"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.