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November 30, 2005

No Kinda Sense - Chapter 3 Comments + Questions

Comments -I think it is interesting how Delpit considers "standard English" a dialect; I had never considered it in this light before. It is perceived as "the" language, not a dialect.

-I disagree with Delpit's statement "Teachers seldom know much about the children's lives and communities outside of the classroom..." I think there are many teachers who are genuinely concerned with a student's cultural and family background.

-It was really nice to see the Oakland Standard English Proficiency Project had a positive impact on at least one person--the white school teacher.

-I didn't know ethnomathematics even existed; very fascinating combining anthropology and math!

-I realized slavery is the main focus of African-American history taught in school, not their intellectual achievemnets and contributions. It's true!

Questions -Would/Do African-American teachers correct their students Ebonics into "Standard English" as well?

-Why wouldn't the black community want to embrace, or see through their pride for, the Oakland Standard English Proficiency Project if it meant a better understanding of their culture from the white schoolteachers?

-"Afterall, isn't school about what kids need to know, not what interests them?" Is Delpit's main point to disseminate this idea with the following examples of teaching the chemistry of hair products and history of braiding or does she really mean this question? I cannot detect sarcasm or sincereity.

-Is Delpit's final prophecy of reconnecting African-American children with their brilliance (last page) beginning to take root in America?

-Does Delpit hope African-American children will acquire "standard English" for a means of survival or just for the sake of intellectualism and knowing another dialect?

Posted by lcisfreya at 10:05 PM | Comments (913)

Some Basic Sociolinguistic Concepts; Chapter 5 Comments + Questions

Comments -I know I make judgements about people after hearing the way they speak, though now after these readings and this course I believe my judgements will be more carefully thought over now because no language or dialect is more or less superior than another.

-I found it amusing that the 14 year-old girl contradicts herself by speaking nearly exactly as the recording she thinks to be ungrammatical.

-I was amazed at the judgement of skinhead from the kids.

-I think this piece/article is outdated in that it refers to 1970s publications and the re-integration of Welsh into British schools. This leads me to wonder whether Stubb's prediction as it becoming a future (though now present) is true.

-I am finding a lot of opinions from Stubbs are similar to Fromkin's book.

Questions -What does "pseudolinguistic" mean, more specifically the prefix "pseudo"?

-Where would the children ever get the vision of a skinhead from someone's voice?

-When was this piece/article published (curious because of citations are all in 1970's)?

-Why do we need the adjective "standard" for describing English if it seems we are always contradicting ourselves about language having the quality of being standard?

-(after reading chapter 3) Do African-Americans in Britain speak Ebonics with a British accent? (I feel a little naïve asking this question..)

Posted by lcisfreya at 09:26 PM | Comments (88)

My Thanksgiving

I hope everybody had as nice a Thanksgiving as I did. After dinner last Thursday, my cousin Andrea and I were talking with out grandmother about the history of all her jewelry (I don't really remember why we were having this conversation but I'm sure there must have been some reason...) and I love my grandmother to death, she really is the sweetest lady, but neither my cousin or I could get a word in during the conversation. When my grandmother calls, my mom is usually on the phone with her for hours, literally. My grandmother LOVES to talk and it can be very hard to say something to her while she is talking. I suspect she finds the shortest pauses between sentences to be awkward and so she tends to keep talking in order to fill in what she considers to be awkward pauses. I think this is weird because my greandmother used to babysit me all the time when I was growing up, yet somehow I developed a very different conversational style than her. I tend to leave longer pauses than she does and I talk less than half the amount she does at family gathering. But I love her none the less!

Posted by lcismardin at 05:49 PM | Comments (0)

Chapters 2&6

Barbara Kreuger's images filled chapters 2 and 6 so I decided to learn more about her form of artwork. This is here for all of you to enjoy..

Barbara Kreuger is one of the most influential artists of the last three decades. Her technique incorporates the use of pictures and words through a wide variety of media and sites to raise issues of power, sexuality, and representation. Her works include photographic prints on paper and vinyl, etched metal plates, sculpture, video, installations, billboards, posters, magazine and book covers, T-shirts, shopping bags, postcards, and newspaper op-ed pieces.

Here are some websites where you can see more of her work... if you are interested..

http://mitpress.mit.edu/images/products/books/0262112507-f30.jpg http://www.maryboonegallery.com/exhibitions/2004-2005/kruger/gfx/MBG8952.jpg http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~artarch/womenartists/Contemporary/Kruger/1990.15.jpg http://www.mocp.org/collections/permanent/uploads/Kruger2001176.jpg http://www.artistsnetwork.org/artists/barbarakruger/barbkrugerflag.gif http://fusionanomaly.net/feminismbarbarakruger.jpg

Posted by lcissearls at 03:29 PM | Comments (1)

The Talented Mr. Ripley

For those of you who want to watch the entire movie, the movie has been returned to the media center at Palace Road. Watching the movie might help to make more sense of the many facets of Tom Ripley. It is a very interesting psychological movie...

Posted by lcissearls at 03:26 PM | Comments (0)

November 29, 2005

first drafts for final project: some thoughts

Welcome back, everyone. In response to a student who was asking me about what possible kind of first draft could she do, if she had planned to do a collage for her final project, I sent the following email:

If you are going to do a collage, then I'd like to see a "draft" --in the collage world that would mean thinking about your format: what size and shape will it be? What is the facet of identity you are illustrating and how? If it will include words what will they say? How will the words and images work together to illustrate your concept? Where will you get the words? Will they be your words and thoughts? a poem? song lyrics? Will you type them on the computer? will you write them? Will the collage be picture specific, word specific, additive? How will you adhere your images to the surface and what kind of surface will you use? what kind of images will you use? Your own photos? Documentary photos? will you be creating them? How will you choose them? You can do all this without gluing them down for a "draft."

I hope you are understanding that this is a final project for the course. It requires thinking and work. It will not be acceptable to just slap some magazine pictures together in the kind of collage you might do for a scrap book. This project needs to reflect your learning for the semester and therefore must be carefully planned and executed. That is why you do a draft, so that you can get the feedback of your peers in order to do the best, most interesting, original work possible.

These suggestions and guidelines apply to any word and image project that you may undertake...

Hope this helps clarify what is expected.

can't wait to see you all tomorrow...

Ellen

Posted by lcisEllen at 07:19 AM | Comments (0)

November 28, 2005

Crazy...

I have this Blog Address on my favorites and it tells you how many times you have gone to each website. And I have been to this blog website 437 TIMES!!! That's doesn't even count the times I went to the website when I wasn't on my laptop, like when I went on on my parent's desktop at home, at the library or in class. I just wanted to share this with everyone because I was absolutely stunned. I know I post an awful lot and have no life...but...

Posted by lciscotis at 02:14 PM | Comments (2)

Linguistic Profiling URL's

Definition and evolution of the term

Profile your own dialect

Issues affecting African Americans

ABC News guessing ethnicity and race

Housing issues

Stanford & Baugh – Media Mentions article: housing & profiling

Baugh expanding research on linguistic profiling through new website, article

Racial identification of speech, John Baugh article

NPR Morning Edition

Roger W. Shuy, Distinguished Research Professor of Linguistics, Emeritus, from Georgetown University. PBS article about program / documentary

PDF of an article by Shuy in Georgetown newsletter

Online conversation about linguistic profiling

Color Lines – naming your child

~ Brenna, Brenna, Katie, Rachel, Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 12:18 PM | Comments (4)

Ebonics Controversy Websites

www.jadeworks.com

http://www.stanford.edu/~rickford/ebonics/

http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jmw22/1stOaklandRes.html

http://www.cal.org/ebonics/ebfillmo.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebonics

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/american_speech/v075/75.3weldon.html

http://fsweb.berry.edu/academic/hass/ejohnson/ebonics.htm

http://www.questia.com -search for "ebonics controversy" -gives lists of books

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/miqa3626/is1299801/ai_n8792373

-Emily, Jessica, Lauren, Yasmin & Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)

Thesis Statement

I have chosen three poems from two different centuries and compared them on a syntactic, semantic, and phonetic level.

Posted by lcisfreya at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

My Thesis Statement

This paper supports the idea that gesticulation is an important part of communication.

Posted by lcisowens at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

My thesis

Like any other language, American Sign Language consists of both lexical and syntactical variations caused by many different factors including linguistic and social constraints.

Posted by lcissearls at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

Thesis Statement

Syntax is a primary element through which we understand the intention and mood of speech.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

My Thesis Statement

Not all language has the same syntax, but rather syntax depends on the genre of the language as well as the person or people using the language.

Posted by lcissullivan at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

Thesis statement

This paper is a brief paper on gesture and its supporting role in speech.

Posted by lcisbold at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

thesis statement

There seem to be a number of problems with both of these papers as well as the credibility of the disorder.

Posted by lcismardin at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

my thesis... :)

The social environment and the targeted audience of news casters and radio anchors influence the way they speak and the topics they discuss.

Posted by lcisnelson at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

Thesis

My thesis for the Linguistics paper:

Although Adam Kendon's research is a step in the right direction to understanding the origins and organization of gesticulation, his research and reasoning is flawed.

Posted by lcishagan at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

Thesis Statement

My thesis statement was that the differences of the syntax in songs among different genres of music, produces different meanings in songs which classify the genre.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

Christina's Thesis Statement!

Williams' poem, "Talk to Strangers", Ginsberg's poem, "Message", and Dickinson's poem, "A slash of Blue", all combine morphology and syntax to creat distinct connotations, each specific to the poet's own style.

Posted by lcisgancarz at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

Thesis

In my opinion, the research papers I read on gestures and thier role in the learning process jumped too fast to their conclusions based on minimal concrete information.

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

Thesis!!

My thesis was: "This research proves that nonverbal communication is an integral part of language acquistion and that society is quickly learning the importance of gesture and , consequently, sign language, in language acquistion."

Posted by lciscotis at 11:11 AM | Comments (0)

thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving break!!! I know I did, and I ate wayyy too much! But it was soo good. I was fortunate to go home for the holidays, considering I only live 45 minutes north of here. I remembered to try longer pauses and whatnot, on the car ride back to school, so I didn't get the chance to test it out. But, I went shopping Friday morning, at 4:00 in the morning (Yes, I am a nut..but I got really good deals!) There were sooo many people, my first stop was Best Buy, and there were people that had RV's and ate Thanksgiving dinner in the parking lot on Thursday! While I was standing outside waiting to get into Sears (my next stop) there was someone from South Carolina in front of me and we were talking. I noticed her dialect and how different it was from mine and from what I'm so used to hearing. She was very, very loud as well.

Just randomness.

Posted by lcisnelson at 10:03 AM | Comments (1)

November 27, 2005

Thanksgiving

I had an interesting thanksgiving. This year was my first thanksgiving away from home, and it was very difficult for me. First I was stuck in the La Guardia Airport in New York for a while. I got there at 5 pm and my plane was delayed until 11 pm. That was the down part of my thanksgiving. I was also missing my family back home in California, so that made me feel down a little as well.

The highlight of my thanksgiving was eating. I spent time with my boyfriends mom, and she made this scrumptous homemade maccoroni and cheese. It was the best dish that I had that day. Also going shopping for those great after thanksgiving day sales was great. People did go a little crazy at the mall though, because of the holiday rush and didn't show much consideration for other shoppers when they were shopping. It was actually kind of scary, because people were acting like animals in some stores. But in all it was fun.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 09:11 PM | Comments (2)

Chapter 2 Practices of Looking

It is interesting how people can create subcultures from cultures that have already been defined by society. This shows how creativity is continuous and continues to produce new standards of social images. At the high school that I attended in San Diego, California, had many social "cliques", which are commonly shown in movies that involve high schools. There were cliques consisting of goths, punks, popular cheerleaders, jocks, homosexuals, and not so popular people.

I never really tried to fit into any social clique that was at my school, and I just decided to be myself. I got along with people from all different cliques and didn't feel like I was isolated from anyone. I think that by some people trying to fit into a clique to be unique from a standard image, or to be rebellious usually ends up placing them into another standard determined by the clique that they become a part of.

In different ways everyone is a part of a certain image, whether they want to be or not. However, there is always room to be unique.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 08:29 PM | Comments (0)

POL Chapter 2

The concept that really interested me in this chapter was kitsch , defined as "art or literature defined to have no or little aesthetic value, yet which has value precisely because of its status in evoking the class standards of bad taste,". This concept truly intrigued me. Last year we had to do a report on a piece of art of our choosing and one of my classmates chose a "smashed-up" car that had been displayed in a museum. A fight ensued in my classroom over whether this was truly art. In the end, we decided it was. But, it is interesting to think that something may be given more acknowledgement and value because at first glance it has no value.

Posted by lciscotis at 12:07 AM | Comments (1)

November 26, 2005

My Thanksgiving...

I observed alot in terms of conversational styles over the course of this "vacation" from Simmons. One of the most prevalent things that I noticed is that everyone loves to tell stories about their family and the crazy things they do on Thanksgiving. For example, the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, I went to the orthodontist. (Yes, I do still have braces, and at the rate things are going, I will probably have them for the rest of my life!!) The hygentist spent my entire appointment talking about her family who she would be attending Thanksgiving with. She tried to emlate the conversations they would have, with hysterical results. Similarily, when I visited a few of my friends on Wednesday, they could predict what their Thanksgiving would be like: Uncle Jimmy would make fun of everything Uncle Bob said, Aunt Mindy would tell Cousin Sally she had gained weight, and so on. I think this has a lot to do with language and conversational styles because they are so much a part of who we are.

My grandmother is hearing impaired, but has never felt motivated enough to "improve" her situation. One of my other grandmothers is seeing impaired, and when the two get together, the results are comical. The one who can see, but cannot hear, will yell to communicate something that she sees to the other, while the one who can hear but cannot see will recount the stories that are being told to the one who cannot hear them. Of course, the results are very comical, and leave me and my cousins laughing until until our sides hurt. Still, it is very interesting to observe how we communicate with others, especially those who are very close to us, and how we always seem to fit into predetermined stereotypes.

In terms of my "relationship" with family and friends, things were different, I am not going to lie, but not completely different. As far as my family, things were completely the same, I fought with my sister ten minutes after I arrived home, my little brother and I followed our usual rituals, and conversation ensued as normal.

In high school, I had three people I would call best friends and two I would call very good friends. (Although I have difficulty defining them as such!) Four out of the five go to the same school (along with approximately a quarter of my high school class), and three of them live together. The other lives a floor above them, so she is constantly in their room. Thus, it was difficult for me to see how they have grown even closer while my relationship with them has become weaker. Of course, I talk to all of them all the time, particularly online, but it was difficult to see them laughing at things that I did not understand. I was used to being inside of the jokes, not having them explained to me.

But, we seemed to accept that things were different, that they would never be the same as they were the past few years. We accepted the silences in our conversations and simply celebrated the fact that we were together. Of course, we did talk ALOT. On Tuesday night I slept over in their dorm room, with eight other people and it was so much fun. We were able to catch up and laugh and just have a great time being together, even if our relationship will never be the same.

Although I am having trouble melding my "two lives" together, I know that my friends will always be there for me, even if we're not as strong as we used to be.

Posted by lciscotis at 11:27 PM | Comments (2)

November 25, 2005

Cultural and Language Differences Over Break

I was fortunate enough to be able to come home for Thanksgiving and to visit one of my neighbors. She is one of my best friends. She is from Serbia and was forced from her home in Serbia when she was young and traveled to the United States, without any knowledge of the English language. Her time here has been very difficult, especially in terms of cultural differences. She still does not understand the American way of life, even after living here for seven years. She has this thick accent. You can barely understand her, but she is so intelligent, it almost scares me. When she speaks, she says some profound statements, but she says them with about 200 words instead of just one since she still does not have a complete grasp on the English language. I just remember listening to her this past vacation and thinking, “o my goodness..I know the word for what she is trying to say”, but yet, I couldn’t stop her because her message was so powerful. When I did say the word for what she was trying to explain, it didn’t really matter. She preferred explaining the concept, or her idea to me. I just thought that this was such an incredible difference in language or difference in personality. In the end, though, when I don’t know a specific word in French, I try to beat around the bush and explain it from any other way possible, but my French does not sound as profound as her English. Lastly, I can never repeat any American phrases or quote anyone really with her because she does not understand. This has occurred many times when I had to back off from my American expressions and fully explain what I was trying to say. I am intrigued when I see my friend because I learn something new about language and culture every time we meet.  -Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 05:18 PM | Comments (2)

Chapter 2: Taste

In Chapter 2 of Practices of Looking, taste is defined as being “informed by experiences relating to one’s class, cultural background, education, and other aspects of identity”. The book goes on to explain that taste is usually associated with a certain class, a certain culture, or a certain group of people. Taste has a +high class or +wealthy connotation. If a person has taste it usually means that he or she knows how to wear, buy, or arrange something to make it look expensive or show off its value. Interesting how that word has evolved. Now, in an age of thrift stores and bargains, taste no longer holds that connotation as much as it used to. Someone can have good taste, even if they are not wealthy. Then again, when I think of the word “connoisseurship”, I immediately think of a wealthy higher class person. A connoisseur judges what is good and bad. Being a connoisseur is something that can only be attained through study and most likely travel. When I think of a connoisseur, I think of a wine connoisseur who has tried hundreds of wines and has the right frame of mind and tongue to be able to detect good wine when he or she tastes it. But again, in order to be an excellent wine connoisseur, one needs to have tasted many wines, been to many regions, especially in France, and experienced wine tasting. So again, I do not think of a connoisseur as a poor person, but a very rich and worldly one. I just have never thought about this particular word before, and now I realize that it is truly specific to a certain class and group of people. -Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 05:17 PM | Comments (0)

MFA Ansel Adams Assignment

The museum is cavernous but warm, active and alive. I feel like it’s a huge creature poised above and over me, its belly littered with the treasures it has swallowed over the eons. Inside the belly of the museum the world is shut out, forgotten. The air smells still and hangs – either just cool or warm enough to be felt as you move through it. Sounds echo as if across time as well as space, in some cases seeming to come from deep within the world caught on canvas. In the corner of my eye a statue stirs and a woman stops; granite rolls to life and flesh solidifies.

I bring my personal and societal assumptions about art as an entity, about museums, about the people in the museum (the staff and the patrons who frequent it), about the artist and artwork, subject matter, medium and the manner in which it is displayed. And of course I bring myself, so I bring my perception of self, which further affects how I perceive and interact with the things I mentioned above and more.

I believe that texture and light were important to Ansel Adams in Moonrise Hernandez, New Mexico (1941). He has used the fading light of day and the rising moon to heighten ones sense of the feel of the landscape through texture. The white headstones and crosses in the graveyard stand out in sharp contrast to the darkened landscape and seem connected to the white clouds and moon that stand out against the dark sky. I believe that by abstraction, Adams is using the symbolism of the headstones and crosses to represent our continued connectedness with the natural world, in life and beyond.

In Maynard Dixon (1945 about) the subject, of the same name, sits behind a screen, like that of a porch. The photograph was taken approximately a year before his death and I believe it was important to Ansel Adams that he capture the essence of both who Dixon was at the time and who he had been during his life as an artist. The sun was shining when Adams took the photograph and he uses this with the screen to create a superb effect – Dixon’s face is only visible behind the screen because it is in shadow, the screen itself visible where the sun hits it directly, therefore obscuring what is behind it. The result is that Dixon is portrayed, by what we can see of his face, as a strong man, a man who has seen many years and who has seen them as part of the natural world. However he is also – by what we can’t see behind the screen, bleached out by the sun’s rays – not completely visible to us as if not entirely present or of this world. This sense is heightened by the expression in his face. Whether Adams captured this purposefully – using this abstraction through light and screen because he knew Dixon was soon to die and already passing from this world or because he believed Dixon, a landscape artist in his own right, to be so connected to the earth that he was not entirely separate from it – we do not know. But the effect affects the mood of the photograph greatly and seems to speak an ethereal quality to its otherwise earthy, organic and unpretentious tone.

Ansel Adams was invited to a detention camp at Manzanar for Japanese Americans during the Second World War. He visited and took photographs of the Sierra Navada there between 1943 and 1945. In 1944 he took a photograph entitled Mount Williamson from Manzanar. Although this photograph is a landscape, I also think it serves as an abstract because of its subject matter and location. I don’t believe the two are in any way coincidental. The rocks in the foreground are, I believe, used in symbolic contrast to Mount Williamson in the background. Adams “believed the Japanese-Americans, a nature-loving people, must have been inspired and strengthened by the setting, which gave the people ‘a certain respite from their mood of isolation and concern for the future.’ Adams was impressed by the efforts of the inhabitants to make the camp more livable and functional by creating a Japanese garden, farms, schools, churches (Buddhist, Christian, and Shinto), a playground, and small industries.” (http://www.hctc.commnet.edu/artmuseum/anseladams/details/mtwilliamson.html, accessed on November 25, 2005). I believe that in this photograph Adams is capturing and highlighting by abstraction, the mood, not only of the natural formations but of the detainees in the camp. I think the photograph represents an amazing symbolism in the rocks of strength and fortitude notwithstanding that the large boulders are dwarfed by the massive mountain in front of which they are strewn but which is softened by a heavenly stream of light symbolizing, it would seem, some hope or cessation of harshness.

Wall Writing, Hornitos, California (1960 about) is fascinating. I believe the image challenges some of our assumptions and ideas about what art is. The image is of graffiti, the writing is layered and so the different names and marks interweave and link to form a pattern. The image appeals to me because I see it as the coincidental art of many different people. I see the whole in Adams’ photograph and can see how he used light, lens and film, framed the subject matter and developed the film in a way that captures the whole and makes it art. I can also see how each individual scrawl is a piece of art in itself and how together they form an artistic whole on a wall in Hornitos that without Adams’ capturing would still be art for those who observed it.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 05:14 PM | Comments (2)

Chapter 11 Language Evolution

In spoken language I believe, relatively speaking, lexicon would be changing fastest. We adapt words and create new ones constantly to describe newly created inventions and procedures, new generations coin new words to give voice to their experience of the world and the connotations of words change constantly, albeit subtly.

Changes in pronunciation may take longer and only be obvious to us, Fromkin says (504), as dialect differences. Fromkin also points out that a speaker’s pronunciation may change without their grammar changing. In other words, while in our lifetime our common use of language may change in the manner that we speak it, our formal understanding of the language does not necessarily alter.

I believe that syntax would take the longest to change because, like our formal understanding of language, it is linked to prescribed grammar and therefore follows certain rules.

Like adults babies learn words and not sentences. They are first able to comprehend the meaning of words and then they begin to try to use these words to communicate. Baby talk is the result of their struggle to correctly pronounce these words. Once they are able to use words they are able to begin stringing them together to form sentences, their use of syntax will be encouraged and regulated informally as they copy the manner in which adults use word order to convey meaning and formally through correction from adults and teachers.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 09:30 AM | Comments (0)

November 24, 2005

What is in name Pygmalion...

Ovid was a Roman poet who lived during 43 BC and wrote on topic of love, abandoned woman, and mythological transformations. The story of Pygmalion in Ovid’s Metamorphosis inspired many writers and artists through out the centuries. George Bernard Shaw named one of his play “Pygmalion” after Ovid’s Metamorphosis.

In Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Pygmalion is a sculptor who doesn’t have interest in women. However, he is rewarded by his “hatred” of women when he is granted his wish by the gods. He falls in love with the sculpture that he makes out of ivory, a figure of a woman. Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty realizes Pygmalion’s love for Galatea and transforms her into a real woman.

The romantic myth of Pygmalion and Galatea had affected minds of artists and their works such as George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion”. A similar idea of romance and love take place in the play when the character Henry Higgins, a rich and educated man tries to create that ideal woman out of an uneducated, wild, and vulgar woman Eliza. Ideally speaking both Ovid’s Pygmalion and Shaw’s Henry Higgins are keen sculptors and creators of the women they love.

Lastly, I think that both Shaw and Ovid illustrate the historical idea of supreme power of males over females. In other words, with the helps from Pygmalion and Higgins the females are able to find their true and “improved” faces/identities and even come to life as Galatea. Their works show the state of interdependentce of men and women and most stories have endings like this and this is the “happily ever after” finale. As if Elize and Higgins it is true because Eliza still takes care of the bachelors and has desire for Higgins even though she knows that it will never be that way.

Posted by lcisbold at 05:15 PM | Comments (0)

Chapter 11 and Baby Talk

Changes in pronunciation, lexicon, and syntax occur throughout the time. As we read materials from hundreds and hundreds years ago we instantly notice differences in “our” language and “theirs”. In my opinion the pronunciation changes take the least amount of time due to many factors such as change in locations of speakers of certain languages and when they settle in their new location they may start to spread the “new” way of saying and pronouncing words.

Change in lexicon comes next in line. There are new words being added and some words getting illuminated in languages daily or monthly. You learn new word and you forget the old word. Also meanings of words change along time and people start using them differently under various circumstances. Such as before the inventions of magnificent calculators, the word calculate would have meant to do a calculation using slide rules. Nowadays, when you want to calculate something, the first thing that comes into your mind is a calculator.

The change in syntax comes last in line. Because it takes long time for speakers to learn and really start using it, the rules of sentence formation and words orders don’t change overnight but rather takes long time to build up in one’s mind.

I would assume that babies learn in order such as pronunciation, lexicon, and syntax. They start making sounds and eventually they learn pronunciation. Even though they don’t know the exact meaning of the word they imitate what people around them say. Next they start connecting the meanings of words with the pronunciations. Afterwards they learn to express themselves by using complete and understandable sentences.

Posted by lcisbold at 03:27 PM | Comments (0)

November 23, 2005

What is the "Pygmalion Effect"?

What Is the “Pygmalion Effect?”

The “Pygmalion Effect” is basically how a person can successfully fulfill an expectation that they may have for themselves or that someone else has for them. It also concentrates on the fact that people mostly give away their expectations through body language, so that someone else has a hint of someone else's expectations.

An example of the “Pygmalion Effect” is shown by a study conducted by Jacobson and Rosenthal in 1968 where children from ages six to twelve years old, all taken from the same school, were told to take an IQ test, which was given to them by the experimenters. The children were assigned to the control or experimental group. The teachers were told that the children in the experimental group were the "high achievers", and when they found this out there was a significant increase in the children’s IQ gains in the group over the course of a year. This occurred even though the allocation was a random one. This experiment shows the fulfillment of prior expectations.

The “Pygmalion Effect” can also be applied to the workforce. It can be important for leaders or managers, because the performance of a group or a team or employees depends on how they are lead. It directly related to the performance of the person in charge. According to Goethe "treat a man as he is he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be." This is a principle that anyone in a leadership position can follow to develop a proactive and successful team.

There is even a program that focuses on the “Pygmalion Effect” in order to develop successful business people. It is successful in helping people improve their overall morale and productivity when it comes to work. This program is conducted through videos, real-life examples, and scenes from the "Pygmalion" movie where people are transformed because of either positive or negative expectations of each other. This type of learning program has been used by occupational trainers for over twenty years, and has been the result of many success stories. People can now use this method to their advantage.

--Yasmin

Sources http://www.accel-team.com/pygmalion/ http://www.psybox.com/web_dictionary/pygm.htm http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Pygmalion-Effect&id=86460 http://www.crmlearning.com/pygmalion-effect-the-power-of-expectations-program

Posted by lcisperez at 06:44 PM | Comments (0)

November 21, 2005

Pygmalion Effect

“The Pygmalion effect (also known as Rosenthal effect) is a finding that people tend to behave as you expect they will” (“Pygmalion effect”).

Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conducted experiments concerning children in schools. They used psychology in order to trick the teachers into working a small percentage of students to their full potential. Twenty percent of the students were selected and the teachers were told that these students showed great intellectual potential. By the end of eight months, these students possessed a higher IQ that the other children who were not singled out. This indicates that the teachers must have given these students more attention, knowing that they could be mentally advanced. One educational reformed concluded that “labeling matters, and the younger the person getting the label is, the more it matters”. In addition, James Rhem said something interesting : “when teachers expect students to do well and show intellectual growth, they do; when teachers do not have such expectations, performance and growth are not so encouraged and may in fact be discouraged in a variety of ways”. Essentially, he is suggesting that, if teachers do not have high standards for learning, neither will their students, so ultimately, a student’s performance is governed by their teacher. This occurs in everyday life too; in the workforce or at home. If my parents have high expectations for me, I will have high expectations for myself and therefore will continue to push and work myself harder.

The Pygmalion Effect also seems to have to deal with a person’s body image and view of him or herself. Like in My Fair Lady, Eliza only becomes of high status when she looks the part (clothes, hair, makeup), and acts the part (speech, manners, poise). Only then is she considered an upstanding citizen of society.

I used www.wikipedia.org for my research. When I went to do my blog, this source was already used, but as I searched around online for another credible site, there were mostly dot com sources that did not look credible because of advertisements. Wikipedia is a credible source because it is a dot org, meaning, it has to do with an organization, and for most of my research papers, teachers have listed Wikipedia as an informative and good source of information.

-Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 04:36 PM | Comments (0)

Baby Talk

I think for baby talk the first thing that changes is pronunciation. Infants learn to make noises before they apply those noises into words. Then lexicon, when the child expands his/her vocabulary, is learned. Last and the most difficult is syntax. It takes a long time for children to learn the proper form of negation and possession. I think this differs for adults because once we learn pronunciation and syntax it does not change much. However, words are constantly changing or being invented.

Posted by lcisowens at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)

chapter 11

I think the easiest one of these things to change is lexicon. We have already experienced changes in lexicon in our lifetimes, as we saw with the homwork on slang. Our vocabulary is changing all the time and it seems to spread much faster then pronunciation or syntax. I think that pronunciation is the next easiest thing to change. We have seen differences in pronunciation with respect to dialect and even though it probably takes awhile to change from region to region, I think it is easier than trying to change syntax, the actual rules of a language. People are going to be much more likely to go along with a change in pronunciation then they are with a change in ther rules of how we speak. It seems a child's lexicon will change first. They will learn "real" words after they have begun to communicate with "baby talk". A baby's babble stems from real words, but they must babble first before they can learn the words themselves. Young children often pronounce words incorrectly, one of the most common seems to be "spaghetti". However, their pronunciation changes as the get older and learn what they real way to pronounce words is, in respect to their specific dialect. Syntax seems to be the last thing children learn. They can say single words or simple sentences that we can undertsand but that are not grammatically correct before they can speak in grammatical sentences.

Posted by lcismardin at 10:09 AM | Comments (0)

November 20, 2005

Chapter 11 Hypothesis

In my opinion it takes the least amount of time for the pronunciation of words to change, a little bit longer for the lexicon to change, and the longest for syntax to change. I think that the amount of time it takes for each of these things to change is based on whether or not they exist as rules. In forming words we never learn a set of rules(where to put our tongues, whether a vowel should be long or short, etc), but rather we just naturally pick up on how words should sound. This flexibility with which people learn words allows there to be a lot of variation, and as a result different pronunciations form. The same idea goes for words. There are no rules as to what can be a word and what can't be a word (it's not like certain letters cannot follow others), therefore there is always room for variation, and that's why new words are created and put into use. However, syntax is more structured. There are rules as to what order words must be put in a sentence, and we usually don't understand why things must go in this order, but we just accept it as the only way to do things. Therefore there is no room for variation...we learn the rule and stick to it.

These timing correlates to the acquisition of language in babies in that the things that take less time to change, take less time to be learned. For example, pronunciation of words, which can change the quickest, is always learnt the quickest by babies. Usually babies, once they learn a word, learn the phonetics of that word and don't mess up saying it. Although babies have limitted lexicons, the words that they do know they usually are able to use in the right context (for example a child usually doesn't say "I see a dog" when they mean "I see a car"). It is the forming of sentences, syntax, that children usually have the most difficult time learning. Often times they use all of the correct words and pronounce those words correctly, but they do not string them together in a way that forms a coherent sentence.

Posted by lcissullivan at 11:32 PM | Comments (0)

The Title "Pygmalion"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion%28play%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion%28mythology%29

Through my research on the title “Pygmalion,” I have learned a lot about why Bernard Shaw chose to name his play as such. The name comes from an old Roman myth by Ovid in his book Metamorphoses. The character Pygmalion was a lonely sculptor who ends up carving a woman out of ivory. The statue comes to life after he prays to Venus, who is the goddess of beauty and love.

Bernard Shaw’s play, “Pygmalion” is about a linguistics professor who takes in a lower-class girl and tries to teach her proper language to pass her off as upper class. Professor Higgins “molds” Eliza and tries to change her. He wants to make her “perfect” just as Pygmalion creates the “perfect” woman out of ivory. Therefore the title “Pygmalion” refers to the character of Professor Higgins.

I think these articles are reliable because it’s a “.org” website, which are usually pretty good. Also, Wikipedia is a common, free encyclopedia so I would think that since it is so popular, it must have some good information on it. The site has also been updated recently, which is a good thing.

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 10:38 PM | Comments (0)

The Pygmalion Effect

The Pygmalion Effect is a phenomenon in which one's expectations of another person actually cause that person to act in ways that conform to the expectations. It basically suggests that if a person holds a certain view towards another person, then that person is likely to live up to that view. The idea comes from an Ancient Greek myth, in which a man idolized a statue of a woman so much that a goddess agreed to turn the statue into an actual person, and the man and the newly formed woman fell in love. However, this idea can be seen in modern entertainment as it is the underlying plot in many movies, including "My Fair Lady," of course, "She's All That," and "Pretty Woman."

The Pygmalion Effect is not just explored in film, it has been studied in various places, such as the work place and in schools, to see if it really has a significant effect on performance. In 1966, Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson did a study on teacher expectations in which they administers I.Q. tests to students at the beginning of a school year. Before the teachers received the results on these tests, they randomnly selected certain students to be labelled as academic acheivers, and other to be labeled as academically challenged.

At the end of the year when they administered the I.Q. test once again they found that each student's score correlated to his or her label. For example, students labelled as academic acheivers scored higher, while students labelled as challenged scored lower. Rosenthal and Jacobson concluded that a teacher's expectations of his or her students could affect the students' ability to excel. This finding gained a lot attention because it suggested the possibility that the wrong teacher could inhibit a student's learning.

This Pygmalion Effect is similar to the idea in pychology known as the self-fulfilling prophecy. This theory states that an individual usually acts to fulfill an expectation held about him or her, ultimately making this expectation reality. Psychologists believe that the self-fulfilling prophecy has more to do with self-image and determination, therefore suggesting that students who scored high on the test did so because they were confident in themselves.

The Pygmalion Effect seems like a reasonable theory, especially in the classroom. It seems feasable that when a teacher believes in his or her students, the students believe in themselves, and as a result they perform better. Films that suggest that this theory extends into real world experiences, are somewhat ungrounded in that there is no research done to prove this correct.

http://www.users.muohio.edu/shermalw/edp603_group2-f00.html"

I believe that the source from which I got this information is credible because it is an essay written for a college course. The authors, date, and professor for which it was written are all included. At the end of the paper there is a rather long list of references cited. Also, the fact that the URL is muohio.edu is an indicator that it is a credible site.

Posted by lcissullivan at 09:42 PM | Comments (0)

"Baby Talk"

The pronunciation, syntax and vocabulary of an individual child evolves extraordinarily fast. It's difficult to put those three aspects in order because they are quite simultaneous. As a baby repeatedly hears and recognizes basic vocabulary words, he will learn to prounce them, as well as learn the meaning behind the words. Sometimes pronunciation continues to be a struggle, as children will make errors such as pronouncing an "s" as "th". After learning basic pronunciation and vocab, the child will go on to use these words in sentences. However, syntax is not entirely last because children are always learning new vocabulary, as we will still are now.

Posted by lcishagan at 08:54 PM | Comments (2)

Chapter 11

I believe that phonetic change is focused the most in this chapter because it is the most readily apparent and accessible subject for an introductory level of linguistics. Though making generalizations is dangerous, nearly everyone knows how spoken language has changed over the past centuries. I suppose it could be stated as becoming "less formal", and new words have entered our vocabulary as others have been lost. Also, language change begins with phonetic change before it changes syntactically or in the lexicon. We are constantly learning new words from other languages and integrating them or pronouncing already known words a different way. Both our spelling and sentence structuring reflect our speech which make it only natural that those two components of language should change after the phonetics. It would be impossible for language change to occur in reverse. I think that baby talk is similar to language change because a baby first learns pronouncing spoken language, then how to put words together to make meaning, and then continually adds new words to its vocabulary. The pronounciation is learned through hearing others speak and the repetition of those spoken words. Syntax is also learned through hearing others form sentences.

Posted by lcisfreya at 07:20 PM | Comments (0)

Advertisements

Advertisements are so influential today and can convey so many different meanings. When we were watching the video in Ellen's class about advertisements and how women are either overexposed or degraded, more than men. I thought that this was a very interesting topic, because I had never really put much thought into how that could happen. When I look at magazines or billboards that have women on them to sell beer or clothing, most of the time I don't even really think twice about what the advertisement is really saying about women.

What was really disturbing that I learned from the video was that women are most often defined as objects in advertisements. They usually have their hands or something over their mouths, which that women do not have anything important to say and that they are just supposed to be looked at and admired. This is typically seen in models who are known for their bodies. There are even some images that just display women's body, which shows that women can be used for pleasure and that who they reallly are is not important. I was very shocked when I realized that most of this is true and I never saw how advertisment used women to their advantage to simply sell a product. I thought that this showed how material and superficial our society has become. The quality of the person selling a product in an advertisement is not even taken into account, so long as people continue to buy that product.

I think that this video has opened me up to things that I did not realize at first about advertisements. Now I think that I will be more aware of these images.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 05:19 PM | Comments (1)

Chapter Eleven Hypothesis

Languages over time definitely do change, there isnt a doubt about the fact. However, the impact of change in the three catagories (Pronunciation, Syntax, and Lexicon) is dependent on time. These changes can be predicted by observing the first language acquisition of a child. How a child develops speech is usually the same in all children. Most awaiting parents wait for a child's first word (lexicon). These typically are words like "mama" or "dada" because of their easy ability. These words are closest to mumbles "baby talk" as they can get. Next, a child learns pronunciation. With practice, a child will say "mum" or "d-ae-d" For example, my brother could not pronounce Kathy and called my aunt "Aunt Fluffy." After awhile of observing how others said "Kathy" my brother was able to say "Katty" and then "Kathy." This of course happened before he could form sentences. Sentence formation or syntax is vital in communication. It occurs last because of the rules we have in any language. Simple sentences form first such as "Give me" or "me go." Though the correct word isn't used in some cases, the general communication ability at this point is clear and parents can understand what their children want.

From this, we can see that lexicon is the easiest to change over time. New words, like different and "new" words to a child, are introduced everyday. Words change for many reasons such as combination words, (an example for this would be from tv show "the Colbert Report." In his commercial, Colbert says the show is trustegious, a combination of prestegious and trustworthy. My friends even use this term now.) jokes (words such as splendiferous and other silly words that are repeated to reminisce about the joke and then used out of habit.) and for variety purposes (people have been trying to find a new word for "neat" for decades. Words like "groovy," "cool," "awesome," and "hot" are used to replace it. In New England, "wicked" is used.).

Next, pronunciation is changed over a little longer period of time such as the greater part of a century. Pronunciation takes a little longer because in order for it to catch on it needs global coverage. English pronunciation is different in different parts of our country is mainly due to groups that founded the area and immigrants. To change this, we would need a new group to come in or a group to move to another area.

Lastly, syntax takes the most to change. In many cases, it took multiple centuries to change. This is due to the fact that rapid syntax change would make it hard or almost impossible to communicate with others of the same language. This would defeat the purpose of speaking the same language in the first place. Also, syntax change would go against the typical rules we have and these rules are ingrained from birth.

-Jess Y

Posted by lcisyeich at 01:18 PM | Comments (2)

My Fair Lady v. Pygmalion

I would say that My Fair Lady is almost identical to Pygmalion. Because Pygmalion was written as a play, the movie, My Fair Lady, was able to use almost exact phrasing as the play. Even the sound effects of Eliza are pronounced as Shaw wrote them. I found the movie strict to the confines of the play and one of the best movies to represent a play in full honesty.

-Jess Yeich

Posted by lcisyeich at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)

Origins of Pygmalion

George Bernard Shaw most definitely picked the title "Pygmalion" as a reference to the Greek romance of a sculptor falling in love with his own sculpture. As the story goes, the sculptor, finding human women "immoral and frivolous," spent his life consumed with this craft. One day he found a "large, flawless piece of ivory" and decided to carve a woman's figure into the material. He was so pleased with his work that he became obsessed with the figure and adorned it with jewels and clothing. He even went as far as to name it Galatea, which means sleeping love. He begged the greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, for forgiveness for ignoring her for so long and he pleaded for a woman as ideal as his statue. Aphrodite, interested in and curious about his constant pleas, visited the statue. She was so pleased with it, because it was the image of herself, that she made the figure come to life. Pygmalion then returned to find his love alive and they were soon wed. Of course, they never forgot about Aphrodite and like all Greeks that had wonderful things happen to them, they brought gifts to Aphrodite's temple as a thank you.

This story is unmistakenably used as a reference for Shaw's "Pygmalion". Pygmalion and Higgins are almost one in the same. Pygmalion finds himself consumed with his work and enjoys the ability to transform "waste material" into beautiful beings. Higgins, like Pygmalion, is consumed with his phonetics and also enjoys his ability to transform useless beings into people of society. Like Pygmalion does with Galatea, Higgins soon falls in love with the increasingly beautiful Eliza. Both characters are stubborn and treat the outside world as if it is to be used and not bothered with humanly.

In the same way, Galatea and Eliza are similar in that Eliza is an almost inhuman creature with inhuman sounds and Galatea is made of ivory (thus, inhuman). Both are the subjects of work and both are the subjects of love.

Shaw undoubtedly chose this title for these reasons and in my opinion, it shows a lot about his own character. If Pygmalion and Higgins are synonymous, Shaw says that Higgins deserves Eliza in the end, like Pygmalion deserved his statue. But, even in the first two acts of "Pygmalion" it is seen that Higgins is rude and undeserving of life because of this.

Sources: http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/pygmalion.html and http://www.pygmalion.ws/stories/greek2.htm. I think they are worthy of being called correct in that the two sources are almost identical. The first source is even copyrighted. Plus, that souce has a .org ending and that represents that it is an organization putting out the information. The second is correct because of the first and because the hyperlink is very clear (Pygmalion is the only word in it).

Posted by lcisyeich at 12:29 PM | Comments (2)

November 19, 2005

Chapter 11 comparisons

Lexicon, or vocabulary is ever changing. Some words are used often or not at all. New terms are introduced daily and added to our expanding vocabulary. This vocabulary evolves just as society evolves because language reflects such a society. At the same time, some words become displaced, and are not used as often. Nevertheless, the consistent adding of lexicon is the shortest change of all. Secondly, change in pronunciation takes slightly more time than the implementation of new vocabulary. Pronunciation of specific words is usually uniform in the majority of areas in our country. Since most words have already changed in pronunciation from old English I do not expect there to be much room for a change in pronunciation with the majority of words we use in our language. Additionally, pronunciation is auditory based and would have to be widespread for a change to occur, and would have to be from a source availiable to all (television .. etc.). Lastly, syntax, or the ordering of words would take the longest of all because there are certain rules and regulations for language to exist. One cannot put sentences together and rearrange words because not only would it change the meaning or make no meaning, it would not be familiar to the mass society.

Posted by lcissearls at 08:43 PM | Comments (0)

Chapter 11

Pronunciation: Average I think it doesn’t take too long necessarily to change the pronunciations of words. It seems like a few people will start it and then it will spread to more and more people and each generation will begin to use it and then it will become generally accepted.

Syntax (order): Longest I think the syntax takes longer to change because it is a more significant change than pronunciation. I feel that this would be much harder to change as many of these rules are pretty much set in stone and when you first try to change something, people would question it and might not understand it as much.

Lexicon (Vocabulary): Shortest I think lexicon is the simplest to change because new words are always being created to accommodate the ever-changing world. However, words changing their meaning I think takes a little longer, relatively speaking.

First language acquisition relates to this chart because it the magnitudes I decided upon also show the order in which you acquire your first language. A lexicon of your language is first developed as you learn the words for the simple things, like “mama” and “dada.” However, it takes some practice in order to be able to pronounce the words correctly, instead of the babbling. Lastly, a child learns the rules of syntax and begins to put simple sentences or phrases together. Finally everything begins to come together and grammar begins to show up and the sentences soon become grammatically correct.

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 05:41 PM | Comments (1)

The Story of My Body

The Story of My Body by Judith Ortiz Cofer, a short story in Chapter 4 of Seeing and Writing, was a descriptive story about a Puerto Rican woman's attempt to identify with American Culture, but not leave her Puerto Rican heritage behind. She was proud of where she came from, but yet she wanted to erase the traces of being ethnic and just "belong" with everyone else. I thought that this story was very empowering, because it embraced the idea of how people try to fit in or subject themselves to a standard that they think they have to match up to.

I think that a lot of people are in this same situation no matter what race, age, or gender they pertain to. It is natural for people to want to belong to something and not feel like they are lost or alone. Race is one of the biggest factors of fitting in for most people. For example in this story Judith was a Puerto Rican woman trying to fit in with white and Italian races. Even though she was intelligent and did well in school, she was not respected, because of her race. I think that it's pretty sad how these type of situations are still prominent in certain areas and people have to be subjected to racial criticism, and not respected as a human being. We are still a long way from escaping these type of situations.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 05:05 PM | Comments (0)

Time and Baby Talk

I think that the time of the three categories of pronunciation, syntax and lexicon vary within certain cultures. They also depend on what type of dialect a person may have or the language that they speak. I think that the time horizon for these categories within a particular language goes from lexicon, which takes the longest period of time so that the language has enough vocabulary for people to communicate with. Then would come pronunciation where the people speaking that language would develop a dialect for their particular lexicon, which would differ from another language. Then finally syntax would take place. However between pronunciation and syntax, syntax would take a longer period of time, because the development of word order occurs gradually in language.

Particularly in baby talk these categories would occur in the order of pronunciation, lexicon and then syntax. Babies usually learn words in any language by trying to pronounce them and forming words with their mouths by the example of other speakers around them. Secondly a lexicon is developed where the baby will use certain words in his/her vocabulary in order to be understood. Then finally the baby would learn the syntax of a language. At first the baby might say words out of order while learning syntax, but will then eventually develop their speech according to the rules of grammar in their language.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 04:37 PM | Comments (0)

Pygmalion Effect

The pygmalion effect is perhaps best known in management and education circles as the self-fulfilling prophecy. This "phenomenon occurs when a false definition of the situation evokes a new behavior which makes the original false conception comne true." Specifically, once a certain measure is established, we tend to act in ways that are consistent with the measure even if it is not accurate. The basis of this idea is from Pygmalion, of course. The story of Pygmalion is that the prince of Cyprus wanted a sculptor to make an ivory statue of the ideal woman. As the story goes, the sculptor Pygmalion fell in love with his own sculpture and prayed to Venus, the god of love to bring her to life.

The Pygmalion effect particularly addresses the idea that beliefs and expectations, whether correct or not affect the outcome of a situation. For instance, labeling someone as a criminal, and treating the person as such may foster criminal behavior in such a person. The Pygmalion effect is indeed in play as it governs much of how we live. If a teacher expects her students to perform lousy on a test, the Pygmalion effect states that that expectation will be reflected in the low scores of her studnts.

http://www.accel-team.com/pygmalion/ *Seemed credible and reliable because it was a network for companies to improve their employee productivity, and alal the information corresponded with what I read on other websites.

Posted by lcissearls at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)

Pygmalion

1.Although I have seen My Fair Lady performed numerous times, I did not find it any different than Pygmalion based on the first two acts. I think that the two plays are very similar, maybe even identical.

2.The Pygmalion Effect was recognized and studied by psychologists Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson, and, thus is also appropriately known as the Rosenthal Effect. In short, the Pygmalion Effect is a theory which says that if instructors of any medium have expectations for their students; the students will grow and learn according to these expectations. Rosenthal and Jacobson tested their hypothesis on a class of elementary school students. The two randomly selected twenty percent of the student body and told teachers that these students showed enormous potential for intellectual achievement. At the conclusion of the study this group of children showed a significant gain in IQ versus those who were not expected to do as well. Thus, this study shows that students who receive attention and expectations by their teachers perform to these expectations.

The Pygmalion Effect was named after a Roman myth about Pygmalion and a statue he falls in love with, which is consequently the subject for George Bernard Shaw’s play, Pygmalion, and the popular musical, My Fair Lady. The myth of Pygmalion says that Pygmalion so adored a statue he had made that it came to life as a result of his constant hopes for and attentions on it. Similarly, both Pygmalion and My Fair Lady tell the story of a young, low-class woman who quickly rose to the top of society under the attention of a high-class, wealthy man. The connection between these stories and the Pygmalion Effect is that in all three cases an individual grows under the attention of someone else.

Of course, this theory is tested almost daily as society sees the outcome of teaching on students who are given attention and expectations versus those who do not.

Source: “Pygmalion Effect” Wikipedia. 19 November 2005. Online: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_effect

I think that source is very credible. First of all, the website is a .org, which means that what is contained in the website has been approved. Secondly, Wikipedia is a well known online encyclopedia and I definitely trust the information that they put on the Internet about various subjects, as I have used it before their website for research before.

Posted by lciscotis at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)

Language Changes & Language Acquistion!

Here are my thoughts about how language changes over time...

Pronunciation--Needs Average Amount of Time To Change--I think that pronunciation takes an average amount of time to change. My reasoning for this is that while it is easy to pronounce a word in a new, different way, it is difficult to adopt this into language. This is because society is accustomed to saying a certain word in a certain way, and adopting a new pronunciation and using it automatically (without thinking about it) is difficult to do. However, if a mispronunciation is used long often enough, it can be adopted by enough people to become commonplace.

Syntax (Order)--Needs Longest Amount of Time To Change--I think that syntax takes the longest amount of time to change because altering syntax requires an integral change in the way we use and construct sentences. Syntax rules are so ingrained in our language that it is difficult to even acknowledge their existence. Thus, changing syntax would be a huge change for society and require society to alter the way the deep-rooted way we think about language.

Lexicon (Vocabulary)--Needs Shortest Amount of Time To Change--I think that vocabulary is the 1st to change out of these three aspects of language because it is very easy to adopt a new word into our language. People make up words for certain things daily, and these words are often embraced by society. Similarly, it is much easier to use a new word then a new pronunciation or set of syntax rules.

This analysis is very reminiscent of the way that infants learn a new language. First, an infant probably picks up certain words, like “mom” and “dad”. However, their pronunciation is not really developed because they are still becoming accustomed to way that their mouths, tongues, and throats function in terms of language. Next, an infant will pick up pronunciation because they have heard the way that their parents and caregivers say certain words in reference to certain objects or actions. Also, they will become more familiar with and more controlling of their ability to speak certain sounds. Lastly, an infant will acquire knowledge of syntax. The reason for this is that, for the most part, order of words is not necessary to convey meaning. For example, if an infant says, “Blankie me,” it is evident that the child is looking for his blanket. Thus, syntax is not really an important part of language acquisition. Also, syntax in certain languages can often be very haphazard, random and difficult to learn. Thus, it takes a longer time to learn syntax than other aspects of language.

Posted by lciscotis at 12:40 AM | Comments (0)

Baby Talk

It is intriguing how the chart that Nanette wanted us to fill out, comparing the length of time that a particular part of language would need to be changed like among lexicon, syntax, and pronunciation ties in directly with first language acquisition or baby talk. If you think about it, babies first learn words. They try to pronounce them, but more often than not, their pronunciation is inaccurate and sloppy. I find it hard, when I am babysitting a younger child, that I cannot understand what they are saying because of the jumbling of sounds that they are using to produce a certain word. The key here is that though they do not know how to articulate the word, they are still trying to do so. Then, when they master the pronunciation as they grow older, they can form sentences using syntax. In order to be a master of syntax, though, one has to learn and study it. This is exactly why changing syntax is so difficult. Everyone knows and uses the simple syntax because it is both innate and learned. Syntax rules allow people to speak to each other and understand. If English syntax is changed, the ability of everyone to communicate is destroyed. We need to keep consistency. From the example of babies, it is obvious that words can be changed easier because they are absorbed easier, and then pronunciation is the second aspect of language that these babies learn, which is a little harder to absorb. So, essentially, much of how language can be changed can be determined by first language acquisition, especially in babies. Very interesting! -Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 12:25 AM | Comments (1)

November 18, 2005

Today's Class

I really enjoyed today's class, I though we had a lot of good discussions about idealogies and how deeply they are engrained into our society as well as our personal beings. I guess I have never really thought about it before, but there are so many stories and movies that portray women who seem to have great lives with a great job and a good salary, a nice house, ect., but who are not happy because they do not have a husband or a boyfriend. It is sad to realize that many single women are not happy because they believe they need a man and to find love in order to be complete and happy. I know it is hard, but I think people need to realize that this is not true and that we can be just as sucessful in life (or perhaps even more so) without a man as we can be with one.

Posted by lcismardin at 02:56 PM | Comments (0)

Cultural Myths

I am troubled by the cultural myth played out in both My Fair Lady and Pretty Woman. Both movies are, for their respective eras, heart stoppingly romantic and I know I often get caught up in this and forget to "read" the text and subtext of the movie in the way that our class is teaching us to do. On Wed when we watched excerpts I was struck by the signs, icons, representation etc contained in the movies and what they said about women, women's innate abilities and intelligence, the sex trade, rich men, poor people and love.

I believe and hope that through this class and our whole Simmons education we'll learn to challenge these stereotypes and see not only the truth in the myth but also the untruth.

~ Nanette

P.S. I was thinking on the train that what bother me is that we're able to "read" overt forms of racism, sexism, classism, ageism and act against them. But it's the forms that are subtle and wrapped up in things like romantisism, like these movies, that are hardest to "read." These are often the ones that we as woman perpetuate and that troubles me.

Posted by lcissavides at 09:24 AM | Comments (0)

Guns vs. Dolls

Is it possible for girls to be attracted to ‘boy’ toys and boys to ‘girl’ toys? The articles “Snakes and Snails” by Ellen, and “Why Boys Don’t Play With Dolls” by Katha Pollit seemed to be supporting a similar notion that no matter how hard the parents try to change the fact of boys preferring guns and girls Barbie dolls might as well won’t change in the near future. Those of you are who have younger or older brother would agree that you find it uninteresting and boring to be playing with boy toys. More than that, if you even tried to play with their toys and got caught by your parents or others members in your family or friends might have experienced the embarrassment from them; the society.

Have you ever wondered why they liked ‘war’ toys and games so much? Many of us fall into a stereotype: girls who like to play with dolls and will stay that way. There is nothing wrong with this and this is the way how it has been for centuries. I wonder whether it is possible to reverse the attraction towards toys change, that boys might find it more interesting to be braiding the Barbie’s hair than ‘fighting’ in the war games with their toys.

In the country side in Mongolia, children used to play with various shaped stones as they were not supplied with ‘normal’ toys such as Barbie dolls or gun those modern children, they still have the same ability to play their “appropriate” roles in their games. Girls play the roles of mothers and boys play as fathers when they play as a family, usually imitating their own family style. It is not only about the toys children play with, but these toys create the border line in their minds what women and men’s role should be in the society.

Posted by lcisbold at 08:41 AM | Comments (0)

Average Attraction

I found one of the articles very interesting in Chapter 4 of POL. Written by Bruce Bower, "Average Attraction" points out and shows proofs on what characterizes "attractiveness". He writes that if the person is closer to being an average and have more characters of common features then people find that person as being the most attractive. The test results generated by number of college students prove his conclusion. In my opinion, every one of us has unique parts and elements on our faces and that is what distinguishes us from one another. I used to think that the more “not common” the person’s features are the more unique and attractive they are. After reading this article I realized that either way, whether you have common face or unique face you are beautiful in each sense.

Posted by lcisbold at 08:40 AM | Comments (0)

MFA Assignment

1. When I first walked in I decided to focus on this question because I knew I would be distracted by the Ansel Adams exhibit once we were upstairs. To be honest, I didn't really get a feeling. If anything, I felt comfortable, free to explore, independent although Ellen's lack of rules and restrictions probably added to that. It was a big building. For the most part it is well a kept up building, very modern and very bland (although Jess Y. and I saw peeling paint on the inside of the dome later on after carefully selecting our Ansel Adams' photos). At first I wondered was such a famous museum would have such dull architectural feelings, but after thinking about it, I realized how helpful the lack of architectural detail was in emphasizing the artwork displayed.

2. I think I definitely fall victim to what Berger said in this quote. When I go to a MFA, I expect to see extraordinary works of art. I think a lot of the art, especially modern art (e.g. minimalism), I would not recognize as the ingenious masterpieces they are if I didn't have that expectation. I know that other people see something in it, so I look very hard and eventually see it too.

3. The Tetons and Snake River, 1942 is an Ansel Adams photo that I would definitely describe as a landscape. What I found very interesting was how the river, the sky, and the top of the mountains in the background were all light and the rest of the nature scene was dark and unclear. Though he was representing the actual landscape, Adams used abstraction by altering the amount of light and darkness in specific areas of the photo. There are many different interpretations that can be made from looking at the winding river and light in the far background. One can presume that Adam’s attempts to symbolize life itself, the twist and turns of life (the river), and the supposed “light at the end of the tunnel” (light on mountains in background).

4. Woman Behind Screen Door, Independence, 1944 is a portrait that communicates the emotions of regret, sadness, and helplessness to the viewer. The subject represents and elderly woman. Adams abstracts the photo by emphasizing the winkles on the woman’s face that express her tiredness. I think this photo symbolized the lack of freedom humans have in the course of their lives. Even the title refers to independence, and obstacle blocking her from the outside world (freedom).

5. Rose and Driftwood, 1932 is an abstract photo that displays the beauty and intricacy of a single rose lying on wood. Though the viewer can easily understand that this is a photo of a rose, the angle that allows the viewer to look into the rose and the closeness of the shot symbolizes opens the viewer eyes and allows them to see detail in the simplest of objects. This relates to his landscape work because it is still nature, but an abstract, close-up photo instead of an overview.

6. I loved looking at Ansel Adam’s Trailer Camp Children, 1944. In this photo, Adams is able to capture the reality of three young children struggling to survive. The children show so much emotion with innocence and lack of awareness as to why they are struggling. It is interesting that the youngest child stares directly at the camera seeming both engaged and puzzled. The older of the toddlers, being held by his big brother, has the same puzzled look on his but stares away from the camera, disconnected from the viewer. The oldest, and the only visible caretaker, seems both aware of their helpless financial instability and disengaged at the same time. I think this photograph should be considered a work of art because Adams accomplished his goal in creating awareness of this matter. I believe that it is a work of art because it successfully connected the viewer to the subject matter and goal of the artist.

Posted by lcisowens at 01:18 AM | Comments (4)

November 17, 2005

Conversational Style

I had an interesting conversation with my neighbor recently. Normally I'm not much of a pauser and half way through the conversation I remembered our assignment and so started pausing and stopped interjecting. The effects were immediate - he started taking his time and talked much more slowly. He paused for long intervals in the middle of a sentence seeming to ponder the very air around him. I think my neighbor enjoyed my not talking! And it definitely changed the nature of the interaction but I was just jumping up and down inside after about 2 minutes and had to excuse myself. I did enjoy the experiment though.

Nanette asked us another question awhile back that I also had the opportunity to explore recently. She asked if people of different cultures use different gestures. And shortly after that a woman, of Indian decent, approached me at the T stop to ask for directions. As she spoke she bobbed her head from side to side in a characteristically Indian fashion and I realized that we do gesture differently based on our cultural norms and that these must indeed lead to some of the stereotypes about different cultures that Nanette was discussing.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 06:13 PM | Comments (0)

MFA assignment

1. The museum feels like a lonely old man. Containing bits and pieces of old information and beauty. The one room for modern art seems forced like computers on an older generation. The museum is despair. The walls blank and even alone it seems stuffy. The air is old and the ceilings cobwebbed. The architecture is a poor mind trick; its elements do not give justice to the beauty beheld. The floors are cold and harsh with dabs of carpet to amuse the stray children. It seemed the entire museum was unwelcoming with its harsh corners. There were an abundance of elder people reminiscing as they walked by and for a moment, I felt happy but then consumed with sadness because of the impending end to their lives. The hall felt troubling as if something was missing. I felt panicked and hurried to move onto the next exhibit.

2. The assumption that I brought to the work I saw in the museum was that they would be something I would see everyday. I thought that Adam’s work consisted of mostly landscapes and I see that everyday wherever I am. I was ready to be disappointed yet excited and hopeful for something refreshing. To my surprise, Adam’s work overwhelmed me with exhilaration. I circled the exhibit several times trying to find my favorite work but I couldn’t. I decided to choose his later pieces as my favorite set. I assumed that there would be less meaning to the photos because they were “only” photographs, especially since they are in black and white. I assumed that you could not impose meaning on something that is just there. I thought I could do the same exact thing and be just as popular. And, to my surprise, I was incorrect.

3. Surf Sequence- 1940 (printed in 1973) Adam’s paid special attention to having both the sand and waves present in the photo. He wanted to see not only the waves coming in but also how different each of them are. From my point of view, Adam’s point was to create a symbol for time. The waves in each photo impressed upon the sand a different shape. Each wave was different and unexpected. Adam’s cared little for the sequencing of the photos but more for the fact that eventually each did happen. I believe Adam’s tried to show that time eventually corrodes away at humans and this is inevitable because it is the process of life. Adam’s tried to make the picture smooth and not intrusive. He wanted to show us that life is a in and out of time waves that is calming and welcoming at each stage.

4. Mr. Shepard at his home, Independence, California- circa 1936 In this portrait, Adam’s deliberately included the old fence and the older man. The man is more in the background of the photo making him appear mysterious and aggravated. His facial expression is squinted and he is looking directly at the camera from a distance. This makes the camera look intrusive. Both the fence and the old man symbolize how everything on earth begins to decay. The fence, though weathered by time, will most likely remain for years, but the old man will soon wither. The shadow over the man symbolizes this death and the fact that the fence is white symbolizes survival, or life.

5. Saguaro Cactus, Sunrise, Arizona- 1942 Adam’s deliberately took the photo of the cactus from a bug’s eye view. This view creates a giant-like status for the cactus. For the viewer, the cactus is overbearing and seemingly dangerous. On the other hand, most of the cactus is covered in sunlight, making the cactus holy symbolically. The cactus is ordered with rows of thorns. This could symbolize the fact that the viewer knows that in life we must keep in a certain social line or else we will be pricked by unpleasant and (in this case) giant thorns.

6. Lager by Sigmar Polke- 1982 I like this painting because to me, I see urban decay when I look at it. I see the riots and the shootings and the weathered faces of concerned families. To me it all is like a pit of despair. The black, shapeless blotch in the center combines all of this in one. I see streetlights and electric cords taking up the rest of the painting. There is barbed wire across the top of the painting symbolizing more violence and even the oppression city children face when they try to break out of their bad habits and leave the area. There aren’t any normal colors for the background. By normal, I mean there aren’t any colors like blue in the sky. The colors are ugly neutrals, which to me, symbolizes the way the rest of the world views the situation. It is a work of art because it uses symbolism to represent the way we live and our mentality to an ongoing problem. The texture and the colors also create a disturbed mood in the viewer that furthers the meaning.

Posted by lcisyeich at 05:12 PM | Comments (19)

The Three Faces of Eve

When Zaya, Jessica, and I watched this movie to do our character analyzation, we were surprised at how easy it was to see the differences between the three "characters". Even though the three different personalities were all played by the same woman, we could almost always tell by the first movement or sound she made which personality she was switching into. The music that was used in the film also played a big part in differentiating between the three different personalities because each time a new personality came out, the music changed to fit that personality's characteristics. The actress also displayed her body in very different ways depending on which personality she was at the time...she wore different clothes, she held herself differently, she walked differently, she spoke in a different voice, she wore her hair differently, and she even talked about different things. I think the actress did a really great job because it was so easy to tell which personality she was trying to play without hearing the name of the personality.

Posted by lcismardin at 04:40 PM | Comments (0)

"The Skin Game" By Joe Queenan

Chapter Four of Seeing and Writing talks about how people identify themselves. It mentions that clothing, hairstyle, and body type all say something about who we are. Tattoos bring an interesting twist to this idea of identity in that they are permanent. Once you get a tattoo, you can't change it, and since tatoos identify who you are, in a sense you can't change that part of your identity. So I guess a person's opinion of tattoos really boils down to whether or not they feel comfortable enough with their identity to do something that will forever freeze it in time. People who don't like tattoos must not be sure enough about their identity to commit to something that will stay with them forever.

This essay also brought up a good point about the evolution of tattoos. They used to be much more common in males than in females, and they had an edgy or "bad boy" feel. Today it seems the opposite. Out of the people I know, I hear of more girls getting tattoos than guys, and these tattoos are usually anything but edgy. Most of the tattoos that girls get are butterflies or hearts. It's amazing how quickly the tattoo has evolved and I wonder if it will continue to evolve past its current state.

Posted by lcissullivan at 03:44 PM | Comments (1)

Seeing and Writing: "Average Attractions" by Bruce Bower

When I came across this essay in Chapter Four of Seeing and Writing I was completely absorbed in the reading. I think the questions "What is beauty?" is so interesting. I have seen shows before that talk about a magic ratio, I forget what the exact ratio is, that determines whether or not a body is considered beautiful.

This essay also suggests that beauty is based on how close we come to looking "normal." Perhaps "normal" is proportional according to the magic ratio? Regardless, when the article talked about how babies are more likely to play with attractive people, it made me think about a young girl that I babysit for. I have been babysitting for this family for years, and I have known this girl, Chandley, since she was 2 or 3-years-old and she is now 6 or 7. She has always loved to dance and one year she started ballet. She enjoyed the class and when it was finished she planned on enrolling for the next class. One day when I was babysitting I asked her how this second ballet class was going and she told me that she quit. I was really shocked to hear this so I asked her why and she wouldn't answer me. It was then that he little sister, Lauren, who was about 4 at the time, told me that she quit because he teacher was ugly. Chandley tried to defend herself by explaining that her teacher was overweight and she didn't like to watch her dance. I remember not really knowing what to say to her. I just thought it was really sad to see a young girl hold prejudices against other people because of their appearance.

Having read this essay and having had this experience I completely agree that no matter how young you are, you already favor people who are attractive, who look "normal," over people who look different. There is no way that Chandley acquired this prejudice from her parents. It's sad to think that we all come into this world already judging others, but I guess when you think about it, it's true.

Another interesting point that this article brought up was that if beauty relies on someone looking normal, then why are certain celebrities who possess unique traits considered beautiful because of this uniqueness? The celebrity that came to my mind was Angelina Jolie. She is considered beautiful mainly because of her lips, but I tried to figure out if she was not a celebrity and I just happened to see her walking down the street one day, whether or not I would consider her beautiful. I honestly don't have the answer for this because I know that she's a big star and it's hard to imagine her as an average person, but I'm guessing that I wouldn't find her as beautiful as I think she is now. I think this idea of fame contributing to beauty is interesting, and it makes me wonder that if given enough wealth and glamour, can anyone become beautiful?

Posted by lcissullivan at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)

Gender Roles

After reading "Why Boys Don't Play With Dolls," by Katha Pollitt, and "Snakes and Snails," by Ellen, I've realized that determining what makes a girl "girly" and what makes a boy "macho" is so much more complicated than the toys they play with.

Both essays have left me feeling defeated in regards to raising children. It seems that you can either go with the flow and let your girls play with Barbies and your boy with toy guns, or you can desert these conventions and raise your children as you see fit. Both paths seems to have their advantages and disadvantages, leaving me to believe that there really is no perfect way to raise a child. No matter what you tell them, what beliefs you impose on them, you will be doing them both good and harm. In letting them do the typical kid stuff they might never learn that girls can play in the mud and boys can do ballet, but in holding them back from the typical kid stuff, you will only create feelings of lonliness and hostility as they feel different than their friends. How do you raise a child who is able to think outside of the box and not conform to stereotypes, but at the same time doesn't feel like he or she has missed out on a normal childhood? I don't think anyone really has the answer to this, and perhaps this is why when you look at adults, you see that everyone has their issues, most of which stem from their childhood experiences.

One confusing aspect of gender roles is whether or not they are determined by Biology or society. The cartoon at the end of "Why Boys Don't Play With Dolls" displays the idea that girls are the way they are because of Biology. How else could you explain the fact that a 3 or 4-year-old tends to nurture everything she comes in contact with? It seems that she is too young and hopefully too unexposed to society to have learnt this kind of behavior. Another idea is that society determines why boys and girls act certain ways. In the case of Ellen's son, one could say that he would never have felt the desire to have a toy weapon had he not had experiences such as the one at the circus, where he was surrounded by other boys with laser swords. Was his desire for that sword really innate, or was it merely a result of our society?

The roles of males and females are probably due to a mix of Biology and society. Biology may determine up to a point whether or not a young girl would rather play indoors with dolls or outside in the dirt, but these roles are more clearly defined by society.

Posted by lcissullivan at 02:16 PM | Comments (0)

Conversational Style

My roommates are such great sports. Ever since we started learning about gestures, pauses, and so forth, I've been conducting all sorts of ‘conversational style’ experiments on them. A couple hours ago my roommate was talking to me about the A she got on this really hard exam and I sat and listened. Every time she paused, expecting immediate praise or questions I waited five very long seconds until I responded (or at least it felt long!!!). She asked me "is everything okay?" and after five awkward sentences I responded, "Yeah, everything’s fine." She gave me a look and then said with an appropriate amount of concern she said, “Okay, well if you wanted to talk about it you know I'm here for you." She's so sweet! I felt really bad so I told her. I don't think she likes being the victim of all of my 'conversational style' experiments! Oh, well!!

Posted by lcisowens at 02:36 AM | Comments (0)

Posted by lcisowens at 02:34 AM | Comments (14)

Homework 8: Question 2

I definitely agree that social groups are a large part of dialects. I think that geography forms the basis of a dialect, and social groups are subdivisions within those general categories. People change their social dialect depending on who their speaking to, but their geographical dialect is not easily altered. If a person from Georgia, a person from Minnesota, and a person from Boston were all speaking to their friends for example, they would have the same social dialect but would sound very different because of their origin.

Posted by lcisowens at 01:57 AM | Comments (0)

Museum Assignment

Sorry that this is so long! :)

1

My favorite room in the MFA is the American Impressionist Gallery, not only because of the paintings, but also because of the ambiance. Architecturally, it is rectangular with simple trim along the edges. There are stained oak floors with wide boards that are similar to those found in an old American home. A dark chestnut-gray paint covers the walls, but the ceiling is left white so that I don’t feel confined. What is also interesting about the ceiling is that it is very low compared to most of the towering ceilings in the rest of the museum. This makes it feel more comfortable so that I can observe the art more intimately. This makes my imagination run wild as to how and where the paintings were created.

In the center of the room sits a circular, cushioned gray seat covered in gray velvet, adding to the luxuriousness of the atmosphere. Because the rest of the room is so simplistic (besides the gold-leafed frames that surround the artwork), my attention is automatically drawn to the richness of the paintings. The dim lighting, spotlighting the work also adds to the luxuriousness of the artwork.

There are two vases in two corners of the room, which are the same vases that are in the painting discussed in Question Six. Their height is easily at least half of the height of the entire room. Temperature is also notable in this gallery. The coldness may be to preserve the artwork, or to add to the mood. To me, the low temperature makes it feel like the paintings are in what may have been their original setting, an old and drafty New England home. A low fan sound can be heard in the background, while visitors’ footsteps and voices echo throughout the room. This is the sound of timelessness. When trying to compare this feeling with that of something else, the only other place that comes to mind is that of an old church that possesses the great energy of eternity, just as the artist is living on eternally through his legacy and work.

2

“Yet when an image is presented as a work of art, the way people look at it is affected by a whole series of learnt assumptions about art.” –John Berger

When we enter an art museum, we expect the art to be of high caliber. The wealthy almost single-handedly support these institutions, so we expect the art to be nothing but the best. If we saw the same watercolor in a restaurant or in a hospital, we may not take notice, but if it is hanging on a wall within the museum surrounded by a gold-leafed frame, than it must be valuable and worthy of our praise. Monet, for example, is one of the most famous artists, so when we see one of his paintings, we take note. If we were to purchase one of these paintings, we’d know that it would be “worth” millions of dollars because Monet is famous, and therefore his artwork must be good. “Good”, however, is a matter of taste, and thus the tastes of society shape our individual opinions about art as well.

3

Landscape: “The Tetons and the Snake River”, Ansel Adams, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming 1942.

This photograph speaks to me because I visited Grand Teton National Park last summer and had the privilege of seeing these magnificent features in person. In this photo, Adams found the perfect angle from which to view these mountains. He is literally representing the sky, mountains, tree-covered land, and the winding river. But, I think that when he photographs mountains, he is most concerned with making them seem as large and magnificent as possible, almost like a cathedral. The river is a sharp contrast with that of the land. That is what separates a professional photographer from an amateur—contrast and the range of values. Contrast is always very important to Adams.

Because I have visited this particular place, I know that this is not, in fact, precisely what it looks like. The land is not so dark, and does not contrast so greatly with the water, no matter what type of weather there is. In this type of flat, open land, everything is bright because you can see for miles. Adams chose to make it seem darker to emphasize the contrast of the brightness of the sky, snow, and water with the dark, shadowy land, exaggerating all of these features.

4

Portrait: “Charis Weston”, Ansel Adams, Sierra Nevada, California 1937.

What is important to Ansel Adams in this photograph is the composition, and filling the whole space that he is given. It is a portrait of a woman named Charis Weston, though we know little about who she was. This is shot from her hips upward, with the pale gray sky behind her. Another major concern of Adams in this photo is whom, exactly, he is representing, and how to use the light to his advantage in accomplishing this goal. The woman is wearing a wool sweater and black pants with a scarf tied around her face. According to the description, this is because the mosquitoes were virtually intolerable to her. The abstraction elements are the making of Adams. He chose what to include and what to leave out of his photo. There could have been many people around Weston as her photo was taken, and yet, Adams chose to leave out all external activities, focusing directly on her.

What kind of person was she? Her slight smile is mysterious, and although she is young, the shadows on her face make her seem wise and confident. Her face looks like that of a movie star without makeup, a very natural beauty. The clothes she is wearing are masculine, and the headscarf would make most women of such age feel foolish, especially in a photo. But somehow, she wears it well. She may symbolize a natural woman, the kind Adams admires himself. The fact that the camera is directed upward, and the sky is behind her rather than the ground is an indication that in this representation of Weston, we are admiring her, gazing up at her.

5

Abstract: “Grass, Water and Sun”, Ansel Adams, Alaska 1948.

Strands of thin, apparently white grass are stark against a black background. Beads of dew rest, clustered on the grass, signifying early morning. The sun is reflected off of the dew, creating the brightest diamonds glistening in the grass. This is what is actually represented in the photo. At first glance, however, this was not as obvious.

What this photo looks like is a piece of black etching paper with many scratches throughout. These are the blades of grass. The etched lines move in waves, flowing into each other like that of an ocean current, changing direction with the wind. On top of this, metallic paint appears to be splattered, shining in the gallery lighting. These are the drops of dew. Because of this confusion in what the viewer is seeing, it is very abstract.

While this is true, once we are familiar with the title of photo, the meaning changes and we realize what the actual subject is; we see what the lines and splatters represent. Adams was trying to capture the essence of early morning, and it is fascinating that he has done this by taking a photo of nothing but the ground itself. In this patch of grass, he has captured the energizing light of the morning that illuminates the dew, as well as the curiosity of man, who wonders what exactly is represented in Adams’ photo.

6

Favorite Painting: “The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit”, John Singer Sargent, 1882, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, American Impressionist Gallery.

“Daughters” is a painting that has “spoken” to me since I first saw it a few years ago. I like the painter’s style, his brushstrokes, his use of contrast, and the feelings that it evokes. What is interesting as well is that the painting is almost a perfect square, rather than a rectangle which makes it easier to become immersed in.

Sargent’s painting shows four girls who are the daughters of Edward Darley. The youngest is in the front, looking directly at the painter, seemingly unaware of what is happening. She has a doll in her arms. The second eldest is in a red dress with a white pinafore, standing in a proper pose, doing what she is asked. The two oldest daughters are in the background, less sharp and in the shadows. One is leaning against a large vase.

Without knowing that Darley did actually have four daughters, the viewer might think that this painting illustrates the evolution of one particular girl. The youngest, being curious and playful with her doll; the second daughter solemn and reserved; the third still looking at the painter and less interested; and the eldest turned away from the painter but less in focus and detached, uninvolved and uninterested in what is going on.

Why makes this a work of art? The brushstrokes are beautifully visible, especially in the daughters’ pinafores, creating a creamy, white with shadows. The manner and personality of each person expertly comes through in Sargent’s portrayal. The mysterious feeling of the room is also well represented in the way the shadows are cast across the canvas. The viewer subconsciously wants to know more. The artist’s talent also shines through in the vases that are in the back of the room that he has painted. These same vases are in the gallery, very detailed and ornate, yet in the painting, Sargent has carefully chosen which details to imply with his brushstrokes. Knowing what to include, and what to leave to the imagination is part of his extraordinary talent.

Posted by lcishagan at 12:23 AM | Comments (2399)

Lone Girl --> Brighten up!

What immediately struck me at the conclusion of Chapter 4 in Seeing and Writing, was the picture of the lone girl on the stool, staring off into space. This picture shows such innocence, but also such a lack of confidence. Interesting how this photograph is placed in the book. On one side of the layout is a beautiful, very stylish and sexy woman, while this picture is of a young girl, very much outdated and "frumpy". It looks as though she is sitting, waiting to get her class picture taken. One of those embarrassing moments where you have to smile, readjust a million times, and say "cheese" (or "fromage" -- I like to say that), knowing that your picture is still going to turn out horrible. I just wish that this girl would have had more confidence, would have taken pride in herself. Her eyes wander and she slouches, indicating to me that she doesn't care and that she is lost, either literally, or figuratively (in terms of life). Unfortunately, she seems to be around the age where most girls feel insecure about themselves and their own body images. No matter how much we are taught in school to respect ourselves and accept ourselves, we always seem to keep putting OURSELVES down. I wished the picture carried this connotation instead, "Here I am! This is ME! I am ready to conquer the world!" I know, it's cheesy, but its true. Sometimes I have to say that to myself just to keep positive.

-Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 12:15 AM | Comments (3)

November 16, 2005

Seeing & Writing Chapter 4

I really enjoyed the combination of pieces that this chapter contained. There were a couple of things that particularly struck me:

1. The introduction said "...more and more Americans--and young Americans in particular--see their self-identity through the lenses of popular images of the body. I found this quotation really interesting because it is so true!! I think we always see ourselves through the eyes of society, we really have no true, unbiased position. I think that this is one of the most prevalent things I learned in this course. Our brain is so full of preconceptions that it is difficult to see anything purely and blankly.

2. I really enjoyed the portraits drawn by Peter Rostovsky. They are really interesting because he draws portraits based on descriptions. And, they are so true to life. This just goes to show how everyone has stereotypes that hold true throughout society. Very interesting!!

3. I also really enjoyed the essay "The Skin Game", and I don't know why. I simply found it fascinating!

Posted by lciscotis at 11:39 PM | Comments (1)

MFA Reflection

1. To me, the MFA feels like an escape because when you're inside, you don't really think about any of the work you have to do that week, or any tests you may have coming up, or what your plans are for the weekend. It's really just a time to appreciate the art and relax your mind. The architecture of the museum really helps to create this feel. The high ceilings, large rooms, and general silence give me room to think because my mind doesn't feel very cluttered. I like how the architecture of each room, mirrors the style of the exhibit in that particular room. For example, when you go into the room with the mummies, the lighting is dim and the air is warm and almost stuffy, giving it the feel of a tomb.

2. I brought virtually no assumptions to the Ansel Adams exhibit. All I knew about Adams as an artist was that he worked in black and white. I did not know that he was a photographer, rather than a painter, not did I know that the main focus of his work was in nature. I really had no clue what to expect when going in there.

"Lake Near Muir Pass, Kings River Canyon, Sierra Nevada" -1933

Since he works in only black and white, many of Adams's photographs have dramatic color contrasts. In this photo, the snowy white mountain meets with the black lake creating a distinct barrier between the two and really separating the two elements. Adams uses shading to create texture in the mountain. He also uses focus to differentiate between the real mountain, and the fake mountain that is only a reflection in the lake. The real mountain has roughness to it and it is sharply defined, whereas the reflection is a little blurrier and everything looks smooth and glossed over

Adams presented this photograph to a comittee when proposing that the Kings River Canyon be transfered to the National Park Service in order to ensure its preservation. At first glance, the photograph appears to contain two mountains, but when you look closer you see that one is merely the reflection of the other and it is not real. I think Adams's message is that there is only one real Kings River Canyon; it cannot be replicated, therefore we must act to save it.

Since this is a photograph, it definitely contains representative visual data. We see the mountain as it would be seen with our own two eyes if we were to stand in front of it and see it in person. Adams does not distort the image, he merely presents it to us as it appears in reality. I think that Adams's use of water is symbolic of purity. The pristine lake has not been polluted or harmed by society, and Adams is suggesting that it stay that way. The abstraction of this piece is in the reflection of the mountain in the lake. This image gives meaning to the piece because it suggests that there is no way to replicate nature exactly, and it would be a shame to not preserve such a one-of-a-kind mountain.

1. "Maynard Dixon, Artist, Tucsen, Arizone" -1945

Adams's use of shading is prominent in this photograph. There are dark shadows cast over the old man so that half of his face cannot even be made out. The shading also gives way to texture. The texture of the man's wrinkled face and clothes, the texture of the screen in front of the man, as well as the texture of the dry and wilted plants makes this seemingly simple photograph full of details to observe.

I think that this is a photograph about death. The old man's expression is sad. He is not smiling and his eyes are gleaming at the camera. Adams really capture his age by surrounding him with dead plants, and the dried-out, cracking bark of a tree. The man sits behind a screen and is immersed in shadows, giving his a ghost-like appearance.

There is representative visual data because it is a photograph. Symbols include the dry bark and the wilted flowers, which represent death, and the glasses that the man wears, which represents failed sight and old age. Abstraction is in the form of the screen and the shadows, which distance the old man, and give the photograph a ghostly feel.

This photograph relates to some of Adams's landscape photos in that he uses texture in both to give detail and complication to an otherwise simple image. Also the man's old age corresponds to the ancient mountains.

1. "Rails and Jet Trails, Roseville, California" -1953

The contrasting dark and light shades in this photograph distinctly separate the ground and sky, which are the two main focuses. Adams also uses perspective to convey a feeling of vastness both on land, as train track can be seen until they disappear in the distance, and in the sky, as looping jet trails give a sense of how much space there is up there.

I think that by taking what would have been a landscape picture, but having it dominated by reminders of our industrialized world, Adams is commenting on our disregard for nature. He is also suggesting that we no longer take the time to enjoy nature, as we live in a high speed world where we are constantly travelling across the globe at record speeds.

Besides representative visual data, there are symbols in this photograph. The train tracks and the jet trails are symbolic of transportation. There is a big antennae that is blocking the sun. I think that this is symbolic of how our inventions have come to dominate the world, and we no longer notice nature anymore. Abstraction is present in the similarity between the winding train tracks and the winding jet trails. This similarity represents the fact that we have come to dominate both the land and the sky.

This photograph is similar to Adams's landscape pieces, except that is has reminders of technology in the way of nature. Like in Adams's landscapes, the black and white simplifies the scene, but even more so in this photograph where the idea of a technologically complicated world is present.

1. "Slave Ship" -Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1840

This painting is compelling upon sight, but one you know the actual story behind it, it is even more moving. It is a landscape of a turbulent sea and blazing sky. The sea however is not blue as one would expect it to be, but instead it is brown, red, orange, and a greasy white. The sky is red, yellow, and white. The two elements (water and sky) mix and blend together as if they were one plain. A wooden ship can be faintly seen sailing away from the foreground of the painting. The ship's wood appears red and bloody.

The story behind this piantin gis that it is supposed to depict the slave ship Zong, whose captain, in 1783, threw sick slaves overboard in order to collect insurance money for slaves lost at sea.

In the bloody ocean, sinking away from the surface, can be seen chained limbs of the slaves. Swarms of fish are preying on these limbs, giving way not only to humans violence, but natural violence as well. The color used in this painting are what truly depict the emotion in it.

Although it deals with a difficult subject, and the violence is hard to look at it, I think this piece is a "work of art" because it causes so much emotion. Just in sitting in front of it for 10 or 15 minutes, I noticed that this is the type of painting that people really stop to look at. People are drawn to it because it raises questions and challenges ideas. I think that if a painting has the ability to make people stop and think, then it is definitely a "work of art."

Posted by lcissullivan at 08:47 PM | Comments (0)

Crash Sentence Correction

By having his characters desert their previously held stereotypes toward other ethnic groups, Haggis suggests to the audience that they too should reevaluate their own beliefs and any stereotypes that they themselves may have.

For Jean, it is a young black male, like the one who carjacked her. This experience confirmed her belief that wealthy, attractive white women, like herself, are targets for lower class black men.

However, sometimes people do fulfill a certain stereotype that society holds towards them.

Racism is the most apparent theme that is developed throughout Crash, and it is manifested most notably through the actions and interactions of the characters.

When things are in focus, the characters tend to break free from stereotypes; meaning that either they have stopped judging others or others have stopped judging them.

Most of the time, things are so out of focus, that all we see are the faces of the people who possess the stereotypes.

The director establishes this brief, but courteous, exchange in order to emphasize the drastic change in each character's attitude that is about to take place.

In this scene Richard Cabot, the district attorney of Los Angeles, and his wife, Jean, return home from having just had their card stolen. They immediately get the locks on their doors changed because neither of the two, both of whom are caucasian, feel safe.

When semiotically interpreting a movie, colors are just as important to pay attention to as the words are because both speak the semantic language.

There are also other ways in which Daniel does not conform to the typical stereotypes held towards Hispanics.

Haggis keeps the backgrounds in the film vague to convey a sense of ambiguity, while simultaneously using various symbols to create a subliminal holiday feel. He thereby offsets the ambiguity by coupling it with something that can bring us familiarity and relief.

St. Christopher is a religious figure that people of Christian faith often time carry with them because he is believed to protect those with whom he travels.

Guns symbolize the isolation that humans feel, which ultimately drives them emotionally, and often times violently, crash into one another.

Although he knows all the reasons why his people struggle to succeed in such a segregated world, he still holds stereotypes toward his community.

The focus on the phone coming out of Jean’s hand and hitting the floor symbolizes her letting go of her racist beliefs, through which her angry and intolerant mentality was evident.

As the viewer, I know that none of the characters completely fit into any of the categories because I have had the chance to see the different facets of each person. Yet the director also displays them in a way in which they appear to identify with their specific stereotype.

We, as members of a once extremely segregated society, always seem to associate the juxtaposition of black and white with skin color.

This advertisement epitomizes American culture, as the young boy stands for youth, fun and hope.

The scene entitled “Trust” not only shows that one person can have two completely different sides, but it also suggests that interpreting a person like this should not be a cut and dry process.

Posted by lcissullivan at 08:00 PM | Comments (2)

Rachel at Bartol

Tonight at Bartol Rachel really "zoomed in" on her ice cream.

Posted by lcismardin at 07:10 PM | Comments (3)

November 15, 2005

MFA Assignment

  1.  The Museum of Fine Arts never fails to make me feel like I am being swallowed

into a completely different country. Perhaps it is the presence of the artwork that does this to me or maybe it is simply the vastness of the MFA. It really is a huge place. It is both quiet and loud. The physical quality of sound is not present but the “noise” the art makes is deafening. It is a bombardment of the senses. The MFA has a very ethereal quality as well. I walk among the ghosts of the artists because I sense and see the art that is their manifestation in the present day.

1. The assumptions I bring with me to the museum is everything I have experienced in relation to Ansel Adams and his subject matter. I have known the name Ansel Adams for a long time and seen his work reproduced in the form of posters and know he is an esteemed photographer. However, I have not experienced it “in the flesh” nor in this mode, as grouped together, which adds power. I knew before coming to the museum Ansel Adams photographed nature so not only do I bring my knowledge of him as an artist, I also bring my own personal relationship, if you will, to nature. I’ve always appreciated the beauty and power of nature because I grew up on the Maine coast, which besides the central and northern California coast, I consider to be one of the most beautiful coastlines. Immediately I have a connection with Ansel Adam’s work because I am intrigued by the complexity of nature and its aesthetic powers.

2. Landscape: Mount Brewer, Kings River Canyon, California 1925 This is a photograph of a lake and trees in the foreground and mountains in the background. It is very 3D (if 3D can be qualified) and it feels like I am falling in towards the mountains. I think the time of day was important to Ansel and capturing the shadows of the trees on the ground and the shadows of the clouds on the mountains. Timing was everything in this photo because the sky appears to be overcast yet the photograph is still sunny and this makes me wonder what it would like in color. Though maybe I don’t want to know because it would give me a completely different impression and perhaps it would take power away from the contrast between dark and light of the shadows. I don’t really feel Ansel uses abstraction in this piece. I think he was simply trying to represent a certain moment in time that he found to be especially moving and beautiful. Perhaps symbolism was used in that this piece could represent the dynamics of nature and that one moment is never exactly as a previous.

3. Portrait: Eagle Dance, Tesuque Pueblo, New Mexico 1929 This photograph captures an Indian in mid-dance. A panel on the wall states Ansel was interested in preserving Indian culture and I think photographing an Indian in the act of cultural importance immortalizes the subject. Usually photographs taken of people are of their front. This one, however, is of the back and is very fitting for the title of Eagle Dance because the subject really looks like an eagle taking off or flying. Perhaps this is a symbol of him/her transcending modern material culture. The photograph is not completely centered either. It allows for the shadow to be seen as well.

4. Abstract: Ruins near Princeton, New Jersey 1939 This photograph depicts the remains of a wall, or it could be anything like a castle or tower. I cannot tell exactly what it used to be. It is up to me to decide what the ruins used to be. If I didn’t know the location I may think it to be sugar cane plantation ruins in the Caribbean because of the trees and brush in the background; they do not look like New Jersey trees. The shape of the ruins is very abstract as well. I see different forms within them, such as the outline of a dog’s head or a crude imitation of a gun. It reminds me of looking at clouds and seeing shapes and forms come from the clouds though I know they really don’t exist except for in my mind.

5. Coast North of Bodega Bay, California 1960 This photograph is of the California coast sprawling into the distance. It speaks to me because it reminds me of my trip to California last spring and driving up the California coast. I was just amazed at its beauty and the complete change from dingy, sprawling Los Angeles to clean, rolling mountains plunging into the ocean. I see in the photograph how I saw the miles and miles of beautiful coastline from a rest stop I stopped at near Big Sur. However, my memory is in color. Seeing the same view in black and white now is interesting because it adds the quality of age, as in nature is timeless. Not only do I realize this through the black and white aspect but also because of its similarity to my memory. The view I had in California in 2005 is virtually identical to the one Ansel had in 1960. The beauty of the coast remains the same as human life around it changes yet obviously both Ansel and I have similar appreciation for this beauty.

Posted by lcisfreya at 10:12 PM | Comments (3)

conversation

I was somewhere today, and I noticed that there was this one girl who ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS interupted everybody when they were talking. She always had to get her thoughts in, and could never wait. She didn't have long pauses and when other people tried to jump in and say what they thought, she just kept talking and didn't pay attention to them. I know she is from New Hampshire, but her mother grew up in New York, and I think she spent a lot of time there growing up. So I was thinking that maybe she talks really fast and has really short pauses because of the New York dialect, but it was really noticeable. Or maybe it's just becuase she is rude? I don't know. But it really caught my attention today.

Posted by lcisnelson at 07:16 PM | Comments (1)

MFA Assignment

1) While at the Museum of Fine Arts, I paid special attention to how Ansel Adams’ work was presented and how that aspect made me feel. I noticed that the exhibit had gray walls, all the photographs had the same black frames with white mats, and that the lighting was soft. This setup made me pay more attention to the photographs and really appreciate them. I also thought that since Ansel Adams only took black and white photographs, the gray walls really complemented the work. In art exhibits, I would say that you would want the walls to be neutral in order to highlight the work; you wouldn’t want the wall to be competing with the art.

2) I have many assumptions about the art in museums. First of all, if it is in the museum, I think that the work presented must be good; if it were bad, why would it be in an art museum? I know this is a common assumption, but I’m not saying that art not in museums is bad. I also think that each piece of art has a deeper meaning. I think that if artists were good enough to be in a museum, then they would put a lot of thought into the art that they are creating and would therefore put layers of meaning into their work.

3) For the landscape photograph, I chose “Lyell Fork Meadows, Yosemite National Park, 1921.” It shows trees with a river down the middle. The river has reflections in the water. I liked this particular photograph because to me it had the feeling of a portrait instead of a photograph; it had a soft feel to it and I really liked that. I think in this photograph, the peacefulness and the serenity of nature was important to Ansel Adams. I think he was trying to show people how gorgeous nature is and that it shouldn’t be tampered with, as nature is just so pure on its own.

4) For the portrait, I chose “Eagle Dance, Tesuque Pueblo, New Mexico 1929.” It shows the back of a Native American man dancing. He is wearing a costume that makes him look like an eagle. I found this photograph intriguing because it focuses on this man dancing, and yet the viewer cannot distinguish who the dancer is. Therefore, I think the man is representing his tribe and any tribe that does this particular dance. The man also casts a shadow on the ground that looks exactly like an eagle. I think that that is why Ansel Adams shot this particular photograph at this moment instead of another shot of the back of the dancer. This picture relates to Adams’s landscape portraits in that he captures different aspects of the dancer just like he captures many different aspects in his landscapes. In this particular photograph, he shows the dancer, his shadow, and the costume. In many of his landscape portraits, he captures nature and its natural beauty as well as the power and independence of nature.

5) I chose the photograph entitled “Saguaro Cactus, Sunrise, Arizona 1942” for the abstract picture. The only thing presented in this photograph is one cactus. It is shot at an angle that makes the cactus appear much larger than life. I found this to be abstract because Adams was portraying the cactus in a non-realistic sense. I think Adams was trying to show the viewer the importance of nature and that it is a huge part of life. This picture relates to Adams’s landscape portraits in that many of his landscapes present nature in a positive light. In this photograph, the cactus is clearly shown as positive; it is “larger than life” and it is basically the only thing in the picture.

6) It was difficult for me to find a favorite photograph. I really enjoyed many of the landscapes for their beauty. However, the photograph I chose was not the typical landscape picture; I chose “Westport, California 1936.” It shows an old, black building adjacent to a newer, white building. Off in the distance in-between the two buildings, there is a mountain. I liked this photograph for a few reasons. First of all, in the artistic sense, it was a really good example of perspective. The two building fronts were flat and shot straight on and then in the space between the buildings, you could see the sides of the buildings “merging” together. I also really liked this photograph because of the multiple layers of meaning that I perceived. At first glance, I thought about the concept of modern versus antique. The black building is old and rundown as opposed to the new white building directly next door. Also related to this concept, is that of stark opposites. Old versus new and black versus white. Being American, I also thought of the common concept of black skin versus white skin. I think it is prevalent in this case because the houses are painted black and white, and I think paint for a house is like skin for a person. I also liked the mountain shown in the background because the buildings frame it. I would definitely classify this piece as a “work of art” because it has so many meanings and it is definitely a conversation starter, all on top of being nice to look at!

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 03:15 PM | Comments (3)

MFA Questions

1. The museum feels like a safe place to me, a place of art, and a place where one can express himself/herself as an artist and as a viewer. The floors, walls, and architecture made me feel like I was in a place where I never am. It is all so beautiful and big, so creatively designed. It’s all one big piece of art put together to make one big work of art. However, when I was in the Ansel Adams exhibit, I felt over crowded, but that’s just because there were so many people in there. But once I moved to a place where there weren’t as many people, it was relaxing and quite enjoyable.

2. I went into the MFA thinking, okay, let me just look and get out of here. I like going to Museums, but I’m never one to look at things for more than a minute or two, unless it’s something that absolutely blows me away. I find the things in museums, paintings, statues, etc. all to be so interesting and intriguing, but I’m not one to look at them all and interpret them and stand in front of them for 5 minutes or so. I guess my assumptions about this exhibit were that there would be photographs, and they would be nice and probably of some things I have seen before, but just that, photographs. But, I was taken away by the photos that Ansel Adams took. They are so different, but yet so similar. A lot of them are photographs that if you don’t snap the camera at that particular time and second, the picture would be totally different. I thought, before I actually went into the exhibit, that they would just be regular black and white photographs, things that are clear cut and you could tell exactly what the picture is and what its meaning is, but I was wrong.

3. Landscape- Roaring River Falls, Kings River Canyon, California. About 1925; printed in 1927 I think that nature was important to Ansel Adams in the particular image. He was trying to capture a moment in nature, one that you don’t see everyday and that you need to go looking for in order to see it. Also, I think peace is important to Adams in this photograph. The river is not calm, but by looking at it, a sense of peace comes over you. I think he is trying to say that time rushes by quickly and that it is real, not something that is just made up. He shows a river rushing through a canyon which can represent many things. But I think for this particular image, he is trying to communicate time as a passage and as movement. Everything moves over time and gradually over time things change and become different. He uses representation because this river in a canyon is what he sees and what he knows to be a river in a canyon. He uses this because this is what a river and a canyon resemble to him based on his experiences. If this photograph resembled a lake to him and his experiences of lakes, he would have probably called the photograph something different. The river symbolizes time and how it is rushing by us.

4. Maynard Dixon, artist, Tuscan, Arizona. 1945 I think that failing health and age was important to Ansel Adams in the photograph. This is shown by the wrinkles on the man and how he is in a shadow. His age is defined by these wrinkles and the shadow symbolizes that he is not going to be here much longer, he is already have covered by the shadow. This man is sitting down and looking out a screen window. He is behind the screen which can mean that he is taking it easy now, watching from the inside because he is too old to go out and experience it himself now. I think Adams is trying to communicate that people all have a time and they need to just take a step back at the end, relax, and enjoy the rest of their days. Also, I think he is trying to say that as you grow old, things seem to slow down. I think that taking one last glimpse as the world and what is important to you is another thing that Adams is trying to show in this photo. The old man represents old age for Adams and this is how he uses representation in the photograph. However, the old man also is a symbol. He is a symbol of relaxation and a symbol for the time in life when it is your time to sit back and pass. He uses abstraction by the shadows and the screen.

5. Freeway Interchange, Los Angeles. 1967 I think that this picture is abstract in a few ways. Adams is trying to show that life is important in the photograph. Life goes rushing by and passes really quickly, as shown by the cars on a freeway, where speeds are pretty fast. He is trying to communicate that everything is fast paced and tangled together. One way, leads you to another and another, bringing you on life’s journey. I think he is trying to say that we need to slow down and take the road less traveled. The picture represents a free way and the business of people in our world today. It symbolizes time and how people are just rushing to get to their next stop. It is abstract because the picture is all tangled together, going this way and that.

6. A painting that spoke to me is the same one that I chose to write about for the landscape. Roaring River Falls, Kings River Canyon, California. This photograph is one that I could look at forever. It always seems to be moving and every time I look at it I see something new. I first saw rocks and a mountain with water rushing through it. Then I saw time and how it just passes us by. After that I realized that it could represent destruction because it is so strong and powerful. However, it can also symbolize peace and calamity. I saw something new every time I looked at this photograph. When I saw it as peace and calamity, it meant that I need to take things in and treasure the little things and moments like this. It meant that I need to search for these unusual things that aren’t evident in everyday life. When I saw it as destruction it meant that this powerful thing can ruin everything around it and that I need to be careful for what’s around me and what goes on in the world. I think this is a “work of art” because it is so beautiful and has so many hidden meanings to it. Also, it is a “work of art” because it can relate to everyone in at least one way.

Posted by lcisnelson at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)

MFA and Ansel Adams Observations

1. As I entered the museum I felt myself diminishing in that great space. In the entrance floor and in the exhibition halls the walls were painted creamy white and it promoted to make me feel smaller and the museum and the works of arts greater and to stand out in the whiteness. The architecture of the halls that I walked through seemed to be plain and simple yet the emptiness of the space felt enormous. The tall ceilings stroked me that I was in a castle. The neatly organized bright caramel colored tiles on the floor made me to feel more lifelike and convinced me that the great white space wasn’t creating emptiness in my mind. Despite the fact that it was very crowded in the entrance hall I managed to “space” for my observations.

2. As I entered the Ansel Adams exhibition I was not sure what kind of works of arts to see and feel as I have never been to any kind of exhibitions. While I was taking notes on the photographs I was thinking that if I wasn’t required to write down my thoughts and observations I would not be looking and reflecting at the photographs as profound and intense as I was. It helped me to think deeper and go back and forth to the photographs I saw earlier. The originality of the photographs brought me back in time where the photograph was taken. I could envision myself standing on top of a cliff looking over the great plain below my feet. I was absorbed in the photographs. It is important for the viewer to come in contact with each photograph they looked at and challenge their traditional assumptions of certain sight in the photographs. After coming back from the exhibition I realized that Ansel Adams’ works effected and reminded me the different and more beautiful way that I look at nature.

3. The photograph of a landscape that intrigued my emotions and vision was a photograph named, "Winter Sunrise" which was taken in Sierra Nevada, from Lone Pine, California in 1944. The photograph was almost the size of a window which was placed in the middle of the exhibition halls. Ansel Adams’ camera lens framed snow peaked high mountains in the distance and river on the bottom of those mountains. It showed and captured the beauty of nature that we don’t see everyday. Cloudy sky above the mountains reminded me of the fresh winter morning breeze. In the middle of the snow covered mountains very dark black shadow blocked the view what was the middle parts of the mountains. It seemed to me that the big shadow was created because the sun hasn't set its morning rays on it yet. The shadow continues until the bottom ground where it meets a tiny dark creature - a horse drinking from the river. This image of a horse appears in gray. The leafless trees form forest in the background. From the left side a very light and small cloud makes its way at a snail's pace through the sky. It is very low in the sky that it only at a height of the middle of the snowy mountains. I suppose that Ansel Adams was trying to remind his viewers the vastness of the nature. Through his camera we were able to see and feel how important it is to understand and appreciate the nature. The high contrast of the snow white and black shadow added very strong feel which better the viewer’s attention. The mountain peaks come into view in white bright light. The photograph could be a symbol for the nature of life where there is light/happiness, dark/struggle, and at last gray/everything in between.

4. A portrait of an old man strikes my interest. The name of the photo is "Mr. Shepard at His Home" taken in Independence, California in about 1936. An old man in a regular shirt and pants rests on the chair outside of an old white house. Even though the picture is a portrait of the man he is not centered in the picture instead put in the back into a corner of the picture. The focus of the old man is blurry. The focus is not on the man but on the white fence which is right in front of the camera. The white paint seems to be peeling off of the fence due to weather and passage of the time. Both the man and the fence are old. The old man is directly looking at the camera and has his back straight somewhat posing for the photo. His stick is in between his legs and he stretches his arms and holds on to it as if he really needs it. The stick represents his physical weakness in walking. The whole area is under the shadow of a summer tree. The house in the background is not in its best condition and the dark windows represent the motionless and dull atmosphere in the house. Because of the shadow and darkness in the house and representations of aging subjects the photo left me feeling blue. My interpretation is that through this photograph Ansel Adams was trying to communicate his idea of getting old and it nature of life. The man is sitting outside by himself who may represent loneliness and stillness yet life is not still since the painting is falling off and the time is passing away, never to come back. Compared to the previous photo of powerful nature, the portrait reminds me that human being is a small creature in the wild and great nature.

5. The abstract photograph that interested me was "Grass and Pool" taken in 1938 in Yosemite Valley. The image is of floating grass/hay on the surface of the water. The sparkles on the water coming from the camera flash add glamorous and glorious feel to it. Hay sticks are overlapped and intertwined with each other. The water is very dark. The sense that I got from the dark water and hays suggested me that the world and life is like the water and human beings and animals are like the hay sticks. When we are born we get our opportunities to float freely in the water yet always connected in some ways with one another. We fight to stay on the surface and as the time passes the hay sticks get soaked in the water and drips down and eventually sinks to the bottom of the water. I think that Ansel Adams was trying to capture that moment when there were many grass on the surface and there were sparkles reminding glory of life and that moment. This photo connects to his other works as landscape artist because in many of his works he captures the beauty of nature at that precise moment. The beauty of this photo was that the viewers only saw the grass on top of the water; the life.

6. “At Palm Springs” California, 1936.
   I found myself “gazing” through Ansel Adams’ camera lens to the world of stillness and purity. The photograph of a single and deserted leafless tree in an open space called for my voluntary drop of tear which ran down on my cheek. In disbelief I wiped it in a hurry hoping that no one had seen me doing this. I shivered and felt cold inside me but yet I found something peaceful and comforting in that image. I imagined various thoughts and interpretations piling up in my brain waiting to be elevated to become the most corresponding story to match my frame of mind of that moment. A lifeless unfortunate tree stood on the winter dry ground. However, the sacred tree portrayed worship of the motherly nature. Morning bright sky on the lower part and dark night sky on the upper part wrapped around the tree and the snow topped mountains. Ansel Adams took the photo using low angles and greatly exposed the size of the tree high up in the sky. The branches of the tree spread to their highest degree into the dark night sky. The idea behind this photograph is that the lifeless tree emerges from the earth and sets itself high up in the sky is so powerful that caused me to freeze in awe and respect. I wished that I could be the one of the branches to be in that pure and grand sky; the heavens.

I appreciate the beauty in the works of Ansel Adams. Thank you Ellen for giving us this great opportunity. I will never forget this experience.

Posted by lcisbold at 11:12 AM | Comments (1861)

November 14, 2005

Literally vs. Figuratively

I found this very interesting article on MSN on the "evolution" of the word "literally", that it has now come to mean almost the opposite of its orginal meaning. It applies to both our study of language and the evolution of language in Nanette's class as well as the literal and figurative regard we give to works of art in Ellen's class. I think it is really interesting, I hope you will too!!

http://www.slate.com/id/2129105/?GT1=7407

Posted by lciscotis at 07:27 PM | Comments (7)

MFA assignment

1. The entrance to the museum was busy with chattering people, but once we entered the Ansel Adams exhibit, everything seemed to stop and stand still. I felt like I was in a library and needed to be as silent as possible while moving throughout the rooms filled with pictures. I actually felt a little out of place because I saw many people staring at the same photograph for a long time, while I only looked most of the photographs for a few seconds or sometimes a few minutes at most. I felt crowded in the exhibit because there were so many people, but at the same time it was relaxing. Once I had quickly moved through the first two rooms where it was difficult to see because of all the people, I felt much calmer and more able to spend time looking closer at the pictures. Even though I didn’t spend as long as most people, it was still much nicer in the rooms at the end where there were less people and I was able to focus on a certain picture without feeling like I was in someone’s way.

2.Coming into the museum, I was not expecting to be as impressed by the photographs as I actually was. I am no artist and I cannot paint to save my life, but I do know how to use a camera, so I was wondering how different Adams’ pictures could be from something that I could take. This was the first photography exhibit I have ever been to and as soon as I walked in I could see the art in his photographs. They were so beautiful and the angles were so different from anything I could ever have produced. I had expected to just see some black and white photographs that I couldn’t pick out any meaning from, but when I actually got there, I thought I really could see the meaning in some of Adams’ photographs.

3.One of Adams’ photographs that I would describe as a landscape would be Early Morning, Merced River Canyon, Yosemite National Park, 1950. I think that Ansel Adams was trying to show us “nature at its best” in this photograph because everything seems so calm and serene and uninterrupted. The trees and the river seem so peaceful and I can almost hear the water gurgling along past the tress and the rocks. This image of nature seems completely untouched by man and I think Adams’ was trying to show us how pure everything in this place was. It almost seems like this place was his secret, his place that no one else in the world knew existed. There were many other photos from this canyon, so I think Adams’ must have really loved what he found here and wanted to eventually share his “secret place” that he had found with the world because it was just too beautiful to be kept a secret anymore.

4.One of Ansel Adams’ photographs that I would describe as a portrait would be Self-Portrait, Monument Valley, Utah, 1958. This was one of the most unusual photographs that I saw in the exhibit, and it truly seemed to be unique from all the other portraits, because this was in fact, a portrait of Adams himself. The photograph displays what could be described as an “anonymous shadow” because without the title of the image, we would not be aware that this was a self-portrait. We cannot see his face and there is no clue that this is him, except for the shape and the outline of his body. The shadow looks like it is resting against torn paper, not like a normal photograph. This “paper” seems to be lightning, Adams’ shadow is almost above this lightning, overlooking everything that is happening in this picture. Adams’ could be said to look like God in this picture, with his hand raised high in the air, signaling to us that he has power over what is happening, including nature and the incoming storm. Adams is representing the landscape that is present here and the storm that seems fast approaching. I think he shows abstraction in the lighting bolts because they are much more textured than everything else in the image and I can’t tell if they are actually part of the photograph or if he put them in after. They don’t seem to be perfect images of what I know to be lightning bolts, they seem to be more abstract than the rest of the picture. I think Adams is showing symbolism by placing himself in the photograph because the way he is standing looks like a symbol of God and God’s power.

5.One of Ansel Adams’ photographs that I would describe as abstract would be Remains of an Old Square Piano, Lundy, California, 1939. I think that Adams wanted to show us that there was a period of time that had passed. He represented this past time with the broken piano that was once used by someone, but is no longer needed because it just sits in the corner, broken into more that one piece. I think this piano also symbolizes a lost dream. Maybe the person that used to play this piano had a dream of becoming a famous pianist, but now there is no hope of that dream coming true for some reason and this is shown by the completely broken and useless piano. This piano can longer be used to achieve the dream of becoming a pianist. This whole photograph looks abstract to me because I had to really look at it to see what it was. I did not know at first that it was a piano. I had to look at all the pieces and then put them together to see the image of the piano.

6.My favorite photograph by Ansel Adams was White House Rain, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, 1941. This image really speaks to me because I have had a personal experience with the subject that Adams used for this photograph. I have been to this place where the picture was taken and I have seen for myself the Native American dwellings in the side of the canyon that are shown in this image. I was able to compare how I saw this image for myself with how it was shot by Ansel Adams and I was able to see how he saw something that I had actually seen myself. I even have my own photographs of this place so it will be interesting to be able to compare my pictures to this picture that Adams took the next time I go home.

Posted by lcismardin at 03:58 PM | Comments (2)

An Idea...

Later today I am going to blog on different degrees of dialects. This is almost a self note. I had an idea that (for example) geography would be the first thing people catagorize others' language from and then social status, etc.

I'll definetly blog my ideas later, but I thought it was something to ponder.

-Jess Yeich (Ica)

Posted by lcisyeich at 11:47 AM | Comments (1)

My Dialect

When I used the Speech Accent Archive website, it said that my dialect is english21, a female from Boston, MA. All my relatives are also from Boston, and therefore have similar dialects to the one I have, but I found it really fun to click on all the different places in the U.S. and listen to the dialect from each one. I think it's amazing how different the woman from New York sounds from the woman from Texas.

Posted by lcissullivan at 12:04 AM | Comments (1)

November 13, 2005

Dialect Determiner

Social groups definitely have a lot to do with how people talk, but I think that geography has a greater impact on dialect. Most people learn to talk when they are babies from their parents, and the dialect of their parents is about the same as the dialect that they grow to possess. This dialect is usually typical of the dialect in that geographical region, as most adults have out-grown any dialect changes they went through as teenagers. Therefore this original dialect is basically representative of the geographic region in which a person's parents grew up.

This dialect is shaped and changed through interaction with people other than one's parents. Friends shape young adults' dialects, but the foundation of that dialect is still based on how one's parents taught them to talk, not how their friends talk. This is why teenagers from Boston have a different dialect than teenagers from California. Even though they are both teenagers their original dialects are different, therefore it doesn't matter that they all belong to the social group of "teenager."

If social group governed dialects more than geography, then why wouldn't the "working class" of all areas talk the same regardless of location? Differences in their dialects are due to differences in the dialects of their parents, which usually reflect the dialect of the geographical area.

Changing the way one talks when in the presence of different people is not change one's dialect. Just because some people may talk more "laid-back" when they are with their friends, and more "proper" when they are with someone who they are trying to impress, doesn't mean that they have changed dialect, but rather they have changed the style in which they speak their dialect.

Posted by lcissullivan at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)

Conversation Styles

That there are different conversation styles in sign language as well. There variations in signs due to regional location, as well as speed and the flow of conversations. For instance, deaf people from the south say that those from the north sign fast. There are also several ways to sign the same word. I know there is probably 3 or 4 different ways to sign birthday.

Posted by lcissearls at 11:24 PM | Comments (2)

Observing a Conversation

I was having breakfast in Bartol the other day and I was eating (and reading for Nanette's class!) I happened to "let my ear wander" and began to listen in on a conversation that was occurring behind my turned back. There were three girls at the table. Two of them were quite fast speakers and hardly left any pauses in between sentences or subject breaks. They were the main speakers. The other girl seemed to have a hard time getting her say into the converasation. Unfortunately by now I have completely forgotten what the subject of the conversation was about (I really think I'm going senile at 18...) but I do know distinctly the third girl tried repeatedly to get herself into the conversation. One of the other girls was just talking and talking and the third girl would begin to say something and then just stop because the other girl was not pausing to let her in. Then she would try once more with the same phrase and still the other girl would not pause. The third girl tried several more times to get into the conversation and FINALLY mananged to say something after the other girl paused for more than a split second. I didn't know who to sympathize with: the third girl who couldn't get a word in because her friend was rudely talking too much or the girl who wanted to say what she had to say without being interrupted.

Posted by lcisfreya at 11:03 PM | Comments (1)

Social Group influence

I do believe social group is a very important distincter of dialects. In my previous post I mentioned I don't have the common Maine accent of dropping my r's or saying "Maine words" and I would also say these are associated a lot of the time with being part of the lower or working class in Maine; generally the lobstermen, fishermen, hunters, etc, or being ignorant or uncultured Though I will definitely note not everyone with a Maine accent is uncultured or ignorant. It is a stereotype those without a Maine accent have.
The way I speak with different groups of people (friends, family, acquantinces, higher-up's, men I'm attracted to) varies according to who they are and my comfort level with them. Generally, I am less self-conscious of what I say or more informal with my friends and family. I am usually very careful of what I say anyway, no matter who I am talking with but this especially comes into play with people I want to impress or I need to be wary of because they have authority over me, like my boss (though, this is less now since I have been working for him for 3 years and he is an ex-hippie from California...) or rigid/old-fashioned teachers.
However, I don't believe I really switch dialects. I might hold back upon using the word "friggin'" but I don't try to change how I pronounce my words.

Posted by lcisfreya at 10:35 PM | Comments (0)

My Dialect

Well I grew up in Maine, however, I don't believe I have the stereotypical Maine accent of dropping r's at the end of words (example, lobster becomes lobsta) nor do I say "ah bouy" except when poking fun at my fellow Mainer's. However, I have been told I have a Canadian accent, which I don't really understand. I mean, this could possibly be attributed to my mother being Dutch?? Though, it doesn't seem likely I would acquire a Canadian accent from a Dutch person. On the contrary, I refuse to pronounce Dutch words in English. Amsterdam is Um-ster-dum, if shown in English phoenetics. I listened to the person from Caribou, Maine (which is waaay up north, I live on the coast) and I detected a hint of how people pronounce words in states like Michigan or Wisconsin, you know, with the funny 'o' (you knooooow). However, such words like 'wicked' and 'friggin' have entered my vocabulary and those are distinctly Maine/New England. I also use the words 'suppose' and 'perhaps' often and never really noticed until one of friends began to tease me about it. He also exaggerates it, showing I say it like "I suppoooose", with a long 'o', which is interesting because he's from France and none of my English speaking friends have ever noticed how I extend my 'o'.

Posted by lcisfreya at 09:59 PM | Comments (0)

Social Group Influence

Social groups are, in my opinion, the most influencial factor in different dialects. Not only do we have different tones and word choices with our family and friends but we have different dialects too. With my friends I have a more casual tone and even different sentence structure. I use a more urban language and even my sarcasm rate is higher when I am with my friends. In front of my family I try to make things easier to understand and use a more nice tone. I definetly have more of a German accent with my family because they also show it a lot more, being old fashioned. When I worked as a file clerk for the vice president of a high power company, I would be very formal to my employer. Though a certain level of comfortableness was felt after awhile, tone was kept very even. My word choice was more intelligent and more pronounced (for example, I said "yes" instead of "yea."). Not only do we have different dialects with our employers but also around those who are "upper class" or who certainly make more money than I do.

-Jess

Posted by lcisyeich at 09:10 PM | Comments (0)

Questions about Chapter 10 Content

I found a dialect very much like my own on classweb.gmu.edu/accent. My accent is from english99. Typically this is a female from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Many of the ways she pronounced her O's and A's, I also pronounce mine.

My accent is infused with Pennsylvania Dutch, which is ultimately German. My parents and grandparents have all lived in the same area for all of their lives so there isnt varying dialects influencing my own. Most of our O's are very pronounced like an O would be. We say "D-ohn-cha kn-oh" exactly how it looks. I grew up in the middle of the Lancaster area, which is "Amish country." Amish dialects are driven by German roots as well. Sometimes I tend to say things as though I am a native german person trying to speak English. At the end of my words, the tone is higher. My tone is even more higher at the end of sentences. In a way, its a very "sing-songy" way of speaking. As well as a rythmic tone to my dialect, I also speak casually and never formal to family members.

Coincidentally, my friend from PA has come to Boston for the weekend and my friends from the New England area and the two PA girls discussed each other's accents and phrasing. For example, we say "outten the lights" for "turn off the lights." Also, we say "wanna go with" to mean "would you like to come with me?" With ends a sentence very often in our area. Very commonly, we say "They're calling for snow" to mean "It is supposed to snow today." Even little things are different. For example, we call subs "hoagies" and creeks "cricks."

Posted by lcisyeich at 08:51 PM | Comments (0)

Conversational Styles

At first when we received this assignment I was somewhat reluctant to do it. I did not want to purposefully fill a conversation with long and awkward pauses because I don't like the thought of making someone else feel uncomfortable when they are talking to me, but I then realized that in going home for the long weekend I would have the opportunity to try this experiement with an old friend.

This friend has always had a very different conversational style than anyone else I have ever met. He talks extremely slow, often times pausing for about five seconds before continuing a thought. This pace always annoyed me, and I would usually fill these pauses because they made me uncomfortable. However, every once and I while I would wait a pause out and sure enough he would have something to say at the end of it. It's like during that pause his brain is working to sort things out and concisely say what it is he wants to say.

So I decided that when I talked to him this weekend I would fight the urge to fill these pauses, and instead I would just let him talk. There was a distinct difference between the conversation I had with him this weekend and any other conversation we have ever had before. I felt like he did most of the talking, whereas before it was the opposite, and I was the one to always do all the talking. Even though for me having those long silences was uncomfortable, I realized that for him it wasn't at all, and he probably viewed our conversation as an enjoyable one.

Doing this experiment made me wonder if he has always felt like I interrupt him, whereas I have always thought that in talking a lot I was doing him a favor by making the conversation less awkward. It was a good experience to have because it will probably affect the way we talk in the future in that I will make more of an effort to give him time to finish talking.

Posted by lcissullivan at 06:51 PM | Comments (0)

Dialects

I don't notice my dialect that much but I am often told that I have a big Boston accent. I grew up in Haverhill, MA my whole life, right on the border of NH and only 40 minutes away from Boston. Both of my parents are from outside of Boston, Saugus and Lynn. So I spent a lot of time in those two cities visting family and such. I think that is where I get my Boston accent from, saying "pahk ya caa in haavad yad" instead of the normal way. I am told that I talk fast also, which is another common part of the New England Boston area dialect. I tend to use "wicked" too much as alot of people do and i add extra emphasis to different parts of words that normally aren't emphasized. For example I catch myself saying "miYEN" instead of "mine."

I agree that social factors influence people's dialects. For me, I talk differently to my friends then I do to my parents than I do to a person I don't know. When I answer the phone at work, I use a hgiher pitched, softer voice and I don't sound like me noramlly. When I'm in class, I don't speak slang words or like I would with just friends (or atleast I try not to) but rather I try to present myself more formally and I do that by changing the way I speak and what words I use. I also agree that there are dialects such as "Sufer dude" and "valley girl" My friends and I used to joke that I sounded like a valley girl when I was younger.

Posted by lcisnelson at 05:02 PM | Comments (0)

Dialects

1) I have lived in Massachusetts all of my life and so have my parents. Both of my parents grew up in the surrounding towns of the town where I was raised. Therefore, we all definitely have eastern New England dialects. I think I speak fast, but I am definitely not as fast as others in the area. I definitely use the word "wicked" a whole lot. I have known nothing else. One of my friends that spent three years in Massachusetts adapted to using "wicked" and then she moved to Michigan and she told me that no one understood what she meant. And now when I go to visit her, she doesn't say it anymore. I find it so fascinating that we can adapt our language to our new surroundings over time. I spent six weeks in Germany, speaking German pretty much the whole time there. When I came back to the United States, it was weird to go back to speaking English the whole time again, and I was only abroad for six weeks!

2) I agree with the comment that social groups are a factor in different dialects. I know that in my case, I speak differently with different people. For example, with one of my friends, we have an inside joke that we call each other "man" and say "man" in basically every sentence we say to each other. With another friend, we basically do the same thing, except with "dude." In general though, I speak differently to my friends than I do with my parents or professors. With my friends, and sometimes with my parents, I speak more casually and I usually don't use any "big" words. In the classroom setting however, I try and speak a little more formally and intelligently. In addition, when I am using Instant Messenger, nothing really applies. I "speak" even more casually than in person, although I still care about spelling because that's who I am. However, normally I am just trying to get my message across, sometimes rather quickly, so I don't really care as much how it sounds, I just keep typing. Although, now that I think about it, if I don't know someone as well, even on Instant Messenger, I try to speak a little less casually than I would normally with my closer friends on Instant Messenger because you never know how someone will really interpret what you write. So I guess I "speak" many different dialects and it just depends on the situtation for when I use each dialect.

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)

Dialect

I grew up in South Africa, in Port Elizabeth which is in the Eastern Cape province. My family's heritage and my education were all steeped in British heritage and so impacted the way I learnt to speak. I also took theatre (Speech and Drama) classes from a young age which naturally had an impact on my awareness of speech sounds. At the same time, the Eastern Cape is not, historically, an intellectual centre in the country but an industrial one and regionally its English speakers are known to have "flatter," more nazalized tones probably assimilated from working alongside speakers of other more guttural languages. I sometimes recognize these tones in my otherwise probably rather uncharacteristically "Standard (British) English" South African English accent. Now that I've been in the US for almost five years I can see a new influence on my dialect - my pronunciation of vowels is often far more relaxed/medial and I assimilate far more.

I think the concept "social group" is entirely on the right track as being the best determinant of our dialects. As social creatures we are naturally adept at immitating and our desire to identify with a particular social group will make us likely to try to talk similarly. For many people, their different social groups are all homogenous but I would pressume that with the efficiency of world travel alone, this is not the case for a growing number of people who are likely to talk differently in their different social climates with, for example, employer & colleagues, close friends, new acquaintences, customers, family, neighbors, and sporting buddies. I am very aware that my accent changes slightly depending on who I am with and for how long and to what extent I feel comfortable with the particular group or to what extent I may wish to integrate or create a positive impression. All these factors have a measurable impact on the way I portray my person verbally.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 01:11 PM | Comments (2)

Conversation Style

I have been trying to notice how people talk and how long the pauses are between sentences, but I haven't been able to notice much because it seems like my two roommates leave about the same amount of space that I do. One of my roommates is from Haverhill and the other is from Swamscott, so they are both native to Massachusettes and I am from Southern New Hampshire, very close to the Massachusettes border. All three of us seem to leave about the same amount of space between our sentences, which is good because we do not often interrupt each other. I know that I probably speak a lot faster than someone who is from the South or the West because that is the reputation that New Englanders have, and I have noticed that when my family has visited our friends who are from Louisiana. Personally, I feel like I leave pretty long pauses between sentences because I hate to interrupt people, but I am sure that our friends from Louisiana do not think I leave long pauses at all, but actually leave very short pauses.

Posted by lcismardin at 12:10 PM | Comments (0)

My Dialect

Both of my parents grew up in South Portland, Maine. I was also born in Maine and lived in Gorham, Maine for the first five years of my life. Obviously, this is where I learned to speak. When I was five, I moved to Rye, New Hampshire, which is a very small town on the seacoast, next to the small city of Portsmouth. My parents both have very strong Maine accents, especially my mom. I always make fun of her when she says "chowda", or "caa", or "baathroom". In addition to tkaing out the "r" where it belongs, she also adds "r"s where they don't belong, like in idea, she will say "idear". I remember that I used to do that too, and I thought that was how you said in until one day someone pointed out to me what I was doing. I have been careful since then to try to say "idea" instead of "idear", but I know I still slip up once in awhile by accident. Other than that I don't think I have a very stong Maine accent since I have mostly grown up in Southern New Hamphshire, but I can definitely tell when I hear one since my entire family (especially my mom and grandmother) have very stong accents. I do say "wicked", but I can't think of any other words that I use that I know are not used in other parts of the country. I don't think that people from New Hampshire have very stong accents because I have never heard of a "New Hampshire" accent before, but maybe that is just because that is where I live. I am pretty much right in the middle between Boston and Maine, so I think that people from my area on the Seacoast have a mix of Boston and Maine accents.

I definitely think that social groups influence dialects. I know that I speak differently to my friends that to my grandparents for instance. I speak much faster when I am talking to my friends and I am not very careful about what I say around them, but when I am with my grandparents or other older relatives, I find myself talking much slower and leaving longer pauses in between sentences. I think that growing up in different social groups leads to differences in vocabulary and accent, "surfer dude" and "urban youth" dialects are very good example of this. I did not grow up in either one of these social groupings, so I do not use some of the slang words they use and I do not have the same accents as them.

Posted by lcismardin at 11:48 AM | Comments (0)

Dialects

Question #1

Personally, I do not think that I have that much of a dialect. I think that there are very few words in my vocabulary that would distinguish me from any other English speaker. My father was born in Rhode Island and lived there all of his life. My mother was born in New York, but moved to Rhode Island when she was about 10. Thus, her New York roots do not have that much effect on her speech. I was also born in Rhode Island and, until coming to Boston, lived in the same house my entire life. I think what distinguishes me as a Rhode Islander more than my dialect is my vocabulary. For example, I use the word “wicked” way too much. The other day I was on my roommate’s computer and I was talking to one of her friends under her screename. Obviously, her friend didn’t know it was me and when I said “My essay wicked, wicked stinks,” she laughed for hours and immediately put it as her away message. So, this is something I think distinguishes me as a Rhode Islander more than my dialect. I looked at the dialect map which said that my speech is closest to that of someone from Boston. Although Rhode Island and Boston are technically far apart, I think that it is alright to categorize a Rhode Islander as a Bostonian speaker because our speech is very similar. (Although, I must comment that it is difficult to tell what a true Bostonian accent sounds like since everyone in Boston is originally from somewhere else.)

Question #2

I definitely think that social group affects dialect. For example, I baby-sit a lot and when I am on the phone with a potential employer I reflexively use a softer, more professional voice and enunciate more. My family loves to make fun of me because I really don’t sound like myself. But, this is definitely a testament to the effect of social groups on our dialect.

As far as the relatively new dialect categories according to social groups, such as, “Surfer Dude” or “Urban Youth”, I definitely think that these groups do exist and are prevalent. In some sense, I think they may be even more important than geographical groupings. The reason for this is that people identify more with their social group than their geographical location. Thus, they take on the attributes of this social group. (Of course, it must also be said that these social groups are commonly associated with certain areas. For example, a “Surfer Dude” would probably be from California; an “Urban Youth” would probably be from New York City, Boston, or any other northeastern city.)

Posted by lciscotis at 10:22 AM | Comments (1)

Conversational style

It is hard for people to talk on the phone if they have different conversational styles. It is because they are not able to see the gestures they make in order to "signal" the other speaker to start talking. Over the past week I observed two conversations. The one was with my parents in Mongolian, and the other with my friend who live in Boston in English. As I talked with my parents I noticed that I was taking longer pauses and taking more time to reflect and to think what I had to say. I was more patient and waited longer. I was usually the listener in those conversations on the phone. However, it was the other way around when I was talking to my friend. I was talking more and even interrupted few times when my friend was talking but excused myself and encouraged her to continue on. Nevertheless, I was the speaker and my friend, the listener. I noticed this before that I reflect on my cultural tradition to wait longer and be the "quiet" one when talking with elders and parents even after acquiring or learning different styles of conversations, like those with my friends. It is important part of our skill and knowledge to know what kind of conversational styles to use with various people.

Posted by lcisbold at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)

Dialects

1. I grew up and lived in Mongolia for sixteen years. I've been living in the USA for the past three years. Through out my English learning experiences I have acquired certain local dialects as I moved from one place to another across the country to come up with what I have now, the very mixed Zaya's dialect.

I lived in Oregon for a month, in Virginia for a year, and in Maine for two years. I must shamelessly admit that I do not recall what dialect or accent people had in Oregon, since both tension and excitement took me over as I came into an entirely different environment. Even though I lived near the Rocky Mountains for only a month, I suspect that Oregon dialect had an impact on my own American English-Mongolian dialect as important as Virginia and Maine dialects.

When I moved to live in Radford, Virginia I noticed considerable Southern dialect and may have absorbed it while I was there but I think it faded away during my two years of my life in Maine. Even though I was in Maine, I do not have significant Maine accent. I don't think that people can listen to my conversation and tell that I was in the South or in Maine. Probably it is because my Mongolian dialect is more significant than the other two. However, my Mongolian dialect is slipping away as time passes and I might even sound just as American as you are in few years!

1. Nannette commented that, "'social group' might actually be the operable factor in different dialects" I think it is true that people change dialects depending on where or with whom they are with. I remember some fascinating and out of the ordinary conversations that took place between my Korean and Japanese friends. Sometimes I was not able to tell whether they were speaking Japanese or Korean with on another. As I became close friends and spent more time with them, they told me that they were speaking English which definitely sounded just like Japanese or Korean to me. When they were talking to each other they totally ignored the American dialect and started to use their own dialects on English language. For example, when they intended to say, "Let's go to dinner" they said, "Letch (english-korean dialect) oyo (adding Japanese 'flavor') go to dinnereyo (more Japanese)". They switched back to their American dialect when they talked to me though, otherwise I was not able to tell whether they were speaking in English, Japanese, or Korean with me.

Posted by lcisbold at 08:42 AM | Comments (0)

November 12, 2005

MFA Assignment

1. The wooden floors under my feet as I walked through the exhibit gave me sense of sturdiness. The wood was solid and simple, which gave the photographs being exhibited an even stronger sense of simplicity. This allowed me to just relax and focus on the images that were before me. There were no busy patterns in the room to distract me from what I was there for, looking at images. Even the walls were white enough so that the photographs on the wall actually stood out more and more attention was drawn to them. Some photographs were on the walls on the side of the room and others with a small portion of wall in the center of the room. The small strips of wall in the center of the room gave the exhibit a sense of distance and solidarity, so that the photographs were far enough away from each other to truly appreciate them. Everything about the exhibit had a quiet appeal so that I wasn't distracted by any other interference. The best word to describe the tone of the experience is "still", with nothing drawing away the essence of the art.

2. When I first walked into the exhibit and read a portion of the biography about the artist, Ansel Adams, I assumed that he only focused on nature and the changes that occur. When I started looking at the photographs at the entrance of the exhibit, I noticed that most of the photographs were about the appreciation of nature and noticing the change in weather. However, when I started working my way through the exhibit I saw how Adams not only captured different aspects of nature, but that he also captured people's emotions or images that brought about a sense of emotion. No photograph that Adams took was void of emotion, and all of them evoked some sense of feeling. Adams could do this by capturing images of people, buildings, homes, fences, and roads. The variety in his work, shows that he is not biased by a certain type of photography, but that he has a broad range in his art.

3. The Ansel Adams photograph that I thought was a landscape was called "Moonrise" taken in 1941, which was photographed in Hernandez, New Mexico. It shows a scenery with hills in the background and tiny homes spread about the land, while the sun is barely visible behind the mountains. Adams captures the sun just as it is about to set on the horizon. Adams took this photograph while he was traveling in his car through New Mexico and quickly took out his camera, being fortunate enough to get a picture of the sun just about to dissapear in the horizon. What is important in this image is the sun. The way it casts its final glimmers of light across semantic aspect of the sun setting behing the mountains, the literal interpretation of the sun and mountains, and the emotional aspect of that the setting sun brings across to the viewer.

4. The photograph that I considered to be a portrait was "Trailer Camp Children" taken in Richmond, California in 1946. This photograph was taken of three children. An older male child holding a younger male child, and a small baby girl standing next to them. The photo brought about a concerned sense of emotion for me. I wondered what state the children were in, since there didn't appear to be any parents with them. They seemed to be left all alone to fend for themselves, having no one else to depend on. The place they were photographed in appeared to be their home. It was torn down and beaten up, but it seemed to be enough to get them through another day. Adams captures the weary expression of the oldest male child, showing that he is the one responsible for the younger children and has to take care of them. He evokes the tragic situation that many people forget about, and pretty much brings it to the observer's attention.

5. An abstract photograph by Adams was "Leaves", which was taken at Mills College in Oakland, CA. This photograph showed an array of leaves representative of how Adams enjoyed portraying nature. The designs of the leaves were different, some round and some more pointed than the others. Each of the lines within the leaves could be seen giving the photograph a stronger sense of design. This photograph was taken so well that most people that view it mistake it for an actual painting. The fact that the picture resembles a painting without it being Adams actual intention gives it an abstract appeal. The photograph has an ambiguous representation of a photograph and a painting, which Adams conveys as life being the template for art.

6. The photograph that spoke to me the most out of this exhibit was "Freeway Interchange" which was taken in Los Angeles, CA in 1967. This photograph was so simple, but I was able to draw so many emotions from it. It was really just a picture of one of the freeways in Los Angeles taken from a birds eye view. I could stare at this picutre for hours and feel something different the whole time. The words that came to mind when I observed this picture were "rushing, puntual, small, large, confusing, mixed-up, cyclical." Sometimes when I looked at the photo I just saw then cars on the freeway trying to get from one point to the other. Then I thought of being on an airplane and seeing these cars, so tiny, reminding me of seeing ants on their way to an anthill. Finally I thought of being confused not knowing where to get off on the freeway being stuck in traffic during "rush hour" and not being able to get off of the freeway. I think that I connected most to this photograph, because it was something that I had experienced so I could relate to what Adams was trying to show.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 05:43 PM | Comments (4)

Dialects

I think that I have a dialect in between African American English (AAE) and formal English. Sometimes I might say something like "watcha doin tomorrow?" or "wanna go somewhere". I think that I do this instead of using formal language all of the time, because it is a way to shorten my sentences instead of saying something completely. Even with these shortened sentences I can still be understood the same. I have a southern californian dialect, which is why sometimes I also say "like" a lot when I'm trying to describe something.

When I'm talking to my family I usually use formal language. However, when I'm trying to tell a joke or say something funny I will use slang. I definitely use slang if I'm talking to some of my close friends. Especially if were talking online, we shorten many of the words that we say. I think that I have more of an urban youth dialect, because I grew up in a very urban area and picked up a lot of slang words. When I'm writing or speeking formally I just turn off that swith in my mind and not focus on being informal.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 05:06 PM | Comments (0)

Ansel Adams Assignment

1. I have been to the Museum of Fine Arts many times and each time I go I feel something different. However, the general aura that the museum gives off is the same each time. The museum, for me, is something sacred, something special, something beautiful. The reason for this is because the artwork is so elegant and so cultural. Yet, at the same time, the work in the museum is within my reach, it is touchable and understandable. When I went to the museum a few weeks ago for a French project, I was able to sit on the floor for as long as I wanted to study the painting I was writing a report on. This has made the museum feel, to me, like a good friend. Friends are touchable, but they always possess that quality of uncertainty. This is exactly what the museum is for me. I will always be able to access the MFA, both physically and emotionally, but there will always be more to explore, more to see, and more to enjoy.

2. I think that this quotation by Berger is very interesting because it is something that we usually don’t think about. Most of society, including myself, presumes that the art work in a museum is perfect, flawless, and influential. It is difficult to be critical of art displayed in a museum because we presume that if it is hung there, it must be good. Most of the time, this work is wonderful, but I think it’s important that we develop our own opinions about artwork instead of just accepting those of society. For example, if we do not like a certain piece of work in the Museum of Fine Arts, of if we do not feel that it deserves to be there, we should not be afraid to express our emotions and criticisms. As far as Ansel Adams’ photographs, I think that they truly deserve the display space that they have in the Museum of Fine Arts. Adams was truly an artist and his work expresses so many sentiments that cannot be described with words.

3. For an Ansel Adams landscape, I chose Merced River, Cliffs of Cathedral Rocks, 1939. The thing that initially drew me to this image is the sheer size of the objects that are depicted. This picture shows a river that splits to go around a huge cliff. The long, wide river is flanked by enormous, vibrant trees, yet the trees are positively miniscule in comparison to the enormous cliff behind them. I think that this is one of the reasons that Adams chose to capture this scene. I am sure that he was, as I am, enthralled by the power and charm that nature, in particular this scene, holds. I think by taking this picture he was hoping to share this view of nature with the rest of the world. Adams certainly utilizes the three levels of visual data in this photograph. He uses representation because the picture clearly depicts the scene. However, he also uses symbolism because the trees, rivers, and other aspects of nature are used to symbolize other things. In my mind, these are used to symbolize the power nature has over the world. (This point is well exemplified by the recent natural disasters in the world.) Lastly, Adams uses abstraction because he places a lot of focus on the shapes and textures of these objects. Thus, through this photograph he is able to reach a simpler concept as well as a more complex one.

4. For an Ansel Adams portrait, I chose Georgia O'Keefe and Orville Cox, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, 1937. This picture shows Georgia O’Keefe and Orville Cox friends of Adams’, on vacation in Arizona. The picture is stunning because Adams is able to capture so much through a seemingly simple image. I think that what was most important to Adams in this image was conveying the mood, emotions, and personalities of these two friends. Through this photograph, he is able to capture their expressive and extremely revealing facial expressions and body language. The jovial, youthful nature of their relationship shines through. This portrait relates to the many landscapes by Adams in the Museum of Fine Arts because he expresses many of the same sentiments. He accurately describes the mood of both his landscapes and portraits and uses great detail. He also uses the three levels of visual data. Of course, there is representation which accurately physically describes the scene. However, there are also symbolic and abstract aspects which bring the photograph to another level. Through the use of these aspects Adams is able to categorize this photograph as a typical relationship between two friends in the midst of a beautiful scene.

5. A painting by Ansel Adams that I would describe as abstract is Dunes, Oceana, California, 1950. The thing that makes this photograph so amazing is the fact that Adams took the picture very close-up. Since the picture was taken so close-up, it is difficult to tell that these shapes and textures are actually sand dunes. By using this technique Adams is able to bring a seemingly simple photograph into the abstract and use the details of the sand dunes to create even more images. I think that this is exactly what was important to Adams in this image. He hoped to create an image that would reach beyond its immediate identity into something new. He has certainly done this through the three levels of visual data. Of course, there is the visual representation of the sand dunes. Second, there is the symbolic nature of the photograph, with which Adams is able to use this scene to emit feelings of the power of nature and a greater sense of the world. Lastly, there is the abstract quality of Adams’ photograph, which simplifies the image into mere lines and shapes. This photograph relates to Adams’ work as a landscape artist because, once again, he is able to create an entire mood through his photographs. We not only see the sand dunes, but we also glimpse the entire scene and what is happening throughout it.

6. The Ansel Adams photograph that really caught my attention was Houses in Rain, Mineral King, California, 1936. This photograph shows a small, quaint, clean, and very original home. However, surrounding the house is acres and acres of fields and mountains. Wildflowers run rampant around the house, but the house is extremely neat and clean. This is what truly appealed to me about this painting: the sharp contrast between the natural world and the manmade world. The well-cared for house is planted in the middle of nature’s greatest wonders and while the house can be “tamed”, nature certainly cannot. Another reason I chose this photograph is because I think it echoes the sentiments of many of Adams’ photos. Personally, I find that the majority of his work comments on the powerful, untamable aspect of nature. This is certainly true in this particular photograph because nature is so wild and uncontrolled in comparison to the neat, tidy home. Of course, I also chose this photograph because I really enjoyed the visual juxtaposition of the house planted in the middle of such vast nature. I think this photograph is a “work of art” because encapsulates the conflict between manmade products and nature. In this photograph, Adams is able to capture nature’s overwhelming power over anything manmade.

Posted by lciscotis at 02:03 AM | Comments (0)

November 11, 2005

MFA Assignment

**HELP: If anyone has the dates for some of my pictures, can you comment please? For some reason, I did not write two of them down. Thanks!

1) At one point, during my stay at the MFA, I just stopped analyzing of the photographs around me, stopped searching for my friends, stopped thinking about the studying for the Biology exam that I had to do, and let myself take a minute to observe my surroundings. The walls, stark and gray, gave this perfect backdrop to the intense photographs nailed to the front. These walls were displaying masterpieces, and they themselves had to be modest and unattractive in order to showcase the art. Interesting that, here I go again, back to my black and white theme, all the photographs were black and white, yet the walls were gray. Black and white were so pronounced in the pictures and yet the walls showed that there was this intermediate stage, this connection between the white and black in the photos. I found myself actually staring at the walls, thinking, how could the planners for this exhibit be more creative? The black and white photographs contained on these rectangular squares were placed upon the infinite gray color of the walls indicating that though these pictures only showed a certain person, certain landscape, or a certain object, there were infinite possibilities to their meanings, infinite ways in which to interpret and connect to them. The juxtaposition of these colors was so powerful to me that the architecture and the floors became secondary.

2) Personally, I did not bring many learnt assumptions about art into the museum with me, except for the ones that I was taught in class. I have never been one to analyze photographs, and sadly enough, before going to the exhibit, I thought “anyone can take pictures”. Now, I realize that I was completely wrong. I found that Ansel Adam’s work incorporated elements of representation, symbolism, and most of all, abstractness, the very concepts of art that had been taught to me. I assumed that all art would possess these ideas, but I, being logical and very literal, thought that these elements of art would be shown more concretely. Again, I was proven wrong. This was a real learning experience.

3) Winter Sunrise from Lone Pine, Sierra Nevada 1944 - Detailed and plain. Night and day. Black and white. Adams shows us this powerful image of sunrise, the phase of the time when the sky is neither dark nor light, day or night. He is trying to reveal this sense of an intermediate stage in our lives when we can neither see life in black nor white. There has to be some ambiguity. Our world, our lives cannot be that simple. He also breaks the light of day with the darkness of night. This one band of black mountains provides this stark contrast between the white snow-covered mountains at the top of the photograph and the white trees at the bottom. In addition, at the top and bottom of the photograph, the images are so distinct and detailed. The dips and rivets in the snow covered mountains are accented with shadows and the trees with the lone animal at the bottom of the photograph is also outlined and perfectly formed, whereas the black or the shadow in the middle is a solid color, void of any detail or definition.

Three levels of Visual Data: Ansel Adams incorporates representation into this photograph through the use of a landscape. He is “representing” a sunrise in Sierra Nevada. In this photograph, mountain ranges are towering over a plain with some neighboring trees and an animal, possibly a deer is grazing in the distance. The clouds are in clumps across the gray sky. The representation of the landscape includes many symbols as well. For example, the deer is a symbol of life among the large mountains. The deer can also be used as a frame of reference, to show the relative size between one part of the painting and another. The juxtaposition of the black and white mountains can also be a metaphor for racism, the white mountains in being the white race towering over the black mountains, the black race. The white mountains are casting a shadow over the smaller hills. This is a representation of today’s society, especially with the fight for equality between blacks and whites. This photograph, though maybe just intended to show a sunrise, is taken in such a way that I can have this abstract idea, just from the juxtaposition of the colors and the difference in the height of the two mountain ranges.

4) John Marin, Artist, Cliffside, New Jersey 1949- Immediately, when you look at the photograph, you see this intriguing look of surprise on a man’s face. His eyes just jump out. The picture represents a man, consumed in his artwork, in probably his office at home. He seems to be almost startled by the picture being taken (Representation). It seems as though, in this photograph, that Adams wanted to show everyday life, a man and his work or possibly, a man and his passion. Marin, the painter shown in the picture is holding onto a piece of paper. This grasp on the paper is an indication of some symbolism. It seems as though he is tied to his work or his hobby. I am not completely sure whether he likes his work or not. He is neither smiling nor frowning, indicating that he may be indifferent. His face becomes of symbol of his mood as well as his posture, which is quite erect. He does wear a suit, suggesting that he may be wealthy or at least well-off. When I first looked at the photograph, though, I realized something about the detailing of the picture. Every object in the picture, including the man himself, is rigid and possesses straight lines, except for a tiny painting with squiggly lines. This is abstract. For some reason, Adams included the photo in the background to show that maybe this man has another side to him other than his work. Though he may seem stately and determined, he also can be creative and free with artwork; yet, the painting is situated in the background, indicating that maybe only few people know about this other personality. This portraiture does not exactly relate to the landscapes that Adams photographed. Adams truly focused on the face of the person. The person is the center of his photograph and all there is a distinct background that just adds to the dimension of the picture. In many of the landscapes that Adams photographed, I realized that he does not focus on one aspect of the landscape. He showcases entire areas. There does not seem to be a distinct foreground and background in his landscapes. This is what I noticed, but I have not seen every photograph that he has ever taken.

5) Grass, Water, and Sun, Trailside near Juneau, Alaska 1948 - This photograph defines the term “abstract”. When I first looked it, I had no idea what it was representing. I stood at the photograph for about five minutes, just staring, until I finally read its title, “Grass, Water, and Sun”. I then understood. It was a very abstract photograph of blades of grass upon some body of water (Representation). Each blade possessed small drops of water that glistened in the sunlight (Representation). I took step back from the photograph and realized that, even though I did not see an actual sun, I understood that it existed and that there must have been some source of light to generate these the glean or shine on these beads of water. Actually, I believe, that in this photograph, the things that he leaves out, like the Sun and the origin of the water are the symbols (Symbolism). Ansel Adams creates this photograph to show that we do not need to see everything in nature in order to appreciate it. Adams takes a part of the whole; this part of the water only represents probably a tiny fraction of the entire body of water (Abstract). The analyzer cannot say where these blades of grass are from or what time of the day it is. Every aspect of this photograph is left up to the imagination, and I truly believe that is what Adams intended to do. I found this photograph incredibly powerful because my imagination ran wild. I could stare at that photograph and wonder all day what was occurring behind the scenes. In the end, though, in some ways I wish that there hadn’t been a title. I could have developed my own, what I thought the picture represented. This photograph relates to his work as a landscape artist because this photograph is a smaller snapshot of a landscape, a deeper look into the different parts of nature that make up a landscape like the water, the sun, and the grass (or the plants).

6) Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941- This photograph almost moved me to tears. I stood next to this landscape for almost fifteen minutes, soaking up every inch. There is no other way to describe my feelings for this photograph other than “I truly loved it”. I was at first drawn to the picture because of the religious symbols, the crosses, littered throughout the bottom of the photograph. I consider myself religious and just seeing that among the hills and valleys of New Mexico, where no one was insight, was a church, houses, and a graveyard. How powerful. The gospel is carried even further than large basilicas and cathedrals. God is apparent even in the smallest of villages and the widest of unoccupied land. What struck me was also that these people living in the middle of New Mexico still commemorated the dead and followed the Catholic customs for burial. The lit clouds in the background of the photograph could be seen as representing the souls of the dead traveling to Heaven, blending into the darkness, or abyss in the sky. And yet, there is this one light, the moon, that shines over the village. Whatever your domination, it is apparent that there is something Godly like about this photograph, that the light represents a higher power over the town, over all of us.

After being in New Mexico, for just a week, I had a personal connection to this photograph. My family drove from Colorado to Taos, New Mexico one summer. I saw exactly what is in this photograph. The rolling hills and small villages were breathtaking. We were fortunate enough to see a storm in the sky far away and then a rainbow. It was so magical. So, with this photograph, I carry some of my own sentiments and past experiences, which draws me even closer to it. The description of the photograph says that Adams was able to take this picture seconds before the entire village was consumed in darkness. This photograph is truly a gift. It touches me in such a way that, excuse the cliché, words cannot even begin to explain.

**Lastly, one of my favorite photographs that he took was the Still Life, taken in San Franscico (1932). It was a picture of eggs, an egg-slicer, a bottle of wine, a shower head, and a glass milk bottle. I connected immediately to it because it reminds me of my great-aunt’s house. Every Sunday, my family would visit her in Holyoke, Massachusetts. We would all sit around and talk in her old house that had been in the family for years. She would always have hardboiled eggs for us, and she would pull out the egg-slicer. My brother and I used to have so much fun cutting the eggs this way and eating them. Sometimes, I would take two eggs, just because I wanted to use the slicer. :)

-Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 02:19 PM | Comments (0)

November 10, 2005

My Dialect

Question 1

My dialect, according to the Speech Accent Archive with the sound clips, is closest to that of the speaker from Caribou, Maine. (Caribou is way up in northern Maine, close to Canada). As for my parents, my mom grew up in Panama and Texas, while my dad was raised in Virginia. They both have southern accents that have faded over the years so I only notice them sometimes. I spent the first ten years of my life in Southern Massachusetts, and the last nine years in Midcoast Maine.

What's funny about Maine is the range in accents. The woman from Caribou in the clip whom my dialect most resembles sounded slightly Canadian. Other Mainers have a distinct accent, somewhat similar to that of a Bostonian but with more "hick". I don't notice an accent in most people who are from my area, although there are some very strong accents particularly in the more isolated areas (such as on the island where I live), and in the people who have spent their whole lives here. I don't feel like I have a type of accent, besides general American, but I'm sure people from other parts of the country would disagree! It's interesting because my aunt who lives in Colorado told me that I sound Canadian.

Question 2

I witness someone altering her dialect (based on whom she is talking to) on a regular basis. Let me tell you a little something about my mom...she will pick up the phone and say "hello" in a voice that sounds normal to me, and as soon as she finds out that it's one of the relatives from the South, she starts talking like she never left Texas. It's the weirdest thing. Especially with her inlaws; I hardly recognize her voice. I don't think she does it on purpose, but I can't help but giggle when it happens. Even her laugh sounds different when she has that twang. My dad doesn't do the same, even though he grew up in Virginia. According to my friends, he has an accent by I don't notice it often. These kinds of things are interesting to think about.

Posted by lcishagan at 10:07 PM | Comments (1)

Conversations

Over the past few days, I have been paying attention to my conversations with my roommate, who is from Long Island. Instead of trying to prolong my pauses, I tried to shorten them; otherwise I don't think I would get anything in! Through doing this, I realized that we had to talk over one another. For example, when she thought I was just about done talking, then she would start talking. But if I wasn't really done yet, I would have to speak up and talk over her enough so she would realize that my story was in fact not done yet.

I also had a class discussion in my history class today, which was a good way to see many different conversational styles. First of all, in this class, we set up ground rules that stated that we didn't have to raise our hands to speak, like in many classes. During the discussion I noticed that many people started to talk over one another, which I don't see as a good thing. I think that the people, like myself, who are used to "longer" pauses (or pauses at all!) don't really get the chance to talk. I am a big opponent of interruption, I absolutely hate being interrupted, and I therefore don't like interrupting other people. But those who just talk over one another don't really see "talking over" as interruption, although I do. Therefore, I really find it awkward to talk during these discussions because I can never really figure out when I can join the conversation, and it's really hard to force myself to "talk over" others in order to say what's on my mind.

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 05:02 PM | Comments (2)

Dialect Variations

1. I was born in a suburb outside of Washington DC. However, I've been raised in Rochester, New York. Rochester is the third largest city in the state of New York. Unfortunately, not many people know where it is. Rochester is practically in the middle of Syracuse and Buffalo and is completely surrounded by bodies of water. There is the Erie Canal, which runs through Rochester, the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes. My dialect is rather interesting. My mother grew up in New York City and attended an oral school for the deaf, which was the primary mode of teaching deaf children back in the day. Although she and her classmates were "taught" to speak, my mom doesn't really use her speech now, and is not good at it. My mother has never heard a spoken word in all her life; she was born profoundly deaf to deaf parents. It is said in the deaf community that people like my mother for instance, have "deaf speech." My father, on the other hand grew up in Hampton, Virginia. First, his parents put him in a normal school, where he flunked out because he did not have means to an interpreter. My father was then sent hours away from home, and forced to live at Virginia School for the Deaf. Needless to say, my father flourished here, becoming an actor, all around athlete and valedictorian for his senior class. Anyway, my dad has what is called progressive hearing loss, which means that he was born with enough hearing to pick up some sounds (this is the deafness I have). Therefore, he was able to hear people talk and learn how to speak rather normally. My father's speech is not as good as mine, but his is comprehensible, and he does use it when needed. My father does have somewhat of a southern accent, plus he sometimes eliminates certain sounds to words. Both my parent's primary mode of communication is American Sign Language. My mother is Jewish, my father was Catholic but converted to Judaism on his own. I consider myself Jewish. I believe that I do have somewhat of a New York accent. My roommate has poked fun at the way I say water, banana, and animal. I don't really know how to compare how I talk, as I don’t really know what I sound like in all honesty?

2. It is very possible that “social group” is a factor in different dialects. I think that everyone switches dialects at one point or another, without realizing it. Different dialects have a lot to do with the age of the people you’re speaking with. Dialects also have to do with emotions and tone of voice. Additionally, race, class, and sexual orientation have to do with dialects. I know for a fact that in certain situations I speak to my parents differently than my friends, and I know a lot of people do.

Posted by lcissearls at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)

My Conversations...

I have been trying this week to listen to other people's speech and notice the subtle differences. There were three main things I noticed this week and in the past:

1. My roomate Sarah is from Norwood, about 20 minutes from Boston. During the past couple of months I have noticed that she pronounces vowels, particularly "a" and "o" differently than I do. For example, I pronounce the word "dad" with what I would call a soft "a". Sarah says "Dad" with a very long, hard, exaggerated "a", like "Daaad". (Sorry for the weird notation, but this is difficult to convey in writing.) Similarily, she pronounces "o" more like "u". Instead of saying Mommy with a distinct "o" sound, she says something closer to Mummy, with a "u" sound. There are lots more words which signify the same thing, but these are the two best examples. Since I met her I have been trying to "correct" her speech. (Meaning bring it closer to mine!!)

2. My cousin Kate is five years older than me, but we basically grew up together and did everything together. For this reason, many of our mannerisms are the same. Kate went to college at UCONN and returned after four years with distinctly different vowel sounds which my sister, brother, and I love to make fun of. She, similar to Sarah, but not in the same way, also exaggerates her "a" sound. A clssic example of this is the word "traffic". Her "a" sound is very exaggerated, as if she is saying "I am stuck in traaaaffic." Also, she calls her mother "Ma". Instead of saying "Ma", she says "Maaa" (which ryhmes with Baaa--like a sheep. I think this is interesting because her speech used to be identical to mine, and it has now altered slightly because she was in a different geographical location for few years.

3. Lastly, I have been studying my father's speech for years. As I mentioned in class, he does not pronounce the "h" sound. He says "uge" for "huge", "appy" for "happy", "urricane" for "hurricane", etc. Once, just for fun and because I like to bother him, I tried the candle trick from "My Fair Lady" on him. For those not familiar with this, the "h" sounds produces a short puff of air which should make the candle flame move. With my dad, nothing happened!! My dad also makes many speech errors. For example, we have some good friends with the last name "Scothon". Most people pronounce it "Sco-thin". My dad has no clue how to say it. Usually, he says "Sco-shin". I honestly have no clue why he makes such errors. I think it is just his personality, he does not really pay attention to difficult pronounciations and spellings. It is something to ponder though!!

--Brenna D.

**P.S. I am REALLY sorry that this is so long.

Posted by lciscotis at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)

Differences in Dialects

(1)I grew up in Suffield. It is a small suburban farming town located near the notch of Connecticut, almost on the Massachusetts border. Both of my parents grew up in Massachusetts. My mother was raised in Palmer, just a town over from my father, who was raised in Three Rivers. Though my parents are both 100% Polish, my mother’s immediate family was Polish-speaking, while my father’s immediate family was a little more modern, not as much Polish speaking. At the time that my parents grew up, being Polish was not an accepted thing. Polish kids were made fun of and tormented, so both my mother and father’s parents did not teach their children much Polish because they did not want others to know about their heritage. I was raised in a Roman Catholic household because my entire family is Roman Catholic, although my religion really has had no bearing on my language or dialect. I have neither the Boston nor the New York dialect. Bostonians pronounce their “r”s differently and New Yorkians have this twang and a distinct vowel sound, it seems. The only word that I can think of that defines me as a Northeasterner is the word “wicked” which is only common around this area. Other than that, usually, people cannot tell where I am from. I don’t really hold an accent or use any particular phrases or words. My family all comes from around the same area; we are all within the same borders on the dialect chart, so maybe that is why I have no real distinct drone or accent. I am not really sure. In general, I speak pretty clearly and enunciate all letters in a word and sometimes, I can speak very fast, when I am not thinking about it. I was brought up in a middle class household, so I neither talk very proper, nor in slang.

(2)I do think that “social group” is an operable factor in different dialects. Personally, I do not really speak differently from my parents to my friends, but I know many people who do. You can almost see a complete turn around from when someone is talking to an adult and when someone is talking to his or her friend. Actually, I notice this a lot in my father. When he is talking with a client, he speaks very firmly and to the point. He is understanding, yet strong. The tone of his voice becomes a little lower and more distinct. He enunciates every letter and syllable of every word in order to get his ideas across. When he is talking to his great aunt, almost 90, on the other hand, his voice is softer and gentler. He is not as strict in enunciating every syllable of every word. He speaks in short sentences and asks short, very simple, questions. There is this dialect difference. I notice it every time he speaks, and he can’t seem to change it.

It is so intriguing how there can be many different dialects because of the immigrants that moved into the United States. There are just some words and phrases I do not understand from the South and the West, just because of my location. It is almost like I need to have a history lesson before I go to different parts of my own country! Specifically, I am still amazed with the disconnect between East coast and West coast speaking. Many of the things that Yasmin says, I have no idea what she is talking about! I just have to write them down sometimes because they are just so random. It is amazing to me that just a difference in location can create this gap between lingoes.

-Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 12:16 PM | Comments (0)

MFA Assignment

Wooden floors that others have walked on before me. Art filling the white of the walls. Oriental rugs plastering the floors. Slate and Granite floors from Santa Fe. Wisdom and books, changing emotions. Works of art brought back from various countries. Tastes of culture, experience. Posted works of young children's creativity. Artwork showing progression, stages. Eclectic yet modern appearance. The Ansel Adams exhibit is like home to me.

Berger states, "Yet when an image is presented as a work of art, the way people look at it is affected by a whole series of learnt assumptions about art." I think that most people believe that artwork in museums are always great and deserve to be housed there. I think this causes people to force themselves to like artwork just because it is in a museum. That should not be the case. Artwork sold on the streets should be considered just as much "art" as the Mona Lisa is. Needless to say, personal taste affects perceptions on art.

Trees, Illouette Ride, Yosemite National Park, about 1945: Landscape This is an amazing photograph. The foreground has two large trees growing close to each other. It seems as if one is alive and the other is dead. The one that is dead is stripped bare of its bark, while the other is alive, and every grain of existence is evident in its textured, lively bark. At the roots, pinecones and bark are untouched, surrounding the earth beneath these trees. He incorporated the three levels of visual data in this photograph in various ways. First of all, Adams is trying to symbolize the cycle of life and death in nature. Representation is displayed in the scene by two polarized opposites right next to each other. Alive and dead. The abstractness of the photograph is focused on the texture of the trees, bare and rough, light and dark. This abstract style Ansel implements pays careful attention to shape and color rather than reality.

Mr. Shepard at his home, Independence, California, about 1936: Portrait The man in the photograph, or Mr. Shepard, is weathered by the passage of time. His wrinkles are deep, an indication of how old, and how rough his life has seemed to be. He looks permanently tied to the chair, which goes with the house. Mr. Shepard always has and always will be a part of the house he is in front of. One needs to look closely to see him, the white, paint-peeling fence is in the foreground and Mr. Shepard almost seems a blur. He blends in with the house, as if Adams caught him in an unexpected moment. The relationship between the old man and the house was particularly of importance to Adams. He was trying to communicate that. This image is symbolic because it displays the typical preconception of an old man. The photograph is a representation of aging, because it shows how the house has grown old with Mr. Shepard. Additionally, this piece is abstract because it did not capture his face directly. Although a portrait, Mr. Shepard is in the background, hidden by the fence protruding in front of him. This relates to Adam’s landscapes because it shows a single view of the house.

Museum Storeroom, de Young Museum, San Francisco about 1935: Abstract This photograph is rare and amazing, it shows museums behind the scenes. The storeroom in the photograph represents generations of art and histories. The molds and sculptures of animals and people look as if they are in motion, unaware of the audience. The molds seem to be moving, arms are raised to the ceiling, feet are perched in the air, and some statues are crouched, almost human. Ansel Adams tried to show what we don’t always see in museums and this was important to him because even he is unfamiliar with basements of museums. This photograph is definitely symbolic of general art. Representation in this piece shows the real world, and that all people are multidimensional, just like art. This is represented by the shadows in the room. Lastly, this photograph relates to Adam’s work as a landscape artist because it just shows an untouched scene, left as it is.

Trailer Camp Children, Richmond California, 1944: Picture that speaks to me I could keep looking at this picture and not get over the emotions I see on the children’s faces. Their faces are history. They represent poverty, the collapse of wartime economy and they are the foundations of what we as a society are today. There are three children in the foreground; they are the focus of the photograph. Their faces reveal grief and despair. The oldest child is watching over the younger children, a toddler and an infant. There are signs of fatigue under the children’s eyes. There are wrinkles where there should be pure, smooth skin. These kids are hardened, absent and distant but yet they are still there. They are captured and alive in the photograph, stored on film, a single second in time. Dirt is prevalent on their clothes, there is even dirt between the fingernails. The children seem genderless, as one cannot tell who is a boy or who is a girl. The photograph is a strong image, caught in the right moment. Out of the three kids, only the infant is looking at the camera, and the eyes are the windows to the soul. They are us. To capture such an image, is a work of art. To reveal emotions so powerful makes this photograph speak to me.

Posted by lcissearls at 12:33 AM | Comments (11)

November 09, 2005

Nature vs. Nurture

I found the article, “Why Boys Don’t Play with Dolls” particularly intriguing. Nature vs. Nurture has been debated for years. Fortunately or unfortunately, I have had to argue both sides before during biology class. It is just such a tough topic to debate because there is not much explicit evidence that explains the situation either way. In the article, this paragraph, in particular, interested me: “Could it be that even sports-resistant moms see athletics as part of manliness? That if their sons wanted to spend the weekend writing up their diaries, or reading, or baking, they’d find it disturbing? Too anti-social? Too lonely? Too gay?” (317) I can see where the article is going with this statement, but for me, I disagree. If a boy wanted to write poetry, maybe slam poetry or raps all weekend, that wouldn’t be that unbelievable, would it? Can’t writing be a release for boys as well? Personally, I don’t consider writing in a diary a release but more of a hassle. I guess my views are a result of how I was brought up. My mother and father always forced me and my brother to explore every area of life; both stereotypical boy activities and stereotypical girl activities. I learned how to change a tire, wire a light, build a cradle, paint my room by myself, cook, clean, sew, balance a checkbook, make a budget, use a drill, drive a standard, etc. My parents instilled in me that as long I have the will, the confidence, and God, I can do anything. They not only encouraged me to take art or child development in school (mostly attended by females), but also engineering and computer language classes (completely male dominated—only girl). These experiences have truly shaped me as a person. In the end, I think Pollitt hits the nail right on the head when she says, “that’s why, if you look carefully, you’ll find for every kid who fits a stereotype, there’s another who’s breaking one down. Sometimes, it’s the same kid—the boy who skateboard and takes cooking in his afterschool program; the girl who collects stuffed animals and A-pluses in science” (317). Can’t we all aspire to be like this?

**Additional Comment: I thought the comic attached to the article was hilarious and so true!

-Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 10:01 PM | Comments (1)

Slammed

Slam

To be slammed

Knowing it would come

Thinking about it

Others telling you not to

Others not

It goes along slowly

And then the

Slam

Of what we thought we knew

What we thought was life

All at once

Hard to control

Difficult to see past

Caught up in the now

Longing for the past

Questioning what was

Slam

Posted by lcisthur at 04:38 PM | Comments (0)

John Wayne

I think the transcript, John Wayne, brought up some interesting points. It was more than just a story that lead from one thing to another, more than a conversation that drifted from one topic to the next, but it had many layers to it. There was a complete turn-around from what one might have first expected in the beginning, which goes along with the author's point that we shouldn't always believe things. We shouldn't always believe what people say, for example, whether Eta actually had an affair with John Wayne or not. But that is beyond the point. Truth is separate and beyond fact. The author tries to turn around who John Wayne is, what he is known for, what we automatically think of when we hear his name. From being a murderous macho, sexist, big cowboy to perhaps being a feminist, or a person who actually cared abot and had compassion for the well-being of others... This is such a great contrast, and from this the author pokes fun at what John Wayne symbolizes.

Posted by lcisthur at 04:25 PM | Comments (0)

Evaluation

1. I think Nanette and Ellen were really good at starting the class off at a level that everyone could access. Going over the elementary stuff to make sure that everyone was on the same page. And then pushing us further and starting to go beyond the comfort zone.

2. I've enjoyed having personal evaluation and feedback in the class particularly from Ellen and Nanette. And I've enjoyed being stimulated in terms of my writing and thinking. I'm learning a lot by process in addition to the actual subject matter (which I also thoroughly enjoy).

3. I've enjoyed the class participation. This class has given me an opportunity to interact with fellow students in a way that others haven't and I've appreciated that.

4. It is difficult to keep track of the assignments because there are various types and many with the three yet one class. It is much easier to follow having both handy-dandy dynamic whatchamagoodies on the site but would be still easier if there was one and if it listed as many of the assignments as possible - big ones and small.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 11:14 AM | Comments (0)

Mid-Semester Evaluation

There are a variety of factors that have helped, or that have been beneficial to me in this class. I have always enjoyed coming together as a class to have discussions, and like reflecting together and hearing what others have to say, as well as expressing my own thoughts. Other classmates make interesting points that can support what you were thinking, while at other times, they may make new points that never occured to you. They may make sense or not, I may agree or disagree, but I think that is all part of the beauty of the class community.

The powerpoints actually really help encforce the main focus points of the class and the background text or article readings. The examples, such as paintings, included in the presentations, helped facilitate discussion and application of the ideas firsthand in the class, which helps solidify the new concepts.

The reading assignments, either in article or text-book form, are interesting, but at times, they seem quite repetative. I like reading about new things and ideas, but often when I finish a reading assignment I reflect and think that I already knew a lot of what it was about from previous assignments.

Something that I believe would really help me, and other people in the class, would be a clearer understanding of what is exactly expected of us for homework each night, and what is due for the next class. The dynamic online calanders REALLY help, but even so, they do not always seem up to date, and they do not always include everything we are supposed to do, including what we have to blog on. I would really benefit from a clear statement of what is expected of us to have done by the next class, perhaps a syllabus for the week or two weeks or so we can go by. I sometimes feel overwhelmed (actually, quite often) but the huge workload, and often do not know where to begin when it comes to tackling the class assignments.

Posted by lcisthur at 11:11 AM | Comments (0)

Self Reflection

What has helped me in this class has been learning about images and words, and how to derive meaning from them. In other courses that I've taken in high school I've had to analyze these things on a somewhat superficial level. In Zooming In, I've been able to try to think deeper about what I actually see in a photograph or a painting, and interpret the literal or figurative meaning. In Ellen's class I've pretty much challenged myself to go beyond what I think something represents based on my opinion, but try to understand other meanings as well. In Nanette's class I've found myself realizing that the way that I talk is different than someone else, because of many factors. What's worked for me in these classes has been the feedback that I've gotten from other people when writing papers and also from posting assignments on the blog. I think that feedback from my peers has helped me in my writing. Even though the reading that we do in these classes is interesting to me, sometimes I feel like we don't specifically talk about it in class as much, so I feel like I'm missing out on some discussion about that. Watching movies about what we discuss in class has also worked for me, because it really emphasizes the topic that we are discussing. I've learned a lot from the combination of both classes and have benefit from the fact that they complement each other.

Posted by lcisperez at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)

Emmy Evaluation

Hello!

I definitely appreciate the support I get from Ellen and Nanette.

I enjoy the subject matter very much and I feel that I am increasingly more aware of unique gestures and conversational styles.

I also enjoy the classroom setting. I think my classmates and my professors create a welcoming learning environment (this makes blogging a much easier process than it could be)

I think that with all of the reading, writing and blogging assignments, it's very easy to feel overwhelmed and behind in class. Also, it's hard to figure out what's do when (that has gotten better however)

Posted by lcisowens at 11:08 AM | Comments (1)

Mid-semester Evaluation

I enjoy our Learning Community because it challenges me in ways that my high school English classes didn't. The fact that our writing assignments are so drastically different from each other (i.e. the Ode, SLAM poem, and analytical Crash paper) that we are able to practice a variety of different kinds of writing. In high school, it was always the analytical essay that we repeated over and over again. I like the freedom here that we are given, and a new kind of assignment is always a good challenge.

What is also good about our classes is that all of the people here really want to learn. We help each other with our writing and critique each other's opinions. Having someone edit my paper helped immensely, and has helped me become a better editor myself. I recently edited a friend's paper and he was shocked at how thorough and original my comments were. I don't think I could have done it without the experience from these classes.

In terms of content, I enjoy learning the process behind language because I've never thought about it before, especially in-depth. What I like about the Visual Culture class is that it forces us to think outside of the box. It has helped me channel my creative side. The fact that the class's emphasis is not on grades but on learning is particularly helpful.

There are not many ways in which I think the program could be improved. At first, I didn't like the mandatory blogging but it has helped me to critique my own writing now that I have seen it from others' points of view.

Posted by lcishagan at 11:08 AM | Comments (2)

Mid-Semester Review

I liked the freeness in discussion we had during the LCIS. It was nice to reflect upon what we were reading or watching. It is a very innovative approach, at least for me, to do activities like visiting the MFA where the classroom is put into context. I really enjoyed that aspect. I would say my favorite assignment(s) we had were the comic assignments, especially reading Persepolis. I had never really given any thought to comics as being a form of literature until this year. I now look at comics in a completely different perspective. I also like getting feedback on my writing and having my papers written all over so the next time I may write better. I think the biggest hinderance for me was the amount of work to do in the amount of time given; sometimes I felt like I was rushing to complete an assignment or blog just for the sake of completing it because it was due and not liking what was assigned.

Posted by lcisfreya at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)

Mid-semester evaluation

I like how when we are assigned to write a paper, we are given usually a few weeks to write it, then we pass that draft in. We are then given the draft back and given another week or so to make changes to it, then we pass the final copy in. In most English classes I have taken this has not been the case. Usually when I have been assigned a paper, I am given a certain amount of time to complete it, then I hand it in and that is the end of it. I like how here we are the opportunity to spend more time with our writing. It makes you critique yourself more and really work on what could be better in your paper, and I find that this helps a lot.

I also like how the class is not as structured as other classes are. For example, in other classes sometimes worrying about when exams are and what information you need to know for the exam, gets in the way of actually listening in class. I find that in here I can really focus on the material because I do not have thoughts or worries in the back of my head concerning when or how I am going to be tested on the material.

I enjoy the creative aspect of the class as well. I feel like we are engaged in an interactive learning process, whereas in other classes it often seems like we are just copying notes from the board. In here we seem more responsible for the learning that we are doing, and I think that helps to make information stick.

One thing that impedes my learning in here is the subject matter itself. It is hard to sit for two hours and learn about different facets of communication when that is not what you are interested in at the time. I understand that what we are learning is important, but I think that in only allowing honors students to choose between two MCC courses (communication or government) the college has made it difficult for us to really choose a class that we have genuine interest in. There really is nothing that anyone can do to fix this problem, but I think it is a definite impedement to my learning.

Posted by lcissullivan at 11:07 AM | Comments (2)

Lauren's Mid-semester Evaluation

Three things that have been helpful in this class..

1. Writing on the blogs has definitely allowed me to write more often. This enables me to write more fluently, taking the ideas from my head and putting it down on paper at a convenience.

2. This class has given me a different outlook on viewing the world. I look more carefully and analyze, rather than just assuming.

3. Getting feedback from peers that know the content an the course is definitely helpful. Not only did I recieve constructive feedback, I also got more ideas and different viewpoints about the same topic.

One thing that has not been helpful/hard...

1. I feel like Practices of Looking was a hard textbook for me to get through. Although it was very interesting, I felt like the readings were wordy and repetitive. By being so long, the text actually lost the meaning, and the reading did not seem as effective.

Posted by lcissearls at 11:07 AM | Comments (1)

Evaluation

I enjoy that there aren't any tests or quizzes, as I find those to be much more stressful than papers. I also like that we have our writing assistant, Amy. I think she is very helpful and a very good resource. Perhaps my favorite thing about these classes together is that it is so laid back. It is very casual, but yet I still learn so much.

In some ways I like that we aren't graded, although sometimes I wish we were. I like to know where I stand in my classes so that I can try and fix whatever might not be working. On the other hand, all the feedback on my papers does help, I think.

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)

Mid-Semster Evaluation

Three things that have helped me to learn in this class are:

1)not being numerically graded-I am a person who stresses out so much about my grades and this has enbaled me to concentrate more on the assignment and what I am supposed to be doing instead of what my actual grade is going to be

2)the WA-is is really nice to have someone whose job it is to read my paper and correct any miskates I might not have noticed and who is able to give me suggestions about what I might do to improve the structure of our paper

3)going over the hoomework on Mondays before handing it in-I have found some of the assignments really difficult and it is so much better to go over the homework before we hand it in while I still remember what the assignment is than to have it corrected and then handed back to us a week later

One thing that has not helped me in class:

1)I think the classes are a little too long...I know this really can't be helped but sometimes I just find it very difficult to sit and listen for two hours.

Posted by lcismardin at 11:07 AM | Comments (25)

Midsemester eval.

Three things that I liked and thought were helpful so far...

1. The idea that we can get peer feedback on mostly everything that we do, espcially our papers, is good because it is nice to know what other peers think of your paper, too. It's kind of like getting a different perspective on things because the peers are our age, know what we're going through, because they are kind of going through it to, and I think that it is helpful.
2. The fact that people can comment on the blog because it feels good to get a good comment from somebody knowing that they feel the same way, or enjoyed something that you wrote.
3. Not being graded on work and papers helps. It makes it easier to write what I am thinking because I am not worried about "oh, is this going to get me a B or and A or what?"

One thing not helpful...

1. I don't like the fact that when I get a paper back, it always seems to be bad comments. There may be one or two good things, but the negative comments overpower the good and the good are often over looked. Not saying that my papers are wonderful, because I know there can be many many improvements and that the comments are there to help and to be feedback in how to improve the paper, but sometimes it stresses me out because I feel like it's not good enough. And then to get another paper back within the next few days with the same type of comments just adds on to that feeling. I think maybe if the first comment on the front page of the paper, in the top margin, was a good one, even just saying "Good try, blah blah blah" and then go into the negative would be better.

Posted by lcisnelson at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)

Mid-Semester Evaluations

Positives: 1.) I thought that the teaching approach was very different and interesting in both classes. I feel that, many times, movies, comics, pictures, etc. were shown to supplement the readings or the lesson. I found this extremely helpful because I am more of a visual person and many times, I cannot just see a concept one way; I need to see it applied to something. I need to see its significance or importance in my everyday life.

2.) I thoroughly enjoyed the grading. I am used to English classes in highschool where every bit of my writing was critiqued. There was so much structure, that I found no room to be creative and different, so being in this class and not having to worry about my grades was a tremendous relief. I could write anything I wanted. Also, I have never been in a class like this where I had to analyze everything I saw or read. Usually, I have trouble with seeing metaphors and representations, but in this class, I didn't have to worry about the grades I was going to get on my papers, I just had to focus on symbols and my own interpretation.

3.) This, in many ways, relates to the second positive, but I just enjoyed the environment in class. Everyone was just so accepting of my ideas and views. Everything I said or wrote seemed to be recognized and appreciated. For me, this was a boost to my confidence in writing. I always thought I was a poor writer, but now, I realize that I may not be that horribly bad.

Negative: 1.) It was difficult to blog sometimes, though I did enjoy it, when I have the chance. Overall, enjoy this class! No negatives.

Posted by lcisgancarz at 11:07 AM | Comments (2)

There are many things that helped me to think and reflect beyond my usual point of view in this class. The advantage of being in small class and be able to be in a small group discussion group gave me and my peers to give each other feed back. Having feed back from them gave me different and helpful ideas on certain topics we were discussing in class. In high school I always wondered what my classmates opinion on certain topic were and never had ability to share our opinions outside of class. With opportunity to blog I offered my relfection on their works, weekly and commented on others' works helped me to see where my peers stood and what their writings reflected upon.

In learning, nothing is too easy. I don't recall anything that "blocked" my learning at this moment. I hope that "block" occured to me to point out what I needed to evaluate.

Posted by lcisbold at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)

midsemester critique

The three things that assisted my learning in this community so far are: 1) The blogging itself. It has helped me create new ideas and learn from others what might be solutions to questions we have brought up in class. Also, having the dynamic calendars online have helped me keep up and stop procrastinating, for this class anyway. 2) The format of the class being in three different sections has helped tie everything together and made things more understandable for applications. Plus, I think I have found a new major thanks to Nanette's class(unfortunately it isnt offered here). The format has helped me to look around and be more perceptive with all my senses when I'm outside of class as well. 3) Lastly, the lack of extreme pressure with letter grades has helped boost my confidence in my own work and now I can be confident in new ideas that I think may be slightly controversial. It has helped me to stop just absorbing the information in class and regurgitating it but to expand my ideas and give applications to everyday life.

On the other hand, one thing that has prevented some learning in this community is the fact that sometimes it is unclear what we will be doing or how it relates to what we will be learning or have learned. For example, we do a lot of fun things in this community, but I dont exactly think meditation is needed in the middle of class. Sure, it is relaxing and some students may be stressed, but we must find our own time to relax and find a way to put that in our schedules as adults. It is understandable that there is a big transition from highschool to college, but many of us are used to stress in highschool as well. Overall, I can't say anything else that has preventing my learning because this is such a unique class and most everything we do is stimulating for the mind. It is hard to pick out something that is preventing my learning!

Posted by lcisyeich at 11:06 AM | Comments (0)

Mid-Semester Evaluation

Three Things That Have Facilitated My Learning:

1. This BLOG. I really think that blogging has helped my learning. In a classroom it is often difficult to know what others are thinking, and the blog helpes me to understand what others think of certain things. The blog is also great because I am able to bounce off the wonderful ideas of others in order to generate my own. I especially enjoy when people post things that relate to things we discuss in class. I think a big part of learning is when people post things that relate the classroom to the outside world because this is how we know that what we are learning is valuable. I only wish that people would do this more.

2. The MOVIES. (Crash, Slam) I like watching these movies in class for basically the same reason. It is awesome that we are able to relate our classroom work to something bigger. Of course, being able to incorporate "pop culture" also helps to make the class more interesting and fun!!

3. The DISCUSSIONS. I really love how our classroom discussions are open-ended. We are able to discuss almost anything freely and without hinderance. Also, the format is very informal so I am not afraid to say something because I know that my thoughts will be acknowledged and considered for their worth. (Or lack there of!!)

One Thing That Has Hindered My Learning:

1. Although I may regret saying this, I wish that we were able to do more formal/extensive reading and writing in place of the busy work. Although I believe that reading a chapter and answering questions on it is necessary for learning, I wish that we could reflect more on it. For example, instead of spending so much time reading about morphemes, we could go out and research those particular aspects of this subject which most interest us. I also think it would be interesting, in the future, for other classes, for every student to go out, find an article they find interesting in relation to a particular subject, and then share it with the class.

--Brenna D.

Posted by lciscotis at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)

November 08, 2005

S L A M M E D ...

Trapped between the walls he manages to impress his enemies

Except from his heart there is no place for his memories

ALL day long the man fights to survive his community

Cops hate him, stabbs him with stares of scrutiny

Harder to breath, as hatred and frustration fill his veins!!!

Us and them, what is the difference in life of games

See the sun and one day your time will come.
The opportunity that you slammed away will come back...

Posted by lcisbold at 09:53 PM | Comments (1)

Conversational Styles

There are so many different conversational styles. People can talk so differently and mean something completely different than what they say. For instance a person could say "you are so pretty" and really mean that you aren't, but to you it may seem that they mean what they say. This is shown a lot in the movie "Mean Girls" starring Lindsay Lohan where girls say something nice but really mean something evil.

Pauses are also important in speech. A pause in speech can mean that a person has nothing more to say to the person that they are talking to, or that they are waiting for the other person in the conversation to say something. I noticed that when I was talking to my friend who I've gotten to know for about two months that when we had nothing more to each we just sort of paused for a while and then resumed talking after we had thought about something else to say. Sometimes we even started talking at the same time after a long pause, because we had each thought of another conversation topic. However, pauses can be good because you don't really have to talk the whole time when you're having a conversation. Most people take pauses during speech to think about what they're going to say.

Speech can be determined on so many levels, and each part of it is so interesting.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 07:26 PM | Comments (0)

Slam Poetry

A Rise and Then A Fall

A rise and then a fall, sometimes you don’t know who to call when it happens. You’re up and then you’re down, that’s all there is to it. The oppressor and the oppressed, no need to second guess the oppressors wrong. Taking your fall to justify their rise, there can’t be a compromise. Nothing but lies, deceit and fault, to determine who it is that’s meant to be caught.

Caught up in the cycle of “being” a certain way. Black, White, Asian, or Latino races, we all have the same faces. Faces that express emotion, sadness, love and hate. But yet we’re so quick to designate someone’s actions because of their race. Don’t we get it yet? People rise and they fall, mistakes that people make have nothing to do with race at all.

We’re all people, we see, we taste and we feel. That should be enough to give people an appeal to the truth. The truth being that people are not so different. We all rise fall the same, so there really is no one to blame. We should truly be ashamed for calling someone a racist, when sometimes we act the same way. One day we’ll all have to pay for our rises and falls, but for now we just have to keep getting back up.

Posted by lcisperez at 07:18 PM | Comments (3)

Train Tracks

I nothing know who no-one comes like a knife to steal the life of the crumpled creature

Forever got not I chance ride simply in the train sit

Death in my hand

Everything I know

Posted by lcissavides at 06:20 PM | Comments (0)

SLAM

"SLAM"

Unlock

Unwind

Uncover

Undo

Understand.

Distances and fright

Between Red and Yellow

Black and white

These, the categories

What about the stories?

Ever think

To ask?

Smash

Smile

Seize

Sculpt

See.

Choice, but

Not a chance.

Slam—doors close.

Posted by lcishagan at 05:23 PM | Comments (3)

Dissapointed

Depressed Repressed Suppressed Under stress Fallen beneath the roots We’ve been kicked off the trees And sent to live down the seas Keys, keys where are my keys We cant open this tiny door To unlock this heart we’ve been yelling for Rejected as a stranger Far away Pushed away And as we fell Asked them why We can’t stay Nothing ever stays Slammed from one Trap to another We seep from one line to another Like slow honey part of us stays Everywhere we go Why cant we just go Why cant we just stay

-Jess Y

Posted by lcisyeich at 03:33 PM | Comments (1)

Slam!

This is my poem, called Slam! It was inspired by the word slam and a conversation with my friend. And because of the weird formatting, "--" indicates divisions between stanzas.

---

Making decisions,

Can be so hard,

What do you want to do?

Ah!

So much to choose from.

--

You talk it out,

Make pro/con lists,

But what do you want?

Ugh!

Only you can really know.

--

The time has come,

You must decide,

Door number one or two?

Slam!

You just missed your chance.

---

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 03:08 PM | Comments (1)

Please help me SLAM.

Sometimes I wish

Sometimes I wish, wish

It would just stop

Stop

STOP

This and that and this

Would STOP

SLAM to a stop.

Boom, Bang, SLAM, Stop.

Halt, grind, SLAM, Stop.

The pain, the laughter.

The joy, the games.

The shame, the tears.

The images and the words.

The responsibilities, the plans.

SLAM, SLAM to a stop.

I want to go back.

Go Back.

Back.

White Walls.

White Shoes.

Brown Hair.

Brown Eyes.

A Pencil.

A Book.

Stop SLAMMING into me.

Stop SLAMMING into you.

Please help me stop.

White walls.

Please help me slam.

**Like everyone else, there's supposed to be stanzas!

Posted by lciscotis at 12:55 PM | Comments (1)

attempt at slam poetry (yes, without a beat)

A spark, a start

I am always thinking

run on continuously

Nothing ever ends

Worn, burnt out and beat

Spiraling out of control

Frustration, desperation

Took my chances

On what you said

was wrong

Loneliness. Solitude.

Surrounded by people

Left and right

Miles away from the norm

Ordinary

I tango with life

Prologue to epiloguge

Gliding every step of the way

I am nobody you know

Posted by lcissearls at 11:13 AM | Comments (2)

November 07, 2005

Slam Poem

Abstract contact

To enact or impact

The slamming of our souls,

The cramming of our bones,

Everything’s unknown

God, why can't we standstill?

Where’s my freewill?

We keep crashing and smashing and slashing our lives

When will the violence stop?

What makes life such a culture shock?

Too much jaywalk

Where’s the structure

I want a category for me

I want a category for life

Cut the tension with a knife

Shaken, we collide

By our social goals we abide

Our lives tied, denied, and untried

Where is the comfort we all seek?

Where is the justice, what makes us weak?

-Emmy

• I can't format mine the way I want to either!

Posted by lcisowens at 11:26 PM | Comments (2)

"Slam" poem

So there I was,

In happy oblivion

Exhilirated by prospect

Enthralled by the years of dreaming

Slam! The day finally came

Any pre-conceived notions

of happiness and bliss

Quckly evaporated into the hot, city air

Everything was thrown helter-skelter

My routine, my identity, my known

No longer was I in a comfort zone

I was forced to adjust by my own act of free will

Who are these people?

Who am I to them?

Is my identity from before relevant to now?

Who am I to myself

All these questions,

continue to filter through my mind

I have self-doubts I never had last year...

or perhaps I did

Isn't college a time of self-discovery?

Perhaps I am too naïve

Perhaps I have to be slammed from time to time

in order to make these so called "self-discoveries"...

*Ahhh, I can't format this the way I want it!!!!!

Posted by lcisfreya at 10:41 PM | Comments (3)

An Interesting Conversation post Nanette's class

I had a very interesting conversatino with Nanette (Savides) today walking back to my dorm after class. We spoke about the difference between Afrikaans, a form of Dutch in South Africa, and "normal" Dutch. It was interesting for me to learn that Nanette is fluent in Afrikaans and that it's not just a dialect of Dutch but a real language. Apparently, the two are similar except in pronounciation, and I would imagine words exist in Afrikaans that do not in Dutch. We compared how "good morning" is said in Afrikaans as opposed to Dutch (that is if my Dutch was correctly pronounced) and I do notice the difference in how the words are said. It really brings about an urgency in me to re-acquaint myself with Dutch.

Posted by lcisfreya at 10:20 PM | Comments (0)

screen door

peering through before i leave

my world is tiny squares and an aging metal frame

peeling blue paint and a rusty spring

squeaking back and forth

between inside and out

it will not keep my secrets

especially at night, when all it silent

it slowly moves foward

slicing through the cold night air

i have been released,

freedom!

SLAM!

shit

Posted by lcismardin at 10:06 PM | Comments (1)

SLAM DUNK!

I had to write Haiku's back in like 4th grade and I haven't done it in so long so I attmepted to write one...it took me forever even though it is only three lines...so here it is...

(It's called Slam Dunk)

Letting the ball go

As you jump high in the air

Slam bam thank you m'am

The last line is what comes to my mind when I think of the word "slam" thats where my inspiration came from! :)

Posted by lcisnelson at 09:55 PM | Comments (1)

Opportunity for Bloggers!!

Blogging and Online Journalism: New Media, New Challenges, New Ethics

Got this info in an email...let me know if any of you are interested in attending!

April 7 & 8, 2006

The Institute for Applied and Professional Ethics at Ohio University and the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism announce "Blogging and Online Journalism."

BOJ will bring together a small group of successful, highly motivated students with some of the leading figures in journalism and media ethics for an intimate, in-depth two-day exploration of one of the most interesting and dynamic areas in applied ethics today. After a daily keynote address on a topic of general interest, participants will break up into workgroups. These workshops will feature presentations by invited scholars and by student participants, with discussion and critique of the presentations.

Presentations and workshop summaries will be published on the Institute website.

Participation is limited to 25. Students interested in participating should send contact information and a brief paper on one of the workshop topics to ethics@ohio.edu by January 20, 2006. Participants will be selected on the basis of the paper they submit. Please visit the "STUDENT CONFERENCE" section of ohio.edu/ethics for submission requirements.

Travel grants (travel, room, and board) are available for a limited number of participants. Students interested in applying for travel support should indicate this in their application.

Keynote speakers:

Dan Gillmore (author of "We, the Media") Clifford Christians (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champlain)

Workshop topics and leaders:

Friday, April 7 Martin Kuhn (U North Carolina): Blogging Ethics Fernanda Viegas (MIT MediaLab): Privacy and Accountability in Blogging Jan Boyles (U West Virginia): Rhetoric of Political Bloggers Sandeep Junnarker (Columbia University): Blogging investigative reporting: The Videoblog

Saturday, April 8th Mark Deuze (Indiana University): Typology of Online Journalism Bob Benz (Scripps Company): Reality Constraints of Online Journalism Bernhard Debatin (Ohio University): Online Journalism Ethics

---

Kathleen Evans-Romaine Assistant Director Ohio U. Inst. for Applied and Professional Ethics www.ohiou.edu/ethics office: 740 593 9802 cell: 740 590 2410

Posted by lcisEllen at 02:42 PM | Comments (1)

Back to Persepolis...

I found this article on msn.com and I just wanted to comment on its simliarity to some of the issues found in Peresepolis. Marjane Satrapi spoke alot about how many women sought to break the rules imposed on them in terms of clothing by wearing shorter skirts, tighter tops, etc. This article shows that this issue is still prevalent today.

Further, my best friend is Muslim and often has trouble combining her individual style with the regulations she feels inclined to follow. When we were in Paris this spring, there were a few different occasions where someone approached her and said that her clothing was inappropriate. Of course, this made her very self-conscious and concerned that she was not fulfilling her religous "responsibility". Just something to ponder...

http://www.slate.com/id/2128906/?GT1=7407

Posted by lciscotis at 02:02 PM | Comments (1)

Ansel Adams

I really liked the Ansel Adams exhibit at the museum. It was quite interesting to see all of his photographs, and not one of them was the same as another. Every one had its own uniqueness about it and were very different. I especially enjoyed the landscapes becasue they are so relaxing and it makes me wonder how he ever captured things like this on a camera. I wish I could.

Posted by lcisnelson at 09:33 AM | Comments (0)

November 06, 2005

"Live" Debate - what's real?

West Wing is crossing some interesting boundaries in television and it raises some interesting issues that relate to the material we cover in class.

They're having a "live" debate for their program tonight which I suppose means it's like theatre - one live take of a rehearsed script with a live audience but that isn't how it feels because it's being presented in a form that we normally translate as real. In the same way as the images of 9/11 seemed in a gruesome way like images from a movie because that's what we undertood such horrific images on our televisions to be - unreal.

Interestingly, the network has a "LIVE NBC NEWS" logo in the bottom right corner of the screen as they would with a real live debate. And the candidates are debating real current issues - spending & tax cuts, CAFTA, Headstart & schooling, border patrol, healthcare, medicare, prescription drug costs, AIDS in Africa, debt relief etc. And are debating along current - republican and democratic - party lines.

I can't wrap my mind around this new style. Will this affect reality? It relies heavily, surely too heavily, on the viewers literacy and ability to contextualize the material. I wonder if this will change people's opinions of the real political parties? Or is this a good way of getting folk involved in politics by really making it entertainment? Is this coming from a desire we have to explore these issues? Or is this another, new form of campaigning?

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 08:14 PM | Comments (0)

Etta Joseph & John Wayne

I've just read the article and agree that it's weird as if the author is trying to prove a point by warping things - literal and figurative, real and imagined. Convention and communication became all fuzzy and unclear. I thought the style - dialogue and then third person chunks - was a clever way to further these ideas. I found it as frustrating to read as it seemed for the reporter to experience - perhaps another ploy on the part of the author.

I remember a quote that theologian Marcus Borg said was attributed to a Native American chief and it can be paraphrased as: I don't know if it happened this way but I know this to be true.

I felt the article might be getting at this.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 07:36 PM | Comments (0)

bell hooks's word choice

I didn't see a suitable moment in our recent conversation in class about bell hooks's article In Our Glory: Photography and Black Life to voice a reaction I'd had to the reading and so I thought I'd blog it.

When bell hooks begins to discuss the social and political climate of America and the role and importance photography had for black people here, she repeatedly uses the word "apartheid" (pronounced uh-part-hate). For those who don't know / didn't look it up, it's an Afrikaans (language derived from Dutch and spoken in South Africa) word that describes the state-legislated segregation based on race that occurred in South Africa between about 1948 and 1991.

While I strongly believe that this word should never be allowed to die, lest we forget the atrocity, and should be used to draw attention to similar situations worldwide, I question bell hooks’s use of it in this context.

I presume that bell hooks used the word for the latter reason above – to paint a similar situation with the same brush, drawing a parallel that makes it more explicit. As a South African, though, I see this generalized calling-the-same as possibly taking away from the experience of South Africans of color.

I worry that people who understand the experience of Americans of color might, upon reading this article, equate the American experience of segregation to the experience of South Africans of color. I believe this would stereotype and grossly limit the South African experience and quash South Africans’ ability to articulate it for themselves.

I think there’s great power in realizing our sameness particularly in issues of marginalization, however, I now realize there is a danger too. Sometimes if we share a similar aspect or trait with an oppressed or marginalized group a subtle and often convenient shift can occur and we appropriate their entire experience. We can presume understanding and identify not because we know their situation but because we know ours; the danger then lying in the fact that we no longer need to listen to them because we understand their experience to be the same ours. We no longer need to go beyond ourselves because we define the other in terms of our experience. This can feel good because it reinforces our perceptions, however, it can be extremely harmful for the other because it denies them their’s and is a further marginalization as it reinterprets their experience from our perspective, not via it’s own authentic voice.

I realize that in discussing the “isms” or various oppressions of our societies it is good not to try and counter all the talk of difference with talk of sameness. I proprose to strive for a combination of and balance between the two.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 03:07 PM | Comments (2)

Kodak's new adverts

Kodak has just launched a new advertising campaign and it's FASCINATING in light of what we've been discussing in class and our museum visit. It's everything we understood them to be selling previously but now set in a gallery of all the photos ever taken! And they're go much further in their depiction of what you're really buying.

Here's a description of the TV advert from spirited.net

The advert had a photo gallery curator showing some kids around. It comes to a point in the advert when he gets to kids to stop and listen (like Robin Williams' character in Dead Poets Society)... it goes something like...

"Listen, can you hear it?" "Hear what?" "They're talking." "Who?" "The pictures." "The pictures are talking?" "What they saying?" "They are saying keep me, ... protect me, ... share me ... and I will live forever."

To see the full length advert visit kodak.com And click on "Explore it now!" at the bottom centre.

Here's another online review from americancopywriter.com

Kodak.com really pulls out all the stops

Everyone knows that what Kodak is really selling isn't just film or even digital imagery. It's immortality. And in their latest commercials, they're not leaving that to your imagination, they spell it right out for you. I was looking for a copy of their latest commercials and came across their microsite. It's pretty cool. And if you "take the tour" once you enter the site, you'll see the very long version of their new TV spots. I'm a sap. I admit it, the video gave me goose bumps and brought a tear to my eye - while sitting at my desk. Here's my question - as creatives, is it really that easy to get that kind of emotional response from the viewer?

I think it's facsinating what deep meanings and fears are tapped by photography and how Kodak has realized this and is capitalizing on it.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 03:05 PM | Comments (7)

Dear John Wayne...

Frankly, I was a little confused by this story. I think that it is commenting on the nature of spoken word and its abilities to create both lies and truth. Etta Joseph tells the story of her affair with John Wayne, which she maintains is more the truth than anything found in books or other scholarly materials. Whether Etta really is telling the truth or just mocking the reporter's authority is left for the reader to discover. Personally, I think Etta fabricated this story to poke fun at the truth and highlight the fact that we should never just accept the truth. It is an interesting concept because so often we accept what others tell us without actually discovering the truth ourselves. I'm interested in hearing what others thought of this piece.

Brenna D.

Posted by lciscotis at 12:00 PM | Comments (3)

Postcard Analysis

My Annie Leibovitz photograph is of Gwyneth Paltrow and her actress mother, Blythe Danner.

Studium: Gwyneth is sitting in front of her mother, both are sitting side on to the camera with their faces turned towards it. Blythe is looking directly into the camera while Gwyneth's gaze is averted downward. Gwyneth is wearing an off-white sleeveless dress, the strap is off her shoulder closest to the camera. Blythe is wearing a black polar neck with long sleeves and both her arms are around Gwyneth's waist with her hands closed over her own wrists. Gwyneth's hands are loosely held - one against her mother's and the other lying open in her lap. Both women have their hair swept back. Their bodies and heads are touching, relaxed against one another. The background is flat and neutral, textured only by the shadow of the soft, warm light in the photograph.

Punctum: I am struck by the way contrast and similarity between the elements in the photograph work together to convey mood and emotion.

Besides knowing that the two women are mother and daughter, I can infer it because their similar position, make-up and hairstyles highlight their similar facial features. From their proximity to one another I can again infer that they are very close family however they are not portrayed as being the same – their attire is very different, Gwyneth is dressed in white exposing a lot of skin, Blythe is dressed in black and showing almost none. They are opposite – two ends of a continuum – mother and daughter.

I think this photograph explores and portrays the mother-daughter bond. The closeness of their bodies, relaxed against one another speaks to me of this relationship. They know one another intimately and trust one another explicitly. Gwyneth is cushioned against Blythe, who dressed in black, seems more solid and secure. These are characteristics I would associate with my mother and mothers in general. Gwyneth is dressed in a color I would associate with youth and purity and the dress looks more frivolous than her mother’s. I get the sense from her dress and posture that Gwyneth is being plain, not standing on ceremony but just relaxing in the safety of her mother’s vigilance and care. She is not looking up and her face is completely relaxed and serene. She has not moved to put the sleeve of her dress back on her shoulder.

By contrast, Blythe looks out at the camera with her head held taking the weight of her daughter's. There is a faint awareness as she focuses on the camera but her stare is somehow blank; she is not responding as strongly to the camera as to Gwyneth whom she holds and so I’m left to feel that while acknowledged I am not part of the moment. There is also a sense of satisfaction in the slightly upturned corners of Blythe’s mouth, a sense in which she knows something or is something to the person she holds that no-one else could ever be.

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 12:00 PM | Comments (2)

Etta and Marion

When the anthropologist Spencer Cox starts to question about Indian dance and their culture, Etta Joseph takes control and starts talking about what she would like to talk about, not answer questions. She decides to have fun. She answers his questions with questions. She goes back in time and describes how she was young and beautiful. Spencer doesn’t know that she used to be an actress and knew John Wayne.

Etta Joseph tries to pass on her love story with Marion Morrison to Spencer. Her intriguing story of how they met first reveals that there is no boundary in life to pull apart loved ones. Regardless of their races and social levels they fell in love. However, they realize that since she was an Indian and he was a family man, no matter how much they love one another they had to let go and keep going on their own paths. They knew that someday it would come to an end. Even after being parted for decades Marion misses Etta and calls her one last time before he left her for forever. Etta passes on her love story because Marion had a place in her heart for forever. That is love.

Spencer questions whether the story was true or not. As for me, I don’t mind whether it is made up or not because it is not totally unrealistic. Etta might have made up the story but as long as she can make happiness out of it doesn’t matter whether it is true or not. That is the true nature of stories. If we did not witness it, it is hard to say it really happened. Yet we choose to believe in stories told by others whether it was true or not. Life is a story.

Posted by lcisbold at 11:55 AM | Comments (0)

Ansel Adams

I thought the Ansel Adams exhibit was really great. Although I have been to many museums before, I don't think I have ever been to an exhibit like that. All of the photographs were really wonderful, and many of them I could have spent much longer looking at. It was really cool to see some of his photographs from places I have been. I have seen some of those places before for myself, but now I know what Ansel Adams saw when he was there. Even though I know perfectly well how to use a camera, I could never have taken any of those pictures. I thought they were truly works of art, each one capturing the thoughts and ideas of the artist and exactly what he wanted us to see. I am so glad we were able to experience that exhibit and I wouldn't be surpised to find myself back there, maybe showing my family the next time they come to Boston.

Posted by lcismardin at 11:09 AM | Comments (0)

bell hooks & Barthes Readings

I have a love affair with photographs because they can capture and show me the "perfect me" - the me I'd like to be. If they happen to capture a me who I don't want to be, I'm a little petulant and I turn away from them.

I reasoned, particularly after reading bell hooks's experiences, that this fascination comes from my recognizing from an early age that I could own a reality in photographs that might indeed be different from my own. My mother, an artist, took a series of large b&w photographs of me in early childhood that portray me as happy and my surroundings as idyllic although they where anything but. And I lost my childhood surroundings and naïveté with my mother's first divorce. I remember asking to see these photographs in subsequent years and they were one of the first things I appropriated from my mother when I was a teenager.

I thought for a time that I was interested in photography and although I am, I realized that my obsession lay in seeing myself represented in them. On the one hand I’m drawn, like others, to try achieve the perfect toothy smile and posture that accentuates thin or smooth body lines but on the other I’m fascinated by photographs in which I am unaware of the camera and captured as others see me.

Both Barthes and bell hooks are drawn to the photographs that they feel captured the essence of someone they knew and loved deeply. I think I seek to see my own essence captured – to see myself as others do and yet at the same time to try and assure myself that I am the me I wish to be seen as. I wonder if any of these are truly me or whether in 60 years time someone will go through my album and find an unassuming photograph I’d have dismissed and say “there she is!”

~ Nanette

Posted by lcissavides at 10:17 AM | Comments (1)

November 05, 2005

Museum Visit Question #1

I've been working on answering the questions we were assigned for our museum visit. They are too long to post all of them, so I've just posted one for now. It is the response to the question about the "feeling" of the museum and the meaning behind its features.

Question 1

My favorite room in the Museum of Fine Arts is the American Impressionist Gallery, not only because of the paintings, but also because of the ambiance. As for the architectural structure of the gallery, it is rectangular with simple trim along the bottom edge of the walls, and around the doors. The stained oak floors with wide boards are similar to those found in an old American home. A dark chestnut-gray paint covers the walls, but the ceiling is left white so that the visitors do not feel confined. What is also interesting about the ceiling is that it is very low compared to most of the towering ceilings in the rest of the museum. This also makes it feel like a room in a house.

Although it has similarities with that of an old house, the room is empty of furniture and windows, with the exception of a circular cushioned seat in the center so that the viewer may choose a particular work of art anywhere in the room and be oriented in its direction. This seat is covered in gray velvet, adding to the luxuriousness of this gallery. Assisting in the creation of this atmosphere is the dim lighting and the detailed, golden frames that contain the paintings.

There are two vases in two corners of the room, which are the same vases that are in the painting discussed in Question Six. Their height is easily at least half of the height of the entire room. The style is Asian-influenced blue-and-white porcelain. Temperature is also notable in this gallery. The coldness may be to preserve the artwork, or to add to the mood. A low fan sound can be heard in the background, while visitors’ footsteps and voices echo throughout the room. This is the sound of timelessness. When trying to compare this feeling with that of something else, the only other place that comes to mind is that of an old church that possesses the great energy of eternity, just as the artists are living on eternally through their legacy and work.

Posted by lcishagan at 08:16 PM | Comments (2254)

Postmodernism and Popular Culture

After reading chapter 7 of Practices of Looking, I thought about the topic of postmodernism and wondered how can we really say that something is more modern. I thought this, because in our culture most of the time we say that something is modern and that it is new, but sometimes it is merely a replica of something that was already invented or thought up. Many things are repeated in our culture, especially style, in which people try to imitate someone else's style.

Some entertainer's like Madonna and Gwen Stefani have a Marilyn Monroe type of look, which shows that Monroe had an impact on entertainers and was the image of hollywood glam. She was pretty much an icon for many entertainers to follow. Our society is somewhat based on the reproduction of style, because it defines who is important and who has a certain status. Usually people today do not invent new objects of style, but try to transform old ones so that they can become popular again. This goes to show that no matter how "old-school" something may seem, it can always become popular again once people consider it to be socially acceptable again.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 08:05 PM | Comments (1)

Harvey Pekar Transformation

I thought that our project with the words and images of the Harvey Pekar comic "The Name Story" was very interesting. It was really fun trying to create words to go along with the images of the comic. This showed how you can think that an image means one thing, but find out that it really means something else when you see the true story.

Harvey Pekar seems like a very interesting man, even though he basically portrays himself as a somewhat dull person throughout his comics. He seems sort of dissatisfied with himself and his life, but he really captures the comic readers interest by explaining his grief.

The Harvey Pekar movie did in some ways relate to the comic that we studied in class, but because it was a movie the actors sort of overdid the actions that were in the comic. This sometimes ruined the idea that I had in my mind about Harvey Pekar, like how he looked, behaved, and sounded like. It pretty much like when I have read books and then saw the movie, which completely distorted my idea of the characters in the book.

--Yasmin

Posted by lcisperez at 07:56 PM | Comments (0)

His Song--This Beacon of Light

I have this personality- these experiences inside- Unfolded my life- don’t think I haven’t I’ve tried- Haven’t succumbed to pressure- Kept my ground- I stand strong- For the long- I am the driver- I set the pace- I try my best- I’ll win the race

My ways governed by the shape of my face- My nose, my build- My Polish race

Through grief and happiness- The Lord has guided me- He’s opened my eyes- He’s allowed me to see- I sit in church- Soak in his words- His gospel- His love- His hope – a true dove

Been granted this myriad of colors- To paint this canvas of mine- Each person I meet, each experience I have- Represented through a paint stroke, a brush mark, a sign

Been taught lies through school- About equality, racism- Things I never knew- When did the world become so cruel?

Need to make a difference,- Bridge that gap- Bring that black and white together- To make a profound gray- So what exactly is it, I’m trying to say?

Striving, desiring, to learn about others- Want to love thy neighbor, love thy brother

My God will help me to see the light- He’ll give me his strength, the will to fight- I will continue on- I will keep on singing His song

My attempt at SLAM poetry--Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 01:55 PM | Comments (3)

Ansel Adams Says...

When I was watching the Ansel Adams documentary, I was intrigued by a comment that he made which I think sheds light upon one of the discussions we have been having throughout the semester. Our discussion concerned whether we should take pictures to preserve a scene or appreciate it as we see it. Adams said, "You can't help trying to record what you see,". I think this says alot and really gets down to the essence of the arguement. When we take pictures we are attempting to prolong the feelings we get while viewing them. Pictures do just this and Adams, obviously a pioneer in photography, realized this.

Posted by lciscotis at 01:17 PM | Comments (1)

Museum

I truly enjoyed the Ansel Adams exhibit. I was intrigued by his use of black and white photography to illustrate so many landscapes and people. I had always thought that anyone could take pictures, anyone could produce a work of art through different angles and zooming techniques, but I was proved wrong by this exhibit. I have never seen photos like the ones I saw in the museum. They were just so powerful. I think I stood at two pictures for fifteen minutes a piece, just analyzing and soaking in every inch. That artwork just changed me. Now, I want to see more. I want to go back and just wander through. I want to spend fifteen minutes on every photograph. I want to understand what Ansel Adams was trying to portray. Thanks again, Ellen, for planning this amazing trip! -- Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 12:37 PM | Comments (1)

MFA Assignment

Wooden floors that others have walked on before me. Art filling the white of the walls. Oriental rugs plastering the floors. Slate and Granite floors from Santa Fe. Wisdom and books, changing emotions. Works of art brought back from various countries. Tastes of culture, experience. Posted works of young children's creativity. Artwork showing progression, stages. Eclectic yet modern appearance. The Ansel Adams exhibit is like home to me.

Berger states, "Yet when an image is presented as a work of art, the way people look at it is affected by a whole series of learnt assumptions about art." I think that most people believe that artwork in museums are always great and deserve to be housed there. I think this causes people to force themselves to like artwork just because it is in a museum. That should not be the case. Artwork sold on the streets should be considered just as much "art" as the Mona Lisa is. Needless to say, personal taste affects perceptions on art.

Trees, Illouette Ride, Yosemite National Park, about 1945: Landscape This is an amazing photograph. The foreground has two large trees growing close to each other. It seems as if one is alive and the other is dead. The one that is dead is stripped bare of its bark, while the other is alive, and every grain of existence is evident in its textured, lively bark. At the roots, pinecones and bark are untouched, surrounding the earth beneath these trees. He incorporated the three levels of visual data in this photograph in various ways. First of all, Adams is trying to symbolize the cycle of life and death in nature. Representation is displayed in the scene by two polarized opposites right next to each other. Alive and dead. The abstractness of the photograph is focused on the texture of the trees, bare and rough, light and dark. This abstract style Ansel implements pays careful attention to shape and color rather than reality.

Mr. Shepard at his home, Independence, California, about 1936: Portrait The man in the photograph, or Mr. Shepard, is weathered by the passage of time. His wrinkles are deep, an indication of how old, and how rough his life has seemed to be. He looks permanently tied to the chair, which goes with the house. Mr. Shepard always has and always will be a part of the house he is in front of. One needs to look closely to see him, the white, paint-peeling fence is in the foreground and Mr. Shepard almost seems a blur. He blends in with the house, as if Adams caught him in an unexpected moment. The relationship between the old man and the house was particularly of importance to Adams. He was trying to communicate that. This image is symbolic because it displays the typical preconception of an old man. The photograph is a representation of aging, because it shows how the house has grown old with Mr. Shepard. Additionally, this piece is abstract because it did not capture his face directly. Although a portrait, Mr. Shepard is in the background, hidden by the fence protruding in front of him. This relates to Adam’s landscapes because it shows a single view of the house.

Museum Storeroom, de Young Museum, San Francisco about 1935: Abstract This photograph is rare and amazing, it shows museums behind the scenes. The storeroom in the photograph represents generations of art and histories. The molds and sculptures of animals and people look as if they are in motion, unaware of the audience. The molds seem to be moving, arms are raised to the ceiling, feet are perched in the air, and some statues are crouched, almost human. Ansel Adams tried to show what we don’t always see in museums and this was important to him because even he is unfamiliar with basements of museums. This photograph is definitely symbolic of general art. Representation in this piece shows the real world, and that all people are multidimensional, just like art. This is represented by the shadows in the room. Lastly, this photograph relates to Adam’s work as a landscape artist because it just shows an untouched scene, left as it is.

Trailer Camp Children, Richmond California, 1944: Picture that speaks to me I could keep looking at this picture and not get over the emotions I see on the children’s faces. Their faces are history. They represent poverty, the collapse of wartime economy and they are the foundations of what we as a society are today. There are three children in the foreground; they are the focus of the photograph. Their faces reveal grief and despair. The oldest child is watching over the younger children, a toddler and an infant. There are signs of fatigue under the children’s eyes. There are wrinkles where there should be pure, smooth skin. These kids are hardened, absent and distant but yet they are still there. They are captured and alive in the photograph, stored on film, a single second in time. Dirt is prevalent on their clothes, there is even dirt between the fingernails. The children seem genderless, as one cannot tell who is a boy or who is a girl. The photograph is a strong image, caught in the right moment. Out of the three kids, only the infant is looking at the camera, and the eyes are the windows to the soul. They are us. To capture such an image, is a work of art. To reveal emotions so powerful makes this photograph speak to me.

Posted by lcissearls at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)

November 04, 2005

Ways of Seeing-Berger

I thought it was really interesting how in this essay John Berger wrote about how what we see is a choice we make. I have never thought about this before, but it's true. There is so much around us to look at and see, but what we actually do see, we choose to see. We can't always take in everything because there is often too much to look at everything, so we have to make an active choice about what to see. He also brought up how we can never just see one thing. I tried to only look at one object or one image, but it is impossible. We have to look at multiple things at the same time and see how the relate to each other and how they work together to make our world and everything that we see.

Another point that John Berger brought up in this essay that I found very intersting was that now famous painting are able to travel to us, so that we do not have to travel to them. Paintings and images are so easily available to us, we can see them anytime we want, either on tv or on the internet. If what we want to see isn't on tv when we want to see it, we can always go on the internet and there we can see pretty much anything we can imagine. This makes it so much easier for us to see paintings, we don't have to travel to the different countrie where they are kept. If we had to do that, we would never get to see most works of art. I can't imagine not knowing what the Mona Lisa looks like just because I have never seen it in person.

Posted by lcismardin at 08:09 PM | Comments (0)

November 03, 2005

Blanche et Noire (White and Black)

Black and White. United Colors of Benetton. What a powerful picture! In this particular image, in the Practices of Looking book, pg. 264, a black person and a white person are handcuffed to each other. It is intriguing how both are wearing the same outfits and their hands are placed in the same position. Even though there is this linkage, this chain between the two wrists and this linkage, this sameness between dress, there is a definite space between the hands. These handcuffs represent that blacks and whites being forced to come together, to integrate, to mix; but yet, these two groups are still so far apart. There is still a gap. And still, we see that there is no gray. No intermediate color is in the picture. The hands are either black or white, just like life. We tend to see things in black and white, right or wrong. Again, I am reiterating my thoughts in my Crash paper, but I just cannot help noticing the juxtaposition of black and white in every image and yet, in every image I see, these two colors mean something completely different. In the end, I was truly moved by this photo. --Christina

Posted by lcisgancarz at 10:52 PM | Comments (3)

Postcard

Studium:

Four Kilgore College Rangerettes are holding each others shoulders while kicking their left legs in the air in front of their faces. They are dressed in white cowgirl boots and hats, red shirts and underwear and blue skirts. The photo is taken outside in front of a football field.

Punctum:

This photo objectifies these women as sex symbols. Their faces are blocked by their legs showing that they as individuals do not matter; it is their femininity that matters most. The photographer takes this photo at an angle that is borderline inappropriate, centering where their red underwear is easily seen. This shows the viewer that the photo is not an advertisement of their talents as college dancers, but rather an indirect display of sexually exploitation.

Posted by lcisowens at 10:24 PM | Comments (1)

A Good Book.

In response to Brenna's post about Ways of Seeing by John Berger, I didn't realize that we will be using it in class; are we reading just an excerpt or the whole book? I'm reading it right now for my Art History class with Professor Weiss, and finding it quite interesting so far. I have only read the first chapter, but part of it talks about photography (how it changed the interpretation and perception of art) especially with regard to time. What is odd but intruiging about Ways of Seeing as well is that some of the chapters are entirely composed of pictures, and we as readers are expected to infer the authors' message from a purely visual explanation.

Posted by lcishagan at 08:39 PM | Comments (0)

Eliza's cousins...

Just like other new and wonderful contraptions that science has allowed us to create, people have taken advantage of bots also. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to get Instant Messages from bots posing as ladies who are willing to sell their services. Even more unfortunate is the fact that now, we can get onto sites that were relatively safe (even homework help sites for kids!), and we get messages from the same bots. It seems that this new revelation in language and how we create it has been abused, just as english has. Every language thus can be manipulated and in turn, used against innocent people.

I read an interesting article in Science & Technology at scientificamerican.com called "baffling the bots" the URL is

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa001&colID=6&articleID=00053EA7-B6E8-1F80-B57583414B7F0103

if anyone is interested

-Jessica Y

Posted by lcisyeich at 08:01 PM | Comments (1)

Postcard

Postcard: Joni Mitchell taken by Annie Leibovitz

Studium: Pictured is a dark scene of mostly green. There is a large fountain in the middle of a forest area. The area is made up of all different vegetation with different leaves. Some are long and thin, almost tropical, and the others are rounder and broad. The fountain is mostly gray but has a green tint from the vegetation.

Joni Mitchell, a slender older woman with long dark hair that is graying, is sitting on the edge of the fountain. Her legs are crossed underneath her long, ribbed, dark green cloak and dress. Her shoes are black boots. She is holding a cigarrette in her right hand, which is crossed over her left. Also, she is looking to her right, away from the camera. She is not smiling, nor frowning. Joni appears to be the object of the photo even tho she is not in the center. The contrast from her olive skin to the background sets her apart.

There is a small potted plant on the opposing side of the fountain. There is a small bit of water coming out of the fountain but even that appears green from all the dark colors. The sun is apparently hitting one of the plants because it is very light green in contrast to the rest of the photograph. There are small bits of flowers around the fountain. Also, there is a wobbly, gray slated pathway around the fountain. In the background, there is a tall oddly-shaped gray pole thats purpose does not seem relevant to the photo. Deep in the vegetation are small blue flowers that stick out from the dark shades surrounding them.

Punctum: To me, this photo represents an older woman reflecting on her life. Joni is looking out into the distance as if thinking and not focusing on what she sees. Her smoking seems to symbolize her confliction, possibly disapointment or aggravation in her life because she does not even put down the cigarrette for a photograph. Reflection on her life seems portrayed by the scenery. It is a calm scenery away from the business of every day life such as cars and buildings. The fountain is a contrast to that because it is man made, as is the pole. It seems she is upset that she cannot fully get away. The tropical looking plants almost seems like she feels she must go to a deserted island to escape her routine, busy life. Her attire reminds me of an artistic person (who she is) that is carefree of conformed styles. But, at the same time, she wants more in life. She seems to want more to her life, make an impact, yet she wants to leave it all. She does not seem overly stressed though because her body is not tense. At the same time, she seems very tired because of her expression, posture, and the way her body is situated. She seemed to have let her muscles go and not worry about looking good for a photograph.

Her mental situation seems timeless. All throughout time we have seen a person escaping their lives and just sitting in the woods. Green has always been a calming color and because vegetation is almost all green, it is soothing.

The small bits of color throughout the picture seem to almost represent flashes of reminders of the world in her mind. As we look over the photo, our eyes flash to and from the color. In the same way, I would think that Joni is thinking about her getting away and then she remembers a business deal that makes her unable to leave.

-Jessica Y

Posted by lcisyeich at 07:28 PM | Comments (2)

Autistic American Culture

This chapter was rather interesting and caused me to think more intently about life today. American culture is becoming increasingly autistic. People are too busy with work and the other things that govern their lives to be aware of the world that surrounds them. Everyone seems to be in a single mindset; causing them to lose touch. Technology has a huge impact on our difficulty to make lasting relationships. For instance, computers are supposed to broaden our horizions, but in reality, it divides us. We use google to find answers rather than asking them. Our autistic culture is prevalent in the kind of art we create and what we analyze. We let the media and advertisements establish what we wear, how we talk and what we think about.

Posted by lcissearls at 11:06 AM | Comments (0)

Never Quite fits the Sight

"Yet, the knowledge, the explanation never quite fits the sight" - John Berger

We see the world with our eyes which are continuously moving and searching, attempting to make sense of what is visible. By being visually aware of what surrounds us, we create relationships and meanings. However, what we see can sometimes not be translated accordingly into words. We often cannot relay our visual experiences into what we know, verified by words. Additionally, although our senses work synomynously to create an understanding of the world, there is still ambiguities and frustrations about what we say, and what we mean to say.

This ties into John Berger's description of perception as the the understanding/interepretation of the viewer. Images become especially meaningful to those who can create associations with it. After all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Posted by lcissearls at 10:11 AM | Comments (1)

November 02, 2005

Ways of Seeing

** I am not sure when we have to read this for, so I decided to do it now!!

I really enjoyed this essay because I feel like it summed up alot of what we have been discussing in class for the past couple of months. For example, the essay talked about the copious reproductions of famous paintings, for example, and the fact that we have become desensitized to these paintings because they are so widely circulated. Similarily, the essay also talks about the capacity of cameras to capture a single moment.

However, the essay also delves deeper into some topics, such as the effect of history on paintings and how we view paintings from the past. I especially find this interesting because our perspective today is very different from that of people of the past. Thus, this gives paintings a different gestalt then they were orginally painted.

Posted by lciscotis at 07:40 PM | Comments (0)

Annie Leibovitz Photograph

The photograph I recieved is of Jerry Hall and Gabriel Jagger and it was taken in New York City. I didn't know who either of these people were, so I did a little research. Jerry Hall is a model and actress. She was very popular as a model in the 1970's and her most notable role as an actress was in The Graduate. She was married to Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones and they had four children together, including Gabriel Jagger, featured in this photograph.

Studium: In the photograph, Jerry Hall is shown sitting in a fancy, red chair. She is wearing a black dress with a fur coat. She is looking in the direction of the camera, but she is not smiling. She is also nursing her baby, Gabriel, who is in her lap. Gabriel is centered in the photograph and she is also nude. The scenery includes a less formal chair in the background as well as a small table with an unlit lamp on it. There is either a picture or a mirror behind the table with a fancy, gold frame. It gets cut off by the top of the picture, so it is hard to tell. Also, there is a drawn, red curtain off to the left behind Jerry. The wall and the rug are both red.

Punctum: Jerry's facial expression is very powerful, it's like she doesn't notice that she is nursing Gabriel, she only pays attention to the camera. It seems like she might even be a little angry. Maybe, given her background, she's in a hotel room taking care of her kids before she has to go out. By the expression on her face it sort of seems like she doesn't really care for her kids; it's like she's thinking that she has better things to do at that time than nurse her baby. She is very well dressed, so maybe she's going out right after she finishes. However, she might also be posing like this because she is a model and models usually give off that "pouty" look.

-Jessica F.

Posted by lcisfaria at 06:38 PM | Comments (1)

Harvey Pekar

I was in a group with words but no pictures. Along with group mates we came up with young and somewhat cheerful looking Harvey. I suppose that if we had to draw pictures individually I am sure that everyone would have come up with different Harveys. Since I already have clear image of what Harvey Pekar looks like, it is hard for me to take out that image and go back and try to imagine what he looks like. Once it is stored in my brain, it is hard to take it out.
When I look at the words and images together I was disappointed that there weren’t much filler in the real Harvey Pekar comic. Personally I thought the comic would look full of decoration in the background. When I saw the gloomy looking man my expectation and excitement somewhat went down.
After looking at the comic and the movie my imagination of our initial young looking Harvey completely changed. I understood that Harvey Pekar was not as happy, innocent, young looking as Harvey who wore glasses and had pee on his pants. I liked “our” Harvey better because as a group we had created a character with personally and humor.

Posted by lcisbold at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)

Harvey

I was in the drawing group also. I think Katie did a good job explaining our process of coming up with what to draw and when, so I won't say anything on that. When I looked at the words and the drawings together, I was confused. But after taking it all in, I thought that it was possible, just having a man standing there doing different hand gestures and facial expressions while talking. That's how everyday life really is, so it is kind of real, unlike a lot of other comics. When you look at the words and the pictures together I thought about the expressions and gestures and if they really did go with the words, and they really did.

After seeing the movie, nothing really changed my mind. I imagined Harvey to sound somelike like his character in the movie and to look like that. Also, after seeing the comic drawing, I imagined him to act the way he did, goofy and weird-like.

After seeing the real people that the comic, movie, and story are about, it was just weird to me. It was different having a real life person as a comic, a comic in a movie, and so on. Nothing really changed my mind about anything, it just opened it up further to understand the whole comic and the person.

Posted by lcisnelson at 09:01 AM | Comments (1)

November 01, 2005

Harvey Pekar

I was part of the group that had to draw the pictures by looking at the words. When we got together to start our comnic, we went through each section together and wrote down what was going to be in each panel. We all put in our ideas and we worked off of everyone's ideas to create something that we could all imagine being on the page. It was easier when it came time to draw the pictures to do it this way because we already had everything that we were going to draw organized on a piece of paper. We also all brainstormed together to come up with what we though Harvey Pekar looked like and we gave him some specific characteristics that we could keep constant in each panel of the comic. Even though I have seen the Harvey in the comic and the actor playing Harvey in the movie, and even the real Harvey himself, I still like our group's perception of what "Harvey" looks like better. I think we picked up on some of the real person's characteristics because we knew that he was somewhat of an awkward person, but we did not know how cynical he really was. It was weird to see the actor playing Harvey in the movie, but I think he did a really good job. I could imagine this character from only knowing the words given to us in the comic. The real Harvey was not what I was expecting at all. I didn't even realize that was him until it was mentioned to us that he was the real Harvey and the Harvey Pekar who actually wrote the comics. I think this whole assignment was pretty cool because each group was able to come up with something legeitimate that could really fit with what they were given, either just the pictures or just the words. Working with my group was really fun too and I am glad I was in the group who had to draw the pictures. Once we got the hang of what we were supposed to do, it was really fun to come up with our own Harvey and draw the story we were given.

Posted by lcismardin at 09:32 PM | Comments (0)

Marion Jones Photo

Photo Analysis: Marian Jones, Raleigh, NC Taken by Annie Leibovitz

Studium:

The given information on the back of this photograph says that the photographer is Annie Leibovitz, with a woman named Marion Jones as the subject of the photo. It was taken in Raleigh, North Carolina, but no date is provided. In the center of this black-and-white photo is a woman. She is black. Although she is in the center of the photo, her body is moving to the right, which would be straight ahead from the Jones’ point of view. We can tell that she is a running, and has just started because one foot is still in contact with a start block. She is looking straight ahead, so we see the side profile of her face. As for clothes, she is wearing a black leotard that is similar to a swim suit. Around her neck is a metallic chain, and she is wearing stud-earrings. Her head is shaved and her face looks very masculine. The muscles in her body are evident, and some are flexed, particularly those in her lower leg. Her sneakers are bright white with black trim. Most of the picture is in focus except for her hands that appear fuzzy, as does her right foot. Underneath her is a grassy surface, and in the distance, another stretch of land that is separated from her by a body of water. The sky in the background is clear.

Punctum:

This is a photo of a determined woman. She is looking straight ahead, in the direction that her strong body is moving. A look of concentration consumes her face, and her jaw appears to be clenched. The fact that her hands are not in focus, shows movement. We can’t tell what her nationality is because there is no indication of this, but because the name given is Marion Jones, we know that she is probably American. She is likely a professional athlete, perhaps one that is practicing for an important competition, or to prove to herself that she is capable. The jewelry that she is wearing also suggests that she has money, and her shoes are new, possibly never used before. The fact that she has time and money to devote to extreme exercise shows that she is at least making a sufficient income. She looks like an athlete who has had a lifetime of training, without a single flaw in her toned body. Even her head is shaved, which may show what she holds valuable in her life. Femininity and appearance are probably not first on her list, but rather her low-maintenance lifestyle to give her energy to training.

It is interesting that she is running on grass, with an image of nature in the background, rather than a man-made track. In this photo, there are actually very few indications of the interference of man with nature, with the exception of the human subject. This may be an indication that her focus and talent is very natural and beautiful. Also, the image could be reminiscent of the history of athletics. With the exception of her clothing and jewelry, this woman could be placed in any time in history, her type of legacy and mindset being eternal and repetitive throughout history. This takes the emphasis off of her own identity by using it as a broad statement about athletes and ideals.

Posted by lcishagan at 06:54 PM | Comments (0)

Postcard

The postcard I chose in class is of Courtney Love in Los Angeles, California. It was taken by Annie Leibovitz.

Studium- This picture is in black and white. The photo is taken on a patio, outside of someones home. In the middle of the picture is a woman, dressed in a silk robe, sitting down in a lawn chair. She has one leg positioned on the ground and the other is bent at her knee and on the cushion of the chair. Her toenails are painted and she has a tattoo around her left ankle. Her right arm is resting on the arm rest and in her right hand she is holding a cup, kind of titled, with some kind of liquid in it. Her other arm is bent upward toward her face and is covrering her left eye. Her right eye seems to be squinted and she has a weird smirk on her face. On the right of her is a stone wall with some flower pots and a wood post. On the left of her is a small round table with a ash tray and a small plate on top. Next to the table you see a portion of another lawn chair. Both the lawn chair that this woman is on and the table are on wheels. Behind the lawn chairs and the table, there are windows which seem to be apart of doors that lead into a house.

Punctum- It seems as if this woman just woke up and has gone outside on her patio for her morning tea or coffee. It is a beautiful day outside because she is only in a simple rove, and it is sunny. Her arm is covering her face to keep the sun out of her eyes. She seems relaxed and is just taking a moment to wake up and to enjoy some time to herself before her busy day at work. It also looks as if she is looking at something in wonder, or is thinking about something in her head. She might live on a lake and is enjoying the view and is looking at some birds or something out on the lake. I think this postcard shows that this woman is taking some time to take in the beauty of the world before her day gets hectic and back to fast-paced reality.

Posted by lcisnelson at 10:56 AM | Comments (910)

Postcard Analysis: Jamaica Kincaid

The name of the image on my postcard is "Jamaica Kincaid," and the photograph was taken in Bennington, Vermont by Annie Leibovitz.

Studium

The photograph is in black and white. There is an African American woman standing in the center of the photograph. She is wearing a sun hat, a plaid shirt, what appear to be jeans, and boots. She is holding a hose and a shovel in her hands, and the hose is running. She is looking straight at the camera, but is not smiling.

Behind her is a garden, full of plants, and even further in the background are trees, but these trees are out of focus. The out-of-focus trees contain a lot of white, as opposed to the plants in the garden which are mostly gray toned.

Punctum

This photograph was taken not too long ago, as the woman's style of dress is modern. It was taken on one of those nice summer days when it is not too hot out. I say this because the woman is out gardening, connoting that the weather is warm, but she is still wearing long pants, which indicates that it is not scorching hot. It is a weekend day, specifically a Saturday or Sunday morning, because that is when most people do their gardening. The sun is shining brightly on the out-of-focus trees, indicating that it is not going to set anytime soon, therefore it must be the morning. I imagine this photograph to have been taking in a small suburban town because the quality of the garden is superior and there appears to be plenty of yard space for planting.

The woman has just taken a moment away from her work to pose for the camera. This is evident because the water is still running out of the hose, indicating that she is in the process of watering the garden. Also she is holding a shovel in her hand, which shows that she was working on digging a hole as well. She looks to be about 50 years old, judging from the wrinkles in her face, but is in good physical shape (she is not overweight and she has a nice, tall posture).

It is hard to pinpoint her attitude in this photograph. Her eyes are somewhat squinted and her mouth is closed forming neither a smile nor a frown. It almost looks as though she is about to open her mouth to say something. Her posture is relaxed, as she holds the hose loosely in her hand. When I see her I imagine her having a leisurely morning. She is just out in her yard enjoying her garden and taking in all that nature has to offer. She seems content with her life. She is at a point in it where she can relax and get back to life's little pleasures, such as gardening in the morning.

This image reminds me of family, as I can imagine her grandchildren coming to visit her later in the day. It has a comfortable feel to it, perhaps because I grew up with a mother who enjoyed gardening during the summer. In my experience, those gardening days were relaxed. No one had anywhere important to be...we could spend however much time we wanted doing anything we wanted. This photograph reminds me of that feeling, and the fact that it is in black and white even further simplifies it. When I look at it, my eyes do not struggle to interpret all of the different colors, they only have to work with black, white, and shades of gray. I think that Annie Leibovitz did this on purpose to create such an effect.

Posted by lcissullivan at 10:15 AM | Comments (4)