about in my mind. They were so real that I never left the station to tour the city. Instead, I took the first train out. It happened to be going to Paris, but I didn't care what the destination was. I just wanted to get far away from the place. From Paris I went to London, then flew home.


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Are you making these site submissions mistakes?
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Many times, unfortunately, the search engine may select the wrong one which can have outdated or incorrect information. Links are the most important factor in Google's ranking algorithms. That's why so many people tried to manipulate the links that point to their websites in the past. Remember that search engines evaluate each important page area or inbound link separately. As such, the title tag, meta-description tag, keyword tag, heading tags, alt text tags, and page text all produce their own prominence pictures that, together, tell the search engine a great deal about your page. Marketers can depict a tool as durable, convenient, or handy to use.
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A backlink is a reference comparable to a citation. The quantity, quality, and relevance of backlinks for a web page are among the factors that search engines like Google evaluate in order to estimate how important the page is. If content can be reproduced without much effort, then it is most likely not valuable, and if it is not valuable then it is a waste of your readers' time. Whenever doing a website redesign, I think it's so important to reassess the purpose of each page. If you don't learn anything from the page, neither will your viewers! Building out a navigation map that takes SEO into consideration will save you a lot of heartache throughout your project! According to Google, one of the most important steps in improving your site's ranking in Google search results is to ensure that it contains plenty of rich information that includes relevant keywords, used appropriately, that indicate the subject matter of your content.


The Junior School Book Week will be held during Week 5 of Term 3 from 20 - 24 August. The theme this year is 'Find Your Treasure'.
On Friday 24 August, students are encouraged to come dressed as something related to the theme 'Find Your Treasure' or as their favourite book character. Parents can make sausage sizzle pre-orders online at www.tinyurl.com/BookWeek18. All proceeds will assist the College's work in Boracay, Philippines.


11 January 2019 - Explore HR GENERALIST jobs in Bhubaneswar with 1 years to 2 years experience via Sumukh Multigrains Pvt Ltd. Register here to apply online for similar kind of HR GENERALIST jobs.
Sumukh Multigrains believe in quality and service. We have managed to carve a niche for ourselves in the food industry by continuously delivering for more than two and a half decade now. We have a state-of-the-art food manufacturing unit to cater to the needs of our customer.


Brian graduated from De Montfort University in 1991 with a First Class Honours Degree in Interior Design, when it was Leicester Polytechnic and has been involved with the subject area ever since, mostly on a part time basis, but has recently become a full time Senior Lecturer on the Interior Design programme.
His commercial background is predominantly in Retail, Exhibition and Corporate Interiors both in this country and Australia, working with clients as varied as Adidas, Levi's, Karrimor, Converse, Berghaus, Dr Martens, Firetrap, JD Sports and HP Retail.
He has worked for Checkland Kindleysides, Knox Associates, Ratcliffe Fowler, MBBD Retail (in Sydney, Australia) and until a few years ago, was a freelance design consultant for Briggs Hillier, Mynt, and other local design companies.
He recently completed a PGCert HE with a distinction. His research interests lie predominantly in Digital Media Communication and is currently exploring 3D visualisation techniques within CAD, solid modelling and virtual realities, as well supervising a DMU Frontrunner looking at Eye Tracking technologies for the evaluation of interior space. He also has interests in E-Learning and pedagogic aspects of student feedback and was influential in setting up AV feedback techniques for taught digital projects on the interior design programme, creating individual feedback screencasts from digital project submissions.
He teaches on all the Interior Design BA and MDes Programmes as well as on the MA, and is responsible for all the Visual Communication modules, throughout all 4 years of study. Other areas of teaching include the specialist Retail Pathway in Level 5, external competitions in Level 6 and a cultural studies module in Level 4.
Retail Design, Visual Communications, Digital Communication Media, Eye Tracking, CAD, 3D Visualisation techniques, AV feedback techniques.


Yea I thought so. So 4.7 is only for a "top up" if needed. Not full force carbonation.
Yea I thought so. So 4.7 is only for a "top up". The full force carbonation.
But it doesn't preclude full force carbonation, and most (non German at least) plants do full force carb. There are advantages K points out at other places to higher temps and lower pressures in fermentation and maturation. Moreover it's an equipment issue: you note that you can filter carbed beer, but it is more difficult, and not all breweries will have the ability to do it. And I've not been arguing for any particular method, I just want the end result. Homebrewers can do what they want. If you're charging me cash money for the privilege of drinking your Pils with some overpriced "small plates," it had better be clean and clear.
This book is the german brewing bible. So everything you read there within should have that asterisk. If they are RHG compliant they will be "bunging" as it states so in that paragraph. Also filtering while carbonated is just as easy. You set your prv to a higher blow off than the carbonation level.. Simple as that. I have done it countless times. HOWEVER, never once have I been able to do it without a measurable (orbisphere readings) o2 uptake( pre-carbonated or not). But thats not a discussion for here and now.
I like IPA, but I'm tired. Just give me a friggin awesome lager, thank you very much. I was just at a brewfest yesterday. IPA everywhere (well that, and s***ty beers with Skittles and suckers and jelly in them). I finally stumbled upon a very tasty homebrewed lager. It was a rare sight to behold. I think that was my favorite beer of the whole night.
There's so many nucleation points on a filter I'm not sure how it could be done. That said I could be wrong.
Whenever I go to a brewery for the first time, I try out their pils, Kolsch, or other similar beer. If it's good, I know they can brew. You can't hide mistakes in those beers.
I like many types of beers. But, there is something amazing about a pils that is well done.
I extend my right hand of fellowship to all the pils brewers out there (like me)!
Centrifuges are awesome BTW. My pilsners and Kolsches are crystal clear.
When do you employ the centrifuge? Can it hold a whole batch?
The beer runs through the centrifuge after lagering. Not sure how big the bowl is exactly but it's just a process. Takes about 2 hours to centrifuge 60 bbls.
I see your pils and raise you my "non-clarified" pils.
That's pretty I'll grant you that. And nice photography too.
So, you're saying that you can detect flaws in a pils, but not an IPA, then go on to blame it on hops hiding the flaws? Not having the palate to tell a good IPA from a flawed one sounds like a personal problem to me.
Everyone is asking for pils over IPA, which I'll gladly support.
But can we please put regular beer in casks? Cask ale is pretty common...but the beers that end up in the cask are usually some s*** fruit stupidity or other similar experimental beer. Flying Dog had cask ale on tap every Friday in Camden Yards last O's season, and every single one fell into the experimental/whacky for no reason category. I just want a beer to go with my Boogs BBQ and crab dip, not a mango-melon fusion NEIPA.


text:
Lessons from a Failed Party?
John Pendleton Kennedy: Early American Novelist, Whig Statesman, & Ardent Nationalist
by Andrew R. Black.
Louisiana State University Press, 2016.
Lawyer, professor, statesman, and cabinet official, John Pendleton Kennedy is best remembered today as a writer. The author of the satire Quodlibet, in which he decried the excesses of Jacksonian political culture, Kennedy was a faithful member of the Whig opposition to "King Andrew." More important to his literary reputation, to say nothing of the development of early American letters, are his three novels: Rob of the Bowl, a romance set in colonial Maryland; Horse-Shoe Robinson, a tale of the American War for Independence; and his first and most celebrated work, Swallow Barn, a portrait of life on a Virginia plantation. In this masterful biography, Andrew Black has set himself no easy task. He seeks not only to place Kennedy's writing in its historical context, but also to unite his literary concerns with his political commitments, to bring "the two Kennedys together—the literary and the political— … so as to illuminate the lineaments of Whig culture during its emergence."
History never repeats itself, though historical conditions sometimes do. Elements of the past at least echo through the present. In many respects, contemporary events and attitudes have made Black's study more timely than he, or anyone, could have imagined. If Black is determined to explore the origins of the Whig party, he is equally determined to explain its collapse, along with the breakup of the United States itself. He asserts, for example, that "John Pendleton Kennedy's story is the portrait of a culturally confused America, a story that takes in the embattled mind, as well as the rhetorical performances, animating the contentious, fatefully sectionalized nation." Underlying Black's account of Kennedy's life and thought is the deepening sectional animosity that tormented the United States during the thirty years before the Civil War. Except for the sectional nature of the quarrel, Black's description of a nation in the throes of social and political crisis, a story as chilling as it is informative, may perhaps offer more of a cautionary tale than he intended.
Although Black examines the body of Kennedy's work, he sensibly focuses much of his critical attention on Swallow Barn, Kennedy's most searching yet conflicted novel. Numerous critics have emphasized the realism of Swallow Barn, maintaining that it depicts social life in antebellum Virginia. At the same time, others have discerned in it the archetypical legend of the romantic South. Black approaches the realistic and romantic aspects of the novel with greater subtly and refinement to fashion an astute reading that nonetheless leaves important questions unanswered.
Tracing the literary antecedents of Swallow Barn to Washington Irving's Bracebridge Hall, Black also shows in persuasive detail the extent to which Kennedy relied on his boyhood memories of Virginia in writing the novel. Yet Kennedy did not present a wholly realistic or impartial narrative. "By the time Kennedy sat down to write Swallow Barn," Black argues, "both his urban upbringing and political commitment made objectivity impossible." Black is quite right to insist that "nearly every aspect of the novel became colored with either Kennedy's self-perfected, didactic social character or his nascent Whiggery," which, he might have added, were mutually reinforcing. After its fashion, Swallow Barn is interpretive, not reportorial.
Black identifies the moral philosophy of the Scottish Enlightenment and the cultural outlook of such genteel writers as Joseph Addison, Richard Steele, David Hume, Edmund Burke, and Laurence Sterne as the principal sources of Kennedy's ideals. Ardent in his quest for reform and improvement, both individual and social, Kennedy became a didactic writer. He was a Whig by temperament long before he found a political home in the Whig party. Kennedy embraced, even as he helped to define, the emerging bourgeois ethos. The union of moralism and materialism distinguished the American bourgeoisie. Because obstacles to the pursuit of economic self-interest in the antebellum United States were often so few and so weak, the fear of disorder was correspondingly more intense. In response, the American bourgeoisie sought new ways of organizing life and society. An ethic of self-restraint, discipline, and morality became central to the bourgeois vision. Black is astute in identifying both the challenge and the promise that Kennedy and his generation encountered:
On the one hand, the social and economic instability of the period impelled them to search the uncertain horizon for new moral bearings. On the other hand, the very existence of the new nation—endowed with what they perceived as superior political and social systems—offered the framework for a new moral order.
Members of the bourgeoisie attempted to impose such an order wherever chaos threatened by setting an example for others, exhibiting the benefits of self-control and self-discipline. Those who took the lesson to heart would doubtless cultivate the moral fortitude necessary to take advantage of the many opportunities that America presented, without encouraging social dislocation or falling victim to moral and material poverty.
Given Kennedy's didactic inclinations and moral sensibilities, his chief problem in Swallow Barn became "how to write about the Old Dominion in a way that balanced his nostalgic fondness for the place with his low opinion of the state on almost every other measure." Even the finest expressions of Virginia manhood, such as Frank Meriwether, the master of Swallow Barn, are "men in decline." For all their charm and bravado, Virginians are backward, provincial, indolent, undisciplined, and haughty. They are, in a word, "cavalier" about everything from making money to alleviating social ills. "Kennedy goes out of his way to conflate the Old Dominion's embrace of chivalry with the state's apparently willful and universal backwardness." On the basis of this judgment alone, Black rejects the orthodox conclusion that Swallow Barn advances a pastoral vision of Virginia and the South:
It is no surprise that a number of literary historians have wrongly placed Swallow Barn in a southern romantic continuum that begins with the arrival of Walter Scott's works in the South, continues through the Virginia novels of the 1820s, and culminates in Kennedy's novels and those of his contemporary William Gilmore Simms, the prolific romantic author from South Carolina and avowed proslavery separatist. However, Kennedy is badly out of step in this literary procession.… Kennedy was unable to hide the fact that he regarded the outmoded beliefs and insular pride of Virginia's planters as responsible for the state's economic backwardness and retrogressive politics. In Kennedy's hands, the quaint habits and odd foibles … became symbols of hopeless provinciality and stubborn resistance to change.
As compelling as Black's interpretation is, he discounts important aspects of the novel that would have made his thesis unassailable, and would, in addition, have helped to clarify the tensions that beset American society and government before the Civil War—tensions that Kennedy embodied in his life and work.
Frank Meriwether, Kennedy's representative of Old Virginia, has tried to transform his plantation at Swallow Barn into an Edenic paradise removed from both the competitive marketplace and the turbulent political arena. Unlike Kennedy, who was unwavering in his nationalism, Meriwether opposes "consolidation," fearing that it will destroy the virtue and independence of his beloved Virginia. Meriwether advocates state rights and is at war with the modern world. He opposes not only centralized government but progress as well.
Meriwether's defense of tradition and rejection of modernity establish both the central problem of the novel and the central problem of America as Kennedy understood it. Kennedy is both solemn and satirical in his treatment of Meriwether, vacillating continually between piety and irony. Throughout the novel, as Black points out on more than one occasion, Kennedy found it impossible to maintain a consistent perspective. Such divergence no doubt reveals flaws in the style and structure of Swallow Barn, even as it may also reveal Kennedy's shortcomings as a writer. More important, this defect imparts the fundamental meaning of the book, revealing the uncertainties of the American mind during this period of heightened sectional conflict.
Kennedy's divided consciousness issues from the pages of Swallow Barn nowhere more vividly than in the discussion of slavery, a problem that Americans could neither avoid nor resolve. Just as Kennedy completed work on Swallow Barn, the Virginia legislature was debating whether to abolish slavery in the wake of Nat Turner's bloody rampage through Southampton County. Black makes clear that Kennedy hoped to calm the agitation. Although opposed to slavery, Kennedy depicted the slaves in Swallow Barn as "comfortable and contented." As hewers of wood and the drawers of water, they labor to support the gracious plantation life that their masters enjoy. For the time being, slavery is the most benign and opportune arrangement for blacks and whites alike. Slavery on this view supposedly not only disciplines but also protects them in the transition from barbarism to civilization. If slavery is "theoretically and morally wrong," as even Meriwether acknowledges, it still affords blacks greater security than the so-called free workers of the North possess. Premature freedom, Meriwether insists, would condemn blacks to a fate worse than bondage.
This ambivalence about slavery was, for Kennedy, more than the raw material from which to craft a novel. Like other Americans, he struggled to find a solution to what was becoming an intractable problem. "Manifestly emancipation would be a greater evil than the continuance of slavery," Kennedy admitted in his journal:
I mean, rapid emancipation. We should ruin the slave, and make desolate the slave country. Our duty therefore is to mitigate the evil by cautious and discreet treatment of it, and to aid the progress of natural causes in the gradual obliteration of slavery, which is inevitable in the course of the growth of the country. [Emphasis in the original]
Heeding Burke's deliberate approach to social change, Kennedy wished above all to forebear "the hazard of internal convulsions" in a misguided attempt to rid the land of slavery. Delaying abolition, and in the meantime tempering the brutality of slavery, was a matter of preserving a humane social order.
Black ought thus to have taken more seriously the proposals to reform slavery that Kennedy put forth in Swallow Barn. He is instead dismissive, alleging that "Kennedy seeks cover behind the chivalric veil that has masked the grim reality of slavery throughout the novel. In a loose and jocular tone, Meriwether says he wants to establish a 'feudatory' at Swallow Barn." According to the proslavery argument, slavery entailed mutual obligations. In theory, masters had a responsibility to care for their slaves just as slaves had a responsibility to obey their masters. Although Kennedy may not have been in full command of his material in writing Swallow Barn, he sensed the fundamental problem with slavery, at least insofar as southern whites were concerned. Relations between masters and slaves were not organic and harmonious, as proslavery thinkers hadlong contended.
The more Kennedy pondered the nature of slavery, the more he came to recognize that paternalism had serious limits. Whatever else the slaves may have been, they were first and foremost property to be bought and sold. Through the sale of the products of slave labor and through the slave trade itself, slavery condemned southerners to participate in a market economy that promised to destroy their cherished isolation, precisely the circumstance that Meriwether had long feared and violently denounced. The establishment of a feudatory, however vain and absurd the prospect may have been, reflected the desire to insulate the South from the modern world, or at least from its capitalist variant, and to defend the southern way of life against the selfish, exploitive, and chaotic social relations that capitalism engendered.
Its worst abuses curtailed or eliminated, slavery was ultimately a "positive good" until that moment when, in the distant future, blacks were at last prepared to endure the rigors of freedom. Kennedy seems to reinforce this benevolent vision of slavery in the story of Abe, which he introduced toward the end of Swallow Barn. Intelligent, but restless and disobedient, Abe is a menacing presence whom Meriwether must remove from the plantation community. He does so in an enlightened way, not by selling Abe further south but by binding him over to the service of a Chesapeake boatman. Seemingly perfect in his devotion, Abe dies in a storm, giving his life to save white passengers. Black entertains "little doubt that Abe is meant to be a counterpoint to Nat Turner." He makes a compelling argument, though the story of Abe suggests an alternate interpretation, the significance of which Kennedy almost certainly could not have faced. Proud, resolute, and indomitable, Abe is determined not to sacrifice himself for whites but to prove his superiority to them, even at the risk of death. Such an attitude does not bespeak subservience, but contains at least the rudiments of insurrection.
Black compares Kennedy's "inconclusiveness" about slavery in Swallow Barn to the "indecisiveness" of the Whigs, which "made the party irrelevant by the 1850s." "Though fundamentally opposed to slavery, Kennedy's morally didactic and economically progressive impulses were hampered by his deeply ingrained racial prejudices and social conservatism. Ironically, at the moment of its birth, Whig culture was already signaling the fatal indecisiveness that would cause its demise in just two decades. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Swallow Barn." There is truth in Black's assessment, though perhaps not enough. Who, after all, save the abolitionists and the fire-eaters, was decisive about slavery in the years before the Civil War? Like most Americans, including many Democrats, Kennedy hedged, more eager to preserve the Union than to end slavery. He did not wish to allow disagreements about slavery to imperil the United States.
More than indecision about slavery, and specifically about the expansion of slavery into the western territories, undid the Whig party. The Whigs were also troubled by the rise of nativism. Nativist Whigs set to work to make the party an anti-immigrant, anti-foreign, anti-Catholic organization. Many antislavery Whigs, such as William H. Seward and Abraham Lincoln, wanted to jettison nativism, while many nativist Whigs wanted to be rid of antislavery. The antislavery Whigs were further embarrassed by their affiliation with the Cotton Whigs, who supported slavery and often profited from the plantation economy. The antislavery faction within the Whig party was thereby separated from antislavery Democrats and Free Soilers who had become their natural allies.
Nativists, by contrast, were bound to a party that contained many men who thought nativism impolitic and discreditable. Like their antislavery counterparts, nativist Whigs found themselves cut off from Democrats who shared their hostility to immigrants and Catholics. With its many equivocations, its increasingly tense alliances, and its consistent record of electoral defeat, the Whig party frustrated all of its members without offering any advantages to compensate them. It had become an impediment to political success. The party disintegrated because, by the 1850s, few saw compelling reasons to sustain it.
John Pendleton Kennedy made important, if uneven, contributions to the history of American literature and thought. In retrospect, the most significant and instructive aspect of his work may be the uncertainty he displayed about the pressing issues of his day. In what is on balance a superb biography, Black offers a sympathetic yet discerning portrait of a man who, despite being enmeshed in partisan battles and unable to overcome his own prejudices, was tireless in the effort to make sense of, and to improve, American society. If Kennedy and his generation found themselves the victims of a self-inflicted tragedy, it was not because they were foolish, dishonest, or corrupt. It was rather, as Black has admirably demonstrated, because they were neither vile enough to be irredeemably wicked nor brave enough to be entirely just.
Mark G. Malvasi is the Isaac Newton Vaughan Professor of History at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia.


text:
Kevin Brockway
Beyond the Arc: 3 takeways from UF's 77-62 win over St. Bonaventure in NCAA Tournament
St. Bonaventure forward Amadi Ikpeze (32) watches as Florida forward Kevarrius Hayes (13) and guard KeVaughn Allen (5) celebrate drawing a foul against St. Bonaventure during the second half of a first-round game at the NCAA college basketball tournament in Dallas, Thursday, March 15, 2018. Florida won 77-62. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
DALLAS — Three observations following UF's 77-62 win over St. Bonaventure on Thursday night in the NCAA Tournament:
— Florida at times settled for too many 3-point attempts against St. Bonaventure's matchup zone, hoisting 19 of its 32 3-point attempts in the first half. The Gators, though, were more aggressive taking the ball to the basket in the second half. Three straight driving finishes by freshman Mike Okauru, junior guard KeVaughn Allen and junior guard Jalen Hudson put Florida up 45-31 and helped set a tone offensively for the remainder of the game. Florida scored 50 points in the second half. The Gators finished the game shooting 31.3 percent (10-32) from 3-point range.
— Freshman guard Mike Okauru had another excellent game off the bench, finishing with 7 points in 17 minutes with just one turnover. Okauru showed no jitters playing his first NCAA Tournament and hit a big 3-pointer late in the first half to put the Gators back up 24-22 after St. Bonaventure took a brief lead. Unfortunately for UF, Okauru suffered an apparent head injury when he hit his head hard on the floor late in the second half. But Florida coach Mike White said postgame he expects the 6-foot-3 guard to be OK for UF's game Saturday night against Texas Tech.
— Florida showed good poise at the free throw line, making 13 of 18 attempts (72.2 pct) to help close out at the game. Even sophomore center Gorjok Gak made a free throw. Chris Chiozza, KeVaughn Allen and Okauru combined to go 6 of 6 from the line.
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Joe Brown March 16, 2018 At 7:08 am
almost the opposite pattern from what the gates have done in regular season. cold shooting, passive, keep the opponent in the game, hero ball in the first half, and an inspired second half. if the second half team shows up for the next game, T Tech is in trouble. if the first half team shows up, see everybody next year. do get the impression next game is floridda's to win or lose.
gelco30 March 16, 2018 At 12:16 pm
I went out and checked TTU stats. They are not St Bonnie by any means, they have an impressive resume' and play incredible defense, and have a guard that was big 12 player of the year runner up (behind KU's Graham). It is my opinion that the Gators HAVE to have the second half team show up to be in the game, and if it's the first half team, they have no chance. Fingers crossed to who shows up.
bf March 16, 2018 At 5:51 pm
Any 1.5-point underdog (Florida) has a chance regardless the circumstances. Not a typical gelco30 post.
gelco30 March 16, 2018 At 6:32 pm
Nonono, I was commenting to Joe Brown, simply stating that the 2nd half Gators MUST be there the entire game or the Gators will lose. TTU is a better team than St Bonnie and will get a host of points on the inside (it's what they do). They won't need to shoot lights out.
Joe Shiver March 17, 2018 At 6:26 am
bf, any word on Tonya Bennett's termination?
Joel Roth March 16, 2018 At 8:24 am
Very good first win. I thought the team played very well overall. Good defensive intensity. Good close outs. Good switching. Good rebounding and fighting for balls. Good ball pressure, resulting in a few steals and run outs. A few lapses here and there, but not many. However, I agree they took way to many 3's in the 1st half. They need to find the seams and drive to the basket against the zone and then kick out for open 3's. The 3's need to come in the flow of the offensive and in transition. Not from standing around passing around the outside and throwing one up late in the shot clock. CC did a good job passing. KA, JH and MO did a good job attacking the basket. KS did a good job inside. however, we still need more passing inside and more scoring from the post. Play like the 2d half next game and its on to the sweet 16.
JH's put back was a classic. Loved the intensity. Way to go.
Gator Steve March 16, 2018 At 9:28 am
Would love to know the breakdown on 3s comparing set shots to rushed jump shots. I think 3Gor pretty much misses all of his jump shots but sinks 70% of his set shots.
Sly Sylvester March 16, 2018 At 10:05 am
I like the way they played this game. Chiozza was in attack mode practically all night. I only noticed him taking his time and walking the ball up the court on one possession. I think that sped up the Bonnies and caused them to press a bit which resulted in a lot of turnovers.
Buck March 16, 2018 At 10:20 am
I guess you did not watch the game.
Okauru was inadvertently hit in the back of his head by the knee of St Bon player.
It was very clear in the replay.
Hopefully he will not fall into that concussion protocol that causes players to miss games when they say they are ok.
I believe that if this team would play like anything less than 100% effort, then they would lose the game.
We have not seen this team play at or near 100%.
This could be the best team since the back to backs . (who did play every second like it mattered)
Def and rebounding have improved and they are a better team for it.
This team still does not move well without the ball in 1/2 court offense.
3Gor is the best at catch and shoot player. ( he still drifts instead of going straight up)
UF misses lots of opportunities because they are not ready to shot when they catch ball.
Allen needs to practice catch and shoot 3's 200 shoots every day.
That is all that he does well. If he plans on playing at the next level that is his ticket.
Allen looks to be point guard when Chiozzo is not on the floor.
For the life of me I do not see that as good idea.
3gor or Okauru or even Hutson should be the next primary ball handler.
Uf needs to take more fouls, every game i see players with the ball step out of the way of def player out of control who will land on them. 3gor does that a lot. 3gor shots @90% from ft line, so why in the world does he avoid fouls in 3 point land?
UF also has not learned how to get fouls in the lane while driving. They seem to avoid contact.
Refs call def fouls even when offensive players are creating the contact.
Bottom line St Bon is not very good team
It was great to see UF put away inferior team.
This year they have lost 8-10 game they allowed inferior teams to win.
UF offensive execution in end of the game 1/2 court has been very poor.
With the type players UF has that should be the opposite.
Hopefully in every remaining game they will play fast / hard to get first good shot and take them no matter the time clock. No more delays.
Well ! that is just one fans "eyeball test" of floor play.
I do not claim to know more than the coaches.
I trust players and coaches.
Go Gators!!!
Great White Buffalo March 16, 2018 At 1:14 pm
Best team since 06-07? The Bonnies aren't a good team? Your "eyeball test?"
You need glasses.
Better than the team with Wilbekin, Prather and Young as seniors? Oh, pa..lease!
Todd March 16, 2018 At 10:37 am
14 fouls whistled in the first 15 minutes. Can we have a game where we don't have whistle-happy refs intent on getting their faces on t.v.? I counted ELEVEN uncalled personal fouls committed on our players in the paint or front court by St. Bonnie players, many of them them absolute muggings. I honestly believe that's the only reason the game was close at the half.
Loved the first round win, and how we shook off the refs and pulled away from Bonnies. Btw, their players ate thugs for the most part.
Here's to hoping we beat TT, but I'm not really expecting a win in the next round if the cold shooting continues, even for a half.
RSGATOR March 16, 2018 At 10:53 am
Did anyone besides me think that the announcers (particularly Spiro Dpsht) were very pro St. Bonaventure? Even at the end it was more about the end of the careers of their two guards than about the Gators' win).
Dr. Pepper21 March 16, 2018 At 11:51 am
I don't know, RSGATOR, I was watching it on my computer and the audio was like 10 seconds ahead of the visual so I had it muted.
You know it's march when you've got two computers and a TV all with ball games on!
Gator Steve March 16, 2018 At 12:18 pm
Unquestionably! Noticed myself. Of course the Gators with their 8 minute scoreless breaks are a hard team to love.
Gordon March 16, 2018 At 12:23 pm
I agree with you entirely. The commentators were falling all over themselves for StB. Exemplified on a foul called when one of the StB players poked the ball away from Cheez. On replay it was the clear definition of a foul. The StB player hit Cheez in the armpit causing him to lose control of the ball. One announcer seemed incredulous the ref would have called it.
The good news is we won. There is also a good article about FL being the Cinderella-buster over the years.
ROBERT HOWARD March 16, 2018 At 4:37 pm
bf where are yo?
Hell, I'm already looking ahead to the Butler/Florida matchup in the Sweet 16.
Look for W. Virginia to take down Villanova.
There, that ought to get you punks fired up!
Can the Gators beat WVU and go to San Antonio?
vulcan alex March 16, 2018 At 7:17 pm
After watching the game this performance probably won't win a game against a better opponent. Once again a zone D makes us ineffective, poor shot selection, no inside offense. Time will tell.
cattrick March 16, 2018 At 7:19 pm
We never know which Gator teams shows up for the tip-off. Will it be the one that beat Cinncinnatti, Gonzaga, Standord, Baylor, Missouri on the road, TexA&M on the road, Auburn, two wins vs. Kentucky including 1 at Rupp arena, or the team that led Duke by 17 and lost, got stomped by mighty Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Georgia? I have given up trying to understand their offensive and defensive philosophy. I do know that Tech will be going inside to the post as Gators have no post presence worth a spit right now. I do NOT want to see Igor guarding the post player as White has done in the past. Igor is 6-5. He is NOT A POST PLAYER ON OFFENSE OR DEFENSE. Then again, who is a consistent No. 5 player on this team?
I do think the Gators play better in an up-tempo style and make the extra pass to the open guy for the 3 pointer from the corner or wing.