Friday, March 25, 2011
Reflection 4: Saussure, Signifiers, and Sauce
Ferdinand De Saussure was a very complex thinker and "gave birth to structuralism by means of a book he never wrote" (845). After Saussure's death in 1913 his colleagues discovered Saussure's class notes and compiled them into what is now known as "The Course in General Linguistics" (845).
From the readings an attempt is made to find the truest meaning for language.
"Language is a storehouse of sound-images, and writing is the tangible form of those images" (850).
"Language is a system of signs that express ideas"(851).
"The words of our language" are thought of like "sound-images"(853). These sound images are linked to a "concept". "The two elements are intimately united, and each recalls the other" (853). A good example of this is the word "pencil". When one reads the word "pencil" their mind should have created an image of a pencil. Some may have pictured a mechanical pencil (and if you hadn’t you just did) or perhaps a wooden pencil. More sound images can be aligned with its related concept to create very detailed imagery to the point of being almost identical. The same is to go the opposite way. If someone held up a pencil in front of you and told you to write down what you see in their hand, you would write the word "pencil". In a room of thirty English as a first language people asked the same question they would most likely write the word "pencil" as well.
We were given different articles from a magazine in class this day, and were told to write down what you see. Professor Wexler then went around the class and held up articles to see if there is a common description of the message that the ads were attempting to portray. The class had a lot of fun interpretation the message of the ads. We could have done this for an entire class. My ad was a boy holing a jar that once held tomato sauce, but now held a grass hopper. His eyes were very excited about his discovery of this new creature as he held it up for the picture. Parents sometimes have difficulty feeding their kids nutritious things, but the ad suggests just the opposite will happen if this sauce is on their plates.
Works Cited
Ferdinand De Saussure. "Course in General Linguistics". ed. Leitch, Vincent B. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2010. Print.
From the readings an attempt is made to find the truest meaning for language.
"Language is a storehouse of sound-images, and writing is the tangible form of those images" (850).
"Language is a system of signs that express ideas"(851).
"The words of our language" are thought of like "sound-images"(853). These sound images are linked to a "concept". "The two elements are intimately united, and each recalls the other" (853). A good example of this is the word "pencil". When one reads the word "pencil" their mind should have created an image of a pencil. Some may have pictured a mechanical pencil (and if you hadn’t you just did) or perhaps a wooden pencil. More sound images can be aligned with its related concept to create very detailed imagery to the point of being almost identical. The same is to go the opposite way. If someone held up a pencil in front of you and told you to write down what you see in their hand, you would write the word "pencil". In a room of thirty English as a first language people asked the same question they would most likely write the word "pencil" as well.
We were given different articles from a magazine in class this day, and were told to write down what you see. Professor Wexler then went around the class and held up articles to see if there is a common description of the message that the ads were attempting to portray. The class had a lot of fun interpretation the message of the ads. We could have done this for an entire class. My ad was a boy holing a jar that once held tomato sauce, but now held a grass hopper. His eyes were very excited about his discovery of this new creature as he held it up for the picture. Parents sometimes have difficulty feeding their kids nutritious things, but the ad suggests just the opposite will happen if this sauce is on their plates.
Works Cited
Ferdinand De Saussure. "Course in General Linguistics". ed. Leitch, Vincent B. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2010. Print.
Relection 3: From Longinus, to Kant, please enlighten me.
First group presentation was very interesting and demonstrated a number of videos that each in the group had chosen as their example of what sublime meant to them.
The dictionary’s definition of sublime is:
Sublime – 1. Of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth 2. Inspiring awe; impressive
What may seem sublime to one may be subliminal to another for to be truly sublime it must create universal emotional reaction of absolute inspiration. The differences in the videos selected suggest that none from the group were able to pinpoint such a rarity as this. This difference also suggests that one’s perception of the sublime is based on personal preferences and opinion. A few of the video’s shown did have the same subject matter that covered a sports event. Also all from the group were male. All three sports videos were chosen by young men in their early twenties. Two others from the group chose something pertaining to battle. The last in the group was male, but he was much older than the others in the group. He chose an inspirational speech by “James Farmer” as his best offering for what is sublime. He really seemed to look at this speech as a point that perfectly embodies the meaning of the sublime. I found a hint of the sublime not so much from the speech, but more so by observing him watching the speech. His eyes were filled with powerful emotion. He would look out to the class searching for one that shared his emotional connection so deeply moved by the power of what was unfolding upon the screen before us. I don’t believe his scanning eyes found a match. This perhaps made this moment lean a bit further towards a sublime example not because of what was being presented on the screen, but instead by what was going on with the class and the student searching for one that understands and shares that feeling in the moment. Perhaps we will never agree to what is truly sublime but we can agree there are levels in between.
“Sublimity, on the other hand , produced at the right moment, tears everything up like a whirlwind, and exhibits the orators’ whole power at a single blow” (137).
“Greatness, the argument runs, is a natural product, and does not come by teaching” (137).
These two quotes develop a clearer picture in my mind that help me to recognize that chasing after something truly sublime may never be captured.
Works Cited
Longinus. "On Sublimity". ed. Leitch, Vincent B. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2010. Print.
The dictionary’s definition of sublime is:
Sublime – 1. Of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth 2. Inspiring awe; impressive
What may seem sublime to one may be subliminal to another for to be truly sublime it must create universal emotional reaction of absolute inspiration. The differences in the videos selected suggest that none from the group were able to pinpoint such a rarity as this. This difference also suggests that one’s perception of the sublime is based on personal preferences and opinion. A few of the video’s shown did have the same subject matter that covered a sports event. Also all from the group were male. All three sports videos were chosen by young men in their early twenties. Two others from the group chose something pertaining to battle. The last in the group was male, but he was much older than the others in the group. He chose an inspirational speech by “James Farmer” as his best offering for what is sublime. He really seemed to look at this speech as a point that perfectly embodies the meaning of the sublime. I found a hint of the sublime not so much from the speech, but more so by observing him watching the speech. His eyes were filled with powerful emotion. He would look out to the class searching for one that shared his emotional connection so deeply moved by the power of what was unfolding upon the screen before us. I don’t believe his scanning eyes found a match. This perhaps made this moment lean a bit further towards a sublime example not because of what was being presented on the screen, but instead by what was going on with the class and the student searching for one that understands and shares that feeling in the moment. Perhaps we will never agree to what is truly sublime but we can agree there are levels in between.
“Sublimity, on the other hand , produced at the right moment, tears everything up like a whirlwind, and exhibits the orators’ whole power at a single blow” (137).
“Greatness, the argument runs, is a natural product, and does not come by teaching” (137).
These two quotes develop a clearer picture in my mind that help me to recognize that chasing after something truly sublime may never be captured.
Works Cited
Longinus. "On Sublimity". ed. Leitch, Vincent B. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2010. Print.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Analysis 2: Word Picture: Divide, Categorize, and Conquer
This painting is called “The Raft of the Medusa” by the artist Theodore Gericault. It does not portray a lighthearted moment in history as my brief narrative depicts. This painting is of the image of a shipwreck of a “navel frigate” called “Meduse”. It “ran aground” and the people on board quickly constructed a raft from parts of the broken hull of the ship. More than one hundred people died. Some died slower than others. These were the ones that drifted about the sea for weeks, with no food or water to sustain them. Madness set in as well as cannibalism of the dead.
To analyze this painting through the view of structuralism a common thread can be used to stitch a clear story. Almost anyone in the world can recognize from this painting that something has gone horribly wrong. By viewing this painting through the eyes of structuralism one can recognize and categorize the “underlying basic plot” of what is occurring in the painting. A structuralism view can also characterize each individual on the raft by studying their expressions and body language. It can also observe the portrayal of nature depicted in the painting and recognize the ruff sea that steals away all control from the helpless adrift on the fragmented vessel.
By using structuralism one can also begin to understand the artists thought process. Gericault must have been inspired to create such a masterpiece. He did not simply walk out of “a cave” somewhere, pick up a brush and paint this image from fathomless thought. There is a list of steps that can be created through structuralism to explain what brought about such an insightful deep clear vision that is now captured in the brushstrokes of genius.
A shortlist would perhaps look like this:
To analyze this painting through the view of structuralism a common thread can be used to stitch a clear story. Almost anyone in the world can recognize from this painting that something has gone horribly wrong. By viewing this painting through the eyes of structuralism one can recognize and categorize the “underlying basic plot” of what is occurring in the painting. A structuralism view can also characterize each individual on the raft by studying their expressions and body language. It can also observe the portrayal of nature depicted in the painting and recognize the ruff sea that steals away all control from the helpless adrift on the fragmented vessel.
By using structuralism one can also begin to understand the artists thought process. Gericault must have been inspired to create such a masterpiece. He did not simply walk out of “a cave” somewhere, pick up a brush and paint this image from fathomless thought. There is a list of steps that can be created through structuralism to explain what brought about such an insightful deep clear vision that is now captured in the brushstrokes of genius.
A shortlist would perhaps look like this:
Knowing Gericault’s history:
Brief account of his life story may explain his career and interests
Why he chose this subject to paint:
Why he chose this subject to paint:
Perhaps he thought this was a big story that could help his career (wiki)
The lengths he took to understand the story to depict it in a factual manner:
Interviews survivors (wiki)
The models he used for the painting:
His friends and fellow artists modeled for the painting (wiki)
Creating such lists by narrowing down basic plots, creating categories, and recognizing patterns helps one to understand. Structuralism is a powerful source to utilize when engaging the complex.
Divide, Categorize, and Conquer
Works Cited
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raft_of_the_Medusa
Reflection 3: Greed Good, Morally Challenged Bad
Reflection 3
Today we had a guest speaker named Professor O’Neil. He is a very interesting personality, and he is a great example in himself with the subject matter for which he pertains. He spoke to us about the Greeks, and their pursuit of perfect persuasion. He told us that most Athenians could read and write and this helped to enhance their power of speech in the public arena. He told us that the Acropolis broke the bank in this land that was 95% agriculture. This was a polis or “city state” and they lived in an urban environment surrounded by farmland. The Greeks were very competitive and they thought very highly of themselves. They prided themselves and judged people by their physical and mental capabilities.
The professor then talked about rhetoric and to be good rhetoric it had to be memorable and appealing. To better themselves they would hire a sophist to teach them the art of rhetoric and speech. He said that there are basically two types of argument. These are the epagoge and dialectic arguments.
Epagoge (induction)
Example: If every time a student drank an energy drink they fall over. Then they should not drink it!
Dialectic (syllogism) Declarative sentence, subject predicate, true or false
Example: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore Socrates is mortal.
After the lecture we reassembled at the classroom. Professor Wexler showed us a clip from the movie “Wallstreet” and Michael Douglas’ character explains how greed is good. The class was asked to try to create a dialectic argument to prove that greed is good. I thought about this for some time that night. I thought about it on the long drive home. I came up with the following:
The characteristic of greed has been demonized by many as a shameful way to behave in society. They have no gratitude for the advancements it has helped to achieve and they blame it for all that have fallen in the race. All creatures possess the greed gene for without it they would fall. If a lion ignores its inner greed the lion is last to the kill and therefore receives only scraps. The scraps may sustain the lion but it will grow weaker as others grow stronger. The stronger lions have cubs that utilize their greed to get as much of the kill as possible and the lion that ignores his greed gets even less scraps then before. Soon there are no scraps left for the lion that has ignored his greed. The lion has failed to support his existence and starves.
Every advancement in human society has greed to thank for it.
Greed is just another word for motivation.
Society cannot advance without motivation.
Advancements in society are good, therefore greed is good.
When greed is utilized by those with no moral compass many blame greed for the outcome. Perhaps greed should not take the blame but instead the blame should be focused on those that lack a moral compass.
Today we had a guest speaker named Professor O’Neil. He is a very interesting personality, and he is a great example in himself with the subject matter for which he pertains. He spoke to us about the Greeks, and their pursuit of perfect persuasion. He told us that most Athenians could read and write and this helped to enhance their power of speech in the public arena. He told us that the Acropolis broke the bank in this land that was 95% agriculture. This was a polis or “city state” and they lived in an urban environment surrounded by farmland. The Greeks were very competitive and they thought very highly of themselves. They prided themselves and judged people by their physical and mental capabilities.
The professor then talked about rhetoric and to be good rhetoric it had to be memorable and appealing. To better themselves they would hire a sophist to teach them the art of rhetoric and speech. He said that there are basically two types of argument. These are the epagoge and dialectic arguments.
Epagoge (induction)
Example: If every time a student drank an energy drink they fall over. Then they should not drink it!
Dialectic (syllogism) Declarative sentence, subject predicate, true or false
Example: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore Socrates is mortal.
After the lecture we reassembled at the classroom. Professor Wexler showed us a clip from the movie “Wallstreet” and Michael Douglas’ character explains how greed is good. The class was asked to try to create a dialectic argument to prove that greed is good. I thought about this for some time that night. I thought about it on the long drive home. I came up with the following:
The characteristic of greed has been demonized by many as a shameful way to behave in society. They have no gratitude for the advancements it has helped to achieve and they blame it for all that have fallen in the race. All creatures possess the greed gene for without it they would fall. If a lion ignores its inner greed the lion is last to the kill and therefore receives only scraps. The scraps may sustain the lion but it will grow weaker as others grow stronger. The stronger lions have cubs that utilize their greed to get as much of the kill as possible and the lion that ignores his greed gets even less scraps then before. Soon there are no scraps left for the lion that has ignored his greed. The lion has failed to support his existence and starves.
Every advancement in human society has greed to thank for it.
Greed is just another word for motivation.
Society cannot advance without motivation.
Advancements in society are good, therefore greed is good.
When greed is utilized by those with no moral compass many blame greed for the outcome. Perhaps greed should not take the blame but instead the blame should be focused on those that lack a moral compass.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Reflection 2
Today we learned more about Plato and his rhetoric against rhetoric and poetry. We watched a video called the allegory of the cave by Plato. The video shows a group of four people in a cave that know nothing else but what is brought before them. They are chained and yet they seem content. One day one of them is released into the light of day. He cannot believe what he sees in this new world and he is grateful for he thinks back to his existence in the cave and how restricted he was from all that could be known. He was exposed for so many years to only one layer of existence, now he holds witness to a new one. He feels pity for those left in the cave. He tries to enlighten them of what he has witnessed and they laugh at him. They do not care to try to escape from the cave for this new world would mean that everything they know means nothing and rather than face the truth they remain in denial.
There are a few quotes from the film that I found very interesting:
“Better to be the poor servant of a poor master and to endure anything, rather than think as they do, and live after they manner”
This means that their existence is vacant, and void of true meaning, and therefore their existence is worthless.
“It is the task of the enlightened not only to ascend, to learning, and to see the good but to be willing to descend again to those prisoners and to share their troubles and their honors whether they are worth having or not, and this they must do even with the prospect of death. They should give of their help to one another wherever each class is able to help the community.”
A statement made by one who is considered by many to be enlightened may be held as truth, when actually it is a mere opinon that contains possibility.
For example:
Karl Marx said, “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.”
One should give to the community, but first they must develop themselves. They must be given the freedom to discover their talents and pursue their dreams. They must aim to be as successful as they can with the talents they have acquired while living a free life. Giving to the community should never be forced; it is appreciated most when given freely.
Ben Franklin said, “‘I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I traveled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.’
Benjamin Franklin, On the Price of Corn and Management of the Poor, November 1766”
This statement sounds good as well, but it won't work everywhere. Other factors must be in place first such as: good moral values, security from crime, plenty of natural resources, education towards a trade. His statement may work well in America but not so much in Haiti.
These are two very different views on how a society should be. The views were spoken by two men considered by many to be enlightened ones. These statements may be considered by many as a new layer of truth when actually they are more like layers of realities possibilities.
The man that was freed to see outside of the cave only saw one layer of realities possibilities. He saw one landscape, one terrain, a body of water, some trees, a few species of wildlife, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the sky. This is what he reported to the other three left in the cave, and it is only one layer of realities possibilities. The world is not static, it is ever changing, and there are always new layers to discover. Even the cave itself is a layer, and each layer is very limited. The man that had left the cave was not enlightened by all that reality holds; he was only exposed to another layer of realities possibilities.
Perhaps what Plato was suggesting is to never be closed minded and unwilling to listen to what one believes possible, and if one believes, he must never be afraid to share.
Whether we like it or not, we all live in a “cave”. We will never be able to escape from it. We can only expand it by exposing layer upon layer of realities possibilities. In some strange way we need the “cave” for it helps us to make sense of our existence. If we were unable to make sense of things life would be nothing more than perpetual confusion that is void of all meaning.
Works Cited
Carl Marx Quote taken from: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/k/karl_marx.html#ixzz1EWybu6Vx
Ben Franklin Quote taken from:
http://www.marksquotes.com/Founding-Fathers/Franklin/index2.htm
© 2001-2004 Interesting.com
Allegory of the cave:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2afuTvUzBQ
Churchill Films, Produced by Nick Bosustow and C.B Wismar
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Reflection 1
This was our first class together and the room was full of wide eyes curious as to what was going to happen next. Would our minds be able to handle such a deep topic as Major Critical Theory, are we in too deep? Professor Wexler entered the room and the room fell silent. I could sense anxious anxiety abound! I think everyone was sitting up a bit straighter than usual, and all eyes were on Professor Wexler. He began to speak, “Wow we have a lot to do today, yet at the same time I still think we’ll still get out early.” The class sighed a relief filled,”yeahhhh..” Professor Wexler then told us we were going to learn about a man named Gorgious, and once again revealed his sense of humor by saying, “That’s always good right?” By this time the tension in the air was lowered dramatically, and we were now ready to learn.
Later in the class we watched a clip from the movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”. The clip shows a woman on a turning pedestal with mirrors in front of her. She was a Doll on a music box and she sang a sad song that evokes a sense of insecurity, loneliness, and longing for love.
These are the lyrics they sang:
What do you see
You people gazing at me
You see a doll on a music box
That's wound by a key
How can you tell
I'm under a spell
I'm waiting for love's first kiss
You cannot see
How much I long to be free
Turning around on this music box
That's wound by a key
Yearning
Yearning
While
I'm turning around and around
What do you see
(Truly Scrumptious)
You people gazing at me
(you're truly truly scrumptious)
You see a doll on a music box, that's wound by a key
(scrumptious a...)
How can you tell I'm
(whe...)
Under a spell I'm
(...)
Waiting for love's first kiss
(honest truly, your the answer to my wishes)
You cannot see
(Truly Scrumptious)
How much I long to be free
(though I may seem presumptuous)
Turning around on this music box that's wound by a key
(ne..)
Yearning
(my heart beats so unruly)
Yearning
(because I love you truly)
While I'm turning around and around)
(honest, Truly I do)
The class was then asked what they observed in the clip. The observations were very interesting and we probably could have analyzed the clip for hours but we hit some pretty major critical points. One student looked at this clip with a feminist point of view saying that the man was free to do as he wishes, while the woman is confined to her pedestal. I noticed that there are mirror to one side of the woman and suggested that she was forced to look at herself whenever the pedestal turned her in that direction. This was a very interesting first day, and I looked forward to the weeks to follow.
Work Cited
Picture and Lyrics found at http://unsinkablecork.com/chitty/songs.htm
Later in the class we watched a clip from the movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”. The clip shows a woman on a turning pedestal with mirrors in front of her. She was a Doll on a music box and she sang a sad song that evokes a sense of insecurity, loneliness, and longing for love.
These are the lyrics they sang:
What do you see
You people gazing at me
You see a doll on a music box
That's wound by a key
How can you tell
I'm under a spell
I'm waiting for love's first kiss
You cannot see
How much I long to be free
Turning around on this music box
That's wound by a key
Yearning
Yearning
While
I'm turning around and around
What do you see
(Truly Scrumptious)
You people gazing at me
(you're truly truly scrumptious)
You see a doll on a music box, that's wound by a key
(scrumptious a...)
How can you tell I'm
(whe...)
Under a spell I'm
(...)
Waiting for love's first kiss
(honest truly, your the answer to my wishes)
You cannot see
(Truly Scrumptious)
How much I long to be free
(though I may seem presumptuous)
Turning around on this music box that's wound by a key
(ne..)
Yearning
(my heart beats so unruly)
Yearning
(because I love you truly)
While I'm turning around and around)
(honest, Truly I do)
The class was then asked what they observed in the clip. The observations were very interesting and we probably could have analyzed the clip for hours but we hit some pretty major critical points. One student looked at this clip with a feminist point of view saying that the man was free to do as he wishes, while the woman is confined to her pedestal. I noticed that there are mirror to one side of the woman and suggested that she was forced to look at herself whenever the pedestal turned her in that direction. This was a very interesting first day, and I looked forward to the weeks to follow.
Work Cited
Picture and Lyrics found at http://unsinkablecork.com/chitty/songs.htm
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