Well, this is my first college writing class. I passed the AP English test in my junior year of high school, so I didn't have to take the first rhetoric course. Before this class, I've never had to write more than a two-page paper. This is why I always feared the day when I would have to write my first multiple page paper for college. I didn't feel prepared, and based on my grade on paper 1.1, I apparently have some hard work ahead of me. In high school, I tried to stay away from the cliched five paragraph essay and just tried to make my writing flow as best as I could. When I think of any kind of academic writing, I think of doing the best I can to follow the prompt and use words that help me sound like I know what I'm talking about, whether I really do or not. When doing this kind of writing, I try to use an interesting opening sentence and a clever, well-worded conclusion. I do this because I like to have a strong beginning and a strong ending to try and make up for any problems that may occur in the body of the paper.
As usual, I like to talk about tattoos. This is mostly because I really want to get one, but I want it to really mean something so it's taking me a while to pick something. I think tattoos are the easiest, and most common (plus one of the most permanent) ways to really say something. Most of the time, there is a specific meaning or story to a tattoo. An example of this can be an experience that changed your life, so you get a picture to signify this, as if to say to the world "This happened and I got through it and look at me now." Another example could be getting a name or picture of a family member that passed away. This is obviously saying that you love(d) this person and you miss them. Although there is always room for interpretation by spectators when it comes to tattoos, there's always a meaning and possibly a message behind the tattoo.
Two semesters ago I took a communications class and one thing that really stuck out to me was that no matter what you say or how you say it, the audience may interpret the message in any way, mostly based on their experiences. I think this goes along with limitations in authorship and writing. Someone can make a bold statement or get a creative tattoo, but it is up to the audience reading or viewing to decipher the message behind it all. As we have all experienced, it's not uncommon for the audience to misinterpret the meaning behind the message. It doesn't really matter what I was trying to say with this statement or tattoo if the true message isn't received by the audience. For this reason, I don't think that authorship and control are equal terms. All one can really do is get their message out as effectively as they can and hope that the meaning is understood.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Prompt #5
Both of these sources look at how body modification is very alive in today's world. The first I want to touch on is the Marketplace story about how tattoos are becoming more and more acceptable in today's work force. This story approaches the body art in the context of the business world and how they affect one another. Every day, young adults are entering the work force with tattoos and every day, businesses are having to deal with these potential employers having tattoos. Recently, more businesses have begun to accept tattoos on their employees. This is radically different than 30 years ago. Times change quickly and businesses have to adapt to these changes. Although there are still some companies who do not hire people with tattoos, or at least visible ones, most companies have learned to accept these people and their individuality and potential for success.
The National Geographic photo gallery consists of multiple photos on various forms of modifications from scarification to tattoos to stretching of the ears and lip. These photographs and the captions that are with them are just basically to inform about different types of modifications done around the world by different peoples. These photos are meant to show the beauty of being different and how natural and spiritual it can be.
When looking at both of these examples of body modification, I think tattoos and certain modifications have become widely accepted throughout society to not be exotic, but to be a form of individuality. Although these practices originated from exotic people and places, Western society has adopted them as their own. I don't think certain practices will ever be changed in those exotic places, but I think that Western society will continue to adapt any new practices that come along.
The National Geographic photo gallery consists of multiple photos on various forms of modifications from scarification to tattoos to stretching of the ears and lip. These photographs and the captions that are with them are just basically to inform about different types of modifications done around the world by different peoples. These photos are meant to show the beauty of being different and how natural and spiritual it can be.
When looking at both of these examples of body modification, I think tattoos and certain modifications have become widely accepted throughout society to not be exotic, but to be a form of individuality. Although these practices originated from exotic people and places, Western society has adopted them as their own. I don't think certain practices will ever be changed in those exotic places, but I think that Western society will continue to adapt any new practices that come along.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Prompt #4
The print advertisement that really stuck with me was the one with the young girl that has the quote, "Wishes she were blonde." I think the message Dove is trying to convey with this ad is that today’s beauty industry and it's distorted view of what beauty is supposed to be is having a deep impact on young girls. Dove is saying that the beauty industry is making young girls have a set stereotypical image what beauty is supposed to be, with one of the requirements is to be blonde. In doing this, Dove is also trying to tell the consumer that there is no set of requirements for beauty; that being blonde doesn’t constitute beauty.
The video that really stuck with me was the one entitled “Amy.” Once again, Dove is going after the angle that the beauty industry really has a huge impact on young girls and their self esteem. According to Dove, this can make the girls feel ugly if they don’t look like the women on tv they see every day.
My opinion of this campaign is that Dove has the right idea, but I don’t think it’s for the right reasons. I feel like this is just another ploy to sell products and make money. I agree with the message, but I don’t agree with the reason behind it.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Short Writing #2: Arikara Girl
This Edward Curtis photograph is entitled “Arikara Girl”. It is a very simple photograph depicting only a lone girl in a posed setting. My first thoughts when looking at this picture was that this girl was very weary and unhappy. In further examination of the image, I noticed that this seemingly simple and plain figure was saying much more than one could see from first glance.
The first thing I noticed in this picture was her face and facial expression. Based on how her eyes are lowered and the frown she seems to have, I got the feeling like she was very sad and almost tired at the same time, as if she had seen or experienced some hardships in the recent past. Her hair is one thing that helps solidify this assumption. It is messy and appears to be unclean. Her glance is off to the right side of the portrait and is seemly at nothing, almost as if she is daydreaming or reminiscing of her past. The argument I feel is being made here is that the Native American people are one who have experienced much oppression.
The next thing that caught my eyes in this photograph was this Native American girl’s top. Her top seems to be of traditional Native American garb. It is very detailed with multiple colors and designs. Although she seems to be dressed in a traditional fashion, the thing that throws me off her the type of overcoat she is also wearing, covering up part of her top. The overcoat is very plain and simple, which is not what I usually picture Native American attire to be, especially when covering the torso. This gave me the impression that she may have possibly gotten this plain black overcoat from some European. As noted in our travel writings that we recently read, the Native American women constantly traded with the Europeans. This same fact could possibly be the very reason why this girl has such a weary look on her face.
Another theme that was conveyed to us as we read the travel writings was lack of clothing worn by the Native American people. This was seen by the Europeans as very unusual. The only skin that this girl is showing in this image is her neck and face. There is no exposure of skin anywhere else. This may be a change in custom brought on by interactions with Europeans, similar to my thought that she traded for her overcoat with a European.
In my opinion, I feel like Curtis was trying to convey the oppression of Native Americans by the European travelers. At first glance, I felt this picture didn’t say much, but upon further examination, I felt like based on the subtle details of the image, one could get a sense for what the artist an model were trying to convey.
The first thing I noticed in this picture was her face and facial expression. Based on how her eyes are lowered and the frown she seems to have, I got the feeling like she was very sad and almost tired at the same time, as if she had seen or experienced some hardships in the recent past. Her hair is one thing that helps solidify this assumption. It is messy and appears to be unclean. Her glance is off to the right side of the portrait and is seemly at nothing, almost as if she is daydreaming or reminiscing of her past. The argument I feel is being made here is that the Native American people are one who have experienced much oppression.
The next thing that caught my eyes in this photograph was this Native American girl’s top. Her top seems to be of traditional Native American garb. It is very detailed with multiple colors and designs. Although she seems to be dressed in a traditional fashion, the thing that throws me off her the type of overcoat she is also wearing, covering up part of her top. The overcoat is very plain and simple, which is not what I usually picture Native American attire to be, especially when covering the torso. This gave me the impression that she may have possibly gotten this plain black overcoat from some European. As noted in our travel writings that we recently read, the Native American women constantly traded with the Europeans. This same fact could possibly be the very reason why this girl has such a weary look on her face.
Another theme that was conveyed to us as we read the travel writings was lack of clothing worn by the Native American people. This was seen by the Europeans as very unusual. The only skin that this girl is showing in this image is her neck and face. There is no exposure of skin anywhere else. This may be a change in custom brought on by interactions with Europeans, similar to my thought that she traded for her overcoat with a European.
In my opinion, I feel like Curtis was trying to convey the oppression of Native Americans by the European travelers. At first glance, I felt this picture didn’t say much, but upon further examination, I felt like based on the subtle details of the image, one could get a sense for what the artist an model were trying to convey.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Prompt #3
When looking at the two paintings, the first thing I noticed was that the two are practically mirror images of each other, with minor differences of course.
The first painting I want to talk about is Benjamin West's original piece. This painting seems to be meant as an exact replica to the event. West put much detail into every aspect of this piece, even down to the boats in the water and the house being built in the background. Attention to such detail suggests to me that West felt that is moment in time was a very important and meaningful time and he wanted everyone who saw this painting to feel like they were standing right there. West depicts two bodies in his painting: the Native American and the Europeans. The Europeans, including William Penn, are dressed very nobly, presenting ornamentation from canes to hats. The Native Americans on the other hand, as we have repeatedly seen, are scantily clad. This difference, from our recent discussions in class, seems to present the contrast between barbarity and nobility, but for some reason in this painting, I don't feel that was the emotion West was going for. I get the sense that there is an obvious difference, and all that West was trying to show was the fact that there was a difference and that's it. The Europeans and Native Americans both have members standing and kneeling and you can tell that those standing seem to be at the same height as one another; there is no dominance due to one being higher than another.
Now when I look at Edward Hicks' painting of the exact same interaction occurring between Penn's Europeans and the Native Americans, the first thing I notice, again, is the amount of detail put into the piece. Now I'm not sure if all of Hick's paintings look this way, but I got the feeling that this obviously momentous event was portrayed was cartoon-ish. Hicks' took West's painting and basically flipped it. This suggests to me that his opinion about Penn's Treaty is the opposite of how West felt. The title of Hick's painting is "Penn's Treaty with the Indians" almost to suggest the treaty is Penn's, not anyone else's. Something that really stuck out to me in this painting was the fact that Hicks' portrayed the event on a ledge. At the bottom of the painting, you can clearly see a ledge. Even though Hicks' almost mirrors West's painting, there is no ledge in West's piece. What Hicks' is trying to say with this ledge though, I'm not really sure.
The first painting I want to talk about is Benjamin West's original piece. This painting seems to be meant as an exact replica to the event. West put much detail into every aspect of this piece, even down to the boats in the water and the house being built in the background. Attention to such detail suggests to me that West felt that is moment in time was a very important and meaningful time and he wanted everyone who saw this painting to feel like they were standing right there. West depicts two bodies in his painting: the Native American and the Europeans. The Europeans, including William Penn, are dressed very nobly, presenting ornamentation from canes to hats. The Native Americans on the other hand, as we have repeatedly seen, are scantily clad. This difference, from our recent discussions in class, seems to present the contrast between barbarity and nobility, but for some reason in this painting, I don't feel that was the emotion West was going for. I get the sense that there is an obvious difference, and all that West was trying to show was the fact that there was a difference and that's it. The Europeans and Native Americans both have members standing and kneeling and you can tell that those standing seem to be at the same height as one another; there is no dominance due to one being higher than another.
Now when I look at Edward Hicks' painting of the exact same interaction occurring between Penn's Europeans and the Native Americans, the first thing I notice, again, is the amount of detail put into the piece. Now I'm not sure if all of Hick's paintings look this way, but I got the feeling that this obviously momentous event was portrayed was cartoon-ish. Hicks' took West's painting and basically flipped it. This suggests to me that his opinion about Penn's Treaty is the opposite of how West felt. The title of Hick's painting is "Penn's Treaty with the Indians" almost to suggest the treaty is Penn's, not anyone else's. Something that really stuck out to me in this painting was the fact that Hicks' portrayed the event on a ledge. At the bottom of the painting, you can clearly see a ledge. Even though Hicks' almost mirrors West's painting, there is no ledge in West's piece. What Hicks' is trying to say with this ledge though, I'm not really sure.
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