Breakdown

Breakdown
=**Audio Conversation **=

media type="file" key="annika genesis2.mp3" align="center" width="240" height="20"

=Introduction =

This project to create a conversation that never happened in the Bible contains many elements in order to portray two personality traits for two characters found in Genesis and in a painting. In the dialogue made to prove the character traits of power and insecurity for God and responsibility and faithfulness for Joseph, God finds a reason to destroy mankind through an earthquake, while putting Joseph up to the task of trying to stop the damage and save the people without talking. The character analysis includes close and extended analysis on how Genesis and the paintings provide evidence to support the traits. A dialogue analysis also illustrates how these two traits for each character are used in the conversation that never actually happened. Another requirement includes writing about the artists who demonstrated the character's trait in their painting by writing a short synopsis of their life or some facts about them. A reflection section completes the projects telling the readers the process of constructing this project like the obstacles that came up, weaknesses, and strengths.

**Narration:** **Destroying the Perception of Stupidity**

(Background Music) Narrator: Joseph is sweeping the floor of his jail cell when he feels something touch his shoulder and he jumps.

God: Joseph, it is the Lord God calling to you, so do not be afraid!

Joseph: I have waited so long to see you my God!

God: Excuse me?

Joseph: I said I have waited so long to see you.

God: No, I mean God what?

Joseph: Um...

God: You forgot a couple words after God.

Joseph: I am so, so sorry to disappoint you, but I do not know what to say.

God: The answer is God Almighty or Gracious God! Not just God, you foolish young man. I think I have made man too stupid, and I might have to send an earthquake to wipe out all of mankind.

Joseph: I am so sorry to have disrespected you; I will do whatever you want to keep your trust with me. I have always kept my word, and I do my work daily. You can ask Potiphar for proof!

God: You can't do "everything" that I tell you because you don't have all the power that I do, or else you would be as powerful as me and then I would kill you. I am ordering you to talk to no one until the earthquake I am creating arrives. During that time you have to figure out how to warn the people that an earthquake is coming so they can prepare or else they will die.

Joseph: Okay, I have to get back to cleaning and serving the food to the other prisoners like I promised Potiphar. When should I start being silent?

God: Right now.

(More music in background) Narrator: Every day, Joseph would try to make hand motions and body movements towards anyone who looked at him trying to show that an earthquake was coming, but no one understood.

Potiphar and other prisoners: (mumbling in the background) What's the matter with you Joseph?

Joseph:(silent)

Potiphar and other prisoners: Fine, don't answer. (short pause) I think someone has gotten a little crazy.

Narrator: Finally Joseph gave up with trying to warn the people. Instead with his free hour outside everyday he began building a very sturdy house making a little bit of progress every day. The day the earthquake was scheduled was nearing and God came down to talk to Joseph.

God: What in the world are you doing Joseph?

Joseph: (silent)

God: Are you trying to play smart with me by not talking? Well, it is not working, and you are failing to warn the people so far.

Joseph: (silent)

God: So you **do** think you are smarter than me. Fine I will punish you now!

Narrator: God began to shake the earth (start music playing with whistling of wind and loud noises)

Joseph: Please God stop! I was only being silent because you told me to!

Narrator: God started to shake the earth even harder and everything began crumbling down with people screaming and running in a pell-mell. (background music with things falling)

People: (Ahhhhh! Background noises with people screaming) No! We are about to die because we have no place for cover!

Joseph: Everyone listen to me! God Almighty has sent me, and I have prepared a safe lounging area for everyone to stay with extra food until this disaster ends.

People: How do we know we can trust you?

Joseph: You don't, but you will die if you don't get inside the shelter! (intense music in the background)

(hear a really loud chunk fall)

People: You're right. We will listen to you and trust you only since you say that the Lord has sent you!

Joseph: Hurry! Hurry! (hear things crashing in the background)

Narrator: The last people were shoving each other to reach safety in the house that Jacob built as the shaking becomes worse. Then all of a sudden Jacob trips and falls.

Joseph: Ow! I don't think I can get up. Close the door behind you and forget about me and just pray to the Lord to end this earthquake.

God: Why are you just sitting there to die?

Joseph: I.. I.. don't know... I ...have... no... energy... left... to... get... up.

God: Well I am going to shake the earth so hard that even your house will fall to ruins and all the people will die!

Joseph: Nooooo! Don't do that! Please do not hurt the people; sacrifice me instead because it was my fault for not saving the people.

Narrator: The shaking stops and everything becomes silent.

God: I will not sacrifice you or kill the people because you have proven you keep your word with me and remain loyal towards me.

Joseph: Oh Gracious God, I thank you with all my heart.

God: I know and you shall build an altar for me. (angry tone) How did you outsmart my idea of killing all foolish people?

Joseph: I just thought that if I build something on my own no one could stop me and when the earthquake came they would realize what the building is for.

God: I...I...I... never thought anyone would be able to accomplish this task. But it doesn't matter because I am the most powerful! Isn't that correct Joseph?

Joseph: Yes. (closing music) ** Dialogue Analysis ** Because Joseph strives to be faithful towards everyone, he keeps his responsibility in tact by fulfilling his tasks without being asked and searching for ways to succeed in the script written by Lenz just like his character in the Bible. Joseph’s faithfulness visibly takes place when he abides to God’s orders of staying silent from the start of the sentence until the earthquake ends. Joseph pleadingly tells God, ‘“ I will do whatever you want to keep your trust with me (Lenz 11).”’ “Will” emphasizes that Joseph shows commitment to what he says and can be trusted fully. Even during the rough time of being unable to communicate and people laughing and jeering at his silence, he keeps his agreement with God revealing his desire to remain faithful. In addition, Joseph radiates his devotion and faith towards the citizens in the deadly earthquake when he makes sure that they safely enter the protected house he built while he catches himself in danger. He tells the people to close the door for their own good, when he falls making sure that he keeps the others protected like he promised God. To signify how important Joseph takes his responsibility, Lenz set the first scene with him sweeping the floors, revealing that he takes his part in finishing chores in the prison cell and follows strictly to what he promised Potiphar saying, ‘“ Okay, I have to get back to cleaning and serving the food to the other prisoners like I promised Potiphar (Lenz 14).”’ When Joseph states “have” it shows the readers that he makes his responsibility a priority rather than something to do. Since Joseph keeps his tasks a priority he demonstrates that he knows their important so God recognizes that Joseph keeps his faith with Him.

** Webspiration Chart **

**Character Analysis Joseph and God Hidden Characteristics; Revealing the True F a ** ç ** a de Underneath the Faces**   Through Joseph's faithfulness to Potiphar when he refuses to sleep with Potiphar's wife, Joseph illustrates his responsibility by taking inclusive control of his emotions and resisting his temptations. In the painting //Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife// by Carlo Cignani  , Joseph raises his arms in front of himself as a rampart blocking his view from Potiphar’s wife with his head turned away. His spread out fingers emphasizes his complete refusal to sleep with this woman because by widening the span of his hand he blocks her to prevent any temptations that drive him the wrong way. Continuously Joseph stays faithful, even towards God when he is falsely put into a jail cell. Later Joseph’s trait plays a significant role because he tests his brothers, giving them a second chance to redeem themselves proving that he keeps his faith in everyone, even those who betray him. Through stopping his temptations and a serious sin from happening and remaining faithful to his friend, he attests that he can be responsible for his actions to do what is asked. Joseph exemplifies his dependability through helping with chores and tending the prisoners in his jail cell. Evidence for Joseph’s responsibility reveals itself to the readers when the Bible states, “The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners who were in the prison, and whatever was done there, he was the one who did it” (Gen. 40.22). The redactor selects the word “committed” to stress how much people trust Joseph instead of using “put” because this strong word shows that the chief jailor recognizes that Joseph gives one hundred percent towards all his responsibility and remains loyal to all tasks. Because of his dependability, he later helps the Pharaoh with interpreting dreams since he correctly foresaw the future of a past prisoner. As a result of his responsibility the Pharaoh appoints him in charge of all of Egypt handling all the food in order to prevent famine which raises his status and situates him in a respectable position. Since Joseph rises into power and controls Egypt he eventually sees his brothers who look up to this respectable man, giving his guilty brothers another chance.

God's coveting power and ultimate perspective of dominance illustrates his insecurity of his colossal doubt in his self-worth; his continual demands of the people surrounding him serve as a source of maintaining his sense of control. In the Bible, God kicks Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eve for not listening to him and eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil causing them to gain wisdom and therefore giving them more power. Even though God forbids them not to eat the fruit, Adam and Eve do because Satan informs them the reality about God’s megalomania and this truth pushes their curiosity to test the answer. God’s anger echoes in Abel’s punishment,“ [And] now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever, therefore God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden”(Gen. 4.22-4.23). The redactor emphasizes the modal-auxiliary “might” because God has no idea if Abel will take action and sin again, but his insecure nature forces him to kick Abel out of the Garden of Eden so the outcome does not squander his power. This story uncovers God’s mask of attempting to help the people for the better and reveals the face exposing God’s fear of losing power to common citizens below him since he foils anyone that can seize his supremacy before the action occurs. He also changes people’s languages and repositions them in the midst of their endeavor towards constructing the Tower of Babel because he realizes that groups that embody unity can achieve the impossible and God prevents that as a result. Even though God’s appearance conceals his insecurity, His body language clearly displays dominance in spite of the inability to visibly distinguish his countenance as he sits in the right hand corner of the heavens glaring down at Noah with his hand pointed towards Noah in the painting //Noah and the ark// by Gérard Jollain. His finger pointing down at Noah, a disrespectful gesture exemplifies that God loftily situates himself in a higher position by allotting himself authority and the justification to judge and command Noah. The small movement of God’s pointed finger represents a significant symbol that people transform into God’s servants and grasp that remaining faithful to his orders answers the approach to earning his approval. As Abraham nearly murders his own beloved son Isaac, merely because God instructs him to it verifies the fact that a person will commend to any task that God demands like a compliant servant would to his master. With this demanding power, God prevails over the entire universe because everything develops under his rule through regulation and control.

**Artists Info** The Italian Carlo Cignani both a painter and a draughtsman created the magnificent piece called //Joseph and Potiphar's Wife.// He lived from 1628 until 1719 producing mainy painting one of his best includes the "Assumption of the Virgin." During the 18th century he was known for upholding the tradition of Bolognese classicism creating one of his first major pieces in the salon of his palace in Bologna. He learned many useful things and techniques under the artist Albani, however his style relates more to the artist Guido Reni who influenced him greatly. He earned the title of Conte after acting as a leader in 17th century Bologna. [|Carlo Cignani Information] Carlo Cignani Background

Gerard Jollain, a French artist, who painted Noah and the ark in around 1670 used the technique of engraving in his biblical art. Jollain lived from 1641-1704 and he made a living by selling maps and engraving. For a while he worked for the French court and then worked in Cologne where he got a copy of the map of Lisbon. Jollain is said to have committed forgery in his painting of the map //Nowel Amsterdam en Lamerique,// or //New Amsterdam in America,// in around 1672, which looks exactly like a map of Lisbon, Portugal. Jollain copied so many aspects like all the buildings and showed it to the French people who knew very little about the city of New Amsterdam so they didn't know the painting was copied. [|Gerard Jollain Information]

** Reflection ** "God" was the first name that popped into my head when the class first found out about this project where we had to analyze characters from The Bible. My choices came pretty easily to me because I wanted to talk about God since he plays a dramatic role and I picked Joseph because he juxtaposes God in so many ways. Making the webspiration chart did not create any challenges because I knew my characters and examples in the Bible, all I had to do was to find pictures that showed a trait for each character.

Writing the character analysis was not very hard because I had all my ideas already from the webspiration chart and I just needed to expand on those ideas, but writing a story was harder because I don't normally write dialogues. Trying to write the dialoge analysis without repeating the character analysis came as a bit of a challenge. The extremely hard part and primary obstacle occurred during narration because at first I downloaded the wrong version of audacity without knowing so I spent about 8 hours narrating with my sisters and perfecting it twice. After I sat for hours trying to save it, I realized I downloaded the wrong version so I uploaded the correct one and started again. So one of my weaknesses in this project included not following directions correctly. I took my sisters away from their work again and they said their part, but a couple of hours later when I finished, my computer broke down on me (this happened twice also). Then since I had no computer anymore (and still don't), I had to use my sister's computer and we had to start from the beginning again. At the end of completing the narration again, the audacity program wouldn't play it for some reason causing me to start from the beginning for the last time. I literally had a melt down and felt so frustrated that when I got to the narration that actually worked I didn't spend as much time making it sound good with all the special effects as I did on my past ones that didn't work, so it might be a little weak because of the complications.

Also, finding information on the artists proved a difficult task also because I could find no information on the painter Gerard Jollain and very little on the artist, Carlo Cignani. I researched for a long time on Jollain, but found nothing forcing me to email the librarian who found nothing either; however, I did find one website with a little bit about him after long hours of research. I worked so long on the whole project, which turned out not to be the greatest experience for me with all the failures, but I think my strength was portraying the character traits in my dialogue pretty clearly with the style the characters talked in like God with his insecurity was very defensive and vulnerable.

I think that I learned not to give up. I know that I learned this before, but failing around eight times really brings down your confidence and motivation level to try again. The thing that I learned about myself is that if I really want something, like getting a good grade, I will keep working until I know it works well and that because of my goal in my head I overcame the obstacle of recording the narration. In addition, I learned that technology can screw up hard work in an instant so one can never trust a computer.

** Citations ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Cignani, Carlo. //Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife//. 1628. //Web Gallery of Art//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. [].

Dale, Robert. //Close up of businessman’s fist punching through wall//. N.d. //images.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2010. [].

//A fishing hut destroyed//. 11 July 2007. //TamilNet//. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2010. [].

Jollain, Gerard. //Noah and the ark//. 1670. //Biblical Art//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. [].

"Life of Carlo Cignani." //Lib-Art.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/40-carlo-cignani.html>.

//A man sweeping the floor//. N.d. //images.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2010. [].

"Old Lisbon- (Not New Amsterdam)." //Strange Maps//. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2010. <http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2010/02/>.

//The New Oxford Annotated Bible//. 1973. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 2007. Print.

//Paintbrush//. N.d. //Free Clip Art//. CKSinfo.com, n.d. Web. 16 May 2010. <http://www.cksinfo.com/‌clipart/‌construction/‌tools/‌painting/‌paintbrush.png>.

Williamson, George. "Cignani Family." //New Advent//. Ed. Kevin Knight. N.p., n.d.Web. 19 May 2010. [].