Comments by Commenter
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ashleystern
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I think that torture is not the only thing that comes up here. There is also the idea that everyone is afraid of something and whatever that thing may be is the thing that the Bogart, or Big Brother, or the Capitol use for the torture. I think that it is the worst sort of torture in any of these works because it is not just physical but also psychological torture. It means that the torturer knows your greatest fear and weakness, they exploit you based on your own personal fears. It is terrifying that someone would have the power to find out our deepest darkest fears and secrets and use them against us. It shows the complete control that the Big Brother figure has.
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I think that the absence of other ethnic or race groups is something that should not be overlooked in a discussion of racism within a work. I cannot think of one non-white character within Tangled. Done purposefully or not this has some serious ramifications in looking at the movie through this lens. Also, I think that it is important to note that Rapunzel needs Flynn in order to fulfill her dream and to move the plot of the movie along. Otherwise Rapunzel is obedient, and literally spends her entire life in the house cooking, cleaning, painting, and other “ladylike” activities. This is in addition to the fact that she is petite, graceful, and of course has perfect golden hair. What does this say about the way not only race is still portrayed in Disney films but on how women are still portrayed even after over 50 animated films across several decades.
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I completely agree with you. I think sometimes we can tend to over criticize or under-criticize because our writing is so personal to us. If we over criticize it comes from a desire to make ourselves perfect for the world. if we under-criticize, ot tends to come not from laziness, but because our writing is our opinion and we do not think that we should have to change for the world. being unconventional is not only hard because it takes a certain amount of creativity and imagination; it also takes the courage to send an unconventional piece of writing, which is inherently very personal, out into the world.
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I too, have been instructed in the ways of the thesis, but have rarely heard the term “claim”. I do like it though, because it puts more emphasis on the argument that you are presenting in the paper rather than mechanics and structure of the paper itself. I like talking in terms of claims because I feel as though we are talking more about the texts and analyzing things than simply writing for writing’s sake.
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This is really insightful, as I was reading Typee I wasn’t quite sure of what to make of the Toby,Tom, and Kory-Kory interactions. The passage you quoted in the previous paragraph really caught my attention. Your idea of the Sedgewickian Triangle makes a lot of sense. The sexuality in this novel seems to be continually maneuvering around “appropriateness”; here I am also thinking of the passage we looked at in class which described Fayaway as a “proper lady” despite the fact that she was completely naked.
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The Hunger Games is a very political book, especially when you read the entire trilogy. We just finished 1984 In Modern British Novels class and briefly related the two, Also I have just started 1Q84 which has similar tones to both The Hunger Games, and 1984. I Think that the best books are the ones that can challenge our opinions and views of the world. This is one of the reasons why I loved The Hunger Games; the books were exciting and fun to read, but they also really make you think about the world.
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I agree with your opinion on the title of a poem. A poem does not have to be titled, however, if it is I feel as though it can be a vital part of the poem’s meaning. A title can shed light on meaning, or open up new interpretations of the poem. If the author included a title, then that is part of the poem as a whole. If one was to delete the title of some poems it would be like deleting the first line of the poem.
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I really like this idea, mainly because reading books is so often considered a solitary activity. Reading alone can be enjoyable, however when one talks about the book with another person, or even better other people, the book can take on new meanings and gains a deeper richness than it would have had if it was simply read and never discussed.
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I think that Glee is interesting because although there is language for homosexuality now, it still shows how hard it is to be an openly gay individual in high school and in the world. I also like your idea that sexuality is fluid it reminds me of our discussion about Typee during Rachel and Seve’s peer led class.
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The enjoyment of assigned books as opposed to books that I read in my free time has always been measured on different scales for me. If I “enjoy” an assigned book it usually means that I thought the discussions in class about the book were interesting; if I “enjoy” a book that was not assigned to me I usually think of how the book made me feel, surprised me, and made me want more. I, like you, never thought of how a book makes me feel as a critical approach. I am now starting to rethink that opinion
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You make a really good point. This post reminds me of the whole e-reader versus paper book debate. I, personally, prefer paper books, I love everything about them. However I must admit that I also have a nook. It is super nice to have that many books in one small device, I can highlight and bookmark passages, and even look up words right on the device. For all its benefits, though, I have noticed that I read books differently on my nook. My attention seems to wander more. I can really get into a book but an e book has so many other things going on along with the book that it is a very different experience. I wonder if books are going to go the way of movies through the e-reader revolution. I sincerely hope not.
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I think the Harry Potter example is actually quite good. Everyone who reads the books forms a deep bond with their favorite characters, and reacts to everything differently. Also many kids grew up reading the Potter series so they have a unique perspective on the entire phenomenon. Harry Potter would be a great candidate for a reader response criticism.
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I agree with you about it being hard to incorporate strong personal beliefs into critical essays. I still struggle to find a balance between personal details and keeping it formal enough. It is hard to get out of the completely objective perspective and get into making essays personal.
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I like the way reader response criticism allows one to experience the story and then use that experience to get at a deeper meaning. In high school I was always taught that one should never use the first person, or really pay attention to the reader, or author very much for that matter.I love reading because it is an experience, but that is not always a critical approach to the text. I like being able to take my reactions to a text and use them to talk about the text and get deeper meaning than “I liked it”.
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Menstruation is a really interesting taboo, even today if you look at tampon commercials, they are all about being “discrete”.There are some commercials out now that even make fun of this fact. There is a woman who talks about the various ways in which she hides her tampons. She later asks why it is this way. I have no answer for you tampon spokeswoman, but menstruation is something we definitely do not talk about. In one of my classes earlier this year, Dr. Crowley talked about the fact that the more euphemisms we have for something the more socially unacceptable it is to talk about. I bet everyone can think of several for menstruation. What does this say about how society feels about it?
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I think that every social group has their own “taboos” we even make fun of it. For example in the movie Mean Girls, there are rules for “girl world” that Cady must learn to be socially accepted. even her friend Damien who is not one of the “plastics” or one of the cool/popular kids says “you can’t join the mathletes it’s social suicide!” everyone has their own rules which are never to be broken. This is exaggerated for humor in the film, but it shows that there are rules such as these that we all follow in one way or another.
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I think that taboo like just about everything else is not a narrowly defined set of laws, but a range of rules that societies generally follow. They could be small things such as not eating meat on Fridays in Lent or large things which include pedophilia or murder.The meaning of the word has changed as the word has become less exotic and more a part of our general vocabulary. But it is in the nature of language to evolve and we need to look at words both in context and in their evolution.
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I do this too, after my first draft I feel like I never really looked over my papers, but in the course of this semester I have learned different ways to revise my papers and learned what to look for during each of my drafts.
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I too have noticed a lot of modern references to “The Raven” from a Simpsons episode to the introduction to the Mary-Kate and Ashley Movie we mentioned in class to an Edgar Allen Poe meme. It is really amazing how Poe is so prevalent in our culture when you take the time to notice him.
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It is really interesting how you talk about horror movies and how not knowing is worse than knowing. This is a central aspect to Typee for several reasons; first, Tommo does not know what is going on on the island, and secondly, the reader does not know if they can trust Tommo’s judgement or interpretation of events considering that he cannot fully understand what is going on around him.I think that this made the book much more interesting. Adding a sense of mystery to the novel makes the novel much more intriguing.
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cestreen
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I was surprised at how beneficial Hollands reader response was to my understanding of the film. I know that many views get captivated by the plot and therefore fail to really watch the film from an educational standpoint. I find that when Holland brings up the themes and ties it to Hitchcock cinematography, it reminds me of the elements that make it effective, both in the script and technicality.
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Thank you! I was waiting for someone to bring up Harry Potter in our class. I enjoy Harry Potter very much and it is interesting to note how the plot itself is based on so many other texts when looked at closely, much the way how Disney exemplifies Shakespeare.
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Because of the many different interpretations of the themes of the film. It sometimes can get blended together. It is important to take one aspect of the film, such as the woman relationships, and realize them fully. His voyeurism towards Madeleine is juxtaposed to his “rejection-like” attitude towards Midge despite her most valiant attempts at him. She does act as a motherly figure throughout the whole film. Hitchcock’s plot lines are very dense even though they appear simply.
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I think that BBC does an excellent job on these sorts of documentaries/films. Especially those that depict past wars and the effects they had on the people involved. Stories like the ones about Trench warfare and the challenges that the men had to face on and day to day basis is just gut wrenching. Thanks to the series, it really enlightens these topics for people who are completely oblivious.
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It is rather funny to me that you brought up the movie Jaws, directed by Stephen Spielberg. When watching Vertigo, I was remind of how Spielberg used unique scores to enhance his scenes just the way Hitchcock does. I find it interesting how impactful such movies can be on audiences. After m1975, people ceased to go in the ocean due to the fear that was instilled in them because of Jaws. In high school during my study of media class we analyzed Jaws, so I understand how you got “squirmy.”
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This particularly interests me. Last year, in my free time I would often go to the N.E.W. shelter and serve meals. I understand the difference in how poverty is a bit different from feminism here but the motivation is the same. Hopefully this year the new “Learning Living Community” they are implementing at St. Norbert will get the community (students) involved in more volunteering services as well.
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Obviously, sometimes these topics can be quite touchy depending on who you discuss them with. I wouldn’t necessarily say that being girly is demeaning. Remember that woman today are becoming more dominant as a gender as time goes on. I think it is more important to be aware of these stereotypes and how as a culture we can manage them.
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I believe that the exaggerations of these conceptions are societally constructed, but based on the general characteristics of the two genders, it is only natural to recognize them how they really are. I do not believe that this sort of labeling is a disservice to humankind. IN GENERAL, men are stronger than women, on average women are more nurturing than men, etc. Some things are fairly genetic. This is not saying that these should be labeled negatively in any way.
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I find the class rather entertaining, especially the critical thinking that Professor Westergan brings to the table. Today, we began to meet with him in his office to recite lines of Dante’s text in Italian. Slowly and phonetically we worked through each word to understand its association with the story and then unpack it into more conceptual notions. I love how every word that Dante writes can be unpacked to see a larger and more significant meaning.
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I understand the personal level that you take much of what you write. I too sometimes have that problem. I believe that it is important to separate what actually is with what you think is. Of course support and evidence is extremely important here. If you believe something, just make sure after those “I think”, and “I don’t know” phrases that you just keep the within the context of what you are talking about and maybe that will help.
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Anyone who has also read Moby Dick will also find this concept! Melville loves to play around with the relationships in his plot lines. Bring this up in class please!
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I really enjoyed Gulliver’s Travels as well and think that much of the enjoyment comes from the journey explored. There are so many metaphors for daily life that really give the text meaning.
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I understand where you are coming from. I also could work on my blogging as this whole idea is fairly new to me. Quotations supporting my claims or findings will allow others to voice opinions based on my text as well.
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I agree with you there. Graff’s relationship to his reader makes his writing rather compelling, especially how his life takes a turn. It really makes writing appreciate the field.
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When Graff talks about the idea of “talking well” and not just reading well, I find it troubling. I often am caught talking with incorrect grammar and people call me out on it. This is even more troubling when one has ideas about the text but cannot convey them effectively.
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Graff seems to attest that just because you dislike reading or even writing at an early age, it doesn’t mean you wont enjoy it in your later years. I love his relationship to his reader by communication this story.
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I particularly enjoyed leading this class because I too enjoy analyzing movies. One really doesn’t understand how much subtext there is to everything yo u visualize on screen. Just like reading a good novel, the plot pushes you further into the mystery/suspense/action. When looking at the aspects of film that either help or hinder each scene, you can really appreciate film on a new level.
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As Cordell noted last week, it is not necessarily most important to write out a main claim to get you started. I know that some people work chronologically with the introduction and then flow seemingly into the paper. I have found that it is sometimes easier to write about something your interested in, something that you would like to argue, and then eventually when you are finished, construct a claim that summarizes your argument based on what you have already written. Does that make sense?
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Those were examples of fully-fledged introductions that Cordell himself thought were more than adequate. Introductions really aren’t as scary as writers sometimes make them out to be. What I find helps a lot is adapting a creative edge and going with it throughout the introduction. Usually something that the reader wouldn’t know or would like to read on to find out more about.
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clairewestlie
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You feminist scholar, you. I agree! After I read the article I did not like that either. I think the villain in Princess and the Frog makes sense. I actually remember after seeing the movie with my friend, Sasha, we both made jokes on the prince’s ethnic identity and it is because it is our instinct to categorize. Excellent post
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Also, to claire-ify, the sentence “After I read the article I did not like that either” I meant to say “After I read the article, I also had some disagreements” … Time for bed.
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Oooh! I like that comparison of the vampire’s and werewolves’ lifestyles! It’s almost as though if the werewolves took the time to understand the vampires (“the cold ones”) then they might lost those prejudices just as though if the westerners took the time to understand the natives. Boom. Literature.
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I find it very interesting that you were able to draw connections from Typee to Glee. Sadly, I have never watched Glee. However, I think it is important for the literary community to understand the drastic change in attitude that you mention.
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mmmm WORDS! I think my favorite word has to be cookie. It’s such a weird word. Say it ten times out loud. It begins to sounds bizarre plus now you want a cookie. Also, another word many people seem to dislike is the word “erect”. I like to use it just to see people’s reaction to it. Example: “When I stand erect..” “EW CLAIRE DON’T USE THAT WORD!”
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Yes! I totally agree on feeling like you’re “over thinking” the literature, but with reader-response that is what you’re suppose to do!
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Cory Estreen
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Similarly with Graff, I struggled with reading as a child. Not necessarily because I couldn’t but because my attention deficite made it difficult to concentrate. I would often find myself wandering and daydreaming. I believe the connection Graff makes to the audience in a way that can be understood by many makes it an effective introduction to the rest of his writing.
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emilycollins
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I love your comment about not being able to please everyone. Movies, products, services, pretty much anything, is geared towards a specific target market, a group of people with certain demographics, sociocultural factors, economic statuses, etc. I mean, can you think of ANYTHING that everyone in the world, coming from different cultures and backgrounds, would all agree on? Not even water can satisfy everyone (some people have their preferences and claim it tastes different). I have not done research on Disney to find out who their target market is, but I’m pretty sure it is not a college English class tearing apart their product. Of course it’s going to insult some people or groups, but doesn’t the fact that a movie is geared towards us make us want to see it more? If it pleased everyone and no one was insulted, who would actually be interested in watching it? Or is it even possible?
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I agree as well. Maybe we, as students dutifully doing what we’re told, spend so much time looking for something to analyze we miss out on the fun of the piece? Then again, what would it be like if we read the piece of work before the class even started? We, as students, would be able to draw our own conclusions and pick up on different themes. Without our critical eye, however, we’ll probably be missing out on some key aspects. It would be cool if these two things happened simultaneously. Also much more time efficient.
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One of the themes I kept noting (or rather, sticky-noting) in Typee was when Tommo mentioned his home country and their lifestyle. He mentioned it when he was first describing the people and continued to use it when describing other things throughout his journey. I remember he used it when describing Tidor and all the work she did. I thought it interesting for him to relate it back to his origin, although it makes sense, but it also distorts the way he views the Typees. Although he always seems to be comparing the Typee women and the European women, he never seems to come to a definite conclusion about which one dominates the other.
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Interesting thoughts, especially about Tommo’s views of Typee life being better than life back home. It got me wondering, what about other stories and documents from this time? Is Melville the only one to think this way about other cultures? Surely not, but it would be interseting to see how different people react and perceive a culture different from their own. If only Toby was a real character and we could get his perspective on the Typees as well!
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I would definitely agree with you on this point. Often, I find myself leaving the introduction until the very end of my paper, because that’s when I would find out what exactly I was trying to say. I usually end up rewriting most of the paper after that because my point doesn’t become apparent until the end. The reading made a good point about not jumping from “picking a topic to collecting data” (35). Instead, the writer should focus on asking “a question whose answer solves a problem that you can convince readers to care about” (35).
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I’m so glad you benefited from the writing exercise! Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in analyzing texts and strictly seeing them from a critic’s view. I wanted to mix things up and see what it was like thinking about ethical criticism while writing something and whether that helped the class understand the criticism.
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I like your point about writing being an extension of our thoughts and perceptions of a text. As much of a strength this is, I also think it’s a weakness. Many times I try to come up with a claim, only to find a few different ones that I like. I pick one, but really ultimately end up arguing a different claim, which then leads me to find a new claim which I like better and find more compelling. If only there was a way to have your eyes and mind open to new ideas during the brainstorming process only and then put the blinders on when writing the paper to help keep stray and tangent ideas out!
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I agree that the reading was dense (I had to read it a few times through) and imagine what his book must be like! But after reflecting on it, I liked what Booth was saying about the relationship between the reader and the text and what that means. I know the fairy tale was a little…interesting, to say the least, but that’s partly why I chose it. To me, fairy tales usually involve some kind of lesson or takeaway and this one was perplexing to me. I wanted to see what the class thought about it and hopefully shed some light on what lesson could be learned.I thoroughly enjoyed your group’s fairy tale, and perhaps, like you mentioned, fairy tales mean something different to people too, just like ethics.
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This is an interesting point you bring up about children not even being aware of the stereotype they’re faced with. I tend to wonder about books, movies and TV shows that are banned in some way from children. Are kids really going to over analyze the text of a book the way an adult would? Of course not! Isn’t the point of reading as a child to learn how to read and to understand text? I can understand that yes, some things are probably more appropriate than others. I’m not saying it should be okay for kids to read romance novels, but it seems a little extreme about what’s being allowed for children. When I was younger I didn’t have the slightest idea about some of the reasons people use to ban books. I just took what was presented to me and that was that. No, I did not read into every Disney movie and see all of the underlying themes and how women were in a subordinate role and were always trying to find a husband. I just liked watching the movie.Maybe the problem comes after the fact. As you noted, we may not have noticed the problem when we were younger, but now, looking in hindsight, we do. This changes how we see things now and also applying it backwards to how we did view things.
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Cory, I completely agree! I wish we had 5 times as much time to talk about everything we talk about! It’s hard to get into the deeper meaning of all the details when trying to get through the whole Comedy in one semester. I also wish I had read the Comedy before this class so that I could be on my second read through. Just going back over passages with Professor Westergan yesterday, I noted similarities and commonalities between passages throughout the book that I didn’t notice before.
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I can definitely relate to this point! Often, I feel like I end up writing 2 or 3 different papers before actually figuring out what I’m trying to say or argue. Who has that kind of time? If only there was a way to get to the “end of the paper epiphany” without having to write out the whole paper first!
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I completely agree with both of you. I was struggling to find a piece of literature that would work with New Historicism. I was afraid of randomly connecting an event with a piece of work, hoping that the two pieces would fit. It’s much easier to be given the two pieces and then figure out how they fit together. As I was writing this paper, I found myself slipping into close readings or reader responses. There must be some way to keep history as the front runner. How, I’m still not sure, but it’s an interesting skill to try and develop.
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Great thoughts on applying knowledge from one class to another. I love it when that happens! I also really enjoy the takeaways your group came up with from discussing the relationship between the reader and the text. Oftentimes, I feel readers simply take the text as is instead of absorbing it and making it their own, fully immersing themselves into the text. These two ways of reading greatly changes the reader’s interpretation of the text and what they get out of it.And, if I was able to stick around for longer, I would definitely take Women in the Bible…as well as about half a dozen more English classes. :)
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Maybe by removing the title the reader removes the “judging the book by the cover?” That’s the only reason I can come up with. Removing the title would remove the temptation for the reader to make assumptions about the poem before even reading it. I suppose this also forces the reader to focus only on the contents of the poem and not other extraneous information.
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I would have to agree with you about preference of reading material. I always find it difficult to get excited about reading poetry. There always seems to be an underlying meaning, which meant much more intense reading and, most likely, re-reading. Poetry also seems to insinuate multiple meanings and it’s hard to get my head around all of those different meanings for one simple word or phrase. Although, it’s hard to understand which words are important in poetry, especially if the reader is supposed to look at each word is important.
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I am really glad you guys ran with this idea for your fairytale. It’s so different than what is normally expected of a fairytale that it causes the me to think more critically about it and what it means. It’s a great note on how simplicity should not be overlooked.
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I like your point about making inferences based on what is not said. Could these inferences lead to more “taboo” ideas and thoughts from the 19th century besides homosexuality? My knowledge on this topic is limited, but I’m sure there are other ideas and lifestyles not to be discussed or address during that time which Melville could be alluding too. Could there be other signs pointing towards a different taboo than homosexuality or cannibalism that we’re missing? It’s interesting how the introduction of a certain idea changes how the rest of the literature is read and perceived.
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I, too, have never watched Glee. But I do agree that attitude changes are interesting to look at. Then I thought, what if we were studying this work 50 years ago? What would stand out then and how would we perceive it? Granted, it would be difficult to get in the mindset of a different mind to look back at a different mindset (confusing, I know). But it would be interesting to see how views and understandings of Typee have changed over time and what points and ideas critics focus on and how those ideas are interpreted and analyzed.
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I’d have to agree with you Rachel. It’s hard to stick to one criticism after learning about so many new ones. While writing papers, I found myself thinking that what I was writing was for a different criticism. But where’s the line? I feel that there is more gray area than lines in between criticisms, but rather the focus or emphasis should remain true to the criticism at hand. However, then comes the point where you have to pick which criticism you’re going to write about! Decisions, decisions!
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This is wonderfully said! I can’t imagine how difficult it is to try to make a trailer (although it’s probably similar to those introductions). There’s so many questions to answer: how much to show? Show enough to get the audience interested, but not enough to give away the whole movie. And to try to convince people that it is worth their time and money to see something completely different than what they’ve seen before, without knowing what to expect? Talk about challenging.
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Great insight Rachel! I like the point you made about the connection between the reader and the piece of literature, or in this case, story. I think in order for a reader to place value or worth on the piece there has to be some kind of connection for them to be able to either relate to the work or see how the work is opposite of what they believe. Oftentimes, I feel this “connection” gets lost in the world of analyzing.
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Great thoughts Seve! It’s hard to cover all ethical questions in just one class period, especially if it involves such intellectual tangents we all have. I liked pairing ethical criticism and fairy tales because I seem to always think there was a moral point or reason to read them. But after reading “The Tinker-Box,” I had my doubts about this preconceived notions I had.
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htweiler
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I agree with you that trying to unravel the mystery within a text is one of the best parts of reading a work. Each work becomes much more meaningful when you realize that it is complex work that needs some unwrapping
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I agree with you that gender labeling can be a disservice to humankind. I think that gender norms to make guys feel like they are not supposed to act in a nurturing way and make women feel as though they are not supposed to be strong or independent. I think that this is a mistake which limits us all from being the best versions of ourselves.
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I also really appreciated Graff’s pointing out that an engagement with the work through applying it to your own life adds a deeper level of meaning. I feel like this is something that I have done naturally throughout my life and in my reading. Every work I read I try and see ways in which the ideas and concepts being conveyed might be manifested in my own experiences. Often times there are things within the work that I can really relate with and this gives the work much more meaning to me.
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JoseAngel
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Emerson said that “we are symbols and inhabit symbols” – to paraphrase him, “we are stories and inhabit stories” – and the pervasive influence of TV you note is one way in which stories cannot properly be said to influence life if we mean influencing something which is not already a story in some way.
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lblarson
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I understand exactly what you mean! I always feel like I have to think and analyze what I read much longer than everyone around me. And when I do finally have something to say it never comes out quite as well as I hoped it would. I think that is why I initially was kind of scared of reader-response criticism. Working with a concret question or goal is much simpler but in the long run I think I will feel more reward from reader-response criticism because of how I will have to struggle to put my thoughts and feelings into words.
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I also thought that this movie gave a fairly positive note for people of color. It seemed to me that white people in the movie were actually portrayed more negatively than people of color. All of the white characters are selfish and needy. Loti gets everything she wants and Big Daddy is the top of the city it seems. Also the man-servant plays a role of villain as well. Both villains do what they do out of greed but it actually seems that the shadow man, who is the one of color, has an underlying reason for his actions. Obviously he does it out of greed but he also seems to be in debt to the shadows or the devil. It is still his fault and it doesn’t make him a good character but the servant does it simply because he is greedy and dislikes the prince. These ideas or most ideas about the white people in the movie were never mentioned in the article or not discussed enough. I think the article could have gone deeper if it had included some positives instead of all negatives possibly?
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<p>First, I’m glad you decided to throw out your seemingly crazy ideas about <em>Killing the Bear</em>. It really opened my eyes to the possibility to that as well. Also I totally know how you feel about the need for confirmation. Sometimes I feel like I am so off-track that there is no way I’m reading the piece right. The reader-response criticism scared me at first because I thought it would be another guessing game with myself if I was on-track or if my brain is so frazzled I make no sense but I think if everyone, myself included, puts their fears aside we will all benefit from a much richer reading of texts.</p>
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First, I’m glad you decided to throw out your seemingly crazy ideas about Killing the Bear. It really opened my eyes to the possibility to that as well. Also I totally know how you feel about the need for confirmation. Sometimes I feel like I am so off-track that there is no way I’m reading the piece right. The reader-response criticism scared me at first because I thought it would be another guessing game with myself if I was on-track or if my brain is so frazzled I make no sense but I think if everyone, myself included, puts their fears aside we will all benefit from a much richer reading of texts.
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i was also slightly confused by Midge as well. I think I understand why Hitchcock decided to include her but I’m not sure if it was really necessary. I think he used the Midge character as a way to really show the difference between Midge as a woman and Madeleine/Judy as a woman. Hitchcock seemed really obsessed with the idea of the ideal woman and he wanted it as clear as possible that Midge was the more motherly woman that most guys just don’t want and Madeleine/Judy was the ideal woman that every guy fantasizes about. I’m not sure if the distinction really needed to be made because it seems obvious that Madeleine/Judy is the ideal woman in this movie and did the difference between the woman really make a difference?
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I am particularly interested in the idea of the “ginger” as a sub-race of white. It is true that in today’s society we are interested in red-heads than we have ever been. I often tease my red-head friend that she is always warm because of her red hair or that she is related to hell or the devil in some way. I realize that this is not necessarily nice but no one really minds because everyone says it but doesn’t really mean it. But I can’t help but wonder, where do these ideas come from? I can only assume they have some root in the Irish. Irish immigrants were known as being tough, wild, hot-tempered. They were also discriminated so maybe that is where the idea of hell or devil being related to red-heads came from.
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That is an interesting idea! I have always known that there are ethics businesses are supposed to follow but I never really thought about where they came from. I still don’t know where they come from. And if a customer isn’t aware that they are buying from an unethical company they will think nothing of it. Even if they are aware of it few will actually do anything about it. Most will simply just think twice about buying the product but probably buy it anyway, especially if they are used to that certain product. I don’t have any profound ideas about ethics in businesses but it is something I may look into. Good luck on your presentation! I’m sure you will do great :)
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I share your fears and troubles. I had a very difficult time starting my new historicism paper and I am afraid that to say that the first time around I did not do a great job. My english paper turned into one big history. I completely forgot to include the analyse of the literature. It is hard to find a starting place when there are so many places one could start from. When discussing new historicism in class it was simple but I didn’t think of how I was going to apply it in paper form. I am still having some troubles but I think it is getting better, hopefully. Hopefully yours is going well and you have found your way out of the daunting task!
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But doesn’t the idea that there is no correct way to read a text sometimes scare you? I do agree with you that it adds another layer of richness to the work but when looking at it from the view of a teacher it scares me. Since I am working to teach English in High School I often think about how I would teach things out of my English classes. This criticism seems good for college students but possibly out of control for high school students. I am just picturing grading papers from this criticism and having students try to tell me that they can’t be “wrong” because it is what they think. I know that to do reader-response criticism correctly you need reasons/evidence but dosen’t it seem like this criticism is meant for upper levels of English?
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I also liked the article, even though it got repetitive after a while, but I did notice the exaggeration you mention. I felt like sometimes she was stretching a little bit and that is not always a bad thing but it is not always a good thing either. I could tell, like Professor Cordell said, that she was not as mature in her writing. It made it easier to read but I also felt like I was missing something. It did not go deep enough for me. The article basically kept saying the same thing over and over and never really went past it’s initial statements, as far as I could tell.
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I was just doing a psychoanalytic paper as well and I have to say if it weren’t for some of the articles I found written about my story I would have had a lot of problems starting my paper. I also have not had psychology since basically high school and it took all I had to think back to that point when I had done such a good job of forgetting it all. The more I looked at my story the more I saw things that could be thought of as psychological problems or ideas. I am sure you have already finished your first draft but good luck with the rest of it! :)
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I have also read something about the deterioration of attention spans today. I find it interesting but not surprising. I often am confused when my roommates or family need/want to watch TV all the time while doing something. They can’t simply read or do a different task without another thing going on. One of my roommates loves to watch TV while doing her homework. I don’t know how she does it because she will be watching TV while skyping and doing homework. I have noticed that it is hard for me to concentrate sometimes with no other noise/nothing else going on. I almost always need some kind of soft music with no words on when doing homework. I know that is not a good thing but it’s interesting none the less. I hope for our society’s sake that we learn to slow down and concentrate on one task at a time instead or three or four. I hate to think what will happen to the future’s attention-span if we don’t
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I really like the idea of Scotty falling so hard for Madeleine because she also has an affliction. You should have brought that up in class! I had never thought of that before but it makes a lot of sense considering how weird it is that he was so in love with her after only spent tops a week with/knowing her. I have always felt more comfortable with small group discussions as well. It seems less threatening and easier to get your ideas out there so I’m glad the small groups helped you understand reader response better :)
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I have often wondered why women are not able to become priests and such in the Catholic church and reading this makes me think about if part of the reason is because of their menstruation cycle, which you seem to hint at. If they are thought of as unclean during their menstruation, which I have heard before that they are, then they would be unable to do anything for one week a month. By how backward is that thinking? Isn’t the idea of becoming pregnant and giving birth a miracle? Isn’t menstruation needed in order to release the egg that is needed to get pregnant? It seems to be a thing that should almost be celebrated instead of shunned. Besides, it is not like women can help it. It is part of life. Menstruation really is an interesting taboo that I had never really thought about before.
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I actually still struggle with the correct definition of what taboo is, if there really is a correct definition. When asked about what kind of taboos there are in society today I constantly thought of different social norms that one does not break but could fairly easily break. I think that the term of taboo must have changed along the way at some point, I have no idea what point that may be though. Maybe because we don’t like to think about those things that are really taboo we decided, as a society, to include easier topics under the subject of taboo? I don’t really think our perception of taboo has changed. It is more likely that we simply use the term more loosely now because it is easier to do.
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I would have to say that the taboo represented in Typee is both similar and different. In most developed societies cannibalism seems to still be a taboo. I am not sure this practice will ever be thought of as okay in most places so maybe this is a semi-constant taboo seen across the board. But the thoughts about dress, especially for women, seems to be different. I am not sure if showing lots of skin in public was a taboo per say in America but it was defiantly not what one wore. When describing Farrah, Tommo decides to leave out a lot of explanation about her basically naked body so try and show that she is as good as the women of his society. That has defiantly changed today. It is common during the summer to see a lot of skin shown on women and think nothing of it. That was unheard of during his time though, and something of a taboo.
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I find your analysis very interesting. First off, I also am angered when people point out things in movies I like that make me think negatively about it. I just want to enjoy my movie and not think about it’s implications. But at the same time that is not the right mindset I should have. One should look at movies critically, since they are affecting our views of the world in one way or another. I also have to wonder if there is any Disney movie, or cartoon movie, that is not flawed in one way or another. We live in a world of stereotypes, not say that it is good, but we cannot help but use them and see them in movies. It makes them all the more relatable or at the very least, understandable. Maybe it is really is impossible to have a Disney movie without judgements, gender problems, racial problems, or stereotypes of any kind. We need to be aware of the problems and ideas it gives children and make sure they are aware of them also?
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I agree that reader response is fairly easy and also very important but I think it takes a certain attitude and mind-set to do it. When teaching in the high schools last semester I saw how lazy some students can be and how hardworking other students can be. There are some who couldn’t care less and I think those students would not give a suitable answer using reader-response unfortuantly. I think this criticism is great but maybe only for slightly upper level English classes otherwise ideas can go haywire I feel and that is not always a good thing when it comes to hyperactive teenagers who don’t give a damn.
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I feel like we do change depending on the culture, despite fully understanding it or believing it. Most people feel a need to belong or fit in and I believe that Tommo feels this as well. He never wants to stand out or be noticed and he writes that off as not wanting to get eaten. But maybe he simply does not want to be the only one who is different. It can be hard to go to a new place or situation and be the only one not the same in a sea of similar people. When people go on vacations to the south or possibly Britain, they often come back with a slight accent from the place. This is probably resulted in a need to fit in and feel like they belong, so they change just like Tommo does.
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Group-work and discussions can be either very beneficial or detrimental to one’s own understanding or opinion. I think reader-response is one of those times that group discussions can really help one develop and advance their own ideas and opinions. Even though reader-response is essentially one’s own opinions and feelings, one does not always notice everything that happens in a writing, or in this instance, a film. At that point a bunch of different people will be able to offer up slightly varied readings of the text or film. I also benefited from the group discussion. Even though I had to prepare to teach/discuss the film there were ideas and details that I hadn’t thought of as well. Yay discussion!
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meganduff
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It is interesting to think of trailers (really, movies) as devices to continue our interest in a certain fandom. For example I am a huge fan of The Host but it hasn’t crossed my mind in practically a year. After seeing the trailer (so good! so subtle! so intriguing!) I have started to re-read the book and am anxiously awaiting the movie. Less than a year!
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Hhhmmm very interesting. This made me think about my own blog post on Tangled. Although Rapunzel is the same petite “white” figure as the early Disney Princesses she is also very athletic. I mean she swings around like an acrobat with all that hair. She does just as much running and fighting as Flynn, even inventing the use of a frying pan as a weapon. In the movie it is not so much that Flynn “resuces” her, he is supposed to be her guide. Also, her hair is naturally brown (just like most everyone in the kingdom, for artistic purposes it seems that blonde was not used for any other characters) but is golden for the first 18 years of her life because of her healing abilities. In the end Rapunzel saves Flynn, not the other way around.
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I like your arguments for werewolves/vampires and Westerners/natives. One thing that I can’t quite get over is that there is really no discussion of homosexuality in the Twilight series. Perhaps this is because Meyer is Mormon. Some may argue that a Sedgewickian triange is present and that Edward and Jacob secretly are attracted to each other. But…there are no homosexual characters and where the discussion of mythical creatures ends so does that of sexuality. Feminism could defiently be discussed more in depth but not necessarily sexuality. What do others think?
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I agree that literature provides more “mysteries” than many other subjects. When there is only one true, concrete answer a subject can become very confining and well, boring. Literature is always evolving and always changed by perspective.
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I can definitely sympathize with you on this! My first experience with doing research was in AP Lit and it felt a lot like pulling teeth. Coming to college was a big wake up call, there was so much more research to do!
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I found it interesting that Midge wasn’t even a charachter in the original French story. I wonder at Hitchcock’s decision to create her. The fact that she dissapears for the last third of the movie is even more confusing.
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When I found this fact out I thought it was so interesting! We don’t know for sure that the Lord Grantham’s dog was named thus for those reasons but it is so fun either way. I love being able to pick up on such details after discovering an interesting historical fact such as this.
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You know, now that you mention it I haven’t reade much by Maya Angelou either. I feel like in high school I may have read a short story by her or perhaps a poem. Either it didn’t leave a great impression on me or I am making this up! I know of her though and until your post I never made the connection between her and the Civil Rights movement. The excerpt you used is quite telling. I look forward to the connections you are able to make!
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I agree about your love/hate relationship point. I never read Virginia Woolf in high school and heard bad things about her book The Lighthouse. Last year however I read A Room of Ones Own and recently read (and loved!) Mrs. Dalloway. I now have a completley different attitude about her.
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The only Henrik Ibsen work that I know of is A Dolls House. Your description of his style intrigues me. So many modern tales and modes of fiction employs this method. “Things are not what they seem…” is the warning for basically any mystery, drama, thriller, horror, etc. Those polarizing topics that you mention are eaten up in modern culture. We are even more voyeuristic today than we were in the nineteenth century, not surprising huh?
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I love that you brought up the disparity between sex and gender! In psychology and sociology classes this problem is brought up often and always leads to interesting discussions. Throughout this chapter I kept thinking back to those classes and finding that those points were quite relevant to feminist criticism. It always excites me when I can bring in knowledge from other classes as I feel that is what college is really about.
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I find your food analogy both amusing and intriguing. Just like literature, food can be experienced and understood in many different ways by learning its history, significance and impact on others.
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Ahh yes Bentio Cereno, I remember reading this! While reading this I also found that the dynamic between Benito and his servant was a bit off. In the beginning the take over aspect of the story was overshadowed (for me) by this confounding relationship. I appreciate you bringing this story into the discussion!
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The comparison of Typees vs Happars and Vampires vs Werewolves is tenuous in your argument. Never is Tom rejected by the Typees so therefore he never has the opportunity to explore the Happars. Also, Bella is always in danger with the Cullens (from thier own blood lust, thier vampire friends) but Tom is never in danger with the Typees (his notion of thier cannabalism turns out to be false). The fact that there are competing groups doesn’t mean there is a direct realtion to the two books.
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What a coinky-dink, I have a Kindle too! I completley agree that a reader experiences a text differently when they read it electronically than on paper. Personally, I tend to form less of a significant emotional bond when I read something on my Kindle. Its not as tangible you know? A paper book is something I can feel and smell and explore freely. E-readers are great for convenience and cost but they prevent you from getting on the same level as a text. Its not just you and the story, its you and a piece of technology. These feelings may stem from the fact that I have read exclusively paper texts for 19 years. Transitioning is hard. I hope that electronic texts don’t have this effect on future generations.
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Musings: I don’t think they will completley eliminate paper texts, at least not for a very long time. Production will slow down and existing paper texts will become very valuable. But people LOVE thier books. I know personally that if I read a book on my Kindle and love it I go right out and get a paper copy. This is kind of mental but I love to lend books out and I want to experience the story in its most natural form. This is also I way that I support the author and the work, showing my affection.
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What I always find interesting when reading critics is that they manage to articulate the thought that has been tickling my mind for awhile. Perhaps because of experience or time commitment they have accessed the idea before I even knew I had it.
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I think Ed was playing with the humor of “gingers” by using Rupert. They are arguably two of the most famous British gingers and Ed was probably playing off cases of mistaken identity involving the two of them. A very interesting video.
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I completely agree that the experience of a book rests on the context of the reading. It is as if when reading for school there is an immediate disconnection from a work. You are going to have to analyze it right? No need to get too attached. Whereas when you read for fun there is an easy emotional connection. Reader-response seems to be combining these two methods in a constructive way.-
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Huh, I never would have thought of this when we were having our class discussion! I love it how people are able to bring in things from other classes that really enrich a conversation. Menstruation is–now that I think about it–a common taboo around the world. I even remember hearing about women being isolated (a “lying in” if you will) while pregnant and then months after the birth. Part of the issue may be more than the bodily fluids, it may have something to do with how changeable women’s bodies are. Men on the otherhand are static. I wonder how this might connect with taboo?
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I swear the more we talk about taboo the more confusing it becomes! It goes back to the age-old problem that words are malleable. They mean different things to different people. They mean different things in different contexts. Their meanings change with the passage of time. Language is our attempt to understand each other and the more language is examined the more we realize that the act of “stepping into anothers shoes” is impossible. It is a beautiful idea and one of the things that sets humans apart from other animals. However, language is personal and subjective.
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I wonder if Disney is ever going to come out with an “ugly” Princess. Or a curvy one? Or a super smart genius one who hates dressing up? As a lover of Princess movies (ie a girl) it is hard for me to imagine Disney doing such a thing. If anything they may do an “ugly duckling” type movie where the guy falls in love with her despite her unfortnate appearence. But of course in the end she will become magically beautiful. AHA! Perhpas Brave is going to become the new Kick Ass Princess. She is like a ginger Katniss. She doesn’t need a man….interesting…
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Wow, these are some great insights! All throughout class I felt like the “wall” that kept us back from fully understanding the Typees was our inability to accurately define taboo. And not just taboo in the broad, universal sense but taboo in the specific Typee sense. After reading this part of your post I was reminded that the reader is also left in the dark concerning religion for the Typees. But then again Tommo could never give an objective or insider persepective on thier religion anyway. Its seems like we go in circles and never come to a lasting conclusion. I wonder if this is Melville’s, Tommo’s or our failings?
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I found it really interesting how my initial reading of the story was so different than others. For example, some people paid attention to the sexual imagery while some people picked up on the personification of the bear while still others focused on the importance of the dog. Very interesting!
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It’s funny that you bring up the point about using quotes in introductions because I did that all througout high school! I love how in high school you had to “hook” your audience with a quote or fact or question but in college you need to hook them with original ideas. Its kind of amusing how off our college “prepartion” was.
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nedunbar
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I’m very glad to hear that you were able to come up with plenty of counterarguments to this essay! That is, after all, the point of literary criticism. I agree completely that there were many flaws within the article, but I think that made it all the most interesting to read and consider. I especially like your argument about the colorization of the villain. It is true that no matter what his race had been, there would have been some sort of controversy over it. Thank you for pointing this out!
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I love both of these ideas! Seve, your vampire/werewolf comparison makes total sense. And Megan, I agree that a looking at Twilight through a feminist lens would be fascinating, especially because so many critics complain about Bella’s inability to stand on her own two feet and be her own person after she meets Edward. Very intriguing ideas!
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I agree completely, Rachel. I personally enjoy reading, but sometimes it is more difficult to read just for the sake of reading, especially now that we are given such a big load of reading in college courses. I also agree that it wouldn’t make much sense to have students reading works twice in order to think more critically. What really struck me about your comment is the last statement about why professors introduce “accepted” theories. Perhaps there should be a stronger focus on how to cross the bridge between what is “accepted” and how to create your own criticism of a work.
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I agree that it was harder to analyze a Disney movie than it would have been to analyze just about everything else. However, I’m glad that we chose it because it gave us a chance to really think about the ideas that are being presented to children. Also, as mentioned in class, how many of these themes do children pick up on?
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I love that you explored this idea! When I first looked at the article, I too noticed that Tangled was absent. However, I did not take the time to think about it from a race perspective as you did. I especially like the point you made about the contrast between the blond and brown hair before and after it is cut off. It really is quite a strong connection.
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I love this idea. In my reader response paper I discussed how my reactions to a text that I’ve read multiple times have changed since my first reading two years ago. I believe environment shapes a person’s reading in the same way. Glad someone else thought so, too!
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I feel the same way–new historicism did not seem nearly as intimidating when we did all of the work in class. But as soon as I sat down to write my paper, I drew a blank. It is much harder to place the work in the context of the time period that I thought it would be. Perhaps I am not thinking broadly enough; I am so used to doing close readings on literary works that incorporating details found outside of the work itself seems to be a foreign concept. However, I think that this paper is really helping me to grow as a writer.
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I’m curious whether you guys read just the pages we assigned or the article in its entirety. I agree that Vanessa was repetitive, and honestly, I thought her argument about gender might have been stronger than her argument about race. However, she definitely made some interesting, debatable claims, which I appreciated simply for discussion’s sake.
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I have watched Glee somewhat religiously, and I love this comparison. It’s actually quite intriguing, although I never would have thought of it myself. I, too, think it would be really interesting to consider other comparisons and contrasts between Glee and Typee
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I agree, Ashley. There are so many people who love Harry Potter, but plenty of people who “can’t stand it.” I think it would be really interesting to take a closer look at what makes people on each side like or dislike Harry Potter.
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I agree! It’s interesting to think about what exactly taboo means–it is casually tossed around in conversation so often that I kind of forget to think about its meaning. I think you make a lot of really good points. I think our perception of taboo has changed as our culture has changed over time. Things that were once considered incredibly inappropriate are now an everyday part of society.
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I love that you analyzed The Little Mermaid because it is in my top three Disney movies of all time. And I agree, as you stated in your last paragraph, that Disney does not always teach young girls the best lessons. However, the fact that all of us have grown up to realize that there is something wrong with us must say something about our society, right? At some point in time, someone or something must have pointed out to us that there are flaws in this way of thinking.
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I could not agree with you more–I have always been very confused on how to write a good introduction. It does not help that teachers at different stages of schooling will tell you different things. In middle school, I had teachers telling me to use a quote to hook my audience; in high school my teachers told me never to do so. I still struggle with how to form a complete, interesting introduction.
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rachelgintnerdone
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Your thoughts were my thoughts, too. I am of the opinion that students should have that first chance to read the literature for the sake of reading it: however, I can’t help but think this philosophy isn’t quite realistic. In order to first read “innocently” and then with critical theories in mind, students would have to read the novel twice over to get that fuller understanding. Perhaps that is why college professors first introduce the “accepted” theories about the work as we read. I’m not saying this is the best way to teach literature, but it makes sense in a college classroom.
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I like how you point out that our personality and individuality aids in writing, and does not necessarily make it more difficult. That’s a good point-I was looking at it more negatively, perhaps because writing can be such a sensitive issue/outlet because it is personal. But I think you’re point is valid too.
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Haha if only we were smart enough! I guess it’s just the name of the game to struggle through a paper and then come up with a brilliant claim and have to go back to adjust your beginning/body. But I guess the work is part of getting there.
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You basically summed up what I was trying to say, but said it quite eloquently. I think I tend to overcriticize because I don’t want my writing to be vulnerable to harsh criticism; I want to make it polished and perfect and then send it out. (which is hard and not the way to go about writing!) And your last point about having the courage to send out a new orunconventional piece into the world is well-taken. We have to take a little risk to reap any reward.
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You make me want to read this piece..I’m curious now: especially because I’m not exactly sure what queer theory entails. I hope we can cover it; I’m assuming feminist theory will be a popular one but this seems up-and-coming so here’s to hoping! Is this a short story?
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But aren’t asserting “general characteristics of the two genders” exaggerations or generalizations in themselves? I think there is a danger in saying “IN GENERAL” men are stronger than women or that on average women are more nurturing than men because this implies that these are the norm. And not just the societal norm, but the natural way of being for a man or a woman. If I am correctly interpreting what you have said, it would be unnatural for a man to be more nurturing than a woman. Does this mean my father should not be as nurturing to me as my mother is, based on the natural tendencies or characteristics of men and women? Just because there is “genetic” or scientific, or statistical evidence of men and women being a certain way, does that allow us to make these claims for the majority of a gender? I don’t think it’s inherently negative but I think it is borderline inappropriate. Or unfitting.
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I’m glad you pointed out that queer theory is rather new and started only recently, as you mention the 90′s, as a criticism. I did not know until taking Professor Crowley’s class (in which she usually talks about queer theory) that the theory existed, as well as that there was not a language developed to even talk about gay/lesbian/transgender issues. It’s really eye-opening to explore these criticism that we didn’t even know existed before–because it yet again provides another way to view both literature and the world! (yeah. wowza.)
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I also like how you are drawing these parallels, which we tried to do in our peer-led class. Specifically the intimacy you mention between these two women, and how we can read sexual relations into their actions rather than assume based on gender that these women are just friends. perhaps there’s something more.
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I think there is a difference between saying there is no “wrong” way to read a text (which I think is important to state because it frees the reader up to any and every interpretation) and saying there is a “more accurate” or “reasonable” way to read a text. I actually think it is better to get students acclimated to the idea of “no right/wrong” answers in High School because then it does not limit them to thinking they must look at literature in only 1 lens, which is usually the lens they are taught, and do not generate for themselves.However, I do understand your concern. Being a teacher, this could get tricky. But I still think it’s possible to grade papers and pass judgement on a more convincing view (not necessarily obvious, but argued well) than on the grounds that one interpretation is “right” so the other must be somehow “wrong.”
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I concur with the “brain turning into a pool of uselessness” ordeal for revising. I need to improve my methods of revision because right now I usually spend a few hours reading and revisiting and going through paragraph by paragraph, whereas a more practical and applicable approach would probably be skimming, reading topic sentences and revising argument then moving into sentence level issues.
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I like how you point out that because there was not a language for homosexuality (other than “invert” or “friendship” or “sodomy” or other ambiguous terms) forces us as readers to analyze what is “left unsaid or implied.” I’m curious: when you talk about the potential for homophobia are you referencing Toby’s fear of the Marquesans, or the particular instance where the Marquesans offered meat and he refused? Or am I reading into this? It is curious to analyze their relationship and see how their intimate bond can be analyzed in the lens of queer theory.Also, I like how you call this “an exploratory process,” because it is…this theory lends to a reimagination of the way we view relationships.
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I think the evidence you draw from Glee is interesting. I have stopped watching Glee, but I agree with you that the multi-faceted relationship between Santana and Brittney appropriately visualizes sexuality as fluid; it’s more complex than simply hetero- or homo- sexuality.
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I had never seen an Alfred Hitchcock movie either. It is very much a different experience, but overall I agree with you that movies today leave little room for imagination and are explanatory because directors make them to be that way..which is sad. I think as frustrating as ambiguity can be, it is worth leaving some mystery and unresolved issues in the movie so that it becomes more than itself. With Vertigo, you don’t stop thinking about it once the last scene wraps up. It haunts you: but in a way that entices you to wonder and explore further meanings.
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I have read the Bell Jar, actually, but it’s been a while. I just remember how depressing it made me feel! I’ve read some Plath in high school and she has always intrigued me. You make a nice suggestion about analyzing the hospital itself, but I think I’m going to look closer at the tulips because as the title and her main focus throughout the second half of the poem, it seems more relevant. I know I said I was going to analyze the hospital more, so it does seem contradictory to what I said, but my writing seems to take different directions all the time… sigh. I’m glad you like the poem though! She’s quite awesome. Disturbing, but awesome.
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You make a good point: before delving into a book we ask if we even liked it in the first place. Our response shapes our perception of the books meaning, and whether or not we want to search for that next level.
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I had the same thought: how does reader-response count? I didn’t realize it was “academically credible,” especially Lynn’s interpretation in TC about Hemingway’s short story. At first I thought he did not have the evidence to back up his defense of Luz, but he pulled off a convincing argument anyway with details Hemingway included and purposefully excluded.
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I can’t speak for the brother’s Grimm version, but for Snow White in the Disney-fied sense I think you can talk about more morals than just “don’t talk to strangers.” I think the difficulty here comes in because the moral is more or less through the eyes of the wicked queen, and not snow white. I think we’re supposed to see how this vanity and greed and self-obsession of the queen is a horrible thing…especially with her falling to her death with that terrible screech that makes me cringe. Come to think of it, the moral is also displayed by snow white’s behavior in general: do good to others in every way that you can (albeit in cleaning…for 7 men). Not that it’s a very realistic or enlightening moral, but there’s some more there for you to mull over. :)
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I know: I feel the same way. I think people are slowly starting to contribute but I feel there is this slightly awkward barrier because most of us do not know each other. But we should just break out of that! We like to argue as English people, don’t we? :)
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I’ve always enjoyed “pebble.” I have a fascination with alliteration so words that I respond positively too usually come wrapped up in other language…like “prim and proper.” Like you, I have a harder time coming up with words I hate. Also n my Philosophy of Religion class we have discussed what constitutes genuine religious experience and something that comes up a lot between philosophers is whether or not an experience has to be effable, or be able to be communicated in words. Does language create reality? I think we can agree that the word “chair” is a representation and a literal chair would exist without the name, but I think you make a good point that language is essential in that the more specific we are the better we can articulate and communicate to others. So while we create language, our ability to use it effectively creates us, or our expression of ourselves…in a way.
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rochelleallen
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I just recently saw the Hunger Games movie after reading the first book. It’s difficult for me to enjoy the movie after I read the book because, in my opinion, books are so much better! I do kind of agree that Young Adult fiction lacks much substance, but I would say that I came to that conclusion fairly recently. Mostly just since almost every author started writing about vampire or werewolf love stories. *Sigh.* Anyway, I liked the Hunger Games book a lot, though I didn’t really think about comparing myself to any of the district people – that’s a great idea. I wish that people will think about this book as commentary, but I feel like so many people have built it up to just this great entertainment piece and watch it as such. I truly hope I’m wrong. It feels like a Twilight obsession all over again! After I read this post and thought about the difference in the districts (or levels of society), the book feels deeper to me now. I found it a little teenage-angsty when reading it. You make a great point about how we haven’t had to really work hard to get the things we need and that we complain about what Louis C.K. calls “white people problems” like our computers taking too long to load or airplanes not getting someplace fast enough. Thanks for pointing this out to me – I think the new perspective will broaden my mind when reading the others.
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I agree with you about it almost being more difficult to use reader-response. I also enjoy that it lets me discuss how the text made me feel and why, but as Prof. Cordell said, it’s often hard to make the critique not sound as if you’re just writing in a journal. We have to think about how the piece makes us feel, why it makes us feel that way, what in our own experiences would make us feel that way, then objectively analyze our responses, when the whole process isn’t objective at all! Who said English was easy?
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sevescott
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I agree that there were no positive white characters in the movie. I think during class on Friday, Professor Cordell’s comment could be very true: that it was an attempt to “over correct” and erase white guilt because of centuries of racism. I think that the only main character who was actually portrayed as entirely good was Tiana– even Naveen was depicted as an immature man with a false sense of entitlement, which I think are very negative attributes.
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I like your idea of a feminist criticism of Twilight– I think that would be very interesting, especially because of the dynamic of Bella and Edward’s relationship. I bet articles have been written about it, I think I will definitely search to see!
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I found your question regarding about who is to determine what is ethical interesting. My answer is somewhat unrelated strictly to literature, but this topic is fascinating to me so I’ll just discuss it anyway :)I learned in my Philosophy of Human Nature course that this question actually leads to more questions, and not many answers. A common belief is that ethics is based on religion (i.e. the Ten Commandments); the conviction of being morally good is stimulated by the desire to go to Heaven. So basically, one view is that ethics is dictated by God. It’s difficult, because this suggests that all of society, because we follow base laws and ethics, is ultimately religious; if someone doesn’t believe in God, then who is to say what is right and what is wrong because there are no consequences for doing the “wrong” thing. Obviously, this is a very slippery slope!
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Before learning this reader-response criticism, I had never considered this idea of when/ where I experienced a text and how it could have affected whether I liked or disliked it. I agree that it brings not only the literature, but how we think about the literature, to a whole new level of awareness. Now that I know of this criticism, I am paying attention to why some songs, movies, and books are my favorites– not just what about them I like, but the experience I had when I first encountered them.
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I also discussed these gender identities in my introductory Sociology course I took last year. To say it was only eye-opening is an understatement. Kind of like what Rachel said, the thought of being girly as something society dictates rather than something that I inherently portray is very… confusing. Also irritating, because I consider myself a girly-girl; I am sort of stereotypical in that I like shopping, wearing makeup, painting my nails, romances, etc. You wonder how much of our personalities and either “maleness” or “femaleness” are things we are born with, and how much is shaped by our environments. For example, if I grew up in a foreign country, with perhaps slightly different gender norms, would I still be as feminine?
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This tension between male characters over a female character is called a Sedgwickian Triangle, after the Queer Theory critic Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. After I discovered this, I immediately recall so many love stories in pop culture… Dare I say, Twilight?
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It’s coincidental that you picked this particular passage– Rachel and I will be diving into this more in our peer-led class tomorrow. I’m interested to hear everyone’s thoughts!
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You’re welcome! :) The parallels you draw are interesting, and I agree that there are similarities between cannibalism and vampirism. In the article everyone will read for Friday, the author conveys how cannibalism can be interpreted as a sexual act. Similarly, vampires and vampire fiction are also portrayed as sensual, mysterious, and predatory; the act of sucking blood is intimate and pleasurable.
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I think a queer theory approach can also be applied to the werewolves vs. vampires feud. Werewolves view vampires as “others” who adopt a foreign and dangerous lifestyle, and vice versa. Western culture has viewed homosexuals as “others” as well– their way of life is alien to heterosexuals.
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I agree with you in that having a “working claim” takes some pressure off. Before, my view was that if I had a great claim to start with, writing the rest of the paper was easier. But now, just having a specific idea to start with helps me write down everything I know I wish to discuss in my paper, then go from there to tighten up my claim.
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I have yet to read The Hunger Games (it’s on my list!!), but I am interested to hear that it makes you analyze the world we live in. Young Adult fiction has the stereotype that it doesn’t have substance– it seems like The Hunger Games defies this image, and serves as a commentary on society. I’m glad that it is so popular, so hopefully it will generate more and more people to think critically about the way we live.
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I don’t think you’re stretching it at all– from what you describe, it sounds like this text is a great one to apply queer theory to. It would be interesting to explore the differences of Edna’s interactions with Adele and Robert, comparing both her thoughts and actions towards them. You could also examine Adele in this way.
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Perhaps he is saying that a writer as a person should not be evaluated, only the words on the page. So instead of asking, “What was the author thinking that possessed him or her to use this wording?” the question that Lynn suggests to ask instead is, “What does this phrase/ word imply about the overall theme of the text?”
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I always benefit from class discussion after reading a text, because sometimes I might think that I know what the author is getting at but I can’t exactly verbalize it yet. Then, a classmate will say something along the lines of what I am thinking, enabling me to develop the idea further from what he or she says. So, I believe that Graff’s idea of “talking well” comes from practice and the ability to flesh out ideas with others.
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I agree with you in that learning New Criticism has helped me to interpret poetry. I always liked poetry, and like you, I would pick out phrases that I loved; however I new that I never really understood what the author could be trying to say.
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I think it is very innovative of the show to incorporate this theory of the fluidity of sexuality. This subject has not, to my knowledge, been addressed in popular media that young people would be exposed to, and I hope that the show is creating awareness in this area.
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I also agree with your opinion on multi-tasking– I think it hinders full focus and complete immersion into tasks if we are busy doing three things at once. Sometimes if an assignment doesn’t require too much critical thinking, I can have music playing. However, most of the time I can’t because it so distracting. If anything, I put on some classical music because I find that when I’m playing music with words, my mind bounces from the assignment to paying attention to the lyrics. So, I’m not fully focused on what I’m actually supposed to be doing, unfortunately.
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I loved this point your group brought up in class– about which love was more unhealthy– because I had not thought of their relationships in that way. I was more looking at Scottie’s end of the romance and how he was treating Judy, and not necessarily looking at how Judy was treating him.
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I agree with you here, that by acknowledging a part of our reality we choose to speculate and try to understand it. I think that if we were to eliminate words like “hate” it would not solve much– humans would probably still feel this emotion because it is inherent, but we would not know what to call it or how to identify it. It would probably add confusion, and cause people to not know how to deal with it because we would be thinking, “Okay, I’m experiencing this very strong negative emotion but I don’t know if it’s normal– I don’t know what it is, or what to call it.” Like you said, we wouldn’t be able to articulate what we are feeling, probably causing frustration.
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I will also be easily swayed by other peoples’ interpretations sometimes; however in some cases, hearing others’ take on a text will help mine evolve because they will say things that cause me to further analyze my own criticism.
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Susanne Macdonald
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Hi there! I found this link by chance and was intrigued about the author you’ve been discussing! I agree with some citations you used: “our ability to read well depends more than we think on our ability to talk well about what we read” (40). I think it is true! Comprehension and understanding completely depend on further discussion. It really works.
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tanyamontgomery
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Like you, I found it difficult to only analyze The Princess and The Frog with African American Literary criticism in mind. I wanted so badly to incorporate feminist criticism because I find Disney films just seeping with misinterpretations and stereotypes of gender that NEEDS analysis, especially Disney Princess films! I agree with your take on the portrayal of women in the film. I see Loti as dependent yet naïve and unintelligent and Tiana her opposite, goal driven and ready to achieve those goals at all costs. What does this portrayal say about women and not just differing women of color? What does this say about Tiana and her achievement of her goals in comparison with Prince Naveen? – How much influence did he really have? How much dependence did she really end up having on him? Now I have to play the devil’s advocate and had to look up opposition towards a positive outlook on women in this film because frankly, I still do not believe Disney portrays women positively. I found a great website from the UK offering a psychoanalytic feminist critique by Laura Mulvey. I won’t go into too much detail but Mulvey suggests that females in films are portrayed as passive, looking at by males not for their own purpose in the narrative – other than to move the male protagonist’s narrative forward. Applying this idea to The Princess and The Frog, one might argue that Tiana pushes the narrative plot along herself. This remains true but up until the point where she is old enough to be threatening to male subconscious. This is where Prince Naveen enters and takes control of the plot. Tiana is only relevant to him in terms of what she enables in to achieve – becoming human again, regaining his riches in love and money. The camera is now no longer looking at the world with Tiana but at Tiana through Naveen’s eyes [male gaze]. The article also goes on to discuss how Tiana can be seen as a passive character and further develop this argument against a positive portrayal of women in the film. Again, I am simply playing devil’s advocate. I think the article proves compelling and for Disney, this film is a step towards change. We already have our first African American princess…what can this say about other stereotypes in future films to come? http://www.thefword.org.uk/reviews/2012/03/princess_and_frog
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I would agree with in that writing a paper is significantly hard work. I face this problem with a paper I have to write for another class. I find myself putting it off because of how difficult papers and the writing process tend to be, not a good idea. Never a good idea! I must disagree with you though in that writing is difficult because writing is an expression of who we are. I find that to be the greatest, most relieving part when going into writing a paper. Knowing my thoughts, perceptions, feelings, experiences, yadda yadda can help personalize and make meaning to my writing is all the less stressful. I do agree though that knowing I am able to put myself into my writing causes some overanalyzing. I like how you bring up the suggestion from Craft of Research. It is important to be self-critical. If we are willing to criticize someone else, we should be willing to do the same for ourselves. When you bring up the point about our in-class discussion on T.S Eliot, I find as English major’s it is our job to disturb the universe. What fun is it being conventional and sticking to claims which can easily be argued and proven? Take that unconventional step.
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In a way, I almost find it creepy that this Lizzie Doten recited a poem, assuming in a trance, “under the direct influence of the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe. I mean creepy but cool! I like how you find it laughable, in a way I do too. Although, this notion is interesting and could be a really interesting New Historicism piece tracing back perhaps the using of tongues. I almost wonder if Doten was a Poe groupie after his death and just memorized Poe’s style. It could explain why her reciting followed Poe’s suite. Yet, no matter how much of a fan and how much memorizing one does, I do not really believe one could reproduce the same singular music and alliteration of a poet. The similarities in Poe’s “midnight dreary” are crazy, yet still produce the beauty of Poe’s poetic charm. The line which you mentioned “Like a lone one, weak and weary/ Wandering in the midnight dreary…” gives me chills like Poe’s original “midnight dreary.” The fact Doten experienced this after Poe’s death really could prove to be real? Could it not? I think Doten experiencing this after Poe’s death, like you said, adds to the mystery and excitement of this notion. Perhaps it was Poe himself speaking through Doten…dun dun dunnnn! I think your steering towards a great direction and very interesting direction in research with this piece. I am jealous!
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May I first begin by saying, more power to you by doing a peer led class by yourself! You will be fine, but good for you. I am really excited you have chosen to do fairytales and Ethics with a twist on business. I think you have a really interesting peer-led topic coming our way, and I could not be more excited. Fairytales are my favorite, and I think your topic is a perfect transition from mine and Nicole’s presentation on African American literary criticism with the use of The Princess and the Frog. I am not too savvy with the whole ideas of ethics within a company. I could discuss the roles of ethics among human dignity and ethical rights of a being in a company but, I feel my responses are strictly biased on my studies in the field of women and gender studies. So to tie in what I know with women and gender studies to the idea of fairytales, I thought I would give a little blurb about a book revisiting the fairytales we grew up to love as children…with a twist. In Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue, Donoghue renditions the original Cinderella into her own story known as The Tale of the Shoe. The contextual difference between Donoghue’s rendition of Cinderella, The Tale of the Shoe, and the original version is that Donoghue’s version exploits a queer theme which has been marginalized or avoided in the traditional telling of Cinderella; in comparison to Perrault’s original text, Perrault’s focus is the “fairy tale ending,” the one in which Cinderella marries Prince Charming at the end and lives happily ever after. It is often assumed that Cinderella went to the ball in search of true love. After reading the original Cinderella it cannot be argued that true love was in fact her reasoning for attending. Perrault’s version reads, “The king’s son was always by her, and never ceased his compliments and kind speeches to her” (Perrault). Since Cinderella was treated poorly at home, it can be seen that this wanted attention was what drew her back to the Prince each night. In the original version, this of course ultimately led to their marriage. A total sell-out? I think perhaps. Cinderella had the skills and qualities of being an independent woman who in the original text subjected herself to patriarchy just to feel wanted. One can still feel that without the social institutional bonds of marriage. Donoghue’s text ends a little differently. First off, the Cinderella we see in her story is not ordered to perform household chores. “The shrill voices were all inside” (Donoghue 2). This battle within herself could be because of her grievance over her mother, somehow it makes Cinderella feel less worthy. In hopes of turning such a fate around, she attends the ball as in the original version. Yet, Cinderella does not choose the happy ending. Instead of leaving her glass slipper on the steps to wait for him, she threw the brambles. “What about me? She asked very low. I’m old enough to be your mother. Her finger was spelling on the back of my neck.” “You’re not my mother, I said” (Donoghue 8). This is Donoghue’s play into the idea of queer theory with Cinderella. Perhaps she had not chosen the life with the Prince; she could have lived a life with the stranger (whom in the original version was her Fairy Godmother). The sexuality of these two women is portrayed entirely natural and not emphasized for the sake of shock. “So then she took me home, or I took her home, or we were both somehow taken to the closest thing” (Donoghue 8).
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Surprisingly enough, I never picked up on this notion of queer theory within The Awakening. I was too busy analyzing Edna as a woman and her roles or lack of…not to mention the ending and how that ties into Edna’s place as a woman in society. Chopin has a way with feminist writing, but queer theory?! I LOVE IT! Not to mention the quote you shared within your blog post, I must say the imagery and word choice Chopin uses definitely gives off homoerotic connotations. I love the first line, “she had long wished to try herself on Madame Ratigonelle.” That line will definitely be a fun line to play around with! Especially with the lines to follow, I am so jealous you spotted this bond. Now for this paper with this type of literature what would your claim look like and would you do any additional research on homosexual relationships of the time?
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Like you, college proves to be the first time I have heard of a “claim” in an academic setting. In high school and even at my previous institution, all my instructors directed emphasis on the thesis. Now looking back to previous thesis statements, such statements were unarguable, as you mentioned, and lacked conciseness. I am almost embarrassed with some of the papers I have written and my theses. How could one consider a debatable, definitive statement with some of the statements I have written? They give the paper no purpose. You mentioned in your comment how you need the writing process as guidance because you usually go in with a general idea. I find the idea of a “working claim” and writing the claim last or modify throughout the development of the paper relieves the stress of the writing process. You may find this too when going into a paper so broad minded. Know even with pre-planning, changing or modifying your claim throughout the process allows a conceptually rich and concise statement to develop. The Women and Gender Studies major in me must comment on your example of a thesis statement using Kate Chopin The Awakening. One of my favorite texts ever, such a great piece of feminist fiction!
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When I first purchased my Nook I felt as if I were cheating on real, tangible books. Now that I have experienced all that this piece of technology has to offer, resorting back to a book at times proves a struggle. We live in a fast pace society which remains to be ever changing and technology is taking over the world, taking over our lives. I find that experiencing the text through a Nook device both limits and enhances my experience, but all the same, the experience the reader has while reading a work is made however the reader chooses to make it. I do not believe how one reads a text alters ones experience of that text. I find the text speaks for itself, but there is something about an alive, in your palm book that makes it all the more real. I mentioned how I have let technology get the best of me and how difficult it is to resort to books now that I have a Nook, but I always get a wave of excitement when I have to pick up a book for a class. Something about how a book feels inside your hands, how a book smells of the history behind each word written, and how each page sounds with each turn, for me that experience could not get more real. No electronic device could bring one closer to reality of real literature. -I feel like I am very conflicting with my ideas in this post, whoops.
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I find it interesting you chose Walt Whitman for your New Historicism piece. I remember reading Leaves of Grass in my American Literature course and found the piece dreadful! Then again, everyone exhibits different tastes. I never knew this work revolved around Whitman’s time as a self-appointed nurse for wounded soldiers during the Civil War. I find that interesting and definitely can be applied to various ideas throughout the text. This may be applicable, may not be, but it is noted that Whitman was homosexual whether this influenced his text or not one could argue. Through his expression of equality he indicates acceptance among the races, but couldn’t this be applied to all indvidiuals? I am not sure if this could influence your New Historicism piece but a little blurb from the text I found supporting equality exemplifies when Whiteman states, “Growing among black folks as among white, Kanuck, Tuckahoe, Congressman, Cuff, I give them the same, I receive the same” (6.108-110). Here is a small, yet, significant mention of Whitman’s views on groups. No matter whom one resides next to, accept people all the same. Now, it is easier to say that than to actually put those actions into motion. The largest and biggest indication of Whitman’s portrayal of the American masses is described in lines 335-345. One example of this is found in line 335:“A Southerner soon as a Northerner, a planter nonchalant and hospitable down by the Oconee I live” (16.335). In his attempt to impose a certain harmonious peace, Whitman here is describing that there is no difference between individuals. In addition, differences lurk within all Americans which are unseen on the outside by society’s judging eyes. It would be ideal for us to all congregate together as one, but this is not an ideal world.
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I love how you chose Plath! – Great choice! The Bell Jar proves to be one of my top five favorite books of all time! I am a little disappointed with the ending but just in case you have not read it, I will not vent my disdain for that darn ending! Wow, I am using a lot of exclamation points, anyways…I am guilty to say, but I have never read this piece…until your post. I went online and pulled up the poem, and I LOVE IT. You mention how you are having difficulty when considering the status of women in the process of feminist theory. This is probably a great poem to start with because this piece is seeping with literary evidence just waiting to be analyzed [I hope that makes sense, in my head it did]. There IS something revealing about hospitals, and I think in relevance to this poem it is important to look at. A little piece of advice when starting to deconstruct [not literally as in the theory, but metaphorically,] think of the hospital as an institution and how that reflects women and the status of women in society. Also another piece to analyze in this poem is Plath’s use of the word tulips and how that aids in Plath’s portrayal of the status of women. This poem is great, and I think you went with the right choice on choosing Plath! You can never go wrong with Plath. Thanks for introducing me to a great piece.
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May I just say I find this to be a brilliant plot for a movie, how could one not? The idea of a murder mystery imitating a story by Poe, bone-chilling! Not to mention, I love how writers have Poe team up with detectives to stop the killer whose killings resemble the work of Poe. I must question though, being a women and gender studies major, why are the victims women – a mother and daughter are found brutally murdered and later Virginia, Edgar’s first cousin/child bride is captured by the killer. These aspects of the killings are an interesting point to analyze. The plot line almost reminds me of Jack the Ripper, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe it was he whose victims were women [particularly prostitutes]. -I too agree with you, class field trip is a must!
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Ever since I can remember, like the usage of commas, introduction formats have been always changing. I have had instructors tell me to use quotes, tell me not to use quotes. I have had instructors tell me to use rhetorical questions others have shunned me for using such an opening. Some instructors have even insisted on not using an opening hook at all but rather go right into the meat of the intro. Now come on! Can MLA just not stick with one simple introduction format and make everyone’s lives simpler? Like you though, introductions and conclusions have always been my least favorite. In some classes, I have even protested against using a conclusion. Why would I write an entire paragraph resuming everything I just wrote, completely idiotic. I have had a few professors actually agree and allow me to get away with not writing a concluding paragraph which makes sense people! Anyways, I too begin with my thesis but then have to follow strictly with my introduction. I find to keep myself sane I have to go in preceding order: thesis, introduction, body paragraphs, and if needed conclusion. One format to look into for structuring an introduction paragraph is the Little Red Schoolhouse method. It is very clear and direct, to the point.
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May I begin with saying I love the title of this post because I had this same initial reaction while reading the chapter on Reader-Response Criticism. I never thought nor learned nor dreamt that I could criticize a piece through my own feelings and experiences. For an English major, I thought such a notion was taboo in the English world. I like the point you bring up how claims usually stem from the readers feelings which lead to a question they wish to be solved. When you mention how you attempted this type of criticism and you find it may be harder than other criticisms, I am nervous. I too thought Reader-Response would be an easy form to use since the reader is pulling in their own feelings and experiences. I enjoy you mentioning the struggles you found in this process particularly when you say, “there is no specific question or end in mind besides what does it make you feel in why.” I find this to be useful for others new in this type of criticism, something to remember when they start their critiquing. I like too how you mention to talk to others on their opinions and feelings to offer some diversity and see how others view the piece. I would just be careful not to let others dissuade your experience while reading a piece. Everyone’s interpretations are different!
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tlovdahl
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The quote you picked out about our first impressions of art being hard to describe make sense. I remember learning about synthesis versus analysis in my survey of British Literature class. It usually takes time for me to get over my initial emotional response (synthesis) before I can return to the work and start to pick it apart (analysis). The challenge I face here is knowing where to even start with analysis, especially when it is a large work like a novel.
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I agree with you that pre-conceived notions about a movie or piece of literature affect how a viewing experience will be altered. But I disagree with you that it necessarily enhances the experience to have (certain) background information. When someone tells me I have to watch a movie because they thought it was so hilarious, almost always I will dislike the movie because they set my expectation of laughter too high. Unless essential to understanding plot line or concept, subjective background information seems detrimental to me.
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Were we discussing in class how movie trailers that do not follow the basic-formula attract a different brand of movie-goers? I have a feeling (and I believe this is what we briefly talked about) that off-beat trailers bring “hard-core fans of film” to theaters. I liked the concept of knowing what a good trailer/paper intro is and then knowing when and how to break the standard format to appeal to a certain audience.
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When discussing Walt Whitman, the phrase “getting to know him more” though reading his poetry really stuck with me. That is what I love about literature–we learn about people’s lives when we read. I think this phenomenon contributes to people’s self-consciousness of writing; What if they think my thoughts are dumb? That may be the biggest challenge to literary criticism: taking the work for what it is and not instantly associating the narrator/speaker with the author.
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I find torture inflicted upon characters gripping, but overall it is something that I want to turn away from because it is upsetting. I am always the one who covers her eyes and plugs her ears at the scary parts of movies; listening to people scream in distress haunts me. However, if we never face upsetting aspects of life we are remaining in our naive state of ignorance. Your blog builds my curiosity as to how others react to such instances of torture and terror. I think the psychology and responses to dark moments in texts (and films) would lead to fascinating discussions.
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Asking questions to what we write and read is a practice that not enough teachers and professors emphasize. I was never used to that idea until college; in high school when papers are assigned there are a list of claims to choose from and you select one to turn into a paper. But until college, I was never taught how to ask questions I would later answer myself with a paper.
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I understand what you mean, in grade school and high school I often had trouble focusing on what I was reading (when I’m on break and at home I still do). For me the biggest help critical analysis provides is a task and something to concentrate on while I’m reading. Without closely analyzing what we read we can easily miss out on meaningful insights.
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I love poetry in general and I find your approach to this assignment very appealing. Oftentimes the most well-written papers come from spontaneous discovery; you discovered Maya Angelou… and I conveniently discovered your blog post…
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This would have probably lead to a very interesting conversation had it come up in class. I am very intrigued, we discussed similar issues in my Women and Work class- but more on the ethics of how business conducts in junction with family lives of employees. As an English major, I am more inclined to side with emotional and expressive values in life, so my views upon business are not the most optimistic. But then we have to question what business is in the first place and how do we let it function/work in society? Great blog post! (and it was a great class!)
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To a certain degree I agree with you; if students have different backgrounds professors should be accommodating and assist them outside of the classroom. However, it is the student’s responsibility to catch themselves up if they are enrolled in a course a little more advanced than where they left off in high school (or their previous college course). The only way to learn how to speak and write critically is to practice–but then the students who are new at it (especially if it is the whole class) should be given full explanation and chance(s) for revision.
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I would also add to that list… Hunger Games, but that is so much more subtle than Twilight.
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I could not remember the name of the triangle, thank you! I remember learning about that in Dr. Crowley’s class last semester (you were there, you know).
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You bring up interesting points. In fact it is very arguable that Tom is endangering the Typee tribe with his European diseases. If we are still comparing it to Twilight, I would say that Bella’s presence endangers the Cullen family because she makes them a target of the head vampires (I do not remember what they are called… something about being ancient… starts with a V) and she becomes a target of the tracker vampire in the first book; they put themselves at risk by protecting her. By no means am I intimating that these two books overlap perfectly; I was just having fun comparing them.
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I like your idea of the relationship “maneuvering around appropriateness” (I love the phrase you used). This argument ties in well with what we discussed in class. I question whether the description of Faraway maneuvers around “appropriateness” (while we read too far into the male dynamics) or is Melville possibly disguising homosexuality? I now question when the first openly homoerotic relationships started appearing in literature.
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When I read this passage it actually made me a little uncomfortable (which can definitely express how squeamish Westerners are about open sexuality). There is a passage shortly after this one in the novel that discussed milky white juice coming out of a coco nut I believe… that was pretty raunchy as well.
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That is very true, I would not have made that connection to sensuality from vampirism and cannibalism on my own. In Twilight the vampires are designed to be very sexually appealing while being deadly, I would not readily argue that cannibals are particularly sexy, but Faraway certainly is a sexual being on the island… and the islanders are more comfortable and aggressive with their sexuality compared to Western culture.
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I would also like to bring up that this is not the first piece of literature by Melville where the presence homoerotic tension and feuding meet to distinguish a party of people as “others”. In “Benito Cereno” the slaves are fighting the slave owners on the ship and during slavery times (and for a period post-abolition) African Americans were seen as “others”. Babo and Benito Cereno definitely had some homoerotic tension between them, and like the Typee Kory-Kory, it is the “other” (from Western culture) who is attentive to the white man.
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For me, poetry is my favorite thing to analyze because I can reread it one hundred times and decide what each word means to me. When I read literature I feel it becomes a part of my thoughts and my identity (not to be overly dramatic). But when one reads longer prose, words and sentences are bound to be overlooked and that is what dislike about it. I like absorbing a poem and letting it speak to me with each word.
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I forgot to consider the context of my reading literature in the first place. When I am reading for leisure, I am much fussier about how amused or transfixed I am with the work before I commit to finish reading. But when I read for assignments in class, I commit instantly because I know the class discussion can be very rewarding when we analyze the work. I am realizing more as I mature how much I read just to critique and form opinions.
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I find that if a trailer is particularly funny, the movie is going to be lame because they have given us the best part already! I agree with both of you, movietrailers have a very fine line to walk on. It definitely makes sense to show the film’s problem or conflict and associated cost, but I think a trailer should show the bare minimum.
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I understand how it can be hard to accept criticism of something you love, but I think your teacher has a point. Though you bring up interesting points (the most important being that Ariel saves Eric… although he was trying to save her… we can call that a compromise… they save each other in the name of love!)However, the only problem I have with this argument is the fact that you bring up the word sacrifice. Ariel has to sacrifice a lot to be with Eric, what does he sacrifice for her? Yes, she wanted to be on land before she met him, but the fact that she does all of the sacrificing only leads me to get the message that women constantly have to be the givers in relationships and men are the privileged ones for whom accommodations are made.
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This is a prime example of what happens when I comment before I finish reading… apologies.
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I know exactly what you mean. I am also interested in feminist and queer theory, so I notice my thesis to each paper dances around the same theme. When writing a five-page paper for college, that is the only thing we really have time for: one aspect to the work. I think that is why it is hard to take every topic and theme from literary work and understand how they all work as a whole–we spend too much time looking at one dissected piece.
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Frustration. We would revert back to being two-year olds because we are aware of something or feel something and it seems no one understands due to a language barrier. It is like the Tower of Babil in the Old Testament: war and violence come from misunderstanding. Frustration is a good word to introduce to this discussion.
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I have never wanted a cookie more and I never realized how much fun that word is. It is funny you mention people squirming at the word “erect”, because that leads to another aspect to language that fascinates me. How one generation sees nothing wrong with it, but the next uses it as slang or singles out its definitions while ignoring the others. For instance, the word “gay” (an obvious one). I think most people (even grade schoolers) know that originally we used it to express happiness. Then it slowly became the used solely to identify a homosexual. Now I hear it used the most often to mean something is uncool, lame (another transitional word), or unacceptable.
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I like the idea you bring up that our creation of language shapes our own identities… in a way. The more synonyms we have for a word, the more it tells us how much energy society focuses into the concept. For example, I can think of a fair number of phrases or words describing a woman who never married: “Old Maid”, “Spinster”, “Crazy cat lady”, there are plenty more out there, the most amusing to me being “vestal virgin” (I like alliteration too). Clearly, our society has put great emphasis on the value of women entering marriage. As I see that changing, I wonder if some of these words will drop out of our common vocabulary.
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I know what you are talking about. I like to read books outside of class, but I never analyze or think about them as much as I do with class books, but I also enjoy them much more than books that I am required to read. It seems to me that sometimes I try too hard to analyze, and other times not nearly enough I wish that I could get meaning as well as enjoyment out of all of the books i read rather than separating them in my head the way I tend to do now.