Friday, March 30, 2012
The Smoke Signal
www.thesmokesignal.org
Arts & Entertainment 17
By Alekya Rajanala and Diya Roy A&E Editor & Editor-in-Chief
As seen by the recent release of the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ book, The Hunger Games, interest in young adult dystopian novels has significantly peaked over the past few years, with throes of novels in this genre being published and printed yearly. A dystopian novel creates a nightmarish dystopia where society is unknowingly in a repressed state. Many novels create this world as a metaphor for the different directions humanity can take in its choices, resulting in either an ideal utopia or the opposite. The Smoke Signal presents a closer look at this new trend, starting with a review of the latest dystopian novel Pure by author Julianna Baggott. In a culture defined by shades of gray, I think the absolute black and white choices in dark young adult novels are incredibly satisfying for readers.” -Writer Maggie Stiefvater
“These [dystopian] books are really about defying the social order,” -Megan McCafferty, author of novel Bumped
Julianna Baggott’s recently released young adult novel, Pure, begins with the introduction of a future set in the wake of a number of horrific “detonations.” Survivors live in the desolate remains of the world we know today. The bombs, wreaking unimaginable havoc, have left people fused with nearby objects: imagine a man with a fan fused into his throat, a group of three people forever bound together, someone with a dog instead of a leg. A select few, known as Pures for their unmarked visages, are protected within the safe haven of the Dome. Pressia, a sixteen-year-old living outside the Dome, was only six when the Detonations struck and left a doll’s head in place of her right hand. She is on the run from the OSR, a terrorizing military force, when she meets Partridge, a Pure who escaped from the Dome in search of his mother, and Bradwell, another fugitive who harbors illegal conspiracy theories regarding the Detonations. The trio teams up to survive the bleak, treacherous landscape of a post apocalyptic world. One of the more disturbing dystopian young adult novels I have read, Pure utilizes horrifyingly vivid imagery to convey a world that most readers cannot (and do not want
to) imagine. The premise of the book in itself is a bit gruesome; the descriptions of the leftovers of our present world succeed in making readers cringe and subsequently fear the possibility of such an apocalypse. Pure is most definitely not a book for the weakhearted or easily-disgusted. The plot, though engaging, is extremely slow-paced and several times the extensive descriptive detail impedes progression of the storyline. Baggott borders on “long-winded” despite her well-written prose. The book could have easily been shortened without sacrificing the depth of plot into which she delves. The changing points of view allow the main characters, portrayed as ideal, flawless heroes, to be well-developed. Yet somehow, though not for a lack of detail or characterization, the novel fails to inspire empathy or compassion for its characters. Pure, on the whole, turns out to be an interesting read. The glorification of the teenage protagonists combined with the premise of kids struggling against parental tyranny appeals to young adults, provided readers are undeterred by an unflinching depiction of a harsh dystopian future. ▪ Rating:
juliannabaggott.net, ugliestheseries.com, bumpedthenovel.com, matchedthebook.com, goodreads.com, hungergames.com, deviantart.com
By Frank Chen Centerspread Editor
A free music-making tool, JamStudio is based on guitar chords, allowing users to make melodies using the simple “click-toadd” method. Other tools include the setting of time signatures and guitar effects, which changes the tone of the sound being played, adding more complexity to the songs created. Users can also create an online account to save and share their scores. Even if you are unfamiliar with guitar at all, the website has many tutorial videos detailing everything you need to know to create your own personal masterpieces.
“I think FL Studio is one of the easier [applications] to pick up quickly. It is much more intuitive than Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Reason, or any other DAW [digital audio workstation].” -Kyle Lam, 11
This application, available for free on the Google Chrome web store, is a powerful online music production studio that allows the user to use real music-creating devices in a 2-D platform. Users can create melodies from the Pulverisateur synthesizer and connect it tools, such as a minimixer, and effect synthesizers, such as Pitchdelays and Stereodrums. Each device has its own modules and settings that can be manually changed for different effects. Users will be able to observe detailed and minute graphics of each device at work, while simultaneously enjoying the music they created.
Calling all classical music composers! Noteflight is an online website that gives users the ability to compose their own scores using musical notations and different instrumental sounds. Once finished, users can send, share, or sync their compositions. Noteflight offers both a free account and a paid one, depending on user’s necessity. For beginners, the free account is most likely the best option, for it offers all the preliminary settings that will get them started. ▪
For more advanced users, FL Studio is a paid software that can be downloaded online at different prices for different bundles. Overall, its capabilities include audio editing and manipulation, including pitch correction and harmonization. Users have the freedom to create not only rhythm and beats, but also lyrical songs using this application. It is a challenging software to learn, requiring users to become familiar with how to execute actions using the sound tools before they can actually make beats and rhythm. One setback is that there are multiple versions, so more features are included as the price goes up. Be sure to look at which version suites you best before you make your decision. flstudio.com, audiotool.com, jamstudio.com, noteflight.com