Discuss one of the three course themes that you have not discussed in any other prompt. Limit yourself to a computer-generated essay of 400 – 500 words comparing and contrasting either (a) two different significant texts, or (b) two different cultural genres from one period, (c) two like cultural genres from two periods, or (d) two consecutive historical periods.
The framework for all lasting story is the Hero’s Journey. Whether reflected in early myth or in modern dystiopc novels the catching stories are the ones that have an anticipated cycle of the hero’s journey. Two books that follow this preset journey are Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Ray Bradbury’s Farenheit 451. Hamlet is the troubled prince of Denmark called to action and contemplation by his father’s death, his mother’s wedding to his uncle and the apparition he has seen of his late father. All around Hamlet is confusion as he suspects there are underlying deceits he cannot see. Hamlet is called out of mourning and confusion to avenge is father’s murder, but is cautioned against hurting his mother and tainting his character. Hamlet holds a great responsibility on his shoulders, and several people’s fate (and hearts) in his hand. His feigned madness is called into question by the readers. Is it truly false, or did it only begin so, and has his acting became the reality? Through his intrigues he loses his self and finds he has not and cannot keep the promise he made to his father. He betrays his feelings for Ophelia by spurning her, kills a less than guilty Polonius and frightens his mother. In the climax of these whirling events Laretes duels with Hamlet and strikes him with a poisoned blade, and his mother falls dead to poison meant for Hamlet. Through this journey Hamlet loses himself, hurts his mother with his accusations and fails to avenge his father’s murder. Yet he is our hero, a triumph over self because he after losing the one good thing he loved, he finds his reason again. He holds to honor and tries to amend the mistakes he’s made, even though it costs him his life and his quest. Through restoring his honor he redeems himself and ends his hero’s journey.
Guy Montag is a fireman, a public official in charge of setting fires. His hero’s journey begins by meeting his new neighbor, and inquisitive young woman named Clarisse. She is an introduction to a mindset and lifestyle completely unknown to him. Where other people immerse themselves in frivoulous entertainment and indulge in no thought, Clarisse gladly engages in methodical thought and whimsy. through talking together, Clarisse plants the idea of something different in Guy’s mind. He starts to repeat her questions to his co-workers on their professions history and at the next fire they set he unthinkingly grabs a book and hides it. His growing discontentment with is life gnaws at him, and he begins to question the value of his relationship with his wife. After Clarisse dies, Guy receives a visit from his superior at work who simultaneously tries to defend their profession and condemn thinkers like Clarisse and her family, claiming that Clarisse is better off dead than in a family of free thinkers. But Guy, now awakened to his dismal existence and the possibility of a better reality won’t accept it. As he seeks for answers he is met at every turn with the denial of the value of books and knowledge and is instead offered a life of pleasure, entertainment and mindless equality. He is betrayed by his wife and soon deemed a danger to society, a criminal of danger to everyone. With the help of a professor he makes it away from the chase and mindlessness of the city and finds a group of “homeless intellectuals” who made it their goal to keep mental copies of books. Guy finds the beginnings of a purposeful life with these men and finds out there are more like them. The men are part of an underground network with plans to wait out the hedonistic mindset of mankind until books are wanted again. Guy has come home to a place he didn’t know he needed and has completed his journey.
Word Count: 642
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Prompt Number Two
In 400 – 500 words, discuss in detail how one historical period, cultural genre, or significant text (listed below) not discussed in any other prompt has proved foundational to the world of today.
The main idea in current discussions social, political, or educational is “fairness” and “justice”. During the Industrial Revolution the idea of Social Justice became a rallying banner that well-meaning activists and abused workers joined under in the hopes of making the world a better place. The age of the industrial revolution brought about changes in society that brought about an equality of experience. With the industrial age standardization became more widespread, which helped speed up production which in turn raised demand for manufactured goods. This could be seen as the roots for the beginning of the information age. The printing press was refined for faster output and this helped increase the population’s similarity and familiarity of knowledge. Newspapers went from a weekly publication to a daily publication; the common man now had a consistent source of information, reliable and relevant to his life. News of people from other places, or other classes, or other situations became knowledge in hand. People started forming groups, societies and other awareness assemblies in an effort to fix the injustices or even inconveniences around them. Emerging Modernism introduced the cultural desire to turn from the established philosophies of the previous age (and with it challenge the power the upper class held over the working class). The idea that men are all equal citizens of their nation became an ideal embedded into the consciousness of the Age. Workers banded together to demand better treatment from their employers and they got it. It wasn’t handed to them; they had to earn it with tears, sweat, blood, bruises and often their lives. This willingness for sacrifice to achieve a greater good began to be reflected in art and philosophy. With the technology to get out information and the demand of the readers for news that mattered, even if the abusers of power and station didn’t want to let people know, they had to provide product that people wanted. Supply and demand moved quickly beyond textiles, metals, and foods into information and common cause.
Today we still band together with a common cause or idea. It’s no longer simply unions protecting from employers, but students trying to get their message out. It’s voters demanding accurate representation, mothers wanting better foods for their children, fathers getting together to work on cars or talk about sports. The main focus of social interaction is finding the cause people have in common. High school students are encouraged to start clubs based on mutual interests; language; a pop culture phenomenon like manga/anime or a television show; or an activity such as theater, politics or art. Avid readers start book clubs to talk about how they were inspired, captivated or otherwise stimulated by writing. This seemingly natural inclination is a relatively recent phenomenon in society. The Industrial Revolution thrust upon human nature the longing for camaraderie in activity, an inclination that can’t be stopped without severe repercussions or extreme measures. Social networking sites that started as broad ranged interaction have inspired more specific minded people to branch out more selectively into an idea to draw people together. The effect of developments in technology and the methods used to get there, both for better and worse, are so wide spread in their range and occasionally with unobserved influence that they are taken for granted, or assumed to have nearly always been so. Such is not the case, because the groundwork laid by the forefathers of progress did not happen unintentionally, nor should we expect more progress to be made without similar work ethic or progressive mentality.
Word Count: 590
The main idea in current discussions social, political, or educational is “fairness” and “justice”. During the Industrial Revolution the idea of Social Justice became a rallying banner that well-meaning activists and abused workers joined under in the hopes of making the world a better place. The age of the industrial revolution brought about changes in society that brought about an equality of experience. With the industrial age standardization became more widespread, which helped speed up production which in turn raised demand for manufactured goods. This could be seen as the roots for the beginning of the information age. The printing press was refined for faster output and this helped increase the population’s similarity and familiarity of knowledge. Newspapers went from a weekly publication to a daily publication; the common man now had a consistent source of information, reliable and relevant to his life. News of people from other places, or other classes, or other situations became knowledge in hand. People started forming groups, societies and other awareness assemblies in an effort to fix the injustices or even inconveniences around them. Emerging Modernism introduced the cultural desire to turn from the established philosophies of the previous age (and with it challenge the power the upper class held over the working class). The idea that men are all equal citizens of their nation became an ideal embedded into the consciousness of the Age. Workers banded together to demand better treatment from their employers and they got it. It wasn’t handed to them; they had to earn it with tears, sweat, blood, bruises and often their lives. This willingness for sacrifice to achieve a greater good began to be reflected in art and philosophy. With the technology to get out information and the demand of the readers for news that mattered, even if the abusers of power and station didn’t want to let people know, they had to provide product that people wanted. Supply and demand moved quickly beyond textiles, metals, and foods into information and common cause.
Today we still band together with a common cause or idea. It’s no longer simply unions protecting from employers, but students trying to get their message out. It’s voters demanding accurate representation, mothers wanting better foods for their children, fathers getting together to work on cars or talk about sports. The main focus of social interaction is finding the cause people have in common. High school students are encouraged to start clubs based on mutual interests; language; a pop culture phenomenon like manga/anime or a television show; or an activity such as theater, politics or art. Avid readers start book clubs to talk about how they were inspired, captivated or otherwise stimulated by writing. This seemingly natural inclination is a relatively recent phenomenon in society. The Industrial Revolution thrust upon human nature the longing for camaraderie in activity, an inclination that can’t be stopped without severe repercussions or extreme measures. Social networking sites that started as broad ranged interaction have inspired more specific minded people to branch out more selectively into an idea to draw people together. The effect of developments in technology and the methods used to get there, both for better and worse, are so wide spread in their range and occasionally with unobserved influence that they are taken for granted, or assumed to have nearly always been so. Such is not the case, because the groundwork laid by the forefathers of progress did not happen unintentionally, nor should we expect more progress to be made without similar work ethic or progressive mentality.
Word Count: 590
Prompt Number One
In 400 – 500 words, describe how your own thinking has evolved about a single course theme that you have not discussed in any other prompt. Make specific references to at least one historical period, cultural genre, and significant text (listed below) not discussed in any other prompt.
I’ve been very fortunate to have been put into learning situations where a higher level or deeper way of thinking was asked of me. The teaching examples I’ve been exposed to were of a higher standard of expectation of the students. This semester was new not so much in how I think, but what I included as far as what I thought about. Before this semester I would compare one subject or idea to its context or to itself. These past few months I’ve learned to compare similar and even contrasting ideas to each other on their value instead of simply their content. When studying the Baroque period art and music and trying to understand why they changed from the more reserved styles of the Renaissance it was interesting to learn about the mindset behind it. My original concepts about the Baroque style were that over opulence of the upper classes created a demand for equally opulent works of art. It was interesting to find out through studies that it was a stylistic reverting to old Greek foundations in music and a desire to show their love and reverence for the majesty the believed God to be. Murals depicted heaven and its residents as beautiful. Gold filigree and plush clouds, flowing robes and fat cherubs and angels adorned churches and commissioned paintings. Heaven was still the reward for good Christians but artists sought to give a glimpse into the hereafter. Artists wanted to show their patrons and the common church going folk something better than the life they lived. The artwork carried themes from the Renaissance; the ideas of humanism and the importance of the experience of life.
Voltaire’s Candide is an caricature of a man’s reaction to events affecting and often endangering his life. The overarching theme of the book is playing off the lesson Candide learned as a youth; it is all for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Facing exile, near death on several occasions and finding a paradise, all Candide longs for is his lady love, Cunegonde. He clings to the memory of her and the lessons his teacher Pangloss taught him. Through every trial he goes through he berates himself and curses his luck, not feeling fortunate when he is able to escape. Voltaire wished to present extremes in changing fortunes and satirize the reactions of the protagonist in an attempt to show his readers the fickleness of fate, human disposition, and the attitudes of others. Candide’s individualism comes across as selfishness, his reasoning as ignorance, and his adventurous attitude as self-absorption. Reading Voltaire and thinking about the social context, humanism meets individualism and the resulting social change was very interesting. I had never thought of the development of human consciousness other than the great thinkers of the Renaissance, but reading Candide and Voltaire’s history gave me more than the context of the book, and writer. It gave the mindset and motivation of Voltaire, his history and his beliefs. When I was able to look at the whole picture, beginning to end and the parts in the middle it shed light on the complicated facets of changing mentalité. I was able to trace and identify the key and defining characteristics of the Baroque period. This class helped me expand beyond mere context; it helped me find and analyze development of the consciousness of the time.
Word Count: 563
I’ve been very fortunate to have been put into learning situations where a higher level or deeper way of thinking was asked of me. The teaching examples I’ve been exposed to were of a higher standard of expectation of the students. This semester was new not so much in how I think, but what I included as far as what I thought about. Before this semester I would compare one subject or idea to its context or to itself. These past few months I’ve learned to compare similar and even contrasting ideas to each other on their value instead of simply their content. When studying the Baroque period art and music and trying to understand why they changed from the more reserved styles of the Renaissance it was interesting to learn about the mindset behind it. My original concepts about the Baroque style were that over opulence of the upper classes created a demand for equally opulent works of art. It was interesting to find out through studies that it was a stylistic reverting to old Greek foundations in music and a desire to show their love and reverence for the majesty the believed God to be. Murals depicted heaven and its residents as beautiful. Gold filigree and plush clouds, flowing robes and fat cherubs and angels adorned churches and commissioned paintings. Heaven was still the reward for good Christians but artists sought to give a glimpse into the hereafter. Artists wanted to show their patrons and the common church going folk something better than the life they lived. The artwork carried themes from the Renaissance; the ideas of humanism and the importance of the experience of life.
Voltaire’s Candide is an caricature of a man’s reaction to events affecting and often endangering his life. The overarching theme of the book is playing off the lesson Candide learned as a youth; it is all for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Facing exile, near death on several occasions and finding a paradise, all Candide longs for is his lady love, Cunegonde. He clings to the memory of her and the lessons his teacher Pangloss taught him. Through every trial he goes through he berates himself and curses his luck, not feeling fortunate when he is able to escape. Voltaire wished to present extremes in changing fortunes and satirize the reactions of the protagonist in an attempt to show his readers the fickleness of fate, human disposition, and the attitudes of others. Candide’s individualism comes across as selfishness, his reasoning as ignorance, and his adventurous attitude as self-absorption. Reading Voltaire and thinking about the social context, humanism meets individualism and the resulting social change was very interesting. I had never thought of the development of human consciousness other than the great thinkers of the Renaissance, but reading Candide and Voltaire’s history gave me more than the context of the book, and writer. It gave the mindset and motivation of Voltaire, his history and his beliefs. When I was able to look at the whole picture, beginning to end and the parts in the middle it shed light on the complicated facets of changing mentalité. I was able to trace and identify the key and defining characteristics of the Baroque period. This class helped me expand beyond mere context; it helped me find and analyze development of the consciousness of the time.
Word Count: 563
Early morning half-thoughts
Is it odd that I'm a little scared to go home? I've really grown to love this town and the not even three block radius that is my comfortable travel zone. I like my roommates and the random laughter and jokes we have.I love our "Is That What You Had Said" quote wall and our weird half laughs when we re-quote things we've said. I like being curled up on the couch and having at least one girl if not all five within yelling distance. I like being able to come home and immediately be able to join in a conversation, even if it's by eavesdropping and commenting. I like having someone who gets what I'm complaining about because they're going through something similar. I love having girls who there is no drama between, even though we all have drama going on in our lives. I love that we can take a little time to check in on each other, make sure everyone is as ok as we can be.
I'm going to miss these girls, and a part of me (a strong part) doesn't want to have to leave them behind. I hate feeling like I'm going to miss out on all the fun stuff, like a child who doesn't want to go to bed because they're convinced everyone is having fun while they're sleeping.
But change is part of life. I'll be back, I'll even be back in the same apartment. But it can never be the same as this semester. Then again, even if I stay, that can't happen. We can't ever go back, we can only stay still, in a rut, or move forward.
I'm going to miss these girls, and a part of me (a strong part) doesn't want to have to leave them behind. I hate feeling like I'm going to miss out on all the fun stuff, like a child who doesn't want to go to bed because they're convinced everyone is having fun while they're sleeping.
But change is part of life. I'll be back, I'll even be back in the same apartment. But it can never be the same as this semester. Then again, even if I stay, that can't happen. We can't ever go back, we can only stay still, in a rut, or move forward.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
I made a corsage today.
A friend asked if I could, and I said yes. So today I made it. It's pretty good for a first attempt and no real instruction.
It was fun. What do you think? Sorry about the terrible photos. They're taken from my laptop camera
It was fun. What do you think? Sorry about the terrible photos. They're taken from my laptop camera
Friday, December 2, 2011
Craft fair!
I made a bunch of bottlecap pendants and put them on ribbon. Some from a magazine, some I drew.
None have been sold yet, but I'm hopeful that someone will decide to buy some tomorrow. If not, might try selling them via dA or actually get an etsy account. Or give them away as gifts.
I bought a Oreo pop. So good, I wanted to try them, see how they tasted. I saw someone do them on Pinterest. I thought it'd be cute for a party or a wedding reception, so I wanted to try one. They're tasty. I know I'd want the chocolate covered Oreo, but I don't know about the stick. But cute either way.
None have been sold yet, but I'm hopeful that someone will decide to buy some tomorrow. If not, might try selling them via dA or actually get an etsy account. Or give them away as gifts.
I bought a Oreo pop. So good, I wanted to try them, see how they tasted. I saw someone do them on Pinterest. I thought it'd be cute for a party or a wedding reception, so I wanted to try one. They're tasty. I know I'd want the chocolate covered Oreo, but I don't know about the stick. But cute either way.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
