Brave New World Reading Journal Part III

Questions regarding Brave New World:
-What is Huxley's opinion regarding the concept of utopia as a whole?
-What was Huxley trying to prove by having John hang himself?

Question relating both Brave New World and 1984:
-What do the differences in the "utopias" of 1984 and Brave New World demonstrate about the possibility of variety in the concept of a utopia?

Communist Utopia-Thomas Hornung

-What about this painting indicates communism?
-What is the artist's view on communism?
-Explain the title.

Communism is indicated by the restriction in colors and the concealment of the little existing color. It shows the limitation in a communist society, and the colorful bricks concealed by the dull gray represent the freedoms taken away from the people. The eyes that are constant in their placement down the road also indicate that people are always being watched or that their freedom has been stripped.
The artist has a negative opinion of communism. He sees it as extremely restricting and unfair; the colors indicate that his opinion of a "communist utopia" is disbelief, that this uniform dullness is what would result from an attempt at such an idea. Overall, he views it as a bad and over-restricting system that leads to nothing.
The artist seems to view a communist utopia as an extreme oxymoron-adding to the irony of the word "utopia" (meaning a perfect world) being attached to a dull, uniform painting. The title is saying that in a communist society, there is no perfect world, no utopia, to be found. Perhaps he was painting this as a response to something that someone said about the prospect of a perfect world in communism; his opinion is clear.

Brave New World Reading Journal Part II

Questions about the future of Brave New World:
-Will soma run out? If it does, will the people's eyes be opened to the injustice of what seems to them to be a utopia? What will their thoughts be on this new world?
-What are Bernard's intentions in bringing John, the Savage, to the One State? Are they purely selfless, or does he have other motivations?
-Does Bernard still have feelings for Lenina? After so much excitement with bringing John to the One State, might his thoughts about her be pushed to the back of his mind, if not extinguished?

It seems to me as a reader that soma will at some point run out, causing chaos throughout the society and thus proving that problems must be dealt with instead of being something from which to hide. The people are conditioned to think that "a gramme is better than a damn," and they frequently take "holidays" to escape the pressures of life through the drug soma. For instance, after being scarred from the activities at the reservation, "Lenina felt herself entitled...to a complete and absolute holiday. ...she swallowed six half-gramme tablets of soma, lay down on her bed, and within ten minutes had embarked for lunar eternity." The people are very accustomed to using this for an escape, and do not hesitate to do so. Its consistency in the book implies that such reliance on it will be tested at some point; people need soma like they need food, water, and shelter. If it is taken away, the One State will likely fall into disaster; people will begin to question the ways of the society, eyes will be opened to injustice, and rebellion will likely ensue.

Bernard's intentions originally seemed to be for the better of both John and himself, neither exclusively. He made "the first move in a campaign whose strategy he had been secretly elaborating ever since, in the little house, he had realized who the 'father' of this young savage must be [and offerred him a trip back to London]." This implies that Bernard wishes to help the Savage and introduce him to the Director, who he presumes is John's father. However, he later seems to enjoy his fame, however short-lived it is, and uses it to his advantage. For instance, he plans to attend a party with John for more people to see him and to see what the Savage is like, but John refuses to come-which reflects badly on Bernard. Outraged and hurt, Bernard talks to him about him, John, about "refusing to come to my party and so turning them all against me!" Although his intentions may have been pure to begin with, they became selfish; Bernard is more concerned with his reputation and how others viewed him and less with the comfort and well-being of his new friend; he has begun to take advantage of what has been brought to him through the Savage. Huxley shows Bernard's character begin to change and become more selfish through these acts and new-found opinions. If they are to change from here or are revealed to be one way or another is yet to be discovered.

At the beginning of the novel, Bernard seemed to have true feelings for Lenina, as opposed to the shallow attraction shown by most other members of the One State. For instance, he overhears several men discussing her "'as though she were a bit of meat.' Bernard ground his teeth. 'Have her here, have her there. Like mutton. Degrading her to so much mutton.'" He had respect for her before she had respect for him, a trait that Huxley gave him so that the reader might be sympathetic to him. As time progresses, however, and he discovers the newness of the reservation and the entire world that it showcases, Lenina is pushed to the back of his mind. We as readers rarely hear about her in a romantic way as Bernard begins to focus more and more on John and the fame that accompanies him. This leads us to believe that Huxley's character was given these traits to show that people can be completely engulfed in fame and begin to forget what was previously important to them-implying that fame and fortune does not always do one well. It seems that in the future Bernard will realize what is really important and might go back to be with Lenina instead of glorifying in his new fame.

"Don't You Want Me"-The Human League

-What is the subject matter?
-What is the difference in the two sides of the story?
-With whom do you side and why?

The subject is a girl who started off as a waitress and whose life was turned around. She is no longer with her ex boyfriend, though she says that she still loves him.
He thinks that she couldn't be who she is today without him, saying "...don't forget it's me who put you where you are now." By saying this, he feels that he is being neglected and unappreciated, especially considering all the help that he gave her. She, however, thinks that she made her way up on her own, even if their five years together were good. She says, "...even then I knew I'd find a much better place either with or without you." In this, she explained that her ex boyfriend was not completely responsible for her success, and that she should not be forced to stay with him if she wants to make her own way through life.
I side with the man because he helped her, even if not as much as he thought, to be who she is now, and she still left him. Even if she would have turned her life around, he helped her to get started, and he really loved her. She still, however, left him, saying "it's time I lived my life on my own." I think that he deserved better after giving her so much help, even if she didn't see it.

Brave New World Reading Journal Part I

There is an illusion of equality more so than the actual existence of conformity. The social class system puts some over others completely by random selection when the people are being brought into being. However, all classes are glad to be who they are because they have been conditioned to think this way, having been told repeatedly as children that it is best to be who they are. For instance, young Betas are trained to think about how "Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm really awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't want to work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able to read or write. Because they wear black, which is such a beastly color. I'm so glad I'm a Beta." Even grown people express these sentiments, such as when Lenina says, "My word...I'm glad I'm not a Gamma." The illusion of equality is created through the entire concept of all of the classes being who they are because it is meant to be that way.

The entire concept of choice is eradicated through this caste system and the strict schedule that is observed by all even when one is unaware of it. Lower classes work to make the world a pleasant place for those of higher status; the higher classes have fun and go out with other people constantly, without being allowed to fall in love or make real life decisions, such as marriage. This reduces conflict completely, because no one thinks to have a religion, to try to have a real relationship with someone, etc. The entire idea is simply against the entire code of the society.

Happiness is forced through the conditioning of children and the steady, constant routine. People are trained to think that they are happy and that they have a beautiful life, and most believe it without question; they do little with their life besides what the society tells them to. Most are perfectly content to follow routine, to go out on a date with someone they hardly know, to be who the society wants them to be. Bernard Marx, however, is an exception; he has feelings and emotions unusual for the society, and values people based on their personalities, not their bodies.

This currently is a utopia because everything is under control, and no one is rebelling or unhappy (or so they think). It seems, however, that it could potentially become a dystopia because of the overwhelming control that the government has over the people. Choice of almost any sort has been completely wiped out, which provides room for people to begin to think and thus to rebel; the chance that people would begin to consider they live is much greater when everything is gone.

Ethnography

-What are the benefits of each perspective? Is one perspective better than the other? Explain.

-The following are rules for conducting an ethnography. Write a brief explanation for why these rules exist.

As an ethnographer, you must

• realize objectivity is impossible. Instead of trying to be objective, acknowledge your biases in your research.
• have an informant from the group you're studying.
• be up-front about your intentions; let your subjects know what you're studying and why.

It seems that each perspective would be equally important; etic shows the culture from a perspective that is not used to it, while emic shows it from a perspective that has grown used to it after growing up in it. Etic can compare it to other cultures and show how it might be strange or abnormal. Emic, however, can tell about the perspective with the attitude that this is normal and has good reason to be accepted.
To be an ethnographer, one must be respectful of another culture. People being studied could be offended if they found out later that they were being observed; it is also essential to acknowledge your perspective so that people reading your report can take into account your ideas of this culture. Finally, and informant is very important so that the ethnographer can understand more about why some things are done in the culture.

"Rain on the Scarecrow"-John Mellencamp

-What's the song about? Summarize.
-What are some conflicts this song might address?
-Make a claim about Mellencamp's use of imagery or symbolism.
-Make a claim about Mellencamp's word choice. Think about connotation.
-If this represents Mellencamp's opinion, who does he seem to favor? Who does he present sympathetically? What side of the conflict does he seem to be on? Support your answers with examples from the text.

This song is about a man whose family's farm was lost because of unpaid loans.
This song is addressing the many families who lost their farms and how they then interact with people in power.
Mellencamp's use of imagery and symbolism add to the overall effect and give it a more morbid tone. He talks about the "rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow," giving it a darker feel. He also says "Son, I'm just sorry they're just memories for you now." This leads the listener to believe that the son will not carry on the legacy.
Mellencamp's word choice adds a deep, meaningful feeling to the song. He talks about his background and his future, and many of the connotations reflect the nostalgia and longing he feels.
He seems to favor the poorer people and those who cannot help themselves; he talks about how he "grew up like my daddy did, My grandpa cleared this land; when I was five I walked the fence while Grandpa held my hand;" This leads the listener to believe that this is all the narrator knew.

Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out SOAPSTone

The subject of Dave Barry’s Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out was the overall existence of differences in opinions between women and men concerning sports and dirt. This is illustrated through his examples and scenarios of each gender confronted with one of the previous problematic nouns. He discusses how a man reacts to dirt versus how a woman does, and the same with sports.

This piece was written in the 1980’s, presumably, and published in 1988. This is shown through the short introduction prior to the writing. The probable place of writing was at the writer’s place of residence, which is in Miami, according to the biography printed about the writing piece. This probably affected his writing in that he could take examples from his experiences that occurred around him.

Barry’s specific audience for Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out is the general public, especially that part of it that appreciates humor or that is interested in the different opinions of men and women on various topics. This is clear through the style of writing and the examples and content used throughout the piece. For example, Barry writes of how his wife asked him to clean a bathroom, and when he was finished, she didn’t even know that he had cleaned it and returned, asking him again to clean it and saying that it was “filthy.” Barry’s writing response to this was “and if I tell her that I already cleaned the bathroom, she gives me this look that she has perfected, the same look she used on me the time I selected Robert’s outfit for school and part of it turned out to be pajamas.” This shows that Barry does not take this topic terribly seriously.

Dave Barry’s purpose in his piece of writing is to amuse people while comparing men and women in various topics and tasks. His humor on such a topic is illustrated when he writes, “[on the other hand] is sports. This is an area where men tend to feel very sensitive and women tend to be extremely callous. I have written about this before and I always get irate letters from women who say they are the heavyweight racquetball champion of some place like Iowa and are sensitive to sports to the point where they could crush my skull like ripe grape, but I feel these women are the exception.” This shows that he has little, if anything, serious to say on this topic and enjoys creating such situations as Iowa heavyweight racquetball championships that are won by women who do not appreciate being told that they don’t like sports.

Barry believes that many things can be approached from a humorous angle. This is illustrated by his many examples that are realistic, but his reactions to them are completely un-academic and unprofessional (which is not at all to say that they aren’t funny). He takes a creative and witty approach to every topic that he discusses.

Dave Barry’s tone is very witty and clever-he is rather carefree about these topics but applies a funny tone to them. These are expressed through writing such as a comparison to Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart to the effect the temptation of the World Series on television has on the males but fails to have on the females. Overall, he is extremely sharp in his writing.

Excerpts

1. The tone of excerpts 1-3 is one of scared wonder-the narrator has clearly never seen people like these before, and he finds them exotic and unpredictable. In section 1, he talks of "the young fellow by my side [who] growled" and that "the pilgrims murmured at my back." He also writes that "a formidable silence hung over the scene." In section 2, the wonder is evident through the wording of the description; he tells of "faces like grotesque masks." Finally, the third section mentions the "complete, deathlike indifference of unhappy savages."

2. The tone of the first paragraph of the fourth section is horror and uncertainty. The narrator discusses a man with "his brother phantom" and how the entire scene seemed a "picture of a massacre or a pestilence." The second paragraph, however, seems to be overwhelming relief; the narrator first "took [the white man] for a sort of vision."

-Why would the West manufacture an other/enemy?
 They might do this to gain unity; with a common enemy, people seem to group together and unify.

George Orwell

1. Orwell was terrified of people in power having too much control and taking over.
2. Orwell valued freedoms such as the freedom to think and the freedom of choice.

Polygamy

-Remember that double consciousness (also called double vision) is the belief that some people are forced to live in two cultures. They are first part of the dominate culture, and then they are also part of a subculture. Sometimes the ideas/values of these two cultures oppose each other. Describe what it might be like to see as both an American (where polygamy is taboo) and also as a person who is in a polygamous relationship. What kind of conflicts could result from this? Provide specific scenarios/conflicts.
-The idea of "double vision" says that people in a subculture not only see themselves the way their subculture does but also the way that the dominate culture does. How can "double vision" affect one's view of himself/herself?

This could cause both internal and external conflicts, as well as cultural conflict. A person might have to make a huge decision that would seem to (and could actually) decide which group they really belonged to. This could also cause an argument between the person and perhaps their spouse as well; a man might have several wives, causing conflict between himself and one or more of his wives.
Double vision can ultimately determine whether someone has a high or low self esteem; people whose actions are frowned upon in one society to which they belong can start to feel bad about themselves, and feel rejected.

1984 Reading Journal Part III

Unfortunately, it does seem that Big Brother-whether he really exists or not-has won. When Winston tried to rebel (moving up from simply thoughtcrime to joining what he thought was the Brotherhood and being involved with Julia, who was not his wife), he was captured and tortured into insanity, believing the idiocy that the Party forced upon him. Big Brother seems to represent the (Inner) Party as a whole, with the thoughts that power is all that matters and that pain is necessary for power; unfortunately, they have almost completely succeeded in these endeavors. People have completely lost all freedoms except the freedom to live-they can't choose what they eat, where they work, who they marry, etc. The Party has manipulated the society so that if anyone rebels against this, they are vaporized; people are trained to accept everything and to block out any and all contradicting thoughts.
At the end of the novel, Winston is an alcoholic (or as close as one can be, considering that the only substance is victory gin)-"The [gin] grew not less but more horrible with every mouthful he drank. But it had become the element he swam in. It was his life, his death, and his resurrection. It was gin that sank him into stupor every night, and gin that revived him every morning. When he woke, seldom before eleven hundred, with gummed-up eyelids and a fiery mouth and a back that seemed to be broken, it would have been impossible even to rise from the horizontal if it had not been for the bottle and teacup placed beside the bed overnight. Through the mid-day hours he sat with a glazed face, the bottle handy, listening to the telescreen." The Party drove him not only to this insane dependency on gin through the torture they forced him to endure but also to the instinct, ironically, to love Big Brother. Somehow, through the Winston's screaming for the rats to go to Julia, he was changed to value the things that the Party values, and to think that he had been wrong in opposing the party at all. Unfortunately, it is assumed that Winston then deteriorates into nothing from this sad state until he dies. Despite all of his efforts, the Party has won.

Love Language

-What are some of your assumptions during the video?
-How is this a cultural conflict? What are the cultures, and what is the conflict?
-What's an example of external conflict from the video?
-What's an example of internal conflict from the video?
-How were the conflicts resolved?

One assumption could be that she just wasn't terribly friendly; another could be that she didn't speak English.
The two cultures are the culture of the girl-the deaf community-and the non-deaf community of the boy. They clashed and then resolved by using Post-It notes.
An example of external conflict is the boy attempting to talk to the girl, who refuses to say anything.
An internal conflict was the girl's struggle to decide whether or not to tell the boy that she was deaf.
The conflicts were resolved through different means; the boy found an alternate way to communicate with the girl without realizing that she couldn't hear, and the girl showed the boy, instead of telling him, that she was deaf by giving him the earphones that played no music.

 

"This Land Is Your Land"-Woodie Guthrie

-Is Guthrie's message individualist or collectivist? Explain.
-Do you find this song to be more pro-government or anti-government? Explain.

Guthrie's message is primarily collectivist because he discusses how the land was made for both "you and me." He doesn't single anyone out; instead, he speaks of the beauty of the land and tells how it is for everyone.
It seems to be anti-government because he talks about appreciating the land as opposed to controlling it. Also, at the end of the song, he sees the sign that says "no trespassing," which could represent the government, and shows the emotions he feels about this-frustration, wistfulness, etc.

1984 Reading Journal Part II

Winston seems to be having trouble buying into what Big Brother is selling because much of it seems irrational to him. He doesn't see why the values are what they are: children selling their parents to the Thought Police, people becoming excited over a hanging, etc. He wants the freedoms that he doesn't have, like the freedom of choice-in areas that could mean his job, his wife, etc. He has no future with Julia, which is what he wants above all, and it is because of the Party that he is stripped of this choice.
His questioning is indeed a form of rebellion-the people in this society are supposed to agree with the Party in every way, yet Winston thinks what he thinks and wonders who else might think the same way. His small rebellion can be compared with Occupy Wall Street-both Winston and the modern-day protesters are fighting the government for what they believe is right. It is, however, ironic that Winston should be fighting for more freedom and less government control while the Occupy Wall Street protesters are asking the government to do something specific instead of trying to overthrow them. Overall, our society has adapted the common parts of the Orwellian society, but nothing, as in many occasions, is to an extreme. Our citizens protest what they think is wrong and believe firmly what they believe; the difference between the two is that in our society, we have the freedom to think.

The Egg

-What kind of man was the narrator's father before he married? What changes did he undergo after marriage?
-How does the narrator feel about and view chickens?
-Why does the narrator claim to have had trouble, even as a child, being happy? What are we to make of the author's supposed gloominess and cautions against optimism?
-What role does the father's collection of "grotesques" play in the story?
-After abandoning chicken farming and going into the restaraunt business, what decision does the father make regarding his personality and behavior? What is wrong with this decision, and what happens as a consequence of it?
-What is the meaning of the narrator's statement about the "complete and total triumph of the egg"?

Before the narrator's father was married, he had a routine of a day of work and then an evening at the pub. He was very happy with his life and had little ambition for a higher status or job.
The narrator sees chickens as more trouble than they are worth and overall a complete waste of time. He comments on how they hatch, maybe get diseases, and die; he doesn't see why it is worth paying the money for them to be unreliable.
The narrator says that he was denied a happy childhood because he grew up and worked on a chicken farm. He says that if he hadd not been raised there, he would not have been surrounded by death and he would not have grown up as gloomy as he did.
The father's collection of "grotesques" is what he thinks-and hopes-will bring great success for him and his family. They are, however, extremely strange and quite unsuccessful-they could symbolize the attempt/failure of the narrator's parents ambitions.
The narrator's father tried to beome more cheerful and optimistic about life and his ambitions, and he decided to try to entertain the customers in his restaraunt. However, he never put this idea into action until one day when a young man came in and was bewildered to see the father, suffering from severe stage-fright. The father ended up scaring off the young man after throwing an egg at him in frustration; overall, his plans to be enteraining were less than successful.
The narrator feels that the egg was always hurting him; he grew up surrounded by chickens hatching from eggs who would either die or have more eggs and then die. He felt that they were always in control of his life. This final "triumph" meant that the egg had caused him anxiety and strife once again.

American Friendship Questions

"I have heard many international newcomers say that American friendships are superficial. They say Americans do not know what true friendship is; they seem very friendly at first, but the friendships do not grow."
-What are some reasons Americans are perceived in this way?

According to the article, Americans tend to be friendly in the beginning of a relationship, mostly because they move often or live among people who move often. They also turn to outsiders for help in everyday situations, which is odd to those in other cultures who tend to turn to those with whom they're close. Speaking from experience, I know that Americans do have close friends in whom they confide-I have several best friends like this.

Collectivistic vs. Individualistic Cultures

-In a collectivistic culture, what personality traits are likely to be considered ideal? What about in an individualistic culture?
-In some societies, your opinion is likely to be challenged if you're the oldest in your family or if you have a PhD or the most published books in your university. From the other side of the conflict, you may not feel free to assert yourself with such a person if your status is near the bottom of the group. In what type of culture might this be true? Explain.
-Create a specific conflict that may occur when a teacher from an individualistic culture goes to teach in a collectivistic culture or vice versa. Identify the conflict as internal or external. Explain what clash of values caused the conflict and how the conflict may be resolved.
-What is an aquaintance? Does the word aquaintance have a positive or negative connotation?


In a collectivistic culture, personality traits that are considered ideal are selflessness and modesty. On the other hand, traits such as determination and motivation are ideal in an individualistic as these inspire independence.
This would be an individualistic society because single people are judged adn trusted based on their actions as opposed to a stron sense of equality that might be present within an entire group. People are ranked in trustworthiness based on their achievements and their past, and they stand out as an individual.
If a teacher from a collectivist society came and taught in an individualistic society, he or she might use teaching methods intended to move the entire class forward at a constant rate, while the class might be used to methods that allow them to work at their own rate, allowing for some to stand out. An example for a solution for this would be a more moderate teaching method.
An aquaintance is someone who is not a friend but is by no means an enemy. It is a person known well enough to talk to, but not close enough that one could confide in them. This word typically has a positive connotation.

"2+2=5"-Radiohead

-What is this song talking about lyrically?
-How does the music mirror or help push the message?
-The title is an allusion to 1984; explain the connection.

Lyrically, this song is talking about an overload of power to one source and no control to another source (the speaker). It is also implied that what the authority says is always correct, despite the fact that it could have huge flaws in it. This could be a relationship problem between two people so that one person is extremely controlling and there is no balance.
The music sounds angry and frustrated, but it is not straight to the point. The speaker sounds slightly conflicted and confused.
Firstly, the title is a quote from 1984 in which it is said that everything Big Brother says is right, even if he said 2+2=5. The similarity is that the power is out of control and chaos is disguised as organization. 

Faith and Globalization Initiative

-Identify the conflict. Is it internal or external?
-How/why does globalization create conflict? In the speaker's opinion, globalization has flown in only one direction. What does she mean by this?
-Although the speaker feels globalization has been one-sided, she notes there has been one benefit related to the precess. What benefit does she mean?
-The speaker says Muslims and Westerners live by/are obligated to two different sources of truth. What sources does she mean?

This is an external conflict because it is between two or more people as opposed to simply one person debating with herself about something. 
Varying views combined are bound to create a clash between opinions-globalization opens up many opportunities for there to be conflict between many different ideas. In saying that globalization has flown in only one direction, the speaker means that standards are biased.
The benefit that she noted is that in Western culture, there are role models in the media that show people what it means to be a strong woman holding her own. However, there are Muslim/Eastern role models that few people are aware of.
The sources she mentions are the Constitution and the Qu'ran.

1984 Reading Journal Part I

The society in the book 1984 is meant by the government to be a utopia, but has become more of a dystopia, even if many of the citizens cannot recognize this fact. The government, in true utopian fashion, has tried to make all citizens appear equal and happy by way of the same opportunities, homes, foods, etc. for all citizens. However, the citizens have been stripped of all rights-freedom of speech, religion, even thoughts! Only Goldstein, who is despised by all (or is meant to be), suggests that people should have such rights, and the people follow the government in saying that this idea is preposterous. One might think that it would be difficult to convince people to conform so easily to such strange ideas; however, the government is all-powerful and often arrests people or makes it so that they simply "no longer exist" if they are not cooperating with the rules. Enough people think that they are happy that there is no mass thought of a revolution. Overall, the people are told that they live in a perfect world, even with their patched clothes and disgusting food and smelly houses--proving that this is a dystopia in disguise as a utopia.

Utopia

-What is a utopia?
-What is your ideal world?
-What type of music would be the soundtrack for your utopia?

A utopia is a world perfectly under control.
My ideal world has no violence-people are not killed, there is no war, etc. People respect each other and don't hurt each other; the world is very peaceful. People are also more environmentally friendly and manage resources well.
The music would typically be peaceful and calm-however, people would be able to listen to their own music, because people favor so many different kinds and it would be taking control too far to restrict music.

Chuck Baird

-Make a claim about the author's voice. Support with facts.

-Identify a culture within these paintings.

-Write a claim you could make about this culture based on the paintings.

The artist's voice is reflected through the diversity of color in his work. This shows that he is probably accepting and open to many different views and ideas.

His culture is most likely an open and accepting environment-he does not limit himself in his art.

His paintings show no limitations in regard to color, which shows that his culture is accepting and shows no boundaries.

-Make an inference about the lyrical content of the song and explain it.
-Write one analytical statement about the musical content of the song and explain/support it.
-Make one evaluative statement about the song's overall effectiveness and support it.

The lyrics show that the speaker has experienced pain and loss, clearly illustrated by the lyrics, "You were wrong when you said everything's gonna be alright," and "You were right when you said you can't always get what you want." 

The slide of the electric guitar in the musical aspects of this song shows the lack of structure in the speaker's life. Not everything is planned, and sometimes things just happen without any interference.

The overall effectiveness of this song seems somewhat contradictory. The lyrics imply that the speaker is in a lot of pain, but the background music seems too loud and doesn't seem to flow as much as one would think with the lyrics.

Reading Critically

This writer is writing this piece to inform-specifically, to inform about how to read critically. The article tells how one can take notes while reading something in order to absorb the material better, among other methods that help comprehension. The reading includes a piece by M. F. K. Fisher entitled "The Broken Chain" that the writer annotates a bit and uses to describe the critical reading process. This overall involves summarizing, analysis, inference, synthesis, and evaluation, among other steps. After reading this, it is easier to look for purpose, tone, etc. in a work of writing.

"Young Life"-Bo Bartlett

-Make three claims about this painting and provide facts to support them.
1. The family has shot the deer. Fact: The older male has a gun and the deer is slung over the truck.
2. The two older people have had the child together but are not married. Fact: They are acting as if they are very affectionate, but she isn't wearing a ring.
3. There used to be trees all over the area, but they were cut down. Fact: There are many tree stumps around.

Paragraph: The two older figures in Bo Bartlett's "Young Life" are not married, but they had the child together. This is indicated by the lack of a wedding band on the left hand of the young woman, which is placed on the man's stomach. Their relationship with the boy is distant, indicated by his placement in the picture, but he nonetheless came on the hunting trip with them. He is also mimicking his father, who is holding a gun, in holding his stick-he is imitating both his stance and his facial expression.

"Shame"-Avett Brothers

-ID subject and tone
-Choose three words that push the tone and explain how they do that.

The subject of this is the apology and regret of someone who wants to take back their actions. The tone is very remorseful and shameful-hence the name. These are demonstrated by the words "sink," "strutted," and "break," all of which show that the person felt the guilt pressing down on them like a weight.

"American Tongues"

-In your opinion, what is voice in literature?
-How does a person create his or her voice when writing? IS creating voice an intentional or unintentional act? Is it both? Explain.
-Many people in Eastern Kentucky talk around a subject. According to the speaker, why do they do this? What can we learn about a writer from they way she approaches/handles a subject?
-Whether it is fiction or nonfiction, why is voice important in writing?

In my opinion, voice in literature is the dialect or attitude of a speaker. For example, the book The Help has three narrators, all of whom have very distinct voices.
A person creates a voice in writing by using a dialect through phrases or spellings of words (ex: "I"-"Ah"). Creating a voice for a character is typically intentional, but if one is writing from one's own point of view, it can be unintentional as well. It depends overall on the situation.
They do this because they altogether enjoy the company of one another and want to talk to each other more than necessary. We can learn about a writer's style through their approach to a subject-typically the character will show some of their traits and overall personality through their approach to something.
Voice is important because it defines the tone of the piece-professional, informal, various characters, etc. It can give more reason and purpose to a piece so that people understand the point of a piece.

Eleanor Rigby vs. Eleanor Rigby

-Which of these do you like better? Why? Be specific.
-Which of these is more pleasing to listen to? Why? Be specific.

I like the original much better because its tone is much more fitting and not nearly as overwhelming. The cover was very loud and sounds like people shouting with little variation to the guitar and tune. I also grew up hearing the one by the Beatles, and I enjoyed the strings in the background.
I thought that the second one was more aesthetically pleasing because it was more soothing and used strings instead of electric guitar throughout the whole song. It was much more calming, and the Beatles were also the creators of the song, therefore more the "master of their craft."

Kandinsky Vs. Pollack

1. Which of these do you like better? Why? Be specific.
2. Which of these is more pleasing to look at? Why? Be specific.

I like the Kandinsky painting better because it seems to have more precision and reason. (To me, it looks like it could be an artistic representation of Kandinsky's mind at the time. Maybe he was feeling somewhat scatterbrained and the various objects represented the various events in his life. There are straight lines, paintbrushes, colors, and even a shape that resembles a solar eclipse.)
I think that the Kandinsky is also more pleasing to look at because of all the colors and variety.

"Sign Language"

1. What is the single effect you got from the short film?
2. Give three specific reasons why you were persuaded to that effect.
3. If you could change one aspect to that film, what would it be and how would it affect the film and your single effect?


The single effect that I got from this short film was an overall sense of companionship and community. I was persuaded this way because of the dedication that Ben's friends showed on his last day--giving him a proper send-off. Also, the music made London seem much more like a community and less of a bustling city; it gave it a much more homely feel. Finally, Ben even bluntly stated that London was really a big community. If I could change one aspect of this, I might try to see if it could be done without sound. It would show the signs from his friends in a new light-it would be stressed even more that they don't need to talk to tell him that they value his friendship.

"Shooting an Elephant" George Orwell

The subject of George Orwell's Shooting an Elephant is that a man avoids looking like a fool to the people who ridiculed him by shooting an elephant who may or may not have hurt them. This lust for at least a little respect was conveyed by the fact that the speaker did not wish to hurt the elephant, but did so because he felt the pressure. He specifically wrote, "It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him. I had never shot an elephant and never wanted to."


Shooting an Elephant was written several years after the shooting of the elephant (in the 1930's). The essay's time of creation is illustrated by the regret and remorse showed by the speaker. It is clear that the speaker has thought a lot about this incident and has wondered time and again whether it was the right thing to do. The probable place of the essay's creation is the writer's home-presumably in Britain as opposed to Burma.  The time and place of the essay's creation influence the essay by giving Orwell opportunities to consider his feelings for the incident. He wrote, "And afterwards I often wondered whether anyone understood that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool."

Orwell's specific audience for Shooting an Elephant was people who are prone to pressure, particularly by peers. This is communicated by showing that, because Orwell highly regarded his reputation, even if he was already "hated," he killed an elephant that might not have done so very much harm. In retrospect, he seems to feel that it was not worth it to take the life of the elephant, even if his reputation was as stake. It seems that he wants to convey to the audience that such a reputation is not worth what he went through.

Orwell's purpose in Shooting an Elephant is to show that one's reputation is often not worth drastic measures taken to protect it. This idea that being viewed and regarded highly is less important than, in this case, a life, is shown by Orwell displaying regret at his past actions and indecision at the time. He wrote, "it was a bit of fun to [the villagers]; besides they wanted the meat. It made me vaguely uneasy." He states quite clearly that the villagers wanted the elephant dead, while he did not; despite his values, he later killed the elephant.


George Orwell believes that he should not have been so influenced by the villagers and regrets his decision to kill the elephant, especially in a way so that it died slowly and painfully. This is illustrated by his regret and remorse later in life, and possibly soon after he killed the animal. He feels that he should not have let people for whom he cared very little influence this decision in his life.


Orwell exhibits a remorseful attitude about killing the elephant. This attitude is expressed through his flashback on the event; he states that he did it because he didn't want to look a fool, not because he cared particularly about the village or what the elephant did to it. He felt that he should have let the animal lived or at least killed it more humanely than he did; the thought that he had done this simply because the people pressured him into it was unbearable for him.

"Good Old Desk" Harry Nilsson

SOAPSTone the song. What is he talking about?

S-God
O-a time in which the speaker felt that he could rely on God
A-people who found comfort in more fancy things
P-to convey how important and comforting something simple but sturdy can be
S-someone who appreciates God
Tone-happy, carefree, grateful

Overall, the speaker is conveying that God is sturdy and simple and provides a net of sorts upon which he can fall. He doesn't think that material goods or fancy things can provide as much of a sense of comfort as his faith can.

1. "It's a pleasure to see it's waiting there for me to keep my hopes alive."
2. "My old desk never needs a rest."
3. "Such a comfort to know, it's dependable and slow, but it's always there."

"The Runaway" Norman Rockwell

Thesis: Rockwell's "The Runaway" overlooks the fundamental rift that was rising in America throughout the late 1950's-an emerging counter (no pun intended) culture that was not concerned with how things were in America, but rather how they are.

In Rockwell's painting, a young boy has presumably run away from home to make a new life for himself, but a police officer found him and took him to lunch before-hopefully-taking him home again. In the time period that this was painted, many people who came home from the war seemed to be doing the same thing: making a new life for themselves. Although it was doubtful that a police officer figure came into their lives and took them back to the way it used to be, it showed that people began to take control of their lives and how their futures would be shaped instead of depending on the past to define it for them. Rockwell's "The Runaway" overlooks the fundamental rift that was rising in America throughout the late 1950's-an emerging counter (no pun intended) culture that was not concerned with how things were in America, but rather how they are.

"Across the Universe" by the Beatles

1. Identify three images in this song.
2. Are any of these images symbols in context? Explain.
3. Explain one symbol that you know to be a symbol.

1. a) "Words are flying out like endless rain into a paper cup." b) "Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes." c) "Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns..."
2/3. I thought that the line that said "limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns..." was a symbol for the brightness of love and the effect that such love can have on people. It has the power to bring the joy (and almost enlightenment of the light of a million suns) to people, whether through love shown to them or love from them. The speaker seems to want to prove how important and amazing it is that just faithful attachment to one another can make such a huge difference.

"Inspiration Information" by Shuggie Otis

1. What is the overall feel of this song?
2. What musical element put off that vibe?
3. Identify the choices the musician had to make to get this feel and why they worked.

 The overall feel of this song is lighthearted and easy-going. The rhythm of this song has almost a bouncy sort of feel to it, and its tempo is somewhere around moderato, giving it a feel of neither being rushed, nor a slow tune with a lot of meaning. The musician added a rather peculiar timbre to the background groove, which helped to give it its bounce. Overall, it was carefree and light, and it was a song that was very relaxed.

"Semeadores" by Diego Rivera

1. SOAPSTone the painting.
2. What is the meaning/theme/big idea that the artist wanted you to think about? Support your answer with artistic choices he made (i.e. color, style, subject, position, etc).

S The subject of the painting is the laborers.

O Presumably, this was painted during a time when difficult work was common and routine.

A The audience is the working class.

P The artist meant to show viewers that he shared a bond with the workers and that he stood up for them.

S The speaker means to show that the workers blend into the crowd and that he thinks they should provide for themselves more and be responsible for themselves.

T The tone of this painting is frustration and sadness. It seems that the painter wants workers to be able to have control of their own lives instead of the government ruling them; their colors and forms blend into the background as though it is all they know. 

The painter wanted these people to have a better life for themselves instead of laboring in the fields all day. He blended their colors and forms so that they look as if they are literally a part of the landscape. They are faceless-simply people in the crowd. He believes that they should be seen as individuals as opposed to mere members of a class.

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart-Wilco

1. Summarize Wilco's approach to creating a song.
2. What is your creative process for writing?
3. Explain in detail the steps you go through.
4. If you have no process, then why not? Be specific.

1. Wilco takes the entire idea of what the song should sound like a breaks it down into the various instruments and parts.
2/3. My creative process for writing can best be described as scatterbrained. As much as I would like to say that I outline the plot, get more and more specific, and start writing in detail-which would honestly make for a better and more organized story (what I usually write)-, I have a strong tendency to, instead, briefly outline the plot in my head and then begin to write. Often, I also have a tendency to form details in my head-strong emotions, important dialogue, etc.-and include them in my piece. (I do have plans in the future to begin to get in the habit of mapping the plot out more effectively.) In contrast, when I'm writing a paper or essay for school, I usually form a thesis, pre-write, with an organizer, and plot out my writing before I sit down to write out everything.
4. My process for creative pieces, was described above, and I do hope to, in the future, have better prewriting skills.

Songs from "American Graffiti"

1. What is nostalgia?
2. What images come to mind when you hear this music (be specific and paint a clear picture)?
3. What images pop in your head when you think of your childhood? What smells, sounds, and feelings are associated with these images?

1. Nostalgia is a feeling of longing for times past; it could be childhood or a time with a special person.
2. The music reminds me of the movie "Hairspray," which, fittingly, was set in the '60s. I also pictured a diner with a band playing (specifically using an older microphone), maybe with couples dancing along in front of the band.
3. When I think of my childhood, I think of the house that I lived in until I was nine (it was also in Lexington). It reminds me of walking to school with my brother, my dog, and my mom, and being in elementary school in general. I remember going to the beach with my family on my mom's side, or sometimes the Smoky Mountains. Looking back on my childhood, I remember aspects of my old house that I had almost forgotten about: our back porch, huge to a little me, leading down to the backyard; our swing set, where my brother and I made up routines; the basement, carpeted in green and leading to the laundry room. It's strange now to look back and think how that was home for so long, but now it's just the past, a memory.

The Pinch of Poverty

1. What are the major contributing factors to poverty?
2. How does this artist portray poverty (positive or negative light)?
3. What is the artist's message about poverty?
4. Identify and explain two elements of art that enhance the message.

1. Many different factors contribute to poverty, the root of which is often misfortune. For example, those born into an environment in which education is not an easy or sought-after goal would be more likely to drop out of school to help their family, or they might not go to college. Without a good job and foundation, this would likely provide the same situation for the next generation.
2. The artist portrays poverty in a negative light, showing that a family finds it difficult to provide for themselves (especially without a paternal figure).
3. The artist's message is that poverty is extremely difficult and affects the innocent, making it extremely hard to escape it.
4. Color was used to enhance the message; the colors are generally drab and grey, but the flowers that the girl is selling are bright and could represent hope. Another element was space; the little girl stands ahead of her family, as if she, too, but already providing for her family, could symbolize hope for better days.

"Live Free and Starve" vs. "The Singer Solution to World Poverty"

The authors of the articles "Live Free and Starve" and "The Singer Solution to World Poverty" (Chitra Divakaruni and Peter Singer, respectively) have very different views regarding poverty and action that should or should not be taken. They reside on completely opposite ends of this opinion spectrum: Singer believes that any money that is not used on necessities should be given to help those less fortunate; Divakaruni, however, believes that to take action in situations regarding would be to take jobs away from those who were proud, in some cases, to make money.
While I agree that some action should be taken when it can help, Singer seems to be fond of making readers feel guilty; he first arranges a scenario that makes readers feel that a person should have been less selfish, but then he flips the situation to apply directly to them. On the other hand, Divakaruni is very blunt in saying that to try to help, despite the best intentions, simply would make matters worse. It seems that they both have very valid points-in this, it can perhaps be decided that action taken in the right circumstances would serve well. (For example, giving money for food in a Third World country would help more than hurt, while "lead[ing] to the unemployment of almost a million children" by attempting to reduce child labor would be harmful.)
Overall, Singer's article was meant to inspire others to give selflessly; he says quite plainly that "the money you will spend at the restaurant could also help save the lives of children overseas...what is one month's dining out compared to a child's life?" His purpose was to show that it is very easy to disregard the troubles of others to enjoy the comforts in one's life, and that giving can mean less comfort for one, but a life saved for another.
Taken as whole, Divakaruni meant to show that often situations are misunderstood, and that sometimes "help" doesn't help in the least. She explains that children, despite their horrible work conditions, work to earn money. If they no longer had jobs, they would not be free and happy as we like to envision them-instead, they would be "free and starv[ing]". While startling and very sad, this fact is certainly eye-opening; many probably would not have thought this way.
Overall, the authors seem to have different opinions regarding our (meaning the average citizens') role in helping other around the globe; although they clash with their methods, they both have in their interests to help those, be it by sending donations or by letting them live to make their own money.

"Round and Round" by Ariel Pink's Haunted Grafitti

Question: How do your musical facts influence your opinion? What is the correlation between what you picked out and your opinion? Do you have bias? If so, explain.

Answer: Surprisingly, there seemed to be little, if any, correlation between my opinion and the facts that I observed about the song. My facts were a) that there was constantly either a low hum of voices in the background or harmony with many different voices and b) that the song seemed to be in 4/4 time (though I could be wrong about that) and that the tempo was somewhere around moderato. As far as my opinion goes, I didn't dislike the song, but I didn't particularly like it either. The tone was very eccentric, and not exactly my genre; it sounded almost hypnotic, and extremely thought-provoking. My opinion about the song, however, seemed rather unchanged by the constant voices and the time signature and tempo; it relied more on the mood and genre of the music.